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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Use a Weapon of Mass Destruction and to Destroy an Energy Facility in Nashville

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    View the complaint here.

    Skyler Philippi, 24, of Columbia, Tennessee, was arrested by federal agents and charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility.

    “As charged, Skyler Philippi believed he was moments away from launching an attack on a Nashville energy facility to further his violent white supremacist ideology – but the FBI had already compromised his plot,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This case serves as yet another warning to those seeking to sow violence and chaos in the name of hatred by attacking our country’s critical infrastructure: the Justice Department will find you, we will disrupt your plot, and we will hold you accountable. I am grateful to the public servants of the FBI for their extraordinary work on this case and for the work they do every day to keep our country safe.”

    “Those fueled by hate and inspired to violence by racial or ethnic bias pose a grave threat to our national security,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “As alleged in today’s charges, Skyler Philippi, a man dedicated to white supremacist ideology and the destruction of our critical infrastructure, planned to attack Nashville’s power grid using a drone carrying an explosive device. Thanks to brave work by the FBI, his scheme was thwarted. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable those who seek to wage such hate-fueled violence, which has no place in America or anywhere else.”

    “Driven by a racially motivated violent extremist ideology, the Defendant planned to attack the power grid with a drone and explosives, leaving thousands of Americans and critical infrastructure like hospitals without power,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI’s swift work led to the detection and disruption of the defendant’s plot before he could cause any damage. We are committed to holding accountable anyone who threatens the security of our critical infrastructure or seeks to harm American communities through domestic violent extremism.”

    “Dangerous threats to our critical infrastructure threaten every member of this community and will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Jaworski for the Middle District of Tennessee. “We will always work with our law enforcement partners to identify and stop any and all efforts to wreak this kind of havoc and will not hesitate in prosecuting those involved to the fullest extent of the law.”

    “As alleged, the defendant in this case conducted extensive research into explosive devices and potential targets to launch an attack against critical infrastructure,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “The FBI is committed to doing everything in our ability to detect, disrupt, and deter attacks by domestic violent extremists, and will continue to pursue those who look to commit acts of violence in furtherance of their ideological beliefs.”

    Beginning in June 2024, Philippi told a confidential human source (CHS) about his desire to commit a mass shooting at a YMCA facility located in or around Columbia, Tennessee. In July 2024, Philippi told another CHS about the impact of attacking large interstate substations and said that attacking several substations would “shock the system,” causing other substations to malfunction. Philippi researched previous attacks on electric substations and concluded that attacking with firearms would not be sufficient. Philippi, therefore, planned to use a drone with explosives attached to it and to fly the drone into the substation.

    In September 2024, Philippi drove with undercover employees (UCEs) of the FBI to an electric substation previously researched and targeted by Philippi, and Philippi conducted reconnaissance of the substation. While driving, Philippi ordered a plastic explosive composition known as C-4 and other explosives from the UCEs. Philippi later purchased black powder to be used in pipe bombs, which Philippi intended to use during the attack on the substation. Philippi texted the CHS: “if you want to do the most damage as an accelerationist, attack high economic, high tax, political zones in every major metropolis.” Referring to the substation, Philippi stated, “Holy sh**. This will go up like a fu**in fourth of July firework.” Philippi talked about operational security, including the need for disguises, the use of leather gloves (because latex and nitrile gloves can transfer fingerprints), wearing shoes that are too big, the need to burn their clothes after the attack, and not bringing smartphones on the night of the attack.

    On Nov. 2, 2024, Philippi participated in a Nordic ritual, which included reciting a Nordic prayer and discussing the Norse god Odin. Philippi told the UCEs that “this is where the New Age begins” and that it was “time to do something big” that would be remembered “in the annals of history.” Philippi and the UCEs drove to the operation site. The UCEs moved to their assigned positions as lookouts for Philippi. Law-enforcement agents arrested Philippi. When he was taken into custody, Philippi was at the rear of the vehicle, with the drone powered up, and the explosive device was armed and located next to the drone.

    Philippi is charged with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted destruction of an energy facility. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Nashville Field Office is investigating the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Kurtzman of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

    A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Georgia Poll Worker Arrested for Making Bomb Threat to Election Workers

    Source: US State Government of Utah

    A Georgia poll worker was arrested today for mailing a letter to the Jones County Elections Superintendent threatening poll workers.

    According to the criminal complaint, Nicholas Wimbish, 25, of Milledgeville, Georgia, was serving as a poll worker at the Jones County Elections Office on Oct. 16 when he allegedly had a verbal altercation with a voter. Later that evening, Wimbish conducted online research to determine what information about himself would be publicly available. The following day, Wimbish mailed a letter addressed to the Jones County Elections Superintendent, purportedly from a “Jones County Voter.”

    The letter was allegedly drafted to make it appear as if it came from the voter, such as by stating that Wimbish had “give[n] me hell” and that Wimbish was “conspiring votes” and “distracting voters from concentrating.” The letter threatened that Wimbish and others “should look over their shoulder,” that “I know where they go,” that “I know where they all live because I found home voting addresses for all them,” and that the “young men will get beatdown if they fight me” and “will get the treason punishment by firing squad if they fight back.” Further, the letter threatened to “rage rape” the “ladies” and warned them to “watch every move they make and look over their shoulder.” The letter concluded with a handwritten note, “PS boom toy in early vote place, cigar burning, be safe.”

    Wimbish is charged with mailing a bomb threat, conveying false information about a bomb threat, mailing a threatening letter, and making false statements to the FBI. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary for the Middle District of Georgia made the announcement.

    The FBI Atlanta Field Office is investigating the case.

    Trial Attorney Jacob R. Steiner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Will R. Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.

    Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by PIN and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.

    To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.

    A criminal 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 Security: Law Enforcement Officers Join Students for A Day of Learning

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

    BLAST
    (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community)
    The BLAST Program Brings Law Enforcement and Communities Together

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The United States Attorney’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, and Leon High School will present a BLAST event at Leon High School on Thursday, November 7. The BLAST event offers students an opportunity to meet and ask questions of prosecutors and law enforcement officers. The program is based on the belief that young people and law enforcement officers can benefit from spending time together discussing challenges and perspectives on law enforcement to reach a better understanding of each other. This productive interaction enhances relationships and replaces doubt with familiarity and trust.

    During the three-hour program, law enforcement officers share the challenges in responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the actions officers and civilians can take to de-escalate situations.

    Agencies participating in the program include the ATF, DEA, FBI, United States Marshals Service, and the Tallahassee Police Department.

    Members of the media are welcome to attend and photograph/video most segments of the BLAST (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community) program.

    Event: BLAST
    (Building Lasting Relationships Between Law Enforcement and Community)
    Location: Leon High School
    550 East Tennessee Street
    Tallahassee, FL 32308

    Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024

    Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. EST

    Media: Please RSVP to chris.canova@usdoj.gov if you plan to attend.

    The BLAST program schedule includes the following discussion sessions, during which students have a chance to participate in role-play with law enforcement officers. (Students with media permissions will be identified)

    • Federal Crimes Scenario: Students evaluate video scenarios and learn about each phase of a federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Domestic Response / K-9 Demonstration: Students participate in a scenario in which law enforcement officers respond to a domestic disturbance. The discussion includes the challenges officers face, the rights of witnesses and suspects, and the benefits of providing information to law enforcement. Officers explain the role and capabilities of police K9s. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Traffic Stop Simulation: Students and officers alternate playing the roles of civilians and officers in a traffic stop. The discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Use of Force: Facilitators and students discuss when law enforcement officers may use force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation. This session is closed to the media. Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.

    • The Way Forward – Returning from Prison: A formerly incarcerated individual shares his journey from prison to a productive citizen.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Smoking ban introduced to protect children and most vulnerable

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    The government will introduce plans for tougher action to protect people from the harms of smoking in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill today.

    • World-leading reforms introduced to phase out smoking, protecting the public, NHS and economy and put us on track to a smokefree UK

    • Government will be given powers to extend indoor smoking ban to certain outdoor settings, focused on protecting children and the most vulnerable, in addition to creating the first smokefree generation   

    • Bill will also ban vape advertising and sponsorship, as well as create new powers to restrict the flavours, display and packaging of all types of vapes

    • Combined with on the spot fines, tougher action on enforcement and tighter regulation on vaping, the Bill will protect children and young people from harm and addiction

    Tougher action to better protect the public, NHS and the economy from the harms of smoking will be set out in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, introduced in Parliament today (Tuesday 5 November).   

    The world-leading Bill will include measures to create a smokefree generation, phasing-out the sale of tobacco products across the UK to anyone aged 15 or younger this year, breaking the cycle of addiction and disadvantage. 

    In addition, the government will be given powers to extend the indoor smoking ban to specific outdoor spaces: with children’s playgrounds, outside schools and hospitals all being considered, subject to consultation.

    This sits alongside a ban in the Bill on vape advertising and sponsorship, as well as powers to restrict the flavours, display and packaging of all types of vapes, as well as other nicotine products.    

    Disposable vapes are also due to be banned from 1 June 2025 under separate environmental legislation.   

    The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is part of the government’s reform agenda to shift the focus of healthcare from sickness to prevention and will address one of the biggest risk factors driving poor health. 

    Smoking claims around 80,000 lives a year in the UK, putting huge pressure on our NHS, taking up appointments, scans and operations, and costing taxpayers £3.1 billion a year.   

    The cost of smoking to the economy is even greater, with £18 billion lost in productivity every year, as smokers are a third more likely to be off work sick.   

    Tobacco is a uniquely harmful product, responsible for 1-in-4 of all cancer deaths and killing up to two-thirds of its long-term users. Smoking also substantially increases the risk of many major health conditions throughout people’s lives, such as strokes, diabetes, heart disease, stillbirth, dementia and asthma.   

    Almost every minute, someone is admitted to hospital because of smoking and up to 75,000 GP appointments can be attributed to smoking each month – over 100 every hour.   

    There is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke and this is particularly true for children – whose lungs and immune system aren’t as well developed as adults – as well as pregnant women and those with pre-existing health conditions.  

    Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:      

    Unless we act to help people stay healthy, the rising tide of ill-health in our society threatens to overwhelm and bankrupt our NHS. Prevention is better than cure. 

    This government is taking bold action to create the first smokefree generation, clamp down on kids getting hooked on nicotine through vapes, and protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of second-hand smoke. 

    This historic legislation will save thousands of lives and protect the NHS. By building a healthy society, we will also help to build a healthy economy, with fewer people off work sick.

    The government will also take tougher action to crack down on youth vaping, with 25% of 11 to 15-year-olds having tried vaping in 2023.   

    Subject to consultation, the government is considering extending restrictions in places that are currently smoke free to also become vape free, especially in areas where there are children and young adults.   

    Together, these measures will help protect children from becoming hooked on nicotine while continuing to enable adult smokers to use vapes as a quit aid.  

    Chief Medical Officer for England, Professor Chris Whitty, said:  

    A smokefree country would prevent disease, disability and premature deaths for children born today and for people long into the future. Smoking causes harm across the life course from stillbirths, asthma in children, cancers, strokes and heart attacks to premature dementia.   

    Most smokers wish they had never started, but are trapped by addiction. Second-hand smoke causes harm including to children, pregnant women and medically vulnerable people so reducing this is important. If vulnerable people can smell smoke they are inhaling it.   

    The rising numbers of children vaping is a major concern and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help prevent marketing vapes to children, which is utterly unacceptable.  

    This is a major piece of legislation which if passed will have a positive and lasting impact on the health of the nation.

    Professor Sanjay Agrawal, NHS England national speciality advisor for tobacco dependency, said:

    Smoking may seem like a problem for past generations, but it is still the leading cause of preventable illness and deaths and has an enormous impact on the NHS, costing billions each year through appointments, scans and operations. It’s also clear that vaping is a growing issue, particularly among young people.

    NHS treatments, including nicotine replacement therapy, are helping thousands of adults each year to live healthier lives and we have seen adult smoking rates drop by more than half in the last 3 decades.

    But there is more to do, so we welcome this public health intervention and look forward to working with government to help the next generation grow up smoke and vape-free.

    The Bill will also include powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape and nicotine products in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and will introduce on the spot fines of £200 to retailers found to be selling these products to people underage.   

    These measures will protect law abiding businesses and tackle illicit products from being sold.     

    The number of cancer cases caused by smoking has increased by 17% since 2003, with 20 additional people a day being diagnosed with cancer caused by smoking compared to 20 years ago.        

    Smoking is also a significant driver of inequality and poverty with mortality rates attributed to smoking in the most deprived areas of England more than double that in the least deprived areas.      

    The majority of smokers start before the age of 20 and are then addicted for life. Less than 17% of smokers state they want to continue smoking.   

    The government will support current smokers to quit by exploring standardising packaging for all tobacco products, for example cigars or pipe tobacco.  We will also ensure all hospitals integrate ‘opt-out’ smoking cessation interventions into routine care. This will complement existing programmes to help support smokers quit.

    Just last month in England, the Health and Social Care Secretary launched the public engagement that will inform the government’s 10 Year Health Plan to deliver three big shifts in healthcare – hospital to community, analogue to digital and from sickness to prevention – to make the NHS fit for the future. 

    In England, hospitality settings, including outside areas of pubs and bars, will not be included in the proposed extension to the indoor smoking ban.

    Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive at the British Heart Foundation, said:

    We are delighted to see landmark legislation to create a smokefree generation brought to Parliament. Smoking continues to have a devastating impact on our national health, taking thousands of lives across the UK each year, and tough measures must be taken to ensure future generations don’t die early because of tobacco.

    We welcome the government’s commitment to raising the age of sale for tobacco every year, as well as further action to protect children and clinically vulnerable people such as those living with heart disease from second hand smoke in schools, playgrounds and hospital grounds.

    We also welcome measures to make vaping less appealing to young people.  We know the vast majority of the public back the aims of this Bill, and we urge MPs of all parties to support this life-saving legislation and vision of a smokefree UK.

    Dr Ian Walker,  executive director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said: 

    Today is a significant step forward in the journey to creating a smokefree UK. By increasing the age of sale of tobacco products and properly funding cessation services, the government can build a healthier future, prevent cancer, and protect people from a lifetime of deadly and costly addiction.  

    We urge all MPs to prioritise the nation’s health by voting in favour of the Bill and ensuring that this historic legislation is implemented across the UK.

    Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive at Action on Smoking, said:

    This is a world-leading piece of legislation, the first stop on a roadmap to a smokefree country. It opens up an important debate about smoking and how long we are prepared to tolerate the incredible harms it does to our society. Over the last 50 years, smoking has taken more than 8 million lives in the UK. The health community and the public support the government in this historic effort to phase out the sale of tobacco. Smoking will not steal the health and wealth of future generations.

    Henry Gregg, director of external affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said:

    The government is taking a huge step forward in the fight against the harms of smoking, the biggest cause of lung disease death in the UK, by tabling the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. 

    Creating a smokefree generation is one of the most impactful things the UK can do to protect future generations from developing lung conditions caused by smoking. The highest rates of respiratory-related deaths are overwhelmingly in the most deprived areas, where people are also more likely to smoke. This landmark legislation will play a vital role in closing this gap, as well as easing some of the £2.2bn burden that smoking places on the NHS each year.

    But we should not forget those who are already addicted to smoking – we need increased investment in stop smoking services to deal with smoking’s deadly legacy. Smoking is one of the worst things anyone can do for their lungs and smoking can also cause significant health problems for those around people who smoke.

    If you’re a smoker and you want to quit tobacco, vaping can be a helpful way to give up smoking. But children and those who don’t smoke should not start to vape, especially if you have a lung condition. Recent figures show a worrying rise in the numbers of children vaping, who mostly use disposable vapes. It’s high time to put a stop to the vaping industry marketing their products towards children with cheap prices and appealing flavour options. It’s good to see increased powers to regulate vape branding, promotion and flavours in this bill and further powers of enforcement.

    Cllr David Fothergill, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board, said:

    We fully support the government’s smokefree generation ambitions, which will improve the lives and health of people across the country.

    Local government has led the way tackling the harms caused by smoking, whether that is calling for a ban on smoking in public places or funding smoking cessation services.

    Raising the legal age of sale for tobacco products is a progressive policy that will help reduce smoking prevalence and the damaging effects on health, while we strongly endorse the measures on vapes, to help reduce their appeal to children.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Protecting children, families and vulnerable from tobacco harms

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Professor Sir Chris Whitty writes for The Times on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

    Written on:

    No smoker wants to harm other people, but with second-hand smoke they unintentionally do. Despite efforts by the tobacco industry to undermine the evidence on this, it is overwhelming. The risk of getting or accelerating diseases such as cardiovascular disease, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are significantly increased by second-hand (passive) smoke, including in non-smokers who now make up over 88% of the UK adult population.

    Some people are especially vulnerable to tobacco chemicals: children, pregnant women, people with common pre-existing but usually invisible health conditions like asthma, diabetes or coronary heart disease. There are now more people with serious medical conditions that can be made worse by second-hand smoke than there are smokers and they do not choose to be exposed to risk from smoke in a public place.

    By addicting people at a young age, tobacco companies ensure that millions of people who smoke will suffer substantial health harms throughout their life. These range from stillbirth through to significantly higher rates of dementia, including stroke, heart attacks lung disease and many cancers. Smokers are more likely to need NHS services, be admitted to hospital, drop out of work and need social care years before they otherwise would.

    Most smokers wish they had never started, want to quit and should be supported to do so but are find they are trapped, their choice taken away by the addiction deliberately induced in them by the industry at an early age. To prevent this the last government introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to create a smokefree generation in current children, with wide cross-party and public support, and the Bill being introduced builds on that.

    Many non-smokers are harmed simply by being near smoking. The health harms are lower than for an active smoker but still substantial. Recognising that, the UK stopped smoking in indoor public spaces 17 years ago. This led to rapid improvements in health including around 1200 fewer heart attack admissions and many fewer asthma admissions in children in the first year alone.

    There is no safe level of smoking, but in bringing forward new legislation ministers have considered outdoor public places children, families and medically vulnerable people are most exposed to the risk of second-hand smoke.

    Three things particularly predict harm: the concentration of smoke; the amount of time being exposed; the vulnerability of the individuals. Although outdoor spaces generally have lower concentrations of the toxic chemicals from tobacco than indoors studies show they can still be significant near or downwind of smoking or in areas like a walled or covered outdoor space. If you can smell smoke, you are inhaling it in appreciable amounts.

    Smoke near schools and playgrounds exposes children. Hospitals grounds have very high numbers of medically vulnerable people. This Bill will help protect them from the effects of second-hand smoke. 

    The Bill will also address the tricks used to make vapes attractive to children. The message on vapes is clear; if you smoke swap to vapes; if you don’t smoke don’t vape; it is utterly unacceptable to market vapes to children. Because smoking is so dangerous, smokers moving to vapes is safer, but best of all is not to smoke or vape.

    Anywhere someone can smoke, they should therefore be able to vape as a quit aid but the long-term effects of vaping, including passive vaping, are unknown. If passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will ban the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and also allow the government, after consultation, to protect children from marketing techniques vaping companies use to addict them including through bright colours, flavours and cartoons. The government has already moved to ban disposable vapes used by many children. 

    The tobacco industry drives health inequality, harms the economy through ill health including during the working age and causes a burden on the NHS – far outweighing the tax receipts. Ensuring a smokefree generation, protecting families and vulnerable people from involuntary second-hand smoke and preventing some of the tricks used to market cigarettes and vapes to children will have substantial long-term benefits to the health of the public.

    Updates to this page

    Published 5 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder Holds Press Briefing

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  All right. Good afternoon, everyone. Looks like there’s something wrong with this side of the room here since everybody’s on this side of the room, but OK. All right. Well, just a few things at the top and I’ll be glad to take your questions. So as many of you saw in the statement that we released on Friday, Secretary Austin ordered the deployment of additional ballistic missile defense destroyers, fighter squadrons, and tanker aircraft and several US Air Force B-52 long range strike bombers to the US Central Command area of responsibility.

    These forces will begin to arrive in the coming months as the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group prepares to depart, some of which have already begun to flow into theater as highlighted by the arrival of the B-52 bombers over the weekend. These deployments are in keeping with our commitments to the protection of US citizens and forces in the Middle East, the defense of Israel, and de-escalation through deterrence and diplomacy.

    These movements build on the recent decision to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense Missile Defense system to Israel, as well as DOD’s sustained Amphibious Ready Group / Marine Expeditionary Unit posture in the Eastern Mediterranean and demonstrate the flexible nature of US global defense posture and US capability to deploy worldwide on short notice to meet evolving national security threats.

    Secretary Austin continues to make clear that should Iran, its partners or its proxies, use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people.

    Shifting gears, tomorrow is Election Day and DOD stands prepared to support state and local authorities as required. Of note, Secretary Austin approved a request last week from the District of Columbia for D.C. National Guard troops to support the D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services from November 5 through 13. For those of you who have covered the defense beat for a while, you know that it is routine practice for the DOD to authorize the D.C. National Guard to support or augment security for large scale events in the district and activated Guardsmen will remain under the command and control of the D.C. National Guard.

    Similarly, around the nation, approximately 60 National Guardsmen from six states have been activated by their state governors and state active-duty status for election support with roughly another 600 Guardsmen from 17 states on standby if needed. Again, as you know, the National Guard has ongoing and long-standing relationships with local, state and federal agency partners and has assisted with national special security events like Election Day and Inauguration Day for many years. For more information about individual state responses and activations, I would direct you to the individual states.

    And finally, the Department is proud to celebrate National Native American Heritage Month. This November, we honor the contributions and sacrifices of native peoples who have served our country. The contributions of these fellow Americans have been pivotal in some of the most critical moments in our nation’s defense.

    As just one of many examples, the US Marine Corps Navajo code talkers using their native language to develop an unbreakable communication code during World War II, played a decisive role in the Battle of Iwo Jima. Their example of duty and honor continues to inspire current and future generations of Americans to serve with the same resolve and pride.

    And with that, I’ll be glad to take your questions. Start with AP, Lita.

    Q:  Thank you, Pat. Two things, one on Ukraine, North Korea. Can you say whether any North Korean troops have been observed in combat or over the line in Ukraine? And I believe State has said that the number is about 10,000. Is that what you believe are in the Kursk region right now? And then I have a—

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Sure, a couple updates. So we believe that there are now at least 10,000 DPRK forces in the Kursk Oblast. Recognizing that as we continue to assess DPRK presence on the ground, those numbers could go up slightly, in terms of the total number of DPRK troops in Russia. We’ve seen the press reports about alleged combat ops. We’re looking into those, but at this point cannot corroborate those reports. But as you heard Secretary Austin say last week, should these troops engage in combat support operations against Ukraine, they would become legitimate military targets.

    Q:  So have you seen any additional North Korean forces heading for eastern Russia? Do you see another wave of influx?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  I don’t know that I would call it a wave, but as we look at those numbers, we think that the total number of DPRK forces in Russia total could be closer to around 11,000 to 12,000, with about 10,000, at least 10,000 right now in the Kursk Oblast. OK. And you said you had a follow-up?

    Q:  Just on Iran, have you seen any movement indications or any suggestions that Iran has been taking steps to do any type of retaliatory action against Israel?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Yeah. So in terms of whether or not Iran does anything, I’m not going to speculate, nor will I discuss intelligence assessments from here. I think we as the US government have been very clear that we believe Iran should not respond to Israel’s retaliation if they choose to do so. We of course will support Israel and their defense.

    Natasha?

    Q:  Thanks, Pat. So senior Ukrainian officials have said that they are observing some very small, limited numbers of North Korean troops, things like engineers, for example, in the occupied territories in eastern Ukraine. Are you not prepared to corroborate that at this point?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Yeah. Again, we’re looking into all of that, but at this point, just can’t corroborate those reports.

    Q:  OK. And also, we’re about a week away from the deadline that was set by Secretary Austin and Secretary Blinken with regard to Gaza. The State Department just said that they have not yet seen enough being done in northern Gaza in terms of humanitarian aid. Does the Secretary agree with that?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Well, I think as you highlight, at the State Department on Thursday, when Secretary Blinken and Secretary Austin addressed this, both of them highlighted that we believe more needs to be done in terms of getting humanitarian assistance into Gaza and to the Palestinian people. I’d point you to Secretary Blinken’s remarks in terms of sort of the rundown of where things stand on that front.

    But even in his call last week on Thursday with Minister Gallant, Secretary Austin continues to reinforce how important it is to ensure that humanitarian assistance can flow and flow faster into Gaza. And so that will continue to be something that we will remain focused on. Constantin?

    Q:  Thanks, Pat. Just one follow up on the National Guard deployments. You said Guardsmen have been put on active orders from six states. Can you say what those six states are?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  I don’t have that list here in front of me. Let me just double check, Constantin, make sure. I don’t have that list here in front of me, but we can certainly get that for you.

    Q:  OK. And then sort of on the same vein, is the Department of Defense providing any cyber resources or capabilities for election monitoring or sort of anti-misinformation efforts?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Well, as you know, US Cyber Command does play a role in terms of supporting our elections. I’d refer you to them to go into details and there are National Guard elements that do support US Cyber Command, but they can provide you more details on that.

    Q:  Thank you.

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Thank you. Noah?

    Q:  A couple clean up questions on North Korea, the 11,000 to 12,000 number that you said, that leaves a bandwidth between those in Kursk and those still in eastern Russia. Do you expect those remaining troops to head toward Kursk in the coming days?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Yeah. I mean, again we fully expect, just based on what we’re seeing, that these forces will go to the Kursk region, that they will provide some kind of capability. All indications are that they will provide some type of combat or combat support capability. Again, remains to be seen exactly how they will be employed. I’d point you to the comments that were made on Thursday in terms of things like UAV ops, artillery, infantry. So again, should they be employed in combat, they will become legitimate military targets and we would fully expect that the Ukrainians would do what they need to do to defend themselves and their personnel.

    Q:  And do all of those in Kursk that are North Korean troops have Russian uniforms and equipment at this point as you understand?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  My understanding is that all of these forces are being issued Russian uniforms and Russian equipment.

    Q:  One more follow up on the Middle East. The deployments that were announced on Friday, are these based on new assessments of the threat that Iran may pose within a retaliation toward Israel or possibly American troops? Or is this simply about trying to reinforce the US force posture there given that the carrier will depart in the coming weeks?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Well, I think as we highlighted in our statement and as I highlighted at the top here, we are deploying these forces to the region to preserve our ability to protect our forces, support the defense of Israel and also act as a deterrent capability. And so out of due diligence in ensuring that we continue to be prepared to meet our commitments, deploying and rotating these forces in as we look ahead down the road and prepare for the departure of the Abe (sic).

    OK. Mike.

    Q:  Yeah, these North Korean units, do you know if the soldiers are filling blanks spots in the Russian line or will they be deploying and operating as their own particular units?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  So a couple of things. It’s TBD (sic). We’ll see exactly how these forces are integrated into Russian operations and how they’re committed to the battlefield, assuming that they are. In terms of replacement for Russian forces, I’d point you back again to what Secretary Austin highlighted in terms of the significant casualty rates that we’re seeing among Russian forces.

    So insomuch as that these are potentially forces that are coming in to replace the massive numbers of losses that Russia is experiencing, I think that’s probably a fair assessment and I certainly would not want to be a North Korean soldier.

    Q:  Right. But my point is, I mean, are they going to be inserted into already existing Russian units as just spare body, spare body, spare body, or will there be North Korean battalion fighting here and North Korean battalion here, or do you not know at this point?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Yeah, we don’t know at this point, and we’ll see. We anticipate in the relatively near future we will know more as we see how Russia and North Korea opt to employ these forces. OK. Charlie?

    Q:  Thank you, General. Adding to that, do you anticipate or are you even tracking whether or not this may just be the first of many North Koreans that will be headed to Russia? That’s my first question. My second question is regarding Iran’s threats of retaliation, they said that it will come from Iran or Iranian-backed militias, which we’ve already seen in Iraq.

    First of all, have you seen an uptick in the tempo of drone attacks from Iranian-backed militias there against Israel and or against US forces? Does it look orchestrated and how much of it is a concern that bigger stuff might be headed there like ballistic missiles?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Yeah, on your first question, that is definitely something that we’re keeping a close eye on. I don’t have anything right now to pass along in terms of whether or not DPRK will or won’t send additional forces. And I’m not going to speculate on whether they do, but definitely something we’re keeping a close eye on. As far as the threats that have been communicated in the press and in social media about the potential for Iran to launch attacks from Iraqi territory, what I would say is that over the last year, we’ve seen Iran backed militia groups sporadically launch missiles and one-way attack UAVs from Syria and Iraq towards Israel.

    The vast majority of those have been intercepted or fail in flight. And while we’ve recently observed an increase in one way attack UAVs assessed to be against Israel, at this stage, we would not characterize these as large numbers. And so we continue to remain vigilant, and we remain ready to defend US forces and Israel from these threats.

    Q:  And are you tracking any movement of ballistic missiles in and out of that region?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  I don’t have anything to pass along in terms of intelligence assessments from this podium, but again, we stand ready to support the defense of Israel and would encourage Iran not to launch any type of retaliatory attack.

    Luis?

    Q:  We’ve been talking about the 10,000 troops in Kursk, but can you give us some context please? This 10,000, how much will they augment the Russian presence there? Will they be a significant portion of the presence there in that particular oblast? Are they a very small component? Just something so that we can understand what adding 10,000 North Koreans to that battle space means.

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Sure. I think to do that, you have to go back in time a little bit. And if you recall, when Ukraine conducted their offensive into Russian territory into the Kursk Oblast and they continue to hold Russian territory in Kursk and they have made the decision to hold that territory at risk and continue to defend it. And so what we saw in the early days of that Ukrainian offensive was a very muddled Russian response in terms of trying to push the Ukrainians back. And for the most part, they have not been able to push the Ukrainians very far. They’ve taken some incremental amounts of territory back but nothing that we would categorize as significant. So placing these additional 10,000 to 11,000 to 12,000 forces in Kursk is definitely something from a combat capability standpoint that could be significant, but a lot of that will depend on how those forces are employed, how they’re integrated into the Russian command and control.

    And of course, if the Ukrainians—if the past is any indicator of the future, the Ukrainians are battle hardened veterans who know how to fight. And so every indication that they will continue to defend Ukrainian sovereignty and continued to defend Kursk, the territory that they’ve taken. And so we’ll see how that plays out.

    Q:  Numerically and size-wise, numerically, is it, the infusion of these 10,000 additional troops at a minimum, is that really significant to the force that you said have been making incremental gains?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Well, I think, again, if you want to talk numbers and again, numbers can be misleading because look what Ukraine did when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022 and how a small number of forces to date have been able to largely defeat the strategic objectives of what was and is the largest army in Europe.

    So again, a lot of that just depends on how Russia opts to employ those forces, how well they’re integrated, what kind of combat experience they have. And so we’ll see. In the meantime, we continue to consult very closely with our allies and partners. And we also continue to ensure that we’re working with Ukraine and some 50 nations to rush security assistance to Ukraine, to defend Ukrainian sovereignty both here and elsewhere in the battlefield.

    Let me go to the phone real quick here. Let’s go to Dan Lamothe, Washington Post.

    Q:  Hey, General. Thanks for your time today. There’s often a perception in the Pentagon and across Washington that aircraft carriers deter Iran and the lack of one in the region, emboldens them. Two questions, I guess, related. Does Secretary Austin see these newly announced deployments on Friday to the region as sufficient to deter Iran with a carrier group potentially coming?

    And can you put this decision in context of how you’re looking at broader threats in the Pacific and other regions? Thanks.

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Yeah. Thanks, Dan. So when it comes to us force deployments around the world, while there’s understandable focus on particular types of equipment and vessels to include aircraft carriers, at the end of the day, it really comes down to our people and the capabilities that we provide. And so the capabilities that we’re deploying into the region will provide a significant amount of capability on par with what we’ve been doing in the Middle East region since the October 7th attacks over a year ago.

    And so certainly as we look at global force management and our national security commitments around the world, that’s always taking into account in terms of how we can meet those commitments and ensure we have what we need to protect our people. And in this case, also support the defense of Israel.

    Let me go to Jeff Schogol, Task and Purpose.

    Q:  Yeah. Thank you. Two separate questions. Now that the election is upon us, is the Defense Department satisfied that all overseas troops and their spouses have the access they need to federal absentee ballots? Also, how should one describe the coalition between North Korea and Russia? Is it an alliance or is it more friends with benefits?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Thanks, Jeff. Let me take your question on voting first. So first of all, we continue to recommend all voters register and request an absentee ballot. Those deadlines vary depending on states. And as you know, we do have a robust education program in terms of getting the word out on how service members and their families can obtain their absentee ballots no matter where you are, whether it’s overseas or whether it’s stationed outside of your state.

    Just speaking from personal experience as a Florida resident, I can tell you, I received multiple emails over many weeks, reminding me to register and to request my ballot. It arrived early. I had plenty of time to submit that. If a service member has requested a ballot and it hasn’t arrived, they can use the federal write-in absentee ballot immediately at FVAP.gov/FWAB, and this acts as a back-up ballot.

    And again, that information is provided on multiple occasions through multiple mechanisms. So again, encourage folks to get out and vote and make sure that their voice is heard. As far as the relationship between Russia and North Korea goes, we definitely continue to monitor this.

    The level of cooperation between the two remains concerning, but in many ways transactional. And so again, this is something we’ll keep a close eye on, and I’ll just leave it there. OK. Yes, sir.

    Q:  Thank you, General. Last week as you said that Secretary Austin all times (sic) he urged for a ceasefire in Lebanon as quickly as possible. So do you think we need more time, that Israel needs more time to stop this war to achieve their goals? How long do you believe that will take, this war? Is it, as you said before, it was a limited operations, but now almost a month starting this war, so do they need more weeks and months or maybe we’re going to see like what’s happened in Gaza like over a year for this war? Thank you.

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Yeah, I won’t speak for Israel. But Secretary Austin and others have been very clear that we believe that a ceasefire and the resolution of tensions in the region through diplomatic means are required as soon as possible. And so as you’ve seen with the State Department and the US envoy, Mr. Hochstein, going to the region, this continues to be something that is a top priority for the US, working with partners in the region to include Israel. And we’ll continue to communicate that to our Israeli counterparts.

    As you saw from our readout, this was also something that came up in the phone call between Secretary Austin and Minister Gallant last week. Thank you.

    OK. Let me go to Heather from USNI.

    Q:  Thank you so much. I was hoping you could give a couple more details about the plans with Abe (sic) and then whether or not it’s planning to leave within the next couple of weeks, the next week. And then Harry S. Truman is on its way over to the Middle East, Mediterranean area, but it’s making stops along its way.

    Is this an indication that we don’t feel that there needs to be an aircraft carrier in the region very quickly? What does this indicate in terms of how much the Houthi threat remains in the Middle East?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Yeah. Thanks, Heather. As far as deployment timelines go, as a matter of policy and operational security, we’re not going to talk specifics on when the Abraham Lincoln strike group will depart the US Central Command area of responsibility. As for the Truman, as you highlight, continues to operate in the North Atlantic.

    Again, I’m not going to get into its particular movements or forecast those. And in terms of the message it sends, it just demonstrates the flexibility and versatility of the US military and our ability to meet our national security commitments and provide robust capability around the world and flex as needed.

    And again highlighted by the fact that you have B-52 bombers that are now in the AOR, the CENTCOM AOR, that are multi-versatile and can provide an incredible amount of capability in support of those efforts. So again, it’s about capability and it’s about our people and we’re confident that we have the right force posture to support our national security requirements.

    Ashley?

    Q:  Just a quick follow up on the announcement on troops at the Middle East, are there any plans to send additional troops into Israel or to man assets there?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  I don’t have anything to announce at this point. Yeah. Thanks.

    Sir?

    Q:  Thank you. General. Do you anticipate any direct Israeli attack on Iranian paramilitary groups in Iraq as they continuously launch UAVs into Israel? I mean, did you send any message to these groups in Iraq?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  As I’m sure you can appreciate, I won’t speak for Israeli operations on what they may or may not do. I can tell you that what we’ve seen in the past is them—as I highlighted earlier, intercept threats that are heading towards Israel, but in terms of potential future military action by Israel, that’s a question for them to address. OK.

    Q:  Might that not be something that CENTCOM would engage in, the potential attack or if you want to call it a preemptive strike?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Well, again, without getting into hypotheticals or speaking to Israeli operations, US Central Command and the Department of Defense regularly have conversations with Israel as it relates to the defense of Israel and how we can work together to support that effort. And as I highlighted earlier, if we do see threats emanating from other regions, we’re prepared to support the defense of Israel and have, as we’ve demonstrated in the past.

    Howard Altman, War Zone.

    Q:  Hey. Thanks, Pat. A couple things I wanted to drill down a little bit on the North Koreans in Kursk. Images appeared online that shows a North Korean troop killed in that, in Kursk. And then my other question is, has there been any change in the US warship presence in the Red Sea to protect shipping commercial shipping?

    And if so, how has that changed? Any change in operation—I forget what the name is, the operation protecting ships in the Red Sea?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Thanks, Howard. On your first question, again, I’ve seen those press and social media reports. Again, we’re looking into them, but I cannot corroborate those reports at this time. As it relates to force posture in the Red Sea and elsewhere, I’m not going to get into specifics in terms of which ships are there and what their movement plans are, other than to say, yes, we do maintain robust capability to support Operation Prosperity Guardian and support our efforts to support freedom of navigation and the safety of mariners in the region. OK.

    Do one more. Yes, ma’am?

    Q:  Just a quick follow-up, Pat, on Luis’ questions. What’s the US estimate on the number of Russian forces in the Kursk region?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  I don’t have a number to provide to you.

    Q:  Ballpark?

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  I don’t even have a ballpark number other than to say, broadly speaking, what we saw in the past was essentially a conglomeration of various units on the Russian side to include territorial defense forces attempting to push the Ukrainians back.

    Q:  I think I was just trying to get a sense of kind of perspective, right? Is it now almost largely North Korean troops their equal number of both? I mean, I think that’s kind of what we’re trying to figure out.

    PENTAGON PRESS SECRETARY MAJOR GENERAL PAT RYDER:  Sure. And I just don’t have a number to pass along here. I mean, keeping in mind again that what we’re talking about here is Russian territory writ large, right? So I mean this is inside Russian interior lines and theoretically, Russia could have made the decision a long time ago to move large number of Russian forces to address this threat.

    But it demonstrates a couple of things. One, the fact that Russia has not made recovery of its sovereign territory a priority, and number two, the fact that Russia finds itself in a situation where they now have to hire out to get additional forces to deal with this issue, which as Secretary Austin has highlighted, is an indication of the dire straits they’re in when it comes to personnel.

    So thank you very much, everybody. Appreciate it.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Northland News – Critically endangered Northland lake plant voted NZ’s favourite plant 2024

    Source: Northland Regional Council

    A tiny and very rare Northland lake plant, Trithuria inconspicua, has been voted ‘New Zealand’s Favourite Plant’ in a national poll.
    The online vote was run by the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network (NZPCN) to find the native plant best-loved by New Zealanders.
    Trithuria only grows in Te Taitokerau’s dune lakes and is found nowhere else in the world.
    Tiny in stature, Trithuria packs a mighty punch in age – the latest scientific research has revealed this little plant to be in the oldest flowering plant lineage.
    Trithuria is in a plant family that has been around for over a hundred million years, so it is a ‘living fossil’.
    The plant certainly lives up to its name of ‘inconspicua’. At only 55 millimetres tall, it grows partially buried in the sands of the lake floor, so you are more likely to feel it beneath your feet than see it. It has fans of fine, hair-like leaves in which it hides tiny flowers that look like miniature waterlilies.
    Northland Regional Council (NRC) works in partnership with mana whenua, landowners and the Department of Conservation (DOC) to protect dune lakes and is delighted to celebrate Trithuria’s success.
    “It’s so exciting that a Northland aquatic plant has won, and that people know and love this remarkable little plant,” the council’s Biodiversity Manager Lisa Forester says.
    Kaumātua Ric Pārore, speaking on behalf of Te Kuihi hapū, one of the mana whenua of Kai Iwi Lakes, says they’re thrilled to see Trithuria recognised, but also sad the plant has become so rare.
    “It’s important that everyone who visits or uses our lakes is careful to look after them so this plant can thrive.”
    Unfortunately, the future for Trithuria is uncertain.
    It is listed as ‘Threatened-Nationally Critical’, the highest threat category. Plant populations were previously found in 13 dune lakes north of Poutō, but since 1998 these have declined to viable populations in only five lakes.
    Trithuria needs clean sand and water to survive and is effectively a ‘canary in the coalmine’ as far as water quality is concerned. It is threatened by deteriorating water quality due to nutrient enrichment, pest weed and pest fish impacts and recreational pressures.
    Three of the lakes where Trithuria grows are public lakes where people like to swim or boat, which puts the plant at extra risk from being trampled or from accidental pest introductions.
    Northland Regional Council, in conjunction with mana whenua, DOC and landowners, is currently running eradication programmes for hornwort and oxygen weeds in several high value dune lakes.
    Councillor Jack Craw, who chairs the council’s Biosecurity and Biodiversity Working Party, says Te Taitokerau’s dune lakes are one of our outstanding ecosystems and are globally rare.
    “Trithuria is a wonderful example of why these lakes are so special and its recognition as plant of the year is a reminder to us all of the importance of caring for our dune lakes.”
    Councillor Craw says dune lakes and their biodiversity face many threats, including the risk of introduced pests like the invasive gold clam, which is now present in the Waikato River area.
    “If this got into our lakes it would be disastrous and would almost certainly lead to the extinction of Trithuria in those lakes.”
    He says Northlanders can help prevent the spread of aquatic pests by following ‘Check Clean Dry’ procedures when visiting the lakes.
    If you do see Trithuria, the NRC urges you not to pick it, dig it up or trample it…just leave it undisturbed. (It is very difficult to grow and will not survive in an aquarium or home pond.)
    For more information on this special plant visit: www.nrc.govt.nz/trithuria

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Quincy Jones mastered the art of arrangement, transforming simple tunes into epic soundscapes

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jose Valentino Ruiz, Associate Professsor of Music Business and Entrepreneurship, University of Florida

    Quincy Jones left his indelible touch on some of the 20th century’s most iconic albums. Arnold Turner/Getty Images for Netflix

    On the sleeve notes of some of the most memorable and best-selling albums of all time, you’ll find the words “Produced and arranged by Quincy Jones.”

    It was a hallmark of quality.

    Jones, who died on Nov. 3, 2024, at the age of 91, transformed our understanding of musical arrangement. His work spanned decades and genres, from jazz and pop to hip-hop and film scoring. He worked with pop icons like Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, and also collaborated with lesser-known artists such as Lesley Gore and Tevin Campbell.

    Each of his projects, collaborations and forays into new genres redefined what it meant to arrange music.

    As a music business and entrepreneurship professor, I’ve studied and taught Jones’ techniques, which I hope can inspire the next generation of musicians.

    A master musical architect

    Musical arrangement might seem like an abstract concept.

    Simply put, it’s the art of deciding how a song unfolds. While a composer writes the melody and harmony, an arranger shapes the experience, choosing which instruments play when, how textures build and where dynamics shift.

    Arrangement transforms a song from notes on paper into a fully realized piece of art that resonates with listeners. In essence, an arranger acts as a musical architect, designing the structure of a song to tell a compelling story.

    Jones brought a visionary approach to arranging. He wasn’t merely filling in the gaps around a melody with a drum beat here and a horn section there; he was crafting a musical narrative that gave each instrument a purpose, guiding listeners through an emotional journey.

    From his early work in the 1950s and 1960s with jazz greats like Count Basie and R&B star Ray Charles, to his blockbuster productions with Michael Jackson, Jones saw arrangement as a tool to guide listeners from one musical moment to the next.

    Elevating voices

    His work on “Sinatra at the Sands” is but one example.

    Jones created lush, energetic big-band arrangements that perfectly complemented Sinatra’s smooth, warm voice. The choice of brass swells and the dynamic shifts amplified Sinatra’s charisma, turning the album into a lively, almost-cinematic experience. Unlike many arrangements, which often stay in the background, Jones’ took center stage, blending harmoniously with Sinatra’s vocals while adding depth and excitement to the entire performance.

    In Ray Charles’ “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” Jones used orchestral swells and background vocals to bring out the soul in Charles’ voice, creating a richly emotional experience for listeners. By intelligently pairing Charles’ gospel-tinged vocals with a polished, orchestral arrangement, Jones captured the tension between sorrow and resilience – a demonstration of his ability to communicate complex emotions through arrangement.

    Ray Charles, left, shares a laugh with Quincy Jones in 2004.
    George Pimentel/WireImage for NARAS via Getty Images

    Turning songs into stories

    Jones’ skill at using arrangement as a storytelling device was exemplified by his collaboration with Jackson.

    Albums like “Thriller” and “Off the Wall” showcased Jones’ knack for inventively layering sounds. On “Thriller,” Jones combined electronic and acoustic elements to create a multidimensional soundscape that set a new standard for production.

    His ability to incorporate textures, background vocals and unique instrument choices – such as horror actor Vincent Price’s iconic narration on the song “Thriller” – transformed pop music, setting the stage for future producers to experiment with storytelling in their own arrangements.

    In Jackson’s “Bad,” Jones pushed the boundaries of genre by blending funk rhythms with pop structures, giving Jackson’s music a timeless appeal.

    The title track’s arrangement has layers of rhythm and harmony that build a feeling of tension and power, enhancing Jackson’s message of confidence and defiance. Each instrument and background vocal in “Bad” serves a purpose, creating a sound that is bold, exciting and engaging.

    Lessons for educators

    For educators teaching music production and commercial music, Jones’ approach provides a gold mine of practical lessons.

    First, his commitment to genre fusion teaches students the importance of versatility. Jones’ career demonstrates that blending jazz, pop, funk and even classical elements can create something innovative and accessible. Students can learn to break free from the constraints of single-genre production, seeing instead how various musical styles can work together to create fresh, engaging sounds.

    Quincy Jones, pictured here with Michael Jackson, won 28 Grammys during his career.
    Chris Walter/WireImage via Getty Images

    Second, Jones’ emphasis on storytelling through arrangement offers students a framework for making music that resonates.

    In my classes, I encourage students to ask themselves: How does each musical element support the emotional arc of the song? By studying Jones’ arrangements, students learn to think of themselves as storytellers, not just sound engineers. They can begin to see arrangement as an art form in itself – one that has the power to captivate audiences by drawing them into a musical journey.

    Finally, Jones’ work shows the power of collaboration. His willingness to work across genres and with a variety of artists – each bringing unique perspectives – demonstrates the value of open-mindedness and adaptability.

    His life’s work serves as a reminder that music is more than just sound; it’s an experience shaped by careful, intentional decisions, with every sound and silence in a piece of music serving a purpose.

    Jose Valentino Ruiz is the CEO of JV Music Enterprises.

    – ref. Quincy Jones mastered the art of arrangement, transforming simple tunes into epic soundscapes – https://theconversation.com/quincy-jones-mastered-the-art-of-arrangement-transforming-simple-tunes-into-epic-soundscapes-242877

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada and churches have moral obligations for the reparations of missing and disappeared Indigenous children: Final Report

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Frank Deer, Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba

    Independent Special Interlocutor Kimberly Murray has released her final report after two years of examining the issue of missing and disappeared Indigenous children and unmarked burials sites at residential schools in Canada.

    During the ceremony last week in Gatineau, Que., Murray said governments do not often implement recommendations given on such reports. So she opted to identify 42 “legal, moral and ethical obligations” for governments, churches and other institutions. These are proposals on how to make holistic reparations to Indigenous Peoples.

    Murray emphasized that the children were “victims of enforced disappearance.”

    Since the 1870s and continuing for more than 150 years, over 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were taken from their families and forced to attend church-run, government-funded residential schools. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has documented more than 4,100 deaths of children at the schools.

    After potential unmarked graves were identified at former residential school sites, the Canadian government appointed Murray to make recommendations on unmarked graves and burial sites.

    The report, “Sites of Truth, Sites of Conscience” focuses on aspects of the Indian Residential School experience: unaccounted missing children, unmarked grave sites, the roles of government and churches in the Indian Residential School genocide and failure to maintain records of the deaths and burials of deceased children.

    The report centres Indigenous strategies for research and advances a framework of reparations to “support the search for and recovery of the missing and disappeared children and unmarked burials.” It is an extension of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) whose final report devoted an entire volume toward missing children and unmarked burials. The newest report is even more bold than the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

    The TRC report observed that “the most basic of questions about missing children — Who died? Why did they die? Where are they buried? — have never been addressed or comprehensively documented by the Canadian Government.”

    Since the TRC report was released in 2015, efforts to investigate this issue of missing children and unmarked graves has increased significantly.

    CBC News report: Special interlocutor on Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites issues final report.

    Reconciliation and reparations

    Murray explores the issue of genocide in the Indian Residential School system in ways that indict the Canadian government and other institutions of crimes.

    The report says Canada must refer to “the enforced disappearance of children,” as a “crime against humanity” and the issue needs to be taken to the International Criminal Court. It further states that the “federal government and other institutions have worked harder to protect perpetrators than they ever did to protect Indigenous children, families, and communities,” and that Canada has embraced a culture of “settler amnesia and willful forgetting.”

    In support of this indictment, Murray shows how the government and church were not only responsible for acts of omission in that somehow failed to protect Indigenous children in their care. Instead, they were acts of commission: deliberately created situations in which Indigenous children in their care were severely harmed.

    Murray refers to this as forced disappearances — when the liberty of Indigenous children is taken away and their fate was concealed.

    In addition, the Independent Special Interlocutor also focuses on, among other things, our moral and ethical obligations as foundational frames for reparations.

    A moral framework

    Murray put forth 42 obligations that reflect the morally and ethically centred responsibilities of governments, churches and other institutions.

    These moral and ethical responsibilities inform the reparations that Murray articulates in her report.

    These responsibilities and obligations include:

    • Calls for long-term financial support of investigations into missing and disappeared Indigenous children and Indian Residential School burial sites

    • Support for survivors

    • The recording of their stories

    Core values

    Underlining the report is a moral principal that efforts to find missing children and unmarked graves must be Indigenous-led.

    These moral principles, this foundation for action, articulated by Murray, can provide a compelling rationale that may help change attitudes and action.

    The recent report puts forth several moral and ethical principles which we need to consider.

    One of the report’s powerful statements is:

    “Children must be cared for in life and after death.”

    This might seem to some a simple point that is obvious and even unnecessary. However, the distance between such important declarations and the policies of Canadian governments and institutions has been vast.

    That this particular principle refers to the importance of care “after death” ought to be familiar to any of us who’ve lost loved ones. However, stating it clearly here strengthens the point that government and other institutions have obligations to children who died in their care.

    Another important principle from the report is that “search and recovery work is sacred.”

    The need to discover who died, the reasons why they died, and the location of their remains is one so connected to the emotional well-being of living descendants and fellow community members that it is a spiritual journey.

    This is why the search and recovery processes must be Indigenous-led.

    This report, like the TRC’s and the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, contains demands for action that should be accepted and acted upon by governments and institutions.

    The moral and ethical principles that inform those demands can be as important for informing change. It is in these principles that we may find moral guidance and direction toward righteousness.

    We may also find, if we’re paying attention, our humanity.

    Frank Deer receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Canada and churches have moral obligations for the reparations of missing and disappeared Indigenous children: Final Report – https://theconversation.com/canada-and-churches-have-moral-obligations-for-the-reparations-of-missing-and-disappeared-indigenous-children-final-report-242560

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ABC Radio Breakfast with Ross Solly

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    ROSS SOLLY: The National Capital Authority recently released – or just in the last couple of weeks, released its annual report, and buried inside that report was the news that a couple of key infrastructure projects, including work it was doing on Scrivener Dam and on Commonwealth Bridge, have sort of become stuck in a bit of a quagmire. They’re going nowhere, and nobody can actually explain why. We have put in a request to the National Capital Authority on several occasions. I don’t think we’ve even got a reply to be honest. I don’t think they’ve even acknowledged our request, so it’s a bit difficult to get a response from the National Capital Authority though. Somebody who has managed to sit down and have a chat with them though is Kristy McBain, the Federal Minister for Regional Development and Member for Eden-Monaro. Good morning to you, Kristy McBain. 

    KRISTY MCBAIN: Good morning Ross. How are you going?

    SOLLY: Yeah, not too bad. I understand you had a meeting with the NCA yesterday. Did you raise with them the concerns about what’s happening with these infrastructure projects?

    MCBAIN: I meet with the NCA pretty regularly about a range of their work and their program in front of them. Obviously, we spoke about Scrivener Dam and the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Renewal projects. Both of those projects are finalising their tender stage at the moment, and I’m really looking forward to those successful tenderers being announced in the coming weeks.

    SOLLY: I understand there have been significant delays? Did they explain why we’re well behind schedule on those projects?

    MCBAIN: When we talk about the Scrivener Dam project, it holds back 33 million cubic metres of water. It’s a pretty big project. This will be the most significant strengthening works completed on the dam since it was built in 1963. What is happening is some work on the dissipator there, so that when water spills over the damn it doesn’t erode the banks down the river. There are 700 new anchor points going into the foundation rock, 10 to 20 metres deep. So a pretty complex engineering project. Whilst the procurement has taken longer than we would have liked, it’s in the process of being finalised now. We’re six months behind where we would have wanted to be, but work will commence before Christmas, which is the most important thing.

    SOLLY: Yeah, for sure. But can I also say this is taxpayers’ money that’s been spent here and there has been a delay. Why has there been a delay? Are you satisfied with the reasons that have been put forward to you for why everything has been put back, and that we are now running behind schedule?

    MCBAIN: As I said, we’re six months behind schedule, but the project will commence before Christmas. The project is still on budget which is the most important thing for taxpayers to understand. It’s a pretty complex engineering job that is required on the Scrivener Dam. We look forward to work starting, that’s what Canberrans want to see. Obviously, the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge is another significant piece of work. It’ll be the first time major works have happened on that bridge apart from maintenance, since it was built as well. It’s really important that we get that right as well.

    SOLLY: Is that still on budget or are we now over budget for that?

    MCBAIN: No, that’s still on budget. That includes works that will strengthen and widen the bridge, making sure that those passenger and bicycle lanes are also there. It’s probably one of the most utilised assets across Canberra for both passenger vehicles, trucks and pedestrians. It’s really important that project is done well, and there’s been a range of works that have had to take place to get to the tender stage, which is important.

    SOLLY: And of course, it is also integral, isn’t it, to the whole light rail plan?

    MCBAIN: That’s right. Before this one went to tender, there was obviously some quite detailed design work, statutory, environmental and heritage assessments. A pretty big public and stakeholder consultation. Obviously, it’s one of the most utilised assets across Canberra, but it is vital for light rail. Although, the works that are being done on Commonwealth Bridge themselves are not done for light rail. Lights rail’s project is separate to what we’re doing on the bridge.

    SOLLY: That’s true. Are you still confident in the capacity of the NCA to handle these big projects? I notice that there’s some critics suggesting that maybe this is all a bit much, and there needs to be a bigger authority come in and run big projects like this. Are you confident in the abilities of the NCA to do this work, Kristy McBain?

    MCBAIN: Absolutely. Again, this nationally significant project remains on budget, which is extraordinary in the current environment, particularly the current construction environment that we see. The NCA have been doing a fantastic job on this, and the work that they’ve been doing in the lead up to this tender process shows how prepared they are, by making sure that all of the design elements are sorted before they go to tender.

    SOLLY: All right. 7:27. While I’ve got you here. Kristy McBain, I have to ask you, are you still, are you a member of the Chairman’s Lounge?

    MCBAIN: I am, I’m a member of the Chairman’s Lounge.

    SOLLY: Are you going to retain your membership?

    MCBAIN: I pay for a Rex Lounge membership. Yes. One of the reasons it’s incredibly important is a lot of times when we are travelling you’re required to have some last-minute briefings or meetings that come up, and you need to do that in an environment that you can shut a door and have an office space. I’ve done a range of media interviews in those lounges. I’ve recorded a bunch of things in those lounges. There is a lot of travel required, although most of my travel is usually in the car around the electorate. But in my ministerial role when I am travelling, it’s important to have a space sometimes to be able to get some work done in between flights.

    SOLLY: Have you ever asked for an upgrade?

    MCBAIN: No.

    SOLLY: Why not? Everyone else does, seems to be anyway.

    MCBAIN: A lot of my flights are into regional areas, and I’m travelling with Rex or Qantas into regional areas. A lot of those planes don’t have a business class for obvious reasons. You’re on smaller planes and it’s just not something that has ever happened.

    SOLLY: Just quickly on the TAFE and the HECS changes in about a minute or so, do you think that’s going to have some significant bearing in the Canberra and surrounding districts?

    MCBAIN: It’s going to be incredibly important for communities right across the country. It’s a great announcement. We know that HECS debt has been piling up. It’s a way to make it fairer for people now and into the future. Fee-Free TAFE locks in those fee-free TAFE places in critical shortage areas like our trades. We know we need more houses built across this country and it’s incredibly important that we’ve got the plumbers, the chippies, the sparkies able to do that for us and this helps those people complete apprenticeships.

    SOLLY: Good to speak to you this morning, Kristy McBain. Appreciate your time, thank you.

    MCBAIN: Thanks, Ross.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI: Questor Announces Departure of Vice President of Operations and Engineering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CALGARY, Alberta, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Questor Technology Inc. (“Questor”, the “Company”), (TSX Venture Exchange: QST) would like to announce Mr. Quentin Kyliuk is no longer with Questor Technology Inc., effective October 28, 2024.

    On behalf of the employees and Board of Directors, the Company thanks Quentin for his contribution to Questor and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours.

    ABOUT QUESTOR TECHNOLOGY INC.

    Questor Technology Inc., incorporated in Canada under the Business Companies Act (Alberta) is an environmental emissions reduction technology company founded in 1994, with global operations. The Company is focused on clean air technologies that safely and cost effectively improve air quality, support energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reductions. The Company designs, manufactures and services high efficiency clean combustion systems that destroy harmful pollutants, including Methane, Hydrogen Sulfide gas, Volatile Organic Hydrocarbons, Hazardous Air Pollutants and BTEX (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylene) gases within waste gas streams at 99.99 percent efficiency per its ISO 14034 Certification. This enables its clients to meet emission regulations, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, address community concerns and improve safety at industrial sites.

    The Company also has proprietary heat to power generation technology and is currently targeting new markets including landfill biogas, syngas, waste engine exhaust, geothermal and solar, cement plant waste heat in addition to a wide variety of oil and gas projects. The combination of Questor’s clean combustion and power generation technologies can help clients achieve net zero emission targets for minimal cost. The Company is also doing research and development on data solutions to deliver an integrated system that amalgamates all of the emission detection data available to demonstrate a clear picture of the site’s emission profile.

    The Company’s common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol “QST”. The address of the Company’s corporate and registered office is 2240, 140 – 4 Avenue S.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2P 3N3.

    QUESTOR TRADES ON THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE UNDER THE SYMBOL ‘QST’

    Investor Relations Contact

    Aly Sumar – Chief Financial Officer

    investor@questortech.com

    Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    This document is not intended for dissemination or distribution in the United States.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Honors Veterans in Denham Springs

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    BATON ROUGE –On Saturday, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) honored veterans and their families in Denham Springs at a Veterans Appreciation Day event. He thanked all of those present for their service and committed to doing everything he can to get them the health care and support they need.
    “Denham Springs and Livingston Parish honored Gold Star families, Blue Star families, and our veterans,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It was a moving ceremony. My commitment to these families and these veterans is to make sure that our VA works for them as they have worked for us.”
    Cassidy has worked to expand health care options for veterans and ensure the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) delivers timely and effective care. In 2022, he passed and signed into law the Solid Start Act, which ensures that the VA contacts every veteran three times by phone in the first year after they leave active duty to connect them with VA programs and benefits. Cassidy also voted for the PACT Act, which expands benefits to post-9/11 and other veterans who were exposed to toxins during their time in service.
    Additionally, Cassidy introduced legislation to create a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Policy Advisory Commission (VetPAC) that will help ensure that the VHA effectively provides health care for the veterans it serves.
    Present at the event were veterans from across Livingston Parish, as well as members of the American Legion, the Blue Star Mothers of Louisiana, and Louisiana Women Veterans. Cassidy was welcomed by Mr. Stan McCurdy, the organizer of the event and a Gold Star Father.
    “I appreciate Senator Cassidy taking the time to meet with the veterans who came to our event and listen to their concerns,” said Mr. McCurdy. “His respect and support for veterans and our community means a lot.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorneys General stand in support for National Veterans and Military Families Month

    Source: Washington State News

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — As we celebrate National Veterans and Military Families Month this November, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) proudly supports the efforts of state and territory attorney general offices in their commitment to military families. The NAAG Veterans Affairs Committee is dedicated to protecting and assisting our nation’s veterans by actively pursuing those who exploit veterans, servicemembers, and their families, providing vital assistance on legal issues related to deployments and general military service, and ensuring that veteran health benefits are protected and accessible.

    Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson, Co-Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee, stated: “Our military and veteran families deserve not only our appreciation but our commitment to help them access the resources they deserve. Too many of our veterans have significant legal needs but cannot afford counsel — which is why I created an Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance in Washington to connect veterans and military members with volunteers within the legal community. Helping veterans is a non-partisan calling, and I am grateful for the partnerships with attorneys general across the country to help those who have worn the uniform. As someone who comes from a family of veterans, this work is deeply personal to me. I am proud to partner with anyone willing to answer the call and help address the unmet legal needs of our nation’s heroes.”

    South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Co-Chair of NAAG’s Veterans Affairs Committee, added: “As a veteran myself, who’s been in the National Guard for more than 28 years and was deployed to Iraq, I understand the sacrifices that families and veterans go through in service to our country. They’re willing to give everything they have to protect us, so we’re happy to do whatever we can to support them.”

    This month recognizes the sacrifices and contributions of service members, veterans, and their families and highlights the resources available to them. We encourage everyone to join us in supporting military families by exploring available resources and finding ways to contribute to their well-being. The nation’s attorney general offices offer a range of services to support military families, including:

    • Preventing Fraud: Protecting military families and their hard-won benefits from scams and fraud through education and enforcement actions.
    • Providing Free Legal Clinics: Offering free legal clinics to help military families navigate legal issues, from housing disputes to family law matters.
    • Supporting Military Spouses and Dependent Children: Providing resources and assistance to address the unique needs of military spouses, children, and survivors of service members, including educational support and healthcare services.
    • Defending Voting Rights: Ensuring that service members and their families can exercise their right to vote, no matter where they are stationed. The Attorney General community remains steadfast in its commitment to supporting these families and ensuring they have access to the resources they need.

    For more information about services available to veterans and military families in Washington, visit the Attorney General’s Military and Veteran Resources page. Qualifying veterans and service members, and their families can apply for civil legal assistance with the Office of Military and Veteran Legal Assistance.

    More information on national efforts is available on NAAG’s Veterans and Military page.

    -30-

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

    About the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG): The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) is a nonpartisan organization of the attorneys general of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. NAAG provides a forum for the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and insights on legal and law enforcement issues, and fosters bipartisan collaboration among its members to address common challenges and advance the rule of law.

    Media Contact:

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

    General contacts: Click here

    Media Resource Guide & Attorney General’s Office FAQ  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘I can make a band play like a singer sings’: Quincy Jones shaped our listening for seven decades

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leigh Carriage, Senior Lecturer in Music, Southern Cross University

    The legendary composer, musical arranger and producer Quincy Jones has died at 91.

    Over his long career, Jones arranged and produced for a broad range of genres. His work blended the traditions of jazz, popular, world music and Western classical music.

    This was perhaps most present in his 1989 album Back on the Block. It features jazz improvisation, Zulu language, gospel and rapping. The album won seven Grammy Awards, including album of the year.

    But even more than his own albums, Jones will be familiar to listeners across decades of popular music, for his work as a producer and arranger with legendary artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson.

    Finding his feet in jazz

    Jones was born in Chicago in 1933, right in the middle of the depression. Around 11 years old, Jones found music.

    In high school, Jones sang in a capella groups and played in school bands on the trumpet.

    By 13, he was beginning to demonstrate a strong musical ability and musicianship skills, writing arrangements for his bands.

    When Jones was a teenager, his family moved from Chicago to Seattle. In these early years, Jones had two pivotal mentors. One was the jazz trumpeter Clark Terry; the other was his contemporary and friend Ray Charles.

    By the late 1940s, Jones was working as a trumpeter and as composer and arranger for bandleaders such as Dizzy Gillespie and Lionel Hampton.

    A jazz big band bandleader in the 1950s, Jones quickly became a sought-after arranger.

    Over his career, he worked on numerous jazz recordings with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan (including a great swingin’ arrangement of the song
    Witchcraft), Frank Sinatra (with popular favourites Fly Me To The Moon and Mack the Knife) and the Dinah Washington recording They Didn’t Believe Me with the Quincy Jones Orchestra.

    The move into pop

    By the 1960s Jones began transitioning into popular music.

    In 1961 Jones became the first African American in the position of vice president at a major label, Mercury Records. In 1963 Jones selected and produced Lesley Gore’s hit song It’s My Party from more than 200 demos.

    Elements of the previous decades expertise in jazz arranging are apparent with touches of brass and reharmonising (or modifying the harmonic structure – the chords) of a song. Jones’ production approach here was to double-track the melody (duplicating, and placing the second track with a slight delay), enhancing the richness of Gore’s voice.

    In 1968, Jones received his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Score for the soundtrack to In Cold Blood. The following year his composing and arranging versatility was demonstrated when he wrote the music for The Italian Job.

    In 1979 Jones began working with Michael Jackson on the album Off The Wall.

    By the 1980s, Jones was receiving high acclaim and success immersed in many diverse projects including Jackson’s Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987), in which Jones masterfully fuses pop with rhythm and blues, rock and funk.

    His innovation in producing was in his broad understanding of multiple genres of music, adoption of technology and his constant musical invention.

    ‘A great gift’

    In 1985 Jones and Michael Omartian were asked to produce the song We Are The World, written by Lionel Richie and Jackson. It was released to worldwide acclaim.

    Jones conducted the recording and left a sign on the studio door: “Check your egos at the door”.

    Also in 1985, Jones wrote the original score and produced the music for Steven Spielberg’s The Colour Purple, including the song Miss Celie’s Blues, written collaboratively with Jones, Rod Temperton and Richie. The score and Miss Celie’s Blues each received another Oscar nomination for Jones.

    Jones was requested on many large projects as a conductor. A great example is Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration (1992) conducted by Jones. This album featured some of the music industry’s best arrangers Mervyn Warren and Shelton Kilby as well as a stellar list of vocalists such as Gladys Knight, Take 6, Sounds of Blackness, Pattie Austin, Johnny Mathis, Chaka Khan and Al Jarreau.

    In an interview with culture journalist David Marchese in 2018, Jones was asked what he was proudest of in his musical career. He told Marchese:

    That anything I can feel, I can notate musically. Not many people can do that. I can make a band play like a singer sings. That’s what arranging is, and it’s a great gift.

    Beyond his own work as an artist, Jones undertook humanitarian work, mentored new generations of musicians, and was often a commentator on jazz history or the significance of African Americans in the entertainment and recording industry.

    Jones’ artistic innovation and highly effective collaborations, spanning a 70-year career, has made an indelible contribution to music and culture globally.

    Leigh Carriage 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. ‘I can make a band play like a singer sings’: Quincy Jones shaped our listening for seven decades – https://theconversation.com/i-can-make-a-band-play-like-a-singer-sings-quincy-jones-shaped-our-listening-for-seven-decades-242813

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What Kamala Harris’ Converse All-Stars tell us about how shoes shape our identity

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Sherlock, Lecturer, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University

    Like most public figures, Kamala Harris adapts her footwear to different occasions. While her wardrobe includes traditional choices such as formal black heels, it was her appearance in Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars on the February 2021 cover of Vogue that drew particular notice.

    As Democratic nominee for president, these sneakers once again became a focal point of her campaign.

    Through her choice of sneakers, Harris signals a new era in female political leadership – and demonstrates how footwear choices can shape a leader’s identity and ability to connect with voters.

    Embracing all-American values

    We may know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but all politicians – especially women – know that we inevitably do. The appearance of others is how we categorise people to make sense of the world and our place in it.

    Clothing is a key medium through which we identify ourselves and others. Shoes are particularly layered with meaning: when we observe someone’s footwear we are using them to know whether or not we identify with that person.

    This is something that politicians and their teams know and manipulate to win votes.

    One famous scene that illustrates this beautifully is Brooklyn Democratic congressman David Norris’s concession speech in the movie The Adjustment Bureau (2011).

    Played by Matt Damon, the character reveals the significant work that goes into curating the perfect outfit:

    Shiny shoes, we associate with high-priced lawyers and bankers. If you want to get a working man’s vote, you need to scuff up your shoes a little bit, but you can’t scuff them up so much that you alienate the lawyers and the bankers […] So what is the proper scuffing amount? Do you know, we actually paid a consultant $7,300 to tell us that THIS is the perfect amount of scuffing?

    While Harris’ Chuck Taylors generally look pristine, she is transparent about her awareness of the style’s significance to potential voters, explaining in a 2020 interview:

    Whatever your background or whatever language your grandmother spoke, we all at some point or another had our Chucks, right?

    An all-American shoe worn by people of all ages, races, genders and sexualities, the relatively inexpensive and utilitarian Converse All-Star is a social leveller – a smart choice for a politician wishing to identify with a broad electorate.

    As others have identified, Harris’ choice of sneakers signals her American values and no-nonsense attitude.

    In these shoes, she’s ready for anything.

    Shoes change us

    Interviewed in 2018, Harris’ relationship with the sneakers goes back several years and certainly appears authentic.

    Whether the initial choice to wear them was hers – or, like Norris, that of a team of consultants – is now irrelevant. Through the process of wear, shoes change us.

    Not only do they affect how we move through the world physically, but they also shape how we relate to others socially.

    Anyone who has selected a particular pair of shoes for an interview or special occasion will be familiar with their transformative effect, one that helps you to feel the part.

    Identity can be understood as something that is performed. When a performance is received as convincing, we become the part we are playing and the identity is incorporated into our sense of self.

    Harris’ shoes are relatable. In them, she is perceived as – and may therefore feel – approachable and down-to-earth.

    On the campaign trail, the social interactions they afford increase her ability to relate to and connect with other people. Through this process, her performance and her identity become one.

    One might say she has become her shoes; in doing so, she has come to embody the all-American values they represent. And at only 5 feet 4 ¼ inches, the choice not to compensate for her height with heels exudes a self-assurance more women are discovering.

    This woman knows who she is and is reassuringly at ease with herself.

    Finding authenticity

    Aside from ongoing speculation about Trump’s height and whether he wears elevating insoles, his choice of footwear has attracted comparatively less attention, as is often the case for male politicians.

    According to Footwear News, he rarely diverts from black leather dress shoes, signifying his corporate associations. This didn’t stop Trump launching a line of gold sneakers, named “Never Surrender High-Tops” and priced at US$399 in February. A new design, with the words “Fight, fight, fight”, was released after the July assassination attempt.

    This represents quite a different use of shoes to connect with voters.

    In an era when authenticity in politics is increasingly valued, Harris’ footwear choice represents more than a campaign strategy. It reflects changing expectations around power and leadership.

    Her Converse sneakers challenge the notion that women must literally elevate themselves to command authority.

    Instead, they suggest a new kind of political performance where power comes not from height or traditional status symbols, but from the ability to connect genuinely with voters.

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

    – ref. What Kamala Harris’ Converse All-Stars tell us about how shoes shape our identity – https://theconversation.com/what-kamala-harris-converse-all-stars-tell-us-about-how-shoes-shape-our-identity-242777

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Safety, Security of United Nations Personnel, Property Must Be Guaranteed, Secretary-General Reiterates

    Source: United Nations – Peacekeeping

    The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

    Against the backdrop of the ongoing hostilities in southern Lebanon and despite attacks that have hit United Nations positions, injuring a number of peacekeepers in the past several days, United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers remain in all positions and the UN flag continues to fly.  The Secretary-General pays tribute to the dedicated personnel of UNIFIL.

    The Secretary-General reiterates that the safety and security of UN personnel and property must be guaranteed, and that the inviolability of UN premises must be respected at all times without qualification.  In a deeply worrying incident that occurred today, the entrance door of a UN position was deliberately breached by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) armoured vehicles.

    UNIFIL continuously assesses and reviews all factors to determine its posture and presence.  The mission is taking all possible measures to ensure the protection of its peacekeepers.  UNIFIL’s role and its presence in southern Lebanon is mandated by the UN Security Council.  In this context, UNIFIL is committed to preserving its capacity to support a diplomatic solution based on resolution 1701 (2006), which is the only possible way forward.

    The Secretary-General reiterates that UNIFIL personnel and its premises must never be targeted.  Attacks against peacekeepers are in breach of international law, including international humanitarian law.  They may constitute a war crime.

    He calls on all parties, including the IDF, to refrain from any and all actions that put our peacekeepers at risk.  The Secretary-General takes the opportunity to reiterate the call for a cessation of hostilities and the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 1701 (2006).

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to improve rules for lawmakers to perform duties

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Chinese lawmakers are discussing a draft law amendment that is expected to improve the regulations for lawmakers to better perform duties.
    The amendment to the Law on Deputies to the National People’s Congress and to the Local People’s Congresses at Various Levels was submitted on Monday to an ongoing session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee for deliberation.
    All levels of the standing committees of the people’s congresses should maintain close contact with deputies, supporting and safeguarding their lawful performance of duties and fully utilizing their roles, says the draft.
    All levels of governments, supervisory commissions, courts, and procuratorates should strengthen their connections with deputies and listen to their opinions and suggestions.
    Further enriching the forms and content of lawmakers’ connection with the public, the draft adds provisions that lawmakers should, based on the principle of proximity, carry out activities to strengthen their connection with the public, listen to, and convey the opinions and suggestions of the people.
    The standing committees of the people’s congresses above the county level should broaden deputies’ participation in legislative, supervisory, and other duties, fully utilizing their roles, it adds.
    The draft also clarifies that all levels of governments and their departments, supervisory commissions, courts, and procuratorates may invite deputies to participate in relevant work and activities and listen to their opinions and suggestions. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese lawmakers conduct third deliberation of draft energy law

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A draft energy law was submitted to an ongoing session of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee for a third deliberation on Monday.
    To ensure energy security and green and low-carbon transition, the latest version adds a provision that says the country shall establish and improve an energy standard system to ensure energy security and green and low-carbon transition, and promote the development of new energy technologies, industries and business forms.
    Modifications were made in the latest version submitted for the third deliberation after the second deliberation was made in September this year.
    The version for the second deliberation stipulates that China will accelerate building a new type of power system and improve the grid’s ability to accept, allocate and regulate clean energy.
    Some lawmakers proposed that clean energy includes renewable energy and nuclear energy. Nuclear energy generation is more stable and different from renewable energy generation such as wind and solar energy. They proposed to modify “clean energy” to “renewable energy.”
    The latest version covers more detailed provisions on the responsibilities of energy enterprises to secure adequate supply and adds a provision that energy enterprises “shall not collect fees illegally.”
    It adds a provision that the energy regulatory authority of the State Council, together with other departments of the State Council, shall strengthen guidance and coordination on energy emergency work across provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Land and Primary Industries Network hits the road 11 – 15 November

    Source: New South Wales Department of Primary Industries

    5 Nov 2024

    Mark your calendars, as the annual NSW Land and Primary Industries Network (LPIN), hosted by the NSW Decarbonisation Hub in collaboration with NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (NSW DPIRD), is set to tour regional NSW from 11 to 15 November.

    This initiative aims to promote sustainable land practices and accelerate the transition to net-zero emissions across the state, bringing together industry professionals, NSW Government program leaders and researchers from seven universities across the state.

    The tour kicks off Monday 11 November, with events in:

    NSW DPIRD Land and Primary Industries, NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub representative Warwick Badgery said research together with industry community and government is needed to embed decarbonisation in the next wave of sustainable land practices in NSW.

    “As we commence this tour, we encourage regional communities to come along to these free events and engage with us, sharing ideas and help promote new technologies and practices that not only mitigate climate change but also promote biodiversity and resilience in our agricultural systems,” Mr Badgery said.

    “These events are an opportunity for all of us to learn, share ideas, and foster innovation and we’re excited to see the creativity and passion that our communities will bring.

    “By taking a collaborative approach and bringing together researchers, industry leaders, and local communities from across the state, we can pave the way for a greener future in NSW.

    “Together, we can explore innovative solutions that not only reduce emissions but also enhance the sustainability of our vital land resources.”

    Research Partnership Development Manager for the LPIN, Dr Liz Smith, said these are very exciting times where we have the opportunity to discover and implement real solutions to aid in reduction of emissions and embedding of solutions into sustainable land and agricultural practices that can still maintain and even enhance the farming way of life.

    “As the LPIN represents all the regional universities in NSW, it is a brilliant mechanism for bringing current research and development to the communities most directly affected by the transition to decarbonised industries,” Dr Smith said.

    We look forward to getting out to regional NSW to communicate advancements and opportunities so that we can link together these profound opportunities for businesses, communities and governments to embrace the growth of new industries and markets in clean energy, bioproducts, sustainable food production and many other areas.”

    For more information on the NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub, please visit their website – https://www.decarbhub.au/

    Media contact
    For more information, please contact: pi.media@dpird.nsw.gov.au.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Appeal for information following crash, Invercargill

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Enquiries are continuing into a crash in Invercargill last month, and Police would like to speak to any witnesses.

    About 1:40am on Sunday 20 October, Police were called to a two-vehicle crash at the intersections of Ness Street and Janet Street.

    One person remains in hospital following the crash, three others have since been discharged.

    Police would like to hear from anyone who saw a silver Mazda station wagon around Pomona Street, near John Street, and the surrounding areas between 1:30am and 1:40am.

    We would also like to hear from anyone who has footage from dashcam or CCTV from around that area on the night of the crash.

    If you have any information that could help our enquiries, please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 241020/5642.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. 

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police appeal for information following suspicious fire, Stokes Valley

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Attributable to Detective Inspector Haley Ryan:

    Hutt Valley Police are investigating a fire at a previously targeted Stokes Valley residential address which left one person fighting for his life.

    Around 3:10am this morning emergency services responded to a block of flats in Hanson Grove, an 81 year old man was located in a critical condition and was transported to Wellington Hospital.

    The area was cordoned and a forensic scene examination is currently being conducted with the assistance of Fire and Emergency New Zealand and ESR.

    The fire is being treated as suspicious and is suspected to be linked to two other fires at the same block of flats on Thursday 10 and Monday 14 October 2024, both of which were also lit during the early hours of the morning.

    Police are appealing for information from people who have CCTV footage, witnessed the incident, or were in the area at the time of the fire to please get in contact.

    Even the smallest piece of information could prove vital in our investigation. 

    If you have any CCTV footage from dashcam, residential, or commercial premises in any areas of Stokes Valley, witnessed any three of the fires, or were in the area at the time of the fires, even if you didn’t witness the incidents please contact us.

    To report information please update us online now or call 105.

    Please use the reference number 241105/2249 and quote Operation SOVE.

    Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. 

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4352-4354: Halloween Fright Night on Mars

    Source: NASA

    3 min read

    Earth planning date: Friday, Nov. 1, 2024

    Yesterday evening (Thursday) was Halloween for many of us here on Earth. My neighborhood in eastern Canada was full of small (and not so small!) children, running around in the dark collecting sweets and candy but also getting scared by the ghostly decorations hung at each house. Little did we suspect that our poor rover on Mars was also getting spooked. Curiosity completed about a meter (about 3 feet) of the planned drive before becoming unsettled … scared, if you will! … when its left front wheel got hung up on a rock and stopped moving.

    Luckily, we understood this kind of frightened behavior and were able to resume planning today as per usual. That meter was enough to give us a whole new set of targets to choose from. As APXS Strategic Planner this week, I had chosen darker-looking targets in the workspace — “Ladder Lake” and “Reds Meadow” (shown in the accompanying MAHLI image) — earlier in the week. I was happy that bumping backwards by a meter allowed us to reach some of the more typical pale colored bedrock at “Eureka Valley” and a second APXS analysis on “Black Bear Lake,” which is a mixture of both pale bedrock and some darker layers. MAHLI added in a bonus set of images on “Stag Dome,” focusing on small, rougher patches on the pale bedrock.

    ChemCam is taking advantage of the short bump, too, adding a passive observation on the brushed Reds Meadow target, analyzed by APXS and MAHLI in Monday’s plan. A ChemCam LIBS target “Hoist Ridge” focuses on a small vertical face of dark material. Two long distance images planned for ChemCam’s Remote Micro Imager (RMI) look at the distribution of rocks along the Gediz Vallis ridge in the distance.

    Mastcam is taking several mosaics this weekend (must have gotten extra energy from the Halloween sugar!). Close to the rover, Mastcam will acquire single-frame images of the targets Hoist Ridge and Eureka Valley, and a small mosaic of some surficial troughs just a little further away. Moving further afield, a small 3×1 mosaic (three images in one row) will image the same area as the ChemCam RMI of the Gediz Vallis ridge, and a larger 9×2 mosaic will focus on the faraway yardang unit, where we hopefully will be in a few years.

    Then for the really big images: Mastcam will image the whole landscape in a special 360-degree view, so big it needs to be broken into two parts. The first will have 43×4 frames, the second 34×5 frames. These mosaics are huge, so we save them for when we are at a really good vantage point to allow us to capture as much detail as possible for science and engineering planning.

    As ever, we continue our environmental monitoring of conditions, with Mastcam and Navcam movies and images looking at dust in the atmosphere above and around us in Gale crater, and watching out for dust devils.

    Written by Catherine O’Connell-Cooper, Planetary Geologist at University of New Brunswick

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Keen Sword 25: Supporting the Joint-Bilateral Air Defense Kill Chain Across Japan

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan  –  

    38th Air Defense Artillery (ADA) Brigade deployed several units to strategic air defense positions across Honshu, Japan in support of Keen Sword 25 (KS25), demonstrating the capability to help create and support a joint and bilateral Air Defense network between U.S. joint forces and allies.

    KS25 was a joint-bilateral field training exercise held Oct. 23-Nov. 1 at multiple bases across Japan, demonstrating and strengthening the U.S.-Japan alliance during the largest iteration of the exercise since its inception in 1986; it included participants from the Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF), Australian Defence Force (ADF), Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) and U.S. service members from each of the joint services.

    To support KS25, Delta Battery, 1st Battalion, 1st ADA Regiment (1-1 ADA) 38th ADA Brigade deployed to Misawa Air Base, equipped with a Patriot Minimum Engagement Package (MEP) – everything needed for a MIM-104 Patriot air defense system to successfully engage an air defense threat.

    “The expeditionary deployment of a Patriot MEP to Misawa Air Base, and the validation of our ability to integrate into the joint kill chain for air defense,” said Maj. Robert Knaibel, the 1-1 ADA Battalion Operations Officer, “is a key part of (1-1 ADA’s)  mission – even if that mission takes us all the way across Japan, we’re still able to support rapid deployment and emplacement through our batteries… Testing those capabilities regularly, in real conditions, is key.”

    While Delta Battery was emplacing their Patriot MEP at Misawa Air Base for the start of KS25 on Oct. 23, senior Air Defense Artillery Fire Control Officer (ADAFCO) teams had already integrated at key Air Defense Commands, including Yokota and Misawa Air Bases. There, the ADAFCO teams use their knowledge of tactics procedures to integrate Army Air Defense assets in joint and bilateral Air and Missile Defense engagement operations.

    “The great thing with these exercises is training with both a joint and combined force,” said Capt. Frederick Breslow, who was serving in the exercise as the U.S. Army’s Regional Air Defense Commander (RADC) on Yokota Air Base. “Coordinating with our allies, despite the challenges… that’s where we learn the most in these exercises.” Breslow added that, thanks to lessons learned during KS25, the RADC are already working to improve their procedures in preparation for future exercises.

    Another team of ADAFCO Soldiers worked on-location with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force. “On Misawa Air Base, we coordinated with the Misawa Direction Center to plan and carry out joint and bilateral air defense engagements,” said Staff Sgt. Thomas Zmyewski, an ADA Fire Control Assistant (FCA) with 38th ADA Brigade. “That’s when we bring each force’s tactics, techniques, procedures and capabilities to maximize their effectiveness – for example, which force has the best engagement odds for an incoming air threat.”

    Zmyewski believes testing this team-based planning and communication is the best way to strengthen partnerships and prepare for real-world application. “Our ADA FCAs always benefit from these exercises, because we learn how to work with our partners under those realistic conditions, learn from each other’s strengths,” Zmyewski stated.

    While deployed to Misawa Air Base, the Soldiers of Delta Battery conducted validation training and Table VIII Gunnery evaluations, improving their proficiency with their systems, including rapid Patriot emplacement, rapid reloading of interceptors, operation of missile-defense radar systems and other core competencies; each crew’s proficiency in these tasks are tested during annual Table VIII gunnery certifications. These evaluations proved both the battery’s equipment and crews could operate effectively under field conditions immediately following a rapid deployment, while simultaneously integrating with ongoing joint and bilateral operations between all U.S. services and our allies.

    “Delta Battery – in Okinawa – is my first duty station, and this is my third exercise,” said Spc. Alexander Noel, a Patriot Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer with Delta Battery, “and so far it’s been the best – we’ve gotten so much accomplished, a lot of good hands-on training; it’s been a really good experience.”

    “Everything is muscle memory,” explained Spc. Malek James, a Patriot Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer with Delta Battery. “This is my first exercise, with my first unit, and it started stressful, having to certify on every single task at once, but… that’s what’s good about doing (these tasks) in the field – you build that muscle memory, you don’t have to think about what to do next, you just do it. Then it’s all just muscle memory.”

    Keen Sword 25 is a significant initiative that helps build warfighting readiness, enhances tactics, techniques, and procedures across a wide range of military operations, and strengthens national sovereignty and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    (U.S. Army story by Sgt. Connor Davis)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marines, Sailors conclude MRF-D 24.3 rotation, strengthening regional partnerships

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    DARWIN, Northern Territory, Australia  –  

    U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3 completed a six-month rotation to Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, closing a deployment marked by a series of multinational exercises and partnership engagements across the Indo-Pacific region from April to October.

    The rotational deployment is part of a 25-year agreement established in 2011 between the United States and Australia to strengthen shared security goals under the Australian-U.S. Force Posture Initiatives. This year marks the third consecutive year the rotation was led by a California-based Marine infantry regiment, bringing approximately 2,000 U.S. Marines and Sailors to Australia’s Northern Territory for exercises and training events alongside the Australian Defence Force.

    During the rotation, U.S. Marines and Sailors with MRF-D 24.3 supported I Marine Expeditionary Force and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s operations, activities, and investments, enhancing the U.S-Australia alliance. As a forward-postured, scalable force capable of responding to crises and contingencies, MRF-D 24.3 participated in 16 large-scale exercises and operations across multiple countries, including but not limited to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

    “The time the Marines and Sailors have spent in Darwin has been incredibly rewarding, both professionally and personally,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Brian T. Mulvihill, the commanding officer of the MRF-D 24.3 Marine Air-Ground Task Force. “The Australian people have welcomed us like family, and our training with the Australian Defence Force has been tough and realistic and has enhanced our unit readiness.”

    MRF-D 24.3 deployed as a MAGTF comprised of four elements: 5th Marine Regiment served as the command element; 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment (Reinforced) served as the ground combat element; Combat Logistics Battalion 5 (Reinforced) served as the logistics combat element; and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced) served as the aviation combat element.

    MAGTF elements rehearsed humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, amphibious integration, and participated in multinational combined-arms training, becoming better prepared to respond to crisis or contingencies alongside our Allies and partners. Advancements in joint logistics allowed MRF-D to expand distribution networks and improve contracted support for faster transport of repair supplies. U.S. Navy medical personnel made notable contributions to health initiatives during the deployment, through leading fresh whole-blood transfusion training, supporting mental health programs with the ADF, and earning certifications to work alongside Australian healthcare professionals in the Royal Darwin Hospital. MRF-D 24.3 highlighted the strong Australian-U.S. Alliance and advanced partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region through a series of combined training events, collaboration and shared commemoration.

    “The bond with our Australian Defence Force brothers and sisters is as strong as it has ever been,” said Mulvihill. “Through interoperability with the Australian Defence Force, their professionalism and expertise have made our units more ready, contributing to regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: ​Jackson Wang’s Halloween pop-up store opens in Shanghai

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The “Under the Castle” Halloween-themed pop-up store, designed by Jackson Wang and his team, will be open in Shanghai throughout November, following on from the pop star’s successful collaboration with Universal Studios Singapore last month, which brought the first Chinese intellectual property (IP) to the Singapore theme park.

    The interior of the “Under the Castle” pop-up store in Shanghai. [Photo courtesy of Team Wang Design]

    The store is open from now until Nov. 30 at No. 10 Yongyuan Road in central Shanghai. Hauntingly decorated both inside and outside, a wide range of merchandise specially designed by Wang and his team is on offer, with visitors even having the chance to obtain a free comic book. Preparations are also underway for an “Under the Castle”-themed carnival and exclusive market, although the date has yet to be announced.

    The exterior of the “Under the Castle” pop-up store in Shanghai. [Photo courtesy of Team Wang Design]

    “Under the Castle” was created by Team Wang Design, a luxury streetwear label founded by its creative director Jackson Wang and his friend and longtime partner Henry Cheung. The “Under the Castle” experience and merchandise originated from the “Sparkles – Knock Knock” series launched in October 2022, and an escape room created by the singer in Shanghai in 2023. 

    A display featuring the central characters Pumpkie and Spookie inside the “Under the Castle” pop-up store in Shanghai. [Photo courtesy of Team Wang Design]

    The franchise introduces the characters Pumpkie and Spookie, around whom Jackson Wang has also crafted a comic book. Pumpkie, a pumpkin brought to life on Halloween, and Spookie, a playful ghost, explore a cursed castle in their village, encountering the building’s former royal residents and uncovering its secrets.

    Ahead of the Shanghai store’s opening, Wang had already extended his star power and intriguing concept overseas. In late September, Team Wang Design announced its first partnership with Resorts World Sentosa when it opened the “Under the Castle” haunted house at Universal Studios Singapore’s 12th edition of “Halloween Horror Nights.”

    The “Under the Castle” attraction at Universal Studios Singapore. [Photo courtesy of Team Wang Design]

    Combining Team Wang Design’s bold aesthetics with a spooky narrative, the attraction featured a terrifying take on the characters Pumpkie and Spookie, integrating elements from Wang’s 2022 album “Magic Man” through props and scare actors. Open from Sept. 27 to Nov. 2, it was the largest haunted house at this year’s event, consistently drawing long lines of visitors and fans. The collaboration also marked the first time a Chinese IP had been featured in the Universal Studios theme park in Singapore.

    Henry Cheung, CEO and co-founder of Team Wang Design, revealed that he and Wang have loved Halloween since they were children. For “Under the Castle” to be part of the legendary celebration at Universal Studios Singapore was “truly an honor,” Cheung said in a statement, adding that the theme park’s Halloween event has been setting the gold standard for fear and fun for more than a decade.

    Jackson Wang interacts with fans at the launch of his “Under the Castle” comic book at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore, Oct. 13, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Team Wang Design]

    Wang, who is working on his next album set for release in 2025, has taken time out this year to refresh and recharge. After years of relentless touring and intense pressure, he aimed to live a more balanced life and spend more time with friends. However, his desire to keep creating led him to undertake high-profile projects, including a collaboration in June with auction platform Joopiter, owned by his friend, the American musician and fashion designer Pharrell Williams.

    Fans can look forward to more projects and surprises from the singer next year. At the Weibo Music Awards 2024, held in Beijing this September, Wang announced: “I’ve rested this year and will come back to the music scene next year. Check me out next year; wait and see.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Int’l petroleum expo opens in UAE

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The 2024 Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), a premier oil and gas industry event, kicked off on Monday, highlighting the themes of artificial intelligence (AI) and sustainable energy transition.

    In his keynote address, United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Sultan Al Jaber, emphasized the transformative impact of AI, describing it as an “era-defining innovation” reshaping productivity and accelerating energy transition.

    The ADIPEC 2024 has introduced a new “AI Zone” featuring top tech companies, including Microsoft and Accenture, to showcase solutions for sustainable energy management.

    Sharif Al Olama, undersecretary for energy and petroleum affairs at UAE’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, added that despite the growth of renewable energy, traditional oil resources continue to play a critical role in ensuring global energy stability.

    “Even as renewables grow, oil remains the largest fuel source,” Al Olama said, highlighting UAE’s approach to maintaining a balanced energy mix.

    The four-day event is anticipated to attract 184,000 participants from 164 countries, including ministers, more than 200 industry leaders, and over 2,200 exhibitors representing key energy players.

    Hundreds of Chinese companies, including PetroChina, China National Offshore Oil Corporation, are participating the exhibition, showcasing technological advancements in digitalization, decarbonization, and renewables in the evolving landscape of the global energy industry.

    Key topics at the ADIPEC this year also cover decarbonization, digital innovation, and mobilizing capital for clean energy projects, with an emphasis on bridging financing gaps in emerging markets to support a sustainable and equitable energy future.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: WIOTC 2024 focuses on interconnected digital future

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The launch ceremony of the White Paper on the Intelligently Interconnected Digital Economy is held in Beijing, Nov. 3, 2024. [Photo courtesy of WIOTC]

    The ninth annual World Internet of Things Convention (WIOTC 2024) commenced on Nov. 3, in Beijing, bringing together leaders of government agencies, enterprises, industrial associations and standards organizations worldwide to discuss the future of the Internet of Things (IoT) under the theme, “Towards a New Future for Digital Economy: An Intelligently Interconnected New World.”

    The aim of the event was to support the U.N. sustainable development agenda, bridge the global digital divide, create an international model of an intelligently interconnected digital economy in China, and explore new pathways for digital economic collaboration.

    In his message to the convention, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres addressed the transformative impact of digital technology on business and economic growth. He emphasized that “real-time data sharing, IoT applications, information networking, and artificial intelligence are empowering the development of smart grids, smart homes and smart cities.”

    However, he noted the digital divide, saying: “Not all countries or communities are benefiting equally. For those without capacity or connectivity, the digital divide is also an opportunity divide.”

    “Digital technology is about bridging divides,” he added, calling for efforts to ensure evolving technologies benefit all people equally.

    During the convention, speakers noted China’s significant strides in IoT and digital economy innovation, underscoring the country’s investments in digital infrastructure and supportive government initiatives that have positioned it as a global leader in these fields.

    According to He Xuming, chairman of the WIOTC executive committee, the number of global IoT connections is expected to surpass 25 billion this year, with China playing a crucial role. The country’s digital infrastructure is expanding significantly. It is on track to build over 4.3 million 5G base stations to support IoT this year and surpass 3 billion IoT connections, he said.

    Yu Hongjun, former vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), added that in recent years, China has actively promoted the innovation and development of the internet and digital economy. He said, “The establishment of foundational communication networks, the widespread application of 5G, and the development of 6G have laid a solid foundation for digital economic transformation and upgrading.”

    The country’s strategic initiatives proposed during the 20th CPC National Congress, focusing on building a strong digital China and a smart society, were further reinforced by the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. The resolution emphasized “improving the commodity distribution system, and speeding up the development of the Internet of Things.”

    “China’s leadership in advancing digital innovation and IoT continues to serve as a powerful model, inspiring nations worldwide to embrace the possibilities of digital technologies,” said Sinisa Berjan, ambassador of the Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina to China.

    The ambassador also stressed the shared responsibility to ensure that the advantages of digital transformation are distributed equally, calling for a world where technology can support an inclusive digital landscape that benefits all.

    Berjan called IoT a “critical driver of digital development,” explaining it has the potential to revolutionize key sectors like health care, agriculture, energy and transportation. “IoT enhances productivity, optimizes resource use and empowers communities, ensuring that economic progress aligns with environmental stewardship,” he added.

    However, Berjan stressed the need for strong international cooperation to fully unlock these benefits. He called for the sharing of best practices, the development of unified standards, and mutual support among countries to help every nation tap into the potential of IoT.

    Platforms like the WIOTC provide invaluable opportunities for such exchanges, fostering a spirit of collaboration that fuels progress, innovation and economic development, he said, adding that “together, we can lay the foundation for a future where the benefits of digital transformation reach every community and individual.”

    Leaders from major standardization bodies also underscored the importance of collaboration. Jo Cops, president of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), emphasized that, given the current environmental challenges, “IoT supports the energy transition and the deployment of renewables through smart grid applications.” He added, “To meet our common challenges and goals, we need to collaborate.”

    Similarly, Sung Hwan Cho, president of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), advocated for an inclusive digital future, saying, “It is crucial that this progress actually supports the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals and bridges the digital divide.”

    At the convention, the WIOTC released the White Paper on the Intelligently Interconnected Digital Economy. Zhang Hua, vice chairman of the WIOTC executive committee, explained that the white paper outlines the innovative development direction and theoretical foundation of the global IoT digital economy, including concepts, advanced digital economy models, global market structures, and sustainable development pathways. 

    The white paper provides expert guidance for global governments on internet development and digital economy upgrades, and serves as a reference for enterprises aiming to transform and enhance their data applications, Zhang said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: CIIE attracts record-breaking participating countries, exhibitors

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo shows the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), the main venue for the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE), in east China’s Shanghai, Nov. 4, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    On Tuesday morning, the Chinese commercial hub of Shanghai will once again assume its role as the host for the newest edition of the globe’s first national-level exposition dedicated to imports.

    Now, the China International Import Expo (CIIE) stands as a telling example of China’s steadfast opening up and an unmissable opportunity for foreign enterprises to tap into the Chinese market.

    Despite challenges and uncertainties in the global economic landscape, over the past seven years, CIIE has steadily grown.

    The first six editions of CIIE have generated a total intended transaction amount exceeding 420 billion U.S. dollars. Additionally, over 1,130 foreign enterprises and investment promotion organizations have conducted targeted connections across the country.

    This year, the business exhibition will be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), covering more than 360,000 square meters — equivalent to 50 standard soccer fields — and hosting 3,496 exhibitors from 129 countries and regions.

    Both the number of participating countries and exhibitors have surpassed previous records.

    Notably, 297 exhibitors from Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders will attend, marking a historic high. Among all participants, 186 enterprises and institutions have achieved full attendance across all seven editions of the expo.

    Besides, this year’s event is also commanding the attention of global journalism. More than 400 media outlets are participating in the coverage of this event, including 220 foreign media organizations.

    China’s vast market has become one of the most attractive destinations for global players, with the CIIE serving as the “golden gateway” to this opportunity.

    For the CIIE frequenter of Japanese cosmetics giant Shiseido, the event serves as a second-to-none magnet.

    “Over the past years of participating in CIIE, we have seen firsthand just how influential the expo can be for our business,” said Toshinobu Umetsu, president and CEO of Shiseido China.

    According to the company, visitors will be able to see over 30 new product debuts from 12 different brands in their portfolio.

    Umetsu described the expo as a boon for their growth in China’s thriving market, noting that many new skincare technologies, brands, and products have gained substantial attention and recognition from consumers after being featured at CIIE.

    “CIIE successfully transformed our ‘exhibits’ to ‘products,’” Umetsu added.

    Seizing the opportunity, new participants are eager to try their luck. Among the trendsetters is Canadian sportswear magnate Lululemon.

    “A digital innovation here is leading the world, quite frankly, in terms of adoption and opportunities,” said Calvin McDonald, CEO of Lululemon during an interview with Xinhua.

    Impressed by the market’s speed, agility and resilience, McDonald said the opportunity to move fast and accomplish big initiatives in the market is incredibly exciting, seeing CIIE as a precious opportunity to bring awareness to the brand.

    “In the dynamic and healthy market, we are learning not just how we drive and see success here,” he said, adding that what Lululemon learned from the Chinese mainland consumers and innovation can help their business in other markets as well.

    After years of development, the CIIE has become a symbol of China’s new development pattern, a platform for high-level opening-up, and an international public good shared by the world.

    At its third plenum, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China renewed the country’s commitment to the basic state policy of opening to the outside world and continuing to promote reform through opening up.

    Serving as another fine example, China removed all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector on Nov. 1, a landmark move made by the world’s second-largest economy as it opens its doors wider.

    “Reflecting on the past six editions of the CIIE, ‘high-level opening up’ has been a consistent theme. The expo has continually showcased an image of an ‘open China’ that shares opportunities and future with the world,” said Wu Zhengping, deputy director general of the CIIE Bureau.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China appeals to WTO over EU’s final ruling of countervailing measures on Chinese EVs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China on Monday appealed to the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the EU’s final ruling of countervailing measures on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), according to China’s commerce ministry.

    China firmly opposes the final measures of the EU to impose high countervailing duties on Chinese-made EVs, despite a barrage of objections raised by relevant parties, including the governments of EU member states, the industry and the public, said a ministry spokesperson.

    To safeguard the development interests of the EV industry and global cooperation on green transformation, China decided to make the appeal to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism, the spokesperson said.

    The complaint followed China’s previous appeal to the organization against the EU’s initial anti-subsidy measures for Chinese EVs, according to the ministry.

    China believes that the EU’s ruling, lacking factual and legal basis while violating WTO rules, is an abuse of trade remedy measures and a practice of trade protectionism in the name of countervailing, the spokesperson noted.

    China has urged the EU to face up to its own mistakes, immediately correct its illegal practices, and jointly safeguard the stability of the global EV industrial chain and supply chain as well as the overall China-EU economic and trade cooperation, the spokesperson said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fox Glacier Highway closed following crash

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Fox Glacier Highway is closed between Fox Glacier and Franz Josef following a crash.

    The single vehicle crash was reported to Police at about 2:15pm.

    Initial indications are that there are serious injuries.

    Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –