NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Increases Federal Cost Share for Vermont

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Increases Federal Cost Share for Vermont

    President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Increases Federal Cost Share for Vermont

    WASHINGTON – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced that President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. made additional disaster assistance available to the state of Vermont to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides from July 7-21, 2023.The President authorized the federal cost-share to be increased from 75% to 90%, except for assistance previously approved at 100% for a limited time period. The major disaster declaration made federal funding available for public assistance, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program and other needs assistance for total eligible costs.
    luz.laborde-rivera
    Mon, 11/04/2024 – 17:25

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Yes, burning gas is bad for the climate. But keeping it in Australia’s energy mix is sensible

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Roger Dargaville, Director Monash Energy Institute, Monash University

    Shutterstock

    Both major parties in Australia see a significant role for gas as the world shifts to clean energy in a bid to avert dangerous climate change.

    The Albanese government says new sources of gas are needed to meet demand during the energy transition. And the Coalition, if elected, would expand gas use as it prepares for nuclear power.

    Of course, some people argue that the grave threat of climate change means we should not burn any gas. Others say the strong growth in renewable energy generation and storage means Australia won’t need gas into the future.

    So who is right? As I explain below, renewable energy is a huge part of the solution but doesn’t solve every problem. So keeping some gas-fired generators in the electricity mix, and using them only when necessary, is a sensible compromise.

    Getting to grips with gas

    There are almost 40 large natural gas-fired generators in Australia, and they are an important part of the National Electricity Market.

    According to Open Electricity — a platform for tracking Australia’s electricity transition – the gas facilities generate around 4% of the electricity we consume and comprise about 17% of overall generation capacity.

    The data also shows gas plants in Australia run at just 9% of their overall capacity, meaning they are idle much of the time. Some gas plants get used quite a lot, others only rarely. But when the plants are called on – during times of peak electricity use – their services are vital.

    Overnight, our demand for electricity dips. But when we wake in the morning and start toasting bread and boiling kettles and the like, electricity demand picks up.

    Demand eases off in the middle of the day as the sun rises high in the sky and Australia’s booming rooftop solar reaches its peak electricity output. But when the sun sets and rooftop solar is no longer producing, electricity use peaks. This early-evening demand creates a big challenge to the system.

    That’s why we need technologies that can produce electricity at any time of day or night – and do it quickly. That’s where gas-fired generation – and other “dispatchable” forms of electricity – come in.

    How do gas fired generators work?

    Gas generators come in two main types.

    An “open cycle generator”, also known as a Brayton cycle turbine, is essentially a jet engine. It combusts gas in a chamber to create enormous pressure that spins large fans. This drives a shaft that spins in the generator to produce electricity.

    This technology is relatively cheap to build and can start up very quickly – but it’s also quite inefficient to operate. It uses a lot of expensive fuel, and creates a lot of waste heat.

    The second type is known as a “combined cycle generator”. It also uses a Brayton cycle gas turbine. But it captures exhaust heat from the turbine and uses it to create steam, which in turn powers a second turbine (known as a Rankine cycle). This significantly increases the amount of electricity produced for the same amount of gas burned.

    So while this technology is relatively efficient, it’s also more expensive to build and takes longer to ramp up and down.

    Other types of gas generators exist, but they’re a relatively small part of Australia’s fleet.

    A video explaining how gas turbines work.

    Gas is not the only option

    Gas plants are not the only facilities capable of firming up Australia’s electricity grid as the share of renewables increases.

    Hydro power can also quickly ramp up to meet the evening peak. However the potential for building new conventional hydro in Australia is very limited due to the lack of large river systems and the significant environmental impact on rivers and surrounding areas.

    Coal-fired generators have potential to ramp up production, but are generally not designed to do this every evening. Plus, Australia’s fleet of old coal plants is on a fast path to retirement.

    To maintain the delicate balance of supply and demand, more will be required of gas and hydro, to produce electricity, and batteries and pumped hydro, to store it.

    Pumped hydro works by using excess renewable energy to pump water up a hill. When electricity demand is high, the water is released and passes through a turbine, producing power.

    The potential for pumped hydro energy storage in Australia is large, and some projects are likely to be economically viable. But the projects can face challenges, as demonstrated by delays and cost blowouts facing Snowy 2.0 in New South Wales.

    Large-scale lithium-ion batteries are relatively easy to install. Many projects have been built or are in the pipeline. But batteries are not great for long-duration energy storage.

    All this means gas-fired power generation is likely to have a future in Australia in coming decades.

    The downsides of gas

    Methane is the main component of natural gas. It’s also a potent contributor to global warming.

    During natural gas production and transport, gas leaks inevitably occur. This is a problem for climate change.

    So too is the carbon dioxide produced when the gas is burned to produce electricity.

    To tackle climate change, we must dramatically reduce the amount of gas we use in our electricity system. Gas use should also be eliminated for heating and cooking in our homes and, where possible, in industry.

    So where does that leave us?

    Unfortunately, no perfect solution exists to Australia’s electricity supply-demand conundrum.

    The most likely, most economic and most environmentally acceptable approach is to use a “portfolio” of technologies: lots of batteries and pumped hydro but also some gas.

    Because to keep the system stable and reliable, we need some capacity that will mostly sit idle, getting used on only a few occasions. For that reason, the technologies should be relatively cheap to build and able to run for extended periods when wind and solar generation are abnormally low.

    Gas-fired power – especially open cycle generators – meets that requirement. Pumped hydro and batteries do not.

    The gas plants we keep in the grid will not often be used, and so will produce relatively low amounts of carbon dioxide.

    Nuanced questions remain. What will it cost to keep a gas network operating to serve a fleet of gas generators that run only for a few days a year? Gas pipelines have to be kept pressurised, and the cost of running a gas extraction network for small demand may also be uneconomical.

    Non-fossil options such as biogas, hydrogen or synthetically produced methane are possible longer term options. But they are also expensive. And new technologies – such as flow batteries, thermal energy storage and cryogenic energy storage – are on the horizon.

    So, keeping some gas-fired generators on standby, and using them sparingly as needed, is a reasonable approach. It allows us to reduce emissions as much as possible, and keep our electricity system secure and affordable.

    Roger Dargaville receives funding from the Woodside-Monash Energy Partnership, RACE for 2030 CRC, and he consults for industry and government bodies.

    – ref. Yes, burning gas is bad for the climate. But keeping it in Australia’s energy mix is sensible – https://theconversation.com/yes-burning-gas-is-bad-for-the-climate-but-keeping-it-in-australias-energy-mix-is-sensible-241689

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement From Premier Wab Kinew on the Passing of Former Senator Murray Sinclair

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    November 4, 2024

    Statement From Premier Wab Kinew on the Passing of Former Senator Murray Sinclair

    Murray Sinclair was a great Canadian, a great Manitoban, a great Anishinaabe. 

    His career stands as a legacy of public service and a deep commitment to truth, fairness and dignity for all people. 

    He was the first Indigenous person to be named to the Manitoba provincial court and the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba. He was the first, but he will be remembered as one of the best. 

    He was appointed co-commissioner of the Aboriginal Justice Inquiry, which laid bare systemic racism within the justice system and is considered a foundational perspective on the system’s relationship with Indigenous people. He led the Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Inquest and his report spurred systematic change in the delivery of pediatric cardiac care in our province. 

    The penultimate moment of his career was his work as chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. He approached a process that could have been divisive and instead transformed it into Calls to Action for the future of our country, helping all Canadians to learn to walk together into a future of respect and understanding where we live up to the phrase residential school survivors taught us – Every Child Matters. 

    It will be a long time before our nation produces another person the calibre of Murray Sinclair. He showed us there is no reconciliation without truth. We should hold dear in our hearts his words that our nation is on the cusp of a great new era and we must all “dare to live greatly together.” 

    On behalf of the people of Manitoba, I extend my condolences to his family and to all Canadians for the loss of Mazina Giizhik. 

    A sacred fire will be open to the public on the north side of the legislative building grounds until Murray Sinclair’s funeral later this week. 

    – 30 –

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Tornado Watch 705

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    Note:  The expiration time in the watch graphic is amended if the watch is replaced, cancelled or extended.Note: Click for Watch Status Reports.
    SEL5

    URGENT – IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
    Tornado Watch Number 705
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    130 PM CST Mon Nov 4 2024

    The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

    * Tornado Watch for portions of
    Western Arkansas
    Extreme southeast Kansas
    Southwest Missouri

    * Effective this Monday afternoon and evening from 130 PM until
    900 PM CST.

    * Primary threats include…
    A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
    Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
    Isolated large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible

    SUMMARY…Multiple rounds of thunderstorms will affect the watch
    area this afternoon and evening. Strong winds aloft and a
    warm/moist environment will pose a risk of severe storms capable of
    damaging winds and a few tornadoes.

    The tornado watch area is approximately along and 40 statute miles
    east and west of a line from 60 miles north northeast of Joplin MO
    to 40 miles west southwest of Hot Springs AR. For a complete
    depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
    (WOUS64 KWNS WOU5).

    PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

    REMEMBER…A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
    tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
    area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
    threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
    and possible warnings.

    &&

    OTHER WATCH INFORMATION…CONTINUE…WW 704…

    AVIATION…Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
    surface and aloft to 1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
    gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
    storm motion vector 24035.

    …Hart

    Note: The Aviation Watch (SAW) product is an approximation to the watch area. The actual watch is depicted by the shaded areas.
    SAW5
    WW 705 TORNADO AR KS MO 041930Z – 050300Z
    AXIS..40 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST OF LINE..
    60NNE JLN/JOPLIN MO/ – 40WSW HOT/HOT SPRINGS AR/
    ..AVIATION COORDS.. 35NM E/W /27SE BUM – 47NNE TXK/
    HAIL SURFACE AND ALOFT..1.5 INCHES. WIND GUSTS..60 KNOTS.
    MAX TOPS TO 500. MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 24035.

    LAT…LON 37959334 34249305 34249445 37959481

    THIS IS AN APPROXIMATION TO THE WATCH AREA. FOR A
    COMPLETE DEPICTION OF THE WATCH SEE WOUS64 KWNS
    FOR WOU5.

    Watch 705 Status Report Message has not been issued yet.

    Note:  Click for Complete Product Text.Tornadoes

    Probability of 2 or more tornadoes

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more strong (EF2-EF5) tornadoes

    Mod (40%)

    Wind

    Probability of 10 or more severe wind events

    High (70%)

    Probability of 1 or more wind events > 65 knots

    Low (20%)

    Hail

    Probability of 10 or more severe hail events

    Mod (30%)

    Probability of 1 or more hailstones > 2 inches

    Low (20%)

    Combined Severe Hail/Wind

    Probability of 6 or more combined severe hail/wind events

    High (90%)

    For each watch, probabilities for particular events inside the watch (listed above in each table) are determined by the issuing forecaster. The “Low” category contains probability values ranging from less than 2% to 20% (EF2-EF5 tornadoes), less than 5% to 20% (all other probabilities), “Moderate” from 30% to 60%, and “High” from 70% to greater than 95%. High values are bolded and lighter in color to provide awareness of an increased threat for a particular event.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: China Tightens Grip on Critical Minerals – China Digital Times

    Source: United States Institute of Peace

    China has extended its dominance at home and abroad over critical minerals that are essential to future high-tech and renewable-energy industries. Amid intensifying geopolitical competition, Western countries are increasing their efforts to claw back market share while countries in the Global South, where many of these minerals are mined, are attempting to capitalize on growing global demand. A recent article on the subject by The Economist stated that in 2023 Chinese companies invested roughly $16 billion in foreign mines, the highest figure in a decade, up from less than $5 billion the year before. This month, Chinese companies have announced plans to invest billions of dollars in mines in Afghanistan, Ghana, Zambia, and the Philippines. Keith Bradsher at The New York Times reported that over the past few weeks, the Chinese government has enacted measures to increase its grip over the mining and refining of rare minerals within China by making it harder for foreign companies to purchase them:

    As of Oct. 1, exporters must provide the authorities with detailed, step-by-step tracings of how shipments of rare earth metals are used in Western supply chains. That has given Beijing greater authority over which overseas companies receive scarce supplies.

    China is also taking greater corporate ownership over the mining and production of the metals. In a deal that has received almost no attention outside the country, the last two foreign-owned rare earth refineries in China are being acquired by one of the three state-owned companies that already run the other refineries in China.

    Beijing’s recent moves to take charge of the supply chain include other obscure chemical elements that are also needed by semiconductor manufacturers. On Sept. 15, China’s Ministry of Commerce restricted exports of antimony, a material used in semiconductors, military explosives and other weaponry. Last year, the ministry imposed export controls on two other chemical elements, gallium and germanium, also needed to make chips.

    National security officials have tightened the flow of information about rare earths. They have labeled rare earth mining and refining as state secrets. Last month, the Ministry of State Security announced that two managers in the rare earths industry had been sentenced to 11 years in prison for leaking information to foreigners. [Source]

    In September, a coalition of 14 Western countries and the European Commission formed the Minerals Security Partnership, a new financing network to support critical mineral projects and break China’s dominance over this sector. Despite initiatives like these, the U.S. has struggled to compete with China for critical minerals, for many reasons. One is that Chinese state-owned companies “have periodically flooded world markets with rare earths to drive down the price whenever Western producers try to ramp up production,” Bradsher wrote. Just this week, Chinese mining giant CMOC announced that it reached its full-year cobalt production target three months ahead of schedule. Eric Olander from the China-Global South Project argued that “CMOC’s strategy is unrelated to pricing conditions and more about keeping Western rivals on the sidelines [,…which] gives China an unrivaled advantage over its rivals in the U.S., Europe, and Asia that are moving aggressively to cut Chinese firms out of their supply chains — which, at least for cobalt, is not going to be possible for a very long time.” Eliot Chen at The Wire China wrote about how American policymakers are considering expanding the U.S. stockpile of critical minerals to compete with China, which has been “the master of the game” when it comes to leveraging its stockpiles:

    “China’s stockpile has a dual purpose: one is defensive and the other is economic, to support domestic industry when prices get too high for downstream industries like the electricity sector, and then conversely when prices are too low and domestic producers like copper smelters have difficulty remaining profitable,” says [Gregory Wischer, principal at Dei Gratia Minerals, a critical minerals consultancy]. 

    What, exactly, China stockpiles is not publicly known, and Chinese authorities are rarely transparent about when they buy up and sell down their stockpiles. But because of the country’s dominance over much of the critical mineral supply chain, even rumors of its intentions can produce wild swings in the price of metals. For example, while Chinese lithium producers account for less than 20 percent of mine production, China refines more than two-thirds of the metal. For other metals like graphite, which has vital defense applications, Chinese refiners control more than 90 percent of the market. 

    China’s outsized influence over the market, combined with its heavy investment in mining assets abroad, have helped it consolidate its control over global supply. An about-face by Chinese policymakers over electric vehicle subsidies in 2018, for example, resulted in a glut of lithium on the market. Chinese companies were then able to step in and acquire distressed lithium miners in Australia and Canada relatively cheaply. [Source]

    China’s monopoly over various critical-mineral supply chains in Africa has motivated the U.S. government to increase engagement in the region. A major component of this U.S. strategy is the $4 billion Lobito Corridor project, which seeks to connect the Port of Lobito in Angola to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, thereby facilitating American and European access to cobalt and copper. But some local observers see selfish motives in this engagement. “This rivalry-driven approach narrows the scope for a partnership with Africa based on mutual benefit and long-term development. The continent, and the DRC in particular, should not be seen merely as a resource base to fuel external interests,” said Carlos Lopes, a professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He added, “Without a genuine commitment to local development, [the Lobito Corridor project] risks perpetuating Africa’s role as a supplier of raw materials rather than fostering economic transformation on the continent.” Analyzing China-Africa critical mineral cooperation in an article last month for the U.S. Institute of Peace, Cobus van Staden explored the potential for U.S.-China cooperation and described how African nations are looking to navigate both sets of relationships to their own benefit:

    The second factor complicating the narrative of direct competition [between the U.S. and China in the region] is the drive from African countries to locate more strategic mineral refining and related manufacturing in Africa. African critical mineral strategies, developed by continental bodies like the African Development Bank, emphasize local refining and value addition, an ambition now enjoying official Chinese support, as well as support from the U.S. through initiatives such as the Minerals Security Partnership among others. For example, the partners involved in the Lobito Corridor have similarly signed agreements with African countries to do more refining locally. These include EU agreements with Zambia and the DRC for mineral-driven value addition, and a trilateral agreement between Zambia, the DRC and the U.S. for domestic electric vehicle supply chain development.

    […] FOCAC 2024 put these complications [including whether Western nations can expand their refining capacities at home despite the potential for environmental and community pushback] in stark relief because it highlighted an increased sense of synergy and coordination around green energy and critical mineral value addition in the China-Africa relationship. A similar focus is developing between the continent and its Western partners. The question now is whether the continent will be able to wield both sets of relationships to its own benefit, even as great-power tensions over critical minerals heat up. [Source]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Assistance Available for Self-Employed Floridians

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Assistance Available for Self-Employed Floridians

    FEMA Assistance Available for Self-Employed Floridians

    FEMA assistance can help people who are self-employed, including artists, musicians and mechanics. Independent contractors are considered self-employed.To be considered for FEMA assistance, you must be a resident of or work in a county designated for FEMA Individual Assistance following Hurricanes Milton, Helene or Debby. You must also have had damage or losses as a result of the Florida hurricanes.Eligible Occupational ToolsFEMA can help replace tools and equipment required for self-employment, or not provided by an employer but required for employment. Eligible tools may include: Computers Equipment such as power tools, art materials, musical instruments, tractors, utility vehicles, lawnmowers and ladders Uniforms You may be reimbursed for these items if they were damaged by the disaster, you do not have another working piece of equipment or item, and the loss was not covered by insurance. An inspection is required to review the damage to essential tools/materials. If you have damage to personal property or essential tools, include this information on your FEMA application and notify the inspector of damage at the time of inspection.Required DocumentsTo be eligible for self-employment assistance, apply for FEMA assistance. When you apply, include: Documentation that proves you’re self-employed, such as a tax return Insurance documents for all potential coverages and benefits Itemized receipts or estimates for repairing or replacing the requested items A written statement that explains you need the items for self-employment How to Apply for FEMA AssistanceHomeowners and renters are encouraged to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by using the FEMA App. You may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362. If you choose to apply by phone, please understand wait times may be longer because of increased volume for multiple recent disasters. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance – YouTube.If you applied to FEMA after Hurricanes Debby or Helene and have additional damage from Hurricane Milton, you will need to apply separately for Milton and provide the dates of your most recent damage.For the latest information about Hurricane Milton recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4834. For Hurricane Helene recovery information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4828. For Hurricane Debby recovery information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4806. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters.
    wesley.lagenour
    Mon, 11/04/2024 – 18:48

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Hearing of Commissioner-designate Maroš Šefčovič

    Source: European Parliament

    On Monday, the International Trade and Constitutional Affairs committees questioned Šefčovič, Slovak candidate for Trade and Economic Security/ Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency.

    The committee chairs and political group coordinators will meet without delay to assess the performance and qualification of the Commissioner-designate.

    In his introductory statement, Mr Šefčovič reminded MEPs that trade is “marked by stark competition over disruptive new technologies,  and the weaponisation of economic dependencies”, making trade a “geostrategic tool”.  With the US election imminent, the Commissioner-designate said: “Regardless of the outcome of the US elections, I will put forward an offer of cooperation”. He added that the EU will have to solve its disputes with the US, citing steel and aluminium, and protectionist elements in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

    On inter-institutional relations, he committed to enhancing the Commission’s cooperation with Parliament, not least through the soon to be revamped Framework Agreement. Mr Šefčovič also referred to a Commission’s commitment to follow-up on Parliament’s indirect legislative initiatives, ensure that comprehensive justification would be provided for the use of the extraordinary procedure of Article 122, and facilitate progress on Parliament’s call for a full right of inquiry. Further, he announced an expansion of the EU’s Transparency Register’s scope “to all managers”.

    China

    Mr Šefčovič described China as the most challenging trading partner, one with which the EU needs to rebalance its relationship. He told MEPs that, after EU’s duties on electric vehicles made in China, in place since last week, Commission negotiators are now in talks with Chinese counterparts on price undertakings. “EU is not interested in trade wars, we are looking for rebalancing our relationship with China in areas where we feel our relationship is not fair,” Mr Šefčovič said, citing overcapacity, subsidies, and the lack of level playing field.

    Mercosur, Israel  and FTAs

    MEPs grilled the Commissioner-designate over the ongoing negotiations with Mercosur countries, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Mr Šefčovič pledged to continue work on free trade agreements (FTA) with Mexico and Australia, and said he wants the EU to be more present in Thailand, the Philippines and India. Responding to MEPs, he pointed to the Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA) with Angola and the Economic Partnership Agreement with Kenya as new types of agreements that could help the EU.

    Asked by MEPs if the EU was breaching international law as it keeps its trade ties with Israel under the EU-Israel association agreement, Mr Šefčovič said that the agreement “can be changed only by unanimity” among member states.

     

    Priorities for interinstitutional relations

    Many MEPs highlighted the importance of treaty change based on Parliament’s proposals which were inspired by the Conference on the Future of Europe. The Commissioner-designate said that the key to moving forward on this is getting a clear position by the European Council: they will work with the new presidency of Antonio Costa to this aim.

    The debate revolved around the need for reforms to prepare for enlargement and to activate the “passerelle” clause in key policy areas, as well as transparency, with some MEPs bringing up worrying reports about Commission practices. Other topics included better cooperation with national parliaments and applying the findings of the Draghi report in the EU’s institutional architecture.

    Press point

    At the end of the hearing, the Chair of the Committees of International Trade, Bernd Lange, and Constitutional Affairs, Sven Simon, held a press point outside the meeting room: watch it here.

    Next steps

    Based on the committee recommendations, the Conference of Presidents (EP President Metsola and political group chairs) is set to conduct the final evaluation and declare the hearings closed on 21 November. Once the Conference of Presidents declares all hearings closed, the evaluation letters will be published.

    The election by MEPs of the full college of Commissioners (by a majority of the votes cast, by roll-call) is currently scheduled to take place during the 25-28 November plenary session in Strasbourg.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2nd phase of Hamas-Israel prisoner-hostage exchange deal completed: Red Cross

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced Saturday the completion of the second phase of a prisoner-hostage exchange between Hamas and Israel, implemented under the initial terms of a ceasefire agreement.

    The second phase, including the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners and four Israeli hostages, was carried out after thorough coordination and review procedures conducted by the ICRC, a neutral intermediary that ensured the smooth and secure implementation of the exchange, it said.

    The Israeli hostages were transferred safely, with their well-being prioritized, whereas the Palestinian prisoners were released from Israeli detention centers and transported to Gaza and the West Bank following ICRC’s interview with them, during which it verified their identities, evaluated their health conditions, and confirmed their readiness for travel, it said.

    The ICRC urged ongoing dialogue between the parties and their continuous humanitarian commitments, so as to create the necessary conditions for the safe execution of future operations.

    Earlier on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency said in a joint statement that four female Israeli soldier hostages held in Gaza were transferred to them and crossed the border into Israel.

    Meanwhile, Abdullah Zaghari, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, as well as Palestinian officials in the Ramallah Governorate said 200 Palestinian prisoners were handed over to ICRC.

    Some prisoners were released into the West Bank, some bound for Gaza, and some have arrived in Egypt via the Rafah crossing, according to Palestinian sources and Egyptian media reports.

    The first stage of the six-week ceasefire took effect on Jan. 19.

    The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel was reached after 15 months of intense fighting, as a result of negotiations mediated by Egypt, Qatar and the United States.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 5.1-magnitude quake hits Taiwan

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A 5.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Tainan City of China’s Taiwan at 7:38 a.m. Sunday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
    The epicenter was monitored 23.17 degrees north latitude and 120.48 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, said a report issued by the CENC.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall on Newsmax: President Trump’s Compassionate, Hands-on Work with Hurricane Helene Victims

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined Newsmax to discuss President Trump’s visit to North Carolina to meet with victims of Hurricane Helene. Due to the Biden Administration’s botched response by FEMA, victims of the hurricane are still struggling to rebuild three months later and have received little assistance from the federal government. 
    Senator Marshall discussed President Trump as a compassionate leader and emphasized the difference between his and President Biden’s response to the hurricane. He additionally shared his support for President Trump’s proposition to disband FEMA to cut away red tape for disaster relief. 

    [embedded content]

    You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview. 
    Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include:
    On President Trump visiting victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina: 
    “What a big contrast between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Here you have a President that’s hands-on, and, like you said, you’re seeing the compassionate side of Donald Trump, and not only his compassionate side, but he’s going to hold people accountable.”
    “Has it been three months, I think, since that hurricane? And still people there without proper housing and water as well. So this is the Donald Trump that I know –  you’re not going to see it on the legacy media, but he’s one of the most compassionate people I have ever met in my life.”
    On President Trump potentially disbanding FEMA following its failure to help victims of Hurricane Helene: 
    “Certainly this is what a businessman would do – when you have a situation, a business that’s just upside down, it’s not going to work, and all the king’s men will not be able to put this back together. So oftentimes we would just start over.”
    “I do think we could take all that money and somehow just pour it into the local levels… certainly the federal government has failed us. Let’s start over. I’m ready to consider anything at this time.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: November 1st, 2024 Heinrich, Luján, Leger Fernández Urge Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office to Address Concerns with the Compensation Process, Help New Mexicans Get the Relief & Compensation Needed to Recover

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Mexico Martin Heinrich

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) sent a letter urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Director of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office and the FEMA Director of the New Mexico Joint Recovery Office to address concerns from New Mexicans about the process for receiving compensation from the Claims Office. 

    Created by the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act in 2022 – legislation championed and passed by N.M. Congressional Democrats – the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office is responsible for processing New Mexicans’ claims that arose from the wildfire. Since the devastating wildfire, the N.M. Delegation has secured a total of $3.95 billion in federal funding for the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire recovery.

    “The Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses in New Mexico. The fire and subsequent flooding displaced thousands of our constituents for months, wiped away generations of history, and uprooted families from their communities. And yet, over two years later, many New Mexicans continue to wait for the relief and compensation they are owed by the federal government,” the lawmakers wrote to Jay Mitchell, FEMA Director of the New Mexico Joint Recovery Office, and Michael Plostock, FEMA Director of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Office. 

    “After a significant delay in getting the Claims Office fully staffed and operational, and after further delays in dispersing funds, improvements to the Claims Office’s processes and best practices are still sorely needed. While we are encouraged by recent changes within the Claims Office, we have continued to hear concerns from our constituents about their experience with the process for receiving compensation from the Claims Office,” the lawmakers continued. 

    “The Claims Office must process claims faster, communicate with claimants on a regular and consistent basis, and pay fair compensation. We also ask that processes and formulas reflect unique aspects of New Mexico such as adobe, historic structures, and subsistence living where large cache of food are kept in freezers,” the lawmakers further continued.

    To address these concerns and ensure that victims of the fire have all the information and tools they need to get compensation from the Claims Office, the lawmakers requested that Directors Mitchell and Plostock answer the following questions:

    1. How is the Claims Office working to more consistently communicate with claimants through proactive communication and responding to claimant inquiries in a timely manner?

    2. How is the Claims Office working to speed up the review of total loss claims in a way that ensures these claimants receive full compensation for culturally and structurally unique buildings, such as adobe?

    3. How many claimants have total home losses? Of those, how many have been compensated to date (broken down between partial and full compensation)? And of those who lost homes, how many of those are living in a new home or are in the building process?

    4. What steps is the Claims Office taking to ensure that claimants who do not possess traditional mortgage documentation or property deeds receive compensation quickly?

    5. What are the policies and processes in place to ensure that claimants can retain their assigned navigator if they so choose?

    6. When using standard rate calculators and tools from the insurance industry, how is the Claims Office working to make changes and updates to maximize the amount of compensation claimants are awarded?

    7. How is the Claims Office working to reduce the amount of tax documentation required from claimants, rather than add to it, particularly in total loss, complex, and small business claims? 

    8. How is the Claims Office ensuring equity in food loss payments? If changes to Claims Office compensation policy are needed, is the Claims Office committed to updating policy such that claimants are not paid less than they would have previously received, and is the Claims Office committed to updating previously closed claims with the adjusted increased compensation? 

    9. How is the Claims Office ensuring equity in hourly labor rate reimbursement for repairs?

    10. How is the Claims Office working to help claimants understand the review decisions by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)? Does the Claims Office include the SME reports with annotated decisions in Letter of Determination? 

    11. How is the Claims Office working to reduce the number of separate assessments claimants are required to have on the same property?

    12. When will the erosion estimate process be finalized?

    13. How is the Claims Office working to ensure that business loss claimants can receive updates and work on their claims from any office location?

    The text of the letter is here.

    In September, Heinrich, Luján, and Leger Fernández secured an extension to the period that victims may file claims with the Hermit’s Peak Claims Office to December 20, 2024.

    Last year, Heinrich, Luján, and Leger Fernández introduced the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Claims Extension Act, legislation that would extend the period a victim can file a claim with the Hermit’s Peak Claims Office.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Iowa Bridges Will Benefit from $44 Million Grassley-Backed Federal Investment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Iowa Chuck Grassley

    BUTLER COUNTY, IOWA – U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today announced Iowa will receive $44,640,000 to replace eight bridges across seven counties, including Cedar Rapids’ Arc of Justice bridge. The U.S. Department of Transportation will administer the resources through its Bridge Investment Program, which was established in the Grassley-backed Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

    “Iowans consistently raise concerns about the safety of our bridges, and rightfully so – our bridges need upgrades. That’s one of the reasons I voted for the bipartisan infrastructure law,” Grassley said. “These grants will improve commuter safety and flood resilience, and strengthen our regional supply chain to help get Iowa products to market.”

    Award Details:

    Washington County will receive $38,640,000 to remove and replace seven bridges in Washington, Hamilton, Buchanan, Jones, Cedar and Monroe counties. 

    The City of Cedar Rapids will receive $6,000,000 to replace the 86-year-old Arc of Justice bridge with a new, cable-stayed design. This will help raise the bridge above potential flood waters and improve hydraulic flow, reducing the height of Cedar Rapids’ upstream floodwall.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $7.7M Awarded to WA Tribes to Boost Drinking Water Safety and Supply

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    11.01.24
    $7.7M Awarded to WA Tribes to Boost Drinking Water Safety and Supply
    $3.4M to Lummi, $2.3M to Kalispel, $1.8M to Makah, $111K to Colville, & $74K to Hoh for water infrastructure projects
    EDMONDS, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, announced that five tribes in Washington state will receive grants totaling $7,768,391 for projects to address inadequate water infrastructure and improve the safety and supply of drinking water for their members.
    The money comes from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Tribal Domestic Water Program, one of many important investments championed by Sen. Cantwell in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).  
    The Lummi Tribe received $3,410,000 for a project to increase water supply, upgrade arsenic treatment, and manage saltwater intrusion risk.
    “This money will fund important planning projects for water treatment, alternative water sources, and assessing saltwater intrusion risk,” said Sen. Cantwell. “The projects will help secure supplies of safe, available drinking water for members of the Lummi Tribe.”
    The Tribe will complete a study for an alternative water source, prepare plans and designs for a water treatment plant, and complete necessary environmental compliance and permitting. The Tribe will also complete a Saltwater Intrusion Risk Study and Saltwater Intrusion Risk Management Plan, which aim to mitigate the contamination of freshwater aquifers by the ocean.
    The Kalispel Tribe of Indians received $2,357,536 for water infrastructure planning and design.
    “This funding will jumpstart a Kalispel Tribe project to develop new water sources that the Tribe will own and operate, ensuring reliable access to safe drinking water,” said Sen. Cantwell.
    The Tribe will plan, design, and acquire permits for a domestic drinking water project on the Kalispel Reservation. The project will provide planning and design to develop new water sources owned and operated by the Tribe, and to integrate the new sources with the existing system, providing access to safe, regulated, and clean drinking water to underserved homes and public facilities.
    The Makah Tribe received $1,813,991 for their Community Water System Critical Infrastructure, Community Health & Safety project.
    “The Makah Tribe will use these funds to address water quality and availability issues by finding and developing new sources of water,” said Sen. Cantwell.
    The Tribe will evaluate and identify alternative water supply sources to address water quantity and quality issues impacting water availability for the Makah Community Water System and the health of the community.
    The Confederated Tribes of the Colville received $111,995 for their Keller Water System Main Loop Replacement Design project.
    “The Colville Tribe will use this funding to replace water infrastructure that was destroyed in a flood, reestablishing a second supply of water for residents of the rural town of Keller,” said Sen. Cantwell.
    The Tribe will replace a crucial component of the water system for the isolated Tribal town of Keller, WA. Recent severe floods broke a looping line for the town’s water system. Now the town is reliant on a single water supply line, at risk of interruptions to its water supply from impacts to the main trunk line and water quality degradation from line dead ends. This project proposes to design a replacement looping line suspended from the Silver Creek Road bridge, which will be more resilient in the face of future flood events.
    The Hoh Indian Tribe received $74,869 for their Hoh Tribe Highlands Water System Expansion Plan Development project.
    “This funding will help the Hoh Tribe build infrastructure to ensure that they can provide enough safe drinking water to meet current and future needs,” said Sen. Cantwell.
    The Tribe will develop a Water System Plan to guide the development of an expanded water delivery system and long-term system management in the Highland area. The plan will confirm current water use amounts, estimate future water demand, develop a water system piping network, water quality monitoring and reporting protocols and procedures, and formulate a long-term operations and financial plan.
    Tribal Domestic Water Program funding is available to communities in the 17 western U.S. states served by the Bureau of Reclamation, which will implement the program in two phases. The phase one funding is for planning, design, or construction in fiscal year 2024; and phase two funding will be for construction in fiscal years 2027 and 2028. 
    The IRA invests an overall $550 million to ensure communities or households have reliable access to clean domestic water supplies in historically disadvantaged communities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su En Route Philadelphia,  PA

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Aboard Air Force OneEn Route Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    2:43 P.M. EDT
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  All right, everybody.  Hey, everyone.
    Q    Hi.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Hi, hi, hi.  Okay.  I know this is a short flight, but I do have a couple things at the top that’s important.
    So, to start, I wanted to mention that open enrollment in the Federal Care Act marketplace, where more than 20 million Americans get health insurance, starts today.  More than a decade after passage of the law, Americans’ health care remains under threat.  Just this week, Speaker Johnson promised massive reform to the ACA.  The Republican Study Committee budget cuts a staggering $4.5 trillion from the ACA, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, consistent with every budget proposed by the former president.
    Senator J.D. Vance has taken aim at the very idea of the risk pooling between healthy and sick which lies at the heart of the ACA.  And Republicans in Congress have made clear that one of their first orders of business would be raising premiums in ACA health insurance by an average of 800 bucks per person per year.
    President Biden and Vice President Harris have done the po- — the opposite, bringing health insurance to more than ev- — more than ever — mor- — more people than ever before, lowering ACA premiums by 800 bucks per year, getting rid of red tape that the prior administration used to try to keep people from enrolling and expanding enrollment support.
    The president and vice president will keep standing up for the affordable health insurance, and they will block any attempt to rip it away. 
    Shifting gears just a second, I wanted to quickly discuss a recent ProPublica series highlighting reports of women in states like Texas and Georgia who have died after being denied the lifesaving care they need because of extreme abortion bans.  The stories are heartbreaking, scary, and sickening a- — sickening.  It’s hard to believe or accept as reality, and it’s completely unacceptable. 
    This should never happen in America, but, sadly, it is, and tho- — and these abortion bans that are denying women lifesaving care are only possible because the former president appointed three Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v. Wade.  The devastating and gut-wrenching consequences of these bans put in place are — enforced by Republican elected officials are very clear. 
    President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that women in every state must have the right to make deeply personal decisions about their health.  They also believe that no woman should ever be denied the care she needs.  They will continue to fight back against these extreme bans and call on Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade into federal law.
    And finally, we’re en route, as you all know, to Philadelphia, where the president will announce new actions to further his administration’s historic support for unions.  While in Philadelphia, he’ll announce that his administration has protected 1.2 million pensions because of the American Rescue M- — Rescue Plan’s Butch Lewis Act.  During the visit, President Biden will announce new funding to prevent cuts to the earned pensions benefits of 29,000 UFCW workers and retirees.
    As you can see to my right, I’m joined by acting secretary — Labor Se- — Labor — Labor, Julia Su, who will share more about today’s action and the historic work the President Biden — the president and the vice president have done to support unions.
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Thank you so much, Karine.  Thank you all for being here.  And so, Karine mentioned this.  We are headed to Philadelphia to announce the restoration of the UFCW Tri-State Pension Fund.  This is part of the president’s commitment, which he has had from day one, to do right by working people.  We know that when jobs are good, when working people are protected, our economy is stronger; our nation is stronger. 
    This is the third event that I’m doing like this.  The — the first one was with the carpenters in Detroit.  The second was with the Teamsters in Centralia, Illinois.  Again, you know, a situation where working people who had worked a lifetime and were expecting to be able to retire with dignity because of their pensions were seeing the end of those pensions and were going to see their — their benefits slashed dramatically.
    Because of the Butch Lewis Act, because of the actions of President Biden and Vice President Harris — noting that Vice President Harris cast the deciding vote to pass the American Rescue Plan, of which the Butch Lewis Act is a part — because of that, these individuals are now going to be able to retire, to be able to live with dignity, to be able to take care of themselves and their families as they expected.
    This announcement also comes, obviously, on the same day that we’ve had a jobs day, and, you know, it’s always a time to talk about good jobs, because this administration now, you know, has presided over more jobs being created than any other administration in the same time period.  It’s now over 16 million jobs.  GDP remains strong.  Inflation is still falling.  Wages are still increasing.  Wages have grown faster than inflation for now 17 months straight.  And the unemployment rate remains at 4.1 percent, so it’s been around 4 percent for the longest stretch since the 1960s.
    So, labor market remains very strong, and this shows what happens when you have a president and a vice president who are fighting for workers every single day.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  All right.  Thank you.   Go ahead.
    Q    Thank you, Secretary.  On the jobs report, should Americans be concerned of — that the economy is cooling in this moment, and what is the administration doing at the moment to ensure that jobs continue to be generated going forward?
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Great.  So, two questions and two answers.  No, we should not be concerned about cooling.  There were some anomalies last month that led to a much lower jobs number.  One was, of course, the devastating hurricanes — back-to-back hurricanes that hit the southeast part of the country.  You know, we saw people who lost their lives, lost their homes, lost their businesses.  The federal government was on the ground immediately, working with state and local authorities to do everything from search and rescue to clearing roads to making sure that people had water and power back.
    But in terms of the jobs numbers, it meant that there were employers who, you know, would have been hiring or may have been even ramping up because of the holiday season coming up who just simply couldn’t do that.  So, the hurricanes had a really big effect.
    And then, of course, there were workers on strike — over 30,000 of them.  And the — when they’re on strike, their numbers also, you know, show up as a decrease in the jobs.  Just the — the nature of the — of the numbers.
    But what do we need to do to continue the incredible economy that we have had is to keep on making the investments that the Biden-Harris administration has had, you know, the — where we’ve got over 60,000 infrastructure projects going on around the country.  I’ve visited many of them.  We have apprenticeship programs bursting at the seams.  People being able to look for jobs and get jobs in communities that were shuttered, where factories were closed in the last administration, now opening up again.  And we just need to keep up that work.
    Q    Can I ask about the Boeing strike situation?  It sounds like there’s a vote set for Monday, if memory serves.  Can you speak to what your view is — is on the latest on that and whe- — whether membership will accept?  Will you expect that this will pass —
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Yes.
    Q    — as opposed to the previous time when it (inaudible)?
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Yes.  So, I was in Seattle from Monday to Wednesday.  I brought the parties together at the — at my office in Seattle.  They, you know, deserve a lot of credit.  I want to acknowledge the leadership of both the machinists and Boeing for coming to the table and doing the hard work of negotiating. 
    You know, the president says this all the time; the vice president acknowledges this all the time: Collective bargaining works.  It doesn’t always look pretty from the outside, but when workers have a voice, when unions are strong and workers are able to help determine the conditions of their work, their wages, the future of their industry, it’s better for everybody. 
    And so, now they have a — an unprecedented offer on the table that many people thought was impossible.  And — and they’re — they’re going to vote on it on Monday. 
    Q    Sounds like you think it’ll pass. 
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  I don’t know.  You know, I — you know, we believe as — that — that it’s up to the members, of course.  You know, but these workers have not seen a wage increase like this in a very, very long time. 
    In fact, the first-year wage increase is more than what they’ve had in — in the last many years combined.  So, it’s a — it’s really a sign of collective bargaining working. 
    And, you know, workers exercise their right.  They — you know, i- — that they’re part of what we’re seeing in a Biden-Harris America of — of a new era of worker power, and it is resulting in not just the tremendous job growth we keep talking about but really more equity and more — more powerful working people. 
    Q    You touched on this.  But just to be specific, because the president said in his statement that job growth is expected to rebound in November as the hurricane recovery and rebuilding efforts continue, can you give us a sense of what you would project that that could look like?  What could the November picture be?
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  So, obviously, the — the devastating weather-related phenomena that we have been facing, you know, has an impact — right? — has a devastating, direct, personal impact on communities that are affected.  It also has an impact on the economy. 
    And so, barring something else like that, you know, that was not a sign of weakness in the economy.  That was really a — you know, a weather-related phenomena.  And so, barring that, we expect, you know, those communities to recover. 
    We’re obviously not just watching it happen or hoping it happens.  We’re in there helping it to happen. 
    And so, you know, again, the investments that we’re making is really the key here, right?  We would not have seen the kind of economy — the 16 million jobs created — without that.  This is not an administration that has just, you know, hoped for the best.  It’s one that inherited the economy that was still reeling from a global pandemic that the last administration had no idea how to address. 
    And what we have done is, you know, really, you know, exceeded all expectations on the recovery.  We need to keep on doing that work.  We need to make sure that those infrastructure projects keep breaking ground; that the fabs that are being built, you know, are completed.  And having union workers do that is a part of that too. 
    And so, you know, there’s no reason to expect that the resilient economy that we’ve seen so far will not bounce back from the anomalies of October. 
    Q    Was President Biden’s transcript altered — 
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Hold on — hold on a second.  Wait a minute. 
    Q    Yeah.  (Laughs.)
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Wait a minute.  Is — any other for the secretary?  Can I have her sit down if — if we’re done?
    Q    Keep it tight, because we’re going to land soon.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Oh, okay.  All right.
    Q    Thank you so much.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Be careful.
    ACTING SECRETARY SU:  Thank you all.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Be careful.  Hold on.  I’m going to let AP go first. 
    Go ahead, AP.
    Q    Thank you, Karine.  On AP’s reporting from last night about the potential doctored co-  — about the doctored comments in the recent transcript.  Were you aware that the Press Office — White House Press Office had done this before the stenographer had taken an approval?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, look, I was asked this question — multiple versions of this question on Wednesday.  I don’t have anything else more to share.  What I can say is — and the president put out a statement that was tweeted out — that’s on X, obviously — ver- — being very clear what he meant, understanding that his words could have been taken out of context. 
    He was talking about the comedian.  He was talking about the hateful rhetoric coming out of — from the comedian at the Sunday rally in Madison Square Garden. 
    And I said this on Wednesday, and I’m going to keep saying this is that the president is always going to continue to call out hateful rhetoric. 
    But of course — of course — and you see this today with the pensions announcement; you saw it this week when he went to Baltimore to an- — to announce some ports infrastructure investment, $147 million that went to Baltimore — to Maryland, specifically; 27 states, 11 of those states are red states.  I mean, these are things that the president wants to continue about, and he always will be a president for everyone, even if you did not vote for him. 
    I don’t have anything else to share beyond that.  What I — what we want to make sure — we think what the most important thing for Americans to know is that this is a president that went back and wanted to clarify what he said, because he didn’t want to take it out of context.  I think that says a lot about this president.
    And we’ve been pretty consistent about him wanting to be a president and continuing to be a president for all Americans.  And that’s what you’re going to see.  I don’t have anything else to add beyond that.
    Q    What does the — have you all received reports about Iran potentially having a re- — a strike against — a retaliatory strike from its proxies?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, as you said, there are reports that Israeli in- — intelligence suggests Iran is preparing to attack Israel from Iraqi territory in the coming days, possibly before the U.S. presidential election.  Is — is that the U.S. view as well?  You know, I’m not — I’m going to be really careful.  I’m not going to — to your question, I’m not going to speculate or discuss intelligence assessments on this from here.
    So — but we’ve been very clear that Iran should not respond.  I said this on Wednesday.  We will continue to support Israel.  Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad.  And — and if they choose this to do so, obviously we will continue to support Israel as they continue to protect themselves and their security. 
    So, I don’t have anything to share.  I’m not going to read into that.
    Q    Is the president aware of former President Trump’s comments about Liz Cheney that he made last night?  And does he have a reaction to that?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, he’s aware.  Obviously, you all have done — have covered — covered those remarks.  Here’s what I would say to that.  It is — it is unacceptable; it is dangerous to — to — to s- — to speak to political violence, to talk about political vi- — violence, to lift up political violence. 
    And what we are doing and we will continue to do is denounce that, condemn that.  There is no place, anywhere, for any type of violence, no place for political violence. 
    And it — and this is a time we shouldn’t be using inflammatory language.  We should be specifically focusing on bringing the country together, and that’s what this president wants to see, and that’s what he’s going to continue to speak to. 
    Q    Do you think those comments put Liz Cheney at risk?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I mean, look, I can’t speak to that.  I can’t get into hypotheticals.  What we know is that those type of comments tend to be dangerous, right?  They can be dangerous. 
    That’s — we’re hearing violent rhetoric, and we’re going to continue to condemn that.  It is inappropriate in the political space, and — and it is inflammatory language that should not be said by anyone, certainly by — not when someone has a — a leadership — national leadership.
    Q    Has there been any discussion about heightening the security preparations this week in response to what we’ve seen?  Whether it’s, you know, ahead of the election, after the election for certain members of Congress, what does that look like at this point?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  For certain members of Congress specifically?
    Q    Well, just for that and then broader security preparations.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Well, look, I — I would have to — as it relates to Congress, obviously, that’s the — something for — the Capitol Police can speak to.  I can’t speak to that.
    Look, I think that what you’ll see from this — from this president is that, you know, free and fair elections and especially peaceful election are the cornerstone of our democracy.  And election officials and poll workers are dedicated to public servants who make our democracy work, and they deserve to do their job — their job safely and freely without harassment, without threat of violence. 
    So, we strongly condemn anyone who threatens or harasses them.  And so — but I also believe and we also believe that people should trust in our institutions and trust that this will be a free and fair election.
    Q    What about Lebanon?  Can you give us a status report?  Are those talks dead?
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, a couple of things.  As you know, Brett and —
    AIR FORCE ONE CREW MEMBER:  Going to need everyone to take their seats, please.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  All right.  Well, we got to go.
    AIR FORCE ONE CREW MEMBER:  There’s going to be some turbulence.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  We’ll — we’ll have more fo- — we can share — I would reach out to the NSC team, and they’ll share more about things.  But we have to sit down.
    Thanks, everybody. 
    Q    Thanks, Karine.
    MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Be careful.  It’s really bumpy.
    2:59 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Swift Current — Swift Current Municipal RCMP: males wanted after serious assaults

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 25, 2024, Swift Current Municipal RCMP responded to a report of a firearm discharged during an altercation on Herbert Street in Swift Current, SK. Officers responded and no injuries were reported to police. Swift Current RCMP continued to investigate.

    On October 29, 2024 at approximately 6:00 a.m., Swift Current Municipal RCMP responded to a report of a break and enter at a residence on 10 Avenue NW in Swift Current. Investigation determined multiple individuals entered the residence with a firearm and assaulted two occupants inside. The firearm was not discharged. The suspects stole an amount of cash as well as a vehicle. The vehicle was recovered shortly after; however, the suspects remain outstanding.

    Both of these incidents are not believed to be random. Swift Current Municipal RCMP have identified and charged two males in relation to both of these incidents and warrants for their arrest have been issued.

    35-year-old Nicholas Belanger from Medicine Hat, AB and 28-year-old Mathew Neufeld from Swift Current, SK are each charged with:

    • one count, break and enter, Section 348(1)(b), Criminal Code;
    • two counts, assault causing bodily harm, Section 267(b), Criminal Code;
    • one count, theft over $5000, Section 334(a), Criminal Code;
    • one count, theft under $5000, Section 334(b), Criminal Code; and
    • one count, disguised with intent to commit offence, Section 351(2), Criminal Code.

    Nicholas Belanger is additionally charged with:

    • one count, robbery with a firearm, Section 344(1)(a), Criminal Code;
    • one count, assault with a weapon, Section 267(a), Criminal Code;
    • one count, careless use of a firearm, Section 86(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, pointing a firearm, Section 87(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, Section 88(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, dangerously discharged a firearm, Section 244(1), Criminal Code; and
    • six counts, fail to comply with probation order, Section 733.1(1), Criminal Code.

    Investigators have reason to believe Nicholas Belanger and Mathew Neufeld may be in the Swift Current or Medicine Hat areas, but their current whereabouts are unknown. If you see Nicholas Belanger or Mathew Neufeld, do not approach them. Report any sighting of them or information to your nearest police by calling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Freddie “Bankroll Freddie” Gladney, III Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Federal Prison Following Guilty Verdict at Jury Trial on Firearm and Drug Trafficking Charges

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

          LITTLE ROCK—Freddie “Bankroll Freddie” Gladney, III, will spend the next 150 months in federal prison after being convicted of multiple narcotics offenses, including a firearms offense, which involved a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana in and around central Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.

          Following a four-day trial, Gladney, 30, of Helena, was convicted by a federal jury on April 12, 2024. The jury found Gladney guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of using a telephone in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          In addition to the 150 months’ total imprisonment, which is more than twelve years, Judge Moody sentenced Gladney to three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Gladney was also ordered to pay a $242,000 money judgment as part of his conviction. 

          Gladney was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 3, 2023, in a 32-count superseding indictment that charged him with numerous offenses related to a conspiracy that was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

          Two FBI operations, each focused on a rival gang, were created to address violence and drug trafficking in the corridor between Pine Bluff and Little Rock. The investigations focused on rival gangs responsible for violence throughout central Arkansas, with one operation focused on the EBK or Every Body Killas gang and resulting in the indictment of 35 defendants.

          An investigation revealed that on April 14, 2022, an Arkansas State Police trooper observed a black truck speeding and conducted a traffic stop in Marion. The trooper noted the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and asked Gladney to exit the vehicle. Gladney began to exit the vehicle but then reentered and started reaching for something in the vehicle. Because Gladney refused to exit the vehicle, the trooper was forced to remove him.

          During a search of Gladney’s vehicle, law enforcement officers located in the passenger seat near the area where Gladney had been reaching, a Romarm/Cugie Model Micro Draco 7.62x39mm caliber firearm and a Polymer 80 Model PF940C, 9mm privately made firearm (also known as a “ghost gun”). Additionally, during a search of the back seat of the vehicle, law enforcement officers located a duffle bag containing 21.4 pounds of high-grade marijuana and $33,662, which was located in the center console along with seven magazines, five of which were extended and fully loaded.

          At sentencing, Gladney received a 4-level increase for being an organizer or leader of criminal activity that involved five or more participants. Gladney received a 2-level increase in his guideline range for obstruction of justice related to a May 25, 2021, wiretap call in which he instructed a codefendant to remove guns and scales used for weighing illegal drugs from his Helena residence in anticipation that it would be searched by law enforcement. 

    GLADNEY III:           So where, what you got in the house in Helena?

    CODEFENDANT:     I got everything out of there.

    GLADNEY III:           You got everything out of there already?

    CODEFENDANT:     Yeah.

    GLADNEY III:           Scales and everything?

    CODEFENDANT:     Naw, I gotta, gotta, lemme call them. Send em back in to get that. I gotta find out where all they at.

    GLADNEY III:           Scales and shit. Get everything out the house. Any guns, anything.

    CODEFENDANT:     Alright, let me..

    GLADNEY III:           Where that MAK-90 at?

    CODEFENDANT:     It’s not there.

    GLADNEY III:           Alright get everything else out that house before they go search that b***h.

    CODEFENDANT:     Alright.

          Judge Moody cited the ghost gun in increasing Gladney’s sentence 2.5 years above the guidelines range. Judge Moody noted that based on trial testimony, it was apparent that Gladney’s ghost gun, which did not have a back plate, was either ready to receive a “switch,” or had recently had a “switch” on it, that would turn the ghost gun from a semi-automatic firearm to a fully-automatic firearm. Judge Moody also recognized that Gladney was on probation from a drug and gun case in Memphis at the time he was intercepted on the wiretap in this case. 

          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.

          The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, Little Rock Police Department, North Little Rock Police Department, Pine Bluff Police Department, and Jonesboro Police Department. FBI’s GETROCK Task Force was formed in 2017 in response to the escalation in gang and gun violence in Little Rock. The unit’s investigations and operations are coordinated out of FBI Little Rock’s field office, and GETROCK continues to serve as the clearinghouse for gang-related law enforcement activity in Central Arkansas. Additional support was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Inspection Service; Arkansas National Guard Counterdrug Joint Task Force; and the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters, Amanda Fields, and Reese Lancaster.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall, Lee, and Tuberville Demand Accountability from Secretary Mayorkas on Border-Caused Tuberculosis Surge

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. and Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, holding him accountable for a surge in Tuberculosis (TB) cases across the United States due to lax enforcement of border laws under the Biden-Harris administration. The senators make clear that this administration’s policies are jeopardizing public health, risking a re-emergence of TB along with violent crime, human trafficking, and drug smuggling as a direct result of an unsecured border.
     “When Secretary Mayorkas became the Homeland Security Secretary, he solemnly vowed to protect the United States. He has failed. Millions of illegal aliens have crossed our southern border, spreading not only crime but also deadly diseases like tuberculosis that can threaten the lives of American citizens,” said. Sen. Marshall. “We cannot allow Secretary Mayorkas to continue to put the American people at risk. Secretary Mayorkas, along with President Biden and Vice President Harris, must take immediate action to close the southern border to protect Americans.” 
    “The Biden-Harris administration’s destruction of America’s southern border has resulted in violent crime, human trafficking, drug smuggling, and now a surge in a disease that was declining for nearly three decades before they took power,” said Sen. Lee. “Secretary Mayorkas must answer for his part in this disaster.”
    “For the past 4 years, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have willfully opened our borders, allowing millions of criminals, murderers, drug dealers, and terrorists to flood into our country unchecked,” said Sen. Tuberville. “As a result, innocent Americans like Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray have been brutally murdered by illegal aliens. But it doesn’t stop there – there have been no health screenings of these populations. Since the creation of the administration’s illegal parole programs, we have seen a 16% rise in Tuberculosis cases between 2022 and 2023 alone. How many more Americans have to needlessly lose their lives before the Biden-Harris administration will take the open border seriously? I join my Republican colleagues in calling on Secretary Mayorkas, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris to secure the border and save American lives.”  For a PDF version of the letter, click HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Lee, Marshall, Slam DHS for Tuberculosis Surge in U.S. as a Result of Open Southern Border

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alabama Tommy Tuberville
    “There are many laws on the books to combat illegal immigration and its harmful effects, and it is past time for this administration to use them.”
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) in demanding answers from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as to how the department plans to address the surge in tuberculosis (TB) from illegal aliens being released into the U.S.
    In a letter to Secretary Mayorkas, the senators admonished his management of the worst border crisis in U.S. history, which has put the lives and property of Americans at risk of harm. They also demand answers, by November 13, 2024,  on whether the department is releasing aliens with TB, and what measures are being taken to prevent TB from spreading.
    “For the past 4 years, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have willfully opened our borders, allowing millions of criminals, murderers, drug dealers, and terrorists to flood into our country unchecked,” said Senator Tuberville. “As a result, innocent Americans like Laken Riley and Jocelyn Nungaray have been brutally murdered by illegal aliens. But it doesn’t stop there – there have been no health screenings of these populations. Since the creation of the administration’s illegal parole programs, we have seen a 16% rise in Tuberculosis cases between 2022 and 2023 alone. How many more Americans have to needlessly lose their lives before the Biden-Harris administration will take the open border seriously? I join my Republican colleagues in calling on Secretary Mayorkas, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris to secure the border and save American lives.”
    Full text of the letter can be found here and below.
    October 30th, 2024
    The Honorable Alejandro Mayorkas
    Secretary
    U.S. Department of Homeland Security
    Washington, D.C. 20528
    Secretary Mayorkas,
    Your mismanagement of the border continues to jeopardize the health and safety of American citizens. Due to your negligence and refusal to enforce our current laws, tuberculosis (TB) is rapidly spreading through the millions of unscreened illegal immigrants released into the interior of the United States putting American lives and health at severe risk.
    While the United States previously had one of the lowest TB rates globally, steadily declining for 27 years, your appointment as the Secretary of Homeland Security in February 2021 ushered in a new era. Since then, TB case counts have continuously increased each year with a 16% increase from 2022 to 2023 alone. It is well-documented by academics and government agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes for Health (NIH) that foreign-born persons represent the greatest threat for the spread of TB, some of whom come from countries with TB rates as high as 60 times the U.S. rates.
    Despite this increasing human health risk, you have turned what was once border security into a rubber-stamp for any individual seeking access to the interior. Since the start of Fiscal Year 2021, Customs and Border Protection recorded nearly 11 million inadmissible encounters and roughly two million known “gotaways” who evaded Border Patrol agents with unknown numbers of illegal aliens evading detection altogether. Rather than requiring immigrants to apply for status prior to arriving at the border, and undergo health screenings, your policies encourage immigrants to unlawfully enter the interior with no meaningful processing, screening, or security analysis. As reported by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the top seven nationalities encountered by CBP—Mexico, Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, Cuba, Colombia, and Haiti—all have significantly higher TB case rates than the U.S. There can be no doubt that your administration’s failure to enforce the law is the cause for the dramatic and dangerous rise of TB in the U.S.
    While unscreened illegal immigrants are bringing TB into the U.S., they are not the only ones suffering from it. As the CDC noted on March 24, 2024, “National [TB] case counts increased among all age groups and among both U.S.-born and non-U.S.-born persons” [emphasis added]. Given TB’s status as one of the world’s leading airborne infectious diseases, it is no wonder that a frightening number of Americans are contracting it. While FAIR correctly details in its report how border counties are bearing the brunt of the TB influx, it is abundantly clear that Americans across the U.S. are feeling the harmful effects of open border policies. The Biden Harris Administration’s border crisis has made every town in America a border town.  Just this month, an illegal Chinese immigrant in Louisiana exposed hundreds of individuals in the U.S. to a rare and aggressive form of TB with high mortality rates.
    There are many laws on the books to combat illegal immigration and its harmful effects, and it is past time for this administration to use them. In addition to closing the border, detaining and deporting inadmissible aliens, and working with the administration to re-instate the Remain-in-Mexico policy, we request that you reinstate Title 42 expulsion authority for this dangerous communicable disease. It is your duty to protect the health and safety of the American people.  
    Given the severity and time-sensitive nature of this crisis, please provide detailed responses to the following inquiries no later than November 13, 2024:
    Does DHS recognize the correlation between increased illegal immigration to the U.S. from countries with high TB rates and the increase in TB cases in the U.S., including among U.S.-born persons?
    Has DHS taken any meaningful steps to mitigate the spread of TB from illegal immigrants entering the country from high-rate countries?  If yes, please explain.
    Does DHS recognize the increase in tuberculosis cases as a public health crisis?
    Has any DHS employee consulted with the White House on this issue?

    Since January 20th, 2021, how many illegal immigrants has DHS screened for TB or referred to HHS for screening?
    Are illegal immigrants screened for active and latent TB upon transfer to a detention facility?
    If an illegal immigrant tests positive for either form of TB, what are the quarantine/removal protocols to protect border patrol agents and other detainees from infection?

    Has DHS knowingly released or paroled illegal immigrants into the U.S. with an active or latent TB infection?
    Does DHS have a contingency plan to address the rising number of TB-positive illegal immigrants entering the U.S. and prevent the spread to Americans? 
     If so, please explain.
    Does this plan include coordination with the CDC and HHS to strengthen screening and testing protocols for TB-positive illegal immigrants?
     Does this plan include using Title 42 expulsion authority under 8 U.S.C. §1182 to render immigrants with TB inadmissible?

    Have you discussed this issue with HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra?
    If so, did the discussion include using Title 42 authority to declare TB a communicable disease of public health significance, thereby rendering immigrants with TB inadmissible?
    If not, why not?

    Have you discussed this issue with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy?
    If so, did the discussion include using Title 42 expulsion authority to suspend entry for immigrants with TB?
    If not, why not?

    Sincerely,
    MORE:
    ICYMI: Tuberville Reacts to Kamala Harris’ Failure to Answer for Failed Border Policies
    ICYMI: Tuberville Joins Fox Business to Discuss Biden’s Border Crisis
    Tuberville Forces Vote on Border Safety and Security Act
    Tuberville Honors Border Crisis Victims
    Tuberville: “Our Priority Should Be Securing Our Border, Not A War In Eastern Europe”
    Tuberville Stands With Texas on Border Security
    Tuberville: Not One Dime For Ukraine Until The Border is Secure
    U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Tommy Tuberville, Bill Hagerty Hold DOJ Accountable for Failure to Prosecute Wrongful Voter Registration by Illegal Border Crossers
    Tuberville Questions Pentagon Nominees On Defense Spending, Border Wall Sales
    Tuberville Introduces Amendment to Secure the Border and Stop the Flow of Deadly Fentanyl
    Tuberville Demands Biden Admin Protect Unaccompanied Children at the Border From Traffickers, Criminals
    Tuberville Continues Fight to Secure Southern Border
    Tuberville Demands Answers from DHS Regarding Chinese Nationals and Suspected Terrorists Exploiting the Open Southern Border
    Tuberville, Colleagues Introduce Secure the Border Act of 2023
    Tuberville, Armed Services Republicans Call for Halt to Border Wall Materials Auctions
    Tuberville, Colleagues Introduce Resolution to Strike Down Dangerous Biden Border Policy
    Tuberville, Carter Reintroduce Empowering Law Enforcement Act as Border Crisis Intensifies
    Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Johnstown Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Firearms

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

    JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

    Keyshawn Savory, 24, pleaded guilty to six counts before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

    In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on or about April 11, May 28, July 15, and August 1, 2021, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Savory acted as a straw purchaser when purchasing firearms from several federally licensed firearms dealers by stating that the firearms were being purchased for himself, when he actually was purchasing the firearms on behalf of another person.

    Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2025. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

    Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Savory.

    This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Following Months of Advocacy, Peters Applauds DHS Decision to Designate Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters
    Published: 11.01.2024

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, applauds the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to designate Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 11,000 Lebanese individuals currently in the United States. This decision follows months of advocacy by Peters calling on DHS to take this action that will allow Lebanese nationals who are approved to remain safely in the United States due to the ongoing armed conflict in the region.
    “The concerning and rapidly changing situation in Lebanon presents a serious safety risk for the many Lebanese nationals who are currently in the United States,” said Senator Peters. “This announcement is very welcomed news. I pressed the Administration to designate Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status to ensure that the nearly 11,000 workers, students and tourists will be able to remain safely in the United States and work legally to support themselves and their families during the ongoing conflict in the region.”  
    Peters previously sent a letter in June and in early October urging the Administration to make the TPS designation. Following Peters’ first letter, the Administration authorized Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Lebanese nationals in the United States. DHS then issued guidance outlining the application process for eligible individuals to apply for DED-based employment authorization. The recent TPS designation for Lebanon will allow eligible individuals to remain safely in the United States for 18 months and give them the ability to work legally to support themselves.
    Below are statements in support of Peters’ calls for Lebanon to be designated for TPS.
    “NNAAC welcomes the decision to extend TPS for Lebanon designation that we have pursued along with Senator Peters while we grieve the loss of so many loved ones in Lebanon. Our priority remains an immediate ceasefire however we will continue pursuing all pathways to protect the safety of our community members,” said Rima Meroueh, Director, National Network for Arab American Communities.
    “These are important protections extended by the Biden-Harris Administration, and a welcomed reprieve for the thousands of Lebanese nationals currently in the country because of the ongoing war on Lebanon. Ensuring that Lebanese nationals in the U.S. are not forced back into harm’s way is an important step,” said Abed Ayoub, National Executive Director for the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). “ADC thanks Senator Peters for his commitment to providing these protections.”
    “It is a great relief that the Biden Administration has provided protection to Lebanese nationals here in the United States through TPS, DED, and special student relief. Using the Secretary of Homeland Security’s immigration authority to protect individuals is a positive step that will undoubtedly save lives and keep families together,” said American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Executive Director Ben Johnson. 
      

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DONELL LEBANKS (“LEBANKS”), a/k/a “Shorty,” age 39, of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 170 months incarceration, five (5) years of supervised release, and payment of a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of a  superseding bill of information.

    Count 1 charged LEBANKS with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B) and, 846.  Count 2 charged LEBANKS with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D).  Count 3 charged LEBANKS with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).  Count 4 charged LEBANKS with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

    According to court records, during 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) New Orleans Gang Task Force (“NOGTF”) investigated suspected drug sales on Touro Street, in New Orleans.  Using surveillance, FBI agents observed LEBANKS conducting possible hand-to-hand drug sales.  To confirm such drug sales, NOGTF agents made controlled purchases of fentanyl from LEBANKS.  On October 25, 2022, NOGTF obtained a search warrant for a residence as well as for LEBANKS’ vehicle. NOGTF members executed the search warrants and detained LEBANKS and detained him so they could effectuate the search warrant.  Inside the vehicle, agents recovered a nine-millimeter Glock handgun, with an extended magazine, tucked between the driver’s seat and the center console.  Additionally, agents recovered 180.7 grams of marijuana from the front passenger side of the vehicle.

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

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Orleans Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Charged with Drug and Firearm Offenses

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nekie Ricks, age 31, of Schenectady, New York, was ordered detained today following his indictment and arrest for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and his possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

    United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

    According to the indictment, on August 24, 2022, Ricks possessed cocaine with the intent to distribute it, possessed a pistol in furtherance of that crime, and possessed that firearm even though he was a previously convicted felon. The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The charges filed against Ricks carry a prison term of at least 5 years and up to life, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life.  A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.

    Ricks was arraigned yesterday in Albany, before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel. Following a detention hearing today, Ricks was ordered detained pending trial.

    ATF is investigating the case with assistance from the Schenectady Police Department and New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Wentworth-Ping is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Biden-Harris Administration approves major disaster declaration request for Chaves County flooding

    Source: US State of New Mexico

    SANTA FE – Today, the Biden-Harris Administration approved Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration for New Mexico, an action that will release federal funds to support recovery efforts in response to the flooding that occurred over a weekend in Chaves County earlier this month.

    “The impacts of this historic flooding have been devastating for this community, and I am grateful to the Biden-Harris administration for acting quickly to provide support,” said Gov. Lujan Grisham. “We must work together and do all we can to assist Chaves County in their recovery.”

    The declaration will provide assistance to individuals, households and businesses in the affected areas of Chaves County.

    Public assistance will also be available for emergency work and the repair or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities, including debris removal and emergency protective measures and direct federal assistance for Chaves County.

    Individuals in Chavez County who have been impacted by the flooding event that occurred October 18-21 will be able to apply for assistance from FEMA soon.

    For questions about resources call the state disaster response and recovery hotline at 1-833- 663-4736 or visit dhsem.nm.gov/chavesflooding.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Spanish floods kill at least 205, PM pledges comprehensive support

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Spain remains deeply shaken by the deadly flash floods that have left 205 people confirmed dead and wrecked havoc across the regions of Valencia, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia in the east and southeast parts of the country. As of Friday, many more are still unaccounted for.

    With the ground too dry to absorb the intense rainfall, which exceeded 400 liters per square meter in many areas and reached up to 600 liters in some, the torrential overnight downpours on Tuesday led to devastating flash floods.

    Videos posted on social media have shown torrents up to three meters high sweeping cars down the streets to pile them up as if they were toys. Bridges were swept away, railway tunnels collapsed and fields were swamped as people climbed onto roofs of their homes and cars to seek refuge, but not all survived.

    The official death toll, initially 12 on Wednesday morning according to the Center for Coordinated and Integrated Operations, has now soared to 205, with 202 fatalities in the region of Valencia, two in Castilla-La Mancha and one in Andalusia.

    The Feria de Valencia exhibition center has had to be used as a temporary mortuary. With many people still missing, the number of fatalities is expected to climb further.

    The Spanish newspaper Eldiario.es reported on Friday that 1,900 people are still missing. Witnesses in the affected areas said many people had gone into underground garages to save their cars, only to be trapped by the extreme deluge. The media outlets are filled with heart wrenching stories, with loved ones making final calls from vehicles trapped in rising waters.

    Moreover, over 130,000 homes lost power during the floods, and by Friday, power company Iberdrola confirmed that 23,000 homes still remained without electricity.

    The floods left the Valencia region in eastern Spain almost isolated, with the high-speed rail link between the capital city of Madrid and Valencia closed for up to three weeks following the collapse of two tunnels.

    Around 80 km of local rail lines and 100 roads were damaged, prompting the government to allocate 25 million euros (27 million U.S. dollars) on Friday for emergency repairs.

    Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the affected areas on Thursday and pledged comprehensive aid for recovery efforts. The government declared three days of official mourning as sporting events in the Valencia region were all postponed.

    Meanwhile, nearly 2,000 military personnel, supported by 400 vehicles and 15 helicopters, have been deployed to assist in rescue and recovery operations. Hundreds of mud-caked Valencia volunteers were seen helping clear streets and homes with shovels and brooms.

    However, police also reported that approximately 60 people have been detained for looting in the wake of the floods.

    Relief support has poured in from across Spain, with funds being set up by the Red Cross and other agencies to aid rescue and recovery. Additionally, the international community, including the European Union, has offered assistance.

    Three days after the deadliest floods in decades, Valencia remains under alert for further downpours, with high warnings issued for Huelva, Castellon, Mallorca, and Catalonia. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Test-fire of latest ICBM ‘legitimate exercise of sovereign right to self-defence’: DPRK Foreign Ministry

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said the test-fire of the country’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was “a legitimate and just exercise of its sovereign right to self-defence” and part of the counteraction in response to the provocative moves by hostile forces, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Saturday.

    In a statement issued on Friday, as reported by the KCNA, a DPRK Foreign Ministry spokesman accused the United States and its followers of intending to convene a meeting of the UN Security Council with an aim to “seriously encroach upon the DPRK’s right to self-defence,” in addition to staging joint air drills of aggressive nature on the Korean peninsula and in its vicinity while viciously slandering the reasonable exercise of sovereignty by the DPRK.

    The Foreign Ministry expresses serious concern over the hostile forces’ confrontational behavior to create a critical situation against the DPRK security environment, and strongly denounces and rejects this act as “a wanton violation of the UN Charter and other recognized international laws” and “a grave challenge to international peace and security,” the statement said.

    “It is the steadfast strategic option and will of the DPRK to thoroughly deter the danger of outbreak of a nuclear war and powerfully control and manage the political and military situation in the region by countering the ever-dangerous military threat of the U.S. and its vassal forces with the overwhelmed and absolute power,” said the statement.

    The DPRK on Thursday conducted a “crucial” test of its latest ICBM Hwasongpho-19. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Disaster Declaration for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Disaster Declaration for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

    President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Disaster Declaration for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

    WASHINGTON – FEMA announced today that federal disaster assistance is available to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe to supplement the Tribal Nation’s efforts in the areas affected by a severe storm, straight-line winds and flooding from July 13-14, 2024.The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.Federal funding is also available to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storm, straight-line winds and flooding.Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.Edwin J. Martin has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Tribal Nation and warranted by the results of further damage assessments. Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.  
    amy.ashbridge
    Sat, 11/02/2024 – 02:02

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S., Japan successfully conclude joint bilateral exercise Keen Sword 25

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    JAPAN  –  

    Forces from the U.S., Japan, Australia and Canada concluded exercise Keen Sword 25 on Nov. 1 after ten days of integrated training across Japan.

    Keen Sword 25 was a joint bilateral exercise Japan designed to increase readiness and interoperability while strengthening the ironclad U.S.-Japan alliance. This year’s Keen Sword was the largest iteration of this exercise since its inception in 1986. The overall event included participants from the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), Australian Defence Force (ADF), Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and U.S. service members from across the joint force. The exercise began Oct. 23 following a bilateral press conference on Oct. 22.

    Throughout the exercise, U.S. forces worked alongside JSDF and partner nation forces to hone skills and maintain warfighting readiness. Bilateral and multilateral events undertaken as part of Keen Sword 25 included joint live fire training, medical mass casualty exercises, installation security forces training and simulated airfield damage repair, among others.

    Participants took advantage of the unique training environment to enhance tactics, techniques, and procedures across a wide range of military operations in support of furthering interoperability between U.S., JSDF and participating allied forces, strengthening deterrence, and regional stability. The training occurred throughout mainland Japan and its surrounding territorial waters.

    Keen Sword continues to be an opportunity to demonstrate the ironclad nature of the U.S. – Japan alliance, which is built on shared interests and values and a commitment to freedom and human rights. Both countries are focused on ensuring regional peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, including building new partnerships and strengthening multilateral cooperation.

    Participants in Keen Sword 25 include U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM), U.S. Pacific Fleet (PACFLT), U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC), U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC), Pacific Air Forces (PACAF), U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ), U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F), III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), U.S. Army Japan (USARJ), U.S. Naval Forces Japan (CNFJ) 5th Air Force (5 AF) along with forces originating from units across the Department of Defense.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: President Lai meets delegation from Estonian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee  

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan

    President Lai meets delegation from Estonian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee  
    President Lai meets delegation from Estonian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee  
    2024-11-01

    On the afternoon of November 1, President Lai Ching-te met with a delegation from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia). In remarks, President Lai thanked Estonia for staunchly supporting Taiwan’s international participation and said that Taiwan has the responsibility, the ability, and the willingness to contribute even more to the international community in every domain. The president expressed his hope that we can work together to continue deepening the partnership between Taiwan and Estonia, and that by strengthening cooperation with European Union member states across many areas, we can jointly respond to the challenges posed by expanding authoritarianism, thereby safeguarding global peace, stability, and prosperity. 
    A translation of President Lai’s remarks follows:
    I extend a warm welcome to our good friends from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu. This is Chairman Marko Mihkelson’s second visit to Taiwan. He visited last August with a delegation of parliamentary foreign affairs committee chairs from the Baltic states. Members of the Riigikogu Ester Karuse and Luisa Rõivas are also visiting again, having been part of a delegation led by Estonia-Taiwan Support Group Chairman Kristo Enn Vaga in March.
    Your presence here demonstrates that Taiwan-Estonia relations are growing closer. I believe that with your support and assistance, our alliance, based on the shared values of freedom and democracy, and our economic and trade partnership are sure to grow even stronger. For this, I express my sincere gratitude.
    The international landscape and geopolitical environment are changing rapidly. Expanding authoritarianism is challenging the universal values of freedom and democracy as well as the rules-based international order. At this critical juncture, it is even more imperative that like-minded nations unite and work together to safeguard global peace, stability, and prosperity.
    In addition to strengthening cooperation with other nations to defend the values of freedom and democracy, Taiwan has actively sought inclusion in such international organizations and mechanisms as the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. More than just a matter of the fundamental human rights of the 23 million people of Taiwan, it demonstrates that Taiwan has the responsibility, the ability, and the willingness to contribute even more to the international community in every domain.
    I want to take this opportunity to thank Estonia for staunchly supporting Taiwan’s international participation. In particular, Health Minister Riina Sikkut once again spoke out for Taiwan’s meaningful engagement at this year’s World Health Assembly. We sincerely appreciate Estonia for holding Taiwan in such high regard and for taking this stand. I would also like to congratulate former Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas on her appointment as High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. This attests to the crucial role that Estonia plays in uniting the strengths of the EU and like-minded nations around the world.
    Looking ahead, we hope that, with your assistance, we will continue to deepen the partnership between Taiwan and Estonia. And by strengthening cooperation with EU member states in such areas as the economy, trade, and security, we can jointly respond to the challenges posed by expanding authoritarianism. In closing, I wish you a smooth and productive visit.
    Chairman Mihkelson then delivered remarks, saying that he is honored to lead the first-ever delegation from the Estonian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee to Taiwan. Mentioning that yesterday they had witnessed Typhoon Kong-rey, he said that not even typhoons can break the very good relations between Estonia and Taiwan. 
    Chairman Mihkelson expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet with President Lai today and discuss very important topics, such as how to improve relations between our nations. Noting that we are living in a very turbulent world, he said that Taiwan and Estonia are like-minded nations whose relations have changed dramatically in a very positive direction from several years ago to today. The chairman observed that we have had numerous reciprocal visits and expressed his hope that one day we can mutually establish representative offices between Taiwan and Estonia.
    Chairman Mihkelson emphasized that Taiwan and Estonia are strong democracies, and that we see today both in East Asia and also in Europe that democracies are under attack. In Estonia and Europe, he said, they are worried about Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. He said that the aim of both Russia and its supporters is not only Ukraine, but also to change the world order. And the recent news that North Korean troops are to participate in the aggression against Ukraine, he added, makes this conflict global.
    Chairman Mihkelson stated that the reason they are here, besides strengthening our bilateral relations, is to find ways democracies can together support Ukraine, because the outcome of this war is similarly important for their own security as well as for Taiwan’s security. He said that Estonia lost its freedom for 50 years and that ever since it regained independence in 1991, there has been a very strong political consensus, but also support within society, that Estonia should never be alone again when it comes to its security and international relations. This is why, he explained, they are seeking very good partnerships with like-minded countries like Taiwan.  
    In closing, Chairman Mihkelson emphasized that we should do whatever it takes in our cooperation as democracies to never be challenged by autocracies. He then once again expressed his thanks for hosting them here today.
    The delegation also included Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Henn Põlluaas and Deputy Chair of the Anti-Corruption Select Committee Eerik-Niiles Kross.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: New offshore platform taps into potential of heavy-oil reserves in China

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    An aerial drone photo taken on June 4, 2024 shows a view of an offshore platform of the Shengli Oilfield in Dongying City, east China’s Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The world’s first mobile thermal-injection platform was recently delivered in China’s Shandong province, offering new opportunities to tap into China’s vast potential for heavy-oil recovery, according to the country’s major marine oil-mining company.

    China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) announced on Thursday that “Recai No.1” or “Thermal Recovery No.1”, the mobile thermal-injection platform developed and built by China, has been delivered in waters off Weihai, Shandong.

    The two-deck platform is 82 meters long and 42 meters wide, with a total deck area of over 3,000 square meters, a weight of over 10,000 tonnes and a height equivalent to a building of more than 20 stories.

    Equipped with four legs that are over 70 meters high, the platform can operate in waters at the depth of 35 meters, and withstand typhoons up to category 16.

    According to CNOOC, the platform features a number of pioneering technologies, including the mobile thermal-injection system and the compensation technology for high-temperature, high-pressure steam pipelines.

    It is equipped with three steam boiler systems that can simultaneously inject high-pressure steam at temperatures exceeding 350 degrees Celsius into six oil wells, reducing the viscosity of heavy oil and turning it into more fluid and easily extractable crude oil.

    The platform can be towed to different oil-recovery platforms by tugboats to carry out rapid thermal injection, effectively reducing the development costs of heavy oil and realizing large-scale thermal recovery of heavy oil.

    Heavy oil refers to crude oil that is relatively viscous and has poor fluidity, making it difficult to extract. Unlike the cold-recovery method used for conventional crude oil, heavy oil is typically developed by thermal recovery.

    Heavy oil makes up more than two-thirds of the world’s proven crude oil reserves. As one of the world’s four major producers of heavy oil, China has an estimated heavy-oil resource volume of about 19.87 billion tonnes. In the Bohai Sea area with which Shandong province has a coastline, heavy-oil reserves account for nearly half of the total proven crude oil reserves in the area.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: WOMMA ROAD, PENFIELD (Grass Fire)

    Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia

    Homes that have been built to withstand a bushfire, and are prepared to the highest level, may provide safety.

    You may lose power, water, phone and data connections.

    Fire crews are responding but you should not expect a firefighter at your door.

    What you should do

    • Check and follow your Bushfire Survival Plan.
    • Protect yourself from the fire’s heat – put on protective clothing.
    • Tell family or friends of your plans.

    If you are leaving

    • Leave now, don’t delay.
    • Roads may become blocked or access may change. Smoke will reduce visibility.
    • Secure your pets for travel.
    • If you become stuck in your car, park away from bushes, cover yourself, get onto the floor as the windows may break from the intense heat.

    If you are not leaving – prepare to defend

    • Identify a safe place inside, with more than one exit, before the fire arrives. Keep moving away from the heat of the fire.
    • Bring pets inside and restrain them.
    • Move flammable materials such as doormats, wheelie bins and outdoor furniture away from your house.
    • Close doors and windows to keep smoke out.
    • If you have sprinklers, turn them on to wet the areas.
    • If the building catches fire, go to an area already burnt. Check around you for anything burning.

    MIL OSI News –