NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-Evening Report: Palestine asks ICJ for advisory opinion on illegal occupier Israel’s obligations

    More than 180 remained in detention without a clear indication of when or if they would be released, the physicians’ report said.

    “Detainees endure physical, psychological and sexual abuse as well as starvation and medical neglect amounting to torture,” the report said, denouncing a “deeply ingrained policy”.

    Healthcare workers were beaten, threatened, and forced to sign documents in Hebrew during their detention, according to the report based on 20 testimonies collected in prison.

    “Medical personnel were primarily questioned about the Israeli hostages, tunnels, hospital structures and Hamas’s activity,” it said.

    “They were rarely asked questions linking them to any criminal activity, nor were they presented with substantive charges.”

    New Zealand protesters calling for the continuation of the Gaza ceasefire and for peace and justice in Palestine in a march along the Auckland waterfront today. Image: Asia Pacific Report

    Where does Trump stand on the Gaza ceasefire?
     With phase one of the ceasefire due to end today and negotiations barely started on phase two, serious fears are being raised over  the viability of the ceasefire.

    President Donald Trump took credit for the truce that his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff helped push across the finish line after a year of negotiations led by the Biden administration, Egypt and Qatar, reports Al Jazeera.

    Advocate Maher Nazzal at today’s New Zealand rally for Gaza in Auckland . . . he was elected co-leader of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa last weekend. Image: Asia Pacific Report

    However, Trump has since sent mixed signals about the deal.

    Earlier last month, he set a firm deadline for Hamas to release all the captives, warning “all hell is going to break out” if it didn’t.

    But he said it was ultimately up to Israel, and the deadline came and went.

    Trump sowed further confusion by proposing that Gaza’s population of about 2.3 million be relocated to other countries and for the US to take over the territory and develop it.

    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the idea, but it was universally rejected by Palestinians and Arab countries, including close US allies. Human rights groups said it could violate international law.

    Trump stood by the plan in a Fox News interview over the weekend but said he was “not forcing it”.


    ‘Finally’ an effort to hold the US accountable, says Al-Haq director
    Palestinian human rights activist Shawan Jabarin has welcomed a plea by the US-based rights group DAWN for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate Joe Biden and senior US officials for aiding Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

    In a video posted by DAWN, Jabarin, director of the Palestinian rights group Al-Haq, said the effort was long overdue.

    “For decades we have called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law, but time and again, the US has used its power and influence to block that accountability, to shield Israel from consequences and to ensure that it can continue its crimes with impunity,” Jabarin said.

    “Now, finally, we see an effort to hold not just Israeli officials accountable but also those who have made these crimes possible: US officials who have armed, financed, and politically defended Israeli atrocities.”

    A father piggybacks his sleepy child during the New Zealand solidarity protest for Palestine in Auckland’s Viaduct today. Image: Asia Pacific Report

    Article by AsiaPacificReport.nz

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Over 500,000 people demand oil & gas companies pay for climate damages

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    Cape Town, February 28, 2024 — Greenpeace Africa delivered on Friday 28th February a global petition on behalf of more than half a million people, calling on governments to force fossil fuel companies to “stop their climate wrecking activities” and “repair and pay for the damage they have caused.” The petition was handed over to a coalition of 17 countries and groups currently reviewing “polluter pays” levies [1] at the sidelines of the meeting of the Finance in Commons Summit in Cape Town.[2] In parallel, Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain National Park is being consumed by wildfires, in the midst of the worst drought in more than 100 years across Southern Africa.[3]

    Sherelee Odayar, Greenpeace Africa’s Oil and Gas Campaigner, said: “It is unfair to expect that ordinary people will face the climate crisis with cents and rands, while the polluters in chief will pocket billions. It is also impractical: Most world governments simply cannot afford to provide climate solutions at the needed scale. Drought, extreme heat, storms, floods and fires are disproportionately affecting Africa and other Global Majority countries. Science and technology can help bring relief, now governments must make polluters pay to deliver justice and raise the necessary funds.”  

    Signatures by people from Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia were collected between 2023-24, the two hottest years since records began, replete with extreme weather events fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions from the oil and gas industry. At the same, five oil and gas corporations alone reported over US$100 billion cumulatively in profit for last year. 

    The collective demand was presented to the secretariat of the Global Solidarity Levies Taskforce, a coalition of 17 countries and groups, co-led by Barbados, France, and Kenya. It contributes to a public process of consultation which started last month concerning a series of proposals being considered by the governments who are members of the Taskforce, including options to apply levies on fossil fuel industry profits and extraction to fund climate action.

    A letter accompanying the petition reminds that oil and gas companies “knowingly lied about climate change and lobbied to slow action” and are failing to pay their fair share. “Super rich individuals and other polluting industries… should also be held to account. Making polluters pay for the damages they have caused is vital to help communities across the world to recover, rebuild and invest in climate solutions.” 

    The petition’s demands are in line with public polling across a range of geographies, including research recently commissioned by Greenpeace International, which has consistently demonstrated the strong popularity of increasing taxes on oil and gas profits. 

    Greenpeace Africa calls for designing tax and penalty mechanisms in a way that is fair and proportionate – including: ensuring a well-managed and just transition out of coal, oil and gas, while imposing more polluter taxes and fines on the industry to help fund the transition; taking steps to prevent knock-on increases in prices and the cost of living, especially for people living in poverty; and ensuring that people most impacted by climate change benefit the most from revenues raised. 

    Notes:

    [1] The Global Solidarity Levies Task Force: For People and the Planet explores feasible, scaleable and sensible options for levies to raise additional resources for climate and development: https://globalsolidaritylevies.org/world-leaders-pledge-action-on-climate-finance-as-coalition-for-solidarity-levies-launched-at-cop29/ 

    [2] The 5th Finance in Common Summit (FiCS), co-hosted by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): https://www.financeincommonsummit2025.com/ 

    [3] A night of flames: Table Mountain fire lights up the Cape Town skyline https://www.capetownetc.com/news/a-night-of-flames-table-mountain-fire-lights-up-the-ct-skyline/ ; Climate change behind the 2021 Table Mountain fire – study https://mg.co.za/the-green-guardian/2023-03-02-climate-change-behind-the-2021-table-mountain-fire-study/ 

    Photos: Handover of petition by Greenpeace Africa campaigner

    For more information, contact: 

    Greenpeace Africa Press Desk: [email protected] 

    Greenpeace International Press Desk: [email protected], +31 (0) 20 718 2470 (available 24 hours). Follow @greenpeacepress for our latest international press releases.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘This is our land’ – Building Gaza’s future from the wreckage of war

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    Peace and Security

    At night he sleeps under a tarpaulin sheet on the ruins of his family home. Like others returning to northern Gaza after months of being displaced by war, Sufian Al-Majdalawi clings to whatever he can find.

    Using small tools and his bare hands, he sifts through mounds of twisted debris and dirt to try and unearth belongings and important paperwork such as property deeds to prove he is the legal owner.

    He dreams of one day being able to rebuild; in the short-term, he hopes that even the rubble might hold some value.

    The war in Gaza has left an unprecedented level of destruction, with an estimated 51 million tons of rubble blanket the landscape where bustling neighborhoods once thrived.  According to a new UN damage and needs assessment report, over 60 per cent of homes – amounting to some 292,000 – and 65 per cent of roads have been destroyed, across the approximately 360 square kilometre enclave.

    UN News

    Debris and rubble lines the streets of Gaza.

    As the international community ponders Gaza’s future and how to rebuild, Al-Majdalawi is sure of one thing: “We will not leave. That will not happen. This is our land.’’

    Moving cautiously through the rubble, Yasser Ahmed says: “I am looking for my papers.” His desperate search is made even more daunting because adjacent structures have collapsed in on each other. “Maybe while I am removing the rubble, I will find a human body, an explosive device,’’ he adds, underlining the huge emotional and physical risks of dislodging debris in a war zone.

    In collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Public Works and Housing, the UN Development Programme-led Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People and the UN Environment Programme co-chair a debris management group that brings together more than 20 entities to support the response to this critical issue across the Gaza Strip.

    UN staff are drawing on similar experiences in Mosul, Iraq, and the Syrian cities of Aleppo and Latakia, all decimated by war. 
    UNOPS, a UN agency that provides infrastructure, procurement and project management services around the world, is part of Gaza’s ‘Debris Management Working Group.’

    UN News

    15 months of war in Gaza resulted in more than 50 million tons of debris.

    The agency, which has conducted threat and risk assessments throughout the Territory, has developed advanced GeoAI and remote sensing techniques, including 3D modeling technologies, to enhance explosive hazard evaluation and rubble removal strategies.

    UNOPS Executive Director Jorge Moreira da Silva, following a recent trip to Gaza, says explosive hazard education had been provided to 250,000 Palestinians and some 1,000 humanitarian workers, providing “critical knowledge to stay safe and navigate explosive hazards effectively.”

    UNDP, which helps countries reduce poverty, build resilience and achieve sustainable development, started removing rubble from Gaza in December 2024, weeks before a ceasefire began.

    UNDP’s Sarah Poole says about 28,500 tons of rubble were initially removed, and 290 tons of it used for roadworks to enhance humanitarian operations, restoring access to sites such as a hospital, a bakery and a critical water supply plant.

    Poole describes the issue of land and property ownership in Gaza as “very complex” – particularly when title deeds, inheritance records and other legal documents are lost or destroyed.

    Amjad Al-Shawa, Director of the network of NGOs in the Gaza Strip, says the issue of rubble represents a “major challenge.’’

    “We need a mechanism to dispose of the rubble which will take a long time, and which requires resources that are not available in the Gaza Strip,’’ he says.

    “Today, this rubble also represents the possessions of the residents. Many disputes may arise between families.’’

    Some $7 million has already been made available from various donors to aid the rubble removal – but Poole says an additional $40 million is needed “in this initial phase in order to significantly scale up the work.”

    “The issue of access and the ability to bring in some of the heavy equipment that is needed is also absolutely essential,” he adds.

    The challenge ahead looks daunting: Once-thriving neighborhoods have been leveled – very little remains. In this Territory where people turning 18 have already lived through five massive armed conflicts, the destruction this time is significantly worse.

    The cost of the damage to physical infrastructure has been estimated at some $30 billion, according to the UN. The housing sector was the hardest hit, with losses amounting to $15.8 billion. The costs of recovery and reconstruction are estimated at over $53 billion.

    UN News

    Yasser Ahmed stands in front of his destroyed home in Jabalia, in the north of the Gaza Strip.

    “There is no residential life here. I look around and see nothing but destruction,’’ says Ahmed, standing in front of the wreckage of his house. “The hard work of 59 years – the number of years of my life – was lost, and everything is gone.’’

    “Everything is under the rubble,’’ he says. “I miss my home … a person is only comfortable in his home and his own place.”

    Nearby, Ramadan Katkat sits on the remnants of his home. Living in tents precariously perched atop mounds of rubble, he echoes the despair felt by many: Beneath them could lie a perilous mix of unexploded devices and human remains.

    His wish? “We want to live.’’

    Al-Majdalawi is adamant, though: “We are capable of rebuilding the land.”

    UN News

    Ramadan Kutkut sits on the rubble of his house in Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip.

    With a fragile ceasefire holding for now, regional talks are underway to develop a plan for rebuilding Gaza after 16 months of brutal conflict. Next Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres will travel to Cairo for a summit with Arab leaders focused on reconstruction. He aims to advocate for sustainable rebuilding efforts and a cohesive, transparent, and principled political resolution.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Low-altitude economy boosts smart agriculture

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    As dawn breaks over the vast wheat fields, a fleet of drones hums to life, rising like a swarm of mechanical bees. Guided by skilled pilots, the drones glide over the expanse, spraying the crops with precisely measured doses of pesticide.

    In just three days, more than 80,000 mu (approximately 5,333.33 hectares) of wheat fields will be treated. This level of efficiency is unimaginable in traditional farming.

    In a display of agricultural modernization, this annual operation in Zhaoqiao Township, in Bozhou City, east China’s Anhui Province, highlights the increasing role of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in China’s agricultural sector.

    To ensure optimal pest control, nearly 40 skilled drone pilots operate UAVs weighing between 50 and 70 kilograms, swiftly maneuvering over vast wheat fields to apply pesticides efficiently and precisely.

    “Traditional manual pesticide spraying could only cover 10 to 15 mu per day. Now, a single agricultural drone can handle about 1,000 mu daily, ensuring even coverage without gaps or overlaps,” said Jiao Rui, a 33-year-old drone team leader.

    Bozhou alone has nearly 3,000 agricultural drones in operation, contributing to a nationwide total of 251,000 UAVs dedicated to agricultural services in 2024.

    These drones collectively covered 2.67 billion mu of farmland, marking a nearly 25 percent year-on-year increase. Beyond pest control, they are also used for fertilization, seeding, pollination, and field monitoring, significantly enhancing agricultural productivity.

    The recently released “No. 1 Central Document” for 2025 outlines priorities to deepen rural reforms further and solid steps to advance all-around rural revitalization. It emphasizes the importance of developing new quality productive forces in agriculture in light of local conditions.

    Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the Office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, emphasized at a recent press conference that smart technologies, including UAVs, mechanized farming, AI-driven agriculture, and low-altitude economy applications, hold vast potential for rural development.

    According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the country’s low-altitude economy is expected to reach a market size of 1.5 trillion yuan (about 209.09 billion U.S. dollars) by 2025 and could grow to 3.5 trillion yuan by 2035.

    This sector is rapidly integrating into various rural applications, from agricultural protection to forest fire prevention, water resource inspection, rural logistics, and tourism.

    In the mountainous Hongqi Village of Yuexi County, Anhui, a small white drone takes off daily from its automated docking station, ready to carry out its tasks.

    Equipped with high-definition and infrared cameras, as well as a loudspeaker, the drone patrols a 15-square-kilometer forest area for 40 minutes before returning to recharge.

    Later, it flies to check on elderly residents living alone, enabling local staff to communicate with them remotely. During flood season, the drone’s tasks expand to include river inspections.

    Since the launch of the pilot program in August 2024, drones in Hongqi Village have covered a total of 1,422.95 kilometers and detected over 30 safety hazards, all of which were promptly addressed.

    “Previously, forest patrols required two workers on motorcycles for an entire day, and visiting elderly residents in the mountains took about 90 minutes round-trip. With UAVs, we significantly enhance efficiency and service delivery,” said Shi Yongshi, the first secretary of Hongqi Village.

    Anhui’s local practices epitomize a broader national trend. By 2027, east China’s Zhejiang Province plans to have over 10,000 agricultural drones in operation, covering more than 65 million mu of farmland. Drone-based rural inspections are also set to reach over 30 percent of villages.

    Low-altitude logistics are expanding across cities and rural areas in Guangdong Province, focusing on high-value seafood transport, maritime supply deliveries, rapid medical shipments, and agricultural product transport from mountainous regions.

    “Beyond agriculture, the low-altitude economy is becoming a new engine for rural revitalization and industrial upgrading,” said Zhang Jian, a professor at the Civil Aviation Flight University of China. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Wildfire Mitigation and Research

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Wildfire Mitigation and Research

    As wildfires have devastated California and the West, bipartisan bill would create career pathways to tackle growing wildfire threats

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) joined his colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Regional Leadership in Wildland Fire Research Act, legislation that would establish regional research centers at institutions of higher education across the country to boost wildfire mitigation and research. These regional centers would be tasked with developing next-generation fire and vegetation models and technologies to support wildland fire management and address the specific needs of the region in which they are situated. Additionally, this bill would establish a National Center Coordination Board to manage the work of regional centers and establish Regional Advisory Boards from wildfire management agencies, state and tribal governments, and other stakeholders to provide input and assistance.

    According to the U.S. Fire Administration, current wildfire models are failing to adequately predict fire behavior under extreme conditions and in more complex environments, like last month’s Southern California fires, which occurred under severe winds. These models also struggle to reproduce recent catastrophic wildfires, making them more likely to fail at predicting future wildfires or determining when and where it is safe to conduct prescribed burns. That’s why next-generation fire and vegetation models are essential to supporting effective wildland fire management and preparing firefighters against evolving risks.

    Senator Padilla joined Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) in introducing the legislation.

    “Californians are all too familiar with the devastating toll catastrophic wildfires can take on their communities, burning down homes and businesses, and uprooting families’ livelihoods,” said Senator Padilla. “As the climate crisis makes wildfires more dangerous and harder to predict, expanding our wildland fire research would help us better prepare for wildfires and safely conduct prescribed burns ahead of peak fire season. California universities are already the nation’s leading hub for wildfire research and technology, and this bipartisan effort is a critical step forward in expanding next-generation fire mitigation efforts.”

    “Far too many communities in New Mexico and in states across the country know that wildfire season can cost you everything. We must do everything possible to understand the root causes of these wildfires and how local communities can improve wildfire mitigation efforts and save lives and livelihoods,” said Senator Luján. “I’m proud to partner with Senator Sullivan to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation to establish regional research centers tasked with developing next-generation fire and vegetation models and technologies to boost wildfire mitigation. Each of these regional centers will help boost wildland fire management across the country while creating more opportunities for a good-paying job through career training for wildfire research. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill signed into law.”

    “Wildfires burn millions of acres in Alaska every year—sometimes as much or more than the combined acreage burned in the rest of the country,” said Senator Sullivan. “To better protect lives, homes and critical infrastructure, we need to invest in research that will produce more accurate models and empower our wildland firefighters to better predict and extinguish fires before they become full-scale natural disasters. I’m glad to reintroduce legislation with Senator Luján to establish wildland fire research centers at our universities with specialized expertise in this space—like UAF in Interior Alaska—and develop more effective firefighting strategies that respond to the unique circumstances of each of our states.”

    “If we’ve learned anything from recent wildfire tragedies across the country, it’s that the threat of catastrophic wildfires isn’t seasonal, nor is it isolated to one region; it’s a year-round, nationwide threat. I’m proud to join this bipartisan effort with my colleagues to invest in better anticipating wildland fires, streamlining our response, and ensuring we are fighting these fires faster and more effectively to keep communities safe,” said Senator Sheehy.

    Each regional research center would:

    • Conduct research to improve our understanding of wildland fire, including causes and associated risks for fires, rehabilitation of affected ecosystems, mitigation strategies that improve firefighter safety, and more;
    • Develop, maintain, and operate next-generation fire and vegetation models and technologies to support wildland fire management; and
    • Develop a career pathway training program to help carry out wildland fire research.

    The bill is supported by the Federation of American Scientists, Megafire Action, National Association of State Foresters, National Federation of Federal Employees, the Nature Conservancy, the University of New Mexico, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

    “We spend billions on improving our understanding of disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes — that hasn’t happened yet with megafire. The Regional Leadership in Wildland Fire Research Act recognizes and invests in our research community to produce region specific scientific research and solutions to catastrophic wildfires, allowing innovators and wildland firefighters to use this information to directly leverage technology to predict, detect, and prevent megafire,” said Matt Weiner, CEO of Megafire Action.

    Senator Padilla has long been a leader in strengthening the federal and state response to wildfires. Earlier this month, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act. Last month, Padilla introduced another suite of bipartisan bills to strengthen wildfire recovery and resilience. Additionally, Padilla’s legislation to strengthen FEMA’s wildfire preparedness and response efforts, the FIRE Act, became law in 2022.

    A one-pager on the bill is available here.

    Full text of the bill is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Schiff, EPW Democrats Slam Zeldin’s Covert Push to Dismantle Climate Safeguards

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Schiff, EPW Democrats Slam Zeldin’s Covert Push to Dismantle Climate Safeguards

    Senators: “Your push to undermine the Endangerment Finding seems based not on sound science or legal reasoning, but rather on an agenda that prioritizes industry profits over public health, environmental protection, and climate safety.”
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), along with all other Democratic members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW), demanded answers about Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin’s secretive efforts to roll back the longstanding EPA endangerment finding that greenhouse gases are harmful to human health and welfare. The endangerment finding underpins greenhouse gas regulations, and repealing it would ignore scientific consensus while in effect gutting emissions standards for vehicles, power plants, airplanes, and more — which would increase harmful, toxic pollution.  
    During then-nominee Zeldin’s confirmation, he testified that he “strongly believe[s] we have a moral responsibility to be good stewards of our environment for generations to come,” and that he was “someone who believes strongly that we should work with the scientists, leaving the science to the scientists.” But this week, it was revealed that he — behind the scenes and away from public scrutiny — has been urging the Trump Administration to rescind the evidence-based endangerment finding. The fact that greenhouse gases harm public health was scientific fact when the endangerment finding was issued in 2009, and 16 years later, the evidence has only gotten stronger and the looming economic harms more dangerous. Since Administrator Zeldin’s confirmation, he has also announced plans to carry out a politically motivated purge of scientists from EPA and has overseen an illegal funding freeze that is threatening to kill jobs and drive up energy costs nationwide.
    “This key finding underpins EPA’s ability to regulate emissions from motor vehicles, which EPA also found in 2009 to ‘contribute to the greenhouse gas pollution that threatens public health and welfare,’ as well as other pollution-emitting sources. Without the finding, EPA cannot fulfill its core mission and legal obligation of ensuring clean air for the American people,” wrote the Senators.
    “As you surely know, any attempt to rescind the Endangerment Finding flies in the face of established science and EPA’s own findings. EPA has found that its greenhouse gas regulations generate billions of dollars in savings for Americans and huge reductions in premature deaths, emergency room visits, heart disease, cancer, stroke, asthma onset and symptoms, and missed workdays,” continued the Senators.
    “Your recommendation to strike down the Endangerment Finding appears to be part of a broader effort to dismantle environmental protections at the behest of fossil fuel interests. Reporting and previous investigations of the Senate Committee on the Budget indicate that oil industry lobbyists pre-drafted executive orders that would weaken climate regulations in anticipation of a second Trump Administration. In short, the fossil fuel industry is now collecting the return on its investment in the 2024 election,” concluded the Senators. “… [Y]our push to undermine the Endangerment Finding seems based not on sound science or legal reasoning, but rather on an agenda that prioritizes industry profits over public health, environmental protection, and climate safety.”
    Specifically, Zeldin recommended to the Office of Management and Budget that the EPA withdraw its 2009 finding under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act that “the current and projected concentrations of the six key well-mixed greenhouse gases … in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations” (the ‘Endangerment Finding’). 
    Over the past 15 years, the scientific consensus supporting the endangerment finding has only strengthened, with successive National Climate Assessments and reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change demonstrating extensive environmental and economic harms caused by climate change, including increased risks from flooding and wildfires. EPA’s endangerment finding is the foundation of subsequent endangerment findings for greenhouse gases emitted from power plants, aircraft engines, and oil and gas sector sources of methane. 
    Padilla and Schiff signed the letter, led by EPW Ranking Member Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), along with Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
    Full text of the letter is available here and below:
    Dear Administrator Zeldin,
    We write to express grave concern about your recommendation to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) withdraw its December 7, 2009, finding under section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act that “the current and projected concentrations of the six key well-mixed greenhouse gases . . . in the atmosphere threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations” (the “Endangerment Finding”).  This key finding underpins EPA’s ability to regulate emissions from motor vehicles, which EPA also found in 2009 to “contribute to the greenhouse gas pollution that threatens public health and welfare,” as well as other pollution-emitting sources. Without the finding, EPA cannot fulfill its core mission and legal obligation of ensuring clean air for the American people.
    On February 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 3418, directing you, in collaboration with other agency heads, to submit joint recommendations to the OMB Director on the legality and continuing applicability of the Endangerment Finding. On February 26, 2025, the Washington Post reported that you had “privately urged the White House to strike down” the finding. President Trump’s directive and your recommendation, which follow years of legal precedent affirming the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, raise serious concerns about the Administration’s commitment to respecting established science, following the law, and fulfilling EPA’s core mission of protecting clean air—all three of which you promised the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee you would do if confirmed as EPA Administrator.
    In 2007, the Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA that greenhouse gases qualify as pollutants under the Clean Air Act, compelling the EPA to regulate them if they pose a threat to public health and welfare. Following a rigorous review of peer-reviewed scientific evidence and extensive public input, EPA then issued the Endangerment Finding in 2009, requiring it to regulate greenhouse gases. The 2012 D.C. Circuit ruling in Coalition for Responsible Regulation v. EPA reaffirmed that the Endangerment Finding is grounded in substantial scientific evidence. The Supreme Court declined to review that decision and, in 2014, reaffirmed the EPA’s ability to regulate GHG emissions in Utility Air Regulatory Group v. EPA.  The Supreme Court has continued to decline to hear challenges to the Endangerment Finding, including as recently as December 11, 2023.
    Over the intervening decade and a half, the scientific consensus supporting the Endangerment Finding has only strengthened, with successive National Climate Assessments and reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change outlining in increasing detail the extensive harms caused by climate change.  Multiple other sources echo these warnings, and extend them to coming economic harms, which we see already presenting themselves in a property insurance—and increasingly unpredictable—crisis driven by increased flooding and wildfire risk. This overwhelming evidence underpinned EPA’s promulgation of subsequent endangerment findings for greenhouse gases emitted from power plants, oil and gas sector sources of methane, and aircraft engines.
    As you surely know, any attempt to rescind the Endangerment Finding flies in the face of established science and EPA’s own findings. EPA has found that its greenhouse gas regulations generate billions of dollars in savings for Americans and huge reductions in premature deaths, emergency room visits, heart disease, cancer, stroke, asthma onset and symptoms, and missed workdays.  Any attempt to rescind the Endangerment Finding will face significant legal and procedural hurdles, and will create chaos and uncertainty for industries that are relying on existing regulations.
    Your recommendation to strike down the Endangerment Finding appears to be part of a broader effort to dismantle environmental protections at the behest of fossil fuel interests. Reporting and previous investigations of the Senate Committee on the Budget indicate that oil industry lobbyists pre-drafted executive orders that would weaken climate regulations in anticipation of a second Trump Administration.  In short, the fossil fuel industry is now collecting the return on its investment in the 2024 election. Nevertheless, you promised at your confirmation hearing that you would “work with the scientists, leaving the science to the scientists.”  Despite that pledge, your push to undermine the Endangerment Finding seems based not on sound science or legal reasoning, but rather on an agenda that prioritizes industry profits over public health, environmental protection, and climate safety.
    Accordingly, in order to assist in our understanding of your recommendation concerning the Endangerment Finding, please respond to the following questions and requests for production of documents no later than March 6, 2025:
    1. Provide a copy of your correspondence with OMB and any other executive branch parties recommending that the Endangerment Finding be rescinded;
    2. Identify the author(s) of any such correspondence;
    3. Provide all scientific, legal, and economic analyses used to inform your recommendation to OMB regarding the Endangerment Finding;
    4. Identify all individuals and organizations consulted as part of this review process, including meetings with industry representatives and external stakeholders;
    5. Explain how the EPA intends to reconcile any proposed rescission of the Endangerment Finding with the Supreme Court’s ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA and subsequent legal precedent, which remains valid law;
    6. Provide any communications (including but not limited to emails, text messages, and memoranda)—dating from November 1, 2024 to present—between and among the EPA and White House officials, members of the Trump 2024 campaign, members of the Trump-Vance Transition Team, OMB staff, Elon Musk, Russell Vought, Mandy Gunasekara, or Jonathan Brightbill regarding the review and potential withdrawal of the Endangerment Finding; and
    7. Detail any plans the EPA has to conduct a formal rulemaking process to revise or rescind the Endangerment Finding.
    The American people deserve transparency regarding policies that impact public health, the environment, and the stability of our climate. We expect your prompt and thorough response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Cortez Masto Demands Answers from Trump Administration on Impact of Terminations Across Federal Government

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    In Case You Missed It, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) pushed the Trump Administration for detailed, public information regarding the impacts of President Trump’s federal funding freeze, hiring freeze, and terminations on Nevada – including to the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Nuclear Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Agriculture. To date, the Trump administration has refused to respond.

    The Requests:

    On February 18, Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen (D-Nev.) sent two letters to the Trump administration regarding the President’s recent decision to terminate several thousand employees at the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). The Senators expressed deep concerns about the risks that these mass firings could have on the millions of acres of public lands in Nevada and demanded transparency about the projects the terminated employees had been responsible for. The Senators have not received a response.

    On February 20, Cortez Masto and Rosen sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins demanding he provide answers on the mass terminations of personnel across the VA, specifically those in Nevada. The Senators asked for critical information on how these staff reductions could impact veterans and their ability to receive service in Nevada and across the United States. The Senators have not received a response.

    On February 21, the Senators sent a letter to President Trump’s Department of Energy (DOE) and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) regarding recent terminations of NNSA personnel. Given the NNSA’s role maintaining and modernizing the American nuclear stockpile, largely done at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS), the senators expressed grave concern that the chaotic terminations could harm American national security.The Senators have not received a response.

    On February 26, following reports that several U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employees involved in bird flu response were fired, Senator Cortez Masto sent a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins demanding vital answers on recent terminations and the Department’s response to bird flu outbreaks. The Senator has not received a response.

    Senator Cortez Masto will continue to sound the alarm and demand answers from the Trump administration for policies that threaten the safety and wellbeing of Nevada families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Amphibious aircraft completes prior-certification flight tests

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China’s AG600 large amphibious aircraft on Friday completed all of its prior-certification flight test subjects, a key step toward achieving its airworthiness certification target, announced the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
    The Chinese independently-developed AG600 aircraft on Friday accomplished the compliance flight test subject of combustible liquid discharge at a civil aircraft flight test center in Pucheng County in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, the AVIC said.
    Over the past two years, the AG600 aircraft conducted up to 2,014 flight movements totaling 3,560 flight hours for flight test missions prior to its airworthiness certification, said the developer.
    The AG600 aircraft traveled to multiple sites across the country to carry out its flight tests in order to secure special meteorological conditions for some flight tests.
    The AVIC said the flight tests were conducted in diversified scenarios, such as water surface, extreme cold, high temperature and humidity, crosswinds, and typical firefighting tasks to verify the aircraft’s operational capabilities in various special environments.
    China’s AG600 large amphibious aircraft family is being developed as vital advanced aeronautical equipment to strengthen the country’s emergency rescue and natural disaster prevention capabilities.
    The AG600 aircraft family is tailored to carry out rescue missions such as firefighting and maritime search and rescue in all types of terrain across the country.
    The AG600 series amphibious aircraft features a unique configuration consisting of an integrated aircraft-shaped upper body and a ship-bottom-shaped lower body.
    AG600 series aircraft can be fitted with equipment and facilities to meet the diverse needs of users in fields such as marine environment monitoring, resource detection, and passenger and cargo transportation.
    The AG600 tech demonstrator successfully completed its maiden flight in 2017, the first take-off from a reservoir in 2018, and the maiden flight over the sea in 2020.
    Through prior certification flight tests, the development team verified the performance of the AG600’s aircraft platform.
    The flight test results showed that the aircraft’s operation and stability characteristics meet the design requirements, its stall characteristics are better than the expected indicators, and all of its systems function reliably.
    Meanwhile, the water dropping function and efficiency of the AG600 aircraft have been fully verified. It is capable of serving fire fighting missions in diverse scenarios such as plains, hills and plateaus.
    The AG600 tech-demonstrator successfully completed its maiden flight in 2017, the first take-off from a reservoir in 2018, and the maiden flight over the sea in 2020.
    The development of AG600 large amphibious aircraft enhances China’s design and manufacturing capabilities for large-sized special-purpose civil aircraft, and also promotes the leapfrog progress of the country’s aeronautical emergency rescue equipment system, said the AVIC. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Trump, Zelensky cancel signing of minerals deal after White House shouting match

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A press conference at the White House scheduled for Friday where U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky planned to sign the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal was canceled, following a tense shouting match between the two inside the Oval Office earlier in the day.

    U.S. President Donald Trump (C) welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (R) at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Feb. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong)

    What should have been a normal press pool spray before the high-stakes Trump-Zelensky bilateral meeting transpired into a fireworks-filled blowup aired on TV that no one would expect, all starting with an interjection by U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who was present in the room, demanding that the Ukrainian leader be thankful for Trump’s effort to get his country out of its three-year conflict with Russia.

    “You should be thanking the president for trying to bring an end to this conflict,” Vance told Zelensky during the unprecedented public confrontation, which later saw the three of them — Trump and Vance versus Zelensky — repeatedly race to talk over one another.

    Rebuking Vance, Zelensky’s remarks that the United States will “in the future” feel the problem brought to it by the Ukraine-Russia conflict was pushed back by Trump, who said Zelensky was “in no position to dictate what we are going to feel” given that he “allowed” himself “to be in a very bad position.”

    “You don’t have cards right now. With us you start having cards,” Trump said as Zelensky, whose voice was barely audible in the face of a shouting Trump, was heard saying he was not playing cards.

    “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people. You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country,” Trump piled on and continued.

    After the chaotic Oval Office confrontation, Trump posted a statement on Truth Social saying: “I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations. I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

    For his part, Zelensky took to X and said: “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you (President Trump), Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $6.5 Million Boost to Enhance Mimosa Rocks National Park

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: $6.5 Million Boost to Enhance Mimosa Rocks National Park

    Published: 28 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Environment and Heritage, Minister for Regional NSW

    Work is about to commence at Mimosa Rocks National Park on the NSW Far South Coast, which is receiving a $6.5 million funding boost to strengthen the park’s resilience against natural disasters.

    Severe flood events in 2021 and 2022 caused significant damage to the park, leading to extensive closures of campsites and visitor precincts.

    Around 76 per cent of campgrounds – 60 sites in total – along with several popular day-use areas were either closed or had limited access until repairs could be made.

    The investment is being made under the $200 million Infrastructure Betterment Fund, which is financed by the Australian and NSW Governments to support the repair and rebuilding of public assets directly impacted by natural disasters.

    This funding for Mimosa Rocks National Park will support critical improvements including:

    • Upgraded drainage systems to manage heavy rainfall.
    • Relocation of high-risk campsites to minimise future flood damage.
    • Improved road surfaces for better access and safety.
    • Enhanced pedestrian beach access points to mitigate the effects of ocean storms surges and dune erosion.

    Improvements will be made to four precincts within the national park, including three campgrounds:

    • Aragunnu,
    • Gillards Beach,
    • Middle Beach,
    • Nelsons Beach.

    Construction will commence in the coming months, and visitors are advised to expect intermittent disruptions.

    Visitors should check NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service alerts before any visit: https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/alerts/alerts-list.

    People can register for progress updates by visiting: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/mimosa-rocks-betterment.

    Quote attributable to Federal Member for Eden-Monaro, Kristy McBain:

    “Mimosa Rocks National Park is one of the Sapphire Coast’s most popular destinations, which is why we’re investing $6.5 million with the NSW Government to repair the damage caused by storms – supporting upgrades to the park’s facilities, and making it more resilient into the future.

    “From fishing, birdwatching, picnics, and whale watching – Mimosa Rocks has so much to offer, which is why we’re ensuring that locals can make the most of it, and that we can continue to attract more visitors to the Bega Valley.”

    Quote attributable to NSW Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe:

    “National parks are one of NSW’s greatest public assets, loved by everyone from locals to international visitors.

    “The NSW Government is funding critical upgrades to Mimosa Rocks National Park to ensure visitor facilities can better withstand storms and floods. This will reduce flood closures and minimise disruptions to visitors, while improving safety.

    “The improvements will also reduce economic impacts to the region by ensuring campsites and visitor precincts remain open.”

    Quote attributable to NSW Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty:

    ”This is an important investment in the south coast in the Mimosa Rocks National Park, to ensure more resilience for sites used by visitors can be better protected. This is good for locals and the many Australians who love to visit our parks.

    “This is another good example of the positive outcome when the NSW and Commonwealth Governments work close together to deliver for the south coast.”

    Quote attributable to NSW Member for Bega, Dr Michael Holland:

    “Each year, more than 200,000 people visit Mimosa Rocks National Park, making it a key contributor to the regional economy of the Bega Valley.  

    “It is crucial that Mimosa Rocks is accessible for visitors and offers them an exceptional experience of this beautiful south coast gem.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: 70 new units in Tweed Shire to help combat homelessness

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: 70 new units in Tweed Shire to help combat homelessness

    Published: 28 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Homelessness, Minister for Housing

    The Minns Labor Government is taking important steps to address homelessness in the Northern Rivers, transforming a vacant retirement village into 70 supported temporary accommodation units.

    In partnership with Homes NSW, community housing provider Social Futures plans to deliver 70 temporary beds at Tweed Heads, with wraparound support to help vulnerable locals get back on their feet.

    The form­er residential village for over 55s was sitting vacant and unused since it was put on the market in 2023. Soon, it will provide a safe place to stay for community members including seniors and people with a disability, with the first stage of the project to deliver 20 new homes in coming weeks.

    The NSW Government is taking decisive action to transform underutilised properties into secure, supported accommodation, run by experienced community housing providers—reducing reliance on costly hotels and motels.

    Temporary accommodation is more than just immediate shelter, it’s a lifeline that helps prevent homelessness, connecting people with essential support services for long-term stability and better outcomes.

    This project was made possible by a $525,800 grant from the first round of the $100 million Homelessness Innovation Fund.

    The grants support new and improved approaches to tackling homelessness and are available to accredited homelessness services, registered Community Housing Providers, Aboriginal Community Housing Providers and those working toward accreditation or registration.

    The first funding round backed 24 projects, distributing nearly $10 million, including $768,862 to Social Futures to convert a disused aged care facility into crisis accommodation in Lismore.

    Round two recipients will be announced soon, with applications open until 30 April 2025.
    To find out more, visit the links below:

    The Homelessness Innovation Fund is a key part of the NSW Government’s $6.6 billion Building Homes for NSW program, which will deliver:

    • 8,400 new public housing homes
    • 21,000 affordable and market homes
    • Upgrades to 30,000 social housing properties

    This investment reflects the NSW Government’s commitment to tackling homelessness, increasing housing supply and delivering better outcomes for regional communities.

    Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said:

    “Homelessness and housing are impacting people right across the state, but this is being felt particularly hard here in the Northern Rivers region.

    “We know we need smarter solutions to deliver housing, faster – and last year, we created the Homelessness Innovation Fund to do just that.

    “The Fund is about giving trusted community housing and homelessness organisations such as Social Futures a solid foundation to trial new approaches as we work together to tackle the housing crisis.

    “We want to move away from relying on expensive hotels and motels for temporary accommodation. These are not appropriate places for the elderly, people with disabilities or families – particularly women and children fleeing domestic violence.

    “This project will give vulnerable people in the region access to the care and resources they need – not just a roof over their heads.”

    Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin said:

    “I have been deeply engaged with Tweed Shire Council, community housing providers like Social Futures and others to address the long-standing issue of homelessness in the Tweed, made worse by the 2022 floods which impacted parts of Murwillumbah and surrounds particularly hard.

    “This repurposing model, whereby a vacant facility can be easily converted into managed temporary accommodation, will work well here in Tweed Heads, where the need is great.

    “I congratulate Homes NSW and Social Futures on partnering in the Soorley Street project, which importantly, has wraparound support services for people who will live in the units.”

    Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot MP said:

    “Our community on the North Coast has one of the highest rates of homelessness across NSW and that’s why this project is vitally important for our region.

    “The Federal and State Labor Governments are working together to address the issues of housing affordability, rental stress, and homelessness.

    “The NSW Labor Government funding of $525,800 towards these 70 new supported temporary accommodation units in Tweed Heads will provide urgent relief for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

    “Social Futures is a trusted community housing and homelessness organisation that works across the region providing important support and services.”

    Social Futures CEO Tony Davies said:

    “Transforming this vacant property into supported temporary accommodation for people experiencing homelessness provides immediate relief for some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

    “By working collaboratively with government, council, and community partners, we’re not only increasing the availability of temporary accommodation – we’re creating a pathway to lasting, positive change.”

    “With onsite access to wrap-around support services, security and 24/7 onsite management we can deliver safe, supportive temporary accommodation that empowers people to regain stability and independence as they work toward securing long-term housing.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — Crime Reduction Unit arrests British Columbia man on warrants, locate drugs and a firearm

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On February 27, 2025 police officers of the Yukon Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) arrested 48-year-old British Columbia resident, Christopher Munch, as he was wanted on warrants of arrest issued in the province of British Columbia. As a result of their investigation, CRU also seized drugs, cash, trafficking paraphernalia and a firearm.

    On February 27 at approximately 5:30 pm, a member of the Crime Reduction Unit observed Mr. Munch exit a vehicle and enter a business in the Whitehorse downtown area; it was known to the officer that Mr. Munch was wanted on two warrants. Mr. Munch was arrested without incident, along with another male and female who were in the same vehicle. The vehicle was subsequently searched as part of the ongoing investigation and officers discovered a quantity of what is believed to be cocaine and methamphetamine along with money and other items known to be used in the trafficking of illegal drugs such as scales and cell phones. A prohibited firearm was also found inside the vehicle.

    Mr. Munch, along with 37-year-old Robert Suffesick and 45-year-old Nadine Handel, both of Watson Lake, were charged with the following offences:

    Three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine, codeine and methamphetamine);

    Possess a loaded prohibited firearm;

    Possession of property obtained by crime.

    Additionally, Mr. Munch was charged with two counts of fail to comply with a release order.

    Mr. Suffesick and Ms. Handel appeared in court on February 28 and were released on conditions, while Mr. Munch was held in custody and his next court appearance is March 5 in Whitehorse.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Joins Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Ban High-Capacity Gun Magazines

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    A similar law prohibiting semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines was in place from 1994-2004
    Washington (February 28, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), joined Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and colleagues in introducing the Keep Americans Safe Act (KASA) to reinstate a nationwide ban on the sale, transfer, possession, import, or manufacture of high-capacity gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by U.S. Representatives by Diana DeGette (CO-01), Dina Titus (NV-01), and Brad Schneider (IL-10).
    A federal law prohibiting semiautomatic assault weapons and high-capacity magazines was in place from 1994 to 2004. While research showed this regulation reduced the likelihood of mass shooting fatalities by 70 percent, this federal law has not been renewed since 2004. In mass shootings with four or more people killed between 2015 and 2022, high-capacity magazines led to more than twice as many people killed, and nearly 10 times as many people wounded, per incident on average.
    Specifically, the Keep Americans Safe Act would:
    1. Ban the sale or transfer of high-capacity gun magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds to anyone other than law enforcement;
    2. Ban the possession of a high-capacity gun magazine manufactured after the date of enactment by anyone other than law enforcement;
    3. Authorize high-capacity magazine buyback programs; and
    4. Authorize law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and ATF, to seize and destroy high-capacity magazines possessed illegally.
    “The common denominator in nearly every mass shooting is large-capacity magazines (LCMs), dangerous accessories that allow shooters to continuously fire without reloading, robbing victims of an opportunity to flee or intervene,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy at Brady: United Against Gun Violence. “Regardless if they are paired with handguns or assault weapons, when LCMs are used in shootings, 155% more people are shot and twice as many people are killed. Brady is grateful to Sen. Blumenthal, Sen. Hirono, and Rep. DeGette for their leadership and is proud to endorse the Keep Americans Safe Act to regulate these dangerous accessories and make America safer.”
    “High-capacity magazines enable shooters to cause devastating harm in a short amount of time and restricting them will help prevent mass shootings that have tragically become too common,” said Nick Wilson, Senior Director of gun violence prevention at Center for American Progress. “If enacted, the Keep Americans Safe Act would save lives because it is working in states who’ve adopted similar laws. When a mass shooting occurred, states with a large-capacity magazine ban had 38 percent fewer fatalities and 77 percent fewer nonfatal injuries.”
    “High-capacity magazines were designed for war, but have become a favored tool for mass shooters looking to inflict maximum carnage,” said John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We applaud Senator Hirono for introducing this legislation, which will keep high-capacity magazines out of civilian hands.”
    The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
    The full text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Peters Calls on Trump Administration to Reinstate Veterans Illegally Fired in Mass Terminations

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 02.28.2025

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) joined a group of 21 Democratic Senators in calling on President Trump to immediately reinstate veterans who have been illegally fired in his Administration’s mass terminations of federal employees. It’s estimated that the Trump Administration’s actions have already resulted in roughly 6,000 veterans abruptly losing their jobs, including many former servicemembers who had worked in government service for multiple years. In a letter to President Trump, Peters and his colleagues emphasized the harmful and disproportionate impacts that these mass layoffs are having on veterans, which make up approximately 30 percent of the federal workforce – or more than 640,000 employees. The letter also called for the Administration to provide these veterans with full back pay and benefits. 
    “Federal civil service has long been a preferred path for military-affiliated populations, allowing them to continue serving our country while offering competitive wages, benefits, and much-needed stability,” said Peters and his colleagues. “In return, every single agency in our government and every single taxpayer benefits from these experienced, talented, and dedicated employees.” 
    The letter continued, “Your Administration’s actions are damaging the economic security and morale of our military and veteran families, the federal government’s ability to recruit and retain high-quality talent, and ultimately, our national security. We demand that you cease your attacks on our nation’s heroes, who have already given so much in defense of our country, and immediately reinstate those who have been illegally fired with their full back pay and benefits.” 
    To read full text of the letter, click here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Four decades after Rongelap evacuation, Greenpeace makes new plea for nuclear justice by US

    Asia Pacific Report

    In the year marking 40 years since the bombing of the Rainbow Warrior by French secret agents and 71 years since the most powerful nuclear weapons tested by the United States, Greenpeace is calling on Washington to comply with demands by the Marshall Islands for nuclear justice.

    “The Marshall Islands bears the deepest scars of a dark legacy — nuclear contamination, forced displacement, and premeditated human experimentation at the hands of the US government,” said Greenpeace spokesperson Shiva Gounden.

    To mark the Marshall Islands’ Remembrance Day today, the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior is flying the republic’s flag at halfmast in solidarity with those who lost their lives and are suffering ongoing trauma as a result of US nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific.

    On 1 March 1954, the Castle Bravo nuclear bomb was detonated on Bikini Atoll with a blast 1000 times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb.

    On Rongelap Atoll, 150 km away, radioactive fallout rained onto the inhabited island, with children mistaking it as snow.

    The Rainbow Warrior is sailing to the Marshall Islands where a mission led by Greenpeace will conduct independent scientific research across the country, the results of which will eventually be given to the National Nuclear Commission to support the Marshall Islands government’s ongoing legal proceedings with the US and at the UN.

    The voyage also marks 40 years since Greenpeace’s original Rainbow Warrior evacuated the people of Rongelap after toxic nuclear fallout rendered their ancestral land uninhabitable.

    Still enduring fallout
    Marshall Islands communities still endure the physical, economic, and cultural fallout of the nuclear tests — compensation from the US has fallen far short of expectations of the islanders who are yet to receive an apology.

    And the accelerating impacts of the climate crisis threaten further displacement of communities.


    Former Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Tony deBrum’s “nuclear justice” speech as Right Livelihood Award Winner in 2009. Video: Voices Rising

    “To this day, Marshall Islanders continue to grapple with this injustice while standing on the frontlines of the climate crisis — facing yet another wave of displacement and devastation for a catastrophe they did not create,” Gounden said.

    “But the Marshallese people and their government are not just survivors — they are warriors for justice, among the most powerful voices demanding bold action, accountability, and reparations on the global stage.

    “Those who have inflicted unimaginable harm on the Marshallese must be held to account and made to pay for the devastation they caused.

    “Greenpeace stands unwaveringly beside Marshallese communities in their fight for justice. Jimwe im Maron.”

    Rainbow Warrior crew members holding the Marshall Islands flag . . . remembering the anniversary of the devastating Castle Bravo nuclear test – 1000 times more powerful than Hiroshima – on 1 March 1954. Image: Greenpeace International
    Chair of the Marshall Islands National Nuclear Commission Ariana Tibon-Kilma . . . “the trauma of Bravo continues for the remaining survivors and their descendents.” Image: UN Human Rights Council

    Ariana Tibon Kilma, chair of the Marshall Islands National Nuclear Commission, said that the immediate effects of the Bravo bomb on March 1 were “harrowing”.

    “Hours after exposure, many people fell ill — skin peeling off, burning sensation in their eyes, their stomachs were churning in pain. Mothers watched as their children’s hair fell to the ground and blisters devoured their bodies overnight,” she said.

    “Without their consent, the United States government enrolled them as ‘test subjects’ in a top secret medical study on the effects of radiation on human beings — a study that continued for 40 years.

    “Today on Remembrance Day the trauma of Bravo continues for the remaining survivors and their descendents — this is a legacy not only of suffering, loss, and frustration, but also of strength, unity, and unwavering commitment to justice, truth and accountability.”

    The new Rainbow Warrior will arrive in the Marshall Islands early this month.

    Alongside the government of the Marshall Islands, Greenpeace will lead an independent scientific mission into the ongoing impacts of the US weapons testing programme.

    Travelling across the country, Greenpeace will reaffirm its solidarity with the Marshallese people — now facing further harm and displacement from the climate crisis, and the emerging threat of deep sea mining in the Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Files Second Motion to Enforce Against Trump Administration Amid Ongoing Disruptions to Certain FEMA Funding

    Source: US State of California

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today, leading a coalition of 23 states, asked the District Court for the District of Rhode Island to enforce its temporary restraining order (TRO) stopping the Trump Administration from implementing its unlawful federal funding freeze as to certain Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding. The court granted an earlier motion to enforce amid reports of ongoing disruptions to infrastructure and energy funding. Still, despite multiple court orders, the Trump Administration has continued to block access hundreds of millions of dollars nationally in FEMA funding for critical emergency preparedness and recovery programs to address wildfires, floods, cybersecurity threats, and more.

    “We have been closely monitoring the Trump Administration’s compliance with a court order stopping its radical and unlawful funding freeze,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Despite clear instructions form the court, some states are continuing to experience disruptions in accessing vital FEMA funding. We’re again asking the court to enforce its order and ensure that the Trump Administration immediately reinstates access to this funding for states across the country.”

    In California, the motion to enforce addresses a FEMA grant awarded in 2022 to the Governor’s Office of Land Use & Climate Innovation under the National Flood Insurance Program, which was placed on hold on February 21, 2025. 

    BACKGROUND

    Last month, a coalition of 23 attorneys general, led by the attorneys general of California, New York, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Massachusetts, sued the Trump Administration over its attempt to freeze up to $3 trillion in vital federal funding. The U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island quickly granted the attorneys general’s request for a temporary restraining order, blocking the freeze’s implementation until further order from the court. Soon after, the attorneys general filed motions for enforcement and a preliminary injunction to stop the illegal freeze and preserve federal funding that Congress appropriated and that families, communities, and states rely on. The court granted the motion for enforcement, ordering the Administration to immediately comply with the temporary restraining order and stop unlawfully freezing federal funds. 

    In just this fiscal year, California is expected to receive $168 billion in federal funds – 34% of the state’s budget – not including funding for the state’s public college and university system. This includes $107.5 billion in funding for California’s Medicaid programs, which serve approximately 14.5 million Californians, including 5 million children and 2.3 million seniors and people with disabilities. Additionally, over 9,000 full-time equivalent state employee positions are federally funded.

    Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin in the seeking the preliminary injunction.   

    A copy of the motion to enforce is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deputy Labor Secretary Nominee Declines to Answer Sen. Murray on Whether Basic Workforce Training Laws are “DEI”; Pressed on Trump Dismantling OFCCP And Enabling Illegal Discrimination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Senator Murray Statement on Trump Attempt to Dismantle Longstanding Labor Agency Combating Illegal Employment Discrimination 

    *** VIDEO of Senator Murray’s FULL questioning HERE***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, questioned Keith Sonderling, President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as Deputy Secretary at the Department of Labor (DOL), at a HELP committee hearing on his nomination. Murray pressed Mr. Sonderling on whether the Trump administration thinks foundational workforce training laws like the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act qualify as “DEI.” Murray also questioned Mr. Sonderling about the Trump administration’s unprecedented dismantling of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), which has its origins in a 1965 executive order and plays a unique and vital role in combating unlawful employment discrimination for federal contract workers, who make up about one-fifth of the entire U.S. labor force.

    Murray began by pressing Mr. Sonderling on the consequences of the Trump administration’s dismantling of OFCCP, which Murray forcefully condemned in January. “In 2024, following an OFCCP evaluation, one of the largest global financial services companies agreed to allocate $4.2 million in payments to resolve alleged sex discrimination and undergo an outside pay equity analysis. In his first week in office, President Trump rescinded the Executive Order from 1965 that authorized OFCCP to conduct that investigation. Commissioner Sonderling, do you believe that taxpayer dollars should go to companies that discriminate?”

    Sonderling dodged the question and Murray pressed again: “Do you think that taxpayer dollars should go to companies that discriminate?”

    “That is not a determination that the Deputy Secretary of Labor or the Department of Labor deals with,” Sonderling responded.

    “You don’t want to answer the question,” Murray observed. “I will say, I don’t think the taxpayer dollars should go to companies that discriminate. I can easily say that.”

    Murray continued her line of questioning: “In our meeting, you suggested that the Department of Labor is looking at eliminating OFCCP entirely even though it has recovered now more than $260 million dollars for more than 250,000 employees and job applicants who were discriminated against by federal contractors over the last decade. And OFCCP just, today, announced plans to cut 90 percent of its staff and local offices. So let me ask you this: do you think DOL has any role to play in addressing illegal discrimination?”

    Mr. Sonderling said he was not aware of those reports, and declined to answer the question again.

    Murray asked again: “I’m just asking you from your own philosophical personal position. Do you think that DOL, which you want to go to work for, has any role to play in addressing discrimination in this country?”

    Mr. Sonderling responded that addressing discrimination is under the jurisdiction of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), to which Senator Murray replied: “It’s interesting that you say that, because Trump fired two of the EEOC commissioners—in an unprecedented move, I would add. So, it really has undermined our government’s ability to go after anti-discrimination. So I am, and everyone should, be deeply concerned about that.” Senator Murray vocally condemned Trump’s illegal firing of EEOC Commissioners and NLRB members last month.

    Next, Senator Murray pressed Mr. Sonderling on the Trump administration’s definition of “DEI” and their weaponization of the ill-defined term to target all manner of programs and policies. “We’re hearing a lot about DEI, it’s thrown out there everywhere. So, I’m going to ask about some bipartisan laws passed by Congress that were passed to make sure that underserved Americans can receive workforce training and find good employment opportunities. And I want to know if the policies in these laws that I’m going to present to you amount to DEI,” Murray said.

    “The Office of Disability Employment Policy has been statutorily authorized with, ‘Eliminating barriers to the training and employment of people with disabilities.’ Is that DEI? Yes or no?”

    “It is important to protect all rights of disabled workers… and under my leadership, the Office of Disability Employment will continue to do that,” Sonderling relied, without answering the question directly.

    “So that is not DEI?” Murray pressed.


    “That is a civil rights statute that the department enforces to make sure disabled people can prosper in the workforce,”     Sonderling replied.

    “I know you know what it is, but I’m asking if it’s DEI, because, you know, it’s very confusing,” Murray responded.

    Murray continued: “How about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, WIOA? It specifically says ‘individuals with a barrier to employment’ and requires grantees to expand training to those individuals. Is that DEI?

    “WIOA is a very important law…,” Sonderling replied. “But do you consider that to be DEI?” Murray pressed.

    “I consider that to be a very important part of the department’s mission to make sure that American workers can get… the training they need,” Sonderling said.

    “The Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 requires federal contractors to take affirmative action to hire, retain, and promote veterans? Is that DEI?” Murray asked.

    Sonderling declined to answer the question, saying instead: “It is important to protect all of our veterans. It’s important to protect everybody in the workplace.”

    “Well—Mr. Chairman, I know you’re pounding your gavel—but I just think it’s pretty clear that there is no standard definition of DEI across our federal government,” Murray concluded.

    Throughout her career, Senator Murray has championed workers’ rights and fought to combat employment discrimination, including as the top Democrat on the Senate labor committee from 2015-2022—among other things, Senator Murray fought back against a proposed DOL rule by the Trump administration that would allow federal contractors and subcontractors to justify discrimination against women, LGBTQ+ people, and members of certain religious groups on ideological grounds. Senator Murray first introduced the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act—comprehensive labor legislation to protect workers’ right to stand together and bargain for fairer wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces—in the 116th Congress. Murray also leads the Paycheck Fairness Act to combat wage discrimination and help close the wage gap, and has helped lead the fight for paid family and medical leave since she first joined Congress.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Leads Senators Demanding Trump Protect Veterans Crisis Hotline Amid Deep Staffing Cuts at VA

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Angus King (I-ME), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) called on the Trump Administration to protect the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) from deep staffing cuts at Veterans Affairs (VA) and return to office orders that will impact this critical service for veterans in crisis. The letter comes as reports show that VA employees working on the VCL were fired. Senator Baldwin wrote the legislation to create the 988 Hotline, including streamlined access to the VCL, which since its launch in July 2022 has answered 2 million calls, texts, and chats.

    “We write to you out of concern for ability of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) to continue to provide critical support to veterans and their loved ones. Over the past month, the Department of Veterans Affairs has fired more than 2,400 federal employees, including dedicated health professionals who man the phones at VA’s suicide crisis line,” wrote the Senators in a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins. “We urge you to take immediate action to ensure the Veterans Crisis Line is not disrupted by layoffs or other executive orders.”

    In addition to demanding answers about the Trump Administration and Secretary Collins’ plan to protect this vital service for veterans, the Senators also requested the VA immediately consider an exemption for the vast majority of VCL workers who were hired and work remotely. A January 20th executive order that directed federal departments to end remote work arrangements would mean deep disruptions and workforce reductions at the VCL, directly impacting support for veterans in crisis. 

    “You affirmed during your confirmation process your commitment to addressing the epidemic of veteran suicide and to reaching at risk veterans,” wrote the Senators to VA Secretary Collins. “Risking the loss of access to immediate, life-saving mental health resources is not congruent with that promise. This is a critical time to ensure the VCL has the operational environment to support its substantial call volume and to support our veterans and save lives.”

    A full version of Baldwin’s letter is available here and below.

    Dear Secretary Collins,

    We write to you out of concern for ability of the Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) to continue to provide critical support to veterans and their loved ones. Over the past month, the Department of Veterans Affairs has fired more than 2,400 federal employees, including dedicated health professionals who man the phones at VA’s suicide crisis line. Moreover, employees that work at the Veterans Crisis Line who remain employed are facing uncertainty about their work status following the President’s January 20th directive that all departments of the executive branch take steps to terminate remote work arrangements. We urge you to take immediate action to ensure the Veterans Crisis Line is not disrupted by layoffs or other executive orders, including by bringing these employees back to work and seeking exemptions to the termination of remote work arrangements.

    The VCL is a dedicated hotline available to our nation’s veterans for assistance in addressing acute mental health issues, particularly thoughts of attempting suicide. The VCL allows veterans to reach assistance through phone calls, text messages, or online chats. The responders fielding these requests for support are trained in evidence-based practices for crisis response and many of them are licensed mental health professionals. Many were hired as fully remote workers and now, the President’s directive jeopardizes veterans’ 24/7 access to this crisis care.

    We understand that some employees have received deadlines for returning to agency facilities while others, such as those covered under bargaining units or those with official duty stations outside 50 miles of an agency facility, are awaiting further guidance. Now is the time for you to seek an exemption for VCL responders and to communicate this intent clearly to the workforce to prevent further uncertainty and avoid any disruptions to the crisis line’s services.

    As Members of Congress who championed the legislation to merge the Veterans Crisis Line with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline, thereby streamlining its use for veterans, we have followed its implementation closely. We note the disruptions and intermittent access issues that resulted in disconnected or dropped calls and chats in recent years, and we also note the Department’s ongoing efforts to work with the Office of Information and Technology as well as to comply with Inspector General recommendations to improve services for veterans. Disrupting the professionally-trained response workforce would not support the success of these ongoing improvement efforts.

    The ease of use of this hotline has led to increasing usage, with the VCL reporting receipt of more than 2 million calls, texts, and chats answered since its transition to the 988 line. Due to the dedicated professional response workforce, the VCL reports an average wait time of 9 seconds. We cannot risk failing our nation’s veterans by jeopardizing the continued function of this crisis support line.

    You affirmed during your confirmation process your commitment to addressing the epidemic of veteran suicide and to reaching at risk veterans. Risking the loss of access to immediate, life-saving mental health resources is not congruent with that promise.

    This is a critical time to ensure the VCL has the operational environment to support its substantial call volume and to support our veterans and save lives. We look forward to your prompt attention to this matter and to your response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chairwoman McClain and Rep. Palmer Statements on the U.S. House Passing Legislation to Reverse a Biden-era Burdensome Regulation Affecting Consumers

    Source: US House of Representatives Republicans

    The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –

    Chairwoman McClain and Rep. Palmer Statements on the U.S. House Passing Legislation to Reverse a Biden-era Burdensome Regulation Affecting Consumers

    Washington, February 27, 2025

    WASHINGTON — House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) and Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) released the following statements after the U.S. House of Representatives passed H. J. Res. 20, which reverses an overreaching regulation from Biden’s Department of Energy (DOE) that requires gas-fired water heaters to meet higher energy efficiency standards:

    “I applaud my House colleagues in passing my Congressional Review Act to reverse the previous administration’s egregious attempt to ban gas-fired water heaters. This is a major step towards prioritizing consumer choice, protecting natural gas appliances, keeping prices affordable, and undoing the damage inflicted on the American people by the Biden-Harris Administration for the past four years,” Rep. Palmer said. 

    “It’s no surprise that Biden’s disastrous regulations failed to deliver real energy savings and instead burdened seniors and low-income households. We’ve had it with the Democrats’ nonsense. Rep. Palmer’s common-sense legislation will empower consumers and drive down costs,” Chairwoman McClain said.

    H. J. Res. 20 reverses a regulation from Biden’s DOE that requires gas-fired water heaters to meet higher energy efficiency standards, placing undue burdens on manufacturers and consumers, leading to increased costs and limiting consumer choice. The resolution strikes this burdensome DOE regulation that would increase costs for manufacturers and consumers. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USSTRATCOM JEC Director Emphasizes Importance of Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations

    Source: United States Strategic Command

    WASHINGTON, D.C.   –  

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. AnnMarie Anthony, director of United States Strategic Command’s Joint Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations Center, attended the Future Operating Environment workshop at National Defense University on Fort McNair, Washington D.C., Feb. 26, 2025.

    Anthony participated in a fireside chat and hosted an international leadership panel of U.S. and allied flag officers during the event.  The workshop focused on incorporating Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations into professional military education across the Joint Force and infusing a better understanding of critical warfighting capabilities into the curricula.

    During the fireside chat with Dr. Ling Yung, acting deputy assistant secretary of defense for Force Education and Training, Anthony shared her insights on the importance of advancing the military’s EMSO capabilities and improving military leaders’ awareness of those capabilities.

    “The electromagnetic spectrum is not simply a supporting element of military operations, it is the very arena where future conflicts will be won or lost,” said Anthony. “The EMS is not a separate domain itself, but rather an inseparable component of air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace operations. We must continue to advance our capabilities and empower our forces to showcase lethality within the EMS environment to deter aggression and maintain our competitive edge.”

    Dr. Yung emphasized the significance of Anthony’s contribution to the workshop.

    “Maj. Gen. Anthony’s expertise on this topic is why we were so excited to have her join us for this workshop. She has a passion for educating our force and strengthening our EMSO capabilities that is so motivating,” said Dr. Yung. “Add to that her ability to take incredibly complex subject matter and make it easy to understand for all audiences and you have a powerhouse in the EMSO space. She has a lot to say, and we should be listening.”

    United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), a global warfighting command, deters strategic attack through a safe, secure, effective, and credible global combat capability and, when directed, is ready to prevail in conflict.

    Learn more about USSTRATCOM:

    United States Strategic Command: Peace is our Profession…(YouTube.com)

    About (stratcom.mil)

    Mission, Vision & Intent (stratcom.mil)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Iowa Private Nonprofits Affected by May Storms

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Iowa of the March 27, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the May 20‑31, 2024, severe storms, tornadoes and flooding.

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Adair, Adams, Buena Vista, Butler, Calhoun, Cedar, Cherokee, Clay, Dallas, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Humboldt, Iowa, Jackson, Jasper, Kossuth, Marshall, Mitchell, Montgomery, Muscatine, Polk, Pottawattamie, Poweshiek, Shelby, Story, Tama and Wright.

    Under the declaration, SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to PNPs providing non-critical services of a governmental nature and suffered financial losses directly related to the disaster. Examples of eligible non-critical PNPs include, but are not limited to, food kitchens, homeless shelters, museums, libraries, community centers, schools and colleges.

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs cause by the disaster and are available even if the PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills not paid due to the disaster.

    “SBA loans help eligible small businesses cover operating expenses after a disaster, which is crucial for their recovery,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “These loans not only help business owners get back on their feet but also play a key role in sustaining local economies in the aftermath of a disaster.”

    Interest rates can be as low as 3.25% with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not accrue, and payments are not due, until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    The SBA encourages applicants to submit their loan applications promptly. Applications will be prioritized in the order they are received, and the SBA remains committed to processing them as efficiently as possible.

    To apply online visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call 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.

    Submit completed loan applications to the SBA no later than March 27, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Acting United States Attorney Fondren Announces Federal Indictment Against Gynecologist for Sexually Abusing Patients, Adulterating Medical Devices for Reuse on Patients, and Healthcare Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced today that Sanjeev Kumar, 44, was arrested this morning and charged with enticing and inducing four victims to travel interstate to engage in illegal sexual activity, adulteration of medical devices, misbranding of medical devices, and healthcare fraud.

    The indictment unsealed today alleges that from at least in or about September 2019 and up to and including at least in or about June 2024, Kumar enticed and induced four victims to travel interstate to his medical offices in Memphis, Tennessee, at least in part for the purpose of subjecting them to a sexual activity for which he could be charged with a criminal offense in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-13-503.

    According to the Indictment, between 2019 and 2024, Kumar sexually abused women by conducting medically unnecessary gynecologic procedures with medical devices that he held under insanitary conditions and reused on patients when they were required to be disposed of or properly reprocessed. Kumar did not inform patients that he was reusing “single use” or improperly reprocessed devices before he inserted the devices into their vaginas. He also billed Medicare and Medicaid as if the procedures were medically necessary and as if he had used a new or properly reprocessed device for each procedure.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren said: “Kumar was consistently the top-paid provider in Tennessee for Medicare and Medicaid for hysteroscopy biopsy services, and he profited substantially from these criminal acts. The allegations indicate that Kumar acted as a predator in a white coat and used the cover of conducting medical examinations to put his patients at risk and enrich himself.”   

    “This doctor put profit ahead of patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph E. Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The abusive behavior alleged here took place over five years, which means there could be many victims out there we have not heard from. We want you to know FBI victim specialists, special agents, and analysts investigating this case are here for each and every one of you, and we are your advocates. It is important to remember nothing Dr. Kumar has done was, or ever will be, your fault. We see time and time again that voices matter, and those who have stepped forward have empowered others to do the same. If you have any information concerning this case, or if you believe you are a victim or may have been affected by these alleged crimes, please visit www.fbi.gov/KumarVictims and complete the questionnaire so that we can contact you.  Your responses are voluntary but would be useful in the federal investigation and would enable us to serve you as a victim.”

    “Physicians have a sworn duty to prioritize the health and safety of their patients,” said Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG).  “HHS-OIG is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who exploit their patients and federal health care programs for personal gain.”

    This case is being investigated by the United States HHS-OIG, the United States Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).

    The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.  If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of the factors unique to the case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records (if any), the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum, Scott Smith, and Sarah Pazar Williams for prosecuting this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. 

    ###

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Senior UN aid officials sound alarm on Mozambique’s triple crisis

    Source: World Food Programme

    (New York/ Rome, 28 February 2025) Concluding a joint visit to Mozambique today, senior United Nations humanitarian officials are appealing for urgent global action to address a trio of crises – conflict, climate shocks, and a deteriorating socio-economic situation – confronting the country.

    The complex challenges have left millions of people in need of emergency food assistance. Continued fighting, the devastating impacts of recent tropical cyclones, and an El Niño-induced drought have also exacerbated the humanitarian situation, with women and girls being disproportionately affected.

    During their visit, Joyce Msuya, Assistant-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Carl Skau, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), held talks with national and local Mozambican authorities, as well as with humanitarian partners, UN staff, donors and international financial institutions, to discuss the country’s urgent needs.

    They also traveled to the northern province of Cabo Delgado, meeting with people in the Macomia, Pemba and Mecufi districts, where conflict and climate shocks have devastated essential services, basic infrastructure and livelihoods.

    Escalating violence in northern Mozambique has displaced 715,000 people, while Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi having impacted 680,000 people.

    “Communities made it clear: Their main priorities are a lasting peace, durable housing solutions and education for their children,” said Ms. Msuya. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Government of Mozambique to help people in need who have been affected by conflict and climate disasters.”

    In Mecufi, Ms. Msuya and Mr. Skau visited a WFP-supported food distribution site which is run by local partners and is helping around 5,300 people struggling to recover from the destruction wrought by Tropical Cyclone Chido in December 2024.

    “The crisis in Mozambique requires more attention. We met families who had been devastated by conflict, only for Cyclone Chido to destroy what little they had left,” said Mr. Skau. “Humanitarian efforts to provide life-saving food and other assistance need more support. We also need to help people rebuild their lives to withstand these recurring crises.”

    Despite the surging humanitarian needs, just 3 per cent of the total amount of funding – US$619 million – needed to reach 2.4 million people in critical need of humanitarian aid this year has been received. Of this amount, WFP urgently requires $170 million to deliver life-saving assistance over the next six months to avert a full-scale hunger crisis.

    “Global humanitarian funding is under immense strain,” Ms. Msuya noted. “We cannot abandon Mozambicans at this critical juncture.”

    # # # 

    High resolution photos available here

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Baldwin Statement on Deep Cuts at Social Security Administration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
    Published: 02.28.2025
    1.3 million Wisconsinites receive Social Security benefits

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin issued the following statement on reports that the Social Security Administration will fire half of the agency’s staff:
    “Plain and simple, this is an attack on Wisconsinites’ Social Security,” said Senator Baldwin. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk slashing Social Security’s staff in half and shuttering field offices will only mean longer wait times, delays in getting benefits, or seniors just not getting the benefits they are owed – and it’s all just to make room in the budget to fund a tax break for the richest of the rich. This is as wrong as it gets.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: D.C. Man Convicted of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, and Drug Distribution

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Deangelo Lorenzo Lewis, 28, of Washington D.C., was found guilty today of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan scheduled a sentencing hearing for May 30, 2025.

                The conviction was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and United States Marshal Robert A. Dixon, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean T. Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division,

                According to court documents, Deputy U.S. Marshals arrested Lewis on October 3, 2023, in an apartment that he had rented using a stolen identity.  After securing Lewis and the apartment, Deputy U.S. Marshals applied for, received, and executed a search warrant on the apartment where they discovered more than $150,000 worth of checks that appeared to have been stolen from the U.S. mail, a check printer, and blank check stock, as well as driver’s licenses and social security cards issued to persons other than Lewis. Deputy U.S. Marshals also discovered a Century Arms, Micro Draco 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic assault pistol, two 9mm handgun magazines, and approximately 1 ½ pounds of marijuana packaged for distribution.  The Micro Draco was loaded with 26 rounds in the magazine and one round in the chamber.

                The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service with assistance from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It is prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson, Justin F. Song, Jacqueline O. Yarbro and Paralegal Specialist Jenna Lee.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eight Gang Members Arrested in Operation Targeting Area Known as “Dead End”

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Eight gang members were arrested Tuesday in ATF-led  “Operation Blue Laces,” announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.

    Monday’s takedown, which occurred in the Wheatley Place Neighborhood in South Dallas, resulted in the apprehension of eight members of the 42 Oakland Crips street gang. They made their initial appearances Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee H. Toliver.

    Those charged in three separate indictments include: 

    • Kendrick Jamal Young, aka “Peanut,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a FedArm AR-15 style pistol), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
    • Christopher Jamiel Love, aka “Black,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a FedArm AR-style pistol) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
    • Alex Jerome Bowman, aka “Big A,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
    • Victor Scott Wingham, aka “Johnny Joe,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
    • Joshua Jimond Wheatley, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
    • Travion Williams, aka “Traa Savage,” charged with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Glock 9mm pistol)
    • Jihadd Thies Gorree Thomas, charged with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Glock 9mm pistol)
    • Jamarian Augustus Hewitt, charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Ruger 9mm pistol), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime , and using a communication facility (cell phone) to facilitate a drug felony

    At a detention hearing on Friday, prosecutors said defendants had been dealing drugs on a daily basis on Dallas’ Casey Street, in an area known as the “Dead End.” Phone records introduced into evidence showed that several members of the conspiracy texted to warn one another about upcoming law enforcement raids, sent young people in to look for missing dope following the raids, and went right back to dealing drugs after the raids concluded.

    Many of the arrestees had extensive criminal histories, with rap sheets that included drug and gun crimes.

    During the takedown, agents seized 14 firearms, more than a kilogram’s worth of methamphetamine pills, as well as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, alprazolam, marijuana, TXC wax, hash, and more than $47,000 in cash. They also seized six vehicles, several pieces of Crips -themed jewelry, and a caiman alligator, which was transported to the Dallas Zoo. 

    Indictments are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

    If convicted, some defendants face up to life in federal prison. 

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, the Dallas Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, IRS – Criminal Investigative Division, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Game Wardens. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assisted with care and transportation of the seized alligator. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. Louis County Felon Who Shot at Police Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Friday sentenced a convicted felon who shot at St. Louis County Police Department officers in 2020 to 25 years in prison.

    On Sept. 1, 2020, Dexter McKinnies shot at police, including officers who were members of the FBI Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force, as they were trying to arrest him. Police had been trying to locate Dexter McKinnies during an investigation of multiple violent crimes and learned that his brother, Lawton McKinnies, had an active felony arrest warrant for three counts of first-degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action.

    Officers arranged a meeting as a ruse. The McKinnies went to the meeting believing that they would be performing maintenance work on a property. When Lawton McKinnies arrived, officers arrested him and discovered that he was armed with a 9mm pistol. Dexter McKinnies was across the street and fired multiple shots at officers with a 9mm pistol, striking an FBI truck. Officers returned fire and struck McKinnies.

    Both McKinnies are convicted felons and are thus barred from possessing a firearm.

    Dexter McKinnies, now 34, pleaded guilty in November to five felonies: one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts each of assault on a federal officer and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

    Lawton McKinnies, now 36, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to three years in prison. In March, he was sentenced to another year for violating his supervised release.

    The St. Louis County Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Boyce and Nichole Frankenberg prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Previously convicted felon sentenced to 30 years in prison for possessing a machinegun while trafficking methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NORFOLK, Va. – A member of the Bloods criminal street gang was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a machinegun during a drug-trafficking crime.

    According to court documents, on Aug. 28, 2021, in Norfolk, Christopher Scarbor, aka Hellboy, 32, was in a BMW that fled from a marked police unit at a high rate of speed and ignored stop signs. The car entered a cemetery and crashed through and over gravestones before it spun out and stopped.

    After the car came to rest in the cemetery, Scarbor was arrested after he attempted to flee on foot. Scarbor possessed a waist pack that contained 87 pills and a machinegun conversion device (MCD), used to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machinegun. Police also recovered two semi-automatic firearms inside the car.

    On April 5, 2023, Scarbor was wanted for failing to appear in court while he was on pretrial release for his Aug. 28, 2021 offense. Norfolk police located Scarbor in a hotel in Norfolk. Officers observed an ammunition magazine in the bathroom and, from within the toilet tank, recovered a handgun with an affixed MCD; 8.51 grams of cocaine; 14.94 grams of fentanyl and xylazine; 17.16 grams of para-fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, and xylazine; and 37.06 grams of methamphetamine.

    In 2013, Scarbor was convicted for robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. DePadilla prosecuted the case.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-112.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Essex County Armed Career Criminal Charged With Weapons Possession And Trafficking Fentanyl, Heroin, And Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man was charged today with (i) being a felon in possession of a firearm, (ii) possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine, and (iii) possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna announced.

    Michael Weaver, 38, of Irvington, New Jersey was charged today by superseding indictment with the above-referenced charges, and his arraignment will be scheduled before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi in Newark federal court.

    As a result of Weaver’s significant and violent criminal history, which includes numerous convictions in Essex County for robbery, aggravated assault, unlawful weapons possession, and drug trafficking, he was charged under the Armed Career Criminal Act.  That charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison.  In total, as a result of all the charges in the Superseding Indictment, Weaver faces a total mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of imprisonment of life in prison.  Each offense carries a maximum fine of $250,000.  

    Acting U.S. Attorney Khanna credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Chief Mitchell G. McGuire, and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Director Emanuel Miranda, with the investigation.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Stern of the Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.

    The charges and allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Ross River — Ross River RCMP recover stolen firearms

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Ross River RCMP investigators have recovered several stolen firearms and charged two adult males following separate and unrelated investigations.

    On November 26, 2024, Ross River RCMP received a report of a break and enter at a residence where two rifles were stolen. Through the course of the investigation, police were able to recover the firearms and Robert Power, was arrested and charged with:

    • Possession of a weapon obtained by crime;
    • Unauthorized possession of a firearm;
    • Weapons trafficking;
    • Possession of property obtained by crime.

    On November 30, 2024 police received a report of a rifle that was stolen. Police have since recovered this firearm and have charged Michael Bondarchuk with weapons trafficking and unauthorized possession of a firearm.

    Mr. Bondarchuk and Mr. Power were arrested on February 19, 2025 and held in custody for court on February 20. They were both released on Release Orders with conditions including a court appearance for March 6, 2025 in Ross River.

    Ross River RCMP request that anyone with information about these incidents to contact Ross River RCMP at 867-969-5555 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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