NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Mystery still surrounds death of revered UN chief Hammarskjöld, 63 years after tragic plane crash

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Vibhu Mishra

    UN Affairs

    One of the most enduring mysteries in United Nations history – the 1961 plane crash that killed Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and all on board as he sought to broker peace in the Congo – will linger on, with a new assessment announced on Friday suggesting that “specific and crucial” information continues to be withheld by a handful of Member States.

    Mr. Hammarskjöld served as Secretary-General from April 1953 until his death aged 56, when the chartered Douglas DC6 aircraft he was travelling in with others, registered as SE-BDY, crashed shortly after midnight on 17-18 September 1961, near Ndola, then in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).

    He was en route to negotiate a ceasefire between UN peacekeepers and separatists from the breakaway Congolese region of Katanga, and possibly even a peace agreement encompassing the whole of newly independent Congo.

    The Life and Death of Dag Hammarskjöld

    Visit the full UN Photo essay here

    Fourteen of the 15 passengers died on impact, and the sole survivor succumbed to their injuries a few days later.

    An initial inquiry by Rhodesian authorities reportedly attributed the crash to pilot error but the finding was disputed.  

    Eyewitness accounts suggested several scenarios, that “more than one aircraft” – possibly a jet – was observed in the air, “SE-BDY was on fire before it crashed”, and/or “SE-BDY was fired upon or otherwise actively engaged” by another aircraft.

    General Assembly action

    Over the years, the UN General Assembly has mandated a series of inquiries into the death of Mr. Hammarskjöld and those of his party. The most recent, in December 2022, was led by Mohamed Chande Othman, former Chief Justice of Tanzania, with the formal title of “Eminent Person”.

    Mr. Othman also led several previous investigations into the fateful crash and the events surrounding it.

    On Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres transmitted Mr. Othman’s latest report to the Assembly.

    UN Photo

    On the first day of his second term, Secretary-General Hammarskjöld (back of car, at right) leaves UN Headquarters on the way to the luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in his honour, hosted by New York City Mayor Robert Wagner.

    Significant new information

    According to the UN’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, “significant new information” has been submitted to the inquiry for this latest update.

    This included probable intercepts by Member States of communications related to the crash, the capacity of Katanga’s armed forces, or others, to mount an attack on SE-BDY and the involvement of foreign paramilitary or intelligence personnel in the area at the time.

    It also included additional new information relevant to the context and surrounding events of 1961.

    “At this juncture, [Mr. Othman] assesses it to remain plausible that an external attack or threat was a cause of the crash. [He] notes that the alternative hypotheses that appear to remain available are that the crash resulted from sabotage or unintentional human error,” Mr. Haq said.

    Documents almost certainly withheld  

    However, Mr. Othman assesses so far that it is “almost certain” specific, crucial and so far undisclosed information exists in the archives of Member States, Mr. Haq said.

    He noted that Mr. Othman has not received, to date, specific responses to his queries from some Member States believed to be holding useful information.

    “The Secretary-General has personally followed up on [Mr. Othman’s] outstanding requests for information and calls upon Member States to release any relevant records in their possession,” Mr. Haq added.

    “With significant progress having been made, the Secretary-General calls on all of us to renew our resolve and commitment to pursue the full truth of what happened on that fateful night in 1961.”

    UN Photo/Yutaka Nagata

    View of the field at Ndola, Zambia, where the plane carrying Mr. Hammarskjöld and his party crashed the night of 17-18 September, 1961; the site is marked by a cairn.

    ‘An extraordinary man’

    Appointed at just 47 years old, Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden remains the youngest UN Secretary-General.

    Widely regarded as a visionary diplomat and reformer, Mr. Hammarskjöld is credited with strengthening the role of the newly established UN during a period of intense global tensions, including the drive to decolonise Africa and Asia.

    “Hammarskjöld was not usually a companionable man, but he was certainly an extraordinary one, and we were all prepared – indeed anxious – to serve him without question to the limit of our powers and endurance,” Sir Brian Urquhart, a former senior UN official, remarked.

    His leadership was pivotal during the tumultuous events of 1956. He led a ceasefire mission to the Middle East and continued through the Suez crisis, where he helped negotiate the withdrawal of foreign forces from Egypt and oversaw the deployment of the Organization’s first emergency peacekeeping mission, the UN Emergency Force.

    Mr. Hammarskjöld was known for his integrity and dedication to public service, earning the Nobel Peace Prize “for developing the UN into an effective and constructive international organization capable of giving life to the principles and aims expressed in the UN Charter”.

    He is the only Nobel Peace Prize Laureate to have been awarded the distinction posthumously.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Egypt malaria-free, tropical storm lashes Cuba, Mozambique killings, WHO support for South Sudan

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Health

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially certified Egypt as malaria-free. The achievement marks the culmination of a century-long effort to eradicate a disease that has plagued the nation since ancient times.

    “Malaria is as old as Egyptian civilisation itself, but the disease that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its history and not its future,” said Tedros Adhanom-Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

    “This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is truly historic, and a testament to the commitment of the people and Government of Egypt to rid themselves of this ancient scourge.”

    Egypt’s success story represents a significant victory in the global fight against malaria, especially for a country with a population exceeding 100 million.

    Growing list

    In the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region, Egypt becomes only the third country to receive this certification, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.

    Egypt joins a group of 44 countries and one territory worldwide that have achieved this status.

    Tedros emphasised the broader implications of this achievement.

    “I congratulate Egypt on this achievement, which is an inspiration to other countries in the region, and shows what’s possible with the right resources and right tools.”

    UN ready to support Cuba, as millions left without power

    The UN Country Team in Cuba stands ready to support the Caribbean nation and mobilise technical assistance amidst reports of rolling power outages and a slow-moving tropical storm which threatens flooding in both urban and rural areas.

    Cuba’s power grid reportedly failed on Friday after weeks of rolling outages, leaving an estimated 10 million without electricity. There have been three other crashes up to Monday, all of which is being compounded by Tropical Storm Oscar, which made landfall on Sunday.

    According to news reports, the Cuban Government has said the weeks of worsening blackouts are due to infrastructure problems, fuel shortages and rising demand, together with the impact of the United States trade embargo and an inability to acquire spare parts for Cuba’s oil-fired fuel plants, resulting from economic sanctions.

    Significant rain

    “The strong but slow-moving storm has generated significant rainfall in the eastern and central parts of Cuba over the past few days,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, at the regular press briefing in New York on Monday.

    “The slow movement of the storm at only four kilometres an hour will compound the situation with more rainfall and potential flooding in the coming hours.”

    He said the UN was aware of the reported ongoing outages adding that under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator in Cuba Francisco Pichon, “we stand ready to support and mobilise technical assistance if needed. The UN Emergency Technical Team is activated and in touch with national counterparts.”

    Mr. Haq said the storm was also impacting the Bahamas where the UN is working together with local and regional authorities to respond as necessary.

    Guterres calls for swift probe into killing of opposition figures in Mozambique

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appealed for calm in Mozambique following the killing of two opposition figures amid a dispute over elections held earlier this month.

    Elvino Dias, legal advisor to presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, and Paulo Guambe, the legal representative of the political party PODEMOS, were gunned down in the capital, Maputo, on Friday night.

    PODEMOS rejected provisional results of the 9 October presidential elections which showed that the FRELIMO party, which has ruled Mozambique for nearly 50 years, was in the lead.

    Secretary-General Guterres urged the authorities to swiftly investigate the killings and bring the perpetrators to justice.

    He called on all Mozambicans, including political leaders and their supporters, to remain calm, exercise restraint and reject all forms of violence ahead of the official announcement of the electoral results.

    He also reaffirmed the UN’s unwavering support to peace and stability in Mozambique during this important phase in the country’s history.

    WHO supports South Sudan amid severe flooding

    The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with authorities and partners in South Sudan as the country faces some of the worst flooding in decades, affecting 42 out of 78 counties and impacting some 890,000 people.

    Although heavy downpours during the rainy season between April and November often trigger floods, they have become increasingly severe due to climate change, WHO said.

    So far, more than 226,000 people have been displaced, and roads and key infrastructure have been submerged. This includes 58 health facilities, while nearly 90 others are inaccessible.

    The floods have exacerbated the already dire humanitarian situation in the country, which is hosting almost 800,000 refugees and returnees fleeing the war in neighbouring Sudan.

    Most refugees and returnees pass through Renk county in Upper Nile state, where two suspected cholera cases have been detected. Meanwhile, malaria is on the rise, with more than 120,000 suspected cases and 31 suspected deaths as of late September.

    WHO has distributed about 88 metric tonnes of emergency health kits to Renk and other key locations to assist flood-affected communities. The kits can treat over 870,000 people and include critical medical supplies such cholera treatment and antimalarial drugs.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Aid activities suspended in Yemeni governorate, Gaza humanitarian update, UN welcomes summit on DR Congo crisis

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    The UN Secretary-General has instructed agencies, funds and programmes to pause all activities in Sa’ada governorate in Yemen for security reasons, the global body said on Monday. 

    The decision follows the recent detention by the Houthi de facto authorities of eight additional UN personnel, including six working in Sa’ada, which has impacted operations.

    The Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have been holding dozens of staff from the UN, international organizations and diplomatic missions for more than a year.

    “This extraordinary and temporary measure seeks to balance the imperative to stay and deliver with the need to have the safety and security of the UN personnel and its partners guaranteed,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, speaking during the daily media briefing from New York.

    He said the pause aims to give time to the de facto authorities and the UN “to arrange the release of arbitrarily detained UN personnel and ensure that the necessary conditions are in place to deliver critical humanitarian support guided by the principles of impartiality, neutrality, independence and humanity.”

    The UN underlined its full commitment to assist the millions of people in need across Yemen, where Houthi rebels and Government forces, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, have been fighting for more than a decade.

    © WHO

    People displaced by the war are slowly returning to their homes across Gaza.

    Humanitarians continue to return to newly accessible areas of Gaza

    More than 1.5 million people in Gaza have received food parcels since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on 19 January, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Monday.

    The UN and partners continue to observe movement across the Netzarim corridor that separates the north and the south of the enclave as people return to their neighbourhoods.

    They also continue to re-establish their presence in newly accessible areas across the Strip. 

    Food, water and healthcare

    The World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed food parcels, hot meals and cash to more than 860,000 people in Gaza, OCHA said, and partners are providing more meals as community kitchens open in new areas. 

    Repair work continues on water wells across the enclave.  However, the widespread destruction of infrastructure and shortages of spare parts, generators and solar panels are affecting efforts to increase water production.      

    Nearly 60 health partners provide primary and secondary health services across the Gaza Strip, ensuring access to essential care. 

    The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) is distributing sexual and reproductive health supplies expected to benefit more than 65,000 people over the next three weeks. 

    UNFPA has also supported another health partner which has opened three temporary primary healthcare centres in Gaza and a temporary medical point in Jabalya in the north.

    OCHA reported that recent winter storms destroyed at least five child-friendly spaces in Khan Younis and the Middle Area in Gaza.

    The storms also destroyed the Jabalya women and girls’ safe space, the largest such site in the north, serving nearly 500 women and girls each month.

    WFP

    Women in Goma in the eastern DR Congo collect food provider by the UN and its partners.

    UN welcomes Tanzania summit on eastern DRC crisis

    The UN has welcomed a recent meeting of African leaders to address the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

    The joint summit by the Southern African bloc, SADC, and the East African Community (EAC) was held in Tanzania on Saturday. Participants reaffirmed the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.

    Fighting escalated in late January when M23 rebels, who are backed by Rwanda, seized control of parts of North Kivu province, including the regional capital Goma.

    Deputy UN Spokesperson Farhan Haq said the Organization remains committed to supporting the immediate measures announced, including an immediate ceasefire, the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid, and efforts to ensure the security of Goma and its key infrastructure.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Dreams of returning home dashed by reality in Gaza City

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    People continue to stream back into Gaza City in the wake of the temporary ceasefire across the Strip, with some 500,000 reportedly returning so far, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Thursday. 

    Tess Ingram, Communications Manager for UNICEF Middle East and North Africa, is in the northern city where she witnessed people moving through the streets on donkeys, in cars, or by bicycle.

    “There’s a lot of people with shovels trying to remove rubble, and of course you can see people setting up makeshift shelters or tents on what I’m guessing used to be their homes,” she told UN News. 

    Hope and heartache

    Ms. Ingram believes that many people were filled with hope and joy as they were finally able to come back to the place they had hoped to return to for more than 15 months.

    “But now, as I speak to people, I think that joy is being replaced somewhat by a sense of heaviness as they discover the reality of what has happened here in Gaza City,” she said.

    “They were hoping to return to a home that is not there, or to a loved one who has been killed, and I think that that heaviness is really sinking in for people.”

    Soundcloud

    Living conditions also remain very difficult. Ms. Ingram visited a school-turned-shelter which is housing returnees along with people who had been living there throughout the war.  

    She met a mother and her five children who desperately need winter clothes and food, but mostly a place to stay because the home where they had hoped to return is gone.

    This story is not uncommon. “It is not one person. It is not 100. There are probably thousands of people who are in a similar situation,” she said.

    Danger on the way

    Ms. Ingram noted that families are making long, treacherous journeys to get back to Gaza City.

    On Wednesday she travelled from Al Mawasi, located in the central Gaza Strip, which took 13 hours. However, some families took as long as 36 hours to make the trip.

    “And of course the journey itself over those 36 hours is incredibly dangerous,” she said.

    “We’ve heard reports of people being killed by unexploded remnants of war on the way, because these very dangerous unexploded ordnance are buried underneath the rubble.”

    Soundcloud

    Support for returnees

    UNICEF is supporting returning families with the basics that they need to survive.  The agency is bringing in nutrition supplies, medical supplies, fuel to run bakeries and hospitals, and water pumps so that people have access to clean water.

    On Wednesday, UNICEF and other UN agencies brought in 16 trucks of fuel that will be provided to water wells, hospitals and bakeries to get essential services back up and running again.

    They are also providing services for mental health and psychosocial support for children to help them deal with the trauma they have experienced over the past 15 months. Nutritional screening and immunization services are forthcoming. 

    Keeping families together

    Hundreds of children have also reportedly been separated from their families while making the journey to the north, and UNICEF is responding to the situation. 

    Staff have been providing children under the age of four with identification bracelets that have their names, their families’ names and phone numbers, on them.

    “So, if in the worst case they did get lost in the wash of people there would be some hope of reconnecting them soon with their loved ones,” Ms. Ingram said.

    © UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

    Displaced Palestinians walk along a street in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

    People on the move

    Humanitarians report that more displaced families are returning to northern Gaza as the ceasefire continues to hold. 

    More than 462,000 people have crossed from the south since the opening of the Salah ad Din and Al Rashid roads on Monday.

    The UN and partners are providing water, high-energy biscuits and medical care along the two routes, while the World Food Programme (WFP) plans to set up more distribution points in the north this week.   

    Displaced Palestinians are also moving from north to south, though in smaller numbers, with about 1,400 people making the journey as of Thursday. 

    Restoring critical services

    Across Gaza, extensive efforts are underway to restore critical services, including civilian infrastructure, which the UN and partners are supporting.

    WFP has delivered more than 10,000 metric tonnes of food to the enclave since the ceasefire took effect.

    On Thursday, 750 trucks entered Gaza, according to information obtained by the UN on the ground through interactions with the Israeli authorities and the guarantors for the ceasefire deal.

    The previous day, UNICEF distributed 135 cubic metres of water to communities in Jabalya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun, located in North Gaza governorate.  These areas had been besieged for over three months.  

    Furthermore, 35,000 litres of fuel were delivered to northern Gaza to sustain the operations of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, while water trucking in Rafah is being scaled up.

    Humanitarian partners are also coordinating with the Gaza Electricity Distribution Company to repair the damaged power line that feeds the South Gaza desalination plant, which is currently running on fuel.

    West Bank violence continues

    Meanwhile, in the West Bank, Israeli military operations in northern areas have expanded beyond Jenin and Tulkarm to the nearby governorate of Tubas. 

    Ten people reportedly were killed on Wednesday when an Israeli air strike hit a group of Palestinians in Tammun, a village in Tubas governorate. 

    This brings the death toll from the ongoing Israeli operation in the northern West Bank to 30, including two children.   

    Overall, more than 3,200 families have been displaced from Jenin refugee camp in the context of Palestinian Authority and Israeli operations since December, according to local authorities. 

    Humanitarian partners continue to deliver aid, including food parcels, kitchen kits, baby supplies, hygiene items, medicines, and other essential supplies.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Relief chief in Israel and Palestine: ‘We must be practical, innovative and persistent’

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    The top UN aid official arrived in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory on Monday for a week-long visit, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, has reported. 

    Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher is in the region as a fragile ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas continues to hold in Gaza, amid rising violence in the West Bank.

    He will engage with authorities, aid partners and those on the frontlines of the humanitarian response.

    “Humanitarian needs are huge – we must be practical, innovative and persistent,” he wrote in a post on the social media platform X.

    Understand obstacles, strengthen coordination

    Mr. Fletcher held discussions with Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa and several Palestinian ministers.  

    He also met Dr. Younis Al-Khatib, President of the Palestine Red Crescent Society, to discuss the challenges that emergency responders are facing.

    “Palestine Red Crescent teams have been saving lives under impossible conditions, showing extraordinary courage – too many paying the ultimate price,” he wrote in another social media post.

    He’s also scheduled to meet Israeli and Palestinian officials and visit areas in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and Israel to better understand obstacles facing aid partners, and strengthen humanitarian coordination. 

    © UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

    A car filled with belongings heads back to Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.

    Aid scale-up

    The UN and partners are expanding life-saving aid operations as more humanitarian supplies enter Gaza. They are also assessing the needs of Palestinians across the enclave and adapting the response accordingly. 

    OCHA noted that displaced people continue to move between southern and northern Gaza as they reunite with family and start rebuilding their lives. 

    Latest figures indicate that more than 545,000 people are estimated to have crossed from the south to the north over the past week, while more than 36,000 people have been observed moving in the opposite direction.

    Keeping children safe

    Furthermore, partners working in the protection sector have distributed identity bracelets to more than 30,000 children under the age of four to help prevent family separation.

    “This effort was critical, as partners reportedly received more than 250 young children who had been separated from their caregivers while crossing to the north,” OCHA said.

    Protection and services

    In North Gaza governorate, protection partners said three temporary sites have been established in Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and Jabalya, each of which can host 5,000 people. 

    The UN’s sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA has also reported the expansion of protection services for women in Jabalya, as well as in Gaza city.  

    The World Food Programme (WFP) noted that prices have started to fall since the ceasefire took effect and as more humanitarian commodities enter Gaza, although they still remain above pre-conflict levels. 

    One-third of households reportedly have better access to food, but consumption remains significantly below levels prior to the crisis. “For most households, the primary obstacle is lack of cash,” OCHA said.

    Meanwhile, partners working on education report that some 280,000 school-aged children in Gaza have registered in the e-learning programme run by the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA. 

    West Bank update

    OCHA also reported on the situation in the West Bank, where an ongoing operation by Israeli forces in Jenin and Tulkarm has expanded to nearby Tubas governorate, resulting in further death, destruction and displacement.

    The agency warned that “once again that lethal, war-like tactics are being applied, raising concerns over the use of force that exceeds law enforcement standards.”

    On Monday, Israeli forces raided El Far’a refugee camp and blocked the entrances. As a result, dozens of families have reportedly fled the camp, fearing a larger Israeli operation.

    This came a day after Israeli forces reportedly destroyed 20 residential structures in the Jenin refugee camp where more than 50 families were living.

    They also conducted house-to-house searches in the town of Tammun, displacing as many as 15 families and blocking the town’s entrance.

    OCHA reported that the Palestinian death toll in recent Israeli operations in the West Bank now stands at 39 since 21 January, the day when the operation in Jenin began.

    “Meanwhile, tight movement restrictions across the West Bank continue to hamper access to basic services, leaving Palestinians queuing for hours at Israeli checkpoints or forced to take significantly longer detours,” the agency said. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: More than a million receive food aid since the start of the ceasefire

    Source: United Nations 2

    Humanitarian Aid

    Over one million people in the Gaza Strip have received food assistance since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect nearly three weeks ago, UN aid coordination office OCHA said in an update on Wednesday. 

    The temporary agreement to stop the fighting and release hostages brought an end to some 15 months of conflict and destruction in the Strip, following the brutal Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel of 7 October 2023.

    The truce came into force on 19 January and OCHA said the surge in the daily entry of supplies into Gaza since then, along with improved access conditions, have allowed humanitarians to meaningfully expand the delivery of lifesaving assistance and services across the enclave.

    Moreover, coordination with the Israeli authorities for humanitarian aid missions is mostly no longer required, except when entering buffer zones. 

    Food and healthcare delivery expands

    “As a result, humanitarian partners are adjusting their response in accordance with population movements, including by expanding their operational presence and services in areas that were previously hard or impossible to access, such as Rafah, Gaza and North Gaza governorates,” OCHA said.

    Needs remain dire in Gaza, where the war has left over two million people fully dependent on food assistance, homeless, and without any income.

    Over the past two weeks, the World Food Programme (WFP) delivered more than 10 million metric tonnes of food to the Strip, reaching roughly a million people through food parcel distributions to households. 

    This is in addition to expanding bread deliveries at bakeries and community kitchens and re-opening a community kitchen in North Gaza on 24 January.  

    WFP also delivered fuel that enabled the five bakeries in Gaza governorate that it supports to increase production capacity by 40 per cent to meet the growing demand.

    Furthermore, 25 emergency medical teams are operating as of Tuesday, with 22 in the centre and south, two in Gaza City, and one in North Gaza. 

    © UNICEF/Eyad El Baba

    Palestinian families travel back to their homes in the north of the Gaza Strip.

    On the move

    OCHA noted that since 27 January, population movements have continued across the Strip but have largely slowed down.

    Over 565,092 people have crossed from the south to the north, while more than 45,678 have been heading southwards due to the lack of services and the widespread destruction of homes and communities in the north.

    It is estimated that more than half a million people have returned to Gaza and North Gaza governorates, and the need for food, water, tents and shelter materials remains critical.

    Shelter concerns

    “Despite the entry of a large volume of supplies since the ceasefire took effect, priority was given to food during the first two weeks, significantly limiting the entry of shelter assistance,” OCHA said, citing partners working in the sector.

    Meanwhile, the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported bringing at least 3,000 tents into northern Gaza on Monday, and an additional 7,000 tents are expected to arrive in the coming days.

    Highlighting other developments, OCHA said this past Sunday saw the start of medical evacuations through Rafah crossings into Egypt. Between 1 and 3 February, 105 patients, including 100 children, and 176 companions were evacuated. 

    Hostage releases continue

    The update also included details on hostage releases. Hamas and other groups killed around 1,200 people in the 7 October attacks on Israel. They also seized some 250 others, both Israelis and foreigners, who were taken to Gaza.

    OCHA said estimates indicate that 79 people currently remain captive, including hostages who have been declared dead and whose bodies are being withheld in Gaza.

    Over the past week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the third and fourth release operations since the ceasefire took hold.

    On 30 January, three Israeli and five Thai hostages were transferred from Gaza to Israeli authorities, and 110 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli detention centres. Among the Palestinian detainees were 30 children as well as 20 prisoners from the West Bank who were released to the Gaza Strip. 

    The following day, three Israeli hostages were transferred out of Gaza to Israel, and 183 Palestinian detainees were released from Israeli detention centres. The Palestinians freed included 111 people who were detained from the Gaza Strip after 7 October and seven detainees who were released to Egypt. 

    Overall, the ICRC has facilitated the return of 18 hostages and 583 Palestinian detainees since the ceasefire began. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Government’s crackdown on rogue turf businesses to stop fire ants pays off

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 12 February 2025

    Released by: Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional NSW

    Two Queensland businesses have been separately convicted in the NSW Local Court of breaching biosecurity regulations designed to protect NSW from red imported fire ants and in total ordered to pay $60,000.

    These successful prosecutions highlight the effectiveness of the Minns Labor Government’s surveillance and compliance activities in preventing fire ants into the state.

    Both businesses illegally moved turf, soil, turf underlay and compost from the Queensland fire ant infested area into NSW.

    Since being elected in 2023 the NSW Government has made biosecurity a priority and fighting fire ants a top order.

    This commitment to fight fire ants entering NSW was demonstrated by raising the funds to address the menace of the fire ants from the former Government’s low $15 million annually, to $95 million over four years, only a few months after the 2023 election.

    To strengthen the fight against fire ants entering NSW in mid-November last year, the NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty took the unprecedented step of banning the movement of any turf from the Queensland fire ant infested area into NSW.

    These recent successful prosecutions demonstrate that the Government’s crackdown on rogue businesses potentially spreading fire ants is working and is now sending a message.

    The importance of movement controls and the ability of the Minns Government’s restructured NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) to trace carrier movements back to their point of origin is producing successful prosecutions.

    The first landscaping supply business was convicted on the 29 January and the second on Friday 7 February.

    The first business, Brytarbri Pty Ltd trading as Allenview Turf, was convicted of nine offences after moving soil, turf underlay and compost into NSW from the Queensland fire ant infested area without the required biosecurity certificates.

    The second business, Marlyn Compost, was convicted of 20 offences under the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 for moving turf from the Queensland fire ant infested area into NSW without certificates.

    Early detection surveillance is continuing across NSW’s border state agencies with detection cameras and operations with Police and Department of Primary Industries and Regional NSW teams working together as exemplified by Operation Victa.

    So far four waves of Operation Victa have resulted in eight penalty notices issued and three warnings after stopping 352 vehicles, 156 of which were from fire ant infested areas, and ordering 12 vehicles back to Queensland, due to not meeting certification requirements.

    In addition, fire ant sniffer dogs are on patrol in Kyogle and Tweed Valley sites to monitor trucks, landscaping sites and target properties.

    The NSW Government’s fire ant team has completed the following since December 2023:

    • Checked 1,366 voluntary community reports of potential fire ant sightings
    • Received 12,750 Record of Movement declarations from businesses
    • Undertaken with 1,613 surveillance events

    NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

    “The Minns Labor Government is serious in stopping fire ants getting into NSW and in the three instances when they have got through the nets we have eradicated them quickly.

    “There will be no sympathy for a business who flouts our biosecurity controls and threatens our state’s land, homes and farms with fire ants. The full force of the law will be instigated to show this is very serious and will not be tolerated.

    “I urge everyone to do the right thing and comply with our biosecurity requirements to protect NSW from fire ants, or if you know someone is flouting the controls please let us know.

    “We are applying monitoring, CCTV, police, sniffer dogs, controls and border checks to address the fire ant situation as well as supporting the Queensland Government eradicate their infestation.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Incident in Clutha comes to conclusion

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Otago Coastal Area Commander, Inspector Marty Gray:

    The man being sought by Police in Clutha for firearms offending has been located deceased.

    Police, including specialist squads supporting local staff, have been at a rural property overnight working to resolve the matter safely.

    The incident began about 9am on Tuesday, when Police began working to locate a person of interest in relation to alleged firearms offending in the Clutha area.

    This morning, Police made entry to the house around 10:15am and the man was located by officers inside, deceased.

    His death will be referred to the Coroner and Police will assist the Coroner with those inquiries.

    The man’s family are being supported at this very difficult time.

    While this is not the outcome Police would have hoped for, I want to thank the frontline staff and specialist teams for their hard work in responding diligently to this very lengthy incident.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Robbed’ of their childhood: UNICEF warns of crisis facing Haiti’s youth

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    Violent clashes this week between security forces and armed groups on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince have led to another wave of displacement, according to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA).  

    In a briefing on Friday, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric reported that more than 1,600 men, women and children have fled. 

    Two-thirds are seeking refuge with host families and over 500 sheltering in three newly established displacement sites, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

    Children at risk

    The situation for children remains particularly dire. The number of internally displaced children in Haiti has increased by nearly 50 per cent since September, now exceeding half a million. 

    UNICEF reports that approximately one in eight children in the country is now displaced.

    The agency also warns of a 70 per cent rise in child recruitment by gangs over the past year, with up to half of gang members in Haiti now estimated to be children.

    ‘Childhood is a right’

    Speaking from a prison in Port-au-Prince where dozens of children are being held, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder described the growing desperation:

    “I’m in a prison in Port-au-Prince where dozens of children are being held,” he said, explaining that 85 per cent of this capital city is controlled by armed groups.

    “So, child recruitment into armed groups is rampant. Children get recruited. It’s out of desperation. It’s out of manipulation, out of being engulfed in violence,” he emphasised.

    Mentioning a 16-year-old girl who dreamt of being a paediatrician, but was caught up in a raid, he said: “The point of this is that childhood should not be a gift. Childhood is a right.”

    Humanitarian needs grow

    The crisis is further aggravated by forced returns from neighbouring countries. 

    In the first two weeks of January alone, nearly 15,000 Haitians were returned from the Dominican Republic, adding to the 200,000 people deported across the region last year.

    Meanwhile, natural disasters have worsened conditions across the country. 

    Since November, nearly 330,000 people have been affected by floods in six of Haiti’s departments, leaving dozens dead and damaging or destroying nearly 50,000 homes.

    UN appeals 

    The UN has launched a $908 million humanitarian appeal to assist 3.9 million people in Haiti this year.

    “We urge the international community to scale up its support so that we and our humanitarian partners can support the people of Haiti who need it,” said Mr. Dujarric. 

    As conditions deteriorate, UN agencies and humanitarian organizations stress the need for urgent international action to protect Haiti’s most vulnerable, particularly its children – trapped in a cycle of violence, displacement and deprivation.

    “For those of us with freedom, those with safety, those who have an opportunity – we also have a responsibility. We have a responsibility to raise our voices for those who simply do not have one,” Mr. Elder said.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Indian Ocean tsunami anniversary: A call to safeguard future generations

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    On Boxing Day – 26 December 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia, unleashing a massive tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean.

    Waves as high as 51 meters (167 feet) inundated communities in Aceh, Indonesia, with flooding extending up to five kilometres (three miles) inland.

    The devastation spread across Thailand, Sri Lanka, Maldives and India, with tsunami waves travelling at speeds of 800 kilometres per hour (500 miles per hour). The impacts extended to Somalia and Tanzania, and waves reached as far afield as Mexico, Chile and even the Arctic.

    In addition to the lives lost, more than 1.7 million people were displaced, and the economic toll reached an estimated $10 billion. Children bore a particularly heavy toll, with thousands killed or orphaned.

    A wake-up call for humanity

    Philémon Yang, President of the UN General Assembly, described the tsunami as “the first global disaster of the 21st century and one of the most devastating in recent history.”

    He urged nations to reaffirm their resolve to protect future generations and integrate disaster preparedness and resilience into sustainable development strategies.

    Kamal Kishore, UN Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, called the tsunami a “wake-up call for humanity”.

    “It really showed us how such low-frequency, high-impact hazards, can have impacts that will ripple across the entire global system and across multiple geographies,” he said.

    Progress through global collaboration

    The tragedy also catalysed unprecedented global collaboration.

    “Following the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, it was evident that transboundary problems require solutions that reach across borders,” emphasised Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

    In the two decades since the tragedy, working together the international community has made significant strides in disaster preparedness.

    In 2005, nations convened under the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO) to establish the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (IOTWMS). Today, 27 national tsunami warning centers can issue alerts within minutes of seismic events.

    Compared to just 25 per cent in 2004, over 75 per cent of coastal communities in high-risk areas now have access to tsunami early warning information, according to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

    Furthermore, UN initiatives like the Tsunami Ready Programme and the Tsunami Project continue to empower local leaders and communities with life-saving knowledge and resources. Similarly, the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness is developing vital early warning systems for all.

    ESCAP Video | Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness

    Climate change amplifying risks

    However, challenges have also grown more complex.

    Climate change is amplifying the frequency and severity of water-related disasters, often cascading with and compounding geophysical events like earthquakes and volcanoes.

    ESCAP estimates that 68 million people in 43 Asian and Pacific countries, along with $2.3 trillion in infrastructure along coasts, remain at significant risk. In the Indian Ocean basin alone, over 2,600 educational facilities, 1,200 ports, and 140 power plants are vulnerable.

    We must do more

    Mr. Kishore underscored the need for sustained awareness and preparation.

    “We have to continue to keep the awareness of Tsunami risk high,” he said.

    “It is crucial that we do not forget the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and continue to do everything we can to protect ourselves, our children and our future generations from the impact of future tsunamis.”

    Indian Ocean tsunami: Survivors recall the fateful day

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Explainer: How family planning saves lives

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Health

    Sakina Sani was married off when she was 12 years old amid conflict and food shortages in northern Nigeria. She became pregnant at 15 but miscarried and then had two children in rapid succession.

    “I will never allow my daughter to go through what happened to me,” she told UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency.

    What happens when conflict displaces tens of thousands of people in hotspots like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ukraine, and women die every day in childbirth or pregnancy?

    UNFPA is there, equipping displacement camps and medical personnel with lifesaving supplies.

    When an earthquake tumbles whole city blocks, it puts contraceptives onto emergency relief convoys alongside kits for delivering babies and medicines to stop internal bleeding.

    When a cyclone slashes through remote island communities, the agency sends contraceptives just as it sends sterile medical equipment, including condoms, oral and injectable contraceptives, contraceptives implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs).

    Why? Because contraceptives are part of lifesaving humanitarian care.

    This may be counterintuitive to some, but it is a settled fact in the eyes of medical science, humanitarian responders and women themselves.

    Even outside emergency settings, having access to modern, safe contraceptives empowers women to make their own decisions about their fertility, which in turn reduces unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions, improves health outcomes and lowers the risk of maternal and child mortality.

    In short, family planning saves millions of lives. Here are some of the reasons why:

    © UNFPA/Karel Prinsloo

    A woman is injected with a contraceptive at a UNFPA-supported health centre in the Central African Republic.

    Getting pregnant does not stop in emergency settings

    More than 60 per cent of all maternal deaths are estimated to take place in humanitarian crises and fragile settings, places where women struggle to access the care and nutrition needed to safely carry a pregnancy.

    Even in the best circumstances, alarming proportions of women are unable to say no to sex, roughly one quarter of women, according to the most recent data.

    In a humanitarian crisis, women experience about twice the rates of gender-based violence as well as the heightened risk of rape as a weapon of war and tool of genocide and the increased risk of intimate partner violence. All of this elevates their vulnerability to an unintended pregnancy.

    © UNFPA/Danil Pavlov

    Preventing fatal complications

    While contraception is sometimes criticised – incorrectly – as a new medication, one that is unnatural or poorly understood, the truth is that they have existed for millennia. Condoms, for example, have been used for centuries.

    When it comes to  modern forms of contraception, they are among the most prescribed and well-studied medications in existence. Contraceptives have been investigated not just by pharmacologists and medical researchers, but also by healthcare economists, epidemiologists and policymakers, and the findings are conclusive: by preventing unintended pregnancy, contraceptives prevent women from dying.

    How? Every pregnancy carries a risk, and pregnancies in crisis settings, where health systems are in tatters and medical care scarce, are particularly dangerous.

    Lifesaving aid because babies don’t wait

    What happens when a woman is ready to give birth after a hurricane or in a war zone?

    In the crisis-addled DRC, a breakdown in healthcare infrastructure has led maternal mortality rates to soar, with three women dying every hour from pregnancy or childbirth complications.

    “Many women in northwest Syria lose their lives while being transferred between hospitals in the absence of essential supplies for critical conditions,” Dr. Ikram Haboush, in Idlib, said.

    Unintended pregnancies are also directly correlated with higher maternal mortality rates.

    “That is why every public health programme designed to reduce the number of maternal deaths incorporates contraception as one of the pillars of action,” according to the experts who wrote UNFPA’s flagship annual publication, the State of the World’s Population Report, Seeing the unseen: The case of action in the neglected crisis of unintended pregnancy.

    By preventing unintended pregnancy, contraceptives also reduce the incidence of maternal injuries and illness, stillbirth and neonatal death.

    In 2023, UNFPA’s dedicated supplies partnership procured $136 million worth of contraceptives, which is estimated to have prevented nearly 10 million unintended pregnancies and over 200,000 maternal and newborn deaths. It is estimated these contraceptives also prevented nearly three million unsafe abortions.

    © UNFPA

    Two community workers provide information about contraceptives in Bihar, India.

    Preventing fatal illness, chronic ailments

    Contraceptives like male and female condoms additionally save lives by decreasing the chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV.

    Even a treatable STI can be life-threatening in settings with limited access to medical care,  as is the case for women and girls in Haiti, for example, where widespread and relentless sexual violence has led to rising rates of unintended pregnancy as well as STIs, while the health system has all but collapsed.

    Only around three per cent of survivors in Haiti report receiving post-rape treatment within 72 hours of being assaulted. This treatment includes emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy and post-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV transmission.

    Contraceptives also treat ailments unrelated to sexual activity that are debilitating in even stable and secure circumstances like polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, dysmenorrhea and extremely heavy bleeding.

    For women like Omaira Opikuko from Venezuela, there is no question that long-term contraception after her sixth delivery was lifesaving.

    She suffered both haemorrhaging and a prolapsed uterus during her last labour.

    “I was on the brink of death,” she said.

    UN News/Daniel Dickinson

    Two Thai peer educator high school students describe a range of available condoms.

    Cost-effective humanitarian interventions

    Family planning is cost effective.

    In 2023, more than 50 countries that received UNFPA contraceptive supplies made collective savings of over $700 million through reduced healthcare costs for pregnancy, delivery and post-abortion care.

    Numerous studies have shown that family planning is a critical investment for society, not only by averting unintended pregnancy and the maternal health problems that accompany it, but also by increasing education and employment gains among women.

    In humanitarian settings, contraceptives are all the more critical, helping women and families survive and stabilise and leaving them better prepared to recover.

    No one knows this better than survivors of humanitarian crises themselves

    “There is a lot of demand for family planning services,” one emergency responder said in the immediate aftermath of a deadly cyclone.

    Amid the world’s growing precarity, rising catastrophes and increasing displacements, these services are a light in the dark for women and girls around the world.

    As Ms. Opikuko in Venezuela said, “I don’t want to be scared anymore.”

    Learn more about UNFPA here.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNOPS: the UN agency turning commitments into reality

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    Nations around the world which are seeking practical solutions to peace and security, humanitarian and development issues are marking 30 years of collaboration with a specialized UN agency.

    Despite immense security risks and logistical challenges, the agency worked with international partners to transport and eliminate hundreds of tonnes of chemical materials under strict deadlines. This mission drew praise from global leaders, illustrating how a UN body with the right expertise can help neutralize threats to international peace and security.

    The devastating 2004 tsunami left Indonesian provinces Aceh and Nias in ruins. Amid overwhelming damage, UNOPS constructed 225 earthquake-resistant schools in the region, providing children with secure, modern learning environments. By combining engineering expertise, local labor, and a rapid implementation timeline, education was revitalized for communities that had lost so much.

    UNOPS commitment to helping protect the environment was also highlighted through its work on the Montreal Protocol, the international treaty that led to the healing of the ozone layer. By providing technical guidance and project support, UNOPS helped countries transition to safer alternatives for nearly 100 chemicals that harm the ozone layer.

    © UNOPS/John Rae

    A newly installed tap in Mirtala Village, India provides a clean water supply

    Bridging the gap between ambition and action

    In any country coming out of conflict, rebuilding essential infrastructure can make the biggest difference. UNOPS remains committed to supporting countries in conflict – building on its recent work in Ukraine, Syria and Gaza, which has been practically reduced to rubble. The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is still in its early stages, but UNOPS stands ready to support a coordinated UN reconstruction response.

    From its beginnings as a small department to its evolution into a driving force for concrete action, the UNOPS journey is a testament to the power of resilience, innovation, and partnership. As global challenges multiply, the agency’s role in bridging the gap between humanitarian, developmental and environmental needs is an example of what the UN can achieve through determination, expertise, and a global commitment to improving lives worldwide.

    Today, the office is committed to bridging the gap between ambitions and tangible action, building foundations for countries to recover and thrive, from constructing schools and hospitals, building roads that connect communities in remote areas, and strengthening health systems.

    In 2025, as it marks its 30th anniversary, UNOPS is planning for the future, to ensure that it provides solutions where needs are greatest, with a focus on serving some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Hold fast to our common humanity’: UN marks 80 years since death camps were liberated

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    By Ana Carmo

    Human Rights

    Hate continues to grow at an alarming speed, and the world must do more to fight growing antisemitism the UN Secretary-General said on Monday, honouring the victims of the Holocaust and those who survived the Nazi death camps.

    More than 15 months on from the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas in Israel, António Guterres said the UN will continue doing its “utmost to ensure it leads to the release of all hostages – since the beginning we have asked for the unconditional and immediate release of all hostages – and to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza”.

    Every year on the day the concentration camps were liberated in 1945, the world unites to honor the memory of the six million Jews who perished at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators, a commemoration that also extends to the Roma and Sinti communities, people with disabilities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and all others who suffered from the systemic violence, torture, and genocide of the Nazi regime.

    Lessons must never be forgotten

    In the presence of Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in the General Assembly Hall, the Secretary-General underscored the need for remembrance and emphasized that the lessons of the Holocaust must never be forgotten.

    This year’s commemoration marks a milestone: 80 years since the Holocaust’s end, and 80 years of efforts to preserve the memory of its victims.

    Underlying the courage of survivors in sharing their stories to ensuring that the horrors of Auschwitz-Birkenau and other concentration camps are never erased from history, Mr. Guterres added that the responsibility to ensure this history is never forgotten “belongs to every one of us”. “Remembrance is not only a moral act – remembrance is a call to action”, he said.

    Combat hatred

    As part of the United Nations’ ongoing efforts to combat hate speech, the commemoration highlighted the importance of educating future generations about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.

    Highlighting the acclaimed writer Primo Levi’s words – an Auschwitz survivor, who urged humanity to “carve the knowledge into our hearts” – Mr. Guterres called on everyone to “speak-up against hate”, stand-up for the human rights of all, and “make those rights a reality”.

    Defend human rights

    The UN is committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was established in the wake of the Holocaust. In 1948, nations around the world united to affirm the inherent dignity and equality of all people, a direct response to the horrors of Nazi ideology.

    Reminding that the document is a “pure expression of our shared humanity”, the UN chief said that “in dark times it remains a shining light”.

    “Today, our world is fractured and dangerous”, Mr. Guterres warned once more – “80 years since the Holocaust’s end, antisemitism is still with us – fuelled by the same lies and loathing that made the Nazi genocide possible. And it is rising.”

    Efforts to combat the growing tide of Holocaust denial, discrimination, and hate are also central to the United Nations, which has recently launched an Action Plan on Antisemitism to enhance its efforts to educate, promote truth, and resist efforts to distort historical facts.

    Calling for widespread condemnation of antisemitism “wherever and whenever it appears”, Mr. Guterres said that promoting education, combating lies and speaking the truth are key – and that in days of division, all must “hold fast to our common humanity”.

    “We will never forget. And we will never waver in that fight”, the UN chief concluded, leaving the podium to the survivors who were there to share their memories.

    Prayer for peace

    Israel’s President Isaac Herzog told the commemoration that “it is time to acknowledge challenging our right to exist is not diplomacy, it is plain antisemitism.”

    He said 80 years after the Holocaust, he stood in the General Assembly “with deep faith and hope. Our nation rose from the flames of the crematorium not to live forever by the sword, but to build, to repair, to add light, to heal.”

    He added that he hoped peace agreements could be reached between Israel and its neighbours across the region “with all peoples of the Middle East, Israelis, Palestinians and all others”, living peacefully side by side.

    On this historic day, we must commit to joining hands to defeat darkness and hatred and work together to ensure building of a shared future. This is the vow we must share. All of us. The family of nations – that what happened once will never happen again.”

    Roma survivor

    Dumitru Miclescu, Roma survivor of the Holocaust, flew from Budapest to participate at the ceremony in General Assembly Hall on Monday.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Dumitru Miclescu addresses the Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights ceremony in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

    Supported by his niece Izabela Tiberiade, he told his story: “I am here not just for myself, but for all the Roma who suffered during the Holocaust and did not have the chance to be heard.”

    A survivor of the terror camps in Transnistria, he was forced into trains and deported when he was just an eight-year-old boy in Romania, along with his family.

    Building a world without racism

    “I will never forget those moments when we were gathered into the trains. Many people died on the trains before we even arrived. Those who reached the concentration camps suffered even more: forced labor, starvation, disease, and constant terror. Death was a daily presence,” he said.

    Acknowledging the lack of support for the few Roma who survived and returned home, Mr. Miclescu said that being at the UN was “an important step toward recognizing history” but there was still much to be done.

    “Allow me to say to all the young people listening to my story: I ask you to learn about your history. I hope you will build a world without racism,” he concluded.

    Never forget

    Marianne Muller who was just a baby during the Holocaust, also took the podium to share her family’s story. Accompanied by her four children and grandchildren, she said: “they are my personal answer to Hitler”.

    Stressing that antisemitism is rising all over the world, Ms. Muller called on the world to remember that the Holocaust and its horrors “all happened only 80 years ago.”

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Marianne Muller addresses the Holocaust Remembrance for Dignity and Human Rights ceremony in observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust.

    ‘Don’t be neutral towards human suffering’

    At a ceremony in Geneva, Nazi death camp survivor Ivan Lefkovits shared harrowing testimony of his experiences on Monday to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, with a timeless message for present and future generations: “Don’t be neutral, especially not towards human suffering.”

    Recalling the murder of his father and brother, both victims of Hitler’s mission to wipe out Jews, 88-year-old Mr. Lefkovits noted that many European countries subscribed to the Nazi leader’s views.

    Mr. Lefkovits was seven years old when he was sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp in November 1944; he spent the last months of the war in Bergen-Belsen camp, where he almost died from starvation and thirst.

    Today he urges younger generations to study history “not necessarily to learn, but to understand” why the Holocaust happened.

    Soundcloud

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN rights office urges humane treatment of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    The UN human rights office, OHCHR, called on Monday for Israel and Hamas to ensure that all people they are holding are treated humanely. 

    “Images of emaciated Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees released as part of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement have been deeply distressing,” Spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement. 

    He added that the pictures of Israeli hostages released this past weekend show signs of ill-treatment and severe malnourishment, reflecting the dire conditions they were subjected to in Gaza.

    “We are also deeply concerned by the public parading of hostages released by Hamas in Gaza, including statements apparently made under duress during release,” continued Mr. Al-Kheetan.

    Release all hostages and detainees

    Meanwhile, Palestinians released from Israeli detention have revealed similar treatment under severe conditions, described by OHCHR as distressing and cause for serious concern. 

    “Israel and Hamas must ensure humane treatment, including freedom from any form of torture or abuse, for all those held under their power,” declared Mr. Al-Kheetan.

    The spokesperson reminded all parties to the conflict that torture and other forms of ill-treatment of protected persons are war crimes. and those found guilty must receive sentences commensurate to the severity of their conduct. 

     “We reiterate that the taking of hostages is a war crime,” he said. 

    “Hamas must immediately and unconditionally release all hostages, and Israel must immediately and unconditionally release all those arbitrarily detained.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Palestinians’ rights matter, says UNRWA chief

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    The head of UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA underscored its commitment to assist a population whose rights “continue to be violated”. 

    In a social media post on Friday, Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said that “people in Gaza have undergone systematic dehumanization” since the war there began.

    He emphasized that “Palestinians do matter, including those in Gaza. Their rights, lives and futures matter,” noting that “human rights cannot be applied selectively.”

    His comments come in the wake of United States President Donald Trump’s proposal made earlier this week that the US should seize control of Gaza and permanently displace the entire Palestinian population – a move which the UN Secretary-General said would be an act of “ethnic cleansing.”

    Two-State solution

    In his statement, Mr. Lazzarini quoted UN chief António Guterres who has stressed that “peace requires ending the occupation, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian State, with Gaza as an integral part; a viable and sovereign Palestinian State side-by-side with Israel”. 

    The UNRWA chief said his agency’s teams “are committed to continue providing critical assistance to Palestine refugees who need us most until empowered Palestinian institutions become a lasting and viable alternative.”

    UNRWA continues to face huge challenges in carrying out its work.  Last month, two Israeli laws came into effect which ban UNRWA operations within its borders and forbid Israeli authorities from having any contact with the agency.

    UNRWA was ordered to vacate its premises in East Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank, and visas for international staff were not renewed.  

    Teams are still providing aid to communities in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in Gaza, where a ceasefire continues to hold following 15 months of war.

    © UNOCHA/Olga Cherevko

    UN Relief Chief Tom Fletcher talks to a child at an UNRWA shelter in Gaza.

    ‘Relief chief’ meets displaced families

    In other developments, UN Humanitarian Coordinator Tom Fletcher continued his week-long visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

    On Friday he visited an UNRWA-run shelter in the city of Deir Al-Balah in Gaza before heading to Jerusalem via the Kerem Shalom border crossing.

    Mr. Fletcher met with displaced families who spoke of the hardships they have endured over the past 16 months. He also heard from staff managing the shelter about the ongoing response and challenges they face in providing critical support. 

    The UNRWA site is one of the many schools in Gaza that were turned into shelters. The UN relief chief met children who are missing out on their education, stressing the need to re-open schools in Gaza as soon as possible.    

    In Jerusalem, Mr. Fletcher met heads of UN aid agencies and other humanitarians, where he discussed how to sustain aid flows to Gaza and support West Bank operations.

    Medical evacuations and food assistance

    UN agencies continue to provide updates on their work in the Gaza Strip.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) said on social media that its team has supported the medical evacuation of 178 patients this month, including 115 children, to Egypt. However, between 12,000 and 14,000 more still need to be evacuated.

    For its part, the World Food Programme (WFP) has sent more than 15,000 tonnes of food into Gaza since the start of the ceasefire, reaching more than 525,000 people with food parcels, hot meals and cash.

    UN child rights agency UNICEF added that since the ceasefire took effect, it has reached more than 10,000 infants across Gaza with ready to use complementary foods.   

    UN News

    A family sits outside a makeshift shelter in Gaza.

    Insufficient shelter 

    This week, UN partners have been assessing the impact of a winter storm on shelters in different locations in the enclave. Partners in the north are also preparing to distribute 1,500 tents to returnees in the Gaza and North Gaza governorates.

    Humanitarians note even though shelter support is scaling up, nearly one million displaced people are living in substandard tents or makeshift dwellings – some families resorting to sewing old rice sacks together for basic cover.

    West Bank crackdown continues

    The UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, also updated on the situation in the West Bank.

    Ongoing operations by Israeli forces in Jenin, Tulkarm and Tubas continue to displace Palestinians, severely restricting their access to essential services and causing widespread destruction.

    Humanitarians estimate that 82 per cent of displaced families in the northern West Bank are currently living in rented accommodations.   

    Significant increase in child fatalities in the West Bank

    Meanwhile, nearly half of all Palestinian child fatalities in the West Bank over the past two decades occurred within the last two years, UN aid coordination office OCHA said in a humanitarian update published on Thursday.

    Since January 2023, 224 children (218 boys and six girls) have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers, representing nearly half of the 468 child fatalities the agency has documented since the beginning of 2005.

    They include 11 children killed since January of this year, all by Israeli forces, including six killed in airstrikes, and 10 killed in the northern governorates of the West Bank. 

    “This is generally consistent with trends observed over the past two years,” OCHA said.

    Concern over use of force

    The agency noted that in 2023 and 2024, 64 per cent of Palestinian child fatalities in the West Bank were in the northern governorates. Most, 82 per cent, were shot by live ammunition, and 18 per cent were killed by airstrikes. 

    Furthermore, more than 2,500 Palestinian children were injured during the same period, 28 per cent of them by live ammunition. 

    So far this year, 89 Palestinian children were reported injured by Israeli forces or settlers, 48 per cent by live ammunition. 

    “The significant number of children killed and injured with live ammunition fired by Israeli forces or in airstrikes raises concerns over unnecessary and excessive uses of force against children by Israeli forces during operations in the West Bank,” said OCHA.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: More than 5,600 killed in Haiti gang violence in 2024

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Human Rights

    At least 5,601 people were killed in gang violence in Haiti last year, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, appealing for greater efforts by the authorities and the international community to address the root causes. 

    These deaths represent an increase of over 1,000 on the total killings for 2023, according to figures verified by OHCHR.  A further 2,212 people were injured and 1,494 kidnapped.

    “These figures alone cannot capture the absolute horrors being perpetrated in Haiti but they show the unremitting violence to which people are being subjected,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.

    Shocking massacre

    OHCHR recalled that in one of the most deadly and shocking incidents, at least 207 people were killed in a massacre in early December orchestrated by the leader of the Wharf Jérémie gang in the Cité Soleil area of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

    Many of the victims were older people accused of causing the death of the leader’s son through alleged voodoo practices. To erase evidence, gang members mutilated and burned most of the bodies, while others were thrown into the sea.

    OHCHR also documented 315 lynchings of gang members and people allegedly associated with gangs, which on some occasions were reportedly facilitated by Haitian police officers.

    Additionally, 281 cases of alleged summary executions involving specialized police units occurred during 2024.

    Impunity still prevalent

    “It has long been clear that impunity for human rights violations and abuses, as well as corruption, remain prevalent in Haiti, constituting some of the main drivers of the multi-dimensional crisis the country faces, along with entrenched economic and social inequalities,” said Mr. Türk. 

    “Additional efforts from the authorities, with the support of the international community, are needed to address these root causes.”

    The human rights chief stressed that restoring the rule of law must be a priority. He added that to this end, the UN-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti needs the logistical and financial support it requires to successfully implement its mandate.

    Furthermore, the Haitian National Police, with the support of the international community, should also strengthen its oversight mechanism to hold accountable police officers reportedly involved in human rights violations.

    Implement sanctions and arms embargo

    Mr. Türk restated his call for the full implementation of the UN Security Council‘s sanctions regime on Haiti, as well as the arms embargo, which are crucial to preventing the supply of firearms and ammunition to the country.  

    “Weapons flowing into Haiti often end up in the hands of the criminal gangs, with tragic results: thousands killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, essential infrastructure and services, such as schools and hospitals, disrupted and destroyed,” he said. 

    He further noted that deportations of Haitians continue even though the acute insecurity and resulting human rights crisis in their homeland do not allow for safe and dignified return.

    The High Commissioner reiterated his call to all States not to forcibly return anyone to Haiti. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN chief offers condolences amid devastating wildfires in California

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Climate and Environment

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed sorrow over the fast-moving wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area, claiming lives and displacing thousands.

    The fires, described as some of the worst in the city’s history, have burned thousands of acres, destroyed homes and left firefighters battling to contain multiple blasts in unprecedented conditions.

    “The Secretary-General is shocked and saddened by the widespread devastation caused by the fast-moving wildfires,” said his Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, in a statement released on Thursday.

    Mr. Guterres extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expressed solidarity with those displaced, many of whom have lost their homes.

    The fires have claimed at least five lives, displaced more than 100,000 people and destroyed hundreds of buildings. Damages are estimated to exceed $50 billion, according to US private forecaster AccuWeather.

    Commending first responders

    The Secretary-General commended the courage and dedication of first responders working in “extremely difficult conditions” to protect lives and contain the fires.

    More than 7,500 firefighters are battling the blazes, with officials describing the conditions as historic and dangerous.

    Local fire chiefs reported that dry vegetation and winds with the force of hurricanes have fuelled the fires, leaving four out of six major ones completely uncontained.

    Efforts are being further delayed by resource shortages and the challenging landscape.

    Prevention and preparedness

    Rainfall levels from late 2024 until now have been below average. This has created dry conditions that, combined with the Santana Winds – a well-known weather pattern in the region – have exacerbated fire risks, according to experts.

    The Santana Winds, which typically sweep through the mountains, raise temperatures and drastically lower humidity, rapidly drying out vegetation and creating ideal conditions for wildfires to spread.

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted the importance of prevention strategies to mitigate the impact of wildfires, including regular clearing of underbrush in forests, available water for firefighters and testing firefighting capacities.

    Evacuation planning is another critical priority, with experts stressing the importance of avoiding blocked evacuation routes.

    “Wildfires move rapidly, and any evacuation system needs to account for all people, especially those who are elderly and unable to move quickly,” said James Douris of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), an expert in early warning systems.

    Health risks and climate factors

    Beyond the immediate destruction, wildfires also pose significant public health risks.

    According to WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris, wildfire smoke, a toxic mixture of pollutants, can cause premature deaths and long-term damage to the lungs, heart and brain.

    Vulnerable populations, including children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, face heightened risks.

    Soundcloud

    UN readiness to assist

    Reiterating the United Nations’ commitment to global solidarity, Mr. Guterres stated that “the United Nations stands ready to provide assistance if needed.”

    While no formal request for aid has been made, his statement emphasised the organization’s willingness to support affected communities.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Relentless crisis in Haiti: One in eight children internally displaced

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Humanitarian Aid

    The humanitarian crisis in Haiti has reached a critical point, with one in eight children now internally displaced due to escalating violence fuelled by armed groups who continue to control most of the capital, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).  

    The latest data reveals that over 500,000 children have been forced from their homes – a shocking 48 per cent increase since September.

    In total, more than one million Haitians are internally displaced, half of whom are children urgently requiring humanitarian aid.

    “It is a horrific time to be a child in Haiti, with violence upending lives and forcing more children and families from their homes,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

    “Children desperately need safety, protection and access to essential services. We cannot look away,” she emphasised. 

    Children caught in crossfire 

    Decades of political instability, poverty and inequality have enabled the rise of armed groups and the impact on children has been devastating. 

    Reports indicate a 70 per cent surge in child recruitment over the past year, with minors making up as much as 50 per cent of their ranks. This recruitment violates international law and constitutes a grave violation of children’s rights.

    Meanwhile, the displacement crisis has left children especially vulnerable to violence, including sexual violence, exploitation and abuse. 

    Incidents of sexual violence against children have increased by 1,000 per cent in the last year, the agency said.

    Access to basic services such as education, healthcare, clean water and sanitation has been severely disrupted, leaving children at heightened risk of malnutrition and disease.

    Nearly 6,000 people are enduring famine-like conditions, and unsanitary displacement sites have created fertile ground for cholera outbreaks. The country has recorded nearly 88,000 suspected cases of the disease, which disproportionately affects children.

    © OHCHR/Marion Mondain

    A young child whose family fled violence sits in a makeshift shelter in Port-au-Prince.

    Worsening urban crisis

    The crisis is particularly acute in the metropolitan area of the capital Port-au-Prince, where violence and instability are rampant. 

    By December, attempted sieges of residential neighbourhoods forced approximately 40,000 people to flee their homes in just two weeks. 

    UNICEF estimates that three million children nationwide need humanitarian assistance, with 1.2 million children in immediate danger across the city. 

    Call for action

    UNICEF is urging all parties to immediately cease hostilities and end violations of children’s rights, including recruitment by armed groups and all forms of sexual violence. 

    The agency has also called for unimpeded access for humanitarian workers to reach those in need, including displaced populations.

    “Children in Haiti are bearing the brunt of a crisis they did not create,” Ms. Russell said. “They rely on the Haitian Government and international community to take urgent action to protect their lives and safeguard their futures,” she emphasised.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Over Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon and Distribution of Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schrier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Distribution of a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 10, 2025.

    Rickey Eugene Johnson, Jr., 34, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

    Johnson was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Distribution of a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty in November 2024.

    On May 13, 2024, Johnson was driving a vehicle in Sioux Falls and was stopped by law enforcement and arrested. The officers found a 9 mm handgun in his vehicle. Johnson is prohibited from having firearms based on prior felony convictions. While on pre-trial release in the firearm case, Johnson sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working with law enforcement on January 17, 2024.

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

    This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

    Johnson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: San Joaquin County Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Aaron Michael Correia, 38, of San Joaquin County, was sentenced today to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

    According to court documents, during a traffic stop, Correia was found to be in possession of a loaded .22 Ruger revolver and a box of .22 caliber ammunition. Correia is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he has multiple state felony convictions, including 2017 and 2021 convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm in San Joaquin County.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the Manteca Police Department, the Stockton Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Industry, Lawmakers Applaud President Trump’s Section 232 Tariffs

    Source: The White House

    Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump took decisive action to protect critical American industries by restoring a 25% tariff on steel imports and elevating the tariff to 25% on aluminum imports — building on the successful tariffs from his first term, which have since been undermined by loopholes and exemptions.
     
    The moves were quickly met with praise from industry, unions, and lawmakers:
     
    Steel Manufacturers Association President Philip K. Bell: “The steel industry in America faces serious threats from foreign actors that seek to destroy domestic production. China and other countries routinely violate trade laws and dump heavily subsidized steel products into the United States at the expense of American workers. By imposing a 25 percent tariff on steel imports, President Trump is leveling the playing field for American manufacturers and workers and helping America defeat direct threats to our jobs.”
     
    United Steelworkers President David McCall: “Our union welcomes President Donald Trump’s efforts to contain the global overcapacity that has for too long enabled bad actors like China to flood the global market with its unfairly traded products, resulting in surging imports into the United States, especially from Mexico.”
     
    Aluminum Association President Charles Johnson: “We appreciate President Trump’s continued focus on strong trade actions to support the aluminum industry in the United States. During his first term the president was early to recognize the genuine threat that non-market actors pose to U.S. manufacturing industries like ours … Today, there is not enough smelting capacity in the United States to supply the growing aluminum industry with the input materials it needs.”
     
    American Iron and Steel Institute President Kevin Dempsey: “We look forward to working closely with the President and his administration to implement a robust and reinvigorated trade agenda to address the many foreign market-distorting policies and practices that create an unlevel playing field for American steelmakers.”
     
    American Primary Aluminum Association President Mark Duffy: “Today is a great day for the U.S. aluminum industry. Unfair trade practices have devastated the domestic aluminum industry and President Trump’s actions today will protect thousands of American workers and their families.”
     
    Coalition for a Prosperous America Chairman Zach Mottl: “President Trump’s decision to implement global tariffs is a critical step toward restoring stability to American industry, safeguarding domestic production, and ensuring these critical sectors are not harmed by a surge of imports. The only way to rebuild domestic industrial capacity is through strong and enforceable trade policies, and these tariffs are a major step in the right direction.”
     
    Nucor Corporation President Leon Topalian: “Nucor strongly commends the actions taken today by President Trump to reimpose tariffs on all steel imports. America’s national security depends on a robust and healthy American steel industry, which continues to be harmed by massive global steel overcapacity and the resulting surge of illegally dumped and subsidized imports from around the world. Many of our trading partners have taken advantage of our open market for far too long and have intentionally circumvented our trade laws or allowed other bad actors to transship illegally dumped and subsidized steel. The President’s actions will help level the playing field for American steel producers.”
     
    Energy Fair Trade Coalition Executive Director Bret Manley: “President Trump’s bold leadership will strengthen the backbone of America – our steel and aluminum industry. E-FTC is proud to support initiatives that will level the playing field, foster domestic job growth, and promote fair reciprocal trade.”
     
    Century Aluminum Company CEO Jesse Gary: “We strongly support today’s Executive Order from President Donald J. Trump imposing a 25% tariff to stop the flood of aluminum imports into the United States. President Trump’s decisive action will protect national security and help level the playing field for America’s aluminum workers. On behalf of our employees, I thank President Trump for putting America first and strengthening the Section 232 tariffs, which will help drive the resurgence of domestic aluminum production.”
     
    Lowell Iron and Steel Company President Dennis Scanell: “The tariffs, thank God they’re coming … Maybe this evens the playing field for us, but this hits right at home. There’s no way we can compete with Canada.”
     
    America First Works: “President Trump promised to put America First and make our nation wealthy again; that is exactly what tariffs do. In his first term, President Trump’s bold trade policies created over 4,000 new American jobs and higher wages for hardworking patriots. Foreign nations will no longer be able to take advantage of the United States. If they don’t like the tariffs, they can come to the table and make a deal. In fact, that is what President Trump does best. China will no longer exploit trade loopholes to undermine American workers. Now is the time to stand strong, fight for fair trade, and put America FIRST where it belongs!”
     
    Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN): “Too many politicians in Washington take our domestic steel industry for granted. That hurts our workers and disrespects our history.”
     
    Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA): “If you have a high tariff on our product, and we have a low tariff on your product, we ought to level them out. That just seems fair to me.”
     
    Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS): “President Trump is a leader who brokers deals that put AMERICAN workers first. The days of unfair, one-sided trade deals that let foreigners take advantage of our country are over. The sky is not falling. @POTUS is protecting our Steel and Aluminum industry workers — and in the end, America will have the upper hand. As it should be.”
     
    Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC): “President Trump’s approach to tariffs is designed with the long-term benefits of American consumers and national security in mind. By prioritizing fair trade policies and a balanced approach to tariffs, we’ll secure the economic prosperity of American workers across the country.”
     
    Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL): “The media is in full meltdown mode after President Trump imposed duties and retaliatory tariffs this week on countries who have been ripping us off for decades. Both aluminum and steel are critical to our national security — and we make some of the best in the world right here at home. President Trump’s strategic tariffs will strengthen and revitalize our nation’s economy by making sure our trade deals are fair to taxpayers and the American worker.”
     
    Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN): “President @realDonaldTrump is a master negotiator, especially when it comes to tariffs. Don’t just take my word for it — even Biden’s own commerce secretary admitted that the tariffs President Trump placed on foreign steel and aluminum during his first term were effective.”
     
    Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI): “Millions of Americans are cheering for @POTUS’s tariff negotiations. He has proven his effectiveness in this arena time and time again. This will be no different. He is sending a message to the world. Compete fairly, or pay the price.”
     
    Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO): “President Trump is wasting no time moving forward with his America First trade policy. The days of the United States allowing our trading partners to steam roll us are over. President Trump successfully used tariffs in the past to grow our economy and protect American jobs. He imposed steel and aluminum tariffs in 2018, and now he is eliminating exceptions countries like China have used to circumvent them. I look forward to continuing to work with @POTUS to put America First and hold our trading partners accountable.”
     
    Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA): “President Trump is sending a loud and clear message: America is DONE letting foreign countries undercut our economy. Once again, he’s delivering on his promise to PUT AMERICA FIRST!”
     
    Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL): “President Trump is ABSOLUTELY RIGHT to tariff & combat Communist #China!”
     
    Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN): “Unfair trade practices have led to our nation being on the wrong end of too many bad deals. That’s coming to an end. President Trump is taking action to protect America’s steel and aluminum industries with his latest executive order, continuing to put America first.”
     
    Rep. Dan Meuser (R-PA): “President @realDonaldTrump is taking action to protect the American steel industry by closing loopholes that allow other countries to bypass U.S. tariffs through Mexico and Canada. This move will strengthen domestic production and encourage critical investment in U.S. Steel.”
     
    Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL): “Trading with the United States is a privilege, not a right. President Trump’s America First trade policy will advance our priorities abroad and grow prosperity at home!”
     
    Rep. Keith Self (R-TX): “President Trump KEEPS HIS PROMISES! @realDonaldTrump is delivering on his promise to rebalance trade from unfair foreign competition. In the Golden Age, we are building a stronger America.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray, Former WA Federal Workers Highlight How Trump Administration’s Unprecedented Assault on Federal Workers in WA State and Nationwide is Undermining Essential Services

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “The American government is not Twitter—you can’t just run around breaking things and hope for the best. Americans rely on our federal workforce. They do essential, and often thankless jobs to keep our country running—and sometimes their work can be the difference between life and death.”
    Steve Kohfal, retired SSA worker, AFGE Local 3937: “Cancelling Field Office leases and reducing staffing to a 50-year low would further demoralize workers and destroy Social Security’s ability to serve the public.”
    ***VIDEO HERE***
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, held a virtual press conference with former federal workers in Washington state to sound the alarm on how the Trump administration and Elon Musk are waging an all-out assault on America’s federal workforce, threatening to functionally decimate—through illegal actions and hostile pressure tactics—federal agencies that are often already understaffed. These attacks on the federal workforce threaten to undermine so many of the essential services Americans rely on, from air traffic control to food safety inspections.
    Joining Senator Murray for the press conference were: Helen Bottcher, who recently retired from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and currently serves as treasurer for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 1110 in Seattle; Jonathan Fox, who recently retired after 35 years as a National Weather Service Forecaster and lives in Spokane; and Steve Kofahl, a retired federal worker based in Everett who spent more than four decades at the Social Security Administration (SSA) and serves as Retiree Coordinator for AFGE District 11 and President Emeritus for AFGE Local 3937.
    From pressuring federal workers to take scammy “buyouts,” to firing and reassigning hundreds of top officials; placing workers on leave en masse including at USAID, CFPB, and the Department of Education; threatening mass layoffs and budget cuts to encourage more federal employees to quit their jobs; and denigrating the essential work public servants do—we have seen an unprecedented assault by Donald Trump and Elon Musk on our nation’s essential federal workforce over the past few weeks. 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.
    “Over the past few weeks, we have seen a lawless Trump administration attempt a hostile takeover of our nonpartisan career civil service,” Senator Murray said.“There are more than 56,000 civilian federal workers in Washington state and 2.4 million across the country—we’re talking about everyone from folks supporting the nuclear cleanup work at the Hanford site, to scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to the people who are making sure you get your Social Security check… They deserve better than to be threatened, intimidated, and pushed out the door by Elon Musk and Donald Trump.”
    “What everyone needs to understand is that this administration’s attacks on federal workers don’t just hurt those workers—they hurt people all over our country,” Senator Murray continued. “Veterans suffer when they have to wait longer at the VA. Seniors suffer when they can’t get someone to just answer the phone at the Social Security Administration. We all suffer when we don’t have federal watchdogs going after scams, or investigating crimes. When we don’t have researchers at NASA or NIH making new breakthroughs, or park rangers keeping who are our national parks open for people to enjoy. The American government is not Twitter—you can’t just run around breaking things and hope for the best.”
    “The stories I am hearing from my former colleagues are heart-breaking,” said Helen Bottcher, who retired from the EPA in 2023. “I’ve spoken with or heard about employees who are having panic attacks that landed them in the ER, who can’t sleep, and who have become physically ill because of the stress. I’ve seen the infamous ‘Fork in the Road’ email and the subsequent messages urging federal employees to quit. The language in these communications is disgusting – it is insulting, degrading and abusive. No one deserves to be treated this way… People aren’t wrong to be afraid.  The purge has begun at EPA.  Last Thursday, nine employees from EPA’s regional office were placed on administrative leave, suddenly and with virtually no warning. They were targeted because they were identified as working on Environmental Justice issues. They are not allowed to work, to enter the office or to use any agency equipment or systems. They are being paid for now, but they don’t know how much longer their pay will continue. They have simply no idea what will happen next. Will they be fired? Demoted? Assigned a new job? Forced to move to another state? It’s just chaos, and I think that chaos is intentional – it is designed to break people’s spirits and to divide them.”
    “Given the early chaos of the new administration, it is important for the people of Washington state and the country to know the impacts being experienced by our federal employees. There is a real fear about job security that stems from uncertainty about the future. There has been a lack of direct communication from this administration. The only source of information, which is more like misinformation, comes from social media outlets that are only serving to stoke more fear into the federal workforce,” said Jonathan Fox, who retired last month from the National Weather Service—a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—where he was a meteorologist producing lifesaving winter weather, severe weather, and fire weather forecasts for nearly 35 years. “For the National Weather Service employees, their mission is to save life and property and promote the enhancement of the national economy. That is their sole focus, and they all take their responsibility quite seriously. Frankly, they deserve better from this administration.”
    “Cancelling Field Office leases and reducing staffing to a 50-year low would further demoralize workers and destroy Social Security’s ability to serve the public,” said Steve Kohfal, who worked for the Social Security Administration (SSA) for 42 years before retiring in 2015, and now serves as the Retiree Coordinator for AFGE District 11 and President Emeritus for AFGE Local 3937. “Over 1 million disability claims and appeals are pending, and 30,000 applicants died last year while awaiting a decision. That’s unacceptable. Further cuts would be cruel and devastating.
    Senator Murray’s full remarks from today’s press conference are below and video is HERE:
    “Over the past few weeks, we have seen a lawless Trump administration attempt a hostile takeover of our nonpartisan career civil service.
    “From firing career prosecutors at the Department of Justice to gutting the entire federal agency, USAID; pressuring nearly the entire federal workforce to take a so-called “buyout” offer that reads a lot more like a scam; putting people on administrative leave en masse for no reason and threatening sweeping layoffs for people who stay; locking employees out of their offices, out of their devices, and telling them to cease all work—and even communication—without notice; and belittling public employees at every turn, including by calling their jobs ‘lower productivity’ than jobs in the private sector…
    “The assault that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are waging on federal workers is staggering—and unprecedented.
    “And last week, over Democrats’ objections, Senate Republicans confirmed Russell Vought to lead the Office of Management and Budget. This is someone who said he wanted to inflict ‘trauma’ on our federal workers. That is an insane way to talk about a workforce we rely on for some absolutely essential services.
    “Now, there are more than 56,000 civilian federal workers in Washington state and 2.4 million across the country—we’re talking about everyone from folks who support the nuclear cleanup work at the Hanford site, to scientists at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to the people who are making sure you get your Social Security check.
    “These are civil servants who took an oath to our country, and are working tirelessly to get veterans their health care, inspect our meat processing facilities, make sure baby formula is safe, approve lifesaving drugs and treatments, manage our air traffic control, protect consumers from fraud, and help ensure we have clean drinking water, just to name a few.
    “They deserve better than to be threatened, intimidated, and pushed out the door by Elon Musk and Donald Trump.
    “But make no mistake, we actually need these people to stay in their jobs or things are going to start breaking. What everyone needs to understand is that this administration’s attacks on federal workers don’t just hurt those workers—they hurt people all over our country.
    “Veterans suffer when they have to wait longer at the VA. Seniors suffer when they can’t get someone to just answer the phone at the Social Security Administration.
    “We all suffer when we don’t have federal watchdogs going after scams, or investigating crimes. When we don’t have researchers at NASA or NIH making new breakthroughs, or park rangers keeping who are our national parks open for people to enjoy.
    “The American government is not Twitter—you can’t just run around breaking things and hope for the best.
    “Americans rely on our federal workforce. They do essential, and often thankless jobs to keep our country running—and sometimes, their work can be the difference between life and death.
    “So I want to say a huge, sincere thank you to federal workers in Washington state and across the country. You make our country better.
    “And I want you to know, I am in your corner and I am going to keep lifting up your stories, fighting for you, and holding this administration to account.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murray, Senate Colleagues Demand Answers from USDA on Wildfire Mitigation Projects, Firefighting Hiring Halted by Trump’s Funding Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, joined Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Ranking Member of the Senate Interior-Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, in sending a letter demanding answers from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding the unlawful halt of federal funds needed to mitigate and fight wildfires.
    Even though President Donald Trump did not apply the hiring freeze to positions related to “public safety,” federal firefighters are not currently exempt, and many have reported that their job offers were rescinded. In their letter to Acting Secretary Gary Washington, the senators pressed for more information on the stalled projects and hiring of thousands of federal firefighters, which are critical to protecting our nation’s forests and American families.
    “We write with significant concerns regarding the impact of halting the disbursement of funds for forest management and restoration projects, as well as the universal hiring freeze for Department of Agriculture personnel, including permanent and seasonal firefighters,” the senators wrote. “[A]ddressing the threat of wildfire—even in winter months—should remain a top priority for the Forest Service and the Department of Agriculture. The funds provided by Congress for this work led to record-breaking accomplishments in forest management in 2024. Halting these payments is not only unlawful but also endangers our rural communities by removing a vital component of their economies and delaying critical work to mitigate the threat of wildfire.”
    “Significant questions remain around which projects, grants, and agreements have been affected by these executive actions, but there is no doubt that these actions will damage essential programs that Americans rely on to keep them safe,” the senators continued, requesting additional information and responses to a number of questions about the ongoing funding freeze at USDA.  
    The full text of the letter is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Senate Floor Speech, Durbin Recounts Crimes Of Insurrectionists Pardoned By President Trump

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin

    February 11, 2025

    In his remarks, Durbin spoke about the dangerous misconduct and criminal records of pardoned insurrectionists

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered remarks on the Senate floor detailing the crimes that January 6th insurrectionists have been charged with since President Trump’s reckless decision to pardon them for their crimes committed during the storming of the U.S. Capitol, including the violent assault on law enforcement officers. The events of that day resulted in the death of five law enforcement officers and the injury of more than 140 others.  Durbin began his speech by recounting his own experience on January 6, 2021, as Congress had convened to certify the 2020 election.

    “The President made these statements during the course of his campaign, but it still came as something of a shock, when on the first day of his presidency, Donald Trump decided to issue a blanket pardon for those who had been convicted for the January 6 riot that took place in this building,” Durbin began.  “For those of us who were physically present, it’s a moment we’ll never forget.  The Vice President of the United States was sitting in your chair, presiding over the United States Senate as we addressed the constitutional responsibility of counting the electoral votes.  It was roughly ten minutes after 2:00 in the afternoon when someone came along in a suit, walked up to the Vice President of the United States, grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him off of the chair.”

    “The Capitol of the United States of America taken over by demonstrators.  The United States Senate and House of Representatives stopped in progress of doing their constitutional responsibility of counting the electoral votes.  And we’ve seen the videotapes.  There are plenty of them that show these mob demonstrators breaking the windows to get into the Capitol building, knocking down the doors, and then beating up on the police officers,” Durbin said.

    “They [law enforcement officers] were beaten up by these mobsters, these thugs, these demonstrators, who were egged on by the President of the United States to come up and go wild in the United States Capitol.  They went wild, spraying bear spray into the face of individual policemen, beating up on them with poles and pieces of furniture,” Durbin said.

    Durbin went on to denounce President Trump’s decision to issue sweeping pardons for those on trial or convicted of crimes related to the January 6th insurrection. 

    “Then came the President of the United States on his first day in office, and what did he do? He decided that every single person arrested for a crime related to January 6 should be released with a full and unconditional pardon.  That’s what he did,” Durbin said.

    Durbin continued on, explaining that there has been a flood of stories related to the disturbing criminal history and new crimes committed by insurrectionists since President Trump has issued his pardon. 

    “In the three weeks that have passed since the President made that decision, there’s some interesting stories… Emily Hernandez pleaded guilty to entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds in relation to her actions at the Capitol on January 6.  Ms. Hernandez was seen holding a stolen, broken name plate of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  She served 30 days in federal prison and was released. Days after being pardoned by President Trump, she was sentenced to ten years in prison for a 2022 deadly drunk driving crash in Missouri during which she collided with a couple, Victoria and Ryan Wilson, who just left dinner celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary.  Victoria died in the crash, and Ryan sustained serious injuries,” Durbin said.

    “Then there’s Daniel Ball, arrested for throwing an explosive device that detonated on at least 25 officers and forcefully shoving police at the Capitol on January 6.  Daniel Ball was in possession of a gun and ammunition upon his arrest, which was illegal considering his criminal background.  The Department of Justice dismissed Ball’s charges following President Trump’s pardon,” Durbin said.

    Durbin spoke then spoke about Guy Reffitt, the first defendant to stand trial on charges related to the January 6 insurrection.  Just weeks after his pardon, Reffitt returned to the Capitol to support Kash Patel, who has been nominated to serve as FBI Director despite a troubling record of peddling conspiracy theories about January 6 and whistleblower reports that he was personally involved in the ongoing purge of senior law enforcement officials at the FBI.

    “Guy Reffitt…was sentenced to 87 months in prison for bringing a firearm to the Capitol on January 6, 2021.  Reffitt’s 19-year-old son, Jackson, turned him into law enforcement after the attack.  Jackson also indicated that Reffitt had threatened to shoot him and his sister, Peyton, if they reported him to authorities,” Durbin said.

    “After receiving a pardon from President Trump, Guy Reffitt attended Kash Patel’s Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing.  Kash Patel is President Trump’s nominee to be the Director and head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Reffitt attended that committee nomination [hearing].  Here’s what he posted on social media afterward… ‘Present and in support of @KashPatel as the leftist commies continue to spew lies, misinformation and disinformation. My man Klean House Kash…!!!’” Durbin quoted Reffitt.

    “He certainly seems like he learned his lesson, right?  Served time in jail, released with a pardon by the President.  He’s at it again, defying the authorities, defying anyone who disagrees with him politically.  Full, unconditional pardon from Donald Trump,” Durbin concluded his remarks.

    Video of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.

    Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here.

    Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the floor is available here for TV Stations.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Haverhill Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine and Firearms Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Haverhill man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to trafficking cocaine and illegal firearms in and around the Boston area.

    Cordell Miller, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, aiding and abetting and one count of trafficking in firearms and conspiracy to do so. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2025. Miller was arrested and charged in November 2023 along with alleged co-conspirators Malcolm Desir and Alan Robinson.

    Miller was identified as a firearms and ammunition trafficker in the metro Boston area. In August 2023, Miller arranged for the sale of distribution weight cocaine and several firearms to a cooperating witness. Prior to his arrest in November 2023, Miller and Robinson facilitated the sale of four separate firearms: an AR-15 “ghost gun” rifle; a Polymer 80 “ghost gun” pistol; a HIPOINT 9mm rifle; and a Ruger .38 caliber pistol.

    In January 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 15, 2025. Desir is scheduled to plead guilty on Feb. 19, 2025.

    The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
            
    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mason City Man Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Federal Prison for His Role in Distribution of Methamphetamine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Monroe Thompson, age 40, from Mason City, was sentenced February 7, 2025, to more than 20 years in federal prison after an August 28, 2024, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

    Evidence in the case revealed that between May 2023, and August 2023, Thompson was part of an ongoing drug conspiracy based in Mason City, Iowa to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.  Thompson purchased methamphetamine from sources working with law enforcement.  During the execution of a search warrant at Thompson’s residence, officers located counterfeit M-30 pills containing fentanyl.

    Thompson has an extensive criminal history including several convictions for possession of controlled substances, possession of a firearm by a felon, and assault – inflicting serious injury in Iowa; Absence from custody in Minnesota; possession of controlled substances and/or selling or manufacturing controlled substances, and possession of firearms in Illinois; as well as Burglary, taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, disorderly conduct and resisting or obstructing, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in Wisconsin. 

    Thompson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 262 months’ imprisonment.  He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Thompson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

    The case was investigated by the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons.  

    Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

    The case file number is 24-3014.

    Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Willie Mills, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, pled guilty on Monday to possession of a firearm as a felon and distribution of fentanyl.

    United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, made the announcement.

    Mills admitted to possessing an EAA semiautomatic pistol and distributing 895 pills containing fentanyl. As a result of his prior felony conviction for criminal possession of a firearm, Mills could not lawfully possess the pistol.

    Mills faces a mandatory prison term of at least 5 years and maximum term of 40 years, a fine up to $5 million, and a supervised release term of at least 4 years and up to life. 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.

    DEA is investigating the case with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Paulbeck is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures 20-Year Sentence for Albuquerque Drug Trafficker Following Jury Conviction

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man with a history of felony convictions was sentenced to 248 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms offenses after being found guilty at trial of possessing nearly two pounds of methamphetamine and a loaded handgun.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on February 20, 2021, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call about a suspicious person in Albuquerque’s South Valley. Deputies observed Jaime Valdez, 36, matching the description and noticed him acting nervously. Upon approach, Valdez began reaching into his pockets and a duffle bag, prompting deputies to secure him.

    A search revealed a loaded pistol in Valdez’s pocket and approximately $2,560 in cash, two packages containing 859.8 grams of pure methamphetamine, and drug packaging materials and a scale in the duffle bag.

    Valdez, who had three outstanding felony warrants and was previously convicted of felony charges including False Imprisonment and Child Abuse, was prohibited from possessing firearms.

    Upon his release from prison, Valdez will be subject to five years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, made the announcement today.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nora Wilson and Joseph Spindle prosecuted the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Reacts to Patel Working Behind-the-Scenes to Fire FBI Agents

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today reacted to reports Kash Patel has been personally involved in the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to target and fire career FBI agents and officials.  
    “If these reports are true, this is perjury. Under oath, Kash Patel said he had no recollection of any discussions or details about plans to purge career FBI agents—but whistleblowers have revealed that he was not only aware but orchestrating it,” said Senator Welch. “Kash Patel’s goal is to wreck the FBI, and my colleagues across the aisle must vote no.”  
    Following his confirmation hearing, Senator Welch asked Mr. Patel in written Questions for the Record about his involvement pursing any specific individuals. Under oath, Mr. Patel answered:  

    He later provided the following answers, also under oath: 

    Read Mr. Patel’s responses to all of Senator Welch’s Questions for the Record here.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Various activities held across China to celebrate upcoming Lantern Festival

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

    Various activities held across China to celebrate upcoming Lantern Festival

    Updated: February 11, 2025 21:34 Xinhua
    People perform dragon dance during an event celebrating the Lantern Festival at Yuanshi County in the city of Shijiazhuang, north China’s Hebei Province, Feb. 9, 2025. Various activities are held across the country to celebrate the upcoming Lantern Festival which falls on Feb. 12 this year. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A girl looks at lanterns during an event celebrating the Lantern Festival in Ninghai County of Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A girl looks at radish lamps with Chinese characters meaning good harvest in Linyi, east China’s Shandong Province, Feb. 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo shows people enjoying a folk art event celebrating the Lantern Festival in Zhuanglang of Pingliang, northwest China’s Gansu Province, Feb. 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Folk artists stage a molten iron fireworks show during an event celebrating the Lantern Festival in Wenxian County of Jiaozuo, central China’s Henan Province, Feb. 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
    People parade during an event in Xuyi County, east China’s Jiangsu Province, Feb. 11, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –