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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah posts on ‘X’ about a major breakthrough against drug syndicates of India, with NCB dismantling a significant drug network in Mumbai

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah posts on ‘X’ about a major breakthrough against drug syndicates of India, with NCB dismantling a significant drug network in Mumbai

    NCB Mumbai seizes 11.54 Kg of high-quality cocaine and 4.9 kg of hydroponic Ganja

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah terms it as a significant achievement, posts, “Bharat crushes drug cartel with zero tolerance”

    It is a testament to the success of the top-to-bottom approach to investigation adopted to make PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s vision for a drug-free India a reality: Shri Amit Shah

    NCB Mumbai also seizes 5.5 kg of cannabis gummies and recovers ₹ 1.6 Lakh in cash

    Seizure was a direct outcome of sustained intelligence gathering and operational diligence following an earlier seizure of 200 grams of cocaine in January 2025

    Preliminary investigations reveal operation being orchestrated by individuals based abroad, using sophisticated methods to smuggle narcotics

    Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah congratulates team NCB on this massive success

    Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 5:59PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, has posted on X platform about a major breakthrough against drug syndicates of India, with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) dismantling a significant drug network in Mumbai. He added that it is a testament to the success of the top-to-bottom approach to investigation adopted to make Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision for a drug-free India (Nasha Mukt Bharat) a reality.

    In a post on X, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said, “Bharat crushes drug cartels with zero tolerance. A major breakthrough in Mumbai in seizing very high-grade cocaine, ganja, and cannabis gummies and arresting four people. It is a testament to the success of the top-to-bottom approach to investigation adopted to make PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s vision for a drug-free India a reality. Congratulations to team Narcotics Control Bureau on this massive success.”

    This seizure was a result of concerted effort made by the team NCB Mumbai on the leads developed during a recent previous seizure of 200 gms Cocaine in the month of January, 2025. After working on the leads generated in this case and through technical and human intelligence, the Mumbai Zonal Unit (MZU) of NCB was finally able to reach at the source of the contraband and 11.540 kgs very high-grade Cocaine, 4.9 kgs hybrid strain Hydroponic Weed/Ganja and 200 packets (5.5 kgs) of Cannabis gummies & Rs.1,60,000/- were recovered from Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra on 31.01.2025.

    In this case, the initial recovery, from an international courier agency in Mumbai, was from a parcel which was destined to Australia. NCB MZU was able to backtrack the supply to the bulk quantity, which was concealed at Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.

    Investigation conducted so far revealed that this syndicate is being operated by a group of people based abroad and some quantities of the seized contraband were sourced from USA to Mumbai and being sent to multiple receivers in India and abroad through courier/small cargo services and human carriers. The persons involved in this case are anonymous to each other, using pseudo-names for day-to-day conversations on drug dealing.

    In this case, four persons have been arrested so far. Further, the investigations to identify the backward and forward linkages of the drug syndicate are underway.

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    Raj Kumar / Vivek / Ashutosh / Priyabhanshu / Pankaj

    (Release ID: 2100736) Visitor Counter : 35

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IJBB), CSIR-NIScPR publishes special issue on the Opportunities & Challenges in Biological Chemistry

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 5:50PM by PIB Delhi

    The Indian Journal of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IJBB), CSIR-National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (NIScPR), New Delhi, has brought out a special issue in association with Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences (BITS), Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campusand theSociety of Biological Chemists –India, (SBC-I) on the theme, “Biological Chemistry: Opportunities, Challenges and the Way Forward” . As a leading public funded Science publishing institute in India, CSIR-NIScPR publishes 15 journals in various STI disciplines, and all of them are indexed by reputed national/international agencies like Science Citation Index (Web of Science), Scopus, NAAS and UGC CARE.

    IJBB, a monthly premier peer-reviewed research journal in the subject area of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, with the JIF score of 1.5. With reputed national/international experts on Board, the journal has been receiving considerable attention from researchers and academicians across the globe. Its commitment to publishing quality research makes it a vital resource for those seeking to stay at the forefront of these critical scientific disciplines. This special issue (March 2025 IJBB Vol. 62 Issue no. 3) has 9 review papers and 1 original research paper broadly covering the emerging trends in the Biological Chemistry contributed by reputed researchers in the subject area.

    The articles cover (i) Phosphodiesterase 4 as a candidate therapeutic target of cancer (ii) A review on repurposing anti-diabetic drugs for the amelioration of betel-nut induced carcinogenesis; (iii) Chromatin higher order structure and possible therapeutic target (iv) From 2D to 3D: decoding tuberculosis pathobiology and drug development with ex vivo disease models; (v) Transport mediated antibiotic resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis; (vi) Phenotypic antibiotic resistance: Involvement of genes and additional factors; (vii) An overview of response pathways for protection of mitochondria from protein misfolding stress (viii) Advances in myogenic differentiation: Role of stem cells, RNA-binding proteins, molecular pathways, and detection Techniques; (ix) Aspergillusnigeracidogenic metabolism: A biased view from the C and N interface; and (x) Camptothecin exerts anti-cancer effects through FoxM1 inhibition

    Publication of this special issue was possible only with the intensive effort of Prof. Ranjana Aggarwal, Director, CSIR-NIScPR, New Delhi, and able guidance of the Editorial Board comprising globally renowned experts Prof. Stephen Dimitrov (Chief Editor, IJBB), Prof DN Rao (Executive Editor, IJBB), Guest editors Prof. Suman Kundu and Prof. Meenal Kowshik, from BITS, Goa Campus, and the initiative taken by Dr. NK Prasanna, Editor, IJBB. We appreciate the kind encouragement from Dr Charu Verma, Head, Research Journals. Contribution from authors, reviewers, and the technical support provided by the print production team of CSIR-NIScPR for successful timely publication of this issue deserves special mention.

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    NKR/PSM

    (Release ID: 2100729) Visitor Counter : 66

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority fixes ceiling prices in respect of the drugs specified in Schedule-I to Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013

    Source: Government of India

    The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority fixes ceiling prices in respect of the drugs specified in Schedule-I to Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013

    NPPA has fixed ceiling prices of 131 scheduled anticancer formulations under National List of Essential Medicines to make cancer drugs affordable and accessible to the masses

    NPPA has also fixed retail prices of 28 anti-cancer formulations of applicant manufacturing and marketing companies, under the DPCO, 2013 provisions relating to fixing of retail prices of new drugs

    Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 5:40PM by PIB Delhi

    The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals fixes ceiling prices under the provisions of Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013) in respect of the drugs specified in Schedule-I to DPCO, 2013. Manufacturers of scheduled medicines (both branded and generic) are required to sell their products within the ceiling price (plus applicable Goods and Service Tax) fixed by NPPA. In addition, NPPA fixes the retail price of new drugs as defined in DPCO, 2013. The retail price of a new drug is applicable to the applicant manufacturer and marketer, who are required to sell the new drug within the price notified by NPPA. In case of non-scheduled formulations, a manufacturer is at liberty to fix the maximum retail price (MRP) of drugs launched by it. However, as per DPCO, 2013, a manufacturer is required to not increase MRP of a non-scheduled drug by more than 10% of MRP during the preceding 12 months. In addition to the above, the ceiling price of a drug may also be fixed under certain circumstances, in public interest.

    The aforesaid Schedule to DPCO, 2013 consists of the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), 2022 notified by the Department of Health and Family Welfare. NLEM, 2022 includes 63 anti-cancer drugs, including immunosuppressives and medicines used in palliative care.

    Various measures have been taken to make cancer drugs affordable and accessible to the masses, including, among others, the following:

    1. NPPA has fixed ceiling prices of 131 scheduled anti-cancer formulations under NLEM. These include 111 formulations whose prices were fixed under the NLEM, 2015. Refixation of the same under NLEM, 2022 has resulted in reduction of around 21% from the ceiling prices fixed under NLEM, 2015, leading to annual savings of around ₹294.34 crore to patients.
    2. NPPA has fixed retail prices of 28 anti-cancer formulations of applicant manufacturing and marketing companies, under the DPCO, 2013 provisions relating to fixing of retail prices of new drugs.
    3. In addition, NPPA has put a cap of 30% trade margin on 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, in public interest, which has resulted in reduction of MRP of 526 brands of these medicines by an average of around 50% and annual savings of around ₹984 crore to patients.
    4. Government reduced customs duty to nil and GST rates from 12% to 5% for three anti-cancer drugs in the financial year (FY) 2024-25 and NPPA has issued directions to companies to reduce MRP to pass on the tax benefit to consumers.
    5. Exemption/concessions in customs duty on identified anti-cancer medicines has also been announced in the budget for FY 2025-26.  

    With the objective of promoting domestic manufacturing of drugs, the Department of Pharmaceuticals is implementing the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Pharmaceuticals with total financial outlay of ₹15,000 crore with scheme tenure till the financial year 2027-28. 54 anti-cancer drugs are being manufactured under this scheme.

    Under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY), health assurance/insurance cover of ₹5 lakh per family per year for secondary or tertiary care hospitalisation to about 60 crore beneficiaries is being provided. The treatment packages under AB-PMJAY are comprehensive and cover various treatment related aspects, including drugs and diagnostic services. Further, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, quality medicine are offered through Jan Aushadhi Kendras at rates that are typically 50% to 80% lower than the prices of branded medicines available in the market. In addition, under the Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) initiative of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, medicines for treatment of cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases, implants, surgical disposables and other consumables etc. are provided at significant discounts of up to 50% of market rates through AMRIT Pharmacy stores set up in some hospitals/institutions. Moreover, financial assistance is provided to poor patients belonging to families living below poverty line, who suffer from major life-threatening diseases including cancer, under the umbrella scheme of Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi and the Health Minister’s Discretionary Grant (HMDG). Financial assistance of up to ₹15 lakh is provided under the Health Minister’s Cancer Patient Fund under the umbrella scheme of RAN, and assistance of up to ₹1.25 lakh is provided under HMDG to defray part of the treatment cost.

    This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Smt Anupriya Patel in Lok Sabha in written reply to a question today.

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    MV/AKS

    (Release ID: 2100720) Visitor Counter : 59

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Advancing Mental Healthcare in India

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 5:26PM by PIB Delhi

    “India’s vision of good health implies not just being free of disease but to ensure wellness and welfare for everyone. The goal is to ensure physical, mental and social wellbeing.”

                                                                           Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India

    What is Mental Health

    Mental health refers to an individual’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how people think, feel, and behave in daily life. It also affects decision-making, stress management, and relationships. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.

    Impact of Poor Mental Health

    • Impact on Productivity: Poor mental health leads to lower workplace performance, increased absenteeism, and reduced efficiency.
    • Social and Emotional Well-being: Mental well-being affects interpersonal relationships, self-confidence, and social interactions.
    • Economic Impact: According to WHO, mental disorders contribute significantly to the global burden of disease, and untreated conditions can lead to high economic costs.

    Mental Health Scenario in India

    • WHO Data Insight
      • India contributes to 18% of the global population. WHO estimates that the burden of mental health problems in India is 2443 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) per 10000 population; the age-adjusted suicide rate per 100000 population is 21.1. The economic loss due to mental health conditions, between 2012-2030, is estimated at USD 1.03 trillion.
    • Prevalence:
      • The National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) 2015-16 by NIMHANS found that 10.6% of adults in India suffer from mental disorders.
      • The lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in India is 13.7%.
      • National studies reveal that 15% of India’s adult population experiences mental health issues requiring intervention.
      • Urban areas have a higher prevalence (13.5%) compared to rural (6.9%).
    • Treatment Gap
      • 70% to 92% of people with mental disorders do not receive proper treatment due to lack of awareness, stigma, and shortage of professionals.
      • According to the Indian Journal of Psychiatry India has 0.75 psychiatrists per 100,000 people, whereas WHO recommends at least 3 per 100,000.

    Insights from Economic Survey 2024-25

    Mental wellbeing is the ability to navigate life’s challenges and function productively. Recognising its importance, Economic Survey 2024-25 highlighted that Mental well-being encompasses all our mental-emotional, social, cognitive, and physical capabilities. This can also be construed as the mind’s composite health. It emphasised a whole of community approach to tackling mental health problems and stated that it is about time to find viable, impactful preventive strategies and interventions. India’s demographic dividend is riding on skills, education, physical health and, above all, mental health of its youth.

    The Economic Survey 2024-25 suggested:

    1. Enhance Mental Health Education in Schools: Early intervention strategies to address anxiety, stress, and behavioural issues in students.
    2. Improve Workplace Mental Health Policies: Address job stress, long working hours, and burnout.
    3. Expand Digital Mental Health Services: Strengthen Tele MANAS and integrate AI-based mental health solutions.

    Mental Health Infrastructure in India

    • As part of the National Mental Health Programme, in 2024, 25 Centres of Excellence were sanctioned set up to train more postgraduate students in mental health and provide advanced treatment.
    • 47 PG Departments in mental health have been established or upgraded in 19 government medical colleges. Mental health services are also being introduced in 22 newly established AIIMS.
    • 47 Government-Run Mental Hospitals including 3 Central Mental Health Institutions, viz. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam and Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi.
    • Integration of Mental Health Services in Ayushman Bharat – Health & Wellness Centres (HWCs)

    Under Ayushman Bharat, the government has upgraded more than 1.73 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental health services have been added in the package of services under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. These HWCs provide:

    • Basic counselling and psychiatric medication at PHC levels.
    • Training for general physicians to handle mild-to-moderate mental health conditions.
    • Linkages to district hospitals for advanced psychiatric care.

    This initiative ensures that mental healthcare is available in both urban and rural areas, reducing dependence on specialized hospitals and making psychiatric care more community-centric.

    Policies and Schemes Undertaken by the Government of India

    National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) – 1982

    Recognizing the growing burden of mental disorders and the shortage of mental health services, India launched the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in 1982. The primary goal was to ensure that mental healthcare becomes an integral part of the general healthcare system, rather than being confined to specialized hospitals.

    Key components include:

    District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) was introduced under NMHP to expand community mental health services.

    • Covers 767 districts
    • Provides counselling, outpatient services, suicide prevention programs, and awareness initiatives.
    • 10-bedded inpatient mental health facilities at the district level.

    NIMHANS Act, 2012

    The NIMHANS Act, 2012, was a significant step towards enhancing mental health education and research in India. Under this act, the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, was declared an Institute of National Importance. This recognition allowed NIMHANS to expand its academic and research capabilities, making it the premier institution for psychiatry, neuropsychology, and mental health sciences in India.

    The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016

    The Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act which replaced the Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Act, 1995, expanded the definition of disability to include mental illness and introduced stronger legal protections for individuals with psychosocial disabilities. The Act aligns with India’s commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and aims to ensure equality, dignity, and non-discrimination for persons with disabilities, including those with mental health conditions.

    National Mental Healthcare Act, 2017

    The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, was enacted to ensure the right to mental healthcare services, protect the dignity and rights of individuals with mental illness, and align India’s mental health laws with international standards, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). The Act replaced the Mental Health Act of 1987 and introduced several progressive changes to mental health care and services in India like the Right to affordable and quality mental healthcare services and the decriminalization of suicide in India.

    National Health Policy, 2017

    The National Health Policy (NHP), 2017 was a landmark that acknowledged mental health as a national health priority. This policy aimed to address mental health issues through a multi-pronged approach, integrating mental healthcare into primary healthcare, strengthening human resources, and improving treatment accessibility.

    By placing mental health at the center of India’s healthcare framework, NHP 2017 aimed to bridge the treatment gap by making psychological services available at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs) under Ayushman Bharat.

    iGOT-Diksha Collaboration for Mental Health Training

    The government has also collaborated with the iGOT-Diksha platform, a digital learning initiative in 2020, to train healthcare professionals, frontline workers, and community health volunteers in mental healthcare. This program focuses on:

    • Building capacity for mental health care at the grassroots level.
    • Equipping doctors and nurses with skills to diagnose and treat mental disorders.
    • Promoting mental health awareness in rural areas.

    Through iGOT-Diksha, India has expanded its mental health workforce, ensuring better early intervention strategies and community support mechanisms.

    National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS), 2022

    Launched on October 10, 2022, the National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS) was a game-changer in India’s digital mental health infrastructure. Tele MANAS provides free, 24/7 mental health support to individuals through a national toll-free helpline (14416 / 1800-89-14416). Available in 20 Indian languages.

    As of February 7, 2025, the Tele MANAS helpline has handled over 1.81 million (18,27,951) calls since its launch in 2022, providing essential mental health support across India. There are 53 Tele MANAS Cells across various states, ensuring local access to mental health services. The program is supported by 23 Mentoring Institutes nationwide, along with 5 Regional Coordinating Centers, ensuring efficient service delivery and expert guidance in mental healthcare.

    Tele MANAS services include:

    • Immediate tele-counselling by trained professionals.
    • Referral support to psychiatrists for severe cases.
    • Mental health awareness campaigns via digital platforms.
    • Mobile-based mental health interventions, ensuring accessibility in rural and remote areas.

    Tele MANAS Mobile App & Video Consultation

    • The Tele MANAS App was launched in October 2024.
    • Offers self-care strategies, stress management tools, and direct access to mental health professionals.
    • Video consultation services introduced in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and J&K.

    WHO Recognition

    The World Health Organization (WHO) praised Tele MANAS as an effective and scalable mental health solution, making mental healthcare more inclusive and affordable.

    KIRAN Helpline Merged into Tele MANAS

    The KIRAN Helpline (1800-599-0019), initially launched in 2020, was merged into Tele MANAS in 2022 to enhance the efficiency of mental health support services. This transition streamlined mental health helpline operations, making it more accessible and better integrated with India’s healthcare system.

    During COVID-19, the government took crucial steps to support mental health. A 24/7 helpline provided nationwide psychosocial assistance, while health workers received online training through the iGOT-Diksha platform. Public awareness campaigns spread stress management strategies via media, and official guidelines and advisories were issued to promote mental well-being. These interventions played a vital role in addressing the psychological challenges of the pandemic.

    National Suicide Prevention Strategy, 2022

    The National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in 2022, with the goal of reducing suicide mortality by 10% by 2030. Recognizing suicide as a public health concern, the strategy focuses on early intervention, crisis management, and mental health promotion.

    Key components of NSPS include:

    • Mental health screenings for students in schools and colleges.
    • Establishing crisis helplines and psychological support centers.
    • Community awareness programs to break the stigma around mental illness and suicide.
    • Stronger implementation of workplace mental health programs.

    By focusing on high-risk populations, such as students, farmers, and young adults, the strategy ensures targeted intervention to prevent self-harm and improve overall well-being.

    Conclusion

    India has made notable progress in mental healthcare through policy reforms, digital initiatives like Tele MANAS and expanding access to services under programs such as NMHP, Ayushman Bharat HWCs, and the National Suicide Prevention Strategy. Moving forward, India must strengthen awareness campaigns, expand workforce training and invest in digital mental health solutions. A mentally healthier India is vital for individual well-being, economic growth, and national development, requiring a whole-of-society approach to make mental healthcare accessible, inclusive, and stigma-free.

    References

    Kindly find the pdf file 

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    Santosh Kumar / Sarla Meena / Vatsla Srivastava

    (Release ID: 2100706) Visitor Counter : 49

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Over 284 Crore Aadhaar Authentications in January 2025; 32% jump y-o-y sign of g͟rowth of digital economy with Aadhar playing an integral role in daily life

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Over 284 Crore Aadhaar Authentications in January 2025; 32% jump y-o-y sign of  g͟rowth of digital economy with Aadhar playing an integral role in daily life

    Aadhaar’s AI-powered Face Authentication becoming popular with 12 Crore transactions recorded in January in sectors spanning finance, health, telecommunications, etc.

    Union and State Departments embracing Aadhaar Face Authentication for swift delivery of citizen centric s ervices

    Expanding Digital Frontiers: Aadhaar e-KYC transactions cross 43 crore in January 2025

    Posted On: 07 FEB 2025 5:08PM by PIB Delhi

    In January 2025, Aadhaar holders conducted more than 284 crore authentication transactions, highlighting the continued expansion of the digital economy in India. This significant number demonstrates the g͟rowth of digital economy in the country.

    The authentication transactions in January 2025 have recorded a growth of over 32% when compared with January 2024, when 214.8 crore such transactions were carried out.

    Growing adoption and utility of Aadhaar

    On an average over nine crore authentications are taking place every day. This shows the growing adoption and utility of Aadhaar in the daily lives of people. Nearly 550 entities are using Aadhaar authentication service.

    Aadhaar face authentication transactions too are getting good traction. In January, almost 12 crore Aadhaar face authentication transactions were carried out. Cumulatively, Face Authentication transaction numbers have crossed 102 crore, since it was first introduced in October 2021. Nearly 78 crore of the total face authentication transactions were recorded in the past 12 months alone.

    The AI/ML based face authentication solution, developed in house by the UIDAI, is being used across diverse sectors including finance, insurance, fintech, health and telecommunications. Several Government departments both at the centre and states are using it for smooth delivery of benefits to targeted beneficiaries.

    Crucial role of Aadhaar e-KYC servic

    Aadhaar e-KYC service continues to play an important role for banking and non-banking financial services by providing transparent and improved customer experience, and helping in ease of doing business.

    More than 43 crore eKYC transactions were carried out during January this year. By the end of January 2025, the cumulative number of Aadhaar e-KYC transactions gone past 2268 crore.

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    Dharmendra Tewari/ Kshitij Singha

    (Release ID: 2100685) Visitor Counter : 62

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: First Merchants Corporation Announces Cash Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MUNCIE, Ind., Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Merchants Corporation declared a cash dividend on February 7, 2025 of $0.35 per share. The dividend is payable on March 21, 2025, to common shareholders of record as of March 7, 2025. For purposes of broker trading, the ex-date of the cash dividend is March 6, 2025.

    About First Merchants Corporation:

    First Merchants Corporation is a financial holding company headquartered in Muncie, Indiana. The Corporation has one full-service bank charter, First Merchants Bank. The Bank also operates as First Merchants Private Wealth Advisors (as a division of First Merchants Bank).

    First Merchants Corporation’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market System under the symbol FRME. Quotations are carried in daily newspapers and can be found on the company’s Internet web page (http://www.firstmerchants.com).

    FIRST MERCHANTS and the Shield Logo are federally registered trademarks of First Merchants Corporation.

    For more information, contact:
    Nicole M. Weaver, First Vice President and Director of Corporate Administration
    765-521-7619
    http://www.firstmerchants.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall in USTR Nominee Hearing: How Can We Build on President Trump’s Trade Success? 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. participated in the nomination hearing for President Trump’s U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Nominee, Jamieson Greer, in the Senate Finance Committee this week. 
    Senator Marshall questioned Mr. Greer on President Trump’s history of tariffs and trade, and how he will properly utilize United States trade relations to prioritize American interests. 
    Jamieson Greer has a storied career dedicated to the military, trade, and international relations. He also served in Kansas as an officer in the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s Corps and was deployed to Iraq as Chief of Military Justice. He worked in private firms focusing on trade law and international trade. As Chief of Staff to the previous USTR, Robert Lighthizer, he has the experience and the record of playing a pivotal role in President Trump’s successful trade negotiations across the world. 
    [embedded content]
    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full line of questioning. 
    Highlights from Mr. Greer’s nomination hearing include: 
    On Joe Biden’s vs. President Trump’s history of fair, reciprocal trade agreements: 
    U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D.: “…Under President Trump, he gave us [the United States-Mexico-Canada] Agreement. He gave us South Korea to improve Japanese trade agreement, so important to American beef and China Phase One. Mr. Greer, what trade agreements were accomplished under Joe Biden?”
    Mr. Jamieson Greer, Nominee, U.S. Trade Representative: “Senator, I’m not aware of any.”
    Senator Marshall: “Okay, I want to compare and contrast a little bit here more. Let’s talk about Mexico. I think it’s one of the simpler ones to understand…Under Joe Biden, Mexico undermined American farms. He harmed commerce. He bullied U.S. companies. He shut down the GMO corn exports, forcing a huge dispute. Mexico hampered U.S. energy protection under Joe Biden, and Mexico seized a U.S. mining company operation near Cozumel. What can you do? What can we do to reverse this behavior?”
    Mr. Greer: “…any trade agreement we have is only as valuable as the enforcement behind it. And so my view is, all these issues you talked about with Mexico, whether it be energy or corn, et cetera, we need to enforce that. I know that, you know, there’s a case that was done on the corn issue. I’m going to enforce that. I know that there were consultations open on energy. We’re going to we’re going to bring that up with the Mexicans as well. Listen, good fences make good neighbors. If we want to have good, ongoing trade relations with folks, we have to hold them accountable.”
    On leveling the global trade playing field for American biofuels: 
    Senator Marshall: “Let’s talk about biofuels for a second. I’ve never seen such an uneven playing field for American biofuels. The U.S. is subject to 18% tariffs going into Brazil with biofuels, yet Brazil enjoys virtually free access to the U.S., and in many cases, thanks to some scientific voodoo, they’re actually giving Brazil a preference over American biofuels as well.”
    “The EU continues to be protectionist against us, ethanol. Chinese used cooking oil exports. You’re familiar with how they’re abusing that. You would think that if we’re going to give tax credits, we would make sure they’re not going to benefit foreign entities, especially those who wish to harm us. What can you do to help the biofuels industry and try to level that playing field?”
    Mr. Greer: “Well, Senator, this is the specific kind of unfairness that drives me crazy. And it’s not just me. The President himself, he sees these kinds of unfairnesses and the unlevel playing field. And it’s so it’s so obvious, it’s so blatant. It’s gone for so long. You know, again, in the first instance, you can certainly go to somebody like the Brazilians and say, you need to fix this, but it has to be followed up with or else, right? I mean, that’s a little crude, but we need to have leverage, and if we need to gain leverage by taking investigatory actions or other actions, we’ll do that. It would be much better to do this on a negotiating basis, but we’ll do whatever we need to do to try to fix the situation.”
    On ensuring Chinese compliance with President Trump’s Phase One trade deal: 
    Senator Marshall: “Let’s talk about China for a second…How can we build on President Trump’s success under Phase One with China?”
    Mr. Greer: “We need to start by reviewing it and actually assessing whether or not the Chinese have complied with it, or to what degree. In fact, the President has already directed the office of the USTR to do this…We want to be able to very clearly see where they did or did not comply. And then from there you move to dispute settlement, and you move to enforcement if you need to. And again, hopefully, this is an area where countries will understand the unfairness and change because they know that President Trump is serious about this, that I’m serious about this. If they don’t, then you move for that last part of enforcement.”
    On utilizing tariffs as a tool to advance American interests:
    Senator Marshall: “…You know, under President Trump, he used tariffs, but we saw minimal inflation – so at the end of the day, those tariffs were not passed on to Americans in the big picture… the big picture is for one reason or another, those tariffs were used properly, and we were able to not pass that on to American consumers. Mr. Greer, is there a way to do that going forward as well, to effectively use, these tariffs as a weapon, as a tool?”Mr. Greer: “I agree 100% with that. What we learned from the first term is that President Trump and his economic team are very good at managing the economy. And we saw real median household income go up by $7,000 over three years before the pandemic hit – and this was at a time when we were imposing tariffs in a way we hadn’t done in many years. And when we look at inflation under the Biden administration that happened in 2022, it wasn’t about tariffs. It was about health care and housing and food, things we don’t import from China, right? So we know that we can manage this. We know we have a strong economic team, and if I’m confirmed, I expect to be able to take strong trade action while helping ensure that the economy is growing for average Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Luján, Agriculture Committee Democrats Demand Answers for Funding Freeze

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    Washington, D.C.  – U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, joined Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and all Committee Democrats in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) demanding answers and clarity following the Trump Administration’s funding freeze.
    The Senators wrote to USDA Acting Secretary Gary Washington: “Over the past week, farmers, ranchers, schools, and state governments have contacted our offices in search of clarity on programs, websites, offices, and activities impacted by these orders. Conflicting information from the administration has added to the uncertainty, costing those who depend on the Department time and money. The farmers, rural families, and businesses that depend on the Department need certainty to plan ahead for this growing season.”
    The Senators requested “a description of the actions the Department has taken broken down by program, office, and activity, including listing any activities with paused or terminated disbursements or obligations, as well as the legal basis for pausing or terminating any funding that has been appropriated by Congress.”
    Senators Luján and Klobuchar were joined by Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tina Smith (D-MN), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).
    The full letter is available here and below:
    Dear Acting Secretary Washington,  
    We write to seek clarity and raise concerns regarding the impact of recent Executive Orders and Presidential Memoranda on the U.S. Department of Agriculture.   
    Over the past week, farmers, ranchers, schools, and state governments have contacted our offices in search of clarity on programs, websites, offices, and activities impacted by these orders. Conflicting information from the administration has added to the uncertainty, costing those who depend on the Department time and money. The farmers, rural families, and businesses that depend on the Department need certainty to plan ahead for this growing season.
    Has the Department paused or terminated any payments, or taken any other actions to carry out any Executive Orders or Presidential Memoranda issued on or after January 20, 2025? If so, please provide a description of the actions the Department has taken broken down by program, office, and activity, including listing any activities with paused or terminated disbursements or obligations, as well as the legal basis for pausing or terminating any funding that has been appropriated by Congress. 
    In addition, please provide a timeline of when recipients of paused or terminated disbursements can expect to hear from the Department about the status of their funding. 
    Please respond to this letter by Close of Business on Friday, February 7. We appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Commission communication on spyware – E-000435/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000435/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Markéta Gregorová (Verts/ALE), Nela Riehl (Verts/ALE), Reinier Van Lanschot (Verts/ALE), Damian Boeselager (Verts/ALE)

    In its follow-up to the Parliament report on the use of Pegasus and other equivalent software, the Commission stated that it is ‘exploring the possibility of presenting a non-legislative initiative’ in order to clarify ‘the interplay between EU law … and national security’[1]. Recently, reports from the press revealed that a communication from the Commission, initially scheduled to be published in June 2024, has been delayed[2]. The necessity of such clarification has become urgent, as the French Constitutional Council has partially struck down a law legalising the use of such technologies[3]. Parliament’s concerns regarding the use of spyware remain unanswered so far.

    • 1.When is the Commission planning to publish its communication on the matter?
    • 2.Will it publish information about the input it received to produce this communication?
    • 3.How will it ensure that Member States abide by the Court of Justice of the EU case-law and EU law on the matter?

    Submitted: 31.1.2025

    • [1] https://data.europarl.europa.eu/distribution/doc/SP-2023-436-TA-9-2023-0244_en.docx.
    • [2] https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-commission-national-security-does-not-justify-spying-document/.
    • [3] https://www.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/actualites/communique/decision-n-2023-855-dc-du-16-novembre-2023-communique-de-presse.
    Last updated: 7 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – World Trade Organization’s concerns regarding the EU’s F-gas Regulation – E-000401/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000401/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Miriam Lexmann (PPE)

    Regulation (EU) 2024/573 on fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gas Regulation) envisages a complete phaseout of F-gases in several industrial applications by 2035. As F-gases are important for numerous industries within global supply chains, this Regulation prompted concerns from several World Trade Organization (WTO) members, including the United States, Australia, Japan and Canada. These concerns highlighted the EU’s duty to avoid creating unnecessary trade barriers under the WTO’s Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement.

    With the new Trump administration in the United States, the risk of protectionist policies, including retaliatory trade measures against the EU, is rising. New tariffs, for example on cars, would have a devastating impact on Europe’s automotive industry, including in Slovakia.

    • 1.Is the Commission willing to remove full bans on F-gases for certain applications from Annex IV before these bans enter into force in the 2030s, respecting the principle of technological neutrality?
    • 2.Regarding Article 35(5), will the Commission consider carrying out a review of F-gas restrictions earlier than 2030, maybe in 2025, in order to alleviate the concerns of WTO members?
    • 3.Would the review consider the specific role of HFOs as an alternative to the previous generation of F-gases (HFCs), especially given their low global warming potential and the fact that no impact assessments on their full ban have previously been carried out?

    Submitted: 29.1.2025

    Last updated: 7 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – European scheme to prevent odometer manipulation – E-000378/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000378/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Liesbet Sommen (PPE)

    More than 60 million second-hand cars are sold every year in the EU. Unfortunately, every year, European consumers pay billions of euros too much as a result of odometer fraud. It is estimated on the basis of research that, in connection with domestic and cross-border sales, between 5% and 12% and between 30% and 50%, respectively, of used cars are being manipulated. In spite of the rules under Directive 2014/45/EU, odometer fraud is a criminal offence in only six EU Member States.

    Some EU Member States have already set up schemes to combat odometer manipulation, such as ‘Car-Pass’ in Belgium and ‘Nationale Auto Pas’ in the Netherlands. Those schemes have made it more difficult for fraudsters to roll back odometers, without being detected, in vehicles exported to the countries concerned. In Belgium, garages have recently been required to submit descriptions of services carried out. Such schemes are of great value, especially in view of the emergence of the market for second-hand electric vehicles, for which battery integrity is all-important.

    In this connection:

    • 1.Are steps being taken to implement a similar scheme at European level?
    • 2.Will such a scheme be developed as part of the revision of roadworthiness testing rules – the roadworthiness package – and will vehicle category L be included in the scope thereof?

    Submitted: 28.1.2025

    Last updated: 7 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Inquiry into the Chinese Government’s role in financing and running DeepSeek, and in applying censorship – E-000394/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000394/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Mario Mantovani (ECR), Nicola Procaccini (ECR), Carlo Fidanza (ECR), Sergio Berlato (ECR), Francesco Ventola (ECR), Pietro Fiocchi (ECR), Francesco Torselli (ECR), Giuseppe Milazzo (ECR), Daniele Polato (ECR), Alberico Gambino (ECR), Lara Magoni (ECR), Ruggero Razza (ECR), Marco Squarta (ECR), Stefano Cavedagna (ECR), Giovanni Crosetto (ECR), Alessandro Ciriani (ECR), Elena Donazzan (ECR), Michele Picaro (ECR), Chiara Gemma (ECR), Mariateresa Vivaldini (ECR), Denis Nesci (ECR), Carlo Ciccioli (ECR), Antonella Sberna (ECR), Paolo Inselvini (ECR)

    Chinese start-up DeepSeek has launched the chatbot DeepSeek V3, a highly efficient, free-to-use open-source model said to outperform western models despite using less powerful and less energy-consuming chips than the current market standard.

    The model was unveiled on Friday 24 January by Chinese hedge fund High Flyer (founded by Liang Wenfeng, the man behind Hangzhou Huanfang Technology and Ningbo Huanfang Investment) in an announcement that sparked heavy losses for technology listings across all western stock markets.

    In view of the above:

    • 1.This unveiling comes at a crucial time for other global players. Does the Commission not think that – not least to protect investors and markets – it ought to launch an urgent inquiry into the extent to which the Chinese Government backed or was involved in developing this model, the true funding costs and how the model is run?
    • 2.Censorship is clearly part and parcel of the model. Does the Commission not think it ought to check the model’s compatibility with the EU’s principles of freedom and the Digital Services Act, which could certainly be wielded to safeguard the freedom of expression and to counter censorship?
    • 3.The model is said to work even with less powerful chips. Does the Commission not think this opens up new opportunities for policies supporting European innovation?

    Submitted: 29.1.2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Israel’s destruction of water facilities financed by European taxpayers – E-000365/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000365/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Rima Hassan (The Left), Anthony Smith (The Left), Catarina Vieira (Verts/ALE), Manon Aubry (The Left), Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE), Mounir Satouri (Verts/ALE), Krzysztof Śmiszek (S&D), Villy Søvndal (Verts/ALE), Marco Tarquinio (S&D), Irena Joveva (Renew), Marina Mesure (The Left), Ana Miranda Paz (Verts/ALE), Vicent Marzà Ibáñez (Verts/ALE), Merja Kyllönen (The Left), Per Clausen (The Left), Catarina Martins (The Left), Marc Botenga (The Left), Rudi Kennes (The Left), Saskia Bricmont (Verts/ALE), Leila Chaibi (The Left), Ilaria Salis (The Left), Giorgos Georgiou (The Left), Emma Fourreau (The Left), Jonas Sjöstedt (The Left), Hanna Gedin (The Left)

    Since October 2023 and the start of the Israeli Government’s military offensive in Gaza, Palestinian civilians have faced one of the worst humanitarian crises of this century. Oxfam’s latest report, Water War Crimes, highlights the fact that Israel’s restrictions on water, fuel and sanitation supplies have resulted in a 94 % reduction in available water, far below emergency standards.

    By June 2024, Israeli bombardments and restrictions had devastated Gaza’s water and sanitation systems. Water production decreased by 84 %, all desalination plants were destroyed, 100 % of water warehouses and wastewater treatment plants were rendered non-functional, and over a million people now face severe water scarcity in overcrowded shelters.

    Given that much of this infrastructure is directly or indirectly funded by the European Union, the Commission is urged to address the following pressing questions:

    • 1.How is the Commission monitoring and calculating the level of EU funding lost as a result of Israel’s operations in Gaza and the West Bank?
    • 2.Will the Commission hold Israel accountable for the destruction of water facilities funded by European taxpayers?
    • 3.In the absence of compensation or reparation, does the Commission plan to impose sanctions?

    Submitted: 28.1.2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – State of play – revision of the roadworthiness package – E-000381/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000381/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Liesbet Sommen (PPE)

    Periodic roadworthiness testing of vehicles and roadside inspections are crucial not only for road safety and consumer protection, but also for the environment. Vehicles are becoming increasingly complex due to intelligent transport systems and the emergence of connected and automated vehicles. It is therefore essential to keep pace with these developments and work towards a more harmonised EU framework.

    The revision of this package is an important step towards achieving, for example, unified emissions tests (PM and NOx tests), which contribute to a healthier environment. In addition, on-board diagnostics can be improved to detect advanced AdBlue fraud, facilitate access to registration data by delivering it in digital format, ensure cyber security of vehicle data and combat mileage fraud.

    The indicative schedule was for the first quarter of 2023. However, to date, this package has not been published. In view of the above:

    • 1.When can this package be expected?
    • 2.To what extent does the new Commission see this proposal as a priority?
    • 3.To what extent will this package converge with the proposal on access to in-vehicle data, which is also in the pipeline?

    Submitted: 28.1.2025

    Last updated: 7 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Man arrested in Salisbury Park after pursuit

    Source: South Australia Police

    A man has been arrested following a pursuit through the northern suburbs.

    About 8pm on Friday 7 February, police attempted to stop a silver Holden sedan on Montague Road, Pooraka after officers noticed the number plates didn’t match the vehicle.

    The driver refused to stop and immediately sped off. The Holden was last seen heading north on Bridge Road.

    PolAir was up at the time and commenced tracking the vehicle as is drove through the backstreets of Salisbury East.

    Police were able to spike the car’s tyres on Main North Road, but it continued driving on to Saints Road.

    The tyres were successfully spiked a second time in Malinya Drive, Salisbury Park.  The driver then abandoned the vehicle in Riversdale Drive, Salisbury Park and fled the scene.

    He was quickly arrested after being found in a reserve adjacent to Smedley Place.

    A 40-year-old man from Richmond was charged with driving dangerously to escape police pursuit, driving while disqualified and unassigned plates. He was bailed to appear in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court on 27 March.

    The vehicle was impounded and towed from the scene.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Food Safety Tips for Game Day Celebrations; Safer Cheese Choices / Consejos de seguridad alimentaria para las celebraciones el día del partido; Opciones más seguras de quesos

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    Ahead of Super Bowl Sunday, the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is sharing food safety tips to make sure foodborne illness isn’t invited to your gathering. Many game day favorite foods, like pizza, chicken wings, chili, and dips cannot stay at room temperature for more than 2 hours. When perishable foods are left at room temperature, bacteria can grow and cause foodborne illness.

    Make a game plan to keep food at a safe temperature:

    � If you’re transporting food over an hour away, use an insulated bag. � If you plan to keep food out for more than two hours: o Keep cold foods at a temperature of 40 degrees F or below by keeping food nestled in ice. o Keep hot foods at a temperature of 140 degrees F or above by placing food in a preheated oven, warming trays, chafing dishes or slow cookers. � If you do not plan to use cold or heating sources to keep food hot or cold during the game, split food into multiple portions � and serve only one portion at a time to ensure food is not out for more than 2 hours. � Perishable food should be discarded if left out for longer than 2 hours. To prevent food waste and enjoy leftovers after the game, refrigerate or freeze perishable items within 2 hours.

    There are other steps you can take to keep family and friends safe from foodborne illness. Follow these food safety tips:

    � Clean: Wash hands for 20 seconds before and after handling your takeout or delivered food, as well as any raw meat or poultry you prepare at home. Clean hands, surfaces and utensils with soap and water before and after meal prep and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with food with a commercial or homemade cleaning solution (1 tablespoon of unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water). � Separate: Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils to avoid cross-contamination between your takeout or delivery foods and any raw meat or poultry you are preparing at home. � Cook: Confirm foods are cooked or reheated to a safe internal temperature by using a food thermometer (165 F for poultry, ground meat, and leftovers). Cooking or reheating food to the right temperature kills germs.

    Safer Cheese Choices for People at Higher Risk for Listeria Infection

    RIDOH recommends that people at higher risk for a Listeria infection avoid any unheated queso fresco-type cheeses, even if made with pasteurized milk. This recommendation is based on updated guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to better protect people at higher risk of Listeria infection.

    Listeria infection is rare but can be especially harmful for some people. People who are pregnant, newborn babies, people who are 65 years or older, and people with weakened immune systems are all at higher risk for Listeria infection.

    People can get infected with Listeria by eating contaminated food. Some foods are more likely than others to be contaminated with Listeria. Learn more about preventing Listeria infection from food.

    The FDA and CDC guidance includes avoiding unheated queso fresco, or similar fresh, soft cheeses such as queso blanco and reques�n. People at higher risk can still safely enjoy these cheeses if they are heated, cooked, or grilled before eating to 165�F or until steaming hot. Heating these cheese kills harmful germs like Listeria. CDC and FDA continue to recommend that people avoid any type of cheese when made with raw unpasteurized milk, especially if they are at higher risk of infection.

    People at higher risk of Listeria infection can lower their risk by choosing safer cheese, such as: � Hard cheeses made with pasteurized milk, such as asiago, cheddar, parmesan, or swiss/gruyere/emmental; � Cottage cheese, cream cheese, string cheese, feta, and mozzarella, when made with pasteurized milk; and � Heated queso fresco-type cheeses or heated unpasteurized (raw) milk cheeses, when heated to 165�F or steaming hot.

    RIDOH recommends people talk to their healthcare professional know if they possibly ate contaminated food. This is especially important if they are pregnant, are 65 years or older, or have a weakened immune system. If you ate food possibly contaminated with Listeria and do not feel sick, most experts believe you do not need tests or treatment. Talk to your healthcare professional if you have questions about what to do.

    This updated guidance from CDC and FDA includes new information from an analysis on the latest US Listeria outbreak data and findings. From 1998 through 2022, 11 out of the 15 Listeria outbreaks linked to queso fresco-type cheeses were made with pasteurized milk. This indicates that contamination likely occurred during or after cheese-making, not from the milk. More Listeria outbreaks were linked to queso fresco-type cheeses than any other type of cheese during this period.

    ###

    Consejos de seguridad alimentaria para las celebraciones el d�a del partido El Departamento de Salud de RI comparte opciones m�s seguras de quesos para personas con mayor riesgo de infecciones por Listeria

    Antes del domingo del Super Taz�n, el Departamento de Salud de Rhode Island (RIDOH) comparte consejos de seguridad alimentaria para asegurarse que enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos no sean invitadas a su reuni�n. Muchos de los alimentos favoritos durante los d�as de juego, como la pizza, las alitas de pollo, el chili y las salsas, no pueden permanecer a temperatura ambiente durante m�s de 2 horas. Cuando los alimentos perecederos se dejan a temperatura ambiente, pueden crear bacterias y causar enfermedades transmitidas a trav�s de ellos.

    Haga planes para mantener los alimentos a una temperatura segura:

    � Si va a transportar alimentos a m�s de una hora de distancia, utilice bolsas termicas. � Si planea dejar los alimentos a temperatura ambiente por m�s de dos horas: o Mantenga los alimentos fr�os a una temperatura de 40 grados Fahrenheit o menos coloc�ndolos sobre hielo. o Mantenga los alimentos calientes a una temperatura de 140 grados Fahrenheit o m�s colocando los alimentos en un horno precalentado, bandejas calentadoras, platos para calentar u ollas de cocci�n lenta. � Si no planea utilizar fuentes de fr�o o calor para mantener los alimentos calientes o fr�os durante el juego, divida los alimentos en varias porciones y sirva solo una porci�n a la vez para asegurarse que los alimentos no permanezcan a temperatura ambiente durante m�s de 2 horas. � Los alimentos perecederos deben desecharse si se dejan a temperatura ambiente. Para evitar el desperdicio de alimentos y disfrutar de las sobras despu�s del juego, refrig�relos o cong�lelos dentro de las dos horas siguientes.

    Existen otras medidas que puede tomar para proteger a sus familiares y amigos de las enfermedades transmitidas por los alimentos. Siga estos consejos de seguridad alimentaria: � Limpie: L�vese las manos durante 20 segundos antes y despu�s de manipular los alimentos preparados ya sea para llevar o que le entreguen a domicilio, as� como cualquier carne o ave cruda que prepare en casa. Lave las manos, las superficies y los utensilios con agua y jab�n antes y despu�s de preparar los alimentos y desinfecte cualquier superficie con los que puedan haber estado en contacto, usando una soluci�n de limpieza comercial o casera (1 cucharada de leg�a o blanqueador l�quido con cloro sin aroma por cada gal�n de agua potable). � Separe: Use tablas de cortar, platos y utensilios separados para evitar la contaminaci�n cruzada entre los alimentos ya sea para llevar o que le entreguen a domicilio y cualquier carne o ave cruda que est� preparando en casa. � Cocine: confirme que los alimentos est�n cocidos o recalentados internamente a una temperatura segura usando un term�metro para alimentos (165 �F para aves, carne molida y sobras). Cocinar o recalentar los alimentos a la temperatura adecuada mata los g�rmenes.

    Opciones de queso m�s seguras para personas con mayor riesgo de infecci�n por Listeria

    El RIDOH recomienda que las personas con mayor riesgo de contraer una infecci�n por Listeria eviten los quesos frescos sin calentar, incluso si est�n hechos con leche pasteurizada. Esta recomendaci�n se basa en las directrices actualizadas de los Centros para el Control y la Prevenci�n de Enfermedades (CDC) y la Administraci�n de Alimentos y Medicamentos (FDA) para proteger mejor a las personas con mayor riesgo de contraer una infecci�n por Listeria.

    La infecci�n por Listeria es poco frecuente, pero puede ser especialmente da�ina para algunas personas. Las personas embarazadas, los reci�n nacidos, las personas de 65 a�os o m�s y las personas con sistema inmunol�gico d�bil tienen mayor riesgo de contraer una infecci�n por Listeria.

    Las personas pueden infectarse con Listeria al comer alimentos contaminados. Algunos alimentos tienen m�s probabilidades que otros de estar contaminados con Listeria. Obtenga m�s informaci�n sobre c�mo prevenir la infecci�n por Listeria a trav�s de los alimentos.

    Las recomendaciones de la FDA y los CDC incluyen evitar el queso fresco sin calentar o quesos frescos y blandos similares, como el queso blanco y el reques�n. Las personas con mayor riesgo pueden disfrutar de estos quesos de manera segura si se calientan, cocinan o asan a la parrilla antes de comerlos a 165 �F o hasta que est�n humeantes. Calentar estos quesos mata los g�rmenes da�inos como la Listeria. Los CDC y la FDA siguen recomendando que las personas eviten cualquier tipo de queso elaborado con leche cruda no pasteurizada, especialmente si tienen un mayor riesgo de infecci�n.

    Las personas con mayor riesgo de contraer una infecci�n por Listeria pueden reducir su riesgo eligiendo quesos m�s seguros, como: � Quesos duros elaborados con leche pasteurizada, como asiago, cheddar, parmesano o suizo/gruy�re/emmental; � Reques�n, queso crema, queso en hebras, feta y mozzarella, cuando se elaboran con leche pasteurizada; y � Calentar los quesos tipo queso fresco o quesos de leche cruda (sin pasteurizar) son m�s seguros cuando se calientan a 165 �F o est�n muy calientes.

    Si se siente enfermo, el RIDOH recomienda que hable con un profesional de salud para saber si es posible que haya consumido alimentos contaminados. Esto es especialmente importante si est� embarazada, tiene 65 a�os o m�s o tiene un sistema inmunol�gico d�bil. Si comi� alimentos posiblemente contaminados con Listeria y no se siente enfermo, la mayor�a de los expertos creen que no necesita pruebas ni tratamiento. Hable con un profesional de la salud si tiene preguntas sobre qu� hacer.

    Esta gu�a actualizada de los CDC y la FDA incluye nueva informaci�n de un an�lisis de los �ltimos datos y hallazgos sobre brotes de Listeria en EE. UU. (analysis on the latest US Listeria outbreak data and findings) Entre 1998 y 2022, 11 de los 15 brotes de Listeria relacionados con quesos tipo queso fresco se elaboraron con leche pasteurizada. Esto indica que es probable que la contaminaci�n se haya producido durante o despu�s de la elaboraci�n del queso, no debido a la leche. Durante este per�odo, se relacionaron m�s brotes de Listeria con quesos tipo queso fresco que con cualquier otro tipo de queso.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Self Inspection Secures $3 Million to Accelerate AI-Powered Vehicle Inspections for Car Loans and Fleet Management

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Feb. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Self Inspection, an AI-powered platform for the $30 billion automotive inspections market, announced today that it closed a $3 million seed round. The round was co-led by Costanoa Ventures and DVx Ventures, with participation from Westlake Financial, one of the largest financial institutions for automotive loans.

    “Vehicle inspections are expensive, can take weeks to complete, and rely on outdated methods with a significant margin of error,” said Constantine Yaremtso, founder and CEO of Self Inspection. “Slow, inaccurate and expensive inspections create obstacles and a poor experience in millions of mobile transactions. Our tech completes inspections with greater speed, accuracy and customization, which can save financial institutions millions of dollars and speed up a sales process by weeks.”

    Millions of cars require inspection after a car rental, to be sold after a lease return, trade or repossession, or to create an accurate condition report to accelerate a sale. If one inspection is not done correctly or at all, it can result in arbitration when a car is sold (or increased rental fees), reversing transactions and costing thousands of dollars in expenses and time.

    Self Inspection provides standardized condition reports in minutes with increased real-time accuracy, a significant improvement compared to the current manual process. Key highlights from the company’s progress so far:

    • Avis, the third largest rental car provider in the U.S., uses it to facilitate rental inspections and car transactions. Alaska Rent A Car, Inc. an Avis Licensee, is the first state to fully deploy it.
    • CarOffer, a leading digital wholesale platform, part of CarGurus (CARG), uses Self Inspection as part of its vehicle appraisal process.
    • Westlake Financial, the largest privately held finance company in the automotive industry, handles over a million vehicle transactions annually and now exclusively relies on Self Inspection to deliver condition reports to dealers during trade-ins, re-marketing and repossession processes.

    Most inspections requiring an on-site visit can take days to weeks and often lack critical information like subtle defects, cost estimates, etc. Self Inspection’s AI-enhanced inspection platform quickly creates a detailed report of the entire vehicle, including exterior, interior, tires and mechanical components, with 99% accuracy based on advances in computer vision and AI models.

    “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Self Inspection team to bring this product to life. Westlake Financial is already integrating Self Inspection across our business units, and have seen significant value to detect and assess issues, as well as substantial savings that we can pass to our consumers,” said Ian Anderson, president of Westlake Financial. “We need to maintain accurate records of a vehicle’s condition to ensure correct valuations, manage risk effectively, prevent fraud and determine fair prices for our customers. Self Inspection allows us to streamline and standardize our processes, ensuring accurate vehicle assessments with precise, data-backed reports at scale.”

    Self Inspection is significantly more accurate than current photo-based models, which cannot effectively detect subtle defects or mechanical issues. In contrast, Self Inspection’s proprietary AI models are trained on one of the largest datasets of damaged vehicles to quickly detect and assess damage severity. This data is used to provide detailed cost estimates for repairs, resulting in one of the most thorough vehicle inspection reports available in the industry.

    “We are excited to support the Self Inspection team in their mission to transform the vehicle inspection industry through AI. The traditional vehicle inspection process is ripe for innovation, and Self Inspection’s solution addresses a critical need by providing accurate, efficient and scalable inspections,” said Karim Bousta, partner at DVx Ventures and automotive industry expert. “This technology not only streamlines operations for auto lenders, dealerships and rental companies but also sets a new benchmark for quality, reliability and a seamless digital experience in the $30 billion vehicle inspection market.”

    “Innovation that can modernize a massive traditional industry, like automotive, and solve a critical need through AI is poised for long-term growth,” said Greg Sands, managing partner at Costanoa Ventures. “Self Inspection built a reliable AI-powered vehicle inspection platform that ensures data-backed trust every time a vehicle changes hands. This will prove radically useful as the industry evolves.”

    Yaremtso, a Ukrainian immigrant, founded the company in 2021 with former leaders from Apple, NVIDIA and Coinbase who bring significant AI and automotive experience. Self Inspection plans to use the funds to expand its engineering team in both Ukraine and the U.S. to accelerate product development and enhance machine learning algorithms to optimize and expand use cases.

    For more information and to keep up with the latest news from Self Inspection and its traction in the automotive industry, visit https://www.selfinspection.com/.

    About Self Inspection
    Headquartered in San Diego, Self Inspection was founded in 2021 and is an AI-powered solution in the automotive industry dedicated to revolutionizing the $30 billion vehicle inspection industry. The platform leverages cutting-edge AI technology to deliver unparalleled accuracy and efficiency in vehicle inspections to cut costs and save time through automated, self-guided inspections. Founded by industry veterans with extensive experience in AI, software development and the automotive industry, the company is backed by Costanoa Ventures, DVx Ventures and Westlake Financial. For more information, visit https://www.selfinspection.com/.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9fd9346e-be1c-46e1-9c70-bb2c00af106b

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Women’s rights are human rights, with Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda | UN ‘Awake at Night’ podcast teaser

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Having grown up in war-torn rural Zimbabwe, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda overcame extreme hardship to pursue a career at the highest levels of the United Nations. Now UN Assistant Secretary-General, and one of two deputy executive directors of UN Women, she wants little girls everywhere to aspire to the same heights.

    “Peace is a prerequisite. It’s so critical for development… for unleashing the potential of the little girls. Peace is so important for enabling mothers, widows to give the best they can.”

    UN Women works to uphold women’s human rights and ensure that every woman and girl lives up to her full potential. In this episode, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda reflects on a childhood touched by war, poverty and disease, on a lifelong love of learning, and on how a recent accident gave her a new perspective on inequality.

    Full podcast: https://youtu.be/u3cDm1iYBVQ

    Listen to more Awake at Night episodes: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoDFQJEq_0b6hu1e8oxsch9W0D7vkNqt
    #podcast #unitednations #awakeatnight #UNWomen #womensrights

    About Awake at Night
    Hosted by Melissa Fleming, UN Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications, the podcast ‘Awake at Night’ is an in-depth interview series focusing on remarkable United Nations staff members who dedicate their career to helping people in parts of the world where they have the hardest lives – from war zones and displacement camps to areas hit by disasters and the devastation of climate change.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khopLFzHxQU

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Martinsville Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Distributing Double, Fatal Dose of Fentanyl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ROANOKE, Va. – A Martinsville, Virginia man, who distributed cocaine that was laced with fentanyl to a pair of individuals that later died from overdoses, was sentenced yesterday to 18 years in federal prison.

    Okoyte Devon Gaston, 31, pled guilty in September 2024 to one count of distributing fentanyl.

    According to court documents, in February 2023 Gaston, a known drug dealer in Southside Virginia, arranged to sell what was supposed to be one-fourth an ounce of cocaine powder to victim “C.U.”  Unbeknownst to C.U., the cocaine was laced with fentanyl.

    Gaston met C.U. and her boyfriend, victim “M.A.” and another individual, J.U. in the parking lot of a Sheetz gas station in Franklin County, Virginia. Gaston sold the group what they believed was cocaine for $350.

    Shortly after meeting with Gaston C.U., M.A., and J.U. all used some of the drugs they purchased from Gaston. The group then made a short drive back to C.U.’s Franklin County trailer home.

    Once there, J.U. said he did not feel well and went inside to go to sleep, leaving C.U. and M.A. alone in the car.

    The next morning, J.U. woke up disoriented, nauseous, and incoherent. He found C.U. and M.A. unresponsive. M.A. was still in the passenger seat of the vehicle and C.U. was on the ground outside of the driver’s door.

    J.U. called 911 and when police arrived, they pronounced C.U. and M.A. deceased. The medical examiner later determined that both C.U. and M.A. died of acute fentanyl and cocaine toxicity.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Washington Division made the announcement.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Virginia State Police, the Roanoke City Police, and the Roanoke County Police.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly McGann and Keith Parrella are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PSI Chairman Johnson to Meta CEO Zuckerberg: Turn Over Facebook’s Records on Censorship of COVID-19 Vaccine Injured

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
    WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, sent a letter to Mark Zuckerberg, chief executive officer of Meta Platforms, Inc., the company that owns Facebook, regarding the social media platform’s alleged censorship of COVID-19 vaccine injured individuals. 
    The letter details Facebook’s apparent targeting of the vaccine injured by shutting down their support groups and even concealing private messages they exchanged, which came to light in a recent book entitled Worth a Shot?. The book chronicled the experience of Brianne Dressen, an AstraZeneca clinical trial participant who was involved in these once-accessible Facebook support groups. 
    Within twenty-four hours of Chairman Johnson’s June 28, 2021 roundtable, which featured individuals who were experiencing adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, including Mrs. Dressen, Facebook reportedly began shutting down vaccine injury support groups. In response, Mrs. Dressen and others sought refuge in what was the “largest COVID vaccine injury support group in the world,” only for Facebook to shut it down five days after the chairman’s roundtable.
    In a recent appearance as a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Mr. Zuckerberg blamed the Biden administration for pressuring Facebook to take down certain posts that were critical of the COVID-19 vaccines. Mr. Zuckerberg said that Biden officials “pushed [Facebook] super hard to take down things that were honestly were true[.]” He also noted that the Biden administration pressured Facebook to take down “anything that says that vaccines might have side effects,” threatening repercussions if Facebook were to disobey.
    Chairman Johnson wrote, “Facebook’s alleged censorship campaign against the vaccine injured, as detailed in Worth a Shot?, is the latest evidence of Big Tech’s efforts, in conjunction with the Biden administration, to silence anything critical of the COVID cartel and the vaccines.”
    The chairman’s letter directs Mr. Zuckerberg to provide all records with any federal entity that may show the extent to which the Biden administration pressured Facebook to censor COVID-19 vaccine injured individuals and shut down their support groups.
    Read more about Chairman Johnson’s letter in Breitbart.
    The full letter can be found here. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Demands Answers from Treasury Secretary Bessent on DOGE’s Access to Federal Payment Systems and Americans’ Highly Sensitive Information, Urges Him to Reverse Potentially Dangerous Decision

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Maggie Hassan
    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), are demanding answers from U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding his decision to grant Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its team access to critically important federal payment systems – including highly sensitive personal information linked to Medicare, Social Security and veterans’ benefits.
    The delegation wrote, in part: “Not only does DOGE now have access to the personal information of our constituents…but he may also soon have the tools to unlawfully shut down specific payments that he disagrees with. DOGE may also be able to use this sensitive information to gain an advantage over individuals and companies that pose competition to Mr. Musk’s businesses…Initial reports indicated that you gave DOGE access to the payment systems on a “read-only” basis…However, other reporting has stated that Marko Elez, a member of Mr. Musk’s team, has or had administrator-level privileges and can in fact write code to Treasury payment systems, including the Payment Automation Manager and Secure Payment System.”
    The delegation asked the following questions:
    “In detail, what level of access has each member of the DOGE team, including but not limited to Marko Elez, been given to Treasury’s federal payment records and systems, both currently and in the past?
    Have any changes to Treasury’s federal payments or its payment systems been made either by a member of the DOGE team or at their direction as of the time of this letter?
    Has Treasury taken any actions to discourage discussion of the activities of the DOGE team at Treasury, especially within the Bureau of the Fiscal Service?
    What steps has Treasury taken to ensure that Treasury employees understand their protections should they wish to share information with Congress and others?”
    The delegation concluded: “We urge you to reconsider this potentially dangerous decision and work to ensure that Americans can trust their sensitive personal information is protected from Mr. Musk and his associates. Thank you for your prompt attention to this issue and given the urgent nature of this issue, we respectfully request a response to this letter as soon as possible.”
    Click here for the full letter to U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent.
    For months, Shaheen has sounded the alarm on Elon Musk’s outsized influence on the U.S. Government.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. NAVY LEADERS OBSERVE JOINT TASK FORCE SOUTHERN GUARD OPERATIONS

    Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND

    NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba   –  

    (Feb 6, 2025) – Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, and Rear Adm. John Hewitt, Commander, Navy Region Southeast, visited Joint Task Force Southern Guard onboard Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB) February 5 and 6, as the Joint Task Force prepares to receive illegal aliens from the United States. Sardiello and Hewitt accompanied Adm. Alvin Holsey, Commander, U.S. Southern Command, during the visit.

    At the direction of the President to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. military service members are supporting Illegal Aliens holding operations led by DHS at NGSB. U.S. Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) has set up Joint Task Force Southern Guard at the Naval Station to execute the directive.

    “The Naval Station is fully committed to ensuring we have the infrastructure and resources in place to support this vital mission,” said Capt. Michael Stephen, Commander, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. “From the moment we received the mission, our team has worked with urgency, executing contingency plans, and rapidly strengthening our capabilities.

    “The level of teamwork—both within the base and across the joint force—has been outstanding,” said Stephen “Everyone is engaged, working together seamlessly to tackle challenges and ensure we’re ready for what’s ahead. The progress we’ve made in such a short time is a testament to their dedication and professionalism,” he said.

    As the United States’ oldest overseas military installation, established in 1903, Naval Station Guantanamo Bay is in the USSOUTHCOM Area of Responsibility. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet serves as USSOUTHCOM’s maritime component commander and therefore has responsibilities in contingency plans involving the naval station. U.S. Navy Region Southeast manages and oversees shore installation support for the naval station as it does for a total of 18 Navy bases in the Southeast region.

    “We are very proud of our Sailors, Marines and civilians who have responded to this contingency plan at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, which is a critical forward-operating base that enables the United States to maintain a persistent presence in the Caribbean,” said Rear Adm. Sardiello. “This mission exemplifies how we integrate and deploy all-domain combat power to respond to crises, maintain regional security, and protect U.S. interests.”

    Military service members and contractors have provided the manpower and organization to accommodate thousands’ illegal aliens.  Additional phases of expansion will follow to meet the President’s directive to host up to 30,000 illegal aliens. This work includes the construction of large, secure tent facilities to house illegal aliens, the installation of high-security fencing and barriers to protect all personnel, and a huge increase in providing essential services, including food, medical care, and housing, to all DOD and DHS personnel. The Navy is also delivering comprehensive logistical support, ensuring the infrastructure and resources needed to sustain operations are in place.

    Naval Station Guantanamo Bay ensures the freedom of action in the maritime domain and contributes to enhancing U.S. alliances and partnerships throughout the region. By executing this critical role in the enforcement of national immigration policies, the station continues to be an integral asset in supporting the defense and security objectives of the United States.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Kensington Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Charges in Connection with Transnational Criminal Operation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on February 6, 2025, to charges of violating federal narcotics and money laundering laws, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

    James Pinkston, 35, pleaded guilty to Counts One, Three, and Four of the Second Superseding Indictment before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around August 2021 to in and around June 2023, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Pinkston conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. Pinkston was intercepted on a federal wiretap obtaining quantities of the drugs that he distributed to others. Similarly, in and around March 2023, Pinkston possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing cocaine. Further, from in and around April 2022 to in and around March 2023, Pinkston conspired to commit money laundering by using a payments app to receive and initiate payments for drug transactions.

    Pinkston was one of 35 individuals indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown in December 2023 on narcotics, conspiracy, and money laundering charges for their participation in a violent transnational drug and money laundering operation. The Second Superseding Indictment alleges that the operation imported from Mexico millions of fentanyl pills, kilograms of fentanyl powder, hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine, and dozens of kilograms of cocaine that then were distributed and sold throughout the United States (read the news release regarding the Second Superseding Indictment here). Pinkston served as the western Pennsylvania connection to the Phoenix, Arizona, drug trafficking organization responsible for importing the drugs from Mexico.

    Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10 million, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Arnold P. Bernard Jr. is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Laurel Highlands Resident Agency and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Pinkston. Additional agencies participating in this investigation include the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and other local law enforcement agencies.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bristol Man Who Made Interstate Threats is Sentenced

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DENNIS JOHN HERNANDEZ, also known as “DJ Hernandez” and “Jonathan Hernandez,” 38, of Bristol, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to approximately 18 months of imprisonment, time already served, and three years of supervised release for making interstate threats.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6 and 7, 2023, Hernandez communicated with an individual via Facebook Messenger and made multiple statements threatening to carry out a shooting incident at UConn.  The statements included “I would recommend remaining away from there because when I go I’m taking down everything  And don’t give a f— who gets caught in the crossfire. I’ve died for years now and now it’s others people turn. I’m prepared to give my life. So if I don’t get to see you on the outside know I love you always  Not all shootings are bad I’m realizing. Some are necessary for change to happen.”

    Court documents allege that Hernandez’s vehicle was identified on UConn’s campus on July 7.

    On July 18 and 19, 2023, Hernandez made multiple Facebook posts threatening to harm or kill three individuals who reside out of state, including a state court judge.  In addition, on July 19, in a conversation via text message with one of the victims, Hernandez stated “We’re taking lives if s— isn’t paid up. It’s been years in planning just taking notes, names and locations. They talked their way into this and it’s almost point game. I know we don’t play in my family. If we have to take lives or buildings we will. So just letting you know so you can be prepared for a media circus one way or another.”

    Hernandez has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on July 19, 2023.  On December 18, 2024, he pleaded guilty to transmitting interstate communications containing a threat to injure.

    While on supervised release, Hernandez must continue mental health and substance abuse treatment and allow his electronic devices to be monitored by the U.S. Probation Office, and he is prohibited from visiting UConn and other locations that he targeted in his threats.

    This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bristol Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Boozman, Colleagues Push to Expand Access to Job Training Programs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas – John Boozman

    WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) to introduce the Jumpstarting Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, bipartisan legislation to help more Americans get good-paying jobs by allowing students to use federal Pell Grants –– need-based education grants for lower-income individuals –– to pay for shorter-term job training programs for the first time.

    Currently, Pell Grants can only be used at two- and four-year colleges and universities. By expanding Pell Grant eligibility, the JOBS Act would help close the skills gap by opening access to job training that students might otherwise be unable to afford but need for careers in high-demand fields.

    “Increasing the supply of workers ready and able to fill in-demand jobs is exactly what our economy needs to thrive. As more students choose to pursue skills-based careers, we can ensure this pathway is open to everyone including those who need financial assistance to start that journey. I’m pleased to champion this bipartisan effort that can help more Americans receive job training,” Boozman said.

    “No one should be priced out of an education—including a technical education—but I hear from many Virginians that access to high-quality job training programs that align with their goals is out of reach because of financial barriers,” said Kaine. “Simultaneously, I hear from employers throughout the Commonwealth about their struggles to fill skilled labor positions. With these Virginians in mind, I wrote the JOBS Act to help remedy these issues and provide more workers with the skills they need to get good-paying jobs and provide for their families. This bill is good for workers, good for employers, and good for our economy as a whole.”

    “Job training programs are proven, successful tools that help people gain the skills they need to prepare for rewarding careers,” said Collins. “By helping students in Maine and across the country access this career pathway, this bipartisan legislation would assist young people with obtaining good-paying jobs and make it easier for businesses to find qualified workers.”

    The JOBS Act would allow Pell Grants to be used for high-quality job training programs that are at least eight weeks in length and lead to industry-recognized credentials or certificates. Under current law, Pell Grants can only be applied toward programs that are over 600 clock hours or at least 15 weeks in length, rendering students in shorter-term, high-quality job training programs ineligible for crucial assistance.

    Specifically, the JOBS Act would amend the Higher Education Act by:
    • Expanding Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in rigorous and high-quality, short-term skills and job training programs that lead to industry-recognized credentials and certificates and ultimately employment in high-wage, high-skill industry sectors or careers.
    • Ensuring students who receive Pell Grants are earning high-quality postsecondary credentials by requiring that the credentials:
    o Meet the standards under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), such as meaningful career counseling and aligning programs to in-demand career pathways or registered apprenticeship programs;
    o Are recognized by employers, industry or sector partnerships;
    o Align with the skill needs of industries in the state or local economy; and
    o Are approved by the state workforce board in addition to the U.S. Department of Education.
    • Defining eligible job training programs as those providing career and technical education instruction at an institution of higher education, such as a community or technical college that provides:
    o At least 150 clock hours of instruction time over a period of at least eight weeks;
    o Training that meets the needs of the local or regional workforce and industry partnerships;
    o Streamlined ability to transfer credits so students can continue to pursue further education in their careers; and
    o Licenses, certifications, or credentials that meet the hiring requirements of multiple employers in the field for which the job training is offered.
    The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-MN), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Dan Sullivan (D-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

    The JOBS Act is supported by Advance CTE, the American Association of Community Colleges, the Association for Career and Technical Education, the Association of Community College Trustees, the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Business Roundtable, the Center for Law and Social Policy, the Exhibitions and Conferences Alliance, Higher Learning Advocates, HP Inc., the Information Technology Industry Council, Jobs for the Future, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, NAF, the National Association of Workforce Boards, the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, the National Skills Coalition, the Progressive Policy Institute and Rebuilding America’s Middle Class.

    Click here to view text of the bill.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICE Homeland Security Investigations supports seizure of Venezuelan aircraft involved in violations of US export control and sanctions laws

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations played a key role, alongside the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security and other partners, in an announcement Feb. 6 by the Justice Department that Dominican Republic authorities, working in coordination with U.S. federal law enforcement and based on violations of U.S. export control and sanctions laws, seized a Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft used by Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A., the sanctioned Venezuelan state-owned oil and natural gas company.

    “This seizure demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment to enforcing U.S. export control and sanctions laws around the globe,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Santo Domingo Country Attaché Edwin F. Lopez. “By working closely with our partners in the Dominican Republic and across the U.S. government, we successfully prevented the violation of U.S. laws designed to protect national security and foreign policy interests. HSI will continue to collaborate with domestic and international law enforcement partners to ensure accountability and uphold the rule of law.”

    The Bureau of Industry and Security Miami Field Office is investigating the case with assistance from ICE HSI Santo Domingo.

    The Justice Department previously announced in September 2024 the seizure of a Dassault Falcon 900EX aircraft in the Dominican Republic that was owned and operated for the benefit of Nicolás Maduro Moros and persons affiliated with him in Venezuela.

    “The seizure of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft provides yet another example of this office’s commitment to enforcing America’s export control laws against Venezuelan-owned PdVSA and other sanctioned entities,” said Southern District of Florida U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne. “Asset forfeiture is a powerful law enforcement tool, which we will continue to use aggressively to deter, disrupt, and otherwise combat criminal activity.”

    “The use of American-made parts to service and maintain aircraft operated by sanctioned entities like PdVSA is intolerable,” said Devin DeBacker, head of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department, along with its federal law enforcement partners, will continue to safeguard our national security by identifying, disrupting, and dismantling schemes aimed at procuring American goods in violation of our sanctions and export control laws.”

    “Today’s announcement — the seizure of a sanctioned aircraft used by the Maduro regime — clearly shows that sanctions and export control laws have teeth,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Kevin J. Kurland of the Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security. “BIS will continue to aggressively investigate and hold accountable those who violate our regulations.”

    According to the U.S. investigation, in July 2017, PdVSA purchased the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft from the United States and exported it to Venezuela, where it was registered under tail number YV-3360. Following the imposition of sanctions on PdVSA and identification of the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft as blocked property of PdVSA, the aircraft was serviced and maintained on multiple occasions using parts from the United States. The servicing

    included a brake assembly, electronic flight displays, and flight management computers — all in violation of U.S. export control and sanctions laws.

    President Trump issued Executive Order 13884 in August 2019, which, among other things, prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in transactions with persons who have acted or purported to act directly or indirectly for or on behalf of PdVSA. Pursuant to the EO, on Jan. 21, 2020, the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control identified 15 aircraft as blocked property under U.S. law, which generally prohibits transactions by U.S. persons within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in blocked property.

    According to a public statement issued by the Office of Foreign Assets Control, since at least January 2019, the Dassault Falcon 2000EX aircraft has transported Venezuelan Oil Minister Manuel Salvador Quevedo Fernandez, who is also sanctioned by the U.S. government, to an Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries meeting in the United Arab Emirates and has been used to transport senior members of the Maduro regime in a continuation of the regime’s misappropriation of PdVSA assets.

    The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and ICE HSI El Dorado Task Force Miami provided significant assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorge Delgado and Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Ahmed Almudallal of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are handling the matter. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan D. Stratton and Ajay J. Alexander for the Southern District of Florida also assisted.

    The burden to prove forfeitability in a forfeiture proceeding is upon the government.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Doechii’s Thom Browne look at the Grammys bridged street culture and luxury fashion

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Pierre-Yann Dolbec, Associate Professor of Marketing, Concordia University

    American rapper Doechii turned heads on the Grammy Awards red carpet on Feb. 2 in a striking Thom Browne ensemble: an off-the-shoulder corset suit dress with exaggerated hips, paired with a crisp white shirt and grey tie.

    The look was both classic and undeniably subversive — a fitting image for the transformation of the fashion world since the early 2000s. Not too long ago, the idea of a rap artist spotlighting a luxury tailor’s creation would have seemed jarring.

    Streetwear and high fashion once lived in separate worlds. Luxury brands sold exclusivity; haute couture, hand-stitched gowns and fine tailoring. Streetwear, on the other hand, was about authenticity and everyday life, with deep ties to subcultures around skateboarding and hip-hop.

    While designers at major high fashion houses occasionally took inspiration from street style in the 1990s and early 2000s — for instance, borrowing stylistic innovations from hip-hop and grunge — high fashion brands kept streetwear brands and designers at a distance.

    When Harlem designer Daniel R. Day — better known as Dapper Dan — repurposed Louis Vuitton and Gucci prints into custom streetwear pieces in the late 1980s, luxury labels sued him out of business. When Supreme used Louis Vuitton’s monogram on its skateboards in 2000, the fashion house hit them with a cease-and-desist order.

    Yet, Doechii’s four custom Thom Browne looks for the Grammys highlight how close hip-hop culture and high fashion now are.

    The birth of luxury streetwear

    The clear divide between streetwear and luxury fashion didn’t happen by accident. In the early 2010s, designers such as Virgil Abloh, Jerry Lorenzo and Shayne Oliver bridged the gap between streetwear and high fashion by pioneering what came to be known as “luxury streetwear.”

    This emerging style blended streetwear staples with luxury fashion production, values and beliefs. Designers crafted hoodies in Italy, integrated sneakers and tees into showstopping runway presentations. Like high fashion houses, they anchored their collections around artists and elevated conceptual work, transforming streetwear-inspired design into an art form.

    By mixing streetwear’s authenticity with high fashion exclusivity, brands like Fear of God, Hood by Air and Off-White gained the respect of luxury consumers and critics alike while retaining street culture’s cool factor.

    High fashion embraces streetwear

    By the mid-2010s, the same high-fashion elite that once kept streetwear at a distance began to see its commercial and cultural potential. Major fashion houses like Burberry and Dior experimented with limited-edition collaborations with streetwear designers, borrowing not just an aesthetic but also distribution tactics like “drops” — a limited, time-sensitive product release by fashion brands.

    The luxury streetwear shift came full circle when Gucci collaborated with Dapper Dan and when Louis Vuitton joined forces with Supreme in 2017. These collections sold out in hours and also served to draw in younger consumers initially uninterested by high fashion.

    Leading fashion houses started hiring luxury streetwear designers in top creative positions and, in some cases, acquiring established luxury streetwear brands.

    This strategy not only refreshed their brand image, but also expanded their appeal to new audiences. It reflected a broader culture shift where luxury is increasingly characterized by authenticity, shared community and pop culture relevance, rather than old-money status signals.

    These shifts opened the door for artists and figures from hip-hop and adjacent creative fields to take on prominent roles. Artists Rihanna, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar have fronted high fashion campaigns, and rappers like A$AP Rocky and Travis Scott have walked the runway for high fashion houses and worked on high fashion collections, leading critics to claim that “rappers are fashion’s new royalty.”

    Doechii’s watershed moment

    The influence of streetwear on luxury was on full display at this year’s Grammys. When Doechii accepted her groundbreaking award — becoming only the third female artist to earn a Grammy for Best Rap Album — she wore another Thom Browne creation: a cropped, short-sleeved grey jacket with a tie, paired with dramatically structured and tiered balloon pants.

    Once considered an unlikely pairing, Doechii’s choice of a luxury label famed for its avant-garde suits reflected the dismantling of a boundary long separating high fashion from hip-hop culture.

    During her acceptance speech, Doechii addressed tearing down another boundary:

    “So many Black women out there that are watching me right now and I want to tell you … Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you, that tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud. You are exactly who you need to be, to be right where you are, and I am a testimony.”

    Her fashion choice and her message ran in parallel: just as her Thom Browne looks reflected a broader cultural shift, one in which a once-marginalized culture has claimed space at the pinnacle of luxury, her words underscored the continued need to break down societal barriers that have sidelined Black women.

    Tensions behind the scenes

    Despite the celebratory tone surrounding luxury’s embrace of streetwear, deeper tensions persist behind the scenes. The key question is not just about influence but about who wields control and reaps the financial benefits.

    Rather than merely adopting streetwear’s aesthetics, high fashion has strategically absorbed it, spotlighting select designers to project an image of inclusivity while ensuring that the status hierarchy remains intact.

    This process offers genuine opportunities for a few, but ultimately reinforces existing power dynamics, allowing luxury brands to appear progressive while maintaining their dominance and capturing the value created by the less powerful.

    As the fashion industry evolves, it must address issues of cultural appropriation and elite capture to and ensure that the voices behind these influential styles receive due recognition and compensation.

    But for consumers on the outside looking in, Doechii’s Grammys moment illustrates a power shift. High fashion, once sealed-off and hierarchical, has become more open, fluid and reflective of diverse backgrounds and artistic visions.

    Pierre-Yann Dolbec receives funding from Concordia University, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and the Fonds de Recherche du Québec.

    – ref. Doechii’s Thom Browne look at the Grammys bridged street culture and luxury fashion – https://theconversation.com/doechiis-thom-browne-look-at-the-grammys-bridged-street-culture-and-luxury-fashion-249334

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Kelly Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Access to Non-Opioid Treatments

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

    WASHINGTON, D.C. –  This week, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ) led the introduction of the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act, bipartisan legislation that would provide greater access to non-opioid treatments for pain management for seniors.

    “The opioid crisis continues to wreak havoc on families and communities across the country, including in North Carolina,” said Senator Tillis. “This bipartisan, pragmatic legislation will help prevent opioid addiction before it starts by leveling the playing field for non-opioid alternatives, ensuring seniors have uninterrupted access to non-opioid, non-addictive alternatives.”

    “Arizona seniors managing pain deserve real choices—not a system that steers them toward addictive opioids just because they’re the cheaper option,” said Senator Kelly. “By expanding affordable access to safer, non-opioid treatments, we’re helping prevent addiction and giving seniors better options for attending their health.” 

    “One way to prevent opioid addiction is by avoiding unnecessary exposure to prescription opioids,” said Chris Fox, Executive Director, Voices for Non–Opioid Choices. “To do so, providers and patients must have easy and equal access to non-opioid pain management options. Unfortunately, non-opioid approaches are all-too-often out of reach for many Americans due institutional preferences and economic incentives that lead to our reliance on opioids to treat pain. This results in millions of Americans developing a new, long-term opioid use pattern every year. The Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (“Alternatives to PAIN”) Act would ensure that non-opioid approaches are just as easily accessible as other medications. The legislation will go a long way towards ensuring that all Americans in all settings can access such approaches. It is a much needed step towards preventing opioid addiction in America and Voices for Non-Opioid Choices proudly supports and urges enactment of this critical legislation.” 

    Background:

    The Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act is cosponsored by Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ted Budd (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Cornyn (R-TX), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Jim Banks (R-IN), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Mark Warner (D-VA). 

    The United States is facing a public health crisis caused by prescription drug addiction. Unfortunately, our country’s seniors are not immune to the worsening opioid epidemic. In 2021, 1.1 million seniors were diagnosed with an opioid use disorder, and 50,000 seniors experienced an opioid overdose-from prescription opioids, illicit opioids, or both. Tragically, the number of Americans aged 65 and older who died as the result of a natural or semisynthetic opioid overdose increased 63 percent between 2012 and 2020.

    Now, more than ever, we must prevent unnecessary opioids from becoming prevalent in medicine cabinets, homes, and communities. We can do this by increasing the use of non-opioids for pain management. Non-opioid treatments and therapies can be successful in replacing, delaying, or reducing the use of opioids which is why we believe it is necessary for Congress to advance policies that give practitioners and patients more access to these non-addictive treatments.

    The opioid epidemic is estimated to cost U.S. taxpayers $1.5 trillion every year. Too often, cost considerations incentivize Medicare Part D sponsors to employ utilization management practices intended to steer patients towards lowest cost options, which typically end up being generic opioids. This has resulted in opioid prescribing in Medicare Part D increasing over the past decade. In fact, Medicare Part D’s share of overall opioid prescriptions dispensed in the United States has increased 75 percent just since 2011. With several new opioid alternatives in the pipeline and others currently on the market, it is essential we encourage robust access to these therapies for Medicare Part D beneficiaries. 

    This bipartisan legislation would: 

    • Limit patient cost-sharing for patients receiving non-opioid based pain relief under Medicare Part D plans;
    • Prohibit the utilization of step therapy and prior authorization for these drugs; and
    • Encourage the continued dialogue between patients and their healthcare professionals about preferences in pain management choices.  

    This legislation builds on the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NO PAIN) Act, legislation supported by Senator Tillis that was signed into law in December 2022. The NO PAIN Act directed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide separate Medicare reimbursement for non-opioid treatments used to manage pain in both the hospital outpatient department (HOPD) and the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) settings. Prior to the NO PAIN Act being signed into law, hospitals received the same payment from Medicare regardless of whether a physician prescribed an opioid or a non-opioid. As a result, hospitals relied on opioids, which are typically dispensed by a pharmacy after discharge at little or no cost to the hospital. 

    The Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (Alternatives to PAIN) Act is supported by the following organizations:  Voices for Non-Opioid Choices, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association, American Addiction Recovery Coalition, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, American Psychological Association Services, Asheville Equine Therapy, A Better Life-Brianna’s Hope, A Voice in the Wilderness Empowerment Center, Blue Water Recovery & Outreach Center, CA Black Health Network, Center of Addiction & Faith, Chatham Drug Free, Clean Living Exceptional Alternative Recovery Residences (CLEARR), Danny’s Ride, Dove Recovery Center for Women, Elderly Advocates, Families of Addicts, Freedom Through Recovery, Georgia for Recovery, Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center, Healing On The Fly Inc, Hear Alex’s Story, Hep Free Hawaii, Hernando Community Coalition, Herren Project, Holistic Homes for Us, Hope Haven, Inclusive Recovery, InStep Indy, Iron Tribe Network, Jake’s Reach, Journey House Foundation, LITE Recovery Café, Lifeboat Addiction Services, Medicare Rights Center, Mental Health America, Mental Health America of Illinois, Metro Drug Coalition, Michigan Women Veterans Empowerment, National Association of Social Workers, National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Rural Health Association, National Safety Council, National Transitions of Care Coalition, Operation First Response, Inc, Operation PAR, Overdose Lifeline, Parrott Creek Child and Family Services, Partnership for A Healthy Iowa, Partnership to End Addiction, Pennsylvania Mental Health Consumers Association, Pledge for Life Partnership, Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, Inc. (PAACA), Prevention Action Alliance, Prevention Alliance of Tennessee, Psychophysiologic Disorders Association, PTSD Awareness Summit, REAL LIFE, Recovery Café- Ft. Wayne, Recovery Café- Muncie, Recovery Mobile Clinic, RetireSafe, Safe Haven Recovery Engagement Center, Salvage USA, Shatterproof, She Recovers Foundation, Sobar, Society for Opioid-Free Anesthesia, Society of Behavioral Medicine, South End – Roxbury Community Partnership, Stayin Alive 24 Coalition, Team Sharing, Inc., The Battle Within, U.S. VETS, VetPark’s A.T.V., Veterans National Recovery Center, Voices For Awareness, Warren Coalition, Warrior Path Home, West Warwick Prevention Coalition, Will Bright Foundation, Wyoming Valley Drug & Alcohol Services, and Young People in Recovery.

    Full text of the legislation is available HERE. 

    Additional statements of support are available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Duckworth Joins Markey, Hirono in Reintroducing Legislation to Codify Right to Contraception

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    February 06, 2025

    [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) reintroduced the Right to Contraception Act, legislation that would create a statutory right to obtain and use contraceptives and ensure health care providers have a right to provide contraceptives, contraception and share information about this essential care. Last June, Senate Republicans shamefully blocked the bill from passing the Senate.

    “Ever since the Supreme Court threw out Roe v. Wade, we’ve seen extreme MAGA Republicans across the country work to roll back health care and tear reproductive freedom away from Americans—which has cruelly threatened birth control, plan B, IUDs and other forms of contraception,” said Senator Duckworth. “I refuse to let my daughters grow up in a world with fewer rights than I had. As MAGA Republicans continue their anti-choice, anti-science crusade, it is as important as ever that the Senate acts to codify the right to contraception into law so that every American in every state—regardless of their skin color, zip code or income—has equal access to basic, necessary health care. I’m proud to join Senators Markey and Hirono in reintroducing our Right to Contraception Act to do just that.”

    “The right to contraception is essential for people’s freedom to make decisions about their lives and their health without politicians getting in the way,” said Senator Markey. “Contraception is essential not only for sexual and reproductive health, but also to treat a wide array of medical conditions and decrease the risk of certain cancers. The Right to Contraception Act will protect the right for people to get contraception and for providers to give it in the face of President Trump and Republicans’ relentless attacks on reproductive justice.”

    “Contraception is essential health care that millions of people across the country rely on,” said Senator Hirono. “The Right to Contraception Act simply protects patients’ right to access contraception, as well as providers’ right to provide it. I’m proud to join Senator Markey and Representative Fletcher in reintroducing this important bill. The right to control your own body, free from government interference, is as fundamental as it gets, and we’ll continue doing everything we can to protect the reproductive rights of all Americans.” 

    Throughout her time in the Senate, Duckworth has made protecting reproductive freedom a top priority in the face of Republicans’ anti-choice crusade. Duckworth has long pushed to pass her Right to IVF Act—which Senate Republicans blocked not once, but twice last year—that would both establish a right to IVF and other assisted reproductive technology (ART), expand access for hopeful parents, Veterans and federal employees, as well as lower the costs of IVF for middle class families across the country. This marked the fourth time Senate Republicans blocked Duckworth-led legislation that would protect access to IVF nationwide—Duckworth’s Access to Family Building Act, which builds on previous legislation she introduced in 2022.

    Duckworth was the first Senator to give birth while serving in office and had both of her children with the help of IVF. In 2018, she advocated for the Senate to change its rules so she could bring her infant onto the Senate floor.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murphy, Blumenthal Call On VA Secretary To Step Up And Defend Veterans’ Private Information From Elon Musk

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Connecticut – Chris Murphy

    WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), along with 25 of their Senate colleagues, sent a letter urging U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins to take immediate actions to secure veterans’ personal information provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and his “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE). This call follows Musk’s takeover of the U.S. Treasury’s payment system, which includes private information of veterans and their families, and reports of DOGE employees accessing VA computer systems at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    “Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans…Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain,” the senators wrote.

    “Our nation’s veterans have entrusted their health records, including genetic samples, disability data, bank information, and other private information, to VA. The Department also stores sensitive veteran casework, files of whistleblowers who have come forward with concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse, and sensitive investigative files with veteran and federal employee information,” the senators added.

    “Meanwhile, the President has given unfettered access to federal databases and systems to Mr. Musk, an unelected citizen, and a team of colleagues with no formal documented employment agreement with the U.S. government. It is a group of private citizens with no experience in the federal government, who lack proper approval from legal and agency authorities, lack the appropriate security clearances, and lack the requisite background investigations or ethical conflict requirements. We are outraged these unelected, unvetted, and unaccountable individuals now have access to sensitive information that has been heavily secured for decades and by Administrations of both parties,” they continued.

    There are millions of veterans’ medical records stored in VA’s computer systems. These confidential records include veterans’ prescriptions, diagnoses, and procedures they have undergone. Access to these medical records could give Musk and DOGE the ability to identify veterans who have received abortions or abortion counseling in the past. The Million Veteran Program, which manages the genomic data of its more than one million veteran participants for authorized research programs, also stores its data in VA data systems. In addition, the U.S. Treasury’s payment system stores private information of veterans, surviving spouses, and their families, including their monthly disability compensation amount, home address, and bank account numbers.

    The senators concluded, “During your confirmation process, you claimed you would be focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability at VA, and committed to following the laws passed by Congress. We now call on you to respond quickly and comprehensively to these privacy violations by revoking DOGE’s access to VA systems and insisting they permanently remove all VA data collected from their files.”

    U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Angus King (I-Maine), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) also signed the letter.

    Full text of the letter is available HERE and below:

    Dear Secretary Collins,

    Among many tasks, the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is entrusted with safeguarding the private and sensitive information of millions of veterans. Today, we call on you to immediately secure any personal and related information regarding veterans provided by VA or other agencies to Elon Musk and associates under the auspices of the “Department of Government Efficiency” established under Executive Order 14158. Further, we call on you to deny and sever their access to any VA or other government system that includes information about veterans, and to require them to immediately and permanently delete any information in their possession. Veterans risked their lives to defend our country, and they deserve better than to have an unelected billionaire reviewing their medical records, targeting the benefits they have earned, or using their private information for personal gain.

    Our nation’s veterans have entrusted their health records, including genetic samples, disability data, bank information, and other private information, to VA. The Department also stores sensitive veteran casework, files of whistleblowers who have come forward with concerns about waste, fraud, and abuse, and sensitive investigative files with veteran and federal employee information. Veterans and VA employees entrusted the Department with this information with the understanding that it would be kept private and only used to help deliver the highest quality of services to veterans, their families, and survivors.

    Meanwhile, the President has given unfettered access to federal databases and systems to Mr. Musk, an unelected citizen, and a team of colleagues with no formal documented employment agreement with the U.S. government. It is a group of private citizens with no experience in the federal government, who lack proper approval from legal and agency authorities, lack the appropriate security clearances, and lack the requisite background investigations or ethical conflict requirements. We are outraged these unelected, unvetted, and unaccountable individuals now have access to sensitive information that has been heavily secured for decades and by Administrations of both parties.

    These actions are in direct violation of federal laws meant to protect our national security and the privacy of our citizens’ personal information. This includes information on Social Security payments, Medicare, Medicaid, student loans, veterans’ disability compensation payments, GI Bill payments, federal civil servants’ personnel records, and much more. With every hour, we see DOGE further expand its efforts to create a massive private database of previously guarded data outside the federal government’s cyber and legal protections. It is an abhorrent and illegal overreach of executive powers, which conflicts with various federal statutes, including the Federal Information Security Modernization Act, the Privacy Act, the EGovernment Act of 2002, and likely several other cyber and national security laws.

    During your confirmation process, you claimed you would be focused on rooting out corruption and ensuring accountability at VA, and committed to following the laws passed by Congress. We now call on you to respond quickly and comprehensively to these privacy violations by revoking DOGE’s access to VA systems and insisting they permanently remove all VA data collected from their files.

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –