NewzIntel.com

Category: Security

  • MIL-OSI Security: Upshur County Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Employer

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

    TYLER, Texas – An Upshur County woman has been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.

    Tamarisk Trejo Mathews, 52, of Big Sandy, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy Kernodle on October 16, 2024.  Mathews was also ordered to pay $334,252.00 in restitution.

    According to information presented in court, Mathews was responsible for accounting duties of a restaurant and music venue in Wood County, Texas.  She worked in accounts receivable, accounts payable, and had access to the financial accounts of the business.  Mathews also had authority to issue invoices to customers and issue checks and other payments to creditors.  Beginning in about December 2018, Mathews devised and began executing a scheme to wrongfully obtain money, funds, and assets under the custody and control of the restaurant.  Among other things, she wrote checks that she was not authorized to write for personal expenditures, made charges in the business’s name from vendors such as Amazon, and used business funds to make purchases through PayPal.  Mathews also opened an American Express account in the name of the business and obtained an American Express credit card. She then used the card and account to make personal purchases and expenditures and paid American Express for those purchases and expenditures using business funds and the business bank account.  The scheme resulted in a loss to the business of $334,252.00.

    This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Twelve Charged with Fentanyl Trafficking in Abilene

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

    Twelve alleged fentanyl traffickers were arrested in a large-scale drug bust in Abilene, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.

    The takedown – the second in an operation that previously resulted in the prosecution of 17 drug traffickers arrested during a large-scale bust in late February  – involved agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office –  Abilene Resident Office, the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, the Abilene Police Department, and the Callahan County Sheriff’s Office. 

    Those charged in two separate indictments unsealed today include:

    • Christopher Thompson, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Marquee Anthony Aboso, aka OC, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Kurtney Bernard Jones, aka KP, charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Steven Lattimore, aka PNut, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Mckenzee Marie Lane, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Maxine Gonzales, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Tylik Ojur Johnson, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Jeremiah Greene, aka Lil Mexico, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Paul Eli Snyder, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Robert Lee Mason, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Glen Edward Lee, Jr., charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
    • Christopher Anthony Glaze, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl

    Over the course of the operation into these individuals, agents seized more than 14,856 fentanyl pills, 45.4 grams of heroin, 2.56 grams of meth, and 15.56 grams of crack cocaine, as well as multiple firearms.

    An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

    If convicted, some defendants named in these indictments face up to 20 years in federal prison.

    Sixteen of the 17 defendants arrested in February’s takedown have already been convicted. Fourteen have already been sentenced to a combined 187 years in federal prison; two pleaded guilty and await sentencing, and one is awaiting trial. The lead defendant, Diana Perez, deemed responsible for more than 109,221 kilograms of drugs, was sentenced Thursday to more than 24 years in federal prison.  

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Abilene Resident Agency, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency, and the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, and the IRS – Criminal Investigations. The cases are being prosecuted by the West Texas Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.

    This prosecution stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) instigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations that threaten the Untied States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Who Concealed Croatian War Crime Charge Sentenced to Prison for Immigration Fraud

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

    CLEVELAND – An Ohio man was sentenced yesterday to three years in prison for possessing a green card he illegally obtained by concealing that he had been charged with a war crime in Croatia prior to immigrating to the United States.

    According to court documents, Jugoslav Vidic, 56, of Parma Heights, in applying to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, falsely stated that he had never been charged with breaking any law even though he knew he had been charged in Croatia with a war crime against the civilian population. Vidic also falsely stated that his only past military service was in the Yugoslav Army from 1988 to 1989, when, in fact, he fought with the Serb Army of Krajina and its predecessors during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia from 1991 to 1995. As a result of these materially false statements, Vidic was approved for lawful permanent resident status and received a green card.

    “Jugoslav Vidic lied about war crimes charged against him in an attempt to escape his past and live in the United States unlawfully,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the dedication of prosecutors, law enforcement, and our international partners, Vidic will serve prison time in the United States followed by his removal. His sentence demonstrates that human rights violators will not be allowed to hide from their crimes in the United States.”

    “Vidic committed serious human rights violations and was convicted of war crimes in Croatia as a result. Yet, he lied to U.S. immigration officials about his conviction and participation in a violent military force to claim refugee status and obtain a green card — becoming a permanent legal resident of our country — when he was not eligible to do so,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “Those who run away from violent crimes they commit elsewhere in the world and then enter our country by brazenly lying about their past will be held to account, as yesterday’s sentence demonstrates. Vidic’s deceitful actions are detestable, and unfairly hurt people in need who legitimately seek refuge to flee real harms in their home countries.”

    “Our communities here in Ohio and across the U.S. are not safe havens for war criminals to escape accountability in their home countries,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “It is my hope that this sentencing provides some measure of solace to the victims’ families with the knowledge that despite the passage of time, the U.S. will seek justice.”

    “Jugoslav Vidic intentionally circumvented the laws of the United States by lying on his green card application about his war crimes conviction in Croatia,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division. “This case should serve as a warning to others that the FBI will work with our law enforcement partners to identify and hold accountable those like Vidic who seek to violate U.S. law by fraud of any kind.”

    “Jugoslav Vidic knowingly avoided the truth of his past to enjoy the freedoms and liberties of the United States for over two and a half decades,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “Yesterday’s sentence underscores the work of the FBI and its local, state, federal, and international partners and sends a clear message that people in the United States who take part in war crimes, regardless of when or where they occurred, or by masking their involvement, will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted.”

    Vidic admitted in his plea agreement that he was charged with a war crime in Croatia in 1994 and convicted in absentia in 1998. The Croatian court found that during an attack by ethnic Serb forces in Petrinja, Croatia, on Sept. 16, 1991, Vidic cut off the arm of civilian Stjepan Komes, who died afterward. Vidic further admitted that he knew about the Croatian charges when he immigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1999, applied to become a lawful permanent resident in 2000, and was interviewed by U.S. immigration officials and received his green card in 2005.

    Vidic pleaded guilty to one count of possessing an alien registration receipt card knowing it had been procured through materially false statements. As part of the plea agreement, Vidic agreed to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States.

    HSI and the FBI investigated the case with coordination provided by the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, including the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit. The Justice Department thanks the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration of the Republic of Croatia, which were both instrumental in furthering the investigation.

    Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Shepherd and Jerome J. Teresinski for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.

    Members of the public who have information about human rights violators or immigration fraud in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or through the FBI online tip form, or HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or through the ICE online tip form. All are staffed around the clock, and tips may be provided anonymously.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Member of Bonanno Crime Family Convicted of Extortion of a Witness

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

    Today, a federal jury in Brooklyn convicted John Ragano, also known as “Bazoo,” a member of the Bonanno organized crime family, for the extortionate collection of credit from a victim.  The verdict followed a four-day trial before United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez. When sentenced, Ragano faces up to 20 years in prison. The defendant was acquitted of extortionate collection of credit conspiracy, witness harassment and witness tampering.

    Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the verdict.

    “The defendant’s extortion of a victim while on pre-trial release, carried out even in the sanctity of the federal courthouse, is an affront to the criminal justice system and a glaring example of this Bonanno mobster’s flagrant disrespect for the law,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “With today’s verdict, the jury has delivered a clear message that the rule of law will prevail over extortionate threats.”

    “Despite previous arrests and detention, John Ragano tormented his victim to make weekly exorbitant loan payments and enforced humiliating methods when faced with resistance,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Dennehy.  “His actions reflected his apathy to the criminal justice system as he repeatedly attempted to extort his victims in the midst of active legal proceedings.  Today’s verdict emphasizes the FBI’s intolerance of the mob’s historical inclination to utilize coercive and threatening tactics to fulfill their greedy demands.”

    In early 2021, John Doe (“the victim”) borrowed $150,000 from Ragano and made interest payments of approximately $1,800 a week to him.  On September 14, 2021, Ragano was arrested in connection with the extortionate loan to the victim, as well as separate schemes to traffic marijuana and commit fraud. While Ragano was on pre-trial detention in that case, and after he was released on bond from the Metropolitan Detention Center in December 2021, he continued to try to collect the 2021 loan from the victim. On November 28, 2022, Ragano pleaded guilty in connection with his loan to the victim.  In 2022 and 2023, despite Ragano’s arrest, court supervision, guilty plea and sentence of 57 months’ imprisonment, he continued to extort the victim on the 2021 loan, including at status conferences held at the federal courthouse. 

    On March 25, 2023, the victim recorded a meeting with Co-Conspirator #1 who explained that Ragano wanted the entire amount of the loan repaid and that “nobody’s looking for anybody to get hurt.”  On July 5, 2023, the victim went to a used auto parts yard where Ragano worked to discuss the loan and recorded the meeting.  The victim told Ragano that he was going to stop repaying the loan.  Ragano accused the victim of cooperating with the government and demanded that he remove all his clothes.  Ragano stated: “Okay, well then take off your f—–g s—t right now my man.  Take off your f—–g pants right now, lemme see, I want to see.”  At Ragano’s insistence, the victim complied and took off all his clothing.  At that point, two men at the business walked up behind Ragano, one of whom was holding metal tools.  Ragano then demanded the victim pay the money the defendant believed he was owed.  Despite being forced to strip naked, the victim was still able to record the confrontation.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Devon Lash and Andrew D. Reich are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Kristina Kim.

    The Defendant:

    JOHN RAGANO
    Age:  62
    Franklin Square, Long Island

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-50 (HG)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Raytheon Company to Pay Over $950 Million in Connection with Foreign Bribery, Export Control and Defective Pricing Schemes

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

    Raytheon to Pay Approximately $300 Million to Resolve the FCPA and ITAR Investigations in the Eastern District of New York

    BROOKLYN, NY – Raytheon Company (Raytheon), a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based defense contractor RTX (formerly known as Raytheon Technologies Corporation), entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Department of Justice in connection with a criminal information unsealed today in the Eastern District of New York charging Raytheon with two counts: conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for engaging in a scheme to bribe a government official in Qatar and conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) by willfully failing to disclose the bribes in export licensing applications with the Department of State. 

    Separately, Raytheon will enter into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal information filed today in the District of Massachusetts charging Raytheon with two counts of major fraud against the United States. As part of that resolution, Raytheon admitted to engaging in two separate schemes to defraud the Department of Defense (DOD) in connection with the provision of defense articles and services, including PATRIOT missile systems and a radar system.

    Both agreements require that Raytheon retain an independent compliance monitor for three years, enhance its internal compliance program, report evidence of additional misconduct to the Justice Department, and cooperate in any ongoing or future criminal investigations. 

    Raytheon also reached a separate False Claims Act settlement with the department relating to the defective pricing schemes. The Justice Department’s FCPA and ITAR resolution is coordinated with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

    In addition, the Justice Department’s resolutions ensure that the appropriate federal agencies can proceed with determining whether Raytheon or any other individuals or entities associated with the company should be suspended or debarred as federal contractors. Pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), when more than one agency has an interest in an entity’s potential suspension or debarment, the FAR requires that the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee (ISDC) identify the lead agency for conducting government-wide suspension or debarment proceedings. In connection with this resolution, the Justice Department has referred Raytheon’s factual admissions to the appropriate officials within the Department of Defense to initiate the process with the ISDC to identify which federal agency will take the lead in such administrative proceedings, which occur independently of the Justice Department’s criminal and civil resolutions.

    Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Kevin Driscoll, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kevin Driscoll of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Chad Yarbrough, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigative Division, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and William S. Walker, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York,  announced the resolution.

    “Over the course of several years, Raytheon employees bribed a high-level Qatari military official to obtain lucrative defense contracts and concealed the bribe payments by falsifying documents to the government, in violation of laws including those designed to protect our national security,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “We will continue to pursue justice against corruption, and as this agreement establishes, enforce meaningful consequences, reforms and monitorship to ensure this misconduct is not repeated.”

    Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the U.S. Department of State for their work on the case.

    “Raytheon engaged in criminal schemes to defraud the U.S. government in connection with contracts for critical military systems and to win business through bribery in Qatar,” stated Deputy Assistant Attorney General Driscoll. “Such corrupt and fraudulent conduct, especially by a publicly traded U.S. defense contractor, erodes public trust and harms the Department of Defense, businesses that play by the rules, and American taxpayers. Today’s resolutions, with criminal and civil penalties totaling nearly $1 billion, reflect the Criminal Division’s ability to tackle the most significant and complex white-collar cases across multiple subject matters.”

    “International corruption in military and defense sales is a violation of our national security laws as well as an anti-bribery offense,” stated Assistant Attorney General Olsen.  “Raytheon willfully failed to disclose bribes made in connection with contracts that required export licenses. Today’s resolution should serve as a stark warning to companies that violate the law when selling sensitive military technology overseas.”

    “The Raytheon Company set out to intentionally defraud the U.S. government,” stated FBI Assistant Director Yarbrough.  “This agreement highlights the importance of integrity when it comes to government contracting. The FBI, with its law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate these types of crimes that waste taxpayer dollars and prosecute all those who are intent on cooking up these major fraud schemes.”

    “Raytheon Corporation engaged in a systematic and deliberate conspiracy that knowingly and willfully violated U.S. fraud and export laws,” stated HSI New York Special Agent in Charge Walker.  “Raytheon’s bribery of government officials, specifically those involved in the procurement of U.S. military technology, posed a national security threat to both the U.S. and its allies. As this investigation reflects, national security continues to be a top priority for HSI New York. The global threats facing the U.S. have never been greater, and HSI New York is committed to working with our federal and international partners to assure sensitive U.S. technologies are not unlawfully and fraudulently acquired.”

    The FCPA Case

    According to admissions and court documents filed in the Eastern District of New York, between approximately 2012 and 2016, Raytheon, through certain of its employees and agents, engaged in a scheme to bribe a high-level official at the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), a branch of Qatar’s Armed Forces (QAF) that was primarily responsible for the conduct of air warfare, to assist Raytheon in obtaining and retaining business from the QEAF and QAF.  Raytheon entered into and made payments on sham contracts for air defense operations-related studies to corruptly obtain the Qatari official’s assistance in securing certain air defense contracts.  Raytheon also entered into a teaming agreement with a Qatari entity to corruptly obtain the Qatari official’s assistance in directly awarding a contract to Raytheon, without a competitive bid, to build a joint operations center that would interface with Qatar’s several military branches. 

    Under the terms of the DPA, Raytheon will pay a criminal monetary penalty of over $252.3 million, criminal forfeiture of over $36.6 million and retain an independent compliance monitor for three years.  In addition, as part of the resolution of the SEC’s parallel investigation, Raytheon will pay approximately $49.1 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest and a civil penalty of $75 million, $22.5 million of which will be credited against the criminal monetary penalty.  The Department has agreed to credit approximately $7.4 million of the disgorgement Raytheon pays to the SEC against the criminal forfeiture.

    As part of the DPA, Raytheon and RTX have agreed to continue to cooperate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section in any ongoing or future criminal investigations relating to this and other conduct.  In addition, Raytheon and RTX have agreed to continue to enhance Raytheon’s compliance program.

    The Department reached this resolution with Raytheon based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense.  Raytheon received credit for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation, which included:

    • Providing information obtained through its internal investigation, which allowed the government to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its own independent investigation;
    • Facilitating interviews with current and former employees;
    • Making detailed factual presentations to the government;
    • Proactively disclosing certain evidence of which the government was previously unaware and identifying key documents in materials it produced; and
    • Engaging experts to conduct financial analyses. 

    Raytheon also engaged in timely remedial measures, including:

    • Recalibrating third party review and approval processes to lower company risk tolerance;
    • Implementing enhanced controls over sales intermediary payments;
    • Hiring empowered subject matter experts to oversee its anti-corruption compliance program and third party management;
    • Implementing data analytics to improve third party monitoring; and
    • Developing a multipronged communications strategy to enhance ethics and compliance training and communications.

    However, in determining the appropriate cooperation credit, the government also took into account the fact that, in the initial phases of the investigation, prior to in or around 2022, Raytheon was at times slow to respond to the government’s requests and failed to provide relevant information in its possession; for example, Raytheon withheld relevant, material information from the government and gave incomplete and misleading presentations regarding the nature and scope of a relevant third-party intermediary relationship.

    In light of these considerations, as well as Raytheon’s prior history, which includes three prior civil or regulatory enforcement actions: (i) a 2013 consent agreement with the U.S. State Department concerning civil ITAR and Arms Export Control Act violations, in connection with which Raytheon agreed to hire an independent special compliance officer to oversee the four-year consent decree while at the same time engaging in the conduct described in the DPA; (ii) a civil settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency in 2007 concerning payments to clean up contamination sites; and (iii) a resolution with the SEC in 2006 concerning false and misleading disclosures and improper accounting practices, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 20% reduction off the twentieth percentile above the low end of the otherwise applicable Guidelines fine range.

    The ITAR Case

    According to admissions and court documents filed in the Eastern District of New York, between approximately 2012 and 2016, Raytheon, through certain of its employees and agents, engaged in a scheme to willfully violate the AECA and ITAR Part 130 by failing to disclose to the United States Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, fees and commissions paid in connection with two Qatar-related contracts – specifically, the bribes Raytheon paid to the high-level QEAF official through sham subcontracts.

    The Department reached this resolution with Raytheon based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense.  Raytheon received credit for its cooperation with the Department’s investigation, which included:

    • Gathering evidence of interest to the government and proactively identifying key documents related to willful ITAR-related misconduct;
    • Making factual presentations concerning the ITAR-related misconduct; and
    • Facilitating witness interviews and expediting the government’s ability to meet with witnesses. 

    Raytheon also received credit for remediation, which included, in addition to the remediation described above in connection with the FCPA case:

    • Hiring additional empowered subject matter experts in legal and compliance;
    • Developing a multipronged communications strategy to enhance ethics and compliance training and communications; and
    • Making enhancements to its ITAR-related compliance program.

    Raytheon did not receive full credit for its cooperation because in the initial phase of the investigation, it failed to provide information relevant to the ITAR violations beyond what was requested in the FCPA investigation.

    In light of these considerations, the ITAR-related financial penalty of $21,904,850 includes a cooperation and remediation credit of 20 percent off the otherwise applicable penalty.

    The Defective Pricing Case

    According to admissions and court documents filed in the District of Massachusetts, from 2012 through 2013 and again from 2017 through 2018, Raytheon employees provided false and fraudulent information to the DOD during contract negotiations concerning two contracts with the United States for the benefit of a foreign partner — one to purchase PATRIOT missile systems and the other to operate and maintain a radar system. In both instances, Raytheon employees provided false and fraudulent information to DOD in order to mislead DOD into awarding the two contracts at inflated prices. These schemes to defraud caused the DOD to pay Raytheon over $111 million more than Raytheon should have been paid on the contracts.

    Under the terms of the DPA, Raytheon will pay a criminal monetary penalty of $146,787,972, pay $111,203,009in victim compensation, and retain an independent compliance monitor for three years. The Justice Department has agreed to credit the victim compensation amount against restitution Raytheon pays to the Civil Division in its related, parallel False Claims Act proceeding.

    Pursuant to the DPA, in addition to the independent compliance monitor, Raytheon and RTX have agreed to continue to implement a compliance and ethics program at Raytheon designed to prevent and detect fraudulent conduct throughout its operations. Raytheon and RTX have also agreed to continue to cooperate with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts in any ongoing or future criminal investigations.

    The Justice Department reached this resolution with Raytheon based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense conduct, which involved two separate schemes to defraud the U.S. government. Raytheon received credit for its affirmative acceptance of responsibility and cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included (i) facilitating interviews with current and former employees; (ii) providing information obtained through its internal investigation, which allowed the department to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its own independent investigation; (iii) making detailed presentations to the department; (iv) proactively identifying key documents in the voluminous materials collected and produced; (v) engaging experts to conduct financial analyses; and (vi) demonstrating its willingness to disclose all relevant facts by analyzing whether the crime-fraud exception applied to certain potentially privileged documents and releasing the documents that it deemed fell within the exception. However, in the initial phases of the investigation prior to March 2022, Raytheon’s cooperation was limited by unreasonably slow document productions.

    Raytheon also engaged in timely remedial measures, including (i) terminating certain employees who were responsible for the misconduct; (ii) establishing a broad defective pricing awareness campaign; (iii) developing and implementing policies, procedures, and controls relating to defective pricing compliance; and (iv) engaging additional resources with appropriate expertise to evaluate and test the new policies, procedures, and controls relating to defective pricing compliance.

    In light of these considerations, as well as Raytheon’s prior history, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 25% reduction off the tenth percentile above the low end of the otherwise applicable guidelines fine range.

    The False Claims Act Settlement

    Raytheon also entered into a civil False Claims Act settlement to resolve allegations that it provided untruthful certified cost or pricing data when negotiating prices with the DOD for numerous government contracts and double billed on a weapons maintenance contract.

    Under the False Claims Act settlement, which is the second largest government procurement fraud recovery under the Act, Raytheon will pay $428 million for knowingly failing to provide truthful certified cost and pricing data during negotiations on numerous government contracts between 2009 and 2020, in violation of the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA). Congress enacted TINA in 1962 to help level the playing field in sole source contracts — where there is no price competition — by making sure that government negotiators have access to the cost or pricing data that the offeror used when developing its proposal. As part of the settlement, Raytheon admitted that it failed to disclose cost or pricing data, as required by TINA, regarding its labor and material costs to supply weapon systems to DOD. 
     
    Raytheon also admitted that by misrepresenting its costs during contract negotiations it overcharged the United States on these contracts and received profits in excess of the negotiated profit rates. Further, Raytheon admitted that it failed to disclose truthful cost or pricing data on a contract to staff a radar station. Raytheon also admitted that it billed the same costs twice on a DOD contract.

    As part of the civil resolution, Raytheon received credit under the Justice Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases for cooperation provided by RTX. That cooperation included conducting and disclosing the results of an internal investigation, disclosing relevant facts and material not known to the government but relevant to its investigation, providing the department with inculpatory evidence, conducting a damages analysis, identifying and separating individuals responsible for or involved in the misconduct, admitting liability and accepting responsibility for the misconduct, and improving its compliance programs.

    The civil settlement includes the resolution of a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by Karen Atesoglu, a former Raytheon employee, and is captioned United States ex rel. Atesoglu v. Raytheon Technologies Corporation, 21-CV-10690-PBS (D. Mass.). Ms. Atesoglu will receive $4.2 million as her share of the settlement.

    * * * * *

    In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC).  As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including the FCPA.

    The FCPA and ITAR investigation was conducted by HSI and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit.  The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section, the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys David Pitluck, Hiral Mehta and Jessica Weigel are prosecuting the case with Acting Assistant Chief Katherine Raut and Trial Attorney Elina A. Rubin-Smith of the Fraud Section, and Trial Attorneys Christine Bonomo and Leslie Esbrook of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, with assistance from Eastern District of New York Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett.

    The Defendant:

    THE RAYTHEON COMPANY 
    Waltham, Massachusetts

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 24-CR-399 (RER)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Problem Solvers Caucus Endorses the Dignity Act

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives announced its official endorsement of the Dignity Act (H.R. 3599), the groundbreaking immigration bill introduced by Reps. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), and several of their colleagues in 2023.

    The Problem Solvers Caucus is a group of more than 60 Members of Congress who are committed to advancing common-sense solutions to key issues facing the United States. Problem Solvers Caucus endorsements are often a critical threshold to pass before advancing major bipartisan legislation. The bill was brought forward for Caucus endorsement by Representatives Salazar and Hillary Scholten (D-MI), an original co-lead of the bill.

    “The United States desperately needs an immigration solution, and the Dignity Act is the best and most viable bill to secure our border and solve our nation’s immigration problems,” said Rep. María Elvira Salazar. “I am proud that the bipartisan Dignity Act received the endorsement of the Problem Solvers Caucus – a critical group of lawmakers in Congress who are willing to advance solutions that prioritize national security, practical reforms, and economic growth.”

    “For far too long, our immigration system has been a glaring failure, and Americans are suffering as a result,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. “The Dignity Act stands as a historic, bipartisan solution that decisively ends illegal immigration, secures our borders, and drives economic prosperity in the United States. I am proud the Problem Solvers Caucus has endorsed this critical bill and is garnering support from both sides of the aisle.”

    The bipartisan Dignity Act fully secures our border and fixes America’s immigration system once and for all. By sealing the border, pioneering the Dignity and Redemption programs for undocumented immigrants, investing in American workers, re-thinking high-skilled legal immigration, and overhauling the abused asylum system with new Humanitarian Centers at our ports of entry, the Dignity Act is Congress’ only serious bill to resolve the migrant crisis and build mutual consensus around immigration.

    “For years, I’ve been working to pass commonsense immigration reform that protects our borders and lives up to our values as a nation. I’m proud the Problem Solvers Caucus came together to endorse the bipartisan Dignity Act which will support American workers, stop cartels from exploiting migrant families, and finally end the uncertainty they face by establishing a clear path for success while also securing our border,” said Problem Solvers Caucus Co-Chair, Rep. Josh Gottheimer.

    “As an attorney who has worked on all aspects of the immigration problem, including employment, helping asylum seekers, and enforcement at the DOJ, I have seen firsthand how our system is failing, and it is past time we take charge to fix what’s broken,” said Rep. Hillary Scholten. “The bipartisan Dignity Act aims to repair our immigration system and restore humanity and justice to our process. I’m grateful to my colleagues in the Problem Solvers Caucus for recognizing the power rehabilitating our immigration system will have on our nation.”

    Since introduction, the Dignity Act has gained significant support from both parties in Congress and secured major endorsements from prominent national and local advocacy groups. Leading experts and policy groups commend the legislation for addressing the many inefficiencies and backlogs afflicting the current immigration regime and creating the conditions necessary to grow our economy by trillions of dollars, one of the largest expansions of the economy in American history. The innovative legislation also eliminates labor shortages in the healthcare industry, and helps save Social Security and Medicare from insolvency. Critically, the Dignity Act implements the funding for personnel, infrastructure, and equipment required to secure our borders and keep American citizens safe, at no expense to the taxpayer.

    The Dignity Act has been covered extensively in the press. Read some of more than 100 articles written about the bill here, and learn more about the bill on Congresswoman Salazar’s website here. A non-exhaustive list of every endorsement the Dignity Act has received from federal legislators and organizations across the United States can be found below and their statements of support can be found here. Statements come from prominent stakeholders, including from immigration groups, businesses, the agricultural sector, the faith community, educators, economists, national security experts, community leaders, Ambassadors, and United States Senators.

    A detailed summary of the Dignity Act can also be found below.

    Sponsors and Cosponsors (38): *María Elvira Salazar (FL), *Veronica Escobar (TX), *Jenniffer González Colon (PR), *Hillary Scholten (MI), *Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR), *Kathy Manning (NC), *Michael Lawler (NY), *Adriano Espaillat (NY), John Duarte (CA), Susan Wild (PA), Mario Díaz-Balart (FL), Susie Lee (NV), David Valadao (CA), Darren Soto (FL), Dan Newhouse (WA), Colin Allred (TX), Abigail Spanberger (VA), Jake Auchincloss (MA), Mike Levin (CA), Marilyn Strickland (WA), Matt Cartwright (PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Dean Phillips (MI), Chris Pappas (NH), Elissa Slotkin (MI), Pat Ryan (NY), Joe Courtney (CT), Lori Trahan (MA), Chrissy Houlahan (PA), Christopher DeLuzio (PA), Eric Sorensen (IL), Nikki Budzinski (IL), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL), Emilia Sykes (OH), Val Hoyle (OR), Jared Moskowitz (FL), Greg Landsman (OH), and Mary Peltola (AK).

    The following organizations have weighed in with endorsements, statements of support, and/or positive comments about the Dignity Act:

    Organizations (50+): Agriculture Workforce Coalition, Alliance for a New Immigration Consensus (ANIC), American Action Forum, American Business Immigration Coalition, American Families United, American Immigration Lawyers Association, American Podiatric Medical Association, American Senior Housing Association, Americans for Prosperity, BDV Solutions, Behring Co., Bipartisan Policy Center, Brick Industry Association, Business Roundtable, Catholic Charities USA, Casa de Venezuela, Chris Coons, U.S. Senator (D-DE), Cleaning Coalition of America, Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, Florida Farm Bureau Federation, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association, Florida Tomato Exchange, FWD.us, Hispanic Leadership Fund, Ideaspace, Immigration Hub, Improve the Dream, Invest in the USA (IIUSA), Ken Salazar, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, LIBRE Initiative, Mason Contractors Association of America, National Association of Counties, National Association of Evangelicals, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, National Association of Landscape Professionals, National Immigration Forum, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, National Retail Federation (NRF), Niskanen Center, Outdoor Amusement Business Association (OABA), Power & Communication Contractors Association, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, TechNet, TESOL International Association, Texas Border Coalition, Texas Impact, The Legal Immigration and Border Enforcement Reform this Year (LIBERTY) Campaign, UnidosUS, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), U.S. Hispanic Business Council, U.S. Travel Association, and World Relief.

    KEY PROVISIONS OF THE DIGNITY ACT

    Securing the Border and Restoring Law and Order

    • Provides $25 billion to fully secure the border.
    • Mandates 100% nationwide E-verify to ensure all American businesses are hiring legal workers.
    • Achieves operational control and advantage of the Southern Border by employing a comprehensive Southern Border Strategy.
    • Constructs enhanced physical barriers and deploys the most up-to-date technology at the border.
    • Hires thousands of new Border Patrol agents, CBP officers, and border intelligence units.
    • Implements new policies to stop criminals crossing the border illegally, including new authorities to track cartel spotters, and raises penalties on human traffickers and child sex traffickers.
    • Authorizes DHS to officially designate an organization as a criminal street gang, making any alien involved in a criminal gang inadmissible and deportable.
    • Designates Mexican cartels as Special Transnational Criminal Organizations.
    • Directs DHS to complete and implement biometric exit at all air, land, and sea ports-of-entry for international travelers.
    • Provides DHS the authority to use DNA testing to verify family relationships.
    • Enhances port-of-entry security by expanding surveillance and intrusion detection systems.
    • Improves legal commerce and trade by expanding inspection lanes and investing in X-ray technology to safely inspect commercial vehicles.

    Fixing our Asylum System

    • Expedites processing and ends catch-and-release policies.
    • Establishes at least five Humanitarian Campuses (HC) that will receive individuals and families arriving at the southern border for immediate processing.
      • Asylum-seekers will remain at an HC until their case is decided.
      • They will have freedom of movement within the HC, access to state-of-the-art facilities, medical personal, legal counsel, and non-governmental organizations.
    • Decides asylum cases within 60 days. Asylum-seekers will undergo an initial credible fear interview within 15 days of their arrival and further screening by trained asylum officers for final determination within an additional 45 days.
      • *Complex cases may be referred to case management to await a hearing before an Immigration Judge.
    • Creates five additional immigration centers in Latin America to stop migrant caravans and prevent individuals from making the dangerous land journey to the United States.
      • The centers will offer asylum pre-screening, child reunification services, and employment counsel to determine eligibility for work visas in the United States.
    • Implements a security and development strategy to address instability in Central America. This will help bring stability and economic development to Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
    • Increases U.S. authorities to target transnational criminals, smugglers, human traffickers, drug traffickers, and gangs like MS-13.
    • Cracks down on asylum fraud by increasing penalties for those that make false statements or provide false documentation.
    • Establishes a new two-strike policy for anyone caught crossing at a non-port-of-entry, to ensure legitimate asylum seekers are processed appropriately while bad actors are apprehended.

    Giving Dignity and Redemption to Undocumented Immigrants

    • Creates immediate protected status and streamlined path for Dreamers and TPS recipients, as outlined in the Dream and Promise Act.
    • Establishes the Dignity Program, a practical solution for undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. for more than five years.
      • Recipients will be offered a chance to work, pay restitution, get right with the law, and earn legal status.
      • Applicants must comply with all federal and state laws, pass a criminal background check, and pay outstanding taxes or debts.
      • Dignity participants will also pay $5,000 in restitution during the seven years of the program, check in with DHS every two years, and remain in good public standing.
      • Individuals in the Dignity Program will not have access to federal means-tested benefits or entitlements.
    • Establishes two options after successful completion of the Dignity Program – Dignity Status or the Redemption Program:
      • Dignity Status: Dignity recipients who choose this option will immediately receive a five-year Dignity Status, which provides full work authorization, the ability to live in the U.S., and travel authorization outside the U.S. They will also remain ineligible for citizenship, means-tested benefits, and entitlements. Dignity Status can be renewed an indefinite number of times as long as the individual remains in good standing with the law.
      • Redemption Program: The Redemption Program (+5 years) requires completion of the seven-year Dignity Program. It offers Dignity recipients a chance to redeem themselves and earn permanent legal status. Redemption Program participants must learn English and U.S. civics and contribute to their local community either through community service or an additional $5,000 in restitution payments. Successful completion of the Redemption Program provides legal permanent resident status and eligibility for existing pathways to citizenship. Participating individuals would go to the back of the line.

    Dignity for American Workers

    • Creates a new American Worker Fund, using restitution payments from the Dignity and Redemption Programs. This fund will provide workforce training, upskilling, and education for unemployed American workers.
      • For every participant in the Dignity Program, their restitution payments will be able to train or retrain at least one American worker.
      • The American Worker Fund provides grants for workforce education initiatives, apprenticeship programs, higher education, and Career and Technical Education to give opportunities for Americans to enter new careers.
        • *This will ensure Americans can secure employment in in-demand careers.

    American Agricultural Dominance

    • Streamlines the H-2A application process by allowing employers to file with relevant agencies in a single platform, reducing regulatory burden for farmers and businesses.
    • Creates a year-round Agricultural workforce, removing “seasonal” requirements on the H-2A program and expanding it to year-round labor.
    • Combats price hikes so families can access affordable groceries and a large variety of U.S.-based produce.
    • Repeals the complicated and unpredictable Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) formula to calculate wages for farmers set by the Department of Labor. It replaces it with either 125% of the federal minimum wage or the applicable state/local minimum wage.
    • Allows Staggered Entry for advanced planning so employers can have workers start at different dates of the year to meet their specific needs.
    • Opens the H2A program to apple cider pressing on farms, aquaculture, the equine industry, forestry activities, conservation, forest management, and wild fish and shellfish processors.
    • Includes special procedures regulations for shepherding and goat herding, shearing, bee keeping, and custom combining.
    • Creates a Certified Agricultural Workers (CAW) program, as established in the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, with renewable five-and-a-half year visas available only to undocumented workers that have been working in agriculture for several years previously.
      • Foreign workers could apply for lawful permanent residence (LPR) after successfully maintaining either eight years of CAW status or four years of CAW status plus ten years of previous agricultural work experience in addition to making restitution payments and paying owed back taxes.
    • Includes the Returning Worker Exception Act, which Reforms the H-2B program by exempting returning workers from the visa caps of the three previous fiscal years. It also improves the H-2B application process, requiring the DOL to maintain a publicly accessible online job registry, and strengthening program integrity measures and anti-fraud provisions to protect American workers and guest workers.

    Unleashing American Prosperity and Competitiveness

    • Modernizes our legal immigration system and fixes backlogs.
      • Cuts the legal immigration backlog at ten years, ensuring anyone that has been waiting for a legal visa (either family-based or employment-based) for ten years or more (calculated by priority date) will be provided with that visa.
      • Raises the per-country cap set in the Immigration Act of 1990 from 7% to 15%.
      • Allows STEM PhD graduates from American universities, including medical students, to be eligible for an O visa. This allows “Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement” to stay and work in the U.S. if they choose to.
      • Increases high-skilled employment visas opportunities by only counting the principal applicant and excluding derivatives (children and spouses) from counting towards the annual Employment-Based visa caps. It does not raise the caps.
      • Includes the H-4 Work Authorization Act, allowing spouses of H-1B immigrants to automatically be granted work authorization upon receiving their H-4 visa.
      • Includes the American Families United Act, which authorizes discretion if an undocumented child or spouse of a U.S. citizen is denied a visa or has received a deportation order, affording families relief on a case-by-case basis.
      • Includes the Temporary Family Visitation Act, which creates a new, 90-day visitor visa that can be used by foreigners to travel to the United States for business, pleasure, or family purposes.
      • Ensures that children legally present in the United States do not age out of receiving certain visas due to USCIS processing delays.
      • Requires students working in the United States as part of the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to pay FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes.
      • Modernizes student visas by changing the F visa to be “dual intent.”
      • Creates an Immigration Agency Coordinator position to oversee and streamline immigration functions at USCIS, the State Department, and the Department of Labor.
      • Surges resources to USCIS operations, the Bureau of Consular Affairs and Visa Service at the State Department, and the Office of Foreign Labor Certification at DOL to reduce delays and improve visa processing.

    No taxpayer funds will be used to pay for the Dignity Act.

    • The border infrastructure, improved ports of entry infrastructure, new humanitarian campuses, increased personnel, and all other associated costs in this bill are paid for by an “Immigration Infrastructure Levy.”
      • A 1.5% levy will be deducted from the paychecks of individuals given work authorization under the Dignity Program. These levies will be deposited into the Immigration Infrastructure Fund to be used to carry out the provisions of this act.
    • The American Worker Fund, used to provide workforce development for American workers, will be funded by restitution payments from the Dignity and Redemption Programs.

    For a link to the full press conference, click here.

    For a one-pager on the Dignity Act, click here.

    For a more detailed summary of the Dignity Act, click here.

    For a section-by-section breakdown of the Dignity Act, click here.

    For the full text of the bill, click here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Joint Communique

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Joint Communique

    National Security Risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

    The Five Countries recognise the enormous opportunities presented by critical and emerging technologies – such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) – in creating new jobs, improving productivity, and aiding in cyber defence. However, the rapid development and deployment of AI risks creating novel security vulnerabilities (including both to and from AI systems) and providing a platform for malign actors to increase the speed and scale of malicious activities. We are particularly concerned by the use of AI to facilitate the creation and distribution of mis/disinformation, malware, terrorist and violent extremist content, non-consensual deep fake pornography, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). We continue to share information on how our governments are establishing frameworks to best manage the risks associated with AI, while still taking advantage of the benefits, and remain committed to working together to ensure our shared values shape international standards and governance for AI. 

    We acknowledge that deeper cooperation among the Five Countries will support the safe, secure, and trustworthy deployment and use of these technologies in a way that minimises the risks and maximises opportunities in a national security context. The Five Countries remain committed to continuing to align our work in achieving this goal. 

    Countering Foreign Interference 

    With more people than ever voting in elections around the world in 2024, the Five Countries recognise the need for resilient and transparent democratic institutions to mitigate evolving threats to democratic processes. Such threats, including the proliferation of state-sponsored disinformation through increased use of emerging technologies, pose a significant challenge to upholding our democratic values. 

    We are resolute in our commitment to ensuring that communities are free from transnational repression, and recognise the continued need for collaboration, information sharing and taking action to protect our communities, businesses, and citizens. It is unacceptable for any foreign government to target members of our communities to prevent individuals from exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms in the Five Countries. 

    Finally, the Five Countries recognise the need to mitigate the threat posed by foreign interference and espionage within our research ecosystems. The Five Countries remain committed to exchanging best practices and threat information on research security, including how foreign entities of concern may be attempting to adapt to and bypass safeguards, to improve the resilience of those ecosystems. 

    Cyber Security 

    The increase in malicious and sophisticated cyber security threats is impacting the daily lives of citizens, businesses and governments across the Five Countries. We emphasise the need to target the enablers that make up the cybercrime business model, who are providing the illicit products, goods and services that make it easier to commit cybercrime. Malicious cyber activity against critical infrastructure by both state and non-state malicious cyber actors pose some of the greatest threats to our Five Countries and we are committed to jointly disrupting these operations and securing our most important networks. 

    We note the importance of fraud in the cyber security context and are particularly concerned about online scam centres that target vulnerable individuals globally; are involved in human trafficking for forced criminality to support their operations; or feed into a highly profitable criminal enterprise that undermines our cyber security. We reaffirm our support to the commitments made at the Global Fraud Summit. A key outcome from the Summit was to maintain strong engagement with industry, and the Five Countries agree to progress further efforts in this space to tackle the fraud threat and better protect our citizens. 

    We recognise the broader role of continued public-private collaboration in mitigating cyber security and data threats for our citizens, businesses and nations. To further deepen our relationship with industry, the Five Countries commit to share lessons learned from respective domestic efforts in securing data to ensure trusted and secure cross-border data flows and enhance the resilience of our data. 

    We recognise the value of coming together as the Five Countries to enhance strategic engagement on priority cybercrime threats, particularly through the international Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI). The Five Countries will actively support the CRI and will engage in wider fora to advance our shared aims through international cooperation and build cross-border resilience to collectively disrupt malicious cyber actors. 

    Domestic Security 

    In response to recent events in the Middle East, the Five Countries have regularly drawn on the FCM to discuss the conflict and broader security situation, as well as associated domestic security challenges. This includes recognising the effects of this conflict on impacted communities, exploring the associated impacts in polarising and radicalising community attitudes, and understanding the threats posed by the spread of extremist content and disinformation. 

    We remain very concerned about the rise of terrorist and violent extremist content online and its impact, particularly on young people, and we recognise the importance of continued engagement with industry to mitigate this issue. 

    As members of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) Independent Advisory Committee, we call on the organisation to strengthen its efforts to address terrorist and violent extremist content, including when it arises in the context of a prolonged conflict. We stress the importance of expanding GIFCT membership to include a broader range of technology companies, as well as in helping smaller platforms to identify and address terrorist and violent extremist content. In parallel, we continue to support the implementation of the Christchurch Call commitments and welcome the launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation. 

    We commit to addressing the complexity of youth radicalisation, as well as the need to better understand the risks of personalised ideological motivations. We acknowledge that unique pathways and factors can make at-risk individuals susceptible to radicalisation, including violent extremism. We will continue to share information on effective approaches to prevention, such as intervention approaches to support diversion efforts; and are committed to working together to conduct a diagnosis of how violent extremist actors leverage technology to encourage at-risk individuals to violence. 

    Lawful Access 

    The Five Countries will continue working together to maintain tightly-controlled lawful access to communications content that is vital to the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes including terrorism and child abuse. We will work in partnership with technology companies to do this, protecting the safety of our citizens. 

    Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) 

    The Five Countries note the significant role of emerging technologies, including AI, in the proliferation of child sexual exploitation and abuse material. We reiterate our collective commitment to exercising all levers available to tackle this crime type and keep children safe in all settings. 

    We recognise the need to work collaboratively across the whole sector, noting the specific knowledge and role of industry and academia, and the expertise of victims, survivors and their families to ensure our efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse are holistic, evidence-based, and promote technological innovation. In this spirit, we jointly endorsed the “Bridging Government Efforts and Elevating Survivors’ Voices” statement (Annex I). 

    We also recognise the continued importance of the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and – noting that the landscape has changed significantly since their launch five years ago – commit to further engagement with signatories to seek updates on efforts to uphold the principles as outlined. 

    While there has been progress through voluntary action to date, the Five Countries urgently call on tech companies to continue to drive innovation to keep children safe online on their platforms and to adhere to legal requirements in each of our jurisdictions. We remain committed to working with industry to explore holistic efforts and supporting innovation in tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse, including responding to the proliferation of AI-generated child sexual exploitation and abuse content. 

    Migration  

    The Five Countries recognise the extensive pressures on our border management, migration and protection systems that are being exacerbated by significant volumes of global migration and displacement seen across the world. 

    We acknowledge that there are a multitude of drivers for irregular migration and forced displacement, and we recognise the importance of taking a whole-of-route approach in response to mixed migrant flows. The Five Countries will continue to explore opportunities to work together to combat organised crime groups that are facilitating and profiting from human smuggling. 

    The Five Countries also recognise the opportunities presented by the rise in global migration and mobility, and note the benefits of safe and regular migration pathways. At the same time, we remain committed to enforcing our immigration laws and delivering consequences for those individuals who have no right to remain in our respective countries. We encourage the use of innovative policy levers to maintain well-managed regular pathways in light of increasing demand on our migration systems. We are committed to deepening our collaboration to enhance the integrity of our migration and border systems by leveraging emerging technology and examining additional efforts to address fraud and stop bad actors from exploiting our regular pathways. 

    The Five Countries remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting and protecting the human rights of all migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers in accordance with our international obligations, whilst endorsing pragmatic approaches of countries to establish policies in their own national interest and national security. 

    Closing 

    The FCM remains the preeminent Ministerial-level forum for the Five Countries to engage and exchange information on shared national security issues and implement new initiatives to respond to various areas of concern. Our efforts to collaborate and exchange best practise in responding to evolving threats continues to grow and we look forward to further deepening these efforts in the coming year ahead 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: More than a Miracle for These Mets Fans

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Since their inception in 1962, the New York Mets have long been enamored – and at times endured – by their supportive fan base.

    Some of those followers have even taken their sporting devotion across the Seven Seas, from haze gray underway across ocean vastness to running silent and running deep in the briny depths.

    There have been several Mets fans who have celebrated and commiserated during their time assigned to Naval Hospital Bremerton.

    Brooklyn, New York native U.S. Navy Capt. Robert Uniszkiewicz, MD, MPH, became a Mets fan the day he was born.

    “I have been a Mets fan my entire life. I watched games as a kid. It was how I spent time with my grandfather. Every year was going to be ‘our year.’ Even if it wasn’t, it still felt like it was,” reminisced Uniszkiewicz, stationed with North American Aerospace Command and U.S. Northern Command office of the command surgeon, force health protection division for public health threats.

    Being a Mets fan is not for the faint of heart. Uniszkiewicz can attest to that.

    “I cannot recommend being a Mets fan as the ups and downs they put you through will take years off your life,” Uniszkiewicz related. “For me though, it is the ups and downs that make them so enjoyable. Win or lose, they get up to play again tomorrow. I equate that to life, and military life in particular. The thrilling highs and sometimes challenging lows come to us all. It is how we deal with them that builds our character. Baseball teaches patience and resiliency.”

    Many a servicemember knows that sports provide common ground at times to connect, discuss and parse. To a certain degree it can even level the hierarchy playing field.

    “Sports transcend ranks, rates, and all walks of life,” said Uniszkiewicz. “Baseball brought people like me and retired Navy Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Submarine Kevin Flatley together in ways we may never have otherwise.”

    “When I was NHB Directorate of Branch Clinics leading chief petty officer and Dr. U took over as my boss we instantly connected over our shared fandom of the Mets. That blossomed into a wonderful friendship now that I have retired,” added Flatley. “It also keeps me connected to several friends I grew up with on Long Island even though I have not lived there in 28 years. The Mets have served as the glue that has brought me together with several important people in my life.”

    That mutual formed bond over their chosen team has had Uniszkiewicz and Flatley savoring wins and lamenting loses.

    “Met games are never boring. They prove to me over and over that nothing is guaranteed in life, but you have to get up and keep playing. Although nobody in my family will make the bigs, it is from the couch that I will get into every game,” Uniszkiewicz said.

    Although he insists no family member will play in the big leagues, Uniszkiewicz did enjoy the unique opportunity of throwing out the first pitch at a Tacoma Rainier – Triple A farm team of the Seattle Mariners – home game in 2017.

    “That’s remains a highlight of my life,” Uniszkiewicz said.

    When the Mets traveled to Oakland in 2023 for a three-game series, Uniszkiewicz and Flatley took in one of the games. Not only did their team sweep the Athletics, 17-6, 3-2 and 4-3, Uniszkiewicz snagged a foul ball. The odds of that happening are one in a 1,000 chance.

    “That was incredible. I take that ball everywhere. It’s my lucky charm each time the Mets play,” exclaimed Uniszkiewicz.

    The cool memory of catching the foul ball and tossing out the first pitch join another cherished remembrance for Uniszkiewicz which is also intricately related to baseball.

    “My dad took me to a game at Shea Stadium [home field of the Mets from 1964 to 2008] every year on my birthday,” said Uniszkiewicz. “He did this even though he has no interest in sports. He did it for me. I want to carry that on to my kids. Baseball fills me with joy even when it fills me with pain because of the close ties to family and so many friends.

    For Flatley, he can trace his support to the Mets back to the mid-1980s. After finishing 98-64 in ’85, the Mets went on a roll in ’86, finishing with a 108-54 record, claiming the National League East by 21.5 games. After knocking off the Houston Astros to win the National League Championship Series, they took on the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. After dropping game one and two to the BoSox in the fall classic, they came back to claim the title in seven games.

    “The Mets magical run to the World Series title in 1986 cemented me as a fan for life. Game six [Mets down by two runs, bottom of the tenth, two outs, no one on base, yet rallied for the win] is still one of my best childhood memories,” related Flatley.

    “As a New Yorker, you have the Mets or Yankees. But my dad was a Mets fan,” Flatley continued. “He had rooted for the Giants growing up but was left without a team when they moved to San Francisco [for the 1958 season]. When the Mets brought National League baseball back to New York, he became a Mets fan. I simply followed suite.”

    Flatley spent the majority of his Navy career on submarines. On those long silent service patrols, with confined working spaces and cramped living conditions, he would bring a little haberdashery of his team for a sporting dash of home. “I would typically bring a Mets hat and perhaps a t-shirt,” he said.

    The 2024 Mets finished with an 89-73 record and claimed a National League wild card spot in the NL playoffs. They took two games out of three to knock off the Milwaukee Brewers before upending the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL Division Series three games to one to make it to the NL Championship Series.

    “This year’s team has the magic,” stated Flatley. “At the beginning of the season, this was billed as a gap year, during which the team would be competitive but not necessarily compete for a championship. At the end of May, the Mets were 11 under .500 and just got swept by the Dodgers. At home. After a team meeting, they have the best record in baseball. They have carried that momentum into the playoffs. They have done so because they believe in themselves, have a steady manager, and because they don’t rely on any one player to get the job done.

    The Mets currently trail the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 in the NLCS, with the Dodgers slightly favored.

    Yet not to steadfast fans like Flatley and Uniszkiewicz.

    “They are truly playing as a team. The Mets have not enjoyed a lot of success over their history. I, along with most fans, tend to be pretty pessimistic. But this team has shown they can beat anyone. Will they win it all? I don’t know. But I plan to enjoy the ride as far as the team takes me,” said Flatley.

    When asked for his prediction on the playoffs, Uniszkiewicz replied, “The Mets will go all the way.”

    “Full disclosure,” noted Uniszkiewicz. “That’s my prediction every year.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Schenectady Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Straw Purchasing a Shotgun Later Used to Fire Shots Outside of Temple Israel

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

    ALBANY, NEW YORK – Andrew Miller, age 38, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 14 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiring with Mufid Fawaz Alkhader to illegally purchase, from a gun shop, a shotgun for Alkhader.

    United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Bryan Miller, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.

    As part of his earlier guilty plea, Miller admitted that between October 1, 2023 and November 6, 2023, he and Alkhader conspired to lie to a firearms dealer in Albany County that he (Miller) was the actual buyer of a Kel-Tec 12-gauge pump shotgun, when in fact, Alkhader was the true buyer.  Miller and Alkhader came up with the plan because they believed that Alkhader could not lawfully purchase the shotgun himself.  Miller further admitted that on November 5, 2023, he lied on the Firearms Transaction Record (ATF Form 4473) submitted to the gun shop when he falsely stated that he was the true purchaser of the shotgun.  On November 6, 2023, Miller and Alkhader returned to the gun shop and Miller took possession of the shotgun.  Miller also admitted that later on November 6, he transferred the shotgun to Alkhader.  

    According to a criminal complaint, Alkhader used the shotgun to fire shots outside of Temple Israel in Albany on December 7, 2023.  Alkhader is currently charged by criminal complaint alleging that he and Miller conspired to lie to a firearms dealer in Albany County surrounding the straw purchase of the Kel-Tec 12-gauge pump shotgun. The charges in the complaint against Alkhader are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  

    This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the ATF, and the Albany Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Alexander Wentworth-Ping are prosecuting this case.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: D.C. Gang Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison

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

                WASHINGTON – Eugene Tracey Hill , 31, of Washington D.C. and a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) street crew, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison on four felony charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offenses in the District of Columbia.

                The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Hill, aka “Geno” and “Cheese,” pleaded guilty on July 17, 2024, to a four-count criminal information charging him with conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and a detectable amount of oxycodone, conspiracy to use a machine gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and two counts of possessing a handgun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

                In his plea agreement, Hill admitted that he distributed both marijuana and oxycodone, and that he distributed both substances in bulk to other dealers and in smaller, street-level transactions. He also admitted to purchasing semi-automatic and fully automatic AR-Pistol ghost guns that he stored in “trap houses” maintained by PDS.

                In addition to the 180-month prison term, the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson ordered Hill to serve five years of supervised release.

                According to court documents, Hill held a leadership position in the Push Dat Shit (PDS) Street Crew which held territory in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast Washington, D.C. Hill conspired with other crew members to distribute both marijuana and oxycodone within their territory and further admitted that the co-conspirators distributed more than 100 kilograms of marijuana during the course of their conspiracy.

    Eugene Tracy Hill

               The co-conspirators also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.” Hill admitted that, as part of the conspiracy one of his co-conspirators assembled fully automatic AR-Pistol machine guns which were then distributed within the crew for use in furtherance of their drug trafficking conspiracy. Hill admitted that he purchased and possessed machine guns during his part in the conspiracy.

               Hill was arrested on September 15, 2022, shortly before the FBI executed a search warrant at a “trap house” he and his co-conspirators maintained on Fourth Street, Southeast. FBI agents recovered two Glock handguns, approximately 100 rounds of ammunition, 1.8 pounds of marijuana, two digital scales, a money counter, and approximately $15,000 from that residence.  Hill has been detained since his arrest.

                This case was investigated by Special Agents of the FBI and ATF with assistance from both officers and detectives from the MPD a part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 22 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machineguns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song with valuable assistance from Paralegal Specialists Marissa Mondelli and Melissa Macechko.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Spartanburg Drug Trafficking Organization Members Sentenced to a Total of 1,257 Months for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering

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

    SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Nine defendants of a Spartanburg area illegal drug trafficking ring were sentenced to a total of 1,257 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute illegal drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. Three defendants (Bobo, Jacobs, and Canty) were also convicted of money laundering.

    The follow defendants were sentenced:

    Terrance Bobo, 53, of Conyers, Georgia, was sentenced to 204 months.

    Michael Jacobs, 40, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 277 months.

    Maurice Canty, 48, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 292 months.

    Kevin Jeter, 49, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 172 months.

    Shuler Holmes, 39, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 144 months.

    James Foster, 61, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 72 months.

    Daniel Gregory, 43, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 65 months.

    Jahid Warden, 29, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to 22 months.

    Danny Goode, 46, of Spartanburg, was sentenced to nine months.

    “These nine defendants were responsible for trafficking large amounts of illegal narcotics, including fentanyl, in the Upstate, said Adair Ford Boroughs, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “Our community is safer thanks to this thorough investigation by our law enforcement partners.”

    “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message we will not tolerate drug trafficking in our communities,” said HSI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant. “Homeland Security Investigations will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to dismantle these dangerous networks and protect the safety of our citizens.”

    Evidence presented to the court showed that Terrance Bobo was a Georgia-based supply source for a Spartanburg drug trafficking organization. Bobo began sourcing cocaine in 2013 and was responsible for distributing more than 190 kilograms of cocaine. Bobo owned and operated a real estate business called All in One, LLC, which he used to further and conceal the drug trafficking operation. During the drug trafficking conspiracy, Bobo and another co-conspirator purchased a car garage/repair shop at 501 Textile Road.

    In 2021, Michael Jacobs was released from federal prison and returned to his hometown of Spartanburg and restarted his drug trafficking business. Jacobs became the primary spoke of the Spartanburg-based distribution ring and operated the car garage at 501 Textile Road as a stash house and distribution hub, using a hydraulic press to package kilograms of illegal drugs at the location.

    In at least 2023, Maurice Canty, another former federal defendant previously sentenced for drug trafficking charges in Spartanburg, joined the drug trafficking conspiracy. Canty had his own subordinates, Jahid Warden and James Foster, who drove Canty and conducted drug sales of methamphetamine and fentanyl on his behalf. 

    In September of 2023, Canty and Foster were arrested in a car, which contained methamphetamine, crack cocaine, cocaine, and fentanyl. Gregory was another sub-distributor of fentanyl for Canty and began working with Jacobs directly when Canty was arrested.

    Law enforcement also identified Kevin Jeter as a sub-distributor of fentanyl and cocaine, responsible for over 50 kilograms of cocaine during the conspiracy. Jeter sold drugs from a business he operated, Blood Brothers Wash and Detail, formerly known as Litt. In February of 2022, Jeter was pulled over by Spartanburg officers with crack cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded handgun.

    During the investigation, Danny Goode was arrested during a traffic stop on October 26, 2023, after obtaining over four ounces of cocaine for distribution from Jacobs.

    In November of 2023, law enforcement executed a targeted arrest operation on the drug trafficking organization and conducted searches in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia, including at the homes of Bobo, Jacobs, and Jeter.  Search warrants were also executed at the garage at 501 Textile Road and at Blood Brothers Wash and Detail. Officers recovered numerous firearms during the searches. Thirteen kilograms of fentanyl was also recovered.

    Shuler Holmes, a sub-distributor of pounds of methamphetamine and kilograms of opioids was also arrested on the federal charges, and his home was searched. In his house, law enforcement found with fentanyl, heroin, crack cocaine, and a firearm.

    United States District Judge Donald C. Coggins sentenced Canty to 292 months imprisonment, Jacobs to 277 months imprisonment, Bobo to 204 months imprisonment, Jeter to 172 months imprisonment, Holmes to 144 months imprisonment, Foster to 72 months imprisonment, Gregory to 65 months imprisonment, Warden to 22 months imprisonment, and Goode to 9 months imprisonment. All sentences were ordered to be followed by a term of court-ordered supervision. 

    Judge Coggins also entered the following money judgements: $4,500,000 (Bobo), $3,800,000 (Jacobs), $2,500,000 (Canty), $1,000,000 (Jeter), $50,000 (Gregory), and $50,000 (Holmes). Additionally, law enforcement seized numerous bank accounts for Jacobs and Bobo, $510,270 in cash from Jacobs, and $33,720 from Bobo. The judge also entered forfeiture judgments regarding numerous properties and vehicles including: a Tesla Model 3, a 2023 Dodge Ram TRX, a Chrysler Town and Country, a BMW X6 SUV, a Peterbilt Semi-truck, two Ford F-350s, a 1977 Caprice Classic, an ATV, a Monte Carlo, two Ford Mustangs, a RV, a dump truck, a skid steer tractor, a Chevy El Camino, a trailer, a Chevrolet truck, a semi-trailer, a F-650 Tow Truck, an Excavator. Four physical addresses were forfeited from Jacobs, and four were forfeited from Bobo.

    This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from Border Enforcement Security Task Force – Upstate South Carolina, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and Greenville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Schoen is prosecuting the case.

    ###

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Declaration Bridging Government Efforts and Elevating Survivors’ Voices

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    Preamble 

    We, the Home Affairs, Interior, Security and Immigration Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States (the ‘Five Countries’) , recognize the importance of drawing in the voices and experiences of victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse, and in particular, their ongoing advocacy efforts petitioning for increased responses from government and industry to eliminate child sexual abuse and resulting material. 

    We want to acknowledge the important work and advocacy of survivors’ coalitions, such as the Phoenix 11, a consortium of brave victims and survivors from the United States and Canada who have engaged with the Five Countries. Other victims and survivors coalitions are supported by non-governmental organizations. All of these brave victims and survivors continue to engage and call on government, lawmakers and industry to champion the rights of children to be safe online. 

    We acknowledge that more work needs to be done to ensure all levers are used to combat this crime, and to that end, the expertise of victims and survivors is key to enabling meaningful, trauma-informed change.  

    Commitment 

    We, the Ministers of the Five Countries, commit to work more proactively and collaboratively with victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse and the organisations working to support them, to ensure Five Country efforts to combat this crime type are informed by their lived experiences and expertise. 

    The Five Countries will continue to adopt, both individually and collectively, an approach to policy and engagement that is victim-centric and trauma-informed . Our commitment to victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse rests on the understanding that respect, care and protection, ongoing dialogue, and empowerment are central to this process and will enable victims and survivors to report their abuse and access the support they need to heal from their experiences 

    Next Step 

    The Five Country Ministerial Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Working Group will engage organizations and advocates in their respective regions in late 2024 to determine the best path forward and identify concrete actions to undertake. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Joint statement on Irregular Migration

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    The Five Countries have a long and proud tradition of welcoming migrants and providing protection to the most vulnerable people across the world. We remain committed to promoting and protecting the human rights of all migrants, including refugees, and will continue to offer protection in line with our international obligations. We will strive to ensure the successful integration into our respective countries and communities of migrants and refugees who have a lawful right to remain. It is our responsibility to ensure that we have the necessary national, regional and international architecture in place to maximise the positive aspects of safe, orderly and regular migration, whilst also addressing global irregular migration. 

    Globally, irregular migration and forced displacement have increased in scale. This presents complex challenges that need to be addressed through a well-managed, coordinated, flexible and whole-of-route strategy. We recognise the value of a comprehensive approach which takes into account the diverse and multi-dimensional drivers of irregular movement and forced displacement. These drivers can include conflict and violence, poverty, political instability, crime and corruption, environmental degradation and climate change, or the seeking of family reunification or economic opportunities. 

    The Five Countries aim to work together to identify and implement consistent, equitable, and mutually beneficial partnerships that develop and stabilise source countries, improve the capacity of transit countries, and deter individuals from embarking on dangerous or irregular journeys or attempting to misuse our migration systems. 

    Further, the Five Countries remain committed to disrupting the activities of bad actors, and taking swift action against those who exploit the vulnerable and who violate, or facilitate the violation of, our respective immigration laws. This includes working to combat attempts to misuse our migration systems, including through visa fraud. We will endeavour to prevent and disrupt people smuggling activities and prosecute the people smuggling groups and facilitators responsible. We will also seek to return, in a fair, safe and orderly manner, those individuals who have no legal basis to remain in our countries, consistent with our domestic and international obligations. 

    As partners, the Five Countries acknowledge the existing international migration and protection frameworks and value the activities and partnerships with international organisations across the migration space, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL). We will continue to collaborate with these institutions and leverage existing national, regional and international frameworks to bolster our responses through strengthened institutions, systems and processes. 

    The Five Countries encourage pragmatic approaches to establishing migration policies and managing their sovereign borders in defence of national security, and in accordance with our obligations under national and international law. To this end, we affirm our collective responsibility to identify and better understand the evolving challenges of irregular migration. We commit to working together, learning from best practice based on robust evidence and analysis to identify and implement effective and sustainable solutions. Our efforts will include taking bold, flexible approaches and action, where needed. 

    The Five Countries agree that it is through committed and focused partnerships that we will deliver results on providing protection to the most vulnerable whilst protecting our borders and maintaining public confidence in our migration and protection systems, in line with our international obligations and commitments. 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Joint Communique

    Source: US Department of Homeland Security

    We, the Home Affairs, Interior, Security and Immigration Ministers of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States (the ‘Five Countries’) remain steadfast in our commitment to uphold and promote shared liberal democratic values, and in working collaboratively to protect our citizens, communities, and governments from evolving national security threats in an increasingly contested world. Throughout 2024, the Five Countries have collaborated and advanced efforts on a range of issues relevant to our collective national security thematic areas of interest, specifically in consideration of the following issues: 

    National Security Risks of Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

    The Five Countries recognise the enormous opportunities presented by critical and emerging technologies – such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) – in creating new jobs, improving productivity, and aiding in cyber defence. However, the rapid development and deployment of AI risks creating novel security vulnerabilities (including both to and from AI systems) and providing a platform for malign actors to increase the speed and scale of malicious activities. We are particularly concerned by the use of AI to facilitate the creation and distribution of mis/disinformation, malware, terrorist and violent extremist content, non-consensual deep fake pornography, and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). We continue to share information on how our governments are establishing frameworks to best manage the risks associated with AI, while still taking advantage of the benefits, and remain committed to working together to ensure our shared values shape international standards and governance for AI. 

    We acknowledge that deeper cooperation among the Five Countries will support the safe, secure, and trustworthy deployment and use of these technologies in a way that minimises the risks and maximises opportunities in a national security context. The Five Countries remain committed to continuing to align our work in achieving this goal. 

    Countering Foreign Interference 

    With more people than ever voting in elections around the world in 2024, the Five Countries recognise the need for resilient and transparent democratic institutions to mitigate evolving threats to democratic processes. Such threats, including the proliferation of state-sponsored disinformation through increased use of emerging technologies, pose a significant challenge to upholding our democratic values. 

    We are resolute in our commitment to ensuring that communities are free from transnational repression, and recognise the continued need for collaboration, information sharing and taking action to protect our communities, businesses, and citizens. It is unacceptable for any foreign government to target members of our communities to prevent individuals from exercising their fundamental rights and freedoms in the Five Countries. 

    Finally, the Five Countries recognise the need to mitigate the threat posed by foreign interference and espionage within our research ecosystems. The Five Countries remain committed to exchanging best practices and threat information on research security, including how foreign entities of concern may be attempting to adapt to and bypass safeguards, to improve the resilience of those ecosystems. 

    Cyber Security 

    The increase in malicious and sophisticated cyber security threats is impacting the daily lives of citizens, businesses and governments across the Five Countries. We emphasise the need to target the enablers that make up the cybercrime business model, who are providing the illicit products, goods and services that make it easier to commit cybercrime. Malicious cyber activity against critical infrastructure by both state and non-state malicious cyber actors pose some of the greatest threats to our Five Countries and we are committed to jointly disrupting these operations and securing our most important networks. 

    We note the importance of fraud in the cyber security context and are particularly concerned about online scam centres that target vulnerable individuals globally; are involved in human trafficking for forced criminality to support their operations; or feed into a highly profitable criminal enterprise that undermines our cyber security. We reaffirm our support to the commitments made at the Global Fraud Summit. A key outcome from the Summit was to maintain strong engagement with industry, and the Five Countries agree to progress further efforts in this space to tackle the fraud threat and better protect our citizens. 

    We recognise the broader role of continued public-private collaboration in mitigating cyber security and data threats for our citizens, businesses and nations. To further deepen our relationship with industry, the Five Countries commit to share lessons learned from respective domestic efforts in securing data to ensure trusted and secure cross-border data flows and enhance the resilience of our data. 

    We recognise the value of coming together as the Five Countries to enhance strategic engagement on priority cybercrime threats, particularly through the international Counter Ransomware Initiative (CRI). The Five Countries will actively support the CRI and will engage in wider fora to advance our shared aims through international cooperation and build cross-border resilience to collectively disrupt malicious cyber actors. 

    Domestic Security 

    In response to recent events in the Middle East, the Five Countries have regularly drawn on the FCM to discuss the conflict and broader security situation, as well as associated domestic security challenges. This includes recognising the effects of this conflict on impacted communities, exploring the associated impacts in polarising and radicalising community attitudes, and understanding the threats posed by the spread of extremist content and disinformation. 

    We remain very concerned about the rise of terrorist and violent extremist content online and its impact, particularly on young people, and we recognise the importance of continued engagement with industry to mitigate this issue. 

    As members of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) Independent Advisory Committee, we call on the organisation to strengthen its efforts to address terrorist and violent extremist content, including when it arises in the context of a prolonged conflict. We stress the importance of expanding GIFCT membership to include a broader range of technology companies, as well as in helping smaller platforms to identify and address terrorist and violent extremist content. In parallel, we continue to support the implementation of the Christchurch Call commitments and welcome the launch of the Christchurch Call Foundation. 

    We commit to addressing the complexity of youth radicalisation, as well as the need to better understand the risks of personalised ideological motivations. We acknowledge that unique pathways and factors can make at-risk individuals susceptible to radicalisation, including violent extremism. We will continue to share information on effective approaches to prevention, such as intervention approaches to support diversion efforts; and are committed to working together to conduct a diagnosis of how violent extremist actors leverage technology to encourage at-risk individuals to violence. 

    Lawful Access 

    The Five Countries will continue working together to maintain tightly-controlled lawful access to communications content that is vital to the investigation and prosecution of serious crimes including terrorism and child abuse. We will work in partnership with technology companies to do this, protecting the safety of our citizens. 

    Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA) 

    The Five Countries note the significant role of emerging technologies, including AI, in the proliferation of child sexual exploitation and abuse material. We reiterate our collective commitment to exercising all levers available to tackle this crime type and keep children safe in all settings. 

    We recognise the need to work collaboratively across the whole sector, noting the specific knowledge and role of industry and academia, and the expertise of victims, survivors and their families to ensure our efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse are holistic, evidence-based, and promote technological innovation. In this spirit, we jointly endorsed the “Bridging Government Efforts and Elevating Survivors’ Voices” statement (Annex I). 

    We also recognise the continued importance of the Voluntary Principles to Counter Online Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and – noting that the landscape has changed significantly since their launch five years ago – commit to further engagement with signatories to seek updates on efforts to uphold the principles as outlined. 

    While there has been progress through voluntary action to date, the Five Countries urgently call on tech companies to continue to drive innovation to keep children safe online on their platforms and to adhere to legal requirements in each of our jurisdictions. We remain committed to working with industry to explore holistic efforts and supporting innovation in tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse, including responding to the proliferation of AI-generated child sexual exploitation and abuse content. 

    Migration  

    The Five Countries recognise the extensive pressures on our border management, migration and protection systems that are being exacerbated by significant volumes of global migration and displacement seen across the world. 

    We acknowledge that there are a multitude of drivers for irregular migration and forced displacement, and we recognise the importance of taking a whole-of-route approach in response to mixed migrant flows. The Five Countries will continue to explore opportunities to work together to combat organised crime groups that are facilitating and profiting from human smuggling. 

    The Five Countries also recognise the opportunities presented by the rise in global migration and mobility, and note the benefits of safe and regular migration pathways. At the same time, we remain committed to enforcing our immigration laws and delivering consequences for those individuals who have no right to remain in our respective countries. We encourage the use of innovative policy levers to maintain well-managed regular pathways in light of increasing demand on our migration systems. We are committed to deepening our collaboration to enhance the integrity of our migration and border systems by leveraging emerging technology and examining additional efforts to address fraud and stop bad actors from exploiting our regular pathways. 

    The Five Countries remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting and protecting the human rights of all migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers in accordance with our international obligations, whilst endorsing pragmatic approaches of countries to establish policies in their own national interest and national security. 

    Closing 

    The FCM remains the preeminent Ministerial-level forum for the Five Countries to engage and exchange information on shared national security issues and implement new initiatives to respond to various areas of concern. Our efforts to collaborate and exchange best practise in responding to evolving threats continues to grow and we look forward to further deepening these efforts in the coming year ahead 

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  • MIL-OSI Security: DTRA Trains Indonesian Military on Epidemiology and Health Security

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    SURABAYA, Indonesia  –  

    The Defense Threat Reduction Agency’s (DTRA) Biological Threat Reduction Program (BTRP) conducted an Intermediate Epidemiology Health Security Training for Indonesian Armed Forces Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI) clinical and laboratory professionals from September 17th to 19th 2024. The event was held at RSAL Dr. Ramelan Navy Hospital in Surabaya, Indonesia, and provided 30 Indonesian personnel an expanded understanding of epidemiology principles and best practices, including skills that can be immediately applied at individual TNI military medical facilities. The training event incorporated lectures, interactive sessions, breakout group exercises, epidemiological analysis mentorship sessions and was part of a series of events which established an in-house cadre of trainers that will increase TNI training capacity and sustainability.

    For DTRA BTRP, Navy LCDR Brittany Harris provided remarks commenting on the training and how it will improve specific aspects of health security such as helping laboratory technicians grasp how their work fits into the broader TNI health landscape and understanding the impact of their efforts on disease control and prevention.

    Harris also commented on the significance of the training in Indonesia, stating, “This week represents an important milestone within our Health Security Training series and will further develop the initial Java-based cohort, enhancing proficiency and capabilities as health security resources and future TNI trainers.”

    This week’s event marked the culmination of a whole year of training events aimed at reestablishing an in-house training cadre for TNI. Additionally, this event fulfilled the fourth and final 2024 bilateral training commitment made between TNI and BTRP in December 2023 at the annual U.S.-Indonesia Bilateral Defense Dialogue.

    For more information on this facility and other DTRA programs, visit http://www.dtra.mil

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Judge: Owner of repeat scammer Labor Law Poster Service broke the law nearly 600,000 times

    Source: Washington State News

    Michigan defendants targeted Washington businesses

    SEATTLE — A King County Superior Court judge agreed with Attorney General Bob Ferguson and ruled that the Michigan-based owner of Labor Law Poster Service broke the law nearly 600,000 times sending scam solicitations targeting Washington businesses. 

    The company has illegally targeted thousands of Washington small businesses by mass mailing deceptive solicitations to dupe business owners into purchasing workplace posters they are not obligated to buy. The letters are designed to imitate legitimate government communications.

    King County Superior Court Judge Sandra Widlan granted Ferguson’s request for summary judgment against one of the owners, deciding the merits of the case without a trial. The judge found the mailers were deceptive, in violation of the Consumer Protection Act, and that owner Joseph Fata violated the law 594,788 times. The case is still pending against the co-owners. Penalties will be decided at a later date.

    Ferguson’s lawsuit seeks full restitution, plus interest, to all Washingtonians harmed by this deceptive conduct. It also seeks civil penalties for every deceptive letter sent and civil penalties for each of the violations of the previous court orders.

    “Small business owners work hard to follow the law,” Ferguson said. “This judgment shows the incredible scale of this scam operation. We will be asking the court to order them to return every penny to the thousands of Washington businesses they harmed, plus significant penalties. We will not stop fighting to protect Washington business owners from harmful scammers.”

    Ferguson previously won a court order barring the company from sending mailers to Washington businesses while the case continued.

    According to Ferguson’s lawsuit, Labor Law Poster Service and its owners — brothers Joseph Fata, Thomas Fata and Steven Fata, and later Joseph’s son, Justin Fata — violated the state Consumer Protection Act hundreds of thousands of times over the course of at least eight years. It also asserts their conduct violated a 2016 permanent injunction and a 2008 resolution with the Attorney General’s Office, both of which prohibited the company from sending deceptive mailers.

    For years, the Fatas have treated all adverse legal actions as the cost of doing business, even after paying more than $1.2 million in civil penalties, restitution and attorneys’ fees from just one judgment. 

    Assistant Attorneys General Zorba Leslie Kelsey Burazin and Michael Bradley, Investigator Scott Henderson, Paralegal Mary Barber and Legal Assistant Ashley Totten are handling the case for Washington.

    Ferguson’s lawsuit is part of the Small Business Protection Initiative, which has won tens of millions of dollars for Washington businesses that have been targeted by scams.

    If you suspect you have been targeted by this or other scams, please contact the Attorney General’s Office. You can file a complaint online at atg.wa.gov/file-complaint or call the office toll-free at 1-800-551-4636.

    Background on workplace requirements and posters scheme

    Businesses with employees are legally required to display certain workplace posters about a variety of workers’ rights and entitlements, such as workplace safety requirements or the right to access disability leave.

    Employers can download digital copies of these posters for free from many regulators and state agencies, such as the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, Washington Employment Security Department and the U.S. Department of Labor. Workplace posters are not required for businesses with no employees.

    Labor Law Poster Service’s business model is to exploit these requirements — and business owners’ desire to comply with the law — for profit. They send deceptive letters that look like bills or invoices from a government agency. They mail the letters in envelopes with threatening language about legal consequences for not immediately purchasing the advertised product — a “Complete State & Federal Posting Requirement Set” — at a cost of $79.50 or more. These solicitations target small business owners, often newly registered small businesses, who may lack time and resources to thoroughly vet the legitimacy of the letters.

    Together, these deceptive tactics leave business owners with the impression that buying and displaying Labor Law Poster Service’s product is required by law and they ultimately pay the fee to avoid any risk of legal ramifications.

    Details of prior violations by Labor Law Poster Service owners

    In 2008, the Attorney General’s Office investigated similar consumer protection violations by Labor Law Poster Service, formerly known as Mandatory Poster Agency. Mandatory Poster Agency, which was also run by the Fata brothers, entered into a legally enforceable agreement that it would provide full refunds to Washington businesses and stop any future unlawful conduct to avoid a penalty.

    Mandatory Poster Agency did not stop. Between 2012 and 2013, the company sent envelopes marked “Important: Annual Minutes Requirement Statement” to roughly 80,000 Washington businesses. In a 2014 lawsuit, Ferguson asserted that more than 2,900 small businesses paid $125 each to prepare documents that looked like they came from the government. In March 2016, a King County judge ruled that Mandatory Poster Agency violated the Consumer Protection Act 79,354 times and ordered civil penalties and restitution of $1.15 million. The judgment included $793,540 in civil penalties and up to $362,625 in restitution for businesses harmed by the deceptive scheme. The company also paid the Attorney General’s Office $377,164 for attorneys’ fees.

    In all, Mandatory Poster Agency and the Fata brothers paid more than $1.2 million as a result of that judgment.

    Lawsuit asserts Fatas’ violations continue under new name

    Once more, the Fatas did not stop their illegal activity. Under a new name, Labor Law Poster Service, they violated both the 2016 court order and the earlier resolution by engaging in the same deceptive practices.

    Ferguson’s latest lawsuit asserts that Labor Law Poster Service mailed at least  594,788 deceptive letters to small businesses between 2016 and 2024, including 60,000 to 70,000 new solicitations each year. The lawsuit alleges the company made at least 4,955 sales to Washington businesses since 2016, totaling at least $558,052 in sales.

    Labor Law Poster Service renewed its Washington business registration in October 2023, and continued mailing illegal solicitations to businesses who previously purchased their posters until ordered to stop by the court in April 2024.

    Other enforcement actions against Labor Law Poster Service

    Other states have filed lawsuits against Labor Law Poster Service for engaging in similar deceptive conduct across the country.

    A lawsuit brought by the Tennessee attorney general is pending, and in 2017 Arizona won a $626,000 judgment against the company when it operated as Mandatory Poster Agency. In 2016, Labor Law Poster Service agreed to pay nearly $400,000 in penalties after violating a cease and desist order with the Delaware attorney general. In 2013, the Fata brothers, then operating as Mandatory Poster Agency, entered into a consent judgment with the State of Wisconsin after sending more than 72,000 deceptive mailers that required them to pay $340,000 in restitution and civil forfeitures.   

    Combined, these recycled deceptive tactics can amount to millions of dollars in profit for these repeat offenders.

    -30-

    Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit http://www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

    Media Contact:

    Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

    General contacts: Click here

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NEWS FEATURE: Maritime navigation’s new look

    Source: United States Coast Guard

    10/18/2024 03:52 PM EDT

    The safety of all mariners is a top priority for the Coast Guard. As technology continues to advance, the service strives to utilize these advancements to improve their aids to navigation data management and dissemination capabilities. One of the many ways the Coast Guard aspires to accomplish this is through the modernization of Local Notice to Mariners (LNM) and Light Lists.

    For more information follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: HAPPY BIRTHDAY U.S. NAVY

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) Galley hosted a 249th U.S. Navy Birthday meal, Oct. 10.

    Even though the Navy’s birthday is October 13, the NMCP Galley celebrated early with a meal featuring BBQ chicken, grilled ribeye steaks, rice pilaf, dinner rolls, and assorted desserts featuring a ceremonial cake.

    On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress established the Continental Navy British sea control and supply ships to the British Army in America. The Navy celebrates its birthday to honor the service, sacrifice, and devotion of its Sailors.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah will pay homage to the martyrs on Police Commemoration Day at National Police Memorial in New Delhi on Monday, 21st October 2024

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah will pay homage to the martyrs on Police Commemoration Day at National Police Memorial in New Delhi on Monday, 21st October 2024

    On October 21, 1959, ten valiant Policemen laid down their lives in an ambush laid by heavily armed Chinese troops at Hot Springs, Ladakh

    October 21 is observed in commemoration of these martyrs and of all other martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty

    In recognition of the sacrifices made by Police personnel and their paramount role in preserving national security and integrity, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated National Police Memorial to the nation on Police Commemoration Day-2018

    Posted On: 18 OCT 2024 6:11PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah will pay homage to the martyrs on Police Commemoration Day at National Police Memorial in New Delhi on Monday, 21st October 2024.

    On October 21, 1959, ten valiant Policemen laid down their lives in an ambush laid by heavily armed Chinese troops at Hot Springs, Ladakh. October 21 is observed in commemoration of these martyrs and of all other martyrs who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. In recognition of the sacrifices made by Police personnel and their paramount role in preserving national security and integrity, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated National Police Memorial (NPM), Chanakyapuri, New Delhi to the nation on Police Commemoration Day-2018.

    The Memorial gives Police Forces a sense of national identity, pride, unity of purpose, common history and destiny, besides reinforcing their commitment to protect the nation even at the cost of their lives. The Memorial comprises a Central Sculpture, the ‘Wall of Valour’ and a Museum. The Central Sculpture, which is a 30 feet high granite monolith cenotaph, stands for strength, resilience and selfless service of Police personnel. The Wall of Valour on which the names of martyrs are engraved stands as a steadfast acknowledgement of the bravery and sacrifice of Police personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty since Independence. The museum is conceptualized as a historical and evolving exhibition on policing in India. The Memorial is a site of pilgrimage, a place of reverence for Police personnel and citizen alike.  The NPM is open to public on all days except Mondays. Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) organise band display, parade and retreat ceremony at the NPM on every Saturday and Sunday in the evening, starting one hour prior to sunset.

    Police Commemoration Day i.e., October 21 is observed across the country and homage is paid to police martyrs with the main function organised at National Police Memorial which is customarily presided over by the Union Home Minister. A joint parade of CAPFs along with Delhi Police is held. Union Home Minister, MoS, MPs, Heads of CAPFs/CPOs etc pay homage to the martyrs by laying wreaths. Thereafter, Union Home Minister addresses the assembly remembering the martyrs and outlines the challenges of Policing. Retired DGs, officers from Police fraternity and other dignitaries also attend. The programme concludes with Union Home Minister laying wreath at the altar dedicated to the martyrs of Hot Springs.

    Subsequently, CAPFs/CPOs organise various Commemorative Events at NPM from October 22 to 30, including visits of family members of martyrs, Police Band Display, motorcycle rallies, run for martyrs, blood donation camp, essay/painting competitions, display of video films showcasing sacrifice, valour and service of Police personnel. Similar programmes are organised across the country by all Police Forces during the period.

    National Police Memorial

    Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

    *****

    RK/VV/PR/PS

    (Release ID: 2066144) Visitor Counter : 47

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Joint statement on Irregular Migration

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Five Country Ministerial 2024 – Joint statement on Irregular Migration

    Globally, irregular migration and forced displacement have increased in scale. This presents complex challenges that need to be addressed through a well-managed, coordinated, flexible and whole-of-route strategy. We recognise the value of a comprehensive approach which takes into account the diverse and multi-dimensional drivers of irregular movement and forced displacement. These drivers can include conflict and violence, poverty, political instability, crime and corruption, environmental degradation and climate change, or the seeking of family reunification or economic opportunities. 

    The Five Countries aim to work together to identify and implement consistent, equitable, and mutually beneficial partnerships that develop and stabilise source countries, improve the capacity of transit countries, and deter individuals from embarking on dangerous or irregular journeys or attempting to misuse our migration systems. 

    Further, the Five Countries remain committed to disrupting the activities of bad actors, and taking swift action against those who exploit the vulnerable and who violate, or facilitate the violation of, our respective immigration laws. This includes working to combat attempts to misuse our migration systems, including through visa fraud. We will endeavour to prevent and disrupt people smuggling activities and prosecute the people smuggling groups and facilitators responsible. We will also seek to return, in a fair, safe and orderly manner, those individuals who have no legal basis to remain in our countries, consistent with our domestic and international obligations. 

    As partners, the Five Countries acknowledge the existing international migration and protection frameworks and value the activities and partnerships with international organisations across the migration space, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL). We will continue to collaborate with these institutions and leverage existing national, regional and international frameworks to bolster our responses through strengthened institutions, systems and processes. 

    The Five Countries encourage pragmatic approaches to establishing migration policies and managing their sovereign borders in defence of national security, and in accordance with our obligations under national and international law. To this end, we affirm our collective responsibility to identify and better understand the evolving challenges of irregular migration. We commit to working together, learning from best practice based on robust evidence and analysis to identify and implement effective and sustainable solutions. Our efforts will include taking bold, flexible approaches and action, where needed. 

    The Five Countries agree that it is through committed and focused partnerships that we will deliver results on providing protection to the most vulnerable whilst protecting our borders and maintaining public confidence in our migration and protection systems, in line with our international obligations and commitments. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reed Announces Nearly $300,000 to Boost Support & Safety for RIers with Autism

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    WASHINGTON, DC – In an effort to strengthen resources, support, and services for Rhode Islanders with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities, U.S. Senator Jack Reed today announced $296,673 in federal funds to support initiatives that spread awareness about challenges faced by individuals with ASD and to expand programs that provide support and resources for people with autism, their families, and the community.
    The federal funds will flow through the Department of Justice (DOJ) Kevin and Avonte Program: Reducing Injury and Death of Missing Individuals with Dementia and Developmental Disabilities. This program provides up to $150,000 per award to advance comprehensive initiatives that prevent wandering or elopement for individuals with forms of dementia or developmental disabilities and reduce associated dangers and potential injuries that stem from wandering or elopement.  
    The Autism Project (TAP) will receive $149,994 for its work to increase awareness for first responders, families, and community members through specialized education on ASD and developmental disabilities and the associated dangers of wandering and elopement, with the goal of saving lives.  Specifically, this funding will help TAP expand their educational programming and create new programs to reach underserved and Spanish-speaking communities.
    National Autism Association, Inc. (NAA) will receive $146,679 to support its core safety program, the Big Red Safety Box, which provides preventative tools and educational materials for families and caregivers of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or developmental disabilities, so they are better prepared to prevent and manage crises stemming from wandering and elopement within underserved populations.
    “Elopement and other dangers associated with ASD and developmental disabilities can be frantic, harrowing experiences for children and individuals with autism as well as for their family members, loved ones, and caregivers. These federal funds will equip law enforcement and first responders, families, and community members with new tools and resources to spread awareness, help limit incidents of elopement, and save lives,” said Senator Reed, who was recently recognized by the Community Provider Network of Rhode Island for his work with TAP to increase support and strengthen resources for Rhode Islanders with ASD.  “I’m proud to help support the tremendous work being done by The Autism Project and National Autism Association in partnership with community-based organizations, first responders, and families across Rhode Island and the nation.”
    According to TAP, about 22,000 Rhode Islanders have autism.  TAP serves the entire state of Rhode Island, but much of this project will focus on assisting families and autistic people living in diverse urban areas of Central Falls, Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket.
    “The Autism Project (TAP) is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue our work to prevent elopement at both the local and national level. Keeping autistic people safe is our highest priority, while simultaneously educating and empowering families and first responders involved in the prevention of and response to elopement,” said Joanne Quinn, executive director of The Autism Project.  “With these new grant funds, TAP will have the ability to create a greater library of materials on safety, and to elevate the voices of autistic people and families from underserved communities. Without the generous funding from the Kevin and Avonte Program, this work would not be possible. We are resolute in our commitment to autistic people and their families, and are thrilled by the opportunity to continue our mission.” 
    Since 2011, NAA’s Big Red Safety Box program has provided free safety toolkits for nearly 75,000 families across the country in need of wandering-prevention tools. Recipients of these toolkits must be a primary caregiver of an individual with ASD. Each box includes educational materials, two door/window alarms, one identification bracelet or shoe tag, for adhesive “Stop Sign” visual prompts, one safety alert window cling for care or home windows, and one Child ID Kit from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. More information on NAA’s Big Red Safety Box program and how to request a box can be found here. 
    “The autism community has endured a harrowing summer – the most fatal on record for wandering-related emergencies.  With nearly fifty heartbreaking losses this year, primarily nonspeaking children who died due to accidental drownings, our mission has never been more urgent. The funds provided by Kevin and Avonte’s Law will help us continue to provide families across the country with critical preventative tools, free of charge,” said Krystal Higgins, Executive Director of the National Autism Association.  “We are grateful to be able to expand our programs, outreach, and partnerships with organizations such as the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children so that we can continue to address the unprecedented need for safety programs, federal advocacy, and first responder trainings.  We are committed to using these funds responsibly and effectively to make the biggest impact possible furthering our work in spearheading nationwide awareness and resources to help address the dire issues of wandering and drowning.”
    Elopement refers to a common occurrence for children with ASD, who may wander away from caregivers or secure locations. According to the National Institutes for Health (NIH), elopement occurs in approximately 49 percent of individuals diagnosed with ASD. Additionally, accidental harm and injury is a serious risk during elopement incidents as drowning accounts for about 71 percent of wandering-related deaths among individuals with autism and close calls with traffic were reported in 65 percent of all elopement cases. Elopement can be a traumatic experience for a person with autism and their caregivers. It is imperative for first responders to be aware of how best to assist an individual with autism in these situations.
    Senator Reed helped pass Kevin and Avonte’s Law in the 114th Congress. This law is named in honor of two boys with autism – 9 year-old Kevin Curtis Wills of Iowa and 14-year old Avonte Oquendo of New York – who perished after wandering away from supervised settings.
    In 2022, Reed voted to reauthorize Kevin and Avonte’s Law for another five years as part of the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The law has helped direct over $10 million to communities across the nation and includes an alert program to help notify communities about missing individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease, autism, and other developmental disabilities. It also enables the Department of Justice (DOJ) to award grants for state and local education and training programs to help prevent elopement and reunite caregivers with missing family members.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey Exposes Private Equity’s Shady Dealings at Charleroi Glass Manufacturing Plant, Urges Federal Investigation and Injunction to Protect PA Workers

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
    Private equity owners seek to shut down Pyrex plant that has been a keystone of Charleroi, PA for 132 years
    In recent years, Wall Street has gutted companies and communities in a seemingly never-ending quest to make a quick buck off the backs of hardworking Americans
    In light of new report, Casey is pressing FTC to pursue measures to stop the plant closure pending a full investigation into private equity firm Centre Lane Partners’ potential illegal activity to acquire plant without regulatory approval
    Read Casey’s report: Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind HERE
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), member of the Senate Finance Committee, released a report exposing how a private equity firm is shattering Charleroi’s 132-year-old proud tradition of glass manufacturing. Closing the Charleroi Pyrex glassware factory would not only cost more than 300 Pennsylvanians their jobs but would change the fabric of this community and put an end to one of Pennsylvania’s most impressive manufacturing success stories. His report, Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind, exposed private equity firm Centre Lane Partners for questionable financial engineering and shady business deals that culminated in Centre Lane’s recent decision to close the plant, leaving its workers as collateral damage. In the report and a follow up letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, Casey called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Department of Justice (DOJ) to take action to block the plant closure pending the outcome of a full investigation into the private equity firm for its efforts to evade regulatory rules to strip the plant bare and lay off Pennsylvania workers.
    “Private equity crushing Charleroi’s generational legacy of glass manufacturing is yet another example of Wall Street screwing over Pennsylvania workers. The plant’s closure is a slap in the face to workers, their community, and the people of Pennsylvania,” said Senator Casey. “I am working every day to protect union jobs and hold Wall Street executives accountable for the havoc they’ve wreaked in our Commonwealth.”
    Since Anchor Hocking abruptly announced plans to close this glass manufacturing plant in September 2024, Senator Casey has been investigating the questionable practices used by Anchor Hocking’s private equity owner, Centre Lane Partners, to make a quick buck. In his report, Casey revealed how private equity firms like Centre Lane prioritized short term ownership of companies to maximize profits at the expense of companies’ long-term health. Specifically, the report showed how Centre Lane purchased two of the Nation’s largest home glassware brands, Pyrex and Anchor Hocking, even though it initially failed to receive regulatory approval to purchase Pyrex in the fall of 2023. Casey’s report exposed Centre Lane’s actions to obtain a potential monopoly in the home glassware manufacturing market and emphasized the urgent need for a federal investigation. The report also laid out a timeline detailing Centre Lane Partners’ questionable financial engineering and shady business deals that culminated in the decision to consolidate its home glassware manufacturing at a separate Anchor Hocking facility outside of Pennsylvania.
    The initial findings outlined in Senator Casey’s report only raised more alarms about Centre Lane’s potential illegal activity. In a letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan, Casey laid out the perplexing and questionable practices of Centre Lane and its acquisition of several glassware companies and called for a swift and full investigation. Casey urged the FTC to block the closure of the plant while it investigates whether Centre Lane violated the law in its acquisition of the facility.  
    Casey’s report and call for investigation continue his tireless efforts to combat the Charleroi plant’s closure and save Pennsylvania jobs from the ravages of private equity. Immediately upon learning of Anchor Hocking’s plans to close the plant on September 5th, Senator Casey’s office reached out to the plant’s union leadership and Charleroi Borough officials, connecting them with federal and state authorities. Casey’s office also helped convene a task force of county commissioners, borough officials, and local economic development leaders. Casey’s staff also alerted the White House Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization to the situation, leading to several federal officials visiting Charleroi on September 11th. On September 19th, Senator Casey sent a letter to Anchor Hocking demanding an explanation for the closure and imploring the company to reconsider its actions. On September 20th, Senator Casey and Senate Finance Committee Chair Senator Ron Wyden successfully requested a joint confidential briefing with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on questions concerning Anchor Hocking’s assumption of control of the Pyrex manufacturing operation in Charleroi.
    Read the full report “Charleroi: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind” HERE.
    Read the full letter to FTC Chair Lina Khan HERE or below:
    Dear Chair Khan:
    I write today regarding the recent decision to shut down the Pyrex glass factory in Charleroi, Pennsylvania by its private equity owners, Centre Lane Partners, and parent company, Anchor Hocking. As I have detailed in a recent report entitled, Charleroi, PA: An Example of How Private Equity is Shattering the Glass Industry and Leaving Workers Behind, Charleroi has become the latest victim of the all-too-common abusive financial engineering that private equity owners engage in to make a quick profit at the expense of its workers and consumers.  In light of the numerous concerns that I raise in that report and this letter, I believe that Center Lane Partners’ acquisition of the Charleroi Pyrex plant deserves the fullest scrutiny by federal enforcement agencies, and I urge you to take whatever action necessary—including filing for preliminary injunctive relief—to block this plant closure pending the completion of an investigation into the matter.
    As you know, many private equity (PE) firms invest in companies and use financial engineering tactics to extract a quick profit from the company at the expense of its long-term health, its workers, and its customers. Unfortunately, few industries and companies exemplify the abusive PE playbook as much as the glass manufacturing industry and Anchor Hocking. Over the past 28 years, four major domestic glass manufacturers have filed for bankruptcy eight times among them—one bankruptcy every 3.5 years. In five of those cases, the company was owned by a PE firm —a fact that is not surprising given that PE-owned companies are far more likely to go bankrupt than non-PE-owned companies. 
    From dividend recaps and leasebacks to layoffs and cutting employee benefits, including retirees’ healthcare, PE firms have specifically abused Anchor Hocking and its workers for far too long.  However, over the course of my preliminary investigation into the recent circumstances surrounding Anchor Hocking and the Charleroi Pyrex plant, I am particularly troubled by the manner in which the PE firm, Centre Lane Partners (“Centre Lane”), came to acquire the Charleroi Pyrex plant. This acquisition set the stage for the subsequent announced closure of the plant, as well as the hundreds of lost jobs associated with the closure.
    In June 2023, the Charleroi plant’s prior parent company, Instant Brands (“Instant”), filed for bankruptcy. Instant was owned by another PE-firm, Cornell Capital, and included the popular Instant Pot and other consumers brands including Corelle, Pyrex, Snapware, CorningWare, Visions and Chicago Cutlery.  After a bankruptcy auction in September, Centre Lane received court approval to acquire Instant’s housewares and appliances businesses in two separate transactions for $228.2 million and $122.6 million, respectively.  Based on the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Act, I understand that these acquisitions would have both been subject to FTC premerger review given that they were higher than the HSR filing threshold in 2023—$111.4 million.
    In November 2023, Centre Lane officially acquired Instant’s appliance division, but bankruptcy documents filed in December confirmed that Centre Lane failed to receive the required regulatory approvals to finalize the deal for Instant’s housewares division.  As a result, Instant proposed a new plan wherein Instant would emerge from bankruptcy under the ownership of its prior lenders. In February 2024, Instant’s restructuring plan was approved and the housewares division emerged from bankruptcy under the new name, Corelle Brands (“Corelle”), and under the ownership of its prior lenders, including Centre Lane, which held 33.6% of the company.
    Less than a week and a half later, Centre Lane purchased the remaining 66.4% of Corelle from the majority lenders, including another PE firm, Citadel Group (“Citadel”), for approximately $38.5 million.  The Anchor Hocking CEO informed me that this decision was made after “[t]he majority owners of Corelle, who had no operating or industrial expertise in the glass manufacturing industry broadly speaking, approached Centre Lane . . . about buying their ownership interests, as it became clear that Corelle Brands on a stand-alone basis would likely not be economically viable.”  Days later, Centre Lane transferred ownership of Corelle to a subsidiary of Anchor Hocking in exchange for common stock valued at approximately $79.8 million.  Approximately six months later, in September 2024, Anchor Hocking announced that it would be shutting down the Charleroi Pyrex plant.
    Given this timeline, it is fair to question why a PE firm—seemingly as sophisticated and savvy as Citadel—decided to acquire a company coming out of bankruptcy only to determine less than a week and a half later that it was no longer a viable investment. But it is even more perplexing that Centre Lane was able to acquire two-thirds of Corelle for merely $38.5 million in March 2024 and transfer it to Anchor Hocking days later at yet another price ($79.8 million)—all while evading FTC oversight—after it previously bid nearly $230 million for the same company and filed for regulatory approval in September 2023.
    The timeline of these financial transactions raises enough questions on its own, but the subsequent decisions of Centre Lane also justify further scrutiny. I have been informed by locals in Charleroi that despite taking ownership over Corelle, Anchor Hocking does not actually control two of Corelle’s most valuable brands—Pyrex and Snapware. It is my understanding that the licenses for these brands are in the process of being transferred or have already been transferred to another Centre Lane affiliate, 1880 Hospitality. This assertion is further supported by Anchor Hocking’s letterhead, which includes all of Corelle’s previous brands, except for Pyrex and Snapware.  It is difficult to discern a logical business reason for such a move, but even more peculiar—it further calls into question the financial details of these transactions. How did Centre Lane acquire two-thirds of Corelle, including Pyrex and Snapware, for just $38.5 million from its prior owners, and then days later, transferred it to Anchor Hocking for approximately $79.8 million without two of its biggest brands—Pyrex and Snapware?
    At the core of these questions and concerns is whether Centre Lane engaged in any illegal activity to evade FTC scrutiny in pursuit of an anticompetitive advantage in the kitchenware and glassware markets. To better understand these concerns, it is important to review Centre Lane’s recent acquisition history. As you know, “rollups” are a common PE tactic to acquire many smaller companies in a specific market to be able to better exert market power and extract economic rents in a market. For example, since at least 2018, Centre Lane has made a concerted effort to acquire numerous kitchenware and tableware brands, and its portfolio now includes Anchor Hocking, Corelle, Pyrex, Corningware, Snapware, Chicago Cutlery, Visions, Lenox, Oneida, Kate Spade New York tabletop collection, Hampton Forge, Reed & Barton, and Cambridge.  Centre Lane’s increasing market share in the kitchenware industry raise some broader antitrust questions, but none more so than the glassware market. 
    In the domestic market, “heavy” glassware products—such as bakeware, measuring cups, and food storage containers—are primarily sold under two brands—Anchor Hocking and Pyrex. A simple search on just a few retail websites is illustrative. On Target’s website, 11 of the 12 glass bakeware products sold in-store are Pyrex, and in Wal-Mart, 33 of the 45 glass bakeware products sold in-store are either Pyrex or Anchor Hocking.  On Costco’s website, a search for “glass food containers” returns nine results—five of which include Anchor Hocking or Pyrex.  When searching for “glass measuring cups” sold on Amazon.com, 11 of the first 20 products are Pyrex or Anchor Hocking.  Permitting Centre Lane to control both Anchor Hocking and Pyrex clearly increases its ability to manipulate the glassware market at the expense of both consumers and workers.
    During your time as Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, your focus on the impact of PE in our markets has been laudable. As you highlighted in remarks on March 5 regarding the impact of PE in healthcare, some PE firms can provide an important source of capital for companies and aim to “take a more long-term view and focus on creating real operational improvements to generate value in ways that provide broader benefits.”  Too many, however, “take a different approach, where they load up companies with enormous amounts of debt, strip valuable assets and sell them off to enrich the private equity owners, and pursue financial engineering tactics that leave the underlying firm weaker and worse off.”  Given the history of PE abuses at Anchor Hocking and its recent decisions at the Charleroi Pyrex plant,  I am afraid that Centre Lane falls into the latter category.
    In light of my preliminary investigation and the information that I have shared in this letter, I respectfully request your response to the following questions. Additionally, recognizing the strict confidentiality requirements under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act, I ask that you answer these questions to the best of your ability as a general statement of law and agency practice, and not related to any particular individual case or company:
    In your experience, is it common for a company to be valued at nearly $230 million in a bankruptcy auction, but then be bought for only a third of that price months later?
    If a company is initially denied regulatory approval to acquire another company by the FTC, is it legal for the company to proceed with the acquisition under different terms without notifying the FTC?
    What tools does the FTC have to address anticompetitive deals that are consummated—either legally or illegally—without FTC premerger review?
    How much market share would a combined firm need to control for the FTC to consider a merger or acquisition to be anticompetitive?
    Is it lawful for a company to establish monopoly power over a market, if the company divides the market among its various subsidiaries? 
    Do antitrust laws and/or FTC guidelines and practices allow a company to divide a potential acquisition’s assets among multiple subsidiaries in order to evade FTC oversight, including HSR premerger review?
    Do antitrust laws and/or FTC guidelines and practices allow a company to evade FTC oversight, including HSR premerger review, by acquiring a company in two steps? For example, by buying only 33% of a company initially, and then later buying the remainder?
    What tools (e.g., statutory authorities, resources) does the FTC need to better address the potentially anticompetitive behaviors of PE firms?
    Over the course of my preliminary investigation into this matter, I have unfortunately been left with far more questions than answers regarding Centre Lanes’ transactions, its decision to close the Charleroi Pyrex plant, and its broader impact on competition in the glassware market. At the very least, these questions deserve the fullest scrutiny from federal enforcement agencies, but unfortunately—time is of the essence. On Thursday, October 10, Centre Lane, through Anchor Hocking, submitted its federally required Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice confirming its plans to begin laying off workers in Charleroi on December 9, 2024, and fully shutting down the plant by February 28, 2025. 
    Recognizing the time sensitive nature of this situation and to ensure a full and fair investigation into the many issues that I have raised in this letter, I urge you to consider filing for preliminary injunctive relief against Centre Lane’s acquisition of Corelle and utilizing any other tools at your disposal to block its efforts to shut down the Charleroi Pyrex plant. Knowing the resources and time necessary to pursue court action, I do not make this request lightly, but it is worth noting that there is historical precedent for the FTC to intervene in mergers regarding domestic glass manufacturing companies. In 2002, Libbey abandoned efforts to acquire Anchor Hocking due, in part, to an order issued by the FTC, and over a decade later in 2015, executives again dismissed the possibility of a merger between the two companies given the FTC’s prior concerns. 
    After years of shady business deals and financial engineering, we owe it not only to the workers of Charleroi, but to the thousands of workers across the Nation who have been repeatedly taken advantage of by Wall Street and PE firms, to ensure that we are taking every action possible to fully investigate and hold accountable any company that has engaged in wrongdoing in this situation. Wall Street should not, and cannot, act with impunity.
    Thank you for your leadership on this issue and for your and your staff’s cooperation with Senator Wyden’s and my inquires on this topic to date. I look forward to your prompt response.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 149TH ASSEMBLY OF INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION (IPU) CONCLUDES

    Source: Government of India

    149TH ASSEMBLY OF INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION (IPU) CONCLUDES

    LOK SABHA SPEAKER SH. OM BIRLA HIGHLIGHTS INDIA’S PIVOTAL ROLE IN GLOBAL DIALOGUE AIMED AT ADDRESSING COMMON GLOBAL CHALLENGES

    SH. BIRLA HOLDS SEVERAL BILATERAL MEETINGS WITH COUNTERPARTS FROM PARLIAMENTS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD

    JAMAICA BECOMES 181ST MEMBER OF IPU

    150TH ASSEMBLY OF IPU TO BE HELD IN TASHKENT FROM 5-9 APRIL, 2025

    Posted On: 18 OCT 2024 7:24PM by PIB Delhi

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla led a Parliamentary Delegation (IPD) to the 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva which was held from 13th October to 17th October 2024.

    The Delegation comprised of Shri Harivansh, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha; Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, MP; Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, MP; Shri Rajeev Shukla, MP; Shri Vishnu Dayal Ram, MP; Smt. Aparajita Sarangi, MP; Dr. Sasmit Patra, MP; Smt. Mamata Mohanta, MP; Shri Utpal Kumar Singh, Secretary – General, Lok Sabha and Shri P. C. Mody, Secretary – General, Rajya Sabha.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla arrives in Geneva on 13 October, 2024 to participate in the 149th Assembly of IPU

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla attending the 149th Assembly of IPU on 14 October, 2024

     

    Rajya Sabha MP, Shri Rajiv Shukla participating in the Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly 2024 with Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla on 14 October 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha MP, Smt. Aprajita Sarangi participating in the Governing Council Meeting of Inter-Parliamentary Union with Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and Dy. Chairman, Rajya Sabha Shri Harivansh in Geneva on 14 October 2024.

     

    Addressing the Assembly on the theme “Harnessing science, technology and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future”, Shri Birla highlighted India’s commitment to multilateralism and the importance of parliamentary dialogue in advancing global challenges. He emphasized the need for equitable distribution of the benefits derived from science and technology, advocating for collaborative efforts among Parliaments to achieve inclusive development. Shri Birla underscored the convergence of technological advancements and innovative approaches to build a resilient future.

    He noted that the Assembly not only underscores the strength of India’s parliamentary diplomacy but also highlights India’s pivotal role in global dialogue aimed at addressing common global challenges.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addressing the 149th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva on the theme “Harnessing science, technology and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future.” on 14 October, 2024

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addressing the 149th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva on the theme “Harnessing science, technology and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future.” on 14 October, 2024

     

    Speaking about climate change Shri Birla referenced the “One Sun, One World, One Grid” initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He pointed out India’s significant increase in renewable energy capacity and the various initiatives aimed at addressing climate issues. Highlighting India’s support for innovation through the Start-up India program, Shri Birla noted the India’s position as the third-largest start-up ecosystem globally.

    With 118 Unicorns, with valuation of more than US $ 355 billion, India had become the third largest start-up nation in the world, he added. Referring to India’s unprecedented use of technology for delivery of public services, he illustrated how digitisation of financial services and financial inclusion through JAM Trinity of Jan Dhan, Aadhar and Mobile financial benefits of 2 trillion 495 bllion INR had been transferred through DBT-Direct Benefit Transfer to the bank accounts of beneficiaries under 314 public welfare schemes, ensuring transparency and accountability in governance.

    He called for a robust regulatory framework to protect citizens’ data and ensure responsible use of technology. Shri Birla concluded by mentioning India’s recent legislative efforts related to technology and environment, showcasing advancements like Digital Sansad, which has enhanced efficiency and transparency in governance.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addressing the149th Assembly of Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva on the theme “Harnessing science, technology and innovation for a more peaceful and sustainable future.” on 14 October, 2024

     

    Shri Birla also held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from parliaments of other countries, such as Oman, Algeria, Seychelles, Nepal, Switzerland, Thailand, Armenia and Maldives etc. He also addressed the Indian Diaspora in Geneva.

    The Indian delegation engaged in various Committee Meetings and Sessions during the Assembly.

    The Assembly adopted a resolution on the emergency item titled “Response by Parliamentarians to the urgent plea by the UN Secretary-General to recommit to multilateralism for global peace, justice, and sustainability.”

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla held a bilateral meeting with Speaker of the Consultative Assembly of Oman State Council H.E. Khalid Al Mawali, on the sidelines of 149th IPU Assembly on 14 October 2024

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla held a bilateral meeting with Speaker of the Consultative Assembly of Oman State Council H.E. Khalid Al Mawali, on the sidelines of 149th IPU Assembly on 14 October 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met His Excellency Mr. Roger Mancienne, Speaker, Seychelles` National Assembly on the sidelines of IPU149 on 14 October, 2024.

     

    It is noteworthy that the reports from the four Standing Committees of the IPU—namely, those addressing Peace and International Security, Sustainable Development, Democracy and Human Rights, and United Nations Affairs—were also adopted. Members of the IPD participated actively in the discussions surrounding these reports.

    Particularly commendable was the approval by the IPU’s Governing Council of Indian candidates—Smt. Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MP (Working Group on Science and Technology), Dr. Lata Wankhede, MP (IPU High-Level Advisory Group on Counter Terrorism and Violent Extremism), and Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, MP (IPU Standing Committee on UN Affairs)—who were endorsed by the Asia-Pacific Group.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met His Excellency Mr. Roger Mancienne, Speaker, Seychelles` National Assembly on the sidelines of IPU149 on 14 October, 2024.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met Namibia`s National Assembly Speaker, H.E. Peter Katjavivi on the sidelines of IPU149 in Geneva on 14 October, 2024.

     

    The resolution addressing “The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Democracy, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law,” co-drafted by Dr. Sasmit Patra, MP, was adopted by the IPU. Dr. Patra was also chosen to serve as one of the three rapporteurs for a forthcoming resolution on “Recognizing and Supporting the Victims of Illegal International Adoption and Taking Measures to prevent this Practice.” This resolution will be discussed at the 150th IPU Assembly, with a presentation scheduled for the 151st Assembly.

    Smt. Aparajita Sarangi, MP, and Vice President of the IPU Executive Committee, attended the Executive Committee sessions, which endorsed amendments to the IPU Statutes and Rules, a Charter on the Ethics of Science and Technology, and revisions to the rules governing the Cremer-Passey Prize.

    Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, MP, participated in a meeting of the Bureau of the IPU Standing Committee on Peace and International Security, where he shared India’s perspectives on current challenges to global peace and security.

    Shri Vishnu Dayal Ram, MP, presented an overview of India’s recent activities in Sustainable Development during the Bureau Meeting of the IPU’s Standing Committee on Sustainable Development.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met Hon`ble Mr. Lungten Dorji, Speaker, Bhutan National Assembly during IPU149 in Geneva on 14 October, 2024

     

    Smt. Mamata Mohanta, MP, took part in meetings of the Forum of Women Parliamentarians and the IPU Governing Council. Shri Rajiv Shukla, MP, attended a workshop on practical tools for achieving sustainable development, as well as a panel discussion on common principles for support to parliaments, focusing on parliamentary development as a defense against democratic backsliding.

    Secretary General Lok Sabha addressed the delegates at the meeting of the Association of Secretaries General of Parliaments (ASGP) on 16 October 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addressing members of the Indian Diaspora in Geneva on 14 October, 2024

    Addressing the Indian diaspora, Sh. Birla praised their skill, talent, and commitment. Recognizing their potential as the nation’s strongest brand ambassadors and noting their ability to foster familial relationships and harmony wherever they reside, Shri Birla emphasized the values of diversity and inclusiveness that define the Indian community. He highlighted India’s leadership in confronting global challenges, attributing this confidence to both strong leadership and the power of its citizens and Diaspora.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addressing members of the Indian Diaspora in Geneva on 14 October, 2024

    He added that Indo-Swiss collaboration has flourished in areas including trade, investment, technology, education, and the environment. Speaking about the economic ties between India and Switzerland, Shri Birla observed that the signing of the Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement between EFTA countries, including India and Switzerland, is a significant step toward mutual economic development and job creation.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla addressing members of the Indian Diaspora in Geneva on 14 October, 2024

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla with Speaker of the Consultative Assembly of Oman State Council H.E. Khalid Al Mawali, on the sidelines of 149th IPU Assembly on 14 October 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met with Speaker of House of Representatives of Australia H.E. Mr. Milton Dick, on the sidelines of 149th Assembly of Inter Parliamentary Union on 15 October 2024.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met with Speaker of House of Representatives of Australia H.E. Mr. Milton Dick, on the sidelines of 149th Assembly of Inter Parliamentary Union on 15 October 2024

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met with Speaker of National Assembly of Zimbabwe H.E. Mr. Jacob Mudenda, on the sidelines of 149th Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union on 15 October 2024

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met with Speaker of National Assembly of Zimbabwe H.E. Mr. Jacob Mudenda, on the sidelines of 149th Assembly of the Inter Parliamentary Union on 15 October 2024

     

    On the sidelines of the 149th Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva, Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met the President of the IPU H.E. Ms. Tulia Ackson on 15 October, 2024

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Harivansh with the President of the IPU H.E. Ms. Tulia Ackson in Geneva on 15 October, 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker met H.E. Mr. Eric NUSSBAUMER, President of the National Council, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the 149th Assembly of IPU in Geneva on 15 October, 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker met H.E. Mr. Eric NUSSBAUMER, President of the National Council, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the 149th Assembly of IPU in Geneva on 15 October, 2024.

    Lok Sabha Speaker met H.E. Mr. Eric NUSSBAUMER, President of the National Council, Switzerland, on the sidelines of the 149th Assembly of IPU in Geneva on 15 October, 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met H.E. Mr. Mongkol Surasajja, President of the Senate of Thailand on the sidelines of the 149th Assembly of IPU in Geneva on 15 October 2024

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met H.E. Mr. Alen Simonyan, President of Armenia`s National Assembly, at the 149th IPU Assembly in Geneva on 15 October, 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met Speaker, People`s Majlis of Maldives, H.E. Mr. Abdul Raheem Abdulla on the sidelines of the 149th IPU Assembly in Geneva on 15 October, 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met Speaker, People`s Majlis of Maldives, H.E. Mr. Abdul Raheem Abdulla on the sidelines of the 149th IPU Assembly in Geneva on 15 October, 2024

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met H.E. Shri Narayan Prasad Dahal, Chairperson of National Assembly of Nepal on the sidelines of the 149th Assembly of IPU in Geneva on 15 October, 2024.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue in Geneva on 16 October, 2024, during his visit to the city for the 149th Assembly of IPU.

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla paid tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at his statue in Geneva on 16 October, 2024, during his visit to the city for the 149th Assembly of IPU.

     

     

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla participating in the Governing Council meeting of IPU on the concluding day of its 149th Assembly on 17 October, 2024.

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla during an interaction with President of the National People’s Assembly, H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Boughali on the sidelines of 149th Assembly of IPU in Geneva on 16 and 17 October, 2024

    Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla met President of the National People`s Assembly, H.E. Mr. Ibrahim Boughali on the sidelines of 149th Assembly of IPU in Geneva on 16-17 October 2024

    The IPU has 180 member parliaments and 15 associate members. Members include parliaments from large countries like China, India, and Indonesia, as well as smaller countries like Cabo Verde, San Marino, and Palau.

    Jamaica became the 181st member of the IPU during the Assembly. The next Assembly will be hosted by Uzbekistan, which has invited all member parliaments of the IPU to the 150th Assembly in Tashkent, scheduled for April 5-9, 2025.

    ***

    AM

    (Release ID: 2066198) Visitor Counter : 13

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Oriental Rise Holding Limited Announces Closing of Initial Public Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Ningde, China, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Oriental Rise Holding Limited (“Oriental Rise” or the “Company”) (NasdaqCM: ORIS), an integrated supplier of tea products in mainland China, today announced the closing of its initial public offering (the “Offering”) of 1,750,000 ordinary shares at a public offering price of $4 per share. The ordinary shares began trading on Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “ORIS” on October 17, 2024.

    The Company received aggregate gross proceeds of $7 million from the Offering, before deducting underwriting discounts and other related expenses. In addition, the Company has granted the underwriter an option, exercisable within 45 days from the date of the underwriting agreement, to purchase up to an additional 262,500 ordinary shares at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The Offering was conducted on a firm commitment basis.

    US Tiger Securities, Inc. acted as sole book runner for the Offering. The Crone Law Group served as counsel to the Company. VCL Law LLP served as counsel to the underwriter.

    A registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-274976) relating to the Offering was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) by the Company, and subsequently declared effective by the SEC on September 30, 2024. The Offering is being made only by means of a prospectus, forming a part of the registration statement. A final prospectus relating to the Offering was filed with the SEC on October 17, 2024 and is available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus related to the Offering may be obtained, when available, from US Tiger Securities, Inc., 437 Madison Avenue, 27th Floor, New York, New York 10022, or by telephone at +1 646-978-5188.

    This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    About Oriental Rise Holding Limited

    Oriental Rise Holding Limited is an integrated supplier of tea products in mainland China. Our major tea products include (i) primarily-processed tea consisting of white tea and black tea, and (ii) refined white tea and black tea. Our business operations are vertically integrated, covering cultivation, processing of tea leaves and the sale of tea products to tea business operators (such as wholesale distributors) and end-user retail customers in mainland China. We operate tea gardens located in Zherong County, Ningde City in Fujian Province of mainland China. For more information, visit the Company’s website at https://ir.mdhtea.cn/.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs, including the expectation that the Offering will be successfully completed. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and in its other filings with the SEC.

    For more information, please contact:

    Investor Relations:
    Sherry Zheng
    Weitian Group LLC
    Phone: 718-213-7386
    Email: shunyu.zheng@weitian-ir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Arrest after serious assault, Central Auckland

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A young person has been arrested after a serious assault in Central Auckland last night that left another man in critical condition.

    Emergency services were called to a Quay Street premises about 1am following a report of a person being stabbed.

    The victim was transported to hospital in critical condition, where he remains this morning.

    A 17-year-old male was arrested at the scene. He is due to appear in Auckland District Court this morning on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

    A scene examination has been carried out, and enquiries into the circumstances of the incident are ongoing.

    Police would like to hear from anyone who might have witnessed this incident who has not yet spoken to us.

    If you can help, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number P060330621.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Having a Family and Being a Sailor Too: Command Advisory on Parenthood and Pregnancy Event at Naval Hospital Bremerton

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    Naval Hospital Bremerton’s Command Advisory on Parenthood and Pregnancy Committee hosted an information event, October 17, 2024.

    CAPP serves as an advisor on all things pregnancy and postpartum related and ensure Sailors receive the proper counseling and guidance to understand their responsibilities, rights, and resources afforded to them as parents in the Navy.

    The inaugural occasion openly provided detailed insight to help Sailors better balance the demands of their naval career, family plans and obligations. They had direct access to information on convalescent and maternity leave, child youth programs, TRICARE registration, in addition to access with Fleet and Family Support Center representatives and more.

    “If you don’t know about it, you aren’t going to use the resource,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jovana Losada, NHB CAPP command liaison, from Orlando, Florida.

    Losada continued, “We want to bring everyone’s attention to the resources available so they can utilize them.”

    CAPP has been steadily ensuring all Sailors are aware of the resources and services available to them as they transition into parenthood. Some of those services include adequate parking for expectant mothers at NHB and spreading awareness for programs like the Navy Exchange Service Command’s Maternity Uniform Pilot Program.

    “I call MPP the sisterhood of the traveling uniform,” joked Losada. “It’s free. You borrow what you need for a time and return it, giving you financial peace of mind during an already stressful period of life.”

    Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Maria Gibson, from Huntsville, Alabama, was there to discuss information about children and youth programs available to service members with existing children.

    “I have three kids ages 10 months to 4 years old,” said Gibson. “Information events like this were not readily available to myself when I became a mother 4 years ago. It’s extremely important to me to share this knowledge with everyone else I can.”

    The event also hosted practical information any Sailor might have on services offered by Naval Base Kitsap Fleet and Family Support Center programs and Navy Housing.

    “Base housing is set up to accommodate 25 percent of all the military in and around Naval Base Kitsap,” said Jim Junior, a representative of Naval Base Kitsap Navy Housing Center.

    With the rotation of sea commands in and out of the area on base housing, occupancies can reach 98 percent, explained Junior. Navy Housing can give a Sailor options like adding them to a waitlist in advance of their growing family needs or utilizing homes.mil, which allows the Navy Housing Center to inspect rental properties available in the area where the Sailor is assigned.

    “We want to be an advocate for new families,” Junior said. “We can provide Sailors with health and safety inspections and are available to liaison with the landlords.”

    Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Juan Sic, from San Antonio, Texas, attended the event to take information back to his Sailors.

    “I have a lot of Sailors who are like myself, either first time parents or are trying to become parents,” said Sic.

    CAPP organizers like Losada know that being a new parent is challenging enough. Adding the operational tempo of military life can make it even more so which is why CAPP can help Sailors realize and navigate all the various military parent benefits, as well as support them in transition.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Amber weather warning – Storm Ashley confirmed

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Issued by Transport Scotland

    The public is being warned to prepare for travel disruption on Sunday and early on Monday as the first named storm of the new season arrives.

    The weather system bringing strong winds and heavy rain across Scotland on Sunday and early Monday has now been named as Storm Ashley.

    An Amber Warning for Wind has been issued for parts of north west Scotland (the Western Isles, West Highlands and parts of Argyll & Bute) for between 0900 and 2359 on Sunday. Yellow warnings are also in place for a wider areas of Scotland on Sunday and Monday.

    Ferries, trains – including cross-border travel – HGVs, and other modes, including possible bridge closures and speed restrictions, and much of the network in those specific areas, is set to experience cancellations, speed restrictions and delays as a direct result of challenging conditions.

    Full information on the warnings is available on the Met Office website: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice

    The Multi Agency Response team will be active and monitoring conditions and preparations. Officials will continue to meet with the Scottish Government’s central resilience operation which is also closely monitoring preparedness activity.

    Head of Transport Resilience at Transport Scotland, Ashleigh Robson, said:

    “Storm Ashley will likely mean travel disruption on Sunday. Passengers should certainly check with their operator, and with many families enjoying the October school holidays, we would advise them to pay close attention to any cross-border travel updates too.

    “The Multi Agency Response Team will be in position to oversee the network, advise the public, and update Ministers over the weekend, as the storm sweeps into parts of Scotland.

    “The strong winds may cause particular difficulties for HGVs and we would urge drivers to take note of the conditions. Debris on the roads and treefall is a strong possibility. The forecasted rain will make visibility difficult when driving and could result in some localised flooding.

    “Disruption on ferry services is very likely, rail services and some flights will also be impacted. Please check with you transport operator for the latest information. The decision to cancel services is never taken lightly, but safety of passengers has to be the priority. Please plan ahead. The latest information on the trunk road network is always available at http://www.traffic.gov.scot.”

    Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s Head of Road Policing said:

    “The amber warning for high winds means that there is a strong likelihood of disruption on the road network and as such, motorists are advised to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel where possible.

    “If you are travelling, make sure your vehicle has sufficient fuel and is completely roadworthy. Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged in the event you need to call for assistance and if it is likely you may be within your vehicle for long periods of time, take additional clothing and water with you.

    “Please do not ignore any road signage advising of changes to speed or closures to routes. These are in place for your safety and the safety of other road users and listen out for media broadcasts about the weather and how it may be impacting travel.

    “Further information of the weather and road closures can be found by visiting the Met Office, Ready Scotland and Traffic Scotland websites and social media accounts.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Police travel advice issued ahead of Storm Ashley

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Issued by Police Scotland

    The Met Office has issued an Amber warning for wind across parts of western and northern Scotland. The warning is in place between 9am on Sunday, 20 October, and 11.59pm on Sunday, 20 October, 2024.

    The following areas are expected to be affected by the Amber warning:

    • Highlands and Eilean Siar (Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar)
    • Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute)

    A Yellow warning for wind affecting much of Scotland is also in place between 3am on Sunday, 20 October, and 11.59pm on Sunday, 20 October, 2024.

    The following areas are expected to be affected by the Yellow warning:

    • Central, Tayside & Fife (Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Falkirk, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Stirling)
    • Grampian (Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray)
    • Highlands & Eilean Siar (Highland, Na h-Eileanan Siar)
    • Orkney & Shetland (Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands)
    • SW Scotland, Lothian Borders (Dumfries and Galloway, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian Council, Scottish Borders, West Lothian)
    • Strathclyde (Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire)

    Further information about the weather warnings and flood information is available on the Met Office and SEPA websites.

    Those in amber alert areas may experience power outtages. For advice, visit Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks – https://www.ssen.co.uk/news-views/2024/SSEN-Weather-Warning-ahead-of-strong-winds-forecast-for-the-north-of-Scotland/

    Chief Superintendent Hilary Sloan, Police Scotland’s Head of Road Policing, said: “The amber warning for high winds means that there is a strong likelihood of disruption on the road network and as such, motorists are advised to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel where possible.

    “Make sure your vehicle has sufficient fuel and is completely roadworthy, with tyre pressure and tread meeting legal requirements. Ensure your mobile phone is fully charged in the event you need to call for assistance and if it is likely you may be within your vehicle for long periods of time, take additional clothing and water with you.

    “Please do not ignore any road signage advising of changes to speed or closures to routes. These are in place for your safety and the safety of other road users and listen out for media broadcasts about the weather and how it may be impacting travel.

    “Further information of the weather and road closures can be found by visiting the Met Office, Ready Scotland and Traffic Scotland websites and social media accounts.”

    General advice for road users:

    • Plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel
    • All road users should consider if they really need to travel during adverse weather
    • Consider delaying travel until conditions improve
    • If you are travelling on the roads, prepare yourself and your vehicle for the conditions
    • Ensure your mobile phone is charged and plan your journey, including an alternative route
    • Have sufficient fuel, warm clothing, food and water in case you’re delayed
    • Do not ignore road closure signs – they are for your safety
    • Congestion caused by vehicles may restrict emergency services and recovery vehicles from providing essential assistance
    • Listen to media broadcasts, including radio, for updates Traffic Scotland radio player | Traffic Scotland or visit Traffic Scotland | Trunk road traffic updates & route planner
    • Follow your local authority for the latest updates in your area via Facebook, X or their website
    • Other information can be found on the Met Office and Ready Scotland websites. For public transport information visit http://www.travelinescotland.com
    • Follow @trafficscotland on X for up-to-date travel information.

    Wind

    HGV and bus drivers should drive with extreme caution and be aware you may be asked to park at a suitable position by the police.

    Drivers of vehicles vulnerable to being blown over should plan their route to avoid exposed areas or consider cancelling your journey until conditions improve.

    Cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians should consider the risk of being blown over or into the path of other road users.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Governments of Canada and Manitoba Announce Healthy Meals for Kids in Manitoba

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    October 18, 2024

    Governments of Canada and Manitoba Announce Healthy Meals for Kids in Manitoba

    Today, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, alongside Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jenna Sudds and Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal, announced the governments of Canada and Manitoba have reached an agreement to expand school food programs in Manitoba.

    This agreement, made possible by the federal government’s $1-billion National School Food Program, will enhance and expand Manitoba’s existing school food programs to provide meals to about 19,080 more kids every year, starting this school year. 

    When children have access to healthy food, they do better in school and are set up to succeed, noted Freeland. The federal government’s generational investments like the Canada Child Benefit, which provides families with up to nearly $8,000 per child, per year, help cover the costs of essentials children need. The federal government is building on this support by providing healthy meals at school, so children have what they need to learn, grow and succeed – regardless of their family’s circumstances. 

    Manitoba is the second province, after Newfoundland and Labrador, to sign an agreement with the federal government for the new National School Food Program. Today’s agreement includes an initial federal investment of approximately $17.2 million over the next three years to ensure more kids get the nutritious food they need to thrive.  

    The federal government invites all provinces and territories to help more kids get access to school food by reaching these agreements. It is one of the best investments governments can make to lower costs, support families and care for the next generation, noted Freeland. 

    With an investment of $1 billion over five years, the National School Food Program will feed up to 400,000 more kids across Canada every year. This is a generational investment, especially in the most vulnerable children, who are most impacted by a lack of access to food. Through today’s agreement, the federal government is helping children across Manitoba reach their full potential. 

    Quotes

    “Giving our children the best start in life is an essential part of fairness for every generation. Today’s agreement with Manitoba will ensure that over 19,000 more children get the food they need at school, starting this year, while saving a family with two kids up to $800 on groceries annually. Our National School Food Program will cut costs for families and help build a Canada where every child is set up to succeed.” – Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland 

    “Kids can’t learn on an empty stomach. We made a commitment to Manitoba families that we’d make sure kids across our province had access to food when they go to school, and we’ve delivered on that promise. Kids across Manitoba can now get a meal or a snack when they need one, so they can concentrate, learn and reach their full potential.” – Premier Wab Kinew 

    “It’s wonderful to see another province partner with us to deliver our National School Food Program. This agreement with the Government of Manitoba means that more of the top-quality, local food that our hardworking farmers produce will reach kids who need it and help set them up for success in the classroom and beyond.”  – Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay 

    “Today, we’re delivering a promise to the kids and parents of Manitoba—a promise that every child will have access to the healthy meals they need to succeed. It’s simple: when kids eat well, they learn better, play harder, and feel good. And for parents, it gives them peace of mind, knowing that their kids are getting the fuel they need to focus on just being kids. We will keep working to make sure that every family across Canada benefits from this program.” – Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jenna Sudds 

    “Every child deserves the best start in life. And that begins with ensuring that no one goes to school on an empty stomach. I’m incredibly proud that Manitoba is the second province to sign onto our National School Food Program, so we can fill the gap and make sure every child has the chance to thrive.” – Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal 

    Quick Facts

    • $15 million directly to Manitoba’s 37 school divisions;
    • $6 million to 50 schools in communities with high socioeconomic need; and,
    • $9 million in grants to community partners.
    • To give every child the best start in life, the federal government is also:
    • Giving families more money through the Canada Child Benefit http://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/canada-child-benefit-overview.html to help with the costs of raising children and make a real difference in the lives of kids in Canada. The Canada Child Benefit, which is providing up to nearly $8,000 per child in 2024-25, is indexed annually to keep up with the cost of living and has helped lift hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty since its launch in 2016.
    • Building a Canada-wide system for $10-a-day child care, which has already cut fees for regulated child care to an average of $10-a-day or less in over half of all provinces and territories, and by 50 per cent or more in all others.
    • Rolling out the Canadian Dental Care Plan, which is already available for children under 18, with family incomes under $90,000, because no one should have to choose between taking care of their kids’ teeth and putting food on the table. Families are encouraged to apply online at http://www.Canada.ca/dental. 

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement from Minister McPhee on the recognition of Persons Day

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Minister of Justice Tracy-Anne McPhee has issued the following statement:

    “Persons Day is recognized across Canada on October 18. It marks a historic decision, made in 1929, to include women in the legal definition of ‘persons’.

    • Read more about Statement from Minister McPhee on the recognition of Persons Day
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    MIL OSI Canada News –