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Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James Urges Congress to Pass Federal Legislation to Regulate Cryptocurrencies

    Source: US State of New York

    EW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to pass federal legislation to strengthen regulations on cryptocurrencies and digital assets. In her letter, Attorney General James warns that the lack of strong federal regulations on cryptocurrencies increases the risk of fraud, criminal activity, and financial instability. Attorney General James argues that federal regulations would bolster America’s national security, strengthen its financial markets, and protect investors from cryptocurrency scams, which now account for 10 percent of all financial fraud and 50 percent of all losses from financial fraud. To better protect cryptocurrency investors, Attorney General James urges Congress to pass legislation that would require cryptocurrency companies to make a series of commitments, including registering with a regulatory body and actively identifying and preventing fraud and scams. This letter comes after the U.S. Department of Justice announced the dismantling of federal criminal cryptocurrency fraud enforcement, making a robust regulatory framework all the more critical.

    “Countless New Yorkers invest in cryptocurrency and digital assets, and more must be done to protect them and their money,” said Attorney General James. “Thousands of investors in New York and across the country have lost millions of dollars to cryptocurrency scams and fraud that could be prevented with stronger federal regulations. I am urging Congress to pass legislation that would strengthen federal regulations on the cryptocurrency industry to protect investors, strengthen financial markets, and stop fraud.”

    In her letter, Attorney General James writes that federal regulation of cryptocurrencies is needed to protect investors from price manipulation and rigged markets, prevent fraud that drains billions of dollars from hard working Americans, and strengthen America’s national security, as digital assets may be used to anonymously finance criminal operations and fund adversarial regimes. Cryptocurrency frauds have skyrocketed as their use has grown more widespread, costing Americans an estimated $12 billion in 2024.

    To address the risks associated with some cryptocurrencies, Attorney General James asks Congress to pass legislation that would:

    • Require issuers of stablecoins, a type of cryptocurrency that is typically pegged to a currency for the purpose of maintaining a stable value, to have a presence in the U.S. and be subject to regulation;
    • Require backing stablecoins with U.S. dollars or treasuries;
    • Require platforms to only conduct business with anti-money laundering compliant platforms;
    • Require issuers and intermediaries to register to ensure accountability, transparency, and basic protections to the public;
    • Protect against conflicts of interest;
    • Promote price transparency;
    • Require platforms and intermediaries to actively identify and prevent fraud and scams; and
    • Disallow digital assets in retirement accounts. 

    Attorney General James writes that with stronger federal regulations on cryptocurrencies, Congress can protect financial markets, investors, and the U.S. economy.

    Attorney General James has been a national leader in holding cryptocurrency companies accountable and protecting New York investors. In January 2025, Attorney General James became one of the first regulators to provide notice of litigation by depositing a nonfungible token (NFT) into the wallets of scammers used to steal the victims’ cryptocurrency. In June 2024, Attorney General James sued cryptocurrency trading company NovaTechFx for engaging in illegal pyramid schemes that defrauded hundreds of thousands of investors, including over 11,000 New Yorkers, of over a billion dollars’ worth of cryptocurrency. In May 2024, Attorney General James secured $2 billion for defrauded victims from the cryptocurrency company Genesis Global Capital. In December 2023, Attorney General James secured more than $22 million from KuCoin, one of the largest cryptocurrency trading platforms, for failing to register as a securities and commodities broker-dealer and for falsely representing itself as a crypto exchange. In May 2023, Attorney General James secured $4.3 million from Coin Cafe for failing to register as a commodity broker-dealer and defrauding investors. In January 2023, Attorney General James and a multistate coalition recovered $24 million from the cryptocurrency platform Nexo for operating illegally. Attorney General James also sued the former CEO of Celsius for defrauding investors and concealing the company’s dire financial condition. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal jury convicts South Dakota man of sexually abusing two victims on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    GREAT FALLS — A federal jury yesterday convicted a South Dakota man of multiple crimes involving the sexual abuse of two victims on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

    After a two-day trial, the jury found the defendant, Farron Gene American Horse, Sr., 40, guilty of sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact as charged in an indictment. On the more serious charge of sexual abuse, American Horse faces up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years to life of supervised release.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for July 17, 2025. American Horse will remain in custody pending further proceedings.

    “Protecting the public on our Native American reservations has been, and remains, a top priority for the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office here in Montana, especially vulnerable victims like those in this case. The defendant’s decision to abuse the children he was supposed to be caring for, is abhorrent and tragic. The jury’s guilty verdict should serve as a warning to others who would abuse others that they will be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I want to thank the Assistant U. S. Attorneys and staff in our office, and the law enforcement agents from the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services for their hard work on the case.” U.S. Attorney Alme said.

    The government alleged at trial and in court documents that American Horse sexually abused the victims in September and October 2020 in Hays, on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. In the summer of 2020, American Horse went to live with a woman and her family in Hays and helped look after the children. In October 2020, one victim, identified as Jane Doe 1, who had attained the age of 12 years but had not yet reached the age of 16 years, disclosed being sexually abused by American Horse while spending the night at the woman’s residence. About this time, another victim, identified as Jane Doe 2, who also had attained the age of 12 years but had not yet reached the age of 16 years, disclosed that American Horse had touched her while she was sleeping at the woman’s home weeks earlier.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions META Whistleblower In Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    April 09, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today questioned Sarah Wynn-Williams, Facebook’s former Director of Global Public Policy, at the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism hearing entitled “A Time for Truth: Oversight of Meta’s Foreign Relations and Representations to the United States Congress.” Durbin first asked Ms. Wynn-Williams about protecting children online.
    “You made a reference in the book [Ms. Wynn-Williams’s memoir], that a lot of the executives at Facebook protected their own children from what might have been exploitation. So, these [Big Tech] executives at Facebook protected their own kids from that kind of exploitation, correct?” Durbin asked.
    Ms. Wynn-Williams highlighted the hypocrisy of these Big Tech executives—their own children were not allowed to use social media. She said, “These executives—they know the harm that this product does. They don’t allow their own teenagers to use the products that Meta develops.”
    Durbin then asked who is making the executive decisions at Meta regarding privacy and exposing American’s private material and data to the Chinese.
    “Are these decisions being made by [Meta CEO Mark] Zuckerberg himself or by boards or by open discussion? How much sensitivity was there to the fact that the decisions were historic in nature and maybe even criminal?” Durbin asked.
    Ms. Wynn-Williams responded, “you asked me in part about China. To give you just one example, at the governance level, the lead independent director on Meta’s board was also on the payroll for the China project.”
    Durbin asked, “So they had dual loyalty? 
    Ms. Wynn-Williams responded, “I think the question is around accountability and governance of this company and tech companies more generally—there needs to be a lot more accountability. I don’t think the current governance structures are anywhere close to being sufficient.”
    Durbin then asked about the quality of employees at Meta. Ms. Wynn-Williams stated that most were “amazing people” and “there were people who spoke up” but “that was not happening at the executive level. What was striking was the absence of those types of discussions at the top of the company compared to what was happening with your average people working at the company.”
    Durbin concluded by discussing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. For nearly 30 years, Section 230 has shielded Big Tech from liability for the harms they cause. Only by removing that liability shield will Big Tech finally have to take the steps companies in all other industries have to take to protect their customers.
    “Many of us believe, the Committee has voted accordingly, that if they [Big Tech] could be held accountable for their decisions, in a court of law, and find damages… that this would have more impact than some of the best speeches that we could put together as members of Congress, so we are going to work on that,” Durbin concluded.
    Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here for TV Stations.
    Durbin has used his role on the Senate Judiciary Committee to prioritize child safety online through hearings, legislation, and oversight efforts. On January 31, 2024, while Durbin was serving as Chair, the Committee held a hearing featuring testimony from the CEOs of social media companies Discord, Meta, Snap, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter). This hearing highlighted the ongoing risk to children and the immediate need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bills reported by the Committee.
    Last Congress, the Committee reported out Durbin and Senator Josh Hawley’s (R-MO) STOP CSAM Act. The bipartisan legislation would crack down on the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online by allowing victims to sue companies that host this material, among other things. Senators plan to reintroduce it soon. 
    In addition, Durbin’s bipartisan Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (DEFIANCE Act) passed the Senate in July 2024. The legislation would hold accountable those responsible for the proliferation of nonconsensual, sexually-explicit “deepfake” images and videos. The volume of “deepfake” content available online is increasing exponentially as the technology used to create it has become more accessible to the public. The overwhelming majority of this material is sexually explicit and is produced without the consent of the person depicted.
    This Congress, the Judiciary Committee held a hearing entitled “Children’s Safety in the Digital Era: Strengthening Protections and Addressing Legal Gaps.” Durbin’s opening statement from that hearing is available here, and his questions for the witnesses are available here.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: MENG MAKES RECOMMENDATIONS TO SUPPORT NASA INNOVATION

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Grace Meng (6th District of New York)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, wrote a letter to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Acting Administrator Janet Petro making her own recommendations on how the agency can improve efficiency, support the dedicated employees, and strengthen the United States’ leadership in space exploration.

    Recently, Acting Administrator Petro called on NASA employees to submit suggestions to senior leadership on how the agency can improve efficiency and support the President’s “Workforce Optimization Initiative”, including methods to streamline processes, create new and better ways of working, and focus limited resources on future mission success.

    In her letter, Rep. Meng wrote, “I understand you recently invited NASA employees to share ideas to improve the agency’s efficiency. I applaud this invitation, and I hope you will pay close attention to these ideas. As you know, however, many of these employees find themselves in fear of losing their jobs and of adverse changes to the mission and capabilities of NASA. In acknowledgment of our shared support for NASA and its outstanding employees, and in support of a strong NASA that leads the world in science and human space exploration, I offer to you several ideas of my own that can improve NASA and America’s space industry and the 373,000 jobs it provides.”

    Meng’s suggestions are:

    1. Work with the White House and others in this Administration to end the self-destructive Trump tariff tax before it damages the commercial space industry and the Artemis program.
    2. Do not cut scientific research in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request.
    3. Do not abandon NASA’s commitment to STEM education.
    4. Make public NASA’s ethics arrangements with Elon Musk and his staff.

    Meng serves as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), which oversees NASA. Each year, the agency receives more than $20 billion in federal funding. NASA leads the study of Earth science, the solar system, and the larger universe, conducting cutting-edge research to advance science and technology and improve the lives of people all over the world.

    A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone, 24 Armenian Caucus Members Urge Direct, Proactive American Engagement in South Caucasus Peace Negotiations

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), David Valadao (CA-22), and Brad Sherman (CA-32) and 21 additional bipartisan members sent a letter today to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Advisor Michael Waltz requesting strong American engagement in the ongoing peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The United States has the potential to help secure an historic deal for this decades long conflict, and the letter encourages the Trump Administration to take additional steps to achieve this goal.

    “We welcome recent efforts to ensure a negotiated and peaceful settlement of this long-standing conflict. We also strongly agree with Secretary Rubio’s statement that “now is the time to commit to peace” in the South Caucasus and NSA Waltz’s call to “finalize this peace deal now, release the prisoners, and work together to make the region more secure and prosperous.” To ensure a sustainable peace, the U.S. must play a pivotal role in preventing any additional barriers to the signing of a formal document between the two sides.”

    “As Armenia seeks to reduce its dependence on Russia and pivot toward the West, securing a lasting peace in the South Caucasus is a national security imperative and directly in line with President Trump’s global peace initiatives. Considering Azerbaijan’s ongoing threats toward Armenia and the risk this poses to a fragile peace process, we believe the United States has a responsibility to pursue important confidence and security-building measures.”

    The full list of cosigners includes: Representatives Pallone (NJ-06), Valadao (CA-22), Sherman (CA-32), Bilirakis (FL-12), Amo (RI-01), Chu (CA-28), Costa (CA-21), Friedman (CA-30), Gottheimer (NJ-05), Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Lawler (NY-17), S. Lee (NV-03), Lofgren (CA-19), Magaziner (RI-02), McGovern (MA-03), Min (CA-47), Mullin (CA-15), Norton (DC-AL), Omar (MN-05), (Pingree (ME-01), Sánchez (CA-38), Schakowsky (IL-09), Schneider (IL-10), Stevens (MI-11), Trahan (MA-03)

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kustoff Introduces Bill to Protect Supreme Court Justices from Intimidation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative David Kustoff (TN-08)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Reps. David Kustoff (R-TN), Michael McCaul (R-TX), and Brandon Gill (R-TX) introduced the Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act in the House of Representatives. This legislation will increase the maximum term of imprisonment for those who attempt to intimidate and influence the decision-making process of a Supreme Court Justice from one year to five years. 

    “Anyone who intimidates or threatens a Supreme Court Justice should face severe consequences under the law,” said Congressman Kustoff. “The Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act will increase the penalty for attempting to influence the decision making of a Supreme Court Justice. As a former United States Attorney, I believe it is essential to uphold the sanctity of our judicial system and protect our Supreme Court Justices from outside influence.”

    Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Tom Cotton (R-AR) introduced the companion bill in the United States Senate. 

    “Supreme Court Justices must be able to do their jobs without fear of intimidation, harm, or violence against them or their families,” said Senator Blackburn. “The Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act will deter intimidation of our Justices and send a clear message that anyone who attempts to harm them will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Background: 
    In the aftermath of the unprecedented May 2022 leak of the draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, far-left protesters immediately began demonstrating outside of the private residences of Supreme Court Justices. Subsequently, a map with the home addresses of five Republican-appointed Justices — Justices Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett—was posted online.

    Federal law explicitly prohibits attempts at influencing the decision-making process of a judge. Specifically, 18 U.S.C. § 1507 states that any individual who, “with the intent of influencing any judge . . . in the discharge of his duty, pickets or parades . . . in or near a building or residence occupied or used by such judge” is subject to criminal monetary penalties or a maximum of one year of imprisonment, or both. Section 1507 was intended to enable our judges to carry out their duty to uphold the rule of law, without fear of intimidation or retribution for doing so.

    Under President Joe Biden and Attorney General Garland, following the Dobbs leak, zero protesters outside of Supreme Court Justices’ homes were arrested for violating Section 1507. Just as troubling, the Biden Department of Justice did not issue any guidance on enforcing this statute. With President Trump back at in the White House, the Justice Department will finally focus on law and order. Nevertheless, it’s still critical that Congress act to deter this intimidation of our federal judiciary.

    The Protecting Our Supreme Court Justices Act would increase the maximum term of imprisonment for violation of Section 1507 from one year to five years.

     

    Click here for the full text of the bill. 
     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man sentenced for manslaughter through diminished responsibility

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A 32-year-old man has been sentenced for manslaughter through diminished responsibility, after he stabbed his stepfather in his own home.

    Adejuwon Olufemi Alexander Jnr Oyekan, 32 (08.11.1992) of Melina Close, Hayes, was sentenced to a hospital order until deemed fit for release, on Thursday, 10 April at the Old Bailey. He had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter through diminished responsibility at the same court on Monday, 24 February 2025.

    Officers were called to a residence in Hayes in the early hours of Tuesday, 11 July 2023, to reports Oyekan had stabbed his 54-year-old stepfather Jason Thompson.

    When they arrived, officers were faced with Oyekan still armed with the knife which he had used to attack Jason.

    After the first responding officers had gained entry to residence they challenged Oyekan, initially using their tasers in an attempt to disarm him. When this was unsuccessful, they then left the address to await support from armed response officers to detain him.

    When officers returned to the property, they made it their priority to assist Jason. However, sadly and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, Jason died from his injuries at the scene.

    Barbara Thompson, sister to Jason Thompson:

    “Jason and I had a special bond. We were both cheerleaders for one another and revelled in each other’s good news and growth. Equally, his love for family and life was authentic and abundant.

    “There is not a day that goes past without tears and my heart aching. I still struggle with the reality that he’s not here. I struggle with the violence he endured. I struggle with the unfairness of my brother being taken so tragically.

    “Jason leaves behind a beautiful, attentive and caring legacy and I and so many others thank him for the beautiful memories, care and love he provided.”

    Detective Chief Inspector Laura Semple from the Met’s Public Protection Partnership, said:

    “Our thoughts remain with Jason’s family throughout this difficult time”

    “I’d like to thank the first responding officers who attended the scene and demonstrated huge bravery to challenge Oyekan, who was armed and acting aggressively.

    “Their quick thinking, to use the tools at their disposal, guaranteed Oyekan was admitted to custody from the scene, and did not go on to pose a wider threat to the public.”

    “Oyekan will now be detained under a hospital order until he is deemed fit for release, meaning he will no longer be a risk to the public.”

    Oyekan was arrested at the scene and charged with murder on Wednesday, 11 July 2023.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Bank Officer Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Edward L. Jenkinson (47, Trinity) has pleaded guilty to misappropriation of bank funds and embezzlement. Jenkinson faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. Jenkinson has also agreed to forfeit to the United States $122,004.04, the proceeds of his criminal activity. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement and court proceedings, Jenkinson was employed as a bank officer at Bank 1, an FDIC insured institution that was a member bank of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. As a bank officer, Jenkinson was responsible for managing a Bank 1 financial center located in Tampa. One of Jenkinson’s duties was to oversee the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) and teller cash drawers at the financial center.

    Between March and November 2024, Jenkinson embezzled FDIC-insured funds. As part of his embezzlement scheme, Jenkinson redeemed certificates of deposit without the customers’ knowledge or consent. He then prepared deposit tickets and deposited the redeemed funds in customer checking accounts. Subsequently, Jenkinson embezzled the funds from the victim customers’ accounts and drafted cashiers’ checks payable to himself, which he deposited into his own bank accounts. Jenkinson depleted most of the embezzled funds through cash withdrawals.  He also embezzled $52,000 from the ATM machine at the Bank 1 financial center he managed in Tampa, as well as $2,500 from a bank teller drawer. Jenkinson spent the embezzled funds on gambling, paying off debt, and retail purchases.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Resale Businesses Owner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Operating Extensive Interstate Fencing Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court on April 9, 2025, to five years in prison on his conviction of money laundering and conspiracy in connection with the sale and interstate transportation of stolen goods, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Durrell Waters, 41, also ordering him to serve three years of federal supervised release following his imprisonment. A federal jury found Waters guilty on four counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy in August 2024 (read the verdict news release here).

    Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hornak stated that the evidence presented against Waters was extensive, and that the victims of this crime included people experiencing addiction, retail establishments, and all consumers. Judge Hornak noted that, unlike some crimes that take place in a single event, Waters’s criminal conspiracy took place over the course of years and “required [Waters] to decide every day to keep doing this.” Judge Hornak emphasized the need for members of the public to be deterred from similar conduct and remarked that “a sentence without substantial imprisonment would be insufficient.”

    According to information presented to the Court, Waters was one of the primary owners of a series of Pittsburgh and surrounding area second-hand or resale businesses called Trader Electronics, Last Call Entertainment, and The Outlet. From 2013 through 2016, Waters conspired with others to use these businesses as a front for a criminal fencing operation that sold over the internet a wide variety of health and beauty aids and over-the-counter medications like teeth whiteners, vitamins, hair and skin care products, makeup, and other similar items.

    Waters’s stores and similar stores in the area knowingly engaged in high-volume purchases of stolen brand-new retail health and beauty aids and other products, such as new-release DVDs, from walk-in sellers who had shoplifted, or “boosted”, the items. Store records reflected that Waters and his businesses purchased hundreds of thousands of brand-new items, sometimes for less than 10% of their value, from a group of repeat shoplifters. Waters and his businesses then resold that stolen property online via several Amazon and eBay storefronts, with the proceeds from the stores’s main Amazon account totaling over $4.3 million during the conspiracy.

    Evidence presented at sentencing highlighted the widespread and diverse economic and public health harms caused or aggravated by this conduct. Ripple effects from high-volume retail theft harm consumers by imposing more and more restrictive anti-theft measures in stores and costs every consumer hundreds of dollars per year. Additionally, many of the boosters were people experiencing drug addiction who used the money paid to them by Waters to finance their dependency and feed the drug epidemic.

    Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin C. Dobkin prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and United States Postal Inspection Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Waters. Police departments from the City of Pittsburgh, Ross Township, and Shaler Township also assisted in the investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Pleads Guilty To Possessing A Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Diego Ricardo Murillo-Almanza (25), a Mexican national, has pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Murillo-Almanza faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court documents, on February 24, 2025, a deputy from the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office observed Murillo-Almanza’s vehicle committing multiple traffic violations, including swerving in and out of the lane of travel. Murillo-Almanza was in the driver’s seat and could not produce a valid driver license. When Murillo-Almanza exited the vehicle, he had flakes of what appeared to be marijuana on his person. Three other undocumented individuals were also in the vehicle. A deputy searched the vehicle and recovered a marijuana cigarette, a small container of marijuana, and a Taurus 9mm pistol loaded with 12 rounds of ammunition near the driver’s seat. Murillo-Almanza admitted to law enforcement that he was in the country illegally and that the pistol was his. He agreed to forfeit the pistol and associated ammunition seized from him on the date of incident. 

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Lasry.

    This case is 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).

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: More detail announced on the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    News story

    More detail announced on the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee

    3,000 additional neighbourhood police officers and police community support officers will be in post within the next 12 months, the government has confirmed.

    Getty Images.

    The news was announced today by the Prime Minister during a visit to Cambridgeshire, as further detail was made public on the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee.

    As part of this, every neighbourhood in England and Wales will have dedicated teams spending their time on the beat, with guaranteed police patrols in town centres and other hotspot areas at peak times such as Friday and Saturday nights. 

    Communities will also have named, contactable officers to tackle the issues facing their communities.

    There will be a dedicated antisocial behaviour lead in every force, working with residents and businesses to develop tailored action plans to tackle antisocial behaviour, which is blighting communities.

    These measures will be in place from July, in addition to the new neighbourhood officers who will be in their roles by next April.

    The Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee will put 13,000 more officers into communities by 2029, an increase of more than 50%. The early focus of the plan will be to establish named local officers, target town centre crime and build back neighbourhood policing.

    Under these plans, communities across the country will, for the first time in 15 years, be able to hold forces to account and expect a minimum standard of policing in their area.

    The government’s new Police Standards and Performance Improvement Unit will ensure police performance is consistently and accurately measured.

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    Published 10 April 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boilermakers organizing nets a win and a setback

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    The Boilermakers union welcomed 145 new members in March after workers in the machine shop micro-unit at BWXT, Lynchburg, Virginia, voted in favor of unionizing. According to Northeast Area organizer John Bland, workers contacted Local 45 Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer Kevin Battle in late December seeking information and help organizing.

    He said workers were fed up with working conditions and constantly changing rules. The Boilermakers and other unions had attempted at least three prior organizing efforts at BWXT since 2008, so some of the machinists had heard the message about how unionizing could provide a voice for them on the job. The time was right to organize.

    “As soon as Kevin got the call, everyone got moving on it,” Bland said. M.O.R.E. Work Investment funds helped support the Boilermakers’ organizing efforts.

    Workers inside the unit were especially key in communicating and ultimately making the campaign a success. Because BWXT is a secured nuclear operation, the massive facility is not accessible to visitors, such as union organizers. For security purposes, even inside the facility some units, areas and workers are off-limits to one another.

    “The workers took charge early on,” agreed IR Tim Tolley, who was part of the IBB organizing team. “These guys were shot out of a cannon and came to us organized and ready to go forward. You could tell they were fed up. It was a perfect storm for organizing.”

    He echoed that the biggest catalyst for the workers to unionize was the “constantly moving goal post” as the company continuously changes rules and conditions. While wages usually are an issue, at BWXT it was more about the way workers were being treated and disrespected at work.

    “This time organizing worked because we had more people that were tired of being bullied. They wanted true change,” said Chris Davis, who’s been a BWXT machinist for 19 years. “I’m most looking forward to getting a contract and a set of rules.”

    Tolley said the machinists are set to elect their bargaining committee in early April so they can get to work on their first contract.

    “The things they’re asking for are attainable,” he said. “We told them we couldn’t promise anything but a seat at the table, and that’s exactly what they’re looking for. Now, they’re looking forward to negotiating their first contract.”

    Unfortunately, a vote in March at Siemens Mobility in Sacramento, California, was a no-go to unionize—at least for now. For more than a year, Boilermakers had been working with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers as “Siemens Workers United” to organize more than 1,600 workers who manufacture light rail vehicles for a variety of transit agencies. Siemens is a global company headquartered in Germany. While the company is generally union-friendly in Germany, many of Siemens’ North American operations have resisted unionization.

    Workers interested in unionizing in Sacramento rallied around issues such as inadequate health and welfare benefits, low pay, pay disparity, gender inequality, safety and poor working conditions, such as extreme heat.

    Lawrence Garcia, a four-year employee who works in the coach weld shop, said the wages are too low, especially considering cost of living in the area.

    “I know guys who work 12-hour days or 10-hour days just to keep buying rent. I even know guys who work two jobs, just to keep from going on the streets,” he said. “The pay is not worth it.” Until recently, welders at Siemens were paid less than the $20/hour McDonald’s worker wage dictated by California.

    Alan Scovill, a weld inspector who’s worked for Siemens for a decade, told The Sacramento Bee that he hadn’t been to a doctor in three years. He pays $500 month from his paycheck for his family’s health insurance coverage, and he can’t afford the medical co-pays.

    While reasons to unionize were plentiful, the campaign faced some unique challenges. In addition to the usual union-busting tactics from the company, organizers also had a daunting task to reach workers on a massive campus – 60 acres, 11 buildings and many different departments – plus, communicating to workers in six languages and with multiple cultural nuances.

    Organizers from the Boilermakers and IBEW worked daily, building allies, dispelling myths, answering questions, knocking on doors and deploying myriad tactics to help workers understand what unions are and how unionizing gives workers a voice and a seat at table through collective bargaining.

     The M.O.R.E. Work Investment Fund provided organizing support and communications resources, including billboards, signage, fliers, digital ads and social media presence, and materials were translated into multiple languages. The unions also gained support from global unions IG Metall and IndustriALL, the California Federation of Labor Unions, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California and prominent local and state congress members. At the end of the day, it wasn’t enough to overcome Siemens Sacramento’s anti-union tactics and secure the 50% “yes” vote. This time.

    The unions must wait a full 12 months before petitioning for another union vote. That’s time to continue building positive momentum and for those who voted “no” this time to see if Siemens will live up to the promises they made in fighting against the unions.

    “If Siemens chooses now to make positive changes for workers, it’s because of the courage of workers standing together,” said organizer Pablo Barrera.

    “Although we didn’t win the vote, we are amazed by the courage of the hundreds of workers who stood together for a better future for their colleagues and their families,” said IVP-Western States J. Tom Baca. “This is not the end. It’s just the beginning, and the fight goes on.”

    Read a December 2024 Boilermaker Reporter article about earlier Siemens organizing work

    Read more

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Ohio Tax Preparer

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Note: View order here.

    A federal court in Ohio yesterday permanently enjoined a Columbus, Ohio, tax preparer from preparing returns for others and from owning or operating any tax return preparation business in the future. According to the court’s order, Michael Craig, both individually and doing business as Craig’s Tax Service, consented to the entry of the injunction.

    The court’s order requires Craig to send notice of the injunction to each person for whom he prepared federal tax returns or refund claims after Jan. 1, 2022. According to the government’s complaint, many tax returns that Craig prepared made false and fraudulent claims, including:

    • Reporting losses for fictitious Schedule C businesses;
    • Claiming costs of goods sold (COGS) for types of businesses that cannot legitimately claim COGS and without supporting documentation;
    • Inventing or inflating expenses for otherwise legitimate Schedule C businesses; and
    • Taking deductions for both cash and non-cash charitable deductions that are either exaggerated or completely fabricated.

    According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $3.1 million in 2022 alone from tax returns prepared by Craig.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — RCMP NL warns of dangerous counterfeit pharmaceutical substances in circulation

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP NL is warning the public of the presence of counterfeit pharmaceuticals recently seized in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed a number of toxicity (overdose) deaths, involving youth that have ingested these substances.

    In recent cases, substances disguised as Xanax and Dilaudid have been seized as part of drug overdose investigations. Xanax, which is benzodiazepine (alprazolam), is medically prescribed to treat anxiety disorders. Dilaudid is a strong opioid composed of hydromorphone and is medically prescribed for pain management. The counterfeit substances seized, represented as Xanax and Dilaudid, contained non-medicinal drugs/substances.

    The counterfeit Xanax seized was comprised of bromazolam, methamphetamine and MDMA (ecstasy/molly). Bromazolam, while rarely fatal by itself, can cause significant health risks when combined with opioids. This combination can lead to respiratory depression and coma.

    The counterfeit Dilaudid seized was comprised of protonitazine, an opioid that is more than 20 times more potent than fentanyl. Protonitazine is extremely toxic, even to experienced drug users who have developed tolerance to other opioids.

    Images of the substances are attached. Parents and guardians are encouraged to speak with their children about the associated dangers of substance use.

    RCMP officers throughout the province are equipped with Naloxone kits, which are also readily available for free for the general public through Gov NL’s Health Services. Naloxone kits are only effective for suspected opioid overdose situations and are not effective for those under the influence of other drugs/substances (such as cocaine). Information on how to obtain a Naloxone kit can be found here:

    Naloxone Kit Distribution Sites – Health and Community Services

    If you suspect someone is experiencing a drug overdose, please call 911 immediately and obtain medical support. Residents are reminded of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which offers some legal protections to those experience or witness a drug overdose death. More information on the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act can be found here:

    About the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act – Canada.ca

    Those who are suffering from drug addiction are encouraged to reach out for support. More information on available supports can be found here:

    Mental Health and Addictions – Health and Community Services

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Church Rock Man Faces Federal Charges for Shooting Two Navajo-Nation Members

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – An 18-year-old Gallup man is facing federal charges following a shooting that left one Navajo-Nation member dead and another seriously injured.

    According to court records, in the early morning hours of April 6, 2025, a shooting occurred at a Church Rock, New Mexico residence. A resident of the home awoke to gunshots and, along with a second resident, entered 16-year-old Jane Doe’s bedroom, where the residents discovered 18-year-old John Doe deceased on the floor, Jane Doe suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, and the suspect, Mario Israel Barraza.

    Barraza—identified by both residents as Jane Doe’s former boyfriend—fled the scene immediately after the shooting. Investigators found evidence of forced entry through Jane Doe’s bedroom window, shell casings inside and outside the bedroom, and spent rounds resembling a bullet later extracted from Jane Doe during surgery. Security footage corroborated witness accounts of Barraza fleeing the scene, while Jane Doe confirmed she heard Barraza and John Doe arguing prior to the shooting and that he had a history of entering her bedroom through her window.

    Jane and John Doe are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation. Barraza is not an enrolled member of any federally recognized Tribe.

    Barraza stands charged with murder and assault with a dangerous weapon. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Barraza faces up to life in prison.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Ramah-Navajo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fort Pierce Men Plead Guilty To Bank Fraud And Mail Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Aquarius Jones (24, Fort Pierce) and Johnathan Bryant (26, Fort Pierce) have pleaded guilty for their roles in a mail theft scheme. Jones pleaded guilty to bank fraud and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Bryant pleaded guilty to mail theft and faces up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not yet been set.

    According to court documents, on July 22, 2022, Jones and Bryant assembled mail “fishing” devices using shoelaces, mouthwash bottles, and mouse glue traps. They lowered the fishing devices into the mail slot of a United States Postal Service collection box and stole mail from inside the box. Additionally, between January and July 2022, Jones obtained checks which had been stolen from mailboxes, altered the names of the recipients on the stolen checks, and fraudulently deposited those checks into various bank accounts belonging to individuals other than the intended check recipients.

    This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Winter Park Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dark Web Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced To More Than 15 Years In Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday has sentenced James Bookman (30, Largo) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Bookman pleaded guilty on October 2, 2024.

    According to court documents and statements presented at the sentencing hearing, Bookman, from the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere, using a dark web marketplace, distributed significant amounts of fentanyl (disguised and sold as oxycodone pills), methamphetamine (disguised and sold as Adderall pills), and other drugs, throughout the United States. One such sale resulted in the fentanyl overdose death of an internet customer in Montana.

    This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Boston), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montana State Medical Examiner’s Office, the Butte-Silver Bow (Montana) Law Enforcement Department, and the Mantatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jim Preston.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oklahoma Felon Pleads Guilty To Illegally Possessing A Loaded Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Andre Dominique Barnes (35, Lehigh Acres) today pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Barnes faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to court documents, on September 20, 2024, Barnes was stopped in Lee County by the Florida Highway Patrol for speeding. Barnes was identified by his Oklahoma identification card and had a suspended driver license. During a search of his vehicle, troopers located a loaded pistol. Court records show that Barnes was previously convicted of multiple felony offenses in Oklahoma. DNA swabs taken from the pistol and from Barnes linked him to the firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Barnes is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.

    This case is 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).

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Felon Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Shooting at Mail Carrier and Illegal Possession of Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 120 months of imprisonment on his convictions for shooting at a mail carrier and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand imposed the sentence on Martinel Humphries, 30, on April 9, 2025.

    According to information presented to the Court, Humphries fired four shots from a semi-automatic pistol at a mail carrier on January 5, 2023, for no apparent reason. The bullets missed the mail carrier, who fell to the ground upon seeing the defendant’s gun, but entered a nearby home, shattering the glass front door. Humphries fled and was apprehended soon after by law enforcement. Humphries has a lengthy criminal history, including two separate firearms convictions in 2015 relating to arrests in 2013 and 2015, and a 2021 conviction for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, for which he still was serving a term of federal supervised release at the time he shot at the mail carrier. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.

    “Federal employees must be able to work without fearing for their personal safety,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s violent act, shooting at a mail carrier who was in the middle of his route. Our office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners at all levels to prioritize combating violent crimes such as committed by this defendant.”

    “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to its core mission of protecting postal employees,” said Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge of the Pittsburgh Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “Thankfully, the letter carrier escaped being physically hurt in this crime, and, with the assistance of our local law enforcement partners, Humphries was quickly apprehended to prevent further harm to the public. Postal Inspectors will always strive to keep our employees safe while delivering mail to our communities. And we take pride in working with our law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served to those like Humphries, who bring violence to our communities.”

    Assistant United States Attorney William B. Guappone prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

    Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the United States Postal Inspection Service, City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Police Department, Ross Township Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Humphries.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: H Block Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston-based gang, H-Block, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to drug conspiracy charges.

    Dennis Wilson, a/k/a “Deuce,” 36 of Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2025.

    Wilson was one of 10 H-Block gang members and associates charged in August 2024 following a multi-year investigation of H Block beginning in 2021 in response to an uptick in gang-related drug trafficking, shootings and violence. According to court documents, over 500 grams of cocaine, cocaine base (crack cocaine) and fentanyl, as well as over 20,000 doses of drug-laced paper were seized during the investigation.

    According to the charging documents, the H Block Street Gang is one of the most feared and influential city-wide gangs in Boston. Originally formed in the 1980s as the Humboldt Raiders in the Roxbury section of Boston, the gang re-emerged in the 2000s as H Block. Current members of H Block have a history of violent confrontation with law enforcement, including an incident in 2015 when a member shot a Boston Police officer at point blank range without warning or provocation.

    From 2022 through 2023, Wilson, a long-time H Block gang member, participated in a conspiracy to distribute various controlled substances, including fentanyl, powdered cocaine and cocaine base (crack). On numerus occasions, Wilson accompanied a co-conspirator on various drug deals with undercover officers.

    The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    Wilson is the fourth defendant to plead guilty in the case.
        
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Andrew Murphy of the U.S. Secret Service Boston Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The investigation was supported by the Massachusetts State Police; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Watertown Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Jeremy Franker of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section are prosecuting the cases.

    The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Court Permanently Shuts Down Ohio Tax Preparer

    Source: United States Attorneys General 2

    Note: View order here.

    A federal court in Ohio yesterday permanently enjoined a Columbus, Ohio, tax preparer from preparing returns for others and from owning or operating any tax return preparation business in the future. According to the court’s order, Michael Craig, both individually and doing business as Craig’s Tax Service, consented to the entry of the injunction.

    The court’s order requires Craig to send notice of the injunction to each person for whom he prepared federal tax returns or refund claims after Jan. 1, 2022. According to the government’s complaint, many tax returns that Craig prepared made false and fraudulent claims, including:

    • Reporting losses for fictitious Schedule C businesses;
    • Claiming costs of goods sold (COGS) for types of businesses that cannot legitimately claim COGS and without supporting documentation;
    • Inventing or inflating expenses for otherwise legitimate Schedule C businesses; and
    • Taking deductions for both cash and non-cash charitable deductions that are either exaggerated or completely fabricated.

    According to the complaint, the IRS estimated a tax loss of more than $3.1 million in 2022 alone from tax returns prepared by Craig.

    The Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.

    Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. The IRS also offers guidance on the credentials and qualifications that taxpayers should seek from their return preparer.

    In the past decade, the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Labor Leaders Introduce Bill to Raise Minimum Wage

    Source: {United States House of Representatives – Congressman Bobby Scott (3rd District of Virginia)

    Headline: Labor Leaders Introduce Bill to Raise Minimum Wage

    The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 and give roughly 22 million Americans a long-overdue raise.

    As originally released by the Committee on Education and Workforce, Democrats

    WASHINGTON – Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, introduced the Raise the Wage Act of 2025.  According to the Economic Policy Institute, the Raise the Wage Act would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2030 and give roughly 22 million Americans a long-overdue raise.

    After more than fifteen years with no increase in the federal minimum wage—the longest period in U.S. history—millions of our nation’s workers are working full-time jobs but are still struggling to make ends meet.  The Raise the Wage Act is good for workers, good for business, and good for the economy.  When we put money in the pockets of workers, they will spend that money at local businesses. 

    “No person working full-time in America should be living in poverty.  The Raise the Wage Act will increase the pay and standard of living for nearly 22 million workers across this country.  Raising the minimum wage is good for workers, good for business, and good for the economy.  When we put money in the pockets of American workers, they will spend that money in their communities,”said Scott.

    “The $7.25 an hour minimum wage is a starvation wage. It must be raised to a living wage – at least $17 an hour,” Sanders said. “In the year 2025, a job should lift you out of poverty, not keep you in it. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, we can no longer tolerate millions of workers trying to survive on just $10 or $12 an hour. Congress can no longer ignore the needs of the working class of this country. The time to act is now,”said Sanders.

    TheRaise the Wage Act of 2025would:

    • Gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $17 by 2030.
    • Index future increases in the federal minimum wage to median wage growth to ensure the value of minimum wage does not once again erode over time.
    • Guarantee tipped workers are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the subminimum wage for tipped workers, which will ensure decent, consistent pay without eliminating tips.
    • Guarantee teen workers are paid at least the full federal minimum wage by phasing out the rarely used subminimum wage for youth workers.
    • End subminimum wage certificates for workers with disabilities to provide opportunities for workers with disabilities to be competitively employed and participate more fully in their communities.

    The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 has 142 original House co-sponsors, including Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), Greg Casar (TX-35), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Gabe Amo (RI-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Becca Balint (VT-00), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Donald S. Beyer (VA-08), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-02), Shontel M. Brown (OH-11), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Salud O. Carbajal (CA-24), André Carson (IN-07), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), James E. Clyburn (SC-06), Herbert Conaway (NJ-03), Gerald E. Connolly (VA-11), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jason Crow (CO-06), Danny K. Davis (IL-07), Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-03), Suzan K. DelBene (WA-01), Christopher R. Deluzio (PA-17), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Maxine Dexter (OR-03), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Cleo Fields (LA-06), Bill Foster (IL-11), Valerie P. Foushee (NC-04), Laura Friedman (CA-30), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), John Garamendi (CA-08), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Robert Garcia (CA-42), Dan Goldman (NY-10), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05), Al Green (TX-09),  Steven Horsford (NV-04), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Val T. Hoyle (OR-04), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Hank Johnson (GA-04), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Bill Keating (MA-09), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Timothy M. Kennedy (NY-26), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), Summer Lee (PA-12), Teresa Leger Fernandez (NM-03), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), John W. Mannion (NY-22), Doris O. Matsui (CA-07), Lucy McBath (GA-06), Sarah McBride (DE-At Large), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Morgan McGarvey (KY-03), James P. McGovern (MA-02), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Robert Menendez (NJ-08), Grace Meng (NY-06), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joseph D. Morelle (NY-25), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Frank J. Mrvan (IN-01), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-At Large), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19),Brittany Pettersen (CO-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Deborah K. Ross (NC-02), Patrick Ryan (NY-18), Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Linda T. Sánchez (CA-38), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-09), Bradley Scott Schneider (IL-10), Terri A. Sewell (AL-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Lateefah Simon (CA-12), Darren Soto (FL-09), Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-01), Haley M. Stevens (MI-11), Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie G. Thompson (MS-02), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Jill N. Tokuda (HI-02), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Lori Trahan (MA-03), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Juan Vargas (CA-52), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Nikema Williams (GA-05), and Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24).

    The Raise the Wage Act of 2025 has been endorsed by 85 organizations including, AFL-CIO, American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Council of the Blind, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), American Friends Service Committee, American Public Health Association, Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), Autistic People of Color Fund, Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, California LGBTQ Health and Human Services Network, Care in Action, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research (CLEAR), Clearinghouse on Women’s Issues, Coalition on Human Needs, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd U.S. Provinces, the Council for Global Equality, Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR), Demos, Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Equal Pay Today, Family Values @ Work, Feminist Majority Foundation, First Focus Campaign for Children, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), The General Board of Church and Society of The United Methodist Church, Gig Workers Rising, Indivisible, Institute for Policy Studies’ Poverty Project, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Justice for Migrant Women, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Legal Momentum, Milwaukee Area Service & Hospitality Workers Union, MomsRising, Movement Advancement Project (MAP), National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, National Association of Social Workers, National Black Worker Center, National Center for Law and Economic Justice (NCLEJ), National Coalition for the Homeless, National Council of Jewish Women, National Disability Institute, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA),  National Education Association (NEA), National Employment Law Project (NELP), National Employment Lawyers Association, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), The National Partnership for Women & Families, National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, New Disabled South, Oasis Legal Services, One Fair Wage, Oxfam America, Patriotic Millionaires, People Power United, Popular Democracy in Action, Pride at Work AFL-CIO, Public Advocacy for Kids, Public Justice Center, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Southern Poverty Law Center, Union for Reform Judaism, UNITE HERE, United Autoworkers (UAW), United Church of Christ, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), United for Respect, United Steelworkers (USW), Voices for Progress,  Worker Justice Center of New York, Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group, Working Partnerships USA, Workplace Fairness, Workplace Justice Lab, and Worksafe.

    To read the bill text for the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here.

    To read the fact sheet on the Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here.

    To read the section-by-section Raise the Wage Act of 2025, click here.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Update 285 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has carried out five deliveries of equipment and other technical assistance over the past week as it remains fully focused on helping to prevent a nuclear accident during the military conflict in Ukraine, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.

    Since the beginning of the conflict more than three years ago, the IAEA has now organised a total of 125 such shipments to 29 counterparts in Ukraine, including its nuclear power plants (NPPs), the national operator Energoatom, the country’s regulator, technical support organizations and laboratories, emergency services, organizations handling radioactive material,  as well as health centres offering medical care to plant personnel and others.

    “This technical support is an important component of the IAEA’s overall efforts aimed at ensuring nuclear safety and security in Ukraine. We will continue to provide such critical assistance to Ukraine, prioritizing areas where it is most urgently needed, thanks to the generous donor support,” Director General Grossi said.

    In recent days, the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology received equipment to enhance nuclear security at the site, the South Ukraine NPP received a whole body counter to monitor internal exposures of its operating staff, USIE Izotop – which manages radioactive material intended for medical, industrial and other purposes – received a forklift to support the safe handling and transport of radioactive material, and the Khmelnytskyy and Rivne NPPs received influenza medication and dental care equipment.

    These deliveries were provided with funding from Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union. Since the start of the conflict, equipment worth almost 17 million euros has so far reached Ukraine. The IAEA is preparing further assistance for delivery.

    At Ukraine’s nuclear sites, frequent air raid alarms and the sound of explosions in the distance continued to highlight persistent risks to nuclear safety. On the night of 9 April, according to information from the site, eight drones were detected flying within 4 km of the South Ukraine NPP.

    At the Zaporizhzhya NPP (ZNPP), the IAEA team based at the site has continued to conduct regular walkdowns to monitor and assess nuclear safety and security, including to the dry spent fuel storage where the team observed the safety and security arrangements, the on-site radiation monitoring laboratory, and on-site warehouses.

    The team also discussed with the plant upcoming electrical maintenance activities as well as staffing levels, training and qualifications at the ZNPP.

    At the Khmelnytskyy and Rivne NPPs, one reactor at each site remains in shutdown for refuelling. On 5 April, two units at the Rivne site had to temporarily reduce their power output due to grid limitations, highlighting the ongoing difficulties caused by the fragile energy infrastructure. Also this past week, the team at the Khmelnytskyy NPP rotated.

    MIL Security OSI –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: VIATRIS SHAREHOLDER ALERT: CLAIMSFILER REMINDS INVESTORS WITH LOSSES IN EXCESS OF $100,000 of Lead Plaintiff Deadline in Class Action Lawsuit Against Viatris Inc. – VTRS

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW ORLEANS, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ClaimsFiler, a FREE shareholder information service, reminds investors that they have until June 3, 2025 to file lead plaintiff applications in a securities class action lawsuit against Viatris Inc. (“Viatris” or “the Company”) (NasdaqGS: VTRS), if they purchased the Company’s securities between August 8, 2024 and February 26, 2025, inclusive (the “Class Period”). This action is pending in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

    Get Help

    Viatris investors should visit us at https://claimsfiler.com/cases/nasdaq-vtrs-1/ or call toll-free (844) 367-9658. Lawyers at Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC are available to discuss your legal options.

    About the Lawsuit

    Viatris and certain of its executives are charged with failing to disclose material information during the Class Period, violating federal securities laws.

    On February 27, 2025, the Company announced its financial results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2024, disclosing disappointing fiscal 2025 guidance, which the Company attributed to “the expected financial impact from Indore facility warning letter and import alert.” On this news, the price of Viatris’ shares fell from $11.24 per share on February 26, 2025, Viatris’ stock price fell to $9.53 per share on February 27, 2025.

    The case is Quinn v. Viatris Inc., et al., No. 25-cv-466.

    About ClaimsFiler

    ClaimsFiler has a single mission: to serve as the information source to help retail investors recover their share of billions of dollars from securities class action settlements. At ClaimsFiler.com, investors can: (1) register for free to gain access to information and settlement websites for various securities class action cases so they can timely submit their own claims; (2) upload their portfolio transactional data to be notified about relevant securities cases in which they may have a financial interest; and (3) submit inquiries to the Kahn Swick & Foti, LLC law firm for free case evaluations.

    To learn more about ClaimsFiler, visit www.claimsfiler.com.

    The MIL Network –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 10 April 2025 Donors making a difference in support of WHO’s global work for better nutrition for all

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Nutrition is a critical part of health and development at every stage of life. Better nutrition is related to improved infant, child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, and longevity. Healthy children learn better. People with adequate nutrition are more productive and can create opportunities to gradually break the cycles of poverty and hunger.

    Today, the world faces a double burden of malnutrition that includes both undernutrition and overweight. Undernutrition as well as obesity result in diet-related noncommunicable diseases.

    WHO’s support to initiatives to tackle malnutrition is not possible without funding. For core work like this, WHO needs sustainable financing that is predictable, flexible and resilient, enabling the Organization to have the greatest impact where it is needed most.

    In parallel to providing fully flexible funding, donors also invest in specific WHO activities across the globe to address malnutrition. The examples reveal a wide range of donor support, not only in emergency contexts with vulnerable or displaced populations but also as a long-term and deeply embedded concern for many countries. This support is even more vital in the face of rising conflict, poverty, food insecurity and rising food prices coupled with easy access to cheap and highly processed foods across all income levels.

    Bridging gaps in health and nutrition services for internally displaced people (IDPs) and crisis-affected communities in Amhara, Ethiopia

    Bridging gaps in health and nutrition services for IDPs and crisis-affected communities in Amhara, Ethiopia. Photo by: WHO/Nitsebiho Asrat

    The Amhara region of Ethiopia has faced a severe humanitarian crisis since November 2021. Nearly a million IDPs are scattered across 38 collective sites and host communities, alongside hundreds of thousands of refugees and returnees.

    Ongoing public health emergencies have exacerbated the already critical demand for basic essential health and nutrition services. Availability and access to services are severely limited. WHO, in collaboration with regional government authorities, deployed Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams (MHNTs) to bring essential services to the most vulnerable populations.

    As needs increased, the number of MHNTs expanded to 19, comprising 132 health workers, in April 2024. This was made possible through funding from the European Commission Humanitarian Aid, the United States Agency for International Development, the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (UN CERF), and the People and Government of Japan.

    Read the full story.

    Stabilisation centres are a lifeline for Sudan’s malnourished children

    WHO Regional Director Dr Hanan Balkhy at the WHO-supported nutrition stabilisation centre in Port Sudan which is providing life-saving care for many infants suffering from acute malnutrition. Photo by: WHO/Inas Hamam

    In 2024, almost a year after conflict erupted in Sudan, nearly 25 million people needed humanitarian assistance. Of these, 18 million people faced acute hunger, 5 million of them at emergency levels.

    In 2024, WHO provided medical supplies and technical support to 121 state-run stabilisation centres in Sudan and supported 11 with operating costs. About 3.5 million children under 5 years – every 7th child in Sudan – experience acute malnutrition. Stabilisation centres are a lifeline to more than 100 000 children who are severely acutely malnourished and suffer from medical complications.

    Since the conflict erupted in April 2023, WHO has trained 1 942 nutrition cadres and distributed over 2 300 severe acute malnutrition kits to help treat more than 28 000 children. WHO was able to do this thanks to the generous financial assistance of the Italian Development Cooperation, Japan and the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance. This ensured life-saving support, much more of which is needed to address the staggering numbers of Sudanese children in need.

    Read the full story.

    Nutrition services included in the emergency health response in Syria

    WHO team visits a health centre in Maskaneh village in rural Aleppo, meeting with health and community workers and beneficiaries, 2024. Photo by: WHO/Farah Ramada

    WHO welcomes US$ 5.5 million funding received from UN CERF to enhance its integrated multisectoral emergency response in Syria. The funding will enable WHO to continue delivering life-saving healthcare services to the most vulnerable populations in conflict-affected regions of the country.

    The support aims to reduce morbidity and mortality by ensuring access to essential health care, including advanced nutrition services, and by delivering health services to people in need in north-west and north-east Syria, including sub-districts in Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh, Dar’a, Deir-ez-Zor, Idleb and Lattakia.

    The funding supports around 1.8 million people in prioritized areas, aiming to improve access to primary and secondary health care and to bolster emergency referral systems. The focus is on children experiencing malnutrition, providing essential supplies to nutrition stabilisation centres and hospitals, and on strengthening the capacity of local health care workers for mental health, gender-based violence, and communicable diseases.

    Read the full story.

    Life-saving health supplies and services to over 5 million people across drought-affected states in Somalia

    EU ECHO-funded project helped equip 11 nutrition stabilisation centres, 2024. Photo by: WHO/Somalia I.Taxta

    WHO and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), with funding from the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (EU ECHO) supported Somalia’s Federal and State Ministries of Health to provide life-saving health supplies and services to over 5 million people across drought-affected areas of Banadir, South West, Jubbaland and Galmudug states. WHO supported 63 stabilisation centres for treatment of severe acute malnutrition with medical complications, treating over 25 000 children across the country in these centres. 84% of these children survived.

    The 24-month project increased access to health and nutrition services for IDPs in camps and host communities and addressed the needs of pregnant and lactating women, elderly individuals, and children under 5 in drought and conflict-affected areas.

    Essential medical supplies were procured and distributed for severe acute malnutrition with medical complications in children, essential health and severe malnutrition kits, and to support detection and response to outbreaks. The project helped equip 11 nutrition stabilisation centres across target districts with severe acute malnutrition kits, with an average cure rate of 94.25% in children under 5.

    Read the full story.

    Benin: nutrition and health monitoring to bolster children’s health

    WHO-supported health screenings help safeguard children’s physical and intellectual well-being in Benin’s primary schools, 2023. Photo by: WHO/D. Akomatsri

    Every day, all primary and pre-primary pupils in Benin’s state schools receive a hot meal, courtesy of the National Integrated School Feeding Programme. An associated nutritional and health monitoring campaign is carried out biannually offering a package of services, including micronutrient supplementation, deworming, and hygiene promotion in schools.

    The campaign reached 60 schools in 2023, with support from WHO, the World Food Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund. This helped detect and treat cases of malnutrition amongst pupils, with 13 986 children screened and 1 367 cases of malnutrition detected, including 390 severe acute cases and 975 moderate acute cases.

    By linking medical care to the school feeding scheme, Benin’s Ministry of Health aims to address both the physical and intellectual health of schoolchildren. WHO, through the French Muskoka Fund, is supporting this initiative to monitor health and nutrition amongst schoolchildren in a bid to help entrench health promotion in schools.

    Read the full story.

    Protecting children from the harmful effect of food marketing in Malaysia

    Policymakers, civil society organizations, academics and industry representatives participated in the consultative seminar. Photo by: WHO

    Malaysia has the highest rate of childhood overweight or obesity in ASEAN, yet children continue to be exposed to aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages. Over 30% of children aged 5-17 years old were classified as overweight or obese in 2022.

    This trend is coupled with a significant portion of children growing up stunted, creating a double burden of malnutrition. Addressing the double burden of malnutrition demands collaboration across different sectors and levels of society.

    In Malaysia, the Pledge on Responsible Advertising to Children was launched in 2012 and it included 15 food and beverage companies which committed to not marketing unhealthy foods to children aged 12 and below.

    To identify ways to better protect children in Malaysia from the harmful effects of food marketing, WHO and the Nutrition Division, Ministry of Health convened over 60 policymakers, academics, industry and civil society representatives in September 2024. Stakeholders discussed key challenges and barriers to policy implementation, and developed strategies and recommendations while strengthening collaboration.

    This works is thanks to invaluable flexible, unearmarked funding to WHO.

    Read the full story.

    Nine Latin American and Caribbean countries intensify efforts to curb obesity

    Lady measuring her weight. Photo by: iStock/klvn

    The WHO Region for the Americas (PAHO/AMRO) has the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in the world, with 67.5% of adults and 37.6% of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 experiencing overweight or obesity. The WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity and forthcoming Technical Package to stop obesity aims to halt rising obesity rates through a comprehensive approach combining regulatory, fiscal, and multisectoral strategies.

    In the Americas, 9 countries are pioneering this initiative: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay. Lessons learned are expected to serve as a model for future expansion across the region.

    PAHO and these countries are implementing a series of measures including the application of front-of-package warning labels, regulation of marketing for unhealthy food products, promotion of breastfeeding, regulation of foods offered in schools, and adoption of fiscal policies that promote healthy diets. Along with monitoring and learning, PAHO continues to provide technical assistance, capacity-building, and intersectoral coordination.

    This work is thanks to invaluable flexible, unearmarked funding to WHO.

    Read the full story.

    Thailand fighting obesity – changing the system to save lives

    The Minister of Public Health, DOH Director-General and other officials, together with WHO Representative to Thailand showed strong commitment to fight against obesity. Photo by: Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand

    In recent years, Thailand is facing an escalating obesity trend that threatens the health of its future generations. In the span of just two decades, the rate of obesity in school children has surged from 5.8% to 15%. The situation amongst adults is equally alarming, with 42% falling into the obese category by 2020. Noncommunicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and stroke now claim 400 000 lives annually and account for 74% of all deaths in Thailand.

    Recognizing the urgent need for action, Thailand has taken bold and innovative steps to curb this epidemic. The Ministry of Public Health (MPOH) has rolled out a comprehensive policy that aims to drive changes in 4 systems.

    The priority interventions will focus on improving the quality of school lunch programme, changing food marketing to reduce sugar, fat, and salt, strengthening health services system to provide better prevention and management of obesity-related conditions, and modifying the environment to increase physical activity. Thailand has also tightened its national definition of obesity. While WHO’s definition states that “a body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese”, in Thailand citizens with BMI greater or equal to 25 are registered as obese – which allows the health stakeholders to expand the reach and support to broader population groups.

    Show less Show more

    Promoting healthy diets and increased physical activity are key strategies which are supported by Global Regulatory and Fiscal Capacity Building Programme (RECAP), a collaborative project between the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and WHO, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the European Union. In addition, Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) partners with WHO to promote healthy diets through evidence-based interventions.

    Strong leadership, multi-sectoral action and development partners’ support are crucial in bending the obesity curve in the country.

    Read the full story.

    Fast forward: Nutrition for Growth 2025 Summit

    WHO announced 13 ambitious commitments across 8 key areas at the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit, hosted by the Government of France. Stakeholders pledged US$ 27,55 billion in global funding for nutrition. This moment of global solidarity showcases growing support to improve health and well-being for all through nutrition.

    127 delegations, including the governments of 106 countries, together with international and civil society organizations, development banks, philanthropic organizations, research institutions, and businesses, joined forces in Paris to help put an end to the malnutrition scourge, which hinders countries’ economic and social development and traps communities in an intergenerational cycle of poverty.

    A few amongst numerous examples of pledges are: €750 million in projects supported by France (between now and 2030), €6.5 billion to fight malnutrition mobilized by the European Union, of which €3.4 billion was allocated by the European Commission. Other countries, including Madagascar, Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, and Bangladesh also made noteworthy political and financial commitments to tackling the burden of malnutrition in their countries. The development banks are also on board, particularly the World Bank and the African Development Bank, which pledged US$ 5 billion and US$ 9.5 billion respectively until 2030. Philanthropic organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector account for a substantial share of financial commitments. Philanthropic organizations will raise more than US$ 2 billion in the coming years to combat malnutrition. As follow up builds, participants expect more than 500 commitments to be made overall.

    WHO’s eight commitments reflect our dedication to tackling malnutrition and promoting health and well-being worldwide. Read more on commitments.

    Acknowledgements

    WHO’s work is made possible through all contributions of our Member States and partners. WHO thanks all donor countries, governments, organizations and individuals who are contributing to the Organization’s work, with special appreciation for those who provide fully flexible contributions to maintain a strong, independent WHO.

    The donors and partners acknowledged in this story are (in alphabetical order) the African Development Bank, Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, the EU ECHO, European Commission Humanitarian Aid, French Muskoka Fund, the Government of France, Guatemala, the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), Italian Development Cooperation, Japan, Madagascar, Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL), the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), UNCERF, the USA Agency for International Development, and the World Bank.

    WHO’s support to initiatives to tackle obesity and malnutrition would not have been possible without funding. To continue to support core work like this, WHO needs sustainable financing, that is, predictable, flexible, and resilient. This will allow WHO to have the greatest impact where it is needed most.

    More on nutrition and obesity

    Draft recommendations for the prevention and management of obesity over the life course, including potential targets

    Follow-up to the political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases – Annex 12

    Obesity and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists | Obesity | JAMA | JAMA Network

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Deluzio Announces $50,000 Federal Grant to Reserve Township for New Technology Equipment & Training

    Source: US Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA)

    CARNEGIE, PA — Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) announced that $50,000 in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) funds will be awarded to Reserve Township. The grant will help modernize Township government by purchasing new technology supplies and equipment and providing training to Township staff. Reserve Township is providing $1,350 in local funds to supplement the $50,000 in federal funding.  

    “Our local government leaders have a lot on their plates, and outdated technology shouldn’t get in the way of serving residents,” said Congressman Deluzio. “So much of what we do in our daily lives—including the work of local government—depends on technology. This grant will help Reserve Township be more efficient and better deliver for residents with upgraded technology and equipment.”  

    “Our grant project is called ‘Building Capacity through Technology’ because it will increase our internal capacity to provide the best service to our residents with the small staff that we have here at the Township. The grant funds will go toward upgrading and centralizing our computer infrastructure and also adding much needed audio-visual equipment to our Board Meeting area,” said Jan Kowalski, CPA, Reserve Township Manager. “We are very grateful for the opportunity to use these funds to benefit our community.”  

    The funding was awarded through the Appalachian Regional Commission, an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian region. Funding for this project is provided by READY Appalachia, a community capacity building initiative funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), more commonly known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.  

    The Trump Administration’s efforts to freeze funding and pause federal grants has created significant uncertainty for grantees, varying by agency and program. As of now, the courts have paused many of these freezes. However, Congressman Deluzio will continue to monitor these developments and fight to make sure this congressionally-authorized funding will keep flowing to projects that make life better for Western Pennsylvanians. If you are the recipient of a federal grant and have been notified that this funding is no longer available to you or are experiencing other issues accessing your lawfully appropriated funds, please share your concerns with Congressman Deluzio’s office at PA17Grants@mail.house.gov. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lawler’s Remote Access Security Act Passes House Foreign Affairs Committee Unanimously

    Source: US Congressman Mike Lawler (R, NY-17)

    Washington, D.C. – 4/9/2025… This week, Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17) and a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers reintroduced the Remote Access Security Act. This legislation closes a loophole in U.S. export control law that has allowed CCP-aligned companies to access restricted American technology through cloud services. The bill received unanimous bipartisan support in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, passing with a 51-0 vote. 

    The Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA) gave the U.S. the authority to regulate the export of sensitive items to ensure that advanced tech with military implications does not fall into the hands of our adversaries. But as technology has progressed, controlled items may be accessed remotely, allowing our adversaries to skirt the law. This bill defines “remote access” and adds remote access provisions into ECRA, closing this loophole.

    “Our export controls are only as strong as the weakest link – and right now, China is exploiting us,” said Congressman Lawler (NY-17). “While we’ve blocked the physical export of sensitive chips and technology, they are still accessible through cloud technologies. That’s unacceptable.” 

    “We cannot allow the CCP to continue to access this technology. This bill ensures our laws reflect the realities of the digital age,” Congressman Lawler concluded. “I’m proud this legislation passed with overwhelming support in Committee and look forward to pushing forward on this effort to get it signed into law.”

    Cosponsors include Reps. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Rich McCormick (GA-07), Brad Sherman (CA-32), John Moolenaar (MI-02), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Bill Huizenga (MI-04), Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Claudia Tenney (NY-24), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), and Young Kim (CA-40).

    Congressman Lawler is one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and represents New York’s 17th Congressional District, which is just north of New York City and contains all or parts of Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, and Westchester Counties. He was rated the most effective freshman lawmaker in the 118th Congress, 8th overall, surpassing dozens of committee chairs.

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    Full text of the bill can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Jayapal, Welch Raise Alarm Over Escalating Violence in West Bank, Assault of Hamdan Ballal

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)

    WASHINGTON, DC — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) and U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) are raising the alarm over escalating violence in the West Bank, especially following the violent assault of Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, an Oscar-winning co-director of the documentary, No Other Land. The letter demands President Trump reinstate sanctions against individuals who perpetrate violence that undermines regional stability and security in the West Bank.

    “The assault on Mr. Ballal occurred against the backdrop of intensified Israeli military operations across the West Bank,” wrote the Members. “Given the gravity of this attack and its implications on the ability of Palestinian civilians to advocate for self-determination peacefully, the U.S. must put pressure on the Israeli government to hold perpetrators accountable.”

    On March 24, 2025, Ballal was attacked by a group of Israeli settlers in the village of Susiya in the occupied West Bank. The account of the attack from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) differs greatly from witness reports, which also claim that the IDF did not intervene and instead handcuffed Ballal after he sustained serious injuries.  

    “Given Mr. Ballal’s platform, we are especially concerned that this violent attack and failure to hold his

    perpetrators accountable suppresses his freedom of speech and those who tell Palestinian stories,” continued the Members. “While it is important to dismantle militant cells in the West Bank that

    threaten the security of the Israeli people, we are concerned recent Israeli operations have

    disproportionately impacted Palestinian civilians.”

    This assault occurred as tensions continue to rise in the occupied West Bank during intensified military operations by the IDF forces. Since January, operations have displaced more than 40,000 Palestinians. 

    Ballal is a director of the Oscar-winning documentary, No Other Land, which chronicles how difficult life is for Palestinians under occupation. 

    The full letter can be read here.

    The letter was also signed by Bernard Sanders (I-VT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) as well as Representatives Becca Balint (VT-AL), André Carson (IN-07), Greg Casar (TX-35), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Maxwell Frost (FL-10), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (IL-04), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-01), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (GA-04), Seth Magaziner (RI-02), Betty McCollum (MN-04), James P. McGovern (MA-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Janice D. Schakowsky (IL-09), Melanie A. Stansbury (NM-01), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Nydia M. Velázquez (NY-07), Maxine Waters (CA-43), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12).

    It is also endorsed by Endorsing Organizations: American Friends of Combatants for Peace, CAIR Action, Center for Jewish Nonviolence, Church Women United in New York State, Christian-Jewish Allies for a Just Peace for Israel/Palestine, Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Friends Committee on National Legislation, Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA), IfNotNow Movement, J Street, Jahalin Solidarity, MARUF CT, Medglobal, Minnesota Peace Project, MPower Change Action Fund, Muslim Civic Coalition, Muslims United PAC, New Jewish Narrative, Oasis Legal Services, Partners for Progressive Israel, Peace Action, Peace, Justice, Sustainability NOW!, ReThinking Foreign Policy, RootsAction, Upte Members for Palestine, Voices for Justice in Palestine, WILPF, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, US Section (WILPF US), and Win Without War.

    Issues: Foreign Affairs & National Security

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sherrill Responds to Republican Attempt to Rig the Courts with Legislation to Prevent Judge Shopping

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)

    WASHINGTON, DC — As Speaker Mike Johnson and Washington Republicans continue to enable President Trump’s unprecedented attacks on federal judges, Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) re-introduced legislation to prevent right-wing manipulation of the court system through a tactic known as “judge shopping.” Judge shopping is utilized by Republican activists, like anti-abortion advocates, to cherry-pick ultra-conservative judges — and guarantee favorable decisions — by filing lawsuits in single-judge divisions of United States District Courts. 

    Meanwhile, House Republicans brought legislation to the floor for a vote — the No Rogue Rulings Act — that would limit district court judges from issuing nationwide injunctions, curbing their constitutional authority, and pairing back our system of checks and balances. 

    “House Republicans are abdicating their constitutional responsibility to serve as a check on the illegal actions of the Trump administration. Instead, they are attempting to strip federal judges of their authority to stop the President’s unlawful orders. If Washington Republicans were serious about addressing court manipulation, they would support my bill to crack down on judge shopping, a tactic deployed to obtain favorable decisions from hand-picked judges.

    “Judge shopping was the tool right-wing extremists used to attack access to mifepristone, a form of medication abortion — along with other health and safety regulations conservatives opposed. My bill would end this unfair practice, because I refuse to let conservative activists weaponize the court to further their agenda and strip away our fundamental rights,” said Rep. Sherrill.

    “There will always be some gamesmanship by parties when deciding which federal court to file their lawsuit in. But there’s forum-shopping and then there are guaranteed judge draws, the latter of which are assured in single-judge divisions and are antithetical to the American legal system’s goal of fairness. Thankfully, Congress possesses the constitutional authority to modify the structure of the federal courts, and I commend Rep. Sherrill’s legislation to do so by restoring the veil of ignorance to judicial assignments, thereby making our courts more trustworthy and impartial,” said Gabe Roth, Executive Director, Fix the Court. 

    “A litigant should not be able to handpick the judge who will hear their case,” said Debra Perlin, Vice President for Policy at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. “But no federal law prevents judge shopping, thus allowing litigants to effectively choose who will oversee their litigation by filing actions in divisions with only a single judge. By preventing cases of nationwide consequence from being filed in a single-judge division, however, Rep. Sherrill’s End Judge Shopping Act prevents this manipulation of the judicial system. CREW applauds Rep. Sherrill for reintroducing this commonsense legislation to restore public faith in the independence and impartiality of our judiciary.”

    In February, the American Bar Association adopted a resolution supporting congressional action to address judge shopping, and in a recent publication, the Harvard Law Review highlighted Rep. Sherrill’s bill in discussing the benefits of restricting judge shopping. 

    Rep. Sherrill is a former federal prosecutor and has been a strong champion for abortion rights. In the wake of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA case in Texas, Rep. Sherrill gathered leaders from Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Agile Therapeutics for a panel discussion on the threat to abortion access in New Jersey. She has also introduced legislation on protecting the reproductive rights of servicewomen and access to emergency abortion care. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Amata Welcomes House Passage of Bipartisan Veterans Bills, and Peace Officers Memorial Service Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative for Western Samoa Congresswoman Aumua Amata

    Headline: Amata Welcomes House Passage of Bipartisan Veterans Bills, and Peace Officers Memorial Service Resolution

    Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Uifa’atali Amata, who serves as Vice Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee (HVAC), is welcoming House passage of a slate of bipartisan Veterans bills from the Committee, and letting American Samoa’s veterans know about these efforts, which are now sent to the Senate for consideration.

    Discussing Veterans’ issues recently with VA Secretary Collins, HVAC Chairman Bost and other key Members

    “We have made a commitment to our Veterans as a nation, and continue to push for improvements in the access and delivery of services to all who served,” said Congresswoman Amata. “We want consistency, care, and competence in our national services to Veterans through laws, oversight, and ongoing reform efforts at the VA.”

    The Deliver for Veterans Act, H.R. 877, passed unanimously, is sponsored by Congressman James Moylan (Guam), with Congresswoman Aumua Amata (American Samoa), Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds (CNMI), and Congressman Ed Case (Hawaii) as original cosponsors. This bill would cover the delivery costs, including the islands, for major equipment for disabled veterans such as a specially equipped automobile. 

    The Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act, H.R. 1039, passed 412-0, requires the VA to make communications with Veterans clearer and more user friendly. Sponsor Congressman Tom Barrett, R-Michigan, said in a House speech, “Our veterans served the United States military, with honor. They shouldn’t need a lawyer or specially trained advocate to explain a claims letter to them.”

    The Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act, H.R. 586, passed by a vote of 411-0, requiring the VA to conduct an epidemiological study, create a report on the prevalence of cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) in veterans who served in the Vietnam theater, and submit this information to Congress. 

    The Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act of 2025, H.R. 970, requires the VA to review every five years and report on the maximum coverage available under the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance and Veterans’ Group Life Insurance programs, taking into account the average percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased over that five years. 

    In other action, the House unanimously passed necessary legislation authorizing the use of U.S. Capitol grounds for the National Peace Officers Memorial Service in May. The concurrent resolution authorizes the National Fraternal Order of Police to sponsor two public events on Capitol grounds: the 44th Annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service, and the National Honor Guard and Pipe Band Exhibition. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

    April 11, 2025
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