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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Security: PDS Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution

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

                WASHINGTON – Dartanyan Ricardo Hawkins, 29, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed large quantities of marijuana in the District of Columbia.

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

                Hawkins, aka “Shitty,” was a member of the Push Dat Shit (PDS) and Jugg Gang (JG) street crews. He pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of marijuana. Hawkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing is set for March 7, 2025.

                As part of his plea, Hawkins admitted to possessing a firearm as part of the offense and further admitted to using Instagram to sell marijuana. According to court documents, PDS maintained gang territory in the 3300 – 3500 blocks of Wheeler Road, Southeast and operated an open-air drug market outside a market at 3509 Wheeler Road, Southeast. In August 2018, PDS allied with a neighboring street gang known as Jugg Gang, or “JG,” that included Hawkins. The combined gang also conspired to use, carry, and possess firearms – including machine guns – to protect themselves, their drugs, their cash, and their territory from rival crews with whom PDS had “beefs.”

                This plea is part of an ongoing joint investigation which has now resulted in 23 convictions and the seizure of two vehicles, 35 firearms, four machine guns, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, approximately 60 pounds of marijuana, 41 grams of cocaine base, dozens of oxycodone pills, and approximately $500,000 in cash.

                The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the ATF’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Justin F. Song and Paralegal Specialist Melissa Macechko.

    Hawkins after his arrest on March 11, 2023, on the 2700 block of Shipleley Terrace, Southeast. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Fraudulent Tax Preparer Sentenced to Ten Years on Federal Charges

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

    ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke woman who prepared and filed false tax returns for others, committed wire fraud, distributed fentanyl, and illegally sold firearms, was sentenced last week to 120 months in federal prison.

    Alisha Warrick, 40, pled guilty in November 2023 to filing a false and fictitious claim against the United States, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, distribution of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

    According to court documents, beginning in 2015 and continuing at least through 2019, Warrick prepared and filed tax returns for other individuals, and she deliberately included false and fraudulent information in the tax returns. As part of this scheme, Warrick would “boost” the tax returns she filed on behalf of other individuals by including false employment and wage information or false information about the named filer’s dependents, or both. Warrick knew the information was false when she submitted the tax returns.

    Warrick also filed tax returns for certain individuals without their knowledge, and used those individuals’ names and personal identifying information to file the tax returns.

    While on bond pending trial, Warrick arranged with a confidential informant to sell the informant heroin (which later testing showed to contain fentanyl), and two firearms, one of which was connected to a prior fatal shooting in the Roanoke area.

    United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanagh and Kareem Carter, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement today.

    The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Jones and Kelly McGann prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Sarasota Man Sentenced To Nine Years For Possessing A Firearm And Ammunition As A Convicted Felon

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

    Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced John Lewis (34, Sarasota) to nine years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Lewis to forfeit a HS Produkt (a/k/a “IM Metal”) 9mm model XDS pistol and assorted ammunition, which are traceable to proceeds of the offense. Lewis entered a guilty plea on August 6, 2024.

    According to court documents, at approximately 2 a.m. on November 30, 2023, a deputy with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office observed an SUV being driven by Lewis run a red light while traveling more than 100 mph. Despite running over stop sticks deployed by law enforcement, Lewis continued driving recklessly at a high rate of speed. Lewis then lost control of the SUV while going over the south bridge near the Isle of Venice and crashed, coming to a stop in the middle of the bridge. Lewis then fled from the SUV and jumped off the bridge, losing a sandal in the process. Lewis landed on the Venetian Waterway Trail instead of in the Venetian Waterway and continued to flee from law enforcement despite sustaining injuries from the impact. A matching sandal and a black semi-automatic firearm containing four rounds of live ammunition were located on the Venetian Waterway Trail and Lewis was located nearby in a shed. Forensic testing further corroborated Lewis’s possession of the firearm.

    Lewis has previously been convicted of multiple felonies, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a weapon or ammunition by a juvenile delinquent, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, grand theft of a firearm, possession of cocaine, interference with child custody, and fleeing or attempting to elude. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Venice Police Department, and the North Port Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brooke M. Padgett.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Media Advisory: Fortinet Returns to World Economic Forum Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Derek Manky, Chief Security Strategist and VP of Global Threat Intelligence at Fortinet
    “In today’s interconnected world, the fight against cybercrime requires a unified front. Public-private partnerships are vital for sharing threat intelligence, resources, and innovations that collectively help organizations worldwide stay ahead of digital adversaries. The World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity continues to offer a unique opportunity for collaboration where fellow cybersecurity leaders share effective strategies and develop real-world solutions for disrupting cybercrime.”

    News Summary
    Fortinet® (NASDAQ: FTNT), the global cybersecurity leader driving the convergence of networking and security, today announced that the company will return to the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity in Geneva, Switzerland, from November 11 to 13. Fortinet is a founding member of the Forum’s Centre for Cybersecurity and will again engage in the yearly event, which brings together global cybersecurity leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society, and academia to foster collaboration and enhance collective cyber resilience.

    Derek Manky, Fortinet Chief Security Strategist and VP of Global Threat Intelligence, will share expertise and insights as the moderator of a panel discussion on November 13 about countering cybercrime through public-private partnerships. In addition to his active role in the Forum and its Centre for Cybersecurity’s Partnership Against Cybercrime and the Cybercrime Atlas initiative, Derek is actively involved with global threat intelligence initiatives, including NATO NICP, INTERPOL Expert Working Group, the Cyber Threat Alliance working committee, and FIRST, all in effort to shape the future of actionable threat intelligence and proactive security strategy.

    In the past year, as a leading contributor to the Cybercrime Atlas initiative, Fortinet has collaborated to promote new approaches to accelerate the fight against cybercrime. Significant progress has been made, with the Cybercrime Atlas community vetting more than 10,000 actionable data points, creating seven intelligence packages to support cyber defenders, and supporting two cross-border disruption campaigns through the group’s research and intelligence.

    Session Details

    Title: Better, Faster, Stronger: Accelerating Operational Collaborations to Disrupt Cybercrime
    When: November 13, 2024, 10:30 a.m. CET
    Where: World Economic Forum headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland
    Overview: Operational collaborations to counter cybercrime are leading to arrests and shutdowns of massive criminal networks in 2024. However, we are not yet collaborating at a scale or speed that will change the calculation for criminals. This session will offer insights into how to harness the lessons from successful operational collaborations around the world to systematically disrupt cybercriminals in 2025.
    Speakers:

    • Derek Manky, Chief Security Strategist and VP of Global Threat Intelligence, Fortinet (facilitator)
    • Edvardas Šileris, Head, European Cybercrime Centre (EC3), Europol
    • Brigadier General Oleksandr Potii, Deputy Chairman, State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine
    • Craig Rice, Chief Executive Officer, Cyber Defence Alliance
    • Samantha Kight, Head, Industry Security, Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA)

    More about the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity

    In a rapidly evolving cyberspace, where innovation and technology continuously redefine boundaries, systemic inequity is emerging when it comes to the capabilities of
    organizations and countries to safeguard the benefits of technological progress.

    According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2024, the number of organizations maintaining minimum viable cyber resilience has decreased by 30%. This decline has further widened the skills gap in organizational cyber capabilities. The risks associated with this growing technological divide threaten the entire ecosystem and disproportionately impact the already vulnerable.

    Against this backdrop, the Annual Meeting on Cybersecurity 2024 will bring together over 150 of the world’s foremost cybersecurity leaders from business, government, international organizations, civil society, and academia to foster collaboration on making cyberspace safer and more resilient for all.

    Additional Resources

    About Fortinet
    Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a driving force in the evolution of cybersecurity and the convergence of networking and security. Our mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere, and today we deliver cybersecurity everywhere you need it with the largest integrated portfolio of over 50 enterprise-grade products. Well over half a million customers trust Fortinet’s solutions, which are among the most deployed, most patented, and most validated in the industry. The Fortinet Training Institute, one of the largest and broadest training programs in the industry, is dedicated to making cybersecurity training and new career opportunities available to everyone. Collaboration with esteemed organizations from both the public and private sectors, including CERTs, government entities, and academia, is a fundamental aspect of Fortinet’s commitment to enhance cyber resilience globally. FortiGuard Labs, Fortinet’s elite threat intelligence and research organization, develops and utilizes leading-edge machine learning and AI technologies to provide customers with timely and consistently top-rated protection and actionable threat intelligence. Learn more at https://www.fortinet.com, the Fortinet Blog, and FortiGuard Labs. 

    Copyright © 2024 Fortinet, Inc. All rights reserved. The symbols ® and ™ denote respectively federally registered trademarks and common law trademarks of Fortinet, Inc., its subsidiaries and affiliates. Fortinet’s trademarks include, but are not limited to, the following: Fortinet, the Fortinet logo, FortiGate, FortiOS, FortiGuard, FortiCare, FortiAnalyzer, FortiManager, FortiASIC, FortiClient, FortiCloud, FortiMail, FortiSandbox, FortiADC, FortiAI, FortiAIOps, FortiAntenna, FortiAP, FortiAPCam, FortiAuthenticator, FortiCache, FortiCall, FortiCam, FortiCamera, FortiCarrier, FortiCASB, FortiCentral, FortiConnect, FortiController, FortiConverter, FortiCSPM, FortiCWP, FortDAST, FortiDB, FortiDDoS, FortiDeceptor, FortiDeploy, FortiDevSec, FortiEDR, FortiExplorer, FortiExtender, FortiFirewall, FortiFlex FortiFone, FortiGSLB, FortiGuest, FortiHypervisor, FortiInsight, FortiIsolator, FortiLAN, FortiLink, FortiMonitor, FortiNAC, FortiNDR, FortiPenTest, FortiPhish, FortiPoint, FortiPolicy, FortiPortal, FortiPresence, FortiProxy, FortiRecon, FortiRecorder, FortiSASE, FortiSDNConnector, FortiSEC, FortiSIEM, FortiSMS, FortiSOAR, FortiStack, FortiSwitch, FortiTester, FortiToken, FortiTrust, FortiVoice, FortiWAN, FortiWeb, FortiWiFi, FortiWLC, FortiWLM and FortiXDR. Other trademarks belong to their respective owners. Fortinet has not independently verified statements or certifications herein attributed to third parties and Fortinet does not independently endorse such statements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing herein constitutes a warranty, guarantee, contract, binding specification or other binding commitment by Fortinet or any indication of intent related to a binding commitment, and performance and other specification information herein may be unique to certain environments.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: CarGurus’ Latest Digital Retail Solution Connects Canadian Dealers with Purchase-Ready Shoppers More Efficiently

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BOSTON, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG), the fastest-growing automotive shopping site in Canada1, today introduced a new digital retail solution that powers more seamless and efficient connections between dealers and purchase-ready shoppers in Canada. CarGurus Digital Deal enables consumers to start their financing application online for eligible new and used vehicles, book an appointment, and start a trade-in before completing the process at the dealership.

    “By allowing car shoppers to handle more steps from the comfort of home, CarGurus Digital Deal helps facilitate a more seamless online to in-store experience that benefits both sides of the transaction,” said Seamus Cassidy, Principal Product Manager with CarGurus. “Dealers can access ready-to-buy shoppers while continuing to work with their preferred technology systems and lending partners. At the same time, consumers can shop with greater confidence by understanding their financing eligibility up front, and save time in the dealership by completing more of the transaction ahead of time.”

    CarGurus’ Digital Deal solution launches in Canada after experiencing strong demand in the U.S., where it is one of the company’s fastest-growing innovations. Active listings are easy to find with badging on CarGurus.ca search results and vehicle detail pages. From eligible vehicle pages, shoppers can complete a simple three-step process to build a personalized vehicle and dealership-specific finance application that is submitted directly to the participating dealership. Shoppers can also schedule an appointment at the dealership and share details about a trade-in. At the dealership, shoppers can then finalize their financing and complete the transaction.

    The solution is built in partnership with dealer finance portal platform CreditApp and can be configured to work with a dealer’s preferred lender networks. As part of the initial rollout, CarGurus Digital Deal is active across over 15,000 vehicle listings, helping participating dealers throughout Canada connect with higher-converting leads for faster, more efficient sales.

    “Digital Deal leads have significantly assisted our sales and finance teams in simplifying the buying process. By having this information upfront, our team can better prepare and creatively engage with our shoppers,” said Casey Pilip, Director of Marketing at Klas Auto Group, a dealer of new and used cars in British Columbia. “Successfully converting additional leads each month at a high closing percentage truly makes a significant impact in today’s market.”

    Dealers can sign up for CarGurus Digital Deal today. Dealerships interested in learning more can either contact their rep, call 1-800-CARGURUS or email camarketing@cargurus.com for more information.

    About CarGurus, Inc.

    CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG) is a multinational, online automotive platform for buying and selling vehicles that is building upon its industry-leading listings marketplace with digital retail solutions. The CarGurus platform gives consumers the confidence to purchase and/or sell a vehicle either online or in-person, and it gives dealerships the power to accurately price, effectively market, and quickly sell vehicles, all with a nationwide reach. The company uses proprietary technology, search algorithms, and data analytics to bring trust, transparency, and competitive pricing to the automotive shopping experience. CarGurus is the fastest growing automotive shopping site in Canada. 1

    CarGurus operates online marketplaces under the CarGurus brand in the U.K., Canada, and U.S., where it is the most visited automotive shopping site2. The CarGurus network of brands also includes PistonHeads, the largest online motoring community in the U.K.3; Autolist, a U.S.-based online marketplace; and CarOffer, a digital wholesale marketplace serving the U.S.

    To learn more about CarGurus, visit www.cargurus.ca.

    CarGurus® is a registered trademark of CarGurus, Inc., and CarOffer® is a registered trademark of CarOffer, LLC. All other product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

    1Similarweb: Traffic Insights, Q2 2024, Canada
    2 Similarweb: Traffic Insights (Cars.com, Autotrader.com, TrueCar.com), Q2 2024, U.S.
    3Similarweb: Traffic Insights, Q2 2024, U.K.

    Media Contact:
    Maggie Meluzio
    Director, Public Relations & External Communications
    pr@cargurus.com

    Investor Contact:
    Kirndeep Singh
    Vice President, Investor Relations
    investors@cargurus.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: EzFill Fueling up to Expand Nationally Enters into LOI for the Acquisition of Yoshi Mobility’s Fuel Division

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Plans to Begin Operations in Four New States, Expanding Reach Across the U.S.

    Miami, FL, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — EzFill Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: EZFL), a leading mobile fueling company, is proud to announce the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent (“LOI”) to acquire the fueling division of Yoshi, Inc. We believe that this acquisition will mark a significant milestone in EzFill’s strategy to expand its operations and presence across the United States.

    Under the terms of the LOI, EzFill plans to acquire Yoshi Mobility’s existing mobile fuel service operations in four key states, including California, Tennessee, Texas, and Michigan, and integrate Yoshi’s assets and customers into its growing infrastructure. With this acquisition, EzFill is expected to not only strengthen its footprint in the existing markets but also initiate an aggressive national expansion plan, positioning itself as a leading player in the on-demand fueling sector. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

    Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Yoshi Mobility is a major mobility services provider backed by General Motors Ventures, ExxonMobil, and Bridgestone Americas. These strategic investors have been pivotal in establishing Yoshi Mobility as a pioneer and leader in the mobile fueling industry.

    CEO of EzFill, Yehuda Levy said, “This acquisition is a strategic step for EzFill as we continue to lead the way in revolutionizing mobile fueling services across the U.S. With Yoshi, we gain access to new markets, fantastic field technicians and a loyal customer base, allowing us to scale our operations and provide exceptional fueling services nationwide.”

    Avi Vaknin, Chief Technology Officer of EzFill, added, “With our technology platform, we expect to be able to seamlessly expand into other states using Yoshi’s existing fleet of trucks. We believe this integration will allow us to quickly scale our operations while maintaining the high level of service and efficiency that EzFill is known for. We are excited about the potential to grow and deliver more fuel solutions to consumers across the country.”

    The acquisition reflects EzFill’s ongoing commitment to providing convenient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly mobile fueling solutions for consumers and businesses.

    CEO and Co-Founder of Yoshi Mobility, Bryan Frist said, “Having built our fueling division from the ground up over the past several years, we are delighted to transition this business to a terrific partner and leader in the industry. This milestone will enable our team at Yoshi Mobility to redirect our energy toward developing cutting-edge mobility solutions that address the current and future needs of our fleet customers, including EV charging and virtual vehicle inspections. It’s a true win-win for both companies and most importantly, for our customers.”

    The potential transaction is subject to entering into definitive agreements which will contain customary closing conditions and is expected to close before the year end.

    About EzFill

    EzFill is a Miami-based on-demand mobile fueling service that provides fuel delivery directly to consumers and businesses, eliminating the need for traditional gas stations. As one of the largest mobile fuel delivery platforms in the United States, EzFill focuses on convenience, safety, and efficiency for its users.

    About Yoshi Mobility

    Yoshi Mobility is a tech-enabled mobility services provider. The company has completed millions of vehicle services through its network of certified mobile technicians who provide both on-site and virtual services including EV charging, virtual inspections, and preventative maintenance. To date, Yoshi Mobility has raised more than $60 million with investments from General Motors Ventures, Bridgestone, and ExxonMobil. Other investors include NBA All-Star Kevin Durant, NFL legend Joe Montana, and Y-Combinator in Silicon Valley.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” Forward-looking statements reflect our current view about future events. When used in this press release, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,” or the negative of these terms and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements. Such statements, include, but are not limited to, statements contained in this press release relating to our business strategy, our future operating results and liquidity and capital resources outlook. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward–looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees of assurance of future performance. We caution you therefore against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, our ability to raise capital to fund continuing operations; our ability to protect our intellectual property rights; the impact of any infringement actions or other litigation brought against us; competition from other providers and products; our ability to develop and commercialize products and services; changes in government regulation; our ability to complete capital raising transactions; and other factors relating to our industry, our operations and results of operations. Actual results may differ significantly from those anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended or planned. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this release except as may be required under applicable securities law.

    Investor Contact
    TraDigital IR
    John McNamara
    john@tradigitalir.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Grayscale® Digital Large Cap Fund (Ticker: GDLC) Application to Uplist as Exchange-Traded Product Now Published in Federal Register

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    STAMFORD, Conn., Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Grayscale Investments®, an asset management firm with expertise in crypto investing offering more than 25 crypto investment products, today announced that NYSE Arca, Inc.’s (“NYSE Arca”) Form 19b-4 proposing to list and trade shares of Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund (OTCQX: GDLC) as an Exchange-Traded Product (ETP) has been published in the Federal Register (link), formally initiating the review process which can take up to 240 days. The proposed rule change, if adopted, would represent the first national securities exchange ruleset permitting the listing and trading of shares of multi-crypto asset ETPs: NYSE Arca Rule 8.800-E (Commodity- and/or Digital Asset-Based Investment Interests).

    As part of the Form 19b-4 filing, NYSE Arca’s proposed rule change aims to revise how the exchange defines ETPs that hold commodities and digital assets beyond Bitcoin and Ether.

    “Grayscale is committed to pioneering the next generation of digital asset investing, and client focus is foundational to our firm’s evolution,” said Peter Mintzberg, Grayscale’s CEO. “As investors seek to maximize risk-adjusted returns and build financial portfolios that can adapt to market shifts, they are increasingly allocating to digital assets. At Grayscale, we aspire to proactively meet our clients’ needs and be the go-to crypto investing partner for decades to come.”

    As of November 1, 2024, GDLC currently holds assets under management of more than $530M, and includes the following large-cap digital assets from the CoinDesk Large Cap Select Index (DLCS) that are rebalanced quarterly*:

    • Bitcoin, 76.53%
    • Ether, 16.92%
    • Solana, 4.36%
    • XRP, 1.63%
    • Avalanche, 0.56%

    “Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund is currently trading on OTC Markets under ticker: GDLC, and continues to meet growing investor demand by providing diversified exposure to crypto through a portfolio of market-leading digital assets,” said David LaValle, Grayscale’s Global Head of ETFs. “Grayscale and NYSE Arca have taken a thoughtful approach toward developing a proposed ruleset to permit the listing and trading of shares of multi-crypto asset ETPs within the SEC’s existing standard, and we look forward to engaging constructively with regulators, as we seek to bring digital assets further into the U.S. regulatory perimeter and deliver for our clients.”

    Under the proposal, funds invested in a diversified basket index must invest at least 90% in commodities with an established surveillance or futures market, like Bitcoin and Ether, while up to 10% could be allocated elsewhere. If approved, this rule would directly benefit GDLC, which tracks the CoinDesk Large Cap Select Index (DLCS) and invests in a diversified basket of large-cap digital assets that is rebalanced quarterly.

    Grayscale is firmly committed to building future-forward regulated investment vehicles that are designed to help investors build stronger diversified portfolios. GDLC first launched as a private placement in February 2018, began publicly trading on OTC Markets under ticker: GDLC in November 2019, and became an SEC reporting entity in July 2022.

    Grayscale has several private placement products currently open for investment by eligible accredited investors, including diversified funds that track thematic indices and are rebalanced quarterly, such as Grayscale Decentralized AI Fund, as well as single-asset trusts that provide clients with exposure to a singular digital asset, including Grayscale Avalanche Trust, Grayscale Aave Trust, Grayscale Bittensor Trust, Grayscale MakerDAO Trust, Grayscale NEAR Trust, Grayscale Stacks Trust, Grayscale Sui Trust and Grayscale XRP Trust.

    For updates and more information about Grayscale’s products, please visit https://www.grayscale.com/

    *Holdings as of 11/1/2024 and are subject to change

    This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be illegal, nor shall there be any sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.

    Grayscale intends to attempt to have shares of new products quoted on a secondary market. However, there is no guarantee that we will be successful. Although the shares of certain products have been approved for trading on a secondary market, investors in the new products should not assume that the shares will ever obtain such an approval due to a variety of factors, including questions regulators, such as the SEC, FINRA, or other regulatory bodies may have regarding such products. As a result, shareholders of such products should be prepared to bear the risk of investment in the shares indefinitely. To date, certain products have not met their investment objective and the shares of such products quoted on OTC Markets have not reflected the value of the digital assets held by such products, less such products’ expenses and other liabilities, but have instead traded at a premium over such value, which at times has been substantial. There have also been instances where the shares of certain products have traded at a discount.

    Private placement securities are speculative, illiquid, and entail a high level of risk, including the risk that an investor could lose their entire investment.

    Smart contracts are a new technology and ongoing development may magnify initial problems, cause volatility on the networks that use smart contracts and reduce interest in them, which could have an adverse impact on the value of MKR.

    The Artificial Intelligence protocols underlying the Grayscale Decentralized AI Fund components were only recently conceived and the technologies underlying the protocols may not function as intended, which could have an adverse impact on the value of the Fund Components and an investment in the shares.

    The Avalanche protocol was only conceived in 2018 and the Avalanche protocol or its subnet mechanisms may not function as intended, which could have an adverse impact on the value of AVAX and an investment in the shares.

    The Bittensor protocol was only conceived in 2017 and its Yuma Consensus and Proof-of-Authority consensus mechanisms may not function as intended, which could have an adverse impact on the value of TAO and an investment in the shares.

    The MakerDao protocol was only conceived in 2015 and the MakerDao protocol, Dai, or CDPs may not function as intended, which could have an adverse impact on the value of MKR and an investment in the shares.

    The Stacks protocol was only conceived in 2017 and its “proof-of transfer” consensus mechanisms may not function as intended, which could have an adverse impact on the value of STX and an investment in the Shares. The Stacks Network only launched in 2021 and cross-blockchain scaling solutions are a new technology that could fail to attract users, which could have an adverse impact on the value of STX and an investment in the shares.

    The Sui protocol and Near protocol were only conceived in 2017 and such protocols or their Nightshade and Doomslug consensus mechanisms, respectively, may not function as intended, which could have an adverse impact on the value of SUI and NEAR and an investment in the shares.

    The Ripple protocol was only launched in 2012 and the Ripple Network, the Ripple Ledger, or the Trusted Nodes Lists may not function as intended, which could have an adverse impact on the value of XRP and an investment in the shares.

    About Grayscale Investments®
    Grayscale enables investors to access the digital economy through a family of future-forward investment products. Founded in 2013, Grayscale has a decade-long track record and deep expertise as an asset management firm focused on crypto investing. Investors, advisors, and allocators turn to Grayscale for single asset, diversified, and thematic exposure. Grayscale products are distributed by Grayscale Securities, LLC (Member FINRA/SIPC).

    Media Contact
    Jennifer Rosenthal
    press@grayscale.com

    Client Contact
    866-775-0313
    info@grayscale.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: EveLab Insight Unveils Advanced Neck Analysis with Revolutionary Panoramic AI Skin Analysis System

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SINGAPORE, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A revolutionary player in the beauty tech space, EveLab Insight’s Eve V Panoramic AI Skin Analysis System uncovers the ground truth of skin by capturing high quality 3D face contour and high resolution skin photographs in 25 seconds, accurately assessing skin concerns such as aging, redness, acne, skin tone, pigmentary spots and more. The Eve V system precisely analyzes the skin and provides customized skincare routines that allow individuals to discover the full potential of healthy skin. 

    Previously focused solely on facial analysis, EveLab Insight’s cutting-edge skin analysis system now makes a groundbreaking leap to the neck area. This innovative feature comprehensively evaluates neck wrinkles and fine lines, setting a new standard for neck scans in the market. With a sophisticated four-degree system and nine distinct grades to assess the severity of neck wrinkles, EveLab Insight can now provide precise scoring that highlights the condition of your skin. Levels include:

    None: No wrinkles are present, and the skin appears smooth.
    Mild: Presence of shallow wrinkles, either 1-2 or 3 or more.
    Moderate: Medium-depth wrinkles ranging from 1-2 or 3 or more.
    Severe: Deep wrinkles, with possible accompanying loose soft tissue in the neck area. The severity ranges from a few deep wrinkles to very noticeable loose tissue.

    The addition of neck analysis to the EveV Panoramic AI Skin Analysis System is a powerful tool that can be used by brands, spas, clinicians and more for a plethora of reasons:

    Personalized Product Recommendations:
    The neck wrinkles analysis feature allows beauty brands to offer highly personalized skincare product recommendations. By analyzing the severity and specific characteristics of neck wrinkles, brands can suggest tailored products such as targeted neck creams, serums, and masks. If a client’s analysis indicates moderate to severe neck wrinkles, the brand can recommend their specialized neck cream designed to address these specific concerns. This enhances the customer experience, increases sales of specialized products, and builds stronger customer loyalty.

    Promoting Existing Neck Creams:
    Beauty brands with existing neck creams can leverage the neck wrinkles analysis to effectively promote these products. By demonstrating the efficacy of their neck creams through before-and-after skin analysis reports, brands can build trust and convince clients of the product’s benefits. This targeted approach not only boosts sales but also positions the brand as a leader in anti-aging solutions.

    Data-Driven Product Development:
    Beauty brands can use the detailed data from the neck wrinkles analysis report to drive research and development. Understanding common aging patterns and the effectiveness of existing products help in creating new, more effective formulations. This ensures that the products address the most prevalent issues, enhancing their market competitiveness and effectiveness.

    Customized Treatment Plans:
    Aesthetic clinics can use the neck wrinkles analysis to create highly customized treatment plans. By providing accurate and detailed information on wrinkle severity and characteristics, clinicians can design targeted treatments such as laser therapy, radiofrequency treatments, or injectable fillers. This precision leads to better treatment outcomes and higher client satisfaction.

    The launch of EveLab Insight’s advanced neck analysis marks a significant step in addressing the unique skincare needs of the neck area. By providing precise assessments of neck wrinkles and fine lines, we empower brands and clinics to offer targeted solutions, enhancing personalized care for this often-overlooked region and transforming how we approach neck skincare.

    Media contact:
    Daisy Zhang
    daisy.zhang@evelabinsight.com

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b6e0c379-e053-4521-bb58-b3859aab8be8

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c06855a5-dc85-4500-a9ea-0fe513885ba3

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: MP Chahal announces federal investments to grow Alberta’s aerospace and aviation industry

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    Over $4.3 million through PrairiesCan to manufacture and commercialize new technologies, connect small- and medium-sized firms with procurement opportunities, and create new career paths for underrepresented groups

    November 4, 2024 – Edmonton, Alberta – PrairiesCan

    With more than 500 small- and medium-sized businesses that employ thousands of workers, Alberta’s aerospace and aviation industry is playing a key role in diversifying local economies and creating good-paying jobs in communities across the province. The Government of Canada is collaborating with partners like post-secondary institutions, industry associations, municipalities and businesses to strengthen this important industry’s competitiveness.

    Today, George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, on behalf of the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan, highlighted five projects receiving more than $4.3 million in PrairiesCan funding that are contributing to Alberta’s leadership in aerospace and aviation innovation. The projects include:

    • Over $186,000 for the Alberta Aviation & Aerospace Council to develop and deliver the Alberta Aerospace and Defence Conference in 2025 in Calgary and 2026 in Edmonton. This newly established in-person event will help connect Alberta’s small- and medium-sized firms with procurement and investment opportunities with global defence contractors.
    • Over $100,000 for Elevate Aviation to develop and launch a mentorship initiative that provides access to personalized mentorship connections, networking opportunities and professional development courses—ultimately leading to job placement opportunities for underrepresented groups while addressing the demand for skilled workers in in the aerospace and aviation industry.
    • Over $1.4 million for the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) to create an aerospace composite materials laboratory. Innovations that use advanced composite materials have the potential to enhance aircraft performance while reducing the environmental impact of the aviation sector. This new lab includes leading-edge manufacturing and testing equipment, as well as a team of expert researchers and engineers to support cutting-edge research in the aerospace manufacturing sector.
    • Over $50,000 for Sturgeon County to develop a report and ecosystem map on the Alberta’s aerospace and defence sector value chain. This project is better enabling the County and sector partners to identify and connect local small business suppliers to larger companies.
    • $2.6 million for UVAD Technologies Inc. for developing, demonstrating and commercializing an electric fixed-wing uncrewed aerial vehicle.  

    In total, today’s investments are expected to benefit over 330 small- and medium sized businesses and support more than 360 jobs.

    In line with the principles of the Government of Canada’s Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy, these investments are about collaborating on local priorities and building on local strengths to seize opportunities for prosperity in a sustainable net-zero Prairie economy.

    Quotes

    “Municipalities, the private sector and post-secondary institutions are all part of the vital ecosystem for Alberta’s growing aerospace and aviation sector. Our government’s investments in these projects are helping empower cutting-edge research and commercialization, connecting local businesses to new markets, and breaking down barriers for underrepresented people seeking careers in this growing sector.”
    –The Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister for PrairiesCan

    “Alberta has a global reputation for excellence in aerospace and aviation thanks to the ingenuity, innovation and hard work of our small- and medium-sized businesses, innovators and talented workforce. Calgary Skyview is home to some of the best aerospace and aviation companies in Canada and are benefiting greatly from our government’s investments in the growing sector.”
    –George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview

    “Alberta’s aviation and aerospace industries have incredible potential, and the addition of defence to our conference will create critical connections and opportunities for businesses to grow within the global aerospace and defence market. Bringing industry stakeholders together under one roof will accelerate Alberta’s role in these sectors, driving innovation and investment in our province.”
    –Kendra Kincade, Chair, Alberta Aviation & Aerospace Council

    “This investment enables us to expand our mentorship initiatives, opening doors for individuals who bring diverse perspectives, drive innovation, and strengthen the industry. By connecting participants with mentorship, networking, and professional development, we are setting the stage for a stronger, more inclusive future for aviation.”
    –Laura Sinclair, Chief Operating Officer / Chief Financial Officer, Elevate Aviation 

    “This significant investment in SAIT’s aerospace composite materials laboratory within our Applied Research and Innovation Services (ARIS) area positions Alberta at the forefront of sustainable aerospace innovation. Equipped with advanced technology and a skilled research team, this lab will drive new levels of performance and environmental responsibility across the aerospace sector. This project also aligns with SAIT’s plans to expand CIRAMM’s newly established Alberta Aerospace Research Centre (AARC), advancing Alberta’s aerospace capabilities and elevating Canada’s standing in this critical industry.”
    –Dr. Hamid Rajani, Chair of CIRAMM – Centre for Innovation and Research in Advanced Manufacturing and Materials at ARIS

    “Sturgeon County is ideally situated near three army and two Royal Canadian Air Force bases, the epicenter of Alberta’s aerospace and defence sectors. Defining the skills, knowledge and expertise within the aerospace and defence ecosystem will help us attract further investment into our region. We’re thankful for PrairiesCan support, and are already seeing the benefits from this work as we engage in conversations with potential investors.”
    –Alanna Hnatiw, Mayor of Sturgeon County

    “Funding received by UVAD Technologies Inc. through PrairiesCan and the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative is critically important to our efforts in developing and commercializing an industry leading Uncrewed Aircraft Vehicle (UAV) on a global scale.  The Alpine Swift, UVAD’s all-electric UAV, has progressed significantly through the support of this program. Government support has also enabled Southern Alberta to attract world leading experts in the UAV field, and UVAD is strategically positioned to build on this expertise. UVAD has grown exponentially since establishing our facility in Medicine Hat, Alberta.”
    –David Birkett, President and CEO, UVAD Technologies Inc.

    Quick facts

    • Federal funding for these projects is being provided through PrairiesCan, the federal department that supports economic growth in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

    • The total federal investment of $4,350,160 announced today is allocated through three programs administered by PrairiesCan: the Aerospace Regional Recovery Initiative (ARRI), the Community Economic Development and Diversification (CEDD) program, and the Regional Innovation Ecosystems (RIE) program.

      • ARRI is a national program that is providing $250 million over three years to help the Canadian aerospace sector emerge from the pandemic and continue to compete on the global stage and the intake period is now closed.
      • CEDD supports economic development initiatives that contribute to the economic growth and diversification of communities across the Prairie provinces. Through this program, PrairiesCan enables communities to leverage their capacity and strengths to respond to economic development opportunities and adjust to changing and challenging economic circumstances.
      • RIE creates, grows and nurtures inclusive regional ecosystems that support what businesses need to innovate from start to finish and an environment where companies can innovate, grow and compete.

    • The Framework to Build a Green Prairie Economy is a long-term commitment to work differently, through stronger coordination among federal departments on investments for the Prairies and closer collaboration with Prairie partners on their priorities for a prosperous and sustainable Prairie economy.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Carson Debert
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Northern Affairs and Minister responsible for PrairiesCan and CanNor
    Carson.Debert@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

    Rohit Sandhu
    Communications Manager
    Prairies Economic Development Canada
    rohit.sandhu@prairiescan.gc.ca

    Stay connected

    Follow PrairiesCan on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn

    Toll-Free Number: 1-888-338-9378
    TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired):     1-877-303-3388

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Oil and gas greenhouse gas pollution cap – Backgrounder to CGI Regulations

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Backgrounder

    November 4, 2024

    Context

    The proposed oil and gas greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution cap will incentivize the sector to invest in technically achievable decarbonization to attain significant emission reductions by 2030-2032. The policy will put the sector on a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2050, while enabling it to continue to respond to global demand.

    Oil and gas companies in Canada have proven repeatedly that they can innovate and develop new technologies to produce more competitive oil and gas with less pollution.

    While it continues to be a major supplier to global markets, Canada’s oil and gas sector has the opportunity to reinvest in its own competitiveness ahead of the anticipated future decline in global demand for oil and gas in a low-carbon future. Reinvesting in cleaner oil and gas production ensures that the sector contributes its fair share to GHG reductions in Canada and positions Canada for a stronger future for its workers and economy.

    The oil and gas sector is experiencing record profits within Canada. Coming out of the pandemic, operating profits in the oil and gas sector increased tenfold from $6.6 billion in 2019 to $66.6 billion in 2022. Despite that, there has been limited and declining overall investment in the sector in Canada over the last several years.

    The proposed Regulations would establish a cap-and-trade system that is designed to recognize producers with better emission performance and motivate higher-polluting facilities to reinvest record profits into more pollution-reducing projects.

    The oil and gas sector is a major contributor to Canada’s economy. In 2023, the sector generated $209 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) (PDF) and accounted for 25% of Canada’s exports (valued at $177 billion). It is also a major employer across the country, directly employing 181,800 people in 2023.

    The oil and gas sector is also Canada’s largest source of GHG pollution, responsible for 31% of Canada’s GHG emissions in 2022. Decreasing emissions in the oil and gas sector by introducing a cap on GHG pollution is necessary to ensure that the sector contributes its fair share to Canada’s ongoing efforts to tackle climate change and reach our GHG emission reduction targets and international commitments under the Paris Agreement.

    Strengthening emission performance and carbon management technologies in Canada’s oil and gas sector

    Canada’s oil and gas sector has the potential to be a supplier of choice as the demand for oil and gas for combustion declines in a low-carbon future. This would enable the sector to continue to be a major employer and source of economic activity across Canada, particularly in oil- and gas-producing regions.

    The proposed Regulations put a limit on pollution, not production. The proposed Regulations are carefully designed around what is technically achievable within the sector, while enabling continued production growth in response to global demand. In fact, modelling shows that Canadian oil and gas production is projected to increase 16% between 2019 and the 2030-2032 period with the proposed Regulations in place.

    Major emissions-reduction opportunities are available, and oil and gas producers are already investing in them. Methane is a particularly potent greenhouse gas, and most methane emissions represent a wasted resource because they are from leaks and other unintended sources. Preventing methane emissions is one of the lowest-cost ways to reduce GHG emissions, and the sector’s efforts have resulted in a steady decline in these emissions. New regulations to be finalized later this fall will ensure that the sector continues to cut methane emissions by at least 75% from 2012 levels by 2030. 

    Carbon capture is also going to play an increasingly important role in reducing emissions from oil and gas production, and Canada is well placed to cement its position as a global leader in this critical technology. According to both the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA), there is no credible path to carbon neutrality without carbon management technologies, such as carbon capture and storage, and their deployment must be rapid and immense, scaling up by nearly 200 times by 2050.

    The shift toward a low-carbon economy has created a rush of capital toward carbon management technologies worldwide. In the United States, there are many new carbon capture projects being deployed, with 150 currently under review at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    Canada has already established itself as a first mover and leader in the global carbon management sector, with some of the world’s first large-scale projects; favourable geology; cutting-edge innovators and start-ups; early investments in research, development, and demonstration; deep technical expertise; a robust policy and regulatory environment at the federal and provincial levels; and active international collaboration. The Government of Canada has launched a suite of policies with a mix of financial supports and regulatory measures to better position Canada’s economy for success.

    Approximately one-sixth of the world’s active large-scale carbon management projects, which use a range of approaches to capture carbon dioxide from point sources or directly from the atmosphere to be reused or durably stored, can be found in Canada, with a growing number in the construction, design and development phase across multiple sectors and regions.

    The continued development and deployment of carbon management technologies to help achieve Canada’s climate objectives will form the basis of a world-leading, multi-billion-dollar carbon management sector in Canada that supports inclusive, high-value employment, significant export opportunities and a more sustainable economy.

    Point-source carbon capture is a leading option for deep emissions reductions from the upstream oil and gas sector. Given the long lifespan of many existing heavy industrial facilities and the value of these industries to the Canadian economy, public-private collaboration is critical to advance strategic, economical, and regionally appropriate decarbonization pathways.

    The GHG oil and gas pollution cap adds to a suite of policy measures, which are designed to shift the oil and gas industry increasingly toward cleaner production through the use of carbon management systems and other technologies, including to reduce methane emissions and to switch to cleaner fuels. Those include other successful regulatory measures, such as federal, provincial, and territorial carbon pricing systems for industry, including Alberta’s TIER system, the federal Output-Based Pricing System, federal and provincial methane regulations, and the Clean Fuel Regulations.

    They also include a wide range of financial supports to support deployment and help develop the innovation ecosystem for carbon reduction technologies in Canada, including:

    • $319 million over 7 years for RD&D to advance the commercial viability of emerging carbon management technologies.
    • Refundable CCUS Investment Tax Credit (ITC), expected to provide $12.5 billion between 2022-2023 and 2034-2035, for eligible projects that enable permanent CO2 storage.
    • The Canada Growth Fund, totalling $15 billion, offers investment tools such as contracts for differences designed to address risk and accelerate private sector investment to grow Canada’s clean economy, including in the carbon management sector.
    • Strategic Innovation Fund, with $8 billion in funding to help companies reduce emissions and grow their business sustainably.
    • The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) invests in CCUS infrastructure projects, including through its Project Acceleration funding for front-end engineering and design (FEED) capital expenditures.

    Increasingly, large-scale carbon capture projects are being built in both the oil and gas sector and other sectors. Recent projects include:

    • Strathcona Resources, an oilsands company with assets in Saskatchewan and Alberta and Canada’s fifth-largest oil producer, is launching a $2 billion project to store up to two million tonnes of CO2 per year, while creating hundreds of new jobs. The project has received support from the Canada Growth Fund.
    • Entropy, an Alberta-based company, is working on a project that will enable emissions reductions of approximately 2.8 million tonnes over 15 years and support more than 1,200 good jobs for Albertans.
    • Shell announced two new projects in Alberta: the Polaris Carbon Capture project and the Atlas Carbon Storage Hub. These projects aim to reduce industrial emissions by transitioning to cleaner technology. The Polaris project will capture approximately 650,000 tonnes of carbon a year while the Atlas project will store the captured carbon from Polaris and potentially other industrial facilities in the future. Once complete in 2028, these projects are expected to generate up to 2,000 jobs for Albertans.
    • The North West Redwater (NWR) Sturgeon Refinery, also operating in the Alberta Industrial Heartland, is the world’s first bitumen refinery built with carbon capture. 
    • The Alberta Carbon Trunk Line (ACTL), which transports captured carbon from facilities for storage in oil fields, will be used by new carbon capture projects throughout the province to transport captured CO2 to final storage sites.  
    • Linde announced an investment of more than $2 billion to build a clean hydrogen facility that will supply Dow’s Path2Zero production complex in Alberta. The facility will capture more than 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year for sequestration.

    Extensive consultation to date on the oil and gas GHG pollution cap

    The Government of Canada has engaged a broad range of partners and stakeholders on the oil and gas GHG pollution cap, including provinces and territories, Indigenous partners, industry, environmental groups, and Canadians. The government has held webinars, convened meetings, and published discussion papers to seek input and feedback. Since November 2021, the government has received over 250 written submissions from organizations, held over 100 meetings, and hosted seven public webinars.  

    The government published a Regulatory Framework to Cap Oil and Gas Sector GHG Emissions in December 2023. This Framework confirmed the government’s intent to implement the oil and gas GHG pollution cap through a new cap-and-trade system, and proposed various regulatory design features, including which subsectors would be covered by the oil and gas GHG pollution cap, the level of the GHG pollution cap, and rules about flexible compliance options.

    The proposed Regulations are carefully designed based on what is technically achievable in the sector, setting a limit on pollution, not production. Technically achievable emissions reductions were estimated based on an assessment of the abatement technologies that could feasibly be deployed within the upstream and LNG activities in the oil and gas sector by 2030-2032, considering the status of available technologies, projected levels of production, the availability of equipment and labour, and timelines for permitting and approvals.

    Estimates of technically achievable reductions included reductions related to compliance with the strengthened methane regulations, installation of carbon capture and storage technology, and electrification. The risk that not all technically achievable reductions would be implemented in time for the first compliance period was also taken into consideration.

    The government has now published proposed Regulations (PDF) to implement the oil and gas GHG pollution cap, and invites input from November 9, 2024, to January 8, 2025. The government will continue to engage with partners and stakeholders in the development of final regulations.

    Key components of the proposed national cap-and-trade system for oil and gas greenhouse gas pollution

    The proposed Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap Regulations (proposed Regulations) would establish a national cap-and-trade system that would apply to upstream oil and gas activities including onshore and offshore oil and gas production; oil sands production and upgrading; natural gas production and processing; and the production of LNG.

    The proposed Regulations have been developed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). Since 1988, CEPA has been used to address a wide range of environmental issues, including air pollution, chemicals, plastics and GHG emissions.

    • The cap-and-trade system will freely allocate emissions allowances to facilities covered by the system. At the end of each year, each facility will need to remit to the government one allowance for each tonne of carbon pollution it has emitted. Over time, the government will give out fewer allowances, corresponding to the declining emissions cap.
    • Operators will face an ongoing incentive to reduce their emissions. If an operator does not have enough allowances to cover their emissions, they will be able to buy allowances from other operators that have invested in pollution reduction. Operators can also contribute to a decarbonization program or use GHG offset credits to cover a small portion of their emissions (up to 10% for the decarbonization program and up to 20% for offsets, for a maximum of 20% for both options). The decarbonization program would fund projects that support the reduction of emissions from the sector. The total of all allowances and the overall 20% limit on compliance flexibility creates a legal upper bound on emissions from the sector.
    • The oil and gas GHG pollution cap will limit emissions, not production, and will encourage industry to reinvest into projects that lower pollution while providing flexibility to respond to changes in the global market.  
    • To make sure the oil and gas GHG pollution cap accounts for current activity levels, the proposed Regulations would use data reported by operators for 2026 to set the first oil and gas GHG pollution cap level. The oil and gas GHG pollution cap for the first compliance period, 2030-2032, would be set at 27% below emissions reported for 2026, which is estimated to be equivalent to 35% below 2019 emissions.
    • Using 2026 for reported data means the oil and gas GHG pollution cap would be based on real-world conditions. The final oil and gas GHG pollution cap level would be published before the end of 2027.
    • The proposed Regulations allocate allowances to covered operators using specified distribution rates—defined in allowances per unit of production—for each type of covered activity. Allowances will be distributed before the start of each year (starting in 2029 for 2030, the first compliance year). To ensure that allowances are distributed to the level of the emissions cap for each year, the allowances distributed would be pro-rated across all facilities receiving them.

    The system would be phased in for the first four years (2026-2029). During that period, operators would be required to register and report their emissions and production. Large emitters will start reporting in 2027 for their 2026 emissions and production levels. Reporting for small operators would start in 2029 for their 2028 levels. Operators would need to submit verified annual reports to Environment and Climate Change Canada for their facilities for every calendar year. Reports would be due on June 1 of the following year. The reports would be used to identify which operators will be subject to the pollution cap and have remittance obligations.

    Annual reports would include the GHG emissions attributed to the facility and the production amount by industrial activity. The Quantification Methods for the Oil and Gas Sector Greenhouse Gas Emissions Cap Regulations (the Quantification Methods) would define methods to calculate each source of emissions and would provide certain default values. In addition to the draft regulations, the government is seeking feedback on the Quantification Methods.

    All operators would be required to register and report, but only large operators (producing above an annual threshold of 365,000 barrels of oil equivalent) would have to remit allowances to cover their emissions. Large operators account for approximately 99% of the upstream sector’s emissions. The government would distribute emissions allowances to covered operators annually, before the start of each compliance year. Allowances would be pro-rated across all covered operators’ facilities based on historical production volumes. Allowances would not be able to be used for compliance under other carbon pricing systems, such as the federal Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS). There would be no limits to the number of allowances operators covered under the oil and gas GHG pollution cap could hold, and allowances could be traded among operators.

    Emissions allowances and offsets could be banked for use in a limited number of future years. Decarbonization units would not be tradable or bankable.

    Economic impacts of the proposed Regulations

    Environment and Climate Change Canada undertook an economic cost-benefit analysis of the proposed Regulations. Costs and benefits have been evaluated relative to a baseline that assumes production in the oil and gas sector grows, existing federal and provincial GHG measures remain in place, and the sector achieves the 75% reduction in methane emissions relative to 2012 levels, as a result of the forthcoming oil and gas methane regulations.

    The proposed pollution cap Regulations are estimated to result in net cumulative GHG emission reductions of 13.4 Mt above the baseline of reductions between 2025 and 2030-2032 that will be achieved by existing measures. That incremental reduction is valued at almost $4 billion in avoided global climate change damages. When compared to the costs, modelling showed that the proposed Regulations are estimated to have net benefits of $428 million for Canada.

    Importantly, this multi-million-dollar benefit does not account for a wide range of additional benefits likely to be associated with the proposed Regulations, including:

    • the additional economic activity and jobs associated with post-2032 investments in carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and other major decarbonization activities;
    • the stimulation of innovation and new low-carbon industries, such as clean hydrogen;
    • the economic and health benefits of reducing air pollution, which will improve the quality of life for many people and reduce the strain on our healthcare systems; and
    • the longer-term competitiveness benefits of a decarbonized Canadian oil and gas sector in a world that continues to take action to fight climate change and adhere to existing international and domestic climate commitments.

    The oil and gas sector directly and indirectly supports a significant workforce, especially in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Modelling for the 2019 to 2030-2032 period shows that labour expenditure in the sectors covered by the proposed Regulations is expected to grow by 53%, which is only slightly below the 55 % growth in the baseline scenario.

    Additionally, jobs in clean energy will continue to grow. A 2023 Clean Energy Canada report found that Canada will see 700,000 more energy jobs in a carbon-neutral 2050 scenario than we have today. 419,000 of these jobs will be in Alberta, representing three jobs for every individual worker employed in Alberta’s upstream energy sector as of 2022.

    Oil and gas prices correspond to global market demand, and they do not typically reflect the cost of production. As such, the risk of compliance costs passed through from the oil and gas sector to Canadians is very low, and the proposed Regulations are not expected to affect the cost of everyday items such as fuel or groceries.

    Provincial leadership

    British Columbia previously announced it will put in place an oil and gas emissions cap to serve as a backstop to the federal policy. The goal will be to meet BC’s greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and avoid regulatory duplication and administrative burden for the oil and gas sector.

    Alberta, in its Emissions Reduction and Energy Development Plan (2023), communicated its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and signalled it would explore options to achieve a 75-80% reduction in methane emissions from conventional oil and gas by 2030. Alberta has had a price on carbon emissions since 2007, making it the first jurisdiction in North America to price carbon. The province’s industrial carbon pricing system, implemented as set out in the Technology Innovation and Emissions Reduction (TIER) Regulation, recycles its proceeds to invest in emissions reduction projects including in the oil and gas sector, such as methane emissions abatement.

    Saskatchewan is a leader in carbon capture and sequestration technology, with several projects aimed at capturing CO2 emissions from oil and gas production. In 2014, the Boundary Dam project became the first power station in the world to successfully use carbon capture and storage technology. The province is also addressing methane emissions, including improving leak detection and repair practices and implementing best practices for gas flaring and venting.

    Newfoundland and Labrador’s offshore oil sector is already one of the lowest-emitting in the country. The newest planned production project—Bay du Nord—was approved with the historic requirement for the project to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. Like all other oil- and gas-producing provinces, NL implements a price on industrial carbon emissions via its provincial output-based pricing system.

    Note on third party reports

    The Government of Canada is aware of third-party reports conducted by Conference Board of Canada, Deloitte and S&P.

    These reports are based on a broad range of assumptions including elements of the previously published Regulatory Framework or, in some cases, other assumptions made by the authors. A common assumption found in the reports was that the oil and gas sector would take limited to no additional action to reduce emissions without the regulations.

    These reports do not reflect an accurate analysis of the current draft regulations. The Government of Canada welcomes continued sharing of analysis to help refine the proposed Regulations.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Will Open Tuesday in Macon County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>RALEIGH, N.C. –  A Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will open Tuesday, Nov. 5, in Franklin (Macon County) to assist North Carolina survivors who experienced loss from Tropical Storm Helene.  
    The Macon County DRC is located at:
    Macon County Public Health Center
    1830 Lakeside Drive
    Franklin, NC 28734
    Open: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily
    A DRC is a one-stop shop where survivors can meet face-to-face with FEMA representatives, apply for FEMA assistance, receive referrals to local assistance in their area, apply with the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans and much more.  
    FEMA financial assistance may include money for basic home repairs, personal property losses or other uninsured, disaster-related needs such as childcare, transportation, medical needs, funeral or dental expenses. 
    To find additional DRC locations, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a ZIP code to 43362. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology.   
    Homeowners and renters in 39 North Carolina counties and tribal members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can visit any open center, including locations in other states. No appointment is needed.  
    It is not necessary to go to a center to apply for FEMA assistance. The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or via the FEMA App. You may also call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA, Bhutan Conclude Five Years of Teamwork on STEM, Sustainability

    Source: NASA

    NASA and the Kingdom of Bhutan have been actively learning from each other and growing together since 2019. The seeds planted over those years have ripened into improved environmental conservation, community-based natural resource management, and new remote sensing tools.
    Known for its governing philosophy of “gross national happiness,” [Bhutan] has a constitutional mandate to maintain at least 60% forest cover. The government’s goals include achieving nationwide food security by 2030. 
    Bhutan first approached the U.S. State Department to partner on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) opportunities for the country, and NASA was invited to help lead these opportunities. In 2019, Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California, and was introduced to several NASA programs.
    NASA’s Earth scientists and research staff from several complementary programs have helped support Bhutan’s goals by providing data resources and training to make satellite data more useful to communities and decision makers. Bhutan now uses NASA satellite data in its national land management decisions and plans to foster more geospatial jobs to help address environmental issues.
    Supporting Bhutan’s Environmental Decision Makers
    Bhutan’s National Land Commission offers tax breaks to farmers to support food security and economic resilience. However, finding and reaching eligible farmers on the ground can be expensive and time consuming, which means small farmers in remote areas can be missed. 
    A team from SERVIR – a joint NASA-U.S. Agency for International Development initiative – worked with Bhutanese experts to create decision-making tools like the Farm Action Toolkit  (FAcT). The tool uses imagery from the NASA-U.S. Geological Survey Landsat satellites to identify and measure the country’s farmland. SERVIR researchers met with agricultural organizations – including Bhutan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, National Statistics Bureau, and National Center for Organic Agriculture – to adjust the tool for the country’s unique geography and farming practices. The Land Commission now uses FAcT to identify small farms and bring support to more of the country. 
    NASA also develops local capacity to use Earth data through efforts like the Applied Remote Sensing Training Program (ARSET). In early 2024, ARSET staff worked with SERVIR and Druk Holdings and Investments (DHI) to host a workshop with 46 Bhutanese government personnel. Using tailored local case studies, the teams worked to find ways to better manage natural resources, assist land use planning, and monitor disasters. 
    “We look forward to continuing this collaboration, as there are still many areas where NASA’s expertise can significantly impact Bhutan’s development goals,” said Manish Rai, an analyst with DHI who helped coordinate the workshop. “This collaboration is a two-way street. While Bhutan has benefited greatly from NASA’s support, we believe there are also unique insights and experiences that Bhutan can share with NASA, particularly in areas like environmental conservation and community-based natural resource management.” 

    Encouraging Bhutan’s Future Environmental Leaders
    By working with students and educators from primary schools to the university level, Bhutan and NASA have been investing in the country’s future environmental leadership. Supporting educators and “training trainers” have been pillars of this collaboration.
    NASA and Bhutan have worked together to boost the skills of early-career Earth scientists. For example, NASA’s DEVELOP program for undergraduates worked directly with local institutions to create several applied science internships for Bhutanese students studying in the U.S. 
    Tenzin Wangmo, a high school biology teacher in Bhutan, participated in DEVELOP projects focusing on agriculture and water resources. According to Wangmo, the lessons learned from those projects have been helpful in connecting with her students about STEM opportunities and environmental issues. “Most people only think of NASA as going to space, rather than Earth science,” she said. “It was encouraging to my students that there are lots of opportunities for you if you try.”
    NASA is also supporting Bhutan’s future environmental leadership through the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Program. The GLOBE program is a U.S. interagency outreach program that works with teachers to support STEM literacy through hands-on environmental learning. Since 2020, GLOBE has worked through the U.S. State Department and organizations like the Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Forest Research and Training to support educators at two dozen schools in Bhutan. The program reached more than 650 students with activities like estimating their school’s carbon footprint. 
    This focus on STEM education enables students and professionals to contribute to Bhutan’s specific development goals now and in the future. 
    Sonam Tshering, a student who completed two DEVELOP projects on Bhutanese agriculture while studying at the University of Texas at El Paso, was able to share the value of these efforts at the 2023 United Nations Climate Conference. “By applying satellite data from NASA, we aimed to create actionable insights for our local farmers and our policymakers back in Bhutan,” she said. 
    By Jacob Ramthun and Lena Pranksy, SERVIR Communications Team, and Jonathan O’Brien, ARSET Communications Team
    News Media Contact
    Lane FigueroaMarshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.256.544.0034lane.e.figueroa@nasa.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $20 Million for Home Resiliency Repairs and Upgrades

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced up to $20 million is available for eligible homeowners in flood prone areas to make proactive flood mitigation and energy-efficiency improvements to their homes as part of a new round of funding for the Resilient Retrofits Program. This latest round of funding builds upon the program’s initial $10 million allocation as part of a pilot phase in 2023.

    “We are committed to building resilient communities and ensuring more New Yorkers are protected from extreme weather before it occurs,” Governor Hochul said. “By expanding our successful Resilient Retrofits program, eligible homeowners have access to additional resources that can help keep their families and their homes out of harm’s way.”

    Eligible homeowners earning up to 120 percent of their Area Median Income can apply for up to $50,000, half of which is available as a grant and half as a three percent low-interest loan. Program funds can be used to cover the cost of proactive improvements such as: installing flood vents, a sump pump, or backwater valve/backflow preventer; moving utilities above the flood line; adding insulation; electrifying heating systems; or installing energy efficient appliances or lighting.

    Resilient Retrofits is managed by New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s Office of Resilient Homes and Communities, a permanent office which assumed the portfolio of the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery in 2022.

    The program has three local program administrators – Home HeadQuarters based in Syracuse, the Center for New York City Neighborhoods based in New York City, and Community Development Corporation of Long Island based in Suffolk County. All program administrators are now accepting applications. Contact information, along with program information, is available on HCR’s website.

    Since Resilient Retrofits launched as a pilot in 2023, more than 200 homeowners have been approved and 60 homes have completed their resiliency upgrades. Applications have been received from homeowners in cities across the State including Syracuse, Buffalo and New York City. The program also served nearly 20 homeowners in the Shinnecock Tribal Nations in the town of Southampton.

    The program complements New York’s efforts to address climate change by achieving economy-wide carbon-neutrality by 2050 and is an example of HCR’s investments in sustainability and resilience including long-term recovery efforts for Hurricane Ida, investing clean energy projects in affordable housing and assisting residents with weatherization of their homes among other initiatives.

    New York State Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “The unpredictability and ferocity of storms caused by climate change requires us to take proactive steps to protect our communities in the face of future serious weather. By expanding this innovative program, we can help hundreds of additional homeowners so they can make the types of improvements that protect their homes for the long-term. We thank Governor Hochul for her holistic approach to preserving the State’s housing stock, strengthening resiliency, mitigating flooding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our communities.”

    State Senator Brian Kavanagh said, “I’ve been happy to work closely with Governor Hochul, Commissioner Visnauskas and my colleagues in the Legislature to fund the Resilient Retrofits Program. We need to continue to expand this and other initiatives to ensure that all New Yorkers have access to affordable, safe and sustainable housing, and to take decisive action to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. Building upon our ongoing energy transition and resiliency work, such as the All-Electric Building Act and the Climate Friendly Homes Fund, this infusion of funds will enable New Yorkers to make critical improvements to reduce flood risk and make their homes more resilient and energy-efficient. I thank Governor Hochul, Commissioner Visnauskas and everyone at HCR involved in implementing this program, my colleagues in the Legislature, the community organizations administering the grants and the participating property owners, for their ongoing commitment to making New York a leader in sustainability. I look forward to working to increase funding for this program in the years to come.”

    Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. said, “Queens knows all too well the devastating impacts that climate change can deal to our communities. From Superstorm Sandy to Hurricane Ida and beyond, Queens residents have had their properties and lives forever altered by flood waters, even in inland neighborhoods. The resilient retrofit program has been a game-changer for residents who want to protect their homes from these dangers. I applaud Governor Hochul for this critical expansion of funding, representing a direct investment in the long-term health of our communities.”

    Home HeadQuarters Founder and CEO Kerry Quaglia said, “Home HeadQuarters is honored to be a part of the New York State Resilient Retrofits Program, a program that delivers vital funding to help homeowners fortify their homes against future flood, rain and climate damage. We know that flooding can happen anytime and anywhere, severely impacting what is often a family’s greatest investment — their home. We are grateful that New York State is responding to our changing climate and helping us support our community’s homeowners.”

    Community Development Long Island President & CEO Gwen O’Shea said, “Long Island ranks among the most vulnerable regions in the country for exposure to the physical and economic risks of climate change; specifically rising sea levels and flooding. CDLI is proud to partner with Governor Hochul and HCR to provide financial support through the Resiliency Retrofit program. These critical funds will allow homeowners to undertake the vital mitigation and sustainability improvements to protect their most precious asset, their home.”

    Center for NYC Neighborhoods CEO and Executive Director Christie Peale said, “We are honored to partner with Governor Hochul and the HCR in advancing the Resilient Retrofits program. This critical funding will empower New York City’s low- and moderate-income homeowners to protect their homes against the impacts of climate change and improve energy efficiency, while supporting community resilience. The Center for NYC Neighborhoods is committed to ensuring that every eligible homeowner has access to these vital resources, strengthening neighborhoods across the City and fostering long-term stability in the face of increasing environmental challenges.”

    New York State’s Nation-Leading Climate Plan
    New York State’s climate agenda calls for an orderly and just transition that creates family-sustaining jobs, continues to foster a green economy across all sectors, and ensures that a minimum of 35 percent, with a goal of 40 percent, of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities. Guided by some of the nation’s most aggressive climate and clean energy initiatives, New York is advancing a suite of efforts — including the New York Cap-and-Invest program (NYCI) and other complementary policies — to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050 from 1990 levels.

    New York is also on a path toward a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030 and economy-wide carbon neutrality by mid-century. A cornerstone of this transition is New York’s unprecedented clean energy investments, including more than $28 billion in 61 large-scale renewable and transmission projects across the State, $6.8 billion to reduce building emissions, $3.3 billion to scale up solar, nearly $3 billion for clean transportation initiatives and over $2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments.

    These and other investments are supporting more than 170,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector as of 2022 and an over 3,000 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality, New York also adopted zero-emission vehicle regulations, including the requirement for all new passenger cars and light-duty trucks sold in the State to be zero emission by 2035. Partnerships are continuing to advance New York’s climate action with more than 420 registered and more than 150 certified Climate Smart Communities, over 500 Clean Energy Communities and the State’s largest community air monitoring initiative in 10 disadvantaged communities across the State to help target air pollution and combat climate change.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Supplemental Disaster Benefits Issued to People Receiving Food and Nutrition Benefits in 23 Counties Impacted by Hurricane Helene

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Supplemental Disaster Benefits Issued to People Receiving Food and Nutrition Benefits in 23 Counties Impacted by Hurricane Helene

    Supplemental Disaster Benefits Issued to People Receiving Food and Nutrition Benefits in 23 Counties Impacted by Hurricane Helene
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    In response to Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is providing one-time disaster supplement benefits to help households already receiving Food and Nutrition Services in 23 counties. This supplemental payment was automatically loaded onto participants’ Electronic Benefit Transfer cards Sunday and are now available for use. There is no action FNS participants need to take to receive the benefit.  The total benefit is more than $16 million that was issued to 68,000 households and 135,000 FNS participants in western North Carolina. The benefit will bring FNS recipients up to the maximum benefit level they can receive for their monthly benefit for one month.

    “We are pulling every lever we can to provide support for people and families impacted by Hurricane Helene,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “Our commitment to helping communities rebuild and recover from Hurricane Helene includes ensuring no one goes hungry during this challenging time.”

    NCDHHS received federal authority to issue this one-month disaster benefit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure households receive the same level of support as those newly eligible for Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) benefits due to the hurricane. If ongoing SNAP households are not already at the maximum benefit level for their household size, these supplements will bring their benefits up to that maximum amount.

    For an individual, the benefit brings them up to a total of $292; for a family of four, the benefit received brings the family up to $975; and for a family of seven, the benefit ensures the family receives $1,536. The benefit total is based on what the household received in September. Individuals and households already receiving the maximum monthly benefit are not eligible for the disaster benefit supplement.

    Individuals and households receiving FNS benefits in the following 23 counties approved by the USDA will receive the one-time benefit: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey counties.

    For more information about disaster supplements and eligibility, please visit www.ncdhhs.gov/fns or contact your local DSS office. For information regarding Hurricane Helene and additional resources and flexibilities in place go to www.ncdhhs.gov/helene or www.ncdps.gov/helene. 

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    In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), religious creed, disability, age, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

    Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the agency (state or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

    To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to:

    1. Mail: 
      Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
      1320 Braddock Place, Room 334
      Alexandria, VA 22314; or
    2. Fax:
      (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
    3. Email:
      FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov

    This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

    En respuesta al huracán Helene, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte está proporcionando beneficios suplementarios para desastres para ayudar a los hogares que ya reciben Servicios de Alimentos y Nutrición en 23 condados. Este pago suplementario se cargó automáticamente en las tarjetas de transferencia electrónica de beneficios de los participantes el domingo y ahora está disponible para su uso. No hay ninguna acción que los participantes de Servicios de Alimentos y Nutrición (FNS, por sus siglas en inglés) deban tomar para recibir el beneficio.  El beneficio total es de más de $ 16 millones que se emitió a 68,000 hogares y 135,000 participantes de FNS en el oeste de Carolina del Norte. El beneficio llevará a los beneficiarios de FNS hasta el nivel máximo de beneficio que pueden recibir por su beneficio mensual durante un mes.

    “Estamos haciendo todo lo posible para brindar apoyo a las personas y familias afectadas por el huracán Helene”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Kody H. Kinsley. “Nuestro compromiso de ayudar a las comunidades a reconstruirse y recuperarse del huracán Helene incluye garantizar que nadie pase hambre durante este momento difícil”.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés) recibió la autoridad federal para emitir este beneficio de un mes para desastres por parte del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos, para garantizar que los hogares reciban el mismo nivel de apoyo que los recién elegibles para los beneficios del Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria para Desastres (D-SNAP, por sus siglas en inglés) debido al huracán. Si los hogares que ya reciben SNAP aún no están en el nivel máximo de beneficios para el tamaño de su hogar, estos suplementos llevarán sus beneficios hasta esa cantidad máxima.

    Para un individuo, el beneficio lo lleva a un total de $ 292 dólares; para una familia de cuatro, el beneficio recibido lleva a la familia hasta $ 975 dólares; y para una familia de siete, el beneficio asegura que la familia reciba $ 1,536 dólares. El total de beneficios se basa en lo que el hogar recibió en septiembre. Las personas y los hogares que ya reciben el beneficio mensual máximo no son elegibles para el suplemento de beneficios por desastre.

    Las personas y los hogares que reciben beneficios del FNS en los siguientes 23 condados aprobados por el la Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés) recibirán el beneficio único: los condados de Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes y Yancey.

    Para obtener más información sobre los suplementos para desastres y los requisitos, visite www.ncdhhs.gov/fns o comuníquese con su oficina local de DSS. Para obtener información sobre el huracán Helene y los recursos y flexibilidades adicionales disponibles, visite www.ncdhhs.gov/helene o www.ncdps.gov/helene.

    ###

    De acuerdo con la ley federal de derechos civiles y las regulaciones y políticas de derechos civiles del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA, por sus siglas en inglés), esta institución tiene prohibido discriminar por motivos de raza, color, origen nacional, sexo (incluyendo la identidad de género y la orientación sexual), credo religioso, discapacidad, edad, creencias políticas o represalias o repercusiones por actividades anteriores en defensa de los derechos civiles.

    La información del programa puede estar disponible en otros idiomas además del inglés. Las personas con discapacidades que necesiten medios alternativos de comunicación para obtener información sobre el programa (braille, letra grande, cinta de audio, lenguaje de señas estadounidense, etc.) deben contactar a la agencia estatal o local en la que solicitaron los beneficios. Las personas sordas o con problemas de audición o discapacidades del habla pueden comunicarse con el USDA a través del Servicio de Retransmisión/Relé Federal al (800) 877-8339.

    Para presentar una queja por discriminación, el demandante debe completar un Formulario AD-3027, Formulario de queja de discriminación de programa del USDA, que se puede obtener en línea en: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, desde cualquier oficina del USDA, llamando al (866) 632-9992 o escribiendo una carta dirigida al USDA. La carta debe contener el nombre, dirección y número de teléfono del demandante, así como una descripción escrita de la supuesta acción discriminatoria con el suficiente detalle para informar al subsecretario de Derechos Civiles (ASCR, por sus siglas en inglés) sobre la naturaleza y la fecha de una supuesta violación de los derechos civiles. El formulario AD-3027 completo o la carta debe enviarse a:

    1. Correo: 
      Food and Nutrition Service, USDA
      1320 Braddock Place, Sala 334
      Alexandria, VA 22314
    2. Fax: 0-0
      (833) 256-1665 o (202) 690-7442
    3. Correo electrónico:
      FNSCIVILRIGHTSCOMPLAINTS@usda.gov

    Esta institución ofrece igualdad de oportunidades. 

    Nov 4, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Aproveche al máximo las diferentes formas para administrar sus beneficios médicos, de alimentos, dinero en efectivo y cuidado de niños

    Source: US State of Oregon

    a fecha de inscripción abierta para seguro médico empieza el 1 de noviembre del 2024. El Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Oregon (ODHS por sus siglas en inglés) anticipa que habrá un aumento en llamadas al Centro de Servicio al Cliente de ONE (800-699-9075), lo cual podría causar tiempos de espera más largos. Sabemos que esto puede ser frustrante, pero queremos que sepa que existen varias formas para recibir ayuda con sus beneficios más rápido. Aquí hay algunos consejos que puede usar durante la temporada de inscripción abierta y durante todo el año:

    1. Descargue la aplicación móvil Oregon ONE

    Con la aplicación móvil Oregon ONE, puede administrar sus beneficios en cualquier lugar, y puede revisar mensajes, el estado de su solicitud y más. Y lo mejor de todo, ¡es gratis! Encuentre los enlaces para descargarla en beneficios.oregon.gov y administre sus beneficios desde su teléfono.

    2. Verifique el estado de su solicitud en línea o en la aplicación móvil

    Si necesita saber el estado de su solicitud para beneficios médicos, de alimentos, dinero en efectivo o cuidado de niños, no necesita esperar en la línea telefónica. Simplemente inicie sesión en su cuenta en línea ONE en beneficios.oregon.gov o use la aplicación móvil Oregon ONE. Recuerde que cada hogar solo necesita una solicitud, ¡así que debe revisar el estado de la solicitud de su hogar completo en vez de enviar otra!

    3. ¿Está teniendo problemas con la tecnología?

    Tenemos una línea dedicada a dar soporte técnico – así que no necesita esperar en la línea del Centro de Servicio al Cliente de ONE. Llame al 833-978-1073 para obtener ayuda rápidamente. La línea está disponible de lunes a viernes de 7 a.m. a 6 p.m., hora del Pacífico.

    4. Encuentre una oficina cerca de usted

    ¿Prefiere ayuda en persona? ODHS tiene oficinas locales en todo Oregon y nuestro personal está listo para ayudarle con sus preguntas de beneficios. Puede encontrar la oficina más cercana visitando bit.ly/OficinasODHS.

    5. Junte sus documentos de antemano

    Antes de aplicar, asegúrese de tener listos los documentos que va a necesitar para verificar sus ingresos, gastos y otros detalles del hogar. ¡Esto ayuda que el proceso de solicitud sea más rápido! Algunas situaciones pueden requerir documentos adicionales como identificación, ciudadanía (para ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos) o estatus migratorio (para no ciudadanos de los Estados Unidos). Revise ésta lista para ver más información sobre los documentos que podría necesitar.

    6. Intente llamar por la mañana

    Aunque esperamos que el Centro de Servicio al Cliente de ONE (800-699-9075) esté más ocupado durante el periodo de inscripción abierta, en general los tiempos de espera son más bajos entre las 7 y las 8 a.m., hora del Pacífico.

    7. Manténgase al día con sus mensajes

    Podría recibir mensajes sobre sus beneficios que requieren su atención inmediata. Lea y responda estos mensajes a través de su cuenta en línea ONE o en la aplicación móvil Oregon ONE para mantenerse actualizado. ¿Tiene problemas para ver sus mensajes? Actualice Adobe Reader o Acrobat, o llame a la línea de soporte técnico al 833-978-1073 si necesita más ayuda.

    8. Cómo mostrar prueba de sus beneficios

    ¿Necesita mostrar prueba de sus beneficios? No necesita llamar. Puede acceder a los avisos de elegibilidad en su cuenta en línea ONE o a través del Centro de Mensajes de la aplicación móvil Oregon ONE.

    9. ¿Perdió o le robaron su tarjeta de Oregon Trail (EBT)?

    Si pierde su tarjeta EBT, repórtelo de inmediato. Llame al 855-328-6715 durante el horario de oficina (de lunes a viernes entre 8:30 a.m. y 4:30 p.m., hora del Pacífico) para cancelarla y solicitar una nueva. Fuera del horario de oficina, llame al 888-997-4447 para congelar su cuenta y proteger sus beneficios las 24 horas del día.

    Administrar sus beneficios puede ser estresante. Pero, esperamos que al seguir estos consejos, pueda recibir la ayuda que necesita de manera eficiente, incluso en épocas en las que hay un alto volumen de llamadas. Visite beneficios.oregon.gov para más información y para explorar todas sus opciones.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Winter Park Express Will Offer Expanded Service for 2025 Winter Season; Including the 2024 December Holidays

    Source: US State of Colorado

    WINTER PARK — Today, the Winter Park Express (WPE), operated by Amtrak, announced in cooperation with the State of Colorado and the Colorado Department of Transportation, that it will kick off the 2025 season with expanded service five days a week, launching on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. To offer even more convenience and to meet demand, the Winter Park Express will also offer a special expanded holiday service Dec. 20-22, and Dec. 27-29, 2024. Regular expanded service will run Thursday through Monday, from January 9 through March 31, 2025. Tickets, with a significantly lower price this year, go on sale today, Monday, November 4. 

    “The Winter Park Express is a great opportunity for Coloradans and visitors to explore our mountains without the hassle of driving or traffic. Now with expanded service and lower costs, Coloradans can save time and money on our way to enjoying our great outdoors. I look forward to taking the train into the mountains this season,” said Governor Jared Polis. 

    Winter Park Resort offers its expanded and improved WPE through cooperation and partnership with the State of Colorado and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). Tickets for this year’s Winter Park Express range from $19 – $39 and children 2-12 are eligible for 50% off base fares. These fare prices are 43% lower than previous years’ fares and will be available beginning today. 

    Passenger rail along the Front Range and through the U.S. Highway 40 mountain corridor is an important priority for Coloradans and the Polis-Primavera administration, and the Winter Park Express shows public demand for more mass transit options through the mountains and beyond. The rail line on which the Winter Park Express operates is the first leg of proposed mountain passenger rail that would run from Denver to Craig. 

    Winter Park Express expanded service will run every Thursday through Monday, January through March. The expanded service is also adding a stop at the Fraser platform, five miles west of Winter Park. That means the Winter Park Express will more effectively serve non-ski passengers wanting to travel from Denver to the Fraser Valley whether for business or recreation. Passengers can also load the train in Fraser for the return trip to Denver. The expanded service will also carry two additional passenger cars, raising the number of seats available from approximately 268 to 402 on each trip. A total of 69 roundtrips will operate this season, 29 more than during the 2024 season. 

    “The Winter Park Express ski train has long been a beloved tradition for Colorado and our guests from around the globe. It has demonstrated the desire from both residents and visitors for transportation options other than passenger vehicles. The Winter Park Express gives people another way to get to the slopes that’s more scenic, sustainable, and relaxing than getting in a car and driving,” said Sky Foulkes, president of Winter Park Resort. 

    Bring your skis and snowboards as a carry-on for no additional charge. While onboard, you’ll enjoy a trip in Coach class featuring wide, reclining seats with a big picture window, ample legroom and no middle seat. The train also features a bi-level Sightseer Lounge – the social hub of the train – offering panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains from upstairs and café service with snacks and drinks for sale downstairs. 

    “At CDOT, we know that big ski days often mean tough drives in the mountains, and the Winter Park Express offers a great option to take a relaxing, affordable trip. We are excited to join in this innovative partnership to expand service and lower costs for an iconic Colorado travel experience,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. 

    Tickets between Denver Union Station (station code: DEN) to Winter Park Resort (station code: WPR) and Fraser (station code: WIP) can be purchased at Amtrak.com/WinterParkExpress and the Amtrak app. The train departs Denver at 7 a.m. and arrives at the resort at 9 a.m. The return trip departs Winter Park Resort at 4:30 p.m. and arrives in Denver at 6:40 p.m. All times Mountain. Denver Union Station is served by the Regional Transportation District’s commuter trains from Denver International Airport as well as light rail, local or intercity buses, ride-sharing services, and taxis. 

    Customers in groups of up to eight can purchase Winter Park Express tickets at Amtrak.com/WinterParkExpress and the Amtrak app. Customers in groups of 9-14 can call 800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245) to make a reservation. Groups of 15 or more—including requests for exclusive railcar occupancy—should fill out this form. For more information about group travel, call 800-USA-1GRP (1-800-872-1477) weekdays 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. MT, or email GroupSales@Amtrak.com. 

    Lift tickets and other passes can be purchased directly from the Winter Park Resort website. Winter Park Resort is an Alterra Mountain Company property and its Ikon Pass welcomes skiers and riders to a community of inspiring mountain destinations across the Americas, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Japan 

    About Winter Park Resort 

    Winter Park Resort, Colorado’s quintessential mountain and ski resort, is located less than 70 miles from the city of Denver. Flanked by the dramatic Continental Divide and Rocky Mountains, the resort is defined by its pure natural environment, and its unique Colorado adventure culture. During the winter, Winter Park receives some of the state’s most consistent snowfall across its 3000+ acres of world-class terrain, and has been voted USA Today’s #1 Ski Resort in North America multiple times. During summer, the resort is home to renowned Trestle bike park, and has been named as Colorado’s Top Adventure Town. For more information, visit www.winterparkresort.com. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: In Memoriam: UConn Law Professor Joseph Harbaugh

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Joseph Harbaugh, groundbreaking inaugural director of the first clinic at the UConn School of Law and Connecticut’s former chief public defender, died on October 11, 2024.

    His 50-year career in legal education began in 1968, when he joined the UConn Law faculty after three years as chief public defender. He opened the school’s Legal Clinic the next year and immediately found success and controversy defending Vietnam War protesters in significant First Amendment cases. Harbaugh’s efforts laid the groundwork for a robust clinical program that now comprises eight in-house and seven partnership clinics.

    In 1971, Harbaugh received the Connecticut Law Review Award for his work with the clinic. He told The Legal Realist, a student newspaper, that “the hallmark of the profession’s public responsibility is the representation of unpopular causes. It would be difficult to teach high professional standards in a Legal Profession class and permit the clinic to avoid controversial issues because of their political implications.”

    “Joe planted the seeds for all that followed with respect to our clinical programs,” said Professor Emeritus Lewis Kurlantzick. “He was one of the Founding Fathers and a terrific guy as well.”

    “The UConn Law community is forever indebted to Professor Harbaugh for his pioneering work on our clinical programs,” Dean Eboni S. Nelson said. “He was a courageous leader whose influence has persisted over decades and continues to be felt today.”

    After leaving UConn Law in 1971, Harbaugh taught law at seven universities and became dean of the University of Richmond Law School from 1987 to 1995 and of Nova Southeastern University College of Law from 1995 to 2008. He also served as chief counsel of the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee and as special assistant chief prosecuting attorney for organized crime for the Connecticut Circuit Court. He served in several leadership roles with the Association of American Law Schools and the American Bar Association.

    Harbaugh received his BS from St. Joseph’s University, LLB from the University of Pittsburgh and LLM from Georgetown University, where he was a fellow of the prestigious E. Barrett Prettyman Fellowship Program. He also held an honorary JD degree from Concord Law School.

    He leaves his wife of 42 years, Barbara Britzke; seven children; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. A celebration of life will be announced in the coming weeks. In lieu of flowers, the family requests charitable donations to the Joseph Harbaugh Scholarship at the Shepard Broad College of Law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New England Doctor Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution Conspiracy

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A New England doctor pleaded guilty today to conspiring to illegally distribute controlled substances. This is the first joint prosecution of a doctor by the Justice Department’s New England Strike Force and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont.

    “The defendant, a medical doctor based in New England, prescribed drugs to vulnerable patients in exchange for cash, knowing the patients were diverting the drugs,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The cases brought by the New England Strike Force, including today’s conviction, demonstrate the Criminal Division’s commitment to holding accountable medical professionals who endanger local communities by putting profits above their patients’ wellbeing.”

    “When we announced the creation of the New England Strike Force, we said we would be focusing on medical professionals who put profits over their patients,” said U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest for the District of Vermont. “Khan is an example of that — a bad apple in a profession that takes an oath to uphold ethical standards and treat patients as you would want to be treated. Putting profits over patients is a severe violation of that oath, and, in this case, a violation of federal criminal law. Today’s guilty plea is another step in holding Khan liable for his illegal conduct.”

    According to court documents, Adnan S. Khan, M.D., 48, of Grantham, New Hampshire, conspired with others to illegally distribute controlled substances through his business, New England Medicine and Counseling Associates (NEMCA), which operated a network of clinics in New England that purportedly provided clinical treatment services for persons suffering from substance use disorder. Khan and a co-conspirator prescribed controlled substances to NEMCA patients despite knowing that their patients were diverting the prescriptions. Khan admitted that he and others required cash for purported office visits to received controlled substance prescriptions and falsified medical records to justify his illegal prescribing practices.

    During the conspiracy, Khan emailed a co-conspirator a Justice Department press release  announcing the creation of the New England Strike Force, a law enforcement partnership whose purpose is to identify and prosecute health care fraud and other criminal schemes impacting the New England region. In response, the co-conspirator stated that it is “clear that [references in the release to] ‘making profit off of patients’ is geared towards folks like us. Curious where this will lead.” Khan then emailed NEMCA staff and stated that “there is a new task force…[for the New England states] on the lookout for medical professionals who are prescribing scheduled meds irresponsib[ly], etc.” Khan warned his staff that “[i]t is not a matter of if someone from such a task force will visit NEMCA but rather a matter of time.” Khan then ordered his staff “NOT to engage or discuss anything [with the  New England Strike Force] about NEMCA, what we do, what we offer, fees, etc.”

    “Rather than providing responsible addiction treatment to his patients, Khan ran his medical practice with the corruption and recklessness of a common drug dealer,” said Special Agent in Charge Roberto Coviello of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “His actions put patients and the community at risk. Today’s guilty plea is the result of a coordinated effort with our law enforcement partners as we continue our fight against addiction and the opioid epidemic.”

    “Khan and his co-conspirator exploited vulnerable patients and cashed in on the very dependencies he was entrusted to treat,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Tremaroli of the FBI Albany Field Office. “Today’s plea proves he is no better than a street level drug dealer motivated by pure greed as opposed to the oath he took to ‘first, do no harm’ to his patients. The FBI will continue to work with our partners on the New England Strike Force and U.S. Attorney’s Office to identify and bring to justice any practitioner looking to line their pockets in complete disregard for patient welfare and viability of our healthcare framework.”

    “Our communities deserve honest and trustworthy medical practitioners,” said Acting Diversion Program Manager George J. Lutz Jr. of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s New England Field Division. “Individuals betraying this trust through the illegal prescribing of controlled substances will be fully investigated by the DEA. Today’s guilty plea reinforces the value of the coordinated efforts with our law enforcement partners working alongside prosecutors to hold corrupt and reckless practitioners accountable for their actions.”

    “So many Vermonters have been impacted by the opioid epidemic, which is why we must hold bad actors accountable, particularly physicians who use their prescribing power and their positions of authority to profit from their patients’ pain and suffering,” said Vermont Attorney General Charity R. Clark on behalf of the office’s Medicaid Fraud & Residential Abuse Unit. “I am proud to partner with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Department of Justice in this effort.”

    Khan and a co-conspirator required patients — many of whom were economically disadvantaged — to pay $250 cash in exchange for drug prescriptions, despite many of these patients’ having health care benefit coverage. If a patient could not afford the full cash payment, Khan would lower the dosage of that patient’s prescription. Khan then used funds that he earned from these patients to, among other things, purchase an airplane and multiple properties in New England. Khan would also personally deposit the cash that he received from patients, including deposits in excess of $10,000, at his bank.

    Khan also admitted that he and a co-conspirator discussed their concern that, because pharmacies were no longer willing to fill the prescriptions, NEMCA might lose “dishonest” patients who were “selling their meds.” Khan said that their “honest patients” were “the smaller part of [NEMCA’s] clientele” and advised a co-conspirator that “it’s the diverters [of the drugs that] we need to try to figure out a way to retain.” A co-conspirator emailed Khan, suggesting that they give $100 “scholarships” to patients who owed them money. Khan responded he was “[s]tuck on ‘who’ should get them. S[******] patients owe me so much that $100 won’t even put a dent on their account and they probably won’t appreciate it. Maybe the borderline ones who are just over the $250 threshold? They would probably get on their knees in gratitude.”

    Khan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to illegally distribute controlled substances. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled on a later date. Khan faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    As a condition of Khan’s release, he is prohibited from writing prescriptions for controlled substances.

    The HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and Vermont Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Thomas D. Campbell and Danielle H. Sakowski of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Gilman for the District of Vermont are prosecuting the case.

    The Fraud Section partners with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

    The Vermont Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit receives 75% of its funding from HHS-OIG under a grant award totaling $1,229,616 for federal fiscal year 2024. The remaining 25%, totaling $409,870 for federal fiscal year 2024, is funded by the State of Vermont.

    Anyone needing access to opioid treatment services can contact HHS-OIG’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Turkish National Arrested for Allegedly Conspiring to Violate Venezuela-Related Sanctions

    Source: US State of Vermont

    Taskin Torlak, 37, of Turkey, was arrested in Miami, on Nov. 2 for allegedly conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions as part of a scheme to transport oil from Venezuela for the benefit of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PdVSA), Venezuela’s state-owned oil and natural gas company.

    “As alleged, the defendant conspired to evade U.S. sanctions imposed on PdVSA, deploying deception to smuggle black-market oil from Venezuela,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable those involved in criminal efforts to circumvent sanctions imposed on the Maduro regime.”

    “This defendant allegedly conspired to illegally sell Venezuelan oil, using deceit and trickery to hide the fact that this oil originated from Venezuela,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia. “Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, PdVSA, was sanctioned by the U.S. government to prevent the current regime from further depleting the nation’s resources while it unlawfully remains in power.  We remain dedicated to prosecuting violations of these sanctions until the government of Venezuela takes the necessary steps for these sanctions to be lifted.”

    Torlak was arrested as he attempted to depart the United States to return to Turkey. He is charged by complaint with one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). According to the complaint, Torlak conspired with others to cause U.S. financial institutions to process transactions connected to the transport of Venezuelan oil for the benefit of PdVSA, which the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated as a Specially Designated National (SDN) in January 2019.

    According to the complaint, beginning at least in or around November 2020, Torlak and others devised and implemented a complex scheme to violate and evade U.S. sanctions related to petroleum products from Venezuela and Iran. The scheme included obfuscating the identities of tankers moving the oil by re-naming and re-flagging vessels, covering vessel names with paint or blankets, and turning off the electronics that track vessels’ locations for the safety of ships and their crews. Torlak and his co-conspirators allegedly received tens of millions of dollars from PdVSA in payment for transporting Venezuelan oil, and hid the ultimate beneficiaries of the related transactions from U.S. financial institutions, who then unwittingly processed payments in furtherance of the scheme. The complaint further alleges that Torlak and his co-conspirators explicitly discussed the need to hide their conduct from the U.S. Government and its agencies, including OFAC, as well as commercial maritime entities.

    Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C. is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Maeghan Mikorski for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Sean Heiden and Chantelle Dial of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

    A complaint 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 USA: Reed Denounces Trump’s Dark Suggestion That Political Rival Should Have “Guns Trained on Her Face”

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
    PROVIDENCE, RI — After former President Donald Trump suggested last night that former U.S. Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) should have guns “trained on her face,” U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) condemned Trump’s increasingly violent and unhinged rhetoric and warned that Trump could try to purge the U.S. military, U.S Intelligence, and U.S. Department of Justice of professionals and stock them with extremists who swear an oath to Trump instead of the Constitution.  Today, Senator Reed stated:
    “Unlike Liz Cheney or Donald Trump, I actually opposed the war in Iraq and voted against it.  But there is no excuse for Trump’s vile, violent, and unhinged suggestion that a former member of Congress should be targeted like this and have guns trained on her face. 
    “People, including myself, may not agree with Liz Cheney on policy, but she respects the Constitution and the rule of law.  Donald Trump has shown through word and deed that he puts himself above the law.  
    “Trump has made it clear that he wants to get rid of dedicated, career public servants who have sworn an oath to the Constitution in order to replace them with extremists who will not hesitate to act, without question, on his strange and disturbing statements.  His attitude and rhetoric point to him firing competent officers and replacing them with people who swear allegiance to him, not the Constitution.
    “That is very disturbing, completely unprecedented, and should be widely condemned.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welsh Semiconductor Company Plans to Expand Greensboro Operation for Next Generation Compound Semiconductor Materials

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Welsh Semiconductor Company Plans to Expand Greensboro Operation for Next Generation Compound Semiconductor Materials

    Welsh Semiconductor Company Plans to Expand Greensboro Operation for Next Generation Compound Semiconductor Materials
    mseets

    Today, IQE, Inc., a global semiconductor manufacturer, announced an expansion in Guilford County, signaling its ongoing commitment to future investment in the region, subject to customer commitments and funding from the federal CHIPS Act. The company plans to add 109 jobs and invest $305 million over several years to expand its manufacturing facility for next generation compound semiconductor material in the City of Greensboro.

    “North Carolina is a manufacturing powerhouse at the intersection of innovation and legacy,” said Governor Cooper. “IQE’s major reinvestment in Guilford County is a testament to the quality of our world-class workforce, the strength of our business climate, and our leadership in clean energy and technology.”

    IQE, Inc. is the United States subsidiary of IQE, PLC. Operating in Greensboro for more than a decade and with 72 employees, IQE manufactures epi wafers using molecular beam epitaxy for the defense and aerospace industries. This potential investment would add a new, complementary epitaxy called metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and would provide a new clean technology for semiconductor chip production to help serve the electric vehicle market.

    “Greensboro has proven to be a strategic location for IQE and has provided access to exceptional talent,” said Jutta Meier, Interim CEO of IQE. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with the city as we progress further with our application for Government funding via the CHIPS Act, which along with funding commitments from the State, will provide us with the capital to invest and expand our local footprint.”

    “North Carolina has more than 110 companies exporting $1.2 billion of semiconductors and microelectronics around the world,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “As one of the top states to do business, this expansion validates our reputation for the best talent and research partnerships that continue to attract and retain advanced manufacturers like IQE.”

    Although salaries will vary by position, the average annual wage will be $64,908, which exceeds the Guilford County average of $58,843. These new jobs could potentially create an annual payroll impact of more than $7 million for the region.

    A performance-based grant of $275,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate IQE’s expansion in North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

    “This announcement is outstanding news for Guilford County and the entire state,” said N.C. Senator Michael Garrett. “IQE has been a great corporate citizen for more than a decade, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact these new good-paying jobs will have on our local economy.”

    Partnering with the North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina on this project were the North Carolina General Assembly, the Commerce Department’s Division of Workforce Solutions, the North Carolina Community College System, Guilford Technical Community College, GuilfordWorks, the City of Greensboro, Guilford County, the Guilford County Economic Development Alliance, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and Duke Energy.

    ###

    Nov 4, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Sentenced for Federal Civil Rights Violation Related to Vehicular Crash Involving a Motorcyclist

    Source: US State of Vermont

    A former U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Officer was sentenced today to 21 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, related to a vehicular crash involving a motorist in Washington, D.C.

    Thomas Smith, 47, pleaded guilty on Oct. 18, 2023, to deprivation of rights under color of law.

    “This defendant recklessly pursued two motorcyclists, struck one of them with his car, left the victim unconscious on the asphalt, fled the scene and then switched out his cruiser and filed no report in an attempt to cover up his violent misconduct,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Endangering community members in this manner and disregarding the law violates the victims’ civil rights and erodes trust by those the police are sworn to protect and serve. The Justice Department will aggressively prosecute officials who engage in abuses of their authority, including federal law enforcement officers.”

    “Thomas Smith abused his position of trust by engaging in a dangerous pursuit that could have been deadly – and made matters worse by obstructing the investigation into the collision he caused,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “Most police officers uphold the oath they took upon becoming officers, but when police officers break that oath and violate the public trust they must be held accountable.”

    According to court documents, on the evening of June 20, 2020, Smith was on duty conducting security checks at the homes of members of Congress in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., when he began pursuing two individuals riding motorized cycles. While following the motorcyclists closely, but without his emergency lights on, Smith’s USCP cruiser struck one of the motorcyclists at the intersection of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, Northwest. The crash knocked the cyclist into the air before he hit the asphalt roadway.

    As the victim lay in the intersection unconscious, Smith drove his cruiser around the victim and left the scene of the collision. Smith did not notify anyone of the collision, take any action to seek medical assistance for the victim or ensure that no further harm came to the victim as he lay on the road. Hours after the collision, Smith falsified several USCP records related to the incident and lied to his superior officers about being involved in the crash.

    The FBI and USCP investigated the case, with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department.

    Trial Attorney Sanjay Patel of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Visser for the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Mosquito season in southern Africa: tonic water and vitamins won’t protect you but knowing where the hotspots are will

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Shüné Oliver, Medical scientist, National Institute for Communicable Diseases

    While the emergence of colourful butterflies is a welcome sign of summer, the constant buzzing of mosquitoes is an annoying part of the season.

    Mosquitoes are more than just pests. They are the world’s most dangerous animal. Their presence signals the start of the malaria season in southern Africa.

    It is for this reason that the Southern African Development Community recognises the first week of November as SADC Malaria Week, with 6 November as SADC Malaria Day.

    During this week the dangers of malaria are highlighted. As South Africa edges closer towards malaria elimination, this has become more important as many South Africans are unaware of the malaria risk within the country’s borders.



    Read more:
    The seven steps South Africa is taking to get it closer to eliminating malaria

    Know your enemy

    Malaria is usually spread through a bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. In rare cases, malaria can spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants or sharing contaminated needles.

    There is also the possibility that mothers can pass on the disease to their babies while pregnant or during delivery.

    Mosquitoes that spread malaria are usually only active between dusk and dawn. Some mosquitoes, particularly the large black and white Aedes mosquitoes,
    are active during the day. These mosquitoes spread diseases like yellow fever and Zika.

    Although malaria-spreading mosquitoes are active at night, they are not the mosquitoes that make the annoying buzzing sound that prevents you from getting a peaceful night’s sleep.

    Instead, malaria mosquitoes are near-silent, often referred to as silent killers. Frequently, you only realise you have been bitten when it is too late.

    Most malaria vectors tend to bite and rest outdoors. This means that you have to take extra care when outdoors.

    Know your enemy’s whereabouts

    Malaria mosquitoes require specific environmental conditions to breed and survive.

    They are found in low-lying tropical areas in most southern African countries, with the exception of Lesotho and the Seychelles. Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe have regions of high malaria risk.

    In South Africa, malaria is restricted to the low-lying border regions of northern KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces.

    Before visiting any of these areas, familiarise yourself with the malaria risk map for South Africa and take the appropriate precautions.

    In the southern hemisphere, the malaria risk is particularly high over the December holidays. This is due to the warm, wet weather conditions that favour mosquito growth.

    Over the past few years, the non-endemic South African province of Gauteng has reported a high number of
    cases. This can happen in any province: there have been incidents in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape, as well as the North-West.

    Most of these cases are imported from high-risk regions within
    and outside South Africa.

    A few rare cases are the result of odyssean malaria (also known as taxi or airport malaria).

    This happens throughout Africa. It is largely associated with migration. This happens when one or more malaria-carrying mosquitoes are accidentally transported from their natural home. They can then randomly infect people outside the malaria-risk area.

    When you have an unexplained fever in summer, think malaria. This is true even if you have not travelled to a malaria-risk area.

    It is especially important if you stayed near a major transport route or transport hub. These include places such as taxi ranks or bus depots.

    Know your enemy’s gameplan

    Malaria is preventable and treatable. The odds of a complete recovery are very high if a malaria infection is detected early. This is aided by prompt treatment with effective antimalarial medication.

    Symptoms of the milder version of malaria (uncomplicated malaria) are non-specific. This can include fever, headaches, sluggishness, nausea, and muscular/joint pains.

    Loss of consciousness, convulsions, jaundice and kidney failure are associated with the more severe, life threatening form of malaria.



    Read more:
    We’re a step closer to figuring out why mosquitoes bite some people and not others

    Keep yourself safe from the enemy

    The easiest way to prevent yourself from getting malaria is to avoid being bitten by an infected mosquito.

    If outdoors during the evening, wear long-sleeved shirts, trousers and socks, and use repellents that contain at least 30% of the insect repellent DEET.

    Doors and windows should be screened. Where possible, sleep under a bednet or in an air-conditioned room.

    In addition to these non-pharmaceutical measures, you can protect yourself by taking anti-malarial medications which you can get from a pharmacy or primary healthcare clinic.

    Discuss your anti-malarial options with a healthcare professional.

    Medication that prevents malaria does not mask the symptoms of the disease.

    The recommended treatment in South Africa, artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem), is highly effective. This is the most widely used malaria treatment across Africa.

    Know the myths about the enemy

    You cannot get malaria from drinking contaminated water or eating rotten fruit.

    There is limited evidence that vitamin-enriched products or home remedies containing natural products like citronella offer any protection against malaria.

    In addition, tonic water contains a very low concentration of antimalarial ingredients. It is therefore not possible for one person to drink sufficient quantities to protect against malaria.

    Crucially, one malaria infection will not keep you safe from future infections. You can get malaria more than once.

    Finally, always be aware – although the malaria risk is higher in summer, you can also get the disease in the dry season. You could also potentially be infected in any province due to an infected travelling mosquito.

    So if you have an unexplained fever, think malaria!

    Shüné Oliver receives funding from the National Research Foundation of South Africa, South African Medical Research Council and Female Academic Leadership Fellowship. She is affiliated with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and the Wits Research Institute for Malaria.

    Jaishree Raman receives funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CHAI, the Global Fund, the National Institute for Communicable Disease, the National Research Foundation, the South African Medical Research Council, and the Research Trust. She is affiliated with the Wits Research Institute for Malaria and the University of Pretoria’s Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control.

    – ref. Mosquito season in southern Africa: tonic water and vitamins won’t protect you but knowing where the hotspots are will – https://theconversation.com/mosquito-season-in-southern-africa-tonic-water-and-vitamins-wont-protect-you-but-knowing-where-the-hotspots-are-will-242620

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Midas Man: Brian Epstein biopic captures the complexity that made the Beatles manager so brilliant

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Glenn Fosbraey, Associate Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Winchester

    A few minutes after I took my seat at an advanced screening of Amazon Prime’s Brian Epstein biopic, Midas Man, I found myself engaged in Beatles chat with the chap next to me. I wasn’t surprised to find a fellow Fab Four fanatic at such an event. But I was surprised when I realised I was speaking with the legendary presenter Paul Gambaccini, a man who, I was soon to discover, met not only John, Paul, George and Ringo, but also original drummer Pete Best and bassist Stuart Sutcliffe’s sister. Or “five and a half Beatles”, as he put it.

    As the lights went down and we readied ourselves, Gambaccini whispered that he hoped this wasn’t going to be “another Beatles film with no Beatles music in it”. The subject of soundtracks in Beatles biopics has always been an elephant in the room among fans, and Midas Man, like Backbeat (1994), In His Life: The John Lennon Story (2000), Lennon Naked (2010) and many others before it, did indeed lack any Lennon and McCartney (or Harrison) originals.

    But, given that it cost the 2019 film Yesterday US$10 million (£7.7 million) to acquire the rights to use the Beatles’ music (40% of the entire budget), this shouldn’t really come as a surprise. And there aren’t any crafty ways round it, either. This much we know from the fate of 1979’s Birth of The Beatles which has been prevented from reissue due to its unauthorised use of songs.

    Midas Man tells the story of the legendary Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. The film follows Epstein, played by Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, from his days as the unfulfilled manager of a furniture and musical instrument shop to making good on his promise that his unknown and unsigned band, The Beatles, would one day be “bigger than Elvis”.

    Some reviews have taken issue at how the film shows Epstein one minute suavely cajoling American TV host Ed Sullivan, and the next falling to pieces after the death of his father. But such contradictions of character were exactly what made Epstein who he was – a man Beatles biographer Craig Brown has described as alternatively lonely, businesslike, scrupulous, obsessive, shrewd, awkward and pernickety.

    For me, it’s Epstein’s complexity that makes him so endearing, both in real life and in Midas Man. Fortune-Lloyd expertly and realistically portrays him as confident in his abilities, but also on the cusp of being consumed by self-doubt at any moment. He also carries off the magnetic charm that led Epstein on his scarcely believable journey from selling pianos in his family shop to one of the most powerful people in the entertainment industry within the space of a few years.

    The trailer for Midas Man.

    In what is ultimately a tragic story of a troubled life, it’s unsurprising that there are plenty of tearjerker moments. But screenwriters Brigit Grant and Jonathan Wakeham avoid the temptation to overdo the pathos, choosing subtlety over the sledgehammer.

    A combination of this and Fortune-Lloyd’s understated acting lead to several poignant moments in the film. Epstein yearns to be a part of the band’s world, but is kept on the sidelines due to his position of authority, (perceived) difference in class and, most importantly, his own social awkwardness.

    Being Brian

    The film’s sets are a highlight throughout, from 1960s Liverpool’s unique blend of vibrancy and poverty to the glitz and glamour of New York. The North End Music Store (NEMs) where Epstein worked and which became his management company, thrums with the energy and anticipation of the tectonic shift in culture that’s just around the corner. And I’ve scarcely experienced a more immersive recreation of The Beatles’s lunchtime performances at The Cavern.

    Alongside Fortune-Lloyd’s nuanced performance, there were several other standouts. Leo Harvey-Elledge provides much of the humour as George Harrison, Rosie Day has a whale of a time as an effervescent Cilla Black, and the consistently excellent Eddie Marsan and Emily Watson are perfectly cast (although somewhat underused) as Epstein’s parents.

    Good as the overall casting is, however, it’s hard to see Fortune-Lloyd’s Epstein as only six years senior to Jonah Lees’s John Lennon. As versatile as the former is, he looks significantly older than Epstein’s 27 years – the age he was when he first saw The Beatles perform at The Cavern in 1961.

    This may seem like a minor point, but it affects the dynamic between him and the band, which, combined with the significant height difference between Fortune Lloyd (6ft 2) and Lees (5ft 8) gives a sense of authority that was more representative of The Beatles’ producer, George Martin.

    The decision to create a fictionalised love interest in John “Tex” Ellington (Ed Speleers) is also odd. It serves only to suggest that Epstein’s life wasn’t interesting and dramatic enough without fabrication. Which is far from the truth.

    Invented characters aside, there’s nothing in Midas Man that die-hard Beatles fans didn’t already know about Epstein. But given that he and The Beatles are part of what’s been called “the greatest story ever told”, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

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

    – ref. Midas Man: Brian Epstein biopic captures the complexity that made the Beatles manager so brilliant – https://theconversation.com/midas-man-brian-epstein-biopic-captures-the-complexity-that-made-the-beatles-manager-so-brilliant-242633

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Scents of the Middle Ages and emo nostalgia – what you should read, watch and do this week

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Anna Walker, Senior Arts + Culture Editor

    I’ve always been a history nerd, but it wasn’t until I started working at The Conversation that I really caught the medieval bug. Inspired by our academic experts, I’ve read books, trawled online archives, and when I worked on an article about the Book of Kells earlier this year, I had to travel to Dublin to see it for myself.

    And so it is that this week I found myself booking tickets to London to visit Medieval Women: In Their Own Words at the British Library, an exhibition our reviewer, expert in medieval women’s writing Diane Watt, described as “unmissable”.

    I’m particularly excited to see the way that some of the earliest works by women to have been written in English are brought to life in a scent installation. Julian of Norwich’s satanic torments, for example, are conjured up by the stink of sulphur, while Margery Kempe’s angels are evoked by notes of honey, strawberry and caramel.



    Read more:
    Medieval Women: In Their Own Words at the British Library is unmissable

    Dystopian fiction and unsettling realities

    There’s been a lot of noise about Dahomey, the latest documentary film from award-winning French director Mati Diop since it picked up the coveted Golden Bear, the top prize at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. The film follows the restitution of 26 items that were looted by French troops during an invasion and subsequent colonial occupation of the kingdom of Dahomey, now the present-day Republic of Benin, in November 1892.

    What makes the film particularly unique is Diop’s decision to give a literal voice to the artefacts in question. Viewers follow “object 26”, a statue of King Ghezo who ruled Dahomey from 1797 until 1818, as he narrates his journey from a storage unit in a French museum, back to his homeland. It gave our reviewer, curator of living cultures at Manchester Museum Njabulo Chipangura, much to reflect on.



    Read more:
    Dahomey: timely repatriation documentary gives a literal voice to Benin’s stolen objects

    The trailer for Dahomey.

    For my money, Ali Smith is one of the greatest living British authors. My first encounter with her work was the stunning 2014 book How to Be Both, which applied the fresco technique of visual arts to the novel. Weaving together the stories of a renaissance artist and a 16-year-old girl in contemporary Cambridge, the order in which you read the story depended on which copy you picked up.

    With her latest book, Gliff, Smith continues to play with form. It tells the story of two children, Briar and Rose, as they navigate a post-apocalyptic Britain. Gliff is the first of a planned pair of novels, with the second to be called Glyph. Our reviewer found the novel’s combination of dystopian nightmare and fairy tale enchantment at once accessible and engaging, complex and subtle.



    Read more:
    Ali Smith’s new novel Gliff is a dystopian nightmare with flashes of fairytale enchantment

    Emo nostalgia

    There’s no more appropriate time to visit an exhibition on the work of Tim Burton than Halloween weekend. That is, unless you’re one of those people that insist The Nightmare Before Christmas is actually a Christmas film. Newly opened at the Design Museum, The World of Tim Burton is an exploration of the director’s design practice, and traces the complex path from his initial sketches to their realisation on screen.

    Our reviewer, expert in the gothic Catherine Spooner, found much to enjoy. She described the work on show as “a riot of colour and fizzing line”, though it was the personal items she found most thrilling – teen fan art, scribbles on table napkins and university lecture notes.



    Read more:
    Is Tim Burton an outsider auteur or a global megastar? The Design Museum thinks it has the answer

    As a teenager, I spent hours carefully curating my Myspace page. In my “profile photo” I wore black skinny jeans and doodled-on Converse. My “profile song” was almost always something by My Chemical Romance. Each generation has their defining subculture and for mine, young millennials, that subculture was emo (short for “emotional hardcore”).

    In a move that seems designed to make me feel ancient, emo is now the subject of a nostalgic exhibition at London’s Barbican Music Library. The show features much of the technology that emo teens used to build a sense of community, from those Myspace profiles to flip phones and iPod shuffles. While many of these technologies are long gone, the exhibition argues that emo remains alive and kicking.



    Read more:
    Medieval Women: In Their Own Words at the British Library is unmissable


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    – ref. Scents of the Middle Ages and emo nostalgia – what you should read, watch and do this week – https://theconversation.com/scents-of-the-middle-ages-and-emo-nostalgia-what-you-should-read-watch-and-do-this-week-242630

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Social media and generative AI can have a large climate impact – here’s how to reduce yours

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Domenico Vicinanza, Associate Professor of Intelligent Systems and Data Science, Anglia Ruskin University

    CREATIVE WONDER / shutterstock

    On a train or bus, or just standing in a queue, the most common sight these days is the muted glow of a screen, and the flickering thumbs of people lost in the endless scroll on their smartphones.

    Across the world, about 62% of people are active social media users. In some countries, that figure is over 90%. That adds up to a lot of usage: the average UK adult spends 3 hours and 41 minutes online each day, which translates to around 56 days a year, almost two whole months.

    Every time we read an article, see an advertisement, watch a photo or video, that content needs to be transferred from the social media platform’s servers to our device. The larger the file, the more data needs to be transferred. And high-resolution images or long videos involve lots of data.

    That data is distributed across many “server farms” (typically housed in a large warehouse with thousands of computers) around the world. If you load a video from Youtube you don’t connect to a single “Youtube data HQ” somewhere in California, but will instead gather data from many different servers often in different countries or continents.

    Moving data across the internet requires energy, sending signals through various electronic devices, including routers, servers, and our own mobile phone or laptop. Each of these devices consumes energy to function, while servers need to be kept cool. And this energy is often generated from fossil fuels.

    Low-energy LinkedIn tops the charts.
    Greenspector, CC BY-SA

    Tiktok is the least eco-friendly of the social media platforms, according to a study of internet users in France run by Greenspector in 2021 and then updated in 2023.

    Simply scrolling through the app exchanges a lot of data as Tiktok is constantly running videos, including many preloaded in the background that you may never even see.

    At the end side of the spectrum is LinkedIn. As a text-based platform, with fewer photos and videos, scrolling through LinkedIn uses much less data.

    Generative AI is energy-hungry

    Social media is of course not the only offender. Generative AI, with its ability to create text, images, music and even videos, is completely reshaping lots of creative processes. But though it is appealing, and sometimes a necessity, it comes with an environmental price tag.

    Unsurprisingly, the more powerful the AI, the more energy it consumes. Unlike when you stream video or load a large web page, with generative AI most energy is used at their end, while processing your query. If you ask ChatGPT to write you a novel, the process of writing involves lots of calculations, even if the resulting text itself doesn’t use much data.

    Your request is being processed…
    Caureem / shutterstock

    All this of course raises critical questions about the sustainability of generative AI and about our own carbon footprints. The AI companies themselves are reluctant to tell us exactly how much energy they use, but they apparently can’t stop their own chatbots having a stab. I asked ChatGPT-4 “how much energy was used to process this query?” and it said “0.002 to 0.02 kWh”, which it said “would be similar to keeping a 60-watt bulb on for about 2 minutes”.

    This roughly matches numbers offered by independent analysis and is tens of times more energy than required for a Google search. With millions of queries per day to ChatGPT alone, it all adds up to a huge amount of additional energy use. As generative AI continues to evolve, the demand for energy will only increase.

    What you can do

    While the environmental impact of these technologies raises valid concerns, it’s also essential to recognise their benefits. To take one example, AI-assisted tools like text-to-speech, voice recognition and auto-captioning have already made society more inclusive particularly for disabled or neurodiverse people. I don’t want to suggest we scrap social media or reject generative AI entirely.

    But there are things we can do to reduce the carbon footprint of our internet use, involving a combination of individual actions and systemic changes. Here are some strategies we can all adopt:

    First, limit the screen time. This is the most obvious one. Reducing the amount of time spent on social media can directly decrease energy consumption.

    Second, use energy-saving settings on your devices, such as lowering screen brightness, using a dark background, and enabling power-saving modes.

    Third, consider choosing less energy-demanding social media, using environmental ranking information to inform the decision. That means more text, and less video and generative AI.

    Fourth, whenever possible, use wifi over 4G or 5G mobile data: wifi generally consumes less energy.

    So, next time we find ourselves scrolling endless sequences of pictures and videos, our face lit by the blue glow of our screens, let’s just stop for a second and start implementing those simple strategies, so we can enjoy the benefits of being connected, while minimising the impact on our planet resources. Ultimately, the choice is ours.

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

    – ref. Social media and generative AI can have a large climate impact – here’s how to reduce yours – https://theconversation.com/social-media-and-generative-ai-can-have-a-large-climate-impact-heres-how-to-reduce-yours-240661

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Scott Moe won in Saskatchewan promising economic prosperity, but does that truly help citizens?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Iryna Khovrenkov, Associate Professor, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina

    After winning the recent provincial election, the Saskatchewan Party’s Scott Moe promised a “strong economy, bright future.”

    But does a strong economy necessarily guarantee a bright future?

    Between 1998 and 2018, Saskatchewan’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 45 per cent, making it the fourth largest in Canada.

    Even after the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saskatchewan led the nation in economic growth, registering a hike of six per cent.

    Over the same 20 years, however, Saskatchewan’s well-being increased by only 13 per cent, according to the Saskatchewan Index of Wellbeing.

    This lag in well-being has only amplified the struggles of the province’s citizens in terms of drug use, youth mental health, homelessness and hate crimes.

    Evidently, and despite its impressive magnitude, Saskatchewan’s economic growth alone does not fully reflect the province’s progress in terms of citizen well-being.

    What is well-being?

    Well-being is a multi-dimensional concept that goes beyond the level or rate of growth of GDP and can illuminate ongoing major policy challenges. GDP, on the other hand, is one-dimensional, developed prior to the Second World War and well before today’s significant policy concerns.

    As defined by the Saskatchewan Index of Wellbeing, it’s achieved when people are physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy; economically secure; have a strong sense of identity, belonging and place; and have the confidence and capacity to engage as citizens.

    Well-being encompasses many aspects that make our lives good — happiness and wellness at the personal level, strong social capital and belonging at the community level. These aspects can then form a strong foundation to tackle larger issues at the societal level such as social justice and environmental sustainability.

    International well-being initiatives

    Many countries, including Canada with its Canadian Index of Wellbeing, have not only developed well-being frameworks but many now routinely collect and publish well-being indicators.

    A handful of jurisdictions — like France, Italy and Sweden — have also begun including quality-of-life measures as benchmarks of their progress.

    New Zealand even formally budgets for well-being and released its first Wellbeing Budget in 2019.

    Regardless of geography or political structure, one common motivation for developing these well-being frameworks is a recognition that economic metrics such as GDP are insufficient to measure a country’s human and environmental progress.



    Read more:
    Australia’s wellbeing budget: what we can – and can’t – learn from NZ

    A well-being approach to policy

    For an effective path forward, citizen well-being should be a guiding principle for government leaders. Community Initiatives Fund and Heritage Saskatchewan, joint forces behind the Saskatchewan Index of Wellbeing, have long called on decision-makers to incorporate well-being into policy.

    The federal government has recently introduced the Quality-of-Life Framework as its first step towards integrating well-being into policymaking. But are these efforts reaching local governments, which carry a regulatory duty of fostering citizen well-being?

    I partnered with the Community Initiatives Fund and Heritage Saskatchewan to survey more than 25 per cent of rural and urban municipalities in Saskatchewan on what’s facilitated or hindered the adoption of well-being into policy in their communities.

    We learned that only 17 per cent of our participating municipalities adopted a well-being approach in their official community plans, although 55 per cent of them consider community well-being elements when developing policies and budgets.

    Additionally, 46 per cent are interested in adopting a well-being approach but have cited lack of financial and human resources, time, community and team support as key challenges in shifting to a well-being approach.

    Finally, we learned that arts, culture and sports amenities were identified as a pressing community need by 36 per cent of our respondents, compared to only six per cent referencing economic sustainability and growth.

    Our findings also support existing evidence that rural communities become stronger when they value well-being more than economic growth.

    The five elements of a well-being economy. (ICLEI Europe YouTube Channel)

    Municipal action required

    As the government level closest to the people, municipalities matter. Services provided by local authorities define citizens’ well-being and their quality of life. Also, local efforts have the potential to inspire province-wide change.

    With urban municipalities in Saskatchewan gearing up for their own elections on Nov. 13, it’s a good time to consider prioritizing community well-being.

    In the words of Jacinda Ardern, the former prime minister of New Zealand: “Growth alone does not lead to a great country …. so it’s time to focus on those things that do.”

    For real change to occur, well-being should lie at the heart of policymaking.

    The research project about well-being in municipal policy is a product of a partnership between Iryna Khovrenkov at the University of Regina, Tracey Mann at Community Initiatives Fund and Ingrid Cazakoff at Heritage Saskatchewan. The financial support of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Partnership Engage Grant number 892-2021-3028 is gratefully acknowledged.

    – ref. Scott Moe won in Saskatchewan promising economic prosperity, but does that truly help citizens? – https://theconversation.com/scott-moe-won-in-saskatchewan-promising-economic-prosperity-but-does-that-truly-help-citizens-242574

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US election: what time do the polls close and when will the results be known? An expert explains

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Richard Hargy, Visiting Research Fellow in International Studies, Queen’s University Belfast

    paseven / Shutterstock

    In November 2020, when Americans last went to the polls to elect a president, it took four days after voting closed for Joe Biden to be declared the winner.

    This was largely due to razor-thin margins in the crucial battleground states, which resulted in some recounts, as well as large numbers of mail-in ballots that had to be counted after election day. There was the added challenge of this entire process being conducted amid a global pandemic.

    Since then, some states have changed their election laws to speed up the election count. But while it may not take as long this time round, one thing we can be sure of is that a winner will not be known on election night itself.

    When do polls open and close?

    There is no set national time for voting to begin on the morning of November 5. Most states will begin voting at 7am in their local time, with others starting as early as 5am or as late as 10am. Voting will commence at a variety of times in some states, such as New Hampshire, Tennessee and Washington where this is decided by different counties or municipalities.

    Polls close at a range of times across the country, too. Voting will end as early as 6pm US eastern time (11pm GMT) in Indiana and Kentucky, while polls in Hawaii and Alaska, the western-most states, do not close until midnight US eastern time (5am GMT).

    An early indicator of which candidate is performing better will come between 7pm and 8pm eastern time (midnight and 1am GMT), when polls close in the key battleground states of Georgia and North Carolina. Both states are competitive for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, and if the former is declared the victor in either, then the contest will pivot in her favour.

    The next key moment could occur between 8pm and 9pm eastern time (1am and 2am GMT), when voting ends across the so-called blue wall states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. However, it is unlikely that a winner will be declared in any of these states straightaway. By 10pm eastern time (3am GMT), polls will have closed in two other critical swing states, Arizona and Nevada.

    When will votes be counted?

    There are several factors that could hinder results being announced in the hours immediately after voting ends. In Arizona, for example, state laws allow voters to drop their completed ballot papers off at the polling station on election day or the day prior – something that not all states do. However, these “late early” ballots cannot be processed until after voting ends.

    Pennsylvania is arguably the most prized swing state that both the Democratic and Republican campaigns are vying for. The state has 19 electoral votes, the most of any battleground state, so the victor will probably win the electoral college (the group of officials that elects the president based on the vote in each state) and thus also the presidency.



    Read more:
    US election: how does the electoral college voting system work?

    But Pennsylvania does not allow election workers to process mail ballots until 7am local time on election day, which could mean the result takes longer than 24 hours after polls close to be made known.

    That said, Alauna Safarpour, an assistant professor at Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg College, does not think the wait will be as long as it was four years ago. Writing for The Conversation on October 29, she said that it was “highly likely” that fewer Pennsylvanians will choose to vote by mail this time around.

    “A smaller proportion of voters opted to vote by mail in the 2022 midterm election than in the 2020 general election, and that trend is likely to continue in 2024”, she says.



    Read more:
    Why Pennsylvania’s election results will take time to count

    Two more crucial states, Michigan and Nevada, have also made changes to the election count since 2020. These states now permit ballot papers to be processed in advance of polling day. On the other hand, the ability of North Carolina to process votes ahead of the election has been made more difficult due to the damage recently caused by Hurricane Helene. This may lead to further delays.

    In Wisconsin, vote counting in two of the state’s biggest counties – Milwaukee and Dane – can also be particularly slow. Milwaukee and Dane counties are both significant urban centres with a combined population of around 1.5 million people. The margin in these counties will be significant to the result in Wisconsin and the presidential race overall.

    What might delay the results?

    There are concerns that certain domestic players could seek to frustrate and delay election results in the critical swing states. In January 2020, for example, a large number of Republicans in Congress objected to results in Pennsylvania and Arizona – states that were both won by Biden.

    And in seven swing states, people falsely claiming to be members of the electoral college attempted to declare Trump as the winner of their state. Their votes were sent to Congress to be counted alongside those of the true electors, with some Congress members arguing that the new slate of electoral votes cast doubts over the official result in certain states. In 2023, a Trump campaign lawyer, Kenneth Chesebro, pleaded guilty in Georgia to his role in subverting the election.

    Norman Eisen, Samara Angel and Clare Boone, who are all fellows at the Brookings Institution thinktank, have provided detailed analysis on how this scenario could be repeated in 2024. They point to nefarious strategies that could be utilised to confuse results by refusing to certify elections at the “county level”.

    For example, three election deniers – Rick Jeffares, Janice Johnston and Janelle King – hold the balance of power in Georgia’s state election board. They have jointly devised new rules that allow vote certification to be paused while investigations are launched into alleged “irregularities”.

    Eisen, Angel and Boone assert that while “these attempts will likely meet the same fate as prior efforts, they could still stoke uncertainty and distrust.” So, given the existence of these threats and the fact that polls show a dead heat, we will probably not know the election’s winner for at least a few days.

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

    – ref. US election: what time do the polls close and when will the results be known? An expert explains – https://theconversation.com/us-election-what-time-do-the-polls-close-and-when-will-the-results-be-known-an-expert-explains-242635

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Doctors are already using AI in care – but we don’t actually know what safe use should look like

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mark Sujan, Chair in Safety Science, University of York

    It’s too soon to safely use GenAI in regular clinical practice. Josep Suria/ Shutterstock

    One in five UK doctors use a generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tool – such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini – to assist with clinical practice. This is according to a recent survey of around 1,000 GPs.

    Doctors reported using GenAI to generate documentation after appointments, help make clinical decisions and provide information to patients – such as comprehensible discharge summaries and treatment plans.

    Considering the hype around artificial intelligence coupled with the challenges health systems are facing, it’s no surprise doctors and policymakers alike see AI as key in modernising and transforming our health services.

    But GenAI is a recent innovation that fundamentally challenges how we think about patient safety. There’s still much we need to know about GenAI before it can be used safely in everyday clinical practice.

    The problems with GenAI

    Traditionally, AI applications have been developed to perform a very specific task. For example, deep learning neural networks have been used for classification in imaging and diagnostics. Such systems prove effective in analysing mammograms to aid in breast cancer screening.

    But GenAI is not trained to perform a narrowly defined task. These technologies are based on so-called foundation models, which have generic capabilities. This means they can generate text, pixels, audio or even a combination of these.

    These capabilities are then fine-tuned for different applications – such as answering user queries, producing code or creating images. The possibilities for interacting with this type of AI appear to be limited only by the user’s imagination.

    Crucially, because the technology has not been developed for use in a specific context or to be used for a specific purpose, we don’t actually know how doctors can use it safely. This is just one reason why GenAI isn’t suited for widespread use in healthcare just yet.

    Another problem in using GenAI in healthcare is the well documented phenomenon of “hallucinations”. Hallucinations are nonsensical or untruthful outputs based on the input that has been provided.

    Hallucinations have been studied in the context of having GenAI create summaries of text. One study found various GenAI tools produced outputs that made incorrect links based on what was said in the text, or summaries included information that wasn’t even referred to in the text.

    Hallucinations occur because GenAI works on the principle of likelihood – such as predicting which word will follow in a given context – rather than being based on “understanding” in a human sense. This means GenAI-produced outputs are plausible rather than necessarily truthful.

    This plausibility is another reason it’s too soon to safely use GenAI in routine medical practice.

    Generative AI functions on the basis of plausibility.
    egaranugrah/ Shutterstock

    Imagine a GenAI tool that listens in on a patient’s consultation and then produces an electronic summary note. On one hand, this frees up the GP or nurse to better engage with their patient. But on the other hand, the GenAI could potentially produce notes based on what it thinks may be plausible.

    For instance, the GenAI summary might change the frequency or severity of the patient’s symptoms, add symptoms the patient never complained about or include information the patient or doctor never mentioned.

    Doctors and nurses would need to do an eagle-eyed proofread of any AI-generated notes and have excellent memory to distinguish the factual information from the plausible – but made-up – information.

    This might be fine in a traditional family doctor setting, where the GP knows the patient well enough to identify inaccuracies. But in our fragmented health system, where patients are often seen by different healthcare workers, any inaccuracies in the patient’s notes could pose significant risks to their health – including delays, improper treatment and misdiagnosis.

    The risks associated with hallucinations are significant. But it’s worth noting researchers and developers are currently working on reducing the likelihood of hallucinations.

    Patient safety

    Another reason it’s too soon to use GenAI in healthcare is because patient safety depends on interactions with the AI to determine how well it works in a certain context and setting – looking at how the technology works with people, how it fits with rules and pressures and the culture and priorities within a larger health system. Such a systems perspective would determine if the use of GenAI is safe.

    But because GenAI isn’t designed for a specific use, this means it’s adaptable and can be used in ways we can’t fully predict. On top of this, developers are regularly updating their technology, adding new generic capabilities that alter the behaviour of the GenAI application.

    Furthermore, harm could occur even if the technology appears to work safely and as intended – again, depending on context of use.

    For example, introducing GenAI conversational agents for triaging could affect different patients’ willingness to engage with the healthcare system. Patients with lower digital literacy, people whose first language isn’t English and non-verbal patients may find GenAI difficult to use. So while the technology may “work” in principle, this could still contribute to harm if the technology wasn’t working equally for all users.

    The point here is that such risks with GenAI are much harder to anticipate upfront through traditional safety analysis approaches. These are concerned with understanding how a failure in the technology might cause harm in specific contexts. Healthcare could benefit tremendously from the adoption of GenAI and other AI tools.

    But before these technologies can be used in healthcare more broadly, safety assurance and regulation will need to become more responsive to developments in where and how these technologies are used.

    It’s also necessary for developers of GenAI tools and regulators to work with the communities using these technologies to develop tools that can be used regularly and safely in clinical practice.

    Mark Sujan is a member of the Centre for Assuring Autonomy, which is funded jointly by Lloyd’s Register Foundation and the University of York. He is author and Deputy Editor at BMJ Health & Care Informatics. The journal frequently publishes research on healthcare AI.

    – ref. Doctors are already using AI in care – but we don’t actually know what safe use should look like – https://theconversation.com/doctors-are-already-using-ai-in-care-but-we-dont-actually-know-what-safe-use-should-look-like-241175

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The budget is good news overall for young professionals – here’s how the changes will affect you

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andy Lymer, Professor of Taxation and Personal Finance, Aston University

    fizkes/Shutterstock

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s first budget was full of a dizzying array of measures to raise over £40 billion to fund public services and boost investment.

    The headlines suggest most of the extra taxes to be paid will fall on businesses, not directly on “working people”. If you are recently out of university or early in your career, here are a few measures most likely to affect your life.

    Inheritance tax

    This 40% tax is paid by the estates of those who pass away, before the remaining amount is distributed based on their wishes. It is really more of an estate tax, than a tax on what you inherit personally.

    Little was changed to the tax itself in this budget – you can still receive £325,000 tax-free from each parent, or from your spouse or civil partner. If the estate includes a family home, they can pass this tax free between them and then to their descendants up to a value of £1 million (both get £500,000 each). Estate values beyond this are taxed at 40%.

    The £325,000 threshold hasn’t changed since April 2009, so as house and asset prices rise it means more of an estate’s value over these levels will be subject to tax each year. If this threshold level had kept pace with changes in general prices, the basic inheritance tax threshold should now be more than £500,000.

    The chancellor has decided to extend the fixing of this threshold for another two years – now to at least 2030.

    Does this matter? Very much so, as budget forecasts suggest that while only 5% of current estates are subject to any tax, by 2029-30 this will double, so many more of us will get taxed on inheritances than ever before. This is because as prices keep rising, more and more inheritances will go over the threshold level and be subject to this tax.

    However, this still implies 90% of all estates will be passed on tax-free so most will never end up bearing this tax.

    No one’s 20s and 30s look the same. You might be saving for a mortgage or just struggling to pay rent. You could be swiping dating apps, or trying to understand childcare. No matter your current challenges, our Quarter Life series has articles to share in the group chat, or just to remind you that you’re not alone.

    Read more from Quarter Life:

    One change that Reeves did announce was that inherited pension pots will now all be taxable. Currently, if you inherit unused parts of a pension pot and the owner died aged less than 75, it was passed on tax-free. This won’t happen in the future, and it will instead form part of the estate and be subject to the tax rules above. This means estate sizes could be larger and more will therefore end up getting taxed.

    Reeves also announced the end of the exemption that allows owners of agricultural land and farms, and owners of businesses to avoid inheritance tax. Instead, from April 2026 a £1 million exemption cap will be applied and any assets passed on above this will be taxed at 20% (half the rate applied to other inheritances).

    Housing and stamp duty

    Reeves also announced a rise in stamp duty (the tax paid when you buy a house or flat over a certain value) for those purchasing second homes. While you and your peers are more likely to be trying to buy a first home, the government argues that this increase will give first-time buyers a competitive advantage in the housing market.

    However, there is risk that these extra costs could be passed on, for example to renters of a landlord’s second property in the form of higher rent.

    The government also did not extend the higher thresholds for stamp duty that were announced by the previous Conservative government in the October 2022 mini-budget. So from April next year, first-time buyers will once again have to pay stamp duty on any properties over £300,000, rather than £425,000.

    National insurance

    Employer national insurance contributions (NICs) are also set to rise in April 2025 to 15% (from 13.8%). This doesn’t directly affect employees, as their NIC rate will stay at 8%. However, this may mean there will be less money to pay wage increases or hire new staff.

    The Office for Budget Responsibility expects about 60% of this extra employer NIC cost on average to fall on wages, and about 15% to be passed on to customers in higher prices – so only 25% will affect business profits.

    However, this impact will vary. Smaller businesses and businesses in low margin industries such as low-end retailing or grocery stores, may find this harder to pass on to their employees or customers.

    They will have to absorb more of this cost as reduced profits, which in turn would lead to less money for wage increases or hiring. In effect, it will be cheaper to have more self-employed people (employer NICs are not paid on the self-employed, who have to sort this out themselves).

    Stamp duty has risen – but only on second homes.
    fizkes/Shutterstock

    Minimum wage rising

    Another key change that is likely to disproportionately affect younger workers – national minimum wage is to rise. For those over 21, this will be by 6.7% to £12.21 per hour from April 2025. For a full-time employee, that is an extra £1,400 a year (before tax).

    Those aged 18-20 will be getting an even larger rise to £10 per hour (a 16.3% increase on the current £8.60/hour).

    This is good news for employees, but some fear it could lead to fewer jobs. However, it is a buyer’s market for some lower paid roles, as some industries are struggling to fill vacancies. This may not be a worry for all jobs. Employers will have to pay the minimum wage to get staff they need.

    As always, we will have to wait and see what changes this really creates as people react to the full range of announcements. But the overall government distribution predictions is that all but the very richest will be better off from this budget.

    Very few young professionals fall into this category, so you can almost certainly expect to gain overall from this budget, even if not personally from every change.

    Andy Lymer receives funding from a variety of sources for his work and that of the Centre for Personal Financial Wellbeing that he directs. Most recently this has included the UK’s Money and Pension Service, the Aviva Foundation, and Fair4All Finance.

    – ref. The budget is good news overall for young professionals – here’s how the changes will affect you – https://theconversation.com/the-budget-is-good-news-overall-for-young-professionals-heres-how-the-changes-will-affect-you-242643

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –