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Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: What was the impact of new election laws on London’s voters?

    Source: Mayor of London

    How do the Government and Electoral Commission, academics and think tanks now view the impact of changes made before the 2024 Mayor of London and London Assembly elections?

    The Elections Review Working Group will tomorrow hold the final meeting of its review of the delivery of May’s elections, with guests being asked about issues including the introduction of a photo ID requirement, accessibility changes and the change in the Mayoral voting system.

    The Group will also ask guests about the abuse and intimidation of candidates, which the Electoral Commission earlier this year found to have reached “unacceptable” levels. The Commission’s research found 43% of candidates across May elections in England experienced some form of abuse or intimidation, with women standing for election disproportionately affected.

    The Working Group has launched a survey for Londoners to share their experiences of the GLA elections, which is open to anyone who would like to respond.

    The guests are:

    Panel 1 – Electoral Commission and Government (2pm – 3.25pm)

    • Michela Palese, Head of Policy, Electoral Commission
    • Phil Thompson, Head of Research, Electoral Commission
    • Melanie Davidson, Head of Support and Improvement, Electoral Commission
    • Ruth Law, Head of Communications and Engagement, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
    • Peter Stanyon, Chief Executive, Association of Electoral Administrators
       

    Panel 2 – Academics and Think Tanks (3.30pm – 4.30pm)

    • Dr Sofia Collignon, Director, Mile End Institute
    • Professor Tony Travers, London School of Economics 
    • Thea Ridley-Castle, Research and Policy Officer, Electoral Reform Society

    The meeting will take place on Wednesday 16 October from 2pm, in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

    The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

    Follow us @LondonAssembly.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Updated plans to protect Pevensey and Eastbourne from flooding

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Efforts include reversing power of the storms as public gets to shape project

    The Environment Agency wants people in Eastbourne and Pevensey to come to drop-in events to hear about plans to protect the area from flooding and coastal erosion

    Moving thousands of tonnes of sand by lorry to fight the forces of nature along the Sussex shore.

    Loosening stormy weather’s grip on how we live and work is behind plans to protect 10,000 homes and businesses in the Eastbourne area.

    Local people now have the chance to see how the Environment Agency will defend the coastline from flooding. Drop-in events are being held in the coming days across Eastbourne and Pevensey, and the plans have also been posted online.    

    The Met Office warns of sea levels rising by at least a metre by the end of the century, so the Environment Agency is laying out proposals to defend 15kms of coast either side of the Eastbourne from flooding and erosion, and wants feedback from the public.

    The Environment Agency estimates some 30,000 cubic square metres of sand and shingle is swept eastwards from Holywell to Cooden Beach every year.  

    Quite literally shifting sands in huge dumper trucks back the other way is a key plank of phase one of proposals to protect 18,000 homes and businesses, transport links and other services. With the sand and shingle back in place, the sea will lose power as it hits the beach.    

    Nick Gray, flood-risk manager for the Environment Agency in Sussex, said:

    “It’s about adapting to the changing climate. We know far more now. Sea levels could rise by 10cm in the next ten years, and around a metre by 2100.

    “Small changes to the beach management that already happens will put us in a better place to the end of the 2040s and beyond as storms get more frequent and intense.

    “Everyone has seen more wet weather and in greater bursts over the past couple of years. The named storms put a greater focus on preparing for the next one.

    “We can make a difference if we all play our part. The public are welcome at the drop-ins held across Eastbourne and Pevensey. They should also sign-up for free flood alerts and warnings at http://www.gov.uk/flood or on Floodline: 0345 988 1188.”

    A football club, community centre and church hall will host events to outline phase one of the 15-year Pevensey Bay to Eastbourne Coastal Management Scheme, a project between the Environment Agency and 4 local councils, East Sussex, Eastbourne, Rother and Wealden. It’s one of the largest coastal flood-risk schemes in the country.  

    The Met Office says sea levels will rise by about a metre by the end of the century, while the Environment Agency calls on everyone to check their flood-risk and learn how to deal with flooding

    Other ideas to protect the area from flooding and coastal erosion include building up the coastline by importing sand and shingle from the sea bed to the beach to widen the coastal squeeze – the gap between the sea and the properties and infrastructure like roads and the prom.

    The Environment Agency also wants to raise the height of the many timber groynes that punctuate the beach to stop the constant movement of sand and shingle from west to east and to hold back floodwater.

    The drop-ins to see and give feedback on the proposals, plus an online presentation of the work, kick off Flood Action Week, between 14 and 20 October, a concerted effort by the Environment Agency to make people recognise their flood-risk.

    Environment Agency staff will be on hand at all three venues to explain the flood-protection scheme. All 3 sessions run from 6pm to 7.30pm.

    • Tuesday 15 October: Eastbourne Borough football club, Priory Lane, Langney BN23 7QH.
    • Tuesday 22 October: Sovereign Harbour Community Centre, The Crumbles, Pevensey Bay Rd, Eastbourne BN23 6JH.
    • Friday 1 November: St Wilfrid’s Church Hall, 2 Collier Rd, Pevensey Bay BN24 6EZ.

    The online presentation of phase one can be found at: https://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/solent-and-south-downs/pevensey-to-eastbourne-phase-1-survey, where the public can also give feedback.

    Contact us:

    Journalists only: 0800 141 2743 or communications_se@environment-agency.gov.uk.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Flux tower will see how much carbon gets stored in new saltmarsh

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A new Environment Agency monitoring tower installed in Poole Harbour will answer the mystery of how newly created saltmarshes store carbon.

    How much carbon will a new saltmarsh absorb? The Arne Moor flux tower will find out Credit: Alex Cumming

    The new structure at Arne Moor in Dorset is a flux tower and joins a growing network of towers in saltmarshes across England, ranging from the Blackwater Estuary in Essex to the Ribble Estuary in northwest England.

    Flux towers provide a measure of how much carbon dioxide has been taken up by a saltmarsh and how it changes over time.  

    This tower will be the first to monitor what happens to carbon within a habitat as it changes from dry land to a salty wet intertidal habitat when the existing flood embankment is breached as part of the Moors at Arne project.

    Charting a saltmarsh’s carbon capture from creation

    Dr Ben Green, a senior advisor in the Environment Agency’s Estuaries and Coasts Planning team, said:

    The Arne Moor flux tower is the latest piece in the puzzle to better understand the ability of saltmarshes to store carbon. 

    This is a perfect opportunity for us to chart the benefits of a new saltmarsh from its creation.

    Saltmarshes are not just credited with being excellent carbon sponges, they are also habitat for wildlife and protect people and property from flooding. But the area of saltmarsh in England has been in decline with up to 85% of it lost since the mid 19th century.  

    The flux tower being installed Credit: Kier

    Peter Robertson, senior site manager at RSPB Arne nature reserve on the banks of Poole Harbour, said:

    UK saltmarshes are globally important for wildlife, but they are also vital for our way of life, whether that’s fishing, protecting communities from flooding or storing carbon.  

    We’re really excited that saltmarsh created by the Moors at Arne project will be studied to understand more about these superpower habitats, and hope that this will lead to further protection and restoration efforts for saltmarshes across the UK.

    ‘An exciting and groundbreaking opportunity’

    The flux towers will take continuous measurements of CO2 in the atmosphere and its exchange with the saltmarsh’s surface to see if a site is a carbon sink and captures carbon or if it emits.  

    The saltmarsh flux tower project is a collaboration with the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and funded by the Defra marine Nature Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (mNCEA) programme. 

    Annette Burden, wetland biogeochemist and Blue Carbon lead for UKCEH, said: 

    This is an exciting and groundbreaking opportunity to see what happens to carbon at a restoration site before, during and after the tide flows back into the site.  

    This has never been measured before, and as such will be fundamental to improving our understanding of the carbon benefit of saltmarsh restoration.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Tulip Day at the Central City Children’s Library named after A.P. Gaidar

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    The Central City Children’s Library named after A.P. Gaidar invites you to a master class in drawing. The lesson will be dedicated to Tulip Day. Guests will learn about the history of this unofficial holiday and learn to draw a flower in different artistic techniques. In addition, books on botany will be presented. With a single library card, you can take your favorite publications home.

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/poster/event/320783257/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Owner of ‘The Timepiece Gentleman’ Luxury Watch Consignment Store in Beverly Hills Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    LOS ANGELES – A Los Angeles man who ran a Beverly Hills luxury watch consignment business and was known as “The Timepiece Gentleman” pleaded guilty today to swindling dozens of his customers of out a total of at least $5.6 million.

    Anthony Farrer, 36, formerly of downtown Los Angeles, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of mail fraud. He has been in federal custody since November 2023.

    According to his plea agreement, from November 2022 to November 2023, Farrer used his business – also called “The Timepiece Gentlemen” – to connect purchasers and sellers of high-end watches. In a typical consignment sale, a client would ship a watch to The Timepiece Gentleman and Farrer would take possession of the watch, agreeing to display it at his Beverly Hills store and through online and social media marketing. The items involved in this case included luxury watches by Rolex, Richard Mille, and Patek Phillipe, among others.

    Once the watch was sold, Farrer was supposed to remit the sales proceeds back to the client, minus a consignment fee, which typically was approximately 5% of the sales price. If the watch did not sell within a specific time or for a specified price, Farrer was to return the watch to the client.

    However, instead of remitting watch sales proceeds – or the unsold watches themselves – back to the clients, Farrer sold the client watches and kept the proceeds for himself. He also used client watches – without the client’s knowledge or permission – as collateral for loans that he took out from lenders. 

    When a client asked about the status of a watch on consignment sale, Farrer lied and said that the watch had not yet been sold. In fact, Farrer already had sold the watch or otherwise disposed of it, keeping the funds for his own personal benefit.

    In addition to his consignment sale business, Farrer also purported to purchase watches on behalf of his clients. Typically, a client sent funds to Farrer, often by wire transfers to his bank accounts or through payment processors such as Zelle, for the purpose of Farrer locating and buying a specified watch on the client’s behalf. 

    But in fact, Farrer took the clients’ money and used it for other purposes, including to fund his lavish lifestyle such as buying or leasing luxury automobiles, apartments, and other luxury goods. 

    When a client who had sent him money asked Farrer about the status of a watch purchase, Farrer often sent another watch to the client to tide the client over or lull them into a false sense of security regarding the status of the purchase. Similar to a Ponzi scheme, the other watch Farrer sent to the client often belonged to other clients who had themselves sent him that watch for a consignment sale. These clients were unaware Farrer was using their watches for that purpose, rather than attempting to sell the watches on behalf of the clients.

    In total, Farrer fraudulently obtained money and property belonging to more than 40 victims and caused total losses of at least $5,691,005.

    United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a January 31, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Farrer will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each count.

    The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Beverly Hills Police Department investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorney Joshua O. Mausner of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Accounting Chief at Now-Shuttered Girardi Keese Law Firm Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Money From Clients and the Firm Itself

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    LOS ANGELES – The former longtime head of the accounting department at the now-shuttered Los Angeles plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm Girardi Keese pleaded guilty today to enabling the embezzlement of tens millions of dollars from the firm’s injured clients and to embezzling money from Girardi Keese itself.

    Christopher Kazuo Kamon, 51, formerly of Encino and Palos Verdes and who was residing in The Bahamas at the time of his November 2022 arrest, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. 

    According to his plea agreement, from 2004 until December 2020, Kamon was the head of the accounting department at Girardi Keese, a plaintiffs’ personal injury law firm based in downtown Los Angeles. In this position, Kamon worked closely with Thomas Vincent Girardi, 85, formerly a resident of Pasadena but who now resides in Seal Beach, as well as other senior lawyers at the law firm. 

    In December 2020, Girardi Keese’s creditors forced the once-prominent law firm into bankruptcy proceedings. The law firm dissolved in January 2021 and the State Bar of California disbarred Girardi in July 2022. On August 27, a federal jury in Los Angeles found Girardi guilty of four counts of wire fraud. Girardi’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 6.

    In addition to supervising the law firm’s accounting department, Kamon oversaw facilitating payment of the law firm’s expenses. Kamon had a duty to keep accurate books and records of Girardi Keese, including accounting of money held in its attorney-client trust accounts. Typically, Girardi determined and directed which clients would be paid, how much they would be paid, when they would be paid, and signed all outgoing checks to clients. Kamon had signatory authority on additional Girardi Keese bank accounts.

    From at least 2010 until December 2020, Girardi and Kamon schemed to defraud Girardi Keese clients out of their settlement money, using the misappropriated funds to pay the law firm’s payroll, the law firm’s credit card bills, and to pay Girardi and Kamon’s personal expenses.

    Specifically, one victim – a Girardi Keese client who suffered severe burns all over his body when a natural gas pipeline exploded in San Bruno, California, in September 2010 – had a $53 million settlement negotiated. This deal was negotiated and agreed to without the client’s prior approval. Per the terms of the settlement, $25 million was invested into an annuity. The remaining $28 million was wired into a Girardi Keese client trust account in January 2013. Girardi, assisted by Kamon, misappropriated, and embezzled that client’s settlement money and used the funds to pay other Girardi Keese expenses and liabilities unrelated to this client, including payments to other law firm clients whose own settlement funds previously had been misappropriated by Girardi and others.

    To prevent the victim from discovering Girardi’s embezzlement, Girardi lied to the client by saying the funds had been transferred into a separate interest-bearing account. In fact, no such transfers had been made and no such interest-bearing account containing these funds existed.

    Girardi and Kamon sent lulling payments to the victim as purported “interest payments” deriving from the purported interest-bearing account. In July 2019, they sent the victim a $2.5 million check, purportedly as disbursement of the victim’s settlement funds. In fact, Girardi and Kamon knew these settlement proceeds belonged to other Girardi Keese clients. Girardi already had spent the victim’s settlement funds through disbursements unrelated to the victim’s case.

    In a separate criminal case, Kamon admitted to running a years-long scheme in which he embezzled Girardi Keese funds for his personal enrichment. From at least 2013 to December 2020, Kamon utilized co-schemers to pose as “vendors” who were providing goods and services to the law firm. Kamon caused the supposed vendors to issue fraudulent invoices to Girardi Keese for goods and services that they purportedly provided to the law firm. 

    Kamon caused Girardi Keese to pay the amounts due on the fraudulent invoices. In fact, the law firm was paying the “vendors” for Kamon’s personal benefit, including for construction projects at his homes in Palos Verdes and Encino.

    According to evidence presented at the recent trial of Tom Girardi, part of Kamon’s scheme involved payments to a female companion amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including a monthly stipend of $20,000, out of the Girardi Keese operating accounts despite the woman having no employment relationship with Girardi Keese.

    United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton scheduled a January 31, 2025, sentencing hearing, at which time Kamon will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each count. Kamon has been in federal custody since December 2022.

    Kamon – along with Girardi and David R. Lira, Girardi’s son-in-law, and a former Girardi Keese lawyer – also faces federal fraud charges in Chicago. Trial in that case is scheduled for March 3, 2025.

    IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI investigated this matter.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Ali Moghaddas of the Corporate and Securities Fraud Strike Force and Scott Paetty of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: October 14th, 2024 VIDEO: Heinrich Statement on Indigenous Peoples’ Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich
    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) released the following video statement in commemoration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Heinrich is leading the effort in Congress to pass legislation that would replace the current federal holiday of Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
    VIDEO: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich Indigenous Peoples’ Day Statement, October 14, 2024. 
    “Native peoples have lived in the land we now call New Mexico and the United States for thousands of years. 
    “I am honored to work with the Pueblos and Tribes who call New Mexico home, and with Tribes all across Indian Country. As part of that work, I have been proud to lead legislation in the Senate to re-frame this national holiday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  
    “New Mexico is one of a growing number of states that already recognizes this change. And three years ago, President Biden became the first President to formally commemorate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Re-framing this holiday is a powerful way for us to acknowledge and heal from painful history. It also inspires us to celebrate the enduring strength and resilience of Native people. 
    “Today and every day, I am committed to uplifting Tribal communities and defending Tribal sovereignty and self-determination.” 
    Background:
    Last year, Heinrich led the bicameral introduction of legislation to replace the official federal holiday recognized on the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The bill would also replace any mention of Columbus Day in all federal laws or regulations with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.    
    Heinrich’s legislation is supported by the Navajo Nation, Mescalero Apache Tribe, All Pueblo Council of Governors, National Congress of American Indians, Indigenous Peoples’ Initiative, Association on American Indian Affairs, Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe, the Pocahontas Project, Cherokee Nation, National Council of Urban Indian Health, and Barona Band of Mission Indians. 
    The Senate legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Angus King (I-Maine). 
    Read the full text of the bill here.  
    More than a dozen states across the country have recognized this change, including New Mexico. In 2021, President Joe Biden became the first U.S. President to formally commemorate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: First Lady Jill Biden Comes to Michigan as Families Continue to Struggle

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

    Headline: First Lady Jill Biden Comes to Michigan as Families Continue to Struggle

    Today, First Lady Jill Biden is expected to be in Michigan. The visit comes as Michigan families continue to struggle with inflation and higher prices caused by the Biden-Harris administration’s reckless spending.

    “Biden-Harris policies are hurting Michigan families with higher prices for groceries, housing, and energy. The First Lady’s visit today promises more policies Michigan families cannot afford. I am working to cut wasteful federal spending and rein in inflation,” said Congressman John Moolenaar.

    Michigan families must earn an additional $1,032 every month to afford the same standard of living as they had before the beginning of the Biden-Harris administration. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Moolenaar on VP Kamala Harris’s Visit to Michigan

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Moolenaar (4th District of Michigan)

    Headline: Moolenaar on VP Kamala Harris’s Visit to Michigan

    Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to be in Michigan today. Her visit comes after a new Quinnipiac poll shows 57% of Michigan residents oppose the Biden-Harris polices that push Michigan residents to own electric vehicles. 

    “Vice President Harris says she wouldn’t do anything differently than the past four years, and that means she would continue the Biden-Harris policies that push Americans toward buying cars they don’t want and allow foreign adversaries to receive billions in taxpayer funding. Those policies are wrong, and they are out of touch. American companies should never have to compete with foreign adversaries receiving taxpayer funding,” said Congressman John Moolenaar. 

    Last year, Moolenaar introduced the NO GOTION Act to block green energy production tax credits from the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” from going to companies and subsidiaries affiliated with foreign adversaries including China, Iran, Russia, and North Korea.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Oregon Man Found Guilty of Assaulting Law Enforcement with a Weapon and Other Charges During January 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Ryan Wilson of Oregon was found guilty of assaulting law enforcement with a weapon and other charges related to his conduct during the breach of the U.S. Capitol.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: WWII Veteran Story: Coast Guard SPAR Dollie Bossler

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    10/15/2024 10:37 AM EDT

    When reflecting upon World War II history, the names of soldiers who fought on the frontlines are immortalized in monuments and memorials across our nation. Yet, there were contributions made by countless others, who served with equal dedication and courage in supporting roles that are often overlooked. 

    For more information follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Jury Convicts Retired DEA Agent of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    Charity and Disaster Fraud

    Charity fraud scams can come in many forms: emails, social media posts, crowdfunding platforms, cold calls, etc. They are especially common after high-profile disasters. Always use caution and do your research when you’re looking to donate to charitable causes.

    BABY JANE DOE

    Homicide Victim Washington Township, New Jersey December 4, 1986

    Capitol Violence

    The FBI is seeking to identify individuals involved in the violent activities that occurred at the U.S. Capitol and surrounding areas on January 6, 2021. View photos and related information here. If you have any information to provide, visit tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: SAF leadership engage allies, partners to counter pacing threat

    Source: United States Air Force

    Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi participate in an international Air Force Forum hosted by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in Tokyo Oct. 14-16.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Secretly Recording Minor Victim in Shower

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Gregory M. Brooks, 53, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that in February 2021, Brooks secretly placed a video camera in a bathroom where he knew that a Minor Victim showered. He positioned the camera to capture naked videos of the Minor Victim entering and exiting the shower. Between February 2021, and August 31, 2023, Brooks received and stored the videos of child pornography captured by the video camera on his cellular telephone.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood.

    Sentencing is scheduled for February 6, 2025, before Judge Geraci.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Being Felon in Possession of a Firearm

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

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, RAYMOND BROWN (“BROWN”), age 41, resident of Orleans Parish, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long to 37 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

    According to court documents, in April 2023, the New Orleans Police Department (“NOPD”) responded to report that there were people under the I-10 overpass with guns.  Upon their arrival, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) saw BROWN, wearing a black sweatshirt and camouflage pants, holding a rifle in his hand.  BROWN then fled from police, ran through the backyard of a Touro Street residence, and discarded the firearm, before his eventual arrest.

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

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department.  It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Inga Petrovich of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Democratic participation: Open letter to the electoral sector

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    An open letter regarding democratic participation to colleagues in the electoral sector from the Minister for Democracy and Local Growth.

    Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

    Documents

    Letter from Minister Norris to the electoral sector

    PDF, 134 KB, 3 pages

    Letter from Minister Norris to the electoral sector

    HTML

    Details

    This letter from Minister Norris outlines the work being done to deliver on commitments which will transform the way we engage in the democratic process, stressing the importance of working collaboratively with colleagues across the electoral community to bring about these vital changes.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 October 2024

    Sign up for emails or print this page

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Statement from President Joe  Biden on Increased Worker  Organizing

    Source: The White House

    When I took office, I promised to be the most pro-union, pro-worker President in history. I have kept that promise. Today’s data from the National Labor Relations Board shows the number of workers filing for union representation has doubled since the start of my Administration—the first administration in five decades to have an increase in union petitions. I am proud to have secured the NLRB’s first budget increase in almost a decade, and I will continue fighting for more funding so the Board can empower workers on the job.

    After the previous administration sided with big corporations to undermine workers—from blocking overtime pay protections to making it harder to organize—my Administration has supported workers, including restoring and extending overtime pay protections to 4 million workers, holding employers accountable for union-busting, and calling on Congress to pass the PRO Act. Because when unions do well, all workers do well and the entire economy benefits.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MAST Upgrade – helping answer the big questions in fusion physics

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UKAEA and worldwide team tackle fusion physics’ major challenges as MAST Upgrade begins its fourth round of experiments.

    Wide angle of MAST Upgrade machine

    A worldwide team is spearheading a series of ambitious experiments using the UK’s compact tokamak, Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade, starting today at UKAEA’s Culham Campus.  

    Over the next 100 days, the UK’s national fusion energy laboratory will work with more than 100 scientists from 37 institutions worldwide on MAST Upgrade’s fourth round of experiments.  

    The scientists aim to conduct over 50 experiments, the largest number ever run by MAST Upgrade in an experimental campaign, to generate up to 1,600 plasma pulses. A “pulse” refers to the duration a plasma is confined within a fusion energy machine’s inner vessel.  

    To create fusion, fusion fuel and a confined environment with high temperatures and pressures are needed. 

    The research findings from MAST Upgrade are essential for advancing global knowledge of plasma physics.  

    MAST Upgrade is a compact fusion machine designed in the shape of a cored apple, in contrast to other ring-shaped tokamaks. It tests plasma science theories with deuterium fuel – an isotope of hydrogen – using real-world experiments.  

    This will be MAST Upgrade’s fourth scientific campaign and will focus on these two areas: 

    1. Maximising the core plasma pressure to determine effects on the plasma’s properties. 

    2. Understanding the methods to control the plasma’s exhaust. 

    MAST Upgrade has played a key role in providing the foundation for the design of the UK’s prototype fusion energy powerplant, Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP), to be sited at West Burton in Nottinghamshire. 

    The experiments will see MAST Upgrade operate at higher temperatures (35 million degrees Celsius from 15 million degrees Celsius), creating conditions closer to those expected in future machines, such as STEP.  

    James Harrison, MAST Upgrade Science Leader at UKAEA, said: “A diverse team of researchers from across the world will be contributing to this effort. This will be the most exciting scientific campaign MAST Upgrade has undertaken to date, with a clear focus on understanding how to confine and stabilise high-performance fusion plasmas while ensuring effective power exhaust.” 

    MAST Upgrade is renowned by the fusion industry for addressing one of fusion’s major challenges: plasma exhaust, the intense heat that escapes from the plasma.  

    Dr Fulvio Militello, Director of Plasma Science and Fusion Operations, added: “Previous results have demonstrated the effectiveness of MAST Upgrade’s innovative Super-X divertor, showing a 10-fold reduction exhaust temperature without impacting the hot core plasma. This campaign aims to build on these impressive results and will explore whether more compact and cost-effective divertors can achieve similar reductions in exhaust temperature.” 

    MAST Upgrade received significant enhancements to its operating system this year, including the addition of a cryoplant – a facility that produces and distributes the cooling power required for the magnets, thermal shields, and cryopumps to reduce the pressure inside the machine’s inner vessel, and raise the plasma’s temperature. The £5 million enhancements were funded by UKAEA and the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council.  

    Equipped with world-class diagnostics, MAST Upgrade can conduct a wide range of measurements supporting an extensive research programme aimed at delivering sustainable fusion energy. 

    “By utilising our world-leading facilities and expertise at UKAEA, we aim to lead the charge in fusion research. MAST Upgrade’s fourth round of experiments will accelerate our scientific progress by deepening the understanding and optimisation of future tokamak designs and fusion powerplants, bringing us one step further to commercial fusion energy,” Dr Militello, concluded.  

    UKAEA will be publishing regular updates from MAST Upgrade’s scientific campaign across its digital channels.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Specialists in Florida Communities

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Specialists in Florida Communities

    FEMA Specialists in Florida Communities

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla.- FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance (DSA) crews will be working in Florida neighborhoods helping people apply for FEMA assistance after Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

    DSA specialists carry federal photo identification. They go door to door in affected neighborhoods to help people apply for federal assistance, check the status of an application, identify potential needs and make connections with organizations that can provide resources. DSA crews never ask for, or accept, money.

    How to Apply 

    Homeowners and renters are encouraged to apply for FEMA assistance. The quickest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by using the FEMA App. You may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362. FEMA is increasing staff at call centers but wait times may be longer due to increased call volume for multiple recent disasters. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance – YouTube.

    If you applied to FEMA after Hurricanes Helene or Debby and have additional damage from Hurricane Milton, you will need to apply separately for Milton and provide the dates of your most recent damage.

    For the latest information about Hurricane Milton recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4834. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    kirsten.chambers

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIH and FDA leaders call for innovation in development of smoking cessation treatments

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 2

    Media Advisory

    Tuesday, October 15, 2024

    Commentary emphasizes that engagement across stakeholders is critical to accelerate smoking cessation and reduce smoking-related disease and death.

    If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, drug or alcohol conditions, visit FindSupport.gov. If you are ready to locate a treatment facility or provider, you can go directly to FindTreatment.gov or call 800-662-HELP (4357).

    What

    In a new commentary in the Annals of Internal Medicine, leaders at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) highlight recommendations and opportunities to promote innovation in research and development of smoking cessation therapies, for which there is an urgent need. The authors provide an update on regulatory pathways for smoking cessation treatment, as well as an overview of innovative therapeutic targets, research gaps, and opportunities. They emphasize that active engagement across clinicians, academia, industry, public health, patient advocacy groups, and other stakeholders is critical.

    Cigarette smoking kills nearly 500,000 Americans each year, and over 28 million adults currently smoke in the United States. Though most adults who smoke report that they want to quit, only 31% of those interested in quitting receive counseling and/or medications, and less than 8% effectively quit each year.

    The commentary authors highlight recommendations to address these gaps, including from FDA’s 2023 nicotine replacement therapies guidance. To spark greater innovation in the development of smoking cessation products, the authors highlight the importance of considering meaningful study endpoints in addition to abstinence in smoking cessation trials. For instance, clinically meaningful reductions in smoking, especially if such reductions increase the probability of eventual cessation.

    The authors also emphasize the urgent need for greater research on e-cigarettes, including on long-term health outcomes and rigorous toxicology studies. In addition, they discuss ongoing initiatives at NIH and FDA that aim to facilitate innovative research on smoking cessation, including among groups that have been historically underrepresented in research trials.

    The commentary is publishing in advance of an FDA and NIH Joint Public Meeting on advancing smoking cessation priorities, which is being held on Monday, Oct. 21, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT. Registration for the meeting is available here.

    Article

    H Warraich, et al. Opportunities for Innovation in Smoking Cessation Therapies: A Perspective from the NIH and FDA. Annals of Internal Medicine. DOI: 10.7326/ANNALS-24-02318 (2024).

    Who

    • Wilson Compton, M.D., deputy director, NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse
    • Brian King, Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products

    About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit http://www.nida.nih.gov.
     

    About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

    NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Revealing the Hidden Universe with Full-shell X-ray Optics at NASA MSFC

    Source: NASA

    The study of X-ray emission from astronomical objects reveals secrets about the Universe at the largest and smallest spatial scales. Celestial X-rays are produced by black holes consuming nearby stars, emitted by the million-degree gas that traces the structure between galaxies, and can be used to predict whether stars may be able to host planets hospitable to life. X-ray observations have shown that most of the visible matter in the universe exists as hot gas between galaxies and have conclusively demonstrated that the presence of “dark matter” is needed to explain galaxy cluster dynamics, that dark matter dominates the mass of galaxy clusters, and that it governs the expansion of the cosmos.

    X-ray observations also enable us to probe mysteries of the Universe on the smallest scales. X-ray observations of compact objects such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes allow us to use the Universe as a physics laboratory to study conditions that are orders of magnitude more extreme in terms of density, pressure, temperature, and magnetic field strength than anything that can be produced on Earth. In this astrophysical laboratory, researchers expect to reveal new physics at the subatomic scale by conducting investigations such as probing the neutron star equation of state and testing quantum electrodynamics with observations of neutron star atmospheres. At NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, a team of scientists and engineers is building, testing, and flying innovative optics that bring the Universe’s X-ray mysteries into sharper focus.

    A composite X-ray/Optical/Infrared image of the Crab Pulsar. The X-ray image from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue and white), reveals exquisite details in the central ring structures and gas flowing out of the polar jets. Optical light from the Hubble Space Telescope (purple) shows foreground and background stars as pinpoints of light. Infrared light from the Spitzer Space Telescope (pink) traces cooler gas in the nebula. Finally, magnetic field direction derived from X-ray polarization observed by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer is shown as orange lines.
    Magnetic field lines: NASA/Bucciantini et al; X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/STScI; Infrared: NASA-JPL-Caltech

    Unlike optical telescopes that create images by reflecting or refracting light at near-90-degree angles (normal incidence), focusing X-ray optics must be designed to reflect light at very small angles (grazing incidence). At normal incidence, X-rays are either absorbed by the surface of a mirror or penetrate it entirely. However, at grazing angles of incidence, X-rays reflect very efficiently due to an effect called total external reflection.  In grazing incidence, X-rays reflect off the surface of a mirror like rocks skipping on the surface of a pond.

    A classic design for astronomical grazing incidence optics is the Wolter-I prescription, which consists of two reflecting surfaces, a parabola and hyperbola (see figure below). This optical prescription is revolved around the optical axis to produce a full-shell mirror (i.e., the mirror spans the full circumference) that resembles a gently tapered cone. To increase the light collecting area, multiple mirror shells with incrementally larger diameters and a common focus are fabricated and nested concentrically to comprise a mirror module assembly (MMA).

    Focusing optics are critical to studying the X-ray universe because, in contrast to other optical systems like collimators or coded masks, they produce high signal-to-noise images with low background noise. Two key metrics that characterize the performance of X-ray optics are angular resolution, which is the ability of an optical system to discriminate between closely spaced objects, and effective area, which is the light collecting area of the telescope, typically quoted in units of cm2. Angular resolution is typically measured as the half-power diameter (HPD) of a focused spot in units of arcseconds.  The HPD encircles half of the incident photons in a focused spot and measures the sharpness of the final image; a smaller number is better. 

    Schematic of a full-shell Wolter-I X-ray optic mirror module assembly with five concentrically nested mirror shells. Parallel rays of light enter from the left, reflect twice off the reflective inside surface of the shell (first off the parabolic segment and then off the hyperbolic segment), and converge at the focal plane.

    NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has been building and flying lightweight, full-shell, focusing X-ray optics for over three decades, always meeting or exceeding angular resolution and effective area requirements. MSFC utilizes an electroformed nickel replication (ENR) technique to make these thin full-shell X-ray optics from nickel alloy.

    X-ray optics development at MSFC began in the early 1990s with the fabrication of optics to support NASA’s Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF-S) and then continued via the Constellation-X technology development programs. In 2001, MSFC launched a balloon payload that included two modules each with three mirrors, which produced the first focused hard X-ray (>10 keV) images of an astrophysical source by imaging Cygnus X-1, GRS 1915, and the Crab Nebula.  This initial effort resulted in several follow-up missions over the next 12 years, and became known as the High Energy Replicated Optics (HERO) balloon program.

    In 2012, the first of four sounding rocket flights of the Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) flew with MSFC optics onboard, producing the first focused images of the Sun at energies greater than 5 keV. In 2019 the Astronomical Roentgen Telescope X-ray Concentrator (ART-XC) instrument on the Spectr-Roentgen-Gamma Mission launched with seven MSFC-fabricated X-ray MMAs, each containing 28 mirror shells. ART-XC is currently mapping the sky in the 4-30 keV hard X-ray energy range, studying exotic objects like neutron stars in our own galaxy as well as active galactic nuclei, which are spread across the visible universe. In 2021, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), flew and is now performing extraordinary science with an MSFC-led team using three, 24-shell MMAs that were fabricated and calibrated in-house.

    Most recently, in 2024, the fourth FOXSI sounding rocket campaign launched with a high-resolution MSFC MMA. The optics achieved 9.5 arcsecond HPD angular resolution during pre-flight test with an expected 7 arcsecond HPD in gravity-free flight, making this the highest angular resolution flight observation made with a nickel-replicated X-ray optic. Currently MSFC is fabricating an MMA for the Rocket Experiment Demonstration of a Soft X-ray (REDSoX) polarimeter, a sounding rocket mission that will fly a novel soft X-ray polarimeter instrument to observe active galactic nuclei. The REDSoX MMA optic will be 444 mm in diameter, which will make it the largest MMA ever produced by MSFC and the second largest replicated nickel X-ray optic in the world.

    Scientists Wayne Baumgartner (left, crouched) and Nick Thomas (left, standing) calibrate an IXPE MMA in the MSFC 100 m Beamline. Scientist Stephen Bongiorno (right) applies epoxy to an IXPE shell during MMA assembly.

    The ultimate performance of an X-ray optic is determined by errors in the shape, position, and roughness of the optical surface. To push the performance of X-ray optics toward even higher angular resolution and achieve more ambitious science goals, MSFC is currently engaged in a fundamental research and development effort to improve all aspects of full-shell optics fabrication.

    Given that these optics are made with the Electroformed Nickel Replication technique, the fabrication process begins with creation of a replication master, called the mandrel, which is a negative of the desired optical surface. First, the mandrel is figured and polished to specification, then a thin layer of nickel alloy is electroformed onto the mandrel surface. Next, the nickel alloy layer is removed to produce a replicated optical shell, and finally the thin shell is attached to a stiff holding structure for use.

    Each step in this process imparts some degree of error into the final replicated shell. Research and development efforts at MSFC are currently concentrating on reducing distortion induced during the electroforming metal deposition and release steps. Electroforming-induced distortion is caused by material stress built into the electroformed material as it deposits onto the mandrel. Decreasing release-induced distortion is a matter of reducing adhesion strength between the shell and mandrel, increasing strength of the shell material to prevent yielding, and reducing point defects in the release layer.

    Additionally, verifying the performance of these advanced optics requires world-class test facilities. The basic premise of testing an optic designed for X-ray astrophysics is to place a small, bright X-ray source far away from the optic. If the angular size of the source, as viewed from the optic, is smaller than the angular resolution of the optic, the source is effectively simulating X-ray starlight. Due to the absorption of X-rays by air, the entire test facility light path must be placed inside a vacuum chamber.

    At MSFC, a group of scientists and engineers operate the Marshall 100-meter X-ray beamline, a world-class end-to-end test facility for flight and laboratory X-ray optics, instruments, and telescopes. As per the name, it consists of a 100-meter-long vacuum tube with an 8-meter-long, 3-meter-diameter instrument chamber and a variety of X-ray sources ranging from 0.25 – 114 keV. Across the street sits the X-Ray and Cryogenic Facility (XRCF), a 527-meter-long beamline with an 18-meter-long, 6-meter-diameter instrument chamber. These facilities are available for the scientific community to use and highlight the comprehensive optics development and test capability that Marshall is known for.

    Within the X-ray astrophysics community there exist a variety of angular resolution and effective area needs for focusing optics. Given its storied history in X-ray optics, MSFC is uniquely poised to fulfill requirements for large or small, medium- or high-angular-resolution X-ray optics. To help guide technology development, the astrophysics community convenes once per decade to produce a decadal survey. The need for high-angular-resolution and high-throughput X-ray optics is strongly endorsed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s.In pursuit of this goal, MSFC is continuing to advance the state of the art in full-shell optics. This work will enable the extraordinary mysteries of the X-ray universe to be revealed.

    Project Leads

    Dr. Jessica Gaskin and Dr. Stephen Bongiorno, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

    Sponsoring Organizations

    The NASA Astrophysics Division supports this work primarily through the Internal Scientist Funding Model Direct Work Package and competed solicitations. This work is also supported by the Heliophysics Division through competed solicitations, as well as by directed work from other government entities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ferryland — Ferryland RCMP investigates mischief, theft and possible arson in Tors Cove; seeking public assistance

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Ferryland RCMP is seeking assistance from the pubic following a report of mischief, theft and possible arson that occurred at a property on Beachy Cove Road in Tors Cove.

    On October 9, 2024, shortly before 4:00 p.m., police received a report of considerable property damage to a residence that was under construction, as well as theft of items from the home.

    The next day, on October 10, police received a report that an excavator had been burned while parked on the same property sometime overnight. The fire is believed to have occurred between the hours of 11:00 p.m. on October 9th and 10:00 a.m. October 10th. The excavator was valued at nearly $220,000.00.

    Provincial Fire Services have been engaged.

    The investigation is continuing.

    Anyone having information about this crime or those responsible is asked to contact Ferryland RCMP at 709-432-2440. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), visit http://www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Form 8.3 – [KEYWORDS STUDIOS PLC – 14 10 2024] – (CGWL)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC OPENING POSITION DISCLOSURE/DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    (a)   Full name of discloser: CANACCORD GENUITY WEALTH LIMITED (for Discretionary clients)
    (b)   Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
            The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		 N/A
    (c)   Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
            Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 KEYWORDS STUDIOS PLC
    (d)   If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree: N/A
    (e)   Date position held/dealing undertaken:
            For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 14 OCTOBER 2024
    (f)   In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
            If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 N/A

    2.        POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.

    (a)      Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)

    Class of relevant security: 1p ORDINARY
      Interests Short positions
    Number % Number %
    (1)   Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 1,351,089 1.6777    
    (2)   Cash-settled derivatives:        
    (3)   Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:        
    TOTAL: 1,351,089 1.6777    

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    (b)      Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)

    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:  
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:  

    3.        DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE

    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    (a)        Purchases and sales

    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit
    1p ORDINARY SALE 8,235 2436p
    1p ORDINARY SALE 7,265 2437p

    (b)        Cash-settled derivative transactions

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. CFD    		 Nature of dealing
    e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position    		 Number of reference securities Price per unit
    NONE        

    (c)        Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)

    (i)        Writing, selling, purchasing or varying

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type
    e.g. American, European etc.    		 Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
    NONE              

    (ii)        Exercise

    Class of relevant security Product description
    e.g. call option    		 Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit

    (d)        Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)

    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing
    e.g. subscription, conversion    		 Details Price per unit (if applicable)
    NONE      

    4.        OTHER INFORMATION

    (a)        Indemnity and other dealing arrangements

    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (b)        Agreements, arrangements or understandings relating to options or derivatives

    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i)   the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii)   the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”

    NONE

    (c)        Attachments

    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO
    Date of disclosure: 15 OCTOBER 2024
    Contact name: MARK ELLIOTT
    Telephone number: 01253 376539

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at http://www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fraudulent Developer Imprisoned for Spending Over $500,000 of Investor’s Funds on Vacations and Mortgage

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    Charity and Disaster Fraud

    Charity fraud scams can come in many forms: emails, social media posts, crowdfunding platforms, cold calls, etc. They are especially common after high-profile disasters. Always use caution and do your research when you’re looking to donate to charitable causes.

    BABY JANE DOE

    Homicide Victim Washington Township, New Jersey December 4, 1986

    Capitol Violence

    The FBI is seeking to identify individuals involved in the violent activities that occurred at the U.S. Capitol and surrounding areas on January 6, 2021. View photos and related information here. If you have any information to provide, visit tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Breaking: Brown Announces New Partnership to Recycle Nickel in Piketon

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    PIKETON, OH – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is entering into a partnership with Leidos and The Conductive Group to develop a new facility that will recycle surface contaminated nickel in Piketon and create jobs in the community.

    The Department of Energy and Leidos and The Conductive Group will partner on a multi-phased project to develop a commercial scale processing facility at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) in Piketon to recycle surface contaminated nickel.

    “Together with the Piketon community and Ohio Steelworkers, we worked to make this partnership a reality because we knew it would create good union jobs, grow the local economy, and advance the environmental cleanup at PORTS,” said Brown. “By working together, we are building a stronger future for Piketon.”

    Nickel is a critical for the modern battery technologies that are foundational to our country’s economic future and vital for numerous products. There is approximately 6,400 tons of nickel located at PORTS. Nickel recovered from PORTS could be used to produce a high-purity nickel for products like grid scale batteries.

    “For two decades, the United Steelworkers have been trying to unlock the potential of recycling the nickel from the DOE Portsmouth site to support reindustrialization. Senator Sherrod Brown has stood apart from the rest as a partner in Washington and has worked tirelessly to ensure valuable metals in rural Ohio can be used to create good-paying union jobs. This week, his advocacy and ours paid off,” said Herman Potter, President, Local USW Local 689.

    “We are very excited to hear about the Department’s announcement that they have selected a company to extract some of the nickel at the PORTS site. I know this has been years in the making and has been of high concern to the Commission. This announcement is a big step toward bringing in a talented outside workforce and providing good jobs for the talented people here in Pike County. We hope this initial step will be successful and lead to further nickel extraction and potentially more manufacturing onsite, ultimately bringing more jobs to Pike County and the surrounding community,” said Tony Montgomery, Pike County Commissioner.

    This project does not require federal funding and will employ local United Steelworkers (USW) members.  

    Senator Brown has been pushing the DOE on efforts around the cleanup and reindustrialization of PORTS throughout his time in office as a U.S. Senator, including pushing DOE to move forward with this opportunity to recycle nickel.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown: Any National Disaster Package Must Deliver for Ohio Farmers Devastated by Historic Drought

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    CLEVELAND, OH – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is demanding that any national disaster package put together by Congress deliver for Ohio farmers affected by historic drought.

    As Congress considers a national emergency disaster package in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Brown is making clear that any package must include emergency disaster assistance for Ohio farmers who are facing the worst drought in decades. Brown is also pushing his colleagues to include support for Ohio farmers facing drought in the next government funding package.

    “Ohio farmers are facing a historic drought, and any disaster package must provide the support they need to come out of this crisis,” said Brown. “We will not let Ohio farmers and the communities hurt by drought be forgotten – and I will fight to ensure that they have what they need to make it through this crisis.”  

    Drought conditions started in Ohio back in mid-June, intensified throughout summer, and are expected to continue into the fall and potentially into the winter, affecting spring planting season.  Half of Ohio’s 88 counties are currently covered by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster designations – an occurrence without any recent comparison. In response to the drought conditions, USDA has issued five natural disaster designations (Aug. 30, Sept. 3, Sept. 9, Sept. 16, and Oct. 1) which have in total designated 44 counties as primary disaster counties with an additional 12 counties classified as contiguous. USDA has made a number of disaster and emergency programs available to farmers struggling with the drought but Brown is concerned it will not be enough to help Ohio farmers and rural communities weather this historic drought. Brown is also concerned that many Ohio farms that are feeling the full brunt of the disaster are smaller operations, diversified farms, and agritourism operations in which current risk management and disaster assistance tools are not suited for their operations.

    Brown, the first Ohioan to serve on the Senate Agriculture Committee in nearly 50 years and a long time leader for Ohio rural communities, has been fighting for Ohio farmers during this historic drought. In early September, Brown hosted a webinar to help connect farmers and agriculture leaders with permanent Farm Bill disaster assistance programs available through the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). In September, Brown also hosted a conference call with Ohio Farm Bureau Executive Vice President, Adam Sharp and Ohio FSA State Executive Direct Dr. John Patterson to draw further attention to this historic drought. Brown has also called on the USDA to provide additional flexibility for Ohio farmers experiencing drought conditions to conduct emergency haying and grazing on Conservation Reserve Program enrolled land.  

    In addition to pushing for support for Ohio agriculture, Brown is working to ensure that any disaster relief and government funding package fully invests in the low-interest loan program for small businesses like those in downtown Youngstown affected by the Realty Tower explosion. Last week, Brown pushed the administration to approve Governor DeWine’s request to make Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) available to Youngstown businesses.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: More Indicted in Nationwide Business E-Mail Compromise Scheme

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    HOUSTON – A total of seven people in multiple states have been charged in a superseding indictment related to a large business email compromise (BEC) scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

    Authorities have now arrested Houston resident Amber Bush, 29. She is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan Oct. 15 at 2 p.m.

    The three-count superseding indictment also charges Houston residents Bolaji Okunnu, 30, and Philip Ogbeide Jr., 34, along with Ayodeji Okunnu, 25, Austin; Victor Rubio Jr., 27, and Bougar Robert Linares Soto, 42, both of Los Angeles, California.

    Another Houston resident – Destini Godfrey, 30 – is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.

    All are charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering.

    The BEC scheme involved deceiving victims into sending money to others and causing millions in losses, according to the charges.

    Conspirators allegedly posed as legitimate businesses and fraudulently diverted money from victim bank accounts into accounts they controlled. According to the allegations, they gained access to business email accounts and spoofed email addresses to deceive victims into believing they were making legitimate payments.  

    The superseding indictment indicates fraudulently diverted payments from numerous victims throughout the United States, including a financial services company from Oregon, a township in New Jersey, a demolition company in Texas, a healthcare liability insurance company in Georgia and a nutrition products manufacturer outside Texas.

    Conspirators allegedly used email accounts to request payment for services to be sent to new bank accounts that did not belong to the vendor, according to the charges.

    They allegedly deceived victims into wiring millions to fraudulent bank accounts the conspirators opened instead of actually paying the vendor. The charges further allege conspirators laundered the funds in a manner designed to conceal the source, ownership and control of the funds by quickly transferring the money from the receiving account to other bank accounts they controlled.

    They then withdrew the fraud proceeds incrementally in cash, according to the charges.  

    If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison on the conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy charges as well as five years for the money laundering and illegal money transmitting charge. Each charge carries a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

    The FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with valuable assistance from the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Edison Police Department in New Jersey and other law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and James Hu are prosecuting the case.

    An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met detectives charge man with murder following death of man in Canning Town stabbing

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Met detectives charge man with murder following death of man in Canning Town stabbing

    Met detectives from the Specialist Crime Command unit have charged a man with murder following the death of a man that was stabbed at a house in Canning Town just over a week ago.

    Daniel Whybrow, 46 (03.10.78), of Hartington Road, E16, was originally charged with attempted murder on Sunday, 6 October, but the charge has now been reviewed and changed to murder following the death of 50-year-old Mr Raish Ahmed.

    Two other people were also injured in the assault.

    Police were called to the property on Hartington Road shortly after 16:30hrs on Saturday, 5 October, after reports of a stabbing and attended with paramedics from the London Ambulance Service where they found Mr Ahmed with stab wounds.

    A teenage boy was also found with a slash injury, whilst a third male, aged 41, was also assaulted. Both injuries were assessed as not life-threatening.

    Mr Ahmed was taken to hospital for treatment but despite the best efforts of emergency services sadly died in hospital on Monday, 7 October. His next of kin are being supported by specialist officers.

    Mr Whybrow was also charged with grievous bodily harm against the teenage boy and threats to kill, plus racially aggravated assault by beating against the 41-year-old male, as well as possession of an offensive weapon.

    He will appear at Central Criminal Court on Monday, 6 January 2025.

    Anyone with information is asked to contact the police incident room on 0208 721 4961 or 101, quoting CAD 4781/05OCT or visit here.

    Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Gaza: Israel must rescind unlawful evacuation orders in the north

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Israel issued so-called ‘evacuation’ orders to cities and camps across North Gaza governorate on 7, 10 and 12 October

    400,000 civilians currently enduring a siege with little food, fuel or clean water 

    ‘What remains beyond any comprehension is how the international community has let this horror continue to happen again and again’ – Heba Morayef

    The Israeli authorities must rescind cruel and unlawful “evacuation” orders – Israel’s euphemism for forced displacement – issued during the past week to residents of the North Gaza governorate, and allow the immediate, unhindered entry of essential supplies – including food and fuel – to the area, said Amnesty International today, as fears grow for the fate of thousands of civilians trapped under siege.

    In recent days, the civilian death toll across Gaza has continued to mount and horrifying scenes have emerged following deadly Israeli airstrikes, particularly in the North Gaza governorate. Civilians have endured relentless Israeli bombardment and shelling, without access to basic supplies, including food and clean water. 

    The latest Israeli “evacuation” orders issued to cities and camps across the North Gaza governorate on 7, 10 and 12 October – and the tightened siege on the area – are a terrifying escalation of the long list of horrors inflicted in the past year on people in the area north of Wadi Gaza.

    A year ago, on 12 October 2023, an estimated 1.1 million Palestinians north of Wadi Gaza were subjected to an unlawful mass “evacuation” order which forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee south seeking safety. For many months, the hundreds of thousands of people who remained were largely cut off from the rest of Gaza by a fortified Israeli military zone. In December 2023, the world’s leading experts on famine reported that hunger was particularly widespread and severe there, yet the Israeli authorities repeatedly obstructed and denied humanitarian access to the area. In recent days the situation has grown even more desperate following Israeli tightened siege. All three partially-functioning hospitals in the north – Kamal Adwan, Al-Awda, and the Indonesian hospital – face “evacuation” orders. 

    Global leaders must demand an immediate ceasefire to alleviate unprecedented suffering in Gaza during the past year. Israel has been emboldened, with the help of arms transfers from countries like the US and the UK, to continue its destructive course in Gaza with total impunity.

    Some 400,000 civilians continue to live north of Wadi Gaza, which consists of the North Gaza and Gaza governorates, which is around one-third of the area’s population before October 2023. In addition to devastating bombardment and destruction, those who have stayed have had to endure an Israeli-engineered food emergency which reached horrifying levels in February and March, with people resorting to eating animal food. While access to the area north of Wadi Gaza improved slightly in mid-2024 after an international outcry, Israel has, once again, cut civilians off from life-saving aid.

    Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Director, said: 

    “These orders must be rescinded and there must be an immediate ceasefire by all parties to halt the avalanche of suffering that has been engulfing civilians in Gaza for over a year.

    “After a year of death and destruction, it is agonising to hear from doctors in North Gaza that they have to perform multiple amputations every day, or from families trapped under siege that dozens of unrecognisable bodies are scattered on the streets or that people are unable to bury their loved ones amidst ceaseless bombardment.  

    “The scenes coming out of Jabalia refugee camp have been especially harrowing, for over a week, residents of the camp have been scared to leave their homes, even to look for a bag of flour for fear of being shot by the omnipresent quadcopter drones. 

    “What remains beyond any comprehension is how the international community has let this horror continue to happen again and again.

    “As well as an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israel’s cruel and inhuman blockade on Gaza and its siege in the north, Israel must grant independent monitors immediate access to Gaza to investigate all attacks.”

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada lists Samidoun as a terrorist entity

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    October 15, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario

    Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, announced that the Government of Canada has listed Samidoun, also known as the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code. The listing is in concert with U.S. Department of the Treasury’s announcement of the designation of Samidoun as a specially designated global terrorist (SDGT) though its Executive Order (E.O.) 13224.

    Samidoun has been listed as a terrorist entity by Germany. Samidoun has close links with and advances the interests of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), which is a listed terrorist entity in Canada, the United States and the European Union.

    As a now-listed entity, the Samidoun meets the definition of a “terrorist group” under Canada’s Criminal Code. The Criminal Code prohibits certain actions in relation to terrorist groups, including those related to terrorist financing, travel and recruitment.  It means, for example, that it is a criminal offence for anyone in Canada and Canadians abroad to knowingly deal with property owned or controlled by a terrorist group, and that it is also an offence to directly or indirectly provide property knowing that it will be used by or benefit a terrorist group.

    Listing can also assist Canadian security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies to combat terrorism. The terrorist listings mechanism plays a key role in countering terrorist financing. 

    Quotes

    “Violent extremism, acts of terrorism or terrorist financing have no place in Canadian society or abroad. The listing of Samidoun as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code sends a strong message that Canada will not tolerate this type of activity, and will do everything in its power to counter the ongoing threat to Canada’s national security and all people in Canada.”

    – The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

    Quick facts

    • There are several offences in the Criminal Code that address conduct in connection with terrorist groups. For example, the Criminal Code prohibits dealing in any property (including money) owned or controlled by terrorist groups or to provide any financial services (such as services offered by banks and money services business) for the benefit of or at the direction of a terrorist group.

    • With the addition of Samidoun, there are now 78 terrorist entities listed under the Criminal Code.

    • As Canada’s national police service, the RCMP is responsible for preventing, detecting and investigating terrorism-related criminal activities in Canada while respecting personal rights and freedoms. The RCMP investigates criminal activities by those who threaten the safety and security of Canadians. Listing is an important tool that supports criminal investigations and strengthens the RCMP’s ability to prevent and disrupt terrorist activity.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Gabriel Brunet
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
    819-665-6527
    gabriel.brunet@iga-aig.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Public Safety Canada
    613-991-0657
    media@ps-sp.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –