NewzIntel.com

Category: Vehicles

  • MIL-OSI USA: This Week in NJ – November 1st, 2024

    Source: US State of New Jersey

    Governor Phil Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman Launch New Jersey’s Commemoration of America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration

    At Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Governor Phil Murphy, Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way, and Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman launched New Jersey’s celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, kicking off a multi-year schedule of events and projects that will take place through the nation’s semiquincentennial. As a leader in education, technology, AI, film, science, and more, New Jersey will celebrate its revolutionary legacy and its critical role in American history.

    “New Jersey is not just home to revolutionary history—we are, to this day, the birthplace for revolutionary possibilities,” said Governor Murphy. “From our eclectic culinary landscape, to our leadership in emerging industries like clean-energy and generative Artificial Intelligence, to our steadfast reputation as one of the most diverse states in the nation, New Jersey is where the future is being built. As we launch New Jersey’s official Commemoration of America’s 250th Anniversary Celebration—and prepare to welcome in visitors from across the globe—we are going to unite together around our core, American values every step of the way.” 

    “Our nation’s rich and diverse history has unfolded over the last 250 years,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. “In my role as Secretary of State, I oversee the New Jersey Historical Commission, and I am thrilled to celebrate our country’s layered history—much of which has roots here in New Jersey. This shared legacy reflects our resilience and strength as united Americans, standing together through generations.” 

    “The Battle of Monmouth was a vital turning point to winning our nation’s independence nearly 250 years ago. So much of the story of our nation’s founding took place right here in New Jersey,” said Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman. “As a member of the Semiquincentennial Commission, I’m so excited to help New Jersey show the rest of the country why we’re known as the ‘Crossroads of the American Revolution.’”

    The launch event included musical accompaniments by the Washington Crossing Fifes and Drums; a posting and retirement of the colors by reenactors of the Continental Army; the Pledge of Allegiance led by Ava Porta, a fifth grade student from Taylor Mills Elementary School in Manalapan; the National Anthem performed by Melissa Walker, an acclaimed jazz vocalist and recording artist from Montclair; and an essay read by Malay Gupta, an eighth grade student and first-place winner in America’s Field Trip scholastic contest at John Adams Middle School in Edison.

    READ MORE

    Governor Murphy Joins NJ TRANSIT to Showcase Brand New Multilevel Rail Cars

    Governor Phil Murphy and NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett previewed the next generation of multilevel rail cars, modernizing the fleet which will significantly improve reliability, capacity and customer comfort. The latest generation of multilevel rail cars was unveiled at an event at NJ TRANSIT’s Meadows Maintenance Complex (MMC) in Kearny.

    “Providing modern, reliable equipment is a critical component to improving New Jersey’s infrastructure, particularly with regard to public transit,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “These multilevel rail cars are equipped with innovative features that meet the everyday needs of our commuters. Upon their completion, these upgraded rail cars will expand access to reliable and comfortable transportation for NJ TRANSIT riders.”

    “NJ TRANSIT is committed to improving every aspect of the customer journey, and the 174 new multilevel rail cars will help achieve that by significantly improving reliability, increasing capacity and enhancing the onboard experience,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kevin S. Corbett. “NJ TRANSIT is grateful to Governor Murphy, the New jersey legislators and our partners at the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for delivering the necessary funding to ensure our system continues to meet the growing demands of our region, and the expectations of our customers.” 

    Governor Murphy and Corbett previewed the first of 174 Multilevel III cars during an event at the agency’s MMC in Kearny. They highlighted many of the new car’s amenities, including USB charging ports and onboard information displays. The new cars, manufactured by Alstom Transportation in Plattsburgh, NY, will offer a range of benefits over the older, 40+ year-old single level cars they will replace, including dramatic improvement in mechanical reliability. The vehicle maximum speed will increase to 110 miles per hour. The cars, which will begin entering service mid-next year, will be compliant with the latest federal regulations, including Positive Train Control.

    READ MORE

    Governor Murphy Holds Roundtable Discussion on Expanding Access to Public Contracting Opportunities for Historically Marginalized Businesses

    Governor Phil Murphy held a roundtable discussion where he met with legislators and stakeholders to gather input on potential legislative remedies and ongoing administrative initiatives to eliminate disparities in the public procurement process and create a more equitable business environment for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) in New Jersey.

    The discussion follows the release of a comprehensive statewide disparity study earlier this year – the first since 2005 – which reviewed statewide procurement data relating to goods and services, professional services, and construction between 2015 and 2020, and found statistically significant disparities in the awarding of public contracts to MWBEs. The study was necessary so that the State had a legal basis for addressing these gaps. This discussion also follows a series of meetings over the past months led by the Governor’s Office and the Department of Treasury with community partners, faith leaders, labor, and diverse business chambers across the state.

    “One of New Jersey’s best attributes has always been its vast diversity. Our state is home to people of so many different backgrounds, who all deserve the opportunity to succeed in their chosen field; however, lingering inequities continue to create barriers to entry for our minority and women-owned businesses that want to contract with our state government. This is unacceptable and, with the help of our lawmakers and business community, we will take action,” said Governor Murphy. “Today’s meeting underscores our steadfast commitment to building a stronger, fairer, more equitable, and more inclusive New Jersey. I look forward to continuing this conversation and working with our partners in the Legislature and our state’s business community to create a system where all businesses can thrive.”

    READ MORE

    Governor Murphy Announces Creation of Economic Council

    Governor Murphy signed an Executive Order establishing a new Economic Council, which will be supported by a newly established Development Coordination Committee. Under the executive order, the Economic Council will provide a regular forum for the business community and state government to discuss, collaborate, and solve issues important to the public and private sectors, and stimulate economic growth and prosperity. The new Development Coordination Committee will support the Council’s work in advancing development projects that require multiple state, county and local government approvals. 

    “The Economic Council will ensure that we continue to have a healthy collaboration between the business community and the state government,” said Governor Murphy. “Deepening our Administration’s strong relationship with various sectors across our state will stimulate growth within our economy. I look forward to the forum for ongoing dialogue, collaboration, and problem-solving to advance our shared economic goals.” 

    Since the beginning of the Murphy Administration, state officials have worked with legislative partners and industry stakeholders on policies to improve the role and function of the government in facilitating economic development. Since 2018, New Jersey has seen small businesses increase by over 40,000 or 19%, despite the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

    The Economic Council’s co-chairs will be Deputy Chief of Staff for Economic Growth Eric Brophy and Chief Executive Officer of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority Tim Sullivan. The co-chairs will designate representatives from industry to participate in working group discussions with the Council. Along with the co-chairs, the Council will also consist of the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Chief Counsel, Chief Policy Advisor, the State Treasurer; and the Executive Director of the Business Action Center, or their respective designees.

    READ MORE

    Governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Maryland, and Delaware Issue Joint Letter to Grid Operator PJM

    Governor Phil Murphy joined Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and Delaware Governor John Carney in issuing a letter to PJM Interconnection, the grid operator for New Jersey and the aforementioned states. The governors have called on PJM to take urgent action to address the increasing cost of electricity bills after the record-high prices coming out of the region’s capacity auction.

    The letter addresses issues that impact the path to renewable energy goals, including market structure and the efficacy of the generator interconnection process. In the recent PJM capacity auction for the 2025/2026 Delivery Year, clearing prices surged to almost 10 times higher than the previous year, leaving residents and businesses with much higher bills. Serious flaws with the rules this auction contributed significantly to these unnecessarily high prices. 


    “PJM must take action now to address record high prices,” said Governor Murphy. “In New Jersey, we’re doing our part by bringing new resources to the market and making electricity more affordable for families and businesses as we look to a clean and resilient energy future. However, our grid operator must work in lockstep with the states and recognize that the market isn’t responding quickly enough due to current conditions of slow interconnection. I’m looking forward to working together to stop customers from facing unnecessarily high utility bills, along with facilitating the development of increased capacity and reliability, which will stimulate economic growth and limit the effects of climate change.”

    READ MORE

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Point Predictive Partners with OTTOMOTO® to Deliver Advanced Fraud Prevention, Income, and Employment Validation Solutions to Auto Dealers Nationwide

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Point Predictive, the leader in AI solutions for fraud prevention, today announced a strategic partnership with OTTOMOTO® to integrate its advanced fraud detection and income & employment validation solutions into their comprehensive platform.

    With auto lending fraud reaching nearly $8 billion last year, dealers and lenders face mounting challenges from synthetic identities and credit-washing schemes as well as income & employment misrepresentation. Lenders are increasingly finding and pushing back defaulted fraudulent loans to dealers. Dealers are struggling to absorb the pushbacks. Both dealers and lenders are looking for ways to stop fraud at dealerships before it even gets to the lenders.

    The integration with Point Predictive’s IEValidate™, BorrowerCheck™ and DealerCheck™ solutions means that OTTOMOTO® dealers and lenders will have turnkey access to the most advanced identity, income, and employment validation services available. DealerCheck will also help lenders and dealership owners monitor loan application processes and ensure that fraud checks are in place and that risk remains low.

    “Helping dealers and lenders address the nearly $8 billion in fraud hitting the auto industry is our priority,” said Tim Grace, CEO of Point Predictive. “By working with state-of-the-art platforms like OTTOMOTO®, we can provide turnkey access to thousands of dealerships and lenders to stop the majority of the loan pushbacks. With the integration, they can detect and prevent fraud they are missing today, reduce false positives from their current red flag tools, and validate income in real-time without using pay stubs or bank statements, enabling an easier process for dealers.”

    The Best Platform Delivering a Better Way to Manage All Risk

    Through the OTTOMOTO® platform, dealers and lenders will gain immediate access to Point Predictive’s solutions to stop more fraud and streamline their most critical and time-consuming verification processes.

    OTTOMOTO® customers will have access to:

    IEValidate – Validate Income and Employment Without the Hassle of Pay Stubs

    With IEValidate, dealers and lenders can eliminate requests for pay stubs, which are difficult for an applicant to provide and are often forged. IEValidate is easier, faster, and more reliable, which means less work for everyone, including the applicant. In less than 1 second, a dealership can receive a full report on an applicant’s income and employment history. In addition, IEValidate confirms that the employer is not one of the 11,000 fake employers that we have identified as being used on fraudulent applications in the U.S. today.

    BorrowerCheck – Stop Pushbacks and Eliminate Credit Bureau Interview Questions

    No more unexpected pushbacks. BorrowerCheck eliminates dated red-flag checks which are often inaccurate and take too much time to review. New alerts provide clear direction on where the risk is, and how to resolve it quickly.

    The solution also replaces antiquated Credit Bureau Interview Questions that can take 5 minutes or more to complete. Instead of those questions, BorrowerCheck provides SMS-based verification, which can be completed in less than 20 seconds. The solution works better and is faster than existing red flag tools used by dealers.

    DealerCheck – Dashboards to Enable Better Partnership with Lenders

    With DealerCheck, lenders and dealers get information that helps them track growing risks to avoid pushbacks and make smarter decisions about working together.

    DealerCheck lets dealers and lenders:

    • See detailed reports about their dealers
    • Compare their dealer’s performance to other dealers
    • Spot trending of high-risk applications before they become big issues
    • Make smarter decisions, optimize stipulations and discounts, improve watchlist and working relationships with dealers

    All Powered by Data

    The new solutions available to OTTOMOTO®’s customers are driven by Point Predictive’s data which is unlike any data from a credit bureau. With over 269 million reported incomes and information on 22 million employers in the U.S., dealers get access to real history that enables automation to modernize a dealer’s operations and sell more cars faster.

    “OTTOMOTO® is dedicated to streamlining the auto retail finance process,” said Paul Nicholas, CEO at OTTOMOTO®. “Integrating Point Predictive’s advanced solutions gives our dealers the tools to close deals faster while protecting their businesses from fraud.”

    For more information on the Point Predictive and OTTOMOTO® partnership, please get in touch with Justin Davis at jdavis@pointpredictive.com.

    About Point Predictive

    Headquartered in San Diego, California, Point Predictive powers a new level of lending confidence and speed through artificial intelligence, powerful data insight from our proprietary data repository, and decades of risk management expertise. The company’s data and technology solutions quickly and accurately identify truthful and untruthful disclosures on loan applications. As a result, lenders can fund the majority of loans without requiring onerous documentation, such as pay stubs, utility bills, or bank statements, improving funding rates while reducing early payment default losses. Subsequently, borrowers get loans faster, and lenders realize an increased bottom line. For more information, please visit pointpredictive.com.
    Click here to partner with Point Predictive.

    About OTTOMOTO®

    OTTOMOTO® is a premier provider of lending technology for the auto, RV, Powersports, Marine, and aircraft industries. Focused on digital innovation, OTTOMOTO® is redefining traditional financing practices with a secure, transparent, and compliant process that benefits dealers, lenders, and consumers. With strategic partnerships and decades of industry expertise, OTTOMOTO® is committed to advancing the future of finance through cutting-edge technology solutions.
    Click here to partner with OTTOMOTO®.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: EA re-opens initial consultation for Swadlincote incinerator

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    On 1 November 2024 the Environment Agency re-opened the initial consultation into an environmental permit application for an incinerator near Swadlincote.

    • Environment Agency re-opens initial consultation on plans for proposed site in Keith Willshee Way
    • Consultation to run from 1 November to 13 December 2024
    • Environment Agency will consider issues around any likely impact on human health and environment

    Due to the high level of public interest associated with the site, the Environment Agency is re-opening the initial public consultation. The initial public consultation, ran between 28 June 2024 and 2 September 2024.

    R&P Clean Power Limited has applied for the permit to operate an incinerator on Keith Willshee Way, Swadlincote DE11 9EN. The company has also separately applied to Derbyshire County Council for planning.

    The company wants to incinerate up to 230,000 tonnes of non-hazardous waste each year in an incinerator known as an Energy from Waste Facility.

    The proposed facility will incinerate waste to produce energy in the form of electricity. Electricity from this process will be exported to the National Grid.

    An environmental permit sets the conditions which R&P Clean Power Limited must meet when operating the proposed incinerator.  It covers the management and operation of the site and the control and monitoring of emissions.

    Issues that we consider in deciding on the permit are: 

    • Relevant environmental regulatory requirements and technical standards.
    • Information on local population and sensitive sites.
    • Protection of human and environmental health.
    • Comments on whether the right process is being used for the activity, for example, whether the technology is appropriate.
    • Pollution control and any emissions to air, land and water.
    • Whether energy generated by waste incineration is recovered as much as possible.
    • Handling and storage of waste.
    • The impact of noise and odour from vehicle movements on site.
    • Plans to deal with litter and vermin on site.
    • Any permit conditions that may be needed.

    The Environment Agency will consult with partner organisations, including the UK Health Security Agency, as part of the process.  

    Issues such as suitability of the site, operating hours and traffic management to and from it, are matters for the planning authority, not the Environment Agency.

    The Environment Agency can only consider issues covered by the environmental permit and can only refuse a permit application based on technical information.  

    However, in order to build and operate the proposed incinerator, the company will need to be granted both planning permission and an environmental permit.

    To obtain an environmental permit, the company will need to show they are putting in place the necessary measures to meet current standards to protect human health and the environment. In addition, they must explain how any risks that are identified, such as odour and emissions, are prevented or minimised, alongside producing a Fire Prevention Plan.

    Once the consultation closes, the Environment Agency will review all the comments received before reaching a draft decision. R&P Clean Power Limited has the right to appeal if the permit is refused.

    If the Environment Agency thinks it is likely to issue the permit, it will consult again on the draft permit and draft decision document. This means the public will be able comment again if they feel that there is additional information that we have not considered in our decision.  

    If you wish to make comments about the application, please do so by 13 December 2024.

    You can comment by:

    • Visiting our online Citizen Space web page:

     DE11 9EN, R&P CLEAN POWER LIMITED, EPR/LP3327SK/A001: environmental permit consultation – Environment Agency – Citizen Space

    If you need help accessing this consultation in another format please contact us by emailing: PSCpublicresponse@environment-agency.gov.uk or calling 03708 506 506.

    Please use the application number LP3327SK/A001

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 30 Years Ago: STS-66, the ATLAS-3 Mission to Study the Earth’s Atmosphere

    Source: NASA

    On Nov. 3, 1994, space shuttle Atlantis took to the skies on its 13th trip into space. During the 11-day mission, the STS-66 crew of Commander Donald R. McMonagle, Pilot Curtis L. Brown, Payload Commander Ellen Ochoa, and Mission Specialists Joseph R. Tanner, Scott E. Parazynski, and French astronaut Jean-François Clervoy representing the European Space Agency (ESA) operated the third Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Sciences (ATLAS-3), and deployed and retrieved the U.S.-German Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-Shuttle Pallet Satellite (CRISTA-SPAS), as part of NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth. The remote sensing instruments studied the Sun’s energy output, the atmosphere’s chemical composition, and how these affect global ozone levels, adding to the knowledge gained during the ATLAS-1 and ATLAS-2 missions.
    Left: Official photo of the STS-68 crew of Jean-François Clervoy, left, Scott E. Parazynski, Curtis L. Brown, Joseph R. Tanner, Donald R. McMonagle, and Ellen Ochoa. Middle: The STS-66 crew patch. Right: The ATLAS-3 payload patch.
    In August 1993, NASA named Ochoa as the ATLAS-3 payload commander, and in January 1994, named the rest of the STS-66 crew. For McMonagle, selected as an astronaut in 1987, ATLAS-3 marked his third trip into space, having flown on STS-39 and STS-54. Brown, also from the class of 1987, previously flew on STS 47, while Ochoa, selected in 1990, flew as a mission specialist on STS-56, the ATLAS-2 mission. For Tanner, Parazynski, and Clervoy, all from the Class of 1992 – the French space agency CNES previously selected Clervoy as one of its astronauts in 1985 before he joined the ESA astronaut cadre in 1992 – STS-66 marked their first spaceflight.
    Left: Schematic illustration of ATLAS-3 and its instruments. Right: Schematic illustration of CRISTA-SPAS retrievable satellite and its instruments.
    The ATLAS-3 payload consisted of six instruments on a Spacelab pallet and one mounted on the payload bay sidewall. The pallet mounted instruments included Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS), Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS), Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACRIM), Measurement of the Solar Constant (SOLCON), Solar Spectrum Measurement from 1,800 to 3,200 nanometers (SOLSCAN), and Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM).
    The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) instrument constituted the payload bay sidewall mounted experiment. While the instruments previously flew on the ATLAS-1 and ATLAS-2 missions, both those flights took place during the northern hemisphere spring. Data from the ATLAS-3’s mission in the fall complemented results from the earlier missions. The CRISTA-SPAS satellite included two instruments, the CRISTA and the Middle Atmosphere High Resolution Spectrograph Investigation (MAHRSI).
    Left: Space shuttle Atlantis at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Middle: Liftoff of Atlantis on STS-66. Right: Atlantis rises into the sky.
    Following its previous flight, STS-46 in August 1992, Atlantis spent one and a half years at the Rockwell plant in Palmdale, California, undergoing major modifications before arriving back at KSC on May 29, 1994. During the modification period, workers installed cables and wiring for a docking system for Atlantis to use during the first Shuttle-Mir docking mission in 1995 and equipment to allow it to fly Extended Duration Orbiter missions of two weeks or longer. Atlantis also underwent structural inspections and systems upgrades including improved nose wheel steering and a new reusable drag chute. Workers in KSC’s Orbiter Processing Facility installed the ATLAS-3 and CRISTA-SPAS payloads and rolled Atlantis over to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Oct. 4 for mating with its External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters. Atlantis rolled out to Launch Pad 39B six days later. The six-person STS-66 crew traveled to KSC to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, essentially a dress rehearsal for the launch countdown, on Oct. 18.
    They returned to KSC on Oct. 31, the same day the final countdown began. Following a smooth countdown leading to a planned 11:56 a.m. EST liftoff on Nov. 3, 1994, Atlantis took off three minutes late, the delay resulting from high winds at one of the Transatlantic Abort sites. The liftoff marked the third shuttle launch in 55 days, missing a record set in 1985 by one day. Eight and a half minutes later, Atlantis delivered its crew and payloads to space. Thirty minutes later, a firing of the shuttle’s Orbiter Maneuvering System (OMS) engines placed them in a 190-mile orbit inclined 57 degrees to the equator. The astronauts opened the payload bay doors, deploying the shuttle’s radiators, and removed their bulky launch and entry suits, stowing them for the remainder of the flight.
    Left: Atlantis’ payload bay, showing the ATLAS-3 payload and the CRISTA-SPAS deployable satellite behind it. Middle: European Space Agency astronaut Jean-François Clervoy uses the shuttle’s Remote Manipulator System (RMS) to grapple the CRISTA-SPAS prior to its release. Right: Clervoy about to release CRISTA-SPAS from the RMS.
    The astronauts began to convert their vehicle into a science platform, and that included breaking up into two teams to enable 24-hour-a-day operations. McMonagle, Ochoa, and Tanner made up the Red Team while Brown, Parazynski, and Clervoy made up the Blue Team. Within five hours of liftoff, the Blue Team began their sleep period while the Red Team started their first on orbit shift by activating the ATLAS-3 instruments, the CRISTA-SPAS deployable satellite, and the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) or robotic arm in the payload bay and some of the middeck experiments. The next day, Clervoy, operating the RMS, grappled CRISTA-SPAS, lifted it from its cradle in the payload bay, and while Atlantis flew over Germany, deployed it for its eight-day free flight. McMonagle fired Atlantis’ thrusters to separate from the satellite.
    Left: Ellen Ochoa and Donald R. McMonagle on the shuttle’s flight deck. Middle: European Space Agency astronaut Jean-François Clervoy in the commander’s seat during the mission. Right: Scott E. Parazynski operates a protein crystallization experiment in the shuttle middeck.
    Left: Joseph R. Tanner operates a protein crystallization experiment. Middle: Curtis L. Brown operates a microgravity acceleration measurement system. Right: Ellen Ochoa uses the shuttle’s Remote Manipulator System to grapple CRISTA-SPAS following its eight-day free flight.
    For the next eight days, the two teams of astronauts continued work with the ATLAS instruments and several middeck and payload bay experiments such as protein crystal growth, measuring the shuttle microgravity acceleration environment, evaluating heat pipe performance, and a student experiment to study the Sun that complemented the ATLAS instruments. On November 12, the mission’s 10th day, the astronauts prepared to retrieve the CRISTA-SPAS satellite. For the retrieval, McMonagle and Brown used a novel rendezvous profile unlike previous ones used in the shuttle program. Instead of making the final approach from in front of the satellite, called the V-bar approach, Atlantis approached from below in the so-called R-bar approach. This is the profile Atlantis planned to use on its next mission, the first rendezvous and docking with the Mir space station. It not only saved fuel but also prevented contamination of the station’s delicate sensors and solar arrays. Once within 40 feet of CRISTA-SPAS, Ochoa reached out with the RMS, grappled the satellite, and then berthed it back in the payload bay.
    A selection from the 6,000 STS-66 crew Earth observation photographs. Left: Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Middle left: Hurricane Florence in the North Atlantic. Middle right: The Ganges River delta. Right: The Sakurajima Volcano in southern Japan.
    As a Mission to Planet Earth, the STS-66 astronauts spent considerable time looking out the window, capturing 6,000 images of their home world. Their high inclination orbit enabled views of parts of the planet not seen during typical shuttle missions.
    Left: The inflight STS-66 crew photo. Right: Donald R. McMonagle, left, and Curtis R. Brown prepare for Atlantis’ deorbit and reentry.
    On flight day 11, with most of the onboard film exposed and consumables running low, the astronauts prepared for their return to Earth the following day. McMonagle and Brown tested Atlantis’ reaction control system thrusters and aerodynamic surfaces in preparation for deorbit and descent through the atmosphere, while the rest of the crew busied themselves with shutting down experiments and stowing away unneeded equipment.
    Left: Atlantis makes a perfect touchdown at California’s Edwards Air Force Base. Middle: Atlantis deploys the first reusable space shuttle drag chute. Right: Mounted atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, Atlantis departs Edwards for the cross-country trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    On Nov. 14, the astronauts closed Atlantis’ payload bay doors, donned their launch and entry suits, and strapped themselves into their seats for entry and landing. Tropical Storm Gordon near the KSC primary landing site forced a diversion to Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California. The crew fired Atlantis’ OMS engines to drop out of orbit. McMonagle piloted Atlantis to a smooth landing at Edwards, ending the 10-day 22-hour 34-minute flight, Atlantis’ longest flight up to that time. The crew had orbited the Earth 174 times. Workers at Edwards safed the vehicle and placed it atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for the ferry flight back to KSC. The duo left Edwards on Nov. 21, and after stops at Kelly Field in San Antonio and Eglin AFB in the Florida panhandle, arrived at KSC the next day. Workers there began preparing Atlantis for its next flight, STS-71 in June 1995, the first Shuttle-Mir docking mission. Meanwhile, a Gulfstream jet flew the astronauts back to Ellington Field in Houston for reunions with their families. As it turned out, STS-66 flew Atlantis’ last solo flight until STS-125 in 2009, the final Hubble Servicing Mission. The 16 intervening flights, and the three that followed, all docked with either Mir or the International Space Station.
    “The mission not only met all our expectations, but all our hopes and dreams as well,” said Mission Scientist Timothy L. Miller of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. “One of its high points was our ability to receive and process so much data in real time, enhancing our ability to carry out some new and unprecedented cooperative experiments.” McMonagle said of STS-66, “We are very proud of the mission we have just accomplished. If there’s any one thing we all have an interest in, it’s the health of our planet.”
    Enjoy the crew narrate a video about the STS-66 mission.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitoba Government Invests in Mineral Development Future

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    November 4, 2024

    Manitoba Government Invests in Mineral Development Future

    – – –
    Manitoba Mineral Development Fund, Modernized Early Mineral Exploration Guidelines, Infrastructure Study Will Help More Companies and Projects Thrive: Moses

    The Manitoba government is announcing an additional intake of up to $2 million in funding through the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund (MMDF) to spur immediate economic growth, Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources Minister Jamie Moses announced today. 

    “Our government is growing the critical mineral sector and creating good jobs for Manitobans by enabling the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund to advance projects in Manitoba,” said Moses. 

    Administered through the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, the MMDF strategically funds economic development and mining projects of up to $300,000 per project that create Indigenous partnerships, increase local employment and stimulate investment in northern Manitoba. Since 2020, $14.7 million has been provided to 90 projects. This has leveraged over $128 million in private sector capital, generated over 660 jobs and 128 community and Indigenous partnerships. 

    “The MMDF has been an overwhelming success in providing funding that has resulted in increased opportunities for partnerships and development along with employment opportunities that have strengthened and greatly benefited communities in the north and across the province,” said Chuck Davidson, president and CEO, Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, and chair of the MMDF board. “The Manitoba government’s ongoing commitment to supporting and investing in projects that contribute to sustainable mineral development will help position Manitoba as a leader in the mineral sector.” 

    The Manitoba government has also partnered with the Mining Association of Manitoba Inc. to revise and modernize the guidelines for early mineral exploration. The guidelines provide clear direction to industry for undertaking early mineral exploration in the province to support and educate companies as they plan early mineral exploration projects to the highest environmental and industry standards. The new guidelines will also serve as a reference tool for Indigenous communities and regulatory bodies evaluating mineral exploration projects in Manitoba, said Moses. 

    The federal government has identified 34 minerals as critical for promoting green energy and sustainable economic success. Manitoba, which is sixth on the Fraser Institute Annual Survey of Mining Companies’ Investment Global Attractiveness Index, has 30 of these 34 critical minerals. Critical minerals are crucial for Manitoba’s growth as a low-carbon leader and are essential to developing clean technologies, energy storage systems, electric vehicles and other technologies that advance net-zero targets, noted the minister. 

    For more information on critical minerals in Manitoba, visit www.manitoba.ca/minerals. For more information on the Manitoba Mineral Development Fund and the next intake, visit https://mmdf.ca/. 

    – 30 –

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Two Companies Fined in Workplace Incident Causing Serious Injury to a Worker

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on November 4, 2024

    On October 22, 2024, Strathcona Resources Ltd. pleaded guilty in Kindersley Provincial Court to one violation of The Saskatchewan Employment Act and related to the same incident, Steel View Energy & Industrial Services Ltd. pleaded guilty to one violation of The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020.

    Strathcona Resources Ltd. was fined for contravening clause 3-12 (a) (ii) of the Act (being a contractor, fail to ensure, insofar as is reasonably practicable, that every work process or procedure carried on at every place of employment or work site where an employer, employer’s worker or self-employed person works pursuant to a contract between the contractor and the employer or self-employed person that is not in the direct and complete control of an employer or self-employed person under contract with the contractor, is safe for, without risk to the health of, and adequate with regard to facilities for the welfare of all employers, workers, or self-employed persons at the place of employment, resulting in the serious injury of a worker).

    As a result, the Court imposed a fine of $60,714.29 with a surcharge of $24,285.71 for a total amount of $85,000. One other charge was withdrawn.

    Steel View Energy & Industrial Services Ltd. was fined for contravening clause 3-1 (a) of the regulations (being an employer, fail to comply with the duties of an employer at a place of employment including the provision and maintenance of a plant, systems of work and working environments that ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of the employer’s workers, resulting in the serious injury of a worker).

    The Court imposed a fine of $39,285.71 with a surcharge of $15,714.29, for a total amount of $55,000.

    The charges for both companies stemmed from a single incident that occurred on December 5, 2022, near Major, Saskatchewan when a worker was seriously injured when they were struck by an ejection clamp.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    Shane Seilman
    Labour Relations and Workplace Safety
    Regina
    Phone: 306-520-2705
    Email: shane.seilman2@gov.sk.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: One month after the tragic school bus crash in Khu Khot, UN Special Envoy for Road Safety to promote and launch the UN-JCDecaux campaign for road safety in Thailand

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Road Safety, Jean Todt, is visiting Bangkok from 30 October to 6 November 2024. During his visit, he will meet with the Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, key government officials, representatives of the international community, private, and public sectors to promote road safety initiatives and advocate for enhanced measures, particularly on wearing quality helmets. His visit will be also the occasion to launch the UN-JCDecaux campaign #MakeASafetyStatement in the country.  The Special Envoy will also speak at the UNESCAP/Alliance française Road Safety Seminar on 4 November.  This aligns with the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030, aiming to halve road fatalities by 2030.

    The visit of the Special Envoy comes one month after the tragic bus road crash which caught fire while travelling on an outbound lane in Khu Khot in the Pathum Thani Province, resulting in 23 deaths of which were mainly school students.

    The silent pandemic

    Every year, the staggering toll of road-related fatalities claims the lives of 1.19 million people, leaving countless others with severe injuries. This silent pandemic overwhelmingly affects developing nations, where over 90% of the road traffic fatalities occur. Furthermore, road crashes are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 5–29 years.  

    According to the World Health Organization, road crashes kill 18,218 people in Thailand each year, representing a road traffic fatality rate of 25/100,000 population, while the rate is in 15.7/100,000 in South-East Asia and 6.5/100,000 in Europe (WHO 2021). Despite the recent efforts of the country, Thailand is still ranked on the top worst countries in term of road fatalities.  This is therefore urgent to act for increasing road safety in the country.

    “Every life lost to preventable road accidents is a tragedy that reverberates through our communities and our country. This recent tragedy has reminded us of the urgent need for effective and sustained action. Road safety is not merely a matter of law enforcement but a shared societal responsibility. We owe it to our citizens, especially our children, to make our roads safer”, stated the new Prime Minister, H.E. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

    Road crashes have a significant social and economic burden, particularly in Thailand.  “In addition to the human tragedy, road crashes trap countries into a vicious circle of poverty, costing till 6% of the GDP. Given their social and economic cost, road crashes are jeopardizing the entire sustainable development agenda. Now is the time for change, and I am looking forward to working with the Government of Thailand to stop the carnage on the roads.” stressed the UNSG’s Special Envoy Todt.

    Wearing a safe helmet

    If the causes of road crashes are multiple such as the non-reliability of the vehicles and of the road’s infrastructure and design, the lack of post-crashes services, weaknesses in the road safety management, a dangerous road user’s behavior is still one of the main reasons costing lives on the road. On the mitigation of the risk factors for the road users, wearing a helmet responding to the UN standards is definitively a game changer. Wearing a quality helmet can reduce the risk of injuries by 69%.

    Knowing that Thailand has the highest rate of motorcycle-related deaths in the world, representing more than 70% of the road traffic fatalities in the country, wearing a safe helmet is an absolute emergency.              

    #MakeASafetyStatement

    During his visit in Thailand, the Special Envoy will launch the UN Global Road Safety Campaign, which aims to raise awareness of life-saving road safety measures. Launched globally in cooperation with JCDecaux Global under the motto #MakeASafetyStatement, it will run through 2025 in over 80 countries in the world.   

    The campaign seeks to reduce risk factors, especially in urban areas, enabling people to walk, live, and enjoy their environment safely.  Sixteen global, and dozens of national, celebrities have joined forces to advocate for simple and effective road safety rules.  Key messages include wearing a seat belt, driving safely, wearing a helmet, not texting and driving, not driving under the influence or while tired, and respecting pedestrians.

    Participating celebrities in the campaign include Football Legend Mr. Didier Drogba, F1 Driver Mr. Charles Leclerc, Oscar-winning actress and UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Ms. Michelle Yeoh, Tennis Legend Mr. Novak Djokovic, Musician Ms. Kylie Minogue, Motorcycle racer Mr. Marc Marquez, Supermodel Ms. Naomi Campbell, Actor Mr. Patrick Dempsey, Musician and Inspirational leader Mr. Youssou N’Dour, Actress Ms. Julie Gayet, Actor Mr. Michael Fassbender, Football icon Mr. Ousmane Dembélé, Double Olympic Champion Ms. Faith Kipyegon, F1 Driver Mr. Mick Schumacher, Actor Jean Reno and Cyclist Champion Tadej Podacar.

    Risk factors that are too often neglected                                                                                                                 

    Only seven countries in the world (France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Sweden) have laws that comply with WHO best practices for all the risk factors – speeding, drink driving, UN-standard motorbike helmet use, seatbelts and child restraint systems.

    Media representatives are cordially invited to cover the launch of the campaign, mission and Memorandum of Agreement on Road Safety Cooperation between the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Public Health at the press conference on 6 November 2024 at 1.30 PM at the Ministry of Transport (Ratcharotsamosorn Assembly Hall) in Bangkok, with:

    • Mr. Suriya Jungroongruangkit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport
    • Mr. Somsak Thepsutin, Minister of Public Health
    • Mr. Jean Todt, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for road safety,   
    • Ms. Michaela Friberg-Storey, UN Resident Coordinator to Thailand, presents the work of the UN in road safety in Thailand.
    • Mr. Arnaud de Ruffray, President of JCDecaux Thailand presents the UN-JCDecaux campaign for road safety in Thailand.
    • Ms. Saisunee Jana, Paralympic gold Medalist

     

    About the Special Envoy

    The former United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, appointed in 2015 Jean Todt as his Special Envoy for Road Safety. He was reconfirmed in this role by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, in 2017 and in 2021. In 2018, together with 14 UN organizations, the Special Envoy launched the UN Road Safety Fund (UNRSF). The Special Envoy contributes, among other things, to mobilize sustained political commitment to make road safety a priority; to advocate and raise awareness of UN legal instruments on road safety; to share established good practices in this area; to strive to generate adequate funding through strategic partnerships between the public, private and non-governmental sectors. Special Envoy brochure and X account.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Mayor rallies troops as 25,000 Derry City fans expected in Aviva this Sunday

    Source: Northern Ireland – City of Derry

    Mayor rallies troops as 25,000 Derry City fans expected in Aviva this Sunday

    4 November 2024

    Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Seenoi-Barr, has issued a rallying call to the red and white army ahead of Derry City’s bid to win the FAI Cup this Sunday.

    Ruaidhri Higgins’ side will take on Drogheda United in the Aviva Stadium showpiece with an estimated 25,000 Candystripes fans expected to make the trip to Dublin 4.

    Mayor Barr has called on businesses and residents from all corners of the North West to get their flags and colours out this week.
    “The excitement and anticipation is palpable across the North West as Derry City bid to bring home the FAI Cup this Sunday,” she said.
    “It’s the ultimate Derry day out and I want to appeal to the public to do all you can this week to get behind the team and paint the town red and white.

    “Get your homes, businesses, social media profiles and cars decked out for Derry and let’s have a record breaking support travelling to the Aviva for the final.”

    The Mayor this week recorded a special video message at the Ryan McBride Brandywell for the fans and players and is changing her social media profile pictures in support of the team.

    She has attended a number of home games this season and was at Friday night Derry’s final league game of the season against Shelbourne.

    “In the games I’ve attended at the Brandywell, I have experienced first-hand the special relationship that exists between the team and the supporters of this wonderful football club,” she acknowledged.
    “The support of the fans is like having a 12th man on the pitch and can lift the players to new heights this weekend.

    “I want to wish Ruaidhri and his players the best of luck as they finalise their preparations, it’s going to be an unforgettable occasion for everyone to enjoy so let’s pack out the Aviva and roar the team to victory on Sunday.”

    Tickets for the final which has a 3pm kick off are available online at via Ticketmaster.

    A link to choose tickets in the Derry City section is available on the Derry City Football Club website and the club’s social media pages.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government welcomes Official Partners for COP29 

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    The Official Partners sponsoring the UK’s Pavilion at COP29 are: AVEVA, Corporate Leaders Group, DP World, National Grid, Octopus Energy, SSE and Standard Chartered.

    This year’s COP29 UK Pavilion Official Partners represent UK industry’s outstanding reputation for addressing climate change through enterprise and innovation.

    Throughout the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, the UK Pavilion will host a series of events including panel talks, roundtable discussions and networking receptions. These will raise awareness of the best of British climate leadership and share insights on climate change from UK organisations, policy and business. 

    The funding by the UK Pavilion sponsors reduces cost to the taxpayer, while enabling official partners to demonstrate the vital role industry plays in progressing the climate agenda. 

    National Grid and SSE are returning as official partners from COP26 in Glasgow, COP27 in Sharm-El Sheikh and COP28 in Dubai, while Octopus Energy is returning from COP28 – showing the ongoing commitment of these companies to cutting emissions and accelerating towards net zero, and to working with the government on this important mission. 

    The UK government has also welcomed 4 new businesses to the COP29 sponsor portfolio: AVEVA, Corporate Leaders Group, DP World and Standard Chartered, resulting in the highest ever number of official partners at a COP summit.

    COP29 runs from 11-22 November and the UK Pavilion will be open for the duration of the conference. 

    The sponsors

    AVEVA 

    Headquartered in the UK, AVEVA is a global leader in industrial software, driving responsible use of the world’s resources. Over 25,000 enterprises in over 100 countries rely on AVEVA to help them deliver life’s essentials: safe and reliable energy, food, medicines, infrastructure and more. By connecting people with trusted information and AI-enriched insights, AVEVA enables teams to engineer efficiently and optimize operations, driving growth and sustainability.  AVEVA attends COP29 with a wholehearted commitment to ensure that COP29 remains the key mechanism for driving collaborative progress on net zero. With the industrial sector contributing to a quarter of global emissions, AVEVA aims to demonstrate digitalization’s critical role in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors while enabling innovation in low-carbon paradigms that can support a just transition to a more sustainable future. Sponsoring the UK Pavilion is a key opportunity to collaborate with business, government and civil society leaders, supporting the transformation of UK economic interests to support COP objectives and accelerating the drive for net zero worldwide. 

    Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA:

    As a UK-headquartered global leader in industrial intelligence software, AVEVA is proud to support the UK Pavilion at COP29. With industry responsible for a quarter of global emissions, industrial digitalisation is revolutionising decarbonisation strategies. Our work with more than 20,000 enterprises worldwide shows how cross-sector collaboration and untapped industrial data are driving breakthrough sustainability solutions. The UK continues to demonstrate leadership in sustainable industrial innovation, and alongside our government and industry partners, we’re committed to accelerating measurable action on our path to net zero.

    Corporate Leaders Group UK 

    The UK Corporate Leaders Group (CLG UK) is a cross-sector, impact-driven business membership group that provides a strong corporate voice to support UK leadership for the transition to a climate neutral, nature positive and socially inclusive economy. CLG UK’s ongoing mission is to increase business and government leadership through a reinforcing virtuous cycle of increasing ambition and implementing action. It has convened and helped build consensus across the UK business community in support of the transition to competitive, climate-neutral, nature-positive and socially inclusive economies.

    Beverley Cornaby, Director, UK Corporate Leaders Group:

    The UK Corporate Leaders Group (CLG UK) is delighted to be sponsoring the UK Pavilion at COP29. The timing could not be more important, with the window of opportunity to transition to a clean future closing rapidly. CLG UK is urging governments to be decisive, provide clear policy frameworks and stay on course to meet net zero through strong delivery and implementation plans. To succeed, the UK government must bring business with it on its journey. That is where CLG UK is perfectly positioned to work with the UK Pavilion’s partners, businesses and change-makers to mobilise investment, technology and innovation to achieve our shared goals. We must work together to unlock the power of UK leadership, shift markets and economies, and maintain ambition for climate, nature and people.

    DP World  

    DP World exists to make the world’s trade flow better, changing what’s possible for the customers and communities it serves globally.  With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 115,000 employees from 160 nationalities, spanning 78 countries on six continents, DP World is pushing trade further and faster towards a seamless supply chain that’s fit for the future. DP World is rapidly transforming and integrating its businesses – Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting its global infrastructure with local expertise to create stronger, more efficient and sustainable end-to-end supply chain solutions that can change the way the world trades. 

    Rashid Abdulla, CEO & Managing Director, Europe:

    DP World’s ambition is to streamline and sustain global trade while building a resilient, lower-carbon supply chain. At COP29 with the UK government, we will champion sustainable end-to-end solutions that address climate challenges head-on, playing our part in connecting stakeholders across sectors, promoting collaboration and creating shared value.

    National Grid  

    National Grid plays a crucial role in connecting millions of people to the energy they use safely, reliably and efficiently.  National Grid is pioneering ways to decarbonise the energy system; from building interconnectors to allow the UK to share clean energy with Europe, to investing in renewable energy generation in the United States. 

    Rhian Kelly, Chief Sustainability Officer, National Grid:

    Collaboration across borders and the sharing of best practice is vital if the global ambition for a clean energy future is to be met. Energy networks are an important part of this, enabling clean, green energy to flow from where it’s generated to where it’s needed. National Grid is proud to support the UK Pavilion at COP29, and we look forward to sharing our experiences and learning more from the international community.

    Octopus Energy  

    As a British-born company, Octopus Energy showcases how the UK is leading the world in green innovation, investing billions in clean technologies to drive meaningful change globally.  With operations in 18 countries, and 54 million households running on its tech platform Kraken, Octopus is bringing cheaper power to millions of customers globally.  Launched just eight years ago, Octopus is now the largest electricity supplier in the UK and one of the largest investors in renewables in Europe, managing a portfolio worth £7 billion.  Its relentless focus on smart tech and innovations has unlocked the world’s largest virtual power plant and homes with zero energy bills, delivering clean solutions that save people money and power the world. 

    Zoisa North-Bond, CEO Octopus Energy Generation:

    The UK is the vanguard of green innovation, brimming with the talent and technology needed to accelerate the global energy revolution – and COP is a great opportunity to showcase this. From microgrids to wind farms and EVs – the solutions to empower global communities and stop climate change are available today.  By working with policymakers and industry leaders worldwide, we can make green energy accessible for all and drive the solutions that will power the world.

    SSE 

    SSE is the UK and Ireland’s clean energy champion, investing over £20 billion into homegrown energy.  Our purpose is to provide the energy needed today while building a better world of energy for tomorrow.  We do this by developing, building, operating and investing in world-class electricity infrastructure that is vital to the clean energy transition.  We were the first company in the world to develop a ‘just transition strategy’, aimed at ensuring the benefits of the clean energy transition are shared by workers and communities.  SSE has aligned its business strategy to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing a powerful framework to guide the creation of shared value for shareholders and society. 

    Martin Pibworth, SSE Chief Commercial Officer:

    At SSE, we’ve put delivering net zero at the heart of our strategy backed up with of a multi-billion-dollar investment programme focused on mission-critical clean energy infrastructure.  COP29 provides the opportunity to speed up the pace of the transition working with a range of international partners to collectively deliver a global just transition.

    Standard Chartered 

    Standard Chartered has an important role to play in supporting our clients, sectors and markets to accelerate the transition to a low carbon, climate resilient economy. We’re pleased to partner with the UK at COP29, creating a platform to bring together partners, stakeholders and decision makers to help deliver outcomes in support of the Paris Agreement. As a major financial hub, the UK has some of the deepest pools of internationally oriented capital and as a leading international cross-border bank, headquartered in the UK, Standard Chartered is uniquely positioned to mobilise this capital and investment towards our footprint markets across Asia, Africa and the Middle East.  

    Marissa Drew, Chief Sustainability Officer, Standard Chartered:

    We’re pleased to partner with the UK at COP29 and will use this platform, alongside the full breadth of our sustainable finance expertise, to help scale finance and innovative solutions in support of the Paris Agreement. The UK has some of the deepest pools of internationally oriented capital and as a leading international cross-border bank, headquartered in the UK, Standard Chartered is uniquely positioned to mobilise this capital towards sustainable and inclusive growth across our footprint markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: North Korea’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch is yet another egregious violation of UN Security Council resolutions: UK statement at the UN Security Council

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN at the UN Security Council meeting on non-proliferation/Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

    Location:
    United Nations, New York
    Delivered on:
    (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

    The United Kingdom unequivocally condemns the DPRK’s latest intercontinental ballistic missile launch.

    This was the longest launch ever conducted by the DPRK, lasting 86 minutes.

    This is yet another egregious violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions. It shows that the DPRK continues to advance its illegal nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes, posing a clear threat to global peace and security.

    In 2024 alone, the DPRK has recklessly launched one failed satellite, two intermediate-range ballistic missiles, and at least 36 short-range ballistic missiles. The DPRK also attempted to launch one multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicle.

    Year by year, the DPRK flaunts its growing nuclear capabilities. Yet still, some Council members prevent us from speaking out with one voice.

    This strategy of silence has failed. It is time for us to act, to defend the global non-proliferation architecture, to uphold the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and to deliver on the mandate of this Council to address the most pressing threats to peace and security.

    Colleagues, it is less than a week since we last discussed the DPRK’s flagrant violations of UN Security Council resolutions.

    The Russian Foreign Minister alarmingly said that, “Applying the term denuclearisation to DPRK no longer makes any sense. This is off the table.”

    This statement of fiction, alongside Russia’s veto of the 1718 Committee’s Panel of Experts earlier this year, has emboldened the DPRK to continue its unlawful behaviour knowing it has impunity from a permanent member of this Council.

    I call on Russia, and all Members of this Council, to condemn this launch and restate their commitment to implementing all relevant Council resolutions.

    I urge the DPRK to abandon its illegal nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes, which are diverting resources away from improving the lives of the DPRK’s people.

    The UK is committed to securing peace on the Korean peninsula. We call on the DPRK to take up repeated offers from the United States and the Republic of Korea towards dialogue. Diplomacy is the only route to sustained peace on the peninsula.

    Updates to this page

    Published 4 November 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Targeted Sikh Separatist Says India Still Wants Him Dead – Bloomberg

    Source: United States Institute of Peace

    (Bloomberg) — The American Sikh separatist targeted in a foiled assassination plot allegedly planned by India said that intelligence agents in New Delhi still want him dead and said that the Biden administration’s “quiet diplomacy” has failed to deter Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

    “The risk has increased,” Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said in an interview at his office in New York. “The Modi regime has not faced any consequences. They have not been held accountable. Why would they stop?”

    The Indian government has branded him a terrorist and declared that his group Sikhs for Justice — which advocates for a Sikh nation known as Khalistan to be carved out of India’s Punjab state — is an “unlawful organization” that poses a threat to India’s sovereignty.

    Pannun’s case first disrupted US-India ties late last year. That’s when the US Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment in the Southern District of New York alleging that Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national, was recruited by an Indian government employee — known as “CC-1” — to have Pannun killed as part of a broader plan to assassinate overseas activists. At the time, Pannun’s group was organizing unofficial Khalistan referendums among Indian diaspora communities.

    Gupta has plead not guilty.

    India’s Ministry of External Affairs declined to respond to Pannun’s allegation that he remains a target of assassination. A ministry spokesman previously said the indictment was a “matter of concern,” that the allegations run “contrary to government policy” and that there is a “high-level committee” looking into the issue.

    Months earlier in Canada, a Sikh separatist called Hardeep Singh Nijjar — a long-time associate of Pannun’s — was slain in a shooting that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau blamed on India, which rejected the accusations as “absurd.” But the US assassination plot on Pannun was foiled, according to the indictment, when an Indian national, operating under the Indian agent’s direction, inadvertently hired an undercover US agent posing as a potential hit-man.

    Indian and US security agencies are in touch, and New Delhi continues to investigate the alleged murder plot, Vikram Misri, India’s foreign secretary, told reporters recently in New Delhi.

    Earlier: India, Canada Meet as Arrests Point to Another Sikh Murder Plot

    The case has been embarrassing for the Biden administration, which has continued to court Modi in an effort to counterbalance China. 

    “The question that this episode raises is whether we really are on the same page with this Indian government, and the extent to which an inclination to want to achieve a broader strategic end is maybe leading us to overlook the actually very transactional nature of the relationship,” said Daniel Markey, a former State Department official who’s now at the US Institute of Peace. 

    The case also represents a collision of geopolitical, criminal and constitutional considerations. India takes separatist movements seriously, given the militant history of the Sikh separatist movement in the 1980s and ongoing political violence in Kashmir. India blames overseas groups for fueling instability and potential violence at home.

    Pannun, who worked at a Wall Street bank before turning to human rights law, now has five security guards to protect him and search the bags of even his close friends and associates, he said. 

    “I can continue to fight for the liberation of Punjab only if I stay alive,” he said. “You are doing a peaceful and democratic referendum, you are sitting at a place — and India has the resources and the proxies and the weapons and the money to kill you. You have to make sure that you survive and you continue the campaign.”

    In a recent twist, Pannun filed a civil case in the US seeking restitution against senior Indian officials he alleges are responsible for the assassination attempt. Those allegations are “unsubstantiated” and “unwarranted,” Misri, the foreign secretary, said.

    In Canada, which saw India expel dozens of diplomats after Trudeau accused India, the government is holding firm on its accusation that India was behind the killing of Nijjar. “That’s the ultimate breach of our country’s sovereignty,” Foreign Minister Melanie Joly told Bloomberg in an interview on Sept. 30. “That can’t happen again.”

    About Sikh Separatists India Is Accused of Targeting: QuickTake

    ‘Terrorism’ Issue

    “For India, the issue is that of terrorism,” said Aparna Pande, a research fellow at the Hudson Institute who put out a report pointing to ties between Khalistan groups and Pakistan, which India blames for fomenting violence in Kashmir. “India also believes that Western countries have shown tolerance towards groups and individuals deemed extremists and terrorists by the Indian government.”

    Western law enforcement agencies are now attempting to balance protecting constitutional guarantees of free speech against what India views as a movement with the intent to break up the country — and that it alleges has ties to criminal gangs and smuggling. India also views Sikh protests outside its consulates and embassies as threatening. 

    Pannun, who was born in Amritsar, India, came to the US as a student. He made the new allegations that his life was still at risk after Sikh separatists in California had their truck “sprayed with bullets,” his group said.

    That new attack is reviving concerns among US lawmakers after the original assassination plot prompted some Democratic senators to call on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to mount a strong diplomatic response “no matter the perpetrator.”

    Senator Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, said it was crucial to investigate the California incident and to “send a strong message deterring potential future efforts to undermine the values of free speech and protest that we as a nation hold dear.”

    Senior Biden administration officials, including White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, have raised Pannun’s case with Modi’s government. Sullivan said in July that the issue “is sensitive, it is something we are working through,” but that the US effort “has been effective, in my view, mostly because it is taking place behind closed doors.” 

    Pannun, however, says that “quiet diplomacy” hasn’t worked “in the last 15 months” and that “it will not work in the next three years.” He also the Biden administration was handling his case differently because of its desire to have a strategic relationship with New Delhi. 

    “Had it been Iran, had it been China, had it been Russia — would the administration’s response be the same?” he asked.

    –With assistance from Laura Dhillon Kane and Sudhi Ranjan Sen.

    (Updates in last paragraph with additional quote.)

    ©2024 Bloomberg L.P.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Can India shoulder ‘big responsibility’ as peace broker to stop Israel-Gaza war? – The South China Morning Post

    Source: United States Institute of Peace

    India is unlikely to be a peace broker in the Middle East conflict despite calls by Iran to play such a role, with analysts saying New Delhi’s non-interventionist policy and limited influence offer little hope for success in a war-torn region where the US remains the dominant player.

    Advertisement

    Iranian ambassador to India Iraj Elahi said on Saturday that Delhi could participate in the Middle East peace process and convince Israel to halt what he called the genocide in Gaza.

    “We believe that India can play a constructive role … India has good relations with Israel so it can convince Israel to stop the genocide in Gaza, to stop escalation in the region,” Ilahi said during an interview with Asian News International, adding that India had a “big responsibility on its shoulder” as an emerging major power.

    On October 1, Iran launched almost 200 ballistic missiles towards Israel, its second such attack on Israel this year after it struck with more than 300 missiles and drones in April.

    Israel has vowed harsh retaliation, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying on Tuesday that Iran “does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and to retaliate against our enemies”.

    Advertisement

    Daniel Markey, senior South Asia adviser at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) think tank, said India’s strong ties with Israel and diplomatic links with Iran made it one of the few countries which could facilitate peace talks between the two Middle East rivals.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Press Release – Traffic Survey Action Plans Monday 04 November 2024

    Source: Channel Islands – States of Alderney

    Media Release

    Date:  4th November 2024

    GSC rolls out Action Plan following major traffic survey

    Alderney’s General Services Committee at its meeting of November 1st unanimously agreed to implement a phased traffic improvement programme following comprehensive consultation and a public survey.

    Survey responses covered issues such as parking, the number and size of vehicles, policing and abandoned vehicles. Proposals have been presented in consultation with the States Works Department and Bailiwick Law Enforcement.

    Now GSC has approved short, medium and long-term plans which will be communicated to the public as they are rolled out.

    Initial short-term action includes:

    ·         Identifying areas for improved road markings and signage.

    ·         Trial pedestrianisation of the lower end of Victoria Street (Les Roquettes to Ollivier Street junctions) on four consecutive Saturday mornings from December 14th to create a better shopping experience for residents and visitors. This will serve as a “soft opening” before an additional trial will take place during the island’s busier periods – the community will have the opportunity to feed back to the States.

    ·         Continuation of Problem Orientated Policing (POP) instigated by local Police to educate the public on how traffic and parking missteps can be resolved with better understanding of the consequences.

    ·         A proposed ‘Active Travel to Work’ campaign to include messages such as ‘Walk to Work Day’ and ‘Cycle to Work Week’ to discourage vehicle usage and town parking.

    ·         Liaison with Alderney’s new Planning Officer to review parking space allocation at new developments.

    ·         A review of recent requests for more disabled parking spaces will be submitted to GSC.

    Meanwhile, disincentivising the import of large private vehicles is being implemented by the Policy and Finance Committee via the fees ordinance and by subsequent legislation.

    Medium-term action agreed by GSC will look to address the problem of abandoned vehicles and the Committee will liaise with Bailiwick Law Enforcement to conduct average speed checks using recording devices in areas where the speed limit is less than 35mph, and use this data to consider installing physical deterrents to speeding.

    In the longer term, proposals are being considered for a permit parking system for residents in order to distinguish between residents and consumers where there is a mix of commercial and residential properties in St Anne town. The permit system will seek to limit long-term parking in the inner and outer town areas to a maximum of 28 days, after which a vehicle would be considered abandoned.

    The biggest concerns from the 267 survey responses, which represent 503+ driving licence holders and 405+ drivers of vehicles, were the increase in larger vehicles (73%) and the issue of abandoned vehicles (53%).

    However, the figures indicate that a number of people who own more than one car per household park their vehicles both on their driveway and on public roads, contributing to congestion in St Anne’s residential streets.

    The States has worked collaboratively with its associated partners to understand the community’s views and the Traffic Improvement Programme seeks to provide solutions to well evidenced issues through a manageable progressive programme.

    Ends

    States of Alderney media enquiries:Alistair.Forrest2@gov.gg

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Statement From Governor Kathy Hochul

    Source: US State of New York


















    Skip to main content

    An official website of New York State

    Official websites use ny.gov

    A ny.gov website belongs to an official New York State government organization.

    Secure ny.gov websites use HTTPS

    A lock icon or https:// means you’ve safely connected to a ny.gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: China Tightens Grip on Critical Minerals – China Digital Times

    Source: United States Institute of Peace

    China has extended its dominance at home and abroad over critical minerals that are essential to future high-tech and renewable-energy industries. Amid intensifying geopolitical competition, Western countries are increasing their efforts to claw back market share while countries in the Global South, where many of these minerals are mined, are attempting to capitalize on growing global demand. A recent article on the subject by The Economist stated that in 2023 Chinese companies invested roughly $16 billion in foreign mines, the highest figure in a decade, up from less than $5 billion the year before. This month, Chinese companies have announced plans to invest billions of dollars in mines in Afghanistan, Ghana, Zambia, and the Philippines. Keith Bradsher at The New York Times reported that over the past few weeks, the Chinese government has enacted measures to increase its grip over the mining and refining of rare minerals within China by making it harder for foreign companies to purchase them:

    As of Oct. 1, exporters must provide the authorities with detailed, step-by-step tracings of how shipments of rare earth metals are used in Western supply chains. That has given Beijing greater authority over which overseas companies receive scarce supplies.

    China is also taking greater corporate ownership over the mining and production of the metals. In a deal that has received almost no attention outside the country, the last two foreign-owned rare earth refineries in China are being acquired by one of the three state-owned companies that already run the other refineries in China.

    Beijing’s recent moves to take charge of the supply chain include other obscure chemical elements that are also needed by semiconductor manufacturers. On Sept. 15, China’s Ministry of Commerce restricted exports of antimony, a material used in semiconductors, military explosives and other weaponry. Last year, the ministry imposed export controls on two other chemical elements, gallium and germanium, also needed to make chips.

    National security officials have tightened the flow of information about rare earths. They have labeled rare earth mining and refining as state secrets. Last month, the Ministry of State Security announced that two managers in the rare earths industry had been sentenced to 11 years in prison for leaking information to foreigners. [Source]

    In September, a coalition of 14 Western countries and the European Commission formed the Minerals Security Partnership, a new financing network to support critical mineral projects and break China’s dominance over this sector. Despite initiatives like these, the U.S. has struggled to compete with China for critical minerals, for many reasons. One is that Chinese state-owned companies “have periodically flooded world markets with rare earths to drive down the price whenever Western producers try to ramp up production,” Bradsher wrote. Just this week, Chinese mining giant CMOC announced that it reached its full-year cobalt production target three months ahead of schedule. Eric Olander from the China-Global South Project argued that “CMOC’s strategy is unrelated to pricing conditions and more about keeping Western rivals on the sidelines [,…which] gives China an unrivaled advantage over its rivals in the U.S., Europe, and Asia that are moving aggressively to cut Chinese firms out of their supply chains — which, at least for cobalt, is not going to be possible for a very long time.” Eliot Chen at The Wire China wrote about how American policymakers are considering expanding the U.S. stockpile of critical minerals to compete with China, which has been “the master of the game” when it comes to leveraging its stockpiles:

    “China’s stockpile has a dual purpose: one is defensive and the other is economic, to support domestic industry when prices get too high for downstream industries like the electricity sector, and then conversely when prices are too low and domestic producers like copper smelters have difficulty remaining profitable,” says [Gregory Wischer, principal at Dei Gratia Minerals, a critical minerals consultancy]. 

    What, exactly, China stockpiles is not publicly known, and Chinese authorities are rarely transparent about when they buy up and sell down their stockpiles. But because of the country’s dominance over much of the critical mineral supply chain, even rumors of its intentions can produce wild swings in the price of metals. For example, while Chinese lithium producers account for less than 20 percent of mine production, China refines more than two-thirds of the metal. For other metals like graphite, which has vital defense applications, Chinese refiners control more than 90 percent of the market. 

    China’s outsized influence over the market, combined with its heavy investment in mining assets abroad, have helped it consolidate its control over global supply. An about-face by Chinese policymakers over electric vehicle subsidies in 2018, for example, resulted in a glut of lithium on the market. Chinese companies were then able to step in and acquire distressed lithium miners in Australia and Canada relatively cheaply. [Source]

    China’s monopoly over various critical-mineral supply chains in Africa has motivated the U.S. government to increase engagement in the region. A major component of this U.S. strategy is the $4 billion Lobito Corridor project, which seeks to connect the Port of Lobito in Angola to Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, thereby facilitating American and European access to cobalt and copper. But some local observers see selfish motives in this engagement. “This rivalry-driven approach narrows the scope for a partnership with Africa based on mutual benefit and long-term development. The continent, and the DRC in particular, should not be seen merely as a resource base to fuel external interests,” said Carlos Lopes, a professor at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. He added, “Without a genuine commitment to local development, [the Lobito Corridor project] risks perpetuating Africa’s role as a supplier of raw materials rather than fostering economic transformation on the continent.” Analyzing China-Africa critical mineral cooperation in an article last month for the U.S. Institute of Peace, Cobus van Staden explored the potential for U.S.-China cooperation and described how African nations are looking to navigate both sets of relationships to their own benefit:

    The second factor complicating the narrative of direct competition [between the U.S. and China in the region] is the drive from African countries to locate more strategic mineral refining and related manufacturing in Africa. African critical mineral strategies, developed by continental bodies like the African Development Bank, emphasize local refining and value addition, an ambition now enjoying official Chinese support, as well as support from the U.S. through initiatives such as the Minerals Security Partnership among others. For example, the partners involved in the Lobito Corridor have similarly signed agreements with African countries to do more refining locally. These include EU agreements with Zambia and the DRC for mineral-driven value addition, and a trilateral agreement between Zambia, the DRC and the U.S. for domestic electric vehicle supply chain development.

    […] FOCAC 2024 put these complications [including whether Western nations can expand their refining capacities at home despite the potential for environmental and community pushback] in stark relief because it highlighted an increased sense of synergy and coordination around green energy and critical mineral value addition in the China-Africa relationship. A similar focus is developing between the continent and its Western partners. The question now is whether the continent will be able to wield both sets of relationships to its own benefit, even as great-power tensions over critical minerals heat up. [Source]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Assistance Available for Self-Employed Floridians

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Assistance Available for Self-Employed Floridians

    FEMA Assistance Available for Self-Employed Floridians

    FEMA assistance can help people who are self-employed, including artists, musicians and mechanics. Independent contractors are considered self-employed.To be considered for FEMA assistance, you must be a resident of or work in a county designated for FEMA Individual Assistance following Hurricanes Milton, Helene or Debby. You must also have had damage or losses as a result of the Florida hurricanes.Eligible Occupational ToolsFEMA can help replace tools and equipment required for self-employment, or not provided by an employer but required for employment. Eligible tools may include: Computers Equipment such as power tools, art materials, musical instruments, tractors, utility vehicles, lawnmowers and ladders Uniforms You may be reimbursed for these items if they were damaged by the disaster, you do not have another working piece of equipment or item, and the loss was not covered by insurance. An inspection is required to review the damage to essential tools/materials. If you have damage to personal property or essential tools, include this information on your FEMA application and notify the inspector of damage at the time of inspection.Required DocumentsTo be eligible for self-employment assistance, apply for FEMA assistance. When you apply, include: Documentation that proves you’re self-employed, such as a tax return Insurance documents for all potential coverages and benefits Itemized receipts or estimates for repairing or replacing the requested items A written statement that explains you need the items for self-employment How to Apply for FEMA AssistanceHomeowners and renters are encouraged to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by using the FEMA App. You may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362. If you choose to apply by phone, please understand wait times may be longer because of increased volume for multiple recent disasters. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance – YouTube.If you applied to FEMA after Hurricanes Debby or Helene and have additional damage from Hurricane Milton, you will need to apply separately for Milton and provide the dates of your most recent damage.For the latest information about Hurricane Milton recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4834. For Hurricane Helene recovery information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4828. For Hurricane Debby recovery information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4806. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters.
    wesley.lagenour
    Mon, 11/04/2024 – 18:48

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rubio Calls Out PwC for Appeasing Communist China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

    The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to increase scrutiny of Western auditing and consulting firms, including global consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

    Instead of distancing itself from Communist China, PwC has opted to strengthen its relationship with the regime. Notably, PwC’s China division has consulted for government officials in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where Beijing is committing genocide against Uyghurs and other groups, appointed an apparent CCP member to the head of its China operations, and aligned itself with Beijing’s strategic goals by openly supporting China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

    U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) sent a letter to PwC Global Chairman Mohamed Khande expressing concern over the company’s ties to the CCP and demanding answers on the threat those ties pose to U.S. interests.  

    • “Simultaneous engagements with foreign adversaries are unacceptable. PwC’s apparent deep connections with CCP-controlled entities raise questions about conflicts of interest that could preclude PwC from executing any contract for U.S. federal and state government agencies with fidelity.
    • “Global firms, such as PwC, who have grown prosperous from a free and democratic order governed by American values, can no longer seek to cater to, and profit from, both sides of this conflict.”

    The full text of the letter is below.

    Dear Mr. Khande:

    I write with regard to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP’s (PwC) relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese government, including Chinese provincial and local government entities, and state-owned companies in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Recently, media outlets have offered noteworthy coverage of the $62 million fine levied on PwC by China’s Ministry of Finance (MOF). While PwC’s questionable auditing work for Evergrande certainly deserves heightened scrutiny, reports have not adequately grappled with conflicts of interest seemingly rising from PwC’s deep entanglements with CCP-controlled and – affiliated entities, and, potentially, the Chinese government.

    PwC and its U.S. subsidiaries have a history of providing consulting services for U.S. federal agencies. Yet, mounting evidence suggests that PwC’s East Asia and China division (PwC China) has consulted government officials in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR), where Beijing is engaged in an active genocide against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups, contracted for numerous state-owned enterprises in China, and openly supported CCP efforts to undermine U.S. economic interests through support for in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

    It is no secret that Chinese regulatory authorities have heightened scrutiny around PwC in the wake of its failure to identify $78 billion in misreported revenues by Evergrande. Key decisions made by PwC’s global leadership during this time suggest a pattern of catering to CCP goals when met with regulatory hostility. Until recently, PwC China boasted dozens of the largest Chinese state-owned enterprises on its list of auditing clients, including the Bank of China, China Railway Group Ltd., PetroChina Co. Ltd., People’s Insurance Company of China, and many others. PwC has lost many of these contracts in recent months, as Chinese regulators have discouraged China-based companies from contracting with PwC for auditing services amid the Evergrande fallout. Yet, to my surprise, as Chinese regulators have taken an increasingly hostile posture toward your firm—and sought to wrest control over Western auditors’ operations in mainland China—PwC has responded with attempts to appease the CCP, rather than decouple and de-risk from communist influence.

    In July 2024, amidst the height of Chinese regulatory scrutiny over PwC’s flawed Evergrande audits, PwC leadership appointed Daniel Li as Chairman of its China and East Asia practice. Li appears to be a member of the CCP and serves on the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). The CPPCC is a political instrument that serves atop the CCP’s “united front” system—which is designed to cultivate ties with the entities the Party views as friendly—and steers the CCP’s policy aims. As such, Li’s appointment was a clear effort by PwC to win the trust of CCP authorities amid heightening tension by placing an individual with deep ties to the CCP at the helm of your firm’s China operations. While Hemione Hudson was selected to replace Li at the helm of PwC China last month, Li retains a significant role for PwC China—overseeing your firm’s auditing efforts in China.

    PwC’s deepening ties with the CCP are also evident in your firm’s consulting client selection. The Wall Street Journal reports that, last month, as PwC China’s auditing practice faced hostile regulatory actions over its Evergrande audits, your firm’s consulting unit signed a $200,000 contract with local government authorities in the XUAR. As you know, Beijing is actively committing genocide against Uyghurs and other predominately Muslim ethnic groups in the region. China’s abhorrent oppression of Uyghurs includes modern-day concentration camps, cultural reprogramming efforts, forced labor, and physical torture. Years of mounting evidence now places the reality of these atrocities beyond a shadow of doubt.

    Perhaps most concerning, PwC appears to have acted to publicly align its client engagements with CCP ambitions. PwC’s website openly boasts of the firm’s “Belt and Road United” project, started by your firm in 2017, with the expressed purpose of supporting China’s BRI. A document describing the initiative plainly states, “PwC aligns with the strategy through ongoing support for the Belt & Road Initiative.” In the same document, PwC further claims to be an “enabling influence,” and declares that PwC will “assist government departments and regulators in constructing and improving financial markets and regulatory systems in favor of the B&R Initiative.” The document also openly references the global reach of PwC’s client base, professing that “PwC is dedicated to sharing the full range of resources and practical experience sourced from across our expansive global network” to support BRI.

    PwC’s “Belt and Road United” project appears to have generated several spin-off initiatives in other PwC offices across the globe. For example, PwC Italy’s webpage advertises your firm’s “China Business Group”—a division of PwC with the self-described aim to “support Chinese companies doing business in Italy and successfully develop their external growth strategy in the Italian market.” The document claims that PwC stands at the ready to “support Chinese/Italian government organisations” and “introduce investment opportunities in Italy for potential Chinese clients.” This language appears to be a thinly-veiled attempt of PwC to court the favor of the CCP and secure contracts with Chinese state-owned enterprises by working to expand the influence and reach of Communist China around the globe.

    As noted, PwC and its U.S. subsidiaries consult for many leading U.S. industries, and the company has received substantial revenue from contracts with the U.S. government. When U.S. federal agencies hire private entities for consultation, it is an expectation that contractors will prioritize the best interests of the United States above all others. Simultaneous engagements with foreign adversaries are unacceptable. PwC’s apparent deep connections with CCP-controlled entities raise questions about conflicts of interest that could preclude PwC from executing any contract for U.S. federal and state government agencies with fidelity.

    Accordingly, I ask that you provide responses, along with supporting documentation, to the following questions no later than November 15, 2024:

    1. Please describe the extent of any existing contracts retained by PwC, or its U.S. subsidiaries and affiliates, to provide consulting services for U.S. state and federal government agencies.
    2. Do PwC, or any of its U.S. subsidiaries and affiliates, intend to pursue contracts with U.S. federal agencies in the future?
    3. Has the CCP, or any direct subdivision of the CCP, ever been a client of PwC or any of its subsidiaries?
    4. Has PwC ever provided consulting services for a China-based client that has concurrently been included on the U.S. Department of Defense’s 1260H List, the Department of Treasury’s Non-SDN Chinese Military-Industrial Complex Companies List, or the Department of Commerce’s Entity List? If so, please provide the following information for each client:
      • Name of the company
      • Nature of the company’s work
      • Nature of company’s relationship with the PRC and CCP
      • Duration of PwC’s consulting relationship with the company
      • Nature of PwC’s work on behalf of the company
    5. Do any of PwC’s current or past China-based clients work in the following sectors: military and civil defense, aerospace and aviation, energy and power generation, critical mineral mining and refining, steel and aluminum, new materials, shipbuilding, electric or gas combustion vehicle production, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, microelectronics, telecommunications, biotechnology, or high-speed rail? If so, please provide the following information for each client:
      • Name of the company
      • Nature of the company’s work
      • Nature of company’s relationship with the PRC and CCP
      • Duration of PwC’s consulting relationship with the company
      • Nature of PwC’s work on behalf of the company
    6. As noted above, brochures and materials on PwC’s website openly boast about the firm’s support for China’s Belt and Road Initiative, and its work advancing BRI goals in its consulting engagements abroad. Has PwC ever modified or intentionally crafted its consulting recommendations to U.S. clients, including U.S. federal agencies, in order to recommend cooperation with the BRI or portray the PRC’s BRI in a positive light?
    1. PwC performs hundreds of millions of dollars of work each year on behalf of the U.S.
      Government and American taxpayers. Please describe in detail all policies and safeguards PwC has implemented to ensure that work done on behalf of the United States government does not inform the work that your firm does for Chinese government entities and state-owned enterprises.
    2. PwC’s website lists statistics describing the firm’s work in the “Taiwan region.” Does PwC recognize Taiwan as a free and independent nation state?

    The United States of America, our allies, and Western businesses like PwC, face a fundamental threat. As my office has documented, for more than ten years, the CCP has acted on a concerted plan to supplant the United States as the ascendant global economic power, dominating global trade in the industries that will define the 21st century economy.6 This is not just a conflict over size of economies alone, it is also about which values will define our world. The CCP has been all too willing to commit genocide, oppress and censor citizens, and violate economic norms in its pursuit of power. Yet, it seeks to replace American values for the dignity of the human person and representative government with a global system that reflects its own character. Global firms, such as PwC, who have grown prosperous from a free and democratic order governed by American values, can no longer seek to cater to, and profit from, both sides of this conflict.

    Thank you for your attention to this important matter. 

    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – Hearing of Commissioner-designate Maroš Šefčovič

    Source: European Parliament

    On Monday, the International Trade and Constitutional Affairs committees questioned Šefčovič, Slovak candidate for Trade and Economic Security/ Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency.

    The committee chairs and political group coordinators will meet without delay to assess the performance and qualification of the Commissioner-designate.

    In his introductory statement, Mr Šefčovič reminded MEPs that trade is “marked by stark competition over disruptive new technologies,  and the weaponisation of economic dependencies”, making trade a “geostrategic tool”.  With the US election imminent, the Commissioner-designate said: “Regardless of the outcome of the US elections, I will put forward an offer of cooperation”. He added that the EU will have to solve its disputes with the US, citing steel and aluminium, and protectionist elements in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

    On inter-institutional relations, he committed to enhancing the Commission’s cooperation with Parliament, not least through the soon to be revamped Framework Agreement. Mr Šefčovič also referred to a Commission’s commitment to follow-up on Parliament’s indirect legislative initiatives, ensure that comprehensive justification would be provided for the use of the extraordinary procedure of Article 122, and facilitate progress on Parliament’s call for a full right of inquiry. Further, he announced an expansion of the EU’s Transparency Register’s scope “to all managers”.

    China

    Mr Šefčovič described China as the most challenging trading partner, one with which the EU needs to rebalance its relationship. He told MEPs that, after EU’s duties on electric vehicles made in China, in place since last week, Commission negotiators are now in talks with Chinese counterparts on price undertakings. “EU is not interested in trade wars, we are looking for rebalancing our relationship with China in areas where we feel our relationship is not fair,” Mr Šefčovič said, citing overcapacity, subsidies, and the lack of level playing field.

    Mercosur, Israel  and FTAs

    MEPs grilled the Commissioner-designate over the ongoing negotiations with Mercosur countries, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Mr Šefčovič pledged to continue work on free trade agreements (FTA) with Mexico and Australia, and said he wants the EU to be more present in Thailand, the Philippines and India. Responding to MEPs, he pointed to the Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA) with Angola and the Economic Partnership Agreement with Kenya as new types of agreements that could help the EU.

    Asked by MEPs if the EU was breaching international law as it keeps its trade ties with Israel under the EU-Israel association agreement, Mr Šefčovič said that the agreement “can be changed only by unanimity” among member states.

     

    Priorities for interinstitutional relations

    Many MEPs highlighted the importance of treaty change based on Parliament’s proposals which were inspired by the Conference on the Future of Europe. The Commissioner-designate said that the key to moving forward on this is getting a clear position by the European Council: they will work with the new presidency of Antonio Costa to this aim.

    The debate revolved around the need for reforms to prepare for enlargement and to activate the “passerelle” clause in key policy areas, as well as transparency, with some MEPs bringing up worrying reports about Commission practices. Other topics included better cooperation with national parliaments and applying the findings of the Draghi report in the EU’s institutional architecture.

    Press point

    At the end of the hearing, the Chair of the Committees of International Trade, Bernd Lange, and Constitutional Affairs, Sven Simon, held a press point outside the meeting room: watch it here.

    Next steps

    Based on the committee recommendations, the Conference of Presidents (EP President Metsola and political group chairs) is set to conduct the final evaluation and declare the hearings closed on 21 November. Once the Conference of Presidents declares all hearings closed, the evaluation letters will be published.

    The election by MEPs of the full college of Commissioners (by a majority of the votes cast, by roll-call) is currently scheduled to take place during the 25-28 November plenary session in Strasbourg.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Water security in the EU – E-002133/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    17.10.2024

    Question for written answer  E-002133/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Dan-Ştefan Motreanu (PPE)

    According to an October 2024 report by the European Environment Agency[1], only 37 % of the EU’s surface water bodies have reached a ‘good’ or ‘high’ ecological status, which reflects the overall health of the EU’s aquatic ecosystems.

    Surface waters face multiple threats, including air pollution from sources such as coal burning and vehicle emissions, as well as pollution from agricultural activity, which releases harmful waste into the soil.

    What actions does the Commission plan to take to strengthen efforts aimed at restoring the EU’s rivers, lakes, coastal waters and other key bodies of water, to ensure the long-term security and resilience of this essential resource?

    Submitted: 17.10.2024

    • [1] European Environment Agency, Europe’s state of water 2024: the need for improved water resilience, 15 October 2024, https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/publications/europes-state-of-water-2024.
    Last updated: 4 November 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitehorse — RCMP investigate a vehicle entering open water on Lake Laberge

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Content warning this information may be distressing.

    Whitehorse RCMP received a report on January 25, 2025 at 1:06 am that a vehicle had submerged in Lake Laberge with occupants inside. Whitehorse RCMP, Whitehorse Fire Department, and Yukon Emergency Medical Services responded.

    A group of people using two separate vehicles were ice fishing on Lake Laberge. It was reported to police that one vehicle drove into open water with three occupants inside. The vehicle submerged and only two occupants were able to safely make it from the vehicle.

    Police continue to investigate this tragic event with the assistance of the Yukon Coroner’s Service.

    Whitehorse Detachment General Investigation Section recommends, if possible, to avoid Lake Laberge while investigators are on scene. This investigation will involve a complex and lengthy recovery operation that will likely span over several days and will involve assistance of the British Columbia RCMP Underwater Recovery Team.

    Our thoughts go out to the family, and those involved, at this most difficult time.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: 5.1-magnitude quake hits Taiwan

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    A 5.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Tainan City of China’s Taiwan at 7:38 a.m. Sunday (Beijing Time), according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).
    The epicenter was monitored 23.17 degrees north latitude and 120.48 degrees east longitude. The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, said a report issued by the CENC.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 32 civil servants handed punishments for fatal expressway collapse in China

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    South China’s Guangdong Province has held 32 civil servants and four organizations accountable for an expressway collapse that killed 52 people and injured 30 last year. The incident exposed serious failures in the construction, operation and maintenance of the affected road section.
    Following an investigation approved by the provincial Party committee, the provincial discipline inspection and supervision commission found that negligence and dereliction of duty had led to the disaster, according to a statement published on the commission’s website.
    Among those disciplined, Huang Chengzao, deputy director of the provincial department of transport, and Ren Meilong, former director of the provincial highway affairs center, have been formally reprimanded and are required to submit written reports acknowledging their mistakes and outlining corrective measures.
    The four organizations held accountable — the provincial department of transport, the provincial highway affairs center, Guangdong Transportation Group Co., Ltd. and the Meizhou municipal department of transport — have been ordered to submit written self-criticism reports.
    The deadly collapse occurred on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in the city of Meizhou on May 1, 2024. One side of the expressway caved in, causing 23 vehicles to roll down a slope.
    According to an investigation report unveiled earlier this week, the collapse was caused by prolonged, continuous rainfall combined with multiple other factors.
    The adverse factors that exacerbated the damage occurred in the early morning of the collapse and included rain, poor visibility and a higher-than-usual traffic volume. There were also issues in the construction, operation and maintenance of the road, which had a negative impact on the embankment’s disaster resilience, the report said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Deluzio Announces $50,000 in Federal Funding for Harmar Police Department Cruiser

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17)

    HARMAR TOWNSHIP, PA – Today, Congressman Chris Deluzio (PA-17) joined local law enforcement to celebrate the $50,000 that he secured for a new cruiser and dash camera system for the Harmar Township Police Department. He also toured to see the new cruiser.

    “To best protect and serve the people of Harmar Township, the Police Department needs reliable, high-quality vehicles and equipment,” said CongressmanDeluzio. “I’m proud to bring home $50,000 in federal funding to build up the fleet of police vehicles here in Harmar Township, so that they have the tools to keep our community safe.” 

    The award announced today funds the Township’s purchase of a new police cruiser. Because of the several major highways that pass through Harmar Township, the area has a large number of visitors. The new police cruiser, as well as the updated camera system, will help the Police Department better collect and record evidence, as well as maintain public trust in law enforcement.  

    This federal investment comes from Community Project Funding that Congressman Deluzio secured in the government funding package, with fifteen projects totaling more than $15 million for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. Three of those projects, including this one for Harmar Township, specifically focus on police departments, bringing a total of more than $1.26 million in funds for cops in the region. Photos from the event are available here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Legible Announces Appointment of Successor Auditor

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 01, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Legible Inc. (CSE: READ) (OTCQB: LEBGF) (FSE: D0T) announces the appointment of DMCL LLP (the “Successor Auditor”) as the Company’s new independent auditor effective immediately.

    The Successor Auditor’s appointment has been approved by the Company’s Board of Directors and will be presented for ratification in the next shareholders’ meeting. For a copy of the Company’s reporting package, including the Notice of Change of Auditor, together with the required letters from KPMG LLP (the “Former Auditor” or “KPMG”) and Successor Auditor, each prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 4.11 of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations, please visit the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    KPMG resigned on their own initiative, which resignation was reviewed and accepted by Legible’s audit committee. KPMG has confirmed that there are no reportable events, disagreements, unresolved issues, or modifications of opinion (as those terms are defined in National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations in connection with a change of auditor) of the two most recently completed fiscal years that ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, for which an auditor’s report was issued. Legible’s Board of Directors thanks KPMG for their invaluable work.

    About Legible Inc.

    Legible is a groundbreaking, mobile-centric global company specializing in eBooks and audiobook entertainment. Its extensive partnerships encompass four of the Big 5 Publishers, the world’s largest eBook distributor, and a wide range of outstanding and innovative publishers of all sizes, enabling Legible to seamlessly deliver millions of multilingual eBooks and audiobooks, transforming any smart device into a source of cutting-edge infotainment.

    Legible is revolutionizing mobile-centric eBook and audiobook experiences with interactive AI-driven content. Its latest release, FrankensteinAI, third in the AI Classics series, reimagines Mary Shelley’s masterpiece with animated AI art developed by digital artist Remo Camerota and immersive character-driven AI chat, offering readers a uniquely engaging journey through the classic horror tale. Legible is also developing My Model Kitchen, a series of video-enriched Living Cookbooks by former supermodel, bestselling author, and celebrity chef, Cristina Ferrare, with an AI Sous Chef for each recipe, which have been featured twice on the Drew Barrymore Show and in many other major US media outlets.

    As first mover in the rapidly expanding automotive infotainment market, Legible has partnered with media providers Faurecia Aptoide, Harman Ignite, LiveOne, and Visteon. Legible has the only Android Automotive app with the capacity to deliver both audiobooks and eBooks to drivers and passengers in tens of millions of vehicles around the globe, positioning Legible at the forefront of the new world of in-car infotainment experiences.

    A recent EdTech Breakthrough Award winner for eLearning Innovation of the Year, Legible is reshaping the digital publishing landscape, committed to gaining a significant market share by providing innovative 21st-century publishing solutions and enriching global reading experiences. Please visit Legible.com and discover the place where eBooks come to life.

    Press Contacts:

    Legible Inc.
    Ms. Deborah Harford
    EVP, Global Strategic Partnerships
    invest@legible.com
    Website: https://invest.legible.com
    Phone: (778) 776-5769

    Krupp Kommunications, Inc.
    Ms. Kathy Giaconia
    VP Media Relations
    kgiaconia@kruppagency.com
    Phone: 1-213-324-5665
    Website: http://www.KruppAgency.com

    Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

    This Press Release contains certain statements which constitute forward-looking statements or information (“forward-looking statements”), including statements regarding Legible’s business. Such forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Legible’s control, including the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, currency fluctuations, the lack of availability of qualified personnel or management, stock market volatility and the ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources. Although Legible believes that the expectations in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are based on factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate. Those factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward- looking information. As such, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward- looking information, as no assurance can be provided as to future results, levels of activity or achievements. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date of this document and, except as required by applicable law, Legible does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Swift Current — Swift Current Municipal RCMP: males wanted after serious assaults

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 25, 2024, Swift Current Municipal RCMP responded to a report of a firearm discharged during an altercation on Herbert Street in Swift Current, SK. Officers responded and no injuries were reported to police. Swift Current RCMP continued to investigate.

    On October 29, 2024 at approximately 6:00 a.m., Swift Current Municipal RCMP responded to a report of a break and enter at a residence on 10 Avenue NW in Swift Current. Investigation determined multiple individuals entered the residence with a firearm and assaulted two occupants inside. The firearm was not discharged. The suspects stole an amount of cash as well as a vehicle. The vehicle was recovered shortly after; however, the suspects remain outstanding.

    Both of these incidents are not believed to be random. Swift Current Municipal RCMP have identified and charged two males in relation to both of these incidents and warrants for their arrest have been issued.

    35-year-old Nicholas Belanger from Medicine Hat, AB and 28-year-old Mathew Neufeld from Swift Current, SK are each charged with:

    • one count, break and enter, Section 348(1)(b), Criminal Code;
    • two counts, assault causing bodily harm, Section 267(b), Criminal Code;
    • one count, theft over $5000, Section 334(a), Criminal Code;
    • one count, theft under $5000, Section 334(b), Criminal Code; and
    • one count, disguised with intent to commit offence, Section 351(2), Criminal Code.

    Nicholas Belanger is additionally charged with:

    • one count, robbery with a firearm, Section 344(1)(a), Criminal Code;
    • one count, assault with a weapon, Section 267(a), Criminal Code;
    • one count, careless use of a firearm, Section 86(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, pointing a firearm, Section 87(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, Section 88(1), Criminal Code;
    • one count, dangerously discharged a firearm, Section 244(1), Criminal Code; and
    • six counts, fail to comply with probation order, Section 733.1(1), Criminal Code.

    Investigators have reason to believe Nicholas Belanger and Mathew Neufeld may be in the Swift Current or Medicine Hat areas, but their current whereabouts are unknown. If you see Nicholas Belanger or Mathew Neufeld, do not approach them. Report any sighting of them or information to your nearest police by calling 310-RCMP. Information can also be submitted anonymously by contacting Saskatchewan Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.saskcrimestoppers.com.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Freddie “Bankroll Freddie” Gladney, III Sentenced to Over 12 Years in Federal Prison Following Guilty Verdict at Jury Trial on Firearm and Drug Trafficking Charges

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

          LITTLE ROCK—Freddie “Bankroll Freddie” Gladney, III, will spend the next 150 months in federal prison after being convicted of multiple narcotics offenses, including a firearms offense, which involved a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana in and around central Arkansas. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.

          Following a four-day trial, Gladney, 30, of Helena, was convicted by a federal jury on April 12, 2024. The jury found Gladney guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of using a telephone in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

          In addition to the 150 months’ total imprisonment, which is more than twelve years, Judge Moody sentenced Gladney to three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Gladney was also ordered to pay a $242,000 money judgment as part of his conviction. 

          Gladney was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 3, 2023, in a 32-count superseding indictment that charged him with numerous offenses related to a conspiracy that was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

          Two FBI operations, each focused on a rival gang, were created to address violence and drug trafficking in the corridor between Pine Bluff and Little Rock. The investigations focused on rival gangs responsible for violence throughout central Arkansas, with one operation focused on the EBK or Every Body Killas gang and resulting in the indictment of 35 defendants.

          An investigation revealed that on April 14, 2022, an Arkansas State Police trooper observed a black truck speeding and conducted a traffic stop in Marion. The trooper noted the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle and asked Gladney to exit the vehicle. Gladney began to exit the vehicle but then reentered and started reaching for something in the vehicle. Because Gladney refused to exit the vehicle, the trooper was forced to remove him.

          During a search of Gladney’s vehicle, law enforcement officers located in the passenger seat near the area where Gladney had been reaching, a Romarm/Cugie Model Micro Draco 7.62x39mm caliber firearm and a Polymer 80 Model PF940C, 9mm privately made firearm (also known as a “ghost gun”). Additionally, during a search of the back seat of the vehicle, law enforcement officers located a duffle bag containing 21.4 pounds of high-grade marijuana and $33,662, which was located in the center console along with seven magazines, five of which were extended and fully loaded.

          At sentencing, Gladney received a 4-level increase for being an organizer or leader of criminal activity that involved five or more participants. Gladney received a 2-level increase in his guideline range for obstruction of justice related to a May 25, 2021, wiretap call in which he instructed a codefendant to remove guns and scales used for weighing illegal drugs from his Helena residence in anticipation that it would be searched by law enforcement. 

    GLADNEY III:           So where, what you got in the house in Helena?

    CODEFENDANT:     I got everything out of there.

    GLADNEY III:           You got everything out of there already?

    CODEFENDANT:     Yeah.

    GLADNEY III:           Scales and everything?

    CODEFENDANT:     Naw, I gotta, gotta, lemme call them. Send em back in to get that. I gotta find out where all they at.

    GLADNEY III:           Scales and shit. Get everything out the house. Any guns, anything.

    CODEFENDANT:     Alright, let me..

    GLADNEY III:           Where that MAK-90 at?

    CODEFENDANT:     It’s not there.

    GLADNEY III:           Alright get everything else out that house before they go search that b***h.

    CODEFENDANT:     Alright.

          Judge Moody cited the ghost gun in increasing Gladney’s sentence 2.5 years above the guidelines range. Judge Moody noted that based on trial testimony, it was apparent that Gladney’s ghost gun, which did not have a back plate, was either ready to receive a “switch,” or had recently had a “switch” on it, that would turn the ghost gun from a semi-automatic firearm to a fully-automatic firearm. Judge Moody also recognized that Gladney was on probation from a drug and gun case in Memphis at the time he was intercepted on the wiretap in this case. 

          This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

          The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, Little Rock Police Department, North Little Rock Police Department, Pine Bluff Police Department, and Jonesboro Police Department. FBI’s GETROCK Task Force was formed in 2017 in response to the escalation in gang and gun violence in Little Rock. The unit’s investigations and operations are coordinated out of FBI Little Rock’s field office, and GETROCK continues to serve as the clearinghouse for gang-related law enforcement activity in Central Arkansas. Additional support was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Inspection Service; Arkansas National Guard Counterdrug Joint Task Force; and the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters, Amanda Fields, and Reese Lancaster.

    # # #

    Additional information about the office of the

    United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

    https://www.justice.gov/edar

    X (formerly known as Twitter):

    @USAO_EDAR 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese premier holds talks with Slovak PM

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

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds a welcoming ceremony for Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to China, in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. Li held talks with Fico in Beijing on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, Nov. 1 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with visiting Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Beijing on Friday.

    Noting that Slovakia is one of the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with China, Li said that over the past 75 years, China-Slovakia relations have developed in a healthy and stable manner. The two sides enjoy mutual respect, equality and friendly cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, he added.

    China is willing to maintain high-level political mutual trust with the Slovak side, Li noted, saying that the two sides should expand cooperation led by the high-quality Belt and Road development.

    Li said that both countries should give full play to the role of the joint economic committee and the science and technology cooperation committee, and promote cooperation in fields including China-Europe Railway Express, connectivity, and infrastructure construction.

    The two sides should further expand bilateral trade volume, and explore the cooperation potential in emerging industries such as digital economy and green economy, to jointly foster new economic drivers for both countries, said Li.

    China and Slovakia should make joint efforts to provide a better business environment for enterprises in each other’s countries, said the premier. He noted that both sides should continue to improve exchanges in cultural tourism, science, education, sports, media, youth, and other areas of people-to-people exchanges, and promote the establishment of cultural centers in each other’s countries to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

    For his side, Fico mentioned that China’s development accomplishments in recent years have set an example for countries around the world. He said Slovakia supports the global initiatives proposed by China.

    Slovakia firmly abides by the one-China policy, and recognizes that the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, said Fico.

    The prime minister said that Slovakia opposes the extra tariffs imposed by the EU on Chinese electric vehicles, adding that the EU and China should seek a proper solution through dialogue and consultation. He said that Slovakia is willing to strengthen exchanges and coordination with China in international affairs to jointly tackle global challenges.

    After their talks, Li and Fico witnessed the signing of multiple documents on bilateral cooperation in the fields of transportation, economy and trade, culture, tourism, and green and low-carbon development.

    Chinese Premier Li Qiang holds talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is on an official visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Nov. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Drug and Firearm Violations

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DONELL LEBANKS (“LEBANKS”), a/k/a “Shorty,” age 39, of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to 170 months incarceration, five (5) years of supervised release, and payment of a $400 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to Counts 1 through 4 of a  superseding bill of information.

    Count 1 charged LEBANKS with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B) and, 846.  Count 2 charged LEBANKS with possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(D).  Count 3 charged LEBANKS with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).  Count 4 charged LEBANKS with being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8).

    According to court records, during 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) New Orleans Gang Task Force (“NOGTF”) investigated suspected drug sales on Touro Street, in New Orleans.  Using surveillance, FBI agents observed LEBANKS conducting possible hand-to-hand drug sales.  To confirm such drug sales, NOGTF agents made controlled purchases of fentanyl from LEBANKS.  On October 25, 2022, NOGTF obtained a search warrant for a residence as well as for LEBANKS’ vehicle. NOGTF members executed the search warrants and detained LEBANKS and detained him so they could effectuate the search warrant.  Inside the vehicle, agents recovered a nine-millimeter Glock handgun, with an extended magazine, tucked between the driver’s seat and the center console.  Additionally, agents recovered 180.7 grams of marijuana from the front passenger side of the vehicle.

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

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Orleans Police Department.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Trummel of the Violent Crimes Unit. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Growing Gaelic in the Highlands

    Source: Scottish Government

    Funding for cultural centre project.

    A new centre to promote Gaelic language and culture in Inverness is to receive a significant funding boost from the Scottish Government.

    Cultarlann Inbhir Nis will receive £370,000 to develop a space for Gaelic gatherings, ceilidhs and exhibitions in the centre of the city.

    The Cultarlann is based in what was the East Church building. The new funding is a crucial step in developing the property, which will also feature meeting rooms for language courses, a café and shop. 

    The investment forms part of a £4 million package to promote Gaelic initiatives across Scotland.

    The centre will be the first dedicated Gaelic cultural centre in the Highlands and is also intended to be a tourist attraction where visitors can meet Gaelic-speaking staff and learn more about the language and its history.

    Cultarlann Inbhir Nis’s expansion will meet a growing demand for a dedicated space for Gaelic speakers in Inverness. Census figures published earlier this year show a 12% increase in the number of people with some Gaelic skills in Inverness compared to 2011.

    Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes said:

    “To strengthen Gaelic, we are supporting projects like Cultarlann which will enable more people to use the language in their day-to-day life.

    “Gaelic is a unique selling point for Scotland, which is why promoting the language goes hand-in-hand with attracting visitors and growing the economy.

    “The Scottish Government is also supporting the language’s continued growth in the Highlands by working collaboratively to progress the Scottish Languages Bill. The Bill will create a system to enable all parents to apply for Gaelic early learning and childcare services and introduce measures to strengthen Gaelic education in secondary school.”

    Margaret Mulholland, Chair of Cultarlann, Inbhir Nis, said:

    “We are hugely grateful for this fantastic funding offer.  It will enable our plans for a Gaelic Cultural Centre to take a major step forward.  This is a wonderful, iconic building and this funding will enable us to ensure it is properly watertight and to deal with all external essential repairs.

    “We are delighted to welcome Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes, to the Cultarlann. Kate is a great enthusiast for Gaelic and she can see the exciting future the Cultarlann will have in promoting and building Gaelic culture in Inverness and the wider Highlands.”

    Background

    Census statistics show that 3,411 people in Inverness had some Gaelic skills 2022, an increase of 369 people from 2011.

    A’ Toirt Piseach air Cor na Gàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd

    Maoineachadh airson ionad cultarach.

    Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba air taic-airgid nach beag a thoirt seachad airson ionad ùr ann an Inbhir Nis gus Gàidhlig agus cultar na Gàidhlig a chur air adhart.

    Gheibh Cultarlann Inbhir Nis £370,000 gus goireas a chruthachadh ann am meadhan a’ bhaile airson chruinneachaidhean, cèilidhean agus taisbeanaidhean Gàidhlig.

    Tha an Cultarlann stèidhichte anns togalach far an robh an Eaglais an Ear. Leis a’ mhaoineachadh ùr seo, ’s urrainnear ceum cudromach a ghabhail ann a bhith a’ toirt leasachadh air an togalach, far am bi seòmraichean-coinneachaidh airson chùrsaichean cànain, cafaidh agus bùth.

    Tha an t-airgead mar phàirt de mhaoineachadh luach £4m airson iomairtean Gàidhlig a chur air adhart air feadh na h-Alba.

    Leis an ionad ùr seo, bithear a’ stèidheachadh a’ chiad ionaid chultaraich Ghàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus thathar an dùil cuideachd gum bi e a’ tarraing luchd-turais a gheibh cothrom coinneachadh ri luchd-obrach le Gàidhlig agus ionnsachadh mun chànan agus eachdraidh nan Gàidheal.

    Leis an leasachadh seo airson Cultarlann Inbhir Nis, bithear a’ frithealadh air an iarrtas a th’ ann airson àite cruinneachaidh sònraichte do luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig sa bhaile. Sheall àireamhan bhon chunntas-shluaigh a chaidh fhoillseachadh am-bliadhna gun deach an àireamh de dhaoine le sgilean Gàidhlig ann an Inbhir Nis an àird 12% an coimeas ri àireamhan 2011.

    Thuirt an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear is Rùnaire a’ Chaibineit airson na h-Eaconamaidh is Gàidhlig, Ceit Fhoirbeis:

    “Airson cor na Gàidhlig a neartachadh, tha sinn a’ cur taic ri pròiseactan leithid Cultarlann Inbhir Nis far am faigh barrachd dhaoine cothrom gus an cànan a chleachdadh nam beatha làitheil.

    “Tha a’ Ghàidhlig mar phàirt prìseil is sònraichte de chultar na h-Alba, agus sin carson tha adhartachadh a’ chànain cuideachd a’ cuideachadh le bhith a’ tàladh luchd-turais agus a’ cur ris an eaconamaidh.

    “Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba cuideachd a’ cur taic ri adhartas leantainneach dhan chànan air a’ Ghàidhealtachd le bhith ag obair còmhla ri càch gus Bile nan Cànan Albannach a thoirt air adhart. Bidh am Bile a’ stèidheachadh siostam tron urrainn do gach pàrant cur a-staigh airson tràth-ionnsachadh Gàidhlig agus seirbheisean cùraim-chloinne dhan chloinn aca agus tha cumhachan sa Bhile cuideachd gus foghlam Gàidhlig ann an àrd-sgoiltean a neartachadh.”

    Thuirt Mairead Mulholland, Cathraiche Cultarlann Inbhir Nis:

    “Tha sinn air leth taingeil airson a’ mhaoineachaidh fhialaidh seo. Tha e a’ ciallachadh gun urrainn dhuinn adhartas mòr a dhèanamh leis na planaichean againn airson Ionad Cultarach Gàidhlig. ’S e togalach iongantach is ainmeil a tha seo agus leis a’ mhaoineachadh seo ’s urrainn dhuinn dèanamh cinnteach gum bi e gu tur dìonach agus ’s urrainn dhuinn an obair chàraidh a tha a dhìth air an taobh a-muigh dheth a dhèanamh.

    “Tha e a’ toirt toileachas mòr dhuinn fàilte a chur air an Leas-Phrìomh Mhinistear, Ceit Fhoirbeis, chun a’ Chultarlainn. Tha Ceit air leth taiceil dhan Ghàidhlig agus tha i a’ tuigsinn mar as urrainn dhan Chultarlann feum mòr a dhèanamh ann a bhith a’ cur cultar na Gàidhlig air adhart, agus ann a bhith a’ neartachadh a’ chultair, ann an Inbhir Nis agus air a’ Ghàidhealtachd air fad.”

    Bun-fhiosrachadh

    Tha àireamhan a’ Chunntais-shluaigh a’ sealltainn gun robh sgilean Gàidhlig aig 3,411 daoine ann an Inbhir Nis ann an 2022, sin àrdachadh de 369 bho 2011.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Fatal crash, Lake Road, Hauraki

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    One person has died following a single vehicle crash where a car has collided with a power pole on Lake Road, Hauraki, today.

    Police responded to the crash just before 6am.

    One person was transported to hospital in a critical condition where they have since died.

    Three further people were transported to hospital, two in a moderate condition and one with minor injuries.

    The Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination and the road has since reopened.

    Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre
     

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –