NewzIntel.com

Category: Law Enforcement

  • MIL-OSI Security: Norman Wells — Norman wells RCMP respond to serious assaults

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On September 22nd, 2024, Norman Wells RCMP received a report that a person had been stabbed at a residence. Officers attended the location and confirmed a person had been the victim of a stabbing.

    Further investigation revealed a significant altercation had occurred at the residence and another person had been both shot with a crossbow and bear-sprayed. Both victims were transported out of the community for treatment.

    Police subsequently located and took 23-year-old Teagan Sutherland into custody in relation to the matter. He has been charged with:

    • Breaking and Entering with Intent, contrary to section 348(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
    • Disguised with intent to commit an offence, contrary to section 351(2) of the Criminal Code
    • Uttering threats against a person (2 counts), contrary to section 264.1(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
    • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, contrary to section 88(1) of the Criminal Code
    • Aggravated Assault, contrary to section 268(2) of the Criminal Code

    At the time of his arrest, Sutherland had an active warrant for his arrest and was already facing charges from a prior incident on September 11th, 2024. They are as follows:

    • Breaking and Entering with Intent, contrary to section 348(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
    • Disguised with intent to commit an offence (2 counts), contrary to section 351(2) of the Criminal Code
    • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose (2 counts), contrary to section 88(1) of the Criminal Code.
    • Assault with a weapon (2 counts), contrary to section 267(a) of the Criminal Code
    • Uttering threats against a person, contrary to section 264.1(1)(a) of the Criminal Code

    Sutherland has appeared before a Justice of the Peace on all charges and was remanded into custody to appear again on September 25th, 2024

    Investigation into this matter remains ongoing at this time.

    Norman Wells RCMP are aware that several people witnessed this event and are asking those witnesses to contact the Norman Wells detachment at 587-1111 or Crimestoppers at http://www.p3tips.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fentanyl Trafficker and DC Rapper Sentenced for Bringing Thousands of Counterfeit Oxycodone Pills into the District

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

                WASHINGTON – Columbian Thomas, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 160 months in federal prison for participating in a massive fentanyl trafficking conspiracy that distributed hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills from Southern California to destinations throughout the United States, including the District. Thomas, aka “Cruddy Murda,” was one of more than two dozen co-defendants arrested over the course of 2023 in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, San Diego, and Los Angeles and charged in the conspiracy.

                The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.

                Thomas pleaded guilty on May 30 to conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. In addition to the 160-month prison term, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ordered Thomas to serve five years of supervised release.

                The impetus for this investigation was the overdose death of Diamond Lynch, a young mother in Southeast D.C. In addition to investigating and prosecuting the death-resulting case [1] , law enforcement followed the evidence and uncovered a vast network of traffickers who transported fentanyl from Mexico to Los Angeles to the District of Columbia. Since then, investigators have seized more than 450,000 fentanyl pills, 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl powder, and 30 firearms.        

    According to court documents, Thomas entered into the conspiracy after he was introduced to a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker, who was a distributor of fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills. Thomas would travel to Southern California to purchase the fake oxycodone from the L.A. supplier and return to the District with the drugs. 

               Thomas and his co-conspirators employed two primary methods to transport the pills to the District: they smuggled them in luggage or carry-on items on airline flights, or they shipped the pills using commercial mail carriers.

               Thomas often bragged on social media about the lucrative business of fentanyl trafficking and proudly showcased the spoils of his drug trafficking. The below-pictured social media post shows Thomas holding a large stack of U.S. currency, exclaiming “I [love] Cali!!!!”

               On June 2, 2023, the date of his arrest, law enforcement found Thomas in the bedroom of his home and recovered a baggie containing about 100 blue M-30 fentanyl-laced counterfeit oxycodone pills, along with a loaded Glock 21 Gen4 pistol that had been equipped with a “giggle switch,” which converted the firearm into a fully automatic machine gun.

               In addition to possessing a machine gun and conspiring to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, Thomas, whose rap stage name is “Cruddy Murda,” often boasted about firearms and acts of violence in his songs. Below is a chart outlining the status and charges of other defendants in the case:

    DEFENDANT

    AGE

    LOCATION

    CHARGES/SENTENCE  

    Hector David Valdez,

    aka “Curl”

     

    26

    		 Santa Fe Springs, California

    Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

    Craig Eastman

     

    20

    		 Washington, D.C.

    Pleaded guilty July 25, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl.

    Sentencing: January 7, 2025.
    Charles Jeffrey Taylor

    20

    		 Washington, D.C.

    Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
    Raymond Nava, Jr.

    20

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Sentenced Sept. 17, 2024, to 14 years for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Ulises Aldaz

    28

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    		 Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 95 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Max Alexander Carias Torres

    26

    Bell Gardens,

    California

    Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    Conspiracy to commit international money laundering
    Teron Deandre McNeil, aka “Wild Boy”

    34

    		 Washington, D.C. Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Marvin Anthony Bussie,

    aka “Money Marr”

    21

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced June 28, 2024, to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Marcus Orlando Brown

    28

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced on October 9, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Columbian Thomas, aka

    “Cruddy Murda”

    26

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced October 22, 2024, to 160 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Wayne Rodell Carr-Maiden

    29

    		 Washington, D.C. Sentenced April 29, 2024, to 45 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Andre Malik Edmond,

    aka “Draco”

    23

    		 Temple Hills, Maryland Sentenced July 22, 2024, to 130 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Treyveon James Johnson,

    aka “Treyski”

    20

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Sentenced Sept. 5, 2024, to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Karon Olufemi Blalock,

    aka “Fat Bags”

    30

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Ronte Ricardo Greene,

    aka “Cardiddy”

    28

    		 Washington, D.C.

    Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
    Melvin Edward Allen, Jr., aka “21”

    38

    		 Washington, D.C. Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Darius Quincy Hodges,

    aka “Brick”

    34

    		 Glen Allen, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Lamin Sesay,

    aka “Rock Star”

    27

    		 Alexandria, Virginia Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Paul Alejandro Felix

    25

    Glendale,

    California

    Pleaded guilty July 1, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Sentencing: November 6, 2024

    Omar Arana,

    aka “Frogs”

    27

    Cudahy,

    California

    		 Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Edgar Balderas, Jr., aka “Nano”

    26

    San Diego,

    California

    		 Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
    Raul Pacheco Ramirez

    30

    Long Beach,

    California

    Pleaded guilty July 19, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

    Sentencing: November 26, 2024.
    Giovani Alejandro Briones

    30

    		 Victorville, California

    Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.
    Alfredo Rodriguez Gonzalez

    26

    		 Rosarito, Mexico

    Conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;

    Conspiracy to commit international money laundering.

               The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles, San Diego, and Riverside Field Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, and the Charles County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central and Southern Districts of California, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland.

               The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, Solomon S. Eppel, and Iris McCranie of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section.

    23cr73

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia – B10-0141/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Rasa Juknevičienė, François‑Xavier Bellamy, Michael Gahler, Andrzej Halicki, David McAllister, Sebastião Bugalho, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Isabel Wiseler‑Lima, Daniel Caspary, Loucas Fourlas, Sandra Kalniete, Łukasz Kohut, Andrey Kovatchev, Andrius Kubilius, Miriam Lexmann, Vangelis Meimarakis, Ana Miguel Pedro, Davor Ivo Stier, Michał Szczerba
    on behalf of the PPE Group

    B10‑0141/2024

    European Parliament resolution on the situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia

    (2024/2890(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its previous reports and resolutions on Azerbaijan and Armenia,

    – having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights of 1950, ratified by Azerbaijan in 2002,

    – having regard to the relevant documents and international agreements, including but not limited to the United Nations Charter, the Helsinki Final Act of 1 August 1975 and the Alma-Ata Declaration of 21 December 1991,

    – having regard to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, of the other part, signed on 22 April 1996[1],

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas 300 people remain in detention in Azerbaijan on politically motivated charges; whereas prominent human rights defender and climate advocate, Anar Mammadli, has been in pre-trial detention since 30 April 2024 on bogus charges of conspiracy to bring illegal foreign currency into the country and his health has deteriorated significantly while in custody; whereas economist and political activist Gubad Ibadoghlu was moved to house arrest on 22 April 2024 after 274 days in detention;

    B. whereas Azerbaijan has also intensified its repression against the remaining independent media, such as Abzas Media and Toplum TV, through detentions and judicial harassment;

    C. whereas the Azerbaijani laws regulating the registration, operation and funding of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are highly restrictive and arbitrarily implemented, thus effectively criminalising unregistered NGO activity;

    D. whereas Freedom House’s 2024 index ranks Azerbaijan among the least free countries in the world, below Russia and Belarus;

    E. whereas on 19 September 2023, after a nine-month illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor and disregarding both the commitments it made in the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020 and an International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling, Azerbaijan launched an offensive on the remaining parts of Nagorno-Karabakh not already under its control;

    F. whereas more than 100 000 Armenians had to flee the territory, including 30 000 children, resulting in Nagorno-Karabakh being almost entirely emptied of its Armenian population, who had been living there for centuries; whereas this amounts to ethnic cleansing;

    G. whereas the Russian peacekeeping force did not act in accordance with its mandate, as laid down in the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020, taking no action against Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin corridor, the establishment of the Azerbaijani checkpoint at the entrance to the corridor or the offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023;

    H. whereas the Azerbaijani leadership continues to make irredentist statements with reference to the sovereign territory of Armenia; whereas the Azerbaijani army continues to occupy no less than 170 km2 of the sovereign territory of Armenia;

    1. Stresses its profound concern regarding the human rights situation in Azerbaijan;

    2. Urges the Azerbaijani authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all human rights defenders, journalists, environmental, political and other activists prosecuted under fabricated and or politically motivated charges; recalls in this context the names of Tofig Yagublu, Akif Gurbanov, Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, as well as human rights defenders and journalists including Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, Hafiz Babali and Elnara Gasimova, Aziz Orujov, Rufat Muradli, Avaz Zeynalli, Elnur Shukurov, Alasgar Mammadli and Farid Ismayilov; underlines that since April 2024, Azerbaijan has carried out further arrests of civil society activists on bogus charges, including Farid Mehralidze, Igbal Abilov, Bahurz Samadov, Emin Ibrahimov and Famil Khalilov;

    3. Recalls the need to lift the travel ban in force against Gubad Ibadoghlu and drop all charges against him, and calls on Azerbaijan urgently to ensure an independent medical examination by a doctor of his own choosing, and allow him to receive treatment abroad;

    4. Reminds the Azerbaijani authorities of their obligations to respect human dignity and fundamental freedoms in accordance with their international commitments and calls on them to repeal repressive legislation that drives independent NGOs and media to the margins of the law;

    5. Calls for the EU to impose sanctions under its global human rights sanctions regime on Azerbaijani officials who have committed serious human rights violations; reiterates its position that the EU should be ready to impose sanctions on any individuals and entities that threaten the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Armenia;

    6. Recalls that the 1996 EU-Azerbaijan Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which is the legal basis for bilateral relations, is based on respect for democracy and the principles of international law and human rights and that these have been systematically violated in Azerbaijan;

    7. Reiterates the EU’s unequivocal support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of Armenia; strongly supports the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the basis of the principles of the mutual recognition of territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders based on the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration;

    8. Recalls its previous condemnation of the pre-planned and unjustified military attack by Azerbaijan of 19-20 September 2023 against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, which led to the expulsion of the entirety of the ethnic Armenian community which had been living there for centuries, amounting to ethnic cleansing; recalls that this attack resulted in the complete dissolution of the structures of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and the establishment of full Azerbaijani control over the region; demands the release of all remaining Armenian political prisoners and prisoners of war;

    9. Reiterates its demand for the withdrawal of Azerbaijan’s troops from the entirety of the sovereign territory of Armenia; rejects and expresses its grave concern regarding the irredentist and inflammatory statements made by the Azerbaijani President and other Azerbaijani officials threatening the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia; warns Azerbaijan against any potential military adventurism against Armenia proper; highlights that Azerbaijan’s connectivity issues with its exclave of Nakhchivan should be resolved with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia;

    10. Calls on Azerbaijan to genuinely engage in a comprehensive and transparent dialogue with the Karabakh Armenians to ensure respect for their rights and guarantee their security, including their right to return to and live in their homes in dignity and safety, overseen by an international presence, to access their land and property rights, to maintain their distinct identity and to fully enjoy their civic, cultural, social and religious rights;

    11. Calls for the establishment of an ad hoc committee within the European institutions to identify or develop international mechanisms to guarantee the collective, safe, dignified and sustainable return of the inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh to their ancestral land; calls for the creation of a mechanism to monitor the implementation of the reports and resolutions adopted by Parliament on Nagorno-Karabakh;

    12. Urges Azerbaijan to refrain from further destroying, neglecting or altering the origins of cultural, religious or historical heritage in the region, bearing in mind the destruction of cultural, religious and historical heritage that has occurred since the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and calls on it to instead strive to preserve, protect and promote this rich diversity; demands the protection of the Armenian cultural, historical and religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh in line with UNESCO standards and Azerbaijan’s international commitments;

    13. Recognises the urgent need to strengthen the cooperation between the EU and Armenia in the field of security and defence; welcomes the fact that Armenia has frozen its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization; notes the added value of regular EU-Armenian Political and Security Dialogues, as an umbrella platform for all security related matters; welcomes the actions undertaken by several Member States to provide defensive military support to Armenia and urges other Member States to consider similar initiatives;

    14. Expresses its support for the decision of Armenia to discontinue the presence of Russian Federal Security Service border guards at the international airport in Yerevan, and its understanding for the suspension of relations with Belarus;

    15. Calls for the EU to end its dependency on gas exports from Azerbaijan; is seriously concerned about Azerbaijan’s import of Russian gas and the substantial Russian share in the production and transportation of Azerbaijani gas for the EU, which contradicts the EU’s objective of undermining Russia’s capacity to continue its war of aggression against Ukraine by cutting its revenues from oil and gas exports to the EU; urges the Commission to investigate suspicions that Azerbaijan actually exports Russian gas to the EU;

    16. Calls for the suspension of all imports of oil and gas from Azerbaijan to the EU; recalls its demand, in the light of Azerbaijan’s 2023 invasion of Nagorno-Karabakh, for the suspension of the Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy between the European Union and Azerbaijan;

    17. Supports all initiatives and activities that could lead to the establishment of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and the signing of a long-awaited peace agreement; believes that if a peace agreement is to be lasting, it requires genuine engagement from the parties, not the escalation of rhetoric and demands; welcomes the recent achievement in the Commission on Delimitation and Border Security of a preliminary agreement on the delimitation of several sectors of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border;

    18. Welcomes the new momentum in bilateral relations between the EU and Armenia, which is strongly supported by the authorities in Yerevan; takes good note of Armenia’s European aspirations, as expressed by the Armenian foreign minister, among others; recalls its previous position that, pursuant to Article 49 of the Treaty on European Union, any European state may apply to become a member of the European Union provided that it adheres to the Copenhagen criteria and the principles of democracy, respects fundamental freedoms and human and minority rights, and upholds the rule of law; considers that, should Armenia be interested in applying for candidate status and continuing on its current path of sustained reforms consolidating its democracy, this could set the stage for a transformative phase in EU-Armenia relations; calls on the Commission and the Council to actively support Armenia’s desire for increased cooperation with the EU, not only in the area of economic partnership but also in political dialogue, people-to-people contacts, sectoral integration and security cooperation; believes that the experience stemming from the Association Agreements / Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas with Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova should serve as a good basis for closer EU-Armenia cooperation, in particular in relation to a gradual sectoral integration with the single market;

    19. Welcomes the decision of 22 July 2024 to launch the visa liberalisation dialogue with Armenia, which is the first step towards achieving a visa free regime for short stays in the EU; welcomes further the decision to adopt the first assistance measure under the European Peace Facility (EPF) in support of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, worth EUR 10 million; calls for the EU to cease all technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan that might contribute to strengthening its military or security capabilities; calls on the Member States to freeze exports of all military and security equipment to Azerbaijan;

    20. Condemns the Baku Initiative Group’s repeated attempts to denigrate and destabilise EU Member States; condemns in particular its support for irredentist groups and disinformation operations targeting France, especially in the French departments and territories of New Caledonia, Martinique and Corsica; recalls that these methods were used against Germany in 2013; denounces the smear campaigns targeting Denmark; strongly opposes the allegations made by Ilham Aliyev himself at the Baku Initiative Group meeting in Baku in November 2023;

    21. Condemns the arbitrary arrests of EU citizens based on spurious accusations of espionage and their disproportionate sentencing;

    22. Regrets the smear campaign aimed at damaging France’s reputation by calling into question its capacity to host the 2024 Olympic Games, launched by actors suspected of being close to the Azerbaijani regime;

    23. Strongly condemns the intimidation, death threats and assassination attempts against opponents of the Azerbaijani Government, including in EU countries, and against Azerbaijani citizens who have been granted political asylum by Member States, such as Mahammad Mirzali in France; calls on the Member States to cooperate, if necessary, in the investigation into the murder, in September 2024, of Vivadi Isgandarl, an Azerbaijani political opponent residing in France; stresses that for the Member States, preventing any act of retaliation on their territory is a matter of democracy, human rights, security and sovereignty; insists that Europol should closely monitor this matter;

    24. Strongly condemns the public insults and direct threats made by Azerbaijani diplomatic or government representatives, or members of the Azerbaijani Parliament, targeting elected officials of EU Member States; demands, in this regard, that access for all Azerbaijani officials to EU institutional buildings be denied until further notice;

    25. Welcomes the fact that the Republic of Armenia formally deposited the instrument of ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court in 2023 and that the statute entered into force for Armenia on 1 February 2024;

    26. Deplores steps taken by Azerbaijan towards the secessionist entity in occupied Cyprus, which are against international law and the provisions of UN Security Council Resolutions 541 (1983) and 550 (1984); calls on Azerbaijan to respect the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and to not invite the secessionist entity in occupied Cyprus to any meetings of the Organization of Turkic States;

    27. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Member States and the President, Government and Parliament of Azerbaijan.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan – B10-0138/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    to wind up the debate on the statement by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

    Adam Bielan, Charlie Weimers, Bert‑Jan Ruissen, Mariusz Kamiński, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Michał Dworczyk, Carlo Fidanza, Alexandr Vondra, Alberico Gambino, Rihards Kols, Reinis Pozņaks, Ondřej Krutílek, Veronika Vrecionová, Assita Kanko, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
    on behalf of the ECR Group

    B10‑0138/2024

    European Parliament resolution on People’s Republic of China’s misinterpretation of the UN resolution 2758 and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan

    (2024/2891(RSP))

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its previous reports, recommendations and resolutions on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan,

    – having regard to the urgency motion on Taiwan, passed by the Australian Senate on 21 August 2024,

    – having regard to the motion of 12 September 2024 passed in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on UN resolution 2758,

    – having regard to the statement by the spokesperson of the European External Action Service of 14 October on China’s latest military drills around Taiwan,

    – having regard to the UN Charter,

    – having regard to UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 (XXVI) of 25 October 1971,

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas, in the 1970s, in the hope of enhancing prosperity, stability and peace, the PRC was offered a place in the UN; whereas Beijing seized this opportunity, benefiting from close ties with the West, joining the World Trade Organization, enjoying freedom of navigation and experiencing stabilisation in the seas and straits of South-East Asia, all of which opened the door to the country’s unprecedented economic and technological development;

    B. whereas, in recent years, through its actions – such as supporting Russia’s barbaric aggression and assertively expanding in the region, particularly with the threat of invading Taiwan – Beijing is failing to uphold the commitments expected of UN Security Council members and the commitments enshrined in the UN Charter; whereas UN resolution 2758 does not establish the PRC’s sovereignty over Taiwan and does not determine the future status of Taiwan in the United Nations, nor of Taiwanese participation in UN agencies or international organisations;

    C. whereas the PRC has falsely leveraged some interpretations of UN Resolution 2758 to advance its ‘One China’ narrative globally and put pressure on Taiwan, limiting its voice on the international stage and influencing its diplomatic relationships;

    D. whereas the Australian and Dutch Parliaments have already decided not to go along with the PRC’s interpretation of UN Resolution 2758;

    E. whereas the PRC is perpetuating its overly aggressive actions, and trying to erode the status quo in the Taiwan Strait; whereas since 2019 the PRC has violated the Taiwanese air defence identification zone (ADIZ) with increasing regularity; whereas the PRC has been behaving aggressively across vast areas of the Indo-Pacific and exerting varying degrees of military or economic coercion, which has led to disputes with neighbours such as Japan, India, the Philippines and Australia;

    F. whereas on 14 October 2024 the PRC launched, without prior warning, a large-scale military drill named Joint Sword 2024-B that simulated a blockade of Taiwan; whereas the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) deployed 153 aircraft and 36 naval and coastguard ships around Taiwan, setting single-day records;

    G. whereas the PLA’s air manoeuvres have increased from under 20 incursions into Taiwan’s ADIZ in 2019 to 2 459 so far in 2024; whereas the threat is exacerbated by Beijing’s announcement that it was practising for a blockade of Taiwan’s key ports and military bases; whereas the PLA’s primary locus for ADIZ operations has shifted over time from the South China Sea to the Taiwan Strait; whereas the PLA’s flight activity to the east of Taiwan has increased, demonstrating a shift from training and navigation operations to testing likely combat concepts in the event of a blockade or military invasion of Taiwan;

    H. whereas, besides military pressure, the PRC has for years pursued a sophisticated strategy of targeting Taiwan with foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), including hybrid and cyberattacks, with the goal of undermining Taiwan’s democratic society;

    I. whereas the PRC under the leadership of Xi Jinping has said that it will not renounce the use of force to seek unification with Taiwan;

    J. whereas on 25 September 2024 the PRC fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into the Pacific Ocean for the first time since 1980;

    K. whereas the PRC’s increasingly aggressive posture, in particular in its own neighbourhood, such as the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, poses a risk to regional and global security;

    L. whereas Beijing’s active support of the Russian Federation’s aggressive actions against Ukraine contradicts the PRC’s claim to be a ‘stabilising power’; whereas the Russian war of aggression is being closely watched by the PRC as a test bed for the possible future invasion of Taiwan and to gauge the likely reaction of the international community;

    M. whereas the EU and Taiwan are like-minded partners that share the common values of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law;

    N. whereas the PRC is a one-party state controlled and ruled entirely by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP); whereas the CCP has used its growing influence in international organisations to reshape the open, rules-based international order to protect and advance its own interests;

    O. whereas Taiwan is located in a strategic position in terms of trade; whereas the Taiwan Strait is the primary route for ships travelling from the PRC, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan towards Europe; whereas the EU remains the largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Taiwan; whereas there is considerable potential for increasing Taiwan’s FDI in the EU; whereas Taiwan dominates semiconductor manufacturing markets, as its producers manufacture around 50 % of the world’s semiconductor output; whereas the EU’s Indo-Pacific strategy argues for increasing trade and investment cooperation with Taiwan and advocates stabilising tensions in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait;

    1. Reiterates that Taiwan is an important EU partner and a like-minded democratic ally in the Indo-Pacific region;

    2. Condemns the sustained efforts made by representatives of the PRC to distort the meaning of UN resolution 2758, historical documents and international rules;

    3. Remains deeply committed to the EU’s ‘One China’ policy, which does not equate with the PRC’s ‘One China’ principle’;

    4. Stresses that nothing in resolution 2758 prevents Taiwan’s participation in international organisations and that it has no bearing on the sovereign choices of other countries with respect to their relationship with Taiwan;

    5. Regrets the PRC’s efforts to block Taiwan’s participation in multilateral organisations; calls for the EU and its Member States to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation, in line with the key UN principles of universal representation, in relevant international organisations such as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in order to better protect global interests and address the serious challenges facing humanity, such as pandemics, climate change and human rights;

    6. Strongly condemns the PRC’s provocative, irresponsible, disproportionate and destabilising military exercises, including the recent exercises of 14 October, as well as its continued military provocations against Taiwan and its aggressive posture in the wider region; expresses its concern about the PRC’s recent launch of an ICBM into the Pacific Ocean, which has contributed to further tensions across the Indo-Pacific region;

    7. Reaffirms its strong commitment to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait; calls for the EU and its Member States to ensure that any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait, particularly by means of force or coercion, will not be accepted and will be met with a decisive and firm reaction;

    8. Highlights that the PRC’s increasingly aggressive posture poses a threat to the freedom of navigation and jeopardises the stability which is vital for global trade; emphasises that this situation is being watched with concern by a growing number of like-minded partners committed to peace and stability in the region, including across the Taiwan Strait; underlines the need to shore up deterrence against destabilising behaviour, including through regular operations to assert freedom of navigation over the PRC’s attempts to impose control over international waters and airspace;

    9. Reiterates its strong condemnation of statements by President Xi Jinping that the PRC will never renounce the right to use force with respect to Taiwan;

    10. Urges the PRC to immediately cease all actions and intrusions into the Taiwanese ADIZ and the airspace violations above Taiwan’s outer islands, and to restore the full respect of the Taiwan Strait’s median line, all of which also poses a risk to international aviation, and stop all other grey-zone military actions, including cyber and disinformation campaigns;

    11. Recalls that maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific is a core interest for the free world, including the EU and its Member States; stresses that a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait would not only cause significant economic disruption affecting European interests and prosperity, but would also seriously undermine the rules-based order in the region, as well as democratic governance with human rights, democracy and the rule of law at its core;

    12. Recalls Taiwan’s help and assistance during both the COVID-19 pandemic and the humanitarian crises caused by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as its continuous involvement and support for the Ukrainian government and countries hosting Ukrainian refugees;

    13. Reiterates the importance of respecting international law, in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and its provisions on the obligation to settle disputes by peaceful means and on maintaining the freedom of navigation and overflight;

    14. Reiterates its call for the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs to change the name of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taiwan to ‘European Union Office in Taiwan’ to reflect the broad scope of our ties;

    15. Reiterates its previous call for the Commission to launch, without delay, an impact assessment, public consultation and scoping exercise on a bilateral investment agreement with the Taiwanese authorities in preparation for negotiations on deepening bilateral economic ties;

    16. Recommends further deepening cooperation between the EU and Taiwan to enhance structural cooperation on countering disinformation and foreign interference; recommends posting a liaison officer at the European Economic and Trade Office to coordinate joint efforts on tackling disinformation and interference; condemns any form of pressure and threats of reprisals, including economic coercion, with regard to the independent right of the EU and its Member States to develop relations with Taiwan in line with their interests and shared values of democracy and human rights, without foreign interference;

    17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Governments of the PRC and Taiwan.

     

     

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia – B10-0133/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Sergey Lagodinsky, Ville Niinistö, Maria Ohisalo, Catarina Vieira, Hannah Neumann, Nicolae Ştefănuță, Markéta Gregorová, Michael Bloss, Alice Kuhnke, Isabella Lövin, Pär Holmgren, Marie Toussaint
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group

    B10‑0133/2024

    European Parliament resolution on the situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia

    (2024/2890(RSP))

     

    The European Parliament,

    – having regard to its previous resolutions on Azerbaijan and Armenia, and in particular its resolution of 25 April 2024 on Azerbaijan, notably the repression of civil society and the cases of Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu and Ilhamiz Guliyev[1],

    – having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

    – having regard to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights,

    – having regard to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,

    – having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights,

    – having regard to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners,

    – having regard to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and the Republic of Azerbaijan, of the other part[2],

    – having regard to the statement of 29 May 2024 by the Spokesperson of the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan,

    – having regard to Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) resolution 2527 (2024) of 24 January 2024 entitled ‘Challenge, on substantive grounds, of the still unratified credentials of the parliamentary delegation of Azerbaijan’,

    – having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    A. whereas Azerbaijan’s track record on human rights has reached a historic low point owing to the fact that, since late 2022, the government has intensified its systematic repression of critics and dissident voices, with a new and ongoing wave of arrests of human rights defenders, political and civic activists, journalists and independent researchers on the basis of politically motivated baseless charges;

    B. whereas the detained journalists and activists listed in its urgency resolution of 25 April 2024 remain in custody;

    C. whereas these developments are taking place in the lead-up to the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, as part of a concerted effort by the Azerbaijani authorities to effectively silence the few remaining dissenting voices and stifle Azerbaijani civil society; whereas Azerbaijan was granted the status of COP29 host city by the UN Regional Group of Eastern European States, which includes 11 EU Member States;

    D. whereas people are being detained for actions such as participating in public protests, giving media interviews, criticising the government on social media, exposing police brutality and alleging government corruption, which is in violation of the Azerbaijani Government’s obligations under international human rights law; whereas in addition to politically motivated persecution, the Azerbaijani authorities also use tools of intimidation and harassment to incite fear and effectively censor independent voices;

    E. whereas there are credible reports of severe acts of ill treatment and even of torture inflicted upon detained persons by police officers in Azerbaijan; whereas Azerbaijan refuses to cooperate with the Council of Europe’s European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment;

    F. whereas Anar Mammadli, who leads the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center and is a founding member of the Climate Justice Initiative, which seeks to advocate for civic freedoms and environmental justice in conjunction with COP29, was arrested by Azerbaijani authorities on 29 April 2024 on bogus smuggling charges; whereas Mr Mammadli’s health has deteriorated significantly while in custody;

    G. whereas researcher and activist Bahruz Samadov was arrested on 21 August 2024 and charged with ‘high treason’ for his articles criticising Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh policy;

    H. whereas women human rights defenders continue to face threats, coercion, violations of their right to privacy and smear campaigns that are gender-specific and target them as women;

    I. whereas Azerbaijani laws regulating the registration, operation and funding of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are highly restrictive, and Azerbaijani authorities arbitrarily implement these laws; whereas this results in the effective criminalisation of unregistered NGO activity;

    J. whereas civil society activists have been fleeing the country in growing numbers since November 2023; whereas the ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression in Azerbaijan is also reflected in reports of transnational repression and reprisals against family members of detainees;

    K. whereas the media sector is under the official control of the authorities, and any remaining independent media outlets, primarily AbzasMedia and Toplum TV, have been targeted through judicial harassment and the detention of its journalists;

    L. whereas many international and domestic human rights activists and organisations have called on the international community to recognise and respond to the urgency and gravity of the human rights situation in Azerbaijan;

    M. whereas PACE officially suspended the Azerbaijan delegation on 24 January 2024 owing to Azerbaijan’s failure to conduct free and fair elections and ensure the separation of powers, the weakness of its legislature vis-à-vis the executive, and the lack of independence of the judiciary and respect for human rights;

    N. whereas a number of European Court of Human Rights decisions have found that Azerbaijan has violated human rights; whereas more than 320 court judgments against Azerbaijan have not yet been executed or have been only partially implemented, which is the highest number among all state parties to the European Convention on Human Rights;

    O. whereas the EU has intensified its energy trade relations with Azerbaijan over the past two years with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy and more recently an MoU on wind energy cooperation; whereas Commissioner Kadri Simson earlier this year praised the dynamism of the EU’s energy cooperation with Azerbaijan;

    P. whereas Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) stipulates that the Union’s action must be guided by democracy, the rule of law, the universality and indivisibility of human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for human dignity, the principles of equality and solidarity, and respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law;

    Q. whereas, separately, peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia are ongoing, with both sides stating that negotiations are edging towards a peace agreement; whereas several significant deadlocks seemingly remain, owing to issues including Azerbaijani demands in relation to Armenia’s constitution and a corridor to connect mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave via southern Armenia, disregarding Armenia’s sovereignty; whereas earlier this year a deal was signed on a joint border commission to demarcate and delimit their shared border;

    1. Reiterates its profound concern regarding the human rights situation in Azerbaijan, in particular the government’s severe restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly and association that have worsened over the past two years;

    2. Is deeply concerned about the systematic repression of freedom of expression by the Azerbaijani authorities, targeting civil society, civic and political activists, journalists and human rights defenders, including acts of harassment, intimidation, arbitrary detention and severe ill treatment and torture by police officers, and politically motivated legal persecution; expresses deep concern about the environment of fear that this has created inside the country, leaving civil society effectively silenced;

    3. Urges the Government of Azerbaijan to immediately and unconditionally release Anar Mammadli, Bahruz Samadov, Igbal Abilov, Farid Mehralizade, Emin Ibrahimov and Famil Khalilov, as well as political prisoners named in previous urgency resolutions, including Ilhamiz Guliyev, Tofig Yagublu, Akif Gurbanov and Bakhtiyar Hajiyev, and human rights defenders and journalists Ulvi Hasanli, Sevinj Vagifgizi, Nargiz Absalamova, Hafiz Babali, Elnara Gasimova, Aziz Orujov, Rufat Muradli, Avaz Zeynalli, Elnur Shukurov, Alasgar Mammadli and Farid Ismayilov; calls, further, for the vacation of any convictions against those released and the removal of restrictions on their freedom of movement;

    4. Reminds Azerbaijan that the provision of healthcare for prisoners is the responsibility of the state; calls for adequate healthcare and medical treatment to be provided to all those detained in Azerbaijan on politically motivated charges;

    5. Urges the Azerbaijani authorities to drop all charges against renowned scholar, anti-corruption activist and shortlisted finalist of the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought Dr Gubad Ibadoghlu, release him from house arrest, and allow him to travel abroad for urgent medical care without delay and attend the Sakharov Prize ceremony in Strasbourg in December;

    6. Is deeply concerned about Azerbaijan’s violations of the freedom of association through undue restrictions and misuse of NGO legislation, resulting in the persecution of civil society and curtailing of its work; calls on the Azerbaijani Government to repeal the restrictive NGO and media legislation and ensure that civil society can operate without undue hindrance or fear of reprisals and persecution;

    7. Encourages the Commission to review its approach to supporting human rights in Azerbaijan and recommends a reassessment of its funding mechanisms for Azerbaijani independent civil society and media, aligning them more closely with the strategies used to support these sectors in Belarus;

    8. Condemns the continued repression of the right to freedom of assembly, for instance in the case of anti-pollution protests in the village of Soyudlu in 2023, which were quashed by security forces using violence and arrests;

    9. Calls on the Azerbaijani Government to swiftly comply with long-standing recommendations of the Council of Europe’s European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on the subject of the widespread recourse to physical ill treatment (including, on occasion, torture) by the police in Azerbaijan;

    10. Calls on the Azerbaijani Government to implement all decisions by the European Court of Human Rights, reminds it of its obligations to respect human dignity and fundamental freedoms and calls on it to repeal repressive legislation on the registration and funding of NGOs, to bring it in line with Venice Commission recommendations;

    11. Deeply regrets statements by various Commission representatives, including President Ursula von der Leyen, calling Azerbaijan a ‘reliable partner’ in the field of energy; insists that, in the interest of its geopolitical security, integrity and pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals, the EU end its reliance on fossil-fuel-rich authoritarian countries once and for all;

    12. Reiterates its denunciation of Azerbaijan’s systematic bribery of European politicians, including in the context of PACE;

    13. Considers that the ongoing human rights violations in Azerbaijan are incompatible with the country’s role as COP29 host; urges the EU and the Member States to use COP29 as an occasion for the international community to remind Azerbaijan of its international obligations and to condemn and address in a meaningful way Azerbaijan’s human rights violations in interactions with the Azerbaijani authorities in Baku during COP29; calls on delegates attending COP29 on behalf of the EU and the Member States, in particular President Ursula von der Leyen, to make public and private calls for the immediate and unconditional release of arbitrarily detained journalists, activists and human rights defenders and to request meetings with political prisoners while in the country;

    14. Stresses the fact that Azerbaijan will host COP29 on behalf of the UN Regional Group of Eastern European States, which includes EU Member States, and that they cannot allow the Azerbaijani Government to use the occasion to whitewash its image and human rights track record; demands that the organisers and the Member States make clear to the Azerbaijani authorities how important a thriving and independent civil society is to the conference’s success, and ensure that human rights, fundamental freedoms and the effective participation of civil society are guaranteed during the event;

    15. Calls for the EU and the Member States to prioritise, in line with Article 21 TEU, addressing Azerbaijan’s appalling human rights situation in their relations with the country and introducing stronger human rights conditions in the EU’s relations with Azerbaijan; calls for the EU’s economic and political ties with and support for Azerbaijan, including any cooperation on energy, to be made conditional on the release of all political prisoners, reform of laws and regulations governing NGOs and their funding, and the improvement of the overall human rights situation in the country; insists, in this regard, that the EU and the Member States suspend all energy trade relations with Azerbaijan, including the MoU on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy, and make any reinstatement conditional on meeting the above requirements;

    16. Calls on the Commission to investigate options for imposing targeted sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime on those individuals responsible for the grave and consistent human rights violations in Azerbaijan;

    17. Welcomes, separately, the ongoing negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan on all pending issues with the aim of concluding a peace treaty, and calls on both parties to remain fully committed to a lasting and peaceful settlement of the long-standing dispute, through dialogue and negotiations; believes that an agreement between these two countries needs to be negotiated in good faith and be based on the recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-use of force; recalls that, meanwhile, all rights of the Armenian minority in Azerbaijan must be safeguarded and calls for all prisoners of war to be released in line with the 1949 Third Geneva Convention;

    18. Urges the Commission and the Council to ensure the EU’s ability to credibly and effectively continue supporting the negotiations directed at a lasting peace for the benefit of all people in the region;

    19. Calls on Türkiye to take more diplomatic responsibility in the region by actively contributing to the promotion of peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and by playing a constructive role in facilitating a lasting and peaceful resolution of the conflict;

    20. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the European External Action Service, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the President and Parliament of Azerbaijan and the President, Prime Minister and Parliament of Armenia.

     

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI China: UN Security Council renews sanctions regime on Haiti

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The UN Security Council on Friday authorized the renewal for one year the sanctions regime on Haiti.

    The Security Council, by unanimously adopting resolution 2752, decided to continue a travel ban and asset freeze, and expand the scope of an arms embargo as well as the designation criteria for those measures initially established in October 2022 to quell rampant gang violence and restore security in the crisis-torn nation.

    The council decided that, with respect to those designated for sanctions, actions that threaten peace, security or stability of Haiti as set forth in council resolution 2653 (2022) include “engaging in activities that destabilize Haiti through the illicit exploitation or trade of natural resources.”

    It also decided that the scope of the arms embargo, which had been amended in council resolution 2699 (2023), shall include “arms and related material of all types,” as well as “technical assistance, training, financial or other assistance, related to military activities,” as initially stipulated in council resolution 2653.

    The council encouraged greater coordination among the Security Council Committee and its Panel of Experts, UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other regional frameworks, on the implementation of the sanctions, including arms embargo provisions.

    Further, the council decided to extend for a period of 13 months the mandate of the Panel of Experts, which was requested by the 15-member organ to report on the implementation of the resolution in its regular reporting to the council.

    The Security Council adopted Resolution 2653 in October 2022, which established a sanctions regime on Haiti. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Staff Concludes Visit to Honduras and Reaches Staff-Level Agreement

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    October 18, 2024

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff and the Honduran authorities have reached staff level agreement on a set of comprehensive policies and reforms needed to complete the first and second reviews of Honduras’ program supported by the IMF.
    • The authorities have made important progress under their program. Fiscal policy remains prudent, public investment continues to expand, and the authorities have recently begun normalizing monetary and exchange rate policies.
    • Strengthened budget execution, energy sector reforms, including to reduce the public power company’s arrears, and further adjustments to monetary and exchange rate policies remain key to safeguard macroeconomic stability and promote inclusive and sustained growth.

    Tegucigalpa, Honduras: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team led by Ricardo Llaudes visited Tegucigalpa during October 7-18, 2024. The mission was a continuation of presential and virtual discussions in recent months. At the conclusion of the visit, Mr. Llaudes issued the following statement:

    “The Honduran authorities and the IMF team have reached staff level agreement on the economic policies necessary to complete the first and second reviews of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangements. The IMF’s Executive Board is expected to consider the case in the coming weeks.

    “The team and the authorities concurred that the Honduran economy remains broadly resilient despite a still-challenging global environment and the impact of the El Niño climate shock. Robust growth has continued this year—projected close to 4 percent—and inflation has stabilized between 4½ and 5 percent, within the tolerance range around the BCH’s inflation objective. On the external front, international reserves levels remain adequate but have continued to decline this year owing to a variety of factors, including the severe drought in the first half of the year—hindering agricultural exports and increasing energy imports—and lower-than-expected multilateral and bilateral financing support.

    “The authorities have reiterated their strong commitment to implement a prudent macroeconomic policy mix to strengthen economic stability and to take prompt actions on all critical aspects of their economic reform program supported by the IMF to ensure program objectives are met. Policy discussions and program reforms revolved around five key pillars.

    “First, continued budgetary discipline to preserve debt sustainability. As in 2023, fiscal performance this year is expected to overperform program objectives, supported by solid tax revenues and strengthened public financial management. The authorities are planning additional measures to further bolster the fiscal position, including enhancing transparency in budget execution, further strengthening the Treasury Single Account, and modernizing the public procurement framework. Timely adoption of the 2025 budget in line with program objectives is essential to support the authorities’ fiscal efforts and public investment program.

    “Second, strengthened social spending to protect the most vulnerable. The authorities have faced capacity constraints in disbursing social support. These constraints are now being lifted, and the authorities agreed on the need to roll out more decisively monetary transfers under the flagship program Red Solidaria, accelerate completion of the census of urban households in extreme poverty, and finalize the Single Social Sector Information System to facilitate the design, monitoring, and transparency of Honduras’ social programs.

    “Third, decisive implementation of monetary and exchange rate policies to keep inflation low and safeguard international reserves. Following the global shocks of 2020-2023—including the COVID-19 pandemic, global commodity shocks, and climate events—the authorities have recently begun normalizing monetary and exchange policies. Key recent measures include an increase in reserve requirements, adjustments to the monetary policy rate (TPM), and a higher rate of crawl of the Lempira, in line with the crawling band regime. There was agreement on the need for additional tightening of the TPM to support demand for Lempira assets and continued decisive implementation of the crawling band regime to achieve a healthy and sustainable external position. The authorities agreed to stand ready to further adjust these policies as needed to ensure achievement of program objectives. Strong communication with the public and markets on these measures will be key to strengthen their effectiveness.

    “Fourth, improved health of the energy sector. The team was encouraged by the recent downward trend in electricity losses by the public power company ENEE. That said, it was agreed that continued reforms will be vital to underpin ENEE’s financial health. In the short run, the authorities agreed that reducing ENEE’s payment arrears through domestic bond issuances and enhancing coordination across relevant official stakeholders to tackle ENEE’s challenges are a priority. These measures are also essential to attract needed investment to expand generation capacity and guarantee adequate provision of energy. In parallel, the authorities committed to continue other structural reforms, including integration of ENEE’s three distribution units and upgrading of its financial accounting to international standards.

    “Fifth, steadfast commitment to fight corruption. The recent establishment of an asset declaration system for public level officials and a National Observatory of Transparency and Anticorruption are welcome. Continuing efforts to strengthen the AML/CFT framework ahead of the evaluation by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in 2026 are essential, including approval of the Beneficial Ownership Law and creation of a corresponding firm registry including beneficial ownership information. The authorities also committed to ensure the adoption of the Honduran National Transparency and Anti-Corruption Strategy (ENTAH) and continue to strengthen the public dialogue and participation of civil society.

    “The IMF team would like to thank the authorities, the private sector, and civil society for their kind hospitality and candid discussions.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Rosa A Hernandez

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/19/pr24384-imf-concludes-visit-to-honduras-and-reaches-staff-level-agreement

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell Announces $290,000 in New Funding to Fight Fentanyl Trafficking

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    10.18.24
    Cantwell Announces $290,000 in New Funding to Fight Fentanyl Trafficking
    Funding goes to Northwest HIDTA, which successfully seized nearly 5 million illicit fentanyl pills last year in WA
    EDMONDS, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program will receive $290,000 in new funding.
    “With overdose deaths continuing to rise in our state, the federal government is stepping up to help,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Northwest HIDTA seized nearly 5 million illicit fentanyl pills last year, and this funding will aid their successful work with more than 75 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies across 15 counties to disrupt drug traffickers. We must continue to support proven ways to address this crisis and keep this dangerous illicit drug out of our communities.”
    The funding comes from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, and is in addition to $5,031,349 in base funding allocated to Northwest HIDTA earlier this year.
    The HIDTA Program coordinates and assists federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies to address regional drug threats and reduce illicit drug production and trafficking.
    Sen. Cantwell has traveled across the State of Washington hearing from people in 10 communities on the front lines of the fentanyl crisis, including first responders, law enforcement, health care providers, and people with firsthand experience of fentanyl addiction. She’s using what she heard in those roundtables to craft and champion specific legislative solutions, including:
    The Stop Smuggling Illicit Synthetic Drugs on U.S. Transportation Networks Act, which would create first-ever inspection strategies to stop drug smuggling by commercial aircraft, railroads, vehicles, and ships. The legislation would boost state, local, and tribal local law enforcement resources,; deploy next generation non-intrusive detection technologies,  and increase inspections at ports of entry.
    The Opioid Overdose Data Collection Enhancement Act, which would which would direct the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants to states, units of local government, law enforcement task forces, and tribes to adopt and implement an overdose data collection program.
    The Fatal Overdose Reduction Act, which would expand an evidence-based, low-barrier fentanyl treatment pilot program across the United States; and
    The Fight Illicit Pill Presses Act, which would require that all pill presses be engraved with a serial number and impose penalties for the removal or alteration of the number.
    Sen. Cantwell’s other legislative actions to fight fentanyl include cosponsoring the FEND Off Fentanyl Act, a new law enacted earlier this year that will help U.S. government agencies disrupt opioid supply chains by imposing sanctions on traffickers and fighting money laundering.
    In addition, in March 2024, Sen. Cantwell voted for a series of federal funding bills allocating $1.69 billion to combat fentanyl and other illicit drugs coming into the United States, including an additional $385.2 million to increase security at U.S. ports of entry, with the goal of catching more illegal drugs like fentanyl before they make it across the border. Critical funding will go toward Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology at land and sea ports of entries. NII technologies—like large-scale X-ray and Gamma ray imaging systems, as well as a variety of portable and handheld technologies—allow U.S. Customs and Border Protection to help detect and prevent contraband from being smuggled into the country without disrupting flow at the border. The funding breakdown includes:
    $201 million for construction and infrastructure activities for drive-through NII deployment;
    $75.5 million for the Fentanyl Initiative for NII at ports of entry and for labs at eight ports of entry;
    $65.3 million to procure and deploy new NII detection devices;
    $14.4 million to procure advanced Computed Tomography scanners for deployment to mail and courier facilities;
    $12.6 million for artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities; and
    $12.1 million for system integration that brings together the use of the scanning, machine learning and other customs data.
    Sen. Cantwell also cosponsored and helped advance the TRANQ Research Act of 2023, which President Joe Biden signed into law last year. That measure will spur more research into xylazine and other novel synthetic drugs, by directing the National Institute of Standards and Technology to tackle these issues.
    A full timeline of Sen. Cantwell’s actions to combat the fentanyl crisis is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Appeal for information on missing man in Tsing Yi (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Police today (October 19) appealed to the public for information on a man who went missing in Tsing Yi.

         Lo Ka-leung, aged 67, went missing after he left his residence in Cheung On Estate yesterday (October 18) afternoon. His family made a report to Police on the same day.
       
         He is about 1.67 metres tall, 60 kilograms in weight and of thin build. He has a pointed face with yellow complexion and is bald with short black and white hair on both sides. He was last seen wearing a dark blue short-sleeved T-shirt, blue jeans, dark blue sport shoes and a grey cap.

         Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the missing man or may have seen him is urged to contact the Regional Missing Persons Unit of New Territories South on 3661 1174 or 6103 4963 or email to rmpu-nts-2@police.gov.hk, or contact any police station.      

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Allen & Overy top M&A legal adviser in Middle East & Africa during Q1-Q3 2024, finds GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Allen & Overy top M&A legal adviser in Middle East & Africa during Q1-Q3 2024, finds GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    Allen & Overy was the top mergers and acquisitions (M&A) legal adviser in the Middle East & African region during the first three quarters (Q1-Q3) of 2024 by value as well as volume, according to the latest Legal Advisers League Table, which ranks legal advisers by the value and volume of mergers and acquisition (M&A) deals on which they advised, by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database reveals that Allen & Overy achieved this leading position by advising on nine deals worth $9.7 billion.

    Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Allen & Overy was the top adviser by value during Q1-Q3 2023 and managed to retain its leadership position by this metric during Q1-Q3 2023 as well. Interestingly, despite experiencing a year-on-year fall in the total value of deals advised by it during Q1-Q3 2024, Allen & Overy outpaced its peers by a significant margin in terms of value. Meanwhile, its ranking by volume improved from second position during Q1-Q3 2023 to the top position during Q1-Q3 2024.”

    Bernitsas Law, Latham & Watkins and Simmons & Simmons collectively occupied the second position in terms of value, with each of them advising on $3.4 billion worth of deals, followed by Linklaters with $2.3 billion worth of deals advised.

    Meanwhile, White & Case occupied the second position in terms of volume with nine deals, followed by Webber Wentzel with six deals, ENSafrica with six deals, and Naschitz Brandes Amir with four deals.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Drug dealer with £1.5 million worth of property convicted after tireless Met investigation

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man with a multimillion pound property empire has been convicted for supplying drugs and money laundering as a result of proactive investigation by Met officers.

    Richard Baxter, 50 (20.07.1974), of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to the following offences at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, 18 October:

    • Conspiracy to supply Heroin
    • Conspiracy to supply Cocaine
    • Conspiracy to transfer criminal property – cash

    The conviction demonstrates the Met’s proactive work in tackling the crimes that matter most to London residents. The public regularly tell officers about their concerns of drug dealing within local communities, and how it can bring violence and anti-social behaviour into the neighbourhood. This is why the Met is working harder than ever to tackle these crimes.

    In August 2024, Spanish police arrested Baxter in Valencia and he was extradited back to the UK to be remanded in custody.

    As part of their investigation, specialist officers investigating criminal gangs operating in London discovered that Baxter was one of the key figures of a group smuggling hundreds of kilos of cocaine and heroin, before laundering money through various companies.

    As part of their investigation, officers discovered Baxter owned a home in Surrey, with a property empire across the south-east of England. All four properties and a holiday chalet with a total approximate value of £1.5m of houses have been seized as part of the investigation.

    Detective Constable David Lawn, who led the investigation, said: “We have zero-tolerance for anyone who engages in criminal activities and are committed to combat the sale of dangerous and illegal drugs which pose a threat to the public.

    “The Met are deploying specialist resources to tackle drug criminality and make the capital a safer place to live.

    “Baxter’s conviction sends out a strong message to those who seek to profit from illegal drug trade – you will be held accountable for your actions in front of the court.”

    Met officers are working alongside communities to crack down on individuals who supply drugs in London. As part of the Met’s drive to tackle issues that matter most to communities through our A New Met for London plan, officers are focusing on community crime fighting, acting on residents’ concerns, making London safer for those who live, work and raise a family in the capital.

    The supply of drugs has devastating consequences on communities across London and beyond – it causes addiction, having devastating health impacts, as well as leading to anti-social behaviour and violence.

    With the help of local communities sharing information, Met officers are acting swiftly to pursue those who seek to cause harm by supplying drugs.

    If you want to report a drugs crime, call 999 in an emergency, 101 or report online. Alternatively, this can be reported to the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

    Baxter has been remanded for sentencing at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday, 5 December.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Missing man in Tsing Yi located

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         A man who went missing in Tsing Yi has been located.

         Lo Ka-leung, aged 67, went missing after he left his residence in Cheung On Estate yesterday (October 18) afternoon. His family made a report to Police on the same day.

         The man returned to his residence this afternoon (October 19). He sustained no injuries and no suspicious circumstances were detected.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seven jailed following Peckham shootings thanks to work of Met detectives

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Seven men who “retaliated to violence with more violence” have been jailed for a total over 102 years following multiple shootings in Peckham in May 2023.

    Tyreke Smikle, 26, Kai Davis Francis, 25, Duan Correa, 21, Shaquille Marsh, 26, Tyreece Quartey, 25, Malachi David Francis, 21 and Timothy Newton, 18 appeared at the Central Criminal Court on Friday, 18 October.

    The investigation comes as part of the Met’s strategy to tackle firearms and make the capital safer.

    Met detectives launched an investigation into the group in May 2023 after an escalation of violence in the Peckham area.

    Officers pieced together the movements of the group, speaking to multiple witnesses and analysing hours’ worth of phone data and CCTV.

    Enquiries revealed how in the early hours of Sunday, 7 May an acquaintance of Smikle and Newton was stabbed in Peckham. The pair had visited the victim in hospital before going to collect a bag containing weapons. The two men then met with the rest of the group to form a ‘revenge plan’ for those who had assaulted their friend earlier that day.

    CCTV showed the group wearing balaclavas and all splitting up between three vehicles, including a stolen moped. Smikle was carrying a loaded shotgun and ammunition, while the others had machetes and knives.

    The groups’ two vehicles pursued a vehicle before Tyreke Smikle fired a shotgun through the driver’s window. The group then pull alongside another vehicle on a nearby street and fired a second time at a second victim. They continued to chase the car, which crashed and flipped over as it tried to drive away. As the third victim ran off, Tyreke Smikle chased him into a nearby garden and shot him in the leg at almost point blank range.

    Witnesses also later saw the group in the possession of a large machete.

    Thankfully, no one involved received life-threatening injuries.

    Detective Constable Luke Martinez, who led the investigation, said:

    “This group retaliated to violence with more violence, bringing a firearm and other weapons to the streets of London which could have seriously injured or killed someone.

    “These shootings took place during daylight hours, with one occurring just metres away from a mother and her child.

    “Today’s sentencing has taken dangerous individuals off the streets – I hope it serves as a stark warning to those seeking to threaten the safety of Londoners by brandishing such dangerous weapons.”

    When arresting Tyreke Smikle, officers the shotgun and a quantity of Class A drugs, as well as a stab-proof vest, a knife and burner phones.

    Tyreke Smikle was convicted of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm, two counts of wounding with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of a firearms and possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

    The remaining defendants were convicted of conspiracy to commit Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH).

    In addition to the conspiracy to commit Grievous Bodily Harm conviction, Kai Davis-Francis and Timothy Newton were convicted of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs.

    The group were sentenced to the following:

    Tyreke Smikle, 26 (20.03.1998) of Rupack Street, was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum term of 17 years and seven months.

    Kai Davis-Francis, 25 (18.09.1999) of Arngask Road, was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison.

    Timothy Newton, 18 (30.10.2005) of Brackley Avenue, was sentenced to nine years and six months in prison.

    Duan Correa, 21 (20.07.2003) of Nunhead Lane, was sentenced to 16 years in prison.

    Shaquille Marsh, 26 (19.01.1998) of Rainham South Road, was sentenced to 14 years and six months in prison.

    Tyreece Quartey, 25 (11.08.1999) of Woodmill Street, was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

    Malachi David Francis, 21 (31.05.2003) of Ivydale Road, was sentenced to 14 years and six months in prison.

    Smikle was also granted an indefinite Criminal Behaviour Order whilst the others were also given Criminal Behaviour Orders with fixed terms.

    Specialist detectives in the Met continue to pursue criminals who use guns and endanger the lives of others. Earlier this year, Met police announced a record low in firearms offences in the last fifteen years across London. Last year alone, 386 illegal firearms were seized across the capital – more than one a day. Since March 2023 there has been a reduction from 196 firearms offences to 145.

    Anyone with information relating to firearms or shootings is asked to call 101, while information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

    Breakdown of convictions

    Tyreke Smikle, 26 (20.03.1998) of Rupack Street, previously found guilty of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent and two counts of wounding with intent, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, possession of a firearm and possession with intent to supply class A drugs at a hearing at The Central Criminal Court on the 18 July 2024.

    Kai Davis-Francis, 25 (18.09.1999) of Arngask Road, previously was found guilty of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent at a hearing at The Central Criminal Court on the 18 July 2024.

    Timothy Newton, 18 (30.10.2005) of Brackley Avenue, previously was found guilty of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent at a hearing at The Central Criminal Court on the 18 July 2024.

    Duan Correa, 21 (20.07.2003) of Nunhead Lane, previously previously was found guilty of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent at a hearing at The Central Criminal Court on the 18 July 2024.

    Shaquille Marsh, 26 (19.01.1998) of Rainham South Road, previously was found guilty of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent at a hearing at The Central Criminal Court on the 18 July 2024.

    Tyreece Quartey, 25 (11.08.1999) of Woodmill Street, previously was found guilty of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent at a hearing at The Central Criminal Court on the 18 July 2024.

    Malachi David Francis, 21 (31.05.2003) of Ivydale Road, previously was found guilty of conspiracy to commit GBH with intent at a hearing at The Central Criminal Court on the 18 July 2024.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Serious Crash, Coronation Road, Morrinsville

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police are responding to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Coronation Road and Bank Street, Morrinsville.

    The crash was reported around 6:50pm.

    The Serious Crash Unit has been advised.

    The road is closed and diversions are in place at the intersections of Bank Street, Williams Avenue and North Road.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man jailed for gunpoint robbery and attempted robbery of two women

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who robbed a woman, and attempted to rob another woman, at gunpoint has been jailed after ­­­Met detectives worked with the victims to build a strong case against the defendant.

    Ismail Tajzai, 26, (29.01.98) of Moberly Road, SW4 appeared at Wood Green Crown Court on Friday, 18 October after he pleaded guilty to robbery, attempted robbery and two counts of having an imitation firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence, namely robbery.

    He also pleaded guilty to making a threat to kill, strangulation and perverting the course of justice.

    He was sentenced to 14 years in jail. and a restraining order was put in place banning him from contact with the two victims.

    The court heard Tajzai committed the offences on February 21 and 22 after arranging an appointment with two sex workers.

    In the first incident Tajzai produced a handgun, tied the woman up and then stole approximately £2,000 from her.

    The next day, Tajzai attempted to rob a second woman after producing the handgun, which he hit her with. He also attempted to strangle her after she fought back, before he fled.

    Detectives in Westminster launched an investigation and identified Tajzai’s DNA and fingerprints at the scene in Kensington.

    An extensive CCTV trawl was conducted, which provided facial imagery of Tajzai. The gun and cable ties were recovered at the time of his arrest in a backpack thrown from the balcony at his home address.

    Detective Constable Stephanie Clarke, of the Westminster Public Protection team, said: “This case demonstrates the support police will offer to all victims of crime in order to prosecute violent, dangerous men.

    “The defendant sought to exploit vulnerable sex workers, and deliberately aimed to commit crimes against a group of people whom he assumed were scared to report crimes to police.

    “I had first-hand experience during the investigation of how scared the victims were to report to police, out of fear of repercussions that could be caused to them. I would urge anyone else who has been the victim of similar crime to contact police and an investigation will be launched with specialist support for the victims.”

    Detective Inspective Luke Bacon, of the Westminster Public Protection team, said: “I would like to commend my officers for their dedication in identifying this particularly dangerous individual and the swift action they took to ensure his arrest and prosecution. This was a time-sensitive investigation, and I firmly believe that if it were not for the actions they took, more attacks would have occurred.

    “I would also like to reserve particular praise for the victims involved in this terrifying case. They showed immense bravery in coming forward to report to the police in the first instance, and in doing so they have ensured that this dangerous individual was caught, prosecuted and convicted.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Jury Convicts Klamath Falls Man Who Kidnapped and Sexually Assaulted Two Women and Held One in Cell

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MEDFORD, Ore.— A federal jury found a Klamath Falls, Oregon man guilty after he kidnapped and sexually assaulted two women, and held one in a cell he constructed in his garage.

    Negasi Zuberi, 30, also known as Justin Joshua Hyche, was found guilty of kidnapping, transporting a victim for criminal sexual activity, and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

    According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, while in Seattle, Zuberi posed as a police officer and used a taser and handcuffs to detain his victim in the backseat of his vehicle. Zuberi then transported the victim approximately 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls, stopping along the way to sexually assault her.

    When Zuberi arrived at his residence, he moved the victim from his vehicle into a cell he had constructed in his garage. The woman repeatedly banged on the cell door until it broke open and she escaped. The victim retrieved a handgun from Zuberi’s vehicle, fled his garage, and flagged down a passing motorist who called 911.

    The next day, on July 16, 2023, Reno Police Department officers and Nevada State Patrol officers located Zuberi in a parking lot in Reno, Nevada. After a short standoff, Zuberi surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody.

    While investigating Zuberi’s crimes, federal agents discovered that approximately six weeks prior to the kidnapping in Seattle, on May 6, 2023, Zuberi kidnapped and sexually assaulted another victim. While being held by Zuberi, his first victim observed stacked cinder blocks in his garage that he later used to construct the cell where he detained his second victim.

    On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Zuberi with kidnapping and transporting a victim with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Later, on February 15, 2024, a second kidnapping charge and charges for illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and attempted escape were added by superseding indictment.

    Kidnapping is punishable by up to life in federal prison and transporting a victim across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity by up to 10 years. Illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, and attempted escape are punishable by up to 15 years.

    This case was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office, Klamath Falls Police Department, and Oregon State Police with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada; Klamath County District Attorney’s Office; Reno, Nevada Police Department; Washoe County, Nevada District Attorney’s Office; and Nevada State Police. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Marco A. Boccato, and Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with assistance from Appellate Chief Suzanne Miles, also of the District of Oregon.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI Seeks Public Assistance in Locating Missing Montana Child

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News

    Montana – The FBI is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Sa’Wade Birdinground, a 13-year-old member of the Crow Tribe, who has been missing since October 6, 2024.

    There have been no known contacts with her family or friends since she disappeared. Sa’Wade has been described as a quiet, kind and artistic child who likes to laugh. Sa’Wade is well liked by her peers and teachers. She has never run away from home or been in any serious trouble. Her disappearance from home is totally out of character for her, and her family is very concerned about her. A Missing Endangered Person Advisory (MEPA) has been issued by the Montana Department of Justice due to concerns for her safety.

    “We are doing everything we can to bring Sa’Wade home safely. The community’s help is crucial at this time, and we urge anyone with information to come forward immediately,” said Jeramie Middlestead, Big Horn County Sheriff. “Sa’Wade’s family is deeply worried, and any information, no matter how small, can make a difference.”

    “The FBI is working closely with local law enforcement to find Sa’Wade Birdinground,” said Rhys Williams, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Division. “We are asking for the public’s assistance in locating her, and we won’t stop until we have answers. If you have any information, please contact us.”

    Based on the investigation thus far and the length of time that she has been missing, we are taking this case very seriously and chasing down every lead. Investigators are searching, canvassing multiple neighborhoods, and interviewing members of our community. We urge anyone with information to please call 406-665-9798. Any details, no matter how small, could assist in bringing her home safely.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Yukon — The Yukon RCMP wishes to inform the public of the arrest of the alleged perpetrator of the offences committed in Mayo (Yukon)

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Yukon RCMP would like to advise the public that the perpetrator believed to have committed the offences in Mayo, Yukon related to the home invasion and sexualized assault, including the stolen vehicle, has been arrested. The stolen vehicle was located. More details will be released at a later date. Mayo RCMP would like to thank the public for all their assistance with this investigation.

    Our thoughts are with the victim at this time. Please consider the following supports available in the Yukon if you or someone you know may be in need.

    SART: The Yukon’s Sexualized Assault Response Team (SART) provides a safe and confidential network of services focused on the needs and choices of individuals. SART is available to people of all genders, ages, and sexual orientations who have experienced sexualized assault.

    Website: https://yukon.ca/en/sartyukon/home

    Phone: 1-844-967-7275 (available 24/7)

    Victim Services: Victim Services provides services and help for victims of sexualized violence and all other crimes, regardless of whether or not the victim has reported the crime, a charge has been laid, or there has been a conviction.

    Website: https://yukon.ca/en/legal-and-social-supports/supports-victims-crime/find-out-about-victim-services

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Case Announces $40 Million Federal Grant To Improve Resiliency Of O‘ahu Power Grid Serving Both Military And Civilian Communities

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ed Case (Hawai‘i – District 1)

    (Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Ed Case (D-HI-01) today announced that a $40 million grant funded by the landmark 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) will develop a back-up power source for O‘ahu’s electric grid, providing resiliency to both military and civilian communities in the event of disruptions from various sources. 

    The federal grant award will fund the Pu‘uloa Microgrid and Backbone Project, a partnership between the U.S. Navy, Hawaiian Electric and Ameresco, Inc.

    “I strongly advocated for this project with the U.S. Department of Energy when the partnership applied for funding under the Department’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program,” said Case.  

    “Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPHH) plays a critical role in promoting national security throughout the Pacific theater. Especially given its importance, the Department of the Navy has identified energy resilience gaps that could significantly impact JBPHH’s ability to respond to and recover from grid outages. Further, new state and federal policy directives have required the Department of the Navy to improve resilience and reduce carbon emissions from the installation. 

    “As the U.S. Congressman in whose district JBPHH is located and a member of the House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense, I have focused on the installation’s grid challenges and the potential for disruption of service to our civilian communities as well, and on assuring available funding to address these issues. This GRIP funding is critical to enabling this project to succeed.”

    “We are thrilled to be chosen for the Department of Energy’s GRIP program,” said Nicole Bulgarino, Executive Vice President at Ameresco. “Partnering with the U.S. Navy and Hawaiian Electric Company on the groundbreaking Pu`uloa Microgrid project will not only enhance energy resilience and reliability for Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, but also provide significant benefits to the broader O‘ahu community. This project exemplifies our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and community engagement.”

    According to the project description, the Pu`uloa Microgrid will detect the loss of power during grid outages, disconnect from the broader grid and direct power from Pu`uloa Energy to support JBPHH’s national security needs while maintaining civilian community service. During a full island outage, the system will provide black start capabilities. The project will also improve power quality to JBPHH and the local grid through ancillary services such as frequency response and voltage support. 

    Pu`uloa Microgrid is designed to strengthen the grid and improve resilience by increasing or establishing interconnections between Hawaiian Electric substations at JBPHH with new 46 kV transmission infrastructure that will be integrated into the microgrid control system and utilize state of the art smart grid technologies.

    “Since 2021 I have been working hard to ensure that my government and community partners throughout Hawai‘i are aware of project and funding availability from both the $1.2 trillion BIL, as well as from the $500 billion Inflation Reduction Act (which Congress passed in August 2022). Together these two landmark measures are addressing our country’s most pressing infrastructure needs including those arising from climate change,” said Case.

    ·      Details of the project can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mings Bight — Missing person: Help the RCMP find Barry Everett Pinksen

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Springdale RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 54-year-old Barry Everett Pinksen who was last seen yesterday evening in Mings Bight.

    Pinksen is described as 5’10 and approximately 180 lbs. He has hazel eyes and is balding. Pinksen was last seen wearing army green camo pants and a multi-coloured shirt.

    At this time, investigators believe Pinksen may be driving a blue Honda Civic with Newfoundland and Labrador licence plate JOV042.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Barry Everett Pinksen is asked to contact the Springdale RCMP at 709-673-3864 or your local police. To remain anonymous, call Newfoundland and Labrador Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at http://www.nlcrimestoppers.com, or use the P3 Tips app.

    File #: 2024-1547863

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: New Report on Circumstances Resulting in UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld’s Death in 1961

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    A new report concerning the investigation into the conditions and circumstances resulting in fatal crash in 1961that killed then-United Nations Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld assesses it to remain plausible that an external attack or threat was a cause, a United Nations spokesman said today. The report, written by the designated Eminent Person, Mohamed Chande Othman, notes that the alternative hypotheses that appear to remain available are that the crash resulted from sabotage, or unintentional human error. Spokesman Farhan Haq said the Secretary-General calls for renewed resolve and commitment to pursue the full truth of what happened on that fateful night in 1961.

    ————————–

    One of the most enduring mysteries in United Nations history – the 1961 plane crash that killed Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and all on board as he sought to broker peace in the Congo – will linger on, with a new assessment announced today (18 Oct) suggesting that “specific and crucial” information continues to be withheld by a handful of Member States.

    According to the UN’s Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, “significant new information” has been submitted to the inquiry for this latest update.

    This included probable intercepts by Member States of communications related to the crash, the capacity of Katanga’s armed forces, or others, to mount an attack on SE-BDY and the involvement of foreign paramilitary or intelligence personnel in the area at the time.

    It also included additional new information relevant to the context and surrounding events of 1961.

    Over the years, the UN General Assembly has mandated a series of inquiries into the death of Hammarskjöld and those of his party. The most recent, in December 2022, was led by Mohamed Chande Othman, former Chief Justice of Tanzania, with the formal title of “Eminent Person.”

    Othman, Haq said, “assesses it to remain plausible that an external attack or threat was a cause of the crash,” and “notes that the alternative hypotheses that appear to remain available are that the crash resulted from sabotage or unintentional human error.”

    However, Haq continued, Othman assessed so far that it is “almost certain” specific, crucial and so far undisclosed information exists in the archives of Member States.

    He noted that Othman has not received, to date, specific responses to his queries from some Member States believed to be holding useful information.

    Haq said, “the Secretary-General has personally followed up on [Mr. Othman’s] outstanding requests for information and calls upon Member States to release any relevant records in their possession,” and added that “with significant progress having been made, the Secretary-General calls on all of us to renew our resolve and commitment to pursue the full truth of what happened on that fateful night in 1961.”

    Appointed at just 47 years old, Hammarskjöld of Sweden remains the youngest UN Secretary-General.

    Widely regarded as a visionary diplomat and reformer, Hammarskjöld is credited with strengthening the role of the newly established UN during a period of intense global tensions, including the drive to decolonise Africa and Asia.

    His leadership was pivotal during the tumultuous events of 1956. He led a ceasefire mission to the Middle East and continued through the Suez crisis, where he helped negotiate the withdrawal of foreign forces from Egypt and oversaw the deployment of the Organization’s first emergency peacekeeping mission, the UN Emergency Force.

    Hammarskjöld was known for his integrity and dedication to public service, earning the Nobel Peace Prize for developing the UN into an effective and constructive international organization capable of giving life to the principles and aims expressed in the UN Charter.

    Hammarskjöld served as Secretary-General from April 1953 until his death aged 56, when the chartered Douglas DC6 aircraft he was travelling in with others, registered as SE-BDY, crashed shortly after midnight on 17-18 September 1961, near Ndola, then in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).

    He was en route to negotiate a ceasefire between UN peacekeepers and separatists from the breakaway Congolese region of Katanga, and possibly even a peace agreement encompassing the whole of newly independent Congo.

    Fourteen of the 15 passengers died on impact, and the sole survivor succumbed to their injuries a few days later.

    An initial inquiry by Rhodesian authorities reportedly attributed the crash to pilot error but the finding was disputed.

    On Friday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres transmitted Othman’s latest report to the Assembly.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqA7GqfAIPY

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Replacing America’s aging pipelines

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    Aging, leak-prone natural gas pipes are bad for safety, bad for the environment, and bad for energy bills.

    That’s why President Biden and Vice President Harris are investing in replacing outdated pipelines. With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we’re supporting communities nationwide with new projects that will protect public safety and keep down energy costs for hundreds of thousands of Americans.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh9oT2I9Fao

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – German authorities’ extradition of Maja T. to Hungary – E-001970/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001970/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Ilaria Salis (The Left), Martin Schirdewan (The Left)

    On 28 June 2024, German authorities extradited Maja T. to Hungary, despite the German Federal Constitutional Court’s decision to halt the extradition. On 2 August 2024, the court raised ‘considerable concerns’ regarding the compatibility of this extradition with requirements for effective legal protection, and expressed doubts as to whether Maja T.’s rights would be adequately protected in Hungarian custody.

    • 1.Is the Commission aware of the case of Maja T., and engaging, or planning to engage, with the German and/or Hungarian authorities regarding this matter and in relation to the implementation of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW)?
    • 2.How does the Commission evaluate the extradition of Maja T. by the German authorities, particularly in relation to Article 15(2) of the EAW Framework Decision[1], given Maja T.’s right to a fair trial under the Charter, given that Maja T. is non-binary, and the concerns of systemic and generalised deficiencies in the rule of law in Hungary raised in the Commission’s July 2024 Rule of Law Report?
    • 3.Hungary is facing challenges with overcrowding in prisons (ECtHR pilot judgment Varga and Others v Hungary and NGO reports[2]). Is the Commission aware of this situation, and what steps does it plan to take, also in light of the Commission Recommendation of 8 December 2022 on procedural rights of suspects and accused persons subject to pre-trial detention and on material detention conditions[3]?

    Submitted: 7.10.2024

    Last updated: 21 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Turtleford — Turtleford RCMP seek public assistance locating missing 33-year-old man

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Turtleford RCMP is seeking the public’s assistance to help locate 33-year-old Kristian Klassan. Kristian was last seen Friday at a residence in Turtleford. He may be in the Macklin/Unity or Turtleford areas, but this is not confirmed.

    Kristian is described as being 6’1″ tall with a slim build, blue eyes and he shaved his head since the attached photo was taken, so he currently has no hair. He was last seen wearing a red shirt with a Fireball logo on it, tan pants, blue runners and baseball hat. He has a black sleeve tattoo on his left arm. He may be driving a silver 2002 Nissan Pathfinder with SK license 443 NKC and a missing front bumper.

    If you have seen Kristian or know where he is, contact Turtleford RCMP at 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or http://www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chiasson Office  — Have you seen this stolen ATV?

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Lamèque RCMP is asking for the public’s help to locate a stolen all-terrain vehicle (ATV) from Chiasson Office, N.B.

    The theft is believed to have occurred sometime between October 11, 2024, and the afternoon of October 14, 2024, at a residence on Chiasson Road, in Chiasson Office.

    The ATV is described as a grey 2012 Can-Am Outlander 650 Max XT with New Brunswick licence plate YE2884, and vehicle identification number 3JBEPXJ18CJ000464.

    If you have seen the ATV since the night of October 11, or if you have information that could help further the investigation, please contact the Lamèque RCMP at 506-344-2006. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips at http://www.crimenb.ca.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Pharmaceutical Executive Sentenced for Falsifying Financial Documentation

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

    DETROIT – A Northville man was sentenced Tuesday to one year and one day in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, for providing a financial institution with false documentation in connection with a bank loan, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

    Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division

    Theodore Toloff, 65, entered his guilty plea in January before United States District Judge David M. Lawson.

    According to court records, Toloff served as the Chief Financial Officer of the Frank W. Kerr Company (“Kerr”), a now-defunct pharmaceutical wholesaler that was based in Novi, Michigan. Kerr had a revolving credit agreement with two large financial institutions under which the company borrowed funds up to $60 million pursuant to a calculation dependent on the company’s eligible accounts receivable and inventory. Toloff admitted that he submitted false documentation to the financial institutions that included $18 million in ineligible accounts receivable and that Kerr borrowed additional funds after this false documentation was submitted.   The Court found that Toloff’s criminal conduct caused Kerr’s lenders to sustain a loss of $1.3 million, which Toloff was also ordered to pay back to the lenders as restitution.

    “Corporate executives should be held to the same standard of honesty as anyone else when they interact with lending institutions,” stated United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison. “When individuals lie to lenders, those lies cause loans to become more difficult and more expensive for honest consumers and businesses to access. My office is committed to ensuring that those who engage in dishonest financial crimes are held accountable.”

    “The defendant admitted to providing false documents to a financial institution, undermining the laws and integrity of our financial systems, said Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the FBI in Michigan. “The FBI works tirelessly with our law enforcement partners and regulatory agencies to investigate those who commit financial crimes. If you believe you have information related to financial crimes, I urge the public to submit tips on alleged crimes such as those detailed in this case to 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or online at tips.fbi.gov.”

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew J. Yahkind. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of investigation.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to Three Fentanyl Overdose Deaths

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

    KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to distributing fentanyl, which resulted in three overdose deaths in Belton and Raymore, Mo., as part of a drug-trafficking conspiracy.

    Tiger Dean Draggoo, 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and three counts of distributing fentanyl resulting in death.

    By pleading guilty today, Draggoo admitted that he distributed fentanyl on Sept. 3, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Draggoo admitted that he distributed fentanyl between Aug. 22 and Sept. 13, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person. Draggoo admitted that he distributed fentanyl between Dec. 7 and 20, 2022, the use of which caused the death of another person.

    Draggoo also admitted that the government’s evidence of the total amount of drugs he is responsible for distributing or possessing is at least 22,364 pills that contained a total of 2,460 grams of fentanyl.

    Victim #1 Fatality

    On Sept. 4, 2022, Cass County, Mo., sheriff’s deputies found a juvenile, identified in court documents as “Victim #1,” deceased in her bedroom. An autopsy report identified “Fentanyl Intoxication” as the cause of death. Investigators determined that Draggoo was selling fentanyl pills to the victim and had supplied her with fentanyl pills on the evening of Sept. 3, 2022.

    Victim #2 Fatality

    On Sept. 13, 2022, a deceased person, identified in court documents as “Victim #2,” was found in the Belton residence where she lived with her mother. A blue pill was found in her bedroom, which was tested and determined to contain fentanyl. An autopsy report identified the cause of death as “Acute Fentanyl Toxicity.” Investigators learned that Draggoo was selling fentanyl pills to Victim #2. Draggoo typically would drop off pills near midnight at Victim #2’s bedroom window, and cell phone GPS information indicated Draggoo was in the area of Victim #2’s residence at approximately 12:20 a.m on Sept. 13, 2022.

    Attempted Arrest of Draggoo

    On Sept. 22, 2022, law enforcement officers conducted surveillance of Draggoo’s apartment and attempted to arrest him. Draggoo got into a Jeep Renegade driven by his brother, co-defendant Colt Justin Draggoo, 21, of Kansas City, Mo. Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop of the vehicle, but the vehicle fled. Tiger and Colt Draggoo later returned to the apartment complex, but when an officer drove into the parking lot, Tiger Draggoo ran into the apartment building and was able to escape.

    Colt Draggoo was arrested. Officers found a loaded Springfield Armory 9mm handgun sitting on the driver’s seat of the Jeep. A laundry bag in the back seat contained two fire safes that had a total of $184,500 in cash. Colt Draggoo has pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy.

    Officers searched Tiger Draggoo’s apartment and found 17 firearms, including two machine guns, ammunition of various calibers, $246,769 in cash, a ballistic vest with plates, a money counter, numerous pills that contained fentanyl, eight suspected LSD tabs, and marijuana. The 17 firearms included a Del-Ton 5.56-caliber rifle (converted into a machine gun), a Glock switch (used to convert a Glock pistol into a machine gun), three Marlin .22-caliber rifles, a Norinco 7.62-caliber rifle, a Mosin-Nagant rifle, an Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 .223-caliber rifle, a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun, an Armscorp USA .308-caliber rifle, a Century Arms 7.62-caliber rifle, a Herbert Schmidt .22-caliber revolver, a New England Firearms .22-caliber revolver, a Kimber 9mm pistol, a Glock 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a Metro Arms .45-caliber pistol.

    Victim #3 Fatality

    On Dec. 20, 2022, Raymore police officers were dispatched to a residence in Raymore regarding a non-breathing female, identified in court documents as Victim #3. Victim #3 was transported to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased. A small jewelry box in Victim #3’s bedroom contained three broken segments of a blue pill that were tested and determined to contain fentanyl. An autopsy report identified the cause of death as “Acute Fentanyl Toxicity.” Investigators learned that Tiger Draggoo had been selling fentanyl to Victim #3 since as early as May 31, 2022. The last Facebook Messengers conversation between Tiger Draggoo and Victim #3 occurred on Dec. 7, 2022, when they agreed to meet and an amount of $50 was agreed upon.

    Arrest of Draggoo

    Tiger Draggoo was arrested at his residence on Jan. 20, 2023. Tiger Draggoo was in possession of almost $2,000 in cash in his billfold and pockets. Officers searched Tiger Draggoo’s apartment and recovered pills from the toilet. Officers also found suspected psilocybin mushrooms, 144 grams of yellow THC wax, and more than $62,000 in additional cash. Officers searched Tiger Draggoo’s Honda Accord and found three handguns, a Palmetto State Armory multi-caliber rifle, an unregistered short-barreled 12-gauge shotgun, and $1,250 in cash. Officers searched his girlfriend’s Jeep Renegade, which was located at the apartment complex, and found a backpack that contained more than $82,000 in cash.

    Under federal statutes, Tiger Draggoo is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

    This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Raymore, Mo., Police Department, the Cass County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Governments helping fruit sector seek new opportunities

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    $4.4 million investment enabling fruit growers to meet consumer demand

    Oct. 21, 2024 – Toronto, Ontario  –  Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    The governments of Canada and Ontario are helping 128 apple, tender fruit, and table grape producers grow more popular and hardy varieties of produce. The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative, with funding through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), is supporting these projects through a $4.4 million investment.

    Growers are replanting more than 94 acres of apples and more than 60 acres of tender fruit and table grapes. The range of fruit varieties being planted are considered by the sector to have greater appeal with changing consumer tastes, and are more resilient to increase yield, improve hardiness, and enhance resistance to pests and diseases. This includes fruits such as Coral Star and Summer Serenade peaches and Gala and Honeycrisp apples.

    The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative is a 3-year, $8 million initiative providing eligible fruit producers with cost-share funding to purchase vines or trees of popular fruit varieties. Applications are still being accepted for tender fruit, table grapes and wine grapes. Under the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative, eligible producers can receive 75% of cost-share funding for plants.

    The Sustainable CAP is a 5-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60% federally and 40% provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories. 

    Quotes

    “Ontario’s fruit producers are vitally important to Canada’s agriculture sector. The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative will help them stay competitive and increase their resiliency, while ensuring folks have access to the locally grown fruit they enjoy.”

    – The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. 

    “In its first year, the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative is already helping Ontario fruit producers to be more competitive, so they can provide and market more popular products for consumers to enjoy,” said Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “Supporting agri-food production is part of our Grow Ontario Strategy, and it’s helping to drive economic growth in Ontario’s $50 billion agri-food sector.”

    – Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

    Quick facts

    • Agricorp is delivering the Growing Future Opportunities Initiative. 

    • The Growing Future Opportunities Initiative is helping Ontario reach the goals outlined in the Grow Ontario Strategy, which include increasing the consumption and production of food grown and prepared in the province by 30% by 2032.

    • Building sector capacity and growth through realizing the potential of value-added agri-food and agri-products were among the top priorities set for Sustainable CAP by the federal-provincial-territorial agricultural ministers in The Guelph Statement.

    • For more information about OMAFA programs and services, contact the Agricultural Information Contact Centre (AICC) by phone at 1-877-424-1300 or by email at ag.info.omafa@ontario.ca.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For media:

    Annie Cullinan
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
    annie.cullinan@agr.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
    Ottawa, Ontario
    613-773-7972
    1-866-345-7972
    aafc.mediarelations-relationsmedias.aac@agr.gc.ca
    Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
    Web: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    Makena Mahoney
    Minister’s Office
    Makena.Mahoney@ontario.ca

    Meaghan Evans
    Communications Branch
    OMAFRA.media@ontario.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: First Lady Cathy Justice places 39th Friends With Paws therapy dog in Barbour County

    Source: US State of West Virginia

    CategoriesEnglish, MIL OSI, US State Governments, US State of West Virginia

    BELINGTON, WV — First Lady Cathy Justice visited Belington Middle School today for an assembly to celebrate the arrival of the state’s newest therapy dog through the Friends With Paws program. The dog introduced at today’s event is a female Golden Retriever, named Gia.

    “We are so excited to welcome Gia to Belington Elementary and Middle School,” said First Lady Cathy Justice. “As the 39th therapy dog through the Friends With Paws program, she will bring so much love and comfort to our students, helping them feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. Gia will be a wonderful addition to the school family, and we look forward to seeing all the positive impacts she’ll bring to the lives of students and staff.”
    Several Barbour County school officials were in attendance to help celebrate Gia’s arrival.

    “We are incredibly grateful to First Lady Cathy Justice for gifting us with Gia, our new therapy dog,” said Eddie Vincent, Superintendent of Barbour County Schools. “Gia will be a wonderful addition to our school community, providing comfort, support, and a sense of joy to our students and staff. This generous gift underscores the importance of nurturing not only the minds but also the hearts of our students, and we are excited to see the positive impact Gia will have on everyone she meets.”

    The Friends With Paws program places certified therapy dogs in several schools across the state, providing companionship and comfort for students in need of a boost. As of today, a total of 39 Friends With Paws therapy dogs, including Gia, have been placed throughout the state.
    Therapy dogs are specially trained to provide comfort and support to people in various tense environments. They can help people feel at ease, improve their mood, relieve anxiety, and remove social barriers. Friends With Paws therapy dogs are highly trained and certified to show their ability to work in stressful environments, ignore distractions, and provide therapy to people with diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

    Barbour County Communities In Schools County Contact, Chris Derico, has worked for weeks with the Office of First Lady Justice, ensuring that the school students and staff are prepared for Gia’s arrival, “We are thrilled to welcome our new therapy dog to the Communities In Schools program at Belington Elementary and Middle Schools. This addition will provide invaluable emotional support to our students, creating a more nurturing and calming environment. The presence of Gia will help us build stronger connections with students, reduce stress, and promote positive mental health, making a lasting impact on their educational journey and overall well-being.”

    Following today’s assembly, students and staff had the chance to greet Gia.
    “We are thrilled to have Gia join the Belington Elementary family,” said Principal of Belington Elementary, Cindy Sigley. “Gia will not only brighten our hallways but also help foster an environment where kids will want to come. We can’t wait for Gia to stroll the halls of Belington Elementary School.”

    “We are excited to welcome our new therapy dog to Belington Middle School,” said Ben Shew, Principal of Belington Middle School. “This addition of Gia to our school will enhance both the mental health and academic success of our students.”

    The Friends With Paws program is a partnership between the Governor’s Office, West Virginia Communities In Schools (CIS) Nonprofit, and the West Virginia Department of Education. Therapy dogs are placed in schools within CIS counties where students are disproportionately affected by poverty, substance misuse, or other at-risk situations, and are in the greatest need of a support animal. The dogs serve as a healthy and friendly outlet for these students to address trauma and other social-emotional issues.
     
    More information about Friends With Paws can be found in Communities In Schools: Friends With Paws, a documentary produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Click HERE to view the documentary.
     
    A 2019 study published by the National Institute of Health found that a dog’s presence in the classroom promotes a positive mood and provides significant anti-stress effects on the body.

    In addition, research shows that the simple act of petting animals releases an automatic relaxation response. Therapy animals’ lower anxiety and help people relax, provide comfort, reduce loneliness, and increase mental stimulation. They are also shown to lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health, reduce the number of medications some people need, help control breathing in those with anxiety, and diminish overall physical pain, among other profound benefits.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Girls from the Faculty of Economics are the best volleyball players of NSU

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

    Eight faculties took part in the women’s volleyball championship, which is included in the NSU Spartakiad. This year, the system of the competition was changed, so they played according to the Olympic program “with elimination”. As a result of the draw, pairs were determined. The losers were immediately eliminated, and the winners entered the semi-finals.

    The final match for 1st place between the EF and MMF teams turned out to be very intriguing. It was impossible to determine the winner until the end of the meeting, the girls fought equally, and only at the very last moment of the third game did the economists take the lead. The score of the games was 25:17, 17:25 and 16:14.

    As a result, the places were distributed as follows: 1st place – Faculty of Economics: Anna Remus, Anna Kuzminova, Anastasia Turaeva, Maria Kuminova, Ksenia Kopylova, Darima Bayartueva, Svetlana Ushakova, Ulyana Molodtsova and Ksenia Rekunova 2nd place – Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics: Maria Bykovskaya, Polina Alekseeva, Asiya Golomolzina, Anastasia Trofimova, Anastasia Nagaeva, Alena Perevalskaya, Anastasia Snigur and Anastasia Moshkova 3rd place – Higher College of Informatics: Victoria Retyeva, Olga Vitmer, Sofia Kochetkova, Darya Kislaya, Polina Krokhova and Polina Efstifeeva 4th place – Institute of Philosophy and Law 5-8th places – Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Geology and Geophysics, Faculty of Philosophy and Law

    Anna Remus (EF) was recognized as the best player of the tournament.

    We congratulate the team of economists and wish them good luck and success in the upcoming Festival among the faculties of the Novosibirsk Region Universities. We thank the teachers of KaffV Svetlana and Vladimir Krylov for the excellent organization of the tournament.

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –