NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN in Ukraine prepares for the worst, hopes for the best

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    As the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine reaches its third year, a flurry of diplomatic activity has led to a growing expectation of a ceasefire, although the situation remains extremely fluid. Despite the uncertainty, the UN is planning how to best support the country when the fighting finally stops.

    Ukrainians continue to face near daily attacks, with air strikes consistently targeting civilian infrastructure, leaving families without homes, security and electricity. More than 10 million people have been uprooted from their homes, making Ukraine the largest displacement crisis in Europe since the Second World War.

    Some 12,600 civilians have been killed and more than 29,000 injured. Thousands of attacks on health facilities have left doctors working under near impossible conditions. Throughout the fighting, the UN has remained an ever-present support, helping to deliver aid, providing emergency healthcare and reconnecting damaged power supplies.

    The future for Ukraine remains unclear but, as Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian coordinator for the country, told UN News, the United Nations has been planning for a range of post-conflict scenarios.

    This interview has been edited for clarity and length

    “The general sense within the diplomatic community is that we are closing in on a ceasefire, and that this may happen sooner rather than later. That’s one scenario that we are preparing for by intensifying our ongoing recovery and development efforts.

    The UN is already doing incredible work helping to restore energy facilities that have been hit, and without that work the people of this country would be much worse off, especially in these cold conditions.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has reopened or rebuilt primary healthcare facilities along the frontline that were at one point closed or destroyed. If the guns stay silent, we can obviously do much more to help.

    A heavy toll on mental health

    Our partners, which include governments, appreciate that the UN is all about leaving no one behind, so we are looking at the groups that are likely to be vulnerable once the war ends.

    © UNICEF/Oleksii Filippov

    Seven-year-old Milana and her family fled Myrnohrad in Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

    War veterans are one such group. I have been frequently told that around a million people are involved in the fighting, many of them heavily armed. Hundreds of thousands of people will return traumatised from the frontline, after some two to three years away from their families. This could cause tension, including an increase in gender-based violence.

    The country will continue to suffer from the impacts of this horrible war for some time, particularly in terms of mental health issues.

    Again, the UN System is providing support. For example, the UN Development Programme has helped to develop a digital app specially aimed at veterans, to help them to access the services they might need, and we are running over 80 “safe spaces” where vulnerable people, such as survivors of gender-based violence and children of those internally displaced, can talk about their experiences and receive counselling.

    There’s also a lot of speculation that refugees will start to come back, and a few months ago our colleagues in the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), in collaboration with the government, launched a website that gives refugees abroad information about what services they can access when they return, to help them find housing or jobs. We’re trying to be ready to significantly scale up this work.

    © UNOCHA/Yurii Veres

    UNICEF supplies arrive in Shevchenkove village, Kharkiv region, Ukraine (January 2025)

    Ready to deal with any scenario

    The big open question is what the ceasefire deal will look like, in particular with regard to the occupied territories in eastern and southern Ukraine. Around a million Ukrainians are living in these regions, and we don’t know what will happen to them. Will there be a demilitarised zone? Will an international peacekeeping force maintain the ceasefire deal? And what are the opportunities for the provision of humanitarian aid?

    On the other hand, whilst everyone hopes the guns will be silenced, the opposite could happen. There are several nuclear power plants in Ukraine, and if one of them takes a direct hit, we could all of a sudden be facing a major nuclear catastrophe. Government officials are extremely concerned about this [on 15 February, the UN atomic energy agency, IAEA, reported that a drone strike had pierced a hole in the structure built to prevent radioactive material leaking from the damaged Chernobyl reactor. Despite significant damage, the IAEA recorded no change in radiation levels at the site].

    Whatever happens, we are trying to ensure that the UN is as agile and as mentally prepared as possible for any scenario.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Urgent humanitarian needs persist three years into war in Ukraine story Feb 21, 2025

    Source: Doctors Without Borders –

    Three years after Russian forces invaded Ukraine, dramatically escalating an international armed conflict that began in 2014, people continue to bear the burden of the war’s devastation in lost lives, lost limbs, and lost homes.

    Over the years, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has seen an increase in patients with war-related trauma in need of early rehabilitation, namely post-amputation physiotherapy, as well as patients requiring treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

    Even if the war were to end tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of people would require years of long-term physiotherapy, or counseling for PTSD.

    Thomas Marchese, MSF head of programs in Ukraine

    “The ferocity of this war has not diminished, and the medical humanitarian needs have only grown more complex,” said Thomas Marchese, MSF head of programs in Ukraine. “Even if the war were to end tomorrow, hundreds of thousands of people would require years of long-term physiotherapy, or counseling for PTSD. Ensuring this care requires an ongoing humanitarian commitment.”

    In areas close to the front lines, daily shelling means that some of the most vulnerable, including older people and people with chronic conditions, have extremely limited access to medical care. Meanwhile, the strain on Ukraine’s medical services has been exacerbated by frequent attacks on hospitals, ambulances, and medical structures.

    Anna Svesova, director of the hospital in Trostianets, near the Russian border. | Ukraine 2023 © Nuria Lopez Torres

    Ukrainians are in need of physical and mental health care

    MSF runs an early rehabilitation project with centers in Cherkasy and Odesa, where people receive early post-operative physiotherapy, mental health support, and nursing care following violent incidents. In this project, MSF treated 755 patients in 2023 and 2024. From one year to the next, there was a 10 percent increase in the number of patients requiring post-operative care for leg amputations. 

    In 2024, half of all patients in the project were diagnosed with either PTSD or depression. The need for mental health support in Ukraine is significant. In addition to the centers in Cherkasy and Odesa, MSF has established a project focused on PTSD in Vinnytsia.

    MSF physiotherapist Inna Didych works with a patient who is preparing for prosthetics after losing his right arm, leg, and nearly all of his vision during fighting on the front lines in Ukraine. | Ukraine 2023 © Pavlo Sukhodolskyi/Voice of America

    Constant state of emergency takes heavy toll on health care system 

    Today, Ukraine’s health care system faces immense pressure, balancing emergency responses with the ongoing needs of patients affected by the war.

    For three years, drone and missile attacks have been a daily occurrence, in some cases striking cities more than 600 miles from the front line. Medical facilities and systems have been forced to adapt to treating patients in bunkers or basements, as well as to frequent power cuts from attacks on energy infrastructure.

    In response to this, MSF operates ambulances that transfer patients from overburdened hospitals near the front line to medical facilities in central and western Ukraine that are better equipped to take care of patients. Over the past three years, MSF ambulances have transferred more than 25,000 patients, more than half of whom had injuries caused by violent trauma. 

    The medical team inside the ICU of the MSF medical train stabilize a seriously war-wounded patient during the journey from Pokrovsk, eastern Ukraine to Lviv, in western Ukraine. The journey takes approximately 20 hours. | Ukraine 2022 © Andrii Ovod/MSF

    Relocation is not an option for people with chronic conditions

    In 2024, MSF mobile clinic and ambulance teams working near the front lines saw a significant increase in referrals for patients with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and cancer. In 2023, these cases accounted for 24 percent of all referrals, rising to 33 percent in 2024.

    The continued fighting means that these people are frequently cut off from medical care, just as MSF medical teams are sometimes unable to travel to certain areas due to ongoing shelling.

    Thomas Marchese, MSF head of programs in Ukraine

    However, regular shelling and strikes mean that the access of MSF’s teams is not guaranteed. Many of those living with chronic conditions are older and less mobile. In some areas people have begun living in their basements or in bunkers due to the intense shelling.

    “For some of the most vulnerable people, relocating isn’t an option,” Marchese said. “Not everyone is able to leave their homes and start their life again, but the continued fighting means that these people are frequently cut off from medical care, just as MSF medical teams are sometimes unable to travel to certain areas due to ongoing shelling.”

    Damage to a hospital in Vysokopilla, Kherson. | Ukraine 2023 © Colin Delfosse

    Ukraine’s health care system needs ongoing support

    As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, MSF’s teams witness how the medical humanitarian crisis deepens every day. The strength of the Ukrainian health system in the face of extreme violence is clear, but the need for sustained medical care and mental health support is greater than ever.

    Even if the war were to end tomorrow, the long-term effects on people —physical and psychological— will linger for years to come. Ukraine’s infrastructure has also sustained staggering damage, with hospitals coming under direct attack. Hundreds of thousands of people will require ongoing care, rehabilitation, and therapy for trauma long after the last bomb falls.

    MSF continues to work in Ukraine, close to the front lines and elsewhere in the country, but more support is required.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Critics condemn ‘cowardly’ BBC for pulling Gaza warzone youth survival documentary

    By Gizem Nisa Cebi

    The BBC has removed its documentary Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone from iPlayer after it was revealed that its teenage narrator is the son of a Hamas official.

    The broadcaster stated that it was conducting “further due diligence” following mounting scrutiny.

    The film, which aired on BBC Two last Monday, follows 13-year-old Abdullah Al-Yazouri as he describes life in Gaza.

    However, it later emerged that his father, Ayman Al-Yazouri, serves as the Hamas Deputy Minister of Agriculture in Gaza.

    In a statement yesterday, the BBC defended the documentary’s value but acknowledged concerns.

    “There have been continuing questions raised about the programme, and in light of these, we are conducting further due diligence with the production company,” the statement said.

    The revelation sparked a backlash from figures including Friday Night Dinner actress Tracy-Ann Oberman, literary agent Neil Blair, and former BBC One boss Danny Cohen, who called it “a shocking failure by the BBC and a major crisis for its reputation”.

    On Thursday, the BBC admitted that it had not disclosed the family connection but insisted it followed compliance procedures. It has since added a disclaimer acknowledging Abdullah’s ties to Hamas.

    UK’s Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said that she would discuss the issue with the BBC, particularly regarding its vetting process.

    However, the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians urged the broadcaster to “stand firm against attempts to prevent firsthand accounts of life in Gaza from reaching audiences”.

    Others also defended the importance of the documentary made last year before the sheer scale of devastation by the Israeli military forces was exposed — and many months before the ceasefire came into force on January 19.

    How to watch the Gaza documentary. Image: Double Down News screenshot/X

    ‘This documentary humanised Palestinian children’
     Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), criticised the BBC’s decision.

    “It’s very regrettable that this documentary has been pulled following pressure from anti-Palestinian activists who have largely shown no sympathy for persons in Gaza suffering from massive bombardment, starvation, and disease,” Middle East Eye quoted him as saying.

    Doyle also praised the film’s impact, saying, “This documentary humanised Palestinian children in Gaza and gave valuable insights into life in this horrific war zone.”

    Journalist Richard Sanders, who has produced multiple documentaries on Gaza, called the controversy a “huge test” for the BBC and condemned its response as a “cowardly decision”.

    Earlier this week, 45 Jewish journalists and media figures, including former BBC governor Ruth Deech, urged the broadcaster to pull the film, calling Ayman Al-Yazouri a “terrorist leader”.

    The controversy underscores wider tensions over media coverage of the Israel-Gaza war, with critics accusing the BBC of a vetting failure, while others argue the documentary sheds crucial light on Palestinian children’s suffering.

    Pacific Media Watch comments: The BBC has long been accused of an Israeli-bias in its coverage of Palestinian affairs, especially the 15-month genocidal war on Gaza, and this documentary is one of the rare programmes that has restored some balance.

    Another teenager who appears in the Gaza documentary . . . she has o global online following for her social media videos on cooking and life amid the genocide. Image: BBC screenshot APR

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NORTH BOKARA ROAD, WOODLANE (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Issued on
    22 Feb 2025 15:06

    Issued for
    WOODLANE near Mypolonga in the Murraylands.

    Warning level
    Advice – Stay Informed

    Action
    CFS is responding to a fire near Mypolonga.

    If you are in this area, stay informed and monitor local conditions. More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Total Fire Ban Declared for Central and North Central Regions

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    A Total Fire Ban (TFB) has been declared for the Central and North Central regions for tomorrow, Sunday 23 February 2025.

    Hot, dry, and windy conditions will elevate fire danger across the state overnight and throughout Sunday, with strengthening northerly winds continuing into the morning ahead of a west to south-westerly change.

    Temperatures are expected to reach 32-36°C in the far north, 31-34°C in Gippsland, and 25-30°C elsewhere across the state. With fresh and gusty northerly winds, stronger than contracting eastward, bringing gusts of 90-100km/h in some areas, before the late change.

    Due to an elevated risk of thunderstorms across central parts of the state in the early hours of Sunday morning and the possibility of dry lightning in the northwest later in the day, there is a significant fire risk from midnight tonight stretching into the early afternoon on Sunday.

    A Total Fire Ban means no fires can be lit in the open air or allowed to remain alight from 12.01am to 11.59pm on the day of the declaration.

    CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said the TFB has been declared due to the ongoing heightened fire risk.

    “We are in the middle of a prolonged 36-hour period of heightened fire danger, with worsening conditions forecast early tomorrow,” Jason said.

    “These conditions, including strong winds, high temperatures, and the risk of dry lightning, mean any fire that starts could spread rapidly.

    “We’re urging communities to stay informed and be prepared. If you’re in a high-risk area, ensure you have multiple sources of information to keep up-to-date. Review your bushfire survival plan and make sure you know where you will go and what you need to take with you in the event of a fire.”

    You can find out if your area is under a Total Fire Ban by visiting the CFA website www.cfa.vic.gov.au, and for information on what this means for you visit the Can I or Can’t I page.

    Victorians should ensure they have access to multiple sources of emergency information, including:

    • ABC local radio, commercial and designated emergency broadcasters
    • The VicEmergency App
    • The VicEmergency website: www.emergency.vic.gov.au
    • The VicEmergency Hotline: 1800 226 226
    • CFA or VicEmergency Twitter and Facebook
    Submitted by CFA Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Plateau water security claims challenged

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Chinese scientists’ recent commentary published in Nature challenged a previous study published in the scientific journal that suggested Atlantic meteorological droughts threaten the water resource security of the Tibetan Plateau.
    The academic commentary by scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which was published in the journal on Thursday, argued that Atlantic meteorological droughts do not pose a threat to the water resource security of the Asian Water Tower.
    The Tibetan Plateau provides a robust safeguard for water resource demand in the surrounding Himalayan region. Amid global warming, the Tibetan Plateau is undergoing significant changes, and how it will evolve in the future is a critical scientific issue concerning the sustainable development of the Himalayan region, said Zhao Yutong from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research of the CAS, who was also a co-corresponding author of the article.
    A study conducted in 2023 by a joint research team of scientists from China, the United States and Switzerland, published in Nature, claimed that meteorological droughts in the North Atlantic, where evaporation exceeds precipitation, triggered a significant decline in terrestrial water storage on the Tibetan Plateau between 2003 and 2016.
    Based on this, the study further predicted that this trend of decline would intensify in the future, posing severe challenges to water resource security.
    “The two key pieces of evidence supporting the aforementioned conclusions are untenable,” Zhao said.
    The authors of the original study used a water vapor tracking model and suggested that the North Atlantic transports substantial water vapor to the Tibetan Plateau via mid-latitude westerlies, contributing significantly to annual precipitation on the plateau.
    “Observations from water vapor stable isotopes identify that the Indian Ocean monsoon is the primary source of water vapor instead of the North Atlantic, which contradicts the findings of the 2023 research,” Zhao said.
    When water vapor moves from the Atlantic Ocean to the plateau, precipitation, diffusion and other processes occur, leading to deposition along its path, potentially accounting for a significant portion of the total. The original research overlooked this important process, thus exaggerating the contribution of the Atlantic, she said.
    “To better understand the water resource security of the Asian Water Tower, it’s necessary to expand the coverage of the water vapor observation network across the plateau and conduct detailed monitoring,” Zhao said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Global brands get boost from pro-consumption policy

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The expanded pro-consumption policy, which comprises measures such as subsidies for digital products and home appliances, is driving significant sales growth and deeper market engagement for international brands doing business in China, which is benefiting both retailers and consumers, market insiders and experts said.

    The “two new” policy — focusing on large-scale equipment renewal and consumer product trade-ins — has been broadened to further stimulate demand for high-end and energy-efficient products. In January, a series of new measures were introduced to expand the scope of the consumer goods trade-in program.

    Leading global brands are actively leveraging these measures to strengthen their market presence.

    Home appliance maker Dyson has participated in trade-in subsidy programs across multiple cities.

    In Shanghai, more than 60 Dyson products were included in the city’s green smart home appliances subsidy program, offering consumers additional discounts across both online and offline channels, including WeChat mini-programs, JD, Tmall and Douyin.

    The company increased its investment in in-store activities, media promotions and strategic channel marketing, contributing to strong sales growth, according to Dyson China. The company reported particularly high demand for its air purifier models during the period.

    A manager at Dyson’s Shanghai IAPM Mall store said that the subsidies significantly boosted consumers’ enthusiasm, particularly during major shopping events such as the National Day Golden Week in October and Singles’ Day in November.

    “The government subsidy program in Shanghai has greatly encouraged consumer spending,” said the manager surnamed Chen.

    “To meet rising demand, we expanded our staff capacity. We’re pleased that Dyson will continue to participate in the program this year, benefiting both consumers and businesses.”

    China’s leading home appliance retailer Suning has also reported a significant boost in sales thanks to the policy, reflecting the strong performance of international brands benefiting from these initiatives.

    Since the launch of the national subsidy program in 2024, Suning has recorded major sales growth across multiple categories.

    Sales of Samsung refrigerators increased by 73 percent year-on-year, while sales of Samsung garment care machines surged by 116 percent, according to Suning.

    Siemens range hoods saw a 192 percent sales increase, and A.O. Smith gas-fired boilers recorded 96 percent year-on-year growth.

    Min Qi, general manager at Suning’s store platform business division, said: “The measures have accelerated the release of consumption potential. International home appliance brands have actively participated in the subsidy program, providing consumers with a wider range of products and more diverse shopping experiences.”

    With the measures being increasingly favorable to energy-efficient and smart products, consumers are showing greater interest in high-end, intelligent digital devices and home appliances, Suning said.

    Since the policy’s implementation last year, Suning has recorded over 150 percent year-on-year growth in home appliance trade-ins.

    International brands have responded by increasing their investment in product offerings and consumer experiences. For example, Samsung met with Suning in January to refine store layouts, plan new product launches and optimize terminal construction for 2025.

    In February, Suning and BSH Home Appliances — a home appliance manufacturer whose brands include Bosch and Siemens — set a cooperation target of 4.5 billion yuan ($620 million) for this year, focusing on expanding trade-in programs and enhancing joint product launches.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: PARIS CREEK ROAD, PARIS CREEK (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Issued on
    22 Feb 2025 13:20

    Issued for
    PARIS CREEK near Strathalbyn in the Mount Lofty Ranges.

    Warning level
    Advice – Stay Informed

    Action
    CFS is responding to a fire near Strathalbyn in the Mount Lofty Ranges.

    If you are in this area, stay informed and monitor local conditions. More information will be provided by the CFS when it is available.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Colombia: Fleeing the thunder of violence in Catatumbo

    Source: United Nations 2

    By Beatriz Barral

    Peace and Security

    Around 80,000 people in northeastern Colombia are suffering the devastating consequences of an armed conflict that escalated on 15 January of this year. Caught in the crossfire between armed groups, thousands have been forced to flee with nothing but the clothes on their backs while others remain trapped in their homes.

    Miguel Ángel López, the director of a funeral home in Tibú, used to recover bodies that appeared along the roads of one of Colombia’s most violent regions, Catatumbo. On 15 January, he was murdered along with his wife and their 10-month-old baby while driving a hearse toward Cúcuta, according to local media reports. Only their 10-year-old son survived.

    Less than 24 hours later, several former combatants who had signed the 2016 Peace Agreement between the Colombian Government and the FARC-EP armed group were killed.

    Since then, thousands have fled as a conflict between the National Liberation Army (ELN) and the FARC group 33rd Front has claimed the lives of at least 80 people and displaced entire communities.

    Targeted killings

    Diego Andrés García, who works for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and coordinates the response of UN agencies and other organizations, said more than 53,000 people have moved to urban centres such as Cúcuta, Ocaña and Tibú

    “Human rights leaders had to leave the area due to threats from the armed groups,” he explained “During their departure, there were massacres, targeted killings of leaders and family members being murdered.”

    Videos circulating on social media captured the horror of the violence: gunfights, neighbours fleeing on foot, by motorcycle or in boats and teachers from remote areas abandoning their posts, leaving 46,000 children without access to education.

    “I lost everything,” said María*, one of the displaced people assisted by UNHCR. “I had to leave with nothing. There was no time.”

    UNHCR/Mónica Peñaranda

    Thousands of people have been forced to flee the violence in Catatumbo, seeking safety in Cúcuta.

    House of thunder under fire

    Catatumbo, which means house of thunder in the Barí Indigenous Peoples language, is a remote and impoverished region rich in biodiversity and natural resources, crisscrossed by rivers and streams in the country’s northeast along the Venezuelan border.

    It is also contested territory due to its importance in mining, coca production and illicit trafficking coupled with the State’s weak presence. In recent months, the region has shifted from a tense co-existence between armed groups to an open war for control of the drug trade.

    Responding to the crisis, President Gustavo Petro declared a state of emergency in Catatumbo and deployed rapid reaction military units to Ocaña, Norte de Santander. On 17 January, the Colombian president also decided to break peace negotiations with the ELN.

    Emergency aid response

    UN agencies are now assisting displaced people by providing water, food, hygiene kits, blankets and mattresses to serve more than 46,000 displaced people who sought safety in Cúcuta, Ocaña and Tibú.

    In the initial phase of the emergency, agencies responded with local funds allocated for Norte de Santander, however, with more than 80,000 people affected, “the situation surpasses the capacities of local partners, institutions and even the national government,” UNHCR’s Mr. García said.

    The UN’s humanitarian coordinator, Tom Fletcher, approved the allocation of $3.8 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to Colombia, allowing for an expanded response to support protection efforts and provisions of shelter, water, sanitation, education, health, food security and nutrition.

    Thousands remain trapped

    The emergency funds also aim to reach thousands trapped in their homes in the mountain region.

    Nearly 8,500 people remain in remote hamlets they cannot leave and where aid cannot reach them, while another 19,000 are facing movement restrictions preventing them from reaching urban centres.

    “We are waiting for humanitarian access guarantees so we can deploy responses with our partners,” Mr. García explained.

    Courtesy of Norte de Santander Government

    Aerial image of the Catatumbo region, Colombia.

    Cocaine wars

    Six decades of conflict in Colombia have claimed 450,000 lives and displaced eight million people, ending eight years ago, when the government and FARC-EP signed a peace agreement that has achieved notable progress.

    However, the FARC’s withdrawal from regions like Catatumbo had created a power vacuum quickly filled by other armed groups, including the ELN and dissident factions of the FARC.

    This shift reignited territorial disputes in Catatumbo, one of the most complex areas of the conflict due to its remote location along the Venezuelan border. The region is rich in oil and is the country’s largest coca-growing enclave, with multiple armed groups operating within it.

    Tibú, a municipality near the Venezuelan border, has the highest number of coca plantations in Colombia, with 23,030 hectares, according to a study by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The Catatumbo region ranks third nationwide, with 43,867 hectares, following the Pacific region (107,078 hectares) and Putumayo-Caquetá (56,933 hectares).

    ‘Worst humanitarian crisis’

    Violence abruptly erupted in mid-January between the ELN and the 33rd Front in the region, forcing thousands to flee the fighting.

    “We left in fear,” said Sebastián*. “I left my little land behind. My family and I are now separated.”

    Diego Tovar, a former guerrilla and signatory of the peace treaty, told the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting on 22 January that “this is the worst humanitarian crisis we have faced in Colombia since we signed the agreement.”

    At the same meeting, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, head of the UN mission  responsible for verifying the peace accord, said Catatumbo, like many regions in Colombia, is still waiting for the dividends of the 2016 Peace Agreement, such as a comprehensive State presence that brings public services, legal economies, development opportunities and security.

    “It is in the absence of the State that illegal armed groups fight for territorial and social control,” he said.

    UNHCR/Mónica Peñaranda

    UNHCR staff at the General Santander Stadium, Cúcuta, where thousands of displaced people from Catatumbo have arrived.

    From books to shelter

    For now, UN agencies and partners are striving to deliver essential goods and services to those in need, including educational kits and mental health support for thousands of displaced children forced out of school and shelter for those who fled the violence.

    “We need to understand that this could be a prolonged emergency,” UNHCR’s Mr. García warned.

    Echoing the wishes of many of the displaced people around him, Santiago* said he simply wants to go home.

    “All we want is to return,” he said, “but we can’t.”

    *Names have been changed to protect identities

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Open letter: No, Mr Trump, we will not be ‘happy’ and ‘safe’ elsewhere

    Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. –

    OPEN LETTER: By Hassan Abo Qamar

    Dear Mr Trump,

    I am writing to you as a Palestinian and a survivor of genocide, who was born and raised in Gaza — a city of love and resilience.

    I have read your statements about Gaza and frankly, I am confused.

    You claim to be a “peacemaker”, but encourage Israel to continue its genocide, calling for “all hell” to break loose if your demands are not fulfilled.

    Mr Trump, we have already been through hell. We lost 60,000 martyrs in it.

    You claim credit for the ceasefire deal, and yet your government — one of its guarantors — refuses to pressure Israel into fulfilling all its obligations under it.

    You call Gaza a “demolition site” but conveniently fail to name the criminal responsible — while simultaneously supplying it with more bombs, funding, and diplomatic cover.

    You talk about Palestinians being “safe” and “happy”, yet you refer to us as if we are a burden to be offloaded onto Jordan, Egypt, or any country willing to take us.

    You claim that we “only want to be in the Gaza Strip because [we] don’t know anything else”.

    “Gaza is not [President Trump’s] business venture, and it is not for sale. Gaza is our home, our land, our inheritance.” Image: Instagram/#flyer_for_falastin/@tahiapretiti

    You profoundly misunderstand us

    Mr Trump, I think you profoundly misunderstand who we are and what Gaza is to us.

    You may think of us as a mere obstacle to your vision of luxury resorts, but we are a people with deep roots, long history, and unalienable rights.

    We are the rightful owners of our land.

    Gaza is not your business venture, and it is not for sale.Gaza is our home, our land, our inheritance.

    And no, it is not true that we want to stay here because we “know nothing else”.

    Although the 17-year-long Israeli siege has made life incredibly difficult for us, some of us have still managed to travel — for education, medical treatment or work. But these people still return because Gaza is home.

    A powerful example is Dr Refaat Alareer, an inspiring figure, who the Israeli occupation targeted and killed in 2023.

    He earned his master’s degree in the UK and later completed his PhD at Universiti Putra Malaysia.

    Despite having the opportunity to stay abroad, he chose to return to Gaza, where he taught creative writing and literature at the Islamic University.

    He also co-founded We Are Not Numbers, an initiative that paired young Palestinian writers with experienced authors to amplify their voices and resist occupation through storytelling. One of these voices is mine.

    Last spring, I, too, had the opportunity to leave, but I decided against it. I could not leave my family, friends and Gaza amid a genocidal war. However, like many others, I plan to travel to complete my education and then return to help rebuild and support my people.

    The Palestinian way
    This is the Palestinian way – we seek knowledge and opportunities, not to abandon our homeland, but to build and strengthen it.

    Speaking of building — you talk about your plans to turn Gaza into “the Riviera of the Middle East”. The thing is, Gaza was the Riviera of the Middle East. Our ancestors built it into a flourishing trade hub, port city and cultural centre. It was “magnificent” — to use your words — until Israel was created and it started destroying it.

    And yet, after every brutal Israeli assault on Gaza, Palestinians would rebuild. Despite all the Israeli violence, restrictions and thievery, Palestinians still made sure Gaza was a safe place with a cosy rhythm of life, where its youth were doing their best to pursue decent livelihoods, where families were happy and together, and where homes thrived.

    Israel has now tried to reduce all of Gaza to rubble and death so we are no longer able to live in it. You have picked up on the idea, effectively endorsing our ethnic cleansing under the veneer of humanitarianism.

    No, Mr Trump, we will not be “happy” and “safe” elsewhere.

    But I agree with you on something else you said: “You’ve got to learn from history”. Indeed, history teaches us that settler-colonialism in modern times is unsustainable. In this sense, your plans and Israel’s plans are doomed to fail.

    We, the people of Gaza – like any Indigenous people – refuse to be uprooted. We refuse to be dispossessed. We refuse to be forced into exile so that our land can be handed to the highest bidder. We are not a problem to be solved; we are a people with the right to live in our homeland in freedom and dignity.

    No amount of bombs, blockades, or tanks will make us forget that. We will not be relocated, resettled, or replaced.

    Power and wealth will not decide the fate of Gaza. History is not written by thieves – it is written by those who resist, by the will of the people. No matter the pressure, our connection to this land will never be severed. Surrender and abandonment are not an option. We will honour our martyrs with resistance by nourishing this land with love, care and remembrance.

    Wishing you all the best in your futile pursuits,

    Hassan Abuqamar
    Gaza, Palestine

    This open letter was first published by Al Jazeera.

    This article was first published on Café Pacific.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Colleagues Sound the Alarm on Threats to Americans’ Health and Safety Following Trump Purges

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray Blasts Trump and Musk Decimating HHS, Risking Americans’ Health and Livelihoods

    ***FACT SHEET: WA State Impacts of Trump and Musk’s Reckless Mass Layoffs***

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee joined Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and the entire Senate Democratic caucus in sending a letter demanding answers from Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for firing more than 5,000 HHS workers, blatantly undermining Americans’ health and safety. Within days of being sworn in, Secretary Kennedy blindly followed Trump and Musk’s baseless directive.

    HHS consists of 13 operating divisions and 10 agencies responsible for protecting the health, safety, and wellbeing of Americans nationwide. These highly qualified, dedicated public servants protect millions of families, seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable communities against public health threats by advancing scientific innovations, discovering breakthrough cures, and providing lifeline services such as child care and home-delivered meals.

    Senate Democrats emphasized, “As HHS Secretary, the consequences of epidemics, lost treatments, and lack of access to care are your responsibility. These firings represent the abdication of your sworn duty to ensure the health and well-being of America’s families. You have an obligation to the American people, who rely on you as the nation’s top public health official, to stop these ill-conceived and dangerous attacks on agencies and programs that Americans rely on every day.”

    Specifically, these layoffs will:

    • Harm children, seniors, people with disabilities, and other vulnerable communities. Agencies across HHS are responsible for delivering everyday services that Americans rely on, including affordable child care, home-delivered meals, placing foster children in safe environments, and so much more.
    • Block the development of new treatments and cures. FDA and NIH nonpartisan staff research and develop life-saving treatments. Firing them may delay medical breakthroughs and will weaken America’s biomedical science leadership for years to come.
    • Put patient care at risk. More than 160 million Americans rely on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) programs for affordable health care coverage. CMS is already understaffed and leans heavily on its existing workforce to maintain current service levels. Any cuts to the CMS workforce could have wide-ranging consequences across the health care system, including potential disruptions in medically necessary care, delays in payments to hospitals, nursing homes, and other health care providers, and reductions in the frequency of safety inspections in nursing homes.
    • Make the nation less prepared. With the worst flu season in more than 15 years, an Ebola outbreak in Uganda, and the growing threat of avian influenza, firing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) employees will make American communities more vulnerable to dangerous diseases and less prepared to deal with any potential outbreaks. Also, broader public health response infrastructure would be less able to address cyber attacks, supply chain shortages, and natural disasters.

    In their letter, Senate Democrats asked the following questions:

    1. How many HHS employees were fired between January 20, 2025 and February 18, 2025? How many of these employees were probationary? Provide a breakdown by agency, position type, and justification for termination for each category of employee at each agency.
    1. How were HHS employees notified that they were being fired, and on what grounds? Provide the method of communication and content of the message employees received.
    1. Provide any analysis conducted prior to firings to determine the immediate and long-term impact it will have on programs and activities those employees were tasked with administering.
    1. What role did DOGE have in identifying or prioritizing employees for termination? What metrics did they use?
    1. As additional layoffs are anticipated according to the EO, Implementing the President’s “Department of Government Efficiency” Workforce Optimization Initiative, what specific guidance was given to HHS for identifying additional employees to lay off?

    The full text of the letter can be found here.

    Earlier this week, Senator Murray responded at length to the Trump administration’s mass firings of dedicated workers across HHS and its many subagencies—and last week she released a fact sheet detailing how reckless mass layoffs across the federal government will jeopardize essential services Americans rely on. Senator Murray was a leading voice in opposition to the confirmation of RFK Jr. as HHS Secretary. Earlier this month on the Senate floor, she warned of the dangers of confirming RFK, Jr.—given his lack of health care experience and deadly rhetoric—and encouraged her colleagues to “show some courage” by rejecting his nomination. A longtime congressional leader on health care and former HELP Committee Chair, she called her meeting with him the “most troubling” she’s ever had with a cabinet nominee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Woman Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Burning Down Local Business

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – Carey Alice Hernandez was sentenced in federal court today to 70 months in prison for intentionally setting fire to Off Road Warehouse to cover up the disappearance of more than $700,000 while she was in charge of company finances.

    In April 2024, after a four-day trial, jurors found Hernandez guilty of malicious destruction of a building by means of fire, witness tampering and making false statements.

    In late 2018, the owner of Off Road Warehouse, also known as ORW, which sold and installed automotive parts and gear for off-roading, decided to sell the business located at 7915 Balboa Avenue. The prospective purchaser conducted an audit of ORW, which revealed that between January 2015 and March 2019, while Hernandez was serving as bookkeeper and controller in charge of the company books and records, $744,621 had gone missing from the company.

    The jury found that in the early morning hours of March 28, 2019, Hernandez started the fire at Off Road Warehouse, causing the building to burn to the ground.

    “This defendant intentionally set a dangerous inferno in what appears to have been an attempt to conceal a massive theft. And then she leaned on her minor daughter to try and cover up her crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Fortunately, no one was physically hurt, but this devastating loss for ORW, and the extraordinary danger of intentionally setting a fire, demanded accountability. And today, justice was served.”

    At today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Jinsook Ohta described the defendant’s actions as “wanton, deliberate and destructive” and “a very dangerous crime” that put firefighters at risk. She noted the crime was made even worse when she asked her daughter to lie for her.

    According to evidence presented at trial, surveillance footage showed the defendant driving an SUV with dark rims near her home and the fire scene. The following day, she lied to federal agents and ORW employees, claiming her SUV had light rims. Video footage from the area contradicted her claims about the vehicles rims, leading to convictions for witness tampering and false statements.

    ATF’s National Response Team (NRT) investigated this case in conjunction with San Diego’s Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST). The NRT is ATF’s mobile, rapid response team which investigates the cause and origin of large fires, explosions and bombings at the request of local public safety agencies.

    “Arson crimes are not victimless,” said Acting ATF Los Angeles Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jose Medina. “These criminal acts destroy lives, property, and businesses.  In this case, the motive was greed—fire was used as a cover-up for criminal activity. ATF remains steadfast in its mission to bring arsonists to justice and ensure safer communities. We will relentlessly pursue and remove these offenders from society. I want to acknowledge the dedication of our National Response Team and San Diego’s Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST) for their work in determining the fire’s origin and cause.”

    A hearing to determine the restitution that Hernandez owes the victims of her crimes is scheduled for March 14, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. before Judge Ohta.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Brehm and Carl Brooker.

    DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 22cr145-JO                                         

    Carey Alice Hernandez                                  Age: 46                                   Rathdrum, Idaho

    SUMMARY OF CHARGES

    Malicious Destruction of Building by Means of Fire – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 844(i)

    Maximum penalty: No less than five years in prison and no more than 20 years and $250,000 fine

    Witness Tampering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1512(b)(3)

    Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine

    False Statements – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1001(a)(2)

    Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine

    INVESTIGATING AGENCY

    Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Finds St. Paul Felon Guilty of Fentanyl and Firearm Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury found a St. Paul man guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and illegal possession of a firearm as a felon, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick.

    According to evidence presented at trial, on April 19, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at an apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota, that Eric Marcel Turner, a.k.a. Xavier Thomas, 39, rented using an alias.  In the apartment, officers found over 300 grams of fentanyl and a loaded firearm.

    Because Turner has multiple prior felony convictions, including a federal drug trafficking offense, for which he served several years in federal prison, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time.

    Following a three-day trial before Judge Katherine M. Menendez in U.S. District Court, a jury found Turner guilty of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the West Metro Drug Trask Force, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett S. Fields and Allen A. Slaughter tried the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Combat Intensifying Wildfires and Drought Across the American West

    US Senate News:

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

    February 21, 2025

    Protect the West Act would invest $60 Billion to reduce wildfire risk, restore watersheds, protect communities, and reduce wildfire suppression costs.

    Washington D.C.—U.S. Senator Ron Wyden said today he has joined Senate colleagues to reintroduce legislation that would  make a $60 billion investment in forests in Oregon and across the West to lessen wildfire risk, restore watersheds, protect communities, and reduce wildfire suppression costs.

    “With summers getting drier and hotter, the treasured lands in Oregon and the West are a tinderbox waiting to light ablaze,” said Wyden. “In my town halls, I’ve heard countless Oregonians fearing for their health and safety while struggling to maintain their economic livelihood as severe drought and wildfires wreak more havoc on their communities every year. More investments are needed to protect our forests and watersheds so local communities across the West are healthy and can have the opportunity to explore its beautiful natural treasures for generations.”

    America’s forests and public lands are essential infrastructure – supporting a $1.2 trillion outdoor recreation economy and $222 billion agricultural economy. 

    Despite the importance of our forests to our economy, watersheds, and way of life, Washington DC  has failed to adequately invest in them. The federal government spends $2.9 billion to put out wildfires every year, with costs expected to rise to $3.9 billion by 2050. Preventing wildfires before they start saves taxpayers money by reducing response and recovery costs. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that, over the last five years, the U.S. spent nearly $48 billion on wildfires. Barely three months into 2025, annual wildfire costs are already estimated to exceed $250 billion in damages due to the Los Angeles wildfires.

    Specifically, the Protect the West Act would do the following:

    1. Establish an Outdoor Restoration & Watershed Fund to increase support for local efforts to restore forests and watersheds, reduce wildfire risk, clean up public lands, enhance wildlife habitat, remove invasive species, and expand outdoor access;
    1. Establish an advisory council of local, industry, conservation, Tribal, and national experts to advise funding priorities, coordinate with existing regional efforts, and provide oversight;
    1. Empower local leaders by making $20 billion directly available to state and local governments, Tribes, special districts, and nonprofits to support restoration, drought resilience, and fire mitigation projects. These funds would empower local leaders to bring diverse voices to the table to develop solutions;
    1. Partner with states and Tribes to invest $40 billion to tackle the backlog of restoration, fire mitigation, and resilience projects across public, private, and Tribal lands;
    1. Create or sustain more than two million good-paying jobs, primarily in rural areas, to support existing industries like forest product, agriculture, and outdoor recreation; and
    1. Save landowners and local governments money by investing in wildfire prevention and natural hazard mitigation on the front end, which is thirty times more cost-effective than recovering forests and watersheds after natural disasters have struck.

    In addition to Wyden, the legislation was reintroduced by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet, D-Colo., John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Ruben Gallego, D-Ari., Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and U.S. Representative Jason Crow, D-Colo.

    The bill is supported by The National Wildlife Federation, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, National Association of State Foresters, The Freshwater Trust, American Forests, National Wild Turkey Federation, National Audubon Society, Family Farm Alliance, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Western Landowners Alliance, Western Resource Advocates, Trout Unlimited, and Conservation Legacy.

    The full text of the bill is here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Shaheen Offers Dozens of Amendments to Republican Budget Resolution, Forces Vote on her Amendment to Lower Health Care Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen

    (Washington, DC) – Last night, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a top member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations and Armed Services Committees and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, offered dozens of amendments to the Republican budget resolution that would have forced the forthcoming reconciliation bill to prioritize lowering costs for American families and businesses, enhancing public safety and strengthening national security, among other important priorities for New Hampshire and the country. Shaheen forced a vote on an amendment that would have supported the provisions of her Health Care Affordability Act to make permanent tax credits that have cut health care costs for 24 million Americans—including nearly 70,000 Granite Staters. Nearly all Senate Republicans rejected including Shaheen’s amendment to make health care more affordable and accessible. 

    “In New Hampshire, we hear every day about people rationing medicines, skipping appointments and delaying care all because of costs. By advancing my amendment to extend tax credits we could have offered a lifeline for millions who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford the care they need, but almost all of my Republican colleagues voted against it,” said Shaheen. “Unfortunately, the budget resolution that the Senate advanced last night does nothing to help working Americans make ends meet. Instead, it paves the way to give tax cuts to the wealthiest while slashing programs families rely on.” 

    Last night, Shaheen raised a vote on one of her amendments that mirrors her Health Care Affordability Act—bicameral legislation she introduced last month that would make permanent the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits for Marketplace coverage. According to the Congressional Budget Office, if the tax credits are allowed to expire at the end of this year, health care premiums would skyrocket and 4 million Americans would lose their health insurance altogether. 

    Below is an overview of the dozens of other amendments Senator Shaheen offered for consideration last night. 

    To help lower everyday costs, Shaheen offered amendments that would have: 

    • Supported housing affordability by preventing construction cost increases due to tariffs and delays and expanding investment in housing development. 
    • Helped households afford groceries, including preventing broad tariffs which would raise the price of food or cuts to food aid for families. 
    • Prevented funding cuts to child care or early childhood education programs helping New Hampshire families. 
    • Supported affordable housing in disaster recovery by rebuilding with resilient and cost-effective methods, especially those that lower home insurance rates. 
    • Lowered sugar prices for American businesses and consumers harmed by the U.S. sugar program. 

    To help make health care more affordable and accessible, Shaheen offered amendments that would have: 

    • Ensured that Medicaid expansion programs aren’t eliminated by drastic cuts to federal funding, including New Hampshire’s Granite Advantage covering more than 60,000 Granite Staters. 
    • Ensured that patients suffering from diabetes do not face unnecessary barriers to care, including access to $35 insulin. 
    • Ensured hospitals and doctors working in rural areas can keep their doors open and continue providing lifesaving care for their patients. 
    • Ensured that our community health centers can continue to provide vital care to their patients. 

    To help enhance public safety and keep families secure, Shaheen offered amendments that would have: 

    • Made investments in the Air Traffic Controller workforce and overturned the reckless firing of hundreds of Federal Aviation Administration personnel critical to aviation safety. 
    • Improved cell service and communications for emergency services along the northern border. 
    • Ensured that DHS has the technology needed to monitor and defend the U.S.-Canada border against the flow of drugs and illegal migration. 
    • Raised pay for U.S. Bureau of Prisons correctional officers in New Hampshire and across the country. 
    • Preserved funding for programs that support survivors of sexual and domestic violence. 
    • Ensured local law enforcement agencies and communities are not left with the bill for unfunded federal mandates. 
    • Prioritized the deportation of undocumented individuals who pose threats to our national security or public safety. 
    • Ensured that increased funding for the DOJ and DHS is focused on stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the United States. 

    To help lower American households’ energy costs, Shaheen offered amendments that would have: 

    • Protected Americans from higher energy costs for gas, heating oil and propane due to broad tariffs. 
    • Protected bipartisan investments that lower energy costs, promote electric grid reliability and improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, including addressing PFAS contamination. 
    • Protected families, farmers and businesses from higher energy costs by ensuring energy saving and renewable energy projects funded by Congress continue. 
    • Prevented Congress from blocking state or local governments from updating their building codes to protect life and property, reduce losses from disasters or lower energy costs for families. 
    • Supported energy efficient building construction and retrofits to lower energy costs and enhance electric grid reliability. 
    • Supported resources that help make home heating more affordable, including energy assistance from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and weatherization. 

    To help bolster America’s national security and support American service members and their families, Shaheen offered amendments that would have: 

    • Supported military service members, veterans and families, including by protecting family members who were recently fired from federal employment solely because they were new to a job. 
    • Replenished the defense industrial base ramping up to support Ukraine. 
    • Replenished the defense industrial base ramping up to support the defense of Taiwan. 
    • Ensured that U.S. continues its commitments to NATO, which supports the collective defense of the United States. 
    • Resumed U.S. foreign assistance that counters Chinese influence. 
    • Ensured that federal employees essential to national security are not impacted by OMB buyout and federal hiring freeze memos. 
    • Required oversight over wasteful spending. 
    • Protected DoD’s policy that ensures service women receive the same coverage for contraception as civilian women. 
    • Ensured that servicewomen, who are stationed in areas without access to reproductive care, through no fault of their own, can be reimbursed for the cost of travel. 
    • Ensured that U.S. farmers do not suffer economic harm due to the freeze on U.S. assistance. 
    • Protected U.S. small businesses and contractors from a pause on U.S. foreign assistance. 

    Additional amendments would have: 

    • Prevented a reduction in postal service for rural America, including by preventing closure of processing centers. 
    • Ensured that Americans are protected against fraud, price gouging and higher rental and housing prices caused by illegal price information sharing. 
    • Supported funding to assist Afghan SIVs and refugee resettlement. 
    • Cut more than $40 billion in wasteful agriculture spending going to large corporate farm operations while preserving benefits to small family farms. 
    • Ensured strong funding for the Northern Border Regional Commission. 
    • Prevented adding $5 trillion of tax cuts to the national debt and raising interest rates when the Federal Government is already paying $1 trillion per year in interest. 
    • Supported screening for Avian Flu both domestically and overseas. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council Strongly Condemns Ongoing Offensives by M23 Rebel Movement in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Unanimously Adopting Resolution 2772 (2025)

    Source: United Nations 4

    The Security Council today strongly condemned ongoing offensives by the 23 March Movement, or M23, in the North and South Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, deciding that M23 shall immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from areas it controls and fully reverse the establishment of illegitimate parallel administrations in that country’s territory.

    Unanimously adopting resolution 2773 (2025) (to be issued as document S/RES/2773(2025)), the Council — acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations — also called on the Rwanda Defence Force to cease support to M23 and immediately withdraw from the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo without preconditions.  Further, it strongly urged Kinshasa and Kigali to return to diplomatic talks, supported all initiatives and contributions to this end and reaffirmed the critical role of both the Luanda and Nairobi processes.

    Through the resolution, the Council additionally called for the cessation of support provided by Kinshasa’s military forces to specific armed groups — particularly the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda, or FDLR — as well as urgent implementation of commitments to neutralize that group.  The organ also demanded that all parties facilitate the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to populations in need.  To that end, it called on all parties to urgently open temporary humanitarian corridors in North and South Kivu.

    By other terms, the Council reaffirmed its full support to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and emphasized that any attempts to undermine the Mission’s ability to implement its mandate will not be tolerated.  As well, the Council condemned the systematic illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and reaffirmed its strong commitment to that country’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.

    Text Sends Clear Message There Is No Military Solution to Conflict 

    Speaking after the adoption, the representative of France, the text’s author, said that it delivers a clear message:  “There is no military solution to the conflict in the east of the DRC [Democratic Republic of the Congo]; the offensive carried out by M23 — supported by Rwanda — must be put to an end.”  Further, Rwandan forces must withdraw from Congolese territory without delay, and MONUSCO must be able to carry out its mandate without obstruction.  Stating that the Council must speak clearly alongside regional initiatives, he welcomed that the organ “has risen to its responsibility”.

    Delegates Stress African-Led Initiatives Must Be Supported 

    On those initiatives, Algeria’s representative recalled a recent statement by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, which clearly emphasized that political settlement is the only way to end the conflict.  “As Africans who hold their continent dear”, he stressed the need to support regional mediation efforts.  Further, he said that all external actors must end their negative interventions, also noting the legacy of the bygone colonial era — as well as current “looting and plundering”.

    “The illegal exploitation of natural resources remains a key driver of instability in the region,” added the representative of Sierra Leone, urging greater adherence to relevant international frameworks to prevent the financing of armed groups.  He also joined others in underscoring that dialogue is the only sustainable path to lasting stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  On that, he observed:  “Talking to adversaries is hard — perhaps a taboo for some — but we do not make peace with friends.”

    Also underlining the importance of dialogue, Somalia’s representative pointed out that “experience has taught us that silencing the guns in Africa does not begin with finger-pointing”.  A sustainable solution must emerge through inclusive dialogue and regional cooperation, “rather than through measures that might inadvertently complicate existing peace initiatives”, he said.  Adding that the recent proposed convergence of the Luanda and Nairobi processes “represents a significant step forward in regional cooperation”, he called on the Council to ensure that international engagement “aligns with and reinforces existing African-led initiatives”.

    In that vein, the representative of China, Council President for February, spoke in his national capacity to express support for “solving African issues the African way”.  Further, he said that Council resolutions should be “designed to support regional processes” and “build synergy with mediation efforts at the regional level”.  He added: “The Great Lakes region is at a critical juncture, and to stand on the side of peace is our shared responsibility.”

    “We must not let everything unravel before our eyes,” urged Pakistan’s representative, also emphasizing that today’s text — “most importantly” — welcomes and supports regional efforts and processes to bring peace to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Welcoming the consensus achieved, he said that the resolution reaffirms the Council’s commitment to that country’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity and “upholds the fundamental principles of the UN Charter”.

    Resolution Supports UN Charter

    “This is a resolution in support of the Charter of the United Nations,” said the representative of the Russian Federation, stressing:  “This needs to be fulfilled by the parties without delay.”  The hostilities must end, lives must be saved, ordinary people must be able to return to their homes and Kigali and Kinshasa must, once again, sit at the negotiating table.  Adding that the parties must implement, in good faith, measures “agreed upon by Africans at the highest level”, he warned:  “Otherwise, the region will be faced with yet another brutal war, with colossal human casualties.”

    “The entire DRC is now at stake, and the situation literally stands on the brink of a full-scale regional war,” warned the representative of the Republic of Korea.  He, too, stressed that there can be no military solution to this conflict and urged both Kinshasa and Kigali to urgently return to meaningful diplomatic dialogue.  Both countries, stressed Guyana’s representative, must implement their commitments under the Luanda and Nairobi processes and abide by the decisions of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council.

    For his part, Panama’s representative underlined his country’s “unwavering commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo”.  Urging M23 to immediately cease its hostilities there, the representative of the United Kingdom stressed:  “No Member States should impede this.”  He also underscored that, if the parties do not fully abide by today’s resolution, “this Council will need to consider further action”.

    On accountability, the representative of the United States reported that her Government has imposed sanctions on James Kabarebe, Rwandan Minister of State for Regional Integration, and M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka Kingston, as well as two of the latter’s companies.  She added that, while it is necessary to support African solutions for African problems — and regional countries have a high stake in preventing an all-out war in the Great Lakes region — African-led responses must not preclude swift action from the Council.

    Kinshasa’s Delegate Says Council’s Paralysis for Three Weeks Gave Rwandan Defence Force ‘Free Rein’ to Illegally Occupy Democratic Republic of the Congo

    However, the representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, pointed out that “three weeks had to elapse for the Council to speak unanimously about this subject”.  “In this particular case,” he added, “the Council’s paralysis gave free rein to the illegal occupation of DRC territory by the [Rwandan Defence Force] and their supporters.”  Nevertheless, the Council has now acted, and he thanked the organ’s members on behalf of his Government and “all of the boys and girls of the DRC”.  He urged that today’s resolution be implemented immediately to offer respite to those in occupied areas — “they are paying the highest price and bearing the brunt of this military adventure”.

    Kigali’s Speaker Concerned by ‘Unprecedented Intimidation of African Voices’ in Council

    Meanwhile, Rwanda’s delegate expressed concern about “the unprecedented intimidation of African voices” in the Council, stating: “This speaks volumes about the [Democratic Republic of the Congo] and its belief that the solution to their inter-Congolese conflict will come from actors from outside the continent — most of whom are at the historical root cause of this conflict.”  He also urged the Council to reflect on the question: “How did we end up here?”  Any outcome that does not consider Rwanda’s security challenges and ignores the legitimate grievances of the Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese — the root of M23’s existence — will not help resolve the conflict, he stressed.

    For his part, Angola’s representative called for an immediate ceasefire and resumed dialogue, adding that there is no military solution to the dire security situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  “We need to uphold and consolidate the deliverables of the Luanda process,” he stressed, welcoming the draft resolution “as a significant step in the right direction”.  The Council has a responsibility to assist the people and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to prevent further escalation of the conflict.  “We need to save lives and stop the bloodshed of innocent civilians,” he added, emphasizing the need to “promote African solutions to African problems”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Media analyst criticises Trump for applying ‘strategic coercion, economic blackmail’ policy

    Pacific Media Watch

    One of the leading Middle East’s leading political and media analysts, Marwan Bishara, has accused President Donald Trump of applying a doctrine of ‘strategic coercion” and “economic blackmail” in his approach to the Gaza ceasefire.

    Bishara, senior political analyst of the Doha-based Al Jazeera global television network, was responding to the news that Trump has apparently backed off his plan for expelling more than 2 million Palestinians from their Gaza homeland and to redevelop it as the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

    He has now been describing it as a “recommendation” that would not be enforced.

    “The idea that Trump starts with [about taking over Gaza] is mad. But there is a method to the madness,” Bishara said.

    “The method to the madness, you can see it in the context of Trump’s doctrine, if you will – and that is strategic coercion and economic blackmail.

    “In fact, he started his administration by inviting [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu to Washington, blessing him with all kinds of support . . .  and blackmailing Egypt and Jordan into accepting two million refugees, or else — and then asking them to come up with something else.”

    Bishara said he expected the Trump doctrine to be applied elsewhere in the world, such as with his efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

    ‘This kind of strategic coercion of Arab countries on behalf of the United States and Israel, and economic blackmail — I think we’re going to see it as part of the Trump doctrine throughout the world.


    President Trump’s walkback on his “Riviera” plan for Gaza. Video: Al Jazeera

    ‘Surprised’ over opposition
    The US president had said in a radio interview with Fox News that he was “a little bit surprised” that Jordan and Egypt had voiced opposition to his plan to “take over” Gaza and displace Palestinians.

    “I’ll tell you, the way to do it is my plan — I think that’s the plan that really works,” Trump said.

    “But I’m not forcing it, I’m just going to sit back and recommend it.

    “And then the US would own the site, there’d be no Hamas, and there’d be development and you’d start all over again with a clean plate.”

    A former Egyptian deputy foreign affairs minister to the European Union, Gamal Bayoumi, said the “informal” meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, of the leaders of several Arab countries to discuss an Egyptian counterproposal had led to the softening of Trump’s stance.

    Speaking from Cairo, Bayoumi said Trump had appeared “inexperienced concerning international law” and the Middle East, saying the US president’s plan “has no logic . . . to ask the Palestinians to leave their own country.”

    The Riyadh meeting has ended with the leaders rejecting Trump’s plan and the Arab League will meet in Cairo, Egypt, on March 4 to discuss the counterproposal in more detail.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China provides rice aid to help Zambia tackle drought-induced hunger

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

    LUSAKA, Feb. 21 — China on Friday handed over the first batch of about 460 metric tons as part of nearly 2,000 metric tons of rice to help Zambia tackle the negative effects of the 2023/2024 drought, with three subsequent batches expected to arrive.

    The handover ceremony, held at the offices of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) in the Zambian capital of Lusaka, was attended by Wang Sheng, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, and Gabriel Pollen, national coordinator of the DMMU.

    Wang said in his speech that the successful delivery of the first batch of rice aid underscores China’s commitment to the longstanding friendship and all-dimensional cooperation with Zambia.

    “We hope that Zambia will make good use of this batch of food assistance so that its planned role of improving the living of the local people is achieved,” he said.

    Wang further said China is dedicated to implementing the consensus reached by the two leaders last September and working with Zambia to promote the modernization of the two countries. “China will deliver on its promises and continue to fully implement all measures to help Zambia develop.”

    For his part, Pollen said China’s generous donation is a testament to international solidarity and cooperation, with the timely contribution to alleviate the food insecurity of people affected by the drought, particularly in hard-hit districts.

    He noted that the donation is not only a gesture of goodwill but also a demonstration of China’s commitment to supporting vulnerable communities around the world. It also reflects the strong bilateral relationship between the two countries.

    Zambia experienced a severe drought during the 2023/2024 rainy season due to extreme weather conditions caused by El Nino. The drought affected crop production in 84 of the country’s 116 districts, leaving about 6 million people in need of food assistance.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ranking Member Markey, Committee Democrats Condemn Arbitrary Mass Firings at the Small Business Administration, Demand Reinstatement of Employees

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Letter Text (PDF)
    Washington (February 21, 2025) – Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Ranking Member Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) yesterday led Democratic committee members in a letter to Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler demanding answers on the recent arbitrary mass firings by the Trump administration of SBA public servants, including loan and disaster assistance staff and veterans.
    In the letter the lawmakers wrote, “Over the past week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has taken unprecedented personnel actions that have gutted its civil service workforce around the country. This includes the firing of hundreds of SBA employees serving their probationary work period. Yet, SBA has provided us with no direct information about these terminations, including why they were undertaken, the number and identities of fired employees, or which SBA offices were impacted.”
    The lawmakers continued, “In order to ensure small businesses continue to receive the SBA services they need to thrive, we request the following: First, put an immediate stop to the arbitrary firings of career civil servants and reinstate them immediately, with backpay. Second, have your Deputy Inspector General conduct a thorough review of the SBA’s actions to ensure that any termination was lawful. And third, promptly brief the Committee’s minority staff on SBA’s recent personnel actions and its plan to implement the President’s deferred resignations and RIF executive order.”
    The letter is signed by fellow Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee Democrats, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Demand VA Secretary Reverse Mass Terminations of VA Employees, Put Veterans Above Politics

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Demand VA Secretary Reverse Mass Terminations of VA Employees, Put Veterans Above Politics

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), alongside Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), led a group of 34 Senators calling on Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to immediately reinstate the more than 1,000 VA employees terminated last week—essential employees who serve veterans and their families nationwide, including those combatting veteran suicide at the Veterans Crisis Line.
    The Trump Administration’s mass terminations of VA employees, which included numerous veterans and military spouses, comes at a time when the VA faces critical staffing shortages and increased demand for its services, such as urgently needed mental health care to reduce the veteran suicide rate. In addition, many of these terminated employees had exemplary performance records and multiple years of work experience in government service.
    “Last week, we were outraged by the Administration’s abrupt and indiscriminate termination of tens of thousands of workers across almost every government agency, including more than 1,000 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees,” wrote Senator Reverend Warnock and his colleagues. “We were further disturbed by the manner in which you publicly celebrated this reprehensible announcement – a clear departure from the assurances provided throughout your confirmation process to never ‘balance budgets on the back of veterans’ benefits’ and to always ‘put the veteran first.’ Not only will this latest action put veterans’ care and benefits at risk, but it further confuses, demoralizes, and threatens a VA workforce we need to fulfill our nation’s sacred promise to our veterans and their families who have already sacrificed so much.”
    The Senators directly refuted VA Secretary Collins’ vague assurances that these terminations “will not negatively impact VA health care, benefits, or beneficiaries,” by detailing how Trump Administration’s directives to gut VA’s workforce are already negatively impacting veterans:
    Openings for new clinics have been delayed because VA cannot hire the necessary staff to open their doors;
    Service lines at VA hospitals and clinics have been halted;
    Beds and operating rooms at VA facilities have been suspended;
    Support lines for caregivers have been reduced;
    Veterans Crisis Line employees have been fired, and suicide prevention training sessions have been postponed or canceled; and, 
    Transportation options for disabled veterans, which help ensure veterans can attend regular health care appointments, have been cut back because volunteer drivers are now unable to get credentialed.
    Beyond the obvious harm to veterans, the Senators also underscored how these terminations are a massive waste of taxpayer dollars that have already been spent recruiting, vetting, and training these VA employees: 
    “Because probationary employees tend to be younger, many of them represented the next generation of VA employees – talented men and women who chose a long-term career path of serving veterans. VA already invested in recruiting and training these individuals because veterans deserve the very best staff possible,” the Senators continued. “The list of real-life negative impacts of this Administration’s directives is expansive and growing every day. Rather than putting the interests of veterans first, you made your priorities abundantly clear in your statement applauding the mass firings: ‘At VA, we are focused on saving money.’ It’s clear from the slashing of services and benefits this priority is coming directly at the expense of veterans.”
    The Senators concluded by calling on Secretary Collins to put veterans first and rescind the blanket layoffs of the more than 1,000 VA employees: “With the best interests of veterans in mind, and to ensure VA is capable of carrying out its sacred obligation of behalf of veterans, we urge you to immediately reinstate all of the employees dismissed in the latest indiscriminate terminations and commit to VA employees and veterans that no additional widespread terminations will occur without advanced notification to Congress, a detailed justification, coordination with service-level leadership, and an appropriate assessment of potential impacts on veterans’ health care and benefits. Congress remains ready to collaborate with you, if you are willing to come to the table and put the needs of our veterans above all else.”
    In addition to Senator Reverend Warnock, the letter was led by Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Blumenthal and joined by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennett (D-CO), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Timothy Kaine (D-VA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacklyn Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (D-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
    The full text of the Senators’ letter is available here and below:
    Dear Secretary Collins:  
    Last week, we were outraged by the Administration’s abrupt and indiscriminate termination of tens of thousands of workers across almost every government agency, including more than 1,000 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employees. We were further disturbed by the manner in which you publicly celebrated this reprehensible announcement – a clear departure from the assurances provided throughout your confirmation process to never “balance budgets on the back of veterans’ benefits” and to always “put the veteran first.” Not only will this latest action put veterans’ care and benefits at risk, but it further confuses, demoralizes, and threatens a VA workforce we need to fulfill our nation’s sacred promise to our veterans and their families who have already sacrificed so much.
    The more than 1,000 VA employees whose lives and careers you have upended included a substantial number of veterans and military spouses. Many had exemplary performance records. Because probationary employees tend to be younger, many of them represented the next generation of VA employees – talented men and women who chose a long-term career path of serving veterans. VA already invested in recruiting and training these individuals because veterans deserve the very best staff possible. And they all deserved better than to be casually discarded by an Administration that places a greater priority on political loyalty than fitness to serve.
    You have repeatedly claimed these massive, arbitrary staff terminations – done without advance consultation with service-level leadership or advisement from experienced senior leaders trained to manage VA’s health care, benefits, and memorial workforce –– “will not negatively impact VA health care, benefits or beneficiaries.” However, we have heard directly from VA employees and veterans across the country that this is absolutely not the case. In fact, we have been made aware of numerous detrimental developments as a direct result of the actions of this Administration. Openings for new clinics have been delayed because VA cannot hire the necessary staff to open their doors. Service lines at VA hospitals and clinics have been halted. Beds and operating rooms at VA facilities have been suspended. Support lines for caregivers have been reduced. Veterans Crisis Line employees have been fired, and suicide prevention training sessions have been postponed or canceled. And transportation options for disabled veterans, which help ensure veterans can attend regular health care appointments, have been cut back because volunteer drivers are now unable to get credentialed.
    The list of real-life negative impacts of this Administration’s directives is expansive and growing every day. Rather than putting the interests of veterans first, you made your priorities abundantly clear in your statement applauding the mass firings: “At VA, we are focused on saving money.” It’s clear from the slashing of services and benefits this priority is coming directly at the expense of veterans.
    With the best interests of veterans in mind, and to ensure VA is capable of carrying out its sacred obligation of behalf of veterans, we urge you to immediately reinstate all of the employees dismissed in the latest indiscriminate terminations and commit to VA employees and veterans that no additional widespread terminations will occur without advanced notification to Congress, a detailed justification, coordination with service-level leadership, and an appropriate assessment of potential impacts on veterans’ health care and benefits. Congress remains ready to collaborate with you, if you are willing to come to the table and put the needs of our veterans above all else.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Security Council condemns M23 offensive in eastern DR Congo

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    The UN Security unanimously adopted a resolution on Friday that strongly condemned the ongoing offensive and advance of M23 rebels in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

    The 15 members called on the Rwanda Defence Forces to stop supporting the armed group and immediately withdraw from Congolese territory “without preconditions.”

    The Council reiterated its urgent appeal for all parties to conclude an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as called for by leaders from East and Southern Africa.

    They also strongly urged the DRC and Rwanda “to return without preconditions to diplomatic talks as a matter of urgency to achieve a lasting and peaceful resolution of the protracted conflict in the region.”

    ‘A clear message’

    The resolution was submitted by France whose Ambassador, Nicolas de Rivière, who thanked Council members for their commitment during negotiations over the past week.

    “This delivers a clear message: there is no military solution to the conflict in the east of the DRC,” he said. “The offensive carried out by the M23 supported by Rwanda must be put to an end.”

    The situation in the eastern DRC has deteriorated since January as M23 fighters advanced across North and South Kivu provinces, with the crisis spreading to Ituri.

    They have captured the regional capital Goma and the second city, Bukavu. Thousands of people have been killed and even more displaced, including to neighbouring countries such as Burundi.

    Allow aid access

    The resolution strongly condemned all attacks directed against civilians and infrastructure, including UN, humanitarian and medical personnel.

    It also condemned summary executions and maiming, sexual and gender-based violence, human trafficking and the recruitment and use of children.

    The Council demanded all parties to allow and facilitate safe, immediate and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need, as well as the restoration of basic services such as healthcare, water, electricity and communications.

    The Council also reaffirmed full support to the UN mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, and stressed that attacks against peacekeepers may constitute war crimes.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: King, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Care Coordination for Veterans Using Both VA Health Care and Medicare

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Angus King (I-ME) and Jerry Moran (R-KS), a member and chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) respectively, are introducing legislation to better coordinate and manage health care for veterans who are enrolled in both Medicare and the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) health care system. The Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act would create a three-year pilot program where veterans who are enrolled in both Medicare and VA health care would be assigned a case manager to help them develop individualized care plans and manage the delivery of health care services in an effort to increase access to care, eliminate duplication of services, improve quality of care and lower expenses for taxpayers.

    “Our veterans gave their very best while serving and they deserve that same focus in return long after they’ve hung up the uniform,” said Senator King. “Navigating the VA health care system is already challenging enough, but for veterans who also receive benefits through Medicare, it can be extra difficult to navigate between the two providers — both for veterans and caregivers. The bipartisan Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act will work to seamlessly merge and coordinate care between the VA and Medicare, helping to connect the dots for former servicemembers, eliminate duplicative services and lower costs for taxpayers. It’s a win-win across the board.”

    “Helping veterans, as well as their caregivers and providers, understand and navigate both Medicare and VA health care will eliminate gaps in care, improve outcomes and quality and lower expenses for taxpayers,” said Sen. Moran. “The Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act helps make certain veterans can fully use the care they have qualified for and earned through their service. I am grateful to Sen. King for co-leading this bill and our veterans service organization partners for their support.”

    “Wounded Warrior Project is pleased to support the Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Access Act,” said Jose Ramos, Vice President for Government and Community Relations for the Wounded Warrior Project. “Innovative pilot programs like the one envisioned by this bill help us better understand what’s possible in our effort to improve the systems of care that support our nation’s heroes.? With better case coordination and health care outcomes as the goal, this pilot program can help younger veterans who use Medicare earlier in life because of catastrophic injuries from military service.? We thank Senators Moran and King for their vision and leadership on this issue and urge Congress to pass this important legislation.”

    “Many veterans with disabilities rely on both VA health care and Medicare to meet their healthcare needs,” said Heather Ansley, Chief Policy Officer of Paralyzed Veterans of America. “This can lead to a duplication of care, poor coordination of services, higher costs; and in the worst of cases, endangers the health and wellbeing of the veteran. PVA supports the Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act, which tests VA’s ability to coordinate and manage care and benefits between these two systems for covered veterans.”

    “AMVETS proudly endorses the Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act,” said Joe Chenelly, the National Executive Director of AMVETS. “Ensuring easy access to healthcare services and seamless system interoperability is essential for all veterans.”

    “We hear from caregivers every day who struggle to navigate the complex system of available VA services on behalf of their loved ones,” said Steve Schwab, Chief Executive Officer of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. “Too often, this means that the veteran is unable to access needed care, and the caregiver suffers added stress, anxiety, and frustration. Therefore, we are very pleased that Chairman Moran and Senator King are joining together to re-introduce the Coordinating Care for Senior Veterans and Wounded Warriors Act to help these especially vulnerable veterans and their families connect to vital programs.”

    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. Last year, the Wounded Warrior Project named Senator King the Legislator of the Year Award for “outstanding legislative effort and achievement to improve the lives of the wounded, ill, and injured veterans.” Earlier this week, 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. Senator King also cosponsored legislation to ensure military families have access to critical health care during pregnancy, rather than waiting until after childbirth to increase their coverage. In addition, he helped pass the Veterans COLA Act, which increased benefits for 30,000 Maine veterans and their families.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Virginia Lawmakers to Trump Administration: Reverse Park Service Staffing Cuts

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine and U.S. Reps. Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam and Eugene Vindman (all D-VA) pushed the Trump administration to reverse staffing cuts at the National Park Service (NPS), outlining the effect directives to eliminate employees and rescind and delay job offers will have on safety at Virginia’s 22 national park units, which serve 22 million visitors and contribute $1.5 billion to local economies each year.

    “We write today to express our deep concern over alarming directives issued to eliminate roughly one thousand full-time employees, rescind hundreds of offers for full-time positions, and delay thousands of offers for seasonal positions at the National Park Service (NPS). These roles are critical to protecting America’s treasured natural assets, maintaining public safety, and promoting exceptional standards expected at national parks across Virginia and the nation,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “We urge you to reverse these directives and prevent additional cuts to existing staffing going forward given the critical role that the vast majority of NPS staff play in ensuring public safety. If these directives are not reversed, we fear it will significantly undermine the Park Service’s ability to protect both visitors and park resources, particularly as we approach peak visitation season.”

    The NPS  workforce plays a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of our nation’s parks and the safety of the millions of visitors who explore them each year, and are also responsible for protecting the priceless natural, historic, and cultural resources that belong to the American people. However, recent staffing directives from the Trump administration – which included the dismissal of probationary employees and the rescinding of job offers at NPS with no input from park superintendents – are expected to make it significantly more difficult for NPS to carry out its mission, especially as peak visitor season approaches. Staff positions affected by the administration’s unilateral staffing directives include frontline park rangers responsible for ensuring visitor safety and protecting park assets, maintenance staff tasked with addressing the deferred maintenance backlog and reducing the risk of wildland fires, and support staff responsible for raising revenue for NPS through fee collections.

    “It has been reported that the only exemptions offered were for positions that respond to public safety incidents, including law enforcement rangers, public safety dispatchers, and wildland firefighters. However, public safety response is just part of the work that goes into protecting the public,” wrote the lawmakers. “Countless other positions from rangers to natural resource specialists to wastewater specialists to maintenance mechanics that are not covered under the exemptions have wide-ranging responsibilities for preventing public safety incidents in the first place. Eliminating these positions put our parks at greater risk of damage and make them less safe for visitors. We are particularly concerned about reports that NPS rescinded offers for positions directly responsible for fire safety at Shenandoah National Park – coinciding with the start of wildfire season.”

     

    Continued the members, “While it is encouraging that NPS recently walked back its decision to rescind offers for nearly 5,000 seasonal positions, park superintendents have received no guidance as to the next steps they can take to move forward with seasonal hiring. The late winter and early spring months are critical for ramping up seasonal staff in preparation for the summer visitation surge. Without clear guidance for superintendents on seasonal hiring, the continued delay in hiring could jeopardize the ability of these parks to safely accommodate millions of visitors this summer.”

    In the letter, the Virginia lawmakers also noted that the staffing directives threaten to undermine the progress Congress has made in recent years to invest in repairing and restoring our national parks.

    “For over one hundred years, NPS has been charged with safeguarding millions of acres of America’s irreplaceable natural, historic, and cultural resources. However, persistent underfunding of NPS resulted in the Service’s inability to properly staff park units and the growth of a multi-billion-dollar backlog of deferred maintenance projects. In recognition of the worsening situation at our national parks, bipartisan majorities in Congress passed and President Trump signed into law the Great American Outdoors Act of 2020 (GAOA), one of the largest ever investments in conservation and public lands in our nation’s history. The GAOA gave NPS the resources it needed to dedicate billions of dollars for addressing deferred maintenance across the country, including over $470 million for projects in Virginia. As a result of these staffing directives, units will be forced to reallocate remaining staff to support regular operations at the expense of staff hours dedicated to reducing the deferred maintenance backlog,” they wrote.

    Concluded the lawmakers, “Significant disruptions to NPS staffing during the critical months prior to peak season threaten to harm the tourism economy associated with Virginia’s national parks that supports hundreds of small businesses and thousands of jobs. We urge you to swiftly reverse these directives and communicate clear guidance to park superintendents to ensure that NPS units in Virginia and across the country can move forward with hiring both seasonal and permanent positions that are critical to ensuring the safety of millions of park-goers.”

    A copy of the letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mississippi Woman Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Relief Program of Over $5,000,000

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – A Mississippi woman has pled guilty to defrauding the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a federal program intended to help small businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic, of over $5,000,000. Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.

    On February 20, 2025, Lisa Evans, 42, of Olive Branch, Mississippi, pled guilty before United States District Judge Thomas L. Parker to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  She will be sentenced on May 22, 2025 and faces a maximum term of 20 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to information presented in court, Evans submitted fraudulent PPP loan applications for numerous individuals who were not entitled to PPP loans. The applications Evans submitted contained false representations, including fake federal tax documents.  When the individual borrowers obtained the PPP loan funds, they then paid Evans kickbacks of 20 to 30 percent.  The loss to the PPP program was $5,126,258.  

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren stated: “Individuals cheating the Paycheck Protection Program stole money from U.S. taxpayers who desperately needed these loans to keep their small businesses afloat and pay their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. I would especially like to commend and thank the federal law enforcement agencies who uncovered this fraud and brought this defendant to justice: the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Gulf States Field Division; the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service, Memphis Field Office; and the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee. My office will continue to work with these law enforcement partners to bring those who committed pandemic benefit fraud in the Western District of Tennessee to justice and to recover stolen pandemic relief funds.”

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Arvin, who prosecuted this case.

    ###

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Convicted for Possession of Firearms Linked to Miami-Dade Shootings, Homicide

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – After a three-day bifurcated trial, a Miami federal jury found Nathaniel Martin, 45, guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Later that same day, the jury found that Martin qualified as an Armed Career Criminal based on his criminal history, including prior convictions for robbery, cocaine trafficking, and armed robbery.

    Based on the evidence at trial, police responded to a market in Miami Gardens based on a tip that a person of interest in an open investigation was camped out in the alley behind that market. When police arrived, they observed Martin sitting in a chair at the end of the alley rifling through a bookbag. Surveillance footage from the interior and exterior of the market showed Martin handling the bookbag, a plastic bag, and other belongings in and around the market. Police later recovered the bookbag, which contained fourteen rounds of live ammunition, and the plastic bag, which contained two semiautomatic pistols and additional ammunition.

    Additional evidence at trial included text messages from the day of the arrest in which Martin asked if he could hide his guns under a friend’s bed, DNA evidence for each of the firearms, and recorded jail calls from the day of the arrest in which Martin lamented that police had recovered “the weapons.”

    According to other filings in the case, one of the pistols recovered from Martin returned ballistic matches to shell casings recovered from a December 2023 shooting in Miami Gardens and a January 13, 2024 homicide in Miami Gardens. 

    U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez presided over the trial. Martin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years of imprisonment, and a maximum term of imprisonment up to life. The sentencing hearing has been set for May 2, 2025. Judge Martinez will sentence Martin after a review of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge John F. Dion, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, announced the verdicts. 

    The ATF and the Miami Gardens Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sterling M. Paulson and Altanese Phenelus are prosecuting 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 gun violence and other violent crime, 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.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr- 20065.

    ###  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three New Haven Men Guilty of Charges Related to Counterfeit Pill Production, Narcotics Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a jury in Hartford has found AQUARIUS GUMBS, also known as “Q,” “Ice,” and “Diamond,” 50; GORDON LAURIA, 54; and MARKOS PAPPAS, also known as “Speedy,” 51; all of New Haven, guilty of offenses related to the large-scale trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine pills disguised as legitimate prescription medication, as well as other controlled substances.

    According to court documents and the evidence presented during the trial, this matter stems from an investigation by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad and the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force targeting the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall tablets containing methamphetamine, and the distribution of heroin and cocaine, in the New Haven area.  The investigation revealed that Willis Taylor, with the assistance of Lauria, Pappas, Gumbs, and others, coordinated the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit narcotic pills.  Taylor distributed the pills to others and arranged counterfeit pill transactions between second and third parties, sometimes using Gumbs as a source of supply.  Gumbs also distributed controlled substances to his own customers.  After Taylor’s arrest in November 2022, Pappas conspired with others, including Lisa Fausel, of New Haven, to distribute controlled substances.

    During the investigation, investigators seized more than two kilograms of fentanyl, including thousands of counterfeit Oxycodone tablets; approximately two kilograms of methamphetamine, including thousands of counterfeit Adderall pills; three kilograms of cocaine and other drugs; four pill-press machines; one industrial mixer; five firearms; and more than $200,000 in cash.  Two of the firearms and $13,250 in cash were seized from Gumbs, a previously convicted felon, on November 18, 2022.

    Fourteen individuals were charged as a result of this investigation.

    Today, the jury found Lauria and Gumbs guilty of one count, and Pappas guilty of two counts, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.  Gumbs was also found guilty of one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    The jury found a fourth defendant, Julio Echevarria, of New Haven, not guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances.

    Gumbs, Lauria, and Pappas are detained pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.

    Taylor previously pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.  On October 21, 2024, Fausel was sentenced to 42 months of imprisonment.

    This matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Marshals Service.  The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad is composed of personnel from the DEA, the Connecticut State Police, and the West Haven, Hamden, Manchester, Bristol, Fairfield, and Seymour Police Departments.  The FBI Task Force includes participants from the FBI, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and the New Haven, Milford, East Haven, West Haven, and Wallingford Police Departments. 

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten, John T. Pierpont, Jr., Konstantin Lantsman, and Katherine Boyles through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.  Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Michael White Sentenced to 100 Years on Federal Charges Related to Murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ABINGDON, Va. – Michael Donivan White was sentenced today to 100 years in federal prison on federal charges related to the November 2021 murder of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler and a wide-ranging drug conspiracy.

    White, 36, of South Carolina, pled guilty to eight counts in relation to the murder of Officer Chandler.  Specifically, he pled guilty to one count of causing the death of a person using a firearm, in which the killing was first-degree murder, in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of conspiring to distribute or possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of using a place for the purpose of distributing or using a controlled substance, one count of using a communication facility in committing any felony-controlled substance offense, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession of a stolen firearm, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and using, brandishing and discharging that firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

    “Today in U.S. District Court in Abingdon, Michael White was sentenced to spend the next 100 years of his life in federal prison for murdering Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler,” Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. “No matter how righteous our prosecution was or how just this sentence is, no amount of jail time can bring back Officer Chandler. Our only hope is that today’s sentence brings some level of closure to Officer Chandler’s friends and family, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Southwest Virginia law enforcement community. To all of the men and women who worked tirelessly to bring Michael White and his co-conspirators to justice, the Department of Justice is eternally grateful.”

    “We can never bring Officer Michael Chandler back, and no sentence will ever fill the void left in the hearts of his family, friends, law enforcement community, and the Big Stone Gap community. But today’s hearing helped bring some closure to his family. Michael White will spend decades behind bars for the cold-blooded murder of a hero. We will never stop fighting for those who put their lives on the line for our safety and security. Officer Chandler, you will never be forgotten,” said Attorney General Jason Miyares. “I commend the entire law enforcement community in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee for their dedicated work on this case, including the lead agencies, the Virginia State Police, ATF, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, in addition to all agencies who assisted with this case. This case highlights the important collaboration between our federal and state partners, and I wish to specifically thank Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Kerney-Quillen for her key role in this case. My office stands firmly with law enforcement across the Commonwealth and will continue to pursue all avenues possible to ensure that anyone who harms or kills a police officer is held fully accountable. I am honored that my office could support the investigation and prosecution concerning the senseless death of Big Stone Gap Police Officer Michael Chandler.”

    “Virginia State Police is pleased to have been able to help bring Michael White to justice and provide some closure to the family and friends of Officer Michael Chandler,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. “Officer Chandler was working to make the Commonwealth a better place and made the ultimate sacrifice.”

    “We offer our deepest sympathies to the family, friends, and colleagues of Officer Michael Chandler as they continue to navigate this horrific tragedy “said ATF Washington Field Division Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood. “We hope that this sentencing provides comfort to Officer Chandler’s family. It is also our hope that this sends a clear message of accountability to those that actively engage in violent crime especially when it results in injury or death to those who devote their lives to protecting and serving our communities. Prioritizing violent crime and enforcing federal firearms laws remain at the forefront of our daily mission.”

    According to court documents, beginning in August 2021 and continuing even after the time of his arrest, White and 18 other defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, in addition to heroin and fentanyl.

    Tragically, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on November 13, 2021, Big Stone Gape Police Officer Michael Chandler responded to a dispatch call at 2505 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, known locally as “the red house.” Upon arriving at the red house, Officer Chandler encountered a vehicle outside the residence. Officer Chandler requested backup, telling dispatch, “This car is taking off on me.” Inside the vehicle, Michael White told a female co-defendant, Misty Ward, to “get the fu*k out of there” because there were drugs in the vehicle and that “he was not going back to jail.”  Ward started to drive off as directed, but then stopped and got out of the vehicle. At that point, White attempted to flee the scene, however the vehicle got stuck in the grass. Officer Chandler approached the vehicle on the driver’s side.

    White brandished a Taurus 9mm pistol and immediately fired eight shots through the driver’s side window and door, striking Officer Chandler’s wrist and abdomen just below his bulletproof vest.

    Officer Chandler died later that evening from his injuries.

    Following the shooting, law enforcement identified White as a suspect. White was later located at a motel in Kingsport, Tennessee and a subsequent search of the motel room found a Taurus, 9mm pistol. Further testing ultimately proved this firearm to be the same one that fired the shots that killed Officer Chandler.

    This investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Virginia Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, City of Norton Police Department, and Big Stone Gap Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher and Danielle Stone, as well as Special Assistant United States Attorney and Virginia Senior Assistant Attorney General Suzanne Kerney-Quillen prosecuted the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Carjacker Indicted on 35 Counts for 2024 Crime Spree

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Lamontee Fowler, 21, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today on a 35-count indictment filed on February 19, 2025, relating to an armed carjacking spree that occurred in April and May 2024 in Southeast Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

               Fowler was indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of armed carjacking, armed robbery, assault with a dangerous weapon, endangerment with a firearm, unlawful discharge of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, and related charges.

               According to the government’s evidence, Fowler engaged in a spree of armed carjackings on April 27, 2024, May 2, 2024, and May 8, 2024, all within blocks of each other in Southeast Washington, D.C. On April 27, 2024, he knocked on the window of the victim’s Toyota Rav 4 with the handle of a firearm, ordered the victim out of the driver’s seat, fired the gun, took the victim’s car keys, and fled the scene in the car. On May 2, 2024, he ran up behind the victim after she had exited her Honda Civic, pointed a firearm at the victim’s stomach, demanded her keys, and then fled the scene in her car. On May 8, 2024, he approached the victim after she had parked her Nissan Rogue on the street, brandished a firearm, grabbed her keys, and fled in her car. Then, on May 10, 2024, after arriving at his then-girlfriend’s residence in the carjacked Nissan Rogue, he fired a shot near his then-girlfriend’s father through the driver’s side window of the car. In a search warrant executed at his residence two weeks later, on May 24, 2024, the Metropolitan Police Department found a 9mm ghost gun with a 31-round capacity extended magazine underneath Fowler’s pillow.

               At the arraignment today, Fowler was ordered detained by Judge Robert Salerno.

               This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Claire Hoover and Sabena Auyeung of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C.

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

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Lummis Votes to Promote Prosperity, Make America Safe Again

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wyoming Cynthia Lummis

    February 21, 2025

    Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) released the following statement after voting in support of the budget resolution.

    “Under President Biden’s failed leadership, hardworking families across Wyoming shelled out more of their hard-earned money than ever to keep up with record-breaking inflation and watched as Biden’s policies jeopardized our national security,” said Lummis. “This budget resolution isn’t perfect, but it is a first step towards securing our southern border, making our military strong again, and unleashing American energy. President Trump promised to deliver peace through strength, and we are ensuring he has the resources necessary to put hardworking Wyoming families first. This first step will be followed by making tax cuts permanent, cutting wasteful spending, and growing our economy.”

    Sen. Lummis also filed several amendments to address some of her key priorities:

    • Protecting traditional energy sources and grid reliability 
    • Addressing rising domestic energy consumption 
    • Enhancing forest management and wildfire prevention 
    • Streamlining federal permitting processes 
    • Strengthening multiple-use management of public lands 
    • Modernizing Endangered Species Act implementation 
    • Delisting the Greater Yellowstone grizzly bear and returning management to states

    The amendments include deficit-neutral reserve funds that would allow for legislation on these issues through fiscal year 2034. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: San Carlos Man Charged with Arson for Causing Watch Fire on San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Keanu Rudy Dude, 25, an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe and a San Carlos, Arizona resident, was arrested today on an outstanding indictment issued by a federal grand jury in Phoenix. He is charged with Arson for the July 2024 Watch Fire on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation.

    The Watch Fire burned over 2,000 acres of land owned by the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Twenty-one homes identified in the indictment were destroyed by the fire. Four hundred families had to be evacuated from their homes and the areas surrounding San Carlos. Dude will have his initial appearance on Monday, February 24, 2025.

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

    The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the San Carlos Apache Police and Fire Departments and the San Carlos Ranger and Forestry Departments conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-1579-PHX-DJH
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-022_Dude

    # # #

    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.

     

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