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Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on the Rights of the Child Holds Sixteenth Informal Meeting with States

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Rights of the Child this afternoon held its sixteenth informal meeting with States.  Committee Experts discussed the Committee’s draft general comment on realising children’s rights through access to justice and effective remedies, its communication and simplified reporting procedures, and its work on artificial intelligence and on children in armed conflict, among other topics. 

    Ann Marie Skelton, Committee Chair, opening the meeting, said since the last meeting with States, the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was marked in 2024 by many commemorations across the world, highlighting the global dedication to children’s rights. The Committee had not considered it to be a good moment to celebrate children’s rights, which were under much pressure from around the world, including due to gang violence and conflict. However, the Convention demonstrated a common commitment to upholding and advancing the rights of children. States that were in situations of armed conflict still came to the Committee for the dialogues, including during the last year, where difficult but constructive conversations had been held. 

    Also providing opening statements were Committee Experts Hynd Ayoubi Idrissi, Benoit Van Keirsbilck, Sopio Kiladze and Mikiko Otani. 

    Finland, Mexico, South Africa, Chile, Ukraine, Luxembourg and Pakistan participated in the discussion.

    Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here.  The programme of work of the Committee’s ninety-eighth session and other documents related to the session can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public on Friday, 31 January, at 5 p.m. to adopt its concluding observations and recommendations on the reports of Slovakia, Eritrea, Honduras, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Peru, the Gambia and Ecuador, which were reviewed during the session, and publicly close the ninety-eighth session.

    Opening Statements by Committee Experts

    ANN MARIE SKELTON, Committee Chair, said since the last meeting with States, the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was marked in 2024 by many commemorations across the world, highlighting the global dedication to children’s rights.  The Committee had not considered it to be a good moment to celebrate children’s rights, which were under much pressure from around the world, including due to gang violence and conflict.  However, the Convention demonstrated a common commitment to upholding and advancing the rights of children.  States that were in situations of armed conflict still came to the Committee for the dialogues, including during the last year, where difficult but constructive conversations had been held. 

    Since the last meeting with States, the status of ratification of and accession to the Convention had not changed; the Convention had been ratified or acceded to by all States except the United States. There had only been one new ratification of one of the Committee’s Optional Protocols during the last year, with Kazakhstan ratifying the Optional Protocol on the communications procedure. Since the last meeting, the Committee had not received any new initial reports under the two substantive Optional Protocols; 36 initial reports were still overdue under the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict, and 46 were overdue under the Optional Protocol on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.

    The Committee had reviewed 23 States party reports since the last meeting with States.  The cancellation of the pre-sessional working group due to the liquidity crisis had slowed down the backlog of reports, which would be 62 at the end of the session. 

    In August 2024, the Committee signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child to further strengthen the cooperation between the two Committees.  In June 2024, a joint statement was issued with that Committee on the situation of children in armed conflict, with a particular focus on education.  The Committee also took concrete steps to strengthen its cooperation with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Children in Armed Conflict and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, by signing cooperation agreements with their two offices.

    Ms. Skelton said the Committee was frustrated at the late announcement and cancellation of the pre-session due to the liquidity crisis.  It meant that some States that had been scheduled were unable to attend.  Treaty body strengthening had reached a key moment with the adoption of the treaty body resolution in December 2024.  The Committee would continue to discuss the possibility of adopting a predictable calendar during 2025.  The discontinuance of meetings in hybrid or online format had a negative impact on the participation of civil society organizations, national human rights institutions, and United Nations agencies in the Committee’s work, preventing the Committee from engaging with children around the world. The support of States to ensure the continuation of the meetings would be appreciated. 

    HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert, speaking on inquiries relating to the Optional Protocol on communications, said the Committee would continue with a normal follow-up as described in the Optional Protocol.  There had been two investigations, one with a country visit and one which was duly completed, with the report currently being adopted.  The Committee had completed two requests to undertake investigations but would not initiate investigations on the requests received. 

    BENOIT VAN KEIRSBILCK, Committee Expert, said currently 52 States had ratified the Optional Protocol on individual communications, but the rate and level of ratification remained low, and this should be improved.  The Committee encouraged States to ratify the Optional Protocol and to provide legal avenues for children to address violations of child rights.  Around 259 cases had been registered and 163 decisions had been adopted.  When views were adopted, in the majority of cases, the Committee found a violation of children’s rights, but there were numerous cases where a positive solution had been found for the child.  The Committee’s jurisprudence showed how the Convention had contributed to children’s rights, with the climate change case being a notable example. 

    The Optional Protocol on individual communications had supported more than 100 children to access education, and prevented children from returning to countries where they would suffer serious human rights violations. Challenges were continuing to affect the Optional Protocol, most notably the lack of resources affecting the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.  The Committee would welcome support from States in this regard, particularly by supporting positions of junior professional officers to support the work of the petition section.  The Office’s lack of capacity had had an increase on the backlog, which was becoming increasingly worrying. 

    The Committee was currently working on a general observation, focusing on the rights of the child to have access to the justice system and effective legal recourse.  Broad consultations had been conducted in 2024, and more than 300 contributions had been received from across the globe.  More than 100 consultations had been held, including many with children, which had led to the implementation of a report.  A first draft had been compiled and subjected to discussions within the Committee, and the Committee had launched a new round of consultations on the text, which would then be adopted in a plenary system. 

    SOPIO KILADZE, Committee Expert, said the explosion of artificial intelligence had created a wide range of opportunities for children, but it also created significant challenges to children’s rights, including safety.  Last year the Committee had decided to focus its work on children and artificial intelligence to allow the Committee to support State parties on positive dynamics in artificial intelligence, in line with child rights.  For this reason, since last year, the topic of artificial intelligence was addressed during the dialogues with each State party, in different contexts.  The Committee had established excellent cooperation with key partners in the artificial intelligence space and had held a closed event in September 2024 for sharing information on child online protection.  As a follow-up, a Working Group on artificial intelligence and child rights was recently created.  The Committee was also working on a joint statement on artificial intelligence and child rights, which would be the first of its kind.  State parties’ contribution to this statement was crucial. 

    MIKIKO OTANI, Committee Expert, said the Committee’s biennial report to the General Assembly included a thematic section on children’s rights and armed conflict, which reflected that the reporting period had been marked by a serious violation of children’s rights in conflict settings.  Close to half a billion children lived in conflict zones around the world, which was double the number from 1990.  During the reporting period, the Committee reviewed reports by several States parties in conflict or post-conflict and made several detailed recommendations concerning children in armed conflict in its concluding observations. 

    Last year, the Committee participated in the Geneva policy workshop on children in armed conflict.  The Committee also decided to take a more holistic response to children in armed conflict during dialogues with States parties, which allowed the Committee to address broader issues of children in armed conflict.  As of now, 37 States parties to the Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict had overdue initial reports.  The Committee had decided to use the simplified reporting procedure to encourage the submission of overdue reports by States parties. 

    Ms. Skelton said five Committee members would soon be leaving the Committee, including Mikiko Otani, Luis Ernesto Pedernera Reyna, Velina Todorova, Zara Ratou and herself.

    Statements and Questions by States Parties

    In the ensuing discussion, speakers representing States parties said they appreciated the opportunity to engage with the Committee and reiterated their support to the Convention and the treaty bodies.  It was regretful that there were no more ratifications on the Optional Protocol on a communications procedure.  The Committee’s support to implementing the Convention was highly appreciated, and the efforts of the Committee in contributing to the enhancement of children’s rights was commended.  One speaker particularly commended the Committee’s commitment to protecting children in the online environment. 

    The situation of children in armed conflict was extremely worrying, and the Committee’s efforts to strengthen the protection of these children were welcomed.  Speakers wished every success to those Committee members who were ending their mandate.  Some speakers noted that hybrid meetings were an important tool for the participation of civil society, children and those from least developed countries. 

    Questions asked in the discussion included: whether the Committee was currently applying the position adopted on mid-term follow up and if so, how did it work in practice?  Was the Committee engaging with civil society on this procedure? Had the Committee sought ideas to pool resources from other regional bodies affected by the liquidity crisis? How could the Committee be involved in monitoring violations committed against Ukrainian children?  Would it be possible to hold a general discussion on the further ratification by States of the Optional Protocol on children in armed conflict?  The Committee’s insights on how to strengthen the rights of children in Gaza were welcomed. 

    Responses by Committee Experts 

    ANN MARIE SKELTON, Committee Chair, said in the agreement signed with the African Committee of Experts, the Committees could consider doing joint follow-up visits in Africa.  Both groups were interested in each other’s jurisprudences under each communication procedures and would like the opportunity to learn from each other in this regard.  The Committee remained open to any suggestions from Ukraine and said days of engagement could be a possibility.  The Committee had been following discussions about the proposal for an open-ended working group dealing with education and did intend to engage in this process. 

    HYND AYOUBI IDRISSI, Committee Expert, said the Committee hoped to see progress in the implementation of recommendations made on individual communications.  The Committee would issue an A, B or C status on cases, depending on whether recommendations had been met.  The issue of the presentation of mid-year reports had not yet arisen.

    MIKIKO OTANI, Committee Expert, said the Committee had realised that more cooperation and synergy had needed to be created among the Geneva mechanisms.  The issue of children and armed conflict was being raised more frequently in the Universal Periodic Review, which gave Member States the opportunity to strengthen the Committee’s recommendation. 

    BENOIT VAN KEIRSBILCK, Committee Expert, said the Committee’s decisions on individual communications took place at two levels.  The requests often involved a demand to overhaul and change processes to ensure greater access to justice.  The Committee wanted children to have recourse at a national level, which could help them satisfy their requests and needs.  In a particular context, the Committee had continued to work with the Council of Europe, providing support to Ukrainian child refugees.  The Committee needed to ensure close contact with the Ukrainian authorities, which was how the Committee could ensure the rights of the child could be upheld during the regretful conflict. 

    ANN MARIE SKELTON, Committee Chair, said the Committee was hopeful that the current ceasefire would lead to a lasting peace so that children’s shattered lives could begin again.

    ___________

    CRC.25.09E

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DBEDT NEWS RELEASE: VISITOR INDUSTRY CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN DECEMBER 2024

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DBEDT NEWS RELEASE: VISITOR INDUSTRY CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN DECEMBER 2024

    Posted on Jan 30, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

    KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI

     

    RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DIVISION

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

    1. EUGENE TIAN

    CHIEF STATE ECONOMIST

     

    VISITOR INDUSTRY CONTINUED IMPROVEMENT IN DECEMBER 2024

     

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    January 30, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – According to preliminary statistics from the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT), there were 910,055 visitors to the Hawaiian Islands in December 2024, a 5.5 percent growth compared to the same month last year. Total visitor spending measured in nominal dollars was $2.04 billion, up 4.7 percent from December 2023. December marked the fifth straight month with year-over-year growth in both visitor arrivals and expenditures. Total visitor arrivals in December 2024 represent a 95.5 percent recovery rate from pre-pandemic December 2019 (952,441, -4.5%) and total nominal visitor spending increased compared to December 2019 ($1.75 billion, +16.6%).

    In December 2024, 892,000 visitors arrived by air service, mainly from the U.S. West and U.S. East. Additionally, 18,055 visitors arrived via out-of-state cruise ships. In comparison, 847,257 visitors (+5.3%) arrived by air and 15,191 visitors (+18.9%) came by cruise ships in December 2023, and 941,128 visitors (-5.2%) came by air and 11,313 visitors (+59.6%) came by cruise ships in December 2019.

    The average length of stay by all visitors in December 2024 was 9.10 days, which was shorter than December 2023 (9.34 days, -2.7%) and December 2019 (9.27 days, -1.9%). The statewide average daily census was 267,000 visitors in December 2024, compared to 259,938 visitors (+2.7%) in December 2023 and 284,924 visitors (-6.3%) in December 2019.

    In December 2024, 452,023 visitors arrived from the U.S. West, an increase from December 2023 (424,808 visitors, +6.4%) and December 2019 (418,520 visitors, +8.0%). U.S. West visitor spending of $922.4 million grew compared to December 2023 ($856.3 million, +7.7%) and was much higher than December 2019 ($697.6 million, +32.2%). Daily spending by U.S. West visitors in December 2024 ($230 per person) increased compared to December 2023 ($226 per person, +1.9%) and was considerably more than December 2019 ($180 per person, +27.7%).

    In December 2024, 228,169 visitors arrived from the U.S. East, up from December 2023 (209,574 visitors, +8.9%) and from December 2019 (215,358 visitors, +5.9%). U.S. East visitor spending of $609.4 million increased from December 2023 ($557.6 million, +9.3%) and December 2019 ($488.3 million, +24.8%). Daily spending by U.S. East visitors in December 2024 ($264 per person) was higher than December 2023 ($259 per person, +2.1%) and December 2019 ($217 per person, +21.5%).

    There were 70,825 visitors from Japan in December 2024, a slight growth from December 2023 (70,348 visitors, +0.7%), but significantly fewer than December 2019 (136,635 visitors,
    -48.2%). Although there were slightly more visitors in December 2024, their shorter length of stay (6.19 days, -5.5%) and lower daily spending ($238 per person, -4.0%) resulted in decreased total Japanese visitor spending ($104.4 million, -8.7%) compared to December 2023. Total Japanese visitor spending ($210.9 million, -50.5%) was down considerably and daily spending ($260 per person, -8.5%) was less compared to December 2019.

    In December 2024, 53,203 visitors arrived from Canada, a decrease from December 2023 (57,885 visitors, -8.1%) and December 2019 (64,182 visitors, -17.1%). Visitors from Canada spent $129.9 million in December 2024, compared to $158.6 million (-18.1%) in December 2023 and $129.6 million (+0.2%) in December 2019. Daily spending by Canadian visitors in December 2024 ($225 per person) was slightly lower compared to December 2023 ($227 per person, -0.8%), but significantly more than December 2019 ($159 per person, +41.7%).

    There were 87,779 visitors from all other international markets in December 2024, comprising visitors from Oceania, Other Asia, Europe, Latin America, Guam, the Philippines, the Pacific Islands and other regions. In comparison, there were 84,643 visitors (+3.7%) from all other international markets in December 2023 and 106,434 visitors (-17.5%) in December 2019.

    Air capacity to the Hawaiian Islands in December 2024 (5,366 transpacific flights with 1,194,302 seats) increased compared to December 2023 (5,121 flights, +4.8% with 1,127,084 seats, +6.0%), but declined from December 2019 (5,676 flights, -5.5% with 1,252,958 seats,
    -4.7%).

    Calendar Year 2024

     

    A total of 9,689,113 visitors arrived in calendar year 2024, a slight growth from 9,657,607 visitors (+0.3%) in 2023. Total arrivals decreased 6.7 percent when compared to 10,386,673 visitors in 2019.

    In 2024, total visitor spending was $20.68 billion, down slightly from $20.73 billion (-0.2%) in 2023, but higher than $17.72 billion(+16.7%) in 2019.

    VIEW FULL NEWS RELEASE AND TABLES

     

    Statement by DBEDT Director James Kunane Tokioka

     

    Hawai‘i’s tourism industry in 2024 continued to recover from the August 2023 Maui wildfires. Data from August to December 2024, which shows year-over-year growth in both arrivals and visitor spending, is encouraging. For calendar year 2024, total arrivals (9,689,113 visitors, +0.3%) rose slightly while total visitor expenditures ($20.68 billion, -0.2%) were just shy by 0.3 percent of the 2023 level.

    The cruise industry performed exceptionally well in 2024 with 168,035 visitor arrivals to Hawai‘i by cruise ships, surpassing 2023 (157,612 visitors, +6.6%) and pre-pandemic 2019 (143,508 visitors, +17.1%) and became the second-highest annual arrivals by cruise ship since the cruise visitor data were recorded in 1999 (the highest cruise visitor arrivals occurred in 2013 when 170,987 visitors came).

    Looking forward into 2025, we expect visitor arrivals to be impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires. Los Angeles is Hawai‘i’s largest source market, accounting for 9.1 percent of all visitor arrivals in 2024 and 30.2 percent of all visitors from California. Our hearts go out to everyone who lost a loved one, home or place of business in the fires. Governor Green has reached out in support and aloha to California Governor Newsom to offer relief for Los Angeles wildfire survivors and first responders.

    # # #

     

     

    Media Contacts:

     

    Laci Goshi 

    Communications Officer

    Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

    Cell: 808-518-5480

    Email: [email protected]

     

    Jennifer Chun

    Director of Tourism Research

    Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

    Phone: 808-973-9446

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Gun Control and Federal Controlled Substances Acts Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TROY LOCKE (“LOCKE”), age 34, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on January 15, 2024, by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter, after previously pleading guilty to nine different counts related to federal drug and firearms violations, announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.

    According to court records, undercover ATF agents made several, camera recorded, controlled purchases of crack cocaine and firearms from LOCKE in July and August 2023. During one of the purchases, LOCKE had a gun in his lap. During another, LOCKE sold an AR style rifle for $1,000 to an undercover ATF agent.  After these controlled purchases, the ATF executed a search warrant at LOCKE’s residence and found him in possession of two more firearms, including an assault rifle with an extended magazine. LOCKE had several prior felony convictions, that prohibited him from possessing firearms.  In total, LOCKE sold the agents over 120 grams of crack cocaine and illegally possessed three different firearms.

    Judge Vitter sentenced LOCKE to 120 months imprisonment, ordering that he serve 60 months on each of Counts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9, to run concurrently, and another 60 months on Count 5, to run consecutively.  Judge Vitter also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release and ordered that LOCKE pay a $900 mandatory special assessment fee. 

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

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.  United States Attorney David Haller, Senior Litigation Counsel and PSN Coordinator, handled the prosecution.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Make a noise or work with the system? New research reveals 4 ways to create real change for nature

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lily van Eeden, Lecturer, RMIT University

    Ecosystems and species across the natural world are in serious trouble. The vast majority of Australians want more government action, but it’s not being delivered.

    Take, for example, the federal government commitment to end extinctions via its Nature Positive plan. Or consider its promise to overhaul Australia’s environmental legislation and create a new independent regulator. Progress on both has faltered.

    The biodiversity crisis calls for systemic change in humanity’s relationship with nature. This requires bold policy action from governments. Our new research examined how everyday people can help achieve this.

    We mined the insider knowledge of politicians, senior public servants and environmental advocates. The participants were Victoria-based, but their advice applies more broadly.

    Here, we present a recipe for achieving real, lasting change for the natural world.

    1. Be prepared for a long haul

    Change can take a long time. Be willing and able to see out the process. As one government interviewee told us:

    [Change] is not going to happen by one research paper, one meeting, one event, it’s gonna be a whole range of things over a sustained period of time.

    Also, find support. Our interviewees told us the most successful campaigns often happen when like-minded individuals band together. This provides the social support needed to stay the course.

    Remember, change is possible. As one government interviewee told us, this is especially true in marginal seats, where “constant ongoing campaigning at every level” can shift the dial.

    There is very likely a community group advocating for nature near you. These groups sometimes link up with larger, better-funded environment groups, to access their resources and networks.

    Change happens when like-minded people band together.
    Yuri A/Shutterstock

    2. Know the system

    Identify who you need to influence. The person holding the lever might not be a politician, but a public servant. Or public servants might rally for a cause internally, sometimes partnering with community groups.

    So how do you find this key person? Build your networks. Start talking to people in your community and get to know your local elected representatives. Find out what they care about and pitch your message to appeal to their values and concerns.

    One interviewee told us community groups would benefit from knowing more about how the system works:

    What are the bits that can actually change? […] Community members can be a bit aggressive in trying to drive through their challenge without understanding why they’ve been ignored in the past, or feel that they’ve been ignored.

    As another government interviewee told us:

    People don’t see how much power they have if they just use their voice and use it in a constructive way.

    3. Be strategic

    Choose whether to work with the government, or challenge it publicly.

    Environmental advocates can work alongside government to design solutions together. For example, a community group might work with their local council to design and implement management of a bush reserve. Big non-government environment groups often work in this way, relying on strong relationships with government insiders to achieve change.

    The opposite strategy is an “outsider” approach, which, at the extreme end, might include physically disrupting industry. Think chaining yourself to a tree in a forest pegged for logging or ramming a ship into a commercial whaling vessel.

    A less extreme outsider approach might be seeking to get your issue into the media to build public interest to get something on the political agenda.

    Both approaches have their merits in the right context. As one staff member of an environment group told us:

    We’re going to put on the suits […] and we’re not going to scale their buildings and release confidential information that they’ve given us to the media […] I don’t judge those that have that theory of change, because we need both, we need the really extreme advocacy to make us look mainstream and medium and reasonable.

    4. Seize the moment

    Identify when your advocacy might be most effective. It might be an upcoming election or budget, or when a policy is being reviewed.

    Or it might be something less predictable, such as a bushfire, flood or other environmental disaster. In those cases, nature conservation issues are suddenly all over the media. It might be a chance for real change.

    Effective advocates know how to identify, create, and be prepared for these windows. As one staff member at an environmental group told us:

    Some organizations talk about making change. But that’s a harder exercise. Often it’s a sort of a
    catching a wave of something else, or waiting for the opportunity.

    The upcoming federal election is one such opportunity. The lead up is a good time to advocate for nature. Speak with your local politician and their competitors about the change you want to see.

    If not us, who?

    These are well-tested, effective actions you can use to achieve positive policy change for the environment. But remember, the system is dynamic. New methods and approaches will emerge as technologies, modes of communication and other factors evolve.

    Governments, however, are a permanent fixture in the system. They stand to benefit politically by engaging with community and advocacy groups. So there is enormous potential for everyday people to genuinely make a difference.

    Environmental crises can seem overwhelming, but we can – and must – try to make a difference. Because, as the old adage goes: if not us, who? And if not now, when?

    The authors acknowledge Fern Hames and Kim Lowe for their contributions to this article.

    Lily van Eeden receives funding from the Australian Research Council. Lily was previously employed by the Victorian government.

    Liam Smith is a Councillor on the Biodiversity Council.

    Sarah Bekessy receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Ian Potter Foundation and the European Commission. She is a Lead Councillor with The Biodiversity Council, a board member of Bush Heritage Australia, a member of the WWF Eminent Scientists Group and an advisor to ELM Responsible Investment, the Living Building Challenge and Wood for Good.

    – ref. Make a noise or work with the system? New research reveals 4 ways to create real change for nature – https://theconversation.com/make-a-noise-or-work-with-the-system-new-research-reveals-4-ways-to-create-real-change-for-nature-248226

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – European Union Agency for Asylum promotes Islamic veil – E-000314/2025

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-000314/2025
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Fabrice Leggeri (PfE), Jean-Paul Garraud (PfE)

    On 10 January 2025, the European Union Agency for Asylum promoted the Islamic veil by posting an image with a little girl wearing a head covering in its umpteenth post on X[1] advocating for ‘safe and legal pathways’ to Europe for migrants.

    Both this act of bowing the knee to radical Islam and this call for a flood of migrants are unacceptable.

    As far back as September 2022, the Commission published a visual featuring a veiled girl to promote the European Erasmus+ programme. In response to the ensuing outrage, it claimed it was ‘an administrative error’. Ursula von der Leyen then decided that any future publication of visuals for the institution should be subject to ‘political control’ by her cabinet[2].

    That has not been the case: the Commission published 35 visuals with women or girls wearing veils between July 2021 and February 2024 (not including any publications from Parliament or other EU institutions)[3].

    • 1.Does the new Commission intend to ask the European Union Agency for Asylum to take down its post, like it has previously done with a different agency[4]?
    • 2.Does the Commission intend to continue to promote the Islamic veil in the name of ‘inclusion, diversity and unity in the EU’ even though it is not in line with European values?

    Submitted: 24.1.2025

    • [1] https://x.com/EUAsylumAgency/status/1877596238045950252
    • [2] https://www.lepoint.fr/politique/fillette-voilee-enfin-un-controle-politique-des-images-de-l-ue-07-10-2022-2492870_20.php
    • [3] https://x.com/F_Desouche/status/1771235765097287745
    • [4] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2023-001114-ASW_EN.html
    Last updated: 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Start with Her: Championing Women’s Rights and Choices High-Level Panel on Reproductive, Maternal & Newborn Health & Wellbeing – Remarks by UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    Welcome, Excellencies, distinguished delegates, partners and colleagues,

    Thank you for being here and standing united with UNFPA in turbulent times.

    Maternal mortality is one of the most avoidable injustices in our societies and one of the most profound inequities of this generation.

    Childbirth is part of the fundamental rhythm of life. It should be an empowering and affirming experience, a celebration of life’s incredible promise.

    Yet for far too many women, the journey to motherhood is dangerous, even deadly. In the next two minutes, another woman will have died during pregnancy or childbirth. Let that sink in for a moment.

    A woman who could have lived – should have lived – will perish. A newborn will lose a mother they will never meet. A family and community will be shattered. A preventable tragedy will ripple through society as a whole.

    We are failing women during the most vulnerable and transformative moments of their lives. And we are failing some much more than others.

    More than two-thirds of maternal deaths occur in Africa.

    This means that an African woman with pregnancy and childbirth complications is 130 times more likely to die than a woman in Europe or North America. 

    This blatant inequality is unacceptable. And it’s why we gather here today. 

    We have seen what is possible when the international community galvanizes to save women’s lives.

    During the Millennium Development Goals era, from 2000 to 2015, global maternal mortality fell by 34 percent. 

    We made real progress. We were all hopeful.

    Then came a sobering reality check: Five years into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), maternal mortality barely declined, if at all. 

    Today, we are dangerously off track in achieving the SDG target to reduce the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) to less than 70 per 100 000 live births.

    If the current pace persists, more than one million women will die during pregnancy and childbirth between now and 2030.

    We cannot simply stand by and let this happen. 

    For moral reasons, of course, and also for the health and prosperity of communities, entire countries and regions – for the future of sustainable development.

    Now is the time for decisive action, for investment in what works. 

    Tackling maternal and newborn deaths is no mystery: increase access to quality reproductive, maternal, and newborn healthcare; build resilient, integrated health systems; and strengthen the health workforce. 

    Investing in the health workforce means investing in women.

    Because let’s not forget who stands on the frontlines in every community – women, often midwives, the unsung heroes of healthcare. 

    They may be unsung, but they are not unseen.

    Midwives are embedded in every community, providing care with care to women like Aicha in Cameroon.

    When massive flooding engulfed her family’s farm, forcing them to flee, Aicha was nearing the end of her pregnancy and terrified for her baby and for herself. She was able to give birth with the assistance of a midwife deployed by UNFPA. 

    “My baby was born surrounded by care, when I had nothing – no money, no possessions,” she told us.

    Midwives are a source of steady support and can deliver 90 percent of all sexual and reproductive health services, including maternal and newborn care.

    Yet they remain undervalued and under-resourced. 

    Among the barriers to strengthening midwifery care are persistent gender norms that deprioritize women’s healthcare and that devalue the contributions of the world’s largely female midwifery workforce.

    As part of the Every Woman Every Newborn Everywhere partnership, UNFPA is working with partners, including the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), WHO and UNICEF, to close the gap of nearly one million midwives. 

    Every woman and newborn should have access to the life-saving care they need and deserve. With determination, investment and action, we can turn the tide.

    Today, change is in the air and that change starts with her.

    Start with Her is not just a slogan; it’s the driving force behind UNFPA’s new Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn Health and Well-Being Strategy, which outlines our approach to ending preventable maternal deaths.  

    It’s about championing women’s rights and choices and putting them front and center in everything we do. 

    This is a call to action to:

    • Prioritize and commit to the funds, financing and policies that protect reproductive, maternal and newborn health.
    • Strengthen health systems with investment in midwives, expanded coverage and improved quality of obstetric and newborn care.
    • Leverage data to drive impact and reach those furthest behind;
    • Empower women and girls to make informed decisions about their own bodies and futures.

    We want every woman and newborn to survive and thrive. This is our promise, and this is how we drive progress.

    With 2030 around the corner, this is how we can make an immediate and tangible impact, and create lasting change.

    There is no doubt that we face a challenging global landscape. 

    Protracted conflicts. Climate-induced disasters. Economic headwinds. Growing polarization. Needs are surging while resources and political will are under threat.

    Yet, we have also have a critical window of opportunity. 

    Last year, the 2024 World Health Assembly passed a resolution on maternal and child health championed by the government of Somalia.

    This year, the High-Level Political Forum will review SDG3 and the 58th Session of the Commission on Population and Development will focus on health for all.

    Meanwhile, President Ramaphosa of South Africa is currently chairing the Global Leaders Network for Women, Children, and Adolescent Health, which includes nine heads of State.

    All are vital platforms for Member States to reaffirm their commitment to reproductive and maternal health. 

    This is the moment to set aside differences and identify common ground. 

    Preserving the life and dignity of women and girls is surely something we can all agree on, regardless of politics or ideology. 

    No one wants women and babies to die in childbirth, or to have their futures derailed by substandard health services.

    Yet reducing maternal mortality requires political will. Governments hold the power to enact policies, allocate resources, and build stronger health systems. 

    We have the instruments at our disposal. What we need is a seismic shift towards investment that is aligned with the outcomes we all want to see. 

    With the wind in our sails, and with your partnership, UNFPA believes that we can and will bring meaningful change in the lives of women and girls everywhere.

    To our Member States here today, I ask you to prioritize reproductive, maternal and newborn health and set clear targets in line with the SDGs.

    Commit the resources and back them up with accountability systems.

    Together with all our partners, let’s strengthen health systems, empower women, and eliminate the inequities that are fueling this crisis.

    This is not the time to resign ourselves to the status quo. 

    There is a proverb: “The dripping water wears away the stone.”

    If we push forward steadily and with intention, we can overcome the obstacles in front of us and spark that sea change.

    Let us Start with Her and stand with her to increase her access to lifesaving healthcare, to respect and value her precious life, to support her safety and dignity, for her health and for the health and wellbeing of all.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: With robust and high end Common computing facility in place, India all set to launch its own safe & secure indigenous AI model at affordable cost soon: Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw

    Source: Government of India (2)

    With robust and high end Common computing facility in place, India all set to launch its own safe & secure indigenous AI model at affordable cost soon: Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw

    Compared to global models costing 2.5 to 3 dollars per hour usage, India’s AI Model will cost less than less than 100 rupees per hour after 40% government subsidy; Attractive half yearly & annual plans will make it more affordable

    Multiple foundational models for Indian context, in Indian languages, likely to be ready later this year will help researchers, students & people at large for its low cost, fast computing & prompt results.

    To begin with, 18 citizen centric applications pertaining to agriculture sector, learning disability & climate change to be part of this AI Model

    DeepSeek will get hosted on Indian servers after security protocol checks so that users, coders, developers can benefit from its Open Source Code

    Posted On: 30 JAN 2025 6:07PM by PIB Delhi

    India is all set to launch its own safe & secure indigenous AI model at an affordable cost. Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Railways, Information & Broadcasting, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw today announced this in New Delhi at Electronics Niketan. Interacting with the media, the Union Minister said that the Indian AI model is a timely step as India is a trusted nation among the comity of nations & therefore it will help India emerge as a more reliable technological powerhouse of ethical AI solutions in the days to come. Backed by a high-end common computing facility, the India AI mission is now closer to customising indigenous AI solutions for the Indian context using Indian languages. He said that scientists, researchers, developers and coders are working on multiple foundational models in this regard & with the given pace, the Union Minister expressed hope that the Indian AI model is likely to be ready within 6 months.

     

    The AI model is beginning with the computation facility of roughly 10000 GPUs. Soon the remaining 8693 GPUs will be added. It will largely benefit researchers, students & developers in the beginning. The Technical partners who are participating in the mission have  expressed a lot of confidence in the ability of the mission to deliver its objective of democratising access to computing & that too at a very competitive rate. Government has decided to give it to the users for less than 100 rupees per GPU after subsidising the 40% of the cost. Compared to global models costing 2.5 to 3 dollars per hour usage, India’s AI Model will cost less than less than 100 rupees per hour after 40% government subsidy. The attractive half yearly & annual plans will further make it more affordable.

     

     

    Within 10 months of the launch of India AI Mission, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, is able to get an unprecedented response & create a high end & robust common computing facility of about 18,693 Graphic Processing Unit, GPUs ready for use. It is about nine times of what Open Source Model DeepSeek has & about two third of what ChatGPT has. Answering queries of the media, the Union Minister said that DeepSeek can get hosted on Indian servers after security checks so that coders, developers & designers can take benefit of its Open Source code.

    Safety and ethical deployment of AI Model remains top priority for the government. Expressing this commitment, the Union Minister announced that India is establishing an AI Safety Institute, adopting a techno-legal approach.

    The Key safety-related projects in this regard include following 8 simultaneous efforts to ensure the privacy of data along with ethical auditing of algorithmic efficiency.

    • Machine Unlearning (IIT Jodhpur)
    • Synthetic Data Generation (IIT Roorkee)
    • AI Bias Mitigation Strategy (NIT Raipur)
    • Explainable AI Framework (Defence Institute of Advanced Technology, Pune & Minecraft Technologies)
    • Privacy Enhancing Strategies (IIT Delhi, IIIT Delhi, IIT Dharwad & Telecom Engineering Centre, TEC)
    • AI Ethical Certification Framework (Tool Nishpaksh being developed at IIIT Delhi & TEC)
    • AI Algorithm Auditing Framework (Tool Parakh being developed by Civic Data Labs )
    • AI Governance Testing Framework (Amrita Vidyapeetham & Telecom Engineering Centre)

     

    In addition, Watermarking and labeling, Deep fake detection tools, Real time identification and mitigation, AI risk management are five other projects AI Mission is running to make India’s AI model safe & secure from a privacy point of view. This initiative aims to benefit researchers, students, and the public with its low-cost, fast computing capabilities and its prompt results. The Indian AI Model will help promote innovation & develop citizen centric better governance tools including many industrial uses having humongous potential to harness technological benefits for the people at large.

    Common Compute Facility is the strong foundation for Democratic AI Development

    Under the India AI Mission, a huge computing infrastructure has been developed, surpassing global benchmarks in a short time. The facility now houses 18,693 GPUs, including 12,896 H100, 1,480 H200, and 7,200 MI 200 300 units, significantly exceeding the initial target of 10,000 GPUs. To put this capacity into perspective, DeepSeek was trained on 2,000 GPUs, while ChatGPT required 25,000 GPUs. This vast computing power will not only accelerate research, model training, help ethical AI algorithm development and foster innovation in India’s AI ecosystem.

    A common compute platform has been created, ensuring accessibility to all stakeholders. Approximately 10,000 GPUs are already available, and technical partners have expressed confidence in the mission’s capability to deliver world-class AI solutions. Following approval, this facility will soon be operational for widespread use.

    India’s Own AI Model: Built for Local Context

    Over the past one & half year, India has been developing a robust AI ecosystem framework to support its own foundational AI model. This model will address Indian linguistic and contextual needs while eliminating biases, ensuring inclusivity and promoting fairness. Leading developers and researchers are working towards completing multiple foundational models within 8 to 10 months, leveraging algorithmic efficiency to achieve cost-effective and timely development.

    Experts believe that India’s AI model will meet the country’s diverse requirements, bringing forth a high level of innovation tailored for Indian users.

    AI Applications to Benefit Citizens

    The India AI Mission focuses on developing AI applications in critical sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, weather forecasting, and disaster management. Eighteen applications have been identified in these domains to harness AI for societal benefits. The initiative will address challenges such as climate change, learning disabilities, and agritech solutions, ensuring AI contributes to the well-being of millions.

    Affordable Compute Facility for AI Development

    India’s Compute facility is being offered at highly competitive rates. The cost per GPU hour is approximately ₹115.85, significantly lower than the global benchmark of $2.5–$3 per hour. High-end computing will be available at ₹150 per hour, with a 40% government subsidy reducing the cost to less than ₹100 per hour for common Compute access. This affordability ensures democratized AI access, empowering startups and researchers alike.

    The initiative offers competitive six-month and annual compute rate packages. The facility has garnered international appreciation, including recognition at Davos, reinforcing India’s position as a trusted global AI hub.

    Future Roadmap and Sustainability

    The India AI Mission operates under a four-year sunset clause with long-term sustainability. As India advances in its semiconductor journey, the government is strategically developing its ecosystem with clarity and systematic planning. With over $30 billion invested in the semiconductor mission, India’s AI aspirations align with its broader technological vision.

    The Union Minister said that DeepSeek and other foundational models can be hosted on Indian servers, similar to previous initiatives like LLaMA. He added, AI’s real impact lies in industrial applications beyond chatbots and image generation, It will address real-world challenges such as:

    • Health of oil drilling rigs
    • Railway ticketing optimization
    • Soil health monitoring for agriculture
    • Weather and cyclone prediction

    The mission also emphasizes AI safety through real-time detection tools, deep-fake mitigation, and robust AI risk management strategies. Stanford ranks India among the top nations in AI education, with 240 universities offering AI courses and 100 universities equipped with 5G labs.

    With a focus on democratic, inclusivity, affordability, and innovation, India is set to emerge as a global AI powerhouse, shaping the future of artificial intelligence for societal and industrial advancements.

    *****

    Dharmendra Tewari/Shatrunjay Kumar

    (Release ID: 2097659) Visitor Counter : 81

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement In Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing For President Trump’s Pick To Be FBI Director, Kash Patel

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    January 30, 2025
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during the Senate Judiciary Committee nomination hearing for Kash Patel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
    Key Quotes:
    “Mr. Patel has neither the experience, the temperament, nor the judgment to lead an agency of 38,000 [people] and 400 field offices around the globe. During the time I’ve served on this Committee, I’ve had the opportunity to consider four prior FBI Director nominations. Each one was a Republican, and I voted for all of them. So, my concerns about the Director of the FBI are not partisan.”
    “As much as Republicans claim that President Biden and former Attorney General Garland weaponized the FBI, let’s look at the record: President Biden kept the FBI Director, a lifelong Republican who had been appointed by President Trump. Contrast that with President Trump, who fired his first FBI Director, James Comey, and forced out his second FBI Director, Chris Wray, for being insufficiently loyal. With Mr. Patel, obviously the President has found a loyalist.”
    “Mr. Patel’s loyalty includes touting conspiracy theories and threaten[ing to go after President Trump’s enemies.] How do we know Mr. Patel’s theories? His beliefs, what motivates him, and what he really believes? He wrote it in a book. The book [is titled] Government Gangsters, and I urge all of you to read [it] before you cast a vote for [him]. In it, Mr. Patel has published an enemies list of 60 people who he calls, ‘members of the deep state.’ This list includes many distinguished public servants who have dedicated their lives to our nation.” 
    “Then there is Mr. Patel’s plan to ‘shut down the F.B.I. Hoover Building on Day 1 and reopen it the next day as a museum of the ‘deep state.’’ And he has said, ‘We’re going to come after the people in the media, we’re going to come after you, whether it’s criminally or civilly, [and] we’re putting you all on notice.’”
    “Does this sound like the kind of nonpartisan, law enforcement professional who should lead the FBI? Not to me. This is someone who has left behind a trail of grievances throughout his life, lashing out at anyone who disrespects him or doesn’t agree with him.”
    “Mr. Patel’s record is clear: he traffics in debunked conspiracy theories that serve or benefit his political beliefs. Let’s start with January 6… I will always be grateful to the U.S. Capitol police officers who risked their lives defending me, members of Congress, and visitors of the United States Capitol on that day. Mr. Patel posted on social media, ‘Jan. 6 never an insurrection: cowards in uniform exposed.’ Let me repeat that. ‘Cowards in uniform.’ Who was in the Capitol building on January 6 in uniform—the Capitol Police were. Do you think they were cowards?… And Mr. Patel claims that the FBI, the agency he aspires to lead, ‘was planning January 6 for a year.’ Mr. Patel has gone so far as to co-produce and sell musical recordings of a song performed by January 6 rioters who violently assaulted police officers.”
    “The FBI plays a critical role in keeping Americans safe from terrorism, violent crime, and other threats. Our nation needs an FBI Director who understands the gravity of this mission and is ready on day one, not someone who is consumed by his own personal political grievances. The American people deserve an FBI Director who is focused on keeping the public safe from terrorism, drug trafficking, and violent crime, not the checklist of personal grievances we find in this book. Mr. Patel, your record makes clear that you are not that person.”
      
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Supporting First Responders Fighting Cancer

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today highlighted the efforts of the State’s Office of Fire Prevention and Control’s protocols that aim to protect New York’s firefighters and their families during Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month. Studies have shown firefighters are at a higher risk of cancer than the general public, largely due to their exposure to an increased level of toxins found in smoke at structure fires. As part of the 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul announced new legislation to ban the sale of firefighter gear containing emerging contaminant per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS in New York State to ensure our firefighters have access to the highest quality and safest protective equipment available while mitigating the potential public health and environmental impact of these chemicals.

    “Keeping our state’s firefighters safe while they put their lives on the line to protect the people and communities across New York is absolutely critical, and we will continue to do everything we can to protect them from the harmful toxins they come into contact with on the job.” Governor Hochul said, “I’ll continue making sure our firefighters and first responders have all the equipment and resources they need to protect themselves while they work to protect their communities.”

    New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “New York’s firefighters put their lives on the line to keep our communities and loved ones safe every day. Helping them reduce their exposure to the carcinogens that they confront while doing their jobs is critical. Our commitment to assisting them mitigate their risk of exposure and ensuring that they have the knowledge and resources they need to protect themselves, will always be a top priority.”

    To ensure New York’s firefighters are not only aware of this threat but also know how to limit their own risk, State Fire officials developed basic protocols for decontaminating firefighting gear following an emergency response and are continuing to offer training and education statewide to promote their use by firefighters. Since 2022, more than 3,200 students have undergone training across New York State.

    Research has shown that fire service members can take simple and inexpensive steps to reduce their exposure to toxins and other carcinogens by up to 85 percent through the turnout gear decontamination process, using sanitation wipes to the face and hands while on scene of a fire, and showering after a fire. These measures also serve to protect their families by reducing unintentional exposure upon returning home from the station after a shift or response.

    State Fire officials partner with county fire coordinators across the State to schedule Firefighter Contamination Reduction and Cancer Prevention classes. During these training programs, State Fire instructors distribute firefighter decontamination kits to attendees. At each session, firefighters view a live demonstration of the decontamination protocols, an educational video that details the risks facing firefighters, and have an opportunity for a Q&A with OFPC personnel. The kits contain information on decontamination immediately after incident response and items such as a five-gallon bucket, post-fire wipes, hose, detergent, brush and spray bottle. Since 2023, more than 1,100 New York State fire stations have received decontamination kits. Additionally, OFPC is expanding its entire roster of firefighting classes and trainings to include a section on cancer awareness and prevention education.

    State Fire Administrator James Cable said, “This training is intended to raise awareness of the cancer risks faced by firefighters and provide simple steps firefighters can take to reduce those risks to themselves and their families. Our goal is to provide a decontamination kit for every fire station in the State.”

    If firefighting turnout gear is not decontaminated properly after a fire, firefighters risk exposing harmful chemicals to their firehouses and homes, potentially harming co-workers and family members. According to two studies conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), firefighters are currently being diagnosed with cancer at a nearly 10 percent higher rate than the general public and experiencing cancer-related deaths at a nearly 15 percent higher rate.

    To combat these trends, DHSES and OFPC have established basic, inexpensive protocols which will go a long way in limiting firefighters’ exposure to harmful chemicals often found in smoke.

    If exposed during a response, firefighters should:

    • Perform on scene gross decontamination, stop the exposure, and stop the spread of contaminates to the apparatus and station.
    • While on scene, use post-fire wipes to reduce exposures.
    • Shower as soon as possible and put on clean clothes.
    • Wash tools, equipment and apparatus after fires.
    • Transport gear in non-porous containers such as a clear garbage bag.
    • Wear only clean gear, including hood.

    Firefighters interested in attending or hosting an educational session can view the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control’s training calendar or contact their county’s Fire Coordinator.

    As part of the 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul announced new legislation to ban the sale of firefighter gear containing emerging contaminant per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in New York State to ensure our firefighters have access to the highest quality and safest protective equipment available while mitigating the potential public health and environmental impact of these chemicals.To safeguard themselves, firefighters rely on specialized protective gear designed to withstand extreme temperatures and repel water and oil. For years, this essential equipment has unfortunately contained the emerging contaminant per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Evolving evidence has revealed the potential dangers of PFAS exposure, raising concerns about the long-term health and safety of our firefighters even as we continue to work to limit the release of this contaminant into New York’s air, lands and waters. The legislation would take effect in 2028.

    About the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control

    The Office of Fire Prevention and Control delivers a wide breadth of essential services to firefighters, emergency responders, state and local government agencies, public and private colleges and the citizens of New York to help ensure the safety of all stakeholders. OFPC advances public safety through firefighter training, education, fire prevention, special operations and technical rescue programs.

    About the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services

    The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provides leadership, coordination and support to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, recover from and mitigate disasters and other emergencies. For more information, find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, or visit our website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Red Sea crisis: supply chain issues set to continue despite Gaza ceasefire

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gokcay Balci, Lecturer in Sustainable Freight Transport and Logistics, University of Leeds

    A large container ship passing through the Suez Canal in Egypt. byvalet / Shutterstock

    The world’s major shipping companies say they won’t be sending vessels back to the Red Sea any time soon despite a pledge by Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen not to attack them as long as the ceasefire in Gaza holds.

    French shipping and logistics company CMA CGM said in a statement on January 25 that the improved stability was “a positive but fragile sign” for the industry, and that it would continue to prioritise alternative routes.

    Since November 2023, one month after the war in Gaza began, the Houthis have launched missile and drone attacks against roughly 190 commercial and naval ships in the Red Sea’s Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group claims to have carried out attacks on vessels connected with Israel, or heading to its ports, in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Though this has not always been the case.

    These attacks have prompted many shipping companies to stop using the Red Sea – a route that around 12% of global trade usually passes through – and divert around the southern tip of Africa. This route adds more than 7,000 nautical miles on to a typical round-trip voyage. The number of commercial ships using the Suez Canal to pass between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea plummeted from over 26,000 in 2023 to 13,200 in 2024.

    Supply chains have had to deal with higher shipping costs, product delivery delays, and increased carbon emissions as a result of this diversion. The Gaza ceasefire gave some hope that the disruption would finally end. But shipping lines will not hurry back to the region until long-term security is guaranteed.

    Since November 2023, shipping companies have been diverting their vessels around the southern tip of Africa to avoid the Red Sea.
    Dimitrios Karamitros / Shutterstock

    During the early stages of the crisis, moving a container from Shanghai in China to Europe cost approximately 250% more than before the war in Gaza began. This was largely due to increased fuel costs and higher insurance premiums. Freight rates (the price companies pay to transport goods) remained high throughout 2024, despite some fluctuations.

    The cost of moving a 40-foot container from Shanghai to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, for example, surged from around US$4,400 on average in January to above US$8,000 by August. This had dropped to US$4,900 at the end of the year.

    It is too early to say whether these costs will be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices – full transmission through the supply chain to consumer prices can take upwards of 12 months. But some estimates suggest global consumer prices could rise by 0.6% on average in 2025 as these increased shipping costs filter through the supply chain.

    Diverting around southern Africa also resulted in delays in the delivery of many goods and components. The proportion of container ships that arrived on schedule dropped from 60% on average worldwide in 2023 to about 50% throughout 2024. This created congestion at ports because ships often arrived at their destination later than planned, resulting in further delivery delays.

    Unreliable transit times are a significant issue for supply chains because they make it difficult for businesses to plan inventory and coordinate production schedules. Indeed, several vehicle manufacturers, including Tesla and Volvo, temporarily suspended manufacturing in early 2024 due to a lack of components. And food supply chains, including those for avocados, tea and coffee, were also affected by delays.

    Since then, many companies have adapted by increasing their safety stock levels and transporting cargo using alternative modes of transport like air and rail. Some European firms have also adopted a strategy called “nearshoring”, where they source products from regions closer to home such as Turkey and Morocco instead of relying on suppliers in Asia.

    Increased emissions

    The longer route around southern Africa requires that ships travelling between Europe and Asia use around 33% more fuel on average than they would use by travelling through the Red Sea at the same speed.

    Over the past decade, most shipping companies have employed a “slow steaming” policy to economise on fuel use and minimise their carbon emissions. But diverted ships have been travelling around 5% faster than usual in an attempt to minimise delays. The increased vessel speeds will have caused the associated emissions toll to rise – large container vessels require 2.2% more fuel for every 1% increase in speed.

    More data is required to determine the precise amount of additional emissions caused by diverting shipping away from the Red Sea. But estimates suggest that approximately 13.6 million tonnes of CO₂ were emitted by ships rerouted from the Red Sea between December 2023 and April 2024 – equivalent to the carbon emissions of nine million cars over the same period. If ships continue to avoid the region, the increased emissions could amount to 41 million extra tonnes of CO₂ per year.

    Some cargo has also shifted from sea transport to air freight, which has a far greater environmental footprint. Shipping a kilogram of product by long-haul air freight generates at least 50 times more CO₂ emissions on average than container shipping.

    Carbon emissions have increased due to the diversion of vessels around southern Africa.
    David G40 / Shutterstock

    Before returning to the Suez Canal, container lines will want to see a prolonged period of stability around the Red Sea. This is due, in part, to safety and security concerns related to the crew, cargo and the ship.

    But shipping companies also have operational challenges to keep in mind associated with the scheduling of port calls and voyages. Shipping lines will find it difficult to switch back to the longer route around Africa immediately if attacks in the Red Sea resume.

    And, at least for now, the situation in the Bab al-Mandab Strait remains unpredictable. In a televised speech on January 20, Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi warned: “We have our finger on the trigger.”

    With other disruptions continuing to affect global shipping, such as port strikes, low water levels in the Panama Canal and extreme weather events, supply chain issues are likely to continue throughout 2025.

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

    – ref. Red Sea crisis: supply chain issues set to continue despite Gaza ceasefire – https://theconversation.com/red-sea-crisis-supply-chain-issues-set-to-continue-despite-gaza-ceasefire-248469

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Funding helps build resilient communities through stronger climate adaptation

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund is administered through the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM), and funds projects that support local governments and First Nations to better prepare for disasters and reduce risks from hazards in a changing climate.

    Communities throughout British Columbia will receive more than $19 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund as follows.

    Funding is divided into three categories:

    • Category 1 (C1): Foundational activities (risk mapping, risk assessments, planning)
    • Category 2 (C2): Non-structural activities (land-use planning, community education, purchase of eligible equipment)
    • Category 3 (C3): Small-scale structural activities

    Canal Flats – C3: Phase 1 dike improvement project
    Amount: $400,000

    Clearwater – C2: Improvements for stormwater management
    Amount: $138,000

    Comox Valley Regional District – C2: Extreme-weather equipment
    Regional partners: Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, K’ómoks First Nation
    Amount: $100,000

    Coquitlam – C1: Disaster-risk reduction planning
    Amount: $150,000

    Cranbrook – C3: Gold Creek dam replacement
    Amount: $5 million

    Creston – C1: Hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment
    Amount: $150,000

    Delta – C1: Mason drainage pump station design
    Amount: $150,000

    Fraser-Fort George Regional District – C1: Regional heat and drought threat assessment/mapping; C2: Partner engagement to improve hazard-resilient development
    Regional partners: Prince George, McBride, Mackenzie, Valemount, Lheidli-T’enneh First Nation, McLeod Lake Indian Band
    Amount: $716,876

    Hope – C1: Hazard identification and risk mapping
    Amount: $150,000

    Invermere – C3: Toby Dike upgrades
    Amount: $810,000

    Kamloops – C1: Watershed climate change adaptation planning
    Amount: $150,000

    Keremeos – C1: Hazard, risk and vulnerability analysis
    Amount: $49,800

    Kitasoo Xai’xais Nation – C1: Climate adaptation planning
    Amount: $77,200

    Kwikwetlem First Nation – C1: Flood-mitigation project design
    Amount: $145,190

    Lake Country – C1: Climate change hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment
    Amount: $150,000

    Lower Similkameen Indian Band – C1: Hazard risk and vulnerability planning
    Amount: $49,800

    Lumby – C1: Lumby industrial area dike planning
    Amount: $150,000

    Merritt – C2: Bulk bags for flood response; C3: Voght Street overland water pumping station
    Amount: $4.8 million

    Nelson – C1: Community preparation for extreme temperatures
    Amount: $95,280.00

    Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District – C2: Tiger Dam trailers for emergency flood response
    Regional Partners: Osoyoos, Keremeos, Lower Similkameen Indian Band
    Amount: $600,000

    Oliver – C1: Hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment
    Amount: $50,000

    Osoyoos – C1: Hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment
    Amount: $49,150

    Osoyoos Indian Band – C1: Hazard, risk and vulnerability assessment
    Amount: $50,000

    Peace River Regional District – C1: Hazard assessment, mapping and risk management
    Regional Partners: Blueberry River First Nations, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Doig River First Nation, Pouce Coupe, Tumbler Ridge, Hudson’s Hope, Saulteau First Nations, Taylor, Halfway River First Nation, West Moberly First Nations
    Amount: $1.35 million

    Pemberton – C1: Arn Canal pumping station design
    Amount: $60,000

    Richmond – C2: Flood protection and rain gauge monitoring stations
    Amount: $150,000

    Sema:th First Nation (Sumas) – C3: Floodwater conveyance project
    Amount: $195,440

    Skeetchestn Indian Band – C1: Flood-mitigation planning
    Amount: $89,500

    Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) – C1: Assessment for tree planting to reduce extreme-heat hazards
    Amount: $148,722

    SnPink’tn (Penticton Indian Band) – C1: Hazard, risk and vulnerability planning
    Amount: $60,650

    Sooke – C1: Climate adaptation and natural hazard-risk assessment
    Amount: 150,000

    Strathcona Regional District – C1: Port McNeill climate change infrastructure impact assessment; Gold River Road to Tsa’xana Road slope stability assessment; C2 Tsunami and flood-mitigation public information and education; C3: Cortes Kw’as Park and Road flood mitigation
    Regional partners: Mount Waddington Regional District, Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, Nuchatlaht First Nation, Port McNeill, Tahsis, Zeballos
    Amount: $354,960

    Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation (Canoe Creek) – C1: Extreme-weather planning
    Amount: $105,000

    Tlowitsis Nation – C1: Risk mapping, assessment and planning; C2: sub-regional road map, public engagement and workshops
    Amount: $296,700

    Vancouver – C1: Streets network seismic and flooding risk assessment – Phase 1; C2: Extreme-weather mitigation equipment
    Amount: $300,000

    Vanderhoof – C3: Riverbank erosion mitigation
    Amount: $59,410

    West Kelowna – C1: Pike and Capri roads diking design
    Amount: $150,000

    Whispering Pines/Clinton Indian Band – C1: Heat-impact mitigation planning
    Amount: $36,700

    Xwémalhkwu (Homalco) – C1: Wetland restoration design; C2: Public education project; C3: Willow Creek watershed resilience, culvert replacement
    Amount: $1.54 million

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Central India’s indigenous forests are falling victim to bullets and bulldozers

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Bulbul Prakash, PhD Candidate in Politics, University of Manchester

    The state of Chhattisgarh in India’s tribal heartland has been the epicentre of a violent conflict for more than 30 years. This struggle has pit a Maoist-inspired group called the Naxalites, who are fighting for the rights of marginalised tribal communities, against the Indian government, which has deployed security forces to suppress the insurgency. More than 11,600 people have been killed in the conflict since 2000.

    At the same time, Chhattisgarh is also grappling with the pressures of rapid industrialisation. Large-scale mining and infrastructure projects are threatening both the land and livelihoods of the state’s indigenous (or Adivasi in Sanskrit) communities.

    Around 44% of the region’s land area is covered by dense forests. These forests are home to vital plant and animal species such as Mahua and Sal trees. However, these forests are being damaged. Trees are being ravaged by gunfire, animals are being killed by explosions, and the fragile ecosystem that sustains people and wildlife in Chhattisgarh is gradually crumbling.

    Soni Sori, an Adivasi activist, has shared images with me that have been taken by Adivasis in the forests of Chhattisgarh. The photos highlight the damage being caused by gunfire, explosions and shelling.

    Bullets tear through bark, while explosions strip it away, leaving trees vulnerable to pests and disease. Shrapnel and shock waves from blasts also sever branches or trunks, which further weakens the trees and causes long-term damage.

    Fresh bullet wounds on a Sal tree in Chhattisgarh.
    Soni Sori, CC BY-NC-ND

    The destruction of Mahua and Sal trees has had a particularly devastating impact on women from Adivasi communities.

    The Mahua tree, which is often called the “tree of life” by locals, provides an essential lifeline for many Adivasi women. Its flowers are fermented to make alcohol, which offers a crucial source of income when it is sold in local markets.

    When men are drawn into Naxal movements or caught in the state’s counterinsurgency efforts, women often step in and use the income from Mahua flowers and oil to fund their children’s education, sustain their families, and repay debts.

    In the town of Dantewada in southern Chhattisgarh, locals even hold a special ceremony where they “marry” the Mahua tree, honouring its life-sustaining role in their community.

    Sal trees, which form much of Chhattisgarh’s forest cover, play a crucial role in stabilising the soil. Their loss leads to erosion and increases the risk of floods and landslides. Climate change, and the increasingly erratic rainfall it brings, has compounded these risks.

    An unexploded mortar shell partially buried in Chhattisgarh.
    Soni Sori, CC BY-NC-ND

    The loss of essential resources like Mahua trees will only exacerbate food insecurity and economic hardship, pushing Adivasis further into poverty. The average annual income of Adivasi households in Chhattisgarh was just ₹53,610 (around £505) in 2022 – well below the national agricultural household average of ₹122,616.

    The conflict in Chhattisgarh is also harming the region’s wildlife. In December, a female sloth bear was killed by an improvised explosive device planted by Maoist rebels in the forests of Dantewada. The bear’s two orphaned cubs starved to death shortly after.

    This was the first recorded death of a wild animal from such an explosion in Bastar district, though livestock and pets have been victims of similar blasts in the past.

    One month earlier, in central Chhattisgarh’s Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve, a five-year-old elephant calf sustained critical injuries from a suspected bomb explosion. These incidents reflect a disturbing pattern within the conflict, where wildlife is becoming a victim of the violence.

    March of industrialisation

    Industrialisation has exacerbated these challenges. Chhattisgarh is rich in mineral resources. Between 2023 and 2024, the state produced nearly 50 million tonnes of limestone, 44 million tonnes of iron ore, and over 1 million tonnes of bauxite. However, widespread mining is fuelling further deforestation and environmental degradation.

    Between 2001 and 2023, the state lost 53,500 hectares of forest, with large-scale mining operations contributing significantly to the loss. In the Hasdeo region of northern Chhattisgarh, the Parsa East Kete Basen coal mine has led to the felling of almost 82,000 trees, spread across two phases of mining. Between 2012 and 2018, 50,000 trees were felled, with more than 31,800 more trees cut down since then.

    With continued political support for mineral extraction, government approvals, and the involvement of commercial mining giants, more deforestation is expected over the coming years.

    This deforestation is, unsurprisingly, harming the region’s wildlife. The latest census by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, which was carried out in 2022, revealed a sharp and alarming decline in Chhattisgarh’s tiger population.

    At that time, there were only 17 tigers remaining in the state – a dramatic fall from 46 in 2014. Conservationists fear that the figure could now be even lower, as the situation continues to deteriorate.

    This decline is largely due to habitat destruction. But it has probably been made worse by the Maoist insurgency in regions such as northern Chhattisgarh, which is home to the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve, as well as the Indravati Tiger Reserve in the south-western part of the state.

    The insurgency has hindered conservation efforts. The use of explosives in the forests disrupts the behaviour of tigers, while also making it more difficult for conservationists to monitor and protect them.

    What was once a lush and bio-diverse environment is rapidly becoming a wasteland. But the loss of these trees and wildlife in Chhattisgarh represents more than simply the depletion of natural resources. It symbolises the erosion of culture, identity, and a way of life for Chhattisgarh’s Indigenous people.

    Bulbul Prakash is supported by The University of Manchester through the ‘Future of the Academy Studentship’ for her doctoral research. The author would like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of Adivasi activist Soni Sori, who shared firsthand images taken by Adivasi community members in the forests of Chhattisgarh, which illustrate the environmental damage caused by ongoing conflict.

    – ref. Central India’s indigenous forests are falling victim to bullets and bulldozers – https://theconversation.com/central-indias-indigenous-forests-are-falling-victim-to-bullets-and-bulldozers-246272

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Most of Britain’s peat bogs could stop forming new peat as the climate changes – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Ritson, Research Fellow, Geography, University of Manchester

    Joe Dunckley / shutterstock

    By the 2080s, climate change will mean most of Britain’s peatlands could be too dry to form new peat. That’s the stark warning from a new academic study my colleagues and I just published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.

    Peat bogs are found in areas where there is lots of rain but poor drainage. These vital ecosystems are relied upon to deliver drinking water, host rare plant and bird life and to mitigate the risk of floods by slowing rainwater as it heads downstream.

    Perhaps most importantly, peatlands also sequester huge amounts of carbon. That’s because peat is made of the remnants of plants accumulated over hundreds or thousands of years. Waterlogged conditions mean the plants don’t fully decompose, so the carbon they’re made of is kept in the ground and isn’t released into the atmosphere. Peat can be several metres deep so all that plant matter adds up – per square metre, a typical British peat bog stores far more carbon than a tropical rainforest.

    As peat needs very wet conditions to form, our study first mapped out the temperature and rainfall conditions under which this has occurred in the UK in the past. We then took the Met Office’s UK climate projections and looked at where these conditions would continue to occur by the 2080s. The results were, quite frankly, shocking.

    Although small pockets of favourable conditions may still be present in Wales, and larger ones in Scotland, the outlook for England is dismal, with barely any areas continuing to be suitable for peat formation due to increasing temperatures and lower summer rainfall.

    UK peatlands. The large red patch at the top of mainland Scotland is the Flow Country.
    James Hutton Institute / Biogeochemistry

    In the “Flow Country” of northern Scotland, a bog so big it has been designated a Unesco world heritage site, the area in which we might expect peatlands to thrive is likely to be reduced by at least 50% even in the best-case climate scenario. This scenario of mild warming is, unfortunately, unlikely to happen. More extreme scenarios of peatland degradation are increasingly realistic.

    We still don’t know exactly what this will mean for the peatlands in places like Exmoor or Dartmoor in southern England, however we do know that life will become more and more challenging for these precious ecosystems. Not experiencing the temperature and rainfall that caused peat formation in the first place could mean they start to emit the carbon currently stored, as this is reliant on them staying wet and boggy.

    Peatlands are naturally resilient and aren’t going to disappear overnight (the Peak District in northern England was heavily degraded for over a century, yet still hosts many metres of peat soils). But conservation and restoration work is going to be ever more necessary if we are to preserve these landscapes as carbon sinks rather than sources.

    More money for conservation

    One ray of light in all this is that the challenging conditions in England could actually unlock more money for conservation efforts. The UK Peatland Code is a climate finance initiative that allows landowners to generate income from peatland restoration by selling carbon credits. The number of credits they can claim is based on the difference in avoided emissions from a “do nothing” scenario in which they do no restoration.

    Our new results show that doing nothing could be even worse than previously thought, meaning more carbon finance may be unlocked. Perversely, bad news for England’s peatlands could bring about the money needed to save them.

    Thankfully, through measures such as the government’s Nature for Climate scheme and ongoing investment in fundamental peatland science, the UK has something of a head start in peatland restoration. Techniques that were once trialled in small areas are now being rolled out across whole landscapes.

    Gully blocking to raise peatland water tables and limit carbon loss, as part of the GGR-Peat project at the National Trust High Peak Estate.
    Jonathan Ritson

    The Great North Bog initiative, as one example, has linked together restoration organisations, researchers and landowners to deliver restoration across four national parks and three national landscapes. This is truly the scale that is needed if the UK is serious about meeting its climate targets.

    More will be required, however, as huge swathes of peatland remain in a degraded state. While bleak messages like those in our new study could lead to resignation about the effects of climate change, there is an alternative way of looking at it: we must show how bad things could get if we don’t do anything, and then see this as a call to action.

    Jonathan Ritson has received funding from charities delivering peatland restoration.

    – ref. Most of Britain’s peat bogs could stop forming new peat as the climate changes – new study – https://theconversation.com/most-of-britains-peat-bogs-could-stop-forming-new-peat-as-the-climate-changes-new-study-248515

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Man rescued from a fire in Grouville has died30 January 2025 Statement issued on behalf of the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service: We are saddened to share that the man who was rescued from a fire in Grouville on Sunday 19 January 2025 has died. George… Read more

    Source: Channel Islands – Jersey

    30 January 2025

    Statement issued on behalf of the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service: 

    We are saddened to share that the man who was rescued from a fire in Grouville on Sunday 19 January 2025 has died. 

    George Michael Monte De Ramos Castrudes, 37, was originally from the Philippines and had been working on a farm in the Island. 

    Our thoughts and sympathies are with his loved ones. 

    The coroner’s department can confirm that it is currently investigating this case as an unexpected death. 

    The family, who are overseas, have been made aware and contact has been made with the Philippines Embassy. 

    An inquest will be opened in due course and preparations are underway to repatriate Mr Castrudes’ body home to the Philippines. 

    The cause of the incident remains under SJFRS investigation.​​

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Final Sentencings in Major Albuquerque Drug Trafficking Case

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBUQUERQUE – The final of four defendants has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking organization that operated out of various Motel 6 locations in Albuquerque. The sentences mark the conclusion of a multi-agency investigation that began in August 2020 as part of Operation Legend.

    According to court documents, the investigation revealed that the organization engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine. Members routinely carried firearms during drug transactions and were involved in other criminal activities, including selling firearms and a kidnapping incident.

    The Motel 6 on Carlisle and I-40 served as a hub for the group’s operations. Between January and June 2020, this location generated 233 calls for police service, including reports of firearms activity, armed robberies, and other serious crimes.

    Four defendants have been sentenced for their roles in a violent drug trafficking organization:

    • Jack Trujillo, 48, the ringleader, was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for multiple counts of methamphetamine distribution, firearms offenses, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Upon his release from prison, Trujillo will be subject to five years of supervised release.
    • Alberto Gomez, 40, received a 11.5-year sentence for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, aiding and abetting the possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Gomez will be subject to five years of supervised release.
    • Cedric Kulka, 26, was sentenced to 8 years’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Kulka will be subject to three years of supervised release.
    • Christopher Hulsey, 29, received a 15-year sentence for multiple counts of methamphetamine distribution, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Upon his release from prison, Hulsey will be subject to five years of supervised release.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jaymie L. Roybal is prosecuting the case.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Prepared Remarks: Sanders Opening Statement in Hearing to Consider RFK Jr. Nomination

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Vermont – Bernie Sanders
    WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP), today delivered an opening statement at the committee’s hearing on the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
    Sanders’ remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below and can be watched here.
    Thank you, Senator Cassidy. And Mr. Kennedy, thank you for being with us.
    I will discuss later the issue of vaccines, which Senator Cassidy raised, and is of concern I think for all of us. But before I go there, I wanted to congratulate you for the phrase “Make America Healthy Again.” I think that is a cry that all of us – a goal that all of us share – because, as you have indicated, we are a very unhealthy society.
    We are the richest country in the history of the world, but we rank far below every other major country in terms of our life expectancy. That’s outrageous. To me, equally outrageous is that, if you are working class in this country, you are going to live six or seven years shorter than if you are rich. In America today, 68,000 people die every year because they can’t afford to get to a doctor.
    Unbelievably, in this country, hundreds of thousands of people deal with cancer, struggling for their lives. You know what happens to them? They go bankrupt. They deplete their life’s savings.
    In other words, when we talk about making America healthy, we’ve got to talk about our broken, corrupt health care system.
    Your uncle, President Kennedy, and your father, Bobby Kennedy, a great senator from New York, both did the right thing. They said that health care is a human right. I’m not sure how we can move to making America healthy again unless we have the guts to take on the insurance companies and the drug companies and guarantee health care to all people. I’ll be asking you a question about that.
    Lowering the cost of prescription drugs. How do you make America healthy again if one out of four people in this country cannot afford the price of prescription drugs, which is far higher in America than any other country on Earth?
    Under President Biden, we made some progress and this committee played an active role in having Medicare begin, for the first time, negotiating the price of prescription drugs. And I’m going to ask you today whether or not President Trump will follow what we accomplished here.
    We are the only major country on earth not to guarantee paid family and medical leave. Mr. Kennedy, there are women today who are having babies and are forced to return to work in a week or two because they have no guaranteed paid family and medical leave. How do you have a healthy country when Americans get fired because they stay home taking care of their sick kids? That’s not making America healthy again.
    If you are working 50 to 60 hours a week making 13, 14 bucks an hour, can you be healthy? Will you join those of us who think that, in the United States, the wealthiest country in the world, people that work 40 hours a week should not live in poverty? We must raise the minimum wage to a living wage.
    Lastly, President Trump believes that climate change is a hoax. I happen to believe, most Americans believe and virtually the entire scientific community believes that it is an existential threat to this planet. I don’t know how you are going to make America healthy again or keep the world healthy when you have massive heat waves, droughts, floods and extreme weather disturbances. That’s not keeping America healthy. Now, that is not within the jurisdiction of HHS, but I surely hope that you will, if confirmed, demand that President Trump change his position and work with those of us who are trying to transform our energy system and keep America healthy by addressing the crisis of climate change.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Joint Statement by humanitarian, development and human rights organisations in Lebanon: We need a Permanent Ceasefire and a Just Recovery

    Source: Oxfam –

    We, the undersigned organisations operating in Lebanon, urgently call on parties to abide by their commitments towards a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon and appeal to the international community to ensure the respect and full implementation of the temporary ceasefire agreement, now being extended until February 18th 2025.

    While the temporary ceasefire remains in effect and has been extended, we express deep concern about the numerous reported violations that continue to weaken the agreement.. Over 800 violations by Israeli forces[1] and at least one violation by Hezbollah[2] have been reported. As of January 23, 2025 violations by Israeli forces have included indiscriminate ground and air attacks, killing at least 30 people, since November 27, 2024, bringing the total number of people killed by Israeli forces since October 8, 2023 to 4,285, including 241 health care workers, and 17,200 wounded[3]. On Sunday January 26, 2025, alone, Israeli military forces killed 24 individuals, including six women and a Lebanese soldier, and injured 134 including 12 children in the South of Lebanon[4]. Thousands of people, including women and children, older people and people with disabilities have been uprooted from their homes, cut off from food, healthcare and education and exposed to hugely traumatic events – with, so far, no accountability for the destruction or indiscriminate killing.

    This agreement represents a step towards implementing UN Security Resolution 1701 and included a “phased withdrawal of the Israeli Defense Forces south of the Blue Line and the parallel deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) south of the Litani river” that “should not exceed 60 days”.[5] There is still an opportunity to transform temporary undertakings into longer term commitments.

    While many are attempting to return to their homes, hundreds of thousands of people still face the grim reality of either not being able to return because of ongoing Israeli forces’ ground occupation or because of the scale of destruction. Israeli forces have razed entire villages and destroyed agricultural lands and vital infrastructure, including hospitals and schools. Lands are contaminated by unexploded ordnance posing threats to life and risks for the reconstruction efforts.

    As human rights and humanitarian organisations, we will continue supporting all affected people with emergency assistance, recovery and reconstruction[6], but the humanitarian crisis remains severe. Plans for recovery and reconstruction have begun amidst a lingering socio-economic crisis and skyrocketing poverty rates, with nearly one Third of children in Lebanon facing crisis levels of hunger[7]. The economic losses due to the conflict are estimated at 8.5 billion USD[8], and Lebanon desperately needs support for its recovery. The consequences of this destruction will be felt in Lebanon for years to come, and yet again, with no accountability.

    As humanitarian and human rights organisations involved in the immediate relief, early recovery and reconstruction efforts in Lebanon, we urgently call for:

    1. Immediate, Unconditional and Definitive Ceasefire in Lebanon and the Region:
    • The international community to take every step possible, including through diplomatic and political leverage, to ensure an immediate and definitive ceasefire in Lebanon. The temporary and conditional agreement must allow for a transition to a permanent ceasefire.

    • The international community must also ensure the respect and implementation  of the pause in hostilities in Gaza and an end to excessive use of force in the West Bank, acknowledging that this is essential to protect civilians and prevent further escalation and regional spillover.

    1. Unconditional Humanitarian Access and Scaling Up Assistance:
    • Ensure rapid, unhindered access to conflict-affected areas and safeguard humanitarian facilities and personnel across the country.
    • Fully fund the humanitarian flash appeal to address the acute needs across Lebanon to enable the provision of immediate, flexible funding for gender, age and disability responsive humanitarian responses, including cash assistance, safe shelter, and healthcare.

    • Support reconstruction efforts through grants, not loans, and fund early warning and early action and anticipatory action to mitigate further shocks.

    1. Inclusive Recovery Focusing on Social Cohesion:
    1. Supporting Local and National NGOs in Response Planning and Implementation:

    • Increase financial and logistical support to local and national NGOs[9], including women’s rights and women-led organizations, and ensure these are at the forefront of responding to the crisis and receive direct, timely and flexible funding to meet growing needs.

    1. Halt the Transfer of Arms to Conflict Parties:

    • Suspend immediately the transfer of all weapons, parts, munitions, and ammunition to parties to the armed conflict when there is a risk they might be used to commit or facilitate violations of IHL and IHRL and other further grave violations in Lebanon and the region.

    1. Accountability and Respect for International Law:

    There is cautious optimism following recent political developments, including the appointments of both President and Prime Minister. However, meaningful international support is critical to fulfill the aspirations of the people in Lebanon for sustainable peace and justice. It is the persistent failure to seek accountability for violations that has fuelled cycles of violence now affecting the entire region. The time for action is now to ensure a just recovery and lasting peace in Lebanon and the region.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From chatbot to sexbot: What lawmakers can learn from South Korea’s AI hate-speech disaster

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jul Parke, PhD Candidate in Media, Technology & Culture, University of Toronto

    The chatbot Iruda began expressing hateful views after some users “trained” it with toxic language. Here a newer version of Iruda is shown. (Scatter Lab)

    As artificial intelligence technologies develop at accelerated rates, the methods of governing companies and platforms continue to raise ethical and legal concerns.

    In Canada, many view proposed laws to regulate AI offerings as attacks on free speech and as overreaching government control on tech companies. This backlash has come from free speech advocates, right-wing figures and libertarian thought leaders.

    However, these critics should pay attention to a harrowing case from South Korea that offers important lessons about the risks of public-facing AI technologies and the critical need for user data protection.

    In late 2020, Iruda (or “Lee Luda”), an AI chatbot, quickly became a sensation in South Korea. AI chatbots are computer programs that simulate conversation with humans. In this case, the chatbot was designed as a 21-year-old female college student with a cheerful personality. Marketed as an exciting “AI friend,” Iruda attracted more than 750,000 users in under a month.

    But within weeks, Iruda became an ethics case study and a catalyst for addressing a lack of data governance in South Korea. She soon started to say troubling things and express hateful views. The situation was accelerated and exacerbated by the growing culture of digital sexism and sexual harassment online.

    Making a sexist, hateful chatbot

    Scatter Lab, the tech startup that created Iruda, had already developed popular apps that analyzed emotions in text messages and offered dating advice. The company then used data from these apps to train Iruda’s abilities in intimate conversations. But it failed to fully disclose to users that their intimate messages would be used to train the chatbot.

    The problems began when users noticed Iruda repeating private conversations verbatim from the company’s dating advice apps. These responses included suspiciously real names, credit card information and home addresses, leading to an investigation.

    The chatbot also began expressing discriminatory and hateful views. Investigations by media outlets found this occurred after some users deliberately “trained” it with toxic language. Some users even created user guides on how to make Iruda a “sex slave” on popular online men’s forums. Consequently, Iruda began answering user prompts with sexist, homophobic and sexualized hate speech.

    This raised serious concerns about how AI and tech companies operate. The Iruda incident also raises concerns beyond policy and law for AI and tech companies. What happened with Iruda needs to be examined within a broader context of online sexual harassment in South Korea.

    A pattern of digital harassment

    South Korean feminist scholars have documented how digital platforms have become battlegrounds for gender-based conflicts, with co-ordinated campaigns targeting women who speak out on feminist issues. Social media amplifies these dynamics, creating what Korean American researcher Jiyeon Kim calls “networked misogyny.”

    South Korea, home to the radical feminist 4B movement (which stands for four types of refusal against men: no dating, marriage, sex or children), provides an early example of the intensified gender-based conversations that are commonly seen online worldwide. As journalist Hawon Jung points out, the corruption and abuse exposed by Iruda stemmed from existing social tensions and legal frameworks that refused to address online misogyny. Jung has written extensively on the decades-long struggle to prosecute hidden cameras and revenge porn.

    Beyond privacy: The human cost

    Of course, Iruda was just one incident. The world has seen numerous other cases that demonstrate how seemingly harmless applications like AI chatbots can become vehicles for harassment and abuse without proper oversight.

    These include Microsoft’s Tay.ai in 2016, which was manipulated by users to spout antisemitic and misogynistic tweets. More recently, a custom chatbot on Character.AI was linked to a teen’s suicide.

    Chatbots — that appear as likeable characters that feel increasingly human with rapid technology advancements — are uniquely equipped to extract deeply personal information from their users.

    These attractive and friendly AI figures exemplify what technology scholars Neda Atanasoski and Kalindi Vora describe as the logic of “surrogate humanity” — where AI systems are designed to stand in for human interaction but end up amplifying existing social inequalities.

    AI ethics

    In South Korea, Iruda’s shutdown sparked a national conversation about AI ethics and data rights. The government responded by creating new AI guidelines and fining Scatter Lab 103 million won ($110,000 CAD).

    However, Korean legal scholars Chea Yun Jung and Kyun Kyong Joo note these measures primarily emphasized self-regulation within the tech industry rather than addressing deeper structural issues. It did not address how Iruda became a mechanism through which predatory male users disseminated misogynist beliefs and gender-based rage through deep learning technology.

    Ultimately, looking at AI regulation as a corporate issue is simply not enough. The way these chatbots extract private data and build relationships with human users means that feminist and community-based perspectives are essential for holding tech companies accountable.

    Since this incident, Scatter Lab has been working with researchers to demonstrate the benefits of chatbots.

    Canada needs strong AI policy

    In Canada, the proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act and Online Harms Act are still being shaped, and the boundaries of what constitutes a “high-impact” AI system remain undefined.

    The challenge for Canadian policymakers is to create frameworks that protect innovation while preventing systemic abuse by developers and malicious users. This means developing clear guidelines about data consent, implementing systems to prevent abuse, and establishing meaningful accountability measures.

    As AI becomes more integrated into our daily lives, these considerations will only become more critical. The Iruda case shows that when it comes to AI regulation, we need to think beyond technical specifications and consider the very real human implications of these technologies.

    Join us for a live ‘Don’t Call Me Resilient’ podcast recording with Jul Parke on Wednesday, February 5 from 5-6 p.m. at Massey College in Toronto. Free to attend. RSVP here.

    Jul Parke receives funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada.

    – ref. From chatbot to sexbot: What lawmakers can learn from South Korea’s AI hate-speech disaster – https://theconversation.com/from-chatbot-to-sexbot-what-lawmakers-can-learn-from-south-koreas-ai-hate-speech-disaster-247152

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Burlington Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Firearms as a Drug User

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DAVENPORT, Iowa – A Burlington man was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison for possessing five firearms as a drug user.

    According to public court documents, Isaac Davon Carter, 31, purchased four firearms on August 5, 2020, from four different guns stores in Burlington, Clive, and Des Moines. Five days later, the United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted a package shipped from Cedar Rapids to California and located ten firearms inside, including all four firearms Carter purchased. In September 2020, law enforcement executed search warrant at Carter’s Burlington residence and located a loaded Glock pistol. Carter admitted he was an unlawful drug user, lied on the ATF form to obtain the four firearms he purchased, and had procured the firearms for another person, who was with him when he purchased them.

    After completing his term of imprisonment, Carter will be required to serve a three-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren Warns Hegseth Against Going After Former Joint Chiefs Chairman General Milley, Demands Reinstatement of Pentagon Watchdog

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    January 30, 2025
    “I am concerned that the removal of the Senate-confirmed IG will result in waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer funds, undermine accountability, and open the door to an unprecedented politicization of the Defense Department and the armed forces.”
    Text of Letter (PDF) 
    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member on the Senate Armed Service Subcommittee on Personnel, wrote to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with concerns following the removal of the Department of Defense (DoD) Inspector General (IG), Robert Storch. Senator Warren urged Secretary Hegseth to request President Trump rescind the decision to remove the IG and called out his abuse of power. 
    Mr. Storch was one of over a dozen IG’s that were reportedly fired by President Trump in an illegal “Friday night purge.” Before the president can fire an inspector general, he must provide notice to Congress within 30 days prior, including providing “substantial rationale” for the removal. Congress received no notice, and as of today, has not received a rationale. 
    In written responses to Senator Warren, Secretary Hegseth committed “to protecting the DoD IG’s independence.” During his confirmation hearing, he promised to be a “change agent” who would make sure that “[l]eaders—at all levels—will be held accountable.” These commitments will be impossible without an independent Inspector General. 
    “[N]ow that the IG has been removed, and less than 72 hours after your swearing in ceremony, you appear to be abusing your power to weaponize the government against the President’s political enemies,” wrote Senator Warren. 
    Senator Warren also wrote with concerns that Secretary Hegseth reportedly is stripping four-star General Mark Milley, the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, of his security detail and clearance, as well as directing the acting IG to conduct a review board to demote him. Members of Congress already asked the DoD IG to investigate this issue in 2022. After the IG reviewed “hundreds of pages of documents, including classified and unclassified records,” the IG concluded that “further inquiry…is not warranted.” 
    Retired General Milley is also among several officials provided security due to continued threats to his life from Iran.
    “It is reckless that your actions could pave the way for Iran’s revenge. Any reopening of General Milley’s administratively determined retired grade requires prior notice to Congress, due process for General Milley, and in the case of any redetermination, the advice and consent of the Senate,” said Senator Warren.
    “I am concerned that the removal of the Senate-confirmed IG will result in waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer funds, undermine accountability, and open the door to an unprecedented politicization of the Defense Department and the armed forces,” concluded Senator Warren. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Hartford Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun Possession

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that OSIRIS MUHAMMAD, 24, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly after midnight on January 26, 2024, Muhammad fired several shots at an intended victim in the area of Belden Street and Albany Avenue in Hartford.  On January 28, 2024, Hartford Police spotted Muhammad at a liquor store on Albany Avenue.  After a brief pursuit, he was taken into custody.  Officers found him in possession of a Ruger P89 pistol.  Subsequent analysis by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) connected the firearm to shell casings collected at the scene of the shooting the day before.

    In 2020, Muhammad was convicted in state court of robbery in the first degree.  It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.

    Muhammad has been detained since his arrest.  On June 28, 2024, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

    This investigation was conducted by the Hartford Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Konstantin Lantsman and Daniel Gordon .

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Revolutionising Tactical Communications Security in Defence

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Case study

    Revolutionising Tactical Communications Security in Defence

    Funded by DASA, PhoenixC4i, delivers game-changing antenna technology that reduces radio frequency (RF) footprint to enhance stealth and safety

    • Innovative clip-on antenna technology reduces RF footprint by up to 80%, enhancing operational security
    • Successfully deployed with over 75 units purchased by the British Army for evaluation
    • Cost-effective solution providing significant tactical advantage in electronic warfare environments

    Picture this scenario: armoured vehicles move through contested terrain. The mission is complex, with multiple units coordinating across a battlefield that spans tens of miles. But there’s a catch: every radio transmission needed to coordinate these forces could become a beacon for enemy targeting systems. Units face a difficult challenge between maintaining communications with one another and potentially revealing their positions to the adversaries hunting them, particularly when static.

    Stealth by design: DarkSky Clip-On Antenna

    From individual soldier radios to armoured vehicles and headquarters command posts, military forces rely on tactical Ultra High Frequency (UHF) antennas for communications. But these systems broadcast signals in all directions, making them easier to detect. Recent conflicts have provided stark evidence of how devastating electronic warfare can be, with forces suffering significant losses when their communications are detected and targeted.

    PhoenixC4i’s DASA-funded solution is elegantly simple: a clip-on antenna that directs radio signals only where needed, like a spotlight rather than a floodlight. This not only makes communications harder to detect but also improves signal quality. Whether mounted on vehicles, command posts, or carried by soldiers, the system improves survivability with minimal training required.

    DarkSky in action

    “We developed the DarkSky Clip-On Antenna after realising that existing systems were unable to effectively reduce the detectable signal,” explains Douglas Celerier, founder of PhoenixC4i. “Our solution needed to be ultra-portable, easy to train and versatile enough to be deployed on different platforms, such as vehicles, masts or soldier platforms.”

    Revolutionising Tactical Communications Security in Defence

    Benefits for Defence:

    • improve link quality for robust HQ-to-HQ communications
    • doubling the baseline communication range
    • extending links within the network, particularly to isolated nodes
    • providing better quality links to enhance data performance reducing up to 80% unwanted RF signature in identified directions: reducing
      • vulnerability of intercept
      • susceptibility to disruption from jamming or co-site interference
    • easily retrofitting to existing UHF comms systems with low system and network impact

    Impact and implementation

    On completion of their DASA project, the British Army purchased 75 DarkSky Clip-On Antennas for evaluation. The PhoenixC4i innovation offers a cost-effective solution for protecting static vehicles, headquarters, and infantry radio communications.

    Beyond the British Army’s purchase, PhoenixC4i also secured significant contracts, including several units for UK MOD specialist users. The system has proven its worth in multiple trials, including WESSEX Storm and MARWORKS, and is being considered for frameworks such as SERAPIS and humanitarian support to Ukraine.

    “When the tactical antenna system was first designed, it was based on a mesh network where the signals all supported each other,” says Celerier. “However, in reality, it doesn’t work like that – small groups go out with long links between organisational units. The DarkSky Clip-On Antenna supports actual operational requirements while keeping users covert.”

    DASA and PhoenixC4i: On the same wavelength

    The journey from innovative idea to battlefield-ready technology requires more than just engineering talent – it needs the right support. Since 2020, DASA’s expertise has transformed PhoenixC4i’s initial concept into a field-tested reality.

    “Working with DASA has provided multiple advantages,” notes Celerier. “The DASA team are always available to assist with everything from admin, commercial, technical direction or helping to open doors to the right customers for our technology. Their support has allowed PhoenixC4i to expand and employ additional personnel.”

    The results speak for themselves. What began as antenna modelling in a workshop in Gloucester has evolved into technology tested by British forces, with PhoenixC4i expanding both their team and their ambitions.

    “We’ve created something that’s not only innovative but also practical and affordable,” says Celerier.

    A growing defence portfolio

    The DarkSky Clip-On Antenna is just one part of PhoenixC4i’s growing defence innovation portfolio. Through continued DASA support, the company has been funded to develop technologies including:

    SPARTACUS: Tactical Deception Made Simple

    This electronic warfare system creates convincing radio signatures that protect forces by generating digital ‘decoys’. The system can simulate various military assets while remaining simple enough for rapid deployment.

    Infrared Heat-Mat: Digital Camouflage Evolution

    Using advanced materials including silicone and graphene, these heat mats replicate thermal signatures of vehicles and personnel to add clutter and degrade adversary sensor capabilities.

    Clever Clutter: Small Units, Big Impact

    Available in portable and larger variants, these units create confusion across infrared, visual, and audio spectrums. The technology is cost-effective and requires minimal training, making it ideal for rapid deployment.

    D-DIAB: Integrated Deception at the Push of a Button

    The ‘Digital Deception in a Box’ combines radio frequency and infrared deception in a single, trailer-mounted unit. It can simulate an entire headquarters location while keeping personnel safely away from harm.

    DarkSky, bright future

    Building on the success of the DarkSky Clip-On Antenna, PhoenixC4i continues to work with DASA on other electronic warfare solutions, including the SPARTACUS RF deception system and IR heatmat capabilities. These developments demonstrate the ongoing value of DASA’s support in bringing innovative defence solutions to market.

    The success of the DarkSky Clip-On Antenna proves that innovative SMEs, with the right support, can deliver critical capabilities to defence users. As electronic warfare continues to evolve, solutions like the DarkSky Clip-On Antenna can play an important role in protecting military communications and ensuring operational success.

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Water Security Agency Launches Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy with $1 Million Research Initiative

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on January 30, 2025

    Today, the Water Security Agency (WSA) announced a finalized Agricultural Water Stewardship Policy (policy), a key piece of Saskatchewan’s Agricultural Water Management Program. Also, WSA is committing $1 million over the next three years to ongoing research and monitoring to ensure the policy’s long-term effectiveness.

    “I appreciate the contributions of the 80 stakeholder and Indigenous organizations who helped shape this policy,” Minister Responsible for the Water Security Agency Daryl Harrison said. “We are committed to getting this right for Saskatchewan and will continue to invest in research, monitoring and make adjustments where needed.”

    Saskatchewan producers are caretakers of over 4.6 million acres of wetlands. With 86 per cent of the wetlands in Saskatchewan’s agricultural area undrained, it is clear Saskatchewan producers take their role seriously and are committed to the stewardship of these important features of our landscape. This policy will ensure that stewardship continues by establishing a limit on how many wetlands can be drained and how many wetlands need to be retained on the landscape.

    The policy was developed over the last two years after completing 11 different demonstration and research projects and engaging stakeholder and producer organizations, and Métis and Indigenous rights holders. 

    “The policy is a made-in-Saskatchewan approach to agriculture water management,” Water Security Agency President and CEO Shawn Jaques said. “The policy will support flood prevention, and protection of water quality and wetland habitat, while still allowing drainage to be used as a tool to improve farm efficiency and productivity, as well as soil health.”

    It is a regional approach that considers the different landscapes found in our vast province. It sets a baseline wetland retention goal of 40 per cent, and higher (up to 60 per cent) where required to protect important water sources. 

    The $1 million research initiative will fund projects that help to ensure the policy continues to make sense for Saskatchewan people and its landscape. WSA will monitor and publicly report on a set of key indicators to assess the policy’s progress and effectiveness. Saskatchewan will be the first jurisdiction in Canada to do this. 

    For more information on this announcement, visit: www.wsask.ca/agwatermanagement. 

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Scheme to improve Verulamium Park lakes and adjoining meadow is approved

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    A major scheme to make lasting improvements to Verulamium Park’s artificial lakes and an adjoining meadow has been approved.

    The project will provide new wetlands, nature walks and plant beds where native species can thrive.

    Among the aims are enhancing the water quality of the lakes, improving biodiversity and making the area more attractive to visitors.

    One feature will be the dredging of the heavily silted lakes with silt recycled to provide highly fertile planting areas around the edges.

    Councillors on the Public Realm Committee of St Albans City and District Council, which owns the park, approved the scheme at its meeting on Tuesday 28 January.

    The project will likely cost a seven-figure sum with the Council previously having set aside a £2.2 million budget for the work.

    Councillor Helen Campbell, the Committee’s Chair, said afterwards:

    This is a landmark moment for the Council and everyone who loves our flagship Verulamium Park.

    I am thrilled that we have at last agreed a sound and exciting plan for an area of the park that is in need of improvement.

    The next stage will be commissioning detailed designs and putting the work out to tender to see if it is indeed affordable.

    This has been a complex and challenging task, not least because of the financial constraints upon our budget, but with this plan in place I know our residents will be delighted to hear that we are making substantial progress.

    The Council had been looking at various options for improving the area around the lakes and Bell Meadow which is beside the park’s St Michael’s Street entrance.

    Bell Meadow is a flood plain and the ground is often under water or waterlogged. It   is currently closed for safety reasons as parts of the footpath were persistently flooded and slippery underfoot.

    The lakes were built more than 80 years ago to a design that would not be allowed today.

    One possible option, supported by the Environment Agency, was to return the Ver to its natural path as it flows through Bell Meadow.

    A working group, set up to look at options, has ruled this out as it would cost between £4m to £6m, well beyond the available budget.

    The group’s preferred option, accepted by the Committee at its meeting, is to retain the river in its current channel, but create a wetland in the meadow along with a permanent, raised footpath.

    Both artificial lakes will be narrowed by planting beds created around the perimeter, using extracted silt. Nature walks will wind through these areas.

    Cllr Campbell added:

    I know our residents are keen to see this area of the park improved, but I would warn this is a long-term project and it will be a few years before it is completed.

    The goal is to transform this area of much-loved Verulamium Park and create new wetlands, footpaths, wildlife habitats and nature walks. It won’t solve the flooding as the area is a floodplain, and with climate change we are getting more and more deluges of rain.

    This means we have had to adapt our project to these conditions in order to make improvements that are sustainable.

    We have now agreed on an imaginative and realistic option and can move forward, finalise detailed plans, gain the necessary permissions and put the work out to tender to see if it is within our budget.

    The Council has been working with partner organisations, including the Environment Agency, on a project to ‘Revitalise the River Ver’ as it flows through central St Albans.

    Work will start shortly on restoring the Ver, a rare chalk stream, to its more natural state in a stretch from Ye Olde Fighting Cocks pub to the Cottonmill allotments.

    Cllr Campbell added:

    The Environment Agency, which has a responsibility for rivers, will continue to support our work on Bell Meadow and the lakes. This will be our project, though, rather than a joint one as the river will be largely unaffected.

    Photo: Verulamium Park.

    Media contact:  John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727- 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Innovative new Police Hub brings officers closer to Woodford

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A landmark agreement between the Met and a local authority will help bring frontline officers back into communities.

    The opening of a police hub in Woodford provides Safer Neighbourhood officers with a dedicated base to enhance our response to issues such as anti-social behaviour, theft and vandalism.

    It was made possible after Redbridge Council agreed to provide the co-location space to the Met and pay for the fit out of the hub, which means that officers can be stationed within walking distance of their wards.

    Previously, following streamlining of the Met’s estate, officers policing that community were based around 20 minutes’ drive away.

    The partnership between the Met and Redbridge Council demonstrates how agencies can work together to improve community safety.

    It was formally opened by Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and council leader Kam Rai on Thursday, 30 January, and will house up to 20 officers covering six wards.

    It’s an important step towards the Met’s mission of delivering our strongest ever neighbourhood policing, which has already seen an additional 500 officers dedicated to working in communities across London ranging from Superintendents to PCSOs.

    Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said: “We are totally committed to making neighbourhood policing stronger than ever before so we can focus on tackling the crimes that matter most to Londoners.

    “Having officers closer to the communities they serve is key to our success and the partnership with Redbridge Council ensures we can deliver this at a time when our budgets are being stretched.

    “We have put an additional 500 officers into neighbourhood policing and our targeted approach has achieved a significant crime reduction in some areas. We want to go further and are already talking to local authorities to find solutions and ensure we can continue to deliver a great police service for London.”

    The Leader of Redbridge Council, Cllr Kam Rai, said: “The new hub in Woodford is a prime example of how London boroughs can proactively play a vital role in bringing policing back into the communities they serve.

    “This first of its kind, the hub will prove pivotal in helping to prevent antisocial behaviour and improve police response times across the west of Redbridge. This strategic location will significantly reduce the current travel time from Ilford, giving officers more time for local patrols and tackling issues.

    “While we have a police station in Ilford and a base in Barkingside, the new hub means more officers will now be closer to the communities they look after.

    “It was a pleasure welcoming Sir Mark Rowley to Redbridge, and we look forward to our continued close partnership with the Met Police to make our borough a safer place for local people.”

    The Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Kaya Comer-Schwartz, said: “Keeping communities safe is our top priority and I welcome this new policing hub in Woodford which will help build closer relationships between officers and the communities they serve and boost the local response to issues such as anti-social behaviour, theft and vandalism.

    “The Mayor and I are determined to do everything we can to support the Commissioner to deliver a new Met for London where local neighbourhood policing is prioritised and communities are put first. We have backed this up with record funding from City Hall for the Met Police, as we work together to build a safer London for all.”

    The opening comes after the Met was moved out of special measures because of the progress made in fixing the foundations of the organisation. Part of this progress is based on the work to deliver better neighbourhood policing across London.

    Our new neighbourhood policing model has been bolstered by an additional 500 staff ranging from superintendent to PCSOs, working closer than ever with communities to understand their concerns.

    Across Redbridge there has been an almost 13 per cent reduction in the number of offences in the previous 12 months, including fewer reports of violence, drug offences and violence against women and girls.

    Recent local operations have seen:

    • 65 bags of cannabis, six bags of cannabis resin and nine wraps of white powder, along with approximately £2,000, seized when a car was stopped in Goodmayes Lane.
    • A man, later found to be wanted for three other burglaries, pursued and arrested after officers noticed an alarm at a commercial premises near Ilford station.
    • Officers on routine patrols around Churchfields recover two machetes and a hunting knife from a building known to be used as a squat.
    • Four arrests as part of an operation focused on offenders targeting victims making ATM withdrawals in Ilford town centre.
    • Three machetes, a firearm, white powder and brown substance found in a property in Mayfield Ward as part of an intelligence-led operation. A man ran from the property, was located by a dog unit and arrested.
    • Three vulnerable women rescued from a brothel by neighbourhood officers in Ilford.
    • Two robbery suspects arrested by officers in the Orchard Estate after they stole a victim’s coat and recorded the attack on a phone.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Met police drive down violent crime in Merton in response to community concerns

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Local neighbourhood and specialist officers in Merton have led a series of intelligence-led warrants with more than £850,000 worth of suspected criminal property being taken off the streets of London this week alone.

    Officers visited 39 properties and made 32 arrests targeting the most prolific and dangerous offenders. Class A and Class B drugs with an estimated street value of £200,000 were seized, along with 14 offensive weapons, a firearm, and other high value items including cash.

    The operation, known as ‘Hessian’, has involved more than 600 officers since April 2024. It comes as part of the Met’s focus on community policing and tackling crime that matters most to residents who had raised concerns about serious violence in their area.

    As a result, Merton has recorded the largest fall in robbery offences (33 per cent) across the Met. Firearm offences are also down by 33 per cent, violent crime resulting in injury has decreased by 24 per cent and knife crime is down 14 per cent.

    In total across the operation, officers have now:

    • Carried out 71 warrants
    • Arrested 72 people
    • Seized 14 firearms with associated ammunition and 62 bladed and offensive weapons
    • Collected more than £620,000 worth of Class A and B drugs
    • Removed £1.4million in cash and other valuable items suspected to be the proceeds of crime
    • Upped patrols in the hotspot areas and been conducting weapons sweeps.

    Inspector Kevin Chambers, from the Met’s Merton Safer Neighbourhood Team, said:  

    “We remain focused on tackling the crimes that cause misery to communities and our targeted approach is working to reduce violence and organised crime in Merton and across London.

    “The Met has worked hard in South West London over the last 12 months to remove drugs, weapons and firearms from our streets, and relentlessly target criminal gangs to reduce offending and improve neighbourhoods.

    “The relationship with the people we serve is at the heart of everything we do and our ongoing commitment to prioritise community crime fighting is one of the key improvements that resulted in the Met recently being moved out of special measures.”

    Councillor Edith Macauley MBE, the London Borough of Merton’s Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said:

    “Operation Hessian, which was carried out by the police in response to concerns from residents, sends a clear message to criminal gangs that we won’t tolerate crime, drugs or violence in our community.

    “We’re determined to make sure Merton remains one of London’s safest boroughs and are joining forces with multiple partners, including the police, to act together to address residents’ fears about crime.”

    Last week (23 January), the Met moved out of special measures after making major improvements in many areas of service to London. This was a result of collective effort to change the Met and ensure it can deliver on its promise to Londoners – More Trust, Less Crime, High Standards.

    Over the last two-and-a-half years Met officers and staff have worked tirelessly to address more than 100 recommendations, several causes for concern and improve our service to London in areas far beyond those highlighted by HMICFRS.

    They have done so in the face of significant budget challenges, the sustained demand of public order and protest in London, increased scrutiny and accountability, all while continuing to do their day jobs keeping Londoner’s safe.

    To report a crime in your area ring 101 or visit the Met’s website. Always ring 999 in an emergency.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Murray Continues Raising Alarm On Illegal Trump Admin Attempt to Freeze Federal Funding, Ongoing Lack of Clarity for Panicked Families and Communities

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
    Murray: “The Trump administration’s half-hearted steps yesterday to clean up this massive mess they have made just affirms two things—one: they are still illegally withholding federal funds that are law; and two: this is an administration whose sheer incompetence, combined with their bad intentions and willful disregard of the law, is creating mass panic and chaos, and hurting people everywhere.”
    Murray lays out how funding freeze is still hurting Head Start providers, rental assistance, community health centers, hurting Tribes in Washington state
    ***VIDEO HERE***
    Washington, D.C. – This morning, at a press conference with Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Gary Peters (D-MI), Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, once again spoke out forcefully to raise the alarm over the illegal, sweeping Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memo issued by the Trump administration on Monday night that directed agencies to freeze vast swaths of federal funding passed into law by Congress.
    Yesterday morning—just hours after the OMB memo was issued—Murray joined Leader Schumer and Senators Merkley, Klobuchar, Murphy, Kim, and King for a press conference hammering the Trump administration for the unprecedented and dangerous move, and highlighting the mass panic and confusion it was already creating for families, businesses, nonprofits, towns, and communities in every part of the country. Immediately after the OMB memo became public Monday night, Murray and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro sent a letter to Acting OMB Director Matthew J. Vaeth raising the alarm on President Trump’s unlawful executive orders and the new memoranda. A fact sheet on the issue of the impoundment is available HERE.
    Senator Murray’s remarks, as delivered, are below and video is HERE:
    “While a judge has put this illegal move to freeze federal grants on hold for a very few short days, as Senator Schumer talked about, the threat, and the chaos, and the panic remain.
    “And, let’s be clear, the Trump administration’s half-hearted steps yesterday to clean up this massive mess they have made just affirms two things—one: they are still illegally withholding federal funds that are law; and two: this is an administration whose sheer incompetence, combined with their bad intentions and willful disregard of the law, is creating mass panic and chaos, and hurting people everywhere.
    “Their explanations have created no clarity or certainty for many panicked families, businesses, nonprofits, towns, and states. And they don’t actually change the basic fact that Trump is holding up funding our communities are counting on—and funding that is law.
    “Because first off, there are lots of programs they are saying won’t be affected when that is not what organizations across the country are experiencing.
    “Just one example: yesterday, Head Start providers were locked out of their reimbursement portal—meaning folks that are taking care of our youngest kids were suddenly not sure how they were going to keep the doors open or pay their teachers and staff.
    “Rental assistance—the payment system for housing authorities was down yesterday, I checked again with my staff this morning; it is still down.
    “And beyond that, there is just a long list of programs still left completely on the chopping block. Programs that help red states and blue states alike.
    “Meanwhile, a Tribe back in my home state of Washington told me just a little bit ago that they are having to determine if they need to lay off 400 people.
    “Community Health Centers have been having difficulty drawing down their federal funds. Sometimes they are the only providers, especially in our rural or remote communities. It is the end of the month, they need to make payroll!
    “There are real patients to consider here as clinics have to think about whether they have the funds to cover services because of this illegal move. 
    “Funding for firefighters—you know what doesn’t stop when federal funding stops? Fires! I mean the list goes on, and on. The calls are coming in, and the chaos—I am here to tell you—has not died down this morning.
    “There is really only one solution here in the Senate, and that is for all of us—all of us—to stand up and say ‘enough.’ To demand President Trump revoke these reckless orders and recognize Congress—Congress—has the power of the purse.
    “We will fight this in the courts, yes, but President Trump needs to back down from this reckless order that is hurting Americans and just follow the law as Congress wrote it.
    “This kind of freeze is going to hurt their states just as much, if not more. This is not a red or blue issue.
    “So, as Leader Schumer has said, we are going to keep sounding the alarm and pointing out who President Trump is hurting. We are going to listen to folks back home and raise their stories for everyone to hear.
    “None of us were elected to hurt people or sow chaos. We are elected to help people and solve problems. I hope every Member of Congress works with us to make clear, and work to tell President Trump: the law is the law. Work to tell him that Congress is a co-equal branch of government and the executive is there to execute the laws Congress has written. “The White House needs to stop hurting the American people.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Jail terms for men who ran Kent waste warehouse

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Rubbish later caught fire, disrupting town – Lancashire and Devon men guilty of waste crime

    Fire-ravaged unit at Westwood Business Park in Margate

    Routine complaints about flies in a seaside town unearthed a vast cavern of illegally-stored waste.

    No wonder the flies, as well as rats, were interested. David Weeks and Lee Brookes had built up a massive stockpile of rubbish, neatly packaged in black plastic.

    The Environment Agency prosecuted the pair, resulting in suspended prison sentences totalling 20 months between them for filling a Margate warehouse with the waste.

    It was spring 2017. As the weather warmed up, frustrated residents rang the local council to report swarms of flies close to an anonymous building.

    Officials at Thanet District Council contacted the Environment Agency, which began an investigation. It discovered the illegal storage of thousands of bales of household and construction waste inside the building, unit P, on the Westwood Business Park.

    Baled waste stored inside unit P before the fire.

    A director of Devon-based DW Land Ltd, Weeks signed a one-year lease with the building’s owners at the start of 2017.

    Lorry after lorry dumped waste

    But no sooner was the ink dry on the lease that lorry after lorry began arriving in Margate from across the home counties – a procession of 220 vehicles over three months, offloading 6,000 blocks of waste and placed in the building.

    Totnes businessman Weeks employed Brookes’ firm, OMC Outdoor Maintenance Company, of Whitworth, in Lancashire, to secure and manage unit P. Weeks told the Environment Agency he was the agent for two companies wanting the site for an energy-from-waste plant. 

    Judge Simon Taylor KC heard the waste had left legal sites in Hampshire and Hertfordshire, bound for the Kent coast, to be stored inside the building, but outside the law. Neither Brookes nor Weeks obtained an environmental permit for the storage of waste.

    Risk became reality when building went up in flames

    Matt Higginson, environment manager for the Environment Agency in Kent, said:

    Weeks and Brookes profited financially from payments made to the sites where the waste originated and from its storage in Kent.

    Not getting an environmental permit for the building, avoiding the cost and requirements of getting one, Weeks and Brookes gave themselves an unfair advantage over legitimate waste operators

    A permit for the site would have required a plan to manage the risk of fire. Risk became reality when the building went up in flames. The disruption for local people went on for almost a month.

    This case proves you must use firms authorised to take away your waste. Check the register of waste carriers’ licences on gov.uk.

    Throughout 2017 and 2018, Weeks and Brookes gave the Environment Agency several excuses as to why they couldn’t clear the waste from the building. 

    On 18 September that year, the building caught fire. Kent Fire and Rescue Service fought the blaze for 25 days. At its peak, rubbish burst out of the packaging. Although no cause for the fire has ever been found, roads and businesses had to close, and the disruption led to operations cancelled at the local hospital.

    View of fire-ravaged unit P at Westwood Business Park in Margate.

    It was only a year later, towards the end of 2019, and almost three years after the first delivery of rubbish, what waste survived the fire was finally removed by the battered building’s new owner.

    Weeks and Brookes gave scant assistance to the Environment Agency’s investigation. Even after the fire, the pair kept a very low profile.

    David Weeks, 55, of School Hill, Totnes, Devon, was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years. He also to pay £5,000 in costs, and a victim surcharge of £140.

    Judge Taylor also gave Weeks 150 hours unpaid work and 20 hours of rehabilitation activity aimed at preventing him from reoffending. He’ll have to wear an electronic tag to monitor his daytime movements for the next two months. 

    Lee Brookes, of Tonacliffe Way, Whitworth, Lancashire, received a sentence of four months in prison, suspended for a year. He was also given 80 hours of unpaid work and the same 20 hours of rehabilitation programme. The court also ordered the 49-year-old to pay costs of £1,000 and a £115 victim surcharge.   

    At the hearing on 21 January, the court was told Weeks was fined almost £10,000 seven years ago for his part in the management of a site in Plymouth where 13,000 tonnes of wood was stored illegally.   

    The two men pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to knowing their respective companies, DW Land and OMC Maintenance, ran the waste operation in Margate without an environmental permit between 13 January 2017 and 22 August 2019, against regulation 12 (1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. 

    DW Land Ltd, of Paignton Road, Stoke Gabriel, Totnes, Devon, and OMC Outdoor Maintenance Company Ltd, also of Tonacliffe Way, Whitworth, Lancashire, are no longer trading.

    Contact us: Journalists only –

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 30 January 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Integrated Forest Fire Management and Remote Sensing Survey Workshop for the Caucasus and Central Asian Countries and Türkiye

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    Photo credit: @FAO/Nezih Tavlas

    Integrated Forest Fire Management and Remote Sensing Survey Workshop for the Caucasus and Central Asian Countries and Türkiye, was held at the Turkish International Forestry Training Centre in Antalya, Türkiye, on 8-12 July 26, 2024. The workshop was co-organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the General Directorate of Forestry of Türkiye (OGM).

    Through interactive sessions, participants from national forest related ministries and agencies of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye and Uzbekistan gained knowledge on practical methods to assess forests and their management in their countries and to improve their protection against forest fires:

    • The component on Forest Data Collection and Interpretation was conducted using a learning-by-doing approach to data collection. National participants were trained in visual image interpretation of samples within their country and region of expertise. Data collection was carried out using the Collect Earth Online platform, developed in collaboration with NASA and Google and tailored for the purposes of the FRA 2025 Remote Sensing Survey.
    • The component on Integrated Forest Fire Management Training was delivered by the Turkish experts using the already available training modules (Computer Based Training Module and Field Applications, and Forest Fire Fighting Training Simulator) in the training center. The training focused on the 3 basic strategies of forest fire management: Prevention – Fighting – Rehabilitation.
    • A field trip was organized to the Antalya region, to discuss in the field the spectral characteristics of different land cover classes to facilitate image interpretation as well as to demonstrate the best practices in forest fire control and post-fire management and on post-fire rehabilitation of burned forest areas.

    The event was organized with the support of the FAO Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme project: ‘’Enhancing the Capacity of the Turkish International Forestry Training Centre”.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Winter Garden Man Who Backed Vehicle Into Business And Stole Six Firearms Sentenced To Four Years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Edward Camacho (20, Winter Garden) to four years and three months in federal prison for theft of a firearm from a federal firearms licensee. Camacho pleaded guilty on September 17, 2024.

    According to the plea agreement, on August 18, 2023, Camacho backed a vehicle into the front of a federal firearms licensee business around midnight. After smashing the front door and wall of the business, Camacho entered the business and broke a glass case where multiple firearms were housed. Camacho stole six firearms and then fled in his vehicle.

    Camacho was apprehended less than two hours later after a foot pursuit with law enforcement. During the foot chase, Camacho was seen tossing three firearms onto the ground, two of which were confirmed to be stolen from the federal firearms licensee business.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Winter Park Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Alexa McNeff.

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

    MIL Security OSI –