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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: ADM Recalls Select Pelleted Cattle Nutrition Feed Products

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    March 05, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    March 05, 2025
    Product Type:
    Animal & VeterinaryFood & BeveragesLivestock Feed
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Elevated levels or deficient levels of nutrients which may be harmful to cattle

    Company Name:
    ADM Animal Nutrition
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    ADM Animal Nutrition

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Cattle Feed

    Company Announcement
    Specific lots may contain elevated or deficient levels of nutrients which may be harmful to cattle
    CHICAGO, March 5, 2025 – ADM Animal Nutrition, a division of ADM (NYSE: ADM), is recalling specific pelleted animal feed products because they may contain elevated levels of copper or have levels of zinc below the represented amounts which could be harmful to cattle.
    Possible impacts of chronic copper toxicity include: gastroenteritis characterized by anorexia, signs of abdominal pain, depression, lethargy, diarrhea, and dehydration. Possible impacts of zinc deficiency include: decreases in feed intake, feed efficiency, and growth.
    No illnesses or deficiency impacts have been reported to date.
    There are 33 lot numbers involved in this recall. The pelleted products were distributed between January 16, 2025 and February 27, 2025, and could have been purchased in Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Iowa, Georgia, and Ohio. All of the products listed, except for GROFAST32, have elevated levels of copper. GROFAST32 has levels of zinc below the represented amounts.
    ADM discovered this issue during routine production. The company immediately began investigating and initiated the recall upon receiving confirmation that the pelleted feed had varying levels of copper and zinc that can impact animals. ADM is in the process of notifying customers and distributors involved in this recall, and all affected products are currently being removed from retail shelves.
    The lot number of ADM products can be found at the bottom of the label. Click here to view an image of the label. Customers who have purchased the recalled pelleted feed should immediately stop using it and return it to their distributor or directly to ADM for a full replacement or refund. Please direct any customer inquiries to 800-217-2007 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central time Monday through Friday.
    Below is the list of products included in this recall.
    Link to Product List
    About ADMADM unlocks the power of nature to enrich the quality of life. We’re an essential global agricultural supply chain manager and processor, providing food security by connecting local needs with global capabilities. We’re a premier human and animal nutrition provider, offering one of the industry’s broadest portfolios of ingredients and solutions from nature. We’re a trailblazer in health and well-being, with an industry-leading range of products for consumers looking for new ways to live healthier lives. We’re a cutting-edge innovator, guiding the way to a future of new bio-based consumer and industrial solutions. And we’re leading in business-driven sustainability efforts that support a strong agricultural sector, resilient supply chains, and a vast and growing bioeconomy. Around the globe, our expertise and innovation are meeting critical needs from harvest to home. Learn more at www.adm.com.
    ADM Media RelationsJackie Andersonmedia@adm.com312-634-8484

    Company Contact Information

    Consumers:
    800-217-2007

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    03/05/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jamestown man pleads guilty to drug and gun charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Richard Pearson, 47, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that on June 25, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at a Newland Avenue residence in Jamestown, seizing cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, suboxone strips, $200 in cash, a digital scale, and a firearm. Pearson was present during the search. He was previously convicted of felony charges in 2018 and 2009 in Chautauqua County Court, and in 2006 in Federal Court. As a result, Pearson is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.

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

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, New York Field Division.

    Sentencing is scheduled for July 11, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Buffalo business owner sentenced for Medicaid fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Arkan Fadhel, 30, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud,  was sentenced to serve three years supervised release to include 12 months home incarceration by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. In addition, Fadhel was also ordered to perform 400 hours of community service. Fadhel will also forfeit $781,186.80 and pay restitution totaling $250,000.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Franz M. Wright and Mary Clare Kane, who handled the case, stated that Fadhel is the owner of Queen City Transportation, Inc., which has been providing non-emergency Medicaid transportation rides since August 2018. Fadhel and several dozen other individuals drove Queen City beneficiaries to appointments, primarily at methadone clinics. Prior to operating Queen City, Fadhel was a driver for Great Lakes Transportation, another non-emergency Medicaid transportation company. Between August 6, 2018, and December 31, 2020, Fadhel submitted false and fraudulent attestation records to Medical Answering Service, a non-emergency Medicaid transportation management company. The attestation records included claims that rides were provided but never actually took place as well as billing group rides as if the rides had been separate, individual rides. The total loss amount to Medicaid was greater than $250,000.

    The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Western New York Health Care Fraud Task Force, which includes Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz.     

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Wilmington Announces 2024 Fourth Quarter Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wilmington Capital Management Inc. (TSX: WCM.A, WCM.B) (“Wilmington” or the “Corporation”) reported a net loss for the three months ended December 31, 2024, of $0.9 million or ($0.07) per share and net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024 of $0.4 million or $0.03 per share, compared to net loss of $0.2 million or ($0.02) per share and $2.3 million and $0.18 per share for the same periods in 2023.

    Beginning in August 2023, the Corporation took steps to monetize a significant number of its investments in order to unlock the embedded value which had been substantially realized, simplify its business and return capital to its shareholders. The Corporation has been able to reward shareholders through the payment of a dividend and return of capital in May 2024 totaling $2.75 per share.

    Outlook
    As at December 31, 2024, the Corporation had substantially completed the monetization of its investments and had cash on hand of approximately $36 million. The Corporation is currently reviewing a range of alternatives aimed at providing liquidity to shareholders by scaling its public platform or alternatively by other means.

    CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS) AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
     
    (audited) Three months ended
    December 31,    		   Twelve months ended
    December 31,    		  
    ($ thousands, except per share amounts) 2024   2023   2024   2023  
    Revenues        
    Management fee revenue 221   193   861   833  
    Distribution income —   (18 ) 68   1,276  
    Interest and other income 474   427   1,807   1,793  
      695   602   2,736   3,902  
    Expenses        
    General and administrative (1,955 ) (789 ) (3,842 ) (2,120 )
    Amortization (7 ) (6 ) (28 ) (28 )
    Finance costs (1 ) (2 ) (5 ) (7 )
    Stock-based compensation —   (23 ) (18 ) (117 )
      (1,963 ) (820 ) (3,893 ) (2,272 )
    Fair value adjustments and other activities        
    Fair value changes to investments —   397   164   1,577  
    Gain (loss) from sale of investments —   (52 ) 947   (52 )
    Share of equity accounted loss —   (116 ) —   (122 )
      —   229   1,111   1,403  
    Income (loss) before income taxes (1,268 ) 11   (46 ) 3,033  
    Current income tax recovery (expense) 47   294   (434 ) (246 )
    Deferred income tax recovery (expense) 399   (531 ) 852   (493 )
    Provision for income taxes 446   (237 ) 418   (739 )
    Net income (loss) (822 ) (226 ) 372   2,294  
    Other comprehensive income        
    Items that will not be reclassified to net income (loss):  
    Fair value changes to investments (60 ) 1,471   (60 ) 783  
    Related income taxes 37   53   73   36  
    Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes (23 ) 1,524   13   819  
    Comprehensive income (loss) (845 ) 1,298   385   3,113  
             
             
    Net income (loss) per share – basic (0.07 ) (0.02 ) 0.03   0.18  
    Net income (loss) per share – diluted (0.07 ) (0.02 ) 0.03   0.18  
     
     
    CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
     
    (audited) December 31, December 31,
    ($ thousands) 2024 2023
         
    Assets    
    NON-CURRENT ASSETS    
    Investment in Maple Leaf Partnership — 22,910
    Investment in Bay Moorings Partnership 850 —
    Investment in Sunchaser Partnership — 4,700
    Investment in Energy Securities — 7,584
    Land held for development — 6,632
    Deferred income tax assets 240 —
    Right-of-use asset 36 64
      1,126 41,890
    CURRENT ASSETS    
    Cash 36,307 10,664
    Short term securities — 17,000
    Amounts receivable and other 1,253 4,616
    Total assets 38,686 74,170
         
    Liabilities    
    NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES    
    Deferred income tax liabilities — 1,773
    Lease liabilities 52 85
      52 1,858
    CURRENT LIABILITIES    
    Lease liabilities 38 38
    Income taxes payable 725 171
    Amounts payable and other 1,638 800
    Total liabilities 2,453 2,867
         
    Equity    
    Shareholders’ equity 35,619 51,324
    Contributed surplus — 1,132
    Retained earnings 418 10,364
    Accumulated other comprehensive income 196 8,483
    Total equity 36,233 71,303
    Total liabilities and equity 38,686 74,170
     
     

    Executive Officers of the Corporation will be available at 403-705-8038 to answer any questions on the Corporation’s financial results.

    STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS AND OTHER MEASUREMENTS
    Certain statements included in this document may constitute forward-looking statements or information under applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements that are predictive in nature, depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, include statements regarding the operations, business, financial conditions, expected financial results, performance, opportunities, priorities, ongoing objectives, strategies and outlook of the Corporation and its investee entities and contain words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “estimate”, “propose”, or similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation.

    While the Corporation believes the anticipated future results, performance or achievements reflected or implied in those forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond the Corporation’s control, which may cause the actual results, performance and achievements of the Corporation to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information.

    Factors and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements include but are not limited to: the ability of management of Wilmington and its investee entities to execute its and their business plans; availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within the equity and capital markets; strategic actions including dispositions; business competition; delays in business operations; the risk of carrying out operations with minimal environmental impact; industry conditions including changes in laws and regulations including the adoption of new environmental laws and regulations and changes in how they are interpreted and enforced; operational matters related to investee entities business; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; fluctuations in interest rates; stock market volatility; general economic, market and business conditions; risks associated with existing and potential future law suits and regulatory actions against Wilmington and its investee entities; uncertainties associated with regulatory approvals; uncertainty of government policy changes; uncertainties associated with credit facilities; changes in income tax laws, tax laws; changes in accounting policies and methods used to report financial condition (including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates); the effect of applying future accounting changes; and other risks, factors and uncertainties described elsewhere in this document or in Wilmington’s other filings with Canadian securities regulatory authorities.

    The foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the forward-looking statements, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as required by law, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements are effective only as of the date of this document.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bread Financial Announces Pricing of Private Offering of $400 million of Subordinated Notes

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bread Financial® Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BFH) (“Bread Financial” or the “Company”) announced today the pricing of its previously announced offering of $400 million in aggregate principal amount of its 8.375% fixed-rate reset subordinated notes due 2035 (the “Notes”), in a private offering that is exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Notes will be sold at a price of 100% of the principal amount thereof. The closing of the issuance of the Notes is expected to occur on March 10, 2025, subject to customary closing conditions, and is expected to result in approximately $395 million in net proceeds to the Company, after deducting the initial purchasers’ discount but before the Company’s estimated offering expenses.

    The Company intends to lend no less than $250 million of the net proceeds of the Notes offering as subordinated debt to one of its subsidiary banks, Comenity Capital Bank, with the remaining proceeds intended to be used for general corporate purposes, which may include share repurchases.

    The Notes will not be registered under the Securities Act, or any state securities laws. The Notes may not be offered or sold in the United States absent an effective registration statement or an applicable exemption from registration requirements under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the Notes were offered only (A) to persons reasonably believed to be “qualified institutional buyers” under Rule 144A of the Securities Act or (B) outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in compliance with Regulation S under the Securities Act.

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

    About Bread Financial®
    Bread Financial® (NYSE: BFH) is a tech-forward financial services company that provides simple, personalized payment, lending and saving solutions to millions of U.S. consumers. The Company’s payment solutions, including Bread Financial general purpose credit cards and savings products, empower its customers and their passions for a better life. Additionally, the Company delivers growth for some of the most recognized brands in travel & entertainment, health & beauty, jewelry and specialty apparel through their private label and co-brand credit cards and pay-over-time products providing choice and value to their shared customers.

    Forward-looking Statements
    This news release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements related to the Notes offering described above. Forward-looking statements give the Company’s expectations or forecasts of future events and can generally be identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “project,” “plan,” “likely,” “may,” “should” or other words or phrases of similar import. Similarly, statements that describe the Company’s business strategy, outlook, objectives, plans, intentions or goals also are forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements made regarding, and the guidance given with respect to, the Company’s anticipated operating or financial results, future financial performance and outlook, future dividend declarations or stock repurchases and future economic conditions.

    The Company believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. Forward-looking statements, however, are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict and, in many cases, beyond its control. Accordingly, actual results could differ materially from the projections, anticipated results or other expectations expressed in this release, and no assurances can be given that the Company’s expectations will prove to have been correct. Factors that could cause the outcomes to differ materially include, but are not limited to, the following: macroeconomic conditions, including market conditions, inflation, interest rates, labor market conditions, recessionary pressures or concerns over a prolonged economic slowdown, and the related impact on consumer spending behavior, payments, debt levels, savings rates and other behaviors; global political, public health and social events or conditions, including ongoing wars and military conflicts, and natural disasters; future credit performance of the Company’s customers, including the level of future delinquency and write-off rates; loss of, or reduction in demand for services from, significant brand partners or customers in the highly competitive markets in which the Company competes; the concentration of the Company’s business in U.S. consumer credit; increases or volatility in the Allowance for credit losses that may result from the application of the current expected credit loss (CECL) model; inaccuracies in the models and estimates on which the Company rely, including the amount of the Company’s Allowance for credit losses and its credit risk management models; increases in fraudulent activity; failure to identify, complete or successfully integrate or disaggregate business acquisitions, divestitures and other strategic initiatives, including, with respect to divested businesses, any associated guarantees, indemnities or other liabilities; the extent to which the Company’s results are dependent upon brand partners, including brand partners’ financial performance and reputation, as well as the effective promotion and support of the Company’s products by brand partners; increases in the cost of doing business, including market interest rates; the Company’s level of indebtedness and inability to access financial or capital markets, including asset-backed securitization funding or deposits markets; restrictions that limit the ability of the Company’s subsidiary banks, Comenity Bank and Comenity Capital Bank (the “Banks”), to pay dividends to it; pending and future litigation; pending and future federal, state, local and foreign legislation, regulation, supervisory guidance and regulatory and legal actions including, but not limited to, those related to financial regulatory reform and consumer financial services practices, as well as any such actions with respect to late fees, interchange fees or other charges; increases in regulatory capital requirements or other support for the Banks; impacts arising from or relating to the transition of the Company’s credit card processing services to third party service providers that it completed in 2022; failures, or breaches in operational or security systems, including as a result of cyberattacks, unanticipated impacts from technology modernization projects, failure of information security controls or otherwise; loss of consumer information or other data due to compromised physical or cyber security, including disruptive attacks from financially motivated bad actors and third-party supply chain issues; any tax or other liability, or adverse impacts arising out of or related to the spinoff of the Company’s former LoyaltyOne segment or the bankruptcy filings of Loyalty Ventures Inc. (LVI) and certain of its subsidiaries, and subsequent litigation or other disputes. If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if our underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we projected. In addition, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a final rule in 2024 that, absent a successful legal challenge or other invalidation of the rule, will place significant limits on credit card late fees, which would have a significant impact on the Company’s business and results of operations for at least the short term and, depending on the effectiveness of the mitigating actions that the Company has taken or may in the future take in anticipation of, or in response to, the final rule, may potentially adversely impact it over the long term; the Company cannot provide any assurance as to the effective date, if any, of the rule, the result of any pending or future challenges or other litigation relating to the rule, or its ability to mitigate or offset the impact of the rule on its business and results of operations. The foregoing factors, along with other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements, are described in greater detail under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recently ended fiscal year, which may be updated in Item 1A of, or elsewhere in, the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed for periods subsequent to such Form 10-K. The Company’s forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made, and it undertakes no obligation, other than as required by applicable law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events, anticipated or unanticipated circumstances or otherwise.

    Contacts

    Brian Vereb — Investor Relations
    Brian.Vereb@breadfinancial.com

    Susan Haugen — Investor Relations
    Susan.Haugen@breadfinancial.com

    Rachel Stultz — Media
    Rachel.Stultz@breadfinancial.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global: Electric shock equipment widely abused by law enforcement agencies due to alarming lack of regulation – Amnesty International

    Source: Amnesty International

    States and companies are manufacturing, promoting and selling electric shock equipment that is being used for torture and other ill-treatment, said Amnesty International, in a new report calling for a global, legally-binding treaty to regulate the unchecked production of and trade in law enforcement equipment.

    “I Still Can’t Sleep at Night” – The Global Abuse of Electric Shock Equipment, documents how law enforcement agencies are using inherently abusive direct contact electric shock weapons – including stun guns and electric shock batons– on the street, at borders, in migrant and refugee detention centres, mental health institutions, police stations, prisons, and other places of detention.

    These inherently abusive devices, which deliver painful shocks at the press of a button, have been used against protesters, students, political opponents, women and girls (including pregnant women), children and human rights defenders, among others. Survivors have suffered burns, numbness, miscarriage, urinary dysfunction, insomnia, exhaustion and profound psychological trauma.

    The report also looks at the escalating misuse of Projectile Electric Shock Weapons (PESWs), which can have a legitimate role in law enforcement, but are often misused. Cases include the unnecessary and discriminatory use against vulnerable groups resulting in serious injuries and in some cases even death.

    “Direct contact electric shock weapons can cause severe suffering, long-lasting physical disability and psychological distress. Prolonged use can even result in death,” said Patrick Wilcken, Amnesty International’s researcher on military, security and policing issues.

    “PESWs are being used against individuals who pose no risk of violence, simply for punishment or compliance with orders. They are also being used in direct contact ‘drive stun’ mode, which should be prohibited. Despite the clear human rights risks associated with their use, there are no global regulations controlling the production of and trade in electric shock equipment. Direct contact electric shock weapons need to be banned immediately and PESWs subject to strict human-rights-based trade controls.”

    The extensive report draws on research carried out by Amnesty International from 2014 to 2024 in over 40 countries across all regions across the world, where cases involving torture and other ill-treatment using electric shock equipment have been documented.

    Vulnerable groups targeted by electric shock weapons

    Testimonies gathered by Amnesty International are harrowing.

    During the 2022 “Woman Life Freedom” uprising in Iran, the military unit IRGC Basij battalion forced several boys to stand with their legs apart in a line alongside adult detainees and administered electric shocks to their genitals with stun guns.

    In another case, several schoolboys were abducted for writing the protest slogan “Woman Life Freedom” on a wall. One of the boys told Amnesty International: “They hit my face with the back of a gun, gave electric shocks to my back, and beat me with batons on the bottom of my feet and hands…”

    PESWs have often been used as de facto direct contact electric shock weapons when deployed in “drive stun” mode.

    Recounting a raid by border guards on the Medininkai detention centre in Lithuania on 2 March 2022, one detainee from Sub-Saharan Africa said: “I was lying on the ground and still they have used tasers on me three times, and at the same time they beat me with the batons.” Another described being threatened by police officers who placed a “taser” on her forehead, telling her “‘Shut up or I will shoot you!’”

    “Even when used as a stand-off weapon, PESWs have been linked to serious injuries and deaths,” said Patrick Wilcken. “These include dart lacerations and penetration of the skull, eye, internal organs, throat, fingers and testis; electrical discharge induced burns, seizures and arrythmias; and a variety of injuries and deaths from falls.”

    Amnesty’s report reveals patterns of PESWs’ discriminatory deployment against racialized and marginalized groups, such as young Black men. In April 2024, police in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, were filmed using a TASER directly on the leg of a Black protester at a Palestine solidarity demonstration while he was pinned to the ground by three police officers and handcuffed.

    “Given the high risks of primary and secondary injuries, the use of PESWs must be set at a high threshold. These weapons should only be used only in situations involving a threat to life or risk of serious injury which cannot be contained by less extreme options,”said Patrick Wilcken.

    The urgent need for prohibitions and trade regulation

    At least 197 companies from all regions manufactured or promoted direct contact electric shock equipment for law enforcement between January 2018 and June 2023 – with most companies based in countries such as China, India and the USA.

    According to US-based Axon Enterprise, Inc., their TASER brand models are currently used by over 18,000 law enforcement agencies in more than 80 countries.

    “There is an urgent need for a legally-binding treaty which would prohibit inherently abusive electric shock equipment and strictly control the trade in PESWs,” said Patrick Wilcken.

    “Companies should implement robust human rights due diligence and mitigation measures to ensure their products and services are not being systematically misused for torture or other ill-treatment. This includes ceasing production of direct contact electric shock devices and removing the ‘drive stun’ function from PESWs.”

    Amnesty International, along with a global civil society network of over 80 organizations worldwide, is campaigning for the negotiation of a Torture-Free Trade Treaty that would introduce global prohibitions and controls on a wide range of law enforcement equipment, including electric shock weapons and equipment.

    Background

    In September 2017, the EU, Argentina and Mongolia launched the Alliance for Torture-Free Trade at the margins of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The Alliance currently comprises 62 states from all regions of the world pledging to “act together to further prevent, restrict and end trade” in goods used notably for torture or other ill-treatment. In October 2023, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture presented a thematic report on the torture trade at the UNGA which argued for a legally binding instrument to regulate the production of and trade in law enforcement equipment and included lists of goods considered prohibited and controlled.

    This is one of a series of in-depth research reports showing the devastating human rights impact of law enforcement equipment; previous reports include work on tear gas, batons, rubber bullets, and the trade in less lethal weapons used to repress protesters.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Business – Gebrüder Weiss: myGW successfully in use for five years

    Source: Gebrüder Weiss

    25,000 users already use the digital customer portal for their transport and logistics orders. myGW offers companies real-time information on all shipments and a transparent communication history.

    Lauterach, March 5, 2025. The digital customer portal myGW has proved to be very popular with Gebrüder Weiss customers: within five years, the number of users among customers has risen to 25,000. Functions have been continuously developed and adapted to the needs of shipping companies with the platform providing real-time information on all goods flows.

    “The decision to introduce our customer portal as part of our digital strategy was absolutely the right one. With myGW, we offer our customers easy access to their shipment data and cargo inventory at any time. Our clients appreciate this, and the usage figures speak for themselves,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO of Gebrüder Weiss.

    Digital shipment transparency in real time, delivery statistics overviews and, above all, myGW’s user-friendliness are benefits that customers value. This is also shown by the high demand for shipment tracking shared by customers with their recipients – a total of 5.6 million views in 2024. This represents an increase of 30 percent compared to the previous year. Simplified online communication and direct access to all documents for fast order processing are also popular.

    Gebrüder Weiss is continuously developing the platform to provide its customers with even more transparent monitoring and analysis of their transports. 

    Further information about the digital customer portal myGW is available here: https://www.gw-world.com/solutions/digital-solutions/mygw

    About Gebrüder Weiss

    Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG, based in Lauterach, Austria, is a globally operative full-service logistics provider with about 8,600 employees at 180 company-owned locations. The company generated revenues of 2.46 billion euros in 2023. 

    Its portfolio encompasses transport and logistics solutions, digital services, and supply chain management. The twin strengths of digital and physical competence enable Gebrüder Weiss to respond swiftly and flexibly to customers’ needs. 
    The family-run organization – with a history going back more than half a millennium – has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic, and social initiatives. Today, it is also considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. www.gw-world.com

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Development – OPEC Fund supports Burkina Faso’s cotton industry with €26 million trade finance facility

    Source: OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund)

    March 5, 2025: The OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) is providing €26 million to support Burkina Faso’s strategic cotton sector. The financing is part of a €100 million trade finance facility arranged by the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC). It will enable Société Burkinabè des Fibres Textiles (SOFITEX), the country’s largest cotton company and a key player in the sector, to purchase seasonal seed cotton from local farmers at harvest point, ensuring timely payments and financial stability for smallholder farmers.

    OPEC Fund President Abdulhamid Alkhalifa said: “The OPEC Fund is proud of its commitment to Burkina Faso’s cotton industry, a key economic driver that sustains millions of livelihoods. By enabling the timely purchase of cotton from smallholder farmers, this financing not only supports rural communities, but also promotes economic resilience and strengthens Burkina Faso’s position in global cotton markets.”

    Cotton is the backbone of Burkina Faso’s rural economy, generating 5 percent of GDP and providing income for millions. As Africa’s third-largest producer the country exports the vast majority of its cotton, making it a key driver of foreign exchange earnings and economic growth. The sector supports livelihoods from smallholder farmers to workers across the supply chain. Often referred to as “white gold,” cotton remains essential to Burkina Faso’s economic resilience and rural development.

    The OPEC Fund has a long-standing partnership with SOFITEX dating back to 2009. Since the inception of this partnership, the OPEC Fund has approved 11 operations to support cotton export financing for a combined net amount of US$373 million.

    The OPEC Fund’s recent financing is aligned with the institution’s commitment to sustainable economic growth and trade finance in Africa. Over four decades the OPEC Fund has supported Burkina Faso’s economic development, financing projects in agriculture, energy, and infrastructure with over US$800 million financing across public and private sector loans and trade finance.

    About the OPEC Fund

    The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund) is the only globally mandated development institution that provides financing from member countries to non-member countries exclusively.

    The organization works in cooperation with developing country partners and the international development community to stimulate economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries around the world.

    The OPEC Fund was established in 1976 with a distinct purpose: to drive development, strengthen communities and empower people. Our work is people-centered, focusing on financing projects that meet essential needs, such as food, energy, infrastructure, employment (particularly relating to MSMEs), clean water and sanitation, healthcare and education.

    To date, the OPEC Fund has committed more than US$29 billion to development projects in over 125 countries with an estimated total project cost of more than US$200 billion. The OPEC Fund is rated AA+/Outlook Stable by Fitch and AA+, Outlook Stable by S&P. Our vision is a world where sustainable development is a reality for all.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: VIDEO: Hickenlooper Defends American Consumers on Senate Floor as Trump Admin Guts CFPB

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Hickenlooper: “If the Trump administration gets its way, it’s clear who the winners will be: loan sharks, shady mortgage companies, junk fee merchants. And the losers will be the rest of America”
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper spoke on the Senate floor against the Trump administration’s effort to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the federal agency responsible for protecting American consumers from financial abuse. Hickenlooper spoke before a Senate vote on a Republican-led resolution to strip the CFPB’s power to supervise popular digital payment apps like Venmo and PayPal in order to prevent harms to consumers.

    “Today’s Republican-led resolution weakens the CFPB’s ability to protect consumers. And it’s part of a broader effort by the administration to shut down consumer protections entirely,” said Hickenlooper. “Bottom line: More money in the pocket of fraudsters, scammers, and the unscrupulous. Less for the little guy to save.”
    At the beginning of February, the Trump administration shut down the CFPB headquarters and ordered all employees to immediately stop all of the agency’s work. On Monday, a federal judge extended an order pausing mass firings at the CFPB.
    Since its founding, the CFPB has recovered $20 billion for Americans who have been taken advantage of by scams, junk fees, and high-cost loans. In Colorado, nearly 67,000 people have sought the help from CFPB, including more than 6,200 service members. Thousands of those complaints led to relief for consumers.
    To download a full video of Hickenlooper’s remarks, click HERE. A full transcript of his remarks is available below:
    “Mr. President,
    “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is, at its core, a law enforcement agency.
    “Congress established the CFPB 15 years ago to protect Americans from fraud, from getting ripped off by banks, and credit card companies, financial institutions.
    “Today’s Republican-led resolution weakens the CFPB’s ability to protect consumers. And it’s part of a broader effort by the administration to shut down consumer protections entirely.
    “Let’s take a minute to go back in time to the time before the CFPB existed – right before the 2008 financial meltdown.
    “Back then, abusive fees and misleading disclosures meant that Coloradans paid more for mortgages. More for credit cards. More for student loans.
    “Fly-by-night lenders made massive profits by targeting vulnerable families with excessively high-cost loans – turning credit from a tool for opportunity into a tool for scams.
    “Financial scammers could all too easily slip through the cracks in oversight. There just wasn’t enough oversight. In some case, there was no oversight.
    “Our neighbors were getting hit with hidden fees and frauds when they took out a mortgage, when they used a credit card, or if they were just paying for school.
    “There was no cop on the beat. The result?
    “By 2008, years of this shady, abusive practice helped spark a devastating global financial crisis.
    “Six million households lost their homes to foreclosure. A quarter of our families lost 75% of their wealth.
    “Americans lost faith in our financial system.
    “In 2010, Congress created the CFPB to help make sure that this could never happen again.
    “Congress gave it a simple job: to protect Americans from getting ripped off.
    “The Bureau cleaned up mortgage markets, debt collection, student loans, and much, much more. It worked to protect veterans and other service members.
    “Fast forward to today and the CFPB’s results really speak for themselves. The Bureau has delivered 20 billion dollars – that’s billion dollars with a B –  back to Americans through its enforcement actions.
    “It’s brought relief to 200 million Americans and small businesses facing scams or abusive practices.
    “In Colorado, nearly 67,000 people have sought the help from CFPB, including more than 6,200 service members. Thousands of those complaints led to relief for consumers.
    “It really is a remarkable track record.
    “That is, until it’s been decided by Republicans that they wanted to eliminate many of these protections – if not all of them.
    “This vote today would unwind protections designed for the modern financial system – for the everyday payment apps we all use, like Venmo or PayPal. It would allow some of the largest financial firms in a consumer’s life to stay in the shadows, to operate outside of any oversight.
    “That’s exactly the approach to consumer protection we had 20 years ago, before the CFPB, before the 2008 financial crisis.
    “This is but the latest attempt to leave consumers vulnerable to scams. In fact, the Trump administration is trying, I think many people believe illegally, to abolish the CFPB entirely.
    “They fired dedicated staff who protect consumers. They cancelled the lease on the CFPB’s office. And they literally ordered a total shutdown of the agency – an unprecedented effort to defy Congress.
    “The administration believes that CFPB doesn’t deserve to exist. And maybe they think that scammers and fraudsters have finally hung it up and have gone to find honest work.
    “But I think the American people know better.
    “The administration wants to take our economy back to the time before the financial crisis of [2008] – with weaker protections and no one looking out for consumers.
    “If the Trump administration gets its way, it’s clear who the winners will be: loan sharks, shady mortgage companies, junk fee merchants.
    “And the losers will be the rest of America – any Coloradan that wants a fair deal on a credit card or a mortgage.
    “Bottom line: More money in the pocket of fraudsters, scammers, and the unscrupulous. Less for the little guy to save.
    “I urge my colleagues to stand up for American consumers and vote no on this resolution.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Capitol Hill Highlights Key Pillars of President Trump’s Joint Address to Congress in Op-Ed Blitz

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    America Is Back. President’s Joint Address Will Celebrate ItU.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)
    The last four years were a dumpster fire—a total disaster. “Sleepy Joe” was worn slap out as soon as he got up in the morning. Thinking back on it now, I really don’t know how our country survived. It’s a miracle that we made it through those dark days. One thing is for sure: President Trump’s address will be nothing like the clown show we endured the last four years.
    But today, America is ready to usher in its golden age under President Donald J. Trump. We’re only a month and a half in, and President Trump is well on his way to renewing the American dream by reversing some of the Democrats’ most destructive policies. Most importantly, President Trump is keeping his promises to the 77 million Americans who voted for him and his “America First” agenda. A recent poll showed 70 percent of Americans believe President Trump is doing what he said he would do.
    Read full op-ed here.
    It’s Time To Take Trump’s Win On Women’s Sports To The Next LevelU.S. Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS)
    Democrat politicians and extreme woke ideologues have shrugged their shoulders at the humiliation and disenfranchisement of millions of young women and girls, even though 80% of Americans agree with President Trump’s view that biological boys should not compete in girls’ sports.
    I believe America’s women and girls deserve to know that someone is fighting to protect the integrity and fairness of their competitive sports and standing up for their right to safe and protected spaces like bathrooms and locker rooms.
    Thankfully, President Trump has taken up the mantle. Last month, he signed an executive order protecting women’s and girls’ sports.
    Read full op-ed here.
    Renewing the American Dream for the American WorkerU.S. Senator Jim Banks (R-IN)
    President Trump is renewing the hope of the American Dream from the ashes of an historic low point. Our nation has emerged stronger with a leader and an administration whose defining feature is their commitment to working families.
    Despite the downturn in prosperity and security America faced over the last four years, the American Dream is not an outdated ambition.
    Under President Trump, the possibility of achieving the American Dream is back and within the grasp of every hard-working American.
    Already, President Trump has made good on a range of his promises, reinvigorating American society across the board—an achievement that’s unheard of for a president only 44 days into his term.
    Read full op-ed here.
    President Donald Trump is keeping his promise to Jewish studentsHouse Committee on Education and Workforce Chairman, U.S. Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-05)
    Columbia [University] leaders have made public and private promises to Jewish students, faculty, and Members of Congress that the university would take the steps necessary to combat the rampant antisemitism on its campus. Columbia has failed to uphold its commitments. But that is coming to an end. Now, the Committee and Jewish students and faculty have a strong ally in the White House. During the campaign Trump promised his administration would combat antisemitism on American campuses.
    On day one, the Trump administration signed an executive order to combat antisemitism. As part of the executive order, the Department of Education has launched investigations into five universities for tolerating “widespread antisemitic harassment” in violation of Title VI.
    The disease of antisemitism must be rooted out before it spreads to the next generation. President Trump’s firm hand on this issue is the remedy we need. We owe it to our youth to ensure they never face harassment, threats, or violence because of their faith. This is a promise we should always honor because it goes hand in hand with the promise of the American Dream. Thankfully, President Trump is delivering on this promise.
    Read full op-ed here.
    America is backU.S. Congressman Richard Hudson (NC-09)Since his inauguration on Jan. 20, President Donald J. Trump has worked tirelessly to restore border security, enforce our nation’s laws and make clear that your constitutional rights shall not be infringed. Following four years of chaos, Trump has sent a clear message: America is back, and he’s just getting started.
    After just one month back in office, Trump reestablished the successful “Remain in Mexico” policy, restarted construction of the border wall, ramped up deportation flights of criminal illegals, and ended the dangerous Biden-era “catch-and-release” policy. These are just a few of the actions Trump has taken to regain control of our border and crack down on illegal immigration.
    Trump’s efforts to secure the border have been nothing less than historic, including sharply reducing illegal border crossings in just his first 11 days back in office. This is the “Trump Effect” in action, and it’s only just the beginning.
    Read full op-ed here.
    Under President Trump, America’s Borders Are Secure AgainU.S. Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)
    In a few weeks, Donald Trump has done what his prevaricating predecessor declared to be impossible: he has brought the border under control.
    The policies of Joe Biden and Alejandro Mayorkas will forever be a stain on America. The border is now almost completely controlled by America, not Mexican drug and human trafficking cartels. That only has happened because President Trump has the will and leadership skills to allow our law enforcement to actually enforce the law. Trump said he would do it. He is doing it.
    America is safer now. Our borders are better now. Trump is delivering on one of his signature campaign promises. While the Left in America is face-melting, the majority of us recognize the success on the border of President Trump.
    Read full op-ed here.
    Trump Gives America A Much-Needed Shot Of OptimismU.S. Congressman Ralph Norman (SC-05)
    We’re now 44 days into President Donald Trump’s second term, and a renewed sense of optimism is sweeping across America, reminiscent of the enduring promise of the American Dream. Central to this resurgence is the administration’s policies aimed at reigniting prosperity for small businesses, particularly evident in South Carolina’s 5th Congressional District.
    President Trump has been keen on drawing back the red tape in the federal bureaucracy and reminding everyone in the swamp that our government is supposed to serve the American worker, not the other way around.
    Last night the president made it clear: ‘We have accomplished more in 43 days than most administrations accomplished in 4 years…and we are just getting started!’
    Read full op-ed here.
    Trump is Reviving the American Dream and Common SenseU.S. Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (TN-01)
    Tuesday night, President Donald Trump did what he does best — he told it like it is. He reviewed his administration’s impressive accomplishments, laid out his action plan to put our economy back on track, urged Congress to deliver additional funding for the United States Border Patrol, and shared his bold vision to bring peace and stability around the world.
    Only weeks ago, the president signed an executive order keeping men out of women’s sports. I attended the signing, and it was a sight to see — the president with dozens of female athletes and young women who would now have a level playing field because of Republicans’ commitment to this cause — Trump’s commitment to this cause.
    The president reiterated this commitment Tuesday night when he spoke on this issue, highlighting the story of Payton McNabb, saying, “When her girls’ volleyball match was invaded by a male, he smashed the ball so hard in Payton’s face, causing traumatic brain injury … ending her athletic career.
    This story has become all too common. When Trump told Payton’s story, not a single Democrat stood in solidarity.
    Read full op-ed here.
    Ending Biden’s disgraceful erosion of American deterrence U.S. Congressman August Pfluger (TX-01) andU.S. Congressman Zach Nunn (IA-03)
    With Trump back in the White House, alongside Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and national security adviser Mike Waltz, we’re setting a clear path forward for the U.S.: rebuild the military, restore our warrior ethos, and reestablish American deterrence.
    Unlike his predecessors, who viewed the military through the lens of social experimentation, Hegseth recognizes that the Department of Defense has one primary mission: to produce the most lethal fighting force on Earth. Under his leadership, we’re already seeing a renewed focus on combat training, eliminating wasteful programs, and stripping away ideological distractions.
    Read full op-ed here.
    Congress Must Act to Solidify Trump’s Border WinsU.S. Congressman Mark Harris (NC-08)
    For the past four years, the most powerful nation in the history of the world has been under attack. Deadly cartels, gangs, human smugglers, and other criminal aliens flooded American communities and harmed our citizens. This chaos was an orchestrated attack led by the last administration not only on our nation, but on the American dream.
    But on January 20th, a new era of leadership began. After being sworn into office, President Trump wasted no time taking action to take back our country and set our nation back on course.
    Last night, President Trump said, “The media and our friends in the Democrat Party kept saying we needed new legislation to secure the border. But it turned out that all we really needed was a new president.” And he is exactly right.
    President Trump’s decisive action and bold leadership has drastically changed the state of our border for the better.
    Read full op-ed here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NHS patients receive first home-grown blood plasma treatments

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Press release

    NHS patients receive first home-grown blood plasma treatments

    The first NHS patients in a generation have started to receive life saving plasma from the blood of UK donors.

    • Treatments will help save 17,000 NHS patients’ lives every year
    • Move will deliver government’s Plan for Change by building domestic medical supply chains, reducing reliance on imports and with savings between £5 million to £10 million a year

    The first NHS patients in a generation have started to receive life-saving plasma from the blood of UK donors, thanks to a partnership between NHS Blood and Transplant and NHS England. 

    Since a longstanding ban on UK plasma was lifted in 2021, the UK has been building its own supply of plasma medicines amid a global shortage. This will reduce reliance on imports, saving the NHS between £5 million to £10 million per year and strengthening the UK as a powerhouse for life sciences under the government’s Plan for Change.
    Around 17,000 NHS patients with immune deficiencies and rare diseases rely on vital human-donated plasma to save or improve their lives. It is also used in emergency medicine for childbirth and trauma care. 

    Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said: 

    This is a significant milestone for the NHS as we take a step toward UK self-sufficiency in these vital medicines. 

    As part of our Plan for Change, we are improving access to life-saving treatments for thousands of NHS patients and strengthening healthcare security.  

    By sourcing our own medicine, we are building a more resilient and domestic medical supply chain and boosting economic growth.

    Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director NHS England, said:

    This landmark moment ensures patients relying on crucial plasma-derived medicines will always have access to the treatment they need.

    Thanks to NHS efforts, new plasma-derived products, owned from start to finish by the UK, will reduce our reliance on imported stock and boost the fortitude of hospital supplies.

    Thousands of people with serious and potentially life-threatening conditions, including immunodeficiencies and neurological conditions rely on these products, and strengthening the supply chain of plasma-derived treatments through UK donations will help NHS clinicians ensure these vital medicines are available for all who need them.

    Jill Jones made history by becoming the first patient to be given UK-sourced plasma at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. She has received treatments every three weeks following a diagnosis of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 20 years ago, and described the infusions as “life-changing”.

    The initiative will also build UK capacity in the global plasma medicines industry, which was valued at over $30 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $45 billion by 2027. It will help establish the NHS as an engine of economic growth to drive investment in public services and raise living standards for everyone.

    NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) has collected 250,000 litres of plasma from donors in England since 2021. From this, two vital medicines are being produced: immunoglobulins, which treat autoimmune conditions, and albumin, which is essential for surgery and treating liver conditions.

    The NHS plans to reach 25% self-sufficiency in immunoglobulin by the end of 2025, rising to 30-35% in 2031, and 80% self-sufficiency in albumin by next year.

    Global medical supply issues worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2024, a national patient safety alert was issued due to critically low blood stocks, demonstrating the importance of building self-sufficiency in the UK.

    Dr Jo Farrar, Chief Executive of NHS Blood and Transplant said:

    Thanks to the incredible generosity of our donors, NHS patients are now receiving life-saving medicines made from UK plasma for the first time in a generation.

    Plasma makes up 55 per cent of our blood and contains antibodies which strengthen or stabilise the immune system. It is used to save lives during childbirth and trauma and is used to treat thousands of patients with life limiting illnesses such as immune deficiencies.

    These lifesaving medicines can only be made from our blood. We need more donors to help save more lives. Please go to blood.co.uk to become a donor.  

    Jill Jones from Oxford, the first patient to receive UK-sourced plasma medicine, said:

    Coming to the Immunology ward is like catching up with friends. The staff are delightful and you get to know staff and patients really well. You have a cup of coffee and chat. Today I was talking about knitting and kittens as I was being transfused!

    Infusions have been life-changing for me in keeping me well. Before I started on them, I was regularly in hospital with infections – which just doesn’t happen now. It’s made a huge and positive difference to my life and my family’s life.

    I felt really privileged today to be the first patient in the UK to be receiving Immunoglobin that was made from UK plasma for the first time in a very long time.

    Previously, the NHS relied solely on imported plasma medicines due to a long-standing ban on using UK plasma.

    The ban was introduced in 1998 as a precautionary measure against Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease (vCJD), linked to mad cow disease. 
     
    In 2021 following rigorous scientific reviews, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed plasma from UK donors is safe, supported by robust safety measures. 

    Decades of rigorous research showed no confirmed cases of vCJD transmission through plasma-derived medicines. 

    Plasma comes from blood donations. The plasma in blood contains antibodies that strengthen or stabilise the immune system. The antibodies are separated out and made into immunoglobin medicines that treat people with life-limiting conditions such as immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, as well as severe burns.

    Notes to editors: 

    • Blood donations can be given at one of 27 donor centres across the country. 

    • First UK-sourced plasma medicines will come from English donations, with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to follow. 

    • Donors can book an appointment at a dedicated Plasma Donor Centres in Birmingham, Reading or Twickenham.  Visit www.blood.co.uk to find out how you can become a donor today. 

    • Plasma is the liquid component of blood that carries vital proteins, antibodies, and clotting factors. It is essential for creating plasma-derived medicines, which treat life-threatening conditions such as immune deficiencies, bleeding disorders, and severe burns. Plasma donation saves thousands of lives each year and is a critical part of modern healthcare. 

    • Two types of medicines are being made – immunoglobulins (used to treat autoimmune conditions and week immune systems) and albumin (used in surgery and to treat burns and liver conditions). This puts the NHS on track to supply 25% of its immunoglobulin needs by the end of 2025, with plans to increase this to 30-35% by 2031 and 80% of albumin by next year.

    • In 1998, the UK imposed a ban on using domestically collected plasma for fractionation, the process of separating plasma into its components. This followed concerns about a potentially increased risk of plasma recipients acquiring the brain disease variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) due to UK plasma donors being exposed to Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, sometimes referred as Mad Cow Disease) prions from infected cattle.

    • As a result, the UK relied solely on plasma imports, primarily from the United States which increased dependence on international supply chains for plasma-derived medicines. 

    • Rising demand for plasma globally placed additional pressure on supply. 

    • In February 2021, the UK government lifted the ban on using UK-donated plasma for fractionation. This decision followed scientific reviews confirming the safety of plasma collection and manufacturing processes. 
    • Advanced donor screening, pathogen testing, and fractionation techniques now ensure the highest safety standards. 

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Expect delays on SH49 Tangiwai for urgent rail maintenance

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Road users on State Highway 49 (SH49), northwest of Waiouru, should prepare for delays over 2 weekends this month, while KiwiRail undertakes urgent maintenance on the Tangiwai Rail Crossing.

    To enable KiwiRail to undertake this work safely, SH49 will be down to 1 lane under stop/go traffic management at the Tangiwai Crossing this weekend, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March, and again on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 March (weather dependent). 

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) appreciates there is increased traffic using SH49 currently as it is the main detour while State Highway 1 (SH1) is closed between Rangipō and Waiouru, as part of the Tīrau to Waiouru Accelerated Maintenance programme. 

    SH1 between Rangipō and Waiouru (including the Desert Road) is on track to reopen mid-March (weather dependent). 

    NZTA thanks road users for their patience while KiwiRail completes this important work at Tangiwai and our team completes the vital road rebuilding and bridge repairs on SH1. 

    Use our Journey Planner before you leave to plan your travel. 

    Journey Planner(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Urgent repairs near Te Hana River Bridge tonight

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    |

    NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises contractors will undertake urgent repairs near Te Hana River Bridge on State Highway 1 overnight tonight (Thursday 6 March).

    Due to the narrow road environment, a lane closure with stop/go traffic management is required to ensure our crew has the required space to work safely.

    Site set-up will get underway from 6pm, with construction starting at 7pm.

    Motorists are advised to plan their journeys accordingly and expect some delays.

    NZTA appreciates people’s patience and cooperation as we work to maintain the safety and integrity of the bridge.

    Tags

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New era of rail accountability for passengers as performance data goes live at stations

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    New era of rail accountability for passengers as performance data goes live at stations

    Display screens at stations will help rebuild trust with passengers as we tackle root causes of rail delays and cancellations.

    • data showing the punctuality of trains at individual stations across England available for the first time ever
    • statistics covering over 1,700 stations also show reliability of services
    • fulfils a commitment to transparency and to hold operators to account, improving connectivity and supporting growth as part of the Plan for Change

    Passengers across England can now see how reliable their local train services are, as performance data goes live at over 1,700 stations from today (6 March 2025).

    The data, broken down by operator, shows the percentage of trains cancelled and how punctual trains are at each station, marking the first time that station-level data has been available in the history of the railway. It is now live at major stations through digital screens, where possible, and at most smaller stations, passengers will be able to scan a QR code to see the data online.

    This fulfils a commitment made by the department to be fully transparent with passengers, demonstrating how the railways are working and allowing the public to hold train operators to account as we bring services into public ownership.

    As well as delivering more reliable, better-quality services, these reforms will catalyse economic growth through improved connectivity, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change. By holding operators to account, they will be encouraged to drive up efficiency and productivity – providing better value for money for passengers and driving forward the government’s growth mission by delivering better connectivity.

    The government is determined to drive up performance, and the Rail Minister is meeting with all train operators to address concerns and demand immediate action. In response, the industry has set out a framework with clear areas of focus, including timetable resilience and staffing, to recover performance to acceptable levels.

    Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, will visit Reading station today to mark the launch of the displays.

    Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

    Today marks the beginning of a new era of rail accountability.

    These displays are a step towards rebuilding trust with passengers using our railways as we continue to tackle the root causes of frustrating delays and cancellations.

    Through fundamental rail reform, we’re sweeping away decades of dysfunctionality – putting passengers first, driving growth through connectivity as part of this government’s Plan for Change.

    Each station’s data can also be found on the ORR’s new data portal, which contains punctuality and reliability information for all stations in Great Britain. The online data is also screen reader compatible for those with accessibility needs.

    The screens also display a short commentary on work underway by the operators and Network Rail to improve performance, informing and assuring passengers of the ongoing work across their area to improve the reliability and efficiency of services. 

    Jacqueline Starr, Chair and Chief Executive of Rail Delivery Group, said:

    We know how frustrating it is for customers when their train is cancelled or delayed. By being transparent with this data and the positive actions we’re taking, it shows how serious the industry is in putting this right by continuing to strive for improvements. 

    This sends a clear message to customers the rail sector is committed to improving punctuality and to find solutions to make train services more reliable.

    Natasha Grice, Director at the independent watchdog, Transport Focus, said: 

    Passengers tell us they want a reliable, on-time train service and will welcome improvements to information about the punctuality of their service and cancellations being shared more transparently. It’s important that the industry uses this information to drive up performance.

    This forms part of a wider overhaul of the railways, which will establish Great British Railways (GBR) as a new body to bring track and train together, to end years of fragmentation and waste. GBR will relentlessly focus on driving up standards for passengers and proposals for how it will run, including plans for a powerful new passenger standards watchdog, are currently under consultation. 

    Separately, the landmark Public Ownership Act will improve services and save taxpayers up to £150 million a year that was previously given to private shareholders, with the first services being brought in as soon as May 2025. 

    The government will deliver change that can be felt, driving growth across the country by ensuring passengers can use the railways to get to work, school, appointments and see friends and family with ease.

    Rail media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government bolsters employment support to unlock work for sick and disabled people

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Press release

    Government bolsters employment support to unlock work for sick and disabled people

    Work will be unlocked for thousands of sick and disabled people through new measures that will bolster the support offered in Jobcentres and make the welfare system more sustainable, the Department for Work and Pensions has announced today [Thursday 06 March].

    • New plans to improve employment support brought forward ahead of wider reform package to fix broken welfare system. 
    • 1,000 work coaches deployed to deliver intensive employment support to sick and disabled people as part of the government’s Plan for Change which will break down barriers to opportunity.
    • It comes as a new survey reveals scale of the broken system with nearly half of disabled people and those with a health condition saying they don’t trust DWP to support them.

    The plans will see 1,000 existing Work Coaches deployed in 2025/26 to deliver intensive voluntary support to around 65,000 sick and disabled people – helping them to break down barriers to opportunity, drive growth and unlock the benefits of work.

    This intensive support for people on health-related benefits – including those furthest away from work – will see Work Coaches providing tailored and personalised employment support, and help claimants access other support such as writing CVs and interview techniques. They will also access a range of DWP employment programmes to help claimants unlock work based on conversations with their Work Coaches.

    The additional help will be delivered by reprioritising work coach time so they can focus on tackling economic inactivity in order to make the welfare system more sustainable. The 1,000 redeployed Work Coaches are a “downpayment” on wide-ranging plans to overhaul employment support, which are set to be unveiled in just a few weeks’ time. 

    It is part of the Government’s Plan for Change – which will boost living standards and grow the economy by unlocking work for the 2.8 million people who are economically inactive due to long-term sickness – the highest in the G7 – and bring down spending on incapacity benefits which is expected to reach £70 billion by the end of this parliament. 

    It comes as new survey results show the current system isn’t just failing the taxpayer, it’s also failing the people it’s meant to help, with 44% of disabled people and people with a health condition believing DWP does not provide enough support to people who are out of work due to disability, ill health, or a long-term health condition.

    Work and Pensions Secretary, Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP said: 

    We inherited a broken welfare system that is failing sick and disabled people, is bad for the taxpayer, and holding the economy back. 

    For too long, sick and disabled people have been told they can’t work, denied support, and locked out of jobs, with all the benefits that good work brings.

    But many sick and disabled people want and can work, with the right support. And we know that good work is good for people – for their living standards, for their mental and physical health, and for their ability to live independently. 

    We’re determined to fix the broken benefits system as part of our Plan for Change by reforming the welfare system and delivering proper support to help people get into work and get on at work, so we can get Britain working and deliver our ambition of an 80% employment rate.

    The data from the DWP Perceptions Survey – soon to be published in full – also shows:  

    • 35% of disabled people and people with a health condition believe DWP does not provide enough support to people of working age who are out of work, to help them get back into work. 
    • 44% of disabled people and people with a health condition don’t trust the DWP to help people reach their full career potential. 
    • Nearly 2 in 5 (39%) disabled people and people with a health condition do not trust DWP to take its customers’ needs into account in how it provides services. 

    These figures follow recently released data which shows that there are over three million people on Universal Credit with no obligation to engage in work-related activity, despite over a quarter (27%) of health and disability benefit claimants believing that work could be possible in the future if their health improves and 200,000 saying they would be ready to work now.

    Data also shows the number of working-age people on the health element of Universal Credit or claiming Employment Support Allowance (ESA) has risen to 3.1 million, a staggering 319% increase since the pandemic, reflecting the alarming rate at which young and working aged people are increasingly falling out of work and claiming incapacity benefits. 

    Behind each of these statistics is a person with hopes and ambitions, who can provide businesses with much-needed skills and experience, helping to grow our economy.

    To give people the support they deserve, and restore trust and fairness to our welfare system, reforms to the welfare system are expected to be announced in just a few weeks. 

    These reforms will recognise that some people will be unable to work at points in their life and ensure they are provided with support while transforming the broken benefits system that: 

    • Asks people to demonstrate their incapacity to work to access higher benefits, which also then means they fear taking steps to get into work.

    • Is built around a fixed “can versus can’t work” divide that does not reflect the variety of jobs, the reality of fluctuating health conditions, or the potential for people to expand what they can do, with the right support.

    • Directs disabled people or those with a work-limiting health condition to a queue for an assessment, followed by no contact, no expectations, and no support if the state labels them as “unable” to work. 

    • Fails to intervene early to prevent people falling out of work and misses opportunities to support a return to work.

    • Pushes people towards economic inactivity due to the stark and binary divide between benefits rates and conditionality rules for jobseekers compared to those left behind on the health element of Universal Credit.  
    • Has become defined by poor experiences and low trust among many people who use it, particularly on the assessment process.

    The government’s plans to fix the broken benefit system will build on the biggest employment reforms in a generation announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, which will empower mayors to drive down economic inactivity, deliver a Youth Guarantee so every young person is either earning or learning, and overhaul jobcentres across the country. 

    Former John Lewis boss Sir Charlie Mayfield is leading an independent review investigating how government and employers can work together to help disabled people and those with ill health who may be at risk of falling out work stay on in employment, with the findings of the discovery phase expected in the spring.

    The government is also investing an additional £26 billion to cut NHS waiting lists and get Britain back to health and back to work. 

    The government has already delivered on its pledge, providing two million extra appointments in five months and as a result, around 160,000 fewer patients on waiting lists today than in July.

    Teams of clinicians will also introduce new ways of working at 20 hospital sites in areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity to help patients return to the workforce faster. This is alongside the recruitment of an additional 8,500 mental health workers to ensure mental health is given the same attention as physical health.

    Further information:

    Updates to this page

    Published 6 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Nassau County Police Detective Convicted of Lying to the FBI to Cover Up His Work for the Bonanno Crime Family

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The Bonanno Crime Family Paid Hector Rosario to Protect Their Illegal Gambling Parlors and Shut Down Rival Locations on Long Island Operated by Other Crime Families

    Hector Rosario, a former detective with the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), was found guilty today by a federal jury in Brooklyn of making false statements to Federal Bureau of Investigation agents about his work for the Bonanno crime family.  The verdict followed a seven-day trial before United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano.  Rosario was fired by the NCPD after he was indicted in August 2022.  When sentenced, Rosario faces up to five years in prison.

    John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Leslie R. Backschies, Acting Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) and Anne T. Donnelly, District Attorney, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, announced the verdict.

    “This corrupt detective chose to prove his loyalty to an organized crime family over the public he was sworn to protect,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “When police officers exploit their positions for personal gain, it erodes public trust in law enforcement. My Office has zero tolerance for corruption by any public officials, and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that it is punished to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “Hector Rosario, a former Nassau County detective, allowed himself to be bought by the mob to blatantly lie during a federal investigation into the Bonanno family’s illegal gambling operations,” stated FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Backschies. “Rosario’s lies not only protected an organized criminal enterprise, but also eroded the public’s trust in law enforcement and is a disservice to all who wear the badge honoring their oath to protect and serve. The FBI remains committed to disrupting any corrupt officer who prioritizes personal wealth over integrity to the shield.”

    “Hector Rosario cared more about lining his pockets with Bonanno family money and protecting his own interests than his fidelity to the law,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly.  “He disgracefully compromised the investigative work of his fellow detectives by tipping off a target and lied to federal agents as the walls were closing in on him. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will uncover and vigorously prosecute corruption in our law enforcement ranks in Nassau County, because no one is above the law.”

    As proven at trial, Rosario was paid by the Bonanno crime family to protect its illegal gambling operations. For over a decade, the Bonanno crime family operated illegal gambling businesses inside various coffee shops and sports clubs throughout Queens and on Long Island.  During the same period, the Genovese organized crime family operated illegal gambling businesses out of their own locations in Queens and Long Island, including Sal’s Shoe Repair in Merrick, New York, and the Centro Calcio Italiano Club in West Babylon, New York.

    The Bonanno organized crime family paid Rosario to attempt to shut down rival gambling parlors, including by conducting a fake police “raid” on the Genovese-run gambling spot located inside Sal’s Shoe Repair.  Rosario also provided a tip about a rival gambling spot to another detective in an attempt to get the location shut down.  He warned a Bonanno crime family associate that he was under investigation and not to speak on the phone because law enforcement might be listening, and Rosario also looked up the home address of a possible witness Rosario believed was cooperating against the Bonanno crime family.

    In January 2020, during the course of a federal grand jury investigation into the racketeering activities of the Bonanno and Genovese organized crime families, Rosario was interviewed by FBI agents. Rosario falsely stated that he had no information about the Mafia or illegal gambling spots.  He denied knowing the identity of the crime family associate he had warned, and he further falsely stated that he was not familiar with the gambling business inside Sal’s Shoe Repair.

    Rosario was acquitted by the jury of obstruction of justice.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Anna L. Karamigios, Sophia M. Suarez and Sean M. Sherman are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Eleanor Jaffe-Pachuilo.

    The Defendant:

    HECTOR ROSARIO
    Age:  51
    Mineola, Long Island

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-355 (ENV) 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alleged International Leader of MS-13 Extradited to Face Racketeering Charge Connected to at Least One Murder

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Moises Humberto Rivera-Luna, also known as Viejo Santos, 55, an alleged international leader of the violent MS-13 drug gang, made an initial appearance today in U.S. District Court following his extradition from Guatemala to the United States to face a racketeering charge connected to at least one murder. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth ordered Rivera-Luna held without bond.

               The extradition was announced today by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck of the Washington Field Office, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

    Rivera-Luna is one of seven defendants charged in a fourth superseding, nine-count indictment, which was returned on May 3, 2013 alleging a racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering and other offenses. Rivera-Luna is charged only with committing racketeering conspiracy. The government alleges that Rivera-Luna, while incarcerated in El Salvador, supervised operations of MS-13 cliques in the Washington, D.C. area. Upon release, he traveled to Guatemala where he was subject to extradition.

               “The decade-long pursuit of this alleged violent gang member illustrates our office’s resolve to remain focused and bring to justice those who violate the law no matter where they are, no matter how long it takes,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr.

               “Keeping Americans safe from transnational criminal gangs is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Supervisory Official Bacon. “This defendant’s appearance in federal court in Washington today demonstrates our relentless commitment to seeking justice for victims, no matter how long it takes. Thanks to the incredible work by our federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we are one step closer to bringing closure for the many victims of this defendant’s alleged brutal violence.”

               “Moise Humberto Rivera-Luna will have his day in court, but he stands accused of very serious crimes. His alleged criminal activity combined with his leadership of the MS-13 transnational criminal organization, makes Rivera-Luna a significant threat to the safety of the American people,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “We are grateful for the strong relationships we enjoy with our local, state, federal and international law enforcement partners. Without their cooperation, none of this would be possible. ICE HSI Washington, D.C. will continue to work relentlessly and exhaust all resources to investigate and apprehend anyone who presents a threat to national security or the residents of our communities.”

               The indictment alleges that MS-13 engages in racketeering activity to include murder, narcotics distribution, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice and other crimes. The indictment specifically states that some of the defendants allegedly participated in assaults against persons they believed to be rival gang members, made threats against persons they believed to be cooperating with law enforcement, and carried out extortions.

               The range of criminal activity alleged in the indictment includes acts committed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and other states. The indictment alleges that there was frequent contact between MS-13 members in the Washington, D.C.-metropolitan area and El Salvador, and that persons incarcerated in El Salvador encouraged or ordered assaults and murders.

               Rivera-Luna is alleged to be an international leader of MS-13 who was sending orders and advice to an MS-13 clique operating in the Washington area, via cellular telephone calls from his prison cell in El Salvador. The indictment alleges that he and another MS-13 leader, Marvin Geovanny Monterrosa-Larios, also incarcerated in El Salvador, directed that a coalition of MS-13 cliques be formed in the Washington area. They advised local clique members that the coalition’s aim was to seek and kill MS-13 members who were found to be cooperating with law enforcement officials.                                                                                     

               Among other allegations, the indictment charges Rivera-Luna with ordering the murder of Louis Alberto Membreno-Zelaya, 27. Membreno-Zelaya was found stabbed to death on Nov. 6, 2008, near 11th Street and Otis Place, in Northwest Washington, D.C.

               The indictment also alleges that Rivera-Luna authorized the murder of Felipe Enriquez, 25, whose body was found on March 31, 2010, in Montgomery County, MD.

               This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Lakeita F. Rox-Love of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case is being investigated by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

               The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition of Rivera-Luna from Guatemala.

               Assistance was provided by the Montgomery County and the Prince George’s County, MD. Police Departments, the State’s Attorney’s Office for Montgomery County, MD., the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

               The prosecution grew out of the efforts of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the nationwide program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.

               An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexican National in Custody Charged with Federal Drug Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah –A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Mexican national with multiple drug crimes after law enforcement seized illicit drugs, including fentanyl in the District of Utah.

    Juana Gabriela Sancion Castaneda, 41, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was charged by complaint on February 19, 2025.

    According to court documents, in January 2025, the FBI Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF) began conducting a criminal investigation into Castaneda and other members of a drug trafficking organization believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in the District of Utah. On February 18, 2025, agents executed a search warrant at Castaneda’s residence in Salt Lake County and seized approximately 867 grams (almost two pounds) of field-tested positive fentanyl, and 794 grams (about 1 and ¾ pounds) of field-tested positive heroin. The fentanyl seized was approximately 8,000 fentanyl pills. Castaneda was subsequently detained.

    Castaneda is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Her initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for March 10, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

    Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

    The case is being investigated by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force (WMDTF), consisting of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force (DMNSF).

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Wellsville man charged with multiple counts of production of child pornography

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jason Goodsell, 39, formerly of Wellsville, NY, with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. the charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a possible maximum penalty of 225 years in prison. 

    Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Rudroff, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, between June 1, 2020, and December 2, 2021, Goodsell coerced a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct. In addition, between June 1 and June 30, 2022, Goodsell distributed the images of child pornography that he produced.

    Goodsell was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and detained.

    The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Wellsville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy O’Grady. Additional Assistance was provided by the Pittsburgh Office of the FBI.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock Statement on Extreme Tariffs on Everyday Goods, Agriculture

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock Statement on Extreme Tariffs on Everyday Goods, Agriculture

    Senator Reverend Warnock is the Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness
    Tariffs will impact cost of produce, canned soda, beer, lumber for housing, aluminum for cars and manufacturing equipment, fertilizer for producers, and more
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), ranking member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness, issued the following statement on the newly announced 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
    “When I hear from ordinary Georgians, they tell me the cost of everything from housing to prescription drugs to groceries are too expensive. Georgians feel like their dollar isn’t going far enough, and these tariffs only make the problem worse.”
    “These sweeping tariffs and this impending trade war will hurt our farmers, who are now seeing a hike in fertilizer prices going into planting season. With retaliatory tariffs already being implemented, I fear that my years of bipartisan efforts to open up international markets for our farmers will be erased. This will make produce in the grocery stores more expensive and producers losing their farms more likely.”
    “I’m not opposed to all tariffs. They can be a useful tool to protect American jobs and coerce bad actors like China to play by the rules. But these chaotic and impulsive tariffs do nothing but punish Georgians who are just trying to balance their checkbook and save for the future. I will continue to speak out against policies that hurt Georgia families and farmers.”  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cortez Masto’s Bills Supporting Tribal Communities Pass Senate Indian Affairs Committee with Bipartisan Support

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto
    Washington, D.C. – Today, three of Senator Cortez Masto’s (D-Nev.) bills supporting Tribal communities passed the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs with bipartisan support. The Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act, the Indian Health Service (IHS) Workforce Parity Act, and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act now all head to the Senate floor. Last Congress, each of these bills passed the Senate unanimously, but did not receive votes in the House of Representatives.
    “Whether it is by advancing public safety, expanding health care access, or ensuring the federal government pays the debts it owes, I will always fight to support Tribal communities,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “I am glad these commonsense bills were voted out of committee with bipartisan support, and I urge my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to swiftly pass them into law.”
    The BADGES for Native Communities Act would support the recruitment and retention of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement officers, bolster federal missing persons resources, and give Tribes and states tools to combat violence.
    The IHS Workforce Parity Act would improve health care in Tribal communities by allowing providers working part-time to access IHS scholarship and loan repayment programs.
    The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation Water Rights Settlement Act would allow the Tribes to collect over $5 million in interest they are owed for their 2009 water rights settlement, which left out commonplace interest payments.
    Senator Cortez Masto has long been a champion for Tribal communities. She repeatedly called on the Biden administration to do more to address the epidemic of violence against Native women and girls, including securing federal funding to protect Native communities, urging the administration to draft a plan to address this issue, and requesting the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate the federal response to this crisis.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar, Marshall Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Americans Afford Skills Training

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) introduced the Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act, which would allow Americans to use 529 education savings accounts to pay for training programs. By broadening the scope of qualified expenses under 529 savings plans to include postsecondary training and credentialing, the bill would expand tax-advantaged resources to families, students, and workers who are pursuing career growth outside of a traditional four-year degree. This will expand Americans’ access to well-paying jobs that require training and credentialing such as licenses and certifications. 
    “Workforce training is key to expanding opportunity and strengthening our economy by providing workers with the tools and resources they need to succeed,” said Klobuchar. “By allowing Americans to use their ‘529’ educational savings to pay for training and certification outside of a four-year degree, our bipartisan legislation will enable more people to access these valuable programs and open doors to good-paying jobs.”
    “Back home, not a day goes by that I don’t hear about the workforce shortages across the state. We have high-paying jobs at the ready but struggle to find qualified employees. Our bill helps fill these workforce gaps and empowers Kansans to pursue non-traditional educational opportunities more easily,” said Marshall. “Allowing 529 funds to be used beyond a four-year education makes sense. Whether it’s a bachelor’s degree or an apprenticeship opportunity, 529 savings plans need to be flexible to meet the growing demands of our workforce.”
    The legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Susan Collins (R-ME). Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA) leads companion legislation in the House. This bill has garnered the support of more than 800 trade associations, professional societies, and businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Warner Slams Trump Administration Plan to Cut over 80,000 Employees from Veterans Affairs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement on Trump administration’s short-sighted plan to slash over 80,000 employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs:

    “Our nation’s veterans have served our country valiantly and we owe it to them to take care of them when they come home. The Department of Veterans Affairs serves nearly 10 million veterans nationwide providing quality health care, disability services, and financial and career counseling. In recent years, with legislation like the PACT Act, we have made significant improvements to delivering quality care to these heroes. This move by the Trump administration would completely erase that progress. Eliminating over 80,000 jobs would not only decimate our workforce, but would hurt the veterans who too often struggle to access the benefits they have earned. To put it simply: our veterans deserve better, and I’m going to fight this move tooth and nail.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Breakfast with Steve Martin, ABC Radio Ballarat and South West Victoria

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    STEVE MARTIN [HOST]: And in our news this morning has been a story about a major funding announcement for the Western Freeway, Western Highway as well. The sections towards Melbourne that will be upgraded, there are bridges in the west which will be subject of some of this. And the area of the Western Highway around Warrenheip is also being talked about. Catherine King is the federal member for Ballarat, but also the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. And Catherine King is our guest this morning. Minister, good morning.

    CATHERINE KING [MINISTER, MEMBER FOR BALLARAT]: Good morning, Steve. How are you?

    STEVE MARTIN: Very well. $1.1 billion you’re announcing this morning for the Western Freeway and the Western Highway. Can you just explain what the money goes towards?

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah, I can. So the first thing is that the Victorian Government and the Federal Labor Government have undertaken a business case along the Western Highway. In particular, the areas that we’ve been concerned about is around where there’s been significant housing development between Melton and Caroline Springs. And you see that really significant bottleneck that’s occurring there. The West Gate Tunnel will help alleviate some of that, but the road really is not in a condition to deal with the volume of traffic there. And we of course know there continue to be problems along the whole corridor. So we’re announcing today $1.1 billion to go into the Western Highway. A billion of that is focused on the Melton and Caroline Springs area to try and alleviate that congestion, 100 million to go towards trying to find a solution for Brewery Tap Road, that Warrenheip area where we know there’s a very dangerous intersection. We’ve had multiple complaints about that, multiple near-misses, and know that needs to be resolved. We continue to do the work. There’s already a billion dollars committed to the west, and so there’s projects right the way along the corridor. But we’re adding in an additional project today around fixing some couple of the bridges around the west, which again, are proving to be bottlenecks. And they are around the Dimboola Bridge, over the Melbourne Adelaide railway line and the Dadswell Bridge over Mount William Creek floodplain. So both of those bridges getting money for upgrades as well.

    STEVE MARTIN: Okay, can I just ask, is this money that is allocated and locked in, or is this dependent on an election outcome?

    CATHERINE KING: No, we are making this as a decision of government. So we are not in an election campaign yet. We are governing, and so this is a decision of government. So that will appear in the pre-election financial outlook, which is how the- what the state of the books are before the election. So that will appear there. Of course, there are risks that if there is a change of government, that a new government makes a different decision and is obviously- when we’re seeing that they’re looking for cuts, that these sorts of things can get cut. But these are in the budget. They are a decision of government.

    STEVE MARTIN: Okay. When you mentioned it could be cut, in a similar manner to what you had to do around November 2023, where you had to cut back- I think it was about $80 billion worth of promises, including ones on the Western Freeway at that stage for- I think it was the M80 Ring Road to Ferris Road.

    CATHERINE KING: Yeah. Well, what I had to do is that what we’d seen is a really, to be blunt, pretty appalling management of the infrastructure investment pipeline. What they’ve done is used it, frankly, to stand up and make election announcements without having any idea about how much the cost of projects were going to be, and not doing the planning work alongside the Victorian state government, and really using it to- you know, to pork barrel, to be frank. And so what we’ve had to do is really look at the pipeline, do planning work first, do business cases, get a good understanding of what is needed and also what the costs of projects are. So we didn’t cut $80 billion because that’s in fact almost the entire infrastructure investment program. We cut projects that had no hope of proceeding because they were woefully underfunded and also just hadn’t been done in conjunction with Victorian state government.

    So I think there was $50 million that was allocated there, 50 million to the quarter. But no, it had- it sat there on the books for years not having any work done on it. So what we’ve done here is we’ve done the planning work, done the business case, got a fairly good understanding of what’s needed and are now working with the Victorian government, you know, hand-in-glove really to make sure we can actually deliver these projects along the highway.

    STEVE MARTIN: When would we see works commence? Because I believe the bridge is different in the far west to some of the other work. And you did mention that for Warrenheip and Brewery Tap Road, that’s a planning process. So when will people start to see works happening, do you think?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, there’s some safety works that can happen pretty quickly and they can be around shoulder widening and certainly making sure that we’ve got the- you know, mostly the highways covered by barriers. But, you know, some of the shoulder widening that may be needed, some of the resealing work that can happen fairly quickly. But obviously when you’re talking about things like overpasses or new interchanges, they are significant pieces of work, and they do require some planning to make sure that they can be delivered. So, you know, our view is the money is available, we’ll make the money available the minute the project is ready to go. But again, you have to do these things properly. And we’re in the hands of the Victorian Government when it comes to the delivery.

    STEVE MARTIN: I did have a question that came in specifically from our team in western Victoria, just wanting to know a bit more about the bridges in the west. The Dimboola Bridge upgrades, they’re asking specifically when that might be rolled out. But as you just said, there is still some work to be done before this begins. Is that right, Catherine King?

    CATHERINE KING: Well, in terms of those two projects. So the total cost of those, it’s a 50/50 project with the state government. So it’s a $12.2 million project. They will match that project. That’s expected to commence in 2025 with an estimated completion date of ‘26. So it’s meant to actually be starting this year in relation to those two projects. They were – have already been in planning for a while, so we know what we want to do there. So those projects should come on train fairly quickly.

    STEVE MARTIN: Rightio Catherine King, thanks for your time this morning.

    CATHERINE KING: Terrific to be with you, Steve.

    STEVE MARTIN: Catherine King is the Federal Member for Ballarat, but also, of course, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Alleged International Leader of MS-13 Extradited on RICO Charge

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Moises Humberto Rivera-Luna, also known as Santos and Viejo Santos, 55, an alleged international leader of the violent MS-13 drug gang, made an initial appearance today in the District of Columbia following his extradition from Guatemala to the United States to face racketeering conspiracy charges.

    “Keeping Americans safe from transnational criminal gangs is one of the Department’s top priorities,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This defendant’s appearance in federal court in Washington today demonstrates our relentless commitment to seeking justice for victims, no matter how long it takes. Thanks to the incredible work by our federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we are one step closer to bringing closure for the many victims of this defendant’s alleged brutal violence.”

    “The decade-long pursuit of this alleged violent gang member illustrates our office’s resolve to remain focused and bring to justice those who violate the law no matter where they are, no matter how long it takes,” said U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. for the District of Columbia.

    “Moise Humberto Rivera-Luna will have his day in court, but he stands accused of very serious crimes,” said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., Acting Special Agent in Charge Christopher Heck. “His alleged criminal activity, combined with his leadership of the MS-13 transnational criminal organization, makes Rivera-Luna a significant threat to the safety of the American people. We are grateful for the strong relationships we enjoy with our local, state, federal and international law enforcement partners. Without their cooperation, none of this would be possible. ICE HSI Washington, D.C., will continue to work relentlessly and exhaust all resources to investigate and apprehend anyone who presents a threat to national security or the residents of our communities.”

    Rivera-Luna is one of seven defendants in a nine-count fourth superseding indictment, which was returned on May 3, 2013, charging the defendants with committing racketeering conspiracy, murder in aid of racketeering, kidnapping in aid of racketeering, assault with a deadly weapon in aid of racketeering, and other offenses. Rivera-Luna is charged only with committing racketeering conspiracy. The government alleges that Rivera-Luna, while incarcerated in El Salvador, supervised operations of MS-13 cliques in the Washington area. Upon release, he traveled to Guatemala where he was subject to extradition.

    The indictment alleges that MS-13 engages in racketeering activity to include murder, narcotics distribution, extortion, robberies, obstruction of justice, and other crimes. The indictment specifically states that some of the defendants allegedly participated in assaults against perceived rival gang members, made threats against people they believed to be cooperating with law enforcement, and carried out extortions.

    The range of criminal activity alleged in the indictment includes acts committed in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and other states. The indictment alleges there was frequent contact between MS-13 members in the Washington metropolitan area and El Salvador, and that members incarcerated in El Salvador encouraged or ordered assaults and murders.

    Rivera-Luna is alleged to be an international leader of MS-13 who was sending orders and advice to an MS-13 clique operating in the Washington area via cellular telephone calls from his prison cell in El Salvador. The indictment alleges that he and another alleged MS-13 leader, Marvin Geovanny Monterrosa-Larios, also incarcerated in El Salvador, directed a coalition of MS-13 cliques to be formed in the Washington area. They advised local clique members that the coalition’s aim was to seek and kill MS-13 members who were found to be cooperating with law enforcement officials.

    Among other allegations, the indictment charges Rivera-Luna with ordering the murder of Louis Alberto Membreno-Zelaya, 27. Membreno-Zelaya was found stabbed to death on Nov. 6, 2008, in Northwest Washington.

    The indictment also alleges that Rivera-Luna authorized the murder of Felipe Enriquez, 25, whose body was found on March 31, 2010, in Montgomery County, Maryland.

    ICE HSI Washington, D.C., and the Metropolitan Police Department are investigating the case. The Montgomery County and Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Departments; State Attorney’s Office for Montgomery County; and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Maryland and the Eastern District of Virginia provided assistance.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the extradition of Rivera-Luna from Guatemala.

    Trial Attorney Lakeita F. Rox-Love of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nihar Mohanty for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

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

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Jersey Man Admits to Concealing Material Support and Resources to ISIS

    Source: US State of California

    Kyse S. Abushanab, 27, of Budd Lake, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today to a one-count information charging him with concealing material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

    According to court documents, between in or around March 2021 and in or around January 2022, Abushanab compiled resources, including information pertaining to the manufacture and use of weapons of mass destruction, with the aim of providing members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or the Islamic State), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and its supporters with a repository of information and resources to help carry out ISIS’s mission. This material included, among other things, videos and documents showing step-by-step instructions on how to make suicide belts or vests, detonators and timers, improvised bombs, and other explosives and incendiary devices. In an effort to evade detection by law enforcement, Abushanab took steps to conceal his efforts to assist ISIS by, among other things, using encrypted applications, untraceable email accounts, and a secured cloud storage space to gather and store information on how to make a variety of weapons of mass destruction.

    The charge of concealment of provision of material support carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 24.

    Sue Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna for the District of New Jersey; Assistant Director David J. Scott of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Newark Field Office made the announcement.

    The FBI is investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Ryan White of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Questions NIH Director Nominee on Cap on Indirect Research Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Click here to watch and here to download video of Senator Collins’ questioning.

    Washington, D.C. – At a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on the nomination of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to serve as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Senator Susan Collins questioned Dr. Bhattacharya on the Trump Administration’s decision to impose a cap on indirect costs for certain NIH funded research. Senator Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released a statement in February opposing the decision, which could halt critical biomedical research like that taking place in Maine at the Jackson Laboratory, the University of Maine, Maine Medical Center Research Institute, the University of New England, and MDI Biological Laboratory. Senator Collins has also been in direct contact with Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who committed to her that he would reexamine this directive.

    Today, a federal judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction, blocking the implementation of this cap.

    Below is the transcript of their exchange:

    Senator Collins:

    I am strongly opposed to the Administration’s ill-conceived and completely arbitrary proposal to impose a 15% cap on indirect costs for NIH grants. Research labs and universities across the State of Maine have contacted me to describe the devastating impact that this cap would have on lifesaving and life-enhancing biomedical research, on ongoing clinical trials, and on Maine’s research-related jobs.

    In 2023, NIH supported 1,470 jobs in this field in the State of Maine alone. I think it’s important that we all acknowledge that a one-size-fits-all approach makes absolutely no sense, and that is why NIH negotiates with the individual grant recipient what the indirect cost cap should be. And it’s legitimate to say that we should take another look at that. Are we doing the right amount for Stanford versus Jackson Laboratories or the University of Maine? Those are legitimate questions. But to impose this arbitrary cap makes no sense at all.

    Furthermore, and I really want to stress this, this is against the law. Since 2018, we have had language in the Labor-HHS appropriations bill that specifically prohibits the indirect cost formula from being changed. And yet, that is what has been done without congressional intent, or agreement, or consent. And the language has been carried every single year, including in the continuing resolution that we’re now operating under. So, I’m not surprised that a judge has stayed the order.

    So, if confirmed, will you work immediately to rectify and reverse course on having a one-size-fits-all 15% cap on indirect costs?

    Dr. Bhattacharya:

    Senator, if confirmed, I absolutely commit to following the law, to addressing this issue very directly. I think that this is one of these issues—to me, it’s an indicator of distrust that some have of universities and of the scientific process. And so, I want to make sure that we address those concerns as well, but I absolutely commit to following the law. And I’ll consult with agency counsel immediately and work with you, Senator, as we spoke of in our meeting, to make sure that your concerns are addressed as well.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WATCH: Baldwin Presses Trump Nominee for NIH on Stalled Cancer, Alzheimer’s Research

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) questioned President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, on this Administration’s continued efforts to stop funding for research into cures for cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. The halt on funding for this research comes as the NIH continues to cancel necessary meetings to approve funding, cut grant specialists, and fire doctors, scientists, and nurses who support clinical trials for patients.

    “Donald Trump and Elon Musk are slashing research for Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer so billionaires don’t have to pay their fair share,” said Senator Baldwin. “The NIH does truly lifesaving work, and the world’s premier biomedical research agency needs a leader who will help keep people healthy and find the cures for diseases – not one who will take away families’ hopes and dreams of having a cure for diseases that take their loved ones too soon.”

    On Monday, Senator Baldwin called out the Trump Administration for stopping $65 million in funding for Alzheimer’s disease research at 14 research institutions across the country. 14 of the 35 Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs) have had their funding halted by the NIH because the Trump Administration continues to cancel NIH Advisory Council meetings, which are the final required step in the grant approval process. She also slammed the Trump Administration for halting all grant funding through NIH for ten days last month, despite two court orders directing the Trump Administration to end its unlawful efforts to freeze all federal grants.

    In addition to frozen funding for critical research, Senator Baldwin also has raised alarms on staffing cuts to 1,200 research scientists, nurses, pharmacists, ethics specialists, police officers, data scientists, budget analysts, and patient care technicians at the agency, including critical patient care specialists at the NIH Clinical Center. The NIH Clinical Center is the nation’s largest hospital devoted entirely to clinical research, treating about 10,000 patients with rare and severe diseases every year. Mass firings of Clinical Center staff threaten patient safety and may shut down ongoing clinical trials, cutting off access to treatments and cures for patients who have nowhere else to go.

    These impacts are being directly felt in Wisconsin, where research institutions and patients are dealing with the fallout from this administration arbitrarily capping indirect cost rates at 15%, which will slash funding that helps research institutions, like the University of Wisconsin, conduct research, operate their facilities and labs, pay staff, and buy equipment needed for groundbreaking work to find cures for diseases and treatments for patients.

    A full recording of Senator Baldwin’s questions is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CMS Alerts Hospital Providers on Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

    Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) alerted providers of their obligation to protect American children from often irreversible chemical and surgical mutilation, including interventions that cause sterilization. Hospital providers were alerted of serious quality and safety concerns associated with harmful, medical interventions for gender dysphoria. CMS also announced it may begin taking steps to align its policies and regulations with medical evidence and to safeguard children from often irreversible experiments. CMS will continue to follow any applicable substantive and procedural requirements in taking any future action.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AI pioneers Andrew Barto and Richard Sutton win 2025 Turing Award for groundbreaking contributions to reinforcement learning

    Source: US Government research organizations

    NSF funded Barto’s research journey from basic science to pioneering breakthroughs in artificial intelligence

    The computing world is celebrating a major milestone as Andrew Barto, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Richard Sutton, professor of computer science at the University of Alberta, Canada, have been awarded the 2024 Association for Computing Machinery A.M. Turing Award — often called the “Nobel Prize of computing” — for “developing the conceptual and algorithmic foundations of reinforcement learning.”

    The legacy in reinforcement learning

    Barto and Sutton are widely recognized as pioneers of the modern computational reinforcement learning (RL), a field that addresses the challenge of learning how to act based on evaluative feedback. Their work has laid the conceptual and algorithmic foundations of RL, shaping the future of artificial intelligence and decision-making systems.

    The influence of RL extends across multiple disciplines, including computer science (machine learning), engineering (optimal control), mathematics (operations research), neuroscience (optimal decision-making), psychology (classical and operant conditioning) and economics (rational choice theory). Researchers in these fields continue to be profoundly shaped by the contributions of Sutton and Barto.

    From NSF Grants to AI Breakthroughs

    Barto’s contributions were made possible through a series of U.S. National Science Foundation-funded projects that sustained AI research long before its recent boom. His research was supported through grants from NSF programs including the National Robotics Initiative, Robust Intelligence, Collaborative Research in Computation Neuroscience, Human-Centered Computing, Biological Information Technology and Systems, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science, which have driven the long-term, fundamental advances in machine learning that we see today.

    “Barto’s research exemplifies the power of foundational computational research that has not only advanced state-of-the-art decision-making machines and intelligent systems but has also provided critical insights into understanding intelligence itself,” said Greg Hager, NSF assistant director for Computer and Information Science and Engineering.

    “Andy Barto’s work laid the foundation for modern reinforcement learning, influencing generations of researchers, including myself. His insights with Rich Sutton into how agents can learn and adapt in complex environments form the backbone of how automated behavior is generated in the field of artificial intelligence. Without his pioneering research, many of today’s — and tomorrow’s — AI breakthroughs wouldn’t be possible,” said Michael Littman, director for the NSF Division of Information and Intelligent Systems.

    The impact of Barto and Sutton’s work

    For decades, NSF has supported fundamental research in AI, with Barto’s work being among the most influential. Barto and Sutton formalized RL concepts through decades of research, beginning with Sutton’s time as Barto’s first doctoral student. Their collaboration continued as Sutton later joined Barto at the UMass Amherst as a senior research scientist from 1995 to 1998 and beyond, producing many of the foundational RL approaches that remain in use today.

    Reinforcement learning methods built on Sutton and Barto’s work today underpin:

    • Chatbots: Conversational AI agents learn to answer questions helpfully and accurately with the help of a technique called reinforcement learning from human feedback, as deployed in ChatGPT and other leading bots.
    • Games: From Jeopardy to Go to video games, RL algorithms have made it possible for computer players to achieve world-class performance and have even influenced the strategies of the best human players.
    • Robot motor skill learning: RL enables robots to learn autonomously through trial and error how to carry out intricate tasks.
    • Microprocessor layout and circuit design: RL systems make decisions for composing components that make up computer chips
    • Personalized recommendations: Online services like Netflix and YouTube rely on RL techniques to tailor recommendations.
    • Autonomous vehicles: RL models help self-driving cars learn how to navigate complex traffic environments.
    • Supply chain optimization: RL-enabled systems learn what items need to be stored where so that customers can receive goods quickly and cheaply.
    • Algorithm design: Researchers have broken new ground and solved long-standing problems with the help of RL systems.

    Breakthroughs in RL have fueled a multibillion-dollar industry, with major companies like DeepMind and OpenAI relying on RL as a core technology. Additionally, many major tech firms now have dedicated RL research teams. It is also recognized as a core topic of study. For example, RL was added to the Computer Science Standards of Learning for Virginia Public Schools earlier this year.

    Bridging AI and neuroscience

    The influence of Barto and Sutton’s work extends far beyond computer science and AI, forging crucial connections between RL and brain sciences, including cognitive science, psychology and neuroscience. Their research has provided groundbreaking insights into how learning can occur, both in machines and in the human brain.

    One of their earliest breakthroughs came in 1981 when they showed that temporal difference (TD) learning could explain certain learning behaviors that the existing Rescorla-Wagner model couldn’t. This discovery opened the door to a new way of understanding how learning happens. Building on this idea, a 1995 study found a connection between the TD algorithm and how dopamine neurons in the brain behave. This insight laid the groundwork for later experiments that confirmed that TD learning accurately describes how dopamine influences reward-based learning.

    With the 2025 A.M. Turing Award recognizing Barto and Sutton’s lifetime achievements, their legacy underscores the importance of sustained federal investment in basic research — the kind of support that has fueled AI’s breakthroughs over the last four decades.

    For more details on this year’s award, please visit https://amturing.acm.org/

    MIL OSI USA News –