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Category: Vehicles

  • MIL-OSI Security: Violent Armed Robber Who Stalked, Kidnapped, and Robbed Victims in Virginia and Maryland Is Sentenced to 228 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

               WASHINGTON – Tyree Eugene McCombs, 29, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 228 months in federal prison for his role in the September 2022 stalking, armed robbery, and kidnapping of a pair of victims in Alexandria, Virginia, and for the November 2022 stalking, kidnapping, robbery, and shooting of a woman in Maryland and Washington, D.C. 

               The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. 

              McCombs pleaded guilty on August 14, 2024, before U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson, to one count of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery (a “Hobbs Act” robbery) for the September 2022 offense, and to one count of kidnapping for the November 2022 offense. In addition to the 228-month prison-term, Judge Berman Jackson ordered McCombs to serve five years of supervised release. 

               According to court documents, in September and November 2022, McCombs and his co-conspirators twice executed plans to surveil, stalk, forcibly detain, bind, assault, and rob women at gunpoint. McCombs was a leader in both schemes, personally stalking the victims, holding them at gunpoint, physically assaulting them, and demanding that they pay their own ransoms. In each case, the kidnapping was abruptly cut short either by the sound of an alarm (September) or the victim’s daring escape (November).

               During the first incident, on the evening on September 3, 2022, the two victims entered their car – a black Mercedes S63 AMG Sedan – and drove from Alexandria, Virginia to a family gathering in Maryland. Unbeknownst to the victims, they were being electronically surveilled. A GPS tracking device purchased by McCombs had been placed inside the Mercedes. That night, McCombs and three co-conspirators laid in wait for nearly four hours for the victims to return home to their apartment building in Alexandria. As the couple returned to their building, McCombs and his co-conspirators, wearing masks and blue surgical gloves and carrying zip ties, ambushed them with handguns and robbed them of their most valuable belongings.

               McCombs and his crew stole two Audemars Piguet watches worth about $120,000 from the couple and another $63,500 worth of jewelry, including a Cuban link chain and a custom pendant with the letters “GQ” overlaid on a speedometer. McCombs and his co-conspirators took the keys to the victim’s Mercedes then forced the victims at gunpoint from the parking garage to the victims’ apartment.

               Once inside of the apartment, McCombs and his co-conspirators pistol-whipped the victims and ordered them to tell them where their money was hidden. The co-conspirators ransacked the residence but were unable to find any cash. During the crime, a security alarm activated, and the co-conspirators tore the alarm from the wall and fled the apartment. McCombs and his co-conspirators then fled the apartment complex in a stolen white Kia as well as the victim’s Mercedes, which still had the GPS tracking device inside. The co-conspirators drove the Mercedes into Washington, D.C. then abandoned the vehicle in Maryland, where it was found by law enforcement. About a month later, on October 10, 2022, McCombs sold the custom pendant, worth tens of thousands of dollars, to a pawn shop in Maryland for $200.

               On the night of November 7, 2022, McCombs led another kidnapping and robbery, this time targeting and abducting a 25-year-old woman in Maryland. At the time of this crime, McCombs was on supervised release for a 2019 attempted armed robbery conviction and, two weeks earlier, had been ordered to wear a GPS monitor. McCombs’s GPS data showed that he stalked the woman for hours through the evening of November 7, following her from work to a family member’s home to a bank. Eventually, the victim traveled by car to an apartment building in Elkridge, Maryland. McCombs and a co-conspirator, traveling in a carjacked Toyota Camry, followed her to the Elkridge apartment.

               As the victim exited her vehicle and began to enter the building, McCombs and his co-conspirator grabbed her and forced her into the back seat of the Camry at gunpoint. The kidnappers pistol-whipped the victim, robbed her, and bound her hands behind her back using a black plastic zip tie. McCombs and his co-conspirator then held the woman captive in the vehicle for nearly three hours, driving to various locations in Maryland and Washington, D.C. Surveillance video footage from a gas station in Forestville, Maryland, captured McCombs and his co-conspirator exiting the Camry with the victim still held inside. As McCombs walked into the gas station to purchase gas, the co-conspirator entered the back seat of the vehicle and sexually assaulted the victim. After leaving the gas station, the kidnappers, who had already taken a significant amount of cash and property from the victim, repeatedly demanded to know “who she could call to save her life, that could get more money,” while threatening to kill her.

            The victim, believing she was going to be killed, used her foot to open a rear door of the vehicle, pushed open the door, and, after struggling with McCombs, jumped out of the moving vehicle. As she sprinted down the street, McCombs and the co-conspirator fired at least five gunshots at her, striking her twice in the foot. Within minutes of the shooting, law enforcement identified McCombs based on his GPS data. They located and arrested McCombs, who was still wearing the GPS monitor, several hours later.

               This case was investigated by FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The Fairfax County Police Department, Howard County Police Department, and Metropolitan Police Department assisted with the investigation. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meredith Mayer-Dempsey and Charles R. Jones.

    McCombs (center) and his co-conspirators carry the Alexandria victims’ shoes and handbag in the hallway of the apartment building.

    Crime scene photograph taken inside the Alexandria apartment where McCombs’s first victims resided.

    Still images of McCombs and his co-conspirator abducting a woman at gunpoint in Maryland on November 7, 2022.

    McCombs (right) and a co-conspirator talk at the gas station in Forestville, MD, as the victim remains captive in the back seat of a carjacked Toyota Camry.

    22cr377

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Boston Woman Sentenced to Three Tears in Prison for Armed Robberies of Postal Workers

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the armed robberies of United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers on Nov. 29, 2022 in Mattapan, Mass. and Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Mass.

    Myesha Lewis, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In October 2024, Lewis pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States, aiding and abetting and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, aiding and abetting. In May 2023, Lewis was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendant Kenneth Demosthene.

    USPS has seen a rise in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An arrow key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. According to data from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service headquarters, from 2019 through 2022, there was a 512% increase year over year in arrow key robberies from letter carriers nationwide – rising from 64 robberies in 2019 to approximately 412 robberies in 2022. In 2023 the Postal Service reported 605 Arrow key robberies – a 49% increase in robberies over the previous year. In the last two years, 89 postal carriers were significantly injured during these robberies and at least one carrier was killed.

    On Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, Lewis and Demosthene forcibly robbed a USPS letter carrier of an arrow key. Demosthene approached the letter carrier and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the letter carrier’s mail satchel and grabbing the arrow key. The key was secured around the letter carrier’s belt with a brass chain. The force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to be pulled off the front steps. Lewis and Demosthene then fled the scene in a rental vehicle.

    On Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Lewis and Demosthene robbed another USPS letter carrier of an arrow key at knife point. Demosthene approached the USPS letter carrier and said, “Give me your f****** arrow key.” The letter carrier put their hands in the air as the defendants attempted to remove the arrow key, at first by force pulling at the chain. Lewis and Demosthene then attempted to cut it with the knife, eventually breaking it loose and fleeing the scene on foot.  

    In October 2024, Demosthene was sentenced to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

    United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. Reports January 2025 Assets Under Management

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MILWAUKEE, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc. (NYSE: APAM) today reported that its preliminary assets under management (“AUM”) as of January 31, 2025 totaled $168.4 billion. Artisan Funds and Artisan Global Funds accounted for $80.8 billion of total firm AUM, while separate accounts and other AUM1 accounted for $87.6 billion.

    PRELIMINARY ASSETS UNDER MANAGEMENT BY STRATEGY2    
         
    As of January 31, 2025 – ($ Millions)    
    Growth Team    
    Global Opportunities $      21,585  
    Global Discovery   1,951  
    U.S. Mid-Cap Growth   13,691  
    U.S. Small-Cap Growth   3,233  
    Global Equity Team    
    Global Equity   361  
    Non-U.S. Growth   13,037  
    China Post-Venture   177  
    U.S. Value Team    
    Value Equity   5,077  
    U.S. Mid-Cap Value   2,703  
    Value Income   16  
    International Value Team    
    International Value   45,484  
    International Explorer   436  
    Global Value Team    
    Global Value   30,291  
    Select Equity   335  
    Sustainable Emerging Markets Team    
    Sustainable Emerging Markets   1,600  
    Credit Team    
    High Income   11,806  
    Credit Opportunities   280  
    Floating Rate   77  
    Developing World Team    
    Developing World   4,292  
    Antero Peak Group    
    Antero Peak   2,086  
    Antero Peak Hedge   250  
    International Small-Mid Team    
    Non-U.S. Small-Mid Growth   6,602  
    EMsights Capital Group    
    Global Unconstrained   745  
    Emerging Markets Debt Opportunities   1,017  
    Emerging Markets Local Opportunities   1,223  
         
    Total Firm Assets Under Management (“AUM”) $     168,355  

    1 Separate account and other AUM consists of the assets we manage in or through vehicles other than Artisan Funds or Artisan Global Funds. Separate account and other AUM includes assets we manage in traditional separate accounts, as well as assets we manage in Artisan-branded collective investment trusts, and in our own private funds.
    2 AUM for Artisan Sustainable Emerging Markets and U.S. Mid-Cap Growth Strategies includes $104.6 million in aggregate for which Artisan Partners provides investment models to managed account sponsors (reported on a lag not exceeding one quarter).

    ABOUT ARTISAN PARTNERS
    Artisan Partners is a global investment management firm that provides a broad range of high value-added investment strategies to sophisticated clients around the world. Since 1994, the firm has been committed to attracting experienced, disciplined investment professionals to manage client assets. Artisan Partners’ autonomous investment teams oversee a diverse range of investment strategies across multiple asset classes. Strategies are offered through various investment vehicles to accommodate a broad range of client mandates.

    Investor Relations Inquiries: 866.632.1770 or ir@artisanpartners.com
    Source: Artisan Partners Asset Management Inc.

    The MIL Network –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI: POET’s Chairman & CEO Provides Business Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — POET Technologies Inc. (“POET” or the “Company“) (TSX Venture: PTK; NASDAQ: POET), a leader in the design and implementation of highly-integrated optical engines and light sources for Artificial Intelligence networks, today issued its “2025 Outlook” letter to shareholders from its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Suresh Venkatesan, providing a review of the market, the Company’s customers, the progress toward meeting the demand for AI infrastructure and an early look at what the Company is planning for 2025, including its participation in the Optical Fiber Communications Conference (OFC) in San Francisco (March 31-April 3, 2025).

    Turning Vision into Reality
    POET’s strategic vision of becoming a global leader in chip-scale photonics solutions based on our unique POET Optical Interposer™ platform technology is closer than ever. Our vision came into sharp focus about a year ago as demand exploded for high-speed transceivers that enable Artificial Intelligence software programs and the systems that they run on to communicate with users at light speed.

    For the past year we have been intensely focused on developing and manufacturing a suite of optical engines that meet not just the current demand for 800Gbps transceiver speeds, but also, when combined into multiples, are expected to address customer needs at the next two generations of products, providing pluggable module solutions at 1.6Tbps and 3.2Tbps. Over the same period, our customers have been designing modules based on POET’s optical engines and are preparing to market these modules to the top tier of AI network systems companies around the globe. Step by step along the way, our engineers have worked with their teams to build customized solutions for the data center giants that are building out an enormous AI infrastructure.

    Several industry experts have recognized our groundbreaking innovations in AI hardware based on the POET Optical Interposer, with awards and recognitions, including the AI Breakthrough Award, Winner of Global Tech’s “Best in Artificial Intelligence” award, and the Gold Medal from the Merit Awards as “AI Innovator of the Year”.

    Demand for AI is Outpacing Capacity
    In recent news reports, several companies, including Microsoft and AWS, have openly stated that they can’t keep up with the demand for AI. Commitments to invest in AI infrastructure, from the U.S. government’s $500 billion funding of the Stargate project to the plan from the big tech companies to spend $325 billion in the coming years, punctuate the opportunity in front of POET. Amazon alone has said it will commit $100 billion to AI spending to deal with the constraints on capacity its data centers face.

    These proposals have shattered forecasts for optical transceiver demand. The growth rate in optical transceiver sales is expected to expand at an annual rate of 56.5%, reaching 31.9 million units of 400Gbps or greater speeds in 2025, according to TrendForce. POET expects to play a leading role in that market with our optical engines that are designed to fuel the next generation of optical transceivers. The recent news of China’s DeepSeek R1 and Alibaba’s QWen outpacing more well-known AI models likely only helps POET, because their lower cost and reduced complexity makes AI development more accessible to a wider range of companies. Advanced chip-scale hardware solutions such as those offered by POET will be even more relevant to meeting this higher demand.

    POET’s Customer Base
    POET’s largest customers, Foxconn Interconnect Technologies (FOIT) and Luxshare Tech, are large suppliers of network equipment, systems and components to hyperscale data centers. Both companies are developing a variety of high speed solutions to help satisfy demand for 800Gbps and higher speed transceivers. POET is supplying advanced optical engines and working directly with these companies and others to enter the high speed transceiver market rapidly and efficiently. POET’s optical engines allow multiple types of direct and multiplexed versions to be utilized in a common module design, thereby improving customer R&D efficiency and time to market. Enabling time to market gains for new entrants into the optical module market is a key competitive advantage for POET.

    Mitsubishi Electric is among the world’s largest suppliers of the lasers that drive optical modules. POET is working with Mitsubishi to enable them to introduce one of the most advanced high-speed Electro-absorption Modulated Lasers (EMLs). We are integrating Mitsubishi Electric’s 400G EMLs into the POET Optical Interposer, along with drivers, optical waveguides, and other key functional building blocks to produce 1.6Tbps optical engine chipsets. When complete, the 1.6Tbps solution will achieve the most advanced level of chip scale integration yet accomplished for EML lasers.

    Behind the Scenes
    Three major initiatives during the past several months can give some insight into how the Company is preparing to meet the demand for our AI Infrastructure hardware.

    The first has been our ability to substantially strengthen the Company’s balance sheet, adding over $110 million in cash, including our pending, fully subscribed $25 million public offering. This capital will allow us to execute on our near-term manufacturing expansion and give us maximum flexibility to grow into other markets with our versatile Optical Interposer platform. Our recently announced project in the financial services industry is just one example.

    On the manufacturing front, we have acquired control over Super Photonics Xiamen (SPX), which allowed us to execute a diversified manufacturing strategy by establishing a relationship with Globetronics in Malaysia. Together, POET and Globetronics will build out a full wafer-scale assembly and test operation for optical engines. The proximity of our long-term wafer foundry partner, Silterra Malaysia, gives us additional operational flexibility. The Malaysian ecosystem for semiconductors is extremely supportive of POET’s efforts and provides a convincing demonstration of the Company’s ability to scale to the volume requirements of our customers.

    The third internal effort has been a reorganization of the Company along functional lines, which provides broader customer reach, more intensive customer engagement, and focuses the organization on revenue generation for 2025 and beyond.

    What’s Next?
    As our optical engines and light source efforts accelerate, we are also innovating to be ahead of the market with other products. This includes a novel Optical Interposer-based laser that we expect will achieve a level of speed and bandwidth in data transfer that AI developers and hyperscalers will demand, and be at a price point that enables the market for chip-to-chip light-based data communications to expand rapidly. We expect to demonstrate this new product in the second half of 2025.

    The OFC Conference has always been the main opportunity for POET to demonstrate our capabilities, to capture the attention of new customers and convert those who had previously expressed interest in our solutions. At this year’s OFC Conference in San Francisco, we plan to showcase all of our new products, including the most advanced optical engine we have ever developed. We anticipate that we will be one of only a handful of companies able to demonstrate a production-ready 1.6Tbps transmit optical engine at OFC. With the Company’s commercialization efforts well underway, customers can be assured we have the technology, cost structure, and capacity to meet their needs.

    As the year unfolds, POET is in an ideal position to capitalize on the massive AI infrastructure spending that is underway. POET shareholders can expect more news as we achieve our ambitions for additional design wins, market penetration and revenue.

    About POET Technologies Inc.
    POET is a design and development company offering high-speed optical modules, optical engines and light source products to the artificial intelligence systems market and to hyperscale data centers.  POET’s photonic integration solutions are based on the POET Optical Interposer™, a novel, patented platform that allows the seamless integration of electronic and photonic devices into a single chip using advanced wafer-level semiconductor manufacturing techniques. POET’s Optical Interposer-based products are lower cost, consume less power than comparable products, are smaller in size and are readily scalable to high production volumes. In addition to providing high-speed (800G, 1.6T and above) optical engines and optical modules for AI clusters and hyperscale data centers, POET has designed and produced novel light source products for chip-to-chip data communication within and between AI servers, the next frontier for solving bandwidth and latency problems in AI systems.  POET’s Optical Interposer platform also solves device integration challenges in 5G networks, machine-to-machine communication, self-contained “Edge” computing applications and sensing applications, such as LIDAR systems for autonomous vehicles.  POET is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with operations in Allentown, PA, Shenzhen, China, and Singapore.  More information about POET is available on our website at www.poet-technologies.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This news release contains “forward-looking information” (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and “forward-looking statements” (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “expect”, “plan”, “intend”, “potential”, “estimate”, “propose”, “project”, “outlook”, “foresee” or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding any potential outcome. Such statements include the Company’s expectations with respect to the success of the Company’s product development efforts, the performance of its products, operations, meeting revenue targets, and the expectation of continued success in the financing efforts, the capability, functionality, performance and cost of the Company’s technology as well as the market acceptance, inclusion and timing of the Company’s technology in current and future products and expectations regarding its successful development of high speed transceiver solutions and its penetration of the Artificial Intelligence hardware markets.

    Such forward-looking information or statements are based on a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the completion of its development efforts with its customers, the ability to build working prototypes to the customer’s specifications, and the size, future growth and needs of Artificial Intelligence network suppliers. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, including, without limitation, the failure to produce optical engines on time and within budget, the failure of Artificial Intelligence networks to continue to grow as expected, the failure of the Company’s products to meet performance requirements for AI and datacom networks, operational risks in the completion of the Company’s projects, the ability of the Company to generate sales for its products, and the ability of its customers to deploy systems that incorporate the Company’s products. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Company’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Company can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements except as required by law.

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
    120 Eglinton Avenue, East, Suite 1107, Toronto, ON, M4P 1E2- Tel: 416-368-9411 – Fax: 416-322-5075

    The MIL Network –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office and ATF Announce Charges in Firearms and Drug Trafficking Case

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Roswell man is charged with federal firearms and drug trafficking offenses following a traffic stop.

    According to the complaint, on February 4, 2025, Roswell Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding. The driver, identified as Isaac Ivan Boccelli, 36, was accompanied by two juveniles aged 12 and 14. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed:

    • Two firearms, one concealed on a juvenile and another in the vehicle
    • 396.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine
    • 147.0 grams of suspected fentanyl

    Boccelli, previously convicted for 2nd Degree Murder and Battery Upon a Peace Officer, was prohibited from possessing firearms.

    Boccelli will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted, Boccelli faces up to 40 years in prison.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Roswell Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s Mini Rover Team Is Packed for Lunar Journey

    Source: NASA

    [embedded content]
    A team at JPL packed up three small Moon rovers, delivering them in February to the facility where they’ll be attached to a commercial lunar lander in preparation for launch. The rovers are part of a project called CADRE that could pave the way for potential future multirobot missions.. NASA/JPL-Caltech

    A trio of suitcase-size rovers and their base station have been carefully wrapped up and shipped off to join the lander that will deliver them to the Moon’s surface.
    Three small NASA rovers that will explore the lunar surface as a team have been packed up and shipped from the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, marking completion of the first leg of the robots’ journey to the Moon.
    The rovers are part of a technology demonstration called CADRE (Cooperative Autonomous Distributed Robotic Exploration), which aims to show that a group of robots can collaborate to gather data without receiving direct commands from mission controllers on Earth. They’ll use their cameras and ground-penetrating radars to send back imagery of the lunar surface and subsurface while testing out the novel software that enables them to work together autonomously.
    The CADRE rovers will launch to the Moon aboard IM-3, Intuitive Machines’ third lunar delivery, which has a mission window that extends into early 2026, as part of NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. Once installed on Intuitive Machines’ Nova-C lander, they’ll head to the Reiner Gamma region on the western edge of the Moon’s near side, where the solar-powered, suitcase-size rovers will spend the daylight hours of a lunar day (the equivalent of about 14 days on Earth) carrying out experiments. The success of CADRE could pave the way for potential future missions with teams of autonomous robots supporting astronauts and spreading out to take simultaneous, distributed scientific measurements.

    Construction of the CADRE hardware — along with a battery of rigorous tests to prove readiness for the journey through space — was completed in February 2024.
    To get prepared for shipment to Intuitive Machines’ Houston facility, each rover was attached to its deployer system, which will lower it via tether from the lander onto the dusty lunar surface. Engineers flipped each rover-deployer pair over and attached it to an aluminum plate for safe transit. The rovers were then sealed in protective metal-frame enclosures that were fitted snuggly into metal shipping containers and loaded onto a truck. The hardware arrived safely on Sunday, Feb. 9.
    “Our small team worked incredibly hard constructing these robots and putting them to the test, and we have been eagerly waiting for the moment where we finally see them on their way,” said Coleman Richdale, the team’s assembly, test, and launch operations lead at JPL. “We are all genuinely thrilled to be taking this next step in our journey to the Moon, and we can’t wait to see the lunar surface through CADRE’s eyes.”
    The rovers, the base station, and a camera system that will monitor CADRE experiments on the Moon will be integrated with the lander — as will several other NASA payloads — in preparation for the launch of the IM-3 mission.
    More About CADRE
    A division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, JPL manages CADRE for the Game Changing Development program within NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate. The technology demonstration was selected under the agency’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative, which was established to expedite the development of technologies for sustained presence on the lunar surface. NASA’s Science Mission Directorate manages the CLPS initiative. The agency’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and its Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, both supported the project. Motiv Space Systems designed and built key hardware elements at the company’s Pasadena facility. Clemson University in South Carolina contributed research in support of the project.
    For more about CADRE, go to:
    https://go.nasa.gov/cadre
    News Media Contact
    Melissa PamerJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.626-314-4928melissa.pamer@jpl.nasa.gov
    2025-018

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Energy Sector – Energy Competition Task Force identifies new ways to empower electricity consumers

    Source: Electricity Authority

    The Energy Competition Task Force (the Task Force) has identified new ways to give consumers more control over their energy costs and to harness the power of rooftop solar and batteries. The Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko (the Authority) is now seeking feedback on three proposed changes to regulation to promote competition, reliable power supply, and efficient operation of the electricity market for the long-term benefit of all New Zealanders.
    Two of the three proposed changes are about rewarding consumers for supplying electricity to the network at peak times, typically through their own solar and battery systems. The other would make ‘time-of-use’ power plans (plans that reward off-peak electricity use) available to most New Zealanders.
    Electricity Authority Chair and Task Force member Anna Kominik says there are real benefits if consumers are empowered to more actively participate in the electricity market, including increased energy resilience and reduced power costs over time.
    “New Zealand’s electricity market currently relies on a few big generators to supply electricity at select locations and transmit it to households and businesses across the country. But as uptake of solar and battery systems continues to increase, more consumers will be able to contribute to our electricity system. And as smart electronics and vehicles become more ubiquitous, consumers will also be able to more actively manage their own energy use and costs.
    “We’re proposing three changes to help support this consumer empowerment and decentralisation of our energy system. Over time, this will increase community resilience and lower power costs for everyone,” she said.
    The proposals would require:
    • Consumer-supply rebates from distributors: lines companies to provide a rebate when consumers supply energy into congested parts of the network (Task Force Initiative 2A)
    • Time-varying retail pricing for consumption: large electricity retailers to offer at least one time-of-use pricing plan to all their customers (Task Force Initiative 2B)
    • Time-varying retail pricing for supply: large electricity retailers to offer at least one time-varying rate for when they buy electricity from consumers (Task Force Initiative 2C).
    Making ‘time-of-use’ power plans more widely available for Kiwis
    Commerce Commission Chair and Task Force member, Dr John Small, said the Initiative 2B proposal would significantly increase availability of ‘time-of-use’ pricing plans. These plans reward consumers for using power during off-peak hours, meaning they can take advantage of cheaper off-peak power, instead of paying a single flat rate.
    “While time-of-use pricing plans aren’t new, many consumers don’t have access to one through their current retailer. As these plans provide a simple, effective tool for consumers to manage their energy use and costs, we’d like to see all major retailers offer them, so more consumers have this choice.”
    Dr Small said the plans have the additional benefit of reducing overall electricity costs for consumers across the country.
    “People on these plans are incentivised to shift their use away from peak periods when electricity is most expensive. The more consumers shift their use at these times – for example by running EV chargers later at night when electricity demand is generally lower – the less high-cost electricity needs to be generated, and this lowers costs for everyone,” he said.
    Rewarding consumers for supplying electricity to the network at peak times
    Kominik explains that the initiative 2A and 2C proposals would reward consumers who can supply electricity when demand on the network is peaking, typically through their own solar and battery systems.
    “We’d like to see people fairly rewarded for supplying power when it’s needed, and incentivise efficient uptake of flexible, small-scale electricity generation systems such as rooftop solar and batteries. Energy from rooftop solar supplied at peak times can ease pressure on the electricity network, reducing demand and keeping the lines costs we all pay for through our power bills to a minimum.
    “By incentivising households and businesses to invest in their own generation, we can help meet New Zealand’s electricity needs when demand is high and improve community resilience,” she said.
    The Task Force invites feedback on these proposals through the eight-week consultation period, which closes at 5pm on Wednesday 9th April, with two further weeks for cross-submissions.
    As part of this consultation package, the Electricity Authority is releasing an issues paper that explores whether the existing pricing rules for distributed generation are fit for purpose. The issues and potential solutions explored in this paper support the proposals in the Task Force initiative 2A consultation paper. Visit this Authority webpage for more information on the issues paper.
    The Energy Competition Task Force was established by the Commerce Commission Te Komihana Tauhokohoko and Electricity Authority Te Mana Hiko in August 2024 to investigate ways to improve the performance of the electricity market.
    The Task Force is considering eight initiatives that will encourage more and faster investment in new electricity generation, boost competition, enable homes, businesses and industrials to better manage their own electricity use and costs, and put downward pressure on prices.
    The attached diagram illustrates the various charges between distributors, retailers and consumers and where proposals for initiatives 2A and 2C would be incorporated. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI USA: Driving the Future: NASA Highlights Artemis at Houston AutoBoative Show 

    Source: NASA

    You would not expect to see NASA at a car show—but that’s exactly where Johnson Space Center employees were from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2, 2025, driving the future of space exploration forward. 
    At the Houston AutoBoative Show, a fusion of the auto and boat show, NASA rolled out its Artemis exhibit at NRG Center for the first time, introducing motor enthusiasts to the technologies NASA and commercial partners will use to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before. 

    The Artemis exhibit stood alongside some of the world’s most advanced cars and boats, offering visitors an up-close look at lunar terrain vehicle mockups from Astrolab, Intuitive Machines, and Lunar Outpost. Later this year, NASA will select the rover that will fly to the Moon as humanity prepares for the next giant leap. 
    In addition to the rovers, the exhibit featured a mockup of JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) pressurized rover, designed as a mobile habitat for astronauts, and Axiom Space’s lunar spacesuit, developed for Artemis III astronauts. 
    These capabilities will allow astronauts to explore, conduct science research, and live and work on the lunar surface.  

    Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche visited the Artemis exhibit to highlight the importance of these technologies in advancing lunar exploration. Every lesson learned on the Moon will help scientists and engineers develop the strategies, technologies, and experience needed to send astronauts to Mars.  
    “By bringing the excitement of lunar exploration to the AutoBoative Show, NASA aims to inspire the next generation of explorers to dream bigger, push farther, and help shape humanity’s future in space,” Wyche said.  
    NASA’s Artemis campaign is setting the stage for long-term human exploration, working with commercial and international partners to establish a sustained presence on the Moon before progressing to Mars. 
    To make this vision a reality, NASA is developing rockets, spacecraft, landing systems, spacesuits, rovers, habitats, and more.  

    Some of the key elements on display at the show included:

    The Orion spacecraft – Designed to take astronauts farther into deep space. Orion will launch atop NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, carrying the crew to the Moon on Artemis missions and safely returning them to Earth.

    Lunar terrain vehicles – Developed to transport astronauts across the rugged lunar surface or be remotely operated. NASA recently put these rover mockups to the test at Johnson, where astronauts and engineers, wearing spacesuits, ran through critical maneuvers, tasks, and emergency drills—including a simulated crew rescue.

    Next-gen spacesuits and tools – Through Johnson’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, astronauts’ gear and equipment are designed to ensure safety and efficiency while working on the Moon’s surface.

    Guests had the chance to step into the role of an astronaut with interactive experiences like: 

    Driving a lunar rover simulator – Testing their skills at the wheel of a virtual Moon rover. 

    Practicing a simulated Orion docking – Experiencing the precision needed to connect to Gateway in lunar orbit. 

    Exploring Artemis II and III mission roadmaps – Learning about NASA’s upcoming missions and goals. 

    Attendees also discovered how American companies are delivering science and technology to the Moon through NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. 

    “Everyone can relate to exploration, so it was great to teach people the importance lunar rovers will have on astronauts’ abilities to explore more of the lunar surface while conducting science,” said Victoria Ugalde, communications strategist for the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, who coordinated the lunar rovers’ appearance at the show. 
    Check out the rovers contracted to develop lunar terrain vehicle capabilities below.

    MIL OSI USA News –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Short-range drones: The deadliest threat to civilians in Ukraine

    Source: United Nations 4

    11 February 2025 Human Rights

    In January 2025, short-range drones caused more casualties than any other weapon in Ukraine, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) said in a new report released on Tuesday. 

    With increasing reports of these drones striking civilians in cars, on buses and on public streets, UN monitors have raised serious concerns about potential violations of international humanitarian law.

    According to HRMMU’s latest monthly update on the protection of civilians, at least 139 were killed and 738 injured in Ukraine last month. Attacks using short-range drones accounted for almost 30 per cent of these incidents.

    “Short-range drones now pose one of the deadliest threats to civilians in frontline areas,” said Danielle Bell, Head of HRMMU.

    Terror in the skies

    The mission reports that 95 per cent of casualties from short-range drones in January occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine, with the remaining five per cent in areas occupied by Russia.

    Many of the attacks involved first-person-view drones, that is, drones equipped with real time cameras, allowing operators to identify and track their targets with precision.

    While such technology should, in theory, enable drone operators to distinguish between military and civilian targets, the UN’s findings suggest otherwise.

    “Our data shows a clear and disturbing pattern of short-range drones being used in ways that put civilians at grave risk,” Ms. Bell noted.

    Deadly incidents on the frontline

    The new year brought no respite in frontline regions but rather an escalation and even expansion of the fighting.

    Casualties due to short-range drones were responsible for 70 per cent of civilian deaths in the Kherson region, which suffered the highest number of casualties.

    One of the most shocking incidents took place on 6 January, when a drone targeted a public transit bus in Kherson City during rush hour. The attack killed a man and a woman and injured eight others.

    HRMMU also recorded an increase in drone-related casualties in other frontline regions, including Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.

    First-hand account of strikes

    Survivors have described the moments leading up to these attacks with harrowing detail.

    A civilian from Mykolaiv recounted how a small drone circled above his head before diving directly at him while he was working in his home’s garden.

    “I realised that I did not have time to hide. I dropped to the ground and covered my head with my hands,” he told HRMMU.

    “The blast wave tore off all my clothes. I somehow instinctively tried to protect my eyes. This saved my eyesight, because after the drone explosion, the backs of my palms were covered with small metal fragments, which surgeons later removed. My wedding ring was so pressed into my finger that they had to saw it off to remove it from my finger,” he continued.

    A disturbing trend

    HRMMU’s data shows a sharp increase in civilian casualties from short-range drones throughout 2024, with a particularly alarming spike in the last six months.

    “The on-board cameras should allow operators to distinguish with a higher degree of certainty between civilians and military objectives”, Ms. Bell said, “yet civilians continue to be killed in alarming numbers”.

    As Ukraine’s conflict continues, UN monitors have reiterated calls for all parties to take immediate measures to safeguard civilians, in line with international humanitarian principles.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: SH76 Brougham Street upgrades prioritised as a Road of Regional Significance

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government will prioritise delivery of upgrades to SH76 Brougham Street in Christchurch as a Road of Regional Significance, including an overbridge between Collins and Simeon Streets, Transport Minister Chris Bishop says.  

    “The Government is committed to delivering transport infrastructure that boosts economic growth and productivity, reduces congestion, and creates a safer and more reliable transport network for people, vehicles, and freight,” Mr Bishop says.

    “Carrying over 45,000 vehicles per day, SH76 Brougham Street is a critical route servicing the commercial, industrial, and residential areas south of Christchurch. It is also the main freight route to the South Island’s largest port at Lyttleton.

    “In May last year, the Government confirmed funding for the pre-implementation phase only for this project. This funding ensured a no-frills and value for money approach to design could be completed by the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA), and strategic property purchases and consenting work could continue in parallel. 

    “Cabinet has now confirmed funding will be provided by the Crown to NZTA to deliver this important Road of Regional Significance, with construction to begin by mid-2025, subject to statutory approvals. The overbridge is expected to be completed within two years, and wider improvements started once property and consenting requirements are completed.

    “The intersection upgrades and other interventions along the corridor will improve efficiency and safety as well as making travel times more reliable.  

    “Once completed, the overbridge will enable local residents and school children to safely cross over the highway, rather than using the existing level crossing, as well as improving travel time reliability for freight going to and from the port.

    “Prioritising the delivery of roading investment across New Zealand is part of our plan to boost economic growth, and I look forward to construction starting on the SH76 Brougham Street upgrades as soon as possible.

    “Overall funding will be confirmed once a contractor has been appointed.” 

    Notes to Editor 

    • Cabinet has confirmed funding will be provided by the Crown to the NZ Transport Agency to deliver the SH76 Brougham Street upgrades.
    • This funding will be a drawn down from the tagged contingency set aside in Budget 2024 to enable the NZ Transport Agency to bring forward priority projects that would otherwise be phased to begin from 2027 onwards.
    • Overall funding to deliver the SH76 Brougham Street upgrades will be confirmed publicly once a contractor is in place to deliver the project.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav addresses the ‘XDG 2045’ Ministerial Roundtable, at World Governments Summit 2025, Dubai

    Source: Government of India

    Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav addresses the ‘XDG 2045’ Ministerial Roundtable, at World Governments Summit 2025, Dubai

    India expresses deep concern on failure of Developed countries to meet Financial Commitments for a Just Transition, Climate Adaptation Finance and additional funding for Biodiversity Conservation in Developing countries

    Spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam should serve as a Guiding Principle for XDG 2045: Shri Bhupender Yadav

    Posted On: 11 FEB 2025 6:26PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav addressed a gathering of Global leaders and thinkers during the ‘XDG 2045’ Ministerial Roundtable, today at the World Government Summit, 2025 in Dubai. He presented India’s vision for sustainable development, anchored in the commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and India’s ambition for a Viksit Bharat by 2047.

    Addressed the XDG 2045 Ministerial Roundtable during the World Government Summit – Shaping Future Governments in Dubai today.

    Emphasized on two key priorities for developing countries. The need for capacity building in clean technology, electric vehicles, and climate-resilient… pic.twitter.com/iWNbjJmMWj

    — Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) February 11, 2025

    Beginning his intervention, the Minister assured the august gathering of India’s unwavering commitment to the SDGs and dwelled upon India’s achievements in this direction. He said, “We have made significant progress, particularly in renewable energy, healthcare, and poverty reduction. India is rapidly expanding its renewable energy capacity and we are already among the world’s leaders in solar energy and are investing in clean technologies, electric vehicles, and climate-resilient infrastructure”. However, the Minister added that climate change and biodiversity loss remain critical challenges and these cannot be addressed without a transformative change in how the World approaches development.

    Speaking on the crucial issue of ‘Means of Implementation’, Shri Yadav pointed out that the financial resources required to achieve the SDGs, particularly in addressing climate change and environmental sustainability, remain far below what was promised by the Developed nations. Despite numerous pledges, financial flows to Developing countries have been insufficient to meet the pressing needs of climate adaptation, mitigation, and biodiversity preservation.

    The Minister expressed India’s deep concern about the failure of Developed countries to meet their financial commitments for a just transition in Developing countries, climate adaptation finance and additional funding for biodiversity conservation. He noted that without adequate financing, many Nations, particularly those with the greatest vulnerabilities, face a debt burden that threatens their ability to pursue sustainable development. Shri Yadav once again urged the Developed countries to fulfill the financial promises made and work together to close this gap, as the world approaches the final stretch towards 2030.

    Talking about India’s idea of sustainable development that promotes equity, justice, and harmony with nature, the Minister said, “Looking ahead to 2047, when India celebrates the centenary of its independence, our vision for Viksit Bharat goes beyond mere economic growth. We envision an India that is not only developed but also green, resilient, and inclusive”. He noted that the path to this future is rooted in the belief that human society and nature must coexist harmoniously. This is where India’s mission for LiFE (Lifestyle for the Environment) becomes very relevant, which promotes a pro-planet lifestyle embracing sustainability at the individual, community, and national levels, ensuring that the choices we make today contribute to a better tomorrow, he added.

    Taking cue from India’s development strategy, Shri Yadav proposed that the World should be committed to pursuing green growth and continue making concerted efforts on afforestation, sustainable agriculture, and green infrastructure to ensure that development is in harmony with the environment. “We should continue to invest in climate resilience, ensuring that communities can withstand the impacts of climate change”, he added.

    The Minister reminded the gathering that as the world pursues shared goals, it must be remembered that the future is intrinsically linked to collaboration and cooperation. He said that the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam should serve as a guiding principle for XDG 2045. “For XDG 2045 to truly succeed, it must not merely be a set of agreements or declarations, but a global movement—a movement grounded in the principles of justice, inclusivity, and shared progress. This is why Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam must serve as the guiding principle for our collaboration, leading us to foster partnerships based on trust, mutual benefit, and an unwavering commitment to the common good. Only by embracing this worldview can we build a harmonious and sustainable future, where no one is left behind, and all countries are empowered to thrive”, he stated.

    Concluding his address, Shri Yadav encouraged world leaders to continue working together, across borders and sectors, to build a world that is more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous for generations to come, eradicating poverty and leaving no one behind. India is ready to contribute its ideas, innovations, and actions to this collective endeavour, he added.

    *****

    VM

    (Release ID: 2101899) Visitor Counter : 50

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Connectors for e-bike chargers – E-002923/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    Electrically powered assisted cycles (EPACs) are subject to the Machinery Directive[1] as regards their safety. The harmonised standard EN 15194:2017+A1:2023 on EPACs was cited in the Official Journal on 15 May 2024[2] with a transitional period of 24 months, to allow the industry to gradually implement the new provisions including those on interoperability.

    Manufacturers of e-bikes will have to respect the harmonised standard in order to benefit from the presumption of conformity. Although harmonised standards are not mandatory, the presumption of conformity is a powerful incentive encouraging manufacturers to comply with them.

    With respect to the harmonisation of charging connector types for e-bikes and other light electric vehicles, the standards address the comunication aspects between vehicles and the electricity grid, but are not sufficient to ensure the physical interoperability between charging points and vehicle connectors.

    Following Article 94(6) of the Batteries Regulation[3], the Commission conducted in 2024 a study[4] ‘Assessment of harmonised standards for “common chargers” for rechargeable batteries powering light means of transport and specific categories of electrical and electronic equipment covered by Directive 2012/19/EU’.

    The study describes the fragmentation that exists in the market for battery-operated light means of transport with respect to their charging interoperability and the different market-led alternatives that are emerging.

    The Commission is currently reflecting how to further promote interoperability for battery-operated light means of tranport and intends to adopt a report in the first half of 2025.

    • [1] Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2006 on machinery, and amending Directive 95/16/EC, OJ L 157, 9.6.2006, p. 24.
    • [2] Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2024/1329 of 13 May 2024 amending and correcting Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1586, OJ L, 2024/1329, 15.5.2024.
    • [3]  Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2023 concerning batteries and waste batteries, amending Directive 2008/98/EC and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repealing Directive 2006/66/EC, OJ L 191, 28.7.2023, p. 1-117.
    • [4] https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/0f8e257e-8526-11ef-a67d-01aa75ed71a1/language-en
    Last updated: 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Enabling more assistance for regions struck by floods through changes to the EU Solidarity Fund and Recovery and Resilience Facility regulatory framework – E-002590/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    The mid-term revision of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)[1] increased the allocation for the Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve by EUR 1.5 billion for the years 2024-2027. The EU Solidarity Fund (EUSF)[2] now has an annual budget of EUR 1 016 million[3] (in 2018 prices). A review of the scope of the Fund is not planned under the 2021-2027 MFF.

    In addition, thanks to the Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE) Regulation, entered into force on 24 December 2024[4], Member States will be able to reprogramme (within the limits of its current scope of intervention) part of their European Regional Development Fund, Cohesion Fund, and European Social Fund+ allocations for reconstruction and repair actions. Member States have six months from the entry into force to submit the corresponding programme amendments to the Commission.

    Under the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), Member States committed close to EUR 9 billion in their recovery and resilience plans to finance measures related to natural disaster preparedness. The RRF Regulation allows Member States to request a targeted amendment of their plan if objective circumstances make it impossible for them to deliver on the previously agreed commitments. Natural disasters can constitute objective circumstances to justify the revision of recovery and resilience plans[5]. The Commission has recently also taken steps to simplify the process to amend the plans (when objective circumstances are invoked).

    • [1] Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2024/765 of 29 February 2024 amending Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 laying down the MFF for 2021-27.
    • [2] Council Regulation (EC) No 2012/2002 of 11 November 2002 establishing the European Union Solidarity Fund (OJ L 311, 14.11.2002, p. 3) as amended by Regulation (EU) No 661/2014 of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 May 2014 (OJ L 189, 27.6.2014, p. 143) and by Regulation (EU) 2020/461 of the European Parliament and the Council of 30 March 2020 (OJ L 99, 31.3.2020, p. 9): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32002R2012
    • [3] EUR 1 144.1 million in 2024 prices.
    • [4] Regulation (EU) 2024/3236 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 amending Regulations (EU) 2021/1057 and (EU) 2021/1058 as regards Regional Emergency Support to Reconstruction (RESTORE), available at the following link: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3236/oj
    • [5] This includes the possibility to shift RRF funds towards reforms and investments necessary to respond to natural disasters, or more generally to adjust previously agreed commitments to take account of the impact of such natural disasters on the plans’ implementation. The relevant guidance can be found at: https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/3a3d5707-5adc-4f6a-a5b5-1d23f1a24235_en?filename=20240531_Draft_Guidance_on_recovery_and_resilience_plans.pdf
    Last updated: 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-Evening Report: Jim Chalmers wants to fix Australia’s broken road tax system. Here’s what one solution might look like

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Hussein Dia, Professor of Future Urban Mobility, Swinburne University of Technology

    Taras Vyshnya/Shutterstock

    Australia’s road tax system has a problem. Revenue from the fuel excise – the primary way we tax motoring – has been declining steadily as a proportion of government revenue over the past two decades.

    Politicians, policy experts and business leaders have all long called for reform. Now, change could be on the horizon.

    The Australian Financial Review reports that at a closed-door dinner with business leaders in Canberra last week, Treasurer Jim Chalmers hinted that addressing falling fuel excise revenue would be a tax reform priority if Labor is re-elected.

    One option would be a road user charge on electric vehicles (EVs), which obviously don’t pay fuel excise. But singling them out would undermine the government’s own efforts in promoting EVs to help meet the nation’s emissions reduction targets.

    There are also other inequities in the way the current fuel excise works. Our previous research has shown Australia is ready for a rational and transparent discussion about road-user charging on all vehicles, not just electric ones.

    How we tax roads today

    Currently, Australian motorists pay several government taxes and other fees on their vehicles.

    One is the fuel excise. This tax, collected by the Commonwealth, is paid per litre of fuel purchased and is indexed every six months to account for inflation.

    Australia’s existing fuel excise is charged per litre of fuel.
    Daria Nipot/Shutterstock

    Then there are registration fees, typically paid every six or 12 months and collected by state and territory governments.

    Vehicle owners also have to pay compulsory third-party insurance, which in some states is bundled with registration fees.

    When buying or transferring ownership of a vehicle, other fees can apply. These include stamp duty as well as the luxury car tax on vehicles priced above a certain threshold.

    The system isn’t working

    As a proportion of Australian taxation revenue, revenue from the fuel excise has dwindled from 7.4% in 2000 to 3.9% in 2025.

    It might be tempting to blame electric cars for this decline. But this share began declining steadily long before EVs were introduced in Australia, and is projected to fall further.

    Falling fuel excise revenue can be attributed to a range of other factors. Improvements in engine fuel consumption have had a substantial impact on the number of litres used to travel the same distances.

    In Australia, the average fuel consumption of passenger cars in 2005 was 11.3 litres per 100 kilometres. In 2024, this figure was around 6.9 litres.

    Fuel consumption rates are expected to improve further and match those in other nations with the introduction of the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard, which came into effect at the start of this year.

    Public transport usage has also been trending upwards in many of Australia’s major cities since the turn of the millennium, reducing reliance on private cars.

    Need for an alternative

    Australia’s current road taxes are blunt instruments that don’t reflect the true societal costs of driving.

    The fuel excise, for example, does not properly account for traffic congestion or emissions. A driver who travels in regional Victoria or in an outer suburb of Sydney for local shopping or school drop-offs will pay the same excise as a driver who contributes to congestion by travelling into the city centre.

    Similarly, car registration fees are not related to the number of kilometres travelled, congestion created, or emissions produced by driving.

    One of the most widely known alternatives alternatives to a fuel excise tax is a pay-per-distance road user charge. Such charges work by charging vehicles a fee per kilometre travelled.

    This would not be a new tax on top of existing taxes – it would replace current fuel excise and car registration fees.

    Adjustments to this model can include exempting some groups from the charges (such as low-income families, taxis and emergency service vehicles), adjusting charges for different categories of vehicles, and applying congestion charges under certain conditions.

    Failed attempts

    Targeting electric vehicles with a road user charge has been an acute priority for many states, as they are currently completely exempt from paying the fuel excise.

    In 2021, the Victorian government introduced a controversial distance-based charge for EVs. But this scheme was challenged in the High Court and ruled unconstitutional.

    Victoria’s measure was found to be a form of excise, and only the Commonwealth can impose such a tax.

    Following the ruling, the treasurer asked state and territory treasurers to look into the design of a national scheme in December 2023. But this process reportedly stalled.

    Support for reform

    Today, there are about 300,000 EVs on Australian roads (including around 248,000 battery electric cars and 53,500 plug-in hybrids).

    That’s only a tiny fraction of the 21 million cars registered across the nation. Over coming decades, as EVs take a greater share of total vehicles on the road, the hit to already flagging fuel excise revenue will become acute.

    In the meantime, our own previous research and public surveys show Australia is ready for a rational and transparent discussion about road-user charging on all vehicles, not only electric vehicles.

    We found most respondents would support such charges if they were transparent, equitable and replace or reduce other road taxes.


    The Conversation, CC BY

    There have already been several Australian studies around the shape and form of road user charges that can inform the discussions and public consultations.

    We also found willingness to pay a road-user charge varies with the level of expected savings. Most respondents were willing to pay a road-user charge if it saved them on registration fees and fuel taxes.

    If well planned and implemented, a national approach to road-user charges can raise enough revenue to replace the fuel excise tax. It will also ease congestion, promote sustainable transport and help achieve Australia’s targets for cutting transport emissions.

    Hussein Dia receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the iMOVE Australia Cooperative Research Centre, Transport for New South Wales, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, and Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.

    Hadi Ghaderi receives funding from the iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre, Transport for New South Wales, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, IVECO Trucks Australia limited, Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, Victoria Department of Education and Training, Australia Post, Bondi Laboratories, Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre, Sphere for Good, Australian Meat Processor Corporation, City of Casey, 460degrees and Passel.

    – ref. Jim Chalmers wants to fix Australia’s broken road tax system. Here’s what one solution might look like – https://theconversation.com/jim-chalmers-wants-to-fix-australias-broken-road-tax-system-heres-what-one-solution-might-look-like-249477

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: CBP Officer Arrested in El Paso, Charged with Alien Smuggling and Drug Trafficking

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

    EL PASO, Texas – A Customs and Border Protection officer was arrested in El Paso on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle undocumented noncitizens for financial gain and alleged drug trafficking activity.

    According to court documents, between on or about Dec. 21, 2023 and Feb. 5, 2025, Manuel Perez Jr., 32, of El Paso, allegedly smuggled and attempted to smuggle undocumented noncitizens into the United States for commercial advantage and private financial gain. The indictment alleges that, in multiple instances, Perez Jr. admitted a vehicle driven by an undocumented noncitizen at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso as part of human smuggling operations. Additionally, Perez Jr. allegedly conspired to possess a substance containing at least 5kg of cocaine from on or about Nov. 1, 2019 through and including Feb. 5, 2025, to distribute throughout Texas, Louisiana, North Carolina and elsewhere.

    Perez Jr. is charged with one count of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States for financial gain, three counts of bringing aliens to the United States for financial gain, and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. If convicted, he faces a up to five years in federal prison for the human smuggling conspiracy charge, three to 10 years in prison for each of the three additional human smuggling charges, and 10 years to life for the drug trafficking charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

    This investigation was a joint effort by FBI El Paso, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility, and Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, which comprise the FBI El Paso West Texas Border Corruption Task Force, along with the assistance of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division/Texas Highway Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations El Paso and the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney John Johnston is prosecuting the case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Clarenville — Clarenville RCMP responds to report of impaired driver, man arrested

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    A 63-year-old man was arrested for impaired operation by Clarenville RCMP on February 10, 2025, after the report of a suspected impaired driver.

    Shortly before 10:30 a.m. on Monday, police received the report of a suspected impaired driver who was at a commercial property in Goobies. Police attended the scene and located the described individual, who showed signs of alcohol impairment, and his vehicle, which was parked at the location. Evidence gathered as part of the investigation supported the man’s arrest for impaired operation.

    At the detachment, the man provided breath samples that were nearly twice the legal limit. His driver’s licence was suspended and the vehicle was seized and impounded. The man was released from custody and is set to appear in court at a later date to answer to charges of impaired operation.

    RCMP NL thanks the public for continuing to report suspected incidents of impaired driving. Road safety is everyone’s responsibility. If you suspect a driver is impaired, please immediately call your local police or 911 and be prepared to provide the current location and description of the vehicle, including a licence plate, if possible.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former officer sentenced for firearms offense

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

    McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old San Juan resident has been ordered to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Michael Gallegos-Martinez pleaded guilty Dec. 3, 2024.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered him to serve 41 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Gallegos-Martinez had been previously served as a police officer before being convicted of a felony for possession of a controlled substance. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted the significant amount of cash found in the vehicle as well as the narcotics.

    On June 25, 2023, Gallegos-Martinez was driving a Cadillac CTS when he failed to come to a complete stop. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, at which time they noticed Gallegos-Martinez appeared nervous.

    He claimed there were no firearms or narcotics within the vehicle. However, a K-9 alerted, and authorities ultimately discovered of a firearm Rossi, Model 461, .357 caliber magnum revolver in a grocery bag hanging from the gear shift. They also discovered 25 grams of cocaine, a bottle of Xanax pills and approximately $25,000 in cash.

    Gallegos-Martinez has been and will remain in custody pending his transfer to the Bureau of Prisons.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the Alamo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia is prosecuting the case.

    This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Is Tesla’s sales slump down to Elon Musk?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By James Obiegbu, Lecturer in Experiential Marketing and Management, Bournemouth University

    Frederic Legrand – COMEO/Shutterstock

    Over the past couple of years, the seemingly steady rightward drift of Elon Musk has culminated in actions and statements that have sparked broad controversy. Musk – visionary CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and founder of X Corp – is a man on a mission to get humanity to Mars. He is also the wealthiest person on the planet.

    Most recently, these controversies include his endorsement and support of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, gestures interpreted as a Nazi salute during Donald Trump’s presidential inauguration and accusations of election interference.

    In January, sales of Tesla cars slumped across five European countries – the UK, France, Sweden, Norway and the Netherlands. Sales were down too in California – the US state with the largest car market. And according to at least one survey, Musk and his politics could be a significant part of the problem.

    When CEOs are in the public eye, their personal brands and values, and those of the companies they represent, can be hard to separate. Our research has found that, often, human identity and reputation will influence the CEO’s brand identity and reputation – and vice versa. As a human being, Musk’s personal actions and statements directly affect the companies he represents. His high-profile persona makes it difficult to separate the two.

    This is why Musk’s controversial comments and political endorsements have alienated some Tesla consumers, particularly in progressive markets such as Europe and California. In these places, Tesla has historically been popular with environmentally aware consumers. When the profiles of a CEO and his or her brand are not aligned, it’s a problem that can undermine the brand value of both the CEO and the company.

    Artists, politicians, CEOs and other public figures tend to attract fans whose personal values can at times deviate from those of the figurehead. Where this happens, devoted fans might be left at an impasse on how to respond to these figures or the products of companies or businesses they are associated with.

    A common misconception is that smitten fans are too obsessed to express their distaste. Instead, they are likely to follow blindly and defend the actions of their heroes. Intense actions of “fan armies” on social media platforms have not helped with these assumptions.

    But in fact, our research has shown that devoted fans can be critical. We found they are more likely than less devoted consumers to respond in extreme opposition when they feel betrayed by the behaviour of personalities they identify with or hold in high regard.

    In the case of personalities like Musk, whose companies produce physical products, loyal fans and consumers could respond in a number of ways. A few hardcore Tesla fans and Musk loyalists might dismiss critiques against his behaviour as attacks against free speech or their own beliefs. They are likely to continue buying Teslas regardless – and may even adjust their own beliefs to align with those of their “hero”.

    Out of step

    For other consumers, owning a Tesla may no longer signal purely their beliefs about sustainability. There may be a nod to political or ideological affiliations that do not align with their own.

    Some consumers may want to dissociate with Tesla if Musk’s behaviour is seen as problematic in their social circle. However, as a purchase requiring high involvement and commitment, switching from Tesla to another EV might be difficult. The recent trend of Tesla owners placing apology stickers on their vehicles is a way of negotiating the tension between owning a Tesla and the behaviour of the CEO they do not agree with.

    The stickers provide a means of separating themselves from Musk’s actions while managing the fear of being perceived negatively within their social groups. This is likely to result in a gradual brand erosion rather than an immediate sales drop.

    On the other hand, customers of companies such as craft beer brand BrewDog – a firm that has in the past been accused of fostering a culture of fear – may be more responsive to bad CEO behaviour. They at least can switch to an alternative brand at little cost. (BrewDog, for its part, apologised and said it was “committed to doing better”.)

    And if Remain voters dislike inventor James Dyson’s stance on Brexit, they might be annoyed but still able to justify keeping a mid-value item like a vacuum cleaner (that is used privately in the home after all) until it breaks, perhaps switching for future purchases rather than abandoning outright.

    Consumers can respond in a variety of ways when a figurehead CEO disappoints them. But brands taking blind, uncritical loyalty as a given – even from devoted fans – do so at their peril.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Is Tesla’s sales slump down to Elon Musk? – https://theconversation.com/is-teslas-sales-slump-down-to-elon-musk-248727

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump tariffs: there may be silver linings in the trade war storm clouds

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Scott Mahadeo, Senior Lecturer in Macroeconomics, University of Portsmouth

    bella1105/Shutterstock

    US tariffs – both threatened and imposed – on trade partners including China, Canada, Mexico and the EU quickly set off waves of retaliatory measures. The latest commodities in the sights of president Donald Trump are steel and aluminium – with tariffs of 25% announced for all imports. But not only do these taxes disrupt well-established trade flows, they ignite concerns over the very future of globalisation.

    Yet amid this uncertainty, it’s possible that there may be a silver lining. Trump may inadvertently be paving the way for a realignment of trade relationships and the emergence of new economic blocs. Such partnerships could foster more resilient and regionally focused economic cooperation.

    Trump’s decision to levy tariffs on its major trading partners disrupts the fundamental tenets of the gravity model of trade. According to this theory, trade between two nations is largely determined by their economic size and proximity. For instance, introducing tariffs to the close economic relationship between the US and Canada, underpinned by their shared border, effectively increases the distance between the two by raising costs and reducing the volume of bilateral trade.

    However, these disruptions can inadvertently encourage diversification of trade relationships. As companies and governments seek to mitigate the risks associated with tariffs, they may begin to explore new markets and alternative supply chains. This could ultimately lead to a more dispersed and – potentially – more stable global trade system.

    Yet as Trump continues to test the limits of his power, he is learning it is not so easy to defy gravity. Already, the president has dialled down tariffs on Canada and Mexico, while China has struck back with retaliatory measures.

    One positive spin-off of the trade war may be the reinforcement of regional alliances. With traditional trade flows disrupted, countries are increasingly incentivised to strengthen ties with neighbouring economies.

    North American outlook

    Canada and Mexico, long considered natural trading partners of the US, might pivot towards deepening their economic cooperation. They may also look to bilateral agreements with other partners as well as seeking new markets, strengthening ties with China and Japan.

    The USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement) provides a strong foundation for trade. But attempts to dismantle this arrangement could see Canada and Mexico accelerating efforts to build closer economic ties with other regions, reducing their exposure to the US market.

    Trump reveals his plans for sweeping steel tariffs on “everybody”.

    Trump’s planned tariffs on steel threaten to undermine the USMCA. After all, it is designed to foster integrated supply chains and low-tariff economic cooperation among the three countries. This is likely to escalate trade tensions across the bloc, forcing a reassessment of the trade agreement’s key terms and destabilising the established relationships.

    European Union outlook

    The imposition of tariffs on the EU could lead to deepening integration among its member states. Faced with new pressures from the US, the EU might accelerate initiatives aimed at consolidating internal trade, harmonising regulations and promoting intra-European supply chains.

    Member states, with France at the forefront, are already advocating for a united response to counteract US protectionism. They hope to signal a strong political commitment to resist the pressures from Trump.

    Asia-Pacific outlook

    China, as the world’s second-largest economy behind the US, may seek to expand its trade relationships in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. As China’s economic growth model is export-led, it may seek stronger partnerships with regional players and invest in new trade agreements. This could potentially give rise to an even more integrated Asian economic community.

    A new economic order

    Whatever else plays out, these tariff wars signal a reordering of the global economic landscape. Such disruptions, though painful in the short term, can create long-term changes that rebalance economic systems. The natural trading partner hypothesis reinforces this view by highlighting how countries with shared cultural, historical and geographical ties are likely to deepen their economic relationships in the face of external shocks.

    Table of US trade

    Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis (2025)
    Author provided

    In this new order, traditional superpowers may find themselves challenged by unified responses from other nations. By imposing tariffs, the US risks isolating itself from these emerging alliances, while its major trading partners may become united in their efforts to counterbalance rising American protectionism.



    Read more:
    Brics: growth of China-led bloc raises questions about a rapidly shifting world order

    The ripple effects of the US tariff row extend well beyond the directly involved countries, with significant implications for global trade networks. For the UK, already coping with the aftermath of Brexit, this new environment offers both challenges and opportunities.

    With US-led protectionism disrupting traditional trade channels, the UK could seize the opportunity to diversify its export markets by forging stronger ties with the EU and digging deeper into its Commonwealth alliances. It could reinforce its position as a hub for international commerce while continuing to cultivate its relationship with the US. Managing Trump is a delicate balancing act for prime minister Keir Starmer, as both are expected to be in office for four years.

    A word of caution – negotiating international trade agreements is a complex and lengthy process. This is the hard lesson learned by the UK. Its trade with the EU (its most important commercial partner) shrank after Brexit, driving the quest for new trading partners and agreements. But these fruits are slow to materialise.

    The UK formally requested accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in February 2021, but only signed the accession protocol in July 2023.

    And we should not forget that in 2024 the UK halted its trade talks with Canada after two years of negotiations, due to disagreements over the standards on some agricultural products.

    Tariffs come with challenges, but they might also be the beginning of a slow and painful change towards a more balanced and robust global economic order.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Trump tariffs: there may be silver linings in the trade war storm clouds – https://theconversation.com/trump-tariffs-there-may-be-silver-linings-in-the-trade-war-storm-clouds-249526

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two women sentenced for attempting to smuggle Mexican child into U.S.

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – Two U.S. citizens have been ordered to federal prison for attempting to bring a 7-year-old Mexican minor into the United States for personal financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

    Sisters Naidelyn Yuliana Vielma Jimenez, 22, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and Bianca Jackeline Vielma Jimenez, 23, Laredo, pleaded guilty Sept. 17 and Oct. 17, 2024, respectively. 

    U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now imposed a 36-month-term of imprisonment for both sisters to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. 

    On July 9, 2024, both women arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge at Laredo along with their 16-year-old sister and a 7-year-old male. At that time, they all purported to be one family unit and that the male was their 15-year-old brother.  

    They showed authorities a video and photograph allegedly depicting the boy with their family. They also presented a copy of their 15-year-old brother’s documents as additional proof to convince them the child was their brother. 

    However, law enforcement did not believe the boy was the same one depicted and that the child in the vehicle was much younger. Further investigation revealed that the child was not related to the women.

    The two older sisters ultimately admitted they had made an agreement to smuggle the Mexican child into the United States and transport him to San Antonio for a fee of $3,000. 

    “Prior open border policies have inflicted an incalculable human toll, much of which has unfortunately fallen upon innocent children,” said Ganjei. “The Department of Justice, and, in particular, the Southern District of Texas, will do whatever it takes to destroy the market for the trafficking and smuggling of children. For those who profit off this misery, you will be found and prosecuted.”

    Both women were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future

    Customs and Border Protection conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted this case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Three Charged For Their Role In Major Theft Organization Targeting Luxury Vehicles

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announced the  return of an indictment charging Michel Serrano (34, Lehigh Acres) with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles and the sale and possession of stolen motor vehicles, as well as two counts of interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles. If convicted on all counts, Serrano faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Julio Sanchez (35, Redwood City, California) and Angel Mares (56, San Jose, California) were also charged with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles and the sale and possession of stolen motor vehicles. If convicted on this count, Sanchez and Mares each face a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Serrano, Sanchez, and Mares that the United States is seeking an order of forfeiture for any property, real or personal, which is traceable to the proceeds of the crimes, and an order of forfeiture in the amount of the proceeds of the crimes.

    According to the indictment, beginning at least as early as June 2020 and continuing through May 2021, Serrano, Sanchez, Mares, and their co-conspirators stole high-end vehicles from throughout the state of Florida. Vehicles were stolen from car dealerships, residences and residential parking garages, and other businesses. The conspirators altered the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) on the stolen motor vehicles, then transported the stolen vehicles on semi-trucks across state lines with the intent to sell them. The conspirators then sold the stolen motor vehicles to purchasers. For an additional fee, the conspirators would provide the purchaser a full vehicle registration and title within the state of California. The conspirators were paid by the purchasers through cash and checks for the stolen vehicles. 

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Florida Highway Patrol, with assistance from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Tampa Police Department, Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Dade City Police Department, Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, Bradenton Police Department, Cape Coral Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany E. Fields.

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Felon Is Sentenced To 17 ½ Years In Prison On Drug And Gun Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jason Travis Shook, 42, of Conover, N.C., was sentenced today to 210 months in prison and five years of supervised release on drug and gun charges, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

    Jae W. Chung, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office, and Sheriff Donald G. Brown II of the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

    According to court documents and proceedings, in August 2022, officers with the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office learned that Shook was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine in the area. As part of the investigation into Shook, law enforcement began surveilling Shook’s property in Conover and his black Chevrolet Suburban vehicle. On August 25, 2022, officers observed Shook walking back and forth from his property to the Suburban, which had a white boat attached to it. Shook was seen carrying a backpack that he placed in the back seat of the Suburban before he drove away from the property. Law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop of Shook’s vehicle for multiple traffic violations, including driving with a revoked license. Shook did not obey and instead he led law enforcement on a vehicle pursuit which ended with Shook crashing the Suburban and boat into a wooded area at the end of a road in Hickory. Shook then ran on foot and jumped into Lake Hickory. A short time later Shook was taken into custody.

    According to filed court documents, law enforcement retrieved the backpack from the Suburban, which contained a clear plastic bag with a large amount of methamphetamine, $24,707 in cash, a clear plastic bag with approximately 7 grams of methamphetamine and over one gram of loose methamphetamine, digital scales, other drug paraphernalia, as well as two unspent 12-gauge shot gun shells. Law enforcement also searched Shook’s flight path and located a Ruger, model SR40C, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol along the side of the road. The firearm contained one round of ammunition in the chamber and an additional round in the magazine. The seized methamphetamine was analyzed at the DEA Mid-Atlantic Laboratory and determined to be 368.99 grams of pure methamphetamine.

    On August 8, 2024, Shook pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a felon. Shook has a prior criminal history that includes felony convictions for Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury and Second-Degree Kidnapping, and he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. Shook will remain in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

    In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the DEA and the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick J. Miller, Brandon Boykin, and Regina Pack with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Multiple defendants indicted on federal gun charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include charges alleging felons illegally possessed firearms, while other defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. 

    “Getting guns out of the hands of those who can’t legally possess them is a vital part of the effort to reduce violent crime,” said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We applaud our law enforcement partners for their diligent work in keeping our communities safe.”  

    The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.

    Those indicted in February include:

    • Taron Charleston, 20, of Dublin, Georgia, charged with Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun;
    • Shanan Lee Grover, 35, of Wrightsville, Ga., charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon;
    • Timothy Lee Cheeks, 37, of Augusta, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon; and,
    • Charles Harmon Porter, 54, of Savannah, charged with Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.

    Also previously indicted are:

    • Stephen Joseph Sala, 33, of Augusta, charged with Possession of an Unregistered Firearm (referring to a short-barreled rifle); and,
    • Jahmz Ransom, 24, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

    All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

    Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

    • Nathan Sparks, 27, of Savannah, was sentenced to 130 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found a pistol in Sparks’ waistband during a traffic stop.
    • Darnell Harold Miller, 25, of Savannah, was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police in January 2024 found Miller in possession of a pistol while investigating a domestic disturbance.
    • Barry Christopher Carpenter, 44, of Gainesville, Ga., was sentenced to 84 months in prison and fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Carpenter was arrested on state charges in Columbia County during a burglary investigation and found to be in possession of two firearms.
    • Corinthian Lamar Colonel, 26, of Savannah, was sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Officers from the Savannah Police Department and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision found two firearms in Colonel’s residence during a September 2023 search.
    • Maleak J. Parrish, 24, of Savannah, was sentenced to 57 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police fund a pistol in Parrish’s possession during a traffic stop.
    • Eddie Robertson, 30, of Savannah, was sentenced to 52 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers found Robertson in possession of a handgun after a December 2023 traffic stop and foot chase.
    • Anthony Orlando Jones, 34, of Augusta, was sentenced to 46 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies and the U.S. Marshals found Jones in possession of a semiautomatic pistol in November 2023 while serving him with an arrest warrant on a state felony charge.
    • Pedro Walker, 24, of Savannah, was sentenced to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers investigating a reported disturbance found Walker had been in possession of a pistol.
    • Willie Dunbar, 45, of Villa Rica, Georgia, was sentenced to 37 months in prison and fined $2,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Machine Gun. During a January traffic stop, Wheeler County deputies found Dunbar in possession of a Polymer80 “ghost gun” fitted with a device converting it to automatic fire.
    • Deleon Alexander Jackson, 23, of Augusta, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and fined $1,000 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies found Jackson in possession of a rifle while investigating a reported disturbance at an Augusta store.
    • Stanley Hall, 22, of Savannah, was sentenced to 71 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found Hall in possession of a handgun while investigating a reported attempted vehicle break-in.
    • Lemar Neil Robinson, 36, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Georgia state troopers and Savannah police found Robinson in possession of a pistol after a vehicle chase and traffic stop.

    The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense.  

    For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: As global leaders, Canada and Norway’s co-operation is timely in the face of surging energy demand

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Ian H. Rowlands, Professor, School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo

    In March 2023, Canada and Norway issued a joint statement on bilateral co-operation. Notably, the statement emphasized a commitment to “achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, to promoting research collaboration and to increasing trade and investment in clean technologies and renewables that help enable a green and just transition.”

    Co-operation on energy transitions offers a timely way to strengthen this bond from 2025 onwards, more than ever in light of unfolding events on the global stage.

    Canada and Norway have a long history of strong collaboration: they have had formal bilateral relations since 1942, were founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949 and the Arctic Council in 1996 and co-signatories to the Canada-European Free Trade Association’s Free Trade Agreement since 2008.

    Canada’s and Norway’s geographical and socio-economic similarities are striking, and help explain this active kinship.

    An opportune moment

    Unfolding geopolitical developments — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China’s continued rise and U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term — make it desirable to deepen connections between Canada and Norway.

    As researchers in environmental policy, we argue that this collaboration should focus on advancing the energy transition. Here, both countries are faced with tremendous opportunities, but also difficult decisions that require political gumption. There are national elections that will take place in each country this year, which makes this a particularly opportune political moment to address this concern.

    Both these climate-ambitious petro-powers have great potential to co-create pathways for prosperity. Both could conceivably implement advanced energy transition strategies that focus on the use of fossil fuel reserves judiciously and purposefully to finance climate change goals.

    The National Bank of Canada envisioned something like this in a 2023 report, continuing discussions that date back at least a decade. The report concluded that:

    “Similar to Norway, Canada is well positioned to benefit from both an economic and environmental standpoint if its existing energy resources can be leveraged to finance the transition to green energy.”

    Meanwhile, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global crossed US$1.7 trillion in 2024, bearing testament to the financial strength the country has derived from the petroleum era.

    Electrification

    The connections between fossil fuel wealth and a climate-friendly transition show much potential. However, too often those advocating for continued exploitation of carbon-based resources fail to acknowledge the accelerated phaseout timetable needed for greenhouse gas emission reductions. The use of natural gas as a transition fuel, for instance, requires a long-term plan for carbon neutrality. Without that, deployment effectively locks in decades of additional emissions.

    We are all for using national resources for wealth creation if they quicken fossil fuel phase-down. But investments that impede this — such as state support for offshore wind development to electrify offshore oil rigs in Norway — are not only counter-productive, but also hypocritical.

    The real promise these countries hold for the energy transition is in the call to electrify (almost) everything. This approach simultaneously uses two pathways: “greening” the electricity grid with low-carbon energy sources, and moving fossil fuel energy demand onto these clean electricity grids.

    Digitalization, which refers to the wider socioeconomic changes inextricably linked to the shift from analog to digital systems, should also be seen as a parallel priority to enable real-time co-ordination of electricity demand and supply across coupled sectors.

    Global leadership

    Both countries already have relatively green grids. In Canada, almost 80 per cent of electricity was generated by carbon-free sources in 2023; in Norway, the equivalent figure was greater than 98 per cent. These figures measure up favourably compared to many other countries: about 60 per cent of the world’s electricity is supplied by fossil fuels, mainly coal and natural gas.

    For context, these green and greener grids have been achieved in an era of relatively flat electricity demand in many parts of both countries. But that is changing: sector demands like mobility, heating and data centres are already proving to be significant, new consumers of electricity. Huge quantities of additional electricity have to be rapidly generated while maintaining system stability.

    Electricity demand is expected to double in both countries by 2050, reaching 1,300 TWh in Canada (more than doubling the 2023 amount of just under 600 TWh), and 260 TWh in Norway (137 TWh in 2023).

    How these two frontrunner states replace existing carbon-fuelled infrastructure and meet the anticipated growth in electricity demand is of global interest.

    Energy strategy

    In policy terms in both Canada and Norway, this strategy to electrify (almost) everything is well underway. Canada’s climate change action plan includes commitment to a green grid by 2050, and implementing Clean Electricity Regulations.

    Norway is closing in on its target of 100 per cent vehicle sales being electric. And this June, the country is hosting the United Nations-supported Internet Governance Forum, which is an area critical to the sustainable energy transition.

    Solar panels in a park in Oslo, Norway.
    (Shutterstock)

    Actions need to follow ambitions, especially in industrial processes like steel-making where deployable solutions appear further down the horizon.

    Stronger bilateral collaboration could also result in positive outcomes in geopolitical developments in the Arctic. Rapidly consolidating trade relations more broadly has rarely been so important from a political perspective. Building this collaboration along energy transition synergies presents advantages that remain gravely underexploited.

    This is likely due to the political and economic status and sway that petroleum incumbents have held. But the twin transition of low-carbon electrification and digitalization offers Canada and Norway a chance to co-operate and lead their global regions into a new era of greener energy.

    Building upon their shared geographies, structures, experiences and values, the time is ripe for collaboration on the sustainable energy transition. This could include government officials, individuals from utilities and regulators, industry representatives, members of civil society and Indigenous organizations, researchers and academics.

    Together, Canada and Norway have the potential to work in tandem to move towards a more prosperous and sustainable global future.

    Ian H. Rowlands is a member of the Board of Directors of Waterloo Region Community Energy.

    Siddharth Sareen has received funding from the Research Council of Norway, Innovation Norway, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and Horizon Europe, Horizon 2020, JPI Climate and JPI Urban Europe programmes of the European Commission.

    – ref. As global leaders, Canada and Norway’s co-operation is timely in the face of surging energy demand – https://theconversation.com/as-global-leaders-canada-and-norways-co-operation-is-timely-in-the-face-of-surging-energy-demand-248283

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Anderson County Man Pleads Guilty to $13 Million Ponzi Scheme and Cyber Stalking

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

    COLUMBIA, S.C. — Michael J. French, 41, of Pendleton, has pleaded guilty to operating a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme and to stalking two social media content creators. 

    Evidence put forth at the plea hearing established that French owned MJF Holdings, LLC and MJF Capital, LLC.  Beginning in March 2019, through these companies, French offered promissory notes to investors that projected annual returns of 12 percent. He represented to investors that their funds would be used to provide loans to small businesses and that he had experience in the financial industry, including underwriting the loans in which the investor would be invested. French represented to investors that he would not receive compensation unless the promissory notes earned in excess of the 12 percent guaranteed to investors. 

    These were false representations. French paid previous investors with new investor monies because his investment product was not generating returns. This lulled investors into believing the product was successful, when, in fact, French was spending investor money to maintain a lavish lifestyle that included supporting female social media content creators by paying them thousands of dollars each month.

    At one point, the content creators stopped communicating with French. He became angry with the women and began harassing them through various “burner” phone numbers and fake email accounts. French claimed that he was a sniper, had killed people, and that the police could not protect them. French traveled to one woman’s home unannounced, forcing her to hide in a locked vehicle in the garage with her 2-year-old child.  She called 911 as French attempted to force his way into the home. He was arrested by local police before he could reach them. 

    United State Chief District Judge Timothy Cain accepted French’s guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a pre-sentence report from the U.S. Probation Office. French faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment.

    The FBI Columbia Field Office and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Bill Watkins is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lower Sackville — RCMP investigates fatal crash in Lower Sackville

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP Halifax Regional Detachment is investigating a fatal crash that occurred in Lower Sackville.

    Yesterday, at approximately 9:35 a.m., RCMP officers, fire services, and EHS, responded to a report of a vehicle crash on Sackville Dr. near Hillcrest Ave. RCMP officers learned that a Mazda 3 was travelling on the road when left the roadway and struck a power pole.

    The rear passenger, a 50-year-old woman from Lake Echo, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

    The driver, a 53-year-old man from North Preston, and another passenger, a 56-year-old man from Dartmouth, both suffered life-threatening injuries. They were transported to hospital by EHS.

    A collision reconstructionist attended the scene and the investigation is ongoing. Investigators are asking anyone with dash cam footage of Sackville Dr., near the area of Hillcrest Ave., between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. to come forward.

    Sackville Dr. was closed for several hours but has since reopened.

    Our thoughts are with the victim’s loved ones at this difficult time.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 902-490-5020. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 25-19501

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How are we tackling crime in your local area?

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    We are delivering 13,000 police officers, special constables and PCSOs across the country, including a named, contactable officer in your area.

    Our mission to keep your streets safe

    We’re putting police officers back on the beat to prevent crime and help communities. 

    Our milestone for safer streets is to deliver 13,000 additional police officers, PCSOs and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles. 

    This means a named, contactable officer in every community to respond to local issues. You can also have your say on the police’s priorities for your area.

    Visible policing is one of the best ways to prevent crime and make your streets safer.

    If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 and ask for the police

    How you can report non-emergencies

    Report crimes online or by calling 101 if they are not an emergency.

    You can also call 101 to give information to the police or make an enquiry.

    If you live in Scotland you can search by postcode to find and contact your local policing team.

    If you have a hearing or speech impairment, use our textphone service on 18001 101.

    Asking us for an update or need to update a report?

    You can contact some police forces online to get an update or add something to a report: find out if you can do it online.

    Crimestoppers

    If a crime has been committed, you can report it anonymously to Crimestoppers.

    If you’re not sure who to contact

    Use the Act Now! Guide to help you decide who you should report the problem to.

    How to deal with anti-social behaviour

    Anti-social behaviour could include:

    • vandalism
    • graffiti
    • dumped rubbish
    • rowdy neighbours
    • abandoned cars
    • persistent dog barking
    • alcohol related nuisance

    You can report anti-social behaviour through:

    Police

    Call 101 to report a non-emergency incident to the police. You can also report anti-social behaviour on the Police.UK website.

    Report anti-social behaviour at Police.UK.

    Local council

    Check your local council’s website to find out what types of anti-social behaviour you can report. 

    Find your local council.

    Your housing provider – council or housing association tenants

    If you or your neighbours are having problems in your building, report it to your council or housing association.

    Your housing provider should have told you how to report anti-social behaviour. If not, call them and ask to speak to their anti-social behaviour team.

    Your housing provider – private tenants

    If the anti-social behaviour is caused by someone with whom you are sharing a house in a private tenancy, report this to your landlord.

    Request an anti-social behaviour case review

    If you are a victim of persistent anti-social behaviour, you can request an anti-social behaviour case review. This was formerly known as a community trigger.

    The review allows agencies, including the police, local authorities and housing providers, to:

    • share information about the case
    • review what action has been taken
    • decide whether there are more actions that can be taken

    Find out how to apply for an anti-social behaviour case review in your area from your local police force or local council website.

    Find your local police force.

    Find your local council.

    Get support and advice

    These organisations can give advice on anti-social behaviour in England and Wales:

    ASB Help

    Victim Support

    Victim Support in Wales

    Our Watch

    Share this page

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    Updates to this page

    Published 11 February 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why are migrants dying trying to cross into the US? These are the 3 main risks they face

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Marni LaFleur, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of San Diego

    An altar set at the U.S.-Mexico border wall in Baja, Calif., in November 2024 honors migrants who died trying to reach the U.S. Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images

    President Donald Trump closed much of the activity at the U.S.-Mexico border in January 2025, making it impossible for migrants who arrive at a U.S. port of entry to apply for asylum. Trump’s border policies are likely to make it far more difficult and dangerous for migrants trying to reach the U.S. – but won’t deter all people who want to cross the U.S.-Mexico border without legal authorization.

    The number of migrants crossing from Mexico into the U.S. without legal authorization dropped dramatically in 2024. But for a long time, crossing the U.S.-Mexico border by land has been the world’s deadliest migration route.

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection recovered the remains of 10,784 migrants from 1988 through 2024.

    This figure is an estimate of the total number of migrants who have died trying to cross from Mexico into the U.S. – there is no centralized system or organization that tracks migrant deaths, or any federal laws guiding authorities on how to manage the remains of migrants.

    Many other dead migrants are also never found.

    I am a professor of anthropology and have spent the past several years trying to understand how and why migrants die trying to enter the U.S.

    Stranded migrants who are now staying in Mexican border towns and others with plans to still try to illegally cross into the U.S. might pursue increasingly dangerous ways to enter the country.

    Research shows that there are three main reasons why migrants die trying to reach the U.S. from Mexico. First, migrants are often exposed to extreme weather conditions. Second, they drown in rivers or other bodies of water. Third, they could also experience blunt force trauma because of falls or motor vehicle accidents.

    A body of a man is found by the Rio Grande in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on March 28, 2024.
    David Peinado/Anadolu via Getty Images

    Environmental exposure is common and dangerous

    Migrants coming from Central and South America often travel to the U.S. in groups, typically with the help of a guide, called a coyote, they pay to help them.

    They may spend days or weeks walking through remote areas without access to shelter or fresh food and clean water. They might sleep outdoors in very cold weather and walk during extreme heat. This can cause hypothermia or hyperthermia.

    One of those remote areas is the Sonoran Desert, which spans the southwest U.S. into northwest Mexico. It is divided by the U.S.-Mexico border and is one of the hottest places on Earth. Ambient temperatures can soar to or above 118 degrees Fahrenheit, or 48 degrees Celsius.

    As part of the strategy to stop migrants from coming to the U.S., Customs and Border Protection does not place many officers in the depths of the desert along the border. The government’s 1994 migration “prevention through deterrence” strategy explains that because the desert itself poses mortal danger to individuals, it is unnecessary to guard the land.

    With border barriers, video surveillance, bright lights and many patrol agents closer to more populated areas along the U.S.-Mexico border, migrants can view the desert as a viable alternative for entering the U.S. Deterrent practices have been found to not stop migrants from trying to enter the U.S., but they do increase the number of migrants who die trying to do so.

    Even migrants who are near help or are rescued from the desert may not recover from exposure to extreme temperatures. In 2023, for example, a 9-year-old migrant boy died from organ failure after authorities found him along the Arizona border.

    Drowning poses another risk

    Drowning is another leading cause of death for migrants trying to reach the U.S.

    In California, for example, the 82-mile-long All-American Canal runs parallel to the U.S.-Mexico border. Although the canal doesn’t look particularly dangerous, it is deep, cold, fast-moving and has steep concrete edges that are difficult to scale. Migrants might not be able to swim, or others, particularly women and children, are not strong enough to withstand the force of the currents.

    Areas of the Rio Grande, a river that divides the U.S. and Mexico in some areas of Texas, have become hot spots for migrant drownings. Approximately 1,107 migrants died trying to cross this river between 2017 to 2023. The river is fast and deep and is filled with rocks and heavy vegetation that make crossing difficult.

    Additionally, in an effort to further deter migrant crossing at Eagle Pass, an area of the Rio Grande, the Texas National Guard installed more than 100 miles of razor wire along the river’s banks in 2024. They set up a large string of oversized orange buoys in the water, creating what the federal government called a navigation obstruction for migrants.

    These tactics have sparked larger debates on how to handle migration, and which government agency is responsible for preventing people from crossing into the country, or apprehending them when they do so.

    In 2024, a Mexican woman and her two children tried to cross the Rio Grande but struggled to do so. As Customs and Border Protection agents prepared to rescue the distressed and drowning individuals, the Texas National Guard prevented rescue attempts. The family died from drowning, and their bodies were later recovered.

    Blunt force trauma

    Another leading cause of death of migrants is falling from heights or experiencing car accidents.

    At the California border region alone, approximately 20% of migrant deaths were due to blunt force trauma between 2018 through 2023. This rate rose after the 2020 expansion of the border wall, which now spans 741 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. In total, the border is nearly 2,000 miles.

    In one incident in Texas in 2020, a pregnant 19-year-old Guatemalan woman died after falling from the border wall, which ranges from 18 to 30 feet. Medical authorities were unable to save the fetus.

    In Texas, between 2021 and 2023, high-speed chases by immigration officials led to the deaths of 74 people. Some individuals were ejected from moving vehicles, while others were hit by fast-moving vehicles. Another particularly deadly accident occurred in 2021 in Holtville, California, when an SUV transporting 25 migrants collided with a semitruck. Thirteen migrants were killed.

    Migrants from Colombia sleep outside in Jacumba, Calif., after crossing into the U.S. in May 2023.
    Gregory Bull/Associated Press

    ‘Prevention through deterrence’

    For more than 30 years, the U.S. government has tried to prevent migrants from reaching the U.S. through different strategies, like deploying Border Patrol agents or building walls.

    There are many practical and policy-based interventions that would make it safer for migrants to cross through the U.S. and Mexico deserts. For example, water stations along known migration routes of the desert save lives.

    Regardless of how the Trump administration tries to stop migrants from reaching the U.S., people will likely still try to come and embark on unsafe journeys to do so – and I will continue to track their experiences and deaths.

    Marni LaFleur received funding from the National Science Foundation. I am the founder and director of a California registered 501 (c)(3) called Lemur Love (EIN 48-1174852).

    – ref. Why are migrants dying trying to cross into the US? These are the 3 main risks they face – https://theconversation.com/why-are-migrants-dying-trying-to-cross-into-the-us-these-are-the-3-main-risks-they-face-246108

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Felon Involved in Elizabeth City Shooting Sentenced to More than Nine Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A felon involved in an Elizabeth City shooting was sentenced to 115 months in prison for possession of ammunition by a felon.  On November 22, 2024, Jermel Trevon Williams, age 30, pled guilty to the charge.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 7, 2023, officers from the Elizabeth City Police Department (ECPD) responded to a shooting outside a downtown bar in Elizabeth City. Review of surveillance footage in the area showed an individual, later identified as Williams, and a second person, discharging firearms. Officers recovered five 9mm shell casings from the area and two .45 caliber shell casings. On October 29, 2023, officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for a window tint violation. Williams was a passenger in the car. After spotting two marijuana roaches in plain view, officers conducted a search of the vehicle. The search resulted in the recovery of a digital scale located in the center console, and a stolen 9mm handgun and two baggies of marijuana under the front passenger seat where Williams was previously seated. Williams subsequently admitted to ownership of the contents of the vehicle. Williams is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing ammunition.

    The conviction is a result of the ongoing Violent Crime Action Plan (VCAP) initiative which is a collaborative effort with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, working with the community, to identify and address the most significant drivers of violent crime. VCAP involves focused and strategic enforcement, and interagency coordination and intelligence-led policing.

    Daniel Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, ECPD and RPD investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Newby  prosecuted the case.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-00012-D-BM.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Drug Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    RALEIGH, N.C. – A Rocky Mount man was sentenced to 240 months in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and bribery of a public official. On October 8, 2024, Quatavious Arnez Hunter, age 32, pled guilty to the charges.

    According to court documents and other information presented in court, on September 16, 2021, officers of the Rocky Mount Police Department (RMPD) conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Hunter was a passenger. Hunter was wearing a ski mask covering his entire face. Searches of Hunter’s person revealed a loaded, 9mm handgun on his hip, over $1,500 in cash, 45 bindles of heroin, one plastic bag containing approximately 5.7 grams of crack cocaine and two bags weighing a total of approximately 7.6 grams of powder cocaine.

    In March 2023, while Hunter’s case was pending in federal court, he was held in the Bladen County Jail (BCJ). During this time, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating claims that Hunter and another inmate were orchestrating payments to a BCJ detention officer in exchange for drugs smuggled into the jail in resealed potato chip bags. Hunter’s cell was searched and was found to contain contraband, including synthetic marijuana and a lighter. The investigation further revealed that Hunter’s girlfriend made Cash App payments to a BCJ detention officer. Upon the officer’s arrest, he admitted to making multiple deliveries of contraband to Hunter in exchange for payments via Cash App.

    Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The Rocky Mount Police Department and Nash County Sheriff’s Office investigated the drug and gun offenses and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Bladen County Sheriff’s Office investigated the contraband smuggling case. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah E. Nokes and Ashley H. Foxx prosecuted the cases.

    Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:21-CR-407-1D and 7:23-CR-101-4D.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

    February 12, 2025
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