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  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Real Estate Sector – Optimism rises in housing market, yet stock at decade-high shows sales yet to gain momentum

    Source: RealEstate.co.nz

    The New Zealand Property Report: October 2024

    Highest October stock levels in a decade, up 26.3% year-on-year
    22 months of price stability offers rare certainty for buyers and sellers

    The recent OCR cut and easing interest rates appeared to mark a turning point for the New Zealand property market, sparking renewed interest among buyers. Following last month’s OCR drop, buyer enquiries surged, signalling confidence from Kiwis actively looking for new homes.

    Yet, high stock levels suggest cautious optimism from buyers prevails. In October, stock levels hit an unusual peak, with over 32,000 properties available nationwide—a 26.3% increase year-on-year and a 7.7% rise from September.

    Sarah Wood, CEO of realestate.co.nz, noted that while optimism is creeping back, factors like interest rates and job security are tempering purchase behaviour:

    “While buyer activity is climbing, economic factors are keeping some would-be buyers on the sidelines.”

    October’s housing stock reaches 10-year high: 32,000 homes now on offer

    National stock levels were the highest recorded for a month of October in almost a decade. While higher stock levels in October are typical as the spring selling season ramps up, these levels reflect trends we haven’t seen since 2014 and 2015.

    “Buyers had more to choose from last month than they’ve had during an October for nearly a decade,” said Wood.

    All regions saw positive stock growth both month-on-month and year-on-year, with the majority showing double-digit annual increases. The biggest year-on-year increases in stock were in Gisborne (up 81.2%) and Wellington (up 52.9%). Only Northland, Taranaki, Nelson, and Southland recorded single-digit growth.

    According to Wood, early signs of market movement are beginning to show even if stock isn’t selling through yet:

    “We can see buyer sentiment changing with the amount of time properties are staying on the site. Properties listed for less than 30 days increased from 23.9% in September to 27.9% in October meaning that stock is moving faster, and interest is warming up.”

    Nearly two years of stable prices offer buyers rare predictability

    The abundance of stock, along with stable asking prices, is creating favourable conditions for those in a position to buy.

    For 22 months, the national average asking price has remained steady, fluctuating only between $850,000 and $890,000, providing rare market predictability. At $856,981, our national average asking price was down 3.0% year-on-year and 1.5% month-on-month during October.

    The absence of significant price fluctuations also extended around the country, with most regions seeing changes of less than 10% in their average asking price compared to 2023.

    Otago, Southland, and the West Coast were the only regions to see both month-on-month and year-on-year growth in asking prices. At the other end of the spectrum, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Central North Island, Hawke’s Bay, Northland, Waikato, and Wairarapa all saw declines over both timeframes.

    The West Coast saw the biggest year-on-year increase to its average asking price, up 14.3%, while Wairarapa recorded the steepest decline, down 12.1% compared to last year. “Both are smaller markets and tend to be more prone to fluctuation,” noted Wood.

     Wood added: “The overall price stability is a positive sign for both buyers and sellers, offering a steady environment for those entering or moving within the market.”

    “Of course, individual circumstances and interest rates continue to shape buyer and seller decisions.”

    About realestate.co.nz

    We’ve been helping people buy, sell, or rent property since 1996.  

    Established before Google, realestate.co.nz is New Zealand’s longest-standing property website and the official website of the real estate industry.

    Dedicated only to property, our mission is to empower people with a property search tool they can use to find the life they want to live. With residential, lifestyle, rural and commercial property listings, realestate.co.nz is the place to start for those looking to buy or sell property.  

    Whatever life you’re searching for, it all starts here.

    Glossary of terms:

    Average asking price (AAP) is neither a valuation nor the sale price. It is an indication of current market sentiment. Statistically, asking prices tend to correlate closely with the sales prices recorded in future months when those properties are sold. As it looks at different data, average asking prices may differ from recorded sales data released simultaneously.

    New listings are a record of all the new residential dwellings listed for sale on realestate.co.nz for the relevant calendar month. The site reflects 97% of all properties listed through licensed real estate agents and major developers in New Zealand. This description gives a representative view of the New Zealand property market.

    Stock is the total number of residential dwellings that are for sale on realestate.co.nz on the penultimate day of the month.

    Rate of sale is a measure of how long it would take, theoretically, to sell the current stock at current average rates of sale if no new properties were to be listed for sale. It provides a measure of the rate of turnover in the market.

    Seasonal adjustment is a method realestate.co.nz uses to represent better the core underlying trend of the property market in New Zealand. This is done using methodology from the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research.

    Truncated mean is the method realestate.co.nz uses to supply statistically relevant asking prices. The top and bottom 10% of listings in each area are removed before the average is calculated to prevent exceptional listings from providing false impressions.  

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Infrastructure Sector – Research shows ways to improve our stewardship of infrastructure

    Source: New Zealand Infrastructure Commission

    Whether it is leaky pipes or potholes or cities struggling under demands for growth, New Zealanders will have seen how important it is to look after and plan for infrastructure. A new report from the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga speaks to this need, finding ways we can do better in managing our infrastructure.
    The Taking care of tomorrow today: Asset Management State of Play report is a high-level snapshot of New Zealand’s approaches to asset management. It incorporates the findings of independent asset management experts as well as expertise and observations from Te Waihanga.
    Te Waihanga Chief Executive Geoff Cooper says New Zealand’s most formidable challenge is looking after the assets we already have. On this score, the report shows New Zealand is currently sitting at a ‘pass’, but only just.
    “We have inherited $287 billion worth of infrastructure from past generations. But this comes with the obligation of stewardship. The goal should be to proudly hand infrastructure to future generations as a benefit, not a burden. This report highlights some of the challenges to this aspiration, and how we can improve.”
    “Like calendars and to-do lists in our daily lives, following strong plans and processes is central to the task,” Cooper says. “These are efforts that must become business-as-usual; sustained, not over weeks and months, but over years and decades.
    Cooper points to a lack of progress in many sectors over the past 10 years. And while mature processes don’t necessarily guarantee good asset management outcomes, they certainly increase the likelihood of these.
    “When it comes to our public infrastructure, good stewardship should be largely unequivocal and uncontested; simply part of the furniture. Cooper says. “This includes making sure that what we spend on ‘new’ infrastructure versus ‘renewals’ means we are getting the best value for our dollar.”
    Earlier research by Te Waihanga has highlighted that for every $10 spent on building infrastructure, $6 should be spent renewing existing assets and $4 spent on building new.
    The Taking care of tomorrow today report says that we don’t generally have the resourcing and capability needed to support good all-of-life decision-making, and there is opportunity to grow leadership and governance over asset management across most sectors.
    “There’s a need to make sure that the fees and charges funding maintenance keep pace with rising costs. Without this, the funding gap will grow, compromising the quality of infrastructure services we all rely so heavily on.”
    Improvement comes through building committed teams and leaders, the report says. It found pockets of excellence that reveal common characteristics: passionate, high-performing asset management teams; representation around the executive table; and funding that is prioritised, or even ringfenced.
    “We need to create an environment where we can build out these pockets of excellence and set durable, persistent standards across the infrastructure system,” Cooper says. “This will ultimately improve value for money and allow us to start making progress against our infrastructure deficit”
    He points to an example of good asset management and the value this created which was seen during Cyclone Gabrielle – where it’s estimated that the $2 million invested to increase the Taradale stop-banks in Napier may have averted $2 billion in damage and almost certainly saved lives.
    The report sets out eight ambitious recommendations that cover: improving governance and leadership, improving transparency, prioritising infrastructure resilience over ‘recovery’, and building asset management capacity and capability generally.
    Findings from Taking care of tomorrow today: Assert Management State of Play will also be considered as Te Waihanga works to develop a National Infrastructure Plan to provide a long-term view of our infrastructure needs and priorities.
    Key issues and gaps highlighted in Taking care of tomorrow today include:
    – There is limited awareness of the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of asset management in many sectors. We need to look at the big picture when it comes to infrastructure. This includes everything from strategic planning and management of assets through to the day-to-day maintenance.
    – Capability and capacity are the biggest constraints in improving infrastructure asset management maturity in NZ. This includes improving the resourcing and skillset of the asset management workforce, as well as the leadership and governance of the asset management system across most sectors.
    – There is little transparency of infrastructure and asset management performance and planning. This includes a lack of user-friendly access to information on how infrastructure is performing and what future funding intentions are.
    – There is need to better provide for renewal and maintenance of infrastructure. In some cases, funding gaps for maintenance and renewals are known, but there is not always the appetite to achieve the investment required.
    – Demand planning and management needs greater focus and we can go further than a Statistics New Zealand population forecast. This could include greater understanding of demographic change, customer behaviour, demand management strategies and potential future scenarios.
    – Making the most of operational programmes is a key opportunity for improvement. Organisations can usefully quantify the levels of planned versus reactive maintenance to inform more cost-effective approaches to asset management.
    – System and Improvement is one of the lowest scoring functions for all sectors. This is shown in a lack of asset management maturity progress for many sectors over the last ten years.
    The study contains recommendations under four key areas:
    Improving governance and leadership
    1. Strengthen infrastructure asset management requirements and their oversight and enforcement by the relevant system lead.
    2. Require all public major infrastructure providers to have an identified and accountable governance body and/or executive lead for asset management. Other major infrastructure providers should meet this requirement especially where they are providing critical infrastructure.
    Improving transparency in asset management practices, infrastructure performance and medium-long term funding plans.
    3. Require all public major infrastructure providers to periodically undertake an independently verified asset management maturity assessment and publicly report on the results. Other major infrastructure providers should meet this requirement especially where they are providing critical infrastructure.
    4. Require all public major infrastructure providers to publicly disclose a consistent set of asset performance measures, subject to external audit or scrutiny. Other major infrastructure providers should meet this requirement especially where they are providing critical infrastructure.
    5. Require all public major infrastructure providers to publicly disclose a minimum core level, 10-year asset management plan, refreshed at least three-yearly, and subject to external audit or scrutiny. Other major infrastructure providers should meet this requirement especially where they are providing critical infrastructure.
    Better prioritising of resilience over ‘recovery’.
    6. All providers of critical infrastructure should be required to explicitly assess and appropriately prioritise infrastructure resilience through their asset management and renewals cycles in accordance with their strategic objectives. Other major infrastructure providers should be encouraged to meet this requirement.
    Build asset management capacity and capability.
    7. Invest in asset management training programmes and develop a clear training and professional pathway for asset managers.
    8. Improve co-ordination of regional planning across infrastructure sectors, so that future demand requirements can be met.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Approves $1.2 Million to Spanish Fork, Utah for Flood Recovery

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Approves $1.2 Million to Spanish Fork, Utah for Flood Recovery

    FEMA Approves $1.2 Million to Spanish Fork, Utah for Flood Recovery

    DENVER – FEMA has approved $1.2 million to help the city of Spanish Fork repair its water pipeline and damaged embankments. The funding is part of a major disaster declaration by President Biden issued in response to the Spanish Fork River flooding in 2023. Flooding from rapid snow melt damaged part of the drinking water pipeline and embankment in four locations, which affecting the community’s drinking water infrastructure. The $1.2 million in FEMA funding will bring the facility to pre-disaster function, and capacity, while making the waterline stronger to prevent future damages. The project is 75% funded by FEMA. The FEMA Public Assistance program provides funding to governmental agencies and certain private non-profits for eligible disaster response costs. For more information about the Public Assistance program, visit: https://www.fema.gov/assistance/public/program-overview.
    anthony.mayne
    Thu, 10/31/2024 – 15:37

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Revised Preliminary Flood Maps for Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, Ready for Public View

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Revised Preliminary Flood Maps for Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, Ready for Public View

    Revised Preliminary Flood Maps for Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, Ready for Public View

    DENTON, Texas – Revised Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are available for review by residents and business owners in all communities and incorporated areas of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana.Property owners are encouraged to review the latest information to learn about local flood risks and potential future flood insurance requirements. Community residents can identify any concerns or questions about the information provided and participate in the appeal and comment periods for the maps.This is Lafourche Parish’s first complete set of digital FIRMs. These maps serve multiple purposes, including defining Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). SFHAs are areas at high risk for flooding. Community leaders and residents can use these maps to make informed decisions about building standards, development and flood insurance that will make the community more resilient and lessen the impacts of a flood event.FEMA stresses that flooding can and does happen outside of the most vulnerable areas.Review the preliminary flood maps by visiting the local floodplain administrator (FPA). A FEMA Map Specialist can help identify community FPAs. Specialists are available by telephone at 877-FEMA-MAP (877-336-2627) or by email at FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.The preliminary maps may also be viewed online:The Flood Map Changes Viewer at http://msc.fema.gov/fmcv FEMA Flood Map Service Center at http://msc.fema.gov/portalFor more information about the flood maps:Use a live chat service about flood maps at floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/fmx_main.html (just click on the “Live Chat Open” icon).Contact a FEMA Map Specialist by telephone at 877-FEMA-MAP (877-336-2627) or by email at FEMA-FMIX@fema.dhs.gov.There are cost-saving options available for those newly mapped into a high-risk flood zone. Learn more about your flood insurance options by talking with your insurance agent or visiting floodsmart.gov.
    alexa.brown
    Thu, 10/31/2024 – 15:10

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: UConn Health Makes Forbes ‘America’s Best Employers’ List

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    UConn Health is among Connecticut’s preferred places to work, according to this year’s “America’s Best Employers by State” report by Forbes.

    Using survey data from more than 160,000 people who work for U.S. companies with at least 500 employees, Forbes ranks UConn Health No. 5 among the 15 employers headquartered in Connecticut who make the list.

    (Forbes/Statista)

    “We have always believed deeply in supporting our incredible workforce which is the driving force behind UConn Health’s excellence in clinical care, teaching and research,” says Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, UConn Health CEO and executive vice president for health affairs. “It is therefore extraordinarily important and gratifying for us that an objective outside source has recognized UConn Health as being a top-five place to work in Connecticut.”

    The ranking puts UConn Health right behind Yale New Haven Health and in front of Hartford HealthCare.

    A market research firm asked survey participants to give a score of zero to 10 that indicates how likely they were to recommend their employer. It also asked respondents to evaluate employers they’d worked for within the past two years, and organizations they knew within their industry or through friends or family who worked there.

    “We believe that our people make us the best place to work, and this recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team, including our staff, leadership and union partners,” says Lakeesha Brown, who serves as chief human resources officer for both UConn and UConn Health. “Thank you to everyone for making our workplace exceptional — together, we will continue to strive for excellence and innovation.”

    Forbes notes that companies pay no fee to participate or be selected in the rankings.

    This is the first time UConn Health has made Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers by State” list.

    UConn Health has a workforce of more than 5,600 permanent employees working at 11 sites throughout Connecticut. Based in Farmington, its off-campus locations include West Hartford, East Hartford, Canton, Simsbury, Avon, Southington, Storrs, Willimantic, Putnam, and Torrington. Prospective employees can learn more on UConn Health’s job seekers page.

    UConn, including Storrs and the campuses beside UConn Health, also placed, ranking 12th among employers headquartered in Connecticut.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: First Lady Justice welcomes Chester to Preston High School, state’s 41st therapy dog through Friends With Paws program

    Source: US State of West Virginia

    The Friends With Paws program places certified therapy dogs in several schools across the state, providing companionship and comfort for students in need of a boost.

    Therapy dogs are specially trained to provide comfort and support to people in various tense environments. They can help people feel at ease, improve their mood, relieve anxiety, and remove social barriers. Friends With Paws therapy dogs are highly trained and certified to show their ability to work in stressful environments, ignore distractions, and provide therapy to people with diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

    “This has been a dream come true,” Angie Zofchak, Director of Attendance and Student Support for Preston County Schools, said. “I am so excited for Preston High students to have Sir Chester as a positive support. I would like to give a huge shoutout to Chris, the general manager from Tractor Supply in Kingwood, for supporting Chester, PHS, and the Friends With Paws Program! I would also like to thank our Board of Education members and student board members who are in support of the program and see the benefit that Sir Chester can provide to our students, socially and emotionally.”

    Following today’s assembly, students and staff had the chance to greet Chester.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: AG Ferguson, bipartisan coalition win $49 million and counting over generic drugs price-fixing conspiracy

    Source: Washington State News

    AGs assert it was one of the most damaging price-fixing schemes in U.S. history

    OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today he and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general have won more than $49 million so far in their case against major drug manufacturers that conspired to illegally raise prices on hundreds of generic drugs. The conspiracy caused consumers to pay more than 10 times as much for some drugs, ranging from antibiotic ointment to cancer treatments.

    As a result of the multistate litigation, Apotex will pay $39.1 million and Heritage Pharmaceuticals will pay $10 million, make significant reforms and cooperate with the case against the remaining companies. Washington’s share of these and future resolutions will be determined when the litigation is resolved against all of the companies. Washingtonians who bought generic drugs during the conspiracy are eligible to get the amount they overpaid returned to them through a claims process. What individuals will receive will be determined once all the cases are complete.

    “These companies conspired to line their pockets at the expense of Washingtonians,” Ferguson said. “Their conspiracy made it harder for people to afford medications they rely on for their health, and even their life. I will hold them accountable.”

    Lawsuits in the U.S. District Court of the District of Connecticut remain active against 30 other corporations — including some of the nation’s largest generic drug manufacturers — as well as 25 company executives for violations of federal and state antitrust laws, including the Washington Consumer Protection Act. The attorneys general assert the conspiracy was one of the most egregious and damaging illegal price-fixing schemes in U.S. history.

    Company executives and their sales representatives used code words to meet privately and plan how to artificially raise the prices on generic drugs to increase their profits. Some female sales representatives, for instance, would agree to meet at a “girls’ night out,” then plan how to collectively and artificially raise prices on generic drugs. Many of the companies raised prices by well over 1,000 percent at the height of the conspiracy. Company executives later destroyed text messages and documents after hearing about subpoenas from the investigation.

    If you purchased generic prescription drugs between 2010 and 2018, you may be eligible for restitution from this resolution or future resolutions. To determine your eligibility, visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com, call 1-866-290-0182, or email info@AGGenericDrugs.com.

    Bipartisan coalition of AGs takes on the generic drug industry

    The attorneys general partnered on three lawsuits against generic drug manufacturers. One case focuses on Heritage Pharmaceuticals’ involvement with 17 other companies to fix the prices of 15 drugs. Another case focuses on 20 companies that fixed prices on more than 100 drugs. A third lawsuit involves 26 companies fixing the prices on 80 topical generic drugs used for dermatology. Each lawsuit addresses a different set of drugs and defendants.

    The companies agreed to drive up the prices of over a hundred common drugs, from everyday antibiotics such as amoxicillin and penicillin to antidepressants, contraceptives, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, statins, ace inhibitors, beta blockers and more. These drugs are used to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, HIV, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, arthritis, high cholesterol, acid reflux and more. A list of the drugs affected by the scheme is available here.

    When a branded drug manufacturer loses exclusive patent rights to a drug, generic drugs can enter the market at a lower cost. While some price increases are normal, prices of hundreds of generic drugs skyrocketed over the course of the conspiracy. Generic drug manufacturers argued publicly that the increases were due to legitimate factors such as industry consolidation, federally mandated plant closures or elimination of unprofitable generic drug product lines.

    Privately, however, the companies coordinated their prices at regular industry dinners, lunches, parties, golf outings, frequent telephone calls, emails and text messages. Throughout these communications, the conspirators used terms like “fair share,” “playing nice in the sandbox,” and “responsible competitor” to describe how they unlawfully discouraged competition, raised prices and enforced an ingrained culture of collusion within the industry. In addition to female sales representatives’ “girls’ night out,” male executives and employees often met under the guise of an “industry dinner.”

    The conspirators usually chose to communicate in person or by phone to avoid creating a written record of their illegal conduct. When communications were written, the companies often took calculated steps to destroy evidence of those communications.

    The states’ lawsuits seek restitution for consumers, damages for state agencies, maximum civil penalties and a court order to stop the illegal conduct and restore competition to the generic drug market.

    Antitrust Assistant Attorneys General Paula Pera, Holly Williams and Travis Kennedy, Litigation Support and Administrative Manager Kimberly Hitchcock, and paralegals Michelle Oliver and Tracy Jacoby are handling the case.

    The Antitrust Division investigates complaints about potential anti-competitive activity. For information about filing a complaint, visit https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/AntitrustComplaint.aspx.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: All Living Former North Carolina Governors Praise State and County Elections Officials in Brief Supporting Governor Cooper in Elections Board Case

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: All Living Former North Carolina Governors Praise State and County Elections Officials in Brief Supporting Governor Cooper in Elections Board Case

    All Living Former North Carolina Governors Praise State and County Elections Officials in Brief Supporting Governor Cooper in Elections Board Case
    bconroy

    Earlier this week, a bipartisan group of all five living former North Carolina governors filed a brief in the North Carolina Court of Appeals supporting Governor Roy Cooper’s case against legislative leaders that challenges Senate Bill 749, enacted last year to give control of the State Board of Elections and all 100 County Boards of Elections to the General Assembly. The legislation was enacted over Governor Cooper’s veto without a single Democratic vote in support and the governor filed a lawsuit days later, challenging the bill’s blatant violation of our Constitution’s separation of powers.

    “All living North Carolina governors – Republican and Democrat – agree this legislation is unconstitutional and unjustified,” said Governor Cooper. “The Courts have rejected this change and the people overwhelmingly voted to oppose it when legislative Republicans tried to change it by amending the constitution. North Carolina has conducted safe and secure elections for decades under this system and the Court should uphold it.”

    In March, a bipartisan three-judge panel of superior court judges permanently enjoined Senate Bill 749 from taking effect, describing it as a “stark and blatant removal of the appointment power” that plainly violated the North Carolina Constitution and multiple North Carolina Supreme Court precedents. Republican legislative leaders have appealed that decision to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

    On Tuesday, Governors Hunt, Martin, Easley, Perdue, and McCrory—two Republicans and three Democrats—jointly filed a brief to the appellate court explaining that Senate Bill 749 is not only “unconstitutional, but it also lacks any legitimate justification for its enactment.” As the former governors go on to explain, North Carolina has had the same structure for its Board of Elections since 1901 and “for nearly 125 years, our Board of Elections, with its members appointed and supervised by the Governor, has faithfully ensured time and time again that our elections are lawful and accurate.”

    The former governors highlight multiple examples of closely contested elections that were decided against the interests of the incumbent governor, as well as multiple examples of bipartisan praise for elections officials handling difficult elections issues in recent years. They also point out that the new board structure adopted in Senate Bill 749—which is almost certain to lead to an even split between Republicans and Democrats—would virtually guarantee deadlocked votes leading to a “situation where North Carolinians’ long-awaited end to each November election could unnecessarily extend into the holidays and beyond.” The “gridlock by design” structure in Senate Bill 749 would create a substantial risk that future elections could be decided by the courts or the legislature, instead of the voters.

    Read the brief here.

    Oct 31, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Guilty Plea in Fatal DUI Crash on Navajo Nation

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Vanderwagen man pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with a fatal drunk driving crash that occurred on the Navajo Nation reservation in 2022.

    According to court documents, on October 2, 2022, Sheldon Carlton Daye, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, drove while impaired by alcohol. He knew that driving drunk would pose a risk to others on the road. While driving on Highway 602 near Bread Springs, New Mexico, within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation reservation, Daye struck and killed two motorists who were stopped on the side of the highway changing a tire.

    Daye will remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not yet been scheduled. At sentencing, Daye faces up to 16 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Daye will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark A. Probasco and Meg P. Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Missouri Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years on New Child Pornography Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk on Wednesday sentenced a registered sex offender who was caught with child pornography to 10 years in prison.

    James Darrick Beeler, 53, of Glenwood, Missouri, had more than 200 videos containing child sexual abuse material on a laptop and more than 200 videos on two thumb drives. On June 29, 2022, the Missouri State Highway Patrol discovered that someone was sharing two videos of child pornography on a peer-to-peer file sharing program. They traced the videos to Beeler’s home. Beeler later admitted to investigators that he used his laptop to search for and download child sexual abuse material.

    Beeler pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of possession of child pornography. In 2007, he was convicted in Schuyler County of abuse of a child.

    The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case. 

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Charges Mescalero Man with Assault

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man has been charged by criminal complaint with assault resulting in serious bodily injury after allegedly attacking a friend with a beer bottle, leaving the victim with severe facial injuries.

    According to the criminal complaint, on January 5, 2024, Lewis Michael Bigmouth, 27, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe, allegedly assaulted another enrolled tribal member on the Mescalero Apache Reservation, striking the victim multiple times in the face with a beer bottle. The victim suffered severe injuries, including a partial amputation of his nose requiring multiple reconstructive surgeries.

    Bigmouth appeared before a federal judge and will remain in custody pending trial, which is has not been set.

    If convicted, Bigmouth faces up to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

    The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Kirk Williams are prosecuting the case.

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

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Feeding Hills, Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 68 Months for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on October 29, 2024, Eddie Melendez (a/k/a “Bart”), 31, of Feeding Hills, Massachusetts, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 68 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Eddie Melendez previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with numerous other individuals to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base in and around Rutland, Vermont.

    According to court records, Melendez was the leader of a drug distribution organization that had been transporting hundreds of grams of cocaine base and thousands of bags of heroin/fentanyl from Massachusetts to the Rutland, Vermont area on a regular basis since at least late 2019 or early 2020 until January 2024. During the course of the conspiracy, Melendez and his associates used Rutland area hotels and at least five private residences as locations to sell illegal drugs. More than a dozen associates of Melendez were involved in distributing controlled substances for his drug trafficking organization or hosting its operations within their residences, and Melendez stipulated that he coordinated the drug activities of the organization. Investigators completed fourteen controlled purchases into Melendez’s drug trafficking organization between August 2023 and January 2024.

    United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Vermont State Police’s Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Rutland City Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Ludlow Police Department.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Turner and Jonathan Ophardt. Melendez was represented by John-Claude Charbonneau, Esq.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Under Indictment in Heroin OD Case Charged With Federal Gun Crimes

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    A Fort Worth man on a deferred adjudication for dealing the heroin that killed a 21-year-old in 2013 has been charged with federal gun crimes, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District Leigha Simonton.

    Brennan Trainor Rodriguez, 33, was charged Wednesday in a two-count indictment alleging illegal possession of a machinegun and illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment.  

    According to court records, Mr. Rodriguez was charged on June 7, 2013, with injecting heroin into a 21-year-old man who suffered a fatal overdose. He admitted to causing the man’s death and was placed on 10 years of deferred adjudication beginning on Nov. 26, 2014. Conditions of his community supervision prohibited him from possessing firearms. (Until the deferred adjudication period concludes, Mr. Rodriguez is still considered under indictment.)  

    On Aug. 6. 2024, law enforcement responded to a domestic disturbance call from Mr. Rodriguez’s former girlfriend, who told police that the defendant had been stalking and harassing her since their breakup. She also reported that Mr. Rodriguez frequently shot guns, including one that fired fully automatic.  

    The following week, Mr. Rodriguez was arrested for stalking. In searching his home, law enforcement found nine firearms, including a Smith & Wesson rifle equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear.”

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Rodriguez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    If convicted of the gun crimes, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

    Meanwhile, Mr. Rodriguez’s state court cases remain pending.  

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Galeas Patriarch, HSO Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Human Smuggling and Money Laundering

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DEL RIO, Texas – The leader of a human smuggling organization (HSO) was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 360 months in federal prison on Wednesday.

    According to court documents, Roberto Galeas-Mejia, 48, of Honduras, led a San Antonio-based HSO, overseeing activities that included the transportation and harboring of undocumented noncitizens and the coordination of payments. Funds were funneled through conspirators’ bank accounts and used to pay load drivers and stash house operators, as well as to rent stash houses and further aid the HSO. Funds were also used for personal expenses such as vehicle purchases. Over the course of the investigation, Homeland Security Investigations thwarted multiple smuggling loads and arrested numerous co-conspirators and undocumented noncitizens.

    On July 27, 2022, a federal jury found Galeas-Mejia guilty of all three counts in a superseding indictment: conspiracy to transport illegal migrants, conspiracy to harbor illegal migrants, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. His wife Eva Maria Galeas and stepdaughter Lisa Marie Ortega, both of San Antonio, were also found guilty as co-conspirators. His sisters Sandra and Norma Galeas-Mejia, of Honduras, were also co-conspirators but pleaded guilty. The four women were sentenced in March.

    During the March sentence hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses ordered the forfeiture of $603,593.00, which was discovered in a safe during a search of Roberto’s home that he shared with Eva and Lisa Marie Ortega. On Wednesday, Roberto Galeas was also ordered to pay a money judgement of $1,008,000.

    HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office, Eagle Pass Police Department, Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holly Pavlinski, Antonio Franco and Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Braunfels Man Pleads Guilty After Planned Mass Murder Attacks Thwarted by Federal and Local Law Enforcement

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man pleaded guilty in a federal court in San Antonio to one count of attempt to receive firearm to use to commit a felony.

    According to court documents, Cameron Darrick Peterson, 20, began planning mass shootings since November 2022. On Jan. 4, 2024, Peterson attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun from a New Braunfels pawn shop. He completed the required background check and was denied due to his age and the type of firearm he was attempting to purchase. On May 31, he attempted to purchase an assault weapon-style 12-gauge shotgun from the pawn shop and was denied a second time.

    FBI agents obtained an arrest warrant on June 5, and Peterson was immediately taken into custody by the New Braunfels Police Department. During a search of his home, FBI agents found and seized an altered .22 caliber long rifle with a sawed-off buttstock and six magazines loaded with 60 rounds.

    On June 6, as part of a federal search warrant, agents reviewed Peterson’s Instagram account, revealing statements Peterson had made about plans to attack a gas station. Also on June 6, Peterson was recorded from jail instructing a witness to hide or destroy a videotape he had made in which he surveilled a grocery store to plan a future attack.

    On June 10, another search of Peterson’s home revealed a box that contained 11 aerosol containers and other ingredients to manufacture destructive devices. One of the containers was determined that it could be readily made operational and was categorized as an Improvised Explosive Device. The IED was not registered in the National Firearms Registry, nor could it be due to Peterson’s age.

    Peterson is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 5, 2025 and faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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.

    The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, San Antonio Fire Department, New Braunfels Police Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Eric Yuen are prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rockledge Man Pleads Guilty To COVID-19 Fraud

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    Orlando, Florida –United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Robert William Burns, III (44, Rockledge) has pleaded guilty to COVID-19-related wire fraud. Burns faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

    According to the plea agreement, in 2021, Burns applied for three Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans to support two of his businesses – RB3 Ventures LLC and The Social Wizards. In all three applications, Burns made false statements to obtain the loans. In one instance, he inflated his company’s income to obtain a larger payout and supported the application with false or fictitious tax documents. In total, Burns fraudulently obtained $57,186 in PPP funds. Burns then spent all the funds on non-business purposes.

    As part of his plea agreement, Burns has agreed to forfeit $57,186 and make full restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration. 

    This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard Varadan.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: BBAChain Pre-Seed Round Closes as Demand Surges, Seed Round Now Open

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TALLINN, Estonia, Oct. 31, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  BBAChain is celebrating important achievements. With the project’s Pre-Seed Round completed and all BSP (BBAChain Revenue Sharing Program) packages sold out, BBAChain is positioning itself for a successful bull run.

    The Pre-Seed Round saw strong support from early backers, contributing to the success of BBAChain’s roadmap and creating a solid foundation for what’s coming. The BSP program, designed to share revenue with early participants, reached full capacity, signaling high investor interest and confidence in BBAChain’s future.

    The recent BBAChain halving event marked an important milestone for the project and a strong advantage against other blockchains, reducing BBA supply and potentially increasing the value of the coin as scarcity grows. The timing of the halving aligns with the first anniversary of BBAChain’s Mainnet, following the roadmap of the project and showing the ongoing commitment of the company to delivering on its promises.

    Now that BBAChain is launching its Seed Round, the project hopes to expand further and create partnerships that will help it achieve more. According to the roadmap, the company plans to list BBA Coin on exchanges before the end of 2024, as well as develop various aspects of the BBAChain ecosystem, such as BTI Exchange and BTI Swap.

    BBAChain’s Seed Round of financing has officially started, welcoming not only VCs, angel investors, accelerators, and incubators, but also retail investors and anyone who wants to be part of the next cryptocurrency generation.

    What is BBAChain?
    BBAChain is a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain aiming to reshape different areas of society. With the ability to process more than 100,000 transactions per second for less than a few cents, BBAChain offers speed and scalability. Beyond technical efficiency, BBAChain is building a native ecosystem that includes a decentralized exchange, centralized exchange, crypto academy, NFT marketplace, euro-pegged stablecoin, pay adapter, and a multi-chain wallet. What truly sets BBAChain apart is its ambition to bring national elections onto the blockchain through its Decentralized Democracy initiative, ensuring transparent and secure voting processes. An initiative that has multiple applications not only in the public sector but also in the private one too. With a powerful referral program incentivizing growth, strategic partnerships, and the upcoming listing of the BBA Coin, BBAChain positions itself as a unique opportunity in the evolving crypto space.

    Contact
    Name: Christian Trejo, CSO
    Email: contact@bbachain.com
    Website: https://bbachain.com

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BBAChain. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/217e3ce1-9442-4786-97dc-736bd3fd2743

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Here and abroad, health-care workers bear witness to the world’s worst atrocities

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Suzanne Shoush, Indigenous Health Faculty Lead, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto

    As a physician, I remember the first time I saw a child dying.

    She was in the pediatric intensive care unit, flown in from a remote First Nations community with her family on the way. Intubated and sedated to cope with the blisters covering her little body, she’d had three of her four limbs amputated — the result of a horrific meningococcal infection.

    I remember standing rooted to the ground, unable to walk away from her bedside, wanting more than anything to undo her suffering. This was long before I became involved in academic medicine as Indigenous Health Faculty lead for the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto, yet it profoundly shaped my understanding of suffering and the fragility of life.

    I was a medical student without a magic cure, but I needed to stay close to her simply so she wouldn’t be alone. I remember everything about those moments, from the rhythm of her breath to the stillness of her body.

    Around the world, health-care workers are trained to be observers and meticulously examine those before us, monitoring life and death with intense attention. We witness with a required objectivity, documenting and responding with specificity. We encounter incredibly difficult moments, but the ones involving children are particularly engraved in our minds.

    The horrific situation in Gaza

    I have been considering what health-care workers are experiencing in Gaza, “the world’s most dangerous place to be a child,” according to UNICEF.

    Every single day, they bear witness to a reality that the New York Times has deemed “too horrific for publication” as it declines to print images of dozens of children with gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest.

    These images came from health-care providers, documenting the time they spent in Gaza to provide desperately needed medical care in a place where nearly half the population is children.

    They’re fighting daily to stem the tsunami of death that has often been referred to as the world’s first live-streamed genocide. With unimaginable determination and exhaustion, they are treating tens of thousands of children, some who have been mortally wounded and maimed due to indiscriminate bombing and sniping. These young people have been starved and terrorized by what the United Nations has called a war on children.

    This crisis also constitutes a war on health care as hospitals in Gaza have been attacked, besieged, burned or decimated. Hundreds of Palestinian health-care workers in Gaza and the Occupied West Bank have been killed and countless more have been injured or abducted. Human Rights Watch says some have been subjected to torture.

    Burning alive

    A UN inquiry recently accused Israel of systematically destroying Gaza’s health-care system, amounting to a “crime of extermination.”

    A distressing video captured the agonizing moment as a patient, still tethered to his IV, was seen burning alive in his hospital bed, sparking global outrage.

    Hours after it went viral, Israel banned several Canadian and American medical aid organizations from entering Gaza to provide critical emergency support — crippling the ability of health-care workers to not only support their Palestinian colleagues in providing life-saving care, but also to document what is happening in Gaza.

    Because foreign journalists are barred from entering Gaza and Palestinian journalists have been targeted and killed at an unprecedented rate, much of what the public knows about Gaza is coming from health-care teams.

    Over the past year, health-care professionals have had to learn new terminology to describe what is happening in Palestine: scholasticide, sophicide, domicide and ecocide.

    Parallels in Turtle Island

    The plight in Gaza resonates with the historical experiences of the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island. As an intergenerational survivor of the Indian Residential School System, I am acutely aware of the power dynamics inherent in silence and the systemic erasure that often accompanies genocide.

    Canada recently observed the fourth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time when the nation grapples with the ongoing impact of atrocities committed against Indigenous peoples.

    My work focuses on examining and understanding health practices and structures to better understand how to create anti-racist and anti-oppressive spaces for colleagues, learners and patients within our health-care systems, including how to engage Indigenous communities to propose and shape strategies.

    Polish jurist Raphael Lemkin coined the term “genocide,” identifying the techniques employed during genocide in eight areas: political, social, cultural, economic, biological, physical, religious and moral. Such systemic and immense violence is foundational to settler colonialism, and children bear the harshest brunt of the requisite dehumanization.

    Many of the atrocities against Indigenous people in Canada were carried out against Indigenous children, legitimized and legalized under the Indian Act — the blueprint for racial oppression within a democracy — and further enabled and enforced through secrecy, segregation and silence.

    Notable among the historical witnesses to these atrocities was Dr. Peter Bryce, a physician who documented the shocking mortality rates and abuses experienced by Indigenous children within the residential school system.

    A CBC report on Peter Bryce, a whistleblower on residential schools. (CBC News)

    As chief medical officer for the Department of Interior and Indian Affairs, Bryce went public with his findings.

    He was subsequently ostracized from the government and medical community and forced to retire. Defiantly, he went on to publish his findings in a report titled “The Story of A National Crime” in 1922.

    One hundred years later, his report remains a critical document for understanding the acts of genocide inflicted upon Indigenous Peoples.



    Read more:
    Residential school system recognized as genocide in Canada’s House of Commons: A harbinger of change

    Listening to health-care workers

    Bryce’s outspokenness shows that the voices of health-care workers are vital because we possess unique insights into the humanitarian crisis that unfolds in regions of conflict.

    They have a direct impact in areas of conflict due to their ability to provide care — and bear witness. What health-care workers are experiencing in Gaza is becoming incompatible with human life.

    Meaningful change will only emerge through an end to military aid, arms transfers and diplomatic cover for Israel, especially given it faces serious allegations from two international courts of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.

    An immediate ceasefire and the lifting of the illegal blockade of Gaza are essential to enable health-care teams to provide critical life-saving care and to bear witness to the ongoing suffering.

    For me, personally, I carry the legacy of my ancestors as they watch down on me. Their survival of the horrors of the residential school system compel me — as a health-care professional — to break the silence around those suffering in Gaza.

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

    – ref. Here and abroad, health-care workers bear witness to the world’s worst atrocities – https://theconversation.com/here-and-abroad-health-care-workers-bear-witness-to-the-worlds-worst-atrocities-242076

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK Export Finance support for export of air defence systems to Poland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The UK government supports the export of air defence systems and associated goods and services (the ‘NAREW Programme’) by UK defence and Polish companies MBDA UK Limited and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa.

    Documents

    Letter from UK Export Finance to Secretary of State for Business & Trade on NAREW air defence programme, 2024

    PDF, 123 KB, 2 pages

    Letter from Secretary of State for Business & Trade to UK Export Finance on NAREW air defence programme, 2024

    PDF, 112 KB, 1 page

    Letter from UK Export Finance to Secretary of State for Business & Trade on NAREW air defence programme, 2024

    HTML

    Letter from Secretary of State for Business & Trade to UK Export Finance on NAREW air defence programme, 2024

    HTML

    Details

    The first letter is from the UK Export Finance (UKEF) Chief Executive and Accounting Officer to the DBT Secretary of State. It requests ministerial direction on UKEF financing support associated with the NAREW air defence programme in Poland, in which MBDA UK Limited is a key supplier. The reasons for the request are set out in this letter.

    The second letter is from the DBT Secretary of State to the UKEF Chief Executive and Accounting Officer. It confirms the ministerial direction on UKEF financing support associated with the NAREW air defence programme in Poland.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Leading expert appointed to turbocharge Euston housebuilding

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Regeneration expert Bek Seeley will chair the government’s Euston Housing Delivery Group.

    • Yesterday’s Budget confirmed Bek Seeley will chair government’s Euston Housing Deliver Group to deliver ambitious Euston regeneration.
    • Work begins immediately to support delivery of thousands of new homes and drive growth at the heart of the capital.
    • Appointment supports government’s plan to deliver biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation.

    A leading regeneration expert has been appointed as the Chair of a flagship government programme to drive growth and build thousands of new homes, in the heart of central London.  

    Yesterday’s Budget announced Bek Seeley, who has overseen major projects in London, Birmingham and Manchester, to chair the Euston Housing Delivery Group – which will drive forward an ambitious housing and regeneration initiative for the local area.

    The scheme will also include supporting a thriving life sciences district which will bolster the area’s existing Knowledge Quarter which works on important scientific discoveries and technological advances.  

    The Delivery Group will be made up of industry experts in urban design, landscape architecture, affordable housing delivery and financing large-scale projects. Their core focus is to unlock more investment in Euston and drive economic growth across the capital.   

    Working closely with the local community in Euston, Camden Council, the Mayor of London and ministers, the Group will help the area become one of Europe’s leading hubs for life sciences and innovation and set out wider ambitions to tackle the capital’s housing crisis with a new era of affordable homes.   

    Housing and Planning Minister, Matthew Pennycook said: 

    “The appointment of Bek Seeley as the Chair of the Euston Housing Delivery Group is an important milestone on the journey toward regenerating this historic London neighbourhood and supporting economic growth across the country.

    “The Government will continue to work with the London Borough of Camden, the Mayor of London, and local partners and communities to accelerate the delivery of significant numbers of new homes and an expanded Knowledge Quarter alongside a much-improved Euston Station”.

    The announcement comes as it was also confirmed HS2 trains will run to Euston, with funding provided for tunnelling to the central London terminus, catalysing private investment into the station and local area.

    The Delivery Group’s work begins immediately in Euston. A housing site under-construction in Somers Town was recently visited by the Housing Minister to see first-hand the progress being made to transform the area and deliver a new economic hub where people want to live and work.  
      
    Chair of the Euston Housing Delivery Group, Bek Seeley said:   

    “I’m hugely excited to be asked to chair the EHDG as we set about the task of delivering thousands of new homes to benefit the existing community and to also underpin growth in one of the world’s leading knowledge and life science districts.   

    “My ambition is that Euston provides safe and welcoming homes, ensuring that every resident feels secure and valued and that Euston is also a place that the UK is proud of on the world stage, driving our broader economy forwards.” 

    Leader of Camden Council, Cllr Richard Olszewski said:   

    “This commitment to deliver new and affordable homes in Euston, together with the local community, is a much-needed step forward to get Euston on track towards a better future. 
     
    “Not only have many families in Euston felt the impacts of the housing crisis, but they have lived through years of uncertainty and upheaval. They rightly deserve hope for the future and a Euston that delivers for them with job opportunities, affordable homes, new open spaces, and community facilities.   
     
    “At Euston, we also have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to achieve this alongside a rapid expansion of London’s Knowledge Quarter, transforming it into a tech and science powerhouse that generates investment and opportunity for the entire country. We look forward to working in partnership with the Housing Delivery Group, Government, and our residents to turn this opportunity into a reality.”  

    The government and the Mayor will be working hand-in-hand to ensure that London plays its part to deliver record levels of housebuilding and support ambitions for 1.5 million homes over this Parliament.   

    This includes working together on all possible steps to deliver the homes that London needs – and to meet the updated housing target for the capital that is more than double the delivery of recent years.   

    Deputy Mayor of London for Planning and Regeneration, Jules Pipe said:

    “I am looking forward to working with Bek and the Euston Housing Delivery Group to ensure that we maximise Euston’s contribution to housing alongside delivering a world-class transport hub and supporting the development and growth of the Knowledge Quarter.

    “The Mayor is committed to doing all he can to accelerate the pace of housing delivery in London. The unlocking of major sites such as Euston, which has been on hold for far too long has a vital part to play in delivering the growth we need. Leveraging the link between transport investment and housing, here and in other locations such as Thamesmead, will enable the delivery of new homes and jobs as part of building a fairer, greener and more prosperous London for everyone.”

    Alongside the Delivery Group, the New Homes Accelerator will see work across government and with the Mayor and boroughs to fast-track large sites in London to unlock more homes and offer direct support to speed up delivery.   

    A new housing package was also announced yesterday including £500 million in new funding for the Affordable Homes Programme – the biggest annual budget for affordable housing in over a decade which will support government efforts to deliver thousands of new homes in London and across the country.

    Further information

    In Spring, the previous government and London Borough of Camden announced the establishment of the Euston Housing Delivery Group, tasked with assessing the scale of housing opportunities in the Euston area.   

    Bek Seeley was previously the European Managing Director for Development at Lendlease, which is a multinational construction and real estate company. She also holds several senior advisory roles in regeneration and affordable housing delivery. Bek is responsible for leading major housing projects across London, Manchester and Birmingham.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: 10/31/2024, 15-37 the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor, the carry rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment for the RU000A105WH2 (GazKZ-26E) security were changed.

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    10/31/2024

    15:37

    In accordance with the Methodology for determining the risk parameters of the stock market and deposit market of Moscow Exchange PJSC by NCO NCC (JSC), on 10/31/2024, 15:37 (Moscow time), the values of the lower limit of the repo price corridor with settlement code Y0/Y1Dt (up to -21.69%), the carry rate and the range of interest rate risk assessment (up to -67.13 rubles, equivalent to a rate of 46.36%) of the RU000A105WH2 security (GazKZ-26E) were changed.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://www.moex.com/n74457

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: End of support for 32-bit versions of terminals from 2025

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    We inform you that from November 1, 2025, support for 32-bit versions of MOEX Trade terminals for stock, currency, money, commodity markets and the ASTS Bridge gateway will be discontinued.

    Full list of terminals and gateways, support for 32-bit versions of which will be discontinued:

    MOEX Trade SE MOEX Trade Currency MOEX Trade TI MOEX Trade Agro MOEX Trade Agro Auction MOEX Trade Agro Intervention ASTS Bridge

    The release of new 32-bit versions will cease from the date of implementation of the first release in 2025.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://www.moex.com/n74459

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Gaetz Introduces Legislation to End Tax-Exempt Status for Non-Profits Abetting the U.S. Border Invasion

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Matt Gaetz (1st District of Florida)

    Washington, D.C. — This week, U.S. Congressman Matt Gaetz (FL-01) introduced the “Helping Americans by Restricting Resources to Immigrant Services Act,” also known as the HARRIS Act. The legislation, if enacted, would end the tax-exempt status of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), non-profits, and other entities that are aiding and abetting the U.S. border invasion by dedicating a “substantial” portion of their resources to goods and services for illegal aliens. The legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Randy Weber (TX-14), Lauren Boebert (CO-03), and Andy Biggs (AZ-05).

    Earlier this month, Congressman Gaetz introduced the “Blocking Assistance and Resources to Restrict Illegal Entry and Residency (BARRIER) Act” to cut federal funding to NGOs, non-profits, and other entities that help migrants illegally enter or reside in the U.S. Together, these two pieces of legislation would sever the public-private partnership that has supported the illegal crossing of our southern border by millions of people.

    “NGOs and non-profits that enable the Biden-Harris administration’s mass-migration policies – by focusing primarily on providing assistance to those who have broken federal immigration law – should not be receiving tax breaks. My legislation, the HARRIS Act, will strip tax-exempt status from organizations aiding and abetting the U.S. border invasion. If non-profits want special treatment under our tax-code, they should focus on doing genuine charity for genuine Americans, not illegal aliens,” said Congressman Gaetz.

    Full text of Congressman Gaetz’s bill can be found HERE. Additionally, exclusive coverage of the bill by Daily Caller can be found HERE.

    ### 

    For updates, subscribe to Congressman Gaetz’s newsletter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2023 Irrigation and Water Management data now available

    Source: US National Agricultural Statistics Service

    WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2024 – There were 212,714 farms with 53.1 million irrigated acres, which included 81 million acre-feet of water applied in the United States, according to the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey results, published today by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). In 2018, the irrigation survey results showed that there were 231,474 farms with 55.9 million irrigated acres, which included 83.4 million acre-feet of water. The results show that the number of farms irrigating, the amount of land irrigated, and the total water used for irrigation decreased between 2018 and 2023.

    “The 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey, conducted every five years, expands on the data collected in the 2022 Census of Agriculture,” said NASS Administrator Joseph L. Parsons. “This report offers detailed, comprehensive, up-to-date information specific to the agriculture industry’s use, management, and investment of water supplies and irrigation systems.”

    Data highlights from the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey include:

    • The total amount of water used in 2023 was 81 million acre-feet, down 2.8% from 2018.
    • The average acre-feet applied per acre was 1.5, which was the same as the 2018 irrigation survey. (An acre-foot is the amount of water required to cover one acre to a depth of one foot.)
    • The largest portion of irrigated farmland acres in the United States was dedicated to cropland – including grain and oilseed crops, vegetables, nursery and greenhouse, and hay crops.
    • Farmers irrigated 49.6 million acres of harvested cropland acres in the open in 2023.
    • Ground water from on-farm wells accounted for 54% of irrigation water applied to acres in the open; the average well depth in 2023 was 241 feet.
    • Ground water from on-farm wells accounted for 54% of irrigation water applied to acres in the open; the average well depth in 2023 was 241 feet.
    • Five states accounted for around one-half of the irrigated acres, and more than half of all water applied – Arkansas, California, Idaho, Nebraska, and Texas.
    • Equipment, in general, is one of the leading irrigation expenditures with farmers and ranchers spending $3 billion on irrigation equipment, facilities, land improvements and computer technology in 2023; energy costs for pumping well and surface water amounted to $3.3 billion.
    • Irrigated area of horticulture under protection was 1.7 billion square feet in 2023. This compares with 1.5 billion square feet in 2018.
    • Irrigated horticulture grown in the open was 598,980 acres in 2023. This compares with 581,936 acres in 2018.

    The 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey followed up with approximately 35,000 producers who indicated in the 2022 Census of Agriculture that they irrigated or had irrigation equipment. Producers provided information on water sources and amount of water used; acres irrigated by type of system; irrigation use by crop; and system investments and energy costs.

    “The 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey data provide valuable information that producers, farm organizations, businesses, state departments of agriculture, elected representatives and legislative bodies at all levels of government can use to make agriculture water use more efficient,” said Parsons. “From comparing water use by application methods or appraising water use trends to developing improved technologies or federal programs, these data are crucial to the industry.”

    To access the results of the 2023 Irrigation and Water Management Survey, visit nass.usda.gov/AgCensus or view in NASS’s online Quick Stats database.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH trial of rectal microbicide for HIV prevention begins in the United States

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Media Advisory

    Thursday, October 31, 2024

    Study will assess safety and acceptability of rectal douche for pre-exposure prophylaxis.

    What

    A clinical trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched to examine the safety and acceptability of a novel rectal HIV microbicide douche containing the antiretroviral drug tenofovir. This “on-demand” HIV prevention approach involves using the microbicide prior to a potential exposure from receptive anal intercourse.

    Several forms of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) are in use in the United States and globally, namely daily oral pills, long-acting injections, and a monthly vaginal ring. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who meet certain criteria can take “on-demand” oral PrEP around the time of sex to prevent HIV acquisition, but there is insufficient evidence to support its use in other populations. Rectal microbicides are another HIV prevention method being explored for use in an “on-demand” manner to expand the choices available to eligible people who engage in receptive anal intercourse and who stand to benefit from using PrEP.    

    The clinical trial will enroll about 150 adults assigned male at birth who have regular experience using an unmedicated rectal douche before receptive anal intercourse. Participants will each receive “on-demand” tenofovir rectal microbicide douche during one two-month period and on-demand oral PrEP with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine in another two-month period. All participants will be monitored closely for safety. The study also will assess participants’ experience using their assigned PrEP method, including measures of acceptability, adherence, and method preference. The study will take place at eight sites in the United States.

    While HIV incidence is slowly decreasing in the United States, 67% of U.S. HIV diagnoses from 2018-2022 were among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, pointing to the need for expanded HIV prevention options. The mid-stage study is sponsored NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and implemented through the NIH-funded HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN). NIH remains committed to developing safe and effective HIV prevention methods that people need, want, and are able to use.

    More information about this study, also known as HPTN 106, is available at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT06560684.

    Who

    Sheryl Zwerski, D.N.P., director of the Prevention Sciences Program in NIAID’s Division of AIDS, is available to discuss this research.

    NIAID conducts and supports research—at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide—to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: IMF Annual Meeting 2024

    Source: Central Bank of Iceland

    Ásgeir Jónsson, Governor of the Central Bank of Iceland, and Tómas Brynjólfsson, Deputy Governor for Financial Stability, participated along with other representatives from the Central Bank of Iceland in the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund held in Washington DC on October 21-26, 2024.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Re-opening the 2024 Standard Civil Contract procurement process

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The LAA will be re-opening the procurement for the Standard Civil 2024 Contract in December 2024.

    The Standard Civil 2024 (SCC 2024) Contract went live on Sunday 1 September 2024. The LAA will shortly be re-opening the SCC 2024 procurement process to enable new entrants into the market.

    Those that tendered and did not successfully complete the tender verification process during the previous SCC 2024 procurement processes, after registering their intention to continue with their tender, will not need to complete all stages unless they wish to make changes to their tender.  

    Following registration any partially verified tenders will be passported into this process. These applicants will be required to confirm information provided at the Selection Questionnaire stage remains accurate and to provide the required verification information. At the point of passing the verification stage a SCC 2024 will be awarded.  

    At the point of re-opening the tender in December 2024 the procurement will remain open during the lifecycle of the contract, so that new entrants can apply for a SCC 2024 contract at any time.  

    No action is required for anyone who already holds a Standard Civil 2024 Contract.vil 2024 Contract.

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Radio 2 in the Park Boosts Preston Economy by £5.3 Million

    Source: City of Preston

    In September, Preston’s Moor Park was the vibrant setting for BBC Radio 2 in the Park, as global superstars like the Pet Shop Boys, Sting, and Sugababes drew thousands of music fans from across the country. 

    Over three days, the festival welcomed 68,100 attendees, sparking a major economic boost for the city. This brought over £5 million in visitor spending, creating jobs and supporting local businesses throughout Preston.

    The BBC-hosted event attracted both local residents and visitors from across the UK. Around 13% of attendees were from Preston itself, while the majority were from further afield. It is estimated around 16,000 visitors stayed overnight, and a further 31,000 came for day trips, making Preston a vibrant hub over the course of the weekend.

    Councillor Hindle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council said:

    Radio 2 in the Park has proven to be a tremendous success for the city of Preston. Not only did it attract thousands of visitors to enjoy top-quality entertainment, it also delivered a substantial boost to our local economy.

    “The £5.3 million spent in the city over the weekend is a testament to Preston’s appeal as a destination for major events. We are proud of the way the city welcomed visitors and demonstrated our ability to host events on this scale. The lasting economic impact, including the jobs supported, shows just how valuable these events are for our community. We look forward to building on this momentum for future opportunities.”

    John Chesworth, Chair of Preston Partnership said:

    At Preston Partnership, we are dedicated to driving place direction and sustainable growth in the city. Radio 2 in the Park has been a fantastic opportunity to showcase Preston, bringing significant economic benefits to the area. Events like this not only boost the local economy through increased footfall and tourism but also provide a valuable platform for local businesses to thrive. We are proud to have been part of this venture, which has contributed to Preston’s economic development and future resilience.”

    Helen Thomas, Head of Radio 2 said:

    I’m so pleased the event has had such positive impact for the local economy, businesses and communities. All of us at Radio 2 would like to thank Preston City Council and the people of Preston for the incredibly warm welcome they gave Radio 2 in the Park when the station decamped to the city in September. We were delighted to broadcast live from several local venues during the build-up to the epic weekend in Moor Park and were proud to shine a light on this fantastic city across our shows during the event weekend and beyond.”

    This influx of visitors led to an estimated £2.4 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) for the city of Preston, helping to support an estimated 2,100 jobs in the city during the three-day event. The figures provided exclude expenditure by Preston residents. However, local attendees spent an estimated £434,000 during the event, further adding to the local economy.

    Economic analysis of the event was conducted by Hatch, a global consultancy with expertise in economic development and social impact assessment.

    Tim Fanning, Director at Hatch, stated:

    Events like this bring a range of benefits to their host locations. Our analysis shows that Radio 2 in the Park has provided a large economic boost to the city of Preston – boosting spending by up to 5% over the September weekend. Moreover, it has generated significant profile for the city, which has knock-on benefits for the visitor economy.”

    This year’s Radio 2 in the Park not only provided unforgettable entertainment for thousands but also left a lasting positive impact on the city of Preston, highlighting its potential as a host city for future large-scale events. Radio 2 in the Park has shone a spotlight on Preston and provided national media coverage from March this year helping to put Preston on the map.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has given notification under Schedule 6A Northern Ireland Act 1998

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    The Secretary of State has given notification of the start of the democratic consent process, as referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the declaration by His Majesty’s Government concerning the operation of the ‘Democratic consent in Northern Ireland’ provision of the Windsor Framework made on 17 October 2019.

    Applies to Northern Ireland

    Documents

    NOTIFICATION UNDER SCHEDULE 6A NORTHERN IRELAND ACT 1998

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    Details

    Dear Edwin,

    NOTIFICATION UNDER SCHEDULE 6A NORTHERN IRELAND ACT 1998

    Under Schedule 6A of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, it is my duty as Secretary of State to give notification of the start of the democratic consent process, as referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the declaration by His Majesty’s Government concerning the operation of the ‘Democratic consent in Northern Ireland’ provision of the Windsor Framework made on 17 October 2019.

    This notification marks the day immediately before the start of the final two months of the current continuation period. The first day of the new continuation period will be 1 January 2025. Before that date, this Government must notify the European Commission of the outcome of the democratic consent process established by Schedule 6A in relation to the continued application of Articles 5 to 10 of the Framework during the new continuation period.

    I can confirm that for this upcoming democratic consent process, the default democratic consent process will apply, as set out in Part 3 of Schedule 6A.

    Schedule 6A prescribes the text of the motion to be tabled, and has remained unamended since December 2020 such that it refers to the former Northern Ireland Protocol. As you will know, the arrangements laying down the Windsor Framework at the UK/EU Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee included agreement that references to the ‘the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland’ (such as that prescribed in the motion) will be read by the Government to mean the Windsor Framework. I would be grateful if this could be put to Assembly Members should there be doubt as to the validity of a motion.

    I am copying this letter to the First Minister and deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland, Michelle O’Neill & Emma Little-Pengelly.

    THE RT HON HILARY BENN MP

    SECRETARY OF STATE FOR NORTHERN IRELAND

    Updates to this page

    Published 31 October 2024

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    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Visit Leicester libraries for a warm welcome

    Source: City of Leicester

    LEICESTER libraries are offering people a warm welcome over the winter months, with a range of free activities on offer.

    The Warm Welcome programme runs from now until the end of March 2025, giving people the chance to use their local library as a ‘warm hub’ where they can enjoy a hot drink, meet new people, and try something new.

    It has all been brought together by a collaboration of council services, including Leicester libraries, Leicester Adult Education and the council’s public health team.

    For the first six weeks, there will be an activity at the same time and day at your local library or Warm Welcome location. All sessions are free of charge, and once signed up, people are welcome to attend as many sessions as they would like.

    Activities include an introduction to art inspired by nature at St Barnabas Library, where you can get creative and learn a variety of techniques, including pebble art, watercolours and card printing.

    At Beaumont Leys, Pork Pie and Highfields libraries, a series of sessions on sustainable crafting will include making cards and gift tags, recycling sari fabric and garlands, and creating seasonal wreaths.

    The Brite Centre in Braunstone will run sessions on everyday cooking as well as a series of events exploring local history, while Sew to Save at New Parks library will help people to transform recycled materials into something new using a range of different techniques.  

    There will also be a programme of events on mindfulness at Leicester Central Library. For the full list of what’s going on where, ask at your local library or see leicester.gov.uk/warmwelcome

    Assistant city mayor for culture, libraries and community centres, Cllr Vi Dempster, said: “We know that for some people, winter can be really challenging. On top of dark evenings and social isolation, many people are still struggling with the cost of living and we want to support them to keep warm.

    “Libraries and community centres are at the heart of our neighbourhoods. These sessions are a chance to learn something new in a warm and welcoming space, so that no-one need feel cold or alone through the winter months.”

    Deputy city mayor Cllr Sarah Russell, who leads on public health, said: “Our Warm Welcome programme has been really popular in recent years, helping people to get together during the long winter months in a friendly environment.  

    “As well as offering a chance to socialise, by bringing together specialists from across the council, we can offer expert advice and help to anyone who might be struggling this winter. A Warm Welcome can be the gateway to further support.”

    Leicester Libraries also offer a vast range of free resources, including free wifi and use of computers, free weekly Toddler Time sessions for young children, and homework clubs for school-age children. There’s access to a vast range of books, plus online e-books and e-magazines through the new Bookfinder website, where you can also reserve, renew, search for and review books, as well as find out about events coming up in your local library.

    To find out more, visit leicester.gov.uk/libraries and https://bookfinder.leicester.gov.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –