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  • MIL-OSI USA: Gun Violence in New York Has Declined to Lowest on Record

    Source: US State of New York

    October 17, 2024

    Albany, NY

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced new data that shows reported gun violence in New York State is at its lowest point since the state started tracking this data in 2006. Shooting incidents with injury declined 26 percent through September 2024 compared to the same nine-month period last year, as reported by the 28 police departments outside of New York City that participate in New York State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative. A total of 170 fewer individuals were injured by gun violence in Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative communities, with significant decreases in shooting incidents with injury reported in Niagara Falls, Rochester, Syracuse, Troy, Utica and on Long Island. Since taking office, Governor Hochul has secured record-level funding for local law enforcement and district attorneys’ offices, from $30 million during State Fiscal Year 2022 to $392 million in the current fiscal year. At the same time, the New York State Police budget has increased by 30 percent, allowing the agency to hire and train additional troopers, and significantly expand its support to local law enforcement agencies to address major crimes, gun violence and retail theft. Additionally, Governor Hochul directed state landmarks to be lit purple in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

    “Public safety is my number one priority, and New York is leading the nation with proven initiatives that are making communities safer,” Governor Hochul said. “Our record investments in law enforcement and in critical programs like the GIVE initiative are making a real difference in every corner of our state, and my administration will continue fighting to keep New Yorkers safe.”

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    The 26 percent decline reflects 476 shooting incidents with injury from January 1 through September 30, 2024, compared to 646 incidents from January 1, through September 30, 2023, and represents the fewest reported since the state began tracking this data in 2006. At that time, only 17 police departments reported this data and received state funding to reduce gun and violent crime. The Gun Involved Violence Elimination initiative (GIVE) provides nearly $36 million to 28 police departments, as well as district attorneys’ offices, probation departments and sheriffs’ offices, in 21 counties outside of New York City. The following police departments reported particularly significant declines:

    • Utica: 52 percent
    • Troy: 48 percent
    • Niagara Falls: 40 percent
    • Rochester: 38 percent
    • Nassau County, Hempstead, Suffolk County (Long Island): 36 percent
    • Syracuse: 29 percent

    Shooting incidents with injury, shooting victims and shooting homicide data for each of the 28 police departments participating in GIVE are available on the State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) website. In addition, the 476 shooting incidents with injury reported by these 28 police departments are the fewest reported since 2006.

    In addition to the collective decrease in gun violence in GIVE communities, the New York City Police Department reported a nearly 9 percent (723 v. 791) decrease in shooting incidents through Oct. 13, 2024.

    Overall crime outside of New York City also has declined. The 57 counties outside of the five boroughs collectively reported a 9 percent decrease in index crime during the first five months of 2024, the most recent data available, when compared to the same time in 2023. There are seven index crime categories that are used to gauge overall crime trends: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft. The most significant declines were reported in motor vehicle theft (-27 percent), followed by rape (-14 percent), and murder (-12 percent) when comparing January 1, through May 31, 2024, to that five-month period last year. The NYPD also reported a 2 percent decrease in crime complaints through Oct. 13, 2024.

    Earlier this month, Governor Hochul also announced another record-level state investment to further improve public safety: $35 million to strengthen the law enforcement response to intimate partner abuse and domestic violence and better address the needs of survivors. DCJS will administer $5 million to the five New York City District Attorneys’ Offices, and $23 million to law enforcement agencies and service providers in 20 counties outside of the five boroughs to implement the Statewide Targeted Reduction in Intimate Partner Violence (STRIVE) initiative. Up to $7 million will allow the State to provide training and technical assistance, risk assessment tools, and investigative support to participating agencies and improve the domestic violence reduction efforts of state agencies.

    STRIVE is modeled after GIVE and plans developed by participating counties must use evidence-based strategies and ensure that community members and programs that serve victims and survivors are actively involved in strategy selection and implementation. One or more of the following strategies must be used: domestic violence high-risk team model, lethality assessment program or intimate partner violence intervention.

    Our record investments in law enforcement and in critical programs like the GIVE initiative are making a real difference in every corner of our state”

    Governor Kathy Hochul

    New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rosanna Rosado said, “These reductions in gun violence show that our evidence-based approaches like our street outreach programs, our GIVE Initiative, hot-spots policing and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design are effective. I’d like to thank Governor Hochul, our community partners and law enforcement across the state for investing in our communities and for the work they do to improve public safety for all New Yorkers.”

    New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Over the years, law enforcement has learned that we are most effective when we work together. Combating gun violence is no small matter and we are fighting this battle on many fronts along with our local, state, and federal partners. The decrease in numbers shows progress is being made and I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support of these integral efforts to tackle gun violence.”

    New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive Director Kelli Owens said, “Today’s announcement comes as we mark Purple Thursday here in New York, a day to show support for survivors during Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The color purple has long been a symbol of peace, courage, survival, honor, and dedication to ending violence. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for standing with survivors and for your continued efforts in finding innovative, effective ways to combat domestic violence and keep all New Yorker’s safe.”

    New York State Office of Victim Services Director Bea Hanson said, “We at OVS are proud of the work we do to help prevent violence and to support victims and survivors of crime and their families, including funding victim assistance programs in communities across the state and reimbursing eligible individuals affected by crime for out-of-pocket expenses such as medical care, counseling, lost wages and funeral arrangements. It is great news that our state’s gun violence numbers are decreasing, and we thank Governor Hochul for her successful leadership and her steadfast commitment to supporting survivors.”

    NYS Troopers PBA President Charles W. Murphy said, “On this day on which we celebrate the 215th New York State Police Graduation, the New York State Troopers PBA appreciates Governor Hochul’s funding of two additional police academies so that we increase our membership numbers to respond to the needs of all New Yorkers.”

    NYC PBA President Patrick Hendry said, “The road to a safer New York starts with strong support for police officers on the streets. We look forward to continuing to work with Governor Hochul and all of our state partners to tackle the challenges facing New York City police officers.”

    New York State Police Investigators Association President Tim Dymond said, “We appreciate Governor Hochul’s support for the New York State Police. The additional funding and resources that she has provided over the last two years have made a positive impact on our members and their ability to do their jobs. We look forward to continue working with her and her staff on improving recruitment and finding a solution to retain our most senior experienced members. Together we are making progress on these issues and ensuring that the New York State Police remains as the top law enforcement agency in the country.”

    Since Governor Hochul took office, funding for the State Police has increased by $264 million (30 percent) to support additional staffing and an increase in police services. The agency’s budget for FY 2025 is $1.14 billion. This funding supports the hiring and training of nearly 1,000 new Troopers and allows the State Police to address major crime and support local police agencies. This includes $25 million to target and retail theft, and expansion of Community Stabilization Units, which use a multi-pronged approach to interdicting illegal firearms and provide local police agencies with resources to proactively address surges in crime. Other programs that are part of the Governor’s comprehensive plan to improve public safety include:

    • $21 million for the SNUG Street Outreach program, which uses a public health approach to address gun violence by identifying the source, interrupting transmission, and treating individuals, families and communities affected by violence. Community-based organizations and hospitals operate the program in 14 communities and employ nearly 200 outreach workers, social workers and case managers. Outreach workers are credible messengers who have lost loved ones to violence or have prior justice system involvement. They respond to shootings to prevent retaliation, detect conflicts and resolve them peacefully before they lead to additional violence. Social workers and case managers work with individuals affected by community violence, including friends and family. DCJS also supports New York City’s violence interruption efforts, providing $5 million for its Crisis Management System (CMS) so it can bring those programs to scale.
    • $18 million for the state’s unique network of Crime Analysis Centers, which analyze, compile and distribute information, intelligence and data to local law enforcement agencies statewide. No other state has anything similar and the centers — operated in partnership with local law enforcement agencies in 10 counties and New York City — are hubs of state and local efforts to deter, investigate and solve crimes. Last year alone, staff handled more than 90,000 requests for assistance, helping agencies solve everything from retail theft to murders.
    • Up to $20 million for Project RISE, a unique funding model that convenes community stakeholders to respond to gun violence, invest in solutions, sustain positive programs and empower communities. In its first year, the initiative supported 99 organizations, including 74 small, grassroots programs, many of which had never received state support for their work. Programs and services funded by RISE include academic support, employment services, mentoring and delinquency/violence prevention.
    • $10.4 million for the Supervision Against Violent Engagement (SAVE) program, overseen by the State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The program uses enhanced supervision, including active GPS monitoring; intelligence and data gathering; and cross-jurisdictional cooperation to prevent gun violence, violent crime and domestic violence among the most high-risk individuals returning to Albany, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.

    Governor Hochul also directed landmarks to be lit purple in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The landmarks to be lit include:

    • One World Trade Center
    • Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
    • Kosciuszko Bridge
    • The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
    • State Education Building
    • Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
    • Empire State Plaza
    • State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
    • Niagara Falls
    • The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
    • Albany International Airport Gateway
    • MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station
    • Fairport Lift Bridge over the Erie Canal
    • Moynihan Train Hall
    • Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Five surprising ways that trees help prevent flooding

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Martina Egedusevic, PhD Candidate, Impact Fellow (Green Futures Solutions), University of Exeter

    Think of flood prevention and you might imagine huge concrete dams, levees or the shiny Thames barrier. But some of the most powerful tools for reducing flood risk are far more natural and widely recognisable: woodlands and green spaces. Trees offer much more than beauty and oxygen. Here’s how trees help to protect us from floods.

    1. Intercepting rainfall

    Trees and green spaces hold the key to protecting us against flooding. When rain falls on a forest, trees play a vital role in managing water flow. The canopy of a forest acts like a giant umbrella, catching and holding rainwater before it hits the ground.

    This slows down how quickly rain reaches the soil, allowing water to gradually seep into the earth instead of rushing over the ground and straight into rivers and watercourses. This delayed water flow can reduce peak water levels in rivers during heavy storms, helping to prevent flash floods.

    One of us (Martina) was involved in a two-year study, which has not been peer reviewed, that used sensor equipment to measure the speed and level of surface water at various locations along two streams in the Menstrie catchment area in Scotland: one with greater tree cover and another with less.

    The stream with more trees appeared to have consistently reduced flow discharges compared with the more barren stream. This suggests that young forests may be able to dramatically reduce water runoff during rainfall, potentially preventing water from overwhelming streams and rivers.

    As trees grow and mature, their effect on water management could become even more significant. This study adds to a growing body of evidence that shows forests offer a natural defence against floods.

    Trees are one of our best allies in adapting to the increasing risks posed by climate change. Trees also remove water from catchments via evapotranspiration, whereby moisture evaporates from the surface of the soil and is released from the plant’s leaves and other surfaces.

    Importantly, these processes aren’t just relevant at the scale of rural, catchments. We can use the benefits of trees and plants in our towns and cities as targeted small-scale interventions.

    2. Keeping rivers clean

    Trees help keep rivers clean and healthy. When there are no trees, rain can wash away a lot of soil (and pollutants) into rivers. This might lead to them having a reduced capacity to convey water. But tree roots act like anchors, binding the soil in place and preventing it from flowing into rivers.

    This keeps the rivers clear and stops sedimentation, helping them cope with flood waters better. That, in turn, can prevent flooding and maintain river capacity to protect against future flooding.

    In places like the Menstrie catchment, planting trees around rivers helps trap dirt and sediment in the upper parts of the river, keeping the lower parts cleaner.

    Ploughed ground can better capture sediment across the catchment because the plough lines act as barriers. They keep the sediment in place more efficiently than other techniques, such as hand-screefing (when someone clears a small spot of ground by hand to plant a tree) and excavator mounding (a process that uses a machine to build little hills to help trees grow better in wet areas), which were less successful in containing the sediment.

    Evidence shows that trees are essential for long-term soil stabilisation. Cultivation methods and forestry practices therefore play a crucial role in managing erosion and sediment flow.

    3. Absorbing and storing water like sponges

    Trees improve the soil’s ability to soak up water. Their roots channel deep into the ground, creating preferential flow paths that allow water to absorb into the soil profile, rather than run off on the surface. This process helps reduce the amount of water rushing towards rivers and streams after a heavy rainstorm, which is a major factor in slowing the flow of water and reducing flooding.

    How trees are planted, the slope of the land and the type of soil all affect how much water runs off during rainfall. Different planting techniques affect water runoff differently depending on the amount of rain.

    During floods, some areas with trees planted (that includes plots with plough cultivation and excavation mounding) have less water runoff compared with unplanted areas without trees.

    4. Reducing surface runoff

    When heavy rain falls on bare land, water runs off quickly, which can cause floods. Trees, with their roots and fallen leaves, slow this down by helping the ground soak up more water.

    This reduces how much water flows into rivers all at once, helping to prevent floods. Planting trees using different layouts, densities and patterns can make this even more effective by helping trees grow better and absorb more water, thereby reducing runoff.

    5. Stopping floodwaters

    In Somerset, England tree planting projects along rivers, such as those under the Environment Agency’s initiative, have played a crucial role in reducing flood risks.

    Since 2020, almost 30,000 trees and shrubs were planted across multiple sites to help slow water flow and protect communities vulnerable to flooding. These trees were strategically placed along riverbanks, including in the Parrett catchment in Somerset, an area known to be prone to flooding.

    Underground, tree roots drink up lots of water, slowing how quickly the rainwater flows. And when floodwater hits a forest, the tree trunks act like a natural barrier or wall, slowing the water down so it doesn’t rush all at once to other areas and cause bigger floods. By planning and planting forests to build climate resilience, these positive effects can become even stronger.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Martina Egedusevic receives funding from the Scottish Forestry Trust.

    Daniel Green works for Heriot-Watt University as an Assistant Professor in Nature-based Solutions. He is also a Research Associate at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh.

    – ref. Five surprising ways that trees help prevent flooding – https://theconversation.com/five-surprising-ways-that-trees-help-prevent-flooding-240242

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Bowman, 30+ Lawmakers Urge Biden to Continue Bold Executive Action to Lower Housing Costs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    October 17, 2024
    “We strongly encourage you to cement your legacy by addressing one of the most pressing economic issues of our time.”
    Text of Letter (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) led a letter with over 30  lawmakers to President Joe Biden praising him for his actions to confront the housing crisis and proposing additional executive actions to lower the cost of housing.
    “Under your leadership, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken important steps to protect renters from predatory corporate landlords and to make home purchases and refinancing more affordable,” wrote the lawmakers. “But there is even more that can be done using executive agencies’ existing statutory authority.”
    The lawmakers recommend the Administration and federal agencies take the following actions:
    Price Gouging Protections: In order to safeguard tenants from rising rents at the hands of corporate landlord who have been caught price gouging their tenants, FHFA can condition all Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily loans on a set of price gouging protections, source of income protections, anti-eviction regulations, and habitability and accessibility improvements.
    Tackling Junk Fees: To address the hidden junk fees that can create thousands of dollars in additional costs for renters and homeowners, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should finalize its proposed rule to ban junk fees and continue to investigate unfair and deceptive practices by corporate landlords. Additionally, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) should address anticompetitive closing costs and junk fees, lowering closing costs for home mortgages and making homeownership more accessible.
    Lowering Credit Report Costs: As the Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) enjoys a near monopoly in the credit scoring market, the Department of Justice (DOJ) should investigate whether the company is violating antitrust law, and the CFPB should explore potential remedies to exploding credit reporting costs, including a cap on fees that credit reporting agencies can charge and interoperability requirements that would allow consumers to move their credit scores without new fees.
    Promoting Housing Development on Federal Property: Federal agencies can work to reform Title V of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance program, so that federal property can more easily be leased by affordable housing providers who are serving people experiencing homelessness.
    Right now, the United States is facing a severe affordable housing crisis, with an estimated gap of 7.3 million housing units affordable and available to the lowest-income households.
    Already, the Biden-Harris Administration has taken bold steps to protect tenants from predatory corporate landlords, including the Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights, rent-hike protections in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties, and support for anti-price-gouging measures in properties owned by corporate landlords. The Administration has also worked to increase housing supply, including through grants to incentivize the production of affordable housing and more.
    “We strongly encourage you to cement your legacy by addressing one of the most pressing economic issues of our time and take swift action to create more housing and lower housing costs for Americans everywhere,” concluded the lawmakers.
    The letter is also signed by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Representatives Alma Adams (D-N.C.), Becca Balint (D-Vt.), Cori Bush (D-Mo.), André Carson (D-Ind.), Greg Casar (D-Texas), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), Sylvia R. Garcia (D-Texas), Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Summer Lee (D-Pa.), James P. McGovern (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Katie Porter (D-Calif.), Delia C. Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.), and Nikema Williams (D-Ga.).
    This letter was endorsed by the Tenant Union Federation, National Housing Law Project, National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Homelessness Law Center, and Americans for Financial Reform.
    Senator Warren has long led the fight to make housing more affordable for families and has held companies accountable for their role in exacerbating housing costs:
    In September 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and other lawmakers demanded answers from corporate landlords in Massachusetts allegedly using rent-hiking algorithms.
    In August 2024, Senators Warren (D-Mass.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), sent letters to each of the 11 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBanks) urging them to contribute at least 20% of their net income to affordable housing and other critical community grant programs.
    In July 2024, Senators Warren and Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, the landmark legislation to tackle the housing crisis, bring down costs for renters and buyers, and help working families everywhere find a decent place to live at a decent price. 
    In July 2024, Senator Warren and Representative Sara Jacobs led Senator Tim Kaine, Senator Jon Ossoff, Representative Ro Khanna, and Representative James Moylan in calling out the Department of Defense (DoD) for failing to protect military families living in military housing operated by private companies under the Military Housing Privatization Initiative (MHPI).
    In June 2024, Senator Warren sent a letter to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) urging the agency to address our country’s affordable housing crisis by reforming the broken Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System.
    In May 2024, Senator Warren reintroduced the Public Housing Emergency Response Act to address the estimated $70 billion backlog of maintenance and repairs in our nation’s public housing, which would allow tenants to live in safe conditions and ensure that, as we fight to end the housing crisis by expanding the supply of affordable housing, we are not losing existing units to disrepair.
    In April 2024, at a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, U.S. Senator Warren called out the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs) for failing to deliver on their mission to provide affordable housing as the country faces a housing crisis.
    In January 2024, Senator Warren, John Hickenlooper, Jacky Rosen, and Sheldon Whitehouse sent a letter to Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell, calling on the Fed to reverse its troubling interest rate hikes that have driven mortgage rates to 20-year highs and have put affordable housing out of reach for too many Americans.
    In March 2023, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Ed Markey, Tina Smith, and Bernie Sanders sent a letter to Jonathan Kanter, Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ) calling for the DOJ to investigate YieldStar following new findings from their investigation of RealPage’s YieldStar product.
    In January 2023, Senator Warren, and Representative Jamaal Bowman led a letter with 48 lawmakers, urging President Biden to use every tool he has to address rent inflation, end corporate price gouging in the rental market, and ensure that renters and people experiencing homelessness across this country are stably housed this winter.
    In November 2022,  Senators Warren, Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) sent a letter to RealPage CEO Dana Jones, expressing concern about RealPage’s algorithmic pricing software, YieldStar, and its role in driving rising rents and exacerbating inflation.
    In August 2022, at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (BHUA) Committee  hearing, Senator Warren called out corporate landlords’ growing role in the rental market and emphasized the need for a Tenant Protection Bureau to hold corporate landlords accountable and protect renters from extreme rent hikes, illegal eviction, and other predatory practices.
    In May 2022, Senators Warren and Reed sent a letter to Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Marcia Fudge, calling on HUD to preserve homeownership affordability for American families as Wall Street firms expand their activity in the housing market.
    In March 2022, at a BHUA Committee hearing, Senator Warren called out Wall Street’s role in worsening the housing affordability crisis for seniors by buying up manufactured home communities
    In February 2022, Senator Warren called out private equity firms and other big investors for exacerbating inflation and locking families out of affordable housing opportunities. 
    In January 2022, Senator Warren sent letters to the CEOs of three private equity-backed firms—Progress Residential, American Homes 4 Rent, and Invitation Homes —calling out their growing activity in the housing market that has resulted in rent hikes and unaffordable homes for first-time buyers.
    In August 2021, during a hearing exchange with Senator Warren, a Department of Housing and Urban Development nominee committed to consider changes that facilitate sales of distressed homes to homeowners, not private equity firms.
    In July 2021, Senator Warren called on large corporate landlords to avoid needless evictions as the CDC eviction moratorium neared expiration. 
    In May 2021, at a hearing, Senator Warren made the case for her American Housing and Economic Mobility Act, which would create a new housing innovation grant program to reduce exclusionary local zoning laws.
    On April 2021, Senator Warren and Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.) reintroduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act to bring down the costs for renters and buyers, level the playing field so working families can find a decent place to live at a decent price, reduce exclusionary zoning laws, and take a step towards addressing the effects of decades of housing discrimination on communities of color.
    In May 2019, Senator Warren and then-Representative Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) wrote to the private equity firms behind some of the country’s largest manufactured housing communities to request information about their use of predatory practices to boost profits in the communities they own.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Alabama Man Arrested for Role in Securities and Exchange Commission X Account Hack

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    An Alabama man was arrested by the FBI this morning in Athens, Alabama, on charges related to the January hack of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)’s social media account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    According to court documents, on or about Jan. 9, Eric Council Jr., 25, of Athens, allegedly conspired with others to take unauthorized control of the SEC’s X account and, in the name of SEC Chair Gary Gensler, prematurely announced the approval of bitcoin Exchange Traded Funds. Immediately following the false announcement, the price of bitcoin increased by more than $1,000 per bitcoin. Shortly after this unauthorized post, the SEC regained control over its X account and confirmed that the announcement was unauthorized and the result of a security breach. Following this corrective disclosure, the value of BTC decreased by more than $2,000 per bitcoin.

    The conspirators gained control of the SEC’s X account through an unauthorized Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) swap, allegedly carried out by Council. A SIM swap refers to the process of fraudulently inducing a cell phone carrier to reassign a cell phone number from the legitimate subscriber or user’s SIM card to a SIM card controlled by a criminal actor. As part of the scheme, Council and the co-conspirators allegedly created a fraudulent identification document in the victim’s name, which Council used to impersonate the victim; took over the victim’s cellular telephone account; and accessed the online social media account linked to the victim’s cellular phone number for the purpose of accessing the SEC’s X account and generating the fraudulent post in the name of SEC Chairman Gensler.

    “The indictment alleges that Eric Council Jr. unlawfully accessed the SEC’s account on X by using the stolen identity of a person who had access to the account to take over their cellphone number,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Council’s co-conspirators then allegedly used this unauthorized access to the X account to falsely announce that the SEC had approved listing bitcoin ETFs, which caused the price of bitcoin to rise by $1,000 and then fall by $2,000. Council’s indictment underscores the Criminal Division’s commitment to countering cybercrime, especially when it threatens the integrity of financial markets.”

    “These SIM swapping schemes, where fraudsters trick service providers into giving them control of unsuspecting victims’ phones, can result in devastating financial losses to victims and leaks of sensitive personal and private information,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Here, the conspirators allegedly used their illegal access to a phone to manipulate financial markets. Through indictments like this, we will hold accountable those who commit these serious crimes.”

    “The FBI works to identify, disrupt, and investigate cyber-enabled frauds, including SIM swapping,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge David E. Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. “SIM swapping is a method bad actors exploit to illicitly access sensitive information of an individual or company, with the intent of perpetrating a crime. In this case, the unauthorized actor allegedly utilized SIM swapping to manipulate the global financial market. The FBI will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners around the country and globe to hold accountable those who break U.S. laws.”

    “This criminal indictment demonstrates our commitment to holding bad actors accountable for undermining the integrity of the financial markets,” said Inspector General Deborah Jeffrey of the SEC.

    A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment on Oct. 10 charging Council with one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated identity theft and access device fraud. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Washington Field Office and SEC Office of Inspector General are investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Ashley Pungello of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Trial Attorney Lauren Archer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Rosenberg for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.

    For more information on SIM swapping, go to http://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2024/PSA240411.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Trading Standards warning about UK Government Living Allowance scam text

    Source: Scotland – Highland Council

    Highland Council Trading Standards are warning residents to be on their guard following reports of an unsolicited text message claiming to be from the UK Government Living Allowance Office.

    The text reads:

    “UK Government Living Allowance Office Last Time Reminder: Due to the reduction of winter heating subsidy, you can no longer receive it, and the uk government has decided to advance the living subsidy to allow you to survive the winter.

    We will reopen applications. Please apply for your living subsidy in the link as soon as possible after receiving the information. If you do not submit an application before 2024/10/15, we will cancel your qualification and reallocate the funds.”

    Mark McGinty Trading Standards Team Leader states: “Please be careful when you receive a text message from a Government Body, it’s not usually something that Government Bodies do, and if you think the text means something to you please go to your original source and check things out that way”
    He also offered this advice to anyone receiving such a text message:

    • Never click on any links in the text
    • Be suspicious
    • Beware of pressure selling tactics. These can include being told time is of the essence
    • Always check with the Government Body in another way, the .gov website is a good starting point.
    • Do not rely on a number provided in the text
    • Do not provide any personal information
    • Report the text by using 7726

    Mr McGinty adds, “Scam texts are designed to get your interest and mislead you into thinking you are doing the right thing by responding.  Responding will only give the scammers what they need to exploit you, usually financially, by emptying your bank account.  Please take a minute to think and if in doubt do not engage.”

    If you have a complaint or wish to report a scam text you can contact Trading Standards partner agency Advice Direct Scotland on telephone 0808 164 6000 or at http://www.consumeradvice.scot

    The National Cyber Crime Agency provide further information on scam texts and how you can help protect yourself.  This can be found at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-text-message

    If you are concerned about your safety or wish to report any suspicious behaviour you can contact Police Scotland on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

    17 Oct 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Ng announces launch of public consultations on Canada’s ban on import of goods produced by forced labour

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    October 16, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, announced the launch of public consultations on potential new measures to strengthen the enforcement, under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and in alignment with the United States and Mexico, of Canada’s ban on the import of goods produced by forced labour.

    These consultations will complement the public consultations held in October 2023 on the eradication of forced labour from the country’s supply chains. 

    Canadians can begin sharing their views on the potential new measures on October 16, 2024.

    Quotes

    “Our government is committed to eliminating forced labour from, and tackling exploitation in, global supply chains. These consultations will help inform us on how to shape the effective enforcement of Canada’s ban on the import of goods produced by forced labour. They will also help us work in collaboration with our CUSMA partners and strengthen the protection of workers’ labour rights around the globe.”

    – Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development

    Quick facts

    • In July 2020, Canada implemented an import ban under the Customs Tariff, making it illegal to import goods wholly or in part produced by forced labour. This ban implemented Canada’s commitments under CUSMA.

    • The government introduced further amendments to Canadian law in January 2024, expanding this prohibition to include goods made using child labour.

    Related products

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Huzaif Qaisar
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
    343-575-8816
    Huzaif.Qaisar@international.gc.ca

    Media Relations Office
    Global Affairs Canada
    media@international.gc.ca
    Follow us on X (Twitter): @CanadaTrade
    Like us on Facebook: Canada’s international trade – Global Affairs Canada

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada to make an announcement to strengthen supply chains in Quebec

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Media advisory

    Sorel-Tracy, Quebec – The President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport, the Honourable Anita Anand, will announce investments under the National Trade Corridors Fund at Sorel-Tracy, Québec. She will be joined by Robert Bellisle, President and CEO of QSL, Patrick Péloquin, Mayor of Sorel-Tracy, and Vincent Deguise, Mayor of Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel.

    Date: Friday, October 18, 2024

    Time: 9:00 a.m. (EST)

    Location:
     12125 Route Marie-Victorin, Sorel-Tracy, Québec, JP3 7A3

    Contacts

    Laurent de Casanove
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Anita Anand
    Minister of Transport, Ottawa
    laurent.decasanove@tc.gc.ca

    Media relations
    Transport Canada, Ottawa
    613-993-0055
    media@tc.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Ng announces 2025 Team Canada Trade Missions to bring more of Canada to the Indo-Pacific

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    As a key part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, Team Canada Trade Missions help Canadian businesses open doors in dynamic markets, unlock new opportunities and connect with government and industry leaders. Diversity is Canada’s strength, and Team Canada supports and advances inclusive trade, which contributes to more competitive, innovative and successful businesses.

    October 17, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    Since the Team Canada Trade Mission to Japan nearly a year ago, these large-scale missions have visited Malaysia, Vietnam and the Republic of Korea and will soon visit Indonesia and the Philippines. Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, announced that she will lead a Team Canada Trade Mission to Australia from February 16 to 21, 2025. These trade missions have allowed more than 650 representatives from over 440 Canadian organizations from more than 15 sectors gain market exposure and pursue commercial opportunities and partnerships. The Team Canada model has proven to be effective at generating economic impact for Canada: for example, the trade mission to Japan led to at least 70 new contracts with an overall value estimated at close to $30 million CAD.

    As a key part of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, Team Canada Trade Missions help Canadian businesses open doors in dynamic markets, unlock new opportunities and connect with government and industry leaders. Diversity is Canada’s strength, and Team Canada supports and advances inclusive trade, which contributes to more competitive, innovative and successful businesses.

    During the Team Canada Trade Mission to Australia, Canadian companies will learn about opportunities in key sectors of focus:

    • agri-food and agritech
    • clean technologies and clean energy
    • mining equipment technology and services
    • information and communications technologies (with a focus on digital infrastructure and smart cities)

    Following this trade mission, Minister Ng will lead the Team Canada Trade Mission to Thailand and Cambodia in May 2025. Canada will also send business delegations to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Brunei Darussalam in 2025.

    Register now to join Minister Ng in Australia to help grow your Canadian business in a global market. Stay tuned for more details on other trade missions in 2025.

    • The Indo-Pacific is Canada’s second-largest regional export market, after the United States, with yearly 2-way merchandise trade valued at $257 billion in 2023.

    • Launched in November 2022, Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy is creating opportunities to expand trade and investment, grow good jobs and build supply chain resilience.

    • The Indo-Pacific region is rapidly becoming an increasingly important global centre of economic dynamism and strategic challenge, offering Canadian companies unparalleled opportunities for expansion, market exploration, and strategic partnerships. It accounts for over one-third of the world’s economic activity. By 2030, the region is expected to become home to two-thirds of global middle class. By 2040 it is projected to make up over half of the global economy.   

    • Team Canada Trade Missions help Canadian exporters and innovators expand and diversify their international business portfolios and reach in the region, strengthening their supply chains and facilitating long-term trade and investment opportunities that contribute to the growth of the Canadian economy.

    • Canadian participants gain direct benefits from Team Canada Trade Missions, such as getting market intelligence, access to key local interlocutors, and increased visibility and profile in the market. Canadian businesses have yielded a number of immediate successes and promising outcomes, including, for example, the signature of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), as well as securing sales contracts, new strategic partnerships, or local representation.

    Huzaif Qaisar
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
    343-575-8816
    Huzaif.Qaisar@international.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Latest news – Confirmation hearing of Commissioner-designate Šefčovič – Committee on International Trade

    Source: European Parliament

    The designated candidates of the von der Leyen Commission will be heard by the EP committees dealing with their respective portfolios from 04/11/2024 until 12/11/2024. During each confirmation hearing, the commissioner-designate will give an opening speech and then answer questions by committee members. More detailed information, including the candidates’ portfolios, the procedure, the schedule, the latest news and a live webstreaming during and record after the hearing, can be found on the dedicated webpage.

    INTA will be jointly responsible with the Constitutional Affairs Committee (AFCO) for the confirmation hearing of Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner-designate for Trade and Economic Security and for Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency.

    Maroš Šefčovič’s confirmation hearing will take place on Monday 4 November between 14:30 and 17:30.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trade Issues – Continued trade action against Canada: a necessary step – Dairy Association

    Source: Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ)

    The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) is welcoming as necessary the New Zealand Government’s decision to trigger mandatory negotiations as the next step in the dairy quota dispute with Canada under the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (CPTPP).
    “New Zealand needing to take yet another legal step to ensure Canadian dairy trade policy is in line with its trade obligations feels like Groundhog Day. But it is unavoidable as Canada continues to flout the commitments it made under the CPTPP agreement,” says DCANZ Executive Director Kimberly Crewther.
    “We hope that Canada will come to the table with a genuine intent to preserve the integrity of the CPTPP agreement by complying with the rules. Trade rules and agreements are only as good as their implementation and so far, Canada’s disregard of its CPTPP dairy commitments has only served to undermine and diminish value.”
    The policies implemented to date by Canada to allocate import licenses for the sixteen quotas that facilitate dairy access to Canada’s market under the CPTPP agreement have placed the lions-share of access into the hands of Canadian processors, most of whom use only a fraction of their quota allocation. This creates barriers and costs that limit other importers with a stronger interest in New Zealand products from getting quota licenses.
    “Canada’s market remains 95% closed to New Zealand dairy exporters outside of the import quotas. This heightens the importance of ensuring that New Zealand dairy exporters get a fair shot at exporting under the very limited market access that Canada agreed to in the CPTPP agreement.”
    DCANZ supports the Government’s action to protect New Zealand’s economic interests when trade partners breach the rules. DCANZ is also concerned about trade disruption arising from subsidised Canadian dairy exports and has requested the government take WTO action on this.
    “Canada’s milk pricing system is operating to illegally subsidise the disposal of Canada’s surplus milk protein in global markets, harming New Zealand’s high-value protein business,” says Crewther.
    “It is a double whammy of trade distortion for Canada to be disregarding CPTPP rules and restricting agreed access to its own market while at the same time dumping products onto the global market in contravention of WTO rules. We support the New Zealand government taking decisive action to address both issues.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller’s Statement on the USITC’s Ruling on Russian Ferrosilicon

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-W) released a statement on the United States International Trade Commission (USITC) ruling that all imports of ferrosilicon from Russia will harm U.S. industries. This decision requires the Department of Commerce to place additional anti-dumping and countervailing tariffs on ferrosilicon, which will generate more production in West Virginia.

    “The U.S. ferrosilicon industry and hundreds of American workers have been negatively impacted by the unfair foreign trade of ferrosilicon metals. There is no replacement for ferrosilicon and therefore, it is critical to promote a strong American ferrosilicon industry to protect the communities that rely on its manufacturing and to defend our national security. I, along with a bipartisan group of my colleagues, sent a letter to the USITC Chair Amy Karpel urging her to enact U.S. trade enforcement mechanisms that benefit U.S. energy production and manufacturing. This correction by the USITC and the Department of Commerce is long overdue, and the United States’ will be stronger and safer for it,” said Congresswoman Miller.

    Background:

    • Congresswoman Miller sent a letter to U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) Chair Amy Karpel urging her to investigate the effect dumped and subsidized ferrosilicon from other countries, including Russia, is having on U.S. production.
    • The ferrosilicon production site in West Virginia currently has unused capacity, partly because of the unfair pricing scheme caused by other countries subsidizing their ferrosilicon.
    • In 2023, Congresswoman Miller introduced the Increasing American Ferrosilicon Production Act, a bipartisan, bicameral bill that impose a tariff on Si 75% ferrosilicon, the last remaining Russian ferrosilicon product that is imported into the United States duty free. Si 75% ferrosilicon will now be subjected to anti-dumping and countervailing tariffs.  

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Charges Against Indian Government Employee in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York City

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Note: View the second unsealed superseding indictment here.

    The Justice Department today announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, 39, also known as Vikas, and Amanat, in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the first superseding indictment. Yadav remains at large.

    “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person — regardless of their position or proximity to power — who seeks to harm and silence American citizens,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil.  Today’s charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every U.S. citizen is entitled.”

    “The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression.”

    “Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”

    “DEA foiled this assassination attempt last year and has continued to trace this case back to an employee of the Indian government whom we charge was an orchestrator of this intricate murder-for-hire scheme. DEA did not relent, and today’s indictment names Vikash Yadav as an alleged mastermind,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “We charge that Yadav, an employee of the Indian government, used his position of authority and access to confidential information to direct the attempted assassination of an outspoken critic of the Indian government here on U.S. soil. This case was led by the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of DEA, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department, and is a true testament to the tenacity and determination of our team.”

    “Last year, this office charged Nikhil Gupta for conspiring to assassinate a U.S. citizen of Indian origin on U.S. soil,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. “But, as alleged, Gupta did not work alone. Today, we announce charges against an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, who orchestrated the plot from India and directed Gupta to hire a hitman to murder the victim. The right to exercise free speech is foundational to our democracy, and predicated on the notion that we can do so without fear of violence or reprisal, including from beyond our borders. Let this case be a warning to all those who would seek to harm and silence U.S. citizens: we will hold you accountable, no matter who and where you are.” 

    As alleged in the second superseding indictment and other public court documents, in 2023, Yadav, working together with others, including Gupta, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the victim). The victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the victim and his separatist organization from India.

    During times relevant to the second superseding indictment, Yadav was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses Indian’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. Yadav has described his position as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.” Yadav also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” Yadav is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the Victim from India.

    In or about May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the victim in the United States. Gupta is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav and others. At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source (the CS) working with the DEA, for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City. The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). Yadav subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the victim. On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. Yadav’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan.

    In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the victim, and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC. Yadav directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by forwarding to Yadav, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim. Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.

    On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the victim, and, like the victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, Yadav sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged Gupta, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”

    Yadav and Gupta of India have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The DEA New York Division and the FBI New York Field Office’s Counterintelligence Division are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Vienna Country Office, FBI Prague Country Office, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Announces Charges Against Indian Government Employee in Connection with Foiled Plot to Assassinate U.S. Citizen in New York City

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Vikash Yadav Directed Plot to Murder U.S.-Based Leader of Sikh Separatist Movement

    Note: View the second unsealed superseding indictment here.

    The Justice Department today announced the filing of murder-for-hire and money laundering charges against Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, 39, also known as Vikas, and Amanat, in connection with his role in directing a foiled plot to assassinate a U.S. citizen in New York City. Yadav is charged in a second superseding indictment unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Yadav’s alleged co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, 53, was previously charged and extradited to the United States on the charges contained in the first superseding indictment. Yadav remains at large.

    “The Justice Department will be relentless in holding accountable any person — regardless of their position or proximity to power — who seeks to harm and silence American citizens,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “As alleged, last year, we foiled an attempt by Vikash Yadav, an Indian government employee, and his co-conspirator, Nikhil Gupta, to assassinate an American citizen on U.S. soil.  Today’s charges demonstrate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to target and endanger Americans and to undermine the rights to which every U.S. citizen is entitled.”

    “The defendant, an Indian government employee, allegedly conspired with a criminal associate and attempted to assassinate a U.S. citizen on American soil for exercising their First Amendment rights,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI will not tolerate acts of violence or other efforts to retaliate against those residing in the U.S. for exercising their constitutionally protected rights. We are committed to working with our partners to detect, disrupt, and hold accountable foreign nationals or others who seek to engage in such acts of transnational repression.”

    “Today’s charges are a grave example of the increase in lethal plotting and other forms of violent transnational repression targeting diaspora communities in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “To the governments around the world who may be considering such criminal activity and to the communities they would target, let there be no doubt that the Department of Justice is committed to disrupting and exposing these plots and to holding the wrongful actors accountable no matter who they are or where they reside.”

    “DEA foiled this assassination attempt last year and has continued to trace this case back to an employee of the Indian government whom we charge was an orchestrator of this intricate murder-for-hire scheme. DEA did not relent, and today’s indictment names Vikash Yadav as an alleged mastermind,” said Administrator Anne Milgram of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “We charge that Yadav, an employee of the Indian government, used his position of authority and access to confidential information to direct the attempted assassination of an outspoken critic of the Indian government here on U.S. soil. This case was led by the DEA New York Division’s Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of DEA, the New York State Police, and the New York City Police Department, and is a true testament to the tenacity and determination of our team.”

    “Last year, this office charged Nikhil Gupta for conspiring to assassinate a U.S. citizen of Indian origin on U.S. soil,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams. “But, as alleged, Gupta did not work alone. Today, we announce charges against an Indian government employee, Vikash Yadav, who orchestrated the plot from India and directed Gupta to hire a hitman to murder the victim. The right to exercise free speech is foundational to our democracy, and predicated on the notion that we can do so without fear of violence or reprisal, including from beyond our borders. Let this case be a warning to all those who would seek to harm and silence U.S. citizens: we will hold you accountable, no matter who and where you are.” 

    As alleged in the second superseding indictment and other public court documents, in 2023, Yadav, working together with others, including Gupta, in India, and elsewhere, directed a plot to assassinate on U.S. soil an attorney and political activist who is a U.S. citizen of Indian origin residing in New York City (the victim). The victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a U.S.-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethnoreligious minority group in India. The victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the victim and his separatist organization from India.

    During times relevant to the second superseding indictment, Yadav was employed by the Government of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, which houses Indian’s foreign intelligence service, the Research and Analysis Wing. Yadav has described his position as a “senior field officer” with responsibilities in “security management” and “intelligence.” Yadav also has referenced previously serving in India’s Central Reserve Police Force and receiving “officer[] training” in “battle craft” and “weapons.” Yadav is a citizen and resident of India, and he directed the plot to assassinate the Victim from India.

    In or about May 2023, Yadav recruited Gupta to orchestrate the assassination of the victim in the United States. Gupta is an Indian national who resided in India and has described his involvement in international narcotics and weapons trafficking in his communications with Yadav and others. At Yadav’s direction, Gupta contacted an individual whom Gupta believed to be a criminal associate, but who was in fact a confidential source (the CS) working with the DEA, for assistance in contracting a hitman to murder the victim in New York City. The CS introduced Gupta to a purported hitman, who was in fact a DEA undercover officer (the UC). Yadav subsequently agreed, in dealings brokered by Gupta, to pay the UC $100,000 to murder the victim. On or about June 9, 2023, Yadav and Gupta arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash to the UC as an advance payment for the murder. Yadav’s associate then delivered the $15,000 to the UC in Manhattan.

    In or about June 2023, in furtherance of the assassination plot, Yadav provided Gupta with personal information about the victim, including the victim’s home address in New York City, phone numbers associated with the victim, and details about the victim’s day-to-day conduct, which Gupta then passed to the UC. Yadav directed Gupta to provide regular updates on the progress of the assassination plot, which Gupta accomplished by forwarding to Yadav, among other things, surveillance photographs of the victim. Gupta directed the UC to carry out the murder as soon as possible, but Gupta also specifically instructed the UC not to commit the murder around the time of the Indian Prime Minister’s official state visit to the United States, which was scheduled to begin on or about June 20, 2023.

    On or about June 18, 2023, approximately two days before the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the United States, masked gunmen murdered Hardeep Singh Nijjar outside a Sikh temple in British Columbia, Canada. Nijjar was an associate of the victim, and, like the victim, was a leader of the Sikh separatist movement and an outspoken critic of the Indian government. On or about June 19, 2023, the day after the Nijjar murder, Gupta told the UC that Nijjar “was also the target” and “we have so many targets.” Gupta added that, in light of Nijjar’s murder, there was “now no need to wait” on killing the Victim. On or about June 20, 2023, Yadav sent Gupta a news article about the victim and messaged Gupta, “[i]t’s [a] priority now.”

    Yadav and Gupta of India have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; and conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The DEA New York Division and the FBI New York Field Office’s Counterintelligence Division are investigating the case, with valuable assistance provided by the DEA Special Operations Division, DEA Vienna Country Office, FBI Prague Country Office, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Czech Republic’s National Drug Headquarters.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Camille L. Fletcher, Ashley C. Nicolas, and Alexander Li for the Southern District of New York are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Trial Attorney A.J. Dixon of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New critical minerals strategy to attract clean energy investment and create thousands of jobs

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 18 October 2024

    Released by: The Premier, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Natural Resources, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces

    The Minns Labor Government will create a $250 million royalty deferral initiative for critical minerals projects and will examine the implementation of a rapid assessment framework for minerals mining projects.

    The initiatives are the first actions of the NSW Government’s new Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy, which sets a vision for NSW to become a global leader in critical minerals.

    Currently there are 12 critical minerals mining and processing projects in NSW that are ready for investment. They need around $7.6 billion in capital investment value and are expected to generate about 4,600 jobs during construction and 2,700 ongoing jobs.

    High initial investment costs for critical minerals projects are a barrier for the industry. The royalty deferral scheme will assist new projects in the early stages of development, ease financial pressures, attract investment to NSW and enhance the economic viability of the sector.

    Another immediate action from the strategy is a joint Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure and NSW Resources assessment to deliver greater certainty to the sector around the planning process for critical minerals projects.

    NSW has globally significant resource deposits and 21 of the 31 nationally declared critical minerals. The strategy identifies priority minerals and metals for NSW – including rare earths, scandium, cobalt, copper and silver – which have important uses in the electrification of the economy and the manufacturing of clean energy products like solar panels and batteries.

    The strategy outlines the vital role of critical minerals in supporting broader government priorities, including in the clean energy transition and driving domestic manufacturing.

    The International Energy Agency estimates that over the next 20 years, the world will need six times the amount of critical minerals currently mined to reach global net-zero carbon emissions. The energy transition will need double today’s copper production, triple today’s rare earth elements and cobalt production, and thirty times more nickel – all these minerals can be found in NSW.

    Fully realising the opportunity of the state’s critical minerals and high-tech metals deposits means moving further down the supply chain and beyond only extracting and exporting resources. Examples of this in the strategy include investigating opportunities to pilot common-user refineries and supporting investment in domestic manufacturing.

    The new Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy focuses on five key pillars:

    • Encouraging exploration by minimising investment risk in greenfield exploration and promoting exploration in new areas,
    • Incentivising production by creating an attractive investment environment and removing barriers to help projects move from exploration to production,
    • Developing future-ready skills by providing training and education pathways to encourage careers in critical minerals mining,
    • Establishing resilient supply chains by examining local processing facilities, driving research and development, and investigating critical minerals recycling, and
    • Engaging local communities by ensuring responsible mining.

    The royalty initiative will be an opt-in scheme where the first five years of royalties are deferred. It will apply to critical minerals projects which can start production between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2030, predominantly mine commodities listed on the Commonwealth Government’s Critical Minerals List and where the proponent has a market capitalisation under $5 billion.

    The full Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy, and a two-page summary of the strategy, can be viewed on the NSW Resources website https://www.nsw.gov.au/criticalminerals.

    Quotes attributable to NSW Premier Chris Minns:

    “We’ve got the metals and minerals the world needs, and NSW is open for business.

    “We are sending a clear message to Aussie and global miners: invest in NSW.

    “This is about backing regional jobs and manufacturing jobs, and taking advantage of the critical minerals boom.

    “We want to make sure we fully realise the opportunities that critical minerals and high-tech metals have for NSW.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully:

    “To be a global leader in critical minerals, it is vital that the NSW planning system operates efficiently and provides certainty and transparency to the critical minerals sector and communities.

    “The strategy identifies a number of improvements we can make to help enhance the system. These will provide greater guidance to the industry and improve collaboration between government agencies and departments in project assessment.

    “We’re also investigating further ways to improve decision-making to make sure we fully realise the opportunity before us.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos:

    “Our vision for NSW is to be a global leader in critical minerals and high-tech metals, generating economic prosperity through exploration, mining, processing and advanced manufacturing.

    “NSW critical minerals projects typically have long lead times for development, and higher capital investment. The new royalty deferral scheme will assist mine proponents to attract investment and move faster to production.

    “The new strategy sets out a clear vision for NSW to be a leader in critical minerals and high-tech metals, generating economic prosperity through responsible exploration, mining, processing, recycling and advanced manufacturing.

    “We want NSW to be moving further down the supply chain. Extracting minerals is a critical first step, but we can generate strong economic returns and support more jobs by getting into processing and advanced manufacturing.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong:

    “The new Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy forms a key part of the NSW Government’s approach to Industry policy, which seeks to invest and promote home-grown products and services not only for NSW, but for export right around the world.

    “This strategy provides a long-term vision and commitment to the critical minerals and high-tech metals mining industry so that businesses can feel confident to invest and grow in NSW, as we seize the investment opportunities of the renewable energy economy, both here and across the globe.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government praises important progress on East Coast clean-up

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Important progress is being made on cleaning-up and strengthening resilience in the Tairāwhiti region, 18 months on from the devastating weather events in 2023, Forestry Minister Todd McClay said today.

    To date the Government has committed $110 million resulting in approximately 440,000 tonnes of slash and debris being removed from Tairāwhiti.

    “I want to acknowledge the significant impact on the region and local people and praise the clean-up efforts of all those involved. There is strong momentum and coordination of work in the region across local and central government, and the Forestry and Agriculture sectors in addressing the impacts of last year’s cyclones,” Mr McClay says.

    In response to Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle in January and February 2023, the previous Government initiated the Ministerial Inquiry into Land Use in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne and Wairoa. It resulted in 49 recommendations to both reduce risk and strengthen resilience in the region.

    “This Government is focused on delivering tangible outcomes through the recently established Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group and Gisborne District Council-led Transition Advisory Group.

    “The Tairāwhiti Forestry Action Group made up of forestry owners, farming interests, Māori landowners and council officials, is working to accelerate the clean-up in the region, remove debris and sediment, address the legacy issue of wood that poses future risk and help to implement best practice for forestry. 

    “The Gisborne District Council-led Transition Advisory Group is working together to support landowners make the changes required to a more sustainable land-use.

    “Central government will continue to stay closely engaged in regionally led initiatives through existing work programmes. This will ensure efforts to align with Government priorities and support the Crown’s Treaty relationships.”

    “Forestry has an important role in Tairāwhiti, but it will be done differently in the future to ensure risks are well managed. 

    “The Government recognises the importance of the forestry sector to the regional economy. Proposed changes to the National Environmental Standards for Commercial Forestry will enable council to implement rules to ensure land use is appropriate, but also give certainty and confidence to the forestry sector.” 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi calls on Fujian to play leading role in country’s modernization drive

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    XIAMEN, Oct. 17 — On a recent inspection tour in east China’s Fujian Province, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized the need for the province to fully implement the guiding principles of the 20th CPC National Congress and the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. He stressed the importance for the province to comprehensively implement the new development philosophy and uphold the general principle of pursuing progress while ensuring stability. Xi also underscored the importance for Fujian to steadfastly pursue the goals of creating a new Fujian characterized by dynamic mechanisms, thriving industries, prosperous communities, and a beautiful environment, staying committed to translating these objectives into realities. He called on Fujian to make further progress in accelerating the building of a modernized economy, make greater achievements in serving and integrating into the new development paradigm, take even greater strides in blazing a new trail for integrated cross-Strait development, and achieve greater breakthroughs in improving quality of life. He urged the province to deepen reforms across the board, promote high-quality development comprehensively, and strive for a leading role in China’s modernization drive.

    From Oct. 15 to 16, Xi — accompanied by Zhou Zuyi, secretary of the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee, and Zhao Long, governor of the province — conducted an inspection and research tour in the cities of Zhangzhou and Xiamen, visiting sites including a village, a revolutionary education base, a cultural heritage site under government protection, and an area of the Fujian pilot free trade zone.

    On the afternoon of Oct. 15, Xi first inspected Dongshan County in the city of Zhangzhou. The village of Aojiao, located in Chencheng Town in the southeastern part of the county, faces the sea on three sides. Over the past few years, the village has embarked on a new path of development by leveraging the sea to revitalize and develop itself. Xi took a walk to inspect the marine environment of Aojiao Bay and the appearance of the village, and inquired in detail about the trading of dried seafood and freshly caught seafood products. Xi was glad to learn that many seafood products are in high demand and that the incomes of villagers have been on the rise. Speaking to the villagers and fishermen who gathered around him, he said: “I visited your village 23 years ago, and it left a deep impression on me. Seeing the significant changes here today is gratifying and inspiring.” He said rural areas will undoubtedly have a brighter future and farmers will enjoy a more vibrant life on the new journey in the new era. He urged the village Party committee to play a leading role, guide villagers to make good use of the sea, and strive forward to achieve rural revitalization and common prosperity.

    Xi then visited the Gu Wenchang Memorial Hall, where he learned about the inspiring deeds of Comrade Gu Wenchang and was briefed about how revolutionary traditions were carried forward. During the visit, he also engaged in cordial exchanges with representatives of teachers and students from Gu Wenchang Cadre College. Xi pointed out that public recognition is the key gauge to evaluate an official’s performance, calling on leading officials at all levels to learn from Gu, have a correct understanding of what it means to perform well, and bring benefits to local people during their term in office. He also asked the officials to deliver tangible results, make constant efforts for achievements in the long run, and build a good reputation in the hearts of the people. “Learning from Gu requires not only deep admiration, but also concrete deeds to follow his example in fostering integrity and performing duties,” Xi said.

    At the Guandi cultural industrial park, Xi was briefed about local efforts in strengthening the protection of cultural heritage and promoting cultural exchanges across the Taiwan Strait. He stressed that cultural heritage is a precious legacy left by our ancestors and should be protected and carried forward.

    On the morning of Oct. 16, Xi inspected the Xiamen Area of China (Fujian) Pilot Free Trade Zone. He visited an exhibition showcasing the achievements in the construction of the pilot free trade zone, and was briefed about local work in further expanding reform and opening up, as well as in exploring a new path for integrated development across the Taiwan Strait. He also talked with the staffers at a comprehensive service hall. Over more than 40 years of development, the Xiamen Special Economic Zone has experienced tremendous changes that were once unimaginable, he said. Today, the requirements for reform and opening up, both in depth and breadth, are higher than ever before. Fujian and Xiamen need to adapt to the changing situation, steadily advance institutional opening up, align with international high standards, and achieve more institutional and policy outcomes to contribute to the expansion of high-level opening up, Xi said.

    On the afternoon of Oct. 16, Xi listened to work reports from the CPC Fujian Provincial Committee and the provincial government. He commended what Fujian has achieved in various areas of its work and put forward clear requirements for the province’s work in the future.

    Xi noted the need to explore new pathways for the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation. He called on the province to accelerate the building of an all-around innovation support system, promote integrated reforms in education, technology, and talent systems in a coordinated manner, and strengthen the building of high-level scientific and technological innovation platforms. He also emphasized the importance of implementing major technological initiatives, enhancing the role of enterprises as major players in innovation, and improving financial policies and mechanisms that support technological advancement, so as to create a better environment for boosting innovation and attracting talent.

    He urged the province to firmly develop the real economy, consolidate the strengths of traditional industries, vigorously promote the transformation and upgrading of industries, cultivate and expand strategic emerging industries, make plans for future industries, develop new quality productive forces according to local conditions, and shape new advantages in industrial development.

    Xi stressed efforts to comprehensively deepen reform and expand high-level opening up. He called for continued efforts to boldly practice, explore and reform on its own, with a focus on key sectors and links and economic structural reform as the spearhead. It is imperative to unswervingly consolidate and develop the public sector and unswervingly encourage, support, and guide the development of the non-public sector, and innovatively develop the “Jinjiang Experience” to fully stimulate the whole society’s vitality for investing and starting businesses. It is essential to prioritize reforms aimed at improving the people’s well-being, with a focus on delivering on the people’s aspirations and expectations. Xi also called for efforts to further upgrade pilot free trade zones, align with major regional strategies, further integrate into high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, build a core area of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, and consolidate and expand the roles of the province as an important link and an important channel in the interplay between domestic and international economic flows. He urged Fujian to build itself into a demonstration zone for integrated development across the Taiwan Strait.

    Xi noted that Fujian should play an exemplary role in promoting coordinated regional development and integrated urban-rural development. It is imperative for the province to advance the mechanism for collaboration between mountainous and coastal areas, further coordinate their development and strengthen the complementarity of their functions. It is essential for Fujian to advance the building of national ecological conservation pilot zones, build a great pattern of protection and governance covering from the mountains to the sea, strengthen overall governance in key areas, river basins and sea areas, and expand the capacity of the ecosystem. Xi called for efforts to strengthen coordinated integration of rural revitalization across the board and new-type urbanization, as well as to expedite integrated urban-rural development. He highlighted the need to bolster the county-level economy, speed up the revitalization and development of former revolutionary bases, and consolidate and further expand the achievements of poverty alleviation. It is imperative to ensure that the total area of farmland remains above the specified red line, adopt an all-encompassing approach to food and agriculture, and forge specialty-based agricultural clusters. Xi also underscored the importance of deepening the collective forest tenure reform and developing forest foods and under-forest economy, thus continuously exploring the forests’ potential in boosting the economy and grain production. Xi also urged accelerated efforts to develop the cities of Fuzhou and Xiamen as national-level marine economic development demonstration zones, as part of the wider endeavor to expand and strengthen the marine economy. He also stressed the imperative to guard against natural disasters, such as typhoons and earthquakes, and strengthen the capacity for disaster prevention, mitigation and relief.

    Xi urged continued efforts to improve the appeal of culture and present the province’s fresh image. He called on the province to inherit and carry forward the revolutionary traditions, commit to the construction of national culture parks for the Long March in Changting and Ninghua, as well as deepen the research and interpretation of revolutionary historical materials and relics. He underlined the need to strengthen the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage, stay committed to the work of cultivating people morally and intellectually, and actively transform outmoded habits and customs. He also stressed advancing deeper integration of culture and tourism, and developing the culture and tourism sector into a pillar industry. Xi urged continued efforts to promote cross-Strait cultural exchanges, jointly carry forward Chinese culture, and enhance the common sense of the Chinese national and cultural identity among Taiwan compatriots. Xi called on Fujian to rely on ties such as ancestral bonds and ancestral land culture to extensively rally the support of overseas Chinese.

    Xi pointed out that Party members and officials should be educated to inherit the best of traditions, carry forward our revolutionary heritage and the pioneering and innovative spirit of daring to think big and fighting to win big, forge ahead with fortitude, and make further achievements. All Party members and officials should have an understanding of performing their duties to serve the people, never forget the original aspiration, take on responsibilities, be honest and clean in performing duties, and always maintain the political integrity of communists. It is imperative to fight pointless formalities, and take further steps to ease the burdens on grassroots. He urged efforts to implement the practices of going into communities to communicate the Party’s lines and policies, carry out fact-finding missions, address people’s complaints, and conduct field work, follow the Party’s mass line in the new era, and raise the effectiveness of Party building in boosting grassroots governance.

    Xi stressed the necessity to conscientiously implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee, spare no efforts to do a good job in the economic work of the fourth quarter, and strive to achieve the economic and social development objectives for the whole year.

    Vice Premier He Lifeng and leading officials of relevant central Party and state departments accompanied Xi on the inspection tour.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rubio, Moolenaar, Colleagues Question Treasury on Failure to Block Gotion Industrial Site

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    Rubio, Moolenaar, Colleagues  Question Treasury on Failure to Block Gotion Industrial Site
    Oct 17, 2024 | Press Releases

    Gotion Incorporated, a company with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party, has developed a large industrial site near a U.S. military installation in Mecosta County, Michigan. The failure of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to investigate and block this development poses a serious threat to U.S. national security.
    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), U.S. Representative John Moolenaar (R-MI), and colleagues sent a letter to U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen questioning CFIUS’s decision-making and urging an update of the committee’s rules.
    “We write to express our deep concern regarding the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s apparent failure to block Gotion Incorporated (Gotion)—an entity with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—from developing a large industrial site near a major U.S. military installation.
    “Given CFIUS’ failure to launch a review of Gotion’s site development when the project was first publicly announced two years ago, it is now imperative that CFIUS update its proposed rulemaking to clarify the Committee’s ability to conduct retroactive reviews of covered greenfield investments that it previously failed to address.”
    Joining Rubio and Moolenaar were Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), as well as Representatives Lisa McClain (R-MI), Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Jack Bergman (R-MI), John James (R-MI), and Tim Walberg (R-MI).
    Flashback… In September 2023, Rubio and Moolenaar sent a letter to Secretary Yellen urging CFIUS to review Gotion’s ownership.
    The full text of the letter is below. 
    Dear Secretary Yellen:
    We write to express our deep concern regarding the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s apparent failure to block Gotion Incorporated (Gotion)—an entity with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)—from developing a large industrial site near a major U.S. military installation. The scope of United States warfighting capabilities is extremely sensitive knowledge. We must only share this information selectively, exclusively, and knowingly with close allies and partners. Federal agencies have a duty to prevent America’s adversaries from obtaining information concerning our national defense personnel and assets. As we are sure you will agree, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) plays a vital role in blocking foreign efforts to collect intelligence on our military via domestic investment.
    Unfortunately, CFIUS seems to have neglected a substantial foreign project constituting a major national security threat stemming from a major facility being constructed by Gotion. Gotion is the U.S. subsidiary of Gotion High-Tech, an electric vehicle (EV) battery company which is based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and has documented ties to the CCP. The House Select Committee on the CCP has routinely documented Gotion High-Tech’s notorious, widespread human rights abuses and use of forced labor in mainland China, in addition to its connection with Chinese paramilitary groups. Nonetheless, Gotion is currently constructing a $2.4 billion EV battery plant in Mecosta County, Michigan.
    In June 2023, Gotion announced that its plans for plant construction were outside of CFIUS’ jurisdiction, and could therefore continue the project. But as you know, as of February 13, 2020, CFIUS’ jurisdiction applies to greenfield investments when a foreign entity purchases real estate near certain sensitive military bases. Federal regulations define the extended range of a military installation as land within a 100-mile radius of the military installation (31 C.F.R. § 802.211). Covered installations include certain Army combat training centers within the continental United States (31 C.F.R. § 802.227(h)).
    According to CFIUS’ own Part 802 geographic reference tool, Gotion’s site in Michigan is located just under 60 miles south of the Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center—well within the regulation’s definition of extended range. Camp Grayling is the largest National Guard training facility in the United States, and is host to both the Northern Strike joint exercises and the National Guard Exportable Combat Training Center Exercises. Yet, despite Camp Grayling’s significance, and the overwhelming evidence that this facility meets CFIUS’ conditions for a sensitive military installation, CFIUS did not include the camp under its definition of covered real estate until its July 2024 proposed rule, “Definition of Military Installation and the List of Military Installations in Regulations Pertaining to Certain Transactions by Foreign Persons Involving Real Estate in the United States.”
    Given CFIUS’ failure to launch a review of Gotion’s site development when the project was first publicly announced two years ago, it is now imperative that CFIUS update its proposed rulemaking to clarify the Committee’s ability to conduct retroactive reviews of covered greenfield investments that it previously failed to address. This step is well within CFIUS’ authority under 50 U.S.C. 4565 §(b)(1)(D)(i). This common-sense measure would not only allow CFIUS to put a stop to Gotion’s continued nefarious activity, but also the activities of many other adversarial entities that have slipped under CFIUS’ radar and acquired land near sensitive military sites. CFIUS’ failure to retroactively review these transactions would constitute a major security blunder and permit the CCP to engage in intelligence gathering that compromises our military capabilities and readiness.
    Given the severity of what seems to be a grave lapse in CFIUS’ judgement, we request answers to the following questions:
    Why did CFIUS fail to designate Camp Grayling as an army combat training center under covered real estate until its July 2024 proposed rule?
    If Camp Grayling’s exclusion from covered real estate was a failure in oversight, what steps is CFIUS taking to rectify the situation?
    What action is CFIUS taking to stop Gotion from continuing its plant construction given its proximity to a major military installation?
    Will CFIUS commit to clarify its authority to conduct retroactive reviews of covered greenfield investments that have slipped under CFIUS’ radar?
    Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to your prompt response.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Activist News – Weekly protests are extending further around the country as Israel runs riot and our government’s policy of appeasement towards Israel fails dramatically – PSNA

    Source: Palestinian Solidarity Network Aotearoa

     

    Details of our weekly solidarity protests around the country are listed at the end of this letter sent to the Prime Minister yesterday.

     

    Rt Hon Christopher Luxon

    Prime Minister

    Parliament Buildings

    Wellington

    c.luxon@ministers.govt.nz

     

    Kia ora Mr Luxon,

     

    We write to you as a matter of utmost urgency, with a rapidly deteriorating situation in the Middle East.

     

    The policy of appeasement towards Israel over the past year by western countries has failed miserably.  Israel has expanded its attacks and has abandoned all pretence of any sort of negotiated settlements.

     

    Our government is holding on desperately to a hopelessly weak and indefensible policy towards the Middle East. I have no doubt you know this.

     

    Israel is running riot with endless bombing and killing as it spreads murder and mayhem.  The majority of victims in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank are women and children – tens of thousands of children.

     

    You and I know this would never be tolerated if the victims were European.

     

    The situation has now become even more desperate and deadly with

    • Israel has refused to allow any food or supplies to be delivered since the beginning of this month to northern Gaza.  It has again unleased its firepower with absolute impunity on refugee camps and other civilian areas with the openly stated aim of ethnic cleansing of the majority of the 400,000 Palestinians who remain there.
    • Israel’s delivery of its threat to turn Lebanon into another Gaza, with attacks throughout the country, including Christian areas.
    • Israel’s endless attempts to widen the war across the region into Iran with repeated violations of its sovereignty until Iran responded – though without a single Israeli casualty.
    • Israel’s blatant attacks on UNIFIL positions and demands that UNIFIL withdraw from its mission to allow Israeli military advances further into Lebanon to achieve regime change for a Lebanese government subservient to its interests.

     

    Despite all that has happened over 12 months you have issued only platitudes “calling an all sides to exercise restraint” and condemnation of all parties Israel decides that is its enemies.

     

    You have failed to condemn Israel for anything it has ever done against the Palestinian victims of its settler colonial project and yet you have condemned every act of Palestinian resistance to Israel’s illegal occupation, genocide, and ethnic cleansing.

     

    Other countries, the UK, France, Spain, Norway, and Ireland have spoken out and taken, albeit token, action to remind Israel that it is operating outside international law.

     

    History will condemn your 12 months of complicit silence but action now can make a real difference and saves tens of thousands of innocent lives. A minimum list of actions includes:

     

    1. Condemn Israeli action against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank as war crimes
    2. Join South Africa’s case of proving genocide against Israel at the International Court of Justice
    3. Implement the recent obligations specified by the ICJ under the Geneva Conventions towards ending Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Occupied Territories.
    4. Identify and ban imports of products from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
    5. End procurement of goods and services from companies identified by the United Nations as complicit in building and maintaining illegal Israeli settlements
    6. Direct the Superfund, ACC and Kiwisaver providers to divest from companies on the UN list
    7. Investigate the export of Rakon Industry components which are incorporated into US weapons which almost inevitably end in the industrial-scale killing of Palestinians.
    8. Immediately close the Israeli embassy as Israel’s propaganda and lobby outlet in New Zealand
    9. Clearly and publicly state that NZDF personnel in the Middle East will neither participate in nor provide assistance to either US or Israel attacks or preparations for attacks on Iran
    10. Publicly join other countries in condemning the Israeli military attack on UNIFIL and demand of Israel that it will cease to demand UNIFIL withdraw from any of its positions in Lebanon
    11. Reiterate New Zealand’s participation in UNTSO and demand that Israel allow UNTSO continue its work unmolested
    12. Demand Israel revoke its declaration that the UN Secretary General is persona non grata in Israel.
    13. Note and support this UN report https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/10/un-commission-finds-war-crimes-and-crimes-against-humanity-israeli-attacks

     

    Please respond to this letter urgently.

     

    John Minto

    National Chair

    Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa.

     

    Nationwide rallies/marches/MP protests/vigils this week

     

    These are on the PSNA Facebook events page here with the basic details listed below.

     

    North Island

    Opononi – Gathering for Palestine

    Sunday 20 October 

    1.30pm

    Opononi (outside the Four Square)

     

    Kerikeri – Rally

    Saturday 19 October 

    No Rally this weekend

     

    Whangarei – Rally

    Saturday 19 October 

    No Rally this weekend

     

    Auckland – Picket 

    Friday 18 October 

    12:00 noon

    New World Devonport – 

    35 Bartley Terrace, Devonport,

     

    Waiheke – Market Stall – hosted by Stand With Palestine Waiheke!

    Every Saturday

    8:00 am – 1:00 pm

    Ostend Market, Waiheke Island

     

    Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau

    Saturday 19 October 

    10:00 am

    Text John on 021 899 659 for location

     

    Auckland – Central Bike Ride for Palestine

    Saturday 19 October 

    Meet at 12.45 to leave (ride to the rally) at 1.10pm

    Western Park. Ponsonby Road

     

    Auckland – Rally

    Saturday 19 October 

    2:00 pm

    Te Komititanga – Britomart Square, Tamaki Makaurau

     

    Then travel to Browns Bay for the Prayer Vigil for Gaza

     

    Auckland – Prayer Vigil @ Erica Stanford’s Office

    Aotearoa Christians for peace in Palestine will hold a Prayer Vigil to mark a year since the Israeli airstrike on St Porphyrius Church in Gaza City

    Saturday 19 October 

    4:00 pm

    85 Beach Front Lane, Browns Bay, Auckland

    https://www.facebook.com/events/s/vigil-for-gaza-st-porphyrius-c/1056552113142463/

     

    Auckland – Movie – The Last Sky

    Saturday 19 October 

    7:00 pm

    Trades Hall auditorium – 147 Great North Road, Grey Lynn

    Limited seats. Tickets essential

    Admission by Koha

    https://events.humanitix.com/the-last-sky

    Director Nicholas Hanna will have a Q&A after the movie

     

    Thames – Vigil to Stop the war on Children

    (Hosted by The Basket – Social and Environmental Justice – Hauraki)

    First Saturday of the month

     

    Tauranga – Flag wave

    Sunday 20 October 

    11:00 am

    SH2 Bethlehem – By Woolworths

     

    Hamilton – Rally for Palestine

    Saturday 19 October 

    1:00 pm

    Civic Square, Hamilton

     

    Whaingaroa/Raglan

    To be advised

     

    Cambridge – Rally for Palestine

    Every Saturday

    11:00 am

    Cambridge Town Hall

     

    Rotorua – Rally for Palestine

    Every Thursday

    4:00 pm

    Rotorua Lakes Council, Haupapa Street (Sir Howard Morrison Corner)

     

    Gisborne – Farmers Market – Vigil to Stop the war on Children

    Every Saturday

    9:30 – 11:30 am

    Gisborne Farmers Market

     

    Napier – Rally for Palestine

    Saturday 19 October 

    11:30 am

    Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout

     

    Hastings – Rally for Palestine

    Sunday 20 October

    1:00 pm

    Hastings Town Clock – Hastings CBD

     

    Palmerston North – Rally for Palestine

    Sunday 20 October

    2:00 pm 

    The Square, Palmerston North

     

    New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge

    Friday 18 September

    4:30 pm

    Paynters Ave Bridge, New Plymouth

     

    New Plymouth – Rally and March

    Saturday 19 October 

    1:00 PM 

    The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth

     

    Whanganui – Rally for Palestine

    Saturday 19 October 

    11:00 am

    Riverside Market, Whanganui

     

    Carterton – Gathering for Gaza

    Every Tuesday

    12:00 midday

    Memorial Square.

     

    Martinborough – Vigil for Palestine

    Every Wednesday

    11:00 am

    The square at the top of Kitchener St, Martinborough

     

    Masterton – Gathering for Gaza

    Every Sunday

    9:30 am

    Town Hall Lawn, Masterton

     

    Featherston – Gathering for Gaza

    Every Saturday

    11:00 am

    The Squircle (opposite the op shop).

     

    Wellington – Vigil for Palestine (by Aotearoa Healthcare Workers for Palestine)

    Every Friday

    6:00 pm

    In front of Wellington Hospital

    49 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington

     

    Wellington – Flags on the Bridge

    (hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)

    Every Friday

    7:15 – 8:15 am

    Hill Street bridge Overbridge, Wellington

     

    Wellington – Rally

    (hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)

    Saturday 19 October 

    1:00 – 2:00 pm

    Meet at Glover Park and Hikoi down Cuba Mall and back to Glover Park

     

    South Island

    Nelson – Rally for Palestine

    Saturday 19 October 

    10:30 am

    Rocks Road by the beach

     

    Blenheim – Rally for Palestine

    Saturday 19 October 

    11:00 am

    Blenheim Railway Station

     

    Christchurch – Nobela Protest

    Thursday 17

    11:45 am

    Foodstuffs Headquarters

    167 Main North Road, Northcote, Christchurch

     

    Christchurch- Flag Waving for Palestine

    Friday 18 October 

    4:00 pm

    Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch

     

    Christchurch – Rally and March

    Saturday 19 October 

    1:00 – 2:00 pm

    Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch

     

    Timaru

    No Rally this weekend

     

    Dunedin – Rally and March

    Saturday 19 October 

    No Rally this weekend

     

    Queenstown
    No Rally this weekend

     

    Invercargill – Rally for Palestine

    Sunday 20 October

    1:00 pm

    Wachner place Invercargill.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government must support workers following Smithfield closure

    Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

    NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff is calling on the Government to show leadership following the announced closure of the Smithfield meat works, and the continued loss of regional manufacturing jobs, by putting in place policies to support workers with retraining and income insurance.

    “The loss of 600 jobs will be devastating for Timaru and the communities of South Canterbury, especially during a cost-of-living crisis and an economic downturn,” said Wagstaff.

    “It is unacceptable that there has been absolutely no help for the affected workers even though the Government has known since last month that this was likely to happen. We have already seen this lack of support in other situations, such as Winstone pulp and paper.

    “The trend we are seeing in terms of the loss of manufacturing jobs in regional communities is going to have a long-term negative impact on regional economic development and on the health and wellbeing of whānau and communities.

    “Every forecast tells us that unemployment is going to rise, but nothing is being done at the government level to address it. What we are seeing is a total failure of leadership.

    “The Government is happy to underwrite private building construction but will do nothing to underwrite workers incomes.

    “We need to learn the lessons of the past and not throw workers on the scrap heap when the manufacturing sector is under pressure. Government has a responsibility to support workers with retraining and pathways into employment.

    “It is also becoming clearer by the day just how foolish it was to scrap plans for an income insurance scheme that would have helped tide workers over until they found new work,” said Wagstaff.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Canada’s dairy protection must be cracked wide open

    Source: ACT Party

    ACT is backing New Zealand negotiators to crack open hard-fought Canadian market access for New Zealand dairy exports, as agreed to in the CPTPP. Today the Government triggered compulsory negotiations over Canada’s failure to honour the CPTPP and seek compensation for our world-best exporters.

    “Restricting imports of New Zealand dairy products not only makes Canadian consumers worse off, it is also a betrayal of the long-standing friendship between our two countries,” says ACT Trade Spokesperson Dr Parmjeet Parmar.

    “Free trade benefits Canadians by giving consumers choice of a wider range of products and fostering competition, which ultimately reduces prices. It also benefits Canadian businesses that produce products that New Zealanders want to buy. But free trade must go both ways.

    “To Canadian farmers concerned about competition, I encourage you to look at New Zealand’s experience. Today, you’d be hard-pressed to find a New Zealand farmer who wants to reverse the market liberalisation reforms of the 1980s.

    “Opening New Zealand up to the world unleashed our economy, creating a generation of farmers that are the most efficient and innovative in the world.

    “Canada faces many of the same challenges as New Zealand. The ACT Party urges their Government to focus its time and resources on addressing those, rather than undermining our relationship for a cause that is actively making Canadians worse off.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Scholz opposes tariff conflicts with China

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Federal Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz visits Bosch Hydrogen Powertrain Systems (Chongqing) Co., Ltd. in Jiulongpo District of southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, April 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Thursday expressed his opposition to tariff conflicts while delivering a statement to the press in Brussels.

    Scholz stressed that such conflicts lead nowhere and emphasized the importance of using the World Trade Organization to resolve trade disputes.

    Speaking on the sidelines of the European Council meeting, Scholz reiterated his stance against escalating tariff tensions with China, a point he also made in a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s lower house of parliament, the previous day.

    He noted that major German carmakers, along with 17 EU countries, oppose the imposition of tariffs on China.

    While highlighting the need for Germany to boost its competitiveness in the electric vehicle market, Scholz emphasized that this should not be achieved through tariffs.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to improve economic, trade cooperation with Vietnam

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China will work to enhance economic and trade cooperation with Vietnam, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

    Spokesperson He Yadong told a press conference that China is Vietnam’s largest trade partner, while Vietnam is China’s largest trade partner among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

    From January to September 2024, trade volume between the two countries reached 190.38 billion U.S. dollars, up 17.6 percent year on year.

    Vietnam is an important overseas investment destination for China. In the first eight months, direct investment by Chinese enterprises in Vietnam totaled 1.97 billion dollars, maintaining rapid growth.

    Efforts will be made to both explore and pilot the establishment of cross-border economic cooperation zones, expanding cooperation in emerging fields such as information technology, new energy and digital economy, the spokesperson said.

    Enterprises from the two countries will be supported to make full use of platforms like the China International Import Expo, the China Import and Export Fair and the China-ASEAN Expo to expand trade of agricultural and aquatic products, as well as manufactured industrial products, He said.

    Measures will also be taken to deepen cooperation related to supply chains and regional economic integration, He added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Release: Labour supports continuing fight for dairy access

    Source: New Zealand Labour Party

    Labour welcomes the National Government’s decision to further pursue our access to the Canadian dairy market under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)

    “This latest decision is a continuation of steps taken by Labour in government to enforce the hard won and valuable concessions negotiated in the 2018 CPTPP trade agreement,” Labour trade spokesperson Damien O’Connor said.

    “Both our countries’ economies could suffer over time if Canada refuses to abide by the terms of the agreement and the rules of international trade.

    “Trade is critical to both Canada and New Zealand, and rules protect both our economies,” said Damien O’Connor.

    Stay in the loop by signing up to our mailing list and following us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Statement On FTC Click-To-Cancel Rule

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz

    WASHINGTON –U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D- Hawai‘i) today released the following statement after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced its final “click-to-cancel” rule that would help customers more easily get out of unwanted subscriptions.

    “Free trials should be free, but instead some companies have used that model to lure and trap customers into subscriptions with costly monthly charges they never meant to make. That’s why I introduced a bill to stop those kinds of deceptive business practices. While this FTC action is a good step in the right direction, we also need to pass the Unsubscribe Act to provide consumers with more transparency and protections.”

    Senator Schatz previously introduced the Unsubscribe Act, bipartisan legislation that would require companies to be more transparent about subscription-based business models and make it easier for consumers to cancel their subscriptions once their free or reduced price trial period has ended.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Have your say on the Dairy Industry Restructuring (Export Licences Allocation) Amendment Bill

    Source: New Zealand Parliament

    Media Release

    Organisation:   Primary Production Committee

    For release:     Friday 18 October 2024

    Have your say on the Dairy Industry Restructuring (Export Licences Allocation) Amendment Bill

    The Primary Production Committee is calling for submissions on the Dairy Industry Restructuring (Export Licences Allocation) Amendment Bill. The bill would amend rules around how the dairy export quotas administered by New Zealand are allocated.

    Dairy export quotas allow New Zealand dairy products to receive beneficial tariff rates in certain overseas markets. The bill would change the allocation of dairy export quotas from a system based on the proportion of milk solids a company collects from New Zealand farmers to a system based on a company’s export history. It would also create a regulation-making power to enable quotas to be reserved for low-volume and otherwise ineligible exporters, and include non-bovine dairy in quota allocation.

    Tell the Primary Production Committee what you think

    Make a submission on the bill by midnight on 17 November 2024.

    For more details about the bill:

    ENDS

    For media enquiries contact:

    Primary Production Committee staff

    pp@parliament.govt.nz

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: China Medical System：First Ruxolitinib Cream’s Prescriptions for Vitiligo Issued in the Greater Bay Area

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SHENZHEN, CHINA, Oct. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — China Medical System Holdings Limited (the “Group” or “CMS”) is pleased to announce that on 18 October, the first batch of prescriptions of ruxolitinib phosphate cream (the “ruxolitinib cream” or the “Product”) for qualified vitiligo patients were issued in the Greater Bay Area, at Zhongshan Chen Xinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Foshan Fosun Chancheng Hospital, and Dongguan Songshan Lake Tungwah Hospital. The Product’s new drug application (NDA) was approved by the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau (ISAF) of Macau on 11 April 2024, and subsequently the Product was approved by the Guangdong Provincial Medical Products Administration on August 19 through the “Hong Kong and Macau Medicine and Equipment Connect” policy, which officially introduced ruxolitinib cream for the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo with facial involvement in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age, providing a novel treatment option for patients with relevant indication into designated medical institutions in the Mainland of Greater Bay Area.

    In addition, on 24 September, the NDA for vitiligo indication of ruxolitinib cream has been accepted by the National Medical Products Administration of China (NMPA). In accordance with the relevant regulations of the drug real-world data application pilot program in the Hainan Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone (the “Pilot Zone”), CMS has conducted a real-world study on ruxolitinib cream in China. The results have shown positive efficacy, which is consistent with the key outcomes of global pivotal clinical studies. All secondary efficacy endpoints showed a trend of benefit consistent with the primary efficacy endpoint, and the treatment effect for vitiligo continued to improve with longer treatment duration. Meanwhile, through the safety monitoring data of the Pilot Zone, no new safety events have been identified. Adverse events mostly had severity levels of grade 1 or 2. No adverse event (AE) leading to discontinuation or withdrawal, and no serious adverse event (SAE) related to the study drug occurred.

    If the Product is successfully approved for marketing in Mainland China, it will be the first prescription drug approved by NMPA for repigmentation in vitiligo, bringing this novel treatment hopes for Chinese vitiligo patients.

    Furthermore, on 12 August 2023, the Product was approved by Hainan Medical Products Administration for Urgent Clinical Import, and officially became available to applicable patients in the Pilot Zone on August 18, for the topical treatment of non-segmental vitiligo in adults and adolescents aged 12 and above with facial involvement. Benefiting from the Early and Pilot Implementation Policy granted by the state to Hainan Free Trade Port and the Pilot Zone, patients with vitiligo in China can apply for the Product in Boao Super Hospital first and receive treatment from the expert team. As of 30 June 2024, more than 3,200 patients have been treated with ruxolitinib cream in Boao Super Hospital.

    CMS has always been patient-oriented and innovation-driven based on clinical needs, continuously striving to improve drug accessibility. Benefited from the “Hong Kong and Macau Medicine and Equipment Connect” policy, ruxolitinib cream was approved for use in the Greater Bay Area and completed its first batch of prescriptions, shortening the time difference for Chinese vitiligo patients to use innovative drug and benefiting more domestic patients. Looking forward to the future, the Group will continuously strive to meet the unmet needs of Chinese patients, continuously explore novel drugs with international quality, and efficiently promote products’ clinical development and commercialization, so as to bring more quality pharmaceutical products through differentiated innovation-breakthrough, to safeguard the health and life-quality of patients.

    About ruxolitinib cream
    Ruxolitinib cream (Opzelura), a novel cream formulation of Incyte’s selective JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib, is approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the topical treatment of nonsegmental vitiligo in patients 12 years of age and older. As of now, it is the first and only treatment for repigmentation approved for use in the United States[1]. Ruxolitinib cream (Opzelura) is also approved in the U.S. for the topical short-term and non-continuous chronic treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in non-immunocompromised patients 12 years of age and older whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies, or when those therapies are not advisable[2]. In Europe, ruxolitinib cream (Opzelura) is approved for the treatment of non-segmental vitiligo with facial involvement in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age[3].

    On 2 December 2022, the Group through a subsidiary of the Company, a dermatology medical aesthetic company (“CMS Skinhealth”) entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement (the “License Agreement”) with Incyte for topical formulations of ruxolitinib for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory dermatology diseases. In accordance with the License Agreement, the Group through CMS Skinhealth received an exclusive license to develop, register and commercialize the Product in Mainland China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Macau Special Administrative Region, Taiwan Region and eleven Southeast Asian countries (Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Timor-Leste and Brunei Darussalam) (the “Territory”) and a non-exclusive license to manufacture the Product in the Territory. The License Agreement commenced on its effective date and has a royalty term of ten years from the date of the commercial sale of the Product in the Territory (the “Royalty Term”). Upon the expiration of the Royalty Term, the License Agreement may be renewed for a period of ten years thereafter (the “Initial Extended Royalty Term”) as per certain conditions defined in the License Agreement. Upon the expiration of the Initial Extended Royalty Term, the License Agreement may be extended for a period otherwise agreed by both sides as per certain conditions defined in the License Agreement.

    Incyte has worldwide rights for the development and commercialization of the Product, marketed in the United States and Europe as Opzelura®. Opzelura and the Opzelura logo are registered trademarks of Incyte.

    About vitiligo

    Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by depigmentation of the skin, which results from the loss of pigment-producing cells known as melanocytes. It is estimated that there are approximately 14 million vitiligo patients in China[4]. Non-segmental vitiligo patients account for approximately 85% of them. Topical corticosteroids (TCS) and calcineurin inhibitors (CI) are used off-label for non-segmental vitiligo, however, these therapies have clinical deficiencies with long-term adverse reactions of long-term treatment or limited efficacy[5、6].

    About CMS
    CMS is a platform company linking pharmaceutical innovation and commercialization with strong product lifecycle management capability, dedicated to providing competitive products and services to meet unmet medical needs.

    CMS focuses on the global first-in-class (FIC) and best-in-class (BIC) innovative products, and efficiently promotes the clinical research, development and commercialization of innovative products, enabling the continuous transformation of scientific research into clinical practices to benefit patients.

    CMS deeply engages in several specialty therapeutic fields, and has developed proven commercialization capabilities, extensive networks and expert resources, resulting in leading academic and market positions for its major marketed products. CMS continues to promote the in-depth development of its advantageous specialty fields and expand business boundaries. While strengthening the competitiveness of the cardio-cerebrovascular/gastroenterology business, CMS independently operates its dermatology and medical aesthetics business, and ophthalmology business, aiming to gain leading positions in specialty therapeutic fields, whilst enhancing the scale and efficiency. At the same time, CMS has expanded its business territory to the Southeast Asian market, striving to become a “bridgehead” for global pharmaceutical companies to enter the Southeast Asian market, further escorting the sustainable and healthy development of the Group.

    Reference：

    1. Drug approval information can be found on the FDA official website, as follows:  https://www.fda.gov/drugs/news-events-human-drugs/fda-approves-topical-treatment-addressing-repigmentation-vitiligo-patients-aged-12-and-older
    2. Drug approval information can be found on the Incyte official website, as follows: https://investor.incyte.com/news-releases/news-release-details/incyte-announces-us-fda-approval-opzeluratm-ruxolitinib-cream
    3. Drug approval information can be found on the EMA official website, as follows: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/medicines/human/EPAR/opzelura
    4. Ezzedine K, Eleftheriadou V, Whitton M, van Geel N. Vitiligo. Lancet. 2015;386(9988):74-84. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60763-7
    5. Consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of vitiligo (2021 version)
    6. Kubelis-López DE, Zapata-Salazar NA, Said-Fernández SL, Sánchez-Domínguez CN, Salinas-Santander MA, Martínez-Rodríguez HG, Vázquez-Martínez OT, Wollina U, Lotti T, Ocampo-Candiani J. Updates and new medical treatments for vitiligo (Review). Exp Ther Med. 2021 Aug;22(2):797. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.10229. Epub 2021 May 25. PMID: 34093753; PMCID: PMC8170669.

    CMS Disclaimer and Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release is not intended to promote any products to you and is not for advertising purposes. This press release does not recommend any drugs, medical devices and/or indications. If you want to know more about the diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases, please follow the opinions or guidance of your doctor or other medical and health professionals. Any treatment-related decisions made by healthcare professionals should be based on the patient’s specific circumstances and in accordance with the drug package insert.

    This press release which has been prepared by CMS does not constitute any offer or invitation to purchase or subscribe for any securities, and shall not form the basis for or be relied on in connection with any contract or binding commitment whatsoever. This press release has been prepared by CMS based on information and data which it considers reliable, but CMS makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, whatsoever, and no reliance shall be placed on, the truth, accuracy, completeness, fairness and reasonableness of the contents of this press release. Certain matters discussed in this press release may contain statements regarding the Group’s market opportunity and business prospects that are individually and collectively forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Any forward-looking statements and projections made by third parties included in this press release are not adopted by the Group and the Company is not responsible for such third-party statements and projections.

    Media Contact

    Brand: China Medical System Holdings Ltd.

    Contact: CMS Investor Relations

    Email: ir@cms.net.cn

    Website: https://web.cms.net.cn/en/home/

    Source: China Medical System Holdings Ltd.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Consumer law reform: consumer protections gain momentum with latest announcements

    Source: Allens Insights

    Stronger guarantees, AI rules and ban on unfair trading 10 min read

    The Federal Government has signalled its commitment to advancing major consumer law reforms with three key announcements this week that included proposals to strengthen consumer guarantees, ban unfair trading practices and introduce artificial intelligence (AI) specific protections—all of which could significantly alter the landscape for both suppliers and manufacturers. 

    With Government seeking feedback on these reforms, companies should stay informed and actively engage in consultation processes to ensure any changes are fit for purpose and take into consideration relevant business concerns. In addition, companies should consider how these proposals could impact their businesses and take steps to ensure compliance and mitigate risks.

    In this Insight, we provide an update on the proposals so far and their potential implications for business.

    Key takeaways

    • Treasury is seeking feedback on updates to the consumer guarantees regime, including civil prohibitions and penalties for suppliers or manufacturers that fail to provide remedies for consumer guarantees, and for manufacturers who fail to indemnify suppliers as required by the Australian Consumer Law (ACL).
    • The Prime Minister’s office has announced plans for a ban on unfair trading practices, though details on the specific legislation are still pending. The ban is expected to include a general prohibition on unfair trading practices, along with specific prohibitions against issues like drip pricing, subscription traps and misleading online practices that create a false sense of urgency.
    • Treasury is seeking feedback on whether it should expand the ACL to cover AI-specific consumer law issues, including mandatory guardrails with specific requirements for AI-related consumer products and services and reforming remedies to better suit defective AI-enabled goods and services.

    Moves to strengthen the consumer guarantees regime

    On 16 October 2024, the Government announced plans to introduce new civil prohibitions and penalties for breaches of the consumer guarantees and supplier indemnification (CGSI) provisions of the ACL. The announcement was accompanied by a Consultation Paper seeking stakeholder feedback on how the proposed prohibitions and penalties should be designed.

    This announcement builds on a consultation undertaken in 2021 on ways to improve CGSI provisions of the ACL and incorporates findings from the 2023 Australian Consumer Survey, including that consumers find it difficult to obtain remedies for consumer guarantees failures. The Consultation Paper notes that:

    • for low-cost goods, consumers are less likely to enforce their statutory rights when it is cheaper and easier to ‘just buy another one’ or to pay for a repair; and
    • for high-value goods, consumers may struggle to understand the process involved in making a complaint and/or find it prohibitively time-consuming, costly or difficult to pursue one.

    The proposed reforms seek to respond to a range of concerns with the status quo, including that:

    • the difficulties outlined above mean costs can be transferred from a non-compliant supplier or manufacturer to a consumer and lead to poorer outcomes for consumers and the economy;
    • suppliers and manufacturers lack incentives to comply with the consumer guarantees; and
    • some suppliers may also face difficulties obtaining indemnification from manufacturers and/or face retaliatory behaviours if they seek to be indemnified.

    The Government is seeking to respond to the concerns outlined above by introducing reforms that would:

    • prohibit suppliers from refusing to provide remedies to consumers where there has been a major failure under the consumer guarantees (remedy failure prohibition);
    • prohibit manufacturers from failing to indemnify suppliers;
    • make it unlawful for a manufacturer to retaliate against a supplier for seeking indemnification following a consumer guarantees failure; and
    • introduce civil penalties for contraventions of the prohibitions above, as well as an ability for regulators to issue infringement notices or pursue litigation where they have reasonable grounds to believe a contravention has occurred.

    The Consultation Paper notes that the introduction of these prohibitions would enable ACL regulators to enforce the CGSI provisions in circumstances where rights are currently only enforceable by affected consumers and businesses. The Paper also acknowledges a submission made by the ACCC that, if regulators were able to take direct enforcement action, this would likely lead to greater judicial consideration of the consumer guarantees and result in greater clarity in the law.

    Key issues the Government is seeking feedback on include:

    • whether any aspects of the consumer guarantees need to be clarified prior to the introduction of prohibitions and penalties, noting concerns have previously been raised regarding whether penalties are appropriate in circumstances where concepts such as ‘reasonable consumer’ and ‘major failure’ are difficult to apply in practice;
    • whether the remedy failure prohibition should apply to all goods and services or whether a value threshold should be applied and/or only be applied to new motor vehicles;
    • at what amount an infringement notice or maximum civil penalty should be set; and
    • if it is appropriate to factor in depreciation when determining an appropriate refund amount, noting that, at present, where there has been a major failure, a consumer is entitled to a replacement or full refund even where they have had the benefit of the use of a product for an extended period of time.

    Treasury will engage with targeted stakeholders on the proposed design of the civil prohibitions and penalties and is seeking public feedback by Thursday 14 November 2024.

    Anticipated ban on unfair trading practices takes shape

    On Wednesday 16 October 2024, the Prime Minister’s office announced it will legislate a ban on unfair trading practices. The announcement is long awaited and follows the Federal Treasury’s consultation on the introduction of such a prohibition, which took place between August and November 2023 (the 2023 Consultation). The ACCC has previously recommended that an unfair trading practices prohibition be introduced into the ACL in a number of contexts, including the final report of the 2019 Digital Platforms Inquiry.

    The Government’s media release states that the reforms are about ‘easing the cost of living and getting a fair go for consumers and suppliers’. It non-exhaustively identifies the following practices that the reforms will address:

    • subscription traps: arduous and confusing steps that make cancelling a subscription difficult;
    • drip pricing: practices where fees are hidden or added throughout the stages of a purchase;
    • deceptive or manipulative online practices: practices that aim to confuse or overwhelm consumers, omit or hide material information, or create a false sense of urgency (such as warnings that a customer only has limited time to purchase a product);
    • dynamic pricing: changing the price of a product during the transaction process;
    • accounts and information provisions: requiring consumers to set up an account and provide unnecessary information to make an online purchase; and
    • reporting of issues: making it difficult for a consumer to contact a business when they have a problem with a product or service.

    The Government is yet to release any specific legislative drafting or design for consultation and has foreshadowed a final reform proposal in the first half of 2025.

    Enhancing Australian consumer law to address AI

    On 15 October 2024, Treasury released a Discussion Paper which examines whether the ACL remains fit for purpose to protect consumers from the potential harms of the use of AI. The ACL currently contains a combination of both general and specific consumer protections which are technology-neutral, and Treasury is consulting on whether any changes to the ACL targeted specifically towards AI-enabled goods and services are necessary.

    Treasury has indicated that new and targeted consumer protections may be introduced:

    • Specific prohibitions on false and misleading representations in relation to AI and emerging technologies. Treasury raised concerns in relation to the opacity of AI systems and difficulty in predicting AI system behaviour, such as erroneous output and unwanted bias, which may increase the risk of false or misleading representations about AI-enabled goods and services, and misleading and deceptive conduct in general. In light of this, Treasury is considering whether specific prohibitions in relation to false and misleading representations, targeted towards AI-enabled goods and services, are necessary to ensure the ACL is fit for purpose in the future. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took law enforcement action in the United States against the alleged use of AI technology in a deceptive and unfair manner.
    • Specific consumer guarantees provisions targeted towards AI and emerging technologies. Treasury has considered views that the unique characteristics of AI may require new consumer guarantees, eg guarantees relating to cybersecurity, interoperability and the provision of software updates for a reasonable period. Treasury acknowledged that some cybersecurity risks of certain AI-enabled goods will be captured by the Government’s ongoing 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy, but it is still considering the need for bespoke consumer protections for digital products overall, such as those adopted in the United Kingdom under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 (UK).
    • New product safety standards targeted towards AI and emerging technologies. There are currently no mandatory AI-specific safety standards for consumer goods or product-related services, and Treasury is assessing whether current safety standards (which include the current Voluntary AI Safety Standard) effectively guarantee the safe and responsible use of AI-enabled goods and services. Treasury is considering options for mandatory guardrails in this consultation. See our Insight on preparing for voluntary AI standards and mandatory legislation for more information.
    • Prescriptions under the unfair contract terms (UCT) regime. Treasury has noted stakeholder concerns about the possible risks to consumers arising from terms that exclude supplier and manufacturer liability in relation to AI-enabled goods and services, and is currently considering whether such terms (and similar) should be deemed as UCTs.

    Treasury has flagged that there is a need for greater clarity in the ACL in relation to AI and emerging technologies, due to the technology-neutral nature of the current language of the ACL. In principle, the existing general ACL framework should be able to address AI-related concerns, but there is uncertainty over the following issues:

    • The definition of AI-enabled goods and services, and whether this fits within the current definitions under the ACL. Whether something is a ‘good’ or a ‘service’ affects the remedies available under consumer guarantees, particularly considering the specific liability imposed on manufacturers of goods with safety defects. AI-enabled goods and services are generally a ‘mixed supply’ of goods and services, but consumers cannot claim for both a faulty good and service arising from a single transaction. Treasury is seeking to clarify this distinction for consumers in the context of AI-enabled goods and services.
    • Potential limitations of principles-based consumer guarantees. The current consumer guarantees regime contains a range of principles-based provisions that include concepts such as ‘fitness for purpose’, ‘acceptable quality’ and ‘due care and skill’. Treasury has received concerns that it is unclear how these principles-based standards may apply in the context of AI-enabled goods and services. An example is the concept of ‘durability’, which is currently set out under the ACL as a factor for assessing the acceptable quality of a product.

    Treasury has identified particular difficulties that consumers may face when accessing remedies related to AI and emerging technologies. It noted the following concerns regarding the applicability of a manufacturer’s liability for goods with safety defects (as under the ACL) in relation to AI-enabled goods and services:

    • The evidentiary burden of establishing a causal link between the safety defect and consumer loss and damage. The specific characteristics of AI systems, such as opacity, autonomous behaviour and complexity, may make it more difficult for consumers to meet this burden of proof. Treasury is considering approaches from other jurisdictions, such as that in the EU under the proposed AI Liability Directive, which includes a ‘presumption of causality’ where a number of conditions are met, shifting the onus to manufacturers to demonstrate that no causal link to consumer loss or damage exists.
    • Defences available to manufacturers. There is a concern that the current defences listed under the ACL available to manufacturers may not be appropriate for AI-enabled goods and services. For example, the defence that the safety defect did not exist at the time that a good was supplied reflects a traditional position that manufacturers retain little or no ongoing control over the goods that they supply, which is not always applicable to AI-enabled goods and services.

    The deadline for stakeholder feedback and written submissions on Treasury’s review of AI and the ACL is Tuesday, 12 November 2024.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Prosafe SE: Operational update – September 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    18 October – Fleet utilisation for Q3 2024 was 57 percent.  

    In Q3 2024, Safe Concordia, Safe Notos and Safe Eurus all achieved 100% utilisation. Safe Zephyrus reached 99% utilisation.

    Safe Caledonia is laid up at Scapa Flow, UK, and is scheduled for deployment to the Captain Field, UK, starting Q2 2025.

    Safe Boreas is laid up in Norway pending relocation in Q2 2025 for a contract in Australia commencing earliest October 2025.

    Safe Scandinavia is laid up in Norway.

    Prosafe is a leading owner and operator of semi-submersible accommodation vessels. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange with ticker code PRS. For more information, please refer to https://www.prosafe.com

    For further information, please contact:

    Terje Askvig, CEO
    Phone: +47 952 03 886

    Reese McNeel, CFO
    Phone: +47 415 08 186

    This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 the Norwegian Securities Trading Act

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: GITEX GLOBAL hosts Middle East’s largest data centre gathering to propel the future of hyperscale, modular, and edge infrastructure

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

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 18, 2024/APO Group/ —

    GITEX GLOBAL 2024 (www.GITEX.com), the world’s largest tech and startup event, hosted the Middle East’s largest data centre gathering on Thursday at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), showcasing the region’s commitment to becoming a global leader in the rapidly evolving data centre market.

    The conference programme underscored the far-reaching implications of AI in data infrastructure, a driving force behind the rapidly expanding billion-dollar global market., while leading enterprises captivated the audience with their innovative solutions, showcasing the future of hyperscale, modular, and edge data centres.

    As businesses increasingly turn to AI, the global data centre market is projected to reach USD $256 billion by the end of this year and will rise to USD $775 billion by 2034.

    GITEX GLOBAL serves as a critical platform for industry leaders to engage in discussions that highlight the urgent need for enhanced and scalable data centres, essential for supporting the burgeoning AI-driven demand.

    Driving Job Opportunities And Benefiting Society

    On “Data Centres Universe”, conversations focused on how hyperscale, edge, and modular data centres can contribute to the growth in the presence of the sector’s biggest names. Major players, including Khazna, Legrand, Vertiv, Alibaba Cloud, AWS, DELL, Google Cloud, IBM, and Lenovo, convened to share their perspectives on the evolving trajectory of the industry, explore potential avenues for accelerated growth, and underscore the critical role of expansion in catalyzing global ambitions for AI-driven innovation.

    Hassan Al Naqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centers, the MENA region’s largest hyperscale wholesale data centre provider, explained during a panel discussion that more data centres not only boost the market’s growth but also build capacity, supporting talent development, and fostering employment to meet the increasing demand.

    He said: “A lot of people think that data centres are not a job creation machine. However, data centres are vital for economies and have different roles involved. If you look at all the hyperscales, their data centres are having a huge impact on the economy as people can secure jobs which are vital for the day-to-day operations.”

    As the conversation shifted toward the future of data centres, industry experts emphasized the importance of sustainable practices in their development as the industry’s advancements enable the next-generation of tech solutions and services.

    Marc Marazzi, Vice President of Legrand Data Center Solutions, shared his perspective on the need for careful planning and environmental responsibility in this rapidly expanding market. He believes the industry will go from strength to strength but organisations must exercise caution in their decision-making when building data centres taking into account long-term considerations of how the world will evolve over the next decade.

    He said: “It’s great to see many taking the green initiative very seriously and looking at the way they are building and cooling data centres. Today, they are bigger than ever before and being built faster but we must not lose sight of the importance of how we manufacture, what we are installing and how they are managed. Data Centres are built with 15 years in mind and we have to think what they would look like in a specific time and get it right from the beginning.”

    What Next at GITEX GLOBAL 2024?

    As GITEX GLOBAL comes to a close on Friday, ‘Futuristic Friday’ promises to feature groundbreaking technologies such as quantum computing, advanced robotics, and space tech, all poised to redefine the boundaries of possibility in the tech landscape.

    Taking place from 14-18 October at Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), GITEX GLOBAL is recognized as the world’s largest and best-rated tech event. This year presents a record-breaking 44th edition – welcoming over 6,500 exhibitors, 1,800 startups, 1,200 investors alongside governments from more than 180 countries.

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

    More information is available at: http://www.GITEX.com

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Chinese National Pleads Guilty To Illegally Exporting Semiconductor Manufacturing Machine

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SAN FRANCISCO – Lin Chen pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally exporting U.S. technology to a prohibited end user in China, in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The plea was accepted by the Hon. William Alsup, Senior U.S. District Judge.

    In pleading guilty, Chen, 65, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), admitted to acting on behalf of Jiangsu Hantang International Trade Group Corp., Ltd. (JHI), a company headquartered in Nanjing, PRC, to procure a wafer cutting machine on behalf of Chengdu GaStone Technology Co., Ltd. (GaStone), an entity located in Chengdu, PRC.  Chen admitted to knowing that GaStone was designated on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List on Aug. 1, 2014.  Federal regulations restrict the export of certain items to companies, research institutions, and other entities identified on the Department of Commerce’s Entity List. Under applicable Department of Commerce regulations, wafer cutting machines, which are used to cut thin semiconductors used in electronics (also known as silicon wafers), require a license for export to end-users such as GaStone.

    According to the plea agreement, by no later than Dec. 4, 2015, Chen knew that GaStone was prohibited from receiving restricted exports without a license, including a DTX-150 Scribe and Break Machine, a machine for processing silicon wafer microchips.  On approximately Dec. 10, 2015, Chen worked with a co-defendant to arrange the sale of a DTX-150 to GaStone by shipping it to the PRC in the name of JHI without an export license from Commerce. Chen used JHI’s status as an intermediary to conceal GaStone as the true end-user of the technology.

    A federal grand jury indicted Chen on Dec. 1, 2020, charging him with conspiracy to violate IEEPA; submitting false electronic export information; smuggling; and IEEPA violations.  Under the plea agreement, Chen pleaded guilty to count four, causing an unlawful export in violation of IEEPA.  Defendant currently is released on bond.

    Chen’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 28, 2025, before the Judge Alsup.  The maximum statutory penalty for an IEEPA violation is up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.  However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King, and Brent Burmester, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Special Agent in Charge, San Jose Field Office, made the announcement today.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Sampson and Brett Reynolds of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Claudia Hyslop and Nina Burney.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI, HSI, and BIS.
     

    MIL Security OSI –