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Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 07/10/2024 Minister Radosław Sikorski commemorated the victims of the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023.

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    Minister Radosław Sikorski honored the memory of the victims of the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023.07.10.2024The ceremony took place in the gardens of the Embassy of Israel in Warsaw in the presence of the Minister in the Chancellery of the President Wojciech Kolarski, the diplomatic corps, representatives of Jewish organizations. El embajador Yacov Livne expressed gratitude to the president, the government and the Polish nation for unanimously condemning the attack a year ago.

    In the October attack by Hamas and other groups on Israeli territory, approximately 1,200 people were killed, including over 800 civilians. In addition, 251 people were kidnapped to the Gaza Strip – 117 of whom were released, most of whom were released in November last year as a result of a short-term ceasefire. As a result of these events and further actions in the Gaza Strip, at least 19 people of Polish origin were killed, including 9 people with dual Polish and Israeli citizenship. One of the victims – the historian Alex Dancyg, born in Warsaw and distinguished for Polish-Jewish dialogue, was remembered by his son Yuval Dancyg. Minister Sikorski recalled that Poland has always condemned terrorism in any form and hopes that in the future the inhabitants of the Middle East will live in harmony. Those participating in the ceremony expressed solidarity with the group of 101 hostages still held in the Gaza Strip. The fate of most of them remains unknown.

    MILES AXIS

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Golden introduces bill for congressional oversight of postmaster general, blasts proposed rural mail delays

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02)

    WASHINGTON — Congressmen Jared Golden (ME-02) and August Pfluger (TX-11) today introduced the bipartisan Postmaster General Reform Act, which would establish term limits for the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) postmaster general and require nominations to be confirmed by the Senate. Golden’s bill comes after he co-led a new bipartisan letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy criticizing the agency’s announcement that it will further slow mail delivery for rural communities. 

    “The Postal Service should be accountable to the people it serves,” Golden said. “Requiring congressional approval for the head of the agency is a basic yet necessary step to make the postmaster general more responsive and attentive to the communities who justifiably feel ignored by current USPS leadership.”

    “As Americans across the country experience mail delays and difficulties, especially in rural areas, it is important to uphold standards of efficiency and attention to detail in our postal service,” Pfluger said. “By giving the President and Senate the power to appoint a postmaster general we are holding an incredibly important agency accountable.”

    Currently, only the Postal Service Board of Governors has the power to appoint or fire the postmaster general, who may serve an unlimited term. The Board of Governors is composed of nine presidential appointees that must be confirmed by the Senate. 

    The Postmaster General Reform Act would move these authorities to the president and require the Senate to approve any postmaster general nominee. After the conclusion of a five year term, the Senate would have the ability to extend the postmaster general’s term to a second and final five year term.

    A Senate version of the Postmaster General Reform Act is led by Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA).

    “We look forward to more oversight and control over the Postmaster General, as the current system is failing,” Scott Adams, president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 458 said. 

    Golden’s newest bipartisan letter to Postmaster DeJoy — signed by 20 House lawmakers  — follows the Postal Service’s announcement that it will lengthen delivery times by at least 24 hours for communities further than 50 miles from a USPS processing center. Maine’s only processing centers are located in Scarborough and Hampden.

    “While we understand the need for modernization and financial changes across the Postal Service, these changes cannot come at the expense of rural residents who rely on the USPS,” the lawmakers wrote. “Americans, particularly those living in rural areas depend on the Postal Service for medicine, food, paychecks and bills. For many families that we represent, a one-day delivery delay could mean late fees on a bill, a held-up paycheck creating financial stress and increased health risks awaiting critical medication. This is especially important for rural constituents who may not live near a hospital or doctor’s office.”

    Golden has been a champion of holding the Postal Service accountable to Mainers throughout his time in Congress. Following his outreach to Postmaster General DeJoy earlier this summer,USPS signed a new lease for its West Paris facility, which had been closed for more than three years.USPS reopened its Etna facility earlier this year after pressure from Golden. Last month, USPS announced that it was postponing plans to consolidate the Eastern Maine Processing & Distribution Facility in Hampden after bipartisan efforts led by Golden and other members of Congress. His bipartisan Timely Mail Delivery and Postal Services Protection Act — which he introduced in April — would permanently block the process USPS uses to consolidate mail processing facilities across the country. 

    Text of the Postmaster General Reform Act can be found here. Golden’s letter can be found here, and is attached below in full:

     

    +++

    September 30, 2024

    Postmaster General Louis DeJoy
    USPS – Headquarters
    475 L’Enfant Plaza, SW
    Washington, DC 20260

    Postmaster General DeJoy:

    We are writing to express our extreme concern with the United States Postal Service’s (USPS) August 22, 2024, announcement that you will be adjusting mail delivery times, resulting in additional delays for our constituents who live in rural areas and areas that are more than 50 miles from a USPS processing center.

    While we understand the need for modernization and financial changes across the Postal Service, these changes cannot come at the expense of rural residents who rely on the USPS. Americans, particularly those living in rural areas depend on the Postal Service for medicine, food, paychecks and bills. For many families that we represent, a one-day delivery delay could mean late fees on a bill, a held-up paycheck creating financial stress and increased health risks awaiting critical medication. This is especially important for rural constituents who may not live near a hospital or doctor’s office.

    With this in mind, we ask you to reconsider your proposed changes to service standards, which could result in longer shipping times for those who do not live near a major USPS hub. While we understand that our constituents, regardless of proximity to larger postal facilities, would still be under the existing one-to-five-day service standards, USPS has already been failing to meet these delivery standards for many of our constituents. Adding up to 24 hours of additional delays for rural residents will only exacerbate the existing on-time delivery problems our constituents are facing.

    In the second quarter of fiscal year 2024, USPS reported that their on-time quarterly performance fell to 69.9% for three-to-five-day First Class mail delivery, far below USPS’s target of 90.3% on-time delivery for three-to-five day mail. This means that even before these changes take effect, nearly a third of USPS customers who use the three-to-five-day mailing options are not receiving their mail on time. Increased delays for some consumers will only increase delivery issues for our rural constituents and further decrease public faith in USPS’s ability to deliver on-time mail for all constituents, regardless of location.

    Given the information provided, we strongly urge you to reconsider these plans. We also ask that you provide us with a list of counties, towns and ZIP codes that will face longer wait times for mail as a result of this plan. We request a response in writing by October 18, 2024.

    We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Rep. Adam Smith on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attack

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)

    Statement from Rep. Adam Smith on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attack 

    Today, Representative Smith released a statement on the one-year anniversary of the October 7 attack, reiterating the importance of a ceasefire and a return of the hostages. 

    “Today marks the one-year anniversary of the horrific attack on Israel by Hamas. On October 7, 2023, over 1,200 men, women, and children were brutally murdered, including 46 U.S. citizens, and hundreds more were taken hostage. My thoughts are with the victims of this staggering act of terrorist violence, as well as their loved ones and survivors. 

    “As I have said before, I vehemently condemn that attack, and Israel has a right and a duty to ensure Hamas is never able to commit such an atrocity again. Israel also has a right to defend against hostilities from Iran, Hezbollah, and other threats. I support the U.S.’s financial and military commitment to Israel’s security. Attacks on Israel from regional actors have significantly increased, threatening civilians across the Middle East and in Israel. We must continue to assist Israel in their defense against these existential threats.

    “The U.S. must also remain committed to working with all partners in the region to try to reduce hostilities and ultimately get to a ceasefire. The war in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of people and, despite countless attempts to rescue them, more than 100 hostages remain in captivity – including four American citizens. Civilians in the Gaza strip are struggling to survive in catastrophic conditions lacking basic necessities like food, water, medical care, and shelter. It is crucial that Israel do everything they can to safeguard civilians and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Ensuring a future of self-governance for the Palestinian people is in the best interest of not only the Palestinians, but also of Israel and the Middle East. It is the only path that offers viable long-term security for Israel and peace, prosperity, and dignity for the Palestinian people. Israel, the United States, and allies and partners in the region must keep working toward that end.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: CLARKE ISSUES STATEMENT MARKING ONE YEAR SINCE THE OCTOBER 7 ATTACK ON ISRAEL

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke (9th District of New York)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

    October 7, 2024

    MEDIA CONTACT: 

    e: jessica.myers@mail.house.gov

    c: 202.913.0126

    Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) issued the following statement:

    “It has been a difficult year since October 7th, 2023, where we watched in horror as 1,200 innocent people, including 46 Americans, were brutally killed by Hamas terrorists. We must all condemn the heinous acts of brutality they perpetrated on the people of Kfar Aza, the Nova Music Festival, and the oppressive hold that Hamas has over the people of Gaza – the victims of this war. The indifference to killing must end.

    “As, we continue to mourn all those lost on that terrible day, and as we continue our work to free the hostages from their captors, I am mindful that this tragic chapter is only the most recent in a long and devastating history of antisemitism, hatred, and pain that the Jewish community has confronted over the millennia. But it has also reaffirmed the spirit of perseverance that will forever define the Jewish people.

    “In this painful and pivotal moment, it is imperative for the United States to maintain its commitment to the our ally Israel and continue in its efforts to bring about the release of the hostages that have been held in Gaza for the past year and secure a pathway to peace and stability to the war that is engulfing the Middle East.

    “Through this past year, too much blood has been shed, and too many lives have been lost. Too much pain has found innocent people, and too many families have been torn apart. The trauma and aftershocks of the October 7th attack continue to be felt beyond our shores as war and tragedy continues to plague the Middle East. Here at home, we are confronting rising hate and antisemitism and Islamophobia in our own communities. Sadly, too many of our visibly religious neighbors feel unsafe walking their own streets. As the Congressional representative of one of our nation’s most diverse populations, like any blended community, we take great pride in supporting one another during trying times. We pray and work for brighter days, because these times of conflict and hardship must come to an end.

    “As we mark today’s devastating anniversary, let it remind each of us that Israelis and Palestinians deserve to live in dignity, safety, and security. In memory of all those innocent people that we have lost, and in full consideration of all those we hope to save, it is time to embrace a lasting ceasefire and to, at long last, begin walking the path towards peace.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from Congressman Dan Goldman on the Anniversary of the October 7 Terror Attacks in Israel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    New York, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) today issued the following statement to mark the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terror attacks.

    “One year ago today, on a sacred Jewish holiday, my family and I were awoken by sirens in our Tel Aviv hotel and scurried to a bomb shelter to avoid rocket fire from Hamas, a terrorist organization dedicated to the eradication of Israel and all Jews.

    “We know what happened that day: 1200 people were murdered, including 46 Americans; more than 250 people were illegally abducted as hostages, including more than 100 who still remain in unthinkable conditions; barbaric sexual violence and the indiscriminate desecration and beheading of babies and the elderly alike.

    “My heart is back in Israel today, mourning with all those saying Kaddish for loved ones and desperately hoping for the return of the hostages and the deceased in the tunnels in Gaza.

    “The past year has laid bare that Hamas is just one of seven Iranian-backed terrorist proxies intent not only on the destruction of Israel but of western democracy itself, including the United States.

    “Americans of all color, creed and religion must remain united against terrorism around the globe, and we must stand firmly alongside our democratic ally, Israel, in its defense from forces of terror.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Palestine, Lebanon & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:

    – Secretary-General /Middle East
    – Occupied Palestinian Territory
    – Lebanon
    – Lebanon/Humanitarian
    – UN Refugee Agency
    – Sudan
    – Deputy Secretary-General/South Africa
    – International Days
    – Programming Note

    Secretary-General /Middle East
    In a video message, the Secretary-General said that today, October 7, marks one year since the horrific events that took place when Hamas launched a large-scale terror attack in Israel, killing over 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals, including children and women. He said that this is a day for the global community to repeat in the loudest voice our utter condemnation of the abhorrent acts of Hamas, including the taking of hostages.  
    The Secretary-General demanded once again the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Until then, Hamas must allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit the hostages. 
    He said the war that has followed the terrible attacks of one year ago continues to shatter lives and inflict profound human suffering for Palestinians in Gaza, and now the people of Lebanon. The Secretary-General asserted that it is time for the release of the hostages. Time to silence the guns.  Time to stop the suffering that has engulfed the region.  Time for peace, international law and justice.
    You will find messages throughout the UN system marking one year since the 7 October attacks.
    Among those is a statement by the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland, saying that, during his engagements with Israeli officials and other stakeholders, the Special Coordinator expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks, with his profound sympathy for the families of those who were abducted. He reiterated his commitment to mediation efforts towards a ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
    Joyce Msuya, the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, also said that today it has been 12 months of unrelenting tragedy that must end. She calls for the hostages to be released and treated humanely; for civilians to be protected and have their essential needs met; for Palestinians arbitrarily detained to be released; for humanitarian workers to be safeguarded and have their work facilitated; for perpetrators to be held to account for any serious violations of international humanitarian law; and for the assault on Gaza to stop.

    Occupied Palestinian Territory
    On the ground, our OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) colleagues remain very concerned that areas north of Wadi Gaza that are increasingly being cut off, compounded by the issuance of evacuation orders for the vast areas there. This is putting pressure on more than 400,000 people to move south to Al Mawasi, an area that is overcrowded, polluted and lacking in the basic services that people need.
    Southern Gaza is completely overwhelmed and cannot accommodate more people.
    As of this morning, initial information indicates that more than 50,000 men, women and children have been displaced within northern Gaza, and some patients have left hospitals in the evacuation zone. Many others in the north, especially in the Jabalya camp, are trapped in their homes, unable to leave safely. So far, few families have crossed Wadi Gaza heading South.
    We and our partners are continuing to closely monitor the movement of people and also to provide displaced families with the necessary assistance as needed. However, OCHA stresses that ordering civilians to evacuate does not keep them safe if they have no safe place to go and no shelter, and food, medicine or water to survive.
    OCHA warns that the situation in northern Gaza is increasingly dire – with residential areas being attacked, hospitals ordered to evacuate, and electricity still cut off. As heavy bombing and ground operations in the north continue, medical facilities and other essential services there are at risk of shutting down. Bakeries are already closing, with workers displaced along with their families. No fuel or commercial goods are allowed in, and aid workers are only able to bring in a trickle of humanitarian aid through Israeli checkpoints in parts of the north.
    Meanwhile in the south, there is no shelter stock as the rainy season approaches, and health supplies are running low.
    Israeli authorities have allocated a single, unsafe road for aid workers to bring in supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing, where they face active hostilities and violent, armed looting, fuelled by the collapse of public order and safety.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=07%20October%202024

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPZPv9BC4XA

    MIL OSI Video –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Palestine, Lebanon & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

    Highlights:

    – Secretary-General /Middle East
    – Occupied Palestinian Territory
    – Lebanon
    – Lebanon/Humanitarian
    – UN Refugee Agency
    – Sudan
    – Deputy Secretary-General/South Africa
    – International Days
    – Programming Note

    Secretary-General /Middle East
    In a video message, the Secretary-General said that today, October 7, marks one year since the horrific events that took place when Hamas launched a large-scale terror attack in Israel, killing over 1,250 Israelis and foreign nationals, including children and women. He said that this is a day for the global community to repeat in the loudest voice our utter condemnation of the abhorrent acts of Hamas, including the taking of hostages.  
    The Secretary-General demanded once again the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Until then, Hamas must allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit the hostages. 
    He said the war that has followed the terrible attacks of one year ago continues to shatter lives and inflict profound human suffering for Palestinians in Gaza, and now the people of Lebanon. The Secretary-General asserted that it is time for the release of the hostages. Time to silence the guns.  Time to stop the suffering that has engulfed the region.  Time for peace, international law and justice.
    You will find messages throughout the UN system marking one year since the 7 October attacks.
    Among those is a statement by the Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland, saying that, during his engagements with Israeli officials and other stakeholders, the Special Coordinator expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the attacks, with his profound sympathy for the families of those who were abducted. He reiterated his commitment to mediation efforts towards a ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
    Joyce Msuya, the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, also said that today it has been 12 months of unrelenting tragedy that must end. She calls for the hostages to be released and treated humanely; for civilians to be protected and have their essential needs met; for Palestinians arbitrarily detained to be released; for humanitarian workers to be safeguarded and have their work facilitated; for perpetrators to be held to account for any serious violations of international humanitarian law; and for the assault on Gaza to stop.

    Occupied Palestinian Territory
    On the ground, our OCHA (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) colleagues remain very concerned that areas north of Wadi Gaza that are increasingly being cut off, compounded by the issuance of evacuation orders for the vast areas there. This is putting pressure on more than 400,000 people to move south to Al Mawasi, an area that is overcrowded, polluted and lacking in the basic services that people need.
    Southern Gaza is completely overwhelmed and cannot accommodate more people.
    As of this morning, initial information indicates that more than 50,000 men, women and children have been displaced within northern Gaza, and some patients have left hospitals in the evacuation zone. Many others in the north, especially in the Jabalya camp, are trapped in their homes, unable to leave safely. So far, few families have crossed Wadi Gaza heading South.
    We and our partners are continuing to closely monitor the movement of people and also to provide displaced families with the necessary assistance as needed. However, OCHA stresses that ordering civilians to evacuate does not keep them safe if they have no safe place to go and no shelter, and food, medicine or water to survive.
    OCHA warns that the situation in northern Gaza is increasingly dire – with residential areas being attacked, hospitals ordered to evacuate, and electricity still cut off. As heavy bombing and ground operations in the north continue, medical facilities and other essential services there are at risk of shutting down. Bakeries are already closing, with workers displaced along with their families. No fuel or commercial goods are allowed in, and aid workers are only able to bring in a trickle of humanitarian aid through Israeli checkpoints in parts of the north.
    Meanwhile in the south, there is no shelter stock as the rainy season approaches, and health supplies are running low.
    Israeli authorities have allocated a single, unsafe road for aid workers to bring in supplies from the Kerem Shalom crossing, where they face active hostilities and violent, armed looting, fuelled by the collapse of public order and safety.

    Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=07%20October%202024

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPZPv9BC4XA

    MIL OSI Video –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Video: Israel on October 7 attacks – Security Council Media Stakeout | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Remarks to the media by Danny Danon, Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, on the one year anniversary since the October 7 terror attacks.

    —

    Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon told reporters in New York today (Oct 7) that October 7th marked Israel’s “worst nightmare realized.” Danon said, “Hamas terrorists invaded our communities in order to massacre, rape and kidnap our brothers and sisters. They showed no mercy, slaughtering men, women and children, ripping apart families and destroying entire communities.”

    Danon also said, “the UN has failed in its most basic mandate to protect the innocent and condemn evil.”

    Israeli Ambassador also highlighted the interception of a ballistic missile from Yemen aimed at central Israel earlier in the day. He warned Iran and its affiliates, stating, “we will decide when and where, but there will be a response.”

    Danon reiterated Israel’s commitment to pursuing a ceasefire while simultaneously increasing pressure on Hamas.

    Asked about a potential Israel’s response in a case of hostages’ release, Danon said it would be a “miracle” and it would end Israel’s “activities in Gaza.” He said, “it can happen tomorrow morning, if Hamas would release the hostages.” He added, “I’m not optimistic that all of a sudden, Hamas will decide to release the hostages.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kAlr4FVukg

    MIL OSI Video –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: BOYLE STATEMENT ON 1-YEAR MARK OF HAMAS ATTACK ON ISRAEL

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Brendan Boyle (13th District of Pennsylvania)

    One year ago today, Hamas slaughtered over 1,200 innocent people in the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. In Israel, in America, and around the world, Jewish people are still experiencing the horrors of Hamas’ cowardly attack. Hamas continues to hold innocent civilians hostage, and Jewish people have faced an intolerable rise in antisemitism.
     
    As we honor the memories of all those lost in the October 7th attacks, America’s commitment to the safety and security of the Israeli people remains unwavering. We must continue working to ensure that the bloodshed started by Hamas comes to an end and all hostages are released, that we deliver a permanent ceasefire in the region, and that the horrors of October 7th are never repeated.
     
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Krishnamoorthi Issues Statement on One-Year Anniversary of October 7th Attack on Israel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (8th District of Illinois)

    SCHAUMBURG, IL – Today, Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the October 7th attack on Israel:

    “Today marks the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ horrific and brutal attack against Israel, which saw more than 1,200 innocent people, including 46 Americans, senselessly killed and hundreds more taken hostage. Today, more than 100 hostages still have yet to be located.

    “As we seek an end to the violence in the Middle East, we also reiterate our commitment to supporting Israel’s security and bringing all the remaining hostages home safely. We will not rest until a ceasefire deal in Gaza is struck that brings all the hostages home, guarantees Israel’s security, ensures humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people, and ends this war.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS deploys sensors along Florida’s Gulf Coast to measure impacts of Hurricane Milton

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Tampa, FL — As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey are deploying wave sensors at eight locations today in the Sunshine State between Naples and Crystal River to measure the coastal waves caused by the storm. 

    USGS Field crews will also install one rapid-deployment gauge on the Sunshine Skyway bridge in St. Petersburg, Florida. This specialized piece of equipment is a fully-functional streamgage designed to be deployed quickly and temporarily to measure and transmit real-time water level data in emergency situations. This data can be used by decision makers and emergency managers to monitor water levels as they work to save lives and property. 

    Potential impacts from Milton include life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the Florida Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Center.

    The USGS wave sensors will measure water levels and give insight on factors such as wave height and frequency as well as storm tide, which is storm surge combined with local tides. Storm tides are among the most dangerous natural hazards unleashed by hurricanes. They can destroy homes and businesses; wipe out roads, bridges, water and sewer systems; and profoundly alter coastal landscapes. 

    The sensors will be in place from before Milton arrives until the storm departs, and at that time, scientists will retrieve the instruments and analyze collected data. The resulting information can be used to fine-tune future storm surge and coastal change forecasts. The sensor data can help identify areas hit the hardest by storm surge and guide emergency responders and local officials with recovery efforts. Insight can also help inform flood insurance maps and building codes to improve structural designs for public safety.

    The wave sensors are housed in vented aluminum pipes a few inches wide and about a foot long. They are being installed on bridges, piers, and other structures that have a good chance of surviving the storm. 

    Information on the sensor deployment and rapid deployment gauge will be available on the USGS Flood Event Viewer.

    As the USGS continues to take all appropriate preparedness actions in response to Milton, those ­­­in the storm’s projected path can visit ready.gov or listo.gov for tips on creating emergency plans and putting together an emergency supply kit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS Coastal Change Experts Warn of Heightened Risks for Florida’s West Coast as Hurricane Milton Approaches in the aftermath of Helene

    Source: US Geological Survey

    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – U.S. Geological Survey experts project that Hurricane Milton, expected to make landfall on Florida’s west coast as early as Wednesday, will bring significant coastal change. 

    Currently, 95 percent of the sandy beaches on Florida’s west coast are forecasted to become inundated—meaning continuously covered by ocean water—from Milton, according to a USGS coastal change forecast issued Monday. This is the most severe level of coastal change and can cause flooding behind sand dunes that may impact coastal communities. 

    USGS experts estimate Milton’s waves and surge have the potential to cause both 100 percent of all ocean-facing beaches in Florida to experience erosion and overwash. Overwash occurs when water levels reach higher than the top of dunes. When a beach is overwashed, sand can be pushed and deposited inland, causing significant changes to coastal landscapes and blocking roadways. Overwash can reduce the height of protective sand dunes, alter beach profiles, and leave areas behind the dunes more vulnerable to future storms. 

    “The significance of the coastal change forecast for Milton’s impact to the Florida west coast cannot be overstated as I believe communities are more vulnerable to this storm’s impacts due to the erosion that occurred recently from Helene,” said Kara Doran, a USGS supervisory physical scientist who works on the coastal change forecast. “Our initial analysis looking at imagery collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration after Helene shows most of the west coast experienced overwash or inundation and complete erosion of dunes, so those protective dunes are no longer in place for many locations.”

    According to the National Hurricane Center, Milton may bring life-threatening storm surge along with hurricane-force winds, and heavy rain. 

    This USGS coastal change forecast for Milton is a worst-case scenario that can provide vital insights to help emergency management officials make informed decisions. 

    USGS coastal change forecasts will continue to be updated (here: https://marine.usgs.gov/coastalchangehazardsportal/ui/alias/ptc92024) as the storm approaches land and real-time coastal change forecasts for individual locations along the coast are available in the Total Water Level and Coastal Change Forecast Viewer. 

    As the USGS continues to take all appropriate preparedness actions in response to Milton, those in the storm’s projected path can visit Ready.gov for tips on creating emergency plans and putting together an emergency supply kit. 

    Learn more about USGS hurricane science.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: A Year of Sorrow

    Source: USAID

    One year ago today, Hamas orchestrated a brutal terrorist attack on Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages, many of whom are still held by Hamas or unaccounted for to this day. Forever seared into our collective consciousness are the memories of young people at a concert running for their lives, seniors and young children huddling in terror in their homes, and the searing sounds of the victims’ final words to their loved ones. We mourn all those that were murdered that day and grieve with all those who have suffered since.  

    In February, I visited Kibbutz Be’eri, situated on the Gaza periphery, where nearly 100 people were murdered and nearly 30 taken hostage. I saw the horrors that were perpetrated when terrorists attacked a peaceful community and murdered and kidnapped innocent people en masse. I spoke with a father who, in the hours after the attack, attempted to get his children to safety – covering their eyes as they ran so they wouldn’t have to see the carnage around them. He showed me the place where his kids’ grandfather and grandmother were executed at point blank range. We must not forget the lives lost, the families broken, and those who have endured 365 excruciating days of waiting for word of their stolen loved ones. 

    And in the year since, the human cost of the war that began due to the attacks on October 7 has been unimaginable. Across the region, innocent men, women, and children who wanted nothing more than to live in peace and safety have been killed. We mourn all those who have lost their lives in Israel, the West Bank, and Lebanon, and the tens of thousands of Palestinian civilians killed in Gaza – including more than 11,000 children. When I spoke with Palestinians during a visit to the West Bank earlier this year, one man told me that a single Israeli airstrike killed 16 of his grandchildren. So many in Gaza are hungry, sick, and cold – displaced from their homes, and approaching winter with little to no shelter. 

    Across our own USAID community, staff have been deeply impacted by the carnage and trauma of October 7 and the past year of war and humanitarian crisis – including by the horrific deaths and serious injuries of family and friends in Israel, Gaza, and Lebanon. In Gaza, USAID-funded local implementing partner staff and volunteers have been among those who have been injured and killed during Israeli military operations.  

    Looking back over the last year, nothing will bring back those who have died, and nothing can undo the agony people have been living through. Looking forward, all those involved in this conflict must do more to prevent further suffering. The U.S has been the single largest provider of aid to the Palestinian people since October 7, and we continue our relentless push for an enduring ceasefire that will bring home the hostages and end the war in Gaza, as well as our humanitarian efforts and support for diplomacy to provide much-needed relief to people across the region.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Study Finds Forever Chemicals Are More Toxic As Mixtures

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    research news

    UB PhD student Karla Ríos-Bonilla (left) and Diana Aga, director of the UB RENEW Institute, are authors on a study that assessed the mixture toxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as forever chemicals. Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki

    By TOM DINKI

    Published October 4, 2024

    A first-of-its-kind study has measured the toxicity of several types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as “forever chemicals,” when mixed together in the environment and in the human body.

    The good news: Most of the tested chemicals’ individual cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity levels were relatively low. 

    The bad news: The chemicals acted together to make the entire mixture toxic.

    “Though they are structurally similar, not all forever chemicals are made equal — some are more potent, others less. When mixed, all components contributed to the mixture’s cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity,” says the study’s first-author, Karla Ríos-Bonilla, a UB chemistry PhD student.

    “In the laboratory assays we used in this study, most of the types of PFAS that we tested did not appear to be very toxic when measured individually. However, when you measure an entire sample with multiple PFAS, you see the toxicity,” adds study co-author Diana Aga, SUNY Distinguished Professor, director of the RENEW Institute and Henry M. Woodburn Chair in the Department of Chemistry.

    This research was conducted in collaboration with Beate Escher of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany, where Ríos-Bonilla did the in vitro toxicity experiments in the high-throughput screening facility CITEPro. It was published Sept. 11 in Environmental Science and Technology, a journal of the American Chemical Society.

    The study is novel in that it assesses mixture toxicity of PFAS. These synthetic compounds have been widely used in consumer products — from nonstick pans to makeup — for decades, and they can take hundreds to thousands of years to break down, if ever. They are estimated to be in at least 45% of the nation’s drinking water and in the blood of practically every American, and they have been linked to cancer and neurodevelopmental disorders.

    Earlier this year, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the first-ever drinking water standards for six kinds of PFAS. However, it is estimated that there are over 15,000 varieties present in the environment. Only a handful of these chemicals have standards and are regulated. 

    “There are six PFAS that can be regulated because we know a lot about them and their toxicity. Unfortunately, we cannot regulate other forms of PFAS until their toxicities are known,” says Aga, who is principal investigator of the EPA STAR grant that funded the research. “We need to set maximum contamination levels for each PFAS that is proportional to their toxicity. To regulate contaminants, it is crucial to know their relative potencies when they occur as mixtures in the environment, along with their predicted environmental concentrations.” 

    Other co-authors from UB are G. Ekin Atilla-Gokcumen, Dr. Marjorie E. Winkler Distinguished Professor and associate chair of the Department of Chemistry, and Judith Cristobal, senior research scientist.

    Ríos-Bonilla is also supported by a graduate fellowship from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

    PFOA, PFOS major contributors to mixture toxicity

    To conduct the study, researchers created their own PFAS mixtures, one that is representative of an average American’s blood serum, and the other of surface water samples found in the U.S. Ríos-Bonilla used data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and from the U.S. Geological Survey to determine the average concentration ratios of PFAS in human blood and in surface water, respectively. 

    They then tested these mixtures’ effects on two cell lines: one that tests for mitochondrial toxicity and oxidative stress, and the other for neurotoxicity.

    Of the 12 PFAS spiked in the water mixture, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) — commonly used in nonstick pans and firefighting foam — was the most cytotoxic, making up to 42% of the mixture’s cytotoxicity.

    On the other hand, both PFOA and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) contributed roughly the same cytotoxicity (25%) to the neurotoxicity assay, despite both contributing only 10 and 15% to the mixture in terms of concentration, respectively. 

    The blood mixture had four PFAS present, but PFOA again was the most cytotoxic to both cell lines. Despite its molar contribution being only 29%, PFOA triggered 68% of the cytotoxicity in the cytotoxicity assay, and 38% in the neurotoxicity assay.

    Interestingly, when researchers analyzed the toxicity of the extracts from real biosolid samples collected from a municipal wastewater treatment plant, very high toxicities were observed, despite the measured low concentrations of PFOA and other PFAS in the sample. 

    “This means that there are many more PFAS and other chemicals in the biosolids, which have not been identified, that contribute to the toxicity of the extracts observed,” Aga says.

    Synergistically versus additive

    One of researchers’ goals was to determine if PFAS acts synergistically. This is when two or more chemicals’ combined effect is greater than the sum effect of the individual chemicals. However, their findings indicate that the effect of PFAS is concentration-additive: meaning that an established mixture toxicity prediction model can be used to predict the combined effect of mixtures. 

    “As up to 12 PFAS in the mixtures acted concentration-additive for cytotoxicity and specific neurotoxicity, it is likely that the thousands of other PFAS that are in commerce and use are also acting in the same manner,” Escher says. “Mixtures pose more of a risk than individual PFAS. As they act and occur in mixtures, they ought to be regulated as mixtures.”

    Researchers say the results of this study will also be very useful in assessing effectiveness of remediation efforts. Breaking down PFAS can sometimes create harmful byproducts that cannot be detected by chemical analysis, so measuring the toxicity of a sample after treatment may be the only way to judge whether a remediation technology is effective.

    “Toxicity assays can be a complimentary tool when analytical chemistry doesn’t give you all the answers, especially when the identities of contaminants in the mixture are unknown, which is the case in many polluted sites,” Aga says.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Administrator to Travel to Florida to Direct FEMA Response and Federal Staging Efforts, Meet with State and Local Officials Ahead of Milton Landfall

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Administrator to Travel to Florida to Direct FEMA Response and Federal Staging Efforts, Meet with State and Local Officials Ahead of Milton Landfall

    FEMA Administrator to Travel to Florida to Direct FEMA Response and Federal Staging Efforts, Meet with State and Local Officials Ahead of Milton Landfall

    Evacuation Orders Have Been Issued and Others Are Underway, If Locals Issue Evacuations, Please Listen and Evacuate Now

    FEMA Senior Leadership Remain in States Impacted by Helene and Being Sent to Florida to Support Operations 

    WASHINGTON — Administrator Deanne Criswell continues to lead the federal Helene response and recovery efforts and joined North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, Department of Defense Assistant Secretary Rebecca Zimmerman, Dual Status Commander Wes Morrison, and NORTHCOM Commanding General Gregory Guillot for a press conference to provide updates on the storm damage assessments and response efforts in North Carolina. Following the event, Administrator Criswell will travel to Florida where she will meet with state and local officials today and direct federal response efforts, before traveling back to North Carolina. FEMA senior leader and Regional Administrator Willie Nunn, who led Hurricane Sandy response efforts will also travel Florida and remain there throughout the duration of Hurricane Milton. John Brogan, the Federal Coordinating Officer for Milton, and Helene, will remain in Florida.

    Today, President Joseph R. Biden approved an Emergency Declaration for Florida, authorizing FEMA to save lives, protect the health and safety of those in the storm’s path. FEMA and its federal partners are leaning forward, pre-positioning resources to support local and state response efforts ahead of Hurricane Milton. This includes pre-staging in Florida and the region including six FEMA Incident Management Assistance Teams, five FEMA Urban Search & Rescue teams, three U.S. Coast Guard Swift Water Rescue teams, four HealthCare System Assessment Teams, two U.S Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) temporary power teams, USACE debris experts, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and wastewater experts, 300 ambulances and 30 High Water Vehicles with ladders from the Department of Defense. Additionally, FEMA has two incident staging bases with commodities including food and water. Right now, FEMA currently has 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water in the pipeline to deploy as needed used to address ongoing Helene and Milton response efforts with capacity to expand as needed. 

    Currently, a total of nearly 900 staff are already supporting recovery efforts based out of the Joint Field Office in Tallahassee and operating across the designated counties for hurricanes Helene, Debby and Idalia. This includes over 440 supporting Hurricane Helene recovery, over 300 supporting Hurricane Debby recovery, and over 100 supporting Hurricane Idalia recovery.

    FEMA officials are still actively supporting North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida and Virginia as they respond to and recover from Hurricane Helene and will not divert personnel or resources from these ongoing responses. 

    The National Hurricane Center warns there is a risk of life-threating storm surge and damaging winds for portions of the west coast of the Florida Peninsula beginning early Wednesday. Areas of heavy rainfall will affect portions of Florida through today well ahead of Milton. There is also increasing concern for coastal flooding for the southeast South Carolina and Georgia coasts on Thursday.

    FEMA understands that people in the path of this storm may still be recovering from hurricanes Helene and Debby and urges everyone to protect themselves and take care of others because time is running out to prepare for the hurricane’s potentially deadly impacts. 

    Counties issue evacuation orders. If you need to evacuate, please “evacuate out, not up.” People should visit FloridaDisaster.org/Know to determine if they live in an evacuation zone. 

    • Your gas tank and electric vehicle only need to be halfway full or halfway charged to ensure you can evacuate further inland to a safe location and away from storm surge.
    • If you are in an evacuation zone and need evacuation assistance, please call 1-800-729-3413. Again, this is for residents that are in evacuation zones.
    • The state of Florida has activated the State Assistance Information Line. Residents needing information and resources can call 1-800-342-3557. There are English, Spanish & Creole speakers available to answer questions.
    • Additional preparedness resources and state updates on Hurricane Milton can be found by visiting FloridaDisaster.org/Updates.
    • For live updates, follow on X and Instagram at FLSERT and Facebook at FDEM.

    Administrator Criswell also directed FEMA’s Deputy Director Erik Hooks to travel to North Carolina today to support response and recovery efforts while she travels to Florida. The Deputy Administrator will travel to South Carolina on Wednesday following his North Carolina visit and meet with tribal nations alongside FEMA’s Tribal Affairs Advocate. At the direction of Administrator Criswell, Deputy Administrator Hooks will also go to Tennessee to help with recovery operations.

    People in Milton’s path should take the forecast seriously and finalize preparation and know how they are going to get information and listen to local officials. Download the free FEMA App available in English and Spanish to receive real-time weather alerts and find local emergency shelters in your area. You can find more hurricane preparedness information on Ready.gov and Listo.gov in Spanish language. 

    Be in the know about your evacuation route. Act now by learning your evacuation routes and identify where you will stay. If you are told to evacuate, do so immediately because your life may be at risk. Make sure everyone in your household knows what to do in case you need to evacuate and that they are familiar with your family’s emergency plan. Learn more about how to evacuate safely on Ready.gov/evacuation and Evacuación | Listo.gov in Spanish language. 

    alex.fonseca
    Mon, 10/07/2024 – 19:44

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK delegation visits Guatemala to reinforce environmental cooperation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    • English
    • Español de América Latina

    A delegation from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is in Guatemala 7-14 October to assess progress of the UK’s Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF).

    Roger Heath, Senior Responsible Owner of the BLF and 30×30 and Samuel Leigh, Regional Advisor for Mesoamerica and Andes Amazon for the BLF, will meet with government representatives, implementing partners, civil society and join field visits to Peten and Chiquimula. Rachel Wilson, the Team Leader of the BLF’s Fund Management team at Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) will join the delegation.

    On October 7, the delegation will meet in Guatemala City with the leader of the BLF consortium, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to discuss the progress of the project and upcoming activities. In Guatemala, the BLF is working in Peten (Mayan Jungle) and Chiquimula (Trifino) to protect biodiversity, reduce poverty and tackle the impacts of climate change with projects in line with Guatemalan environmental priorities until 2029.

    The UK delegation will also meet that day with representatives from the Ministry of Environment, the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to welcome Guatemala’s support  of the BLF and share plans for upcoming interventions in the field that will address ongoing environmental pressures, including the loss of flora and fauna in the Mayan Jungle and the prevention of forest fires in the Trifinio region.

    From 8-12 October, delegates Heath and Leigh will visit Peten to engage with communities that are benefiting from sustainable livelihoods while protecting the environment. These include projects of xate classification, tree planting, bee keeping, and sustainable forestry. They will also engage with local delivery partners that are helping communities to achieve their development and poverty reduction goals in coordination with the Guatemalan authorities.

    On 13 October, the UK delegation will travel to Chiquimula to the area of Trifinio to learn about sustainable agricultural practices to be supported through the BLF and to discuss with local authorities how the Fund could support environmentally sensitive areas to be managed sustainably.

    The BLF is funding activities in six of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots to help a create a world free from poverty on a liveable planet, including Mesoamerica. Approximately 40% of the funds destined to the Mesoamerica landscape will be allocated in Guatemala (US$7 million) as a commitment to our shared priorities on environment and social development.

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    Published 7 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: McClellan Statement on the Anniversary of the October 7th Terrorist Attack

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (Virginia 4th District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (VA-04) issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel: 

    “One year ago, Hamas terrorists launched a brutal attack on the State of Israel, killing 1,200 innocent people and kidnapping 250 more. Hamas’ actions were horrific and unleashed a wave of fear in the Jewish community in Israel and around the world. The United States continues to support Israel’s right to exist and defend itself. 

    “Meanwhile, we continue to witness the devastating impacts of the October 7th terrorist attacks and the ongoing war in Gaza unleashed by Hamas. More than 40,000 innocent civilians have been killed, and nearly 2,000,000 Palestinians have been displaced. 

    “We must continue working toward a deal that results in a lasting ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the de-escalation of tensions in the region, and a path to long-term peace for Israel and Palestine. On this solemn day, I pray for all those whose lives have been forever changed by the events of October 7th. We will continue striving toward a future where every Israeli and Palestinian can live with dignity, freedom, and security.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Stansbury Releases Statement Marking One Year Since Hamas’ Attack on Israel

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01)

    ALBUQUERQUE — U.S. Representative Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) released the following statement marking one year since the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust:

    “Today marks one year since Hamas’ horrific attack on Israel where more than 1,400 Israelis were murdered and hundreds were taken hostage. A year later, we must continue working to ensure the safety and return of the hostages and keep every victim in our hearts – may their memories be a blessing,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury. “This day will forever be remembered as a dark moment in the long history of this region. 

    “In the year that has passed and escalating violence in Gaza and across the region, there has been unimaginable human suffering – tens of thousands of people killed, hundreds of thousands starving – with Palestinians across Gaza and the West Bank continuing to face violence daily. I commend President Biden for his work with the U.N. Security Council to put forth a viable ceasefire deal. We must continue to push for a ceasefire.

    “Centering diplomacy to stem the tides of war and end the catastrophic human suffering is critical as we move forward. As Iran renews aerial attacks on Israel, and Israel goes after Hezbollah within Lebanon, hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians have been caught in the crosshairs of war.

    “I continue to renew my call for the Biden Administration to continue pushing to end the war and secure a ceasefire, the return of all hostages, to secure urgent and necessary humanitarian aid to Palestinians and all those suffering, and to ensure American-made weapons are not used for offensive measures.  The violence must end, and the U.S. must do everything we can to help secure a permanent and lasting peace.”

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch, Crapo, Ernst and Senate Republicans Stand with Israel, Condemning Iran-backed Hamas

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined Senators Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and every Senate Republican, one year since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks that killed dozens of Americans, in a resolution fully condemning Iran-backed Hamas for its actions, supporting the forever survival of Israel, and calling for the safe release of American hostages.

    The entire Senate Republican Conference stands united in opposing violent anti-Semitic protests and Iran-backed Hamas’ use of rape as a weapon of war. They also reiterate Israel’s right to defend itself and emphasize the importance of denying Hamas the ability to reconstitute in the region to ensure the horrific events of that day are never repeated.

    “Today, people across the world are remembering those lives lost and the hostages who remain in captivity in Gaza. Unfortunately, a year later, Iran-backed groups continue to threaten the safety and security of the Israeli people. Hamas continues to hold innocent hostages in Gaza, while the Houthis in Yemen and Hezbollah in Lebanon fire rockets and missiles towards Israel,” said Risch. “The United States can and should continue to do all it can to support our ally Israel and hold Iran and its proxies accountable for their brutal attacks. This resolution is an important message to the people of Israel that we remain committed to defending them.”

    “Just as the sun began to rise one year ago, barbaric Hamas terrorists stormed into Israel and launched a widescale attack on thousands of innocent Israeli citizens. Hamas kidnapped, tortured and brutally murdered thousands of innocent people, plunging the Middle East into turmoil once again. I continue to press for the release of the remaining hostages and to stand unwaveringly with our strongest ally in the Middle East and its right to defend itself from ongoing threats from Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists,” said Crapo.

    “This time last year, I woke up in the Middle East to the unbearable news that Israel was under attack by Iran-backed terrorists and Americans were being killed and taken hostage,” said Ernst. “I immediately traveled into Israel to show that our nation’s friendship is unwavering, in good times and bad. Regardless of whether I have been in Jerusalem, Washington, or Iowa, I have worked around the clock to hold the White House accountable to its ‘ironclad’ commitment, bring our hostages home, and cut off the source of terrorism in Tehran. One year since that day, as Israel remains under attack on all fronts, Senate Republicans stand united with our greatest ally in the Middle East.”

    Text of this resolution can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Battleford  — Battlefords RCMP: male charged with two counts of attempted murder

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 3, 2024 at approximately 4:15 p.m., Battlefords RCMP received a report of a shooting on the 1400 block of 109th Street in North Battleford, SK.

    Officers responded immediately and located two adult males, who had gunshot injuries, at a residence in North Battleford, SK. Both males were taken to hospital by EMS with injuries described as serious in nature.

    Officers located and arrested two adult males and an adult female near the scene.

    As a result of continued investigation, 21-year-old Adrian Dreaver from North Battleford is charged with:

    • two counts, attempted murder, Section 239, Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a firearm while prohibited, Section 117.01, Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of ammunition while prohibited, Section 117.01, Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a firearm without a license, Section 95(1), Criminal Code; and
    • one count, possession of a firearm knowing possession unauthorized, Section 92(1), Criminal Code.

    The other adult male and adult female were later released without charge.

    Adrian Dreaver appeared in court in North Battleford on October 7, 2024.

    Battlefords RCMP continue to investigate with the assistance of Battlefords RCMP Municipal General Investigation Section

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Shotgun found in stolen vehicle

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police have recovered a firearm after a stolen ute was stopped in rural South Auckland in the early hours of this morning.

    Information was received after midnight that a stolen commercial ute was travelling south through the Wiri area.

    Counties Manukau South Area Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Clive Wood, says the Police Eagle helicopter was deployed as a result.

    “Eagle quickly picked up the vehicle’s movements and relayed this information to staff on the ground,” he says.

    “The vehicle carried on south until arriving at an address in Ararimu.”

    A Police unit quickly moved in behind the ute.

    “The driver was taken into custody without incident and a further search was invoked of the stolen vehicle,” Senior Sergeant Wood says.

    Inside, Police located a 12-gauge shotgun, ammunition, cannabis and methamphetamine.

    Senior Sergeant Wood says the 32-year-old male driver’s night took a turn, with additional charges being laid on top of being in possession of a stolen vehicle.

    The man has also been charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, ammunition, as well as drugs offences.

    He will appear in the Pukekohe District Court today.

    Senior Sergeant Wood says: “Investigations are still ongoing into the original incident where several commercial vehicles were stolen from an Ōtara business last week and have been recovered.

    “This is another great result from our team working overnight, with a firearm taken out of circulation in our community and an offender to face up to the courts.”

    ENDS. 

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Statement on the U.S. Postal Service Reopening Montpelier Post Office

    US Senate News:

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

    MONTPELIER, VT—Today, 65 weeks after the July 2023 floods displaced the downtown Montpelier Post Office and following the advocacy of Vermont’s postal customers, local postal workers, community and State leaders, and the Vermont Congressional Delegation, the U.S. Postal Service announced the opening of a fully-functional retail location at 89 Main Street in Montpelier, which will officially reopen to the public with a ‘Grand Reopening Celebration’ on October 12, 2024. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) released the following statement:
    “For over 450 days, Montpelier’s families, seniors, and businesses have waited for the U.S. Postal Service to stop stalling and restore service. After being pushed for months to act—by the Montpelier community, postal workers, local and State leaders, and the Vermont Congressional Delegation—Vermonters will finally have access to this essential service in their own community once again.
    “There is no justifiable reason for Postmaster General Louis Dejoy’s failures in Montpelier, which for 15 months was the only capital city without a fully-functional post office. Clearly, the internal benchmarks of the U.S. Postal Service to restore service after a disaster were entirely dismissed and the national management of the USPS has failed to respond to the needs of Vermont. Our state’s confidence in this essential service has been badly eroded, and we need to see concrete actions by the USPS Board of Governors and the national management to prove they can, indeed, deliver for small and rural communities. If opening a post office—a task this agency has done more than a thousand times in their 250-year history—is too challenging, they should consider a change in leadership.”
    Four months after Vermont’s 2023 floods the USPS temporarily relocated the post office to inoperable mail trucks with no power, bathrooms, or shelter from the elements. Then, PO box and retail postal services were relocated out of Montpelier altogether. Following advocacy by impacted Vermonters, community organizers, concerned workers, the press, and the Vermont Congressional Delegation, the Postal Service announced it had signed a lease for a new retail Post Office. Even after signing a lease, it took USPS an additional 22 weeks to open this new space.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: VCNO Visits Hawaii, Focus on Readiness and Warfighters

    Source: United States Navy

    The U.S. Pacific Fleet is the world’s largest fleet with approximately 200 ships, 1,500 aircraft, and 150,000 military and civilian personnel operating across 100 million square miles of land, air and sea.

    Kilby began the visit discussing Pacific Fleet’s essential role deterring conflict, upholding international law and assuring access to the seas with Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Adm. Steve Koehler.

    “The United States is a Pacific nation and the Sailors and civilians serving in the Pacific Fleet have an immense responsibility,” said Kilby. “The Chairman of the People’s Republic of China has charged PRC forces to be ready for war by 2027 and it is critical we remain postured to deter, defend and if necessary, defeat provocative actions and unsafe behavior across the Indo-Pacific.”

    Kilby also observed how the Navy executes fleet-level warfare and facilitates lower-echelon mission command at Pacific Fleet’s Maritime Operations Center. Pacific Fleet’s MOC has the lead for achieving certified and proficient teams in command and control, information, intelligence, fires, movement and maneuver, protection, and sustainment functions in accordance with the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti’s Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy 2024.

    Kilby also met with Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Adm. Sam Paparo, responsible for joint U.S. military operations throughout the DoD’s priority theater, which encompasses more than 380,000 U.S. troops across all services, as well as 38 nations, 14 time zones, more than 50% of the world’s population, seven of the ten world’s largest militaries, and five nations allied with the U.S. through mutual defense treaties.

    “I cannot overstate the importance of this theater at this critical time in our nation’s history,” said Kilby. “The partnerships, presence and military readiness these warfighters provide is vital to our global economy, deter aggression, and when necessary, enables us to fight to win.”

    The USINDOPACOM AOR shares borders with each of the other five geographic combatant commands and covers the largest amount of the globe.

    Additionally, Kilby met with Commander, Navy Region Hawaii / Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill Rear Adm. Stephen Barnett and discussed the Navy’s long-term commitment to closing the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility (RHBFSF) and protecting the environment, the aquifer and the entire Hawaii. Kilby also toured RHBFSF during his visit.

    Navy Region Hawaii is a fleet concentration area for more than 25,000 Sailors and 10,000 civilian employees, including more than 60 commands.

    In September, NCTF-RH launched two new communication features to provide the public more options to stay informed on closure activities. One feature is a decommissioning dashboard function on the NCTF-RH mobile app that provides a visual depiction of the RHBFSF tank cleaning progress. The second is the “Let’s Talk Red Hill” podcast series featuring NCTF-RH Deputy Commander Rear Adm. Marc Williams with guest co-hosts and subject matter experts.

    Kilby also toured shore infrastructure during his visit, including the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam Airfield, West Loch Annex, Wastewater Treatment Plant and unaccompanied housing.

    “Shore readiness is Navy readiness,” said Kilby. “The CNO has directed by 2027, we will assess, prioritize and program resources to repair infrastructure directly supporting Navy Task Critical Assets to improve operational readiness in the Pacific.”

    Kilby also stressed the importance on stable and predictable funding for continued support of the Navy investments.

    “The Navy must continue our momentum of our efforts to invest in our infrastructure and the quality of service of our people,” said Kilby. “Passing legislation on time and avoiding a continued resolution ensures we can continue to support our Nation’s security interests, ready our platforms and weapons, and take care of our Sailors and civilians.”

    Kilby also met with Navy leadership to discuss NAVPLAN 2024. This strategic guidance focuses on two strategic ends: readiness for conflict with the PRC by 2027 and enhancing long-term advantage. It aims to achieve these ends through two central ways: implementing seven “Project 33 Targets” and expanding the warfighting ecosystem.

    “CNO’s NAVPLAN gives strategic guidance to our Navy regarding where we are now and where we need to go faster to achieve our goals. It’s about thinking, acting and operating differently in a dynamic and changing security environment,” said Kilby. “It’s about raising our baseline level of readiness, putting more players on the field and taking care of our people. We must move forward with purpose and urgency to ensure we remain ready to fight and win should deterrence fail.”

    Continuing Kilby’s emphasis on readiness, he spent time at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility talking with leadership, Sailors and civilians assigned to the shipyard about the vital role the shipyard provides for our national security and our fleet.

    “CNO has given her guidance – by 2027, we will achieve and sustain an 80 percent combat surge ready posture for ships, submarines, and aircraft,” said Kilby. “The team at PHNSY & IMF are essential to achieving that goal for our ships and submarines. Achieving this is an all-hands efforts and I am incredibly proud of what this shipyard is able to accomplish to keep our Fleet fit to fight.”

    Kilby saw the progress made on Dry Dock 5, the first dry dock built in Pearl Harbor since 1943. It’s designed for a projected service life of 150 years and to accommodate the maintenance needs of Virginia-class submarines.

    The U.S. Navy operates four public shipyards; PHNSY & IMF is located in the heart of the Pacific and hosts the only U.S.-owned dry docks located outside the continental United States. The upgrades at PHNSY & IMF are in line with upgrades happening across all four public shipyards as part of the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program.

    For more information on CNO’s Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy 2024 visit: https://www.navy.mil/Leadership/Chief-of-Naval-Operations/CNO-NAVPLAN-2024/

    This was Kilby’s first visit to Hawaii as the Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Three Storms Churn in an Active Atlantic

    Source: NASA

    From the stable Lagrange point 1, located one million miles above Earth, NASA’s EPIC (Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera) imager on the DSCOVR (Deep Space Climate Observatory) satellite observed an unusually active Atlantic Basin.
    In early October, three hurricanes simultaneously spun over the North Atlantic Ocean. This image shows the three storms—Milton, Kirk, and Leslie—at about 12 p.m. Central Time (17:00 Universal Time) on October 6, 2024. It was captured as Milton was developing in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, about an hour before it became a hurricane.
    According to Phil Klotzbach, a Colorado State University meteorologist, this is the first-known hurricane season to see three hurricanes simultaneously present in the basin after September. Klotzbach cites the National Hurricane Center’s (NHC) database, which dates back to 1851, but he also noted: “…there are likely underestimates and potentially missed hurricanes prior to the satellite era (1966-onwards).”
    Fueled by unusually warm water in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Milton “explosively” intensified from a Category 1 to Category 5 storm in less than 24 hours from October 6-7. The hurricane developed with “light shear and very warm waters in its path,” according to the NHC. As of the afternoon on October 7, Milton had 175 mile (282 kilometer) per hour winds and was forecast by NHC to make landfall on the west coast of the Florida peninsula on the evening of October 9.
    In an October 6 update of tropical Atlantic activity, University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy noted that temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico—both at and below the surface—were record warm. “High ocean heat content provides a hurricane with a constant source of fuel and makes it much harder to upwell cooler water from below which could weaken the storm,” McNoldy wrote in the update. “This will help Milton to rapidly intensify and reach a higher peak intensity.”
    To the northeast, Kirk was weakening from a Category 2 to a Category 1 hurricane around the time of this image. Kirk began developing in the eastern tropical Atlantic in late-September and reached peak intensity as a Category 4 hurricane on October 4. The major hurricane veered northeast after development and evolved into an extratropical cyclone. NHC forecasts indicate that the storm could reach the shores of western France on October 9.
    Meanwhile, Leslie churned as a Category 1 storm when this image was acquired. Leslie developed several hundred miles southwest of the Cabo Verde Islands of western Africa and became a hurricane on October 4. The storm is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by October 8, with no interaction with land.
    The hurricane season, which started June 1 and runs through November 30, has been unusually busy so far in 2024, according to Klotzbach. As of October 6, nine hurricanes have developed in the Atlantic compared to the 1991-2020 average of 5.5.
    NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using data from DSCOVR EPIC. Story by Emily Cassidy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Statement on One Year Since October 7 Hamas Attack on Israel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Boston (October 7, 2024) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today released the following statement marking one year since the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack on Israel. 
    “Today marks one year since Hamas’ brutal and heinous terrorist attack on Israel. We must never forget the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. In the past year, we have grieved the murders of more than 1,200 innocent Israelis, including Americans, the hostages taken and kept from their loved ones, and those killed in captivity. I have met with families of hostages, mourned with them, and felt their pain deeply, including the family of Yarden Roman Gat, whom I hold in my thoughts and prayers today. It is long past time to bring the hostages home and reunite them with their families who have spent the last year in unimaginable fear and anguish. We need an immediate ceasefire to bring them home, to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, and end the brutal war that has gripped the region for the past twelve months.
    “Every life is a universe, and every death is a universe destroyed. The death and destruction we have witnessed cannot continue to be the world we accept. I am steadfast in my commitment to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel, and its right to exist. Israel has the right to defend itself from terrorists, and as we mourn, we must continue to strive toward a shared vision for a just future. Israelis and Palestinians alike have the right to safety and security. Even amidst war we must always work for peace.
    “Today, we mourn each life lost and may their memories each be a blessing.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Canada: World premiere of Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper’s Incandescence at Planet in Focus in Toronto. As wildfires ravage the planet, this NFB feature doc offers extraordinary stories of survival and adaptation.

    Source: Government of Canada News

    An immersive cinematic experience that transforms our understanding of wildfire, Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper’s National Film Board of Canada (NFB) feature documentary Incandescence will have its world premiere at the 25th Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival in Toronto, which takes place this year from October 15 to 20.

    October 3, 2024 – Toronto – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    An immersive cinematic experience that transforms our understanding of wildfire, Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper’s National Film Board of Canada (NFB) feature documentary Incandescence will have its world premiere at the 25th Planet in Focus International Environmental Film Festival in Toronto, which takes place this year from October 15 to 20.

    Wildfires are burning with increasing intensity around the world. Following the rhythms of the seasons, Incandescence weaves stunning on-the-ground footage with extraordinary stories of survival and adaptation. Made in collaboration with firefighters and impacted communities, the film takes shape from the ancient patterns embodied in fire: destruction, aftermath and rebirth. From the flightpath of bees to an osprey’s aerial perspective, floating over the landscape: the Earth comes back.

    Incandescence will premiere on Saturday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Paradise Theatre, followed by a conversation with filmmakers Ami and Ripper.

    More about the film

    Incandescence by Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper (105 min)
    Produced and executive produced by Shirley Vercruysse for the NFB’s Western Documentary Unit in Vancouver.
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/incandescence

    Every summer, wildfires increasingly ravage places around the globe, darkening the skies with thick smoke and reducing communities to little more than ash and debris. Incandescence

    weaves together immersive on-the-ground footage with first-person accounts from Indigenous Elders, first responders and ordinary people forced to react to a rapidly evolving ecosystem.

    As climate change continues to escalate, full suppression measures have largely failed, leading to bigger, more intense mega-fires. But there is another way. Indigenous Knowledge Keepers explain that the First Nations people traditionally used controlled burns to regenerate the land. As one woman explains, fire is like a grizzly bear running to stay alive. But instead of fighting this insatiably hungry beast, working with nature transforms fire’s capacity to destroy into a powerful force for growth and renewal.

    Following the rhythms of the seasons, Incandescence takes shape from the ancient patterns embodied in fire: destruction, aftermath, rebirth. Many plants and animals have adapted to use fire in their life cycle. Some tree species require heat to release their seeds, while other fire-activated plants make use of the nutrients released in the soil bank to bloom. Honouring the experience of both human and non-human inhabitants, the film documents extraordinary stories of survival and adaptation in the forest mosaic. From the flightpath of bees to an osprey’s aerial perspective, floating over the landscape: the Earth comes back.

    Inside this intense and lushly realized cinematic experience, something else begins to emerge. A febrile spirit rising from the ashes with a collective and resilient approach to our mutable future, Incandescence transforms our understanding of fire from destruction and disaster into a kind of profound illumination, lighting the way towards new life and hope.

    About the directors

    Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper are award-winning documentary filmmakers who have collaborated for over a decade on projects exploring our relationship to the climate emergency: Incandescence, an immersive, experiential feature about wildfire; the award-winning Metamorphosis, a feature documentary about change in this time of climate crisis; and Planet 911 (in post-production) navigates how to survive, thrive and transform the climate emergency from the perspectives of women at the forefront of the crisis. Their solo documentary work includes Nova Ami’s Say I Do and Secrets, and Ripper’s Scared Sacred, Fierce Light and Occupy Love.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: nfb.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    Lily Robert
    Director, Communications and Public Affairs, NFB
    C.: 514-296-8261
    l.robert@nfb.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sacramento Man Is 11th Defendant Sentenced in Large-Scale Cocaine and Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Tyrone Anderson, 44, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to 11 years and three months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base and for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, Anderson is among the 15 federal defendants arrested in 2021 and charged in a 45-count indictment for trafficking narcotics as part of a DEA-led multi-agency operation targeting cocaine and heroin traffickers in North Sacramento. Anderson was intercepted during wiretaps in 2018 and 2019 trafficking kilograms of cocaine and heroin to sub‑distributors in California and from the East Coast. During the wiretap, agents seized 4  kilograms of cocaine that Anderson had sold for $118,000 to a Baltimore sub-distributor. At the time of his arrest, agents seized 567 grams of powder cocaine and 949 grams of heroin from Anderson’s stash location and two loaded firearms from his residence.

    Below is the status of Anderson’s co-defendants:

    On Sept. 29, 2022, Jason Tolbert, 47, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

    On Nov. 17, 2022, Charles Carter, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

    On Nov. 17, 2022, Andre Hellams, 40, of North Highlands, pleaded guilty to two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. Hellams is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 24, 2024.

    On Dec. 8, 2022, Michael Hampton, 57, of Vallejo, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

    On March 16, 2023, Arlington Caine, 50, of Rio Linda, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On March 14, 2024, Bobby Conner, 53, of Sacramento, was sentenced to six months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On March 28, 2024, Maurice Bryant, 53, of Antelope, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute at least 5,000 grams of cocaine and 280 grams of cocaine base. Bryant is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 17, 2024.

    On April 25, 2024, 2023, Dwight Haney, 52, of Sacramento was sentenced to time served for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. 

    On May 30, 2024, Jerome Adams, 56, of North Highlands, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for two counts of using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On Aug. 8, 2024, Steven Hampton, 65, of Sacramento, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine.

    On Sept. 26, 2024, Mark Martin, 63, of Sacramento was sentenced to time served for using a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.

    On Aug. 1, 2024, Alex White, 61, of North Highlands, was sentenced to a term of 38 months (time served) for distribution of cocaine base.

    Charges are pending against Yovanny Ontiveros, 41, of Sacramento and Wilmer Harden, 52, of Elk Grove. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

    This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the California Department of Justice, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron L. Desmond is prosecuting the case.

    This prosecution is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. The Sacramento Strike Force is a co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Sacramento Strike Force is to identify, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) shipping narcotics, firearms, and money through the Eastern District of California, thereby reducing the flow of these criminal resources in California and the rest of the United States. The Sacramento Strike Force leads intelligence-driven investigations targeting the leadership and support elements of these DTOs and TCOs operating within the Eastern District of California, regardless of their geographic base of operations.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fourteen Indicted in Multi-State Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Linked to Deadly Fentanyl Distributed to Members of the Lummi Nation

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Seattle – Law enforcement fanned out across the country and in western Washington yesterday arresting 17 people on indictments and criminal complaints for a multi- state drug trafficking conspiracy. The two-year investigation alleges that the trafficking ring has been linked to a fatal fentanyl overdose on the Lummi Nation reservation in Whatcom County. Law enforcement in Georgia, Missouri, Texas, and Arizona executed search warrants and some arrests.  Ten of 13 defendants arrested in Washington remain detained at the Federal Detention Center at SeaTac, pending hearings later this week and next week. Three defendants were released on bond.

    “This investigation revealed that the trafficking organization was a supplier to a community that was rocked by four fentanyl overdose deaths in just four days,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. “Fentanyl continues to claim lives in our community – especially in our Tribal communities. We will do all we can to stop the flow of this deadly drug.”

    “The significance of this case is that a family drug trafficking organization expanded from Seattle beyond Washington state to locations across the country,” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “This group distributed more than 800,000 fentanyl pills throughout the United States, including in Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Montana, and Georgia. Together with our partners, this demonstrates the national impact of today’s operations by disrupting this source of supply.”

    The drug ring was led by Marquis Jackson, 31, who splits time between Atlanta and the Renton, Washington home of his parents, defendants Mandel Jackson, 50, and Matelita (Marty) Jackson, 49. Also linked to the Renton family home were defendants Markell Jackson, 21, and Miracle Patu-Jackson, 22. Members of the Jackson family are indicted for various conspiracy counts including drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies. Records filed in the case link some of the Jacksons to a Seattle area street gang.

    Markell Jackson is a fugitive still being sought by law enforcement. Matelita (Marty) Jackson, Miracle Patu-Jackson and Adean Batinga were released on bond.

    The other defendants indicted for drug trafficking include:

    Edgar Valdez, 26, of Phoenix

    Keondre Jackson, 29, Wichita, Kansas

    Michael Young Jr., 43, Tacoma, Washington

    Sir-Terrique Devon Milam, 20, Federal Way, Washington

    Tyrell Lewis, 32, Federal Way, Washington – a fugitive

    Robert Johnson, 20, Renton, Washington

    Diyana Abraha, 22, Seattle – a fugitive

    Adean Batinga, 20, Burien, Washington

    Tianna Karastan, 21, Seattle -a fugitive

    Diallo Redd, 34, Tacoma, arrested in Montana on a Montana indictment.

    Two additional defendants were arrested in the Seattle area in connection with the serving of yesterday’s search warrants:

    Chad Conti, 47, Covington, Washington

    Phillip Lamont Alexander, 48, Des Moines, Washington

    Over the course of the investigation law enforcement seized more than 846,000 fentanyl pills, nearly 7 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 7 kilograms of cocaine and 29 firearms. They also seized more than $116,000 in cash.

    In Whatcom County, teams led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested four people on criminal complaints for fentanyl distribution. According to the complaints, the Whatcom drug traffickers were linked by phone communication and surveillance to the Jackson drug trafficking organization.

    In September 2023, four tribal citizens died of fentanyl overdose within a period of just four days, prompting the Lummi Indian Business Council to declare a state of emergency in response to the escalating fentanyl crisis.

    Tribal and federal partners examined the phone of one of the overdose victims and found connections to the Jackson Drug Trafficking Organization.  DEA, the Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have continued to work closely with the Lummi Nation Police to identify additional members of this drug trafficking organization with the goal of stopping the flow of fentanyl into Indian Country and elsewhere.

    Those arrested on complaints this week include:

    Robert Bellair, 41, Ferndale, Washington

    Thomas J. Morris, 42, Bellingham, Washington

    Patrick James, 40, Bellingham, Washington

    Ronald Finkbonner, 50, Bellingham, Washington

    All four are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.

    “The Drug Enforcement Administration’s top priority is to combat fentanyl traffickers responsible for deaths and misery in our communities,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division.  “This case highlights the lengths to which DEA and our partners will go to ensure people trafficking fentanyl are held accountable for the suffering they cause.”

    “The Seattle Police Department appreciates the collaboration with our federal partners in combatting the scourge of the fentanyl crisis and the proliferation of guns from drug trafficking organizations,” said Deputy Chief Eric Barden of the Seattle Police Department. “Fentanyl caused over 1,000 overdose deaths in King County last year. Seattle Police are delighted to partner with the FBI, DEA, USAO and other state and local jurisdictions to dismantle a drug distribution network undoubtedly responsible for deaths in our community.”

    The charges contained in the indictment and criminal complaints are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    This case is being investigated by the FBI, (Seattle, Phoenix, Atlanta, Kansas City, Dallas, Las Vegas, Montana), DEA (Seattle, Kansas City, Wichita, Montana), the Seattle Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Office, Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force, the Lummi Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and United States Border Patrol Blaine Sector Targeting and Intelligence Division.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Crystal Correa, and Michael Harder.

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon Sentenced to Almost Six Years for Illegal Possession of AR-15 Rifle and Other Firearms

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rashad Dominic Griggs, 36, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department (HPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on August 20, 2022, HPD officers responded to a call for service following reports that Griggs was waving a gun at his girlfriend. The officers knew Griggs had active warrants for his arrest for violating a domestic violence protection order and carrying a concealed firearm. Upon arriving at the location, Griggs emerged from the residence and was arrested on the existing warrants. Following a search of the residence, HPD officers found a white powdery substance that was later lab tested and confirmed to be fentanyl. In addition, officers recovered multiple firearms from the residence, including an AR-15 type rifle, multiple magazines including a drum magazine with shotgun rounds, and multiple rounds of ammunition. The officers knew Griggs had prior convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Court records show that Griggs pleaded guilty to a state offense and was placed on probation.

    According to court documents, on June 28, 2023, law enforcement conducted a search of the defendant’s home pursuant to his probation terms. During the search, law enforcement found a rifle magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, a pistol, and multiple rounds of ammunition. During an interview with law enforcement, Griggs acknowledged that he had obtained a pistol approximately seven to eight months prior and stated that he kept the firearm for protection.

    On May 16, 2024, Griggs pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. He remains in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and HPD for their investigation of the case, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Community Supervision, for their invaluable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Regina Pack and Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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

     

     

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 23, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Columbus Man Pleads Guilty to Aiding and Abetting Armed Postal Robbery

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    COLUMBUS, Ohio – A sixth co-conspirator in a network of defendants connected to six local armed robberies of postal carriers pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today.

    Malachi S. Royster, 21, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting aggravated robbery of property of the United States and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

    Royster admitted that he helped pre-plan a May 11, 2023, robbery of a postal carrier. He accompanied co-conspirators that morning while they scouted for potential postal workers to rob; served as the getaway driver before, during and after the robbery on West Broad St.; and accompanied co-conspirators while they returned the firearm used in the robbery to other co-conspirators. Royster’s plea agreement includes a sentence recommendation of 60 to 84 months in prison.

    Royster is one of six men charged in connection with six central Ohio postal robberies between November 2022 and May 2023.

    Anthony J. “A.J.” Williams, 20, of Columbus, was the gunman in a Nov. 9, 2022, postal carrier robbery. Williams committed the armed robbery of a USPS letter carrier who was delivering mail on Michigan Ave. in Columbus. The postal carrier was delivering mail to an apartment complex’s “cluster box” at the time. Williams approached the mail carrier and brandished the handgun directly at the victim. Williams demanded the victim’s postal keys and then yanked the postal keys off of the carrier’s belt. Williams also admitted to planning a postal robbery and conspiring to commit the robbery on Christmas Eve 2022. Williams pleaded guilty in July 2024 and faces a sentence of 84 to 108 months in prison.

    Theirno S. Bah, 20, of Columbus, used firearms and robbed postal carriers of their U.S. Postal Service keys on four occasions between December 2022 and May 2023. Cameron D. Newton, 20, of Westerville, aided and abetted the aggravated robberies of mail and the use of a firearm during the crimes of violence.

    Bah used a handgun to rob a postal carrier in German Village on Dec. 29, 2022. Bah pointed the handgun at the victim’s stomach and demanded his vehicle and service keys. Newton, who was on probation and consequently wearing a GPS ankle monitor at the time, recruited two juveniles to assist with the robbery. Newton also arranged for Bah to use the handgun, which was provided by co-conspirator Jaemaun Evans, 20, of Columbus.

    On Jan. 3, 2023, Bah pushed a postal carrier into her mail truck while she was sorting mail in the back of the truck on East Columbus Street. He then pushed a gun into the victim’s side before stealing her keys. At this robbery, Newton provided surveillance from his vehicle nearby, using the cover of making DoorDash deliveries to evade his home confinement.

    Later that day, Bah committed another armed postal robbery, this time in Whitehall. Bah approached the victim and pushed the handgun into her stomach before stealing her personal car keys and the USPS service keys. Newton again provided surveillance in the vicinity. He also worked to arrange buyers for the stolen postal keys.

    On May 11, 2023, Bah robbed a postal worker at the Post Office Retail Store on West Broad Street. Bah approached the victim while she was outside on a break. Bah asked the victim for her keys, and when she asked, “What keys?” he pistol-whipped her in the head with his handgun. Bah forcibly accompanied the victim into the post office to retrieve her service keys. Newton obtained a firearm for Bah to use during this robbery from Kenan M. Lay, 21, of Columbus. Lay provided the 9mm handgun used in the armed robbery of the elderly female postal worker in exchange for $100.

    Bah faces a sentence of 20 to 25 years in prison and Newton faces a minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison. Lay was sentenced in April to 66 months in prison. Evans was sentenced in September 2024 to a 24-month term of imprisonment to be followed by a 12-month term of house arrest.

    Congress sets minimum and maximum statutory sentences. Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at future hearings.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler; and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the guilty plea entered this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in these cases.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    January 23, 2025
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