NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Government launches local council grants to combat hate and strengthen community cohesion

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 20 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Local Government, Minister for Multiculturalism

    The Minns Labor Government has launched the latest round of the NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government designed to enhance councils’ ability to prevent and respond to hate.

    The program strengthens local government capability to foster connection and belonging within and between communities, as well as build trust in local institutions.

    Applications for the latest round of grants are now open, with local councils across NSW to share in $500,000 for projects that strengthen social cohesion and deliver stronger and more resilient communities.

    Councils may apply for between $50,000 and $150,000 to address a social cohesion challenge in their community, with the current round focused on preventing and responding to the prevalence of hate.

    Projects should aim to address the impacts of hate, polarisation and the localised impacts from global crises and events that councils are experiencing.

    In previous rounds, the NSW Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government program has funded projects to build community cohesion in high density residential neighbourhoods, support community centre activations in areas impacted by bushfire, and intercultural community leadership programs.

    Applications are open until 11:59pm on Friday 28 March and can be made on the grant webpage.

    Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:

    “The impact of recent hateful events has been felt across the state.

    “Local governments are at the heart of their communities, and these grants will help councils create meaningful initiatives that foster inclusion and support communities to feel connected.

    “Our strength lies in our unity, our respect for one another and our shared commitment to making NSW a safe and welcoming place for all.”

    Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said:

    “This funding will assist with projects to help build community cohesion.

    “By supporting Social Cohesion Grants for Local Government, we are investing in the future of our state.

    “These grants will contribute towards protecting our society and supporting the true spirit of our multicultural state.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Faster water approvals to supercharge housing delivery

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 20 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Housing, Minister for Water

    The Minns Labor Government is slashing red tape to get more homes built faster across the state, unveiling a clear blueprint to speed up approvals and ensure new properties are connected and ready to turn on the tap sooner.

    The Housing Approval Reform Action Plan is a joint initiative between the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), Sydney Water, and WaterNSW to streamline approvals and accelerate the delivery of critical infrastructure.

    After more than a decade of underinvestment and stalled approvals, the NSW Government is taking action, establishing a cross-government team to fast-track water and wastewater infrastructure, ensuring developments stay on track and homes are delivered sooner.

    Every new home requires essential infrastructure. From providing drinking water and wastewater management to handling stormwater, a robust water cycle management plan is a key factor in assessing land use and development proposals in NSW.

    Government agencies evaluate a wide range of potential impacts on water quality, including stormwater management, erosion and sediment control during construction and wastewater disposal.

    Beyond accelerating housing construction, the plan will focus on protecting, enhancing, and restoring waterways and water sources to ensure long-term sustainability.

    The Housing Approval Reform Action Plan streamlines housing delivery and eases system pressure through clear actions, including:

    • Expanding risk-based triaging for all referrals to ensure homes that are ready can be connected without delay.
    • Streamlining the removal of groundwater process on building sites to ensure construction can commence quickly and safety.
    • Revising key performance indicators to mitigate inefficiencies.
    • Support developers and Water Servicing Coordinators in getting their applications right from
      the start.
    • Facilitating early engagement for smoother applications.

    Following an industry forum in August 2024, these reforms were shaped with key stakeholders and construction industry leaders, who highlighted real-world obstacles slowing housing development, to break down barriers and get more homes built faster.

    This action plan strengthens the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to building a better NSW, including:

    • $2.2 billion infrastructure investment to fund more housing, critical infrastructure and better planning for housing.
    • Over $250 million to continue the overhaul of the planning system and planning reforms.
    • The development of the NSW Pattern Book and accelerated planning pathway for those who use the pre-approved patterns.
    • $5.1 billion to build 8,400 new public homes, the largest investment in social and affordable housing.
    • Creation of Housing Delivery Authority that recently announced plans to fast-track the delivery of 6,400 new homes.

    To learn more, please visit: https://water.dpie.nsw.gov.au/our-work/plans-and-strategies/housing-approval-reform-action-plan/

    Minister for Housing and Water Rose Jackson said:

    “Drinking water, wastewater and stormwater might not be front of mind, but they’re make-or-break for getting homes built and ready to live in.

    “We’re cutting red tape, speeding up approvals, and pulling every lever we’ve got to get more homes on the ground faster—because NSW can’t afford delays.

    “This plan is about fixing the system. The entire NSW water sector has come together with developers to find solutions that actually work and get things moving.

    “These are practical changes that will slash approval timeframes and address industry concerns—while still doing the right thing by our water sources and environment.”

    NSW Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia Katie Stevenson said:

    “When applications for apartment buildings get the stamp of approval from planning, there are often further strings attached where significant excavations need additional sign-off from water authorities and this adds costly further delays to the delivery of new housing.

    “Today’s announcement effectively declares 2025 as a year of cultural change for the three water authorities involved in the pre-construction approval of new housing – it is the sort of leadership we need to align all aspects of the government’s activities toward the resolution of the housing crisis.

    “We appreciate the priorities outlined in the action plan, along with the specific activities and timelines it includes, which have been created through extensive consultation with the industry.”
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Teens Indicted on Charges of Assault with Intent to Kill and Other Charges After Opening Fire Near High School

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Saki Frost, 18, and Azhari Graves, 18, both of Washington, D.C., were indicted today on charges of assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges stemming from a shooting that occurred on May 3, 2024, near Dunbar High School. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. Both defendants are to be arraigned on February 20, 2025, before the Honorable J. Michael Ryan.

                Frost and Graves were indicted by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on charges of assault with intent to kill while armed, aggravated assault while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, and related firearms charges.  Frost, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, was charged as an adult under Title 16, and was also indicted on charges of assault with intent to murder while armed.

                According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 9:53 am, on May 3, 2024, Graves and Frost opened fire on a sedan that was driving down Kirby Street, NW, near Dunbar High School. A witness to the shooting reported hearing machine gun fire. Surveillance video captures Frost and Graves running down an alleyway holding firearms prior to the shooting.  Surveillance video also captures the shooting, in which an individual appearing to be Frost fires a gun toward the sedan. Surveillance footage also captures Graves after the shooting holding a firearm with the slide locked to the rear of the weapon, indicating that the weapon had been fired and the magazine emptied. Graves and Frost then fled the area in a vehicle. Later that day, MPD officers located the defendants’ vehicle and arrested Graves and Frost. Investigators recovered a total of 29 shell casings from the scene of the shooting and numerous fragments from the exterior of Dunbar High School, as well as classrooms inside the school. Investigators also observed at least six bullet strikes to the N Street side of Dunbar. During the shooting, one Dunbar student suffered a graze wound to the head from the gunfire. 

                This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Helfand and Christian Natiello of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Capital Region Man Indicted on Drug and Gun Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Devere Williams, age 36, of Troy, New York, was charged last week by indictment for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  Acting United States Attorney Daniel Hanlon and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.  

    The charges filed against Williams carry a prison term of at least 5 year and up to life in federal prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a supervised release term of up to 5 years.  The charges in the indictment are merely accusations.  The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.

    Williams was arraigned today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Paul J. Evangelista, and will continue to be detained pending a hearing on February 21.  The FBI is investigating this case.  Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph S. Hartunian and Nicholas Walter are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Drug Robbery Attempt

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDY MARTE, also known as “AD,” 31, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a drug robbery conspiracy.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 28, 2023, Marte, Kareem Porter, and Tyrone Allen drove to a Bridgeport apartment building where they intended to carry out a robbery at an apartment they believed contained a substantial quantity of drugs and drug proceeds.  Marte separately contacted Jermaine Bethel, who arrived to participate in the robbery.  Marte instructed Bethel, Porter, and Allen, who had a crowbar, to carry out the robbery, while Marte remained in the car, with two handguns, to serve as a getaway driver.  After failing to enter the apartment, Bethel, Porter, and Allen returned to the vehicle where they were encountered by law enforcement. Investigators learned of the scheme by monitoring Marte’s phone, which was subject to a court-authorized wiretap related to alleged drug trafficking activity.  Officers searched the vehicle and its occupants and seized the two handguns and the crowbar.

    Marte’s criminal history includes convictions for multiple firearms offenses and a violent robbery.

    Marte has been detained since his arrest on April 28, 2023.  On March 28, 2024, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery.

    Porter, Allen, and Bethel pleaded guilty to the same charge.  On October 28, 2024, Porter was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment.  On December 2, 2024, Bethel was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment.  Allen awaits sentencing.

    This investigation was conducted by FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Weingarten and Karen Peck.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch on DOGE Invasion at FEMA: “What does Elon Musk know about the suffering in these communities?” 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) spoke on the Senate Floor today to raise the alarm on reports that Elon Musk and his agents at the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) have infiltrated the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), reportedlyaccessing the sensitive personal information of disaster survivors. Senator Welch stressed how DOGE’s intervention in recovery efforts puts personal data of disaster victims at risk and called on Congress to fix FEMA, not destroy it as President Trump has recently suggested.
    “I am absolutely so concerned about what’s happening at FEMA now. There’s been a DOGE invasion…what does Elon Musk know about the suffering in these communities?” said Senator Welch. “We need to recommit ourselves to assuring the American people in each of our communities that if and when there is a disaster, FEMA will be there. But we also have an obligation to make it work better.” 
    Watch Senator Welch’s speech below: 
    Key quotes from Senator Welch’s speech: 
    “What we know in Vermont is that disasters that have afflicted us all over the country—they don’t care who you voted for. They don’t care who you voted for. They don’t respect county or state lines. They’re indiscriminate and unpredictable. And the storm metes out its suffering in a bipartisan way—there’s no escaping it.”  
    ■■■ 
    “How in the world is it a partisan issue when you’re talking about the folks you represent, or I represent, who find themselves in the path of a fire, in the path of a flood, in the path of a hurricane, or a tornado? We come together to help each other when that happens. That’s the responsibility we have.  
    “But more than that, it’s really the wonderful opportunity to serve where we’re in a position to help Americans—regardless of where they live, regardless of what their political persuasion is. But because we respect them, the lives they’ve built, and we want to help them after a destruction of things that are really important to them and their community. We want to help them get back on their feet.” 
    ■■■ 
    Senators Welch and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)  recently led ten of their colleagues from disaster-impacted states in demanding answers from FEMA on the potential security breach created by Elon Musk’s DOGE, which has reportedly accessed the sensitive personal data of disaster victims. The Senators also requested more information on the procedures FEMA follows to protect data from misuse, and if DOGE’s unaccountable agents were in compliance with federal law.   

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Young Palestinians in East Jerusalem shut out of UNRWA training centre

    Source: United Nations 2

    Agency chief Philippe Lazzarini said that Israeli forces and personnel from the Jerusalem local authority “forcefully entered” the Kalandia Training Centre and ordered its immediate evacuation.

    “At least 350 students and 30 staff were present and impacted. Tear gas and sound bombs were fired,” Mr. Lazzarini explained.

    The development comes after a ban on UNRWA activities in Israel came into effect, in line with laws passed in October by the Israeli Knesset.

    At least 350 students and 30 staff were present in the centre at the time.

    Israeli police accompanied by municipal staff, also visited several other UNRWA schools in East Jerusalem, demanding their closure.

    The incidents have disrupted learning for approximately 250 students attending three schools, alongside the trainees now locked out of the training centre.

    In an interview with UN News’s Abdelmonem Makki on Wednesday Roland Friedrich, Director of UNRWA affairs in the West Bank, spoke at length about the actions and explained that the agency is committed to continuing its services, including education for 50,000 children, healthcare for half a million patients in the occupied West Bank, and emergency education programmes for 200,000 children in Gaza.

    This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

    UN News: Israeli forces and personnel from the Jerusalem municipality entered several UNRWA’s educational facilities in East Jerusalem on Tuesday. Could you share with us what happened exactly?

    Roland Friedrich: Israeli security forces, accompanied by municipality personnel, forcefully entered our education training center in Kalandia and ordered it to be closed. That vocational training center provides training to more than 350 vulnerable Palestinian youth from all over the West Bank, and it is located in what Israel considers the sovereign territory of the state of Israel. According to international law, it’s occupied territory.

    After about three hours of discussions, Israeli security forces and the municipal representatives left, and we were able to resume education, but this was the first time that an educational installation in East Jerusalem was forcefully entered by Israeli security forces.

    And at the same time, in the morning, employees of the Israeli government paid visits to three schools in the occupied East Jerusalem and threatened to close them, asking for additional information, which was another breach of privileges and immunities of UNRWA.

    UN News

    Roland Friedrich Director of UNRWA affairs, West Bank during an interview with UN News.

    UN News: What was the stated reason for these school closures by Israel?

    Roland Friedrich: On the 30th of January the [Knesset legislation banning UNRWA] entered fully into effect. There are six schools, three inside the barrier, three in Shu’fat Camp refugee camp on the Palestinian side of the barrier.

    There are two health centers, one in the old city of Jerusalem and the other one in Shu’fat Camp refugee camp, the rest of vocational training center in Kalandia. And finally, we have our headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah. When the bills came into effect, we continued to deliver our services to the patients and to the children. We also do the garbage collection in the Shu’fat refugee camp, and these basic services continue for the time being.

    Regarding our headquarters in East Jerusalem, we are asking staff not to work from there. Over the past 12 months, we’ve seen repeated aggressions, attacks, intimidation, vandalization, and after these bills were formally adopted, we saw another uptick in incidents.

    UN News: What does this mean for Israel’s international obligations?

    Roland Friedrich: These laws are in contravention of Israel’s obligations as a Member State. The charter has a very clear provision on what is expected. Israel is party to the general Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, which foresees, of course, the obligation to protect UN facilities and to ensure that privileges and immunities are respected.

    This is extremely problematic both in terms of what international law has to say but also concerning our work on the ground. Another impact of those laws has been on the impediment of coordinating directly with Israeli duty bearers and particularly the Israeli military. That means at the moment, we can’t speak to them, we can’t deconflict, we can’t raise issues concerning our installations and we can’t address access issues directly anymore.

    It’s even more problematic because now we have an unprecedented situation of forcible displacement in the northern West Bank, with more than 40,000 people displaced because of heavily militarized Israeli security forces operations since the 21st of January. And that has never happened in the history of the West Bank since Israel’s occupation that started in 1967.

    UN News: What’s the next step for the agency in response to these measures, given the fact that the agency has a clear mandate from the UN General Assembly?

    Roland Friedrich: We have a very clear mandate, and we are committed to continue delivering our services as effectively as possible, as long as possible and wherever possible, because we have an obligation here.

    To give you an example, in the West Bank, we run 96 schools with more than 50,000 students. Effectively this year, the number of students registering to go to UNRWA schools in the West Bank has increased because of the socioeconomic deterioration of the situation on the ground.

    We provide primary health care to half a million patients. We run 43 health centers and a hospital on the ground. We provide cash assistance and relief services to more than 200,000 vulnerable Palestinians, some of that in close coordination with other UN agencies.

    We have a mandate to continue doing this, and we’re committed to doing that as long as we can.

    UN News: UNRWA emphasizes the need to preserve children’s access to education and protect UN facilities. Does the agency have any alternative plans to enable those children to continue their education if this such incident happens again?

    Roland Friedrich: I think we have to differentiate between East Jerusalem and the rest of the West Bank because the situation there is slightly different in issues concerning the schools that we run and the places where we run these schools.

    There are very, very little alternatives, if any. And there’s certainly no alternative to the Kalandia Training Centre where we provide this vocational training to the 350 trainees who come from the West Bank. That’s the training facility that UNRWA has been running since the 1950s, and there is no alternative.

    When we look at the situation in the West Bank because of the ongoing Israeli operation, it has a very direct impact on children’s ability to access education because of the displacement in the northern West Bank and because of the ongoing operations.

    There are 13 schools in four refugee camps that have not operated since 21 January, which means roughly 5,000 children who do not have access to education now. We try to provide alternative means of learning, but clearly this is an unprecedented situation of displacement.

    It’s not easy to reach all the children and their families. They are, of course, dislocated and traumatized, and we’re very concerned that there is no clear end to this operation that would allow us to reopen the schools and get the children where they belong. And this would be in a safe space, in our school.

    UN News: Beyond the immediate impact on the children and staff involved in such incidents, what are the broader implications on the education and long-term prospects for children in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

    Roland Friedrich: In the OPT [Occupied Palestinian Territory] generally, UNRWA has long been the second biggest provider of education, and we do that in line with UN values, in line with UNESCO‘s standards. We have a very robust human rights tolerance-oriented curriculum, probably unique in the region.

    In the Gaza Strip, for instance, we used to provide education for more than 300,000 kids. Now, there are 600,000 children that have been out of education for more than a year and a half, deeply traumatized, living in misery.

    And everybody should have an interest to make sure that these children have access to education, quality education as quickly as possible. We’re committed to doing this to the extent possible. We have started the emergency education program in Gaza, and we’re rolling it out now, with more than 200,000 kids signed up for these emergency education programs in Gaza going forward.

    When it comes to the West Bank, we have 50,000 children in our schools, mostly from poor backgrounds, living in areas of conflict, in areas where there’s a lot of poverty, particularly the refugee camps. And we are continuing to provide those services, and we’ll do that as long as possible. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Goodwood man charged with drug and firearms offences

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Goodwood man charged with drug and firearms offences

    Thursday, 20 February 2025 – 9:53 am.

    Investigators from the Southern Drugs and Firearms Unit have charged a 45-year-old man with drug and firearms offences, following a targeted search of his Goodwood residence yesterday.
    Police will allege the man was in possession of a quantity of various illicit substances, a loaded shortened single barrel firearm and a small pistol.
    Detective Acting Inspector Felicity Boyd said police know the impact drugs and firearms have on the community.
    “This search is evidence of our continued commitment to community safety and holding offenders to account,” she said.
    The man was detained in custody to appear in the Hobart Magistrates Court at 10am today.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE removes 6-time deported gang member with violent criminal history to Mexico

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    HOUSTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has removed a transnational gang member or criminal alien from the Houston area who illegally entered the United States at least six times, for the third time in 10 days.

    ICE removed Francisco Lopez Melendez, a 32-year-old Mexican national and Suenos-13 gang member, from the U.S. Feb. 19. Melendez has been removed from the U.S. six times and was previously deported to Mexico in November 2013, May 2015, May 2018, October 2018, and November 2019. Melendez has been convicted of numerous criminal offenses while in the U.S. illegally, including three times for failure to give identification or providing law enforcement with fictitious information, twice for drug possession and illegal entry, and once for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, stolen property, burglary, driving while intoxicated and evading arrest.

    ICE previously removed Jesus Alvarez Sinecio, a 32-year-old Mexican national deported six times, Feb. 10, and Humberto Romero Avila, a 45-year-old Paisas gang member and foreign fugitive who illegally entered the U.S. 10 times, Feb. 13. Romero was wanted in Mexico for allegedly murdering a 22-year-old Mexican national in 2007 and was convicted four times for DWI and once for larceny, illegal entry and illegal reentry. Alvarez had prior criminal convictions for aggravated assault of a family member, alien in possession of a firearm, DWI, illegal entry and illegal re-entry.

    “In recent years, some of the world’s most dangerous fugitives, transnational gang members and criminal aliens have taken advantage of the crisis at our nation’s southern border to illegally enter the U.S.,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston Field Office Director Bret Bradford. “After making it into the country, these violent criminal aliens have infiltrated our local communities and reigned terror on law-abiding residents. Fueled by our unwavering commitment to protect the public from harm, and united in our determination to reestablish sovereignty over our southern border, the law enforcement community in Texas has banded together to remove these dangerous criminals from our country and restore law and order in our communities.”

    For more news and information on ICE’s efforts to enforce our nation’s immigration laws in Texas follow us on X at @EROHouston.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: In pushing for Ukraine elections, Trump is falling into Putin-laid trap to delegitimize Zelenskyy

    Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Lena Surzhko Harned, Associate Teaching Professor of Political Science, Penn State

    President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet on Sept. 25, 2019, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

    Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was shut out of the discussions concerning the future of his country, which took place in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18, 2025. In fact, there were no Ukrainian representatives, nor any European Union ones – just U.S. and Russian delegations, and their Saudi hosts.

    The meeting – which followed a mutually complimentary phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin just days earlier – was gleefully celebrated in Moscow. The absence of Ukraine in deciding its own future is very much in line with Putin’s policy toward its neighbor. Putin has long rejected Ukrainian statehood and the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government, or as he calls it the “Kyiv regime.”

    While the U.S. delegation did reiterate that future discussions would have to involve Ukraine at some stage, the Trump administration’s actions and words have no doubt undermined Kyiv’s position and influence.

    To that end, the U.S. is increasingly falling in line with Moscow on a key plank of the Kremlin’s plan to delegitimize Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian government: calling for elections in Ukraine as part of any peace deal.

    Questioning Zelenskyy’s legitimacy

    Challenging Zelenskyy’s legitimacy is part of a deliberate ongoing propaganda campaign by Russia to discredit Ukrainian leadership, weaken support for Ukraine from its key allies and remove Zelenskyy – and potentially Ukraine – as a partner in negotiations.

    Claims by the Russian president that his country is ready for peace negotiations appear, to many observers of its three-year war, highly suspect given Russia’s ongoing attacks on its neighbor and its steadfast refusal to date to agree to any temporary truce.

    Yet the Kremlin is pushing the narrative that the problem is that there is no legitimate Ukrainian authority with which it can deal. As such, Putin can proclaim his commitments to a peace without making any commitments or compromises necessary to any true negotiation process.

    Meanwhile, painting Zelenskyy as a “dictator” dampens the enthusiastic support that once greeted him from democratic countries. This, is turn, can translate to the reduction or even end of military support for Kyiv, Putin hopes, allowing him a fillip in what has become a war of attrition.

    What Putin needs for this plan to work is a willing partner to help get the message out that Zelenskyy and the current Ukraine government are not legitimate representatives of their country – and into this gap the new U.S. administration appears to have stepped.

    Then-candidate Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a polling station during Ukraine’s presidential election in Kiev on March 31, 2019.
    Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images)

    Dictating terms

    Take the narrative on elections.

    At the meeting in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. reportedly discussed elections in Ukraine as being a key part of any peace deal. Trump himself has raised the prospect of elections, noting in a Feb. 18 press conference: “We have a situation where we haven’t had elections in Ukraine, where we have martial law.” The U.S. president went on to claim, incorrectly, that Zelenskyy’s approval rating was down to “4%.” The latest polling actually shows the Ukrainian president to be sitting on a 57% approval rating.

    A day later, Trump upped the attacks, describing Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections.”

    Such statements echo Russia’s narrative that the government in Kyiv is illegitimate.

    The Kremlin’s claims regarding what it describes as the “legal aspects related to his [Zelenskyy’s] legitimacy” are based on the premise that the Ukraine president’s five-year term as president of Ukraine should have ended in 2024.

    And elections in Ukraine would have taken place in May of that year had it not been for the martial law that Ukraine put into place when the Russian Federation launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

    The Martial Law Act – which Ukraine imposed on Feb. 24, 2022 – explicitly bans all elections in Ukraine for the duration of the emergency action.

    And while the Ukrainian Constitution only includes language regarding the extension of parliament’s powers until martial law is lifted, constitutional lawyers in Ukraine tend to agree that the implication is that this also applies to presidential powers.

    Notwithstanding what the law says, the Kremlin’s questioning of the democratic institutions of Ukraine and its push for elections in Ukraine have found traction in Washington of late. Trump’s special envoy Gen. Keith Kellogg declared on Feb. 1 that elections “need to be done” as part of peace process, saying that elections are a “beauty of a solid democracy.”

    The ballot box trap

    Zelenskyy is not opposed to elections in principle and has agreed that elections should be held when the time is right. “Once martial law is over, then the ball is in parliament’s court – the parliament then picks a date for elections,” Zelenskyy stated in a Jan. 2 interview.

    And he appears to have the backing of the majority of Ukrainians. In May 2024, 69% of Ukrainians polled said Zelenskyy should remain president until the end of marshal law, after which elections should be held.

    The issue, as Zelenskyy has said, is the timing and circumstances. “During the war, there can be no elections. It’s necessary to change legislation, the constitution, and so on. These are significant challenges. But there are also nonlegal, very human challenges,” he said on Jan. 4.

    Even opposition politicians in Ukraine agree that now is not the time. Petro Poroshenko, Zelenskyy’s main political rival, has dismissed the idea of wartime elections, as has Inna Sovsun, the leader of the opposition Golos Party.

    Apart from logistical problems of ensuring free and fair elections in the middle of a war, the conflict would present logistical hurdles to campaigning and accessing polling sites. There is also the question of whether and how to include Ukrainians in Russian-occupied territories and those who are internally displaced, as well as the 6.5 million who fled fighting and currently reside abroad.

    Good elections … and bad

    Russia did, of course, hold elections during the current conflict. But the 2024 election that Putin won with 87% of the vote was, according to most international observers, neither free nor fair.

    Rather, it was a sham vote that only underlined what most political scientists will confirm: Elections are at best a necessary but insufficient marker of democracy.

    This point is not wasted on Ukrainians, whose commitment to democracy strengthened in the years leading up to the 2022 invasion. Indeed, a survey taken a few months into the war found that 76% of Ukrainians agreed that democracy was the best form of governance – up from 41% three years earlier.

    There are other reasons Ukraine might be wary of elections. The adversarial nature of political campaigns can be divisive, especially among a society in high stress.

    Ukrainian politicians have openly argued that holding an election during the war would be destabilizing for Ukrainian society, undermining the internal unity in face of Russian aggression.

    Outside influence

    And then there is concern over outside influence in any election. Ukrainians have had enough experience with Russian meddling in their politics to take it for granted that the Kremlin will attempt to put a thumb on the scale.

    Russia has since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 employed its substantial resources to influence Ukraine’s politics through all available means, ranging from propaganda, economic pressures and incentives to energy blackmail, threats and use of violence.

    In 2004, Moscow’s electoral manipulations in favor of the pro-Russian candidate, Viktor Yanukovich, led to the Orange Revolution – in which Ukrainians rose up to reject rigged elections. Nine years later, Yanukovich – who became president in 2010 – was deposed though the Revolution of Dignity, which saw Ukrainians oust a man many saw as a Russian stooge in favor of a path toward greater integration with Europe.

    Putin’s history of meddling in elections extends beyond Ukraine, of course. Most recently, the Romanian Constitutional Court annulled the country’s presidential elections, citing an electoral process compromised by foreign interference.

    An impossible position

    In raising elections as a prerequisite to negotiations, Putin is setting a
    “catch-22” trap for Ukraine: The Ukrainian Constitution states that elections can happen only when martial law is lifted; but the lifting of the martial law is possible only when the “hot phase” of the war is over. So without a ceasefire, no election is possible.

    But in refusing to agree to elections, Ukraine can be cast as the blockage to any peace deal – playing to a narrative that is already forming in the U.S. administration that Kyiv is the problem and will need to be sidelined for there to be progress.

    In short, in seemingly echoing Russian talking points on an election being a prerequisite for peace, the U.S. puts the Ukrainian government in an impossible position: Agree to the vote and risk internal division and outside interference, or reject it and allow Moscow – and, perhaps, Washington – to frame Ukraine’s leaders as illegitimate and unable to negotiate on the behalf of their people.

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

    – ref. In pushing for Ukraine elections, Trump is falling into Putin-laid trap to delegitimize Zelenskyy – https://theconversation.com/in-pushing-for-ukraine-elections-trump-is-falling-into-putin-laid-trap-to-delegitimize-zelenskyy-250003

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray Blasts Trump and Musk Decimating HHS, Risking Americans’ Health and Livelihoods

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Murray releases fact sheet detailing how mass layoffs jeopardize essential services Americans rely on

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), responded to the Trump administration’s mass firings of dedicated workers across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its many subagencies. Thousands of HHS employees on their “probationary” period–i.e. those hired or promoted within the last 1-2 years–have already been fired, and more are expected to be in the coming days and weeks.

    ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (ACF)

    ACF is responsible for administering a variety of programs to help children and families thrive–including the primary federal child care grant program, Head Start, and Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), among many others. 

    Over the weekend, dozens of ACF staff were reportedly fired–including roughly 20% of the staff at both the Office of Head Start and Office of Child Care, which process grants supporting communities across the country, conduct oversight of those grants, and provide technical assistance to grantees.

    “It is outrageous that at the same time the child care crisis is holding back parents and hurting our entire economy, Trump is indiscriminately firing the workers who help child care and Head Start centers keep their doors open and ensure kids in their care are safe. You know what doesn’t help parents find and afford child care? Firing the people who help make sure there are more quality, affordable options in every part of the country,” said Senator Murray. “Trump and Elon are making child care more expensive and hard to get for working parents while they focus on passing massive tax cuts for themselves and other billionaires.”

    ADMINISTRATION FOR STRATEGIC PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE (ASPR)

    ASPR leads our country’s medical and public health preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters and public health emergencies–coordinating planning and response for when fires erupt, pathogens like COVID or bird flu emerge, and so much more.

    After claiming that employees working in emergency preparedness would be exempt from mass firings,  Trump and Musk began firing employees at ASPR this weekend.

    “We know all too well just how serious pandemic threats can get and what happens when we are not ready. It is painfully clear we need to be more prepared for public health threats, but Trump is undermining this agency and leaving us less prepared—even as the bird flu presents significant risks to our country. Firing ASPR staff puts our economy and our families in serious danger,” said Senator Murray.

    CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION (CDC)

    CDC is charged with protecting the American people from health threats.

    Nonetheless, Trump and Musk have already fired hundreds of CDC employees, including staff responsible for monitoring public health threats and for addressing lab safety failures.

    “CDC is the backbone of our public health system–and on the frontlines of outbreaks and health threats across the nation. Trump’s decision to fire hardworking public health experts will make our communities less safe and less prepared to respond quickly and effectively when diseases put lives in danger. We are seeing right now how threats like measles, tuberculosis, and bird flu can spread without strong, trusted public health agencies—and Trump is all but ensuring these challenges will get more dangerous and more deadly,” said Senator Murray.

    CENTERS FOR MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES (CMS)

    CMS helps ensure over 100 million Americans have access to health insurance by overseeing Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Affordable Care Act marketplaces. 

    The agency has long been understaffed and under resourced–and Trump and Musk have already begun indiscriminate firings at CMS. This includes staff responsible for inspecting nursing homes to ensure that families can have peace of mind that their loved ones are appropriately cared for–and at least 80 employees reportedly cut from the agency’s Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, which oversees the Affordable Care Act and protects Americans from surprise medical bills. Staff have also been fired from the CMS Innovation Center working on improving maternal health outcomes and more. 

    “Firing the people who help Americans get quality, affordable health care and who help ensure long-term care facilities are safe is as stupid as it is heartless. These firings aren’t some abstraction–they’ll hurt people who need help getting their kid covered or who should be able to trust the nursing home their mom lives in is safe,” said Senator Murray.

    FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA)

    The FDA is charged with protecting Americans’ health by ensuring the safety and effectiveness of medicines, biologics, and medical devices–and regulating food, cosmetics, tobacco products, and more. 

    Hundreds of layoffs have been reported at the FDA, which will jeopardize the agency’s ability to fulfill its critical mission. These include layoffs of staff responsible for reviewing medical device products, which could delay new products hitting the market.

    “From inspecting food to ensuring drugs are safe and effective to preventing food shortages and so much more, Americans depend on the FDA’s work every time they sit down for a meal or pick up a prescription. Sweeping layoffs will materially undermine this important work, leaving babies at higher risk of consuming contaminated formula, leaving patients waiting longer for lifesaving drugs to be reviewed and approved, and leaving our entire food supply more exposed to shortages, contaminants, or worse,” said Senator Murray.

    HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (HRSA)

    HRSA is charged with improving access to care for vulnerable and underserved populations. The agency runs critical programs to bolster the nation’s health workforce, improve maternal and child health, support high-quality care in Community Health Centers and Ryan White HIV/AIDS clinics, address rural health needs, and more.

    Trump’s layoffs severely impact HRSA’s ability to deliver on these critical health care programs for communities nationwide. The layoffs reportedly include significant cuts to the staff hired specifically to support the modernization of the nation’s organ transplant system. Congress has worked in a bipartisan manner to strengthen this initiative by providing additional funding to address longstanding system issues and ultimately ensure that more organs are available for transplant. These layoffs will set back this lifesaving work for the 100,000 Americans waiting on an organ transplant.

    “HRSA builds the health workforce and helps connect people in every part of the country to the essential health services they need–from routine checkups to maternal care to HIV prevention and so much more. Indiscriminately firing these staff risks putting critical health services out of reach for so many Americans, and it is extremely troubling that staff charged with modernizing our nation’s organ transplant network, which has faced longstanding issues, have been fired,” said Senator Murray.

    NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

    NIH is the nation’s premier medical research agency. Each year, NIH supports biomedical research that produces life-changing and, in many cases, lifesaving treatments and cures.

    Over 1,100 NIH employees have already been fired by Trump and Musk, including more than 130 employees at the National Cancer Institute and nearly 20% of the workforce at the National Institute on Aging, which funds Alzheimer’s disease research. This includes the Acting Director of the Center for Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias (CARD), alongside a number of senior scientists and principal investigators at CARD—leaving early career scientists and trainees without principal investigators guiding their work. Additional senior leaders at NIH are expected to be fired soon.

    The Trump administration is also continuing to hold up NIH funding, and its illegal and indiscriminate indirect cost rate change would create a massive funding shortfall for lifesaving research that patients and families are counting on. An estimated $1 billion in lifesaving research funding has already been prevented from going out the door to institutions in every state since January 20.

    “Trump isn’t just firing the scientists who put us on the cutting edge of biomedical research, he is taking the best hopes for patients desperately counting on new cures and treatments and throwing them in the shredder. Ousting top scientists and leaders at NIH–people who’ve spent decades gaining expertise and working to discover medical breakthroughs–does nothing to help patients searching for treatments that could save their lives. These firings create chaos–and dangerously set back NIH’s lifesaving work. Washington state is a hub for this work, and I’m already hearing from people in my state about how research into cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, heart disease, and so many other deadly conditions will be upended by Trump’s NIH cuts and these reckless–and heartless–layoffs. This is not just going to delay research—it will halt clinical trials in their tracks, cut patients off from care, and hollow out our medical research enterprise in ways that will echo for years to come,” said Senator Murray.

    SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION (SAMHSA)

    SAMHSA is charged with improving services and support available to people across the country for substance use disorder and mental health. The agency plays a leading role in tackling the fentanyl and opioid crisis, and it oversees the 988 Lifeline. Nonetheless, Trump and Musk have also begun laying off dozens of SAMHSA employees.

    “After years of bipartisan work, we are just starting to make progress getting opioid overdose deaths to trend down nationally—and now Trump is jeopardizing that progress by firing employees at the agency responsible for much of this work. Trump’s decision to fire these workers undermines the work happening on the ground in our communities to improve and save lives,” said Senator Murray.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, Former WA State Federal Workers at VA, Forest Service, Bonneville Power Lay Out How Trump and Musk’s Reckless Mass Layoffs Hurt People Across WA State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray

    ICYMI: Senator Murray on Trump Indiscriminately Firing Workers at Hanford and Bonneville Power Administration, Threatening Energy Security in Washington State

    ***VIDEO FROM PRESS CALL HERE***

    ***NEW FACT SHEET: Impact in Washington State of Trump and Musk’s Reckless Mass Layoffs***

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference with federal workers in Washington state who were recently laid off through no fault of their own and with zero justification, as part of Trump and Musk’s unprecedented assault on the federal workforce. The speakers underscored how the mass firings Trump and Musk have ordered over the last few days will severely jeopardize essential services that families in Washington state rely on—and leave us all worse off. A fact sheet compiled by Senator Murray’s office on some of the impacts in Washington state of these reckless mass layoffs is available HERE.

    Murray was joined for the press call by Gregg Bafundo, Former Lead Wilderness Ranger at the U.S. Forest Service’s Okanogan Wenatchee National Forest and a former U.S. Marine who lives in Okanogan County; Raphael Garcia, a veteran and former Management Analyst for the US. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) who has served as the only management analyst for the Veterans Benefits Administration’s Disability Rating Activity Site at the Seattle Regional Office for the past 7.5 months; and Liz Krumpp, former Washington Constituent Account Executive at the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), who retired from BPA in 2023 and resides in Olympia. Both Gregg and Raphael were let go last week as part of the Trump administration’s mass firings of federal workers.

    “Right now, President Trump, and his co-President Elon Musk are breaking American government. They are firing workers left and right—with no plan, no strategy, and no concern for who gets hurt,” said Senator Murray.“We know Trump’s firing spree isn’t about merit because they are targeting new employees, people who have been recognized for outstanding performance, and people who were recently promoted—who are now getting fired from their newly earned jobs. Trump and Musk are, by design, pushing out, some of our best performers—and fresh blood in the federal workforce. We know Trump’s mass firings aren’t about saving money. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to fire hundreds of workers at the Bonneville Power Administration. After all, these positions are funded by ratepayers—by all of us in the Northwest—not from federal funding. And these are people who literally help keep the lights on. But no matter—they’re being fired on a whim because two billionaires don’t have a clue about what they do, and don’t care to learn.”

    “I swore an oath to serve our country—first in the U.S. Army and then at the VA—only to be abruptly terminated by the very institution that promised to care for those who have served,” said Raphael Garcia of Seattle, who was laid off through no fault of his own and with zero justification from the VA last week. “My termination isn’t just a personal tragedy; it’s a stark reminder that our federal government is dismantling essential support systems for Veterans and vulnerable communities. When cost-cutting means sacrificing dedicated, disabled service members and committed federal employees, it isn’t about efficiency—it’s about eroding the trust and dignity that our nation owes to those who answer the call to serve.”

    “For 18 years I have faithfully served the American People—eight as a US Marine and ten as a Wilderness Ranger. I have always put myself between the danger and my fellow citizens and now I have been cast aside as the parasite class or some kind of fraud. These heartless and gutless firings will lead to loss of lives and property,” said Gregg Bafundo of Okanogan County, who was laid off through no fault of his own and with zero justification from the Forest Service last week.

    “Bonneville is the source of nearly 50 percent of the electrical power that is consumed in the State of Washington and owns, operates, and maintains over 15,000 circuit miles of high voltage transmission from Montana, across Idaho, Oregon and Washington, extending into Wyoming, Nevada and California. Critically, Bonneville has over a dozen new transmission projects in the planning stages—which its customers are asking for—to serve the increasing demand for electricity and to interconnect new power generators being built. Bonneville is self-funded by selling transmission service or selling electrical power. That’s it. No federal tax revenues fund its work or its employees. Cutting its employees does not save the federal tax payer a dime,” said Liz Krumpp, who worked at BPA for 15 years before retiring in 2023 and resides in Olympia. “These arbitrary lay-offs and hiring freezes will make it increasingly harder for the remaining employees to do their jobs and do them safely. Currently, its customers are asking Bonneville to expand its transmission system, not shrink it. Bonneville helps keep the lights on in the Northwest.  Its work costs taxpayers nothing.”

    Late last week, Senator Murray released a fact sheet detailing how Trump and Musk’s mass firings at all manner of federal agencies will hurt families, veterans, small businesses, farmers, and so many others across the country who need a government that works for them. Senator Murray has spoken out on the Senate floor against this administration’s attacks on federal workers, and recently sent an open letter to federal workers and a newsletter to her constituents in Washington state outlining her concerns with the administration’s so-called “Fork in the Road” offer. Senator Murray has also sent recent oversight letters demanding answers about indiscriminate staffing reductions across federal agencies including to HUD Secretary Scott Turner on reports of massive staff cuts at HUD, Interior Secretary Doug Burham on National Parks Service staffing cuts, and Acting USDA Secretary Gary Washington on the universal hiring pause for USDA firefighters, among others.

    Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered on today’s press call, are below and video is HERE:

    “Right now, President Trump, and his co-President Elon Musk are breaking American government. They are firing workers left and right—with no plan, no strategy, and no concern for who gets hurt.

    “And we know there is no plan because they fired hundreds of people in charge of ensuring the security of our nuclear arsenal—only to desperately turn around and try to hire them back.

    “That is the height of incompetence. And these other firings are just as senseless and reckless.

    “In the middle of the bird flu threat—they are firing public health experts.

    “Weeks after the deadliest plane crash in years—they are firing FAA workers.

    “After the devastating wildfires recently—they are firing members of the Forest Service, and we’ll hear from one of them in a minute.

    “They are firing people who work in law enforcement, who do food and drug inspections, who research deadly diseases, and who are cleaning up nuclear waste.

    “I’ve spent years trying to get the Hanford cleanup the resources it needs. We’ve made so much progress—but it has still been understaffed, even before these pointless layoffs last week cut it down to a skeleton crew.

    “We know Trump’s firing spree isn’t about merit because they are targeting new employees, people who have been recognized for outstanding performance, and people who were recently promoted—who are now are getting fired from their newly earned jobs.

    “Trump and Musk are, by design, pushing out, some of our best performers—the fresh blood in the federal workforce.

    “We know Trump’s mass firings aren’t about saving money. Otherwise, there would be no reason for them to fire hundreds of workers at Bonneville Power. After all, these positions are funded by ratepayers—by all of us in the Northwest—not from federal funding. And these are people who literally help keep the lights on.

    “But no matter—they’re being fired on a whim because two billionaires don’t have a clue about what they do, and don’t care to learn.

    “And Trump is not tossing workers out on the street to make government more efficient.

    “VA researchers are being fired as well—VA Puget Sound workers are being fired despite doing lifesaving research to prevent veteran suicide, build lifechanging prosthetics, address opioid addiction, and more.

    “That is not just a betrayal of these public workers—it is a betrayal of our women and men in uniform who trust we will take care of them when they come home.

    “Especially considering they have laid off many veterans as well—people who served their country and wanted to keep serving their country. And that really underscores an important point about exactly who Trump is firing.

    “These are people who love their country and love their communities. They are people who work hard, make an honest living, and have families to support. And I’m so grateful to be joined by some of them today, who will speak about what they have been through.

    “And I’d like to say to them all—thank you for the work you’ve done for our country. You deserve so much better than how you’ve been treated.

    “What Elon and Trump are doing is going to set our country back. But we are not powerless—and your decision to share your stories today is proof of that.

    “We each have a voice, and we can all speak out for a government that works for middle-class families, regular people—not just billionaires who will never need to call about their Social Security benefits or file a disability claim at VA.

    “So I want to thank everyone for joining this call today—and now I’ll turn it over to Gregg.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on Congestion Pricing

    Source: US State of New York

    Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul updated New Yorkers on congestion pricing.

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Good afternoon. I’m joined here today by Janno Lieber, the Chairman and CEO of the MTA, and my counsel, Brian Mahanna.

    At 1:01 p.m. today, The U.S. Department of Transportation emailed us a letter from Secretary Duffy, announcing their attempt to end the congestion pricing program in the State of New York.

    At 1:58 p.m., President Donald Trump tweeted, “Long live the king.” I’m here to say, New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years and we sure as hell are not going to start now.

    The streets of this city, where battles were fought; we stood up to a king. And we won then. And in case you don’t know New Yorkers, when we’re in a fight, we do not back down. Not now, not ever. Because, who are we fighting for here? We’re fighting for our residents, our commuters, our riders, our drivers, our emergency personnel. Life has gotten better for those who have asthma. People with illness. That’s who we’re fighting for.

    And the six million people who use the MTA to get to their jobs and their lives and to their doctorate: nurses, doctors, EMTs and all those that need to get to their jobs in a reliable way, they’re now going to be affected.

    I also have to raise a question. They look at the pretext for this rejection — and we have a lot of legal reasons why we know we’re going to be victorious — but they actually cited the will of New Jersey: “New Jersey didn’t want this.” Ignoring the will of the people who live here, their elected leaders in Albany, and all of a sudden, the Trump Administration is citing, “New Jersey isn’t happy.” I’ll talk about that later. But here’s what I want to also say.

    I don’t care if you love congestion pricing or hate it. This is an attack on our sovereign identity, our independence from Washington. And we are a nation of states. This is what we fought for. This is what people like Alexander Hamilton and others fought for: To set up a system where we are not subservient to a king or anyone else out of Washington. So this is the fight we’re in. It’s all about our sovereignty.

    And I spoke to the President many times. In a reasonable way. In a calm way. You’re a New Yorker. You know how essential it is to have safe, reliable public transit, or else this system shuts down. Our economy shuts down. The nation’s economy could shut down. That’s how essential we are, and one would think he would know that.

    And then you have others involved. It feels like — you know what it feels like? The commuters of our city and our region are now the roadkill on Donald Trump’s revenge tour against New York.

    And I have to say this to Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy: It’s not the real world, Sean. It’s real life for New Yorkers. And don’t you forget that. We’re in fight mode within seconds of us getting this notification. Our MTA was prepared. We knew this could come and filed a lawsuit within minutes. I’m very confident we will be successful. And I also want to say, the cameras are staying on. We are keeping the cameras on. Lights, cameras, action. They’re staying on.

    Last thing I’ll say: If in some world they are successful, the next time you’re stuck in traffic, the next time your train is delayed, the next time you’re in a flooded station because infrastructure repairs were not made, I want you to think of this. Think about this: Next time you’re stuck in traffic, we know where the blame goes. Okay.

    We have my top ten reasons why congestion pricing is working. But as someone who’s worked so hard, I want to let Janno Lieber tell you why we believe this program is working and why it’s essential. Then we will take any questions and my counsel can explain our legal strategy as well.

    Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Fischer Reintroduces Legislation to Expedite Federal Cost-Sharing Relief After Natural Disasters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nebraska Deb Fischer

    Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) reintroduced legislation to expedite producers’ access to federal disaster relief.

    The bipartisan Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act would reform the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) to offer producers impacted by disasters the option to receive an increased, up-front cost-share. The bill would also adjust eligibility for relief to include any wildfire caused or spread due to natural causes, as well as wildfires caused by the federal government. A provision was added this Congress that would extend the timeframe for eligible participants to use the rehabilitative funds, allowing more time for work to be completed.

    “In times of crisis, Nebraskans deserve relief—not additional burdens. The ECP’s current distribution system too often fails to provide the support it was designed to offer. My bill will streamline the recovery process, helping to restore agricultural land more quickly following emergencies,” said Senator Fischer.

    “Far too many of New Mexico’s farmers and ranchers have been impacted by extreme weather events—including drought, wildfires, and flooding—that have made it more difficult to feed the nation,” said Senator Luján. “I’m proud to once again partner with Senator Fischer to reintroduce this bipartisan legislation that will quickly deliver emergency funds to producers impacted by extreme weather events. In New Mexico and across the country, our agricultural community continues to recover from extreme weather events in recent months and years, and this legislation will help our farmers and ranchers get back on their feet and continue their recovery.”

    “During times of crisis, the last thing Nebraska beef cattle producers should be worrying about is bureaucratic red tape. We thank Senator Fischer for her continued efforts to protect producers’ access to critical assistance and create a more efficient emergency conservation program,” said Nebraska Cattlemen

     President Dick Pierce.

    “Nebraska has seen its share of weather-related disasters over the past several years, including widespread flooding and large wildfires. These events have unfortunately led many farmers and ranchers to seek disaster assistance through USDA’s Emergency Conservation Program (ECP). Senator Fischer’s Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act is a must-pass piece of legislation that addresses many of the shortcomings we’ve heard from farmers and ranchers about the program. Rebuilding fencing for livestock or clearing substantial debris from fields shouldn’t be slowed down by bureaucratic red tape. We thank Senator Fischer for offering this legislation to help make some needed improvements to this important program,” said

     Nebraska Farm Bureau Federation President Mark McHargue.

    Background:

    The Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) and Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP) were created to help lessen the burden of natural disasters by providing producers with financial and technical assistance to repair and restore their land.

    These programs, however, are often slow to respond to wildfires, floods, and other disasters. This means producers face significant delays and red tape when trying to access financial assistance. For many producers, that significant time delay forces them to put off needed repair work or risk beginning the recovery process without a guarantee of federal help.

    While some conservation work requires speed to get done, there are other instances where conservation work may need to take place over a couple of months. ECP currently requires that conservation work be done within 60 days after funds are disbursed.

    Currently, to participate in ECP, the cause of a wildfire must be determined to be natural. It can be difficult to determine the exact source and cause of a wildfire and to ensure that it was not from a private actor. This leaves many producers who are far removed from the starting point of a wildfire liable for damages.

    Click 

    here to read the text of the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Universities – Power struggles: The psychology behind workplace energy use – UoA

    Source: University of Auckland (UoA)

    Do you ever take the stairs instead of the lift or print double-sided – not for fitness, or to stretch the last few sheets of paper, but to save energy?
      
    An international study co-authored by researchers from the University of Auckland looks at how businesses can support these kinds of everyday choices, often overlooked in corporate sustainability plans.

    Published in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, the study analyses 70 research papers on employee energy-saving behaviours and shows that a combination of personal attitudes, social norms, habits, organisational culture and peer feedback shapes employees’ willingness to save energy.
       
    It suggests that businesses looking to cut energy use should focus on engagement rather than enforcement.

    Employees who feel encouraged, rather than monitored or penalised, are more likely to develop lasting energy-saving habits.
       
    “A work environment that recognises the value of energy-saving behaviour and employees with intentions to save energy are very effective,” says Business School Professor Sholeh Maani.

    The economics professor says businesses that integrate energy-saving behaviours into workplace policies and culture see greater engagement from staff.

    For example, giving employees control over lighting and temperature settings and regular feedback on energy use, combined with positive reinforcement, can motivate staff to save energy. 

    Digital tools like Internet of Things (IoT) sensors and gamified apps can help staff track their energy use, says Maani, encouraging autonomy and responsibility.

    And while many businesses rely on employee education campaigns to encourage energy conservation, the research suggests that providing information alone is not enough, and in some cases, it may even backfire if it’s seen as personal monitoring.

    One study the researchers point out took place at a university in Canada and surveyed 595 employees in 24 buildings. The results found that feedback and peer education reduced energy use by seven percent and four percent respectively, while energy consumption increased by four percent in the buildings that educated employees on how and why to save energy.

    Another study in the Netherlands examined a 13-week energy-saving initiative at an environmental consulting firm with 83 employees across five departments. Employees received weekly rewards for saving energy, with some receiving monetary incentives and others getting positive public  recognition. The results were clear: public feedback was more effective than financial incentives.
       
    These results and others highlight that awareness alone won’t necessarily drive change – practical interventions that reinforce personal and group habits, such as social incentives and feedback can be effective, say Maani and co-author Dr Le Wen.

    If businesses want to reduce energy waste, they need to focus on building a workplace culture that supports and normalises energy-saving behaviours, says Maani.
     
    “Employees are more likely to conserve energy when they see their colleagues doing the same, receive regular feedback on workplace energy use, and feel supported to make changes and take control.

    “And when managers and colleagues actively participate in energy-saving initiatives, other employees are far more likely to follow suit.”

    With rising electricity costs and increasing pressure to cut carbon emissions, New Zealand businesses have a lot to gain from empowering employees to be part of the solution, says Maani.
      
    “In a country where sustainability is a priority, reducing workplace energy waste is a low-cost, high-impact way for businesses to reach their environmental goals.”  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Snow Arrives in North Carolina, Governor Stein Urges Caution

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: As Snow Arrives in North Carolina, Governor Stein Urges Caution

    As Snow Arrives in North Carolina, Governor Stein Urges Caution
    lsaito

    Raleigh, NC

    This morning, Governor Josh Stein provided updates on winter weather and information for North Carolinians to help them stay safe. As the winter storm pushes through much of North Carolina today and tomorrow, Governor Stein advised that all North Carolinians continue to take caution, listen to local officials, and plan accordingly for the snow, ice, and cold weather. 

    “Our State Emergency Response Team is using every tool at its disposal to minimize the impact of this storm on North Carolinians,” said Governor Josh Stein. “Over the next 24 hours, think about who in your life might be most vulnerable to this weather; please check on them and make sure they’re prepared, too. Taking care of each other is what North Carolinians do.” 

    Yesterday, Governor Stein declared a State of Emergency in preparation for the winter weather. The State Emergency Response Team remains activated, and the State Emergency Operations Center and Regional Coordination Centers remain in close communication with local emergency management officials to ensure that all resources are available to quickly respond to any needs across the state.

    The forecast for most of North Carolina includes snowfall accumulations of 1 to 2 inches. Northern counties are expected to see 2 to 4 inches of snow, with the highest snow accumulation in the northeastern counties at 6 to 8 inches. In addition to the snow, there will be bitter cold temperatures and gusty winds across the state tonight, producing wind chill values in the teens. 

    As temperatures drop, there may be significant ice accumulation in parts of central and eastern North Carolina. Accumulations of a quarter inch or more may cause tree limbs to break and lead to power outages. It is crucial for all North Carolinians to stay informed about the weather as the storm progresses.

    The North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) has activated more than 180 guardsmen to assist and support local communities across the state. 

    Officials with the N.C. Department of Transportation warn of hazardous travel conditions and advise limiting unnecessary travel. If any travel is necessary, please use caution as the temperature drops and surfaces freeze. The agency deployed roughly 1,500 crew members to pre-treat roads across the state, spreading 3.1 million gallons of brine. 133,000 tons of salt are on hand to treat ice covered roads, and hundreds of trucks are equipped with plows and spreaders to remove snow and ice after a storm hits. 

    Visit ReadyNC.gov for power outage information and for information on how you and your family can prepare for winter weather. For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.  

    To prepare for winter weather, North Carolina Emergency Management officials recommend these tips: 

    • Pay close attention to your local forecast and be prepared for what’s expected in your area. Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio or a weather alert app on your phone to receive emergency weather alerts. 
    • Stock up on water and non-perishable food.
    • Keep cell phones, mobile devices, and spare batteries charged.
    • Stay home and off the roads if you can.
    • Store an emergency kit in your vehicle in case you must travel. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first-aid kit, and road map. 
    • Dress warmly if you go outside. Wear multiple layers of thin clothing instead of a single layer of thick clothing. 
    • Gather emergency supplies for your pet including leash and feeding supplies, enough food for several days, and a pet travel carrier. 
    • Do not leave pets outside for long periods of time during freezing weather. 
    • Check in on your friends and neighbors, especially the elderly, during winter weather.
    • If your power goes out:
    • Only operate generators outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
    • Never burn charcoal indoors or use a gas grill indoors.
    • Properly vent kerosene heaters.
    • Use battery-powered sources for light, instead of candles, to reduce the risk of fire.
    • If you are utilizing a portable heater, make sure that it is properly ventilated, has at least 3 feet of space on all sides, and never leave children unattended near a heater. 
    Feb 19, 2025

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Farewell Address to Staff – Masatsugu Asakawa

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    Speech by Masatsugu Asakawa, President, Asian Development Bank, 19 February 2025, ADB headquarters, Manila, Philippines

    My very dear colleagues, here we are, together again in this room, where I stood before you five years ago to say, “hello,” and “call me Masa.” What a journey it has been!

    I don’t think any of us could have predicted what was in store for us on that February day back in 2020. Within just a few weeks, we were in the grip of a pandemic that drove us into lockdown, causing tremendous hardship and drastically changing how we work.

    My friends, our journey as an ADB family is forever connected to the journey of this region. And I believe we have shaped that journey, for the better.

    We have done our part to help our developing member countries to get through the pandemic and on a path to recovery; to be ready to tackle emerging crises and urgent threats, including the climate crisis; and to maintain focus on long-term development.

    I was so pleased to see highlights of this good work in the video you showed and to hear perspectives from Bruce, Nelly, and Bruno. Thank you very much for your kind words.

    I am deeply humbled that you credit our achievements to my contributions as President. But even more important, these achievements tell a story about what all of us can do when a challenge comes our way, and we face it together.

    So let me take a few moments to share a few reflections on how you have shaped me during this journey.

    I. Meeting unprecedented development challenges with quick and decisive action

    First, we needed quick, decisive, and bold action, at every step: as the pandemic struck, as the climate crisis mounted, and as there were calls to evolve to deliver better and faster.

    I remember coming to my office upstairs almost every day during lockdown. I held videoconferences with ministers and heads of state to see what assistance they needed. I knew ADB needed to respond without delay. And we did, thanks to you.

    I truly believe that our assistance helped to prevent grave suffering for millions, and fiscal collapse across our region. Our response, including budget and vaccine support, were spectacular achievements.

    The same is true for our climate action. I remember the intense discussions we had before going to Glasgow in 2021 for COP26. These paved the way for our $100 billion climate finance ambition, Energy Transition Mechanism, IF-CAP, and a just transition commitment across our climate operations. This was a real turning point that positioned us as the Climate Bank for Asia and the Pacific.

    II. Reforming and innovating to adapt to changing circumstances

    And then, we forged ahead with reforms, to unlock an additional $100 billion in lending capacity through CAF; to take stock, and make key shifts, through the NOM and midterm review of Strategy 2030; and to elevate critical agendas including private sector development, domestic resource mobilization, food security, digitalization, and gender equality.

    You also made sure that the poorest and most vulnerable in our region were not left behind. The ADF replenishment, including the novel financing you prepared, is helping people in places like Afghanistan and Myanmar, and small island developing states.

    All of this was made possible by thinking outside the box. The unprecedented circumstances we faced over the past five years demanded that ADB change quickly and do things differently. You did not hesitate to meet the demands of the moment.

    The circumstances also required ADB to balance many needs. Our operations shifted appropriately during the pandemic, to support response and recovery. It took some time for our climate financing to ramp back up, but it did. I know we will also continue to expand our contributions in areas like education and RCI.

    III. The priority of wellbeing

    As you can see, my friends, there was a lot on my mind over the past five years. A lot of things kept me up at night. But if I may, I’d like to emphasize my most important concern. It was to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff.

    I spoke to you often during the pandemic. I even sent you a musical greeting on my flute! I hope that it brought you some comfort to know that you were not alone.

    Another experience that I have not talked about as much is the evacuation of our local staff from Afghanistan when the government fell in 2021. It was such a dangerous and unpredictable situation, and we had very few options. But we had to find a way to get our staff to safety. After consulting with heads of state and coming up with a complex plan, we managed to get everyone out, just in time.

    That experience reminded me that staff wellbeing must remain ADB’s highest priority. And the reason is clear: ADB’s most valuable asset is its staff. Even more simply, we are family. And I am so touched by the way you treated me like family.

    Colleagues in our field offices, you were always so warm and welcoming when I visited the countries where you live and work. The memories of our beneficiaries, the historical sites, and the delicious local cuisine—and the selfies I took with you!—will stay with me forever.

    IV. In praise of staff

    Ever since I announced my intention to step down, I have been flooded with good wishes and praise for what ADB has done for the region during my Presidency. But I firmly believe that these successes are not coming from me. They are coming from you.

    You have been so innovative, so responsible, and so loyal to our mission. I always knew that whenever we faced a problem, I could consult staff, and you would come up with quick and relevant solutions. That is why, from Day 1, I felt nothing but optimism that we would achieve our mission. And I was never disappointed.

    Closing

    Your work over the last five years has put our region on the strongest possible foundation to build lasting prosperity, to stay resilient through crises and disasters, and to ensure that growth is inclusive and sustainable.

    Asia and the Pacific will indeed remain an engine for global growth for decades to come. And you helped make that possible. I am honored by the ways you stepped up to accomplish everything that I asked of you—and everything the region needed from us. I am in awe of what you have achieved. And my trust in you will never fade.

    I will step away now, but I know that the course we have navigated these past five years will take us to an even brighter future. I will be cheering for you every step of the way.

    And so, my dearest colleagues, my beloved friends and ADB family, thank you for a job well done. I wish you health, happiness, and good fortune on this unforgettable journey.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Budd Call for Inquiry Into Chinese AI Application on Pentagon Devices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville

    DNI’s 2024 Annual Threat Assessment rates China as “most active and persistent threat” to U.S. government

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) in requesting information from the Pentagon about how many of its employees have used their government devices to access DeepSeek, a Chinese AI application. In a letter to Acting Chief Information Officer at the Department of Defense (DOD), Leslie A. Beavers, the senators also pressed for information surrounding potential cyber threats from the use of DeepSeek, and what practices are being implemented to prevent future cyber security risks.

    “We write to express our concern that Department of Defense (DOD) employees accessed the Chinese artificial intelligence application DeepSeek on their work devices and, as a result, Chinese servers,” wrote the senators.

    “It is also our understanding, based on the DoD’s Use of Mobile Applications 2023 report, that misuse of mobile applications on DoD personnel devices may not be simply a series of isolated incidents. While our immediate concern is to understand the impact of DoD employees’ access to DeepSeek on national security, we are also interested in understanding the DoD’s policy regarding mobile device applications to the end of ensuring we are diminishing cybersecurity risks associated with certain platforms,” they continued.

    Joining U.S. Senators Tuberville and Budd in sending the letter are U.S. Senators Eric Schmitt (R-MO) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).

    Read full text of the letter below or here.

    “Dear Ms. Beavers,

    We write to express our concern that Department of Defense (DOD) employees accessed the Chinese artificial intelligence application DeepSeek on their work devices and, as a result, Chinese servers.

    We understand that the National Security Council (NSC) is currently reviewing the national security implications of DeepSeek and expect this will be an ongoing conversation between Congress, the NSC, and relevant agencies. However, in the immediate term, we request that the Department provide information regarding potential impacts to the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN) and the Department of Defense Information Network (DODIN) of the recent incident.

    The office of the Director of National Intelligence’s 2024 Annual Threat Assessment states that “China remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to the U.S. Government, private-sector and critical infrastructure networks”. This is evidenced by the recent Salt Typhoon Hack, a breach of at least eight U.S. telecommunications providers, among many other reports of cyberattacks originating from China.

    It is also our understanding, based on the DoD’s Use of Mobile Applications 2023 report, that misuse of mobile applications on DoD personnel devices may not be simply a series of isolated incidents. While our immediate concern is to understand the impact of DoD employees’ access to DeepSeek on national security, we are also interested in understanding the DoD’s policy regarding mobile device applications to the end of ensuring we are diminishing cybersecurity risks associated with certain platforms.

    Therefore, we request answers to the following questions by no later than March 4, 2025.

    • How many Department employees connected their work computers and/or mobile devices to Chinese servers via the DeepSeek Application?
    • Has the DeepSeek app now been deleted from all DoD devices? If not, what steps will you take to ensure the DeepSeek app is removed from all DoD devices?
    • What steps have been made to limit access on DoD devices to only those applications with a justified and approved need?
    • What is the Defense Information Systems Agency’s (DISA’s) initial assessment about whether Chinese servers were able to access and exfiltrate sensitive information due to Department personnel use of DeepSeek?
    • How has the use of the DeepSeek app by Department personnel impacted the operational and cybersecurity risks to the DISN as well as the DODIN?
    • What guidance or training has DISA shared with Department employees regarding accessing Chinese AI app DeepSeek or any other Chinese-affiliated app?
    • We understand that the Navy issued guidance against using open-source AI systems for official work. What guidance (if any) are the other services and/or the Department issuing to employees?
    • What is DISA’s process for assessing which networks, websites and or applications have a connection to the People’s Republic of China and what are DISA’s standard operating procedures when made aware of such a connection?
    • What action (if any) has been taken regarding the DoD employees who connected their work computers and/or mobile devices to Chinese servers via the DeepSeek Application?
    • Have all of the recommendations from Management Advisory: The DoD’s Use of Mobile Applications (Report No. DODIG-2023-041) been implemented? If not, why not?

    Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to hearing from you and working with the Department of Defense to keep our networks safe from persistent cyber threats.

    Sincerely,”

    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, HELP, and Aging Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hartford Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking, Gun Possession Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS DeJESUS, 30, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 132 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, DeJesus’s criminal history includes felony convictions in state court for criminal possession of a firearm and burglary in the third degree.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2022, members of the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force – North Central Office conducted a series of controlled purchases of narcotics from DeJesus.  DeJesus was arrested on state charges on December 16, 2022, and, on that date, a court-authorized search of his Hartford residence revealed approximately 460 grams of fentanyl, approximately 90 grams of crack cocaine, nearly a kilogram of marijuana, drug processing and packaging materials, a loaded Glock 45 9mm handgun, a loaded 9mm magazine, and $52,579 in cash.

    The case was adopted for federal prosecution and, on March 7, 2023, a grand jury returned an indictment charging DeJesus with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    After his federal arrest, DeJesus was released on a $100,000 bond and into home confinement at residence of a family member on Warren Street in Hartford.  On November 20, 2023, DeJesus was again arrested after law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence.  As investigators entered the residence, DeJesus threw fentanyl out of a window.  A search of the residence revealed an additional quantity of fentanyl, a small quantity of cocaine, and drug processing and packaging materials.  In total, DeJesus possessed more than 490 grams of fentanyl on that date.

    On February 20, 2024, the grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging DeJesus with an additional count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    DeJesus has been detained since November 20, 2023.  On October 17, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Resident Office and the Connecticut State Police’s Statewide Narcotics Task Force – North Central Office, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Reed Durham.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA, Calls for Repeal of Burdensome Corporate Transparency Act

    Source: US State of Missouri

     

     

    For Immediate Release:   February 19, 2025

               

    Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA, Calls for Repeal of Burdensome Corporate Transparency Act

    JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA, has joined 19 other Secretaries of State in urging President Donald J. Trump to support the repeal of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), a federal law that places costly and confusing reporting requirements on small businesses.

    “The Corporate Transparency Act is government overreach at its worst—hitting small businesses with unnecessary red tape while letting big corporations and nonprofits off the hook,” said Secretary Hoskins. “Missouri’s entrepreneurs should be focused on growing their businesses, not filling out government paperwork under threat of fines or jail time.”

    The CTA requires millions of small businesses to report detailed ownership information to the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), with penalties of up to $10,000 and two years in prison for noncompliance. Meanwhile, large corporations and tax-exempt organizations—entities more likely to engage in illicit financial activity—are exempt from these requirements.

    The coalition of Secretaries of State highlighted the CTA’s flawed implementation, the lack of clear guidance from FinCEN, and the financial burden on small business owners, which is estimated to cost $145 million in compliance expenses nationwide.

    A bill has been introduced in Congress—H.R. 8147, the “Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act”—to fully repeal the CTA. Secretary Hoskins strongly supports this effort and urges lawmakers to act swiftly.

    “I stand with small business owners across Missouri who are frustrated, confused, and rightfully concerned about this law,” Hoskins said. “Repealing the CTA is the right thing to do to protect our entrepreneurs and strengthen our economy.”

    The full letter, signed by 20 Secretaries of State, has been sent to the White House for consideration and is attached to this release. Secretary Hoskins remains committed to advocating for Missouri’s businesses and cutting through unnecessary government bureaucracy. An additional editorial penned by the Secretary is attached for use.

     

    For more information, please contact: Rachael Dunn, Director of Communications, [email protected].

    About Secretary of State Denny Hoskins
    Denny Hoskins, CPA, was elected Missouri Secretary of State in November 2024. With a strong background in business and public service, he is committed to improving government efficiency, transparency, and supporting Missouri families.

    Final Jt. SoS Corp. Transparency Act Letter v20250214.pdf

     

    Repeal the Corporate Transparency Act to Protect Small Businesses
    By Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, CPA


    Small businesses are the backbone of Missouri’s economy. They create jobs, drive growth, and keep our communities strong. But instead of supporting them, Washington bureaucrats are making it harder to do business.


    The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), passed in 2021, was supposed to combat money laundering. Instead, it’s a bureaucratic disaster that unfairly burdens Missouri’s small businesses while exempting big corporations and nonprofits.


    What Does the CTA Do?
    The law requires nearly every small business with fewer than 20 employees to report detailed ownership information to the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). If a business owner fails to comply—whether due to confusion or an honest mistake—they could face fines of up to $10,000 and even jail time.


    This means a family-owned restaurant in Kansas City, a small farm in rural Missouri, or a startup in St. Louis must navigate complex federal reporting requirements, while large corporations and tax-exempt organizations—entities far more likely to engage in financial misconduct—are exempt.


    Why Is the CTA a Problem?
    Since the law took effect, my office has been flooded with concerns from small business owners, accountants, and attorneys who are confused about how to comply. The federal government has provided little guidance, leaving entrepreneurs to figure it out on their own—under threat of steep penalties.


    Even worse, experts estimate compliance with the CTA will cost small businesses nationwide over $145 million in administrative expenses. That’s money and time that could be spent hiring workers, expanding operations, and serving customers—not filling out government paperwork.


    Repealing the CTA Is the Right Move

    I have joined 19 other Secretaries of State in calling on President Trump and Congress to repeal the CTA immediately. There is already a solution—H.R. 8147, the “Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act”, which would end this unnecessary burden on small businesses.


    Missouri’s small businesses should not be treated like criminals just for trying to make an honest living. It’s time to repeal the CTA and let entrepreneurs focus on what they do best—creating jobs and growing our economy.


    Denny Hoskins, CPA, serves as Missouri’s 41st Secretary of State, where he advocates for small businesses, election integrity, and economic growth.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ohio Woman Sentenced to Prison for Insurance Claim Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLEVELAND – Angela Frase, 60, of Sterling, Ohio, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dan Aaron Polster after pleading guilty to four counts of mail fraud for accepting insurance checks after she knowingly submitted false claims. Frase was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $327,072.

    Frase pleaded guilty to devising a scheme that took place from July 2 to Aug. 23, 2019, to defraud a homeowner’s insurance company. According to court documents, the scheme began when Frase called fire emergency services on July 2, 2019, and again on July 3, 2019, to report a fire in her home. Fire marshals were unable to determine the cause of the fire at the time. The insurance company then housed Frase and her husband at an extended stay hotel. An investigation later conducted by insurance company experts determined no evidence of electrical failure as the cause of the fire.

    On the morning of Aug. 6, 2019, the fire department responded to a natural gas leak at the Frase residence. Home remodeling employees entered the home to work on the damage caused by the fire but were forced to evacuate due to the strong smell of natural gas. The fire marshal later determined that the stove was turned on, filling the residence with explosive-causing levels of natural gas. Frase and her husband were the last people in the home prior to the discovery of gas and claimed to have locked the doors. There was no sign of forced entry.

    On Aug. 6, 2019, at approximately 10:43 p.m., Frase left her extended stay hotel room, drove to her home on Spruce Street in Seville, Ohio, and started a fire. Investigators later learned through her cellphone location data that she remained in the area of her home from 10:54 p.m. until 11:39 p.m. and then returned to her hotel room. On Aug. 7, 2019, at approximately 12:36 a.m., the Sterling Fire Department and Wayne County Sheriff’s Office responded to the home in reference to a fire and explosion. The Ohio State Fire Marshal later determined the cause of the fire was incendiary in nature. In addition to starting the fire, Frase spray-painted what appeared to be racial disparities on her own garage and vandalized her neighbor’s vehicle.

    On Aug. 11, 2019, between 9:30 and 10 p.m., Frase returned to her home and again spray-painted hate speech on her own garage. When a sheriff’s deputy responded and discovered the words, Frase told the deputy that she saw two suspicious individuals running through the field behind her property. Three days later, on Aug. 14, Frase called authorities again after she placed a stuffed doll painted black with a noose tied around its neck in her own mailbox. On Aug. 23, she once again contacted law enforcement to report that she found an envelope at her residence while walking around the property that had a racial slur written on it and inside was a plastic bag filled with an unknown white substance and the word “die.”

    From Nov. 1, 2019 to June 17, 2020, the insurance company mailed four checks to Frase for property losses and damages which she accepted. She was later charged with four counts of mail fraud for attempting to swindle money from the homeowner’s insurance company through intentionally deceptive actions.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, and Ohio’s Division of State Fire Marshal. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Waldencast Announces Participation in the TD Cowen 2nd Annual Glowing Ahead: Beauty & Wellness Summit

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    LONDON, Feb. 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Waldencast plc (NASDAQ: WALD) (“Waldencast” or the “Company”), a global multi-brand beauty and wellness platform, today announced its participation in the TD Cowen 2nd Annual Glowing Ahead: Beauty & Wellness Summit being held on February 26, 2025 in New York, New York.

    Michel Brousset, Founder and Chief Executive Officer will participate in a fireside chat presentation on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 at 2:45 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and host meetings with investors throughout the day. The fireside chat presentation will be webcast live and available for replay on the Company’s Investor Relations website at https://ir.waldencast.com/news-events/events.

    About Waldencast

    Founded by Michel Brousset and Hind Sebti, Waldencast’s ambition is to build a global best-in-class beauty and wellness operating platform by developing, acquiring, accelerating, and scaling conscious, high-growth purpose-driven brands. Waldencast’s vision is fundamentally underpinned by its brand-led business model that ensures proximity to its customers, business agility, and market responsiveness, while maintaining each brand’s distinct DNA. The first step in realizing its vision was the business combination with Obagi Skincare and Milk Makeup. As part of the Waldencast platform, its brands will benefit from the operational scale of a multi-brand platform; the expertise in managing global beauty brands at scale; a balanced portfolio to mitigate category fluctuations; asset light efficiency; and the market responsiveness and speed of entrepreneurial indie brands. For more information please visit: https://ir.waldencast.com/.

    Contacts

    Investors
    ICR
    Allison Malkin
    investors@waldencast.com

    Media
    ICR
    Brittney Fraser/Alecia Pulman
    waldencast@icrinc.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The success of the Delta Flight 4819 rescue effort highlights the need for co-ordinated responses

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jack L. Rozdilsky, Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, York University, Canada

    The day after the Delta Flight 4819 crash on Feb. 17 at Toronto Pearson International Airport, the damaged aircraft remained on the runway as the crash investigation ramped up.

    Whether it was due to luck, skill, heroism or aircraft design, the evacuation of passengers took place quickly and everyone aboard the ill-fated flight were able to exit the plane and make it on to the tarmac.

    Post-accident investigations will provide more details about what contributed to the accident, and the strengths and weaknesses of the emergency response. But one point is already obvious: the positive outcome speaks to the importance of the institutions and expertise that keep our aviation system safe overall.

    The response

    The response to Delta Flight 4819 air crash was an example of just how important inter-agency collaboration is in emergency response.

    Within minutes of the crash, not only were the airport’s firefighters on the scene to douse any flames and assist with the rescue of passengers, but other agencies were already providing aid. Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services sent six vehicles to the airport as part of the mutual aid effort.

    The news conference following the accident involving Delta Flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson Airport.

    Ornge, Ontario’s air ambulance system, also sent multiple units to the scene to help transport injured passengers to hospitals, aiding Peel Region paramedics who were also triaging passengers.

    Multiple agencies collaborated to save lives. This collaboration in emergency response isn’t developed on the fly, but instead follows a highly choreographed and practised set of plans.

    Both the airport and partner agencies maintain air crash emergency response plans that lay out the details of how help will be requested, where aid will arrive and how to scale up the response as needed.

    Preparation facilitates response

    A primary reason the air crash response worked so well was preparation. An important component of preparation at airports is regularly testing response plans and operations with specialized full-scale mock disaster exercises.

    In these exercises, airport response personnel work through scenarios that simulate emergencies. Real emergency equipment is tested, volunteer victims participate in search-and-rescue scenarios and theatrical make-up is even used to simulate injuries.

    These exercises serve multiple purposes, including increasing familiarity with the plan for responders and creating real challenges that will help to find any potential weaknesses in the plan before a real event.

    Practice saves lives

    Another less desirable way responses can be improved is for an actual disaster to happen. Actual air crash disasters force plans to be activated, require response actions to be taken, and — ideally — foster adaptive learning through hard-won experience.

    According to data from the Aviation Safety Network, there have been 23 aircraft accidents at or near Pearson Airport since 1939. As a testament to safety at Pearson, no casualties occurred in 18 of those 23 accidents.

    One past significant Pearson crash with no casualties is especially relevant to revisit now. In August 2005, Air France Flight 358 rolled off the runway during landing and caught fire.

    All 309 people on board evacuated and survived. An organizational analysis of the 2005 accident highlighted that the crash investigation report “praised the seamless tracking of events and communication between the parties involved” in response.

    Twenty years later, and Pearson CEO Deborah Flint said the crew, airport emergency workers and first responders mounted a “textbook response” to the Delta incident.

    An investigation begins

    While the immediate response may have been over fairly quickly after passengers were successfully evacuated, the mutual aid and collaboration between agencies will continue in the months ahead.

    The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) has already launched an investigation into the incident. The cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been retrieved from the wreckage, a key aspect in what will be a slow and methodical investigation.

    The integrity of the investigation depends on strong institutions and trust in experts. In the context of air crashes, lessons learned from these investigations are critical to improving airline procedures for maintaining safety, creating better regulation to avoid accidents in the first place and ensuring emergency systems are well prepared.

    Safety in aviation

    According to the most recent TSB data, the 2023 overall air transportation accident rate of 2.8 per 100,000 aircraft movements is among the lowest recorded by the federal agency since it began measuring in 2004.

    Within the first 24 hours after the Delta crash, a pivot from the emergency response phase to the investigation phase took place.

    It’s far too early to speculate on what the ultimate cause of the accident may have been. While learning about what contributed to the crash of Delta Flight 4819 is important, we can also seek comfort in the fact that air travel in Canada continues to be a safe activity for passengers.

    Jack L. Rozdilsky receives support for research communication and public scholarship from York University. He also has received research support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.


    – ref. The success of the Delta Flight 4819 rescue effort highlights the need for co-ordinated responses – https://theconversation.com/the-success-of-the-delta-flight-4819-rescue-effort-highlights-the-need-for-co-ordinated-responses-250211

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Statement on Trump’s Mass Federal and VA Layoffs That Are Jeopardizing Veterans’ Access to Care and Leaving Veterans Jobless

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    February 18, 2025
    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) released the following statement after President Donald Trump laid off more than 1,000 “probationary” employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and purged thousands of federal employees, including many Veterans who devoted their lives to service:
    “In the wake of Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s mass federal layoffs, I’m continuing to hear from Veterans who suddenly found themselves jobless—including some Veteran federal workers with as many as 18 years of service. This reckless action comes directly after Trump and Musk fired 1,000 VA employees—including doctors, nurses, devoted public servants working the Veterans Crisis Line and more—which will lead to even longer wait times, more backlog and more chaos for our Veterans. While Trump and Musk can keep claiming that they’re working to weed out waste and save money, we know that these mass federal layoffs and VA cuts are ultimately their attempts to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy—and stick our Veterans with the bill. Trump’s federal purge and VA layoffs are a middle finger to our nation’s heroes and their life of service.”
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Arrest Violent Felon

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Gallatin, TN – A U.S. Marshals task force in Tennessee, working a collateral lead from the USMS in Georgia, arrested a man wanted in Cobb County, Georgia for a slew of felony charges.

    Darzell Thaddeus Wester, 27, was charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault (deadly weapon), aggravated battery, exploitation/ intimidation of elder person, and possession of a firearm during commission of a crime, and a warrant for his arrest was issued in the Superior Court of Cobb County on Jun. 14, 2024.

    On Nov. 15, 2024, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the U. S.  Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force with locating and apprehending Wester.

    Upon developing information that Wester was residing in the Gallatin area, the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Middle Tennessee Fugitive Task Force.

    The Middle Tennessee Task Force located Wester at a residence on Turner Way in Gallatin. Wester was arrested without incident and taken to the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office jail where he was booked as a fugitive from justice and will await extradition to Georgia.

    Additionally, Wester has three outstanding warrants from Coffee, Robertson, and Dickson Counties in Tennessee. These warrants are for driving under the influence of alcohol, larceny, and fraud, respectively.

    The U.S. Marshals Service is committed to protecting communities by apprehending dangerous fugitives.

    The U.S. Marshals Middle Tennessee Task Force is a multi-agency task force that serves the Middle District of Tennessee. Its membership is comprised of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Putnam, Rutherford, and Sumner County Sheriff’s Deputies, Metro Nashville Police Officers, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agents, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 14 members of Bandidos motorcycle gang indicted for offenses including racketeering, assault and murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HOUSTON – A 22-count indictment has been unsealed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) following an operation targeting multiple members of an allegedly violent, transnational motorcycle gang in the Houston metropolitan area.

    Current and former members of the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and Mascareros Motorcycle Club are charged for their alleged roles in a criminal enterprise engaged in violent criminal activity in and around Houston. The Mascareros is a support club of the Bandidos.

    Several of those are expected to make their initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. Feb. 20.

    A federal grand jury returned an indictment Feb. 11 against 14 members and associates of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang accusing them of various crimes, to include engaging in a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and committing violent crimes in furtherance of the gang such as murder, attempted murder and assault. The indictment alleges the Bandidos are a self-identified “outlaw” motorcycle organization with a membership of approximately 1,500 to 2,000 in the United States and an additional 1,000 to 1,500 members internationally, including in Mexico.

    “Ensuring the safety of the public is SDTX’s paramount concern,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The indictment here not only alleges shocking crimes of violence, but also alleges that these offenses were committed openly and wantonly, where any innocent member of the public could have been hurt or killed.” 

    “Today’s indictment is an important step in eliminating the Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Bandidos declare war on rivals—and they wage that war on our streets. Criminal behavior like this has no place in America, and the Department of Justice is fully committed to bringing peace back to our communities.”

    The indictment alleges that beginning in 2019, a violent turf war erupted between the Bandidos and B*EAST, a rival outlaw motorcycle gang in the Houston area. As part of this turf war, Bandidos national leadership allegedly put out a “smash on site” order to commit physical assaults, including murder, against B*EAST members. The turf war has resulted in gunfire exchanged on public roadways and in public establishments with innocent civilians present, according to the charges.

    John M. Pfeffer aka Big John, 32, Darvi Hinojosa aka 10 Round, 35, Bradley Rickenbacker aka Dolla Bill, 37, all of Katy; Michael H. Dunphy aka Money Mike, 57, Cleveland; Christopher Sanchez aka Monster, 40, Tomball; and Brandon K. Hantz aka Loco and Gun Drop, 33, Crosby; are charged with conspiracy to commit racketeering activity. Pfeffer, Dunphy, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez are further charged with multiple counts of assault in aid of racketeering. Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez are also charged with using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, while Sanchez faces charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hantz is also charged with arson.

    Pfeffer, Hinojosa, Rickenbacker and Sanchez each face up to life in prison if convicted, while Dunphy and Hantz each face up to 20 years on each of their counts upon conviction.

    The indictment also charges David Vargas aka Brake Check and First Time, 33, Houston, with murder in aid of racketeering; using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; and using, carrying, brandishing, discharging and possessing a firearm during and in relation to the attempted murders. All those charges relate to the killing of a rival and the shooting of two others. Murder in aid of racketeering carries a mandatory life sentence or the death penalty, if convicted.

    Further, Pfeffer and Rickenbacker are also charged with assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence  along with Marky Baker aka Pinche Guero and Guero, 40, Ronnie McCabe aka Meathead, 56, and Jeremy Cox aka JD, 37, all of Houston; Roy Gomez aka Repo, 50, Richmond; and Marcel Lett, 56, Pearland. These charges are in relation to an alleged assault and robbery that resulted in the death of a rival. If convicted, they face up to life in prison.

    Hinojosa is also charged along with John Sblendorio aka Tech9, 54, Houston, with conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, assault in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in connection with the shooting of a rival gang member. Hinojosa is also charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Sblendorio and Hinojosa each face up to life in prison, if convicted.

    In addition, Sean G. Christison, aka Skinman, 30, Katy, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. 

    The FBI, Texas Board of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General, Texas Department of Public Safety and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation with the assistance of Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Houston and Pasadena Police Departments; Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; LaMarque and Katy Police Departments; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District Police Department. 

    OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Byron H. Black and Kelly Zenón-Matos of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case in partnership with Trial Attorneys Grace H. Bowen and Christopher Taylor of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division – Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ariton, Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun Crime Committed While on Federal Probation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that 48-year-old Bobby Wayne Williams, from Ariton, Alabama, received a 51-month prison sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for violating the terms of his federal probation. During the sentencing hearing on February 18, 2025, the judge also ordered that Williams serve an additional three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.            

               According to Williams’ plea agreement and other court records, during the summer of 2024, Williams was on federal supervised release and residing in Dale County after completing a 63-month prison sentence from a previous federal gun conviction. In June of 2024, law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for Williams stemming from allegations that Williams pointed a firearm at his ex-girlfriend and her current boyfriend, then threatened to shoot them both. On August 14, 2024, a United States Probation Officer and deputies from the Dale County Sheriff’s Office conducted a home visit at Williams’ residence to execute the arrest warrant. Officers found Williams in possession of a handgun. Williams’ previous felony conviction prohibits him from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Possessing the firearm and committing a new crime also violated the terms of his supervised release. 

               The Dale County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Probation Office investigated the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Russell T. Duraski prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detroit Man Sentenced To Over Four Years in Federal Prison For Participating In Multi-State Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DETROIT – A man from Detroit, Michigan was sentenced today for his role in a multi-state, million-dollar unemployment insurance fraud scheme aimed at defrauding the U.S. government and the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, of funds earmarked for unemployment assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck.

    Joining in the announcement were Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent in Charge Charles Miller, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Chicago Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.

    Tracey Dotson, 49, was sentenced to 51 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $900,000 in restitution in the sentence handed down by United States District Judge Matthew F. Leitman.

    According to court records, Dotson and a co-defendant conspired to, and did, defraud the federal government and the states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland of roughly $1 million in funds intended to support individuals who had lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair committed their crimes through the use of interstate wires and the unauthorized possession and use of social security numbers and other means of identification belonging to other individuals.

    Dotson pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud in April 2024. Dotson and his co-defendant, using stolen personal identification, filed hundreds of false unemployment claims with state unemployment insurance agencies in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Maryland in the names of other individuals without their knowledge or consent.   The defendants then received hundreds of Bank of America prepaid debit cards in the names of those individuals loaded with roughly $1 million in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance funds at addresses in Michigan and Pennsylvania. Dotson, his co-defendant, and their accomplices then successfully unloaded more than $930,000 from the cards via cash withdrawals and purchases that included high-end jewelry, designer fashion accessories by Gucci and Louis Vuitton, drugs, at least one vehicle, and at least one firearm.

    “Taxpayer unemployment assistance funds diverted to the pockets of criminals during the pandemic resulted in fewer resources that were available for those genuinely in need at that challenging time,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck. “Our office is steadfast in its commitment to bringing those to justice who used a global health crisis as a means to illegally line their own pockets at the expense of taxpayers. “

    “This sentence underscores the FBI’s commitment to investigating complex financial crimes,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “We will not tolerate the greed and selfish conduct demonstrated by those who chose to defraud the unemployment insurance system, especially when we faced an unprecedented global pandemic. The FBI and our federal partners remain steadfast in holding criminals accountable and protecting government assistance programs. The pandemic may be in our rearview mirrors, but our investigations continue to move forward in the name of justice.”

    “Individuals who commit such blatant unemployment insurance fraud and identity theft of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Charles Miller, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation.  “Tracey Dotson and his co-conspirator took advantage of a program intended to help those in need get through a devastating global pandemic, exposed personal identity information of many, and caused immeasurable hardship to innocent victims. IRS Criminal Investigation remains committed to the pursuit of pandemic fraud and identity theft, together with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we will hold those who engage in similar conduct accountable.”

    “Tracey Dotson and his co-conspirator defrauded multiple state workforce agencies by using stolen identities to obtain unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. As a result, he stole vital taxpayer resources intended for unemployed American workers in dire need of UI benefits. Today’s sentencing affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and bring to justice those who exploit this critical benefit program,” said Megan Howell, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

    This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Carl D. Gilmer-Hill and Jessica A. Nathan. The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kentucky’s Congressional Delegation Supports Governor’s Request for Expedited Major Disaster Declaration

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    WASHINGTON, DC — Kentucky’s Congressional Delegation, led by Dean of the House Hal Rogers, sent a letter to President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday in support of Governor Andy Beshear’s request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration, as a result of deadly flooding across Kentucky that began on February 14, 2025. U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senator Rand Paul and U.S. Representatives Hal Rogers, Brett Guthrie, James Comer, Andy Barr, Thomas Massie and Morgan McGarvey signed onto the joint letter expressing support for the entire Commonwealth.
    “The storm triggered significant flooding, landslides and mudslides, causing extensive damage to both state and local infrastructure, and tragically claiming at least 14 lives. While precise damage assessments cannot be completed at this time due to ongoing high floodwaters in affected areas, it is estimated that more than 8,000 homes and businesses have been either destroyed or severely damaged,” the letter stated. “The Commonwealth is currently forecasted to receive more inclement weather in the coming days, further complicating the response and recovery.”
    President Trump swiftly approved Governor Beshear’s previous request for an emergency disaster declaration over the weekend, providing federal resources for state and local emergency response. The emergency declaration authorized the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts during the early hours of the disaster. 
    The upgraded request for an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration would extend federal assistance to all impacted counties that meet the threshold for public and individual assistance. 
    Click here to download the letter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Collateral damage: how the war on ‘woke banking’ could backfire on New Zealand

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Martien Lubberink, Associate Professor of Accounting and Capital, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

    Getty Images

    It would be hard to think of an industry less obviously “woke” than banking, but that’s how coalition partner NZ First has characterised certain practices within the finance sector.

    The party’s tortuously titled Financial Markets (Conduct of Institutions) Amendment (Duty to Provide) Amendment Bill – dubbed the “woke banking” bill – takes aim at efforts to build sustainability concepts into investment practices.

    Known as the “environmental, social and governance (ESG) framework”, such policies are designed to guide how a bank manages risks and opportunities beyond basic profit and loss.

    NZ First’s bill seeks to ensure no New Zealand business can be denied banking services unless the decision is grounded in law. Its proponents argue it will prevent ESG standards from perpetuating “woke ideology” in the banking sector, driven by what they describe as “unelected, globalist, climate radicals”.

    Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has supported the bill’s aims, recently calling it “utterly unacceptable” that petrol stations and mines were being denied banking services due to banks’ commitment to climate change goals.

    Coalition partner ACT similarly called for the end of “banking wokery”. And last week the Finance and Expenditure Committee announced an extension of its inquiry into banking competition to include, among other issues, the “debanking of legitimate sectors”.

    Risk management isn’t ‘woke’

    Much of this is largely politically performative, however. A broader international trend has for, some time now, seen financial institutions increasingly aligning their lending practices with ESG criteria.

    In Europe, for example, data from the European Banking Authority show banks have halved their exposures to mining firms since 2020, reflecting that global shift towards sustainability and risk management.

    This is about more than “woke” agendas and is unlikely to reverse, given current global efforts to decarbonise. Encouraging or forcing banks to invest in carbon-emitting industries introduces financial risk. If those assets lose value, it constitutes irresponsible lending.

    While the current US administration may be embracing fossil fuel industries, consumer and investor demand for sustainable policies is still strong. When banks such as the BNZ prepare for an orderly exit from declining industries, they are simply engaging in risk management.

    Banks also manage regulatory risk. While the current government may enact the bill and force banks to invest in carbon-emitting industries, a future government could reverse that policy. This undermines long-term investment strategies.

    Regulatory uncertainty

    There is also a danger New Zealand is perceived internationally as not being serious about business and investment. In particular, the prime minister’s pressure on bank lending policies cuts across his stated commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change.

    The resulting regulatory uncertainty is counterproductive: it potentially deters international investors at a time when the government aims to attract foreign investment.

    Ultimately, if bank lending policies lead to poor outcomes, it is ordinary New Zealanders who will likely bear the costs through higher interest rates or even bank failures.

    In its eagerness to boost lending, the government is also encroaching on the Reserve Bank’s territory by directing it to prioritise competition, including reviewing risk weightings and capital thresholds (designed to build buffers against failure) for new entrants to the market.

    But history shows that before the 2007-2009 global financial crisis, similar bank-friendly initiatives – often labelled “principles-based” – led to bad debt accumulation and increased economic vulnerability.

    Institutional failure

    The shift towards what we might call populist banking policies is not confined to New Zealand. Globally, there is a declining political interest in financial stability and prudential regulation.

    For example, agreement on the “Basel III” reforms – developed in response to the global financial crisis and aimed at strengthening the regulation, supervision and risk management of banks – will likely be delayed by the Trump administration.

    This will have ripple effects in Europe, Britain and the rest of the world, signalling a softening of global capital requirements. As Erik Thedéen, chair of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, described this:

    Shaving off a few basis points of capital will not unlock a wave of new lending, but it will weaken your resilience. More generally, being well capitalised is a competitive advantage for banks and their shareholders. It ensures they can continue to grow and invest in profitable projects across the financial cycle.

    Politicians need to be very careful when interfering with bank supervision policies in general. They risk undermining the independence of crucial institutions, with real consequences.

    Last year’s Nobel Prize for economics went to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson for their “studies of how institutions are formed and affect prosperity”. Their warning is that institutional failure can lead to the failure of nations.

    A resilient banking system

    While New Zealand isn’t in such imminent danger, political leaders need to be aware that populist appeals to certain voter segments can lead to policies that undermine the banking system and economic growth, and disproportionately affect the most vulnerable.

    As Stelios Haji-Ioannou, founder of low-cost airline EasyJet, once remarked: “if you think safety is expensive, try an accident”.

    New Zealand needs to focus on policies that promote long-term financial stability, enhance productivity and sustainable economic growth. Globally, there needs to be a recommitment to prudential regulation to ensure the lessons of the global financial crisis are not forgotten.

    Only by doing so can we build a resilient banking system that serves the interests of all, not just a privileged few.

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

    – ref. Collateral damage: how the war on ‘woke banking’ could backfire on New Zealand – https://theconversation.com/collateral-damage-how-the-war-on-woke-banking-could-backfire-on-new-zealand-249930

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –