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  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures Felony Conviction of Sirron Croskey for Armed Robbery, Reckless Evading, and Possession of a Loaded Firearm in Public

    Source: US State of California

    Friday, October 25, 2024

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

    OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the felony conviction of Sirron Croskey for armed robbery, reckless evading, and possession of a loaded firearm in public. Croskey carried out multiple robberies across Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, and Napa counties, targeting victims in casino parking lots while brandishing a loaded, unregistered firearm to facilitate the crimes. After committing his final robbery in Napa County, Croskey attempted to evade law enforcement by engaging in a high-speed chase with deputies from the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office. He ultimately left behind the vehicle and the firearm that had been utilized in all the robberies and fled on foot. 

    “Californians deserve to live their lives free from the shadow of violence,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I am immensely proud of my team for their unwavering commitment to justice and for ensuring that those who violate the law are held responsible. When we work together, we get results that create a safer and more secure California for everyone.”

    Croskey pled guilty to one felony count of Reckless Evading, one felony count of Carrying a Loaded Unregistered Firearm in Public, two felony counts of Second-Degree Robbery, and admitted two enhancements for Personal Use of a Firearm. He was sentenced on October 23, 2024 in Contra Costa Superior Court to 9 years, 8 months in State Prison and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,855 to seven different victims.

    The investigation was conducted by the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, the American Canyon Police Department, the Livermore Police Department, the San Jose Police Department and the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Gambling Control. The DOJ’s Special Prosecution Section handled the prosecution of this case. 

    DOJ’s Special Prosecution Section investigates and prosecutes complex criminal cases occurring in California, including fraud, public corruption, “underground economy” crimes, human and labor trafficking, fentanyl trafficking, and organized retail theft. 

    A copy of the criminal complaint can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Greenfield — Update: Missing man located deceased

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    October 25, 2024, Greenfield, Nova Scotia… The 78-year-old man who was reported missing from Port Hawkesbury on October 3, 2023, has been located deceased.

    His remains were found by a hunter in a wooded area in Greenfield, close to where his abandoned vehicle was parked.

    The death is not believed to be suspicious in nature; however, the investigation is ongoing.

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

    File #: 2023-1472245

    -30-

    Contact:

    Sgt. Deepak PRASAD

    Public Information Officer
    Nova Scotia RCMP
    rcmpns-grcne@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Colorado man convicted of attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Gabriel Estrada, 30, of Denver, Colorado, was convicted by a federal jury for attempting to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. The four-day trial was held before U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson.

    According to trial evidence, Estrada used a chat app to meet up with a 13-year-old persona for sexual intercourse. An undercover agent posed as a 13-year-old female, living in Laramie, Wyoming. Estrada messaged the 13-year-old persona asking if she would have sex with him. He went on to ask the 13-year-old persona if she had any friends that would like to join them in the sexual encounter and asked about her sexual experience. Estrada then drove the two hours from his home to Laramie after confirming the minor would engage in other sexual acts with him. Estrada arrived at the location, along with other physical evidence indicative of his intent to engage in sexual acts with the minor and an iPhone. The iPhone contained the text messages to the 13-year-old persona. Estrada testified that he made the decision to drive from his apartment in Denver to Laramie, even after the minor told him her age. Estrada said he did not believe she was actually 13.

    Sentencing has been set for Jan. 13, 2025. Estrada faces 10 years to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, five years to life supervised release and a $100 special assessment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors in both cases.

    This crime was investigated by the Laramie Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation and the case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold.

    Case No. CR-24-00033

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Credicorp Ltd.: Credicorp’s Earnings Release and Conference Call 3Q24

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Lima, Oct. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lima, PERU, October 25th, 2024 – Credicorp Ltd. announces to its shareholders and the market that its 3Q24 Earnings Release Report will be released on Thursday, November 7th, 2024, after market close.

    Credicorp’s Webcast / Conference Call to discuss such results; will be held on Friday, November 8th, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. ET (9:30 a.m. Lima, Peru time).

    The call will be hosted by:
    Gianfranco Ferrari – Chief Executive Officer, – Alejandro Perez Reyes – Chief Financial Officer, Francesca Raffo – Chief Innovation Officer, Cesar Rios – Chief Risk Officer, Diego Cavero – Head of Universal Banking, Cesar Rivera – Head of Insurance and Pensions, Carlos Sotelo – Mibanco CFO and Investor Relations Team.

    We encourage participants to pre-register for the listen-only webcast presentation using the following link:
    https://dpregister.com/DiamondPassRegistration/register?confirmationNumber=10193845&linkSecurityString=fdcb54848f

    Callers who pre-register will be given a conference passcode and unique PIN to gain immediate access to the call and bypass the live operator. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call start time.

    Those unable to pre-register may dial in by calling:
    Participant dial-in (toll-free): 1 844 435 0321
    Participant international dial-in: 1 412 317 5615
    Participant Web Phone: Click Here
    Conference ID: Credicorp Conference Call

    The webcast will be archived for one year on our investor relations website at:
    https://credicorp.gcs-web.com/events-and-presentations/upcoming-events

    Credicorp reminds you that we filed our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31st, 2023 (2023 Form 20-F) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 24th, 2024. The 2023 Form 20-F includes audited consolidated financial statements of Credicorp and its subsidiaries as of December 31st, 2021,2022 and 2023 under IFRS. Our 2023 Form 20-F can be downloaded from Credicorp’s website: https://credicorp.gcs-web.com/annual-materials. Holders of Credicorp’s securities and any other interested parties may request a hard copy of our 2023 Form 20-F, free of charge, by filling out the form located on the link “mail request” on Credicorp’s website.

    About Credicorp

    Credicorp Ltd. (NYSE: BAP) is the leading financial services holding company in Peru with presence in Chile, Colombia and Bolivia. Credicorp has a diversified business portfolio organized into four lines of business: Universal Banking, through Banco de Credito del Peru – BCP and Banco de Credito de Bolivia; Microfinance, through Mibanco in Peru and Colombia; Insurance & Pension Funds, through Grupo Pacifico and Prima AFP; and Investment Management & Advisory, through Credicorp Capital, Wealth Management at BCP and Atlantic Security Bank.

    For further information please contact the IR team:

    investorrelations@credicorpperu.com

    Investor Relations
    Credicorp Ltd.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Ernst Exposes Kamala Harris’ Empty Promises to Small Businesses

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)
    WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, National Review broke down a new report commissioned by U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), the top Republican on the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, exposing Kamala Harris’ empty promises and radical agenda that has hurt American small businesses.
    In the report, Senator Ernst conducts a deep dive of the troubling trend of small businesses getting squeezed out of the federal marketplace, despite Kamala Harris’ claims otherwise.
    In August, Senator Ernst hosted an entrepreneur expo to bring hundreds of Iowa small business owners together to hear from speakers, join breakout sessions with federal agencies, and get small businesses back in the federal contracting game.
    Kamala Harris Hasn’t Delivered on Her Promises to Small Businesses, GOP Senate Report Claims
    By: Haley Strack
    Kamala Harris’s campaign promises to small businesses are more fiction than reality, according to a new report by the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.
    Commissioned by ranking member Senator Joni Ernst (R., Iowa), the report compares Harris’s campaign aspirations for small businesses with the work she’s done in the past three and a half years as vice president.
    Although Harris’s website says that she will “increase the share of federal contract dollars going to small businesses,” since Harris has been vice president, the number of small businesses contracting with the federal government has steadily decreased. In 2020, the number was 94,044; in 2021, it was 88,790; in 2022, it was 85,014; and in 2023, it was at its lowest, 84,053. The federal government has seen about a 50 percent decrease in its small-business vendors since 2008.
    “Despite declining engagement, the reported government dollars allocated to remaining small businesses is increasing,” the report says. “Since FY 2015, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has reported yearly increases in government-wide small business spending. These awards totaled $90.7 billion in FY 2015, $100 billion in FY 2016, $105.7 billion in FY 2017, $120.8 billion in FY 2018, $132.9 billion in FY 2019, $145.7 billion in FY 2020, $154.2 billion in FY 2021, $162.9 billion in FY 2022, and $178.6 billion to small businesses in FY 2023. This trend seems to indicate a willingness within the USG to award contracts to small businesses. In reality, it signals an unhealthy consolidation within the federal supplier base and an entrenchment of established contractors capturing a growing market share of overall small business dollars, to the detriment of new and emerging firms seeking to capture the same market share.’
    Harris plans to increase the deduction on start-up expenses, and has promised to secure 25 million new small business applications if she becomes president. But Harris’s expanse of government programs for small businesses isn’t enough to offset the harm inflation has imposed upon those businesses, the report suggests.
    “Kamala Harris claims to be a friend to mom-and-pop shops, but she has delivered nothing but price hikes and miles of red tape,” Ernst said. “She loves to talk about creating an opportunity economy, but the only opportunities are for those aligned with the Green New Deal agenda, including Chinese manufacturers. Unlike Kamala Harris, I have worked to enact real solutions to make life easier for job creators and expand opportunities for the heartland to contract with the federal government and reverse the troubling trend of small businesses getting squeezed out of the marketplace.”
    The Biden-Harris Small Business Administration announced in September that it would accept applications for Small Business Lending Company (SBLC) licenses and Community Advantage (CA) SBLC licenses, programs the administration said would prioritize “reducing climate change.”
    “The levers of government should never be used to pick winners and losers based on political priorities. Instead of wasting tax dollars on another Green New Deal program, the SBA needs to prioritize lowering costs for the millions of small businesses struggling from the Biden-Harris 20 percent inflation price hike,” Ernst said in a statement.
    Meanwhile, Ernst has proposed the Accountability and Clarity in Contracts to Engage Small Business Suppliers, which she says will make federal contracting opportunities accessible for small businesses, and “ensure the participation of a broad spectrum of small businesses across all industries.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Capito Announces Grant Funding for Two West Virginia Railway Projects

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Today, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a leader on both the Senate Appropriations and Commerce Committees, announced a two grant awards from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) program for West Virginia railway updates.
    These grants, which were made possible through provisions included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that Senator Capito helped negotiate and craft, will provide funding for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of railroads, as well as bridge repairs and renovations.
    “Maintaining and ensuring safe railways is an important part of our state’s infrastructure, which is why I worked to increase this critical infrastructure grant program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” Senator Capito said. “These grants will provide critical funding to projects that aim to modernize our railways and bridges, ensuring we are prepared for the future. West Virginia continues to see the benefits of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with more economic growth and opportunities, and these grants are just another example.”
    Individual award details listed below:
    $22,796,000 IIJA CRISI grant funding to Winchester & Western Railroad Acquisition, LLC (Martinsburg, W.Va.) for final design and construction activities to rehabilitate segments of the Winchester & Western Railroad mainline in West Virginia and Maryland to eliminate all remaining legacy rail and old tie structure. The project will enhance safety, efficiency, and resiliency as the project will return the line to a state of good repair.
    $6,912,000 IIJA CRISI grant funding to Cathcart Rail, LLC for a project that will complete final design and construction activities to repair two bridges on the Belpre Industrial Parkersburg Railroad (BIP) in West Virginia and Ohio. Specifically, the project addresses structural deficiencies in the historic B&O Sixth Street Railroad Bridge that spans Parkersburg, W.Va. and Belpre, Ohio, including cross tie replacement, stringer/floor beam repair, bracing and timber replacement, and replacing stones under bearings.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: National Guard honors National Day of the Deployed

    Source: US National Guard (video statements)

    Each year, on Oct. 26, the United States observes the National Day of the Deployed, which is dedicated to honoring all service members who have been deployed in service to our country and acknowledging the sacrifices their families make during these times. This year, as always, to honor and express our deepest gratitude to all the brave men and women of the National Guard who have answered the call of duty, as well as the families who support them. (Video by Master Sgt. Brandy Fowler)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF8FYT-bdDc

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Van Orden Sounds Alarm on Half of Wisconsin Federal Prison Inmate Population Being Illegal Aliens

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin 3rd)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) participated in a House Judiciary Committee field hearing in Milwaukee on the effects of the current southwest border crisis on Wisconsin residents and communities. 

    During the hearing, Congressman Van Orden questioned the witness panel on the Federal Correctional Institution Oxford holding 650 illegal aliens who committed felonies in the facility, which is over half of the facility’s housing capacity of 1,200. In a meeting with Oxford’s administrators a week prior to the hearing, Rep. Van Orden was informed that the cost to house a single inmate at Oxford is $42,000 per year, leading the facility to spend over $27 million per year on housing the illegal aliens alone in their custody. Federal law requires that illegal aliens who are convicted of felonies while residing in the U.S. must complete their sentence in the U.S. prison system before being deported.

    To watch Rep. Van Orden’s line of questioning during the hearing, click here or below.

    (watch)

    Rep. Van Orden addressing the Oxford Federal Prison illegal alien population with Republican Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson: 

    Rep. Van Orden:

    “The criminal illegal alien that Congressman Tiffany referred to earlier made his way across the border with Venezuelan gang tattoos. Those are not a, “Live to Ride, Ride to Live” tattoo. That’s either: You’re a member of that gang and you have that tattoo, or they will cut it off you while you’re living, so that should have been taken for what it is at the border. This person never should have been allowed in the country, made his way to Minneapolis, arrested for crimes after the Dane County Sheriff had warrants out for strangulation and some other violent crimes, and didn’t bother following up with it because both those places are Sanctuary Cities. 

    “Then he came to a place a half mile away from where four of my grandchildren live and brutally raped a mother and assaulted a daughter over a period of days. This could have been stopped at any point, and solely because the Biden Administration is pushing an incredibly horrible political agenda, this is going to keep happening over and over and over again.

    “Senator Johnson, I found this out last week, and I want to know if you’re tracking. We went to the federal prison in Oxford in my district, and half of the prisoners are illegal aliens. Are you tracking the volume of what’s taking place? This is the second and third order effect of opening up these borders, but when half of an institution is occupied by illegal aliens, that’s something that I’m hoping we’re going to be looking at here under a Trump presidency. Are you tracking this, Sir?”

    Sen. Johnson:

    “I’m not, but it’s not surprising. It’s not just going to be federal prisons; it’s going to be local prisons and they’re going to be bearing the brunt of the cost of this. I think the House Committee said that the cost of dealing with this crisis is about $150 billion per year across all governmental units. That’s a massive cost imposed on us by the Biden-Harris administration, and that gang member never should have been let into this country. The vast majority of people are as sympathetic as I am with people who want to come here for opportunity but don’t qualify for asylum. There is a very tough standard. You have to be persecuted by your government or threatened with persecution. This open border is a setback in establishing a functioning legal immigration that is controlled and brings people in to improve our economy. I’m for a robust legal immigration system, and we need one. We certainly need one here in Wisconsin – certainly in your district with all the farmers. We need workers, we need laborers, and immigrant laborers do a great job. They come here, they work their tail off, but it has to be a legal system. You cannot establish that until you secure the border. So, Biden has set back establishing that legal system…” 

    Rep. Van Orden:

    “At one point, they had 17 to 20 some thousand rotating through Afghan refugees at Fort McCoy, which I represent. We went back and looked at every single Afghan that came here that was eligible for the Special Immigrant Visa, meaning they worked with the United States government during the war. Guess how many of those were qualified for SIV – zero…

    “The last thing we’re looking at is about 250,000 missing children the Biden administration has lost. The Biden administration, under the Harris Border Czar, is solely responsible for losing almost a quarter of a million children in the United States that are most likely being trafficked, knowing full well that they were releasing them into the hands of members of transnational criminal organizations and human sex traffickers.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch, Blumenthal Call on Dept. of Justice to Investigate Elon Musk’s Cash Sweepstakes to Swing-State Voters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today wrote to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland asking the Department of Justice to investigate whether Elon Musk, through his political action committee America PAC, has violated federal campaign finance law by providing cash rewards to individuals in seven swing states if they sign a petition that requires them to be registered to vote.  
    Section 10307(c) of Title 52 of the U.S. Code states it is illegal if an individual “pays or offers to pay or accepts payment either for registration to vote or for voting.” Earlier this week, CNN reported the Department had warned Musk and his super PAC that his actions may be in violation of the law. 
    “Musk’s reward scheme appears to violate federal campaign finance law. It is explicitly designed to induce people to register to vote. Moreover, the Department of Justice’s own Election Crimes Manual states that a violation of federal campaign finance laws can occur when ‘cash’ or ‘lottery chances’ are ‘intended to induce or reward the voter for engaging in one or more acts necessary to cast a ballot,’” the lawmakers write.  
    “There is no place for vote buying in our democracy. As the Department has recognized, voting should never ‘degenerate into a spending contest, with the victor being the candidate who can pay the most voters’…” the lawmakers conclude.“…Permitting this scheme to proceed without consequences makes a mockery of democracy and the law. We urge you to investigate whether Elon Musk’s cash prizes are prohibited payments for voter registration and take appropriate enforcement action, including prosecution, if his actions prove to be illegal.” 
    Read the letter below and download it here: 
    Dear Attorney General Garland,
    As you know, Elon Musk has been providing cash rewards to voters in seven states if they sign a petition related to his political action committee—America PAC. Individuals must be a registered voter, or register to vote, to qualify for his financial giveaways, which include payments of $47, $100, and a $1 million daily lottery. Campaign finance law states it is illegal if anyone “pays or offers to pay…either for registration to vote or for voting.” 
    Musk’s reward scheme appears to violate federal campaign finance law. It is explicitly designed to induce people to register to vote. Moreover, the Department of Justice’s own Election Crimes Manual states that a violation of federal campaign finance laws can occur when “cash” or “lottery chances” are “intended to induce or reward the voter for engaging in one or more acts necessary to cast a ballot.” 
    There is no place for vote buying in our democracy. As the Department has recognized, voting should never “degenerate into a spending contest, with the victor being the candidate who can pay the most voters.” According to public reports, the Department warned America PAC this week that the petition lottery may be in violation of federal law. If so, permitting this scheme to proceed without consequences makes a mockery of democracy and the law. We urge you to investigate whether Elon Musk’s cash prizes are prohibited payments for voter registration and take appropriate enforcement action, including prosecution, if his actions prove to be illegal. 
    Sincerely, 
    Senator Peter Welch 
    Senator Richard Blumenthal 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Adopts Rule Amendments and New Rule to Improve Risk Management and Resilience of Covered Clearing Agencies

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today adopted rule amendments and a new rule to improve the resilience and recovery and wind-down planning of covered clearing agencies. The rule amendments establish new requirements regarding a covered clearing agency’s collection of intraday margin as well as a covered clearing agency’s reliance on substantive inputs to its risk-based margin model. The new rule prescribes requirements for the contents of a covered clearing agency’s recovery and wind-down plan.

    “Recovery and wind-down planning enhances the resiliency and continuity of our market plumbing,” said SEC Chair Gary Gensler. “I’m pleased that today’s amendments will benefit investors, issuers, and the markets alike.”

    Specifically, regarding intraday margin collection, the rule amendments require that a covered clearing agency that provides central counterparty services has policies and procedures to establish a risk-based margin system that monitors intraday exposures on an ongoing basis, includes the authority and operational capacity to make intraday margin calls as frequently as circumstances warrant (including when risk thresholds specified by the covered clearing agency are breached or when the products cleared or markets served display elevated volatility), and documents when the covered clearing agency determines not to make an intraday call pursuant to its written policies and procedures.

    The rule amendments regarding substantive inputs require that a covered clearing agency that provides central counterparty services has policies and procedures to establish a risk-based margin system that uses reliable sources of substantive inputs, uses procedures to address circumstances in which substantive inputs are not readily available or reliable (to ensure that the covered clearing agency can continue to meet its credit exposures to its participants), and that such procedures must include either the use of price data or substantive inputs from an alternate source or a risk-based margin system that does not rely on substantive inputs that are unavailable or unreliable.  

    Existing rules require a covered clearing agency to have a recovery and wind-down plan, and the new rule requires such an entity to specify nine elements for its plan. The new rule’s required elements address: planning (e.g., the identification and use of scenarios, triggers, tools, staffing, and service providers); timing and implementation of the plans; and testing and board approval of the plans.

    The Commission is adopting two compliance dates: (1) 150 days after publication in the Federal Register for a covered clearing agency to file any required proposed rule changes or advance notices with the Commission; and (2) 390 days after publication in the Federal Register for such proposed rule changes and advance notices to be effective.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 8666, a bill to amend title 28, United States Code, to authorize holding court for the Central Division of Utah in Moab and Monticello

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 8666 would authorize federal district courts in the Central Division of Utah to hold proceedings in the cities of Moab and Monticello. Under current law, those proceedings are held in the cities of Salt Lake, Provo, and St. George. 

    Using information from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts about current operating costs for the courts, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2029 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 7177, a bill to amend title 28, United States Code, to consolidate certain divisions in the Northern District of Alabama

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 7177 would codify the on-going consolidation of operations of federal district courts in the Northern District of Alabama by reducing the number of divisions within that district from seven to five. As a result of the changes, CBO expects that court proceedings would no longer be held in the cities of Decatur, Gadsden, and Jasper, and would instead be held in other cities within the district. 

    According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, court operations in Gadsden and Jasper have been transferred to other cities, and operations in Decatur will transfer in 2025. On that basis, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would have no budgetary effects. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 9720, AI Incident Reporting and Security Enhancement Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 9720 would require the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to establish common definitions and identify characteristics of security vulnerabilities of artificial intelligence (AI) that would make the National Vulnerability Database inappropriate for managing those vulnerabilities. The bill also would require NIST to support the development of standards and guidance for technical vulnerability management processes related to AI and to update the database and associated vulnerability management processes. Finally, H.R. 9720 would require NIST to work with interested parties to develop and then report to the Congress on a process to voluntarily collect, report, and track substantial AI security incidents.

    Based on the cost of similar requirements, CBO expects that NIST will need three employees, at an average annual cost of $250,000 per person in 2025, to carry out the requirements of H.R. 9720. Accounting for anticipated inflation, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost $3 million over the 2025-2029 period. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: H.R. 8689, Amtrak Executive Bonus Disclosure Act

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    H.R. 8689 would require Amtrak to include information on the base pay and bonus compensation of its executive officers in its annual report to the Congress and post the report on its website. Because Amtrak is considered a nonfederal entity, CBO estimates that enacting the bill would have no effect on the federal budget. 

    The legislation would impose a private-sector mandate as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA) on Amtrak by marginally expanding an existing reporting requirement. CBO estimates that the cost to Amtrak would fall well below the threshold established in UMRA for private-sector mandates ($200 million in 2024, adjusted annually for inflation). 

    H.R. 8689 would not impose intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Franklin County Mobile Disaster Recovery Center Reopens in New Location

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Franklin County Mobile Disaster Recovery Center Reopens in New Location

    Franklin County Mobile Disaster Recovery Center Reopens in New Location

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla.– The Mobile Disaster Recovery Center in Franklin County is open at the Eastpoint County Building Department to provide one-on-one help to Floridians affected by Hurricane Helene. Survivors of Hurricane Milton or Hurricane Debby can also be served by the center.Franklin CountyEastpoint County Building Department248 US Hwy. 98Eastpoint, FL 32328Hours: 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday through Oct. 27, 2024.When this center moves to a new location, details will be provided to the public.Survivors do not need to visit a center to apply for assistance. Homeowners and renters are encouraged to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by using the FEMA App. You may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362. If you choose to apply by phone, please understand wait times may be longer because of increased volume for multiple recent disasters. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance – YouTube.For the latest information about Hurricane Milton recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4834. For Hurricane Helene, visit fema.gov/disaster/4828. For Hurricane Debby, visit fema.gov/disaster/4806. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.
    kirsten.chambers
    Fri, 10/25/2024 – 20:25

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Sentencing of Mescalero Man for Stabbing Assault

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – A Mescalero man was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for the repeated stabbing of a woman on the Mescalero Apache reservation.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    According to court documents, on May 18, 2023, Lestat Cree Valdez, 21, an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache tribe, straddled Jane Doe and stabbed her repeatedly in the head, face, and chest with a knife, with the intent to cause bodily harm. As a result of the assault, Jane Doe suffered serious bodily injury.

    Upon his release from prison, Valdez will be subject 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.

    This case was investigated by the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau Investigation with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant United States Attorney Joni Autrey Stahl is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Twelve Defendants Charged in Alleged Methamphetamine Conspiracy

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MACON, Ga. – A newly unsealed federal indictment charges a dozen defendants with allegedly participating in a methamphetamine production and trafficking conspiracy operating out of a ten-acre Walton County property.

    According to the indictment unsealed on Oct. 23, and the search warrant, as well as statements made public in court, on Aug. 13, 2024, a federal search warrant was executed at 2370 Mountain Creek Church Road, Monroe, Georgia, as part of a joint law enforcement operation, where agents seized a total of 4,346 grams of “finished” crystal methamphetamine, 22 gallons of liquid methamphetamine (approximately equivalent to 377 kilograms of finished crystal methamphetamine) and $5,401. A federal search warrant was also executed on a Chevrolet Traverse occupied by Yuretzi Gomez, Yirla Gomez, Rafael Gomez and Uriel Garcia where agents recovered 1,046 grams of methamphetamine and $4,350 in cash. In addition, agents seized 4,523 grams of methamphetamine inside a Camaro occupied by Jared Calhoun and Ebony Jones-Tate.

    The following defendant charged by indictment will have his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles H. Weigle on Nov. 4:

    James Len Ramey, 52, of Comer, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.

    The following defendants charged by indictment have had their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Weigle:

    Christopher Hyatt, 44, of LaGrange, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Kendell Cawthon, 59, of Baldwin, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Bonterris Turner, 44, of Athens, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Demetrius Appling, 36, of Crawford, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Andrea Robinson, 44, of Cleveland, Georgia; is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine;

    Yuretzi Adame Gomez, 39, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Yirla Adame Gomez, 24, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Rafael Gomez Flores, 21, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Uriel Garcia, 32, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Jared Calhoun, 32, of Birmingham, Alabama, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine; and

    Ebony Jones-Tate, 32, of Birmingham, Alabama, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol (GSP).

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.

    An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MACON, Ga. – A newly unsealed federal indictment charges a dozen defendants with allegedly participating in a methamphetamine production and trafficking conspiracy operating out of a ten-acre Walton County property.

    According to the indictment unsealed on Oct. 23, and the search warrant, as well as statements made public in court, on Aug. 13, 2024, a federal search warrant was executed at 2370 Mountain Creek Church Road, Monroe, Georgia, as part of a joint law enforcement operation, where agents seized a total of 4,346 grams of “finished” crystal methamphetamine, 22 gallons of liquid methamphetamine (approximately equivalent to 377 kilograms of finished crystal methamphetamine) and $5,401. A federal search warrant was also executed on a Chevrolet Traverse occupied by Yuretzi Gomez, Yirla Gomez, Rafael Gomez and Uriel Garcia where agents recovered 1,046 grams of methamphetamine and $4,350 in cash. In addition, agents seized 4,523 grams of methamphetamine inside a Camaro occupied by Jared Calhoun and Ebony Jones-Tate.

    The following defendant charged by indictment will have his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles H. Weigle on Nov. 4:

    James Len Ramey, 52, of Comer, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.

    The following defendants charged by indictment have had their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Weigle:

    Christopher Hyatt, 44, of LaGrange, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Kendell Cawthon, 59, of Baldwin, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Bonterris Turner, 44, of Athens, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Demetrius Appling, 36, of Crawford, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Andrea Robinson, 44, of Cleveland, Georgia; is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine;

    Yuretzi Adame Gomez, 39, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Yirla Adame Gomez, 24, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Rafael Gomez Flores, 21, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Uriel Garcia, 32, of Mexico, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine;

    Jared Calhoun, 32, of Birmingham, Alabama, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine; and

    Ebony Jones-Tate, 32, of Birmingham, Alabama, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a $10 million fine.

    The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Middle Georgia Safe Streets Gang Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol (GSP).

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Morrison is prosecuting the case for the Government.

    An indictment is only an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Jersey Man Charged For Multi-Year, Multi-Million Dollar Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; James E. Dennehy, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); Thomas Fattorusso, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”); and Francis J. Russo, the Director of the New York Field Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”),  announced today the arrest of ARSEN LUSHER, who orchestrated a scheme to defraud more than 20 investors of more than $5 million between 2017 and 2021.  LUSHER was arrested earlier today and will be presented this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein.

    U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “For years, the defendant allegedly solicited investors’ funds by representing that he had a hugely profitable trucking business.  That wasn’t true, and the defendant instead allegedly used the funds to run a classic Ponzi scheme, enriching himself along the way.  When luck ran out, the victims sustained millions of dollars in losses.  Today’s arrest serves as a stark reminder that the illusion of success built on fraud and deceit will inevitably fail.”

    FBI Assistant Director James E. Dennehy said: “For four years, Arsen Lusher allegedly defrauded numerous victims of more than $5 million by cycling their investments to conceal the business’s inability to produce its promised returns, and altered official tax documents to reflect inflated balances in furtherance of this ploy.  The alleged empty assurances allowed the defendant to wrongfully haul in funding from investors and selfishly benefit from their losses.  The FBI will continue to disrupt and hit the brakes on any investment scheme rooted in deceit.”

    IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas Fattorusso said: “It’s alleged Lusher acted with impunity for years, deceiving over 20 investors out of more than five million dollars.  He created a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme, then sold his victims a dream of high-returns on their investment.  Instead of a profit, investors were left with a loss of money and of trust.  Today’s arrest ensures that Lusher can now be held accountable for his alleged fraud.”

    CBP Director Francis J. Russo said: “U.S. Customs and Border Protection is proud to have played an important role in this investigation that resulted in the takedown of an elaborate conspiracy to defraud the United States.  This case serves as a great example of how collaborative law enforcement efforts can dismantle nefarious enterprises that cause economic harm to their competitors.”

    According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

    Between 2017 and 2021, LUSHER engaged in a scheme to defraud more than 20 victims of more than $5 million.  LUSHER and a small group of trusted lieutenants acting at LUSHER’s direction solicited investments from the victims, usually by representing that LUSHER had a profitable trucking business that enjoyed delivery and installation contracts with multiple large retailers.  LUSHER and his lieutenants typically represented that the victims’ investments would fund the purchase of trucks, each truck costing around $45,000.  Through written and signed investment agreements, LUSHER and his lieutenants normally guaranteed the victims that their investments would generate high rates of return over a fixed period—typically between 30 and 40 percent over one or two years.  In that way, LUSHER succeeded in raising more than $40 million.

    In fact, though, LUSHER did not have a large trucking business.  Instead, LUSHER had a small trucking business that performed a small amount of work—less than $300,000—for just one large retailer.  The amount that LUSHER earned from his legitimate trucking business could not have compensated the victims and produced the promised returns.

    Indeed, LUSHER did not use the victims’ funds to purchase trucks or to grow his trucking business.  Instead, for years, LUSHER engaged in a Ponzi scheme: LUSHER paid earlier victims with later victims’ funds.  LUSHER also used the victims’ funds to enrich himself, such as by gambling or shopping for high-end goods.  In that way, LUSHER was able to sustain his scheme for a number of years.  But in early 2021, the scheme collapsed, leaving numerous victims with losses totaling more than $5 million. 

    LUSHER used fake documents to carry out his scheme.  For example, in December 2020, LUSHER caused to be sent to a particular victim an apparent U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation for one of the companies that LUSHER controlled and used to perpetrate his scheme.  That alleged tax return was falsified:  the accountant listed as having prepared the return did not, in fact, prepare it.  And in February 2021, LUSHER altered account balances on an email sent by a bank employee to make it appear that LUSHER’s companies had healthy account balances when, in fact, they did not.  Specifically, while the bank employee wrote that LUSHER’s companies had account balances of $8,767.26 and $320.76, LUSHER altered the bank employee’s email before forwarding it to state that his companies had account balances of $1,228,767.26 and $987,320.76 (italics and bold added).  In other words, LUSHER altered the bank employee’s email such that the account balances for his companies were approximately 140 times and 3,078 times greater than they actually were.  LUSHER then caused that falsified email to be sent to a particular victim.

    If you believe you or your family has been a victim of LUSHER’s fraud, please contact XtremeHDtips@fbi.gov.

    *                *                *

    LUSHER, 49, of Millstone, New Jersey, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.

    The statutory maximum penalties in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.

    Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, the IRS, the CBP, and the New York City Police Department. 

    This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Rosenberg is in charge of the prosecution.

    The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth in this press release, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Individual On Parole For Robbery In New Jersey Indicted For Two More Robberies In Florida

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the  unsealing of an indictment charging Jose Rodriguez (65, New Jersey) with robbery, attempted robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted on all counts, Rodriguez faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. 

    According to court documents, on August 4, 2024, Rodriguez entered a pizza restaurant located in a shopping plaza in Tampa and attempted to rob the restaurant at gunpoint. The clerks fled in fear, and Rodriguez ultimately left empty handed.

    Approximately one month later, on September 11, 2024, Rodriguez returned to the same plaza. This time, he walked into a cellphone store and attempted to rob it at gunpoint. During the robbery, Rodriguez directed an employee to the business’s safe in a back room while stating, “Don’t move or I’ll shoot you.”

    Two days later, ATF special agents and deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office found the vehicle used during the two incidents. Surveillance of that vehicle identified Rodriguez, and a subsequent search warrant of his residence revealed a pistol—which he is prohibited from possessing due to his status as a convicted felon. That pistol had been reported stolen by an elderly man in New Jersey whom Rodriguez had previously cared for. At the time of these incidents, Rodriguez was on parole in New Jersey for robbery.

    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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tampa Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diego F. Novaes.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Early Warning News Release

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Marie-Josee Kacira (the “Acquiror”) announced today that, further to the press release issued by Altai Resources Inc. (“Altai” or the “Company”) on October 22, 2024, announcing the death of Niyazi Kacira, the Acquiror’s spouse, the Acquiror has assumed direct ownership of 8,226,157 common shares of the Company (the “Acquisition”), representing approximately 14.7% of the total issued and outstanding common shares of the Company (the “Shares”). Prior to the Acquisition, the Acquiror directly owned, independently of the Acquiror’s deceased spouse, 1,500,000 Shares, representing approximately 2.7% of the total issued and outstanding Shares. After giving effect to the Acquisition, the Acquiror has direct ownership of 9,726,157 Shares, representing approximately 17.4% of the total issued and outstanding Shares. These shares are for investment purposes.

    The above ownership of Altai shares has been reported in the System for Electronic Disclosure by Insiders (SEDI). Marie-Josee Kacira, may from time to time, increase or decrease her securities holdings in Altai depending on market conditions or any other relevant factors.

    This news release is being issued pursuant to National Instrument 62-103 – The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues, which requires a report to be filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.com) containing additional information with respect to the foregoing matters.

    The name and address of the Acquiror filing the report are:

    Mrs. Marie-Josee Kacira
    c/o 895 Don Mills Road
    Two Morneau Shepell Centre, Suite 900
    Toronto, ON, M3C 1W3
    info@altairesources.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: China expels Philippine vessels for unlawfully entering waters near Tiexian Jiao

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    A China Coast Guard (CCG) spokesperson on Saturday said two Philippine vessels have been expelled for unlawfully intruding into waters near Tiexian Jiao of China’s Nansha Qundao.

    The vessels, which attempted to illegally land on the reef and collect sand samples on Friday, have been warned and driven away by the CCG, according to spokesperson Liu Dejun.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Comments on Hegseth Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, issued the following statement today on the nomination of Pete Hegseth to serve as Secretary of Defense:
    “The most consequential cabinet official in any Administration is the Secretary of Defense. In the face of the gravest threats to U.S. national security interests since World War II, this position is even more important today.
    “Major adversaries are working closer together to undermine U.S. interests around the world. And America’s military capabilities and defense industrial capacity are increasingly insufficient to deter or prevail in major conflict with China or Russia, especially given the real risk of simultaneous challenges from other adversaries like Iran or North Korea.
    “Stewardship of the United States Armed Forces, and of the complex bureaucracy that exists to support them, is a massive and solemn responsibility. At the gravest moments, under the weight of this public trust, even the most capable and well-qualified leaders to set foot in the Pentagon have done so with great humility – from George Marshall harnessing American enterprise and Atlantic allies for the Cold War, to Caspar Weinberger orchestrating the Reagan build-up, to Bob Gates earning the wartime trust of two Commanders-in-Chief, of both parties.
    “Mere desire to be a ‘change agent’ is not enough to fill these shoes. And ‘dust on boots’ fails even to distinguish this nominee from multiple predecessors of the last decade. Nor is it a precondition for success. Secretaries with distinguished combat experience and time in the trenches have failed at the job.
    “Effective management of nearly 3 million military and civilian personnel, an annual budget of nearly $1 trillion, and alliances and partnerships around the world is a daily test with staggering consequences for the security of the American people and our global interests.
    “Mr. Hegseth has failed, as yet, to demonstrate that he will pass this test. But as he assumes office, the consequences of failure are as high as they have ever been.
    “The United States faces coordinated aggression from adversaries bent on shattering the order underpinning American security and prosperity. In public comments and testimony before the Armed Services Committee, Mr. Hegseth did not reckon with this reality.
    “President Trump has rightly called on NATO allies to spend more on our collective defense. But the nominee who would have been responsible for leading that effort wouldn’t even commit to growing America’s defense investment beyond the low bar set by the Biden Administration’s budget requests.
    “In his testimony before the Committee, Mr. Hegseth provided no substantial observations on how to defend Taiwan or the Philippines against a Chinese attack, or even whether he believes the United States should do so. He failed, for that matter, to articulate in any detail a strategic vision for dealing with the gravest long-term threat emanating from the PRC.
    “Absent, too, was any substantive discussion of countering our adversaries’ alignment with deeper alliance relationships and more extensive defense industrial cooperation of our own.
    “This, of course, is due to change. As the 29th Secretary of Defense, Mr. Hegseth will be immediately tested by ongoing conflicts caused by Russian aggression in Europe and Iranian-backed terror in the Middle East. He will have to grapple with an unfinished FY25 appropriations process that – without his intervention – risks further harming the readiness of our forces.
    “By all accounts, brave young men and women join the military with the understanding that it is a meritocracy. This precious trust endures only as long as lawful civilian leadership upholds what must be a firewall between servicemembers and politics. The Biden Administration failed at this fundamental task. But the restoration of ‘warrior culture’ will not come from trading one set of culture warriors for another.
    “The single most important way for Secretary Hegseth to demonstrate his professed devotion to America’s warfighters will be to equip them – urgently – to deter aggression… and rebuild the defense industrial capacity to restock the depleted arsenal of democracy. In this cause, he will find willing partners on the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, which will expect and receive his candid testimony.
    “I wish Secretary Hegseth great success, and I look forward to working closely with him to restore American hard power. Every member of the uniformed services will be looking to him for decisive, principled, and nonpartisan leadership.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: GlobalData tracks 40 years of innovation in FDA review designations

    Source: GlobalData

    GlobalData tracks 40 years of innovation in FDA review designations

    Posted in Pharma

    Regulatory authorities, particularly the US FDA, have played a crucial role in accelerating and incentivizing the development of innovative treatments through review designations. Since the first designation in 1984, the FDA has seen a substantial rise in the number of designations granted, reaching 694 in 2020. This surge reflects key pharmaceutical milestones, including the biotech boom and the advent of groundbreaking scientific advancements over the past four decades, observes GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Jasper Morley, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “To date, the FDA has implemented seven different types of review designations, which accelerate and incentivize drug development. Each designation offers specific benefits to the drugmakers. For example, the orphan drug designation (ODD) is granted to drugs intended to treat a rare condition providing tax credits for qualified clinical trials, exemptions from user fees, and a potential of seven years market exclusivity following approval.”

    GlobalData’s report, “Pharmaceutical Review Designations – Trends and Industry Insights,” reveals that the FDA awarded its first 22 designations, consisting solely of ODD, in 1984. From 1984 to 1997, it awarded an average of only 23 designations per year, indicating limited adoption of review designations. However, between 1998 and 2012, an average of 93 designations were awarded yearly, and in 2012, the 182 review designations awarded was over 10 times the number awarded in 1997.

    This finding is aligned with the Modernization Act of 1997, whereby the FDA sought to speed up the approval of new drugs which saw the introduction of the fast-track and priority review designation types, in 1998 and 1999, respectively. Furthermore, this period also coincided with the advent of the biotech industry, whereby the 2003 completion of the human genome project catalyzed gene therapy developments.

    The period between 2012 and 2020 saw another rapid increase in the annual numbers of review designations awarded. Over this period, annual designations awarded by the FDA increased almost four-fold. This period included the implementation of novel designation types: qualified infectious disease product designation (in 2012), breakthrough therapy (2013), rare pediatric drug designation (2014), and regenerative medicine advanced therapy designation (2017).

    Morley adds: “The introduction of these specific designation types reflects the booming biotech industry, and embracing of novel technologies to develop advanced biologics, which began entering clinical development.”

    In 2020, the number of designations awarded reached a peak of 694. This reflected heightened pharmaceutical activity and investment during the COVID-19 pandemic, which accelerated the development of critical therapies and vaccines. Since 2020, the number of review designations has declined from this heady peak, with only 506 awarded in 2024. This decline is attributed to the return to the post-pandemic normality, whilst still maintaining historically high levels of activity compared to earlier decades.

    Morley concludes: “Since the introduction in 1984, the FDA has overseen increases in the annual awarding of review designations. This trend mirrors the evolution of the pharmaceutical industry, in terms of investment and utilization of novel technologies. Today, seven review designations remain an integral part of the FDA’s toolkit, expediting the approval of critical therapies and ensuring that life-saving drugs reach patients as quickly as possible.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Navigating Trump’s tariffs and social media key strategic priorities for retailers in 2025, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Navigating Trump’s tariffs and social media key strategic priorities for retailers in 2025, says GlobalData

    Posted in Retail

    2025 will present significant challenges for retailers globally, as geopolitical issues and the disruptive force of AI continue, with the added challenge of navigating the impacts of the Trump administration, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report, “Strategic Intelligence: Top Themes in Retail and Apparel 2025,” reveals that international trade and social media will be among the major themes impacting the retail sector in 2025.

    Sophie Mitchell, Retail Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Trump’s proposed tariffs and tougher import tax regulations will cause major issues for retailers, especially those who operate highly globalized supply chains, adding significant import costs that will ultimately be passed on to the consumer. Solutions to this, including diversifying or localizing supply chains, will not happen overnight and come with their own costs, such as the higher cost of labor, which could again be passed on to consumers through higher retail prices.

    “Shein and Temu could be two of the biggest retailers to be hit by the measures, as for instance, Europe could also impose retaliatory tariffs to ensure it does not become the primary destination for Chinese goods as they are displaced from the US.”

    Something Trump has immediately taken action on is negotiations with China over TikTok. Trump’s pause on the ban on TikTok in the US indicates that he intends to reach a deal with its Chinese owner. However, the brief ban and prior noise around its implications have highlighted how essential a social media strategy centered around short-form video content with shoppable links, particularly on TikTok, is to driving retailers’ sales.

    GlobalData’s global survey of respondents in seven countries (US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, China, and the UK) conducted in December 2023 found that 33.5% of consumers use TikTok (excluding China), making it the fourth most used social media app after Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, overtaking X/Twitter*.

    Mitchell continues: “TikTok Shop provides a significant opportunity for retailers to convert usage and content consumption into sales, with consumers being able to discover and purchase products on one platform, whereas previously social content was primarily a brand awareness raising exercise.”

    TikTok has been particularly instrumental for retailers as it has allowed for the growth of micro-influencers, larger influencers, user-generated content, and brand/ retailer-generated content all in one platform due to the way the algorithm works. Retailers can take a 360-degree strategic approach to targeting consumers on the platform, with a combination of paid ads, organic reviews, and brand campaigns, convincing them to buy a product that they may not even have to leave the app to purchase.

    Mitchell concludes: “An effective social media strategy is essential for retailers in 2025, and should a permanent ban on TikTok come into effect in the US, retailers should pivot to other social media platforms that offer multi-pronged approaches to marketing and the ability to complete the shopping journey in-app, as TikTok’s efficacy has been proven.”

    *GlobalData’s 2023/24 Global Survey was conducted in December 2023 with 1,000 consumers per country

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: South Korea bone graft and substitutes market to grow at 4% CAGR through 2033, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    South Korea bone graft and substitutes market to grow at 4% CAGR through 2033, forecasts GlobalData

    Posted in Medical Devices

    The increasing prevalence of orthopaedic conditions such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and trauma-related injuries is driving the need for innovative and efficient bone regeneration solutions. Against this backdrop, South Korea’s bone graft and substitutes market is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 4% through 2033, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s report, “Bone Grafts and Substitutes Market Size by Segments, Share, Regulatory, Reimbursement, Procedures and Forecast to 2033,” reveals that South Korea held around 5% of the Asia-Pacific bone graft and substitutes market share in 2024.

    Jyoti Sharma, Medical Devices Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Conventional bone graft products often face challenges such as insufficient adhesive strength and difficulties in maintaining their shape in complex cases. Novel products, such as injectable hydrogels, are expected to offer promising advancements by addressing these gaps and enhancing outcomes in bone defect management.”

    Researchers from South Korea-based Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) have recently developed an innovative injectable adhesive hydrogel for bone regeneration. This hydrogel utilizes visible light to simultaneously achieve cross-linking and mineralization. Its unique formulation, which includes alginate, mussel adhesive protein, calcium ions, and a photo initiator, ensured robust adhesion and structural stability in animal models with femoral bone defects.

    Sharma concludes: “Due to the growing nature of this market, the ongoing research is making significant efforts to address the challenges in bone defect management. While these solutions are still under development, once clinically validated, they have the potential to transform treatment approaches, improving patient outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for individuals affected by these conditions.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: US pulsed field ablation market revenue surpasses $500 million in 2024, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    US pulsed field ablation market revenue surpasses $500 million in 2024, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Medical Devices

    Pulsed field ablation (PFA) is a treatment for atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat disorder, with a lower chance of damaging surrounding structures than previous methods. PFA uses electrical pulses that allow for a more targeted approach in order to only destroy abnormal tissue. PFA revenue exploded in Q1 2024 after FDA approvals for Boston Scientific’s FARAPULSE and Medtronic’s PulseSelect. Over the last year, the PFA market has grown to over $500 million, reveals GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    In Q4 2024, Medtronic launched its new PFA device, the Affera Sphere-9, after receiving FDA approval in late October. In its first month, Sphere-9 made about half of the revenue that FARAPULSE made in its first month after approval, according to GlobalData’s US Healthcare Facility Invoicing Database. In December, two months after approval, Sphere-9’s revenue was at about a quarter of FARAPULSE’s revenue at the same point in its launch cycle.

    Amy Paterson, Medical Analyst at GlobalData comments: “Medtronic’s Sphere-9 launched at a lower price than Boston Scientific’s Farapulse originally did. It appears that Medtronic is intending to be price competitive with Boston Scientific in order to gain some of the market share.”

    Boston Scientific and Medtronic are currently the two major players in the PFA market. Boston Scientific dominated the market with the release of the Farawave in Q1 2024, despite PulseSelect’s earlier approval.

    Paterson adds: “Despite accumulating less revenue than the Farawave, Sphere-9 has doubled in sales in its second month after launch. So far, we have not seen this increase in sales have an impact on Boston Scientific sales, which currently hold the majority of the PFA market.”

    Paterson concludes: “It will be interesting to see if Medtronic is able to take over some of the market share that Boston Scientific has led since the beginning of 2024. As well, we will continue to monitor how new players like Johnson & Johnson’s Varipulse will shake up the market.”

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Storm Éowyn information

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    24/1/25, 9am

    Due to Storm Éowyn, Council housing repairs today will be on an emergency basis only.

    People are asked to keep windows closed today due to the high winds.

    24/1/25, 8.26am

    *** ADDITIONAL CLOSURES ***

    Due to Storm Éowyn

    All Aberdeen City Council Museums and Art Galleries

    24/1/25, 8.15am

    *** CLOSED TODAY ***
    Due to Storm Éowyn
    * All schools
    * No bin collections
    * Libraries
    * Community learning centres
    * School lets

    24/1/25, 7am

    Be prepared in Storm Éowyn
    * The Ready Scotland website Advice for emergencies in Scotland
    *  Call 105 in the event of a power cut
    * Scottish and Southern Energy has a Priority Services Register https://www.ssen.co.uk/news-views/2025/Were-ready-to-respond-to-Storm-Eowyn/ which provides extra help and support during a power cut
    * Ensure mobile phones and powerbanks are charged up
    * Listen to latest police advice for travel https://www.scotland.police.uk/default.aspx or local radio updates
    * Keep up-to-date with the weather forecast https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Info here

    Source: Scotland – City of Aberdeen

    24/1/25, 9am

    Due to Storm Éowyn, Council housing repairs today will be on an emergency basis only.

    People are asked to keep windows closed today due to the high winds.

    24/1/25, 8.26am

    *** ADDITIONAL CLOSURES ***

    Due to Storm Éowyn

    All Aberdeen City Council Museums and Art Galleries

    24/1/25, 8.15am

    *** CLOSED TODAY ***
    Due to Storm Éowyn
    * All schools
    * No bin collections
    * Libraries
    * Community learning centres
    * School lets

    24/1/25, 7am

    Be prepared in Storm Éowyn
    * The Ready Scotland website Advice for emergencies in Scotland
    *  Call 105 in the event of a power cut
    * Scottish and Southern Energy has a Priority Services Register https://www.ssen.co.uk/news-views/2025/Were-ready-to-respond-to-Storm-Eowyn/ which provides extra help and support during a power cut
    * Ensure mobile phones and powerbanks are charged up
    * Listen to latest police advice for travel https://www.scotland.police.uk/default.aspx or local radio updates
    * Keep up-to-date with the weather forecast https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: River of Light smashes previous festival records

    Source: City of Liverpool

    An illuminating report has revealed that last year’s River of Light festival was the most successful ever.

    The 12-night light festival attracted double the number of visitors from previous years and was worth £18.9m to the local economy – a significant increase on previous editions of the event.  

    The festival’s popularity was felt right across the city centre with footfall up, and restaurants, bars and shops reporting a boost in sales.

    At Liverpool ONE, in comparison to the impact of the 2023 edition of River of Light, there was a huge spike in footfall during 5-9pm, with reports of an 11 percent increase in footfall with almost 1 million visitors to the retail and leisure complex during River of Light, while restaurants saw a 22 per cent increase in sales.

    Over at Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, many of the outlets there benefitted from River of Light. Rosa’s Thai experienced its biggest sales since it opened in 2019, Francie’s Focaccia & Coffee – which went viral on social media for its hot chocolate – had an impressive  40 per cent increase in sales, and Gusto welcomed a different, younger clientele to what they are used to, with non-stop business each event night, from 4-11pm.

    Liverpool BID Company which represents city centre businesses reported a significant increase in footfall around the Church Street, Lord Street and Whitechapel areas throughout the duration of the event period in comparison to 2023, with just over 186,000 extra people recorded. Numbers peaked on Saturday 2 November when there was a 122 per cent increase in the number of visitors.

    Hotel occupancy also increased in comparison to 2023, an indication that people from outside Liverpool City Region are travelling to enjoy the light trail. There was a 96.6 per cent occupancy rate on 1 November – up 17 per cent on the previous year.  

    Research from North West Research – part of the Liverpool City Region Destination Partnership – also showed that of the audience surveyed, 55 per cent responded to say that they don’t attend any other cultural events or activity during the course of a year, reinforcing how crucial the festival is in engaging the widest possible audience in free, world-class art. 

    Around 30 per cent of those surveyed had never been to River of Light before, and 83 per cent said they are likely to return to Liverpool again.  

    It also proved a huge hit online with 1.1 million views across the official Visit Liverpool event pages – the site’s highest web traffic for the site in that period, with interest from across the UK, Spain, Germany and the United States.

    River of  light will be back for the eight time from Friday 24 October to Sunday 2 November, this year’s theme will be Optics – Science and Light.

    Any artists who would like to propose a new or existing artwork for the festival should contact cultureliverpool@liverpool.gov.uk so they can be sent a more detailed commissioning brief.

    Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture said: 

    “These results are stunning. We all saw how busy the festival was this year but that huge economic impact figure has smashed our previous festivals.

    “I think we were lucky enough to have a perfect set of circumstances – the weather was unseasonably warm and dry, the artworks were incredible and interactive, it was a strong marketing campaign and of course the dates fell perfectly for family audiences to attend. I am not expecting every year to have impact figures like this, but a huge congratulations to everyone involved in 2024 for such a bumper edition!”

    Claire McColgan CBE, Director of Culture Liverpool said

    “River of Light continues to grow and just get better and better. The fact that so many of our audience are young and often don’t engage in other cultural events and activity is so special – the festival has become a place where everyone can spend time with families and friends alongside incredible free art. It is a perfect Liverpool event and again shows that nowhere in the UK embraces outdoor art like this city. 

    “I am really excited about this year’s festival – a collision of art and science in the most spectacular and accessible way. As a city which boasts some of the most innovative science and creative industries, it is wonderful to be able to shine a spotlight on some of that work which many people might not be aware of. Already we have some jaw-dropping artworks and unexpected collaborations lined up, but we are keen to hear from artists or scientists who might have ideas for an installation that can capture the scale and theme of the project in 2025.” 

    Iain Hoskins, Managing Director – Ma Pub Group, responsible for Nova Scotia, said:

    “We love River of Light and it’s an absolute fixture of Liverpool’s cultural events calendar that we all look forward to each year. 

    “As a waterfront business, it’s incredible to have something to drive such huge footfall in the traditionally harsh trading conditions between the end of the summer and the start of Christmas. 

    “Each year it gets better and better and the feedback we get as a hospitality business from locals and tourists visiting River of Light, it’s something that the city should be very proud of. It brings together an incredible cross-generational appeal that you rarely see in public festivals. 

    “As a business we see a massive uptick in our sales during the festival period. Additionally, we also find it brings people through our doors for the first time, that then becoming reacquiring customers. So, the benefit of this extra footfall is not just during the festival, but throughout the year.” 

    Katherine Caldwell from The Nest – an art and design shop based at Royal Albert Dock Liverpool, said: 

    “Events like River of Light show how Liverpool can produce spectacular, immersive, and joyful cultural events for visitors that are hugely popular.

    “It encourages people of all ages to play and expand their imagination within a programme of exciting installations that are totally unique to the city.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Lady Anne Dodd to be awarded top civic honour

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Anne, Lady Dodd, the wife of beloved comic Sir Ken Dodd, is set to receive one of Liverpool’s greatest accolades.

    Lady Dodd will be admitted to the city’s Roll of Citizen of Honour, after a decision made by Councillors tonight (Wednesday 22 January).

    Lady Dodd is one of the Trustees of the Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation, which works to support performing arts charities and organisations. In the past six years, the Foundation has made over 50 donations to more than 30 charities, many of which are based in Liverpool and Merseyside.

    Some of the recipients of these donations include Liverpool Women’s Hospital Charity, Liverpool Theatre School, and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

    Outside of the Foundation, Lady Dodd has personally supported a number of projects in the City. Her contributions to her local community were highlighted through letters of recognition from St John the Evangelist Church and Happiness Hall in Knotty Ash, as well as Knotty Ash Primary School.

    Tonight’s meeting also saw Councillors agree to award the Liverpool Law Society with the Freedom of Association for their work to provide free legal advice to those in need who may otherwise be unable to access it.

    Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Richard Kemp CBE said: “Anne, Lady Dodd works tirelessly to improve the lives of others, and she is well deserving of the Citizen of Honour title.

    “Lady Dodd has supported countless organisations and community projects both in Liverpool and further afield. Her compassion and generosity have made a significant difference to thousands of lives.

    “Her work, both individually and through the Kenn Dodd foundation, is often done without great fanfare. It is clear that Lady Dodd does not help others for recognition, but for a genuine love for her community and her desire to support those who need it the most.”

    Leader of Liverpool City Council, Cllr Liam Robinson said: “The Citizen of Honour accolade recognises people who make an exceptional contribution to the City and Anne, Lady Dodd is the perfect embodiment of this.

    “Not only has she worked closely with community groups and organisations in her home of Knotty Ash, but her work through the Kenn Dodd Charitable Foundation has seen millions of pounds donated to an incredible number of Liverpool and Merseyside charities.

    “Lady Dodd’s selfless support and dedication to those in need make her an incredible role model.”

    Anne, Lady Dodd said: “When I received the letter from Liverpool City Council I was amazed, overwhelmed, undeserved, I feel, but so honoured to hear that I would receive this award. 

    “I love Liverpool, my adopted home for over fifty years. During the last six years, as Trustees running The Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation with Ken’s nephew, John Lewis, I have met so many incredible workers and volunteers in a variety of charitable organisations, and particularly Liverpool Hospitals, who give extra time and effort to making people’s lives better.

    “My family, friends and I are so very proud to have this recognition for spending what really have been joyful times doing all the things that Ken’s legacy and his wishes have enabled me to do on his behalf since he passed away in 2018.

    “I am very much looking forward to the ceremony and receiving the Citizen of Honour scroll.  I am truly thrilled to bits or as Ken would say, I am completely discomknockerated!”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –