NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI USA: Nadler, Casten, Schakowsky Introduce Legislation to Help Ensure Safe Access to Reproductive Health Clinics

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jerrold Nadler (10th District of New York)

    Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Representatives Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Sean Casten (IL-06), and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09) introduced the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Study (FACES) Act of 2024, legislation to study barriers to enforcement of existing protections for access to reproductive health clinics.

    “Under the FACE Act, patients are protected under the law from intimidation and violence when they are seeking reproductive healthcare,” said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. “Despite these protections, enforcement of the law is inconsistent, contributing to an alarming rise in violence outside of abortion clinics. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing the FACES Act to better understand and overcome the barriers to enforcement so Americans across the country can freely access the care they need.”

    “Individuals seeking reproductive health care, and the workers responsible for delivering this care, should not face violence or intimidation when entering health clinics,” said Congressman Sean Casten. “While there are theoretically protections in place to ensure this does not happen, enforcement is infrequent and inconsistent. The FACES Act helps us to get to the bottom of why this happens and what Congress can do to ensure safe access to reproductive health centers.”

    “Since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court, we have seen an alarming increase in violence and threats directed toward patients and abortion providers. Federal law prohibits this type of intimidation, yet the problem persists. We need answers,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “Access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including safe, legal, and accessible abortion, is a human right. That is why I’m joining Reps. Casten and Nadler in introducing the FACES Act to determine what further steps must be taken to best protect individuals seeking reproductive care, and the workers who provide the care. For me, the fight to protect reproductive freedom is more than just policy and politics; it’s about human dignity and justice.”

    In the early 1990s, Congress enacted the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to protect the rights of patients to safely access reproductive health services in response to violence at abortion clinics and against abortion providers. The FACE Act prohibits violence, threatening, damaging, and obstructive conduct intended to injure, intimidate, or interfere with an individual’s ability to seek, obtain, or provide reproductive health services. However, the law is sporadically and inconsistently enforced.

    The FACES Act, introduced by Reps. Casten, Nadler, and Schakowsky would study the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) criteria for enforcing the FACE Act, barriers to enforcement, data about variations in enforcement across the country, plans to overcome variations and barriers to enforcement, steps the DOJ can take to communicate best practices to state and local police, and legislative options available to Congress to ensure more fulsome enforcement of the FACE Act.

    The National Abortion Federation reported a significant increase in violence and disruptions against abortion providers in 2022 compared to 2021. The findings showed a 229% increase in stalking, a 231% increase in burglary, and a 25% increase in invasions targeting abortion clinic staff, patients, and providers. In the past decade, abortion clinics experienced a 100% rise in anthrax and bioterrorism threats. Furthermore, the number of clinic blockades more than doubled in recent years, and incidents of picketing at facilities have been growing exponentially for years.

    In July, Reps. Casten, Nadler, and Schakowsky led 51 colleagues in a letter urging the Department of Justice to fully enforce the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act and protect safe access to reproductive health care facilities. 

    Text of the FACES Act can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: St. John’s — Update: Human remains found in Placentia Bay identified as missing Canadian Coast Guard employee

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    RCMP NL, in consultation with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, has confirmed that the human remains found in Placentia Bay on October 19, 2024, are those of the missing Canadian Coast Guard employee who has been missing at sea since September 16, 2024.

    RCMP NL extends sincere condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

    Background:

    https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2024/rcmp-nl-investigates-missing-person-sea

    Background:

    https://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/news/2024/human-remains-recovered-ocean-placentia-bay-investigation-continuing

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What the Menendez brothers’ case tells us about the moral paradox of true crime

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Michael Arntfield, Associate Professor of Criminology & English Literature, Western University

    Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón has recommended that a judge resentence Lyle and Erik Menendez almost three decades after the brothers were sentenced to life without parole for murdering their parents.

    The brothers were convicted in 1996 of first-degree murder for the 1989 killings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. If a judge approves the recommendation, it would make them eligible for immediate parole. Gascón said he believed the brothers have “paid their debt to society.” If a parole board agrees, they could soon be released from prison.

    These extraordinary developments come in the wake of two true crime productions on Netflix: the scripted limited series, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, and the documentary, The Menendez Brothers. Both revivify the defence strategy used in the brothers’ 1994 and 1996 trials that they murdered their parents as a form of self-defence following years of alleged sexual abuse by their father.

    In these two productions, we see the moral conundrum of so-called “true crime” on full display. That is, whose definition of “true” should viewers rely on when assessing the veracity of a narrative?

    More often than not, there are two kinds of truth. There’s what really happened, and the narrative of what happened. This is a reality that I’ve noted as a criminologist and forensic historian and a police detective before that.

    As a form of historical revisionism, true crime has shown both the willingness and ability to change official narratives, for better or worse.

    In a press conference, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón outlined the reasons he is recommending the Menendez brothers be resentenced.

    True crime and the Menendez case

    The true crime genre has taken off in recent decades, with countless podcasts, documentaries and TV series produced recounting gruesome and often unsolved murders. The genre has garnered criticism for focusing on, and sometimes, exploiting the real suffering of victims and their families.

    The 2022 season of the Netflix Monster series, which told the story of Milwaukee serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, was widely derided as being exploitative and mired in controversy.



    Read more:
    ‘They’re making money off tragedy’ – Netflix’s Dahmer series shows the dangers of fictionalising real horrors

    However, the second instalment, focusing on the Menendez brothers, has become an overnight cause celebre and a bandwagon clarion call to have the evidence in the case reviewed and the brothers’ life sentence reconsidered, if not jettisoned altogether.

    The productions have renewed interest in this infamous case for those old enough to remember while, at the same time, introducing a new generation to the sordid details of the proceedings.

    These details include, most notably, the controversial and ultimately failed defence strategy of depicting the murders as a form of self-defence following years of alleged sexual abuse the boys endured at the hands of their father, patriarchal record mogul Jose Menendez.

    Following mistrials for both brothers in 1994, Lyle and Erik were convicted of the murders in 1996 and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

    A trailer for the Netflix true crime documentary ‘The Menendez Brothers.’

    But now, in the wake of these same series and Gascón’s announcement, the case has been re-opened. “Significant new evidence” has been cited in the form of a potential additional victim of abuse by Jose Menendez. In addition, a letter from Erik to a cousin about the alleged sexual abuse of his father has been disclosed lending credence to the original defence position.

    We might wonder if this evidence would have merited such attention, and the district attorney’s intervention, were it not for the cultural influence of the Netflix productions.

    What we can say for certain is that this is not the first instance of true crime directly influencing the criminal justice system. HBO’s Paradise Lost trilogy of documentaries, along with the 2012 film West of Memphis, are generally credited with enabling the release of the wrongfully convicted West Memphis Three.

    The first season of the Serial podcast in 2014 also led to the 2022 release of Adnan Syed after serving 20 years in prison for the 1999 murder of his girlfriend Hae Min Lee. That same conviction was reinstated in 2023 as part of an ongoing saga driven by intense public interest.

    That interest is what differentiates the current iteration of true crime from its antecedents: it aims to transcend passive viewers and listeners to promote direct action, advocacy and public participation.

    The four waves of true crime

    While the term “true crime” may be comparatively new, as a cultural phenomenon it certainly is not. The Mystery Writers of America has issued awards for Best Fact Crime books since 1948. True crime in one form or another has arguably existed since the 1850s and was pioneered by Charles Dickens.

    Yet it is still unclear what societal forces drive this trendy, cyclical interest in semi-true retellings or thinly fictionalized treatments of criminality. However, in my book, How to Solve a Cold Case…And Everything Else You Wanted to Know About Catching Killers, I argue that, true crime as we now know it can be delineated into four distinct eras, or waves:

    The First Wave, circa 1850-1890, was purely literary. Key works included the likes of On Duty With Inspector Field by Charles Dickens and the Illustrated Police News.

    The Second Wave, between 1965-1975, was also primarily literary. Its most notable works included Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood and Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi, who prosecuted serial killer Charles Manson.

    In the third wave in the 1980s, true crime stories started to become multimedia, with Ann Rule’s book The Stranger Beside Me about serial killer Ted Bundy, and the semi-interactive NBC docuseries Unsolved Mysteries.

    A trailer for the Netflix show ‘MONSTERS: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.’

    The fourth and current wave began in 2010. The hallmarks of this wave are unfolding before us in the Menendez case. The current wave is immersive, participatory and accessible. Amateur sleuths, advocates, pundits and activists proliferate with each new feature. Podcasts beget further podcasts.

    Viewers and listeners are also keenly self-aware and facetiously self-deprecating. True crime is consistently discussed in the context of — and perhaps even designed to promote — what can only be characterized immoderate consumption. Some true crime fans are, for instance, self-described “junkies” and “addicts” who “binge” content. And yet, depending on the case, these same “junkies” are newly empowered and qualified to demand action.

    The legal and ethical questions that arise are what cases make their way into this ecosystem and whose story are they to tell? How is a series on Dahmer a bridge too far when, two years later, another same series created by the same producers can alter the course of California legal history?

    These are, of course, unanswerable questions. In the meantime, however, the Menendez brothers’ saga is a cautionary tale about how the invisible hand of the true crime market will select certain crimes over others — and prioritize certain victims and offenders alike over other — based on criteria we still don’t fully understand.

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

    – ref. What the Menendez brothers’ case tells us about the moral paradox of true crime – https://theconversation.com/what-the-menendez-brothers-case-tells-us-about-the-moral-paradox-of-true-crime-242199

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Company Charged with Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 Pandemic

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Department of Justice
    U.S. Attorney’s Office
    District of Massachusetts 

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    October 29, 2024

    This is the second company charged in connection with the scheme; three individuals also charged with misbranding N95 masks

    BOSTON – A California company, and three individuals who owned and managed the company, have been charged and have agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to the shipment of facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.  

    Advoque Safeguard LLC (ASG) was charged with one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Jason Azevedo, 33, of Cedar Creek, Texas; Paul Shrater, 51, of Simi Valley, Calif.; and Andrew Stack, 52, of Santa Cruz, Calif., were charged with one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce. Plea hearings have not yet been scheduled by the Court.  

    Earlier this month, a second company, JDM Supply LLC (JDM), and two individuals, Daniel Motha and Jeffrey Motha, were charged and agreed to plead guilty in connection with this investigation. In addition, in August 2023, another individual, Jason Colantuoni, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging.  

    According to the charging documents, in the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, ASG and JDM conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. It is alleged that one hospital, identified as “HOSPITAL 1,” accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by ASG and sold to HOSPITAL 1 by JDM.  (HOSPITAL 1 did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to ASG.) It is further alleged that ASG and JDM misled the hospital into believing that the ASG masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not. In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the ASG masks that had been shipped to HOSPITAL 1. All 10 ASG masks tested between 83.94% and 93.24% filtration efficiency, and thus fell under the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators.  

    The charge of conspiracy to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device with intent to defraud or mislead provides for a fine of $500,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense, whichever is greater and up to five years of probation.  The charge of introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

    Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Brady and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

    On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud. 
        
    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 via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

    The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Placentia — Human remains recovered from ocean outside of Placentia Bay, investigation continuing (UPDATED)

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Update: Human remains found in Placentia Bay identified as missing Canadian Coast Guard employee.

    Human remains were recovered from the ocean outside of Placentia Bay on October 19, 2024.

    The remains, which were found on Saturday morning by a commercial vessel that was working in the area, were recovered and transported to the Port of Argentia, where they were turned over to Placentia RCMP.

    The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is engaged and the investigation is continuing to determine the identity of the deceased.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PACAF Airmen develop ACE capabilities with deployable JWICS

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii  –  

    Airmen from Pacific Air Forces Headquarters recently developed a new capability to improve Agile Combat Employment operations across the Indo-Pacific Area of Responsibility.

    Members of the Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) Directorate created a highly mobile deployable Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communication System (JWICS) kit that PACAF and transient units can set up while deployed to austere locations across the Indo-Pacific. The kit allows Airmen to extend critical ISR data and applications on the most secure network at the tactical edge.

    “In the past, deployed units would have limited, if any, down-range intel processing capabilities, and would have to call back to larger bases for support,” said Col. Aaron Cooper, PACAF Intelligence (A2) director. “These kits will allow for a mobile team to be at hub-and-spoke locations giving commanders immediate support.”

    The portable JWICS kits is a latest innovation the command has created to navigate an increasingly complex and dynamic security environment, a key expectation of PACAF commander, Gen. Kevin Schneider.

    “With the PACAF commander’s direction, we wanted to build readiness capabilities for units to use at their discretion, whether they are supporting hub or spoke locations,” said David Pena, PACAF ISR Systems Enterprise Division chief. “This will give tactical level Air Force Intelligence professionals connectivity they’ve never had to support their down-range commanders.”

    PACAF’s deployable kits will contain Tactical Routers, Electro Magnetic Interference shielding, Encryption Encoders, Zero Clients, and other systems and equipment needed to provide intelligence information processing capabilities in a contested environment, while also maintaining agile maneuverability.

    In October 2024, PACAF/A2 hosted professionals from across many Air Force major commands and subordinate units. They were able to tour a demonstrated set-up of the deployable JWICS kit. Feedback from the demonstration tours was very positive and will help further refine the kits’ usage, PACAF/A2 leadership said.

    “These kits will enable Intelligence professionals to do their job from anywhere in the world safely and securely to keep their commanders informed,” said Maj. Richard Hassan, PACAF Intelligence Force and Capabilities Branch chief. “This is a holistic approach to command and control that directly moves forward our command priorities to improve warfighting capabilities, readiness, evolve battle management and expand the capacity and capabilities of ACE.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: CISA Releases Its First Ever International Strategic Plan

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    CISA will proactively engage international partners to strengthen the security and resilience of our nation’s critical infrastructure 

    WASHINGTON – Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released its 2025–2026 International Strategic Plan, the agency’s first, which supports the agency’s first comprehensive strategic plan and aligns with the National Security Memorandum on Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience. The International Strategic Plan focuses on how CISA will proactively engage international partners to strengthen the security and resilience of our nation’s critical infrastructure.  

    “In following this plan, CISA will improve coordination with our partners and strengthen international relationships to reduce risk to the globally interconnected and interdependent cyber and physical infrastructure that Americans rely on every day,” said CISA Director Jen Easterly. 

    Since the risks we face are complex, geographically dispersed and do not abide by borders, protecting and securing our cyber and physical infrastructure requires the concerted efforts of public and private partners around the globe. Our International Strategic Plan outlines three goals CISA must achieve to address the ever-changing and dynamic challenges facing America and our international partners: 

    • Bolster the Resilience of Foreign Infrastructure on Which the U.S. Depends;  
    • Strengthen Integrated Cyber Defense; and  
    • Unify Agency Coordination of International Activities.   

    Read CISA’s International Strategic Plan to learn more.  

    ###

    About CISA 

    As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

    Visit CISA.gov for more information and follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Delegation Aims to Protect RI’s Nonprofits and Places of Worship from Violence & Hate Crimes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02)

    After delivering over $2.2 million in federal NSGP funds for RI earlier this year, Congressional delegation announces additional funding available for physical security enhancements to better protect faith-based institutions and nonprofits

    PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to improve public safety and help better protect vulnerable faith-based institutions and nonprofits, Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation delivered a significant boost in homeland security funding and is urging local nonprofits andfaith-based institutions to apply for federal funds under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP).

    Earlier this year, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo delivered $2,248,436 in NSGP funds for Rhode Island to protect religious institutions against potential public safety threats.

    The federal funds, which were awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and administered by the Rhode IslandEmergency Management Agency (RIEMA), are targeted to helping synagogues, churches, mosques, and other houses of worship or faith-based organizations enhance their security infrastructure, training, and systems.  The federal NSGP funds can be used for things such as purchasing and installing appropriate locks, video cameras, and bulletproof glass. 

    Overall, the delegation helped include a total of $664 million in NSGP funds in fiscal year 2024, including over $300 million in the National Security Supplemental Appropriations bill, which was approved by Congress after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel. 

    During the first round of NSGP funding, DHS received 7,584 applications nationwide requesting $973 million.  Of those applicants, 3,288 were approved and allocated $454.5 million. 

    Now, members of the delegation are encouraging Rhode Island faith based entities in need of security assistance to apply for the remaining $210 million in funds available that will be distribute in a second cycle. The federal funding is now available through a Notice of Funding Opportunity published by DHS.

    “Whether attending a religious service or dropping your child off at camp, everybody should feel safe when they walk into a church, synagogue, or house of worship.  Unfortunately, we’ve seen a rise in antisemitism and attacks on faith based institutions.  This is a smart investment in helping vulnerable communities effectively protect themselves.  It will help counter the heightened risks we’re seeing, prevent attacks by making security enhancements, and ultimately save lives,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.

    “In America, no one should have to live in fear because of who they are or how they worship,” said Senator Whitehouse, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former Rhode Island Attorney General and U.S. Attorney.  “We continue to secure federal funding to help religious nonprofits and places of worship improve security at their facilities so that Rhode Islanders can have peace of mind while they practice their faith.”

    “There has been an alarming rise in threats of violence against nonprofit organizations and places of worship. At a time when antisemitism and Islamophobia is on the rise, we need to work closely with law enforcement so that every Rhode Islander feels safe no matter where they worship,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement and Intelligence. “This federal funding will provide at-risk faith-based institutions and non-profits with the resources they need to ensure the safety of their members.“

    “With antisemitic, Islamophobic, and hate fueled incidents on the rise, we have an obligation to ensure every community feels safe andsecure in their places of worship,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “Hate has no home in Rhode Island. I am proud to work with my colleagues to help deliver federal resources that will protect nonprofit organizations and ensure that every Rhode Islander can freely and safely practice their faith.”  

    Organizations interested in applying can get more information on the NSGP application process here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RI Delegation Delivers Major Funding for Freight Rail Infrastructure Improvements

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02)

    PAWTUCKET, RI – Highlighting the importance of well-maintained rail networks, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation will award $19,524,497 to upgrade key segments of freight rail tracks owned by Providence & Worcester Railroad (P&W) and New England Central Railroad (NECR).  The overall project is expected to cost about $26 million, with $19.5 million in federal funding and a $6.5 million local match.  Approximately 55.5 percent of the work will be done along P&W tracks in the Ocean State at a total cost of roughly $14.46 million.

    The improvements will replace up to 48,000 feet of older, lighter rail, install 7,900 ties, and rebuild fourteen public grade crossings on the Providence & Worcester Railroad main line in Rhode Island, and reconfigure the tracks and replace nine track turnouts in the Valley Falls, Rhode Island P&W freight yard.  The improved track turnouts will increase spacing and allow for more clearance for hazardous material shipments.

    When it is completed the new track should result in enhanced operational efficiency with fewer delays and faster travel times.

    The federal funding is administered by the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) and made possible through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which funds projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of both passenger and freight rail.

    These CRISI program funds are made possible through a combination of annual appropriations and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–58), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

    “I’m pleased to deliver federal funds for these freight rail fixes.  This is a smart investment in helping Rhode Island companies and business sectors get products and materials where they need to go safely, quickly, and efficiently.  Making freight rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient for shippers will help strengthen our supply chains.  It will also benefit local drivers on the road by addressing deficiencies at railroad crossings that contributed to vehicle damage,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who helped secure a total of $2.97 billion for the FRA in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill and helped set aside $100 million specifically for the competitive CRISI grants. 

    “This federal investment in Rhode Island’s freight rail infrastructure is a win-win for Rhode Island businesses and the public,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is at work supporting economic growth and keeping supply chains running smoothly and safely.”

    “The infrastructure bill passed by Congressional Democrats and the Biden-Harris administration is once again delivering for Rhode Island by replacing aging infrastructure and putting people to work,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner. “This federal funding will upgrade our state’s rail system to transport goods quickly and efficiently, and help local businesses compete in the national economy.” 

    “Freight rail is an essential part of Rhode Island’s economy and supports good paying jobs for workers in our state and across the region,” said Congressman Gabe Amo.  “Thanks to this $19.5 million federal investment Senator Jack Reed helped secure, our rail systems will be safer and more efficient for the businesses and shippers who need strong supply chains for goods to be transported.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement from President Joe  Biden on Democratic Backsliding in the Country of  Georgia

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    The United States has long stood with the Georgian people and supported the country of Georgia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. That is why I have been deeply alarmed by the country’s recent democratic backsliding, including the enactment of legislation mirroring Russian laws that restrict fundamental freedoms and limit the space for independent civil society organizations. Most recently, Georgia’s October 26 parliamentary elections were marred by numerous recorded misuses of administrative resources as well as voter intimidation and coercion. Georgian citizens have a right to peacefully express their views regarding the conduct of these elections, which independent international and domestic observers have not said were free and fair. We call on the Georgian government to transparently investigate all election irregularities, to repeal laws such as the so-called “Foreign Influence Law” that limit freedoms of assembly and expression, and to begin an immediate, inclusive dialogue with all political forces in Georgia about restoring election integrity. We call for all parties to strictly respect the rule of law and fundamental freedoms, which remain the foundation for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic future. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Baltimore Man Sentenced To 75 Months In Federal Prison For Illegal Possession Of A Firearm And Ammunition

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

    Defendant Possessed a Loaded Firearm with Additional Ammunition while Engaging in Drug Activity

    Baltimore, Maryland – On October 28, 2024, U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Larry Benner, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland to 75 months prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

    The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department (“BPD”).

    According to the guilty plea, BPD officers were monitoring Citiwatch cameras in Baltimore city on January 21, 2023 when they observed Benner and two codefendants engaged in drug activity.  BPD officers arrived on scene and placed the defendants under arrest.  Officers recovered various controlled dangerous substances from Benner, including approximately 87 grams of cocaine, 5 grams of fentanyl, and quantities of heroin, Alprazolam, and Buprenorphine.  Officers also recovered from Benner a Smith & Wesson 9mm Luger pistol loaded with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition and an additional drum magazine loaded with 35 live 9mm cartridges.

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

    U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Liane Kozik and Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III, who prosecuted the federal case.

    For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison for Trafficking Guns from Georgia to Connecticut

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

    Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TYREE THOMAS, 39, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking firearms from Georgia to Connecticut.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Thomas’ criminal history includes felony convictions and he is prohibited from purchasing firearms.  Between approximately August and December 2021, Thomas traveled to Georgia multiple times where, using a family member as a straw purchaser, he acquired approximately 24 firearms.   He then transported the firearms to Connecticut where he sold or transferred them to others, including felons, gang members, and juveniles.

    Nine of the firearms that Thomas acquired in Georgia have been recovered by law enforcement in Connecticut, including three that were seized during traffic stops, one of which was possessed by a juvenile; one that was found in the possession of felon who was subsequently federally prosecuted for the offense; one that was used in a Bridgeport shooting incident in August 2022, that resulted in the death of one of victim and injury to two others; one that was recovered from a Bridgeport murder suspect who used it to commit suicide during a standoff with law enforcement in Tennessee in June 2022; and one that was recovered from a homicide victim in Meriden in March 2023.  Fifteen of the guns have not been located.

    Thomas was arrested on September 6, 2023.  On June 17, 2024, he pleaded guilty to crossing state lines with the intent to engage in the unlawful dealing of firearms.

    Thomas, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 7.

    This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Bridgeport Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Clark and Rahul Kale. through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/PSN.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: One more detainee to return to HK

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Security Bureau today said that a Hong Kong resident who had been detained for illegal work in Myanmar, but was recently rescued and safely arrived in Thailand, will return to Hong Kong on Monday with the bureau’s dedicated task force.

    Members of the task force met the Hong Kong resident at a detention centre last night after his transferral to Bangkok. He was in good mental and physical condition.

    The task force members expressed sympathy to the individual, who expressed gratitude for their visit to Thailand to follow up on his case. He was also pleased to learn that he will be able to return to Hong Kong on Monday.

    Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung said he was relieved that one more Hong Kong resident was rescued and able to return to Hong Kong to reunite with his family before the Chinese New Year.

    Mr Tang thanked sincerely the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Chinese Embassy in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, the Chinese Embassy in the Kingdom of Thailand, the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Chiang Mai, the Consulate General of Myanmar in Hong Kong, the Royal Thai Consulate-General, Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office in Bangkok and the relevant Thai authorities for their support and assistance as well as importance attached to the case, enabling the return of the Hong Kong resident within a short period of time as far as practicable.

    The security chief also commended the dedicated task force for the committed efforts in following up the case and assisting the Hong Kong resident’s return to Hong Kong as soon as possible.

    The task force, comprising members from the bureau, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Immigration Department, has been contacting and liaising with different parties since their arrival in Thailand on January 21 to discuss the arrangements for the rescued Hong Kong resident to return home as soon as possible and follow up on the 10 remaining request-for-assistance cases.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Vanuatu AG condemns Trump’s Paris climate treaty exit as ‘troubling precedent’

    By Harry Pearl of BenarNews

    Vanuatu’s top lawyer has called out the United States for “bad behavior” after newly inaugurated President Donald Trump withdrew the world’s biggest historic emitter of greenhouse gasses from the Paris Agreement for a second time.

    The Pacific nation’s Attorney-General Arnold Loughman, who led Vanuatu’s landmark International Court of Justice climate case at The Hague last month, said the withdrawal represented an “undeniable setback” for international action on global warming.

    “The Paris Agreement remains key to the world’s efforts to combat climate change and respond to its effects, and the participation of major economies like the US is crucial,” he told BenarNews in a statement.

    The withdrawal could also set a “troubling precedent” regarding the accountability of rich nations that are disproportionately responsible for global warming, said Loughman.

    “At the same time, the US’ bad behavior could inspire resolve on behalf of developed countries to act more responsibly to try and safeguard the international rule of law,” he said.

    “Ultimately, the whole world stands to lose if the international legal framework is allowed to erode.”

    Vanuatu’s Attorney-General Arnold Loughman at the International Court of Justice last month . . . “The whole world stands to lose if the international legal framework is allowed to erode.” Image: ICJ-CIJ

    Trump’s announcement on Monday came less than two weeks after scientists confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record and the first in which average temperatures exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

    Agreed to ‘pursue efforts’
    Under the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015, leaders agreed to “pursue efforts” to limit warming under the 1.5°C threshold or, failing that, keep rises “well below” 2°C  by the end of the century.

    Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said on Wednesday in a brief comment that Trump’s action would “force us to rethink our position” but the US president must do “what is in the best interest of the United States of America”.

    Other Pacific leaders and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) regional intergovernmental body have not responded to BenarNews requests for comment.

    The forum — comprising 18 Pacific states and territories — in its 2018 Boe Declaration said: “Climate change remains the single greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and wellbeing of the peoples of the Pacific and [we reaffirm] our commitment to progress the implementation of the Paris Agreement.”

    Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka speaks at the opening of the new Nabouwalu Water Treatment Plant this week . . . Trump’s action would “force us to rethink our position”. Image: Fiji govt

    Trump’s executive order sparked dismay and criticism in the Pacific, where the impacts of a warming planet are already being felt in the form of more intense storms and rising seas.

    Jacynta Fa’amau, regional Pacific campaigner with environmental group 350 Pacific, said the withdrawal would be a diplomatic setback for the US.

    “The climate crisis has for a long time now been our greatest security threat, especially to the Pacific,” she told BenarNews.

    A clear signal
    “This withdrawal from the agreement is a clear signal about how much the US values the survival of Pacific nations and all communities on the front lines.”

    New Zealand’s former Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio, said that if the US withdrew from its traditional leadership roles in multilateral organisations China would fill the gap.

    “Some people may not like how China plays its role,” wrote the former Labour MP on Facebook. “But when the great USA withdraws from these global organisations . . . it just means China can now go about providing global leadership.”

    Analysts and former White House advisers told BenarNews last year that climate change could be a potential “flashpoint” between Pacific nations and a second Trump administration at a time of heightened geopolitical competition with China.

    Trump’s announcement was not unexpected. During his first term he withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement, only for former President Joe Biden to promptly rejoin in 2021.

    The latest withdrawal puts the US, the world’s largest historic emitter of greenhouse gases, alongside only Iran, Libya and Yemen outside the climate pact.

    In his executive order, Trump said the US would immediately begin withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and from any other commitments made under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

    US also ending climate finance
    The US would also end its international climate finance programme to developing countries — a blow to small Pacific island states that already struggle to obtain funding for resilience and mitigation.

    Press releases by the Biden administration were removed from the White House website immediately after President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Image: White House website/Screen capture on Monday

    A fact sheet published by the Biden administration on November 17, which has now been removed from the White House website, said that US international climate finance reached more than US$11 billion in 2024.

    Loughman said the cessation of climate finance payments was particularly concerning for the Pacific region.

    “These funds are essential for building resilience and supporting adaptation strategies,” he said. “Losing this support could severely hinder ongoing and future projects aimed at protecting our vulnerable ecosystems and communities.”

    George Carter, deputy head of the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University and member of the COP29 Scientific Council, said at the centre of the Biden administration’s re-engagement with the South Pacific was a regional programme on climate adaptation.

    “While the majority of climate finance that flows through the Pacific comes from Australia, Japan, European Union, New Zealand — then the United States — the climate networks and knowledge production from the US to the Pacific are substantial,” he said.

    Sala George Carter (third from right) hosted a panel discussion at COP29 highlighting key challenges Indigenous communities face from climate change last November. Image: Sera Sefeti/BenarNews

    Climate actions plans
    Pacific island states, like all other signatories to the Paris Agreement, will this year be submitting Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, outlining their climate action plans for the next five years.

    “All climate actions, policies and activities are conditional on international climate finance,” Carter said.

    Pacific island nations are being disproportionately affected by climate change despite contributing just 0.02 percent of global emissions, according to a UN report released last year.

    Low-lying islands are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels and extreme weather events like cyclones, floods and marine heatwaves, which are projected to occur more frequently this century as a result of higher average global temperatures.

    On January 10, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirmed that last year for the first time the global mean temperature tipped over 1.5°C above the 1850-1900 average.

    WMO experts emphasised that a single year of more than 1.5°C does not mean that the world has failed to meet long-term temperature goals, which are measured over decades, but added that “leaders must act — now” to avert negative impacts.

    Harry Pearl is a BenarNews journalist. This article was first published by BenarNews and is republished at Asia Pacific Report with permission.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Organization

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

    HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Nehmiah Allen-Griggs, also known as “Newski,” 23, of Dallas, Georgia, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Allen-Griggs admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Southern District of West Virginia.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2023, Allen-Griggs distributed approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in a Huntington parking lot in exchange for $2,000.

    On November 15, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Highlawn Avenue residence in Huntington and seized quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, a Landor Arms Canyon Arms 12-gauge shotgun, a Walther P22 .22-caliber pistol equipped with a silencer, a Kel-Teck .22-caliber pistol, and various rounds of ammunition. Allen-Griggs admitted that he and others used the residence to store and distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

    Allen-Griggs is scheduled to be sentenced on February 10, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.

    Allen-Griggs is among 27 individuals indicted in a 53-count indictment that charges the defendants with distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl transported from Detroit, Michigan, in Huntington and other locations within the Southern District of West Virginia.

    Allen-Griggs is also among 22 defendants who have pleaded guilty in the main case. One other of the 27 indicted individuals pleaded guilty to a related offense in a separate case. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Cabell County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

    United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Stephanie Taylor are prosecuting the case.

    The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

    A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-180.

    ###

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Harrison County Man Sentenced for Firearms Charge

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

    CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brock Corel Pearson, 42, of Meadowbrook, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 115 months in prison for the possession of a short-barreled shotgun.

    According to court documents, officers stopped Pearson’s vehicle in Harrison County, conducted a search, and found a backpack with an unregistered short-barreled shotgun. Pearson is prohibited from having firearms because of prior drug convictions in West Virginia and Mississippi.

    Pearson will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Conklin prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.

    Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Teams search harbour and bay for missing swimming

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    The search for a missing swimmer in Whangārei Harbour is continuing in a limited capacity.

    The 83-year-old man went swimming daily in Whangārei Harbour but failed to return from his swim on Sunday 20 October. He was reported missing on Monday 21 October and since then, Police, Coastguard, Land Search and Rescue, and Surf Life Saving New Zealand have been searching the Whangārei Harbour and Bream Bay.

    Sadly, there has been no sign of the man and Police are reassessing the search to ensure all likely places have been covered.

    Police have been in contact with the man’s family and support is being provided to them at what is an understandably difficult time.

    A rāhui remains in place for at least one more week. 

    Police would still like to hear from members of the public who may have information to help us, no matter how small or insignificant you think it might be.

    If you saw the swimmer, have any dashcam footage from the area or have any information, please update us online now or call 105, referencing file number 241021/1742.

    Police would like to thank Northland & Far North Search and Rescue, Surf Life Saving NZ, volunteers from Northland Coastguard Air Patrol and Coastguard Whangarei and Whangaruru, the Northland Harbour Master and the Onerahi Yacht who have all been involved in the search.

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Speaks at Pacific Tech 2024

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    Adm. Samuel J. Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, delivers a keynote speech at the Pacific Tech / Pacific Defense Contracting 2024 Conference, in Honolulu, Oct. 28.

    Hosted by Hawaii Technology Development Corporation, PACTECH 2024 is a forum for government and defense industry leaders to build relationships with federal Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

    USINDOPACOM is committed to enhancing stability in the Indo-Pacific region by promoting security cooperation, encouraging peaceful development, responding to contingencies, deterring aggression and, when necessary, fighting to win.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: KAMANDAG 8 Combined HA/DR Drill Increases Allied Response Capabilities

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    BURGOS, Philippines  –  

    A peaceful coastal town in Ilocos Norte, Philippines, showcases a blend of natural beauty and rural charm. Stretching along the northernmost coast of Luzon, it is bordered by the blue waters of the western Pacific Ocean. During October, Burgos became the location where the proverbial rubber met the road as three different nations trained together to accomplish one common goal.

    Members of the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade (ARDB), Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), trained side-by-side with the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) 4th Marine Brigade (4MBDE) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), along with support from U.S. Marines and Sailors from Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia (MRF-SEA), elements of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU), and Combined Task Force – 76 (CTF 76) to share knowledge and experiences while participating in various subject matter expert exchanges leading up to a final humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HA/DR) demonstration on Camp Cape Bojeador during the annual Philippine Marine Corps exercise, KAMANDAG 8.

    The expert exchanges included classes on Small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUAS); medical care, triage and casualty evacuation; small boats; and operational planning, which were vital to the final execution of the HA/DR demonstration between the combined forces.

    Marines and Sailors from MRF-SEA played a key role in the planning for the HA/DR demonstration, coordinated by the JGSDF Logistics Support Brigade (LSB). U.S. Marine involvement comes on the heels of a successful bilateral response to Typhoon Krathon (Julian) in Northern Luzon and the Batanes Islands, which occurred less than a week before the commencement of KAMANDAG. This experience provided MRF-SEA with valuable insights that enhanced the overall planning process.

    “This is one of the first major evolutions where you have a combined effort between the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force, the Philippine Marine Corps, and the United States Marine Corps,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Matthew Demaso, the Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company officer in charge for Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia.

    Leading up to the execution of the HA/DR mission demonstration, leaders from the JGSDF, 4MBDE, and MRF-SEA engaged in extensive planning over four days at Camp Cape Bojeador in Burgos. The Operational Planning Team developed a comprehensive and integrated response strategy for the simulated disaster scenario. Concurrently, participating forces conducted multilateral training in key areas, including amphibious landings, search and rescue operations, medical triage and patient evacuation, engineering clearance procedures, and sUAS operations with an RQ-20 PUMA.

    The U.S. Marines manning the PUMA were able to showcase the abilities of an unmanned aerial vehicle in assisting with search and rescue missions in the event of a natural disaster.

    “The information that I’ve been sharing with their personnel is focused on search and rescue, specifically how the sUAS systems could help both the military and the civilian sector for any humanitarian aid or disaster relief mission,” said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Marcos Lopez, a sUAS operator with ANGLICO Detachment 1.

    Lopez served as the lead instructor for the sUAS SMEE, demonstrating how to properly launch a PUMA and showcasing the information that the unmanned aircraft can provide, such as grid location, altitude, distance, and live video footage of the surrounding area.

    Leveraging the PUMA’s reconnaissance capabilities enables combined forces to identify citizens impacted by natural disasters ahead of time, allowing rescue personnel to prepare accordingly before arriving on-site.

    While MRF-SEA Marines shared insights into the capabilities of the sUAS, medical personnel at Camp Cape Bojeador exchanged knowledge on best medical practices for responding to natural disasters as they prepared for the HA/DR demonstration. Nurses with the JGSDF, service members with the Philippine BFP, and U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class David Doyle, a preventative medicine technician with MRF-SEA, led the majority the medical SMEE focusing on taking a mass influx of patients and triaging them promptly, monitoring vitals, and documenting injuries to ensure the best patient care during their admission to a higher echelon of medical care.

    “If we can continue to educate each other on the multitude of possible medical scenarios that can happen after a natural disaster, we will enhance our ability to assist in a real-life scenario,” said Doyle.

    As the training progressed, the collaborative efforts among the combined forces highlighted the importance of real-world preparedness in the face of potential disasters. Elements of the 15th MEU provided air support with MV-22 Ospreys to aid in transporting supplies and conducting casualty evacuations, including medical personnel from 4MBDE and JGSDF. The demonstration also featured over-the-horizon ship-to-shore movements and coordination with local agencies.

    This comprehensive approach not only facilitated skill-building in search-and-rescue tactical operations and patient triage, but also fostered a deeper understanding of each nation’s roles and capabilities, emphasizing the significance of scenario-based training.

    MRF-SEA, along with the 15th MEU and CTF 76/3, played a crucial role in the success of the HADR demonstration as it was one of the defining events of KAMANDAG 8. “We did a tabletop exercise through the humanitarian aid disaster response to walk through the plan and rehearse it, and then we were able to execute the plan for the demonstration, near flawlessly, on time, effectively, and safely,” said Demaso.

    Elements from the LSB and the 4MBDE conducted their ship-to-shore movement using two MV-22 Ospreys attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced) 15th MEU, launched from the USS Miguel Keith, an expeditionary staging base assigned to CTF-76/3.

    Simultaneously, an amphibious insertion involving combined military forces and Philippine relief agencies was executed using small boats, ensuring rapid notional link-up with local government officials. This set the stage for the rapid deployment of forces and assistance in the simulated disaster response.

    In the days leading up to the demonstration, Marines and Sailors of MRF-SEA used the RQ-20 PUMA to showcase its capabilities in the search-and-rescue component of a HA/DR mission.

    Additionally, MRF-SEA’s tactical air control party conducted successful pick-up and landing zone operations, allowing for the safe and efficient unloading of relief supplies and multilateral disaster relief teams. These efforts also expedited the evacuation of casualties, who were transported to a higher echelon of medical care aboard U.S. Navy vessels.

    In a major step toward enhancing multilateral cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, MRF-SEA, in collaboration with CTF-76/3 and the 15th MEU, successfully integrated with the PMC and JGSDF, testing the readiness of the multinational forces to respond to real-world emergencies.

    “This successful execution of this HADR training and demonstration marks a significant launch of the Philippines and Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), which was enacted just three months ago,” said Capt. Will Thomas, a joint terminal attack controller with MRF-SEA.

    The Philippines and Japan RAA is a defense cooperation agreement that allows for the increased presence of Japanese troops in the Philippines and vice versa for humanitarian missions, disaster response, and other scenarios. This agreement streamlines coordination between the two nations during combined operations or mutual defense needs.

    Unified efforts between U.S., Philippine, and Japanese forces demonstrated their ability to conduct effective disaster response operations in challenging environments, further strengthening regional preparedness for real-world scenarios.

    The annual Philippine Marine Corps exercise highlighted MRF-SEA’s key role in strengthening multilateral cooperation within the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and reinforced future cooperation with U.S. allies and regional partners, enhancing collective readiness against environmental and security challenges.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Enduring Partnerships: MRF-SEA Concludes KAMANDAG 8 with new experiences, knowledge

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    MANILA, Philippines  –  

    In a historic first, six nations converged on Filipino soil in the wake of a super typhoon to train, learn, and strengthen their partnership during KAMANDAG 8, reaffirming the exercise’s importance to regional peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

    The two-week exercise, which concluded on Oct. 25, focused on enhancing defense and humanitarian capabilities through combined training events and expert exchanges. Participants engaged in a wide range of training activities, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear response; humanitarian assistance and disaster relief; unmanned aerial systems use; small boat operations; logistics; civil-military operations; coastal defense; and command and control processes.

    Among the participants in KD8 was a detachment of Marines and Sailors from Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, a unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force designed to provide a persistent presence in the region while conducting exercises and military expert exchanges with allies and partners. For instructors with MRF-SEA, the exchanges were invaluable to sustaining partnerships west of the International Date Line.

    “The exchanges with not just our Philippine Marine Corps partners, but all partner nations, allow us to learn and grow as a fighting force,” said Gunnery Sgt. Ryan Berthiaume, CBRN chief with MRF-SEA. “Everyone has different ways of doing the same mission. These events are a great way to alter our way of thinking and apply new procedures to our own techniques, tactics, and procedures.”

    Just days before KAMANDAG 8 kicked off, U.S. Marines, Philippine Marines and citizens concluded a real-world foreign disaster relief mission in support of Philippine citizens residing in typhoon-stricken Northern Luzon. Efforts to transport nearly 100,000 pounds of supplies and family food aid packs from Manila to Laoag International Airport and then onward to affected areas near Basco solidified a joint commitment of protecting the people of the Philippines from natural disasters across the country.

    “This [mission] enabled them to have their basic needs met and focus on rebuilding their lives and getting back to normal,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Matthew Demaso, the Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company officer in charge for MRF-SEA. “It demonstrates that the United States is willing to answer the call of its allies quickly and efficiently to get them the help they need now.”

    Following the residual effects of the storm, a previously scheduled, notional HA/DR training event amongst the U.S., JGSDF, and PMC within the exercise provided another opportunity for allies to test their mettle as a proactive force in readiness. Teams took to the ocean in small boats to exercise boat use and movement to shore in order to provide necessary triage care and transportation of the injured; utilizing MV-22 Ospreys attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, who were already postured in the area with forces participating in the exercise on Palawan.

    This year’s KAMANDAG was the eighth iteration conducted in the Philippines and included over 2,000 participants. Service members from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps,Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps united in the Philippines to take part in the historically bilateral, Philippine and U.S. Marine lead exercise.

    The multinational collaboration of KAMANDAG 8 provided a valuable platform for participants to exchange expertise and foster working relationships across the globe. The combined environment allowed service members of all ranks and skill sets to enhance multinational cooperation, interoperability, and strengthen their collective capabilities.

    Operating in a foliage-rich environment brought new challenges and questions from young Marines participating in their first exercise; especially in utilizing communications equipment and radios in a mostly comm-degraded location such as the Philippine jungle. Cpl. Jacon McMahon, a transmissions systems operator with MRF-SEA, brought attention to the uniqueness of learning communications procedures from incredibly resourceful Filipino counterparts.

    “Through collaboration and shared expertise, the PMC demonstrated the art of crafting a jungle antenna and their communication capabilities. They showcased not just technical skills but strengthened our capabilities as Marines.”

    By combining training, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief efforts, participating nations have reinforced their commitment to a secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. As the region continues to face evolving challenges, exercises like KAMANDAG remain crucial in making partners “Stronger Together.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: SH2 blocked, Te Hauke, Hawke’s Bay

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    State Highway 2 is blocked at Te Hauke near Burma Road while the road is cleaned, following a two vehicle crash this afternoon.

    Police responded to SH2 following the two vehicle crash involving a portaloo and a ute around 3:40pm.

    No injuries were reported. 

    Motorists are advised to expect delays and take an alternate route.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: KAMANDAG 8: Multinational Teams, 15th MEU Recon Train Together in Manila

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    MANILA, Philippines  –  

    Marines with Reconnaissance Company, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, partnered with the Philippine Marine Corps’ Force Reconnaissance Group and other multinational recon and special forces units for combined training events at Marine Base Gregorio Lim near Manila, Philippines, Oct. 17-23, 2024, during Exercise KAMANDAG 8.

    KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise taking place Oct. 15-25 aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise, with participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps.

    Training at MGBL included Philippine National Police and Philippine Coast Guard special operations units that also participated in some of the events.

    The events included: jungle survival and patrolling; live-fire exercises; competitive sniper shoots; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) training; small boat operations; and visit, board, search, and seizure (VBSS) operations. Each event focused on improving interoperability and sharing tactics, techniques, and procedures among the training units to enhance their readiness to respond to a wide range of threats in the Indo-Pacific region.

    “This type of training alongside our Philippine FRG counterparts and other multilateral units during KAMANDAG enabled us to all learn from one another,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jon Bender, commanding officer of Reconnaissance Company, 15th MEU. “Collectively, these training events allowed us to refine common tactics, work together in complex and dynamic environments, and build trust between our units. The level of cooperation we’ve shared here is key to maintaining readiness and improving our operational capabilities.”

    The first training event involved jungle tactics in the dense terrain surrounding MGBL. The combined units focused on surviving and operating in a challenging jungle environment. This included techniques for building shelters, capturing or finding food, starting a fire, as well as moving through thick vegetation while maintaining tactical awareness, communications, and conducting reconnaissance in an area known for its difficult terrain and unpredictable weather.

    “The jungle presents unique challenges,” said U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Alexis Gonzales, a team leader with Security Platoon, Reconnaissance Company, 15th MEU, and a Dallas native. “Learning from the Philippine Marines, who have extensive experience operating in this environment, enhances our ability to succeed in similar conditions.”

    Several live-fire ranges were conducted during KAMANDAG training at MBGL. Sniper teams from each multinational element worked together, using spotters to guide the shooters in hitting distant targets. The live-fire portion also included a combined medium machine gun range, unknown-distance target range and competitive sniper shoots.

    During CBRN training, participants donned M50 gas masks as they trained to respond to a CS gas threat. This rehearsal tested their ability to quickly don protective equipment while remaining calm, effective and able to continue to operate in a contaminated environment.

    “The CBRN training allowed the forces to be comfortable operating in adverse environments,” said U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Tiago Nunes, a CBRN specialist with the 15th MEU, and a native of Boston. “Everyone involved in the training is now better equipped with the knowledge and expertise needed to stay safe and lethal.”

    Another key component of the training included explosive breaching operations, where Marines practiced breaching doors and barriers with controlled explosive charges. This training, essential for small tactical units conducting rapid entry during urban operations or raids, was facilitated by Marines from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Platoon, Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th MEU.

    On the water, the combined units used small boats during a raid course focused on scout swimmer operations, infiltration and extraction. The training included formation maneuvers moving quickly through coastal waters, stealthily approaching targets, and withdrawing after completing their missions.

    “The amphibious raid training shows our ability to insert forces from the sea and maintain the element of surprise,” said U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Donald Wernick, a reconnaissance Marine with Reconnaissance Company, 15th MEU, and a native of Virginia. “We conducted drills with numerous repetitions on the basics, which allowed the force to all know their roles and operate as a fluid and cohesive team.”

    Two of the final exercises involved a gas and oil platform (GOPLAT) and a VBSS maritime interdiction using small boats. The GOPLAT training was simulated at Fort Drum, an island fort near Manila, where the combined Marines walked through their actions during a raid, including securing the platform, eliminating threats and securing key infrastructure. During the at-sea VBSS, U.S. and Philippine Marines approached in small boats to rapidly board a target vessel. The VBSS tested the coordination and timing between the forces, as they boarded the vessel simultaneously, secured key areas and neutralized simulated threats.

    The week of multilateral training during KAMANDAG reinforced a shared commitment to regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific. By sharing knowledge, refining common tactics, and strengthening bonds, participating forces are better prepared to conduct joint multilateral operations across a spectrum of challenges.

    “Exercises like this enhance the strength and common skills that already exist, especially between 15th MEU’s Recon Marines and Philippine FRG,” said U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Thomas Zahn, a platoon commander with Reconnaissance Company, 15th MEU. “This training ensures that we are ready to face threats or respond to crises, together, wherever they arise.”

    As Exercise KAMANDAG 8 concludes Oct. 25, U.S. and Philippine Marines, along with their multinational like-minded partners, remain committed to advancing their capabilities and enhancing their ability to operate as a cohesive, combined force.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: KAMANDAG 8: Philippine 3rd Marine Brigade, 15th MEU Conduct Integrated Live-fire Coastal Defense

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    PALAWAN PROVINCE, Philippines  –  

    Philippine Marines with 3rd Marine Brigade and U.S. Marines with elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit established defensive positions at Apurawan Beach to conduct a combined live-fire coastal defense Oct. 22, 2024, during Exercise KAMANDAG 8.

    The training scenario on Palawan’s western shores integrated Philippine and U.S. forces as they coordinated close air support, air defense systems, guided missiles, artillery, mortars, rockets, machine guns, and command-detonated mines to repel a simulated amphibious landing to defend key maritime terrain.

    Philippine Navy Vice Adm. Alfonso Torres, commander of Western Command, and Philippine Marine Corps Commandant Maj. Gen Arturo Rojas attended the event, along with other key commanders and staff.

    KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise taking place Oct. 15-25 aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps.

    “Today, Philippine and U.S. Marines are integrating our respective emerging doctrines for coastal defense and counter-landing operations,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Nicholas Freeman, commanding officer of Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th MEU. “We’re training to maneuver and mass effects to attrite, block, fix and destroy a force that attempts to land. Here, Philippine guides would bring in our forces to rapidly establish an area defense of this landing site. Our engagement area would extend from the beach’s exit routes out to the launch points for enemy landing craft, with a plan for fires integrating both Philippine and U.S. Marine weapons systems.”

    On the day prior to the coastal defense, Charlie Battery, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, landed on Palawan’s eastern shores from the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) in the Sulu Sea. The unit then infiltrated their M777 155 mm towed howitzers across 45 miles of mountainous terrain to firing positions covering the engagement area. Although the M777s did not fire live artillery during the exercise, their participation marked a significant milestone in quickly positioning defensive fires capabilities on the island.

    “This was the longest U.S. military tactical movement, bearing the most fires capability to date, across Palawan,” said Freeman. “This is the first time we have moved this much firepower from one side of the island to the other, and they did it safely, swiftly, and realistically from a ship to objective.”

    In just over 24 hours, the dirty work of digging in by hand along hundreds of yards of coconut palms was completed by approximately 150 Philippine Marines from 3rd MDBE and 150 U.S. Marines from 15th MEU, mainly from BLT 1/5’s Weapons and Bravo Companies. From their camouflaged positions, some Marines commented that the tropical landscape reminded them of the island battles during World War II, such as Guadalcanal and Wake Island.

    “This is the environment that we try to simulate back in California, but it’s difficult to do that because we often train in the desert,” said U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Graham Clark, the battalion fires officer of BLT 1/5 who synchronized each of the elements conducting the live-fire. “This was valuable training with a very important partner force since we are developing these tactics to fight in an environment like Palawan.”

    The first event in the scenario was the detection of an approaching unmanned aircraft system threat. FIM-92 Stinger gunners with the Low Altitude Air Defense detachment, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), 15th MEU, unmasked from their positions and sighted their missiles.

    When the target drone was grounded due to high winds, the Stinger gunners took direct aim at target boats bobbing just above the surface hundreds of yards away. The Stingers, typically used against aircraft, fired and scored direct hits, sending pieces of orange-painted wood scattering into the bay.

    Next, radio calls alerted the defense that amphibious landing craft were approaching from over the horizon. Two F-35B Lightning II aircraft attached to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 225, 15th MEU, quickly launched from the Boxer and roared overhead. They dropped two 500-pound GBU-12 laser-guided bombs to destroy boats a few kilometers from shore before disappearing over the ocean.

    From the tree line, Philippine Marines then opened fire with 105 mm artillery cannons, supported by BLT 1/5’s 81 mm and 60 mm mortars, providing steady fires and suppression on the next set of targets.

    Meanwhile, a mixed section of AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopters with VMM-165 (Rein.) launched from Antonio Bautista Air Base in Puerto Princesa, where the squadron had established an aviation spoke ashore. They made multiple attack runs and fired rockets, 20 mm cannons, and 2.75-inch rounds.

    As the remaining closer-in boats were targeted, BLT 1/5 Marines emerged from the tree line with Javelin anti-tank missiles, sending wood flying as their strikes echoed across the bay.

    The entire beachfront then erupted as Philippine Marines fired 90 mm rounds from atop an armored personnel carrier. The combined forces also employed heavy machine guns, including Mark 19 40 mm grenade machine guns and .50-caliber machine guns, as well as medium machine guns.

    When the remaining enemy force crossed the surf, individual Philippine and U.S. Marines repelled the final wave with small arms, accurately engaging paper silhouette targets at close range. A claymore anti-personnel mine detonated, signaling a final blow and ceasing fires across the beach.

    “This was part of KAMANDAG, but really it’s part of a larger transformation in the concept and tactics for coastal defense strategy in this region – something that has not been employed or tested at scale for decades in the Indo-Pacific,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Sean Dynan, commanding officer of the 15th MEU. “Having the commander of WESCOM and the commandant of the Philippine Marine Corps attend showed the value and interest in developing this doctrine by both of our militaries. We, along with our Filipino counterparts, will take the lessons learned and continue to refine these concepts.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group leads Task Force 70 surface, air forces into Keen Sword 25

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    PACIFIC OCEAN  –  

    The USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group (CSG) is leading a contingent of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70 ships, aircraft and personnel participating in exercise Keen Sword 25 from Oct. 23 to Nov. 1, 2024.

    Keen Sword is the latest in a series of joint-bilateral field training exercises designed to increase combat readiness and interoperability of Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) and U.S. forces.

    In addition to Carrier Air Wing 5 and the strike group staff, embarked aboard the flagship Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73), CTF 70 is represented in the exercise by the expeditionary Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 134, as well as the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88), both operating under Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15.

    “The George Washington Carrier Strike Group’s presence is crucial in Keen Sword 25,” said Rear Adm. Greg Newkirk, commander of Task Force 70 and the carrier strike group. “In Keen Sword, our strike group rehearses complex, high-end warfighting with the joint force and allies. This type of exercise showcases the range, agility and lethality of our unified force and reestablishes the George Washington Carrier Strike Group in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations with emphasis.”

    George Washington, returning in its second stint as the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier forward-deployed to Japan, departed the San Diego area on Oct. 8 to begin operations in the Indo-Pacific.

    The carrier was previously forward-deployed to Yokosuka from 2008 to 2015, and will return there in late fall after completion of its current patrol. The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) served as the forward-deployed carrier from 2015 until earlier this year.

    “Keen Sword 25 provides the George Washington CSG an arena to flex its considerable capability in the air, surface and information domains,” said Newkirk. “Not only is the strike group conducting dynamic flight operations and complex expeditionary logistics during this exercise, it is also serving as a hub for tactical decision-making, driving action and reaction among forces throughout the region.”

    The CSG team, with DESRON 15, is coordinating with Lake Erie, operating with allies in the Philippine Sea near Okinawa, as well as Preble, which is in Yokosuka providing a platform for bilateral Tomahawk Land-Attack Missile (TLAM) training with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force specialists.

    Keen Sword is a biennial exercise designed to help promote peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. This exercise, and others like it, are an opportunity to demonstrate to the world the will of the U.S. and allies to defend Japan, as well as the ironclad nature of the U.S.-Japan alliance, which has stood for more than 70 years.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New Key Worker Accommodation arrives in Narrandera

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 29 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Regional Health

    Three new key worker accommodation units have been delivered to Narrandera Health Service as part of the NSW Government’s $45.3 million Key Worker Accommodation Program.

    Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park announced installation of the units is now underway off Adams Street on the north side of the campus.

    The modern and fit-for-purpose units will be fully furnished and self-contained. Each unit features a light-filled living and dining area, modern kitchen, bedroom with ensuite, an internal laundry and a screened verandah. One of the three units has also been designed to support accessibility needs.

    Secure access to the units will be provided and there will also be landscaping surrounding the units.

    The new units will assist the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) with the recruitment and retention of health workers in the area, with staff expected to move into the new accommodation before the end of the year.

    MLHD is one of three regional local health districts to benefit from a $45.3 million investment to deliver accommodation for health workers across rural and regional NSW, under the Key Worker Accommodation Program, which is being delivered in partnership with Health Infrastructure NSW.

    Narrandera is the fourth site in NSW to receive new prefabricated units built off-site and modelled on a prototype unit completed earlier this year.

    An additional $200.1 million has been committed by the NSW Government to increase key health worker accommodation across rural and regional areas of the state as part of the 2024-25 NSW Budget. 

    Quotes attributable to Regional Health Minister Ryan Park:

    “It’s great to see the rollout of the key worker accommodation program throughout the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, and Narrandera being one of the health services to benefit.”

    “Recruitment and retention of staff in rural and regional hospitals is a priority for the Minns Labor Government, which is why we are committing a further $200.1 million to increase key health worker accommodation in the state.”

    “Securing suitable accommodation in regional areas can be difficult, so the new units will assist to remove one of the barriers preventing health care workers looking at making the move to a regional town to live and work.”

    Quotes attributable to Labor spokesperson for Cootamundra Stephen Lawrence MLC:

    “Narrandera is such a great community, and with the Murrumbidgee River and natural beauty of the town, healthcare workers should really consider it as a potential place to live and work, especially with this new accommodation available.”

    “The accommodation units are a positive attribute to the local hospital and the town of Narrandera, and we are looking forward to move-in day soon.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Update: Gang related funeral, Hutt Valley and Porirua

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Police have been present today as a funeral procession travelled between Hutt Valley and Porirua and can report that attendees are now dispersing.

    Hutt Valley Prevention Manager Inspector Shaun Lingard says: “We acknowledge that the procession caused disruption to traffic flows in the area, and we’d like to thank members of the public for their patience while the funeral procession made its way through our District.

    “A significant Police attendance helped ensure public safety around this event. While there were no arrests made today, we will be following up on information gathered relating to unlawful behaviour, to determine what further enforcement action will be taken.

    Police will continue to monitor the event as attendees disperse and will take action as required.

    If you are concerned about your safety, or witness illegal behaviour happening now, please call 111 immediately.

    To report, or send in any footage of the unlawful behaviour, we encourage you to file a report online at https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105 or report anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-nz.org 

    ENDS

    Issued by the Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: The Department of Police gave an update on the charges of 4 people who were arrested.

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)

    The Department of Police gave an update on the charges of 4 people who were arrested in connection with food poisoning investigations

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_spPjoPkSLM

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Appeal following shooting in Canning Town

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Detectives are appealing for witnesses following a shooting in Canning Town.

    Police were called at about 02:05hrs on Saturday, 26 October to reports of a shooting on Thorne Close, near Rogers Road, E16.

    Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and found two men, aged 25 and 27, injured.

    They were both taken to hospital with gunshot injuries and continue to receive medical treatment. Neither man has life-threatening injuries.

    Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command are investigating.

    Detective Inspector Iain Wallace said: “I would like to hear from anyone who was in the area in the early hours of Saturday – who heard or saw anything suspicious – to come forward.

    “Two men were shot and it is vital that we identify who is responsible.

    “Also, I would ask that you check any dash cam footage to see if you captured the shooting.”

    No arrests have been and enquiries into the circumstances continue.

    Local residents can expect to see additional policing patrols in the area over the coming days.

    Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD 757/26Oct. You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by SJ at plenary session of 14th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference in Singapore (English only)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, at the plenary session of the 14th China-ASEAN Prosecutors-General Conference in Singapore today (October 29):Mr Chairman, Your Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,     To begin with, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Your Excellency Mr Lucien Wong, SC, for organising this year’s conference.Urgent call for co-operation in the fight against financial crimes     The theme of this year’s conference is “Fostering Co-operation on Combating Financial Crimes”. The definition of financial crimes is very wide. In Hong Kong, they cover a broad range of money-related criminal activities including money laundering, terrorists financing, fraud, theft, market misconduct as well as corruption and irregularities in the financial market. There is, however, very often a common element: that is they involve transboundary elements.     In recent years, we have witnessed an alarming rise in financial crimes. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimated that money laundered globally in one year is 2-5 per cent of global gross domestic product, that is approximately US$800 billion to $2 trillion. Hong Kong, which ranks No. 1 in the 2024 Economic Freedom of the World Report compiled by the Fraser Institute, is not immune to these challenges. According to the latest statistics released by the Hong Kong Police Force, over 19 000 cases of deception were registered in the first half of 2024, accounting for around 44 per cent of the total number of crimes and resulting in the loss of HK$4.48 billion.     There is, therefore, no wonder why there is consensus that international co-operation to combat financial crimes is both essential and imminent. In May this year, the Heads of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the UNODC and the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) issued an unprecedented joint call for actions to be taken across sectors and at the global level to target the huge illicit profits generated by transnational organised crimes that facilitate conflicts, fund terrorism and negatively impact vulnerable populations.     Hong Kong is committed to engaging in international co-operation to combat financial crimes proactively. This is both required and made possible by the principle of “one country, two systems”. In the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Article 109 gives Hong Kong the mandate to provide an appropriate economic and legal environment for the maintenance of the status of Hong Kong as an international financial centre. Under Articles 96 and 152 of the Basic Law respectively, Hong Kong may make appropriate arrangements with foreign states for reciprocal juridical assistance, and representatives of Hong Kong may participate in international organisations or conferences as members of delegations of the People’s Republic of China or in other appropriate capacity.     Hong Kong has been adopting a four-pronged approach in combating financial crimes with international elements: first, espousing international regulatory standards; second, establishing a collaborative network for effective prosecution and asset recovery; third, embracing technologies as our new tools; and, lastly, encouraging knowledge and experience sharing.Espousing international regulatory standards     Let me begin with espousing international regulatory standards. While different jurisdictions have diverse legal landscapes and different financial systems, it is essential to ensure that the local legal and regulatory frameworks would comply with international standards. I am proud to say that Hong Kong has so far successfully achieved this objective.     Owing to the fact that, in practice, it is very often difficult to identify, catch and bring participants of financial crimes to justice and that the loss and damage caused by such crimes are in many cases untraceable and irrecoverable, the Hong Kong law in this respect focus very much on effective prevention and early detection of suspicious transactions. Our Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615) (AMLO) sets out the requirements on financial institutions regarding customer due diligence and record keeping; and other legislations impose statutory obligations for reporting suspicious transactions. Earlier this year, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal in a landmark judgment known as Tam Sze Leung & Ors v Commissioner of Police (2024) 27 HKCFAR 288 upheld the validity of the “letters of no consent” scheme under the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 455), which aims at assisting financial institutions to consider how to deal with, or not to deal with, funds known or suspected to be proceeds of crime.     On the other hand, the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong publishes alert list to provide early warnings to investors on suspicious investment products and virtual asset trading platforms. Very recently in August this year, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), in collaboration with the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Association of Banks, extended the coverage of the Suspicious Account Alert to physical branches and Internet banking transactions.     Hong Kong has been a member of the FATF, an intergovernmental organisation which sets global standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing, since 1991. In the fourth round of FATF mutual evaluation in 2018-19, Hong Kong’s anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) system has been assessed to be compliant and effective overall, making it the first jurisdiction in the Asia-Pacific region to have achieved an overall compliant result. The FATF also adopted Hong Kong’s follow-up report and recognised Hong Kong’s efforts in strengthening its AML/CFT regulatory regimes last year.     That said, Hong Kong does not remain complacent. Hong Kong is also one of the founding members of the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG), an autonomous FATF-style regional anti-money laundering body, founded in 1997. The APG published annual reports to assist governments and other stakeholders to have a better understanding about the nature of existing and emerging threats. The 2023 report includes a chapter on threats and trends related to virtual assets and virtual asset service providers. Hong Kong took the initiative to introduce a licensing regime for virtual asset service providers under AMLO, which came into effect in June 2023. To further strengthen the virtual assets regulatory framework in Hong Kong, we consulted the public on a regulatory regime for stablecoins earlier this year and had received overall support.Establishing a collaborative network for effective prosecution and asset recovery     Let me turn to establishing a collaborative network across jurisdictions to enable effective prosecution of financial crimes and asset recovery.     Hong Kong has established a comprehensive co-operation regime for the mutual legal assistance and surrender of fugitives. The Department of Justice of Hong Kong published various practical step-by-step guidelines, such as “Guide to Asset Recovery in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” and “Guidelines for Making Applications under the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance (Cap. 525)”, with a view to assisting our foreign counterparts in understanding the procedures in relation to international legal co-operation in criminal matters in Hong Kong and the wide range of legal assistance that may be provided by Hong Kong, such as taking of oral evidence, obtaining materials under production orders, enforcement of external confiscation orders and restraining of dealing in property which may be subject to external confiscation orders, etc.     Over the years, the Department of Justice has been providing effective and timely assistance to various foreign jurisdictions, including our ASEAN and Asia-Pacific partners. Let me share with you some examples. Recently, pursuant to a request made by an East Asian country, we have successfully obtained from the High Court a restraint order freezing assets in the form of cryptocurrencies of a total value of more than US$20 million, which are suspected to be proceeds of a massive fraudulent scheme. In another case regarding a request received from Indonesia, we have restrained over US$8 million worth of assets, representing proceeds of offences of fraud and money laundering, with a view to repatriating the confiscated funds back to the victim of crimes in Indonesia eventually. Singapore is one of our most valued and top legal co-operation partners. Thanks to the tireless effort of the Attorney General’s Chambers of Singapore, a fugitive was successfully surrendered back to Hong Kong earlier this month to face justice in court for offences relating to a securities fraud. In another case involving offences of money laundering and corruption, Hong Kong is working very closely with Singapore in our collaboration to repatriate US$13 million of proceeds of crime back to the victim in Mainland China. In yet another example, with the joint effort of Interpol and following extensive information sharing and joint investigations by the police from Singapore and Hong Kong, a transnational syndicate allegedly involved in laundering ill-gotten gains derived from tech support scams, including around HK$33 million from the victims in Singapore, has recently been crippled in August this year, resulting in the arrest of eight persons in Singapore and Hong Kong.     Another significant development in 2024 is that, on June 26, 2024, Hong Kong has officially joined the South East Asia Justice Network (SEAJust), which was established in 2020 with the support of the UNODC. This enables Hong Kong to make use of this important platform to facilitate co-operation in criminal matters with other members, including all my friends here today.     I feel obliged to take this opportunity to register my disappointment that, due to geopolitical reasons, some Western countries have unilaterally suspended their mutual legal co-operation arrangements with Hong Kong, which is plainly against common interests. Geopolitical considerations should not be allowed to hinder international co-operation in fighting financial crimes.Embracing technologies as our new arsenal of tools     Let me move on to embracing technologies as our tools. In this digital age, technology is evolving at an unprecedented pace. It is unfortunate that it has been misused to enable financial crimes to transcend borders and get “bigger” in terms of quantity and complexity, and allow the culprits to hide their identities in the virtual world.     To counter such misuse, we should consider how to deploy technological advancements as our ally. In particular, we should proactively explore the possibilities of leveraging powerful artificial intelligence (AI) tools for detecting and disrupting financial crimes at an early stage. For example, AI-powered systems may facilitate real-time online transaction monitoring and individual behavioural analysis, and alert unusual transaction patterns with speed and accuracy that human beings cannot duplicate. AI-assisted automation may also play a pivotal role in enhancing the efficiency of investigations. AI technology is able to analyse vast amounts of data at lightning speed. Automating some repetitive but essential tasks throughout the investigation process enables investigation officers to dedicate their time and energy to developing strategies in higher-impact cases.     On September 9, 2024, with a view to accelerating the use of AI in monitoring money laundering and terrorist financing risks, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority published a circular on “Use of Artificial Intelligence for Monitoring Suspicious Activities”. The HKMA observed that AI-powered systems take into account a broad range of contextual information focusing not only on individual transactions, but also the active risk profile and past transaction patterns of customers in determining whether the activity of a customer should be flagged for further investigation. These enhanced systems have proved to be more effective and efficient than conventional rules-based transaction monitoring systems.Encouraging knowledge and experience sharing     Lastly, let me say a few words on encouraging knowledge and experience sharing.     Last month, a dedicated team of prosecutors who specialise in prosecuting sophisticated and syndicated high-tech crimes in the Prosecutions Division of the Department of Justice of Hong Kong paid a visit to Guangdong Provincial People’s Procuratorate, the High People’s Court of Guangdong Province and Guangzhou Internet Court. The sharing sessions with Mainland judges and procurators were greatly beneficial to deepening the mutual understanding of the latest trends of deception cases and the handling of cryptocurrency cases.     And, of course, international symposiums and conferences provide an excellent forum for free flow of ideas, which assist in gathering and accumulating a general pool of knowledge, and stimulating new and innovative ideas to combat financial crimes. This successful conference is, by itself, a perfect example.     In this aspect, I am very pleased to inform you that, next month between November 27 and 29, Hong Kong will organise the 11th Asia and Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Prosecutors (IAP) under the theme of “Effective Prosecution Service in the Technological Age”. I look forward to welcoming you to Hong Kong.     Lastly, I am also very pleased to inform you that the Department of Justice of Hong Kong will formally establish the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy very soon. The Academy will organise practical training courses, seminars, and international exchange programmes to promote exchanges among legal professionals coming from different jurisdictions. This may serve as an additional platform for capacity building and experience sharing in the area of international co-operation on combating financial crimes.Concluding remarks     To conclude, while the challenges we face in our fight against financial crimes are daunting and are likely to be ongoing, they are ones that we can and must overcome – together. In this war that we cannot afford losing, let us remain steadfast to our commitment to align with international regulatory standards, work closely via various collaborative networks, make better use of emerging technologies, and share knowledge and experience. In co-operation lies our strength, and in action lies the promise of a secure financial environment where trust and integrity flourish.     On this note, may I once again thank the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore for giving me and other members of the Hong Kong delegation such a fruitful experience at this successful conference, and to all the distinguished speakers and friends from the Mainland and ASEAN countries for their sharing of valuable insights and experiences. Thank you very much.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: MOFA welcomes European Parliament resolution on PRC’s misinterpretation of UNGA Resolution 2758 and continuous military provocations against Taiwan

    Source: Republic of China Taiwan 3

    MOFA welcomes European Parliament resolution on PRC’s misinterpretation of UNGA Resolution 2758 and continuous military provocations against Taiwan

    Date：2024-10-25
    Data Source：Department of European Affairs

    October 25, 2024No. 365The European Parliament (EP) on October 24 adopted a resolution concerning the misinterpretation of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Resolution 2758 by the People’s Republic of China and its continuous military provocations around Taiwan by an overwhelming majority of 432 votes in favor and 60 against. The EP resolution strongly opposes the PRC distorting UNGA Resolution 2758 to block Taiwan’s international participation and calls on the European Union and its member states to support Taiwan’s meaningful participation in relevant international organizations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) strongly affirms and sincerely appreciates this support. The EP resolution points out that UNGA Resolution 2758 addresses the status of the PRC but does not determine that the PRC enjoys sovereignty over Taiwan, nor does it make any judgement on the future inclusion of Taiwan in the UN or any other international organization. It also states that Taiwan has never been part of the PRC. Stressing that UNGA Resolution 2758 takes no position on Taiwan, the EP resolution strongly rejects and refutes the PRC’s attempts to distort history and international rules and thereby block Taiwan’s meaningful participation in international organizations. It also strongly condemns the PRC’s continued military provocations and gray-zone activities against Taiwan and reiterates the EU’s firm rejection of any unilateral change to the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.Pointing out that Taiwan is a key, like-minded partner of the EU in the Indo-Pacific, the EP resolution calls for the EU and its member states to further deepen cooperation and exchanges with Taiwan in such domains as the economy, investment, semiconductor and high-tech industrial supply chains, disaster management, civil protection, and countering disinformation and foreign interference. It also advocates continued support for Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Criminal Police Organization, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and other multilateral organizations. In addition, the EP welcomes closer official and people-to-people interactions and exchanges between Taiwan and the EU, including the recent visit of former President Tsai Ing-wen to the EP.Since the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China passed a model resolution concerning UNGA Resolution 2758 in July for its members’ reference, the Australian Senate and the Dutch House of Representatives have passed motions in support of Taiwan. The EP thus becomes the third parliament to approve a similar resolution. MOFA urges the global community to take concrete action to oppose China’s misrepresentation of UNGA Resolution 2758 and to refute China’s false claim that there is an international consensus on its so-called “one China principle.” Taiwan will continue to enhance its substantive and comprehensive cooperation with the EU and other like-minded partners to jointly ensure peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and in the Indo-Pacific. (E)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –