NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-Evening Report: Manipulated media: The weapon of the Right

    The re-election of Donald Trump is proof that the Right’s most powerful weapon is media manipulation, ensuring the public sphere is not engaged in rational debate, reports the Independent Australia.

    COMMENTARY: By Victoria Fielding

    I once heard someone say that when the Left and the Right became polarised — when they divorced from each other — the Left got all the institutions of truth including science, education, justice and democratic government.

    The Right got the institution of manipulation: the media. This statement hit me for six at the time because it seemed so clearly true.

    What was also immediately clear is that there was an obvious reason why the Left sided with the institutions of truth and the Right resorted to manipulation. It is because truth does not suit right-wing arguments.

    The existence of climate change does not suit fossil fuel billionaires. Evidence that wealth does not trickle down does not suit the capitalist class. The idea that diversity, equity and inclusion (yes, I put those words in that order on purpose) is better for everyone, rather than a discriminatory, hateful, destructive, divided unequal world is dangerous for the Right to admit.

    The Right’s embrace of the media institution also makes sense when you consider that the institutions of truth are difficult to buy, whereas billionaires can easily own manipulative media.

    Just ask Elon Musk, who bought Twitter and turned it into a political manipulation machine. Just ask Rupert Murdoch, who is currently engaged in a bitter family war to stop three of his children opposing him and his son Lachlan from using their “news” organisations as a form of political manipulation for right-wing interests.

    Right-wingers also know that truthful institutions only have one way of communicating their truths to the public: via the media. Once the media environment is manipulated, we enter a post-truth world.

    Experts derided as untrustworthy ‘elitists’
    This is the world where billionaire fossil fuel interests undermine climate action. It is where scientists create vaccines to save lives but the manipulated public refuses to take them. Where experts are derided as untrustworthy “elitists”.

    And it is where the whole idea of democratic government in the US has been overthrown to install an autocratic billionaire-enriching oligarchy led by an incompetent fool who calls himself the King.

    Once you recognise this manipulated media environment, you also understand that there is not — and never has been — such as thing as a rational public debate. Those engaged in the institutions of the Left — in science, education, justice and democratic government — seem mostly unwilling to accept this fact.

    Instead, they continue to believe if they just keep telling people the truth and communicating what they see as entirely rational arguments, the public will accept what they have to say.

    I think part of the reason that the Left refuses to accept that public debate is not rational and rather, is a manipulated bin fire of misleading information, including mis/disinformation and propaganda, is because they are not equipped to compete in this reality. What do those on the Left do with “post-truth”?

    They seem to just want to ignore it and hope it goes away.

    A perfect example of this misunderstanding of the post-truth world and the manipulated media environment’s impact on the public is this paper, by political science professors at the Australian National University Ian McAllister and Nicholas Biddle.

    Stunningly absolutist claim
    Their research sought to understand why polling at the start of the 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum showed widespread public support for the Voice but over the course of the campaign, this support dropped to the point where the Voice was defeated with 60 per cent voting “No” and 40 per cent, “Yes”.

    In presenting their study’s findings, the authors make the stunningly absolutist claim that:

    ‘…the public’s exposure to all forms of mass media – as we have measured it here – had no impact on the result’.

    A note is then attached to this finding with the caveat:

    ‘As noted earlier, given the data at hand we are unable to test the possibility that the content of the media being consumed resulted in a reinforcement of existing beliefs and partisanship rather than a conversion.’

    This caveat leaves a gaping hole in the finding by failing to account for how media reinforcing existing beliefs is an important media effect – as argued by Neil Gavin here. Since it was not measured, how can they possibly say there was no effect?

    Furthermore, the very premise of the author’s sweeping statement that media exposure had no impact on the result of the Referendum is based on two naive assumptions:

    • that voters were rational in their deliberations over the Referendum question; and
    • that the information environment voters were presented with was rational.

    Dual assumption of rationality
    This dual assumption of rationality – one that the authors interestingly admit is an assumption – is evidenced in their hypothesis which states:

    ‘Voters who did not follow the campaign in the mass media were more likely to move from a yes to a no vote compared to voters who did follow the campaign in the mass media.’

    This hypothesis, the authors explain, is premised on the assumption ‘that those with less information are more likely to opt for the status quo and cast a no vote’, and therefore that less exposure to media would change a vote from “Yes” to “No”. What this hypothesis assumes is that if a voter received more rational information in the media about the Referendum, that information would rationally drive their vote in the “Yes” direction. When their data disproved this hypothesis, the authors used this finding to claim that the media had no effect.

    To understand the reality of what happened in the Referendum debate, the word “rational” needs to be taken out of the equation and the word “manipulated” put in.

    We know, of course, that the Referendum was awash with manipulative information, which all supported the “No” campaign. For example, my study of News Corp’s Voice coverage — Australia’s largest and most influential news organisation — found that News Corp actively campaigned for the “No” proposition in concert with the “No” campaign, presenting content more like a political campaign than traditional journalism and commentary.

    A study by Queensland University of Technology’s Tim Graham analysed how the Voice Referendum was discussed on social media platform, X. Far from a rational debate, Graham identified that the “No” campaign and its supporters engaged in a participatory disinformation propaganda campaign, which became a “truth market” about the Voice.

    The ‘truth market’
    This “truth market” was described as drawing “Yes” campaigners into a debate about the truth of the Voice, sidetracking them from promoting their own cause.

    What such studies showed was that, far from McAllister and Biddle’s assumed rational information environment, the Voice Referendum public debate was awash with manipulation, propaganda, disinformation and fear-mongering.

    The “No” campaign that delivered this manipulation perfectly demonstrates how the Right uses media to undermine institutions of truth, to undermine facts and to undermine the rationality of democratic debates.

    The completely unfounded assumption that the more information a voter received about the Voice, the more likely they would vote “Yes”, reveals a misunderstanding of the reality of a manipulated public debate environment present across all types of media, from mainstream news to social media.

    It also wrongly treats voters like rational deliberative computers by assuming that the more information that goes in, the more they accept that information. This is far from the reality of how mediated communication affects the public.

    The reason the influence of media on individuals and collectives is, in reality, so difficult to measure and should never be bluntly described as having total effect or no effect, is that people are not rational when they consume media, and every individual processes information in their own unique and unconscious ways.

    One person can watch a manipulated piece of communication and accept it wholeheartedly, others can accept part of it and others reject it outright.

    Manipulation unknown
    No one piece of information determines how people vote and not every piece of information people consume does either. That’s the point of a manipulated media environment. People who are being manipulated do not know they are being manipulated.

    Importantly, when you ask individuals how their media consumption impacted on them, they of course do not know. The decisions people make based on the information they have ephemerally consumed — whether from the media, conversations, or a wide range of other information sources, are incredibly complex and irrational.

    Surely the re-election of Donald Trump for a second time, despite all the rational arguments against him, is proof that the manipulated media environment is an incredibly powerful weapon — a weapon the Right, globally, is clearly proficient at wielding.

    It is time those on the Left caught up and at least understood the reality they are working in.

    Dr Victoria Fielding is an Independent Australia columnist. This article was first published by the Independent Australia and is republished with the author’s permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Amid ‘Hellscape’, Uptick in Violence in North Darfur, Senior Humanitarian Official Urges Security Council to Take Immediate Action to Protect Civilians in Sudan

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    12 Million People Displaced, 24.6 Million Face Acute Hunger Nationwide, Yet Aid Groups Forced to Suspend Operations in Zamzam Displacement Camp Due to Insecurity

    The “already catastrophic” situation in Sudan has worsened in recent weeks, a senior United Nations humanitarian official warned today, as she outlined alarming developments in North Darfur, and urged the Security Council to take immediate action to ensure all actors abide by international humanitarian law and protect civilians in Zamzam camp and beyond. 

    “Nearly two years of relentless conflict in Sudan have inflicted immense suffering and turned parts of the country into a hellscape,” said Edem Wosornu, Director, Operations and Advocacy Division, Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.  Ms. Wosornu briefed the 15-member body on behalf of Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. 

    More than 12 million people in Sudan have been displaced while 24.6 million people are experiencing acute hunger, she told the Council.  In North Darfur, violence in and around the Zamzam displacement camp — which hosts hundreds of thousands of civilians — has further intensified.  Satellite imagery confirms the use of heavy weaponry there in recent weeks.  Many have been killed, including at least two humanitarian workers, she said. 

    Earlier this week, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the main provider of health and nutrition services in Zamzam, announced that it has been forced to halt its operations in the camp due to the deteriorating security situation.  The World Food Programme (WFP) has also confirmed the suspension of voucher-based food assistance due to insecurity and the destruction of the market at Zamzam. 

    Moreover, the UN Human Rights Office has verified reports of summary executions of civilians in areas that have changed hands, she went on to say.  In the south of the country, fighting has spread into new areas in North Kordofan and South Kordofan.  “We have also seen shocking reports of further atrocities in While Nile state, including a wave of attacks earlier this month reported to have killed scores of civilians,” she said, welcoming the decision by the Sudanese authorities to extend the authorization of the use of the Adre crossing for humanitarian aid. 

    United Nations 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan Requires $6 Billion

    She said that the UN’s 2025 response plan for Sudan and the region requires $6 billion to support close to 21 million people in Sudan and up to 5 million others in neighbouring countries.  “The international community — in particular members of the Council — must spare no effort in trying to mitigate this,” she stressed. 

    In the ensuing discussion, Council members expressed alarm over the increasing attacks on civilians, underscoring the harrowing plight of the Sudanese people, particularly children, and urging all parties to the conflict to put down their weapons. 

    World’s Greatest Crisis of Displaced Children 

    “Sudan is experiencing one of the most devastating conflicts of our times,” said Panama’s delegate, noting that the country is home to the world’s greatest crisis of displaced children.  Slovenia’s delegate echoed a similar sentiment, saying that Sudanese children are left with the deepest scars of this war.  “These young lives plead for an end to the massacre, for the guns that keep them awake to be silenced, and they ask for food,” he added. 

    ‘Unspeakable Violence’ against Women and Girls Must Stop 

    “This conflict has unleashed a wave of unspeakable violence against women and girls,” Denmark’s delegate also added, underscoring that survivors need urgent access to healthcare and post-rape support.  The “entrenched impunity” has become one of the main drivers of conflict, she said.  Greece’s representative said that addressing the crimes against women and girls requires gender-sensitive interventions such as specialized healthcare, psychosocial support, and legal assistance. 

    Delegates Condemn Rapid Support Forces’ Attacks in Internally Displaced Persons Camps 

    Pakistan’s representative condemned the Rapid Support Forces’ attack on the only functioning hospital in the besieged El Fasher — the Saudi Teaching Maternal Hospital — which killed over 70 people.  “RSF must immediately stop its killing campaigns in Zamzam and Abu Shouk IDP camps,” he asserted, calling on the Council to ensure the implementation of resolution 2736 (2024). 

    “It does not need to be this way”, said the delegate from the United Kingdom, urging the parties to end their military ambitions and focus on creating the conditions for peace.  While welcoming the Sudanese Armed Forces’ decision to keep the Adré border crossing open, she underscored that — with over 30 million people in humanitarian need — “it is simply not enough”. 

    The representative of the Russian Federation said that the “shortest way to settle” the humanitarian situation is via “very close cooperation” with the Sudanese Government and its related parties.  “We cannot recall a single instance where the authorities refuse to cooperate with the humanitarians,” he said.  Sudanese authorities are working on simplifying logistical chains and streamlining document processing for humanitarian cargo.  No one will provide more support to the peaceful civilians in Sudan than their Government and the army. 

    “Both belligerents have committed atrocities,” emphasized the representative of the United States, expressing concern over attacks on the Zamzam refugee camp by the Rapid Support Forces and the use of civilians as human shields by militias allied with the Sudanese Armed Forces.  “We cannot let Sudan again become a permissive environment for terrorists and transnational criminal organizations,” he added.

    The humanitarian crisis is the direct result of the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, France’s delegate echoed, adding that it is vital to respect the territorial integrity of Sudan.  All actors must engage in good faith in an intra-Sudanese political dialogue, facilitated by the African Union and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

    Speakers Urge Ceasefire during Holy Month of Ramadan 

    Several speakers highlighted the upcoming holy month of Ramadan as an opportunity for all parties to lay down their arms, with the representative of the Republic of Korea urging all parties to immediately seize hostilities.  “If both parties to the conflict in Sudan continue to rely on a military solution and persist in the belief that political victory can be achieved on the battlefield the fragmentation of Sudan may soon become a reality,” he warned. 

    African Solutions, African-Owned Initiatives Key to Resolving Conflict 

    Algeria’s delegate also speaking for Guyana, Somalia and Sierra Leone, echoed the call for a ceasefire during Ramadan, and welcomed the transition road map announced by the Government, which includes “the formation of a civilian Government to be led by a civilian technocratic personality”. Expressing concern over the announcement by the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces to establish a parallel authority, he stressed the need to coordinate diplomatic initiatives, while preserving the central role of the African Union and the United Nations. “Foreign interferences” remain a persistent challenge in the search for a lasting solution to the conflict in Sudan, he said. 

    African solutions and African-owned initiatives must continue to play a leading role, added Angola’s delegate.  “While the root cause of this conflict is reportedly linked to the internal ethnic tensions, we must recognize that it has been exacerbated by a few external factors,” he added.  The Jeddah Process, facilitated by Saudi Arabia and United States, and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council Ad Hoc Presidential Committee on Sudan remain hopeful prospects.  

    International Community Must Do More to Alleviate Suffering 

    Several Council members called on the international community to do more to alleviate the suffering in Sudan and warned that the conflict could spill over.  China’s delegate stressed the need to fund the 2025 Humanitarian Needs Response Plan in order for Sudan to meet the challenges of food insecurity, refugee displacement and conflict spillover. 

    “We all share the responsibility of supporting the Sudan so that its crisis does not turn from a regional crisis with repercussions limited to neighbouring countries in Africa to a crisis that threatens international peace and security,” said Egypt’s delegate.  The crisis in Sudan could threaten the safety of navigation in the Red Sea, increase illegal migration to Europe, and turn Sudan into a haven for criminal groups or armed militias. 

    Kenya’s delegate said that his country has received and engaged “official delegations” from Sudan, “who reaffirm their commitment to end the war and restore Sudan to civilian administration”.  Spotlighting the recent signing of a peace charter in Nairobi — which “must be viewed in that context” — he noted that a collective of 24 groups, drawn from an inclusive cross-section of civilian, political and military actors, associated themselves with that instrument.  He emphasized, however:  “Neither President William Ruto nor the Government of Kenya has recognized any independent entity in the Sudan or elsewhere.”

    Sudan’s Speaker Cites Cooperation with UN Special Envoy, Urges Militias to End Attacks on El Fasher 

    Sudan’s representative said that on his Government’s cooperation with the Special Envoy, Sudanese authorities have facilitated meetings with the leadership in the political, civilian and diplomatic spheres without interference.  “We have facilitated a briefing for him on the dynamics of the conflict […] and presented our readiness to reach a peaceful settlement,” he said, emphasizing the neutrality and centrality of the UN.

    However, “certain elements behind the scenes” sabotaged his Government’s efforts with the aim “to achieve their demonic aims”, he cautioned, noting that the main reason for the continuation of the war is the United Arab Emirates’ support for the Rapid Support Forces. For its part, Khartoum presented a national plan to protect civilians and implement the Jeddah Agreement and resolutions 1591 (2005) and 2736 (2024).  It has also designated airports in several areas for air transport of humanitarian assistance.  Calling on the militias to end their attacks on the Sudanese capital of El Fasher — which target civilians, health facilities and basic infrastructure — he stated:  “We welcome any practical and implementable humanitarian pause.”  Nevertheless, “any ceasefire is rejected if El Fasher’s siege is not lifted”, he asserted, urging the rebels to withdraw from the areas they occupy.

    Sudan’s Government is exerting great efforts to fulfil refugee and internally displaced persons’ needs through coordination with organizations active in Sudan as well as the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. To that end, he spotlighted several projects, including rehabilitating schools, higher education and rural hospitals, providing health services, repairing water networks and restoring police stations.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Greenpeace USA supports the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act in California

    Source: Greenpeace Statement –

    WASHINGTON, DC (February 26, 2025)— In response the introduction of the Polluters Pay Climate Superfund Act in California’s State Assembly and Senate, a common sense law that would require fossil fuel corporations to pay for the climate devastation they have fueled, Zachary Norris, Greenpeace USA’s California Climate Campaign Director said: 

    “California must seize this opportunity to protect workers and communities from the devastating impacts of the climate crisis. For decades, the oil and gas industry has polluted without consequence, raking in massive profits while leaving our communities to suffer — it’s time to make polluters pay for the damage they’ve caused. This landmark law will safeguard vulnerable communities and ensure Californians are not left alone to pay for climate disasters.”

    This Act was introduced after the devastating January firestorm in Los Angeles County that damaged or destroyed over 7,800 structures in the Palisades Fire, almost 10,500 structures in the Eaton Fire, and claimed the lives of 29 Californians. The Polluter Pay Superfund Act of 2025, SB 684 and AB 1243, was introduced by Senator Caroline Menjivar (D- San Fernando Valley) and Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D- Morro Bay).

    “We applaud the authors of this bill and hope that every other legislator will seriously consider and support this common sense law. True leaders not only know the climate crisis is real and caused by polluters, but they take action to end the financial injustice imposed on California families by climate disasters.”

    Contact: Gigi Singh, Communications Manager at Greenpeace USA
    (+1)  631-404-9977, [email protected]  

    Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Terre Haute Man Sentenced to Over Two Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking Offense

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Bowling Green, KY – A Terre Haute, Indiana, man was sentenced yesterday to two years and six months in federal prison for illegally transferring a firearm to a convicted felon. 

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, and Sheriff Derek Polston of the Russell County Sheriff’s Office made the announcement.

    According to court documents, Shawn Michael Kays, 42, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally transferring a firearm to a convicted felon. According to the plea agreement, between November of 2023 and January of 2024, Kays transported and transferred a Smith & Wesson, Model SD9VE, nine-millimeter pistol to a convicted felon. A criminal complaint filed on September 19, 2024, alleged that firearm was later used to kill a Russell County Sheriff’s Deputy on September 16, 2024. Kays is not charged with or alleged to have been involved in the shooting.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    This case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Branch Office and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the ATF Columbus Field Division, the ATF Indianapolis Field Division Office, and the Kentucky State Police.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted this 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: KC Man Sentenced for Illegal Ammunition, Assaulting Officer

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who rammed into a federal agent’s vehicle while attempting to escape arrest was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing ammunition and assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.

    Charles D. Jackson, also known as “Grove Street” and “C Jackem,” 31, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to five years and 10 months in federal prison without parole.

    On June 13, 2024, Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of assaulting a federal law enforcement officer.

    On Aug. 24, 2023, agents and task officers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at Jackson’s residence, one of multiple residential search warrants being executed for evidence related to federal violations committed by various individuals associated with an alliance of three street gangs: the Click Clack Gang, the Park Side Greasies and the South Benton Gang.

    As several officers approached Jackson’s residence on foot, an ATF agent pulled her Jeep into the driveway to pin in a black Kia sedan that was backed into the driveway and still running. All of the agents and officers were wearing clearly marked body armor identifying them as “ATF Police.”

    The officers announced themselves and the ATF agent activated the red and blue flashing lights on her Jeep, which was hood-to-hood with the Kia. Jackson, who was fully reclined in the driver’s seat, popped up and put the car in drive. He rammed into the front of the ATF vehicle, then backed up and drove forward several times in an apparent attempt to escape, nearly striking another ATF agent on foot. However, the ATF agent pushed the Kia into the garage with her Jeep, immobilizing it. Jackson must pay restitution for the damage he caused to the government vehicle.

    On the floorboard of the front’s driver’s seat where Jackson had been sitting, agents located a loaded AR-style 5.56-caliber pistol with no serial number and with an extended magazine, which contained 39 rounds of ammunition.

    Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Jackson has a prior felony conviction for first degree robbery.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Constance. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

    Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jackson Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Machinegun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jackson, Miss – A Jackson man was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for illegal possession of a machinegun.

    According to court documents, Johnny Ragsdale, 21, was found in possession of an illegal machinegun after an attempted traffic stop on a vehicle in Jackson. Ragsdale, the driver, failed to yield to law enforcement and led Capitol Police on a high-speed chase. The chase ended after Ragsdale collided with a train car on Mill Street. A Glock pistol was recovered from the vehicle, and a machinegun conversion device, also known as a switch, was attached to the pistol.

    Ragsdale was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2024, for illegal possession of a machinegun. He pled guilty on October 24, 2024.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office has seen an increase in cases involving illegal firearm conversion devices, commonly known as “switches” or “auto sears,” which convert semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons (i.e., machineguns) in a matter of seconds. The rapid fire of firearms converted to machineguns presents a significant danger in our community to both the public and law enforcement.  According to a 2023 report by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), there was a 570% increase in the number of machinegun conversion devices taken into ATF custody between 2017 and 2021.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement.

    The case was investigated by the ATF and the Capitol Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Amber Jones 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: Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years After Agents Seize Over 15 Kilograms of Fentanyl and Six Firearms from Phoenix Residence

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jefferson Alejandro Lopez Alcaraz, 45, of Phoenix, was sentenced on February 13, 2025, by United States District Judge John T. Tuchi to 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release, to run consecutive to the 60-month sentence Lopez Alcaraz is currently serving in CR-21-00451-TUC-JCH. Co-defendant, Jaime Solorio-Torres, was sentenced to 57 months in prison on March 20, 2023. 

    According to court documents, on February 1, 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration was surveilling a residence in Phoenix when agents observed a Toyota Prius arrive and park on the street. Agents then observed Solorio-Torres exit the Prius carrying a white and blue cooler. He then met with Lopez Alcazar inside the residence before exiting with the cooler and placing it back inside the Prius. After Solorio-Torres drove away, agents stopped the Prius and found 6.5 kilograms of fentanyl pills inside the cooler.

    Agents obtained a search warrant for the residence and seized approximately 9 kilograms of fentanyl pills, 248 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 239 grams of Xanax pills, 6.6 grams of cocaine, and $26,532 in U.S. currency, along with a drug ledger and cache of six firearms. Two of the firearms had been reported stolen at the time they were seized.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, Phoenix East Valley Drug Enforcement Task Force conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart J. Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-22-00103-PHX-JJT
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-023_Lopez Alcaraz

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado Springs Man Sentenced to 27.5 Years In Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jose Baeza, 41, of Colorado Springs, was sentenced to 330 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, one count of distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.  Baeza also pleaded guilty to one count of murder in the second degree in Otero County Court.

    According to the plea agreement, Baeza, also known as “Terco” shot a person in La Junta, Colorado, in March 2022, over a drug debt owed to the drug trafficking organization to which he belonged.  The person Baeza shot died of a gunshot wound to the chest.

    “Violent drug dealers have no place in our communities,” said Acting United States Attorney J. Bishop Grewell. “I am grateful to our partners for removing this dangerous criminal from our streets and placing him behind bars for many years to come.”

    “I commend the work of DEA’s Colorado Springs Resident Office and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Colorado for bringing justice to Jose Baeza,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “Those involved in drug trafficking and murder have no place in our society, and DEA will continue to be relentless in its pursuit of individuals and criminal organizations who break the laws of the United States.”

    United States District Court Judge Daniel D. Domenico presided over the sentencing.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Alyssa Christine Mance and Talia Bucci handled the prosecution.

    Case Number: 22-CR-00345

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Tajik National Arrested in Brooklyn for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISIS

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Mansuri Manuchekhri with conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and to the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), possessing firearms while unlawfully in the United States and immigration fraud.  Manuchekhri was arrested today and made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy who ordered the defendant detained.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charges.

    “As alleged, the defendant, who was in the United States illegally, not only facilitated tens of thousands of dollars in contributions to ISIS extremists overseas, but trained with assault rifles at shooting ranges in the United States and declared his readiness to ISIS,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Protecting the homeland and prosecuting evildoers who assist terrorist organizations by funding their violent and hateful agenda, here and abroad, will always be a priority of this Office.”   

    Mr. Durham praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the NYPD and over 50 other federal, state and local agencies.

    “The Justice Department will relentlessly pursue those who fund and support terrorists,” stated Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.  “We will not allow our immigration or financial systems to be exploited. Our country will not be a safe haven for those who try to harm Americans.”

    “Today’s arrest demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to protecting the American people from the threat of terrorism,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.  “As alleged in the complaint, the defendant not only violated our immigration laws, but while unlawfully in the United States also provided substantial financial support to violent extremists affiliated with a designated foreign terrorist organization. In his promotion of violence and praise for terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, the defendant made clear his desire to support violent extremism, and I am grateful to all our folks on the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their vigilance and dedication to disrupting this threat and putting him behind bars.”

    “The NYPD will stop at nothing to protect New Yorkers from those who support and pledge loyalty to violent ISIS extremists,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “I commend the NYPD investigators and all of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners for identifying and arresting this gun-toting fraudster, and for thwarting the dangerous domestic threat he posed to our communities.”

    As alleged in the complaint, Manuchekhri traveled to the United States from Tajikistan in June 2016 on a non-immigrant tourist visa and remained in the country after his visa expired in December 2016.  In March 2017, Manuchekhri paid an American citizen to enter into a sham marriage with him so that he could obtain legal status in the United States.  However, he failed to provide certain supporting documentation that was requested by the government and his petition was never granted. 

    From approximately December 2021 through April 2023, while residing in Brooklyn, Manuchekhri facilitated approximately $70,000 in payments to ISIS-affiliated individuals in Turkey and Syria, including to an individual who was later arrested by Turkish authorities for his alleged involvement in a January 2024 terrorist attack on a church in Istanbul for which ISIS-K publicly claimed responsibility.  Manuchekhri expressed his support for ISIS to others by praising past ISIS attacks in the United States and by collecting jihadi propaganda videos promoting violence and martyrdom.

    The complaint further alleges that Manuchekhri possessed and used firearms and made frequent visits to shooting ranges even though he was prohibited from doing so as an alien unlawfully in the United States.  In February 2022, Manuchekhri recorded himself firing an assault rifle at a shooting range in New Jersey and sent the video to one of the ISIS-affiliated individuals in Turkey with the message, “Thank God, I am ready, brother.”        

    The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Manuchekhri faces a maximum sentence of 45 years’ imprisonment.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Robert M. Pollack and Andrew D. Reich are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Trial Attorneys John Cella and Andrea Broach of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Paralegal Specialist Wayne Colón.

    The Defendant:

    MANSURI MANUCHEKHRI
    Age: 33
    Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-MJ-64

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Interim Report: increased capital investment in Auckland

    Source: Auckland Council

    Auckland Council’s Interim Report shows the group invested significantly to strengthen the physical resilience of Auckland and manage growth, while meeting its financial targets.

    The council delivered $1.9 billon of capital investment in the six months to December 2024 – a record for a six-month period and an increase of $474 million on the six months to the end of December 2023.

    In line with Auckland Council’s Long-term Plan 2024-2034, this investment was prioritised in transport, water and enabling local boards to better respond to the needs of their communities.

    Auckland Council group chief financial officer Ross Tucker said the Interim Report highlights the increased investment in the region’s infrastructure likes roads, pipes and stormwater assets.

    “Of the total capital invested in the six months, 38 per cent has been invested in roading and public transport – $727 million to improve our region’s roads, buses and trains, such as the City Rail Link project,” says Mr Tucker.

    “Another 29 per cent – or over $552 million – has been invested into Auckland’s water supply, wastewater and stormwater, delivering new and improved infrastructure that improves existing services and will support Aucklanders for generations to come.

    “We’ve also prioritised the buy-out of category three properties, spending $392 million on close to 400 properties that had an intolerable risk to life. We know the risk category three buy-outs are higher than originally anticipated, however it is being closely and carefully managed as part of making Auckland a more resilient region.”

    The buyout funding includes a 50-50 agreement between Auckland Council and central government, secured in October 2023.

    Major projects delivered

    In its first six months, the council delivered a number of major projects in Auckland, both in communities and with region-wide benefits.

    These include the Central Interceptor reaching the three-quarter completion mark, refitting a fourth low emission ferry vessel and getting it into operation, and continued progress on the City Rail Link with overhead line equipment and switch rooms commissioned at Britomart.

    “Our half year results are in line with expectations. We are getting on with delivering the physical and financial resilience we planned, while ensuring value for Aucklanders.”

    This includes progress on the Auckland Future Fund. In December 2024, the fund sold Auckland Council’s remaining shares in Auckland International Airport Limited for $1.32 billion.

    The fund will use the sale proceeds to diversify the council’s major financial investments across different sectors and geographic regions, with expected stronger annual returns to council to help fund services and infrastructure.

    The full Interim Report is available via the main Auckland Council website. 

    Auckland Council Group highlights – six months to December 2024

    • Operating revenue increased 15 percent to $5.4 billion, compared to the six months to 31 December 2023. This includes revenue to pay for the services we provide and invest in maintaining and renewing our assets.

    • The operating surplus was $2 billion, an increase on $571 million in 2023.

    • The group’s capital investment in infrastructure and community assets totalled $1.9 billion – 33 percent more than the prior period.

    • Net debt increased to $13.2 billion, from $12.3 billion in June 2024. This increased debt was primarily used to fund investment in new assets, spreading the cost of these assets over the generations that will use them.

    Key capital highlights include:

    • Providing funding, alongside the Crown, to City Rail Link Limited which continued work on New Zealand’s largest infrastructure project. One of the significant milestones was achieving permanent power to the stations’ high voltage rooms and main switchboards.

    • Bringing the Pukekohe Water Treatment Plant back into service after it was damaged in the 2023 severe weather events which enabled the community to increase water usage by six million litres a day at a time when water demand is at its peak.

    • Achievement of a major milestone on the Central Interceptor project, with Hiwa-i-te-Rangi Tunnel Boring Machine breaking through into a shaft in Western Springs, which enabled a tunnel to be built which collects wastewater and stormwater overflows from Mount Albert.

    • Significant progress made on the Eastern Busway project with the completion of the new bus station at Botany Town Centre

    • Completion of the Port of Auckland Outfall Upgrade project which improves the stormwater network and mitigates significant flooding risk at Britomart

    • Construction and renewal of many local and regional parks, sporting and leisure facilities such as refurbishment of Te Pae o Kura – Kelston Community Centre and renewal of Windmill Park with upgraded kiosk space, toilet facilities, a first aid room and storage.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Housing Delivery Authority fast tracks 18 projects as State Significant Developments

    Source: New South Wales Ministerial News

    Published: 27 February 2025

    Released by: The Premier, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    The Minister for Planning and Public Spaces has declared a further 18 housing proposals State Significant Developments (SSDs) following the second round of recommendations from the Housing Delivery Authority.

    The new housing proposals, if approved, could deliver more than 8600 much-needed new homes.

    At its first two meetings, the authority has declared 29 proposals with more than 15,000 potential homes as state significant.

    The Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) has been established by the Minns Labor Government with a strong mandate to speed up assessment timeframes.

    This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with more homes and services, so young people, families and key local workers have somewhere to live and in the communities they choose.

    The HDA is now accepting expressions of interest for major residential developments above $60 million in metropolitan areas and $30 million in regional NSW.

    To date, the authority has received over 200 expressions of interest since it first invited proposals in January 2025. At its latest meeting, a further 39 proposals were examined.

    The authority is prioritising high-quality housing projects with detailed plans that can be submitted within nine months and can begin construction within 12 months of approval.

    All proposals declared as an SSD will have their development applications assessed by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.

    Without needing to be approved by councils, this can cut approval times and speed up the delivery of new homes.

    These complex proposals often require greater resources and planning capabilities and as a result, the projects can get stuck in council planning systems for years.

    The HDA offers proponents a new State Significant Development pathway, with the option of concurrent rezoning and assessment.

    The SSD applications will be publicly exhibited before they are determined, and the planning department will seek input from councils.

    The HDA builds on the Minns Government’s recent reforms to the planning system to speed up the delivery of more homes, including:

    • The development of the NSW Pattern Book and accelerated planning pathway for those who use the pre-approved patterns.
    • The largest rezoning in NSW history around transport hubs.
    • The largest ever investment in the delivery of social and affordable housing in NSW.
    • $200 million in financial incentives for councils that meet the new expectations for development applications, planning proposals and strategic planning.
    • $450 million to build new apartments for essential workers including nurses, paramedics, teachers, allied health care workers, police officers and firefighters.

    Once a project has been declared SSD, the proponent will be issued Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEAR). Proponents then have nine months to prepare their Environmental Impact Statement or the SEARs will be revoked.

    Clear advice and guidance will be provided to all applicants by the department on the next steps to take with their development proposal. This advice includes an alternative planning pathway for major housing projects that may require a concurrent rezoning but do not satisfy the criteria of the HDA pathway.

    Recommendations from the HDA are published as required under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 before the SSD declaration. For more information visit the Housing Delivery Authority webpage.

    Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

    “We are fast-tracking quality housing proposals to help deliver homes our state desperately needs.

    “These major projects could deliver thousands of homes for young people, families and workers.

    “The Housing Delivery Authority is a major change that is already making it easier and faster to get started.

    “Without our changes to increase housing supply, Sydney risks becoming a city without a future because it’s simply too expensive to put a roof over your head.”

    Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

    “The Minns Labor Government established the HDA to reduce the time it takes for proposals to progress through a planning pathway, and it is pleasing to see the that the first two HDA meetings have delivered quality proposals that will now develop detailed proposals.

    “So far, 29 proposals amounting to more than 15,000 potential homes have been declared state significant.

    “The quality of proposals recommended to me by the HDA shows that developers are hearing the message, we’re looking for major housing developments that can get out of the ground quickly.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Relief Still Available to Minnesota Private Nonprofits Affected by Severe Storms and Flooding

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Minnesota of the March 28, 2025, deadline to apply for low interest federal disaster loans to offset economic losses caused by the severe storms and flooding occurring June 16 through July 4, 2024. 

    The disaster declaration covers the counties of Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cass, Cook, Cottonwood, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Itasca, Jackson, Lake, Le Sueur, Martin, McLeod, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Sibley, St. Louis, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonwan and Winona. 

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

    EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused 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.” 

    The loan amount can be up to $2 million with interest rates as low as 3.25% for PNPs, 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 amount terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.  

    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. 

    The deadline to return economic injury applications is March 28, 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 or 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 Global: We need to switch to heat pumps fast – but can they can overcome this problem?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

    StockMediaSeller/Shutterstock

    People in the UK need to adopt heat pumps and electric vehicles as fast as they once embraced refrigerators, mobile phones and internet connection according to a new report by the Climate Change Committee (CCC).

    This government watchdog says the next 15 years will be critical for decarbonising the UK, one of the world’s largest (and earliest) carbon polluters. Eighty-seven percent of its climate-heating emissions must be eliminated by 2040 to keep the country on track for net zero emissions by mid-century, per the report. The majority (60%) of these cuts are expected to come via a single source: electricity.

    This roundup of The Conversation’s climate coverage comes from our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed.

    Out of possible alternatives to a fossil fuelled economy, electrification has emerged as the favoured solution of experts at the CCC.

    Ran Boydell, an associate professor in sustainable development at Heriot-Watt University, agrees. “Home boilers will very soon move into the realm of nostalgia,” he says.



    Read more:
    UK ban on boilers in new homes rules out hydrogen as a heating source

    The reason why heat pumps are increasingly touted as the future of home heating – and not retooled boilers that burn hydrogen instead of methane – is efficiency.

    Boydell points out that green hydrogen fuel is made using electricity from solar and wind farms. We could eliminate emissions a lot quicker, he argues, if that electricity went directly to heat pumps instead.

    Electricity can be turned into a fuel – or power appliances directly.
    Piyaset/Shutterstock

    “This is because you end up with only two-thirds of the energy in the hydrogen that you started with from the electricity,” he says.

    Likewise, battery-powered vehicles have an advantage that has allowed them to race ahead of hydrogen fuel cells to comprise almost a fifth of all new vehicles sold in the UK in 2024.

    “An electric vehicle can be recharged wherever there is access to a plug socket,” say Tom Stacey and Chris Ivory, supply chain experts at Anglia Ruskin University. “The infrastructure that exists to support hydrogen vehicles is limited in comparison and will require extensive investment to introduce.”



    Read more:
    The days of the hydrogen car are already over

    If the route to zero emissions is largely settled, we need to travel it quickly.

    Electric dreams

    One of the fastest energy transitions in history occurred over a decade in South Korea, according to energy system researchers James Price and Steve Pye (UCL). Between 1977 and 1987, the generation of electricity from oil in the east Asian country collapsed – from roughly 7 million gigawatt-hours to nearly 7,000 – and was replaced with, among other sources, nuclear power.

    There are historic analogues for the rapid shift necessary to arrest climate change. But a zero-carbon power sector, which the UK government aims to achieve by 2030, is just the start.



    Read more:
    For developing world to quit coal, rich countries must eliminate oil and gas faster – new study

    “Wind and solar, which provide more than 28% of the UK’s electricity, will soon overtake gas as the main generation source as more wind farms come online,” say energy system modeller Andrew Crossland and engineer Jon Gluyas, both of Durham University.

    “But successive governments have failed to achieve the same result in homes and communities where so much high-carbon gas is burned, despite their decarbonisation being critical to net zero.”



    Read more:
    Is Britain on track for a zero-carbon power sector in six years?

    Crossland and Gluyas note that solar panels, batteries and heat pumps can be installed “in days” to rapidly cut emissions, and that doing so would create “skilled jobs across the country”. As things stand, however, it would also present a severe challenge to the grid.

    Mechanical engineer Florimond Gueniat of Birmingham City University predicts that converting UK transport to battery power wholesale would require expanding grid capacity by 46% – the equivalent of erecting 5,800 skyscraper-sized wind turbines. And that’s even accounting for the greater efficiency of electric vehicles, which waste less of the energy we put into them compared with oil-powered cars.



    Read more:
    Switching to electric vehicles will push the power grid to the brink

    A massive upgrade to the electricity network is needed, and ordinary people have a part to play. Charging cars could serve as batteries that grid operators draw from during a supply pinch. The same goes for the power generated by solar panels on top of houses.

    “Such policies in Germany have … already offset 10% of the national demand,” says Gueniat.

    Getting to net zero requires the public’s involvement. But some of the CCC’s advice may be difficult to swallow. Not least the implication that people will have to eat 35% less meat and dairy in 2050 compared with 2019.



    Read more:
    The UK must make big changes to its diets, farming and land use to hit net zero – official climate advisers

    So are people ready for a world that runs on electrons alone? Aimee Ambrose, a professor of energy policy at Sheffield Hallam University, thinks heat pumps will struggle to compete with the inviting warmth of wood stoves and coal fires. Over three years she spoke with hundreds of people in the UK, Finland, Sweden and Romania and found strong attachments to high-carbon fuels even among people committed to solving climate change.

    The allure of the wood stove is hard to ignore.
    Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock



    Read more:
    Heat pumps have a cosiness problem

    Human behaviour is the most difficult variable for experts who study climate change to model. There will certainly be drawbacks to abandoning fossil fuelled conveniences at breakneck speed. Yet, there are bound to be benefits too – some of which might only materialise once we get going.

    In mid-April 2020, while much of humanity was under some form of lockdown to halt the spread of COVID-19, atmospheric chemist Paul Monks of the University of Leicester was marvelling at the sudden drop in air pollution, which kills millions of people each year and is predominantly caused by burning coal, oil and gas.

    “If there is something positive to take from this terrible crisis, it could be that it’s offered a taste of the air we might breathe in a low-carbon future,” he said.



    Read more:
    Coronavirus: lockdown’s effect on air pollution provides rare glimpse of low-carbon future

    – ref. We need to switch to heat pumps fast – but can they can overcome this problem? – https://theconversation.com/we-need-to-switch-to-heat-pumps-fast-but-can-they-can-overcome-this-problem-249658

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Statement on Second Wave of VA Layoffs, Including Veteran Crisis Line Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 26, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—a member of both the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Veterans’ Affairs Committees who still receives her own health care services through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—issued the following statement after Donald Trump’s VA laid off an additional 1,400 employees, including workers with the Veteran Crisis Line (VCL), after laying off more than 1,000 employees earlier this month:

    “Donald Trump has fired more Veterans than any other Administration in our lifetimes. With yet another indiscriminate purge at the VA, Trump is leaving devoted public servants jobless—many of whom are Veterans themselves—and continuing to inflict needless pain on our nation’s heroes. Contrary to what VA Secretary Collins says, there are no ‘non-critical’ VA positions when it comes to ensuring Veterans receive the care they’ve earned—including at the Veteran Crisis Line.

    “After I pushed Secretary Collins to reinstate workers with VCL in the wake of the first VA purge, I’m outraged to learn that more VCL workers were caught up in the latest firings—and worse yet, that Secretary Collins continues to double down and deny that he ever inflicted any damage on the department at all. Well, that’s a lie. I heard from several workers who all play pivotal roles in helping ensure the hotline can best serve our Veterans in their darkest moments. Claiming that only those who answer the phones are essential is an insult to the service and commitment to our heroes of so many who ensure that someone is ready to listen and help in a moment of crisis.

    “Donald Trump promised to look out for our Veterans, but every day he allows Elon Musk—the world’s richest man—to fire VA employees or any Veteran in an effort to fund tax cuts for billionaires, he is proving he has no problem selling out our heroes if it means a chance to line his own pockets.”

    Last week, Duckworth joined U.S. Senator and SVAC Ranking Member Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and a group of 34 Democratic Senators calling on Department of VA Secretary Collins to immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated earlier this month who serve Veterans and their families nationwide, including critical employees addressing Veteran suicide working at the Veterans Crisis Line.

    Additionally, Duckworth led her fellow Democratic SVAC colleagues in demanding that the Trump Administration and unelected billionaire Elon Musk immediately restart operations at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in order to protect our nation’s heroes from financial predators.

    If you are a VA employee or Veteran impacted, please reach out to the Senate Veteran Affairs Committee by filling out this form.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Klobuchar, Agriculture Committee Democrats Press USDA on Indiscriminate Layoffs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, joined U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, and all Committee Democrats in pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to explain recent mass layoffs at the Department. The Senators asked how many USDA employees were fired and for a breakdown by state, agency, job position, and veteran status—all details the Administration has not provided to date.

    In a letter to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the Senators wrote: “These widespread layoffs jeopardize USDA’s ability to respond to the ongoing avian flu outbreak, process farm loans, disaster relief and other assistance for farmers, and distribute grants and loans for infrastructure and services that rural Americans rely on.”

    The Senators continued: “We have deep concerns that the termination of thousands of nonpartisan USDA employees and contracts in less than a month will hinder the Department’s ability to address the challenges facing American agriculture and rural America.”

    In addition to Senators Luján and Klobuchar, the letter was joined by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

    Full text of the letter is available here and below.

    Dear Secretary Rollins,

    Amid layoffs across the federal government, we write to express grave concerns regarding the recent layoffs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and how they will affect the Department’s ability to serve farmers, ranchers, and rural America.

    On February 14, USDA issued a statement outlining the actions USDA has taken to eliminate positions at the Department and has reportedly terminated or put on administrative leave thousands of nonpartisan public servants across the Department, including at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s (APHIS) National Animal Health Laboratory program office, the Forest Service (FS), the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the Rural Development mission area (RD).

    These widespread layoffs jeopardize USDA’s ability to respond to the ongoing avian flu outbreak, process farm loans, disaster relief and other assistance for farmers, and distribute grants and loans for infrastructure and services that rural Americans rely on.

    We request that USDA respond to the following questions:

    1. Please provide a list of the total number of USDA employees terminated or placed on administrative leave since January 20, 2025, with a break down by state, by USDA agency or office (e.g., APHIS, FSA, RD’s Rural Utilities Service and Rural Business and Cooperative Service, FS, NRCS, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Agricultural Research Service, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of General Counsel) by job position, and by veteran status. Please include any individuals whom USDA may have rehired after February 14, 2025.
      1. For the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, please provide a breakdown of the number of employees terminated or placed on leave who worked as part of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, worked in an office handling animal disease prevention or control, or worked as a veterinarian.
      2. For the Food Safety and Inspection Service, please provide a breakdown of the number of employees terminated or placed on leave who worked as a veterinarian.
      3. For the Agricultural Research Service, please provide a breakdown of the number of employees terminated or placed on leave who worked on research related to animal diseases.
      4. For the Farm Service Agency, please provide a breakdown of the number of employees terminated or placed on leave in each state who processed or handled farm loans.
    2. What criteria and process did the Administration use when determining which employees to terminate or put on leave?
      1. Please provide examples of the termination notices sent out by each USDA agency or office, with any personal identification information removed.
      2. Please provide details on any employees exempted from terminations or leave.
    3. Has the Administration conducted any assessments of how the terminations will impact the services provided by each USDA agency and office? If so, please provide a copy of any such assessments.
    4. Has USDA rescinded any termination letters or rehired any individuals who were terminated on or after January 20, 2025?
      1. If so, what is the total number of individuals USDA attempted to rehire? Please provide a list of the positions that USDA rehired or rescinded termination letters to, with a breakdown by state, USDA agency or office, whether the individual was successfully rehired, as well as an explanation for why the individual was rehired.
    5. Does USDA intend to hire new employees to replace the employees who have recently been terminated? If so, please describe in detail the timeline and expected hiring process to replace employees.
    6. Does USDA have any plans to terminate any additional employees? If so, please describe in detail what criteria and process USDA will use to terminate additional employees and the estimated number of employees that will be terminated in each USDA agency and office.

    We have deep concerns that the termination of thousands of nonpartisan USDA employees and contracts in less than a month will hinder the Department’s ability to address the challenges facing American agriculture and rural America. Please provide responses to the information requested in questions 1, 2, 3, and 4 not later than Friday, February 28, and responses to questions 5 and 6 not later than Friday, March 7. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Pam Bondi Dismisses DEI Lawsuits Involving Police Officers and Firefighters, Advances President Trump’s Mandate to End Illegal DEI Policies

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    This week, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to dismiss lawsuits against various jurisdictions across the country involving the hiring of police officers and firefighters. These lawsuits, launched by the previous administration, unjustly targeted fire and police departments for using standard aptitude tests to screen firefighter and police officer candidates.

    “American communities deserve firefighters and police officers to be chosen for their skill and dedication to public safety – not to meet DEI quotas,” said Attorney General Bondi.

    Despite no evidence of intentional discrimination — only statistical disparities — the prior administration branded the aptitude tests at issue in these cases as discriminatory in an effort to advance a DEI agenda. And it sought to coerce cities into conducting DEI-based hiring in response and spending millions of dollars in taxpayer funds for payouts to previous applicants who had scored lower on the tests, regardless of qualifications.

    President Trump and Attorney General Bondi are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity nationwide, and in all sectors. But doing so is particularly important for front-line public-safety workers who protect our nation, including firefighters and police officers. Prioritizing DEI over merit when selecting firefighters and police officers jeopardizes public safety.

    Today’s dismissal is an early step toward eradicating illegal DEI preferences across the government and in the private sector. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Pam Bondi Dismisses DEI Lawsuits Involving Police Officers and Firefighters, Advances President Trump’s Mandate to End Illegal DEI Policies

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    This week, Attorney General Pam Bondi directed the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to dismiss lawsuits against various jurisdictions across the country involving the hiring of police officers and firefighters. These lawsuits, launched by the previous administration, unjustly targeted fire and police departments for using standard aptitude tests to screen firefighter and police officer candidates.

    “American communities deserve firefighters and police officers to be chosen for their skill and dedication to public safety – not to meet DEI quotas,” said Attorney General Bondi.

    Despite no evidence of intentional discrimination — only statistical disparities — the prior administration branded the aptitude tests at issue in these cases as discriminatory in an effort to advance a DEI agenda. And it sought to coerce cities into conducting DEI-based hiring in response and spending millions of dollars in taxpayer funds for payouts to previous applicants who had scored lower on the tests, regardless of qualifications.

    President Trump and Attorney General Bondi are dedicated to ending illegal discrimination and restoring merit-based opportunity nationwide, and in all sectors. But doing so is particularly important for front-line public-safety workers who protect our nation, including firefighters and police officers. Prioritizing DEI over merit when selecting firefighters and police officers jeopardizes public safety.

    Today’s dismissal is an early step toward eradicating illegal DEI preferences across the government and in the private sector. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mishawaka Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SOUTH BEND – Makai Boyce, 19 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to possessing a machinegun, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay.

    Boyce was sentenced to 75 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, in December 2023, Boyce possessed a stolen handgun with an extended magazine and a machinegun conversion device, or “switch,” capable of firing multiple bullets automatically. Boyce fired the machinegun and struck an occupied residence. Two days later, he led police on a lengthy foot chase during which he discarded the machinegun in a backyard doghouse surrounded by children’s toys.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Indiana State Police, the South Bend Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph P. Falvey and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.

    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: Federal Jury Finds New Haven Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearm Possession Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal jury in New Haven has found WILLIE FRANCO, 36, of New Haven, guilty of narcotics trafficking and firearm possession offenses.  The trial began on February 20 and the guilty verdicts were returned this afternoon.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2016, Franco was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 80 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine and heroin.  The investigation also revealed that, in January 2015, Franco distributed heroin to an individual in East Haven who died after ingesting the drug.  Franco was released from federal prison in December 2020.

    In December 2021, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating resumed narcotics trafficking activity by Franco and his then girlfriend, Daniella Fox.  The investigation revealed that, beginning in approximately July 2021, parcels originating in Arizona and California that likely contained narcotics had been mailed to addresses associated with Franco and Fox.  Investigators also determined that two overdose deaths in August 2021 in Branford and Guilford, and one overdose death in September 2021 in Milford, were connected to Franco’s drug activities.

    According to the evidence introduced during the trial, in early March 2022, investigators intercepted a U.S. Postal Service parcel destined for an address in East Haven associated with Franco and Fox.  A court-authorized search of the parcel revealed approximately one kilogram of cocaine and one kilogram of fentanyl.  On March 7, 2022, investigators made a controlled delivery of the intercepted parcel to the East Haven address.  Franco and Fox, who were waiting in a car that was parked on the street, were arrested after Fox retrieved the package.  A subsequent search of Franco and Fox’s New Haven residence resulted in the seizure of more than one kilogram of fentanyl, a quantity of crack cocaine, digital scales and other narcotics packaging paraphernalia, a loaded Glock .40 pistol with an obliterated serial number, a drum extended magazine for a high-capacity rifle, a bulletproof vest, ammunition, and more than $300,000 in cash.

    Subsequent analysis of cellphones seized from Franco revealed hundreds of videos, several of which were entered into evidence during the trial, depicting Franco’s drug trafficking activity and possession of firearms.

    The jury found Franco guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.  At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Franco faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

    Franco has been detained since his arrest.

    Fox previously pleaded guilty to a related charge and awaits sentencing.

    This investigation has been conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Narcotics and Bulk Cash Trafficking Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the New Haven Police Department, East Haven Police Department, and Connecticut State Police.  The Task Force includes members from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service – Office of the Inspector General, the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, and Town of Groton Police Departments.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Hal Chen.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, Sam Connor, Jr., 30, was sentenced on Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove to 180 months, for possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

    According to his plea agreement, on April 27, 2023, law enforcement officers received information that Connor was a possible supplier of fentanyl in Fayette County and had arranged a sale of 500 pills containing fentanyl.  Upon contacting Connor, law enforcement found a stolen firearm on his person, and Connor admitted to possessing drugs as well.  Officers then found a plastic bag on Connor’s person containing pressed fentanyl pills, and located an unloaded firearm and digital scales in his vehicle. 

     Connor admitted to being in possession of the firearm and knew that he had been convicted of a felony, robbery second degree in Fayette Circuit Court in 2015, and was prohibited from possessing the firearm. 

    Under federal law, Connor must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for eight years. 

    Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; AJ Gibes, Acting Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

    The investigation was conducted by ATF and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities.  It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts.  In the Eastern District of Kentucky, Acting U.S. Attorney McCaffrey coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

    – END –

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Joint Senate-House Veterans Hearing, King Stresses Supporting Servicemembers Shifting to Civilian Life

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a joint hearing before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) and the House Veterans Affairs Committee (HVAC), Senator Angus King (I-Maine), spoke about the importance of ensuring a smooth transition from active duty status to civilian life for veterans with James LaCoursiere, Jr., the National Commander of The American Legion. In the exchange, Senator King referenced the bipartisan TAP Promotion Act, legislation he championed that would proactively help veterans in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) as they begin applying for their well-deserved benefits, and Commander LaCoursiere voiced his support for the bill — calling it “very critical.” According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), approximately 200,000 servicemembers make the transition to civilian life each year. Additionally, the first few months after leaving active duty are often the most fragile for veterans, putting them at an increased risk for self-harm and suicide. According to a National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report, suicide is the second leading cause of death in veterans under the age of 45.
    “Now, I do want to talk about transition for a minute. Be The One is one of the most important initiatives going on in the country right now. Thank you for staffing that, for setting it up and for making it actually happen. I have a simple formula for transition. I think the Defense Department should spend as much money on transition as they do on recruitment. One of the things we are working on here is something called the TAP Promotion Act which would bring Veteran Service Organizations (VSO) into the process of transition. We have to have a warm hand off. I think you quoted a number, a very large percentage of the suicides are at the first year or two after transition. That is a place where we really need to give some effort. Commander, tell me about how important you think transition is,” said Senator King.
    “Thank you very much for that question. The TAP program is very critical. It is a very important element and critical that [veterans] get 365 days to transition and educate themselves on it. As we all know, the more knowledge you have, it gives us a much better sense of direction on where to go and what you need but it serves you in the right direction for gainful future employment. As we all know, employment starts you in the right direction for stability with your family and it also drives the economy forward. Too often we sit back and they don’t know where to go for assistance when they get out of the military. I am not saying the second you get out of the military that you need assistance, but down the road you may need that assistance. They need to be afforded all the tools and resources and even get a start in their next career as they take off the uniform, replied Commander LaCoursiere.
    “My vision is someone meet you at the airport when you come home and says, ‘welcome home, here’s what the VA can do for you — here are the programs. Give me a call if you need any help.’ That is where things like the Be The One Program can be a difference. Thank you for what you’re doing. Be our eyes and ears and let us know what is happening out there so we can protect and defend the most sacred obligation this government has which is to its veterans,” said Senator King.
    Representing one of the states with the highest rates of military families and veterans per capita, Senator King has been a staunch advocate for America’s servicemembers and veterans. A member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC), he works to ensure American veterans receive their earned benefits and that the VA is properly implementing various programs such as the PACT Act, the State Veterans Homes Domiciliary Care Flexibility Act, and the John Scott Hannon Act. Earlier this month, in a letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins, Senator King joined his colleagues in urging for immediate action to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), a measure that would protect millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. Previously, Senator King introduced the Lethal Means Safe Storage for Veteran Suicide Prevention Act to provide firearm storage to veterans in an effort to reduce suicides among the veteran population. In addition, he helped pass the Veterans COLA Act, which increased benefits for 30,000 Maine veterans and their families. Recently, Senator King introduced bipartisan legislation alongside SVAC Chairman Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) to improve care coordination for veterans who rely on both VA health care and Medicare. This week, Senator King was honored by the Disabled American Veterans as its 2025 Legislator of the Year. Last year, he was recognized by the Wounded Warrior Project as the 2024 Legislator of the Year for his “outstanding legislative effort and achievement to improve the lives of the wounded, ill, and injured veterans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, DeGette, Neguse, Pettersen, Crow Condemn Trump Admin’s Arbitrary Firings of Interior Department Employees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    Letter comes after Trump administration fired 2,300 employees at the Department of the Interior, threatening Colorado’s economy and natural resources
    Colorado lawmakers: “The decision to fire these employees will reverberate throughout Colorado’s economy and across the places and resources the agency is meant to protect nationwide.”
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet and U.S. Representatives Diana DeGette, Joe Neguse, Brittany Pettersen, and Jason Crow denounced the Trump administration’s recent firing of 2,300 employees from the Department of the Interior (DOI), and demanded that they be immediately reinstated. The mass firings– including at the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs – threaten to limit Coloradan’s access to public lands and to weaken Colorado’s economy. 
    “The 6,000 DOI professionals in Colorado fill a critical role, not just within DOI but in communities across our state,” the Colorado lawmakers wrote.
    “Without these employees, the administration will not be able to process permits for activities on public land, including for grazing and energy production. DOI capacity for building our wildfire resilience and protecting our headwaters will diminish,” they continued.  
    “The indiscriminate and short-sighted nature of the firings will hamper the overall mission of the DOI, with the public and our natural resources bearing the brunt of this decision…We urge you to reinstate the recently terminated employees in their positions immediately.”
    Following Trump’s February 11th executive order, the DOI fired 1,000 employees at the National Park Service, 800 at the Bureau of Land Management, 420 at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and 260 at the U.S. Geological Survey. The Trump administration also fired employees at the Bureau of Indian affairs, a historically underfunded federal agency. The firings followed an even larger exodus of roughly 2,700 DOI employees who voluntarily accepted the Trump administration’s reckless “Fork in the Road” resignation offer. 
    Hickenlooper has sent multiple letters pushing back against the Trump administration’s blanket cuts to the federal government including:
    A letter sounding the alarm over the Office of Personnel Management’s blanket buyout offer to federal employees;
    A letter urging Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to immediately resolve staff shortages at the National Park Service after they fired thousands of workers; and 
    A letter demanding SBA Administrator Loeffler address the devastating impacts of the arbitrary mass firings of SBA public servants.  
    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:
    Dear Secretary Burgum:
    We write to condemn the firing of over 2,300 Department of the Interior (DOI) employees, particularly those based in Colorado. The 6,000 DOI professionals in Colorado fill a critical role, not just within DOI but in communities across our state. DOI employees protect our public lands, fulfill our trust responsibilities to Tribes, conserve wildlife resources, support access to recreation on some of our state’s most beautiful landscapes, and manage land for grazing, energy, mining, and other activities. A robust workforce is critical to fulfilling DOI’s mission to steward our natural resources and cultural heritage. We urge you to promptly reinstate the terminated employees in Colorado and across the country.
    DOI employees manage and conserve the resources that are an essential part of what makes Colorado so special – including our 13 National Park Service (NPS) units, 8.3 million acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and 8 wildlife refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These workers keep our lands accessible to the public and help boost our state’s $14 billion recreational economy. Already, the repercussions of the terminations are evident at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Colorado, which now needs to close two days a week due to a lack of staffing. Blanket dismissals of NPS staff and other land management employees will continue to have a direct effect on public access for visitors statewide, as well as on the businesses in gateway communities surrounding federal lands.
    The decision to fire these employees will reverberate throughout Colorado’s economy and across the places and resources the agency is meant to protect nationwide. DOI’s land management employees often work in rural areas, where communities are tight-knit and often tied closely to the land – and workforce impacts will ripple across those local economies. In many places across Colorado, land management agencies are already challenged by the recruitment and retention of employees in remote areas, including those with a high cost of living. This unjust termination of employees will make management of lands in those areas all the more difficult.
    Just as the land managers in the field are critical to stewardship of our resources, so are the thousands of DOI scientists, grant managers, engineers, and other professionals based out of the Denver Federal Center. The agency’s decreased capacity from firing these employees is compounded by the administration’s recent hiring freeze and the 2,700 DOI employees that accepted the administration’s “Fork in the Road” deferred resignation offer. The current volatility and uncertainty affect DOI’s workforce as a whole, not just those who were fired – and that in turn threatens both our economy and Coloradans’ access to the places they love.
    We also object strongly to the fact that many who were terminated in this mass firing were told they were dismissed for performance reasons, regardless of the employees’ actual performance. The probationary employees who were fired range from those who joined the DOI workforce within the past year, bringing fresh enthusiasm and perspectives, to those with such strong experience that they were recently promoted. Without these employees, the administration will not be able to process permits for activities on public land, including for grazing and energy production. DOI capacity for building our wildfire resilience and protecting our headwaters will diminish. The indiscriminate and short-sighted nature of the firings will hamper the overall mission of the DOI, with the public and our natural resources bearing the brunt of this decision.
    DOI’s recent terminations hold serious on-the-ground consequences for our lands, waters, communities, Tribes, ranchers, and our state’s broader economy. We urge you to reinstate the recently terminated employees in their positions immediately.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Drought conditions declared across Taranaki

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has today classified drought conditions in Taranaki as a medium-scale adverse event, acknowledging the challenging situation facing farmers and growers in the region.

    “Conditions on the ground are becoming extremely difficult with limited feed and pasture available,” Mr McClay says.

    “Taranaki is experiencing hot, dry conditions and below average rainfall. This has affected pasture growth and farmers have had to feed-out or sell livestock earlier to fill the gap.”

    Mr McClay said that the government was making $30,000 available to rural support groups who were working closely with farmers on the ground in Taranaki. 

    “I know farmers and growers in other parts of the country are experiencing dry conditions and I’ve instructed MPI to monitor the situation on the ground closely,” Mr McClay said. 

    Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson says the weather conditions are challenging.

    “The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has been working with sector groups, regional bodies, and farmers to provide extra support. This has included attending farmer meetings in southern and coastal Taranaki to discuss options for getting through and proving practical tips,” Mr Patterson says.

    “This classification unlocks further support for farmers and growers, including tax relief, and it enables the Ministry of Social Development to consider Rural Assistance Payments.”

    Farmers and growers who require support are encouraged to contact their local Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Trisura Chief Executive Officer David Clare to Hold Virtual Fireside Chat With TD Securities

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Trisura Group Ltd. (“Trisura” or “Trisura Group”) (TSX: TSU) Chief Executive Officer, David Clare, will join TD Securities Analyst, Mario Mendonca, in a virtual fireside chat to discuss the company’s 2024 results and outlook for 2025 on Thursday March 6, 2025 at 10:00 AM ET.

    To listen to the call via live audio webcast, please follow the link below:
    https://www.veracast.com/webcasts/tds/meetings/XL6A16.cfm

    A replay of the call will be available through the link above.

    About Trisura Group

    Trisura Group Ltd. is a specialty insurance provider operating in the Surety, Warranty, Corporate Insurance, Program and Fronting business lines of the market. Trisura has investments in wholly owned subsidiaries through which it conducts insurance operations. Those operations are primarily in Canada and the United States. Trisura Group Ltd. is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “TSU”.

    Further information is available at https://www.trisura.com. Important information may be disseminated exclusively via the website; investors should consult the site to access this information. Details regarding the operations of Trisura Group Ltd. are also set forth in regulatory filings. A copy of the filings may be obtained on Trisura Group’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    For more information, please contact:
    Name: Bryan Sinclair
    Tel: 416 607 2135
    Email: bryan.sinclair@trisura.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: High-Ranking Sinaloa Leader Extradited to El Paso, Faces up to Life in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EL PASO, Texas – A high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel was extradited from Mexico to El Paso, indicted for criminal charges related to his alleged federal racketeering, narcotics, money laundering, firearms, and continuing criminal enterprise offenses.

    According to court documents, Daniel Franco Lopez aka “Micha” aka “Neon” aka “Fer,” 40, of Mexico, allegedly coordinated the shipments of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and thousands of kilograms of marijuana into the United States, along with the pickup of drug proceeds, and kidnappings and murders.

    Lopez was indicted in April 2012 along with Joaquin Guzman Loera aka “Chapo,” Ismael Zambada Garcia “Mayo,” and over a dozen other codefendants. He was arrested Aug. 14, 2012, and remained in Mexican custody until his extradition. Lopez made his initial appearance in federal court Monday.

    “The extradition of this defendant is a of many significant pieces in a very large cartel case that spans more than a decade,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Not only are we grateful for the enduring and successful efforts our federal law enforcement partners at the DEA, FBI and ATF, but I want to emphasize our goal to put an end to these organizations is shared by this U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Justice Department and our counterparts in Mexico.”

    “Daniel Franco Lopez was defendant #16 on DEA’s RICO indictment that included Joaquin ‘Chapo’ Guzman and Ismael ‘Mayo’ Zambada,” said Special Agent in Charge Towanda Thorne-James for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s El Paso Division. “This extradition demonstrates that the men and women of DEA will never tire of pursuing the most violent, drug traffickers responsible for thousands of deaths in our country. We thank our domestic and international partners for their assistance on this case.”

    “The extradition is one more step towards dismantling and ending violence perpetrated by criminal drug trafficking organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel,” said Special Agent in Charge John Morales for FBI El Paso. “The FBI and our partners will endlessly pursue and prosecute cartel members and associates who attempt to control and intimidate their communities through violence.  This extradition starts the justice process to all of those who have suffered as a result of Franco Lopez’s criminal actions as a member of the Sinaloa Cartel.” 

    “This case reads like a Hollywood movie script. You know the film…cartels, guns, drugs, money, feds,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C Boshek II for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Dallas Field Division. “Fortunately for the citizens of the United States, the good guys prevailed in this one. Mr. Lopez, an alleged underground criminal mastermind, left a path of destruction in his path. The American people are safer with this bandit in handcuffs and behind bars.”

    Lopez is charged with one count of RICO conspiracy; two counts related to conspiracy to possess and import over five kgs of cocaine and over 1,000 kgs of marijuana; one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments; one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and aid and abet; and one count of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise in furtherance of drug trafficking. If convicted, Lopez faces up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The DEA, FBI, and ATF are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Antonio Franco, Kyle Myers and Suzanna Martinez are prosecuting the case for the Western District of Texas. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Lopez.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Introduces Vermont Dairy Farmer During Agriculture Committee Hearing on Farmer and Rancher Views of the Economy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) today introduced Mr. Harold Howrigan, a Vermont dairy farmer and Board Member of the National Milk Producers Federation, as he testified before the Senate Agriculture Committee. Senator Welch highlighted obstacles facing farmers and producers and asked witnesses about how President Trump’s illegal federal funding freeze has impacted rural economies and Vermont’s specialty crop growers. 
    “Farmers are the lifeblood of our local rural communities, and nobody works harder,” said Senator Welch. “Mr. Howrigan is here from the dairy capital of the United States of America: Sheldon, Vermont. And we are glad to have him, Harold, and his wife, Bet—she’s an elementary teacher—are the sixth generation on their family farm…I am delighted to have you here representing Vermont dairy, it’s just wonderful, and we’re going to see a great farmer.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s full remarks below: 
    Read key excerpts from Senator Welch’s exchange with witnesses: 
    Senator Welch asked witnesses: “I’m just shocked that where there have been agreements made—and we have farmers in Vermont who under the Inflation Reduction Act, made an agreement—and in response to that agreement borrowed money. And then did the work they promised to do—it might be solar, it might be streambed protection—and now got an email saying the federal government’s going to stiff them. You know, what I so admire about farmers: a promise made is a promise kept. I mean, this is like impossible for the folks who do this farming to imagine that you have an agreement and then it’s violated. So, my hope is that the committee would weigh in here and insist that these deals that have been signed—and where our farmers now have put the money out, done the work, and are getting stiffed—that we really strongly object and call on the administration to reverse that.  
    “I just want to ask some questions about specialty crops…My view is we need more, not less of the specialty crops. A lot of our specialty crop farmers got really hurt by the floods we had in July of 2023 in July of 2024, and our crop insurance program really needs to be improved…My question is, what can we do to provide specialty crop growers the support they need to ensure the continuation of their family farms with all the changes in weather?  
    Dr. Tim Boring, Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development responded: “I think that’s an excellent question…I think we need more certainty for specialty crop growers. I think so much of the questions, the issues we’re talking about today come down to providing more certainty for producers. And, in some ways, better evaluating the impacts of what these crops are, not only for farms but for the rural economies that process so many of them, that the communities that they feed. We’ve touched on some points around revisions to crop insurance, certainly. We need better management tools so that we can deal with increasingly extreme and erratic weather. I think there’s promise about looking at how we broaden out conservation practices and the impact of resiliency there.” 
    Sen. Welch: “I think we need to have more emphasis on them, because the real opportunity is, it’s local, it’s nutritious. The people in the communities really support it, and it’s an entry point for some younger farmers that doesn’t have as many financial barriers.  
    “You know, just as an example, the USDA has a specialty crop block grant program, and Vermont received $334,000. That’s not a lot of money in the scheme of things, but it did a lot in Vermont. With a $56,000 grant, one USDA recipient in Vermont was able to expand the market opportunities for 60 local farmers. And a lot of this is like the farm stand type of situation. This is tiny compared to the $6.3 billion that we spend on the commodity crop program…So, tell me, how has the federal funding freeze affected our specialty crop growers?  
    Dr. Boring: “It creates uncertainty. And I think that’s the biggest question of what those risk mitigation tools are going to be into the future of the reliability and access to markets when crops might be harvested later this fall. There’s uncertainty on the research front as researchers are working on this. So, in essence, uncertainty.” 
    ■■■
    Mr. Harold Howrigan and his family are sixth-generation dairy farmers. His four family farms in Fairfield and Fairfax, Vermont, milk 1,400 herds and crop around 3,400 acres in Northern Vermont. The family also has a large maple sugaring operation. Mr. Howrigan serves as treasurer of the New England Dairy Promotion Board and is also a board member of Dairy Management Inc. and United Dairy Industry Association. He was recently inducted into the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame. Read Mr. Howrigan’s full testimony here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human Rights Council: Gaza ceasefire must hold, Türk insists

    Source: United Nations 4

    Human Rights

    UN human rights chief Volker Türk issued a strong appeal on Wednesday for the fragile ceasefire in Gaza to hold, amid delays to talks between Hamas and Israel on extending the truce into the second phase.

    Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva on conditions inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Mr. Türk condemned the Hamas-led terror attacks on Israel that sparked the war in October 2023.

    The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also said there was no justification for Israel’s devastating military operations in Gaza, which have left more than 48,000 Palestinians dead, according to local authorities.

    Search for a better future

    “At this tenuous moment the world must ask itself how to resolve this decades old conflict and stop the cycle of violence,” he said.

    “Any plans for a better future must deal with the past, so accountability and justice for violations are crucial.”

    The High Commissioner added that each phase of the ceasefire must be implemented “in good faith, and in full. All of us must do everything in our power to build on it.”

    He said it must be for the Palestinians themselves to determine their own future.

    According to news reports, the delayed release by Israel of Palestinian prisoners is expected to go ahead imminently, in exchange for the return of the bodies of four hostages.

    ‘Unprecedented disregard’

    Summing up the “raft of human rights violations” inside the Occupied Palestinian Territory and lack of accountability, he said there had been “an unprecedented disregard” for basic principles of international humanitarian law by both sides since the outbreak of hostilities in October 2023.

    Mr. Türk maintained there were serious doubts over Israel’s capacity and will to deliver full accountability, notably in relation to unlawful killings in Gaza and the West Bank.

    With Hamas and other Palestinian militants who have taken and tortured hostages, fired indiscriminate projectiles into Israel – amounting to war crimes – there are concerns that they may also have committed serious breaches “including the intentional co-location of military objectives and Palestinian civilians.”

    “Any attempts at shaping a peaceful future where such horrors do not recur must ensure that perpetrators are held to account,” said the High Commissioner. 

    Impunity when given free rein, harms not only those directly impacted but generations down the line, he contended.

    In an apparent response to the outlawing of the UN Palestine refugee relief agency, UNRWA, by Israel and the sanctions against the International Criminal Court by the US earlier this month, the UN rights chief said that “delegitimising and threatening international institutions that are there to serve people and uphold international law also harms us all.”

    He also said any attempt to annex Palestinian land or “forced transfer” of civilians must be resisted.

    “This is the moment for voices of reason to prevail; for solutions that will deliver justice and make space for compassion, healing and truth telling,” said Mr. Türk.

    ‘Systemic’ repression in Nicaragua

    Investigators tasked by the UN Human Rights Council to track alleged grave abuses of power by top Nicaraguan officials insisted on Wednesday that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) should prosecute what they called the systematic and systemic repression of the country’s people.

    The Group of Experts on Nicaragua – who act in an independent capacity and are not UN staff – have previously reported that the Government’s violations appear to constitute crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment and torture – including rape.

    Their latest report will be presented later this week to the Council.

    The group maintains that President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, have created “an authoritarian State where no independent institutions remain, opposition voices are silenced and the population…faces persecution, forced exile, and economic retaliation”.

    Stifling dissent

    It was in response to grave concerns about the severe repression of civil rights in Nicaragua that the international community decided in 2018 to establish an investigative body to report back to the Council.

    “We call on States to hold Nicaragua accountable for its violations of the UN Convention on Torture and the UN Convention on Statelessness before the International Court of Justice…the international community cannot just bear witness. It needs to take concrete measures,” said Reed Brody, member of the Group of Experts.

    “No country in the world has used the arbitrary detention of nationality against political opponents at the same scale that Nicaragua has done; and this is a violation of its obligations under international law under the Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness,” Mr. Brody continued.

    ‘Machine of repression’

    According to the panel’s chair, Jan-Michael Simon, State machinery and the ruling Sandinista party “have virtually fused into a unified machine of repression with domestic and transnational impact.”

    This development – which has reduced the judicial, legislative and electoral powers “to mere bodies coordinated by the presidency” – has resulted in myriad deaths, “arbitrary detentions, enforced disappearances, torture, expulsion of nationals, arbitrary deprivation of nationality,” Mr. Simon insisted.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Announcing $80 Million to Support Resiliency Initiatives

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $80 million in new grant funding available to communities across New York State for climate resiliency projects. The grants, funded through the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022, will support nature-based and green infrastructure projects designed to reduce flood risk and enhance community resilience to extreme weather.

    “Making New York more resilient in the face of increasingly devastating storms and other extreme weather emergencies is a top priority for our state,” Governor Hochul said. “With $80 million now available from the Environmental Bond Act, communities statewide will be able to take necessary steps to protect flood-prone areas, safeguard infrastructure, and ensure the safety of their homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure. These investments will not only strengthen our ability to withstand future storms but also create healthier, more sustainable communities for future generations.”

    The funding will be distributed through three new grant programs, each focused on investing in adaptation and improvements that will protect lives and minimize the financial burden of recovering from future extreme weather events. The projects represent a proactive approach to emergency preparedness, prioritizing investments that mitigate the effects of extreme weather driven by climate change.

    The three resiliency related grant programs are:

    • Resilient Watersheds Grant Program: $45 million will be made available through the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), building on the success of the Resilient NY program and advancing the State’s goal of strengthening infrastructure and protecting New Yorkers from the impacts of extreme weather.
    • Coastal Rehabilitation and Resilience Projects Program: $20 million will be made available through the Department of State (DOS) for coastal communities. The program prioritizes projects using nature-based solutions to enhance community resilience while also delivering environmental, economic and social benefits.
    • Inland Flooding and Local Waterfront Revitalization Implementation Projects Program: $15 million will be made available through DOS for implementation projects that improve waterfront and watershed resiliency and reduce climate impacts, particularly flooding.

    DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “Through Governor Hochul’s leadership and historic Environmental Bond Act investments, New York State is improving community resilience to extreme weather events driven by climate change. Leveraged with comprehensive Executive Budget proposals, DEC and our State agency partners are advancing comprehensive flood risk reduction projects across the state that will restore our environment, improve water quality and safeguard communities.”

    Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) President and CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, “By helping municipalities protect their critical water infrastructure from extreme weather events, we are investing in a safer, healthier, and more livable future for New Yorkers. EFC is pleased to partner with DEC to further Governor Hochul’s coordinated efforts to tackle water quality issues statewide and ensure equitable access to clean, safe water.”

    Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said, “The Environmental Bond Act is a historic and transformative investment in the future of the Empire State that will pay dividends for generations to come. These essential programs and projects will have far reaching economic, social and environmental benefits for people and businesses, protecting lives, livelihoods and properties from the ravages of climate change and restoring critical habitats and ecosystems.”

    Resilient Watersheds Grant Program
    The goal of the Resilient Watersheds Grant program is to implement projects that take a comprehensive approach to building community resilience. This competitive statewide grant program is open to local governments, Indian Nations, County Soil and Water Conservation Districts, state agencies, and not-for-profit corporations.

    Projects will promote flood risk and ice jam reduction and restoration, enhance flood and climate resilience, implement natural and nature-based feature construction, or ecologically sustainable projects while supporting healthy riparian habitats. Projects are funded to the extent of available funds based on the evaluation criteria.

    Projects identified by existing and future Resilient NY Program studies are eligible to apply for the program. Additional eligibility information can be found here: Flood Recovery And Resilience – NYSDEC

    Coastal Rehabilitation and Resilience Projects Program
    The program supports the implementation of projects that increase resilience with an emphasis on natural processes that provide environmental, economic, and social benefits to communities within the New York State Coastal area and the Coastal Nonpoint Source boundary.

    Complete information on this DOS program can be found here: https://dos.ny.gov/funding-bid-opportunities

    Inland Flooding and Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Implementation Projects Program
    The program supports implementation projects that improve waterfront and watershed resiliency and reduce climate impacts, particularly flooding.

    Complete information on this DOS program can be found here: https://dos.ny.gov/funding-bid-opportunities

    Webinar and How to Apply
    DEC, DOS and EFC will co-host a webinar for all three funding opportunities on March 12, 2025, from 10 to 11 a.m. To register for the webinar, click here.

    Applications for all three funding opportunities can be submitted through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) portal at https://apps.cio.ny.gov/apps/cfa/. Applications are due by 4 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2025.

    New York State continues to advance resiliency initiatives and investments that are helping to protect communities. Today’s announcement complements Governor Hochul’s Executive Budget proposal to invest more than $1 billion to help fund a more sustainable and affordable future. The ambitious proposal is the single-largest climate investment in state history, generating thousands of jobs, slashing energy bills for households, and cutting harmful pollution.

    The announcement today also demonstrates the ways New York State’s continued commitment can be achieved, by working with local communities to identify and address potential future climate impacts related to storm surges, rising sea levels, and other conditions. The Executive Budget also includes $108 million for climate resiliency initiatives that support coastal resiliency and additional funding for Green Resiliency Grants and continues a record $400 million for Environmental Protection Fund programs that include measures to adapt and mitigate climate impacts. Progress also continues in administering the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act, which has allocated approximately $1.25 billion, or 25 percent, of Bond Act funds to date.

    New York State’s Climate Agenda
    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an affordable and just transition to a clean energy economy that creates family-sustaining jobs, promotes economic growth through green investments, and directs a minimum of 35 percent of the benefits to disadvantaged communities. New York is advancing a suite of efforts to achieve an emissions-free economy by 2050, including in the energy, buildings, transportation, and waste sectors.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Charlotte Man Convicted At Trial Of Illegal Firearm Possession Is Sentenced To Prison

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

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Daniel Wood, 48, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 48 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced Lawrence J. Cameron, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join Acting U.S. Attorney Cameron in making today’s announcement.

    According to evidence presented at Wood’s trial, witness testimony, and filed court documents, on May 1, 2022, Wood attempted to enter a Charlotte nightclub with a loaded firearm in his pants pocket. The security of the nightclub found the firearm when they patted down Wood prior to entering the club. Security removed the firearm and turned it over to an off-duty CMPD officer. While the CMPD officer was in his patrol vehicle examining the firearm, Wood spoke to the officer and explained that he received the gun from someone else and that he had forgotten it was in the pocket of his pants. Court records show that Wood has prior felony convictions, and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.

    Wood will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to a facility designated by the Federal Bureau of Prison.

    The ATF and CMPD investigated the case.

    Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) William Wiseman and Assistant U.S. Attorney Regina Pack of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. Mr. Wiseman is a state prosecutor with the office of the 26th Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Spencer Merriweather to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte. Mr. Wiseman is sworn in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position is a reflection of the partnership between the District Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    The 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. For more information about PSN in the Western District, please visit our website. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredoan and two illegals charged in firearms and related conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned a 14-count indictment against three people on various federal firearms, drug trafficking and immigration offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Fernando Patinio, 31, Laredo, and Albert Garcia-Guajardo, 32, and Jose Hernandez-Garza, 25, both illegal aliens unlawfully residing in the country, were previously in custody on charges originally filed in a criminal complaint. They are expected to make an appearance on the allegations in the indictment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

    The charges allege Patinio and Garcia-Guarjardo had allegedly sold cocaine and a large number of weapons, to include several machine guns, over the course of an approximately month-long undercover investigation.   

    During the initial transaction involving a pistol, Garcia-Guajardo had also indicated he and Patinio could also offer drugs for sale, according to the charges.

    On Jan. 2, Patinio and Garcia Guajardo allegedly sold the first of two machine guns – a model 22 Glock equipped with a machine gun conversion device. The charges further allege that in the following weeks, Patinio and Garcia-Guajardo arranged to sell cocaine and another machine guns.

    On Jan. 31, authorities executed a search warrant on the 3000 block of Monterrey Street in Laredo where they found Garcia-Guajardo and Hernandez-Garza, according to the charges. Law enforcement also allegedly discovered several more firearms, various narcotics, a scale and many more rounds of ammunition.

    The charges allege Garcia-Guajardo and Hernandez-Garza were both determined to be illegally present in the United States. Garcia-Guajardo was allegedly ordered removed from the country two times, most recently in July 2024. According to the allegations, Hernandez-Garza originally had a B1/B2 visa issued to him, but it had expired. Both not lawfully in the United States, they are not permitted to possess any firearms per the charges.

    Over the course of the undercover investigation, law enforcement has allegedly seized two machine guns, eight pistols – one of which had a filed-off serial number – drum-style magazines, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and several rounds of .40 S&W caliber and 9 mm caliber rounds.

    If convicted, Garcia-Guajardo and Patino face a mandatory minimum of 30 years and up to life in federal prison for conspiracy to traffic machines guns in the course of drug trafficking offenses and use of a machine gun in drug trafficking, while Hernandez-Garza faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. All could also be ordered to pay up to a $250,000 fine.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory R. Sailer and Brandon Scott Bowling are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –