NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – European Union Agency for Asylum promotes Islamic veil – E-000314/2025(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Article 59 of the regulation governing the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)[1] establishes that the Agency is independent as regards operational and technical matters.

    This independence includes communication activities, which are carried out on the own initiative of the Agency. The EUAA is informed of the Commission’s communication guidelines but the Agency does not consult the Commission on individual posts, reports or materials.

    The Commission promotes inclusion, diversity and unity in the EU — in line with the EU Treaties. The Commission’s communications reflect this.

    • [1] Regulation (EU) 2021/2303 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2021 on the European Union Agency for Asylum and repealing Regulation (EU) No 439/2010, OJ L 468, 30.12.2021, p. 1-54, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/2303/oj.
    Last updated: 20 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Slovenian Health Services Act – E-001048/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001048/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Tomislav Sokol (PPE), Zala Tomašič (PPE), Matej Tonin (PPE), Romana Tomc (PPE), Milan Zver (PPE)

    The parliament of the Republic of Slovenia is currently considering an amendment to the Health Services Act to prohibit healthcare workers employed in public institutions from providing market-based healthcare services and operating as private healthcare providers. It also strictly limits working at more than one public healthcare institution at a time. Under the proposed law, anyone wishing to operate as a healthcare provider will be required to have two years of work experience, regardless of whether they hold a licence certifying their competence for independent medical practice. The government has ignored objections from medical professionals and national medical organisations, and is proceeding with the legislative process to amend the Health Services Act.

    • 1.Does the Commission consider that the proposed amendments to Slovenia’s Health Services Act might create a barrier to the free movement of services promoted by the Treaty on European Union?
    • 2.Does the Commission believe the proposed restrictions will negatively impact the free movement of healthcare workers within the EU?
    • 3.How does the Commission plan to monitor legislative developments in Slovenia to ensure that concerns raised by medical professionals and national organisations are considered?

    Submitted: 11.3.2025

    Last updated: 20 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Failure to ensure compliance with public procurement and State aid rules under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) – E-001041/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001041/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Dick Erixon (ECR)

    The European Court of Auditors’ special report 09/2025 exposes a deeply troubling reality: the Commission has failed to ensure that Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds are properly monitored for compliance with public procurement and State aid rules. The report highlights ongoing weaknesses in the Commission’s audit and control processes, weak oversight and guidance for the Member States and serious inconsistencies in enforcement. Despite repeated warnings, the Commission has neither imposed effective corrective measures nor ensured that the Member States carry out adequate checks before receiving RRF payments. This lack of accountability is entirely unacceptable and undermines trust in the responsible management of EU funds.

    Given the gravity of these findings:

    • 1.How does the Commission justify allowing RRF payments to be made despite clear evidence that Member States are not conducting adequate compliance checks?
    • 2.Will the Commission finally introduce binding and enforceable corrective measures to prevent further misuse of EU funds under the RRF?
    • 3.What concrete steps will the Commission take to overhaul its audit system and ensure that its assurance declarations reflect actual risks, rather than presenting an illusion of control?

    Submitted: 11.3.2025

    Last updated: 20 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Elimination of the warning triangle and replacement with light-signalling devices connected to national traffic control centres – E-001043/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001043/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Borja Giménez Larraz (PPE)

    Statistics indicate that the stopping of vehicles due to breakdowns or accidents on high-speed roads is one of the situations in which accidents occur most frequently. In Europe, this accounts for 13.89% of fatalities on motorways and dual carriageways – in 2019, of the 1 800 deaths on high-capacity roads, 250 were pedestrians. Traditionally, the solution for signalling a broken-down vehicle has been the warning triangle, but rather than reducing danger, the placing of these triangles creates more danger.

    For this reason, Spain passed a regulation establishing the obligation to carry a light-signalling device in vehicles, which will gradually replace the warning triangles. This device will also have to be connected to the national Traffic Management Centre to provide information on the position and to warn the drivers of other vehicles.

    In order to increase road safety and to standardise rules and eliminate differences, does the Commission intend to recommend banning the use of warning triangles and replacing them with light-signals connected wirelessly to national traffic management centres?

    Submitted: 11.3.2025

    Last updated: 20 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Changes to ecodesign requirements for stoves – E-001045/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001045/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Beatrice Timgren (ECR)

    In January, a proposal was published to amend the Commission regulation implementing the ecodesign directive for solid fuel local space heaters. The changes include a stricter carbon monoxide emission limit for local space heaters, as well as a requirement for all local space heaters to incorporate an automatic combustion control system. That requirement presupposes a power supply, meaning that new stoves will have to be connected either to the electricity grid or to a battery. Manufacturers are now warning that the requirements are unrealistic and will not be achievable without compromising functionality.

    • 1.How and to what extent were the following interests taken into account when the Commission drafted the proposal? (a) Impact on civil defence, given that local space heaters need to be connected to the electricity grid and therefore become dependent on the state of the electricity grid in times of crisis and war; (b) Impact on European competitiveness and offshoring, given increased development costs and stringent requirements.
    • 2.What conclusion has the Commission reached from its assessment as to whether the changes will lead to higher prices for consumers to purchase stoves?
    • 3.Does the Commission intend to proceed with the proposal as it stands at present?

    Submitted: 11.3.2025

    Last updated: 20 March 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Statement on Trump Executive Order Seeking to Abolish the Department of Education

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    ICYMI: Ahead of Expected EO to Abolish Department of Education, Murray, Seattle School Board President, Parents, Advocates Raise Alarm Over Trump Dismantling Dept. of Ed
    ICMYI: Senator Murray Blasts Trump’s Plans to Decimate the Department of Education
    ICYMI: Ahead of Confirmation Vote, Senator Murray Blasts Linda McMahon’s Nomination: “We Cannot Have a Secretary of Education Who Doesn’t Believe in Having a Secretary of Education”
    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, issued the following statement on the executive order President Trump is expected to sign this afternoon seeking to eliminate the Department of Education (ED):

    “We should be focused on helping our kids with math and reading—the basics they need to succeed. Absolutely no one is asking for three out-of-touch billionaires to rip apart the Department of Education over some deranged far-right culture war.

    “Donald Trump knows perfectly well he can’t abolish the Department of Education without Congress—but he understands that if you fire all the staff and smash it to pieces, you might get a similar, devastating result. In taking a wrecking ball to the Department, Trump is making it harder for students to get help getting financial aid, jeopardizing the funding schools and families count on every day, and making it easier for predatory businesses to rip students off.

    “Trump and Musk are selling snake oil—because the obvious truth is dismantling the Department and ripping support away from students and schools won’t do a thing to help improve test scores and make sure our kids get the support they need to thrive. And while Trump claims he wants to ‘return education to the states,’ we know that couldn’t be farther from the truth—because Trump and Musk are, at this very moment, trying to exert ever more control over local schools and dictate what they can and cannot teach.

    “Trump, Musk, and McMahon’s goal is clear: destroy public schools and enrich themselves in the process. The billionaires running our government may not understand why federal financial aid or funding for working class school districts or watchdogs protecting students from scammy for-profit colleges matters—but the constituents I talk to every day do, and they are not sitting quiet while Trump seeks to destroy public education in America.”

    A senior member and former chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Murray has championed students and families at every stage of her career—fighting to help ensure every child in America can get a high-quality public education. Among other things, Senator Murray negotiated the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), landmark legislation that she got signed into law, replacing the broken No Child Left Behind Act. As a longtime appropriator, she has successfully fought to boost funding to support students and invest in our nation’s K-12 schools, and she has secured significant increases to the Pell Grant so that it goes further for students pursuing a higher education. Senator Murray also successfully negotiated the FAFSA Simplification Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the financial aid application process, simplify the FAFSA form for students and parents, and significantly expand eligibility for federal aid.
    On Monday, Senator Murray led a letter demanding detailed answers from the Department of Education about the Trump administration’s mass firings and other detrimental actions, which risk major reductions in support for and oversight of federal investments in our nation’s K-12 schools and institutions of higher education and which threaten vital support for students with disabilities, access to Pell Grants and other financial aid, oversight of student loan servicers, scrutiny of for-profit colleges, and more. The letter follows an earlier March 6 letter Senator Murray sent alongside colleagues demanding answers about the chaotic, harmful actions taken by ED since January—which the Department has yet to respond to.
    During Secretary Linda McMahon’s confirmation hearing, Senator Murray pressed McMahon on whether she will ensure approved funding gets out to serve students as the law requires and whether she would protect students’ data from DOGE. She also asked McMahon to name a single requirement of ESSA. McMahon couldn’t name any. Ahead of McMahon’s confirmation, Senator Murray spoke out on the Senate floor against her nomination and sounded the alarm over President Trump and Elon Musk’s plans to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
    A fact sheet outlining how the Department of Education supports students in Washington state is HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Colleagues Demand USDA Reverse Canceled Local Food Purchase Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    $1 billion in canceled programs support local farmers and increase food security in uncertain times
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper joined 31 Senate colleagues in a letter demanding a reversal of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s cancellation of food purchase programs across the United States, warning of the harmful impacts this move will have on both families and American farmers.
    “We ask that you reverse the cancellation,” the senators wrote. “We have grave concerns that the cancellation… poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.”
    The canceled programs allow states, territories, and Tribes to purchase from local farmers to provide food for food banks, schools, and child care centers. The reported $1 billion in canceled purchases by the USDA adds further pain at a time of high food prices and instability within U.S. agricultural markets.
    In Colorado, local food banks across the state used more than $14 million in funding from these programs over the last two years. For example, more than 33 Colorado school districts made use of these programs over the last 2 years.
    The full letter sent to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins can be found HERE and below:
    Dear Secretary Rollins: 
    We write to express serious concerns regarding the cancellation of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs supporting local and regional food purchases providing assistance to those in need. These successful programs, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA) and the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS), allow states, territories, and Tribes to purchase local foods from nearby farmers and ranchers to be used for emergency food providers, schools, and child care centers. 
    At a time when food insecurity remains high, providing affordable, fresh food to food banks and families while supporting American farmers is critical. Notably, LFPA and LFS have benefitted producers and consumers by providing funding for purchases through all 50 states, four territories, and 84 tribal governments. Through LFPA and LFS, USDA has prioritized the procurement and distribution of healthy, nutritious, domestic food. It has also taken an important step towards igniting rural prosperity by expanding and strengthening markets among farmers and rural economies. As of December 2024, the programs had supported over 8,000 producers, providing increased marketing opportunities. 
    Most importantly, we ask that you reverse the cancellation of LFPA and LFS. We also ask that you provide a thorough and complete update on USDA’s implementation of LFPA and LFS, including answers to the following questions:  
    What is the status of reimbursements for entities that have agreements with USDA through LFPA and LFS? What is the last date for which states, territories, and Tribes received reimbursements for food purchases under LFPA and LFS?  
    Has the Administration conducted any assessments of how these program cancellations will impact producers and recipient organizations (e.g., food banks, schools, child care centers)? If so, please provide a copy of any such assessments.  
    We have grave concerns that the cancellation of LFPA and LFS poses extreme harm to producers and communities in every state across the country. At a time of uncertainty in farm country, farmers need every opportunity to be able to expand market access for their products.  
    Please provide responses to the information requested in our questions no later than Friday, April 4. Thank you for your attention to this urgent and important matter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Oportun Comments on Letter from Findell Capital

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN CARLOS, Calif., March 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oportun (Nasdaq: OPRT), a mission-driven financial services company, today issued the following statement regarding a public letter from Findell Capital Management LLC (“Findell”):

    Oportun’s management team and Board of Directors maintain consistent and open dialogue with our shareholders and welcome constructive feedback. We have engaged actively, repeatedly and in good faith with Findell for some time, striving to foster a constructive and collaborative relationship, with the goal of enhancing value for all shareholders.

    The Board and management have driven significant improvements in Oportun’s performance by taking decisive action to refine the Company’s product portfolio, streamline costs, strengthen its capital position and boost profitability. At the same time, we have made meaningful Board and corporate governance changes to ensure the Board is best positioned to continue its effective, independent oversight of the Company’s strategy and management, including appointing four independent directors since 2024.

    Results Speak for Themselves

    Our Board continuously and proactively evaluates Oportun’s performance, business and strategic direction to ensure the Company is best positioned to deliver sustainable shareholder value. We implemented several initiatives to drive improved profitability and optimize our capital structure – and our financial results demonstrate meaningful progress from those initiatives, including:  

    • Delivering fourth quarter results that exceeded our outlook and marked a return to GAAP profitability.
    • Enhancing efficiency and strengthening business economics: Since mid-2022, we have decreased operating expenses by approximately 40%, by eliminating over $240 million in annualized costs. It is worth noting Findell in March 2023 called for a target of below $450 million in annual operating expenditures, and we exceeded that amount by reducing our 2024 operating expenditures to $410 million. Additionally, we increased our portfolio yield by nearly 200 basis points, leading to significant improvements in Oportun’s profitability across all reported metrics.
    • Enhancing credit performance: Our more recent credit vintages have outperformed their predecessors and, as a result, the losses on our front book twelve-plus months after disbursement are now running up to 500 basis points lower than losses on our back-book. This improvement is driven by our continued fine tuning of our credit model.
    • Executing a comprehensive review of strategic options to strengthen financial flexibility: We conducted a comprehensive review of strategic options, through a thorough and competitive process, which led to the successful refinancing of our corporate financing facility. This enhanced balance sheet and operating flexibility are driving improved profitability and positioning Oportun for long-term success.
    • Streamlining operations to focus on core offerings: We divested non-core business segments, including the sale of our credit card portfolio in November 2024, to concentrate on our core personal loan, secured personal loan, and savings products.

    These actions have delivered substantial value for our shareholders. Oportun has driven strong returns that have outperformed major indices over the past two years – and over the past 12 months, we have achieved a 121% total shareholder return, outpacing both industry peers and key benchmarks.

    Looking ahead, we believe that our strong business model, balance sheet and liquidity will allow us to sustain our momentum and execute our strategy with discipline and focus as we work toward our 2025 goals. For example, our full-year earnings guidance implies a year-over-year increase in net income of approximately $102 million to $112 million in 2025.

    Additionally, as we stated in our earnings call on February 12, 2025, we expect to achieve an Adjusted ROE in the teens, up from 8% in 2024, by delivering prudent full-year originations growth, returning to revenue growth by year-end, and targeting a $20 million full-year decline in operating expenses.

    Oportun Has a Strong and Independent Board

    Oportun has continued to evolve the Board of Directors to maintain its strength and independence. Our Nominating and Governance Committee regularly reviews our Board composition to ensure that we have the right mix of experience and expertise to guide Oportun and it will continue to do so. We have added four independent directors with consumer finance experience since February 2024 – Mohit Daswani and Carlos Minetti, as well as Scott Parker and Richard Tambor on Findell’s suggestion.

    Our Board has deep familiarity with our business, industry and target customer base and is essential in serving the best interests of our shareholders, employees and members.

    The Board is highly engaged and committed to its management oversight responsibilities as we continue to focus on executing and delivering sustainable value. Oportun’s management team has the full support of the Board as they navigate the Company through the current environment, while supporting our members and driving sustainable value for our shareholders.

    Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati is serving as legal advisor and FGS Global is serving as strategic communications advisor to Oportun.

    About Oportun

    Oportun (Nasdaq: OPRT) is a mission-driven financial services company that puts its members’ financial goals within reach. With intelligent borrowing, savings, and budgeting capabilities, Oportun empowers members with the confidence to build a better financial future. Since inception, Oportun has provided more than $19.7 billion in responsible and affordable credit, saved its members more than $2.4 billion in interest and fees, and helped its members save an average of more than $1,800 annually. For more information, visit Oportun.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to the safe harbor provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this press release, including statements as to our future performance and financial position; the impact of the refinancing of our corporate financing facility; the strength of our business model, balance sheet, liquidity and execution of our strategy; expectations regarding our full-year earnings, net income, Adjusted ROE, and originations growth for 2025; the composition of our Board of Directors and its impact on our ability to deliver long-term value to our shareholders; and our governance practices, are forward-looking statements. These statements can be generally identified by terms such as “expect,” “plan,” “goal,” “target,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “predict,” “project,” “outlook,” “continue,” “due,” “may,” “believe,” “seek,” or “estimate” and similar expressions or the negative versions of these words or comparable words, as well as future or conditional verbs such as “will,” “should,” “would,” “likely” and “could.” These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events, financial trends and risks and uncertainties that we believe may affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. These risks and uncertainties include those risks described in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and, except to the extent required by federal securities laws, we disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there is no assurance that the events or results suggested by the forward-looking statements will in fact occur, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

    Additional Information and Where to Find It

    Oportun Financial Corporation (“Oportun”), its directors and certain executive officers are participants in the solicitation of proxies from stockholders in connection with Oportun’s 2025 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). Oportun plans to file a proxy statement (the “2025 Proxy Statement”) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) in connection with the solicitation of proxies for the Annual Meeting.

    Jo Ann Barefoot, Mohit Daswani, Ginny Lee, Carlos Minetti, Louis Miramontes, Scott Parker, Sandra A. Smith, Richard Tambor, Raul Vazquez and R. Neil Williams, all of whom are members of Oportun’s board of directors, are participants in Oportun’s solicitation. Other than Mr. Vazquez, none of such participants owns in excess of one percent of Oportun’s common stock. Mr. Vazquez may be deemed to own approximately five percent of Oportun’s common stock. Additional information regarding such participants, including their direct or indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be included in the 2025 Proxy Statement and other relevant documents to be filed with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting. Information relating to the foregoing can also be found in Oportun’s definitive proxy statement for its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “2024 Proxy Statement”), which was filed with the SEC on May 13, 2024. To the extent that holdings of Oportun’s securities have changed since the amounts printed in the 2024 Proxy Statement, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC.

    Promptly after filing its definitive 2025 Proxy Statement with the SEC, Oportun will mail the definitive 2025 Proxy Statement and a proxy card to each stockholder entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE 2025 PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS THAT OPORTUN WILL FILE WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Stockholders may obtain, free of charge, Oportun’s proxy statement (in both preliminary and definitive form), any amendments or supplements thereto, and any other relevant documents filed by Oportun with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of Oportun’s definitive 2025 Proxy Statement, any amendments or supplements thereto, and any other relevant documents filed by Oportun with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting will also be available, free of charge, at Oportun’s website (https://investor.oportun.com/) or by writing to Investor Relations, Oportun Financial Corporation, 2 Circle Star Way, San Carlos, California 94070.

    Investor Contact
    Dorian Hare
    (650) 590-4323
    ir@oportun.com

    Media Contact
    John Christiansen / Bryan Locke
    FGS Global
    Oportun@fgsglobal.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: This anniversary wasn’t meant to be easy: Malcolm Fraser and the modern Liberal Party

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Joshua Black, Visitor, School of History, Australian National University

    Fifty years ago, Liberal MPs chose Malcolm Fraser as their leader. Eight months later, he led them into power in extraordinary – some might say reprehensible – circumstances. He governed for seven and a half years, and remains our fourth-longest serving prime minister.

    This year marks some awkward anniversaries for the Liberal Party. But this particular one is awkward for multiple reasons. There is the ruthlessness of Fraser’s quest for power, within and beyond the party itself. There is also the ambivalence of the current Liberal generation towards the memory of one of the party’s more electorally successful leaders.

    After Fraser’s time in power, he and his party embarked on very different journeys that still shape our politics today.

    How Fraser became leader

    Australian politics was pretty febrile in March 1975. The Whitlam government, narrowly re-elected in 1974, was increasingly unpopular. Inflation ran at 17.7% in the 12 months to March, and unemployment was at a post-war high of nearly 5%.

    Billy Snedden, Liberal leader from December 1972, was poorly placed to capitalise on these conditions. He had surprised many in 1974 with his strategy to block the government’s budget in the Senate and force an early election.

    But having run a tight race, Snedden lost credibility with his post-election claim that he was “not defeated” but merely “did not win enough seats to form a government”. He won a leadership spill in November 1974 but not convincingly enough to prevent another one later on.

    Billy Snedden (left), pictured here with Andrew Peacock, was unable to capitalise on the weaknesses of the Whitlam Labor government.
    Wikicommons

    A series of “unfortunate public gaffes” and unclear policy statements (on public health insurance among other things) left him vulnerable.

    Fraser, who in 1971 sternly (and famously) warned that “life wasn’t meant to be easy”, was the obvious alternative. He was a well-known frontbencher and a former senior minister. His role in the downfall of Liberal prime minister John Gorton meant he had many enemies. But as the Governor-General explained to Queen Elizabeth II in one of his confidential letters, Fraser had “a reputation of being strong, intelligent, aggressive and tough-minded”.

    Fraser studiously befriended new MPs whose loyalties were malleable, and used his portfolio (after the 1974 election, this was industrial relations) to win friends among his other colleagues.

    According to one profile, he hired a public relations firm to help him solve his “image problems” and to counteract personal criticisms from his internal rival and fellow Victorian, Andrew Peacock.

    Fraser sought to keep a clean image while his supporters, armed with the latest opinion polls, ran a backgrounding campaign described by Liberal MP Jim Forbes as “devious, unscrupulous and utterly contemptible”.

    The crunch came in March. On March 14, Peacock, who hoped to flush Fraser out, dramatically called for a special party meeting to vote on the leadership question. At a Victorian Liberal state council meeting in Bendigo that weekend, Fraser and Peacock canvassed their supporters, while Snedden gave a speech blaming his woes on the media and the Labor Party. According to The Age, a group of MPs met in Toorak that night to shore up their own positions for the week ahead.

    Under pressure on Monday morning, Snedden announced a party room meeting for Friday to settle the issue. Fraser confirmed his candidacy the next day. During four days of campaigning in which MPs pressured each other and party operatives worried openly about fundraising capacity, Snedden’s chances seemed to improve. Fraser’s supporters grew increasingly nervous and Peacock prepared to stand if Snedden lost the spill motion. The latter need not have bothered. In the end, it was Snedden who stood against Fraser and lost by a margin of ten votes.

    In search of strong leaders

    The Liberal Party has a special need for strong leaders. Gerard Henderson once diagnosed the party with a “Messiah complex”, while the political psychologist Graham Little argued that strong leaders gave parties a veneer of philosophy that could “whet the edge of political combat”. As Frank Bongiorno has more recently put it, strong leaders are those who provide their followers “structure, order and discipline” as well as “stark moral alternatives”.

    The collective psychology of the Liberal Party worked in Fraser’s favour in March 1975. There were philosophical differences between the two candidates – Snedden later told his biographer that these contests were always driven by the “difference between conservatives and liberals” – but the vote really was about the styles of leadership they offered. As first-time MP John Howard recalled in his memoir, Fraser “sounded strong and looked like a winner”.

    Fraser played the role forcefully for eight years, easily seeing off a challenge from Peacock in the final year of his government. Howard certainly fit the bill for much of his second stint as leader, and especially from 2001 onward. These men offered their followers a combination of ideological doctrine and hard-edged political pragmatism.

    In the 1980s and post-2007, the party amassed an impressive history of leadership spills in their search for a strong leader. The current leader, Peter Dutton, made a spectacular contribution with his first leadership bid in August 2018. He eventually won the prize in 2022, not necessarily because he had the strongest claim to be a strong leader, but largely due to the lack of “viable alternatives”. That has made his position awkward at times, not least following the historic Aston by-election defeat in 2023.

    Worlds Apart

    Over time, Fraser became a trenchant critic of his former party, which hardly knew what to do with him. He failed in a bid for the party’s federal presidency in the 1990s, and was openly critical of its approach to race, asylum seekers and climate policy under Howard. He resigned his life membership shortly after Tony Abbott was elected leader in December 2009.

    When Fraser died in March 2015, Abbott and his treasurer Joe Hockey led the awkward parliamentary tributes celebrating the life of a “genuine liberal”, while immigration minister Peter Dutton sat silently.

    Dutton has played a key role in distancing the party from aspects of the Fraser legacy. Fraser abhorred racism, and his embrace of multiculturalism marks him out as different from several of his successors.

    In 2016, Dutton controversially said that Fraser’s decision to resettle migrants fleeing civil war in Lebanon had been “a mistake”. He claims to have since apologised, but only to one senior member of the Lebanese community.

    Fraser’s approach to Indigenous policy was also streets apart from that of Dutton. In the early 1980s Fraser’s government, on the advice of the National Aboriginal Council, considered a Makarrata commission to begin acknowledging the history of “Aboriginal occupation” and identifying areas for “increased Aboriginal involvement” in decision-making.

    In 2024, Dutton ruled out a Makarrata commission, promising instead a more paternalistic approach to Indigenous affairs.

    In 2008, Fraser attended the Apology to the Stolen Generations while Dutton, a senior Liberal MP at the time, boycotted it. (He has since apologised for this.) During the 2023 referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Fraser’s former ministers for Aboriginal affairs supported the “yes” campaign. Dutton was its chief opponent.

    When he died, Fraser was reported to be working on a platform for a new political party that would advocate for a Republic, a treaty with First Nations people, “a more independent foreign policy and a post-carbon economy”. In his book Independents’ Day, journalist Brook Turner suggests that some of the individuals who spoke with Fraser then are now at the forefront of the campaigns supporting community independent candidates.

    This year, Dutton hopes to win back some of those seats from these independent MPs. The coming contest may indicate that the memory of Fraser’s version of liberalism still has a place in Australia’s politics.

    Dr Joshua Black is a former Palace Letters Fellow at the Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University, and a member of the University of Melbourne’s Malcolm Fraser Reference Group.

    – ref. This anniversary wasn’t meant to be easy: Malcolm Fraser and the modern Liberal Party – https://theconversation.com/this-anniversary-wasnt-meant-to-be-easy-malcolm-fraser-and-the-modern-liberal-party-250752

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Every generation thinks they had it the toughest, but for Gen Z, they’re probably right

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Intifar Chowdhury, Lecturer in Government, Flinders University

    Every generation thinks they had it tough, but evidence suggests young Australians today might have a case for saying they’ve drawn the short straw.

    Compared with young adults two or three decades ago, today’s 18–35-year-olds may earn more, but they also grapple with soaring living costs, rising education expenses, precarious employment and mounting debt.

    Shifts in the economy and labour market have restructured young adulthood, creating new barriers to financial security and delaying milestones such as home ownership, partnership and parenthood.

    How does this compare to what life was like for young Australians at the turn of the century?

    Increasing education, decreasing payoffs

    University participation has risen, but so has student debt. It’s now far beyond what was intended when HECS was introduced as a supposedly fair, income-contingent loan system.

    Indexation has outpaced wages, so much so that today’s 20-somethings carry debts that are more than $10,000 higher in real terms than their counterparts two decades ago.

    The Morrison government’s 2021 fee hikes only exacerbated the crisis, with some degrees nearly doubling in cost, leaving students with an even greater debt burden.

    University fees have increased over the past 25 years.
    Shutterstock

    Yet the financial return on education is increasingly uncertain.

    Credential inflation has reshaped the job market, with even low-wage positions now expecting a university degree.

    The widespread belief that a degree guarantees better pay is driving more students into higher education, yet there are many graduates saddled with debt and working in roles unrelated to their qualifications.

    In 1996, 28.5% of 21–25-year-olds found themselves in mismatched jobs.

    By 2019, that figure had climbed to 33% just among 25-year-olds.

    Salaries aren’t keeping up. Since 1996, graduate wages have risen by a factor of just 2.5, while student contributions have jumped between 1.7- and 6.2-fold. This leaves today’s graduates with debt that consumes a larger share of their income than ever before.

    The dwindling dream of home ownership

    Housing affordability has collapsed over the years.

    Twenty-five years ago, the average house cost nine years’ worth of the average household income.

    Now, it’s about 16.5 years.

    In 2001, property prices rose 1.3 times faster than incomes. Since then, they’ve surged at 2.3 times the rate.

    This is fuelled partly by tax incentive policies – for example, the Howard government’s 1999 capital gains tax changes – and, more recently, the COVID pandemic.

    Soaring prices have deepened the intergenerational housing wealth gap, reducing the home purchase opportunity for young people. While the First Home Owner Grant, introduced in 2000, provides some support, saving for a deposit remains a years-long struggle.

    That is, unless parents can help.

    For many young Australians, intergenerational wealth is now the key to home ownership. Inheritance is becoming nearly as important as employment.

    Since 2002, the total value of wealth transfers has more than doubled in real terms, with larger inheritances expected for younger generations due to rising parental wealth and fewer siblings.

    But parental wealth is far more unequally distributed than income – shaped by education and region.

    Therefore, inheritocracy is set to deepen economic inequality within today’s youth cohort.

    But this isn’t just about the ultra-wealthy passing down mansions. Most inheritances involve an ordinary home or proceeds from its sale.

    Housing, once central to middle-class stability, now determines who can build wealth and who will struggle financially for life.

    Mounting mental health pressures

    Meanwhile, Australians today are borrowing more than ever. Default risk is rising fastest among under-30s as soaring interest rates, rent hikes, and cost-of-living pressures squeeze finances.

    It’s then no surprise Gen Z is more concerned about finances than any other generation.

    Financial stress is taking a heavy toll on young people’s mental health. Between 2007 and 2022, the prevalence of mental health disorders among young Australians surged by nearly 50%.

    The burden of disease from non-fatal conditions – measured in years of healthy life lost – has risen 7% since 2003. This is largely due to mental health disorders and substance abuse, which disproportionately affect young people.

    Growing up Indigenous

    At the deepest end of these struggles are Indigenous youth, who face far greater challenges than their non-Indigenous peers.

    Across nearly every measure – education, employment, health and incarceration – outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people remain significantly worse.

    While today’s Indigenous youth have achieved better outcomes compared to previous generations – 39% of Indigenous Australians aged 20+ had completed Year 12 in 2021, up from 19.4% in 2001 – these gains still lag behind non-Indigenous youth.

    Systemic barriers, institutional racism and intergenerational trauma continue to limit fair access to opportunities. This compounds inequalities and contributes to higher rates of mental ill-health, stress and suicide among Indigenous youth.

    The changing politics of being young

    Undoubtedly, a continued period of instability and psychological distress in formative years is also shaping the youngest generation’s political attitudes and behaviours.

    With fewer assets to conserve compared to their parents or grandparents, they are more likely to lean more to the left politically, and this won’t change with age.

    Yet, they remain engaged, thanks in part to compulsory voting, but are also abandoning party loyalties.



    Read more:
    I looked at 35 years of data to see how Australians vote. Here’s what it tells us about the next election

    Australian Election Study data shows 18–30-year-olds were more interested in politics in 2022 than in 1998 (67% vs 63%). At the same time, they were more likely to change votes during campaigns (43% vs 30%) and less likely to consistently vote for the same party (28% vs 40%).

    Their right-wing identification has nearly halved since 1998, with the youth vote increasingly favouring left-wing parties (75% vs 61%).

    However, younger Australians’ diverse digital news habits add to their political unpredictability. With 60% of Gen Z relying short-form videos, podcasts, and social media platforms for news in 2024, they are increasingly exposed to fragmented, algorithm-driven content.

    This shift, coupled with rising concerns about misinformation, contributes to their volatility as voters.

    Overall, young Australians are coming of age in an era where hard work no longer guarantees security. How Australia adapts to this shifting economic and political reality will shape the country’s future for decades to come.

    This piece is part of a series on how Australia has changed since the year 2000. You can read other pieces in the series here.

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

    – ref. Every generation thinks they had it the toughest, but for Gen Z, they’re probably right – https://theconversation.com/every-generation-thinks-they-had-it-the-toughest-but-for-gen-z-theyre-probably-right-249604

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What’s the difference between baking powder and baking soda? It’s subtle, but significant

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nathan Kilah, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Tasmania

    Karynf/Shutterstock

    There is something special about sharing baked goods with family, friends and colleagues. But I’ll never forget the disappointment of serving my colleagues rhubarb muffins that had failed to rise. They were dense, rubbery and an embarrassment to the reputation of chemists as good cooks (#ChemistsWhoCook feeds on social media are full of delicious food).

    The cause of my failure was an imbalance between the acidity of rhubarb and the chemical raising agents I used in baking.

    Both baking powder and baking soda can play a role in giving baked goods their bubble-filled texture and taste. They are sold side-by-side in the supermarket, and have similar uses. But what’s the difference between them and how can we use those differences to our advantage?

    What’s in the box?

    A quick look at the packaging shows the difference between the two products.

    Baking soda contains one ingredient: sodium hydrogen carbonate, also known as sodium bicarbonate or simply bicarb. Baking soda is well known for its uses in cleaning, cooking and deodorising.

    Baking powder is typically a mixture of three ingredients: baking soda, an acid, and a starch derived from corn, rice or wheat. The starch makes it easier to measure the powder and also prevents the acid and base from reacting prematurely in the pantry. Baking powder is used exclusively for cooking.

    The common ingredient in both products is the baking soda. This salt can be purified from natural sources, or can be prepared synthetically.

    The acid is the key

    Baking soda is a base, which means it can chemically react with acids. This fizzy reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide, water and a mix of new salts. Baking soda can also release carbon dioxide gas when it is heated at temperatures above 80°C.

    When you mix baking soda into a cake batter, you will see some initial chemical activation by food acids. This causes bubbles to form and the mixture to rise.

    The acids come from other ingredients in the mix, such as yogurt, buttermilk, or the rhubarb in my failed muffins. Too much acid, and the majority of the carbon dioxide will be released at this batter stage.

    Once you place the mixture in the hot oven, the high temperature will form further carbon dioxide bubbles. This thermal activation forms a new salt, sodium carbonate, which can give a residual taste and “soapy” mouthfeel if there’s too much of it left in the final product.

    Baking soda produces bubbles when mixed with acid, and when exposed to a high temperature in the oven.
    SergeyKlopotov/Shutterstock

    Mixing baking powder into a cake batter will also result in chemical activation to form bubbles. The baking soda in the mixture will react with the acid included in the baking powder mix, as well as any acidic ingredients in the batter.

    The type of acid included in the baking powder can subtly change the way the baking powder behaves. The more soluble the acid in the batter, the faster the carbon dioxide will form bubbles.

    Recipes that ask for both baking powder and baking soda are likely looking to do two things: neutralise an abundance of food acid from another ingredient, and provide time-delayed, temperature-activated rising.

    Baking soda can also increase the surface browning of food by enhancing the Maillard reaction. This class of reactions results in delicious chemical transformations in roasted coffee, seared steaks, baked bread and more.

    Meanwhile an excess of baking soda can change the appearance of foods, for example turning blueberry anthocyanins green in muffins or pancakes.

    Too much sodium carbonate left over during baking can contribute to a ‘soapy’ mouthfeel – a real risk for scones, for example.
    Zain Abba/Pexels

    Can I substitute baking powder and baking soda?

    Baking (like chemistry) is a precise science. It’s best not to substitute baking soda for baking powder or vice-versa: they have subtly different chemical effects.

    If you really need a substitution, the general rule is that you need three times the baking powder for the equivalent quantity of baking soda (so, if the recipe asks for a teaspoon of baking soda, you’d add three teaspoons of baking powder).

    But it’s not a precise conversion: it doesn’t take into account the key role of acid that’s already in the baking powder. This could affect the final acid-base balance in your recipe.

    You can compensate by adding an acid such as cream of tartar or citric acid. But it can be difficult to get the relative quantities of acid and base correct. These acids are also likely to promote immediate release of carbon dioxide, with less left to activate in the oven – potentially leading to a dense bake.

    You definitely shouldn’t substitute baking powder for baking soda when cleaning. The acid in the baking powder will neutralise any cleaning activity of the sodium bicarbonate, while the starch may leave a sticky, streaky mess.

    It’s best to keep both baking powder and baking soda in your pantry for their distinct uses. Be sure to share whatever delicious treats you bake with others, as well as sharing your new knowledge of the bubbly chemistry contained within.

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

    – ref. What’s the difference between baking powder and baking soda? It’s subtle, but significant – https://theconversation.com/whats-the-difference-between-baking-powder-and-baking-soda-its-subtle-but-significant-251050

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Wyden Slam Trump Health Nominee Dr. Oz for Medicare Tax Avoidance

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    March 20, 2025

    Dr. Mehmet Oz, who would oversee Medicare as CMS head, appears to have avoided paying over $400,000 in Medicare taxes over past three tax years

    “If you are unwilling to pay your legal and fair share of taxes into Medicare, there is little reason to believe you will be a good steward of the program for the tens of millions of seniors and people with disabilities who rely on it.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), member of the Senate Finance Committee, and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, slammed Dr. Mehmet Oz, President Trump’s nominee for the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), for his reported Medicare tax avoidance following his confirmation hearing last week. As head of CMS, Dr. Oz would oversee Medicare — the same agency he has potentially defunded by reportedly avoiding hundreds of thousands of dollars in Medicare and Social Security taxes in the past few years.

    “If you are unwilling to pay your legal and fair share of taxes into Medicare, there is little reason to believe you will be a good steward of the program for the tens of millions of seniors and people with disabilities who rely on it,” wrote the lawmakers.

    A recent review of Dr. Oz’s financial records by Senate Finance Committee staff revealed that he appeared to have avoided over $400,000 in Medicare taxes over the past three tax years by improperly claiming “limited partner” status in his own company, which provided him with an exemption from the Medicare tax. When approached by the Finance Committee and offered the chance to amend his tax returns to bring them in line with the positions of the IRS, Treasury Department, and the Tax Court, Dr. Oz refused.

    “Medicare is funded by the tax contributions of millions of hardworking Americans. Yet, you misused a tax loophole to avoid paying your fair share,” wrote the lawmakers.

    Medicare provides vital and lifesaving services for nearly 70 million Americans. As nearly all Americans eventually enroll in Medicare, nearly all working Americans are required to pay a portion of their income in Medicare tax. For the vast majority of Americans who receive a paycheck from their employer, this contribution is automatically removed from their paychecks. But for wealthy individuals like Dr. Oz who receive income from partnerships, they pay Medicare taxes by appropriately documenting and designating income and paying the required 3.8% of their income in accordance with federal law. It appears that Dr. Oz failed to do so.

    The lawmakers requested that Dr. Oz answer a series of questions regarding this apparent tax avoidance prior to any Senate Finance Committee vote on his nomination, including whether he will commit to paying the IRS the full amount of taxes he has seemingly avoided, whether he will commit to making his tax filings from the last five years public, and whether or not he believes that Americans have the right to refuse to pay their Medicare taxes as required by federal law.

    Senator Warren has scrutinized Dr. Oz through his confirmation process for his conflicts of interest and his anti-abortion views: 

    • In March 2025, Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to Dr. Oz ahead of his Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing, demanding answers to questions about his plan to eliminate Traditional Medicare, his serious conflicts of interest, his dangerous anti-abortion views, and more.
    • In March 2025, Senator Warren wrote to Dr. Oz, criticizing his serious conflicts of interest and asking him to make a series of commitments to mitigate them. 
    • In February 2025, Senator Warren and Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) criticized Dr. Oz’s  hostile anti-abortion record. As CMS Administrator, Dr. Oz would be in charge of Medicare, Medicaid, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) coverage, exercising broad authority over reproductive health care access.
    • In December 2024, Following his nomination, Senator Warren pressed the nominee on his advocacy to eliminate Traditional Medicare and his deep financial ties to private health insurers that would benefit from that move. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Demands Answers from NIH Leaders on Funding Cuts, Citing “Ongoing Chaos” and Lack of Transparency

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren

    March 20, 2025

    “Your lack of transparency and action during this de facto funding freeze is unacceptable.”

    “[M]any researchers in Massachusetts and beyond who depend on the NIH to keep their critical and lifesaving work moving forward deserve answers.”

    Text of Letter (PDF)

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren wrote to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Acting Director Dr. Matthew Memoli and Director Nominee Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, demanding answers for the NIH funding cuts that are causing “ongoing chaos” and harm to research institutions across Massachusetts. Although the Trump administration’s initial funding pause was blocked by a federal judge, new information obtained by Sen. Warren’s staff indicates that continued cuts and disruptions to research funding are still having a devastating impact on research institutions in Massachusetts and beyond.

    “Neither of you appear to have answers about what is going on at this agency, nor a willingness to resolve these problems. But the situation at the NIH remains dire, and it is imperative that you provide clarity immediately,” wrote Senator Warren.

    Dr. Bhattacharya’s vote to be confirmed as NIH Director is expected to be on the Senate floor next week. The NIH plays a critical role in funding scientific and medical research across the country, and is particularly important in Massachusetts, where innovative research fuels the local economy and powers life-saving breakthroughs.

    On February 12, Senator Warren wrote to Acting Director Memoli about the chaos and confusion caused by funding pauses at the NIH and the impacts of these disruptions at Massachusetts research institutions. Dr. Memoli failed to answer questions about what caused the funding cuts and when operations would resume.

    In the meantime, the situation at the NIH has only worsened. Days after she sent her letter, the NIH terminated more than 1,000 workers. According to reports, NIH is expecting to cut up to 5,000 workers, which would account for a quarter of the current workforce. Top Massachusetts research universities like Harvard, MIT and UMass have since announced hiring freezes and pauses or reductions in graduate student admissions. The NIH also abruptly cancelled a decades-long internship program that historically supported more than 1,000 college students in summer research programs to develop skills for careers in the biomedical sciences. 

    “The Trump Administration’s disruption of billions of dollars of funding for basic scientific and medical research will have a devastating long-term impact on the nation’s technological and scientific breakthroughs that have created miraculous cures for deadly diseases and health problems, and led to trillions of dollars in economic growth,” continued Senator Warren.

    Earlier this month, Bhattacharya, President Trump’s nominee for NIH Director, testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). When asked about grant freezes and pauses, he failed to provide basic answers about the current situation, refusing to acknowledge the extent of the devastating impacts of the disruptions or take a clear position.

    “As the Acting Director and Director Nominee of this agency, it is important that you provide clarity to Congress and the American public during this crisis,” concluded Senator Warren.

    Senator Warren urged the directors to end the funding freeze and cuts to grant expenditures, and demanded answers to her specific questions by April 2.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Federal government partnering with Siemens Canada to establish new R&D centre in Oakville, Ontario

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Proposal would see the establishment of an R&D hub focused on battery technologies

    March 20, 2025 – Ottawa, Ontario

    The Government of Canada recognizes the critical role batteries and battery components play in the global movement toward a net-zero economy. As the world shifts to electric vehicles and cutting-edge technologies, the demand for batteries is surging, and Canada has a unique opportunity to capitalize on this demand by fostering strategic investments.

    Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building Canada’s clean energy future by announcing her support for Siemens Canada’s proposal to establish a Global AI Manufacturing Technologies R&D Centre for Battery Production in Canada. This centre will focus on pioneering research and development aimed at advancing battery efficiency and production methods, ensuring Canada remains competitive in the race to lead the clean energy revolution.

    By supporting this initiative, the Government of Canada is positioning the country as a global leader in the battery industry and reinforcing its commitment to building a robust national ecosystem. This project will foster collaboration between academia, industry leaders and researchers to accelerate battery innovations, solidifying Canada’s role as a key player in the green economy.

    This announcement is a significant step in the government’s strategy to strengthen Canada’s position in the global supply chain, reduce emissions and build a clean, competitive economy that delivers good jobs and lasting prosperity for Canadians. The Government of Canada is sending a clear message: We are committed to a cleaner, more resilient future, and we will take bold action to ensure Canada thrives in a low-carbon world.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: India-Based Chemical Manufacturing Company and Top Employees Indicted for Unlawful Importation of Fentanyl Precursor Chemicals

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    WASHINGTON — An India-based chemical manufacturing company and three high-level employees were charged in federal court in Washington, D.C., today related to illegally importing precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl.

    According to the indictment, Vasudha Pharma Chem Limited (VPC), VPC Chief Global Business Officer Tanweer Ahmed Mohamed Hussain Parkar, 63, of India and the United Kingdom; VPC Marketing Director Venkata Naga Madhusudhan Raju Manthena,  48, of India; and VPC Marketing Representative Krishna Vericharla, 40, of India, were charged with multiple counts of manufacturing and distributing a List I fentanyl precursor chemical for unlawful importation into the United States, and attempting and conspiring to do the same.

    It is alleged VPC advertised fentanyl precursor chemicals for sale worldwide on its website, in marketing materials, and at international trade shows. From March through November 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute a fentanyl precursor chemical knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States and used to make fentanyl that would be unlawfully imported into the United States, according to the indictment. On two occasions, in March 2024 and August 2024, the defendants sold an undercover agent 25 kilograms of the fentanyl precursor chemical 1-(tert-Butoxycarbonyl)-4-piperidone, also called N-BOC-4-piperidone, (N-BOC-4P), a List I chemical.

    It is further alleged that between August and September 2024, defendants and the undercover agent negotiated a four-metric-ton (4,000 kilogram) purchase of N-BOC-4P – two metric tons of N-BOC-4P to be shipped to Sinaloa, Mexico, and another two metric tons of N-BOC-4P to be shipped to the United States – for a total price of approximately $380,000, knowing that the N-BOC-4P would be unlawfully imported into the United States and used to manufacture fentanyl that would be unlawfully imported into the United States.

    The four-count indictment charges all defendants with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States and for the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance for unlawful importation into the United States; manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States; and attempted manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States and for the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance for unlawful importation into the United States. Additionally, defendants VPC, Vericharla, and Manthena are charged with a second count of manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States. If convicted, the individual defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. VPC faces a fine of $500,000 on each count.

    Federal agents arrested Parkar and Manthena in New York City this morning.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Field Division made the announcement.
     

    The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division’s Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force, a DEA-led multi-agency task force with members from Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and state and local agencies from south Florida, are investigating the case. The Special Operations Unit of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section provided support.

    Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Elizabeth Man Sentenced To 60 Months In Prison For Illegally Possessing A Gun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – An Elizabeth man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.

    Stanley Claiborne, 28, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin to an Indictment charging him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Judge Padin imposed the sentence in Newark federal court.   

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    On the morning of July 14, 2022, members of the United States Marshals Service apprehended Claiborne near Market and Broad Streets in downtown Newark based on two unrelated arrest warrants.  Claiborne was in possession of a loaded gun at the time of his arrest. Claiborne was previously convicted of unlawful possession of a handgun in New Jersey Superior Court, among other felony convictions, and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Claiborne to 3 years of supervised release.

    “This case is an excellent example of state and federal authorities partnering together to aggressively combat illegal gun possession in New Jersey” 

    U.S. Attorney John Giordano

    “The arrest of Stanley Claiborne and prosecution for possessing an illegal firearm is a testament to the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Attorney’s Office commitment to justice and safety for our communities throughout the state,” said Juan Mattos Jr., U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey.

    U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Newark Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the United States Marshals Service (USMS), under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., and the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.

    The investigation was also conducted as part of the USMS’s New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force (NY/NJ RFTF). The NY/NJ RFTF was formed in 2002 and has made an extraordinary impact on the investigation and apprehension of the region’s most dangerous and violent fugitives.

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

    This case is also 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).

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clara Kim and Thomas S. Kearney of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

                                                               ###

    Defense counsel: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Verona, New Jersey

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colombian National Sentenced To 12 Years In Prison For Conspiring To Transport Hundreds Of Kilograms Of Cocaine Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Colombian citizen was sentenced to 12 years in prison for conspiring to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.

    Edgar Ruiz-Gomez, a/k/a “Gono,” 57, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Esther Salas to Count One of an Indictment charging him with conspiracy to import five kilograms or more of cocaine.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From 2016 through January 2020, Ruiz-Gomez and others conspired to import hundreds of kilograms of cocaine.  Ruiz-Gomez acknowledged holding a managerial role in this conspiracy, which involved more than five individuals.

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Salas sentenced Ruiz-Gomez to five years of supervised release.

    “My office is fully committed to employing its considerable resources to prosecuting dangerous drug organizations,” said U.S. Attorney John Giordano.  

    U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz in Newark, New Jersey, as well as special agents and task force officers with the DEA operating in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.  He also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia; Colombian law enforcement authorities; and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    This case is also 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).

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Final Defendant Sentenced in Meth Conspiracy Tied to Officer’s Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The Defendants Conspired with Michael White and Others to Distribute Methamphetamine

    ABINGDON, Va. – The final defendant who participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine tied to the murder of Big Stone Gap, Virginia Police Officer Michael Chandler, was sentenced this week in federal court.

    Brian Carroll, 43, of Big Stone Gap, Virginia, was sentenced yesterday to 108 months.

    Previously sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy were: Timothy Ray Jones – 235 months; Charles Ryan Bowman – 120 months; Elicia Amber Burns – 172 months; James Brian Mullins – 180 months; Justin Dwayne Skaggs – 132 months; Anthony Curtis Steven Holmes – 130 months; Tyler Lee Westmoreland – 54 months; Hailee Dietz and Paul Jones, each sentenced to 121 months; James Ray Worley – 120 months; Kacie Lynn Werner – 36 months; Amanda Nicole Blanton – 36 months; Lucille Vanover – 24 months and 17 days; Christopher Adam Dewayne Bates – 78 months; Misty Lynn Ward – 30 months; Keri Leann Corbin – 24 months and 19 days; and Tiny Westmoreland – 60 months.

    Michael White was sentenced to 100 years for his murder of Officer Chandler in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.

    A total of 19 defendants were charged and convicted of conspiring to distribute in total more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as heroin and fentanyl. According to court documents, beginning in August 2021 and continuing until their arrest, the 19 defendants participated in a conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine from Tennessee and other states into southwest Virginia, and then further distribute it throughout Wise County, Virginia.

    Tragically, at approximately 4:00 a.m. on November 13, 2021, Officer Chandler responded to a welfare check call at 2505 Orr Street in Big Stone Gap, known locally as “the red house.” Upon arriving at the Orr Street address, Officer Chandler encountered a vehicle outside the residence and was immediately shot by Michael Donivan White. Officer Chandler died later that evening from his injuries. White was later located at a motel in Kingsport, Tennessee, and a subsequent search of the motel room revealed a Taurus, 9mm pistol. Further testing ultimately proved this firearm to be the same one that fired the shots that killed Officer Chandler.  Michael Donivan White was indicted on federal and state charges for killing Officer Chandler and has since pled guilty and been sentenced to 100 years of active incarceration in both cases.

    Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement.

    The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Virginia State Police, the United States Marshal’s Service, the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Norton Virginia Police Department, the Kingsport Tennessee Police Department, the Big Stone Gap Police Department, the Wise County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office, the East Tennessee Drug Task Force, and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Virginia State Police, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, City of Norton Police Department, and Big Stone Gap Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lena L. Busscher and Danielle Stone are prosecuting the case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: CEO Of Georgia HVAC Company Charged With Illegally Importing Harmful Greenhouse Gases Into The United States

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    TRENTON, N.J. – The chief executive officer of a Georgia-based HVAC company has been charged with illegally importing 500 cylinders of potent greenhouse gases known as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Peru, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today. This case is the second prosecution in the United States under the AIM Act, and the first prosecution of a corporate executive.

    William Randolph Hires a/k/a “Randy Hires,” 57, of Woodstock, Georgia and Lima, Peru, is charged by complaint with violating the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act (AIM Act) by unlawfully importing 500 cylinders of HFCs. Hires appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court.

    HFCs include refrigerants used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems commonly known as “Freon.” The global warming impact of an HFC can be hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. Because of this, in 2020 Congress enacted the AIM Act, which authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs by 85 percent over time. 

    “The defendant’s actions in this case not only violated the AIM Act and created a threat to the environment they also unfairly disadvantaged other law-abiding U.S. businesses,” said Dan Meyers, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. “Today’s charges send a clear message: Enforcement of the law protects our air, land, and water, ensuring a brighter future for our citizens and a level playing field for American businesses and workers.”

    “Hires disregarded our nation’s environmental laws and put our country at risk with shipments containing potent greenhouse gases,” said ICE HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel. “HSI Newark successfully conducts investigations into violations of U.S. import and export laws to ensure national security and protect the public’s health and safety. We will hold individuals and corporations accountable for violating global trade regulations.”
    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    In April 2022, on behalf of his company, Hires purchased 500 cylinders of HFCs in Peru. Over the next several months, EPA officials explained to Hires’s employees that, under the AIM Act and its implementing regulations, Hires’s company could not lawfully import the HFCs to the United States because it did not have the required EPA-issued allowances. In a July 22, 2022 email to one of Hires’s employees, an EPA official stated, in substance, “it is not possible to import bulk HFCs without consumption allowances.”

    Hires’s employees conveyed this information from the EPA to Hires on several occasions. On one occasion, an employee forwarded to Hires an email that the employee had received from an EPA official which stated, “[t]he HFC you listed (R-410A) is a regulated substance. So if you do not have allowances, you cannot import those bulk HFC refrigerants.” In another email exchange between Hires and an employee, the employee informed Hires that, based on a video conference the employee had with EPA officials, shipping without the necessary allowances would violate import laws so “[i]t is out of our hands.”

    Hires nevertheless instructed his employees to illegally import the HFCs into the United States. In a July 28, 2022 email, Hires stated to his employees: “[y]eah you have to be careful what agencies you’re reaching out to because the EPA . . . can create a hassle and they can hold our stuff up in customs there[.]” In a subsequent email, Hires instructed his employees to “get [the HFCs] on the ship and get it out to sea . . . don’t care what it takes[.]” Hires later instructed his employees via email: “Do not call the EPA please do not.”  

    The violation of the AIM Act with which Hires is charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the Environmental Protection Agency-Criminal Investigation Divisions, under the direction of Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dan Meyers;  special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; and officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Francis J. Russo, Director of Field Operations, New York Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s charge.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica R. Ecker and Bernard J. Cooney of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Barbara Ward of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit, in Newark, and Trial Attorney Ronald A. Sarachan of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Environmental and Natural Resources Division.

    The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
     

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  • MIL-OSI Security: 11 Defendants Sentenced in Connection with Cleveland Drug Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Suitcases stuffed with drugs were flown from L.A. to sell on Cleveland streets

    CLEVELAND – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio has announced sentencings in connection with a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that transported suitcases stuffed with illegal drugs from California to Ohio. Eleven defendants were charged with numerous federal crime violations, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, in a superseding indictment on Feb. 22, 2024, with the initial indictment issued on Sept. 20, 2023.

    According to court documents, from about May 2021 to about Nov. 29, 2022, the defendants played different roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Jerry Baker, aka Jerry Bogarty, 34, of Cleveland, established a criminal organization primarily active on the city’s east side. He led the day-to-day operations of the organization, directing members and associates to generate income by engaging in illegal activities including drug trafficking, extortion, and robbery. Baker determined who was allowed to traffic narcotics on behalf of the enterprise and who was permitted to collect and launder the proceeds. Some enterprise members conspired and attempted to threaten others with acts of violence, including extortion, robbery, and assault, in attempts to collect outstanding debts.

    Overall, the DTO received more than 600 pounds of marijuana from a major supplier based in California. Walter Sornoza, 50, of Los Angeles, led a nationwide distribution network that he named “Empire Genetics.” To get the drugs to Cleveland, enterprise associates would fly from California to Ohio and check-in their baggage, which were suitcases filled with packaged marijuana. The drugs would then be delivered to Cleveland-based members of the organization. Baker directed associates to launder the cash profits from the marijuana sales by converting the proceeds into money orders. Another associate was responsible for flying from Cleveland to Los Angeles to hand the money orders and cash over to the Sornoza enterprise as payment for the marijuana supply received.

    Baker also purchased a small business in Cleveland, “In & Out Tires,” which served as a hub for members and associates to store and distribute drugs. During the investigation, agents also seized several firearms scattered throughout the business, which were intended to be used for protection of the drug enterprise. Other items recovered included money order receipts, packing materials, suitcases, and other supplies used to transport, store and distribute marijuana.

    The defendants were each sentenced to imprisonment and/or probation by U.S. District Judge Patricia A. Gaughan after pleading guilty to their roles in the drug trafficking conspiracy.

    • Baker was sentenced to 168 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder money, RICO conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, maintaining a drug premise, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
    • Deshaun Martin, 36, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 87 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, RICO conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and cocaine base (crack), and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was also ordered to serve four years of supervised release after imprisonment.
    • Sornoza was sentenced to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
    • Noblys Garcia, aka Flaco, 43, of Studio City, California, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, distribution of marijuana, and possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
    • Sidne Spencer, 28, of North Hollywood, California, was sentenced to two years of probation for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and marijuana.
    • Keveon Lewis, 44, of Corona, California, was sentenced to six months in prison and six months location monitoring for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of marijuana. He was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release after imprisonment.
    • Moniqka Hazzard, 32, of Riverside, California, was sentenced to 30 days in prison and seven months location monitoring for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
    • Jerry Baker Sr., 55, of Cleveland, was sentenced to three years of probation for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and for maintaining a drug premise.
    • Antonio Lanier, 35, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and RICO conspiracy. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.
    • Herman Wilson, 43, of Katy, Texas, was sentenced to two years of probation for conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
    • Ajeremiah Baker, aka AJ, 20, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for RICO conspiracy. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi­-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

    The specific mission of the OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle major criminal organizations and subsidiary organizations, including criminal gangs, transnational drug cartels, racketeering organizations, and other groups engaged in illicit activities that present a threat to public safety and national security and are related to the illegal smuggling and trafficking of narcotics or other controlled substances, weapons, humans, or the illegal concealment or transfer of proceeds derived from such illicit activities in the Northern District of Ohio. The OCDETF Cleveland Strike Force is composed of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), along with task force officers from numerous local law enforcement agencies, including the Cleveland Division of Police. Prosecutions are led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, IRS Criminal Investigation, ATF Cleveland Division, U.S. Marshals Service Cleveland, the Cleveland Division of Police, and the Los Angeles Police Department Narcotics Unit. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio and Trial Attorney Brian Lynch of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Law Enforcement Officer Charged With Falsifying Military Records To Take Hundreds Of Free Flights

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Dior Jay-Jarrett Allegedly Falsified Military Orders to Take Trips to the Caribbean, Central and South America, Europe, and Elsewhere

    Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging DIOR JAY-JARRETT with a scheme to defraud a major airline carrier of nearly $70,000 in free or discounted flights by claiming to be on military leave for years after he retired from the U.S. Marine Corps.  JAY-JARRETT was arrested this morning and was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “As alleged, Jay-Jarrett—a federal law enforcement officer who currently serves as a Federal Air Marshal for the Department of Homeland Security—racked up thousands of dollars in free or discounted flights while pretending to be deployed on military missions around the world. He did so while simultaneously swearing an oath to protect and serve the public.  Federal law enforcement officers are responsible for upholding our laws, and they will be held responsible when they break them.”

    According to the allegations in the Complaint:[[1]]

    JAY-JARRETT served on active-duty in the U.S. Marine Corps from on or about December 9, 2013, until on or about November 29, 2022.  While still on active-duty, on or about October 20, 2021, JAY-JARRETT also began employment as a baggage handler for a major airline carrier (“Airline-1”). After completing approximately one week of training, JAY-JARRETT requested and received from Airline-1 an approximately eight-month period of military leave by submitting falsified documents purporting to be Marine Corps orders for deployment that he in fact had never been issued.

    In or about June 2023, JAY-JARRETT again submitted falsified documents to Airline-1 in order to receive another extended, approximately two-and-a-half-year long period of further military leave.  In those documents, JAY-JARRETT claimed to still be in active-duty military service, when in fact he had already retired from the military in or about November 2022. On or about July 17, 2024, JAY-JARRETT again submitted falsified military orders to Airline-1, forwarding the same orders he provided the previous year.

    JAY-JARRETT remained on military leave at Airline-1 even when he became a Federal Air Marshal with the Department of Homeland Security in or about October 2022, shortly before he retired from the Marine Corps.  By remaining on supposed long-term military leave at Airline-1, JAY-JARRETT remained entitled to travel benefits including the ability to take unlimited, free flights on Airline-1, alongside ticketed family members or travel companions. From in or about November 2021 through September 2024, JAY-JARRETT took at least 130 such flights at a value of nearly $70,000.

    Over the course of the scheme, from at least in or about December 2021 through in or about September 2024, JAY-JARRETT took free first-class flights to Los Angeles, London, San Diego, St. George’s, Las Vegas, and Dublin, and dozens more standard class flights to destinations including Antigua (five times), Aruba (three times), Bermuda (three times), Curaçao (twice), Barbados (twice), Belize (twice), the Grand Caymans (twice), Grenada (twice), Guatemala (twice), and a variety of other destinations including Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, and St. Maarten.

    On or about September 29, 2024, during an interview with law enforcement officials, JAY-JARRETT admitted, in sum and substance, that he had retired from the Marine Corps in November 2022 without notifying Airline-1 that he had done so, and that he had submitted falsified military orders to Airline-1 stating that he was on military leave even after he had retired from the Marine Corps.

    *               *                *

    JAY-JARRETT, 29, of Queens, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

    The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service Northeast Field Office, the Transportation Security Administration – Investigations, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection – New York Field Office, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Podolsky also thanked the Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.

    This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan T. Nees is in charge of the prosecution.

    The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Four Defendants with Felony Convictions Sentenced to a Total of 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                 MONROE, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced the resolution of four separate firearm cases in the Western District of Louisiana today. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced the following four defendants:

               Quinntavious Crump, 25, from Monroe, Louisiana was sentenced to 24 months (2 years) followed by three years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.  On June 27, 2021, After the stop, the LSP Trooper asked Crump to step out of the car and asked for consent to search the car. Crump granted consent and stated that he was going to jail because there was a gun in the car and that he was a convicted felon. Thereafter, a Glock pistol, model 23Gen4; caliber 40 loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition was found in the vehicle. 

               Andreveon Kyles, 20, from Monroe, Louisiana was sentenced to 60 months (5 years)    followed by three years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On July 15, 2024, Andreveon Kyles was the passenger in a vehicle stopped by Ouachita Parish Sheriff deputies for a traffic violation. During the stop, deputies found that Kyles was in possession of a Taurus pistol; model: G2C (PTlll G2A); caliber: 9mm, and ammunition and determined that he was a convicted felon.  Lyles subsequently pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on December 13, 2024, admitting that he knew he was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition. 

               Charles Montgomery, 40, from Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced to 42 months (3.5 years) followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On June 20, 2022, Charles Montgomery was stopped by Ouachita Parish Sheriff deputies for a traffic violation. During the stop, deputies searched vehicle and located a Canik pistol, model: TP9 SF Elite; caliber: 9×19. Montgomery admitted to possessing the firearm and told deputies how he obtained the firearm. He knew at the time of the offense that he was a convicted felon. He was arrested and charged with felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty and admitted to the charge on December 13, 2024.

                   Zachary Coburn, 25, from Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced to 56 months (4 years and 8 months)  followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.  On May 13, 2024, Zachary Coburn entered S&W Pawn Shop in West Monroe, Louisiana. While there, he stole a Kel-Tec CNC Inc Rifle; Model: RDB; Caliber: 5.56, and ammunition and exited the shop. On May 15, 2024, an arrest warrant was executed at Coburn’s West Monroe residence, and the rifle was found in the laundry room of the home. Post-Miranda, he admitted to possessing the rifle. Prior to possessing the rifle, Coburn had been convicted of a felony offense. He pled guilty on December 19, 2024 to the charge. 

               These cases were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.

                These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police.  The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Reeg, Robert F. Moody, Cheyenne Wilson, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Catherine L. Semmes.

    # # #

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  • MIL-OSI Security: March Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments Announced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the March Federal Grand Jury 2024-B Indictments.

    The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

    Dylan Ray Alexander. Second Degree Murder in Indian Country;   Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (superseding). Alexander, 31, of Bartlesville and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with unlawfully killing Kevin Holden and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. Additionally, Alexander is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Bartlesville Police Department, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Dunn and Tara Heign are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-052

    Daniel Allen Ash; Amber Dawn Murphy.Second Degree Murder in Indian Country (Count 1); Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 2 through 5); Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor Under 12 Years of Age in Indian Country; (Count 6); Second Degree Murder in Indian Country (Count 7); Child Neglect in Indian Country (Counts 8 through 11). Both from Commerce, Ash, 32, and Murphy, 30, a member of the Cherokee Nation, are charged with unlawfully killing a minor child in Sep. 2024 and willfully neglecting the health, safety, and welfare of four minor children. Ash is further charged with engaging in a sexual act with a minor child under 12 years old. The FBI and Quapaw Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-088

    Eric Lee Blanchard. Sexual Abuse of a Minor in Indian Country; Production of Child Pornography; Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Blanchard, 21, of Broken Arrow and a member of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe, is charged with knowingly engaging in sexual activity with a minor under 16 years old and coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce material showing the sexual abuse of children. Further, he is charged with coercing and enticing a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Homeland Security Investigations, Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-094

    Pedro Vazquez Camacho. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Camacho, 52, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Jun. 2009. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-089

    Kenneth Troy Cooper. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (superseding). Cooper, 58, of Drumright, is charged with possessing several firearms and various rounds of ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of felonies. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Creek Country Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-006

    Leonardo Giovanni Segura Curiel. Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Fentanyl. Curiel, 26, a Mexican national, is charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and intentionally distributing fentanyl. Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Tulsa Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-082

    Karina Garcia-Salazar; Jorge Augusto Prieto-Gamboa. Conspiracy to Transfer Identification Documents; Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Use or Transfer Five or More Documents; Aggravated Identity Theft. Garcia-Salazar, 46, of Tulsa, Prieto-Gamboa, 40, a Mexican National, are charged with conspiring to make false identification documents in exchange for payment. They further conspired to knowingly possess with intent to transfer more than five identification documents, such as a United States Permanent Resident Card or Social Security Card, without lawful authority. Garcia-Salazar is additionally charged with unlawfully possessing and using the identification of others to create counterfeit permanent resident and social security cards. Homeland Security Investigations, Office of the Inspector General – Social Security Investigations, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-099

    Hayden Barclay Greene. Abusive Sexual Contact by Force or Threat in Indian Country; Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Suffocating in Indian Country; Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding in Indian Country (Misdemeanor). Greene, 47, of Tulsa and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, is charged with engaging in a sexual act by force and threat. Additionally, Greene allegedly strangled an intimate dating partner and physically assaulted a second victim. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-095

    Phyllis Christine Henson. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute; Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Henson, 63, of Tulsa, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing she was previously convicted of a felony. She is charged with knowingly possessing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana with intent to distribute. Additionally, Henson possessed a firearm while involved in drug trafficking and maintained a residence for the purposes of drug distribution. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-096

    Patrick Kanaley; Teia Newberry. Drug Conspiracy; Distribution of Methamphetamine. Kanaley, 47, and Newberry, 45, of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine from May 2024 through Jan. 2025. They are further charged with intentionally distributing a substance that contains a detectable amount of methamphetamine. The FBI and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-097

    Steven Shain McDaniel. Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. McDaniel, 49, of Tulsa, is charged with knowingly possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Attila Bogdan is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-098

    Jimmie Dewayne Martin. Possession of Child Pornography in Indian Country (Count 1); Production of Child Pornography (Counts 2 through 4). Martin, 75, of Tulsa and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with possessing visual images and videos depicting children under 12 years old engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Further, Martin is charged with using three minor children to produce images or videos that show the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wright and Ashley Robert are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-086

    Geovani Narvaez-Ramirez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Narvaez-Ramirez, 29, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Feb. 2017. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-090

    Adrian Marquez Rodriguez. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien; Aggravated Identity Theft (superseding). Rodriguez, 46, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Nov. 2005. He is further charged with unlawfully using another person’s identification to stay in the United States. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office and Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mandy Mackenzie is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-054

    Jose Juan Salas-Esparza. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Salas-Esparza, 47, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Dec. 2014. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas Field Office is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-091

    E’Mari Yatel Stancle. Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Stancle, 27, of Muskogee, is charged with knowingly possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute and discharging a firearm while drug trafficking. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 
    25-CR-105

    Joseph Austin Wagener. Theft in Indian Country – Over $1,000. Wagener, 34, of Tulsa, is charged with stealing personal property exceeding $1,000 in value. The Homeland Security Investigations and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey is prosecuting the case. 25-CR-100

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  • MIL-OSI Security: India-Based Chemical Manufacturing Company and Top Employees Indicted for Unlawful Importation of Fentanyl Precursor Chemicals

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    WASHINGTON — An India-based chemical manufacturing company and three high-level employees were charged in federal court in Washington, D.C., today related to illegally importing precursor chemicals used to make illicit fentanyl.

    According to the indictment, Vasudha Pharma Chem Limited (VPC), VPC Chief Global Business Officer Tanweer Ahmed Mohamed Hussain Parkar, 63, of India and the United Kingdom; VPC Marketing Director Venkata Naga Madhusudhan Raju Manthena,  48, of India; and VPC Marketing Representative Krishna Vericharla, 40, of India, were charged with multiple counts of manufacturing and distributing a List I fentanyl precursor chemical for unlawful importation into the United States, and attempting and conspiring to do the same.

    It is alleged VPC advertised fentanyl precursor chemicals for sale worldwide on its website, in marketing materials, and at international trade shows. From March through November 2024, the defendants conspired to distribute a fentanyl precursor chemical knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States and used to make fentanyl that would be unlawfully imported into the United States, according to the indictment. On two occasions, in March 2024 and August 2024, the defendants sold an undercover agent 25 kilograms of the fentanyl precursor chemical 1-(tert-Butoxycarbonyl)-4-piperidone, also called N-BOC-4-piperidone, (N-BOC-4P), a List I chemical.

    It is further alleged that between August and September 2024, defendants and the undercover agent negotiated a four-metric-ton (4,000 kilogram) purchase of N-BOC-4P – two metric tons of N-BOC-4P to be shipped to Sinaloa, Mexico, and another two metric tons of N-BOC-4P to be shipped to the United States – for a total price of approximately $380,000, knowing that the N-BOC-4P would be unlawfully imported into the United States and used to manufacture fentanyl that would be unlawfully imported into the United States.

    The four-count indictment charges all defendants with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States and for the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance for unlawful importation into the United States; manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States; and attempted manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States and for the manufacture and distribution of a controlled substance for unlawful importation into the United States. Additionally, defendants VPC, Vericharla, and Manthena are charged with a second count of manufacture and distribution of a listed chemical for unlawful importation into the United States. If convicted, the individual defendants face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. VPC faces a fine of $500,000 on each count.

    Federal agents arrested Parkar and Manthena in New York City this morning.

    Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the DEA Miami Field Division made the announcement.
     

    The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Miami Field Division’s Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force, a DEA-led multi-agency task force with members from Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, and state and local agencies from south Florida, are investigating the case. The Special Operations Unit of the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section provided support.

    Acting Deputy Chief Melanie Alsworth and Trial Attorneys Jayce Born and Lernik Begian of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Vengeful ghost cat, divorce lizard, phantom horse: the animals that haunted Ancient Rome and Greece

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Willis, PhD Candidate, Classics and Ancient History, University of Newcastle

    djkett/Shutterstock

    You wake up at night sensing a weight on your legs that you thought was your pet dog – only to remember they died years ago. Or perhaps you know someone who swears they can still hear their childhood cat moving around the house, scratching at the door at night.

    Tales of ghost animals in our modern world are often framed as a comfort; the beloved pet returning to visit. But this has not always been the case.

    In ancient Greece and Rome, you might assume that the close relations between humans and animals would result in many tales of animal ghosts, but this is not the case. In fact, such stories are actually incredibly rare.

    And the handful of examples that do exist depict the ghostly animals not as friendly visitors but as mere tools for humans – often to do evil.

    1. Revenge of the ghost cat

    One such example comes from the Greek Magical Papyri, a document from Graeco-Roman Egypt that’s written mostly in ancient Greek.

    This handbook of spells and magic rituals was used by professional magicians dating from the second century BCE to the fifth century CE.

    It includes a spell that allows a practitioner of magic to use a ghost cat to get revenge on their enemy.

    This spell, listed in the document as “PGM III 1-164” does not have a specific goal but is described as suitable for:

    every ritual purpose: a charm to restrain charioteers in a race, a charm for sending dreams, a binding love charm, and a charm to cause separation and enmity.

    A translation note observes that all of these are forms of malicious magic.

    In this spell, the ghost cat is a mere tool of a nefarious human.
    Evgrafova Svetlana/Shutterstock

    The focus of this spell is the ritual drowning of a cat. While holding the cat’s body underwater, the magician recites an incantation and calls to the “cat-faced god[ess]” to inform them of the mistreatment that their sacred animal is suffering.

    However, the magician boldly lies to the god, claiming that it is their chosen human target who is responsible for the killing.

    The enterprising magician then offers a solution to this affront, asking the god to allow the cat to return as a ghost to serve them as a daimon (a supernatural being with mystical powers).

    With the god’s support the magician was then free to curse or bind their chosen victim, suitably reframing the action as the cat’s own revenge against its presumed murderer.

    2. The divorce lizard

    Our second example also comes from the Greek Magical Papyri (listed as “PGM LXI. 39-71”).

    Like many erotic spells of antiquity, this spell was designed to attract a chosen target to the magician.

    However, some targets were easier to attract than others.

    This text offers a ritual solution to would-be magicians whose chosen victim was already married. By harnessing the power of another ghostly animal daimon, this ritual aims to destroy the marriage.

    The text begins by instructing the magician to find a spotted lizard “from the place where bodies are mummified”, kill it with hot coals and make it into a ghostly daimon.

    Take one lizard ‘from the place where bodies are mummified’…
    Cheshir.002/Shutterstock

    While the lizard is dying, the magician recites an incantation. This spell aims to destroy the couple’s relationship by making them hate each other.

    Later, hiding outside the couple’s home with the lizard’s ashes, the magician calls upon the newly dead lizard to return as a ghost daimon and force the target to abandon her marital home using its supernatural powers.

    Once complete, the target would become especially vulnerable to an attraction spell.

    3. The ghostly cavalry

    The final example comes from a document known as Descriptions of Greece, written by Greek traveller and geographer Pausanias in the second century CE.

    The author recounts a local tale about a haunted field where the Battle of Marathon took place in 490 BCE.

    Here, Pausanias claims, the sounds of “horses neighing and men fighting” can be heard every night as the ghosts of fallen Greek and Persian soldiers continue to do battle.

    Interestingly, Pausanias is careful to warn his readers that those who deliberately seek out these ghosts will suffer their wrath. Thankfully, though, anyone that stumbles upon them by accident will remain safe.

    Unlike the first two examples, these ghost horses are not facilitated by magic or divine power. So, why were they believed to return as ghosts when other horses did not? Just as the ghosts of infantry men retained their swords and shields so they could continue to battle each night, the horses remained an essential tool for the ghosts of the cavalrymen.

    The sound of ‘horses neighing and men fighting’ can be heard at one battlefield, Greek traveller Pausanias reports.
    knight of silence/Shutterstock

    Animals with a ghostly purpose

    These examples provide a fascinating window into the perception of animals in antiquity.

    It is well evidenced that the Greeks and Romans adored their pets, and in everyday life animals were given many different roles in society.

    However, after death these roles are drastically narrowed. In ancient times, animals seem only to return as ghosts in situations where they exist as tools for human use.

    It remains to be seen what afterlife the ancients believed would be experienced by animals without a ghostly purpose.

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

    – ref. Vengeful ghost cat, divorce lizard, phantom horse: the animals that haunted Ancient Rome and Greece – https://theconversation.com/vengeful-ghost-cat-divorce-lizard-phantom-horse-the-animals-that-haunted-ancient-rome-and-greece-249482

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Protecting the Chignecto Isthmus against climate change

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    Sackville, New Brunswick, March 20, 2025 — The governments of Canada, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia are collectively moving forward to protect the Chignecto Isthmus from the increasingly destructive impacts of climate change. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia commit to paying $162.5 million each for a total of $325 million to support the project (valued at $650 million). This is a major step towards ensuring the security of this important link.

    This was announced by Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Minister Kody Blois, Premier Susan Holt, and Minister Fred Tilley.

    The dykeland system in the Chignecto Isthmus between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will be raised to decrease the risk of flooding, protecting agriculture in the region and surrounding communities, including Sackville, New Brunswick and Amherst, Nova Scotia, against sea level rise and storm surges.

    The isthmus is also a transportation corridor including the Trans Canada Highway and the Canadian National Railway, connecting New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. An estimated $100 million of goods and services crosses the corridor each day. The corridor also contains 138 kV and 345 kV of electrical transmission lines, and fibre-optical cables, both of which are essential to providing electricity and telecommunication capabilities within and across communities.

    A network of dykes and aboiteaux that was originally installed in the late 1600s currently protects assets in the region from rising sea levels and storm surges, including a nearby wind farm, cultural sites, a sewage treatment plant, agricultural croplands, and private properties with buildings, wells, and septic systems. Increasing sea level rise and coastal sinking are forecasted to threaten the current dykes — along with the corridor infrastructure and communities they protect — before 2100.

    The project will include raising the height of the existing dyke system to mitigate the risk of the Chignecto Isthmus being flooded with sea water. The project will have two major components: a minimum of 13 km of dyke system and three to five large aboiteaux and the replacement or addition of new small aboiteaux. Aboiteaux are culverts with gates that stop sea water from flowing inland past the dykes while allowing water behind the dykes to flow out.

    The entire project is expected to take approximately 10 years to complete with the preliminary engineering studies, design, and land acquisition occurring during the first half of the period and most of the construction occurring during the last half. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IP Bryant, GVP Bennett Visit IAM Rail Division Local 2741 Members Building New Amtrak Trainsets

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    IAM Union International President Brian Bryant, Special Assistant to the International President for the Rail Division Josh Hartford, and Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett recently visited Alstom Transportation’s Hornell, N.Y., plant where IAM Local 2741 (District 19) members build and refurbish locomotives, commuter and passenger rail cars, and track equipment, including the next-generation Acela trainsets for Amtrak. 

    Members of Alstom’s international leadership joined the IAM delegation for a site tour.

    Click here for photos of the visit. 

    “We are here to assist in every way we can when the membership benefits,” said Bryant. “We want Alstom to thrive because we want our members to thrive. We hope to aid Alstom in growing demand for rail projects and building a strong, enduring workforce to supply it.”

    IAM Union recently organized Alstom employees at their Plattsburgh, N.Y., location as well, and the union has worked to help the company acquire contracts that will require more hiring to meet demand. The IAM is currently bargaining a first contract for Alstom members in Plattsburgh.

    “We worked very closely together with the company throughout the pandemic,” said Hartford. “It’s a good relationship. We are all invested in passenger rail flourishing for our country and in supporting the workers who will make it happen.”

    “We are all looking forward to the future of passenger train service, including high speed rail, in the United States,” said Bennett. “We’re incredibly proud to represent these members.”

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Mississauga — CBSA stops the smuggling of $4.6M worth of Ketamine into Canada leading to criminal charges by the RCMP

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The RCMP and the CBSA announced today that four arrests have been made in Mississauga, Ontario, after foiling attempts to smuggle Ketamine, a dangerous anesthetic, from coming into Canada.

    Between February 18th and March 3rd four separate individuals arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport after arriving from Europe. Baggage examinations by the CBSA uncovered alleged Ketamine concealed inside their luggage, amounting to an approximate total of 154 kilograms with an estimated street value of $4,608,000.

    Ketamine is an odorless and colourless drug that is used as a medical anesthetic in liquid form, but is often illicitly sold in powder form. There are several mental, physical, and long term effects associated with taking Ketamine. When taken, it can distort how an individual experiences sight and sound, and interferes with one’s ability to perceive pain. Due to these effects, it can sometimes be used to commit sexual assault.

    The CBSA seized the Ketamine and arrested the travelers. The RCMP Central Region Toronto Airport Detachment, Border Integrity Response team has charged:

    • Alison Louise Olmes (63), of Caledon, Ontario, with Importing a Controlled Substance, contrary to section 6(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) for smuggling 30.8 kilograms of suspected Ketamine into Canada
    • Courtney Linda Johanne Desbois (27), of Toronto, Ontario, with Importing a Controlled Substance, contrary to section 6(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) for smuggling 31.8 kilograms of suspected Ketamine into Canada
    • Lamia Hamici (40), of Montreal, Quebec, with Importing a Controlled Substance, contrary to section 6(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) for smuggling 60 kilograms of suspected Ketamine into Canada
    • Britney Carolyn Allen (32), of Whitby, Ontario, with Importing a Controlled Substance, contrary to section 6(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) for smuggling 30.95 kilograms of suspected Ketamine into Canada

    All accused have been released on an undertaking and are expected to appear at the A. Grenville and William Davis Courthouse in Brampton on March 26, 2025 & April 9, 2025

    “These seizures are yet another example of Canada’s Border Plan in action and the effective partnership between the CBSA and the RCMP in stopping drug trafficking. Ketamine poses a significant threat to public health, and our law enforcement agencies are keeping our communities safe, both in Canada and abroad.”
    – The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

    “Ketamine is a strong anesthetic and it’s use has been the cause of many deaths including the death of Canadian actor Matthew Perry. The RCMP is acting to protect Canadians from dangerous drugs that harm our communities. The importation of a narcotic like ketamine is a serious offence under the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act and a conviction may result in a lengthy prison sentence.”
    – Inspector John McMath Officer in Charge, RCMP Toronto Airport Detachment

    “Ketamine is a lethal substance that poses a significant risk to the safety of Canadians, and the CBSA is committed to securing Canada’s border from drug threats like this one. These seizures exemplify the hard work of our border services officers with our RCMP partners who employ targeting and intelligence methods to protect the health and safety of Canadians.”
    – Lisa Janes, Regional Director General, Canada Border Services Agency, Greater Toronto Area Region

    Fast Facts

    • Canada is investing $1.3 billion to bolster security at the border and strengthen the immigration system, all while keeping Canadians safe. Information available on the Border Plan is available here: The Government of Canada’s Border Plan: significant investments to strengthen border security and our immigration system
    • The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are committed to intercepting and investigating smuggling attempts at our border and disrupting organized crime.
    • The RCMP supports the CBSA’s mandate at the ports of entry from inbound and outbound criminal threats through criminal investigations and prosecutions related to narcotic smuggling.
    • With a presence across Canada, the RCMP is uniquely positioned to protect our border between ports of entry, but also conduct follow-up investigations when necessary.
    • The RCMP and the CBSA work closely in an investigative capacity, along with other domestic and international law enforcement partners, to combat the impact that cross border criminal activity is having on our communities.

    If you have any information related to smuggling, drug importation, trafficking, or possession, or wish to report other criminality, you can contact the Ontario RCMP at 1-800-387-0020, the confidential CBSA Border Watch toll-free line at 1-888-502-9060 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), at any time.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Conviction Affirmed for Man Who Kidnapped, Murdered 80-year-old Horry County Woman

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RICHMOND, Va. — The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the 2022 conviction of Dominique Devonah Brand for kidnapping resulting in death, carjacking resulting in death, and using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in a manner constituting murder.

    In a written opinion, the court affirmed Brand’s convictions following a multi-day bench trial in September 2022. Evidence presented at trial established that on Sunday, March 28, 2021, Brand entered the Nichols, South Carolina, home of Mary Ann Elvington, a retired elementary school teacher and stalwart in her church and community. In the days prior, Brand had burglarized another nearby residence, stealing a shotgun, in addition to burglarizing and vandalizing a local church. Brand forced Ms. Elvington to drive him from her house to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, and back into South Carolina. During this trip, Brand sat behind Ms. Elvington with the shotgun before forcing her into the back seat and driving her to a remote crossroads in Marion County. Once there, he marched her behind an abandoned grocery store, held the shotgun to the back of her head, and pulled the trigger, executing her. Brand then drove Ms. Elvington’s car to Marion, where he hid it behind an abandoned club. Ms. Elvington’s body was located the following evening. During a post-arrest statement to authorities, Brand denied committing the murder, but his guilt was proven at trial with DNA evidence, cell phone analytics, and crime scene analysis.

    “We are pleased that the Fourth Circuit has affirmed the convictions we proved beyond a reasonable doubt in the senseless kidnapping and murder of Ms. Mary Ann Elvington,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Brook B. Andrews for the District of South Carolina. “This has been a painful ordeal for her loved ones, and we send our continued support to Ms. Elvington’s family.”

    United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon presided over the trial and imposed two concurrent life sentences for the carjacking and kidnapping convictions, plus 10 consecutive years for using a firearm during the commission of these offenses. Brand, now 33, is in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons at USP Hazelton in West Virginia.

    The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office with significant assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Horry County Police Department, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Marion Police Department, Lake View Police Department, and Nichols Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Everett McMillian and Kathleen Stoughton prosecuted the case along with Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson, who also serves as the Deputy Solicitor for the 15th Judicial Circuit.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Glastonbury is as popular as ever, but complaints about the lineup reveal its generational challenge

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adrian York, Senior Lecturer in Commercial Music Performance, University of Westminster

    Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock since 1970 you will be aware of the five-day Glastonbury festival held every June (apart from “fallow” years to rest the land and the organisers), near Pilton in Somerset. Glastonbury is as much a pillar of the English summer as tennis at Wimbledon or opera at Glyndebourne.

    It’s a white, middle-class rite of passage and an easy win for people wishing peer approval and the cultural capital that comes with the price of a ticket. It’s expensive and exclusive and the booking policy reflects its audience.

    This year’s headliners include indie pop-rock darlings The 1975, angry girl supreme Olivia Rodrigo, old-school superstar Neil Young with his band the Chrome Hearts, with family favourite Rod Stewart filling the Sunday teatime “legend” slot.

    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Other acts filling the 100-plus stages include Brat popster Charli XCX, English hip-hopper Loyle Carner, original bad boys The Prodigy (without original frontman Keith Flint, RIP) plus Raye, Doechii, Noah Kahan, Gracie Abrams, and old pros Alanis Morissette, En Vogue and Gary Numan.

    With tickets costing £378.50 for Glastonbury 2025, are the 210,000 attendees getting value for money?

    A Reddit thread titled “Glastonbury 2025 lineup, thoughts?”, gives a flavour of some commonly aired opinions. Disappointed customer praf973 “tried to get tickets but was unsuccessful. I’m not bitter, but the line up isn’t really looking that great.” Another commenter, Whilst-I-was-forced, declared: “Nothing to get excited about. It’s gone too commercial and sterile.”

    Ok_Handle_3530 gave a different perspective: “This line-up looks … great, people are too hard to please.” ShankSpencer opined, “There are no good line-ups any more. No one young listens to bands any more, so there are no headline acts.”

    The exceptionally popular festival sold out in 35 minutes this year even before the artists had been announced, raising the question: has Glastonbury become a victim of its own success?

    Last year there were issues with overcrowding at some of the smaller stages creating issues for fans wanting to see acts such as the Sugababes. Some sets were even being stopped early because of crowd surges.

    But what’s really behind these complaints about the lineup and are they justified? There’s been a changing of the guard as the veteran generation of performers from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s step back from performing because they have retired, are too ill or have died.

    There doesn’t seem to be enough credible stadium acts from the 1990s onwards to fill their shoes, leading to a lack of enthusiasm for the current offerings. The new generation of acts have an opportunity to impress, but many of them don’t have the volume of hits that legacy acts such as Elton John or Paul McCartney provide – nor the cross-generational appeal.

    There is also a growing sense that the cultural importance of the rock band is fading. Gen Z has far more in the way of distractions than previous generations with myriad forms of social media and digital entertainment. With so much competition for their attention, the tribal allegiances that bands used to command may feel dated and irrelevant to many younger people.

    On their single Guys, one of this year’s headliners, The 1975 trill: “The moment that we started a band was the best thing that ever happened.” Perhaps lead singer Matty Healy’s love affair with the mythology of rock’n’roll is no longer widely shared.

    Glastonbury has also been criticised for a lack of diversity. Clubbing magazine Mixmag made the point that in 2023, “the number of male acts playing this year’s Glastonbury Festival is nearly double that of female acts”.

    Similarly, the festival’s lineup and audience are predominantly white and fail to adequately reflect the British music industry. Though there have been a few black bands and artists headlining over the years, it wasn’t until 2019 that the first solo black British performer headlined on the Pyramid stage, with an unforgettable set from London rapper Stormzy in a black Union Jack stab vest designed by Banksy.

    For Glastonbury to move with the times, a more diverse booking policy is needed to widen the audience demographic and the festival’s appeal. Despite having enjoyed the event, mixed-heritage music journalist and academic Jenessa Williams noted: “I was still left with the feeling that certain punters saw black artists as a mockable novelty, a by-product to tolerate rather than truly a piece of the event’s heart and soul.”

    And then there’s the issue of cost. According to a 2024 report, two-thirds of UK adults feel that music festivals are becoming too expensive. Popular music artists have had to pivot towards live events for income generation because of the poor returns from streaming compared to selling albums.

    So are major tours and larger festivals such as Glastonbury sucking revenue out of the music economy? Research shows that while big high-profile event tours are making millions, at the other end of the spectrum grassroots venues – where new talent is incubated – are buckling under a lack of support and the prohibitive costs of running their operations.

    Glastonbury won’t be making an appearance in 2026, the next fallow year for rest and recovery. This will create an opportunity for organiser Emily Eavis to reflect on some of the more problematical issues the festival faces, from diversity in the audience and artists, to the sustainability of the talent pipeline.

    Maybe the last word should go to American rapper Azealia Banks commenting on this year’s festival lineup: “Glastonbury is kinda cooked.”

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

    – ref. Glastonbury is as popular as ever, but complaints about the lineup reveal its generational challenge – https://theconversation.com/glastonbury-is-as-popular-as-ever-but-complaints-about-the-lineup-reveal-its-generational-challenge-252588

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –