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  • MIL-OSI Global: Lebanon: assassinating sectarian leaders has always led to instability – this time will be no different

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mohamad El Kari, PhD Candidate in the Department of War Studies, King’s College London

    Aleksey Klints / Shutterstock

    The assassination of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in September sent shock waves through the Middle East and beyond. Nasrallah had evolved into the very embodiment of Hezbollah over his 32 years in charge, and had established himself as a key figure in Iran’s so-called axis of resistance.

    At the height of his influence, Nasrallah was so widely admired from North Africa to Iran that shops sold DVDs of his speeches, cars were embellished with his image, and many Lebanese even used his quotes as ringtones.

    He is not the first sectarian leader to have been assassinated in Lebanon. And on each occasion the killings have intensified sectarian tensions in the country and have jeopardised social stability. The impact of Nasrallah’s death will, in my opinion, probably be no different.

    His killing could destabilise the fragile balance of power in the country. And it could also trigger a reshuffling of political alliances within Lebanon’s complex sectarian power-sharing framework that was established in 1990 after the end of the civil war.

    In 1977, the leftist leader of the Druze community, Kamal Jumblatt, was assassinated by two unidentified gunmen in his stronghold in the Shouf mountains of central Lebanon. Many of his followers believed they knew who was responsible, and channelled their anger toward Lebanon’s Christian community.

    Security officials reported that more than 250 Christians were killed in revenge, many brutally, with their throats cut by Druze assailants. At least 7,000 Christians fled their villages after the killings, with around 700 of them travelling to the presidential palace in Baabda, a suburb of Beirut, to request government protection.

    This spell of fighting marked a significant escalation of sectarian violence during the civil war, and resulted in a persistent cycle of retaliation, deepening division and entrenched sectarian identities.

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    Then, in June 1982, a powerful bomb explosion killed Lebanon’s Maronite Christian president, Bashir Gemayel. The assassination was carried out by two members of the Syrian Social Nationalist party, reportedly under orders from Syria’s then president, Hafez al-Assad.

    The next day, Israeli troops entered west Beirut in support of the Phalange, a Lebanese Christian militia that blamed the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) for Gemayel’s death. Israel had earlier that month launched a massive invasion of Lebanon to destroy the PLO, which had been carrying out attacks on Israel from southern Lebanon.

    Knowing that the Phalangists sought revenge for Gemayel’s death, Israeli forces allowed them to enter the Shatila refugee camp and the adjacent Sabra neighbourhood in Beirut and carry out a massacre a few months later. Lebanese Christian militiamen, in coordination with the Israeli army, killed between 2,000 and 3,500 Palestinian refugees and Muslim Lebanese civilians in just two days.

    Scores of witness and survivor accounts say women were routinely raped, and some victims were buried alive or shot in front of their families. Women and children were crammed into trucks and taken to unknown destinations. These people were never seen again.

    Following the end of Lebanon’s civil war, there was a period of relative stability as a delicate balance of power was established between Lebanese sects. But a car bomb in downtown Beirut in 2005 killed the country’s former prime minister, Rafic Hariri, and again altered the dynamics of sectarian rivalry in Lebanon.

    Lebanon lost one of its central figures, while fury over Syria’s alleged involvement in Hariri’s murder raised international pressure on Syria to end its 29-year occupation. The withdrawal diminished Syria’s influence as the primary mediator in the country, and the underlying tension between the two main sectarian groups vying for power, the Sunnis and Shia, surfaced abruptly.

    Lebanon experienced 18 months of political deadlock and protests, with Hezbollah and its allies pushing for a veto power in the government. Hostilities intensified and violence became a constant threat.

    Then, in May 2008, the Lebanese government attempted to remove a Hezbollah-aligned security officer and investigate the organisation’s private communications network. This ignited fierce clashes between supporters of the government and the Hezbollah-led opposition.

    Hezbollah and its allies occupied west Beirut and at least 71 people, including 14 civilians, were killed over the following fortnight.

    Hezbollah steadily expanded and enhanced its military capabilities over the next ten years. And it also emerged as a powerful regional player by joining Iran and Russia in supporting Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the Syrian civil war.

    The organisation assumed an increasingly central role in Lebanese politics, and secured a majority of seats in the 2018 parliamentary elections.

    What happens now?

    Lebanon’s modern history is rife with conflict. The assassination of Nasrallah marks the latest in a series of bloody milestones that have served as sharp turning points – and even transformational moments – in Lebanon’s sectarian politics.

    Christian and Sunni factions in Lebanon have for years viewed Hezbollah as effectively commandeering the state, leveraging its powerful military wing and Iranian backing. With Hezbollah now visibly weakened in the absence of its powerful and charismatic leader, this longstanding power dynamic may be set for a shift.

    There are signs that divisions are already deepening. Videos from Tripoli, a predominantly Sunni city in northern Lebanon, show residents dancing in the streets in celebration of Nasrallah’s death. Other videos show people removing Hezbollah stickers from the vehicles of displaced Shias.

    Meanwhile, Hezbollah supporters have pledged retaliation for Nasrallah’s elimination. Lebanon once again finds itself on the verge of fierce sectarian tension and instability.

    This research is carried out as part of the XCEPT programme, which is funded by UK International Development from the UK government. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.

    – ref. Lebanon: assassinating sectarian leaders has always led to instability – this time will be no different – https://theconversation.com/lebanon-assassinating-sectarian-leaders-has-always-led-to-instability-this-time-will-be-no-different-240717

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: A brief history of deadly dolls in horror cinema – from Annabelle to M3gan

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Sandra Mills, Associate researcher, faculty of arts, cultures and education, University of Hull

    From Longlegs (2024) to M3GAN (2022) to Annabelle Comes Home (2019), creepy dolls are eerily at home on the big screen. Their cinematic history can be traced back to The Doll’s Revenge (1907) in which a young boy witnesses his previously destroyed sister’s doll reassemble itself, before tearing him apart and devouring him.

    Over the course of the 20th century, cinematic dolls became more aggressively homicidal and the 1980s saw a significant shift in the killer toy sub-genre of horror cinema. Previously governed by puppets and ventriloquist dummies, as seen in Dead of Night (1945) and Magic (1978), in the eighties, the horror output spotlighted malevolent dolls, as can be seen in Curtains (1983) and Black Devil Doll from Hell (1984).

    It was the latter part of the decade though, specifically the release of Dolls (1987) and Child’s Play (1988), that really won over horror fans.

    Dolls is a somewhat unique film in that the other-worldly dolls it spotlights play the part of both antagonist and hero. The suggestion that these dolls possess a morality – however erroneous that morality may be – adds an additional dimension to the killer doll archetype presented to genre fans so far.

    Indeed, Dolls actively encourages the viewer to favour these murderous dolls over their human victims. The transgressions these mortals commit, including theft and parental neglect, make them seemingly worthy of this unique form of punishment.

    These dolls are not the glossy, mass-produced figures of Child’s Play. Instead they are humans metamorphosed into dolls as penance for their indiscretions. There is an inherent sentimentality to Dolls, echoes of which can be found in Annabelle (2014), Robert (2015) and The Boy (2016).

    Dolls of the 2000s

    Child’s Play was the first instalment in the “living doll” sub-genre’s most prevalent and durable cinematic franchise – Chucky. Charles Lee Ray, nicknamed “Chucky”, is a serial killer who moves his life-force into a doll, and persistently attempts to transfer his soul from the toy to a mortal body.

    The Chucky films span five decades and six direct cinematic sequels alongside a TV series and film reboot. And a new Chucky film is anticipated in 2026.

    In the 2000s, cinema-goers were gripped by haunted house horror, as seen in The Others (2001) and Paranormal Activity (2007) and exorcism horror, as seen in The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) and The Last Exorcism (2010).

    Chucky’s first appeared in Child’s Play (1988).

    The Conjuring (2013) deftly married these two subgenres to produce a purportedly true account of domestic horror that introduced viewers to demonic doll, Annabelle. The doll here exists primarily as a conduit – a haunted object that can manipulate the people and objects around her to do her macabre bidding.

    Annabelle is notable for both her stillness and silence – something of an anomaly in a subgenre that tends to favour a “they walk, they talk, they kill” approach. The doll’s motion is largely limited to occasional subtle movements of the head, and she doesn’t speak throughout the series.

    Instead, Annabelle prefers to occupy others, carrying out her will through unsuspecting hosts and purging the susceptible victims of their own autonomy in the process.

    Annabelle, Chucky and other lesser-known icons of the deadly dolls horror subgenre, typify our enduring cultural fascination with animism (the attribution of life, and on occasion a soul, to an inanimate object) and anthropomorphism (the attribution of human-like characteristics or personality traits to an inanimate object). And more recent films, including M3GAN, are articulating new anxieties surrounding digital surveillance and artificial intelligence.



    Read more:
    M3gan review: an animatronic doll is out to destroy the nuclear family – much to fans’ delight

    The horror of “living” dolls, after all, lies in their uncanny resemblance to something that it is inherently not human. Their faces, whether of porcelain or plastic, mimic our own and so are imbued with an eerily uncanny hue.

    While the fantasy of a treasured toy coming to life may be a bewitching possibility, horror cinema directly threatens that notion as the childhood playthings it portrays become sources of suspicion, trepidation and terror, rather than pleasure.


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

    Sandra Mills 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. A brief history of deadly dolls in horror cinema – from Annabelle to M3gan – https://theconversation.com/a-brief-history-of-deadly-dolls-in-horror-cinema-from-annabelle-to-m3gan-238128

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Moldova votes on whether to join EU as Russia intensifies vast disinformation campaign

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Stefan Wolff, Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham

    Moldova is emerging as a major strategic battleground in a fierce competition between Russia and the west. A Kremlin-backed disinformation campaign has intensified over the last few months, in the run-up to Moldova’s presidential elections.

    One of the key reasons for this is that a referendum on EU membership has been scheduled for the same day, October 20.

    The challenges for this small country, wedged between Ukraine and Romania, are complex. Russia continues to foment instability through its persistent disinformation initiatives, instigation of anti-government protests, and acts of sabotage and vandalism.

    Add to this credible allegations of vote buying, and efforts to call into question the legitimacy of a pro-European election and referendum result, and the situation in Moldova appears highly combustible.

    Moldova gained its independence in 1991 after the fall of the Soviet Union. A brief civil war between the government and separatists in the eastern Transnistria region, supported by remnants of the Soviet army stationed there, ended with the de-facto division of the country.



    Read more:
    Moldova: Russia continues its mischief-making in breakaway Transnistria

    Attempts to settle this conflict have made little progress over the past three decades. And living with an unresolved conflict within its borders has held Moldova back in its development, and contributed to economic problems.

    Voting on EU membership

    Moldova’s incumbent, staunchly pro-western president, Maia Sandu, has tied the EU referendum to her re-election campaign. The referendum could be the country’s best chance to finally break free from its Soviet past.

    If recent polls are accurate, a clear majority of the electorate is likely to vote “yes” on whether they support joining the EU, which would be the first step in a lengthy process.

    Moldova’s president speaks to the European parliament in 2022.

    For many Moldovans, EU membership is associated with better economic development in one of Europe’s poorest countries. The October 10 visit of Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, suggested that the EU could help.

    Von der Leyen did not merely offer political support for Sandu, she also brought with her a financial support package worth €1.8 billion (£1.5 billion) over the next three years to boost economic growth.

    But this vision that the EU can help Moldova’s economy is fiercely contested by Russia and its proxies in Moldova. They exploit the anxiety among a significant number of Moldovans that a vote to join the EU is one that will force the country towards higher inflation, more immigration, politicised anti-corruption measures, mandatory English-language proficiency, and the sale of Moldovan land to foreigners.


    Shutterstock

    Persistent domestic issues such as the economy have been skilfully targeted in a vast Kremlin-backed influencing campaign.

    For a long time, Moldova has suffered from a lack of social, political, institutional and territorial cohesion. The country has significant social divisions between different ethnic and linguistic groups, as well as urban-rural and rich-poor divides.

    Politically, the party system remains highly fractured and increasingly polarised, and lacking common ground over what Moldovan national identity stands for.

    Moldova’s challenges

    Moldova’s territorial disputes also remain challenging. This is most obvious in the pro-Russian Transnistria region and in Gagauzia, but also in ethnically and culturally distinct regions such as Balti and Taraclia.

    These regions will require careful management to prevent a major political and economic crisis in the aftermath of October 20 and beyond. Some of the reforms in the country as part of the integration process, such as EU regulations on competition, subsidies and market access, will have a short-term cost for Moldova. Moldovans who oppose the country’s westward orientation are likely to exploit this in anti-EU narratives.

    So far, Russian destabilisation operations don’t seem to have eroded most Moldovans’ European aspirations. But the mix of blunt disinformation and skilfully capitalising on the cost of living crisis, which has hit Moldova hard as a result of the war against Ukraine, has given Russia and its allies tools to entrench, and in some cases deepen, divisions here.

    The world is watching the US election campaign unfolding. Sign up to join us at a special Conversation event on October 17. Expert panellists will discuss with the audience the upcoming election and its possible fallout.

    Much of the pro-European campaigning has been framed as anti-Russian. But one of the cleverer moves by the pro-Russian movement is to suggest that Moldovans can be both a friend to Moscow and Brussels, and don’t have to choose.

    If a Sandu government is building a pro-European alliance, she will want to grow support from the Russian-speaking part of the population. This will be essential to both counter Russian destabilisation efforts and to build a broader coalition.

    As countries that have joined the EU – from the Baltic to the Balkans – have demonstrated over the past two decades, the EU accession process can help reshape political and economic institutions, and can ultimately help create a more optimistic vision of the future.

    Crucially, this is not something that Russia’s narrative of fear can credibly offer to the majority of Moldovans.

    Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU’s Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

    – ref. Moldova votes on whether to join EU as Russia intensifies vast disinformation campaign – https://theconversation.com/moldova-votes-on-whether-to-join-eu-as-russia-intensifies-vast-disinformation-campaign-240657

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Songwriters have long revealed the ugly side of ‘love’ – from John Lennon to Mariah Carey

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

    For as long as pop music has existed, there have been love songs. And as long as there have been love songs, songwriters have been wrestling with what love means to them. We have been told that love is the best, that it can mend our souls, and keep us alive. But we have also been warned that love is a battlefield upon which we will be torn apart, and eventually killed.

    Sitting somewhere between these mixed messages is what I will call the “ugly love songs” category. These are songs that focus on concepts like control, jealousy and emotional blackmail, all presented (to paraphrase U2) in the name of love. It’s unlikely you’ll ever see ugly love songs popping up as a genre search option on Spotify, but here’s what you might find if it did.

    First, songs with themes of control and possession. In 2020, a group of psychology researchers used the phrase “you belong to me” in the title of a piece of research which focused on male control, dominance and manipulation of women. Yet these words have been sung in over 600 songs, by artists as diverse as Boyz II Men and Slipknot and used as a song title for the likes of Brian Adams, Steve Perry, Elvis Costello, Dean Martin, Suede and Sam Cooke.

    Similarly possessive phrases are also commonplace in lyrics such as “never gonna let you go” (Led Zeppelin, Kiss and Jay Sean) “won’t let you leave” (Nas, Trey Songz and Air Supply) and “won’t let you go” (Daniel Bedingfield, Three Dog Night and Elvis Presley).

    The phrase “you’re mine” (or variations thereof) has also been frequently used, showing up in hundreds of songs. And then there are artists that make possessions of themselves, like Little Mix and Selena Gomez singing “I’m yours” on Secret Love Song and Come and Get It respectively, and Destiny’s Child on Cater 2 U with the vomit-inducing lyrics: “What you wanna eat, boo? Let me feed you / Let me run your bathwater / Baby, I’m yours, I wanna cater to you, boy.” Shudder.

    Cater 2 U by Destiny’s Child.

    Songs about jealousy

    A complex emotion which contains varying levels of anger, sadness, irrationality, fear and resentment, jealousy has found its way into several ugly love songs over the years. The most famous example came courtesy of John Lennon with Jealous Guy (1971), which saw him rework the lyrics of White Album-era Beatles demo Child of Nature into a display of chronic insecurity.

    Lines like “I was feeling insecure / You might not love me anymore” make listeners sympathise with him. But perhaps less so “I began to lose control/ I’m sorry that I made you cry”, which show how hurtful and damaging the emotion can be to the other person in the relationship.

    No One Else by Weezer.

    Elsewhere, alt-rock band Weezer’s song No One Else is described by its songwriter Rivers Cuomo as being “about the jealous-obsessive asshole in me freaking out on my girlfriend” and contains the lyrics “I want a girl who will laugh for no one else / When I’m away, she puts her makeup on the shelf / When I’m away, she never leaves the house.”

    Then there’s The Police’s infamously creepy Every Breath You Take which sees our heartsick narrator begging for his former lover’s embrace (“I keep crying, baby, baby please”) before really overstepping the mark and, now in full-on stalker mode, informing them that he’ll be watching their every move, breath and step. And not just occasionally, either, but every single day.

    Emotional blackmail

    Emotional blackmail is the act of using a person’s feelings of kindness, sympathy, or duty in order to persuade them to do something or feel something, and it has cropped up in a number of songs over the years.

    Without You, originally by the group Badfinger, and later covered by both Harry Nilsson and Mariah Carey, suggests that “it’s only fair” to let their departing lover know what they “should know” – which is that they’ll be unable to go on living if they follow through on their desire to leave the relationship.

    If You Buy This Record Your Life Will Be Better by The Tamperer feat. Maya.

    LeAnn Rimes goes down a similar route with her 1997 hit How Do I Live?, where she tells her “baby” that they are “everything good” in her life, and that (I guess logically) their exit would leave her unable to survive.

    To end on a lighter note, a year later, with tongue firmly in cheek, The Tamperer (featuring Maya) took the manipulation angle to the extreme by singing over and over that “if you buy this record your life will be better, your life will be better, your life will be better”. Note: I didn’t buy it, so can’t comment, but maybe if I had, I’d be writing this from my private beach in the Maldives.


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

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

    – ref. Songwriters have long revealed the ugly side of ‘love’ – from John Lennon to Mariah Carey – https://theconversation.com/songwriters-have-long-revealed-the-ugly-side-of-love-from-john-lennon-to-mariah-carey-240501

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why might people believe in human-made hurricanes? Two conspiracy theory psychologists explain

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Iwan Dinnick, Research Fellow, Psychology, University of Nottingham

    Hurricane Milton slammed into the west coast of Florida on October 9, becoming the second powerful hurricane to hit the state in just two weeks.

    While most people turned to meteorologists for explanations, a vocal minority remained sceptical, proposing that the hurricanes were engineered, that Florida’s weather was being manipulated, or even that it was targeted at Republican voters.

    These ideas aren’t new. As psychologists, we research the roots of conspiracy theories, and have found they often emerge in the wake of natural disasters. Investigating these theories is especially crucial as extreme weather events are projected to become more severe and frequent.

    Conspiracy theories explain important events by attributing them to the secret actions of a small, powerful group. Yet, if we take a step back from this psychological definition, something striking becomes apparent.

    If conspiracy theories explain events as the actions of a small group, then conspiracy theories should only apply to events where such a group’s influence is plausible.

    For example, faking the moon landing would have required Nasa to create an elaborate set, costumes, actors, and maintain secrecy. While unlikely, it is conceivable because humans can design sets, make costumes, and act. However, climate-based conspiracy theories don’t fit this mould as easily.

    Unlike movie sets or staged events, humans don’t control the climate in the same direct way. While we can seed individual clouds to encourage rain, for instance, a whole hurricane is simply far too big and too powerful for human technology to have any impact. This makes climate conspiracy theories seem less plausible, as the climate is beyond the direct manipulation that other conspiracy theories depend on.

    Why people turn to weather conspiracies

    People have a fundamental need to feel safe and secure in their environment. If climate change is real, it poses an existential threat, leading some to reject it in favour of conspiracy theories that preserve their sense of safety.

    Additionally, individuals desire a sense of control and agency over their environment. When faced with the uncontrollable nature of climate change, people often embrace conspiracy theories to regain that sense of control. Notably, recent psychological research has shifted focus from macro-level conspiracy beliefs, like climate change, to micro-level beliefs concerning local natural disasters.

    The first psychological study of this kind looked at a major tornado outbreak in the US midwest in 2019. Researchers found that people more affected by the outbreak were more likely to believe the tornadoes were controlled by the government. Importantly, this belief was explained by the fact that those affected by the tornadoes felt like they had no control over their own life.

    Tornado aftermath in Dayton, Ohio, May 2019. Tornadoes killed 42 in the US that year.
    CiEll / shutterstock

    Building on these initial findings, another study asked participants to imagine living in a fictional country called Nebuloria. Half were told that natural disasters might occur soon, prompting them to take precautions for their safety, while the others were told that such disasters were rare and that there was no need to worry.

    Participants were then asked about various conspiracy beliefs, such as whether the contrails left by planes Nebuloria were “evidence of weather manipulation”. Results showed those in the high-risk scenario were more likely to endorse conspiracy beliefs.

    Notably, what explained this increase in conspiracy beliefs was the fact that high-risk participants felt a sense of existential threat. This suggests that when people feel vulnerable due to environmental risks, they turn to conspiracies to regain control, even if the threats are beyond their reach.

    A self-perpetuating cycle

    It might seem intuitive that if you don’t believe in something, you won’t act as though it were true. Thus, if you don’t believe that climate change is true you are not going to act as if it is. Indeed, a large and growing amount of psychological research bares this out.

    The more that people ascribe to climate-related conspiracy beliefs the less likely they are to believe in the scientific consensus of human-made climate change, the less likely they are to have any pro-environmental concern, and the less likely they are to trust in the scientists that produce the evidence.

    These beliefs do not remain abstract. The more that people believe in climate conspiracy theories, the less likely they are to take action to mitigate climate change. Research has shown that merely exposing people to climate change conspiracies is sufficient to decrease their desire to sign a petition to support pro-environmental policies.

    This has serious implications. First, if people don’t believe in climate change, they won’t take action, accelerating its progression. Second, the more that climate change accelerates, the more frequent natural disasters become. As we’ve seen, an increase in natural disasters leads to a rise in conspiracy beliefs, creating a harmful and self-perpetuating cycle.

    Research shows that natural disasters can fuel conspiratorial thinking about unrelated events, which harms democratic engagement, public health and social cohesion. In short, climate-based conspiracy theories can have wide-ranging negative effects beyond climate-related matters.

    What can be done?

    There are reasons to be hopeful that certain interventions that foster analytical thinking or a critical mindset can reduce conspiracy beliefs. For example, exposing people to scientific reasoning that challenged the assumptions behind COVID-19 conspiracies significantly reduced their belief in those conspiracy theories. Also, a better use of resources and skills to cope with natural disasters can reduce conspiracy theories.

    If we don’t act on climate change, the rise in natural disasters will likely lead to more conspiracy theories. The stakes are high, but with thoughtful interventions, we can break this harmful cycle.


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

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

    Iwan Dinnick is employed as a Research Fellow at the University of Nottingham through a Leverhulme funded Research Project.

    Daniel Jolley has received funding from the Leverhulme Trust, the British Academy, and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

    – ref. Why might people believe in human-made hurricanes? Two conspiracy theory psychologists explain – https://theconversation.com/why-might-people-believe-in-human-made-hurricanes-two-conspiracy-theory-psychologists-explain-241098

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Decline of X is an opportunity to do social media differently – but combining ‘safe’ and ‘profitable’ will still be a challenge

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andy Tattersall, Information Specialist, University of Sheffield

    BongkarnGraphic / Shutterstock

    It’s now almost two years since Elon Musk concluded his takeover of Twitter (now called X) on 27 October 2022. Since then, the platform has become an increasingly polarised and divisive space.

    Musk promised to deal with some of the issues which had already frustrated users, particularly bots, abuse and misinformation. In 2023, he said there was less misinformation on the platform because of his efforts to tackle the bots. But others disagree, claiming that misinformation is still rife there.

    A potential reaction to this may be apparent in recent data highlighted by the Financial Times, which showed the number of UK users of the platform had fallen by one-third, while US users had dropped by one-fifth. The the data used to reach these conclusions may be open to question, as it is hard to find out user numbers directly from X.

    The figures also come out against the background of a disagreement over whether X’s traffic is waning or not. But there has been a notable trend in academia for individuals and some organisations to leave for alternative platforms such as Bluesky and Threads, or to quit social media altogether.

    Elon Musk has claimed that X is hitting record highs in user-seconds, a measure of how long users are spending on the site. But advertising revenue is reported to have dropped sharply amid Musk’s controversial changes, such as his “free speech” approach on the platform. If so, it will be reflected in the platform’s financial performance which has been dire. The platform currently has no clear pathway to profitability.

    X’s loss has naturally been a gain for its competitors. Despite a rather slow start due to its “invite only” model, Bluesky recently announced that it had topped 10 million users. This is still quite small compared to X’s 550 million users and Threads’ 200 million users.

    But there are questions with all platforms over how active users are and the proportion of bots versus human users. Threads also benefits by being connected to Instagram.

    The world’s richest man can afford to let X devalue from his purchase price of US$44 billion (£33.7 billion). Likewise, Meta can probably afford to prop up Threads. But Bluesky will have to find inventive ways to remain viable as a platform. So is it the right time for users to try something completely different on social media?

    Alternatives to X have to be mindful of striking the right balance between being a viable social media platform and not developing the same issues that have turned X toxic for many users.

    Elon Musk bought Twitter in 2022.
    Frederic Legrand – Comeo / Shutterstock

    The approach taken by Bluesky and Mastodon is to engage with their community more to deal with issues such as abuse and fake information. Moderating content is tricky, as it requires a lot of resources and support for those using the platform.

    But the contrast with Elon Musk’s approach to ownership is stark.

    The problem for Bluesky, and to a lesser extent Mastodon, is that once a platform gains traction it also attracts those with bad intent. Think of it as the one nice, cool bar in town that suddenly becomes popular. Once everyone hears about the bar, the troublemakers start to arrive.

    When that happens, the good people have to find a bar elsewhere. Once an alternative platform becomes a means to reach many millions, the people that drove users away from X may head there like moths to a light.

    Alternative approaches

    One possible solution is a subscription model for social media alongside paid advertisements. For growing platforms, such as Bluesky, sponsored posts and adverts will come as the user base grows in numbers.

    But as was evident with X, that is unlikely to be enough. X’s annual revenue peaked at US$5 billion (£3.8 billion) in 2021 and has been in decline ever since. This also takes into account how the platform has culled thousands of jobs in the past two years.

    The subscription model is not new to social media. X has its own paid-for blue checkmark and LinkedIn has a premium subscription. This alone still does not guarantee a profitable or functioning social media platform.

    Having a subscription-based social media platform is not exactly equitable either, as not everyone can afford to pay. The question is how much people would be willing to pay for a social media subscription that guarantees no adverts and bots, as well as proper moderation to remove abusive and fake information accounts.

    The trade off is that free users would have to deal with the inconvenience of adverts on their timelines. There could be other models floated where non-profit and student accounts are cheaper, but this again excludes other users. It also may not sit well with shareholders focused on profitability.

    As it stands, if all 10 million Bluesky users paid £5 a month to the platform, it would generate £60 million a year. That is not even close to X’s revenue of US$300 million (£230 million) back in 2012.

    Real change

    People moving to a new social media platform will want assurances that it won’t turn into another X. Organisations and individuals with large followings may also be reluctant to invest time in new platforms when they still get something out of the old. There are big, mainstream alternatives of course: Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, but Twitter offered something different.

    Real change could happen when the organisations leaving X due to how it has been run reaches a critical mass, though what that threshold represents is open to question. Those in the world of academia are cautious and at best hedging their bets, as I have found with my own search.

    Just as X increasingly fails to deal with misinformation, it is leaning further into the same headwind as right-wing platforms such as Truth Social. The newer platforms might find themselves a safer haven for now, but that is likely to change if lessons around ownership, funding and moderation are not learned.

    Andy Tattersall 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. Decline of X is an opportunity to do social media differently – but combining ‘safe’ and ‘profitable’ will still be a challenge – https://theconversation.com/decline-of-x-is-an-opportunity-to-do-social-media-differently-but-combining-safe-and-profitable-will-still-be-a-challenge-241228

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Leading primary care into the future

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    [embedded content]

    Alberta’s government is taking action to refocus the health care system so that every Albertan has access to a primary health care provider and timely, high-quality primary health care, no matter where they live.

    Alberta’s new primary care provincial health agency, Primary Care Alberta, will create a modern, more responsive and unified health care system that prioritizes patients, empowers front-line health care professionals and helps reduce pressures on the entire health system.

    The immediate priority of Primary Care Alberta is to ensure every Albertan has access to high-quality primary care services in all areas of the province, so all Albertans and their families are supported in their day-to-day health needs through every stage of life. The new primary care agency will focus on supporting integrated teams of family physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists to provide patients with the best care possible.

    “Standing up Primary Care Alberta is an important milestone in refocusing the health care system to put patients first and give our front-line experts the support they need to ensure Albertans are receiving the care they deserve.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    Kim Simmonds, the current assistant deputy minister of strategic planning and performance at Alberta Health, will be appointed as chief executive officer of Primary Care Alberta. Simmonds brings a wealth of public and private sector experience to the role and has extensive experience working with stakeholders across the health care system. She has experience working with clinicians and understands the need for data and evidence-based decision-making when it comes to delivering primary care services to Albertans, no matter where they live.

    “If primary care is to be the foundation on which the entire health system stands, every Albertan must have an ongoing connection and trusting relationship with a family doctor or health care team. They must belong to a health home where they are known and where they don’t have to tell their health story over and over again. There is much work to do in Alberta to achieve these goals, and I’m eager to get going to help make it happen.” 

    Kim Simmonds, incoming chief executive officer, Primary Care Alberta

    Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Care System (MAPS)

    In 2022, the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Care System (MAPS) initiative was launched to recommend ways to strengthen Alberta’s primary health care system. Alberta’s government undertook extensive engagement with its primary care providers and stakeholders to develop a guide to strengthen primary health care in Alberta. The MAPS final report recommended creating a single governance structure that supports an integrated team of health care professionals with data sharing within and across sectors.

    Improving the coordination and delivery of primary care was also something Alberta’s government heard during provincewide engagement sessions held earlier this year as part of efforts to engage with Albertans and health care professionals on how to refocus the health care system. This made-in-Alberta solution is the first of its kind to be established in a provincial health care system. The agency is a dedicated organization to support governance, oversight, delivery, operation and coordination, a significant step being taken to improve the quality of health care delivery in the province.

    Quick facts

    • The Provincial Health Agencies Act enables the transition from one regional health authority, Alberta Health Services (AHS), to an integrated system of four sector-based provincial health agencies: primary care, acute care, continuing care, and mental health and addiction.
    • The agencies will be responsible for delivering integrated health services, ensuring Albertans receive timely access to care regardless of where they live.
    • Some of Primary Care Alberta’s longer-term priorities include:
      • Engaging physicians and providing leadership opportunities to lead their peers through the change process.
      • Incentivizing care models that improve health outcomes and patient experience.
      • Providing tools to primary care providers, such as enhancing the current Find a Doctor website and e-Referral, that benefit both providers and patients.
      • Setting standards for primary care so Albertans have consistent services.
      • Funding primary care networks that bring practitioners together to implement provincial initiatives and address regional needs.
      • Developing chronic disease care models to reduce the burden of chronic disease on patients and the health care system.
    • More than 30,000 Albertans have had the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas directly on the refocusing through in-person engagement sessions, online feedback forms and telephone townhalls.  
      • In addition to public engagement sessions, dedicated engagements were held with Indigenous communities, the francophone community and other key health partners.

    Related information

    • Lead the way newsletter sign up

    Related news

    • Albertans’ input leading the way on refocusing health care (Oct. 11, 2024)
    • Refocusing patients’ health care journeys (Sept. 23, 2024)
    • Refocusing on patient-centred care (Nov. 8, 2023)
    • Strengthening health care: Improving access for all (Oct. 18, 2023)
    • The right care when and where Albertans need it (March 14, 2024)
    • Setting the foundation for a refocused health system (May 14, 2024)

    Multimedia

    • Watch the news conference

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: A year after Tusk came to power, why is access to safe and legal abortion still a distant dream in Poland?

    Source: Amnesty International –

    A year ago, Anna Błuś travelled home to her native Poland to vote in an election whose result she hoped would usher in a change to the country’s near total ban on abortion. What went wrong?

    Exactly a year ago on the eve of Poland’s elections, I joined a huge queue snaking around a polling station in Warsaw on a cold autumn day.  Despite the chill and the hours spent waiting to vote, the atmosphere was festive. There was a mood of anticipation in the air: a palpable sense that change was coming after eight years of regressive rule by the Law and Justice (PiS) party.

    As I watched the exit polls in a packed bar later that night, it became clear that this had been an election like no other with a record turnout (74%) and unprecedented numbers of women and young people coming out to vote.  

    Among the things that had galvanized so many people had been the assurances by Donald Tusk and his Civic Coalition, that they would liberalize Poland’s draconian abortion law which only allows terminations in cases of rape, incest or risk to the pregnant person’s health or life. While abortion has already been severely restricted in Poland since 1993, the Constitutional Tribunal’s 2020 ruling, which went into effect the next year, removed one of the legal grounds for abortion – in cases of fetal impairment – and leaving a near-total ban.

    If elected, Doland Tusk promised he would make access to free, safe and legal abortion for all a reality within 100 days of coming into power.

    And yet those 100 days have come and gone and a year after Tusk swept to power, the possibility of Poland providing access to safe and legal abortion for all who need it, seems as distant as ever.

    In July 2024, the Parliament failed to vote through a bill tabled in an effort to undo the harm caused by the tightening of the abortion law during PiS’s rule and the 2020 judgment of the PiS-controlled Constitutional Tribunal.

    The bill, which also proposed to end the criminalization of “aiding with an abortion”, was defeated by members of the ruling coalition, the Polish People’s Party (PSL) who voted it down alongside members of PiS and other conservatives.

    Both PSL and centrist Poland 2050 politicians have spoken in favour of reinstating a “compromise” abortion law dating back to 1993,which allowed for terminations in cases of severe or fatal fetal impairment in addition to the current legal grounds. Alternatively, they have suggested putting the matter to vote in a referendum. Both these propositions are contrary to international human rights law and standards, which require states to decriminalize abortion and guarantee access to safe abortion to all who need it without discrimination and with respect to personal autonomy and human rights.

    In August, Donald Tusk said, matter-of-factly, that it will not be possible to get a parliamentary majority to support the liberalization of the abortion law until the next election. The implication of this statement is that no further efforts will be made to push through reform for at least another three years.

    But for Polish women, girls and any person who can become pregnant, waiting three years is not an option.

    Since the restrictions came into force in January 2021, they have been keenly felt and have had sometimes tragic consequences for women and their families.  A  “chilling effect” has meant that doctors are more likely not to take lifesaving steps for pregnant patients and since the ruling restricting the law came into force, several women lost their lives.

    New guidelines on abortion that the government issued in August were presented as a measure that would help mitigate the “chilling effect” on healthcare staff. Yet, while they clarify that mental health grounds should be respected in the same way as other health grounds for abortion, they simply reiterate the very limited circumstances in which legal abortions can be performed.

    Polish women are well used to broken promises and to our votes being instrumentalized. We were under no illusion that the much-needed change would come thanks to the political goodwill of any man happening to lead our next government. Because we have been at the forefront of this change.

    Polish women have been marching and facing arrest. They have been pursuing legal challenges in the courts and lobbying the politicians in parliament. They have been doing grassroots reproductive rights work in Poland and abroad and some – like Justyna Wydrzyńska – have provided abortion pills to those in need and been prosecuted as a result.

    And despite the risk of criminalization, we are continuing to take our reproductive health and autonomy into our own hands. The women-led grassroots organization Abortion Dream Team is crowdfunding to open the first abortion clinic in the country. And in September, the longstanding Federation for Women and Family Planning (FEDERA) opened its first sexual and reproductive health clinic in Warsaw.  

    Women cannot keep dying from gender-based violence committed by our own state. The government’s lack of action on abortion is unacceptable and untenable. Prime Minister Tusk and the other leaders of the coalition parties (men, naturally) need to wake up and recognize our human right to abortion, accessed freely, safely and legally, in Polish law. 

    The man we elected as Prime Minister must uphold his promise to the women of Poland and work with rights holders, civil society and experts to bring his coalition partners to a place where legal abortion in Poland becomes a reality. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI: Credit Agricole Sa: Crédit Agricole Personal Finance & Mobility takes a stake in GAC Leasing to support the growth of GAC Group sales in China

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Massy – October 15th, 2024

    Crédit Agricole Personal Finance & Mobility
    takes a stake in GAC Leasing to support the growth
    of GAC Group sales in China

    • CA Personal Finance & Mobility announces the planned acquisition of 50% of the equity interests of GAC Finance Leasing Co. Ltd. (GAC Leasing), the leasing company of one of the largest Chinese manufacturers Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC Group), via a reserved capital increase.
    • With this new joint venture, CA Personal Finance & Mobility is expected to offer financial and operational leasing solutions on the Chinese market in 2025 and will thus promote the deployment of electric vehicles in China.
    • This transaction will consolidate a partnership that has existed since 2009 between CA Personal Finance & Mobility and GAC Group with the creation of GAC-Sofinco AFC, a 50-50 joint venture. The latter operates throughout China and offers automotive financing and services to the GAC-Honda, GAC-Toyota, AION, HYPTEC and GAC Motor networks, serving more than 3,000 dealers.

    CA Personal Finance & Mobility to become 50% shareholder of GAC Leasing

    Following a reserved capital increase, CA Personal Finance & Mobility will hold 50% of the equity interests of GAC Leasing. The company has been operating on the Chinese market since 2004 and offers financial and operational leasing solutions to GAC customers and its dealer network.

    Through this transaction, CA Personal Finance & Mobility and GAC group are strengthening the leasing offer proposed to Chinese customers, thereby stimulating the sale of electric vehicles, which already represents 60% of GAC Leasing’s leasing contracts on a portfolio of more than 200,000 vehicles.

    The impact on the CET1 ratio of Crédit Agricole S.A. and that of the Crédit Agricole group will be very limited.

    « This transaction reaffirms the importance of our long-standing partnership with GAC group. It will enable us to support together and over the long term the development of the particularly dynamic electric automobile market in China. »
    STEPHANE PRIAMI – CEO of Crédit Agricole Personal Finance & Mobility

    Key figures:

    • In 2023, GAC group was the 4th largest automotive group in China
    • More than 2.5 million vehicles sold in 2023 worldwide
    • 39,90% of electrified vehicles sold in 2023

    Press Contact

    Claire Garcia
    presse@ca-cf.fr
    +33 (0)1 87 38 11 81 / +33 (0)6 80 41 17 77

    About Crédit Agricole Personal Finance & Mobility

    Crédit Agricole Personal Finance & Mobility is a leader in personal financing and a provider of access to all mobility solutions in Europe. It distributes directly, at the point of sale or on its partners’ e-commerce platforms, a wide range of financing solutions – amortizable credit, revolving credit, leasing and credit buyback – with associated services including insurance, split payment solutions and services dedicated to mobility, with the aim of meeting the challenges of energy transition in mobility, housing and consumption. Its financing solutions and services are offered in France via Sofinco, in Italy via Agos, in Germany via Creditplus, in Portugal via Credibom, in Spain via Sofinco Espana, in Morocco via Wafasalaf, and in China via GAC-Sofinco (automotive financing only). Crédit Agricole Personal Finance & Mobility aims to be the leader in electric mobility in Europe and offers a mobility continuum in the 22 countries where it is present (leasing, medium and short-term rental, subscription, car sharing, installation of charging stations, etc.). The company relies on Leasys, a joint venture equally owned by Stellantis, CA Auto Bank and Drivalia, the pan-European leader in automotive financing, rental and mobility, Crédit Agricole Mobility Services, a comprehensive service offering dedicated to mobility and the development of automotive financing in its universal subsidiaries in Europe and in Crédit Agricole Regional Banks and at LCL via Agilauto. CA Personal Finance & Mobility acts every day in the interest of its 17.2 million customers and society. As of December 31, 2023, CA Personal Finance & Mobility managed €113 billion in outstanding credit. More information: http://www.ca-personalfinancemobility.com

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: GL Advances Network Testing with PacketExpert 100G Solution

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    GAITHERSBURG, Md., Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — GL Communications Inc., a global leader in telecom test and measurement solutions, addressed the press regarding their advanced Ethernet and IP testing solution, PacketExpert™ 100G. This tool tests high-speed networks at wirespeed, making it perfect for network engineers in search of precision and adaptability. With the ability to seamlessly interface to industry-standard equipment, PacketExpert™ 100G ensures smooth incorporation into the existing testing environments.

    [For illustration, refer to https://www.gl.com/images/Newsletter/packetExpert-100g-architecture-newsletter.jpg]

    “GL’s PacketExpert™ 100G is a hardware platform designed for wirespeed Ethernet and IP testing at speeds of up to 100 Gbps. The PacketExpert™ 100G functions as a full-fledged PC, equipped with specialized network interface cards, GL’s proprietary PacketExpert™ software, optimized RAM, storage, processing, and cooling systems. The Ethernet ports support speeds of 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 50 Gbps, and 100 Gbps. The appliance comes with up to eight ports, all of which can generate and receive traffic simultaneously,” said Vijay Kulkarni, CEO of GL Communications.

    The PacketExpert™ 100G, available in portable and rack-mount configurations, supports up to eight ports per appliance and offers a user-friendly web interface for multi-user, multi-location access. Users can configure tests, monitor real-time graphs, and export results to PDF and CSV, with Python scripting available for automation of complex tests.

    Featuring high-speed 100 Gbps QSFP ports, the PacketExpert™ 100G supports various optical speeds—1 Gbps, 10 Gbps, 25 Gbps, 40 Gbps, 50 Gbps, and 100 Gbps by utilizing adapters with the respective SFP modules. GL provides a full accessory kit with QSFPs, fiber optic cables, and adapters for enhanced flexibility.

    PacketExpert™ 100G provides robust support for Forward Error Correction (FEC) in compliance with IEEE 802.3 standards, a crucial feature for maintaining data integrity in high-speed, long-distance networks. FEC enhances network reliability and performance by detecting and correcting bit errors during transmission. The supported FEC types include Fire Code FEC, RS-FEC (528, 514), and RS-FEC (544, 514).

    The Multi-Stream Traffic Generator and Analyzer allows the device to generate multiple streams of Ethernet traffic with customizable protocol headers, packet sizes, and payloads. Supporting up to 16 streams per port, it is ideal for end-to-end testing of Wide Area Networks at speeds up to 100 Gbps. Key metrics measured include throughput, packet loss, delay, jitter and more.

    [For more information, refer to Efficient Multi-Stream Traffic Testing]

    ITU-T Y.1564 is a Service Activation test methodology that allows for comprehensive validation of Ethernet Service-Level Agreements. GL’s ExpertSAM™ is optimized for multiservice applications, measuring maximum network performance. Each port supports up to 16 streams. This enables users to assess Ethernet service capabilities for voice, data and video traffic, surpassing traditional RFC 2544 testing, especially in Wide Area Network scenarios.

    [For more information, refer to Streamlining Multiservice Testing]

    PacketExpert™ 100G supports Python automation, which allows for seamless integration into automated testing environments. Through the PacketExpert™ Python client APIs, users can control all functionalities of the device remotely, making it ideal for regression testing in network validation setups.

    [For more information, refer to Python Sample Script]

    Key features of the PacketExpert™ 100G include:

    • PCIe based hardware supports up to 8 x 100G ports in either portable or rack-mount form factors
    • Detects Layer 1 alarms and errors
    • Simultaneously generate and receive Ethernet traffic at 100% wirespeed (bidirectional 100 Gbps rate)
    • Generates traffic from Layer 2 to Layer 4 at up to 100 Gbps with varying protocol headers and packet sizes
    • Generate frames with lengths ranging from 64 bytes to Jumbo frames (up to 16000 bytes)
    • BERT supports industry standard PRBS patterns including 29-1, 211-1, 215-1, 220-1, 223-1, 229-1, and 231-1, as well as user defined patterns
    • BERT can be tested at Ethernet (Layer 2), up to 3 Stacked VLAN (Q-in-Q), up to 3 Stacked MPLS (Layer 2.5), IP (Layer 3) and UDP (Layer 4)
    • Capable of handling full wirespeed BERT, in both directions Electrical/Optical ports
    • Supports smart loopback with auto layer detection, and allows swapping source and destination addresses at MAC, IP and UDP layers
    • Generates traffic at throughput of CIR (guaranteed traffic), EIR (best effort bandwidth) and Traffic Policing Rates (dropped bandwidth) ensuring key performance indicators validation
    • Supports multiple streams with customizable configurations, including MAC/VLAN/IP/UDP headers, rate, and frame size, allowing prioritization of different traffic types (e.g., voice, video, data)
    • Measures packet loss, delay, and jitter for each stream, providing real-time graphs to visualize these metrics across all streams

    About GL Communications Inc.,

    GL Communications is a global provider of telecom test and measurement solutions. GL’s solutions are used to verify the quality and reliability of Wireless, Fiber Optic, TDM and Analog networks.

    Warm Regards,

    Vikram Kulkarni, PhD
    Phone: 301-670-4784 x114
    Email: info@gl.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitoba Government Announces Lloyd Axworthy to Lead Winnipeg Rail Relocation Study

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    October 15, 2024

    Manitoba Government Announces Lloyd Axworthy to Lead Winnipeg Rail Relocation Study

    – – –
    Study will Determine Feasibility of Relocating Rail Lines in Winnipeg: Kinew

    The Manitoba government is moving forward on its commitment to determine the feasibility of relocating Winnipeg’s rail lines by selecting Lloyd Axworthy as study lead, Premier Wab Kinew announced today. 

    “Manitoba’s rail lines are an essential part of what makes our province a central, economic hub and it’s important we explore the best options for its location,” said Kinew. “Dr. Axworthy is the best person to guide this process. With his proven leadership and commitment to our province, I know he will bring together the concerns of residents, the business community and all levels of government to bear on this important issue. We know this will be a long-term project and our government looks forward to receiving the results of this study.” 

    “It’s a propitious time to study the important relationship of the railways to our city and develop an integrated plan that can centre Winnipeg as the location of a major transportation hub,” said Axworthy. “Addressing long-standing issues regarding safety, security and the cost-effective transit across railroad properties and the relocation of certain railway lands opens significant opportunities for development of needed housing, and open space will be a key aspect of this study.”  

    Budget 2024 included a $200,000 investment for this initiative. The study, which has been called for by years by experts and community leaders, will explore relocating rail lines and yards from Winnipeg including the Canada Pacific Railway Ltd. rail yards as well as other lines, noted the premier. 

    “After years without any progress on a feasibility study, I’m excited to work collaboratively with important stakeholders,” said Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Lisa Naylor. “This study will allow us to make informed decisions about how to best move forward and I look forward to seeing this important work continue.” 

    The study is expected to take two years and include interim reports before recommendations are released in the final report, noted the premier. 

    – 30 –

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI: JLT Mobile Computers appoints Tejal Ranjan to drive the company’s US partner marketing strategy and accelerate growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Tejal Ranjan joins JLT as Vice President of Marketing – North America

    Växjö, Sweden, October 15, 2024 * * * JLT Mobile Computers, a leading supplier of rugged computing solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Tejal Ranjan as Vice President of Marketing – North America. With extensive experience in supply chain, partner marketing, customer success, and demand generation, Tejal will lead the transformation and acceleration of JLT’s US partner strategy. Further, she will play a pivotal role in the global team, creating a unified go-to-market strategy that establishes a consistent foundation across all geographies while addressing the unique challenges and demands of each region. This strategic move is designed to position JLT for significant growth in the Vehicle-Mounted Computers and Rugged Computer markets, capitalizing on the substantial opportunities the industry offers.

    Further developing their partner-based go-to-market strategy is critical for JLT’s continued expansion in the rugged computing space. By leveraging the expertise and reach of partners, JLT will scale its operations more effectively, gain wider market coverage, and create a robust ecosystem capable of meeting the rising demand for rugged computing solutions.

    “We are thrilled to have Tejal join JLT,” said Per Holmberg, CEO of JLT Mobile Computers. “Our partner-based market approach is key in acquiring new customers and unlocking future growth. This strategy will not only enhance our presence in our target markets, but also build shareholder value as we strengthen our position globally. And Tejal’s experience in partner marketing, and demand generation, along with deep understanding of the supply chain industry will be instrumental in driving growth and expanding our partner ecosystem in the US, as well as globally.”

    The demand for rugged computing devices continues to grow as they enhance operational efficiency in key sectors like warehousing and logistics. By working closely with JLT, partners deliver comprehensive, cost-effective solutions that drive productivity, reliability, and value for end-users across industries like logistics, manufacturing, and warehousing. JLT’s renewed partner program will empower partners to capture a significant share of this expanding market.

    “I’m excited to join JLT at this pivotal time,” said Tejal Ranjan. “By focusing on channel-led growth, there’s potential to deliver greater value, enabling our partners to achieve their goals while expanding JLT’s footprint in existing and new markets.” I look forward to contributing and applying my experience to build a more robust and engaged partner ecosystem in the US and Globally. By focusing on delivering value, we will not only drive stronger business outcomes but also help our partners unlock new growth opportunities.”

    With a renewed focus on channel strategy, JLT is well-positioned for future growth, benefiting both partners and investors alike. For more information about JLT Mobile Computers, its products and solutions, please visit jltmobile.com.

    About JLT Mobile Computers

    Reliable performance, less hassle. JLT Mobile Computers is a leading supplier of rugged mobile computing devices and solutions for demanding environments. Almost 30 years of development and manufacturing experience have enabled us to set the standard in rugged computing, combining outstanding product quality with expert service, support and solutions to ensure trouble-free business operations for customers in warehousing, transportation, manufacturing, mining, ports and agriculture. JLT operates globally from offices in Sweden, France, and the US, complemented by an extensive network of sales partners in local markets. The company was founded in 1994, and the share has been listed on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market stock exchange since 2002 under the symbol JLT. Eminova Fondkommission AB acts as Certified Adviser. Learn more at jltmobile.com.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Upgrades for the Crawford Lake Visitor Centre

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Milton, Ontario, October 15, 2024 — The Crawford Lake Visitor Centre is becoming more energy efficient after a federal investment of over $2.3 million.

    Today, MP Adam Van Koeverden, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board and Minister of Transport, and Chandra Sharma, Conservation Halton’s President and CEO, announced the investment through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program.

    In 2023, Crawford Lake was identified as an important site for studying the Anthropocene, a concept that identifies human activity as the dominant force changing the planet’s natural systems. The lake’s remarkable sediment record and location within a protected area have helped researchers discover the extent of our impact on the environment. Combining the natural and human histories of this site, the visitor centre serves as a community space and home for Indigenous art, artifacts, and educational resources.

    This project will include the replacement of windows, doors, and insulation. Upgrades to the HVAC systems will help to decrease the centre’s energy requirements and improve climate control to preserve and protect its artifacts. Finally, the funding will also help expand the facility with a new entrance space that will contain an accessible elevator. Overall, these upgrades will help the centre reduce operating costs and lower carbon emissions.

    Quotes

    “Crawford Lake is recognized internationally as an important scientific site for studying and identifying the impacts of human history. By protecting the history and art of Indigenous peoples, the Crawford Lake Visitor Centre is doing its part to tell the human story. Together, as we move into a greener and more inclusive future, the federal government will continue to invest in sustainable and accessible infrastructure.”

    Adam Van Koeverden, Member of Parliament for Milton on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Today’s announcement demonstrates our government’s commitment to improving sustainability and accessibility for community infrastructure like the Crawford Lake Visitors Centre, an important educational and economic resource in our Halton community. Through our Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program, we will continue to collaborate with partners to create more environmentally friendly and sustainable community spaces for all to enjoy.”

    The Honourable Anita Anand, Member of Parliament for Oakville

    “The Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program investment was a catalyst in bringing this project to fruition. Thanks to the support of the federal government, the new Crawford Lake Visitor Centre will transform the visitor experience and support our commitment to accessibility and inclusivity through carefully designed infrastructure upgrades. This project also enhances our capacity to provide immersive educational programming on the area’s Indigenous history, the impacts of climate change and the unique ecology of this rare meromictic lake.”

    Chandra Sharma, President and CEO, Conservation Halton

    Quick facts

    • The federal government is investing $2,390,960 in this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program and Conservation Halton is contributing $5,099,040.

    • The GICB program was created in support of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. It is supporting the Plan’s first pillar by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change. 

    • The program launched in 2021 with an initial investment of $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades. 

    • Budget 2024 announced an additional $500 million to support more projects through GICB until 2029.

    • At least 10% of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.

    • The GICB program is now accepting applications for:

      • Small and medium retrofit projects with eligible costs ranging from $100,000 to $2,999,999.
      • Large retrofit projects, ranging from $3 million to $25 million in eligible costs, to upgrade existing community buildings or to create new, energy-efficient buildings.
      • Both intake streams will close on October 16, 2024 at 15:00 Eastern Time.

    • For more information, please visit the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada website at: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada – Green and Inclusive Community Buildings Program.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information (media only), please contact:

    Sofia Ouslis
    Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
    Sofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
    613-960-9251
    Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
    Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
    Follow us on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
    Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Declan Kelly
    Senior Communications Advisor
    Conservation Halton
    905-208-2941
    dkelly@hrca.on.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada to scale growth of six manufacturers in the EV sector in southern Ontario

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Backgrounder

    October 15, 2024

    Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a combined repayable investment of more than $12 million for six manufacturers in the EV sector to expand production capabilities and adopt new equipment. Minister Tassi was joined by Pam Damoff, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs) and Member of Parliament for Oakville North—Burlington.

    Recipient Name Project Funding Amount

    B.S.B. Manufacturing Ltd.

    To modernize its facility and seize future growth in the industry with the addition of automated production equipment to increase its capacity to produce EV and hybrid vehicle components.

    $1.2 million

    Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc.

    To expand its aluminium parts manufacturing (extrusion) capacity to produce new components for the EV market at its Lakeshore, Ontario, facility.

    $5 million

    Clover Tool Manufacturing Ltd.

    To support enhanced manufacturing capabilities to produce intricate components for the EV sector at its Concord facility.

    $750,000

    CMP Automation Inc.

    To bring to market modified computer numerical control (CNC) machinery for high-volume production of EV parts.

    $499,532

    Electrovaya Inc.

    To expand its lithium-ion battery manufacturing capacity in order to meet the demand from the EV industry for its products.

    $2 million

    Marwood International Inc.

    To increase its parts manufacturing and assembling capabilities for complex EV parts.

    $3 million

    Related Product

    News Release: Government of Canada supports six companies boosting EV growth in southern Ontario

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada supports six companies boosting EV growth in southern Ontario

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Federal investment will support the growth of six manufacturers in the electric vehicles supply chain

    October 15, 2024 – Burlington, Ontario   

    Southern Ontario has a growing and competitive electric vehicle (EV) sector. Businesses across the sector are developing advanced technologies to seize new growth opportunities. The Government of Canada is investing in these businesses so they can reach their potential and develop new possibilities for our country.

    Today, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) visited B.S.B. Manufacturing Ltd. (B.S.B), a Burlington-based machined components and parts manufacturer serving the automotive, agricultural and industrial product markets, to meet with employees and learn about the company’s ongoing shift to manufacture parts for electric vehicles. Minister Tassi was joined by Pam Damoff, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs) and Member of Parliament for Oakville North–Burlington.

    To support this transition, B.S.B. is receiving $1.2 million to seize future growth in the industry with the addition of new automated production equipment and facility upgrades. This will increase the company’s capacity to produce EV and hybrid vehicle components and fulfill new contracts within the EV industry.

    This funding is part of a combined investment of more than $12 million to help six manufacturers scale up EV production: B.S.B. Manufacturing Ltd., Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc., Clover Tool Manufacturing Ltd., CMP Automation Inc., Electrovaya Inc. and Marwood International Inc. By expanding production capabilities and adopting new equipment, Ontario companies are meeting the growing demand for innovative production capabilities to feed the EV supply chain. Additional information on these projects is included in the backgrounder.

    The Government of Canada is committed to supporting businesses as they evolve to develop new opportunities in the EV sector and create good jobs for Canadians. Together, we are building a stronger, more sustainable future for everyone.

    Quotes

    “Southern Ontario has a rapidly growing EV sector and is home to many leading manufacturers across the EV supply chain that are using their expertise and talent to drive our EV sector forward. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting these companies as they help Canada to make progress towards its goal of reaching net-zero emissions and build a competitive EV sector in the region.”
    – The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) 

    “The federal government is taking steps to help Canadians, businesses and communities adapt to climate change while making life more affordable on the path to net-zero. Today’s announcement highlights not only the resilience of this region, but also the strength of the manufacturing sector throughout southern Ontario.”
    – Pam Damoff, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs) and Member of Parliament for Oakville North–Burlington

    “Today, as we embark on a new chapter with EV and hybrid solutions for our customers, we are paving the way for the future of competitive manufacturing in Canada—one that requires constant innovation. B.S.B. is built on a strong foundation of high-quality products, in-house expertise and cutting-edge solutions. Thanks to the FedDev Ontario funding, we’ve been able to invest in new machinery, tooling, automation and robotics, ensuring that we can retain direct and indirect manufacturing jobs in Canada.”
    – Narinder Bhogal, P.Eng, President, B.S.B. Manufacturing Ltd.

    Quick facts

    • Established in 1976 in Burlington, B.S.B. Manufacturing Ltd. is a Tier 1 & 2 automotive supplier to major customers such as Stellantis (Chrysler), Magna, Tesla and GM.

    • Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Brampton, Can Art Aluminum Extrusion Canada Inc. has emerged as a leader in designing and producing housing units and components for EV batteries at its Lakeshore, Ontario facility, used in a significant number of EVs in North America.

    • Concord-based Clover Tool Manufacturing Ltd. was established in 1979 and is a supplier of tooling, stampings, and welded and mechanical assemblies for automotive and other industries.

    • Founded in 1988, Kitchener-based CMP Automation Inc. provides custom automated manufacturing equipment and solutions to various industries, including nylon tubing used in the automotive industry.

    • Established in 1996, Mississauga-based Electrovaya Inc. is a pioneering leader in the global energy transformation, focused on contributing to the prevention of climate change by manufacturing safe and long-lasting lithium-ion batteries for heavy-duty vehicles and battery systems.

    • Incorporated in 1990, Tillsonburg-headquartered Marwood International Inc. is an award-winning stamping and assembly company that manufactures a full range of automotive components, such as structural assemblies, rear-end components, roof and sunroof components, and more.

    • Since 2015, FedDev Ontario has invested more than $86.9 million in 26 EV-related projects, creating and maintaining more than 2,250 jobs.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Edward Hutchinson
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency
    for Southern Ontario
    Edward.hutchinson@feddevontario.gc.ca

    FedDev Ontario
    Media Relations
    media@feddevontario.gc.ca

    Stay Connected

    FedDev-Ontario.Canada.ca

    Follow us on X, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.

    Subscribe to FedDev Ontario’s Southern Ontario Spotlight newsletter, featuring economic development news and updates from across the region.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ten Defendants Associated with “Everybody Shines Together” Street Gang Sentenced in Federal Drug and Gun Conspiracy

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

    Louisville, KY – This week the last of ten defendants, each of whom were associated with the “Everybody Shines Together” street gang (also knowns as “EST”), was sentenced as part of a conspiracy involving federal drug and firearms offenses. 

    U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department made the announcement.

    “I commend the outstanding work of our prosecutors, federal law enforcement agents, and our local law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to ensure the successful prosecution of the defendants in this case,” stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. “These are significant federal prison sentences for serious violations of the law. Together, we will continue to investigate and aggressively prosecute those who seek to flood our streets and neighborhoods with drugs while illegally using and possessing firearms.” 

    “With the sentencing of Mr. Mosley comes the conclusion of a years-long collaborative effort across all levels of law enforcement to put some of Louisville’s most hardened criminals behind bars and disrupt one of the area’s most consequential street gangs,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury. “With multiple significant federal prison sentences, we hope this case serves as a warning sign. As long as you continue to exploit the young and vulnerable and fill our neighborhoods with senseless gun violence and harmful drug operations, the FBI will use every available resource to identify and dismantle your operation.”

    “This sentencing highlights the result of countless hours of dedicated effort from officers and investigators from LMPD and our partner agencies,” stated Chief Paul Humphrey. Each day they place their life on the line to remove criminals such as these from the streets, making Louisville a safer, better place.  The men and women of LMPD will not stop fighting against the scourge of violence and gang activity in our city. There is more work to do, but this particular group of criminals being sentenced and removed from our community is a move in the right direction.”

    According to court documents, Eric D. Mosley, 33, of Louisville, was sentenced on October 10, 2024, to 20 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Mosley was prohibited from possessing a firearm because he had previously been convicted of the following felony offenses.

    On December 1, 2015, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Mosley was convicted of enhanced possession of a controlled substance in the first degree, enhanced possession of drug paraphernalia, enhanced possession of marijuana, and enhanced possession of heroin.

    On December 1, 2014, in Jefferson Circuit Court, Mosley was convicted of enhanced trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, first offense, less than 4 grams of cocaine, receiving stolen property (firearm), enhanced possession of marijuana, and trafficking in a controlled substance in the first degree, first offense (less than 2 grams of heroin).

    Zaman Taylor, 24, of Louisville, was sentenced on October 3, 2024, to 20 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, eight counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

    Darrian Toogood, 27, of Louisville, was sentenced on June 6, 2024, to 6 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine.

    Devonzo Summers, 27, of Louisville, was sentenced on March 21, 2024, to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, distribution of controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.

    Barry Reed, 27, of Louisville, was sentenced on December 18, 2023, to 15 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, distribution of controlled substances, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a stolen motor vehicle.

    Dazaray Rice, 30, of Louisville, was sentenced on November 9, 2023, to 3 years of probation, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substance and two counts of distribution of fentanyl.

    Aerion Cook, 24, of Louisville, was sentenced on November 2, 2023, to 10 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.

    Khasi Jones, 31, of Louisville, was sentenced on November 2, 2023, to 5 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances and six counts of distribution of fentanyl.

    Cedric Palmer, 28, of Louisville, was sentenced on October 12, 2023, to 5 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, and distribution of methamphetamine.

    Ricos Mosley, 36, of Louisville,was sentenced on August 17, 2023, to 5 years in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances.

    There is no parole in the federal system.   

    This case was investigated by the FBI and LMPD, with assistance from the ATF, IRS-CI, DEA, Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office, and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Dahl and Josh Porter prosecuted the case with assistance from Paralegal Aaron Cooper.

    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 http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    ####

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: The Department of the Navy Launches Civilian Career Development Software

    Source: United States Navy

    This milestone reflects the collective efforts across multiple commands and marks a significant shift toward a more streamlined, flexible, and accessible learning experience. The Waypoints system bolsters the DON’s mission to foster a stronger, more capable force and promotes the mission readiness and innovation needed to support the warfighter.

    The program will establish the civilian learning management system, eliminating the use of multiple platforms for learning and talent management. The functions of this system empower supervisors to track employee training, administrators to support and grow the command, and provide the users career development resources.

    Waypoints will help advance the operational excellence of the DON workforce and integrate civilian employees into the unified call of maritime service.

    For questions related to this release, contact the U.S. Navy Office of Information at CHINFONewsDesk@us.navy.mil or 703-697-5342.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Highway 101 — RCMP investigates two fatal collisions on Highway 101

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Kings District RCMP responded to two fatal collisions on Highway 101 over the weekend.

    On October 12 at approximately 8:26 a.m., Kings District RCMP, fire, and EHS responded to a five-vehicle collision on Highway 101 in Wolfville. RCMP officers learned that a transport truck travelling eastbound struck four vehicles that were stopped for construction on the highway. Two occupants of a black GMC Acadia, a 62-year old woman and a child, both of East Kingston, were located deceased at the scene. A third occupant of that same vehicle, a 40-year-old woman, was transported via EHS LifeFlight with life threatening injuries. No other injuries were reported to police.

    On October 14 at approximately 3:50 p.m., Kings District RCMP, fire, and EHS responded to a two-vehicle collision on Highway 101 in Berwick. The initial investigation indicates a Dodge Journey was travelling westbound and a Ford F150 was travelling eastbound when they collided. The driver and sole occupant of the Dodge Journey, a 38-year-old man of Middleton, was pronounced deceased at the scene. The 49-year-old driver and 19-year-old passenger of the F150, both of Greenwood, were transported to hospital by EHS with non-life threatening injuries.

    Highway 101 was closed for several hours during both incidents while an RCMP Collision Reconstructionist attended the scenes. Both investigations are ongoing.

    Our thoughts are with the victims’ families at this difficult time.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defendants prosecuted on federal firearms, drug charges

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

    SAVANNAH, GA: Newly returned indictments in the Southern District of Georgia include felony charges for illegal firearms possession and drug distribution, while additional defendants have been sentenced to federal prison or await further proceedings after pleading guilty to federal gun charges. 

    “Illegally possessed guns, particularly those converted to automatic fire, are a persistent threat to public safety,” said Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “With our law enforcement partners, we are committed to eliminating these sources of violence in our communities.” 

    The cases are prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods in collaboration with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI, to reduce violent crime with measures that include targeting convicted felons who illegally possess guns.

    Those indicted in October include:

    • Javon Edwards, 30, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Machine Gun, referring to a pistol converted to automatic fire with a “Glock switch”; and,
    • Travis Sanders, 44, of Savannah, charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.

    All indicted defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    Defendants recently adjudicated on federal firearms charges include:

    • Laron Thompson, a/k/a “Hollywood,” 38, of Savannah, was sentenced to 115 months in prison after pleading guilty to a drug conspiracy charge and to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Thompson is one of 10 defendants, including Tyquian Bowman, a/k/a “Quando Rondo,” 24, of Savannah, indicted in 2023 in a Savannah-area drug trafficking conspiracy.
    • Jacqueline Christmas, 50, of Statesboro, was sentenced to 33 months in prison after pleading guilty to False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm. An ATF investigation determined that Christmas purchased multiple handguns from a Bulloch County gun store, falsely claiming a legal owner was the buyer of the guns when they were actually purchased by and delivered in New York to Christmas’ brother-in-law, who since has pled guilty to related federal firearms charges.
    • Jakobian Sentell Jones, 25, of Warrenton, Ga., was sentenced to 60 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine. Georgia State Patrol troopers found Jones in possession of a revolver during a traffic stop, and in possession of cocaine and methamphetamine during a subsequent search.
    • Othnell Christian Ferguson, 27, of Pembroke, Ga., was sentenced to 70 months in prison and fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Statesboro police officers determined Ferguson possessed a pistol during a foot chase following a February 2023 traffic stop.
    • Kenyatta Dunn Nero, 40, of Augusta, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Richmond County deputies found a pistol in Nero’s vehicle during a July 2023 traffic stop. Nero has multiple previous criminal convictions on state charges that include illegal gun possession.
    • Jamal Brashad Hawkins, 22, of Swainsboro, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Emanuel County deputies found Hawkins in possession of a pistol after a traffic stop in June 2023.
    • Darnell Harold Miller, 25, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police in January found Miller in possession of a pistol while investigating a domestic disturbance.
    • Nathan Sparks, 27, of Savannah, awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found a pistol in Sparks’ waistband during a traffic stop. 
    • Anthony McQuarters, 31, of Hardeeville, S.C., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. A Georgia State Patrol trooper arrested McQuarters on state charges following a chase on I-16 by multiple law enforcement agencies through Laurens, Treutlen, Emanuel, and Candler counties, and found pistols in his possession.
    • Christopher Jeramy Blair, 44, of Pembroke, Ga., awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon. Acting on a tip, investigators from the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives seized 11 handguns, rifles, and shotguns during a search of Blair’s residence.

    The cases are being prosecuted for the United States by the Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office.

    Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual to possess a firearm if he or she falls into one of nine prohibited categories including being a felon; illegal alien; or unlawful user of a controlled substance. Further, it is unlawful to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense or violent crime. It is also illegal to purchase – or even to attempt to purchase – firearms if the buyer is a prohibited person or illegally purchasing a firearm on behalf of others. Lying on ATF Form 4473, which is used to lawfully purchase a firearm, also is a federal offense. 

    For more information from the ATF on the lawful purchasing of firearms, please see: https://www.atf.gov/qa-category/atfw-form-4473

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Horry County Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Machine Gun and Machine Gun Conversion Devices

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

    FLORENCE, S.C. —Orlanier Colon Menendez, 21, of Conway has pleaded guilty to possession of a machine gun and multiple machine gun conversion devices.

    Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Conway Police Department officers responded to a vehicle crash within the city limits involving Menendez. While investigating the crash, the responding officer found a .45 caliber handgun that had a machine gun conversion device installed on the firearm. During a search, officers found a backpack that contained an additional 12 machinegun conversion devices, also known as Glock conversion switches, and a rotary tool with accessories commonly used to install the devices.

    Menendez faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment.  United States District Judge Joseph Dawson accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Menendez after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Conway Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Hixson is prosecuting the case.

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Auditor General DeFoor Concludes Statewide Community College Tour at Community College of Philadelphia, Highlights Expanded Job Opportunities for Pennsylvania Students

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 15, 2024 – PHILADELPHIA, PA

    Auditor General DeFoor Concludes Statewide Community College Tour at Community College of Philadelphia, Highlights Expanded Job Opportunities for Pennsylvania Students

    Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor today wrapped-up a statewide tour of Pennsylvania’s 15 community colleges at Community College of Philadelphia, where he highlighted his department’s expanded career pathways for graduates of accredited associate degree programs and commended the work that these institutions do to prepare their students for the future.

    “As a community college graduate myself, I can tell you firsthand that associate degree programs offer practical, hands-on training that prepares students for high-demand careers like auditing,” Auditor General DeFoor said. “Community college taught me so many life skills that I still use to this day. That is why I am so excited to be at Community College of Philadelphia to recruit the next generation of our workforce and commend them for the work they do to ensure their students have the tools they need to succeed.”
    “Students and graduates of Community College of Philadelphia make up a major part of our community’s workforce,” said Dr. Donald Guy Generals, president of Community College of Philadelphia. “I am grateful to the Auditor General for visiting our institution and sharing information on some of the high-demand, family-supporting career opportunities available to our students.”

    Previously, to be considered for a position at the Department of the Auditor General, candidates needed to hold a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance and complete 12 credits of accounting as part of their coursework.

    List of Speakers:
    Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor
    Frank Santos, Workforce Development Recruitment Program Coordinator, Pennsylvania Auditor General
    Dr. Alycia Marshall, Provost and Vice President for Academic and Student Success/Aspen Rising Presidential Fellow at Community College of Philadelphia

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassini Mission: 5 Things to Know About NASA Lewis’ Last Launch

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s ambitious Cassini mission to Saturn in the late 1990s was one of the agency’s greatest accomplishments, providing unprecedented revelations about the esoteric outer planet and its moons. The complex undertaking was also a tremendous, yet bittersweet, achievement for the Lewis Research Center (today, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland), which oversaw the rockets that propelled Cassini to Saturn. Cassini brought a close to over 35 years of Lewis’ management of NASA’s launch vehicles.

    1. NASA Lewis Launched the Largest and Most Complex Deep-Space Mission to Date
    In the early 1980s, NASA began planning the first-ever in-depth study of the planet Saturn. The mission would use the Cassini orbiter designed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and the European Space Agency’s Huygens lander. It was one of the heaviest and most complex interplanetary spacecraft ever assembled. Cassini’s plutonium power system and intricate flight path further complicated the mission.
    NASA Lewis was responsible for managing the launches of government missions involving the Centaur upper stage and the Atlas and Titan boosters. Cassini’s 6-ton payload forced Lewis to use the U.S. Air Force’s three-stage Titan IV, the most powerful vehicle available, and pair it with the most advanced version of the Centaur, referred to as G-prime.

    2. Lewis Performed Hardware Testing for the Cassini Launch
    One of NASA Lewis’ primary launch responsibilities was integrating the payload and upper stages with the booster. This involved balancing weight requirements, providing adequate insulation for Centaur’s cryogenic propellants, determining correct firing times for the stages, and ensuring that that the large shroud, which encapsulated both the upper stage and payload, jettisoned cleanly after launch.
    By the time of Cassini, the center had been testing shrouds (including the Titan III fairing) in simulated space conditions for over 25 years. NASA’s Space Power Facility possesses the world’s largest vacuum chamber and was large enough to accommodate the Titan IV’s 86-foot-tall, 16-foot-diameter fairing. In the fall of 1990, the shroud was installed in the chamber, loaded with weights that simulated the payload, and subjected to atmospheric pressures found at an altitude of 72 miles.
    The system was successfully separated in less than half a second. Using simulated Cassini and Centaur vehicles, NASA engineers also redesigned a thicker thermal blanket that would protect Cassini’s power system from acoustic vibrations during liftoff.

    3. Lewis Personnel Assisted with the Launch
    In late August 1997, a group of NASA Lewis engineers traveled to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to make final preparations for the Cassini launch, working with Air Force range safety personnel at Patrick Air Force Base to ensure a safe launch under all circumstances.
    After an aborted launch two days earlier, the vehicle was readied for another attempt in the evening of October 14. Lewis personnel took stations in the Launch Vehicle Data Center inside Hangar AE to monitor the launch vehicle’s temperature, pressure, speed, trajectory, and vibration during the launch. The weather was mild, and the countdown proceeded into the morning hours of October 15 without any major issues.
    At 4:43 a.m. EDT, Titan’s first stage and the two massive solid rocket motors roared to life, and the vehicle rose into the dark skies over Florida. The Lewis launch team monitored the flight as the vehicle exited Earth’s atmosphere, Titan burned through its stages, and Centaur sent Cassini out of Earth orbit and on its 2-billion-mile journey to Saturn. After a successful spacecraft separation, Lewis’ responsibilities were complete. The launch had gone exceedingly well. 

    4. Cassini-Huygens Brought a Close to Decades of Lewis Launch Operations
    Cassini-Huygens was NASA Lewis’ 119th and final launch, and it brought to a close the center’s decades of launch operations. The center had been responsible for NASA’s upper-stage vehicles since the fall of 1962. The primary stages were the Agena, which had 28 successful launches, and Centaur, which has an even more impressive track record and remains in service today.
    While Lewis continued to handle vehicle integration and other technical issues for launches of NASA payloads, in the 1980s, NASA began transferring launch responsibilities to commercial entities. In the mid-1990s, NASA underwent a major realignment that consolidated all launch vehicle responsibilities at NASA Kennedy.
    So it was with mixed emotions that around 20 Lewis employees and retirees gathered at the Cleveland center in the early morning hours of Oct. 15, 1997, to watch the Cassini launch. The group held its cheers for 40 minutes after liftoff until Lewis’ responsibilities concluded for the last time with the safe separation of Cassini from Centaur. “In many ways, this is the end of an era, across the agency and, in particular, here at Lewis,” noted one engineer from the Launch Vehicle and Transportation Office.

    5. Cassini Made Groundbreaking Discoveries That Inform Today’s NASA Missions
    Cassini’s seven-year voyage to Saturn included flybys of Venus (twice), Earth, and Jupiter so that the planets’ gravitational forces could accelerate the spacecraft. Cassini entered Saturn’s orbit in June 2004 and began relaying data and nearly half a million images back to Earth. Huygens separated from the spacecraft and descended to the surface of the Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, in January 2005. It was the first time a vehicle ever landed on a celestial body in the outer solar system.
    Cassini went on to make plunges into the planet’s upper atmosphere and through Saturn’s rings.  Scientific information on the mysterious planet, its moons, and rings led to the publication of nearly 4,000 technical papers. After over 13 years and nearly 300 orbits, on Sept. 15, 2017, NASA intentionally sent Cassini plummeting into the atmosphere where it burned up, ending its remarkable mission.
    NASA engineers used their experiences from the Cassini mission to help design the Europa Clipper, which is intended to perform flybys of Jupiter’s moon Europa. Europa Clipper launched on Oct. 14.
    Keep Exploring

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cardin, Van Hollen, Ivey Highlight $1.15 Million in Direct Federal Investments for Youth Services and Restoration Projects in Prince George’s County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maryland Ben Cardin

    WASHINGTON – Recently, U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressman Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) were in Prince George’s County to highlight $1,150,000 in direct federal investments they secured for youth services and environmental restoration projects in the community. The lawmakers fought for these investments in the federal funding bills passed and signed into law for Fiscal Year 2024.

    “The dam ruins at Laurel’s Riverfront Park and the Laurel Boys and Girls Club are at the heart of the community and tell the city’s origin story. These are stories that need to be told,” said Senator Cardin. “Investment in these historic places preserves our history and culture while creating economic and educational opportunities for Laurel’s residents.”

    “We fought for these direct investments in Prince George’s County with key goals in mind: building stronger communities and empowering our future leaders. Funding for the Laurel Boys & Girls Clubs will enable them to maintain safe spaces for after-school activities, and resources for restoring the Laurel Dam ruins will preserve the historic landmark that this City was built around while enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities. These are investments in the preservation of our local history and the wellbeing of Marylanders today and for generations to come,” said Senator Van Hollen.

    “Investing in our communities begins with raising the quality of life for residents.  Creating a beautiful, safe and environmentally friendly park space in the ruins of a dam along the Patuxent River gives people of Laurel and beyond a look into it’s storied history as a mill town and its future with the walkable Riverfront Park.  Keeping kids safe and promoting their wellbeing is a down payment on our leaders of tomorrow.  Keeping one of the oldest boys and girls clubs in the region thriving gives a glimpse of that future.  With the leadership of Maryland’s federal delegation bringing these grant monies, Laurel’s future is as bright as ever,” said Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04). 

    Senators Van Hollen, Senator Cardin and Congressman Ivey were joined by Laurel Council President James Kole to celebrate $850,000 in direct federal funding they secured to stabilize, protect, and restore the Dam Ruins at the City’s Riverfront Park. The project involves renovating the observation deck, improving drainage to control erosion, and repairing signage around the dam.

    “I am thankful and  thrilled to receive this funding, which will help us preserve and enhance the Laurel Dam Ruins, an important piece of our town’s history. This investment ensures that future generations can appreciate its significance while improving safety and access for our community. Our goal is to make the Ruins a destination place  for all to enjoy,” said City of Laurel Mayor Keith Sydnor.

    The lawmakers then visited the Boys and Girls Club of Laurel to highlight $300,000 for renovations at the clubhouse. The funds will allow the Boys and Girls Club to continue providing after-school activities and a positive, safe learning environment for middle and high school students.

    “We are so thankful for the continued support and leadership by Senator Van Hollen, Senator Cardin, and Congressman Ivey. This federal funding will enable us to make some of the critical renovations to our center and continue providing the care and services that impact the lives of our community’s children every day,” said Adrian Rousseau, President of the Laurel Boys and Girls Club.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller-Meeks Leads 232 House Members to Address Doc Cuts Before 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    DAVENPORT – U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks led 232 bipartisan House members in urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to address the scheduled 2.8% cut in reimbursement for physicians who participate in Medicare before the end of the 118th Congress. With rising provider costs, the proposed 2025 Medicare physician payment schedule would threaten to impact patient care, especially for rural Americans, and contribute to provider burnout, which is already straining the healthcare workforce. 

    “As a Physician, I am thrilled to lead more than 200 bipartisan House members in urging leadership on both sides to address the proposed doc reimbursement cuts,” said Miller-Meeks. “The overwhelming, bipartisan support is a testament to the importance of fixing this issue to preserve patient access to quality care. Long-term payment reform is still desperately needed, but a temporary fix is also critical. In Congress, I will continue to lead the charge for better health access and outcomes for Americans.”

    “As physicians face yet another year of pending cuts stemming from the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, the AMA appreciates that a majority of House members cosigned a letter urging Congress to stop this harmful cycle,” said American Medical Association President Bruce A. Scott, M.D. “This unsustainable onslaught of annual cuts must cease, and physicians must receive a long-overdue and desperately needed payment increase. We applaud Reps. Miller-Meeks and Panetta for their leadership and thank the more than 218 bipartisan members of Congress who recognized that the status quo is not an option. We need Congress to Fix Medicare STAT!”

    “We applaud the work done by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (IA-01), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Ami Bera, MD (CA-06), Larry Bucshon, MD (IN-08), Kim Schrier, MD (WA-08), Greg Murphy, MD (NC-3), John Joyce, MD (PA-13), and Raul Ruiz, MD (CA-25) to gain support from more than 200 House members to prevent the upcoming cuts to Medicare part B payments in January,” said American Medical Group Association (AMGA) President and CEO Jerry Penso, M.D., M.B.A.  “We are thankful for this strong showing by House members and encourage Congress to prevent these cuts so that AMGA members can continue to put the health of their communities, and not cost reductions, first.”

    The full text of the letter is below

    Dear Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries:

    The undersigned bipartisan members of Congress write to urge you to expeditiously pass legislative fixes that not only stop another damaging round of cuts to Medicare payments, but also provide greater certainty and stability for clinicians serving Medicare beneficiaries. On July 10, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Proposed Rule, which includes provisions subjecting all physicians and other clinicians treating Medicare patients to a 2.8 percent payment cut. In lieu of these harmful cuts, which, absent federal legislation, will take effect on January 1, 2025, Congress must pass a bill providing physicians and other clinicians with a payment update that takes into account the cost of delivering care to patients.

    The scheduled 2.8 percent reduction represents the fifth consecutive year that CMS issued a fee schedule regulation lowering payments to physicians and other clinicians. While Congress has intervened in the past four years to mitigate portions of these cuts, the fact remains that the MPFS is inherently broken. Continued payment cuts undermine the ability of independent clinical practices—especially in rural and underserved areas—to care for their community, which reduces patient access to care. These ongoing cuts have forced medical groups and integrated systems of care to make difficult choices, such as imposing hiring freezes, delaying system improvements, postponing transitions to value-based care models, and potentially eliminating services. Because healthcare often comprises a large percentage of employment in rural areas, the closure of independent practices not only lessens patient access to care but also jeopardizes the livelihood of rural Americans.

    Over the last two decades, Medicare payment rates have fallen by 29 percent when adjusted for the costs of running a practice. Additionally, compliance with the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is both expensive and a flawed method of measuring quality and costs of care, resulting in steep and unfair penalties. These payment cuts and MIPS compliance costs also come on the heels of the extremely disruptive COVID-19 public health emergency and the Change Healthcare cyberattack.

    The CY 2025 MPFS Proposed Rule highlights that the estimated cost of running a practice—covering expenses like rent, staff compensation, and purchasing supplies and equipment—is expected to increase substantially next year. This widening gap between what Medicare pays and the cost of delivering quality care to patients demands Congressional intervention.

    Thankfully, bipartisan lawmakers have come together to propose several legislative solutions aimed at providing permanent relief from the long-term problems plaguing the Medicare payment system. We urge Congressional Leadership to move legislation that provides physicians and other clinicians with a permanent, annual inflationary update in Medicare equivalent to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). We also request targeted reforms to statutory MPFS budget neutrality requirements, raising the current MPFS budget neutrality threshold to reflect 2024 dollars, requiring CMS to cross-check utilization assumptions associated with newly unbundled codes that trigger budget neutrality cuts, mandating CMS to review key elements of practice expense costs every five years, and limiting changes to the MPFS conversion factor to no more than 2.5 percent in a given year. Some of these legislative solutions have already passed the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2023 with strong bipartisan support. Moreover, we urge Congressional Leadership to utilize bipartisan offsets as we address all issues pertaining to Medicare payments to physicians and other clinicians.

    Increased instability in the healthcare sector due to looming cost hikes impacts the ability of physicians and clinicians to provide the highest quality of care and threatens patient access to affordable healthcare. Rural physicians and other clinicians, along with those treating underserved populations, are facing the most daunting challenge of trying to provide care in the wake of devastating reimbursement cuts. To prevent the very real scenario of insufficient access to physicians and other clinicians treating Medicare patients, Congress must stop the 2.8 percent payment cut from occurring in 2025, enact targeted reforms to statutory budget neutrality requirements, and provide physicians with a payment update reflective of inflationary pressures. We stand ready to work with you to pass crucial bipartisan legislative initiatives before the conclusion of the 118th Congress.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: UPDATE: Man arrested following murder in Tottenham

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man has been arrested following the murder of a man aged in his 40s in Tottenham.

    On Tuesday, 15 October, police were called to Waltheof Gardens, N17 at 09:00hrs following reports of a shooting.

    Officers attended alongside the London Ambulance Service and found a man with a gunshot injury. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, he died at the scene.

    A 56-year-old man has now been arrested on suspicion of murder. He remains in custody at a north London police station.

    Although police believe this was an isolated incident and do not believe the wider public is at risk, detectives are still appealing for witnesses to come forward.

    Detective Chief Inspector Linda Bradley, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are yet to formally identify the victim of this tragic incident. We will continue to carry out efforts to ensure his family are informed and supported by specialist officers. A post-mortem examination will also be scheduled in due course.

    “We are appealing for anyone who was present in the area who may have seen or heard anything relating to this incident to please get in touch.

    “You can submit any footage or information via the following link https://mipp.police.uk/operation/01MPS24X05-PO1 Finally, we want to thank the local community for their patience whilst we conduct our enquiries in the area in the coming days.”

    Anyone with information is asked to call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC and quote CAD 1613/15OCT. You can upload information and material online.

    You can also provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Comedian Emma Doran bring her unique ‘Dilemma’ to the Alley

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Comedian Emma Doran bring her unique ‘Dilemma’ to the Alley

    15 October 2024

    Irish comedian Emma Doran has quite a ‘Dilemma’… and it’s one to make you laugh when she comes to the Alley Theatre as part of her UK and Ireland tour on Friday, 8th November.
    ‘Dilemma’ is set in the post-apocalyptic world where Emma finds herself facing a quandary – there’s only one contraceptive pill left, should she give it to her 19-year-old daughter or keep it for herself? Is it better to be a 40-year-old grandmother or a 40-year-old new Mum. These are the dilemmas facing Emma Doran aged 39 and 7/8, even though the most obvious outcome is neither. If turning 40 is the start of something new, what is it the end of?
    In 2022 Emma made her debut nationwide stand-up tour, ‘Mad Isn’t it?’, which enjoyed a sell-out run with multiple dates at Vicar Street. In the same year Emma co-wrote and starred in sketch show No Worries if Not on RTÉ. Other TV credits include: Modern Love on Amazon Prime alongside Kit Harington; Deirdre O’Kane’s stand up show (SKY); Bridget and Eamon (RTÉ); Callan Kicks (RTÉ), Republic of Telly (RTÉ); and Ireland’s Fittest Family (RTÉ). Her podcast credits include: You’re Grounded with daughter Ella; And Another Thing! with Muireann O’ Connell; and the four-part series Mischief Makers. Emma currently co-hosts the podcast Keep It Tight alongside fellow stand-up and LOL: Last One Laughing contestant Deirdre O’Kane.
    With the help of her cracked Samsung phone, Emma has garnered over 250K followers across social channels and surpassed over 1.3M likes on TikTok for her comedy sketches, with one TikTok of her stand-up reaching over 1.8 million views.
    The past year has seen Emma star in Prime Video’s first original series in Ireland, LOL: Last One Laughing hosted by Graham Norton, appear on popular TV shows Celebrity Gogglebox and RTÉ One’s The Late Late Show. She has amassed millions of views for her comedy sketches on social media and played to sold-out venues across Ireland, quickly establishing herself as one of Ireland’s most sought-after comedians.
    Emma recently released her debut book, ‘Mad, Isn’t It?’ published by Gill Books – a hilarious and moving memoir about family, friendship, (young) motherhood and taking risks.
    Tickets for her Strabane show are now on sale, priced £15, available from the Alley Theatre Box Office on 028 71 384444 or online http://www.alley-theatre.com

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES NEW $750 MILLION PRELIMINARY INVESTMENT FOR WOLFSPEED FROM HIS CHIPS & SCIENCE LAW; SENATOR SAYS NEW $$$ WILL HELP ACCELERATE ONGOING MOHAWK VALLEY EXPANSION & SUPPORT HUNDREDS OF…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer

    Includes $750M Agreement For Funding From Schumer’s CHIPS Act & $750M Private Investment, Boosting Wolfspeed’s Ongoing Expansion In Upstate NY And Building A New North Carolina Facility Which Sends Wafers To Oneida County’s Marcy Nanocenter To Be Finished, Providing Long Term Work For Mohawk Valley

    Wolfspeed Says It Also Plans To Tap Up To Nearly $1 Billion From The CHIPS ITC That Schumer Created To Help Fund Completion Of Mohawk Valley Plant

    Schumer: My CHIPS & Science Law Is Bringing Wolfspeed To Front Of The Pack & Helping Mohawk Valley Lead America’s Semiconductor Renaissance

    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced Wolfspeed has reached a $750 million preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) funding agreement under the CHIPS & Science Law he led in writing and passing into law, helping them unlock an additional $750 million in private investment. Wolfspeed also said it plans to tap nearly $1 billion from the CHIPS Investment Tax Credit that Schumer helped create to fund much of the state-of-the-art equipment being installed to complete the expansion their Silicon Carbide Fabrication Facility at Marcy Nanocenter in Oneida County.

    Wolfspeed said this massive collective investment will help accelerate their ongoing expansion in the Mohawk Valley and boosting good-paying jobs expected to be created at the Marcy facility. This CHIPS investment will also support Wolfspeed’s new North Carolina Siler City facility which is integral to the Mohawk Valley’s future as it will send wafers to be finished in NY, creating long term work and future growth opportunities for the Marcy operation.

    “Wolfspeed is leading the pack in bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to America. This major multibillion investment powered by my CHIPS & Science Law will accelerate the ongoing expansion in the Mohawk Valley, helping boost hundreds of good paying jobs and providing long term work for the Marcy fab to succeed well into the future,” said Senator Schumer. “From electric vehicles to artificial intelligence, so much critical technology relies on the silicon carbide chips that Wolfspeed will manufacture and perfect in the Mohawk Valley. Today’s massive investment will make America’s economy and our national security stronger as Wolfspeed helps us write the next chapter of America’s resurgence as the leader in the semiconductor industry, with the Mohawk Valley as the beating heart.”

    Schumer explained that Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab is the largest and one of the only 200mm Silicon Carbide fabrication facilities in the world. Wolfspeed officially opened their new fab in 2022 and is actively expanding with approximately $790 million in additional capital planned investment in the Mohawk Valley which will help support new good paying manufacturing and construction jobs to the region. The proposed CHIPS investment would also support the construction of Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide wafer manufacturing facility in North Carolina. Nearly all of the wafers from Wolfspeed’s new facility in Siler City, NC are needed and sent to the Mohawk Valley Fab to be finished and this investment is essential to ramp up chip production in New York. The proposed CHIPS funding will support the Mohawk Valley fab to increase its production capacity by approximately 30%.

    To achieve this increase in capacity in the Mohawk Valley, Wolfspeed will purchase and install additional tools & equipment in the Mohawk Valley, such as photolithography tools, ion implanters, metal deposition tools, etch systems, automation equipment and more that will be support by the Investment Tax Credit from the CHIPS & Science Law.

    The proposed $750 million in CHIPS funding will also help catalyze private capital investment of at least $750 million to support the company’s expansion plans. This injection of private capital would not have occurred were it not for the CHIPS and Science Act. Wolfspeed is the world’s leading manufacturer of wafers and devices made from silicon carbide, a compound which has favorable chemical and material properties compared to traditional silicon, enabling Wolfspeed’s semiconductors to be highly energy-efficient and durable. The silicon carbide devices manufactured by Wolfspeed power electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids, enabling extended driving range-per-charge, faster charging times, and lower overall systems costs, they also are vital for artificial intelligence and in military applications critical for national security.

    Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. said, “We thank Senator Schumer for securing $750 million in funding for Wolfspeed from his historic CHIPS & Science Law. This transformative investment will accelerate hundreds of good-paying jobs in Oneida County and further elevate our region as a leader in semiconductor production. As Wolfspeed enhances its capabilities, we look forward to the opportunities this brings for our workforce and our future in the Mohawk Valley.”

    Acting President of Mohawk Valley EDGE Shawna Papale said, “On behalf of Mohawk Valley EDGE, we commend the Department of Commerce for reaching a preliminary agreement with Wolfspeed to leverage more than $2.5 billion of investment including over $750 million in CHIPS Act grant funding. The growth of the Mohawk Valley Fab is hinged on the ability of Siler City to produce 200mm silicon carbide wafers to supply Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab. Thanks to Senate Majority Leader Schumer, this CHIPs announcement accelerates hiring towards Wolfspeed’s job target of over 600 employees and increases production capacity at the Marcy Nanocenter. This was a true collaboration across local, county, State, and Federal officials along with the leadership of Wolfspeed to make the dream of recreating American made manufacturing a reality right here in Oneida County.”

    Last week, Schumer announced Edwards Vacuum reached a $18 million CHIPS PMT to build its new $300+ million dry pump manufacturing facility for the semiconductor industry, the first of its kind for America, in Western NY. Earlier this year, Schumer also announced that Micron, which plans to invest $100 billion over the next two decades – the largest private investment in New York’ s history – reached a $6.1 billion CHIPS PMT funding agreement. In addition, GlobalFoundries in the Capital Region also reached an agreement for $1.5 billion in direct grant funding under his CHIPS & Science Law to support a $12.5 billion public-private investment over the next ten plus years to expand and construct a second, new state-of-the-art computer chip factory in Malta, NY. 

    Schumer added, “The CHIPS & Science Law keeps helping grow the booming semiconductor industry in Upstate NY. We are seeing more targeted federal investment than ever before to bring back manufacturing, and awards like this show how the I-90 corridor from Buffalo to Syracuse to Utica to Albany truly is becoming America’s semiconductor superhighway.”

    Schumer has long worked to position the Mohawk Valley for semiconductor investment. In addition to his efforts on further recruiting chip suppliers to Marcy Nanocenter, Schumer secured $2 million in U.S. DOL funding for the Workforce Development Board of Herkimer, Madison and Oneida Counties and Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC) to boost technical training to support the expansion and attraction of the semiconductor industry. Schumer also secured $2 million for MVCC to create a new state-of-the-art semiconductor and advanced manufacturing training center.

    Schumer is also actively working with Mohawk Valley EDGE to help lure additional semiconductor and supply chain companies to Marcy Nanocenter which will get a further boost from Wolfspeed and Micron’s expansions in the region.

    Schumer said, “Marcy Nanocenter is one of the most shovel-ready sites in the whole country and with this investment helping to strengthen Wolfspeed and with Micron rapidly establishing itself in the broader region, I am going all out to land more companies to make the Mohawk Valley a central component of bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to America.”

    Thanks to Schumer’s CHIPS & Science Law, Upstate New York has seen a major revival in tech manufacturing. Micron has announced plans for a historic $100+ billion investment to build a cutting-edge memory fab in Central New York. GlobalFoundries plans to invest over $12 billion to expand and construct a second, new state-of-the-art computer chip factory in the Capital Region. TTM Technologies, a printed circuit board manufacturer, plans to invest up to $130 million to expand their facilities in Onondaga County, creating up to 400 good-paying jobs. Menlo Micro will invest $150 million to build their microchip switch manufacturing facility in Tompkins County, creating over 100 new good-paying jobs. In addition, Upstate New York is home to semiconductor supply chain companies like Corning Incorporated, which manufactures glass critical to the microchip industry at its Canton and Fairport, NY plants. Edwards Vacuum is also moving forward with a $300+ million investment to build a dry pump manufacturing facility in Western New York, creating 600 good-paying jobs to support the growing chip industry in Upstate New York and across the nation.

    The PMT outlines key terms for Wolfspeed’s CHIPS agreement. To finalize the federal CHIPS agreement, the Commerce Department will now begin a comprehensive due diligence process on the proposed project and other information contained in the application. After satisfactory completion of the due diligence phase, the Commerce Department will finalize the PMT.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Veolia Orchard is branching out to new schools in St Albans District

    Source: St Albans City and District

    Publication date:

    Veolia Orchard is open for applications once again.

    This scheme invites schools to increase biodiversity and become part of Veolia’s family tree by growing their onw strawberries or nurturing their own orchard of fruit trees.

    Since 2022, Veolia Orchard has delivered 25 fruit trees and 10 strawberry plants to 6 schools across the borough. This local network is just a small part of a whole family of 1,085 trees and 780 strawberry plants steadily growing at 291 schools across the UK.

    This initiative launched in 2022, with fruit trees donated to schools in order to give young people a chance to experience the benefits of engaging with nature as well as improving local biodiversity. Building on its initial success, in 2023 the scheme expanded to include strawberry plants, ensuring that urban schools with limited outdoor green space could participate.

    Each orchard comprises either five trees or ten strawberry plants per school, an individual component of a much wider network. Schools can apply online until 8 November 2024  using the following link: https://www.veolia.co.uk/veolia-orchard

    Successful candidates will then hear back from 25 November with deliveries taking place in spring 2025. Schools can opt for an interactive planting event where Veolia’s experts guide students through their planting whilst educating them on the orchard’s long-term benefits to the community and environment.

    Pascal Hauret, Municipal Managing Director at Veolia said: 

    The Veolia Orchard scheme is about growing more than just fruit; it’s about cultivating a love of nature in our future environmental ambassadors. I am especially happy to see this initiative continue to flourish in urban schools where there are typically fewer opportunities to interact with the environment. Not only are we boosting biodiversity by introducing new fruit tree species, creating habitats for pollinators, and enhancing the genetic diversity of cities with urban farming, we’re planting the seeds for a more sustainable future.

    Chris Traill, Strategic Director for Community and Place Delivery for St Albans City and District Council,  said:

    This is a fantastic initiative by our waste and recycling contractor Veolia which we have been supporting for a few years now.

    I urge the District’s schools to apply as it is a fun way to increase awareness of environmental issues among their young pupils as well as give them the rewarding experience of planting trees, creating habitats and improving biodiversity.

    ▁▁▁

    ABOUT VEOLIA 

    Veolia’s ambition is to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. With nearly 218,000 employees on five continents, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for managing water, waste and energy that help to radically change the world. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia contributes to developing access to resources, preserving available resources and renewing them. In 2023, the Veolia group served 113 million people with drinking water and 103 million with wastewater services, produced 42 terawatt-hours of energy and recovered 63 million metric tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) generated consolidated sales of €45.3 billion in 2023. http://www.veolia.com

    ▁▁▁

    Millie Brooke, Digital & PR Officer

    Tel. 07944 886 293

    emailmillicent.brooke@gmail.com

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Europa Clipper Begins Journey to Jupiter’s Icy Moon

    Source: NASA

    A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft lifts off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024.
    Europa Clipper is the first mission designed to conduct a detailed study of Jupiter’s moon Europa to determine if it currently has habitable conditions. The spacecraft will travel 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion km) to reach Jupiter in April 2030. It will orbit Jupiter and conduct 49 close flybys of Europa.
    Follow Europa Clipper’s journey in NASA’s Eyes on the Solar System app.
    Image credit: SpaceX

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Urges Safety Measures for Heating Homes in Western NC as Temperatures Drop

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Urges Safety Measures for Heating Homes in Western NC as Temperatures Drop

    NCDHHS Urges Safety Measures for Heating Homes in Western NC as Temperatures Drop
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    As cooler weather arrives in western North Carolina, the NC Department of Health and Human Services urges individuals, families and communities impacted by Hurricane Helene to take safety precautions when heating homes, buildings or other enclosed spaces.

    Using gas or wood-burning heat sources without proper safety measures can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning and other hazards, especially if fuel sources or appliances have been damaged by the storm.

    Safe Practices for Wood-Burning Stoves
    Properly installed, correctly used wood-burning appliances should generate very little smoke. If you regularly see or smell smoke, you may have a problem. Take the following steps to reduce smoke inside and outside your home: 

    • What NOT to burn: Do not burn household trash (including cardboard, plastics, foam, magazines, boxes and wrappers), coated wood, painted wood, pressure-treated wood, driftwood, plywood, particle board, wood with any glue on it, wet or green wood, rotted wood, moldy wood, asbestos, rubber, manure or animal remains. These materials can release toxic or harmful chemicals when burned and may also damage your stove.
    • What to burn: Try to burn mainly dry, split, well-seasoned wood. Properly seasoned wood is darker, weighs less and sounds hollow when hit against another piece of wood. You can also use branches, sticks or limbs from fallen trees that are off the ground. Do not use wet or green wood.
    • Use a starter: Start fires with newspaper, dry kindling or all-natural fire starters. Never start a fire in a wood-burning stove with gasoline, kerosene or charcoal starter.
    • Keep flammable items away: Maintain a safe distance between stoves and items like curtains, furniture, newspapers, books or paper. Regularly remove ashes into a covered, metal container, and store the container outdoors on a nonflammable surface.
    • Keep the fire hot and door closed: For most appliances, a smoldering fire is not safe or efficient. Build a hot fire and keep the doors of your wood-burning appliance closed unless loading or stoking the live fire. Harmful chemicals, like carbon monoxide, can be released into your home through an open stove door.
    • Keep a fire extinguisher handy: In case of a fire, have a fire extinguisher, fire blanket or ample sand or water on-hand to put it out before it can spread. 

    Safe Practices for Generators and Fuel-Burning Heat Sources
    In previous hurricanes in North Carolina, people have died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by generators running indoors. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas produced whenever fuel is burned. In an enclosed space, such as a home, garage, car or camper, carbon monoxide can build up to deadly levels quickly. 

    High levels of carbon monoxide can be deadly within minutes. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal to anyone, especially children, pregnant women, older adults and those with chronic illness. People who are sleeping can die from carbon monoxide poisoning without ever becoming aware of their symptoms. 

    Anyone testing or using a generator or other fuel burning device during should take proper safety precautions, including the following: 

    • Do not use gasoline-powered tools or engines in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces. Use them outdoors at least 20 feet from all doors, windows and air vents.
    • Do not use charcoal grills or propane stoves indoors, even in a fireplace.
    • Never use the kitchen stove or other gas appliances to heat your home.
    • Do not idle your car, truck or other vehicle in the garage, even if the garage door to the outside is open. Fumes can build up quickly in the garage and living area of your home.
    • Keep rooms well ventilated.
    • Read and follow all instructions that accompany fuel-burning devices. Use the proper fuel and make sure there is enough air for ventilation and fuel burning. 

    Even low levels of carbon monoxide can cause dizziness, fatigue, nausea, headaches, confusion or fainting. If you are experiencing these symptoms, get to fresh air immediately and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

    For additional questions on how to safely use woodstoves and generators and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, contact the Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch, NC Division of Public Health, NCDHHS, at 919-707-5900. For more information about Hurricane Helene and resources available for people who are impacted, please go to ncdhhs.gov/helene and ncdps.gov/helene. 

    A medida que el clima más frío llega al oeste de Carolina del Norte, el Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte pide a las personas, familias y comunidades afectadas por el huracán Helene que tomen precauciones de seguridad al calentar casas, edificios u otros espacios cerrados.

    El uso de fuentes de calor de gas o leña sin las medidas de seguridad adecuadas puede provocar intoxicación por monóxido de carbono y otros peligros, especialmente si las fuentes de combustible o los electrodomésticos han sido dañados por la tormenta.

    Prácticas seguras para estufas de leña
    Los electrodomésticos de leña correctamente instalados y utilizados de manera adecuada deben generar muy poco humo. Si ve u huele humo con regularidad, es posible que tenga un problema. Tome las siguientes medidas para reducir el humo dentro y fuera de su hogar: 

    • Qué NO quemar: No queme basura doméstica (incluyendo cartón, plásticos, espuma, revistas, cajas y envoltorios), madera revestida, madera pintada, madera tratada a presión, madera a la deriva, madera contrachapada, aglomerados de madera, madera con cualquier pegamento, madera húmeda o verde, madera podrida, madera mohosa, asbesto/amianto, caucho/goma, estiércol o restos de animales. Estos materiales pueden liberar productos químicos tóxicos o nocivos cuando se queman y también pueden dañar su estufa.
    • Qué SÍ quemar: Intente quemar principalmente madera seca, partida y bien curada. La madera correctamente curada es más oscura, pesa menos y suena hueca cuando se golpea contra otra pieza de madera. También puede usar ramas, palos o ramas de árboles caídos que están fuera del suelo. No utilice madera húmeda o verde.
    • Use un material de arranque: Inicie el fuego con periódicos, leña seca o iniciadores de fuego totalmente naturales. Nunca encienda un fuego en una estufa de leña con gasolina, queroseno o arrancador de carbón.
    • Mantenga los artículos inflamables alejados: Mantenga una distancia segura entre las estufas y artículos como cortinas, muebles, periódicos, libros o papel. Retire regularmente las cenizas en un recipiente de metal cubierto y guárdelo al aire libre en una superficie no inflamable.
    • Mantenga el fuego caliente y la puerta cerrada: Para la mayoría de los electrodomésticos, un fuego ardiente no es seguro ni eficiente. Logre un fuego caliente y mantenga las puertas de su electrodoméstico de leña cerradas a menos que cargue o alimente el fuego vivo. Los productos químicos nocivos, como el monóxido de carbono, pueden liberarse en su hogar a través de una puerta abierta de la estufa.
    • Tenga un extintor a mano: En caso de incendio, tenga a mano un extintor, una manta contra incendios o suficiente arena o agua para apagarlo antes de que se propague. 

    Prácticas seguras para generadores y fuentes de calor que queman combustible
    En huracanes anteriores en Carolina del Norte, las personas han muerto por envenenamiento por monóxido de carbono causado por generadores encendidos en interiores. El monóxido de carbono es un gas inodoro e incoloro que se produce cada vez que se quema combustible. En un espacio cerrado, como una casa, un garaje, un automóvil o una autocaravana, el monóxido de carbono puede acumularse a niveles mortales rápidamente. 

    Los altos niveles de monóxido de carbono pueden ser mortales en cuestión de minutos. La intoxicación por monóxido de carbono puede ser fatal para cualquier persona, especialmente niños, mujeres embarazadas, adultos mayores y personas con enfermedades crónicas. Las personas que duermen pueden morir por intoxicación por monóxido de carbono sin darse cuenta de sus síntomas. 

    Cualquier persona que pruebe o use un generador u otro dispositivo de combustión de combustible debe tomar las precauciones de seguridad adecuadas, incluidas las siguientes: 

    • No utilice herramientas o motores de gasolina en espacios cerrados o parcialmente cerrados. Úselos al aire libre al menos a 20 pies de distancia de todas las puertas, ventanas y salidas de aire.
    • No use parrillas de carbón o estufas de propano en interiores, incluso en una chimenea.
    • Nunca use la estufa de la cocina u otros electrodomésticos de gas para calentar su hogar.
    • No deje su coche, camión u otro vehículo encendido en el garaje, incluso si la puerta del garaje hacia el exterior está abierta. Los humos pueden acumularse rápidamente en el garaje y la sala de estar de su hogar.
    • Mantenga las habitaciones bien ventiladas.
    • Lea y siga todas las instrucciones que acompañan a los dispositivos de quema de combustible. Use el combustible adecuado y asegúrese de que haya suficiente aire para la ventilación y la quema de combustible. 

    Incluso los niveles bajos de monóxido de carbono pueden causar mareos, fatiga, náuseas, dolores de cabeza, confusión o desmayos. Si experimenta estos síntomas, salga al aire libre de inmediato y busque atención médica lo antes posible.

    Para preguntas adicionales sobre cómo usar estufas de leña y generadores de manera segura y prevenir la intoxicación por monóxido de carbono, comuníquese con la Sección de Epidemiología Ocupacional y Ambiental, División de Salud Pública de Carolina del Norte, Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, al 919-707-5900. Para obtener más información sobre el huracán Helene y los recursos disponibles para las personas afectadas, visite ncdhhs.gov/helene y ncdps.gov/helene. 

    Oct 15, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –