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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Global: South Africa’s unity government is being tested – the toppling of a mayor in a key city exposes faultlines

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Susan Booysen, Visiting Professor and Professor Emeritus, University of the Witwatersrand

    South Africa’s long-governing party, the ANC, performed disastrously in the country’s May 2024 elections. Its electoral fortunes are now tied to regaining support in Gauteng, the most populous and economically important province, which it had governed with outright majorities since 1994. In 2024 the ANC’s Gauteng result of 34.8%, along with its 17% in KwaZulu-Natal, sealed the party’s loss of its national outright majority. We asked political scientist Susan Booysen for her perspective on the ANC’s battle for Tshwane, the administrative seat of the national government, where the party used a newly constituted coalition to topple the Democratic Alliance mayor, Cilliers Brink.

    What lies behind the Gauteng ANC’s toppling of the DA mayor of Tshwane?

    For the ANC (African National Congress) to regain majority electoral support, much will depend on the Gauteng province’s populous base. The three Gauteng metropolitan municipalities of Tshwane, Johannesburg, and Ekurhuleni are key in this project. Besides constituting South Africa’s financial hub and having huge budgets, these metropolitan councils (metros) symbolise the country’s cultural heartbeat, and are a gateway to the rest of the continent.

    The ANC’s political control of these bases has been lessening. It fears further lapses may make the losses irreversible. It lost outright control of the Gauteng metros in 2016: it slipped to 49% in Ekurhuleni, 46% in Johannesburg and 41% in Tshwane. The 2021 local elections confirmed both the ANC’s slide and rule by unstable coalition governments.

    Since the 2021 elections, the metros have had multiple coalition governments. The ANC has, through coalition, reclaimed control of the top council positions in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.

    What does the toppling of Brink say about internal ANC party dynamics?

    Following their national coalition agreement of June 2024, parties to the coalition government have been discussing cascading the agreement to the provincial and local levels. These talks have been inconclusive.

    The ouster of the mayor of Tshwane was not explicitly or publicly condoned by the ANC’s national leadership. Neither did they stop it. The Tshwane crisis exposes the ANC’s internal party dynamics.

    The ANC in the province and in the Tshwane council constituted an alternative alliance – between the party, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and ActionSA. ActionSA broke its previous alignment with the Democratic Alliance in favour of the ANC.

    Jointly the ANC, EFF and ActionSA hold 117 out of the 214 Tshwane council seats. They used this majority to pass a motion of no confidence against Brink and, in effect, his entire mayoral committee. A small band of one-seat parties reinforced Brink’s ejection.

    The Tshwane development highlighted one of the key faultlines in the government of national unity: the Gauteng ANC’s disdain for the unity government agreement. The national unity government comprises the ANC, DA, Inkatha Freedom Party, Patriotic Alliance, Freedom Front Plus and five other tiny parties. The agreement has the support of the majority in the ANC’s national executive committee (NEC), its highest decision-making body between elective conferences.

    The NEC had originally been strongly divided on forming a coalition with the DA.

    After being elected Gauteng premier with the support of the DA, Panyaza Lesufi constituted the Gauteng executive with the Patriotic Alliance, Rise Mzansi and Inkatha Freedom Party. It excludes the DA.

    Lesufi had offered the DA executive posts that would have placed it in a minor and subjected position in the province. The ANC’s national leadership accepted this. The DA rejected it.

    What are the implications for ANC-DA cooperation in the national government and other municipalities?

    The DA is fighting to have Cilliers Brink reinstated as mayor of Tshwane. It argues that the ANC’s capturing of the position threatens the unity government.

    The DA appears to be angling for a fairer dispensation within the overall coalition formation, given its importance as the second largest party in the coalition government, rather than rejection of the GNU government. The DA needs the coalition as much as the ANC does.

    The coalition government’s statement of intent, and how it is reflected in the lower provincial and municipal levels, are the key issue at stake.

    The Tshwane crisis stands in the context of other local governments where new alliances are forming outside the formula of the national coalition government.

    The crisis is in all probability not threatening the national coalition. But it may result in the fleshing out of the generally vaguely defined and minimalist Statement of Intent (the coalition agreement). In recent weeks more clarity has already emerged regarding conflict resolution in the unity government. The Tshwane crisis is likely to show whether and how the national level agreement resonates provincially and locally.

    In fact, the lesson from the Tshwane coalition fiasco might be that there ought to be no expectations that the coalition government’s formula of approximate proportionality among its constituent parties will be reflected in the executives of the lower-level structures.

    The DA stressed at the time of Brink’s removal that it had been in discussions with ANC national secretary general Fikile Mbalula and ANC negotiator David Makhura – and progress had been made for the two parties to jointly “stabilise” the Gauteng metros (read “exercise power-sharing”). It may have entailed the DA supporting the ANC in Ekurhuleni, and the ANC the DA in Tshwane.

    But the proposal came to naught when the ANC proceeded to capture Tshwane, which it last governed in 2016.

    The effect of the Tshwane fallout is likely to be heightened instability in South Africa’s metro councils. Without ANC-DA cooperation, much of the coalitions detente that had become possible in the wake of the national coalition agreement may dissipate. Instead, alternating coalition governments, through motions of no confidence, may proliferate.

    The instability caused by such party political tit-for-tats and coalition musical chairs, both in the large metropolitan councils and the local municipalities, will contribute to citizens suffering poor delivery of services – although it is not the sole cause.

    What does the ANC’s failure to sing from the same hymn book mean for the party?

    The Tshwane crisis goes to the heart of the struggles unfolding in the ANC.

    The ANC of 2024 is inherently unstable as it fights for electoral survival.

    Its national executive committee and presidency act in ways that hint at them lacking the power to call the shots in relation to coalitions in some provinces and municipalities; and reining in its Gauteng premier and provincial executive committee.

    This, as the party is trying to position itself favourably, through leadership changes, ahead of its national general council meeting next year, and its elective conference of 2027, in the hope of reversing electoral declines in local, provincial and national elections.

    Besides KwaZulu-Natal’s centrality to this process, Gauteng holds the base of ANC succession given that it is political home to its deputy president, Paul Mashatile, and Lesufi.

    The search for a new mayor for Tshwane unleashed a candidacy contest within the ANC. ANC mayoralty candidates are proliferating. They are emerging from the ranks of the politically powerful, anointed by high-level ANC power holders, along with candidates in the local ANC party structures and in the council itself.

    The legacy of the 2016 violent struggles and mayhem in the city amid anger about succession are invoked to justify some proposals. These struggles seem oblivious to new coalition contexts, and the ANC’s loss of majority power.

    Unless the fractious and divided ANC finds a united and consistent voice on coalitions, it may lose out on the possibility of using coalitions to regain electoral support. Unless the ANC in Gauteng is using the metros to confirm its alternative to the national formula.

    Susan Booysen in the past had received funding from HSRC, via various (completed) university projects; and has until recently been employed full-time by MISTRA.

    – ref. South Africa’s unity government is being tested – the toppling of a mayor in a key city exposes faultlines – https://theconversation.com/south-africas-unity-government-is-being-tested-the-toppling-of-a-mayor-in-a-key-city-exposes-faultlines-239986

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Opens Eighty-Ninth Session

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women this morning opened its eighty-ninth session, hearing a statement from the Representative of the Secretary-General, and adopting its agenda for the session, during which it will review the reports of Benin, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, New Zealand and Saudi Arabia.

    Opening the session, Mahamane Cissé-Gouro, Director of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Representative of the Secretary-General, extended his congratulations to the Committee members who had been re-elected to serve on the Committee for another term from January 2025. 

    Mr. Cissé-Gouro said that at the Summit of the Future, the Heads of State and Government adopted an action-oriented Pact for the Future, including a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations, which noted that none of the goals could be achieved without the full participation and representation of all women in political and economic life.  These principles were reflected in the Committee’s draft general recommendation no. 40 on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems, which would be adopted and made public at the end of the session. Mr. Cissé-Gouro wished the Committee a successful and productive session. 

    Ana Peláez Narváez, Chairperson of the Committee, said that since the last session, the number of States parties that had ratified the Convention had remained at 189. The number of States parties that had accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1 of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee remained at 81.  Kazakhstan, Paraguay, Republic of Moldova and Syria had submitted their periodic reports and San Marino had submitted its combined initial to fifth periodic report to the Committee.

    The Committee adopted the agenda and programme of work of the session, and the Chair and Committee Experts then discussed the inter-sessional activities they had undertaken since the last session.

    Leticia Bonifaz Alfonzo, Committee Rapporteur, introduced the report of the pre-sessional working group for the eighty-ninth session, and Natasha Stott Despoja, Committee Rapporteur on follow-up to concluding observations, briefed the Committee on the status of the follow-up reports received in response to the Committee’s concluding observations.

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-ninth session is being held from 7 October to 25 October.  All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet at 3 p.m. this afternoon, Monday, 7 October, with representatives of national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations who will brief about the situation of women in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand, whose reports will be reviewed this week.

    Opening Statement by the Representative of the Secretary-General

    MAHAMANE CISSÉ-GOURO, Director, Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Representative of the Secretary-General, said he was encouraged by the fact that all the annual sessions of the treaty bodies could take place despite the current liquidity situation facing the United Nations.  He then extended congratulations to Committee members who had been re-elected to serve on the Committee for another term from January 2025, namely Corinne Dettmeijer-Vermeulen, Nahla Haidar, Bandana Rana and Natasha Stott Despoja.  The multiple challenges of today’s world, in particular conflicts and pushback against women’s rights, highlighted the importance of having a strong, productive and independent Committee. 

    The Summit of the Future, the major event of the year at the United Nations, took place on 22 and 23 September at the United Nations headquarters in New York.  At the Summit, the Heads of State and Government adopted an action-oriented Pact for the Future, including a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations, which noted that none of the goals could be achieved without the full participation and representation of all women in political and economic life.  These principles were reflected in the Committee’s draft general recommendation no. 40 on the equal and inclusive representation of women in decision-making systems, which would be adopted and made public at the end of the session. 

    Mr. Cissé-Gouro congratulated the Committee on this innovative roadmap.  He was encouraged that the Committee took the opportunity to present the future general recommendation no. 40 and promote its synergies with the Pact for the Future at the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly’s Women Leaders Platform, in New York. 

    On 25 September, to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family, the Human Rights Council held a panel discussion on the implementation of States’ obligations under relevant provisions of international human rights law on the role of the family in supporting the protection and promotion of human rights of its members.  This year’s annual discussion on the integration of a gender perspective throughout the work of the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms, held on 30 September, focused on the theme of enhancing gender integration in human rights investigations: a victim-centred perspective.  The outcome of the panel discussion could also inform the important work of the Committee on inquiries.  The Council would also adopt resolutions on the thirtieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action, and on domestic violence.

    The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continued to actively support efforts to strengthen the treaty body system, which was the key topic at the thirty-sixth annual meeting of the treaty body Chairpersons in New York in June 2024. The Chairs reiterated the call for resources in their recent statement welcoming the adoption of the Pact for the Future. 

    In that regard, the upcoming General Assembly resolution on the human rights treaty body system would be an important opportunity for Member States to reiterate their commitment to strengthening the treaty bodies by addressing the remaining challenges, including those related to resources.  Mr. Cissé-Gouro said this was the last session for seven Committee members, whose terms would come to an end at the end of the year, namely Nicole Ameline, Marion Bethel, Leticia Bonifaz Alfonzo, Hilary Gbedemah, Dalia Leinarte, Rosario Manalo and Jie Xia.  He thanked them for their dedicated service, and concluded by wishing the Committee a successful and productive session.

    Statements by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert thanked Mr. Cissé-Gouro for his speech, congratulating the new members and those who were finishing their terms.  Technology, innovation and a gender equality strategy were vital and many organizations were already doing this.  As an international organization, the United Nations needed to adopt an internal general equality strategy. 

    The Committee then adopted its agenda and programme of work for the session.

    ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chairperson, paid homage to three experts who were absent due to health reasons and new responsibilities.  She congratulated the new experts and wished them every success. Since the last session, the number of States parties that had ratified the Convention remained at 189.  The number of States parties that had accepted the amendment to article 20, paragraph 1 of the Convention concerning the meeting time of the Committee, remained at 81.  Since the last session, Kazakhstan, Paraguay, Republic of Moldova and Syria had submitted their periodic reports and San Marino submitted its combined initial to fifth periodic report to the Committee.  Since making the simplified reporting procedure the default procedure for States parties’ reporting to the Committee, the number of States parties that had indicated they wished to opt out and maintain the traditional procedure remained at 13. 

    Ms. Peláez Narváez and Committee Experts then discussed inter-sessional activities they had undertaken since the last session, which included attending the award of the Legion of Honour Medal to Committee Member Nicole Ameline, by President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris. 

    LETICIA BONIFAZ ALFONZO, Committee Rapporteur, introduced the report of the pre-sessional working group for the eighty-ninth session, which met from 19 to 23 February 2024 in Geneva.  The working group prepared lists of issues and questions in relation to the reports of Belize, Chad, Republic of Congo, Nepal and Viet Nam, in addition to lists of issues and questions prior to the submission of the reports of Cyprus and Saint Lucia under the simplified reporting procedure. 

    ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chairperson, said that, in light of the backlog of State party reports pending consideration by the Committee accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee had decided to postpone the consideration of the States parties referred to in the report of the pre-sessional working group to future sessions. 

    NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA, Committee Rapporteur on follow-up to concluding observations, briefed the Committee on the status of the follow-up reports received in response to the Committee’s concluding observations.  She said that at the end of the eighty-eighth session, follow-up letters outlining the outcome of assessments of follow-up reports were sent to the Russian Federation and Uzbekistan.  Reminder letters were sent to the Dominican Republic, Gabon, Lebanon, Panama, Peru, Senegal and Uganda.  A shortened version of the follow-up report of Sweden was received in mid-August 2024, with more than an eight-month delay.  The Committee had received follow-up reports from Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Morocco and Türkiye, all received on time; from Peru, with more than five months’ delay; and from South Africa, with an eight-month delay.  Reminders regarding follow-up reports should be sent to Mongolia, Namibia, Portugal and the United Arab Emirates. 

     

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

     

    CEDAW24.022E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Civil Society Organizations Brief the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on the Situation of Women in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women was this afternoon briefed by representatives of civil society organizations on the situation of women’s rights in Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand, whose reports the Committee will review this week.

    In relation to Lao People’s Democratic Republic, speakers raised concerns regarding gender-based violence, human trafficking, and the experiences of Hmong women and girls. 

    Non-governmental organizations speaking on Saudi Arabia raised topics on the imprisonment of women human rights defenders, women on death row, and the treatment of female domestic workers. 

    On New Zealand, speakers addressed the situation of Māori women and girls, the treatment of transgender and intersex persons, and the gender pay gap.

    The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Association for Development of Women and Legal Education; Gender Development Association; the Alliance for Democracy in Laos; Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization in affiliation with its member the Congress of World Hmong People; and Hawai’i Centre for Human Rights Research and Action and on behalf of the Advocates for Human Rights, the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, and Harm Reduction International.

    The following non-governmental organizations spoke on Saudi Arabia: Amnesty International; MENA Rights Group and ALQST; the Advocates for Human Rights, the World Coalition against the Death Penalty, and the European Saudi Organization for Human Rights; Migrants Rights and Global Detention Project; and Sema Nami, Global Alliance against Traffic in Women, Solidarity Centre, IZWI Domestic Worker Alliance, and Africa End Sexual Harassment Initiative. 

    The New Zealand Human Rights Commission spoke on New Zealand, as did the following non-governmental organizations: Te Whare Tiaki Wahine Refuge, Homeless Women’s Coalition and Maori Women’s Welfare League; Pacific Allied Council (of women) Inspires Faith Ideals Concerning All; Shakti; Pacific Women’s Watch; and the National Council of Women.

    The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women’s eighty-ninth session is being held from 7 October to 25 October. All documents relating to the Committee’s work, including reports submitted by States parties, can be found on the session’s webpage.  Meeting summary releases can be found here.  The webcast of the Committee’s public meetings can be accessed via the UN Web TV webpage.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 8 October to consider the tenth periodic report of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (CEDAW/C/LAO/10).

    Opening Remarks by the Committee Chair

    ANA PELÁEZ NARVÁEZ, Committee Chairperson, said this was the first opportunity during the session for non-governmental organizations to provide information on States parties that were having their reports reviewed during the first week, namely Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand.  A second meeting would be held on Monday, 14 October, where civil society would provide information on the countries under consideration in the second week of the session.

    Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations from Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand

    Lao People’s Democratic Republic

    On Lao People’s Democratic Republic, speakers, among other things, said the percentage of women and girls who experienced gender-based violence was high.  Authorities had misconceptions about what violence against women looked like. It was recommended that the Government develop an appropriate platform to raise awareness and expand shelter services, to ensure women and girls had access to protection and legal mechanisms. There were also limitations for women’s access to the justice system, especially in the context of violence against women.  Customary law was often applied to violence against women cases, without women representatives.  It was recommended that the Government enhance the capacity of law enforcement and mediation units, and review relevant laws for ensuring the full protection of women and girls. 

    There was a great difference in the rates of young births between the rural and urban areas; 23.5 per cent of girls aged 15 to 19 were married or in a relationship.  It was recommended that the Government develop communication tools for ethnic women and provide community hospitals and resources. Around 32 per cent of young females between 15 and 17 years of age did not go to school, primarily due to financial reasons.  It was recommended that the Government enhance the monitoring and data collection system.  Many young women and girls were often offered for sale to men in China on the internet. The internet trade continued unabated, and perpetrators roamed free.  Many women human rights defenders were murdered or disappeared.  The Government had announced that it would do everything to improve the situation, but there were many laws which only existed on paper and had not truly been implemented. 

    The systemic discrimination faced by the Hmong had been underlined but was not present in the list of issues. The Hmong were the third largest ethnic group in the country, and their women and girls endured poverty, deprivation and a lack of health care services.  The Hmong were targeted for extrajudicial killings.  Women and girls were strategically targeted when searching for food, particularly for trafficking, sex slavery and rape.  Lao People’s Democratic Republic must address gender-based violence against this group.  It was strongly requested that the Committee raise these concerns with the State party.  Women faced greater oppression when standing up for those who had been disappeared. Many people were waiting for their loved ones bodies to be returned or for more information on their whereabouts. Women often received unfair trials with mandatory death sentences, particularly when it came to drug-related crimes.  There should be a moratorium on the death penalty. 

    Saudi Arabia

    Concerning Saudi Arabia, speakers acknowledged some positive reforms on the male guardianship system since the last review.  However, authorities had pursued a ruthless crackdown on human rights defenders, unfairly trialling women human rights defenders and subjecting them to torture and imprisonment.  The family law, which entered into force in 2022, showed that newly enacted legislation entrenched a system of discrimination in all aspects of family life and did not adequately protect women from domestic violence or rape. 

    The Government was called on to release all women rights activists in prison and repeal discriminatory legislation. Many women human rights activists were placed under illegal travel bans and were being subjected to arbitrary arrests for being vocal about human rights issues.  The authorities used anti-terrorism laws to target women human rights defenders, who were often placed in secret detention centres and denied contact with their families.  Saudi Arabia needed to ensure women human rights defenders were protected and included in shaping society. 

    Between 2020 and 2024, at least 11 women were executed for drug-related crimes, all of whom were migrant women. Several women had been convicted without legal counsel.  Increased transparency was needed in the judicial process, particularly for women on death row.  There needed to be a moratorium on the death penalty. 

    Speakers highlighted the plight of domestic and migrant workers within the country, and said Saudi Arabia should improve its treatment of migrant women and their families during the immigration process.  Saudi Arabia should rescind its regime which punished women seeking to escape exploitation. Immigration detention for women who became pregnant at their place of work should be ended.  Saudi Arabia should ratify International Labour Organization Convention 198 and incorporate domestic workers into their labour legislation. Domestic workers in Saudi Arabia were subjected to lower pay and forced to live in inhumane conditions which diminished their dignity.  Some were subject to extreme abuse, including physical violence, starvation and sexual harassment.  Justice remained out of reach for most of these women. 

    New Zealand

    Among other things, speakers urged the New Zealand Government to focus on gender equality.  Too many indigenous women were unhoused and unsafe.  The New Zealand Government was a serial perpetrator of colonial violence.  Māori women and girls were profiled as a minority group and were othered.  They were in urgent need of a global, indigenous women’s forum and needed the Government to develop a national action plan on their behalf.  The Committee had the power to recommend that the Government affirm its commitment to the Convention.  The New Zealand Government should endorse and recognise Pacific women’s leadership and aspirations. 

    The issue of forced marriage remained unequally addressed despite recommendations by the Committee.  Women on non-permanent residence visas faced immense barriers in accessing justice and social security.  Religious abuse was unrecognised; women were kept in limbo about their marital status in the name of religion.  The Committee should call for stronger reforms for migrant women living in an increasingly ethnically diverse New Zealand. 

    The Government should adhere to its commitments to establish stalking as a criminal act.  The Government should evaluate legal and court processes to ensure victims were not prohibited from seeking justice.  The Government ought to establish an enquiry into non-consensual surgeries on intersex persons and provide redress.  Transgender and intersex persons needed to be protected. In rural areas, internet coverage was limited, which impacted outcomes for rural families.  The Government should invest in mobile communications and infrastructure for these communities.  Pay gaps for women, including Māori women, needed to be closed. The State was urged to implement national machinery which ensured disaggregated data was available to inform policy. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert asked what the Government of New Zealand should do to release women from religious marriages? What should be done to combat forced marriage? 

    Another Expert asked if there were situations of statelessness among Māori women and girls in New Zealand? Were there issues relating to women, nationality and citizenship? 

    An Expert asked about the internet trade in Lao People’s Democratic Republic which saw young girls being trafficked.  Did the Government recognise this as a great problem?  What was the view on increasing family violence?

    A Committee Expert said given the Government of New Zealand had established an intersex clinical reference group, were there any positive recommendations or movements coming out?

    Another Expert asked New Zealand if there were any specific challenges affecting education?  What could be done to address these challenges? 

    An Expert asked about the situation of education in Lao People’s Democratic Republic? 

    A Committee Expert said information provided claimed that there was a genuine change in Saudi Arabia; women could obtain drivers’ license and travel with their own passport, among other things. Could more information on these reforms be provided?  How many women human rights defenders were in jail? 

    An Expert asked about data sovereignty in New Zealand?  There had been an important climate case decided in New Zealand, regarding the extractive industry being sued for alleged contribution to climate change. Could more information on this be shared with the Committee? 

    A Committee Expert asked non-governmental organizations from Saudi Arabia what were the main issues when it came to the limitations of legislation on trafficking? 

    Responses by Non-Governmental Organizations

    Lao People’s Democratic Republic

    Responding to questions, speakers said the Government did not take any effective actions against human trafficking, especially for young girls.  Internet control for criminals was not effective in Lao People’s Democratic Republic. People in the country were very poor and their income was very low.  Around 30 per cent of young people did not have any employment. 

    Saudi Arabia

    Answering questions on Saudi Arabia, speakers said since 2018, Saudi Arabia had implemented reforms to its male guardianship system, including allowing women to obtain passports and be legal heads of households, among others.  However, there were still issues under the Personal Status Code, including that women needed permission from males to marry, and that women were considered as custodians of their children rather than guardians.  There was also a disobedience law still in place. Families feared speaking about women in prison so there were no official statistics.  There were dozens of cases of women who had been jailed for expressing their views on women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, but without open and fair trials, there were no exact numbers. 

    New Zealand

    Speakers answering questions on New Zealand said women’s connection to culture empowered them to navigate diverse environments.  It was essential that the Government recognised this to empower women and communities.  The reference group had been established in New Zealand for intersex persons which sought to establish medical guidelines.  As this was quite recent, it was hard to say its impact.  Even if it was successful, it would not help those who had already been through the system.  Further answers would be provided in writing. 

    Statement by the National Human Rights Institution of New Zealand

    SAUNOAMAALI’I DR KARANINA SUMEO, Acting Chief Commissioner of the New Zealand Human Rights Commission, said Māori women’s rights in New Zealand were at serious risk due to a lack of constitutional protection and regressive policy and legislative measures.  Today, Māori women and girls continued to experience inequities across health, justice, state care, employment, income and housing.  Despite this, the Government was currently working through a reform programme that looked to further undermine Māori rights.  The programme included disestablishing the body created to advance Māori health equity and self-determination; introducing a bill to reinterpret treaty principles to omit reference to Māori self-determination and recognition of Māori as indigenous peoples; and reviewing the role of the Waitangi Tribunal, the primary avenue for Māori to raise claims regarding Crown breaches of Te Tiriti. 

    The Government had already overridden Māori rights recognised by the Tribunal and courts, and stopped all work to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.  The Acting Chief Commissioner urged the Committee to recommend that the Government strengthen legal and constitutional protection of Te Tiriti; take meaningful action to implement the Declaration; and ensure all law and policy reforms met obligations under Te Tiriti and general recommendation 39. 

    New Zealand unfortunately had one of the highest rates of family and sexual violence.  Women were more at risk of sexual violence and family violence than men, particularly Māori, Pacific, ethnic and disabled women.  In 2022, the Government launched Te Aorerekura – the National Strategy and Action Plan to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence. However, there had been a recent reduction in funding to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence, further impacting access to justice for women. 

    In September 2024, the report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Historical Abuse in State and Faith-based Care (2018-2024) was publicly released, revealing the grave extent of physical, psychological and sexual abuse that took place, in some cases amounting to torture.  Gender-based abuse of women and girls included regular intrusive genital exams and ‘health checks’ providing cover for abuse.  The Government had committed to designing a new redress system, but survivors still had no immediate prospect of full redress, including compensation and rehabilitation.  The Committee was urged to recommend that the Government develop and implement an updated Te Aorerekura action plan and mainstream gender-specific issues; resume the regulatory review of online services and platforms; and implement all the recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.

    In 2019, the Welfare Expert Advisory Group made 42 recommendations to restore dignity to the social security system. Some recommendations were progressed but some had recently been reversed, which would disproportionately affect the incomes of women, particularly older, disabled, and Māori and Pacific women.  The social security system still did not allow people to retain their individual income if they were viewed to be in a relationship ‘in the nature marriage’.  This created risks for women, including social isolation, financial entrapment, and difficulties leaving violent or abusive relationships. 

    The previous Government had announced its intention to introduce mandatory gender and ethnic pay gap reporting. The current Government announced in July 2024 that it would not progress mandatory reporting but develop another voluntary tool.  This decision neglected the role factors, including racism, ableism and violence and harassment in the workplace, playing a role in affecting pay, progression, income security and preparation for a dignified life in retirement for women. The Committee was urged to recommend that the Government adjust income support rates to those recommended by the Welfare Expert Advisory Group adjusted for inflation; individualise income support entitlements; and introduce appropriate temporary special measures to ensure equal employment opportunity by gender, ethnicity and disability. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert said that at the last dialogue with New Zealand, the outlook for Māori women and girls had been positive; what was the reason behind the setback?

    Another Expert asked if there were specific references within the proposed framework which dealt with the rights of women and girls? 

    An Expert asked about the situation of abortion in rural areas? 

    A Committee Expert asked if there were cases where temporary special measures had a negative effect? 

    Responses by the National Human Rights Institution

    In response, Ms. Sumeo said New Zealand did not have a formal constitution which was one of their weak areas, leaving indigenous women vulnerable.  If there was a law which weakened women’s rights, it was difficult to push against targeted policy.  There was now a different Government, which was why there was a different view from the previously positive position.  The previous Government’s policies assumed everyone was equal to begin with, which was not the case now. 

    New Zealand was far away from having equal pay despite having an Equal Pay Act since 1972.  Many women were facing situations of homelessness.  Under the Human Rights Act, there was the ability for organizations to develop measures which ensured equality. Unfortunately, those measures were seen as somehow violating human rights and were seen as discriminatory in some parts of New Zealand.  The ability to address inequity had become more difficult under the current climate. It was difficult to address issues such as the gender-pay gap if there was a reluctance to use temporary special measures. 

    BRITTANY PECK, Legal Advisor, said the Government was not providing an adequate response to gender-based violence, including police attending fewer family-based callouts. These compounded the existing high rates of violence in New Zealand.  Because of this retrogression, it was expected this would be reflected in the cases of Māori women over time.  It was expected that over 90 per cent of sexual violence was not reported to police. New Zealand was experiencing a workforce health crisis and there was a gap in the availability of abortion services in rural areas. 

     

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

    CEDAW24.023E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mobile Homes and Municipalities Find Heat Pumps To Fit Their Needs

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Whether it is a sweltering summer or a frigid winter, digging just a few feet into the earth provides relief from the temperatures above. That is because, on average, the ground temperature is warmer than the air during the winter and cooler in the summer. This relatively constant subsurface temperature is one form of geothermal energy, and it offers a nationwide solution for home heating and cooling.

    Ancient civilizations—from Native Americans to Greeks and Romans—relied on geothermal energy for cooking, bathing, and heating. Today, one way that geothermal energy is harnessed is with ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs)—sometimes also called geothermal heat pumps—which use pipes buried in the ground to transfer heat to or from the ground to cool or warm buildings. GSHPs can reliably control indoor temperature and humidity throughout the year while using up to 80% less energy compared with conventional air conditioners or furnaces.

    Tranquility Estates, a mobile-home community in Raymond, New Hampshire, is one of the communities tapping into geothermal energy through the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) Expert Match program. C2C Expert Match offers free, short-term technical assistance to communities to address their near-term clean energy challenges and questions.

    Tranquility Estates residents applied to C2C Expert Match to get help identifying the right size of GSHP systems to meet the heating and cooling needs of the community. C2C Expert Match researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) used the resources of DOE’s Building Technologies Research and Integration Center to perform simulations and cost-benefit analyses to help the community understand the impacts of transitioning away from historically used energy sources.

    “They wanted to know whether a ground-source heat pump could maintain the room temperature they were used to with their existing system,” said Jamie Lian, ORNL’s technical lead for its C2C projects. “So we used ORNL’s Ground Source Heat Pump Screening Tool to simulate the performance of ground-source heat pump systems for 60 mobile homes to identify the right size of the heat pump and the ground heat exchangers needed for each home.”

    ORNL’s Ground Source Heat Pump Screening Tool is a publicly available techno-economic analysis tool for GSHP applications. It allows building owners; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system designers; and installers to estimate the benefits and costs of implementing a GSHP system in various buildings at all climate zones in the United States.

    Xiaobing Liu, an ORNL senior researcher who leads ORNL’s geothermal program, compared a GSHP’s performance to the mobile homes’ existing air conditioning units and gas furnaces. Liu simulated hourly electricity consumption for an entire year to compare both options.

    “Based on our simulation, we can predict the room temperature and see whether that temperature can be maintained during the year, especially in the winter,” Liu said. “Our simulation shows that the GSHP system can keep these homes at their desired temperature throughout much of the year, except for a few hours when the ambient is very cold, in which case the room temperature is slightly below the set point. The GSHP eliminates fossil fuel usages for space heating in these homes, and the annual electricity use increases by less than 10%.”

    Though electric use slightly increases, the move away from oil, propane, and natural gas-powered technologies—and instead relying on a solar farm to power the GSHP—would help the Tranquility Estates community reduce its energy bills in addition to reducing carbon emissions.

    “Raymond, New Hampshire, is one of a handful of communities we’ve supported through C2C Expert Match that are interested in exploring the potential role of geothermal energy in decarbonizing emissions in residential and commercial buildings,” said NREL’s Darylann Aragon, who leads the C2C Expert Match Program.

    Heat Pumps Can Utilize Air and Water Temperatures Too

    GSHPs are just one type of heat pump that communities are using to meet their unique needs now while simultaneously preparing for more renewable systems in the future.

    “In the broader energy transition away from fossil fuels, heat pumps represent a practical and scalable technology that can be adopted with existing infrastructure while supporting future energy systems,” said Jian Sun, an ORNL researcher whose heat pump expertise, along with ORNL researcher Yanfei Li’s, helped the city of Rockland, Maine, during its C2C Expert Match participation.

    After Rockland transitioned to 100% renewable municipal electricity in 2020, the city turned its focus to electrifying its public facilities. Before applying for Efficiency Maine’s Municipal Electrification Retrofit funding opportunity, the city wanted help identifying which facilities were best suited for a retrofit.

    The proposed air-source heat pump solution for the Flanagan Community Center in Rockland, Maine, has the potential to reduce energy consumption by 45% and save 42% in energy cost, compared to the current baseline boiler heating approach. Photo from Jenny Carter, City of Rockland

    “They wanted to know which technologies covered by the funding opportunity were best suited for the three facilities they were considering: the Rockland Fire Department, Flanagan Community Center, and a public services facility,” Sun said.

    With a limited amount of time to perform the energy analysis needed, ORNL advised Rockland to focus on its Flanagan Community Center, which involved analyzing air-source, water-source, and ground-source heat pumps and a variable refrigerant flow system.

    “We investigated what the cost would be to transition those heating devices to heat pumps,” Sun said. “There are many different types of heat pumps out there in the market, so they needed help understanding which is more suitable for their cold climate.”

    And climate suitability is only one of several factors that need to be considered when retrofitting a building with a heat pump, according to Lian.

    “It’s not just an operational cost that you need to consider,” Lian said. “When we translate the energy efficiency savings to the cost savings, it’s really case-dependent because in some locations the consumption rate might be lower or higher, so the savings could greatly vary. Then you have other costs, like installation cost, maintenance cost, design cost. So, there are many different costs that need to be considered during this process.”

    Aragon added that holistic and transparent information can help communities make informed decisions about what is best for them.

    “We continue to support many communities—more than 30 and counting—that have questions around both new building decisions and decarbonizing buildings through expert insights on energy efficiency measures and retrofits,” she said.

    The research team created a presentation to help city staff understand the results of the analysis: The proposed air-source heat pump solution has the potential to reduce energy consumption by 45% and save 42% in energy cost, compared to the current baseline boiler heating approach.

    The C2C Expert Match analysis helped the city identify additional building updates that would need to precede an electrification retrofit. A cost-benefit analysis led the city to determine that it was “not a good fit” for Efficiency Maine’s Municipal Electrification Retrofit program, according to Jenny Carter, a sustainability coordinator for Rockland.

    “With the help of Expert Match, we were able to understand the full value of an electrification retrofit—to the building and the broader community—and pursue next steps to develop cost estimates and identify required repairs before an electrification retrofit can take place,” said Carter, who noted that the Expert Match information continues to help the city pursue other building retrofit funding opportunities.

    Expert Match applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Learn more about all of C2C’s program opportunities and apply on the C2C website.

    C2C connects community-based groups, local governments, utilities, and other organizations with national-laboratory experts to close the gaps between communities’ clean energy ambitions and real-world deployment. The technical assistance offered through C2C can offer meaningful insights around clean energy decision-making to help communities achieve resilient clean energy systems that embody local and regional priorities. For example, C2C analysis can provide insights on the financial and social costs and benefits of electric vehicles, geothermal systems, or capturing and storing solar energy. Such analysis provides community-specific information on the funding and support needed to bring clean energy projects to fruition.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Food Sales Tax Axed by Governor Kelly to be Fully Eliminated in 2025 – Governor of the State of Kansas

    Source: US State of Kansas

    KEY QUOTE: “Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said this tax reduction is ‘a win for the Kansas people.’ ‘All people have been talking about for the past two years or so has been inflation and particularly the cost of food,’ Kelly said. ‘Now that’s waning, coming down quite significantly, but by eliminating the sales tax on food — you take a 6.5% reduction in the cost of food for people — that makes a huge difference to many, many people. Now I think we calculated that the average family of four would save over $500 a year, just on sales tax elimination.’”

    Kansas to eliminate food sales tax in 2025
    Meredith McCalmon, Kansas State Collegian
     Oct. 2, 2024

    • State sales tax on food in Kansas will reduce to 0% by Jan. 1, 2025 — a process which began in 2023 in accordance with House Bill 2106. According to a publication by the Kansas Department of Revenue, [the] Kansas legislature reduced food tax from 6.5% to 4% in Jan. 2023, to 2% in Jan. 2024 and will eliminate it completely on Jan. 1, 2025.
    • Daniel Kuester, director of undergraduate studies in economics at Kansas State, said this bill is especially impactful to low-income individuals. “I personally look at this as more of a way to remove what is, in essence, a regressive tax,” Kuester said, “Because the people with the least amount of income pay the highest percentage of their income on sales tax, particularly those on things like groceries.”
    • Basil Knight, junior in music education, said saving money on groceries would allow them to make more meals instead of eating fast food. “It’s so hard, with groceries being so expensive, to be able to afford getting enough for three meals a day…But now knowing that there won’t be taxes on it [groceries], it’ll be less expensive and I won’t have to waste so much money eating out all the time.”
    • Kelly said she talked with many Kansans for public input on the food sales tax reduction. “[I had] lots and lots of conversations with folks…In fact, I did a sort of around-the-state tour when we [proposed] to axe the sales tax, so I heard from lots and lots of people about how much they would appreciate the elimination of that sales tax. … I know people are very pleased that we did what we did.”

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ball Corp. subsidiary to pay $309K to settle hiring discrimination of Black applicants at Georgia facility

    Source: US Department of Labor

    ROME, GA – The U.S. Department of Labor has announced Ball Container LLC, a subsidiary of Ball Corp., has entered into a conciliation agreement in which the employer will pay $309,000 in back wages and interest to resolve alleged race-based hiring discrimination at the company’s beverage manufacturing facility in Rome. 

    A routine compliance review by the department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs found that, from Feb. 1, 2020, through Jan. 31, 2021, the employer discriminated against 192 Black applicants for production technician positions at the facility. The agency determined Ball Container’s actions violated Executive Order 11246, which prohibits federal contractors from discriminating in employment based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.

    In addition to paying back wages and interest, Ball Container agreed to provide four job offers to eligible class members when positions become available, review and revise its hiring process and provide training to all managers, supervisors and other company officials involved in the hiring process. 

    “Discrimination is preventable when employers have nondiscriminatory hiring procedures in place and see to it that they are followed,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Acting Director Michele Hodge. “OFCCP will use every action available by law to ensure workers and job seekers are treated fairly, and that everyone has access to good paying jobs.”

    “Federal contractors that fail to give equal consideration to all applicants – regardless of gender, race or ethnicity – violate the law,” said Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs Acting Southeast Regional Director Diana Sen in Atlanta. “There is no gray area for federal contractors, as regulations require them to ensure equal opportunity for all workers and compliance with federal employment laws.” 

    Headquartered in Westminster, Colorado, Ball Corp. is a federal contractor that supplies aluminum packaging for beverage, personal care and household products, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Since 2020, Ball Corp. has received more than $1.1 billion in contracts with the Department of the Air Force, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and Space Development Agency.   

    OFCCP launched the Class Member Locator to identify applicants or workers who may be entitled to monetary relief and/or consideration for job placement as a result of OFCCP’s compliance evaluations and complaint investigations. If you think you may be a class member, someone who applied for a production technician position with Ball Container LLC at its Rome facility during the investigative period, please use OFCCP’s Class Member Locator to learn more about this and other settlements.

    In addition to Executive Order 11246, OFCCP enforces Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974. Together, these laws prohibit employment discrimination.

    Learn more about OFCCP.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tribunal Initiates Expiry Review—Hot-rolled Carbon Steel Plate and High-strength Low-alloy Steel Plate from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Canadian International Trade Tribunal today initiated an expiry review of its order made on October 31, 2019, in expiry review RR-2018-007, to determine if the expiry of the order is likely to lead to continued or resumed dumping of hot-rolled carbon steel plate and high-strength low-alloy steel plate from the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania and is likely to result in injury to the domestic industry.

    Ottawa, Ontario, October 7, 2024—The Canadian International Trade Tribunal today initiated an expiry review of its order made on October 31, 2019, in expiry review RR-2018-007, to determine if the expiry of the order is likely to lead to continued or resumed dumping of hot-rolled carbon steel plate and high-strength low-alloy steel plate from the Republic of Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Romania and is likely to result in injury to the domestic industry.

    No later than March 6, 2025, the Canada Border Services Agency will determine if there is a likelihood of resumed or continued dumping. In the event of a positive determination, the Tribunal will determine, no later than August 13, 2025, whether the continued or resumed dumping is likely to result in injury to the domestic industry.

    The Tribunal is an independent quasi-judicial body that reports to Parliament through the Minister of Finance. It hears cases on dumped and subsidized imports, safeguard complaints, complaints about federal government procurement and appeals of customs and excise tax rulings. When requested by the federal government, the Tribunal also provides advice on other economic, trade and tariff matters.

    Any interested person, association or government that wishes to participate in the Tribunal’s expiry review may do so by filing Form I—Notice of Participation. 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Apprenticeship Boost targets key occupations

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Investment in Apprenticeship Boost will prioritise critical industries and targeted occupations that are essential to addressing New Zealand’s skills shortages and rebuilding the economy, Tertiary Education and Skills Minister Penny Simmonds and Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston say.

    “By focusing Apprenticeship Boost on first-year apprentices in targeted occupations, we are providing employers in critical industries with the certainty to hire and retain first-year apprentices, and confidently hire new ones,” Ms Simmonds says.

    “Having the confidence to build and strengthen your team is important, especially when many businesses are doing it tough right now.”

    The National-NZ First Coalition Agreement includes a commitment to continue Apprenticeship Boost, with $64 million allocated to initiative in Budget 2024.

    “The previous government had set time-limited funding until the end of 2024.  

    “Our investment in Apprenticeship Boost, reinforces this Government’s commitment to fostering a skilled workforce in sectors that are critical to economic growth. First-year apprentices in key industries and occupations will continue to benefit,” Ms Simmonds says. 

    From 1 January 2025, Apprenticeship Boost will prioritise key sectors and targeted occupations that are crucial to New Zealand’s growth and sustainability. They are:

    • Building
    • Agriculture
    • Horticulture and Viticulture 
    • Forestry Studies 
    • Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology 
    • Process and Resources Engineering 
    • Automotive Engineering and Technology 
    • Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Technology
    • Aerospace Engineering and Technology 
    • Maritime Engineering and Technology
    • Other Engineering and Technology 
    • Human Welfare Studies and Services 
    • Food and Hospitality

    The targeted occupations are defined by the New Zealand Standard Classification of Education (NZSCED) code, ensuring that the initiative addresses the most pressing skill gaps and supports the long-term success of the economy.

    Employers can continue to claim funding for eligible apprentices under the current settings until 31 December 2024. Employers receiving funding for second-year apprentices will continue to receive $500 monthly payments until the same date.

    From 1 January 2025, only employers of first-year apprentices in targeted industry areas will be eligible for the $500 monthly subsidy.

    These improvements to Apprenticeship Boost reflect the Government’s commitment to deliver a strong economy and support more New Zealanders into jobs.

    “Our economy is stronger when more people are in work,” Ms Upston says.

    “Industry training plays an important part in making sure our young people have more opportunities to get ahead through work, but we need to make sure the skills and qualifications they are gaining are also in sync with what our country needs.

    “Targeting Apprenticeship Boost makes sense as it will strengthen the long-term success of our key industries as we grow a more skilled workforce.”

    The Ministry of Education will review the targeted sectors every two years to ensure the programme continues to address skills shortages and aligns with New Zealand’s evolving economic priorities. The first review is scheduled for July 2027.

    Notes to editors:

    Find out more information: Apprenticeship Boost – Work and Income

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK delegation visits Guatemala to reinforce environmental cooperation

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A delegation from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is in Guatemala 7-14 October to assess progress of the UK’s Biodiverse Landscapes Fund (BLF).

    Roger Heath, Senior Responsible Owner of the BLF and 30×30 and Samuel Leigh, Regional Advisor for Mesoamerica and Andes Amazon for the BLF, will meet with government representatives, implementing partners, civil society and join field visits to Peten and Chiquimula. Rachel Wilson, the Team Leader of the BLF’s Fund Management team at Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) will join the delegation.

    On October 7, the delegation will meet in Guatemala City with the leader of the BLF consortium, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to discuss the progress of the project and upcoming activities. In Guatemala, the BLF is working in Peten (Mayan Jungle) and Chiquimula (Trifino) to protect biodiversity, reduce poverty and tackle the impacts of climate change with projects in line with Guatemalan environmental priorities until 2029.

    The UK delegation will also meet that day with representatives from the Ministry of Environment, the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to welcome Guatemala’s support  of the BLF and share plans for upcoming interventions in the field that will address ongoing environmental pressures, including the loss of flora and fauna in the Mayan Jungle and the prevention of forest fires in the Trifinio region.

    From 8-12 October, delegates Heath and Leigh will visit Peten to engage with communities that are benefiting from sustainable livelihoods while protecting the environment. These include projects of xate classification, tree planting, bee keeping, and sustainable forestry. They will also engage with local delivery partners that are helping communities to achieve their development and poverty reduction goals in coordination with the Guatemalan authorities.

    On 13 October, the UK delegation will travel to Chiquimula to the area of Trifinio to learn about sustainable agricultural practices to be supported through the BLF and to discuss with local authorities how the Fund could support environmentally sensitive areas to be managed sustainably.

    The BLF is funding activities in six of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots to help a create a world free from poverty on a liveable planet, including Mesoamerica. Approximately 40% of the funds destined to the Mesoamerica landscape will be allocated in Guatemala (US$7 million) as a commitment to our shared priorities on environment and social development.

    Updates to this page

    Published 7 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Stansbury Hosts Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for Community Conversation

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Melanie Stansbury (N.M.-01)

    ALBUQUERQUE — Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury (NM-01) was proud to welcome Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries for a community conversation at the New Hope Full Gospel Baptist Church in Albuquerque.

    The conversation brought together community members, local leaders, and advocates to discuss pressing issues impacting New Mexicans. Leader Jeffries and Rep. Stansbury touched on a broad range of topics including how Democrats are delivering for Americans in tangible ways like lowering costs for Americans, expanding access to healthcare, protecting the environment, and ensuring our democracy stays secure.

    “I am so proud to welcome Leader Jeffries to our beautiful state and share the stage with him and to showcase all the work Democrats are doing for New Mexicans,” said Stansbury. “We have brought millions of dollars back to New Mexico through federal programs, legislation, and Community Project Funding that support education, housing, healthcare, infrastructure, and economic development. We will continue this momentum – including tackling pressing issues such as climate change, economic inequality, and access to quality education as we continue to work for New Mexico and our communities.”

    “House Democrats will continue to lean into lowering housing costs and growing the middle class with a particular emphasis on access to affordable homeownership,” said Leader Jeffries. “Being able to purchase a home, keeping that home and being able to pass it onto the next generation is central to the great American dream. And we will fight to maintain the principles of free and fair elections and ensure the right to vote, which John Lewis would always say to us, is sacred, is sacrosanct and is essential to the integrity of our democracy. We have to push back against the extreme right-wing efforts to take it away, so one of our top priorities in Congress will be to pass the John Robert Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act.”

    Find photos from the event here. 

    Since taking office, Rep. Stansbury has secured more than a billion dollars in funding for New Mexico’s First Congressional District, including more than $44.5 million for 37 community projects for public safety, economic development, and other needs. 

    Some of what Congresswoman Stansbury has delivered to New Mexico’s First Congressional District include: 

    Crime Prevention and Public Safety: 

    • Last month, the Congresswoman introduced the Stop the Opioid Pill Presser and Fentanyl Act (STOPP Fentanyl Act) to disrupt global criminal networks and suppliers of illicit drugs like fentanyl. 

    Behavioral Health Resources: 

    • In Congress, Rep. Stansbury has secured millions for NM-01 to improve community well-being through behavioral health-focused solutions. This includes leading efforts to secure funding for mental health and addiction recovery programs, such as workforce development, school-based support, crisis intervention, and veterans’ suicide prevention. 

    Gun Violence and Safety: 

    • Congresswoman Stansbury has cosponsored key bills aimed at addressing gun safety, including the Keep Americans Safe Act, the SAFES Act, the Identify Gun Stores Act, the Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2023, the Break the Cycle of Violence Act), and the AMMO Act. 
    • These bills focus on universal background checks, bans on military-style rifles and untraceable weapons, and enhancing research and oversight related to gun violence and ammunition. 

    Reproductive Rights: 

    • Congresswoman Stansbury voted to defend reproductive rights against the House GOP’s systematic efforts to criminalize abortion and abortion providers. 
    • Rep. Stansbury joined other House Democrats to sponsor legislation to restore Roe vs. Wade, condemn violence and attacks on healthcare facilities, personnel, and patients, and to pass the Women’s Health Protection Act. 
    • Rep. Stansbury co-sponsored a resolution by House Democrats to condemn attacks on abortion clinics that threaten the safety of patients and health care workers. 
    • Rep. Stansbury also voted to pass the Ensuring Access to Abortion Act and the Right to Contraception Act to safeguard access to contraception and the right of pregnant individuals across the nation to travel to seek safe, legal care. 

    Economy and Jobs: 

    • Rep. Stansbury helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, and the CHIPS and Science Act and her bill the Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act, to invest in our infrastructure, tackle climate change, and build a clean energy economy. 
    • The Congresswoman led the Rail Worker and Community Safety Act to improve federal rail safety regulations, including mandates for a two-person crew, changing the ways hazardous materials can be transported, increasing funding for rail safety inspectors, and codifies mandatory sick leave for all rail workers. 
    • Rep. Stansbury co-sponsored the Protecting the Right to Organize Act (PRO ACT) which is a comprehensive bill aimed at strengthening labor rights by amending key labor laws to enhance protections for workers, particularly in union organizations and collective bargaining efforts. 

    Water Access and Water Rights:

    • Since her time in the New Mexico Statehouse, the Congresswoman has been a leader in fighting for access to clean water and securing water rights for communities across New Mexico. 
    • She introduced the Water Data Act to establish a framework for standardizing water data across federal agencies, so data is interoperable and easily accessible to water managers and communities.   
    • She also introduced the Rio Grande Water Security Act providing necessary operational flexibility for water managers in the Rio Grande Basin.  The bill also reauthorizes a vital lifeline to address the irrigation infrastructure needs of the Pueblo nations who have used these waters for countless generations.   

    Environmental Justice and Protection:

    • Along with her work in other areas, the Congresswoman has been a champion for climate protections and ensuring a just transition occurs during the efforts to address the climate crisis in communities in New Mexico and across the country. 
    • She co-sponsored several pieces of legislation, including House Resolution 37 – Acknowledging a Climate Emergency, the Civilian Climate Corps for Jobs and Justice Act, the Environmental Justice For All Act, the Promoting Youth Mental Health and Well-Being in a Changing Climate, the Climate and Health Protection Act, and the Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act. 

    Housing: 

    • Congresswoman Stansbury has been focused on bringing more affordable housing to New Mexicans and has championed several bills including the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2023, the Expansion of Attainable Homeownership Through Manufactured Housing Act of 2023, the Eviction Protection Act of 2023, the Housing for All Act of 2023, the Ending Homelessness Act of 2023, the Affordable Housing Stability During Shutdowns Act of 2023. 
    • Some of her legislative actions include working closely with local tribal leaders to address concerns regarding a lack of funding to meet tribal housing needs in New Mexico and across the country. 

    Healthcare: 

    • The Congresswoman is focused on lowering the costs of healthcare for all New Mexicans and ensuring people who need care can find it when needed. Some of her work includes introducing the Stopping Addiction and Falls for the Elderly (SAFE) Act, the Small Practice, Underserved, and Tural Support Program Extension Act, the Public Health Nursing Act, the Keep Physicians Serving Patients Act, and co-sponsoring the Telehealth Access for Tribal Communities Act of 2024 and the Protecting Access to Ground Ambulance Medical Services Act. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Nasdaq Reports September 2024 Volumes and 3Q24 Statistics

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) today reported monthly volumes for September 2024, as well as quarterly volumes, estimated revenue capture, number of listings, and index statistics for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, on its Investor Relations website.

    A data sheet showing this information can be found at: http://ir.nasdaq.com/financials/volume-statistics.

    About Nasdaq

    Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a leading global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions, and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on X @Nasdaq, or at http://www.nasdaq.com.

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
    Information set forth in this communication contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Nasdaq cautions readers that any forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and that actual results could differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to (i) projections relating to our future financial results, total shareholder returns, growth, trading volumes, products and services, ability to transition to new business models, taxes and achievement of synergy targets, (ii) statements about the closing or implementation dates and benefits of certain acquisitions, divestitures and other strategic, restructuring, technology, de-leveraging and capital allocation initiatives, (iii) statements about our integrations of our recent acquisitions, (iv) statements relating to any litigation or regulatory or government investigation or action to which we are or could become a party, and (v) other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties or other factors beyond Nasdaq’s control. These factors include, but are not limited to, Nasdaq’s ability to implement its strategic initiatives, economic, political and market conditions and fluctuations, government and industry regulation, interest rate risk, U.S. and global competition, and other factors detailed in Nasdaq’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q which are available on Nasdaq’s investor relations website at http://ir.nasdaq.com and the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Nasdaq undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Media Relations Contacts:

    Nick Jannuzzi
    +1.973.760.1741
    Nicholas.Jannuzzi@Nasdaq.com

    Nick Eghtessad
    +1.929.996.8894
    Nick.Eghtessad@Nasdaq.com

    Investor Relations Contact:

    Ato Garrett
    +1.212.401.8737
    Ato.Garrett@Nasdaq.com

    -NDAQF-

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wealthier Canadians live longer and are less likely to be dependent as they age, new research finds

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Marie-Louise Leroux, Professeure titulaire en Sciences Economiques, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

    Population aging is a growing challenge for developed countries like Canada, with significant implications for health care and long-term care systems. In OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries, the population of people aged 80 and above is projected to more than double by 2050, reaching 9.8 per cent of the population.

    This demographic shift highlights the increasing demand for high-quality long-term care services. Older individuals frequently experience limitations in daily living activities, such as dressing, washing and household tasks.

    By 2050, half of people aged 65 or older in OECD nations are expected to report some limitation in daily living, and dementia cases are projected to reach 42 million. Canada is not exempt from this trend.



    Read more:
    Enabling better aging: The 4 things seniors need, and the 4 things that need to change

    In Québec, for instance, around 315,000 individuals require help with daily activities — a number expected to nearly double by 2050.

    As the number of elderly people needing care grows, the demand for long-term care services will present significant financial challenges for both individuals and governments. Understanding the economic and demographic factors driving long-term care needs, as well as their implications, is crucial for building a more equitable and robust care system.

    Low-income individuals face double penalty

    Research has shown that while life expectancy has increased, it’s unevenly distributed across socioeconomic groups. Factors such as age, ethnicity, gender, income and education play a significant role in determining longevity.

    In Canada, men in the top five per cent of earners live, on average, 11 per cent longer than those in the bottom five per cent. For women, the longevity gap between those with the highest earnings and the lowest earnings is 3.6 years. These findings are consistent with research from other countries, including the United States.

    However, research on the relationship between income and loss of autonomy is still limited. Some studies suggest that lower socioeconomic status is associated with poorer health outcomes and higher disability rates among older adults.

    In the United Kingdom and the U.S., individuals in the bottom third of wealth distribution live seven to nine fewer years without disability compared to those in the top third. Similarly, in Europe, less wealthy individuals have a higher likelihood of becoming dependent and they remain dependent longer.

    Understanding these socioeconomic disparities is crucial for shaping public policy and identifying which groups are the most vulnerable. Low-income individuals face a double penalty: they are both more likely to need long-term care and they are less financially equipped to bear the associated costs.

    As a result, public long-term care policies might consider prioritizing the support of low-income individuals, since wealthier individuals can more easily afford care.

    High-income Canadians live longer

    Our research explored the relationships between longevity, dependency and income using data from a 2016 survey of 2,000 Canadians aged 50 to 69.

    The data combined both subjective self-reports with objective data about the likelihood of living to age 85, developing limitations in daily living activities or entering a nursing home. Financial resources were measured through reported income and savings.

    Our findings show that Canadians with higher incomes are more likely to live to age 85 and are less likely to become dependent. After controlling for several socioeconomic factors, we found that a one per cent increase in income was associated with the following:

    • nearly a five per cent increase in survival probability;
    • a one per cent decrease in the likelihood of having limitations in daily living activities;
    • and a two per cent decrease in the likelihood of entering a long-term care home.

    The relationship between income and dependency was particularly strong among individuals in the top third of the income distribution. This suggests that financial resources play a significant role in extending life and maintaining independence as people age.

    Interestingly, despite their lower objective likelihood of needing nursing home care, higher-income individuals perceived themselves as more likely to require it. A one per cent increase in income was associated with a four per cent increase in the self-reported probability of entering a nursing home, even though the actual probability of this happening dropped by two per cent.

    This discrepancy may be explained by wealthier individuals considering other factors, such as their financial resources and the possibility of receiving care at home from a professional caregiver.

    Targeted support is needed

    The socio-demographic relationships from our study have important implications for designing equitable long-term care policies. Wealthier individuals tend to live longer and are less often dependent, meaning they are in a better position to pay for long-term care expenses.

    On the other hand, low income individuals are more likely to become dependent and may experience greater financial strain if they need to pay for long-term care costs over an extended period, potentially driving them into poverty.

    Our findings recommend that provincial and territorial governments should adopt redistributive policies for long-term care. These policies could involve providing additional subsidies aimed at low-income older individuals, either as a preventive measure or when they first become dependent.

    This approach aligns with the proposal made by Québec Health Minister Réjean Hébert in 2015, who suggested implementing “autonomy insurance” to help retirees above a certain age manage long-term care costs.

    Redistributive policies are critical not only because low-income individuals have fewer financial resources, but also because they face a higher likelihood of dependency. Without targeted support, these individuals could be left struggling to afford the care they need. Designing policies that recognize these disparities can help ensure a more equitable and sustainable long-term care system in Canada.

    Marie-Louise Leroux receives funding from FRQSC and SSHRC-CRSH. She is affiliated with CIRANO (Montréal) and CESifo (Munich).

    Marie Connolly receives funding from FRQSC and SSHRC-CRSH. She is affiliated with CIRANO (Montréal).

    – ref. Wealthier Canadians live longer and are less likely to be dependent as they age, new research finds – https://theconversation.com/wealthier-canadians-live-longer-and-are-less-likely-to-be-dependent-as-they-age-new-research-finds-240081

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview, Triple M Hobart

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    ANDY ‘TUBES’ TAYLOR, HOST: The Federal Communications Minister is Michelle Rowland, and she joins us live on the show right now. Good morning to you, Minister.
    ​
    MICHELLE ROWLAND, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: Good morning, Kaz and Tubes.

    Telstra, Optus and TPG Telecom, including Vodafone, are switching off their 3G mobile networks at the end of this month. What does that mean for Tasmanians, Michelle?

    ROWLAND: Well that’s right. There’s three weeks to go. So it means a couple of things for the good people of Tasmania. The first is it’s important to check that your mobile device is compatible when the switchover happens. Your listeners can do that by texting the numeral ‘3’ to the number ‘3498’. That’s just the number ‘3’ to ‘3498’, and immediately they will be told whether their device is compatible after the switchover. So that’s really important.

    The second thing is, this is the first switchover of mobile technology that’s been done in the era of the Internet of Things. We’ve got medical devices, smartwatches, so many things that rely on mobile connectivity. My key message to all your listeners is to check your tech. There’s a national public awareness campaign that’s being run right now. Your listeners can go to http://www.3Gclosure.com.au.

    Please make sure that you check the compatibility of all these devices after the switchover, especially with medical alarms, and especially if you’ve got family, friends and loved ones who rely on them.

    And, I should say, it is a good thing that this is happening in three weeks. It does need to be done in a safer way, and the operators have put off the switchover and deferred that so that we could get this public education campaign done. They’ve been working closely with the Government and with industry overall.

    What it will mean is better quality mobile in the regions, because it’s using the radio communications spectrum in a better way, better performance, better signals and less interference. But we need to make sure that it’s done in the safest way possible.

    KAZ MCMULLEN, HOST: So, Minister, can you tell me what 3G actually is?

    ROWLAND: So, the 3G network is really a generation. It started off obviously with 1G. We had 2G networks that utilised spectrum in a certain way. 3G gets a little bit better. G just refers to the evolution of the different generations of technology.

    TUBES: Technology, yeah.

    ROWLAND: Now, what they go to, it’s things like- how people actually notice it in real life- better data capacity, better speeds, more reliability. So these are actually good things to be developing, and Australians have always been early adopters. I don’t know if you’ve seen in the media today, smartphone sales are really increasing, both because of the switchover but because people want better AI-enable devices. Australians have always been interested in getting the best handsets, the best underlying tech.

    And of course governments need to support that as well by having the best quality underlying networks. And of course, the mobile operators need to do that too. So, we’re looking for a better experience overall.

    But with three weeks to go, my key message is for everyone to check their tech, make sure that they’ve got devices that are compatible when 3G gets switched over to 4G and 5G.

    TUBES: Now, this question comes through on our text line from Annie in Murdunna: ‘For decades now we’ve had average, at best, mobile service in Murdunna. What’s the Government doing for our community here to improve the services? We are literally 50 kilometres as the crow flies from Hobart.

    ROWLAND: Well, it’s a really good question. And Annie, I think, is asking what a lot of Tasmanians are asking, and that’s why aren’t mobile operators investing more in these areas, and what can governments do to support that? One of the key things we’re doing here is our National Audit of Mobile Coverage that’s happening right now. It’s happening in Tasmania, and it’s the first time that this has actually been done, because we don’t have a good sense and a really overall experience of how people are consuming mobile coverage. We’ve got maps and the carriers put out their maps, but, as I’m sure Annie and your listeners will tell you, they’re not based on real life. You’ll be in areas where your mobile operator will say, yes, you’ve got a signal here, but in real life, it’s not sufficient to be able to use data to upload and do sometimes even just basic voice and text. So this is happening right now.

    We’re also utilising Australia Post. We’ve got Australia Post long-haul vehicles, their delivery vans, and also Australia Post retail outlets right around Tasmania in places from Bicheno to Port Arthur, Queenstown, Strahan, that are measuring, in real time, what that coverage is. So this is really going to be a step change. It’s going to be able to inform the carriers about where they need to invest. And importantly, for governments where we need to target investments as well, because governments have a role to play here, but also the mobile carriers.

    We need to ensure that we get that really good map of coverage, that’s something that- you know, is living, this is running until 2027. And your listeners can actually go right now and check it out. If you just search up the mobile audit visualisation tool, it’s pretty cool. You can actually search by carrier, by different roads, by areas, and you can see how that coverage is right now. This is going to be a really important tool going forward to fix exactly what’s been a long-standing problem.

    And I’ll just end by saying, Annie, I totally hear you. So many Australians rely on mobile connectivity not just for their day-to-day usage, but how they transact with government, how they conduct their businesses. So, we understand how important it is, including in natural disasters and emergencies.

    TUBES: Absolutely. And I know this technology advances so quickly. Michelle Rowland, it’s been a pleasure to talk to you. The Federal Communications Minister, thank you so much for taking the time to chat to us. For those that need more information, as the Minister said, you can text the numeral ‘3’ to the number ‘3498’ to find out whether your device is ready for the 3G network to be switched off.

    Michelle Rowland, the Federal Communications Minister, we really appreciate your time on Triple M.
     

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with Premier of the Northwest Territories R.J. Simpson

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with the Premier of the Northwest Territories, R.J. Simpson, to discuss shared priorities.

    The Prime Minister and the Premier spoke about strengthening Arctic security and sovereignty, advancing critical infrastructure projects, and building more homes that Northerners and Canadians can afford. The two leaders discussed opportunities to further accelerate clean economic growth in the Northwest Territories, including harnessing the potential of critical minerals and clean electricity to enhance energy security and deliver economic benefits for Northern communities.

    Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Simpson also discussed the impacts of climate change in the Northwest Territories and highlighted the responsibility of all orders of government to work together to increase resilience to climate threats.

    The leaders acknowledged the upcoming visit to Ottawa of a delegation from the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders and expressed their shared commitment to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. The Prime Minister recognized that the Northwest Territories is one of three jurisdictions in Canada, along with British Columbia and the federal government, to have passed legislation to implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

    The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude for the Premier’s leadership in establishing collaborative governance with Indigenous Peoples as a priority for his government, and for the close partnership between the federal government and the Northwest Territories.

    Prime Minister Trudeau and Premier Simpson agreed to remain in close contact and to continue working together on issues that matter to Northerners and all Canadians.

    Associated Link

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Three Federal Treasury deposit auctions will take place on 10/08/2024

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

    Application selection parameters
    Date of the selection of applications 10/08/2024
    Unique identifier of the application selection 22024511
    Deposit currency rubles
    Type of funds funds of the single treasury account
    Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units 350,000
    Placement period, in days 2
    Date of deposit 10/08/2024
    Refund date 10/10/2024
    Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating) FIXED
    Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum 18.14
    Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds –
    Minimum spread, % per annum –
    Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special) Urgent
    Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units 1,000
    Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs. 5
    Application selection form (open or closed) Open
    Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
    Venue for the selection of applications PAO Moscow Exchange
    Applications accepted: from 09:30 to 09:40
    Pre-applications: from 09:30 to 09:35
    Applications in competition mode: from 09:35 to 09:40
    Formation of a consolidated register of applications: from 09:40 to 09:50
    Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful: from 09:40 to 10:00
    Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement: from 10:00 to 11:00
    Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions: from 10:00 to 11:00
    Deposit transfer time In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n
    Application selection parameters
    Date of the selection of applications 10/08/2024
    Unique identifier of the application selection 22024512
    Deposit currency rubles
    Type of funds funds of the single treasury account
    Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units 20,000
    Placement period, in days 182
    Date of deposit 10/08/2024
    Refund date 04/08/2025
    Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating) FLOATING
    Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum –
    Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds RUONmDS
    Minimum spread, % per annum 0.00
    Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special) Urgent
    Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units 1,000
    Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs. 5
    Application selection form (open or closed) Open
    Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
    Venue for the selection of applications PAO Moscow Exchange
    Applications accepted: from 12:30 to 12:40
    Pre-applications: from 12:30 to 12:35
    Applications in competition mode: from 12:35 to 12:40
    Formation of a consolidated register of applications: from 12:40 to 12:50
    Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful: from 12:40 to 13:00
    Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement: from 13:00 to 14:00
    Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions: from 13:00 to 14:00
    Deposit transfer time In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n

    RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where

    RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a publication of the RUONIA rate value on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.

    DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.

    Application selection parameters
    Date of the selection of applications 10/08/2024
    Unique identifier of the application selection 22024513
    Deposit currency rubles
    Type of funds funds of the single treasury account
    Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units 200,000
    Placement period, in days 35
    Date of deposit 10/09/2024
    Refund date 11/13/2024
    Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating) FLOATING
    Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum –
    Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds RUONmDS
    Minimum spread, % per annum 0.00
    Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special) Urgent
    Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units 1,000
    Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs. 5
    Application selection form (open or closed) Open
    Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
    Venue for the selection of applications PAO Moscow Exchange
    Applications accepted: from 15:30 to 15:40
    Pre-applications: from 15:30 to 15:35
    Applications in competition mode: from 15:35 to 15:40
    Formation of a consolidated register of applications: from 15:40 to 15:50
    Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful: from 15:40 to 16:00
    Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement: from 16:00 to 17:00
    Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions: from 16:00 to 17:00
    Deposit transfer time In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n

    RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where

    RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a publication of the RUONIA rate value on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.

    DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.

    Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com

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

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    https://www.moex.com/n73804

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Interaction with Startups from India and EU- An outcome of the Matchmaking Event on EV Battery Recycling under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council WG2

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 04 OCT 2024 7:53PM by PIB Delhi

    The Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India hosted a delegation from the European Union with representatives from startups in the space of battery recycling technologies from EU Member States, officials from the Delegation of EU to India along with members from select Indian startups.  This important interaction was focused on the experiential learning gained by the startups through their immersion visits as an outcome of the Electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling matchmaking event held on 20th June 2024, under the aegis of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council’s Working Group 2 (WG2) on Green & Clean Energy Technologies.

    The discussion was chaired by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India. Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary at the Office of the PSA, also joined Prof. Sood to underscore the significance of the collaboration between India and the EU in clean and green energy technologies. Distinguished guests included Dr. Ewa Suwara, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to India; and D.Ing. Pierrick Fillon-Ashida, Head of Research & Innovation, EU Delegation to India. Dr. Monoranjan Mohanty, Adviser/Scientist ‘G’, and Dr. Hafsa Ahmad, Scientist ‘D’, from the Office of the PSA, also participated in the discussion.

    The interaction highlighted the significant progress made in fostering collaboration between Indian and European startups in the critical area of EV battery recycling technologies. Key speakers emphasized the shared commitment of India and the EU to innovation, sustainability, and the transition to a circular economy.

    Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood remarked on the importance of such partnerships for achieving environmental sustainability and economic resilience, stating, “This collaboration opens up new opportunities for technology transfer, market access, and co-development. It is essential for fostering economic resilience and sustainable development.”

    Dr. Ewa Suwara, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to India, reinforced this sentiment by noting, “Recycling EV batteries is a geopolitical and climate imperative, as every ounce recovered enhances energy security and fuels green growth. I am delighted to see that through the support of Trade and Technology Council, we are able to support the EU and Indian startups to join forces, pioneer innovation, foster business collaboration, and drive market uptake of cutting-edge technologies. This is a shining example of partnership in action, shaping a more sustainable tomorrow.”

    During the event, Indian startups, recognized as winners in the matchmaking event held on June 20, 2024, shared their experiences from the immersion trips in the EU (held in Sep 2024), providing valuable insights into their learnings and market opportunities. In parallel, EU startups currently in India for their immersion visits also shared their expectations and vision, contributing to a deeper understanding of cross-regional collaboration. The participating startups from India included BatX Energies, Evergreen Lithium Recycling Pvt Ltd., LW3 Pvt Ltd. and Lohum while startups from EU included Ecomet Refining, and Eneris.

    About the Trade and Technology Council set up by India and the EU

    The India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) was first announced by the European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, and India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in April 2022. Established on February 6, 2023, this strategic coordination mechanism allows both sides to tackle challenges at the nexus of trade, trusted technology, and security, and deepens cooperation in these fields. Establishing India-EU TTC is a key step towards a strengthened strategic partnership for the benefit of all people in India and the EU.

    The TTC is a key forum to deepen the strategic partnership on trade and technology between the two partners. Geostrategic challenges have reinforced the EU and India’s common interest in ensuring security, prosperity, and sustainable development based on shared values.

    The TTC consists of three Working Groups:

    1. Working Group 1 on Strategic Technologies, Digital Governance and Digital Connectivity
    2. Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies; and
    3. Working Group 3 on Trade, Investment and Resilient Value Chains.

    Working Groups are now jointly working to advance identified objectives and key actions. The matchmaking event was one of the key agreed short-term actions under Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies. The India-EU TTC Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies is being led by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India from the Indian side and the Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission from the EU side.

    ****

    MJPS/ST

    (Release ID: 2062183) Visitor Counter : 71

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development works worth Rs. 329 crore in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, today

    Source: Government of India

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of various development works worth Rs. 329 crore in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, today

    For the first time in India, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has started medical science education in local languages

    The 425-bedded hospital being built with an outlay of Rs244 core will fulfill the health related needs of the people of Mansa for the next 25 years

    Recently, Delhi Police has seized drugs worth Rs 5600 crore and destroyed the international drug syndicate involved in it

    After Modi government came into power, it destroyed the drugs trade which was growing rapidly in the entire North India including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana and Delhi

    Only Narendra Modi government can achieve the resolve for a Nasha-Mukt Bharat

    Gujarat government has seized drugs worth Rs.8500 crores in just 3 years

    Modi ji has started a campaign to make people healthy with a holistic approach

    Medical education will be started in Gujarati in Mansa Medical College

    Children of Gujarat will become doctors after getting medical education in their own language and it will begin from Mansa

    In 10 years from 2004 to 2014, 1,52,000 kg of drugs worth Rs 768 crore were seized, while in the 10 years of Modi government from 2014 to 2024, 5,43,600 kg of drugs worth Rs 27,600 crore have been seized

    Posted On: 04 OCT 2024 9:36PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for various development projects worth Rs.329 crore in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Several dignitaries, including Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel, were present on this occasion.

    In his address, Shri Amit Shah highlighted that the Gujarat government is working on the construction of a 425-bed hospital at a cost of ₹244 crores for the residents of Mansa. He mentioned that this 425-bed hospital will cater to the health needs of the people of Mansa for the next 25 years. He also noted that today, the inauguration, foundation laying, and e-inauguration of 10 development projects of the Mansa Municipality are taking place, along with the foundation laying and inauguration of other development projects costing ₹329 crores.

    Union Home Minister said that a beautiful Chandrasar Lake has been developed in Mansa, and efforts have been made to supply water from the Narmada River to this lake. He mentioned that the work of connecting a total of 16 lakes, including Chandradu, Malan, Malai, including previously built 13 lakes in the state, and supplying of Narmada water to them has been completed this monsoon season. He added that this will raise the water level in all surrounding areas and improve agricultural yield, leading to the prosperity of farmers.

    Shri Amit Shah mentioned that the foundation-laying projects include the civil hospital, beautification of Malan Lake, programs for Sasni and Malan lakes, a community hall in Ranyapur, double-laning of the Pilvai-Mahudi road, and a dry waste segregation plant. Moreover, the new hospital will provide all facilities, such as a critical care trauma center, orthopedic surgery, pediatric department, medicine, gynecology, physiotherapy, dialysis, X-ray, CT scan, and MRI, all available in a single building for everyone.

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation stated that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has initiated the teaching of medical science in local languages for the first time in India. He mentioned that medical courses

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Biggs and Senator Hagerty Demand DOJ Accountability for Lack of Response to Election Integrity Concerns

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Andy Biggs (AZ-05)

    Today, Congressman Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) led a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland demanding accountability for his agency’s failure to respond to a congressional inquiry into the integrity of American elections. Earlier this year, the Congressmen, joined by 60 of their House and Senate colleagues, inquired about the measures that have been taken by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to safeguard American elections from being hijacked by illegal aliens. The initial inquiry, dated July 12, received no response from Garland’s DOJ. The DOJ’s failure to respond to congressional inquiry is unacceptable.

    Reports regarding alarming events in South Carolina, Georgia, and Ohio raise justified concerns as to the integrity of our federal elections. There is no publicly available information to suggest that the Department of Justice is investigating or bringing cases against aliens who violate federal election law.

    Congressman Biggs and Senator Hagerty’s letter requires AG Garland to provide information regarding the steps, if any, taken by the DOJ to prosecute non-citizens for illegally voting or registering to vote in federal elections. The letter also inquires into whether the DOJ has contacted election officials in Virginia and Texas to obtain information on each of the aliens removed from voter rolls who were unlawfully registering and voting in elections.

    “American citizens must have confidence in the security of our elections,” said Congressman Biggs. “The DOJ’s failure to provide timely answers to our important questions is not acceptable.

    “At least 10 million illegal aliens have been released into our country through our porous borders during Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s Administration. Americans should not have to be concerned that their voices will be drowned out by the voices of illegal aliens when electing officials for public office.

    “I’m grateful to Senator Hagerty for leading this effort in the Senate and to my colleagues who understand the significance of this oversight.”

    House cosigners of this letter include: Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL), Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ), Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN), Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL), Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK), Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS), Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY), Rep. Michael Guest (R-TX), Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA), Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX), Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL), Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA), Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), Rep. Greg Lopez (R-CO), Rep. Keith Self (R-TX), Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX), Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX), Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA), Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV), and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).

    Senate Cosigners: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS), Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), Sen. James Risch (R-ID), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Sen. Shelley Capito (R-WV), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE), Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA), Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC), Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK).

    The initial letter may be read here.

    The follow-up letter may be read here.

    Fox News covered the letter here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Somerset County Man Sentenced to 64 Months’ Incarceration for Concealing Material Support to Hamas

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

    TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to time served – 64 months – for concealing his attempts to provide material support to Hamas, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger,  Assistant Attorney General Matt Olsen of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, FBI-Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado Jr., and FBI Assistant Director for Counterterrorism David J. Scott announced. 

    Jonathan Xie, 25, of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to an information charging him with one count of concealing attempts to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court. 

    “Jonathan Xie not only admitted sending money that he hoped would be used by the terrorist organization Hamas to fund violent acts against civilians in Israel, he professed his desire to travel to Gaza to join them. Brandishing a gun and holding a Hamas flag, he also posted that he was going to shoot everybody at a pro-Israel march and  ruminated how one could go on a rampage by ramming  pro-Israel demonstrators with a car. This supporter of Hamas learned the true cost of supporting terrorists.”

    U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger

    “Xie is an unfortunate example of an emerging and extremely dangerous threat the FBI Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force is seeing with much more frequency,” Newark FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado said. “The average age of the international and domestic terrorism subjects we investigate is under 21 years old, and they’re being radicalized in only a few months. Xie was a teenager when he decided to send money in support of a terrorism organization and then threaten to carry out a plan to kill pro-Israeli people. We need this case to serve as a warning to parents and guardians – pay attention to what your teenagers are doing online.”

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: 

    Xie knowingly concealed and disguised the nature, location, source, ownership and control of  his  attempt to provide material support and resources to Harakat alMuqawamah al-Islamiyya and the Islamic Resistance Movement, an organization that is commonly referred to as Hamas. Xie admitted that he knew Hamas was a designated foreign terrorist organization and has engaged in terrorist activities. He said he attempted to conceal his attempted support believing it would be used to commit or assist in the commission of a violent act. 

    In December 2018, Xie sent $100 via Moneygram to an individual in Gaza who Xie believed to be a member of the Al-Qassam Brigades – a faction of Hamas that has conducted attacks, to include suicide bombings against civilian targets inside Israel. At approximately the same time that Xie sent the money, he posted on his Instagram account “Just donated $100 to Hamas. Pretty sure it was illegal but I don’t give a damn.” 

    In April 2019, Xie appeared in an Instagram Live video wearing a black ski mask and stated that he was against Zionism and the neo-liberal establishment. When asked by another participant in the video if he would go to Gaza and join Hamas, Xie stated “yes, If I could find a way.” Later in the video, Xie displayed a Hamas flag and retrieved a handgun. He then stated “I’m gonna go to the [expletive] pro-Israel march and I’m going to shoot everybody.” In subsequent Instagram posts, Xie stated, “I want to shoot the pro-israel demonstrators . . .  you can get a gun and shoot your way through or use a vehicle and ram people . . . all you need is a gun or vehicle to go on a rampage . . . I do not care if security forces come after me, they will have to put a bullet in my head to stop me.”

    In April 2019, Xie sent a link to a website for the Al-Qassam Brigades to an FBI employee who was acting online in an undercover capacity. Xie described the website as a “Hamas” website and stated he had previously sent a donation to the group. Xie then sent screenshots of the website to the undercover employee and demonstrated how to use a new feature on the website that allows donations to be sent via Bitcoin. On April 18, 2019, when the undercover employee asked whether Bitcoin was anonymous, Xie responded: “yah… i think thats why hamas is using it now because money transfer is not that anonymous.”   

    In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Xie to 20 years of supervise release, including six months of home detention with location monitoring for the first six months. 

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger and Assistant Attorney General Olsen credited special agents of the FBI and task force officers of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado; and the U.S. Department of Defense, Army Counterintelligence, 902d Military Intelligence Group, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanks the U.S. Secret Service for its assistance. 

    The government is represented by Joyce M. Malliet, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorney Taryn Meeks of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division (currently detailed to the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney’s Office Secures Guilty Verdict in Multi-Million-Dollar Investment Fraud Trial

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

    ALBUQUERQUE – Following a week-and-a-half-long trial and less than four hours of deliberation, a federal jury convicted an Arizona man on multiple charges for orchestrating a fraudulent investment scheme. The charges included 17 counts of wire fraud, 12 counts of mail fraud, and two counts of engaging in monetary transactions involving property derived from specified unlawful activity.

    According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, over an eight-year period from 2014 to 2021, John Lopez, 73, engaged in a fraudulent investment scheme through his company, Personal Money Management Company (PMMCO). Lopez claimed to have developed a sophisticated algorithm for trading stocks and bonds that had generated above-market returns and guaranteed high annual returns of 10 to 19 percent. He misled clients, many of whom live in northern New Mexico, by stating that their money was primarily invested in stocks and bonds when, in fact, he used it to purchase precious metals. Lopez even offered one investment with a purported 42% annual rate of return over 20 years.

    Lopez received approximately $19.4 million from clients. Instead of investing this money as promised, he allocated about $13.3 million to buy precious metals and disbursed around $6.1 million to clients as part of a Ponzi scheme, falsely representing these payouts as investment gains. Throughout the scheme, Lopez provided clients with fake account statements indicating that their investments had grown substantially. When government agents seized PMMCO’s assets in November 2021, they found that the asset’s total value was less than $15 million, despite Lopez claiming client accounts were worth approximately $39 million.

    Photo of all the bullion seized from storage unit in November 2021
    Photo of placards of silver coins seized from storage unit in November 2021
    Photo of silver coins from storage unit
    Photo of gold coins from business

    After the asset seizure, Lopez continued to court new clients, persisted in falsely representing a history of producing above-market returns, and kept generating deceptive account statements.

    Although prosecutors sought the defendant to be remanded into custody following his convictions, the Court ordered that Lopez remain on conditions of release pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Lopez faces up to 20 years in prison.

    There is no parole in the federal system.

    U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

    The FBI Albuquerque Field Office and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting the case.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office brought a separate civil forfeiture action on April 15, 2022, seeking to forfeit assets seized in November 2021. Litigation in the civil proceeding is ongoing.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Woman Admits COVID-19 Relief Program Fraud

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

    NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida woman today admitted fraudulently obtaining $465,489 in COVID-19 relief funding after submitting fraudulent applications to victim lenders, the U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Jane Batista, 43, of Lake Worth, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark federal court to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From April 2020 to August 2021, Batista submitted fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications for herself, her husband, and two businesses they owned and operated. In support of those applications, Batista lied about the number of employees the businesses employed, the income the employees earned, and the revenue Batista and her husband generated as sole proprietors. Batista also submitted forged documents, including fake tax return documents. After the victim lenders funded the loans, Batista used that money for personal expenses and made several large transfers, including one for $15,000.

    The wire fraud count carries a maximum of 20 years in prison. The money laundering count carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 18, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Corwin Rattler; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney with the investigation.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Taj Moore of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and Aaron L. Webman of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

    The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of the five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New York Man Admits Conspiring to Engage in Multimillion-Dollar Wire Fraud Scheme

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

    NEWARK, N.J. – A New York man today admitted conspiring to commit wire fraud that caused losses of more than $2 million, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Terrell Fuller, 34, of Baldwin, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Stanley R. Chesler in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud conspiracy.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Fuller and his conspirators submitted a fraudulent application to the Small Business Administration (SBA), which caused the SBA to provide them with approximately $1.2 million. They also opened bank accounts in the names of various entities and individuals, deposited illegally obtained or fraudulent checks into those accounts, and then withdrew and attempted to withdraw money from the accounts. Fuller, using stolen personal identifying information, fraudulently rented locations to live in New York and failed to pay more than $400,000 in rent and fees for those locations. Fuller and his conspirators obtained more than $2 million in money and property through their fraudulent actions.

    The wire fraud conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the value of the funds involved in the transfer, whichever is greater. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 5, 2025.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, Franklin Township Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.  

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Construction Company CEO and Foreperson Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in Connection with Newark Lead Service Line Replacement Program

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

    Video Statement

    NEWARK, N.J. – The chief executive officer of a construction company and a foreperson for the company were arrested today for their roles in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the Newark Lead Service Line Replacement (LSLR) Program, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.

    Michael Sawyer, 57, of Burlington, New Jersey, and Latronia Sanders, aka “Tee,” 55, of Roselle, New Jersey, are each charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. They are scheduled to appear today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.

    “As our complaint alleges, Michael Sawyer and Latronia Sanders worked for a company hired by the city of Newark to replace lead pipes, but instead, they intentionally left lead pipes in the ground. By causing misleading photographs and verification forms to be submitted, Sawyer and Sanders concealed that they intentionally did not replace lead pipes and defrauded Newark by collecting payment for work they did not properly perform. Today, we begin the process of holding them accountable.”

    U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger

    “For years, lead pipes that transport drinking water to homes in Newark remained buried in the ground after the city hired a company to replace them,” Newark FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado said. “The business, along with others, were paid to replace the water service lines because any amount of lead exposure is detrimental to people’s health, particularly for children. We allege the subjects in this investigation knew they were not replacing the lead pipes, and then passed off misleading photos to conceal the ones they left in the ground. We are asking anyone who sees something or knows something they want to report to please call FBI Newark at 973-792-3000. We will hold accountable anyone who sees a payday in ripping off governmental agencies entrusted to protect the communities they serve.”

    “These defendants allegedly undercut Newark’s lead service line replacement project that sought removal of all lead lines throughout the city,” Special Agent in Charge Tyler Amon with Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division in New Jersey said. “Violators who employ deception to compromise the integrity of important public drinking water related projects will be criminally investigated and held to account.”

    “The EPA OIG is committed to doggedly pursuing criminal activity that targets critical water infrastructure funding,” said Special Agent in Charge Nicolas Evans of the EPA Office of Inspector General. “Taking government funds but failing to replace lead service lines defrauds the program and hurts Americans’ access to safe drinking water.”

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    Beginning in 2016, high levels of lead were found in the drinking water in some of Newark’s schools. From 2017 to 2019, periodic testing of Newark’s drinking water by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) showed lead levels that were among the highest of any major city in the United States.

    In March 2019, Newark announced plans to replace approximately 18,000 lead service lines within city limits as part of its LSLR Program. Newark hired an engineering firm to oversee the implementation of the program and contractors to complete the replacement work. JAS Group Enterprise Inc. (JAS) was one of the contractors hired by Newark. Prior to being hired as a contractor, JAS also worked on the LSLR Program as a subcontractor for another construction company.

    Sawyer was the president and chief executive officer of JAS and responsible for overseeing and managing JAS’s operations. Sanders was employed by JAS as a foreperson of JAS crews assigned to replace lead pipes in Newark during the LSLR Program. Sawyer, Sanders, and others conspired to defraud Newark and others in connection with JAS’s performance as a contractor and as a subcontractor during the LSLR Program.

    As alleged in the complaint, Sawyer, Sanders, and others intentionally failed to replace all lead pipes at certain locations as required under the terms of the relevant contracts, yet caused the submission of payment applications to Newark falsely representing that JAS completed the work in accordance with the contracts. Sawyer, Sanders, and others submitted false or misleading documents to support payment applications with respect to certain work sites. These materials included photographs that visually represented that the lead replacement was done or was unnecessary, but in fact were taken in a way to conceal that lead pipes were left in place.

    At other sites where the water service lines already consisted entirely of copper pipes, Sawyer, Sanders, and others conspired to falsely represent that JAS had installed those copper pipes after removing lead pipes. Sawyer, Sanders, and others then caused the submission of fraudulent payment applications for work that JAS never completed, and induced Newark to pay JAS for work that JAS did not perform.

    The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, twice the gross profits, or twice the gross loss suffered by the victims of the offense, whichever is greatest.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Delgado in Newark; the EPA, Criminal Investigation Division Northeast Area Branch, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amon; the EPA Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Evans, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edeli Rivera, Clara Kim, and Katherine Calle of the Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.

    The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California gets new ‘homepage’: state’s revamped CA.gov makes it easier to access government services and programs

    Source: US State of California 2

    Oct 4, 2024

    What you need to know: The state launched a refreshed version of CA.gov, California’s flagship portal that connects people to hundreds of state services and programs.

    Haga clic aquí para español.

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the launch of the newly redesigned website, CA.gov, the official flagship website for the State of California. This overhaul is the latest milestone in the state’s ongoing digital strategy to improve user experience, accessibility, and service delivery for millions of Californians.

    As the state continues to lead the way on digital innovation, this redesign reflects a commitment to making government services more efficient, accessible, and user-friendly. By leveraging technology, California is transforming how residents interact with their government and ensuring that services are always within reach.

    A big part of the work we’re doing to build a California for All is rooted in how accessible our government is to the people. As part of our ongoing work to connect people to their government, today we’re introducing a new CA.gov – California’s ‘homepage’ that serves as a portal to state services and programs.

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    The redesigned CA.gov makes it easier for Californians to access hundreds of state services and departments. The website is designed to put users first—by being easy to navigate, responsive, and accessible to everyone—empowering Californians to easily connect with the resources and support they need. The site builds on work that recently earned the state an “A” grade for its technology practices from the Center for Digital Government.

    “I am proud of the updated CA.gov website. We are laser-focused on ensuring every Californian can easily access state services through the internet,” said Government Operations Secretary Amy Tong. “We will continue to ensure timely and accurate government information is just a click away. Whether you’re looking for assistance with essential services or want to learn about what the Golden State is doing for climate action, new business development, orCalifornia government – this site has it.”

    Using advanced technology, the site has a greatly improved search feature, works well on mobile devices and meets modern web standards. The previous version of CA.gov was launched in 2017, and as user needs and technology evolved, the state implemented the work to revamp it.

    “Building a seamless and accessible digital experience for Californians is our commitment. I am delighted the new and improved CA.gov website will be an information hub for current and future residents,” said State Chief Information Officer and CDT Director Liana Bailey-Crimmins. “Through CA.gov we can deliver more services efficiently and with greater consideration of the needs of our communities.”

    The CA.gov website will continue to evolve with scalable website language translation options to serve California’s diverse population, personalized services based on user location, and expanded tools to help users navigate government services more effectively.

    Press Releases, Recent News

    Recent news

    Oct 4, 2024

    News Lo que necesita saber: El Estado lanzó una versión renovada de CA.gov, el portal insignia de California que conecta a las personas con cientos de servicios y programas estatales, como por ejemplo CalFresh, certificados de nacimiento, licencias comerciales,…

    Oct 4, 2024

    News What you need to know: California is providing 18 local communities with nearly $131 million to help people experiencing homelessness in dangerous encampments — with robust new accountability requirements and expectations for local governments. Governor Newsom is…

    Oct 4, 2024

    News What you need to know: California is sending $167 million in grant funding to 27 local governments and service providers for treatment and supportive services. The funding is made possible through savings from Proposition 47, which has funded nearly half a…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Laws Range from Renaming Northern Snakeheads to Raising Some SNAP Benefits

    Source: US National Invasive Species Information Center

    Undocumented migrants could get access to health care on the state’s insurance marketplace, those 60 and older could get a few more dollars in food stamp benefits and the northern snakehead will get what officials hope is a more palatable name – literally.

    Those are just some of the more than 400 new laws that took effect Tuesday, a fraction of the more than 1,000 enacted by the legislature this year.

    The quirkiest of the bunch may be the snakehead bill, which would christen the toothy, invasive species, nicknamed “frankenfish,” as the Chesapeake Channa. The hope is that people who would turn their noses up at a meal of snakehead might take a chance on channa and thus rein in the species, on the theory that if you can’t beat ‘em, eat ‘em.

    Most of the bills, however, dealt with weightier public policy issues, like the Access to Care Act, which brings the state one step closer to letting undocumented migrants buy individual private health care plans on the state’s insurance marketplace.

    House Bill 728 and Senate Bill 705 direct the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to apply for a federal waiver that would let residents buy insurance on the state’s marketplace regardless of their documentation status. If approved, it could open the door for thousands of undocumented and uninsured state residents who are currently barred from using the marketplace to go there for affordable health care plans.

    Even though the law only took effect Tuesday, the exchange has already submitted a waiver request to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and is awaiting its response. CMS already approved a similar waiver for Washington.

    It could still take months after approval before undocumented residents can use the exchange, with state documents saying the program would be operational “as early as calendar 2026.”

    Another health-related will shield health care providers in Maryland from liability if they help out-of-state patients obtain gender-affirming care, so long as the services provided are legal in Maryland. SB 119 also protects those who seek gender-affirming care in Maryland from being surrendered back to a state where the treatment is prohibited.

    Gender-affirming care refers to a multitude of procedures and treatments to support and affirm an individual’s gender identity, including hormone therapy, voice training, surgery and other medical services. The group Trans Rights Advocacy Coalition posted to social media that it is “proud Maryland is a safe state that protects gender affirming care.”

    “But, we look forward to a day when shielding laws aren’t necessary. No one should be criminalized for receiving or providing gender-affirming care,” the post says.

    In the area of social services, SB 35 and HB 666 will mean a few extra dollars a month for older Marylanders getting federal food assistance. The state currently gives an extra $40 a month toi those aged 62 and above in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps. The new law lowers the eligibility age to 60 and boosts the monthly benefit to $50 to help pay for groceries.

    Renters’ rights and affordable housing

    Affordable housing and renter’s rights were central topics of the 2024 legislative session, and could be again next year as renters work to boost legislation that did not make it past the finish line this year. But those that passed and took effect Tuesday included one of Gov. Wes Moore’s proposed three-pronged housing package.

    HB 693 is known as the Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act. It creates a state Office of Tenants and Landlord Affairs that will help tenants know their protections and legal recourse under Maryland law. It also raises certain fees in the eviction process to reduce the number of unnecessary evictions.

    The other pieces of Moore’s housing package included a bill creating a state investment agency called Maryland Community Investment Corp., that took effect earlier this summer; and HB 538, which aims to incentivize developers to add affordable housing in future developments by allowing them to exceed typical density limits if the project includes a certain percentage of affordable housing units. That bill passed this year but will not take effect until Jan. 1, 2025.

    Renter advocates are celebrating another law that they hope will help hold landlords accountable if they do not adequately address life-threatening repairs. HB 1117, known as the Tenant Safety Act, will enable multiple tenants to jointly file a complaint with the local district court and collectively put rent payments in escrow while the complaint is adjudicated.

    “The Tenant Safety Act marks a powerful new chapter for tenants in Maryland, especially for seniors like me. No longer will we face neglect from landlords alone,” said Sharon Little John, a housing advocate with CASA, in a written statement Monday. “Together, we demand safe, dignified living conditions for all. Every tenant’s well-being is essential, and every landlord must ensure it.”

    Public health approach

    Tuesday also saw the creation of the Center for Firearm Violence Prevention and Intervention, which will take a data-driven, public health approach to gun violence prevention in the last legislature. The center, housed in the state Department of Health, will be geared toward collaboration between state and local government agencies, hospitals and community-based violence intervention programs.

    Maryland joins several states and jurisdictions with similar centers modeled after the White House’s Office of Gun Violence Prevention, including North Carolina, California and Washington, D.C.

    “I’m glad to know we are on the right side of being proactive as best as we can,” said Del. Sandy Bartlett (D-Anne Arundel), vice chair of the House Judiciary Committee. “Until we truly look at it as a public health issue with folks who solve public health crises for a living, we’re kind of just circling the wagons.”

    The fiscal note with SB 475/HB 583 said it will cost about $2.2 million to hire an executive director, an epidemiologist and a program manager for the center in fiscal 2025, and $10 million to operate it in later years.

    The center will work with various state and local agencies “to ensure a multi-departmental approach to reducing firearm violence.” It must solicit and consider input from communities disproportionately impacted by gun violence, public health experts, organizations with expertise in firearm safety and training and “any other experts, groups or organizations as the executive director determines appropriate and necessary.”

    “It’s a great opportunity for us,” said Del. Luke Clippinger (D-Baltimore City), chair of the House Judiciary Committee. “It’s building upon programming that we have across the state that is seeking to address these issues.”

    SB 652, sponsored by Sen. Cory McCray (D-Baltimore City), requires the Department of Juvenile Services to report how many juveniles in its care were shot or shot someone else, along with their ages and county of residence. That report, due by Dec. 1 every year, must describe actions taken by the agency after each incident.

    The report must be submitted to the General Assembly and the Commission on Juvenile Justice Reform and Emerging and Best Practices – a panel created in a June 1 law as  part of a comprehensive juvenile justice reform package. So far, four of the 26 commission members have been named  – Bartlett and Del. N. Scott Phillips (D-Baltimore County) and Sens. William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery), chair of the Judicial Proceedings Committee, and Nick Charles (D-Prince George’s), and Bartlett. The remaining 22 members have yet to be appointed by the governor.

    Other laws taking effect include:

    • Future convictions for first-degree rape will not be eligible for a decrease in prison time for good behavior under SB 1098. It was sponsored by Smith in honor of Pava LaPere, a 26-year-old entrepreneur found dead on the rooftop of her Baltimore apartment last year. Jason Dean Billingsley, the man charged with her murder, is a convicted sex offender who had been released from prison early due to good behavior credits.
    • The “Kids Code” laws — HB 603 and SB 571 — will require default privacy settings and safety measures for children using online platforms. The law limits the collection of data,  including geolocation data, from minors by social media and other companies, as well as sale of that data, among other requirements. A similar California law has been challenged in court, but not the Maryland law – so far.
    • Maryland’s treasurer is now among the list of state officials who cannot solicit or receive campaign donations during legislative sessions. HB 1503, sponsored by Del. Denise Roberts, (D-Prince George’s), was passed after Maryland Matters reported that Treasurer Dereck Davis (D), a former Prince George’s County delegate, was continuing to raise money – though not during session — and keeping his political options open. Davis testified “enthusiastically” in favor of the bill.
    • HB 19 and SB 207, the frankenfish rebranding. The northern snakehead, known for its frightening appearance and ability to live on land for several days, is known scientifically as the Channa argus. It will now be known, at least in Maryland, as the Chesapeake Channa. The invasive species has no natural predators in the U.S. and is a voracious eater, but Sen. Jack Bailey (R-Calvert and St. Mary’s) said it’s “delicious to eat” and hopes the name change will land the fish on tables and control the population, if not eat it out of existence in the state.
    • A rebranding of the Port of Baltimore nearly 20 years ago becomes official in state law. In 2006, then-Gov. Robert Ehrlich announced that the port would be known as the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. Bentley covered maritime issues as a journalist and later served as chair of the federal Maritime Commission for six years, before serving for a decade in Congress as a Republican representing Maryland’s 2nd District. HB 375 and SB 156 make a technical change that adds Bentlely’s name to all references to the port in state law.
    • Minor league ballplayers in Maryland will be exempt from state wage and hour laws under HB 702 and SB 466. The players, who are already paid under union contracts, are exempt from federal minimum wage and overtime rules, and the law extends that to state law, too.
    • Retailers who sell products containing kratom cannot sell products not recognized by the Food and Drug Administration or that do not meet new labeling requirements, under HB 1229. They are also barred from marketing it to minors. Kratom, derived from an evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia, is considered a substitute for opium and can be a stimulant at low doses. At higher doses, the herbal extract can have euphoric or sedative effects.
    • Employers will prohibited from discriminating against a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. HB 602, sponsored by Clippinger, was one of five bills in House Speaker Adrienne Jones’ (D-Baltimore County) “decency agenda.”
    • The DRIVE Act — short for the Distributed Renewable Integration and Vehicle Electrification Act — sets guidelines for utilities to create robust charging programs for electric vehicles.
    • A measure long sought by public health and environmental advocates lays out how artificial turf should be removed, replaced and disposed of.
    • A law that sets greenhouse gas emissions limits for cement producers and manufacturers.
    • A law that updates the state’s Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Critical Area Protection Program to incorporate climate resilience, environmental justice, and equity measures. The bill also requires state and local governments to update maps of so-called critical areas at regular intervals.
    • A law that codifies the rights of citizens to sue individuals or entities that pollute local waterways. The legislation was a reaction to a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision that sought to limit what constitutes a navigable waterway, making it harder for polluters to be targeted in litigation.

    – This story was updated on Wednesday, Oct. 2, to correct the effective date for HB 538 to Jan. 1 and to add the Kids Code law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deadline Approaching in Texas for SBA Disaster Loans for Property Damage Due to Hurricane Beryl

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today reminded Texas businesses and residents of the Nov. 4 deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for property damage caused by Hurricane Beryl in Colorado, Hardin, Harrison, Panola and Tyler counties that occurred July 5-9.

    According to Sánchez, businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters may apply for SBA federal disaster loans to repair or replace disaster damaged property.

    This SBA Rural Disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available to both rural and non-rural areas of Colorado, Hardin, Harrison, Panola and Tyler counties in Texas.

    Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

    In addition, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage. The deadline to apply for an SBA economic injury disaster loan is June 3, 2025.

    “SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” Sánchez said. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

    Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

    Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration
    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Announces 14 New Awards for Regional Innovation Cluster Network to Drive Nationwide Small Business Growth, Job Creation and Innovation

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    WASHINGTON– Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Biden’s Cabinet for America’s more than 34 million small businesses, announced the expansion of the SBA’s Regional Innovation Cluster (RIC) network with 14 new awards. These awards aim to enhance the reach and impact of the SBA’s support for innovative small businesses and entrepreneurial support organizations across the country.

    “As the Biden-Harris Administration continues to deliver historic investments in America that strengthen innovation, manufacturing, and emerging industries, these 14 new awardees will serve as vital hubs connecting entrepreneurs with the resources needed to develop cutting-edge technologies critical to the nation’s economic and security priorities,” said Administrator Guzman. “Our nation’s entrepreneurs develop and commercialize innovative technologies in areas of global importance, including biotechnology, cybersecurity, smart manufacturing, and sustainable agriculture. The SBA’s Regional Innovation Cluster network helps America’s entrepreneurs start and scale their businesses in these highly competitive industries with a focus on leveraging regional strengths and collaboration –strengthening America’s competitiveness.”

    “For the first time, the SBA is tailoring funding for emerging and mature clusters,” said Bailey DeVries, Associate Administrator for SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation. “The SBA recognizes innovation clusters across industries and technology verticals are at different stages in their lifespan, and the varied funding levels right-sizes our awards so clusters can grow and improve their support of small businesses and startups.”

    The SBA launched the RIC Initiative in September 2010 to promote and support the development of clusters, which are geographically concentrated groups of interconnected businesses, suppliers, service providers, and associated institutions in a particular industry or field across the country. Clusters act as a networking hub for small businesses, convening several resources to help navigate the funding, procurement, and supply-chain opportunities in a specific industry. They also assist businesses in matching cutting-edge technology to industry needs and increase the number of innovative small businesses and entrepreneurs in the nation’s supply chain.

    “For 14 years, the RIC Initiative has had an incredible impact in communities and industries across the country, supporting startups and small businesses as they enter the nation’s supply chain. We look forward to continuing to expand our nation’s innovation ecosystem and ensuring small businesses can match their cutting-edge technologies to industry opportunities,” said SBA’s Investment and Innovation Ecosystems Director Brittany Sickler.

    This funding makes awards for the first time at two funding levels: emerging and mature clusters. Emerging clusters develop and deploy small business support services in their designated regions and industries, and the RIC Initiative enables them to scale their current and future programming to reach more small businesses. Mature clusters have experience building and implementing programming to support small businesses, and the RIC Initiative enables them to increase the effectiveness of programming and operations to reach more small businesses and strengthen existing and new partnerships.

    The new Regional Innovation Clusters are:

    1. AgTech Innovation Alliance will support AgriFoodTech small businesses in California’s Central Valley.
    2. Applied Research Institute will support small businesses in the biotech industry across central Indiana.
    3. Bounce Innovation Hub will support small businesses developing novel materials for medical devices and wearable sensors in Northeast Ohio.
    4. Celdara Medical will support life science small businesses across Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Delaware, and Rhode Island.
    5. CleanTech Alliance Washington will support small businesses in the clean technology industry in Washington state.
    6. Hyperion Technologies will support small businesses developing clean technologies in the Four Corners region of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado.
    7. Integrative Business Services will support artificial intelligence and optics small businesses in Southern Arizona.
    8. LSI Business Development will support small, advanced manufacturers in Utah
    9. RIoT will support small businesses building internet of things (IoT) and data economy technologies in North Carolina.
    10. Shadow Ridge Analytics will support small businesses in the advanced engineering and critical materials industries in Southwest Montana.
    11. Southwestern College Foundation will support small businesses in the manufacturing and biotechnology industries in San Diego and Imperial Counties in California.
    12. StartUp Junkie Consulting will support small businesses in leveraging Lithium for the clean energy and electric vehicle transition across Northeast Texas, Southern Arkansas, Northern Louisiana, and West Mississippi.
    13. The Water Council will support small businesses in the water and resiliency industry in Wisconsin.
    14. UpSurge Baltimore will support small businesses in cybersecurity and biotechnology industries across the Baltimore metropolitan area.

    To learn more about the RIC Initiative, including current RICs, please visit: Regional Innovation Clusters | U.S. Small Business Administration (sba.gov).

    ###

    About SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation
    The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Investment and Innovation (OII) leads programs that provide the U.S. growth-oriented small business and startup community with access to financial capital, networks, assistance, and R&D funds to develop commercially viable innovations. Our work is underpinned by public-private partnerships that help small businesses on their trajectory from idea to IPO. Learn more at Office of Investment and Innovation (OII).

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration
    The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality.  As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. Learn more at http://www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA Launches Recovery Centers for Hurricane Helene Survivors: Help for the Displaced and Hard-Hit

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today that it will open a  Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC) in North Carolina on Friday, Oct. 4, at the District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration located in Charlotte.  The Center will provide an avenue for businesses and individuals who temporarily moved out of harm’s way a place to apply for low-cost financial assistance for their recovery.  

    “The DLOC is one of most powerful resources at SBA’s disposal to meet survivors where they are and support their recovery efforts,” said “Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “Residents and business owners can meet face-to-face with our specialists to apply for SBA disaster loans and get information on the full breadth of programs we offer to help guide them through their recovery.”

    Two other SBA Centers will open on Friday, Oct. 4, at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce, and the Appalachian Enterprise Center in Boone, NC.  Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an appointment in advance.  The hours of operation for the Centers are as follows:

    Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC)

    Mecklenburg County

    U.S. Small Business Administration District Office

    6302 Fairview Road

    Suite 300

    Charlotte, NC 28210

    Opening:      Friday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  

    Hours:            Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    Closed:           Saturday and Sunday

    Business Recovery Center (BRC)

    Buncombe County  

    Asheville Chamber of Commerce

    36 Montford Avenue  

    Asheville, NC 28801

    Opening:   Friday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.  

    Hours:         Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

                          Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Closed:        Sunday

    Business Recovery Center (BRC)

    Watauga County

    Appalachian Enterprise Center

    130 Poplar Grove Connector  

    Boone, NC 28607

    Opening:  Friday, Oct. 4, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.  

    Hours:       Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

                       Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Closed:     Sunday

    The disaster declaration covers Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties and The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians in North Carolina which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Cherokee, Graham, Iredell, Mecklenburg, Surry, Swain and Yadkin in North Carolina; Rabun, Towns and Union in Georgia; Cherokee, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg and York in South Carolina; Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Sevier, and Unicoi in Tennessee; and Grayson in Virginia.

    Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan.  

    With the changes to FEMA’s Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover.  FEMA grants are intended to cover necessary expenses and serious needs not paid by insurance or other sources. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition.  Do not wait on the decision for a FEMA grant; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.  

    Applicants may also call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.  

    The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 29, 2024. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 30, 2025.  ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration  

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.sba.gov. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott, Hagerty, Colleagues Call Out DOJ for Refusing to Provide Answers on Prosecutions of Illegal Aliens Registering to Vote

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott
    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) and Congressman Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) in calling out U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failure to prevent illegal aliens from registering to vote in American elections or prosecute those who evidently have done so. 
    “We are deeply concerned by reports of non-citizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections,” the Members of Congress wrote. “As of today, there has been no response from you or your Department regarding the inquiry on July 12, 2024, seeking information on efforts undertaken by your Department to enforce laws prohibiting non-citizen voting. Given that the 2024 Presidential Election is in less than 34 days, your Department’s inaction and refusal to provide any information regarding its efforts to promote public trust and confidence in our elections is especially alarming.”
    State officials across the country have recently taken steps to prevent, deter, and investigate cases of illegal voter registration by non-citizens, including in South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Tennessee. Since the Members of Congress sent their initial letter, cases have emerged in the states of Virginia and Texas.
    “Clearly, there is a non-negligible amount of voter participation by non-citizens in federal elections, which is not only a serious threat to the integrity of our elections and the democratic process they represent, but also has the potential to reduce Americans’ trust and confidence in election results,” the Members of Congress continued.
    The members of Congress, once again, requested the following information by October 16, 2024:
    1. Please provide the number of aliens who have been charged, tried, or convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 611 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
    2. Please provide the number of aliens who been charged, tried, or convicted under 52 U.S.C. § 20511 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case. 3. Please provide the number of aliens who have been prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 911 since 2021, including the status of each case.
    4. Please provide the number of referrals received from other government officials or the public in reference to the statutes cited in questions 1 through 3.
    5. How does the Department of Justice investigate allegations received of non-citizen voting or voter registration? 6. What affirmative steps have the Department of Justice taken to detect, prevent, and deter illegal aliens and other non-citizens from registering and voting in federal elections? 7. What affirmative steps have the Department taken to obtain relevant information from the Department of Homeland Security on aliens who have registered or voted in elections? 8. What steps have been taken by U.S. Attorneys and the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division, which is responsible for prosecuting election crimes and assisting U.S. Attorneys in prosecuting election crimes, to obtain jury-related information that indicates aliens have unlawfully registered to vote?
    9. As the 2024 election nears, what steps will the Department take to detect, investigate, and prosecute non-citizens who violate 18 U.S.C. § 911, 52 U.S.C. § 20511, or 18 U.S.C. § 611 by voting or registering to vote in the 2024 election?
    10. What steps have the Department taken to contact Virginia and Texas election officials to obtain information and the voter registration and voter history files on each of the aliens removed from the voter rolls who were unlawfully registered and voting in those states?
    A copy of the letter can be found here.
    In addition to Senators Scott and Hagerty, co-signers of the letter include Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), John Kennedy (R-La.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.).
    Additional co-signers in the House include Reps. Andy Harris (R-Md.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Aaron Bean (R-Fla.), Josh Brecheen (R-Okla.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Mike Ezell (R-Miss.), Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.), Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), Michael Guest (R-Miss.), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), Ben Cline (R-Va.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), Mary Miller (R-Ill.), Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Lance Gooden (R-Texas), Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Mike Collins (R-Ga.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Greg Lopez (R-Colo.), Keith Self (R-Texas), Brian Babin (R-Texas), August Pfluger (R-Texas), Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DoT combats Cyber-frauds: Central system to stop spoofed calls to be commissioned shortly

    Source: Government of India

    DoT combats Cyber-frauds: Central system to stop spoofed calls to be commissioned shortly

    Citizens are advised to use ‘Chakshu’ to report Spam Calls

    45 lakh spoof international calls with Indian phone numbers being blocked by TSPs daily

    Posted On: 04 OCT 2024 4:31PM by PIB Delhi

    In recent times, citizens are receiving many fraudulent calls, often disguised as originating from Indian mobile numbers. These calls are in fact manipulated by cyber-criminals operating from abroad. These criminals exploit the Calling Line Identity (CLI) to mask the actual origin of the calls, which has led to a spate of incidents involving threats of mobile number disconnection, fake digital arrests, and even impersonation of government officials or law enforcement agencies. Recent cases have included false accusations involving drugs, narcotics, and sex rackets, further intensifying public concern.

    In response to this growing threat, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), has introduced an advanced system designed to identify and block incoming international spoofed calls before they can reach Indian telecom subscribers. This system is being deployed in two phases: first, at the TSP level, to prevent calls spoofed with phone numbers of their own subscribers; and second, at a central level, to stop calls spoofed with the numbers of subscribers from other TSPs.

    As of now, all four TSPs have successfully implemented the system. About one third of total spoofed calls at 4.5 million spoofed calls are being stopped from entering the Indian telecom network. The next phase, involving a centralized system that will eliminate the remaining spoofed calls across all TSPs, is expected to be commissioned shortly.

    Fraudsters, however, continue to adapt and devise new methods to deceive the public. DoT is taking timely measures to protect telecom users as these new ways are reported. In the age of rapidly evolving technology, the DoT has taken multiple measures to make the telecom eco-systems safer and secure. However, even with these robust safeguards, there may still be instances where fraudsters succeed through other means.

    In such cases, DoT encourages citizens to proactively report suspected fraud communications to help DoT in identification and prevention of misuse of telecom resources for cyber-crime, financial frauds. It will also help in safeguarding citizens from impersonation, exploitation, and enabling proactive action against potential threats.

    Citizen can report such calls at Chakshu facility available on the Sanchar Saathi platform (https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/)  by providing details about suspected fraud calls, SMS, and WhatsApp messages including screenshot, medium of receipt, category of intended fraud, date and time of receiving such communication. An OTP based verification will be carried out.

    The Chakshu facility is a significant step towards safeguarding citizens from cyber fraud. By providing a streamlined process for reporting suspicious activities, it helps in the early detection and prevention of potential frauds, thereby protecting users from financial and personal losses

    In addition, the Government has taken various measures for preventing misuse of telecom resources including:

    i.          Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has rolled out Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) project with objective to devise systems to curb misuse of telecom resources for cybercrime and financial frauds.

    ii.         Sanchar Saathi portal: DoT has developed a citizen centric Sanchar Saathi portal (www.sancharsaathi.gov.in) providing various facilities for reporting of cases related to misuse of telecom resources which are as under:

    a.     to report suspected fraud communications and Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC);

    b.     to know the mobile connections issued in their name and report the mobile connections for disconnection which are either not required or not taken by them;

    c.     to report the stolen / lost mobile handset for blocking and tracing;

    d.    to check the genuineness of mobile handset while buying a new/old device;

    e.     to report the incoming international calls received with Indian telephone number as calling line identification.

    iii.        Digital Intelligence Platform: DoT has launched an online secure Digital Intelligence Platform (DIP) for sharing of information related to misuse of telecom resources among the stakeholders for prevention of cyber-crime and financial frauds. At present DoT field units, all Telecom Service Providers (TSPs), MHA, 460 banks and financial institutions, 33 States/UTs police, central agencies and other stakeholders have on-boarded this platform. This platform, inter-alia, hosts the list of disconnected mobile connections on near real time basis along with the reasons for disconnections enabling the stakeholders to take appropriate action including to disengage the associated services linked with these mobile numbers.

    iv.        DoT using AI based tools has identified the mobile connections taken on fake / forged documents or taken exceeding the prescribed limits for an individual. Such mobile connections along with telecom resources and mobile handsets used in fraudulent activities are being weeded out from the telecom ecosystem.

    Following are the outcomes, as on date in brief, of the actions taken by DoT:

    a.  Disconnected 1.77 crore mobile connections taken on fake/forged documents.

    b.  Targeted action of disconnection of 33.48 lakh mobile connections and blocking of 49,930 mobile handsets used by cyber criminals in cyber-crime hotspots/districts of the country.

    c.  77.61 lakh mobile connections exceeding the prescribed limits for an individual have been disconnected.

    d.  Pan India blocking of 2.29 lakh mobile phones involved in cyber-crime or fraudulent activities.

    e.  About 12.02 lakh out of 21.03 lakh reported stolen/lost mobile phones have been traced.

    f.   Disconnected about 20,000 entities, 32,000 SMS headers and 2 lakh SMS templates involved in sending malicious SMSs.

    g.  About 11 lakhs accounts have been frozen by the banks and payments wallets which were linked to disconnected mobile connections taken on fake / forged documents.

    h.  About 11 lakhs WhatsApp profiles/accounts have been disengaged by WhatsApp which were linked to disconnected mobile connections taken on fake / forged documents

    i.   71,000 Point of Sale (SIM Agents) have been blacklisted. 365 FIRs have been registered in multiple States/UTs.

     

    ****

    SB/DP

    (Release ID: 2062022) Visitor Counter : 46

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –