NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Global: BBC Gaza documentary: how an editorial blame game overshadowed an important film and destroyed trust

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Dorothy Byrne, President of Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge

    The war in Gaza has been a notoriously controversial and difficult story to cover as a journalist. The Israeli government banned international journalists from the territory. At least 171 journalists and media workers in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank have been killed since the war began.

    The BBC has faced relentless accusations of bias from all sides. You would think, then, that when it commissioned the film Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, billed as a “vivid and unflinching view of life” in Gaza seen through the eyes of children, it would have been meticulous in its commissioning and oversight.

    Yet almost as soon as the programme was broadcast on February 17, a journalist outside the BBC revealed that one of the children featured in the film, 13-year-old Abdullah, who also acted as its narrator, was the son of a Hamas official. His father, Ayman Al-Yazouri, is a deputy minister of agriculture and therefore, as Hamas runs the government of Gaza, a Hamas official.

    No major investigation was required to find out who this man was – an expert on wastewater treatment, in particular on the removal of heavy metals from industrial wastewater, who received degrees from UK universities. No evidence has emerged that he is linked to Hamas’s militant operations. But getting someone with any link to what is classified as a terrorist organisation by western governments to narrate the film was inevitably going to be criticised – especially because the link wasn’t explained to viewers.

    The BBC pulled the film four days after its premiere and said it would investigate the matter. Where it really went wrong was that, for 12 days, the BBC tried to pin the blame elsewhere. It dumped on the production company, Hoyo Films, stating: “The production team had full editorial control of filming with Abdullah.” T

    I argue this is a weak defence. A broadcaster can’t blame someone else when a mistake appears in a film.

    Under Ofcom regulations, the broadcaster has full editorial responsibility, regardless of whether a freelance or independent crew carried out filming. Any mistake is the BBC’s mistake.

    I was head of news and current affairs at Channel 4 for 17 years. We sometimes made mistakes. It happens. But the key is not to make things worse by trying to wriggle out of blame.

    As it happens, Channel 4 also featured this child in some of its news coverage without initially disclosing his father’s role. “As international media access is restricted, Abdullah was sourced through an established journalist who has also worked for other major global media outlets,” Channel 4 News said in a statement.

    Ofcom regulations

    The BBC’s second excuse was even weaker. It said that filmmakers were asked in writing a number of times whether this child had any connection with Hamas.

    Here is a journalistic tip for the BBC’s news bosses: if you ask someone a question and they don’t answer, you don’t just keep asking. You demand answers or you go and get the answer yourself. As a former news boss myself, I would have demanded to see the boy’s entire family tree.

    Finally, after 12 days, the BBC took responsibility and issued an apology.
    BBC chair Samir Shah told MPs that people “weren’t doing their job” when it came to oversight of the production. Shah described it as “a dagger to the heart of the BBC claim to be impartial and to be trustworthy”.

    A child of 13 should arguably not have narrated the film at all. He was not narrating his own words but a script written by the programme makers, which included facts about the history and geopolitics of Gaza. I would point the BBC to Ofcom guidance that children under 16 should not be asked for views on matters likely to be beyond their capacity to answer properly without the consent of a responsible adult.

    On a subject like this, I would not have had a child narrate a film – especially not when one of the responsible adults in his life was a Hamas official.

    This was a powerful and beautifully shot film. It’s hard to see how any of its content could be described as pro-Hamas propaganda. The strongest moment was when a child said he hated Hamas because they had caused the war and all the misery being suffered now. But it’s almost certainly politically impossible for an amended version of the documentary to now be shown, which is a great loss.

    This debacle even resulted in a bizarre decision by the Royal Television Society to drop an award recognising the brave and brilliant work of journalists in Gaza (it has since reversed this after backlash from journalists). We have relied on journalists in Gaza to show us what is happening.

    They have continued filming when their own families have been killed. Their reports have been powerful and moving and true. Why should they be punished for a BBC cock-up?

    Falling trust

    I have never worked for the BBC, but I have always admired it for two things. First, for the brilliance of its journalists. Second, for its ability to turn a mistake into a PR catastrophe.

    The film contained editorial errors, but in my view the outrage built over days, resulting in calls not just for a public inquiry, but even a police inquiry, because the BBC wouldn’t take the rap. My journalistic heart went out to the great people who work at the BBC.

    This ghastly incident sits alongside other (quite different) recent scandals about the BBC: the bad behaviour (whether alleged or proven) of powerful presenters and figures Huw Edwards, Russell Brand, Tim Westwood and Gregg Wallace. In each case, it turned out that BBC bigwigs had received complaints over long periods of time before the stories went public.

    For many reasons beyond the BBC’s control, trust in the broadcaster is falling. It is constantly being attacked by the right-wing press, and undermined by conspiracy theorists who say you can’t trust the so-called mainstream media and that there is no such thing as truth.

    In a 2023 YouGov survey on trust in media, only 44% of Britons said they trust BBC journalists to tell the truth. That was nearly half the level of trust in the BBC 20 years earlier, yet it still made the BBC the most trusted media outlet in the UK. Other surveys by Ofcom of people who actually watch TV news put trust in its accuracy much higher – something like 70%.

    There is a general fall in trust in all institutions in the UK. The politicians and tabloids who attack the BBC are trusted far less than BBC journalists. But their unfair assaults make it all the more essential that the BBC avoids errors like this, and is transparent when those errors are revealed.

    Dorothy Byrne was formerly Head of News and Current Affairs at Channel Four, and Editor at Large at Channel Four.

    – ref. BBC Gaza documentary: how an editorial blame game overshadowed an important film and destroyed trust – https://theconversation.com/bbc-gaza-documentary-how-an-editorial-blame-game-overshadowed-an-important-film-and-destroyed-trust-251760

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why we are so scared of space – and how this fear can drive conspiracy theories

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tony Milligan, Research Fellow in the Philosophy of Ethics, King’s College London

    klyaksun/Shutterstock

    There are many home-grown problems on Earth, but there’s still time to worry about bad things arriving from above. The most recent is the asteroid 2024 YR4, which could be a “city killer” if it hits a heavily populated area of our planet in the early years of the next decade.

    The chances of that happening are now estimated to be around 0.001%. But there was a brief moment after the asteroid’s discovery last year when the estimated danger of a direct hit crossed the 1% threshold of comfortable risk.

    There’s a need to worry about planetary defence if we are to avoid going the way of the dinosaurs. But there are many other things that could kill us, including climate change and wars. So what is it about space that grabs our attention? And how do these fears affect us – individually and as a society?

    In the long run, something big will hit us, unless we can redirect it. The responsibility for preparation begins with us.

    Yet preparation also carries risks. Daniel Deudney, a professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University in the US, has warned that the technologies used for planetary defence can not only guide asteroids away from Earth – they can also guide them towards it as a tool in a military conflict.

    As explained in his book Dark Skies, Deudney’s solution is to reverse, regulate and relinquish most of our human activities in space for several centuries to come. The more we do in space, he believes, the greater the likelihood that states will end up in catastrophic conflict. “The avoidance of civilisation’s disaster and species extinction now depends on discerning what not to do, and then making sure it is not done,” he writes.

    He ultimately argues space expansion has come too soon, and we must reverse the process until we are ready. That said, he thinks we may still need some form of planetary defence, but that it can be limited.

    Holding off for centuries is an unlikely option though. The chances of an asteroid strike may well be too high. And the political interest in space expansion is, at this point, irreversible.

    Fear of space has grown alongside space programs. Worries about asteroid strikes and over-militarisation lean into deeper fears about space as the unknown. Yet they also lean into worries about the self-destructive side of humanity.

    Both fears are very old. One of our earliest traceable human tales, the story of the Cosmic Hunt dating back at least 15,000 years, combines the two.

    An indigenous Sami version, surviving in Scandinavia, describes how a great hunt in the skies would go wrong if the hunter is impatient and fires an arrow which misses its target and accidentally strikes the pole star. This would bring the canopy of the night sky crashing down to Earth. Again, fears about misguided human actions and the threat from above fuse.

    We can see this in modern technologically driven fears such as UFOlogy. Some hard-core believers in UFOs are not only concerned about hostile visitors, but about secret collaborations among scientists on Earth, or, an entire conspiracy to keep the truth from the public.

    Without belief in a conspiracy to suppress the evidence, the whole idea falls apart. But without belief that there is actually something to fear from space, there is nothing for the conspiracy to be about. Fear of space is a necessary part of this picture.

    This is an idea neatly captured in recent times by the Chinese science fiction author Cixin Liu, who compares space to a “dark forest” in which alien civilisations are trying to hide from each other.

    All of this presupposes something of a bunker mentality, an over-separation of Earth and space, or sky and ground. This is something I have referred to as ground bias. The bias allows space to appear as a threatening outside, rather than something that we, too, are part of.

    Alien viruses

    The rationalisation for such fear shifts about and is not restricted to asteroids, aliens, meteors and runaway military conflict. There is even a theory that viruses come from space.

    When COVID sceptics went looking for an idea to explain why mask wearing was pointless, what many of them struck upon was an obscure theory put together by the astrophysicists Fred Hoyle and Chandra Wickramsinghe in 1979.

    Some believe Covid came from space.
    Viacheslav Lopatin

    The duo ultimately had a good idea which they followed up with a bad idea. The good idea was that the components for the emergence of life may have come from space. The bad idea was that they came ready formed, as viruses and bacteria, and that they are still coming.

    According this theory, well known pandemics of the past (such as the lethal 1918 flu pandemic and even epidemics in antiquity) were apparently the result of viruses from space and could not be the result of person-to-person transmission – least of all from asymptomatic carriers.

    The COVID version involved a meteor exploding over China. In an interview, Wickramsinghe claimed “a piece of this bolide containing trillions of the COVID-19 virus broke off from the bolide as it was entering the stratosphere” releasing viral particles which were then carried by prevailing winds.

    The idea illustrates the way in which fears about space are used to drive anxiety about human failings or wrongdoing. COVID scepticism has since gone all the way into the White House.

    But fears about space can also be used to critique those in power. In our own times, they are used to fuel narratives about billionaires with private space agendas and presidential access, wealthy space tourists and even wealthier prospective colonisers of Mars and beyond. It is a tempting narrative, but one that sees Earth as closed system, which should not be opened to the outside.

    We may, at some level, be afraid of space itself. We certainly have an exaggerated sense our our Earthly separateness from it. And there are some particular things that we do have cause to worry about. But there is also the risk that a fear of space can combine with suspicions about governments, leading us to embrace conspiracy theories as a way to consolidate different kinds of worries into a single, manageable, set of beliefs.

    Tony Milligan receives funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 856543).

    – ref. Why we are so scared of space – and how this fear can drive conspiracy theories – https://theconversation.com/why-we-are-so-scared-of-space-and-how-this-fear-can-drive-conspiracy-theories-252195

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cramer Cosponsors Four Bills to End Biden EV Mandates

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    BISMARCK, N.D. – The Biden administration repeatedly issued regulations directing the mass adoption of electric vehicles (EV) by consumers. These regulations forced manufacturers of cars and trucks to build more and more EVs, and even ban the sale of gasoline powered vehicles. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) co-sponsored four bills to protect consumer choice in automotive markets and roll back the misguided, overbearing rules.

    “For four long years, the Biden administration pushed EV mandate after EV mandate, attempting to force consumers toward costly vehicles,” said Cramer. “These bills roll back Washington’s burdensome, heavy-handed rules, putting consumers and their choice in the driver’s seat.”

    The Choice in Automobile Retail Sales (CARS) Act, led by U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), repeals the Biden Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) final tailpipe emissions standards for passenger cars and trucks, which are a de facto mandate for electric vehicles, and ensures future tailpipe regulations do not limit the availability of new motor vehicles based on their engine type.  

    U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin’s (R-OK) bill, the Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act, preserves consumer choice and maintains competition in the automotive markets by preventing the implementation of the Biden EPA’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulation, which bans the sale of all conventional gasoline-powered cars by 2035.  

    The Freedom to Haul Act, introduced by U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), will safeguard the trucking industry from impractical and costly mandates by preventing the implementation of the Biden EPA’s “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards for Heavy-Duty Vehicles – Phase 3” rule, a de facto EV mandate on the trucking industry. 

    Finally, U.S. Senator Mike Lee’s (R-UT) Stop California from Advancing Regulatory Burden (Stop CARB) Act eliminates Clean Air Act waiver exemptions which allow California and other states to dictate national emissions standards. California has over 100 active waivers that set higher emissions standards than the EPA, increasing costs and decreasing consumer choice in vehicles.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Visits Boone Memorial Hospital

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito

    MADISON, W.Va. – Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS), visited Boone Memorial Hospital to meet with the hospital’s leadership team and tour the facility to view new equipment and hospital upgrades.

    Over the years, Senator Capito has supported Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects that benefit patients at the hospital. In September 2023, Senator Capito announced she secured $3,000,000 in CDS funding for Boone Memorial to renovate the rural health center, adding a drive-through clinic, pharmacy and other community needs. The project aims to provide specialty and primary care, as well as to reduce preventable hospital stays. In August 2024, Senator Capito announced she secured $2,202,000 in CDS funding to support Boone Memorial’s installation of state-of-the-art robotic surgery equipment. During today’s visit, Senator Capito had the chance to receive an update on these projects.

    “I have made it a priority to improve West Virginians’ access to quality health care, and I have been proud to support Boone Memorial Hospital’s efforts to expand and better its services,” Senator Capito said. “It was great to visit the hospital again today where I had the chance to meet with the hospital’s leadership, tour the facility, and see firsthand how investments through the Congressionally Directed Spending Process are making a real difference. These upgrades will help Boone Memorial continue providing critical care to the community, and I look forward to supporting their mission in the future.”

    “The $2.2 million secured through Senator Capito’s efforts has allowed us to become only the second hospital in West Virginia to offer Intuitive’s latest and most advanced robotic-assisted surgical technology—the Da Vinci 5,” Boone Memorial Hospital President and Chief Executive Officer Virgil Underwood. “This innovative equipment can allow patients to experience less pain, shorter hospital stays, quicker recovery times, and improved surgical outcomes, all without having to travel far from home. We genuinely appreciate Senator Capito’s unwavering support, which helps us deliver world-class care to our patients right here in Southern West Virginia.”

    Photos from today’s visit are below:

    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits Boone Memorial Hospital in Madison, W.Va. on Monday, March 17, 2025.


    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) visits Boone Memorial Hospital in Madison, W.Va. on Monday, March 17, 2025.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General Appoints Antonio Aranibar of Bolivia United Nations Resident Coordinator in Equatorial Guinea

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Antonio Aranibar of Bolivia as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Equatorial Guinea, with the host Government’s approval, on 16 March.

    Mr. Aranibar brings more than 20 years’ experience in sustainable development, governance and peacebuilding to the role.  Prior to his appointment in Equatorial Guinea, he served as the UN Special Adviser to the Office of the Resident Coordinator in Venezuela from 2019 to 2024, where he supported the search for negotiated solutions to a protracted crisis, including through social and humanitarian agreements.  He was Head of Office of the UN Verification Mission in Medellin, Colombia, from 2016 to 2018, where he supported the implementation of the peace process between the Colombian State and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

    From 2013 to 2016, he was a researcher at the Central American Institute of Business Administration (INCAE) and Global Network Director of the Social Progress Index, a leading indicator to track progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Mr. Aranibar served as the Director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the Political Analysis and Prospective Scenarios Project, an initiative promoted by the United Development Programme (UNDP) in Latin America with proven impact in conflict prevention, dialogue promotion and institutional reform.  In this capacity, he served as Special Adviser to the United Nations in more than 20 countries from 2008 to 2013 using future studies for preventive diplomacy as well as for policy advocacy on development policies and institutional reforms.

    He began his career in UNDP Bolivia as an economist of the Human Development Network and Senior Policy Adviser.

    Mr. Aranibar holds a master’s degree in econometrics from the Autonomous University of Madrid in Spain and a bachelor’s degree in economic development from the University of Paris IX-Dauphine in France.  He is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.  He is married and the proud father of three children.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NREL Researchers Advance Substrate Engineering Pathways To Improve Power Electronics

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    As the growth in global electricity need and supply continues to accelerate, efficient power electronics will be key to improving grid efficiency, stability, integration, and resilience for all energy sources.

    Advances in wide-bandgap materials for semiconductors offer the potential to enable greater power handling in power electronics while reducing electrical and thermal losses. Wide-bandgap materials also allow for smaller, faster, more reliable, and more energy-efficient power electronic components than current commercial silicon-based power electronic components.

    Researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Colorado School of Mines, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory examined a potential route to achieve peak performance of aluminum gallium nitride, AlxGa1–xN, a key material for increasing power electronics’ energy efficiency and performance, through growth on optimized substrate materials.

    This work was undertaken with funding support from the microelectronics initiative through the U.S. Department of Energy Basic Energy Sciences Office and Advanced Scientific Computing Research program.

    The goal of the work is to grow higher-quality materials through the selection of a lattice-matched substrate. Better electron transmission means better device performance, but the growth of AlxGa1–xN on lattice-mismatched substrates leads to dislocation (line defects that distort a lattice due to the misalignment of atoms), resulting in diminished performance.

    “Substrate engineering enables the use of high-performing materials in real devices,” said NREL’s Dennice Roberts, a materials science researcher. “If we can engineer lattice-matched substrates to reduce the effect of dislocations, we can widen the range of sufficiently high-quality materials and build better, more energy-efficient power electronics.”

    As detailed in a new paper, “Designing TaC Virtual Substrates for Vertical AlxGa1−xN Power Electronics Devices,” published in PRX Energy, the research team proposed and demonstrated that electrically conductive, lattice-matched tantalum carbide (TaC) can act as a suitable substrate for AlxGa1–xN epitaxy that may meet growing power needs.

    Benefits of Transition Metal Carbides for AlxGa1–xN Growth

    Substrate engineering can improve device performance—but it is complicated. Defects, such as substrate cracking, are common with growth on AlN and GaN. Efforts to reduce dislocation have been effective but often increase device complexity and limit device design and performance. Lattice mismatching, again, leads to device performance issues.

    “Lattice matching is critical for high-quality epitaxial growth,” Roberts said. “We hypothesized that substrates from transition metal carbide and nitride families could enable desired conditions for AlxGa1–xN growth, not only because of ideal lattice matching but also because of ideal thermal and electrical conductivity properties. TaC and AlxGa1–xN are closely lattice-matched, TaC is highly conductive, and they display matched growth in size in response to changes in temperature.”

    The team grew, prepared, and used TaC thin films as virtual substrates for high-aluminum-content AlxGa1–xN and demonstrated AlxGa1–xN growth on TaC virtual substrates. To precisely and effectively deposit TaC onto the substrate, they used radio frequency sputtering. They formed substrates through high-temperature annealing, a process that increases ductility—the ability of a metal to undergo significant stress before cracking or breaking—and reduces defects.

    Before Annealing

    After Annealing

    Atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows the surface of the TaC thin film before and after annealing at high temperatures. The initial film surface is composed of many columnar grains, whereas after annealing the surface has reoriented to plateaus or “step terraces.” This flatter surface facilitates growth of much higher quality AlGaN layers and thus leads to higher performing electronics. Figure by Dennice Roberts, NREL

    Rational Design of Heterostructural Interfaces Enables Novel Device Concepts

    Motivated by the work of Roberts and her coauthors, NREL materials science postdoctoral researcher Sharad Mahatara and NREL senior scientist Stephan Lany approached the problem of interfaces between materials with different crystal structures from a computational perspective.

    Their work, “Heterostructural Interface Engineering for Ultrawide-Gap Nitrides From First Principles: TaC/AlN and TaC/GaN Rocksalt-Wurtzite Interfaces,” was recently published in Physical Review Applied. The broader context of this study is that lattice-matched substrates with the same crystal structure are often unavailable. Therefore, there are new opportunities to use heterostructural interfaces for conversion and control, if the formation of these more complex interfaces can be understood and controlled.

    The formation of interfaces between rocksalt structure (rs) and wurtzite structure (wz) materials—e.g., between TaC and AlN (GaN) films—can be modeled by considering the different possibilities of stacking the individual atomic layers. This problem is somewhat related to the question of how to arrange oranges in a box so as to get as many as possible into it.

    The NREL researchers approached this problem by writing a computer code with an algorithm to systematically enumerate the possible stacking sequences within a few atomic layers near the interface. This algorithm can be used to understand the atomic structures of various commensurate rs/wz interfaces, including the oxide interfaces.

    Mahatara and Lany then used first-principles density functional theory calculations to determine the most energetically stable atomic structure arrangement for each combination of substrate termination (the type of the last substrate atomic layer, Ta or C), film nucleation (the first nitride film layer, Al/Ga or N), and wz polarity (Al/Ga or N polarity, describing the orientation of the atomic bonds). Additionally, they used this data to predict which of the combinations will be most favorable under different experimental synthesis conditions. This information is important because the detailed atomic structure at the interface will determine the material’s functionality and performance in a device.

    For example, the polarity affects electric fields that are responsible for the transport of electrons across the interface. Controlling the polarity of the film during growth is therefore an important aspect of AlGaN epitaxy.

    “Our results may guide experimentalists on how to regulate nitrogen-polarity against metal-polarity of nitride films grown on TaC substrates as a function of growth conditions,” Mahatara said.

    As a follow-on to the current work, Mahatara and Lany are now investigating the electronic properties of their predicted structures. This ongoing effort will provide further information and predictions on how these structures will act and perform in new device concepts. The goal is to give experimentalists critical data for rational device design to accelerate the development of novel concepts in microelectronics.

    The findings from both studies may inform substrate engineering that improves power electronics as the needs of an electrified future grow.

    “We’re excited about the potential for these materials to address power and energy efficiency challenges,” Roberts said. “From a research perspective, it’s really neat to see a creative solution to a longstanding problem look like it has a lot of promise in real world applications, so we look forward to the developments to come.”

    Learn more about NREL’s materials science research.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Urgent, immediate need for qualified Boilermakers: Shipyard work could boost Boilermaker work long term

    Source: US International Brotherhood of Boilermakers

    It is time to remind our nation’s leaders and the U.S. Navy that, whether it be in times of peace or war, when the United States of America needs support in the shipbuilding industry, it is our union that answers the call.

    IP Timothy Simmons

    USS Cole (DDG-67): USS Cole, Arligh Burke-class, being transported by MV Blue Marlin for beginning of restoration at Litton Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, Mississippi, on December 13,2000. NHHC Photograph Collection, L-File, Ships.

    Bartlett Maritime needs 15-20 skilled, qualified flux core welders immediately to fulfill U.S. Navy work in Newport News, Virginia – and if the Boilermakers union answers the call, it could mean decades of solid work for members, in tens of thousands of jobs.

    “Through our partnership with Bartlett Maritime, we have been given the opportunity to help build America’s defense vessels for the U.S. Navy,” said International President Tim Simmons. “Our union has spent a significant amount of time and effort to develop this new opportunity, and we must do everything within our power to secure these new work opportunities for our members and strengthen our pensions.”

    Simmons said Bartlett Maritime needs to staff the work within the next few weeks.

    “Our success staffing this work will open the door for future sustainable shipyard work; however, we need to staff these jobs immediately,” he said. “We must prove to our contractors that we are a viable source of skilled labor.

    “It is time to remind our nation’s leaders and the U.S. Navy that, whether it be in times of peace or war, when the United States of America needs support in the shipbuilding industry, it is our union that answers the call.”

    Bartlett Maritime is looking for Boilermakers with the following criteria:

    • Skilled, qualified flux core welder with a minimum of four years welding experience
    • Willing to undergo a Department of Defense background check
    •  Can successfully pass a hair follicle test

    The job pays as follows:

    • Dayshift (1st shift) – $40/hour
    • Evening/Nightshift (2nd and 3rd shifts) – $43/hour
    • Daily stipend – $82/day (paid seven days a week, working or not)
    • $500 incentive for completing the first week
    • $1,500 incentive for 160 hours completed on the deck plates
    • $2,000 to stay on the job until July
    • Overtime may be available as needed

    Those interested in working this job or for more information should contact BM-ST Kevin Battle, L-45, directly at: 804-814-8603 or kbattle@boilermakerslocal45.org. 

    “We are not just proven partners in America’s shipbuilding but also historic partners, showcasing our ability by building fleets during both World Wars and repairing ships, such as the U.S.S. Cole damaged in a terrorist attack,” Simmons said. “I am urging Boilermakers to apply for this opportunity and to share it with other Boilermakers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Executives of Louisiana Compounding Pharmacy Convicted of Defrauding TRICARE and New Jersey State Health Benefits Programs, Identity Theft, and Money Laundering

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

    CAMDEN, N.J. – Two former executives of a Louisiana compounding pharmacy were found guilty of conspiring to use the pharmacy to defraud New Jersey and military health benefits programs of approximately $100 million, conspiring to commit identity theft in connection with the fraud, and conspiring to transact in the criminal proceeds, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced.

    Christopher Kyle Johnston, 46, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Trent Brockmeier, 62, of The Villages, Florida, were convicted on March 10, 2025 of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, one count of conspiring to commit identity theft by fraudulently using a means of identification, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering by transacting in criminal proceeds following a six-week trial before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel.

    According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

    Central Rexall Drugs was a pharmacy in Louisiana that prepared compounded medications, which are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient.  In 2013, Johnston and Brockmeier entered into an agreement to take over the management of the pharmacy and expand the compounding business in exchange for 90 percent of the profits.  Brockmeier became chief operating officer of Central Rexall and Johnston became general counsel. 

    Johnston and Brockmeier learned that certain insurance plans would reimburse thousands of dollars for a one-month supply of certain compounded medications – including pain, scar, and antifungal creams, as well as vitamin combinations.  The health plans for New Jersey state and local government and education employees, including teachers, firefighters, municipal police officers, and state troopers, covered these medications, as did TRICARE, which insures current and former members of the U.S. military and their families.

    Johnston and Brockmeier designed compounded medications and manipulated the ingredients in the medications in order to obtain high insurance reimbursements rather than serve the medical needs of patients.  To determine which ingredients and combinations resulted in high insurance reimbursements, Johnston and Brockmeier directed Central Rexall employees to submit false prescription claims to test out different combinations of ingredients, but they did not have a valid prescription signed by a doctor for these formulas.   Central Rexall submitted these false claims using, without their consent, individuals’ names, dates of birth, and identifying information (including insurance information) from pre-existing Central Rexall prescriptions.

    By use of these false claims, Johnston and Brockmeier designed compounded medications with combinations of ingredients that were chosen solely based on the amount of money that insurance would pay rather than on the medications’ ability to serve the medical needs of patients.

    Johnston and Brockmeier retained and directed an outside sales force that used various methods to get doctors to prescribe these medications and patients to accept them, including having prescriptions signed without the patient seeing a doctor or knowing about the medications, having medications or refills ordered without the patients’ knowledge, paying patients to accept the medications, and paying doctors to prescribe them.

    Johnston and Brockmeier caused approximately $100 million in fraudulent insurance claims for compounded medications that were not medically necessary.  Johnston received approximately $34 million and Brockmeier received approximately $5 million in illicit profits.

    50 people have been convicted or pled guilty in the overarching conspiracy.

    The health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense.  The conspiracy to commit identity theft count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.  The conspiracy to commit money laundering charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense or not more than twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transactions.  Sentencing is scheduled for July 21, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney John Giordano credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; special agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan  in Newark; and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. David Walk, Jr. and Daniel A. Friedman of the Criminal Division.

                                                                 ###

    Defense counsel:

    Johnston: Lawrence S. Lustberg, Anne Collart, and Andrew Marino, Esqs. (Newark, NJ)

    Brockmeier: Marc Agnifilo and David Gelfand, Esqs. (New York, NY)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Trinitarios Gang Member Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant was on probation for armed robbery when he sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer

    BOSTON – A Lynn, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for drug offenses relating to an ongoing investigation of fentanyl distribution. 

    Ricardo Bratini-Perez, a/k/a “Rico,” a/k/a “Ricofromthesin,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 10 years years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2024, Bratini-Perez pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analog and methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bratini-Perez on Oct. 3, 2024. 

    According to court papers, Bratini-Perez is a member of the Trinitarios gang and was on probation following his release in 2023 from state custody on armed robbery and firearm charges. While on state probation, Bratini-Perez sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three occasions in March 2024 and April 2024. On April 8, 2024, Bratini-Perez was arrested following a fourth sale to the undercover officer. A search of Bratini-Perez’s residence resulted in the recovery of over 5,000 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. 
               
    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Fairfax District Resident Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining Public Assistance Benefits via Identity Theft

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A former resident of the Fairfax District of Los Angeles was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison his role in a scheme that involved using illegal skimmers on ATMs to harvest data, creating counterfeit debit cards using the stolen account holders’ information, and then using the cards to make cash withdrawals from numerous victims’ accounts.

    Sorin-Miguel Ghiorghe, 47, was sentenced by United States District Judge John F. Walter, who will schedule a restitution hearing to occur in the coming months.

    Ghiorghe pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of possession of 15 or more unauthorized access devices, and one count of possession of device-making equipment.

    Ghiorghe – a Romanian national whom prosecutors believe illegally entered the United States – admitted that he and his accomplices used counterfeit cards to fraudulently make withdrawals from the accounts of numerous victims, and that he specifically used the counterfeit cards to withdraw thousands of dollars from victims’ accounts.

    The skimming ring focused on illegally accessing funds administered by the California Department of Social Services to low-income California residents through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) accounts, including CalFresh and CalWorks benefits.  When law enforcement searched the apartment Ghiorghe was living in, they located ATM-skimming equipment and EBT account numbers in other peoples’ names.

    The United States Secret Service investigated this case and received significant assistance from the Los Angeles Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorney Max A. Shapiro of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sikeston Man Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CAPE GIRARDEAU – The United States Attorney’s Office announced Monday that Steven K. Townsend, 33, of Sikeston, Missouri, was sentenced Friday to serve 10 years in prison for distributing fentanyl.

    At his guilty plea hearing in U.S. District Court in Cape Girardeau last year, Townsend admitted that he sold a quantity of fentanyl to an individual in Sikeston in July 2023. Unbeknownst to Townsend at the time, the individual purchasing the fentanyl was working as an informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). According to court documents, Townsend was on parole supervision through the State of Missouri for a prior drug trafficking conviction when he sold the fentanyl. After his release from prison, Townsend will be placed on a three-year term of supervised release.

    This case was investigated by the DEA and the Sikeston Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Koester prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Miami Inspector Pleads Guilty in a Scheme to Obstruct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Oversight of the Medicare Program

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

    MIAMI – Manuel Delgado, 64, has pleaded guilty to accepting cash bribes and self-dealing as part of a conspiracy to impede and obstruct the lawful functions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) in their administration and oversight of the Medicare program. 

    According to court documents, Manuel Delgado was a contractor for the Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (“BOC”), who performed inspections of durable medical equipment (“DME”) companies to determine if they complied with CMS quality standards.  BOC accreditation was required before CMS would approve a company to bill Medicare for supplying durable medical equipment to Medicare patients.

    Delgado accepted cash bribes from numerous owners of DME companies to facilitate and expedite the accreditation process so those companies could be enrolled with and bill Medicare.  Delgado also formed DME companies in the names of family members in order to conceal his own personal interest in the companies.  Delgado himself inspected these companies and obtained BOC accreditation and CMS approval for the companies. Delgado then sold the companies to others, having made them valuable as Medicare-enrolled suppliers of durable medical equipment.  The estimated value of the fraudulently accredited DME companies that Delgado inspected was over $1.4 million.  

    Delgado entered his guilty plea during a hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ellen D’ Angelo, who will prepare a report and recommendation pursuant to a referral and instructions from U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore.      

    Delgado faces up to five years in prison. Any further proceedings will be set by the court.

    U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida; Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan P. Lynch of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.

    FBI Miami and HHS-OIG investigated the case. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Aimee C. Jimenez and Trial Attorney Jacqueline DerOvanesian of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling the asset forfeiture.

    You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20006.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — RCMP investigate disturbance on Main Street in Whitehorse

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On March 15, 2025 at approximately 4:45 p.m., Whitehorse RCMP responded to multiple reports of a disturbance between a large group of young adults and youths on Main Street in Whitehorse involving weapons.

    Whitehorse RCMP member responded immediately to the incident and learned that some of the individuals involved in the disturbance had left the area in a vehicle. The vehicle that left the area during the disturbance was later located by RCMP members. Responding officers spoke with witnesses and obtained statements, photographs and videos of the incident. Further video surveillance canvassing of local businesses in the area is on-going as part of the investigation.

    Whitehorse RCMP are aware that several videos and photographs of the incident are currently circulating on social media. Whitehorse RCMP urge anyone with information or anyone who witnessed the disturbance to come forward by contacting the Whitehorse RCMP at 867-667-5555, or should you wish to remain anonymous, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Phoenix Man Sentenced to Prison for Alien Smuggling Resulting in Death

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

    TUCSON, Ariz. – Steven Beltran-Lugo, 19, of Glendale, was sentenced on March 11, 2025, by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 38 months in prison for his role in transporting two illegal aliens in March 2024, one of whom suffered fatal injuries after jumping out of the vehicle while it was moving. Beltran-Lugo pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person and Resulting in Death on October 1, 2024.

    On March 6, 2024, Beltran-Lugo and his co-defendant, Cesar Velazquez-Munoz, picked up two illegal aliens near the border to transport them further into the United States. Beltran-Lugo was riding as a passenger in the front seat of the vehicle, and he was on the phone with a Phoenix-based smuggling coordinator throughout the event. When law enforcement began to follow the vehicle, the victim aliens were told to get out of the vehicle. One of the victims then jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving at about 45 miles per hour. The driver accelerated as the second victim exited the moving vehicle and hit the pavement, causing a brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding. The victim eventually succumbed to these injuries and passed away at the hospital two days later. Cesar Velazquez-Munoz is scheduled to be sentenced on March 31, 2025.

    The sentencing is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with DHS, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 300 U.S. convictions; more than 250 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

    Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-01674-TUC-AMM
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-035_Beltran-Lugo

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National Sentenced to Federal Prison

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

    RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Mexican man convicted of Illegal Reentry after Deportation. The sentencing took place on March 10, 2025.

    Jose Jimenez, a/k/a Jose Lidio Chavez Flores, 42, was sentenced to two months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Jimenez was also ordered to be removed from the United States.

    Jimenez was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Illegal Reentry after Deportation by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on February 11, 2025.

    On November 8, 2024, in Rapid City, South Dakota, law enforcement attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle Jimenez was driving. Instead of stopping, Jimenez led law enforcement on a pursuit. Once stopped, law enforcement located a semi-automatic rifle in a rear seat of the vehicle.  Jimenez is not a United States citizen, and he has been removed from the United States to Mexico on two previous occasions. Jimenez had not obtained consent to reenter the United States from the U.S. Attorney General or the U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

    This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: First-Degree Murder Suspect Arrested by U.S. Marshals

    Source: US Marshals Service

    Memphis, TN – Luck ran out today for Anntenika Brown as she was arrested for first-degree murder by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) in Memphis.

    On January 13, 2025, Jeffery Washington was shot to death at a residence in the 4200 block of Cottonwood in Memphis. The next day, an arrest warrant was issued charging Anntenika Brown, 45, with first-degree murder. The fugitive investigation was adopted by the USMS Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) in Memphis.

    Today, March 17, 2025, Investigators with the USMS TRVFTF tracked Brown to a residence in the 3300 block of McCorkle Road in Memphis. She initially made false statements about her identity; however, Deputy marshals and task force officers positively identified her as the wanted person, Anntenika Brown. She was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Shelby County Detention Center.

    The U.S. Marshals Service Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency task force within Western Tennessee. The TRVFTF has offices in Memphis and Jackson, and its membership is primarily composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, and Gibson County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis and Jackson Police Officers, Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agents and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Since 2021, the TRVFTF has captured over 3,000 violent offenders and sexual predators.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ASIC puts payday lenders on notice they may be breaching the law

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jeannie Marie Paterson, Professor of Law (consumer protections and credit law), The University of Melbourne

    Late last week, corporate watchdog the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) issued a warning to lenders that provide high-fee small-amount loans – known as payday lenders – that they may be breaching consumer-lending laws.

    Trying to provide effective protections to borrowers of these small loans is fiendishly difficult. People in financial hardship turn to payday loans, even though they are expensive. Lenders can charge high fees for such loans but may change products to avoid regulation.

    If access to payday loans dries up, borrowers in need are likely to turn to other products. And so the cycle begins again.

    The regulator’s report might be a prompt to government to think about other strategies.

    What is payday lending and why is it a concern?

    Payday lending is the name commonly given to loans of small amounts (under A$2,000) for short periods of time (16 days to one year) that promise quick credit checks and don’t require collateral.

    They are called payday loans because the original idea was borrowers would pay them back when they got their next pay cheque. But often that is not how it works, and borrowers struggle to repay.

    Payday lenders offer fast cash, but there are strings attached.

    ASIC said the total value of small and medium loans provided to consumers in 2023–24 was $1.3 billion. An earlier study by Consumer Action Law Centre found 4.7 million individual payday loans were written over three years to July 2019.

    Why do borrowers use (expensive) payday loans?

    Small, short-term loans like payday loans have been around for a long time – and in part, they respond to a reality that, for many people, their income is not sufficient to give them buffers.

    Payday loans can be used by borrowers who don’t have savings or credit cards to pay for one-off unexpected bills – a broken fridge, an emergency medical appointment or even utilities bills. But they can also be used to meet daily living expenses.

    There are limited other practical options – for some types of bills, there are hardship schemes, but these are not always well-known. For one-off expenses, there are low and no-interest loan schemes but they can be quite restrictive. Free financial counselling may also help, but knowledge and access can be an issue.

    Payday lenders have been moving customers into bigger loans that are harder to repay.
    Doucefleur/Shutterstock

    Why were new laws dealing with payday loans introduced?

    Payday lenders have typically charged very high fees. In 2013, concerns about the high cost of payday loans led to specific provisions to limit the fees that could be charged.

    Nonetheless, regulators and consumer advocates remain concerned these kinds of loans lock borrowers into debt spirals because they keep accumulating and that lenders manage to avoid many of the restrictions.

    Further reforms in 2022 introduced a presumption a loan is unsuitable if the borrower has already taken out two payday loans in the preceding 90 days. The reforms also prohibit payday lenders from offering loans where the repayments would exceed a prescribed proportion of a borrower’s income.

    What did ASIC say?

    ASIC said it found a trend of payday lenders moving borrowers who previously might have borrowed relatively small amounts ($700 to $2,000) to medium-sized loans ($2,000 to $5,000), which are not subject to the same consumer protections.

    The regulator said small loan credit contracts fell from 80% of loans in the December quarter of 2022 to less than 60% of loans by the August 2023 quarter.

    It said it was concerned by this approach and reminded lenders they were still subject to the reasonable lending regime. This effectively means not lending amounts that would be unsuitable for borrowers.

    Why are payday lenders moving consumers to larger loans?

    It’s a concern that lenders change products to avoid restrictive rules. But it is not altogether surprising.

    One response from increasing restrictions on one form of credit might be that lenders decide to focus on other, less restricted, products like medium-sized loans – this is what ASIC seems to have found.

    This is problematic if those larger loans are not meeting consumers’ needs and objectives (for instance, if they only needed a smaller amount), or complying with the loan would cause substantial hardship. It’s important to remind lenders that the responsible lending obligations apply to medium size loans, and for ASIC to take enforcement action where appropriate.

    What might be a better approach?

    The ASIC report highlights the increasing complexity of the National Consumer Credit Act regime – with the standard obligations complemented by specific and unique rules for a range of credit products. These include small amount credit, standard home loans, credit cards, reverse mortgages, and Buy Now Pay Later.

    It’s worth thinking about whether a better strategy might be to go back to a simpler approach, where one set of rules applied to all consumer credit products. Regulatory exceptions and qualifications are minimised.

    If access to payday loans becomes more restrictive, borrowers are likely to turn to other products. This means ASIC should also be looking at other products that are used to provide short-term small loans. These are likely to include buy now pay later schemes and pawn broking.

    Buy now pay later products are subject to their own regulations, including responsible lending obligations. But
    pawn brokers aren’t covered by the Consumer Credit laws and are subject to little regulatory scrutiny. This is also something that should change.

    We also need to consider whether there are financial inclusion options not dependent on lenders out to make a profit from borrowers struggling with the cost of living.

    Jeannie Marie Paterson receives funding from the Australian Research Council for a project on Treating Consumers Fairly.

    Nicola Howell receives funding from funding from the Australian Research Council for a project on Treating Consumers Fairly. She is affiliated with the Consumers’ Federation of Australia, as a member of the CFA Executive.

    – ref. ASIC puts payday lenders on notice they may be breaching the law – https://theconversation.com/asic-puts-payday-lenders-on-notice-they-may-be-breaching-the-law-252375

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why build nuclear power in place of old coal, when you could have pumped hydropower instead?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Weber, Research Officer for School of Engineering, Australian National University

    Phillip Wittke, Shutterstock

    Australia’s energy policy would take a sharp turn if the Coalition wins the upcoming federal election. A Dutton government would seek to build seven nuclear power plants at the sites of old coal-fired power stations.

    The Coalition says its plan makes smart use of the existing transmission network and other infrastructure. But solar and wind power would need to be curtailed to make room in the grid for nuclear energy. This means polluting coal and gas power stations would remain active for longer, releasing an extra 1 billion to 2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide.

    So is there another option? Yes: pumped hydro storage plants. This technology is quicker and cheaper to develop than nuclear power, and can store solar and wind rather than curtail it. It’s better suited to Australia’s electricity grid and would ultimately lead to fewer emissions. Drawing on our recent global analysis, we found the technology could be deployed near all but one of the seven sites the Coalition has earmarked for nuclear power.

    The Coalition is likely to spend anywhere from A$116 billion to $600 billion of taxpayers’ money to deliver up to 14 gigawatts of nuclear energy. Experts say the plan will not lower power prices and will take too long to build. Our findings suggest cheap storage of solar and wind, in the form of pumped hydro, is a better way forward.

    This way, we can continue to build renewable energy capacity while stabilising the grid. More than 45GW of solar and wind is already up and running, with a further 23GW being supported by the Capacity Investment Scheme until 2027. Only a handful of the pumped hydro sites we found would be needed to decarbonise the energy system, reaching the 1,046 gigawatt-hours of storage CSIRO estimates Australia needs.

    Building pumped hydro storage systems near old coal-fired power generators has some advantages, such as access to transmission lines – although more will be needed as electricity demand increases. But plenty of other suitable sites exist, too.

    Filling the gaps

    Pumped hydro is a cheap, mature technology that currently provides more than 90% of the world’s electrical energy storage.

    It involves pumping water uphill from one reservoir to another at a higher elevation for storage. Then, when power is needed, water is released to flow downhill through turbines, generating electricity on its way to the lower reservoir.

    Together with battery storage, pumped hydro solves the very real problem of keeping the grid stable and reliable when it is dominated by solar and wind power.

    By 2030, 82% of Australia’s electricity supply is expected to come from renewables, up from about 40% today.

    But solar panels only work during the day and don’t produce as much power when it’s cloudy. And wind turbines don’t generate power when it’s calm. That’s where storage systems come in. They can charge up when electricity is plentiful and then release electricity when it’s needed.

    Grid-connected batteries can fill short-term gaps (from seconds to a few hours). Pumped hydro can store electricity overnight, and longer still. These two technologies can be used together to supply electricity through winter, and other periods of calm or cloudy weather.

    Two types of pumped-storage hydropower, one doesn’t require dams on rivers.
    NREL

    Finding pumped hydro near the Coalitions’s proposed nuclear sites

    Australia has three operating pumped hydro systems: Tumut 3 in the Snowy Mountains, Wivenhoe in Queensland, and Shoalhaven in the Kangaroo Valley of New South Wales.

    Two more are under construction, including Snowy 2.0. Even after all the cost blowouts, Snowy 2.0 comes at a modest construction cost of A$34 per kilowatt-hour of energy storage, which is ten times cheaper than the cost CSIRO estimates for large, new batteries.

    We previously developed a “global atlas” to identify potential locations for pumped hydro facilities around the world.

    More recently, we created a publicly available tool to filter results based on construction cost, system size, distance from transmission lines or roads, and away from environmentally sensitive locations.

    In this new analysis, we used the tool to find pumped hydro options near the sites the Coalition has chosen for nuclear power plants.

    Mapping 300 potential pumped hydro sites

    The proposed nuclear sites are:

    • Liddell Power Station, New South Wales
    • Mount Piper Power Station, New South Wales
    • Loy Yang Power Stations, Victoria
    • Tarong Power Station, Queensland
    • Callide Power Station, Queensland
    • Northern Power Station, South Australia (small modular reactor only)
    • Muja Power Station, Western Australia (small modular reactor only).

    We used our tool to identify which of these seven sites would instead be suitable for a pumped hydro project, using the following criteria:

    • low construction cost (for a pumped hydro project)

    • located within 85km of the proposed nuclear sites.

    We included various reservoir types in our search:

    Exactly 300 sites matched our search criteria. No options emerged near the proposed nuclear site in Western Australia, but suitable sites lie further north in the mining region of the Pilbara.

    One option east of Melbourne, depicted in the image below, has a storage capacity of 500 gigawatt-hours. Compared with Snowy 2.0, this option has a much shorter tunnel, larger energy capacity, and larger height difference between the two reservoirs (increasing the potential energy stored in the water). And unlike Snowy 2.0, it is not located in a national park.

    Of course, shortlisted sites would require detailed assessment to confirm the local geology is suitable for pumped hydro, and to evaluate potential environmental and social impacts.

    More where that came from

    We restricted our search to sites near the Coalition’s proposed nuclear plants. But there are hundreds of potential pumped hydro sites along Australia’s east coast.

    Developers can use our free tool to identify the best sites.

    So far, the Australian electricity transition has mainly been driven by private investment in solar and wind power. With all this renewable energy entering the grid, there’s money to be made in storage, too.

    Large, centralised, baseload electricity generators, such as coal and nuclear plants, are becoming a thing of the past. A smarter energy policy would balance solar and wind with technologies such as pumped hydro, to secure a reliable electricity supply.

    Timothy Weber receives funding from the Australian government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australian Centre for Advanced Photovoltaics.

    Andrew Blakers receives funding from the Australian government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other organisations.

    – ref. Why build nuclear power in place of old coal, when you could have pumped hydropower instead? – https://theconversation.com/why-build-nuclear-power-in-place-of-old-coal-when-you-could-have-pumped-hydropower-instead-252017

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: I’m avoiding a hearing test because I don’t want chunky hearing aids. What are my options?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katie Ekberg, Senior Lecturer, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University

    Ksenia Shestakova/Shutterstock

    One in six Australians have hearing loss and, for most adults, hearing starts to decline from middle age onwards.

    Many of us, however, hesitate to seek help or testing for our hearing. Perhaps you’re afraid you’ll be told to wear hearing aids, and envision the large and bulky hearing aids you might have seen on your grandparents decades ago.

    In fact, hearing aids have changed a lot since then. They’re often now very small; some are barely noticeable. And hearing aids aren’t the only option available for people experiencing hearing loss.

    The earlier you do something about your hearing, the greater the likelihood that you can prevent further hearing decline.
    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    Why you shouldn’t ignore hearing loss

    Acquired hearing loss can have a serious impact on our life. It is associated with or can contribute to:

    • social isolation
    • loneliness
    • not being able to work as much, or at all
    • memory problems
    • trouble thinking clearly
    • conditions such as dementia.

    Hearing loss has also been associated with depression, anxiety and stress. A systematic review and meta-analysis found adults with hearing loss are 1.5 times more likely to experience depression than those without hearing loss.

    A large population study in the US found self-reported hearing loss was associated with:

    • higher levels of psychological distress
    • increased use of antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications, and
    • greater utilisation of mental health services.

    The good news is that doing something about your hearing loss can help you live a happier and longer life.

    So why don’t people get their hearing checked?

    Research has found adults with hearing loss typically wait ten years to seek help for their hearing.

    Less than a quarter of those who need hearing aids actually go ahead with them.

    Hearing declines slowly, so people may perceive their hearing difficulties aren’t concerning. They may feel they’re now used to not being able to hear properly, without fully appreciating the impact it’s having on their life.

    Some people harbour negative attitudes to hearing aids or don’t think they’ll actually help.

    Others may have overheard their partner, family or friends say negative things or make jokes about hearing aids, which can put people off getting their hearing checked.

    Stigma can play a big part.

    People often associate hearing loss with negative stereotypes such as ageing, weakness and “being different”.

    Our recent research found that around one in four people never tell anyone about their hearing loss because of experiences of stigma.

    Adults with hearing loss who experience stigma and choose not to disclose their hearing loss were also likely not to go ahead with hearing aids, we found.

    Modern hearing aids may be a lot smaller than you realise.
    Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock

    What are my options for helping my hearing?

    The first step in helping your hearing is to have a hearing check with a hearing care professional such as an an audiologist. You can also speak to your GP.

    If you’ve got hearing loss, hearing aids aren’t the only option.

    Others include:

    • other assistive listening devices (such as amplified phones, personal amplifiers and TV headphones)
    • doing a short course or program (such as the Active Communication Education program developed via University of Queensland researchers) aimed at giving you strategies to manage your hearing, for instance, in noisy environments
    • monitoring your hearing with regular checkups
    • strategies for protecting your hearing in future (such as wearing earplugs or earmuffs in loud environments, and not having headphone speakers too loud)
    • a cochlear implant (if hearing loss is severe)

    Hearing care professionals should take a holistic approach to hearing rehabilitation.

    That means coming up with individualised solutions based on your preferences and circumstances.

    What are modern hearing aids like?

    If you do need hearing aids, it’s worth knowing there are several different types. All modern hearing aids are extremely small and discrete.

    Some sit behind your ear, while others sit within your ear. Some look the same as air pods.

    Some are even completely invisible. These hearing aids are custom fitted to sit deep within your ear canal and contain no external tubes and wires.

    Some types of hearing aids are more expensive than others, but even the basic styles are discrete.

    In Australia, children and many adults are eligible for free or subsidised hearing services and many health funds offer hearing aid rebates as part of their extras cover.

    Despite being small, modern hearing aids have advanced technology including the ability to:

    • reduce background noise
    • direct microphones to where sound is coming from (directional microphones)
    • use Bluetooth so you can hear audio from your phone, TV and other devices directly in your hearing aids.

    When used with a smartphone, some hearing aids can even track your health, detect if you have fallen, and translate languages in real time.

    Modern hearing aids use Bluetooth so you can hear audio from your phone.
    Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock

    What should I do next?

    If you think you might be having hearing difficulties or are curious about the status of your hearing, then it’s a good idea to get a hearing check.

    The earlier you do something about your hearing, the greater the likelihood that you can prevent further hearing decline and reduce other health risks.

    And rest assured, there’s a suitable option for everyone.

    Katie Ekberg has previously received funding from the Hearing Industry Research Consortium, which funded research into stigma associated with hearing loss and hearing aids.

    Barbra Timmer is a part-time employee of Sonova AG, a global hearing care company. She was a Chief Investigator on a Hearing Industry Research Consortium grant that investigated the experiences of stigma for adults with hearing loss. She is the president of Audiology Australia.

    – ref. I’m avoiding a hearing test because I don’t want chunky hearing aids. What are my options? – https://theconversation.com/im-avoiding-a-hearing-test-because-i-dont-want-chunky-hearing-aids-what-are-my-options-250925

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Local newspapers are a lifeline in Ukraine, but USAID cuts may force many to close or become biased mouthpieces

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Galyna Piskorska, Associate Professor, Faculty of Journalism, Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University (Ukraine) and Honorary Principal Fellow at the Advanced Centre for Journalism, The University of Melbourne

    Three years into Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, Ukrainian journalists are facing enormously difficult challenges to continue their work.

    Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, 40% of Ukrainian media outlets have been forced to close down, mostly due to the Russian occupation or financial difficulties caused by the war. Many of these are in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine.

    Ukrainian journalists and media outlets have also become targets. More than 100 media workers have been killed since the full-scale war began.

    Some, like 28-year-old journalist Viktoriya Roshchyna, were captured by Russian forces and died in brutal conditions in captivity. More than 30 media workers are still in Russian captivity.

    Others were killed by Russian missile and drone attacks, like Tetiana Kulyk, who died alongside her husband, a surgeon, after her home was hit by a drone in late February.

    For those journalists that remain, fatigue is a major issue. Many are emotionally exhausted. Some cannot cope and leave their jobs. The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) helps with seminars and psychological support.

    Despite the dangers, local media remains in high demand near the front lines of the war. These outlets have lost so much – advertising, subscribers and staff – but their journalists still have the passion and determination to continue their work documenting history.

    The role of local media on the front lines

    According to researchers who interviewed 43 independent local media outlets last year, the key challenges for newsrooms have not changed since the start of the war:

    • a shortage of employees (22% of respondents said this was a challenge in 2023, compared to 16% in 2022);

    • psychological stress (18% in 2023, 16% in 2022)

    • lack of funds (16% in both years).

    Often, journalists must perform different roles in their work, including being a driver, mail carrier and even a psychotherapist.

    Without working telephones or internet in areas near the front lines, print newspapers remain the only source of trusted information for many people. This includes up-to-date information on evacuation plans and humanitarian aid, as well as content not related to the war, such as public transport schedules and how to access medicines and necessary items for home repairs.

    Tetiana Velika, editor in chief of the Voice of Huliaipillia in southeastern Ukraine, was one of about 120 journalists who took part in a recent online conference organised by the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine to discuss the state of Ukraine’s media.

    She said media have remained connected with readers through both openness and authenticity. This includes having active social media networks, publishing journalists’ mobile phone numbers and allowing people to reach out anytime.

    Vasyl Myroshnyk, the editor in chief of Zorya, a newspaper in eastern Ukraine, described how he travelled 400 kilometres each week to deliver copies of his newspaper to even the most dangerous places.

    Svitlana Ovcharenko, editor of the newspaper Vpered in the city of Bakhmut, which was destroyed by Russian forces in the opening weeks of the war, said the paper has remained a lifeline for a displaced population.

    We have a unique situation — we don’t have a city. It’s virtual, it’s only on the map, it doesn’t physically exist. Not only is it destroyed, but it’s also been bombed with phosphorus bombs, and no one lives there.

    Ovcharenko, who now lives in the city of Odesa, said her newspaper’s readers are scattered all over the world. (There are 6,000 printed copies distributed each week across Ukraine.) The coverage focuses on how former Bakhmut residents have restarted their lives elsewhere, while also paying homage to the city’s past.

    Independent media is now at stake

    Funding remains a formidable challenge. Advertising revenue has dried up for many outlets, leaving international donors as the primary journalism funding source.

    Now, the Trump administration in the United States is gutting much of this funding through its dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). According to one estimate, 80% of Ukrainian media outlets received funding through USAID. As Oksana Romaniuk, director of the Institute of Mass Information, said:

    The problem is that almost everyone had grants. The question is that for some, these grants amounted to 100% of their income and they could only survive thanks to grants. These grants amounted to 40–60% for some, less for others.

    According to media researchers, without donor aid or state budget support in 2025, newspapers and magazines may decrease by a further 20% in Ukraine, while subscription circulation could drop by 25–30%.

    The heavy reliance on such funding has already led to the closure of some outlets, while others have been forced to launch public fundraising campaigns.

    Donor funding has also given Ukrainian outlets a measure of independence, allowing them to report on corruption within the Ukrainian government, for example. Many independent outlets are now vulnerable to being taken over by commercial or political entities. When these groups gain control, they can influence media coverage to benefit their own interests. This is known as “media capture”.

    Research shows how this has occurred in other post-conflict and developing countries where independent media outlets have been transformed into business entities more focused on profits and maintaining good relations with authorities than on producing quality journalism.

    This is a critical time for the future of Ukrainian media, to ensure it remains financially self-sufficient and free from the influence of both Russian propaganda and Ukrainian oligarchs. Without this funding, the preservation of Ukraine’s independent media and democracy remain under dire threat.

    Galyna Piskorska 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. Local newspapers are a lifeline in Ukraine, but USAID cuts may force many to close or become biased mouthpieces – https://theconversation.com/local-newspapers-are-a-lifeline-in-ukraine-but-usaid-cuts-may-force-many-to-close-or-become-biased-mouthpieces-250917

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Scientific misconduct is on the rise. But what exactly is it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nham Tran, Associate Professor, School of Biomedical Engineering, University of Technology Sydney

    PowerUp/Shutterstock

    German anaesthesiologist Joachim Boldt has an unfortunate claim to fame. According to Retraction Watch, a public database of research retractions, he is the most retracted scientist of all time. To date, 220 of his roughly 400 published research papers have been retracted by academic journals.

    Boldt may be a world leader, but he has plenty of competition. In 2023, more than 10,000 research papers were retracted globally – more than any previous year on record. According to a recent investigation by Nature, a disproportionate number of retracted papers over the past ten years have been written by authors affiliated with several hospitals, universities and research institutes in Asia.

    Academic journals retract papers when they are concerned that the published data is faked, altered, or not “reproducible” (meaning it would yield the same results if analysed again).

    Some errors are honest mistakes. However, the majority of retractions are associated with scientific misconduct.

    But what exactly is scientific misconduct? And what can be done about it?

    From fabrication to plagiarism

    The National Health and Medical Research Council is Australia’s primary government agency for medical funding. It defines misconduct as breaches of the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.

    In Australia, there are broadly eight recognised types of breaches. Research misconduct is the most severe.

    These breaches may include failure to obtain ethics approval, plagiarism, data fabrication, falsification and misrepresentation.

    This is what was behind many of Boldt’s retractions. He made up data for a large number of studies, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the Klinikum Ludwigshafen, a teaching hospital in Germany, in 2010.

    In another case, China’s He Jiankui was sentenced to three years in prison in 2019 for creating the world’s first genetically edited babies using the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR. His crime was that he falsified documents to recruit couples for his research.

    The “publish or perish” culture within academia fuels scientific misconduct. It puts pressure on academics to meet publication quotas. It also rewards them for greater research output, in the form of promotions, funding and recognition. And this can mean research quality is sacrificed for quantity.

    Honest mistakes

    But not all research misconduct is premeditated. Some is the result of honest mistakes made by scientists.

    For example, Sergio Gonzalez, a young scientist at the Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier in France, mistakenly uploaded several wrong images to an academic paper and its supplementary material. This didn’t have any effect on the findings of the paper, which were based on the correct images.

    But it still represented a case of image duplication and misrepresentation of data. This lead to the journal retracting the paper and launching an investigation. The investigation concluded the breach was unintentional and resulted from the pressures of academic research.

    Fewer than 20% of all retractions are due to honest mistakes. Researchers usually contact the publisher to correct errors when they are detected, with no major consequences.

    The need for a national oversight body

    In many countries, an independent national body oversees research integrity.

    In the United Kingdom, this body is known as the Committee on Research Integrity. It is responsible for improving research integrity and addressing misconduct cases. Similarly, in the United States, the Office of Research Integrity handles allegations of research misconduct.

    In contrast, Australia lacks an independent body directly tasked with investigating research misconduct. There is a body known as the Australian Research Integrity Committee. But it only reviews the institutional procedures and governance of investigations to ensure they are conducted fairly and transparently – and with limited effectiveness. For example, last year it received 13 complaints, only five of which were investigated.

    Instead Australia relies on a self-regulation model. This means each university and research institute aligns its own policy with the Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research. Although this code originated in medical research, its principles apply across all disciplines.

    For example, in archaeology, falsifying an image or deliberately reporting inaccurate carbon dating results constitutes data fabrication. Another common breach is plagiarism, which can also be applied to all fields.

    But self-governance on integrity matters is fraught with problems.

    Investigations often lack transparency and are carried out internally, creating a conflict of interest. Often the investigative teams are under immense pressure to safeguard their institution’s reputation rather than uphold accountability.

    A 2023 report by the Australia Institute called for the urgent establishment of an independent, government-funded research integrity watchdog.

    The report recommended the watchdog have direct investigatory powers and that academic institutions be bound by its findings.

    The report also recommended the watchdog should release its findings publicly, create whistleblower protections, establish a proper appeals process and allow people to directly raise complaints with it.

    Research credibility is on the line

    The consequences of inadequate oversight are already evident.

    One of the biggest research integrity scandals in Australian history involved Ali Nazari, an engineer from Swinburne University. In 2022 an anonymous whistleblower alleged Nazari was part of an international research fraud cartel involving multiple teams.

    Investigations cast doubt on the validity of the 287 papers Nazari and the other researchers had collectively published. The investigations uncovered numerous violations, including 71 instances of falsified results, plagiarism and duplication, and 208 instances of self-plagiarism.

    Similarly, Mark Smyth, formerly of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research, fabricated research data to support grant applications and clinical trials. An independent inquiry concluded he used his reputation, status and authority to bully and intimidate junior colleagues.

    If Australia had a independent research integrity body, there would be a clear governance structure and an established and transparent pathway for reporting breaches at a much earlier stage.

    Timely intervention would help reduce further breaches through swift investigation and corrective action. Importantly, consistent governance across Australian institutions would help ensure fairness. It would also reduce bias and uphold the same standards across all misconduct cases.

    The call for an independent research integrity watchdog is long overdue.

    Only through impartial oversight can we uphold the values of scientific excellence, protect public trust, and foster a culture of accountability that strengthens the integrity of research for all Australians.

    Nham Tran has received funding from Australian Research Council.

    – ref. Scientific misconduct is on the rise. But what exactly is it? – https://theconversation.com/scientific-misconduct-is-on-the-rise-but-what-exactly-is-it-247352

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New direction ensures affordable, stable electricity rates

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    In response to the economic and trade uncertainty faced by people and businesses across British Columbia , the Province is taking action to provide stability in BC Hydro’s electricity rates during these unpredictable times, while keeping rate increases below cumulative inflation.

    “We must take urgent action to protect British Columbians from the uncertainty posed by rising costs while building a strong, robust and resilient electricity system for the benefit of B.C.’s long-term energy independence,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions. “That is why we are submitting a rate stability direction to the B.C. Utilities Commission to set BC Hydro’s rate increases for the next two years. This move guarantees certainty and reaffirms our commitment to keeping electricity rates well below the North American average and cumulative inflation, while growing our clean-energy advantage.”

    BC Hydro has among the lowest electricity rates in North America. The rate stability direction to the B.C. Utilities Commission (BCUC) will help maintain that advantage by setting BC Hydro’s annual average rate increase at 3.75% for the next two years. For the average residential household, which currently pays approximately $100 a month, this equates to an additional $3.75 per month.

    BC Hydro rate changes are staying below cumulative inflation, keeping electricity costs near the lowest in North America and about half what Albertans pay. These rate changes ensure BC Hydro can continue to build the critical local and provincial renewable energy infrastructure and supply needed to bolster B.C.’s economy, while maintaining rate increases below cumulative inflation for seven consecutive years. BC Hydro’s cumulative rate increases between 2017-18 and 2026-27 will be 12.4% below cumulative inflation.

    “The rate stability direction from the Province will provide customers and growing industries with the certainty they need during these times, while ensuring our rates remain affordable,” said Chris O’Riley, president and CEO, BC Hydro. “The rate adjustment will go toward supporting critical investments in our system that will ensure we maintain our status as a leader in renewable energy, encouraging overall economic growth and job creation.”

    The rate adjustments for the upcoming two years reflect rising operating costs due to inflation, the needed Site C hydroelectric project coming into service, and the critical work required to significantly invest in B.C.’s energy supply and infrastructure to bolster B.C.’s economy and energy security.

    BC Hydro is taking a number of actions to meet the growing demand from population growth and housing construction, business and industrial development, and transportation. These actions will power more than one million new homes. This includes:

    • adding the Site C hydroelectric project, which will power 500,000 homes and boost supply by 8%;
    • adding 10 new renewable energy projects through the 2024 call for power, which will power 500,000 homes and increase supply by a further 8%; and
    • investing in energy efficiency, which is expected to result in 2,000 gigawatt hours per year of electricity savings or enough to power 200,000 homes.

    BC Hydro is also investing $36 billion through its 10-year capital plan to expand and strengthen community and regional electrical infrastructure, and to ensure power can be delivered to new homes, businesses and industries. These investments will create economic opportunities throughout the province, including approximately 10,000 jobs for skilled workers, and generate economic growth for First Nations and communities in B.C.

    In addition to the rate stability direction, government is providing support to people in British Columbia who are vulnerable or in crisis, a top priority during uncertain times. A key resource for supporting customers is BC Hydro’s Customer Crisis Fund, which offers grants for those in temporary financial crisis. Government has taken action to ensure an additional $1.9 million will be added to the fund, which is expected to help approximately 4,700 households between now and April 2026.

    For customers not eligible for the Customer Crisis Fund, BC Hydro offers equal payment plans that spread out the cost of winter bills, and flexible payment plans. Low-income conservation programs also offer income-qualified customers the opportunity to save energy and money. These programs have delivered approximately $6 million in annual electricity cost savings to customers over the past four fiscal years. BC Hydro has also expanded its rate options for residential customers, offering more billing choices and new opportunities to save money, including optional time-of-day pricing and an optional flat rate, which will be introduced on April 1, 2025.

    BC Hydro has filed the two-year rate adjustment publicly with the BCUC, along with supporting information. The rate increases will take effect April 1, 2025, and April 1, 2026.

    Through the rate stability direction and other actions, the  B.C. government is working to bring down costs for families, strengthen health care, make communities safer, help people find a home they can afford in a community they love, and grow a stronger economy that works for everyone.

    Quick Facts:

    • BC Hydro’s residential, commercial and industrial rates are the third lowest in North America (among 22 utilities surveyed in Hydro Quebec’s 2024 Rates Comparison Report).
    • Adjusting for inflation, electricity in B.C. costs the same today as it did more than 40 years ago.

    Learn More:

    For more information about BC Hydro’s electricity rates, visit: http://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BCHydroRates.pdf

    To access a multi-language page that helps British Columbians find out about tax benefits and credits, how to file, how to get free support with filing, and how to register for direct deposit to get their refund and benefits sooner, visit: gov.bc.ca/TaxBenefits

    To learn about other programs that are available to help with everyday costs, including a multi-language benefits connector to help find programs people may be eligible for, visit: gov.bc.ca/BCBenefitsConnector

    A backgrounder follows.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: AI at work: Reasoning models and the future of business

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: AI at work: Reasoning models and the future of business

    We are now living in a new reality—one in which AI can think and reason like humans, solving complex problems that have stumped even the most capable experts. This reality emerged just a few months ago, when OpenAI released the first of its AI “reasoning” models, which can understand and solve problems by making logical inferences and adapting to new information. More recently, DeepSeek made waves with a reasoning model that was developed more quickly and cheaply than we thought possible, and Anthropic released a hybrid reasoning model that can handle both immediate responses and those that require deeper consideration.  

    Let’s decode what happens when AI “reasons,” and what this remarkable new capability will mean for your business. 

    Understanding the breakthrough—and why it matters 
    Most current AI models rely heavily on pattern recognition to answer questions almost instantly, but reasoning AI takes a more deliberate approach. It engages in logical, multi-step analysis—a process called chain-of-thought reasoning—to break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable chunks. That lets the AI explore different paths and backtrack or pivot when it’s wrong, similar to how humans solve problems.  

    Until recently, the go-to method for improving AI model performance was feeding it increasingly massive data sets during the training stage. Reasoning models leverage a different strategy called test-time compute, which involves using more processing power and time during the actual problem-solving stage. This means the AI takes more time and uses more resources to think deeply and provide more complete, accurate answers. 

    Reasoning AI isn’t perfect: humans still have a premium on common sense, and AI struggles with tasks that require understanding context beyond logical reasoning, such as interpreting nuanced language. Still, reasoning capabilities make AI extraordinarily powerful, able to solve problems that stymie other systems. 

    Here’s one example of that power in action: Ethan Mollick, professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, wondered if OpenAI’s o1 reasoning model could spot a recently unearthed math error in a research paper that briefly sparked a panic about the safety of black plastic cooking utensils. He asked it to “carefully check the math in this paper,” and it quickly pinpointed the mistake.   

    As Mollick wrote, “When models are capable enough to not just process an entire academic paper, but to understand the context in which ‘checking math’ makes sense, and then actually check the results successfully, that radically changes what AIs can do.” 

    Reasoning models are racking up astonishing results on intelligence benchmarks, as Mollick points out. The GPQA Diamond benchmark tests high-level science knowledge that isn’t available online, and OpenAI o3 beat human experts with a score of 87.7%. In FrontierMath, a set of incredibly tough math problems, o3 scored 25.2%, a major improvement over previous models. And on ARC-AGI, a test designed to be doable for humans but hard for AIs, o3 scored 87.5%, besting both previous AIs and the baseline human level. 

    All this isn’t to say that AI is going to take the place of human expertise and judgment. But reasoning as a scalable, always-on resource represents a powerful new paradigm. This is a watershed moment—one that every leader and organization will need to come to terms with. 

    Decoding reasoning’s potential impact on business 
    Reasoning AI offers huge promise for business, across industries. Think of its potential for research and development. AI can now propose hypotheses and simulate outcomes on its own—thinking that’s well beyond the capabilities of standard prompt-and-response models. That advancement could cut years off traditional R&D cycles and bring breakthroughs in fields from renewable energy to pharmaceuticals. 

    More broadly, reasoning AI will upend many of our assumptions about work. Leaders should keep two things in mind: First, these models can perform cognitive labor that is equivalent to or better than humans. In other words, they can perceive, understand, reason, and execute—sometimes even create—at levels that approach or surpass human abilities. For every task your team needs to tackle, ask yourself, “Can AI do this job?” If the situation doesn’t call for uniquely human skills like judgment, nuance, originality, or emotional intelligence, the answer is now yes. We need to imagine a new division of labor for humans and AI—and new approaches to managing that labor. 

    Second, reasoning models change the economics of work. Historically, “acquiring” reasoning meant hiring humans, but that’s no longer exclusively the case. You can now rent or purchase cognitive labor on a consumption basis, similar to acquiring any other input for your business, from electricity to equipment. And that’s a very big deal. With efficient and affordable reasoning capabilities, your organization and industry will radically change. I expect that disruption to come from AI-native firms rather than incumbent companies. AI natives will have a competitive edge simply because they’ve been weaving AI into every process from the start.  

    It’s still early days for AI reasoning—and these are my initial thoughts. I’m certain that reasoning will crack open possibilities—and opportunities for business—that I haven’t even begun to imagine.  

    For more insights on AI and the future of work, subscribe to this newsletter.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Cutting digital curbs: How Azure AI Foundry is building a more accessible world

    Source: Microsoft

    Headline: Cutting digital curbs: How Azure AI Foundry is building a more accessible world

    As we celebrate innovation in accessibility at Microsoft’s Ability Summit 2025, we invite you to explore how Azure AI can enhance accessibility in your products and services. The future isn’t just about removing barriers—it’s about building a world where everyone moves forward together.

    When my wife and I had our first child, I started seeing the world differently. Pushing a stroller through our neighborhood, I quickly realized how much I had taken for granted—sidewalks that suddenly ended, intersections without curb cuts, pathways that were technically walkable but not built for wheels.

    It wasn’t just a minor inconvenience. It made me think about my elderly grandmother, who relied on a walker. And my parents, who are active now but won’t always move as easily as they do today. Mobility and accessibility are deeply connected, and for the first time, I saw how infrastructure shapes our daily experiences—whether we notice it or not.

    But physical mobility is only part of the equation. In the digital world, there are just as many curbs that need cutting. Websites that don’t work with screen readers. Captions that lag behind real-time speech. AI models that fail to understand diverse voices. These barriers may be invisible to many, but they create real limitations for millions of people.

    And just like curb cuts in sidewalks, digital accessibility doesn’t just benefit one group—it makes technology better for everyone. That’s where Azure AI Foundry, Azure OpenAI Service, and the latest innovations in multimodal AI and Responsible AI (RAI) come in—helping organizations cut digital curbs and build a world that works for all.

    As we recognize the impact of accessibility innovation at Microsoft’s Ability Summit 2025, we encourage you to explore how AI can drive greater inclusion in your products and services. 

    The goal isn’t just to eliminate obstacles—it’s to design a world where everyone moves forward together. Here are some of my favorite real-world examples.

    Build with Azure AI Foundry today

    Real-world impact: How Azure AI is cutting digital curbs

    The curb cuts of digital accessibility didn’t start with generative AI—Microsoft has been building inclusive technologies for decades. From early screen readers to speech-to-text innovations, AI has long played a pivotal role in expanding access. But now, we’re going even bigger. 

    Bridging the mental health gap with AI-powered conversations 

    Technology: Azure AI

    Mental health support is a growing necessity worldwide, but in Kenya, where there are only about 100 psychiatrists for a population of 50 million, access to professional care is extremely limited. Financial and cultural barriers often keep people from seeking the help they need.

    Kenya Red Cross saw an opportunity to bridge this gap using Azure AI-powered chatbots. In partnership with Pathways Technologies, they developed Chat Care, an AI-based mental health assistant that provides guidance, emotional support, and referrals—all in English and Swahili.

    This isn’t just a chatbot; it’s a lifeline for people who may otherwise suffer in silence. Chat Care allows users to start conversations about their mental health in a low-pressure, anonymous way, reducing stigma and offering resources that are accessible 24/7. It can suggest breathing exercises, gratitude practices, and in-person services, all tailored to the user’s responses.

    And for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or unable to speak on the phone, Chat Care offers text-based support, ensuring mental health services are available to everyone, regardless of ability or circumstance.

    Improving AI speech recognition for non-standard speech

    Technology: Azure AI Speech x UIUC Partnership

    Voice recognition technology often struggles to understand people with non-standard speech patterns, making it harder for individuals with conditions like cerebral palsy or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to interact with AI-powered experiences.

    To solve this, Microsoft partnered with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and fellow tech leaders to build the Speech Accessibility Project—a research initiative to train AI models that recognize diverse speech patterns.

    By integrating this breakthrough into Azure AI Speech, Microsoft is ensuring that AI-powered voice technology works for everyone, making digital experiences more inclusive across industries.

    Making AI more accessible from the ground up

    Technology: Azure AI Foundry

    With Azure AI Foundry, Microsoft has embedded accessibility into the AI development lifecycle itself. By partnering with EY, the Azure AI Foundry now empowers neurodivergent customers, and features improved usability, reducing cognitive overload and improving navigation for all people.

    In 2024, Azure AI Foundry reached a milestone for usability, reflecting feedback from people with disabilities that helped improve the platform. The updates included:

    • Grouping notifications and deployment errors to reduce cognitive overload.
    • Ensuring screen readers provide structured, easy-to-follow AI workflows.
    • Enhancing keyboard navigation for people who rely on shortcuts over mouse input.

    This is a prime example of why accessibility is about building better, more intuitive technology for everyone.

    Making accessible AI work for agents

    Technology: Computer-Using Agent (CUA)

    Microsoft’s Computer-Using Agent (CUA) in Azure AI Foundry enables AI-powered automation of digital interactions, making software more accessible for people with limited mobility or dexterity. By allowing CUA to navigate interfaces, complete multi-step tasks, and execute actions through natural language commands, it reduces reliance on traditional keyboard and mouse inputs.

    This breakthrough enhances digital accessibility, empowering people who use any kind of assistive technology. As CUA dynamically interprets UI elements, it makes it easier to navigate applications and workflows.

    Hope, action, and moving forward together with Azure AI

    There are days when it feels like progress is slow. That accessibility, whether physical or digital, takes too long to improve. But then I think about something as simple as the sidewalks at my cross streets.

    Not that long ago, they were completely inaccessible. But after making a call, filing a report, and pushing the issue, those sidewalks finally got curb cuts just in time for the birth of our second child. It was a small fix in the grand scheme of things, but it made a real difference.

    The truth is, sometimes it just takes someone noticing the problem and taking action. But I also know I say that from a place of privilege—I had the time, the resources, and the ability to advocate for that change. Many people don’t. That’s why it’s so important that we build accessibility into our systems from the start—so that no one has to fight for the basics.

    With Azure AI Foundry, organizations can now scale accessibility faster than ever, making the digital world more navigable, usable, and welcoming to all. The curb cuts are being built—and the future of accessibility is wide open.

    Join us at Ability Summit 2025

    As we celebrate innovation at Microsoft’s Ability Summit 2025, we invite you to explore how AI can enhance accessibility in your products and services.

    The future isn’t just about removing barriers—it’s about building a world where everyone moves forward together. 

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hopedale — Hopedale RCMP Constable experiences unique opportunity to mush a dog sled team

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    What other career would open up an experience like this!?! Hopedale RCMP Constable (Cst) Krista Reid was recently afforded the unique opportunity of mushing a local dog sled team in Hopedale.

    While out enjoying her time off on her snowmobile, Cst. Reid happened upon a local dog sled team. Amazed by what she was seeing, Cst. Reid approached the owner and asked if she could give it a try. Without hesitation, the owner proudly obliged and handed over the reins. Cst. Reid jumped on the komatik and away they went!

    A career with the RCMP is only limited to the employee’s imagination. Rural policing, especially in some of our Labrador communities, offers such great cultural experiences that create memories to last a lifetime.

    Cst. Reid surely won’t forget this incredible experience!

    We’re Hiring!!!

    To find out more on a career with the RCMP, please click here: https://www.rcmpcareers.ca

    Video

      Text description

      A dog sled team is seen travelling across a snow and ice covered landscape.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shiprock Duo Sentenced for Violent Carjacking and High-Speed Chase

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – Two individuals from Shiprock have been sentenced for their roles in a violent carjacking and high-speed police chase that occurred on the Navajo Nation in 2022.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on the afternoon of May 9, 2022, Jane Doe was driving on the Navajo Nation in the area of Nenahnezad, NM. As Jane Doe approached the area, Lindsey Yazzie, 42, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, threw a large rock at her windshield, forcing her to stop. Brandon Barber, 39, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, then attacked the vehicle with a machete and hatchet, shattering windows. Yazzie attempted to pull Jane Doe out of the vehicle by her hair, and Barber then held the sharp edge of a machete against the back of Doe’s head.  Barber then tried to strike Jane Doe with a hatchet.

    After forcibly removing Jane Doe from her Jeep, Yazzie and Barber fled the scene in the stolen vehicle, nearly hitting Doe as they drove away. They led Navajo Nation police on a high-speed chase before abandoning the vehicle. Yazzie was found hiding nearby, while Barber was apprehended later.

    Yazzie was sentenced to 46 months in prison and Barber was sentenced to 90 months in prison.   Upon their release, both Barber and Yazzie will be subject to three years of supervised release.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Robert James Booth II is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Michigan Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Davonta D. Brogdon, 32, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 150 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine as a part of a larger drug trafficking operation in Harrison County.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Brogdon, also known as “Zone” and “Tay,” was one of the main conspirators, transporting large quantities of controlled substances from Detroit to Clarksburg, West Virginia. During one of Brogdon’s trips, a traffic stop recovered 443 grams of methamphetamine and more than 50 grams of fentanyl. Brogdon also recruited others to assist in the operation.

    Brogdon will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Christie Utt prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office investigated.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: John A. Sarcone III’s Remarks Upon his Swearing-In as United States Attorney

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III made these remarks today upon his swearing-in at the James T. Foley U.S. Courthouse:

    Thank you, Chief Judge Sannes. Thank you to the Judges of the Northern District of New York, to Clerk of the Court John Domurad, and to First Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Hanlon, who has ably assisted me with the onboarding process.

    I would like to first thank my family for the support and love throughout my life and career, My Wife Cecilia and Children who could not join us today, John Anthony (a Junior at Penn State) and Francesca (a freshman at the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina) and Juliet, a sophomore at Croton Harmon High School who is missing school to be here.

    Also present are my Mom Deann, my sister Jennifer Genes, Aunt Jane Fiorito and cousins Bill and Janet Tuttle, Cousin Bruce Fiorito and his wife Lorraine, thank you for your steadfast support.

    To my brothers Michael and Raymond and their families who could not join us today and extended Sarcone, Fiorito and Hickey families and my wife Cecilia’s family, thank you for your love and support.

    Thanks, and a big shout out to my close confidante and friend Ola Hawatmeh.

    My dear friends Father Douglas Crawford and Rabbi Abraham Klein. Thank you for joining me today.

    Thank you, Governor George Pataki, for all your support throughout the years.

    I would like to recognize Senate Leader Rob Ortt, Senator Bill Weber, Assembly Leader Will Barclay, Assemblyman Robert Smullen, my dear friends Chairman Douglas Colety and Chairman Don Minichino, who took time out of their busy schedules to join me today.

    Thank you, Ambassador Elise Stefanik, for your support of my appointment.

    Also joining me are my Dear friend, mentor and former law partner, NYS Appellate Division 2nd Department Justice Mark Dillon and his wife Michelle, my longtime friend and colleague Maury Heller, Al Buonamici, and mentor in everything election law John Ciampoli.

    Thanks to some very special friends who believed in me and fought with me in the political trenches for the past 10 years, Former Congressman John Sweeney, White House Counsel David Warrington, First Deputy White House Counsel Gineen Bresso, Deputy White House Counsel Stuart McCommas.

    And to all friends and colleagues who traveled to Albany today to witness my swearing-in on this most sacred and blessed day, THANK YOU.

    Incidentally, the family bible that I swore my oath on was passed down from my great grandmother Jennie Curtis Hickey to my grandmother Dorothy “Dot” Hickey Fiorito and to my mom Deann Sarcone. I chose today to be sworn in to honor my late grandmother Dot! I was also spiritually moved when my brother Raymond pointed out the date Attorney General Bondi signed the Order appointing me to this most prestigious position, February 28. That day would have been my father’s 87th birthday, whom we lost 35 years ago.

    During the first Trump Administration, I had the privilege and honor of serving as the 14th Regional Administrator for the United States General Services Administration, Northeast Caribbean Region. My jurisdiction included the Northern District of New York and this historic courthouse.

    These federal courthouses mean something – they project the majesty and authority of our government. Everyone knows that important work is going on inside.

    I am honored to be welcomed again into this building, this time as U.S. Attorney, to lead the men and women of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, who are doing the important work of representing the United States in enforcing its laws both civil and criminal.

    Since I was appointed U.S. Attorney two weeks ago, here are just some of the great results this office has achieved:

    • A Nigerian citizen, who has been illegally present in this country for decades and living under stolen identities, pled guilty to bank fraud and money laundering conspiracies that caused $1.7 million in losses;
    • A North Country woman pled guilty to her role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that left a Romanian family of four dead in the St. Lawrence River; and
    • A former music teacher was convicted after trial of transporting students across state lines, and raping and sexually abusing them.

    These cases are each the result of close collaboration between AUSAs and our law enforcement partners. My goal is to continue this great work, and to implement the mandate by President Trump and task of Attorney General Pam Bondi to restore public confidence in our justice system. I am humbled and honored that President Trump and Attorney General Bondi have placed their faith and trust in me to carry forth that mandate as the chief federal law enforcement officer in this district.

    Which leads me to this subject – what makes a good prosecutor? It’s not what college or law school you went to, or whether you have been a career prosecutor, as recent events show. What matters is judgment.

    A good prosecutor has wisdom, common sense, a strong moral and ethical compass, a sense of fairness and empathy, coupled with legal skills and acumen honed over time and from a diversity of representations and matters. As recent events have also shown, there’s just no substitute for common sense. For instance, we recently witnessed the heads of Ivy League institutions equivocate on whether calling for the genocide of Jews by a minority of its students and others violates their own rules.

    I believe the prosecutorial power, and discretion, is best entrusted to those with the full breath of professional and life experiences, from which common sense, wisdom and informed judgment emerge. With these values in mind, I look forward to working together with everyone at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with our dedicated Federal, State and Local law enforcement agencies, in pursuit of honest, transparent, non-political enforcement of federal laws and to restore public confidence in our federal government and our Justice Department.

    As United States Attorney leading this office, I will prioritize our resources to keep our northern border secure; to work with federal, state and local authorities to maintain safe communities; root out public corruption; protect our seniors from being victimized by endless scams and consumer fraud; to end lawlessness and willful disregard for Federal laws; keep our kids safe from illegal drugs; and combat human trafficking.

    I pledge to dedicate steadfast resources to root out hate crimes of all kinds and will not tolerate violations of college students’ rights to be free from harassment or threats because of their religious beliefs and I give fair warning to university leaders that our reach will not stop at prosecuting those who choose to violate our laws but also those who knowingly support any violations in any way, shape or form.

    In conclusion, I am honored and humbled to be standing here before you, my family, friends, colleagues, distinguished guests and our amazing Judges of the Northern District of New York. Thank you all for honoring me with your presence.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Slingerlands Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Victim Reported Abuse After Attending Elementary School Presentation on Inappropriate Touching

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Daniel Fuino, age 75, of Slingerlands, New York, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child who was 6 years old during the abuse.  United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

    Last year, Fuino pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and admitted that between the summer of 2022 and April 2023, he babysat a female child born in 2016 and used the child to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.  According to statements previously made in court, the victim reported the abuse in May 2023 after attending an elementary school presentation on inappropriate touching and sexual contact.  During the execution of a federal search warrant at Fuino’s residence in Slingerlands shortly after the child’s report, Fuino admitted having touched the victim’s genitals.  Fuino has been incarcerated in pretrial detention since that time.

    Today, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Fuino to 15 years’ incarceration, followed by 15 years of supervised release.  Judge D’Agostino also ordered Fuino to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $36,962.25 and imposed special assessments totaling $5,100.  Fuino will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison. 

    The FBI investigated this case, with assistance from the New York State Police and the Colonie Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

    Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorney’s offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Convicted Felon was Recruited over Social Media to Smuggle Aliens, will now Spend More than 2 Years in Federal Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – Alexzander JM Bisbee, 20, of Bryan, was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 27 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy.

    According to court documents, on July 3, 2024, a U.S. Border Patrol agent initiated a lawful immigration stop of an SUV traveling south on U.S. Route 377. The driver, Mark Anthony Sanchez, Jr., 22, accompanied by Bisbee, stopped the vehicle to let three undocumented noncitizens exit and run into the brush. As the agent approached the vehicle, Sanchez quickly accelerated and fled from the immigration stop. The agent returned to his vehicle and gave pursuit before ultimately terminating the pursuit for safety reasons.

    Sanchez and Bisbee were later pulled over by the Sonora Police Department for speeding and ordered to exit the vehicle. A lawful search of the vehicle uncovered two 9mm semiautomatic pistols, including an AR-15–style pistol. Agents canvassed the area where the passengers were observed fleeing and apprehended two of the undocumented noncitizens that were being transported by Sanchez and Bisbee.

    Bisbee admitted that an unindicted coconspirator contacted him on Instagram and offered to pay him to transport undocumented noncitizens and that he would be paid $2,000 per person. Bisbee was a convicted felon at the time of the offense, having previously been convicted of burglary of a building.

    Bisbee pleaded guilty Nov. 20, 2024. Sanchez pleaded guilty to the same charge Dec. 18. His sentence hearing is scheduled for May 13.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    USBP investigated the case with support from the Sutton County Sheriff’s Office and Sonora Police Department.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jayvee Rhoda and Joshua Banister prosecuted the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –