NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Foreign resident capital gains withholding overview

    Source: Australian Department of Revenue

    About foreign resident capital gains withholding

    Foreign resident capital gains withholding (FRCGW) applies to all (individual and non-individual) vendors (property sellers) selling or disposing of certain taxable real property (property).

    When selling or disposing of property in Australia:

    • Australian residents for tax purposes (Australian residents) must have a valid clearance certificate issued by us at, or before settlement. Without a clearance certificate, FRCGW must be withheld from the sale proceeds by the purchaser and paid to us.
    • Foreign residents (also known as non-residents) may incur capital gains tax (CGT) on the sale of Australian property. Purchasers withhold FRCGW from the sale price and remit this to us to go toward payment of this liability. FRCGW must be withheld unless the foreign resident vendor has a variation notice specifying a reduced rate of FRCGW.
    • Purchasers must pay any amount they withhold to us at, or before settlement.

    The most common reasons for disposing of a property include selling and transferring to another person or entity, for more reasons see CGT events.

    Rate of withholding from a property sale

    The following FRCGW rates apply to the market value of property contracts signed:

    • Up to and including 31 December 2024, a rate of 12.5% applies to property valued at $750,000 or more.
    • On and after 1 January 2025, a rate of 15% applies to the value of all property.

    Example: contract signed before 1 January 2025

    Jane is a foreign resident and wants to sell her apartment.

    Toni decides to purchase the property, signing the sale contract on 16 December 2024 for $1.2 million (its market value at that time).

    Their settlement period is 28 days, with the settlement date 6 January 2025.

    As the contract was signed before 1 January 2025, Toni must withhold 12.5% of $1.2 million, that is $150,000 and pay this to us.

    Note: If the contract was signed after 1 January 2025, Toni would have to withhold at a rate of 15% of $1.2 million ($180,000) and pay this amount to us.

    End of example

    Types of assets

    Taxable Australian real property requiring a clearance certificate include:

    • vacant land, buildings, residential and commercial property
    • mining, quarrying or prospecting rights where they are situated in Australia
    • a lease over real property in Australia
    • indirect Australian real property (IARP) interests, where the holder has a right to occupy land or buildings on land.

    Other assets

    Other types of real property-related assets, such as leases, shares that are indirect real property interests (IARPI) and options in those that aren’t listed on an official stock exchange are also subject to FRCGW.

    See Vendor declarations for more info about what to do.

    Excluded transactions

    Some transactions (due to the way they are sold or disposed of) aren’t subject to FRCGW, including:

    • transactions through an approved stock exchange (such as the Australian Stock Exchange) or those using a broker-operated crossing system
    • transactions subject to another withholding obligation, see List of CGT assets and exemptions
    • securities lending arrangements, as these don’t cause a CGT liability
    • transactions when a vendor is in external administration, or transactions from a bankrupt estate, a composition or scheme of arrangement, a debt agreement, a personal insolvency agreement, or same or similar circumstances under a foreign law.

    Market value

    Usually, the market value of property is the sale price. However, if the sale price has been negotiated between the vendor and the purchaser:

    • at arm’s length we accept the sale price as the market value. This is the sale price before adjustments for disbursements at settlement. For example, council rates, water and sewer charges and strata levies.
    • at non-arm’s length, this is when the market value is different to the sale price. For example, the vendor and purchaser are related (non-arm’s length), the purchaser must seek a separate expert evaluation from a professional valuer.

    Example: non-arm’s length property sale by a foreign resident

    Franz is a foreign resident. He inherits a farm in Australia from a relative in February 2025.

    The farm has been in drought for the last 10 years and he is happy to sell the property to another relative, at below market value (a non-arm’s length transaction) for $500,000.

    The purchaser organises a market valuation, which values the farm at $800,000 (the arm’s-length value).

    As a foreign resident, Franz is subject to FRCGW and a rate of 15% applied to the market value of the property when the contract is signed in March 2025.

    Franz is happy with this arrangement as he’s not sure how long it would take to sell it at the market rate.

    The purchaser must withhold $120,000 from the property sale and pay it to us.

    Market value $800,000 × FRCGW rate of 15% = $120,000 withholding

    Sale price $500,000 − withholding $120,000 = $380,000 paid to Franz.

    Franz applies for a TFN and lodges an income tax return for the year ended 30 June 2025. As Franz didn’t make a capital gain on the disposal of the farm, the $120,000 FRCGW credit on his income tax account is refunded to him.

    End of example

    Australian residents selling property

    All Australian residents for tax purposes must have a clearance certificate from us when selling property to avoid the requirement of purchasers to withhold an amount from the sale. When selling property, be aware that:

    • you don’t have wait to sign a contract, apply for a clearance certificate as soon as you are thinking of selling – they are free
    • each vendor must give their clearance certificate to the purchaser at, or before, the settlement date
    • most clearance certificates issue within a few days, but some can take up to 28 days to process and issue
    • if there’s no clearance certificate provided by the vendor at, or before the settlement date, the purchaser must withhold an amount of FRCGW and pay it to us
    • clearance certificates are valid for 12 months from their date of issue (as long as the vendor’s residency status doesn’t change during that time)
    • if you decide not to sell, but have a clearance certificate, there’s no requirement to use it.

    Example: the importance of getting a clearance certificate early – 15% withheld from sale

    Willow and Stanley are Australian residents for tax purposes. On 1 September 2024 they decide to sell their family home, their main residence. They need the funds from the sale to purchase a new residence.

    They are both are listed as owners of the property on the certificate of title, so both must apply for their own clearance certificate.

    They find a purchaser on 8 January 2025 and sign the contract of sale, with a settlement 30 days later, on 6 February.

    They don’t apply for a clearance certificate until 15 January and don’t have both of their clearance certificates at, or before settlement.

    The property sold for $600,000, however:

    • Willow’s clearance certificate issued and was given to the purchaser.
    • Stanley was still waiting for his clearance certificate.

    The sale goes through with settlement occurring. As Stanley didn’t have a clearance certificate at settlement, 15% of his share of the sale ($90,000) must be withheld by the purchaser and paid to us.

    Stanley must wait until his 2025 tax return is lodged and processed for a refund.

    As the purchaser had received a clearance certificate from Willow, there’s no withholding required on her share of the sale.

    End of example

    Example: the importance of getting a clearance certificate early – no withholding

    Maisie and Max are Australian residents for tax purposes. On 1 September 2024 they decide to sell their family home, their main residence. They need the funds from the sale to purchase a new residence.

    They are both are listed as owners of the property, so both must apply for their own clearance certificate.

    They apply for their clearance certificates straight away, which are issued to them on 29 September 2024. They note the clearance certificate is valid until 28 September 2025 – 12 months from its date of issue.

    A few months later, on 7 January 2025, they put their home on the market and a week later accept an offer of $650,000 and a fast 14-day settlement.

    They already had clearance certificates, which they gave to the purchaser prior to settlement. The purchaser doesn’t withhold any FRCGW.

    Note: If they didn’t have their clearance certificates, 15% of the sale price ($97,500 – $48,750 each) would have to be withheld by the purchaser and paid to us.

    They would have to wait until their 2025 tax returns are lodged and processed for a refund, which could delay purchasing their new residence.

    End of example

    For more information, see Australian residents and clearance certificates.

    Australian residency

    Depending on circumstances, residency can change. We will confirm your residency status for foreign capital gains withholding when you apply for a clearance certificate.

    Individuals

    The residency test for individuals for tax purposes is different to that for social security and immigration purposes.

    Generally, an individual will be an Australian resident for tax purposes if they:

    • have always lived in Australia, or came to Australia and live here permanently
    • have been in Australia continuously for 6 months or more, and for most of that time, worked in one job and lived at the same place
    • have been in Australia for more than 6 months of the year, unless their usual home is overseas and they don’t intend to live in Australia
    • go overseas temporarily and don’t set up a permanent home in another country
    • are an overseas student who came to Australia to study and are enrolled in a course that is more than 6 months.

    You can work out your tax residency or work out your residency status for tax purposes.

    Non-individuals

    Different residency tests apply to non-individual entities such as companies, corporate limited partnerships and trusts.

    Non-individuals can refer to Working out your residency.

    Foreign residents selling property

    Foreign resident vendors aren’t entitled to a clearance certificate and must not apply for one.

    Foreign residents are subject to the full rate of FRCGW to the sale price or market value (if non-arm’s length), unless they have a variation notice that reduce this.

    To see how residency affects CGT, refer to How your residency affects CGT.

    See Foreign residents and variations for more detail.

    Purchasing property

    Any individual or entity purchasing property in Australia may have to withhold an amount from the sale price a FRCGW amount and pay it to us.

    If the vendor:

    • provides a clearance certificate, there’s no requirement to withhold FRCGW. The entire sale price can be paid to the vendor
    • provides a variation notice, the purchaser must withhold an amount from the sale price or market value (if non-arm’s length). The variation notice shows a withholding rate (between 0% to 14.99%) to calculate the FRCGW amount. The remainder of the sale price or market value (if non-arm’s length) can be paid to the vendor
    • doesn’t give you a clearance certificate or a variation, the purchaser must withhold an amount from the sale price or market value (if non-arm’s length) and pay it to us.

    Purchasers failing to withhold when required to do so may be subject to penalties. General interest charges may also apply.

    For more details see Paying foreign resident capital gains tax.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US egg prices soar to yearly high

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Egg prices across the United States have surged to their highest levels of the year, driven by widespread bird flu outbreaks and increased demand during the holiday season.

    National wholesale prices for large eggs reached 4.07 U.S. dollars per dozen on Friday, marking a dramatic increase from 1.1 dollars early this year, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

    The price surge, driven by the impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza on commercial egg layer flocks, has been particularly severe in coastal markets, with California and New York experiencing the most significant increases.

    The industry has seen devastating losses in laying hens, with 36.8 million table egg layers lost across 12 states in 2024 alone due to bird flu and facility fires, according to the USDA.

    The timing of these losses has also been particularly concerning, with 38 percent of total losses occurring since Nov. 1, and 28 percent in December, coinciding with the peak annual demand period for eggs.

    Egg demand traditionally peaks during the holiday season when baking and cooking activities increase. The USDA noted that demand had strengthened as consumers finalized their holiday preparations, putting additional pressure on an already strained supply chain.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Stay safe this Christmas and enjoy a happy New Year

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    A message from Police Commissioner Michael Murphy APM

    As Christmas morning 2024 draws near, our thoughts turn to a day etched into Darwin’s history: 50 years ago, the fury of Cyclone Tracy tore through this city, leaving devastation in its wake and testing the grit and determination of all Territorians.

    On that fateful morning in 1974, Tracy battered our shores with winds so ferocious they forever changed the landscape – and the psyche – of our community. Yet, out of the wreckage, Darwin rose stronger, prouder, and more united than ever before.

    That spirit of resilience still lives on today. In the face of any emergency – be it a cyclone, flood, bushfire, or other crisis – your Northern Territory Police Force stands ready and willing to step forward and protect all who call this place home. Through rigorous planning, training, and preparation, we remain unwavering in our commitment to the safety and wellbeing of Territorians.

    This Christmas, as we pause to remember the hardships endured in 1974, we also celebrate the extraordinary unity that carried us through. It is that same sense of togetherness that will guide us whenever danger looms anywhere in the Territory. From the lessons of Cyclone Tracy, we know there is no storm we cannot weather if we stand shoulder to shoulder.

    So, as you gather with loved ones this festive season, reflect on the legacy of a city rebuilt, and on the courage it took to get us here. And know this: the NT Police Force will be here to safeguard our community – ready to act swiftly and decisively, no matter what comes our way.

    On Behalf of the Northern Territory Police Force, enjoy a safe and Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How global inequality hinders climate action

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Susan Ann Samuel, PhD Candidate, School of Politics and International Studies, University of Leeds

    Leaders from around the globe are meeting in Davos. Michael Derrer Fuchs/Shutterstock

    World leaders have gathered for the World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. One of their main goals is to align their responses to geopolitical shocks such as floods and wildfires that hamper trade, investment and more.

    The meeting also supposedly aims to find ways to stimulate economic growth to improve living standards, foster a just and inclusive energy transition, achieve security and cooperation amidst conflicts, and accelerate the economic response to an “intelligent age” of AI.

    But, a new report from Oxfam International, published on the first day of the meeting in Davos, highlights how global inequality is more rampant than ever. The report, written by a team of policy campaigners and inequality research advisers outlines how billionaire wealth rose sharply in 2024 worldwide, with the pace of the increase three times faster than in 2023.

    The World Economic Forum lists extreme weather as one of the top global risks. But, as world leaders convene in Davos, the high-profile anti-climate stances of some of them stand in stark opposition to any meaningful progress for climate action.

    The Oxfam report highlights the exploitation involved in creating and sustaining wealth and outlines how, as inequalities deepen, vulnerable communities are disproportionately affected. The most vulnerable – overwhelmingly women, people of colour, Indigenous groups and low-wage workers – are caught in a cycle of insufficient wages, limited services and minimal political influence.

    The report also highlights how wealth inequality is often intertwined with historical processes of extraction — both within countries (for example, through weak labour protections that lowers wages) and between countries (through trade, finance, and resource exploitation).

    The climate connection

    Other research has also shown how inequality is deeply interwoven with climate breakdown. Each crisis exacerbates the other. Historically, the richest nations – and within them, the wealthiest people – have contributed the most to greenhouse gas emissions.

    Meanwhile, lower-income countries that bear little responsibility for global heating suffer the most. These countries, already burdened by debt and systemic inequality, have fewer resources to protect communities from extreme weather, crop failures and infrastructure damage. This makes day-to-day survival a struggle for billions.

    When climate change exacerbates existing inequalities, marginalised communities are denied basic human rights. For instance, droughts reduce crop yields and deplete water sources, so more people — often women and children — have to ration supplies or go without. This directly infringes on their rights to food, safe drinking water and sanitation.

    In these ways, without climate action, the warming planet threatens to widen inequalities by affecting the poorest people most severely. A 2020 World Bank report estimated that an additional 68 to 135 million people could be pushed into poverty by 2030 because of climate change. French researchers identified that climate change also slows down the economic catch-up of poorer countries.



    Read more:
    Extreme weather has already cost vulnerable island nations US$141 billion – or about US$2,000 per person

    The reality on the ground is bleak. Floods in Pakistan displaced thousands and affected more than 33 million people in 2023. That’s ten times more than the total population of Los Angeles where, when the recent wildfires struck, 170,000 people had to be evacuated.

    Around the world, climate movements continue. Law suits that demand climate action are transforming governance. High-level negotiations like the UN’s annual climate summit carry on seeking progress, although the processes could be improved to accelerate change.

    What can Davos do? World leaders need to look at how wealth and power can be redistributed (reparations for climate damages is one way to do this) and low-income, climate-vulnerable nations can be better represented in global decision-making.

    Without this kind of change, there’s a risk climate action will perpetuate the same structural imbalances that first enabled environmental exploitation. Only by tackling both climate injustice and economic inequality together can the world prevent further climate disasters and ensure a more equitable future.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Susan Ann Samuel receives funding from the University of Leeds, for her PhD research.

    – ref. How global inequality hinders climate action – https://theconversation.com/how-global-inequality-hinders-climate-action-247841

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: EDUCATION RD/ARMATA RD , ONKAPARINGA HILLS (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Issued on
    23 Dec 2024 17:31

    Issued for
    Onkaparinga Hills  near Woodcroft in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges.

    Warning level
    Watch and Act – Leave Now

    Action
    Leave now. This bushfire may threaten your safety. Check that the path is clear and go to a safer place. Do not enter this area as conditions are dangerous.

    The ONKAPARINGA HILLS bushfire is uncontrolled. This scrub fire is burning in a North easterly  direction towards Education Road, Armata Road, Humber Court, Rudge Close, Forest Drive, Vaucluse Drive, Evandale Circuit and Mcharg Road, Chandlers Hill . Conditions are continually changing.

    For updates, check the CFS website at cfs.sa.gov.au or phone the Information Hotline on 1800 362 361.

    MIL OSI News –

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

    Source: US State of California 2

    Dec 20, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

    Governor Gavin Newsom

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

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

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

    Building up California’s water supply

    Other actions the state has taken recently:

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

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Dec 19, 2024

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

    Dec 19, 2024

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

    Dec 19, 2024

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Muse Fest HK 2024 concludes attracting more than 630,000 participants (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Muse Fest HK 2024 concludes attracting more than 630,000 participants (with photos)
    Muse Fest HK 2024 concludes attracting more than 630,000 participants (with photos)
    ***********************************************************************************

         Muse Fest HK 2024, launched by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) in November, has successfully concluded, attracting more than 630,000 people to participate in more than 70 delightful programmes organised by the LCSD museums and art spaces, representing a 20 per cent increase in participants as compared to last year. This year marked the 10th edition of Muse Fest under the same theme “Hong Kong H.A.S. (History. Art. Science.) Museums”, introducing Hong Kong’s rich and distinctive cultural heritage and artistic diversity. Notably, the two-day inaugural event of Muse Fest 2024, Fun@Museum Carnival, received an overwhelming response, having attracted the participation of more than 25,000 members of the public and tourists, which was three times the number compared to last year.      The Fun@Museum Carnival, focusing on Chinese culture, was a collaborative curation by the LCSD cultural sections, which featured a total of 24 diverse performances and interactive workshops on the development and inheritance of Chinese culture and history at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Space Museum (HKSpM) and Salisbury Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui on November 2 and 3. Highlights included performances of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) items such as the lion dance, fire dragon dance and puppetry. Apart from taking photos, visitors could try to dance the lion and unicorn, and join workshops to make flower buttons, lion head crafts and postcards. The Waxing in Conservation booth of the LCSD Conservation Office invited visitors to experience using wax materials to protect various types of artifacts and make magnets as souvenirs. The Gear Up – Nano World Outreach Programme booth presented by the Science Promotion Unit of the Hong Kong Science Museum, the Library-on-Wheels outreach truck and the Cosmic Voyage Treasure Hunt Activity organised by the HKSpM also attracted families to share the fun.      The November weekends saw fun days at various museums, including the Sheung Yiu Folk Museum, the Hong Kong Railway Museum, the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery, the Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the ICH Centre at the Sam Tung Uk Museum as well as the Oil Street Art Space (Oi!). The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, in celebration of its 40th anniversary, held special events on two evenings, staging an outdoor immersive light show “Gentle Smoke of Tea” on the museum’s façade, and a concert, interactive display and exhibitions in the museum. Furthermore, the exclusive events, Meet the Curator – Hong Kong Museum of the War of Resistance and Coastal Defence and The Fireboat Then and Now Guided Tour – A Fireman Leads the Way, organised for LCSD Museum Pass holders were well received.??????     In addition, 12 Guangdong and Macao museums from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Museum Alliance also joined this year’s Muse Fest. Specifically, the Shenzhen Museum introduced the Shenzhen Branch of Hong Kong Museum Festival 2024 – The Beauty of Ingenuity series of research activities, which received an enthusiastic response. Programmes such as wood carving and gilding, a woodworking activity with mortise and tenon joinery, seal engraving, printmaking and a drama education class were highly popular. The relevant online social media platforms received a total of over 75,000 hits. The events were widely covered by the media in the Mainland.      To extend the museum experience journey and deepen the public’s knowledge of the history of museums, art, culture, science and films, Muse Fest’s Selected Museum Publications and Souvenirs Mega Sale will continue until March 31, 2025, offering discounts of up to 50 per cent for selected museum publications and souvenirs. Members of the public are welcome to visit the LCSD museums to make their purchases.

     
    Ends/Monday, December 23, 2024Issued at HKT 15:30

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Report 13/2024: Collision between a passenger train and a fallen tree at Broughty Ferry

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    RAIB has today released its report into a collision between a passenger train and a fallen tree at Broughty Ferry, Dundee, 27 December 2023.

    Damage to the driving cab sustained in the collision (images courtesy of ScotRail).

    R132024_241223_Broughty Ferry

    PDF, 12.4 MB, 49 pages

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    Summary

    At around 13:09 on 27 December 2023, the 10:46 Perth to Aberdeen passenger service collided with a fallen tree approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) east of Broughty Ferry, Dundee. The train was travelling at around 84 mph (135 km/h) when the collision occurred. The train suffered significant damage to the leading driving cab. There were no physical injuries to the 37 passengers and three staff members on board the train.

    The tree had fallen from Barnhill Rock Gardens, a public park owned by Dundee City Council, and was brought down by winds during Storm Gerrit. This storm had been subjecting the area to high winds and heavy rain for several hours preceding the accident. RAIB’s investigation found that the soil in which the tree was rooted had characteristics which limited the tree’s ability to resist the wind forces acting on it. In addition, three other trees at this location had been felled before May 2023, increasing the exposure of the tree which fell to winds from the Firth of Tay.

    Around 12 minutes before the collision, a member of the public became aware that a tree had fallen across the railway and contacted Network Rail using the public helpline. The helpline call handler attempted to pass this information on to Network Rail’s Scotland route control on a number of occasions, but the call from the helpline call handler was not answered until after the accident. This meant that a warning about the fallen tree did not reach the driver of the train in time to prevent the accident.

    The risk of trees in Barnhill Rock Gardens falling onto the railway not being effectively controlled was the factor underlying the accident. Network Rail is reliant on neighbouring landowners controlling the risk associated with visually healthy trees falling onto the railway lines from outside of the railway boundary. However, Dundee City Council did not effectively manage the risk of trees falling from its land onto the adjacent railway lines.

    As a consequence of the accident, the survival space in the cab was considerably reduced. The driver only escaped serious injury by crouching behind the driving seat once they had made an emergency brake application on realising the collision was inevitable. RAIB also observed that the telephone equipment used at Scotland integrated control centre did not display missed call information.

    Since this accident, Network Rail has provided helpline staff with an additional contact telephone number for use in emergencies.

    Recommendations

    RAIB has made three recommendations as a result of its investigation. The first of these is to Network Rail to consider how technology could assist in the detection of trees subject to altered exposure, including those trees on third-party land. The second recommendation is that Dundee City Council should review its management of the trees for which it is responsible to ensure that it is effectively controlling the risk of them falling onto the railway.

    RAIB has also recommended that the Rail Safety and Standards Board’s Carmont recommendations steering group should review its response to recommendation 19 made within RAIB report 02/2022, following the investigation into the derailment of a passenger train at Carmont, Aberdeenshire on 12 August 2020.

    Notes to editors

    1. The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.

    2. RAIB operates, as far as possible, in an open and transparent manner. While our investigations are completely independent of the railway industry, we do maintain close liaison with railway companies and if we discover matters that may affect the safety of the railway, we make sure that information about them is circulated to the right people as soon as possible, and certainly long before publication of our final report.

    3. For media enquiries, please call 01932 440015.

    Newsdate: 23 December 2024

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 December 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Half a Century of Warranty: Dormitory No. 6 Receives New Fire Safety System

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Good pre-New Year news for students of the State University of Management living in Dormitory No. 6 – work on the installation of the internal fire-fighting water supply system and the input unit of the building’s water supply system has been completed.

    The work was carried out from August to December 2024. The technical condition of the pipelines and shut-off valves of the internal fire-fighting water supply (IFW) before the work was carried out was assessed as unsatisfactory, the IFW was not in operation and was in a pre-emergency condition.

    As a result of the work performed, all six VPV risers, as well as the upper and lower spills of the building, were replaced, a Modular Fire Extinguishing Pumping Station and a Modular Water Supply Pumping Station were installed.

    The internal fire water supply system is installed using modern BLOCKFIRE plastic pipelines, the service life of which is more than 50 years.

    All work was carried out in accordance with the requirements of regulatory documents in the field of fire safety.

    The installed and commissioned internal fire water supply system ensures the safety of residents and staff in the event of a fire, which is a priority for the State University of Management.

    However, we strongly recommend that you follow all fire safety rules during the New Year holidays and beyond.

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

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Repression of climate and environmental protest is intensifying across the world

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Oscar Berglund, Senior Lecturer in International Public and Social Policy, University of Bristol

    Climate and environmental protest is being criminalised and repressed around the world. The criminalisation of such protest has received a lot of attention in certain countries, including the UK and Australia. But there have not been any attempts to capture the global trend – until now.

    We recently published a report, with three University of Bristol colleagues, which shows this repression is indeed a global trend – and that it is becoming more difficult around the world to stand up for climate justice.

    This criminalisation and repression spans the global north and south, and includes more and less democratic countries. It does, however, take different forms.

    Our report distinguishes between climate and environmental protest. The latter are campaigns against specific environmentally destructive projects – most commonly oil and gas extraction and pipelines, deforestation, dam building and mining. They take place all around the world.

    Climate protests are aimed at mitigating climate change by decreasing carbon emissions, and tend to make bigger policy or political demands (“cut global emissions now” rather than “don’t build this power plant”). They often take place in urban areas and are more common in the global north.

    Four ways to repress activism

    The intensifying criminalisation and repression is taking four main forms.

    1. Anti-protest laws are introduced

    Anti-protest laws may give the police more powers to stop protest, introduce new criminal offences, increase sentence lengths for existing offences, or give policy impunity when harming protesters. In the 14 countries we looked at, we found 22 such pieces of legislation introduced since 2019.

    2. Protest is criminalised through prosecution and courts

    This can mean using laws against climate and environmental activists that were designed to be used against terrorism or organised crime. In Germany, members of Letzte Generation (Last Generation), a direct action group in the mould of Just Stop Oil, were charged in May 2024 with “forming a criminal organisation”. This section of the law is typically used against mafia organisations and had never been applied to a non-violent group.

    In the Philippines, anti-terrorism laws have been used against environmentalists who have found themselves unable to return to their home islands.

    Criminalising protest can also mean lowering the threshold for prosecution, preventing climate activists from mentioning climate change in court, and changing other court processes to make guilty verdicts more likely. Another example is injunctions that can be taken out by corporations against activists who protest against them.

    3. Harsher policing

    This stretches from stopping and searching to surveillance, arrests, violence, infiltration and threatening activists. The policing of activists is carried out not just by state actors like police and armed forces, but also private actors including private security, organised crime and corporations.

    In Germany, regional police have been accused of collaborating with an energy giant (and its private fire brigade) to evict coal mine protesters, while private security was used extensively in policing anti-mining activists in Peru.

    4. Killings and disappearances

    Lastly, in the most extreme cases, environmental activists are murdered. This is an extension of the trend for harsher policing, as it typically follows threats by the same range of actors. We used data from the NGO Global Witness to show this is increasingly common in countries including Brazil, Philippines, Peru and India. In Brazil, most murders are carried out by organised crime groups while in Peru, it is the police force.

    Protests are increasing

    To look more closely at the global picture of climate and environmental protest – and the repression of it – we used the Armed Conflicts Location Event database. This showed us that climate protests increased dramatically in 2018-2019 and have not declined since. They make up on average about 4% of all protest in the 81 countries that had more than 1,000 protests recorded in the 2012-2023 period:

    Climate protests increased sharply in the late 2010s in the 14 countries studied. (Data is smoothed over five months; number of protests is per country per month.)
    Berglund et al; Data: ACLED, CC BY-SA

    This second graph shows that environmental protest has increased more gradually:

    Environmental protests in the same 14 countries.
    Data: ACLED, CC BY-SA

    We used this data to see what kind of repression activists face. By looking for keywords in the reporting of protest events, we found that on average 3% of climate and environmental protests face police violence, and 6.3% involve arrests. But behind these averages are large differences in the nature of protest and its policing.

    A combination of the presence of protest groups like Extinction Rebellion, who often actively seek arrests, and police forces that are more likely to make arrests, mean countries such as Australia and the UK have very high levels of arrest. Some 20% of Australian climate and environmental protests involve arrests, against 17% in the UK – with the highest in the world being Canada on 27%.

    Meanwhile, police violence is high in countries such as Peru (6.5%) and Uganda (4.4%). France stands out as a European country with relatively high levels of police violence (3.2%) and low levels of arrests (also 3.2%).

    In summary, while criminalisation and repression does not look the same across the world, there are remarkable similarities. It is increasing in a lot of countries, it involves both state and corporate actors, and it takes many forms.

    This repression is taking place in a context where states are not taking adequate action on climate change. By criminalising activists, states depoliticise them. This conceals the fact these activists are ultimately right about the state of the climate and environment – and the lack of positive government action in these areas.

    Oscar Berglund is a member of the Green Party. The report this article is based on was written with Christina Pantazis, Chris Rossdale and Roxana Pessoa Cavalcanti.

    Tie Franco Brotto 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. Repression of climate and environmental protest is intensifying across the world – https://theconversation.com/repression-of-climate-and-environmental-protest-is-intensifying-across-the-world-246379

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: BTCC Exchange Celebrates OG Week 2 with Exclusive FLOKI AMA on X Spaces

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VILNIUS, Lithuania, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BTCC, one of the longest-standing cryptocurrency exchanges, recently hosted an engaging AMA (Ask Me Anything) session on X Spaces featuring FLOKI, one of the original meme coins in crypto.

    The AMA was part of BTCC’s “OG Week” campaign, where iconic long-term meme coins are spotlighted and celebrated. Pedro Vidal, Community Relations Officer for Floki and TokenFi Blockchain, joined the session to discuss FLOKI’s vision for 2024 and beyond.

    The AMA was a resounding success, with over 1,500 crypto enthusiasts tuning in to explore FLOKI’s journey, and check out some big developments landing this coming year. Anyone interested in listening back can check out the AMA here

    Highlights of the Discussion

    The AMA covered many points, and gave a deep insight into FLOKI’s history, position in the crypto market, and some exciting points for 2025:

    Topic 1 – FLOKI’s Inception

    Topic 1 covered FLOKI’s inception, and discussed how FLOKI was born from a tweet from Elon Musk in 2021. Though the coin initially suffered rug pulls from the team who initially launched the project, it has now become a community-led project.

    FLOKI is now governed by a DAO, leaving the ownership and direction of the token in the hands of the community. The DAO is important as it aligns closely with the current team’s focus on community feedback, utility and transparency, and dedication to the success of the project – and also to avoid the pitfalls from the initial launch of the coin.

    Topic 2 – FLOKIs Blockchain Gaming Platform

    Topic 2 focused on the big ticket success on FLOKI – Valhalla. The crypto household name game took the market by storm and features all the hallmarks of a global superstar – from an easy-to access, browser-based design, and global accessibility, everyone inside the FLOKI community is excited about the future of Valhalla.

    “The idea is to continue to improve and leave blockchain forever changed.”

    – Pedro Vidal, on Floki’s Valhalla Metaverse game

    Topic 3 – FLOKI Debit Card and Trading Bot

    Another hot topic on the agenda was the FLOKI debit card, which now offers crypto enthusiasts a way to spend their crypto across 8 different chains, with 0% transaction fees. The cards are available in both physical and virtual forms, which is another step toward FLOKI’s vision of a more financially enabled world, powered by memecoins.

    FLOKI have also released their Telegram trading bot, aiming to streamline the trading experience, all from inside users’ telegram accounts. The bot supports multiple chains and is live now!

    Topic 4 – 2025 and Beyond

    For 2025, Pedro emphasized the importance of staying true to the project’s values of transparency and utility, and managing and promoting growth were emphasized – however 2025 shapes up for FLOKI, the ecosystem looks set for a rapid expansion.

    FLOKI is available on BTCC for spot and futures trading. Up to 50x leverage is supported, and as one of the hottest meme coins on the platform, interest looks set to build for the coming season.

    BTCC OG Week

    To celebrate the OG meme coins that laid the foundations for the current cycle’s top gainers like DOGE, FLOKI, and PEPE, BTCC Exchange has announced the BTCC OG Week campaign, where meme fanatics can undertake social and trading tasks to win USDT rewards, with a prize pool of 300 USDT and 300 USDT in withdrawable rewards each week.

    Week 1, which saw BTC in the limelight has already concluded, and winners of the trading competition have already been announced on BTCC’s X page.

    BTCC continues its OG Week campaign with the featuring DOGE, and there’s plenty more amazing content to come.

    Going forward, BTCC have scheduled more AMAs and special features on other long-term meme coins. To stay updated on future campaigns and win exclusive rewards, follow BTCC’s X account.

    For additional information, visit BTCC’s website or follow BTCC and Floki on X.

    Media Contact Details
    Contact Name: Aaryn Ling
    Contact Email: press@btcc.com

    About BTCC

    BTCC is a long-standing crypto exchange with over 13 years experience in the crypto space, and 0 security breaches. BTCC makes crypto trading easier with user-centric features that are sure to suit the needs of novice and advanced traders alike, wherever they are in the world.

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by BTCC. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/634ab0fe-7ecb-48c0-bc9d-f8c188a3fb50

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: What did Yellowstone look like before it became Wonderland?

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. This week’s contribution is from Michael Poland, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey and Scientist-in-Charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.

    The Yellowstone region today is Wonderland.  It is full of spectacular geysers and colorful hot springs, home to lakes and meadows and mountains and valleys, and covered by both forests and grasslands.  What we see today is a result of volcanic activity that has shaped the landscape over the past 2 million years.

    But what did Yellowstone look like before volcanic activity blew several large holes in the region and covered huge swaths of land with thick lava and ash flows?  What was Yellowstone like before it became Wonderland?

    To understand the answer to this question, geologists have looked at the characteristics of the areas bordering the Yellowstone region—at the mountain ranges, rock types, and faults that make up areas like the Tetons and Jackson Hole, and like the Gallatins and Paradise Valley.

    Interpretive reconstruction of the Yellowstone Plateau region before initial plateau volcanism (a little before 2 million years ago). The region was entirely an elevated and faulted mountainous terrain with no basin in the present plateau area. Gray areas are underlain by ash flow deposits from calderas of the eastern Snake River Plain area that predate the Yellowstone volcanic system.  Figure 6 from Christiansen (2001) (https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp729g/).

    During about 4–7  million years ago, the Yellowstone hotspot was located under southeastern Idaho, feeding eruptions occurring from the Heise volcanic field.  That sequence included multiple large calderas that formed via major explosions, spreading ash across the landscape—including Jackson Hole and the area that is now Yellowstone.

    Map of Yellowstone earthquakes that were located during 1973-2023. Red circles are earthquakes located in the Yellowstone region, and blue circles indicate swarm seismicity.  The size of the circle scales with the magnitude of the earthquake.  In the south part of Yellowstone National Park are a series of earthquake bands that trend north-northwest to south-southeast.  These alignments may reflect faults associated with mountain ranges that were destroyed when Yellowstone Caldera formed 631,000 years ago.

    The pre-volcanic Yellowstone landscape was mostly made of high-elevation areas—there was no basin present like there is today.  Instead, mountain ranges that ran mostly north-northwest to south-southeast extended across the region.  Today’s Gallatin and Madison ranges in the north were probably connected to the Tetons and other mountains to the south, forming sets of continuous ranges that were all bounded by large faults.  Fault-bounded ranges like these are common throughout the western USA today—part of the Basin and Range province, which extends from eastern California to western Wyoming and Montana.

    We can see the evidence for these formerly continuous mountain ranges in patterns of earthquakes and eruptive vents.  Seismicity maps show several north-northwest to south-southeast bands of earthquakes beneath Yellowstone Caldera, possibly delineating the still-existing faults that controlled the mountain ranges that were blown apart when large explosive eruptions began in the Yellowstone region.  There are also several roughly north-northwest to south-southeast alignments of vents for rhyolite lava flows that erupted after Yellowstone Caldera formed, especially during about 160,000 to 70,000 years ago.  Just like patterns of earthquakes, the vent alignments might also have been controlled by the preexisting faults associated with the destroyed mountain ranges.

    And because there were mountains throughout the Yellowstone region before the big explosions, erosion was an important process.  The high mountain ranges were gradually being ground down, and sediments eroded from these peaks accumulated in valleys at the bases of the ranges.  Some of these sediments still exist today, capped by thick blankets of ash from caldera-forming eruptions of the Yellowstone system.

    The first volcanic eruptions from the Yellowstone region began at least 2.2 million years ago, and the first of three great caldera-forming eruptions—that which deposited the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff—occurred 2.08 million years ago, spreading thick ash over an area larger than the state of Connecticut and dramatically altering the landscape.

    Today, many visitors to Yellowstone National Park approach the area from the north, south, or west. In driving through the mountains and valleys that lead to Wonderland, take a moment to appreciate the landscape you are traversing.  Those areas today exemplify what Yellowstone used to look like a few million years ago.

    Map of Yellowstone caldera showing the locations and ages of the most recent rhyolite eruptions at Yellowstone, the Central Plateau Member rhyolites. Unit boundaries are from Christiansen (2001). Two sets of vent alignments run north-northwest to south-southeast and might reflect underlying fault orientations associated with mountain ranges that were obliterated during the formation of Yellowstone Caldera about 631,000 years ago.

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Facilities for Family Entertainment Reconstructed with FEMA Funds

    Facilities for Family Entertainment Reconstructed with FEMA Funds

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

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Partners Value Investments L.P. Announces Renewal of Normal Course Issuer Bids

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Partners Value Investments L.P. (the “Partnership”) (TSX VENTURE: PVF) announced today that it has received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange (the “Exchange”) to renew its normal course issuer bids to purchase up to 3,521,732 of its non‐voting equity limited partnership units (the “Equity LP Units”), representing approximately 5% of its currently outstanding Equity LP Units; and to purchase up to 938,226 of its non‐voting Class A preferred limited partnership units, Series 1 (the “Preferred LP Units”), representing approximately 5% of its currently outstanding Preferred LP Units (collectively, the “Bids”). The period of the Bids will be effective from January 3, 2025 to January 2, 2026, or such earlier date that the Partnership completes its purchases.

    Purchases by the Partnership pursuant to the Bids will be made by its broker, RBC Capital Markets, through the facilities of the Exchange, other designated exchanges and alternative trading systems in Canada. The price which the Partnership will pay for any Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units purchased will be the market price of the Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units at the time of acquisition. Any Equity LP Units and/or Preferred LP Units acquired through the Bids will be cancelled. As of December 13, 2024, there were 70,434,631 Equity LP Units outstanding and 18,764,512 Preferred LP Units outstanding.

    Of the 3,533,556 Equity LP units and 938,350 Preferred LP Units approved for purchase under the Partnership’s prior normal course issuer bids that commenced on January 3, 2024 and will be expiring on January 2, 2025, the Partnership purchased 278,324 Equity LP Units at an average price of $102.02 and did not make any purchase of Preferred LP Units through the facilities of the Exchange, other designated exchanges or an alternative trading system in Canada.

    The Partnership believes that, from time to time, the market price of its securities may not adequately reflect their value. In such circumstances, the Partnership believes the purchase of its outstanding securities may represent an appropriate and desirable use of its available funds. All Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units acquired by the Partnership under the Bids will be cancelled.

    In connection with the Bids, the Partnership entered into an automatic purchase plan with its designated broker, RBC Capital Markets. The automatic purchase plan will allow for the purchase of Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units when the Partnership would not ordinarily be active in the market due to its own internal trading blackout periods, insider trading rules or otherwise. Outside of these periods, Equity LP Units and Preferred LP Units will be repurchased in accordance with management’s discretion and in compliance with applicable law.

    For further information, contact Investor Relations at ir@pvii.ca or 416-643-7621.

    Note: This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities regulations. Expressions which are predictions of or indicate future events, trends or prospects and which do not relate to historical matters identify forward- looking information and forward-looking statements.

    Although the Partnership believes that its anticipated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond its control, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Partnership to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and information.

    Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to: the financial performance of Brookfield Corporation and Brookfield Asset Management Ltd., the impact or unanticipated impact of general economic, political and market factors; the behavior of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and foreign exchanges rates; global equity and capital markets and the availability of equity and debt financing and refinancing within these markets; strategic actions including dispositions; changes in accounting policies and methods used to report financial condition (including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates); the effect of applying future accounting changes; business competition; operational and reputational risks; technological change; changes in government regulation and legislation; changes in tax laws, catastrophic events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or pandemics/epidemics; the possible impact of international conflicts and other developments including terrorist acts; and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in the Partnership’s documents filed with the securities regulators in Canada.

    The Partnership cautions that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on the Partnership’s forward-looking statements and information, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as required by law, the Partnership undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements and information, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Winners announced at this year’s Open exhibition

    Source: City of Leicester

    MORE than 20 artists from across the East Midlands are celebrating their success at Leicester’s Open exhibition.

    The annual exhibition recognises the talent of local artists of all ages, with prizes awarded to the paintings, sculptures, textiles, prints and photographs that have been selected by a panel of judges, with the awards generously supported by local sponsors.

    Amongst the winners was Susan Isaac (pictured), who wins this year’s Attenborough Prize.

    Landscape artist Susan won the prestigious prize for her work Balance and Counterbalance (mixed media on canvas).

    It’s the second time that Newark-based Susan has won The Attenborough Prize, having previously won it in 2022.

    “I was astonished and absolutely delighted to be presented with the Attenborough Prize,” she said.

    “I am so grateful to the selectors and judges and everyone involved in putting on this wonderful annual exhibition – one that I’ve been pleased to be involved with since first applying in 2015.

    “Balance and Counterbalance emerged from a recent visit to Blaenavon Ironworks, now part of a World Heritage Site and close to my late father’s coal-mining family home in nearby Llanbradach.

    “The painting depicts a tower for a water balanced lift, used to convey raw materials and pig iron between the different levels of the site. I am always mindful, when visiting such sites, of a strong sense of the wounds inflicted on the land as well as on the iron workers and the miners who inhabited the communities here, both above and below ground, and of the power of the natural world to restore some kind of equilibrium.”

    Jewellery designer Christine Pearson – who’s based in Leicester – won the Leicester Museums & Galleries’ Development Trust Prize (adult category) for Shell Collection – a wooden box containing10 kiln-fired enamel on copper brooches.

    Describing the work, Christine said it depicted “fantasmagorical (sic) creatures from the little-known oceans surrounding the ancient seaport of Leicester.”

    Writing on Facebook, she added: “I’m so thrilled to have won the Leicester Museums and Galleries Trust Prize at the Leicester Open exhibition!

    “My box of enamelled shells was inspired from years of looking at Victorian collections in museums and old houses, and childhood memories of my Grandad’s shell collection, which he kept in a home-made cardboard box.”

    The other winners in the adult category were as follows:

    Art House award: Carol Pairaudeau for Type/Write

    CVAN East Midlands award: Sarah Mason for A Labradoodle’s Lazy Afternoon

    LCB Depot awards: Moya Acton for Nocturn, Katie Richards for Bernadette, Emma Peers for What’s Your Thread Length?

    Leicester Gallery (De Montfort University) award: Emma Peers for What’s Your Thread Length?

    Leicester Print Workshop award: Katerina Luchkova for Reflections of the City

    Phoenix award: Klara Simandi for Textile Flowers

     

    In the young people’s category, the Attenborough awards were presented to Hattie Weller (aged 18) for The Brutality of Life – a collection of clay pieces; Mahi Ghait (aged 15) for Meadow (acrylic painted paper on canvas); Lewis Holmes (aged 9), for Look Closer (acrylic paint on canvas, which comes with its own magnifying glass).

    Other winners in the young people’s category were:

    Arch Creative award: Tom Hudson for Waiting

    Art House award: Toby Cross for Phonebox

    Curve award: Elina Roman for Plastic Island

    De Montfort Hall award: Nada Rhimin for Dance Dance Dance

    Leicester Lo-Fi Photography award: Anfisa Denysenko for Architectural Composition

    Leicester Print Workshop award: Henry Dampney for Black and White

    Phoenix awards: Oriel Birks for A Little Owl Looks; Ayah Riyaazi for Self Portrait

    Soft Touch Arts award: Lina Rehab for Afternoon Repose

    Leicester Museums & Galleries Development Trust awards: Tom Hudson for Waiting (16-18 category); Oriel Birks for A Little Owl Looks (11-15 category); Vincent Parker for Arc de Triomphe (5-10 category).

    Open: The People’s Exhibition features works by more than 200 local artists and makers – from complete beginners to seasoned professionals.

    All the paintings, sculptures, textiles, prints and photographs on display have been created by artists aged 19 and over who live or study in Leicester, Leicestershire, Rutland, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire or Northamptonshire.

    Work by young artists aged five to 18 is also on display, with a number of schools in the region also participating.

    The Open exhibition at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery runs until Friday 31 January 2025.

    Admission is free of charge.

    All the artworks on display are available to buy, with prices starting at £50, and purchased pieces can be collected from the museum from Saturday 1 February.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2024 in Review: Highlighting the Best of Landsat

    Source: US Geological Survey

    What makes Landsat so valuable is its unmatched record, with more than 50 years of data about Earth’s land surface. And it’s all open to the public at no cost. This vital resource continues to monitor change in the world’s land masses and water resources.  

    This year, international reports echoed the message that Landsat is among the most impactful, quality-driven Earth observation imaging programs. Scroll down to read about two such reports. 

    Landsat data has long provided opportunities for improved monitoring and management of all of Earth’s landforms and ecosystems. From delicate mangroves and freshwater wetlands to mountainous forests damaged by fire and landmasses and ice sheets from pole to pole. Landsat is an invaluable resource, helping land managers and scientists evaluate the changes to land surfaces, and then determine the best step forward to mitigate or influence future land change. 

    Scroll through the stories below to learn how applying Landsat data enabled scientists to advance research in 2024. 

    Landsat’s reputation for top quality Earth observation capabilities helps strengthen the partnerships the USGS maintains with longstanding international collaborators. This year, important new agreements were signed relating to the future of Earth observation and the next Landsat mission. These partnerships are made possible by the Landsat 2030 International Partnership Initiative that was announced in late 2023. 

    Scroll down to read more about the new agreements, see highlights from a visiting international ambassador, and learn how international cooperators and their ground station operators keep informed about Landsat.

    Spectral band comparisons between Landsat 8 and Landsat 9 , with those of Landsat Next. Click to enlarge. 

    The new Landsat Next mission will help unlock new opportunities for research studies relating to water quality, crop production and plant stress, climate and snow dynamics, soil health and other essential environmental variables.

    A significant milestone for the Landsat Next mission this year is the selection of a contractor to design, build, test, and deliver the sensors that will be on board the Landsat Next mission’s constellation of 3 identical satellites. Each sensor will collect Earth observation data in 26 spectral bands with high resolution. Overall, the constellation will collect about 20 times more data than Landsat 8 or Landsat 9.  

    Visit the links below to hear a podcast and view webpages to learn more about the Landsat Next mission. 

    After 25 years of orbiting around the Earth more than 132,000 times, the Landsat 7 mission is nothing short of legendary. The Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus sensor onboard the satellite captured over 3.3 million images. Move the slider back and forth on the image below to see the massive growth of the Las Vegas area from 1999 to 2024. The 2024 image marks the satellite’s 25th anniversary and stands as a tribute to Landsat 7’s quarter-century legacy of Earth observation.

    Landsat 7 images of Las Vegas: July 4, 1999, and May 28, 2024. 
    Click to view full size graphic. 

    Landsat 7 satellite images continue to support studies of how land is used and how it has changed across urban, agriculture, forest, snow, and ice-covered areas around the globe, as well as natural and manmade disasters. 

    The magnitude and impact that Landsat 7 brought to scientists and those interested in studying the Earth’s landmasses are summarized in this graphic. 

    Read the USGS News release about the Landsat 7 mission. 

     

    Events captured by Landsat 7

    Landsat 7 witnessed events that changed the landscape on Earth slowly, such as the expanding Las Vegas urban sprawl shown above. Some of the significant events that changed the Earth much faster include the 2001 World Trade Center attack, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Slick in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.   

    The images and podcasts linked below provide just a glimpse into the 25 years of Landsat 7. From its launch in 1999 to sending down its final science mission data in 2024, this historic mission helped us appreciate and better understand Earth’s land surfaces. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 2024 in Review: EROS Celebrates Annual NLCD, Landsat 7’s 25-Year Mission

    Source: US Geological Survey

    This was a landmark year for the definitive land cover resource for the United States that’s produced at EROS: the National Land Cover Database (NLCD). The renamed Annual NLCD data release on October 24, 2024, debuted a new ability to look at land cover and land change year by year further back in time, from 1985 to 2023. 

    Landsat satellites continue to provide the foundational data for Annual NLCD, which includes six products. Work is underway to add 2024 data to Annual NLCD in 2025. Data access has expanded to the commercial cloud and the USGS website EarthExplorer.   

    More about Annual NLCD

    An example of LANDFIRE’s Existing Vegetation Type in Utah.

    The LANDFIRE (Landscape Fire and Resource Management Planning Tools) program celebrated a big milestone in 2024—its 20th anniversary of working to provide valuable national landscape data on vegetation, wildland fuel and fire regimes. 

    But the biggest news for the interagency program hosted at EROS was releasing its first truly annual update, LANDFIRE 2023 Update, and debuting a remarkably early preview of land disturbances, for most of 2023 at the end of January 2024. 

    EROS is always communicating about its latest innovations and improvements in science. Here are some key ways that happened in 2024:

    • Scientists traveled to multiple workshops, including Geo Week, JACIE and the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU). In addition to presenting posters and talks, several of them earned awards for their work. See slideshow at left.
    • More than 100 EROS authors published 28 journal articles, 15 technical reports, 25 conference abstracts or posters and 55 data releases. Click below to learn more about a few highlighted topics.
    • Scientists from around the world use EROS data and science in their own research. Read stories spotlighting those studies below. 

    Publications and Data Releases

    Researchers Use EROS Data

    Animation of Landsat 7 images of Las Vegas, 1999-2024.

    Landsat’s claim to fame is its 50-plus-year history of Earth observation—and Landsat 7 was active for half of that time. In 2024 as Landsat 7 reached the end of its mission, EROS remembered the milestones during its lifespan. 

    We also celebrated the outstanding annual value Landsat provides for the United States ($25.6 billion!) and leaned into the satellite mission’s future with Landsat Next.  

    To scroll through our Landsat highlights for 2024, use the < and > arrows below. 

    EROS welcomed visitors from abroad as well as student researchers, interns and schoolkids this year—and even classic Dodge automobiles!

    New for 2024 is a six-screen interactive display in front of Computer Room 2, where our high-performance computers are located. Visitors can take a deep dive into the sophisticated world of data at EROS (but in a user-friendly way).

    Also new: The EROS Media Gallery now can be searched by spinning the globe and picking a location. Readers can find our updated State Mosaics, Image of the Week gallery, Earthshots, Earth as Art and other favorites via keyword, too.

    Read on for a review of what’s new in our imagery and videos, educational Earthshots and insightful podcasts.

    We don’t mind bragging—our Image of the Week videos are beautiful to watch! 

    But our 2024 additions also reveal real benefits of Landsat imagery and data, from new dams being filled to old dams being destroyed, from drought in Mexico to ice routes in Finland. 

    Don’t start clicking on the links below at bedtime—they’re endlessly fascinating! On the other hand, for a beautiful, restful sleep, try our new hourlong video featuring Landsat imagery and peaceful music.

    What happens during a Landsat pass? Listen to Episode 129 to learn more.

    Eyes on Earth is a podcast on remote sensing, Earth observation, land change and science. Our episodes in 2024 looked at Landsat’s past, its future, and how scientists apply the vast archive.

    Scroll across the images above or below to listen to some of our favorites. Here are some highlights:

    127: The Historic Landsat 7 Mission. We talked with some of the people who helped keep Landsat 7 flying during its nearly 25 years of land imaging.

    126: Annual NLCD. This new release includes land cover data of the United States for every year back to 1985.

    117: Preparing for Landsat Next, Part 1. Several people involved with the next Landsat mission talk about the details.

    114: The Color of Water with Landsat. An old data technique in freshwater science—physically sampling lake water—becomes reinvented using satellite technology.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Berwick — Valley Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit charges four people with firearm and drug offences

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Valley Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit (VISCEU) has charged four people with drug offences after a search warrant was executed at a home in South Berwick.

    On December 6, VISCEU with the assistance of Kings District RCMP, Kentville Police and the Criminal Intelligence Service Nova Scotia (CISNS) executed a search warrant at a home on Buchanan Rd., as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation.

    At the home, police safely arrested four people then located and seized a quantity of cocaine, methamphetamine, scales, cellphones, firearms, cash and stolen property.

    Scott Graham, 51, of Berwick; Jessie Jones, 35, of Waterville; and Theresa Atwell, 59, and Josh Jackson, 33, both from Cambridge, have been charged with:

    • Unauthorized Possession of Firearm (2 counts)
    • Possession of Firearm Knowing its Possession is Unauthorized (2 counts)
    • Careless Use of Firearm (2 counts)
    • Possession of Property Obtained by Crime (over $5,000)
    • Possession for Purpose of Trafficking (3 counts)

    Atwell was also charged with Possession Contrary to Order, and Jackson was also charged with Failure to Comply with Probation Order.

    All four were released by the Court on conditions and are scheduled to appear in Kentville Provincial Court on February 11 at 9:30 a.m.

    Nova Scotians are encouraged to contact their nearest RCMP detachment or local police to report crime, including the illegal sale of drugs, in their communities. Anonymous tips can be made by calling Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or using the P3 Tips app.

    Note: The Valley Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit is comprised of members of the Kings District RCMP and the Kentville Police Service.

    File # 2024-1779565

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Priorities for Vermont’s Flood-Impacted Communities to Become Law as Part of Bipartisan Water Resources Development Act 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the biennial, bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2024 was advanced by the Senate. The bill contains several of U.S. Senator Peter Welch’s (D-Vt.) priorities for flood-impacted communities. It now heads to President Biden’s desk for his signature.  
    “The Water Resources Development Act will help repair and strengthen Vermont’s flood-impacted infrastructure, protect our watersheds, and make our communities more resilient to extreme weather. Now more than ever, we need to support the Army Corps of Engineers as they work with our communities and the State to protect our communities from flooding,” said Senator Welch. “I look forward to President Biden signing this bipartisan bill, and I thank my colleagues Bernie and Becca for their partnership in getting these Vermont-focused priorities over the finish line.” 
    The Water Resources Development Act of 2024 (WRDA 2024) authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to perform vital projects including flood control, water navigation, and ecosystem restoration. Senator Welch’s priorities for Vermont in the bill include: 

    Lowering the Non-Federal Cost-Share of the Lake Champlain Watershed Environmental Assistance Program for Vermont: With this legislation, the cost share will be 10% non-federal for underserved communities, down from 35%. This change will make the program more affordable to the towns that most need it.  

    Lowering the State of Vermont Cost-Share for Work on the Waterbury, Wrightsville, and East Barre Dams: The cost share for the three dams would be lowered to roughly 7.1% non-federal, down from 35% for East Barre and Wrightsville. (This cost share adjustment was achieved for Waterbury in the 2022 WRDA reauthorization.) Wrightsville’s dam was nearly breached in the July 2023 floods, and this change will make projects on these three dams more affordable for the state of Vermont in the future.  

    Authorizing a New Flood Control Study of the Winooski River: This bill will authorize a new flood control study of the Winooski River watershed, which would examine how to make the Winooski River and neighboring communities along the river more resilient to future floods and other climate change-fueled natural disasters.   

    Reauthorizing the Aquatic Plant Control Program: The Aquatic Plant Control Research Program is valuable to Vermont’s efforts to combat the spread of water chestnut, a nonnative plant that has threatened to disrupt ecosystems and water access in Lake Champlain. Reauthorization ensures the state can continue using the program in years to come.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Captain in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Charged with Murder and Terrorism Offenses

    Source: United States Attorneys General 6

    Defendant Allegedly Orchestrated the Nov. 7, 2022, Murder of Stephen Troell, a U.S. Citizen Living in Iraq, in Retaliation for the January 2020 Death of Qasem Soleimani

    Note: View the unsealed complaint here.

    A complaint was unsealed today charging Mohammad Reza Nouri, 36, of Iran, also known as Muhammad Rida Husayn, Ali Asghar Nuri, and Abu Abbas, an Iranian national and officer in the IRGC, in connection with Nouri’s alleged role in orchestrating the Nov. 7, 2022, murder of American Stephen Troell in Baghdad, Iraq. Nouri was arrested in Iraq in March 2023.

    “The Department of Justice will not tolerate terrorists and authoritarian regimes targeting and murdering Americans anywhere in the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We allege that Mohammad Reza Nouri, an officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, orchestrated the murder of Stephen Troell, an American citizen living in Iraq, carrying out the Iranian Regime’s efforts to take vengeance for the death of Qasim Soleimani. Stephen should still be alive today, and the Justice Department will work relentlessly to ensure accountability for his murder.”

    “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains determined to target U.S. citizens, and orchestrated a cold-blooded plot to brutally murder Stephen Troell, a Tennessee native working at an English language institute in Iraq,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “According to the allegations, Mohammad Reza Nouri, an IRGC captain, played a key role in planning the attack in which Troell was ambushed as he drove home from work with his wife. Today’s announcement makes clear that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate the IRGC’s ruthless attacks on Americans, here in the United States or overseas, and will hold accountable any who seek to harm our citizens.”

    “As alleged, Mohammad Reza Nouri, a Captain in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, orchestrated the murder of American Steven Troell in Iraq,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Kim for the Southern District of New York. “Nouri is alleged to have gathered intelligence on Troell’s daily routine and whereabouts, procured weapons and vehicles, and provided safe harbor to the operatives who carried out the sinister plot to brutally attack Troell in front of his wife. As alleged, the Iranian regime is actively targeting U.S. citizens, such as Troell, living in countries around the world for kidnapping and execution both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the regime and to take vengeance for the death of Qasem Soleimani. This office will not stand by when an American is attacked and murdered in cold blood, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring Nouri to justice.”

    “As alleged in the complaint, Nouri facilitated Troell’s murder. He gathered information and coordinated with a co-conspirator to procure supplies that operatives relied on during their attack on Troell,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring IRGC operatives, including Nouri’s co-conspirator, to justice for harming Americans.”

    According to court documents, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran) is actively targeting nationals of the United States and its allies living in countries around the world for kidnapping and/or execution both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the Iranian regime and to take vengeance for the January 2020 death of then-Commander of the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. The IRGC is an Iranian military and counterintelligence agency under the authority of Iran’s Supreme Leader, comprised of components including an external operations force, the IRGC-QF, and has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State since April 15, 2019. The IRGC has publicly stated its desire to avenge the death of Soleimani, and, among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting U.S. citizens residing in the United States and abroad. In November 2022, the Iranian regime struck in Iraq: a group of operatives working on behalf of the IRGC brutally murdered Stephen Troell, a 45-year-old American living in Baghdad, where he worked at an English language institute, as Troell was driving home with his wife after work.

    Nouri is an IRGC Captain who works for the IRGC in Iraq and is involved in the IRGC’s external attack plotting against U.S. citizens and others. Nouri played a key role in the IRGC’s targeting and ultimate murder of Troell, whom Nouri appears to have believed was working as an American or Israeli intelligence officer. Nouri, on behalf of the IRGC, collected critical, highly personal information about Troell to facilitate stalking, attacking, and ultimately killing Troell. Nouri, with the assistance of co-conspirators, developed a source with access to details of Troell’s life and daily routine. With this information, Nouri created intelligence documents for his IRGC associates and a group of operatives recruited to execute the attack, which included Troell’s date of birth, coordinates of his residence, occupation, work schedule, telephone number, wife’s name, and children’s names, among other information. In the weeks leading up to the murder, Nouri coordinated with one of his co-conspirators (CC-1) in the plot targeting Troell to procure some of the means for attacking Troell, including firearms as well as a vehicle for use in the lethal attack on Troell. On the evening of Nov. 7, 2022, the group of recruited operatives carried out the attack. Troell was driving home from work with his wife when heavily armed gunmen in two cars forced the Troells to stop shortly before they reached their residence, blocked any possible escape route, approached Troell on the driver’s side, and, using an assault weapon, shot and killed Troell as his wife witnessed the attack in the passenger seat.   

    On the day of the murder, Nouri coordinated with CC-1 shortly before and immediately after the attack. Nouri and CC-1 spoke repeatedly in the hours leading up to the attack. Less than a half hour after the attack, Nouri sent CC-1 encrypted messages inquiring about the wellbeing of the operatives tasked with carrying out the hit on Troell, asking, “The guys are fine?” and “They are doing well?” to which CC-1 responded, “One is injured.”  As the night went on, CC-1 continued to update Nouri, noting that “two so far” of the operatives on the hit squad — whom Nouri referred to as “our guys” — had gathered safely since the murder, that “the rest are on the way,” and that the injury sustained by one of their confederates was “slight.”  In the course of these encrypted messages, Nouri and CC-1 celebrated the events of the day and their success. That night, after the murder, Nouri left Iraq for Iran. Shortly before departing Baghdad, Nouri visited a religious site associated with mourning for Soleimani’s death.

    Following the murder, approximately nine of the operatives on the hit squad also left Iraq and entered Iran, where they joined Nouri. In Iran, Nouri arranged housing for the operatives, providing them safe harbor in the aftermath of the murder. Nouri and another IRGC official addressed the operatives during their stay in Iran, offered their blessings to the hit squad, and told them that Troell was purportedly a spy on behalf of America and Israel, that Troell threatened Islam by attracting Iraqi youths to the Jewish religion and spreading it in Iraq, and that Troell therefore deserved to be murdered.

    In March 2023, Iraqi authorities arrested Nouri, and he was subsequently convicted by an Iraqi court for his role in Troell’s murder. Nouri remains in custody in Iraq.

    Nouri has been charged with conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to provide material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to take hostages, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to murder U.S. nationals outside the United States, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; murdering a U.S. national outside the United States, and faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison; and  causing death through the use of a firearm, and faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; Justice Department’s Attaché in Iraq; FBI Legal Attaché office in Iraq; Iraqi authorities; and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia provided valuable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, Matthew J.C. Hellman, and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorneys Joshua Champagne and Timothy J. Reardon III of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Heat Up This Holiday Streaming Season With New Festive Flicks and TV Picks on Samsung TV Plus

    Source: Samsung

     
    Thursday, December 20, 2024: This Christmas, Samsung welcomes a range of new content to bolster its free, festive line-up on Samsung TV Plus, as families settle in for the holiday streaming season.
     
    With over 200 live TV channels and thousands of movies and shows on demand, all for free, Samsung TV Plus offers a diverse range of premium programming to suit every taste this holiday season. No subscriptions, no downloads—just pure festive fun available across Samsung Smart TVs[1].
     
    Samsung is bringing the heat this Christmas with a wide range of content to suit every home’s festive viewing wishes. From viral YouTube interview show, Hot Ones, iconic Christmas classics on Festive Hub, the latest in trending K-content, festive foodie content from Jamie Oliver, and live sporting coverage on FIFA+ and the Tennis Channel, there really is something for everyone.
     
    Beyond the hundreds of free live TV channels spanning multiple genres like news, entertainment, sports, Samsung is also delivering top gaming action with the Samsung Gaming Hub – your gateway to over 3,000 cloud-enabled games, right from your TV[2].
     
    With leading services like XBOX Game Pass[3], NVIDIA GeForce NOW, and Amazon Luna integrated seamlessly, players can jump into their favourite titles instantly. Whether you’re battling through epic adventures, solving puzzles, or enjoying family-friendly classics, the Samsung Gaming Hub makes gaming more accessible and immersive than ever. It’s, perfect for holiday gatherings or solo play.
     
    Gus Grimaldi, Head of Samsung TV Plus EMEA, said: “At Samsung, we’re creating an all-in-one entertainment hub that offers something for everyone. From festive favourites and globally loved shows on Samsung TV Plus to immersive gaming experiences on the Samsung Gaming Hub, we’re providing families with choice and convenience this Christmas. Our goal is to make it easier than ever for people to come together, enjoy incredible content, and create lasting memories this holiday season.”
     
    Jordan Byers, Brand Marketing Lead at Samsung Electronics UK&I comments: “Our Christmas offering is just one of the many ways we’re committed to delivering more than just a TV. With advanced AI optimisation that provides the perfect picture and sound, to an ever-growing rooster of content to watch and play, we’re offering our customers more ways to enjoy and experience our products than ever before.”
     
    Samsung TV Plus Top Christmas Selects
     
    Festive Hub: the home of heart-warming holiday films
     
    Festive Hub delivers the essential Christmas experience for a range of audiences. With a line-up of many cheerful films such as snowy romances from Hallmark media and Lifetime entertainment, to great comedies, and animated specials. There are seasonal offerings for the whole family, perfect for cosy evenings by the fire.

    Hot Ones: the YouTube series heating up the holidays

    Dive into the globally beloved Hot Ones, where celebrities answer questions while enduring increasingly spicy wings. It’s the ultimate mix of laughs, spice, and surprising revelations to keep you entertained this Christmas, with its latest guests including Paul Mescal, Idris Elba, and Millie Bobbie Brown.
     
    The latest in K-Content: your gateway to global stories
     
    For fans of Korean dramas, movies, and variety shows, Samsung TV Plus brings the freshest K-content to your screen. Celebrate the holidays with gripping stories, high-quality productions, and globally trending series.
     
    Jamie Oliver cooking shows: festive inspiration for your Christmas feast
     
    Jamie Oliver’s beloved cooking shows are here to make your Christmas delicious. From traditional roasts to creative twists on festive favourites, Jamie brings expert guidance and accessible recipes for all.
     
    [1] Samsung Gaming Hub comes already available on Samsung Smart TV models from 2022, 2023 and 2024.
    [2] Internet connection, additional gaming service subscription and compatible controller required. Gaming Hub not available in Republic of Ireland.
    [3] Requires Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription. Internet connection and compatible controller required.
     

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Captain in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Charged with Murder and Terrorism Offenses

    Source: US State of California

    Defendant Allegedly Orchestrated the Nov. 7, 2022, Murder of Stephen Troell, a U.S. Citizen Living in Iraq, in Retaliation for the January 2020 Death of Qasem Soleimani

    Note: View the unsealed complaint here.

    A complaint was unsealed today charging Mohammad Reza Nouri, 36, of Iran, also known as Muhammad Rida Husayn, Ali Asghar Nuri, and Abu Abbas, an Iranian national and officer in the IRGC, in connection with Nouri’s alleged role in orchestrating the Nov. 7, 2022, murder of American Stephen Troell in Baghdad, Iraq. Nouri was arrested in Iraq in March 2023.

    “The Department of Justice will not tolerate terrorists and authoritarian regimes targeting and murdering Americans anywhere in the world,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We allege that Mohammad Reza Nouri, an officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, orchestrated the murder of Stephen Troell, an American citizen living in Iraq, carrying out the Iranian Regime’s efforts to take vengeance for the death of Qasim Soleimani. Stephen should still be alive today, and the Justice Department will work relentlessly to ensure accountability for his murder.”

    “The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains determined to target U.S. citizens, and orchestrated a cold-blooded plot to brutally murder Stephen Troell, a Tennessee native working at an English language institute in Iraq,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “According to the allegations, Mohammad Reza Nouri, an IRGC captain, played a key role in planning the attack in which Troell was ambushed as he drove home from work with his wife. Today’s announcement makes clear that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate the IRGC’s ruthless attacks on Americans, here in the United States or overseas, and will hold accountable any who seek to harm our citizens.”

    “As alleged, Mohammad Reza Nouri, a Captain in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, orchestrated the murder of American Steven Troell in Iraq,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Edward Kim for the Southern District of New York. “Nouri is alleged to have gathered intelligence on Troell’s daily routine and whereabouts, procured weapons and vehicles, and provided safe harbor to the operatives who carried out the sinister plot to brutally attack Troell in front of his wife. As alleged, the Iranian regime is actively targeting U.S. citizens, such as Troell, living in countries around the world for kidnapping and execution both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the regime and to take vengeance for the death of Qasem Soleimani. This office will not stand by when an American is attacked and murdered in cold blood, and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to bring Nouri to justice.”

    “As alleged in the complaint, Nouri facilitated Troell’s murder. He gathered information and coordinated with a co-conspirator to procure supplies that operatives relied on during their attack on Troell,” said Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office. “The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring IRGC operatives, including Nouri’s co-conspirator, to justice for harming Americans.”

    According to court documents, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran (Iran) is actively targeting nationals of the United States and its allies living in countries around the world for kidnapping and/or execution both to repress and silence dissidents critical of the Iranian regime and to take vengeance for the January 2020 death of then-Commander of the IRGC-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad. The IRGC is an Iranian military and counterintelligence agency under the authority of Iran’s Supreme Leader, comprised of components including an external operations force, the IRGC-QF, and has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. Secretary of State since April 15, 2019. The IRGC has publicly stated its desire to avenge the death of Soleimani, and, among its activities, the IRGC plots and conducts attack operations outside Iran targeting U.S. citizens residing in the United States and abroad. In November 2022, the Iranian regime struck in Iraq: a group of operatives working on behalf of the IRGC brutally murdered Stephen Troell, a 45-year-old American living in Baghdad, where he worked at an English language institute, as Troell was driving home with his wife after work.

    Nouri is an IRGC Captain who works for the IRGC in Iraq and is involved in the IRGC’s external attack plotting against U.S. citizens and others. Nouri played a key role in the IRGC’s targeting and ultimate murder of Troell, whom Nouri appears to have believed was working as an American or Israeli intelligence officer. Nouri, on behalf of the IRGC, collected critical, highly personal information about Troell to facilitate stalking, attacking, and ultimately killing Troell. Nouri, with the assistance of co-conspirators, developed a source with access to details of Troell’s life and daily routine. With this information, Nouri created intelligence documents for his IRGC associates and a group of operatives recruited to execute the attack, which included Troell’s date of birth, coordinates of his residence, occupation, work schedule, telephone number, wife’s name, and children’s names, among other information. In the weeks leading up to the murder, Nouri coordinated with one of his co-conspirators (CC-1) in the plot targeting Troell to procure some of the means for attacking Troell, including firearms as well as a vehicle for use in the lethal attack on Troell. On the evening of Nov. 7, 2022, the group of recruited operatives carried out the attack. Troell was driving home from work with his wife when heavily armed gunmen in two cars forced the Troells to stop shortly before they reached their residence, blocked any possible escape route, approached Troell on the driver’s side, and, using an assault weapon, shot and killed Troell as his wife witnessed the attack in the passenger seat.   

    On the day of the murder, Nouri coordinated with CC-1 shortly before and immediately after the attack. Nouri and CC-1 spoke repeatedly in the hours leading up to the attack. Less than a half hour after the attack, Nouri sent CC-1 encrypted messages inquiring about the wellbeing of the operatives tasked with carrying out the hit on Troell, asking, “The guys are fine?” and “They are doing well?” to which CC-1 responded, “One is injured.”  As the night went on, CC-1 continued to update Nouri, noting that “two so far” of the operatives on the hit squad — whom Nouri referred to as “our guys” — had gathered safely since the murder, that “the rest are on the way,” and that the injury sustained by one of their confederates was “slight.”  In the course of these encrypted messages, Nouri and CC-1 celebrated the events of the day and their success. That night, after the murder, Nouri left Iraq for Iran. Shortly before departing Baghdad, Nouri visited a religious site associated with mourning for Soleimani’s death.

    Following the murder, approximately nine of the operatives on the hit squad also left Iraq and entered Iran, where they joined Nouri. In Iran, Nouri arranged housing for the operatives, providing them safe harbor in the aftermath of the murder. Nouri and another IRGC official addressed the operatives during their stay in Iran, offered their blessings to the hit squad, and told them that Troell was purportedly a spy on behalf of America and Israel, that Troell threatened Islam by attracting Iraqi youths to the Jewish religion and spreading it in Iraq, and that Troell therefore deserved to be murdered.

    In March 2023, Iraqi authorities arrested Nouri, and he was subsequently convicted by an Iraqi court for his role in Troell’s murder. Nouri remains in custody in Iraq.

    Nouri has been charged with conspiring to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to provide material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; providing material support for acts of terrorism resulting in death, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to take hostages, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; conspiring to murder U.S. nationals outside the United States, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison; murdering a U.S. national outside the United States, and faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison; and  causing death through the use of a firearm, and faces a maximum penalty of death or life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs; Justice Department’s Attaché in Iraq; FBI Legal Attaché office in Iraq; Iraqi authorities; and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia provided valuable assistance.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob H. Gutwillig, Matthew J.C. Hellman, and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York and Trial Attorneys Joshua Champagne and Timothy J. Reardon III of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    A complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Port St. Lucie Firearms Dealer Pleads Guilty to Failing to Keep Proper Records of Sales

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MIAMI – On Dec. 18, Michael John Pellicione, 76, the owner of a Port St. Lucie, Fla., gun shop, who operated out of his residence, pleaded guilty to the five-count indictment for selling several firearms “off the books” in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(5), which penalizes the failure of a firearms dealer to keep a proper record of sales.

    Pellicione, a federal firearms licensee (FFL), failed to enter the sale of five firearms into his acquisition and disposition (A&D) record. Federal law requires an FFL to record, in the A&D book, all of the firearms that the FFL receives or makes, and then indicate where each of those firearms are – whether they are still in the FFL’s inventory or where they went if they were sold or transferred. Additionally, the A&D book must include the type of firearm, the make, model, caliber, and serial number, the date and from whom the firearm was received and that person’s address, as well as the name, date, and address of the person to whom the firearm was sold or transferred.

    A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled in this matter. At sentencing, Pellicione faces up to five years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Markenzy Lapointe, U. S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher A. Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, made the announcement.

    HSI Fort Pierce and ATF Fort Pierce investigated this case. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Lineberger is prosecuting this matter.

    Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-cr-14055.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: UPDATE: Appeal to trace witnesses following fatal shooting in Brent

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives investigating the murder of Michelle Sadio have issued an image of individuals they are keen to speak to.

    Detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command are leading the investigation into Michelle’s murder and have today released an image of people they believe may have information about the occupants of a car linked to the shooting.

    The car, a black Kia Niro with distinctive alloys, with the number plate LA23 XRE was being driven by the suspects who then fired a number of shots in Gifford Road, NW10 on Saturday, 14 December.

    Michelle was one of three people injured and she sadly died at the scene.

    Following the shooting, the car was driven from Gifford Road to Barnhill Road where it was then abandoned and set alight.

    Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke, who is leading the investigation, said: “Our investigation has progressed at pace but we are still keen to hear from anyone who can help piece together the series of events which led to Michelle’s murder.

    “We have an image of a number of people who were seen speaking to the occupants of a black Kia Niro of interest on Church Road, NW10 at 20:50hrs on Saturday, 14 December.

    “Are you one of the people pictured in the white Mercedes or on the pavement nearby, or do you recognise anyone? Did you hear or see something either before or after the shooting that may help with the investigation?

    “I would like to stress that none of those pictured have done anything wrong. They may not live in the area but they could hold information that is important to the investigation and I urge them to contact us.”

    At approximately 21:15hrs on Saturday, police were called to reports of the shooting, which happened as Michelle and others were standing outside the church following a wake. Officers and London Ambulance Service paramedics attended the scene.

    Michelle, aged 44, was found suffering serious injuries – despite the efforts of the emergency services she was pronounced dead at the scene.

    Michelle’s family have been informed and continue to be supported by specialist officers. They have requested that media respect their privacy during this difficult time.

    Two men, both aged in their 30s, also suffered injuries. One remains in hospital in a critical condition; the other man’s injuries are not life threatening.

    There have been no arrests at this stage and enquiries into the circumstances continue.

    Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or message @MetCC on X giving the reference CAD 7137/14DEC.

    You can also provide information, or upload images and footage, through the online portal here or by scanning the attached QR code.

    Information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: MSF condemns RSF violent attack on Bashair Teaching hospital in South Khartoum

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières –

    Khartoum – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) strongly condemns the violent incursion by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) into the emergency room of Bashair Teaching hospital in South Khartoum, Sudan, on 18 December. The attackers fired weapons inside the emergency ward, directly threatened medical staff, and severely disrupted lifesaving care. MSF urgently calls on RSF to respect the neutrality of medical facilities and the safety of healthcare workers.

    This latest attack follows an earlier incident on 11 November, when armed fighters stormed the hospital, fired shots, and killed a patient receiving treatment. These repeated violations of the neutrality of healthcare facilities and the sanctity of medical care are unacceptable.

    “Several RSF soldiers entered the emergency rooms and some of them started firing against medical personnel, threatening patients and MSF and Ministry of Health staff,” says Samuel David Theodore, MSF’s head of mission in Sudan.  

    “Luckily, no one was injured but everyone is extremely affected by this traumatic aggression inside the hospital. Attacks against medical facilities and health personnel are unacceptable, hospitals must remain safe spaces, free from violence and intimidation. Staff cannot have their lives threatened whilst they provide care,” he says. 

    The bullet marks left by the Rapid Support Forces inside the emergency room of Bashair Teaching hospital in South Khartoum, Sudan, 19 December 2024.
    MSF

    Bashair Teaching hospital is one of the last functioning healthcare facilities in South Khartoum amidst the ongoing conflict. MSF staff have tirelessly maintained lifesaving activities under exceptionally difficult conditions.

    “Bashair Teaching hospital is a lifeline for thousands of people in South Khartoum,” says Claire San Filippo, emergency coordinator for Sudan. “MSF support is critical for countless men, women, and children affected by this devastating conflict.  However, the safety of our patients and staff is paramount. Attacks like these severely compromise our ability to continue operating.”

    Since the beginning of June 2024, MSF has conducted 12,396 emergency consultations, 2,510 patients were admitted in the maternity ward, and 4,490 children were screened for malnutrition at Bashair Teaching hospital in South Khartoum. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Outraged by Killing of Three World Food Programme Staff Members in Sudan, Secretary-General Calls for Thorough Investigation

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    The Secretary-General is outraged by the killing of three World Food Programme (WFP) staff members in Sudan on 19 December, when the agency’s field office in Yabus, in Blue Nile State, was hit by aerial bombardment.

    He sends his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and their WFP colleagues.

    The Secretary-General condemns all attacks on UN and aid personnel and facilities.  He calls for a thorough investigation.

    Yesterday’s incident underscores the devastating toll that Sudan’s brutal conflict is having on millions of people in need and the humanitarians trying to reach them with life-saving assistance.

    2024 is the deadliest year on record for aid workers in Sudan.  Yet, despite significant threats to their personal safety, they continue to do all they can to provide vital support wherever it is needed.

    The Secretary-General calls on the parties to adhere to their obligations to protect civilians, including aid personnel, as well as humanitarian premises and supplies. Attacks must not be directed against them and all feasible precautions must be taken to avoid harming them.

    After more than 20 months of conflict in Sudan, the Secretary-General once again stresses the need for an immediate ceasefire.  The United Nations will continue to back international mediation efforts and work with all relevant stakeholders to help bring an end to the war.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: FBI and Cincinnati Police Announce $15,000 Reward in Death of Five-Year-Old Arty Stanford

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

    The FBI and the Cincinnati Police Department today announced a reward of up to $15,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the death of Artagist “Arty” Stanford III.

    “Arty’s family has suffered greatly since this shooting and anyone responsible for his death should be held accountable,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “Someone in our community knows what happened that night and who was involved. We need anyone with information to do the right thing and contact law enforcement.”

    “Silence protects the wrong people,” said Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge. “Someone knows what happened. Someone holds the key to bringing closure to Arty’s family. Please speak up and help us bring justice for Arty.”

    On October 24, 2024, at approximately 5:48 a.m., the Cincinnati Emergency Communications Center received a report of a drive-by shooting at a house on Holland Drive. Initially, residents believed there were no injuries and the house only received damage from the gunfire. When police arrived, family members found five-year-old Artagist “Arty” Stanford III suffering from a gunshot wound to the head in an upstairs bedroom. There were at least seven bullet impact marks or bullet holes in the front of the house. One of the bullets passed through the front exterior wall into a second-floor bedroom and struck Arty in the head.

    Arty was taken to the hospital for treatment which included multiple surgeries. On October 26, 2024, Arty succumbed to his injuries and his death was ruled a homicide.

    Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-Call-FBI or Crime Stoppers at 513-352-3040.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Des Moines Individuals Charged in Joint State and Federal Investigation of Fentanyl Trafficking Organization

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DES MOINES, Iowa – A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a three-count indictment charging five Des Moines individuals with offenses related to fentanyl trafficking.

    The following individuals are charged in the Indictment:

    • Devonte Darnell Hassell, also known as “Domo”, “Dom”, and “Rose”, 28, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
    • Ryan Redmond, also known as “Chiefy”, 31, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 5‑year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
    • Kevin Stanley Harris, Jr., also known as “Rylo” and “Big Hands”, 42, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and distribution of fentanyl. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence and a maximum sentence of life in prison, as he is alleged to have a prior serious drug felony conviction.
    • Adonis Angel Devora, 43, is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
    • Ricky Jamall Ellis, 30, is charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison.

    These individuals were all arrested on December 18, 2024: four in Des Moines, and one in Houston, Texas. The same day, thirteen federal search warrants were executed, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 610 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, approximately 135 grams of methamphetamine, approximately 260 grams of marijuana, as well as 19 firearms and more than $13,000 in U.S. currency.

    The charges stem from a months’ long investigation into fentanyl distribution within the Des Moines area.

    United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and FBI Des Moines Central Iowa Gang Task Force (CIGTF) are investigating the case, with assistance from the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Narcotics Enforcement (DNE), Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Patrol SWAT, United States Marshals Service, Ames Police Department, West Des Moines Police Department, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force (MINE), Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Story County Sheriff’s Office, Mid-Iowa Drug Task Force (MIDTF), Central Iowa Drug Task Force (CIDTF), Suburban Emergency Response Team (SERT), Metro Special Tactics and Response (STAR), the Chicago, Illinois Police Department, and the Houston, Texas Police Department.

    This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

    An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Dayton man charged federally with committing string of armed robberies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DAYTON, Ohio – A Dayton man appeared in federal court on Dec. 19 on charges alleging he committed at least eight armed robberies in the area this month.

    Timothy Farr, 43, allegedly brandished a firearm at local gas stations and drive thru stores, demanding cash and cigarettes.

    According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, from Dec. 3 through Dec. 15, Farr committed multiple armed robberies at area businesses.

    Specifically, it is alleged that on Dec. 3, Farr, wearing a dark jacket, pants and shoes, as well as gray two-tone style gloves and a black balaclava mask covering part of his face, entered a Sunoco gas station on Wayne Avenue in Dayton at around 10pm. Farr allegedly brandished a black firearm and demanded cash from both registers. It is alleged Far also demanded several packs of cigarettes and a box of Black and Mild Filter Tips. Farr allegedly brought a green plastic bag with him for the cash and items.

    The next day around 11:30pm, Farr allegedly committed an armed robbery at a Marathon gas station on Linden Avenue in Riverside. Farr allegedly wore the same clothing as the first robbery with the addition of an N-95 style mask.

    Farr is also accused of committing armed robberies on these dates and locations:

    • Dec. 6 at Ray’s Xenia Avenue Market on Xenia Avenue in Dayton
    • Dec. 7 at Free Pike Drive-Thru on Free Pike in Dayton
    • Dec. 8 at Sunoco gas station on Selma Road in Springfield
    • Dec. 10 at Mini Mart on N. Main Street in Dayton
    • Dec. 11 at Marathon gas station on E. Fifth Street in Dayton
    • Dec. 15 at Sammy’s Drive-thru store on Woodman Drive in Riverside

    During the investigation, law enforcement was able to identify a vehicle of interest using the Flock Safety Camera System and identified a 2011 red Ford Taurus linked to armed robbery locations.

    When Dayton police officers initiated a traffic stop of the red Taurus on Dec. 16, Farr was allegedly in the front passenger seat wearing the outfit described in the armed robberies, had an N-95 style mask on the floorboard and gray two-tone gloves in his pocket. Farr also allegedly had a 9mm pistol in his waistband.

    Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Springfield Police Chief Allison Elliott, Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal, and Riverside Police Chief Frank Robinson announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is representing the United States in this case.

    A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

    Anyone with information regarding these incidents should contact ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (888-283-8477). Individuals may also email ATFTips@atf.gov, or contact ATF through its website at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips. Tips may also be submitted to ATF using the ReportIt® app, available on both Google Play and the Apple App Store, or by visiting www.reportit.com.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Roseville Man Sentenced To 70 Months In Prison For Being A Felon In Possession Of Ammunition

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Arnes Krajinic, 33, of Roseville, was sentenced Thursday by United States District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 5 years and 10 months in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition, United States Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating Krajinic in January 2023 because he was advertising fentanyl and firearms for sale via Instagram. On January 17, 2023, law enforcement arrested Krajinic and found him in possession of approximately 95 grams of fentanyl powder, miscellaneous prescription pills, over $7,000 in cash, a digital scale, and a privately manufactured 9mm firearm that did not have a serial number and was loaded with ammunition. Krajinic was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he had previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including for robbery, possession of controlled substances while armed, possession of a concealed weapon in a vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of controlled substances for sale.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service, the ATF, and the Placer County Special Investigations Unit, with assistance from the Roseville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Emily G. Sauvageau prosecuted the case.

    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 –