10 October 2024/Press Release/Apia, Samoa – The Marine Pollution Advisory Committee (MPAC) findings has confirmed that the HMNZS Manawanui is leaking oil from three separate locations.
Observations by the Committee via the New Zealand Defense Force in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) shows that whilst the leak continues, it is reducing each day. The residual oil leakage is from the service tanks of the vessel where the engine room is and where the fire had broken out. It is believed that the majority of the fuel was burnt out, and it is the residual oil that is emanating from the sunken vessel.
The oil sheens observed on the surface of the ocean has been observed to naturally evaporate and dissipate quickly due to the strong winds in the area. It is important to note that there continues to be no trace of oil contamination that has washed up onshore, as of 8AM today, October 10. It is imperative to contain the persisting leakages; whilst it is reducing, the goal is to stop it as soon as possible.
There will be a community engagement programme at Tafitoala today, led by the MNRE, to ensure our local communities are given the right information about this matter.
The removal of the ships anchor and three washed up shipping containers from the HMNZS Manawanui caught on the reef off the coast of Tafitoala was also discussed in today’s meeting with focus on how to do so without causing more damage to the reef.
Leading the New Zealand delegation at the MPAC briefing today was New Zealand Deputy Chief of Navy, Commodore Andrew Brown. He conveyed sincere appreciation to the Samoan people for the emergency response provided to the crew of Manawanui and the hospitality that was extended to them up until they were farewelled.
The MPAC Chairman continues to thank the village of Tafitoala and members of the public for the support and cooperation.
09 October 2024/Press Release/Apia, Samoa – The Marine Pollution Advisory Committee (MPAC) continues to assess the situation relating to the run aground HMNZS Manawanui at Tafitoala. On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, the Chairman, Afioga Fui Tupai Mau Simanu, Chief Executive Officer of Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure conducted a meeting with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) DMO Division, Samoa Fire Emergency Services Authority, NZ Defense Force, Maritime New Zealand as well as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to Samoa, Her Excellency, Sialei Van Toor.
The meeting discussed initial findings as well as continued efforts from all parties involved since the occurrence in the early hours of Sunday October 6, 2024. Divers from the NZ Defense Force and Samoa Response team have been deployed since Monday, October 7 to carry out an assessment of the wreck and possible risks to the marine environment.
It was during this meeting the NZ Defense Force confirmed that there are no explosives onboard.
As of 8AM on Wednesday, coastal assessment carried out from Safata to Matafa’a by the Committee confirms that there continues to be no oil contamination on the Coast, although diesel sheens have been observed near the wreck, it has drifted out to the high seas. Initial assessments suspected fuel leakage and further information of this will be provided today as the weather continues to improve, aiding in the diving teams’ operation this evening. For now, water samples have been collected for chemical analysis to confirm contaminations in the water.
It is confirmed that there is damage to the reef from the NZ Navy shipwreck and anchor chain. Assessments show that physical destruction to the reef Is approximately 5000 square meters.
The MPAC Chairman thanks the village of Tafitoala and members of the public for the support and cooperation while the operation is in place.
The Satuiatua Multipurpose Hall was officially opened by the Palauli No.1 Member of Parliament (MP) and Minister of Women, Community & Social Development (MWCSD), Hon. Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molio’o, on Friday 27 September 2024. Total cost of the project was SAT321, 991.71. The land upon which the hall is located was donated by the Methodist Church. The ceremony, led by Rev. Esekielu Alaiva’a of the Satuiatua Methodist Church, was witnessed by close to a 100 village members and guests.
The Hon. Minister congratulated all parties involved, thanking in particular r the village council of Satuiatua for their perseverance in seeing the project through. She stressed the Government’s support in building resilience within villages by the villages themselves, and saw this as a perfect example of this push for self-reliance and sustainability. According to Mulipola, “…the project came with many challenges, but [was] very proud to witness the collaborative effort by all parties involved to ensure it came to a successful end”
According to Leilua Tutogi Mailei, a matai of the Satuiatua Village Council, the hall is available to be used for church and village functions as well as government consultations and seminars. She noted there were not many venues large enough to host these types of events in Satuiatua, so the village council decided to pursue the construction of such a hall, to cater for these needs. She further stated that the “hall will be hired out to anyone interested as a way of sustaining and maintaining its upkeep, and as an income-generating activity for the village and its partners”.
The multi-partner project saw the 1Million Tala Project for Palauli No.1 co-financing the hall to the value of SAT100, 000 while the rest of the total project cost was borne by the village council ($41,900), Women’s Village Committee ($20,000), Methodist Church ($20,000) with the rest of the funding donated by individuals and families of Satuiatua.
The Satuiatua Multipurpose Hall, which includes a wheelchair access, 2 bathrooms and a kitchenette, was designed to be inclusive and accessible by all people(s).
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
19-year-old Nidhi Gautam from Karnataka became the British High Commissioner to India for a day.
Nidhi Gautam, British High Commissioner for the Day with Lindy Cameron, Deputy High Commissioner for the Day (on other days, British High Commissioner to India)
Nineteen-year-old Nidhi Gautam from Karnataka became the British High Commissioner to India for one full day, getting a unique behind-the-scenes look at the life of a diplomat and seeing the UK-India partnership in action.
The British High Commission in New Delhi has organised the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition every year since 2017, to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child (11 October).
The UK is committed to engaging with girls and shifting our power to them as change makers and future leaders. Protecting and promoting freedoms for women and girls in the UK and around the world is the right and smart thing to do; it is integral to creating resilient economies and strong, free societies.
This year’s winning entry was chosen from a pool of more than 140 applications from talented young women around the country. Nidhi is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in History and Geography from Miranda House in Delhi. She is passionate about sketching, Wordle, cultural diplomacy and foreign policy.
Nidhi Gautam, British High Commissioner for the Day, said:
Being the British High Commissioner for a day was a transformative experience that left an indelible mark on me. I was fortunate to explore remarkable advancements, from assistive technologies to enlightening discussions on solar energy to ground-breaking developments in biotechnology and ‘femtech’. Each interaction underscored the idea that technology serves a greater purpose by creating tangible social benefits.
Lindy’s warm encouragement and insightful thoughts throughout the day inspired me profoundly, reminding me of the importance of dedication and passion in serving one’s country. The day’s strong representation of women in leadership roles further motivated me, reaffirming my commitment to championing gender equality. Ultimately, this experience taught me that true progress is not just about advancement but about elevating lives along the way.
Lindy Cameron, Deputy High Commissioner for the Day (on other days, British High Commissioner to India), said:
It was fantastic to learn from Nidhi for the day. Our conversations, from the UK-India Technology Security Initiative to the role of young women in tackling global challenges, were inspiring. The High Commissioner for a Day competition embodies the idea that the world will be a better place when everyone has equal opportunities. Empowering women and girls in the UK and around the world is a priority for us and an integral part of our partnership with India on everything from technology to climate resilience.
As the UK’s top diplomat in India, Nidhi got to experience an exciting range of activities over the course of a fully packed day. She started her day as High Commissioner getting briefed over breakfast on details of the UK-India bilateral relationship, the Technology Security Initiative announced in July, by her senior leadership team. She visited the National Centre for Assistive Health Technologies at Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, where she had an immersive experience in new technologies that are helping differently abled people live their lives to the fullest. She also visited the National Institute of Immunology to see how technology is aiding the development of vaccines in India, in addition a range of meetings with government and industry partners over the course of the day.
Nidhi Gautam was ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ on 1 October. Applicants for this year’s competition were invited to submit a 1-minute video answering the question: ‘How can the UK and India collaborate on technology to benefit future generations?’ See Nidhi’s winning entry
the ‘High Commissioner for a Day’ competition, organised annually since 2017, celebrates the International Day of the Girl Child (11 October). The competition is an opportunity to provide a platform to young women to raise awareness about girls’ rights and highlight the importance of women in leadership roles
the International Day of the Girl is also being celebrated at the UK’s diplomatic missions in Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai where one young woman will have the opportunity to be the ‘British Deputy High Commissioner for a Day’
Media
For media queries, please contact:
David Russell, Head of Communications
Press and Communications, British High Commission,
Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021. Tel: 24192100
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated September 26, 2024, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1.00 lakh (Rupees One Lakh only) on Mansing Co-operative Bank Limited, Dudhondi (the bank) for non-compliance with certain directions issued by RBI on ‘Income Recognition, Asset Classification, Provisioning and Other Related Matters- UCBs’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI, conferred under section 47A(1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2023. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the charge of failure to classify certain loan accounts as non-performing assets and to provide for the same, in terms of Income Recognition, Asset classification and Provisioning norms was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty.
This action is based on deficiency in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has, by an order dated September 26, 2024, imposed a monetary penalty of ₹50,000/- (Rupees Fifty Thousand only) on Jaihind Urban Co-operative Bank Limited, Pune (the bank) for non-compliance with the directions issued by RBI on ‘Maintenance of Deposit Accounts – Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks’. This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI, conferred under section 47A(1)(c) read with sections 46(4)(i) and 56 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.
The statutory inspection of the bank was conducted by RBI with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2023. Based on supervisory findings of non-compliance with RBI directions and related correspondence in that regard, a notice was issued to the bank advising it to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed on it for its failure to comply with the said directions. After considering the bank’s reply to the notice and oral submissions made by it during the personal hearing, RBI found, inter alia, that the charge of not conducting annual review of accounts in which there were no operations for more than one year was sustained, warranting imposition of monetary penalty.
This action is based on deficiency in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers. Further, imposition of monetary penalty is without prejudice to any other action that may be initiated by RBI against the bank.
Coventry Council notes with considerable regret the death of the Indian industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata – and honorary freeman of the city – on October 9.
Mr Tata, who led the group bearing his family name for 21 years, and during that time the company acquired Jaguar Land Rover in 2008, helped to secure the future of such an important regional brand and created thousands of jobs during his chairmanship.
The city made Mr Tata a freeman of the city in 2015 in recognition of the investment of Tata Steel into Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) which enhanced and protected the status of car manufacturing in the region, the JLR brand and particularly the employment of its employees and many subsidy suppliers, supported by the Warwick Manufacturing Group.
Council leader Cllr George Duggins expressed his personal and the city’s sadness: “Ratan Tata was a great friend of the region and of the city in particular.
“Through his support to regenerate Jaguar Land Rover, his role in establishing the National Automotive Innovation Centre at the University of Warwick, his contribution to Coventry’s confident regeneration can not be underestimated. “I have written to the Tata family to pay the respects of the council and all its residents to titan of the business world.”
Vientiane (Agenzia Fides) – “Concrete measures” to end the civil war in Myanmar and to resume diplomatic efforts to resolve it are what the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is calling on the Myanmar military junta and its opponents, while the conflict in the country continues. The problem of instability in the former Burma and the need for political change were the focus of the first day of the annual ASEAN Summit in Vientiane (Laos). The heads of state and government of the member countries also held face-to-face talks with a high-ranking representative of the ruling military government in Myanmar for the first time in three years, while ASEAN had previously excluded politicians from the Burmese military junta from its summits.The ASEAN leaders condemned the attacks on the civilian population and called on the parties involved to “take concrete measures to immediately end the arbitrary violence”. However, the summit did not discuss how to implement the “five-point plan” proposed by ASEAN to overcome the crisis after the military coup three years ago, and never considered by the Burmese junta. Instead, it said that “other ways are being sought to move forward” and formulate new strategies, as the five-point plan “has not been very effective in really changing the situation.”New efforts have included talks and meetings to mediate between the warring parties, such as those organized and hosted by the Indonesian government in Jakarta, which brought together representatives from Indonesia, ASEAN, the European Union and the United States, as well as members of the Burmese “government of national unity” in exile. Meanwhile, “informal consultations” on Myanmar are scheduled to take place in Thailand in December, which will be attended by ASEAN members and probably also by neighboring countries, such as China and India.At the 45th Summit, underway in Laos (6-11 October), the ASEAN countries (association of ten members: Brunei, Cambodia, Philippines, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) will discuss regional and international issues of common interest, such as ongoing conflicts, economic and financial difficulties, climate change, natural disasters and transnational crime. A total of 56 documents are expected to be adopted, covering the three pillars of ASEAN, which sees itself as a political and security, economic and socio-cultural community of states. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 10/10/2024)
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Responding to the resolution on Afghanistan adopted yesterday at the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), which extended the vital mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan but yet again failed to establish an independent international accountability mechanism for the country, Smriti Singh, Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said:
“The HRC has again shied away from sufficiently supporting justice for the people of Afghanistan who have placed their hopes in the international community. While it is notable that the UN HRC resolution recognises the need to investigate as well as to collect, preserve and analyse evidence of crimes under international law and other serious human rights violations in Afghanistan, it falls short of establishing an independent international accountability mechanism that can actually perform these functions.
“The HRC has yet again missed the chance to deliver an adequate response, advance accountability and justice, and deter further abuse of human rights as the Taliban continues to intensify and escalate their crackdown on the rights of the people in Afghanistan including through far reaching, draconian restrictions on the rights of women and girls. An independent international accountability mechanism that can identify perpetrators as well as investigate, collect, and preserve evidence is critical to effectively address past and ongoing violations as well as the pervasive impunity of over forty years that continues today.
The HRC has again shied away from sufficiently supporting justice for the people of Afghanistan who have placed their hopes in the international community.
Smriti Singh, Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International
“Shortcomings in this resolution also lets down brave activists, particularly women human rights defenders, journalists and others who pursue their work in the face of repression at a huge personal risk. Despite these shortcomings, the resolution on Afghanistan has recognised the principles outlined in the stocktaking on accountability options and processes by the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR).
“This is the furthest that the HRC has come towards acknowledging the importance of a comprehensive approach to accountability for past and ongoing violations. It is imperative that UN member states build on this and on the recognition of the need to collect and preserve evidence of human rights violations and move towards establishing an independent international accountability mechanism at the earliest opportunity.”
Responding to the resolution on Sri Lanka adopted yesterday at the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which extends the mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) including the Sri Lanka Accountability Project by one year, Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, said:
“The adoption of the UN Human Rights Council’s resolution underscores the continued need for international scrutiny on human rights concerns in Sri Lanka. While the extension of the mandate is a welcome step towards supporting accountability, it is disappointing to note that the resolution was extended only by a year, despite calls for at least a two-year renewal by local civil society and international organizations.
“As the country is undergoing a period of political transition following recent presidential elections and with general elections scheduled for next month, it is critical that the new Sri Lankan government breaks from the past and fully engages with the UN Human Rights Council and OHCHR’s Sri Lanka Accountability Project. It was disappointing therefore that the government instead chose to continue past policy and express opposition to evidence gathering by the UN. This casts a shadow on the government’s willingness to utilise available resources to ensure accountability for serious human rights violations and risks perpetuation of deep-rooted impunity.
The adoption of the UN Human Rights Council’s resolution underscores the continued need for international scrutiny on human rights concerns in Sri Lanka.
Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International
“With this resolution, the international community should step up its engagement with the new Sri Lankan government towards meaningful progress on truth, justice and reparations. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka must fully cooperate with UN human rights mechanisms including the Accountability Project and demonstrate its commitment towards all victims and survivors who have been waiting for justice and accountability for the serious human rights violations and other crimes under international law committed during Sri Lanka’s decades-long internal armed conflict.”
SEOUL, South Korea — Republic of Korea (ROK) President Yoon Suk Yeol presented Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK) Rear Adm. Neil Koprowski with the ROK Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), during the 76th Annual ROK Armed Forces Day Ceremony in Seoul, October 1.
The ROK PUC is the highest unit honor that the ROK president can bestow on a military unit and recognizes the efforts of all the Sailors of CNFK for “outstanding contribution to the defense of the Republic of Korea.” Over the last year, CNFK has supported multiple port visits in Busan and Jeju, including three carrier strike groups, amphibious strike and amphibious ready groups, the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) and the Virginia-class fast-attack submarine USS Vermont (SSN 792). CNFK also coordinated trilateral partnerships with Republic of Korea Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
“We are incredibly honored by President Yoon’s personal recognition on behalf of CNFK,” said Koprowski. “This award is a testament to the ironclad commitment to the ROK-U.S. alliance and a true reflection of the work being done every day by ROK and U.S. Sailors from CRF and CNFK. Our collaboration with the ROK Navy ensures we remain ready and vigilant, working together to safeguard the security of this great nation.”
The conferral of the PUC marks the fourth time a U.S. Navy command has received the prestigious award since 1950. Previous recipients of the award include CNFK in 2017 and U.S. Navy Task Forces 90 and 95 in periods bridging 1950-1951 during the Korean War.
Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Korea (CNFK), located on Busan Naval Base, South Korea, is the U.S. Navy’s representative in South Korea, providing leadership and expertise in naval matters to improve institutional and operational effectiveness between the two navies and to strengthen collective interoperability in Korea and the region.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese premier says development of China, Japan key opportunity for each other, not challenge
VIENTIANE, Oct. 10 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Thursday that the development of China and Japan is an important opportunity for each other, not a challenge.
In his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Li said that China is ready to work with Japan to further leverage their respective comparative advantages, explore more new growth poles of cooperation, and jointly safeguard the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains and the global free trade system.
Simon Black, Ian W.H. Parry, and Karlygash Zhunussova. “Sleepwalking to the Cliff Edge?: A Wake-up Call for Global Climate Action”, Staff Climate Notes 2024, 006 (2024), accessed October 10, 2024, https://doi.org/10.5089/9798400289644.066
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Summary
Urgent action to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is needed now. Early next year, all countries will set new emissions targets for 2035 while revising their 2030 targets. Global GHGs must be cut by 25 and 50 percent below 2019 levels by 2030 to limit global warming to 2°C and 1.5°C respectively. But current targets would only cut emissions by 12 percent, meaning global ambition needs to be doubled to quadrupled. Further delay will lead to an ‘emissions cliff edge’, implying implausible cuts in GHGs and putting put 1.5°C beyond reach. This Note provides IMF staff’s annual assessment of global climate mitigation policy. It illustrates options for equitably aligning country targets with the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals. It also provides guidance on modelling needed to set emissions targets and quantify climate mitigation policy impacts.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China ready to work with ASEAN countries to elevate comprehensive strategic partnership to higher level
VIENTIANE, Oct. 10 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here Thursday that China will always firmly support ASEAN integration, community building, and its strategic independence, and stands ready to work with ASEAN countries to elevate the China-ASEAN comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level.
Li made the remarks at the 27th China-ASEAN Summit, noting that new steps have been taken over the past year to build the China-ASEAN community with a shared future, which has delivered tangible benefits to the people of both sides.
The global economic recovery remains sluggish, and problems such as insufficient global aggregate demand are becoming more prominent, Li said, adding that the market has become the scarcest resource in the current economic development.
Noting that China and ASEAN are two major markets with over 1.4 billion and 600 million people respectively, Li said that market resources are the most prominent advantage for China and ASEAN. The markets of China and ASEAN are fully upgrading, continuously expanding, and increasingly opening up, and strengthening market connectivity is an important direction for further cooperation, he added.
The Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA) negotiations have reached a substantial conclusion, providing an institutional guarantee for the two sides to jointly build a hyper-scale market, a significant step toward leading economic integration in East Asia, the premier said.
China is ready to work with ASEAN to make more efforts to develop and share a common market, so as to generate stronger and more sustainable growth impetus for both sides while providing more robust support for the common prosperity of the region and the world at large, he added.
Noting that China-ASEAN relations have developed beyond the bilateral scope with far-reaching significance for Asia and a global impact, Li pledged to work with ASEAN to create a better future for Asia, as Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China will continue to follow the principle of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, and work with other countries in the region to build a better Asian community.
China and ASEAN should build a multidimensional connectivity network, actively promote cooperation in infrastructure construction, and expedite the signing and implementation of the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, said Li.
He called on both sides to expand cooperation in emerging industries, tap the cooperation potential in such areas as digital economy and green development, and accelerate industrial transformation.
Li urged both sides to deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges and promote the implementation of the Global Civilization Initiative in the region.
Sonexay Siphandone, prime minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the current chair of the ASEAN, along with other ASEAN leaders attended the summit.
They praised the robust growth momentum of the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership, noting that ASEAN and China are each other’s largest trading partner, and their cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results, which has greatly improved the well-being of people in the region.
ASEAN leaders welcomed the substantial conclusion of negotiations for the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN FTA, expressing their readiness to take this opportunity to align with the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, continue to advance regional economic integration, enhance cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, agriculture, connectivity and climate change mitigation, and expand collaboration in emerging areas like artificial intelligence, digital economy and green economy.
They reaffirmed their commitment to making the China-ASEAN Year of People-to-People Exchanges a success, building a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future, and contributing to maintaining regional peace, stability and prosperity.
During the summit, several outcome documents were adopted, including a joint statement on the substantial conclusion of Version 3.0 China-ASEAN FTA negotiations, and documents on fighting telecommunications and internet fraud, deepening cooperation in areas such as smart agriculture, digital ecosystem, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
YOKOSUKA, Japan – Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) was filled extremely demanding and diverse mission sets for the SRF-JRMC Dive Lockers.
Throughout the year, divers from SRF-JRMC Yokosuka and Detachment Sasebo supported 18 fly-away taskings, responding to numerous CASREPS and emergent repairs in locations such as Singapore, Guam, Manila, Malaysia, Subic Bay, and Thailand. This required heavy coordination between SRF-JRMC Dive Locker leadership, Commander Logistics Group Western Pacific, Commander Task Force 73 (CFT-73), Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility. The efforts of the SRF-JRMC divers ensured all mission objectives would be completed, supporting all Forward Deployed Naval Fleet warships in the 7th fleet area of responsibility without impacting regularly scheduled production in Yokosuka or Sasebo.
In December, the divers supported tasks in three different locations simultaneously: support of the USS Manchester (LCS 14) in Singapore, support of the USS Oakland (LCS 24) in Guam, and support of Mobile Diving & Salvage Unit-1 onboard the USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52) conducting salvage operations following an Osprey crash off the coast of Yakushima, Japan. There, they conducted personnel recovery and gathered vital information for the Air Force post-crash investigation team.
SRF-JRMC Sasebo Detachment divers conducted over 230 underwater ship husbandry dives for Sasebo forward-deployed vessels as part of regularly scheduled maintenance. They also provided support for unique technical tasks such as troubleshooting the USS Rushmore’s (LSD 47) propeller systems and a controlled waterborne monitoring of a challenging pier side repair of the New Orleans (LPD 18).
At SRF-JRMC Yokosuka, divers completed 469 underwater ship husbandry dives, including the final repair availability of USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) before leaving it redeployed to the United States. They worked with the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense to perform urgent running gear inspections and clear fouling for HMS Spey (P234), allowing the ship to return to sea for their Pacific Patrol and avoid a dry docking.
SRF-JRMC Yokosuka divers, with assistance from its Sasebo Dive Locker, supported outside entities in FY24, such as the Underwater Construction Team TWO (UCT2). With Sasebo divers assisting, they conducted underwater cutting and welding operations for pier repairs in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia. SRF-JRMC Yokosuka divers also supported the inspection and repairs of fleet mooring chains in Yokosuka and provided support of a significant underwater repair of the USS Canberra (LCS 30) at the Southwest Regional Maintenance Center in San Diego.
The Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) schedule for the SRF-JRMC Dive Lockers is already shaping up to be even busier than 2024 as more ships are added to the Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF) and the number of U.S. naval patrols in the Pacific increases. In response, the SRF-JRMC Yokosuka Dive Locker is qualifying more Japanese Master Labor Contractors (MLCs) in diving operations who will continue operations when the U.S. Navy divers are deployed from home station. The SRF-JRMC Yokosuka Dive Locker is the only multinational U.S. Navy dive locker.
No matter what is asked of the SRF-JRMC Dive Lockers in FY25, they will stand ready to carry forward the motto of the command “Nan Demo Dekimasu!”; “We Can Do Anything!”
For over 75-years, U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center (SRF-JRMC) has been the linchpin of U.S. naval operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region by providing intermediate-level and depot level repair for the ships of the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Seventh Fleet.
I thank Siena College for organising this conference.
My personal links to the Franciscans run deep.
Father Vítor Melícias – a Franciscan priest – is a lifelong friend, who has presided over both my wedding ceremonies, baptized my children, and celebrated mass many times in my home.
And as an António from Lisbon, I have a strong connection with Santo António – one of the first Franciscans.
People from Lisbon and people from Padua may never agree on where Santo António belongs, but of course, he belongs to the whole world.
And that world – our world – is in trouble.
We are witnessing real-time climate collapse – the result of the greenhouse gases we are spewing into the atmosphere.
Temperature records are falling like dominoes.
Violent weather is becoming more extreme and more brutal.
This year, we’ve seen Hurricane Beryl wreak havoc across the Caribbean and –reportedly – deprive almost three million Texans of power.
We’ve seen heat force schools to close in Africa and Asia.
And we’ve seen a mass global coral bleaching caused by unprecedented ocean temperatures, soaring past the worst predictions of scientists.
All this puts peace and justice in peril –as Saint Francis would have understood.
As Pope Francis has said, Saint Francis “shows us just how inseparable the bond is between concern for nature, justice for the poor, commitment to society, and interior peace.”
Today, floods and droughts are fuelling instability, driving conflict, and forcing people from their homes.
And though climate chaos is everywhere, it doesn’t affect everyone equally.
The very people most at risk, are those who did the least to cause the crisis: small island states, developing countries, the poor, and the vulnerable.
This is breathtaking injustice – and it is just the beginning.
Brothers and Sisters,
The patron saint of ecology has much to teach us about making peace with nature.
So of course, does Pope Francis. Including through his inspiring 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’, after which this Center is named.
Pope Francis tells us that: “When we exploit creation, we destroy the sign of God’s love for us.” He reminded us that human beings are “custodians” of this creation, not “masters” of it.
We must stop intentionally destroying our natural world and its gifts.
We must protect people from the destruction we have unleashed.
We must deliver climate justice for the vulnerable.
And, crucially, we must limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius – as countries agreed to do in the landmark international climate pact – the Paris Agreement.
Brothers and Sisters,
The 1.5 degree limit is vital.
Our planet is a mass of complex, connected systems.
Every fraction of a degree of global heating counts.
The difference between a temperature rise of 1.5 and two degrees could be the difference between extinction and survival for some small island states and coastal communities.
And the difference between minimizing climate chaos or crossing dangerous tipping points.
For example, temperatures rising over 1.5 degrees would likely mean the collapse of the Greenland Ice Sheet and the West Antarctic Ice Sheet with catastrophic sea level rise.
But we are nearly out of time.
Meeting the 1.5 degree limit means cutting emissions 43 per cent on 2019 levels by the end of this decade.
That is daunting, but possible – if, and only if, leaders act now.
Next year, governments must submit new national climate action plans – known as nationally determined contributions. These will dictate emissions for the coming years.
At the United Nations climate conference last year – COP28 – countries agreed to align those plans with the 1.5 degree limit.
That means, putting the world on track:
To reach net zero global emissions by 2050;
End deforestation by 2030;
Accelerate the roll out of renewables.
And phase out planet-wrecking fossil fuels – fast and fairly.
Fossil fuel expansion and new coal plants are inconsistent with 1.5 degrees.
They must stop.
Not only for the sake of the climate. But for sustainable development and economies too.
Renewable power can connect people to electricity for the first time – transforming lives in the most remote and poorest regions.
And onshore wind and solar are the cheapest source of new electricity in most of the world.
Brothers and Sisters,
We cannot accept a future where the rich are protected in air-conditioned bubbles, while the rest of humanity is lashed by lethal weather in unlivable lands.
Leaders must take urgent steps to shield communities from the impact of climate destruction – for example, building flood defenses, and early warning systems to alert people that extreme weather is coming.
But developing countries can neither cut emissions nor protect themselves if money is not available.
Today, eye-watering debt repayments are drying up funds for climate action.
Extortion-level capital costs are putting renewables virtually out of reach for most developing and emerging economies.
This must change.
Developed countries have made promises to deliver climate finance – they must keep them.
All countries must support action on debt, and deep reforms to the multilateral system – including the Multilateral Development Banks – so that they can provide developing countries with far more low-cost capital.
And governments must make generous contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund – providing financial assistance to countries most impacted by climate change.
Brothers and Sisters,
You play a vital role.
Everywhere, young people and religious communities are on the frontlines for bold climate action.
The Laudate Si Franciscan Network can be an important part of these efforts.
Together, we must stand with our brothers and sisters around the world in the fight for climate justice;
Alert our fellow citizens to the crisis;
Inspire them to call for change;
And demand that our governments take this chance, and act: to protect the vulnerable, deliver justice and save the planet.
In the words of Pope Francis:
“Let us choose the future. May we be attentive to the cry of the earth, may we hear the plea of the poor, may we be sensitive to the hopes of the young and the dreams of children!”
During its 46th session in New Delhi, India today – the World Heritage Committee adopted the 2024-2031 Regional Action Plan of Europe and North America, as one of the outcomes of the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting for this region.
Action Plans are a tool for setting regional priorities for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. It is a way of interpreting and translating the outcomes of Periodic Reporting into strategic goals according to a set timeline. Site managers and focal points can use the Action Plans to guide, inspire and inform their World Heritage-related work. The new Regional Action Plan of Europe and North America, the first to cover these two sub-regions together, has been developed with the active contribution and support of the 51 States Parties in the region.
Following this adoption, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre is organising an event entitled ‘TOWARDS 2030: A new roadmap for Europe and North America’s commitments to the World Heritage Convention. Presentation of the 2024-2031 Regional Action Plan of Europe and North America’.
The event will take place on Monday, 29 July 2024, from 6:15 pm to 7:45 pm local time in Room 1 (MR6) of the Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre, New Delhi, India.
Catering and interpretation in English and French will be provided during the event.
The event is dedicated to present the 2024-2031 Regional Action Plan of Europe and North America that is foreseen to be adopted by the World Heritage Committee on the same day, as one of the outcomes of the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting for this region. The main objective of the side event is to hear the voices of those who have contributed to this regional effort and to familiarise the audience with the main objectives of the Regional Action Plan, the challenges facing the region and how the Regional Action Plan will help to address them.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Thursday that facing an international situation intertwined with changes and chaos, China and Japan should strive to maintain a sound and steady development of bilateral relations, which is of great significance to both countries, the region and the world at large.
In his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Li also noted that at present China-Japan relations are at a critical stage of improvement and development.
As Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out in his congratulatory message to Ishiba, it serves the fundamental interests of the two peoples of both sides to walk on a road of peaceful coexistence, everlasting friendship, mutually beneficial cooperation and common development, Li said.
Li expressed his hope that the two sides will meet each other halfway, continuously consolidate political mutual trust and strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and strive to build a constructive and stable China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era, so as to better benefit the two peoples.
MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
The third Moscow Fashion Week has ended in the capital. It was held from October 4 to 9 in the Central Exhibition Hall “Manezh”. Collections were presented by about 200 designers from 41 cities of Russia, as well as seven other countries. Among them are China, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica and India. This was reported by Natalia Sergunina, Deputy Mayor of Moscow.
“The participants were able to demonstrate their skills, find new business partners, and exchange experiences with colleagues from different parts of the world. As in previous years, the event generated great interest. Over the course of six days, the venue was visited by 65,000 people,” said Natalia Sergunina.
During Moscow Fashion Week, 83 fashion shows took place. Many brands relied on the cultural codes and national characteristics of their native land. For example, a designer from Cheboksary presented a collection based on the national Chuvash costume. A representative of the Republic of South Africa created evening and casual looks in a bright color scheme. Some wardrobe elements were shaped like butterfly wings.
In addition, a market was open during the fashion week. Anyone could buy clothes and accessories from 80 brands. A business showroom was opened for the professional community, with over 50 Russian specialists taking part. They held meetings with potential partners and wholesale buyers.
Industry leaders gave 25 lectures to the event’s guests. The audience was told about trends and how they changed over time, as well as the influence of neural networks on the creation of collections. More than two million people watched the online broadcasts of the meetings with experts.
In addition, the World Fashion Short short film festival took place. It brought together directors not only from Russia, but also from other countries, including Belarus, Colombia, Mexico and Turkey. The works selected by the international expert council were shown at the Artplay design center.
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.
NAVAL BASE GUAM – The Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarine USS Annapolis (SSN 760) returned to its homeport of Naval Base Guam after a successful three-month deployment in the Indo-Pacific region, Oct. 5, 2024.
“USS Annapolis exemplifies excellence and stands as the pinnacle of our submarine force, playing a vital role in ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Capt. Neil Steinhagen, commander, Submarine Squadron 15. “Their unwavering commitment to advancing theater security and executing operational tasks has produced outstanding results. True to their motto, ‘Born Free, Hope to Die Free,’ the crew of Annapolis consistently meets every challenge head-on, showcasing unparalleled operational readiness and exceptional teamwork. Bravo Zulu, team—welcome home!”
Under the command of Capt. James Tuthill, Annapolis completed missions vital to national security, bolstering operational maritime capabilities in the Pacific. During their deployment, the submarine participated in key bilateral operations with the French Navy and welcomed Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh, commander, Submarine Group Seven, during a port visit to Yokosuka, Japan.
“My crew answered the call, exemplifying remarkable dedication to our mission across the Pacific,” said Tuthill. “I couldn’t be prouder of them, or the tenacity and professionalism they displayed every day at sea. Their resilience, determination, and refusal to quit when things got hard define my extraordinary team. It’s a true honor to lead such an inspiring group. They rose to every occasion.”
Commissioned on April 11, 1992, Annapolis is the fourth ship in the history of the U.S. Navy to be named for Annapolis, Maryland, home of the United States Naval Academy.
Assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam, Annapolis is one of four Los Angeles-class fast-attack submarines forward-deployed in the Pacific. Renowned for their unmatched speed, endurance, stealth, and mobility, Los Angeles-class submarines form the backbone of the Navy’s submarine force, ensuring readiness and agility in safeguarding maritime interests around the world.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Molly Yanity, Professor and Director of Sports media and Communication, University of Rhode Island
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, right, scrambles for a loose ball against Connecticut Sun guard DiJonai Carrington during a game on Aug. 28, 2024.Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Clark, however, didn’t get a chance to compete for a league title.
The Connecticut Sun eliminated Clark’s team, the Indiana Fever, in the first round of the playoffs with a two-game sweep, ending her record rookie-of-the-year campaign.
And it may be just the latest chapter in a complicated saga steeped in race.
During the next day’s media availability, USA Today columnist Christine Brennan recorded and posted an exchange between herself and Carrington.
In the brief clip, the veteran sports writer asks Carrington, who is Black, if she purposely hit Clark in the eye during the previous night’s game. Though Carrington insisted she didn’t intentionally hit Clark, Brennan persisted, asking the guard if she and a teammate had laughed about the incident. The questions sparked social media outrage, statements from the players union and the league, media personalities weighing in and more.
But Brennan’s questions were not asked in a vacuum. The emergence of a young, white superstar from the heartland has caused many new WNBA fans to pick sides that fall along racial lines. Brennan’s critics claim she was pushing a line of questioning that has dogged Black athletes for decades: that they are aggressive and undisciplined.
Because of that, her defense of her questions – and her unwillingness to acknowledge the complexities – has left this professor disappointed in one of her journalistic heroes.
Brennan and much of the mainstream sports media, particularly those who cover professional women’s basketball, still seem to have a racial blind spot.
The emergence of a Black, queer league
When the WNBA launched in 1997 in the wake of the success of the 1996 Olympic gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s basketball team, it did so under the watch of the NBA.
While the league experienced fits and starts in attendance and TV ratings over its lifetime, the demographic makeup of its players is undeniable: The WNBA is, by and large, a Black, queer league.
In 2020, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association reported that 83% of its members were people of color, with 67% self-reporting as “Black/African-American.” While gender and sexual identity hasn’t been officially reported, a “substantial proportion,” the WNBPA reported, identify as LBGTQ+.
In 2020, the league’s diversity was celebrated as players competed in a “bubble” in Bradenton, Florida, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They protested racial injustice, helped unseat a U.S. senator who also owned Atlanta’s WNBA franchise, and urged voters to oust former President Donald Trump from the White House.
Racial tensions bubble to the surface
In the middle of it all, the WNBA has more eyeballs on it than ever before. And, without mincing words, the fan base has “gotten whiter” since Clark’s debut this past summer, as The Wall Street Journal pointed out in July. Those white viewers of college women’s basketball have emphatically turned their attention to the pro game, in large part due to Clark’s popularity at the University of Iowa.
While the rising tide following Clark’s transition to the WNBA is certainly lifting all boats, it is also bringing detritus to the surface in the form of racist jeers from the stands and on social media.
After the Sun dispatched the Fever, All-WNBA forward Alyssa Thomas, who seldom speaks beyond soundbites, said in a postgame news conference: “I think in my 11-year career I’ve never experienced the racial comments from the Indiana Fever fan base. … I’ve never been called the things that I’ve been called on social media, and there’s no place for it.”
Echoes of Bird and Magic
In “Manufacturing Consent,” a seminal work about the U.S. news business, Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky argued that media in capitalist environments do not exist to impartially report the news, but to reinforce dominant narratives of the time, even if they are false. Most journalists, they theorized, work to support the status quo.
In sports, you sometimes see that come to light through what media scholars call “the stereotypical narrative” – a style of reporting and writing that relies on old tropes.
In Brennan’s coverage of the Carrington-Clark incident, there appear to be echoes of the way the media covered Los Angeles Lakers point guard Magic Johnson and Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird in the 1980s.
The battles between two of the sport’s greatest players – one Black, the other white – was a windfall for the NBA, lifting the league into financial sustainability.
But to many reporters who leaned on the dominant narrative of the time, the two stars also served as stand-ins for the racial tensions of the post-civil rights era. During the 1980s, Bird and Magic didn’t simply hoop; they were the “embodiments of their races and living symbols of how blacks and whites lived in America,” as scholars Patrick Ferrucci and Earnest Perry wrote.
The media gatekeepers of the Magic-Bird era often relied on racial stereotypes that ultimately distorted both athletes.
For example, early in their careers, Bird and Johnson received different journalistic treatment. In Ferrucci and Perry’s article, they explain how coverage of Bird “fit the dominant narrative of the time perfectly … exhibiting a hardworking and intelligent game that succeeded despite a lack of athletic prowess.” When the “flashy” Lakers and Johnson won, they wrote, it was because of “superior skill.”
When they lost to Bird’s Celtics, they were “outworked.”
Framing matters
Let’s go back to Brennan.
Few have done more for young women in the sports media industry than Brennan. In time, energy and money, she has mentored and supported young women trying to break into the field. She has used her platform to expand the coverage of women’s sports.
“I think [critics are] missing the fact of what I’m trying to do, what I am doing, what I understand clearly as a journalist, asking questions and putting things out there so that athletes can then have an opportunity to answer issues that are being discussed or out there.”
I don’t think Brennan asking Carrington about the foul was problematic. Persisting with the narrative was.
Leaning into racial stereotypes is not simply about the language used anymore. Brennan’s video of her persistent line of questioning pitted Carrington against Clark. It could be argued that it used the stereotype of the overly physical, aggressive Black athlete, as well.
At best, Brennan has a blind spot to the strain racism is putting on Black athletes today – particularly in the WNBA. At worst, she is digging in on that tired trope.
A blind spot can be addressed and seen. An unacknowledged racist narrative, however, will persist.
Molly Yanity does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced his appointment of 18 Superior Court Judges, which include one in Colusa County; one in Contra Costa County; five in Los Angeles County; two in Orange County; three in Sacramento County; one in San Bernardino County; four in San Diego County; and one in Sutter County.
Colusa County Superior Court
Brendan M. Farrell, of Colusa County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Colusa County Superior Court. Farrell has served as District Attorney of Colusa County since 2023. He was a Chief Deputy District Attorney at the Colusa County District Attorney’s Office from 2016 to 2022 and a Deputy District Attorney there from 2010 to 2016. Farrell served as a Volunteer Attorney at the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office in 2010. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Notre Dame Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Jeffrey A. Thompson. Farrell is registered without party preference.
Contra Costa County Superior Court
Robert S. Leach, of Contra Costa County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Contra Costa County Superior Court. Leach has served as Chief of the Special Prosecutions Section at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California since 2023 and has served in several positions there since 2012, including Deputy Chief of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney. He served in several roles at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 2003 to 2012, including Assistant Regional Director, Branch Chief and Staff Attorney. Leach was an Associate at Latham & Watkins LLP from 1998 to 2003 and served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable John G. Davies at the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California from 1997 to 1998. Leach earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Susanne Fenstermacher. Leach is registered without party preference.
Los Angeles County Superior Court
Leslie B. Gutierrez, of San Bernardino County, has been appointed to serve in an interim appointment as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Gutierrez has served as a Deputy District Attorney at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office since 2012. She was a Sole Practitioner from 2011 to 2012. Gutierrez earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Brian C. Yep. The Governor’s appointment allows her to immediately assume the position she was otherwise elected to begin in January 2025. Gutierrez is a Democrat.
Heather M. Hocter, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Hocter has served as a Deputy Alternate Public Defender at the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender’s Office since 2017. She served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office from 2006 to 2017. Hocter earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Amy Pellman. Hocter is a Democrat.
Karen C. Joynt, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Joynt has served as a Commissioner at the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2022. She was Owner and Lead Attorney at Joynt Law from 2019 to 2022. Joynt served in several positions at the Office of the Los Angeles County Counsel from 2010 to 2019, including Assistant County Counsel, Senior Deputy County Counsel and Deputy County Counsel. She served as a Deputy Alternate Public Defender in the Office of the Los Angeles County Alternate Public Defender from 2006 to 2010. Joynt served as a Deputy Public Defender in the Office of the Los Angeles County Public Defender from 2003 to 2006. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Richard J. Burdge. Joynt is a Democrat.
Esther K. Ro, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Ro has served as a Senior Appellate Attorney at the Second District Court of Appeal since 2019. She was a Partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP from 2017 to 2019 and an Associate there from 2011 to 2017. Ro was an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Recovery Fellow at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center from 2009 to 2010 and an Associate at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP from 2007 to 2009. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Paul A. Bacigalupo. Ro is a Democrat.
Karla Sarabia, of Los Angeles County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Sarabia has been a Deputy Public Defender at the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office since 2008. She served as a Deputy Public Defender at the Fresno County Public Defender’s Office from 2006 to 2008. Sarabia served as a Law Clerk in the Contra Costa County Public Defender’s Office from 2005 to 2006. Sarabia earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Steven D. Blades. Sarabia is a Democrat.
Orange County Superior Court
Julianne Sartain Bancroft, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Bancroft has been Senior Appellate Research Attorney at the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three since 2002. She was a Partner at Snell & Wilmer from 1997 to 2002 and an Associate there from 1994 to 1997. Bancroft was an Associate at Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati from 1991 to 1994 and served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Melvin T. Brunetti at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 1990 to 1991. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James E. Rogan. Bancroft is a Democrat.
Randy K. Ladisky, of Orange County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Orange County Superior Court. Ladisky has served as a Senior Deputy Alternate Public Defender in the Office of the Orange County Alternate Public Defender since 2014 and has been an Alternate Public Defender there since 2001. He was an Associate at the Law Office of Joel M. Garson from 2000 to 2001 and at the Law Office of Ronald Talmo from 1999 to 2000. Ladisky earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Western State College of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge Martha K. Gooding to the Court of Appeal. Ladisky is a Democrat.
Sacramento County Superior Court
Lee S. Bickley, of Sacramento County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court. Bickley has served as a Senior Attorney at the California Public Employees’ Retirement System since 2024. She served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California from 2010 to 2024. Bickley was a Branch Chief for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from 2005 to 2010 and a Senior Litigation Associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP from 1998 to 2005. Bickley earned a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Gerrit W. Wood. Bickley is a Democrat.
Joseph M. Cress, of Sacramento County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court. Cress has been a Chief Assistant Public Defender at the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office since 2022 and has served in several roles there since 1995, including Supervising Assistant Public Defender and Assistant Public Defender. He was an Adjunct Professor at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law from 2012 to 2015. Cress earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge James M. Mize. Cress is a Democrat.
Brenda R. Dabney, of Sacramento County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Sacramento County Superior Court. Dabney has been Northern California Regional Director at the Children’s Law Center of California since 2017. She has held several roles at the Children’s Law Center of California since 2001, including Firm Director from 2011 to 2017, Supervising Attorney from 2005 to 2011 and Staff Attorney from 2001 to 2005. Dabney earned a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Paul L. Seave. Dabney is a Democrat.
San Bernardino County Superior Court
James M. Taylor, of Riverside County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Bernardino County Superior Court. Taylor has been a Sole Practitioner since 2000. He was an Attorney for the San Bernardino County Indigent Defense Program from 2001 to 2020 and for Conflict Defense Lawyers from 2005 to 2014. Taylor earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Western State College of Law. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Ingrid A. Uhler. Taylor is registered without party preference.
San Diego County Superior Court
Jami L. Ferrara, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Ferrara has been a Sole Practitioner since 2001. She was a Trial Attorney at Federal Defenders of San Diego Inc. from 1997 to 2000. Ferrara earned a Juris Doctor degree from George Mason University Law School. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge John S. Meyer. Ferrara is a Democrat.
Rachel L. Jensen, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Jensen has been a Partner at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP since 2008 and an Associate from 2004 to 2007. She served as a Law Clerk for the Office of the Prosecutor at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in 2003 and the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in 2002. Jensen served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Warren J. Ferguson at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit from 2001 to 2002. She was an Associate at Morrison & Foerster LLP from 2000 to 2001. Jensen earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2000. She fills the vacancy created by the appointment of Judge David Rubin to the Court of Appeal. Jensen is a Democrat.
Devon L. Lomayesva, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Lomayesva has been Chief Judge at the Intertribal Court of Southern California since 2016. She has been a Sole Practitioner since 2014. Lomayesva was a Pro Tem Judge at the Intertribal Court of Southern California from 2015 to 2016 and Tribal Attorney for the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians from 2013 to 2014. She was Executive Director at California Indian Legal Services from 2007 to 2012 and In-House Counsel for the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel from 2004 to 2007. She was Directing Attorney at California Indian Legal Services from 2003 to 2004 and a Staff Attorney there from 1999 to 2002. Lomayesva was a Staff Attorney at the California Indian Lands Office from 2002 to 2003. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from the California Western School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Harry Powazek. Lomayesva is a Democrat.
Catherine A. Richardson, of San Diego County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the San Diego County Superior Court. Richardson has served as a Commissioner at the San Diego County Superior Court since 2024. She served as a Senior Chief Deputy City Attorney at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office from 2014 to 2024 and was Senior Counsel at Klinedinst PC from 2011 to 2014. Richardson served as a Deputy City Attorney at the San Diego City Attorney’s Office from 2009 to 2011 and from 1990 to1997. She was a Sole Practitioner from 2005 to 2009. She was a Partner at Thorsnes Bartolotta McGuire from 1997 to 2005 and an Associate there from 1988 to 1990. Richardson earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego School of Law. She fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Carlos O. Armour. Richardson is a Democrat.
Sutter County Superior Court
Fritzgerald A. Javellana, of Sutter County, has been appointed to serve as a Judge in the Sutter County Superior Court. Javellana has served as a Deputy County Counsel in the Office of the Sutter County Counsel since 2022. He was a Contract Juvenile Dependency Attorney for the Office of the Butte County Counsel from 2016 to 2022. Javellana was a Partner at Williams & Javellana LLP from 2014 to 2022 and an Associate at Rooney Law Firm from 2010 to 2014. Javellana earned a Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. He fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Perry M. Parker. Javellana is registered without party preference.
The compensation for each of these positions is $243,940.
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The ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today witnessed the signing of the Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) by Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, H.E. Xavier Bettel, on the sidelines of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Lao PDR.
The accession by Luxembourg brings the number of High Contracting Parties (HCPs) to the TAC to 55. The growing number of HCPs reflects the importance and relevance of the TAC in the current regional and global context.
The post Luxembourg signs Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, attended the ASEAN-Canada Special Summit on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience in Vientiane today. The Leaders from ASEAN and Canada adopted the Joint Leaders’ Statement on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience, in support of the priorities of the Lao PDR’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024.
The post ASEAN-Canada Special Summit adopts Joint Statement on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
Even though Chenglin Hong didn’t grow up locally and came to UConn via Beijing, Seattle, and Los Angeles, students in his classes might have more in common with him than they realize.
“I grew up in a very rural area in northeast China,” he says. “Neither of my parents went to middle school, so I had to navigate the education system and academia by myself. UConn has a very diverse student body. Many are from underserved communities or low-income families, and quite a few also are first-generation students.”
Chenglin Hong, assistant professor in the UConn School of Social Work (Contributed photo)
It’s a shared experience that Hong believes will help him relate to those he’s mentoring as one of the newest faculty members in the UConn School of Social Work. He also thinks that even though his position as assistant professor is steeped in research – and some students might find that intimidating – together, they can work in tandem.
“The majority of students will work as clinicians and practitioners, either as psychotherapists or case managers,” he says. “It’s important for them to know, though, that research and clinical practice are connected. Their experiences will inform my research, and my research will inform the way they deliver services.”
Hong describes himself as a global health scholar, one who started his career as a medical social worker in China and went on to get his Master of Social Work and Master of Public Health from the University of Washington and Ph.D. from UCLA.
And what he studies falls under a self-described “big umbrella.”
Right now, he’s considering the relationship between intimate partner violence among gay and bisexual men and an increased risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, an understudied area, he says, even though research has shown the prevalence of intimate partner violence among this group is similar or higher than among heterosexual counterparts.
Hong says his previous research found that as the prevalence of violence rises among gay and bisexual men, so too does the risk of mental health disorders, substance use, and HIV and STIs. He hopes to take this research a step further and look at how technology-based interventions, like eHealth and mHealth, might fit in.
“My work considers the intersection of social work, public health, psychology, and implementation science to see how I can utilize those interdisciplinary approaches to address the health issues this population faces,” Hong says.
“I came from a culture where sexual and gender identity are highly stigmatized and people don’t seek care after receiving an HIV diagnosis or an STI diagnosis,” he continues. “That really shaped my research. I want the knowledge I generate to inform practice and policy. I want to be a part of optimizing the standard of services we have and designing new ways to help individuals access health care.”
The health system in China is vastly different than the United States, Hong notes, explaining that social workers’ primary task in working with those who’ve been diagnosed with HIV is to connect people with medical services, things like getting and taking medications and showing up for follow-up appointments.
In the U.S., Hong says, supporting one’s medical care isn’t necessarily the focus. There’s already a standard of care and treatment thanks to antiretroviral therapy that offers a life expectancy much the same as the general population.
“We’re not only talking about physical health in the U.S., we’re also talking about mental health and social well-being,” he says, adding that his work in California with Black sexual minority men living with HIV included a team of professionals, from medical clinicians to lawyers. “That is really different, and I appreciate that approach because physical health is just one component of the overall well-being of individuals.”
As he begins to establish his research lab at UConn, Hong admits he misses China, his family, and the community he left behind. They’re always in his heart, he says, and have profoundly impacted the way he looks at the world and how he approaches his work.
“I’m half Korean, half Chinese,” Hong says. “The U.S. is a multicultural society with people from different backgrounds and different cultures. My own experience helps me see the health disparities and think about the best approach for us as researchers to design interventions and services to address societal problems.”
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF) has helped 110 million people adapt to the effects of climate change.
Reduced or avoided over 105 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, and avoided 750,000 hectares of ecosystem loss, according to official analysis released today.
Climate finance has helped to mobilise £8.4 billion of public and £7.8 billion of private finance for climate change.
The UK’s International Climate Finance (ICF), helps developing countries limit and manage the impacts of climate change, mitigate further global warming from emissions and avert, minimise and address loss and damage.
The results published today demonstrate the transformational impact of the UK’s International Climate Finance from 2011, ensuring developing countries have access to clean energy and innovative technology to drive the global transition to net zero, while supporting the most vulnerable countries who are experiencing the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Over the last 12 years, the UK has:
Supported over 82 million people with improved access to clean energy.
Avoided or reduced 105 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to taking all UK cars off the road for approximately 1 year and 7 months.
Avoided 750,000 hectares of ecosystem loss, the equivalent to more than 1 million football pitches.
Through UK International Climate Finance, UK aid is investing in innovative solutions to tackle climate change, such as energy efficiency and forestry across the Global South to demonstrate their commercial viabilities:
The Climate Public Partnership (CP3) programme has been addressing the dual challenge of both climate challenge and access to clean, affordable energy by building a public-private partnership to unlock private investments. By investing in private equity funds, including £50 million to the Catalyst Fund, over a portfolio of 124 projects, UK aid successfully mobilised over £86 million of private finance to date.
In Madagascar and Indonesia, UK aid is helping to protect, restore and sustainably manage mangrove forests while reducing the poverty of the coastal communities that rely on them. By working together with national governments, local communities and the private sector, the Blue Forests Programme developed green business opportunities based on sustainable mangrove forestry and fisheries management and helped protect around 58,000 hectares of mangrove forests and delivered around 660,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide savings.
These results come as the UK has taken swift action at home to tackle the climate crisis and provide energy security for British families and businesses. The UK is first major economy to set a landmark goal in delivering clean power by 2030. In the space of a few months the Government has already:
Lifted the ban on onshore wind in England to roll out a new supply of clean and cheap power.
Delivered the most successful renewables energy auction to date, securing enough clean power to supply the equivalent of 11 million homes.
Introduced Great British Energy, creating the next generation of skilled jobs and protecting family from volatile fossil fuel prices that helped drive the cost of living crisis.
Consented unprecedented amounts of nationally significant solar – 2GW – more than the last 14 years combined.
The UK will use that strong action at home to accelerate global action at the COP29 summit in Baku, raising ambition to agree a new financial target to support developing countries in tackling climate change.
Minister for International Development, Anneliese Dodds said:
International climate finance is at the heart of our climate and development objectives and our Mission to be a clean energy superpower.
Our work – and the billions in private finance it has unlocked – will help the most vulnerable who are experiencing the worst impacts of the climate crisis and enable partners to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Our programmes are making a positive difference to people’s lives and helping to build a liveable planet for all, now and in the future.
UK Climate Minister Kerry McCarthy said:
The UK has played a key role in supporting the most vulnerable communities across the globe in tackling climate change while alleviating poverty and improving access to cleaner energy sources.
But there is more work to do, and unlocking greater global climate finance is crucial in addressing the needs of developing countries who are on the frontline of the crisis.
That’s why the UK will be pushing for an ambitious finance goal for climate aid at COP29. We will continue to champion the voices of those most affected and we will lead from the front in speeding up the global transition to net zero.
UK Minister for Nature Mary Creagh said:
We have a responsibility to tackle the biggest challenges facing our planet. This means putting nature loss and climate change at the forefront of the global agenda.
We are seeing an unprecedented decline in species and the loss of some of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems. Our climate programmes play a vital role in protecting and restoring nature and supporting the communities most affected by this crisis.
These results come ahead of this year’s UN climate summit COP29 in Baku, which will see countries come together to negotiate a new financial target for supporting developing countries in their climate actions, known as the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG).
In addition to UK ICF, the UK’s world leading expertise on green finance and net zero industries is supporting developing countries achieve their own climate goals through leveraging private sector funds. Since 2011, the UK has helped mobile £7.8 billion of private finance for climate change purposes.
The £11.6 billion commitment for the ICF remains the government’s intention as we undertake the spending review. Speaking at the UN General Assembly on 27 September the Prime Minister made clear the UK would continue to be a leading contributor to international climate finance.
Background
The UK’s International Climate Finance is funded by Official Development Assistance (UK aid) from FCDO, DESNZ and DEFRA.
UK International Climate Finance (ICF) is a portfolio of investments with a goal to support international poverty eradication now and in the future, by helping developing countries manage risk and build resilience to the impacts of climate change, take up low-carbon development at scale and manage natural resources sustainably. Through annual publications the ICF sets out results from these investments against a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
Education is essentially an “industry of industries,” with K-12 and higher education enterprises handling data that could include health records, financial data, and other regulated information. At the same time, their facilities can host payment processing systems, networks that are used as internet service providers (ISPs), and other diverse infrastructure. The cyberthreats that Microsoft observes across different industries tend to be compounded in education, and threat actors have realized that this sector is inherently vulnerable. With an average of 2,507 cyberattack attempts per week, universities are prime targets for malware, phishing, and IoT vulnerabilities.¹
Security staffing and IT asset ownership also affect education organizations’ cyber risks. School and university systems, like many enterprises, often face a shortage of IT resources and operate a mix of both modern and legacy IT systems. Microsoft observes that in the United States, students and faculty are more likely to use personal devices in education compared to Europe, for example. Regardless of ownership however, in these and other regions, busy users do not always have a security mindset.
This edition of Cyber Signals delves into the cybersecurity challenges facing classrooms and campuses, highlighting the critical need for robust defenses and proactive measures. From personal devices to virtual classes and research stored in the cloud, the digital footprint of school districts, colleges, and universities has multiplied exponentially.
We are all defenders.
A uniquely valuable and vulnerable environment
The education sector’s user base is very different from a typical large commercial enterprise. In the K-12 environment, users include students as young as six years old. Just like any public or private sector organization, there is a wide swath of employees in school districts and at universities including administration, athletics, health services, janitorial, food service professionals, and others. Multiple activities, announcements, information resources, open email systems, and students create a highly fluid environment for cyberthreats.
Virtual and remote learning have also extended education applications into households and offices. Personal and multiuser devices are ubiquitous and often unmanaged—and students are not always cognizant about cybersecurity or what they allow their devices to access.
Education is also on the front lines confronting how adversaries test their tools and their techniques. According to data from Microsoft Threat Intelligence, the education sector is the third-most targeted industry, with the United States seeing the greatest cyberthreat activity.
Cyberthreats to education are not only a concern in the United States. According to the United Kingdom’s Department of Science Innovation and Technology 2024 Cybersecurity Breaches Survey, 43% of higher education institutions in the UK reported experiencing a breach or cyberattack at least weekly.²
QR codes provide an easily disguised surface for phishing cyberattacks
Today, quick response (QR) codes are quite popular—leading to increased risks of phishing cyberattacks designed to gain access to systems and data. Images in emails, flyers offering information about campus and school events, parking passes, financial aid forms, and other official communications all frequently contain QR codes. Physical and virtual education spaces might be the most “flyer friendly” and QR code-intensive environments anywhere, given how big a role handouts, physical and digital bulletin boards, and other casual correspondence help students navigate a mix of curriculum, institutional, and social correspondence. This creates an attractive backdrop for malicious actors to target users who are trying to save time with a quick image scan.
Recently the United States Federal Trade Commission issued a consumer alert on the rising threat of malicious QR codes being used to steal login credentials or deliver malware.³
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 telemetry shows that approximately more than 15,000 messages with malicious QR codes are targeted toward the educational sector daily—including phishing, spam, and malware.
Legitimate software tools can be used to quickly generate QR codes with embedded links to be sent in email or posted physically as part of a cyberattack. And those images are hard for traditional email security solutions to scan, making it even more important for faculty and students to use devices and browsers with modern web defenses.
Targeted users in the education sector may use personal devices without endpoint security. QR codes essentially enable the threat actor to pivot to these devices. QR code phishing (since its purpose is to target mobile devices) is compelling evidence of mobile devices being used as an attack vector into enterprises—such as personal accounts and bank accounts—and the need for mobile device protection and visibility. Microsoft has significantly disrupted QR code phishing attacks. This shift in tactics is evident in the substantial decrease in daily phishing emails intercepted by our system, dropping from 3 million in December 2023 to just 179,000 by March 2024.
Source: Microsoft incident response engagements.
Universities present their own unique challenges. Much of university culture is based on collaboration and sharing to drive research and innovation. Professors, researchers, and other faculty operate under the notion that technology, science—simply knowledge itself—should be shared widely. If someone appearing as a student, peer, or similar party reaches out, they’re often willing to discuss potentially sensitive topics without scrutinizing the source.
University operations also span multiple industries. University presidents are effectively CEOs of healthcare organizations, housing providers, and large financial organizations—the industry of industries factor, again. Therefore, top leaders can can be prime targets for anyone attacking those sectors.
The combination of value and vulnerability found in education systems has attracted the attention of a spectrum of cyberattackers—from malware criminals employing new techniques to nation-state threat actors engaging in old-school spy craft.
Microsoft continually monitors threat actors and threat vectors worldwide. Here are some key issues we’re seeing for education systems.
Email systems in schools offer wide spaces for compromise
The naturally open environment at most universities forces them to be more relaxed in their email hygiene. They have a lot of emails amounting to noise in the system, but are often operationally limited in where and how they can place controls, because of how open they need to be for alumni, donors, external user collaboration, and many other use cases.
Education institutions tend to share a lot of announcements in email. They share informational diagrams around local events and school resources. They commonly allow external mailers from mass mailing systems to share into their environments. This combination of openness and lack of controls creates a fertile ground for cyberattacks.
AI is increasing the premium on visibility and control
Cyberattackers recognizing higher education’s focus on building and sharing can survey all visible access points, seeking entry into AI-enabled systems or privileged information on how these systems operate. If on-premises and cloud-based foundations of AI systems and data are not secured with proper identity and access controls, AI systems become vulnerable. Just as education institutions adapted to cloud services, mobile devices and hybrid learning—which introduced new waves of identities and privileges to govern, devices to manage, and networks to segment—they must also adapt to the cyber risks of AI by scaling these timeless visibility and control imperatives.
Nation-state actors are after valuable IP and high-level connections
Universities handling federally funded research, or working closely with defense, technology, and other industry partners in the private sector, have long recognized the risk of espionage. Decades ago, universities focused on telltale physical signs of spying. They knew to look for people showing up on campus taking pictures or trying to get access to laboratories. Those are still risks, but today the dynamics of digital identity and social engineering have greatly expanded the spy craft toolkit.
Universities are often epicenters of highly sensitive intellectual property. They may be conducting breakthrough research. They may be working on high-value projects in aerospace, engineering, nuclear science, or other sensitive topics in partnership with multiple government agencies.
For cyberattackers, it can be easier to first compromise somebody in the education sector who has ties to the defense sector and then use that access to more convincingly phish a higher value target.
Universities also have experts in foreign policy, science, technology, and other valuable disciplines, who may willingly offer intelligence, if deceived in social-engineering cyberattacks employing false or stolen identities of peers and others who appear to be in individuals’ networks or among trusted contacts. Apart from holding valuable intelligence themselves, compromised accounts of university employees can become springboards into further campaigns against wider government and industry targets.
Nation-state actors targeting education
Peach Sandstorm
Peach Sandstorm has used password spray attacks against the education sector to gain access to infrastructure used in those industries, and Microsoft has also observed the organization using social engineering against targets in higher education.
Mint Sandstorm
Microsoft has observed a subset of this Iranian attack group targeting high-profile experts working on Middle Eastern affairs at universities and research organizations. These sophisticated phishing attacks used social engineering to compel targets to download malicious files including a new, custom backdoor called MediaPl.
Mabna Institute
In 2023, the Iranian Mabna Institute conducted intrusions into the computing systems of at least 144 United States universities and 176 universities in 21 other countries.
The stolen login credentials were used for the benefit of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and were also sold within Iran through the web. Stolen credentials belonging to university professors were used to directly access university library systems.
Emerald Sleet
This North Korean group primarily targets experts in East Asian policy or North and South Korean relations. In some cases, the same academics have been targeted by Emerald Sleet for nearly a decade.
Emerald Sleet uses AI to write malicious scripts and content for social engineering, but these attacks aren’t always about delivering malware. There’s also an evolving trend where they simply ask experts for policy insight that could be used to manipulate negotiations, trade agreements, or sanctions.
Moonstone Sleet
Moonstone Sleet is another North Korean actor that has been taking novel approaches like creating fake companies to forge business relationships with educational institutions or a particular faculty member or student.
One of the most prominent attacks from Moonstone Sleet involved creating a fake tank-themed game used to target individuals at educational institutions, with a goal to deploy malware and exfiltrate data.
Storm-1877
This actor largely engages in cryptocurrency theft using a custom malware family that they deploy through various means. The ultimate goal of this malware is to steal crypto wallet addresses and login credentials for crypto platforms.
Students are often the target for these attacks, which largely start on social media. Storm-1877 targets students because they may not be as aware of digital threats as professionals in industry.
A new security curriculum
Due to education budget and talent constraints and the inherent openness of its environment, solving education security is more than a technology problem. Security posture management and prioritizing security measures can be a costly and challenging endeavor for these institutions—but there is a lot that school systems can do to protect themselves.
Maintaining and scaling core cyberhygiene will be key to securing school systems. Building awareness of security risks and good practices at all levels—students, faculty, administrators, IT staff, campus staff, and more—can help create a safer environment.
For IT and security professionals in the education sector, doing the basics and hardening the overall security posture is a good first step. From there, centralizing the technology stack can help facilitate better monitoring of logging and activity to gain a clearer picture into the overall security posture and any vulnerabilities.
Oregon State University
Oregon State University (OSU), an R1 research-focused university, places a high priority on safeguarding its research to maintain its reputation. In 2021, it experienced an extensive cybersecurity incident unlike anything before. The cyberattack revealed gaps in OSU’s security operations.
“The types of threats that we’re seeing, the types of events that are occurring in higher education, are much more aggressive by cyber adversaries.”
—David McMorries, Chief Information Security Officer at Oregon State University
In response to this incident, OSU created its Security Operations Center (SOC), which has become the centerpiece of the university’s security effort. AI has also helped automate capabilities and helped its analysts, who are college students, learn how to quickly write code—such as threat hunting with more advanced hunting queries.
Arizona Department of Education
A focus on Zero Trust and closed systems is an area that the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) takes further than the state requirements. It blocks all traffic from outside the United States from its Microsoft 365 environment, Azure, and its local datacenter.
“I don’t allow anything exposed to the internet on my lower dev environments, and even with the production environments, we take extra care to make sure that we use a network security group to protect the app services.”
—Chris Henry, Infrastructure Manager at the Arizona Department of Education
Follow these recommendations:
The best defense against QR code attacks is to be aware and pay attention. Pause, inspect the code’s URL before opening it, and don’t open QR codes from unexpected sources, especially if the message uses urgent language or contains errors.
Consider implementing “protective domain name service,” a free tool that helps prevent ransomware and other cyberattacks by blocking computer systems from connecting to harmful websites. Prevent password spray attacks with a stringent password and deploy multifactor authentication.
Educate students and staff about their security hygiene, and encourage them to use multifactor authentication or passwordless protections. Studies have shown that an account is more than 99.9% less likely to be compromised when using multifactor authentication.
Corey Lee has always had an interest in solving puzzles and crimes. He started his college career at Penn State University in criminal justice, but soon realized his passion for digital forensics after taking a course about investigating a desktop computer break-in.
After completing his degree in security and risk analysis, Corey came to Microsoft focused on gaining cross-industry experience. He’s worked on securing everything from federal, state, and local agencies to commercial enterprises, but today he focuses on the education sector.
After spending time working across industries, Corey sees education through a different lens—the significantly unique industry of industries. The dynamics at play inside the education sector include academic institutions, financial services, critical infrastructure like hospitals and transportation, and partnerships with government agencies. According to Corey, working in such a broad field allows him to leverage skillsets from multiple industries to address specific problems across the landscape.
The fact that education could also be called underserved from a cybersecurity standpoint is another compelling challenge, and part of Corey’s personal mission. The education industry needs cybersecurity experts to elevate the priority of protecting school systems. Corey works across the public and industry dialogue, skilling and readiness programs, incident response, and overall defense to protect not just the infrastructure of education, but students, parents, teachers, and staff.
Today, Corey is focused reimagining student security operations centers, including how to inject AI into the equation and bring modern technology and training to the table. By growing the cybersecurity work force in education and giving them new tools, he’s working to elevate security in the sector in a way that’s commensurate with how critical the industry is for the future.
Next steps with Microsoft Security
To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions, visit our website. Bookmark the Security blog to keep up with our expert coverage on security matters. Also, follow us on LinkedIn (Microsoft Security) and X (@MSFTSecurity) for the latest news and updates on cybersecurity.
¹The Institutional Impacts of a Cyberattack, University of Florida Information Technology. January 18, 2024.
²Cyber security breaches survey 2024: education institutions annex, The United Kingdom Department for Science, Innovation & Technology. April 9, 2024
³Scammers hide harmful links in QR codes to steal your information, Federal Trade Commission (Alvaro Puig), December 6, 2023.
Methodology: Snapshot and cover stat data represent telemetry from Microsoft Defender for Office 365 showing how a QR code phishing attack was disrupted by image detection technology and how Security Operations teams can respond to this threat. Platforms like Microsoft Entra provided anonymized data on threat activity, such as malicious email accounts, phishing emails, and attacker movement within networks. Additional insights are from the 78 trillion daily security signals processed by Microsoft each day, including the cloud, endpoints, the intelligent edge, and telemetry from Microsoft platforms and services including Microsoft Defender. Microsoft categorizes threat actors into five key groups: influence operations; groups in development; and nation-state, financially motivated, and private sector offensive actors. The new threat actors naming taxonomy aligns with the theme of weather.
Headline: Apple debuts the first scripted film captured in Apple Immersive Video
October 10, 2024
UPDATE
Apple debuts the first scripted film captured in Apple Immersive Video and reveals new immersive films for Apple Vision Pro
New episodes, films, series, and concerts captured in Apple Immersive Video are set to debut later this year, with more coming early next year
Today, Apple revealed new episodes, films, series, and music performances captured in Apple Immersive Video that will debut on Apple Vision Pro for free. Apple Immersive Video is a remarkable media format that leverages ultra-high-resolution 3D video and Spatial Audio to put viewers in the center of the action.
Submerged, the first scripted short film captured in Apple Immersive Video, written and directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Edward Berger, is now available. Next month, Apple and The Weeknd will launch a breathtaking immersive music experience celebrating the seven-time diamond-certified artist’s highly anticipated new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow. With Concert for One, a new concert series set to debut later this year, fans will experience intimate performances from the world’s biggest artists, beginning with a special set from the award-winning British singer-songwriter RAYE. New episodes of Adventure, which follows pioneering athletes as they take on awe-inspiring challenges, will also release this year.
Submerged
This immersive fiction thriller, available to Apple Vision Pro users around the world for free, invites viewers onto a WWII-era submarine and follows its crew as they wrestle to combat a harrowing attack. This adrenaline-pumping thrill ride showcases the unique storytelling experiences made possible by Apple Immersive Video.
“Apple Immersive Video allows Apple Vision Pro users around the world to experience the next generation of sports, documentaries, and music performances. With Submerged, an immersive film from visionary director Edward Berger, we’re excited to premiere the next generation of narrative filmmaking,” said Tor Myhren, Apple’s vice president of Marketing Communications. “Vision Pro places you in the middle of the story — inside a densely packed submarine, shoulder to shoulder with its crew. That deep sense of immersion just wasn’t possible before, and we can’t wait to see how it inspires filmmakers to push the boundaries of visual storytelling.”
“Apple Immersive Video is a wonderful new medium that expands the horizon of storytelling,” said Edward Berger, director of the Academy Award-winning All Quiet on the Western Front and the upcoming, critically acclaimed Conclave. “Apple Vision Pro inspired me to tell a story in a way that just wasn’t possible before, and in the process, it changed the way my team and I think about creating a story. This immersive technology pioneered by Apple is going to change the future of filmmaking.”
Shot on location in Prague, Brussels, and Malta over three weeks, Submerged was filmed using a full-scale 23-ton submarine set made with real steel, brass, and metal that was modeled after WWII-era vessels. Significant portions of the set were built to withstand being fully submerged, and featured practical camera traps and special effects that were uniquely rigged to expose Apple Immersive Video cameras to sparks, steam, water, and fire without breaking viewers’ sense of immersion. Cast members who might appear out of frame or focus in a 2D feature were meticulously scripted, and participated in extensive stunt rehearsals, including freedive training in dive tanks and open water, to maintain continuity and realism. Fans can go behind the scenes of Submerged with a short film that shows how the cast and crew crafted this immersive, action-packed drama exclusively for Apple Vision Pro.
2024 NBA All-Star Weekend
Next Friday, basketball fans will enjoy an immersive short film of the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend, featuring the Rising Stars, the Slam Dunk contest, the first-ever NBA vs. WNBA 3-Point Challenge, “Stephen vs. Sabrina,” and highlights from the All-Star Game.
Concert for One
Concert for One is the first music series captured in Apple Immersive Video, bringing fans closer to their favorite artists than ever before. The inaugural performance comes from six-time BRIT Award winner RAYE, who alongside her 20-piece band offers her blend of R&B, jazz, and pop to viewers from the best seat in the house.
Adventure
After stepping into thin air above Norway’s breathtaking fjords with highliner Faith Dickey, and traversing the streets and rooftops of Paris with the world’s leading parkour group, viewers are invited to swim alongside freediver Ant Williams while he attempts to best his record for the longest distance under ice with just a single breath. The next episode of Adventure, “Ice Dive,” will debut in the U.S. in December.
Early next year, viewers can experience the shores of Majorca, Spain, where world-class sport climber Kai Lightner tackles his biggest challenge yet: free-solo climbing over the secluded and rocky coves, where one slip will send him into the raging sea.
Elevated
In the next episode of Elevated, “Maine,” available early next year, viewers will experience a crisp autumn in New England, with a stunning journey along winding coastlines and above breathtakingly beautiful rivers.
These new episodes, films, series, and concerts join the growing Apple Immersive Video catalog available today, which includes Alicia Keys: Rehearsal Room, Boundless, Elevated, Prehistoric Planet Immersive, Wild Life, and more — all available from the Apple TV app on Apple Vision Pro.
Availability
Apple Vision Pro is available in Australia, Canada, China mainland, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the U.K., and the U.S.
Users in these countries and regions can enjoy a free demo of Apple Vision Pro at their local Apple Store and receive an extended preview of Submerged upon request beginning Monday, October 14.
Apple Immersive Video is available at no additional cost from the Apple TV app in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, France, Germany, Japan, Singapore, the U.K., and the U.S. Users in China mainland can access Apple Immersive Video from the Migu Video and Tencent Video apps, which are available to download for free from the App Store for Apple Vision Pro.
New Apple Immersive Video episodes and films debut in U.S. English with subtitles in additional languages. Title availability varies by country or region.
The following text contains opinion that is not, or not necessarily, that of MIL-OSI –
Kamalanomics Continues To Crush Americans
Washington, October 10, 2024
American families are having to choose between filling up their gas tanks, heating their homes, or putting food on the table because of failed Kamalanomics. In September, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) showed Kamalaflation remains a tax on all Americans, and it isn’t going away anytime soon. Since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office, inflation has risen by 20.5%. The failed economic policies of Kamala Harris and Joe Biden continue to put Americans last.
MAKE NO MISTAKE: We cannot afford another four years of failed Far Left Democrat policies. We must return to the successful economic agenda Republicans implemented under President Trump which created the strongest economy in history and put Americans first.
KAMALANOMICS BY THE NUMBERS:
Inflation is a tax on ALL Americans.
When Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office, inflation was at just 1.4%.
Since Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office, inflation has risen by 20.5%.
Americans are paying more for just about everything because of inflation. Since Biden and Harris took office:
Food at elementary and secondary schools 69.7%.
Eggs are UP 69.2%.
Motor vehicle insurance is UP 56.5%.
Admission to sporting events is UP 46.4%.
Lodging away from home including hotels and motels is UP 42.4%.
Gasoline (all types) is UP 38.4%.
Baby food and formula are UP 31.0%.
Veterinarian services are UP 29.9%.
Cookies are UP 29.1%.
Uncooked ground beef is UP 28.2%.
Bakery products are UP 27.2%.
Chicken is UP 25.0%.
Airline fares are UP 24.5%.
Bread is UP 23.9%.
Pork chops are UP 23.0%.
Lunchmeats are UP 22.3%.
Milk is UP 16.2%.
Americans are spending $13,300 more annually to buy the basics because of Kamalaflation, compared to three years ago.
Real wages remain lower than when Biden-Harris first took office.
Inflation-adjusted average weekly earnings were $397.90 when Biden-Harris took office and are now $384.29 – the Bureau of Labor Statistics adjusts to 1982-1984 dollars – meaning Americans have seen a 3.4% decrease under Biden-Harris.
Kamalaflation outpaced wages for a majority of Biden’s presidency – both year-over-year real average hourly earnings and real average weekly earnings were negative for 25 months.
Interest rates have remained at a 23-year high.
Nearly half of Americans consider themselves “broke.”
Two-thirds of Americans report living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Americans need a six-figure salary to afford a typical home in nearly half of U.S. states
In September, the unemployment rate remained high, at 4.1%.
Over the past 12 months, 825,000 native-born Americans lost employment, while 1.2 million foreign-born workers found jobs.
There are over 6.8 million Americans who are unemployed which is up from a year ago at 6.3 million.
The labor force participation rate remains well below pre-pandemic levels.
In September, the labor force participation rates decreased for the following demographics:
Women, 16 years and over.
White women, 20 years and over.
Black or African American women, 20 years and over.
Asian Americans.
Hispanic or Latino Americans.
Hispanic or Latino men, 20 years and over.
Hispanic or Latino women, 20 years and over.
Since July of 2023 versus July of 2024, there has been a net zero job growth.
In August, it was announced that 818,000 jobs that the Harris-Biden Administration claimed to have created aren’t there.
The BLS revised down its total tally of jobs created from March 2023 through March 2024 by 818,000.
This included 115,000 manufacturing jobs.
The revision is the largest in 15 years.
In addition to these revisions, the August jobs report revealed the employment in June and July combined is 86,000 lower than previously reported.
The Biden-Harris Administration deserves no credit for economic growth.
Republican-led states are leading the way creating jobs and leading economic growth.
The latest state jobs report shows that 16 of the top 20 states for jobs recovered since the coronavirus pandemic began are led by Republican governors, and 16 of the states have Republican-controlled legislatures.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo, platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, pose for a photo in Vicenza, Italy, Oct. 3, 2024. Together they will represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the 40th annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2024. Over 459,685 runners have run the ATM since 1985, generating over $8 million in support of U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs since its inception. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros) VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo, platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, pose for a photo in Vicenza, Italy, Sept. 24, 2024. Together they will represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the 40th annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2024. Over 459,685 runners have run the ATM since 1985, generating over $8 million in support of U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs since its inception. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros) VIEW ORIGINAL
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U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa
VICENZA, Italy – Under a moonlit sky, two lone soldiers run side-by-side, their breath rising in misty clouds through the crisp morning air. For most, two miles worth of 400-meter sprints would conclude the running portion of their workout. However, this duo trains with ten more miles in their future.
The 40th annual U.S. Army Ten-Miler will take place on Oct. 13, 2024, in Washington, D.C., featuring teams and individuals from across the Army. This year, Capt. Jessica Knoll and 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo will represent Italy on the U.S. Army Europe and Africa team at the historic race.
“Every time I go to D.C., I call it my ‘Army family reunion’ because I see at least 10 people I either ran with or know from other installations,” Knoll said. “My family goes every year to support me, especially when I’ve been stationed outside the U.S.”
For Knoll, this year marks her eighth Army Ten-Miler, the fourth she has traveled to while based overseas.
U.S. Army Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, trains at the Caserma Del Din track in Vicenza, Italy, Sept. 24, 2024. Together with U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo, platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, she will represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the 40th annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2024. Over 459,685 runners have run the ATM since 1985, generating over $8 million in support of U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs since its inception. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros) VIEW ORIGINAL
Knoll runs this year’s race as the commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade. The previous two years, she represented U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). In 2015, she flew to D.C. all the way from South Korea as a member of the Eighth Army racing team.
”The Ten-Miler has been the one piece of continuity I’ve held onto throughout my Army career,” she said. “Wherever I’m stationed, I always call the Morale, Welfare and Recreation office asking about tryouts and local running events.”
Whereas Knoll is a veteran to the event, her teammate will be running in his first-ever Army Ten-Miler.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo, platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, pose for a photo in Vicenza, Italy, Oct. 3, 2024. Together they will represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the 40th annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2024. Over 459,685 runners have run the ATM since 1985, generating over $8 million in support of U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs since its inception. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros) VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo, platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, pose for a photo in Vicenza, Italy, Sept. 24, 2024. Together they will represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the 40th annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2024. Over 459,685 runners have run the ATM since 1985, generating over $8 million in support of U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs since its inception. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros) VIEW ORIGINAL
Fiorillo is a platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Brigade, and views the Ten-Miler as more than just a competition. He sees the race as a stepping-stone toward broader aspirations.
“I decided to run the Ten-Miler because I see it as an opportunity to expand my potential and bring me to the next level,” he said. “Racing against the Army’s best, including the World Class Athlete Program (WCAP), has always been my dream. I want to reach my full human potential and see my limits.”
Fiorillo says the race is also a test of leadership. He sees it as an opportunity to lead by example, demonstrating how to tackle challenges.
“As a leader, I need to take challenges head-on to inspire my subordinates, compete with my peers, and show my supervisors that I can overcome adversity to accomplish the mission,” he said.
Both Knoll and Fiorillo tally over 40 miles each week, with a mix of shorter speed runs and at least one longer distance run of over 12 miles. They also mix in strength training, as well as high intensity interval training, stretching, proper nutrition and recovery.
1 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo, platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, train at the Caserma Del Din track in Vicenza, Italy, Sept. 24, 2024. Together they will represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the 40th annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2024. Over 459,685 runners have run the ATM since 1985, generating over $8 million in support of U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs since its inception. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros) VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 2Show Caption +Hide Caption –U.S. Army Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, and U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo, platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, train at the Caserma Del Din track in Vicenza, Italy, Sept. 24, 2024. Together they will represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the 40th annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2024. Over 459,685 runners have run the ATM since 1985, generating over $8 million in support of U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs since its inception. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros) VIEW ORIGINAL
On race day, they will approach the starting line with different emotions.
“There are generally two feelings I have on race day: excitement, knowing that I’m as prepared as I can be, or nervousness,” said Fiorillo. “I’ve had races where I felt amazing at the start, but it turned out to be my worst race. On the flip side, I’ve had races where I felt terrible but ended up running a personal best.”
U.S. Army 2nd Lt. David “Alex” Fiorillo, platoon leader with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 57th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, trains at the Caserma Del Din track in Vicenza, Italy, Sept. 24, 2024. Together with U.S. Army Capt. Jessica Knoll, commander of Charlie Company, Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade, he will represent U.S. Army Europe and Africa at the 40th annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) in Washington, D.C., Oct. 13, 2024. Over 459,685 runners have run the ATM since 1985, generating over $8 million in support of U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) programs since its inception. (U.S. Army photo by Maj. Joe Legros) (Photo Credit: Maj. Joe Legros) VIEW ORIGINAL
Knoll looks forward to the race-day surroundings; but for now, her focus is squarely on the finish line.
“When people talk about taking in all the sights and sounds, I can never relate,” said Knoll. “But one thing is for sure, whether I’m representing the 173rd Airborne, SETAF-AF or U.S. Army Europe and Africa, I’m very grateful to be there and it’s an honor to run the Ten-Miler.”
As race day approaches, both Knoll and Fiorillo are focused on giving their best. Their dedication to the Army Ten-Miler represents not just a personal achievement, but also the spirit of Army excellence.
“I will show up ready to give it my all and see where the cards fall,” said Fiorillo. “The unknown is the reason for the excitement because it’s always possible something special can happen.”
