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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Hurricane Helene and Milton damages will significantly impact profitability of US insurers, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Hurricane Helene and Milton damages will significantly impact profitability of US insurers, says GlobalData

    Posted in Insurance

    Recent hurricanes Helene and Milton that have struck the US resulted in widespread devastation, claiming hundreds of lives and causing huge property damages. Hurricane Helene, which struck Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 storm on September 26, 2024, resulted in catastrophic flooding throughout Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Ohio. The parts of the US were battered again by Hurricane Milton on October 9, 2024.  As a result, US insurers are expected to witness higher claims in 2024 across general insurance lines, which could significantly impact their profitability, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    As per the Office of Insurance Regulation, a total of 112,926 insurance claims for hurricane Helene have been filed as of October 9, 2024, with estimated insured losses amounting to $1.1 billion. Among these claims, 52,070 pertain to private passenger automobiles, followed closely by 50,672 residential property claims. Additional reported damages encompass commercial vehicles and commercial property losses.

    Manogna Vangari, Insurance Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Hurricane Milton was a formidable storm that resulted in a landfall to the south of Tampa Bay, near Siesta Key, leading to multiple tornadoes, particularly across South Florida. The hurricane Milton presents a considerable risk to the densely populated region of Florida that might result in even higher costs than those associated with Hurricane Helene. According to the White House briefing, the damage from Hurricane Milton is estimated to be more than $50 billion.”

    Property insurance claims are expected to account for a 12.9% share of the total general insurance claims in 2024, amounting to $227.5 billion. However, with these events, the actual claims in 2024 might increase once the complete impact of both hurricanes is realized. As a result, the overall profitability of the general insurance industry in the US is expected to be significantly impacted, with the average combined ratio exceeding 100% in 2024.

    According to GlobalData’s Global Insurance Database, the US general insurance industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% over 2024–28, from $2.4 trillion in 2024 to $3.1 trillion in 2028, in terms of gross written premiums (GWP).

    In the US, standard homeowners’ policies do not encompass flood coverage and must be acquired separately, often directly from the federal government. Flood insurance is mandated for homes situated in high-risk areas as determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), particularly if the mortgage is government-backed.

    As per the Insurance Information Institute, nearly 6% of US homeowners possess flood insurance. In several counties across Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina that were recently inundated by the effects of Helene, less than 1% of households have flood insurance. Nearly two-thirds of these policies are provided through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by FEMA, while the remaining are secured through private insurers.

    The aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton has cast a spotlight on the significant deficiencies within the US flood insurance framework and the ensuing repercussions. As climate change intensifies the frequency and severity of flooding, the need for comprehensive flood risk management has become increasingly critical.

    Vangari concludes: “The recent spate of natural disasters may result in higher-than-anticipated claims for US insurers and reinsurers in 2024 and 2025. The escalating incidence of such significant events is projected to drive the need for a comprehensive flood risk cover, which will support general insurance growth over the next five years.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Opioid addiction market to reach $2.4 billion in 8MM by 2033, forecasts GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Opioid addiction market to reach $2.4 billion in 8MM by 2033, forecasts GlobalData

    Posted in Pharma

    The opioid addiction market across the eight major markets (8MM*) is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.8% from $2.0 billion in 2023 to $2.4 billion in 2033, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    GlobalData’s latest report “Opioid Addiction: Opportunity Assessment and Forecast,” reveals that growth will primarily be driven by an increase in diagnosed prevalent cases, as well as an increase in treatment rates and the introduction of four late-stage pipeline products – cannabidiol, mazindol controlled release (CR), probenecid, and TRV-734.

    Jos Opdenakker, Neurology Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Of the four late-stage pipeline products, three of them (cannabidiol, mazindol CR, and probenecid) are non-opioids. Cannabidiol and mazindol CR are expected to be used as potential adjunctive treatments in addition to the standard of care in the treatment of opioid use disorder, driving an increase in the OUD market. Probenecid is indicated for the treatment of OWS and is expected to take market share from existing OWS agents.”

    GlobalData forecasts that the late-stage pipeline products could drive combined sales of approximately $171.4 million in the 8MM by 2033. Trevena’s TRV-734 will be the most promising pipeline product, indicated for the treatment of opioid withdrawal syndrome (OWS).

    According to GlobalData forecasts, TRV-734 could generate global sales of approximately $77.6 million by 2033. It has the potential to see strong uptake due to its position as a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist. This means that it has the potential to elicit the partial effects of opioids but not the full effect, and this could limit some of the distressing side effects and potentially prevent withdrawal associated with existing opioid-based treatments.

    Opdenakker adds: “While the OUD pipeline agents will bring new mechanisms to market, they are unlikely to become first line treatments. The need for effective non-opioid treatments that do not target the mu receptor, which could potentially replace opioids as first-line therapies, remains.”

    Opdenakker continues: “The overall opioid addiction market is expected to experience growth until 2033; however, continued generic erosion will be an important barrier. Generic erosion is expected to be particularly significant in the US opioid addiction market.”

    In 2023, the US represented the largest market for opioid addiction, with 74.1% of the 8MM sales, due to its larger patient population and the high price of medications. Although the US is expected to remain the largest market for opioid addiction at the end of the forecast period, its proportion of global sales is expected to fall to 70.5% in 2033.

    The decline in the contribution of  the US opioid addiction market will be fueled by the patent expiries of Indivior’s extended-release formulation of buprenorphine, Sublocade, which was the top-selling drug in the opioid addiction market in 2023, Alkermes’ Vivitrol (naltrexone ER), Braeburn’s long-acting buprenorphine product, Brixadi and Orexo US’ Zubsolv (buprenorphine), all of which will expire throughout the forecast period, resulting in sales erosion amongst the key OUD therapies.

    Opdenakker concludes: “Although the impending entry of numerous generic products will act as a major barrier to growth and the introduction of the late-stage pipeline products is limited in their potential to generate significant revenues to counter the generic erosion, the increase in diagnosed prevalence, treatment rates, and general awareness surrounding opioid addiction will continue to act as the main drivers of growth across the 8MM.”

    *8MM- US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Canada, and Australia

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Fly-tipping fines increased in efforts to tackle the culprits

    Source: City of Coventry

    Coventry City Council has increased fly-tipping fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to £1000 to further support its efforts to tackle fly-tipping in the city.

    Until now it was £200 for fly-tipping / duty of care and £100 for littering.

    Councillors are hoping that the new £1,000 FPN for fly-tipping acts as even more of a deterrent.

    The fines serve as a clear warning that illegal waste disposal will not be tolerated, and offenders will face serious consequences.

    Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Council Leader, said: “Residents and councillors have been calling for an increase in the FPNs and we’ll monitor the impact this has.

    “There are neighbourhoods in the city where there is a higher amount of fly-tipping incidents, and that’s why we are also publishing our Wall of Shame video coverage of the perpetrators.  We are making people aware that they will be caught.

    “Anyone who witnesses fly-tipping can report it anonymously and we also have officers who are out and about in hotspots.

    “We investigate, take action and we use all legal options available to us wherever we find fly-tipping. We are really determined to help improve neighbourhoods.”

    The latest Wall of Shame video, published on Coventry City Council’s social media channels today (22 October) shows more fly-tippers flouting the law, in this latest footage leaving pushchairs and binbags on street corners in the city.

    The cameras are located at hotspots in the city to help to crackdown on the problem.

    Over the last twelve months alone the Council has had to deal with almost 6000 (5883) instances of fly-tipping. 

    Officers do regular checks across the city and deal with fly tipped materials on our land straight away. They also routinely serve notices on tenants, landlords and landowners to clear their land and make repairs on their properties.

    Over the last year they’ve served over 900 notices, and issued 250 fixed penalties for waste related offences. The Council is hoping the much higher fines of £1000 will act as even more of a deterrent.

    Members of the public are being encouraged to report anyone they recognise in the video by emailing flytipping-cctv@coventry.gov.uk or anonymously by going to https://www.coventry.gov.uk/flytipping or calling 08085 834333. 

    The latest Wall of Shame can be watched on the Council’s YouTube now. 

    Tuesday, 22nd October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Ambitious Mobile Strategy to be considered by councillors

    Source: Scotland – City of Perth

    This strategy, developed with feedback from the public, will be discussed when Climate Change and Sustainability Committee meets on 23 October 2024.

    The Mobility Strategy is one of three critical place-based strategies designed to shape the long-term development of Perth and Kinross, alongside the Local Housing Strategy and the Local Development Plan.

    Together, these strategies are instrumental in realising the Council’s vision of “a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality.”

    The Mobility Strategy outlines Perth and Kinross Council’s vision for managing and developing the transport and active travel network over the next 15 years.

    It considers all modes of transport for the movement of people and goods across both rural and urban areas, addressing the impacts of emerging technologies, digital services, housing, inclusion, poverty, health, climate adaptation, economic growth, air quality, and place making.

    Aligned with the priorities set out in the Scottish Government’s National Transport Strategy 2 (February 2020), the Mobility Strategy adopts four key priorities: Reducing Inequalities, Taking Climate Action, Delivering Inclusive Economic Growth, and Improving Health and Wellbeing.

    These priorities are fundamental to the development and delivery of the strategy, ensuring it meets both national targets and local goals.

    Councillors will also be asked to approve the next priorities for the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) and Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) for the upcoming 12-18 months.

    The Perth and Kinross LAEP envisions the area as a leading example of affordable and equitable access to sustainable energy for all residents, businesses, and organisations.

    By 2045, the area aims to achieve an integrated, net-zero local energy system. Similarly, the Perth and Kinross LHEES aims to make homes and buildings more energy efficient and equipped with decarbonised heat sources, providing more affordable warmth and reduce climate impact, all contributing to achieving our goal of Net Zero by 2045.

    In line with these initiatives, committee members will be asked to approve the Council’s Public Body Climate Change Duty report. The report outlines the Council’s actions and progress in addressing climate change within its own operations, with a 31% reduction in its overall emissions. The decrease is primarily attributed to improvements in waste processing and the transition from waste to energy. Additionally, there were modest reductions in emissions from on-site energy production, business travel and employee commuting.

    Councillor Richard Watters, Convenor of Climate Change and Sustainability Committee said: “We are deeply grateful to the public for their active involvement and valuable feedback throughout the development of the Mobility Strategy. Their participation has been crucial in shaping a strategy that is robust, relevant, and adaptable to the diverse needs of our community.

    “We also want to recognise the outstanding work made through the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES), the Local Area Energy Plan (LAEP) and the Council’s own initiatives in tackling climate change.  It is truly encouraging to see the Council’s substantial reduction in overall emissions, equivalent to 12.5 kilotonnes of C02, between 2022/23 and 2023/24.

    “Despite facing financial challenges, we are striving forward with new priorities for the next 12 to 18 months. Together, we are paving the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for Perth and Kinross.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Detroit Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug Trafficking and Discharging Firearm at Drug Deal

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    HONOLULU – United States Attorney Clare E. Connors announced that Gabriel Antone Eberhardt, 42, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jill A. Otake to 30 years in federal prison—including 12 years for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine and a consecutive 18 years for discharging a firearm in connection with the distribution of heroin—as well as 5 years of supervised release. The court also ordered that Eberhardt forfeit his interests in $250,000 in drug proceeds, multiple firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a vehicle. Additional firearms and ammunition were administratively forfeited by the government.

    According to court records, from October 2019 to June 30, 2021, Eberhardt, a/k/a “Stacks,” co-led a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Honolulu that distributed large amounts of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. Eberhardt’s DTO obtained the drugs from suppliers in Philadelphia and Los Angeles, who mailed the drugs to Honolulu. The DTO distributed the fentanyl—a potent synthetic opioid 50 times stronger than heroin—in mixtures with heroin and in counterfeit oxycodone tablets. In connection with a heroin distribution on October 21, 2019, Eberhardt admitted he fired several shots from a semi-automatic pistol at a person accompanying his drug customer. One of the rounds struck the victim’s torso, requiring medical attention. The victim survived the shooting.

    During an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Honolulu Police Department (HPD), agents made dozens of controlled purchases of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine from the conspirators, and executed 15 search warrants on residences, rental storage units, and parcels. As a result of the controlled purchases and warrants, law enforcement agents seized 6.5 kilograms of fentanyl, 6.4 kilograms of heroin, 2.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, seven firearms, including assault rifles and semi-automatic pistols, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, a vehicle, and more than $250,000 in cash drug proceeds. 

    In addition to Eberhardt, the following conspirators were prosecuted in the District of Hawaii:

    • Jared Northern, a/k/a “White Boy Jay,” a/k/a “Gage,” 25, of Honolulu, pled guilty to conspiracy and two counts of distribution of controlled substances, and on May 15, 2024, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release;
    • Zakiyyah Mareus, a/k/a “Kai,” 27, of Miami Gardens, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy, and on August 8, 2024, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release;
    • Isaiah Marks, a/k/a “Seh,” 25, of Honolulu, pled guilty to conspiracy and two counts of distribution of controlled substances, and on January 18, 2023, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and four years of supervised release;
    • Tishanah Iwalani Kaio-Barrozo, 33, of Honolulu, pled guilty to distribution of controlled substances, and on June 7, 2022, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison and three years of supervised release;
    • Michael Garrett, a/k/a “Sideburns,” a/k/a “Burns,” 41, of Romulus, Michigan, pled guilty to conspiracy, and on March 28, 2024, was sentenced to three months in federal prison and five years of supervised release;
    • Jennifer Ashcraft, a/k/a “Jessie,” a/k/a “Jess,” 33, of Honolulu, pled guilty to conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on November 22, 2024;
    • Martzes Junior, a/k/a “Green,” 43, of Southfield, Michigan, pled guilty to conspiracy and possession of a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime and is scheduled for sentencing on November 26, 2024;
    • Lynden David Lightburn, a/k/a “Soulja,” 51, of Los Angeles, pled guilty to conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on December 6, 2024; 
    • Jason Darnell Smith, a/k/a “Famous,” a/k/a “Sweets,” 41, of Detroit, Michigan, pled guilty to conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on December 9, 2024; and
    • Robert Adams, a/k/a “Tre,” a/k/a “Tre Block,” a/k/a “Block,” a/k/a “TBlock,” a/k/a “Ray Smith,” 37, of Philadelphia, pled guilty to conspiracy and is scheduled for sentencing on February 26, 2025. 

    “Increasingly, the influx of illegal, deadly narcotics through transnational distribution operations is accompanied by gun violence, which has exponentially harmful consequences for our community,” said United States Attorney Clare E. Connors. “This large-scale prosecution reflects the highest level of cooperation among multiple federal and local law enforcement entities, and today’s sentence affirms that there will be accountability for those who profit from causing such harm in our state.”

    “Today’s sentencing represents years of collaboration between multiple law enforcement agencies to bring down one of Hawaii’s most dangerous drug operations,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “This case serves as a warning that we will use every resource available to make our communities safer by dismantling their operations and bringing their members to justice.”

    “Gabriel Eberhardt, a leader of a greed-driven drug trafficking organization, will be off our streets and behind bars for a very long time,” said DEA Los Angeles Field Division Deputy Special Agent in Charge Anthony Chrysanthis. “I want to thank DEA investigators and all state and local law enforcement partners, who worked tirelessly and with urgency to bring these criminals to justice.  However, our job here is not complete. We will continue to investigate, pursue and take apart these operations.”  

    “Mr. Eberhardt’s egregious actions were exacerbated by his using a firearm to shoot a person in furtherance of his drug trafficking,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “When search warrants were executed for this operation, seven firearms were recovered, including semiautomatic rifles and handguns, which further shows the dangers to the community posed by Mr. Eberhardt and his co-conspirators. This significant sentence was clearly warranted.”

    “Sending illegal drugs in the mail harms our communities and endangers postal workers, said USPIS Inspector in Charge Stephen Sherwood. “Postal inspectors will not allow the U.S. Mail to be misused to facilitate drug trafficking activities. I want to express my gratitude to our law enforcement partners for their teamwork to disrupt and dismantle this dangerous drug trafficking organization.”

    “The success of this investigation is directly attributable to multi-agency cooperation and the shared commitment to making Honolulu safer for our residents and visitors,” said HPD Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan. “The Honolulu Police Department will continue to work closely with our Federal partners to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating across Oahu.”

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. 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 at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The case was investigated by FBI, DEA, ATF, USPIS, and HPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig S. Nolan is prosecuting the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Houston Residents Charged With Stealing DoorDash Delivery Workers’ Wages

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    OAKLAND – A federal grand jury indicted Oluwatobi Otukelu and Evan Edwards on charges of conspiracy and causing damage to a computer in connection with an alleged scheme to steal wages earned by workers of a delivery service, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp.  Defendant Otukelu made his first appearance in Oakland to face the charges after having previously appeared with Defendant Edwards in federal court in Houston, Tex.

    According to the indictment, Otukelu, 25, and Edwards, 24, both of Houston, conspired to carry out a scheme to defraud DoorDash, Inc. (DoorDash) by fraudulently obtaining wages of independent contractors, called “Dashers,” who made deliveries for the delivery service.  As part of this scheme, the co-conspirators allegedly obtained the personal identifying information of Dasher victims; falsely impersonated the Dasher victims to DoorDash support; took over Dashers’ existing online accounts; created new, unauthorized accounts using Dashers’ personal information; and directed payments of Dasher wages from DoorDash to accounts controlled by Otukelu and Edwards. The indictment further alleges that the defendants used the stolen funds to pay for and attempt to pay for goods and services, including vehicles, airline tickets, cosmetic procedures, and personal training. The indictment alleges that Otukelu and Edwards stole the DoorDash wages of at least 138 individual Dashers, amounting to over $1 million.

    Otukelu and Edwards were arrested in Houston on Sept. 26, 2024, and made their initial appearances in Houston the same day. Defendant Otukelu was ordered detained pending trial. Defendant Edwards was released on a $25,000 bond. Otukelu’s next scheduled appearance is at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 22, 2024, for status regarding detention before the Hon. Kandis A. Westmore, U.S. Magistrate Judge. Edwards’ initial appearance in this District has not yet been scheduled.

    An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum penalties:

    CHARGE STATUTES MAXIMUM STATUTORY PENALTIES
    Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud 18 U.S.C. § 1349 Twenty years of imprisonment; $250,000 fine; three years of supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture; and restitution
    Conspiracy 18 U.S.C. § 371 Five years of imprisonment, $250,000 fine; three years of supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture; and restitution
    Causing Damage to a Protected Computer 18 U.S.C. §§ 1030(a)(5)(A), (c)(4)(A)(i)(I), and (c)(4)(B)(i) Ten years of imprisonment; $250,000 fine; three years of supervised release; $100 special assessment; forfeiture; and restitution

    However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle J. Kane is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kathy Tat. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.

    Oluwatobi Emmanuel Otukelu Indictment
     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Seattle man sentenced for string of marijuana dispensary robberies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Seattle – A 19-year-old Seattle-area man, was sentenced October 18, 2024, to 90 months in prison for a series of seven armed robberies of marijuana dispensaries, announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Caiden James Charlton was arrested in June 2023, in connection with three armed robberies in May and June 2023. He pleaded guilty in July 2024 admitting his involvement in all seven robberies. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones imposed three years of supervised release to follow prison.

    “This defendant and his juvenile accomplices targeted small businesses – marijuana dispensaries – across our region. With guns drawn they frightened employees grabbing cash and product and in one case even stealing the safe,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “This dangerous conduct cannot be tolerated.”

    According to records filed in the case, Charlton pleaded guilty in July 2024 to committing three pot shop robberies on May 30, 2023, The first robbery was of Herb’s House on NW 65th Street in Seattle. The second was West Seattle Cannabis and the third robbery was of Hashtag Cannabis on Nickerson Street in Seattle. On June 10, 2023, Charlton and an accomplice robbed Oz Cannabis on Stone Way in Seattle. The next day, June 11, 2023, Charlton robbed Novel Tree MJ in Bellevue, and on June 12, he robbed Seaweed Cannabis in Edmonds, Washington. Finally, on June 21, he and accomplices robbed Dockside Cannabis in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. In each of the robberies, surveillance video shows clothing, tattoos, and jewelry that was linked to Charlton. Victims of the robberies noted distinctive face tattoos around Charlton’s eyes that were not concealed by his mask.

    In each of the robberies, one of two intruders displayed a handgun and ordered the dispensary staff to open safes or empty the till. In addition to money, the suspects stole a large amount of marijuana products. In some cases, the safes at the dispensaries could not be opened due to time locks used to discourage robberies. In one case, the robbers stole the safe by detaching it from the floor.

    The robbery crew would run to a getaway car after the robberies – two of the cars had been reported stolen.

    In asking for an eight-year prison sentence Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg wrote to the court, “The offense conduct in this case is extremely serious. Charlton went on a violent crime spree, robbing seven marijuana dispensaries over the course of 30 days. During each robbery, he and/or his accomplices were armed with firearms and used them – brandishing the guns, pointing them directly at the victims, etc. It is very fortunate that no one was shot or otherwise injured. The Court is well aware that similar robberies often end up with shootings and/or deaths, when victims act in ways not expected by the perpetrators or with the accidental discharge of a firearm.”

    Some the robbery victims wrote to the court about the trauma the robberies caused in their life. One owner wrote, “… these robberies destroyed the business my wife and I worked to build over the nine plus years…. When they walk into a business with guns and demand money and product, the impact goes way beyond the loss of money and product.”

    The case was investigated by the FBI, the Seattle Police Department, and the Bellevue Police Department, as well as the King County and Snohomish County Sheriffs’ Offices.

    The case was prosecuted by former Assistant United States Attorneys Erin H. Becker and Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Cordova Man Sentenced in Connection with $5.9 Million Insurance Fraud Scheme

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Memphis, TN – Christopher C. Brown, 47, of Cordova, Tennessee, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $5,214,302.00 in restitution after his conviction related to a multi-year scheme to defraud four insurance companies.  Reagan Fondren, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

    While operating a music recording business on Monroe Avenue in Memphis, Brown made claims to Main Street Assurance Company for alleged losses of over $340,000 due to water damage and a purported burglary at the business location.  Main Street paid Brown’s claims.  Brown then obtained insurance coverage for the same business location from Markel Corporation.  Brown made a claim to Markel for $2,840,000 for alleged fire damage to the location, and the claim was honored.

    Brown then formed a limited liability corporation named Tattooed Millionaire Entertainment (TME).  This action allowed Brown to apply for insurance coverage without disclosing his previous insurance claims.  Through TME, Brown purchased a second Memphis property at Rayner Street which had previously housed a well-known recording studio known as the House of Blues.  Brown obtained insurance coverage for the Rayner property and music recording business from Hanover American Insurance Company.  Brown later filed a claim with Hanover for purported damages from an arson fire that damaged the Rayner property, and Hanover paid him $2,200,000 on that claim.

    During this time, Brown also obtained vehicle insurance from Progressive Insurance on a 1985 diesel bus.  He later filed a claim with Progressive alleging that the bus had been stolen.  Progressive paid Brown $109,580 in settlement of that claim.

    In Brown’s claims with the four victim insurance companies, Brown made false statements and representations.  This included the submission of fake or altered documents to the companies.

    In September 2023, Brown pled guilty to mail fraud.  On October 17, 2024, United States District Court Judge Samuel H. Mays sentenced Brown to 27 months of incarceration followed by 2 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $5,214,302.00 in restitution.  There is no parole in the federal system.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren said, “Insurance fraud schemes like this cheat honest companies and their policyholders.  These schemes also raise the cost of insurance for everyone and make it harder for people to obtain needed insurance in the first place.  Whenever fraud like this occurs in the Western District of Tennessee, this office will be prepared to hold offenders accountable for such crimes of dishonesty.”

    Inspector in Charge Tommy D. Coke, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Atlanta Division, said, “This defendant misused the U.S. Mail to defraud four insurance companies of millions of dollars.  I believe this sentence will send a message that this type of crime is serious and let criminals know that our agency will continue to hold them accountable for their actions.”  

    This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.

    Acting U.S. Attorney Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys David Pritchard and Tony Arvin who prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated this case.

    ###

    For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Van Nuys Man Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and Cocaine via Darknet Marketplaces and Possessing Guns

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man who admitted in court documents to causing one fatal fentanyl overdose was sentenced today to 248 months in federal prison for using darknet marketplaces to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide.

    Brian McDonald, 23, of Van Nuys, whose aliases include “Malachai Johnson,” “SouthSideOxy,” and “JefeDeMichoacan,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald. 

    McDonald pleaded guilty on July 17 to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, and one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He has been in federal custody since May 2023.

    “This defendant led a drug-trafficking operation that used the dark corners of the internet to ship large quantities of fentanyl-laced pills – with deadly consequences,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “My office will continue using every tool under federal law to prosecute and imprison criminals who prioritize greed over human life.” 

    From at least April 2021 until May 2023, McDonald and others conspired to sell fentanyl and cocaine via darknet marketplaces such as “White House Market,” “ToRReZ” and “AlphaBay.” McDonald, using aliases, created vendor profiles on these marketplaces to sell illegal drugs in exchange for cryptocurrency.

    McDonald created, monitored, and maintained the darknet vendor profiles, including by updating drug listings and shipment options, tracking drug orders received online, and offloading Monero cryptocurrency received as drug deal payments into cryptocurrency wallets that McDonald controlled. 

    McDonald recruited and hired accomplices to help with packaging and shipping the narcotics that they sold on the darknet. McDonald directed other co-conspirators on how to package and ship the narcotics, and he assisted them in the packaging and shipping. Specifically, McDonald purchased bulk quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, and then directed the activities of other co-conspirators to help sell these drugs on the dark web. 

    Among other activities, McDonald directed co-conspirators in receiving and tracking orders placed for fentanyl and cocaine on his dark web vendor profiles, packaging drug orders, and shipping drug orders to customers though the United States Postal Service. Over the course of the conspiracy, McDonald knowingly oversaw and carried out hundreds of drug sales involving the distribution of large quantities of both fentanyl and cocaine, including hundreds of thousands of fentanyl-laced pills that collectively contained more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl.

    As part of the conspiracy, McDonald distributed fentanyl-laced pills to victim Z.S., who ingested a fentanyl-laced pill sold to Z.S. by McDonald, which in turn resulted in Z.S.’s death. 

    McDonald also possessed firearms, specifically two gold-plated handguns – one without a serial number – to protect his drug trafficking business and the proceeds of drug sales made on darknet marketplaces.

    Ciara Clutario, 23, of Burbank, has pleaded guilty to a federal criminal charge in this case and is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025.

    The FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this matter as part of JCODE. The Justice Department established the FBI-led JCODE team to lead and coordinate government efforts to detect, disrupt, and dismantle major criminal enterprises reliant on the darknet for trafficking opioids and other illicit narcotics, along with identifying and dismantling their supply chains. 

    Assistant United States Attorney Declan T. Conroy of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Armed Robber Gets 10 Year Prison Sentence

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Antone Watkins, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for armed robbery and other firearm-related offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department. 

    Watkins was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on July 3, 2024.

                Superior Court Judge Robert Salerno sentenced Watkins to 120 months in prison for armed robbery, 120 months for each of the two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, 78 months for assault with a dangerous weapon, and 36 months for unauthorized use of a vehicle. Each sentence will run concurrent to each other. In addition, Judge Salerno imposed that Watkins serve five years of supervised release.

                According to the government’s evidence, at around 10:47 p.m., on June 17, 2022, the victim was led into an alley near Howison Place and N Street SW. In that alley, Watkins brandished a firearm and hit the victim across the face with it, chipping his tooth. Watkins and two others then robbed the victim of his cash, chains, watch, and car keys. Video footage showed Watkins running from the alley, getting into the victim’s truck, and driving off. Further video footage showed Watkins only a few minutes later rummaging through the victim’s belongings in the truck. Police arrested Watkins on September 15, 2022, and he has been detained since.

                In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Invaluable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Probation Office from early in the case and through the trial. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Levy and Gregory Evans, who prosecuted the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Rubb, who investigated the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Denver Man Sentenced In Connection With Five Bank Robberies

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Samuel Richard Ruthstrom, age 42, has been sentenced to 160 months in prison after pleading guilty to five counts of bank robbery.

    According to the plea agreement, Ruthstrom robbed four banks and attempted to rob a fifth in Denver. In several of the robberies, Ruthstrom used notes threatening tellers with physical harm if they failed to comply with his demands. Ruthstrom, who was on state parole and living at an inpatient facility at the time of the robberies, stole a box truck to commit three of the crimes.

    “Repeat offenders are a menace to our communities, and I strongly support sentences like this one that keep these criminals off our streets,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch.

    “Robbing banks is not a career – it’s a series of crimes that will net you serious federal prison time. That is what this defendant learned once the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force tracked him down,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “The FBI will continue to work with partners like the Denver Police Department and Metro Denver CrimeStoppers to identify and apprehend violent criminals.”

    “The Denver Police Department is proud to see justice served in the case of this repeat offender,” said Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas. “Partnerships between federal and local agencies are critical to stopping bank robberies and other violent crimes.”

    The defendant was sentenced by Judge Nina Y. Wang. The case was investigated by the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, and the Denver Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Brian Dunn handled the prosecution.

    Case Number: 1:24-mj-00025-KAS

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Leader of multistate drug trafficking ring sentenced to 15 years

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced Oct. 18 to 15 years in prison and five years’ supervised release for leading a multistate drug trafficking ring that trafficked kilos of heroin into Alaska and used firearms to further the conspiracy.

    According to court documents, in 2020, Samuel Frederick Davis, 32, purchased heroin and counterfeit Percocet pills in Las Vegas, Nevada. Davis then packaged the drugs and shipped them to his distributors in Anchorage. The drugs were then distributed in Alaska, and the proceeds were deposited into co-conspirators’ bank accounts or returned to Nevada.

    When law enforcement contacted Davis on Dec. 11, 2020, he attempted to flee in a vehicle but continued on foot before his arrest. After his arrest, law enforcement searched the defendant’s mother’s home in Anchorage and discovered approximately $65,000 in drug proceeds, a pistol, a drum magazine and multiple types of ammunition.

    During the investigation, law enforcement seized roughly 3.8 kilos of heroin and over $140,900 in drug proceeds. In total, the drug trafficking organization was responsible for trafficking at least 8.2 kilos of heroin into the state.

    “The defendant and his enterprise trafficked kilos of dangerous drugs into our state and used firearms to safeguard their illegal operations,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Mr. Davis’ sentence is the final piece of justice in this case. My office, in partnership with our law enforcement partners, will continue to uncover and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that pose a threat to our communities.”

    “Drug traffickers have no regard for the safety of our communities,” said Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Seattle Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “They exacerbate this with firearms to ‘protect’ their illegal actions, further endangering citizens. ATF will continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to investigate and dismantle these drug trafficking rings.”

    “Heroin is a dangerous drug that shatters lives for the profit of traffickers like Mr. Davis,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division. “This sentence shows the seriousness of Mr. Davis’ drug trafficking crime as well as the determination of the DEA and our partners in stopping this evil.”

    “The trafficking of drugs into Alaska is a crime with many victims,” said Anchorage Police Department Lieutenant Jack Carson.  “The drugs Mr. Davis, his co-conspirators and other drug dealers import into the state are directly linked to hundreds of deaths each year. Mr. Davis’ arrest makes the streets of Anchorage a safer place.” 

    Co-conspirators in this case include:

    • LC Shelton Johnson-Witlow IV, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
    • Delmar Spencer, 46, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
    • Dwayne Smith Jr, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and interference with commerce by robbery and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
    • Jorge Luis Rodas, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to six and a half years’ imprisonment.
    • Jaheim Randolph, 23, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment.
    • Frank Mota-Rijo, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
    • Kyin Sumpter-Boyd, 27, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, being a felon in possession and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.

    The ATF Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Field Office, the DEA Seattle Field Division and Anchorage Field Office, the Alaska State Troopers and the Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey, and former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kayla Doyle and Michael Ebell prosecuted the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Murder Defendant Extradited from El Salvador for 2013 Stabbing

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Angel Monge, 51, of El Salvador, was transported from El Salvador to the United States by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, on October 18, 2024, and placed under arrest for a September 2013 murder. Monge was presented in Superior Court in the District of Columbia the next day when the Honorable Leslie Meeke ordered him to be held without bond. The arrest and extradition were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.

               According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 6:11 p.m. on September 2, 2013, the United States Park Police (USPP) received a call for an unconscious person located in Grove #6 of the park at Beach Road in Northwest D.C. Upon arrival, USPP officers found a deceased male lying on a creek bed. The Metropolitan Police Department and the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) were notified. The OCME conducted an autopsy on the decedent, who was later identified as Matias Molina, 49, of Washington, D.C. Autopsy results showed that the cause of death was multiple sharp force wounds and the manner of death was determined to be a homicide. The case was presented before a grand jury and, in 2015, Angel Dilmar Monge was indicted on a charge of second-degree murder while armed. A bench warrant was issued and Monge was eventually located in El Salvador.   

              This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.

              The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dennis Clark.

              The U.S. Attorney’s Office would like to thank the members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of El Salvador to secure the arrest and extradition of Monge.

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

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Female tourist bitten by wongari on K’gari

    Source: Government of Queensland

    Issued: 21 Oct 2024

    Rangers on K’gari (formerly Fraser Island) are monitoring a male dingo (wongari) believed responsible for biting a female tourist around the thigh on 20 October 2024.

    Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) rangers were advised of the incident which occurred at around 8:00am at Beach Camping Zone 6 on the east coast of the island.

    Rangers were told that a group of international tourists arrived on the beach, and that nearby campers warned them of a dingo in the area.

    The dingo approached the woman while she was going to the toilet alone. She wasn’t carrying a stick and started to run as it approached her. The dingo gave chase and bit her on the left rear thigh resulting in two puncture wounds. Campers nearby overheard and chased the dingo away.

    Rangers are investigating the incident and will continue patrols in the area and provide Be dingo-safe! messaging to fishers and campers.

    Visitors and residents on K’gari are reminded to remain vigilant at all times by keeping children at arm’s length, never walking alone and carrying a stick at all times.

    Negative dingo encounters should immediately be reported to a QPWS ranger by calling 07 4127 9150 or emailing dingo.ranger@des.qld.gov.au

    Visitors to K’gari are reminded to ‘Be dingo-safe!’ at all times:

    • Always stay close (within arm’s reach) of children and young teenagers
    • Always walk in groups and carry a stick.
    • Camp in fenced areas where possible
    • Do not run. Running or jogging can trigger a negative dingo interaction
    • Never feed dingoes
    • Lock up food stores and iceboxes (even on a boat)
    • Never store food or food containers in tents, and
    • Secure all rubbish, fish and bait.

    For more information go to K’gari dingoes

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bell Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Distributing Illegal Drugs, Including More Than 19,000 Fentanyl-Laced Pills

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LOS ANGELES – A Bell man was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison for distributing narcotics, including more than 19,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl.

    Juan Luis Martinez, 48, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mark C. Scarsi.

    At the conclusion of a two-day trial, a jury on July 24 found Martinez guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, one count of distribution of fentanyl, and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.

    Martinez in October 2021 met with two women in a parking lot and gave them a plastic bag containing more than 19,000 fentanyl-laced pills, stuffed into a woman’s bra. Law enforcement officers followed the two women as they delivered the bag to three men. Officers then pulled over the car driven by the three men and seized the pills.

    In addition, in December 2021, Martinez knowingly sold more than 300 grams of methamphetamine to a buyer.

    Martinez has been in federal custody since January 2023.

    The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this matter, with assistance from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Hawthorne Police Department, the Orange Police Department, and the Placentia Police Department.

    Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin J. Campbell and Melissa S. Rabbani of the Santa Ana Branch Office prosecuted this case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Consumer Price Indices for September 2024

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released today (October 22) the Consumer Price Index (CPI) figures for September 2024. According to the Composite CPI, overall consumer prices rose by 2.2% in September 2024 over the same month a year earlier, smaller than the corresponding increase (2.5%) in August 2024. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rate of increase in the Composite CPI (i.e. the underlying inflation rate) in September 2024 was 0.9%, also smaller than that in August 2024 (1.2%). The smaller increases were mainly due to the higher base of comparison resulting from the significant increases in food prices in September 2023.

         On a seasonally adjusted basis, the average monthly rate of increase in the Composite CPI for the 3-month period ending September 2024 was 0.4%, and that for the 3-month period ending August 2024 was 0.6%. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the corresponding rates of increase were 0.1% and 0.2%.   

         Analysed by sub-index, the year-on-year rates of increase in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 2.9%, 2.0% and 1.6% respectively in September 2024, as compared to 3.2%, 2.2% and 1.9% respectively in August 2024. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the year-on-year rates of increase in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 0.9%, 0.9% and 1.0% respectively in September 2024, as compared to 1.1%, 1.2% and 1.3% respectively in August 2024.   

         On a seasonally adjusted basis, for the 3-month period ending September 2024, the average monthly rates of increase in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 0.5%, 0.4% and 0.3% respectively. The corresponding rates of increase for the 3-month period ending August 2024 were 0.8%, 0.5% and 0.4% respectively. Netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures, the average monthly rates of increase in the seasonally adjusted CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) for the 3-month period ending September 2024 were all 0.1%, and the corresponding rates of increase for the 3-month period ending August 2024 were 0.2%, 0.1% and 0.2% respectively.   

         Amongst the various components of the Composite CPI, year-on-year increases in prices were recorded in September 2024 for alcoholic drinks and tobacco (21.4%), electricity, gas and water (6.5%), housing (3.3%), miscellaneous services (2.0%), meals out and takeaway food (1.8%), miscellaneous goods (1.2%), and transport (1.0%).   

         On the other hand, year-on-year decreases in the components of the Composite CPI were recorded in September 2024 for clothing and footwear (-1.6%), basic food (-0.4%), and durable goods (-0.4%).   

         Taking the first 9 months of 2024 together, the Composite CPI rose by 1.9% over a year earlier. The respective increases in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 2.2%, 1.7% and 1.6% respectively. The corresponding increases after netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures were 1.0%, 0.9%, 1.1% and 1.2% respectively.   

         In the third quarter of 2024, the Composite CPI rose by 2.4% over a year earlier, while the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) rose by 3.1%, 2.1% and 1.9% respectively. The corresponding increases after netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures were 1.1%, 1.0%, 1.1% and 1.2% respectively.   

         For the 12 months ending September 2024, the Composite CPI was on average 2.0% higher than that in the preceding 12-month period. The respective increases in the CPI(A), CPI(B) and CPI(C) were 2.4%, 1.9% and 1.8% respectively. The corresponding increases after netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures were 1.2%, 1.0%, 1.2% and 1.4% respectively. 

    Commentary

         A Government spokesman said that underlying consumer price inflation remained modest in September. The year-on-year increase in food price eased, while prices of energy-related items declined at a narrowed rate. Price pressures on other major components remained broadly in check.

         Looking ahead, overall inflation should stay mild in the near term. The continued growth of the Hong Kong economy could pose some moderate upward pressures on domestic cost. Meanwhile, external price pressures should ease further, though uncertainties in the external environment remain. The Government will continue to monitor the situation.

    Further information

         The CPIs and year-on-year rates of change at section level for September 2024 are shown in Table 1. The time series on the year-on-year rates of change in the CPIs before and after netting out the effects of all Government’s one-off relief measures are shown in Table 2. For discerning the latest trend in consumer prices, it is also useful to look at the changes in the seasonally adjusted CPIs. The time series on the average monthly rates of change during the latest 3 months for the seasonally adjusted CPIs are shown in Table 3. The rates of change in the original and the seasonally adjusted Composite CPI and the underlying inflation rate are presented graphically in Chart 1.

         More detailed statistics are given in the “Monthly Report on the Consumer Price Index”. Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1060001&scode=270).

         For enquiries about the CPIs, please contact the Consumer Price Index Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7374 or email: cpi@censtatd.gov.hk).
     

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: View from The Hill: We have bigger issues around freedom of speech than Lidia Thorpe’s noisy protest

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    King Charles – as the old-fashioned saying goes – didn’t come down in the last shower. He’s unlikely to have been fazed by the outburst from independent senator Lidia Thorpe, who disrupted Monday’s Parliament House reception for the royals.

    And neither, frankly, should anyone else.

    Thorpe, clad in a possum-skin cloak, shouted: “You are not our king.”

    “You destroyed our land. Give us a treaty. We want a treaty in this country. You are a genocidalist.”

    “You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. Give us what you stole from us – our bones, our skulls, our babies, our people.”

    The conduct of Thorpe, who used to be with the Greens and is an outspoken advocate of ‘Blak sovereignty’, was rude, albeit absolutely in character. She acts up in the parliament regularly.

    As a senator, Thorpe, who was escorted out of the Great Hall, still yelling, had the right to be at the reception. And it is not the only time a parliamentarian has created a fuss when a dignitary was visiting. In 2003, Greens senator Bob Brown shouted out during the address to the joint houses by US President George W. Bush.

    While not at all condoning Thorpe’s exhibitionism, she wasn’t inciting violence. Was she bringing our parliament into disrepute? Sadly, many parliamentarians do that all the time in less dramatic ways, as visitors to question time will tell you.

    Those muttering that perhaps there should be some parliamentary censure of Thorpe are misguided. As Senate Opposition leader Simon Birmingham pointed out on Tuesday, Thorpe “would probably revel in being censured by the Senate”. The one thing she wants is publicity.

    Thorpe pushes her right to air her views to the limit, but her antics are not at the sharp end of the current “free speech” debate in this country. There are two, very different and much more important, fronts in that debate.

    One relates to the pro-Palestine demonstrations. The other is the government’s attempt to crack down on misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms.

    Those on the political right tend to play down worries about limiting free expression when it comes to the pro-Palestinian demonstrations. On the other hand, they are worried about putting more restrictions on the internet. Those on the left tend to support the battle against misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms, and are less worried about its free speech impact.

    Increasing antisemitism has fuelled calls for the ubiquitous pro-Palestinian protests to be curbed in some way.

    Critics highlight the hate preached on occasion; they say the demonstrations make Jewish Australians feel unsafe, disrupt citizens’ weekends, and are a drag on police resources.

    What are the relevant rights here, and their comparative weights? The right to free expression and protest. The right to feel safe. The right for people to go about their business without undue inconvenience. The tradeoffs are much more complicated than any questions thrown up by Thorpe’s behaviour.

    The number and regularity of the pro-Palestine demonstrations have driven some critics to argue enough is enough. That is not convincing, and nor is the argument that these protests soak up police resources. Unfortunately, these are the costs of preserving the right to protest.

    Much more troubling is that these protests can foster hate and make people feel threatened in their own country. Here balances must be carefully struck, and that’s hard.

    Incitement laws must be enforced. Beyond that, demonstrations have to be managed, so that the protesters’ right to have their say and the safety of others, especially a vulnerable section of the population, are both preserved.

    So for example, it’s important university campuses can have protests (as they always have). But “encampments” on campuses have been properly condemned and should not be allowed.

    Even more complex in the free speech debate is how to deal with disinformation (the deliberate spread of false information) and misinformation (where the misleading is not deliberate).

    The government presently has a bill in parliament seeking to combat misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms. It is a reworked version of a much-attacked earlier draft.

    In her second reading speech on the bill last month, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said:

    To protect freedom of speech, the bill [which does not apply to “professional news content”] sets a high threshold for the type of misinformation and disinformation that digital platforms must combat on their services – that is, it must be reasonably verifiable as false, misleading or deceptive and reasonably likely to cause or contribute to serious harm.

    The harm must have significant and far-reaching consequences for Australian society, or severe consequences for an individual in Australia.

    Among the “serious harms” in the bill is “harm to the operation or integrity of an electoral or referendum process in Australia”.

    The struggle against misinformation and disinformation on digital platforms will always be a losing one. The reach is just too vast.

    But more particularly, there is also the problem that what is “misinformation” and “disinformation” can be less clear than one might think. On occasion, what seems wrong at the time turns out to be correct later.

    Beyond those obvious points, some material so-labelled is not one or the other but disputed information.

    For example, proponents of the Voice have blamed its loss at least partly on misinformation and disinformation. However, much of this involved highly contested claims, especially about an unpredictable future.

    What this legislation does is push as much responsibility as it can, backed by a regulatory framework, onto the platforms to do the censoring of misinformation and disinformation, thus trying to avoid constitutional issues of implied freedom of political communication.

    Human rights lawyer Frank Brennan has written, “The real challenge for Minister Rowland is that debating such a detailed bill without the backstop of a constitutional or statutory bill of rights recognising the right to freedom of expression, there are no clear guard rails for getting the balance right for ‘the freedom of expression that is so fundamental to our democracy’.”

    All things considered, It is hard to see the bill clearing its obstacle course before the election.

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

    – ref. View from The Hill: We have bigger issues around freedom of speech than Lidia Thorpe’s noisy protest – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-we-have-bigger-issues-around-freedom-of-speech-than-lidia-thorpes-noisy-protest-241906

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: AIIB Backs Early-Stage Innovation in India, Investing in Endiya Partners under Venture Capital Investment Program

    Source: Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank

    The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved investments in Endiya Partners Fund III under the AIIB Venture Capital (VC) Investment Program. The investments will support early-stage companies focused on green and technology-enabled infrastructure in India and Southeast Asia.

    Launched in December 2022, AIIB’s VC Investment Program for Green and Technology-Enabled Infrastructure began with a commitment of USD100 million, with an additional USD30 million for co-investments. The program aims to fill the capital gap for early-stage ventures by investing through small-scale VC funds.

    Endiya Partners Fund III will invest in early-stage start-ups in India, focusing on intellectual property that aligns with AIIB’s strategic priorities.

    “Endiya Partners shares AIIB’s vision of promoting innovation in green and technology-enabled infrastructure through strategic investments in the digital industry, healthcare and enterprise sectors,” said Sateesh Andra, Managing Partner at Endiya Partners. “We thank AIIB for their confidence and LP (limited partners) investment as we drive impactful change.”

    This will be the second signed commitment, previously approved as MSA Emerging Technology Markets Fund I in 2023. The total investment under the VC Program now represents about 20% of its investable corpus. The program’s goal is to build a diversified portfolio of 10 to 12 VC funds across sectors, geographies and stages of development.“These investments are pivotal as they operationalize AIIB’s forward-looking VC Program, with significant potential to grow the innovation landscape in our Members,” said Gregory Liu, AIIB Director General of Financial Institutions and Fund Clients, Global. “Our focus will be to enhance this program by identifying innovative ideas that deliver scalable impacts, creating a portfolio that generates returns and positive outcomes.”

    The investments align with AIIB’s Private Capital Mobilization thematic priority and mission of Financing Infrastructure for Tomorrow, emphasizing technology as a competitive advantage. AIIB’s Environmental and Social Policy applies to the program, ensuring that each VC Fund adheres to the Bank’s environmental and social standards.

    About AIIB

    The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank whose mission is Financing Infrastructure for Tomorrow in Asia and beyond – infrastructure with sustainability at its core. We began operations in Beijing in 2016 and have since grown to 110 approved members worldwide. We are capitalized at USD100 billion and AAA-rated by the major international credit rating agencies. Collaborating with partners, AIIB meets clients’ needs by unlocking new capital and investing in infrastructure that is green, technology-enabled and promotes regional connectivity.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI: Everest Business Funding Named a 2024 Best and Brightest Company to Work For in the Nation

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Everest Business Funding is proud to announce its inclusion on the list of 2024 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation. This prestigious award, bestowed by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR), honors companies that excel in innovative business practices and human resource strategies. These are companies that distinguish themselves as industry leaders.

    The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For award highlights businesses across the United States that prioritize employee engagement, workforce development, and workplace culture. The award-winners were evaluated by an independent research firm on various metrics, including compensation, benefits, employee engagement, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and community involvement.

    Everest Business Funding provides revenue-based financing to entrepreneurs and business owners. The company is committed to helping those with strong entrepreneurial spirits obtain working capital in order to accelerate growth. Everest Business Funding’s leaders understand that its team members are foundational to this mission of providing hassle-free funding to eligible parties.

    The recognition from NABR reflects the company’s commitment to fostering an inclusive work environment and high-performing workforce. Everest Business Funding’s leadership team has emphasized the importance of employee well-being and engagement as critical components of the company’s success. By implementing innovative human resources practices, the team has created an environment that promotes growth and collaboration.

    Everest Business Funding is honored to receive this national recognition. The company strives to place employees at the core of everything it does and is committed to creating a positive and supportive environment where everyone can thrive. This award is a testament to the dedication and passion of Everest Business Funding’s leadership team as well as the individual commitment of each of its employees.

    With this recognition as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Everest Business Funding reinforces its position as an industry leader that values its employees and remains committed to creating a workplace that encourages innovation, collaboration, and professional development.

    The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For award is part of a national program conducted by NABR, which has over 25 years of experience recognizing companies with exceptional workplace standards. The winners were selected based on a comprehensive review of factors such as employee retention, work-life balance, and leadership strategies.

    NABR’s comprehensive selection process adds to the prestige of the award. Only the best of the best make it onto the annual list, and Everest Business Funding is proud to have been recognized as one of the premier organizations in the country.

    About Everest Business Funding

    Everest Business Funding provides alternative finance options and revenue-based funding to small business owners. They serve a diverse pool of businesses, from healthcare to retail, to help them obtain working capital to grow, buy inventory, launch marketing campaigns, or hire staff. Everest Business Funding’s clients are treated with respect and receive high-quality guidance and service from its professionals.

    Media Contact
    Anthony Parker
    Everest Business Funding
    888-342-5709
    Info@everestbusinessfunding.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI China: China’s self-developed LNG container vessel delivered in port city

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    China’s self-developed liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel container vessel was delivered on Monday in northeast China’s port city of Dalian, according to Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co., Ltd., its builder.
    The vessel, built for the Mediterranean Shipping Company, measures 366 meters in length, 51 meters in molded breadth and 30.2 meters in molded depth, and has a design draft of 14.5 meters.
    The vessel is capable of carrying 16,044 standard containers and 1,800 refrigerated containers, said the shipbuilder.
    The dual-fuel design allows the vessel to be powered by LNG and marine fuel oils. Equipped with a 13,000-cubic-meter Type-B LNG fuel tank, it has a larger capacity and higher utilization rate than traditional LNG fuel tanks and consumes less traditional fuels.
    The shipbuilder has applied other energy-saving measures and devices to improve the economic benefits and environmental protection performance of the vessel.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: NEW Swap 2 Stop with free vapes this Stoptober

    Source: City of York

    Swap 2 Stop is a new nationwide campaign, being offered by the York Health Trainers, which is aimed at encouraging smokers to make the switch from smoking to vaping to improve their health.

    Smokers are addicted to nicotine, not tobacco. It’s the tar and toxic chemicals produced in tobacco smoke that kill, so switching from smoking to vaping is a positive health move.

    York residents, who are smokers, aged 18 years and over can now get free personal, confidential support alongside free vapes or nicotine replacement products for 4 weeks, or up to 10 weeks if they join the main smoking behaviour change programme.

    By self-referring online or by calling the team, residents will be able to gain access to full smoking support with an appointment with a Health Trainer.

    Or alternatively, residents can access the Swap 2 Stop Vape offer, which is a free, 4 week vape starter kit that will be posted out to them.

    Cllr Lucy Steels-Walshaw, Executive Member for Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care, said:

    “Stopping smoking completely and for good is one of the best things you can do for your health and wellbeing.

    “It lowers your risk of getting cancer and other illnesses, saves you money and stops the harm caused to those around you from passive smoke.

    “Stopping smoking at any age can lengthen and improve your quality of life, even if you have a smoking-related illness. Stopping smoking is difficult, but by switching to vaping with the help of our Health Trainers, it can help you quit smoking forever.”

    Peter Roderick, Director of Public Health, at City of York Council, said:

    “Swap2Stop is about encouraging smokers to make the switch to vapes.

    “One of the reasons we’re supporting this national scheme is that smoking is the single biggest cause of cancer. It causes more than 16 different types of cancer. There’s also great savings to be made and if you smoke 20 a day, you could save around £2,500 a year.

    “As the director of public health, I’m very clear that this scheme is for over 18 year olds and that we need to protect young people from using vapes. This scheme is about helping people quit smoking and they’re not for teenagers or young people. Through schools, we’re offering lots of help and support to help teens quit vaping.”

    Kevin Spencer gave up smoking after 50 years by switching to vapes, with the support of health trainer Fiona Lambeth.

    At his first appointment, Fiona explained the effect smoking was having on his body, and he did a simple breath test that showed the amount of carbon monoxide in his blood. She then talked through the different nicotine therapy options on offer.

    Kevin said:

    She gave me the option of using them all, and I used the patch for a couple of days, but the vape is the one I’ve taken to, it’s really good. 

    “I received all the equipment on the Saturday morning, and by Saturday dinner time I’d stopped smoking! I’ve never looked back and never had a cigarette since.

    “Fiona was absolutely fantastic, she was understanding, she knew exactly what was needed, she kept in touch to ask how I was doing – it’s a brilliant service.”

    There’s also a whole host of support and advice for people thinking about quitting smoking for good, including step-by-step videos to help them on their quitting journey. Or for more help, call 01904 553377 today!

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New film highlights the dangers of school gate parking

    Source: City of Leeds

    School pupils across Leeds are asking parents, carers and the wider community to rethink their travel habits on the school run, with the help of a new short film. 

    The film, created by Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, features dashcam footage from a fire engine cockpit navigating streets outside four Leeds schools during pick-up time. In the footage, parked vehicles clog the roads, highlighting the challenges that emergency services can face when attending incidents at drop-off and pick-up times. 

    To watch the film, visit: Dangerous parking puts lives at risk (youtube.com) 

    Parking on pavements, grass verges and narrow roads not only causes congestion but also obstructs access for other road users and blocks public footpaths. This can force pedestrians and vulnerable road users into the road, increasing the risk of collisions. 

    Former Children’s Mayor Mohammed, narrates the film, giving voice to the concerns of young people across Leeds who want to travel safely and sustainably to and from school. The message to parents and carers is clear: choose walking, cycling and wheeling when you can, park further from school gates and drive to school less often to create safer spaces for everyone.  

    Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s deputy leader and executive member for economy, transport, and sustainable development, said: 

    “It’s great to see the emergency services working with our safe and sustainable travel team to raise awareness of issues around dangerous and inconsiderate parking at pick-up and drop-off times at schools in Leeds. 
     
    “We want Leeds to be the best city for all young people to grow up in and ensuring a safer journey to school is a key part of that.  
     
    “If we encourage parents and carers to choose walking, cycling or wheeling, or to park further away from school gates, we can help improve road safety in local communities and create a better environment for families to travel safely and sustainably to and from school.” 

    Safe roads is one of five themes underpinning Vision Zero, the council’s ambition to eliminate serious and fatal road injuries in Leeds by 2040. Leeds now has 17 School Streets in operation to restrict vehicle traffic on the streets outside schools and make it easier and safer for families to choose walking, cycling and wheeling as their mode of transport.  

    Last year, 28,955 school children across Leeds participated in 596 sessions that the council’s road safety trainers delivered to promote safe and sustainable travel. Where possible, the council is delivering schemes and initiatives, like School Streets and parking campaigns to improve the local environment to enable children to use the skills they learn. 

    To achieve Vision Zero everyone needs to play their part. Walking, cycling or wheeling to school, or parking further away and walking in can make the environment around schools safer for everyone. Pledge to show your dedication to eliminate road deaths here.   

    To watch the film, visit: Dangerous parking puts lives at risk (youtube.com) 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cemetery users are being advised to expect some minor disruption in the coming days while repair wor

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Cemetery users are being advised to expect some minor disruption in the coming days while repair wor

    22 October 2024

    Cemetery users are being advised to expect some minor disruption in the coming days while repair work is carried out on the City Cemetery lower main trunk route.
    Work on the road, which begins at the Gate Lodge on the Lone Moor entrance of the cemetery is scheduled to take place from Thursday October 24th and be completed on Tuesday October 29th.
    Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council welcomed the commencement of work and thanked the public in advance for their cooperation.
    “I am pleased that these essential repairs are taking place to ensure this main route into the cemetery is safe for motorists and pedestrians,” she said.
    “During the works there will be some diversions in place within the cemetery and road users are asked to follow the signage to keep disruption to a minimum.
    “We appreciate the public’s cooperation and look forward to the repaired road reopening.”
    For updates on cemetery services and opening hours visit derrystrabane.com/cemeteries

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Proposing to create a UK Airspace Design Service

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Announcing a consultation on the creation of a new UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS).

    This was published under the 2022 Truss Conservative government
    Location:
    House of Commons
    Delivered on:

    Today, the Department for Transport (DfT) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are launching a consultation proposing the creation of a new UK Airspace Design Service (UKADS) that would act as a single guiding mind for modernising the design of UK airspace.

    The consultation demonstrates the government’s commitment to delivering holistic and modernised UK airspace as part of the CAA’s Airspace Modernisation Strategy (AMS). The AMS vision is to provide quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys and more capacity for the benefit of those who use and are affected by UK airspace.

    Modernisation will help meet the needs of passengers, businesses and the wider economy while bringing environmental improvements that contribute towards the aviation sector achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

    UK airspace is an invisible but vital piece of our national infrastructure. Using an ageing network of ground navigation beacons, its design has remained largely unchanged since the 1950s when there were fewer than 1 million flights per year in UK airspace. This compares with 2.5 million flights in 2019 and projections of 3 million annually by 2030 (NATS (En Route) plc forecast traffic growth estimates (2026 to 2040)). In many cases, today’s aircraft still use the same outdated routes flying further than necessary at sub-optimal altitudes and speeds because the routes rely on the location of the ground navigation beacons, instead of following shorter, more efficient flight paths.

    Doing nothing is not an option. If UK airspace is not modernised, NATS (En Route) plc (NERL), the UK’s licensed provider of en route air traffic control services, estimates that by 2040, delays at a national level may increase by more than 200%, which would result in one in 5 flights experiencing disruption of more than 45 minutes (airspace change masterplan iteration 2, CAP2312b, ACOG (2022)).

    Modernised airspace will make it easier for aircraft to fly more direct routes, with better climb and descent profiles to and from energy-efficient cruising altitudes to help reduce CO2 emissions. It will also ensure that future technologies such as remotely piloted aircraft systems can operate beyond visual line of sight in the UK in a safe and efficient manner.

    The current model for airspace change requires airports and air traffic control providers to develop their own airspace designs individually. Coordinating these changes creates significant challenges, particularly for the airports in and around the complex London area where airspace designs overlap.

    The consultation proposes creating a new single guiding mind on future airspace design, to deliver much-needed modernisation at scale and at pace. This will help to instil confidence among stakeholders in the delivery of airspace changes that will facilitate overall reductions in carbon emissions, noise and delays.

    The consultation seeks views on the overall concept of a UKADS, including its responsibilities, governance and funding. Views from stakeholders will be critical to the next phase of work and we welcome responses from all interested parties.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Strategic plan for long-term energy infrastructure

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Strategic spatial plan to provide a blueprint for Great Britain’s energy infrastructure

    Strategic spatial plan commissioned for energy infrastructure

    • new plan to provide a blueprint for Great Britain’s energy infrastructure out to 2050, providing stability for investors
    • more strategic approach will help cut grid connection waiting times, reducing overall system costs and accelerating the government’s clean energy superpower mission
    • UK, Scottish and Welsh energy ministers commission National Energy System Operator (NESO) to produce first ever spatial plan for energy in 2026

    The location for new energy infrastructure will be set out in a strategic plan to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and accelerate the government’s clean energy superpower mission.

    Taking this more strategic approach will provide much-needed long-term certainty and stability for investors and accelerate the growth of the UK’s clean energy industries, creating more jobs and improving lives in communities across the UK.

    Building on work to deliver clean power by 2030, energy ministers in the Scottish, Welsh, and UK governments have asked the newly formed National Energy System Operator (NESO) to produce the first ever strategic spatial plan for energy out to 2050, across land and sea in Great Britain. Planning of energy infrastructure in this way will help cut grid connection waiting times, giving investors confidence on where to build and when.

    The publicly owned body will look at how to best spread new energy projects across the country in a way that takes into account other sectors, such as transport and water supply, as well as the environment. This wide-angle lens will speed up project delivery and reduce overall system costs, which could in turn bring down bills for consumers.

    The first iteration of the plan will be published in 2026 and will focus on electricity generation and storage, including hydrogen assets, from offshore wind farms to pumped storage hydro.

    Minister for Energy Michael Shanks said:

    To help drive growth and investment in our clean energy future, we need to provide investors with the long-term certainty and stability that they have been crying out for.

    That’s why we need a more strategic approach to our energy system, ensuring we can quickly scale up investment in the right infrastructure where we need it, to keep costs down and speed up our transition to clean power.

    Delivering the country’s first ever spatial plan will be a major milestone for our new public energy body.

    Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said:

    We welcome this strategic approach to the energy system, which should reduce overall costs and bring certainty to communities.

    In Wales we have been developing plans to meet our energy needs at the local, regional and national level for some years and look forward to working collaboratively with the NESO and others to feed into these UK-wide plans. Getting this right will help ensure we deliver the best possible outcomes for our communities and our industries through the considered development of the clean energy they will need to power them.

    Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, Gillian Martin MSP, said:

    I am committed to working collaboratively with other governments where it can accelerate progress towards Scotland’s economic and net zero targets.  

    Key to the plan’s success will be ensuring that investor confidence is maintained throughout.

    It is also vital that it takes into account the nature of devolved policies and ambitions, delivers real benefits for the people and communities of Scotland and supports our ongoing efforts for a just transition.

    I look forward to working with the UK and Welsh governments on the plan as it develops.

    Kayte O’Neill, Chief Operating Officer, NESO said:

    We are delighted to receive this formal commission as NESO to develop this plan and bring together our expertise and that of our partners to develop this critical blueprint for Great Britain’s energy system of the future. 

    By setting out pathway options, engaging across government, the regulator, wider industry, interested parties and with communities as well as exploring the needs at a more zonal and regional level we can then identify where and what type of electricity and storage technologies we need to meet our future demand and decarbonisation ambitions.

    Alistair Phillips-Davies, Chief Executive, SSE: 

    As one of the largest investors in clean power in the UK we are very supportive of the strategic spatial energy plan. Having long-term stability through spatial plans and policy mechanisms will be critical to unlocking billions of pounds of investment across the country, supporting good jobs and building a homegrown energy system that is cleaner, more affordable and secure.

    CEO of Ofgem, Jonathan Brearley, said: 

    I warmly welcome and strongly support this commission to create the first national energy blueprint for Britain’s future energy system.

    It will be a real gamechanger in unlocking growth and investment, accelerating new infrastructure build, and speeding up innovation and technology. It will be a big stepping stone in delivering government’s mission to provide clean power by 2030 and accelerate the transition to net zero.  

    Ofgem will work closely alongside the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments, as well as NESO, to protect consumers and to deliver clean power at the lowest possible cost.

    NESO will develop several options for how the energy system could look in the future which will be presented to ministers. The chosen option will be taken forward to public consultation alongside detailed environmental assessments.

    Notes to editors

    Minister Shanks is today launching the SSEP at an event in parliament.

    NESO will publish its consultation on methodology later this year, and deliver the plan in 2026.

    See the SSEP letter and commission

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Flagship Government export initiative to be sponsored by Santander UK

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Santander UK has committed to a three-year sponsorship of a programme of Department for Business and Trade (DBT) events.

    Santander UK has committed to a three-year sponsorship of a programme of Department for Business and Trade (DBT) events, which will help UK businesses of all sizes realise the opportunities presented by global trade.

    The sponsorship will cover DBT’s flagship annual export initiative, International Trade Week, taking place from 11th to 15th November 2024, as well as the UK Export Academy and a number of international trade shows.

    Now in its fourth year, International Trade Week is a collaboration between DBT and industry featuring a variety of free activities such as masterclasses, workshops and webinars. It’s aimed at all UK businesses, whether they are looking to secure their first export contract or expand their existing international sales.
    Themes running through the week this year include digital trade, selling to Europe and exporting for the first time, although events will cover a wide range of topics. Attendees will be able to develop their exporting knowledge and skills, hear from international-trade experts and learn about the support on offer from DBT and its partners, including Santander UK.

    DBT and Santander UK share a common goal; to help UK SMEs grow through exports. This partnership demonstrates that both organisations are working hand in hand to that end.

    John Carroll, Head of International and Transactional Banking, Santander UK, said:

    “It’s an exciting time to be a UK business looking to expand globally, but it’s not without its challenges. Our Trade Barometer research shows that businesses are calling out for more support from government and the private sector, and we’re pleased to be working with DBT to play our part in helping businesses turn their international dreams into a reality.

    “Through our local connections, international teams and digital international trade platform, Santander Navigator, we’ve already helped over 1,500 companies grow internationally since 2019.  We are thrilled to be supporting International Trade Week as part of the launch of a multi-year partnership, enabling us to make a difference to the UK’s economic growth by supporting even more UK businesses in taking their next step on their export journeys.”

    Gareth Thomas, Minister for Exports, said:

    “When businesses export, they hire more staff and increase wages which all helps to grow the economy. That’s why we’re working with businesses of all sizes to cut trade barriers and open new routes to market.

    “Santander’s three-year backing of our International Trade Week is a strong endorsement of the UK’s trade and investment strategy, as we work together to get more small businesses growing and exporting around the world.”

    Businesses can register for International Trade Week at: great.gov.uk/campaign-site/itw.

    Updates to this page

    Published 22 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Polytechnic students are winners of the competition for St. Petersburg government awards

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    The Diploma Project Commission summed up the results of the competition for the St. Petersburg Government Prize. For the implementation of diploma projects in the 2023/2024 academic year, 33 executive bodies of state power offered students 116 topics for work. 72 people won the competition, seven of whom are SPbPU students. All of them represent the Institute of Industrial Management, Economics and Trade.

    1. Maria Gorshenina, graduate of the Master’s program at the Higher School of Industrial Management, Energy Management program, scientific supervisor: Associate Professor at the Higher School of Industrial Management Inga Skvortsova.

    Project “Analysis and ranking of factors promoting and hindering the introduction of renewable energy sources in the engineering and energy complex of St. Petersburg”. The aim of the study was to improve the elaboration of the scientific base for assessing the feasibility of introducing renewable energy sources into a specific regional energy system by identifying and analyzing key factors that form the environment within which the operation of renewable energy sources is planned in the region.

    To be honest, this work is a story of constant improvements and refinements, as I always wanted to improve my project. The result was worth it: victory in the St. Petersburg government diploma project competition, second place in the TGK-1 competition and, most importantly, my own satisfaction with the work done, Maria shared her impressions.

    2. Leonid Alkhimovich, a graduate of the bachelor’s degree program of the Higher School of Industrial Management, international educational program “International Business”, scientific supervisor: associate professor of the Higher School of Industrial Management Ksenia Kikkas.

    The topic of the thesis is “Corporate training – gamification as a basis for effective interaction in the work process”. The choice of the topic is associated with the rapid development of technologies in the field of corporate training, digital methods of professional development and increasing employee engagement. One of the most common tools in this area is gamification.

    3. Evelina Polushkina, Bachelor of the Higher School of Administrative Management in the direction of “State and Municipal Administration”. The project “The Impact of Digitalization on the Process of State Support for Business” was developed under the supervision of HSAM Associate Professor Maxim Ivanov. During the final qualifying work, recommendations were developed for improving the provision of state support by changing the internal processes for ensuring the operation of digital services, as well as creating directions for their popularization among small and medium-sized businesses.

    Participation in the competition was a very useful and necessary experience for me. I positively evaluate the experience of communication with the executive bodies of St. Petersburg in the person of civil servants, who promptly provided the necessary information and statistics on my topic. I believe that the topic of state support for business is relevant at the moment, so I am glad that the city authorities are actively involved in its implementation and are constantly developing this industry, including with the help of digital technologies, – Evelina noted.

    4. Elizaveta Parkhomchuk, Master of the Higher School of Administrative Management in the direction of “State and Municipal Administration”. Under the supervision of HSAM Associate Professor Tamara Selentyeva, she completed the work “Development of projects for methodological assistance in supporting small and medium-sized businesses in the executive bodies of state power”, which is aimed at creating recommendations for executive bodies of state power to improve the process of providing assistance and support to small and medium-sized businesses. This work was done jointly with specialists from the Center for Development and Support of Entrepreneurship of St. Petersburg.

    5. Mikhail Kiryushatov, a graduate of the bachelor’s degree program at the Higher School of Service and Trade, majoring in “Trade Business”, scientific supervisor: associate professor at the Higher School of Service and Trade Irina Kapustina. The project was called “Analysis of the possibilities of expanding economic cooperation between St. Petersburg and cities of ASEAN countries in modern conditions.”

    The most memorable events were the off-site events in which the External Relations Committee took part. The first of these was the XXIII International Forum “Ecology of the Big City”, where a student of the Higher School of Social and Technical Studies accompanied a delegation from Myanmar headed by the Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Min Tu, and also carried out communication at a meeting with Russian partners in the field of geology, Mikhail shared.

    6. Ksenia Fisun, a graduate of the bachelor’s degree program at the Higher School of Service and Trade, majoring in “Trade Business”, scientific supervisor: Associate Professor of the Higher School of Service and Trade Vladimir Bakharev. Her project was called “Trends and Factors Influencing the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in St. Petersburg”.

    Participation in the project was a very interesting experience for me! Thanks to it, I got acquainted with the activities of government agencies from the inside, and also learned more about the sphere of small and medium entrepreneurship in our city. I am grateful to the Polytechnic University and the government of St. Petersburg for the opportunity to participate in such a project! – shared Ksenia.

    7. Karina Allahverdiyeva, graduate of the Master’s program of the Higher School of Service and Trade, the program “Quality Management at the Enterprise” under the supervision of Associate Professor of the Higher School of Service and Trade Boris Lyamin. The project work on the topic “Monitoring of food products based on the KPPIT as a promising form of quality control and product safety” consisted of identifying discrepancies in the food product monitoring process, assessing the quality control process of samples, developing recommendations for improving and optimizing the food product monitoring process in the testing laboratory of the IL “PETEKS”. It is worth noting that the results of the project work were agreed upon, approved and applied by the head of the testing laboratory.

    The winners will be awarded in November during the St. Petersburg International Scientific and Educational Salon, the city’s largest event aimed at demonstrating educational, scientific research and innovation activities.

    According to statistics, most of the winners of this competition are employed in city administrative structures. It is also worth noting that this year the prize amount has been increased from 16 thousand rubles to 30 thousand rubles for each winner.

    I am proud of our students! IPMET regularly participates and annually remains among the leaders in the number of winners. And this year is a particularly significant event for the entire institute – seven winners from the Polytechnic University and all IPMET students! Your achievements are the result of hard work, creativity and commitment to high quality work. I wish you further success in your professional activities, may your victories continue to delight us with new achievements, – shared the director of IPMET Vladimir Shchepinin.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Cameroon after Paul Biya: poverty, uncertainty and a precarious succession battle

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By David E Kiwuwa, Associate Professor of International Studies, University of Nottingham

    Cameroon’s President Paul Biya is 91 years old. He is Africa’s oldest head of state and only one has served longer: President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of neighbouring Equatorial Guinea, who is 82 years old.

    Biya has been Cameroon’s president since 1982. Prior to that, he was prime minister from 1975.

    In recent weeks there has been growing speculation about the nonagenarian’s health. Some rumours even suggested that he had died. This led the Cameroonian government to issue a statement banning all reports about his health.

    These cycles of rumour have recurred whenever Biya has “gone missing” for extended periods of time. Before he arrived at Yaoundé’s international airport on 21 October, Biya was last seen in public on 8 September, when he attended a China-Africa forum in Beijing.

    Cameroon has known only two presidents since independence. For 60% of the country’s youth population, Biya is the only president they have known.

    Read more: Paul Biya has been Cameroon’s president for 40 years – and he might win office yet again

    The country finds itself in a precarious situation, uncertain about what will happen after Biya, who has ruled with an iron fist.

    Long term incumbencies don’t usually end well. Examples across the continent illustrate the high potential for political instability. The most vivid cases include Libya, Tunisia, Sudan, Gabon, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    For me as an associate professor of international studies and researcher of regime transformation in Africa, Cameroon holds specific interest because of its regime resilience over the decades, when many in the region haven’t fared as well.

    My view is that Cameroon will, sooner rather than later, hit an inflection point post-Biya. Cameroon lacks strong constitutional guard rails, so succession is bound to be a very messy affair.

    Second, due to years of nepotism and tribalism institutionalised by Biya, there will be heightened potential for regional and ethnic tensions or conflict – even a general breakdown of law and order.

    Lastly, the military establishment could well make a move in the name of safeguarding the republic in times of uncertainty.

    The legacy

    Cameroon is endowed with abundant resources, including oil, gas and timber. It is also strategically located at a crossroads between west and central Africa on the Atlantic coast, an entry point to landlocked inner regions.

    Yet, according to the World Food Programme, over 55% of Cameroonians live in poverty and 37.7% are severely impoverished.

    The country’s infrastructure is in poor shape. While the Douala port has been modernised and railway regional linkages such as the Douala-Yaoundé lines have been expanded, road and railway infrastructure are barely functional.

    According to Transparency International, corruption is endemic in Cameroon. The country ranks 140th out of 180. This is despite official efforts to do something about it.

    In 1982 Biya capitalised on the anti-corruption sentiment that had been directed at the Amadou Ahidjo regime. Biya promised an anti-corruption “new deal”. Despite initial progress, by the early 1990s Cameroon was topping the world’s corruption tables.

    Critics suggest that Biya has also used his anti-corruption drive to keep his potential competitors in check.

    Nepotism and tribalism continue as Biya has established a patron-client state system. For example, the Beti people, who are the president’s ethnic kin, are reported to take up a disproportionate slice of senior positions in government and the military. Yet they account for a small percentage of the population.

    This has bred a kleptocratic system matched only by widespread communal resentment.

    Read more: Cameroon: how language plunged a country into deadly conflict with no end in sight

    There are other deep fissures in Cameroonian society. Socially, the country became a federated entity at independence in 1960. Two language groups – French and English speaking – came together for a United Republic of Cameroon.

    For a while this unity held. But increasing disenchantment with Biya’s regime, especially the marginalisation of the Anglophone south-west, developed into a rebellion in 2016. Thousands of people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced. It has also resulted in an increased crackdown by the central authority.

    Today, Cameroon is a fractured society with the south-west calling for increased autonomy and language justice and even self-determination. The creation of the Commission of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism and designating special status to the rebellious regions has done little to quell the crisis.

    Regional role

    Regionally, Cameroon has been a key partner for the US and France through tackling Boko Haram in the region. The country has been directly affected by the attacks of this Islamist group, which originated in Nigeria and has extended its reign of terror across the region.

    The anti-terror campaign has seen a close US-France-Cameroon relationship with military and intelligence strategic cooperation.

    Equally Biya can be lauded for having peacefully settled the Bakassi peninsula crisis with Nigeria, a territorial border dispute, thereby averting regional instability.

    There are not yet obvious signs that, after Biya, the Franco-Cameroon relationship would come under strain similar to other scenarios in the region.

    France has built a steady political and economic relationship with Cameroon, investing heavily in the region, providing political cover to the regime and entering into a defence pact.

    This relationship has also benefited many a political and military elite. Barring any monumental development, it is bound to be sustained in the post-Biya era.

    Read more: Cameroon spends 90% of Chinese development loans on its French region: this could deepen the country’s divisions

    Fractured political landscape

    Biya’s longevity at the helm of Cameroon politics is testament to his ability to mobilise all state resources, power and constitutional levers for his lifetime presidency. He has outmanoeuvred all political competitors.

    This has enabled him to avoid the fate of neighbouring countries such as Central African Republic, Niger, Chad and Gabon, where governments have been overthrown by military coups.

    In 1992 Biya agreed to a multiparty dispensation. But since then, he has engineered removal of term limits and he is on his seventh term of office.

    But in the evening of his years, and in the absence of a designated successor or an elite pact, there is a real possibility that various factions of the Biya regime such as that of Frank Biya, Ngoh Ngoh, Laurent Esso or even the military will jostle and fight for power.

    Without a political culture of constitutional constraint, instability seems inevitable. And the south-west rebellion might escalate its military and political pressure for better leverage with whoever comes to power post-Biya.

    Whether the next political leadership will be able to set a transformative agenda for socio-political reconciliation and national renewal will be dictated by their ability to strike a grand compromise.

    – Cameroon after Paul Biya: poverty, uncertainty and a precarious succession battle
    – https://theconversation.com/cameroon-after-paul-biya-poverty-uncertainty-and-a-precarious-succession-battle-241312

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cameroon after Paul Biya: poverty, uncertainty and a precarious succession battle

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By David E Kiwuwa, Associate Professor of International Studies, University of Nottingham

    Cameroon’s President Paul Biya is 91 years old. He is Africa’s oldest head of state and only one has served longer: President Teodoro Obiang Nguema of neighbouring Equatorial Guinea, who is 82 years old.

    Biya has been Cameroon’s president since 1982. Prior to that, he was prime minister from 1975.

    In recent weeks there has been growing speculation about the nonagenarian’s health. Some rumours even suggested that he had died. This led the Cameroonian government to issue a statement banning all reports about his health.

    These cycles of rumour have recurred whenever Biya has “gone missing” for extended periods of time. Before he arrived at Yaoundé’s international airport on 21 October, Biya was last seen in public on 8 September, when he attended a China-Africa forum in Beijing.

    Cameroon has known only two presidents since independence. For 60% of the country’s youth population, Biya is the only president they have known.



    Read more:
    Paul Biya has been Cameroon’s president for 40 years – and he might win office yet again

    The country finds itself in a precarious situation, uncertain about what will happen after Biya, who has ruled with an iron fist.

    Long term incumbencies don’t usually end well. Examples across the continent illustrate the high potential for political instability. The most vivid cases include Libya, Tunisia, Sudan, Gabon, Chad and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

    For me as an associate professor of international studies and researcher of regime transformation in Africa, Cameroon holds specific interest because of its regime resilience over the decades, when many in the region haven’t fared as well.

    My view is that Cameroon will, sooner rather than later, hit an inflection point post-Biya. Cameroon lacks strong constitutional guard rails, so succession is bound to be a very messy affair.

    Second, due to years of nepotism and tribalism institutionalised by Biya, there will be heightened potential for regional and ethnic tensions or conflict – even a general breakdown of law and order.

    Lastly, the military establishment could well make a move in the name of safeguarding the republic in times of uncertainty.

    The legacy

    Cameroon is endowed with abundant resources, including oil, gas and timber. It is also strategically located at a crossroads between west and central Africa on the Atlantic coast, an entry point to landlocked inner regions.

    Yet, according to the World Food Programme, over 55% of Cameroonians live in poverty and 37.7% are severely impoverished.

    The country’s infrastructure is in poor shape. While the Douala port has been modernised and railway regional linkages such as the Douala-Yaoundé lines have been expanded, road and railway infrastructure are barely functional.

    According to Transparency International, corruption is endemic in Cameroon. The country ranks 140th out of 180. This is despite official efforts to do something about it.

    In 1982 Biya capitalised on the anti-corruption sentiment that had been directed at the Amadou Ahidjo regime. Biya promised an anti-corruption “new deal”. Despite initial progress, by the early 1990s Cameroon was topping the world’s corruption tables.

    Critics suggest that Biya has also used his anti-corruption drive to keep his potential competitors in check.

    Nepotism and tribalism continue as Biya has established a patron-client state system. For example, the Beti people, who are the president’s ethnic kin, are reported to take up a disproportionate slice of senior positions in government and the military. Yet they account for a small percentage of the population.

    This has bred a kleptocratic system matched only by widespread communal resentment.



    Read more:
    Cameroon: how language plunged a country into deadly conflict with no end in sight

    There are other deep fissures in Cameroonian society. Socially, the country became a federated entity at independence in 1960. Two language groups – French and English speaking – came together for a United Republic of Cameroon.

    For a while this unity held. But increasing disenchantment with Biya’s regime, especially the marginalisation of the Anglophone south-west, developed into a rebellion in 2016. Thousands of people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced. It has also resulted in an increased crackdown by the central authority.

    Today, Cameroon is a fractured society with the south-west calling for increased autonomy and language justice and even self-determination. The creation of the Commission of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism and designating special status to the rebellious regions has done little to quell the crisis.

    Regional role

    Regionally, Cameroon has been a key partner for the US and France through tackling Boko Haram in the region. The country has been directly affected by the attacks of this Islamist group, which originated in Nigeria and has extended its reign of terror across the region.

    The anti-terror campaign has seen a close US-France-Cameroon relationship with military and intelligence strategic cooperation.

    Equally Biya can be lauded for having peacefully settled the Bakassi peninsula crisis with Nigeria, a territorial border dispute, thereby averting regional instability.

    There are not yet obvious signs that, after Biya, the Franco-Cameroon relationship would come under strain similar to other scenarios in the region.

    France has built a steady political and economic relationship with Cameroon, investing heavily in the region, providing political cover to the regime and entering into a defence pact.

    This relationship has also benefited many a political and military elite. Barring any monumental development, it is bound to be sustained in the post-Biya era.



    Read more:
    Cameroon spends 90% of Chinese development loans on its French region: this could deepen the country’s divisions

    Fractured political landscape

    Biya’s longevity at the helm of Cameroon politics is testament to his ability to mobilise all state resources, power and constitutional levers for his lifetime presidency. He has outmanoeuvred all political competitors.

    This has enabled him to avoid the fate of neighbouring countries such as Central African Republic, Niger, Chad and Gabon, where governments have been overthrown by military coups.

    In 1992 Biya agreed to a multiparty dispensation. But since then, he has engineered removal of term limits and he is on his seventh term of office.

    But in the evening of his years, and in the absence of a designated successor or an elite pact, there is a real possibility that various factions of the Biya regime such as that of Frank Biya, Ngoh Ngoh, Laurent Esso or even the military will jostle and fight for power.

    Without a political culture of constitutional constraint, instability seems inevitable. And the south-west rebellion might escalate its military and political pressure for better leverage with whoever comes to power post-Biya.

    Whether the next political leadership will be able to set a transformative agenda for socio-political reconciliation and national renewal will be dictated by their ability to strike a grand compromise.

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

    – ref. Cameroon after Paul Biya: poverty, uncertainty and a precarious succession battle – https://theconversation.com/cameroon-after-paul-biya-poverty-uncertainty-and-a-precarious-succession-battle-241312

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – 10 actions to strengthen national climate commitments – IPU

    Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

    Geneva, Switzerland. Tuesday 22 October 2024 – The IPU has released a new guide to help parliaments and parliamentarians enhance their oversight of national climate commitments, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

    This guide is essential for ensuring that countries meet their obligations under the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C.

    With the 2025 deadline for NDC submission fast approaching, the guide highlights a critical window of opportunity for parliaments to shape their countries’ climate futures.

    The guide provides detailed background information about NDCs and outlines 10 practical actions that parliaments can take to strengthen their oversight practices.

    These actions include ensuring a consultative and inclusive approach to developing the commitments, aligning NDCs with national policies, monitoring alignment with international commitments, strengthening legal and institutional frameworks, securing sufficient funding, and tracking and reporting on progress.

    The new guide is a sister product to the IPU’s 10 actions for greener parliaments (and those who work in them) published last year and designed to encourage parliaments to reduce their carbon footprint.

    Both guides are part of the IPU’s climate campaign Parliaments for the Planet which aims to mobilize parliaments to accelerate action on the climate emergency.

    Quotes

    IPU Secretary General, Martin Chungong said: “With last year shattering heat records and 2024 poised to be even hotter, it’s critical that parliaments push their governments to ramp up their climate ambitions. Parliaments are pivotal in transforming these pledges into robust policies backed by solid budgets and ensuring governments are held accountable for their promises.”

    The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded more than 130 years ago as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments develop into stronger, younger, greener, more gender-balanced and more innovative institutions. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –