Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction
Mission
As part of a 12 university network launched by the UNESCO in 1957, the Latin American Faculty for Social Sciences at Quito (FLACSO) is a postgraduate institution dedicated to research and teaching at Masters and Doctoral levels.
FLACSO currently offers around 20 careers throughout 11 departments, including a Doctor Degree in Economics and in Political Studies.
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Motorists in Matamata are advised of a collision between two vehicles on a railway crossing in the town.
It happened at the intersection of Firth and Tainui Streets just before 8:50am, and is understood to involve a car and a light railway vehicle.
There do not immediately appear to be any injuries of note.
Traffic control is in place for motorists, however drivers are advised to avoid this intersection for the time being.
ENDS
Source: New Zealand Government
Boosting our nursing workforce will deliver immediate benefits to people seeking care, Health Minister Simeon Brown says.“Kiwis will get better access to primary healthcare under our Government’s plan to empower more nurses to deliver timely, quality services in local communities.“Strengthening this important workforce is vital to ensuring New Zealanders get the care they need, when they need it.“Cabinet has agreed to:
Increase the number of training places for nurse practitioners specialising in primary care to 120 a year.
Support advanced education for up to 120 primary care registered nurses.
“New Zealand nurses already have the expertise to provide high-quality care in local communities. By increasing their skills and qualifications, more patients can be seen sooner, and pressure on doctors is eased.“Nurse practitioners are highly skilled professionals who can diagnose conditions, prescribe medicines and develop treatment plans. They often manage more complex healthcare needs, giving New Zealanders greater choice and better access to health services.“The Government will invest $34.2 million over five years to fund 120 nurse practitioner training places in primary care each year from 2026. “An additional $21.6 million over four years will accelerate advanced tertiary education for up to 120 primary care registered nurses annually, bringing healthcare closer to home.“Registered nurses who obtain advanced qualifications can become registered nurse prescribers and may choose to continue their training to become nurse practitioners.“This allows more Kiwis to get ongoing care, including prescriptions, without needing a doctor’s appointment.“A stronger health workforce that we can retain is critical. We know that making primary care an attractive place to work for doctors and nurses keeps healthcare local for patients. “These initiatives build on our plan to attract and recruit up to 400 graduate registered nurses a year into primary care roles, and train and hire more doctors,” Mr Brown says.
Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Florida woman has been sentenced March 3 to house arrest and ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service for wire fraud and tax fraud following a joint investigation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Feliciano Rodriguez, 47, of Orlando, was ordered to pay $3,338,558 in restitution, and ordered to serve a five-year term of supervised release. The court also entered a money judgment against Rodriguez in the amount of $347,760, representing the proceeds of the wire fraud.
“Fraudulent schemes that provide under-the-table cash payments ultimately exploit undocumented aliens for large profits and undermines the integrity of the industry, endangering both the workers and the system that’s meant to protect them,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tim Hemker. “ICE, alongside our law enforcement partners, will investigate those who engage in illegal practices and hold them accountable for their actions.”
According to court documents, Rodriguez established a shell company that purported to be involved in the construction industry. She obtained a workers’ compensation insurance policy in the name of the shell company to cover a minimal payroll for a few purported employees, then “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance to work crews who had obtained subcontracts with construction contractors on projects in various Florida counties as well as contractors in other states. Rodriguez sent the contractors a certificate as “proof” that the work crews had workers’ compensation insurance, as required by Florida law. By sending the certificate Rodriguez falsely represented that the work crews worked for the shell company. Over the course of the scheme, Rodriguez “rented” the certificates to dozens of work crews, defrauding the worker’s compensation carrier, typically allowing numerous undocumented illegal workers to be employed unlawfully.
As part of the scheme, the contractors issued payroll checks for the workers’ wages to the shell companies and Rodriguez cashed these checks, then distributed the cash to the work crews, after deducting their fee, which was typically about 6 percent of the payroll. During the scheme, Rodriguez cashed payroll checks totaling approximately $13 million. Neither the shell company nor the contractors reported to government authorities the wages that were paid to the workers, nor did they pay either the employees’ or the employer’s portion of payroll taxes – including Social Security, Medicare, and federal income tax. The amount of payroll taxes due on wages collected by Rodriguez totaled over $3 million.
The scheme also facilitated the avoidance of the higher cost of obtaining adequate workers’ compensation insurance for the numerous workers on the work crews to whom Rodriguez “rented” the workers’ compensation insurance. The policy that Rodriguez purchased and then “rented” out was for an estimated payroll of $121,800 and the insurance company issued a policy for a premium of approximately $8,006. Had a workers’ compensation insurance policy been purchased for the actual payroll totaling approximately $5 million dollars, the policy premium would have totaled about $461,679.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message that off the books payroll schemes which enable illegal immigrants the ability to work without paying taxes will not be tolerated. These schemes are violations of a number of serious federal criminal statutes including wire fraud and tax evasion. The impact of this scheme, and others like it, harm law-abiding businesses and legal workers who are unable to compete against the tax-free labor of illegal immigrants,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Tampa Field Office. “We are proud to work alongside our partners at Homeland Security Investigations on this case, and we will continue this partnership to ensure all employers are on an even playing field.”
This case was investigated by ICE Jacksonville, IRS-CI, and the Florida Department of Financial Services. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Source: NASA
Carrying NASA technology demonstrations and science investigations, Intuitive Machines is targeting their Moon landing no earlier than 12:32 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 6. The company’s Nova-C lunar lander is slated to land in Mons Mouton, a lunar plateau near the Moon’s South Pole, as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign to establish a long-term lunar presence.
Watch live landing coverage of the Intuitive Machines 2 (IM-2) landing, hosted by NASA and Intuitive Machines, on NASA+ starting no earlier than 11:30 a.m., approximately 60 minutes before touchdown. Beginning at 11 a.m. the agency will share blog updates as landing milestones occur.
Following the Moon landing, NASA and Intuitive Machines will host a news conference from NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston to discuss the mission, technology demonstrations, and science opportunities that lie ahead as lunar surface operations. begin.
U.S. media interested in participating in person must request accreditation by 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, by contacting the NASA Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online. To ask questions via phone, all media must RSVP by 4 p.m. March 5 to the NASA Johnson Newsroom, and dial in at least 15 minutes before the briefing begins.
Full coverage of the IM-2 mission includes (all times Eastern):
Thursday, March 6
11:30 a.m. – Landing coverage begins on NASA+
12:32 p.m. – Landing
4 p.m. – Post-landing news conference on NASA+
After landing, NASA and Intuitive Machines leaders will participate in the news conference:
Nicky Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Clayton Turner, associate administrator, Space Technology Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Joel Kearns, deputy associate administrator for exploration, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Steve Altemus, CEO, Intuitive Machines
Tim Crain, chief growth officer, Intuitive Machines
The IM-2 mission launched at 7:16 p.m. Feb. 26 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The lander is carrying NASA technology that will measure the potential presence of resources from lunar soil that could be extracted and used by future explorers to produce fuel or breathable oxygen.
In addition, a passive Laser Retroreflector Array on the top deck of the lander will bounce laser light back at any orbiting or incoming spacecraft to give future spacecraft a permanent reference point on the lunar surface. Other technologies on this delivery will demonstrate a robust cellular network to help future astronauts communicate and deploy a propulsive drone that can hop across the lunar surface to navigate its challenging terrain.
NASA continues to work with multiple American companies to deliver technology and science to the lunar surface through the agency’s CLPS initiative. This pool of companies may bid on contracts for end-to-end lunar delivery services, including payload integration and operations, launching from Earth, and landing on the surface of the Moon. NASA’s CLPS contracts are indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a cumulative maximum value of $2.6 billion through 2028. The agency awarded Intuitive Machines the contract to send NASA science investigations and technology demonstrations to the Moon using its American-designed and -manufactured lunar lander for approximately $62.5 million.
Through the Artemis campaign, commercial robotic deliveries will test technologies, perform science experiments, and demonstrate capabilities on and around the Moon to help NASA explore in advance of Artemis Generation astronaut missions to the lunar surface, and ultimately crewed missions to Mars.
Learn how to watch NASA content on various platforms, including social media, and follow all events at:
https://www.plus.nasa.gov
Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Artemis. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:
X: @NASA, @NASA_Johnson, @NASAArtemis, @NASAMoon, @NASA_Technology
Facebook: NASA, NASAJohnsonSpaceCenter, NASAArtemis, NASATechnology
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAJohnson, @NASAArtemis
For more information about the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative:
https://www.nasa.gov/clps
-end-
Karen Fox / Jasmine HopkinsHeadquarters, Washington 202-358-1600 karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / jasmine.s.hopkins@nasa.gov
Natalia Riusech / Nilufar RamjiJohnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 natalia.s.riusech@nasa.gov / nilufar.ramji@nasa.gov
Source: NASA
On March 2, 1995, space shuttle Endeavour launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on its eighth trip into space, on the STS-67 Astro-2 mission. The crew included Commander Stephen Oswald, Pilot William Gregory, Mission Specialists John Grunsfeld, Wendy Lawrence, and Tamara Jernigan – who served as payload commander on the mission – and Payload Specialists Samuel Durrance and Ronald Parise. During their then record setting 17-day mission, the astronauts used the three ultraviolet telescopes of the Astro-2 payload to observe hundreds of celestial objects. The mission ended with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
In August 1993, NASA assigned Jernigan as the payload commander for Astro-2, for a weeklong flight aboard Columbia then targeted for late 1994. Jernigan, selected by NASA in 1985, had previously flown aboard STS-40 and STS-52. Two months later, NASA assigned Grunsfeld, a space rookie from the class of 1992, as a mission specialist. In January 1994, NASA rounded out the crew by assigning Oswald, Gregory, Lawrence, Durrance, and Parise. Oswald, from the class of 1985, had flown previously as pilot on STS-42 and STS-56, while STS-67 represented the first spaceflight for Gregory, selected in 1990, and Lawrence, chosen in 1992. Durrance and Parise, selected as payload specialists in 1984, had flown on STS-35, the Astro-1 mission.
The Astro-2 science payload consisted of three ultraviolet telescopes mounted on a Spacelab instrument pointing system in the shuttle’s cargo bay. The trio of telescopes flew previously on STS-35, the Astro-1 mission, in December 1990. That mission, originally planned to fly on STS-61E in March 1986, remained grounded following the Challenger accident. Due to equipment malfunctions, the Astro-1 mission only achieved 80% of its objectives, leading to the reflight of the instruments on Astro-2, originally planned as a seven-day mission aboard Discovery. A switch to Columbia enabled a mission twice as long, with significantly more observation time. A scheduled maintenance period for Columbia resulted in Astro-2 switching to Endeavour, with a new flight duration of more than 15 days, but a launch delay to February 1995. The three telescopes supported 23 different studies, observing more than 250 celestial objects including joint observations with the Hubble Space Telescope of the planet Jupiter.
Endeavour returned to Kennedy following its previous flight, STS-68, in October 1994. After servicing the orbiter, workers rolled it to the vehicle assembly building on Feb. 3, 1995, for mating with its external tank and solid rocket boosters, and then out to Launch Pad 39A on Feb. 8. At 1:38 a.m. EST on March 2, Endeavour thundered into the night sky to begin the STS-67 mission. Eight and a half minutes later, the shuttle and its crew had reached space.
Shortly after reaching orbit, the crew opened the payload bay doors and deployed the shuttle’s radiators. Jernigan and Durrance activated the Spacelab pallet and its pointing system and the telescopes. The crew split into two shifts to enable data collection around the clock during the mission. Oswald, Gregory, Grunsfeld, and Parise made up the red shift while Lawrence, Jernigan, and Durrance comprised the blue shift.
For the remainder of the mission, the astronauts operated the telescopes, conducting 385 maneuvers of Endeavour to point the instruments at the celestial targets. The results met or exceeded preflight expectations. The crew also conducted a series of middeck investigations in technology demonstration and biotechnology. The Middeck Active Control Experiment studied the active control of flexible structures in space. Five years later, a newer version flew as one of the first experiments on the International Space Station.
Like all space crews, the STS-67 astronauts also spent time taking photographs of the Earth using handheld cameras. The mission’s long duration enabled them to image many targets.
On March 14, an eighth American joined the STS-67 crew in space when NASA astronaut Norman Thagard blasted off with two cosmonauts, headed for space station Mir. With three other cosmonauts already aboard Mir, the total number of humans in orbit grew to a then-record of 13. Two days later, Oswald and Thagard, who had flown together on STS-42, talked to each other via ship-to-ship radio.
Inclement weather at Kennedy thwarted the planned reentry on March 17, and the astronauts spent an extra day in space. On March 18, they again waved off a Kennedy landing and one orbit later, Oswald and Gregory piloted Endeavour to a smooth landing at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The crew had flown 262 orbits around the Earth in 16 days, 15 hours, and 9 minutes, at the time the longest space shuttle mission. A few hours later, a large crowd greeted the astronauts upon their return to Houston’s Ellington Field. Endeavour began its ferry flight back to Kennedy on March 26, arriving there the next day. Workers towed Endeavour to the processing facility to prepare it for its next flight, STS-73, then planned for September 1995.
Watch the crew narrate a video about the STS-67 mission.
Source: NASA
A planet may have been destroyed by a white dwarf at the center of a planetary nebula — the first time this has been seen. As described in our latest press release, this would explain a mysterious X-ray signal that astronomers have detected from the Helix Nebula for over 40 years. The Helix is a planetary nebula, a late-stage star like our Sun that has shed its outer layers leaving a small dim star at its center called a white dwarf.
This composite image contains X-rays from Chandra (magenta), optical light data from Hubble (orange, light blue), infrared data from ESO (gold, dark blue), and ultraviolet data from GALEX (purple) of the Helix Nebula. Data from Chandra indicates that this white dwarf has destroyed a very closely orbiting planet.
An artist’s concept shows a planet (left) that has approached too close to a white dwarf (right) and is being torn apart by tidal forces from the star. The white dwarf is in the center of a planetary nebula depicted by the blue gas in the background. The planet is part of a planetary system, which includes one planet in the upper left and another in the lower right. The besieged planet could have initially been a considerable distance from the white dwarf but then migrated inwards by interacting with the gravity of the other planets in the system.
Eventually debris from the planet will form a disk around the white dwarf and fall onto the star’s surface, creating the mysterious signal in X-rays that astronomers have detected for decades.
Dating back to 1980, X-ray missions, such as the Einstein Observatory and ROSAT telescope, have picked up an unusual reading from the center of the Helix Nebula. They detected highly energetic X-rays coming from the white dwarf at the center of the Helix Nebula named WD 2226-210, located only 650 light-years from Earth. White dwarfs like WD 2226-210 do not typically give off strong X-rays.
A new study featuring the data from Chandra and XMM-Newton may finally have settled the question of what is causing these X-rays from WD 2226-210: this X-ray signal could be the debris from a destroyed planet being pulled onto the white dwarf. If confirmed, this would be the first case of a planet seen to be destroyed by the central star in a planetary nebula.
Observations by ROSAT, Chandra, and XMM-Newton between 1992 and 2002 show that the X-ray signal from the white dwarf has remained approximately constant in brightness during that time. The data, however, suggest there may be a subtle, regular change in the X-ray signal every 2.9 hours, providing evidence for the remains of a planet exceptionally close to the white dwarf.
Previously scientists determined that a Neptune-sized planet is in a very close orbit around the white dwarf — completing one revolution in less than three days. The researchers in this latest study conclude that there could have been a planet like Jupiter even closer to the star. The besieged planet could have initially been a considerable distance from the white dwarf but then migrated inwards by interacting with the gravity of other planets in the system. Once it approached close enough to the white dwarf the gravity of the star would have partially or completely torn the planet apart.
WD 2226-210 has some similarities in X-ray behavior to two other white dwarfs that are not inside planetary nebulas. One is possibly pulling material away from a planet companion, but in a more sedate fashion without the planet being quickly destroyed. The other white dwarf is likely dragging material from the vestiges of a planet onto its surface. These three white dwarfs may constitute a new class of variable, or changing, object.
A paper describing these results appears in The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and is available online. The authors of the paper are Sandino Estrada-Dorado (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Martin Guerrero (The Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia in Spain), Jesús Toala (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Ricardo Maldonado (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Veronica Lora (National Autonomous University of Mexico), Diego Alejandro Vasquez-Torres (National Autonomous University of Mexico), and You-Hua Chu (Academia Sinica in Taiwan).
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.
Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Learn more about the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its mission here:
chandra
https://chandra.si.edu
Visual Description
This release features two images; a composite image of the Helix Nebula, and an artist’s rendering of a planet’s destruction, which may be occurring in the nebula’s core.
The Helix Nebula is a cloud of gas ejected by a dying star, known as a white dwarf. In the composite image, the cloud of gas strongly resembles a creature’s eye. Here, a hazy blue cloud is surrounded by misty, concentric rings of pale yellow, rose pink, and blood orange. Each ring appears dusted with flecks of gold, particularly the outer edges of the eye-shape.
The entire image is speckled with glowing dots in blues, whites, yellows, and purples. At the center of the hazy blue gas cloud, a box has been drawn around some of these dots including a bright white dot with a pink outer ring, and a smaller white dot. The scene which may be unfolding inside this box has been magnified in the artist’s rendering.
The artist’s digital rendering shows a possible cause of the large white dot with the pink outer ring. A brilliant white circle near our upper right shows a white dwarf, the ember of a dying star. At our lower left, in the relative foreground of the rendering, is what remains of a planet. Here, the planet resembles a giant boulder shedding thousands of smaller rocks. These rocks flow off the planet’s surface, pulled back toward the white dwarf in a long, swooping tail. Glowing orange fault lines mar the surface of the crumbling planet. In our upper left and lower right, inside the hazy blue clouds which blanket the rendering, are two other, more distant planets. After the rocks from the planet start striking the surface of the white dwarf, X-rays should be produced.
Megan WatzkeChandra X-ray CenterCambridge, Mass.617-496-7998mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu
Lane FigueroaMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama256-544-0034lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov
Source: NASA
Explore Lagniappe for March 2025 featuring:
NASA Stennis Teams Install New Production RS-25 Engine for Upcoming Hot Fire
NASA Stennis Flashback: Learning About Rocket Engine Exhaust for Safe Space Travel
NASA in NOLA for Super Bowl
Welcome to March. It is the month that refuses to sit still. One day, the sun is shining, and the next day, the wind is howling through the trees, especially in the 125,000-acre buffer zone at NASA Stennis.
The buffer zone and location of NASA Stennis helps provide the right conditions for around-the-clock propulsion test capabilities.
March, like NASA Stennis, is full of possibilities.
The month kicks off a season of new beginnings. It is a time when farmers begin to plant seeds.
Did you know powering space dreams at NASA Stennis is a lot like farmers planting seeds?
Planting a seed is simple, yet profound. It signals a fresh start no matter if you are an experienced planter or if it is your first time.
Picking the right seed, carefully choosing the spot, and preparing the soil are ways to get going. Anticipation begins in March as planters set the stage for something that will happen over time.
Similarly, NASA Stennis is the right place to pick for many aerospace companies large and small. It is where the road to launch begins.
Whether the company is brand new to the field, like a first-time planter, or more experienced, the soil is right at NASA Stennis. South Mississippi is where a team of experts can help companies achieve a successful outcome.
Ah yes, the month of March and NASA Stennis are indeed alike.
They both can be a bridge between what was and what is to come – one, a time of year and the other, a place to shake off the winter slumber, take a deep breath, and step into something new.
There is something magical about planting seeds, just like there is something magical about powering space dreams at NASA Stennis.
NASA Stennis Teams Install New Production RS-25 Engine for Upcoming Hot Fire
NASA marked a key milestone Feb. 18 with installation of RS-25 engine No. E20001, the first new production engine to help power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket on future Artemis missions to the Moon.
NASA Stennis Flashback: Learning About Rocket Engine Exhaust for Safe Space Travel
NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is widely known as the nation’s largest rocket propulsion test site.
NASA in NOLA for Super Bowl
NASA Stennis Leaders Visit Kennedy Space Center
Leadership Class Visits NASA Stennis
Rocket Lab Leader Visits NASA Stennis
Jason Hopper’s journey to NASA started with assessing the risk of stepping into the unknown.
Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).
The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.
To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.
Source: NASA
Jason Hopper’s journey to NASA started with assessing the risk of stepping into the unknown.
One day, while taking a break from his hobby of rock climbing at Mississippi State University, a fellow student noticed Hopper reading a rocket propulsion textbook with a photo of a space shuttle launch on the cover.
Rocket propulsion – the technology that propels vehicles into space, usually through liquid rocket engines or solid rocket motors – is a highly complex field. Engineers rigorously test the propulsion systems and components to understand their capabilities and limitations, ensuring rockets can safely reach space.
“A guy just walked up and randomly said, ‘Hey, my dad works testing rocket engines,’” Hopper recalled.
Hopper, an aerospace engineering student at the time, did not know about NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. He soon would learn more.
The fellow student provided him with contact information, and the rest is history.
A Meridian, Mississippi, native, Hopper graduated from Mississippi State in 2007 and made his way to America’s largest rocket propulsion test site in south Mississippi.
On the other side of Hopper’s risk of stepping into the unknown came the reward of realizing how far he had come from reading about rocket propulsion work to contributing to it.
The career highlight happened when Hopper watched a space shuttle launch, powered in part by an engine he had fired up as a test conductor working at NASA Stennis.
“You cannot really put it into words because it permeates all through you, knowing that you are a part of something that big while at the same time, you are just a little piece of it,” he said.
Hopper transitioned from his contractor position to a civil servant role as test conductor when he joined NASA in 2011.
His work as a test conductor throughout all the NASA Stennis test areas and as test director at the E Test Complex has benefited NASA and industry, while giving him a good perspective on the value of the center’s work.
Among the projects he has played a large role in include the J-2X engine test program, build up for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) core stage hot fire ahead of the successful Artemis I launch and multiple projects throughout the E Test Complex.
“We offer operational excellence that I would argue you cannot get anywhere else,” Hopper said. “NASA Stennis is a smaller, family-oriented center renowned for excellence in rocket propulsion testing. It is a small place, where we do amazing things.”
Propulsion test customers at NASA Stennis include government and commercial projects. The NASA center is engaged in two projects to support the agency’s SLS rocket – testing of RS-25 engines to help power SLS launches and of NASA’s new exploration upper stage to fly on future missions to the Moon.
Current commercial companies conducting work at NASA Stennis include Blue Origin; Boeing; Evolution Space; Launcher, a Vast company; Relativity Space; and Rolls-Royce. Three companies – Relativity Space, Rocket Lab, and Evolution Space – are establishing production and/or test operations onsite.
After leaving south Mississippi for a four-year stint at NASA’s Marshall Spaceflight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Hopper returned to NASA Stennis as risk manager of NASA’s Rocket Propulsion Test Program Office.
In his day-to-day work, Hopper assesses risk around two questions – what is the risk and what do I really need to be focusing on?
Making decisions through this filter helps the Poplarville, Mississippi, resident make the best use of the agency’s rocket propulsion test assets, activities, and resources.
“With a risk perspective, if things are high risk, we need to address these items and focus our attention on them,” Hopper said. “If we lose a national test capability, that impacts more than just NASA; it impacts the nation because NASA is a significant enabler of commercial spaceflight.”
Hopper helps oversee the maintenance and sustainment of propulsion test capabilities across four sites – NASA Stennis; NASA Marshall; NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio; and NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
By establishing and maintaining world-class test facilities, the agency’s Rocket Propulsion Test Program Office ensures that NASA and its partners can conduct safe, efficient, and cost-effective rocket propulsion tests to support the advancement of space exploration and technology development.
Hopper looks to the future with optimism.
“We have an opportunity to redefine kind of what we as NASA and NASA Stennis do and how we do it,” he said. “Before, we were trying to help commercial companies figure things out. We were trying to get them up and going, but now we are in more of a support role in a lot of ways and so if you look at it, and approach it the right way, it can be very exciting.”
Source: NASA
The National Society of Professional Engineers recently named Debbie Korth, Orion deputy program manager at Johnson Space Center, as NASA’s 2025 Engineer of the Year. Korth was recognized during an award ceremony at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 21, alongside honorees from 17 other federal agencies. The annual awards program honors the impactful contributions of federal engineers and their commitment to public service.
Korth said she was shocked to receive the award. “At NASA there are so many brilliant, talented engineers who I get to work with every day who are so specialized and know so much about a certain area,” she said. “It was very surprising, but very appreciated.”
Korth has dedicated more than 30 years of her career to NASA, supporting human spaceflight development, integration, and operations across the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and Orion Programs. Her earliest roles involved extravehicular and mission operations planning, as well as managing spaceflight hardware for shuttle missions and space station crews. Working on hardware such as the Crew Health Care System in the early days of space station planning and development was a unique experience for Korth.
After spending significant time in Russia collaborating with Russian counterparts to integrate equipment such as a treadmill, cycle ergometer, and blood pressure monitor into their module, Korth recalled, “When we finally got that all delivered and integrated, it was a huge step because we had to have all of that on board before we could put crew members on the station for the first time. I remember feeling a huge sense of accomplishment and happiness that we were able to work through this international partnership and forge those relationships to get that hardware integrated.”
Korth transitioned to the Orion Program in 2008 and has since served in a variety of leadership roles. In her current role, Korth assists the program manager in the design, development, testing, verification, and certification of Orion, NASA’s next-generation, human-rated spacecraft for Artemis missions. The spacecraft’s first flight test around the Moon during the Artemis I mission was a standout experience for Korth and a major accomplishment for the Orion team.
“It was a long mission and every day we were learning more and more about the spacecraft and pushing boundaries,” she said. “We really wrung out some of the core systems – systems that were developed individually and for the first time we got to see them work together.”
Korth said that understanding how different systems interact with each other is what she loves most about engineering. “In systems engineering, you really look at how changes to and the performance of one system affects everything else,” she said. “I like looking across the entire spacecraft and saying, if I have to strengthen this structure to take some additional landing loads, that’s going to add mass to the vehicle, which means I have to look at my parachutes and the thermal protection system to make sure they can handle that increased load.”
The Orion team is working to achieve two major milestones in 2025 – delivery of the Artemis II Orion spacecraft to the Exploration Ground Systems team that will fuel and integrate Orion with its launch abort system at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and the spacecraft’s integration with the Space Launch System rocket, which is currently being stacked. These milestones will support the launch of the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration, with liftoff targeted no earlier than April 2026.
“It’s going to be a big year,” said Korth.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LAREDO, Texas – A 19-year-old Laredoan has been indicted for possession of a machinegun, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Justin Landen Ruiz was originally charged by criminal complaint and is expected to appear in Laredo federal court before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.
On Feb. 6, authorities responded to a road rage incident on the northbound lane of Bob Bullock near the entrance to Lake Casa Blanca International State Park, according to the charges. The driver and sole occupant of a black Jeep, later identified as Ruiz, allegedly displayed a firearm during the incident.
The charges allege authorities had pulled over the vehicle and conducted a search which resulted in the discovery of two firearms and three loaded magazines in the center console.
One of the firearms was a tan Glock 19x, 9mm pistol and had an attached machinegun conversion device, according to the charges. These devices convert firearms to be fully automatic.
If convicted, Ruiz faces up to 10 years imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed John A. Sarcone III as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York. Mr. Sarcone will start on March 17.
As United States Attorney, Mr. Sarcone will serve as the Northern District of New York’s chief federal law enforcement officer, supervising an office of 49 Assistant U.S. Attorneys, 4 Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, 41 support staff members, and 9 contract support staff members. He will be responsible for prosecuting federal criminal offenses and representing the United States in civil litigation in the Northern District of New York and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Mr. Sarcone stated: “Coming from a humble, blue-collar background – growing up in Croton-on-Hudson, having the same teachers at Croton High School as my parents had, and with my grandmother and children also graduating from that school, and having worked full-time while going at night to the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University– I am deeply humbled and honored to have been named U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York.
“I shall carry out my duties faithfully and with steadfast dedication to our nation, community, and the citizens of the Northern District of New York.
“Thank you, Attorney General Bondi, for trusting me to carry out this important mission and most importantly thank you President Trump for once again having faith and confidence in me to do my part to accomplish one of your most important tasks – to restore public confidence and trust in our government and the Department of Justice.”
Mr. Sarcone, who will be based in Albany, has been a dedicated public servant and lawyer for many years. From 2018 to 2021, Mr. Sarcone served as Northeast and Caribbean Regional Administrator for the U.S. General Services Administration, overseeing a large team responsible for federal buildings and facilities, procurement, and IT initiatives, and working with dozens of federal agencies and courthouses, including in the Northern District of New York. Earlier in his career, he served as Town Attorney in Eastchester, New York, and General Counsel to the United Federation of Special Police Officers, Inc. and to the Association of Commuter Rail Employees.
Mr. Sarcone also founded and built a general practice law firm, providing advice to small businesses and family-owned corporations, handling large real estate transactions, and litigating and arbitrating in areas including business and construction disputes, insurance defense, and toxic torts.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – A Southern California man has been sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for punching an Asian American woman in the head while shouting racial slurs and then leaving her bloodied in a Culver City street in 2021, the Justice Department announced today.
Jesse Allen Lindsey, 38, who was transient at the time of the attack, was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald.
Lindsey pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of a hate crime. He has been in federal custody since July 2024.
On June 14, 2021, at approximately 1 a.m., Lindsey began following the victim on her walk to work. According to the government’s sentencing position, Lindsey shouted racial slurs, cursed at the victim, and told her, “You don’t belong here.” He then violently punched her in the head. While the victim lay face down in the street, defendant shouted, “You hear what I said, [N-word]? I said good morning, bitch!”
Emergency personnel later transported the victim to a hospital to treat injuries to her head and ear. She was unable to work for a month and suffered years of psychological trauma, prosecutors said.
At sentencing, Judge Fitzgerald called the attack a “shocking and horrible crime” and noted Lindsey’s “serious criminal record.” Lindsey has 13 criminal convictions for firearms and narcotics offenses, domestic battery, grand theft, and attempted extortion. He also has at least 14 violations of probation or pretrial release and 19 additional arrests or contacts with law enforcement, the government said at Monday’s sentencing hearing.
Lindsey fled California after seeing news reports about the attack. Law enforcement officers eventually located Lindsey in a California state prison serving time for an unrelated conviction.
During an interview with law enforcement about the assault, Lindsey eventually admitted to punching the victim, but falsely claimed self-defense, the government’s sentencing position stated. Lindsey said the “little Asian person” was “mouthy” and looked like a “gangbanger.” Referencing the Asian actor known for his martial arts ability, Lindsey claimed the victim might pull “some Jet Li [expletive].” The victim was a middle-aged Asian woman who stood five feet tall and weighed approximately 120 pounds. Lindsey was over six feet tall and weighed approximately 250 pounds.
The FBI investigated this matter and received substantial assistance from the Culver City Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Greer Dotson prosecuted this case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LAREDO, Texas – A driver has been charged with conspiracy and importation of controlled substances, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mauricio Sebastian Valdez Rivas, 67, is in custody and expected to make his initial appearances before a U.S. magistrate judge in Laredo in the near future.
A federal grand jury returned the two-count indictment related to an alleged failed smuggling attempt of 16.95 kilograms of cocaine from Mexico into the United States.
On Feb. 7, Rivas allegedly drove into the port of entry at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge seeking entry into the United States. At that time. authorities performed an x-ray scan of the vehicle and noticed an anomaly near the front of the vehicle, according to the charges.
At secondary inspection, law enforcement allegedly found a trap door behind the front license plate which had a hidden compartment containing 15 bundles of cocaine.
The drugs have an estimated street value of $10,000.
If convicted, Rivas faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison as well as up to $10 million in fines.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Source: Microsoft
Headline: Microsoft AI powers a new energy future
Global energy leaders from the power and utilities, oil and gas, and mining sectors are turning to the power of data and AI for streamlined workflows, more efficient operating systems, and better performing assets—the types of changes that help companies to empower their people and grow sustainable business. We’re prioritizing this work with customers and partners because we believe that widespread AI adoption signifies a pivotal shift for the energy industry, with huge value to be gained from digital and AI transformation. But beyond the individual productivity and efficiency gains that AI brings for any single company or industry, it can help us collectively expand renewables, decarbonize the energy value chain, and ignite climate innovation—and that’s a win for everyone.
We look forward to participating in CERAWeek 2025 to connect with business leaders, policymakers, and entrepreneurs across the global energy ecosystem from March 10 to 14, 2025, where we’ll explore the theme of “Moving ahead: energy strategies for a complex world”. This year’s theme covers a variety of topics across energy sectors and technologies and will include deep dives into geopolitics, business strategies, AI transformation, and climate impact.
Power the new energy future with AI.
Across the energy ecosystem, AI-powered solutions are becoming the foundation of global success stories in which companies like Maaden save thousands of hours of worktime, while Aydem Energy boosts customer satisfaction with a digital assistant powered by Microsoft Azure OpenAI Sevice. Another one of our leading customers, JERA, Japan’s largest power generation company, uses Azure OpenAI to drive digital transformation. The collaboration helps JERA to access advanced AI tools and cloud infrastructure, facilitating innovation and the development of new energy solutions for energy performance management, failure prediction, and advanced maintenance, leading to significant cost savings and increased reliability. JERA’s Digital Power Plant (DPP) project is improving functionality in the areas of operations, maintenance, performance management and health, safety, security, and environment (HSSE), and helps promote innovation and workplace safety at power stations. As a result, the number of remote monitoring sites provided by the Global Data Analyzing Center increased by 25% last year, and the number of sites offering 24-hour services tripled. JERA also implemented a dedicated AI agent called Emily which is being used by 3,000 employees and in some cases, has achieved operational efficiencies of more than 90%. By utilizing AI and data analytics, JERA can make more informed decisions, improve energy management, and support Japan’s energy transition efforts.
We’re eager to highlight these and other success stories at CERAWeek, where leaders from our energy, sustainability, cloud and AI, and security teams will share perspectives on the role of AI and digital technologies in the energy sector. For example, we will dive into sustainability topics such as carbon capture and emissions reduction, highlighting the many ways AI and cloud solutions are reshaping the energy landscape and driving net-zero goals across the energy value chain like Cosmo Energy who harnesses the power of Microsoft AI solutions to better analyze data and improve its ESG results. We’ll also discuss the latest learnings and opportunities around innovative services such as direct air capture and CO2 as a service.
Cybersecurity is another topic of increasing urgency, especially in the power and utilities sector. Throughout the week, we’ll discuss AI-powered approaches to securing grid infrastructure, as well as how to address vulnerabilities to allow resilient energy delivery. We’ll also join other power and utilities leaders at a fireside chat to discuss how AI adoption can help grid operators break through common industry roadblocks and drive faster, more secure innovation.
I look forward to participating in a Strategic Roundtable conversation on the topic of “AI Applications and Impacts in Action,” where we’ll discuss the challenges and opportunities of AI in driving sustainable business initiatives.
These conversations are both inspiring and insightful, as we’re witnessing every day the impact AI is having across the industry. Whether it’s Uniper strengthening cybersecurity, Petrobras streamlining employee workflows, or Enerjisa Uretim accelerating data processing for improved decision making, AI is changing the way we work in energy. We’re looking forward to not only sharing success stories, but also hearing from other technology and energy experts about how AI is creating more value for them.
The climate crisis impacts everyone, and diversity in the startup ecosystem helps to ensure that solutions also reach everyone. People of color are disproportionately affected by climate change, yet Black and Latino founders receive less than 1.5% of total United States venture capital funding, women-founded organizations receive 1.9% of those funds, and Black and Latino women founders less than 0.1%1.
An important outcome of CERAWeek is knowledge sharing with a diverse group of global energy leaders that represent vastly different backgrounds and stages of business experience. Energy startups are a tremendous source of knowledge and innovation driving real impact across the industry. Transformation starts with people, not technology, and Microsoft is proud to support climate technology from underrepresented startups and CEOs. This year, we’ll hear from nine innovative startups sharing their unique perspectives on advancing diversity and inclusion in energy, and how they think creatively to secure reliable and sustainable energy sources.
The energy industry’s biggest challenges call for strategic collaboration and innovation across sectors and geographies, as real progress cannot be accomplished alone. Our partners are at the forefront of accelerating data modernization and AI innovation, helping to improve safety, efficiency, and productivity for the industry at large. You can hear from many of them at this year’s Innovation Agora, a marketplace buzzing with energy innovation and emerging technologies. The Agora promotes partnership, connection, and sharing among the energy community, and we’re excited to uncover new synergies, lead demonstrations, and explore opportunities to learn from other industry leaders.
At the Microsoft Agora House, we’re joined by partners and customers in sharing some of the ways they empower an AI-first energy workforce, operate for a secure and efficient energy future, advance their net-zero journeys, and grow sustainable and AI-powered businesses. Be sure to explore the Microsoft Experience Zone, featuring presentations from many partners that showcase transformative solutions and foster insightful discussions on energy innovation.
We’re honored to highlight many of the change-makers attending CERAWeek with us this year, including the following partners:
| Accenture | Hertha Metals* |
| AIQ | Honeywell |
| Amperon | IBM |
| Aveva | IFS |
| Axis Sky Renewables* | Kanin* |
| Baker Hughes | Kauel* |
| c3.AI | Kongsberg Digital |
| Carbon Negative Solutions* | Loop Bioproducts* |
| Cegal | Mars Materials* |
| Cognite | NobleAI |
| Context Labs | NVIDIA |
| Crux OCM* | Schneider Electric |
| Decimetrix* | SLB |
| EY | Worlds |
| Halliburton |
*Microsoft startup partner
Recently, Microsoft, alongside our partners SLB, Halliburton, Cognite, and AspenTech, convened in Munich, Germany with many of our customers, who shared AI-powered transformation stories driving increased productivity and improved operating efficiencies. Events like this allow us to not only highlight the work of our industry partners and customers, but also to share their expertise and create new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
Together with our customers and partners, we’re collectively empowering organizations to innovate for a new energy future and advance sustainability goals with AI you can trust. We look forward to engaging with you on the future of carbon markets, regional energy challenges, latest developments in consumer energy, and unlocking AI to transform the energy and resources value chain.
Learn how Microsoft can help accelerate your AI and digital transformation journey:
Source:
1McKinsey and Company, Underrepresented start-up founders: The untapped opportunity, June 2023.
Source: Microsoft
Headline: Teachers: As March 14 approaches, design interactive Pi Day activities
Celebrate Pi Day 2025 and support math skill building in your classroom with PiCraft, Ratio Riddles, Math Progress, and more.
Pi Day, celebrated March 14 each year, is the perfect opportunity to fuel students’ love of math through hands-on and engaging math practice. By connecting abstract mathematical ideas like pi (𝜋) to real-world applications, you can create immersive experiences to boost student learning while strengthening their confidence in math.
Pi Day not only highlights the importance of this fundamental concept but also serves as a reminder of the beauty and wonder of mathematics. Whether students are exploring fractions through the new Minecraft Education world Ratio Riddles or geometry through PiCraft, building skills with Math Progress, or engaging with activities you designed with Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, find creative and innovative ways to make math more meaningful for Pi Day 2025.
Ratio Riddles, a brand-new mathematics lesson from Minecraft Education, introduces the concepts of ratio, proportion, fractions, and scale through a series of three engaging games designed for students ages 8-14. This is an easy-to-teach lesson designed to engage learners in foundational mathematics principles while fostering curiosity and confidence.
Made in collaboration with Cambridge Mathematics and accompanied by lesson guides, Ratio Riddles makes these essential mathematics concepts concrete and fun! For educators new to teaching with Minecraft Education, explore more easy math lessons and resources.
As Pi Day approaches, we invite educators, students, and families to embark on an educational adventure with PiCraft! This student workbook offers a unique blend of gaming and learning that transforms the abstract concept of pi into a tangible, interactive experience. By engaging in activities such as estimating and calculating the area of a circle within the Minecraft universe, students can grasp the practical applications of pi in geometry. This hands-on approach demystifies complex mathematical concepts, making learning both accessible and enjoyable.
Designed for students ages 8-14, PiCraft encourages critical thinking and problem-solving through immersive challenges. Along the way, students also learn coding with Microsoft MakeCode, applying mathematical concepts through block-based or Python programming. Easily integrate these activities into your Pi Day lesson plans and encourage students to explore math in a dynamic, engaging way.
Bring engaging math practice to your classroom on Pi Day and throughout the year. Math Progress, a powerful Learning Accelerator, streamlines math assignment creation, provides student performance insights, and helps educators determine course trends at the student or class level. With Math Progress, you can tailor your teaching strategies and differentiate instruction to support student success. Get started with Math Progress with Microsoft Teams for Education and use it to assign personalized math problems to your students.
Math Progress offers access to:
Immerse students in deliberate practice with real-time coaching on key math concepts—while streamlining and simplifying lesson planning. Use Math Progress to help your students improve math fluency, build confidence, and celebrate their progress.
Pi Day is a great time to reimagine math instruction, and enriching your math lessons doesn’t have to stop there. Copilot Chat can be your math instructional assistant year-round. Whether brainstorming creative activities, solving complex problems, or generating fun math challenges, Copilot Chat can help you make learning more interactive.
Take your math instruction to the next level with support from generative AI. Try these customizable Copilot Chat prompts to spark curiosity, reinforce key concepts, and make learning more engaging throughout the year:
Refine your responses by providing more details in the prompts or selecting questions suggested by Copilot Chat. Interested in learning more about prompting? Check out five prompting tips to get more from your AI assistant.
For Pi Day 2025, explore math in fun and engaging ways with your students. Bring essential math concepts to life with Ratio Riddles, PiCraft, Math Progress, and Copilot Chat. Create impactful learning opportunities that inspire curiosity and confidence in your students, making Pi Day—and every day—a journey of discovery and encouragement in mathematics.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
March 04, 2025
Durbin: Instead of improving the lives of and lowering prices for Americans, President Trump is doing the very opposite
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor today, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) spoke out against President Trump’s tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. As of today, President Trump has instituted a 25 percent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, as well as an additional 10 percent on goods from China, bringing the total to 20 percent tariffs on China. In his remarks, Durbin underscored that the Trump tariffs would not lower prices, as he promised during his campaign, but instead spike prices for Americans.
“Instead of improving the lives of or lowering prices for Americans, we are seeing policies of the Trump Administration do exactly the opposite. The President has spent his time trying to systematically dismantle the federal government, creating rifts with our closest allies, and now, imposing destructive tariffs on our biggest trading partners. The tariffs that he has unleashed… will hurt American consumers and supply chains and undermine American manufacturing.”
Durbin pointed to the harm that will come to Illinois’ economy as a result of the Trump tariffs, as Illinois relies on Canada and Mexico to purchase the state’s goods and agricultural products. In 2023, Illinois, which ranks first among the 50 states in imports from Canada, exported a total of $20.55 billion in products to Canada. Additionally, Illinois exports to Mexico in 2023 totaled $12.93 billion.
“Illinois is the fourth largest exporter in the nation… These tariffs will hurt Illinois’ farmers, workers, and manufacturers—not to mention consumers,” Durbin said. “Additional tariffs on our three biggest trading partners will add to the economic strain that is already beginning to show under the new Administration. A survey of consumer sentiment published last month recorded its largest monthly decline in four years, due in large part to concerns about trade and tariffs. Tariffs are taxes and they are taxes that the consumers of America will have to pay. These levels of concern have not been seen since the trade wars in President Trump’s first term.”
Durbin concluded, “While the President claims that foreign countries will pay for U.S. tariffs, that isn’t the truth and we know what the truth is—the burden of tariffs is carried by American companies and passed on to American customers. Indiscriminately slapping tariffs on the goods American consumers need will mean higher costs—higher costs on groceries, gas, and cars, while inspiring retaliatory tariffs, and even boycotts, on American-made products, further hurting our economy.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
-30-
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Xiaodan Pan, Associate Professor, John Molson School of Business, Concordia University
United States President Donald Trump has officially imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, sending shockwaves through Canadian consumers and businesses.
The decision escalates tensions in an increasingly fragile relationship between the countries, marking a significant shift in North American economic ties.
The unfolding trade war between is expected to have far-reaching consequences for people and businesses on both sides of the border. How can Canadians navigate the trade war and minimize the financial strain of the tariffs?
As experts in supply chain management, we aim to break down the impact of these tariffs and offer practical strategies for Canadians to help navigate the economic turbulence ahead.
When the news of a potential trade war is first publicized, consumers tend to react by monitoring the situation until further information is available.
Once the government announces which products will be affected, consumers begin to take action. Some Canadians have already started stockpiling products whose prices are likely to rise or be in short supply following the imposition of tariffs.
Stockpiling can lead to product shortages at retailers, which may be worsened by the fear of missing out. Media headlines highlighting empty shelves can act as reinforcement loops, further fuelling frenzied shopping behaviour.
This kind of “panic buying” is common in times of crisis, much like the rush to buy supplies before the onset of a major hurricane and the hoarding of essential supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With a trade war breaking out, both consumers and retailers will need to adapt.
Shortages are likely to occur as new importation procedures slow the time products take to cross the border. The ensuing delays, along with higher tariff rates, will push some retailers to raise prices to cover cost increases. Others may limit purchases to discourage hoarding behaviour.
Some firms may even take advantage of the situation by raising prices on products not covered by the tariffs to pad their profits — a practice known as “greedflation,” which happened during the pandemic. Another potential consequence is “shrinkflation,” where package sizes become smaller while prices remain unchanged.
As consumers adapt by changing their shopping habits or using their stockpiled reserves, some of the shortages may be eased. However, retailers may struggle to manage their inventories as demands fluctuate — a phenomena known as the “bullwhip effect.” Navigating these shifts will require careful planning.
Trump’s trade war has intensified calls to “buy Canadian” as a way to support domestic products.
Recently, the Canadian government has threatened counter-tariffs on imported products that have Canadian substitutes — for example, targeting Kentucky bourbon in favour of Canadian whiskey or Florida orange juice for Canadian apple juice.
Read more:
‘Buying Canadian’ is an opportunity to reflect on the ethics of consumerism
However, fully replacing imports with domestic goods presents significant challenges. Many Canadian farmers and manufacturers lack the capacity to quickly scale up production to meet demand, at least in the short run.
Production costs may also be significantly higher in Canada than abroad, which is a major reason for relying on imports in the first place. Apparel manufacturing is a good example. It has a high labour component — the reason that most of it has been moved to low-cost countries in Asia.
In general, U.S. productivity is higher than Canadian productivity, contributing to lower costs in the U.S. In addition, some products simply cannot be produced in Canada at all, such as tropical fruits and vegetables.
Furthermore, trade wars create uncertainty, making farmers and manufacturers hesitant to make large-scale investments that may not pay off once the trade conflict ends. While this approach foregoes potential short-term gains for long term stability, it also exacerbates shortages and price hikes during and after the trade war.
Unlike one-off events like hurricanes, or fluctuating disruptions such as COVID-19, the outcome of a trade war is difficult to predict. This makes it difficult to forecast what the “new normal” will be.
Certainly, some consumers who substitute domestic products for imported products may continue to do so in the long run. However, others may switch back to imported products if the tariffs are lifted and prices are lowered.
Knowing that this might happen, domestic producers may not ramp up production during a tariff war. Those who do increase production may later find themselves with excess capacity and inventory surpluses after the conflict ends.
Meanwhile, manufacturers and retailers that raise prices to cover tariff-related costs may choose to keep them elevated even after tariffs are removed. For instance, canned food prices saw a significant price rise following the implementation of the 2018 U.S. steel tariffs.
Consumer acceptance of the price increases, adjustments to new higher cost supply chain structures, or efforts to maintain profit margins, may potentially establish a higher baseline prices in the post-trade-war economy.
How can Canada best shield itself from the effects of the trade war? The easy answer is to become more self-reliant, but this is a costly option that requires technology, skilled labour and capital investments.
As a result, this option should only be chosen for the most necessary and essential items, like certain pharmaceuticals and food staples. Other strategies must also be considered:
Building supply chain resilience: Sourcing from multiple suppliers and retaining inventories of the most essential products may increase inventory and purchasing costs, but will reduce risks. It allows enterprises to withstand short-term supply chain disruptions and puts them in a better position to survive a trade war.
Engaging in honest communication: Governments and retailers should regularly update the public on negotiations, new tariff schedules and potential price changes, reducing the guesswork that fuels panic buying and stockpiling. Transparency allows individuals to make the best purchasing decisions.
Protecting low-income consumers: Retailers should limit sales quantities of staple products during disruptions to avoid hoarding behaviour. Governments should consider tax relief and subsidies aimed at budget-constrained individuals to relieve the burden of higher tariff-related costs.
Supply chain disruptions inevitably result in higher costs and product shortages, often impacting low-income households the hardest. Even after the trade war ends, higher prices may persist as the new norm. To minimize the impact of tariffs, governments and enterprises need to adopt policies that reduce economic strain and result in fairer outcomes for all.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Canada is now in a trade war with the U.S. — here’s what you need to know to prepare for it – https://theconversation.com/canada-is-now-in-a-trade-war-with-the-u-s-heres-what-you-need-to-know-to-prepare-for-it-250989
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Tracy Smith-Carrier, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 2) in Advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, Royal Roads University
Over half of Canadians feel “financially paralyzed” by the cost-of-living crisis, according to a recent poll. As life becomes more unaffordable for more people, we need governments to create policies that will improve public health and well-being.
One such policy is a basic income guarantee: an unconditional cash transfer from government to ensure people can meet their basic needs and live with dignity.
A basic income guarantee differs from the universal basic income (UBI) model often discussed. While a UBI is set at the same amount and made available to everyone, a basic income guarantee is targeted to those need it, through a benefit that rises as income declines.
Our recently published research looks into one basic income program, the Ontario Basic Income Pilot that was launched in 2017 but abruptly ended the following year. We conducted a study to understand how Ontario’s pilot impacted the lives of those who participated in it.
We interviewed 46 participants across four cities included in the pilot. We asked about their experiences before the pilot, during their participation in it and after its abrupt end.
Read more:
Dear politicians: To solve our food bank crisis, curb corporate greed and implement a basic income
In 2017, the Ontario government, under then-premier Kathleen Wynne, launched the Ontario Basic Income Pilot to test the efficacy of an unconditional cash transfer. A total of 4,000 people were enrolled, and the pilot was slated to run in Hamilton, Lindsay, Brantford and Thunder Bay over a three-year period.
Set at 75 per cent of the low-income measure (one of Statistics Canada’s three poverty lines), the pilot provided $1,415 monthly for single people and an additional $500 for people with disabilities (up to $1,915 monthly), with every dollar earned subject to a 50 per cent claw-back.
Despite a campaign promise to complete the pilot, incoming premier Doug Ford abandoned it in 2018. Participants weren’t forewarned but learned of its cancellation like everyone else — on the news or through social media.
The government claimed the pilot did not help people become “independent contributors to the economy.” The lack of evidence to justify this claim, along with other government statements, suggests the pilot’s premature cancellation was an ideological decision.
Read more:
Implementing a basic income means overcoming myths about the ‘undeserving poor’
The pilot’s guiding principles, written by the late-Senator Hugh Segal, affirmed that “no individual will be made worse off during or after the pilot, as a result of participation in the pilot.” Our study, however, indicates that the mental health of many participants was demonstrably worsened in the pilot’s demise.
With a three-year promise of stable income, participants told us of being able to plan better for their futures. Some pursued higher education, others found better paying and more stable jobs or started their own businesses. Some moved into better housing, leaving behind mold-infested or poorly maintained dwellings, only to plead with their landlords to break their new leases after the pilot was cancelled.
We found that increased income security improved participants’ mental health, reduced their stress and allowed them to improve diets with healthier food options. Some spoke of no longer having to rely on food charity as they could go the grocery store like everyone else.
Interviewees described what life is like in poverty: not being able to go out for a cup of coffee with friends or buy gifts for your children on their birthdays, not being able to entertain family over the holidays or go out and socialize.
Some had not disclosed their financial situation to family or friends because their sense of shame was so profound. Yet, feeling unable to discuss their situation essentially cut them off from valuable sources of social support.
Ontario’s premature cancellation of the pilot was an act of structural violence — a policy decision that caused needless and avoidable harm and suffering. Anthropologist Nancy Scheper-Hughes explains that structural violence refers to “the invisible social machinery of inequality that reproduces social relations of exclusion and marginalization.”
Structural violence upholds the poverty, racism, sexism and other social inequities that lead to higher rates of illness, suffering and premature death. It is often invisible and can result from policy omissions, but the termination of the pilot was a public, deliberate decision.
By throwing participants’ lives and carefully laid plans into chaos, and thrusting them back into poverty, our research shows the Ontario government’s policy decision caused significant harm.
Our research is consistent with a larger body of evidence demonstrating that unconditional cash transfer programs, like basic income, can improve mental well-being. As young people are more vulnerable to the mental stress resulting from financial insecurity, these programs provide the necessary protection to mitigate the lifelong damaging impacts of childhood poverty.
We also know that welfare systems are associated with poor health outcomes and increase recipients’ psychological distress. These haven’t been subject to the rigorous experimentation that a basic income has, yet they persist, despite the voluminous research documenting their harms.
Read more:
We gave $7,500 to people experiencing homelessness — here’s what happened next
The cost of mental illness in Canada already amounts to over $50 billion annually (in direct health-care costs and lost productivity) but without intervention could increase to $291 billion by 2041.
Research shows how poor mental health is a direct consequence of poverty. Money not only helps meet people’s material needs but also alleviates their worries. Reducing poverty translates into significant savings for the economy and the public purse. Canada could save $4 to $10 for every dollar spent on mental health supports.
Poverty is not caused by personal failings. It is the social environment people live in that has the greatest impact on life trajectories.
To eradicate poverty, we need policies that address the root of financial hardship. A basic income does just that. The Parliamentary Budget Officer of Canada recently released estimates that show a basic income, using parameters similar to the Ontario pilot’s, could cut poverty by up to 40 per cent. This is an affordable option with the potential for broad positive effects.
We already have the Canada Child Benefit for families and the Guaranteed Income Supplement for older adults that provide forms of a basic income guarantee, although these benefits must be enlarged to be truly adequate. What we need now is a program that provides a robust income floor beneath which no one can fall.
As citizens, we have few ways to hold leaders accountable for acts of structural violence, like cancelling the pilot. A class-action lawsuit lodged against the Ontario government for breach of contract is ongoing; it remains to be seen whether this will prove successful.
Whatever their ideological leanings, politicians have a duty to advance policies that bolster public health and well-being. Improving mental health through a basic income is a wise investment, one that will prevent the needless suffering of generations to come.
Tracy Smith-Carrier has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and from the Canada Research Chairs program.
Elaine Power has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.
– ref. A basic income can be a strong investment in mental health – https://theconversation.com/a-basic-income-can-be-a-strong-investment-in-mental-health-250018
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Muhammad Ilyas Nadeem, PhD Candidate in Obesity & Diabetes | Public Scholar (2024-2025), Concordia University
Many people who have struggled with their weight have been told to “eat less and move more.” Others have spent years juggling trendy diets, from keto to fasting, with minimal results. Despite their best efforts, what they often hear from physicians, friends, family and even strangers, is that they lack discipline. However, for many people with obesity, their bodies are fighting against them — a battle dictated by biological mechanisms beyond sheer willpower.
Millions struggle under the weight of societal blame for a condition rooted in complex metabolic science.
Obesity is a critical public health concern affecting millions worldwide. Yet, it is often oversimplified as an issue of personal choice. Canadian data highlights the staggering prevalence of obesity (26.6 per cent) and diabetes (8.1 per cent). For too long, societal attitudes have focused on blaming individuals for poor lifestyle choices, ignoring the deeper, multifaceted causes of the condition.
Read more:
Stop asking me if I’ve tried keto: Why weight stigma is more than just being mean to fat people
The need to understand obesity beyond lifestyle changes is urgent — particularly through scientific inquiry into its genetic, environmental and physiological roots. It is beyond the simple equation of calories in versus calories out; this perspective only serves to create stigma by oversimplifying the science.
The reality lies within the fat in our bodies. Body fat, particularly fat under the skin, known as subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), plays a crucial role in energy regulation and metabolic health. When fat accumulates, SAT malfunctions. This seemingly adds to excessive fat storage in organs like the liver and muscles, increasing the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Through identifying these specific dysfunctions, researchers can work towards therapies that restore SAT function rather than simply reducing body weight.
Research from our metabolism, nutrition and obesity (MON) lab at Concordia University focuses on understanding the adipose tissue (fat tissue) environment to uncover how these complex mechanisms and their interactions can lead to the development of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The goal is to eventually use our discoveries to provide more effective treatment approaches based on individual differences.
One aspect that can contribute to individual differences is where fat is stored in the body. SAT from the lower body, around the hips and thighs, seems to function differently from SAT around the belly in the upper body. We are exploring the cellular and genetic aspects of these different fat depots, and their link with obesity and diabetes.
Obesity is not just about extra weight — it’s about how the body stores and processes fat. Our research also shows that external factors may come into play in how SAT behaves. For example, different SAT depots behave differently depending on sex. Whether a person is male, or female makes a difference to how their fat tissue handles fat.
A closer look at fat tissue under a microscope shows that the tissue is made up of different types of cells including fat cells or adipocytes, and immune cells. Fat cells, or adipocytes, are not passive storage units; they regulate energy, produce hormones, and interact with other systems in the body. However, when these cells become dysfunctional, they can trigger inflammation, insulin resistance and other metabolic disturbances.
We have found that not only is sex a factor in fat cell characteristics of different depots but fat cell characteristics are also affected by whether obesity develops during childhood compared to adulthood. Immune cells are also important components of fat tissue that also play a role in inflammation and metabolic disturbances.
Instead of blaming individuals, we need to shift the conversation towards understanding these pathophysiological mechanisms. By doing so, we can develop targeted treatments that address the root causes of obesity rather than relying on generic, often ineffective solutions.
Obesity Canada reports that failing to treat obesity costs Canada $5.9 billion in health care and $21.7 billion in lost workplace productivity annually, with a $5.1 billion hit to government revenue from premature deaths and reduced workforce participation. Women with obesity face disproportionate impacts, earning four per cent less and being 5.3 per cent less likely to be employed than those with a healthy weight.
In 2023, obesity-related diseases placed over 10,000 seniors in long-term care, costing $639 million. Yet, fewer than 20 per cent of privately insured Canadians have access to approved treatments, and bariatric surgery wait times stretch up to eight years — reinforcing harmful stigma and delaying essential care.
The challenge is that our health-care system still leans toward tried and tested weight-loss approaches, such as medication, exercise and nutrition, often to the exclusion of how individual bodies respond biologically. Personalized medicine is a potential replacement. By matching treatment to each patient’s metabolic profile, we can move away from one-size-fits-all approaches and toward more effective interventions.
The need to shift our perspective on obesity is not solely a medical necessity but a societal one. The stigma attached to excess weight and obesity prevents people from receiving medical treatment, drives mental illness and perpetuates damaging myths. A more empathetic, science-based approach could help reshape public attitudes and clinical practices.
Millions of people have been misled by the myth that self-control can cure obesity. Seeing obesity as a chronic metabolic disease rather than a moral one is a way forward for effective remedies. The future of obesity treatment depends on research-driven, personalized interventions — ones that substitute blame with knowledge and stigma with support. Only then can we fully address this global public health crisis.
Sylvia Santosa receives/has received funding from NSERC, CIHR, CRC, MITACS, CFDR, QBIN, HSF. She is affiliated with Obesity Canada, and Canadian Nutrition Society.
Cristina Sanza and Muhammad Ilyas Nadeem do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Beyond blame: The role of malfunctioning fat tissue in the disease of obesity – https://theconversation.com/beyond-blame-the-role-of-malfunctioning-fat-tissue-in-the-disease-of-obesity-249264
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Eunyoung Choi, Postdoctoral Associate in Gerontology, University of Southern California
What if extreme heat not only leaves you feeling exhausted but actually makes you age faster?
Scientists already know that extreme heat increases the risk of heat stroke, cardiovascular disease, kidney dysfunction and even death. I see these effects often in my work as a researcher studying how environmental stressors influence the aging process. But until now, little research has explored how heat affects biological aging: the gradual deterioration of cells and tissues that increases the risk of age-related diseases.
New research my team and I published in the journal Science Advances suggests that long-term exposure to extreme heat may speed up biological aging at the molecular level, raising concerns about the long-term health risks posed by a warming climate.
My colleagues and I examined blood samples from over 3,600 older adults across the United States. We measured their biological age using epigenetic clocks, which capture DNA modification patterns – methylation – that change with age.
DNA methylation refers to chemical modifications to DNA that act like switches to turn genes on and off. Environmental factors can influence these switches and change how genes function, affecting aging and disease risk over time. Measuring these changes through epigenetic clocks can strongly predict age-related disease risk and lifespan.
Research in animal models has shown that extreme heat can trigger what’s known as a maladaptive epigenetic memory, or lasting changes in DNA methylation patterns. Studies indicate that a single episode of extreme heat stress can cause long-term shifts in DNA methylation across different tissue types in mice. To test the effects of heat stress on people, we linked epigenetic clock data to climate records to assess whether people living in hotter environments exhibited faster biological aging.
We found that older adults residing in areas with frequent very hot days showed significantly faster epigenetic aging compared with those living in cooler regions. For example, participants living in locations with at least 140 extreme heat days per year – classified as days when the heat index exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32.33 degrees Celcius) – experienced up to 14 months of additional biological aging compared with those in areas with fewer than 10 such days annually.
This link between biological age and extreme heat remained even after accounting for a wide range of individual and community factors such as physical activity levels and socioeconomic status. This means that even among people with similar lifestyles, those living in hotter environments may still be aging faster at the biological level.
Even more surprising was the magnitude of the effect – extreme heat has a comparable impact on speeding up aging as smoking and heavy alcohol consumption. This suggests that heat exposure may be silently accelerating aging, at a level on par with other major known environmental and lifestyle stressors.
While our study sheds light on the connection between heat and biological aging, many unanswered questions remain. It’s important to clarify that our findings don’t mean every additional year in extreme heat translates directly to 14 extra months of biological aging. Instead, our research reflects population-level differences between groups based on their local heat exposure. In other words, we took a snapshot of whole populations at a moment in time; it wasn’t designed to look at effects on individual people.
Our study also doesn’t fully capture all the ways people might protect themselves from extreme heat. Factors such as access to air conditioning, time spent outdoors and occupational exposure all play a role in shaping personal heat exposure and its effects. Some individuals may be more resilient, while others may face greater risks due to preexisting health conditions or socioeconomic barriers. This is an area where more research is needed.
What is clear, however, is that extreme heat is more than just an immediate health hazard – it may be silently accelerating the aging process, with long-term consequences for public health.
Older adults are especially vulnerable because aging reduces the body’s ability to regulate temperature effectively. Many older individuals also take medications such as beta-blockers and diuretics that can impair their heat tolerance, making it even harder for their bodies to cope with high temperatures. So even moderately hot days, such as those reaching 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.67 degrees Celcius), can pose health risks for older adults.
As the U.S. population rapidly ages and climate change intensifies heat waves worldwide, I believe simply telling people to move to cooler regions isn’t realistic. Developing age-appropriate solutions that allow older adults to safely remain in their communities and protect the most vulnerable populations could help address the hidden yet significant effects of extreme heat.
Eunyoung Choi receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Aging.
– ref. Extreme heat silently accelerates aging on a molecular level − new research – https://theconversation.com/extreme-heat-silently-accelerates-aging-on-a-molecular-level-new-research-250757
Source: US State of Hawaii
Posted on Mar 4, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom
STATE OF HAWAIʻI
KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
KA ʻOIHANA OLAKINO
JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
KE KIA‘ĀINA
KENNETH S. FINK, M.D., MGA, MPH
DIRECTOR
KA LUNA HO‘OKELE
DOH LAUNCHES BIRD FLU SURVEY FOR BACKYARD FLOCK OWNERS AND BIRD RESCUERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2025 25-016
HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi State Department of Health (DOH) is inviting Hawaiʻi residents who keep backyard flocks or are involved in bird rescue, to participate in a new survey aimed at gathering important data on bird flu awareness and preparedness.
The survey will collect critical information on the understanding of bird flu, as well as the practices and needs of those who keep poultry or care for rescued birds.
“We want to better understand the potential exposures that backyard flock owners and bird rescuers face when it comes to avian influenza, so we can help prevent future human bird flu infections in partnership with the community,” said Dr. Sarah Kemble, Hawaiʻi state epidemiologist. “By reaching out through both digital and in-person methods, we hope to get wide participation and honest feedback.”
The survey will be anonymous and accessible online through the following link: https://redcap.link/birdflusurvey
Only Hawaiʻi residents who keep at least one poultry bird at home, those involved in bird rescue activities, or those having direct contact with birds in the past year for other reasons are requested to participate at this time. Residents are encouraged to complete the survey as soon as possible to help the DOH collect valuable insights.
The outreach strategy for this survey includes posting the survey link in various Facebook groups dedicated to Hawaiʻi backyard flock owners and bird rescuers. Additionally, flyers with QR codes linking to the survey will be distributed in poultry feed stores and other animal care venues across the state.
Questions about the survey or bird flu may be directed to the DOH Disease Reporting Line at 808-586-4586 or [email protected]. If you have symptoms and a known exposure within the past 10 days, please contact your primary care provider for evaluation and testing, as well as the DOH Disease Reporting Line for further guidance.
More information on bird flu can be found on the DOH website: https://health.hawaii.gov/docd/disease_listing/avian-influenza/
# # #
Media Contact:
Claudette Springer
Information Specialist
Hawai‘i State Department of Health
Phone: 808-586-4445
Email: [email protected]
Source: United States Attorneys General 7
View All Environmental Crimes Bulletins
| District/Circuit | Case Name | Statute(s) |
|---|---|---|
| District of Alaska | United States v. Corey Potter, et al. | Crab Harvesting/Lacey Act |
| District of Arizona | United States v. Eric T. Scionti | Animal Videos/Animal Crush, Firearms |
| Eastern District of California | United States v. Andrew Laughlin | Reptile Smuggling/ Conspiracy |
| United States v. Jorge Calderon-Campos, et al. | Game Bird Fighting/Animal Welfare, Drugs | |
| Southern District of California | United States v. Michael Hart | Refrigerant Smuggling/ Conspiracy |
| United States v. Thalia Zambrano | Pesticide Smuggling/ Conspiracy | |
| United States v. Vyacheslav I. Piglitsin | Pesticide Smuggling | |
| Middle District of Florida | United State v. Jose Carrillo | Dog Fighting/Animal Welfare Act, Conspiracy, Firearm |
| United States v. Manuel Domingos Pita | Worker Death/Conspiracy, Occupational Safety and Health Act, Wire Fraud | |
| Northern District of Florida | Dolphin Killing/ Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act; Marine Mammal Protection Act | |
| United States v. Fernando Cruz Rubio, et al. | Vessel/Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships | |
| Southern District of Florida | United States v. Liza Hash | Vessel/Clean Water Act |
| Middle District of Georgia | United States v. Willie Russell, et al. | Dog Fighting/Animal Welfare Act |
| Eastern District of Kentucky | United States v. Kendall Glenn Hacker | Animal Videos/Animal Crush |
| Eastern District of Missouri | United States v. Christopher Lee Carroll, et al. | Tampering with Monitoring Method/Clean Air Act, Bank Fraud, Conspiracy, Money Laundering |
| District of Montana | United States v. Hollis G. Hale, et al. | Sheep Hunting/Endangered Species Act, Lacey Act |
| District of New Hampshire | United States v. Old Dutch Mustard Company, Inc., d/b/a Pilgrim Foods Company, et al. | Wastewater Discharges/Clean Water Act |
| Western District of North Carolina | United States v. Robert G. Gambill | Eagle Killing/Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act |
| Southern District of Ohio | United States v. Fabcon Precast LLC | Worker Death/OSHA |
| District of Oregon | United States v. Chamness Dirt Works, et al. | Asbestos Removal/ Clean Air Act |
| United States v. Clancy Logistics, Inc., et al. | Tampering with a Monitoring Device/Clean Air Act, Conspiracy | |
| Middle District of Pennsylvania | United States v. Roy Ladell Weaver, et al. | Tampering with a Monitoring Device/Clean Air Act, Conspiracy |
| Southern District of Texas | United States v. Andres Alejandro Sanchez | Spider Monkey Smuggling/ Lacey Act |
| Western District of Texas | United States v. Jason Lee Wagner | Wildlife Trafficking/ Conspiracy, Smuggling |
| Eastern District of Virginia | United States v. Jeffrey Radtke | Animal Videos/Animal Crush, Conspiracy |
| Western District of Virginia | United States v. James H. Spencer | Sewage Discharges/Clean Water Act |
| Western District of Washington | United States v. Jonathan Achtemeier | Tampering with a Monitoring Device/Clean Air Act, Conspiracy |
On February 7, 2025, a jury convicted Jason Lee Wagner of conspiracy and 12 smuggling violations (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 545, 2). Sentencing is scheduled for June 25, 2025.
Between March 2015 and December 2019, Wagner and others bought and sold endangered reptiles from individuals in Mexico. Wagner and other co-conspirator suppliers and middlemen used social media to offer reptiles for sale and to negotiate the terms of the sale and delivery with customers in the United States and Mexico. His co-conspirators also used international money transfers to provide for “crossing fees,” sales and purchases, and other expenses. They then packaged and re-packaged the reptiles for illegal crossings using USPS and other courier services to transport them between Mexico and the United States.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
On February 19, 2025, a grand jury indicted Roy Ladell Weaver and his company, Pro Diesel Werks, LLC, with conspiring to impede the lawful functions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA), and substantive CAA violations (18 U.S.C. § 371; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Pro Diesel Werks provided vehicle repair and maintenance and performance enhancement services, including services on diesel engines and vehicle emission systems. The indictment alleges that between 2013 and March 2024, Weaver and the company, along with co-conspirators, disabled the hardware emissions control systems on the diesel vehicles of Pro Diesel Werks’ customers (a practice referred to as a “delete” or “deleting”), defeating the systems’ ability to reduce pollutant gases and particulate matter released to the atmosphere. The defendants are also alleged to have tampered with the monitoring device and method required under the CAA, that is they disabled the onboard diagnostic system on vehicles preventing the system software from monitoring the emission control system hardware deletes (a practice referred to as a “tune” or “tuning”).
The defendants charged customers between approximately $2,000 and $4,000 per vehicle to remove and disable the emission control systems on motor vehicles with diesel engines.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
On February 7, 2025, Corey Potter pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act for illegally transporting crab from Alaska (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A), 3373(d)(1)(B)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 13, 2025. Kyle Potter, his son, was previously sentenced to pay a $20,000 fine and complete a five-year term of probation. A third defendant, Justin Welch, was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine and complete a three-year term of probation.
Corey Potter owns two crab catching vessels; Kyle Potter and Welch worked as vessel captains. In February and March 2024, the vessels harvested more than 7,000 pounds of Tanner and Golden king crab in Southeast Alaska. Corey Potter directed Welch and Kyle Potter to land the crab to Seattle, Washington, where they intended to sell it at a higher price than they would have in Alaska. Neither captain landed the harvested crab at a port in Alaska, and they never recorded the harvest on a fish ticket, as required under state law.
A large portion of the king crab that arrived in Seattle from Alaska had died and was unmarketable. Corey Potter knew that some of the crab aboard was infected with Bitter Crab Syndrome (BCS), a parasitic disease fatal to crustaceans. Officials were forced to destroy more than 4,000 additional pounds of Tanner crab due to the risk of BCS infection. If the defendants had properly landed the crab in Alaska, authorities could have inspected the harvest and removed the infected crab before leaving Alaska.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
On February 7, 2025, Kendall Glenn Hacker pleaded guilty to conspiracy and to violating the Animal Crush statute (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 48(a)(2), (a)(3)).
Between November 2021 and June 2022, Hacker sent money through online payment applications, such as PayPal and Venmo, to Michael Macartney, an online chat group administrator. The members and participants of these groups funded, created, obtained, received, exchanged and/or distributed animal crush videos.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
On February 7, 2025, property management company Horseshoe Grove, LLC, pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act (CAA) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for asbestos work practice standards (42 U.S.C. §§ 7412(h),7413(c)(1)). Horseshoe Grove’s owner and operator Ryan Richter pleaded guilty to a CAA negligent endangerment violation (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(4)). Construction and demolition company Chamness Dirt Works, Inc., pleaded guilty to violating the CAA NESHAP for asbestos, and company owner and president, Ronald Chamness, pleaded guilty to a CAA negligent endangerment violation (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(4)). Sentencing is scheduled for April 3, 2025.
In November 2022, Horseshoe Grove acquired a property in The Dalles, Oregon, which included a mobile home park and two dilapidated apartment buildings. The previous owner provided the new buyers with an asbestos survey from December 2021, which identified more than 5,000 square feet of friable chrysotile asbestos within the two deteriorating buildings, with levels ranging from 2% to 25%. The survey also noted non-friable asbestos in various building materials, including siding and flooring, throughout the apartments. Despite these findings, Horseshoe Grove failed to implement the necessary precautions for asbestos removal.
In March 2023, Chamness Dirt Works began demolishing the two asbestos-laden structures without following proper removal procedures. Chamness did not engage a certified asbestos abatement contractor, did not wet the asbestos-containing debris, and dumped the material in a regular landfill.
Horseshoe Grove paid Chamness Dirt Works a total of $49,330 for the demolition, which did not meet the required safety standards.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: District of Oregon | Construction and Property Management Companies and Company Owners Plead Guilty to Asbestos Violations | United States Department of Justice
On February 10, 2025, Hollis G. Hale pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act and the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1538(a)(1)(G), 3372(d)(2), 3373(d)(3)(B)). Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2025.
Hale conspired with Jack Schubarth to create giant hybrid sheep for captive hunting. Schubarth smuggled Marco Polo argali sheep parts from Kyrgyzstan into the United States. This protected species of sheep, native to high elevations in the Pamir region of Central Asia, is deemed the largest in the world.
In 2013, Schubarth provided genetic material to a third-party cloning facility, and, in 2016, received successfully cloned pure Marco Polo argali embryos. Schubarth raised a pure male argali clone that he named “Montana Mountain King.” In 2018, Schubarth began breeding Montana Mountain King with other species and selling the offspring throughout the U.S. To evade detection, Schubarth falsely labeled the offspring on Certificates of Veterinary Inspection and other official forms.
In June and July 2020, Hale facilitated the purchase and interstate transport of twelve hybrid Marco Polo argali sheep from Schubarth and falsely identified 43 species of sheep on a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection. Hale falsified these documents knowing these sheep are prohibited in Montana. Schubarth was sentenced in September 2024 to six months’ incarceration, followed by three years’ supervised release.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducted the investigation.
On February 12, 2025, Zachary Brandon Barfield pleaded guilty to three counts of poisoning and shooting dolphins in violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (16 U.S.C. §§ 1372(a)(2)(A), 1375(b); 7 U.S.C. §§ 136j(a)(2)(G), 136l(b)(2)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2025.
Barfield is a charter and commercial fishing captain operating out of Panama City, Florida. In the summer of 2022, Barfield became frustrated with dolphins eating red snapper from the lines of charter fishing clients. Between June and August 2022, Barfield and others placed a commercial methomyl insecticide inside bait fish to feed to and poison the dolphins that surfaced near his boat.
While captaining another fishing trip in December 2022, Barfield saw dolphins eating snapper from fishing lines. This time, he used a 12-gauge shotgun to shoot and kill a dolphin that surfaced near his vessel. In the summer of 2023, while on a charter fishing trip, Barfield used the same shotgun to shoot a dolphin that surfaced near the lines of clients.
The National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation with assistance from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
On February 21, 2025, James Howard Spencer, the Mayor of Glen Lyn, Virginia, pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. § 1319(c)(2)(A)). Spencer admitted to directing employees of the Town of Glen Lyn to illegally discharge raw sewage and other pollutants into the East River, a tributary of the New River, on three occasions- in the summer of 2019, December 2020, and June 2021.
The discharges occurred at a pump station located behind the Glen Lyn Post Office, which was not an authorized discharge point of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for the Glen Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant. The East River, a perennial stream and a tributary of the New River, is a protected waterway under the CWA.
Spencer knowingly violated multiple conditions of the NPDES permit, including discharges from unauthorized locations and failing to report the discharges to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and the Virginia State Police conducted the investigation.
On February 25, 2025, Liza Hash pleaded guilty to discharging oil into United States and contiguous zone waters, violating the Clean Water Act (CWA) (33 U.S.C. §§ 1319(c)(2), 1321(b)(3)). Sentencing is scheduled for May 21, 2025.
Hash was the owner and operator of the S/V Juliet, a sailing vessel used for multi-day scuba diving trips between Miami and the Bahamas. Over the course of approximately six years, Hash’s vessel carried up to 12 passengers per trip, along with the crew, between the U.S. and the Bahamas.
On June 16, 2023, U.S. Coast Guard investigators boarded the Juliet following its return from the Bahamas. After noticing an active oil sheen originating from the vessel, they conducted a safety examination.
During the inspection, they noted oily water in the bilge, and a pump connected to the vessel’s grey water tank, to facilitate illegal overboard discharges. Hash had used the vessel’s grey water tank (which is intended to hold liquid waste from the boat’s washer, dryer, sinks, and showers) to store oil-contaminated bilge water and discharge overboard.
Investigators estimate that Hash discharged approximately 26,000 gallons of oily water during the five-year period.
The United States Coast Guard conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Southern District of Florida | Dive Boat Owner/Operator Pleads Guilty to Violating the Federal Clean Water Act | United States Department of Justice
On February 24, 2025, The Old Dutch Mustard Company, d/b/a Pilgrim Foods Company (Old Dutch), and company owner and president Charles Santich, pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. §§ 1311(a), 1319(c)(2)(A)).
Old Dutch manufactured vinegar and mustard products, generating acidic wastewater during the process. Much of this wastewater consisted of spilled or leaked vinegar, or discarded vinegar that did not meet specifications. Old Dutch did not have a permit to discharge process wastewater. Instead, it stored the process wastewater in tanks and a trucking company hauled one or two truckloads of the wastewater off-site daily to the Rochester Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW). Old Dutch paid the trucking company for transporting each load. A second wastewater stream consisted of stormwater that became acidic after flowing through areas of the facility (especially the tank farm) where vinegar spilled. Old Dutch also paid the trucking company to haul the acidic stormwater to the POTW.
Santich decided to reduce costs by ordering workers to discharge some of the wastewater to a manmade ditch formed by an abandoned railroad bed at the top of a hill behind the facility, from which the wastewater would flow into the Souhegan River. In May 2017, Santich hired an excavation company to extend an underground pipe to the top of the hill behind the facility. He then directed an employee to repeatedly pump wastewater through the underground pipe to the abandoned railroad bed. Once the process wastewater or contaminated stormwater discharged at the top of the hill, it flowed to the river. Old Dutch did not have an NPDES or any other permit to discharge pollutants into the river.
In March 2021, Santich directed the same excavation company to install a sump at the corner of the tank farm area to collect the acidic stormwater and pump it directly up the hill through the buried pipe. Similarly, during the Fall of 2022, Santich hired the excavation company to clean out the undergrowth in the manmade ditch at the top of the hill and line it with riprap to create a better drainage ditch and facilitate the flow of wastewater to the river.
On August 2, 2023, EPA agents executed a search warrant at the Old Dutch facility and witnessed this illegal activity. Agents observed liquid that smelled like vinegar discharging from the end of the underground pipe into the riprap-lined ditch. The wastewater discharge had a pH of 3.6. The agents then conducted a dye test starting at the sump outside the corner of the tank farm area. The dye discharged from the underground pipe at the top of the hill and flowed along the riprap-lined drainage ditch and down to the river.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation, with assistance from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services.
Related Press Release: District of New Hampshire | Owner of Old Dutch Mustard Co. Pleads Guilty to Violating the Clean Water Act by Polluting the Souhegan River | United States Department of Justice
On February 26, 2025, Fabcon Precast LLC (Fabcon) pleaded guilty to willfully violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation (29 U.S.C. § 666(e)). The criminal charge is related to an incident where an employee was killed when a pneumatic door closed on his head.
Fabcon operates several facilities in the United States, including one in Grove City, Ohio, that manufactures precast concrete panels. At Fabcon, employees known as batch operators were responsible for the operation and cleaning of the facility’s only concrete mixer. Concrete was discharged from the bottom of the mixer through a pneumatic door. By design, the mixer had an exhaust valve that released the pneumatic energy powering the discharge door, rendering it inoperable. Some months prior to June 6, 2020, the handle that operated the valve broke off and was not replaced.
On June 6, 2020, Zachary Ledbetter, a batch operator since January 2020, was on duty when the discharge door failed to close after releasing a batch of concrete. Because the valve was broken, Ledbetter could not perform the proper procedure to make the door safe to work around. When he attempted to free the door it closed on his head, trapping him. Eventually, Ledbetter was freed and transported to a hospital where he died five days later.
The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Office of Public Affairs | Ohio Company Pleads Guilty in Worker Death Case | United States Department of Justice
On February 27, 2025, a court sentenced Vyacheslav I. Piglitsin to time served and to pay $4,355 in restitution. On March 2, 2024, Piglitsin drove over the border from Mexico with Mexican pesticides that he failed to present for inspection (19 U.S.C. §§ 1433 and 1436). Inspectors found seventy-two 1-liter bottles of “Bovitraz” in his vehicle.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
On February 3, 2025, a court sentenced Michael Hart to time served followed by one year of supervised release. Hart also will pay $1,500 in restitution. Hart pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally import hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) into the United States from Mexico and sell them in violation of law (18 U.S.C. § 371). In addition, Hart admitted to conspiring to illegally import hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), namely HCFC 22, which is banned under the Clean Air Act.
Between June and December 2022, Hart purchased refrigerants in Mexico and smuggled them into the United States in his vehicle, concealed under a tarp and tools. Hart posted the refrigerants for sale on OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, and other sites, and sold them for a profit.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
On February 6, 2025, a court sentenced Thalia Zambrano to time served, after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 371).
On June 28, 2024, authorities apprehended Zambrano when she drove into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry with 18 bottles of undeclared “Taktic” (Amitraz) concealed beneath a blanket on the back seat her car. Regulators in the United States canceled this pesticide due to the high concentration of amitraz.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
On February 10, 2025, a court sentenced Andrew Laughlin to pay a $5,000 fine, complete a two-year term of probation, and pay $4,209 in restitution into the Lacey Act Reward Fund. Laughlin pleaded guilty to one count of smuggling reptiles into the United States (18 U.S.C. § 545).
In 2017, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents identified Laughlin as part of a nationwide investigation into the smuggling of turtles from the United States to an individual in Hong Kong (Individual A). Individual A met and maintained contact with certain wildlife-smuggling associates via Facebook. Investigators identified Laughlin as a suspect in the wildlife smuggling ring from Individual A’s Facebook contacts and communications with covert agents. In addition to corresponding on Facebook, Laughlin also sent text messages to Individual A and co-conspirators.
Between March and April 2018, Laughlin acted as a “middleman” in an international amphibian smuggling ring. During a conversation with an undercover agent, Laughlin said that he participated in the ring in order to acquire hard-to-find newts. He shipped or received at least four packages of amphibians, including packages to or from individuals located in Hong Kong and Sweden. The packages were falsely labeled as items including a “toy car,” “rubber toys,” or “a ceramic art piece.” The boxes actually contained live animals, including eastern box turtles, spotted turtles, and a variety of newt species.
A search warrant executed at the defendant’s residence uncovered 80 live newts of various species. Some of them tested positive for a virulent fungus which originated in Asia and has spread throughout the illegal pet trade. The restitution covered expenses incurred to store and test the animals.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
Photo of newts seized from Laughlin’s residence; photo included in case press release at time of guilty plea
Related Press Release: Eastern District of California | Tahoe City Resident Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Injurious Amphibians into the United States
On February 10, 2025, a court sentenced Jose Angel Beltran-Chaidez to 24 months incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release. Beltran-Chaidez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin in this multi-defendant case involving drugs and animal welfare violations (21 U.S.C. §§ 841 (a)(1), (b)(1)(A)).
Between March and April 2021, Jorge Calderon-Campos (who calls himself “Americano”) supplied 26 pounds of methamphetamine to co-defendants Mark Garcia and Alberto Gomez-Santiago, and an additional 60 pounds to Francisco Javier Torres Mora. Between January and April 2022, Calderon-Campos also possessed roosters he used to participate in an animal fighting venture.
During a search of his residence on April 26, 2022, law enforcement officers found numerous hens and roosters, various cockfighting implements (including razors and spurs) and six cockfighting trophies, including several with plates inscribed with “Team Amkno” (shorthand for “Team Americano”). At Calderon-Campos’s “stash house,” law enforcement officers found 14 hens and 77 roosters, cockfighting leashes, a cockfighting trophy, and a variety of syringes and pill bottles containing substances related to cockfighting supplements.
Jorge Calderon-Campos was sentenced in November 2024 to eight years and one month of incarceration. Calderon-Campos pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and to violating the Animal Welfare Act (21 U.S.C. §§ 841 (a)(1), (b)(1)(A)); 7 U.S.C. § 2156(b); 18 U.S.C. § 49(a)).
On August 26, 2024, a court sentenced Antonio Beltran-Chaidez to 46 months’ incarceration, followed by 24 months’ supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute (21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1)).
In January 2024, co-defendant Gomez-Santiago was sentenced to four years and nine months incarceration, followed by 60 months supervised release. Mora was sentenced to four years and nine months incarceration. Horacio Ortega-Martinez, another associate of Calderon-Campos, was sentenced in April 2023 to 18 months incarceration, followed by 36 months supervised release, after pleading guilty to possessing gamecocks for an animal fighting venture (7 U.S.C § 2156 (b)).
Co-defendant Garcia pleaded guilty and was sentenced on March 3, 2025, to 24 months’ incarceration, followed by two years of supervised release. Byron Adilio Alfaro-Sandoval is scheduled for status conference June 18, 2025.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Secret Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Kern County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the California Highway Patrol, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, the Kern County Probation Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department.
Related Press Release: Eastern District of California | Mexican National Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Possessing Heroin with Intent to Distribute | United States Department of Justice
On February 11, 2025, a court sentenced Christopher Lee Carroll to serve nine years of incarceration and to pay $3 million in restitution. A jury convicted Carroll in August 2024 of three counts of bank fraud, three counts of making false statements to a financial institution, one count of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA), 13 violations of the CAA, and two counts of threatening a witness (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 2, 1014, 1512 (b)(3), 1344; 42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Carroll and his business partner, George Reed, owned a time share exit company called Square One Group LLC. In April of 2020, they submitted a false and fraudulent application for a $1.2 million Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The loan application falsely stated that the spouses of Reed and Carroll owned the company to conceal Carroll’s status as a paroled felon, which would have precluded his company from receiving PPP funds. Carroll also used his wife’s name to avoid any potential liability for the fraud.
The PPP loan was supposed to help save businesses and jobs, but Carroll did not use the money to pay dozens of employees who were out of work or keep paying for health insurance for 17 of those employees. Instead, he used it to start a trucking company, Whiskey Dix Big Truck Repair LLC. Carroll and Reed then applied for loan forgiveness, falsely claiming that they’d spent the money on payroll and other permitted expenses. Additionally, Reed and Carroll later sought a second loan of more than $1.6 million, taking a total of $660,000 in “owner draws” from the company after the loan was approved.
From May 2020 through December 2021, Carroll and Whiskey Dix violated the CAA by unlawfully removing the emissions control systems from more than 30 diesel-fueled trucks. In January 2022, Carroll tried to pressure two employees to take responsibility for the emissions tampering. When one of the employees said he was going to talk to federal investigators, Carroll threatened to stop paying for the employee’s attorney.
The court sentenced Whiskey Dix to complete a three-year term of probation after the jury convicted the company on 16 CAA violations. Reed pleaded guilty to bank fraud in September of 2022 and was sentenced January 23, 2025, to time served, and five years of supervised release. Reed was held jointly liable for $3 million in restitution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Eastern District of Missouri | Missouri Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for $3 Million Pandemic Fraud, Witness Tampering, Clean Air Act Violations | United States Department of Justice
On February 13, 2025, a court sentenced Jeffrey Radtke to 21 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Radtke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos (18 U.S.C.§§ 371, 48(a)(2), (a)(3)).
Between June 2021 and August 2022, Radtke sent more than 40 payments (ranging from $1 through $300) he received from co-conspirators to pay videographers in Indonesia and other locations outside of the United States to create videos depicting the torture and deaths of juvenile macaque monkeys.
During the execution of a search warrant in April 2023, law enforcement found more than 2,600 videos and 2,700 images depicting animal crushing on Radtke’s computer.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
On February 14, 2025, a court sentenced Jonathan Achtemeier to pay a $25,000 fine and serve four months’ incarceration, followed by one year of supervised release. Achtemeier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (CAA) for his role in tampering with required monitoring devices on diesel trucks (18 U.S.C. § 371).
Between 2019 and 2022, Achtemeier modified the software on hundreds of trucks nationwide to prevent the monitoring devices from detecting the removal of emissions controls. Achtemeier conspired with mechanics and truck fleet operators, instructing them on how to remove or disable anti-pollution hardware on diesel trucks, a process known as “deleting.” Achtemeier tampered with the monitoring device on his clients’ trucks by connecting laptops to the trucks’ onboard computers and remotely “tuning” the vehicles’ computers, which rendered required monitoring devices inaccurate. This allowed the trucks to run without functioning emissions control systems and resulted in the trucks emitting significantly more pollution than legally allowed.
Achtemeier charged as much at $4,500 per truck for work that often took him two hours or less. He advertised his services on social media nationwide, doing business as Voided Warranty Tuning or Optimized Ag. Between 2019 and 2022 his company took in more than $4.3 million in gross profits.
The Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Western District of Washington | Indiana man sentenced to prison for conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act | United States Department of Justice
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Andres Alejandro Sanchez to complete a three-year term of probation to include six months’ home detention. Sanchez pleaded guilty to violating the Lacey Act for illegally importing a spider monkey into the United States (16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(1), 3373(d)(2)).
On October 7, 2024, Sanchez travelled from Mexico to Laredo, Texas, and failed to declare a spider monkey he had in his vehicle to Customs and Border Protection officers as he attempted to cross the border.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation.
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Jose Carrillo to 84 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Carrillo pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate the Animal Welfare Act and knowingly possessing a firearm after a felony conviction (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 922(g)(1) and 924(d)).
On June 7, 2023, authorities executed a search warrant at Carrillo’s residence, seizing a total of 10 pit bull-type dogs. Several of the dogs exhibited scarring consistent with dogfighting. Authorities also discovered a .22 caliber rifle, a bloodstained wooden dogfighting “pit,” syringes, veterinary medications, a skin stapler, break sticks used to separate fighting dogs, and other suspected dogfighting paraphernalia.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with assistance from the following agencies: Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshal Service; and the Pasco County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office.
Related Press Release: Office of Public Affairs | Florida Man Sentenced for Dog Fighting | United States Department of Justice
On February 18, 2025, a court sentenced Eric T. Scionti to 47 months’ incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release. Scionti pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and Animal Crushing in two separate cases (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), 48(a)(1)).
In December 2022, federal authorities received an anonymous tip that Scionti, a convicted felon, possessed a number of handguns, as well as grenades and bullet-proof body armor. On January 18, 2023, agents executed a search warrant, seizing six firearms and 1,826 rounds of ammunition from areas of a residence controlled by the defendant. Scionti has multiple Arizona state felony convictions and was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.
While researching the defendant’s online activities, agents found video evidence depicting Scionti torturing pigeons. Agents executed a subsequent search warrant on September 29, 2023, for records and information associated with Scionti’s email account. During that search, agents seized approximately 168 videos and 89 digital photographs depicting Scionti torturing and mutilating live pigeons.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigations in these cases.
Related Press Release: District of Arizona | Tempe Man Sentenced to 47 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Animal Crushing | United States Department of Justice
On February 19, 2025, a court sentenced Manuel Domingos Pita to 48 months’ incarceration and to pay more than $55 million in restitution. Also, Pita will forfeit real estate and cash/bank accounts. Pita pleaded guilty to a wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and a willful violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration Act for causing the death of an employee (18 U.S.C. §§ 371, 1343; 29 U.S.C. § 666(e)).
Pita created and operated several shell construction companies, including one named Domingos 54 Construction, Inc. Pita used Domingos 54 to provide workers, including undocumented aliens, with construction jobs. However, Pita failed to secure the required workers compensation insurance coverage for these employees by falsifying the number of workers for which he sought coverage in worker’s compensation insurance applications. In addition, Pita failed to pay any federal employment taxes on the wages that these workers earned during the course of the scheme between 2018 and 2022.
Pita failed to disclose the number of workers he had. Had he properly disclosed the number of workers, he would have paid an additional $22.7 million+ in premiums. Additionally, Pita failed to pay to the IRS over $33.7 million in federal employment taxes on those workers’ wages.
Between February and July 2019, investigators with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued six citations to Domingos 54 for failure to provide fall protection to workers. Even after being cited for these violations, Pita continued to ignore OSHA requirements. In March 2020, Pita assigned a worker and three other carpenters to install sheeting on the roof of a residential home in windy conditions without providing the required fall-protection gear or ensuring its use. As a result, one of the workers was blown off the roof and died from his injuries.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Florida Department of Financial Services’ Bureau of Insurance Fraud-Criminal Investigations, and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: Middle District of Florida | Florida Businessman Sentenced in Connection with Migrant Labor Employment Scheme, Payroll Tax Evasion, and Worker Death | United States Department of Justice
On February 20, 2025, a court sentenced Fernando Cruz Rubio to time served. Rubio pleaded guilty to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) for failing to maintain an oil record book (ORB) (33 U.S.C. § 1908(a)).
Rubio worked as a chief engineer on the M/V Suhar, a Panamanian-flagged ocean-going bulk carrier that routinely hauled cement from Tampico, Mexico, to Pensacola, Florida. The ship was managed by Gremex Shipping S.A. de C.V., which was responsible for the ship’s day-to-day operations, including hiring all crew, and ensuring compliance with all environmental and international regulations.
The Coast Guard inspected the ship when it arrived in Pensacola on August 25, 2023. Inspectors determined that the vessel’s crew regularly discharged untreated oily bilge water overboard, bypassing onboard pollution control equipment, and falsified the ship’s ORB to conceal these discharges. On various trips, between March 2021 through August 25, 2023, Rubio, as the Suhar’s chief engineer, failed to accurately maintain the ORB and did not record overboard bilge water discharges.
Gremex was sentenced in October 2024 to pay a $1.75 million fine, serve a four-year term of probation, and implement an environmental compliance plan. The shipping corporation also pleaded guilty to violating APPS.
The U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service conducted the investigation.
On February 25, 2025, a court sentenced to Clancy Logistics, Inc., and owner Timothy C. Clancy, to each complete three-year terms of probation. They were also ordered to pay a fine of $101,510.00, jointly and severally. The defendants pleaded guilty to a felony count of tampering with a Clean Air Act monitoring device (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
Between October 2019 and July 2023, Timothy C. Clancy tampered with the onboard diagnostic systems (OBDs) and caused others to tamper with the OBDs, of at least 13 Class 8 diesel semi-trailer trucks owned or operated by his companies, Clancy Transport, Inc., and Clancy Logistics, Inc. The defendants’ actions prevented the OBDs from detecting malfunctions caused by the deletion of the vehicles’ emission control systems, in violation of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. § 7413(c)(2)(C)).
As part of this process, Clancy directed his employees to disable and remove the emissions hardware from his companies’ vehicles. This involved removing exhaust systems and their corresponding emissions control components from the vehicles, hollowing out the functioning portion of the devices so that only the casing remained, and re-installing the casing to create the appearance that the emissions controls were intact. The vehicles’ OBDs were then tuned so that they could no longer detect the removal of the control equipment.
Clancy and his companies tampered with the OBDs on their diesel semi-trailer trucks so that they could operate the vehicles with real or perceived increased performance and fuel efficiency and reduce or eliminate the cost and burden associated with maintaining the vehicles. As a result, a greater volume of pollutants was emitted from the vehicles.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation.
Related Press Release: District of Oregon | Oregon Transportation Company and Owner Sentenced to Probation and Criminal Fines for Tampering with Pollution Monitoring Devices | United States Department of Justice
On February 27, 2025, a court sentenced Robert G. Gambill to pay a $9,500 fine and to forfeit a rifle, scope, and ammunition for killing a bald eagle in violation of the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act (16 U.S.C. § 668(a)). As required under provisions of the Act, $2,500 of the fine will be apportioned equally between two witnesses who reported the shooting.
On June 5, 2024, Gambill set his firearm on a fencepost and targeted, shot, and killed a bald eagle that was perched in a tree near a bridge in Sparta, North Carolina. After killing the eagle, Gambill drove away from the scene, abandoning the carcass on the bank of the New River. Two witnesses recovered the carcass and turned it over to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The U.S. FWS forensic laboratory determined that injuries suffered by the bald eagle were consistent with a gunshot wound from a high-powered rifle.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement conducted the investigation, with assistance from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and the Alleghany County Sheriff’s Office.
Related Press Release: Western District of North Carolina | Federal Judge Orders Sparta Man To Pay $9,500 Fine For Killing A Bald Eagle | United States Department of Justice
On February 28, 2025, a court sentenced Willie Russell to 24 months’ incarceration, followed by three years’ supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and exhibiting dogs in an animal fighting venture (7 U.S.C. § 2156(a)(1); 18 U.S.C. § 371). Russell is the fourteenth and final defendant to plead guilty in this federal dog fighting case. The other co-defendants are: Tamichael Elijah; Marvin Pulley, III; Brandon Baker; Christopher Travis Beaumont; Herman Buggs, Jr.; Terrance Davis; Timothy Freeman; Terelle Ganzy; Gary Hopkins; Cornelious Johnson; Rodrecus Kimble; Donnametric Miller; Willie Russell; and, Fredricus White.
On April 24, 2022, the defendants converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. They brought a total of 24 pit bull-type dogs to fight in a series of matches over that weekend. Law enforcement personnel who disrupted the event found numerous dogs inside crates in cars on the property.
The participants used their cars to store dogs who had already fought, as well as those awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Some dogs were kept on chains on the property. Law enforcement rescued a total of 27 dogs, including a badly injured dog that later perished from its injuries. Dogs in the cars also bore recent injuries and scars.
All defendants but Freeman pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to violate the animal fighting prohibition of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Defendants Beaumont and Miller also pleaded guilty to sponsoring or exhibiting (i.e., handling) a dog in a dog fight. Defendants Baker, Davis, Ganzy, Johnson, Pulley, and White further pleaded guilty to possessing and transporting a dog for purposes of using the dog in an animal fighting venture. Freeman pleaded guilty to spectating at an animal fight. Defendants Miller and Pulley also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possession of a firearm by a person with a prior felony conviction.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General; and the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation, with assistance from the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office.
Related Press Release: Office of Public Affairs | Fourteenth and Final Defendant Convicted in Federal Dog Fighting Case | United States Department of Justice
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
CALGARY, Alberta, March 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blueprint Digital Marketing, in collaboration with Trusted Experts, today unveiled key tips to help consumers safely choose home services and wellness providers. With scam reports on the rise in these industries, many homeowners and renters have fallen victim to fraudulent builders, unlicensed movers, and unqualified repair technicians. To address these concerns, industry experts from across North America have shared essential questions consumers should ask to ensure they hire reputable and trustworthy service providers.
A photo that says people should ask an expert
These practical tips from experienced professionals in home building, moving, appliance repair, and wellness services will help you spot potential scams before they happen. By knowing exactly which questions to ask—and recognizing when something doesn’t seem right—you can feel confident that you’re choosing a legitimate service provider, whether you’re moving across the country, repairing your appliances, buying a new home, or booking your next massage.
Fifth Avenue Homes (Calgary, Alberta)
Expert Tip: Always confirm a builder’s license and recent project references.
Detailed Advice:
“Homebuyers often believe that once a project starts, it’s automatically guaranteed to be completed, but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case,” says a representative from Fifth Avenue Homes. “To safeguard yourself, always verify that your builder holds proper licensing, request examples or tours of recent projects, and check their registration with organizations like the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) or Alberta’s New Home Warranty Program. Speaking directly with past clients about their experiences is also strongly recommended.”
M&M Best Movers (Edmonton, Alberta)
Expert Tip: Avoid paying large deposits up front. Legitimate movers typically ask for minimal deposits of 10% or less.
Detailed Advice:
“One common scam involves movers asking for 50% or more as a deposit,” says M&M Movers. “A legitimate moving company won’t ask for significant sums up front. Unfortunately, we’ve encountered situations where customers lost over $1,000 to fraudulent movers.”
Pro Tips to Avoid Scams:
Household Refrigeration & Appliance Service (Calgary, Alberta)
Expert Tip: Verify technician certifications and insist on a detailed work order before repairs start.
Detailed Advice:
“A credible technician always provides a clear work order outlining required parts and labor before beginning work,” advises a representative from Household Refrigeration & Appliance Service. “Be cautious of ‘technicians’ who offer quotes over the phone without inspecting the appliance in person. Scammers frequently insist on cash payments to avoid accountability.”
Pro Tips:
All Appliance Tech & Repair (Ottawa, Ontario)
Expert Tip: Always require an in-person inspection before agreeing to a repair quote.
Detailed Advice:
“Legitimate appliance repair companies won’t provide a quote without inspecting the appliance firsthand,” explains a representative from All Appliance Tech & Repair. “Avoid businesses that quote over the phone without seeing the issue. In-person inspections ensure accuracy and protect against hidden costs.”
Pro Tips:
Maggie’s Therapeutic Massage (Calgary, Alberta)
Expert Tip: Always ask massage therapists to provide proof of Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) certification before booking appointments.
Detailed Advice:
“Not every massage therapist is a Registered Massage Therapist (RMT),” says Maggie’s Therapeutic Massage. “Only certified RMTs are eligible for health insurance claims and adhere to professional quality standards.”
Pro Tips:
Stay Informed and Protected
Knowledge is the most effective tool for avoiding scams. Awareness of common red flags—such as excessive upfront payments, reluctance to provide licenses or certifications, refusal to offer detailed written estimates, or an unwillingness to explain their process—can protect you from significant losses and frustration.
If you encounter businesses or technicians who raise these concerns, trust your instincts and continue your search for a reputable provider.
With expert insights from Fifth Avenue Homes, M&M Best Movers, Household Refrigeration, All Appliance Tech & Repair, and Maggie’s Therapeutic Massage, homeowners, renters, and consumers can confidently make safe and informed decisions.
About Blueprint Digital Marketing
Blueprint Digital Marketing is a Calgary-based agency specializing in results-driven online growth strategies since 2012. With a flexible, no-contract model, the company adapts to evolving digital trends, helping businesses stay competitive and maximize opportunities in the local market.
Media Contact:
For media inquiries or interviews, please contact the experts directly:
Homeowners working with an expert
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5251d020-ee62-47ea-88de-a8a32f3fe093
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e0943d35-8bdc-4309-b3aa-cae051a92e4a
Source: Amnesty International –
UN gives a damning view on failing performance of politicians on fundamental human rights
A domino effect of poor housing, a broken social security system and inadequate healthcare is leaving communities on their knees
Published yesterday, the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) concluding obligations set out a bleak view of the UK Government’s performance on tackling poverty, managing the impact of austerity, and ensuring people have a decent home, enough money to pay for the essentials (like food), and access to decent work, good health care, and education.
They outlined a worsening picture of food insecurity, poverty, homelessness, health inequalities, and educational outcomes, which impact those communities already marginalised, such as single mothers, racialised communities, gypsy Roma and traveller communities, and people seeking asylum.
Amnesty UK presented evidence to CESCR in Geneva in February 2025 on the government’s failure to protect fundamental human rights, outlining the domino effect of poor housing, a broken social security system, and inadequate healthcare in communities.
Jen Clark, Economic and Social Lead at Amnesty UK, said:
“The UN committee set out clearly how a devastating domino effect of unmet rights leads to destitution and hardship, a conclusion borne out by our own research.
“Reading between the lines of the committee statement, you get a sense of frustration that little progress has been made since they last reviewed the UK performance in 2016.
“They call again for independent evaluation on the impact of austerity on the most disadvantaged groups and communities to be undertaken as a matter of priority and for the punitive nature of sanctions and deductions from social security payments to be reviewed.
“Like Amnesty, the UN is calling for the end to the two-child limit, benefit caps, and five-week wait for benefits. They are concerned that social security is already not paid at a level that enables an adequate standard of living for essentials such as food, utility bills, and clothing.
“It is all tied together by addressing that our human rights are not adequately protected in the UK. The government has failed to provide legal protections for these rights under the covenant, meaning people who experience violations cannot access justice. Amnesty echoes their call on the government to undertake an independent review of how legal status can be given to these rights to provide routes to justice and safeguards against further rollback of these rights.”
Additional elements addressed in the report include:
Concern regarding the specific plight of people with certain immigration status who have no recourse to public funds and that people experiencing homelessness are criminalised by punitive policy.
To address depleted public services and struggling local authorities, CESCR calls on the government to shift fiscal priorities away from tax freezes and toward measures that will broaden the tax base and increase the funding available for them (such as capital, corporate, and property taxes).
The UK’s failings at home were not the only concern of the UN Committee. They too share concerns about the UK’s role in ensuring these rights abroad, citing the need to address the extent to which the ODA budget has slipped away from the target (at the time of reporting this was to 0.5%) and call for the UK to take a stronger approach on the world stage in relation to tackling debt in the global south and taking more decisive leadership to ensure that the UK addresses tax evasion from multinational companies.
The three top priorities that the UK Government must report back on in the next 24 months:
Conduct an independent, participatory impact assessment of the extra-territorial effects of its financial secrecy and corporate tax policies on the economies of developing countries.
Conduct an independent assessment of the cumulative impact of austerity measures introduced since 2010 on economic, social, and cultural rights, focusing on disadvantaged groups, regional disparities, and the effects of subsequent policy shifts
Assess the impact of welfare reforms introduced since 2010 on the most disadvantaged groups and take corrective measures, including reversing policies such as the two-child limit, the benefit cap, and the five-week delay for the first Universal Credit payment.
Amnesty’s complete submission to the United Nation’s Committee for Cultural, Economic, and Social Rights can be read here.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), joined twelve of his SASC colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanding legal justification for the recent abrupt dismissals of several Judge Advocate Generals (JAG) and documentation of the decision-making process. The senators also requested a response to several oversight questions on the removal and appointment process and expressed serious concerns about Secretary Hegseth’s statements regarding these actions.
“This action not only undermines the integrity of the military justice system but also appears to be in direct violation of federal law, specifically 10 U.S.C. §§ 7037(e) (Army) and 9037(f) (Air Force),” wrote the senators. “The Army statute explicitly states: “No officer or employee of the Department of Defense may interfere with— (1) the ability of the Judge Advocate General to give independent legal advice to the Secretary of the Army or the Chief of Staff of the Army; or (2) the ability of judge advocates of the Army assigned or attached to, or performing duty with, military units to give independent legal advice to commanders.”
The senators continued, “By arbitrarily and baselessly removing duly selected and highly qualified JAG officers, the Administration undermines the military justice system and has interfered with the independent legal counsel that uniformed attorneys provide to commanders and the Department itself. Such removals create an unmistakable chilling effect, signaling to all judge advocates that their positions are contingent not upon their legal expertise and adherence to the law, but rather upon political or personal loyalty. Further, this move undermines the rigorous selection and confirmation process established by Congress.”
In the letter, the senators specifically raise their concerns on Hegseth’s plan to reduce the rank of JAG leadership from three-star to a two-star general or flag officer: “This position was elevated to three-stars to signal the United States’ commitment to the rule of law as the foundation of good decisions and to ensure they could advise policymakers on our most critical national security decisions, following the abuses at Abu Ghraib. Demoting the military’s champions for lawfulness sends a clear and troubling message across the force.”
“Without independent legal counsel, military operations risk violating international law, exposing U.S. forces to war crimes allegations, damaging alliances, and undermining global legitimacy. The absence of sound legal advice can lead to unlawful targeting decisions, excessive use of force, or misuse of emerging technologies, increasing operational and strategic risks. It endangers uniformed service members by ceding moral high ground to our adversaries in their own conduct and prosecution of armed conflict,” the senators warned.
The senators concluded, “These arbitrary dismissals are a direct violation of their statutory protections. It sends a dangerous message that military legal professionals who provide objective, legally sound advice may be removed at will, thereby making it impossible for the JAG Corps to function as prescribed by law.”
In addition to Kaine, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus King (I-ME), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
A copy of the letter is available here and below.
Secretary Hegseth:
The Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps is an essential pillar of our military, ensuring adherence to the rule of law, upholding the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), and providing critical independent legal advice to commanders at all levels. The JAG Corps is not only a vital element in maintaining good order and discipline within our armed forces, but it is also a key component of operational readiness. By law, JAG officers provide guidance on military justice, international law, operational law, administrative compliance, and ethics, ensuring that our warfighters operate within the bounds of national and international legal frameworks. The stability and impartiality of the JAG Corps are paramount, and any undue interference in its functioning directly impacts the effectiveness and credibility of our military.
We write to you with deep concern regarding the recent relief of Judge Advocate Generals. This action not only undermines the integrity of the military justice system but also appears to be in direct violation of federal law, specifically 10 U.S.C. §§ 7037(e) (Army) and 9037(f) (Air Force). The Army statute explicitly states: “No officer or employee of the Department of Defense may interfere with— (1) the ability of the Judge Advocate General to give independent legal advice to the Secretary of the Army or the Chief of Staff of the Army; or (2) the ability of judge advocates of the Army assigned or attached to, or performing duty with, military units to give independent legal advice to commanders.” The Air Force and Navy statutes contain substantively identical language.
By arbitrarily and baselessly removing duly selected and highly qualified JAG officers, the Administration undermines the military justice system and has interfered with the independent legal counsel that uniformed attorneys provide to commanders and the Department itself. Such removals create an unmistakable chilling effect, signaling to all judge advocates that their positions are contingent not upon their legal expertise and adherence to the law, but rather upon political or personal loyalty. Further, this move undermines the rigorous selection and confirmation process established by Congress.
We are also deeply troubled by your follow-up statement after the firings where you said, “We want lawyers who give sound constitutional advice and don’t exist to attempt to be roadblocks.” This characterization of legal advisors within the military undermines the critical apolitical role they play in ensuring adherence to the Constitution, the UCMJ, and international law. Military lawyers are not “roadblocks” as you describe; they are guardrails, ensuring that orders issued by commanders are lawful and the armed forces uphold the principles that distinguish our military from those that serve autocrats around the world. Furthermore, your assertion that the selection process for senior legal officers is an “insulated” system that perpetuates the status quo disregards the legal framework established by 10 U.S.C. Chapter 36, which specifically governs the appointment, promotion, and selection of military officers, including those of the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. This is not a self-perpetuating bureaucracy; it is a system codified by law to ensure that those entrusted with legal oversight are experienced, competent, and independent enough to provide candid legal counsel, even under difficult circumstances. Undermining this structure risks politicizing the military and eroding the very professionalism that has long been its foundation.
We are also troubled that you plan to reduce the rank of JAG leadership from a three-star to a two-star general or flag officer. This position was elevated to three-stars to signal the United States’ commitment to the rule of law as the foundation of good decisions and to ensure they could advise policymakers on our most critical national security decisions, following the abuses at Abu Ghraib. Demoting the military’s champions for lawfulness sends a clear and troubling message across the force. JAGs play a crucial role in ensuring the U.S. military complies with international law, including the DoD Law of War Manual, DoD Directive 3000.09, and the Army Field Manual on Interrogation, which govern the conduct of armed conflict, the use of autonomous weapon systems, and authorized military interrogation techniques. Without independent legal counsel, military operations risk violating international law, exposing U.S. forces to war crimes allegations, damaging alliances, and undermining global legitimacy. The absence of sound legal advice can lead to unlawful targeting decisions, excessive use of force, or misuse of emerging technologies, increasing operational and strategic risks. It endangers uniformed service members by ceding moral high ground to our adversaries in their own conduct and prosecution of armed conflict.
Such actions by the Administration amount to a betrayal of public trust and an erosion of the apolitical foundation of our military legal system. These arbitrary dismissals are a direct violation of their statutory protections. It sends a dangerous message that military legal professionals who provide objective, legally sound advice may be removed at will, thereby making it impossible for the JAG Corps to function as prescribed by law.
Given these grave concerns, we demand immediate clarification on the legal justification for these reliefs and an explanation as to how these actions comply with Title 10 statutes governing the selection and tenure of JAG officers. Additionally, we request a detailed account of the individuals involved in the decision-making process and any documentation that led to these dismissals.
To facilitate proper congressional oversight, we request responses to the following questions by March 13, 2025:
What is the legal basis for the removal of these JAG officers?
Were any communications or directives issued to justify these removals? If so, please provide them for review.
Do you plan to appoint two- or three-star officers to replace these JAG officers?
What analysis has the Department conducted to determine that the replacements for these JAG officers should be two-stars?
How does the Department plan to ensure the continued independence of the JAG Corps in light of these dismissals?
Were any external political or administrative pressures exerted on the decision to remove these officers?
How will the Department mitigate the chilling effect this decision has had on the ability of JAG officers to provide independent legal counsel?
What measures will be put in place to restore trust in the military justice system and prevent similar actions in the future?
Will you follow the legally-prescribed process in selecting the next Judge Advocates General of the Army, Navy, and Air Force?
The rule of law is a foundational pillar of our nation, and the DoD must uphold it without exception. The independence of military legal professionals must be preserved, and any actions that erode this independence must be rectified without delay. Failing to integrate JAGs into military planning who are free to give independent legal advice to the commander threatens not only compliance with the law but also the safety and effectiveness of U.S. forces. As you committed at your confirmation hearing to respond promptly to the committee, we expect a response to these straightforward questions, along with full transparency in addressing the damage these firings have inflicted upon the military justice system.
Sincerely,
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Anthony Ngororano of Rwanda as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Madagascar, with the host Government’s approval, on 1 March 2025.
Mr. Ngororano has over 20 years of experience in sustainable development in leadership roles across the UN system and prior to this in the private sector. Most recently, he served as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative to Kenya. Prior to that, he served as UNDP Resident Representative to Mauritania.
Before his role in Mauritania, Mr. Ngororano served as Chief of the Executive Board Branch in the Office of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in New York and he held several posts in UN-Women, including Country Representative in Haiti and Chief of the Africa Section in New York.
He served as the Senior Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of Rwanda with the rank of Permanent Secretary and prior to that he held diverse positions with UNDP including Country Adviser in the Regional Bureau for Africa in New York, and in a range of policy, planning and programme roles in Nigeria, Zambia, and Rwanda.
He also worked as an investment banker with Citigroup N.A in Kenya and Tanzania after starting his career as an economist in the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development in Uganda.
Mr. Ngororano holds masters’ degrees in development economics and international relations from the University of East Anglia and the University of Sussex respectively. He also holds a Master of Arts degree with honours in economics from the University of Edinburgh.
New Plymouth, New Zealand – 5 March 2025: Family-owned equipment hire company, Kennards Hire, is expanding its footprint into New Plymouth, opening its first branch in the Taranaki region with the strategic acquisition of Kiwi Hire Group.
Following recent openings in Napier and Taupō, the move into New Plymouth marks Kennards Hire’s 31st branch in New Zealand, reinforcing the company’s ongoing commitment to building local communities and industries across the country.
The origins of Kiwi Hire Group go back to 2016 when the Potter family first started building up the business. Over the years, it grew into a trusted name in the Taranaki region, providing specialist gear to local businesses, construction professionals, and DIY customers.
Previously owned and operated by Brad and Christine Potter, the husband-and-wife team will now continue to manage the new Kennards Hire branch. The Potter duo was also delighted to have the majority of the Kiwi Hire Group decide to join the Kennards Hire family in this new chapter.
Brad Potter, Branch Manager of Kennards Hire New Plymouth, said: “Through this acquisition, our goal is to ensure that our customers, and staff, continue to be well looked after. Kennards Hire is a family-owned business with the same aligned values as Kiwi Hire Group – and this has made all the difference.
“Beyond that family connection, our combined expertise and an expanded range of quality equipment will allow us to provide the best possible service to the community for many more years.”
Speaking about the acquisition, Tom Kimber, General Manager of Kennards Hire New Zealand, said: “Following recent branch openings in Taupō and Napier, this new location establishes a key foothold on the west coast of the North Island. Its strategic positioning enhances connectivity between major regional centres, including Taupō, South Waikato, Palmerston North, and Whanganui, enabling us to better support local businesses and communities.
“What makes this expansion even more special is the strong family connection between our businesses. Like Kennards Hire, Kiwi Hire Group is a family-run company built on a foundation of trust, expertise, and customer-first service. We’re proud to continue their legacy and bring our shared values to the New Plymouth community.”
In partnership with KidsCan, Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading charity dedicated to helping children affected by poverty, Kennards Hire New Plymouth will be actively supporting the local community, including partnerships with 11 schools in the region through the KidsCan School Buddy Programme.
Talking to this community engagement, Brad Potter said: “Kiwi Hire Group has always championed our local community, and now, as part of the Kennards Hire family, those values will live on – whether through sponsoring local events like Americarna or supporting schools through the KidsCan partnership. We are immensely proud to contribute to this commitment.”
Christine Potter, Assistant Branch Manager of Kennards Hire New Plymouth, also added: “Becoming part of the Kennards Hire family marks an exciting new chapter in our journey. It will enable us to share our expertise, strengthen the team, broaden our offerings to the local community, and above all, continue delivering outstanding service to our customers.”
The new branch will offer a wide range of high-quality equipment hire products and services as well as access to specialty branches in the region, all made easier through Kennards Hire’s online booking platform.
To celebrate the new opening, Kennards Hire is teaming up with The Rock Taranaki and hosting a Tradie Breakfast at the Kennards Hire New Plymouth Branch, 643 Devon Road on the 7th of March, from 6:30am to 8:30am. For more information, visit the event page here: https://www.rova.nz/events/the-rock-taranaki-kennards-hire-new-plymouth-tradie-breakfast
About Kennards Hire:
About Kennards Hire – New Zealand Kennards Hire is a family-owned and operated company that has been in the hire industry for more than 75 years, with over 215 sites and branches across New Zealand and Australia. Since 1948, its diverse product range extends from general hire equipment for the home renovator and professional tradesperson to specialist equipment and heavy machinery used on some of the largest civil infrastructure and commercial construction projects in two countries. Eden Park Icon Partner, Forsyth Barr Stadium Partner, proud member of the Family Business Association, Member of Hire Industry Association New Zealand, major supporter of KidsCan and Springboard Community Works. Kennardshire.co.nz
Kennards Hire New Plymouth is now open at open at 643 Devon Rd,
About the KidsCan School Buddy Programme:
KidsCan is supported by Kennards Hire and the Kennards Hire Foundation.
Kennards Hire has been running the KidsCan School Buddy Programme since 2014, to help enhance learning environments by offering essential equipment, expert guidance, and volunteer support. Today, up to 367 KidsCan-affiliated schools across the country benefit from this Programme.
To find out more about the valuable work that KidsCan does, visit their website: https://www.kidscan.org.nz/
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The Immigration Department (ImmD) mounted an anti-illegal worker operation in Kwai Chung today (March 4). A total of eight suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. During the operation, ImmD Task Force officers raided a unit of the industrial building. A total of eight suspected illegal workers and one suspected employer were arrested. The arrested suspected illegal workers were all Filipinos, comprised seven men and one woman, aged 34 to 60. Among them, six men were holders of recognisance form, which prohibits them from taking any employment, one man was a current foreign domestic helper and one woman was an overstaying former domestic helper. The eight suspected illegal workers were found performing transporting and wrapping duties. Furthermore, a Hong Kong male resident, aged 51, who was suspected of employing the illegal workers, was also arrested. The investigation is still ongoing, and more persons involved in the case may be arrested. “Any person who contravenes a condition of stay in force in respect of him/her shall be guilty of an offence. Also, visitors are not allowed to take employment in Hong Kong, whether paid or unpaid, without the permission of the Director of Immigration. Offenders are liable to prosecution and upon conviction face a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to two years’ imprisonment. Aiders and abettors are also liable to prosecution and penalties,” an ImmD spokesman said. The spokesman warned that, “As stipulated in section 38AA of the Immigration Ordinance, an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land is prohibited from taking any employment, whether paid or unpaid, or establishing or joining in any business. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $50,000 and up to three years’ imprisonment. As stipulated in section 20(1)(a) of the Immigration Ordinance, the Chief Executive may make a deportation order against an immigrant prohibiting the immigrant from being in Hong Kong at anytime thereafter if the immigrant has been found guilty in Hong Kong of an offence punishable with imprisonment for not less than two years.” The spokesman reiterated that it is a serious offence to employ people who are not lawfully employable. Under the Immigration Ordinance, the maximum penalty for an employer employing a person who is not lawfully employable, i.e. an illegal immigrant, a person who is the subject of a removal order or a deportation order, an overstayer or a person who was refused permission to land, has been significantly increased from a fine of $350,000 and three years’ imprisonment to a fine of $500,000 and 10 years’ imprisonment to reflect the gravity of such offences. The director, manager, secretary, partner, etc, of the company concerned may also bear criminal liability. The High Court has laid down sentencing guidelines that the employer of an illegal worker should be given an immediate custodial sentence. According to the court sentencing, employers must take all practicable steps to determine whether a person is lawfully employable prior to employment. Apart from inspecting a prospective employee’s identity card, the employer has the explicit duty to make enquiries regarding the person and ensure that the answers would not cast any reasonable doubt concerning the lawful employability of the person. The court will not accept failure to do so as a defence in proceedings. It is also an offence if an employer fails to inspect the job seeker’s valid travel document if the job seeker does not have a Hong Kong permanent identity card. Offenders are liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of $150,000 and to imprisonment for one year. In that connection, the spokesman would like to remind all employers not to defy the law by employing illegal workers. The ImmD will continue to take resolute enforcement action to combat such offences. Under the existing mechanism, the ImmD will, as a standard procedure, conduct an initial screening of vulnerable persons, including illegal workers, illegal immigrants, sex workers and foreign domestic helpers who are arrested during any operation with a view to ascertaining whether they are trafficking in persons (TIP) victims. When any TIP indicator is revealed in the initial screening, the officers will conduct a full debriefing and identification by using a standardised checklist to ascertain the presence of TIP elements, such as threats and coercion in the recruitment phase and the nature of exploitation. Identified TIP victims will be provided with various forms of support and assistance, including urgent intervention, medical services, counselling, shelter or temporary accommodation and other supporting services. The ImmD calls on TIP victims to report crimes to the relevant departments immediately.
Source: Government of India
IIMC Strengthens Media Education with Industry Collaborations and Security Sector Training: DG, IIMC, Dr. Anupama Bhatnagar
Posted On: 04 MAR 2025 7:40PM by PIB Delhi
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) successfully hosted its 56th Convocation Ceremony today at Mahatma Gandhi Manch, IIMC, New Delhi. Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Chancellor of IIMC and Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Railways, and Electronics & Information Technology, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
The ceremony celebrated the achievements of the 2023-24 batch, with 478 students from IIMC New Delhi and its five regional campuses—Dhenkanal, Aizawl, Amravati, Kottayam, and Jammu—being conferred their Post Graduate Diploma certificates. Additionally, 36 outstanding students were honored with medals and cash awards for their academic excellence, marking a momentous occasion in their academic journey.
IIMC will be made into a world-class media university
Addressing the 56th Convocation of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in New Delhi, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw said that Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) will be made into a world-class media university.
Congratulating the graduating students, Shri Vaishnaw emphasized that next version of IIMC will also include world-class curriculum and stronger collaborations with the media industry to meet the needs of a rapidly changing communication landscape.
Shri Vaishnaw also highlighted the dynamic nature of the media industry and the importance of adaptability. He said, “The entire world of media is transforming, and change is constant. We must absorb and adapt to these changes to stay ahead.”
Addressing the challenges that graduates may face, the Minister advised the students to continue their journey with dedication and perseverance, carrying forward the same energy that brought them to this significant milestone. Union Minister Shri Vaishnaw said, “Wherever you work, always remember – nation first, always first. Your work should aim to help the country, and other things will follow.”
IIMC to Continue Modernizing Curriculum and Expanding Training Programs
Director General, IIMC, Dr. Anupama Bhatnagar said ” The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has continuously updated its curriculum to keep pace with modern advancements and evolving requirements.” She also highlighted her hope that the students would achieve great success in the field of mass communication. To support this goal, the Placement Cell successfully organized an Industry Connect Event last December, offering students a valuable platform to learn from esteemed industry leaders across various media verticals.
She further stated that IIMC also plays a significant role in training officers of the Indian Information Service. In recent years, recognizing the needs of the security sector, specialized mass communication courses have been conducted for the Armed Forces, State Police Departments, Coast Guard, Assam Rifles, and CISF. Additionally, training programs have been organized for state information officers and public relations officials.
Additional Director General, IIMC, Dr. Nimish Rustagi, along with faculty and staff of the institute were also present on the occasion
****
Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith
(Release ID: 2108197) Visitor Counter : 36
