Category: Aviation

MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Addresses India-Malawi Business Meet

Source: Government of India

Addresses India-Malawi Business Meet

There is an immense scope for enhancing India-Malawi cooperation in the fields such as agriculture, mining, energy, tourism: PRESIDENT MURMU

Posted On: 17 OCT 2024 6:33PM by PIB Delhi

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, reached Lilongwe, Malawi this morning (October 17, 2024), on the final leg of her State Visits to Algeria, Mauritania, and Malawi. At the Kamuzu International Airport, the President was received by H.E. Mr Michael Usi, the Vice President of Malawi and other dignitaries. She was accorded a ceremonial welcome and was warmly greeted by children. A traditional cultural performance was also presented before the President at the airport.

This is the first ever State Visit from India to Malawi. The President was accompanied by the Minister of State, Shri Sukanata Majumdar, and Members of Parliament, Shri Mukeshkumar Dalal and Shri Atul Garg.

Later, the President graced and addressed the India-Malawi Business Meet.

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that Malawi is a country rich in natural reserves and fertile agricultural land. On the other hand, India has a large consumer base with increasing demand for energy, minerals and food for its large population. Both our countries can come together to find synergy in many areas. There is an immense scope for enhancing our cooperation in the fields of agriculture, mining, energy, tourism, etc.

The President was happy to note that the bilateral trade between India and Malawi has been growing. India is currently the fourth largest trading partner of Malawi. India is also one of the largest investors in Malawi with over 500 million US dollars worth of investments in various sectors.

The President said that the India-Malawi partnership is not confined to governments alone, as Africa has emerged as an important trade and investment destination. India’s private sector is at the forefront of driving this impetus. There are growing investments by Indian companies, both multinational and SMEs, in Africa in a range of sectors.

The President expressed confidence that the discussion held at the India-Malawi Business Meet would prove to be a significant milestone in developing commercial relations between the two countries.

In the evening, the President will address members of the Indian community at a Reception.

Click here to see the President’s speech.

***

MJPS/SR/SKS

(Release ID: 2065886) Visitor Counter : 29

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Combined planning conference held at Scott AFB for exercise series next Summer

Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Illinois –

Over 300 planners from seven nations, four services, and across multiple commands, came together last week for a Combined Mid-Planning Conference co-sponsored by Headquarters Air Force and United States Transportation Command, Sept 30-Oct 4 at Scott AFB, Illinois.

The 5-day planning event focused on operational-level planning, integration, interoperability, Joint movement, maneuver, and sustainment, and aligned a host of supporting functions for Air Mobility Command’s Exercise Mobility Guardian 25, as part of USTRANSCOM’s Ultimate Distribution 25, and aligned with Pacific Air Forces’ inaugural Resolute Force Pacific and the Department of the Air Force exercise planned to execute next summer in the Pacific.

The combined planning conference was also an opportunity to consolidate, prioritize, and understand desired training objectives across the various exercises scheduled to execute simultaneously in the region, including MG25, REFORPAC and several others.

This new Department-Level Exercise series provides a unique training opportunity for the United States and participating nations to exercise distributed operations and showcase the ability to deliver credible combat air and space power at speed and scale across the Pacific.

Lt. Gen. Jered Helwig, USTRANSCOM Deputy Commander, and Maj. Gen. Gerald Donohue, AMC Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration director welcomed participants to the planning event.

Donohue referred to next summer’s exercise campaign as a “family of nested exercises.”

“People traveled far and wide for this conference to work through a variety of challenges to ensure we build capacity for effect,” Donohue stated. “This exercise has grown from a singular, service-level exercise to what it is now – a combined, joint effort, and we couldn’t do it without the broad participation in the room.”

Helwig encouraged the crowd to take lessons learned from Mobility Guardian 23 and continue to build to achieve an increased level of joint integration and interoperability among allies and partners.

“We’ve been given a rare opportunity to train a warfighting function (logistics and sustainment) traditionally seen as the administrative piece,” Helwig stated. The general outlined that the exercise is intended to answer a question, “How do we synchronize in a meaningful way for our joint service and Allies and Partners?”

With synchronization on the mind, participants broke into multiple working groups to tackle various problem sets and discuss topics ranging from command relationships, aeromedical evacuation, basing and bed down locations, to everything in the scope of flying, fixing, and supporting at an expanded scale.

“This is the first large-scale international exercise planning conference I’ve been involved in, so it’s been a real pleasure to come down here and work with the United States and the other allied nations and partners,” said Lt Justin Vandenberghe, a Public Affairs Officer for the Canadian Joint Operations Command in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. “It has been very complex in terms of understanding all the moving parts that are going into the combined exercises, not just Mobility Guardian. It’s a really good experience seeing how we can come together and work on complex problem sets and come to understand how we’re going to execute this mission during the exercise.”

The conference was also a first for Senior Airman Jisselle Metzdorf, Air Combat Command logistics planner.

She said she was grateful for the opportunity to show what mobility provides to the joint force and to learn from her mistakes and be an example for her peers.

“The way I see it, logistics planners are part of a bigger mission,” she said. “Airmen in my career field are really scared to make mistakes because if they make mistakes, the whole mission could fail… but my takeaway from this [conference] is that’s how you learn and grow. I feel like the experiences I’ve had really pushed me to this vision of myself that I need to have to ensure my wingmen are being cared for.”

As a logistics planner, Metzdorf and her counterparts were focused on building a consolidated operational approach to enable agile logistics and maneuver under contested conditions.

C-17s from the Air National Guard are among the aircraft that plan to test their ability to demonstrate logistics architecture in the region in concert with allies and partners.

Lt. Col. Shane O’Neill, ANG lead C-17 planner and Total Force partner, explained how the Guard mentality and construct continues to change to meet the demands of the current operating environment.

“The Air National Guard is being utilized much more than 10-15 years ago, and not just for backfill to supplement when active duty gets deployed. Now we are completely integrating with active-duty units and doing things just like any other unit would,” O’Neill said.

The conference ended with an out brief to USINDOPACOM, USTRANSCOM, HAF, PACAF, and AMC senior leaders who thanked the planners for their dedication and collective effort toward ensuring the DAF remains a trusted and credible partner in the Indo-Pacific region.

Lt. Gen. Rebecca Sonkiss, AMC deputy commander, expressed excitement and concurrence on the way ahead.

“This is exactly where we need to be. We must maneuver the joint force, our Allies and Partners, and all those who depend on us simultaneously,” she stated. “It’s amazing to see the interoperability that has been woven into the planning efforts, and I’m really excited to see it come to fruition next summer.”

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Canadian tourism ministers join forces to propel tourism forward

Source: Government of Canada News

Tourism is a key industry and economic driver in every province and territory, supporting over 2 million jobs, or about 10 percent of all employment in Canada in 2023.

October 17, 2024 – Banff, Alberta

Tourism is a key industry and economic driver in every province and territory, supporting over 2 million jobs, or about 10 percent of all employment in Canada in 2023. In several jurisdictions, tourism is the top or one of the top service exports. Today, the federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for tourism participated in the 2024 Canadian Council of Tourism Ministers (CCTM) meeting in Banff National Park. The meeting was held in Alberta with the Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, as well as the Honourable Joseph Schow, Alberta Minister of Tourism and Sport, co-chairing and recognizing the traditional Treaty 7 territory.

In 2023, tourism industries represented nearly 6 percent of Canada’s total economy and almost 8 percent of the Canadian service economy. Tourism revenues reached $113.4 billion in 2023 and the positive experiences international tourists have in Canada enhance the country’s brand abroad. Tourism has strong growth potential in every province and territory, and ministers recognized that strategic and collaborative actions will propel the sector forward.

Throughout the meeting, ministers heard from tourism stakeholders on the areas of destination development, investment attraction, workforce development and retention, air access, parks and recreation, and emergency management. Ministers acknowledged the importance of having consistent dialogue with experts in these fields to capitalize on trends, glean critical operational insights, and work collaboratively with industry partners to find solutions for the most pressing challenges facing the sector. Ministers sought an international perspective by inviting a speaker from the Government of Australia to discuss experiences and best practices in attracting workers to careers in tourism. Ministers also heard from Alberta officials about their successes in supporting the recovery and relaunch of the tourism sector, while bringing attention to ambitious strategic plans for the future, which aim to more than double the size of the province’s visitor economy within the next decade. Alberta demonstrated leadership within Canada’s overall tourism economy, ushering in a return to pre-pandemic levels of visitor spending two years ahead of schedule.

Ministers also acknowledged the economic impact of this summer’s wildfires across Canada, particularly in the Municipality of Jasper and Jasper National Park, as well as the critical importance of effective emergency management and disaster preparedness. Ministers also noted that emergency management is paramount for all jurisdictions as, like other countries, Canada faces the potential of a range of emergency events year-round. Maintaining Canada’s brand and reputation are important components of the collaborative work of jurisdictions to respond to events as they arise.

Ministers were pleased with the work accomplished by the CCTM Working Groups throughout 2024 to address the topics of destination access and economic growth, as well as the important connections forged with external organizations. Ministers took the opportunity to discuss areas that impact the growth of tourism in Canada, such as limited transportation connectivity in some regions, barriers to raising private capital for investments, fees and regulations impacting the competitiveness of domestic air travel, and associated challenges including the seasonal nature of tourism. Recognizing the critical importance of the link between tourism and transportation, there was a desire to invite the Federal Minister of Transport to next year’s CCTM meeting.

In 2025, the CCTM will seek to refresh the mandates of the Working Groups to ensure their work addresses emerging priorities while effectively leveraging inter-governmental collaboration. To that end, jurisdictions will be focusing on the responsiveness and preparedness of the sector to emergency events, and ensuring capacity for strong economic growth of the industry. Efforts will be made to look at new mandate areas from different angles, while also engaging broadly across the sector to ensure CCTM priorities align with industry.

Canada’s provinces and territories continue to showcase their diverse tourism offerings globally, ranging from parks and attractions in the great outdoors, to major festivals and events, and Indigenous tourism. Successes are evident with Canada’s overall position on the World Economic Forum’s Travel & Tourism Development Index improving to 11th place in the 2024 ranking, up from 13th place in 2021. Going forward, ministers are keen to work collaboratively to tackle persistent issues and showcase Canada’s leadership in tourism on the world stage.

Marie-Justine Torres
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
613-327-5918
marie-justine.torresames@ised-isde.gc.ca

Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
media@ised-isde.gc.ca

Amber Edgerton
Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Tourism and Sport
Government of Alberta
780-222-6113
amber.edgerton@gov.ab.ca

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Completes Visits to All 87 Counties in 2024

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)

MINNESOTA – With stops today in three remaining counties: Aitkin (American Peat Manufacturing); Carlton (local airport), and Kanabec (Lakes & Pines Community Action Council), U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has once again visited every one of Minnesota’s 87 counties in one year.

“The best way for me to do my job is by listening to the people of Minnesota and getting things done for them,” said Klobuchar. “That’s why every year I meet with Minnesotans all over our state and discuss what we can get done together. From expanding child care and housing to supporting local businesses, I’m committed to taking action on the issues that matter most.”

Today, Klobuchar toured American Peat Technology in Aitkin and then went to the Cloquet Airport in Carlton County which is developing a new storage hanger thanks to federal funding. Klobuchar ended the day in Mora and visited the Lakes and Pines Community Action Council.

This year, Klobuchar’s stops included:

1. Aitkin
• Toured American Peat Technology and met with their leadership team.

2. Anoka
• Gave remarks at the USA Cup Opening Ceremony in Blaine.
• Attended the 43rd annual Game Fair and discussed conservation policy with Ron Schara.
• Participated in Coon Rapids 4th of July Festivities.
• Attended the Blaine Festival.

3. Becker
• Led a child care discussion and toured the Boys & Girls Club of Detroit Lakes LEAP Preschool.

4. Beltrami
• Led a breakfast discussion with Bemidji City and Beltrami county and tribal leaders.
• Spoke at the dedication ceremony of the new Bemidji Veterans Home, toured it with veterans, and met with Red Lake Band Members.

5. Benton
• Toured SNX Technologies Inc. and met with their leadership.

6. Big Stone
• Discussed agriculture with local farmers while touring Anne Schwagerl’s farm.

7. Blue Earth
• Visited Mankato in the aftermath of severe flooding with Mankato mayor and Representative Finstad.
• Met with family and friends of Sergeant Cade Wolfe.

8. Brown
• Attended the community celebration at the Pheasant Opener in Sleepy Eye and spoke at the Pheasants Forever land dedication.
• Toured the New Ulm Airport’s recent upgrades and met with local leaders.

9. Carlton
• Toured the new Cloquet airport hangar with airport leadership and the Cloquet mayor.

10. Carver
• Led a discussion with the City of Chaska mayor and public safety leadership about their Emergency Operations Center project.
• Toured the town of Carver with the mayor in the aftermath of severe flooding.
• Attended the Highway 212 Groundbreaking Ceremony.
• Spoke to veterans at the Chanhassen Memorial Day event.

11. Cass
• Led a community discussion with the Walker mayor and local business leaders.

12. Chippewa
• Spoke with veterans and toured the new Montevideo Veterans Home.

13. Chisago
• Discussed regional tourism and toured the Franconia Sculpture Park.

14. Clay
• Celebrated the launch of the federally funded Moorhead 11th Street Underpass project.
• Attended the Reimagine Romkey Park event.

15. Clearwater
• Toured TEAM Industries and met with their leadership.

16. Cook
• Visited the North Shore Winery and Coho Cafe.

17. Cottonwood
• Toured Red Rock Rural Water Treatment Center and visited with local leaders.

18. Crow Wing
• Met with the mayor and city leadership about the Highway 210 expansion in Brainerd.
• Toured the new YMCA child care center.

19. Dakota
• Gave remarks at the Kaposia Library opening in South Saint Paul.
• Met with Burnsville first responders.
• Attended the opening ceremony of the Veterans Memorial Greenway in Inver Grove Heights.
• Met with law enforcement and community leaders in Hastings to highlight the Cooper/Davis Act that requires social media to alert authorities when controlled substances are being distributed illicitly on their platforms.
• Attended an event in Inver Grove Heights to highlight the new Criminal Justice Network for Minnesota law enforcement.
• Led the Survivor March and delivered remarks at the Susan G. Komen 32nd Annual Race for the Cure in Eagan.

20. Dodge
• Met with the owner and toured Chaotic Good Brewery in Kasson.

21. Douglas
• Led a discussion at the Alexandria YMCA about their child care program.

22. Faribault
• Met with leadership and toured Winnebago Manufacturing in Blue Earth.

23. Fillmore
• Toured Harmony Enterprises manufacturing facility and their child care center.
• Toured the new Preston State Veterans Home and met with veterans.

24. Freeborn
• Led a discussion and toured the Freeborn/Mower Electric Cooperative in Albert Lea.

25. Goodhue
• Met with students and school leadership to hear about the Red Wing Flight Path workforce training program.
• Spoke at the 50th Anniversary Jaunt With Jim bike ride in Cannon Falls.

26. Grant
• Toured the West Central High School Greenhouse and the Central Lakes College’s mobile meat cutting trailer and met with FFA students and their instructors.

27. Hennepin
• Attended the annual MLK Breakfast.
• Delivered remarks at the Asia Mall Lunar New Year celebration in Bloomington.
• Delivered Remarks at the MN Newspaper Association Convention.
• Met with officers at the Minneapolis Second Precinct Station.
• Convened a meeting with the Metropolitan Airport Commission leadership to hear updates on aviation safety and passenger experience.
• Delivered remarks at the Stand with Ukraine Two Year Commemoration event.
• Spoke at the Annual Parkinson’s Foundation Walk in Plymouth.
• Delivered remarks at the Celebrating the Sistas Awards Ceremony and presented the Icon Award honoring Laysha Ward.
• Delivered remarks at the MN Ovarian Cancer Alliance Gala.
• Visited Woodlake Nature Center in Richfield and met with staff.
• Spoke at the 78th Annual Paralyzed Veterans of America National Convention.
• Participated in the groundbreaking event for the St. Louis Park Cedar Lake Road Reconstruction project.
• Spoke at the Annual Somali Independence Day Street Festival.
• Delivered remarks at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation 75th Anniversary Gala.
• Toured the I-494 construction site and met with local project leaders in Bloomington.
• Attended the Minnesota Business Partnership Annual Dinner.
• Attended the Twin Cities Pride Parade and Festival in Minneapolis.
• Honored the Legendary Cornbread Harris at an event with his son Jimmy Jam.
• Attended Champlin Father Hennepin Festival.
• Convened a meeting with the Metropolitan Airport Commission leadership to hear updates on aviation safety and passenger experience.
• Attended the Charles Lindbergh Richfield Post Office Dedication Ceremony.
• Presented the Spirit of Hospitality Award at the Bloomington Travel and Tourism Diamond Service Awards Gala.
• Attended the Niron opening and met with local businesses and Shakopee Band investors.

28. Houston
• Led a discussion with leadership and toured the Houston County airport in Caledonia.

29. Hubbard
• Toured a workforce housing development and met with local leaders.

30. Isanti
• Toured the North Star Child and Family Advocacy Center in Braham.

31. Itasca
• Met with leadership and toured the KOOTASCA Child Care Hub.

32. Jackson
• Met with first responders to discuss the new EMS telemedicine ambulance in Jackson.

33. Kanabec
• Toured the Lakes and Pines Community Action Council and visited with leaders.

34. Kandiyohi
• Toured the Life Link III Air Base at Willmar Municipal Airport.
• Attended the four lane Highway 23 completion celebration.

35. Kittson
• Met with owners and toured Far North Distillery.

36. Koochiching
• Met with the team at the Voyageurs National Park Headquarters.

37. Lac qui Parle
• Toured PURIS Plant-Based Protein manufacturing facility and met with leadership.

38. Lake
• Visited the iconic Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors.

39. Lake of the Woods
• Met with county leadership about their new water safety equipment.

40. Le Sueur
• Led a discussion with the Le Sueur Sheriff and other local leaders and toured the department.
• Viewed the flood damage and met with leadership in Waterville about federal assistance.

41. Lincoln
• Led a discussion at Lyon-Lincoln Electric Co-Op with their leadership.

42. Lyon
• Visited the farm of Carolyn and Jonathan Olson in Cottonwood.

43. McLeod
• Participated in the Winsted Post Office Rededication Ceremony to James A. Rogers, Jr.

44. Mahnomen
• Toured the White Earth Nation College with Chairman Fairbanks and members of the Tribal Council.

45. Marshall
• Toured North Valley Health Center Community Hospital in Warren.

46. Martin
• Toured the CHS soybean processing facility in Fairmont.

47. Meeker
• Toured the Doosan Bobcat manufacturing plant and met with leadership in Litchfield.

48. Mille Lacs
• Met with the owner and enjoyed breakfast at the Bee Cafe in Milaca.

49. Morrison
• Delivered remarks at the Memorial Day program at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls.
• Met with the mayor and area leadership to discuss the Little Falls bridge project.

50. Mower
• Led a discussion and toured the Hormel Foods child care center in Austin.
• Attended the I-90 bridge project groundbreaking ceremony in Austin.

51. Murray
• Met with the owners and got a tour of Painted Prairie Vineyard in Currie.

52. Nicollet
• Toured KATO Engineering and met with leadership in North Mankato.
• Delivered remarks and presented the Purple Heart at a ceremony honoring Corporal Earl Meyer in St. Peter.

53. Nobles
• Met with CEDA and county officials to discuss child care projects and solutions in Worthington.
• Toured the Highway 59 federally funded street project with Worthington leadership.

54. Norman
• Convened a meeting with Norman County leadership to discuss the West Central Regional Water District project.

55. Olmsted
• Delivered remarks at the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Annual Legislative Conference in Rochester.
• Attended the Memorial Day Rochester Honkers game.
• Toured the Mayo Clinic’s new Kellen building.
• Delivered remarks at the Soldier’s Field Aquatic Center improvements opening ceremony.
• Led a discussion with county leadership and law enforcement about efforts to combat illegal fentanyl use in Rochester.

56. Otter Tail
• Met with leadership from Pioneer Kids Child Care and toured the facility in Fergus Falls with Fergus Falls Chamber of Commerce members.

57. Pennington
• Visited Northern Woodwork Inc. in Thief River Falls.
• Met with city and business leadership at Rivers and Rails Brewing Company.

58. Pine
• Toured Pine Technical & Community College and met with leadership.

59. Pipestone
• Met with local leaders at the Pipestone Airport to discuss improvement plans.

60. Polk
• Met with child care and city leaders at the Prairie Pines Child Care Center in Fosston.

61. Pope
• Met with staff and toured Clyde Machines in Glenwood with the mayor and Pope County leadership.

62. Ramsey
• Toured PAR Systems in Shoreview.
• Delivered remarks at the St. Paul Firefighters Local 21 Installation celebration.
• Gave welcome remarks at the Thai Songkran Festival opening ceremony.
• Delivered remarks at the Official State Memorial Day event at Fort Snelling.
• Spoke at the Hmong Freedom Festival in St. Paul.
• Hosted Secretary Becerra at the Episcopal Homes Senior Living Center to highlight Medicare drug pricing.
• Hosted tourism event at the Minnesota State Fair in Falcon Heights.
• Toured the Carter Work Project in St. Paul with Habitat for Humanity leadership.
• Delivered remarks at the Military Appreciation Day event at the MN State Fair.
• Spoke at the CLUES Fiesta Latina in St. Paul.
• Toured Delkor Systems in Arden Hills with Ex-Im Bank Director Herrnstadt.
• Led a round table discussion with Ex-Im Bank director and Minnesota business leaders.
• Delivered remarks at the St. Paul Kellogg-Third Street Bridge Construction Kick Off event.
• Attended the Serving Our Troops Event in support of military families.
• Attended St. Paul St. Patrick’s Day festivities.
• Toured the Neighborhood Development Center with Secretary Yellen

63. Red Lake
• Led a discussion about the Farm Bill with the Minnesota Wheat Growers Association and Minnesota Barley Growers Association.

64. Redwood
• Delivered remarks and met with agricultural leaders at Farmfest.

65. Renville
• Toured K&M Manufacturing in Renville and met with employees.

66. Rice
• Met local leaders and manufacturers to tour a planned child care facility in Faribault.
• Toured flood damage and met with leadership in Northfield.

67. Rock
• Toured the new child care center under construction in Luverne.

68. Roseau
• Attended annual Hockey Day Celebration activities in Warroad.

69. Saint Louis
• Toured flood damage in downtown Cook with the mayor and local leaders.
• Toured the flash flood damage in Biwabik with the mayor and local leaders.
• Joined Duluth mayor to highlight the success of their flood mitigation projects.
• Visited the Blatnik Bridge to highlight its need for repair.
• Attended Fourth of July festivities in Aurora, Gilbert, Eveleth, Tower, and Ely.
• Presented a flag to the Ely mayor at Ely Memorial High School in commemoration of their 100th Anniversary Celebration.
• Attended Labor Day events in Duluth and Virginia.

70. Scott
• Met with Scott County Sheriff leadership, viewed the new rescue equipment, and toured the 911 Dispatch Center in Shakopee.

71. Sherburne
• Met with leadership of the Wave Youth Center in Big Lake to tour and discuss their expansion project for middle and high school-aged youth.

72. Sibley
• Toured the Heartland Ethanol Plant in Winthrop with company leadership.

73. Stearns
• Delivered remarks at the annual St. John’s Boys’ Choir Spring Gala in St. Cloud.
• Spoke at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center 100th Anniversary celebration.
• Toured the St. Cloud Coborn’s with business leadership.

74. Steele
• Convened a discussion with Owatonna High School staff and Chamber of Commerce leadership about their Youth Skills Training Program.

75. Stevens
• Met with the Chancellor of UMN Morris and toured the campus.

76. Swift
• Toured the Swift County Historical Museum in Benson and met with leadership.

77. Todd
• Met with company leadership of EnterpriseCP Manufacturing and toured the facility.

78. Traverse
• Led a discussion with Browns Valley mayor and fire chief to hear about fire department operations.

79. Wabasha
• Toured Pepin Manufacturing Inc. in Lake City.
• Spoke at the Governor’s Fishing Opener Kick-Off in Lake City.

80. Wadena
• Met with Central Lakes College leaders to discuss their Butchery Program and federal partnerships.

81. Waseca
• Met with staff and toured Winegar Manufacturing in Waseca.

82. Washington
• Spoke at the 1st Annual Momentous Music Festival with Brian Mueller in Woodbury, honoring Aimee Muller.
• Attended the Hugo Good Neighbors Day festivities.

83. Watonwan
• Visited the farm of Harold Wolle in St. James.

84. Wilkin
• Toured CHI St. Francis Health and met with leadership in Breckenridge.

85. Winona
• Visited local businesses in Winona with Chamber of Commerce leadership to discuss tourism.

86. Wright
• Attended the I-94 West Corridor Coalition Gap Project Groundbreaking Ceremony in Monticello which received federal funds.

87. Yellow Medicine
• Met with leadership and visited the Yellow Medicine County Historical Society and Museum.
• Walked the Dave Smiglewski Memorial Trail in Granite Falls with the Smiglewski Family.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: 28 killed, 160 injured in Israeli bombing on school-turned shelter in N. Gaza

Source: China State Council Information Office

Displaced Palestinians are seen at a temporary shelter in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, on Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

At least 28 Palestinians were killed and 160 others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a school housing displaced people in the Jabalia camp of northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, the Hamas-run Gaza government media office said.

Fires broke out in the tents of the displaced individuals in the schoolyard because of the bombing. Some casualties were transferred to a hospital in northern Gaza, while ambulance teams were unable to reach the people in the targeted school, according to the Palestinian official news agency WAFA.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that the Israeli Air Force conducted a “precise strike” on an operational meeting point for Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants in northern Gaza.

The militants were operating inside a command and control center embedded inside a compound that previously served as the Abu Hassan School, the IDF said.

Dozens of militants were present in the compound at the time of the strike, said the IDF, which also published 12 names of those present.

The militants were involved in rocket attacks into the Israeli territory, as well as in planning and committing attacks against IDF troops and Israel in recent days, it claimed.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the Civil Defense in Gaza, said Thursday in a statement that the Israeli army is carrying out a “systematic destruction” of the Jabalia camp, using all means, including explosive robots, to empty the camp.

The Israeli army refuses to allow ambulances to reach the area and transport the casualties, while bodies of victims are still under the rubble, Basal said.

Meanwhile, Gaza-based health authorities warned Thursday in a press statement that newborns in the nursery of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza are facing a humanitarian disaster due to a fuel crisis and a shortage of medicines and medical supplies amid ongoing Israeli siege of northern Gaza.

Also on Thursday, Palestinian paramedics said they recovered the bodies of five people killed in two separate attacks on a house and a gathering north of Gaza City.

Palestinian sources also reported at least 17 deaths on Thursday in other places across Gaza. According to the sources, three people were killed and dozens of others wounded in an Israeli airstrike on a tent housing displaced people in the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.

Medics told Xinhua that eight people were killed and dozens of others injured in an Israeli bombing on a house belonging to the al-Helou family west of Gaza City, while the Civil Defense Authority in Gaza said Thursday in a press statement that its team recovered the bodies of six Palestinians killed in a bombing in the town of al-Fakhari, east of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza.

Local sources and eyewitnesses told Xinhua that Israeli aircraft and artillery intensively bombed the outskirts of the Zeitoun neighborhood in southern Gaza and the Sabra neighborhood in the west, amidst gunfire from Israeli tanks.

According to the IDF, its troops have killed militants and destroyed infrastructure in the area of Rafah in southern Gaza over the past day, dismantled a “terrorist cell” and located a large number of weapons in northern Gaza, and dismantled military infrastructure and killed militants in central Gaza, including in the outskirts of Nuseirat and Al Bureij refugee camps. The IDF did not specify the number of the casualties.

Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage.

The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has risen to 42,438, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Banking: Lufthansa Group appoints Brendan Shashoua as Lufthansa Group’s Senior Director Sales – Southeast Asia and the Pacific

Source: Lufthansa Group

Brendan Shashoua has been appointed Lufthansa Group’s Senior Director Sales – Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Based in Singapore, he leads Lufthansa Group’s sales force across Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.

Born and raised in Switzerland, Brendan Shashoua began his Lufthansa Group career in revenue management at SWISS in 2011. After 2.5 years, he progressed into sales as a Global Key Account Manager with responsibilities for the management of some of Lufthansa Group’s largest corporate customers. In 2018, he began his first team lead position in Sales Services and Groups in Switzerland where he was responsible for development of the inaugural Lufthansa Group Global Sales Services Competence Center.

In July 2021, he assumed the role of Director of Regional Sales Canada with responsibility for the entire Canadian market, including Lufthansa Group’s successful Joint Venture with United Airlines and Air Canada. Brendan Shashoua is a dual citizen of both Switzerland and the United Kingdom and holds an Executive MBA from Zurich University. He is happily married with one son.

About Lufthansa Group

The Lufthansa Group is an aviation group with operations worldwide. With 100,000+ employees, Lufthansa Group generated revenue of €35.4bn in the financial year 2023. Our largest business segment is Passenger Airlines while other key business segments include Logistics and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO). Other companies and Group functions such as IT companies and Lufthansa Aviation Training form complimentary components of the Group. All airlines and business segments play leading roles in their respective markets.

MIL OSI Global Banks –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: When does the love of the game outweigh the cost? ABC’s Plum brings rugby league’s concussion crisis to the fore

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle O’Shea, Senior Lecturer, School of Business, Western Sydney University

ABC

Brendan Cowell’s 2021 novel Plum has expertly wed two seemingly unnatural partners: rugby league and poetry. Cowell’s story is both an ode of love to rugby league, and a powerful exploration of the catastrophic effects of sport-induced brain injury.

This story has now been brought to life in an ABC drama of the same name. It brilliantly reflects the experience of many players who are left to suffer – often in silence – with the long-term costs of the game.

A theatre of damage revealed

Our introduction to the main character, Peter “The Plum” Lum (played by Cowell), is jarring. Plum’s body lies motionless in a darkened changing room, enveloped by the distant sounds of a roaring stadium full of fans, a sharp referee’s whistle and the commentator’s pitched voice: “this poor bloke, he has had his head absolutely battered”.

We watch the doctor’s light worryingly cast to and fro across Plum’s dazed gaze, while his heavily pregnant wife’s concerned face looms large. Much larger, however, is the coach’s demand: “get the salts doc” – and his insistence that “the only way he (Plum) isn’t going back out there (on the field) is if he is fucking dead”.

And so the act proceeds, with Plum, like many athletes before and after him, returning heroically to the field. Though his team is victorious – another trophy retained – we’re forced to consider the unspoken costs of his love for the game.

These costs are amplified once the adoration from Plum’s fans and teammates, and his mantle as Cronulla’s king, are no more. We come to know a shell of a man who is desperate to deny, despite the advice of his doctor, the cognitive and other effects of the “little jolts” and “hard head knocks” experienced throughout his career.

The intensity with which Plum keeps his health condition a secret, and the ongoing abuse he levels on his body, provide a window into the lived experiences of many rugby league players. While this game gives, it also takes more than its fair share.

Asher Keddie stars as Plum’s former wife, Renee.
ABC

Masculinity and collision sports

The series highlights the emerging scientific link between collision sports such as rugby league and degenerative brain conditions including CTE-induced dementia – as well as attempts to discredit this science and silence the voices of athletes and families seeking redress from league administrators.

Contact and collision sports have often required athletes to sacrifice their brains and bodies in the pursuit of glory and success.

While a diagnosis of the degenerative brain disease Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) can only be made posthumously, Plum displays many of the hallmark symptoms: impaired judgement, impulse control issues, aggression, depression and anxiety.

Viewers are taken into the deep fog of this existence. As a 1990s playmaker, Plum had fame but not fortune. Nearing 50, working at an airport, we see a traumatic near-miss as he experiences an epileptic seizure.

His forgetfulness leaves him unable to remember his favourite player’s name at a Cronulla Sharks corporate event. He suffers confusion and anxiety. Aggressive acts, including punching holes in bedroom walls, become his daily pain and shame.

Plum’s absent father’s advice to “never take a backwards step” also echoes throughout the series, reflecting the deeply embedded view of rugby league as a hard sport played by equally hard men.

This hard man veneer is grounded in stoicism – and for Plum and his former teammates, in unhealthy addictions to gambling, drugs and grog. Plum repels his family and friends, making his world intentionally small for fear he might forget something or someone. The series brings to the fore the raw and visceral effects of hypermasculinity and not speaking out.

Cowell himself hails from the Sydney suburb of Cronulla, where the show is set.
ABC

Rugby league and poetry

The series also features poetry and the presence of past literary figures (conjured in Plum’s mind) such as Charles Bukowski and Sylvia Plath. As viewers, we see Plum’s internal dialogues with these apparitions, but his family and friends can’t.

Plum also joins a local poetry group, where his decaying brain finds purpose and connection. This unlikely outlet becomes his therapy. It comforts him and provides him a space to communicate his experiences with the outside world. Through his ode to rugby league, we witness him come closer to clarity.

Read more:
Why a portrait of a former NRL great could spark greater concussion awareness in Australia

All the while, Plum’s son is a talented player on the verge of a professional rugby league contract. And although Plum doesn’t regret a minute of his playing career, his prognosis leaves him urging his son away from the sport’s theatre of damage. This is a decision echoed by many parents in real life.

The future of collision sports

Reflecting on the potential impact of his book and the ABC series, Cowell imagines a space where the competitive commercial rivalries between football codes such as AFL, rugby union and soccer are suspended.

Instead of competing for a greater share of the market via trivial one-upmanship, sport leagues could pool their resources to invest in science that helps us understand and prevent sport-induced brain trauma.

Considering how many rugby players conceal and/or fail to report concussive episodes, we’ll need a major cultural shakeup at all levels of the game – because a love for the game should never come at the expense of oneself.

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

– ref. When does the love of the game outweigh the cost? ABC’s Plum brings rugby league’s concussion crisis to the fore – https://theconversation.com/when-does-the-love-of-the-game-outweigh-the-cost-abcs-plum-brings-rugby-leagues-concussion-crisis-to-the-fore-240550

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Readout of 49th Republic of Korea and United States Military Committee Meeting between Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., and Chairman of the Republic of Korea Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Kim Myung-Soo

Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff

October 17, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Joint Staff Spokesperson Navy Capt. Jereal Dorsey provided the following readout:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., met with Chairman of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Kim Myung-Soo virtually today during the 49th Republic of Korea and United States Military Committee Meeting (MCM).

Adm. Kim and Lt. Gen. Jin Yong-Sung, Chief Director of J5 (acting), ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff, represented the ROK delegation. Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, joined Gen. Brown as part of the U.S. delegation. Gen. Paul LaCamera, Commander, United Nations Command (UNC), Combined Forces Command (CFC), and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), represented the ROK-U.S. CFC.

During the discussions, Gen. Brown and Adm. Kim recognized the significance of the U.S.-ROK alliance over the last 71 years. The alliance underscores the shared sacrifice and ironclad commitment of the U.S. and ROK to maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. The leaders recognized the importance of maintaining a robust combined defensive posture to deter additional provocations from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).

The two leaders expressed concerns over key regional and peninsular security challenges, including the DPRK threats across all domains, including increasing missile capabilities, nuclear threats, cyber-attacks. Adm. Kim emphasized the illegitimacy of recent ongoing act of DPRK sending trash balloons into the ROK and the DPRK’s recent declaration naming the ROK as a hostile state. Both leaders underscored that the DPRK’s provocative acts, and the DPRK’s enhance military cooperation with Russia destabilize peace and security on the Peninsula and across the globe.

Both leaders discussed the responsibilities of recently activated ROK Strategic Command (ROK STRATCOM), and the importance of closely connecting its capabilities and planning activities to the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command per the Washington Declaration of 2023. Gen. Brown reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to extended deterrence and the defense of the ROK.

The leaders lauded each country’s contributions in enhancing and improving trilateral cooperation to include a flight of two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers that flew with fighter aircraft from both South Korea and Japan, marking the first trilateral aerial exercise between the nations. Additionally, both leaders highly commended the inaugural execution of exercise Freedom Edge, a trilateral multi-domain exercise, which further promoted interoperability between the three nations.

Further, Gen. Brown and Adm. Kim acknowledged the meaningful progress made across the various fields in the conditions-based operational control transition plan for the ROK-U.S. Future Combined Forces Command (F-CFC).

Both leaders affirmed, in the strongest words possible, their unwavering commitment to the combined defense posture under the U.S. – ROK Mutual Defense Treaty, emphasizing their dedication to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and in the region.

The MCM is part of the U.S. – ROK bilateral consultation process, which convenes annually or as required. The committee provides strategic direction and operational guidance to the CFC in defense of the ROK and addresses Alliance military issues. The United States and the ROK have alternated hosting this meeting in Washington, D.C. and Seoul since it first convened in 1978.

The 49^th MCM was planned to be held in Washington D.C., however, after mutual coordination, was held virtually in light of the recent grave security developments on the Peninsula.

For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.
Connect with the Joint Staff on social media:
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,
LinkedIn and Flickr.

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Elements of the 15th MEU Return Home from Deployment Aboard USS Harpers Ferry

Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. –

More than 300 Marines and Sailors with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, embarked aboard USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), returned home to San Diego Oct. 16 after completing a seven-month deployment in the U.S. 7th and 3rd Fleet areas of operation.

The deployment, which began on March 19, marked a milestone as it included the first operational use of the Marine Corps’ new amphibious combat vehicles. The experience and insights gained by the ACV Platoon and Battalion Landing Team 1/5 during this deployment have laid the groundwork for refining tactics, logistics, and maintenance practices for future expeditionary operations.

“Our team aboard Harpers Ferry made lasting contributions in the Indo-Pacific, conducting training while integrated with our allies, in both the Philippines and South Korea,” said Col. Sean Dynan, commanding officer of the 15th MEU. “They accomplished so much during these seven months while taking on the unique responsibility of employing ACVs on their first deployment. The lessons they learned and the procedures they developed with their Navy counterparts will inform future operations for years to come.”

Elements of the 15th MEU aboard Harpers Ferry included Marines and Sailors from the Command Element, BLT 1/5, and Combat Logistics Battalion 15.

During the deployment, 15th MEU forces aboard Harpers Ferry engaged in three major exercises. In the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations, Marines and Sailors joined other elements of the 15th MEU assigned to the amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) in the Philippines for Exercise Balikatan 24. This bilateral exercise, conducted with the Armed Forces of the Philippines, focused on securing key maritime terrain, conducting simulated long-range precision strikes, and enhancing missile defense capabilities.

During Balikatan, the ACV Platoon conducted a live-fire waterborne gunnery exercise in Oyster Bay, marking the first overseas employment of ACVs. Using their automated remote weapons systems, the ACVs engaged simulated targets afloat and on shore.

After the conclusion of Balikatan, the 15th MEU’s force aboard Harpers Ferry remained in the Philippines to participate in Archipelagic Coastal Defense Continuum (ACDC) from May 13-24. ACDC included bilateral training with the Philippine Marine Corps’ 3rd Marine Brigade (3MBDE) to bolster coastal defense strategies. The 15th MEU and 3MBDE conducted large-scale coastal defense rehearsals and completed the largest military convoy to date on Palawan Island, moving forces rapidly to simulate a coastal defense scenario.

ACDC also featured numerous subject matter expert exchanges between BLT 1/5 and CLB-15 with their Philippine counterparts on various topics, such as weapons employment, unmanned aircraft systems integration, tactical combat casualty care, and motorized operations. These exchanges strengthened U.S.-Philippine bilateral military proficiency and improved mutual understanding of defense tactics in the Philippines.

Following ACDC in the Philippines, the 15th MEU embarked aboard Harpers Ferry and traveled to Okinawa, Japan. On June 24, Alpha Company, BLT 1/5, and the ACV Platoon conducted a ship-to-shore movement, with the ACVs splashing into the waters off White Beach Naval Facility after Alpha Company’s Marines practiced troop egress and transfer procedures. This marked the ACVs’ first time ashore in a foreign country.

In August, the 15th MEU’s forces aboard the USS Harpers Ferry arrived in South Korea to conduct two weeks of unit-level training (ULT) alongside the Republic of Korea Marine Corps’ 7th Brigade. During this period, the Marines demonstrated the off-road mobility and automated crew-served weapons capabilities of the new ACVs in a series of live-fire exercises.

The highlight of their month-long stay was Exercise Ssang Yong 24, where Alpha Company embarked the ACVs for a large-scale amphibious landing at Hwajin-ri Beach near Pohang. Meaning “twin dragons,” Ssang Yong featured the first overseas amphibious assault conducted with ACVs, as U.S. and Korean forces landed together, strengthening the ROK-U.S. Alliance and the capability to defend the Korean Peninsula.

“Working with our allies in South Korea one-on-one at the tactical level was extremely rewarding for both our Marines and the ROK Marines,” said Capt. Erik Lindskog, the Alpha Company commander. “Through the combined training, both live fire and information exchanges, we learned a lot from each other. In South Korea and in the Philippines, we arrived as training partners, worked through language barriers, and we left as friends.”

Throughout the deployment, the ACVs demonstrated their versatility, maneuverability, and firepower in various scenarios, ranging from beach assaults to coordinated live-fire defense operations. The data and lessons learned from these exercises will help shape the future use of ACVs in amphibious operations and ensure the Marine Corps continues to refine the tactics and procedures necessary for employing this new platform.

“The work our Marines and Sailors aboard Harpers Ferry have completed over the past seven months, both strengthening alliances and advancing new Marine Corps capabilities, has been simply outstanding,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Freeman, the commanding officer of BLT 1/5. “Our ACV Platoon and the rest of Alpha Company have been literally writing the book on employing this platform, albeit with tremendous support from leaders and experts from across our Service. I’m grateful for all the dedication that got us to this deployment, and I’m proud of how this team has done everything they can to help lead the modernization of the assault amphibian community.”

The 15th MEU’s Marines and Sailors aboard Harpers Ferry played a critical role in advancing U.S. military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, enhancing regional security by strengthening relationships with key allies, and shaping future deployments of the amphibious combat vehicle in expeditionary environments.

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Lufthansa Cargo appoints Elodie Berthonneau as Vice President Asia Pacific

Source: Lufthansa Group

As of 1 October 2024, Elodie Berthonneau will take over the position of Vice President Asia-Pacific at Lufthansa Cargo in Singapore. She will head the sales and handling organization in one of the most important markets for Lufthansa Cargo. This includes among others the regions China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Oceania. Berthonneau joins Lufthansa Cargo from Qatar Cargo where she was Vice President Network Planning and Strategic Partnership.

With more than 25 years of experience in the aviation industry, Berthonneau has held various management positions in sales, pricing, profit management and strategic planning at Qatar Airways and Air France KLM. Her previous roles have included building start-ups, restructuring organizations, network redesign, major strategic partnerships and people management. Having worked in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, she also has broad international experience.

“We are happy to welcome Elodie Berthonneau as Head of Asia Pacific. The Asian region is one of our most important markets and is expected to become even more relevant in the coming years. Combining her expertise and experience within the industry and the Lufthansa Cargo brand and knowledge, she will set new accents in our Asia Pacific organization and in the dialogue with our customers,” explains Anand Kulkarni, Head of Global Markets at Lufthansa Cargo

About Lufthansa Cargo

With revenue of 3.0 billion euros and a transport performance of 7.5 billion freight ton kilometers in 2023, Lufthansa Cargo is one of the world’s leading companies in the transport of airfreight. The company currently employs around 4,150 people worldwide. Lufthansa Cargo’s focus is on the airport-to-airport business. The route network covers around 300 destinations in more than 100 countries, using both freighter aircraft and cargo capacity from passenger aircraft operated by Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Discover Airlines and SunExpress, as well as trucks. The majority of the cargo business is handled via Frankfurt Airport.

MIL OSI Economics –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: What is Air Quality?

Source: NASA

Clean air is essential for healthy living, but according to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 99% of the global population breathes air exceeding their guideline limits of air pollution. “Air quality is a measure of how much stuff is in the air, which includes particulates and gaseous pollutants,” said Kristina Pistone, a research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center. Pistone’s research covers both atmospheric and climate areas, with a focus on the effect of atmospheric particles on climate and clouds. “It’s important to understand air quality because it affects your health and how well you can live your life and go about your day,” Pistone said. We sat down with Pistone to learn more about air quality and how it can have a noticeable impact on human health and the environment.

There are six main air pollutants regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the United States: particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, and lead. These pollutants come from from natural sources, such as the particulate matter that rises into the atmosphere from fires and desert dust, or from human activity, such as the ozone generated from sunlight reacting to vehicle emissions.

Air quality influences health and quality of life. “Just like we need to ingest water, we need to breathe air,” Pistone said. “We have come to expect clean water because we understand that we need it to live and be healthy, and we should expect the same from our air.”
Poor air quality has been tied to cardiovascular and respiratory effects in humans. Short-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), for example, can cause respiratory symptoms like coughing and wheezing, and long-term exposure increases the risk of developing respiratory diseases such as asthma or respiratory infections. Exposure to ozone can aggravate the lungs and damage the airways. Exposure to PM2.5 (particulates 2.5 micrometers or smaller) causes lung irritation and has been linked to heart and lung diseases.
In addition to its impacts on human health, poor air quality can damage the environment, polluting bodies of water through acidification and eutrophication. These processes kill plants, deplete soil nutrients, and harm animals.

Air quality is similar to the weather; it can change quickly, even within a matter of hours. To measure and report on air quality, the EPA uses the United States Air Quality Index (AQI). The AQI is calculated by measuring each of the six primary air pollutants on a scale from “Good” to “Hazardous,” to produce a combined AQI numeric value 0-500.
“Usually when we’re talking about air quality, we’re saying that there are things in the atmosphere that we know are not good for humans to be breathing all the time,” Pistone said. “So to have good air quality, you need to be below a certain threshold of pollution.” Localities around the world use different thresholds for “good” air quality, which is often dependent on which pollutants their system measures. In the EPA’s system, an AQI value of 50 or lower is considered good, while 51-100 is considered moderate. An AQI value between 100 and 150 is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, and higher values are unhealthy to everyone; a health alert is issued when the AQI reaches 200. Any value over 300 is considered hazardous, and is frequently associated with particulate pollution from wildfires.

Air quality sensors are a valuable resource for capturing air quality data on a local level.In 2022, the Trace Gas GRoup (TGGR) at NASA Ames Research Center deployed Inexpensive Network Sensor Technology for Exploring Pollution, or INSTEP: a new network of low-cost air quality sensors that measures a variety of pollutants. These sensors are capturing air quality data in certain areas in California, Colorado, and Mongolia, and have proven advantageous for monitoring air quality during California’s fire season.
The 2024 Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality (ASIA-AQ) mission integrated sensor data from aircraft, satellites, and ground-based platforms to evaluate air quality over several countries in Asia. The data captured from multiple instruments on these flights, such as the Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) from NASA Ames Atmospheric Science Branch, are used to refine air quality models to forecast and assess air quality conditions.
Agency-wide, NASA has a range of Earth-observing satellites and other technology to capture and report air quality data. In 2023, NASA launched the Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) mission, which measures air quality and pollution over North America. NASA’s Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for Earth Observations (LANCE) tool provides air quality forecasters with measurements compiled from a multitude of NASA instruments, within three hours of its observation.

In addition to the EPA’s website, which houses air-quality related sources, the EPA also has a platform called AirNow, which reports the local AQI across the United States and allows users to check air quality levels in their area. Pistone also recommends looking at Purple Air’s real-time map, which displays PM data taken from a crowd-sourced network of low-cost sensors and translates those measurements to estimate AQI. For those concerned about air quality, Pistone recommends checking out https://cleanaircrew.org/ for resources on indoor air quality, breathing safely with wildfire smoke, and even building your own box fan filter.
To learn more about air quality research applications, see NASA’s Applied Sciences Program’s Health & Air Quality program area, which details the use of Earth observations to assess and address air quality concerns at local, regional, and national levels. Additionally, the NASA Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (HAQAST) helps connect NASA data and tools with stakeholders to better share and understand the effects of air quality on human health.
Written by Katera Lee, NASA Ames Research Center

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DGCA attends Asia-Pacific aviation heads conference in Philippines (with photos)

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

DGCA attends Asia-Pacific aviation heads conference in Philippines (with photos)
DGCA attends Asia-Pacific aviation heads conference in Philippines (with photos)
********************************************************************************

The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Victor Liu, led a Hong Kong delegation comprising representatives from the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) and the Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), to attend the 59th Conference of Directors General of Civil Aviation, Asia and Pacific Regions, organised by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), in Cebu, the Philippines. The theme for this year’s Conference was “Shaping the Future of Aviation: Sustainable, Resilient, and Inclusive”. The five-day Conference, with over 320 participants from 44 member states, administrations and international organisations, concluded on a high note today (October 18). Discussion and information papers covering a wide range of subjects, including aviation safety, air navigation, aviation security, aviation and the environment, aviation technologies, as well as regional co-operation, were submitted by aviation authorities and industry organisations to the Conference. During the Conference, Mr Liu moderated the discussion of an agenda item on aviation safety. The discussion covered a wide range of subjects, including safety management, safety culture and promotion, and applications of various artificial intelligence and innovation technologies. The CAD submitted four papers to the Conference in response to the theme topic. Among them, the paper titled “Operationalisation of Autonomous Vehicles at the Hong Kong International Airport: A Regulatory Perspective” shared the successful experience of the application of autonomous vehicle technology to enhance safety and efficiency of airport operations in Hong Kong. The other three papers discussed the opportunities and challenges of applying artificial intelligence across various aspects of aviation, shared the CAD’s experience in utilising advanced technologies to enhance weather-related collaborative decision making in air traffic management, and shared information on the successful hosting of the Asia Pacific Region Innovation & Capacity Building Symposium 2023 under the theme “Uniting the Strength of Innovation for Building a Seamless Sky”, jointly organised by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, the CAD and the HKIAA in December 2023. The papers received recognition and support from delegates. This year, the HKIAA set up an exhibition booth during the Conference to showcase its multidisciplinary training opportunities for aviation professionals. The HKIAA also submitted a paper to the Conference to share Hong Kong’s initiatives in addressing the training needs of the Asia Pacific region. During their stay in Cebu, the CAD delegation attended side meetings with representatives from different aviation authorities and industry organisations such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the International Air Transport Association. Views on matters of mutual interest were shared, and ways to strengthen co-operation were explored with the aim of facilitating aviation developments. ???The CAD will continue to maintain close co-operation with its aviation partners and continue to support the ICAO’s global aviation development initiatives.

Ends/Friday, October 18, 2024Issued at HKT 15:30

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Indian National Is Sentenced To Prison For $20 Million Dollar Fraud Scheme Involving Fake Cryptocurrency Exchange Websites

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A citizen of the Republic of India was sentenced to prison today for stealing more than $20 million from hundreds of victims through the use of fake or “spoofed” websites mimicking the cryptocurrency exchange website Coinbase, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell ordered Chirag Tomar, 31, to serve 60 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.

Jason Byrnes, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to filed court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, from as early as June 2021, Tomar and his co-conspirators engaged in a spoofing scheme to steal millions in cryptocurrency from hundreds of victims located worldwide and in the United States, including in the Western District of North Carolina. Spoofing, as it pertains to cybercrime, is when a malicious cyber actor disguises an email address, sender name, or website URL to convince victims they are interacting with a trusted source. Court documents show that Tomar and his co-conspirators executed the fraud by spoofing Coinbase, one of the largest virtual currency exchanges in the world, that allows customers to buy, sell or trade cryptocurrencies.

Coinbase operated a “Pro” version of its exchange, which was found at the URL “Pro.Coinbase.Com.” According to court documents, Tomar and his co-conspirators spoofed the Coinbase Pro website by using a similar fake URL, CoinbasePro.Com, and created a fraudulent website to mimic the authentic website. Once victims entered their login credentials into the fake website, an authentication process was triggered. In some instances, victims were tricked into providing their login and authentication information of the real Coinbase website to fraudsters. Other times, victims were tricked into allowing fake Coinbase representatives to execute remote desktop software, which enabled fraudsters to gain control of victims’ computers and access their legitimate Coinbase accounts. The fraudsters also impersonated Coinbase customer service representatives and tricked the users into providing their two-factor authentication codes to the fraudsters over the phone. Once the fraudsters gained access to the victims’ Coinbase accounts, the fraudsters quickly transferred the victims’ Coinbase cryptocurrency holdings to cryptocurrency wallets under the fraudsters’ control.

Court documents show that, in February 2022, a victim located in the Western District of North Carolina attempted to log into his Coinbase account through the fraudulent website. The spoof website immediately notified the victim that his account was locked and prompted the victim to use a number provided to call a fake Coinbase representative. The fake representative tricked the victim into providing his two-factor authentication information, ultimately gaining access into the victim’s real Coinbase account. Using the information, fraudsters stole cryptocurrency from the victim’s Coinbase wallet worth over $240,000.

According to court records, Tomar used the victims’ stolen log-in credentials to access the victim accounts and transfer the victims’ cryptocurrency holdings to wallets controlled by Tomar. After Tomar received the stolen cryptocurrency, he would convert it to other forms of cryptocurrency and move the funds amongst many wallets controlled by Tomar. Ultimately, the cryptocurrency was converted into cash which was then distributed to Tomar and his co-conspirators.

Tomar used the victims’ funds to pay for his lavish lifestyle, including to purchase Audemars Piguet and other expensive watches, to buy luxury vehicles like Lamborghinis and Porsches, and to make trips to Dubai, Thailand and elsewhere.

On December 20, 2023, Tomar was arrested at the Atlanta airport upon entering the United States. On May 20, 2024, Tomar pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy. Tomar remains in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

U.S. Attorney King commended the U.S. Secret Service for their investigation of the case and thanked the FBI in Nashville for their invaluable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Sweden and Hungary sign Letter of Intent

Source: Government of Sweden

Sweden and Hungary sign Letter of Intent – Government.se

Article from Ministry of Defence

Published 18 October 2024

Minister for Defence Pål Jonson and Hungarian Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky sign Letter of Intent.

Download:

Hungarian Minister of Defence Kristóf Szalay-Bobrovniczky and Minister for Defence Pål Jonson. Photo: Niklas Forsström/Government Offices

On 16 October, Mr Jonson and Mr Szalay-Bobrovniczky signed a Letter of Intent (LOI). This LOI is a bilateral declaration on expanded defence cooperation between Sweden and Hungary.

This follows from the agreement concluded between Sweden and Hungary on 23 February 2024 in Budapest to sign an LOI on expanded cooperation on defence and JAS Gripen fighter aircraft.

The LOI specifies that a working group will be appointed with the aim of discussing and identifying opportunities to cooperate on defence materiel. The working group will consist of representatives from the Defence Materiel Administration, Saab AB and the Hungarian Ministry of Defence.

“I look forward to seeing the working group’s concrete results in the future,” says Mr Jonson.

MIL OSI Europe News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS George Washington transits to Japan

Source: United States Navy

George Washington assumed the role of the U.S. Navy’s only forward-deployed carrier, replacing USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), which operated out of Yokosuka for nearly nine years before departing Japan in May.

“USS George Washington departed San Diego to begin the final phase of its redeployment to Japan, where it will once again serve as the Navy’s forward-deployed aircraft carrier,” said Rear Adm. Greg Newkirk, commander of Carrier Strike Group 5. “It will take up station alongside the always-ready forces postured in the area of responsibility. George Washington, with all its capabilities, represents America’s commitment to stability in the region where it will sail and fly with our partner navies as we strive to move from interoperability to true interchangeability.”

George Washington completed its midlife refueling and complex overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News Shipbuilding in May 2023, conducted pre-deployment certifications and inspections over the course of 10 months, and departed Norfolk, Virginia, in April for its Southern Seas deployment around South America, arriving in San Diego in July.

The forward-deployed Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, which recently completed training at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada, will embark George Washington to transit the Pacific Ocean and return to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan.

“I am incredibly proud of this team and everything they have accomplished this year,” said Capt. Timothy Waits, commanding officer of George Washington. “This crew, alongside Carrier Air Wing 5, is trained, tested, and ready to return to 7th Fleet as the Navy’s premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier.”

This marks the second time that George Washington has served as the Forward-Deployed Naval Forces-Japan aircraft carrier. In 2008, it became the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be forward-deployed to Japan before being relieved by Ronald Reagan in 2015.

After operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet and 7th Fleet areas of operations, George Washington will arrive in Yokosuka in late fall.

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: NATO Secretary General: Strengthening deterrence “top priority”

Source: NATO

NATO Defence Ministers wrapped up two days of talks on Friday (18 October) with a commitment to further support Ukraine, strengthen ties with partners in the Asia-Pacific and reinforce the Alliance’s deterrence and defence.

“Strengthening our deterrence and defence is this Alliance’s top priority, because keeping our one billion people safe is NATO’s most sacred duty,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said after the meeting. The Secretary General cited greater defence industrial capacity, more secure supply chains, and new technologies as critical to ensuring the Alliance’s security. Mr. Rutte added that NATO was making a fresh push for common munitions standards and more joint procurement to drive down costs and improve ease of use among Allies. NATO operations in the Western Balkans and Iraq were also on the agenda.

Addressing the issue of Allied airspace breached by Russian drones, the Secretary General said that air and missile defence remains an Alliance priority. He highlighted the airspace violation in Romania yesterday and affirmed NATO’s solidarity with Romania, commending Romanian authorities and SACEUR for “their quick and effective response.” This was possible, in part, because NATO is stepping up surveillance on its eastern flank as part of a broader effort to reinforce deterrence. Mr Rutte went on to emphasise that Allies are purchasing hundreds of modern fighter aircraft and air defences systems.

Warning of Russia’s “increasingly irresponsible rhetoric”, the Secretary General said the Alliance’s nuclear deterrent remains “vital” to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression.

On Thursday (17 October), NATO Defence Ministers were joined for the first time by their counterparts from Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand for talks on common security challenges, including in the context of Ukraine and the support that China, North Korea, and Iran are providing to Russia’s war effort.

Later on Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky joined Ministers in the NATO-Ukraine Council and provided an overview of his plan for ending the war. The discussion among Defence Ministers with their Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, focused on Ukraine’s most urgent needs, including equipment and training. The Secretary General noted that work is well underway to set up NATO’s new command to coordinate security assistance and training for Ukraine, and to deliver on the pledge of 40 billion euros in military aid. He reiterated that Ukraine’s path to NATO membership is irreversible. “Ukraine will be member of NATO, there is no doubt about it, and until that happens we will make sure that Ukraine has everything it needs to prevail,” he said.

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Seven projects funded under the National Trade Corridors Fund in Quebec
Source: Government of Canada News

The National Trade Corridors Fund supports infrastructure projects in Canada. These projects include improvements at airports, ports, railways, transportation facilities, and access roads.
The National Trade Corridors Fund supports infrastructure projects in Canada. These projects include improvements at airports, ports, railways, transportation facilities, and access roads. $4.1 billion has been committed to projects since 2017.

The National Trade Corridors Fund supports projects that:
- improve the flow of goods and people in Canada;
- increase the flow of trade in and out of Canada;
- help the transportation system to:
  
  withstand the effects of climate change; and
  
  better adapt to new technologies and innovation;
- address the transportation needs of Arctic and northern communities.
On October 18, 2024, the President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport, the Honourable Anita Anand, announced up to $38 million for seven projects under the National Trade Corridors Fund. By supporting our supply chains, the Government of Canada is ensuring that goods move faster and cheaper, making life cost less for Canadians.

The funding recipients and project details are below.
1. Montreal Port Authority – Increased export capacity for Canadian containerized grains
  The Government of Canada is investing $12,500,000 in this project to increase the Canest Terminal’s capacity by 20%, significantly improving its efficiency in handling goods. Additionally, the terminal will expand and optimize its operational space, substantially boosting container storage capacity. These upgrades will enable Canadian producers to expand exports to international markets by easing constraints and eliminating a major bottleneck in the supply chain.
2. QSL International Ltée – Development of the port terminals in the cities of Sorel-Tracy and Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel
  The Government of Canada is investing $13,613,683 in this project to increase the fluidity of supply chains in the steel and agriculture sectors. By increasing the annual volume of import-export goods, it will support the local and regional economy while significantly reducing the number of days ships spend waiting offshore and the time required for unloading. Additionally, the initiative will mitigate environmental impacts by minimizing vessel diversions to other ports and decreasing the reliance on short-haul trucking.
3. Quebec Port Authority – Increase the terminal storage space at Pier 103
  The Government of Canada is investing $1,198,185 in this project to reduce interruptions between storage areas, making operations more efficient. Warehouse 103 will serve as a backup storage area to help manage congestion in the logistics chain during busy times. Additionally, the project will help consolidate more goods at QSL terminals, especially in the agri-food, transportation, and construction industries.
4. Quebec Port Authority – Relocation of a strategic and essential infrastructure for the electrical supply of the L’Anse au Foulon sector (Pier 104 and 105)
  The Government of Canada invested $1,638,500 in this project to increase storage capacity by approximately 3,000 m². This expansion has boosted the terminal’s overall storage capacity by about 15%, allowing it to handle new traffic while securing existing operations. Additionally, it reduces waiting times for ships unloading cargo at the terminal.
5. Quebec Port Authority – Project to increase the capacity and efficiency of the estuary rail yard
  The Government of Canada invested $723,600 in this project to alleviate bottlenecks during peak times by creating additional space for railcars, expanding the Estuary Yard with about 380 linear meters of new track, reducing the time needed for snow clearing on the tracks, and improving unloading efficiency by minimizing operational delays.
6. Quebec Port Authority – Agreement for the development of a new dry bulk and cargo terminal behind pier 108 in the Anse au Foulon sector
  The Government of Canada is investing $6,800,000 in this project to enhance intermodal connectivity through the construction of a new terminal that supports ship-to-truck and truck-to-ship logistics. It will also streamline operations by adding two new access roads to improve terminal and area accessibility. Additionally, the project will free up capacity at other deep-draft terminals, optimizing their use for handling and storage.
7. Saguenay Port Authority – New storage area in the southwest sector of the Terminal
  The Government of Canada is investing $1,261,343 in this project to enhance trade flow by providing additional storage space in the St. Lawrence-Great Lakes maritime system, reducing long-distance transport needs. It will also support the logistics chain for bulk raw materials and promote short-distance maritime transport.
MIL OSI Canada News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Military Sealift Command Far East Participates in Sama Sama

Source: United States Navy

“MSC Far East makes sure every U.S. military ship in the Indo-Pacific region is able to get fuel, ammo, and supplies; this can include services to our allies and partners,” said U.S. Navy Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate Andrew Werner, MSC Far East, out of Singapore. “Without a Combat Logistics Force (CFL) or refueling ships, our fleet of ships, and those of some allies, such as the Philippines, would not be able to refuel at sea.”

Sama Sama 2024, which was held Oct. 7-18, was hosted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. Navy, and featured participation from allies and partners throughout the Indo-Pacific region, including personnel and assets from Australia, Canada, France and Japan.

MSC Far East provided subject-matter-expert instruction for the refueling-at-sea familiarization training, along with members attached to Commander, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7, out of Singapore.

“The purpose of the training was to get the PN familiar with underway replenishment gear on a ship, how to set it up, and how to conduct a safe underway-replenishment,” said Werner. “MSC Far East has Boatswain’s mates that are subject-matter-experts and can train the Philippine Sailors. We do the similar training with other allies and partners.”

Underway replenishments of allied partners present a unique opportunity to strengthen partnerships and exercise compatibility of logistics systems.

“The training went over the fundamentals of refueling and replenishing at sea,” said U.S. Navy Chief Boatswain’s Mate Francisco Fuentes, DESRON 7. “We also conducted hands-on training and observed their on-station procedures for refueling-at-sea, and looked at their replenishment-at-sea stations forward of the ship.

“It was important for us to do hands-on training because it helped them understand our safety procedures, maintenance requirements, and types of equipment we use and our station procedures. This helps with our interoperability.”

According to Werner, he hopes that the training was beneficial to the PN, and they can mutually build upon interoperability.

“Every Navy does evolutions a little different and we were able to show them how on our U.S. Navy conducts a safe refueling—just about every week—when underway on deployment,” added Werner. “They were excited and motivated to learn and I look forward to working with them again in the future.”

Sama Sama 2024 is a multilateral engagement that includes a sea and shore phase that will incorporate medical, engineering, logistics and symposiums, while diving and explosive ordnance disposal teams, naval vessels and maritime surveillance aircraft conduct exercises focused on anti-submarine, surface and air warfare, and maritime domain awareness.

MSC Far East supports the U.S. 7th Fleet and ensures approximately 50 ships in the Indo-Pacific Region are manned, trained, and equipped to deliver essential supplies, fuel, cargo, and equipment to warfighters, both at sea and on shore.

U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2024, MSC exists to support the joint warfighter across the full spectrum of military operations, with a workforce that includes approximately 6,000 Civil Service Mariners and 1,100 contract mariners, supported by 1,500 shore staff and 1,400 active duty and Reserve military personnel.

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Defense Ministry Spokesperson’s Remarks on Recent Media Queries Concerning the Military 2024-10-18 On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.

Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2

On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

(The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

I have four pieces of information at the top.

The first one.

At the invitation of China’s Ministry of National Defense, defense attachés from more than 60 countries including Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Canada and Argentina went to the PLA Eastern Theater Command area on October 14th for a five-day visit. This visit will help them better understand the Chinese path to modernization, especially the great achievements made by the people’s military in the new era, and will advance the friendly cooperation between the PLA and their militaries.

The second one.

According to the annual plan and the consensus reached between China and Thailand, the Commando 2024 joint army training will be held in Yunnan Province from mid- to- late October. The training focuses on joint counter-terrorism operations, including manned/unmanned coordination, special blasting, helicopter fast-roping, and joint search and clearing. It aims to improve interoperability between the Chinese and Thai armies and bolster regional stability.

The third one.

The PLA Army Engineering University will host the 11th International Army Cadets Week (IACW) in Nanjing from October 28th to November 3rd. Officer cadets from military academies of countries including Argentina, Egypt, Italy, Pakistan, and Singapore will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Enhancing the Capability of Junior Officers for Future Warfare”, this year’s IACW will have themed discussions, leadership challenges, live-fire shooting training, cultural exchange and other activities. The IACW is a platform for officer cadets to communicate and learn from each other.

The fourth one.

The PLA Army Command College will host the Zhongshan International Forum in Nanjing from October 21st to 25th. Army representatives from over ten countries including Laos, Cambodia, Iran, Tanzania and Kazakhstan will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Future-oriented and New Type Modern Army”, the forum will have themed discussions on such topics as “objectives and trends in army development”, “theoretical innovation for army combat and training”, “army deployment in MOOTW”, and “cultivation of army commanders and staff officers”. The forum will facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among the participants, and promote theoretical innovation for army development.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

Question: It is reported that the recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 has started. Please tell us more about it.

Wu Qian: The PLA Navy recently launched the naval pilot cadet recruitment for 2025. As usual, eligible high school graduates and fresh graduates from universities either with a bachelor’s or master’s degree could apply. In reference to the recruitment standards in major naval powers, the PLA Navy has loosened the criteria on eye sight, widening the scope of applicants to include those who have received vision correction surgery. To meet takeoff/landing requirements for carrier-borne aircraft in complex sea conditions, the Navy has added such testing items as stereoscopic vision, visual contrast sensitivity, magnetic resonance imaging and chest CT scanning, as well as a 15-hour airborne ability screening, to make the recruitment more science-based and precise.

Pursue your dream to fly in the Navy, and serve the country with dedication and loyalty. The recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 started on October 15th. We welcome young people to join this cause for the brave and become dancers on the blade. For more details, please log on to http://www.hjzf.mil.cn.

Question: Naval forces from the United States, Japan, India and Australia conducted Exercise Malabar in the Indian Ocean on October 8th. Some reports say this exercise is directed at China and can enhance the Quad mechanism among the four countries in security areas. What’s your comment?

Wu Qian: China believes that security cooperation among relevant countries should not harm the interests of any third party or undermine regional peace and stability. The so-called Quad mechanism has become a sheer political tool for the United States to contain China and maintain its hegemony. We firmly oppose relevant parties to use China as an excuse to stir up confrontation and escalate regional tensions. A small circle bloc will not make any big difference. The Asia-Pacific should be a grand stage where countries join hands to cooperate, rather than an arena for geopolitical competition. We require relevant countries to give up their obsession with zero-sum mindset and put more efforts on protecting regional security, instead of doing the opposite.

Question: It is reported that the Japanese Defense Ministry recently released reports and photos about the movements of the PLA Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier task group, which sailed around the Philippines, and was then joined by the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hainan. Please comment on that.

Wu Qian: We have noticed the media hype by the Japanese side. The Japanese photographer is trying to catch headlines, and is showing off his or her techniques again. Recently, the PLA Navy sent the Liaoning aircraft carrier task group to conduct training in waters of the South China Sea. This is a routine arrangement within the annual plan that is aimed to enhance the task group’s combat capability. The PLA will routinely organize similar training activities in the future.

Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

Question: According to media reports, the US Government Accountability Office recently accused Raytheon of fraud in selling expensive weapons to Taiwan, which procured the Patriot missile system in 2013 and radar systems in 2017 from that company. A public opinion representative from the Kuomintang criticized US arms dealers as fraud dens. Do you have any comment?

Wu Qian: We firmly oppose US provision of weapons to China’s Taiwan region. I believe what the reports revealed is only a tip of the iceberg. The Democratic Progressive Party Authorities have been doing everything to court their masters in the US to buy weapons, which only wasted the hard-earned money of people in Taiwan. It is evident that what they bought are pieces of junk that only benefited corrupted officials and arms dealers. There are growing opposition and dissatisfaction from the local people.

Sky-high price and obsolete functions are two hallmarks of US arms sales to Taiwan. From mouldy bulletproof vest to expired ammunition to expensive missiles and radars, we can see that the Americans only care about American interests. “Taiwan Independence” is a dead end and outsiders are never reliable. Those who try to rely on US support for independence will only court their own destruction.

Question: Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba once suggested establishing an “Asian version of NATO” and working with Western countries in containing China. Officials from the Japanese Defense Ministry said China and Russia’s infringement upon Japan’s airspace is a regional and international concern. Please comment on that.

Wu Qian: In disregard of fact on the ground, the Japanese side often hypes-up the non-existent “China threat” to divert the international community’s attention from its military expansion. China is strongly opposed to this approach. It is known to all that Japan has broken away from its pacifist constitution and “exclusively defense-oriented” policy in recent years, and largely enhanced its military preparedness, such behavior has put its Asian neighbors and the international community on high alert.

We urge the Japanese side to stop forming exclusive military alliances and “cliques”, be very cautious with its words and deeds regarding military security, and do more for regional peace and stability.

Question: The Israel Defense Force recently attacked the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL). What’s your comment? Are Chinese peacekeepers safe?

Wu Qian: China is seriously concerned about and strongly condemns the Israeli military’s attack on the UNIFIL. China firmly opposes any attack on UN peacekeepers. We require a thorough investigation on the incident and hold those responsible accountable. We urge relevant parties to take real actions to prevent such an incident from happening again. The parties involved in the conflict must ensure the safety of the personnel and assets of the UNIFIL.

The Chinese peacekeeping units in Lebanon are safe now. China is closely monitoring the security situation in Lebanon, and will take additional measures to strengthen security protection of our troops.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI: Vienna Insurance Group Subscribes to Intermap’s Real Estate Solution

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Enhancing data transparency in the Czech real estate market

Providing insurers with reliable and accurate property valuation for underwriting

DENVER, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) (“Intermap” or the “Company”), a global leader in 3D geospatial products and intelligence solutions, today announced that Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna (ČPP), a subsidiary of the Vienna Insurance Group, has subscribed to Intermap’s innovative solution for determining the market price of real estate properties.

Intermap and its partner Dataligence recently launched a solution that combines Intermap’s data and analytics for underwriting, reinsurance and claims with Dataligence’s world-class pricing and real estate databases. ČPP, a long-term user of Intermap’s Aquarius RMA, is the newest major EU insurance group customer to adopt this innovative solution.

This advanced property valuation process meets the growing demand for digitized property services in the Czech market, improving transparency in real estate data.

By utilizing Intermap’s up-to-date flood and natural hazard maps within its Aquarius RMA software, alongside Dataligence’s extensive real estate data, this solution enables accurate online property valuation. It processes comprehensive databases of flood, natural hazard, and real estate information to streamline transactions, providing insurers with reliable and precise property valuations for underwriting purposes.

“We chose this innovative solution because it will make it easier and more convenient for our clients to arrange insurance. At the same time, we see our partners as technology leaders whose data is accurate, robust and reliable,” said Michal Šimon, manager of non-life insurance at Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna.

“We are always excited when we find new ways to use our world-class pricing and real estate datasets,” said Milan Roček, founder and CEO of Dataligence. “Last year, we made our innovative tools available to the general public through the http://www.hypox.cz app, and the continued integration of online pricing into insurance companies’ systems embodies our vision for modern insurance and real estate services, where clients don’t have to worry about anything, yet their assets are reliably protected.”

“Intermap’s solutions for the insurance market use proprietary datasets that are integrated into insurance processes to provide insurers with comprehensive tools that can be used throughout a portfolio lifecycle,” said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap Chairman and CEO. “Our state-of-the-art software, analytics and data enable insurers to understand and underwrite natural hazard risks, then leverage data intelligence to actively manage and reinsure risk with attractive margins.”

Intermap’s services are more important than ever. According to Resources for the Future, “the private residential flood insurance market in the United States is currently small relative to the NFIP. We estimate that private flood insurance accounts for roughly 3.5 to 4.5 percent of all primary residential flood policies currently purchased.” With historic flooding recently, this demonstrates the need for dramatic increase in coverage. CoreLogic “estimates Hurricane Helene industry insured loss at $10.5B – $17.5B. Uninsured losses are estimated at $20B – $30B.” Moody’s RMS Event Response estimates total U.S. private market insured losses from the recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton will likely range between US$35 billion and US$55 billion. This estimate is for insured losses associated with wind, storm surge, and precipitation-induced flooding from these events.”

In Europe, the flood protection gap is 25%. Recent European Commission studies “show that insurance premiums written should at least be doubled to reach a harmonized level of penetration equal to 50%.” Intermap is uniquely positioned to meet this demand and address this need.

To learn more about Intermap’s European solutions, visit intermap.com/european-solutions.

Intermap Reader Advisory
Certain information provided in this news release, including reference to revenue growth and run-rate, constitutes forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate”, “expect”, “project”, “estimate”, “forecast”, “will be”, “will consider”, “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap’s forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap’s Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.

About ČPP
Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna (ČPP), a subsidiary of the Vienna Insurance Group, is a universal insurance company that offers its clients modern products and comprehensive insurance solutions in life and non-life insurance. The company operates through 6 regional headquarters, 100 branches and 220 offices throughout the Czech Republic. It has been operating on the Czech insurance market since 1995. Currently, ČPP manages 2.4 million contracts and its services are used by more than 1.3 million clients. ČPP is one of the Czech top five largest insurance companies.

About Dataligence
The investment group Trigema bought a majority stake in CenovaMapa.org in 2022, largest real estate data platform on the Czech market. The cooperation has already resulted in a new application for end customers, http://www.hypox.cz, as well as the development of existing Dataligence platforms. Over the past few years, Dataligence, with the help of consulting company Deloitte, has become the most important provider of online real estate valuation data in the Czech Republic. For more information, please visit http://www.dataligence.cz.

About Intermap Technologies
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions, focusing on the creation and analysis of 3D terrain data to produce high-resolution thematic models. Through scientific analysis of geospatial information and patented sensors and processing technology, the Company provisions diverse, complementary, multi-source datasets to enable customers to seamlessly integrate geospatial intelligence into their workflows. Intermap’s 3D elevation data and software analytic capabilities enable global geospatial analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning, providing customers with critical information to understand their terrain environment. By leveraging its proprietary archive of the world’s largest collection of multi-sensor global elevation data, the Company’s collection and processing capabilities provide multi-source 3D datasets and analytics at mission speed, enabling governments and companies to build and integrate geospatial foundation data with actionable insights. Applications for Intermap’s products and solutions include defense, aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, disaster mitigation, base mapping, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation.

For more information, please visit http://www.intermap.com or contact:
Jennifer Bakken
Executive Vice President and CFO
CFO@intermap.com
+1 (303) 708-0955

Sean Peasgood
Investor Relations
Sean@SophicCapital.com
+1 (647) 260-9266

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding − entirely caused by humans

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Philip M. Orton, Research Associate Professor in Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology

A consequence of dredging deep channels is that water also enters more easily with tides and storm surge. Google Earth

Centuries ago, estuaries around the world were teeming with birds and turbulent with schools of fish, their marshlands and endless tracts of channels melting into the gray-blue horizon.

Fast-forward to today, and in estuaries such as New York Harbor, San Francisco Bay and Miami’s Biscayne Bay – areas where rivers meet the sea – 80% to 90% of this habitat has been built over.

The result has been the environmental collapse of estuary habitats and the loss of buffer zones that helped protect cities from storm surge and sea-level rise. But the damage isn’t just what’s visible on land.

Below the surface of many of the remaining waterways, another form of urbanization has been slowly increasing the vulnerability of coastlines to extreme storms and sea-level rise: Vast dredging and engineering projects have more than doubled the depths of shipping channels since the 19th century.

Some of these oceanic highways enable huge container ships, with drafts of 50 feet below the waterline and lengths of nearly a quarter mile, to glide into formerly shallow areas. An example is New Jersey’s Newark Bay, which was as little as 10 feet (3 meters) deep in the 1840s but is 50 feet (15 meters) deep today.

A consequence of dredging deep channels is that water also enters and exits the estuaries more easily with each tide or storm. In these dredged channels, the natural resistance to flow created by a rough and shallow channel bottom is reduced. With less friction, that can lead to larger high tides and storm surge.

As coastal engineers and oceanographers, we study coastal ocean physics and storm surge. There are solutions to the problems “estuary urbanization” is causing, if people are willing to accept some trade-offs.

An unintended side effect of dredging

The effects of dredging are most visible in the daily tides, which have grown larger over the past century in many estuaries and aggravated nuisance flooding in many cities, as our research shows.

Tide range – the average variation between high and low tide – has doubled in multiple estuaries and changed significantly in others. As a result, high-tide levels are often rising faster than sea-level rise, worsening its consequences.

The most common culprit for these larger tides is estuary urbanization.

For example, in Miami, where the tide range has almost doubled, a major contributor is the construction and dredging of a nearly 50-foot-deep (15 meter), 500-foot-wide (150 meter) harbor entrance channel beginning in the early 20th century.

In New York City, some neighborhoods in southern Queens see 15 minor tidal floods per year today. Computer modeling shows that these floods are caused in about equal measure by sea-level rise and landscape alterations, including dredging and wetland reclamation projects that fill in wetlands to build industrial sites, airports and neighborhoods.

Evidence and computer modeling show that any hurricane storm surge affecting parts of New York City, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Southeast Florida and Southwest Louisiana, among other locations, will likely produce higher water levels due to estuary urbanization, potentially causing more damage in unprotected regions.

These costs have gone largely unnoticed, since changes have occurred gradually over the past 150 years. But as sea-level rise and turbo-charged storms increase flooding frequency and severity, the problem is becoming more visible.

Building solutions to the flooding problem

In response to rising sea levels, a different form of estuary urbanization is attracting new attention as a possible solution.

Gated storm-surge barriers or tide gates are being built across estuaries or their inlets so they can be closed off during storm-surge events. Some examples include barriers for New Orleans; London; Venice, Italy; and the Netherlands. Such barriers are increasingly being proposed alongside levee systems for coastal protection of urbanized estuary shorelines.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently recommended surge barriers for 11 additional estuaries, including near Miami, Jamaica Bay in Queens and Galveston, Texas.

Surge barriers are not long-term solutions to flooding driven by sea-level rise, and their negative impacts remain poorly understood.

Venice’s rising flood wall includes 58 gates, each about the size of two tennis courts, that rise to block the inlet from storm surge.

Natural solutions

Wetlands and mangroves have also emerged as a popular nature-based solution.

Communities and government funding have focused on attempts to restore or create new wetlands as buffers in shoreline areas. But this solution is ineffective for flood protection in most harbor cities, such as New York, due to the lack of available space.

A storm surge crossing over a mile of marsh can be reduced by several inches, depending on the site’s characteristics. But typical urban estuary waterfronts have only tens of feet of open space to work with, if that much. In a narrow space, the best that vegetation can do is reduce wave action, which often isn’t the the most pressing problem for cities on estuaries that are typically sheltered from wind-driven storm waves.

As a result, engineered wetlands, while attractive, may be ineffective, especially if trends in ship sizes and estuarine urbanization continues.

Better ways to put nature back to work

Our research reveals an opportunity for scientists, engineers and broader society to think bigger – to consider a more comprehensive reshaping and restoration of the natural features of estuaries that once mitigated or absorbed flooding.

Possible solutions include halting the maintenance dredging of underutilized shipping channels, gradually retreating from vulnerable – and now often waterlogged – landfill industrial sites and neighborhoods, and restoring these larger expanses to wetlands.

These approaches can sharply reduce flooding and provide years of protection against sea-level rise. Restoration to historical channel and wetland configurations, however, is rarely given serious consideration in coastal storm risk management studies because of the perceived economic cost, but also because the cumulative effect of deeper channel depths is often unrecognized.

Renaturing urbanized estuaries in these ways could be paired with buyout programs to also reclaim the floodplain, reducing risk in more sustainable ways. Or it could be paired with seawalls to protect existing neighborhoods in a more ecologically beneficial way. These approaches should be considered as alternatives to further urbanizing our cities’ few remaining natural areas – their estuaries.

Philip M. Orton receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, pertaining to the assessment of coastal flooding from storms, high tides, sea level rise and estuary urbanization.

Stefan Talke receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, the California Department of Transportation, Pacific Northwest National Labs, and the California Delta Stewardship Council. The research pertains to the effect of sea-level rise and anthropogenic change on tides and floods in the past, present, and future.

– ref. Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding − entirely caused by humans – https://theconversation.com/coastal-cities-have-a-hidden-vulnerability-to-storm-surge-and-tidal-flooding-entirely-caused-by-humans-231374

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: MCQ Markets Announces Lamborghini Giveaway: Enter to Win a 2015 Lamborghini Huracan
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MIAMI, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MCQ Markets is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for car enthusiasts and thrill seekers alike – the chance to win a Lamborghini valued at over $187,000. This iconic supercar, along with a trip to Miami, could all be yours – and here’s how.

How to Enter:
1. Visit http://www.mcqmarkets.com
2. Fill out the official entry form.
For 1 additional entry, complete the following steps:
1. Include your Instagram handle in the entry form.
2. Follow @mcqmarkets on Instagram.
3. Tag 2 friends in the comments on the giveaway post.
4. Like the post and comment where you’d drive the Lamborghini, using the hashtag #MCQMarketsGiveaway.
Along with the car, the grand prize includes an all-expenses-paid trip to Miami for an exclusive presentation event. The trip includes one-way economy airfare from the major airport nearest the winner’s residence and two nights of hotel accommodations (ARV: up to $2,000). Total ARV of Grand Prize: $189,000. The winner must pick up the car in Miami and attend the presentation between February 26 and March 3, 2025.

The promotion begins at 12:00 a.m. ET on October 7, 2024 and ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on January 15, 2025.

The giveaway is open to legal residents of the 50 United States (excluding Hawaii) and the District of Columbia, as well as Canada (excluding Quebec), who have reached the age of majority in their state or province. Full eligibility details and official rules can be found on the entry page.

About MCQ Markets

MCQ Markets is redefining luxury asset ownership by making exotic automobiles attainable through its innovative fractional ownership model. The platform serves both passionate enthusiasts and seasoned investors, democratizing luxury ownership and allowing more individuals to invest in assets that were previously out of reach. For more information, please visit: https://www.mcqmarkets.com/

No money or other consideration is being solicited, and if sent in response, will not be accepted. No offer to buy the securities can be accepted and no part of the purchase price can be received until the offering statement filed by the issuer with the SEC has been qualified by the SEC, any such offer may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of acceptance given after the date of qualification. An indication of interest involves no obligation or commitment of any kind. You must read the offering documents filed with the SEC before investing and the additional information available at: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2025795/000149315224023512/partiiandiii.htm

Prize: 2015 White Lamborghini Huracan with 27,000 miles

Contact Information:

MCQ Markets Media Contact
Email: press@mcqmarkets.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/245064eb-c805-4725-bbca-faf6dfc96276

The MIL Network –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Cathay Cargo Leveraged Descartes Air Cargo Tracking Solution to Help Support Safe Journey of Giant Pandas

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MELBOURNE, Australia and ATLANTA, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announced that Cathay Cargo, a global provider of air freight services, leveraged Descartes’ Bluetooth^® Low Energy air cargo tracking solution for real-time condition and location monitoring of Giant Pandas An An and Ke Ke as they were safely transported from Chengdu, China to Hong Kong. The pandas arrived at Hong Kong’s international airport on September 26, 2024.

“We’re excited that our technology played a role in the safe arrival of such a special shipment from Chengdu to Hong Kong,” said Frank Hung, VP Sales and Marketing at Descartes. “With our advanced IoT-based tracking capabilities, our customers are not only able to monitor the location of their shipments in real-time, but also shipment conditions such as temperature, light, vibration and humidity—which takes on an even more important dimension for Cathay Cargo in this unique situation.”

Cathay Cargo has used the Descartes solution as part of its Ultra Track cargo tracking service since 2021. The solution helps the air cargo carrier provide customers with real-time shipment location and condition status for airport-to-airport moves of high value goods such as electronics, perishables and pharmaceuticals. The Ultra Track service is available in 29 airports across Cathay Cargo’s network.

The Descartes air cargo tracking solution is designed to help airlines and ground handling agents (GHA) provide forwarding and shipper customers with end-to-end shipment visibility. Descartes Bluetooth^® Low Energy powered tags placed on Unit Load Devices (ULD) or pallets provide location and condition status data that is captured by Descartes Bluetooth^® Low Energy readers. Readers are part of the Descartes global Internet of Things (IoT) network and a Descartes Global Logistics Network™ service. Shipment status can be tracked whether goods are in the air or on the ground to help the air cargo community automate the end-to-end tracking of freight location and shipment status information such as precise temperature, movement, shock, light and humidity.

“We’re pleased to have supported Cathay Cargo in this extraordinary endeavor,” said Scott Sangster, General Manager, Logistics Service Providers at Descartes. “Customers with temperature-controlled, time-sensitive and other specialized cargo expect to be kept informed of the location, condition, and chain of custody of their air shipment throughout its journey. By building out our IoT network in more geographies, deploying active readers across more locations and expanding the reach of the network, we’re helping the air cargo industry meet requirements for real-time, multi-dimensional cargo visibility and facilitate more secure, efficient, and responsive logistics operations.”

About Cathay Cargo

Cathay Cargo is the air-freight business division of the Cathay Group and one of the leading air-cargo operators in the world, operating from its hub in Hong Kong. Cathay Cargo provides services to more than 90+ cargo destinations around the world, operating a dedicated freighter fleet of 14 Boeing 747-8F and six 747-400ERFs (Extended Range Freighter) aircraft, in addition to cargo space on Cathay Pacific’s large fleet of passenger aircraft. The Cargo division also includes Air Hong Kong, an express cargo carrier operating in partnership with DHL, and manages Cathay Cargo Terminal at Hong Kong International Airport. It is also the cargo general sales agent for the Cathay Group’s low-cost carrier HK Express. Cathay is a member of the Swire Group and is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE). For more information, please visit http://www.cathaycargo.com.

About Descartes

Descartes (Nasdaq:DSGX) (TSX:DSG) is the global leader in providing on-demand, software-as-a-service solutions focused on improving the productivity, security and sustainability of logistics-intensive businesses. Customers use our modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, track and help improve the safety, performance and compliance of delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; access global trade data; file customs and security documents for imports and exports; and complete numerous other logistics processes by participating in the world’s largest, collaborative multimodal logistics community. Our headquarters are in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada and we have offices and partners around the world. Learn more at http://www.descartes.com, and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Global Media Contact
Cara Strohack
Tel: +1(800) 419-8495 ext. 202025
cstrohack@descartes.com

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (“forward-looking statements”) that relate to Descartes’ air cargo solution offerings and potential benefits derived therefrom; and other matters. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the factors and assumptions discussed in the section entitled, “Certain Factors That May Affect Future Results” in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Ontario Securities Commission and other securities commissions across Canada including Descartes’ most recently filed management’s discussion and analysis. If any such risks actually occur, they could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operations. In that case, the trading price of our common shares could decline, perhaps materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purposes of providing information about management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. We do not undertake or accept any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: GITEX GLOBAL 2024: Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution unveiled to the world on “AI Super Tuesday”
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 16, 2024/APO Group/ —
- International exhibitors presented the most groundbreaking innovations helping shape the future of society and industry
- “Cybersecurity Day” next up as world’s largest and best-rated tech event reaches halfway stage on Wednesday
Hot on the heels of a memorable first day where GITEX GLOBAL 2024 (http://apo-opa.co/4hlR7gj) opened the doors for its biggest-ever international edition, the entire global tech ecosystem experienced another action-packed agenda on Tuesday at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

Taking place from 14-18 October, GITEX GLOBAL presents a record-breaking edition in its 44th year – welcoming over 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800 startups, 1,200 investors alongside governments from more than 180 countries.

With five themed days locked in across the 2024 event programme, a technology taking the world by storm was the focal point as “AI Super Tuesday” presented the most groundbreaking innovations helping shape the future of society and industry.

A technology with vast transformative potential

As AI takes centre stage in drug discovery, the world could soon witness the most significant shift in medicine since the advent of modern pharmaceuticals. But with such rapid advancements, a mesmerising Tuesday session – ‘The Next Leap in Medicine: Are we on the Edge of a Breakthrough?’ – saw experts discuss whether AI transformation is fast approaching or further away than some anticipate.

Dr. Shameer Khader, Global Head and Executive Director – Computational Biology Cluster, Precision Medicine and Computational Biology at global pharmaceutical company Sanofi, gave AI an emphatic endorsement. He said: “Drug discovery on average takes 10-15 years and one project around $1.5-2 billion in cost. Is that something sustainable? The model must change, and we should harness AI capabilities and value across the ecosystem. We should optimise every single process to reduce development costs, streamline the drug discovery lifestyle, and build data disease models and infrastructure.”

In a special case study, audiences became acquainted with ‘BabyX’ – an interactive simulation of a lifelike infant through AI. This virtual animated baby learns and reacts like a human infant with a built-in virtual brain with detailed likeness to that of a human. Functioning through biological AI and an operating system called Brain Language, stimulated neurochemical reactions help BabyX decide how she will react – something that could prove revolutionary in the future AI economy.

Elaborating on the significance of BabyX, Dr. Mark Sagar, its creator who co-founded New Zealand-based Soul Machines, pointed out the defining difference between human and AI intelligence, adding: “As humans, we learn from a young age though exploring the world and experimenting. Play is such a key part of making intelligence open-ended and inventive, but it’s one thing what’s missing from current AI. If we’re ever going to regulate general AI intelligence, we need to build cognitive architecture that yields intelligent behaviour through a comprehensive approach.”

A catalyst for forward-facing collaboration

Alongside the profound transformative potential of AI, GITEX GLOBAL’s status as a catalyst for collaboration and forward-facing projects was on full display. A number of exciting high-profile partnerships were officially unveiled at the world’s largest and best-rated tech event, with one involved KAOUN – the world-leading organiser of business events and trade fairs, leading all GITEX events outside the UAE.

Tuesday saw KAOUN sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Digital Dubai Authority to grow the GITEX ecosystem, support Dubai’s internationalisation strategy, and explore new partnership opportunities. Additionally, AWS and e& entered into a $1 billion-plus agreement as part of new strategic alliance to deliver cloud solutions and supporting AI deployment and digital transformation across the region.

Tuesday casts spotlight on AI’s cross-sector impact and demands

Elsewhere on the Super AI Tuesday agenda, another applauded show illustrated how high-performance computing is steering humanity’s quest for the next generation of aircraft. During ‘Quantum Maturation: Introducing The “Quantum Mobility Quest”’, companies were urged to move beyond the physical limits of present-day computing today and scale up future-focused solutions to unlock aviation’s vast potential.

Isabell Gradert, Vice President of Central Research & Technology, Airbus, Germany, said: “Aviation is embedded in the tapestry of our global-leading industries and is one with the highest computation needs. Quantum computing is seen as the next big gamechanger in the aviation industry and has the potential to solve the most complex aerospace challenges and create a paradigm shift in the way aircrafts are built and flown. This is a very exciting time.”

Additionally, audiences familiarised themselves with a wide of services and solutions being showcased by GITEX GLOBAL exhibitors. UAE-based Presight, the region’s leading big data analytics company powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI), unveiled its Intelli Platform, an AI-powered management and operations platform that lets cities, transport, energy, and infrastructure organisations immediately use Generative AI.

AWS also cast a spotlight on AWS Bedrock, a fully managed service that enables enterprises to easily build, customise, and deploy generative AI applications using foundation models from top AI providers, all through the AWS platform.

GITEX GLOBAL 2024 continues Wednesday as “Cybersecurity Day” welcomes an ensemble cast of thought leaders and experts to explore the emerging threats landscape, counter-infringement strategies, and tools organisations require in an increasingly digital world.

GITEX Editions (https://apo-opa.co/4h8xBn9) also presents Intelligent Connectivity (https://apo-opa.co/4hayjAy) with visitors set to explore how industry leaders can bridge digital divides and harness emerging technology to drive innovation and economic growth. The World Future Economy Digital Leaders Summit (https://apo-opa.co/4hlR8kn) also continues with another star-studded cast of world-renowned experts and innovative minds.

GITEX GLOBAL is seamlessly connecting with the world’s largest network of tech events, including GITEX EUROPE Berlin, GITEX ASIA Singapore, GITEX AFRICA Morocco, and GITEX NIGERIA. These events are fostering collaboration and driving innovation to shape the tech landscape of tomorrow.

More information on GITEX GLOBAL, please visit http://www.GITEX.com

MIL OSI Africa –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Secretary General welcomes Sweden’s plans to boost defence spending

Source: NATO

On Wednesday (October 16), NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and the Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson met at NATO Headquarters in Brussels to discuss the strengthening of NATO’s deterrence and defence and NATO’s increased support to Ukraine.

Since joining NATO in March this year, “Sweden’s membership has made NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and all of us more secure,” said the Secretary General. He commended the Swedish government for its recent proposals to bolster NATO’s deterrence and defence, including with ”troops for NATO’s battlegroup in Latvia, combat aircraft for NATO’s air policing mission, and vessels for NATO’s Standing Naval Forces.” The Secretary General thanked Sweden for its offer to lead the new NATO battlegroup to be established in Finland. He noted that Sweden spends more than 2 percent of GDP on defence and welcomed the country’s plans to further boost its defence spending in 2025.

The Secretary General also noted Sweden’s steadfast support to Ukraine. “On a per capita basis, Sweden is a top supporter of Ukraine. Providing over 4 billion euros in military assistance,” he said. He reiterated that Allies are working hard to deliver on the commitments made during the Washington Summit on support for Ukraine, including “a new Command to coordinate security assistance and training, and a financial pledge of 40 billion euros as a minimum baseline in the coming year.”

Secretary General Rutte stressed that Ukraine’s path to membership is irreversible. “Every nation has the right to choose its own path. No one outside NATO or outside that particular country has a veto or a vote on this. Sweden’s seat at the NATO table shows exactly that,” he concluded.

MIL Security OSI –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Russell Returns Home to San Diego

Source: United States Navy

Russell and its crew, known as the Red Dragons, departed San Diego Feb. 10, 2024, and joined TRCSG to conduct global maritime security operations supporting regional stability.

“Our Red Dragon team performed superbly on deployment. No matter the challenge, our Sailors rose to the occasion and represented our ship, Navy, and country with honor,” said Cmdr. Mike McInerney, commanding officer of Russell. “Keeping Russell in its highest state of readiness for eight months
straight is no easy feat, yet our crew of 300 did this with a self-sufficient mindset, grit, and determination. We have a proud, combat ready, and battle-minded crew. I’m honored to be part of this fantastic team, and the crew is excited for some well-earned time off with loved ones.”

While deployed, Russell provided primary ballistic missile defense support and secondary air and missile defense support to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Additionally, Russell executed 161 MH-60 Seahawk helicopter deck hits, to include refueling and personnel and parts transfers, from Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75 and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8.

During port visits, the Red Dragons made a point to volunteer their time through community outreach events. While in Singapore, Sailors performed maintenance and cleaning at the Teen Challenge therapeutic center. In Thailand, they volunteered their time at the Father Ray Foundation for underprivileged children. Community outreach events give Sailors a chance to make a positive impact and diversify their cultural knowledge by developing relationships with partner and ally nations.

“It was really cool to be of service to the Father Ray Foundation in Thailand,” said Personnel Specialist 1st Class Chilee Osuji. “It felt rewarding to provide services to those in need, meet the local people and play soccer with the kids! I’m grateful I had the opportunity to expand my worldview in this way.”

Russell also conducted various exercises with partner navies, strengthening important relationships with allies and partners. Russell participated in a trilateral exercise in April with TRCSG, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the Republic of Korea Navy. In September, Russell conducted a bilateral exercise with the Italian Navy, increasing interoperability between the two countries’ navies.

Maintaining crew proficiency was important for the Red Dragons to sustain readiness while underway. Russell’s training schedule included over 150 casualty response drills, integrating tactical and technical scenarios to include anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare, engineering, damage control and seamanship.

The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group is comprised of Carrier Strike Group 9 staff, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23 staff, the flagship Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and DESRON 23 ships that include guided-missile destroyers USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), USS Halsey (DDG 97), USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) and USS Russell (DDG 59).

An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations – from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.

For more information on Russell, please visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/ddg59/ and https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/USSR-DDG59.

MIL Security OSI –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada supports tourism development in Rocher-Percé
Source: Government of Canada News (2)

MRC du Rocher-Percé receives over $1.5M in financial assistance from CED to expand and modernize its air terminal.
MRC du Rocher-Percé receives over $1.5M in financial assistance from CED to expand and modernize its air terminal.

Grande-Rivière, Quebec, October 16, 2024 – Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions (CED)

Since the start of the pandemic, tourism organizations have demonstrated resilience, creativity and adaptability. They are vectors for diversification and major economic development, and the Government of Canada recognizes their contribution to economic development in Quebec’s regions.

That is why the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Member of Parliament for Gaspésie‒Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, is today announcing, on behalf of the Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for CED, a non‑repayable contribution of $1,541,750 for the MRC du Rocher-Percé to help initiate improvements to its air terminal, a tourism product in Rocher-Percé.

This CED support has enabled the regional county municipality (RCM) to proceed with work to expand, fit out and complete outdoor renovations and indoor leasehold improvements to offer a safe environment adapted to users and staff. By supporting this project, CED is not only contributing to local economic development, but also helping to strengthen the tourism sector in Rocher-Percé, to the benefit of the region’s businesses and organizations.

Founded in 1986, the Aéroport du Rocher-Percé, owned by the RCM, specializes in the transportation of people and goods by air. It serves the MRC du Rocher-Percé region, providing mainly medical transportation and business and tourism flights. This essential service plays a key role in regional economic development. The proposed improvements under this project will now enable the RCM to meet its tourism development targets aimed at attracting tourists to the region, including through the travel packages it offers.

The Government of Canada recognizes and supports businesses and organizations that are a source of pride in their communities. Quebec’s economic recovery relies, among other things, on a strong tourism industry with organizations that have deep roots in the regional economy. The players in this sector are major contributors to growth, as well as key assets in rebuilding a stronger, more resilient, greener and more just economy for all.

Quotes

“The CED support announced today clearly illustrates our willingness to boost players in the tourism industry. The financial contribution provided for the project to expand and modernize the Aérogare de Grande-Rivière is very good news for the MRC du Rocher-Percé and its appeal. Thanks to the Government of Canada’s investments in the tourism industry, we are ensuring we are ready to welcome travellers and tourists from home and abroad!”

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Member of Parliament for Gaspésie‒Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

“Our government is committed to supporting tourism businesses and organizations. Thanks to the funding announced today, we are helping to strengthen economic growth in the MRC du Rocher-Percé. Our assistance represents an important step in the efforts being made to attract tourists from Quebec, Canada and around the world so they can all discover the best tourism experiences our country has to offer.”

The Honourable Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Member of Parliament for Hochelaga, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for CED

“A functional airport is essential to ensure efficient service for air ambulance flights, thereby enabling our residents to quickly receive emergency medical care in major centres. The airport and its facilities also represent a major development tool for our economy and for the tourism sector.”

Samuel Parisé, Warden of the MRC du Rocher-Percé

Quick facts
- The funds have been granted under CED’s Quebec Economic Development Program. This program aims to help communities seize economic development and diversification opportunities that are promising for the future.
- In Quebec, SMEs account for 99.7% of the province’s businesses and 50% of its GDP.
- CED is the key federal partner in Quebec’s regional economic development. With its 12 regional business offices, CED accompanies businesses, supporting organizations and all regions across Quebec into tomorrow’s economy.
Associated links

Information

Media Relations
Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
media@dec-ced.gc.ca

Marie-Justine Torres
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Cell: 613-327-5918
marie-justine.torresames@ised-isde.gc.ca

Stay connected

Follow CED on social media
Consult CED’s news
MIL OSI Canada News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Flight PS752: International Coordination and Response Group memorial statement
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The International Coordination and Response Group have filed a memorial with the International Court of Justice instituting the next phase in proceedings against Iran.
Statement from the International Coordination and Response Group on filing memorial of Flight PS752:

“Today the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden and Ukraine have jointly filed a memorial with the International Court of Justice, instituting the next phase of proceedings against Iran in relation to its breaches of the 1971 Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation.

“Iran has, among other violations, failed to take all practicable measures to prevent the destruction of Flight PS752 by members of its armed forces. Iran has equally failed to advance a full, transparent and impartial investigation and prosecution in accordance with international standards.

“Today’s legal action underscores our commitment to achieving transparency, justice and accountability for the victims and their families.”

Media enquiries

Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7008 3100

Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

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Updates to this page

Published 16 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group Returns to San Diego After 9-month Deployment

Source: United States Navy

TRCSG is a multiplatform team of ships, aircraft, and more than 6,000 Sailors, capable of carrying out a wide variety of missions around the globe. Deploying units of the strike group include Theodore Roosevelt, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 23, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11, and the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70). While the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Russell (DDG 59), USS Halsey (DDG 97) and USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) also returned to their respective home ports, Lake Erie and Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain (DDG 56) remain deployed in the 7th Fleet area of operations supporting global maritime security operations.

TRCSG deployed to the Indo-Pacific region to support regional security and stability, keep sea lanes open, and to reassure our allies and partners of the U.S. Navy’s unwavering commitment to the region. The strike group was later ordered to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to strengthen U.S. military force posture and capabilities throughout the Middle East in light of escalating regional tensions.

“The strike group’s ability to quickly adjust from operations in 7th Fleet to 5th Fleet is a testament to both the flexibility of our naval forces as well as the strength and training of our Navy Sailors,” said Commander, Carrier Strike Group 9, Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander. “We had the distinct honor to strengthen our skills and relationships with 10 allied and partner nations, demonstrating our nation’s commitment to the freedom of navigation.”

The TRCSG strengthened interoperability through dual carrier operations with the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group and Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, participation in exercise Valiant Shield 2024, and numerous bilateral and multilateral maritime exercises in the Philippine and South China seas as well as in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Notable key leader engagements and visits aboard Theodore Roosevelt included the president of the Republic of Korea, chief of naval operations for the Republic of Korea Navy, lieutenant governor of Guam, U.S. Pacific Fleet commander, U.S. 7th Fleet commander, Republic of Singapore Navy fleet commander, U.S. ambassadors to the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Qatar, and senior officers from the armed forces of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Republic of Korea and Royal Thai Navy, among others.

The deployed Sailors from the TRCSG demonstrated their proficiency in enhanced maritime security operations through more than 9,000 sorties including 21,000 flight hours, 28 replenishments-at-sea, and more than 71,000 nautical miles traveled.

Ships of the TRCSG conducted routine port visits to Bahrain, Diego Garcia, Guam, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

“The crew worked incredibly hard and maintained mission focus this entire deployment,” said Capt. Brian Schrum, commanding officer, Theodore Roosevelt. “I am extremely proud of our Sailors and the work accomplished across the world’s oceans to keep our nation safe at home.”

CVW 11 consisted of nine squadrons: the “Blue Blasters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 34, the “Fist of the Fleet” of VFA-25, the “Flying Checkmates” of VFA-211, the “Black Knights” of VFA-154, the “Liberty Bells” of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 115, the “Rooks” of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137, the “Wolf Pack” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 75, the “Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 and the “Rawhides” of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40.

As an integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet operates naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic and relevant training necessary to execute the U.S. Navy’s timeless role across the full spectrum of military operations—from combat missions to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works in close coordination with other numbered fleets to provide commanders with capable, ready forces to deploy forward and win in day-to-day competition, in crisis, and in conflict.

For more information about Carrier Strike Group 9 and USS Theodore Roosevelt visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/ccsg9/ and https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/COMCARSTRKGRU-9; Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/usstheodoreroosevelt

MIL Security OSI –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: INTERPOL operation nets terror suspects, cash and illegal weapons

Source: Interpol (news and events)

16 October 2024

LYON, France – An INTERPOL counter-terrorism operation to strengthen border security has enabled millions of crosschecks against international databases, resulting in 66 arrests, significant seizures and the identification of 81 individuals subject to INTERPOL notices and diffusions.
Operation Neptune VI brought together law enforcement agencies from 14 countries with the goal of bolstering security measures and responses around the maritime routes across the Mediterranean Sea, as well as in airports and at land borders in the participating countries.
The initiative, carried out in cooperation with WCO, FRONTEX and Europol, equipped teams with handheld devices and gave local authorities expanded access to INTERPOL databases.
The operation focused on identifying and analysing the movement patterns of Foreign Terrorist Fighters and people with links to terrorism as well as criminal groups responsible for cross-border crimes such as drug trafficking, weapons smuggling and human trafficking.
During Neptune VI, which ran for approximately two weeks in each country, officers on the ground also checked INTERPOL records of stolen vehicles and lost or stolen travel documents, which are both key assets for facilitating terrorist funding and mobility.
By the end of the operation on 16 September 2024, more than 16 million crosschecks had been made against the various INTERPOL databases, generating 187 ‘hits’.
A dozen arrests were made on the basis of INTERPOL Red Notices. Another 54 people were apprehended under national arrest warrants and for crimes detected at the border, including drugs and fraud offenses as well as the smuggling of gold, cash and weapons.

Cyprus: Seizure displayed during Operation Neptune VI

France: Documents being verified at the border

France: Millions of database crosschecks were made during the international operation

Iraq: Document verification during Operation Neptune VI

Albania: The operation brought together law enforcement agencies from 14 countries

Albania: Vehicle undercarriage check

Albania: K9 inspection

Algeria: Document inspection during Operation Neptune VI

Algeria: Document check

Bulgaria: The operation aimed to strengthen border security

Red and Blue Notices to catch and track terror suspects

One suspect detained as part of the operation was the subject of a Red Notice for a terror attack carried out 23 years ago on a church in Pakistan. The fugitive is being held by local authorities as extradition procedures are carried out.
In another case, airport border police blocked entry to an individual who was the subject of an INTERPOL Blue Diffusion, issued in 2015. The person had previously travelled to join ISIS through a European country.
In contrast to a Red Notice which can form the basis for provisional arrest, a Blue Notice or diffusion is a request between INTERPOL member countries to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities, in relation to a criminal investigation. During the Neptune VI operation, 29 subjects of Blue Notices and Diffusions were identified, allowing officers to track individuals with links to terrorism.

In Montenegro, border police detained a traveller suspected of using a counterfeit passport. Utilizing INTERPOL’s secure global police communications system (I-24/7), they verified the document with the issuing authorities, confirming it was a forgery. It was also discovered that the suspect was wanted for attempted murder. A Red Notice was promptly issued, requesting the suspect’s arrest and extradition.

Strengthened border controls lead to important seizures

The arrests made during Neptune VI were just one facet of the operation’s broad success in strengthening border control. The initiative yielded significant seizures, including EUR 549,000 in undeclared cash, gold worth EUR 10 million, 25 kilograms of cannabis, 35 stolen vehicles, and several illegal rifles and ammunition.
Additionally, Bulgarian border officials recovered two Glock pistols in the possession of an individual travelling with a fraudulent ID card. Notably, the pistol frames had been purchased as components in Central Europe, while the other parts had been falsely declared as exported to North America.

Bulgaria: Two Glock pistols were seized

Bulgaria: Database checking in progress

Morocco: K9 Inspection during Operation Neptune VI

Portugal: Document verification

Portugal: The operation generated 187 ‘hits’ on INTERPOL databases

Spain: A vehicle check point

Spain: Overall 66 people were apprehended as part of Operation Neptune VI

Spain: INTERPOL equipped local police with access to international databases

Italy: The operation focused on identifying people with links to terrorism and cross-border crimes

Italy: Inspection team carries out checks

Italy: A search in progress

Montenegro: K9 inspection of vehicles at border

Montenegro: K9 vehicle inspection

Morocco: Officers have access to INTERPOL’s international databases

Greg Hinds, INTERPOL’s Counter-Terrorism Director said:
“By working together and equipping law enforcement agencies with the frontline tools they need, we can disrupt the activities of terrorists and criminals and bring them to justice. The operation’s results demonstrate the importance of sharing intelligence and best practices among countries to combat the evolving threats of terrorism and organized crime.”
Neptune VI is funded by Global Affairs Canada, WCO and Frontex.

Participating countries:

Albania, Algeria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia.

MIL Security OSI –

January 23, 2025