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Category: Fisheries

  • MIL-Evening Report: Yes, reindeer actually can have red noses – and other fascinating facts about this Christmas icon

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julie Old, Associate Professor, Biology, Zoology, Animal Science, Western Sydney University

    Dmitry Chulov, Shutterstock

    At this time of year, images of reindeer are everywhere. I’ve had a soft spot for reindeer ever since I was a little girl. Doesn’t everyone?

    While I work on Australian mammals, especially marsupials such as wombats, I still find reindeer fascinating.

    I’ve spent a great deal of time reading up about reindeer. Some of the research may interest you too.

    So here’s everything you need to know about this iconic animal, including why they need antlers, why they really can have red noses and how their eyes change colour!

    Male reindeer lose their horns in winter.
    Tam and Trace Photography, Shutterstock

    What do reindeer eat?

    Reindeer (Rangifer tarandua) are herbivores, which means they eat plants. But because they live in the Arctic, where snow and ice covers the ground for most of the year, they can’t be too fussy.

    Their diet mostly consists of lichen, a plant-like organism that grows on rocks and trees. They also eat grass, moss and fungus when they can get it. I’m sure they’d love a carrot or two, but they’re more likely to find only tough “vascular” shrubs and bushes in the Arctic.

    Like rabbits and koalas, reindeer also eat droppings – specifically barnacle goose poo. Who knows, maybe eating goose droppings give reindeer special flying powers at Christmas time?

    How do they keep warm?

    We’ve all heard the Christmas song Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Yet you may not realise reindeer really can have red noses!

    Blood flow in the nose can increase or decrease to control heat exchange. So when reindeer need to cool down, their nose looks red because blood is pumped closer to the skin. It’s a bit like when fair-skinned people get hot and flushed.

    Reindeer can also regulate the temperature of the skin on their legs by a similar mechanism, to conserve energy.

    They build up very large fat reserves over the warmer months. Around 25% of these reserves are then used for energy in winter.

    Reindeer can also break down their own protein for energy over winter.

    Specialised hair acts to minimise heat loss. Reindeer fur is thickest in winter with more dense woollen underfur.

    Hollow “guard hairs” stand out from the rest to provide both colour and insulation from the cold.

    As reindeer fur is broader than other deer fur, with a larger hollow cavity, it probably also supports buoyancy. Perhaps it helps keep reindeer afloat when they cross lakes and rivers during migration. Maybe it could even make them lighter, just as birds have hollow bones, and enable flight.

    But these cold climate specialists may suffer as the world warms. Last year researchers described how female reindeer responded to an extreme heatwave in Finland. The reindeer became less active as their body temperature increased and heart rate decreased, reducing the ability to build up their fat reserves.

    Glittering eyes and fancy feet

    Reindeer noses are not the only body part that changes colour. Part of the back of their eye shines a gold-turquoise colour in summer, and deep blue in winter.

    The colour change corresponds to changes in the spacing of collagen fibres and pressure within the eye itself. It all has to do with making the most of the light at different times of the year.

    In summer, reindeer have sponge-like footpads that help grip the soft ground. In winter, however, their footpads are smaller and the hoof rim is exposed, enabling reindeer to cut through snow and ice to find food.

    Reindeer toes on the front feet play a braking role – making for easy landings on roofs perhaps – while toes on the back feet are used for pushing.

    Antlers and herd dynamics

    Reindeer are unique among all deer in that both males and females have antlers. But only females have antlers all year around.

    The size of male reindeer (bull) antlers is second only to that of the moose. But relative to body size, reindeer antlers are the largest among living deer.

    Bulls use their antlers and body size to win over females. Older males have larger antlers with more spiky projections.

    Bull antler buds appear in March or April, become fully developed during summer then shed from August to September. Bulls also grow a mane and their neck thickens by this time.

    The older males shed their antlers earlier than younger (or weaker) bulls, with antlers dropping off sometime between November and May.

    Unlike bulls, cows need to keep their antlers throughout winter to compete for food and prevent unwanted attention from young bulls.

    Young cows develop antlers early to earn a higher rank among the herd, which can be maintained for life.

    The clicking sound from reindeer knees is a curious feature. It’s thought to come from the tendon within the knee when it slips over the bone.

    The sound is likely to be louder in bigger reindeer with longer tendons, as observed in eland (Taurotragus oryx). So knee clicking can provide an acoustic signal to rivals, allowing combatants to determine if they want to engage in battle or not.

    Survival of the species

    Reindeer are essential to the health of the Arctic grasslands and forests, and have great cultural significance to the many Indigenous peoples of the regions in which they live.

    Yet reindeer are vulnerable to extinction. The global population has declined from about 4.8 million to 2.9 million over a couple of decades.

    People are largely to blame. Farming, mining, forestry, hunting and now climate change threaten the survival of the species.

    Fortunately, Santa is not the only person to keep reindeer. Many are kept in captivity, ensuring this amazing species’ survival for a while yet.

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

    – ref. Yes, reindeer actually can have red noses – and other fascinating facts about this Christmas icon – https://theconversation.com/yes-reindeer-actually-can-have-red-noses-and-other-fascinating-facts-about-this-christmas-icon-242739

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Ducktales Episode 4: Whio – the ten-buck-duck | Conservation blog

    Source: Department of Conservation

    Perhaps you know your Daffy from your Donald, your Huey from your Louie and Dewey, but do you really know your ducks?

    Communications and Media Advisor Krysia Nowak takes a duck-dive into the shallows for a quick wade around the ducks of Aotearoa.

    This is the final episode, friends, with a focus on the fantastically fabulous whio. Found only in Aotearoa New Zealand (unless you happen to take a $10 note overseas), whio are more threatened than some species of kiwi – it’s time we showed them some love!

    Adult whio | William Harland CC BY-ND 4.0

    What’s in a name?

    As Shakespeare almost once said, ‘a blue duck by any other name would still be blue’. Except these aren’t, really. At a stretch they might be a steel blue, but my personal opinion is that the name came about because ‘grey duck’ was already taken (See Ducktales Episode 1: Quacking the case on mallards and grey ducks). A more accurate name, then, is the te reo Māori ‘whio’, or ‘kowhiowhio’, said to resemble the whistling sound the males make.

    Whistling you say? That’s right, no generic quacking for our whio whānau. Males have a piercing whistle, synonymous with out backcountry river soundscape, while the females utter a purring sort of growl.

    Make of that what you will.

    Listen here: https://www.doc.govt.nz/globalassets/documents/conservation/native-animals/birds/bird-song/blue-duck.mp3

    A whitewater wonder

    You may be used to ducks living on still water, perhaps gently flowing water, a pond, a stream, a lowland river. Not so the whio; they’re thrill-seekers. Instead, picture these hardy ducks on rapids we’d usually associate with rafting and adventure sports. Even the ducklings can handle strong currents with ease, thanks to their oversized ‘umbrella-like’ feet.

    Whio are only distantly related to our other ducks, as they separated from other species a long time ago. They’ve specialised in this fast-flowing environment, in fact, they’re one of only four species of duck in the world adapted to live in ‘torrent’ environments!

    To give an example of their specialisation, I once saw a whio family on the pond at Tongariro National Trout Centre (they pop in occasionally, a holiday from the river I guess). I had the privilege of watching one of the adult whio chasing a mallard around the pond. Swimming near each other the differences were stark – whio with their streamlined bodies racing through the water, next to the dingy-like mallard at a relaxed pace. Needless to say, the mallard ceded the pond, and the whio emerged victorious.

    Clean, clear, and cold

    Whio need clean, clear, cold water to survive. Well…mostly so they can eat. Visual hunters, they peruse the current and under rocks for tasty insects and worms (with a cool beak!). They can handle the occasional flood muddying the water, but permanently silty environments kill their kai, and their ability to find it.

    A whio surveying its domain | Michael Hayward CC BY-ND 4.0

    So why clean and cold? Well not a whole lot of things like to live in pollution (except humans, apparently), and whio food is no exception. Prime whio fodder like mayflies, caddis, and stoneflies have high oxygen needs. Pollution uses up oxygen, and warm water holds less oxygen, so clean and cold is where it’s at.

    Stoatally uncool

    Imagine whio back before mammalian predators were introduced, when threats came from other birds like harriers and black-backed gulls. Birds are visual, and most (with a couple of notable exceptions) don’t have a good sense of smell. So, the ultimate whio defence strategy was born: look like a rock. People unfamiliar with whio spotting often fail to spot the ‘slightly animated rocks’ that betray a stealthy whio. Ducklings are a black and white combination that somehow disappears completely in the rapids.

    Try and count whio ducklings on the move. Go on, I dare you.

    Black and white whio ducklings are hard to track in the rapids | Bradley Shields CC BY-ND 4.0

    Enter mammalian predators, like stoats, with an excellent sense of smell to tell boulder from bird. Suddenly, whio are *ahem* sitting ducks.  Whio aren’t completely defenceless; they’re feisty and can often fight off predators, but they have no way to hide from predators who can sniff them out, and it’s difficult to fight a stoat and keep your eggs alive at the same time. If a stoat finds a female whio sitting on her nest, it’s only a matter of time before it either kills her or drives her off and eats the eggs. All the while, the male whio is diligently watching the river and sky for threats, not realising the real threat now comes from the land (this breaks my heart).

    By the time conservationists realised there was a problem, there were estimated to be less than 2500 whio left in the entire country.

    Whio Forever?

    So, how can we stop the decline of whio? Partner up!

    If we control stoats in whio habitat, we give whio their best chance of resilience in the face of other threats like climate change. We’re pretty fortunate here at DOC to have a partnership with Genesis, and with their support we’ve been able to protect more than 1,500 kilometres of river in whio habitat in locations across New Zealand.

    Stoats aren’t the only threat to whio though, many of our rivers aren’t as healthy as they used to be, so habitat loss is right up there, along with climate change. Helping to keep our rivers healthy (don’t litter, plant trees, wash your car on the grass, etc), and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions (you know the drill) are actions that can help the wider picture for fabulous whio.

    Whio live year-round on fast flowing rivers and streams | DOC

    Well, I’m all out of ducks, and you’ve made it to the end of the ducktales blogs; well done you! Now you get to go on and share all these new facts at your Christmas parties. You’re welcome; you can thank me by being decent to ducks:

    Be decent to ducks

    Be a responsible cat owner, by:

    • Desexing and microchipping your cat
    • Keeping your cat indoors or contained inside a ‘catio’, especially at night
    • Putting your cat in a cattery when you go on holiday
    • Never taking them onto public conservation land.

    Be a responsible dog owner:

    • This link is about dogs on beaches, but it has good advice for many natural environments: Dogs on beaches (doc.govt.nz)
    • For whio it’s also important to keep dogs on a lead around rivers during nesting season (August to January)
    • Hunters can request whio avoidance training alongside kiwi avoidance training for their dogs – visit https://www.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz/

    Please don’t feed ducks, feeding wild birds can:

    • Make them sick or make them starve because they are eating the wrong things
    • Make them gather in unusually high numbers, spreading disease (we’re especially wary of this with H5N1 avian influenza spreading overseas)
    • Increase their numbers at a cost to other species (e.g. mallards outcompeting pāteke on Aotea/Great Barrier Island)
    • Modify natural behaviours so the birds spend more time in locations where they are at risk of pet attacks or car strike
    • Increase risks to human health by increasing the concentration of bird faecal matter

    Trap introduced predators at home or in your community:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Be wise around water this summer

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Kiwis planning a swim or heading out on a boat this summer should remember to stop and think about water safety, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop and ACC and Associate Transport Minister Matt Doocey say.

    “New Zealand’s beaches, lakes and rivers are some of the most beautiful in the world and are part of many Kiwi families’ summer plans – including mine,” Mr Bishop says. 

    “While Instagram feeds fill up with snaps of happy Kiwis frolicking in and on the waves, sadly we know that, statistically speaking, an average of 36 families will experience the devastation of a loved one’s preventable drowning this summer.

    “So our message to you this summer is to take personal responsibility for protecting your family from that heartbreak.

    “Fortunately there are some easy steps you can take to to keep yourself and your loved ones safe around the water. New Zealand’s water safety code was updated this year, and following the ‘five ways to survive’ can prevent tragedy. 

    “Always find the safest place to swim – much of our coastline is treacherous and many places don’t have lifeguard patrols, so always try to swim on patrolled beaches. If you’re going out on a boat, wear a lifejacket. It’s not rocket science and it saves lives, so get on board with water safety this summer.”

    “Earlier this year the Government announced an investment of $63.6 million to Surf Life Saving New Zealand and Coastguard New Zealand so they can continue their important work of keeping people safe in, on, and around the water,” Mr Doocey says.

    “These largely volunteer-driven frontline water safety organisations have saved countless lives and will save many more. The funding increase is helping to cover increases to operational expenses for both organisations as well as rescue equipment, facilities and maintenance. 

    “But amazing as our Coastguard and Surf Life Saving volunteers are, there’s only so much they can do unless the rest of us play our part. So, this summer please help them by swimming at a patrolled beach during patrolled hours. 

    “If you’re heading out on a boat, even if you’re a strong swimmer, bear in mind that of the 17 people who drowned in a boating incident so far this year, Water Safety NZ reports that just one of them was wearing a lifejacket. 

    “Lifejackets save lives, and could save yours – it’s that simple.

    “And remember to always keep in close contact with children in or around water. Their safety relies on you being with them to help when things go wrong.

    “While our drowning fatalities for 2024 are currently lower than they were at the same time in 2023, keeping the numbers of preventable drowning tragedies down is going to take a combined effort from us all.

    “Let’s all have a safe summer in, on and around the water this year.”

    Note to Editor:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, launches various initiatives to strengthen the cooperative sector in Tripura

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, launches various initiatives to strengthen the cooperative sector in Tripura

    Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, emphasis is being laid on cooperatives for the welfare of every farmer and poor of Tripura

    Farmers of Tripura should join hands with National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) to get their land and products certified

    Today, 8 initiatives, including a MoU between NCOL and Tripura State Organic Farming Development Agency will give impetus to cooperatives in the state and it will open many dimensions for farmers

    Organic farming offers solutions to many problems; it enhances the prosperity of farmers and also helps in maintaining a higher groundwater level

    In the previous governments, cooperatives in Tripura were running at a loss, but since 2018, Tripura’s cooperatives have been earning profits

    Modi ji has launched the world’s largest food storage scheme, and now, there will not be a single tehsil in Tripura without a storage facility

    Out of the 57 initiatives taken by the Ministry of Cooperation, Tripura has made significant progress in implementing 41 initiatives, which is a major achievement

    Posted On: 22 DEC 2024 7:06PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, today launched various initiatives to strengthen the cooperative sector in Tripura. On this occasion, the Chief Minister of Tripura, Prof. (Dr.) Manik Saha, and the Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, along with several other dignitaries, were present.

    In his address, Shri Amit Shah said under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, emphasis is being laid on cooperatives for the welfare of every farmer and poor of Tripura. He mentioned that the objective of the Ministry of Cooperation, established by Prime Minister Modi, is ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’. Shri Shah highlighted that Prime Minister Modi has elevated India’s economy from 11thto 5thposition, and by 2027, the country will attain the 3rdposition. He added that our goal is not only to achieve the 3rdposition but also to ensure the participation of 140 crore Indians in this process. Prosperity, happiness, education, and healthcare should reach every family and individual. He emphasized that the only path to achieve this is through cooperation.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that there are more than 8 lakh cooperatives in the country through which more than 350 million people are associated with cooperatives. Cooperatives like Amul, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, and NAFED have worked to connect people with cooperatives. He said, today, cooperatives exist in almost all sectors, including banking, agricultural financing, medical support, and fertilizer distribution.

    Shri Amit Shah said that we have launched Mobile Rural Marts through NABARD, and these marts will aim to provide pulses, rice, and wheat flour at affordable prices to people in five districts under the India brand, through NABARD. He mentioned that 50 primary cooperative societies of Tripura State Cooperative Bank have been provided with micro ATMs. Today, cooperative petrol pumps and a consumer store in Dhalai district have also been inaugurated in Tripura. Shri Shah further noted that eight initiatives have been taken today to boost cooperation, including the Smart Training Center of Tripura State Cooperative Union, the distribution of mini seed kits to 500 farmers through NCCF, and the MoU between National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Tripura State Organic Farming Development Agency.

    Union Minister of Cooperation said that Tripura is traditionally a state that produces more than 70% organic products, but these products are not certified. He mentioned that Tripura’s farmers should connect with the NCOL through cooperative institutions, so that their land and products can be certified. Shri Shah stated that within two to three years, NCOL will help farmers secure at least 30% higher prices for their products. He further emphasized that organic farming not only enriches and preserves our land but also keeps the environment healthy and protects our bodies from various diseases. He added that organic farming solves many problems, increases the prosperity of farmers, and helps in maintaining a higher groundwater level.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the central government has established three national-level multipurpose cooperative societies to provide quality seeds, market organic products, and connect farmers’ produce to the global market. He mentioned that over 35 cooperative institutions from Tripura have applied for membership in these three societies. Shri Shah further stated that currently, there are 3,138 different types of cooperatives in Tripura, including dairy, fisheries, consumer cooperatives, livestock, and poultry cooperatives. He noted that previous governments established cooperatives but used them as a means to recruit their cadres, causing them to incur losses. He said in 2018 when his party formed government in the state, Tripura’s cooperatives started earning profits, and now, with the efforts of the Narendra Modi government, their profits are increasing.

      

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that farmers in Tripura can work through cooperatives for the prosperity of themselves and their families. He mentioned that Prime Minister Modi has launched the world’s largest food storage scheme, under which 2,000 metric ton capacity warehouses will be built on a cooperative basis in Tripura. He assured that there will not be a single tehsil in the state without a storage facility. Shri Shah added that out of the 57 initiatives taken by the Ministry of Cooperation, Tripura has made significant progress in implementing 41 of them, which is a major achievement.

    *****

    RK/VV/ASH/PS

     

    (Release ID: 2087053) Visitor Counter : 71

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses the 72ndPlenary meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala, Tripura

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addresses the 72ndPlenary meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala, Tripura

    Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has brought the Northeast into the focus of development with his vision and sensitivity

    Modi government stands with the northeastern states for resolving their all problems

    NEC is working to identify the needs and challenges of various sectors and provide effective solutions, playing a crucial role in determining the direction of development

    The goal of the Modi government is to accelerate the pace of development in the Northeast and bring this region at par with the rest of India

    Modi government is implementing the mantra of ‘Act East, Act Fast, and Act First’

    Efforts should be made to change the approach, training and focus of the police in every state of the Northeast, transforming the culture and direction of the police force

    In last 10 years, 71% reduction in violent incidents and 86% decrease in civilian deaths in the Northeast has been registered and 10,574 insurgents have surrendered

    Modi government has achieved success in establishing peace in the Northeast through various peace agreements

    Time has come for every citizen of the Northeast to be given their constitutional rights of protection of property, dignity and their family, which are imbibed in the three new criminal laws

    Modi government has attracted investors and worked towards opening global markets for the region,to accelerate the development of the Northeast

    Posted On: 21 DEC 2024 6:47PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addressed the 72nd Plenary Session of North Eastern Council (NEC) in Agartala, Tripura today. Union Minister Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Governor, Tripura, Shri Indrasena Reddy Nallu, Chief Minister, Tripura, Professor (Dr.) Manik Saha and Union Home Secretary, Shri Govind Mohan were present on the occasion. The meeting was also attended by the Governors of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim, as well as the Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim, along with the Minister of Community and Rural Development of Meghalaya, and several other dignitaries.

    In his address, Union Home Minister said under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi past 10 years have been very important for the North East Region. He said that the way Prime Minister Modi has brought this region into the focus of the world is transformative for the entire Northeast. Shri Shah said that for a long time this region was mere an issue of speeches for Delhi, but Prime Minister Modi has brought this area into the focus of development with his vision and sensitivity. He said that in the last 10 years, due to the unprecedented development of infrastructure in the Northeast, not only has the physical distance been reduced, but Prime Minister Modi has also worked to bridge the distance of hearts between the people of this region and Delhi.

    Union Home Minister said that when Prime Minister Modi gave priority to the Northeast himself, it naturally became the priority of the entire central government.He said that today our Northeast region is on the path of development despite much diversity. He said that 10 years ago, more than 200 tribal groups and more than 195 dialects and languages of the region had become our weakness in a way, causing different kinds of conflicts. Shri Shah said that today, when we look back, it is Prime Minister Shri Modi ji who has done the work of converting that weakness into strength and power.He said that today, more than 200 tribal groups, due to their cultural diversity, have become the center of attraction for the entire world, and over 195 dialects and languages have contributed to making the Northeast one of the 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world.

    Union Home Minister said that there are more than 7,500 species of flowers in the Northeast alone, along with various types of wildlife and water resources. The Modi government has made significant efforts over the past 10 years to preserve these natural diversities and transform the region into a preferred tourist destination.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the Modi government has accomplished the most important task of establishing peace in the Northeast. In the past 10 years, several peace agreements have been signed and about10574 armed youths have surrendered and joined the mainstream, bringing peace to the Northeast and laying the foundation for development. He also mentioned the entire country and the world are now accepting Modi ji’s concept of ‘Ashtalakshmi’

    Union Home Minister said that today the entire country wants the prosperity for every individual and states of the Northeast so that the Northeast continues to contribute to the development of the country. He said that in the 10 years of the Modi government, efforts have been made to build all kinds of foundational structures to move forward on the path of development with such diversity. Union Home Minister added that now, it is time to build a strong, tall, and inclusive structure of development on this foundation. He said that the government has always given priority to the Northeast, and the goal of the Modi government is to bring this region on par with the rest of India by accelerating the pace of its development. Shri Shah mentioned that during former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, the Ministry of DONER (Development of North Eastern Region) was established.Modi Ji urged the entire Cabinet to visit the Northeast and stay overnight there, resulting in central ministers’ spending over 700 nights in the region. He added that Prime Minister Modi himself has visited the Northeast 65 times, and during each visit, he has brought developmental gifts for the region.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the Modi government has left no stone unturned in preserving the culture of the Northeast. He mentioned that it was the Modi government that worked to include the most languages from the Northeast in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.Shri Shah said that in various peace agreements, the central government has not only empowered and preserved the different dialects of the Northeast but has also advocated for primary education to be provided in the local languages of the region. This has greatly benefited the preservation of our cultural heritage. He noted that now, it is time to give a big push to the country’s efforts to become a 5 trillion dollar economy through the development of the Northeast. He mentioned that for this, the ministries of DONER and the North Eastern Council (NEC) are working to implement the mantra of “Act East, Act Fast, and Act First.”

    Union Home Minister said that over the past 50 years, the NEC has served as an important platform for discussing the aspirations, needs, and potential solutions to challenges, and has worked to become the blueprint for the development of the Northeast.He said that the NEC has played a crucial role in harmonizing the policies of the Government of India and the states of the Northeast, ensuring that development reaches the grassroots level. He added that the NEC has been responsible for formulating development plans, connecting various tribal groups with development, and outlining the development of the Northeast by viewing the entire region from a unique perspective.

    Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Modi has created a positive ecosystem and on the basis of this, the states and the Ministry of DoNERmust improve the investment ecosystem. He said that connectivity from the region is no longer a problem and in some time connectivity with the world will also no longer be a problem.ShriShah said that Prime Minister Modi has created a positive ecosystem, and based on this, the states and the DONER Ministry must improve the investment ecosystem. He stated that connectivity is no longer a problem, and connectivity with the world will also no longer be an issue.He said that after the Bangladesh Enclaves Exchange, our goal of connecting the Northeast with the world will be achieved very soon. He mentioned that this will strengthen the industrial ecosystem in the Northeast, and will also open up global market for those investing here. Shri Shah emphasized that for this, each state must strengthen its efforts. He also stated that the Government of India encourages all investors to invest in the Northeast.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that recently, the Union Cabinet has decided to establish three semiconductor units in the Northeast for the development of the semiconductor and display manufacturing ecosystem. He mentioned that one of these units, Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Private Limited, will be set up in Assam with an investment of approximately ₹27,000 crore, which will be the largest investment so far. He added that this will create 20,000 direct jobs and 60,000 indirect job opportunities. Shri Shah further added that keeping this future potential in mind, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, is preparing courses in collaboration with universities in the Northeast to equip the youth with relevant education and knowledge. He emphasized that this will generate a large number of jobs for the youth in all eight states of the Northeast.

    Shri Amit Shah said that it is crucial for the Northeast region to attract industrial investment, and efforts to accelerate this need to be intensified. He mentioned that the Northeast cannot remain peaceful solely through the development of the region and states; there needs to be a balance in the development of individuals, villages, and states. He emphasized that for the development of individuals, the development of villages must be ensured, and to achieve this, along with industrial development, the region must become self-reliant in the production of milk, vegetables, eggs, fish, and meat. He said that organic products, milk, vegetables, eggs, and such items are what can drive individual development in the region, and until every individual is prosperous, the vision of a prosperous Northeast cannot be realized.

    Union Home Minister said that organic farming naturally takes place throughout the Northeast. He urged all the governors, chief ministers, and chief secretaries present at the meeting to join the National Cooperative OrganicsLimited (NCOL) established by the Government of India. The objective of NCOL is to connect all farmers engaged in cooperative organic farming and build infrastructure for packaging, marketing, and export. He emphasized that all states should enter into agreements with NCOL and link their farmers to it, so that their organic products can reach the global market. Shri Shah further stated that the Modi government has decided to establish an organic certification lab in every state of the Northeast, and in larger states like Assam, one in each district. This will ensure reliable organic certification for both soil and agricultural products. He added that through brands like Amul and Bharat, our products will be able to reach global markets.

    Shri Amit Shah said that every type of connectivity in the Northeast is a priority for the Modi government. He mentioned that the Mission Palm Oil has the potential to become a significant pathway for the development of all the states in the Northeast. He highlighted that the production of oilseeds in the country is low, and we are still not self-reliant in the edible oil sector, but Mission Palm Oil can make us self-reliant in this area. Shri Shah added that so far, there is a proposal to develop 10 new oil mills in the Northeast.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the Modi government has adopted a multi-dimensional approach in the field of security, and by creating a specific strategy for each state, we have made progress over the last 10 years. He mentioned that as a result of this strategy, the police, army, Assam Rifles, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have successfully established a very good system in the Northeast. Shri Shah stated that in the last 10 years, violent incidents in the Northeast have reduced by 71%, and civilian deaths have reduced by 86%. He added that nearly 10,574 insurgents have surrendered, and due to several peace agreements, the Government of India has succeeded in establishing peace throughout the Northeast.

    Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Modi has launched a campaign for a drug-free India, in which the Northeast has a special responsibility, as a major route for narcotics entering India passes through the states of the Northeast. He mentioned that significant work has been done in the last 6 years in this direction, but our pace is still not sufficient. Home Minister urged all the governors and chief ministers present at the meeting to emphasize organizing district-level meetings of the District Monitoring Committees and to ensure their effective monitoring. He stated that drug addiction destroys future generations, and our goal is to make India completely drug-free, with the Northeast playing a significant role in this campaign.

    Union Home Minister said that preparations are underway to fully implement three new criminal laws across all the states in the Northeast. He mentioned that after the complete implementation of these laws, justice will be delivered within three years, even in the most complex cases, including those reaching the Supreme Court. He pointed out that for years, the focus of the police in all states was solely on combating insurgency and violence. However, now that violence has almost ceased in the Northeast, it is time to ensure that every citizen in the region is granted their constitutional rights to property, honor, and family protection, which are included in these three laws.

    Home Minister emphasized that it is time to change the culture and direction of the Northeast police. He said that with peace prevailing in the region, the focus should now be on ensuring citizens receive their rightful entitlements. For this, a change is needed in the approach, training, and focus of the police in every state of the Northeast. He mentioned that the prerequisite for achieving this change is the complete implementation of these three new laws across all states in the region.

    Shri Amit Shah urged all the governors present at the meeting to personally monitor this process, as it is crucial to establish the belief in the Northeast that citizens can obtain justice through filing an FIR. He said that for four decades, the police forces in all the states of the Northeast were entirely focused on combating insurgency, and now that insurgency is no longer a major issue, the focus must shift to providing citizens with their rights. He said that if this is achieved, the constitutional rights granted to citizens across the country will also be granted to the citizens of the Northeast.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the allocation for the PM-DevINE scheme was approximately ₹6600 crore, but it will soon be increased to ₹9000 crore. He mentioned that for the development of the Northeast, there are more than 111 projects, including roads, power, education, healthcare services, sports infrastructure, and tourism projects. He added that from 2014-15, the budget for the Northeast has increased by 153%, and through the Bamboo Mission, the government has set an ambitious goal to make the entire Northeast prosperous. Shri Shah emphasized that the Modi government will provide all possible support for every type of connectivity in the Northeast, and there will be no shortage of budget for this purpose.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that plans worth ₹81,000 crore have been made for rail connectivity and ₹41,000 crore for road connectivity. He mentioned that 64 new air routes have been launched, and the remaining work will be completed in the next three years. Shri Shah emphasized that the states of the Northeast should make the most use of NESAC (North Eastern Space Applications Centre). He stated that until technology is utilized for the development of the eight northeastern states with challenging geographical conditions, the focus on development cannot be properly defined.

    Regarding the flood problem in the Northeast states, the Home Minister said that by using technology to create pathways in the natural course, the budget for constructing roads could be reduced by at least 30%. He added that by diverting floodwaters and creating large ponds, all three objectives—flood prevention, agriculture, and tourism—could be achieved. He mentioned that Assam has created 15 large ponds on an experimental basis, and all states should use this method for flood relief and water storage. Shri Shah also stated that the use of technology reduces corruption and helps in advancing Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT).

    Shri Amit Shah said that a peaceful and prosperous Northeast alone is not enough. He emphasized that preserving the cultural diversity, arts, literature, and languages of the Northeast, and ensuring their existence, is important not only for the Northeast but for the entire country. He mentioned that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Government of India stands with the states of the Northeast to solve every issue they face. He expressed confidence that by 2047, when India becomes fully developed, the Northeast will be the country’s most prosperous region.

    ***

    RK/VV/ASH/PS

    (Release ID: 2086818) Visitor Counter : 15

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Public asked to check properties as search for Maia Johnston continues

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are continuing to search for 19-year-old Maia Johnston, who is still missing from Totara Park, Upper Hutt.

    Maia was last seen leaving a family home in Totara Park at around 8.30pm on Saturday 21 December.

    We are continuing to ask those who live Totara Park as well as surrounding areas of Harcourt Park and Brown Owl to check any CCTV footage for sightings of Maia.

    We are now also asking anyone in these suburbs to check their properties including any outbuildings such as sheds or sleep outs to see if Maia might have gone in there.

    We believe that Maia was wearing a black cardigan or light top, short shorts, and black and white converse shoes.

    Police have received a number of calls from members of the public, which we thank them for. We have assessed each bit of information and followed up where relevant. Unfortunately this has not led us to Maia and we, along with her family, would like to find her and make sure she is safe.

    If you have any information or CCTV footage that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105. Please use the reference number 241222/0237.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Stay safe from food poisoning this summer

    Source: Government of Victoria 2

    22/12/24

    While the end of the year is a wonderful time for Victorians to celebrate and share food, it is important to stay vigilant and take the necessary steps to avoid food poisoning even amongst the festivities.

    Chief Health Officer Dr Claire Looker is encouraging everyone to stick to safe food practices during the festive season.

    “Don’t give your loved ones the gift of food poisoning – always practice good food hygiene and enjoy a safe, happy holiday season this year” says Dr Looker.

    “It’s easy to get distracted when celebrating and forget to put away food – be vigilant of the temperature of left out food and pack away leftovers before they spoil.”

    Here are some tips to help you keep yourself and your loved ones free of food poisoning:

    • Danger zone: Bacteria that cause food poisoning are most likely to grow on food left at temperatures between 5°C and 60°C.
      • If food has been left out for two hours or less in this temperature range, consume the food or refrigerate it.
      • If food has been left for between two and four hours, consume the food immediately.
      • If it has been left out for longer than four hours, throw it out.
    • Beware high risk foods: Bacteria that cause food poisoning can grow quickly on some popular Christmas foods if they are left out for too long – these include turkey, ham, seafood, cooked rice, and custard. Store leftovers in the fridge when the meal is done, and if the weather is hot you can serve these foods over a bowl of ice.
    • Proper packing of leftovers: Storing leftovers correctly can help reduce bacterial growth – wait for hot food to stop steaming before packing it away in the fridge and put it in shallow dishes or separate smaller portions so it cools faster.
      Defrost dangers: Defrosting food on the bench-top can increase bacterial growth – defrost in the fridge the day before to safely thaw it and never refreeze thawed food.
    • Smart stacking in the fridge: Bacteria can spread from food to food in the fridge – always store raw meat separately and on a lower shelf than cooked and ready to eat foods such as ham and salads.
    • If in doubt, throw it out: If you’re unsure whether a food has spoiled or you are uncertain of the use-by-date, throw it out – you can always get another pudding.

    For on the day advice call the Food Safety Hotline on 1300 364 352 or visit the Better Health Channel websiteExternal Link.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: More than $2.5m worth of assets restrained in undeclared tobacco case

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A discovery of undeclared tobacco by the New Zealand Customs Service has resulted in the restraint of more than NZ$2.5 million worth of assets by New Zealand Police under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009.

    This case shows crime doesn’t pay, and profiting from criminal activities will eventually catch up with people, say the agencies.

    In November 2023, Customs intercepted 110 kilograms of loose tobacco and over 230,000 cigarettes (or approximately 10,000 packets) concealed in Chinese tea packets destined for residential and business addresses in Napier and Gisborne.

    No importation permits were held for the seized tobacco and cigarettes, and no excise equivalent duties were paid, amounting to around $645,000 in defrauded revenue.

    Further investigations identified previous similar consignments had been successfully imported into New Zealand and were being sold by a restaurant in Gisborne to the public.

    In March 2024, Customs carried out search warrants in Gisborne and located $10,000 cash in a bedroom, $106,371.20 cash inside a vehicle parked outside the restaurant, and over a kilogram of loose tobacco along with 11,000 cigarettes inside the restaurant.

    The Customs investigation resulted in the seizure of 306,200 cigarettes in total, and charges were laid against four people for various offences under the Customs and Excise Act 2018.

    With court proceedings still underway, the Police Asset Recovery Unit applied to the court and was granted restraint of the cash seized in the investigation along with further money from bank accounts, as well as four residential properties in Gisborne.

    In total, over $2.5m in assets has been restrained, and a forfeiture of the money and residential properties will be sought by the Police Asset Recovery Unit at the conclusion of the criminal charges.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Mike Fischer from the Central Asset Recovery Unit said this investigation shows the reach of the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act, and how closely Police are working with other government organisations to disrupt the flow of illicit funds.

    “Funds sourced from any type of illegal activity can form the basis of criminal proceeds action. In this case, the blatant disregard of the law for personal gain has helped Customs and Police uncover a large-scale fraud generating a high amount of income, from an activity that is unfortunately becoming more and more common,” he said.

    Chief Customs Officer, Nigel Barnes, said that illicit tobacco is not a victimless crime.

    “It takes money out from our communities and puts it in the pockets of organised crime groups that then go on to use the money for other crimes,” Mr Barnes says.

    “The motive for this offending is you can make a lot of money with low risk – but it’s not actually low-risk, and this is a prime example of how criminals can expect to lose their ill-gotten gains.”

    If you know or suspect someone may be involved in illegal smuggling, call Customs on 0800 WE PROTECT (0800 937 768), a 24-hour confidential hotline, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California secures critical funding to address Tijuana River sewage crisis in Imperial Beach and surrounding communities

    Source: US State of California 2

    Dec 21, 2024

    What you need to know: Working alongside federal, state, and local partners, Governor Newsom helped secure an additional $250 million in critical funding to address cross-border pollution from the Tijuana River. This funding allows for the full repair and expansion of the South Bay sewage treatment plant.

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that President Biden has signed a federal funding bill allocating $250 million to fully repair and expand the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant near the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego.

    This vital investment, secured in partnership with California’s congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration, will reduce untreated sewage flows into California’s coastal waters and improve public health and environmental conditions in the region. The sewage crisis is not only impacting public health, the local economy, and ecosystems and species in coastal communities but has also led to local beach closures for 1,000 consecutive days. It has significantly impacted the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people, border agents and U.S. Navy Seal special operation forces who train in those waters.

    In February, October, and November of this year, the Governor met with White House officials to push for action to address this crisis. Earlier this fall, Governor Newsom visited wastewater treatment facilities on both sides of the border to assess rehabilitation efforts and the ongoing sewage crisis, a long-standing environmental and public health issue.

    For far too long, communities in the Tijuana River Valley have borne the brunt of this cross-border pollution crisis. Today’s funding marks a long-term turning point — we are delivering the resources needed to protect public health, restore our beaches, and give residents the clean air and water they deserve.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Addressing this decades-long crisis

    Working alongside federal, state, and local partners over years, Governor Newsom has helped secure critical funding and support to address cross-border pollution from the Tijuana River while holding authorities accountable to expedited timelines. 

    Securing federal funding: In partnership with California’s congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris Administration, Governor Newsom has now helped secure $703 million in federal funding — $353 million this year and $350 million last year— for critical upgrades to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant. The upgrades will significantly reduce the flow of untreated sewage into California’s coastal waters.

    Governor Newsom meets with Senior Advisor to the President, John Podesta and other top White House officials to advocate for funding to address the Tijuana River sewage crisis. 

    State investments to clean up the area, provide air filters to communities: In October, the County announced plans to purchase and distribute $2.7 million worth of air purifiers for local residents, which will be reimbursed by the state. Since 2019, California has allocated $35 million in state funding to address pollution in the Tijuana River Valley and support cleanup efforts:

    • $1 million to fund Tijuana River Valley Recovery Team projects in the Tijuana River Valley. 
    • $9 million to operate and maintain Goat Canyon sediment and trash basins.
    • $4.7 million to Rural Community Assistance Corporation’s Tijuana River Trash Boom pilot Project.
    • $14.25 million for the Smuggler’s Gulch Improvement Project. 
    • $3.3 million for the Tijuana River Valley Habitat and Hydrology Restoration Project. 
    • $3 million to develop a model to forecast the presence of pathogens in San Diego coastal and tidal waters and help measure the effectiveness of potential projects in the Tijuana River Valley.

    Expedited timelines: Federal authorities committed to expediting construction timelines to more quickly repair infrastructure to mitigate sewage flows.

    Public health and air quality monitoring: California public health officials have been working closely with local authorities to monitor air quality and support public health efforts to protect the community. The state helped get the CDC to deploy resources on the ground and assess public health conditions. The state has also supported the local air district on air monitoring, planning, and mitigation strategies to protect public health. 

    Water quality and timeline accountability: State authorities have been using enforcement tools to compel infrastructure improvements to the federal wastewater treatment plant, with the San Diego Water Board holding the federal facility to timelines for several repair and maintenance actions, including replacing and installing additional pumps, cleaning out sedimentation tanks, replacing a junction box and temporary influent pipe, and rehabilitating all mechanical parts for sedimentation tanks.

    Continued federal and Mexico partnerships: The Governor has urged federal and Mexican partners to address this crisis. When Governor Newsom traveled to Mexico for President Claudia Sheinbaum’s inauguration, he discussed with Mexican authorities this crisis and repairing wastewater treatment facilities to prevent excess flows from reaching the U.S. During today’s visit, the Governor also met with Baja Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda. In February, October, and November of this year, the Governor met with White House officials to push for action to address this crisis.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Dec 21, 2024

    News Welcome to The California Weekly, your Saturday morning recap of top stories and announcements you might have missed. News you might have missed1. 📚 SUPPORTING CALIFORNIA STUDENTSBeginning in the upcoming school year, California’s kindergarten, first, and second…

    Dec 20, 2024

    News What you need to know: The federal government adopted a new water management framework that will help the state better manage water supply and protect endangered fish species. SACRAMENTO – Today, California joined the Biden-Harris Administration as it signed off…

    Dec 19, 2024

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and the California Museum today inducted the 18th class of the California Hall of Fame in a virtual ceremony. This all-women posthumous class consists of trailblazers in athletics, civil…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New federal actions will help California better manage water supply

    Source: US State of California 2

    Dec 20, 2024

    What you need to know: The federal government adopted a new water management framework that will help the state better manage water supply and protect endangered fish species.

    SACRAMENTO – Today, California joined the Biden-Harris Administration as it signed off on a new framework key to moving and supplying water for tens of millions of Californians. Adoption of this framework is an important step for integrating future water projects vital to maintaining the state’s water supply, including the Sites Reservoir and the Delta Conveyance Project.

    Combined, the new framework covering the federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project provides a more balanced approach to water management that will allow water managers greater flexibility when responding to extreme swings between drought and flood brought on by a changing climate. 

    The framework also benefits California’s endangered fish species through habitat restoration, improved flow measures, monitoring and hatchery production. The federal government’s adoption of this framework follows the approval of a new operating permit for the State Water Project system in November.

    We know what the future has in store for our state: hotter hots and drier dries. That means we have to do everything we can now to prepare and ensure our water infrastructure can handle these extremes. Thanks to the support of the Biden-Harris Administration, California is taking action to make our water systems more resilient and lay the groundwork for new capacity in the future.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    This week, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation signed a Record of Decision for new documents known as “biological opinions,” which address the water projects’ ecological impacts – shaping how water can be pumped and moved through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

    “The new framework supercharges our adaptive management and enables project operators to work with water users and the broader public to better manage the system to benefit millions of Californians and endangered fish species,” said California Department of Water Resources (DWR) Director Karla Nemeth. “Extreme storms and extended droughts mean we need to be as nimble as possible in operating our water infrastructure. DWR remains committed to working with our federal and state partners and using the best available science to support the water supply needs of California’s communities while protecting fish and wildlife.”

    In November, the state received a new operating permit for the State Water Project (SWP). The permit, known as an Incidental Take Permit, was issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) following the certification of a Final Environmental Impact Report for long-term operations of the SWP. 

    Building up California’s water supply

    Other actions the state has taken recently:

    • Nearly 400 communities across California have received support to bolster their drinking water and wastewater systems, securing clean drinking water for hundreds of thousands of people. 
    • California is forging ahead with major water projects, including the Sites Reservoir and the Delta Conveyance Project, that promise to provide water supply for millions of Californians once completed.
    • California recently marked the first decade of protecting and sustaining our critical groundwater supplies through the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), which empowers local agencies to tackle overpumping that endangers water supplies for communities, agriculture and ecosystems. 
    • California has increased its groundwater reserves, investing in projects that recharge groundwater basins, including capturing excess stormwater.
    • Governor Newsom unveiled an update to the California Water Plan, outlining comprehensive solutions to enhance the state’s ability to capture and store more water, especially during extreme weather events like floods. 
    • The state distributed $880 million to eliminate water utility debts for 4 million Californians, alleviating financial burdens on residents and businesses and ensuring continued access to water services during challenging economic times.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Dec 19, 2024

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom, and the California Museum today inducted the 18th class of the California Hall of Fame in a virtual ceremony. This all-women posthumous class consists of trailblazers in athletics, civil…

    Dec 19, 2024

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued the following statement after the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) approved a new plan to reduce reliance on the Aliso Canyon gas storage facility in Southern California. Aliso Canyon must be closed for…

    Dec 19, 2024

    News What you need to know: California supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s new greenhouse gas reduction target announced today as part of America’s commitment to the Paris Agreement. SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today issued the following statement after…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Adopted brothers make festive donation to city children

    Source: City of Wolverhampton

    The boys, aged 8 and 5, who are both adopted via Adoption@Heart, the adoption agency for the Black Country, came up with the idea after hearing about how many children would normally go without presents over the festive period.

    The children said: “We are lucky as we have so many toys, and we want to make other children smile too, especially at Christmas.”

    The boy’s mother said: “We believe every child deserves joy and love, no matter their circumstances. These toys are donated to bring smiles to the faces of less fortunate children, spreading hope and kindness to those who need it most.”

    The family, who also donated to the children of Wolverhampton last year, were once again touched by the generosity of their boys and got in touch with their social worker at Adoption@Heart to see how they could coordinate the donation. On speaking to their friends about the children’s offer, 3 other families also decided to get involved, providing sacksful of presents for children across Wolverhampton.

    The boys’ mother said: “As adoptive parents, we feel incredibly blessed to share smiles and joy with our sons every day. Each year, alongside other school parents, we honour the memory of our sons’ dear friend who passed away in 2021 by giving back in this meaningful way.

    “Equally, we all wanted to install these values with our boys. To be grateful for what they have, to be charitable, to look after those more in need and to share.”

    The gifts have been donated to Graiseley Family Hub for distribution to children in need in Wolverhampton this Christmas. The Hub provides support and activities for families with children 0 to 18 years, including support such as parenting, housing, benefits, training and employment.

    Councillor Jacqui Coogan, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “I am touched by this simple act of kindness which will make all the difference to our children in need, not just because of the gifts themselves, but because of the selfless nature of the young people and families who are donating gifts.

    “I would like to take this opportunity to send them a heartfelt thank you from all at our Family Hubs.”

    The family decided to start their adoption journey 10 years ago after being unable to have children.

    The boy’s mother said: “The adoption process was smooth, and we never really had any issues.

    “We adopted our eldest when he was 8 months old, and never planned on having a second child. However, as he got older, we could see when we took him out, he would be playing on his own.

    “We then decided on a sibling for him, and his brother joined our family when he was 7 months old.

    “They together are so close, and absolutely love each other to bits. It’s the best thing we ever did, giving us our perfect family.”

    Adoption@Heart is the regional adoption agency for the Black Country, providing adoption services for the City of Wolverhampton Council, Walsall Council, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and Sandwell Children’s Trust.

    Lots of people can adopt, whether they are single, living together, married, a same sex couple, in employment or not working, or already have children or not. Potential adopters must legally be a UK resident and have been so for at least 12 months, as well as being aged 21 or over. They should be able to provide a stable home for a child until adulthood and beyond.

    Adoption@Heart is currently holding virtual information events online every fortnight. They are the perfect place for those who are ready to start their adoption journey or would like more information. Details of future events are available at Adoption@Heart. For further information, call 01902 553818 or email info@adoptionatheart.org.uk 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How to have a pet-safe Christmas

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Chief Veterinary Officer shares advice on helping pets stay safe over Christmas

    The Chief Veterinary Officer has reminded families of some of the ways to exercise caution with their pets around Christmas to ensure a safe festive period for the whole family.

    It is particularly important to remain vigilant about what your pet is consuming as harmful foods can often be more accessible around the house during this time of year.

    It is best to check with your vet regarding any specific diets, but here are some general reminders which can help:

    • Chocolate is poisonous for dogs and if consumed requires urgent vet attention, so be wary about leaving boxes of chocolates exposed to dogs.
    • If you are sharing your Christmas dinners with pets, certain elements should not under any circumstances be given to them: Turkey bones can cause blockages in their airways, while onions, garlic, shallots and leeks should also not be shared with dogs as these ingredients are all toxic to them.
    • Sweet items should also be shared with caution as mincemeat, currants, raisins and sultanas are also toxic. Vets will be best placed to advise on the entire list, as diets can also vary depending on the pets.

    Pets should also be supervised around Christmas decorations: keep tinsel and decorations such as Christmas lights at a safe distance to avoid animals eating or chewing them, and regularly hoover to avoid pets eating fallen pine needles. Be mindful of other festive hazards including poinsettias, holly berries and mistletoe which can also be harmful if eaten.

    Keep your pets safe in the cold weather by making sure their bedding is kept away from cold draughts and keep dogs away from frozen ponds and lakes when out on a walk.

    UK Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said:

    Whilst Christmas is not the best time to introduce a new pet to your household, there are precautions you can take over the festive period to make sure you are taking steps to keep them safe and happy.

    There are some increased risks around this time – from potential hazards such as toxic foods to making sure your animals are kept warm – and being aware of these will help you and your pets have a safe and enjoyable Christmas.

    If you are buying a new dog for Christmas, make sure you check the animal is microchipped and that the keeper’s details are registered to a compliant database. Deceitful pet sellers use a range of tactics to ‘Petfish’ unsuspecting buyers. These unscrupulous sellers pretend that the puppy or kitten they’re selling you comes from a happy home. In reality, the animal may have been bred or kept in poor conditions.

    Bringing pets to the UK from overseas has increased animal health and welfare risks. If rescuing a pet from abroad, families should check who the rescue organisation is, that the pet will be transported by an authorised transporter and that the animal has received a vet check before travel. Prospective owners should also check that the pet has been tested for any relevant disease before moving them to the UK. 

    It’s important to do your research so you know your new pet has come from a responsible seller.

    If you have any concerns or queries regarding your pets over Christmas, it is best to get in touch with your vet. Further information on our Petfished campaign is available on GOV.UK.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 December 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Eating red meat may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes – not a lot of people know that

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gulshanara (Rumy) Begum, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition & Exercise Science, University of Westminster

    Red meat has been a part of diets worldwide since early man. It is an excellent source of protein, vitamins (such as B vitamins) and minerals (such as iron and zinc).

    However, red meat has long been associated with increasing the risk of heart disease, cancer and early death. What may not be so well known is the link between red meat consumption and type 2 diabetes.

    A paper published in the Lancet in September 2024 highlighted this link to type 2 diabetes using data from the Americas, the Mediterranean, Europe, south-east Asia and the Western Pacific (20 countries included).

    This recent study, with nearly 2 million participants, found that high consumption of unprocessed red meat, such as beef, lamb and pork, and processed meat, such as bacon, salami and chorizo, increased the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

    The researchers also highlighted a link between the consumption of poultry and the incidence of type 2 diabetes, but the link was weaker and varied across the populations.

    Type 2 diabetes is a serious public health issue affecting 462 million people globally. It occurs when our bodies don’t make enough insulin or can’t use insulin well.

    Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a small leaf-shaped gland that sits behind the stomach and just in front of the spine. Insulin helps blood glucose enter cells, which stops levels from rising in the blood.

    In type 2 diabetes, due to our body not having enough insulin or inability to use the insulin (also referred to as “insulin resistance” or “impaired insulin sensitivity”), blood glucose reaches high levels, causing symptoms such as extreme thirst, increased need to pass urine and feelings of tiredness. Long-term health issues include nerve damage, foot problems and heart disease.

    The underlying mechanisms linking red meat intake with type 2 diabetes are unclear. Mechanisms could relate to the function of the pancreas, insulin sensitivity or a combination of the two.

    Possible mechanisms

    Red meat has high levels of saturated fat and is low in polyunsaturated fats, which could disrupt insulin sensitivity.

    Research has also shown that a high protein intake from animal sources (compared to vegetarian sources) can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, possibly due to the high levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in animal protein.

    BCAA include the amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine. In a small study, short-term BCAA infusions increased insulin resistance in humans. Similar findings were shown in larger human studies.

    High levels of plasma BCAA can have various origins. These connections between red meat, BCAA, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes are worth exploring further.

    Another potential mechanism involves gut microbiota, the collection of microbes in our gut.

    Our microbiota metabolises choline (a water-soluble essential nutrient) and L-carnitine (an amino acid found naturally in food), both of which are abundant in red meat, producing trimethylamine. Increased trimethylamine has been associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

    How we cook meat may also add to this conundrum. Cooking meat at high temperatures, such as grilling and barbecuing, can produce harmful compounds called “advanced glycation end products”.

    These compounds can damage cells due to oxidative stress (caused by unstable atoms called free radicals), lead to inflammation (which can be damaging if it occurs in healthy tissues or lasts too long) and insulin resistance.

    Red meat is a great source of iron. But some studies have shown long-term iron intake or iron overload, particularly haem iron (iron from animal-based sources), may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.

    Eat less red meat

    According to a World Health Organization report, in the last 50 years, global consumption of all types of meat has increased. In some wealthy countries, such as the UK, red meat consumption appears to be stable or declining. Although there is a lot of variation in meat consumption between and within countries.

    In the UK, people are advised to consume no more than 70g (cooked weight) of red meat per day and to avoid eating processed meat. A similar recommendation is given across many countries.

    With the winter holidays around the corner and the festive gatherings in full swing, reducing red meat consumption will be difficult, especially for those who really like the taste. So enjoy these moments without worrying, and where possible, try to consume fibre-rich vegetables with red meat.

    Small steps can be taken to reduce your red meat intake by having smaller portions or choosing a day in the week that is meat free (meat-free Mondays, say), or substituting some (or all) of the meat in recipes with chicken, fish, beans, lentils or the like.

    And for those days you do eat red meat, try poaching, steaming or stewing it – it’s healthier than grilling or barbecuing.

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

    – ref. Eating red meat may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes – not a lot of people know that – https://theconversation.com/eating-red-meat-may-increase-your-risk-of-type-2-diabetes-not-a-lot-of-people-know-that-245495

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Facilities for Family Entertainment Reconstructed with FEMA Funds

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Facilities for Family Entertainment Reconstructed with FEMA Funds

    Facilities for Family Entertainment Reconstructed with FEMA Funds

    Guaynabo, PUERTO RICO — To have family entertainment spaces where people can enjoy safe places to gather, especially during the holiday season, is part of Puerto Rico’s integral recovery. That’s why the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) obligated $3.1 million to repair the Southern Coast Boardwalk in Juana Díaz, and the floating dock and gazebos in Ceiba.“These recreational areas provide spaces for families to share. They benefit their residents as well as all local and international visitors who enjoy their cultural and gastronomic offering, in addition to promoting the economy of the municipalities,” said Federal Disaster Recovery Coordinator José Baquero.According to Carimelys Alvarado, the Culture, Arts and Tourism director for the municipality of Juana Díaz, the boardwalk located in the Camboya community has great tourist value, as well as merchants and fisherfolk who contribute directly to economic development. Besides having gastronomic alternatives, they also host musical and family events. The boardwalk was established in 2000 and it welcomes up to 500 people during the weekends.“This is one of our great contributions to the economy, culture and tourism. As natives from Juana Díaz, this project was like a diamond for us. I remember the inauguration, when we got goosebumps because our coast is so important. This project marks an emphasis on our economic development,” Alvarado said.For the merchants, the repairs have meant receiving more customers, encouraged by how beautiful the facilities are now. This was confirmed by business owner Rubén Figueroa Ortiz. “This boardwalk repair has benefited us a lot, especially the businesses. Now we have a higher attendance. I am the oldest merchant here, with many years of service, and I feel very proud to have this opportunity right now,” he added.Some of the already completed repairs with an allocation of nearly $2.9 million include the replacement of aluminum panels, repairs to the asphalt surface, concrete piers and sidewalks, exterior electrical outlets, lighting fixtures and stairs, and the installation of a concrete retaining wall in the waterfront boardwalk area.Mitigation measures were carried out with nearly $937,000 within the same allocation. For example, a geotextile filter fabric was added to prevent internal erosion; the piles were reinforced to make them resistant to strong waves and protect them from corrosion; and the wooden decking was replaced with PVC to increase its durability.The director of the Juana Díaz Recovery Office, José Plata, said that this project is one of the most important that the municipality has been able to complete after the impact of the hurricanes, “especially for the community, as part of its culture and traditions.”On the other hand, in Ceiba, the dock and the gazebos located at the Villa Pesquera on Los Machos Beach offer a sustainable alternative to maximize space for fisherfolk without damaging marine ecosystems, according to the director of the Municipal Office of Emergency Management, Eddie García.“Its innovative design allows it to adapt to the water level, reducing the environmental impact. In addition, it combines aquatic activities with a perfect setting for social and cultural events. You can enjoy a restaurant and kiosks with fresh seafood, typical Puerto Rican food and live music, as well as kayaking, paddleboarding and recreational fishing,” García added.The high-density plastic floating dock built in 2015 extends into the ocean and receives between 75 and 500 visitors per week. Both were severely damaged and dismantled by high winds and storm surge during Hurricane María.With an obligation of nearly $226,000, the municipality has already completed repairs to the pier and the 16 wooden gazebos in front of the beach ―dated from 1995― are in the planning phase. Part of the work included the replacement of the pier, the access and the replacement of the gazebos’ bases and roofs. As part of the hazard mitigation measures, the gazebos will be reinforced with anticyclonic anchoring and additional anchoring for the roofs at a cost of nearly $2,000.One of its regular visitors is Ana López, who uses the dock ramp for her boat. López describes it as “a meeting point for the fishing community and a unique tourist attraction that promotes the responsible enjoyment of natural resources, while strengthening the area’s cultural and economic identity.”Meanwhile, the executive director of the Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), Manuel A. Laboy Rivera, said that “recreational and sports facilities are an important element in the communities, as they promote the training of our athletes and foster the economic development of various sectors. These projects in Juana Díaz and Ceiba are in addition to another 1,236 works with investments totaling $446.6 million that are under construction in the 78 municipalities. Meanwhile, citizens already enjoy 970 completed works around the island representing $187.5 million. We reaffirm our commitment to continue assisting them in the execution of another 832 recreational facilities that are in the design or construction acquisition stage.”FEMA has allocated over $34.5 billion for Puerto Rico’s recovery from Hurricane María. Of this total funding, about $1.4 billion are earmarked for nearly 2,200 park and recreational facility projects throughout the island. For more information about Puerto Rico’s recovery,  visit fema.gov/disaster/4339, fema.gov/disaster/4473 and recovery.pr. Follow us on our social media at Facebook.com/FEMAPuertoRico, Facebook.com/COR3pr and Twitter @COR3pr.
    manuel.deleon
    Mon, 12/23/2024 – 11:33

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Hockey Santa Claus: HC GUU held a festive training session for the pupils of the children’s club Fortuna

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    Last Sunday, in the Arktika Ice Palace, the hockey team of the State University of Management together with the hockey team of the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas held a New Year’s training session for the Fortuna hockey club under the mentoring program within the framework of the Good Hockey project with the support of the Moscow Hockey League.

    “Before the training, everyone was nervous and didn’t understand what was required of us. But as soon as we went out on the ice, all the guys immediately got to work and gave their all. Such events are necessary not only for the children, but also for us. We helped them, told them and taught them everything that we know ourselves. The children absorbed all the information that was conveyed to them very well, and each of the hockey players saw the motivation of the kids to play hockey. We were pleased to be part of such a training session!” – noted the captain of the HC GUU Andrey Larin.

    The program was created for children with visual impairments or complete lack of vision involved in adaptive hockey and is designed to provide young hockey players with quality support and assistance in mastering this sport.

    “Mentoring” brings together players from the Moscow Student Hockey League with children who need an individual approach to learning and developing hockey skills.

    The special feature of adaptive hockey in this school is the special “ringing” iron equipment. This is due to the fact that children, when playing, primarily rely on hearing, namely the sound of the stick and the ringing of the puck.

    “Despite the early rise, the emotions are only positive. It’s great that the league continues this tradition and holds master classes for children. We have been at such a training session with the guys for the second time. It was very nice to realize that the guys have “grown up” in every sense of the word over 2 years and that perhaps we are partly to blame for this growth. After talking to the players, you are once again convinced of their strength of spirit and love for hockey. Since the training session was before the New Year, we could not come empty-handed and not share the New Year’s mood. I am sure that we succeeded!” said Mikhail Gubin, assistant captain of the HC GUU.

    At the end of the training session, Father Frost visited, played by the assistant of the HC GUU Mikhail Gubin, and our hockey players gave New Year’s gifts to the young hockey players!

    The hockey team “Fortuna” is the first team in Russia of a unique direction: adaptive hockey “Blind Hockey”, which is focused on the socialization and rehabilitation of children with visual impairments.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 23.12.2024

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Octopuses and their relatives are a new animal welfare frontier − here’s what scientists know about consciousness in these unique creatures

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Rachel Blaser, Professor of Neuroscience, Cognition and Behavior, University of San Diego

    A common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) off Croatia in the Mediterranean Sea. Reinhard Dirscherl/ullstein bild via Getty Images

    We named him Squirt – not because he was the smallest of the 16 cuttlefish in the pool, but because anyone with the audacity to scoop him into a separate tank to study him was likely to get soaked. Squirt had notoriously accurate aim.

    As a comparative psychologist, I’m used to assaults from my experimental subjects. I’ve been stung by bees, pinched by crayfish and battered by indignant pigeons. But, somehow, with Squirt it felt different. As he eyed us with his W-shaped pupils, he seemed clearly to be plotting against us.

    A common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) in Portugal’s Arrábida Natural Park.
    Diego Delso/Wikipedia, CC BY-SA

    Of course, I’m being anthropomorphic. Science does not yet have the tools to confirm whether cuttlefish have emotional states, or whether they are capable of conscious experience, much less sinister plots. But there’s undeniably something special about cephalopods – the class of ocean-dwelling invertebrates that includes cuttlefish, squid and octopus.

    As researchers learn more about cehpalopods’ cognitive skills, there are calls to treat them in ways better aligned with their level of intelligence. California and Washington state both approved bans on octopus farming in 2024. Hawaii is considering similar action, and a ban on farming octopus or importing farmed octopus meat has been introduced in Congress. A planned octopus farm in Spain’s Canary Islands is attracting opposition from scientists and animal welfare advocates.

    Critics offer many arguments against raising octopuses for food, including possible releases of waste, antibiotics or pathogens from aquaculture facilities. But as a psychologist, I see intelligence as the most intriguing part of the equation. Just how smart are cephalopods, really? After all, it’s legal to farm chickens and cows. Is an octopus smarter than, say, a turkey?

    A deepwater octopus investigates the port manipulator arm of the ALVIN submersible research vessel.
    NOAA, CC BY

    A big, diverse group

    Cephalopods are a broad class of mollusks that includes the coleoids – cuttlefish, octopus and squid – as well as the chambered nautilus. Coleoids range in size from adult squid only a few millimeters long (Idiosepius) to the largest living invertebrates, the giant squid (Architeuthis) and colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis) which can grow to over 40 feet in length and weigh over 1,000 pounds.

    Some of these species live alone in the nearly featureless darkness of the deep ocean; others live socially on active, sunny coral reefs. Many are skilled hunters, but some feed passively on floating debris. Because of this enormous diversity, the size and complexity of cephalopod brains and behaviors also varies tremendously.

    Almost everything that’s known about cephalopod cognition comes from intensive study of just a few species. When considering the welfare of a designated species of captive octopus, it’s important to be careful about using data collected from a distant evolutionary relative.

    Marine biologist Roger Hanlon explains the distributed structure of cephalopod brains and how they use that neural power.

    Can we even measure alien intelligence?

    Intelligence is fiendishly hard to define and measure, even in humans. The challenge grows exponentially in studying animals with sensory, motivational and problem-solving skills that differ profoundly from ours.

    Historically, researchers have tended to focus on whether animals think like humans, ignoring the abilities that animals may have that humans lack. To avoid this problem, scientists have tried to find more objective measures of cognitive abilities.

    One option is a relative measure of brain to body size. The best-studied species of octopus, Octopus vulgaris, has about 500 million neurons; that’s relatively large for its small body size and similar to a starling, rabbit or turkey.

    More accurate measures may include the size, neuron count or surface area of specific brain structures thought to be important for learning. While this is useful in mammals, the nervous system of an octopus is built completely differently.

    Over half of the neurons in Octopus vulgaris, about 300 million, are not in the brain at all, but distributed in “mini-brains,” or ganglia, in the arms. Within the central brain, most of the remaining neurons are dedicated to visual processing, leaving less than a quarter of its neurons for other processes such as learning and memory.

    In other species of octopus, the general structure is similar, but complexity varies. Wrinkles and folds in the brain increase its surface area and may enhance neural connections and communication. Some species of octopus, notably those living in reef habitats, have more wrinkled brains than those living in the deep sea, suggesting that these species may possess a higher degree of intelligence.

    Holding out for a better snack

    Because brain structure is not a foolproof measure of intelligence, behavioral tests may provide better evidence. One of the highly complex behaviors that many cephalopods show is visual camouflage. They can open and close tiny sacs just below their skin that contain colored pigments and reflectors, revealing specific colors. Octopus vulgaris has up to 150,000 chromatophores, or pigment sacs, in a single square inch of skin.

    Like many cephalopods, the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is thought to be colorblind. But it can use its excellent vision to produce a dizzying array of patterns across its body as camouflage. The Australian giant cuttlefish, Sepia apama, uses its chromatophores to communicate, creating patterns that attract mates and warn off aggressors. This ability can also come in handy for hunting; many cephalopods are ambush predators that blend into the background or even lure their prey.

    The hallmark of intelligent behavior, however, is learning and memory – and there is plenty of evidence that some octopuses and cuttlefish learn in a way that is comparable to learning in vertebrates. The common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis), as well as the common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) and the day octopus (Octopus cyanea), can all form simple associations, such as learning which image on a screen predicts that food will appear.

    Some cephalopods may be capable of more complicated forms of learning, such as reversal learning – learning to flexibly adjust behavior when different stimuli signal reward. They may also be able to inhibit impulsive responses. In a 2021 study that gave common cuttlefish a choice between a less desirable but immediate snack of crab and a preferred treat of live shrimp after a delay, many of the cuttlefish chose to wait for the shrimp.

    Cuttlefish perform in an experiment adapted from the Stanford “marshmallow test,” which was designed to see whether children could practice delayed gratification.

    A new frontier for animal welfare

    Considering what’s known about their brain structures, sensory systems and learning capacity, it appears that cephalopods as a group may be similar in intelligence to vertebrates as a group. Since many societies have animal welfare standards for mice, rats, chickens and other vertebrates, logic would suggest that there’s an equal case for regulations enforcing humane treatment of cephalopods.

    Such rules generally specify that when a species is held in captivity, its housing conditions should support the animal’s welfare and natural behavior. This view has led some U.S. states to outlaw confined cages for egg-laying hens and crates too narrow for pregnant sows to turn around.

    Animal welfare regulations say little about invertebrates, but guidelines for the care and use of captive cephalopods have started to appear over the past decade. In 2010, the European Union required considering ethical issues when using cephalopods for research. And in 2015, AAALAC International, an international accreditation organization for ethical animal research, and the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations promoted guidelines for the care and use of cephalopods in research. The U.S. National Institutes of Health is currently considering similar guidelines.

    The “alien” minds of octopuses and their relatives are fascinating, not the least because they provide a mirror through which we can reflect on more familiar forms of intelligence. Deciding which species deserve moral consideration requires selecting criteria, such as neuron count or learning capacity, to inform those choices.

    Once these criteria are set, it may be well to also consider how they apply to the rodents, birds and fish that occupy more familiar roles in our lives.

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

    – ref. Octopuses and their relatives are a new animal welfare frontier − here’s what scientists know about consciousness in these unique creatures – https://theconversation.com/octopuses-and-their-relatives-are-a-new-animal-welfare-frontier-heres-what-scientists-know-about-consciousness-in-these-unique-creatures-241978

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: An East Idaho Woman and Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in Separate Cases for Committing Sex Crimes Involving Minor Children

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced the outcomes in two separate eastern Idaho cases in which the defendants were sentenced to 25 years and 17.5 years in federal prison, respectively, for sex crimes against minor children.

    “It is a sad reality that these types of defendants exist in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit.  “Fortunately for Idaho, our office’s team of prosecutors and victim advocates does a fantastic job working with dedicated federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement officers to hold these criminals accountable.  We will continue to do as much as possible to protect Idaho’s kids and support survivors of abuse.”

    Rexanna Marie Johnston, 33, of Idaho Falls, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. She was also ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to the victim directly harmed and another $15,000 to five different victims in the images of child sexual abuse material that Johnston possessed.

    According to court records, on July 17, 2023, detectives with the Idaho Falls Police Department and the Idaho Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force began an investigation after receiving a report that child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to an online file storage account.  Detectives determined that the account belonged to Johnston.  Detectives obtained and executed a search warrant on Johnston’s residence and electronic devices.  Detectives discovered that Johnston had produced images of child sexual abuse material of an infant that was in her custody.  Detectives further recovered online chat communications between Johnston and two other individuals, Nicholas Glen Baker, 37 of Twin Falls, and Dale John Hensel, 54 of Rigby.  Baker requested the production of specific child sexual abuse material, which Johnston produced and sent to Baker.  Hensel also received images of child sexual abuse material from Johnston. 

    On September 10, 2024, Baker was sentenced to 288 months in federal prison for aiding and abetting the sexual exploitation of a child.  On October 1, 2024, Hensel pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography, and is awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for February 12, 2025.

    “HSI agents have no tolerance for the exploitation of children and will work tirelessly to bring those responsible to justice,” said Matthew Murphy, acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI Seattle. “Child sex abuse is one of the most heinous crimes HSI investigates, given the profound and lasting psychological and physical damage it inflicts on victims, and we hope this sentence bring some closure for the victims.  We appreciate our law enforcement partners including the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, ICAC Task Force and the Idaho Falls Police Department along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting the case.”

    In a separate case, Jonathan Douglas Mohr, 46, of Ammon, was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography.  Mohr was also ordered to pay $141,500 in restitution to the victims in the images of child sexual abuse material that he distributed and possessed.

    According to court records, in September 2023, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at Mohr’s residence in Ammon, after a concerned citizen reported they had observed child sexual abuse material on one of Mohr’s electronic devices.  During the search warrant, law enforcement recovered a tablet, which contained more than 26,000 images of child sexual abuse material. Communications recovered from the tablet revealed that Mohr was distributing child sexual abuse material to other individuals using the Telegram messaging application.

    Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Johnston to serve a lifetime of supervised release and Mohr to serve ten years of supervised release following their prison sentences.  Johnston and Mohr will be required to register as sex offenders as a result of their convictions. 

    U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office and the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force for their work in both cases and additionally thanked Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls and the Idaho Falls Police Department for their investigation in the Johnston case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Paskett prosecuted the Johnston case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blackadar prosecuted the Mohr case.

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

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Exeter Man on Federal Supervised Release Detained on Multiple Charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE, RI – An Exeter man, currently serving a term of federal supervised release related to his previous convictions for possession of stolen mail and bank fraud, has been ordered detained on federal charges brough this week after he was allegedly discovered to be in possession of stolen checks, various items used for fishing mail out of mail receptacles, supplies to alter or deface checks, and unlawful possession of ammunition, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

    Edmilson Rodrigues, 26, is charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, possession of stolen mail, and being a felon in possession of ammunition.

    It is alleged in charging documents that on December 17, 2024, during a court-authorized search of Rodrigues’ home, law enforcement seized approximately fifty stolen business and personal checks valued at approximately $36,000; hundreds of sheets of blank check paper; a check washing basin and cleaning materials used to deface and alter checks; a laptop and printer; and various items used to fish mail from U.S. Postal Service receptacles, such as mousetraps, glue, and string; and ammunition.

    According to court records, Rodrigues was convicted in U.S. District Court in 2019 for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud involving a counterfeit check scheme; and in 2023 for possession of stolen mail that involved possession of nearly 100 stolen and fraudulent checks worth nearly $100,000.

    The most recent charges filed against Rodrigues are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Ly T. Chin. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Newport Police Department, Providence Police Department, and Pawtucket Police Department.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Whales can live way longer than scientists had thought, with potential lifespans as much as double previous estimates

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Greg Breed, Associate Professor of Quantitative Ecology, University of Alaska Fairbanks

    Animals with long lifespans tend to reproduce extremely slowly. Els Vermeulen

    Southern right whales have lifespans that reach well past 100 years, and 10% may live past 130 years, according to our new research published in the journal Science Advances. Some of these whales may live to 150. This lifespan is almost double the 70-80 years they are conventionally believed to live.

    North Atlantic right whales were also thought to have a maximum lifespan of about 70 years. We found, however, that this critically endangered species’ current average lifespan is only 22 years, and they rarely live past 50.

    These two species are very closely related – only 25 years ago they were considered to be one species – so we’d expect them to have similarly long lifespans. We attribute the stark difference in longevity in North Atlantic right whales to human-caused mortality, mostly from entanglements in fishing gear and ship strikes.

    Survivorship curves show female right whales can live to very old ages, but humans are causing North Atlantic right whales to die well short of their potential. Plotted for comparison is the U.S. survivorship curve for women as estimated by the Social Security Adminstration.
    Greg Breed

    We made these new age estimates using photo identification of individual female whales over several decades. Individual whales can be recognized year after year from photographs. When they die, they stop being photographically “resighted” and disappear. Using these photos, we developed what scientists call “survivorship curves” by estimating the probability whales would disappear from the photographic record as they aged. From these survivorship curves, we could estimate maximum potential lifespans.

    Twenty-five years ago, scientists working with Indigenous whale hunters in the Arctic showed that bowhead whales could live up to and even over 200 years. Their evidence included finding stone harpoon points that hadn’t been used since the mid-1800s embedded in the blubber of whales recently killed by traditional whalers. Analysis of proteins from the eyes of hunted whales provided further evidence of their long lifespan. Like right whales, before that analysis, researchers thought bowhead whales lived to about 80 years, and that humans were the mammals that lived the longest.

    In the years following that report, scientists tried to figure out what was unique about bowhead whales that allowed them to live so long. But our new analysis of the longevity of two close relatives of bowheads shows that other whale species also have potentially extremely long lives.

    Why it matters

    Understanding how long wild animals live has major implications for how to best protect them. Animals that have very long lifespans usually reproduce extremely slowly and can go many years between births. Baleen whales’ life history – particularly the age when females start breeding and the interval between calves – is strongly influenced by their potential lifespan. Conservation and management strategies that do not plan accordingly will have a higher chance of failure. This is especially important given the expected impacts of climate disruption.

    What still isn’t known

    There are many other large whales, including blue, fin, sei, humpback, gray and sperm whales. Like bowhead and right whales, these were also almost wiped out by whaling. Scientists currently assume they live about 80 or 90 years, but that’s what we believed about bowhead and right whales until data proved they can live much longer.

    How long can these other whale species live? Industrial whaling, which ended only in the 1960s, removed old whales from the world’s whale populations. Though many whale populations are recovering in number, there hasn’t been enough time for whales born after the end of industrial whaling to become old.

    It’s possible, even likely, that many other whale species will also prove to have long lifespans.

    Sixty years after the end of industrial whaling, today’s whale populations may still be missing their elders.
    Maxi Jonas/picture alliance via Getty Images

    What other research is being done

    Other research finds the loss of older individuals from populations is a phenomenon occurring across most large animal species. It diminishes the reproductive potential of many species. Researchers also argue this represents a real loss of culture and wisdom in animals that degrades their potential for survival in the face of changing conditions.

    What’s next

    We want to better understand how whaling affected the number of old individuals in current whale populations and predict when the number of old individuals will recover to prewhaling levels. Preliminary results suggest it may be another 100 years before whale populations truly recover, even for species whose populations now number as many as there were before whaling.

    For North Atlantic right whales, our research shows that even when the population was increasing, the management actions taken were insufficient to prevent these whales from dying far too young.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    Greg Breed received funding from The Royal Society

    Peter Corkeron headed the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s large whale research program for the northeastern US from 2011 to 2019, then led the New England Aquarium’s right whale research program through 2022.

    – ref. Whales can live way longer than scientists had thought, with potential lifespans as much as double previous estimates – https://theconversation.com/whales-can-live-way-longer-than-scientists-had-thought-with-potential-lifespans-as-much-as-double-previous-estimates-245826

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FDA Roundup: December 20, 2024

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    For Immediate Release:

    Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is providing an at-a-glance summary of news from around the agency:

    • Today, the FDA provided answers to a set of FAQs about software functions that may be described as clinical decision support (CDS). The FAQs are intended to help sponsors identify whether their CDS software may or may not meet the definition of a medical device, as described in the FDA’s final guidance for Clinical Decision Support Software. Additionally, the FDA updated the list of authorized Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML)-Enabled Medical Devices; totaling 1,016. The list is not a comprehensive resource of medical devices that incorporate AI/ML. The devices in this list have met the FDA’s applicable premarket requirements.
    • On Monday, the FDA approved a premarket approval application (PMA) 180-day supplement for the OraQuick Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Self-Test. This approval represents a labeling change to lower the approved age to individuals who are 14 to 17 years of age and older for the OraQuick HIV Self-Test to provide access to HIV testing to adolescents. The original approval of the OraQuick HIV -Self Test was indicated only for individuals who are 17 years and older.

      This is the first approval for an over-the-counter HIV test in adolescents. Availability will help in the detection of HIV among the adolescent population. 

      The OraQuick HIV Self-Test is a single home-use test to detect antibodies to Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1) and Type 2 (HIV-2) in human oral fluid specimens.  This test kit includes of a test stick (device) to collect the specimen, a test tube (vial) to insert the test stick (device) and complete the test, testing directions, booklet titled, “HIV, Testing and Me”, and access to the OraQuick Support Center to assist users with questions about performing the test, or to connect them with a healthcare provider in their area.

      The OraQuick HIV Self-Test is not intended to be used with specimens other than oral fluid. Individuals should obtain a confirmatory test in a medical setting.

      Complete instructions for use can be found on the FDA’s website here.

    • On Thursday, the FDA Office of Inspections and Investigations published a Viewpoint article titled Partnership in Action: Creating Safeguards for Imported Products Entering the United States in the Pacific Islands by Dan Solis, Assistant Commissioner for Import Operations. The article highlights the FDA’s work in Guam to ensure that imported products entering the U.S. through the Pacific Rim are safe for consumers. The Pacific Rim is a strategically significant location when it comes to ensuring the safety of products bound for consumers in the United States, as a little more than a third of global products coming into our country originate in the Asia-Pacific Region. You can learn more about the FDA’s efforts in the Pacific Islands by listening to OII Podcasts | FDA. The 5-Part series is called, Guam Series: FDA Presence and Impact in Pacific Islands.
    • On Thursday, the FDA updated the outbreak advisory for Salmonella Typhimurium infections linked to cucumbers with additional cases. The FDA’s investigation remains ongoing.
    • On Thursday, the FDA approved Tryngolza (olezarsen), used with diet, to reduce triglycerides (TG) in adults with familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS). FCS is a rare, genetic disorder that prevents the body from breaking down fats (TG) in the bloodstream. People with FCS can have TG levels in the thousands. These high TG levels can cause severe abdominal pain, inflammation of the pancreas (acute pancreatitis), and fatty deposits in the skin (xanthomas). Some of these symptoms, specifically acute pancreatitis, can be life-threatening. This is a first-in-class approval, meaning Tryngolza uses a new mechanism of action, or works differently in the body, than other therapies currently used to treat FCS.  The most common adverse reactions were injection site reactions, decreased platelet count, and arthralgia.
    • On Thursday, the FDA re-evaluated its determination from October 2, 2024, on the status of the tirzepatide shortage. The agency issued a new decision determining the tirzepatide injection shortage is resolved. The FDA’s determination is based on its analysis of all the information before the agency.  
    • On Wednesday, the FDA posted the latest video in the FDA In Your Day series. This one focuses on pertussis, also known as whooping cough, and what consumers can do to protect themselves and those around them.
    • On Wednesday, the FDA approved Ryoncil (remestemcel-L-rknd) an allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy, for steroid-refractory acute graft versus host disease (SR-aGVHD) in pediatric patients 2 months of age and older. Ryoncil is the first FDA-approved MSC therapy. The most common nonlaboratory adverse reactions (incidence ≥20%) were viral infectious disorders, bacterial infectious disorders, infection – pathogen unspecified, pyrexia, hemorrhage, edema, abdominal pain and hypertension.
    • On Wednesday, the FDA approved Ensacove (ensartinib, Xcovery Holdings, Inc.) for adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have not previously received an ALK-inhibitor. The most common adverse reactions (≥20%) were rash, musculoskeletal pain, constipation, cough, pruritis, nausea, edema, pyrexia, and fatigue.
    • On Wednesday, the FDA shared our latest testing results for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances in clams as follow up to the agency’s findings in the 2022 PFAS in seafood survey. Between October 2022 and September 2024, the FDA collected and analyzed 12 samples of processed clams with China as the country of origin. All 12 samples had detectable levels of at least one type of PFAS.
    • On Wednesday, the FDA issued a letter to food manufacturers that Amanita muscaria (A. muscaria), its extracts, and certain of its constituents (muscimol, ibotenic acid, and muscarine) are not authorized for use as ingredients in conventional food. A. muscaria and its constituents have been used in foods intended to have hallucinogenic effects, sometimes marketed as “psychedelic edibles”, “legal psychedelics” or “mushroom edibles”. After reviewing the available information about A. muscaria and its constituents, the FDA concluded that they do not meet the safety standard for use in food and that their use as food ingredients may be harmful. We also recommend that people avoid eating foods with these ingredients. The FDA’s assessment of chemicals in the food supply is part of our commitment to food safety and public health.
    • On Wednesday, the FDA updated the advisory for the outbreak of E. coli illnesses linked to certain sizes and brands of organic whole and baby carrots supplied by Grimmway Farms. According to CDC, as of December 18, 2024, this outbreak is over. The FDA conducted inspections at Grimmway Farms and collected environmental samples. Two environmental samples collected outside were positive for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC). Although both strains of E. coli detected in the samples are capable of causing human illness, neither match the strain of E. coli causing illnesses in this outbreak. The FDA is working with Grimmway Farms on corrective and preventive actions. The FDA’s investigation is complete.
    • On Tuesday, the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a charter that details how the two agencies work together to determine the appropriate agency to regulate the small number of animal biologicals for which jurisdiction may be unclear. Representatives from the FDA and USDA originally signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2013 that outlined which animal biologicals each would regulate. Since 2013, science has continued to advance, and the jurisdiction of some products is not clear under the MOU. The charter includes a flowchart to help clarify which agency will regulate a given product, as well as information on how to request a jurisdiction determination from the FDA and USDA for animal biologicals.

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  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – Recommendation to the Council on the EU priorities for the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women – P10_TA(2024)0075 – Thursday, 19 December 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the UN declaration of 15 September 1995 entitled ‘Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action’ and the outcomes of its review conferences,

    –  having regard to the 1979 UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,

    –  having regard to Articles 21 and 23 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

    –  having regard to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’ and, in particular, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality,

    –  having regard to the UN Secretary-General’s report of 13 December 2019 to the UN Commission on the Status of Women entitled ‘Review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly’,

    –  having regard to the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 25 November 2020 entitled ‘EU Gender Action Plan (GAP) III: an ambitious agenda for gender equality and women’s empowerment in EU external action’ (JOIN(2020)0017) and the accompanying joint staff working document of 25 November 2020 entitled ‘Objectives and Indicators to frame the implementation of the Gender Action Plan III (2021-25)’ (SWD(2020)0284),

    –  having regard to the EU gender equality strategy for 2020-2025 of 5 March 2020,

    –  having regard to its resolution of 10 March 2022 on the EU Gender Action Plan III(1),

    –  having regard to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women 2024 Inquiry concerning Poland, conducted under Article 8 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention,

    –  having regard to its resolution of 11 February 2021 on challenges ahead for women’s rights in Europe: more than 25 years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action(2),

    –  having regard to the briefing entitled ‘Accelerating progress on Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5): Achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls’, published by its Directorate-General for Parliamentary Research Services on 18 September 2024,

    –  having regard to the UN Women and UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs report of September 2024 entitled ‘Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2024’,

    –  having regard to its resolution of 22 November 2023 on proposals of the European Parliament for the amendment of the Treaties(3),

    –  having regard to its resolution of 11 April 2024 on including the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter(4),

    –  having regard to Rule 121 of its Rules of Procedure,

    –  having regard to the report of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (A10-0030/2024),

    A.  whereas equality between women and men is a fundamental and universal principle of the EU, and whereas the EU’s external action must be guided by this principle, so that the EU continues to lead by example and further steps up and meets its commitments on gender equality;

    B.  whereas women’s and girls’ human rights and gender equality are not only fundamental human rights, but preconditions for advancing development and education and reducing poverty, and a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world;

    C.  whereas 189 governments across the world, including the EU and its Member States, committed to working towards gender equality and empowering all women and girls at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing;

    D.  whereas the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is the most comprehensive global agenda for promoting gender equality and is considered the international ‘Bill of Rights’ for women, defining women’s rights as human rights and articulating a vision of equal rights, freedom and opportunities for all women in the world, and was reaffirmed in 2015 with Goal 5, ‘Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls’, of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) set out in the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, by specifying targets and concrete measures across a range of issues affecting women and girls;

    E.  whereas the UN Assembly agreed in 2017 on a global indicator framework to standardise data collection, a key element for the comparability of data;

    F.  whereas just six years in advance of the 2030 deadline for the UN’s SDGs, not a single indicator under Goal 5 has been fully achieved; whereas the UN estimates that strong actions are needed in order to accelerate progress and to avoid taking 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory legislation for women;

    G.  whereas gender equality is a cross cutting principle, to be mainstreamed across the SDGs;

    H.  whereas a 2024 UN study(5) on the evaluation of SDG 5 highlights that social norms still exist that legitimise gender-based violence against women and girls, without sufficient appropriate punishments against perpetrators, reduce access to health services, including sexual and reproductive health services, assign unpaid care and domestic work solely to women and restrict leadership opportunities; whereas women and girls can be still discriminated against through reproductive sex selection(6);

    I.  whereas the UN General Assembly has raised the alarm about the active resistance to achievements and advances in gender equality and the growing transnational backlash against women’s rights; whereas sexual and gender-based violence as well as anti-rights movements threaten the fundamental rights of women and girls on a daily basis; whereas there is a clear and urgent need to reaffirm, safeguard and develop gender equality and the human rights of women and girls(7);

    J.  whereas women’s sports competitions must be a celebration of sporting values; whereas all conditions must be met to ensure fairness within these competitions, to preserve the health of female athletes and to prevent physical and psychological violence against them;

    K.  whereas the Summit of the Future adopted document includes a specific action for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls as a crucial contribution to progress(8);

    L.  whereas the rebels who brought down the regime in Syria are dominated by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) force; whereas the HTS group is an Islamist organisation classified as a terrorist organisation by the EU and the UN; whereas this situation raises serious concerns about the security of women and girls in the area;

    M.  whereas the UN’s Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, in an inquiry into Polish abortion law, has concluded that criminalising and restricting abortion discriminates against women;

    1.  Recommends that the Council:

       (a) re-confirm its full and unwavering commitment to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and to the range of actions for human rights of women in all their diversity and gender equality outlined therein; confirm its commitment to human rights of women, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, through gender mainstreaming in all relevant policy areas and cycles, to the implementation of specific and targeted actions for human rights of women and gender equality, and to ensuring proper gender budgeting;
       (b) express its most profound opposition to the fact that Saudi Arabia is this year chair of CSW annual meeting and condemn any form of political instrumentation given that the country’s own record on women’s rights is abysmal and many of its policies contrary to the CSW’s own mandate and objectives; raise the systemic discrimination against women and persecution of women’s rights activists taking place in Saudi Arabia;
       (c) ensure that gender equality and women’s and girls’ rights are fully and proudly implemented as a core part of EU external action through an adequately funded, gender-responsive, inclusive and intersectional approach, taking into account marginalised women and women in vulnerable situations, especially as the funding of anti-gender movements globally is on the rise(9);
       (d) ensure the full involvement of Parliament and its Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality in the decision-making process on the EU’s position at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (10-25 March 2025); ensure that Parliament has adequate, regular and timely information and access to the EU’s position document ahead of the negotiations; ensure the timely communication of Parliament’s position to the EU negotiating team; and further improve interinstitutional cooperation and informal consultation, including prior to and during negotiations, so that Parliament’s priorities are properly incorporated;
       (e) conduct an annual review of the progress, and setbacks, encountered in the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action;
       (f) pledge its strong support for the work of UN Women, which is a central actor in the UN system for advancing women’s rights, while committing to ensure its funding as well as increased finance for gender equality;
       (g) reinvigorate the EU’s efforts to overcome remaining challenges and accelerate the full implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, as it is a universal document, and EU Member States are far from having achieved all targets; ensure that the EU leads by example by putting in place robust policy measures, coupled with adequate financing to prevent, address and combat gender inequality in all its manifestations, empower women in all their diversity in all EU countries and ensure the realisation of their rights;
       (h) reiterate that the EU has an important role to play in achieving a gender-equal world through leading by example and supporting partner countries in addressing all types of direct and indirect discrimination and gender-based violence; recall the importance of the Istanbul Convention, urge the remaining five Member States that have still not ratified and implemented the Istanbul Convention to do so in the shortest possible timeframe, and also call on other countries to make progress towards signing and ratifying it;
       (i) press for equal access to and opportunities in all areas of life, to allow women in all their diversity to fulfil their potential, notably also in decision-making, including political, economic, financial, academic, health, cultural and sports-related, this also being essential for good governance and policymaking; encourage initiatives that promote female political leadership and participation, strengthening democratic practices and inspiring future generations of women;
       (j) within this context, express opposition to all forms of gender-based violence, including online or offline, as well as against women engaged in or wishing to engage in politics, which sustains and reinforces the invisibilisation of women and negative stereotypes about women and discourages women of all ages from entering politics and public spaces;
       (k) encourage measures that promote women’s participation and gender balance in all high impact sectors, including STEM; stress the importance of combating gender stereotypes, attitudes and prejudices in all their dimensions, through all kinds of media, including social media, and promote programmes, including through public-private partnerships, to reduce discrimination against women in politics and public positions;
       (l) emphasise that weak political guidance, lack of commitment, data gaps, insufficiently targeted investment, hate speech and hate campaigns, lack of access to relevant skills and knowledge, lack of economic opportunity and education, gender-related discrimination in the work place, including maternal mobbing, lack of economic autonomy and unequal conditions in the labour market, and the rise of anti-rights movements have been identified as obstacles and threats for women’s rights; thus making it necessary to encourage more women in politics and leadership, increase dedicated gender-equality-related investment in services such as education and health, and implement comprehensive rights-based and gender-responsive education, training and policy reforms to overcome these systemic structural barriers and achieve a truly equal society, for which the commitment and engagement of men and boys is essential;
       (m) apply gender mainstreaming and gender budgeting more consistently in all relevant EU policy areas, including external action, and lead by example in this regard, committing that the next MFF 2027 will include gender-equality-specific objectives and gender budgeting methods to be able to increase and monitor all investments regarding gender impact;
       (n) commit to constant appraisal and proactive corrective action in the EU’s internal and external policies in regard to gender equality, mainstreaming and budgeting;
       (o) defend and recall the importance of the Women Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda and the 25th anniversary of its landmark resolution, to renew the WPS EU action plan and to vocally combat any pushbacks towards this agenda internationally;
       (p) call on the Commission to further develop and roll out concrete and well-financed plans and actions to address the UN SDGs, specifically those related to gender equality, promoting equality in education;
       (q) take the lead in the global fight against the backlash against gender equality and women’s rights, generated in particular by increasingly influential anti-rights movements, by condemning all attempts to roll back, restrict or remove existing protections for gender equality, including on sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as all forms of threats, intimidation and harassment, online and offline, of human rights defenders and civil society organisations working to advance these rights; emphasise that anti-gender movements are not only attacking women’s rights and gender equality but go hand-in-hand with anti-democratic movements; promote partnerships and alliances to counteract regressive movements and reaffirm the EU’s commitment to protecting gender equality as a core value, including by ensuring that women’s rights movements are adequately funded;
       (r) emphasise the need to protect and promote the rights of groups experiencing intersectional forms of discrimination, including people with disabilities and people who are from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds, racialised, from ethnic, minority or migrant backgrounds, older or LGBTIQ+, among others;
       (s) work to promote the concept of combating intersectional discrimination throughout all UN bodies and to conduct, apply and integrate intersectional gender analysis at different levels in the EU and its Member States;
       (t) urge the Commission to further develop and improve the collection of gender-disaggregated equality data on sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or other belief, political opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation, sex characteristics and gender identity as well as geographically disaggregated data, including on a regional level, to ensure that this data contributes to better and more informed policymaking, and to reinforce the European Institute for Gender Equality both in terms of funding and capacity;
       (u) commit to advancing towards a foreign, security and development policy that gives priority to gender equality, protects and promotes the human rights of traditionally marginalised groups, such as transgender people, and takes into account the voices of women and LGBTIQ+ human rights defenders and civil society;
       (v) implement, without delay and to the fullest extent, the EU GAP III and ensure that 85 % of all new actions throughout external relations contribute to gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2027 at the latest;
       (w) take note of and implement the recommendations of Parliament’s resolution of 10 March 2022 on the EU GAP III, and thus prioritise GAP III in every aspect of EU external action through a gender-responsive and intersectional approach, both in terms of GAP III’s geographical coverage and areas of action, as well as gender mainstreaming in all areas of external action, whether trade, development policy, migration, humanitarian aid, security or sectors such as energy, fisheries and agriculture, while enhancing the consistency between the EU’s internal and external policies;
       (x) devise, fund and implement policies that combat the feminisation of poverty and reduce the role of gender as a factor in poverty both within and, through external action, outside of the EU, taking due note of intersectional factors, including sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or other belief, political opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation, sex characteristics or gender identity;
       (y) advocate for equal access to resources and equal opportunities for women in all regions, to achieve economic empowerment and enable access to social justice and to a better quality of life as a result of a global vision of gender equality; recognise the unique challenges faced by women living in rural, remote and least developed areas, where access to resources, healthcare, education, and economic opportunities may be limited; call for targeted measures and investments that address the needs of these communities, through the promotion of gender equality, female entrepreneurship and employment opportunities or infrastructure; stress the importance of integrating these perspectives into all relevant external action and development strategies to ensure no woman is left behind;
       (z) address and monitor the systemic and root causes of female poverty with an emphasis on those in rural areas or isolated and disadvantaged areas, empower women and girls in all their diversity through education, training and lifelong learning, non-discriminatory labour opportunities, access to equal pay and pensions, and encourage employment programmes for women with disabilities;
       (aa) promote female entrepreneurship and women-led businesses through an enabling environment for their economic activities, such as support programmes in partner countries, ensuring equitable access to business opportunities and training in entrepreneurial skills;
       (ab) encourage initiatives that strengthen women’s economic autonomy and job creation in high-growth sectors, support initiatives that empower women economically, particularly women entrepreneurs and those leading micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as fight stereotypes and combat persisting inequalities in education, as well as addressing women’s employment rate and under-representation in certain sectors like STEM and AI;
       (ac) ensure access to social services, including family support services, equal shares of unpaid care and social responsibilities through legislative initiatives, efforts to combat harmful gender stereotyping, patriarchal attitudes and systems and promote women as role models, and work-life-balance policies that ensure access to digital education and skills training to bridge the digital gender divide; enable women’s access to ownership, property, adequate and affordable housing and land, eliminating barriers, with focus on addressing the specific needs of women, in particular those in poverty and female-led households;
       (ad) call for further efforts, legislation and enforcement of existing measures to ensure the rights of women care workers and domestic workers as well as the recognition of informal carers, including single mothers, recognising their work as essential for making our society function; push for more ambitious care policies and investments in care with a view to advancing towards care economies, setting minimum standards and guidelines for care throughout the life cycle, with an intersectional perspective;
       (ae) develop labour migration policies and programmes that are gender-responsive, including in highly ‘feminised’ and informal sectors such as domestic and care work, and which address the gendered barriers to women’s labour force participation and skills recognition;
       (af) encourage, in the EU, the right to asylum, and the recognition, protection, support and integration of women who are victims of violence, whatever the form;
       (ag) enhance the EU’s response, resources and toolkit, both internally and externally, regarding online and offline gender-based violence, including domestic, sexual, physical, psychological, verbal and economic violence, harassment at work, as well as violence in situations of conflict and war, trafficking, early and forced marriages and sexual and reproductive exploitation, noting that this should include support for the establishment of help centres for women victims of violence in non-EU countries, particularly in disadvantaged areas, similar to anti-violence centres, with a dual objective, namely: assisting in the recognition of situations of violence and providing both legal and practical protection and support for women who decide to report and exit violence;
       (ah) advocate for a consent-based definition of rape as a universal standard across all regions, aiming to enhance legal protections and ensure that sexual violence is defined by the absence of consent, rather than solely by the use of force;
       (ai) highlight the major impact of online gender-based violence on women’s and girls’ personal and professional lives, and on their mental and physical health;
       (aj) underline the importance of enforcing international humanitarian law to safeguard the rights of women and girls in conflict; ensure that external agreements, including those related to border control and cooperation with non-EU countries, prioritise the safety of women and girls, stressing that the EU must ensure that partner countries uphold high human rights standards, particularly in preventing gender-based violence including trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation;
       (ak) pay particular attention to the condition of Syrian women and children, including those from Christian minorities, who are more likely to be the particular target of an Islamist regime, as already seen in several Middle Eastern countries, such as Afghanistan and Iraq;
       (al) promote the prevention of gender-based violence in sports by establishing a system to monitor and prevent such violence within sports institutions, requiring organisations to adopt preventive policies and measures, along with a secure and protected reporting mechanism;
       (am) remove the legal, financial, social and practical barriers and restrictions on access to safe and legal abortion worldwide; advocate firmly for the defence of sexual and reproductive health and rights as fundamental rights and fight against anti-choice networks; ensure that women and girls in all their diversity have information and access to affordable health services, including for sexual and reproductive health and rights, in line with international human rights and public health standards, including comprehensive age-appropriate and scientifically accurate sexuality and relationship education, access to contraception and emergency contraception, safe and legal abortion, respectful maternal healthcare and care-based health services; ensure that women are protected from forced pregnancies and sex-selective or forced abortions, particularly in the context of ethnic cleansing practices, and that in no case should abortion be promoted as a method of family planning, as mentioned in the Beijing Declaration; emphasise the importance of access to mental health services tailored to the specific needs of women and girls;
       (an) promote dignified and human rights-respectful conditions for incarcerated women who are also mothers, with special attention to the needs of mothers with young children; support access to healthcare, psychological care and rehabilitation programmes, ensuring adequate spaces to maintain the bond with their children;
       (ao) take note of and implement the recommendations of the European Parliament’s resolution of 11 April 2024 on including the right to abortion in the EU Fundamental Rights Charter;
       (ap) commit to increase efforts to address gender issues in the context of the green and energy transition, recognising that the climate crisis is not gender-neutral; acknowledge the intersectional and disproportionate impact of climate change on women and girls, particularly in developing countries, as well as in the regions and rural areas most affected by these changes; advocate for the inclusion of women in environmental decision-making processes to build resilience and gender-responsive strategies;
       (aq) advocate for and strengthen civil society organisations working to advance women’s and girls’ rights and gender equality in all circumstances including disability, violence, discrimination in the workplace or motherhood; advocate for the provision of safe spaces and shelters for women and girls suffering violence or threats; ensure the protection of human rights defenders, and their participation in the relevant forums;
       (ar) work to ensure that grassroots organisations and women’s and LGBTIQ+ rights defenders, especially small organisations, are supported through the provision of adequate funding and the removal of restrictions that impede their ability to operate; provide targeted measures and capacity-building support to grassroots women’s organisations to amplify their impact at the local and international levels; actively work against initiatives aimed at diminishing the civic space globally;
       (as) establish a Council Configuration on Gender Equality and Equality, to create a formal forum for the ministers responsible for the matters of equality to foster cooperation, coordinate policies and exchange best practices among Member States;

    2.  Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Council, and for information, to the Commission.

    (1) OJ C 347, 9.9.2022, p. 150.
    (2) OJ C 465, 17.11.2021, p. 160.
    (3) OJ C, C/2024/4216, 24.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/4216/oj.
    (4) Texts adopted, P9_TA(2024)0286 .
    (5) UN, ‘Are we getting there? A synthesis of UN system evaluations of SDG 5’, March 2024, https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2024/03/are-we-getting-there-a-synthesis-of-un-system-evaluations-of-sdg-5.
    (6) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Population Fund, UN Women, UNIFCEF, World Health Organization, ‘Preventing gender-biased sex selection: an interagency statement’,2011, https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/resource-pdf/Preventing_gender-biased_sex_selection.pdf
    (7) UN General Assembly, ‘Escalating backlash against gender equality and urgency of reaffirming substantive equality and the human rights of women and girls: Report of the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls’, 15 May 2024, https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g24/073/47/pdf/g2407347.pdf. .
    (8) UN, ‘Summit of the Future outcome documents: Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact and Declaration on Future Generations’, September 2024, https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/sotf-pact_for_the_future_adopted.pdf.
    (9) Datta, N., European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, ‘Tip of the Iceberg– Religious Extremist Funders against Human Rights for Sexuality and Reproductive Health in Europe 2009 – 2018’ June 2021, https://www.epfweb.org/sites/default/files/2021-08/Tip%20of%20the%20Iceberg%20August%202021%20Final.pdf.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Science Payload to Study Sticky Lunar Dust Challenge

    Source: NASA

    The Moon may look like barren rock, but it’s actually covered in a layer of gravel, pebbles, and dust collectively known as “lunar regolith.” During the Apollo Moon missions, astronauts learned firsthand that the fine, powdery dust – electromagnetically charged due to constant bombardment by solar and cosmic particles – is extremely abrasive and clings to everything: gloves, boots, vehicles, and mechanical equipment. What challenges does that dust pose to future Artemis-era missions to establish long-term outposts on the lunar surface?
    That’s the task of an innovative science instrument called RAC-1 (Regolith Adherence Characterization), one of 10 NASA payloads flying aboard the next delivery for the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and set to be carried to the surface by Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lunar lander.
    Developed by Aegis Aerospace of Webster, Texas, RAC will expose 15 sample materials – fabrics, paint coatings, optical systems, sensors, solar cells, and more – to the lunar environment to determine how tenaciously the lunar dust sticks to each one. The instrument will measure accumulation rates during landing and subsequent routine lander operations, aiding identification of those materials which best repel or shed dust. The data will help NASA and its industry partners more effectively test, upgrade, and protect spacecraft, spacesuits, habitats, and equipment in preparation for continued exploration of the Moon under the Artemis campaign.
    “Lunar regolith is a sticky challenge for long-duration expeditions to the surface,” said Dennis Harris, who manages the RAC payload for NASA’s CLPS initiative at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “Dust gets into gears, sticks to spacesuits, and can block optical properties. RAC will help determine the best materials and fabrics with which to build, delivering more robust, durable hardware, products, and equipment.”

    [embedded content]

    Under the CLPS model, NASA is investing in commercial delivery services to the Moon to enable industry growth and support long-term lunar exploration. As a primary customer for CLPS deliveries, NASA aims to be one of many customers on future flights. NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the development of seven of the 10 CLPS payloads carried on Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander.
    Learn more about. CLPS and Artemis at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/clps
    Alise FisherHeadquarters, Washington202-358-2546Alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
    Headquarters, Washington
    202-358-2546
    Alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
    Corinne Beckinger Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 256-544-0034  corinne.m.beckinger@nasa.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: United States Joins Lawsuit Against Former Executives of Kabbage Inc. Alleging False Claims Act Violations in Connection with Paycheck Protection Program Lending

    Source: US State of California

    The United States has intervened and filed a complaint against Robert Frohwein, Kathryn Petralia and Spencer Robinson, three former executives of Kabbage Inc., a now-bankrupt financial technology company. The United States alleges that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting and causing the submission of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees and processing fees to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with Kabbage’s participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

    “The PPP was intended to provide critical assistance to eligible businesses during the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that PPP lenders — including their executives — are held accountable for contributing to the misuse of PPP funds by knowingly failing to comply with applicable program requirements, including approving PPP loans in inflated amounts and to ineligible borrowers.”

    Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide federally guaranteed loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA administered the PPP. The CARES Act authorized private lenders to approve PPP loans for eligible borrowers who could later seek forgiveness of the loans so long as they used loan funds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. Among other things, participating PPP lenders were required to confirm borrowers’ average monthly payroll costs by reviewing the payroll documentation submitted with the borrower’s application. Lenders were also required to follow applicable Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering requirements to help combat fraud. Any unforgiven or defaulted PPP loans made by lenders were guaranteed by the SBA, so long as the lenders adhered to PPP requirements. Lenders who originated PPP loans were paid a fixed fee calculated as a percentage of the loan amount by the SBA.

    According to the government’s complaint, Frohwein and Petralia co-founded Kabbage in 2008 and served as the company’s chief executive officer and president, respectively, while Robinson formerly served as the company’s head of strategy. Kabbage was approved as a PPP lender in 2020 and approved more than $7 billion in PPP loans that year for which the company was paid more than $217 million in processing fees after certifying that it had complied with all applicable lending requirements.

    The complaint alleges that, between April and October 2020, the defendants knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims for loan guarantees, loan forgiveness and processing fees relating to tens of thousands of PPP loans that were systemically inflated due to calculation errors by Kabbage. These errors allegedly included Kabbage’s double-counting of state and local taxes paid by employees and the failure to exclude annual compensation in excess of $100,000 per employee from its calculation of payroll costs. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims for processing fees related to tens of thousands of PPP loans where Kabbage failed to implement appropriate fraud controls. The government’s complaint alleges that the defendants ignored these violations to maximize PPP processing fees before selling off the majority of Kabbage’s assets in October 2020.

    Kabbage Inc., which is now winding down its operations as KServicing Wind Down Corp. after filing for bankruptcy in the wake of the 2020 asset sale, previously agreed to resolve allegations relating to its role in the submission of false claims to the SBA. As part of that settlement, the United States received a general unsecured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding of up to $120 million, and the company received a credit for $12.5 million that Kabbage returned to SBA during the department’s investigation.

    “The PPP was a light providing hope to businesses in the midst of the shadow of a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “Unfortunately, some unscrupulous lenders and executives took advantage of that situation by lining their pockets with ill-gotten incentive payments from processing PPP loans despite not performing even the most cursory fraud checks or reviews of borrower documentation. Individuals who shirked their responsibilities at the expense of the public fisc must be held accountable. This lawsuit against Kabbage’s former executives demonstrates our firm commitment to holding all parties responsible for their part in causing the submission of false claims to the PPP.”

    “SBA’s lending partners have a responsibility to ensure only eligible borrowers gain access to SBA’s programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Brady Ipock of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG)’s Central Region. “SBA OIG stands ready to support the Justice Department in rooting out greed and wrongful actions. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”

    The lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Paul Pietschner, a former analyst in Kabbage’s collections department. The FCA permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in any recovery. The FCA also permits the United States to intervene in such an action, as it has done in this case. A defendant who violates the act is subject to liability for three times the government’s losses, plus applicable penalties. 

    On May 17, 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    Trial Attorney Sarah E. Loucks of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Betty Young for the Eastern District of Texas are handling the matter, with assistance provided by the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.

    The case is captioned United States ex rel. Pietschner v. Kabbage, Inc., et al., No. 4:21-cv-110-SDJ (EDTX).

    The claims asserted by the United States are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Joins Lawsuit Against Former Executives of Kabbage Inc. Alleging False Claims Act Violations in Connection with Paycheck Protection Program Lending

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    The United States has intervened and filed a complaint against Robert Frohwein, Kathryn Petralia and Spencer Robinson, three former executives of Kabbage Inc., a now-bankrupt financial technology company. The United States alleges that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting and causing the submission of false claims for loan forgiveness, loan guarantees and processing fees to the Small Business Administration (SBA) in connection with Kabbage’s participation in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

    “The PPP was intended to provide critical assistance to eligible businesses during the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to ensuring that PPP lenders — including their executives — are held accountable for contributing to the misuse of PPP funds by knowingly failing to comply with applicable program requirements, including approving PPP loans in inflated amounts and to ineligible borrowers.”

    Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to provide federally guaranteed loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The SBA administered the PPP. The CARES Act authorized private lenders to approve PPP loans for eligible borrowers who could later seek forgiveness of the loans so long as they used loan funds on employee payroll and other eligible expenses. Among other things, participating PPP lenders were required to confirm borrowers’ average monthly payroll costs by reviewing the payroll documentation submitted with the borrower’s application. Lenders were also required to follow applicable Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering requirements to help combat fraud. Any unforgiven or defaulted PPP loans made by lenders were guaranteed by the SBA, so long as the lenders adhered to PPP requirements. Lenders who originated PPP loans were paid a fixed fee calculated as a percentage of the loan amount by the SBA.

    According to the government’s complaint, Frohwein and Petralia co-founded Kabbage in 2008 and served as the company’s chief executive officer and president, respectively, while Robinson formerly served as the company’s head of strategy. Kabbage was approved as a PPP lender in 2020 and approved more than $7 billion in PPP loans that year for which the company was paid more than $217 million in processing fees after certifying that it had complied with all applicable lending requirements.

    The complaint alleges that, between April and October 2020, the defendants knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims for loan guarantees, loan forgiveness and processing fees relating to tens of thousands of PPP loans that were systemically inflated due to calculation errors by Kabbage. These errors allegedly included Kabbage’s double-counting of state and local taxes paid by employees and the failure to exclude annual compensation in excess of $100,000 per employee from its calculation of payroll costs. Additionally, the lawsuit alleges that the defendants knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims for processing fees related to tens of thousands of PPP loans where Kabbage failed to implement appropriate fraud controls. The government’s complaint alleges that the defendants ignored these violations to maximize PPP processing fees before selling off the majority of Kabbage’s assets in October 2020.

    Kabbage Inc., which is now winding down its operations as KServicing Wind Down Corp. after filing for bankruptcy in the wake of the 2020 asset sale, previously agreed to resolve allegations relating to its role in the submission of false claims to the SBA. As part of that settlement, the United States received a general unsecured claim in the bankruptcy proceeding of up to $120 million, and the company received a credit for $12.5 million that Kabbage returned to SBA during the department’s investigation.

    “The PPP was a light providing hope to businesses in the midst of the shadow of a global pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs for the Eastern District of Texas. “Unfortunately, some unscrupulous lenders and executives took advantage of that situation by lining their pockets with ill-gotten incentive payments from processing PPP loans despite not performing even the most cursory fraud checks or reviews of borrower documentation. Individuals who shirked their responsibilities at the expense of the public fisc must be held accountable. This lawsuit against Kabbage’s former executives demonstrates our firm commitment to holding all parties responsible for their part in causing the submission of false claims to the PPP.”

    “SBA’s lending partners have a responsibility to ensure only eligible borrowers gain access to SBA’s programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Brady Ipock of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG)’s Central Region. “SBA OIG stands ready to support the Justice Department in rooting out greed and wrongful actions. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”

    The lawsuit was originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Paul Pietschner, a former analyst in Kabbage’s collections department. The FCA permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in any recovery. The FCA also permits the United States to intervene in such an action, as it has done in this case. A defendant who violates the act is subject to liability for three times the government’s losses, plus applicable penalties. 

    On May 17, 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Justice Department in partnership with agencies across the federal government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international actors committing civil and criminal fraud and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit www.justice.gov/coronavirus.

    Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by visiting the webpage of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, which can be found here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    Trial Attorney Sarah E. Loucks of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Betty Young for the Eastern District of Texas are handling the matter, with assistance provided by the SBA’s Office of General Counsel and Office of the Inspector General.

    The case is captioned United States ex rel. Pietschner v. Kabbage, Inc., et al., No. 4:21-cv-110-SDJ (EDTX).

    The claims asserted by the United States are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Australians urged to stay scam-aware this holiday season

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    The Albanese Government is urging Australians to be vigilant to criminal scammers this holiday season.

    From Christmas presents to Boxing Day sales, we know this is a time of year people are more likely to be shopping online. It is important we do this safely and stay alert to suspicious behaviours.

    We know that scammers take advantage of significant events. At tax time, they’ve sent text messages claiming to be from myGov. When big name concerts come to town, they ramp up fake ticket scams. Unfortunately, the holiday season is no different.

    This is a common time of year for scammers to increase their presence on social media to lure people to fake websites in an attempt to steal their identity or money.

    According to Scamwatch, Australians lost over $300,000 in December 2023 to online shopping scams alone. Social media platforms remain one of the largest vectors for scammers to find victims.

    The Albanese government understands the financial and emotional turmoil experienced by scams victims. That is why we are leading the biggest crackdown on scams anywhere in the world.

    The Scams Prevention Framework has been introduced to parliament, which, when passed, will make Australia the toughest target for scammers. It will force banks, telcos, and social media to significantly lift their game to stop scams.

    Communications Minister, Michelle Rowland, also recently announced the mandatory SMS sender ID registry, which will force telcos to block bulk texts from numbers that do not match an authorised business.

    The Government’s work in this space has facilitated a 41 per cent decrease in scam losses between the financial year 2022–23 and 2023–24, according to Scamwatch.

    While the Albanese government is working hard to keep people’s money safe, it is important Australians are aware of these threats and remain vigilant.

    The Government is urging Australians to remember these top tips to help protect themselves.

    • STOP: before sharing personal information
    • CHECK: that you know who you’re dealing with
    • PROTECT: against scams by taking actions like reporting them to Scamwatch.gov.au

    Quotes attributable to Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services, Stephen Jones MP

    “Online shopping can be a great way to get that last minute holiday shopping sorted, but it is important we do so safely.

    “Our government is working hard to crackdown on criminal scammers trying to make a buck out of Australians.

    “Remember to Stop, Check, Protect, and consult a trusted person if you think something looks a bit too good to be true.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Al Jazeera says correspondent’s arrest latest bid to gag Jenin coverage

    Pacific Media Watch

    The Al Jazeera Network has condemned the arrest of its occupied West Bank correspondent by Palestinian security services as a bid by the Israeli occupation to “block media coverage” of the military attack on Jenin.

    Israeli soldiers have killed at least 12 Palestinians in the three-day military assault that has rendered the refugee camp “nearly uninhabitable” and forced displacement of more than 2000 people. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the Jenin operation was a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights”.

    Al Jazeera said in a broadcast statement that the arrest of its occupied West Bank correspondent Muhammad al-Atrash by the Palestinian Authority (PA) could only be explained as “an attempt to block the media coverage of the occupation’s attack in Jenin”.

    “The arbitrary actions of the Palestinian Authority are unfortunately identical to the occupation’s targeting of the Al Jazeera Network,” it said.

    “We value the positions and voices that stand in solidarity and defend colleague Muhammad al-Atrash and the freedom of the press.”

    The network said the journalist was brought before a court in Hebron after being arrested yesterday while covering the events in Jenin “simply for doing his professional duty as a journalist”.

    “We confirm that these practices will not hinder our ongoing professional coverage of the facts unfolding in the West Bank,” Al Jazeera’s statement added.

    The Israeli occupation has been targeting Al Jazeera for months in an attempt to gag its reporting.

    Calling for al-Atrash’s immediate release, the al-Haq organisation (Protecting and Promoting Human Rights & the Rule of Law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory) said in a statement: “Freedom of opinion and expression cannot be guaranteed without ensuring freedom of the press.”

    Rage over AJ ban
    Earlier this month journalists expressed outrage and confusion about the PA’s decision to shut down the Al Jazeera office in the occupied West Bank after the Israeli government had earlier banned the Al Jazeera broadcasting network’s operation within Israel.

    “Shutting down a major outlet like Al Jazeera is a crime against journalism,” said freelance journalist Ikhlas al-Qarnawi.

    Also earlier this month, award-winning Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab criticised the Israeli government for targeting journalists and attempting to “cover up” the assassination of five Palestinian journalists last month.

    He said a December 26 press statement by the Israeli army attempted to “justify a war crime”.

    “It unabashedly admitted that the military incinerated five Palestinian journalists in a clearly marked press vehicle outside al-Awda Hospital in the Nuseirat refugee camp, central Gaza Strip,” Kuttab said in an op-ed article.

    Many Western publications had quoted the Israeli army statement as if it was an objective position and “not propaganda whitewashing a war crime”, he wrote.

    “They failed to clarify to their audiences that attacking journalists, including journalists who may be accused of promoting ‘propaganda’, is a war crime — all journalists are protected under international humanitarian law, regardless of whether armies like their reporting or not.”

    Israel not only refuses to recognise any Palestinian media worker as being protected, but it also bars foreign journalists from entering Gaza.

    “It has been truly disturbing that the international media has done little to protest this ban,” wrote Kuttab.

    “Except for one petition signed by 60 media outlets over the summer, the international media has not followed up consistently on such demands over 15 months.”

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Building a safer new bridge over the Onetai Stream

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Work gets underway onsite next week to prepare for the replacement of the 48-year-old Onetai Stream Bridge north of Paeroa on State Highway 26. A wider, stronger bridge will make this route on the eastern side of the Waihou River safer and more resilient.

    Road users on SH26 between Paeroa and Kōpū will see NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) contractors on site from Tuesday 28 January to begin work.  There will be lane closures for the first 2 weeks, and then a full road closure for up to 4 weeks from Monday 10 February.

    Regional Manager of Infrastructure Delivery (Acting), Darryl Coalter, says NZTA appreciates the closure will be disruptive.

    “Onetai is a small bridge, and the road approaches are very narrow. Unfortunately, it is not practical to replace the bridge in stages, so the highway will need to be closed here while the old bridge is demolished, and its replacement is installed.

    “Replacing bridges is always tricky and invariably involves some road closures, to ensure the work is done safely and efficiently – and within the available funding.

    “In this location it isn’t possible to provide alternative access and we recognise the impact this closure will have on road users – particularly those from local communities, however it is vital that we do this work to ensure the resilience of this route by replacing this bridge which is at the end of its economic life,” Mr Coalter says.

    The detour route will be via State Highway 2, Hauraki Road and State Highway 25 for northbound traffic and the reverse for southbound traffic (map below). The detour will not add duration to the trip for those travelling from Paeroa and Kōpu – however for those travelling from nearer to the closure site, for example between Hikutaia and Kōpū – a 12 minute trip will become 35 minutes.

    “The project team considered a range of construction options and has developed an approach to get the work done as quickly as possible, using prefabricated bridge deck and other key components to speed construction,” Mr Coalter says.

    The existing bridge was designed and constructed in 1976. Its 2025 replacement will be 3m wider giving drivers more lane space, and with additional safety features including a new type of side barrier (see graphic below).  Although bridges in New Zealand are generally built with concrete, this bridge will be built with a timber deck and bridge beams. Timber deck bridges are built successfully overseas and we are now piloting this approach in New Zealand.

    NZTA thanks road users and especially the local community for their consideration while we do this work.

    It’s advisable for road users to plan ahead using the NZTA Journey Planner. 

    Journey Planner(external link)

    People can also check out our latest newsletters and subscribe here:

    SH25/SH25A Thames-Coromandel

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Collins, King Announce More Than $6 Million for Targeted Economic Development Projects in Maine

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Susan Collins, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Angus King announced that 10 state and local agencies and organizations throughout Maine have been awarded a total of $6,121,792 through the Northern Border Regional Commission’s (NBRC) Catalyst Program and Forest Economy Program. This funding will support projects aimed at strengthening economic opportunity in communities across five Maine counties.

    “From replacing aging infrastructure to expanding child care availability and resources for business development, these targeted investments will strengthen the local economies of numerous communities in Maine,” said Senators Collins and King. “We are proud to support the NBRC, which continues to play a vital role in creating jobs, expanding economic opportunities, and laying a strong foundation for long-term growth across our state.”

    Specifically, the funding is allocated as follows:

    • Dover-Foxcroft Water District (Piscataquis County) – $1,000,000: To replace and relocate the Dover-Foxcroft water main, which is approximately 100 years old and does not reach a developing commercial area of the town.
    • Danforth Water District (Washington County) – $1,000,000: To replace a 4,500-foot failing and unlined iron water main serving households and businesses throughout downtown Danforth.
    • Town of Greenville (Piscataquis County) – $1,000,000: To construct a new childcare center on the Greenville Consolidated School campus that will provide more than 30 additional childcare slots.
    • Loring Development Authority of Maine (Aroostook County) – $1,000,000: To construct an anaerobic digester to produce biofuel from organic material, while enhancing the development of the Loring Commerce Centre in Limestone.
    • Maine TREE Foundation (Kennebec County) – $998,925: To scale the Maine TREE Foundation’s six-week summer Forestry Immersion Program for Maine high school students.
    • City of Bangor (Penobscot County) – $500,000: To support the Central Kitchen, a shared-use commercial kitchen incubator for start-up businesses to prepare, package, and market local food products.
    • Passamaquoddy Tribe (Washington County) – $250,000: To rehabilitate the Eastern Surplus Superfund Site and the Eastern Maine Electric Cooperative site, and restore and rewild N’tolonapemk, an ancestral Passamaquoddy village on the shores of Meddybemps Lake through improvements to fish passage and re-establishment of an alewife run at Meddybemps Lake.
    • City of Presque Isle (Aroostook County) – $240,000: To upgrade the commercial kitchen at The Forum—a year-round, multi-use building—to allow the city to expand the number and types of events possible at the venue.
    • City of Augusta (Kennebec County) – $82,867: To renovate the HVAC system at the Buker Community Center’s Child Care Center, allowing the Center to avoid scaling back their hours of operation due to extreme weather conditions.
    • RSU 38 (Kennebec County) – $50,000: To develop a driving range for commercial driver licensing, decreasing the training cycle from four months to three.

    The NBRC was established by Congress in 2008, with Senator Collins’ and King’s support, to fund a broad range of development projects in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York aimed at alleviating economic distress and encouraging private sector job creation.

    Senators Collins and King were instrumental in establishing the Forest Opportunity Roadmap (FOR/Maine) Initiative, an industry-led initiative that is helping to diversify the state’s wood products businesses, attract investments, and develop greater economic prosperity for rural communities impacted by mill closures. The FOR/Maine Initiative was funded in part by the Economic Development Assessment Team (EDAT) requested by the Senators in 2016 in order to create strategies for job growth and economic development in Maine’s rural communities. The EDAT recommended the development of new markets for Maine’s forest resources, including the strengthening of existing forest products manufacturing, the attraction of investment in emerging technology, and the utilization of forest products residuals in CHP biomass plants, microgrids, modern thermal systems, and new forest products development.

    In 2023, Senator Collins introduced and Senator King co-sponsored a bill to reauthorize and strengthen the NBRC.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: King Stresses that “All of the Above” Energy Policy Means Exploring All Power Sources

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King
    WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a hearing of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee (ENR) to consider the nominations of Chris Wright to be Secretary of Energy and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to be Secretary of Interior, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) noted the omission of wind and solar technologies in recent Executive Orders despite public statements pledging an “all of the above” approach to energy. Senator King began his remarks by reiterating his support for the two nominees, while also making clear the need to recognize the value of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power.
    “Thank you so much. I supported both nominees. I don’t expect to agree with everything any nominee holds, but I think that both of these nominees understand these issues — the issues before us — quite well. I will echo Senator Hickenlooper’s comments, I look forward to working with both of them. I think they will make a significant contribution. I wanted to make a more general comment. In this committee I have heard the phrase “all of the above” 100 times. Unfortunately, in the last couple of days it appears that “all of the above” doesn’t include wind and solar. Anybody who thinks wind power doesn’t produce real electricity, I would advise them to go to a project to put their tongue on the bus bar of a wind turbine to see if it’s real energy. Of course, it is. The development of those technologies — which, by the way, wind and solar are the cheapest electrical generation technologies available today, three cents per kilowatt hour is the average across the country, lower than anything else. Combined cycled natural gas is close. The intermittency problems we discussed are solvable. They are solvable by natural gas as a potential backup that can be ramped up and ramped down as needed. It can be solved, of course, by the incredible development of battery technology which Senator Heinrich mentioned,” said Senator King.
    Speaking to the urgency of climate change, Senator King echoed the importance of keeping every option on the table to help deliver sustainable and economically viable energy solutions.
    “So, all I want to do is reiterate my belief that ‘all of the above’ includes all of the available technologies, as well as those still in development: small modular reactors, geothermal. There are tremendous opportunities out there, but to try to say that there is only one source of energy and that it lies beneath the surface of the Earth and is not geothermal, that’s not accurate, nor does it take cognizance to the real effects that both witnesses acknowledge of climate change. We can argue whether it causes a particular disaster or not, but no one can argue that the climate is changing and that it is having an effect. We see it in Maine in our forests, in our oceans — the Gulf of Maine is warming faster than any other body of water on Earth with the exception of the Arctic Ocean. I think it’s ironic by the way, the sudden interest in Greenland, and it’s strategic value rests upon the 75% reduction in Arctic Ocean ice over the last 40 years. Either climate change is real or it isn’t, but it is certainly real in many areas of the country and to argue to the contrary is not realistic. It is a challenge that we have to meet and I hope that we don’t take tools out of our toolbox that can contribute to the solution of that problem, as well as sustainable and economically viable energy. Thank you, Mr. Chairman,” concluded Senator King.
    As a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Senator King has advocated for climate solutions that deliver on the clean energy potential of the historic Inflation Reduction Act. He has repeatedly emphasized the importance of permitting reform to deliver carefully considered, timely approvals of sorely-needed clean energy projects. Senator King has also been one of the Senate’s most vocal advocates for improving energy storage technologies and development and worked to include significant storage investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. 
    Recently, Senator King published an Op-Ed and spoke with CNN regarding his positions on the advise and consent process of Cabinet-Level nominees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Whose Dangerous Lies Fueled Measles Outbreak in Samoa & Caused Preventable Deaths, Unqualified To Lead HHS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) took to the Senate floor today to detail how President Donald Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., spread dangerous lies about vaccines which directly led to disease outbreaks and caused preventable deaths. Schatz recounted the story of how Kennedy traveled to Samoa in 2019 to discourage people from taking the measles vaccine which ultimately led to an outbreak in which thousands of people were infected and 83, mostly children, died.
    “In 2019, he flew to Samoa to discourage people from taking the measles vaccine, deepening hesitancy that was already building. And it worked,” said Senator Schatz. “Vaccination rates for eligible 1-year-olds fell to lower than 33%. And just 5 months later, Samoa found itself in the middle of a measles outbreak. Over 5,000 people got the measles. 83 people died.”
    Senator Schatz added, “Yes, this is a question of character and competence. But it is also a question of life or death. And who we want in charge, making decisions, when lives are on the line. And it’s our job, here in the Senate, to make damn sure that person isn’t RFK Jr.”
    The full text of Senator Schatz’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, is below. Video is available here.
    You’d think the person nominated to lead our nation’s top health department – an agency with a budget of over 2 trillion dollars and responsible for running everything from Medicare to vaccine trials. You’d think that person would at least be interested, if not experienced, in curing diseases and promoting public health. That they’d follow science and work to build the public’s trust in it. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is none of those things.
    For the first time ever, we might have a health secretary who’s actively fueled disease outbreaks. He’s literally made a career out of lying about the safety of basic vaccines. And it is not an exaggeration to say: lives will be lost if this man gets confirmed. He has cost lives pretending to be a public health expert before. And he will do it again if he becomes the next health secretary.
    This is not some random dude with his buddies kicking around wacky ideas for the hell of it. He’s a Kennedy, with an enormous fortune, parachuting into countries to tell flat out lies and stop people from taking life-saving vaccines.
    In 2019, he flew to Samoa to discourage people from taking the measles vaccine, deepening hesitancy that was already building. And it worked. Vaccination rates for eligible 1-year-olds fell to lower than 33%. And just 5 months later, Samoa found itself in the middle of a measles outbreak. Over 5,000 people got the measles. 83 people died.
    Aside from spreading baseless lies about vaccines, RFK Jr. has regularly spouted all kinds of deranged conspiracy theories, including that COVID-19 was “targeted to attack Caucasians and black people. The people who are most immune are Ashkenazi Jews and Chinese.” He’s also claimed – without any evidence – that antidepressants are to blame for mass shootings and that chemicals in our water are turning kids gay.
    His plans to remake the Department of Health and Human Services are equally terrifying. He wants to revoke approvals for the polio and Hepatitis B vaccines for children and roll back guidance on other vital vaccines. There’s a reason we haven’t had to think about these awful, painful diseases in a long, long time. It’s because we’ve successfully vaccinated our way out of outbreaks.
    He’s also vowed to fire hundreds of federal health researchers and scientists and stop all research into infectious diseases and vaccine development. Because “we’re going to give infectious disease a break for about eight years.” We’re going to give diseases a break.
    This man, in his views and his actions, is as dangerous as they come. You wouldn’t put him in charge of a local clinic – let alone our country’s entire health system.
    And look, I get it. Some people hear his critiques of our food system and agree with him. Our food system is broken. And people are getting sick because of it. We’ve subsidized the wrong things for so long that you can find an unhealthy meal faster and for cheaper than a healthy one. Ultra-processed foods are everywhere. Healthy, hearty meals are harder to come by. And that has to change. But we don’t fix that problem by inviting a measles or mumps outbreak. We don’t have to voluntarily conjure up the horrors of polio in the name of cleansing our diet. That’s a false choice I refuse to make.
    There are many people – including my friend, Senator Cory Booker – who are working to solve this problem with the seriousness and the thoughtfulness it demands. To reign in factory farms, empower family farmers, and make healthy food more readily available and affordable. We can and must do all of that. But RFK Jr. is not the man to do it.
    The medical profession, at it’s best, is about helping people. I think about doctors like my dad, Dr. Irv Schatz, aboard a hospital ship – the SS Hope – providing free medical care to people in Latin America. So many like him put their lives and careers on hold to travel far and wide and care for the less fortunate. Helping kids with cleft palates…distributing mosquito nets…delivering babies…treating and preventing diseases. It’s hard and unglamorous and unselfish work.
    And so it takes a special kind of person to do the exact opposite. To do what RFK Jr. did, which is to fly halfway around the world, and cause pain. Cause disease. Cause death. So yes, this is a question of character and competence. But it is also a question of life or death. And who we want in charge, making decisions, when lives are on the line. And it’s our job, here in the Senate, to make damn sure that person isn’t RFK Jr.

    MIL OSI USA News –