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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Security: Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Charge

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SHREVEPORT, La. – Brian T. Owen, 52, of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, pleaded guilty yesterday to money laundering, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. presided over the hearing.  

    A Bill of Information was filed September 30, 2024, charging Owen with one count of money laundering. This charge was the result of an investigation conducted by state and federal law enforcement agencies into the unlawful activities of Owen, who was the president of an oilfield consulting service business headquartered in Bossier City. On June 22, 2020, the company filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana. 

    In January 2021, as part of the company’s bankruptcy plan of reorganization, a Distribution Trust was established to pay back creditors, and Owen executed a Distribution Trust Agreement in his role as president of the company. According to this plan, if Owen received any additional compensation from the company, he was required to pay 30% of that directly to the Distribution Trust. 

    In 2021, the company began applying for Employee Retention Credits (“ERCs”), which are a refundable tax credit for certain eligible businesses and tax-exempt organizations that had employees and were affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Owen then devised a scheme to defraud the Distribution Trust by intercepting the physical U.S. Department of Treasury Checks before they were deposited into the company’s working accounts. Unbeknownst to other senior leadership at the company, Owen had opened a bank account in the name of the company while it was still in bankruptcy. As part of the scheme, he deposited a total of $3.8 million in ERC funds for himself as additional compensation. Owen did not pay the Distribution Trust the 30% as he had agreed, but instead used the money for his own personal expenses, including to pay off gambling debts. In total, he defrauded the Distribution Trust out of $1,157,154.39.           

    Owen faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.  

    The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Tours Military Solutions Provider in Wichita, KS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Wichita, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. visited Leading Technology Composites (LTC) in Wichita, KS. Leading Technology Composites (LTC) provides composite solutions for the defense, military, aerospace, and automotive industries. It designs and manufactures protective body armor plates, such as stab and handgun plates, ballistic and protective inserts, and buoyant plates. Additionally, LTC produces vehicle protective armor and aerospace solutions. The company was founded in 1993, employing over 400 Kansans and serving both domestic and international clients. 
    “I am proud of LTC for supporting our military and law enforcement through their innovative solutions,” Senator Marshall said. “LTC protects our protectors, and I am proud of the work they have accomplished and the opportunities they provide for Kansans and our country.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Visits Salina Pregnancy Service Center

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Salina, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. toured the Salina Pregnancy Service Center and their new, expanded space this past week. 
    Salina Pregnancy Service Center serves over 300 new clients and hosts over 12,000 visits per year. The Center offers a variety of services to moms and their families throughout pregnancy and postpartum, including ultrasounds, clothing, counseling, and referrals to other programs throughout Salina. 
    “As an OBGYN, ensuring mothers and families have quality care is one of my top priorities,” Senator Marshall said. “It was a pleasure to visit this clinic and hear about what they are doing for Salina families.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kennedy, Risch to introduce Stand with Israel Act to combat UN’s persecution of Israel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Kennedy (Louisiana)
    MADISONVILLE, La. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) today joined Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and colleagues in announcing their intent to introduce the Stand with Israel Act to combat the United Nation’s (U.N.) persecution of Israel. The legislation would block any U.S. dollars from going to the U.N. if it downgrades Israel’s status in any way, such as preventing Israel from having certain voting powers, access to committees or other roles within the organization.
    “The U.N. has failed to pass any resolution to condemn the October 7 terrorists, yet the Palestinian delegation has tried to delegitimize Israel by introducing radical resolutions. Even though the U.N.’s policies often run against American interests, we remain its biggest funder. We shouldn’t send American tax dollars to groups that demonize our strongest democratic ally in the Middle East while elevating terrorist-sympathizers and the Palestinian Authority,” said Kennedy.
    Last month, Kennedy criticized the Palestinian Authority for introducing a U.N. resolution that would reward terrorism. The resolution would have supported an end to Israel’s presence in the West Bank, sanction Israeli officials and block other countries’ arms transfers to Israel. The U.N. General Assembly adopted the one-sided resolution without U.S. support. 
    “Any attempt to alter Israel’s status at the UN is clearly anti-Semitic. That said, if the UN member states allow the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization to downgrade Israel’s status at the UN, the U.S. must stop supporting the UN system, as it would clearly be beyond repair. I am disgusted that this outrageous idea has even been discussed, and will do all I can to ensure any changes to Israel’s status will come with consequences,” said Risch. 
    The legislation is the companion to the House of Representative’s bipartisan H.R. 9394, which Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) introduced. 
    Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) and Ted Budd (R-N.C.) also cosponsored the legislation.
    Full text of the Stand with Israel Act is available here.  
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Mount Logan Capital Inc. Schedules Release of Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mount Logan Capital Inc. (CBOE: MLC) (“Mount Logan” or the “Company”) will release its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024 after market close on Thursday, November 7, 2024. The Company will host a conference call on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results. Shareholders, prospective shareholders, and analysts are welcome to listen to the conference call. To join the call, please use the dial-in information below. A recording of the conference call will be available on Mount Logan’s website http://www.mountlogancapital.ca in the Investor Relations section under “Events”.

    Canada Dial-in Toll Free: 1-833-950-0062
    US Dial-in Toll Free: 1-833-470-1428
    International Dial-in:
    Access Code: 672430

    About Mount Logan Capital Inc.
    Mount Logan Capital Inc. is an alternative asset management and insurance solutions company that is focused on public and private debt securities in the North American market and the reinsurance of annuity products, primarily through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Mount Logan Management LLC and Ability Insurance Company (“Ability”), respectively. The Company also actively sources, evaluates, underwrites, manages, monitors and primarily invests in loans, debt securities, and other credit-oriented instruments that present attractive risk-adjusted returns and present low risk of principal impairment through the credit cycle.

    Ability is a Nebraska domiciled insurer and reinsurer of long-term care policies acquired by Mount Logan in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021. Ability is unique in the insurance industry in that its long-term care portfolio’s morbidity risk has been largely re-insured to third parties, and Ability is no longer insuring or re-insuring new long-term care risk.

    This press release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus or an advertisement and the communication of this release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offer to sell or an offer to purchase any securities in the Company or in any fund or other investment vehicle. This press release is not intended for U.S. persons. The Company’s shares are not and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Company is not and will not be registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). U.S. persons are not permitted to purchase the Company’s shares absent an applicable exemption from registration under each of these Acts. In addition, the number of investors in the United States, or which are U.S. persons or purchasing for the account or benefit of U.S. persons, will be limited to such number as is required to comply with an available exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act.

    Contacts:
    Mount Logan Capital Inc.
    365 Bay Street, Suite 800
    Toronto, ON M5H 2V1
    info@mountlogancapital.ca

    Nikita Klassen
    Chief Financial Officer
    Nikita.Klassen@mountlogancapital.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chehalis To Be Site of 60,000-Square-Foot Upcycling Plant Thanks to $10M Federal Investment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    10.22.24

    Chehalis To Be Site of 60,000-Square-Foot Upcycling Plant Thanks to $10M Federal Investment

    CleanFiber facility will turn upcycled cardboard into home insulation, expected to support 40 local full-time jobs; DOE grant is first of its kind awarded in WA under program that helps former coal communities

    EDMONDS, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced a major federal investment that will help create new jobs in Chehalis. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) has selected CleanFiber’s Chehalis location to receive $10 million to establish a 60,000-square-foot production facility that will turn recycled cardboard into carbon-storing insulation for homes.

    “This planned new manufacturing plant is a triple win for the region: it will deliver good new manufacturing jobs, produce energy-saving advanced insulation, and reduce waste by upcycling local materials,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Supporting well-paying jobs in transitioning communities is a key requirement we included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and this announcement shows the federal government is betting on Chehalis to be an engine of revitalization in Southwest Washington.”

    The facility is expected to produce enough advanced insulation to weatherize more than 10,000 homes a year and will support 40 full-time employees. 

    Building the facility will require approximately 33 full-time local contractors during the construction phase to provide civil work, electrical, engineering, fire protection and insulation, mechanical work, and pipefitting. All contractors will be paid at or above the prevailing wage and CleanFiber will help create apprenticeship opportunities by engaging contractors with structured apprenticeship programs.

    Once the facility is operational, CleanFiber expects to hire approximately 40 full-time employees. All hires will receive competitive wages and full benefits packages. The company plans outreach to disadvantaged and displaced coal workers, and will develop partnerships with state and local organizations (such as WorkSource Washington, the Washington State Labor Council, and the Pacific Mountain Workforce Board) to recruit from those populations. CleanFiber also pledges to remain neutral during any union organizing campaigns at their facility.

    CleanFiber’s Chehalis plant is one of 14 projects announced today by DOE to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing in 15 coal communities across the United States. This is the first grant to a project in Washington state under the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Program.

    The program was created and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that Sen. Cantwell helped craft in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, before passing the full Senate. Each project further positions the United States to win the competition for manufacturing in the 21st century and strengthen our national security by building supply chains for existing and emerging technologies in America, built by American workers with American materials.

    CleanFiber is also building a sister plant in Ennis, Texas.

    The projects, led by small-and medium-businesses in communities with de-commissioned coal facilities, were selected to address critical energy supply chain vulnerabilities. Sen. Cantwell was a strong supporter of the landmark BIL, which provided historic investments to revitalize communities in Washington state. The Senator’s CHIPS & Science Act also included provisions focusing on rural economic development, notably the recently announced Recompetes grant for the Olympic Peninsula.  Overall the CHIPS & Science Act has led to resurgence of American manufacturing, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and spurred over $230 billion of investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell, Democrats Send Amicus Brief Urging Federal Court to Protect Access to Emergency Abortions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    10.22.24

    Cantwell, Democrats Send Amicus Brief Urging Federal Court to Protect Access to Emergency Abortions

    Members ask the Ninth Circuit to affirm that under federal law, hospitals participating in Medicare must provide emergency stabilizing treatment to patients, including abortion care when necessary; Ninth Circuit Court received the case after the Supreme Court dismissed it in June

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined 258 other Members of Congress in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, two consolidated cases concerning the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) under consideration by the en banc Ninth Circuit. EMTALA is a federal law that requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide necessary “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical emergencies, which can include abortion care.

    After the Dobbs decision in 2022, a draconian anti-abortion law in Idaho went into effect that makes it a felony for a doctor to terminate a patient’s pregnancy unless it is “necessary” to prevent the patient’s death. The United States sued the State of Idaho, arguing that the state’s law is preempted by EMTALA in those circumstances in which abortion may not be necessary to prevent imminent death, but still constitutes the necessary stabilizing treatment for a patient’s emergency medical condition. The district court agreed; it held that in those limited, but critically important situations, EMTALA requires Medicare-participating hospitals to provide abortion as an emergency medical treatment. Idaho Republicans appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court, which lifted the injunction and took the case in January—in March, Sen. Cantwell and 257 other Members filed an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to affirm the district court decision. In June, the Supreme Court dismissed the case but without a ruling on the merits, sending the case back to the Ninth Circuit Court and reinstating the district court’s injunction.

    In their brief in support of the Justice Department, the lawmakers ask the Ninth Circuit to uphold the district court’s ruling. They argue that the congressional intent, text, and history of EMTALA make clear that covered hospitals must provide abortion care when it is the necessary stabilizing treatment for a patient’s emergency medical condition, and that EMTALA preempts Idaho’s abortion ban in emergency situations that present a serious threat to a patient’s health.

    In their brief in support of the Justice Department, the lawmakers ask the Ninth Circuit to uphold the district court’s ruling. They argue that the congressional intent, text, and history of EMTALA make clear that covered hospitals must provide abortion care when it is the necessary stabilizing treatment for a patient’s emergency medical condition, and that EMTALA preempts Idaho’s abortion ban in emergency situations that present a serious threat to a patient’s health.

    “[T]he 99th Congress passed EMTALA to ensure that every person who visits a Medicare-funded hospital with an ‘emergency medical condition’ is offered stabilizing treatment,” the Members write in their amicus brief. “Congress chose broad language for that mandate, requiring hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide ‘such treatment as may be required to stabilize the medical condition.’… That text—untouched by Congress for the past three decades—makes clear that in situations in which a doctor determines that abortion constitutes the ‘[n]ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a pregnant patient, federal law requires the hospital to offer it. Yet Idaho has made providing that care a felony, in direct contravention of EMTALA’s mandate.”

    Importantly, the Members note that in this case, “respecting the supremacy of federal law is about more than just protecting our system of government; it is about protecting people’s lives. If this Court allows Idaho’s near-total abortion ban to supersede federal law, pregnant patients in Idaho will continue to be denied appropriate medical treatment, placing them at heightened risk for medical complications and severe adverse health outcomes… And health care providers, unwilling to let Idaho’s law override their medical judgment regarding their patients’ best interests, will continue their exile from Idaho, creating maternity-care ‘deserts’ all over the state.” The Members point to numerous reports of OB/GYNs leaving Idaho en masse since the state’s abortion ban went into effect—Idaho has since lost fifty-five percent of its maternal-fetal medicine specialists and three rural hospitals have shut down maternity services altogether.

    “These are not hypothetical scenarios. Because Idaho’s abortion ban contains no clear exceptions for the “emergency medical conditions” covered by EMTALA, it forces physicians to wait until their patients are on the verge of death before providing abortion care. The result in other states with similar laws has been ‘significant maternal morbidity,’” write the Members, pointing to harrowing reports of pregnant women with severe health complications being denied necessary abortion care, including an Idaho woman who was flown to Utah for an abortion while hemorrhaging, leaking amniotic fluid, and terrified that she would not survive to care for her two other children. “Federal law does not allow Idaho to endanger the lives of its residents in this way.”

    In their brief, the Members also clarify that the references to “unborn child” in EMTALA were intended to expand hospitals’ obligations with respect to providing stabilizing treatment—not contract them or take away the obligation to provide abortion care in certain circumstances.

    The Members’ brief also counters an argument from Idaho and its amici that the Supremacy Clause does not apply in this case because EMTALA was passed using Spending Clause authority, and therefore acts only as a condition on Medicare funding. The Members make clear that all laws passed by Congress are entitled to preemption—regardless of their source of constitutional authority—and states cannot pass laws that make it impossible for private parties to accept federal funding, inhibiting the purpose of the federal law. 

    “Because EMTALA requires abortion when necessary to stabilize a patient with an emergency medical condition, Idaho’s near-total abortion ban is preempted to the extent that it prevents doctors from providing that care,” the Members write. “This Court should reject Appellants’ novel theory that EMTALA is not entitled to preemptive effect because it was enacted pursuant to Congress’s spending power.  Under the Supremacy Clause, all ‘the constitutional laws enacted by congress,’ constitute ‘the supreme Law of the Land,’. As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, the principle of federal supremacy applies to laws passed pursuant to Congress’s spending authority no less than it does to laws effectuating other enumerated powers.”

    “In sum, EMTALA plainly requires hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide abortion care when, in a doctor’s medical judgment, it constitutes the ‘[n]ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a patient’s ‘emergency medical condition.’”

    The lawmakers conclude by asking the Ninth Circuit to affirm the district court’s decision that EMTALA requires Medicare-participating hospitals to provide abortion care when it is necessary as emergency medical treatment.

    In the Senate, the amicus brief was signed by 48 U.S. Senators: Schumer, Murray, Wyden, Durbin, Baldwin, Bennet, Blumenthal, Booker, Brown, Butler, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey Jr., Coons, Cortez Masto, Duckworth, Gillibrand, Hassan, Heinrich, Helmy, Hickenlooper, Hirono, Kaine, Kelly, King Jr., Klobuchar, Luján, Markey, Merkley, Murphy, Padilla, Peters, Reed, Rosen, Sanders, Schatz, Shaheen, Sinema, Smith, Stabenow, Tester, Van Hollen, Warner, Warnock, Warren, Welch, and Whitehouse.

    In the House, the brief was signed by 211 U.S. Representatives.

    The lawmakers’ amicus brief to the Supreme Court can be read in full HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Trade Secretary launches new fund to unlock multi-billion exports boost 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Jonathan Reynolds will announce Regulatory Partnership for Growth Fund on visit to Brazil including his first G20 meeting

    • New £2.3million Regulatory Partnership for Growth Fund will help to unlock export opportunities worth nearly £5 billion for UK companies over five years   
    • Sectors like clean energy and life sciences set to benefit, as fund targets trade barriers worth £300m in its first year   
    • Announcement comes as Jonathan Reynolds visits Brazil for G20 trade talks  

    The UK’s pharmaceutical industry will find it easier to sell innovative medicines in huge markets like Brazil and around the world thanks to a new fund to cut red tape and boost exports.  

    Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds will announce the new £2.3 million Regulatory Partnership for Growth Fund as part of a three-day visit to Brazil, which will include his first G20 meeting.  

    The fund builds on the Prime Minister’s call at the International Investment Summit last week for UK regulators to support the Government’s growth mission, keep pace with emerging industries and upgrade the regulatory regime to make it fit for the modern age.  

    The fund will help UK regulators work with international partners to remove trade barriers and shape markets in various growing sectors. This will see sectors benefit from a potential £5 billion of new export opportunities over five years, with trade barriers worth £300 million being targeted within the first 12 months – which would be equal to an average of £135 in exports per pound invested.   

    In an exciting project in the life sciences sector, this will see UK regulators and expert bodies work closely with Brazil’s Ministry of Health in sharing best practice around evaluating cancer drugs, supporting them to improve their nation’s health while making it easier for the industry to access Brazil’s pharmaceutical market. 

    Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:   

    We are rolling up our sleeves and removing red tape where it is holding this country back from harnessing every opportunity available.  

    This multi-million-pound fund will unleash the potential of some of the most prominent sectors in the UK, and through our excellent regulators businesses will find it easier to sell their world class goods and services to Brazil and other partners around the world, as we continue to build momentum ahead of our new Industrial Strategy.

    The fund will also:  

    • enable the Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult to partner with Brazil as it develops a comprehensive offshore wind regulatory framework, which could generate an additional £55 million of exports over five years for the UK supply chain.   
    • in the professional services sector, the Law Society will build closer relationships with other countries to reduce requirements for UK lawyers to practice overseas, including in some US states, where they have faced onerous requirements.    
    • support UK regulators who will aim to improve the process for accreditation of UK education programmes, such as university degrees, in countries all over the world, including Malaysia.  

    Dr Stephen Wyatt, Director – Strategy and Emerging Technology, ORE Catapult said:   

    The UK is a world leader in offshore wind and, in partnership with the Department for Business & Trade, we now have the opportunity to translate two decades of experience into new export opportunities for UK companies.    

    Our work will help other countries to accelerate their plans to develop offshore wind and pinpoint key areas, such as floating wind, project development, and operations and maintenance where the UK’s leading companies can also flourish overseas.

    Richard Atkinson, President of The Law Society England and Wales said:   

    The Law Society of England and Wales appreciates the government’s initiative to establish the Regulatory Partnership for Growth Fund.  

    This funding will provide essential support to UK businesses by helping them move past regulatory barriers in various global markets.  

    By building closer relationships with countries overseas, this fund will contribute to the growth and progression of the legal profession globally.

    It comes as the Trade Secretary heads to São Paulo and Brasília to build on the UK’s strong and enduring relationship with Brazil, meeting investors including one of the world’s biggest aircraft manufacturers, Embraer, as well as some of the largest UK businesses in Brazil such as Astra Zeneca.   

    The Trade Secretary will then meet Brazil’s Vice President and Trade Minister Geraldo Alckmin in Brasília, where they will talk about how to build on the over £10bn of UK-Brazil trade last year and implementation of Brazil’s Industrial Strategy ahead of the UK publishing its own next year. He will then meet his G20 counterparts and call for pragmatic and meaningful reform to strengthen the World Trade Organization, as well as action to promote gender equality in trade.   

    The Trade Secretary will also use the visit to hold the first bilateral meeting on trade between the UK and Argentina since 2019 when he meets with his counterpart Diana Mondino, where he will commit to strengthening the UK’s trade and investment relationship in line with both governments’ goals to support economic growth.  

    He will also speak to the Vice-President of the European Commission Valdis Dombrovskis, where he will emphasise the importance on resetting the relationship between the UK and the EU.   

    The meetings are alongside wider G20 discussions under Brazil’s presidency on sustainable investment and how trade can drive greener and more sustainable development, ahead of South Africa taking on the G20 Presidency in 2025.   

    Notes to Editors

    • Not all the trade barriers that are part of the £2.3m fund can be made public due to commercial or diplomatic sensitivity.  
    • The data on trade barriers to be resolved by the £2.3m fund is extracted from the Digital Market Access Service (DMAS). DMAS is not a comprehensive repository of all market access issues facing UK exporters, and reporting rates vary widely across countries and regions  
    • The £2.3m fund will be used to aid the resolution of 36 barriers in scope – the aggregate valuation of these barriers is around £5bn over 5 years. The aggregate figure of around £300m over 5 years is for a sample of 6 barriers only. To calculate the aggregate figures, the mid-point for each valuation range is estimated over a five-year period and added to provide a central estimate. Further details on the methodology for the aggregate valuation figures are published in a DBT analytical working paper. In some cases, estimates may have been sourced externally from industry.  
    • The figure of around £135 in export value per pound over five years is calculated by dividing £300m by the cost of the fund (£2.3m). This is a potential export win and it should not be interpreted that every additional pound might get another £135 in return.

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government pledges to make UK ‘top destination for women’s sport investment’ following record-breaking summit

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The government has launched the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme, helping to attract more private investment in women’s sport and drive growth into the sector.

    • New scheme launched to attract more private investment in women’s sport to help drive growth in the sector.
    • Over 20 leagues, teams and competitions across 9 different sports set to benefit, including England Women’s Cricket and Barclays Women’s Super League.
    • Follows record-breaking International Investment Summit which secured over £63bn of private investment into the UK.

    Women’s sport in the UK is set for a massive boost as the Government announces a scheme to drive investment in elite clubs and leagues across the country, as part of a new pledge to make the UK the world’s top destination for women’s sport investment. 

    The scheme will prioritise development, commercial growth and financial sustainability. Sponsorship and investment are key to increasing visibility and inspiring young female athletes to ensure greater talent pathways are created, and to develop their careers in sport.

    Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson will today [Wednesday 23 October] launch the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme, which will bring over 20 elite leagues, competitions and teams across nine different sports, such as the Barclays Women’s Super League and England Women’s Cricket, together with investors and industry experts to help them secure transformational investment and sponsorships.

    It will provide them with comprehensive market insights, seminars, connections and networking opportunities over a series of sessions, led by the Department for Business and Trade in collaboration with Deloitte, which will give them the tools and expert insight to help them attract investment and grow their business.

    Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson will launch the scheme at a sport investment conference at Rothschild & Co today, involving leaders from major UK sports and some of the world’s most prominent investors.

    Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson said:

    The UK is already an elite home of women’s sport, and my goal is to make us the top destination for women’s sport investment.  

    The launch of this scheme, a week after our record-breaking International Investment Summit, shows the UK is truly the best place to do business in this fast-growing industry. 

    Off the back of the latest figures showing the industry could be worth over £1 billion this year, I’m looking forward to speaking to investors and clubs, leagues and teams today about how the Accelerator can drive this growth even further.

    The scheme will capitalise on the rapid growth of the women’s sport industry, which is expected to be worth over £1 billion by the end of the year according to Deloitte, marking a 300 percent increase since 2021.

    By supporting women’s sport to attract new private investment into the UK it will help deliver on the Government’s central Growth Mission, building on existing support for growing women’s sport including the £30 million Lionesses Future Fund and over £12 million to grow women’s rugby.

    It follows a successful pilot of the scheme in 2023-24 which supported leagues, teams and competitions across football, cricket, rugby and more to secure game-changing investment and sponsorship deals.

    Now, with two new sports and a range of new competitions and teams signed up, the scheme will provide even more dedicated advice and support to attract investment and offer more connections with investors.

    The launch also comes after major recent UK women’s sport investment successes, including a £45 million sponsorship deal for the Barclays Women’s Super League, Michelle Kang’s acquisition of the London City Lionesses, and the England & Wales Cricket Board launching the process to secure private investment into The Hundred early next year.

    Minister for Sport Stephanie Peacock said:

    Women’s sport has been growing rapidly in recent years and we are committed to supporting its expansion, from the grassroots to elite level.

    Last year, we welcomed Karen Carney OBE’s Review of Women’s Football which addressed the importance of growing investment in women’s sport.

    As Sports Minister, I want to see as many women and girls as possible enjoy sport and physical activity, and this scheme will be instrumental in securing investment to grow the sector even further.

    England & Wales Cricket Board Director of the Women’s Professional Game Beth Barrett-Wild said:

    The first edition of the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme provided an engine to help power conversations and connections between rights holders, investors, and commercial partners, with expert insight from Deloitte helping to deepen understanding for all about the landscape and opportunities.   

    I’m really looking forward to the launch of year two, and the chance to take this discussion to the next level, as we all work together to unlock the full potential of women’s sport.

    Deloitte Sports Business Group Lead Partner Tim Bridge said:

    We’re witnessing a surge in investment opportunities within women’s sport. The rise of dedicated funds and brand sponsorships for women’s and girls’ clubs, leagues and competitions signals a powerful shift. The Accelerator programme has been built to connect investors and brands with these opportunities, showcasing the strength and remarkable growth potential of women’s sport. This influx of investment will be instrumental in driving professionalisation and boosting participation across the UK, creating a lasting impact for women’s sport at all levels while delivering significant economic returns.

    The Government’s pledge to make the UK the top destination for women’s sport investment comes after the record-breaking International Investment Summit held just last week, which secured £63 billion of private investment into the UK which will create over 38,000 new jobs across the country.

    Full list of the elite sports represented in the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator: 

    • Football 
    • Cricket 
    • Rugby union 
    • Rugby league 
    • Tennis 
    • Golf 
    • Netball 
    • Volleyball 
    • Cycling

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Child Abuse Prevention Month: Minister Turton

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    “No child should ever have to experience abuse. Whether at school or in the home, online or out in the community, abuse of any kind is always unacceptable. Child Abuse Prevention Month serves as an important reminder that everyone has a responsibility to know the warning signs and speak up to keep young people safe.

    “Our government remains committed to protecting all children and youth and ensuring they have a safe place to turn, as well as the resources they need when abuse does happen. This includes supporting the invaluable work of Alberta’s child and youth advocacy centres, which foster welcoming environments where young survivors are empowered to tell their stories and seek justice, as well as Little Warriors, for those who need longer-term support to recover from child sexual abuse trauma.

    “If you believe a child’s safety is at risk, don’t wait. Call the confidential, 24/7 Child Intervention line at 1-800-638-0715 or contact the nearest Children and Family Services office, Delegated First Nations Agency or local police.

    “To every Albertan who has taken action to protect a child’s safety and well-being, or prevent abuse from happening in their community, thank you. To every child and youth who has experienced abuse: we believe you, you are not alone and help is available.”

    Related information

    • What is child abuse, neglect and sexual exploitation
    • Get help for child abuse, neglect and sexual exploitation | Alberta.ca
    • Alberta Child Advocacy Centres – AB Child Advocacy Centres (albertacacs.ca)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: University Chancellors’ Council – 13th National Conference on University Governance

    Source: Australian Ministers for Education

    I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Summit is taking place today, and I pay my respects to elders, past and present.

    I also acknowledge:

    •    John Stanhope AO and all the members of the Organising Committee, including
    •    Terry Moran AC
    •    Peter Varghese AO
    •    John Brumby AO
    •    John Pollaers OAM
    •    And all the other university leaders in the room

    I’m sorry I can’t be there with you. I wish I was.

    Universities are future makers.

    They help build the future that we’re all going to live in.

    Build the workforce we’re going to need.

    But not just that.

    The research that our universities do grapple with the problems of today.

    And the upshot of that is a different world tomorrow.

    Look around and you can see the fingerprints of universities everywhere.

    From environmental and industrial innovations to the medicine we take or the technology we hold in our hands.

    It’s just another way of saying how important our universities are and the work they do.

    Then there’s the change that’s coming at us. That we have to adapt to. Respond to. That we have to be ready for.

    This conference is talking about that.

    And AI is a classic example of it.

    The Accord itself is all about getting us ready for that future. That change that is coming at us.

    A future where more people have a university degree than today.

    Where more people have a university qualification than ever before.

    Where by 2050, 80 per cent of the entire workforce would have a TAFE qualification or a university degree.

    That’s a big change.

    In the 1980s and 1990s, under Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, the number of Australians finishing high school jumped from around 40 per cent to almost 80 per cent.

    In the next 25 years it won’t just be 80 per cent of the workforce who have finished high school, 80 per cent will have gone to TAFE or university as well.

    That’s a big economic and social shift.

    Some of it will happen organically. Think about it.

    The fastest growing jobs in the future will be in areas like health care, teaching, ICT and engineering.

    And it’s often those professions that require university qualifications.

    But that alone is not enough to hit that 80 per cent target.

    We have also got to change.

    What the Accord says is we’ve got to break down that invisible barrier that stops a lot of people from getting a chance to go to university.

    Unless more people from poor backgrounds, more people from the outer suburbs, more people in the regions get a crack at university, then we won’t hit that target.

    That’s obvious just by looking at the raw statistics.

    About one in two young people in their 20s and 30s have a university degree, but not everywhere.  

    Not in the outer suburbs and not in the regions.

    At its core, the Universities Accord is about changing that.

    The first Accord bill is in the Parliament right now.

    It wipes about $3 billion of HECS debt, it creates paid prac, and it massively expands those FEE-FREE courses that act as a bridge between school and uni.

    That’s passed the House and it’s in the Senate.

    It’s just the start.

    The Accord is massive. Implementing it will take more than one budget or one government, but have bitten off a big chunk in this year’s budget.

    29 of the Accord’s 47 recommendations in full or in part.

    That includes a new funding system, needs-based funding and a new Australian Tertiary Education Commission to steer reform over multiple governments.

    And I hope to provide you with more detail on all of that before the end of the year.

    There is also another Accord Bill in the Parliament.

    That’s the one that sets up a National Student Ombudsman.

    An independent body to investigate and resolve disputes and give students a stronger voice when the worst happens.

    It is a necessary response to the terrible and appalling evidence of sexual violence and harassment on campus.

    But it’s not just about that. Its scope will be broad.

    That includes complaints about antisemitism and Islamophobia or any type of racism or discrimination.

    That builds on the work that TEQSA is doing with universities right now.

    The Accord also had a fair bit to say about governance more broadly.

    That’s why Education Ministers have agreed to set up the Expert Council on University Governance.

    It is based on a proposal from the University Chancellors Council.

    It is not intended to be a representative body or a stakeholder forum.

    Its job will really be to provide Ministers with expert and technical governance advice about how to improve university performance.

    There are three areas this Council will focus on:

    1.    Ensuring that universities are good employers providing a supportive workplace—and, importantly, a workplace where staff can have confidence that they will not be underpaid for the important work they do.
    2.    Making sure governing bodies have the right expertise, including in the business of running universities; and, of critical importance,
    3.    Making sure our universities are safe for our students and staff.

    My department is also engaging with the TEQSA to issue new guidance and requirements on workplace obligations for higher education providers.

    The department has also engaged an independent expert to support the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), Universities Australia (UA) and the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association (AHEIA) to assist in identification and resolution of priority issues to ensure universities are exemplary employers.

    And we will require universities to provide additional data to the Australian Government on casual staff numbers to increase transparency and understanding of workforce patterns and issues.

    All of these reforms are important to me.

    They are about making our universities as good as they possibly can be.

    Making them better.

    Making them fairer.

    And if we do that our country will be better and fairer too.

    Because the doors of opportunity, that the Prime Minister talks about and you hold in your hands, are opened just a bit wider.

    That’s what’s at stake.

    That’s how important the work you do is.

    Thank you and I hope you have a great conference.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Coalition Government’s reforms give workers the best chance to succeed and prosper

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Minister for Workplace Relations and Safety Brooke van Velden responds to NZCTU’s protest across the country and says this Government is delivering for all workers, including the over 85 percent of New Zealand’s labour force who are not union members.

    “This coalition Government is focused on delivering for all hardworking New Zealanders as we continue to get spending under control, lift the country’s productivity and economic growth and deliver more efficient and effective public services,” says Ms van Velden.

    “In my own portfolio, I’ve been focused on getting the labour market settings right in order to ensure New Zealanders have access to more and better jobs,” says Ms van Velden.

    “At the beginning of my term this Government moved at pace to remove the Fair Pay Agreement legislation before any fair pay agreements were finalised and the negative impacts would have been felt by the labour market. Rather than helping employees, Fair Pay Agreements would have made life harder for businesses, making them more hesitant to employ people, and may have even resulted in business closure.

    “This Government also worked quickly to ensure that New Zealanders have access to more job opportunities, by extending the availability of 90-day trials. This allows employers to take on someone who might not tick all the boxes in terms of skills and experience but who has the right attitude, without the risk of a costly dismissal process.

    “Recently, I announced changes that would ensure workers could have certainty that they will continue to have access to contracting as a working arrangement and will have access to greater protections as well. The gateway contracting test achieves the best of all worlds: it gives businesses greater certainty to utilise contracting arrangements, but also improves the rights of workers by requiring there to be a written agreement and ensuring the characteristics of the work reflect a genuine contracting arrangement.

    “While I have not made any policy announcements yet, I expect the work I am doing to reform health and safety will create an environment where businesses and organisations can confidently address the things that cause workers harm. Workers and businesses should not be tripped up by unnecessary steps or trying to interpret and navigate complex or confusing rules and regulations.

    “Beyond my Workplace Relations and Safety portfolio, the coalition Government is delivering for workers across the board. That includes reducing inflation to ease the cost of living, delivering tax relief so that New Zealanders can enjoy the fruits of their hard work

    “New Zealanders elected a Government that would get government spending under control and deliver more efficient and effective public services. We make no apologies for starting to put things right.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour must bring councils back from “cliff edge” – Plaid Cymru Council Leaders

    Source: Party of Wales

    Plaid Cymru Council leaders have warned that Welsh councils face falling off a cliff edge unless both Labour governments take urgent action to address significant funding pressures.

    In a letter to the UK Chancellor and First Minister, the leaders of Carmarthenshire, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Ynys Môn Councils along with the Deputy leader of Neath Port Talbot Council say “it is no exaggeration to say that many councils find themselves on the brink of financial ruin and there is a duty on both Welsh and UK governments to act.”

    Writing ahead of next week’s UK government budget, Darren Price, Nia Jeffreys, Bryan Davies Gary Pritchard and Alun Llewelyn warn that a failure to act now will mean ”many services that protect the most vulnerable in society disappearing altogether.”

    Writing to Rachel Reeves and Eluned Morgan ahead of next week’s budget they say:

    “Whilst appreciating that the challenges you face are significant following 14 years of austerity, it is no exaggeration to say that many councils find themselves on the brink of financial ruin and there is a duty on both Welsh and UK governments to act. 

    The UK Budget presents an opportunity to provide urgent additional funding to Wales for critical Services such as social care, children’s services, schools and highways.

    Without adequate levels of funding, our schools will continue to lack the resources they need to give pupils the education they deserve. As the National Association of Head Teachers amplified in its report last month, spending per pupil has fallen by around 6% in real terms – an unsustainable situation if we are to truly give learners the best start in life.

    The Welsh Local Government Association estimates that local authorities in Wales face additional financial pressures of £559m for 2025-26. This would require a spending increase of just over 7% in net revenue.

    To address a pressure of £559m, without additional funding, will require a mix of council tax increases and further cuts to services and efficiencies. The pressure is equivalent to a 26% increase in council tax, or the loss of just under 14,000 posts.

    We know that we speak for all Local Authority leaders in Wales when we say that the weight of responsibility when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is felt more acutely than ever. 

    We trust that your respective governments will work together as you have repeatedly pledged to do to ensure that Wales receives a fair deal from the UK Budget and that our councils get the urgent financial support they so desperately need. 

    Failure to do this will see many councils falling off the cliff edge with many services that protect the most vulnerable in society disappearing altogether and leaving a lasting legacy of inequality and deprivation.”

    A copy of the letter is below:

    Dear Chancellor and First Minister,

    We write in advance of the UK Budget on 30 October to express our grave concerns at the state of Local Authority finances in Wales.

    Whilst appreciating that the challenges you face are significant following 14 years of austerity, it is no exaggeration to say that many councils find themselves on the brink of financial ruin and there is a duty on both Welsh and UK governments to act.

    The General Secretary of UNISON, Chrstina McAnea, has already warned that numerous critical services and a considerable number of jobs are under threat, posing the risk of doing irreversible damage to our communities.  

    The UK Budget presents an opportunity to provide urgent additional funding to Wales for critical Services such as social care, children’s services, schools and highways.

    Without adequate levels of funding, our schools will continue to lack the resources they need to give pupils the education they deserve. As the National Association of Head Teachers amplified in its report last month, spending per pupil has fallen by around 6% in real terms – an unsustainable situation if we are to truly give learners the best start in life.

    The Welsh Local Government Association estimates that local authorities in Wales face additional financial pressures of £559m for 2025-26. This would require a spending increase of just over 7% in net revenue.

    To address a pressure of £559m, without additional funding, will require a mix of council tax increases and further cuts to services and efficiencies. The pressure is equivalent to a 26% increase in council tax, or the loss of just under 14,000 posts.

    We know that we speak for all Local Authority leaders in Wales when we say that the weight of responsibility when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is felt more acutely than ever.

    We trust that your respective governments will work together as you have repeatedly pledged to do to ensure that Wales receives a fair deal from the UK Budget and that our councils get the urgent financial support they so desperately need.

    Failure to do this will see many councils falling off the cliff edge with many services that protect the most vulnerable in society disappearing altogether and leaving a lasting legacy of inequality and deprivation.

    Yn gywir,

    Darren Price, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council

    Bryan Davies, Leader of Ceredigion County Council

    Gary Pritchard, Leader of Ynys Mon County Council

    Nia Jeffreys, Deputy Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd

    Alun Llewelyn, Deputy Leader of Neath Port Talbot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Child Predator Sentenced to More than 27 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a 5-Year-Old Girl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Michael Humphrey, 43, a registered sex offender from Southeast Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to more than 27 years in federal prison for uploading graphic videos of himself to the internet depicting his sexual abuse of a five-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

               Humphrey pleaded guilty January 8 to sexual exploitation of a child. Humphrey previously was convicted on a charge relating to the sexual abuse of another child. On March 10, 2020, he was convicted of third-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Maryland. Since May 2022, Humphrey has been registered as a sex offender in the District of Columbia as required by law.

               In addition to the 327-month prison term rendered today, U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Humphrey to serve 15 years of supervised release and pay restitution to the girl and several other victims.

               According to the government’s evidence, in July 2023, Google LLC reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that two Google accounts, later identified as belonging to Humphrey, had uploaded material depicting child sexual abuse to Google servers. NCMEC turned that information over to the investigators from the FBI Washington Field Office and the MPD. 

               Investigators obtained a warrant authorizing the search of Humphrey’s Google accounts and discovered three videos that documented Humphrey sexually abusing a five-year-old girl in Washington, D.C. during June 2023.

               Humphrey was arrested on August 11, 2023, and has been held since. After he was taken into custody, investigators obtained Humphrey’s electronic devices and discovered thousands of images and hundreds of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.

               This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.

               The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman and Janani Iyengar, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

    23cr0304

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years for Illegally Possessing Loaded Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Damon L. Clark, 26, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 ½ years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Clark pleaded guilty to this charge on August 20, 2024.

    On January 1, 2024, Eau Claire Police Officers were dispatched to a bar in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for reports that someone pointed a firearm at another individual during a fight. Witness reports and video surveillance identified Clark as the individual who pointed the firearm. When law enforcement arrived, Clark fled to an adjacent parking lot. Law enforcement arrested Clark and located a loaded Glock 19 handgun with a 31-round magazine under a nearby vehicle. The handgun had a machinegun conversion device installed, which is an illegal, after-market attachment that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a machinegun.  With the attachment, a handgun is capable of firing approximately 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger. The Wisconsin State Crime Lab confirmed Clark’s DNA was present on the firearm. Clark is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of prior felony convictions.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley characterized Clark’s behavior as disastrous and emphasized the danger that he posed by pointing a fully loaded machinegun with extended magazine at someone outside a bar with other patrons present. Judge Conley balanced the extremely aggravated nature of this offense with Clark’s lack of prior prison experience. Judge Conley expressed his hope that this would be a turning point for Clark.

    The charge against Clark was the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Eau Claire Police Department, and UW-Eau Claire Police Department also assisted in this investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.

    This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office to Oversee Complaints Related to November 2024 General Election

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN DIEGO – The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combating discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Askins has been appointed to serve as District Election Officer for the Southern District of California, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of Election Day complaints regarding voting rights, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington, D.C.

    “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”

    Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

    U.S. Attorney McGrath said: “The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to vote can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Askins will be on duty while the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (619) 546-6692.”

    In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (858) 320-1800.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    U.S. Attorney McGrath urged those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.

    Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately, before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Crash at Gillman

    Source: South Australia Police

    Emergency services are at the scene of a crash on the Port River Expressway, Gillman.

    The collision occurred on the Port River Expressway about 9.45am on Wednesday 22 October.

    Debris is blocking the road.

    The road is currently closed in both directions between Hanson Road and Port Adelaide.  Diversions are in place.

    Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 10.22.2024 Cruz, Lankford Challenge Biden-Harris Administration’s ‘Gender Identity’ Guidance Targeting Women, People of Faith

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    ASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra about new guidance from HHS that compels speech, targets the ability of federal employees to practice their faith, and endangers women.
    In the letter, the senators wrote, “We write out of deep concern over Guidance you issued entitled ‘Gender Identity Non-Discrimination and Inclusion Policy for Employees and Applicants.’… According to the Guidance, failure to use the preferred names and pronouns an individual asks to be addressed with ‘contribute[s] to an unlawful hostile work environment.’ Notably, your Guidance states that the Department cannot ‘require a legal change of name or gender marker, medical certification, or other documentation.’ In other words, anyone can change their names and pronouns and compel coworkers to use that name or pronoun, or face disciplinary action.
    “Perhaps more egregious than the Guidance’s position on compelled speech related to pronoun usage is the policy on bathroom, locker room, and lactation room usage. According to the Guidance, HHS will ‘ensure there are no barriers to equally accessing restrooms, locker rooms, lactation rooms, or other personal care spaces.’… Including lactation rooms in this same Guidance is blatantly offensive—males cannot breastfeed their children, and claiming to be female does not change that reality. The only reason for including this in the Guidance is to continue to push a radical agenda in every facet of the federal workplace.”
    Sens. Cruz and Lankford were joined by Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) in signing the letter.
    Read the full letter here or below:
    Dear Mr. Secretary:
    We write out of deep concern over Guidance you issued entitled “Gender Identity Non-Discrimination and Inclusion Policy for Employees and Applicants.” This Guidance denies science, compels speech, jeopardizes the ability of federal employees to practice their faith without fear of retaliation, endangers women, and further erodes the American people’s trust in public institutions. We urge you to reverse course and rescind this Guidance.
    According to the Guidance, failure to use the preferred names and pronouns an individual asks to be addressed with “contribute[s] to an unlawful hostile work environment.” Notably, your Guidance states that the Department cannot “require a legal change of name or gender marker, medical certification, or other documentation.” In other words, anyone can change their names and pronouns and compel coworkers to use that name or pronoun, or face disciplinary action. The Guidance also stipulates that training on this guidance will be included in “all new employee training.” It also says additional trainings regarding gender identity will be made available, and that “specialized training” may be deemed necessary “for particular offices or Department-wide.” There is no mention anywhere in the Guidance about accommodations for those with religious or conscience objections to the compelled use of incorrect pronouns.
    In addition to violating extremely clear, long-standing Supreme Court precedents on compelled speech, reaffirmed as recently as 303 Creative v Elenis, this also violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In forcing employees to choose between deeply held religious beliefs or losing their job, HHS is creating a hostile work environment for employees.
    Perhaps more egregious than the Guidance’s position on compelled speech related to pronoun usage is the policy on bathroom, locker room, and lactation room usage. According to the Guidance, HHS will “ensure there are no barriers to equally accessing restrooms, locker rooms, lactation rooms, or other personal care spaces.” The Guidance notes that, “HHS will not condition this access on an employee having undergone or providing proof of gender-affirming surgeries or other medical procedures.” Further, if any employees are made uncomfortable by having to share bathrooms, locker rooms, or lactation rooms with individuals using the wrong space, they will be directed to use other facilities, because “employees will not be barred from using the restroom consistent with their gender identity.”
    Given the Guidance’s stipulation on not requiring any evidence of gender dysphoria or gender transition procedures, women could be forced to be exposed to fully male anatomy in the bathroom or in the locker room. This creates a hostile work environment for women who may have no other option than using the facilities at work. A female employee who has used a women’s restroom for more than a decade will be told that she has to find a new option for a restroom if she is uncomfortable with a biological male in her restroom. Women deserve better. Including lactation rooms in this same Guidance is blatantly offensive—males cannot breastfeed their children, and claiming to be female does not change that reality. The only reason for including this in the Guidance is to continue to push a radical agenda in every facet of the federal workplace.
    Finally, the Guidance’s denial of science—and incorporation of that denial into the hiring, firing, and promotion process—raises questions about the work and research being done through the HHS. Gender is not, as the Guidance erroneously asserts, “a social construct of identities, norms, behaviors, and roles that vary between societies over time.” There are only two sexes: male and female. Research by the HHS at taxpayer expense should not be done in contravention of that scientific and self-evident fact.
    HHS is rapidly losing the confidence of the American people over the last three years. According to Pew Research polling, in 2020, HHS had a favorable/unfavorable rating of 73/19. In 2023, that favorability metric had plummeted to 55/30. By rejecting science and diving deeper into the culture wars, HHS risks further undermining faith in critical public institutions. We urge you to rescind this Guidance, and request answers to the following questions no later than October 30.
    In your response to a Finance Committee question for the record, you stated that this Guidance does not change any religious protections for employees, but you did not answer whether there was a specific exemption process in place for this guidance. What exemption process is HHS providing to employees and managers being required to follow or implement this guidance based on religious or conscience objections?
    Please provide detailed account of the exemption process; how HHS is ensuring employees are aware of this process; if individuals have to apply for an exemption; and how many individuals have received exemptions.
    The Guidance requires managers who become aware of “derogatory remarks or demeaning behaviors” to “take appropriate steps to immediately and effectively stop these activities.”
    Is an employee’s refusal to use preferred name or pronouns considered “derogatory remarks or demeaning behavior?”
    What does HHS consider “appropriate steps?”
    How many HHS employees have faced employment consequences of any type for not abiding this guidance?
    The Guidance refers to updating websites, policies, programs, trainings, and publications to “replace gendered language with gender-neutral and gender-inclusive language.”
    Please provide detailed accounts of how many hours have already or will be used on this, the total cost of updating training materials, and any other expenses incurred as a result of this change.
    Will information pertaining to male and female specific medical issues—including testicular or ovarian cancer, maternal health, etc.—also be changed to gender neutral language?
    The Guidance creates an “LGBTQI+ Coordinating Committee.”
    Who will determine the members of this committee?
    What funds will be used to pay for the activities of this committee?
    Will there be a member on this committee dedicated to ensuring the protection of employees with religious and conscience objections?
    On what statutory authority does HHS base this Guidance?
    We look forward to your prompt response.
    Sincerely,
    /X/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio, Lee Announce $6 Million for Pittsburgh International Airport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey

    Funding will help improve the terminal building

    Airport Terminal Program funding comes from infrastructure law

    With this funding, Pittsburgh International Airport has received more than $129 million in federal funding since the start of 2021

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17) and Summer Lee (D-PA-12) announced that Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is receiving $6,000,000 in competitive grant funding to modernize and rehabilitate the terminal. This funding comes from the Airport Terminal Program (ATP), which was created by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to revitalize the Nation’s aging airports.

    “Pittsburgh International Airport is an essential connection between the region and the world, and it’s critical that the terminals are safe and can meet passenger needs. This investment from the infrastructure law will support ongoing efforts to modernize the airport by replacing floors, bulkheads, and decades-old moving walkways,” said Senator Casey. “I will always fight for investments that boost Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy and keep the region moving.”

    “Pittsburgh’s airport should reflect the grit and resilience of the city it serves and this $6 million investment helps make that happen. Upgrading parts of the terminal that have been in place for over 30 years will help bring our airport back up to speed, create jobs, and ensure it serves both the community and travelers with true Pittsburgh pride,” said Senator Fetterman.

    “The Infrastructure Law is still at work in Western PA, this time bringing home $6 million more for the Pittsburgh International Airport terminal updates,” said Congressman Deluzio. “The airport is not only a place where people catch flights: but it’s also a workplace, employer, and economic hub. We need to make sure it works as smoothly as possible, and that we help out airport be the best it can be. I’m proud federal funding from the Infrastructure Law is a part of that effort.”

    “Today’s announcement of $6 million in federal funding for Pittsburgh International Airport is a big win for the people of Pittsburgh and the hardworking travelers who rely on safe, accessible, and efficient airports. This investment is about putting people first by creating good-paying jobs, ensuring smoother and safer travel experiences, and revitalizing a space that millions pass through each year. It’s also a commitment to the growth and well-being of our community, helping Pittsburgh remain a hub of opportunity and progress for all who live, work, and visit here,” said Congresswoman Lee.

    The funding for Pittsburgh International Airport will support the Terminal Modernization Program, which includes installing new flooring, restoring columns and bulkheads, and replacing 32-year-old moving walkways in the concourses. Since the infrastructure law was passed, millions of dollars have been allocated to PIT. In June 2024, Casey, Fetterman, Deluzio, and Lee announced $20.6 million for PIT to support their ongoing terminal improvement project. In February 2024, the Members announced $5.3 million in new infrastructure funding to fund a component of the 700,000 square foot landslide terminal construction. PIT has received a total of $129,706,728 since the start of 2021.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Fetterman, Boyle, Evans, Scanlon, Parker Announce $27.5 Million for Philadelphia International Airport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey

    Funding will be used to upgrade terminals, including modernizing HVAC and electrical systems

    With this funding, PHL has received more than $347 million in federal funding since the start of 2021

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), and Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced that Philadelphia International Airport is receiving $27,500,000 in new federal infrastructure funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). This funding comes from the Airport Terminal Program (ATP), which was created by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to revitalize the Nation’s aging airports.

    “Philadelphia International Airport serves as a vital transportation and economic gateway to the rest of the Commonwealth and the world,” said Senator Casey. “This investment from the infrastructure law will help modernize the airport by upgrading HVAC and electrical systems in Terminals D and E. I will always fight for investments that boost Southeastern Pennsylvania’s economy and keep the region moving.”

    “It’s investments like this that help keep Philadelphia a world-class city with world-class infrastructure. This $27.5 million for terminal energy upgrades guarantees that the commonwealth’s largest airport stays efficient, resilient, and ready for the future. That’s how we keep Philly competitive and connected,” said Senator Fetterman.

    “I’m pleased to see another $27.5 million in federal funding that I voted for coming to Philadelphia! The airport has also received other federal funding for improvements through the Biden-Harris administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and this will all benefit people traveling from and to our area, along with our local economy,” said Congressman Evans.

    “I’m proud to see PHL earning the competitive grants we authorized in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, bringing good jobs to our region as PHL upgrades its terminals.” said Congresswoman Scanlon. “Modernizing our region’s airport infrastructure will improve air travel for passengers and position our local economy for success in an increasingly competitive global economy.”

    “It is tremendous news that our Philadelphia International Airport will be receiving $27.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to help with important HVAC and energy efficiency projects,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “Every single federal grant or funding allocation coming into Philadelphia is because of the hard work of all our federal partners, including Senator Casey and every member of our delegation, along with the support of the Biden-Harris administration.  It’s another step forward for Philadelphia, and we are profoundly grateful.”

    The funding for Philadelphia International Airport will support improvements to the existing upper levels of portions of Terminals D & E that have reached the end of their useful lives, including HVAC and electrical efficiency upgrades and improvements. PHL has received a total of $374,545,577 in federal investments since the start of 2021.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Fetterman Announce More Than $3 Million for Harrisburg International Airport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey

    Funding will help improve the terminal building by replacing escalators and renovating bathrooms

    Airport Terminal Program funding comes from infrastructure law

    With this funding, Harrisburg International Airport has received more than $63 million in federal funding since the start of 2021

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) announced that Harrisburg International Airport is receiving a total of $3,088,114 in new federal funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to modernize and rehabilitate the terminal. The awards, made possible by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), will support airport terminal improvement by replacing escalators and renovating bathrooms.

    “Improving the passenger experience in our airports is critical to keeping our Commonwealth moving. This grant from the infrastructure law will help modernize Harrisburg International Airport by replacing escalators and renovating bathrooms throughout the terminal,” said Senator Casey. “I will keep pushing for investments in our Commonwealth’s infrastructure that improve Pennsylvanians’ travel experiences and boost our economy.”

    “Every dollar counts when it comes to keeping our airports modern, safe, and accessible. Renovating restrooms might not be glamorous, but it’s a vital investment in making sure every traveler gets the best experience in our state capital,” said Senator Fetterman.

    This funding comes from the Airport Terminal Program (ATP), created by IIJA to revitalize aging airports across the Nation. Harrisburg International Airport is receiving $2,449,089 to replace escalators in the terminal. Additionally, the airport is receiving $639,025 to renovate the terminal’s bathrooms. Since the infrastructure law was passed, millions of dollars have been allocated to Harrisburg International Airport. In February 2024, Senators Casey and Fetterman announced $7.5 million to improve passenger safety by replacing jet bridges.

    Harrisburg International Airport has received $63,299,831 in federal funding since the start of 2021.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Spring warmth builds across Australia, peaks on Tuesday for the south-east

    Source: Weather Warnings – Australia

    22/10/2024

    Issued: 22 October 2024

    Spring warmth is building over large parts of Australia this week with above average temperatures on Tuesday.

    Heatwave warnings remain current across northern Australia and high to extreme Fire Danger Ratings are affecting parts of the country.

    Senior Meteorologist Jonathan How said the heat will peak in Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW and eastern South Australia on Tuesday. Maximum temperatures will be 6-12°C above the October average with strengthening northerly winds.

    “High fire dangers are forecast for north-west Victoria, western Tasmania and eastern SA from Tuesday,” he said.

    “Melbourne is forecast to reach 32°C on Tuesday, which would make it the warmest October day in 5 years (since 33.8°C on 24 Oct 2019), and the warmest day of this year since March.”

    “Maximum temperatures will reach the low-to-mid 30s across northern Victoria and southern NSW today, and the mid-20s for Tasmania. Hobart is forecast to reach 25°C – also its warmest day this year since March.”

    The warmest forecast temperatures in south-east Australia on Tuesday include Mildura, Victoria (36°C), Renmark, SA (36°C) and Broken Hill, NSW (35°C).

    But the heat will be short-lived in south-east Australia as a surface trough will move through on Tuesday, bringing cooler southerly winds.

    “Cooler winds will move through South Australia and south-west Victoria by the early afternoon, and then push into remaining parts of Victoria, Tasmania and southern NSW into the evening. Temperatures will fall by 5-10°C following the change,” he said.

    Cool to cold conditions will continue over South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania on Wednesday, with showers for Tasmania and southern Victoria. Snow flurries are possible in elevated areas from Wednesday night.

    While it will remain cool over the south-east on Wednesday, the focus of the heat will shift into northern and eastern NSW, and southern inland Qld. Maximum temperatures in these areas will be 4-8°C above average. Sydney is forecast to reach 27°C on Wednesday, but it will be warmer inland. Forecast maximums for Wednesday include 31°C at Dubbo, 33°C at Toowoomba and 38°C at Charleville.

    The cool change will move over the rest of NSW and southern Qld from late Wednesday and into Thursday. Thunderstorms are possible for eastern NSW and south-east/central Qld on Thursday with severe thunderstorms also possible.

    In contrast, Thursday will see heat build over western inland parts of Western Australia. Maximum temperatures will be 6-12°C above average away from the coast, reaching the mid-30s through the Wheatbelt.

    In northern Australia, the build-up continues with hot and humid conditions expected along the Northern Territory, Kimberley and Cape York coasts, with showers and storms possible most days this week.

    Jonathan How said the combination of heat and humidity is driving current heatwave warnings across the Kimberley, Top End and Cape York.

    “Storms could extend to inland parts of the north at times this week as well, although these will bring little to no rain to interior areas. Dry storms can bring a risk of new bushfire ignitions,” he said.

    Stay up to date with the latest forecasts and warnings: http://www.bom.gov.au or the BOM Weather app.

    ENDS…

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Indecent behaviour at Anstey Hill Recreation Park

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police are investigating reports of a naked man in the Anstey Hill Recreation Park, Tea Tree Gully yesterday.

    About midday on Tuesday 22 October, a mountain biker saw a naked man on a trail off Range Road South, via Gate 18, in the northeast corner of the park.

    The man ran and hid in bushes.

    About 45 minutes later, a walker spotted the naked man from a distance near the junction of the Newman’s Track and Range Road South Track, south of the initial sighting.

    Police searched the area but were unable to locate the man.

    The man is described as of Caucasian appearance, aged in his late 40s, with a slim build and neatly cut mousy coloured hair.

    Anyone with information that may help police to identify and locate the man is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or http://www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    Police are urging walkers in the area to be vigilant of their surroundings and carry their mobile phone with them.

    Report any suspicious behaviour at the time on the police assistance line on 131 444 or Triple Zero in an emergency.

    For more personal safety information please visit – Personal-Safety-2023.pdf (police.sa.gov.au)

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Administrator Announces Community Liaison Hiring Program As Helene Recovery Continues

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Administrator Announces Community Liaison Hiring Program As Helene Recovery Continues

    FEMA Administrator Announces Community Liaison Hiring Program As Helene Recovery Continues

    WASHINGTON – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell continued meeting with survivors and responders in North Carolina while leading the federal recovery efforts.FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell joined Gov. Roy Cooper to visit a community care station in Asheville where the administrator announced the community liaison hiring program in the state. The agency will hire community-based staff to serve as liaisons between North Carolina survivors and FEMA to ensure needs are met throughout the recovery. North Carolina’s recovery continues progressing with power being restored to most customers while roads are reopening as debris is cleared. Over $130 million has gone to more than 91,000 households in the state for assistance like making home repairs and paying for a temporary place to stay. Nearly 4,600 survivors have participated in FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program where they stay in hotels as they work on their recovery plans.Recovery continues in other states affected by Helene and Milton. For instance, in Florida—where power has been restored to pre-storm levels—more than 97,000 households have been approved for over $308 million in FEMA assistance for their Helene recovery. Over 116,000 households have received more than $129 million for Milton. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Operation Blue Roof which is a free service to homeowners for 25 counties in Florida impacted by Hurricane Milton. Residents can sign-up at http://www.blueroof.gov or by calling 888-ROOF-BLU (888-766-3258).  The sign-up period deadline is Nov. 5.FEMA encourages Helene and Milton survivors to apply online as this remains the best way to apply for disaster assistance. Here are the ways to apply for federal assistance: Apply online at disaster assistance.govCall 800-621-3362Use the FEMA AppVisit a Disaster Recovery Center to talk with FEMA and state agency officials and apply for assistancePresident Biden has approved major disaster declarations in six states – Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia – affected by Helene. He has also approved a major disaster declaration for Florida following Hurricane Milton.These photos highlight response and recovery efforts across states impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton.
    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56715″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/ea36011f24448953e593fc9711a78afc.jpg?itok=4skrYjFT” alt=”Caption: Hendersonville, NC (Oct. 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Crisswell, meets with survivors of Hurricane Helene as well as staff supporting recovery efforts at a Disaster Recovery Center.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Hendersonville, NC (Oct. 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Crisswell, meets with survivors of Hurricane Helene as well as staff supporting recovery efforts at a Disaster Recovery Center.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56723″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/32c26741d8be2764728a9fd776fcb778.jpg?itok=KWdFFHt6″ alt=”Caption: Asheville, NC (October 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell, and North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper, visit a Community Care Station where they engage with volunteers and DoD responding to Hurricane Helene.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Asheville, NC (October 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell, and North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper, visit a Community Care Station where they engage with volunteers and DoD responding to Hurricane Helene.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56717″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/72ea43eb5f2c751b8017625bacb6b3c4.jpg?itok=DlgyTlbz” alt=”Caption: Hendersonville, NC (Oct. 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Crisswell, meets with survivors of Hurricane Helene as well as staff supporting recovery efforts at a Disaster Recovery Center.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Hendersonville, NC (Oct. 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Crisswell, meets with survivors of Hurricane Helene as well as staff supporting recovery efforts at a Disaster Recovery Center.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56673″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/4ba445c82ee4600a324abec797464634.jpg?itok=evYDlfmN” alt=”Caption: Henderson County, N.C. (Oct. 20, 2024) – A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open in Henderson County to help survivors of Hurricane Helene.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Henderson County, N.C. (Oct. 20, 2024) – A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open in Henderson County to help survivors of Hurricane Helene.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56644″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/87d6851fbd578890475cd1f006042951.jpg?itok=Lf-wvhTn” alt=”Caption: Chimney Rock, N.C. (Oct. 18, 2024) – U.S. Army Soldiers of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment remove debris from the riverside of Chimney Rock, N.C. on Friday, October 18, 2024. FEMA photo by Madeleine Cook” class=”image-style-large”>

    Chimney Rock, N.C. (Oct. 18, 2024) – U.S. Army Soldiers of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment remove debris from the riverside of Chimney Rock, N.C. on Friday, October 18, 2024. FEMA photo by Madeleine Cook

    GRANITEVILLE, South Carolina — Survivors visit a Disaster Recovery Center to learn and apply for disaster assistance to recover from Hurricane Helene. (Photo Credit: FEMA)

    PALMETTO, Florida – FEMA workers set up in a new Disaster Recovery Center in Manatee County. Survivors can meet with FEMA staff at centers to discuss their applications and available federal resources. Find your closest center at www.FEMA.gov/DRC.  (Photo Credit: FEMA)

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56656″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/b1f397baae1ec281f0d729e2ef2f78f8.jpg?itok=EWL_9iKb” alt=”Caption: Plant City, Fla. (Oct. 18, 2024) – A Florida Multiple Agency Resources Center has opened to assist Hurricanes Helene and Milton survivors with essential needs, including taking FEMA applications.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Plant City, Fla. (Oct. 18, 2024) – A Florida Multiple Agency Resources Center has opened to assist Hurricanes Helene and Milton survivors with essential needs, including taking FEMA applications.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56648″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/248308d77a173777da4d7ca79290a2a4.jpg?itok=di_u_teT” alt=”Caption: Charlotte County, Fla. (Oct. 17, 2024) – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams canvass the area to help those after Hurricane Milton.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Charlotte County, Fla. (Oct. 17, 2024) – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams canvass the area to help those after Hurricane Milton.

    MARTIN COUNTY, Florida- FEMA Disaster Survivors Assistance team members and Martin County emergency management canvas Martin County, Florida, to register and assist disaster survivors after Hurricane Milton. (Photo credit: FEMA)

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56695″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/dca0cc6832d311bc4c47dce5552b03a6.jpg?itok=2VxOWtN1″ alt=”Caption: Statesboro, Ga. (Oct. 12, 2024) – Volunteers from a disaster relief group clear debris from Hurricane Helene.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Statesboro, Ga. (Oct. 12, 2024) – Volunteers from a disaster relief group clear debris from Hurricane Helene.

    FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Toolkit provides graphics, social media copy and sample text in multiple languages. In addition, FEMA has set up a rumor response web page to reduce confusion about its role in the Helene and Milton response and recovery. 
    amy.ashbridge
    Tue, 10/22/2024 – 22:50

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prior felon pleads guilty to multiple drug and gun charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nader Ngoopos a/k/a Nike, 25, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life and a $5,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who is handling the case, stated that between 2016, and late 2018, Ngoopos agreed with others to obtain cocaine and heroin in the Buffalo area and travel to Olean, NY, to distribute the cocaine and heroin. Ngoopos personally traveled to Olean on at least a weekly basis, selling cocaine and heroin out of various locations in Olean, including North 8th Street and South 11th Street. Co-conspirators also sold cocaine and heroin as part of the conspiracy on a weekly basis.

    On October 15, 2018, Ngoopos participated in an armed robbery at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, with two others. The three gained entry to a dormitory at St. Bonaventure, and broke into a dorm room where Ngoopos, who possessed a firearm,  believed he and his co-conspirators would find marijuana and money. Once they gained entry, Ngoopos and his co-conspirators pointed their firearms at the heads of the two occupants of the dorm room, threatened them, and then stole about an ounce of marijuana and approximately $300 – $400.

    On September 2, 2021, law enforcement officers observed Ngoopos get into a vehicle in Buffalo. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it sped away leading officers on a high-speed chase. Eventually, the car came to a stop on East Amherst Street. As the car came to a stop, Ngoopos got out of the car and ran away, dropping a pistol. In June 2020, Ngoopos was convicted in Cattaraugus County Court of a felony and legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.

    Sentencing is scheduled for February 21, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Genesee County man charged with possession of machineguns

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Peter Celentano, of Bergen, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal possession of machineguns, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on September 29, 2024, the New York State Police, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, and ATF, executed a search warrant at Celentano’s Rochester Street residence. During the search, investigators recovered two 3D printed pistol frames, firearm parts and accessories, ammunition reloading equipment, an AR 80% style Jig and drill, a drill press, and various other tools related to the manufacturing of firearms. In addition, investigators also searched two properties associated with Celentano in Lyndonville, NY, and an apartment on East Avenue in Medina, NY, recovering numerous AR-style lower receivers, 3D printed handguns, and additional firearm parts and accessories. Approximately 59 of the AR-style receivers contained a “third pin hole,” qualifying them as machine guns.

    On October 9, 2024, a dive team searched the Erie Canal beneath the Beals Road bridge in Medina. A cardboard box was located and retrieved from the bottom of the canal. Inside were 10 AR-style receivers, an unmarked handgun, magazines, and additional firearm parts.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr., and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Newington Gun Store Burglary

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TROY HARRIS, 30, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a Newington gun store burglary in September 2021.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly after midnight on September 5, 2021, Harris, who had absconded from state parole, approached a woman in the parking lot of a supermarket in Bristol.  Pointing what appeared to be handgun at the victim, Harris demanded that she leave her car and give him the keys.  After the victim complied, Harris threw her to the ground and drove and away in her car.

    In the early morning hours of September 7, 2021, Harris drove the victim’s car to Hoffman’s “Guns for the Good Guys,” a federal firearms licensee located in Newington, and crashed it through the store’s front entrance.  He then entered the store, kicked out a display case, and stole five handguns before fleeing the scene on foot.  He was arrested the next day.

    Judge Bolden ordered Harris to pay restitution of $36,166.30.

    Harris has been detained since his arrest.  On July 13, 2023, he pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a licensee.

    State charges against Harris relating to the carjacking are pending.

    Only one of the five stolen firearms has been recovered by law enforcement.

    This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Newington and Bristol Police Departments.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psn.

    U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of New Britain for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Ambassador to France

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today I announce the appointment of Ms Lynette Wood as Australia’s next Ambassador to France.

    Australia and France have a strong, enduring and forward-looking partnership underpinned by shared values and interests, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

    We are enhancing our cooperation through the ambitious Australia-France Roadmap and its three pillars – defence and security, resilience and climate action, and education and culture – which are delivering practical outcomes.

    The Ambassador to France is also accredited to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Principality of Monaco.

    Ms Wood is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She was most recently First Assistant Secretary in the Strategic Planning and Coordination Group.

    She has previously served overseas as Ambassador to Germany and Acting High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. She has had earlier postings to Canada and Germany.

    I thank outgoing Ambassador Gillian Bird PSM for her contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in France since 2020.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: High Commissioner to Canada

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today I announce the appointment of Ms Kate Logan as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Canada.

    Australia and Canada have a close and enduring relationship, underpinned by shared values and institutional ties.

    Our two countries work closely together in a range of international forums, including the United Nations, G20, APEC, WTO, OECD, CPTPP and the Commonwealth. We are also close partners in the Five Eyes group.

    We cooperate across a range of shared priorities, including upholding the multilateral system, taking greater action on climate change, advancing gender equality, and achieving meaningful reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.

    Australia welcomes Canada’s increased engagement in the Indo-Pacific through its Indo-Pacific Strategy, and is committed to working together to shape a region that is peaceful, stable and prosperous.

    Ms Logan is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently First Assistant Secretary, Pacific Strategy Division.

    She has previously served overseas as Australia’s Ambassador to Greece, and on postings to Australia’s missions in Paris and Colombo.

    I thank outgoing High Commissioner, the Hon Scott Ryan, for his contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in Canada since 2021.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: High Commissioner to Tuvalu

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today I announce the appointment of Mr David Charlton as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Tuvalu.

    Australia and Tuvalu are longstanding partners with shared interests in a peaceful, safe and prosperous Pacific.

    The historic entry into force of the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty in August 2024 demonstrates a momentous step in the elevated partnership between our two countries.

    Mr Charlton is currently working in the Pacific region as Executive Director of the Australia – Pacific Partnerships for Aviation Program (P4A).

    In the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr Charlton was most recently Director, Pacific Aviation Section. He also served as Acting Head of Mission at the Australian High Commission in Kiribati in early 2023.

    I thank outgoing High Commissioner Brenton Garlick for his contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in Tuvalu since August 2023.

    MIL OSI News –