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Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI USA: More Than $52 Million for UMaine System Advanced by Senator Collins in Funding Bills

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she advanced $52,350,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending for the University of Maine (UMaine) System in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) and Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations bills. The legislation, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee this month, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

    This funding advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 CJS and Agriculture Appropriations bills—an important step that now allows the bills to be considered by the full Senate.

    “The brilliant faculty and students at Maine’s public universities and at the flagship university are conducting cutting-edge research and making promising discoveries in a wide variety of fields,” said Senator Collins. “This funding to support these exciting projects across the UMaine System would promote workforce development, support marine research, and help to prepare the next generation of leaders. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”

    “These investments—made possible through Senator Collins’ advocacy—would expand research opportunities, improve infrastructure, and support collaborative solutions that strengthen Maine’s economy and communities,” said Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation for the UMaine System.

    “Located at the heart of our campus, the Reynolds Center is a hub of learning and connection. This investment would expand its role as a space for students to grow academically and socially — strengthening our commitment to the Downeast community,” said Megan Walsh, Dean and Campus Director, UMaine Machias.

    “The spruce budworm is one of the most significant threats to Maine’s forest economy, and proactive research is essential to protecting this vital resource,” said Dr. Adam Daigneault, Associate Professor of Forest Policy and Economics at the University of Maine. “With this support, UMaine can expand its leadership in forest health research, helping landowners, communities, and the forest products industry prepare for and respond to future outbreaks. We are incredibly thankful for Senator Collins’ investment in the resilience of Maine’s forests.” 

    Funding advanced by Senator Collins for the UMaine System in the FY 2026 CJS and Agriculture Appropriations bills is as follows:

    Gulf of Maine Ocean Observation System
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Coastal counties from Washington County to York County, ME
    Amount Requested: $5,000,000
    Project Purpose: To expand the ocean observation system in the Gulf of Maine, which is used by the maritime and fishing industries.

    University of Maine Health Science Complex
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Orono, ME
    Amount Requested: $45,000,000
    Project Purpose: To support the construction of a health and life sciences complex.

    University of Maine Forest Health Lab
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Orono, ME
    Amount Requested: $600,000
    Project Purpose: To support the construction of the University’s Forest Health Lab, which conducts spruce budworm research.

    University of Maine at Machias Early College Student Support Center
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Machias, ME
    Amount Requested: $750,000
    Project Purpose: To renovate a facility on campus to support early college students.

    American Lobster Settlement Index Expansion
    Recipient: University of Maine System
    Project Location: Walpole, ME
    Amount Requested: $1,000,000
    Project Purpose: To expand the Maine Collector Survey for lobster in the Gulf of Maine.

    In 2021, Congress reinstituted Congressionally Directed Spending. Following this decision, Senator Collins has secured more than $1 billion for hundreds of Maine projects for FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024. As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Collins is committed to championing targeted investments that will benefit Maine communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Estimated Budgetary Effects of Public Law 119-21, to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Title II of H. Con. Res. 14, Relative to the Budget Enforcement Baseline for Consideration in the Senate

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    CBO estimates that Public Law 119-21 will result in a net decrease in the unified budget deficit totaling $366 billion over the 2025-2034 period, relative to the budget enforcement baseline for consideration in the Senate. That decrease in the deficit is estimated to result from a decrease in direct spending of $1.2 trillion and an decrease in revenues of $849 billion.

    Some of those budgetary effects are associated with programs that are classified as off-budget. The decrease in the on-budget deficit over that period is estimated at $380 billion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Springfield Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Distribution of Methamphetamine

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

    SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man Jessie Bates, 38, was sentenced on July 17, 2025, to 17 years in prison, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release for distribution of methamphetamine.

    At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Bates sold over 50 grams of methamphetamine to an individual and undercover agent. When law enforcement attempted to arrest Bates, he fled at a high rate of speed proceeding the wrong way down a busy on-way road. He then fled to the state of Georgia where he was ultimately arrested. The government also presented evidence that Bates committed the offense while out on bond for a Sangamon County case involving aggravated discharge of a firearm.

    Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that the Bates was a career offender and eligible for an obstruction of justice enhancement for recklessly creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person in the course of fleeing from law enforcement.

    Bates pleaded guilty in March 2025. He remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service, where he has been since his arrest in January 2024.

    The statutory penalties for distribution of methamphetamine are at least 10 years and up to a life term of imprisonment, , at least five years and up to a life term of supervised release, and up to a $10,000,000 fine.

    “The only thing to be gained from a career as a drug dealer is a prison sentence,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger. “I appreciate the work of the ATF agents who came to central Illinois and went into the field to ensure this was a successful operation. Their work has made our community safer.”

    “This case was a direct result of our Violent Crime Initiative and our strong partnership with the Springfield Police Department,” said ATF Chicago Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon. “Through our targeted and collaborative enforcement efforts,  and with the unwavering support of retired Chief of Police Ken Scarlette, a violent drug trafficker is now off the streets and behind bars.”

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case with assistance from the Springfield Police Department, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service. The Illinois State Police provided assistance at sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gloucester drug trafficker sentenced to five years in prison for firearms offense

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

    NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Gloucester man was sentenced yesterday to five years in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

    According to court documents, on July 15, 2024, Kyle Jacob Buquor, 26, parked a pickup truck in the area of Market Drive and entered a store. While Buquor was inside the store, a K9 positively alerted for narcotics in the truck as law enforcement conducted an open-air sniff around the vehicle.

    Buquor was detained when he returned to the vehicle. During a probable cause search of the vehicle agents recovered a handgun, three loaded magazines, an empty magazine, 11.5 grams of methamphetamine, and various items indicative of drug trafficking.

    Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath 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.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-56.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Weekly Immigration Caseload Dips Below 200 in Western District of Texas

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

    SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 178 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 11 through July 17.

    Among the new cases, Edgar Josue Montelongo-Loera was charged in a criminal complaint in Del Rio for trafficking in firearms. On June 12, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, assisting in a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation, allegedly observed Montelongo-Loera transfer a plastic bag containing seven 9mm pistols to a non-immigrant alien co-conspirator at a parking lot in Eagle Pass. The criminal complaint states that HSI agents followed the co-conspirator to the Eagle Pass Port of Entry, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers allegedly located eight firearms concealed inside the vehicle during an inspection. Further investigation by ATF revealed that Montelongo-Loera allegedly purchased one of the pistols at a retail location in San Antonio.

    Also in the Del Rio sector, Mexican national Jose Elias Gavina-Vasquez was arrested on July 14 and charged with illegal re-entry. Gavina-Vasquez has seven prior deportations, and he was most recently deported to Mexico on Feb. 23, 2023. He has a prior felony conviction from June 2022 and a separate conviction for driving while intoxicated from March 2022.

    Mexican national and convicted felon Juan Antonio Torres-Moreno was also arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio. Torres-Moreno has three prior removals and a voluntary departure, the last being a deportation in 2019. The 2019 deportation resulted from his second illegal-re-entry conviction. He was sentenced to nine months confinement in that case.

    Sergio Villeda-Hernandez, also a Mexican national, was arrested in Eagle Pass on July 13 and charged with illegal re-entry after he was recently removed from the U.S. on March 18. Villeda-Hernandez is a convicted felon, having been sentenced to just over a year in prison in 2007 for a felony battery, possession of cocaine, and selling cocaine in DeSoto County, Florida.

    In El Paso, Mexican national Mario Humberto Sanchez-Hernandez was found less than a mile and a half west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry without immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the U.S. Sanchez-Hernandez was just removed from the U.S. to Mexico for the third time on June 21 through San Diego and was convicted in October 2024 for driving under the influence in Newark, New Jersey.

    Two brothers were arrested in El Paso, each charged with one count of alien smuggling. U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted an undercover operation that led them to meet Marcos Dominguez, who allegedly believed the agents were transporting two illegal aliens and were in need of a stash house. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Marcos exited his vehicle to assist with transferring one of the illegal aliens from the agents’ vehicle to his own. Marcos was then detained for further investigation and agreed to guide the agents to his residence. At the residence, the agents encountered Marcos’s brother, Andres Dominguez, who allegedly admitted that illegal aliens were present inside. Agents located four subjects determined to be illegal aliens. The illegal aliens were arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station. The investigation revealed that Marcos allegedly housed more than 40 illegal aliens at his residence, was paid $200 per day for his smuggling actions, and would split the earnings with his brother Andres, whom he said helped him house and transport the illegal aliens.

    In Austin, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Team (FOT) encountered Honduran national Jimmy Reinel Espinal-Mejia on July 16. Espinal-Mejia was convicted for illegal re-entry in May 2024 after being previously removed in January 2024. For that conviction, he was sentenced to 63 days confinement and removed in July 2024. Six years earlier, in 2018, Espinal-Mejia was convicted for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

    In Waco, a Mexican national was charged with illegal re-entry on July 17 when Temple Police responded to a vehicle collision in Temple and identified Eloy Hernandez-Ponce as one of the vehicle occupants. ICE identified Hernandez-Ponce as a previously removed alien who was last deported in March 2010 following a felony conviction for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in Houston.

    These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

    These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

    Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Mercurity Fintech Holding Inc. Announces Pricing of Registered Direct Offering of $43.70 Million For Crypto Treasury Strategy

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, NY, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mercurity Fintech Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: MFH) (“Mercurity” or the “Company”), a leading innovator in digital asset treasury and blockchain-enabled financial infrastructure, today announced that it has entered into securities purchase agreements with institutional investors for the purchase and sale of its ordinary shares (or pre-funded warrants to purchase ordinary shares) and warrants to purchase ordinary shares in a registered direct offering. The offering is intended to support the Company’s crypto treasury strategy and its continued development of on-chain financial tools.

    Participants in this financing include LTP, Syntax Capital, OGBC Group, and Blockstone Capital, investment and financial services firms operating primarily in the digital assets and blockchain sector.

    Under the terms of the agreements, the Company will issue 12,485,715 ordinary shares and 12,485,715 warrants in a registered direct offering. The effective offering price for each ordinary share is $3.50. The warrants will have an exercise price of $3.50 per share and a term of five years. The offering is expected to close on or about July 22, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions.

    The offering is being led by D. Boral Capital LLC, acting as sole placement agent. VCL Law LLP is serving as counsel to the Company. Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP is serving as counsel to the placement agent.

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to advance its crypto treasury strategy, including ecosystem staking, tokenized yield instruments, and institutional-grade on-chain financial infrastructure, as well as for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    The securities described above are being offered pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-287428), which was previously filed with and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering will be filed with the SEC and available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or be obatined by contacting D. Boral Capital LLC Attention: Syndicate Department, 590 Madison Avenue, 39th Floor, New York, NY 10022, by email dbccapitalmarkets@dboralcapital.com, or by telephone at (212) 970-5150.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Mercurity Fintech Holding Inc.
    Mercurity Fintech Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: MFH) is a fintech group powered by blockchain infrastructure, offering technology and financial services. Through its subsidiaries, including Chaince Securities, LLC, MFH aims to bridge traditional finance and digital innovation across digital asset management, financial advisory, and capital markets solutions.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequently occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results.

    Contacts:
    International Elite Capital Inc.
    Annabelle Zhang
    Tel: +1 (646) 866-7928
    Email: mfhfintech@iecapitalusa.com 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: AI and other future technologies will be necessary — but not sufficient — for enacting the UN’s Pact for the Future

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Joyeeta Gupta, Professor, Social and Behavioural Sciences, University of Amsterdam

    In September 2024, members of the United Nations adopted the Pact for the Future at the Summit of the Future, held in New York City. The pact, including its two annexes on the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact, builds on multilateral agreements following the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.



    Read more:
    How the United Nations’ Pact for the Future could help heal a fractured world

    The pact commits to “protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through the actions stated in the pact.” These actions address the digital divide, inclusion, digital space that respects human rights and promotes responsible governance of artificial intelligence (AI).

    Additionally, the Declaration on Future Generations includes 10 principles and some actions. The pact also encourages accelerated development of AI, while considering both its positive and negative aspects within a broader aim to protect human rights.

    A 1972 image of the Earth taken during the Apollo 17 mission. Planetary justice means considering human and non-human life, Earth systems and responsible management of resources.
    (NASA)

    Meeting needs

    As the former co-chair of the Earth Commission and current co-chair of the UN 10-member group, I have worked on incorporating justice issues within environmental studies. Along with my colleagues, we recently published an article where we explain how we have developed Earth system boundaries based on the principle of not causing significant harm to others as part of a broader human rights and Earth systems justice approach.

    While the pact acknowledges and builds on the Sustainable Development Goals, it does not adequately take into account the latest science that shows we have crossed many safe and just Earth system boundaries. There’s also a challenge here: if we were to meet everyone’s minimum needs as required by the social Sustainable Development Goals, we will cross boundaries further.

    A human rights approach

    The pact and its annexes make reference to justice, future generations and Africa. Justice is anchored in a human rights approach. The pact only mentions reducing harm in relation to digital platforms and explosive weapons, but this could be strengthened with the addition of the no-harm principle — not causing significant harm to human and non-human others — in other areas such as climate change. Other forms of justice are scarcely accounted for.

    These include epistemic justice (or how different knowledge systems are included), and data justice (the right to create, control, access, apply and profit from data). Procedural justice — the right to information, decision-making, civic space and courts relating to the allocation of resources and responsibilities — is also vital.

    Other important forms of justice include recognition justice, interspecies, and intragenerational justice. Earth system justice is needed to identify and live within Earth system boundaries and equitably share resources and risks.

    The pact notes that “if we do not change course, we risk tipping into a future of persistent crisis and breakdown,” but it does not make reference to the latest science on planetary boundaries.

    Climate justice

    We argue that implementing the pact requires recognizing how boundaries, foundations and inequality are inextricably are linked together. The Earth Commission argues that safe planetary boundaries are not necessarily just. To minimize significant harm to others, it may be necessary to have more stringent targets.

    For example, 1.5 C is the proposed safe climate boundary for climate change, while 1 C is the proposed just boundary since, at this level, already tens of millions of people are exposed to extreme heat and humidity. Eight safe and just boundaries for climate, water, nutrients, biosphere and aerosols have been identified, seven of which have been crossed.



    Read more:
    What are ‘planetary boundaries’ and why should we care?

    In terms of foundations, theoretically, meeting people’s minimum needs would lead to further crossing these boundaries. We need to recognize that living within safe and just boundaries requires meeting everyone’s minimum needs.

    This requires deploying efficient technologies and redistributing resources to make up the deficit. But governments are reluctant to take this approach, probably because it limits the use of resources and sinks.

    Technological support

    Living within climate boundaries will require a just transition. Globally, if we wish to remain below the safe climate boundary, we will have to completely stop using fossil fuels. Since most remaining fossil fuel reserves are in the developing world, this will put a heavy burden on them. At the same time, climate impacts are considerable, so finance for a just energy transformation is needed.

    While the pact restates the importance of the 2030 agenda in bolstering sustainable development, it lacks a credible mechanism for monitoring whether the national pledges are implemented. This will require strong collaboration among policy, science and the private sector.

    There is a wealth of information in Earth observations from space that can assist in monitoring progress. This information, if made available to researchers and policymakers, can be integrated into national, regional and global environmental risk assessments.

    Digital twins are another technological development that can support these assessments. The European Commission’s Digital Twin of the Ocean, for example, is a virtual model. It integrates diverse ocean data sources and leverages the power of big data, advanced computing and AI to provide real-time insights and scenario simulations under a variety of conditions. Such systems can enhance our ability to cope with environmental challenges.

    As AI is likely to dramatically develop in the few two years, it is critical to be ready to shape and use its potential in a positive way to implement the Pact while reducing its dependence on fossil fuels.

    A ‘cash flow crisis’

    Finally, the pact calls for urgent, predictable and stable funding for the UN and developing countries. This will enable UN bodies to deliver services and administer programs in accordance with international law. The UN Secretariat is facing a severe “cash flow crisis,” as major contributors are paying too late or too little.

    The UN Honour Roll lists member states that have paid membership fees in full: 151 of 193 countries paid in full, but only 51 of them on time in 2024. Among 13 countries with assessed fees of more than US$50 million, only Canada, the United Kingdom, the Republic of Korea, Germany and Italy paid on time.

    With most members paying late, and large ones not paying till later or only partially, this severely constrains the ability of the UN to provide planned, impartial and inclusive services to the global community.

    There is also a need for funding to enable developing countries to adapt and transform. But if such funding comes through loans, this may further exacerbate existing developing country debt: in 2023, developing countries made debt repayments of US$1.4 trillion.

    We need redistribution of resources. Until then, it is critical that new technologies such as AI are deployed to help us return within the boundaries and meet minimum needs without exacerbating climate change through its fossil fuels dependence. The UN plays a critical role in facilitating human, environmental and earthy system justice, but shrinking resources hamper its ability to deliver.

    Joyeeta Gupta receives funding from European Research Council and the Dutch Research Council (NWO).

    – ref. AI and other future technologies will be necessary — but not sufficient — for enacting the UN’s Pact for the Future – https://theconversation.com/ai-and-other-future-technologies-will-be-necessary-but-not-sufficient-for-enacting-the-uns-pact-for-the-future-247511

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News in Brief: Nordhaus, Raines see heroism, partnerships in Central Texas

    Source: United States Spaceforce

    Early on July 4, almost 30 inches of rain fell within hours across Central Texas’s Hill Country, surging the Guadalupe River and triggering catastrophic flash flooding. Within hours, Texas National Guard members sprang into action, launching search and rescue operations alongside civil authorities.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Slams USDA Proposal to Share Sensitive Data of SNAP Participants

    Source: US State of California Department of Justice

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, leading a coalition of 14 attorneys general, slammed the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) demand that states turn over personal and sensitive information about millions of food stamp recipients, as well as its proposal to share that information with other federal agencies for purposes that have nothing to do with ensuring the integrity of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a federally-funded, state-administered program providing billions of dollars in food assistance to tens of millions of low-income families across the country. SNAP applicants provide their private information to the states on the understanding, backed by long-standing state and federal laws, that their information will not be used for unrelated purposes. In a letter, Attorney General Bonta and the coalition argue that USDA’s unprecedented actions are unnecessary, inefficient, and unlawful.

    “The Trump Administration continues to wage war on some of the most vulnerable members of our communities, deploying invasive and unlawful tactics in the process to intimidate them from accessing services to which they are lawfully entitled,” said Attorney General Bonta. “No Californian should be faced with the choice of having enough to eat or protecting their fundamental right to privacy. As California Attorney General, I will continue to use every tool in the toolbox to push back against any attempts by this administration to upend the rights of Californians. I urge the Trump Administration to reverse course and abandon its unprecedented proposal to share SNAP data for purposes far beyond ensuring the integrity of this program.”

    Since President Trump re-entered the White House in January, public reports indicate that federal officials are amassing huge databases of personal information on Americans and using that data for undisclosed purposes, including immigration enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security has already obtained troves of personal information from both the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Health and Human Services Agency, including private medical information and other personal details on Medicaid recipients, which California has already challenged in court. USDA’s attempts to collect data from states about SNAP applicants and recipients appear to be the next step in this campaign.  

    In May 2025, USDA made an unprecedented demand that states turn over massive amounts of personal information on all SNAP applicants and recipients, including social security numbers and home addresses, dating back five years. In June, USDA published a “System of Records Notice” stating that it intends to “leverage data-sharing across Federal and State systems to identify and rectify” improper payments, and to share information across the federal government, as directed by one of President Trump’s executive orders. 

    As the attorneys general explain in their comment letter, USDA’s actions are unprecedented, threaten the privacy of millions of families, and ignore long-standing restrictions on the use and redisclosure of SNAP data. What’s more, the proposed collection and sharing of SNAP data is wholly unnecessary and inefficient; SNAP fraud rates are already low, thanks to robust auditing mechanisms that states and the federal government have cooperated on for years. And those mechanisms do not, and have never, required that states turn over sensitive, personally identifying information about millions of Americans without any meaningful restrictions on how that information is used or shared with other agencies.

    The attorneys general also highlight The Paperwork Reduction Act, which seeks to “minimize the cost to the Federal Government of the creation, collection, maintenance, use, dissemination, and disposition of information.” USDA purports to seek data to re-verify the eligibility of SNAP participants, a function that is already subject to other quality control mechanisms and already completed by the states. Although USDA’s Notice claims the agency may share data with law enforcement, it overlooks key limits set by the federal Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. § 552a). USDA’s own rules further restrict SNAP data use to program-related purposes, like prosecuting fraud. The letter defends SNAP enrollees’ reasonable expectation of privacy, urging USDA “not to lose sight of the fact that SNAP exists to fight hunger.”

    In submitting this comment letter, Attorney General Bonta is joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington. 

    A copy of the comment letter is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Support Grows for Grassley’s Combating Organized Retail Crime Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Following a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on organized retail crime, Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed growing support for his bipartisan Combating Organized Retail Crime Act (CORCA) from retail industry leaders, law enforcement organizations and hundreds of affected businesses.

    Grassley and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev) introduced the bill to establish a multi-agency response to organized retail crime, enhancing coordination between retail industry representatives and law enforcement. The legislation would also strengthen reporting efforts, create new tools to assist in the investigation and prosecution of retail and supply chain crime, and support efforts to recapture stolen goods and their proceeds.

    The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act currently has 26 bipartisan Senate cosponsors and is endorsed by 38 state attorneys general. Additionally, the legislation has garnered significant support from advocacy groups, including the world’s largest retail trade association, major law enforcement organizations and a coalition of over 260 impacted businesses. Reps. David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Susie Lee (D-Nev.) are leading companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

    Watch experts and industry leaders discuss the Judiciary Committee’s hearing and the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act below, followed by statements of support from local, state and federal organizations and businesses.

    [embedded content]

    VIDEO

    The National Retail Federation and a coalition of over 260 impacted businesses:

    “We respectfully urge Congress to advance and pass the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025 without delay. This bipartisan, commonsense legislation is essential to modernizing our national response to organized retail crime, which threatens not only public safety but also the health and security of America’s supply chains and consumer access to goods. By strengthening coordination, enforcement and prevention, CORCA will help protect American businesses, workers and families. The time to act is now.”

    The National Association of Attorneys General:

    “As Attorneys General of Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois and South Carolina, we are joined by the 34 Attorneys General of the undersigned states to encourage action during the 119th Congress to support our efforts to combat the nationwide organized retail crime epidemic… CORCA would provide the necessary resources at the state and federal level to bring the organizations and individuals behind this nationwide problem to justice.”

    The National Police Association:

    “The [National Police Association] extends its gratitude to Sen. Grassley and Rep. Joyce for introducing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, a federal bill that would allow the private sector and law enforcement partners at all levels to work in tandem to fight these crime syndicates. The government’s priority is to provide for the safety and welfare of its citizens, and this bill goes a long way in accomplishing this.”

    The American Trucking Association:

    “The trucking industry takes great pride in delivering America’s freight safely and on time; however, the billions of tons of goods transported by trucks from coast to coast have increasingly become a prime target for organized crime rings, including transnational organizations, putting truck drivers at risk and raising costs for consumer. ATA commends this bipartisan group of leaders for addressing this alarming trend and safeguarding our supply chain. By empowering federal agencies to improve cooperation across jurisdictions and ramp up enforcement actions, this bill would strike an effective blow against organized crime.”

    Brenda Neville, President and CEO of the Iowa Motor Truck Association:

    “We commend the Senate Judiciary Committee for shining a spotlight on the growing problem of cargo theft. Chairman Grassley’s legislation is vitally important for Iowa’s trucking industry and the more than 100,000 Iowans who work to keep freight moving safely and efficiently. Cargo theft not only threatens the security of Iowa’s freight—it puts these hardworking men and women at serious risk. We are thankful to Chairman Grassley and the entire committee for their efforts to protect the people and the industry that are vital to Iowa’s economy.”

    Matt Hart, Executive Director of the Illinois Trucking Association:

    “Cargo theft is an epidemic affecting the entire supply chain, and Illinois is at the epicenter of the problem. Our state is among the top three nationally in cargo theft occurrences, and it is critical that Congress pass common-sense legislation that deters these criminal actors and gives law enforcement the tools it needs to combat these sophisticated crimes. On behalf of the nearly 340,000 Illinoisans who work throughout the trucking industry, we call on Senator Durbin to support the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act.”

    Eric Sauer, CEO of the California Trucking Association:

    “Cargo theft is an issue impacting the entire supply nation across the country, but nowhere is it more acute than in California. Without this much-needed legislation, sophisticated criminal organizations will continue to operate with impunity at a great cost to consumers, highway safety, and the hardworking men and women throughout our industry. Senator Padilla’s support of the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act means law enforcement has the tools it needs to prosecute these criminal actors.”

    The Association of American Railroads:

    “Organized criminal operations continue to evolve and escalate their targeted attacks against our nation’s supply chain and retailers. This alarming trend affects every industry – including the nation’s largest railroads, which experienced a 40 percent spike in cargo theft last year. Disrupting these organized crime networks requires a unified, federally-led response. Chairman Grassley and Rep. Joyce’s bipartisan legislation provides the strategic framework necessary to disrupt these criminal networks and safeguard our supply chain.”

    The Retail Industry Leaders Association:

    “Organized criminal enterprises are endangering communities across the country through brazen and violent criminal acts that put retail employees and customers in harm’s way. Whether stealing mass quantities of products from retail stores or hijacking consumer goods throughout the supply chain, these gangs are wreaking havoc. And these criminal rings use the profits from retail theft to support larger illicit activities such as human trafficking, gun smuggling, narcotics, and terrorism. In order to expose and prosecute these sophisticated criminal rings, we need federal, state and local law enforcement to be coordinated, which is exactly what CORCA will do.”

    The International Council of Shopping Centers:

    “Across the United States, communities small and large are facing an unprecedented number of [organized retail crime] incidents. The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act would provide the necessary resources to bring the people and organizations behind this nationwide problem to justice by establishing formal coordination between law enforcement and the private sector. We applaud Senators Grassley and Cortez Masto, and Representatives Joyce, Lee and Titus, for reintroducing the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act. We believe the bill represents a huge step in the right direction towards addressing this growing issue.”

    The Intermodal Association of North America:

    “The Combating Organized Retail Crime Act offers commonsense solutions to identify and deter organized crime throughout the supply chain by enhancing legal frameworks, improving enforcement capabilities, and fostering collaboration across relevant federal, state and local agencies. The legislation will strengthen the U.S. economy by enhancing supply chain efficiency, penalizing dangerous crime groups and protecting American workers and consumers.”

    The National Insurance Crime Bureau:

    “On behalf of the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), I write to express our strong support of S. 1404, the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025. As a leader in the fight against insurance fraud and crime, NICB urges the Committee to take up and advance this bipartisan measure, which will deter retail and cargo theft that harms American consumers and job creators; finances organized, transnational criminal networks; and increases costs for all.”

    The Home Depot:

    “The Home Depot strongly supports CORCA, and we are pleased to see that the Senate bill has over 20 bipartisan cosponsors. The bill would create the Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center, bringing together federal, state and local law enforcement and private sector experts to share information and collaborate on strategies to keep our stores, customers, and associates safe and secure. The bill would allow us to expand upon the progress made at the local and state levels and address cases that reach certain thresholds or cross state lines.”

    Ulta Beauty, Inc.:

    “We support CORCA’s goal to establish a coordinated federal approach to fighting these crimes. By enabling real-time data sharing and cross-jurisdictional collaboration between federal, state and local authorities, CORCA would empower law enforcement to pursue and prosecute [organized retail crime] offenders more effectively, deterring future activity and protecting retail workers and consumers. We believe this bill represents a meaningful and necessary step toward a safer, more secure retail environment, and we respectfully urge Congress to advance its passage.”

    Donna Lemm, Chief Strategy Officer, IMC Logistics:

    “It is imperative that action is taken at the federal, state, and local levels to confront and neutralize this growing threat. The trucking industry and our supply chain partners need more cooperation and interagency information-sharing, as well as a more robust investigative and prosecutorial posture, to tackle these challenges head-on. For those reasons, we are proud to support and endorse the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act, a bill that will provide the tools and resources necessary to facilitate that unified response.”

    Scott McBride, Chief Global Asset Protection Officer, American Eagle Outfitters, Inc.:

    “As a professional dedicated to protecting customers and associates, I implore all members of the Congress to work together to ensure that the Combatting Organized Retail Crime Act urgently becomes the law of the land. This critical legislation will help us stop these senseless crimes in our communities.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Grassley, Bipartisan Colleagues Take Aim at Social Media Drug Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) joined Sens. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) in reintroducing the Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act.

    The bipartisan legislation would require social media companies and communication service providers to take an active role in reporting the illegal sale and distribution of drugs on their platforms. This additional data would assist state and local law enforcement in combating online drug trafficking, as well as prosecuting those who prey on America’s youth.

    “Fentanyl overdoses claim the lives of tens-of-thousands of Americans each year, many of whom suffered accidental poisonings after taking deadly pills marketed on social media platforms,” Grassley said. “After successfully passing the HALT Fentanyl Act into law, Senate Republicans are continuing to advance legislation to combat America’s fentanyl crisis and save lives. Congress must hold Big Tech accountable for its ongoing role in the illicit drug trade.”

    “For four years, Joe Biden’s reckless open borders allowed fentanyl to flood our communities, creating a crisis in every state. We still lose a Kansan a day to fentanyl poisoning,” Marshall said. “Cooper Davis was a bright young man from Johnson County who tragically died from a pill laced with fentanyl purchased on the social media platform: Snapchat. The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act requires social media platforms to report any drug activity on their platform to law enforcement. We will not rest in our fight until no Kansan loses their life to fentanyl poisoning.”

    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is cosponsored by Sens. Todd Young (R-Ind.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

    The legislation is endorsed by the families of Cooper Davis and Devin Norring, as well as the National High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Directors Association, Partnership for Safe Medicine, the U.S. Deputy Sherriff’s Association, The Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse, the Community Anti-Drug Coalition Association, the Alexander Neville Foundation, the National Fraternal Order of Police and the Kansas Sheriffs Association.

    “Our family continues to be extremely grateful for Senator Marshall and his colleagues’ dedication to this legislation. We are both honored and saddened to have another name, Devin Norring, added to this bill,” said Libby Davis, Mother of Cooper Davis. “However, the harsh reality is that there are thousands of other teenagers’ names that could be added to this bill because they, too, lost their lives in this same tragic way. Each with a story demonstrating that this can happen to ANY FAMILY. We, as parents and grandparents, do so many things to keep our kids safe, from baby gates, car seats, and seatbelts, to bike helmets, sunscreen, and vaccinations. This is no different. We need our legislators to come together and get this bipartisan bill across the finish line so that countless children can be saved, theirs being no exception.”

    “Our family & the Devin J. Norring Foundation wholeheartedly support the Cooper Davis & Devin Norring Act – legislation that serves as a critical step toward protecting families from the deadly threat of fentanyl sold through social media,” said the family of Devin J. Norring and the Devin J. Norring Foundation. “This bill honors the lives of Cooper and Devin by holding tech companies accountable and giving law enforcement the tools they need to respond to this crisis. No parent should have to search for answers in a system that shields predators. It’s time for truth, transparency, and action.”

    Download bill text HERE.

    Background:

    The Cooper Davis and Devin Norring Act is named after two young men who tragically lost their lives to fentanyl poisoning after purchasing counterfeit pills from social media.

    Cooper Davis, from Johnson County, Kansas, lost his life after taking half a fake pill that contained a lethal dose of fentanyl. The pill was allegedly purchased from a Missouri drug dealer on the social media platform Snapchat. Following his passing, Cooper’s family launched the non-profit ‘Keepin’ Clean for Coop’ to save lives, raise awareness and educate students and families on the dangers of counterfeit pills.

    Devin Norring was a 19-year-old from Hastings, Minnesota, who lost his life to fentanyl poisoning in 2020. In his honor, his family started the Devin J. Norring Foundation to raise awareness about the dangers of fake pills and other illicit substances.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newly Declassified DOJ Watchdog Report Shows FBI Cut Corners in Clinton Email Investigation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today is bringing to light the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) findings that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) failed to fully investigate Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server and mishandling of highly classified information during her time as Secretary of State. The newly declassified “Clinton annex” is an appendix to the DOJ OIG’s June 2018 report reviewing the DOJ and FBI’s handling of the Clinton investigation. DOJ, under the leadership of Attorney General Pam Bondi, and other agencies declassified and provided the Clinton annex to Grassley at his request. Grassley has sought information from DOJ and FBI about the document since 2018 and again submitted his request to then-Attorney General Bill Barr in 2019. He, along with Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), requested President Donald Trump declassify the document in 2020, and Grassley reiterated the request in 2025.

    “This document shows an extreme lack of effort and due diligence in the FBI’s investigation of former Secretary Clinton’s email usage and mishandling of highly classified information,” Grassley said. “Under Comey’s leadership, the FBI failed to perform fundamental investigative work and left key pieces of evidence on the cutting room floor. The Comey FBI’s negligent approach and perhaps intentional lack of effort in the Clinton investigation is a stark contrast to its full-throated investigation of the Trump-Russia collusion hoax, which was based on the uncorroborated and now discredited Steele dossier. Comey’s decision-making process smacks of political infection.”

    “I warned years ago that the Clinton investigation failed to hit the mark, and I’m grateful the American people can finally see the facts for themselves,” Grassley continued. “After nearly a decade in the shadows, this information is now coming to light thanks to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel’s dedicated efforts to fulfill my congressional request. I appreciate their ongoing commitment to transparency and strongly urge them to continue to fully review this matter, including its national security impact.”

    Read the Clinton annex HERE.

    The DOJ OIG’s Clinton annex shows the FBI obtained thumb drives from a source during the Clinton investigation, but then-FBI Director James Comey, as well as then-Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok and others, failed to perform additional, targeted searches of the drives, even though they contained information relevant to the inquiry. The DOJ OIG report illustrates that the FBI failed to thoroughly and completely investigate the Clinton matter as a result, as well as vet the serious national security risks created by Clinton’s careless handling of highly classified information. According to the DOJ OIG, the thumb drives contained highly sensitive information exfiltrated from U.S. government agencies, including the Department of State, as well as then-President Barack Obama’s emails and, potentially, congressional information. The thumb drives were never reviewed as part of the Clinton investigation, contrary to the recommendation of a draft FBI memorandum. The DOJ OIG report also shows the drives should have been immediately reviewed for foreign intelligence purposes, but were not.

    The FBI also obtained intelligence reports discussing purported communications between Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who was chairwoman of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) at the time, and two different individuals who worked for the Soros Open Society Foundations. The intelligence reports alleged that the Obama administration took efforts to scuttle the investigation into Clinton and protect her candidacy. The DOJ OIG Clinton annex shows Comey, McCabe and Strzok, among others, did not make serious investigative efforts to determine the veracity, or lack thereof, regarding the intelligence reports.

    On July 5, 2016, Comey exonerated Clinton in a public statement regarding the investigation and recommended DOJ take no legal action to hold her accountable. Grassley’s oversight revealed Comey planned to exonerate Clinton even before interviewing her. Weeks later, on July 31, 2016, Comey’s FBI formally opened the bogus Crossfire Hurricane investigation into President Trump’s disproven collusion with Russia. On that day, Strzok texted Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer, saying: “And damn this feels momentous. Because this matters. The other one did, too, but that was to ensure we didn’t F something up. This matters because this MATTERS. So super glad to be on this voyage with you.”

    Grassley cited Comey’s handling of the Clinton investigation as evidence that Comey lacked the ability to maintain the public’s trust in the FBI, and was therefore rightfully terminated.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Nordhaus, Raines see heroism, partnerships in Central Texas

    Source: United States Air Force

    Early on July 4, almost 30 inches of rain fell within hours across Central Texas’s Hill Country, surging the Guadalupe River and triggering catastrophic flash flooding. Within hours, Texas National Guard members sprang into action, launching search and rescue operations alongside civil authorities.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Career Criminal Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

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

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas Barber has sentenced Reshay Rashard Nelson (45, Tampa) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Nelson pleaded guilty in April 2025.

    According to court documents, officers from the Tampa Police Department stopped a vehicle driven by Nelson on April 10, 2023. A search of Nelson and his vehicle resulted in the discovery of an ounce of cocaine, a scale, and a loaded firearm. Nelson received an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act based on his prior felony convictions for possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, obstructing an officer with violence, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, and trafficking in cocaine.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David P. Sullivan.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province Finalizes RCMP Lease in North Battleford, Issues RFP for Building Renovations

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on July 21, 2025

    The Government of Saskatchewan has finalized a lease agreement with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for space in the former Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) Retail Inc. store in North Battleford and has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to begin planning major tenant improvements.

    “The lease and upcoming renovations show our supports for long-term investment in public safety infrastructure, while making efficient use of existing government-owned property.” SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister David Marit said, “This is infrastructure that will directly strengthen front-line policing in Saskatchewan.”

    To prepare the space for RCMP’s use, the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement is seeking consultant services to lead the design, documentation and contract administration required for the renovation.

    “This lease agreement is great news for our community.” Health Minister and MLA for North Battleford Jeremy Cockrill said. “By bringing the RCMP into this space and investing in needed renovations, we are supporting community safety creating, local jobs and making good use of existing infrastructure.”

    The former SLGA site, located at 1001 – 101 Street, will be repurposed to enable the RCMP expand its Battlefords detachment. Renovation work will include schematic and detailed design, construction drawings, specifications, tender documents and project oversight during construction.

    The RCMP lease was ratified on July 2, 2025. This project represents a strategic reuse of existing government-owned infrastructure and supports the province’s commitment to community safety.

    SLGA owned 19 of its 34 store properties. The North Battleford location was one of four buildings which were identified to be repurposed for other government organizations. Buildings currently for sale are listed on slga.com.

    “The City of North Battleford is very encouraged that this lease has been signed, allowing this prominent downtown building to be put back into productive use. We are extremely pleased that the RCMP will be expanding its presence in the Battlefords region with the development of a regional RCMP training hub.” North Battleford Mayor Kelli Hawtin said. “This project will bring significant economic benefits to our city and the surrounding areas through the addition of permanent RCMP staff and a steady flow of officers travelling to North Battleford to attend training. We want to thank the provincial government for partnering with the RCMP, and we are eager to see this vision become reality.”

    Renovations are expected to take between 18 and 24 months. The RCMP will begin operations in the building once the upgrades are complete.

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    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Update: Noosa crocodile

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 21 Jul 2025

    Queensland Parks and Wildlife Rangers investigated a reported crocodile sighting at Noosa Spit on 20 July 2025 but found no evidence of a crocodile.

    A follow-up search is planned for 21 July 2025. The investigation was prompted by a fisher reporting possible crocodile images on a boat’s depth-sounder to the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation.

    While the investigation is ongoing, people are asked to be vigilant around the water.

    The Noosa area is considered atypical crocodile habitat, and any crocodile confirmed to be present will be targeted for removal from the wild.

    Anyone who sees what they believe to be a crocodile in the Noosa area is encouraged to make a sighting report as soon as possible.

    Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372. The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE San Juan investigation leads to arrest of female teacher for child sex trafficking in Puerto Rico

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — On July 10, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Lizamarie Rivera-García, a 42-year-old woman from Bayamón, charged with sex trafficking of children.

    “We cannot let our guard down! Our children are being sexually exploited by individuals in positions of public trust. Law enforcement agencies are committed to being the voice of these victims,” said HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge Rebecca C. Gonzalez-Ramos. “HSI’s multidisciplinary team will guarantee that our children receive the necessary assistance to overcome this trauma, and our agents will make sure that these individuals are arrested, away from causing more damage. A female religion teacher that had the responsibility to guide our children about principles and beliefs was actually developing a plan to sexually assault them. HSI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau are committed to protecting our children. We will not let these acts happen on our watch.”

    According to court documents, between December 2023 and October 2024, Rivera-García knowingly and willfully recruited, enticed, transported and maintained a 15-year-old boy to engage in commercial sex acts. Rivera-García is also accused with knowingly employing, using, persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing the same child to engage in sexual activity; transporting him in a commonwealth, territory or possession of the United States, with intent that the male individual engage in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense; and using internet instant messaging services and social media to knowingly transfer and attempt to transfer obscene matter to an individual who had not attained the age of 16 years.

    In addition, from in or about December 2023 to November 2024, Rivera-García knowingly and willfully recruited, enticed, transported and maintained a 17-year-old boy to engage in commercial sex acts.

    If convicted on the charges, the defendant faces the following penalties: 

    • Sex trafficking of a child, with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and up to life in prison.
    • Transportation of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and up to life in prison.
    • Coercion and enticement of a minor, with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and up to life in prison.

    All convictions will be followed by a term of supervised release of no less than five years and up to life. A federal district court judge will determine Rivera-García’s sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov. Learn more about HSI San Juan’s mission to increase public safety in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Instagram, Facebook and X.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Puerto Rico man arrested for child exploitation after ICE San Juan investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested Aneudy Jazzan Pérez-Santiago, a 30-year-old teacher from Carolina, on criminal charges related to child exploitation.

    On July 10, a federal grand jury indicted Pérez-Santiago on charges involving the coercion and enticement of a minor and the transfer of obscene material to a 14-year-old girl.

    According to court documents, from February 2023 to February 2025, Pérez-Santiago used a cellphone, online instant messaging services and social media to knowingly persuade, induce, entice and coerce a 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity and transferred obscene material to her.

    “This case demonstrates the importance of adult supervision on digital devices,” said HSI San Juan Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos. “A responsible father monitoring social media platforms discovered sexually explicit conversations between a teacher and their student. This individual, who also calls himself a minister of a church, exploited his role as an educator and spiritual guide to approach a minor and engage in sexually explicit conversations. The defendant does not represent the amazing teachers of Puerto Rico’s Department of Education, who day to day, work with us to identify and report these predators. The perfect formula to protect our children is strong parental supervision, engaged personnel from Puerto Rico’s Department of Education, and HSI’s Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force, whose main mission is to keep our children safe from sexual predators.”

    If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: 

    • Coercion and enticement of a minor: A mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and up to life in prison.
    • Transfer of obscene material to a minor: Up to 10 years in prison.

    All charges of conviction will be followed by a term of supervised release of no less than five years and up to life. A federal district court judge will determine Pérez-Santiago’s sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Members of the public with information can report crimes or suspicious activity by dialing the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or by completing the online tip form.

    For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969 or send an email to IntelHSISanJuan@hsi.dhs.gov.

    Learn more about HSI San Juan mission to increase public safety in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on Instagram at @HSISanJuan, Facebook at @HSISanJuanPR and X at @HSISanJuan.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Iowa Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Multiple Victims

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    An eight-count indictment in the Northern District of Iowa has been unsealed charging a Des Moines man with four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and four counts of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution through coercion and enticement.

    According to the indictment, Marlin Santana Thomas Sr., 49, used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex acts in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere between 2009 and 2015. The indictment also alleges that Thomas transported women from Iowa to Illinois and North Dakota for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.

    The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. It also carries a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release along with a fine of up to $250,000. Finally, restitution is mandatory upon any conviction for sex trafficking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence upon any conviction after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI and Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Nydle for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

    The FBI is asking that anyone with information about Thomas to contact the Omaha Field Office at (402) 493-8688.

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

    Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Teenagers aren’t good at spotting misinformation online – research suggests why

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Yvonne Skipper, Senior Lecturer in Psychology (Education), University of Glasgow

    Body Stock/Shutterstock

    Misinformation is found in every element of our online lives. It ranges from fake products available to buy, fake lifestyle posts on social media accounts and fake news about health and politics.

    Misinformation has an impact not only on our beliefs but also our behaviour: for example, it has affected how people vote in elections and whether people intend to have vaccinations.

    And since anyone can create and share online content, without the kind of verification processes or fact checking typical of more traditional media, misinformation has proliferated.

    This is particularly important as young people increasingly turn to social media for all kinds of information, using it as a source of news and as a search engine. But despite their frequent use of social media, teenagers struggle to evaluate the accuracy of the content they consume.

    A 2022 report from media watchdog Ofcom found that only 11% of 11 to 17 year olds could reliably recognise the signs that indicated a post was genuine.

    My research has explored what teenagers understand about misinformation online. I held focus groups with 37 11- to 14-year-olds, asking them their views on misinformation.

    Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK’s latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences.

    I found that the young people in the study tended to – wrongly – believe that misinformation was only about world events and scams. Because of this, they believed that they personally did not see a lot of misinformation.

    “[My Instagram] isn’t really like ‘this is happening in the world’ or whatever, it’s just kind of like life,” one said. This may make them vulnerable to misinformation as they are only alert for it in these domains.

    There was also wide variation in how confident they felt about spotting misinformation. Some were confident in their skills. “I’m not daft enough to believe it,” as one put it.

    Others admitted to being easily fooled. This was an interesting finding, as previous research has indicated that most people have a high level of confidence in their personal ability to spot misinformation.

    Most did not fact-check information by cross-referencing what they read with other news sources. They relied instead on their intuition – “You just see it, you know” – or looked at what others said in comment sections to spot misinformation. But neither of these strategies is likely to be particularly reliable.

    Relying on gut instinct typically means using cognitive shortcuts such as “I trust her, so I can trust her post” or “the website looks professional, so it is trustworthy”. This makes it easy for people to create believable false information.

    And a study by Ofcom found that only 22% of adults were able to identify signs of a genuine post. This means that relying on other people to help us tell true from false is not likely to be effective.

    Interestingly, the teens in this study saw older adults, particularly grandparents, as especially vulnerable to believing false information. On the other hand, they viewed their parents as more skilled at spotting misinformation than they themselves were. “[Parents] see it as fake news, so they don’t believe it and they don’t need to worry about it,” one said.

    Teens thought their parents would be better than them at spotting misinformation online.
    LightField Studios/Shutterstock

    This was unexpected. We might assume that young people, who are often considered digital natives, would see themselves as more adept than their parents at spotting misinformation.

    Taking responsibility

    We discussed whose role it was to challenge misinformation online. The teens were reluctant to challenge it themselves. They thought it would not make a difference if they did, or they feared being victimised online or even offline.

    Instead, they believed that governments should stop the spread of misinformation “as they know about what wars are happening”. But older participants thought that if the government took a leading role in stopping the spread of misinformation “there would be protests”, as it would be seen as censorship.

    They also felt that platforms should take responsibility to stop the spread of misinformation to protect their reputation, so that people don’t panic about fake news.

    In light of these findings, my colleagues and I have created a project that works with young people to create resources to help them develop their skills in spotting misinformation and staying safe online. We work closely with young people to understand what their concerns are, and how they want to learn about these topics.

    We also partner with organisations such as Police Scotland and Education Scotland to ensure our materials are grounded in real-world challenges and informed by the needs of teachers and other adult professionals as well as young people.

    Yvonne Skipper has received funding from the ESRC, Education Scotland and British Academy.

    – ref. Teenagers aren’t good at spotting misinformation online – research suggests why – https://theconversation.com/teenagers-arent-good-at-spotting-misinformation-online-research-suggests-why-260445

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: How young people have taken climate justice to the world’s international courts

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Susan Ann Samuel, PhD Candidate, School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds

    Pla2na/Shutterstock, CC BY-NC-ND

    Youth activist organisations including Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change and World Youth for Climate Justice recently coordinated massive online calls across two different time zones. These two global gatherings were in preparation for a coordinated global youth movement around the release of the most anticipated advisory opinion scheduled to be delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 23 2025.

    An advisory opinion is a legal interpretation provided by a high-level court or tribunal with a special mandate, in response to a specific question of law. Simply put, an advisory opinion is not legally binding in the way a court judgement between two nations would be.

    But it is authoritative. The opinion carries significant legal, moral and political weight: since states often refer to advisory opinions when shaping policies, judges cite them for decisions and they’re used by civil society to hold governments accountable. An advisory opinion can influence shifting governance and principles governing it. I like to think of it as a northern star — it won’t change the reality but can guide potential outcomes and pave the way for future change.

    As one of hundreds of participants attending both the online meetings, plus in my capacity as a researcher investigating the role of youth in climate law and politics, this collective action feels momentous.

    The movement for an advisory opinion to ICJ began in 2019 when a few brave young people from the Pacific Islands stood up for the world. Twenty-seven law students at the Vanuatu campus of the University of South Pacific convinced their nation to champion climate action and accountability to the entire world by bringing climate justice to the world court.

    For these students in the Pacific, the climate crisis means losing their identity, their culture and their homes to the rising sea levels and weather catastrophes. To the young people across the globe — including me — the concern about not being heard by world leaders becomes a shared reality, even though it is our future at stake.

    Four courts, four continents

    It’s not just the ICJ that’s delivering an advisory opinion. The world is at a turning point. For the first time, four world courts or tribunals across four continents are being asked to clarify nations’ legal obligations in the face of the climate crisis. The ICJ’s advisory opinion is the centrepiece: but it sits within a broader push primarily by global youth and developing countries — to clarify what human rights, state responsibility and climate justice mean in law.

    A “quartet” of advisory opinions now spans four judicial bodies: the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, the ICJ, and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. See the diagram below to check the timeline of each court proceeding.

    In addition to the advisory opinions, there are currently 3,113 climate cases across the globe. These include many youth-led cases that bolster solidarity for climate action, call for futureproofing environmental governance, and evoke soft power around the legal proceedings.

    These legal proceedings are the result of bold, persistent advocacy. These cases are not abstract. There’s a moral arc here: they primarily stem from advocacy from global youth movements, developing countries, civil society coalitions and frontline communities demanding legal recognition of climate harms and protection of future generations.

    As such, the role of youth in bolstering moral power is massive. Their influence in empowering states across the globe to embody climate leadership is critical to pushing for political action, even amid geopolitical realities.

    Tracing climate litigation patterns suggests that youth are changing the environmental governance space: as youth litigators (both young lawyers and youth-led cases), youth negotiators and youth activists. Youth across these three spheres — law, politics and activism — are mutually reinforcing each other in their advocacy, unlike ever before.

    Themes of climate justice in litigation, negotiation, and social movements are deeply interconnected, rather than isolated from one another. Youth, who are active across all these spheres, often serve as key advocates, thereby reshaping governance dynamics in the process

    The push for justice by youth is palpable, despite growing political concerns across the globe. Youth remains the common face of vulnerability, agency and promise. The call for justice is now.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 45,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Susan Ann Samuel receives funding from Prof. Viktoria Spaiser’s UKRI FLF Grant MR/V021141/1 and is supported by the University of Leeds – School of Politics and International Studies.

    – ref. How young people have taken climate justice to the world’s international courts – https://theconversation.com/how-young-people-have-taken-climate-justice-to-the-worlds-international-courts-261033

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Iowa Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking Multiple Victims

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    An eight-count indictment in the Northern District of Iowa has been unsealed charging a Des Moines man with four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and four counts of interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution through coercion and enticement.

    According to the indictment, Marlin Santana Thomas Sr., 49, used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex acts in the Northern District of Iowa and elsewhere between 2009 and 2015. The indictment also alleges that Thomas transported women from Iowa to Illinois and North Dakota for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.

    The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. It also carries a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a lifetime of supervised release along with a fine of up to $250,000. Finally, restitution is mandatory upon any conviction for sex trafficking. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence upon any conviction after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI and Des Moines Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Nydle for the Northern District of Iowa and Trial Attorney Slava Kuperstein of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

    The FBI is asking that anyone with information about Thomas to contact the Omaha Field Office at (402) 493-8688.

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

    Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Second Criminal Illegal Alien with Lengthy Rap Sheet Arrested for Involvement in Ambush and Shooting CBP Officer in New York City

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Both criminal illegal aliens involved in the attempted armed robbery were released into the country under the Biden Administration and NYC sanctuary politicians ignored detainer

    NEW YORK – Today, the Department of Homeland Security arrested Cristian Aybar Berroa, a criminal illegal alien, and the second suspect involved in the attempted armed robbery of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer who was off duty in New York City in Fort Washington Park under the George Washington Bridge on July 19. The first suspect, Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, also a criminal illegal alien, who shot the CBP officer, was arrested yesterday.

    A witness of the attack stated that she and the victim were sitting on the rocks by the water when two subjects on a scooter drove up to them, dismounted the scooter and approached them with a firearm drawn. The off-duty CBP officer responded by withdrawing his own firearm in self defense. The CBP officer was shot in his right arm and left cheek. Thankfully, the officer is in stable condition at the hospital.

    Cristian Aybar Berroa, a criminal illegal alien from the Dominican Republic, illegally entered the United States on June 19, 2022, and was released into the country on interim parole pending his immigration hearing. New York City ignored his detainer.

    This criminal illegal alien’s rap sheet includes:

    • On May 10, 2023, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested Berroa for 2nd degree reckless endangerment.
    • On March 26, 2024, NYPD arrested Berroa for 4th degree felony grand larceny and petit larceny.
    • On April 5, 2024, NYPD arrested him 4th degree felony grand larceny and petit larceny. Despite an active ICE detainer, the New York City Department of Corrections released Berroa back onto NYC streets.
    • On February 20, 2025, NYPD arrested Berroa for 2nd degree reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and for driving without a license.
    • On June 12, 2025, Berroa pled guilty to petit larceny at the Bronx County Supreme Court. This plea was made in consolidation of all his previous arrests, and he was conditionally discharged and allowed to roam the streets of NYC.

    A judge ordered Berroa a final order of removal on January 3, 2023.

    The other assailant in the attack is Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, a criminal illegal alien from the Dominican Republic. He illegally entered the United States on April 4, 2023, and was released by the Biden Administration into the country.

    This criminal illegal alien’s rap sheet includes:

    • On October 11, 2023, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested and charged Nunez with felony grand larceny, petit larceny, and reckless driving.
    • On October 1, 2024, the NYPD arrested and charged Nunez with 2nd and 3rd degree assault.
    • On November 30, 2024, the NYPD arrested Nunez for criminal contempt. On January 13, 2025, he was again attested for criminal contempt.
    • On February 21, 2025, the Leominster Police Department in Massachusetts issued a criminal warrant for Nunez for armed robbery with a firearm.

    After failing to show up for his immigration hearing a judge issued Nunez a final order of removal on November 6, 2024.

    “These violent thugs had committed a smorgasbord of crimes and been arrested multiple times and yet New York continued to release them, ignore an ICE detainer and allow them to continue to prey on Americans and terrorize our streets. How many people have to die, how many lives have to be changed forever for Mayor Adams and his sanctuary politician ilk to end these performative politics?” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: ALRMiner multi-currency mining upgrade: SOL and DOGE support added, AI deployment is more efficient!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York City, NY, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As the crypto market gradually recovers, mainstream digital assets such as Solana (SOL) and Dogecoin (DOGE) are becoming increasingly popular. In this wave, ALR Miner, a long-established cloud mining platform from the UK, once again leads the industry trend. It recently announced a comprehensive upgrade of multi-currency cloud mining services and officially launched smart cloud mining contracts for SOL and DOGE. Relying on AI technology empowerment, users can achieve one-click participation, daily income, transparent funds, and a safe and controllable mining experience.

    Leading the trend: SOL and DOGE officially join the ALR Miner smart mining system
    As a compliant platform that has been deeply involved in the cloud mining industry for 7 years, ALR Miner has always kept up with market trends and is committed to providing global users with the most growth potential for currency mining options. The newly added Solana (SOL) and Dogecoin (DOGE) not only have extremely high market activity and community support, but also have shown strong growth potential in the past year.

    SOL (Solana): Known for its high-speed chain performance, suitable for long-term holding and stable growth;

    DOGE (Dogecoin): Strong community drive, high liquidity, suitable for short-term income strategy.

    Through intelligent algorithm scheduling computing power, ALR Miner maximizes the income potential of different currencies, bringing users a truly efficient, diversified, and stable income combination.

    The mining process is simple and clear, and 0 devices can easily earn daily income

    Users do not need to configure any mining machines or technical background, and only need 3 steps to start the cloud mining journey

    Register an account: Visit the official website https://alrminer.com to quickly create an account

    Get $12 bonus: Register and get $12 computing power funds, you can directly participate in mining

    Select a contract to start mining: You can choose different mining contracts according to the currency (SOL, DOGE, BTC, ETH, XRP, etc.) and cycle. The system will AI allocate the optimal computing power path and automatically start income settlement.

    All income is automatically distributed to the account balance every day, and you can withdraw or reinvest to purchase other contracts at any time to achieve rolling compound growth.

    Mining income test display

    The income is clear and transparent, and it is credited daily. It also supports automatic principal refund or reinvestment after the contract expires, so as to achieve steady asset appreciation.

    Legal, safe and transparent, guaranteed by the old British cloud mining platform
    ALR Miner was established in 2017 and is a UK registered entity company (Private Limited Company) with complete company information and compliant SIC business code (62090/63110). The platform fully complies with the UK Company Law, international anti-money laundering regulations (AML), KYC certification process, and has completed the compliance deployment of servers in multiple countries/regions.

    Different from the exaggerated false platforms on the market, ALR Miner always adheres to the following core principles:

    Real computing power + real settlement

    Fixed daily income model

    All income can be checked and withdrawn

    It is precisely with the concept of “compliance, transparency, safety and stability” that ALR Miner can stand in the fiercely competitive market for 7 years and become a cloud mining brand trusted by users.

    Multi-currency income is fully upgraded, and you can enjoy $12 bonus immediately after registration!
    ALR Miner is now promoting a multi-currency smart mining plan, adding support for SOL and DOGE, and will expand to more popular assets in the future. Register now to receive a $12 bonus to experience mining benefits, and you can start without investment!

    Official website address: https://alrminer.com
    New user benefits: Register and get $12 mining power
    Customer service support: 7×24 hours online, no language barriers

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Colleagues Introduce Black Women’s Equal Pay Day Resolution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper joined 32 of his colleagues to introduce a resolution honoring Black Women’s Equal Pay Day. 

    “Black women face dual and compounding discrimination based upon both their race and gender,” wrote the lawmakers. “Lost wages mean Black women have less money to support themselves and their families, to save and invest for the future, and to spend on goods and services, causing businesses and the economy to suffer as a result.”

    In the U.S., Black women workers are paid just 66 cents for every dollar paid to non-Hispanic White men. The wage gap has only narrowed by 5 cents in the last two decades. If current trends continue, Black women wouldn’t achieve equal pay for over 200 years.

    The resolution is supported by Equal Pay Today, Equal Rights Advocates, Family Values @ Work, National Partnership for Women and Families, Institute for Women’s Policy Research, A Better Balance, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Black Women’s Roundtable, Women Employed, National Women’s Law Center Action Fund, National Council of Jewish Women, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, American Association of University Women, ERA Coalition, Legal Momentum – The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Council of Negro Women, National Black Worker Center, Mississippi Black Women’s Roundtable, Oxfam America, NAACP, Maine Women’s Lobby & MWL Education Fund, Pro-Choice North Carolina, 9to5, National Urban League.

    The full text of the resolution is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Department of Justice Honors Senate Judiciary Committee Request for Information Related to Clinton Email Investigation

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    WASHINGTON – Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement regarding Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s request for information related to the FBI’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server and mishandling of classified information during her time as Secretary of State:

    “Today, the Department of Justice honored Chairman Grassley’s request to release information relating to former-FBI Director James Comey’s failed investigation into Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of highly classified information during her tenure as Secretary of State. I commend Chairman Grassley for his unwavering, years-long commitment to exposing the truth and holding those who seek to conceal it accountable. This Department of Justice is fully committed to transparency and will continue to support good-faith efforts in Congress to ensure accountability across the federal government.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Department of Justice Honors Senate Judiciary Committee Request for Information Related to Clinton Email Investigation

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON – Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement regarding Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s request for information related to the FBI’s handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server and mishandling of classified information during her time as Secretary of State:

    “Today, the Department of Justice honored Chairman Grassley’s request to release information relating to former-FBI Director James Comey’s failed investigation into Hillary Clinton’s mishandling of highly classified information during her tenure as Secretary of State. I commend Chairman Grassley for his unwavering, years-long commitment to exposing the truth and holding those who seek to conceal it accountable. This Department of Justice is fully committed to transparency and will continue to support good-faith efforts in Congress to ensure accountability across the federal government.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man convicted of murder after human remains found in London and Bristol

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Following a complex and harrowing Met Police investigation, a man who took suitcases containing the body parts of two men from west London to Bristol has been found guilty of murder.

    Yostin Andres Mosquera, 35 (08.03.90) of Scotts Road, Shepherd’s Bush Green, was convicted by a jury of two counts of murder at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, 21 July.

    Paul Longworth, aged 71, and Albert Alfonso, aged 62, were brutally murdered at their flat in Shepherd’s Bush on Monday, 8 July last year.

    Detective Chief Inspector Ollie Stride, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command who led this investigation, said:

    “This has been one of the most harrowing murders my team have ever investigated, a case that will stay with many of us for a long time.

    “Paul and Albert were murdered in the most brutal and callous of ways in their own home.

    “The investigation has been complex and intense and we worked tirelessly to build a catalogue of evidence which would ensure we brought Mosquera to justice.

    “The team have consumed hundreds hours of footage, including some of the utmost disturbing and graphic nature. Those images will stay with all of us for a very long time.

    “We are grateful to all those who helped us build this investigation, including Avon and Somerset Police, who commenced the investigation and arrested Mosquera.

    “As well as the many witnesses who provided detailed accounts of events which must have been extremely hard to share.

    “We have also worked closely with the LGBT+ Independent Advisory Group and I am grateful for their support and the advice they have provided as they helped monitor the investigation.

    “Paul and Albert had known one another for decades. They were in a loving, committed relationship and welcomed Mosquera into their home. They did not deserve to have their lives taken away from them in the most traumatising of circumstances.

    “Our thoughts and prayers remain with Paul and Albert’s family and loved ones and all who knew them, as they continue to process the trauma of what happened.”

    Gathering and examining evidence

    Mosquera booked a van with a driver, and two days after the murders, Mosquera travelled with two suitcases containing body parts to the Mall Pub near the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.

    He caught a taxi the rest of the way to the bridge and caught the attention of local residents, asking him if he needed help with what would be confirmed as enormously heavy cases, with a red substance leaking out, which Mosquera claimed was oil. One witness filmed Mosquera acting suspiciously before Mosquera attempted to knock the phone out of his hand and ran away.

    The police were alerted to his suspicious behaviour and a murder investigation was launched after officers discovered the body parts inside the cases.

    An address label left on one of the cases led police back to Scotts Road, and on Wednesday, 10 July, Met officers would find crucial evidence in a search of the property, including the decapitated heads of both men in a chest freezer in a hallway of the flat. The murder weapons were found close by.

    Homicide detectives built a case with an abundance of evidence to support the motive that Mosquera murdered both men to obtain their property and their money.

    Detectives would discover Mosquera had researched a freezer online on several occasions, including the one that he later ordered to be delivered to the address.

    Mosquera, who was a Columbian national, had also conducted searches online in Spanish, on topics such as how long it would take for a body to decompose and where on the head would be a fatal blow.

    Examinations of Mosquera’s laptop revealed that in the weeks before the murders he was browsing the internet in an effort to find out the value of the Shepherd’s Bush property, and he accessed information about Paul’s and Albert’s finances.

    He had also attempted to open a bank account using the Scotts Road address. Immediately after the murders, he accessed a spreadsheet which contained their online banking passwords, and attempted to login to a number of their online bank accounts. He unsuccessfully attempted to send £4,000 to his account in Columbia.

    The murders

    Mosquera had got to know both men, who were in a civil partnership, over a number of years, and had been staying with them at their flat for the month prior to their murders. It was a property where the two men had lived happily for many years together.

    Mosquera was involved in a consensual sexual relationship with Albert, one which Paul was aware of and lovingly accepted. The court heard Albert simply had no reason to kill his partner, Paul, despite Mosquera’s defence that the two of them were in a controlling and coercive relationship.

    It was while Albert was at work that Mosquera killed Paul. A neighbour recalls speaking to Paul that morning from one of the windows. This was the last sighting of him alive. Detectives trawled hours of footage from a CCTV camera, located opposite the entrance to the Scotts Road flat, which captured Mosquera standing at the window of the flat and drawing the curtains at around 12:30hrs. It was then that he is believed to have killed Paul.

    The post-mortem revealed Paul had died from multiple severe blunt force traumas to the head with a hammer, with injuries on his hands suggesting he’d try to defend himself. Mosquera hid the body in a divan storage space under the bed in Paul’s room and waited for Albert to come home.

    Albert arrived home early evening. The killing was captured on cameras which had been set up in Albert’s bedroom to record a sex session between him and Mosquera. The footage showed Mosquera performing sex acts on Albert in his bedroom, before repeatedly stabbing him and cutting his throat.

    Mosquera’s arrest and plea

    Mosquera was arrested in Bristol in the early hours of Saturday, 13 July 2024. He was charged with two counts of murder two days later.

    Although he had admitted killing Albert, he denied the offence of murder, admitting only the lesser offence of manslaughter following what he called, a loss of self-control. He also denied murdering Paul, claiming his long-term partner, Albert, had killed him instead.

    Mosquera will be sentenced at the same court in October.

    Detective Inspector Neil Meade, of Avon and Somerset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said:

    “These crimes were truly horrific and our thoughts are with the families and friends of Albert and Paul.

    “Yostin Mosquera’s actions have had a significant impact on our communities in Avon and Somerset and I’m very grateful for the support we received at the time of the incident and have received since. It was an extremely fast-moving and complex investigation and their understanding, particularly in those early days, was hugely appreciated.

    “Mosquera had no connection to Bristol and during the trial we’ve heard he chose to travel here in an attempt to dispose of Albert and Paul’s remains and hide his despicable crimes.

    “A large number of police officers and members of staff were involved in our investigation and they deserve massive credit, along with colleagues at the Metropolitan Police, in helping ensure he could be brought to justice.

    “I know how concerning this incident was – and still is – for our LGBT communities and that some of the details we’ve heard over the course of the trial will have been deeply distressing. We remain in close contact with community leaders and our partners and are ready to provide any support we can.”

    For help and advice

    If you’ve been affected by this case, please contact Samaritans here or Mind’s support line on 0300 102 1234.

    If you’re looking for advice or specialist support for a particular issue, these organisations may be able to help.

    For anyone in the LGBT+ community affected by this incident, please visit www.galop.org.ukfor information and support provided by the LGBT+ charity Galop.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man convicted of murder after human remains found in London and Bristol

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Following a complex and harrowing Met Police investigation, a man who took suitcases containing the body parts of two men from west London to Bristol has been found guilty of murder.

    Yostin Andres Mosquera, 35 (08.03.90) of Scotts Road, Shepherd’s Bush Green, was convicted by a jury of two counts of murder at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday, 21 July.

    Paul Longworth, aged 71, and Albert Alfonso, aged 62, were brutally murdered at their flat in Shepherd’s Bush on Monday, 8 July last year.

    Detective Chief Inspector Ollie Stride, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command who led this investigation, said:

    “This has been one of the most harrowing murders my team have ever investigated, a case that will stay with many of us for a long time.

    “Paul and Albert were murdered in the most brutal and callous of ways in their own home.

    “The investigation has been complex and intense and we worked tirelessly to build a catalogue of evidence which would ensure we brought Mosquera to justice.

    “The team have consumed hundreds hours of footage, including some of the utmost disturbing and graphic nature. Those images will stay with all of us for a very long time.

    “We are grateful to all those who helped us build this investigation, including Avon and Somerset Police, who commenced the investigation and arrested Mosquera.

    “As well as the many witnesses who provided detailed accounts of events which must have been extremely hard to share.

    “We have also worked closely with the LGBT+ Independent Advisory Group and I am grateful for their support and the advice they have provided as they helped monitor the investigation.

    “Paul and Albert had known one another for decades. They were in a loving, committed relationship and welcomed Mosquera into their home. They did not deserve to have their lives taken away from them in the most traumatising of circumstances.

    “Our thoughts and prayers remain with Paul and Albert’s family and loved ones and all who knew them, as they continue to process the trauma of what happened.”

    Gathering and examining evidence

    Mosquera booked a van with a driver, and two days after the murders, Mosquera travelled with two suitcases containing body parts to the Mall Pub near the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.

    He caught a taxi the rest of the way to the bridge and caught the attention of local residents, asking him if he needed help with what would be confirmed as enormously heavy cases, with a red substance leaking out, which Mosquera claimed was oil. One witness filmed Mosquera acting suspiciously before Mosquera attempted to knock the phone out of his hand and ran away.

    The police were alerted to his suspicious behaviour and a murder investigation was launched after officers discovered the body parts inside the cases.

    An address label left on one of the cases led police back to Scotts Road, and on Wednesday, 10 July, Met officers would find crucial evidence in a search of the property, including the decapitated heads of both men in a chest freezer in a hallway of the flat. The murder weapons were found close by.

    Homicide detectives built a case with an abundance of evidence to support the motive that Mosquera murdered both men to obtain their property and their money.

    Detectives would discover Mosquera had researched a freezer online on several occasions, including the one that he later ordered to be delivered to the address.

    Mosquera, who was a Columbian national, had also conducted searches online in Spanish, on topics such as how long it would take for a body to decompose and where on the head would be a fatal blow.

    Examinations of Mosquera’s laptop revealed that in the weeks before the murders he was browsing the internet in an effort to find out the value of the Shepherd’s Bush property, and he accessed information about Paul’s and Albert’s finances.

    He had also attempted to open a bank account using the Scotts Road address. Immediately after the murders, he accessed a spreadsheet which contained their online banking passwords, and attempted to login to a number of their online bank accounts. He unsuccessfully attempted to send £4,000 to his account in Columbia.

    The murders

    Mosquera had got to know both men, who were in a civil partnership, over a number of years, and had been staying with them at their flat for the month prior to their murders. It was a property where the two men had lived happily for many years together.

    Mosquera was involved in a consensual sexual relationship with Albert, one which Paul was aware of and lovingly accepted. The court heard Albert simply had no reason to kill his partner, Paul, despite Mosquera’s defence that the two of them were in a controlling and coercive relationship.

    It was while Albert was at work that Mosquera killed Paul. A neighbour recalls speaking to Paul that morning from one of the windows. This was the last sighting of him alive. Detectives trawled hours of footage from a CCTV camera, located opposite the entrance to the Scotts Road flat, which captured Mosquera standing at the window of the flat and drawing the curtains at around 12:30hrs. It was then that he is believed to have killed Paul.

    The post-mortem revealed Paul had died from multiple severe blunt force traumas to the head with a hammer, with injuries on his hands suggesting he’d try to defend himself. Mosquera hid the body in a divan storage space under the bed in Paul’s room and waited for Albert to come home.

    Albert arrived home early evening. The killing was captured on cameras which had been set up in Albert’s bedroom to record a sex session between him and Mosquera. The footage showed Mosquera performing sex acts on Albert in his bedroom, before repeatedly stabbing him and cutting his throat.

    Mosquera’s arrest and plea

    Mosquera was arrested in Bristol in the early hours of Saturday, 13 July 2024. He was charged with two counts of murder two days later.

    Although he had admitted killing Albert, he denied the offence of murder, admitting only the lesser offence of manslaughter following what he called, a loss of self-control. He also denied murdering Paul, claiming his long-term partner, Albert, had killed him instead.

    Mosquera will be sentenced at the same court in October.

    Detective Inspector Neil Meade, of Avon and Somerset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team, said:

    “These crimes were truly horrific and our thoughts are with the families and friends of Albert and Paul.

    “Yostin Mosquera’s actions have had a significant impact on our communities in Avon and Somerset and I’m very grateful for the support we received at the time of the incident and have received since. It was an extremely fast-moving and complex investigation and their understanding, particularly in those early days, was hugely appreciated.

    “Mosquera had no connection to Bristol and during the trial we’ve heard he chose to travel here in an attempt to dispose of Albert and Paul’s remains and hide his despicable crimes.

    “A large number of police officers and members of staff were involved in our investigation and they deserve massive credit, along with colleagues at the Metropolitan Police, in helping ensure he could be brought to justice.

    “I know how concerning this incident was – and still is – for our LGBT communities and that some of the details we’ve heard over the course of the trial will have been deeply distressing. We remain in close contact with community leaders and our partners and are ready to provide any support we can.”

    For help and advice

    If you’ve been affected by this case, please contact Samaritans here or Mind’s support line on 0300 102 1234.

    If you’re looking for advice or specialist support for a particular issue, these organisations may be able to help.

    For anyone in the LGBT+ community affected by this incident, please visit www.galop.org.ukfor information and support provided by the LGBT+ charity Galop.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why has a bill to relax NZ foreign investment rules had so little scrutiny?

    ANALYSIS: By Jane Kelsey, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    While public attention has been focused on the domestic fast-track consenting process for infrastructure and mining, Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour has been pushing through another fast-track process — this time for foreign investment in New Zealand.

    But it has had almost no public scrutiny.

    If the Overseas Investment (National Interest Test and Other Matters) Amendment Bill becomes law, it could have far-reaching consequences. Public submissions on the bill close tomorrow.

    A product of the ACT-National coalition agreement, the bill commits to amend the Overseas Investment Act 2005 “to limit ministerial decision making to national security concerns and make such decision making more timely”.

    There are valid concerns that piecemeal reforms to the current act have made it complex and unwieldy. But the new bill is equally convoluted and would significantly reduce effective scrutiny of foreign investments — especially in forestry.

    A three-step test
     Step one of a three-step process set out in the bill gives the regulator — the Overseas Investment Office which sits within Land Information NZ — 15 days to decide whether a proposed investment would be a risk to New Zealand’s “national interest”.

    If they don’t perceive a risk, or that initial assessment is not completed in time, the application is automatically approved.

    Transactions involving fisheries quotas and various land categories, or any other applications the regulator identifies, would require a “national interest” assessment under stage two.

    These would be assessed against a “ministerial letter” that sets out the government’s general policy and preferred approach to conducting the assessment, including any conditions on approvals.

    Other mandatory factors to be considered in the second stage include the act’s new “purpose” to increase economic opportunity through “timely consent” of less sensitive investments. The new test would allow scrutiny of the character and capability of the investor to be omitted altogether.

    If the regulator considers the national interest test is not met, or the transaction is “contrary to the national interest”, the minister of finance then makes a decision based on their assessment of those factors.

    Inadequate regulatory process
     Seymour has blamed the current screening regime for low volumes of foreign investment. But Treasury’s 2024 regulatory impact statement on the proposed changes to international investment screening acknowledges many other factors that influence investor decisions.

    Moreover, the Treasury statement acknowledges public views that foreign investment rules should “manage a wide range of risks” and “that there is inherent non-economic value in retaining domestic ownership of certain assets”.

    Treasury officials also recognised a range of other public concerns, including profits going offshore, loss of jobs, and foreign control of iconic businesses.

    The regulatory impact statement did not cover these factors because it was required to consider only the coalition commitment. The Treasury panel reported “notable limitations” on the bill’s quality assurance process.

    A fuller review was “infeasible” because it could not be completed in the time required, and would be broader than necessary to meet the coalition commitment to amend the act in the prescribed way.

    The requirement to implement the bill in this parliamentary term meant the options officials could consider, even within the scope of the coalition agreement, were further limited.

    Time constraints meant “users and key stakeholders have not been consulted”, according to the Treasury statement. Environmental and other risks would have to be managed through other regulations.

    There is no reference to te Tiriti o Waitangi or mana whenua engagement.

    Forestry ‘slash’ after Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 . . . no need to consider foreign investors’ track records. Image: Getty/The Conversation

    No ‘benefit to NZ’ test
     While the bill largely retains a version of the current screening regime for residential and farm land, it removes existing forestry activities from that definition (but not new forestry on non-forest land). It also removes extraction of water for bottling, or other bulk extraction for human consumption, from special vetting.

    Where sensitive land (such as islands, coastal areas, conservation and wahi tapu land) is not residential or farm land, it would be removed from special screening rules currently applied for land.

    Repeal of the “special forestry test” — which in practice has seen most applications approved, albeit with conditions — means most forestry investments could be fast-tracked.

    There would no longer be a need to consider investors’ track records or apply a “benefit to New Zealand” test. Regulators may or may not be empowered to impose conditions such as replanting or cleaning up slash.

    The official documents don’t explain the rationale for this. But it looks like a win for Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, and was perhaps the price of NZ First’s support.

    It has potentially serious implications for forestry communities affected by climate-related disasters, however. Further weakening scrutiny and investment conditions risks intensifying the already devastating impacts of international forestry companies. Taxpayers and ratepayers pick up the costs while the companies can minimise their taxes and send profits offshore.

    Locked in forever?
     Finally, these changes could be locked in through New Zealand’s free trade agreements. Several such agreements say New Zealand’s investment regime cannot become more restrictive than the 2005 act and its regulations.

    A “ratchet clause” would lock in any further liberalisation through this bill, from which there is no going back.

    However, another annex in those free trade agreements could be interpreted as allowing some flexibility to alter the screening rules and criteria in the future. None of the official documents address this crucial question.

    As an academic expert in this area I am uncertain about the risk.

    But the lack of clarity underlines the problems exemplified in this bill. It is another example of coalition agreements bypassing democratic scrutiny and informed decision making. More public debate and broad analysis is needed on the bill and its implications.

    Dr Jane Kelsey is emeritus professor of law, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –