NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Acts announced for city’s biggest bonfire & firework display

    Source: City of Leicester

    THE acts appearing at this year’s Abbey Park bonfire and firework display have been announced, with live music, dance, aerial stunts and fire-breathing performances included in the line-up.

    Running from 5-9pm on Saturday 2 November, the event will feature up-and-coming Leicester band The Mercians, who have had three number one’s on the iTunes chart and sell-out shows under their belt.

    There’ll be more live music from the city’s 2Funky Arts’ Mae Flo, Sariah Carter, Jake Thompson, Dani Matty, Edy Muuya and Linzi.

    And the mystical-themed stage show ‘Spellbound’, will feature aerial performers who will wow the audience with gravity-defying feats, alongside songs and dance on stage.

    Also in the line-up are the amazing Fire & Sparks, who will show off their incredible pyrotechnics and flame-throwing  skills, as well as their fire-breathing ‘dragon and bat’.

    The show will be hosted by BBC Radio Leicester’s Ady Dayman and Jo Hayward.

    The stage show will take place before and after the two firework displays, which begin at 6.45pm with a quieter display suitable for children and noise sensitive visitors. There will also be a funfair with rides for all ages, and wide range of street food and licensed bars on the park.

    People are being urged to make savings by snapping up their tickets now. Available online and from De Montfort Hall ticket office, tickets are on sale at reduced prices if bought in advance. Children aged four and under go free.

    Tickets are available online here and in person from De Montfort Hall, Granville Road, Leicester LE1 7RU.

    Prices will rise on the day of the event on 2 November.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Acts announced for city’s biggest bonfire & firework display

    Source: City of Leicester

    THE acts appearing at this year’s Abbey Park bonfire and firework display have been announced, with live music, dance, aerial stunts and fire-breathing performances included in the line-up.

    Running from 5-9pm on Saturday 2 November, the event will feature up-and-coming Leicester band The Mercians, who have had three number one’s on the iTunes chart and sell-out shows under their belt.

    There’ll be more live music from the city’s 2Funky Arts’ Mae Flo, Sariah Carter, Jake Thompson, Dani Matty, Edy Muuya and Linzi.

    And the mystical-themed stage show ‘Spellbound’, will feature aerial performers who will wow the audience with gravity-defying feats, alongside songs and dance on stage.

    Also in the line-up are the amazing Fire & Sparks, who will show off their incredible pyrotechnics and flame-throwing  skills, as well as their fire-breathing ‘dragon and bat’.

    The show will be hosted by BBC Radio Leicester’s Ady Dayman and Jo Hayward.

    The stage show will take place before and after the two firework displays, which begin at 6.45pm with a quieter display suitable for children and noise sensitive visitors. There will also be a funfair with rides for all ages, and wide range of street food and licensed bars on the park.

    People are being urged to make savings by snapping up their tickets now. Available online and from De Montfort Hall ticket office, tickets are on sale at reduced prices if bought in advance. Children aged four and under go free.

    Tickets are available online here and in person from De Montfort Hall, Granville Road, Leicester LE1 7RU.

    Prices will rise on the day of the event on 2 November.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New gate installed at Leigh flood storage area

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    More than 1,400 homes better-protected from flooding as Kent facility will hold 25 per cent more water than now, enough to fill 600 Olympic swimming pools

    Three new gates at the Leigh flood storage area will add 200 homes and businesses to the 1,200 already better-protected from flooding

    The Leigh flood storage area (FSA) currently reduces the risk of flooding from the River Medway to 1,200 homes and businesses in Tonbridge and Hildenborough in Kent. It works by holding peak floodwater in the storage area to minimise flows downstream.

    Coinciding with the Environment Agency’s Flood Action Week, a milestone has been reached this month with the installation of a new gate to control the flow of water.

    Lifted into place by a 300-tonne crane, this is the first of three new gates that will be installed during construction.

    The new gates were delivered in pieces and welded together on site. Each gate weighs around 12.5 tonnes – the equivalent to the weight of a single-decker bus!

    By replacing the gates and raising sections of the embankment, the FSA will be able to store approximately 25 per cent more water than it does now; in total, more than 7 million cubic metres of floodwater that will help to better-protect more than 200 additional homes from flooding.

    Scheme progress

    It is expected that the scheme will be completed by the end of 2025.

    This is a complex programme and timings could change depending on external factors, such as the weather. Regular scheme updates will be provided to residents and stakeholders via newsletters and on GOV.UK.

    Sally Harvey, the Environment Agency’s area director for Kent, South London and East Sussex, said:

    The installation of the new gate is a huge achievement and a great step forward in the project to reduce the flood-risk to more than 1,400 homes in Tonbridge and Hildenborough.

    People can be assured that the flood storage area will remain operational throughout the project continuing to protect people, homes and businesses.

    Thank you to local residents for the continued patience while the work is ongoing.

    Barrier: The first of three new gates being installed at the Leigh flood storage area, which will soon hold 25 per cent more water back from communities

    Cllr Matt Boughton, leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, said:

    The completion of this major milestone is a huge achievement, and I’d like to thank all those who’ve contributed to getting us to this stage of the project. It takes us a step closer to providing even greater protection from the risk of flooding to local homes and businesses that can have a devastating impact.

    I look forward to seeing the scheme continue its progress towards completion and much improved flood protection for the people of Tonbridge, Hildenborough and all communities in the Medway catchment.

    Liz Gibney, Kent and Medway Economic Partnership chair, said:

    We are delighted to see the installation of a new flood gate at Leigh. The Kent and Medway Economic Partnership originally proposed this scheme for central government investment, as we are very mindful of the devasting effects that flooding can have on local residents, businesses and communities.

    Some estimates say that the average cost of flood damage in a commercial setting is around £80,000, and that a small business can lose up to 50 working days following a flood event, which clearly leads to a loss of custom and sales. This new investment will, therefore, bring peace of mind to businesses in the area, and increase confidence to invest in our locality.

    Rob Thomas, cabinet member for environment at Kent County Council, said:

    Completing the installation of the first gate marks a significant milestone in the delivery of the Leigh flood storage area expansion, and Kent County Council is very pleased with the progress being made. This scheme will better-protect homes and business from flooding in Tonbridge and Hildenborough, and offer improved climate resilience.

    For more information please visit the scheme’s online pages.

    How the Leigh flood storage area works – watch the animation:
    You can find out more about how the flood storage area works by watching our YouTube animation.

    Working in partnership

    The Environment Agency is working with Kent County Council, Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council and the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership (previously part of the South East Local Enterprise Partnership) to reduce flood risk to over 1,400 homes and businesses in Tonbridge, Hildenborough and downstream communities.

    Funding is through the government’s Flood Defence Grant in Aid (FDGiA), with contributions from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, Kent County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership, now the Kent and Medway Economic Partnership.

    Background

    This week, 14-20 October, is also the Environment Agency’s Flood Action Week, which aims to help people and businesses prepare for flooding.

    Will the Leigh flood storage area still be operational during construction?

    Yes, the work are planned so that most of the work on the flood storage area will be during summer periods when there is a lower risk of flooding. There are robust contingency plans in place to use the flood storage area whenever needed.

    The Considerate Constructors Scheme

    The Environment Agency is aware of the impact of construction activity on local communities.

    The Considerate Constructors Scheme promotes high standards and accountability within the construction industry. It is a voluntary scheme, meaning that scheme-registered contractors and organisations are actively trying to improve the way they work, by raising their standards in being more considerate to communities, the environment and their own workforce.

    The project’s construction partner, VolkerStevin is signed-up to the scheme. The site reference is: 134154 and people can give feedback on freephone 0800 783 1423. Or email the project team direct at LEHESEnquiries@volkerstevin.co.uk.

    History of the Leigh flood storage area and the Reservoirs Act works

    Current work

    Contact us

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

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Evansville Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for 3D Printing Ghost Gun and Dozens of “Glock Switches”

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EVANSVILLE- Marquel D. Payne, 39, of Evansville, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a machinegun.

    According to court documents, on January 31, 2024, Evansville Police Department officers observed Payne in possession of a 3D printer while conducting surveillance near his residence. Investigators had received information that Payne was manufacturing machine gun parts using a 3D printer before the surveillance began.

    Investigators obtained search warrants for Payne’s residence and other locations he controlled. During the searches, investigators found approximately 60 plastic machine gun conversion devices, a 9mm personally made handgun, also known as a “ghost gun” due to its lack of any traceable serial numbering, an AR-15 rifle, a 3D printer, plastic printing filament, a 3D printed firearm silencer, and 9mm caliber ammunition.

    Machinegun conversion devices sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to produce, possess, or sell. The hand grip of the 9mm ghost gun was produced by Payne using a 3D printer. Other parts of the ghost gun were produced in Pennsylvania.

    At the time of his arrest, Payne had been previously convicted of numerous felonies, including escape, carrying a handgun without a license, and criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon. These prior felony convictions prohibit Payne from ever again legally possessing a firearm.

    “Getting illegal machinegun conversion devices off our streets is a critical public safety priority. Fully automatic weapons and untraceable ‘ghost guns’ pose a serious danger to our communities, especially when they are in the hands of people who have no lawful business possessing any firearm,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution is the result of quick and impactful investigative work by our outstanding partners at the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center. Together we are committed to saving lives and reducing gun violence by combining intelligence and resources to investigate and prosecute dangerous offenders.”

    “Unfortunately, these deadly conversion devices continue to show up in our communities,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “U.S. law has long recognized that automatic weapons pose a special risk to public safety, both through the sheer volume of bullets fired and the likelihood that innocent bystanders will be injured or killed. Combine that with an untraceable firearm and an unregistered silencer in the hands of a convicted felon, and it is clear that this individual is solely interested in feeding violence in southern Indiana. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use and distribute machine gun conversion devices.”

    “My office applied for and was awarded a $700,000 federal grant to form the crime gun intelligence center where our mission is clear: to work with our state and federal partners to combat the rising crime in Vanderburgh County. We are now seeing the fruits of our labor,” said Prosecutor Diana Moers. “My office and our state and federal partners will stop at nothing to identify and prosecute any who seek to commit violent crimes in our community – this case is a result of teamwork and, with our agencies working together, we expect more cases like this: we are ahead of criminal activity and not simply reacting. Anyone planning to break the law in Vanderburgh County should swiftly reconsider.”

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Evansville Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC), the Evansville Police Department, and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

    U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

    In October 2023, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, and Evansville Police Department secured a nearly $700,000 federal grant to establish a Crime Gun Intelligence Center. The goal of the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center is to quickly identify and reduce the amount of gun crime in the Evansville-Vanderburgh County area by providing intelligence, analysis, and resources between agencies for the swift identification and apprehension of suspected armed criminals.

    The Department of Justice’s National Ghost Gun Initiative was launched in February 2022 in response to the proliferation of ghost guns in our communities, and the growing number of criminals who unlawfully use or possess these untraceable weapons. The Attorney General directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to train a national cadre of prosecutors as experts to lead investigations and prosecutions of crimes involving ghost guns. These ghost gun coordinators will also share investigation and prosecution tools with other prosecutors and law enforcement officers. As part of the initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana will focus its investigation and prosecution resources on combatting the illegal possession and use of ghost guns.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mafia Gang Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Gun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The founder of the Mafia criminal street gang who has a lengthy criminal history in the Middle Georgia community was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed by law for illegally possessing a firearm.

    Alphonzo Clyde, 45, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Oct. 17. Clyde pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 10. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Alphonzo Clyde and the Mafia wreaked havoc in Macon and beyond for years,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This significant sentence should directly result in reduced violence, and it would not have been possible without our strong federal and local law enforcement connection.”

    “Despite a lengthy criminal history, Clyde continued to break the law,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work thoroughly with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of drug trafficking organizations from our streets by whatever means necessary.”

    “Alfonso Clyde is a notorious criminal whose career of mayhem has spanned nearly thirty years,” said Bibb County Sheriff David J. Davis. “This investigative and prosecution result is a testament to the importance of local agencies working together with our federal partners. Macon and the entire Middle Georgia community is better off having this gangster off our streets for many years to come.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Clyde is the founder of the Macon Mafia, a criminal street gang operating in Middle Georgia and West Virginia. Clyde was wanted on an outstanding probation violation warrant when officers from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office took him into custody on Oct. 8, 2023. At the time of his arrest, officers spotted a digital scale with a white powdery substance located on the front passenger seat of the SUV that Clyde was driving. Officers also detected a marijuana odor emanating from his vehicle. Officers found a Taurus G2S 9-millimeter handgun inside the glovebox. Clyde has multiple prior felony convictions; it is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice 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 FBI, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals Focus on Violent Fugitives During Operation Nazare Wave

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) announced the results of Operation Nazare Wave, which focused on violent crime in Washington, D.C., and the National Capital Region. This operation was spearheaded by the USMS’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) between April and September and resulted in the arrest of 826 fugitives (63 for homicide); recovery and seizure of 54 firearms; and seizure of 6.4 kg of narcotics and $1,115,365 in U.S. currency.

    “This successful operation reflects the collaborative approach the Justice Department has taken to turn the tide against violent crime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “From April to September, the U.S. Marshals Service brought together more than 30 law enforcement agencies spanning the Washington, D.C. area to arrest 826 fugitives and seize significant quantities of firearms and narcotics. I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal and law enforcement partner who took part in this operation.”

    “I wish to thank all of the Deputies, Task Force Officers, and participating agencies for their steadfast commitment and tremendous work,” said USMS Director Ronald L. Davis. “This operation coincided with Operation North Star FY2024 in 10 other metropolitan areas which demonstrates the commitment of the United States Marshals Service and the Department of Justice to work with local law-enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime.”

    Operation Nazare Wave focused on reducing violent crime in the NCR but resulted in arrests crossing 19 different districts across the United States and internationally. While some fugitives wanted in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) fled to other districts, in other instances fugitives wanted outside the DMV traveled into the DMV and were apprehended.

    Significant arrests include:

    • On July 31, based on information developed by CARFTF, the New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force and Prince Georges County police assisted a special branch of the Guyana police in locating Rakeem Gilgeours, who fled the country following a July 4 shooting that resulted in the death of a 6-year-old boy and injuries to other community members who had gathered to celebrate the holiday at a Temple Hills, Maryland, park. CARFTF arrested Gilgeours in Miami after Guyana deported him.
    • On June 1, Emmanuel Sewell was arrested in Putnam County, West Virginia, by the Southern District of West Virginia Violent Offender Task Force, in collaboration with CARFTF. Sewell, a registered sex offender, was wanted in Montgomery County, Maryland, in connection with the May 31 death of Maryland Parole and Probation Officer David Martinez in his Chevy Chase home. Martinez was Sewell’s probation officer.
    • On April 29, CARFTF arrested a 16-year-old juvenile in Suitland, Maryland, for aggravated assault with a gun and attempted murder following an April 19 shooting at a Greenbelt park where a large group of youth had gathered for a senior skip day. A search warrant executed at the suspect’s mother’s house, where he’d been staying, yielded $246,780 in currency, 40.5 grams of crack cocaine, and two handguns.

    Agencies participating in Operation Nazare Wave include: Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia; Metro Transit Police Department; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; Immigrations and Customs Enforcement; Diplomatic Security Service; Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; D.C. Department of Corrections; Bowie Police Department; Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office; Bladensburg Police Department; Prince George’s County Police Department; Montgomery County Police Department; Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office; Maryland State Police; Charles County Sheriff’s Office; Hyattsville Police Department; Maryland Department of Public Safety; Howard County Police Department; Forest Heights Police Department; Fairfax County Police Department; City of Fairfax Police Department; Prince William County Police Department; Alexandria Police Department; Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office; Stafford County Sheriff’s Office; Virginia State Police; and City of Dumfries Police Department.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: U.S. Marshals Focus on Violent Fugitives During Operation Nazare Wave

    Source: US Justice – Antitrust Division

    Headline: U.S. Marshals Focus on Violent Fugitives During Operation Nazare Wave

    The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) announced the results of Operation Nazare Wave, which focused on violent crime in Washington, D.C., and the National Capital Region. This operation was spearheaded by the USMS’ Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force (CARFTF) between April and September and resulted in the arrest of 826 fugitives (63 for homicide); recovery and seizure of 54 firearms; and seizure of 6.4 kg of narcotics and $1,115,365 in U.S. currency.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nine imprisoned for operating illegal Lincolnshire waste site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Nine people have been sentenced for the operation of an illegal waste site in rural Lincolnshire, following an investigation by the Environment Agency.

    Aerial view of the site during the raid, showing burning waste and a lorry depositing waste.

    The defendants were sentenced today (Friday 18 October) at Nottingham Crown Court to a collective 11 years of imprisonment, including three family members who controlled the illegal waste site at Long Bennington near Newark.

    The investigation, named Operation Lord, saw Environment Agency officers spend months building a picture of evidence of the illegal waste site on Fen Lane, Long Bennington.

    The findings of the investigation led to 12 people and one company being charged, of which 10 pleaded guilty. Following an eight-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court which concluded on 28 June 2024, the remaining three defendants were found guilty.

    Environment Agency officers conducted a raid on the site in April 2020 with Lincolnshire Police. Intelligence revealed lorry-loads of shredded waste were regularly being accepted onto the site the size of a football pitch.

    Waste was burned daily and buried. This activity intensified during the first Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, and so action was taken to bring it to a halt.

    Environment Agency officers also seized an excavator and a lorry which were actively depositing more waste at the site when officers arrived. Two arrests were made.

    Smoke over the illegal waste site after the burning of waste. Residential properties are in view nearby.

    Prosecution brought against those involved

    The prosecution was brought against individuals that ran the illegal waste site; burned the waste; drove waste to the site and the landowners. Two waste brokers were also prosecuted.

    The Canner family trio of father Paul (53), mother Judith (55) of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, and son Joshua (29) of Laburnum Avenue, Newbold Verdon, ran the illegal waste site.

    Paul Canner was sentenced today to 26 months in prison, while Judith and Joshua were each sentenced to 16 months. Seven of the nine defendants were sentenced to immediate imprisonment.

    Sentencing the defendants, His Honour Judge Coupland found that the:

    • offending was deliberate for all nine defendants and the harm caused was of the highest level.
    • the illegal activity was deliberately concealed physically and with falsified paperwork.
    • the illegal waste site was close to nearby residents, putting them at harm from toxic fumes.
    • the repeated nature of the offences over a long period of time, and the financial gain obtained by the operation aggravated the offences for all defendants.

    His Honour Judge Coupland said that ‘the custody threshold had been crossed in all cases’.

    Site inflicted ‘misery on the local community’

    Leigh Edlin, Area Director for Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, said:

    This was a serious illegal waste site which was highly organised and involved multiple offenders.

    Those involved sought to profit from Covid restrictions at the cost of the environment and by inflicting misery on the local community. The site and its operators had a major impact on legitimate businesses and our regulatory work.

    Our enforcement teams will continue to tackle serious illegal waste crime by working with partners such as Lincolnshire Police, fire services and councils, as we did in this case to hold those responsible to account.

    Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity is reminded to report it to our 24-hour hotline. Call 0800 80 70 60, or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    Background

    Sentences issued to defendants on 18 October 2024:

    • Paul Canner, aged 53 of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to 1) knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, and 2) knowingly causing the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 26 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Judith Canner, aged 55 of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. She was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Joshua Canner, aged 29 of Laburnum Avenue, Newbold Verdon, pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Sonial Surpal, aged 52 of Round House Road, Coventry, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 13 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Luke Woodward, aged 37 of Willow Road, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 11 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Marcus Chapman, aged 39 of Egmanton Drive, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to disposing of the waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
    • Peter Wainwright, aged 32 of Dexter Lane, Hurley, Atherstone, Warwickshire pleaded guilty to disposing of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Nathan Jones, aged 43 of Carnation Road, Shirebrook, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to disposing of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Daniel Lippitt, aged 55 of Lubbersthorpe Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 9 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

    The following defendants, who were the landowners, will be sentenced on 16 December 2024 at Nottingham Crown Court:

    • James Baggaley, aged 38 of Back Lane, Foston, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of 1) knowingly permitting the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, and 2) knowingly permitting the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October and 14 April 2022.
    • Marc Greenfield, aged 46 of Fosse Road, Brough, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October 2019 and 14 April 2022.

    Proceeds of crime proceedings have commenced against all 13 defendants and the following two defendants will be sentenced at the outcome of those proceedings:

    • Robert Malone, aged 41 of Ribble Prospect, Clitheroe, the sole director of NWR 2004 Limited, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of failing to comply with the waste duty of care between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
    • Fletcher Plant Limited pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of failing to comply with the waste duty of care between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI China: Defense Ministry Spokesperson’s Remarks on Recent Media Queries Concerning the Military 2024-10-18 On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2

    On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    (The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

    I have four pieces of information at the top.

    The first one.

    At the invitation of China’s Ministry of National Defense, defense attachés from more than 60 countries including Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Canada and Argentina went to the PLA Eastern Theater Command area on October 14th for a five-day visit. This visit will help them better understand the Chinese path to modernization, especially the great achievements made by the people’s military in the new era, and will advance the friendly cooperation between the PLA and their militaries.

    The second one.

    According to the annual plan and the consensus reached between China and Thailand, the Commando 2024 joint army training will be held in Yunnan Province from mid- to- late October. The training focuses on joint counter-terrorism operations, including manned/unmanned coordination, special blasting, helicopter fast-roping, and joint search and clearing. It aims to improve interoperability between the Chinese and Thai armies and bolster regional stability.

    The third one.

    The PLA Army Engineering University will host the 11th International Army Cadets Week (IACW) in Nanjing from October 28th to November 3rd. Officer cadets from military academies of countries including Argentina, Egypt, Italy, Pakistan, and Singapore will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Enhancing the Capability of Junior Officers for Future Warfare”, this year’s IACW will have themed discussions, leadership challenges, live-fire shooting training, cultural exchange and other activities. The IACW is a platform for officer cadets to communicate and learn from each other.

    The fourth one.

    The PLA Army Command College will host the Zhongshan International Forum in Nanjing from October 21st to 25th. Army representatives from over ten countries including Laos, Cambodia, Iran, Tanzania and Kazakhstan will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Future-oriented and New Type Modern Army”, the forum will have themed discussions on such topics as “objectives and trends in army development”, “theoretical innovation for army combat and training”, “army deployment in MOOTW”, and “cultivation of army commanders and staff officers”. The forum will facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among the participants, and promote theoretical innovation for army development.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    Question: It is reported that the recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 has started. Please tell us more about it.

    Wu Qian: The PLA Navy recently launched the naval pilot cadet recruitment for 2025. As usual, eligible high school graduates and fresh graduates from universities either with a bachelor’s or master’s degree could apply. In reference to the recruitment standards in major naval powers, the PLA Navy has loosened the criteria on eye sight, widening the scope of applicants to include those who have received vision correction surgery. To meet takeoff/landing requirements for carrier-borne aircraft in complex sea conditions, the Navy has added such testing items as stereoscopic vision, visual contrast sensitivity, magnetic resonance imaging and chest CT scanning, as well as a 15-hour airborne ability screening, to make the recruitment more science-based and precise.

    Pursue your dream to fly in the Navy, and serve the country with dedication and loyalty. The recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 started on October 15th. We welcome young people to join this cause for the brave and become dancers on the blade. For more details, please log on to http://www.hjzf.mil.cn.

    Question: Naval forces from the United States, Japan, India and Australia conducted Exercise Malabar in the Indian Ocean on October 8th. Some reports say this exercise is directed at China and can enhance the Quad mechanism among the four countries in security areas. What’s your comment?

    Wu Qian: China believes that security cooperation among relevant countries should not harm the interests of any third party or undermine regional peace and stability. The so-called Quad mechanism has become a sheer political tool for the United States to contain China and maintain its hegemony. We firmly oppose relevant parties to use China as an excuse to stir up confrontation and escalate regional tensions. A small circle bloc will not make any big difference. The Asia-Pacific should be a grand stage where countries join hands to cooperate, rather than an arena for geopolitical competition. We require relevant countries to give up their obsession with zero-sum mindset and put more efforts on protecting regional security, instead of doing the opposite.

    Question: It is reported that the Japanese Defense Ministry recently released reports and photos about the movements of the PLA Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier task group, which sailed around the Philippines, and was then joined by the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hainan. Please comment on that.

    Wu Qian: We have noticed the media hype by the Japanese side. The Japanese photographer is trying to catch headlines, and is showing off his or her techniques again. Recently, the PLA Navy sent the Liaoning aircraft carrier task group to conduct training in waters of the South China Sea. This is a routine arrangement within the annual plan that is aimed to enhance the task group’s combat capability. The PLA will routinely organize similar training activities in the future.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    Question: According to media reports, the US Government Accountability Office recently accused Raytheon of fraud in selling expensive weapons to Taiwan, which procured the Patriot missile system in 2013 and radar systems in 2017 from that company. A public opinion representative from the Kuomintang criticized US arms dealers as fraud dens. Do you have any comment?

    Wu Qian: We firmly oppose US provision of weapons to China’s Taiwan region. I believe what the reports revealed is only a tip of the iceberg. The Democratic Progressive Party Authorities have been doing everything to court their masters in the US to buy weapons, which only wasted the hard-earned money of people in Taiwan. It is evident that what they bought are pieces of junk that only benefited corrupted officials and arms dealers. There are growing opposition and dissatisfaction from the local people.

    Sky-high price and obsolete functions are two hallmarks of US arms sales to Taiwan. From mouldy bulletproof vest to expired ammunition to expensive missiles and radars, we can see that the Americans only care about American interests. “Taiwan Independence” is a dead end and outsiders are never reliable. Those who try to rely on US support for independence will only court their own destruction.

    Question: Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba once suggested establishing an “Asian version of NATO” and working with Western countries in containing China. Officials from the Japanese Defense Ministry said China and Russia’s infringement upon Japan’s airspace is a regional and international concern. Please comment on that.

    Wu Qian: In disregard of fact on the ground, the Japanese side often hypes-up the non-existent “China threat” to divert the international community’s attention from its military expansion. China is strongly opposed to this approach. It is known to all that Japan has broken away from its pacifist constitution and “exclusively defense-oriented” policy in recent years, and largely enhanced its military preparedness, such behavior has put its Asian neighbors and the international community on high alert.

    We urge the Japanese side to stop forming exclusive military alliances and “cliques”, be very cautious with its words and deeds regarding military security, and do more for regional peace and stability.

    Question: The Israel Defense Force recently attacked the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL). What’s your comment? Are Chinese peacekeepers safe?

    Wu Qian: China is seriously concerned about and strongly condemns the Israeli military’s attack on the UNIFIL. China firmly opposes any attack on UN peacekeepers. We require a thorough investigation on the incident and hold those responsible accountable. We urge relevant parties to take real actions to prevent such an incident from happening again. The parties involved in the conflict must ensure the safety of the personnel and assets of the UNIFIL.

    The Chinese peacekeeping units in Lebanon are safe now. China is closely monitoring the security situation in Lebanon, and will take additional measures to strengthen security protection of our troops.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Threats to Shoot Auto Shop Workers Gets Man Prison Sentence

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Rashaud Williams, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 80 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and other related firearm charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur sentenced Williams on October 17, 2024, to 60 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and 60 months for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, to run concurrently. Judge Arthur also sentenced him to 20 months in prison for threatening to injure or kidnap a person, to run consecutively.

                Williams was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on May 3, 2024.

                According to the government’s evidence, on August 1, 2023, Williams brought his car into a Petworth area auto shop for repairs. Later in the day, the shop owner called the defendant’s mother to tell her that the car would not be ready until the next day, after they obtained a needed part. Shortly after that call, Williams went to the auto shop and made threats to “shoot up” the entire establishment. The repairman’s girlfriend was there and tried to calm Williams down. Williams then turned the gun on her and threatened to shoot her, then pointed the gun at the owner before leaving.

                In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton, Erica Rudolf, and Kathryn Bartz, who prosecuted the case.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Vienna Insurance Group Subscribes to Intermap’s Real Estate Solution

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Enhancing data transparency in the Czech real estate market

    Providing insurers with reliable and accurate property valuation for underwriting

    DENVER, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) (“Intermap” or the “Company”), a global leader in 3D geospatial products and intelligence solutions, today announced that Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna (ČPP), a subsidiary of the Vienna Insurance Group, has subscribed to Intermap’s innovative solution for determining the market price of real estate properties.

    Intermap and its partner Dataligence recently launched a solution that combines Intermap’s data and analytics for underwriting, reinsurance and claims with Dataligence’s world-class pricing and real estate databases. ČPP, a long-term user of Intermap’s Aquarius RMA, is the newest major EU insurance group customer to adopt this innovative solution.

    This advanced property valuation process meets the growing demand for digitized property services in the Czech market, improving transparency in real estate data.

    By utilizing Intermap’s up-to-date flood and natural hazard maps within its Aquarius RMA software, alongside Dataligence’s extensive real estate data, this solution enables accurate online property valuation. It processes comprehensive databases of flood, natural hazard, and real estate information to streamline transactions, providing insurers with reliable and precise property valuations for underwriting purposes.

    “We chose this innovative solution because it will make it easier and more convenient for our clients to arrange insurance. At the same time, we see our partners as technology leaders whose data is accurate, robust and reliable,” said Michal Šimon, manager of non-life insurance at Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna.

    “We are always excited when we find new ways to use our world-class pricing and real estate datasets,” said Milan Roček, founder and CEO of Dataligence. “Last year, we made our innovative tools available to the general public through the http://www.hypox.cz app, and the continued integration of online pricing into insurance companies’ systems embodies our vision for modern insurance and real estate services, where clients don’t have to worry about anything, yet their assets are reliably protected.”

    “Intermap’s solutions for the insurance market use proprietary datasets that are integrated into insurance processes to provide insurers with comprehensive tools that can be used throughout a portfolio lifecycle,” said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap Chairman and CEO. “Our state-of-the-art software, analytics and data enable insurers to understand and underwrite natural hazard risks, then leverage data intelligence to actively manage and reinsure risk with attractive margins.”

    Intermap’s services are more important than ever. According to Resources for the Future, “the private residential flood insurance market in the United States is currently small relative to the NFIP. We estimate that private flood insurance accounts for roughly 3.5 to 4.5 percent of all primary residential flood policies currently purchased.” With historic flooding recently, this demonstrates the need for dramatic increase in coverage. CoreLogic “estimates Hurricane Helene industry insured loss at $10.5B – $17.5B. Uninsured losses are estimated at $20B – $30B.” Moody’s RMS Event Response estimates total U.S. private market insured losses from the recent Hurricanes Helene and Milton will likely range between US$35 billion and US$55 billion. This estimate is for insured losses associated with wind, storm surge, and precipitation-induced flooding from these events.”

    In Europe, the flood protection gap is 25%. Recent European Commission studies “show that insurance premiums written should at least be doubled to reach a harmonized level of penetration equal to 50%.” Intermap is uniquely positioned to meet this demand and address this need.

    To learn more about Intermap’s European solutions, visit intermap.com/european-solutions.

    Intermap Reader Advisory
    Certain information provided in this news release, including reference to revenue growth and run-rate, constitutes forward-looking statements. The words “anticipate”, “expect”, “project”, “estimate”, “forecast”, “will be”, “will consider”, “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap’s forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap’s Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.

    About ČPP
    Česká podnikatelská pojišťovna (ČPP), a subsidiary of the Vienna Insurance Group, is a universal insurance company that offers its clients modern products and comprehensive insurance solutions in life and non-life insurance. The company operates through 6 regional headquarters, 100 branches and 220 offices throughout the Czech Republic. It has been operating on the Czech insurance market since 1995. Currently, ČPP manages 2.4 million contracts and its services are used by more than 1.3 million clients. ČPP is one of the Czech top five largest insurance companies.

    About Dataligence
    The investment group Trigema bought a majority stake in CenovaMapa.org in 2022, largest real estate data platform on the Czech market. The cooperation has already resulted in a new application for end customers, http://www.hypox.cz, as well as the development of existing Dataligence platforms. Over the past few years, Dataligence, with the help of consulting company Deloitte, has become the most important provider of online real estate valuation data in the Czech Republic. For more information, please visit http://www.dataligence.cz.

    About Intermap Technologies
    Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP; OTCQB: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions, focusing on the creation and analysis of 3D terrain data to produce high-resolution thematic models. Through scientific analysis of geospatial information and patented sensors and processing technology, the Company provisions diverse, complementary, multi-source datasets to enable customers to seamlessly integrate geospatial intelligence into their workflows. Intermap’s 3D elevation data and software analytic capabilities enable global geospatial analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning, providing customers with critical information to understand their terrain environment. By leveraging its proprietary archive of the world’s largest collection of multi-sensor global elevation data, the Company’s collection and processing capabilities provide multi-source 3D datasets and analytics at mission speed, enabling governments and companies to build and integrate geospatial foundation data with actionable insights. Applications for Intermap’s products and solutions include defense, aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, disaster mitigation, base mapping, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation.

    For more information, please visit http://www.intermap.com or contact:
    Jennifer Bakken
    Executive Vice President and CFO
    CFO@intermap.com
    +1 (303) 708-0955

    Sean Peasgood
    Investor Relations
    Sean@SophicCapital.com
    +1 (647) 260-9266

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Angus Gold Successfully Targets High-grade Gold in BIF-Hosted Gold System; Intersects 5.4 g/t Au over 3.0 metres and 6.0 g/t Au over 1.8 metres, within broader envelope of 111 metres grading 1.0 g/t Au Golden Sky Project, Wawa

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Angus Gold Inc. (TSX-V: GUS | OTC: ANGVF) (“Angus” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce assay results from the first four (4) exploration holes that were completed on the BIF Gold Zone as part of its August 2024 drill program at the Golden Sky Project in Wawa, Ontario.

    Highlights:

    • The main focus of the 2024 drill program was to improve both our understanding of the size of the BIF Gold Zone and the geometry of higher-grade ore shoots at depth.
    • Down-plunge drilling results at the BIF Gold Zone indicate the mineralized system is thick and continuous:
      • Hole GS24-157 returned 111.0 metres of mineralization grading 1.0 g/t Au, including 5.4 g/t Au over 3.0 metres and 6.0 g/t Au over 1.8 metres.
    • All down-plunge drilling results provided useful information for interpreting the preferred orientation of higher-grade ore shoots at depth to improve future targeting.
    • New gold mineralization intersected at 270 metres true depth:
      • Hole GS24-156 returned 9.6 metres of mineralization grading 1.1 g/t Au, indicating the system has significant depth potential.
    • Additional BIF Gold Zone drilling results expected in the coming weeks.

    Breanne Beh, Chief Executive Officer of Angus, states: “We are very pleased with the results so far from our 2024 BIF drilling program, with additional results expected in the coming weeks. These four holes were designed specifically to improve our understanding of the size and geometry of the mineralization at the BIF Gold Zone. The results of GS-24-157 are incredibly encouraging as we were able to gain a better understanding of just how large this BIF-hosted gold system could potentially be. Within the mineralized intervals we had over a dozen high-grade samples between 2 and 8 g/t Au, confirming the potential for higher-grade shoots. We are currently modeling these results in 3D to identify preferred orientations of the high-grade mineralization. In addition, the discovery of another zone of mineralization at depth in GS-24-156 is very encouraging as it indicates the continued exploration potential of the 6.0 kilometres of banded iron formation present on the Golden Sky property. BIF-hosted gold deposits are extremely complex, however, we have made significant progress over a relatively short period of time. These current results were successful in providing the information we need to advance our model another step forward and will allow us to plan our next drill program to begin defining the high-grade zones.”  

    The 2024 drilling program on the BIF was designed to test new hypotheses regarding the structural controls on the gold mineralization. The four (4) drill holes published in this press release were designed with the intention of understanding the size of the low-grade envelope of gold mineralization in the BIF Gold Zone in addition to, improving the understanding of the geometry of the apparent high-grade ore shoots plunging within. All four holes returned numerous intersections of > 2.0 g/t Au material within a broad envelope of low-grade gold mineralization. This information is now being used to help improve the modelling of what were thought to be repeated high-grade ore shoots. Hole GS-24-157 was most successful at defining the extents of the gold system with two separate intersections of gold mineralization grading 1.0 g/t Au, one of 12.0 metres and the second of 111.0 metres, including a dozen high-grade intercepts >2.0 g/t Au. With these results we can begin to visualize how large the BIF Gold Zone system is. The thickness and continuity of the results continue to indicate strong potential for the area to host significant BIF-hosted gold mineralization.

    In addition, hole GS-24-156 was successful at intersecting a new zone of gold mineralization grading 0.8 g/t Au over 16.9 metres, including 2.3 g/t Au over 1.0 metres and 2.4 g/t Au over 1.0 metres, at 270 metres true depth. This is the deepest hole that has been drilled on Angus’ BIF Gold Zone to date and indicates the continued potential for new zones of mineralization to be discovered.

    Similar to GS-24-157, holes GS-24-154, GS-24-155 and GS-24-156 returned a pattern of repeating > 2.0 g/t Au intersections within a broad envelope of lower-grade Au mineralization. These initial results are encouraging and indicate the potential for repeated or stacked ore shoots within the large mineralized system. Notable intersections are listed in the table below.

    Selected drill results from the 4 holes at the Golden Sky drilling program are, as follows:  

    Hole Number From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au g/t Area
    GS-24-154 10.9 14.0 3.1 1.6 BIF
    including 12.8 14.0 1.2 2.8
    GS-24-154 77.6 78.6 1.0 2.3
    GS-24-154 85.5 130.0 44.5 0.7
    including 98.0 99.0 1.0 3.7
    including 100.0 101.0 1.0 2.5
    including 103.0 104.0 1.0 2.9
    including 118.0 119.0 1.0 2.3
    including 122.0 123.0 1.0 2.5
    including 125.0 126.0 1.0 2.1
    GS-24-154 146.0 147.0 1.0 3.6
    GS-24-154 158.0 166.0 8.0 1.1
    GS-24-155 97.5 143.0 45.5 0.8 BIF
    including 99.0 100.9 1.9 2.0
    including 106.5 111.0 4.5 1.2
    including 114.0 121.0 7.0 1.0
    including 126.0 131.0 5.0 1.5
    GS-24-155 158.0 162.0 4.0 2.0
    GS-24-156 12.8 21.6 8.8 1.7 BIF
    including 15.2 20.1 4.9 2.9
    GS-24-156 82.1 89.0 6.9 1.0
    including 87.0 88.0 1.0 2.9
    GS-24-156 123.0 144.0 21.0 0.9
    including 123.0 127.0 4.0 2.0
    including 132.0 136.0 4.0 1.3
    including 141.0 142.0 1.0 2.3
    GS-24-156 269.0 285.9 16.9 0.8
    including 276.3 285.9 9.6 1.1
    including 278.0 279.0 1.0 2.3
    including 283.9 284.9 1.0 2.4
    GS-24-157 50.0 62.0 12.0 1.0 BIF
    including 55.7 56.4 0.7 5.5
    including 60.0 61.0 1.0 2.4
    GS-24-157 107.0 218.0 111.0 1.0
    including 108.0 109.0 1.0 2.6
    including 112.0 113.0 1.0 2.3
    including 115.0 116.0 1.0 2.7
    including 131.0 133.0 2.0 3.8
    including 139.0 141.0 2.0 4.7
    including 145.5 147.0 1.5 3.9
    including 158.0 160.0 2.0 2.9
    including 173.0 174.0 1.0 2.8
    including 179.0 182.0 3.0 5.4
    including 185.0 186.0 1.0 2.4
    including 202.0 203.8 1.8 6.0
    including 215.4 218.0 2.6 2.6

    (1) Assay results presented over core length. Additional drilling will be necessary to constrain the true width of the mineralized envelope of the gold system.

    Figure 1: Surface Map – BIF new drilling, Golden Sky Airborne Magnetics Map        

    The Golden Sky Project
    The 100%-owned Golden Sky Project is located within the Mishibishu Lake Greenstone Belt of Northern Ontario, which is host to Wesdome’s high-grade Eagle River and the Mishi open-pit gold mines. The Company’s 290-square-kilometres land package is located approximately 50 kilometres west of the town of Wawa and is situated immediately between the two Wesdome mines.

    The ongoing drill program on the Golden Sky Project is focused on the Dorset Gold Zone, which hosts a historic gold resource; the BIF Zone, a new gold zone discovery in a large banded iron formation; as well as the Eagle River Splay deformation zone, which shows potential for another extensive gold system. Angus’ drill programs on the near-surface Dorset Gold Zone have been successful at extending the strike length of the previously modelled zone from 750 metres to 1.7 kilometres. The Dorset Gold Zone historic estimated resource (using a 0.50 g/t Au cut-off) consists of an indicated resource of 40,000 ounces of gold (780,000 tonnes grading 1.4 g/t Au), and an inferred resource of 180,000 ounces of gold (4,760,000 tonnes grading 1.2 g/t Au). For greater details on the Golden Sky Project, please refer to the NI 43-101 technical report for the Golden Sky Project entitled, “NI 43-101 Technical Report Wawa Property Ontario, Canada” dated February 18, 2020, and available on the Company’s SEDAR profile.

    Qualified Person
    The scientific and technical content of this press release has been reviewed and approved by Breanne Beh, P.Geo, who is a “Qualified Person” as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) and Chief Geologist for the Company.

    Quality Control
    During the last drilling program, assay samples were taken from the NQ core by sawing the drill core in half, with one-half sent to a certified commercial laboratory and the other half retained for future reference. A strict QA/QC program was applied to all samples; which includes insertion of mineralized standards and blank samples for each batch of 20 samples. The gold analyses were completed by fire-assayed with an atomic absorption finish on 50 grams of materials. Repeats were carried out by fire-assay followed by gravimetric testing on each sample containing 3.0 g/t gold or more.

    About Angus Gold:
    Angus Gold Inc. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of highly prospective gold properties. The Company’s flagship project is the Golden Sky Project in Wawa, Ontario. The Project is immediately adjacent to the Eagle River Mine of Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. 

    On behalf of Angus Gold Inc.,

    Breanne Beh
    President and Chief Executive Officer

    INQUIRIES:
    Email: info@angusgold.com
    Phone: 647-259-1790
    Company Website: http://www.angusgold.com

    TSXV: GUS | USOTC: ANGVF

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. 

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This News Release includes certain “forward-looking statements” which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company’s future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as “believes”, “anticipates”, “expects”, “estimates”, “may”, “could”, “would”, “will”, or “plan”. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management’s expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company’s objectives, goals or future plans, statements, exploration results, potential mineralization, the estimation of mineral resources, exploration and mine development plans, timing of the commencement of operations and estimates of market conditions. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to: the ability to anticipate and counteract the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on the business of the Company, including without limitation the effects of COVID-19 on the capital markets, commodity prices supply chain disruptions, restrictions on labour and workplace attendance and local and international travel, failure to receive requisite approvals in respect of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement, failure to identify mineral resources, failure to convert estimated mineral resources to reserves, the inability to complete a feasibility study which recommends a production decision, the preliminary nature of metallurgical test results, delays in obtaining or failures to obtain required governmental, environmental or other project approvals, political risks, inability to fulfill the duty to accommodate First Nations and other indigenous peoples, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, changes in equity markets, inflation, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in the development of projects, capital and operating costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, and those risks set out in the Company’s public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law.

    An image accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/0c968e7d-83e1-4ac1-a1fd-b55a9cb7a16a

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Procuring major events and responses to the TfL cyber-attack

    Source: Mayor of London

    Since their July 2024 report, EY, the external auditors of the GLA Group have made the following change: 

    • In light of the cyber-attack on TfL, the audit team will be required to “evaluate the effects of the attack on the scope of [their] work and reporting requirements” and the overall reporting timeline is likely to be delayed as limited system access hampered the GLA finance team’s ability to respond to audit requests.

    Tomorrow, the London Assembly Audit Panel will examine the GLA External Audit Status Report and the Corporate Risk Register, both of which contain responses to the TfL cyber-attack. The Panel will also discuss the Register of Gifts and Hospitality and the procurement exercise for the New Year’s Eve fireworks event.

    The guests are:

    • Stephen Reid, Partner, EY
    • Chloe Wilkinson, Audit Senior Manager, EY
    • Enver Enver, Interim Chief Finance Officer, GLA
    • Fay Hammond, Chief Finance Officer, GLA
    • David Esling, Head of Audit Assurance – Risk Management, MOPAC
    • Mark Woodley, Group Audit Lead, MOPAC
    • Karen Welsh, Senior Risk and Assurance Auditor, MOPAC
    • Dianne Tranmer, Executive Director Corporate Resources & Business Improvement, GLA

    The meeting will take place on Thursday, 17 October 2024 from 2pm, in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

    Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

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

    Follow us @LondonAssembly.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gang behind ATM attacks taken down

    Source: Europol

    Unscrupulous attacks with severe collateral damageFor several years now, perpetrators have increasingly been using solid explosives – originating mainly from fireworks – to blow up ATMs. This has significantly augmented the danger and collateral damage of their attacks. The criminals, who are often based in the Netherlands, take extreme risks and act unscrupulously, both at the crime scene and when…

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AFRICA/NIGERIA – Almost 100 dead in tanker explosion

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wednesday, 16 October 2024

    Abuja (Agenzia Fides) – More than 90 people have died in the explosion of a tanker in Nigeria. The tragedy occurred around midnight on October 15 in the town of Majia, in Jigawa state, in north-central Nigeria. In addition to the 94 victims, at least 50 people were injured, according to the police. The driver of the tanker tried to avoid another truck, swerved and lost control of his vehicle. The tanker detached from the tractor and a fuel leak occurred. Several residents rushed to the scene with buckets and canisters, overwhelming the security forces who tried to control the area and prevent an accidental explosion. However, this did not succeed and a fierce fire broke out that lasted at least two hours. The events in Majia show how high fuel prices are driving people to despair, which in turn leads to such tragedies. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 16/10/2024)
    Share:

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Bouncing between war-torn countries: Displacement in Lebanon and Syria highlights cyclical nature of cross-border refuge

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jasmin Lilian Diab, Assistant Professor of Migration Studies; Director of the Institute for Migration Studies, Lebanese American University

    Displaced people crossing a hole on the road caused by an Israeli airstrike near the Masnaa crossing. Bilal Jawich/Xinhua via Getty Images

    The escalation of hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah since September 2024, and Israel’s bombing of civilian areas across Lebanon, have unleashed a profound humanitarian disaster.

    The mass displacement of over 1 million people, including Lebanese citizens, migrant workers and Syrian and Palestinian refugees, has created a crisis within Lebanon. Yet an equally significant phenomenon is occurring away from Lebanon’s southern border with Israel: the movement of people who have been displaced within Lebanon into Syria.

    An estimated 400,000 Lebanese and Syrians have reportedly fled into Syria through overcrowded border crossings.

    Not to be confused with return, this movement represents a reversal of the refugee flow that followed the descent of Syria into civil war in 2011. It is also emblematic of a broader pattern of cyclical displacement crises in the region.

    The complex and intertwined histories of Lebanon and Syria – where each has at various points been a refuge for citizens of the other – challenge the simple binaries often associated with the refugee experience.

    The exchange of roles between Lebanon and Syria highlights not only the fragility of regional stability but the fluidity of displacement – and the deeper implications that cross-border movement has on the sociopolitical dynamics of both countries.

    A history of reciprocal refuge

    The relationship between Lebanon and Syria has long been complex, oscillating between cooperation and tension. Despite Syria’s official withdrawal from Lebanon in 2005 after decades as an occupying force, the two countries remain connected due to shared borders, economic ties and security concerns. Cooperation exists in areas such as trade, but there is significant tension, especially over the presence of over 1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon.

    Yet, throughout their modern histories, one of the most enduring bonds has been the shared experiences of displacement and refuge, dating back to Lebanon’s civil war. From 1975 to 1990, thousands of Lebanese fled to Syria to escape the sectarian-driven conflict that engulfed their homeland.

    The post-war period, however, was marked by a shift in the dynamics between the two countries. The 2005 withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon marked a new chapter in their relations.

    Tensions rose as Lebanon sought to rebuild and assert its sovereignty after nearly 30 years of Syrian occupation. Yet, the region’s tendency for upheaval soon saw the roles reversed again decades later, when an estimated 180,000 Lebanese took refuge in Syria during the 2006 July war.

    With the onset of the Syrian civil war in 2011, it was Lebanon’s turn to serve as a refuge. By 2015, 1 million Syrians fleeing violence made the journey into Lebanon.

    Despite being one of the 44 countries never to have signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, Lebanon is the country hosting the largest number of refugees per capita globally.

    Because Lebanon didn’t sign the convention, it doesn’t formally recognize refugee status, which gives the country what it views as more control over its refugee policies. While Lebanon receives humanitarian support from the United Nations’ refugee agency, refugees remain in a precarious legal status, with limited rights.

    For many Lebanese, this most recent influx of fleeing Syrian refugees has rekindled memories of their own displacement, while for others, it has fueled anti-refugee sentiments.

    Bouncing between 2 war-torn countries

    With the latest escalation of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, history is again repeating itself. Lebanese citizens, primarily from Hezbollah strongholds in South Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley, are seeking refuge in Syria, a country still grappling with its own economic collapse, violence and internal strife.

    While the conflict on Lebanese territory has gone on for more than a year, movements into Syria only picked up in late September 2024 as people have become more desperate to flee.

    As one displaced person forced to flee from Beirut explained to me: “Syria was certainly not a ‘better’ option than Lebanon six months ago, but in the last week, since the attacks on Beirut and political assassinations, Syria is safer – despite everything it is going through. That’s how unsafe we feel in Beirut – we are bouncing between one war-torn country and another.”

    Implications for refugee-host dynamics

    The cyclical nature of displacement between Lebanon and Syria overturns the prevailing political narrative of host-refugee dynamics being fixed and unidirectional.

    Syrian displacement to Lebanon has been portrayed by some Lebanese politicians as one-directional. This appears to be in order to frame Syrian refugees as the sole recipients of aid – as opposed to Lebanese citizens – as well as burdens on Lebanon.

    When displacement occurs in both directions, however, this narrative begins to break down.

    Syrian refugees who once sought safety in Lebanon now see their home country as a safer haven – albeit a fragile and temporary one. Meanwhile, Lebanese citizens face the same kinds of vulnerability and desperation that their Syrian counterparts experienced over the past decade.

    Importantly, testimonies from those who are making the trip from their ‘temporary’ home in Lebanon back to Syria highlight that these movements should not be mistaken for return. Rather, they are in themselves a temporary solution.

    As one Syrian who had fled his Lebanese home explained to me: “No, I am not returning. I am rather leaving one foot in Lebanon and one in Syria. Syria is in no way a safe place. As men, we are at risk of arrest and forced conscription. However, Lebanon is momentarily, at this point in history, much less safe. We do this assessment week by week. I sent my wife and my children first. I will follow.”

    For their part, internally displaced Lebanese entering into Syria insist that these movements are “absolutely temporary.” One told me: “Syria is not foreign to us. It feels close and familiar. But most importantly, it feels temporary and is the right proximity to Lebanon. As soon as things calm down we will come back to our homes. Many of us have nothing to go back to, but even in this case, we will not remain in Syria.”

    The strain of displacement

    Both Lebanon and Syria are, in many ways, ill-equipped to handle the new wave of displacement.

    Syrian children at a refugee camp in Lebanon’s frontier town of Arsal on Feb. 18, 2014.
    Ratib Al Safadi/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

    By 2023, Lebanon’s economic collapse had driven 80% of its population into poverty, making it nearly impossible to absorb the additional strain of mass internal displacement.

    Government paralysis, compounded by political deadlock, leaves internally displaced people with little to no state support, mostly relying on aid and community networks to survive.

    Syria, though in the position of “host” in this current migratory flow, is similarly constrained. The country’s infrastructure remains devastated from more than a decade of civil war. Basic services are stretched thin, and the economy has not recovered. Humanitarian organizations coordinating the response are working amid overextended resources and dwindling support.

    A region in perpetual chaos

    As the armed conflict between Israel and Hezbollah escalates, the displacement crisis in Lebanon and Syria will, I fear, likely worsen.

    The recent wave of Syrian refugees and Lebanese into Syria reveals the cyclical nature of refuge in the region. Ultimately, the ongoing displacement crisis in Lebanon and Syria serves as a reminder that refuge is often temporary, contingent on the shifting geopolitics of the region.

    The histories of these two countries, where both have served as havens for the other’s displaced populations, underscore the complexity of displacement in the Middle East.

    The fact that Lebanese citizens are now seeking shelter in Syria, a country from which over 1 million refugees fled just over a decade ago, underscores the volatility of regional displacement patterns. It also raises critical questions about the sustainability of international refugee systems that too often rely on static, one-directional models of migration and don’t account for the fluid and often reversible nature of displacement.

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

    – ref. Bouncing between war-torn countries: Displacement in Lebanon and Syria highlights cyclical nature of cross-border refuge – https://theconversation.com/bouncing-between-war-torn-countries-displacement-in-lebanon-and-syria-highlights-cyclical-nature-of-cross-border-refuge-241168

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: 4 ways AI can be used and abused in the 2024 election, from deepfakes to foreign interference

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Barbara A. Trish, Professor of Political Science, Grinnell College

    The American public is on alert about artificial intelligence and the 2024 election.

    A September 2024 poll by the Pew Research Center found that well over half of Americans worry that artificial intelligence – or AI, computer technology mimicking the processes and products of human intelligence – will be used to generate and spread false and misleading information in the campaign.

    My academic research on AI may help quell some concerns. While this innovative technology certainly has the potential to manipulate voters or spread lies at scale, most uses of AI in the current election cycle are, so far, not novel at all.

    I’ve identified four roles AI is playing or could play in the 2024 campaign – all arguably updated versions of familiar election activities.

    1. Voter information

    The 2022 launch of ChatGPT brought the promise and peril of generative AI into public consciousness. This technology is called “generative” because it produces text responses to user prompts: It can write poetry, answer history questions – and provide information about the 2024 election.

    Rather than search Google for voting information, people may instead ask generative AI a question. “How much has inflation changed since 2020?” for example. Or, “Who’s running for U.S. Senate in Texas?”

    Some generative AI platforms such as Google’s AI chatbot Gemini, decline to answer questions about candidates and voting. Some, such as Facebook’s AI tool Llama, respond – and respond accurately.

    AI’s response to an election query on Facebook.
    Screenshot from Facebook, CC BY-SA

    But generative AI can also produce misinformation. In the most extreme cases, AI can have “hallucinations,” offering up wildly inaccurate results.

    A CBS news account from June 2024 reported that ChatGPT had given incorrect or incomplete responses to some prompts asking how to vote in battleground states. And ChatGPT didn’t consistently follow the policy of its owner, OpenAI, and refer users to CanIVote.org, a respected site for voting information.

    As with the web, people should verify the results of AI searches. And beware: Google’s Gemini now automatically returns answers to Google search queries at the top of every results page. You might inadvertently stumble into AI tools when you think you’re searching the internet.

    2. Deepfakes

    Deepfakes are fabricated images, audio and video produced by generative AI and designed to replicate reality. Essentially, these are highly convincing versions of what are now called “cheapfakes” – altered images made using basic tools such as Photoshop and video-editing software.

    The potential of deepfakes to deceive voters became clear when an AI-generated robocall impersonating Joe Biden before the January 2024 New Hampshire primary advised Democrats to save their votes for November.

    After that, the Federal Communication Commission ruled that AI-generated robocalls are subject to the same regulations as all robocalls. They cannot be auto-dialed or delivered to cellphones or landlines without prior consent.

    The agency also slapped a US$6 million fine on the consultant who created the fake Biden call – but not for tricking voters. He was fined for transmitting inaccurate caller-ID information.

    While synthetic media can be used to spread disinformation, deepfakes are now part of the creative toolbox of political advertisers.

    One early deepfake aimed more at persuasion than overt deception was an AI-generated ad from a 2022 mayoral race contest portraying the then-incumbent mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana, as a failing student summoned to the principal’s office.

    Blink and you’ll miss the disclaimer that this campaign ad is a deepfake.

    The ad included a quick disclaimer that it was a deepfake, a warning not required by the federal government, but it was easy to miss.

    Wired magazine’s AI Elections Project, which is tracking uses of AI in the 2024 cycle, shows that deepfakes haven’t overwhelmed the ads voters see. But they have been used by candidates across the political spectrum, up and down the ballot, for many purposes – including deception.

    Former President Donald Trump hints at a Democratic deepfake when he questions the crowd size at Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign events. In lobbing such allegations, Trump is attempting to reap the “liar’s dividend” – the opportunity to plant the idea that truthful content is fake.

    Discrediting a political opponent this way is nothing new. Trump has been claiming that the truth is really just “fake news” since at least the “birther” conspiracy of 2008, when he helped to spread rumors that presidential candidate Barack Obama’s birth certificate was fake.

    3. Strategic distraction

    Some are concerned that AI might be used by election deniers in this cycle to distract election administrators by burying them in frivolous public records requests.

    For example, the group True the Vote has lodged hundreds of thousands of voter challenges over the past decade working with just volunteers and a web-based app. Imagine its reach if armed with AI to automate their work.

    Such widespread, rapid-fire challenges to the voter rolls could divert election administrators from other critical tasks, disenfranchise legitimate voters and disrupt the election.

    As of now, there’s no evidence that this is happening.

    4. Foreign election interference

    Confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 election underscored that the threat of foreign meddling in U.S. politics, whether by Russia or another country invested in discrediting Western democracy, remains a pressing concern.

    Special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the 2016 U.S. election concluded that Russia had worked to get President Donald Trump elected.
    Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP

    In July, the Department of Justice seized two domain names and searched close to 1,000 accounts that Russian actors had used for what it called a “social media bot farm,” similar to those Russia used to influence the opinions of hundreds of millions of Facebook users in the 2020 campaign. Artificial intelligence could give these efforts a real boost.

    There’s also evidence that China is using AI this cycle to spread malicious information about the U.S. One such social media post transcribed a Biden speech inaccurately to suggest he made sexual references.

    AI may help election interferers do their dirty work, but new technology is hardly necessary for foreign meddling in U.S. politics.

    In 1940, the United Kingdom – an American ally – was so focused on getting the U.S. to enter World War II that British intelligence officers worked to help congressional candidates committed to intervention and to discredit isolationists.

    One target was the prominent Republican isolationist U.S. Rep. Hamilton Fish. Circulating a photo of Fish and the leader of an American pro-Nazi group taken out of context, the British sought to falsely paint Fish as a supporter of Nazi elements abroad and in the U.S.

    Can AI be controlled?

    Acknowledging that it doesn’t take new technology to do harm, bad actors can leverage the efficiencies embedded in AI to create a formidable challenge to election operations and integrity.

    Federal efforts to regulate AI’s use in electoral politics face the same uphill battle as most proposals to regulate political campaigns. States have been more active: 19 now ban or restrict deepfakes in political campaigns.

    Some platforms engage in light self-moderation. Google’s Gemini responds to prompts asking for basic election information by saying, “I can’t help with responses on elections and political figures right now.”

    Campaign professionals may employ a little self-regulation, too. Several speakers at a May 2024 conference on campaign tech expressed concern about pushback from voters if they learn that a campaign is using AI technology. In this sense, the public concern over AI might be productive, creating a guardrail of sorts.

    But the flip side of that public concern – what Stanford University’s Nate Persily calls “AI panic” – is that it can further erode trust in elections.

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

    – ref. 4 ways AI can be used and abused in the 2024 election, from deepfakes to foreign interference – https://theconversation.com/4-ways-ai-can-be-used-and-abused-in-the-2024-election-from-deepfakes-to-foreign-interference-239878

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What is Chabad-Lubavitch? A Jewish studies scholar explains

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Schneur Zalman Newfield, Associate Professor of Sociology and Jewish Studies, Hunter College

    Lubavitchers have put up leaflets, posters and even murals of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson around the world, with many proclaiming him the messiah. Nizzan Cohen via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    If you live anywhere near New York – or anywhere in the world, really – you may have seen a picture of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Yellow posters of the rabbi’s face are stuck to lampposts or streetlights: an elderly man with a long white beard and black hat.

    For tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews, Schneerson is simply “the rebbe”: the leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, even though he died in 1994. The name “Chabad” is familiar to many Americans, but the actual beliefs of this Hasidic group rarely are.

    As someone who was raised in a Lubavitch community and became a scholar of sociology and Jewish studies, I am often asked what sets it apart from other Orthodox streams of Judaism.

    Mystic teachings, joyful prayer

    Hasidism began under the leadership of the 18th-century mystic and healer Israel ben Eliezer, known as the Baal Shem Tov. Instead of focusing on the Bible and Jewish law, the movement prioritized attaching oneself to God through joyful prayer and passionate devotion.

    The Lubavitch sect of Hasidism was founded in the late 1700s by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the author of the Tanya – a theological text and self-improvement manual still studied daily by Lubavitchers. For over a hundred years, the movement was based in the rural town of Lyubavichi, Russia, from which it derives its name.

    Lubavitch headquarters in Brooklyn, which many followers call ‘770.’
    Sagtkd/Wikimedia Commons

    Since 1940, however, Lubavitch has been based in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. The headquarters there at 770 Eastern Parkway are simply referred to as “770” by Lubavitchers the world over, who imbue the red brick building with mystical symbolism.

    Lubavitch, also known by the name “Chabad,” is one of the largest Hasidic groups today, with an estimated 90,000 members.

    Lubavitch shares many things in common with all streams of Orthodox Judaism, including a commitment to strictly abiding by “halacha” – Jewish law and customs. The group also shares a great deal with other ultra-Orthodox communities, such as opposition to providing their children with secular education.

    Yet there are key features of Lubavitch that distinguish it – particularly how much it engages with non-Orthodox Jews.

    The rebbe

    All Hasidic sects have a leader, a “rebbe,” who is believed to possess unique spiritual gifts and connect his followers to the divine. Still, Lubavitch is distinct in terms of the extent to which the rebbe is central to the lives of every single member of the community.

    In 1951, Schneerson accepted leadership of the Lubavitchers after the passing of his father-in-law and grew the movement exponentially until his passing in 1994. Rather than naming a successor, however, Lubavitchers have continued to regard Schneerson as “the rebbe.”

    With his piercing blue eyes, full white beard, black fedora and silk coat, images of Schneerson are ubiquitous among Lubavitchers. Photos and paintings of him adorn walls, key chains, clocks and charity boxes wherever they live.

    A baby clutches a photo of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson during a holiday celebration in front of the Chabad Lubavitch headquarters in Brooklyn.
    AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

    While the rebbe was alive, his followers would ask him for advice and blessings regarding all spiritual matters, as well as questions about health, business and marriage. Since his passing, followers continue to seek his blessings by placing notes at his gravesite and searching his printed works for guidance.

    Even among Lubavitchers who have left the fold, many still feel attached to its leader.

    Jewish outreach

    One expression of Lubavitchers’ devotion is their commitment to creating Jewish outreach centers all over the world.

    The ethos of sharing Hasidic thought was present from the founding of the Lubavitch movement. This drive became much more developed, however, during and after the Holocaust and continued under Schneerson’s leadership.

    Today, Lubavitch has established Jewish outposts, called “Chabad Houses,” from Melbourne to Hong Kong and Buenos Aires to Cape Town. These emissaries endeavor to reach out to secular Jews and inspire them to become more religiously observant.

    Members of Chabad participate in a Fourth of July parade in Santa Monica, Calif.
    AP Photo/Richard Vogel

    The language surrounding Lubavitch outreach often has a militaristic flavor – for example, its youth movement is named the “Army of God”: Tzivos Ha-Shem, in Hebrew. However, outreach is rooted in the commandment to love one’s fellow Jew and a desire to help them enjoy the Jewish tradition. It is also motivated by a belief that these efforts will help fulfill the biblical prophecy of a Jewish messiah, who will usher in a time of global peace.

    These two motivations fortify the nearly 5,000 emissaries sent to far-flung communities around the world, notwithstanding profound obstacles. These include being separated from their families, who tend to live in established Hasidic communities, and being vulnerable to antisemitic attacks.

    Messianism

    The most distinct aspect of contemporary Lubavitch is its enthusiasm for the coming of the messiah and its assertion that Schneerson is that long-awaited messiah, despite his death.

    Messianic hopes and people claiming to be the messiah have appeared at various points throughout Jewish history, often during periods of crisis. In the wake of the devastation of the Holocaust, however, Schneerson made the idea of the messiah’s coming integral to every aspect of Jewish life.

    Eventually, most followers came to believe that Schneerson was the righteous redeemer sent by God to usher in the messianic age. While Schneerson did not embrace these proclamations, he insisted that through additional acts of goodness and kindness it was possible to bring about the messianic redemption.

    While some outsiders criticized this emphasis, especially claims about the rebbe, the situation became much more fraught after he passed away in 1994. In response to this trauma, a split developed in Lubavitch.

    Praying men leave notes seeking guidance and blessings at the grave site of Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
    Bentzi Sasson via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    One camp, composed largely of those involved in outreach work and members of long-standing Lubavitch families, argued Lubavitch should stop publicly talking about Schneerson being the messiah since it scared away outsiders. The other camp, largely composed of those who joined the community as adults, claimed that he was still the messiah and was about to return, and that it was vital to tell the world.

    To some other Jews, this belief seemed suspiciously close to Christian faith in the second coming of Jesus. Still, many Lubavitchers persist in their messianic beliefs.

    The future

    This issue still divides some Lubavitchers. Nonetheless, since Schneerson’s passing three decades ago, the movement has increased in size and strength.

    The group’s cohesiveness has been aided by creative uses of technology to foster a sense of the rebbe’s continued presence in their lives. For example, the Jewish Educational Media organization regularly produces videos that splice footage of his talks with current visuals to make him feel present in the moment. Lubavitchers have reinterpreted Hasidic texts to fit their current predicament, helping them feel grounded despite his physical absence.

    While the precise future of Lubavitch is unknown, the fact that it has managed to weather the storm of the rebbe’s passing and emerged stronger gives his followers hope for the future.

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

    – ref. What is Chabad-Lubavitch? A Jewish studies scholar explains – https://theconversation.com/what-is-chabad-lubavitch-a-jewish-studies-scholar-explains-222218

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding − entirely caused by humans

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Philip M. Orton, Research Associate Professor in Ocean Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology

    A consequence of dredging deep channels is that water also enters more easily with tides and storm surge. Google Earth

    Centuries ago, estuaries around the world were teeming with birds and turbulent with schools of fish, their marshlands and endless tracts of channels melting into the gray-blue horizon.

    Fast-forward to today, and in estuaries such as New York Harbor, San Francisco Bay and Miami’s Biscayne Bay – areas where rivers meet the sea – 80% to 90% of this habitat has been built over.

    The result has been the environmental collapse of estuary habitats and the loss of buffer zones that helped protect cities from storm surge and sea-level rise. But the damage isn’t just what’s visible on land.

    Below the surface of many of the remaining waterways, another form of urbanization has been slowly increasing the vulnerability of coastlines to extreme storms and sea-level rise: Vast dredging and engineering projects have more than doubled the depths of shipping channels since the 19th century.

    Some of these oceanic highways enable huge container ships, with drafts of 50 feet below the waterline and lengths of nearly a quarter mile, to glide into formerly shallow areas. An example is New Jersey’s Newark Bay, which was as little as 10 feet (3 meters) deep in the 1840s but is 50 feet (15 meters) deep today.

    A consequence of dredging deep channels is that water also enters and exits the estuaries more easily with each tide or storm. In these dredged channels, the natural resistance to flow created by a rough and shallow channel bottom is reduced. With less friction, that can lead to larger high tides and storm surge.

    As coastal engineers and oceanographers, we study coastal ocean physics and storm surge. There are solutions to the problems “estuary urbanization” is causing, if people are willing to accept some trade-offs.

    An unintended side effect of dredging

    The effects of dredging are most visible in the daily tides, which have grown larger over the past century in many estuaries and aggravated nuisance flooding in many cities, as our research shows.

    Tide range – the average variation between high and low tide – has doubled in multiple estuaries and changed significantly in others. As a result, high-tide levels are often rising faster than sea-level rise, worsening its consequences.

    The most common culprit for these larger tides is estuary urbanization.

    For example, in Miami, where the tide range has almost doubled, a major contributor is the construction and dredging of a nearly 50-foot-deep (15 meter), 500-foot-wide (150 meter) harbor entrance channel beginning in the early 20th century.

    In New York City, some neighborhoods in southern Queens see 15 minor tidal floods per year today. Computer modeling shows that these floods are caused in about equal measure by sea-level rise and landscape alterations, including dredging and wetland reclamation projects that fill in wetlands to build industrial sites, airports and neighborhoods.

    Evidence and computer modeling show that any hurricane storm surge affecting parts of New York City, Jacksonville, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Southeast Florida and Southwest Louisiana, among other locations, will likely produce higher water levels due to estuary urbanization, potentially causing more damage in unprotected regions.

    These costs have gone largely unnoticed, since changes have occurred gradually over the past 150 years. But as sea-level rise and turbo-charged storms increase flooding frequency and severity, the problem is becoming more visible.

    Building solutions to the flooding problem

    In response to rising sea levels, a different form of estuary urbanization is attracting new attention as a possible solution.

    Gated storm-surge barriers or tide gates are being built across estuaries or their inlets so they can be closed off during storm-surge events. Some examples include barriers for New Orleans; London; Venice, Italy; and the Netherlands. Such barriers are increasingly being proposed alongside levee systems for coastal protection of urbanized estuary shorelines.

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently recommended surge barriers for 11 additional estuaries, including near Miami, Jamaica Bay in Queens and Galveston, Texas.

    Surge barriers are not long-term solutions to flooding driven by sea-level rise, and their negative impacts remain poorly understood.

    Venice’s rising flood wall includes 58 gates, each about the size of two tennis courts, that rise to block the inlet from storm surge.

    Natural solutions

    Wetlands and mangroves have also emerged as a popular nature-based solution.

    Communities and government funding have focused on attempts to restore or create new wetlands as buffers in shoreline areas. But this solution is ineffective for flood protection in most harbor cities, such as New York, due to the lack of available space.

    A storm surge crossing over a mile of marsh can be reduced by several inches, depending on the site’s characteristics. But typical urban estuary waterfronts have only tens of feet of open space to work with, if that much. In a narrow space, the best that vegetation can do is reduce wave action, which often isn’t the the most pressing problem for cities on estuaries that are typically sheltered from wind-driven storm waves.

    As a result, engineered wetlands, while attractive, may be ineffective, especially if trends in ship sizes and estuarine urbanization continues.

    Better ways to put nature back to work

    Our research reveals an opportunity for scientists, engineers and broader society to think bigger – to consider a more comprehensive reshaping and restoration of the natural features of estuaries that once mitigated or absorbed flooding.

    Possible solutions include halting the maintenance dredging of underutilized shipping channels, gradually retreating from vulnerable – and now often waterlogged – landfill industrial sites and neighborhoods, and restoring these larger expanses to wetlands.

    These approaches can sharply reduce flooding and provide years of protection against sea-level rise. Restoration to historical channel and wetland configurations, however, is rarely given serious consideration in coastal storm risk management studies because of the perceived economic cost, but also because the cumulative effect of deeper channel depths is often unrecognized.

    Renaturing urbanized estuaries in these ways could be paired with buyout programs to also reclaim the floodplain, reducing risk in more sustainable ways. Or it could be paired with seawalls to protect existing neighborhoods in a more ecologically beneficial way. These approaches should be considered as alternatives to further urbanizing our cities’ few remaining natural areas – their estuaries.

    Philip M. Orton receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, pertaining to the assessment of coastal flooding from storms, high tides, sea level rise and estuary urbanization.

    Stefan Talke receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, the California Department of Transportation, Pacific Northwest National Labs, and the California Delta Stewardship Council. The research pertains to the effect of sea-level rise and anthropogenic change on tides and floods in the past, present, and future.

    – ref. Coastal cities have a hidden vulnerability to storm-surge and tidal flooding − entirely caused by humans – https://theconversation.com/coastal-cities-have-a-hidden-vulnerability-to-storm-surge-and-tidal-flooding-entirely-caused-by-humans-231374

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to be a boss at giving performance reviews

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Kip Holderness, Associate Professor of Forensic and Fraud Examination and Accounting, West Virginia University

    When you’re a manager, delivering feedback can feel like walking a tightrope. Whether you’re praising an employee’s accomplishments or addressing a shortfall, how you communicate can have a big impact on how your words are received and acted upon.

    As business school professors, we’ve done research into how to make the assessment process as painless as possible. And we’ve found three essential strategies for delivering feedback that’s both effective and constructive.

    Using these strategies will help you elevate the feedback process, fostering a more positive and productive work environment:

    1. Keep your emotions out of it

    Have you ever noticed that saying things like “I’m disappointed” or “I’m proud of you” can change a feedback conversation completely? That’s because the language you use – particularly emotionally charged words – can shift how employees interpret the feedback.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, our research shows that using negative emotional language – like “I’m disappointed” – can reduce employee motivation and effort. This happens because employees shift their focus away from their performance and toward how you, the manager, see them as a person.

    At the same time, using positive emotional language such as “I’m pleased” can sometimes backfire. That’s because it can make employees feel complacent.

    The key takeaway here is that using emotionally neutral language, especially when giving negative feedback, helps employees stay focused on their tasks without getting sidetracked by what the feedback says about them personally.

    Instead of saying, “I’m disappointed with your sales numbers,” try a more neutral approach, like “The sales numbers are below the target we set. Let’s discuss some strategies for improvement.”

    By keeping a lid on the emotions in your language, you keep the conversation focused on performance. That helps employees better understand what they need to work on, without the additional emotional burden.

    2. Let workers customize their experience

    Not all employees want the same type of feedback, and that’s perfectly OK. Giving employees the ability to choose the type and frequency of evaluations can boost performance.

    Workers who have a say in how often they are evaluated are more likely to use the process productively and feel less micromanaged, our research has found.

    Consider creating a feedback menu where employees can select areas for assessment, such as communication skills, leadership development or project management. An additional strategy is to let workers set the frequency of feedback sessions – whether they be weekly check-ins or more comprehensive quarterly reviews.

    When employees have ownership over the evaluation they receive, they are more open to it, perceive it as more valuable and are more likely to act on it.

    3. Choose the right messenger

    Who delivers the feedback can be just as important as the information itself. Our research has shown that some employees respond better to feedback from their peers, while others respond better when it’s from a manager.

    Specifically, we found that people with a greater sense of entitlement do better with feedback from a supervisor, while less entitled people respond better to peer feedback.

    That’s why it can be a good idea to use personality profiles to determine the best messenger for feedback. For instance, consider situations where a co-worker’s feedback could be reasonably delivered and from whom, like a peer mentor or team lead.

    By aligning the feedback source with the content and context, you ensure that the feedback resonates more deeply and is perceived as constructive rather than critical.

    Applying the principles in real life

    Managers may find that using these three strategies might require adjusting their current feedback approach, but the benefits are worth it. Here’s a quick example of how to apply these strategies:

    Imagine you have an employee, Mark, whose performance has recently dropped. In your feedback conversation, you might start with a neutral statement like “Mark, I’ve noticed that your recent projects have been missing their deadlines. Let’s discuss why this might be happening.” This language will help Mark focus on the issue without taking it as a personal attack.

    Next, offer Mark the option to set up regular biweekly check-ins or monthly reviews to see what works best for him. Finally, if Mark has a strong rapport with a team member who excels at time management, consider arranging a peer feedback session where they can share tips and strategies.

    The result? Mark feels supported rather than scrutinized, and the feedback is framed as an opportunity for growth rather than a reprimand.

    As researchers who’ve studied management communication and feedback strategies for years, we know that these approaches can transform the way people interact with their teams. By being intentional about giving feedback, managers can create environments where employees feel respected, valued and motivated to succeed.

    Kip Holderness has received funding in the past from the Institute of Management Accountants and the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

    Kari Olsen received funding from the Institute of Management Accountants Research Foundation.

    Todd Thornock has received funding from the Institute of Management Accountants Research Foundation.

    – ref. How to be a boss at giving performance reviews – https://theconversation.com/how-to-be-a-boss-at-giving-performance-reviews-233428

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Australia donates 49 Abrams tanks to Ukraine

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Defence Department Supplied Photo

    The Albanese government is giving 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, despite earlier this year apparently playing down the prospect of the donation.

    The latest Australian package is worth A$245 million. It brings the total Australian military aid to Ukraine since the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022 to A$1.3 billion, and overall Australian support to A$1.5 billion.

    When asked about a possible gift of the tanks in February, Defence Minister Richard Marles said it was “not on the agenda”.

    Government sources say donating the tanks required US approval since Australia had purchased them from Washington, so there had been a process to go through.

    Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy, who is on his way to the NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels, announced the decision in London. In Brussels, Conroy will meet with the Ukraine defence minister.

    Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea form the “Indo-Pacific Four” group of non-NATO countries attending the meeting.

    The 49 tanks are near the end of their life, so a small number will have to be repaired before they are delivered. Alternatively, they could be used as spare parts if Ukraine wants them delivered more quickly. Ukraine will decide which option to pursue.

    The Australian army is retaining a handful of the M1A1 Abrams to help the transition to the M1A2 fleet of tanks.

    Conroy said: “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in their fight against Russia’s illegal invasion. These tanks will deliver more firepower and mobility to the Ukrainian armed forces, and complement the support provided by our partners for Ukraine”.

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

    – ref. Australia donates 49 Abrams tanks to Ukraine – https://theconversation.com/australia-donates-49-abrams-tanks-to-ukraine-241485

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: San Gabriel Mountains National Monument project gets boost to improve access and water quality

    Source: US State of California 2

    Oct 15, 2024

    What you need to know: A $3.5 million federal grant will fund cleanup efforts at the recently expanded San Gabriel Mountains National Monument to improve access to the site and enhance water quality on the East Fork of the San Gabriel River, a key Southern California water source and recreational site within the national monument. 

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today highlighted a $3.5 million federal investment to improve access to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and enhance a key Southern California water source that provides Los Angeles County with one-third of its water supply.

    Federal, state, tribal and local partners celebrated the announcement today, which will support trash removal projects, create new walking trails and install additional restrooms on this popular stretch of the San Gabriel River used primarily for recreation by surrounding underserved communities.

    The state this month marked the 10-year anniversary of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, which was expanded by President Biden in May along with the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. This action increased protected lands in California by 130,000 acres. California has conserved more than 25% of its land to date and is on track to reach its 30×30 goal in collaboration with federal, state, tribal and community partners.  

    “This collaborative effort is a win-win that will improve an important source of water for Southern California communities, deliver a healthier watershed for native species and enhance outdoor access for millions in the Los Angeles Basin. California will continue working with partners across the board to protect and preserve our common home.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The State Water Board awarded an initial $1.5 million grant for the San Gabriel project and is planning an additional $2 million investment over the next three years through funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Nonpoint Source Pollution Management Program. The investments support a multi-phase project that will enhance river access, protect fragile forest and riparian habitat and improve conditions for sensitive species, including the endangered Santa Ana sucker. Construction on the project’s first phase is expected to start early next year and will include an access trail and stairs to the riverbank, native plant restoration, increased trash bins and dumpsters and an asphalt parking lot.  

    San Gabriel Mountains

    California’s ongoing work to conserve biodiversity and natural resources includes the state’s first-ever ancestral land return effort through the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Grant Program, which provided more than $100 million in funding for the return of roughly 40,000 acres to indigenous communities. The state is also advancing Nature-Based Solutions that support the ability of lands to absorb more carbon than they release, helping to combat the climate crisis. Earlier this year, the state opened the first new state park in nearly a decade, Dos Rios, which conserves approximately 1,600 acres of land and is the largest public-private floodplain restoration project in California.

    Recent news

    Oct 15, 2024

    News What you need to know: The state today broke ground on a project that expands ongoing restoration work at the Salton Sea to improve conditions for wildlife and surrounding communities. Most recently, $175 million in federal funding was made available to…

    Oct 15, 2024

    News What you need to know: California’s battery storage capacity has surged by more than 3,000 MW in the last six months alone, now exceeding 13,000 MW total — a 30% increase as the state endured its hottest summer on record.  SACRAMENTO – California’s battery…

    Oct 15, 2024

    News What you need to know: In September, California’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force continued its high rates of enforcement and is already well on its way to surpassing enforcement totals for all of 2023. This year, the task force has conducted 621 investigations…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Support for Member States after extreme weather events (including rebuilding road and bridge infrastructure) – P-002024/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    11.10.2024

    Priority question for written answer  P-002024/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Dariusz Joński (PPE)

    In response to the recent extreme weather events, including the floods that impacted many EU countries, particularly Poland, I would like to know what measures the Commission will take to help Member States rebuild their road and bridge infrastructure.

    The flooding caused severe damage in many regions, which is substantially impacting the safety and mobility of people living there and the functioning of the local economy. Rebuilding the damaged infrastructure will require action to be taken swiftly and promptly as well as substantial financial investment.

    In view of the above, could the Commission answer the following questions:

    • 1.What financial support instruments will the Commission mobilise to help countries hit by the calamity (including Poland) rebuild their road and bridge infrastructure?
    • 2.Does the Commission envisage additional funds or the possibility of more flexibility in using existing mechanisms, such as the EU Solidarity Fund, to quickly repair the damage and rebuild?
    • 3.In view of the increasing threat, will action be taken to effectively prepare and safeguard transportation infrastructure from the effects of natural disasters?

    Submitted: 11.10.2024

    Last updated: 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Foreign Secretary statement on aid to Gaza

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The Foreign Secretary has issued statement on the US letter relating to humanitarian aid entering into Gaza.

    Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

    The humanitarian situation in Northern Gaza is dire, with access to basic services worsening and the UN reporting that barely any food has entered in the last two weeks.

    Israel must ensure civilians are protected and ensure routes are open to allow life-saving aid through. Along with our French and Algerian counterparts, we have called an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council today to address this.

    While the conflict continues, all parties are bound by international humanitarian law. Reflecting our concerns – the UK made the difficult decision last month to suspend export licences to Israel that could be used in military operations in Gaza. This does not change our steadfast support for Israel’s security.

    Along with our international partners, we continue to call for an immediate ceasefire, to allow more humanitarian aid to get in and get the remaining hostages out.

    Media enquiries

    Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

    Telephone 020 7008 3100

    Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: GITEX GLOBAL 2024: Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution unveiled to the world on “AI Super Tuesday”

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 16, 2024/APO Group/ —

    • International exhibitors presented the most groundbreaking innovations helping shape the future of society and industry
    • “Cybersecurity Day” next up as world’s largest and best-rated tech event reaches halfway stage on Wednesday

    Hot on the heels of a memorable first day where GITEX GLOBAL 2024 (http://apo-opa.co/4hlR7gj) opened the doors for its biggest-ever international edition, the entire global tech ecosystem experienced another action-packed agenda on Tuesday at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).

    Taking place from 14-18 October, GITEX GLOBAL presents a record-breaking edition in its 44th year – welcoming over 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800 startups, 1,200 investors alongside governments from more than 180 countries.

    With five themed days locked in across the 2024 event programme, a technology taking the world by storm was the focal point as “AI Super Tuesday” presented the most groundbreaking innovations helping shape the future of society and industry.

    A technology with vast transformative potential

    As AI takes centre stage in drug discovery, the world could soon witness the most significant shift in medicine since the advent of modern pharmaceuticals. But with such rapid advancements, a mesmerising Tuesday session – ‘The Next Leap in Medicine: Are we on the Edge of a Breakthrough?’ – saw experts discuss whether AI transformation is fast approaching or further away than some anticipate.

    Dr. Shameer Khader, Global Head and Executive Director – Computational Biology Cluster, Precision Medicine and Computational Biology at global pharmaceutical company Sanofi, gave AI an emphatic endorsement. He said: “Drug discovery on average takes 10-15 years and one project around $1.5-2 billion in cost. Is that something sustainable? The model must change, and we should harness AI capabilities and value across the ecosystem. We should optimise every single process to reduce development costs, streamline the drug discovery lifestyle, and build data disease models and infrastructure.”

    In a special case study, audiences became acquainted with ‘BabyX’ – an interactive simulation of a lifelike infant through AI. This virtual animated baby learns and reacts like a human infant with a built-in virtual brain with detailed likeness to that of a human. Functioning through biological AI and an operating system called Brain Language, stimulated neurochemical reactions help BabyX decide how she will react – something that could prove revolutionary in the future AI economy.

    Elaborating on the significance of BabyX, Dr. Mark Sagar, its creator who co-founded New Zealand-based Soul Machines, pointed out the defining difference between human and AI intelligence, adding: “As humans, we learn from a young age though exploring the world and experimenting. Play is such a key part of making intelligence open-ended and inventive, but it’s one thing what’s missing from current AI. If we’re ever going to regulate general AI intelligence, we need to build cognitive architecture that yields intelligent behaviour through a comprehensive approach.”

    A catalyst for forward-facing collaboration

    Alongside the profound transformative potential of AI, GITEX GLOBAL’s status as a catalyst for collaboration and forward-facing projects was on full display. A number of exciting high-profile partnerships were officially unveiled at the world’s largest and best-rated tech event, with one involved KAOUN – the world-leading organiser of business events and trade fairs, leading all GITEX events outside the UAE.

    Tuesday saw KAOUN sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Digital Dubai Authority to grow the GITEX ecosystem, support Dubai’s internationalisation strategy, and explore new partnership opportunities. Additionally, AWS and e& entered into a $1 billion-plus agreement as part of new strategic alliance to deliver cloud solutions and supporting AI deployment and digital transformation across the region. 

    Tuesday casts spotlight on AI’s cross-sector impact and demands

    Elsewhere on the Super AI Tuesday agenda, another applauded show illustrated how high-performance computing is steering humanity’s quest for the next generation of aircraft. During ‘Quantum Maturation: Introducing The “Quantum Mobility Quest”’, companies were urged to move beyond the physical limits of present-day computing today and scale up future-focused solutions to unlock aviation’s vast potential.

    Isabell Gradert, Vice President of Central Research & Technology, Airbus, Germany, said: “Aviation is embedded in the tapestry of our global-leading industries and is one with the highest computation needs. Quantum computing is seen as the next big gamechanger in the aviation industry and has the potential to solve the most complex aerospace challenges and create a paradigm shift in the way aircrafts are built and flown. This is a very exciting time.”

    Additionally, audiences familiarised themselves with a wide of services and solutions being showcased by GITEX GLOBAL exhibitors. UAE-based Presight, the region’s leading big data analytics company powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI), unveiled its Intelli Platform, an AI-powered management and operations platform that lets cities, transport, energy, and infrastructure organisations immediately use Generative AI.

    AWS also cast a spotlight on AWS Bedrock, a fully managed service that enables enterprises to easily build, customise, and deploy generative AI applications using foundation models from top AI providers, all through the AWS platform.

    GITEX GLOBAL 2024 continues Wednesday as “Cybersecurity Day” welcomes an ensemble cast of thought leaders and experts to explore the emerging threats landscape, counter-infringement strategies, and tools organisations require in an increasingly digital world.

    GITEX Editions (https://apo-opa.co/4h8xBn9) also presents Intelligent Connectivity (https://apo-opa.co/4hayjAy) with visitors set to explore how industry leaders can bridge digital divides and harness emerging technology to drive innovation and economic growth. The World Future Economy Digital Leaders Summit (https://apo-opa.co/4hlR8kn) also continues with another star-studded cast of world-renowned experts and innovative minds.  

    GITEX GLOBAL is seamlessly connecting with the world’s largest network of tech events, including GITEX EUROPE Berlin, GITEX ASIA Singapore, GITEX AFRICA Morocco, and GITEX NIGERIA. These events are fostering collaboration and driving innovation to shape the tech landscape of tomorrow.

    More information on GITEX GLOBAL, please visit http://www.GITEX.com

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Saturday, 19 October 2024

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Fire Danger Ratings tell you how dangerous a fire could be if one started.

    They are important because they help you decide what actions to take to protect yourself and others from bushfires and grassfires.

    Fire danger ratings are shown in the same way across all of Australia, so whether you’re at home or travelling, you will see the same rating system. 

    The new Fire Danger Ratings

    There are four levels of fire danger:

    • Moderate – Plan and prepare
    • High – Be ready to act
    • Extreme – Take action now to protect your life and property
    • Catastrophic – For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas

    Fire Danger Ratings will be issued on days when there is a fire risk.

    Each fire danger rating will have a clear set of messages including the actions the community can take to reduce their risk.

    Ratings are forecast using Bureau of Meteorology data for up to four days in advance, based on weather and other environmental conditions such as vegetation.

    The rating is your trigger to take action to stay safe.

    What do the ratings mean and what should you do?

    CATASTROPHIC

    What does it mean?

    If a fire starts and takes hold, lives are likely to be lost.

    • These are the most dangerous conditions for a fire.

    What should I do?

    For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas.

    • Your life may depend on the decisions you make, even before there is a fire.
    • For your survival, do not be in bushfire risk areas.
    • Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before.
    • Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. You may not be able to leave and help may not be available.

    EXTREME

    What does it mean?

    Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous.

    • These are dangerous fire conditions.
    • Expect hot, dry and windy conditions.

    What should I do?

    Take action now to protect your life and property

    • Check your bushfire plan and that your property is fire ready
    • If a fire starts, take immediate action. If you and your property are not prepared to the highest level, go to a safer location well before the fire impacts.
    • Reconsider travel through bushfire risk areas.
    • Leaving bushfire risk areas early in the day is your safest option.

    HIGH

    What does it mean?

    Fires can be dangerous.

    What should I do?

    Be ready to act.

    • There’s a heightened risk. Be alert for fires in your area.
    • Decide what you will do if a fire starts.
    • If a fire starts, your life and property may be at risk. The safest option is to avoid bushfire risk areas.

    MODERATE

    What does it mean?

    Most fires can be controlled.

    What should I do?

    Plan and prepare.

    • Stay up to date and be ready to act if there is a fire.

    NO RATING

    The system also introduces an ‘off’ level for days where no proactive action is required by the community. This does not mean that fires cannot happen, but that they are not likely to move or act in a way that threatens the safety of the community. This rating is the thin white wedge on the colour wheel sitting under ‘Moderate’.

    Find out more

    To see the current Fire Danger Rating forecast across the state see Total Fire Bans & Fire Danger Ratings. To see the Fire Danger Rating forecast for where you are, see CFA Local.

    For more detailed information, check out the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities (AFAC) website and FAQs, or Prepare and Get Ready – VicEmergency

     

    Page last updated:  Thursday, 10 October 2024 7:49:48 PM

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Sunday, 20 October 2024

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Fire Danger Ratings tell you how dangerous a fire could be if one started.

    They are important because they help you decide what actions to take to protect yourself and others from bushfires and grassfires.

    Fire danger ratings are shown in the same way across all of Australia, so whether you’re at home or travelling, you will see the same rating system. 

    The new Fire Danger Ratings

    There are four levels of fire danger:

    • Moderate – Plan and prepare
    • High – Be ready to act
    • Extreme – Take action now to protect your life and property
    • Catastrophic – For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas

    Fire Danger Ratings will be issued on days when there is a fire risk.

    Each fire danger rating will have a clear set of messages including the actions the community can take to reduce their risk.

    Ratings are forecast using Bureau of Meteorology data for up to four days in advance, based on weather and other environmental conditions such as vegetation.

    The rating is your trigger to take action to stay safe.

    What do the ratings mean and what should you do?

    CATASTROPHIC

    What does it mean?

    If a fire starts and takes hold, lives are likely to be lost.

    • These are the most dangerous conditions for a fire.

    What should I do?

    For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas.

    • Your life may depend on the decisions you make, even before there is a fire.
    • For your survival, do not be in bushfire risk areas.
    • Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before.
    • Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. You may not be able to leave and help may not be available.

    EXTREME

    What does it mean?

    Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous.

    • These are dangerous fire conditions.
    • Expect hot, dry and windy conditions.

    What should I do?

    Take action now to protect your life and property

    • Check your bushfire plan and that your property is fire ready
    • If a fire starts, take immediate action. If you and your property are not prepared to the highest level, go to a safer location well before the fire impacts.
    • Reconsider travel through bushfire risk areas.
    • Leaving bushfire risk areas early in the day is your safest option.

    HIGH

    What does it mean?

    Fires can be dangerous.

    What should I do?

    Be ready to act.

    • There’s a heightened risk. Be alert for fires in your area.
    • Decide what you will do if a fire starts.
    • If a fire starts, your life and property may be at risk. The safest option is to avoid bushfire risk areas.

    MODERATE

    What does it mean?

    Most fires can be controlled.

    What should I do?

    Plan and prepare.

    • Stay up to date and be ready to act if there is a fire.

    NO RATING

    The system also introduces an ‘off’ level for days where no proactive action is required by the community. This does not mean that fires cannot happen, but that they are not likely to move or act in a way that threatens the safety of the community. This rating is the thin white wedge on the colour wheel sitting under ‘Moderate’.

    Find out more

    To see the current Fire Danger Rating forecast across the state see Total Fire Bans & Fire Danger Ratings. To see the Fire Danger Rating forecast for where you are, see CFA Local.

    For more detailed information, check out the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities (AFAC) website and FAQs, or Prepare and Get Ready – VicEmergency

     

    Page last updated:  Thursday, 10 October 2024 7:49:48 PM

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Monday, 21 October 2024

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Fire Danger Ratings tell you how dangerous a fire could be if one started.

    They are important because they help you decide what actions to take to protect yourself and others from bushfires and grassfires.

    Fire danger ratings are shown in the same way across all of Australia, so whether you’re at home or travelling, you will see the same rating system. 

    The new Fire Danger Ratings

    There are four levels of fire danger:

    • Moderate – Plan and prepare
    • High – Be ready to act
    • Extreme – Take action now to protect your life and property
    • Catastrophic – For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas

    Fire Danger Ratings will be issued on days when there is a fire risk.

    Each fire danger rating will have a clear set of messages including the actions the community can take to reduce their risk.

    Ratings are forecast using Bureau of Meteorology data for up to four days in advance, based on weather and other environmental conditions such as vegetation.

    The rating is your trigger to take action to stay safe.

    What do the ratings mean and what should you do?

    CATASTROPHIC

    What does it mean?

    If a fire starts and takes hold, lives are likely to be lost.

    • These are the most dangerous conditions for a fire.

    What should I do?

    For your survival, leave bushfire risk areas.

    • Your life may depend on the decisions you make, even before there is a fire.
    • For your survival, do not be in bushfire risk areas.
    • Stay safe by going to a safer location early in the morning or the night before.
    • Homes cannot withstand fires in these conditions. You may not be able to leave and help may not be available.

    EXTREME

    What does it mean?

    Fires will spread quickly and be extremely dangerous.

    • These are dangerous fire conditions.
    • Expect hot, dry and windy conditions.

    What should I do?

    Take action now to protect your life and property

    • Check your bushfire plan and that your property is fire ready
    • If a fire starts, take immediate action. If you and your property are not prepared to the highest level, go to a safer location well before the fire impacts.
    • Reconsider travel through bushfire risk areas.
    • Leaving bushfire risk areas early in the day is your safest option.

    HIGH

    What does it mean?

    Fires can be dangerous.

    What should I do?

    Be ready to act.

    • There’s a heightened risk. Be alert for fires in your area.
    • Decide what you will do if a fire starts.
    • If a fire starts, your life and property may be at risk. The safest option is to avoid bushfire risk areas.

    MODERATE

    What does it mean?

    Most fires can be controlled.

    What should I do?

    Plan and prepare.

    • Stay up to date and be ready to act if there is a fire.

    NO RATING

    The system also introduces an ‘off’ level for days where no proactive action is required by the community. This does not mean that fires cannot happen, but that they are not likely to move or act in a way that threatens the safety of the community. This rating is the thin white wedge on the colour wheel sitting under ‘Moderate’.

    Find out more

    To see the current Fire Danger Rating forecast across the state see Total Fire Bans & Fire Danger Ratings. To see the Fire Danger Rating forecast for where you are, see CFA Local.

    For more detailed information, check out the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities (AFAC) website and FAQs, or Prepare and Get Ready – VicEmergency

     

    Page last updated:  Thursday, 10 October 2024 7:49:48 PM

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Pobol y Cwm: BBC’s longest running TV soap celebrates 50 years on air

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jamie Medhurst, Professor of Film and Media, Aberystwyth University

    “We had a special kind of audience in mind: the Welsh who have never read Barn or Y Faner (two popular Welsh-language publications written in a scholarly tone) but live their lives every day in the natural sound of the Welsh language.” That’s how dramatist Gwenlyn Parry described the target audience of the new BBC Wales soap opera, Pobol y Cwm, which was broadcast for the first time 50 years ago ago, on October 16 1974.

    Pobol y Cwm – which means “people of the valley” – is set in the fictional village of Cwmderi, in the Gwendraeth valley, south-west Wales. It was originally filmed at Broadway Studios in Cardiff, then on a purpose-built lot at BBC Broadcasting House, also in the Welsh capital. But since 2011, the programme has been mainly filmed at the BBC’s drama studios at Roath Lock in Cardiff Bay.

    BBC Wales’ television service had been in existence for ten years by the time the series was broadcast. Television producer John Hefin felt there was a need for a long drama series in Welsh, which would meet the needs of audiences in the same way as Coronation Street had been doing on ITV since 1960.

    Hefin and Parry’s vision was evident. In planning meetings for the series, it was noted that “the main aim of the series is pure entertainment and from a mathematical analysis it will require 70% easy, humorous lightness, and 30% personal and social problems”.

    Other guidelines for the series were clear from the start – no preaching about the state of the Welsh language, the evils of drugs, the dangers of sex, or theological dogma. The main aim was to “develop a story line full of seemingly insignificant events but conveying a believable whole of Welsh village life”.

    The Welsh language soap first began on BBC One Wales in October 1974 before moving to S4C in 1982, where it continues to this day.

    Soap history

    Soap operas can be traced back to the early days of US radio, when drama series were sponsored by washing powder manufacturers, hence the word “soap”. The BBC launched drama series, or soap operas, on the radio after the end of the second world war. Examples include Mrs Dale’s Diary in 1948 and, of course, The Archers in 1951.

    But audiences had to wait until 1954 until the first soap opera was launched on the BBC’s television service, The Grove Family. But the life of this series was short-lived, ending in 1957.

    In December 1960, ITV Granada launched Coronation Street, a series about everyday street life in the Manchester area. It soon became extremely popular among viewers across Britain. The appeal of the series was in its simplicity. It focused on the normal lives of working class people. The plot was derived from the setting and personalities, especially the strong female characters.

    Tony Warren was the man who sold the idea of Coronation Street to the Granada company. He realised, at the end of the 1950s, that the way of life in that part of England was changing. Warren wanted to capture and preserve traditional spirit and show it to the rest of the country.

    I wonder, then, when proposing an idea for a soap opera to the BBC at the beginning of the 1970s, whether Hefin and Parry had the same feeling. The Wales of the time was changing, after all. The 1971 census showed that the Welsh language was under siege.

    It was felt by many within the BBC that a series reflecting old Welsh values was needed. And yet it also needed to be contemporary, with an element of realism. This is the trick for successful soap opera producers – the series must be “real” enough so that people can believe in the characters, and can identify with them in times of joy and sadness.

    Pobol y Cwm was a success from the outset, and that continued throughout the 1970s and 1980s. When musician John Lennon died in December 1980, a film about the Beatles was broadcast on BBC Wales as a tribute instead of Pobol y Cwm. It resulted in hundreds of loyal soap opera viewers flooding the switchboard of Broadcasting House in Cardiff with complaints.

    The BBC also received complaints that there were too many scenes taking place in the pub because this was not a “Welsh” thing to do. And yet, according to Parry, there were no complaints when a scene was shown with one of the main characters, Reg Harries, having an affair with the schoolmaster’s wife in the early 1980s.

    Famous faces

    Pobol y Cwm has nurtured the talent of several actors who have become more widely known. Among them Ioan Gruffudd, Iwan Rheon and Alexandra Roach. And several other celebrities have made cameo appearances in the series over the years, including actor Michael Sheen, presenter Michael Aspel and wrestler Giant Haystacks.

    In an article in the Welsh newspaper Y Cymro in 1975, Parry said: “The aim was to produce stuff that a natural Welsh person would watch, not because it was in Welsh, but because it was entertaining. The kind of stuff that will be needed to draw viewers to the fourth channel when it comes.”

    Still produced by BBC Wales, the series moved to Wales’ new fourth channel, S4C, in 1982 and the viewers followed. It remains among the channel’s most popular programmes.


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    Jamie Medhurst has received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the British Academy, and the Leverhulme Trust.

    – ref. Pobol y Cwm: BBC’s longest running TV soap celebrates 50 years on air – https://theconversation.com/pobol-y-cwm-bbcs-longest-running-tv-soap-celebrates-50-years-on-air-241390

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Applied Systems, Ivans and EZLynx Recognized in the 2024 PropertyCasualty360 Insurance Luminaries Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Chicago, IL., Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Applied Systems today announced that the company and two of its subsidiaries, Ivans and EZLynx, have been named to PropertyCasualty360’s Insurance Luminaries Class of 2024 in the categories of Technology Innovation and Innovation in Workplace Culture. The Technology Innovation category recognizes those advancing the insurance industry through digitalization and customer experience improvements. The Innovation in Workplace Culture category honors those enhancing the industry’s reputation as a career choice and promoting employee satisfaction through diversity, wellness, ESG initiatives, and community service.

    • Applied Systems – Innovation in Workplace Culture
    • Ivans – Technology Innovation – Company Category
    • Applied Pay – Technology Innovation – Product Category
    • EZLynx Management System – Technology Innovation – Product Category

    “My colleagues and I are thrilled to be able to recognize pace-setting insurance organizations, programs, practices, teams, and individuals as part of the annual PropertyCasualty360 Insurance Luminaries recognition program,” says Elana Ashanti Jefferson, executive editor, NU Property & Casualty. “This year’s honorees pay homage to the industry’s mission to make insureds whole after a major loss while adapting to challenging business conditions created by historic storms, inflation, and litigation trends.”

    This recognition celebrates innovation in the property and casualty insurance industry. The program spotlights top professionals, teams, organizations, programs, practices and products within the sector that strive to modernize and humanize the business. The 2024 honorees were selected by a panel of industry experts based on how well they stated and achieved goals with regards to the nomination category; how impactful their work has been; how dedicated the nominee has been to furthering modernization and humanization in the P&C insurance business; and how committed and dedicated the nominee has been to high ethical standards, service and excellence.

    “We are honored to be recognized in the 2024 PropertyCasualty360 Insurance Luminaries Awards,” said Taylor Rhodes, chief executive officer, Applied Systems. “This recognition is a testament to the people across our organization and our commitment to being Indispensable Partners to one another, our customers and our industry.”

    # # #

    The Applied products and logos are trademarks of Applied Systems, Inc., registered in the U.S.

     

    About Applied Systems
    Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and the innovation leader, Applied is the world’s largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied’s people and products enable millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most.

    The MIL Network –