NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Transcript of G24 October 22 Press Briefing

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    October 22, 2024

    Speakers
    Chair: Ralph Recto, Secretary of Finance, Philippines

    First Vice‑Chair: Candelaria Alvarez Moroni, Argentina, representing Ministry of Economy Luis Caputo
    Second Vice‑Chair: Olawale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Nigeria
    Iyabo Masha, G‑24 Secretariat

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Thank you, all. We had a productive exchange of views and experiences on some of the most pressing issues, confronting the global economy today. We are hard‑pressed on multiple fronts. The suffering costs by conflicts and humanitarian crisis around the world is vast and the affected region’s recovery, the construction, and long‑term development, cannot wait. They demand immediate forceful multilateral action.    

    While the global economy shows signs of stabilization, the outlook for many vulnerable nations, particularly in the global south, remains bleak. These weak economic prospects continue to haunt those already struggling to recover from the pandemic.      

    Inflation may be easing, but rising geopolitical tensions are keeping the threat of commodity price spikes and elevated interest rates alive. These risks impair capital flows, fiscal stability and the very survival of economies on the brink.          

    One thing is clear. Any slowdown in the global economy due to these new economic realities is bound to hit developing countries the hardest. While current circumstances have made it more difficult for us to achieve a sustainable and inclusive future by 2030, we believe that it remains possible with the right priorities and concerted international cooperation.         

    Thus, we continue to call for a more agile and strong will IMF and World Bank. We need heightened development cooperation, scale‑up support, and innovative solutions as we now begin the headwinds to foster peace, stability, and prosperity for all. And the key issue that underpins our discussions is the 80th Anniversary of the Bretton Woods System.         

    We acknowledge the significant evolution of the system over the decades. Yet, we must recognize that rapid transformations are occurring at an unprecedented base. We must therefore critically assess if the Bretton Woods System is adopting fast enough to the rapidly changing and increasingly volatile global environment.         

    To this end, the G‑24 has identified four key reforms that will enhance the system’s effectiveness and empower both the IMF and the World Bank Group to better serve their members.              

    First, the IMF must create a new mechanism to support countries with sound fundamentals during liquidity crisis.

    Second, the immediate submission of eradicating poverty on a livable planet, the World Bank needs more ambitious goals for its concessional and non‑concessional windows, commensurate with the challenges of achieving inclusive and sustainable development by 2030.    

    Third, the sovereign debt resolution framework must be reformed to deliver comprehensive, predictable, swift, and impactful debt relief, addressing the urgent needs of vulnerable economies.               

    Fourth, we must accelerate governance and institutional reforms of the Bretton Woods Institutions, to increase the voice and representation of developing nations. Without improvements and both actions, decades of individual and global efforts to eradicate poverty and inequality, combat climate change, and invest in growth‑enhancing projects will be put to a halt, if not reversed. Thus, we are counting on our recently concluded meeting to set an unprecedented multilateral cooperation and action. All of these points are comprehensively discussed in the communiqué and press release we have prepared for your perusal. With that, we are now ready to take your questions. Thank you.         

    MODERATOR: Thank you, Mr. Chair. So now moving on to the Q&A section, I would like to remind you that when you raise your hand, please identify yourself, your outlet, and please identify the Chair members that you would like to address the question to. Now moving on to the gentleman in the third row, please.       

    QUESTIONER: Thank you so much. I have a question actually for the three of you. Mr. Recto, you talked about the need for liquidity and buffers. The Philippines serves as a really good example. You are one of the fastest growing economies in the developing Asia region. Business process outsourcing, revenues have passed $35 billion. I wanted to find out, what is the Philippines doing so well? Is it a well‑educated workforce or is it constant electricity; what is the secret; and is AI going to disrupt that going forward?        

    For Candelaria Alvarez, reforms have been taking in Argentina. Javier Milei recently, I think it was in the last month, vetoed a bill that was going to increase financing for public universities, and students have been protesting. How patient do you expect the residents of Argentina to be with the reforms that are taking place?               

    And for Mr. Olawale Edun, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, at the last monetary policy meeting in Nigeria mentioned that the FAAC allocations, the Federation Account Allocation Committee, are causing—he noted they are causing the naira to depreciate when those disbursements are made. What do you think need to be done to address that?

    Then, two, you recently, I think it was a month or two, you talked about the need for single‑digit interest rates in Nigeria. Do you think that is ever going to happen with inflation being in double digits and a hawkish monetary policy path in Nigeria? Thank you.              

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Let me remind you that I hope that your question will be under the purview of G‑24 discussions but let ask the Chair to respond to the questions.               

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Thank you very much for your question. Thank you for noticing the Philippines. The Philippines at the second quarter grew by roughly 6.3 percent. For the first 2 years of this administration, we have grown about 6 percent. We are following our macro fiscal framework of reducing the deficit over time. We expect the good debt‑to‑GDP to be way below 60 percent by 2028. Today are roughly at 60 percent.               

    On the expenditure side, we are spending roughly 5 to 6 percent on infrastructure, maybe a similar amount also for human resource development, particularly in health and education.               

    You are correct that the BPO industry is growing by about—well, we collect roughly 35 billion in revenues a year. We also have a robust remittance of roughly the same amount, about $35 billion a year as well. That helps our consumption. 70 percent of the economy is household consumption. And public investments have also generated most of that growth as well.                 

    AI is a challenge, but in the Philippines the BPO industry is already adapting to AI. So thank you for your question. Thank you.               

    MODERATOR: Mr. Edun, would you like to address the question?              

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you very much. Let me answer it within the context of the discussions of the G‑24. Fundamentally, of course, foreign exchange and liquidity generally is very difficult. There are countries that are—they are reforming their economies domestically. They key into the rules‑based world trading system. And they do have debt sustainability in terms of debt‑to‑GDP. However, they have liquidity constraints, particularly foreign exchange with relation to debt servicing of the foreign debt but also their domestic debt. And I think to bring that—that is the context within which the questions of how to help. In fact, the IMF is specifically focusing on how to help is sort of a bridge financing that takes a question that does have its fundamentals right, but it gives it enough time for that adjustment and probably helps it with heightened debt servicing, which is just for a period.

    Clearly with regard to Nigeria, the key about the foreign exchange market really is supply. And, of course, as you know we have the—we are an oil‑producing country. We just need to get our oil production up, and that will deal with that issue of foreign exchange supply, and pressure on foreign exchange every time there are large flows.                  

    In terms of single‑digit inflation, of course, the western world, the rich countries, they have effectively defeated inflation. That is why the interest rates can come down. The Governor of the Central Bank in Nigeria, in the context of high inflation, is continuing with monetary tightening. That is the orthodoxy of the day. And it is one which is following. Thank you.               

    MODERATOR: Ms. Moroni on Argentina.          

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): Thank you. Going back to the question on Argentina, just as an important framework, G‑24 has been working on the need for emerging market and developing economies to try to put their economies in the right place. The Minister mentioned the need for the international financial organizations to give liquidity or to provide access to liquidity for countries like Argentina and others to be able to get back on our feet. For the government of Argentina, it is really relevant. We do think there is a need for a fiscal anchor on that sense. What happened with the education law had to do with the idea to keep the budget where it has to be, and it has not to do with kind of cutting education. It has to do with evaluating costs and expenditure in the right way. I think that is it.          

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Going back to the floor. The gentleman in the fourth row, please.            

    QUESTION: Just turning to the U.S. election, obviously we have seen the U.S. follow suit on trade change to a more protectionist stance. We have seen more industrial policy. Regardless of who wins the election, how do you see the U.S. involvement with multilateral organizations represented here and the WTO; and what is the impact of maybe a lessen gauged, more transactional U.S. on the group of countries, the G‑24?           

    MODERATOR: Mr. Chairman, maybe the Secretariat would like to respond?               

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): We are concerned that there will be a setback on multilateralism, particularly on trade as well. And we know the driver of global growth is more trade. So that is a concern. In the Philippines, we count on our relationship with the United States to do maybe more out‑shoring to the Philippines, and hopefully that will be done also with other members of the G‑24.            

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): If I can add, if you look at the communiqué, the last paragraph there actually addresses this issue. It is not just about the U.S. it is also about different countries all over the world implementing protectionist policies. And we have seen the impact of that in sectors that continue to build more to growth and development in many countries. So where do we go from here? What we are calling on is for the WTO to become the center of trade discussions, trade negotiations, and for the World Bank and the IMF to rise up to a much more multilaterally‑engaged organization that will be able to at least influence the kind of policies that countries take one way or the other. Thank you.            

    MODERATOR: Thank you. We are going to go online. The question that was just received from Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka as a member of G‑24 is currently making attempts to emerge out of a crisis. What can you tell us about a G‑24 position to support countries like Sri Lanka and also for the island nations to secure financial facilities at reasonable conditions. Mr. Chair, maybe Iyabo?            

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes. So I would say that Sri Lanka has come a long way from where it was 2 years ago. The last IMF Article IV Consultation assessment does show that growth is picking up, that fiscal buffers are coming up, and also import duties are rising, so that indicates that the countries are making some recovery.           

    As for the position that the G‑24 takes on this issue, the way it affects Sri Lanka most is on the debt sustainability issue. So what we are calling for is that countries, especially middle‑income countries, should also have a framework, a forum where they can negotiate with their debtors. As it is now, the Common Framework only works for low‑income countries. Only low‑income countries are part of the Common Framework, but middle‑income countries can be part of another forum called the Sovereign Debt Resolution Roundtable, which is not really an association—an organization that delivers any form of debt relief. It just fosters common understanding. So that is what we are calling for. We want very timely, very comprehensive reduction in debt for countries, and also for both middle and low‑income countries to qualify. So that is where I see it working out. If things work out and the discussion in that area picks up quite fastly, then we can see the likes of Sri Lanka and maybe Lebanon and a few other countries benefiting from that. Thank you.          

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Back to the floor. Maybe I will take one question from the side and come back to you. I’ve seen your hand, sir, in the third row. Sorry, the fourth row. Yes.               

    QUESTION: Hi, there. Mr. Recto, you said that developing countries would be hit by the hardest by any slowdown. I am going to ask an uncomfortable question, but the U.S. election has two very different results, one of which will likely be much more inflationary and lead to more trade tensions. Could each of you tell me a little bit about how your economies are preparing or thinking about the possibility of a Trump victory and associated trade tensions and inflationary pressures that could be a headwind to growth?              

    MODERATOR: Yes, please.             

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): Well, in the Philippines, we do have a relationship with the U.S. We have a mutual defense treaty. We are hoping to leverage that relationship so that we do not get much affected. We understand that many U.S. companies are also interested to invest in the Philippines. We do have a partnership also, the U.S.-Japan-and the Philippines, with regards to our security arrangements. We expect more investments to take place also in the Philippines.             

    MODERATOR: Anything to add from Mr. Edun or Ms. Moroni?             

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you. I think the issues that we are contending with in Africa, in many ways, we are bystanders to this all‑important election. Yes, we do have African Growth and Opportunity Act, which tries to open up the U.S. market to African‑manufactured products. I do not think that will be affected in any way by the results of this election. Generally, what we are finding is that at this particular time, the economies of trade generally, there is a reversal of globalization, of trade. There is a move to protectionism in these countries. There is on‑boarding of production. All these things tend to work against the developing world’s ability to benefit from expanding trade and thereby use that opportunity for investment, for growth, and for job creation and poverty reduction.            

    Overall, I think that we are not that affected specifically or that in general we continue to ask for an improved global financial architecture that provides us with more concessional funding, add skill, particularly for those countries that, as I said earlier, are undertaking the macroeconomic reforms that everybody agrees are sensible and will lead to better lives for their people. Thank you.             

    MODERATOR: Anything to add from the macro, broad perspective?             

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): Very briefly. What was mentioned by both Ministers is the right sentimenting in the emerging markets. We do think, at least for Argentina, the U.S. is a strategic partner and whatever the elections go, we do think that we need to keep having that channel open. Trade is quite a relevant issue. Financial issues are quite relevant. Governance issues in institutions also will be something sensitive to work with the new administration. We do think it is going to be something quite interesting to see in the short‑term. Thank you.           

    MODERATOR: You, sir, in the second row right here.            

    Question: My question is meant for Mr. Wale. Like Mr. Recto said in his opening remarks, a lot of G‑24 countries are having challenges implementing structural reforms and adjustment programs. I would like you to speak specifically to the case of Nigeria. What are the key lessons to learn from the structural reforms being implemented in Nigeria today. And looking back, are there better ways these reforms would have been implemented to limit the level of disruptions? Also, you met with the IMF MD and the team yesterday. We would like to know some of the discussions on that meeting and how does that relate to debt sustainability for Nigeria. Thank you.           

    MODERATOR: Mr. Edun, would you like to respond?         

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Thank you very much. When we talk about—I will take the last one—debt sustainability, and also reforms generally, the G‑24 I think is better to talk within the framework, to talk beyond Nigeria and more about developing countries as a whole. The requirement really for support from the international community, from the development partners, from the multilateral development banks is that you undertake reforms that lead to sustainability at the macro level.             

    The key lesson that I think I would focus on is that in devising these programs and carrying out the reforms, what is particularly important — because the benefits over the longer term and the costs are frontloaded, it is important that the social safety nets that will help the poor and the vulnerable cope with the up‑front costs with a spike in their cost‑of‑living is adequately planned for and dealt with. So, it should not be an issue of it is an afterthought that you decide now that there need to be certain poverty alleviation initiatives. And linked to that, focus on helping the poor and the most vulnerable, [what can] cope with the cost is communication. I think one of the critical things in carrying out these economy reforms that are so fundamental and clearly they are necessary, otherwise they would not be implemented, is that communicating what is being done, what was to be expected, and also the timing as much as possible, the timing of the various activities, and then communicating what actually has been done so if it is a program to give direct benefits, direct transfers of funds to a group of people, then it should be published. There should be a dashboard that people can follow, thereby engendering and building public trust. I think those are the two important things that I would say you need to have for all of us at the G‑24 and developing countries in general. Thank you.         

    MODERATOR: Thank you, Minister. I have time for two more questions. Let me go back to the far end of the room right there. Thank you.

    QUESTION: Thank you. A question on climate change. Do you think the development banks, MDBs, are doing enough to tackle climate change? And especially our shareholders of MDBs, are they doing enough to tackle this issue? Thank you.            

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Mr. Recto, you would like to comment?        

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): The short comment is, it is never enough.     

    MODERATOR: Minister, do you want to chime in or, Ms. Moroni, or Iyabo on climate change.        

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes, I will say that the ambition is there. They really want to do a lot. The finance is just not commensurate with the level of ambition, so that is also one area where we have called on them to demonstrate the ambition. Thank you.     

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): Sorry. If I may, since you asked me.     

    MODERATOR: Please.

    Mr. Edun (Nigeria): The thing I would say on climate change, for a poor country such as Nigeria and others that are actually endowed with fossil fuels in particular, must take a realistic approach to climate change because it is the resources that we have that we must use to industrialize, to modernize our economies while being members of the global fight against climate change. We are signatories to the Paris Accord. We have our target for net zero, and while sticking to those, we must take a realistic view that we need to use our fossil fuels to develop our economies. Thank you.        

    Ms. Moroni (Argentina): The recent issue we had been discussing on G‑24, G‑20, and other forums, the need for development banks to keep in mind their core objective. Then as you mentioned, there is a need to kind of—we do have an ambition, a climate agenda, but we do need to respect the emerging markets’ right to develop first. So, there is a need to—for financing for other development issues that are not directly linked to this, thank you.      

    MODERATOR: Last question to the lady up‑front.       

    QUESTION: Thank you. My question will be to Ms. Director and Mr. Olawale. Earlier on the World Economic Outlook, we were told that inflation is almost won, so I would like to know how the Group of Twenty‑Four is actually interpreting that, especially with the fundamentals in the developed world getting a little bit better; and what are the risks that are posed to the Group of 24. Also, to you, Mr. Recto, you rolled out four key reforms that G‑24 is asking from the World Bank and the IMF. Are you looking at timelines for these reforms? Then over to Nigeria’s Finance Minister and the Second Vice Chair. One of the reforms is heightened development support. That reform, what does it mean for African economies? For example, so I would really like you to take a look at that and perhaps what are the timelines that you are expecting? Is there a Nigerian agenda within these four key reforms?         

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much. Also, I would like to invite Iyabo to address on the reforms of the Bretton Woods institutions as well, but first, the Director or Mr. Edun, would you like to respond on inflation?         

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): On inflation, I think for next year, the global inflation rate will still be relatively high, lower than this year, but something like 5.8 percent, thereabouts. I still think that will be high, and because of that, the interest rate, while it is going down, it remains high. That is why we are also calling for the World Bank to reduce cost of borrowing. This will be very beneficial to the developing economies. On the time frame, maybe Iyabo can elaborate more.              

    Ms. Masha (Secretariat): Yes. Yes, the Bretton Woods initiative itself, the reform, they just started, so now they are in the process of consultations, going around countries, going around regions, so I will say that at a minimum, maybe by next Spring Meeting, they will have an update on where they are in the process and maybe some final decision by the Annual Meetings. In any case, these things have to go through the boards of both the IMF and the World Bank for ratification.        

    MODERATOR: Thank you. Mr. Edun.

    Mr. Recto (Philippines): I think I think around this time last year, we were still dealing with heightened levels of inflation, particularly in the developed countries. That means elevated rates of interest as they put as their number one priority, the fight against inflation and tight monetary policy by the central banks. That has changed. And there is now as we are seeing monetary easing or at least easing of rates of interest by central banks, but that is in the developed world.

    In the developing world, rates are still high and that fight against inflation means that the interest rates also will remain high. But as far as the developed world is concerned, lower interest rates translate to more affordability. Nobody wants to borrow. Nobody likes to borrow. But when it becomes necessary. It is something that must be managed as well as possible. So the first port of call is concessional financing; IDA financing, for instance, from the World Bank. And what the developing world continues to call for is larger sums that can really make a difference, not just to be able to help a country cope with its immediate payment needs, but to have funds to grow the economies. That is what the fight against inflation translates to for the developing countries. Victory therefore or success therefore in the developed world means that they should be able to make more resources available. I must note here that the IMF has reduced their charges. 36 percent reduction in the rates and the excess charges is significant, and it is in the right direction to help developing countries get the resources they need to develop and grow.

    MODERATOR: Thank you so much, Minister and

    Secretariat. Thank you so much for the questions. Unfortunately, we are out of time. Thank you so much again for joining this press conference. The G‑24 communique is being posted on IMF.org and the transcript of this press briefing will be made available later. Have a good rest of your day. Thank you.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Pavis Devahasadin

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Germany: How climate risk will complicate central bankers’ jobs | Guest contribution in the Financial Times

    Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English

    It is clear that the effects of climate change have started to influence the monetary policy considerations of several central banks. Unfortunately, such factors will become even more relevant in the future.
    Severe weather events are intensifying, and so too are their economic impacts. Tropical storm Helene in south-eastern US is just the latest reminder of the damage that can be wrought. The annual damages on properties caused by natural catastrophes have more than doubled in real terms over the past two decades, reaching $280bn globally in 2023, according to Swiss Re. The overall impact is much larger, as acute physical effects ripple through the economy, influencing supply, demand and financial flows – and thus also monetary policy.
    A new Network for Greening the Financial System report compellingly illustrates how natural catastrophes such as floods and hurricanes affect the economy. They destroy homes, local infrastructure and production sites, requiring years and enormous amounts of money to rebuild. Waning confidence could prompt companies and households to cut back on spending, further undermining economic growth prospects.
    Price impacts are not spared, as severe weather events, among other factors, damage agricultural production and drive up food prices across regions. These sectoral effects can lead to an increase in overall inflationary pressures, depending on how much a drop in demand balances them out. For instance, droughts tend to exert upward pressure on headline inflation for several years, with developing economies especially affected, because of their higher dependency on agriculture.
    Against this backdrop, central banks might face the complicated task of taming inflationary pressure in a weak economy. Think of a situation when rising inflationary pressure might warrant policy tightening – particularly for central banks, whose primary mandate is price stability – even though this could contribute to economic strain. The State Bank of Pakistan, for instance, in 2022 opted to continue raising policy rates after the devastating floods caused a sharp increase in food prices.
    Climate change – and its uncertain outcomes – mean that central banks must focus on looking ahead and extend their horizon beyond the usual projection period. Estimates of future impacts illustrate what could be in store for the economy and the financial sector. At a global level, climate change could drive up annual food price inflation by between one and three percentage points by 2035, according to a study of the European Central Bank and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
    However, most studies still fail to consider the risk of crossing climate tipping points, which can significantly accelerate climate change. According to the OECD, ignoring these critical thresholds results in a severe underestimation of the economic costs. Extreme weather events can also bring us closer to these tipping points. The current drought in the Amazon region – the most severe since systematic recording began in 1950 – exemplifies this risk. With one-fifth of the Amazon rainforest already lost, mostly due to deforestation, concerns are mounting that this carbon sponge is on the brink of collapse. That would trigger a cascade of climate events, leading to higher economic costs globally.
    What is more, uncertainties surrounding the magnitude and duration of severe weather events – coupled with governments’ responses – will make the short-term forecasting of key economic indicators particularly challenging. An example is Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and the subsequent landfalls of hurricanes Rita and Wilma. In the highly dynamic weeks and months that followed, staff of the Federal Reserve adjusted their estimates of output and inflation a few times, as new information trickled in. Throughout the process, the Fed remained predictable in its actions, highlighting that good communication is key.
    Central banks have another side to watch, too, namely the green transition. Inflation and output may become more volatile as we undergo a transformation of the energy sector and supply chains. In the short term, carbon pricing and rising climate investments could reinforce inflationary pressures.
    Intensifying climate change adds to the array of challenges that monetary policy needs to adjust to. As extreme weather events become more frequent, central banks must pay even greater attention to longer-term inflation expectations. Though the reaction of each central bank will depend on its mandate, clear communication is essential to guide market expectations and ensure that policy decisions are well understood.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI German News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cutting-edge transport projects receive £1.4 million to encourage innovation and deliver growth

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Winners of the Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) will help make travel cleaner, safer and more efficient for everyone in the UK.

    • 32 pioneering projects granted a share of £1.4 million to drive innovation and revolutionise the UK transport sector
    • visionary designs include an air purification product to tackle pollution and a pedestrian management system to enhance road safety
    • ideas will boost economic growth by creating jobs – sparking further innovation and cementing the UK’s position as a global leader in green transport

    Winners of a £1.4 million competition to transform the transport sector, grow the economy and inspire innovation have been announced by the Department for Transport today (23 October 2024).

    Organisations and academics with innovative ideas were able to win up to £45,000 in funding to offer sustainable, forward-thinking alternatives and contribute to the government’s aim of cleaner, greener and more efficient transport networks.

    Over the last decade, the Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) programme has invested over £15 million to support industries in the pursuit for new technologies and collaborations – helping deliver key economic growth throughout the country.

    This year sought proposals focused on local transport decarbonisation, maritime decarbonisation and emerging technologies such as AI and drones.

    Aviation, Maritime and Security Minister, Mike Kane, said:  

    Innovation is the driving force behind our transport system and these winning projects are leading the charge by creating cutting-edge solutions that could offer so much benefit for all.

    With sustainability at the core of this year’s competition, we’re helping to shape the future of transport – making travel cleaner, safer and more efficient for everyone.

    Among the groundbreaking projects awarded funding through the government’s TRIG is Vox Aeris, with an invention that hopes to use sound waves and music vibrations from a speaker to reduce harmful pollution across transport networks.

    Selene Sari, founder and CEO of Vox Aeris, said: 

    We are beyond excited to be a TRIG 2024 winner. This support will be pivotal for developing our technology, assessing feasibility with refined prototypes and engaging early stakeholders. We look forward to collaborating with Connected Places Catapult and the Department for Transport.

    The financial backing, expertise, and network support we’re receiving will be crucial for us to advance to the next stage. Having such robust support early in our journey will enable us to move faster and connect with networks that would otherwise be challenging to bring together.

    Previous TRIG winners include OpenSpace – a cutting-edge project using digital twinning and AI to tackle rail station disruption. By using special algorithms, it created the world’s first real-time simulated environment of St Pancras station to help operators manage people flow, improve safety and boost customer experience. 

    TRIG has been running for over a decade, funding more than 430 projects that have ranged from better connecting rural communities with a shuttle bus app to trialling the use of hydrogen to make plane and boat journeys greener. 

    Erika Lewis, Chief Executive Officer at Connected Places Catapult, said:

    Innovation in transport can unlock many benefits for society, the economy and the environment. The Transport Research and Innovation Grants programme has been supporting high-potential innovators for a decade, through funding and dedicated business support, helping them realise their commercial potential.

    This year’s TRIG competition drew a fantastic response from innovators, with the ‘critical and emerging technologies’ challenge proving to be especially popular.

    Today, the Aviation, Maritime and Security Minister is at the Transport Research and Innovation Grant Awards in Birmingham to celebrate last year’s successful winners and see firsthand what the funding can achieve.

    See the complete list of TRIG winners for more information.

    Aviation, Europe and technology media enquiries

    Media enquiries 0300 7777 878

    Switchboard 0300 330 3000

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Announces Murder-For-Hire Charges Against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Brigadier General and Former Intelligence Officer and Members of an Iranian Intelligence Network

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    Ruhollah Bazghandi, an OFAC-Sanctioned Brigadier General in the IRGC and Former IRGC Intelligence Organization Counterintelligence Chief, and Members of His Iran-Based Network, Contracted Members of an Eastern European Organized Crime Group to Murder a U.

    Note: View the superseding indictment here. 

    The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of a superseding indictment containing murder-for-hire, money-laundering, and sanctions evasion charges against Ruhollah Bazghandi, also known as Roohollah Azimi; Fnu Lnu, also known as Haj Taher, Haj Taher; Hossein Sedighi; and Seyed Mohammad Forouzan, all of Iran.

    “The Justice Department has now charged eight individuals, including an Iranian military official, for their efforts to silence and kill a U.S. citizen because of her criticism of the Iranian regime,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We will not tolerate efforts by an authoritarian regime like Iran to undermine the fundamental rights guaranteed to every American. Three of the defendants charged in this horrific plot are now in U.S. custody, and we will never stop working to identify, find, and bring to justice all those who endanger the safety of the American people.”

    “Today’s indictment exposes the full extent of Iran’s plot to silence an American journalist for criticizing the Iranian regime,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “According to the charges, a brigadier general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and a former Iranian intelligence officer, working with a network of conspirators, planned to kill a dissident living in New York City. The FBI’s investigation led to the disruption of this plot as one of the conspirators was allegedly on their way to murder the victim in New York. As these charges show, the FBI will work with our partners here and abroad to hold accountable those who target Americans.”

    “Today’s indictment makes plain that the Iranian regime for years has been behind a violent campaign to stalk, intimidate, and arrange the killing of an American dissident on U.S. soil for bravely speaking up for the rights of the Iranian people,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The Department is committed to exposing and holding accountable those in Tehran who believe they can hide their hand in carrying out such reprehensible activities.”

    “As alleged, for years, the Government of Iran has attempted to assassinate, on U.S. soil, a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin who is a prominent critic of the Iranian regime,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. “In January 2023, we unsealed charges alleging that members of an Eastern European crime group engaged in a plot to murder this victim. As we allege, that group was not acting alone. Today, we hold their Iranian masters to account, and allege that these Iran-based co-conspirators, including a Brigadier General in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, directed the murder plot. By charging these Iran-based defendants, we seek to strike another public blow at the heart of the Government of Iran’s efforts to execute the victim — as well as its lethal targeting, intimidation, and repression of other Iranian dissidents critical of the regime in the U.S. and abroad.”

    As detailed in the superseding indictment, Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan contracted members of an Eastern European criminal organization, including Rafat Amirov, also known as Farkhaddin Mirzoev, Pᴎᴍ,  and Rome; Polad Omarov, also known as Araz Aliyev, Polad Qaqa, and Haci Qaqa; and Zialat Mamedov, also known as Ziko, to murder a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin in New York City who has publicly opposed the Iranian government and who has previously been the target of similar plots by the Iranian government. Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov previously were arrested on charges contained in underlying indictments. Amirov and Omarov are in custody in the United States, pending trial; Mamedov was extradited from the Czech Republic to the Republic of Georgia to face charges there. Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan, all of whom are based in Iran, remain at large. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon for the Southern District of New York.

    According to the allegations contained in the superseding indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings, Bazghandi, who resides in Iran, is an IRGC Brigadier General and has previously served as chief of an IRGC Intelligence Organization (IRGC-IO) counterintelligence office. In April 2023, the U.S. Secretary of State designated IRGC-IO as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 14078, for hostage-taking and the wrongful detention of U.S. nationals abroad. On the same date, the Treasury Department sanctioned Bazghandi in connection with his involvement with the detention of foreign prisoners held in Iran. Bazghandi was designated by the Treasury Department a second time in June 2023, this time under Executive Order 13224, for his participation in IRGC-IO’s lethal targeting operations. Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan (collectively with Bazghandi, the Bazghandi Network), each of whom resides in Iran, also have connections to the Government of Iran.   

    The Bazghandi Network contracted Amirov, Omarov, Mamedov, and Khalid Mehdiyev to murder, on U.S. soil, a victim residing in New York City. The victim is a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses and suppression of political expression, including in connection with continuing protests against the regime across Iran. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap the victim from within the United States for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence the victim’s criticism of the regime. That plot was disrupted and exposed by the FBI and led to the filing of federal kidnapping conspiracy and other charges in the Southern District of New York against several participants in the plot in United States v. Farahani, et al.

    Since at least July 2022, the Bazghandi Network tasked members of the organization with assassinating the victim. The organization’s participation in the murder-for-hire plot was directed by Amirov, who resided in Iran and who was tasked with targeting the victim by individuals in Iran. On approximately July 13, 2022, Amirov forwarded targeting information — which Amirov had received from individuals in Iran — about the victim and the victim’s residence to Omarov. Omarov, in turn, together with Mamedov, directed and collaborated with Mehdiyev, who was residing in Yonkers, New York, to carry out the plot against the victim. Mehdiyev’s participation in the plot was disrupted when he was arrested near the victim’s home on or about July 28, 2022, while in possession of the assault rifle, along with 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash, and a black ski mask.

    In January 2023, Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov were arrested overseas. On Jan. 27, 2023, they were charged publicly for their roles in the plot to assassinate the victim. Nevertheless, in the months that followed, members of the Bazghandi Network continued to target the victim. For example, in or about March 2023, Haj Taher searched for information about the victim’s family members and Sedighi saved an image of the victim’s residence. As recently as on or about May 1, 2023, Bazghandi conducted an internet search, in Farsi, for, “a person in the house of [the victim] movie,” and, on the same date, watched a video with the title, “A video of the arrested gunman in front of [the victim]’s home in New York received by [the victim’s employer].”

    Bazghandi, Haj Taher, Sedighi, and Forouzan, have been charged with murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison; conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions against the Government of Iran, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

    Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov  have also been charged with murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, Amirov, Omarov, and Mamedov were charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted with the extradition of Mamedov.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman for the Southern District of New York, Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Dmitriy Slavin of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Woman Sentenced for Filing False Refund Claims

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Florida woman was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay $485,290.03 in restitution to the United States for filing false tax returns with the IRS to obtain tax refunds.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2018 and 2020, Yolanda Dewar filed four false tax returns seeking a total of almost $2 million in tax refunds from the IRS on behalf of a trust she created. These returns falsely reported that the trust had earned significant income, made payments to the IRS and had federal income taxes withheld on its behalf. Dewar continued filing false returns even after the IRS notified her that her claims were frivolous and had no basis in law. In total, the IRS issued nearly $500,000 to the trust in response to Dewar’s false claims. Dewar used a portion of the funds to purchase a car for a family member, get plastic surgery and renovate her home.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Kavitha Bondada of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Deric Zacca for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: California Mobile Phlebotomy Lab and Its Owners to Pay $135,000 to Resolve Allegedly False Claims for Blood Testing Services and Travel Mileage

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    Veni-Express Inc. (Veni-Express), headquartered in California, and its owners Myrna and Sonny Steinbaum have agreed to pay at least $135,000 to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they submitted false claims for mobile phlebotomy services and associated travel mileage and paid kickbacks to a third-party marketer of these services, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS). Veni-Express has agreed to pay $100,000, plus additional amounts based on the sale of company property. Myrna Steinbaum has agreed to pay $25,000, and Sonny Steinbaum has agreed to pay $10,000. These settlements are based on their ability to pay.

    The United States alleged that from 2015 to 2019, Veni-Express and the Steinbaums knowingly caused false or fraudulent claims to federal health care programs for mobile phlebotomy services and associated travel mileage. Specifically, with the Steinbaum’s oversight and approval, Veni-Express submitted false claims for venipuncture (blood draw) procedures that the company did not actually perform during homebound patient visits, and for travel mileage associated with these visits that was not reimbursable by Medicare. The United States further alleged that, from July 2014 to June 2015, Veni-Express paid unlawful kickbacks (in the form of a percentage of company revenue) to a third-party, Altera Laboratories also known as Med2U Healthcare LLC, for the marketing of Veni-Express’ services, in violation of the AKS.

    “Health care providers that bill for services they did not provide or offer illegal incentives to increase profits will be held accountable,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to safeguard federal health care programs against those who seek to abuse them.”

    “Providers must not bill for services they did not perform. Further, the presence of unlawful kickbacks all too often corrupts medical judgment,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert for the Eastern District of California. “Our office is committed to investigating and holding accountable those who violate the False Claims Act and AKS to safeguard the public fisc and protect the integrity of our federal health care system.”

    “Improper incentives and billing Medicare for services never actually provided divert taxpayer funding meant to pay for medically necessary services for Medicare enrollees,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying and holding accountable those who engage in such unlawful relationships.”

    The civil settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Banisha Evans, a former phlebotomist for another California provider, and Richard Drummond, a technical director at a Texas laboratory. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States for false claims and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam cases are captioned U.S. et al., ex rel. Evans v. PhlebXpress et al., No. 2:18-cv-2038 (EDCA) and U.S. ex rel. Drummond v. Veni-Express Inc., et al., No. 2:21-cv-1199 (EDCA).

    The relators’ share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

    The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and HHS-OIG.

    The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

    Trial Attorney Gary R. Dyal of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Kennedy for the Eastern District of California handled the matter.

    The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.

    Settlement

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    A Florida man pleaded guilty today to evading the payment of more than $1.7 million he owed for tax years 2004 through 2014.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, David Albert Fletcher, of Deltona, owned and operated several furniture liquidations businesses in Florida, including Century Liquidators. For tax years 2004 through 2013, Fletcher did not timely file his federal income tax returns or pay taxes. After an audit, the IRS assessed a total of $1.7 million in taxes, interest and penalties against him.

    To evade collection of these taxes, Fletcher concealed his income and assets from the IRS. For example, Fletcher used nominees to hide his purchases of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces. Fletcher also filed false income tax returns that understated his income and when interviewed by an IRS special agent, falsely represented the amount of income he earned.

    A sentencing hearing will be set at a later date. Fletcher faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

    Trial Attorney Zachary A. Cobb and Charles A. O’Reilly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Megan Testerman for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Government takes action after customers unlawfully charged for merchant fees

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: NSW Government takes action after customers unlawfully charged for merchant fees

    Published: 23 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Minister for Finance

    Merchant fee surcharges were levied on tens of millions of customer card transactions, despite repeated legal advice during the term of the former Liberal-National government that the government agency surcharges were unlawful.

    The issue was identified by the NSW Auditor-General during settlement of the Department of Customer Service (DCS) financial statements for 2023-24 and brought to the attention of the current Government.

    The current Secretary of DCS, Graeme Head, sought further information from his Department which revealed that Service NSW’s practice of charging merchant fees had been flagged as unlawful in legal advice received from the Crown Solicitor’s Office between February 2016 and December 2022. Despite this, merchant fees continued to be passed onto customers.

    Merchant fee surcharges are levied to recoup transaction fees charged by payment providers including banks. Recouping the cost of merchant fees was directed by NSW Treasury in 2012.

    Typical surcharges on Service NSW transactions include 30 cents for a 1-year licence renewal, 29 cents for a marriage certificate and $1.92 to renew registration for a small car (like a Toyota Corolla). The average surcharge on a Revenue NSW payment in 2023-24 was $0.92.

    It’s currently estimated that 92 million transactions unlawfully incurred about $144 million in merchant fees from 2016 across Service NSW and Revenue NSW.

    The Minns Labor Government has established an incident management taskforce and is progressing urgent work to shut down the unlawful charging of merchant fees.

    People who have been charged fees are encouraged to register for updates on the Government’s response at service.nsw.gov.au/about-us/our-services/merchant-fees or by calling Service NSW on 13 77 88.

    The Treasurer, Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, and Minister for Finance have written to the NSW Ombudsman requesting an investigation into possible serious maladministration.

    The Secretary of DCS has also referred the matter to the Ombudsman and the Independent Commission Against Corruption, noting the apparent failure to act on the 2016 Crown Solicitor’s advice.

    The taskforce led by DCS has switched off fees being charged directly by Revenue NSW and the Rental Bond Board, and stopped fees on more than 80 per cent of Service NSW transactions.

    Merchant fee surcharges have been switched off for more than 90 per cent of online payments, including the top 12 Service NSW transactions such as renewing a driver licence or vehicle registration or paying a fine.

    Service NSW is urgently continuing work to switch off fees on all remaining transactions, including thousands of credit card terminals in Service NSW Service Centres. These transactions span several technology platforms and are conducted on behalf of multiple agencies.

    While this work is being completed, alternate payment methods are available which do not incur a surcharge, such as paying in a Service Centre by cash or online with over-the-counter support from Service NSW staff.

    The majority of Government transactions take place through Service NSW, but as a result of this information being uncovered, all departments have been instructed to report to NSW Treasury by 30 November on whether they charge merchant fees for services and to confirm they have the legal authority to do so. 

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib: 

    “Our most immediate priority has been to stop these charges as quickly as possible.”

    “It is deeply concerning that this practice has been ongoing, despite legal concerns being raised.”

    “While the individual amounts typically charged may appear to be small, they have been charged unlawfully.”

    “The community rightfully deserves an explanation about how this was allowed to continue for so long under the previous government.” 

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos:

    “We have acted swiftly to establish a taskforce to deal with this issue. Our immediate efforts are focused on switching off the payment methods that charge these merchant fees as quickly as possible.

    “We will get to the bottom of what happened and why millions of people were unlawfully charged merchant fees.

    “Families, households and businesses expect governments to conduct themselves lawfully. That’s why all agencies have been instructed to examine their own processes.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: New Caledonia crisis: Pacific leaders’ mission must ‘look beyond surface’

    INTERVIEW: By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist

    Last week, New Caledonia was visited by France’s new Overseas Minister, François Buffet, offering a more conciliatory position by Paris.

    This week, the territory, torn apart by violent riots, is to receive a Pacific Islands Forum fact-finding mission comprised of four prime ministers.

    New Caledonia has been riven with violence and destruction for much of the past five months, resulting in 13 deaths and countless cases of arson.

    Islands Business journalist Nic Maclellan is back there for the first time since the rioting began on May 13 and RNZ Pacific asked for his first impressions.

    Nic Maclellan: Day by day, things are very calm. It’s been a beautiful weekend, and there were people at the beach in the southern suburbs of Nouméa. People are going about their daily business. And on the surface, you don’t really notice that there’s been months of clashes between Kanak protesters and French security forces.

    But every now and then, you stumble across a site that reminds you that this crisis is still, in many ways, unresolved. As you leave Tontouta Airport, the main gateway to the islands, for example, the airport buildings are surrounded by razor wire.

    The French High Commission, which has a very high grill, is also topped with razor wire. It’s little things like that that remind you, that despite the removal of barricades which have dotted both Noumea and the main island for months, there are still underlying tensions that are unresolved.

    And all of this comes at a time of enormous economic crisis, with key industries like tourism and nickel badly affected by months of dispute. Thousands of people either lost their jobs, or on part-time employment, and uncertainty about what capacity the French government brings from Paris to resolve long standing problems.

    Don Wiseman: Well, New Caledonia is looking for a lot of money in grant form. Is it going to get it?

    NMac: With, people I’ve spoken to in the last few days and with statements from major political parties, there’s enormous concern that political leaders in France don’t understand the depth of the crisis here; political, cultural, economic. President Macron, after losing the European Parliament elections, then seeing significant problems during the National Assembly elections that he called the snap votes, finds that there’s no governing majority in the French Parliament.

    It took 51 days to appoint a new prime minister, another few weeks to appoint a government, and although France’s Overseas Minister Francois Noel Buffet visited last week, made a number of pledges, which were welcomed, there was sharp criticism, particularly from anti-independence leaders, from the so called loyalists, that France hadn’t recognised the enormity of what’s happened, and to translate that into financial commitments.

    The Congress of New Caledonia passed a bipartisan, or all party proposal, for significant funding over the next five years, amounting to almost 4 billion euros, a vast sum, but money required to rebuild shattered economic institutions and restore public institutions that were damaged during months of riots and arson, is not there.

    France faces, in Metropolitan France, a major fiscal crisis. The current Prime Minister Michel Barnier announced they cut $250 million out of funding for overseas territories. There’s a lot of work going on across the political spectrum, from politicians in New Caledonia, trying to make Paris understand that this is significant.

    DW: Does Paris understand what happened in New Caledonia back in the 1980s?

    NMac: Some do. I think there’s a real problem, though, that there’s a consistency of French policy that is reluctant to engage with France’s responsibilities as what the United Nations calls it, “administering power of a non-self-governing territory”.

    You know, it’s a French colony. The Noumea Accord said that there should be a transition towards a new political status, and that situation is unresolved. Just this morning (Tuesday), I attended the session of the Congress of New Caledonia, which voted in majority that the provincial elections should be delayed until late next year, late 2025.

    The aim would be to give time for the French State and both supporters and opponents of independence to meet to talk out a new political statute to replace the 1998 Noumea Accord. However, it’s clear from different perspectives that have been expressed in the Congress that there’s not a meeting of minds about the way forward. And key independence parties in the umbrella coalition, the FLNKS make it clear that they only see a comprehensive agreement possible if there’s a pathway forward towards sovereignty, even with a period of inter-dependence with France and over time to be negotiated.

    The loyalists believe that that’s not a priority, that economic reconstruction is the priority, and a talk of sovereignty at this time is inappropriate. So, there’s a long way to go before the French can bring people together around the negotiating table, and that will play out in coming weeks.

    DW: The new Overseas Minister seems to have taken a very conciliatory approach. That must be helpful.

    NMac: For months and months, the FLNKS said that they were willing to discuss electoral reforms, opening up the voting rolls for the local political institutions to more French nationals, particularly New Caledonian-born citizens, but that it had to be part of a comprehensive, overarching agreement.

    The very fact that President Macron tried to force key independence parties, particularly the largest, Union Caledoniénne, to the negotiating table by unilaterally trying to push through changes to these voting rules triggered the crisis that began on the 13th of May.

    After five months of terrible destruction of schools, of hospitals, thousands of people, literally leaving New Caledonia, Macron has realised that you can’t push this through by force. As you say, Overseas Minister Buffet had a more conciliatory tone. He reconfirmed that the controversial reforms to the electoral laws have been abandoned. Doesn’t mean they won’t come back up in discussions in the future, but we’re back at square one in many ways, and yet there’s been five months of really terrible conflict between supporters and opponents of independence.

    The fact that this is unresolved is shown by the reality that the French High Commissioner has announced that the overnight curfew is extended until early November, that the French police and security forces that have been deployed here, more than 6000 gendarmes, riot squads backed by armoured cars, helicopters and more, will be held until at least the end of the year.

    This crisis is unresolved, and I think as Pacific leaders arrive this week, they’ll have to look beyond the surface calm to realise that there are many issues that still have to play out in the months to come.

    DW: So with this Forum visit, how free will these people be to move around to make their own assessments?

    NMac: I sense that there’s a tension between the government of New Caledonia and the French authorities about the purpose of this visit. In the past, French diplomats have suggested that the Forum is welcome to come, to condemn violence, to address the question of reconstruction and so on.

    But I sense a reluctance to address issues around France’s responsibility for decolonisation, at the same time, key members of the delegation, such as Prime Minister Manele of Solomon Islands, Prime Minister Rabuka, have strong contacts through the Melanesian Spearhead Group, with members of the FLNKS and the broader political networks here. To that extent, there’ll be informal as well as formal dialogue. As the Forum members hit the ground after a long delay to their mission.

    DW: There have been in the past, Forum groups that have gone to investigate various situations, and they’ve tended to take a very superficial view of everything that’s going on.

    NMac: I think there are examples where the Forum missions have been very important. For example, in 2021 at the time of the third referendum on self-determination, the one rushed through by the French State in the middle of the covid pandemic, a delegation led by Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, a former Fiji Foreign Minister, with then Secretary-General of the Forum, Henry Puna, they wrote a very strong report criticising the legitimacy and credibility of that vote, because the vast majority of independence supporters, particularly indigenous Kanaks, didn’t turn out for the vote.

    France claims it’s a strong no vote, but the Forum report, which most people haven’t read, actually questions the legitimacy of this politically. The very fact that four prime ministers are coming, not diplomats, not ministers, not just officials, but four prime ministers of Forum member countries, shows that this is an important moment for regional engagement.

    Right from the beginning of the crisis, the then chair of the Forum, Mark Brown, who’ll be on the delegation, talked about the need for the Forum to create a neutral space for dialogue, for talanoa, to resolve long standing differences.

    The very presence of them, although it hasn’t had much publicity here so far, will be a sign that this is not an internal matter for France, but in fact a matter of regional and international attention.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Laredo drug dealer receives three decades in prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LAREDO, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been sentenced for possession with the intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

    Daniel Rodriguez pleaded guilty April 2.

    U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 360 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Rodriguez sold poison to people and despite having multiple opportunities to stop, he continued selling drugs. During the hearing, Rodriguez remarked he was a father and the court asked if he sold these same drugs to his family. Additionally, the court questioned if he would stop selling drugs if one of his own children had overdosed.

    On Jan. 3, authorities executed a search warrant at Rodriguez’s residence. While approaching the house, law enforcement saw Rodriguez flee from inside his home, during which time he attempted to discard a baggie that was later found to contain meth.

    After detaining Rodriguez, authorities searched the home and found more meth inside. He later admitted that the seized drugs belonged to him.

    Rodriguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and the Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case.

    The case was prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal jury convicts man of methamphetamine trafficking in Billings

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BILLINGS — A federal jury today convicted a Colorado man of drug trafficking after a high-speed pursuit and search of his vehicle led to the recovery of approximately six pounds of methamphetamine, U.S Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    After a two-day trial that began on Oct. 21, the jury found Moises Zamora, 39, of Greely, Colorado, guilty of possession with intent to distribute meth as charged in an indictment. Zamora faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.

    U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Feb. 20, 2025. Zamora remained detained pending further proceedings.

    “This drug dealer was caught with almost six pounds of methamphetamine while dangerously attempting to flee a Yellowstone County Deputy Sheriff. With their actions, our law enforcement partners kept more than 21,000 doses of meth from poisoning our community. More work is required, and I am confident such work on other people will yield the same result as Zamora – guilty of drug trafficking,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

    In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on Nov. 11, 2022, a Yellowstone County Sheriff’s deputy pulled into a convenience store parking lot in Billings and noticed a passenger car parked in an obscure manner, away from the pumps or store entrances. As the deputy drove toward the car, he saw the driver, later identified as Zamora, point toward his patrol vehicle and then slouch in the seat. The deputy believed this behavior to be consistent with nefarious acts and pulled behind the vehicle to investigate. Zamora reversed his car and drove away. The deputy activated his lights and siren, but Zamora continued driving, and a high-speed pursuit began. The pursuit lasted almost 10 minutes and involved speeds reaching 80 mph, with Zamora driving recklessly and entering the lane of oncoming traffic. Zamora finally stopped when he came to a dead end and was arrested.

    The deputy observed two blue “M30” pills, later confirmed to be fentanyl, in the backseat. Law enforcement determined Zamora had a warrant for his arrest and was booked into the Yellowstone County Detention Center. Law enforcement served a search warrant on Zamora’s car and located approximately six pounds of meth, two fentanyl pills, three cell phones and drug paraphernalia. Six pounds of meth is the equivalent of approximately 21,744 doses.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI conducted the investigation. 

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

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi highlights BRICS’ role in driving multipolarity, globalization ahead of Kazan Summit

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

    Xi highlights BRICS’ role in driving multipolarity, globalization ahead of Kazan Summit

    Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazan, Russia, Oct. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    KAZAN, Russia, Oct. 22 — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday underscored the role of BRICS as “a pillar” in promoting a multipolar world and fostering an inclusive economic globalization ahead of leaders’ formal meetings at the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.

    The BRICS mechanism is the world’s most important platform for solidarity and cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries, Xi said during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit.

    The Kazan Summit marks the first in-person BRICS gathering since the group expanded its membership last year in Johannesburg, South Africa. More than 30 countries attend this year’s summit which runs until Thursday.

    Xi told Putin, who chairs the summit, that he expected to have an in-depth discussion with Putin and other world leaders on the future development of the BRICS cooperation mechanism, so as to secure more opportunities for the Global South.

    One of the key priorities of Russia’s BRICS chairmanship is integrating the new members into the BRICS framework, according to the official website. Other areas of practical cooperation include boosting trade and direct investment, as well as fostering a balanced and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy.

    BRICS countries are expected to deepen consensus on strategic communication and practical cooperation for the group’s future development, said Wang Lei, director of the BRICS Cooperation Research Center at Beijing Normal University.

    Wang also expressed hope for productive engagement between BRICS and the broader Global South at the summit to promote shared global development and uphold the effectiveness of multilateral governance systems.

    Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan and the fifth-largest city in Russia, holds historical and cultural significance. During their meeting, Xi told Putin that around 400 years ago, the Great Tea Road that connected the two countries went past Kazan, through which tea leaves from China’s Wuyi Mountain region found their way into many Russian households.

    The city is also home to Kazan Federal University, where notable figures like the Russian writer Leo Tolstoy and Russian revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin studied.

    Around noon on Tuesday, Xi arrived at Kazan International Airport, greeted by Russian officials. Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metshin told Xinhua that the city is honored to host the Chinese leader.

    Guards of honor lined both sides of a red carpet to salute the Chinese leader, while Russian youths in traditional attire offered a warm welcome. Russian fighter jets escorted Xi’s plane before its landing.

    “It is very important that, at the moment, we have such a good leader who can introduce new initiatives,” said Timirkhan Alishev, vice rector for International Affairs, Kazan Federal University, speaking of Xi’s role in international affairs.

    Alishev told Xinhua that all initiatives introduced by China are rooted in multilateralism, fostering communication and dialogue on multiple levels.

    “We see China puts a lot of efforts to develop BRICS,” said Alishev. “There are no preconditions for BRICS cooperation … You can start dialogue on equal basis with everybody.”

    The term BRIC was initially coined in 2001 by Jim O’Neill, former chief economist at Goldman Sachs, as an investment concept referring to emerging market economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. With South Africa’s inclusion in 2010, BRICS officially took shape.

    After last year’s expansion, BRICS grouping now accounts for about 30 percent of the global GDP, nearly half of the global population and one-fifth of global trade. “Measured by GDP, the BRICS countries have already surpassed the G7 in importance,” said Dilma Rousseff, president of the New Development Bank (NDB), in a recent interview with Xinhua.

    “I think this BRICS meeting is very important … At the moment, the countries of the Global South are in great need of funding. And the conditions for obtaining it are quite complicated,” Rousseff said during a meeting with Putin in Kazan on Tuesday.

    Observers see the BRICS Summit as an opportunity for Global South countries to voice their needs. Victoria Fedosova, deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Research and Forecasts of the Russian Peoples’ Friendship University, said the very dynamic development of BRICS and the growth in membership reflect a demand for a platform for addressing global issues.

    “The BRICS mechanism has enormous potential in adjusting the imbalances in global development accumulated over the last 80 years,” said Fedosova.

    Other than the countries that became new full members on Jan. 1, 2024, over 30 countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Türkiye and Azerbaijan have either formally applied for or expressed interest in its membership, while many other developing countries are seeking deeper cooperation with the group.

    As its influence expands, BRICS has gained appeal among many countries, particularly in the Global South, by offering them concrete advantages, said Zukiswa Roboji, a researcher at Walter Sisulu University in South Africa.

    “BRICS has undoubtedly made notable strides in recent years,” said Roboji. It offers emerging economies easier access to financial resources and better opportunities for trade, investment and development, the expert added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Tours Military Solutions Provider in Wichita, KS

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Wichita, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. visited Leading Technology Composites (LTC) in Wichita, KS. Leading Technology Composites (LTC) provides composite solutions for the defense, military, aerospace, and automotive industries. It designs and manufactures protective body armor plates, such as stab and handgun plates, ballistic and protective inserts, and buoyant plates. Additionally, LTC produces vehicle protective armor and aerospace solutions. The company was founded in 1993, employing over 400 Kansans and serving both domestic and international clients. 
    “I am proud of LTC for supporting our military and law enforcement through their innovative solutions,” Senator Marshall said. “LTC protects our protectors, and I am proud of the work they have accomplished and the opportunities they provide for Kansans and our country.” 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Visits Salina Pregnancy Service Center

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    Salina, KS – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. toured the Salina Pregnancy Service Center and their new, expanded space this past week. 
    Salina Pregnancy Service Center serves over 300 new clients and hosts over 12,000 visits per year. The Center offers a variety of services to moms and their families throughout pregnancy and postpartum, including ultrasounds, clothing, counseling, and referrals to other programs throughout Salina. 
    “As an OBGYN, ensuring mothers and families have quality care is one of my top priorities,” Senator Marshall said. “It was a pleasure to visit this clinic and hear about what they are doing for Salina families.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Mount Logan Capital Inc. Schedules Release of Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mount Logan Capital Inc. (CBOE: MLC) (“Mount Logan” or the “Company”) will release its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024 after market close on Thursday, November 7, 2024. The Company will host a conference call on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss these results. Shareholders, prospective shareholders, and analysts are welcome to listen to the conference call. To join the call, please use the dial-in information below. A recording of the conference call will be available on Mount Logan’s website http://www.mountlogancapital.ca in the Investor Relations section under “Events”.

    Canada Dial-in Toll Free: 1-833-950-0062
    US Dial-in Toll Free: 1-833-470-1428
    International Dial-in:
    Access Code: 672430

    About Mount Logan Capital Inc.
    Mount Logan Capital Inc. is an alternative asset management and insurance solutions company that is focused on public and private debt securities in the North American market and the reinsurance of annuity products, primarily through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Mount Logan Management LLC and Ability Insurance Company (“Ability”), respectively. The Company also actively sources, evaluates, underwrites, manages, monitors and primarily invests in loans, debt securities, and other credit-oriented instruments that present attractive risk-adjusted returns and present low risk of principal impairment through the credit cycle.

    Ability is a Nebraska domiciled insurer and reinsurer of long-term care policies acquired by Mount Logan in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021. Ability is unique in the insurance industry in that its long-term care portfolio’s morbidity risk has been largely re-insured to third parties, and Ability is no longer insuring or re-insuring new long-term care risk.

    This press release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, a prospectus or an advertisement and the communication of this release is not, and under no circumstances is it to be construed as, an offer to sell or an offer to purchase any securities in the Company or in any fund or other investment vehicle. This press release is not intended for U.S. persons. The Company’s shares are not and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Company is not and will not be registered under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”). U.S. persons are not permitted to purchase the Company’s shares absent an applicable exemption from registration under each of these Acts. In addition, the number of investors in the United States, or which are U.S. persons or purchasing for the account or benefit of U.S. persons, will be limited to such number as is required to comply with an available exemption from the registration requirements of the 1940 Act.

    Contacts:
    Mount Logan Capital Inc.
    365 Bay Street, Suite 800
    Toronto, ON M5H 2V1
    info@mountlogancapital.ca

    Nikita Klassen
    Chief Financial Officer
    Nikita.Klassen@mountlogancapital.ca

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chehalis To Be Site of 60,000-Square-Foot Upcycling Plant Thanks to $10M Federal Investment

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    10.22.24

    Chehalis To Be Site of 60,000-Square-Foot Upcycling Plant Thanks to $10M Federal Investment

    CleanFiber facility will turn upcycled cardboard into home insulation, expected to support 40 local full-time jobs; DOE grant is first of its kind awarded in WA under program that helps former coal communities

    EDMONDS, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced a major federal investment that will help create new jobs in Chehalis. The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) has selected CleanFiber’s Chehalis location to receive $10 million to establish a 60,000-square-foot production facility that will turn recycled cardboard into carbon-storing insulation for homes.

    “This planned new manufacturing plant is a triple win for the region: it will deliver good new manufacturing jobs, produce energy-saving advanced insulation, and reduce waste by upcycling local materials,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Supporting well-paying jobs in transitioning communities is a key requirement we included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and this announcement shows the federal government is betting on Chehalis to be an engine of revitalization in Southwest Washington.”

    The facility is expected to produce enough advanced insulation to weatherize more than 10,000 homes a year and will support 40 full-time employees. 

    Building the facility will require approximately 33 full-time local contractors during the construction phase to provide civil work, electrical, engineering, fire protection and insulation, mechanical work, and pipefitting. All contractors will be paid at or above the prevailing wage and CleanFiber will help create apprenticeship opportunities by engaging contractors with structured apprenticeship programs.

    Once the facility is operational, CleanFiber expects to hire approximately 40 full-time employees. All hires will receive competitive wages and full benefits packages. The company plans outreach to disadvantaged and displaced coal workers, and will develop partnerships with state and local organizations (such as WorkSource Washington, the Washington State Labor Council, and the Pacific Mountain Workforce Board) to recruit from those populations. CleanFiber also pledges to remain neutral during any union organizing campaigns at their facility.

    CleanFiber’s Chehalis plant is one of 14 projects announced today by DOE to accelerate domestic clean energy manufacturing in 15 coal communities across the United States. This is the first grant to a project in Washington state under the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Program.

    The program was created and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) that Sen. Cantwell helped craft in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, before passing the full Senate. Each project further positions the United States to win the competition for manufacturing in the 21st century and strengthen our national security by building supply chains for existing and emerging technologies in America, built by American workers with American materials.

    CleanFiber is also building a sister plant in Ennis, Texas.

    The projects, led by small-and medium-businesses in communities with de-commissioned coal facilities, were selected to address critical energy supply chain vulnerabilities. Sen. Cantwell was a strong supporter of the landmark BIL, which provided historic investments to revitalize communities in Washington state. The Senator’s CHIPS & Science Act also included provisions focusing on rural economic development, notably the recently announced Recompetes grant for the Olympic Peninsula.  Overall the CHIPS & Science Act has led to resurgence of American manufacturing, innovation, and entrepreneurship, and spurred over $230 billion of investment in domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cantwell, Democrats Send Amicus Brief Urging Federal Court to Protect Access to Emergency Abortions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell

    10.22.24

    Cantwell, Democrats Send Amicus Brief Urging Federal Court to Protect Access to Emergency Abortions

    Members ask the Ninth Circuit to affirm that under federal law, hospitals participating in Medicare must provide emergency stabilizing treatment to patients, including abortion care when necessary; Ninth Circuit Court received the case after the Supreme Court dismissed it in June

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined 258 other Members of Congress in submitting an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Moyle v. United States and Idaho v. United States, two consolidated cases concerning the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) under consideration by the en banc Ninth Circuit. EMTALA is a federal law that requires hospitals that receive Medicare funding to provide necessary “stabilizing treatment” to patients experiencing medical emergencies, which can include abortion care.

    After the Dobbs decision in 2022, a draconian anti-abortion law in Idaho went into effect that makes it a felony for a doctor to terminate a patient’s pregnancy unless it is “necessary” to prevent the patient’s death. The United States sued the State of Idaho, arguing that the state’s law is preempted by EMTALA in those circumstances in which abortion may not be necessary to prevent imminent death, but still constitutes the necessary stabilizing treatment for a patient’s emergency medical condition. The district court agreed; it held that in those limited, but critically important situations, EMTALA requires Medicare-participating hospitals to provide abortion as an emergency medical treatment. Idaho Republicans appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court, which lifted the injunction and took the case in January—in March, Sen. Cantwell and 257 other Members filed an amicus brief asking the Supreme Court to affirm the district court decision. In June, the Supreme Court dismissed the case but without a ruling on the merits, sending the case back to the Ninth Circuit Court and reinstating the district court’s injunction.

    In their brief in support of the Justice Department, the lawmakers ask the Ninth Circuit to uphold the district court’s ruling. They argue that the congressional intent, text, and history of EMTALA make clear that covered hospitals must provide abortion care when it is the necessary stabilizing treatment for a patient’s emergency medical condition, and that EMTALA preempts Idaho’s abortion ban in emergency situations that present a serious threat to a patient’s health.

    In their brief in support of the Justice Department, the lawmakers ask the Ninth Circuit to uphold the district court’s ruling. They argue that the congressional intent, text, and history of EMTALA make clear that covered hospitals must provide abortion care when it is the necessary stabilizing treatment for a patient’s emergency medical condition, and that EMTALA preempts Idaho’s abortion ban in emergency situations that present a serious threat to a patient’s health.

    “[T]he 99th Congress passed EMTALA to ensure that every person who visits a Medicare-funded hospital with an ‘emergency medical condition’ is offered stabilizing treatment,” the Members write in their amicus brief. “Congress chose broad language for that mandate, requiring hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide ‘such treatment as may be required to stabilize the medical condition.’… That text—untouched by Congress for the past three decades—makes clear that in situations in which a doctor determines that abortion constitutes the ‘[n]ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a pregnant patient, federal law requires the hospital to offer it. Yet Idaho has made providing that care a felony, in direct contravention of EMTALA’s mandate.”

    Importantly, the Members note that in this case, “respecting the supremacy of federal law is about more than just protecting our system of government; it is about protecting people’s lives. If this Court allows Idaho’s near-total abortion ban to supersede federal law, pregnant patients in Idaho will continue to be denied appropriate medical treatment, placing them at heightened risk for medical complications and severe adverse health outcomes… And health care providers, unwilling to let Idaho’s law override their medical judgment regarding their patients’ best interests, will continue their exile from Idaho, creating maternity-care ‘deserts’ all over the state.” The Members point to numerous reports of OB/GYNs leaving Idaho en masse since the state’s abortion ban went into effect—Idaho has since lost fifty-five percent of its maternal-fetal medicine specialists and three rural hospitals have shut down maternity services altogether.

    “These are not hypothetical scenarios. Because Idaho’s abortion ban contains no clear exceptions for the “emergency medical conditions” covered by EMTALA, it forces physicians to wait until their patients are on the verge of death before providing abortion care. The result in other states with similar laws has been ‘significant maternal morbidity,’” write the Members, pointing to harrowing reports of pregnant women with severe health complications being denied necessary abortion care, including an Idaho woman who was flown to Utah for an abortion while hemorrhaging, leaking amniotic fluid, and terrified that she would not survive to care for her two other children. “Federal law does not allow Idaho to endanger the lives of its residents in this way.”

    In their brief, the Members also clarify that the references to “unborn child” in EMTALA were intended to expand hospitals’ obligations with respect to providing stabilizing treatment—not contract them or take away the obligation to provide abortion care in certain circumstances.

    The Members’ brief also counters an argument from Idaho and its amici that the Supremacy Clause does not apply in this case because EMTALA was passed using Spending Clause authority, and therefore acts only as a condition on Medicare funding. The Members make clear that all laws passed by Congress are entitled to preemption—regardless of their source of constitutional authority—and states cannot pass laws that make it impossible for private parties to accept federal funding, inhibiting the purpose of the federal law. 

    “Because EMTALA requires abortion when necessary to stabilize a patient with an emergency medical condition, Idaho’s near-total abortion ban is preempted to the extent that it prevents doctors from providing that care,” the Members write. “This Court should reject Appellants’ novel theory that EMTALA is not entitled to preemptive effect because it was enacted pursuant to Congress’s spending power.  Under the Supremacy Clause, all ‘the constitutional laws enacted by congress,’ constitute ‘the supreme Law of the Land,’. As the Supreme Court has repeatedly held, the principle of federal supremacy applies to laws passed pursuant to Congress’s spending authority no less than it does to laws effectuating other enumerated powers.”

    “In sum, EMTALA plainly requires hospitals that participate in the Medicare program to provide abortion care when, in a doctor’s medical judgment, it constitutes the ‘[n]ecessary stabilizing treatment’ for a patient’s ‘emergency medical condition.’”

    The lawmakers conclude by asking the Ninth Circuit to affirm the district court’s decision that EMTALA requires Medicare-participating hospitals to provide abortion care when it is necessary as emergency medical treatment.

    In the Senate, the amicus brief was signed by 48 U.S. Senators: Schumer, Murray, Wyden, Durbin, Baldwin, Bennet, Blumenthal, Booker, Brown, Butler, Cantwell, Cardin, Carper, Casey Jr., Coons, Cortez Masto, Duckworth, Gillibrand, Hassan, Heinrich, Helmy, Hickenlooper, Hirono, Kaine, Kelly, King Jr., Klobuchar, Luján, Markey, Merkley, Murphy, Padilla, Peters, Reed, Rosen, Sanders, Schatz, Shaheen, Sinema, Smith, Stabenow, Tester, Van Hollen, Warner, Warnock, Warren, Welch, and Whitehouse.

    In the House, the brief was signed by 211 U.S. Representatives.

    The lawmakers’ amicus brief to the Supreme Court can be read in full HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government pledges to make UK ‘top destination for women’s sport investment’ following record-breaking summit

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The government has launched the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme, helping to attract more private investment in women’s sport and drive growth into the sector.

    • New scheme launched to attract more private investment in women’s sport to help drive growth in the sector.
    • Over 20 leagues, teams and competitions across 9 different sports set to benefit, including England Women’s Cricket and Barclays Women’s Super League.
    • Follows record-breaking International Investment Summit which secured over £63bn of private investment into the UK.

    Women’s sport in the UK is set for a massive boost as the Government announces a scheme to drive investment in elite clubs and leagues across the country, as part of a new pledge to make the UK the world’s top destination for women’s sport investment. 

    The scheme will prioritise development, commercial growth and financial sustainability. Sponsorship and investment are key to increasing visibility and inspiring young female athletes to ensure greater talent pathways are created, and to develop their careers in sport.

    Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson will today [Wednesday 23 October] launch the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme, which will bring over 20 elite leagues, competitions and teams across nine different sports, such as the Barclays Women’s Super League and England Women’s Cricket, together with investors and industry experts to help them secure transformational investment and sponsorships.

    It will provide them with comprehensive market insights, seminars, connections and networking opportunities over a series of sessions, led by the Department for Business and Trade in collaboration with Deloitte, which will give them the tools and expert insight to help them attract investment and grow their business.

    Investment Minister Poppy Gustafsson will launch the scheme at a sport investment conference at Rothschild & Co today, involving leaders from major UK sports and some of the world’s most prominent investors.

    Minister for Investment Poppy Gustafsson said:

    The UK is already an elite home of women’s sport, and my goal is to make us the top destination for women’s sport investment.  

    The launch of this scheme, a week after our record-breaking International Investment Summit, shows the UK is truly the best place to do business in this fast-growing industry. 

    Off the back of the latest figures showing the industry could be worth over £1 billion this year, I’m looking forward to speaking to investors and clubs, leagues and teams today about how the Accelerator can drive this growth even further.

    The scheme will capitalise on the rapid growth of the women’s sport industry, which is expected to be worth over £1 billion by the end of the year according to Deloitte, marking a 300 percent increase since 2021.

    By supporting women’s sport to attract new private investment into the UK it will help deliver on the Government’s central Growth Mission, building on existing support for growing women’s sport including the £30 million Lionesses Future Fund and over £12 million to grow women’s rugby.

    It follows a successful pilot of the scheme in 2023-24 which supported leagues, teams and competitions across football, cricket, rugby and more to secure game-changing investment and sponsorship deals.

    Now, with two new sports and a range of new competitions and teams signed up, the scheme will provide even more dedicated advice and support to attract investment and offer more connections with investors.

    The launch also comes after major recent UK women’s sport investment successes, including a £45 million sponsorship deal for the Barclays Women’s Super League, Michelle Kang’s acquisition of the London City Lionesses, and the England & Wales Cricket Board launching the process to secure private investment into The Hundred early next year.

    Minister for Sport Stephanie Peacock said:

    Women’s sport has been growing rapidly in recent years and we are committed to supporting its expansion, from the grassroots to elite level.

    Last year, we welcomed Karen Carney OBE’s Review of Women’s Football which addressed the importance of growing investment in women’s sport.

    As Sports Minister, I want to see as many women and girls as possible enjoy sport and physical activity, and this scheme will be instrumental in securing investment to grow the sector even further.

    England & Wales Cricket Board Director of the Women’s Professional Game Beth Barrett-Wild said:

    The first edition of the Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator scheme provided an engine to help power conversations and connections between rights holders, investors, and commercial partners, with expert insight from Deloitte helping to deepen understanding for all about the landscape and opportunities.   

    I’m really looking forward to the launch of year two, and the chance to take this discussion to the next level, as we all work together to unlock the full potential of women’s sport.

    Deloitte Sports Business Group Lead Partner Tim Bridge said:

    We’re witnessing a surge in investment opportunities within women’s sport. The rise of dedicated funds and brand sponsorships for women’s and girls’ clubs, leagues and competitions signals a powerful shift. The Accelerator programme has been built to connect investors and brands with these opportunities, showcasing the strength and remarkable growth potential of women’s sport. This influx of investment will be instrumental in driving professionalisation and boosting participation across the UK, creating a lasting impact for women’s sport at all levels while delivering significant economic returns.

    The Government’s pledge to make the UK the top destination for women’s sport investment comes after the record-breaking International Investment Summit held just last week, which secured £63 billion of private investment into the UK which will create over 38,000 new jobs across the country.

    Full list of the elite sports represented in the 2024-25 Women’s Sport Investment Accelerator: 

    • Football 
    • Cricket 
    • Rugby union 
    • Rugby league 
    • Tennis 
    • Golf 
    • Netball 
    • Volleyball 
    • Cycling

    Updates to this page

    Published 23 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: University Chancellors’ Council – 13th National Conference on University Governance

    Source: Australian Ministers for Education

    I acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Summit is taking place today, and I pay my respects to elders, past and present.

    I also acknowledge:

    •    John Stanhope AO and all the members of the Organising Committee, including
    •    Terry Moran AC
    •    Peter Varghese AO
    •    John Brumby AO
    •    John Pollaers OAM
    •    And all the other university leaders in the room

    I’m sorry I can’t be there with you. I wish I was.

    Universities are future makers.

    They help build the future that we’re all going to live in.

    Build the workforce we’re going to need.

    But not just that.

    The research that our universities do grapple with the problems of today.

    And the upshot of that is a different world tomorrow.

    Look around and you can see the fingerprints of universities everywhere.

    From environmental and industrial innovations to the medicine we take or the technology we hold in our hands.

    It’s just another way of saying how important our universities are and the work they do.

    Then there’s the change that’s coming at us. That we have to adapt to. Respond to. That we have to be ready for.

    This conference is talking about that.

    And AI is a classic example of it.

    The Accord itself is all about getting us ready for that future. That change that is coming at us.

    A future where more people have a university degree than today.

    Where more people have a university qualification than ever before.

    Where by 2050, 80 per cent of the entire workforce would have a TAFE qualification or a university degree.

    That’s a big change.

    In the 1980s and 1990s, under Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, the number of Australians finishing high school jumped from around 40 per cent to almost 80 per cent.

    In the next 25 years it won’t just be 80 per cent of the workforce who have finished high school, 80 per cent will have gone to TAFE or university as well.

    That’s a big economic and social shift.

    Some of it will happen organically. Think about it.

    The fastest growing jobs in the future will be in areas like health care, teaching, ICT and engineering.

    And it’s often those professions that require university qualifications.

    But that alone is not enough to hit that 80 per cent target.

    We have also got to change.

    What the Accord says is we’ve got to break down that invisible barrier that stops a lot of people from getting a chance to go to university.

    Unless more people from poor backgrounds, more people from the outer suburbs, more people in the regions get a crack at university, then we won’t hit that target.

    That’s obvious just by looking at the raw statistics.

    About one in two young people in their 20s and 30s have a university degree, but not everywhere.  

    Not in the outer suburbs and not in the regions.

    At its core, the Universities Accord is about changing that.

    The first Accord bill is in the Parliament right now.

    It wipes about $3 billion of HECS debt, it creates paid prac, and it massively expands those FEE-FREE courses that act as a bridge between school and uni.

    That’s passed the House and it’s in the Senate.

    It’s just the start.

    The Accord is massive. Implementing it will take more than one budget or one government, but have bitten off a big chunk in this year’s budget.

    29 of the Accord’s 47 recommendations in full or in part.

    That includes a new funding system, needs-based funding and a new Australian Tertiary Education Commission to steer reform over multiple governments.

    And I hope to provide you with more detail on all of that before the end of the year.

    There is also another Accord Bill in the Parliament.

    That’s the one that sets up a National Student Ombudsman.

    An independent body to investigate and resolve disputes and give students a stronger voice when the worst happens.

    It is a necessary response to the terrible and appalling evidence of sexual violence and harassment on campus.

    But it’s not just about that. Its scope will be broad.

    That includes complaints about antisemitism and Islamophobia or any type of racism or discrimination.

    That builds on the work that TEQSA is doing with universities right now.

    The Accord also had a fair bit to say about governance more broadly.

    That’s why Education Ministers have agreed to set up the Expert Council on University Governance.

    It is based on a proposal from the University Chancellors Council.

    It is not intended to be a representative body or a stakeholder forum.

    Its job will really be to provide Ministers with expert and technical governance advice about how to improve university performance.

    There are three areas this Council will focus on:

    1.    Ensuring that universities are good employers providing a supportive workplace—and, importantly, a workplace where staff can have confidence that they will not be underpaid for the important work they do.
    2.    Making sure governing bodies have the right expertise, including in the business of running universities; and, of critical importance,
    3.    Making sure our universities are safe for our students and staff.

    My department is also engaging with the TEQSA to issue new guidance and requirements on workplace obligations for higher education providers.

    The department has also engaged an independent expert to support the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), Universities Australia (UA) and the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association (AHEIA) to assist in identification and resolution of priority issues to ensure universities are exemplary employers.

    And we will require universities to provide additional data to the Australian Government on casual staff numbers to increase transparency and understanding of workforce patterns and issues.

    All of these reforms are important to me.

    They are about making our universities as good as they possibly can be.

    Making them better.

    Making them fairer.

    And if we do that our country will be better and fairer too.

    Because the doors of opportunity, that the Prime Minister talks about and you hold in your hands, are opened just a bit wider.

    That’s what’s at stake.

    That’s how important the work you do is.

    Thank you and I hope you have a great conference.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Labour must bring councils back from “cliff edge” – Plaid Cymru Council Leaders

    Source: Party of Wales

    Plaid Cymru Council leaders have warned that Welsh councils face falling off a cliff edge unless both Labour governments take urgent action to address significant funding pressures.

    In a letter to the UK Chancellor and First Minister, the leaders of Carmarthenshire, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Ynys Môn Councils along with the Deputy leader of Neath Port Talbot Council say “it is no exaggeration to say that many councils find themselves on the brink of financial ruin and there is a duty on both Welsh and UK governments to act.”

    Writing ahead of next week’s UK government budget, Darren Price, Nia Jeffreys, Bryan Davies Gary Pritchard and Alun Llewelyn warn that a failure to act now will mean ”many services that protect the most vulnerable in society disappearing altogether.”

    Writing to Rachel Reeves and Eluned Morgan ahead of next week’s budget they say:

    “Whilst appreciating that the challenges you face are significant following 14 years of austerity, it is no exaggeration to say that many councils find themselves on the brink of financial ruin and there is a duty on both Welsh and UK governments to act. 

    The UK Budget presents an opportunity to provide urgent additional funding to Wales for critical Services such as social care, children’s services, schools and highways.

    Without adequate levels of funding, our schools will continue to lack the resources they need to give pupils the education they deserve. As the National Association of Head Teachers amplified in its report last month, spending per pupil has fallen by around 6% in real terms – an unsustainable situation if we are to truly give learners the best start in life.

    The Welsh Local Government Association estimates that local authorities in Wales face additional financial pressures of £559m for 2025-26. This would require a spending increase of just over 7% in net revenue.

    To address a pressure of £559m, without additional funding, will require a mix of council tax increases and further cuts to services and efficiencies. The pressure is equivalent to a 26% increase in council tax, or the loss of just under 14,000 posts.

    We know that we speak for all Local Authority leaders in Wales when we say that the weight of responsibility when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is felt more acutely than ever. 

    We trust that your respective governments will work together as you have repeatedly pledged to do to ensure that Wales receives a fair deal from the UK Budget and that our councils get the urgent financial support they so desperately need. 

    Failure to do this will see many councils falling off the cliff edge with many services that protect the most vulnerable in society disappearing altogether and leaving a lasting legacy of inequality and deprivation.”

    A copy of the letter is below:

    Dear Chancellor and First Minister,

    We write in advance of the UK Budget on 30 October to express our grave concerns at the state of Local Authority finances in Wales.

    Whilst appreciating that the challenges you face are significant following 14 years of austerity, it is no exaggeration to say that many councils find themselves on the brink of financial ruin and there is a duty on both Welsh and UK governments to act.

    The General Secretary of UNISON, Chrstina McAnea, has already warned that numerous critical services and a considerable number of jobs are under threat, posing the risk of doing irreversible damage to our communities.  

    The UK Budget presents an opportunity to provide urgent additional funding to Wales for critical Services such as social care, children’s services, schools and highways.

    Without adequate levels of funding, our schools will continue to lack the resources they need to give pupils the education they deserve. As the National Association of Head Teachers amplified in its report last month, spending per pupil has fallen by around 6% in real terms – an unsustainable situation if we are to truly give learners the best start in life.

    The Welsh Local Government Association estimates that local authorities in Wales face additional financial pressures of £559m for 2025-26. This would require a spending increase of just over 7% in net revenue.

    To address a pressure of £559m, without additional funding, will require a mix of council tax increases and further cuts to services and efficiencies. The pressure is equivalent to a 26% increase in council tax, or the loss of just under 14,000 posts.

    We know that we speak for all Local Authority leaders in Wales when we say that the weight of responsibility when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable in our communities is felt more acutely than ever.

    We trust that your respective governments will work together as you have repeatedly pledged to do to ensure that Wales receives a fair deal from the UK Budget and that our councils get the urgent financial support they so desperately need.

    Failure to do this will see many councils falling off the cliff edge with many services that protect the most vulnerable in society disappearing altogether and leaving a lasting legacy of inequality and deprivation.

    Yn gywir,

    Darren Price, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council

    Bryan Davies, Leader of Ceredigion County Council

    Gary Pritchard, Leader of Ynys Mon County Council

    Nia Jeffreys, Deputy Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd

    Alun Llewelyn, Deputy Leader of Neath Port Talbot

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Child Predator Sentenced to More than 27 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a 5-Year-Old Girl

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Michael Humphrey, 43, a registered sex offender from Southeast Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to more than 27 years in federal prison for uploading graphic videos of himself to the internet depicting his sexual abuse of a five-year-old girl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). 

               Humphrey pleaded guilty January 8 to sexual exploitation of a child. Humphrey previously was convicted on a charge relating to the sexual abuse of another child. On March 10, 2020, he was convicted of third-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court of Montgomery County, Maryland. Since May 2022, Humphrey has been registered as a sex offender in the District of Columbia as required by law.

               In addition to the 327-month prison term rendered today, U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered Humphrey to serve 15 years of supervised release and pay restitution to the girl and several other victims.

               According to the government’s evidence, in July 2023, Google LLC reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that two Google accounts, later identified as belonging to Humphrey, had uploaded material depicting child sexual abuse to Google servers. NCMEC turned that information over to the investigators from the FBI Washington Field Office and the MPD. 

               Investigators obtained a warrant authorizing the search of Humphrey’s Google accounts and discovered three videos that documented Humphrey sexually abusing a five-year-old girl in Washington, D.C. during June 2023.

               Humphrey was arrested on August 11, 2023, and has been held since. After he was taken into custody, investigators obtained Humphrey’s electronic devices and discovered thousands of images and hundreds of videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.

               This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.

               The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Forman and Janani Iyengar, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

    23cr0304

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years for Illegally Possessing Loaded Firearm

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Damon L. Clark, 26, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 ½ years in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Clark pleaded guilty to this charge on August 20, 2024.

    On January 1, 2024, Eau Claire Police Officers were dispatched to a bar in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, for reports that someone pointed a firearm at another individual during a fight. Witness reports and video surveillance identified Clark as the individual who pointed the firearm. When law enforcement arrived, Clark fled to an adjacent parking lot. Law enforcement arrested Clark and located a loaded Glock 19 handgun with a 31-round magazine under a nearby vehicle. The handgun had a machinegun conversion device installed, which is an illegal, after-market attachment that converts a semi-automatic handgun into a machinegun.  With the attachment, a handgun is capable of firing approximately 50 rounds in four seconds with a single pull of the trigger. The Wisconsin State Crime Lab confirmed Clark’s DNA was present on the firearm. Clark is prohibited from legally possessing firearms and ammunition because of prior felony convictions.

    At sentencing, Judge Conley characterized Clark’s behavior as disastrous and emphasized the danger that he posed by pointing a fully loaded machinegun with extended magazine at someone outside a bar with other patrons present. Judge Conley balanced the extremely aggravated nature of this offense with Clark’s lack of prior prison experience. Judge Conley expressed his hope that this would be a turning point for Clark.

    The charge against Clark was the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Eau Claire Police Department, and UW-Eau Claire Police Department also assisted in this investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.

    This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 10.22.2024 Cruz, Lankford Challenge Biden-Harris Administration’s ‘Gender Identity’ Guidance Targeting Women, People of Faith

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    ASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution, and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra about new guidance from HHS that compels speech, targets the ability of federal employees to practice their faith, and endangers women.
    In the letter, the senators wrote, “We write out of deep concern over Guidance you issued entitled ‘Gender Identity Non-Discrimination and Inclusion Policy for Employees and Applicants.’… According to the Guidance, failure to use the preferred names and pronouns an individual asks to be addressed with ‘contribute[s] to an unlawful hostile work environment.’ Notably, your Guidance states that the Department cannot ‘require a legal change of name or gender marker, medical certification, or other documentation.’ In other words, anyone can change their names and pronouns and compel coworkers to use that name or pronoun, or face disciplinary action.
    “Perhaps more egregious than the Guidance’s position on compelled speech related to pronoun usage is the policy on bathroom, locker room, and lactation room usage. According to the Guidance, HHS will ‘ensure there are no barriers to equally accessing restrooms, locker rooms, lactation rooms, or other personal care spaces.’… Including lactation rooms in this same Guidance is blatantly offensive—males cannot breastfeed their children, and claiming to be female does not change that reality. The only reason for including this in the Guidance is to continue to push a radical agenda in every facet of the federal workplace.”
    Sens. Cruz and Lankford were joined by Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) in signing the letter.
    Read the full letter here or below:
    Dear Mr. Secretary:
    We write out of deep concern over Guidance you issued entitled “Gender Identity Non-Discrimination and Inclusion Policy for Employees and Applicants.” This Guidance denies science, compels speech, jeopardizes the ability of federal employees to practice their faith without fear of retaliation, endangers women, and further erodes the American people’s trust in public institutions. We urge you to reverse course and rescind this Guidance.
    According to the Guidance, failure to use the preferred names and pronouns an individual asks to be addressed with “contribute[s] to an unlawful hostile work environment.” Notably, your Guidance states that the Department cannot “require a legal change of name or gender marker, medical certification, or other documentation.” In other words, anyone can change their names and pronouns and compel coworkers to use that name or pronoun, or face disciplinary action. The Guidance also stipulates that training on this guidance will be included in “all new employee training.” It also says additional trainings regarding gender identity will be made available, and that “specialized training” may be deemed necessary “for particular offices or Department-wide.” There is no mention anywhere in the Guidance about accommodations for those with religious or conscience objections to the compelled use of incorrect pronouns.
    In addition to violating extremely clear, long-standing Supreme Court precedents on compelled speech, reaffirmed as recently as 303 Creative v Elenis, this also violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. In forcing employees to choose between deeply held religious beliefs or losing their job, HHS is creating a hostile work environment for employees.
    Perhaps more egregious than the Guidance’s position on compelled speech related to pronoun usage is the policy on bathroom, locker room, and lactation room usage. According to the Guidance, HHS will “ensure there are no barriers to equally accessing restrooms, locker rooms, lactation rooms, or other personal care spaces.” The Guidance notes that, “HHS will not condition this access on an employee having undergone or providing proof of gender-affirming surgeries or other medical procedures.” Further, if any employees are made uncomfortable by having to share bathrooms, locker rooms, or lactation rooms with individuals using the wrong space, they will be directed to use other facilities, because “employees will not be barred from using the restroom consistent with their gender identity.”
    Given the Guidance’s stipulation on not requiring any evidence of gender dysphoria or gender transition procedures, women could be forced to be exposed to fully male anatomy in the bathroom or in the locker room. This creates a hostile work environment for women who may have no other option than using the facilities at work. A female employee who has used a women’s restroom for more than a decade will be told that she has to find a new option for a restroom if she is uncomfortable with a biological male in her restroom. Women deserve better. Including lactation rooms in this same Guidance is blatantly offensive—males cannot breastfeed their children, and claiming to be female does not change that reality. The only reason for including this in the Guidance is to continue to push a radical agenda in every facet of the federal workplace.
    Finally, the Guidance’s denial of science—and incorporation of that denial into the hiring, firing, and promotion process—raises questions about the work and research being done through the HHS. Gender is not, as the Guidance erroneously asserts, “a social construct of identities, norms, behaviors, and roles that vary between societies over time.” There are only two sexes: male and female. Research by the HHS at taxpayer expense should not be done in contravention of that scientific and self-evident fact.
    HHS is rapidly losing the confidence of the American people over the last three years. According to Pew Research polling, in 2020, HHS had a favorable/unfavorable rating of 73/19. In 2023, that favorability metric had plummeted to 55/30. By rejecting science and diving deeper into the culture wars, HHS risks further undermining faith in critical public institutions. We urge you to rescind this Guidance, and request answers to the following questions no later than October 30.
    In your response to a Finance Committee question for the record, you stated that this Guidance does not change any religious protections for employees, but you did not answer whether there was a specific exemption process in place for this guidance. What exemption process is HHS providing to employees and managers being required to follow or implement this guidance based on religious or conscience objections?
    Please provide detailed account of the exemption process; how HHS is ensuring employees are aware of this process; if individuals have to apply for an exemption; and how many individuals have received exemptions.
    The Guidance requires managers who become aware of “derogatory remarks or demeaning behaviors” to “take appropriate steps to immediately and effectively stop these activities.”
    Is an employee’s refusal to use preferred name or pronouns considered “derogatory remarks or demeaning behavior?”
    What does HHS consider “appropriate steps?”
    How many HHS employees have faced employment consequences of any type for not abiding this guidance?
    The Guidance refers to updating websites, policies, programs, trainings, and publications to “replace gendered language with gender-neutral and gender-inclusive language.”
    Please provide detailed accounts of how many hours have already or will be used on this, the total cost of updating training materials, and any other expenses incurred as a result of this change.
    Will information pertaining to male and female specific medical issues—including testicular or ovarian cancer, maternal health, etc.—also be changed to gender neutral language?
    The Guidance creates an “LGBTQI+ Coordinating Committee.”
    Who will determine the members of this committee?
    What funds will be used to pay for the activities of this committee?
    Will there be a member on this committee dedicated to ensuring the protection of employees with religious and conscience objections?
    On what statutory authority does HHS base this Guidance?
    We look forward to your prompt response.
    Sincerely,
    /X/

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Fetterman, Boyle, Evans, Scanlon, Parker Announce $27.5 Million for Philadelphia International Airport

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey

    Funding will be used to upgrade terminals, including modernizing HVAC and electrical systems

    With this funding, PHL has received more than $347 million in federal funding since the start of 2021

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) and U.S. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA-5), Congressman Dwight Evans (D-PA-3), and Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) and Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced that Philadelphia International Airport is receiving $27,500,000 in new federal infrastructure funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). This funding comes from the Airport Terminal Program (ATP), which was created by the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to revitalize the Nation’s aging airports.

    “Philadelphia International Airport serves as a vital transportation and economic gateway to the rest of the Commonwealth and the world,” said Senator Casey. “This investment from the infrastructure law will help modernize the airport by upgrading HVAC and electrical systems in Terminals D and E. I will always fight for investments that boost Southeastern Pennsylvania’s economy and keep the region moving.”

    “It’s investments like this that help keep Philadelphia a world-class city with world-class infrastructure. This $27.5 million for terminal energy upgrades guarantees that the commonwealth’s largest airport stays efficient, resilient, and ready for the future. That’s how we keep Philly competitive and connected,” said Senator Fetterman.

    “I’m pleased to see another $27.5 million in federal funding that I voted for coming to Philadelphia! The airport has also received other federal funding for improvements through the Biden-Harris administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and this will all benefit people traveling from and to our area, along with our local economy,” said Congressman Evans.

    “I’m proud to see PHL earning the competitive grants we authorized in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, bringing good jobs to our region as PHL upgrades its terminals.” said Congresswoman Scanlon. “Modernizing our region’s airport infrastructure will improve air travel for passengers and position our local economy for success in an increasingly competitive global economy.”

    “It is tremendous news that our Philadelphia International Airport will be receiving $27.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to help with important HVAC and energy efficiency projects,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “Every single federal grant or funding allocation coming into Philadelphia is because of the hard work of all our federal partners, including Senator Casey and every member of our delegation, along with the support of the Biden-Harris administration.  It’s another step forward for Philadelphia, and we are profoundly grateful.”

    The funding for Philadelphia International Airport will support improvements to the existing upper levels of portions of Terminals D & E that have reached the end of their useful lives, including HVAC and electrical efficiency upgrades and improvements. PHL has received a total of $374,545,577 in federal investments since the start of 2021.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Indecent behaviour at Anstey Hill Recreation Park

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police are investigating reports of a naked man in the Anstey Hill Recreation Park, Tea Tree Gully yesterday.

    About midday on Tuesday 22 October, a mountain biker saw a naked man on a trail off Range Road South, via Gate 18, in the northeast corner of the park.

    The man ran and hid in bushes.

    About 45 minutes later, a walker spotted the naked man from a distance near the junction of the Newman’s Track and Range Road South Track, south of the initial sighting.

    Police searched the area but were unable to locate the man.

    The man is described as of Caucasian appearance, aged in his late 40s, with a slim build and neatly cut mousy coloured hair.

    Anyone with information that may help police to identify and locate the man is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or http://www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    Police are urging walkers in the area to be vigilant of their surroundings and carry their mobile phone with them.

    Report any suspicious behaviour at the time on the police assistance line on 131 444 or Triple Zero in an emergency.

    For more personal safety information please visit – Personal-Safety-2023.pdf (police.sa.gov.au)

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Administrator Announces Community Liaison Hiring Program As Helene Recovery Continues

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Administrator Announces Community Liaison Hiring Program As Helene Recovery Continues

    FEMA Administrator Announces Community Liaison Hiring Program As Helene Recovery Continues

    WASHINGTON – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell continued meeting with survivors and responders in North Carolina while leading the federal recovery efforts.FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell joined Gov. Roy Cooper to visit a community care station in Asheville where the administrator announced the community liaison hiring program in the state. The agency will hire community-based staff to serve as liaisons between North Carolina survivors and FEMA to ensure needs are met throughout the recovery. North Carolina’s recovery continues progressing with power being restored to most customers while roads are reopening as debris is cleared. Over $130 million has gone to more than 91,000 households in the state for assistance like making home repairs and paying for a temporary place to stay. Nearly 4,600 survivors have participated in FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program where they stay in hotels as they work on their recovery plans.Recovery continues in other states affected by Helene and Milton. For instance, in Florida—where power has been restored to pre-storm levels—more than 97,000 households have been approved for over $308 million in FEMA assistance for their Helene recovery. Over 116,000 households have received more than $129 million for Milton. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Operation Blue Roof which is a free service to homeowners for 25 counties in Florida impacted by Hurricane Milton. Residents can sign-up at http://www.blueroof.gov or by calling 888-ROOF-BLU (888-766-3258).  The sign-up period deadline is Nov. 5.FEMA encourages Helene and Milton survivors to apply online as this remains the best way to apply for disaster assistance. Here are the ways to apply for federal assistance: Apply online at disaster assistance.govCall 800-621-3362Use the FEMA AppVisit a Disaster Recovery Center to talk with FEMA and state agency officials and apply for assistancePresident Biden has approved major disaster declarations in six states – Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia – affected by Helene. He has also approved a major disaster declaration for Florida following Hurricane Milton.These photos highlight response and recovery efforts across states impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton.
    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56715″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/ea36011f24448953e593fc9711a78afc.jpg?itok=4skrYjFT” alt=”Caption: Hendersonville, NC (Oct. 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Crisswell, meets with survivors of Hurricane Helene as well as staff supporting recovery efforts at a Disaster Recovery Center.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Hendersonville, NC (Oct. 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Crisswell, meets with survivors of Hurricane Helene as well as staff supporting recovery efforts at a Disaster Recovery Center.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56723″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/32c26741d8be2764728a9fd776fcb778.jpg?itok=KWdFFHt6″ alt=”Caption: Asheville, NC (October 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell, and North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper, visit a Community Care Station where they engage with volunteers and DoD responding to Hurricane Helene.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Asheville, NC (October 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Criswell, and North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper, visit a Community Care Station where they engage with volunteers and DoD responding to Hurricane Helene.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56717″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/72ea43eb5f2c751b8017625bacb6b3c4.jpg?itok=DlgyTlbz” alt=”Caption: Hendersonville, NC (Oct. 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Crisswell, meets with survivors of Hurricane Helene as well as staff supporting recovery efforts at a Disaster Recovery Center.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Hendersonville, NC (Oct. 21, 2024) – FEMA Administrator, Deanne Crisswell, meets with survivors of Hurricane Helene as well as staff supporting recovery efforts at a Disaster Recovery Center.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56673″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/4ba445c82ee4600a324abec797464634.jpg?itok=evYDlfmN” alt=”Caption: Henderson County, N.C. (Oct. 20, 2024) – A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open in Henderson County to help survivors of Hurricane Helene.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Henderson County, N.C. (Oct. 20, 2024) – A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center is open in Henderson County to help survivors of Hurricane Helene.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56644″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/87d6851fbd578890475cd1f006042951.jpg?itok=Lf-wvhTn” alt=”Caption: Chimney Rock, N.C. (Oct. 18, 2024) – U.S. Army Soldiers of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment remove debris from the riverside of Chimney Rock, N.C. on Friday, October 18, 2024. FEMA photo by Madeleine Cook” class=”image-style-large”>

    Chimney Rock, N.C. (Oct. 18, 2024) – U.S. Army Soldiers of the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment remove debris from the riverside of Chimney Rock, N.C. on Friday, October 18, 2024. FEMA photo by Madeleine Cook

    GRANITEVILLE, South Carolina — Survivors visit a Disaster Recovery Center to learn and apply for disaster assistance to recover from Hurricane Helene. (Photo Credit: FEMA)

    PALMETTO, Florida – FEMA workers set up in a new Disaster Recovery Center in Manatee County. Survivors can meet with FEMA staff at centers to discuss their applications and available federal resources. Find your closest center at www.FEMA.gov/DRC.  (Photo Credit: FEMA)

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56656″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/b1f397baae1ec281f0d729e2ef2f78f8.jpg?itok=EWL_9iKb” alt=”Caption: Plant City, Fla. (Oct. 18, 2024) – A Florida Multiple Agency Resources Center has opened to assist Hurricanes Helene and Milton survivors with essential needs, including taking FEMA applications.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Plant City, Fla. (Oct. 18, 2024) – A Florida Multiple Agency Resources Center has opened to assist Hurricanes Helene and Milton survivors with essential needs, including taking FEMA applications.

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56648″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/248308d77a173777da4d7ca79290a2a4.jpg?itok=di_u_teT” alt=”Caption: Charlotte County, Fla. (Oct. 17, 2024) – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams canvass the area to help those after Hurricane Milton.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Charlotte County, Fla. (Oct. 17, 2024) – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams canvass the area to help those after Hurricane Milton.

    MARTIN COUNTY, Florida- FEMA Disaster Survivors Assistance team members and Martin County emergency management canvas Martin County, Florida, to register and assist disaster survivors after Hurricane Milton. (Photo credit: FEMA)

    View Original’ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”56695″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/dca0cc6832d311bc4c47dce5552b03a6.jpg?itok=2VxOWtN1″ alt=”Caption: Statesboro, Ga. (Oct. 12, 2024) – Volunteers from a disaster relief group clear debris from Hurricane Helene.” class=”image-style-large”>

    Statesboro, Ga. (Oct. 12, 2024) – Volunteers from a disaster relief group clear debris from Hurricane Helene.

    FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Toolkit provides graphics, social media copy and sample text in multiple languages. In addition, FEMA has set up a rumor response web page to reduce confusion about its role in the Helene and Milton response and recovery. 
    amy.ashbridge
    Tue, 10/22/2024 – 22:50

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Prior felon pleads guilty to multiple drug and gun charges

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Nader Ngoopos a/k/a Nike, 25, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life and a $5,000,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who is handling the case, stated that between 2016, and late 2018, Ngoopos agreed with others to obtain cocaine and heroin in the Buffalo area and travel to Olean, NY, to distribute the cocaine and heroin. Ngoopos personally traveled to Olean on at least a weekly basis, selling cocaine and heroin out of various locations in Olean, including North 8th Street and South 11th Street. Co-conspirators also sold cocaine and heroin as part of the conspiracy on a weekly basis.

    On October 15, 2018, Ngoopos participated in an armed robbery at St. Bonaventure University in Olean, with two others. The three gained entry to a dormitory at St. Bonaventure, and broke into a dorm room where Ngoopos, who possessed a firearm,  believed he and his co-conspirators would find marijuana and money. Once they gained entry, Ngoopos and his co-conspirators pointed their firearms at the heads of the two occupants of the dorm room, threatened them, and then stole about an ounce of marijuana and approximately $300 – $400.

    On September 2, 2021, law enforcement officers observed Ngoopos get into a vehicle in Buffalo. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but it sped away leading officers on a high-speed chase. Eventually, the car came to a stop on East Amherst Street. As the car came to a stop, Ngoopos got out of the car and ran away, dropping a pistol. In June 2020, Ngoopos was convicted in Cattaraugus County Court of a felony and legally prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.

    The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Whitcomb, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.

    Sentencing is scheduled for February 21, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Genesee County man charged with possession of machineguns

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Peter Celentano, of Bergen, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal possession of machineguns, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey E. Intravatola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on September 29, 2024, the New York State Police, Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, and ATF, executed a search warrant at Celentano’s Rochester Street residence. During the search, investigators recovered two 3D printed pistol frames, firearm parts and accessories, ammunition reloading equipment, an AR 80% style Jig and drill, a drill press, and various other tools related to the manufacturing of firearms. In addition, investigators also searched two properties associated with Celentano in Lyndonville, NY, and an apartment on East Avenue in Medina, NY, recovering numerous AR-style lower receivers, 3D printed handguns, and additional firearm parts and accessories. Approximately 59 of the AR-style receivers contained a “third pin hole,” qualifying them as machine guns.

    On October 9, 2024, a dive team searched the Erie Canal beneath the Beals Road bridge in Medina. A cardboard box was located and retrieved from the bottom of the canal. Inside were 10 AR-style receivers, an unmarked handgun, magazines, and additional firearm parts.

    The complaint is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Miklos Szoczei II, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr., and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan Miller, New York Field Division.

    The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

    # # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Newington Gun Store Burglary

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

    Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TROY HARRIS, 30, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a Newington gun store burglary in September 2021.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly after midnight on September 5, 2021, Harris, who had absconded from state parole, approached a woman in the parking lot of a supermarket in Bristol.  Pointing what appeared to be handgun at the victim, Harris demanded that she leave her car and give him the keys.  After the victim complied, Harris threw her to the ground and drove and away in her car.

    In the early morning hours of September 7, 2021, Harris drove the victim’s car to Hoffman’s “Guns for the Good Guys,” a federal firearms licensee located in Newington, and crashed it through the store’s front entrance.  He then entered the store, kicked out a display case, and stole five handguns before fleeing the scene on foot.  He was arrested the next day.

    Judge Bolden ordered Harris to pay restitution of $36,166.30.

    Harris has been detained since his arrest.  On July 13, 2023, he pleaded guilty to theft of firearms from a licensee.

    State charges against Harris relating to the carjacking are pending.

    Only one of the five stolen firearms has been recovered by law enforcement.

    This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Newington and Bristol Police Departments.

    The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings through the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  In May 2021, the Justice Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.  For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psn.

    U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of New Britain for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Ambassador to France

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today I announce the appointment of Ms Lynette Wood as Australia’s next Ambassador to France.

    Australia and France have a strong, enduring and forward-looking partnership underpinned by shared values and interests, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

    We are enhancing our cooperation through the ambitious Australia-France Roadmap and its three pillars – defence and security, resilience and climate action, and education and culture – which are delivering practical outcomes.

    The Ambassador to France is also accredited to the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania and the Principality of Monaco.

    Ms Wood is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She was most recently First Assistant Secretary in the Strategic Planning and Coordination Group.

    She has previously served overseas as Ambassador to Germany and Acting High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. She has had earlier postings to Canada and Germany.

    I thank outgoing Ambassador Gillian Bird PSM for her contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in France since 2020.

    MIL OSI News –