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  • MIL-OSI USA: June 05, 2025 Rep. Mullin Leads Clean Energy and Climate Initiatives in the FY26 Appropriations Package  Washington, D.C. – On World Environment Day, U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin announced a series of federal initiatives he’s leading to accelerate climate solutions and clean energy innovation.   As part of the House Appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026, Rep. Mullin… Read More

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Kevin Mullin California (15th District)

    Washington, D.C. – On World Environment Day, U.S. Rep. Kevin Mullin announced a series of federal initiatives he’s leading to accelerate climate solutions and clean energy innovation.  

    As part of the House Appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026, Rep. Mullin led 21 lawmakers in submitting a range of funding requests, including several that were bipartisan, that seek to enhance America’s environmental leadership, speed our transition to clean energy, and promote the well-being of communities across the nation. 

    “We must invest in innovative, science-based solutions to help combat the climate crisis, preserve our planet and strengthen America’s global competitiveness,” said Rep. Mullin. “My funding requests reflect the urgent need to modernize our energy systems, protect public health, and lead the world in clean technology development.” 

    The House Appropriations Committee will now review these requests for consideration in the FY26 Appropriations package.   

    Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal Research  
    Rep. Mullin co-led a bipartisan request to increase funding for research and development of marine carbon removal technologies within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Oceans are our planet’s largest carbon sink, and advancing marine-based solutions can restore ecosystems, capture atmospheric carbon, and benefit coastal economies. 

    Solar and Wind Grid Integration Programs  
    Proposed clean energy projects could double the nation’s power supply, but it takes an average of 5 years to connect them to the grid. Rep. Mullin is requesting robust funding for Solar and Wind Energy Systems Integration programs through the Department of Energy (DOE). These funds would support technologies that enable faster, more secure integration of renewable energy into the grid, helping to meet climate goals and stabilize energy infrastructure.  

    Standardizing Communication for Grid-Connected Devices  
    Rep. Mullin is supporting efforts within the Department of Energy to standardize communication between smart devices – such as electric vehicle chargers, smart thermostats, and home batteries – and the electric grid.  Standardization will improve grid capacity and flexibility, which would boost efficiency and help avoid costly upgrades to transmission infrastructure. 

    Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers Rep. Mullin is requesting $42 million for the National Institute of Health’s Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers, which are at the forefront of research into how pollutants like PFAS and microplastics affect human health. Their work is vital to understanding and preventing chronic diseases, which are the leading cause of death and a major driver of U.S. healthcare costs. 

    Groundwater Rise Report 

    In coastal regions across the country, rising seas and extreme rainfall are causing groundwater levels to rise, which increases risks to public health, infrastructure and trillions of dollars in property. Rep. Mullin requests $2 million for the U.S. Geological Survey to  forecast groundwater rise nationally and better prepare communities.  

    Digital Coast Program  

    Rep. Mullin co-led a bipartisan request for robust funding for NOAA’s Digital Coast Program, a popular program that leverages geographical information systems (GIS) to collect and analyze data. The program consolidates and makes publicly available information that helps coastal managers better plan for storms, flooding, natural disasters and other challenges that impact vulnerable communities.  

    Next-Generation Solar Demonstrations  
    Solar energy is a critical tool for American defense applications. Rep. Mullin is requesting at least $40 million to support demonstrations of next-generation solar technology in the military. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 5 June 2025 News release WHO calls for urgent protection of Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital in the Gaza Strip

    Source: World Health Organisation

    WHO warns that the Gaza Strip’s health system is collapsing, with Nasser Medical Complex, the most important referral hospital left in Gaza, and Al-Amal Hospital at risk of becoming non-functional. There are already no hospitals functioning in the north of Gaza.

    Nasser and Amal are the last two functioning public hospitals in Khan Younis, where currently most of the population is living. Without them, people will lose access to critical health services.

    While these hospitals have not received orders to evacuate patients or staff, they lie within or just outside the evacuation zone announced on 2 June. Israeli authorities have informed the Ministry of Health that access routes leading to both hospitals will be obstructed. As a result, safe access for new patients and staff will be difficult, if not impossible. If the situation further deteriorates, both hospitals are at high risk of becoming non-functional, due to movement restrictions, insecurity, and the inability of WHO and partners to resupply or transfer patients.

    Nasser and Al Amal hospitals are operating above their capacity, while people with life-threatening injuries continue to arrive to seek urgent care amid a dire shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies. The hospitals going out of service would have dire consequences for patients in need of surgical care, intensive care, blood bank and transfusion services, cancer care, and dialysis.

    Losing the two hospitals would cut 490 beds, reducing the Gaza Strip’s overall hospital bed availability to less than 1400 hospital beds (40% less hospital beds available in the Gaza Strip than before the start of the conflict), for the entire population of 2 million people.

    The relentless and systematic decimation of hospitals in Gaza has been going on for too long. It must end immediately. For over 20 months, health workers, WHO, and partners have managed to keep health services partly running despite extreme conditions. But repeated attacks, escalating hostilities, denial of aid, and restricted access have systematically dismantled the health system.

    WHO calls for urgent protection of Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital to ensure they remain accessible, functional and safe from attacks and hostilities. Patients seeking refuge and care to save their lives must not risk losing them trying to reach hospitals. Hospitals must never be militarized or targeted.

    WHO calls for the delivery of essential medicines and medical supplies into Gaza to be immediately expedited safely and facilitated through all possible routes.

    WHO calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire.

    Notes to editors

    • Only 17 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are currently partially functional. Of these, just five, including Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital, are major referral facilities, accounting for 75% of all the Gaza Strip’s hospital beds.
    • Nasser Medical Complex is operating at 180% over bed capacity and Al Amal Hospital is at 100%.
    • Currently, one national and four international Emergency Medical Teams are deployed at Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals as part of efforts to provide specialized care and strengthen hospital capacity.
    • Acute shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies are severely disrupting health services in all hospitals, while about 50 WHO trucks of supplies await at Al-Arish and in the West Bank.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: WITH NEARLY 8,000 ‘ZOMBIE HOUSES’ PLAGUING ROCHESTER, SCHUMER CALLS ON FEDS TO IMMEDIATELY RENEW HUD PARTNERSHIP – EXPIRING IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS – FOR CITY TO TRANSFORM ABANDONED HOUSES INTO HOMES FOR…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Amid Nationwide Housing Shortage, Schumer Says Preserving HUD Partnership – Which Expires July 1 – Is Win-Win-Win For Getting Rid Of Zombie Houses, Revitalizing Neighborhoods & Creating Good-Paying Jobs For Monroe County

    City Of Rochester Has Transformed Over 850 Vacant Homes With Help From Agreement With HUD; With Contract Expiring In Less Than 30 Days, Schumer Calls On HUD To Act Quickly Before This Agreement Expires

    Schumer: Renewing This HUD-Rochester Agreement Is Vital So Rochester Can Transform Abandoned ‘Zombie Houses’ Into Homes For First-Time Home Buyers

    With the City of Rochester’s contract set to expire in less than 30 days, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer called on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to immediately renew its contract to convert abandoned “zombie houses” across Rochester into high-quality affordable housing for first-time homebuyers. Through this partnership, the City of Rochester has transformed hundreds of abandoned properties while creating good-paying construction jobs. Schumer said that with over 8,000 vacant houses across Rochester, HUD needs to cut the red tape and renew this agreement to support Rochester families, neighborhoods, and jobs.

    “With nearly 8,000 abandoned homes plaguing Rochester, we cannot let the City’s federal housing partnership expire in less than 30 days. HUD must cut the red tape and immediately approve the City’s plan to breathe new life into these zombie homes,” said Senator Schumer. “Thanks to this contract, we’ve already turned hundreds of abandoned ‘zombie houses’ into family houses for first-time homebuyers while creating good-paying construction jobs in Monroe County. With the nationwide housing shortage hitting Rochester hard, HUD renewing this agreement before it expires next month is the difference between hope and despair for countless Rochester families seeking the dream of home ownership.”

    The City of Rochester has a contract with HUD’s Asset Control Area Program to purchase vacant HUD-foreclosed homes and convert them to high-quality affordable housing for first-time homebuyers through a partnership with the Rochester Housing Development Fund Corporation (RHDFC). Since 2005, Rochester has renovated over 850 vacant homes through this program, boosting neighborhood property values by an average of $15,000 per house and generating more than $33.5 million in local contracting work creating good-paying construction jobs for Monroe County. As of the most recent census in 2020, there are more than 8,000 vacant homes in the City of Rochester. The City’s contract ends on July 1, and they are looking to renew the contract with HUD to help address the housing shortage in the region.

    “Securing this renewal will enable us to turn boarded-up, vacant houses into dream homes for first-time buyers and generate steady work for our skilled tradespeople and local contractors,” Rochester Mayor Malik D. Evans said. “With Senator Schumer urging HUD to act, we stand ready to patch the holes in the fabric our city’s housing inventory, breathe hope into every block, and build the safe, equitable, and prosperous Rochester our residents deserve.”

    In a letter to HUD Secretary Scott Turner, Schumer urged the department to cut the red tape, renew this contract, and work with Rochester to identify new HUD-foreclosed abandoned homes for inclusion in the program to maximize the number of properties covered by the partnership and further boost the supply of housing. The senator said amid the nationwide housing shortage that has hit the Rochester-Finger Lakes region hard, this contract is essential to helping buyers find and purchase homes while driving millions of dollars of new development into local neighborhoods.

    Schumer’s letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner can be found HERE or below:

    Dear Secretary Turner:

    I write to request the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) prioritize and swiftly work with the City of Rochester to renew the Asset Control Area (ACA) Agreement between HUD and the City of Rochester that is now slated to lapse in less than 30 days on July 1, 2025. Without immediate full renewal, Rochester will lose access to being able to acquire and rehab now vacant HUD-foreclosed homes, transforming these “zombie properties” into safe, affordable housing for first-time homebuyers. If this contract is not renewed, a two decades-old partnership that has transformed 796 abandoned properties in the City of Rochester into quality homes for families and residents will be halted, at a time when Rochester, like much of the country, is facing a housing supply crisis. Because new homebuyers are struggling to find new affordable housing since demand now far exceeds housing inventory in Rochester, I request HUD structure the renewed ACA to make more of HUD’s vacant foreclosed homes available in the ACA pipeline.  This month, the National Association of Realtors ranked Rochester as the fifth most competitive housing market in the nation underscoring the new barriers prospective homeowners are confronting in the Rochester market.

    Since 2005, the ACA Agreement between HUD, the City of Rochester, and the Rochester Housing Development Fund Corporation (RHDFC) has enabled the City to acquire hundreds of vacant, FHA-foreclosed single-family homes, transfer them to RHDFC for rehabilitation, and sell them to income-qualified buyers through the HOME Rochester program. That initiative has rehabilitated over 850 “zombie homes”, the majority made possible through the ACA agreement, boosting neighboring property values by an average of $15,000 per house, generating more than $33.5 million in local contracting work, and creating good-paying jobs for Monroe County.

    Today, Rochester homebuyers face fresh headwinds in its housing market. In recent years, despite many vacant homes plaguing Rochester neighborhoods, a dwindling supply of quality housing has made it exceptionally challenging for buyers to find and purchase homes, leading to frustration and difficulty for those trying to navigate the market. As a result of these conditions, programs like HOME Rochester – the City’s vehicle for acquisition, rehabilitation, and resale – have become an even more vital pathway to homeownership for working families. Yet, beginning in 2020, the pipeline of HUD-foreclosed homes available through the ACA began to decrease, with just one property acquired in 2020 and one in 2021, compared with 29 acquisitions between 2017 and 2020. 

    Therefore I urge you to:

    1. Renew Rochester’s ACA Agreement for another two-year term, so that property acquisitions and HOME Rochester rehabilitations can proceed uninterrupted.
    1. Partner directly with the City of Rochester, RHDFC, and the Greater Rochester Housing Partnership to review the current inventory of HUD-foreclosed homes, identify new properties for inclusion, and structure a renewal that maximizes the number of properties, and the neighborhoods, covered under the agreement.
    1. Streamline HUD’s approval process by permitting bulk submission of property lists and rehabilitation plans – rather than negotiating each property one at a time – to eliminate red tape and accelerate delivery of homes to first-time buyers.

    Renewing this agreement and making more HUD vacant foreclosed homes available for rehabilitation can be the difference between hope and despair for countless Rochester families seeking their dream of homeownership and a boost to strengthen Rochester by reviving now-abandoned houses and driving millions of dollars of new development into local neighborhoods. 

    Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Making it easier to build a granny flat makes sense – but it’s no solution to a housing crisis

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Timothy Welch, Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    RyanJLane/Getty Images

    As part of its resource management reforms, the government will soon allow “super-sized granny flats” to be built without consent – potentially adding 13,000 dwellings over the next decade to provide “families with more housing options”.

    This represents genuine progress in reducing regulatory barriers. But the scale of the housing crisis means we have to ask whether incremental reforms can deliver meaningful change.

    The numbers provide important context. Against current consenting rates of 40,000 to 50,000 new dwellings per year, those projected 70-square-metre granny flats represent a 2.6% increase in housing supply.

    In Auckland, where housing pressure is most acute, 300 additional units might be built annually. For some, that’s likely to be useful. But for a country already facing a housing crunch, it’s insignificant.

    The costs of a granny flat

    The numbers also reveal who can participate in this proposed solution. Building a basic 70-square-metre granny flat will cost between NZ$200,000 and $300,000. Add site works, utility connections and mandatory licensed building practitioner supervision, and total project costs will be closer to the upper end of that range.

    At current interest rates, financing $250,000 requires approximately $480 weekly in loan payments. While rents of $500-$600 per week are achievable in urban markets, these thin margins assume optimal conditions.

    For property owners with existing equity, this presents a viable investment. For those seeking affordable housing – young families, essential workers, recent immigrants – the benefits remain largely theoretical.

    This dynamic illustrates a persistent challenge in market-based housing solutions: policies intended to improve affordability often primarily benefit those with capital to deploy.

    Pressure on the pipes

    Each granny flat requires full residential infrastructure – water, wastewater and stormwater connections. The development contributions – fees councils charge on new builds to fund infrastructure – will help fund network upgrades. But New Zealand already faces a $120-185 billion water infrastructure deficit over the next 30 years, just to fix existing systems.

    The challenge is particularly acute in established suburbs where these units are most likely to appear. Parts of Christchurch serviced by vacuum sewers already operate at capacity. Auckland’s combined sewer areas face overflow risks during heavy rainfall. Wellington’s ageing pipes struggle with current demand.

    Adding thousands of dispersed infill units to stressed networks poses genuine engineering challenges that funding alone cannot solve.

    Transport infrastructure faces similar pressures. With minimum parking requirements axed across the nation, these new granny flats will likely increase on-street parking demand and local traffic.

    While some granny flat residents may rely on public transport or active modes, New Zealand’s car ownership rates – 837 vehicles per 1,000 people – suggest most will own vehicles.

    Auckland’s sewer systems are already under pressure. New granny flats will add strain on the infrastructure.
    Janice Chen/Getty Images

    Approved but not always built

    International experience offers instructive parallels. California’s 2017 Accessory Dwelling Unit legislation provides the closest comparison. After removing similar regulatory barriers, California saw permits increase from 1,000 in 2016 to 13,000 in 2019.

    However, construction costs and infrastructure constraints limited actual completions to roughly 60% of approved units.

    Australian cities report similar patterns. Despite permissive regulations in many areas, only 13-23% of suitable properties actually added secondary dwellings. High construction costs and infrastructure limitations proved more binding than regulatory constraints.

    Closer to home, Auckland’s experience with minor dwellings under the Unitary Plan suggests cautious optimism. Since 2016, the city has averaged 300-400 secondary dwelling consents annually where permitted. The number of units actually constructed is unknown.

    Allowing one-storey detached 70-square-metre units without building consent may increase this modestly. But they are unlikely to dramatically accelerate production given persistent cost and capacity constraints.

    Another form of wealth transfer

    The policy’s benefits flow primarily to existing property owners. They will gain new development rights without competitive tender or public process. While perhaps justified by broader housing benefits, it’s worth acknowledging this is a form of wealth transfer.

    Granny flats typically add roughly their construction cost to property values, providing capital gains alongside rental income potential.

    For renters, benefits depend on how many units actually materialise and at what price point. Secondary units often rent at 20-30% below comparable standalone houses due to their size and backyard location.

    This could meaningfully expand options for singles and couples. But families requiring larger accommodation will see limited benefits.

    The policy’s design constraints also tell us what kind of urban density is acceptable. Single-storey height limits, two-metre boundary setbacks and standalone requirements essentially mandate the least efficient form of intensification.

    Units could share walls and services, and two-storey designs that use less land could be permitted. Instead, the granny flat exemption favours the one configuration that maintains suburban aesthetics while delivering minimal extra housing.

    A modest response to the housing crisis

    The granny flat exemption exemplifies New Zealand’s approach to housing challenges: acknowledging a crisis while implementing modest responses.

    Despite severe shortfalls in housing supply, the medium-density development common in comparable countries remains largely unrealised. An estimated 180,000 households could be accommodated through comprehensive densification.

    There are genuine benefits worth acknowledging, of course. The exemption reduces bureaucratic barriers, enables some additional housing and gives property owners new options.

    The question isn’t so much whether the new policy should be embraced. But rather whether the government is willing to complement it with larger changes the housing crisis demands.

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

    – ref. Making it easier to build a granny flat makes sense – but it’s no solution to a housing crisis – https://theconversation.com/making-it-easier-to-build-a-granny-flat-makes-sense-but-its-no-solution-to-a-housing-crisis-258185

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Markey Condemns Republicans’ Egregious Attack on Clean Air and Public Health

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
    Washington (June 5, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and co-chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force, today released the following statement after Senate Republicans released the Environment and Public Works portion of their reconciliation bill text.
    “Time is revealing Senate Republicans’ willingness to abandon communities nationwide and put Oil Above All —above the law, above the economy, and above the health and wallets of working families. Their proposed cuts would eliminate the safeguards and funding needed to reduce harmful air pollution and environmental health risks. Their cuts would also destroy the $20 billion climate bank I secured in the Inflation Reduction Act, which was already at work creating jobs, lowering Americans’ energy costs, strengthening our energy independence, and combating the climate crisis. 
    “Republicans have no interest in bringing down costs or helping everyday Americans. Instead, they are picking winners and losers to deliver a big bonus to Big Oil and Gas. Republicans want to cut funding for clean energy, community resilience, and pollution reduction, all while giving polluters a golden ticket to skirt any meaningful reviews to get their projects permitted – rubberstamping dangerous polluting infrastructure.
    “These Republican cuts will ensure frontline and fenceline communities continue to bear the burden of disproportionate levels of pollution. Ripping away the tools needed to curb methane and reduce carbon and hazardous pollutants will only make Americans sicker while the rich get richer. We must say no to these dangerous cuts and stop this big billionaire sell-out once and for all.”
    Senator Markey secured numerous provisions in the historic Inflation Reduction Act, including the creation of a $27 billion national climate financing network based on his National Climate Bank Act with Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06). He also secured historic environmental justice funding for air quality monitoring, environmental inequity mapping, and addressing extreme heat.
    Senator Markey has been a champion of vehicle emission standards that would be rolled back by the Senate reconciliation text, which would increase pollution and force drivers to pay more at the pump. He has also long championed a robust National Environmental Policy Act, which the Senate Republican bill undermines with an opt-in fee for project sponsors to pay to expedite their project’s environmental review and avoid judicial review – rubberstamping potentially harmful infrastructure.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Securing a Healthier Future for SUNY Downstate

    Source: US State of New York

    overnor Kathy Hochul today received the Downstate Community Advisory Board proposal for the more than $1 billion State reinvestment in SUNY Downstate’s hospital. Following months of community input and engagement, the advisory board advanced a proposal that aims to stabilize and renovate the facility and deliver a modern hospital to Central Brooklyn.

    “Central Brooklyn deserves world-class health care, and with this historic $1 billion investment, we’re securing a brighter, healthier future for SUNY Downstate and the communities it serves,” Governor Hochul said. “This plan was shaped by the voices of those who know and rely on Downstate — community members, faculty and staff — and their input was critical to getting this right. I’m grateful to SUNY and the advisory board for their commitment to building a strong, sustainable future SUNY Downstate, and I look forward to thoroughly reviewing the proposed plan.”

    The proposal from the advisory board will:

    • Retain all current inpatient and outpatient services, including maternity and kidney transplant services
    • Convert all double occupancy rooms to private rooms with showers and add additional rooms, resulting in 225 operational beds (with the goal of increasing the current 165 average daily census)
    • Modernize and expand the emergency department to 45 stations
    • Establish/renovate dedicated inpatient specialty units for cardiology, oncology, and orthopedics
    • Build a new hospital annex, including a state-of-the-art ambulatory surgery center that expands services in oncology and cardiology
    • Address the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing infrastructure issues that have resulted in repeated system failures
    • Improve leadership and operations to achieve greater operational sustainability

    SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said, “SUNY Downstate has long served as a cornerstone of care for Brooklynites – and as a result of Governor Hochul’s leadership and investment, it will continue to do so long into the future. Thank you to Governor Hochul, to the advisory board, and to every community member who contributed to this proposal that will ensure a strong and sustainable SUNY Downstate hospital for the communities we are proud to serve.”

    The advisory board’s task was to consider recommendations to establish a reasonable, scalable and fiscally responsible plan for the financial health, viability, and sustainability of SUNY Downstate within a range of available funds.

    The advisory board – consisting of healthcare and community leaders – worked throughout the past nearly six months to gather input and ideas directly from the community to inform the proposal. Over the course of their deliberations, the advisory board:

    • Held four public hearings (one more than statutorily required) on January 22, February 27, March 13, and April 28, with two in Community Board #9 and two in Community Board #17
    • Met with numerous community stakeholders including the SUNY Downstate Medical School Department Chairs, the Brooklyn for Downstate advocacy group (twice), the leadership at SUNY Downstate, and other regional healthcare providers
    • Carefully reviewed analysis of the community health needs (including the Brooklyn for Downstate data needs analysis and recommendations for the future of SUNY Downstate, the Community Health Needs Assessment 2022 prepared by the NYC Health & Hospitals, and the New York State Department of Health’s Study of Healthcare System Inequities and Perinatal Access in Brooklyn report), Downstate Hospital’s financials, and the condition of Downstate Hospital’s physical plant
    • Engaged a team of consultants to provide expert analysis, infrastructure assessment, financial modeling, architectural and engineering scenarios, and coordination, including ADENA Consulting Group, LLC, QPK Design, Ramboll, Ewing Cole, and Kaufman Hall. In addition, at stakeholders’ request, the advisory board engaged Deloitte to independently assess the reasonableness of the financial modeling and identify options to reduce the ongoing operating deficit.

    After gathering public and stakeholder input over many months, the approach now recommended by the advisory board was presented to the public as an option under consideration at the fourth public hearing on April 28. View materials from the public hearings here.

    Downstate’s hospital provides inpatient and outpatient health care services in Central Brooklyn and leads in research and scholarship to address health disparities in New York City and across the state.

    Last year, SUNY Downstate’s hospital faced a $100 million annual deficit and was at risk of being unable to operate without additional funding, while contending with a hospital facility in disrepair and vulnerable to major crises, including recent major infrastructure incidents.

    In response, Governor Hochul worked with the Legislature and SUNY to develop a plan to engage community leaders in developing a sustainable future for Downstate and provided a historic capital investment. The Governor championed $750 million in capital funding for SUNY Downstate’s hospital in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 Enacted State Budgets, and directed SUNY to dedicate its anticipated $50 million annual capital allocations in each of the next seven years to bring the total investment to more than $1 billion.

    SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University President Dr. Wayne J. Riley said, “This plan represents an extraordinary investment in SUNY Downstate’s hospital and a bright future for our patients, our students, and our faculty and staff. I want to thank Governor Hochul, the Brooklyn legislative delegation, the SUNY Board of Trustees and Chancellor King, the faculty and staff of SUNY Downstate, and the faith leaders, labor organizations, and other community stakeholders who have worked together to envision a strong and achievable future for SUNY Downstate.”

    SUNY Trustee and Chair of the Academic Medical Centers and Hospitals Committee Eric Corngold said, “SUNY is proud of the unique and important role SUNY Downstate plays in Central Brooklyn and New York State. We are committed to a strong and sustainable future for SUNY Downstate and grateful to Governor Hochul for a historic investment in SUNY Downstate’s hospital.”

    New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James V. McDonald said, “Governor Hochul has shown a strong commitment to strengthening health care across New York—from expanding mental health services to supporting the nursing workforce and modernizing medical facilities. Investing in SUNY Downstate’s hospital is a critical step that will improve health outcomes and better serve the residents of Central Brooklyn.”

    SUNY Downstate Chair of the Department of Community and Family Health Dr. Enitza George, M.D., MBA, MSAI. said, “After six months of working with the DCAB members, I believe these recommendations truly reflect our commitment to listening to the community. We carefully considered what’s needed and balanced it with what’s possible given the current funding. I’m genuinely excited about what’s next—for Brooklyn as a whole and for Downstate in particular.”

    SUNY Downstate Community Advisory Board Member Pastor Louis Hilton Straker Jr. said, “Reinvesting in Downstate will not only mean improved care, it will also mean a sense of safety and dignity for Central Brooklynites. Over the last year, we’ve seen how different voices and perspectives can enter a room and come together to deliver for our communities. Let Downstate serve as a sign of hope on what we can do when New Yorkers stand by each other and insist on solutions.”

    SUNY Downstate Community Advisory Board Member Dr. Lesly Kernisant said, “In my decades of caring for Brooklyn patients, a simple fact is clear: modern facilities and comprehensive services lead to improved care. This investment in SUNY Downstate’s future–which includes vital support for maternal health care–marks an important moment in the collective effort to reduce health disparities and secure a better future for our community.”

    Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said, “Securing this historic investment in SUNY Downstate is a major victory for Brooklyn—preserving critical services, modernizing the hospital, and reaffirming our commitment to equitable, high-quality care. By establishing the Community Advisory Board, we ensured that the voices of patients, workers, and the community were central to every discussion about Downstate’s future. I applaud Senator Myrie and all my Brooklyn colleagues whose tireless advocacy made this moment possible and who continue to lead the charge toward the full revitalization of SUNY Downstate Medical Center.”

    Assemblymember Amy Paulin said, “Securing $1 billion for Downstate is historic – I applaud Governor Hochul and the community leaders who helped shape this proposal. This is an important moment to be investing in our healthcare ecosystem, and Downstate’s modernization can serve as a model for vulnerable facilities across the state.”

    Assemblymember Brian Cunningham said, “As the representative for Central Brooklyn and SUNY Downstate, I have made it a priority to advocate to Governor Hochul and legislative leaders for the investments this hospital needs to serve our community and the city. Through this year’s budget process, we fought to secure critical funding for Downstate and for the healthcare infrastructure that so many New Yorkers rely on. With federal threats to Medicaid mounting, this new commitment from the state could not be more important. I commend the Governor for her leadership in protecting access to care and driving equity across the healthcare system.

    Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn said, “SUNY Downstate was founded 165 years ago, and served as a vital healthcare institution and safety-net hospital, helping over 300,000 Brooklynites annually, regardless of their ability to pay. In recent years, our borough’s only academic medical center kept trying to provide innovative, high-quality-care for all, while its 19th century infrastructure crumbled; putting the Downstate Hospital in serious peril; while leaving our most vulnerable constituents with next-to-nothing for healthcare. Gov. Hochul took decisive action, when other leaders swept this problem under the rug, and worked with the Brooklyn Delegation and our communities to deliver a one billion-dollar solution ensuring a bright future for SUNY Downstate and the Brooklynites who depend on it. Thank you to the Advisory Board for providing a blueprint to revitalize SUNY Downstate into a world-class, state-of-the-art health center that will truly save the lives of Brooklynites today and for decades to come.”

    New York City Council Member Farah N. Louis said, “I wholeheartedly applaud Governor Hochul for this historic and transformative $1 billion investment in SUNY Downstate Medical Center—a bold commitment that demonstrates extraordinary leadership and responsiveness to the urgent needs of Central Brooklyn residents. Knowing that this funding will restore full inpatient and outpatient care over 200 beds is a massive achievement in our fight to save this institution. As our community continues to advocate for a transformative and responsive investment, I am proud that our concerns were heard to bring modernized facilities and high-quality services to the working-class families of Central Brooklyn. Governor Hochul listened to the needs of our neighborhoods and I look forward to the strengthening of this essential institution.”

    New York City Council Member Mercedes Narcisse said, “This $1 billion investment and the restoration of 225 beds are crucial steps in ensuring Downstate stays open and continues to serve our community. I am deeply grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership and unwavering commitment to preserving this essential healthcare institution in Central Brooklyn. By implementing the majority of the Downstate Community Advisory Board’s recommendations, we are listening to those who know best and ensuring a brighter, healthier future for all who rely on Downstate.”

    Bishop Orlando Findlayter said, “We’ve seen private hospitals across the city close or limit services in recent years, which has been a rising threat to the healthcare of New Yorkers in underserved communities. But thanks to leadership from the Governor and our local community, Downstate will ensure the long-term commitment of all existing inpatient and outpatient services, and will serve as a beacon of care and community.”

    Assemblymember Latrice Walker said, “The release of the Downstate Community Advisory proposal for the reinvestment of more than $1 billion is a victory for the entire Central Brooklyn community, including the constituents of my district who rely on SUNY Downstate Hospital. I’d like to thank all the people who have fought so hard to get us to this point. That includes advocates, SUNY leadership, lawmakers, union leaders, and members of the faith and medical communities. And, of course, we would not be at this critical juncture without the leadership of Gov. Kathy Hochul. The proposal, which follows months of community input, retains kidney transplant and maternity services – which are priorities for my community, as we battle high rates of diabetes and fight for better Black maternal health outcomes. I look forward to the modernization of the emergency department, infrastructure upgrades and many other improvements stemming from the proposal. We have collectively struck a decisive blow in the ongoing effort to combat health disparities in Brooklyn communities of color. The quality of one’s care should not be determined by zip code.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Final of 14 Individuals Sentenced for Dog Fighting

    Source: US State of California

    Following a final sentencing hearing today, all 14 defendants convicted in a large-scale federal dog fighting case in Albany, Georgia, have been sentenced to a total of 343 months in prison for dog fighting and other charges.

    “Dog fighting is an odious form of organized crime, and it’s a magnet for other criminal activity,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department and its local partners, such as the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, will not tolerate this callous criminal activity.”

    “The brutality of dog fighting, combined with armed drug distribution, negatively affects our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker for the Middle District of Georgia. “The collaboration among law enforcement agencies at every level during this investigation and prosecution was essential in bringing these defendants to justice and rescuing abused animals.”

    “The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG).

    Details of the total sentencings is below:

    • Donnametric Miller, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 100 months in prison;
    • Fredricus White, of Panama City, Florida – 35 months in prison
    • Christopher Travis Beaumont, of Panama City, Florida – 30 months in prison;
    • Marvin Pulley, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 30 months in prison;
    • Cornelious Johnson, of Panama City, Florida – 27 months in prison;
    • Terelle Ganzy, of Panama City, Florida – 24 months in prison;
    • Willie Russell, of Blakely, Georgia – 24 months in prison;
    • Brandon Baker, of Panama City, Florida – 20 months in prison;
    • Terrance Davis, of Pansey, Alabama – 20 months in prison;
    • Tamichael Elijah, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 18 months in prison;
    • Timothy Freeman, of Bainbridge, Georgia – time served (15 months in prison);
    • Herman Buggs Jr., of Donalsonville, Georgia – time served (two weeks in prison);
    • Rodrecus Kimble, of Donalsonville, Georgia – one year home confinement; and
    • Gary Hopkins, of Donalsonville, Georgia – six months home confinement.

    In addition to prison sentences, the court also imposed restitution for the costs of care of dogs rescued in this investigation. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.

    According to court documents filed in this case, defendants from three states all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. Law enforcement disrupted the event after a 911 call and rescued 27 dogs that night, including one found in the blood-soaked fighting pit with severe injuries who soon died. The participants used their cars to store injured dogs who had already been fought, as well as those whose handlers were awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Law enforcement personnel also seized a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.

    Seized cell phones in this case contained evidence of some of the participants’ extensive participation in the dog fighting “industry,” including large group dog fighting text message chains, fight reports, and dog fighting videos and photos, including one of a dog who had been hung to death in a garage. Authorities seized and rescued 78 pit bull-type dogs altogether in this investigation, including 51 recovered during search warrants executed with arrest warrants this spring, sparing them from similar fates.

    The USDA-OIG and detectives with the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Detectives with the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.

    Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendants. The Seized Canine Program of the U.S. Marshals Service cared for the rescued dogs pending legal process.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Final of 14 Individuals Sentenced for Dog Fighting

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Following a final sentencing hearing today, all 14 defendants convicted in a large-scale federal dog fighting case in Albany, Georgia, have been sentenced to a total of 343 months in prison for dog fighting and other charges.

    “Dog fighting is an odious form of organized crime, and it’s a magnet for other criminal activity,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Justice Department and its local partners, such as the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office, will not tolerate this callous criminal activity.”

    “The brutality of dog fighting, combined with armed drug distribution, negatively affects our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker for the Middle District of Georgia. “The collaboration among law enforcement agencies at every level during this investigation and prosecution was essential in bringing these defendants to justice and rescuing abused animals.”

    “The Office of Inspector General is committed to working with all of our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners in pursuing individuals who choose to participate in animal fighting activities and engage in violations involving animal welfare,” said Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG).

    Details of the total sentencings is below:

    • Donnametric Miller, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 100 months in prison;
    • Fredricus White, of Panama City, Florida – 35 months in prison
    • Christopher Travis Beaumont, of Panama City, Florida – 30 months in prison;
    • Marvin Pulley, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 30 months in prison;
    • Cornelious Johnson, of Panama City, Florida – 27 months in prison;
    • Terelle Ganzy, of Panama City, Florida – 24 months in prison;
    • Willie Russell, of Blakely, Georgia – 24 months in prison;
    • Brandon Baker, of Panama City, Florida – 20 months in prison;
    • Terrance Davis, of Pansey, Alabama – 20 months in prison;
    • Tamichael Elijah, of Donalsonville, Georgia – 18 months in prison;
    • Timothy Freeman, of Bainbridge, Georgia – time served (15 months in prison);
    • Herman Buggs Jr., of Donalsonville, Georgia – time served (two weeks in prison);
    • Rodrecus Kimble, of Donalsonville, Georgia – one year home confinement; and
    • Gary Hopkins, of Donalsonville, Georgia – six months home confinement.

    In addition to prison sentences, the court also imposed restitution for the costs of care of dogs rescued in this investigation. Under federal law, it is illegal to fight dogs in a venture that affects interstate commerce and to possess, train, transport, deliver, sell, purchase or receive dogs for fighting purposes.

    According to court documents filed in this case, defendants from three states all converged on a property in Donalsonville, Georgia, on April 24, 2022, where they held a large-scale dog fighting event. Law enforcement disrupted the event after a 911 call and rescued 27 dogs that night, including one found in the blood-soaked fighting pit with severe injuries who soon died. The participants used their cars to store injured dogs who had already been fought, as well as those whose handlers were awaiting their turn in the fighting pit. Law enforcement personnel also seized a distribution quantity of methamphetamine.

    Seized cell phones in this case contained evidence of some of the participants’ extensive participation in the dog fighting “industry,” including large group dog fighting text message chains, fight reports, and dog fighting videos and photos, including one of a dog who had been hung to death in a garage. Authorities seized and rescued 78 pit bull-type dogs altogether in this investigation, including 51 recovered during search warrants executed with arrest warrants this spring, sparing them from similar fates.

    The USDA-OIG and detectives with the Seminole County, Georgia, Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Detectives with the Bay County, Florda, Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.

    Senior Trial Attorney Ethan Eddy and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from Criminal Chief Leah McEwen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morrill and Paralegal Kristi Cote for the Middle District of Georgia handled a parallel civil forfeiture proceeding to ensure that the dogs did not have to be returned to the defendants. The Seized Canine Program of the U.S. Marshals Service cared for the rescued dogs pending legal process.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The proposed Strong Borders Act gives police new invasive search powers that may breach Charter rights

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Robert Diab, Professor, Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University

    The new Liberal government has tabled its first bill in Parliament, the Strong Borders Act, or Bill C-2. Buried within it are several new powers that give police easier access to our private information.

    The bill responds to recent calls to beef up the enforcement of our border with the United States. It gives customs and immigration officials new powers: to search items being exported, like potentially stolen vehicles, and to deport migrants believed to be abusing Canada’s refugee protections.

    New police powers

    But while facing pressure from the U.S. to act, the Canadian government is using the apparent urgency of the moment to give police and intelligence agents a host of new powers to search our private data — powers that have nothing to do with the border.

    Some of them are already controversial and will no doubt be tested in the Supreme Court of Canada, if and when they’re passed. But many have also been on the wish list of previous governments, as part of “lawful access” bills that would make it easier for police to obtain details about a person’s online activity in cases involving child pornography, financial or gang-related crime.

    Why now? Why make another attempt to lower the barriers to police access to private data? And what is the controversy over these new powers?

    Gaps in the law

    The Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects the right to privacy of anyone in Canada. Police need authority — explicit permission set out somewhere in the law — to carry out a search or seizure of our private data for an investigative purpose.

    A law that allows police to do this must itself be reasonable, in the sense of striking the right balance between law enforcement and individual privacy.

    For the first 20 years of the web, it wasn’t clear what the police could or couldn’t do to gather information about us online.

    The Supreme Court held in 2014 that when police ask Shaw or Telus to give them a name attaching to an online account, this amounts to a search. While a person’s name and address may not reveal much on its own, the court held, it opens a door to something very private: a person’s entire search history.

    But the court in that case did not decide what kind of power police needed to make this demand, only that police need permission in law to make it.

    In Canadian law, requesting a name and address attached to an online account amounts to a search.
    (Shutterstock)

    In 2024, the Supreme Court held that when police ask for an internet protocol (IP) address linked to a person’s online activity, even that is private because it can open a window onto a lot more personal information.

    Police have been using warrant provisions in the Criminal Code to make a demand for an IP address, or the name and address linked to an online account. To get a warrant, in most cases, they need to show a judge they have reason to believe a crime has been committed that is linked to the account — in other words, they must show probable cause.

    Police have complained about how difficult this can be in some cases. They’ve long been calling for more tools.

    Expansive new powers

    The Strong Borders Act makes it easier for police and other state agents in a few ways.

    It will be easier to get a warrant because the new bill allows police to ask service providers like Shaw or Telus — without a warrant — whether they have information about an IP address or a person’s account.

    To then obtain that information, police need a warrant — but on the lower standard of reasonable suspicion of a crime, instead of probable cause. This can also apply to foreign entities like Google or Meta.

    Canadian Security Intelligence Service agents can ask a provider like Shaw or Google whether they have information about an account holder on no grounds at all. But in this case, the person of interest can’t be a citizen or a permanent resident.

    Compelling providers

    More concerning are powers in the bill compelling companies like Google or Apple, along with Shaw and Telus, to assist police in obtaining access to private data.

    Any company that provides Canadians with a service that stores or transmits information in digital form — pretty much anything we do on a phone or computer — can be ordered to help police gain immediate access to our data.

    The bill does this by stipulating that a company can be told to install “any device, equipment or other thing that may enable an authorized person to access information.”

    There are important limits on this. Police can only gain access if they have a warrant or other lawful permission. And a service provider need not comply with any order that would “introduce a systemic vulnerability,” like compelling them to install a backdoor to encryption.

    But the point is that these new powers compel companies to implement “capabilities” for “extracting… information that is authorized to be accessed.” They turn the brands we have an intimate relationship with — gmail, iCloud, Instagram and many others — into tools of the state.

    Future challenges

    For some of us, the thought that Apple or Google can now be conscripted to serve as a state agent to facilitate ready access to private data is unsettling. Even if there are safeguards.

    Courts will have to decide at some point whether searches conducted under these new powers strike a reasonable balance between law enforcement and personal privacy. Courts have held that our privacy interest in personal data is high.

    Whether police interest in quicker and easier access to that data in certain cases is equally high is an open question. But one thing is clear: it doesn’t seem to have much to do with the border.

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

    – ref. The proposed Strong Borders Act gives police new invasive search powers that may breach Charter rights – https://theconversation.com/the-proposed-strong-borders-act-gives-police-new-invasive-search-powers-that-may-breach-charter-rights-258257

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) Opens its Doors to the Public as it Seeks to Transform Healthcare in Africa

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ABUJA, Nigeria, June 5, 2025/APO Group/ —

    The African Medical Centre of Excellence (AMCE) officially opened today, marking a historic milestone in Africa’s journey towards healthcare sovereignty. The US$300 million tertiary medical facility, developed by African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) in partnership with King’s College Hospital London, welcomed His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as guest of honour, represented by His Excellency, Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, alongside high-ranking Government and private sector officials, including the Minsters of Health, Finance, and Foreign Affairs, Nigeria Customs Services, Nigeria Immigration Services, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) and Bank of Industry (BOI), among others.

    Located in Abuja and designed to meet the highest global standards, AMCE Abuja offers world-class services across oncology, haematology, cardiology, and general medical services. More than a hospital, the facility represents a bold statement of Africa’s determination to reduce dependence on foreign health systems and reverse the estimated US$6-10 billion Africans spend annually seeking treatment abroad.

    The opening of AMCE Abuja comes at a critical time, as Africa seeks to strengthen its healthcare systems and reduce reliance on external providers. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of this reliance, with global supply shortages putting immense pressure on African nations. Similarly, past responses to health crises like Ebola have reinforced the urgent need for resilient, homegrown solutions. Decades after independence, millions of Africans continue to suffer from diseases like sickle cell and malaria, conditions that could be better managed with targeted local research and investment. Yet these illnesses often receive limited global attention or funding, leaving critical treatment gaps. AMCE Abuja represents a bold step forward, bringing world-class care to the continent, centering African health priorities, and laying the groundwork for a healthier, more self-reliant future. In strategic partnership with Bank of Industry (BOI), and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), AMCE reflects what’s possible when African institutions unite with shared purpose.

     “Today, we are not merely unveiling a building, we are making a bold, collective statement: we will no longer accept medical vulnerability as destiny. The African Medical Centre of Excellence stands as proof that Africa is ready to compete with the best in global healthcare. I commend Afreximbank and its visionary President, Professor Benedict Oramah, and salute the partnership with King’s College Hospital for turning this audacious dream into reality. This is what happens when African institutions confront African challenges with African solutions.

    “Over the past two years, we have taken deliberate steps to transform Nigeria’s health sector—from unlocking the healthcare value chain through the Presidential Initiative (PVAC), to expanding pharmaceutical production, regulatory systems, and diagnostic access, and securing over $2.2 billion in new investments through the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Initiative. But excellence must be sustained. That’s why we’re investing in the roads, power, and connectivity that enable great institutions to thrive. With the largest stem cell lab in West Africa and plans for a medical school, this Centre is more than a hospital, it is a place to heal the sick, and to train the future.” — H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, represented by H.E. Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

    Commenting on the momentous achievement, Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of both Afreximbank and AMCE, thanked the Federal Government of Nigeria for providing the land on which the AMCE stands, adding: ” In 2013, I had my own close call when I became seriously ill and was evacuated to King’s College Hospital in London, where a frantic battle to save my life ensued. Being here today is a testament to the power of cutting-edge medical research, clinical knowledge, and a solid healthcare ecosystem. The event we mark today is proof that society is better off saving lives than burying its dead, and that it is a living person who can contribute to development and social transformation. This experience led me to conclude that one of the major contributions I could make to Africa was to help Afreximbank deliver on its health and medical strategy in every way possible. Our vision for the African Medical Centre of Excellence is not just to provide top-notch healthcare but to serve as a catalyst for the transformation of the African health sector, making a bold statement to the world that Africa is finally taking its destiny into its own hands in healthcare sovereignty and global standards.”

    President Oramah also announced the launch of the Africa Life Sciences Foundation to act as the vehicle for mobilising appropriate risk capital to drive research efforts and called on African and non-African governments, banks, high net worth individuals and corporate organisations to join the Bank in investing in the hospital, through this platform.

    Brian Deaver, Chief Executive Officer of AMCE, highlighted the facility’s comprehensive approach: “Today, we don’t just open a hospital—we launch a healthcare revolution for Africa. AMCE represents a paradigm shift in how specialised medical care is delivered on the continent. Our integrated model encompasses early diagnosis, advanced treatment, and long-term disease management, creating a seamless continuum of care that improves patient outcomes and health experiences.”

    He added: “Our mission extends beyond treatment to include world-class medical education, groundbreaking research, and continuous innovation. By combining international expertise with local talent development, AMCE will build sustainable healthcare capacity that serves generations to come.  

    AMCE’s opening signals a new era for Africa — one in which self-reliance replaces dependency, and world-class care is no longer the privilege of a few but the standard for many. By anchoring healthcare delivery, talent development, and innovation on the continent, AMCE is not just stemming the outflow of medical dollars, but redefining Africa’s place in the global health ecosystem.

    Through its clinical partnerships with King’s College Hospital, London and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, AMCE will be home to advance research, education, and medical excellence by fostering continuous knowledge exchange. In its next phase, AMCE will expand to include a second 350-bed hospital, medical and nursing schools, a medical sciences foundation, research centres, and residential facilities. Together, this integrated ecosystem will position Nigeria as a leading hub for specialist healthcare, medical training, and clinical research on the continent.

    Professor Clive Kay, Chief Executive Officer of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said, “We are proud to partner with Afreximbank on this important initiative. The African Medical Centre of Excellence represents a positive step forward, and by bringing together world-class clinical standards, training, and research, we aim to share our expertise and support the development of a sustainable model of care that responds directly to the needs of African patients”.

    Now open, AMCE welcomes patients, healthcare professionals, researchers, and partners to join its mission of delivering world-class healthcare, fostering innovation, and building a healthier, more self-reliant Africa. AMCE is the largest specialised private hospital in Nigeria and West Africa focusing on cardiovascular services, haematology, comprehensive oncology, and general medical services. It currently boasts of 170 beds with a plan to expand this to 500 beds upon completion. It features the largest stem cell laboratory in the region, fifteen post stem cell isolation rooms in West Africa alongside five theatres and three catheterisation laboratories. It also features a 20 bed intensive care unit, six critical care unit beds and 20 chemotherapy chairs with compounding pharmacy among others. Some of the specialised equipment in Nigeria and the region are exclusively hosted by AMCE Abuja. They include the 18 Mev cyclotron, 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 256 slices computed tomography, brachytherapy machine with iridium source, 4 biosafety cabinets and 128 slices computed tomography machines, among others. 

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mexican illegal alien sentenced to 11 years for smuggling 3,000 pounds of methamphetamine in truckload of cabbages following ICE Rio Grande Valley, federal partner investigation

    Source: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement

    McALLEN, Texas – A Mexican illegal alien was sentenced for his role in possessing with intent to distribute nearly $3 million in methamphetamine concealed inside cabbages following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Hidalgo County Constable’s Office.

    Jose Angel Ibarra-Rojas, 36, was sentenced on June 4 by U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton to serve 132 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard how the narcotics were packaged in a sophisticated manner. The heads of the cabbages were removed, and balls of methamphetamine were then inserted into the leaves in order to conceal them. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. Ibarra-Rojas pleaded guilty Nov. 6, 2024.

    “This sentencing sends a strong message: any criminal who colludes with terrorist organizations to smuggle dangerous drugs into our communities will face harsh consequences. Thanks to the joint efforts of HSI, CBP, and local partners, we dismantled a dangerous operation and took a major quantity of meth off the streets,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mark Lippa.

    According to court documents, on June 18, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a tractor trailer in Pharr. Ibarra-Rojas was the passenger. A search of the vehicle revealed 1,154 plastic-wrapped packages containing a crystal-like substance concealed within cabbages in the cargo area. Authorities determined the substance was methamphetamine and had a total weight of approximately 1,356 kilograms. The drugs had an estimated street value of over $2.8 million.

    Ibarra-Rojas admitted he knew the trailer contained narcotics and was aware it had recently entered the United States. He claimed he expected to be paid $1,000 to arrange the transport of the trailer and its narcotics farther north into the United States. Ibarra-Rojas also said he had arranged similar transports several times in the past.

    Ibarra-Rojas will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell from the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Assistance Extended To July 25 for Kentuckians Affected by April Storms

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Assistance Extended To July 25 for Kentuckians Affected by April Storms

    FEMA Assistance Extended To July 25 for Kentuckians Affected by April Storms

    FRANKFORT, Ky

    – Kentucky homeowners and renters who suffered uninsured or underinsured damage to their property from the April severe storms, flooding, straight-line winds, tornadoes, flooding, landslides and mudslides now have until July 25 to apply for FEMA assistance

    Survivors are encouraged to file insurance claims for damage to their homes, personal property and vehicles before they apply for FEMA assistance

    FEMA Individual Assistance cannot duplicate insurance benefits or other sources of assistance

     How To Apply for FEMA AssistanceThere are several ways to apply for FEMA assistance:Online at DisasterAssistance

    gov

    Visit any Disaster Recovery Center

    To find a center close to you, visit fema

    gov/DRC, or text DRC along with your Zip Code to 43362 (Example: “DRC 29169”)

    Use the FEMA mobile app

    Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362

    It is open 7 a

    m

    to 10 p

    m

    Eastern Time

    Help is available in many languages

    If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service

     FEMA works with every household on a case-by-case basis

    FEMA representatives can explain available assistance programs, how to apply to FEMA, and help connect survivors with resources for their recovery needs

    When you apply, you will need to provide:A current phone number where you can be contacted

    Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying

    Your Social Security Number

    A general list of damage and losses

    Banking information if you choose direct deposit

     If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name

    Survivors should keep their contact information updated with FEMA as the agency may need to call to schedule a home inspection or get additional information

     Disaster assistance is not a substitute for insurance and is not intended to compensate for all losses caused by a disaster

    The assistance is intended to meet basic needs and supplement disaster recovery efforts

     For more information about Kentucky flooding recovery, visit www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4860 and www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4864

    Follow the FEMA Region 4 X account at x

    com/femaregion4

     
    martyce

    allenjr
    Thu, 06/05/2025 – 12:47

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredo area alien smuggling ring taken down

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been ordered to federal prison for their roles in an extensive human smuggling conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Manuel Capetillo, 27, Poteet, and Michael Diaz, 31, Laredo, pleaded guilty Feb. 4 and March 4, respectively.

    U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed an 85-month-term of imprisonment for Capetillo, while Diaz received 70 months. Both men were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. Diaz was further ordered to pay a $10,000 special assessment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the inhumane conditions in which the aliens were transported and that Capetillo and Diaz had made a business out of smuggling aliens. “You thought of these people as cattle,” he said. Judge Kazen also commented on Capetillo’s leadership role and that he was one of the highest-level players in the region he had seen. 

    Capetillo and Diaz are attributed with smuggling over 65 aliens, including adults and children as young as six, who came from multiple countries as far south as Guatemala and as close as Mexico. Both had received cash payments in excess of $50,000 during their operations.

    The investigation revealed both men operated stash houses in Laredo and that Capetillo also operated one in Poteet. Over several months, Capetillo recruited drivers, scouts and caretakers to bring aliens in from countries in Central America and transport them throughout the southern and central areas of Texas.

    Capetillo negotiated prices with Mexican smugglers on how much and to whom would be paid for aliens illegally crossing into the United States. He also negotiated with Mexican nationals to provide weapons for the wars taking place in Monterrey, Mexico, and importing drugs into the United States.  

    Diaz worked in close connection with Capetillo to rent a yard in Laredo and load aliens into inoperable vehicles, place them on top of tow trucks and smuggle them to Capetillo’s Poteet stash house in the Southern Texas heat. Capetillo paid Diaz for his role in the conspiracy.

    Previously released on bond, Capetillo was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Diaz has been and will remain in custody.

    Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of police departments in Laredo and Poteet. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory Sailer prosecuted the case.

    This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Illegal Alien Sentenced for Assaulting Law Enforcement

    Source: US FBI

    McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old El Salvadorian national has been sentenced for assaulting a Border Patrol (BP) agent, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Oscar Adilio Sanchez-Rivera pleaded guilty March 4.

    U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Sanchez-Rivera to serve 36 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

    “The defendant here managed to turn a simple removal case to a multi-year federal sentence,” said Ganjei. “Let this case be an example to others who may wish harm on police or federal agents; assaulting law enforcement will not be tolerated.”

    On Nov. 1, 2024, authorities conducted a traffic stop in Rio Grande City when Sanchez-Rivera notified them of his alien status. As the BP agent attempted to place him in a vehicle, Sanchez-Rivera attempted to evade arrest. He punched the agent in the face and grabbed the agent’s finger, causing a fracture that required surgery.

    Sanchez-Rivera fled on foot but was soon apprehended.

    He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    BP and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Moran Leads Effort to Secure Future of Red River Army Depot

    Source: Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01)

    Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) issued the following statement regarding the future operations of the Red River Army Depot (RRAD).

    Washington, D.C. ­— Today, Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) issued the following statement regarding the future operations of the Red River Army Depot (RRAD). Earlier this week, Congressman Moran led a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth detailing the critical role that RRAD plays in military preparedness and the need to continue supporting RRAD operations and personnel. This letter, which was co-signed by 11 other members of the Texas Congressional Delegation, stated in part:

    “As Congress works to help fulfill President Trump’s vision of peace through strength, it is critical that we place renewed emphasis on our nation’s maintenance and repair depots that directly support America’s soldiers, sailors, and airmen. For that reason, I strongly urge the Department of Defense to continue operations at Red River Army Depot at full operational capacity—and to actively pursue new mission-critical opportunities that expand its role in our national defense strategy.

    RRAD is not only a cornerstone of America’s military logistics capability, it is also a model of cost-efficiency. Unlike many government facilities, RRAD is funded entirely by the workload it receives from military branches and commercial partners—making it self-sufficient, accountable, and agile. It doesn’t waste taxpayer dollars. It maximizes them.

    We are actively pursuing conversations with the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, and Army Chief of Staff General Randy A. George. While we await a formal response to our letter, I remain committed to safeguarding RRAD’s mission and ensuring it remains a key pillar of our national defense infrastructure.

    We thank the Department of Defense for its continued dedication to national security and stand ready to work together to strengthen our industrial base, protect the jobs of thousands of skilled Texans, and fulfill our shared mission of peace through strength.”

    This week’s letter from Congressman Moran to Secretary Hegseth comes just ahead of the recent visit to Washington, D.C. by representatives from the Texarkana area, who are advocating directly on behalf of RRAD’s mission and future growth. Congressman Moran and his staff have worked closely with these local leaders to support their visit and ensure their voices are heard at the highest levels of the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army.

    “We are deeply grateful to Congressman Moran and our congressional delegation for their steadfast leadership and unwavering advocacy on behalf of Red River Army Depot,” said David Orr, Texarkana City Manager. “Their efforts highlight just how essential RRAD is—not only to the strength of our local economy, but to the readiness of our nation’s armed forces. I am proud to stand alongside them in urging continued investment in this world-class facility. Together, we are ensuring that Texarkana remains a vital partner in supporting the brave men and women who defend our freedom.”

    Robin Hickerson, President and CEO of the Texarkana USA Regional Chamber of Commerce, added: “Red River Army Depot is a critical part of both our local economy and our national defense. It provides quality jobs for families across the region and plays a key role in supporting our military readiness. Our Chamber of Commerce Military Affairs Committee is honored to visit Washington, D.C., to advocate for the Depot, and we are beyond grateful to Congressman Moran for his unwavering commitment to RRAD and its mission.”

    The full letter can be read here.

    Background:

    Congressman Moran and his colleagues from the Texas Congressional Delegation recently submitted a unified letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and other senior officials, stressing RRAD’s strategic value and calling for continued and expanded operations at the site.

    Located on 15,375 acres in Northeast Texas and housing over 1,400 buildings with more than 8 million square feet of industrial space, Red River Army Depot is a pivotal asset within the Army’s organic industrial base. As the designated Center of Industrial and Technical Excellence for Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, RRAD provides indispensable repair and remanufacturing support for critical military systems including the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle, the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.

    Beyond the Army, RRAD also delivers support to the Marine Corps, Air Force, and Navy—making it a vital hub of inter-service readiness. Its 3,500-member workforce is lean, experienced, and capable of rapidly scaling operations to meet the evolving needs of our warfighters—having done so during previous combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and now again as it provides assistance to U.S. allies in Israel and Ukraine.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Trump’s ‘gold standard’ politicizes federal science

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By H. Christopher Frey, Glenn E. Futrell Distinguished University Professor of Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University

    President Donald Trump holds up an executive order promoting coal production, with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin, left, and the secretaries of Interior and Energy behind him. AP Photo/Evan Vucci

    The first time Donald Trump was president, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed a regulation known as the “science transparency” rule. The administration liked to call it the “secret science” rule.

    “Transparency” sounds positive, but this rule instead prevented the EPA from using some of the best available science to protect human health.

    For example, it required the EPA to ignore or downplay studies that established links between exposure to chemicals and health damage if those studies were based on confidential patient information that could not be released to the public. The problem: Many health studies, including those underpinning many U.S. pollution rules, rely on confidential patient information.

    A U.S. District Court struck down the rule on procedural grounds a few weeks after it was issued. But now, the idea is back.

    Trump’s so-called Restoring Gold Standard Science executive order of May 23, 2025, resurrects many features of the EPA’s vacated rule, but it applies them to all federal agencies.

    To many readers, the executive order might sound reasonable. It mentions “transparency,” “reproducibility” and “uncertainty.” However, the devil is in the details.

    What’s wrong with transparency and reproducibility?

    “Transparency” implies that scientists should adequately explain all elements of their work, including hypotheses, methods, results and conclusions in a way that helps others see how those conclusions were reached.

    “Data transparency” is an expectation that scientists should share all data used in the study so other scientists can recalculate the results. This is also known as “reproducibility.”

    Trump’s executive order focuses on reproducibility. However, if there are errors in the data or methods of the original study, being able to reproduce its results may only ensure consistency but not scientific rigor.

    More important to scientific rigor is “replicability.” Replicability means different scientists, working with different data and different methods, can arrive at consistent findings. For example, studies of human exposure to a set of pollutants at different locations, and with different populations, that consistently find relationships to health effects, such as illness and premature death, can increase confidence in the findings.

    Replicability doesn’t require releasing confidential health data, as reproducibility would. Instead, it looks for the same results broadly from other sources.

    During the first Trump administration, people in cities across the U.S. participated in marches for science, protesting the administration’s actions to cut the use of scientific evidence out of policymaking.
    Michael Siluk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

    The science transparency rule in the first Trump administration was intended to limit the EPA’s ability to consider epidemiologic studies like those that established the health harms from exposure to secondhand smoke and to PM2.5, fine particles often from pollution.

    Many large-scale studies that assess how exposure to pollution can harm human health are based on personal data collected according to strict protocols to ensure privacy. Preventing policymakers from considering those findings means they are left to make important decisions about pollution and chemicals without crucial evidence about the health risks.

    These attempts to create barriers to using valid science echoed tactics used by the tobacco industry from the 1960s well into the 1990s to deny that tobacco use harmed human health.

    Uncertainty: A matter of balance

    Trump’s new executive order also emphasizes “uncertainty.”

    In the first Trump administration, the EPA administrator and his hand-picked science advisers, none of whom were epidemiologists, focused on “uncertainty” in epidemiological studies used to inform decisions on air quality standards.

    The EPA’s scientific integrity policy requires that policymakers “shall not knowingly misrepresent, exaggerate, or downplay areas of scientific uncertainty associated with policy decisions.”

    That might sound reasonable. However, in the final 2020 rule for the nation’s PM2.5 air quality standard, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler stated that “limitations in the science lead to considerable uncertainty” to justify not lowering the standard, the level considered unhealthy. PM2.5 comes largely from fossil fuel combustion in cars, power plants and factories.

    In contrast, an independent external group of scientific experts, which I was part of as an environmental engineer and former EPA adviser, reviewed the same evidence and came to a very different conclusion. We found clear scientific evidence supporting a more stringent standard for PM2.5.

    Skepticism versus denial

    The executive order also requires that science be conducted in a manner that is “skeptical of its findings and assumptions.”

    A true skeptic can be swayed to change an inference based on evidence, whereas a denialist holds a fixed view irrespective of evidence. Denialists tend to cherry-pick evidence, set impossible levels of evidence and engage in logical fallacies.

    The first Trump administration stacked the EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, which advises EPA on setting health-protective air quality standards, with opponents of environmental regulation, including people connected to industries the EPA regulates. The committee then amplified uncertainties. It also shifted the burden of proof in ways inconsistent with the statutory requirement to protect public health with an adequate margin of safety.

    The current administration has been dismantling science advisory committees in various agencies again and purging key EPA committees of independent experts.

    Who decides when politics trumps science

    According to Trump, “violations” of his executive order will be determined by a “senior appointee designated by the agency head.” This means a political appointee accountable to the White House. Thus, science in each federal agency will be politicized.

    The political appointee is required to “correct scientific information.”

    Anyone can file a “request for correction” regarding a published agency report. During the first Trump administration, chemical companies or their representatives repeatedly filed requests for changes to final EPA toxicity assessments on ethylene oxide and chloroprene. The administration delayed health-protective actions, which were finally addressed during the Biden administration for both chemicals.

    The request for correction process is intended to correct errors, not to bias assessments to be more favorable to industry and to delay protective actions.

    The bottom line on Trump’s ‘gold standard’

    While the language of the executive order may seem innocuous based on a casual reading, it risks undermining unbiased science in all federal agencies, subject to political whims.

    Setting impossible bars for “transparency” can mean regulators ignore relevant and valid scientific studies. Overemphasizing uncertainties can be used to raise doubt and unduly undermine confidence in robust findings.

    A politicized process also has the potential to punish federal employees and to ignore external peer reviewers who have the temerity to advance evidence-based findings contrary to White House ideology.

    Thus, this executive order could be used to deprive the American public of accurate and unbiased information regarding chemicals in the environment. That would prevent the development of effective evidence-based policies necessary for the protection of human health, rather than advancing the best available science.

    H. Christopher Frey receives funding from the California Air Resources Board via a research grant to North Carolina State University. He was on leave from NCSU to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from 2021 to 2024. From 2021 to 2022, he served as Deputy Assistant Administrator of Science Policy. From 2022-20224, he served as the senate-confirmed Assistant Administrator of the Office of Research and Development and concurrently served as the EPA Science Advisor. He was a member of the EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee from 2008 to 2012, and chaired CASAC from 2012 to 2015.

    – ref. How Trump’s ‘gold standard’ politicizes federal science – https://theconversation.com/how-trumps-gold-standard-politicizes-federal-science-258277

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures Felony Sentence Against San Diego Fentanyl Trafficker

    Source: US State of California

    Thursday, June 5, 2025

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    SAN DIEGO — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today secured a 10-year sentence against Jose Hector Ruiz on felony counts of transportation for sale of a controlled substance weighing more than four kilograms. The arrest of Mr. Ruiz occurred after a joint operation in San Diego County resulted in the seizure of 720,000 fentanyl pills. In February 2024, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Fentanyl Abatement & Suppression Team (FAST), in collaboration with the California Department of Justice San Diego Fentanyl Enforcement Program (SD FEP), the United States Border Patrol (USBP), and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSD), arrested Mr. Ruiz in Alpine after the investigation determined he was driving a vehicle containing a large quantity of fentanyl.

    “Today, I want to remind Californians that our work will continue until illicit fentanyl stops destroying lives,” said Attorney Rob General Bonta. “This sentence would not have been possible without the strong partnership between our Fentanyl Enforcement Program and the FAST Task Force. Whether by the seizure of illicit fentanyl through our ongoing enforcement efforts or by bringing California billions of dollars through our legal efforts to hold the opioid industry accountable, the California Department of Justice is all-in when it comes to protecting California families from the dangers of fentanyl. There are countless lives being saved because of this important and difficult work.”

    “FAST represents the kind of focused and strategic partnership needed to confront the fentanyl crisis head on,” said Shawn Gibson, special agent in charge for Homeland Security Investigations, San Diego. “This multiagency effort and lengthy sentencing demonstrates how combining resources and expertise is making communities safer and stronger by targeting the networks peddling this deadly drug.”

    A total of 110 packages were removed from the vehicle with a total combined weight of 158.5 pounds. The packages contained blue pills with “M30” markings, and the investigation determined the pills contained fentanyl. Law enforcement estimated approximately 720,000 fentanyl pills were removed from the vehicle. The prosecution of this case was handled by the California Department of Justice, Special Prosecutions Section.

    HSI FAST is a multiagency task force comprised of state, local and federal partners and was first established in August 2022, focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of criminal organizations that smuggle and distribute fentanyl within San Diego County. HSI’s FAST targets fentanyl smuggling and distribution networks to counter the rising overdose rate and decrease the availability and accessibility of fentanyl. The California Department of Justice (DOJ) is actively working to prevent fentanyl trafficking across the border through coordinated efforts with federal and local law enforcement partners throughout California to stop fentanyl before it ever has a chance to make it into our neighborhoods. As of April 2025, DOJ has seized a total of 15,468,990 fentanyl pills, 6,793 pounds of fentanyl powder and have arrested 508 suspects on fentanyl related charges.

    An image from the seizure can be found here.

    The complaint can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Maryland State Trooper Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bribery and Drug Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Justin Riggs, 35, of Smithsburg, Maryland, to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for Conspiracy to Distribute and Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, Use of a Communication Facility in Causing or Facilitating the Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, and Travel Act-State of Maryland Bribery.   

    Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

    According to his guilty plea, in December 2022, Riggs — who was serving as a Maryland State Trooper — was assigned to a group within the Maryland State Police (MSP) investigating drug and gun trafficking in Western Maryland.  The MSP group used at least one confidential human source during the investigation.  On December 19, Riggs created a fictitious Facebook account to contact a drug-distributor target.  While corresponding with the drug distributor, Riggs informed the drug distributor that he worked “for a fed agency.”  Riggs also told the drug distributor that he had “tons more info pertaining to your biggest informant.”  The former Maryland state trooper initiated several electronic conversations with the drug distributor between 2022 and 2023, attempting to sell the informant’s identity.

    On December 21, Riggs stated among other things:

    “Theres a big case man. I’m not reaching out because I care what you’re in to or not in to. you don’t have to play innocent to me. IDC about that. I’m just trying to get paid. But there’s a big case that’s going on. Im here to work with you. I gave you some free info to prove my worth. Once you find the tracker and see I’m legit then let’s talk about the other info I have.”

    “That’s why I need money for the info. I know what’ll happen to the rat. You may not have the money but your club does. And this case is going to hurt alot of members. But anyway. Just holler when you want to move forward man.”

    Then on December 22, Riggs continued conversing with the drug distributor. The drug distributor told Riggs that he was no longer going to participate in drug trafficking, to which Riggs responded in part:

    “…So listen, if you’re getting out or want nothing to do with what I can offer, is there anybody trustworthy in your club that would have interest in my services? Info for money exchange type of thing?”

    “I could be willing to give you some more info now for forwarding my services to someone that could use it.”

    On December 26, Riggs asked the drug distributor if he removed the tracker from his truck.  Riggs then offered additional help to the drug distributor.  During the correspondence, Riggs said:

    “Did you pull the tracker off? I can help you by telling you how deep the investigation is. How to make it go away, who your snitch is that’s setting y’all up, and when your phone will be tapped…”

    “Gotchya. Yah it will send an alert once removed. I think they’re going to try to put another one of this week. I can’t communicate with you once the wire tap starts. That’s why I’m going offline tomorrow. But like I said I can help you. By telling you the snitch. Once he’s gone then you’re case should be gone because he won’t be able to testify against you”

    On January 2, 2023, Riggs began negotiating a price with the drug distributor for the information which continued through January 3. During a latter part of the conversation, Riggs stated:

    “If you make the 1500 drop then I’ll just give ya the rest of the info and you can make the 300 drop.”  Then later, “Every buy he’s done hasbeen recorded. The audio conversations have been recorded. But he plans on testifying on ya…”

    Then on January 5, Person 1 picked up the $1,500 on behalf of Riggs at an agreed upon location in Western Maryland. Riggs later confirmed with the drug distributor that he received the money.

    U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and MSP for their work in the investigation and ATF and HSI for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney who prosecuted the case.

    For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lunenburg County — Update: Lunenburg District RCMP charges woman with impaired driving offences following fatal side-by-side crash

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Lunenburg District RCMP has charged a woman with multiple impaired driving offences following an investigation into a fatal off-highway vehicle crash that occurred in May 2024, RCMP investigates fatal ATV crash in Forties.

    On May 27 at approximately 7:10 p.m., Lunenburg District RCMP, fire services, and EHS, responded to a report of a Polaris side-by-side crash on a logging road near the 1100 block of Forties Rd. Of the four occupants, an infant from Forties, succumbed to life-threatening injuries after being transported to hospital. Two adults, a 27-year-old female driver from Forties and a 52-year-old male passenger from New Ross, suffered serious injuries and a child also from Forties, suffered minor injuries. They were also transported to hospital by EHS.

    Through blood analysis, it was established that the driver’s blood alcohol concentration was more than twice the legal limit at the time of the crash.

    On June 4, 2025, RCMP officers arrested Madisyn Elizabeth Parker, 28, and charged her with:

    • Impaired Operation of a Conveyance Causing Death
    • Dangerous Operation of a Conveyance Causing Death
    • Causing Death by Criminal Negligence

    Parker has appeared in court and was released on conditions. She’s scheduled to return in Bridgewater Provincial Court on July 2 at 9:30 a.m.

    An RCMP collision reconstructionist and the RCMP’s National Forensic Laboratory Services supported the investigation that led to these charges.

    The investigation is ongoing.

    Our thoughts continue to be with the victim’s loved ones.

    File #: 2024-720190

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Update 295 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    The IAEA team based at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) today heard repeated rounds of gunfire that appeared to be aimed at drones reportedly attacking the site’s training centre, followed by the sound of multiple explosions, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said.

    It was the fourth time this year that the training centre, located just outside the site perimeter, was reportedly targeted by unmanned aerial vehicles.

    “Drones flying close to nuclear power plants could threaten their safety and security, with potentially serious consequences. As I have stated repeatedly during the war, such incidents must stop immediately,” Director General Grossi said.

    The IAEA team on site reported hearing at least five explosions between 11:30am and 13:45pm local time, each preceded by gunfire. Additional gunfire was heard around 14:00pm. The ZNPP told the IAEA team that all incidents involved “drone neutralization” near the training centre premises. There were no immediate reports of any damage to the centre.

    Last month, the IAEA team also heard bursts of gunfire, coinciding with a purported drone attack on the same training centre. In mid-April this year, a drone was reportedly shot down and crashed near the ZNPP’s training centre, just over three months after another reported drone attack on the centre.

    Drones are also frequently detected near Ukraine’s other nuclear sites.

    In February, a drone severely damaged the New Safe Confinement (NSC) at the Chornobyl plant in northern Ukraine, built to prevent any radioactive release from the reactor unit 4 destroyed in the 1986 accident and to protect it from external hazards.

    Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) – Khmelnytskyy, Rivne and South Ukraine – also regularly report of drones being detected near the respective sites.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: 401(K) Plan Sponsors Expected to Favor Blend Target Date Funds, according to PIMCO Consultant Survey

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nearly two-thirds of institutional consultants and 80 percent of aggregators say they expect plan sponsors to increase their implementation of blend target date funds, retirement asset allocation vehicles that blend active and passive management approaches, according to the 19th Annual Defined Contribution (DC) Consulting Study conducted by PIMCO, a global leader in active fixed income with expertise across public and private markets.

    Institutional consultants and aggregators also said they plan to focus more research and ratings on blend TDFs; while aggregators, in particular, intend to significantly increase their focus on personalized TDFs, advisor managed accounts (AMAs) and dual qualified default investment alternatives, vehicles that start out as traditional TDFs and then transition to a more personalized solution as workers approach retirement.

    Additionally, in the next year, roughly half of the consultants surveyed and one-third of the aggregators said they expect sponsors to adopt private market investments within their asset allocation offerings, with private credit as the most likely option.

    PIMCO surveyed 35 consultants and advisory firms, who serve over 27,000 clients, as part of the firm’s effort to capture the breadth of views in the industry as well as services available amid rapidly changing demographics of plan participants. Published results were based on responses from firms with more than $8.8 trillion in DC assets under management.

    “We have seen the emergence of new themes in our survey as the industry continues to evolve,” said Rene Martel, Managing Director and PIMCO’s Head of Retirement. “This year, blend TDFs and private investments have joined other priorities as plan sponsors broaden their offering to address the diverse needs of their participants.”

    Other survey findings:

    • Incorporating Collective Investment Trusts (CITs) is the most common priority of sponsors, followed by evaluating both guaranteed and non-guaranteed retirement income strategies.
    • The overall number of fund options remains steady, with two-thirds, on average, focused on active management; consultant recommendations have a stronger bias towards active management in fixed income, capital preservation, and inflation mitigation.
    • DC plan offerings continue to evolve, with a shift from passive to active fixed income and from active to passive equity; there is also growing adoption of active multi-asset inflation strategies and removal of balanced funds.
    • Interest in multi-sector fixed income is increasing due to its potential to help savers accumulate wealth through a broader opportunity set, sector rotation, and potential for higher yield generation, along with aiming to produce consistent income generation to support retirees.
    • When evaluating tradeoffs of guaranteed income products, consultants have a strong preference for opt-in solutions that offer fee transparency, liquidity, and immediate income upon annuitization.

    A summary of the survey’s key findings can be found here: https://www.pimco.com/us/en/investment-strategies/dc-survey

    About the Survey
    In its 19th year, the PIMCO US Defined Contribution Consulting Study seeks to help consultants, advisors and plan sponsors understand the breadth of views and consulting services available within the defined contribution (DC) marketplace. Our 2025 study captures data, trends and opinions from 35 consulting and advisory firms who serve over 27,000 clients with aggregate DC assets in excess of $8.85 trillion as of the date survey responses were collected. All responses were collected from January 14 through March 10, 2025.

    About PIMCO 
    PIMCO is a global leader in active fixed income with deep expertise across public and private markets. We invest our clients’ capital across a range of fixed income and credit opportunities, drawing upon our decades of experience navigating complex debt markets. Our flexible capital base and deep relationships with issuers have helped us become one of the world’s largest providers of traditional and nontraditional solutions for companies that need financing and investors who seek strong risk-adjusted returns.

    The survey results contain the opinions of the respondents at the time of the survey and may not reflect current opinions or investment strategies. These results may or may not match the views of PIMCO and are not intended to be reflective of PIMCO’s opinions on the market or any particular investment style or strategy. This material is distributed for informational purposes only and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or product. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed.

    Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements contained in this news release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including the performance of financial markets, the investment performance of PIMCO’s sponsored investment products and separately managed accounts, general economic conditions, future acquisitions, competitive conditions and government regulations, including changes in tax laws. Readers should carefully consider such factors. Further, such forward-looking statements speak only on the date at which such statements are made. PIMCO undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements.

    Contact:
    Agnes Crane
    PIMCO – Media Relations
    Ph. 212-597-1054
    Email: agnes.crane@pimco.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Inside Ukraine’s remarkable drone attack

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

    You can generally tell when Vladimir Putin appears rattled by an adverse event in his war on Ukraine. He (or one of his proxies) ramps up the bloodcurdling rhetoric. And so it is with Ukraine’s “Spiderweb” drone attack on four airbases inside Russia, which reportedly destroyed or damaged as many as 40 warplanes, a good chunk of Russia’s fleet of strategic nuclear-capable bombers.

    These aircraft have been used during the war to deliver cruise missiles at targets within Ukraine and have been kept on airbases far enough from Ukraine to be well out of range of anything Kyiv could fire at them. So Ukraine’s secret intelligence service, the SBU, hatched a plot to send truckloads of home-grown drones in vans to locations close to airbases as far away as Irkutsk in Siberia and Murmansk close to the top of Finland.

    Technological savvy aside, perhaps the most remarkable thing about the plan was that it was 18 months in the making and yet the SBU managed to keep it a secret shared by only a few, including Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky. Significantly, the plan was reportedly kept from the US government.

    Sign up to receive our weekly World Affairs Briefing newsletter from The Conversation UK. Every Thursday we’ll bring you expert analysis of the big stories in international relations.

    An angry Putin is reported to have accused Ukraine of “organising terrorist attacks”, saying to aides: “How can we have meetings like this under these conditions? What is there to talk about? Who has negotiations with  … terrorists?”

    Nothing much has been revealed as to what was actually said about the drone attack when delegates for the two sides met on Monday, apparently for barely an hour, to continue their peace talks. But as Stefan Wolff and Tetyana Malyarenko suggest, the fact that both sides have continued to land blows against each other is hardly a sign of a sincere commitment to serious negotiations.

    As it is, both sides restated their maximalist positions. For Kyiv this means that any concessions over territory or sovereignty are out of the question. For Moscow this means Ukrainian and international recognition of Russian sovereignty over Crimea as well as four provinces it has partially occupied since 2014, no Ukrainian membership of Nato and limits to Ukraine’s armed forces.

    Wolff and Malyarenko, experts in international security and politics at the University of Birmingham and National University Odesa Law Academy, respectively, believe that little will change on the battlefield in the foreseeable future. A lot will now depend on Washington. And it should be noted that the US president had a lengthy chat with Putin on June 4, after which Trump delivered the Kremlin’s message that: “President Putin did say, and very strongly, that he will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”

    We’ve already seen a blitz on the southern city of Kherson, where Russia launched glide bombs and attacked with drones and artillery this morning. But Trump’s envoy to Russia, Keith Kellog, among other senior officials have talked about the drone strike being an attack on part of Russia’s [nuclear] triad, impying the threat level is actually far greater.



    Read more:
    Ukraine ‘spiderweb’ drone strike fails to register at peace talks as both sides dig in for the long haul

    Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal in 1994 in return for an undertaking, signed by Russia, the US, UK and France, to guarantee the inviolability of Ukraine’s borders. So as Matthew Sussex of the Australian National University in Canberra writes, the drone attack was very much a case of a David striking a clever blow against a Goliath.

    Sussex says this and other missions, such as the targeting of the Kerch bridge – Putin’s pride and joy – and the relentless attacks on Russia’s power infrastructure, are an effective counter to Russia’s attritional style of warfare. This involves throwing as many men as possible at its objectives, something Ukraine cannot hope to compete directly with. The truth is, writes Sussex, that Kyiv “has focused on winning the war they are in, rather than those of the past”.



    Read more:
    The secret to Ukraine’s battlefield successes against Russia – it knows wars are never won in the past

    “This isn’t just asymmetric warfare, it’s a different kind of offensive capability,” concludes Michael A Lewis, an expert in autonomous vehicles at the University of Bath. Lewis notes that both sides have been using drones almost continuously on the frontlines of the war and each has developed their own strategy for countering the threat.

    But this operation combined the use of drones with smart intelligence planning. The key was getting the drones to where they could exploit vulnerabilities in Russia’s air defence systems. “In low-level airspace, visibility drops, responsibility fragments, and detection tools lose their edge,” he writes. “Drones arrive unannounced, response times lag, coordination breaks.”

    The attack will have defence planners around the world scratching their heads as to how to cope with this emerging threat. Lewis believes the operation exposed the problems with centralised airspace management which will require new and better detection systems and faster responses to counter. “Operation Spiderweb didn’t just reveal how Ukraine could strike deep into Russian territory,” he writes. “It showed how little margin for error there is in a world where cheap systems can be used quietly and precisely.”



    Read more:
    Ukraine drone strikes on Russian airbase reveal any country is vulnerable to the same kind of attack

    Not that Russia has exactly been standing still when it comes to drone warfare. As Marcel Plichta of the University of St Andrews writes, having initially relied on Iran for the supply of its Shahed drones, Russia has been quick to establish its own sizeable drone manufacturing industry. Plichta, a drone specialist and former US government intelligence analyst, walks us through some of the innovations that Russian-made drones are now employing, including Sim cards which can transmit data back to Russia via mobile networks, carbon coating to avoid radar detection, and enhanced incendiary and fragmentation warheads that can start fires or spread large volumes of shrapnel to make them more deadly.

    But also notable is the sheer volume of drones that Russia is deploying – 472 against Ukrainian cities on June 1, as well as large numbers of decoys – with the aim of simply exhausting Ukrainian air defences. Even if Ukraine manages to shoot down 80% as it claims, that still leaves enough to wreak utter havoc for the defenders.



    Read more:
    Russia has been working on creating drones that ‘call home’, go undercover and start fires. Here’s how they work

    From the Oval Office

    The latest controversial measure announced by the White House is the planned travel ban on people from 12 countries thought by the Trump administration to pose a threat. The ban is scheduled to come into effect on June 9.

    Less than a week later, the US will host – jointly with Mexico and Canada – the Fifa Club World Cup, which will feature players from some of these countries. Next year the US hosts the Men’s World Cup and in 2028 the Olympics are scheduled to be held in Los Angeles.

    The announcement of the ban said that “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives travelling for the World Cup, the Olympics, or other major sporting events as defined by the Secretary of State” will be exempted.

    But, as Eric Storm from Leiden University points out, this does not include fans who might have been planning to travel to these major sporting carnivals. Storm, a historian who has researched the intersection of politics and tourism, says that the way geopolitical tensions manifested themselves at big sporting events was a feature of the cold war, but that these sorts of tensions largely dissipated after 1991. Now we may see politics being played out on the pitch, once again.



    Read more:
    Trump’s travel ban casts shadow over the upcoming Fifa Club World Cup and other US-hosted sporting events

    South Korea’s new president

    Voters in South Korea backed the liberal candidate, Lee Jae-myung for the Democratic Party, by nearly 50% in the June 3 election. This gave the man who led the campaign to topple former president Yoon Suk Yeol a clear mandate in what is reported to have been the election with the highest turnout since 1997.

    But while women had been very prominent in the campaign to oust Yoon, there were no female presidential candidates and very little discussion of some of the massive gender issues besetting Korea, including structural inequality, harassment and domestic violence, write Ming Gao of Lund University and Joanna Elfving-Hwang of Curtin University, both experts in South Korean politics and society. In fact, some candidates actively campaigned in a manner they clearly hoped would engage with disenchanted young men who feel their position may be under threat from women.



    Read more:
    South Korea election: Lee Jae-myung takes over a country split by gender politics

    The new South Korean president will bring with him what he calls a “pragmatic” approach to foreign affairs. He has restated his commitment to the longstanding alliance with the US, but has also stressed the need for his country to improve relations with China and North Korea, believing that South Korea should not be wholly dependent on Washington.

    This, writes Christoph Bluth, could become a point of tension between Seoul and Washington. “The Trump administration has taken a hawkish approach towards China and wants its allies to do the same,” he says.

    Lee has made it quite clear that while Seoul’s relationship with Washington is the “basic axis of [South Korea’s] diplomacy,” the country “should not put all [its] eggs in one basket”. He has already signalled that he would resist any attempts by the US to draw South Korea into a conflict with China over Taiwan.



    Read more:
    Why South Korea’s new leader may be on a collision course with Trump

    Gaza: when aid is politicised

    There was yet more tragedy in Gaza this week as the new aid distribution scheme backed by Israel and the US got underway and quickly descended into chaos, with Israeli troops shooting at people it claimed were Hamas militants, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people.

    The new plan handed control of aid distribution to a private company called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which established four depots, three in the very south of the Strip and one in the centre, close to Israeli checkpoints. As a result many people had to travel considerable distances to get desperately needed supplies.

    As Irit Katz of the University of Cambridge writes here, the GHF plan is similar in character to a scheme put forward last December by an Israeli veterans group that prioritises control over humanitarianism. She says the resulting chaos and violence should come as no surprise.



    Read more:
    Lethal humanitarianism: why violence at Gaza aid centres should not come as a surprise

    World Affairs Briefing from The Conversation UK is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get updates directly in your inbox.

    – ref. Inside Ukraine’s remarkable drone attack – https://theconversation.com/inside-ukraines-remarkable-drone-attack-258326

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cincinnati man sentenced to 25 years in prison for role in narcotics, firearms conspiracies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CINCINNATI – Mason Meyer, 32, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in federal court here today to 300 months in prison. Meyer is the final of 16 defendants charged in this case for their roles in narcotics and firearms conspiracies.

    The case originated with Meyer and another individual involved in an Aug. 7, 2020, police chase through Cincinnati that resulted in the deaths of two bystanders in Newport, Kentucky. Meyer and Kirsten Johnson, 26, of Cincinnati, were charged federally in August 2020. Ongoing investigation led to the additional 14 defendants and charges.

    According to court documents, officials with the ATF, Cincinnati Police and the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force were surveilling Meyer in Cincinnati on Aug. 7, 2020, when Meyer drove away. Cincinnati police officers attempted to stop Meyer when he fled, causing a police chase through Cincinnati and into Covington and Newport, Kentucky.

    Local court documents detail that Meyer’s vehicle struck and killed a couple dining on the patio of Press on Monmouth in Newport, Kentucky. Two other pedestrians were struck and suffered minor injuries.

    At the time of the chase, Meyer and Johnson possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, two loaded handguns and a loaded rifle.

    A grand jury indicted all 16 defendants in the federal case in July 2021, charging the defendants in a firearms conspiracy and in a narcotics conspiracy involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and cocaine and 10 grams or more of LSD, as well as detectable amounts of MDMA, DMT, marijuana and ketamine.

    In total, as part of this case, law enforcement seized 11 firearms and more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, more than 200 pounds of DMT, more than five kilograms of marijuana, more than 15 kilograms of hashish and hashish oil, more than one kilogram of MDMA, more than 19,000 dose units of LSD, fentanyl, cocaine, and other synthetic and counterfeit drugs.

    Meyer’s source of supply of methamphetamine, Ryan Haskamp, 36, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in February to 27 years in prison. Haskamp used at least five Cincinnati residences as stash houses to store and sell drugs. He also had others rent Airbnb locations and hotel rooms to further his drug trafficking. Haskamp had packages of drugs delivered to the Airbnb rental properties. Haskamp supplied drugs for redistribution in Cincinnati and Dayton via numerous co-defendants.

    Others convicted in this case include:

    Name Age City of Residence
    William Keith Jenkins 37 Cincinnati
    Michael Alden Mobley 42 Ghent, Ky.
    Michael Tyler Boeh 35 Cincinnati
    Victoria Stauffer 30 Cincinnati
    Quincy Pemberton 33 Cincinnati
    Damon Gene Wade 31 California, Ky.
    Kelly Marie Smart 35 Cincinnati
    Kevin Patrick Thiery 44 Cincinnati
    Crystal Randall 37 Cincinnati
    Rory Hartmann 30 Cincinnati
    Julie Renae Wetzel 34 Cincinnati
    Ashley Long 30 Cincinnati
    Haley Pennington 26 Moraine, Ohio

    Kelly A. Norris, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Thomas A. Greco, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Andrew Lawton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa A. Theetge and agencies with the Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force and Drug Abuse Reduction Task Force (DART) announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Ashley N. Brucato is representing the United States in this case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Completes State-Wide Bill Signing Tour, Signing New Laws to Reduce Housing Costs, Make Colorado Safer and Save People Money

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Governor Polis completed his 2025 bill state-wide signing tour, signing bills passed by Democrats and Republicans during the landmark 2025 legislative session. Governor Polis signed 476 bills, 87.5% of which were bipartisan, breaking down barriers to housing Coloradans can afford, increasing funding for students and teachers, enhancing public safety, saving people money, protecting the domestic and wild animals Colorado calls home, and protecting and expanding access to outdoor recreation. 

    “This session we continued delivering on our commitment to reduce the cost of living in our state by passing laws to build more housing people can afford, increase student funding to drive student success, improve public safety and more. I am proud of the progress we delivered this year and was thrilled to travel the state from Grand Junction to Alamosa, Keenesberg, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Fort Collins and more to sign these transformational laws in the communities that make Colorado the best state in the nation to live, raise a family, and thrive,” said Governor Polis. 

    MORE HOUSING NOW: 

    IMPROVING PUBLIC SAFETY: 

    • SB25-310 – Proposition 130 Implementation: This law supports funding for local law enforcement agencies to help recruit peace officers by providing financial reimbursements and tuition assistance for initial and continuing education and training for peace officers, as well as pay incentives and bonuses. The bill also provides funding to ensure that the families of fallen officers get the support they need after losing their loved one in the line of duty.
    • HB25-1062 Penalty for Theft of Firearm: This law cracks down on gun theft by reclassifying firearm theft as a class 6 felony regardless of the value of the firearm stolen.
    • HB25-1171 – Possession of Weapon by Previous Offender Crimes: This law adds first-degree motor vehicle theft to the list of criminal offenses that would make an individual ineligible to possess a firearm.
    • SB25-281 – Increase Penalties Careless Driving: adjusts penalties for persons convicted of careless driving, making each individual seriously injured or killed in a careless driving event a separate violation and clarifies that careless driving resulting in serious bodily injury or death is an included crime for the purposes of the “Victim Rights Act”.
    • A State Budget to Make Colorado Safer: Governor Polis continues working to make Colorado safer for everyone and by signing this year’s budget, Colorado continues investing in preventing and addressing crime. This includes:
      • Youth Crime Prevention: Helping to prevent at-risk youth from entering the criminal justice system through increased funding for prevention services.
      • Community Corrections Capacity: The budget also provides $2.4 million to invest in community corrections placement, increasing capacity.
      • Supporting Crime Victims: Additionally, this budget implements Colorado’s Proposition KK, designating $30.0M in spending authority to crime victims’ services, $8 million for mental health services, and $1 million for school safety.
      • $15 million ongoing for critical public safety communication infrastructure, supporting over 1,000 local, regional, state, tribal, and federal public safety entities.
      • Funding for CBI’s Colorado Gangs Database: The Colorado Gangs database (CoG) is an application that stores gang information such as gang names, gang members, gang contacts, and is used by law enforcement as an investigative tool. It allows law enforcement the ability to add and change any information about the gangs, tracking gangs, and gang members that they contact during patrol or other investigative efforts conducted by law enforcement. This information is also queryable in the Colorado Crime Information Center (CCIC), which provides law enforcement with the most accurate information possible.
    • HB25-1146 – Juvenile Detention Bed Cap: This law allows judicial districts to utilize more juvenile detention beds to ensure that individuals deemed high-risk do not re-enter communities before receiving the rehabilitative services they need.
    • SB25-168 – Prevention of Wildlife Trafficking: This law will crack down on wildlife trafficking to keep Coloradans and wildlife safe. 

    FULLY FUND SCHOOLS AND SUPPORT COLORADO’S WORKFORCE: 

    • HB25-1320 – School Finance Act: This legislation implements Colorado’s student-focused school finance formula without bringing back the budget stabilization factor. It also increases per-pupil funding again to $11,864, an increase from FY24-25 of $412 per student, or an average of $9,000 per classroom.
    • SB25-315 – Postsecondary & Workforce Readiness Programs: This legislation realigns Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness administration and funding to ensure all students have the opportunity to graduate high school with postsecondary credit, an industry-recognized credential, or work-based learning experience.
    • HB25-1278 – Education Accountability System: This legislation modernizes Colorado’s K-12 accountability system for the first time since 2009 to better measure student outcomes, including the creation of a new sub-indicator to support postsecondary and workforce readiness before graduation.
    • HB25-1192 – Financial Literacy Graduation Requirement: This legislation ensures that every student takes a course incorporating all financial literacy standards before they graduate high school, as well as practice filling out financial aid forms so that they are equipped with the know-how to plan for and secure their financial futures.
    • HB25-1038 – Postsecondary Credit Transfer Website: This law will support students by providing more information about how their credits earned through prior learning, concurrent and dual enrollment, and GT Pathways courses will transfer to each Colorado public institution. By allowing students to evaluate and compare the value of their transfer credits across institutions and programs, students can save money and more successfully plan their educational journeys. 

    DRIVING COLORADO’S ECONOMY: 

    • HB25-1005 – Tax Incentive for Film Festivals: This legislation supports film festivals in Colorado and helped the state land the iconic Sundance Film Festival, starting in 2027, which will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in economic benefits and thousands of jobs.
    • HB25-1021 – Tax Incentives for Employee-Owned Businesses: This law helps businesses by save more toward taxes, when they transition to employee-owned, which is good for employees and businesses.
    • HB25-1090 – Protections Against Deceptive Pricing Practices: This legislation will help eliminate fees that drive up costs and get rid of deceptive practices that make Coloradans spend more money than they want.
    • HB25-1001 – Enforcement Wage Hour Laws: This legislation combats wage theft, ensuring that more workers are paid fairly, on time, and in full. It enhances enforcement of Colorado’s wage and hour laws, disincentivizes violations, and provides the Department of Labor and Employment with new tools to prevent and address wage theft.
    • HB25-1215 – Redistribution of Lottery Fund: This legislation directs the first $4 million of the lottery fund to the outdoor equity fund, increasing outdoor recreation opportunities and protecting Colorado parks. 

    SAVING PEOPLE MONEY: 

    FREE STATE OF COLORADO: 

    BOLD CLIMATE GOALS AND IMPROVING AIR QUALITY: 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rhode Island Man Sentenced for Setting Multiple Fires Around the Exterior of a Church; Assaulting Federal Officers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE, RI – A Rhode Island man who intentionally set multiple fires around the exterior of a predominantly black church in North Providence, RI, in February 2024, and while detained at a federal detention center following his arrest assaulted two federal correctional officers, has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison.

    Kevin Colantonio, 36, pleaded guilty in February 2025 to malicious damage by means of fire, obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs, and two counts of assault on a federal officer. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 78 months of incarceration to be followed by three years of supervised release.

    Colantonio previously admitted to a federal judge that on February 11, 2024, he used gasoline and a lighter he purchased minutes earlier at a gas station within walking distance of Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries, a predominantly black church with both an in-person and online following, to ignite five fires around the exterior of the church. The fires were quickly extinguished by North Providence officers who arrived at the church moments after the fires were lit, but not before the church sustained some damage.

    Due to the damage, church congregants were prevented from enjoying their free exercise of religious beliefs as church services were cancelled until the church could be reopened.

    Several hours prior to the fires being discovered, the pastor of Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries reported to police that he witnessed an individual on the church’s Ring camera doorbell attempting to break into the church. The pastor spoke to the male subject through the Ring camera, telling him, among other things, that the building was a church. The man continued trying to break in the door, and then broke the Ring camera off the side of the building. The pastor later identified Colantonio as the person he saw on the Ring camera.

    The day after lighting the fires, Colantonio privately messaged a family member that no one in the community cared about the arson; Colantonio called the church “Athiest God mockers,” adding that, “They’re busy dancing around collecting money.”

    During a February 15, 2024, court-authorized search of Colantonio’s residence, an accelerant detection canine indicated a positive reaction on several items of seized clothing. These items matched the clothing Colantonio was wearing on the night of the arson, based upon surveillance footage.  Also seized were notebooks with writings such as “Eliminate Rich Snob global Elite Pastors, burn churches down to ground, when congregants move to next church, do the same… .”  In a separate entry, Colantonio wrote, “hunt them down gun everyone down that isn’t white, if one is white spread the gospel. Always give our bloodline a chance.”

    In addition to admitting to setting the fires, Colantonio admitted to assaulting two federal correctional officers while he was detained at the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility following his arrest. Colantonio admitted that he struck two federal officers with human bodily waste and fluid that were contained inside a mug he tossed at the officers.

    Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division made today’s announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter I. Roklan for the District of Rhode Island and Taylor Payne of the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

    The fires set at the Shiloh Gospel Temple Ministries were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with members of the North Providence, RI, Police Department and the Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office. The assault of the federal officers was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ecuadorian National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PORTLAND, Maine: An Ecuadorian national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.

    U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced William Ariel Tamay Guaman, 23, to time served (approximately seven months in prison). Tamay Guaman pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025.

    According to court records, on February 4, 2025, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the FBI conducted surveillance at a South Portland residence. After observing Tamay Guaman get into a van, agents followed him and conducted a traffic stop. An ERO agent familiar with Tamay Guaman approached the driver and asked for their name. Tamay Guaman provided a false name and was directed to step out of the vehicle. After briefly fleeing on foot and resisting arrest, Tamay Guaman was taken into custody. He had previously been removed from the U.S. in September 2023.

    ICE-ERO investigated the case with assistance from the FBI.

    Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honduran National Sentenced for Illegally Entering the US After a Prior Removal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Josue Osmin Montoya Acosta was pulled over by police for driving without a rear plate light

    PORTLAND, Maine: A Honduran national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for illegally entering the U.S. after a prior removal.

    U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., sentenced Josue Osmin Montoya Acosta, 36, to time served (approximately 93 days). Montoya Acosta pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025.

    According to court records, on February 25, 2025, Montoya Acosta was observed by an officer from the Brunswick Police Department operating a vehicle with no front license plate and no light on the rear license plate. The rear plate was later determined to be a temporary plate from Indiana. When asked for his license, Montoya Acosta presented a Honduran passport and told the officer he did not have a driver’s license. When asked if he had a visa, he told the officer he did not. Immigration records showed that he had previously been removed on two prior occasions.

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case with assistance from the Brunswick Police Department.

    Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom statement on court ruling restoring AmeriCorps funding

    Source: US State of California Governor

    Jun 5, 2025

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom issued the following statement today after a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration must restore funding to AmeriCorps in California. This comes after Governor Newsom, Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of states sued the Trump administration over DOGE efforts to dismantle AmeriCorps – the federal agency vital to supporting volunteer and service efforts in California and across the country. 

    Commonsense has prevailed over cruelty. The court is rightly siding with volunteers and service workers. Today, we’re doing right by John F. Kennedy and Sargent Shriver and all those who put others before themselves.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    In 2024, at least 6,150 California members served at more than 1,200 locations, including schools, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers, veterans’ facilities, and other nonprofit and faith-based organizations. When the devastating fires struck Los Angeles earlier this year, AmeriCorps members were on the ground, distributing supplies and supporting families. The agency’s shutdown ends these efforts.

    California Service Corps is the largest service force in the nation, consisting of four paid service programs:   

    Combined, it is a force larger than the Peace Corps and is mobilized at a time when California is addressing post-pandemic academic recovery, rebuilding from the LA fires and planning for the future of the state’s workforce. 

    In the 2023-24 service year, AmeriCorps members in California: 

    • Provided 4,397,674 hours of service
    • Tutored/mentored 73,833 students
    • Supported 17,000 foster youth with education and employment 
    • Planted 39,288 trees

    Members helped 26,000 households impacted by the LA fires and packed 21,000 food boxes.

    Press releases, Recent news

    Recent news

    Jun 5, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is launching the CalAssist Mortgage Fund on June 12, 2025, to provide $105 million in relief offering up to $20,000 to homeowners whose homes were destroyed in recent disasters, including the Los Angeles firestorms. LOS ANGELES —…

    Jun 4, 2025

    News What you need to know: California added a record of nearly 7,000 megawatts of new clean energy capacity in 2024, marking the largest single-year increase in state history and the third consecutive year of unprecedented growth. SACRAMENTO – California has achieved…

    Jun 4, 2025

    News What you need to know: California leads the nation in strong gun safety laws, correlating with thousands of lives saved. Sacramento, California – Year after year, California is ranked as the #1 state in the country for its strong gun safety laws — along with some…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 5 June 2025 Donors making a difference: cholera

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Cholera is a severe diarrhoeal disease that can be fatal within hours if not treated. Quick access to treatment is therefore crucial. Researchers estimate that there are 1.3 to 4 million cases and 21 000 to 143 000 deaths from cholera worldwide each year, with cases surging since 2021. Over 40 countries reported cases last year, and WHO estimates that 1 billion people are directly at risk.

    Cholera remains a global public health threat closely linked to inequality and inadequate social and economic development. Access to safe water, basic sanitation and hygiene are essential to prevent cholera and other waterborne diseases.

    WHO works to improve prevention and control of cholera globally, as well as increase awareness. WHO and partners also support research for the development of innovative strategies to prevent and control cholera.

    Below are some examples of how WHO is collaborating with governments and partners across the world, with critical financial support from donors, to prevent and control cholera.

    WHO and the French Development Agency strengthen emergency community responses to cholera in Democratic Republic of Congo

    WHO and the French Development Agency launch a cholera response project in Haut-Katanga to strengthen emergency community responses.
    Photo by: WHO/Joel Lumbala

    WHO, in partnership with the French Development Agency, has launched a catalytic US$ 392 000 project, working closely with the health authorities of Haut-Katanga and the National Program for the elimination of cholera and the fight against other diarrheal diseases.

    This project aims to drastically reduce the risk of cholera epidemics in this southeastern province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The project will provide medical supplies, improve infection prevention and control, install 40 oral rehydration points and build two semi-durable isolation treatment centres in the Kafubu and Kipushi health zones.

    Over six months, the project will train 50 registered nurses and 140 community health workers in integrated disease surveillance and response, while raising awareness amongst the population on good hygiene practices. The health zones will also be empowered to locally produce liquid chlorine (bleach) to facilitate the decontamination of households affected by suspected cases of cholera, the treatment of drinking water and medical needs in health facilities. Solar kits and reagents will be available for 6 months.

    Read the full story (in French)

    Angola reinforces actions to end cholera with WHO support

    Deploying rapid response teams, training health personnel, establishing cholera treatment centres and units, providing safe drinking water, intensive community engagement, and the rollout of targeted vaccination campaigns is part of the urgent response measures against cholera. Photo by: WHO/Angola

    Since the onset of a cholera outbreak in Angola in January 2025, more than 14 000 cases and 505 associated deaths have been reported. Around 50% of the cases affected people under 20 years.

    The Ministry of Health, in close coordination with WHO and other development partners, carried out a series of urgent response measures. These included deploying rapid response teams, training health personnel, establishing cholera treatment centres and units, providing safe drinking water, intensive community engagement, and the rollout of targeted vaccination campaigns.

    In addition, health authorities, with support from WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), mapped and treated the country’s main water access points. In early 2025, 28 public health officials from 15 municipalities in five of the most affected provinces were trained in mapping water sources. Nearly 320 water sources were mapped, improving access to treated water for people, particularly in Luanda and Icolo e Bengo provinces, which account for around 94% of cholera cases and 15% of related deaths in the country.

    Read the full stories here and here

    How WHO is supporting cholera outbreak response in Sudan

    A child receives oral cholera vaccine in Baqa’a shelter for internally displaced people in Gedaref, October 2024. Photo by: WHO/Omer Tarig

    The Federal Ministry of Health of Sudan declared a cholera outbreak on 12 August 2024, following the confirmation of cases in Kassala State. Heavy rains, flooding, overcrowding, and limited access to clean water in displacement sites and within communities contributed to the rapid spread of the disease. As of 18 January 2025, the outbreak had affected 84 localities across 11 states, with more than 51 300 cases and 1 359 deaths reported.

    As part of the response, the Federal Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and UNICEF, has conducted oral cholera vaccination campaigns in 8 states, reaching 7.4 million people.

    WHO is supporting the outbreak response through comprehensive health interventions that include strengthening surveillance, deployment of rapid response teams for swift investigation of alerts, case management and improving water quality, sanitation and hygiene services in displacement sites and other at-risk communities.

    WHO is able to deliver on its cholera commitment through the financial contribution of donors: Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the European Union Commission, United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF), and the Governments of France and Germany.

    Read the full story

    WHO and partners launch second cholera vaccine dose to protect young refugees in Cox’s Bazar

    A young girl receives the 2nd dose of the OCV Vaccine in the Rohingya Camps. Photo by: WHO/Terence Ngwabe Che

    In April 2025, WHO, in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and health sector partners, launched the second round of a targeted Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) campaign in Cox’s Bazar. This initiative aims to administer a second dose of the vaccine to Rohingya refugee children aged 1 to 5 years.

    This builds on the success of the initial mass vaccination campaign conducted in January 2025, across the Cox’s Bazar, Bandarban districts, and on Bhasan Char Island. A total of 1.4 million doses were administered from the 1.6 million doses supplied by the International Coordinating Group on Oral Cholera Vaccine Provision for Cholera Control.

    The vaccine deployment followed an approved request by the Directorate General of Health Services, Communicable Disease Control, with operational support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

    Read the full story

    WHO and King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre expand life-saving health interventions

    KSRelief Supervisor-General, Abdullah Al Rabeeah, and Dr Tedros, signing funding agreements in response to humanitarian crises at the Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum on 24-25 February 2025, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Photo by: WHO/Karim Yassmineh.

    WHO and the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) agreed on a series of new pledges to deliver life-saving health measures for people threatened by cholera and malaria in Yemen. The pledges also support health services for Sudanese who have fled conflict to neighbouring Egypt, and to support polio eradication efforts in countries where the virus continues to circulate. The agreements were signed during the fourth Riyadh International Humanitarian Forum, being held on 24-25 February.

    WHO’s Country Office in Yemen and KSrelief finalized a donation of US$ 2.1 million to support an existing agreement to expand cholera response and control measures, and improve access to treatment in affected and high-risk areas.

    Read the full story

    Purified water, lives saved: the fight against cholera in Haiti continues

    OPS/WHO delivering materials to the Ministry of Public Health and Population to respond against cholera. Photo by: OPS/WHO

    PAHO/WHO continued to support the Ministry of Public Health and Population in its fight against cholera since its resurgence in October 2022. Access to clean and safe water remains a major challenge in Haiti and is a key factor in the decline of the disease across the country.

    With support from the UNCERF and in partnership with the health authorities, PAHO/WHO implemented a project to improve access to drinking water for Acute Diarrhea Treatment Centres, facilities established to treat cholera patients.

    Installing a water treatment unit made it possible to supply drinking water, on demand, by tanker trucks to a network of 15 distribution points, consisting of tankers installed in as many health facilities throughout the department. In the second phase, 218 departmental health officers were trained on methods for accessing drinking water, effective sanitation techniques, and essential hygiene practices to prevent water-related diseases.

    Read the full story (in French)

    Malawi declares end of cholera outbreak

    Case management at Area 25 cholera treatment centre. Photo by: WHO/Ovixlexla Kamenyagwaza-Bunya

    The Government of Malawi, through its Public Health Institute, declared the end of a protracted cholera outbreak that started in March 2022 and lasted over two years. WHO and partners supported the set-up of cholera treatment centres and units and oral rehydration points, provided clinical mentorship, and supported the development of referral guidelines and standardized patient records from the initial stages of the outbreak.

    The surveillance team supported the roll out of the One Health Surveillance Data Platform, intensified case investigations, and strengthened laboratory testing and event-based surveillance. WHO also provided support for oral cholera vaccination campaigns, where over four million doses were administered with a utilization rate of almost 100%.

    To strengthen resilience and bolster global health security, in June 2023, WHO conducted a Scoping Mission which led to the development of a 2-year roadmap. WHO continues to work with multi-sectoral partners and the donor community to support implementation of these priorities. In 2024, USAID and FCDO UK provided funds towards preparedness activities.

    Read the full story

    South Sudan steps up vaccination, response measures to curb cholera

    A vaccinator administering oral cholera vaccine in Renk, Upper Nile State, during December 2024’s campaign after the September outbreak declaration.
    Photo by: WHO/Atem John Ajang

    The Government of South Sudan declared a cholera outbreak in October 2024. In January 2025, the Ministry of Health, with support from WHO and partners, rolled out several oral cholera vaccination campaigns in four high-risk countries: Malakal, Juba, Renk, and Rubkona.

    With support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, around four million doses of the vaccine were approved and around 910 000 doses administered (as of January 2025) in the four counties, which is above 90% coverage.

    WHO continues to distribute essential medical supplies for cholera response to local and national health authorities and partners, which can treat 4 700 cholera cases. WHO has also facilitated the establishment of a 50-bed cholera treatment centre at Juba Teaching Hospital and is supporting the deployment of nine rapid response teams from national level to 11 priority counties to support implementing partners on the ground to provide critical case management.

    Read the full story

    Scaling up cholera testing in Zimbabwe

    WHO staff build cholera treatment centres with support of communities. Photo by: WHO/Vivian Mugarisi

    To ramp up testing for cholera in Zimbabwe, WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) with training of 986 nurses in antigen Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) testing, addressing critical staff shortages at rural health centres. Additionally, 44 laboratory personnel at provincial and district levels were trained in cholera culture, further strengthening diagnostic capacity.

    Prior to the training programme, testing capabilities were limited. Between the outbreak’s onset in February 2023 and 18 January 2024, only 2 090 antigen RDTs and 2 250 culture tests were conducted across 10 health centres. Following the training, the number of antigen RFT tests increased to 9 853, a staggering 371% increase. The success of the programme is attributed to the collaborative efforts of various stakeholders including UNICEF, Higher Life Foundation, JHPIEGO, World Vision International and WHO, with MoHCC leading the efforts.

    Funding for the training activities came from the Health Resilience Fund (HRF), UNCERF and the United States Department of the State (USDOS). HRF is a pool of funding from the European Union, the Government of Ireland and the United Kingdom, as well as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.

    Additionally, in a significant boost to Zimbabwe’s healthcare infrastructure, WHO donated a wide range of medical equipment to the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC). The equipment, valued close to USD$1.8 million, was funded by various donors and partners, including the African Development Bank (AfDB), the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (UNCERF), USAID, and the Government of Japan.

    Read the full stories here and here

    ***

    Read more about WHO’s work on cholera

    The donors and partners acknowledged in this story are (in alphabetical order)

    African Development Bank, European Union, French Development Agency, Germany, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Health Resilience Fund, Higher Life Foundation, International Coordinating Group on Oral Cholera Vaccine Provision for Cholera Control, Ireland, Japan, JHPIEGO, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, UNICEF, UN Central Emergency Response Fund, UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF), United States Department of the State, USAID, World Vision International.

    WHO’s work is made possible through all contributions of our Member States and partners. WHO thanks all donor countries, governments, organizations and individuals who are contributing to the Organization’s work, with special appreciation for those who provide fully flexible contributions to maintain a strong, independent WHO.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Removing barriers for Alberta’s Oil Rigs

    [. These rigs travel in convoys that include essential support vehicles like a carrier, pump truck, doghouse, equipment truck, and crew vehicles—each critical to completing the job safely and efficiently.

    Until this agreement was signed, these convoys had to stop at every Vehicle Inspection Station they passed. Now, with a new Memorandum of Agreement between Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors and the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors (CAOEC), these rigs can bypass repeated stops and Vehicle Inspection Stations. CAOEC members have significant training protocols and a high compliance rate with current regulations.

    “This change is about common sense. It cuts red tape, keeps our rigs moving, and lets the energy service sector focus on what they do best, driving growth, creating jobs, and supporting responsible energy development across Alberta.”

    Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors.

    “Alberta’s priority is to get our reserves out of the ground sooner, to drive royalties, taxes, jobs and wealth creation. This change will help us get there without endangering the safety of Albertans in responsible resource development.”

    Brian Jean, Minister of Energy and Minerals

    “The Alberta government listens to our needs and demonstrates a truly action-oriented approach, strengthening Alberta’s energy sector and supporting our hardworking crews every step of the way. Integrating our members into the Drivewyze preclear program is a great example of a government showing strong leadership by reducing red tape and creating efficiencies wherever possible.”

    Mark A. Scholz, President & CEO CAOEC

    CAOEC members will now be integrated within the government’s Drivewyze preclear program that allows approved CAOEC members to bypass select weigh stations. Members who subscribe to Drivewyze and meet safety benchmarks will be exempt from routine stops at Vehicle Inspection Stations, allowing them to save time and fuel while improving efficiency.

    Key Facts:

    • The CAOEC represents Canada’s energy service contractors, including oilwell drilling and service rig operators.
    • Drivewyze is a pre-clearance program that allows commercial vehicles with strong safety records to bypass Alberta’s Vehicle Inspection Stations.
    • The agreement serves as a model for potential alignment with Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –