Category: Vehicles

MIL-OSI USA: Biden-Harris Administration Announces $12.1 Million Across Mid-Atlantic to Upgrade Older Diesel Engines to Cleaner and Zero-Emission Solutions that are Better for Our Communities
Source: US Environment Protection Agency

Five selectees in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia will reduce diesel emissions across a range of projects, including upgrades to fire trucks, municipal fleets, and construction equipment

October 18, 2024

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced selections across the Mid-Atlantic totaling approximately $12.1 million under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) National Grants Program which will incentivize and accelerate the upgrade or retirement of older diesel engines to cleaner and zero-emission solutions in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. These upgrades will result in significant emission reductions and air quality and public health benefits.

“Every community deserves to breathe clean air, but too many communities are still over-burdened by pollution from older diesel equipment,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With the latest round of funding, EPA’s successful DERA program will upgrade these sources of harmful pollution, and accelerate real progress toward a cleaner, more just, and healthier future for all Americans.”

“The Biden-Harris Administration is once again delivering on its commitments to ensure clear air for all, regardless of zip code or background,” said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Adam Ortiz. “These investments will have positive impacts on the neighbors of today and tomorrow, and on communities well into the future.”

Mid-Atlantic Regional Selectees:
- Government of the District of Columbia – $3,467,780
  - Replace one fire truck with one Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV)
  - Replace one refuse truck with one ZEV
  - Replace five Transportation Refrigeration Units with Zero Emission Equipment
  - Replace four transit vehicles with ZEVs
- Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition – $689,772
  - Replace 16 municipal on-road and nonroad utility vehicles with 10 new vehicles equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction
- Maryland Environmental Service – $3,474,392
  - Replace 13 terminal tractors with eight zero-emission units and five tier 4 final engines
  - Replace 23 forklifts with zero-emission units
  - Replace three tire manipulation trucks, two diesel-powered mobile pumps, and one diesel-powered air compressor with tier 4 final engines
- James Madison University – $3,500,000
  - Replace 72 short haul combination diesel engines with renewable Compressed Natural Gas trucks
- Virginia Port Authority – $972,000
  - Replace four diesel utility tractor rigs with four new battery electric utility tractor rigs
In total, EPA has tentatively selected approximately 70 national DERA projects totally $125 million to reduce diesel emissions across a range of transportation sectors including the engine replacements and upgrades to school buses, port equipment, and construction equipment. In addition to funding new cleaner diesel technologies, more than half of these selections will support replacing older equipment and vehicles with zero-emission technologies, such as all-electric school buses, terminal tractors, drayage trucks and provide shore power to marine vessels. All selected projects will reduce diesel pollution and benefit local communities, including disadvantaged communities and other areas facing environmental justice concerns. A small number of awards are still under processing. Once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied and additional selections are finalized, the EPA will update the DERA National Awards webpage.

Eligible activities include the retrofit or replacement of existing diesel engines, vehicles, and equipment with EPA and California Air Resources Board (CARB) certified engine configurations and verified retrofit and idle reduction technologies. Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the most important air quality challenges facing the country. New diesel engines must meet tight standards, however, nearly eight million legacy diesel engines across transportation sectors remain in service and emit higher levels of harmful nitrogen oxides and particulate matter than newer diesel engines. These pollutants are linked to a range of serious health problems including asthma, lung and heart disease, other respiratory ailments, and premature death.

In selecting projects for award, priority was given to projects that:
- in areas designated as having poor air quality;
- reduce emissions from ports and other goods movement facilities;
- benefit local communities;
- incorporate local communities in project planning;
- demonstrate planning or action towards reducing vulnerabilities to climate impacts;
- illustrate preparation for workforce development; and
- demonstrate an ability to continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.
DERA advances environmental justice by prioritizing emissions reductions in areas particularly affected by health and environmental impacts from diesel fleets. EPA is committed to ensuring the DERA Program delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Read more information on the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program.

MIL OSI USA News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Biden-Harris EPA announces nearly $5.6 million to upgrade older diesel engines to cleaner and zero-emission solutions in Massachusetts
Source: US Environment Protection Agency

City of Boston and Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition, Inc. two of 70 selectees nationwide to reduce diesel emissions across a range of projects, including upgrades to school buses, port equipment, and construction equipment

October 18, 2024

Contact Information

MASSACHUSETTS (Oct. 18, 2024) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced selections totaling nearly $125 million under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act National Grants Program which will incentivize and accelerate the upgrade or retirement of older diesel engines to cleaner and zero-emission solutions leading to significant emission reductions and air quality and public health benefits. These awards are in final workplan negotiations with the tentatively selected applicants. The DERA program prioritizes projects in areas that face air quality impacts, especially those projects that benefit disadvantaged communities and other areas that face particular public health or environmental justice risks or impacts.

“Every community deserves to breathe clean air, but too many communities are still over-burdened by pollution from older diesel equipment,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “With the latest round of funding, EPA’s successful DERA program will upgrade these sources of harmful pollution, and accelerate real progress toward a cleaner, more just, and healthier future for all Americans.”

“Thanks to the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, EPA is tackling air pollution through innovative technologies, making a difference in everyday people’s lives, especially for those living in areas overburdened by pollution,” said EPA New England Regional Administrator David W. Cash. “Through the selection of the City of Boston and the Columbia Willamette Clean Cities Coalition, we will see cost-effective emission reductions which will improve air quality and protect the health of our children, nearby communities, and port workers.

In Massachusetts, the City of Boston was selected to receive a total of $4 million under two grants and the Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition, Inc. will receive nearly $1.6 million. The City of Boston is receiving $2 million to retrofit battery electric engines on 15 diesel school buses and install 15 direct current fast chargers and supporting infrastructure and $2 million to replace ten Class 7 diesel school buses with ten battery-electric school buses and to install ten direct current fast chargers and supporting infrastructure. The Columbia-Willamette Clean Cities Coalition is receiving $1,554,999 to replace three excavators and five dumpers/tenders with Tier 4 ultra-low sulfur diesel excavators and dumpers/tenders at a port in Everett, Massachusetts.

In total, EPA has tentatively selected approximately 70 national DERA projects to reduce diesel emissions across a range of transportation sectors including the engine replacements and upgrades to school buses, port equipment, and construction equipment. In addition to funding new cleaner diesel technologies, more than half of these selections will support replacing older equipment and vehicles with zero-emission technologies, such as all-electric school buses, terminal tractors, drayage trucks and provide shore power to marine vessels. All selected projects will reduce diesel pollution and benefit local communities, including disadvantaged communities and other areas facing environmental justice concerns. A small number of awards are still under processing. Once all legal and administrative requirements are satisfied and additional selections are finalized, the EPA will update the DERA National Awards webpage.

Eligible activities include the retrofit or replacement of existing diesel engines, vehicles, and equipment with EPA and California Air Resources Board certified engine configurations and verified retrofit and idle reduction technologies. Reducing emissions from diesel engines is one of the most important air quality challenges facing the country. New diesel engines must meet tight standards, however, nearly 8 million legacy diesel engines across transportation sectors remain in service and emit higher levels of harmful nitrogen oxides and particulate matter than newer diesel engines. These pollutants are linked to a range of serious health problems including asthma, lung and heart disease, other respiratory ailments, and premature death.

In selecting projects for award, priority was given to projects that:
- Are in areas designated as having poor air quality.
- Reduce emissions from ports and other goods movement facilities.
- Benefit local communities.
- Incorporate local communities in project planning.
- Demonstrate planning or action towards reducing vulnerabilities to climate impacts.
- Illustrate preparation for workforce development.
- Demonstrate an ability to continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.
DERA advances environmental justice by prioritizing emissions reductions in areas particularly affected by health and environmental impacts from diesel fleets. EPA is committed to ensuring the DERA Program delivers on the Biden-Harris Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which set a goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.

Read more information on the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) program.

MIL OSI USA News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Submissions: Health – WHO welcomes health ministers to Manila to consider a new vision and actions to improve health in the Region

Source: World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific today welcomed ministers, other senior health officials and key partners from across the Western Pacific to the seventy-fifth session of its Regional Committee. WHO’s governing body for the Region convenes every year to formulate policies, adopt resolutions and make decisions to improve the health of more than 1.9 billion people living in the Western Pacific.

WHO’s Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala – the first Pacific islander to be elected to the position – welcomed health leaders to the first Regional Committee under his tenure.

“As the first Regional Director from the Pacific, the challenges we’re discussing – such as rising sea levels and increasingly frequent disasters – are realities that my loved ones and fellow Pacific islanders live with every day,” said Dr Piukala. “I’m keenly aware of the enormity of the work ahead of us, but with mutual trust and support we can meet these challenges.”

Dr Piukala’s address covered key updates on WHO’s work with countries and partners across the Region from July 2023 to June 2024. He also introduced a draft vision for improving health in the Region, to guide WHO’s work with Member States over the coming five-year period.

“This vision, jointly developed by WHO and Member States, is a testament to the beauty, strength and diversity of this Region,” said Dr Piukala. “Guided by this vision, we will work together and with our partners to build a sustainable, resilient and healthy future for all people in the Western Pacific.”

Cook Islands Minister of Health, the Honourable Vainetutai Rose Toki Brown, was elected Chairperson of this year’s session of the Regional Committee. Viet Nam Vice Minister of Health, Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, was elected Vice-Chairperson.

Hon. Toki Brown thanked the delegates for their trust and confidence in electing her as Chairperson, and she added: “This is a special year. It is the first Regional Committee meeting with the new Regional Director, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, at the helm, and we have a lot of important ground to cover.”

She went on to say, “I know that you are all committed to the health of this Region, and I know you agree on the value of us convening here as members of the World Health Organization. The success of our new regional vision relies upon the mutual accountability of Member States and WHO. Thank you again for your confidence in electing me as Chair of this important meeting. I am very much looking forward to our discussions.”

A new vision for health in the Region

The new vision, Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025−2029): Working together to improve health, well-being and save lives, is being presented to Member States for their endorsement. The vision centres on the analogy of the weaving of a mat − a traditional activity across Asia and the Pacific – symbolizing the collaborative efforts required by WHO, governments and partners to improve the health and well-being of the people of the Region. The vision comprises five vertical strands of action led by governments, interwoven with three horizontal strands of action by WHO over the coming five years.

The five vertical strands of action led by governments, working with WHO and other stakeholders, include:

1. Transformative primary health care for universal health coverage

2. Climate-resilient health systems

3. Resilient communities, societies and systems for health security

4. Healthier people throughout the life course

5. Technology and innovation for future health equity.

The three horizontal strands of action by WHO are:

1. Country offices equipped with skills for scaling up and innovation

2. Nimble support teams in the Regional Office

3. Effective communication for public health.

Action frameworks and panel discussions on priority issues

The Regional Committee will also consider new regional action frameworks on digital health and on health financing to achieve universal health coverage and sustainable development. There will be panel discussions on climate resilient health-care facilities, transformative primary health care and oral health. In addition, there will be side events on topics including One Health, tobacco control and the Investment Round to resource WHO’s work over the next four years.

Building climate-resilient health-care facilities

Countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region are at risk from climate change and climate-related disasters. The health impacts of these vary depending on the resilience of communities and the health facilities that serve them.

During a panel discussion at the Regional Committee today, delegates from Fiji, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Viet Nam emphasized the need to protect health by ensuring hospitals and clinics are climate resilient. The benefits of joining the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) were highlighted as it provides a platform for countries to accelerate transformative action in building climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems by leveraging the collective expertise and resources of WHO Member States and other stakeholders.

WHO is working with countries and areas across the Western Pacific to track progress in protecting health from climate change, helping with vulnerability assessments, developing and updating adaptation plans, and implementing climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health facility initiatives.

Exhibitions to highlight health issues and WHO’s work

Outside of the main agenda, a series of seven exhibitions was unveiled today on themes relevant to health and WHO’s work in the Region.

An exhibit on health equity profiles allows delegates to view information on a particular country’s health indicators and explore their intricate association with social and geospatial factors. This should give users a better understanding of how to prioritize and implement strategies to achieve health for all.

A special exhibit features collaborative art pieces made by staff at the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office to mark World Sight Day 2024 and World Mental Health Day 2024. The paintings, representing an eye and a heart, symbolize what people most love to see in their lives and the importance of promoting mental health at work. WHO’s ongoing efforts to improve both eye health and mental health for all rely on an integrated approach, a theme central to the draft regional vision.

The future of health museum exhibit showcases 15 “future artefacts” such as the “morning mat”, where communities would be encouraged to gather each morning to talk about their health and well-being, and the climate-controlled tuk-tuk, a futuristic three-seater electric vehicle that emits clean air rather than toxic exhaust. These were co-created through foresight activities involving WHO staff and partners. There are also 15 historical artefacts that celebrate public health milestones from the past 75 years.

A series of models of climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health-care facilities will inform a panel discussion enabling delegates to explore innovative solutions to make health facilities more climate resilient and environmentally sustainable.

An exhibit about strengthening health emergency response capacities shows WHO’s support for health emergency responses in the Region. It depicts operations support and logistics, emergency medical teams that can be deployed with field hospitals, the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network of experts, and public health emergency operations centres.

The reaching the unreached map explorer in the Western Pacific Region features an interactive web-based map app that helps users find geographically underserved populations across the Region, shedding light on the health inequities they face. This exhibit emphasizes the critical role of data-driven health interventions to reach unreached populations.

Finally, an exhibit about the dangers of new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products showcases examples of these products, describing the tactics used by the tobacco and related industries to entice children and young people to take up smoking and undermine tobacco control efforts. The exhibition also offers information on how countries and partners can prevent uptake of these products.

Notes:

The seventy-fifth session of the Western Pacific Regional Committee will run from Monday, 21 October, through Friday, 25 October, at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines. The agenda and timetable are available online. A livestream of proceedings and all other official documents, as well as fact sheets and videos on the issues to be addressed, can be accessed here. For real-time updates, follow @WHOWPRO on Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube and the hashtag #RCM75.

Working with 194 Member States across six regions, WHO is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for public health. Each WHO region has a regional committee – a governing body composed of ministers of health and senior officials from Member States. Each regional committee meets annually to agree on health actions and to chart priorities for WHO’s work.

The WHO Western Pacific Region is home to more than 1.9 billion people across 37 countries and areas: American Samoa (United States of America), Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (France), Guam (United States of America), Hong Kong SAR (China), Japan, Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Macao SAR (China), Malaysia, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Caledonia (France), New Zealand, Niue, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (United States of America), Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Pitcairn Island (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), the Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Viet Nam, Wallis and Futuna (France).

Related links:

Report of the Regional Director The work of WHO in the Western Pacific Region, 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024
Draft vision Weaving health for families, communities and societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025−2029): Working together to improve health and well-being and save lives
Building climate resilience in health-care facilities (fact sheet, video)
https://www.who.int/westernpacific/publications/m/item/building-climate-resilience-in-health-care-facilities

MIL OSI – Submitted News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Economics: Report for the G20 on tokenisation highlights the opportunities, risks and future considerations for central banks
Source: Bank for International Settlements
- Tokenisation could have implications for the future of finance and the role of central banks in payments, monetary policy and financial stability.
- While tokenisation could offer numerous benefits for the financial system and broader economy, costs and risks also need to be considered.
- BIS report highlights four key considerations for central banks: private sector initiatives; trade-offs between different types of settlement assets; sound regulation, supervision and oversight for tokenisation; and the impact on monetary policy implementation.
Tokenisation of money could have implications for the role of central banks in payments, monetary policy and financial stability, according to a report to the G20 published today by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS).

Tokenisation in the context of money and other assets: concepts and implications for central banks, which was prepared by the BIS, including the BIS Committee on Payment and Market Infrastructures (CPMI), examined tokenisation – the generation and recording of digital representations of traditional assets on a programmable platform.

The report also looked at global challenges in the regulated payments sector and focused on the possible benefits of tokenisation in addressing existing frictions in financial markets. It considered potential benefits of some of the innovative solutions involving new use cases and functions that are currently being explored around the world.

It notes that, while the potential benefits of tokenisation, such as cheaper and speedier transactions, have attracted interest, the costs and risks need to be considered.

They may also affect how pre- and post-trade functions are executed for money and other assets. In addition, ensuring appropriate governance and legal frameworks, credit and liquidity risks, as well as custody and operational risks will also require focus.

The report also highlights that risks may materialise in a different manner to the challenges faced by conventional market infrastructures. Tokenisation arrangements provide platform-based intermediation for financial assets that may lead to changes in how financial markets operate and are structured.

In this context, the report focuses on four key considerations for central banks:
- responding to ongoing private sector tokenisation initiatives; for example, whether to foster interoperability in the case of fragmenting markets;
- assessing the trade-offs and the appropriate balance between different types of settlement assets in token arrangements;
- Identifying, monitoring and assessing tokenisation arrangements that may need to be subject to sound regulation, supervision, and oversight; and
- assessing the potential impact of token arrangements on monetary policy implementation, for example through changes in the structure of regulated markets or the demand for central bank versus other types of money.
Tokenisation has significant potential to improve the safety and efficiency of the financial system. Central banks along with the private sector must continue to explore novel technologies and develop solutions that are fit for purpose for the future financial system. However, tokenisation also poses economic, legal and technical challenges that must be addressed if it is to fulfil its potential. The BIS is committed to exploring aspects of these challenges through its analysis and Innovation Hub projects in the years ahead.

Agustín Carstens, General Manager of the BIS

As with existing payment, clearing and settlement systems, the potential capacity of token arrangements to improve financial system safety and efficiency will require sound governance and risk management. The well known risks of existing systems apply, but these risks may materialise in different ways due to the effects of token arrangements on market structure. As follow-up to this report, the CPMI will continue its exploration of the topic, including the impact of innovation on the role of central bank money.

Fabio Panetta, Governor, Bank of Italy and Chair, CPMI
MIL OSI Economics –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Lebanon condemns Israel’s repeated attacks on UNIFIL positions

Source: China State Council Information Office

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicles are on patrol in Marjayoun, Lebanon, Aug. 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants on Monday condemned Israel’s repeated attacks on personnel and positions of the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL), calling on the international community to take a firm stance to support peacekeeping forces.

In a statement released Monday, the ministry said “these attacks and actions do not merely represent targeting international forces, but also constitute a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, and may amount to a war crime.”

The ministry urged the international community to safeguard UNIFIL’s operations, ensuring their security is neither compromised nor threatened. It called for the condemnation of Israel and demanded an immediate halt to its hostile actions against the peacekeeping forces.

In recent days, Israeli forces have repeatedly targeted UNIFIL positions in southern Lebanon, resulting in injuries to peacekeepers and drawing international criticism.

On Sunday, a bulldozer of the Israel Defense Forces demolished an observation tower and perimeter fence at a UNIFIL post in the southern Lebanese town of Marwahin.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: 2024 WSTDF to open in Beijing

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

A press briefing on the 2024 World Science and Technology Development Forum is held in Beijing on Oct. 18. [Photo courtesy of the China Association for Science and Technology]

The 2024 World Science and Technology Development Forum (WSTDF), hosted by the China Association for Science and Technology (CAST), will commence in Beijing on Oct. 22, according to a press briefing held on Friday.

Guided by the implementation of China’s three major global initiatives, the forum will center on the theme “Science and Technology for the Future” and focus on in-depth discussions of six topics. It aims to harness international expertise to drive high-quality development, foster cross-cultural scientific exchanges, and tackle global challenges through innovation and technological solutions.

The main activities of the 2024 WSTDF will take place in Beijing from Oct. 22-24, with the closing ceremony set for Oct. 30. During the event, in addition to the opening ceremony on Oct. 22, six major thematic sessions and three roundtable dialogues will be held, complemented by several cultural exchange activities. The six thematic sessions will explore the following key areas: “AI Governance Innovation: Building an International Trust Foundation for Cultivating the Ecology of Science and Technology Governance (Intelligence)”; “Interdisciplinary Science-Based Solutions Towards Sustainable Development (Interdisciplinary)”; “Open Science Infrastructures: Building a Collaborative Platform for the Sciences Decade (Infrastructures)”; “Cross-Industry Resource Collaboration and Integration to Provide Innovative Application Scenarios for Enhancing the Intelligent Manufacturing Industry (Innovation)”; “Harmonious Coexistence of Nature and Humanity: Environment and Health (Interaction)”; and “Science and Technology for Risk-Informed Sustainable Development (Integration).” The three roundtable dialogues will focus on the following themes: “Encouraging women’s participation in science and technology”; “Science: Openness, Cooperation and Mobility”; and “Seminar on Effectively Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.”

In addition, three key international exchange events will enrich the forum, namely the 2024 China-ASEAN Engineers Forum in Beijing on Oct. 16; the opening ceremony of the 2024 WLA Forum & The Award Ceremony of the 2024 WLA Prize in Shanghai on Oct. 25; and the 11th China-Russia Engineering and Technology Forum in Heilongjiang on Oct. 28-29.

The 2024 WSTDF is expected to attract hundreds of high-profile participants, including leaders from relevant countries, global award winners, heads of the United Nations as well as international science and technology organizations, as well as renowned scientists, entrepreneurs and educators from home and abroad. Among the attendees will be over 10 Nobel laureates and other major award winners, more than 40 academicians, over 30 business representatives, and nearly 50 delegates from international organizations.

Featuring a diverse array of events, including thematic sessions, open forums and closed-door meetings, the forum will emphasize fostering interdisciplinary technological cooperation and integration. Through proposals, reports and declarations, it aims to drive meaningful progress in science and technology.

In line with its commitment to simplicity and practicality, the forum will embrace a green, low-carbon and sustainable approach. This includes utilizing paperless communication to boost efficiency, leveraging digital technology to streamline event services, and using renewable energy vehicles for guest transportation. Additionally, the forum will limit the number of participants, avoid unnecessary formalities and minimize decorations to foster a focused and efficient environment.

First launched and hosted by CAST in 2019, the WSTDF has been held five times. Amidst the complex and evolving global landscape, the forum has played a vital role in fostering non-governmental scientific and technological exchange, broadening avenues for international collaboration, and establishing an open and trustworthy network of cooperation. This year, the forum will once again offer a crucial platform for nations to exchange ideas, deepen partnerships and advance scientific innovation and development on a global scale, contributing to a community with a shared future for mankind.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI: Carronade Capital Urges Frontier Communications Shareholders to Vote Against Sale to Verizon on Current Terms

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

DARIEN, Conn., Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Carronade Capital, an alternative asset management firm, which beneficially owns approximately 2,000,000 shares of Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (NASDAQ: FYBR) today released a letter to fellow Frontier shareholders. The full text of the letter is below:

October 21, 2024

Dear Fellow Frontier Shareholder:

Carronade Capital Management, LP (“Carronade” or “we” or “us”) is a registered investment manager with approximately $2 billion in assets under management. Funds managed by Carronade beneficially own approximately 2,000,000 shares of Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (“Frontier” or “Company”).

Put plainly, we believe that the current offer by Verizon Communications Inc. (“Verizon”), to acquire the Company at $38.50 per share (the “Proposed Transaction”), is insufficient compared to the intrinsic value of the Company. Based on our decades of investment experience and extensive research, we believe that Frontier has an intrinsic value of at least $48.60 per share on a standalone basis – and that is before a fair share of the unique synergy value this transaction brings to Verizon.

The Proposed Transaction with Verizon does NOT represent fair value to Frontier shareholders. As such, Carronade does NOT support the Proposed Transaction in its current form and encourages our fellow shareholders to vote against the Proposed Transaction if you agree.

Financial Analysis Supports Higher Share Price

There are a number of thorough third-party analyses that support a higher standalone valuation range for Frontier. Some recent estimates range from $47.88 to $60+ per share before any synergy value¹². Rather than repeat the same, very valid, similar per passing valuation, comparative multiple valuation, or DCF analysis, which all support a higher price, we offer the following straight forward precedent transaction analysis.

The most recent and relevant fiber transactions valuations (Metronet/T-Mobile, Lumos/T-Mobile, and Horizon/Shenandoah) have been valued in the low to mid 20’s x TEV/EBITDA³⁴. If we were to look at Frontier’s Fiber only EBITDA⁵ and use a substantial discounted multiple of 15x, this supports $48.60 per share before any synergies. This analysis excludes any value on the existing non-fiber business, which generated $756mm of LTM EBITDA⁵. Further this conservative valuation also assigns no value to the assumed net operating losses, cost synergies or incremental revenue and growth opportunities enabled pro forma for the combination.

Synergies All Accrue to Verizon

As established above, the existing fiber passings and current level of EBITDA generation more than support a higher share price alone. But the offer price becomes even more difficult to understand given the vast benefits and synergies that accrue solely to Verizon. Verizon provided its own view of the transaction post announcement:

“We said at least $500 million of opex run rate synergies, and we’re very confident in the synergy goal. And obviously, we’ll push for more.” ⁶

“There’s nothing in there from a capex perspective at this point. So the $500 million is just literally opex synergies at this point.” ⁶

Verizon implies upside to the “disclosed” synergies which are driven off of operating costs, but logically could expect some savings on a capital expenditure perspective as well.

“When we do convergence the way Verizon likes it, it tends to be revenue and EBITDA accretive to us. A lot of that relies on the fact that we see a 50% reduction in mobility churn when we bring the two products together in front of the customer and a 40% reduction in fiber churn when we do that. That translates into accretion, both on revenue and EBITDA, immediately.” ⁶

“Verizon will also extend our premium offerings and experiences to Frontier’s customers as part of this transaction.” ⁶

“We also believe there will be opportunity to generate revenue from mobile and home conversions, including cross-selling benefits.” ⁶

“We will bring the power of the Verizon retail fleet to bear and our distribution in the Frontier markets. And with that, you’re going to see higher penetration pretty soon once we close on the transaction.” ⁶

Verizon is making clear that there are incremental financial benefits to its existing wireless business and further benefits from new premium offerings and cross selling opportunities with Frontier added into its asset base.

To summarize, the synergy benefits come in the following forms:

1) Disclosed operating cost synergies which Verizon implies are conservative

2) Significant benefits to Verizon’s existing wireless business across the Frontier territory pro-forma

3) Increases in revenue through premium offerings/cross selling and higher penetration

We believe Frontier shareholders should get a fair and reasonable share of the value created by this transaction. Moreover, points #2 and #3 above are benefits to Verizon’s existing core business that do not occur without Frontier.

Critical Asset to Verizon

Carronade’s knowledge and research of the industry lead us to the inescapable conclusion that there is not a fiber platform available that gives Verizon the incremental scale and benefits that Frontier offers. Verizon’s public comments make that very clear, again in its own words:

“…together, Verizon and Frontier have a combined 25 million fiber passings in 31 states and Washington DC, with networks that can be immediately integrated after closing. …Frontier will give Verizon access to high-quality customer base in markets nationwide that are highly complementary with our Northeast and Mid-Atlantic focus.” ⁶

“With Frontier’s fiber added to our portfolio, we will be the only carrier that will have the size and scale in both fiber and fixed wireless access.” ⁶

“At closing, this acquisition will significantly expand Verizon’s fiber footprint, accelerating our delivery of premium mobility and broadband services to current and new customers. It will also power Verizon’s Intelligent Edge Network for digital innovation like AI and IoT.” ⁶

“We looked at buy versus build, of course, and it was a pretty easy calculation, accretive from the day of the acquisition, both on revenue growth, as well as EBITDA, maybe one year later on EPS and cash flow….” ⁷

Frontier is unique in its scale and fit with Verizon. It accelerates the convergence trend in a way that no other acquisition can match. The bottom line is that we believe Verizon needs Frontier more than Frontier needs Verizon.

Rushed Vote Harms Shareholders

From our read of the proxy, no shareholders appear to have been consulted nor executed any voting support agreements with respect to the Proposed Transaction. The seeming lack of shareholder input struck us as particularly surprising given the number of very large long-term holders. Additionally, the final proxy was filed after the market close on October 7, 2024 and disenfranchised shareholders by selecting that very same day as the record date. By releasing the proxy after trading hours on the selected day, it had the effect of limiting a shareholder’s full review of the definitive proxy prior to the passage of the record date.

The Proposed Transaction will have a lengthy regulatory approval process as is customary for this industry. Given this uncertainty around the timing of close, and the significant inflection in results the Company is expecting⁸, the shareholders should have time to evaluate all the disclosure prior to setting the record date. We believe it is likely that Verizon is trying to rush to get the deal approved prior to shareholders realizing how much value they are leaving on the table.

We have reached out to the shareholder advisory firms to share our views surrounding the subpar economics of the Proposed Transaction and rushed process that harms shareholders. We encourage other shareholders with similar concerns to do the same.

Summary

In summary, we believe it is abundantly clear that Frontier shareholders are not being offered a fair value at the Proposed Transaction price of $38.50 per share. We agree with Verizon management, that with the combination of Frontier and Verizon, Verizon gets scale and reach in a way that no other acquisition offers. We also agree that the synergies are not only very significant and real, that they are likely considerably understated, and that there are numerous benefits to the existing wireless business and significant revenue growth levers to pull that come only with a transaction with Frontier. Frontier shareholders are being rushed to approve the Proposed Transaction.

For all of the reasons above, we intend to vote against the Proposed Transaction on its current terms. We believe all shareholders should vote no, until we can get a fair share of the value created from the combined enterprise.

Sincerely,

Dan Gropper
Managing Partner
Chief Investment Officer Andy Taylor
Managing Director
Director of Research

About Carronade Capital

Carronade Capital is an alternative asset management firm founded in 2019 by industry veteran Dan Gropper, and based in Darien, Connecticut. The Fund managed by Carronade Capital was launched on July 1, 2020 and the firm employs 15 team members. Dan Gropper brings with him nearly three decades of special situations credit experience serving in senior roles at distinguished investment firms, including Aurelius Capital Management, LP, Fortress Investment Group and Elliott Management Corporation.

Disclaimers

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION OF AUTHORITY TO VOTE YOUR PROXY. DO NOT SEND US YOUR PROXY CARD. CARRONADE CAPITAL IS NOT ASKING FOR YOUR PROXY CARD AND WILL NOT ACCEPT PROXY CARDS IF SENT. CARRONADE CAPITAL IS NOT ABLE TO VOTE YOUR PROXY, NOR DOES THIS COMMUNICATION CONTEMPLATE SUCH AN EVENT.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in any state to any person. This press release does not recommend the purchase or sale of a security. There is no assurance or guarantee with respect to the prices at which any securities of Frontier Communications Parent, Inc. (the “Company”) will trade, and such securities may not trade at prices that may be implied herein. In addition, this press release and the discussions and opinions herein are for general information only, and are not intended to provide financial, legal or investment advice. Each shareholder of the Company should independently evaluate the proxy materials and make a decision that aligns with their own financial interests, consulting with their own advisers, as necessary.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and may include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words “expects”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “plans”, “will be” and similar expressions. Although Carronade Capital (“Carronade “) believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements contained herein are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties—many of which are difficult to predict and are generally beyond the control of Carronade or the Company—that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. In addition, the foregoing considerations and any other publicly stated risks and uncertainties should be read in conjunction with the risks and cautionary statements discussed or identified in the Company’s public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including those listed under “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual reports on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and those related to the Pending Transaction (as defined below). The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and, other than as required by applicable law, Carronade does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements. Certain information included in this press release is based on data obtained from sources considered to be reliable. Any analyses provided herein is intended to assist the reader in evaluating the matters described herein and may be based on subjective assessments and assumptions and may use one among alternative methodologies that produce different results. Accordingly, any analyses should not be viewed as factual and should not be relied upon as an accurate prediction of future results. All figures are estimates and, unless required by law, are subject to revision without notice.

Carronade’s fund currently beneficially owns shares of the Company. This fund is in the business of trading (i.e., buying and selling) securities and intends to continue trading in the securities of the Company. You should assume this fund will from time to time sell all or a portion of its holdings of the Company in open market transactions or otherwise, buy additional shares (in open market or privately negotiated transactions or otherwise), or trade in options, puts, calls, swaps or other derivative instruments relating to such shares. Consequently, Carronade’s beneficial ownership of shares of, and/or economic interest in, the Company may vary over time depending on various factors, with or without regard to Carronade’s views of the pending transaction involving the Company and Verizon Communications (the “Pending Transaction”) or the Company’s business, prospects, or valuation (including the market price of the Company’s shares), including, without limitation, other investment opportunities available to Carronade, concentration of positions in the portfolios managed by Carronade, conditions in the securities markets, and general economic and industry conditions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event of a change in the Company’s share price on or following the date hereof, Carronade’s fund may buy additional shares or sell all or a portion of its holdings of the Company (including, in each case, by trading in options, puts, calls, swaps, or other derivative instruments relating to the Company’s shares). Carronade also reserves the right to change the opinions expressed herein and its intentions with respect to its investment in the Company, and to take any actions with respect to its investment in the Company as it may deem appropriate, and disclaims any obligation to notify the market or any other party of any such changes or actions, except as required by law.

Media Contact:

Paul Caminiti / Jacqueline Zuhse
Reevemark
(212) 433-4600
Carronade@reevemark.com

^{______________________________________
1} Cooper Investors Pty Ltd: “standalone valuation” from letter dated 10/15/24.
² NewStreet Research: “standalone floor value” research dated 10/8/24
³ NewStreet Research: comparative transactions – research dated 10/8/24.
⁴ Shentel: investor presentation 10/25/23
⁵ Frontier: 2Q24 Trending Schedule
⁶ Verizon conference call – 09/05/24
⁷ Verizon GS Communacopia transcript – 09/09/24
⁸ Definitive Proxy – Standalone Adjusted EBITDA Projections – 10/07/24

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/72af8ea1-1cf9-41da-9199-7af773c626c6

The MIL Network –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) returns to homeport after Indo-Pacific deployment

Source: United States Navy

Carrying over 700 Sailors and embarked Marines, Harpers Ferry participated in multiple, multi-national exercises and operations in the Pacific, displaying interoperability and the U.S.’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

“The accomplishments of USS Harpers Ferry and its Navy and Marine Corps team are quite impressive,” said Cmdr. Gabriel Burgi, the commanding officer of Harpers Ferry. “Together, we steamed tens of thousands of miles from home, away from our friends and families, and completed important missions necessary to protect high seas freedoms. We took part in several bilateral and multinational exercises, and we were great ambassadors of the United States. I couldn’t be more proud of how well the crew and Marines worked together to accomplish many ‘firsts’ for the ARG-MEU team.”

This deployment was an opportunity for the Marine Corps’ newest amphibious ship-to-shore connector, the amphibious combat vehicles (ACV), to gather operational data and lessons learned that will shape future deployments of the new platform in expeditionary environments.

“This deployment was the first ever for the Marine Corps’ first new amphibious vehicle in over 50 years,” said Burgi. “All eyes were on us as we set the precedent for deployed operations of the ACV, and we helped write doctrine for future deployments. We launched and landed the first ACVs in foreign waters and on foreign shores, and the world was watching.”

Harpers Ferry departed San Diego in March to begin a regularly scheduled, Western Pacific deployment. During the deployment, Harpers Ferry and embarked elements of the 15th MEU participated in Exercise Balikatan 24 (BK24), the largest, annual, bilateral exercise conducted between the U.S. and the Philippines. Elements of the embarked 15th MEU conducted a command-and-control exercise (C2X), Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) projects and engagements, and a series of field training events.

ACVs made their operational debut during BK24 in May, splashing from Harpers Ferry in Oyster Bay to conduct a waterborne live-fire gunnery exercise.

“Throughout this deployment the landing force accomplished many firsts for the Marine Corps,” said Maj. Joe Santos, the ACV liaison officer, 15th MEU, and the commander of troops aboard Harpers Ferry. “The 15th MEU deployed with the Amphibious Combat Vehicle for the first time, which marked many more firsts for the Navy and Marine Corps. The Harpers Ferry and landing force was the first to achieve amphibious warfare certifications with the ACV; first to conduct ACV intermediate maintenance underway; first to conduct waterborne gunnery with the ACV; and first to operate within the Indo-Pacific.”

While in the Philippines, Marines and Sailors of the 15th MEU also participated in the Amphibious Coastal Defense Continuum (ACDC), partnering with Philippine Marine Corps’ 3rd Marine Brigade to enhance the Philippine Marine Corps’ coastal defense strategy while supporting the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

After BK24 and ACDC, the ship made its way north to Busan, South Korea, for Exercise Ssang Yong 24, a bilateral field training exercise with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC), and U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in vicinity of Pohang.

Ssang Yong was another landmark event for the ACV, marking the first time ACVs conducted a ship-to-shore amphibious assault overseas, partnered with ROKMC amphibious forces.

“Harpers Ferry and their embarked Apache Company and ACV Platoon proved that we could safely and expeditiously launch and recover ACVs,” said Burgi. “The ACVs on deployment was a major milestone for the Navy-Marine Corps team. From onboard maintenance to overseas launch and recovery, almost everything we did with the ACVs was a first for our services. Deploying also gave the ACV platoon confidence in their weapon systems and in their ability to operate far from home without the benefit of onsite maintenance facilities.”

After Ssang Yong, Harpers Ferry transited home to San Diego following a successful seven-month deployment.

“I have seen this ship and her crew go from exiting the shipyards to the completion of a 7th Fleet deployment. This ship and her crew has been tasked over and over, and has exceeded the expectation of fleet commanders every time,” said Burgi. “There is no other crew or ship I would rather go to sea with. This crew has delivered miracles selflessly and tirelessly. I couldn’t be more proud of them; being the commanding officer to this crew has been the utmost privilege and highlight of my nearly 30-year career.”

Santos echoed Burgi’s thoughts on the deployment.

“I am excited for the Marines and Sailors to go home after this deployment knowing that they have accomplished so much,” said Maj. Santos. “They are a part of naval history and will remember this for the rest of their lives. It’s a beautiful day to be on the USS Harpers Ferry!”

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Coventry loan shark jailed

Source: City of Coventry

A 38-year-old man who operated as a loan shark in Coventry has been sentenced to 31 months in prison and handed a Criminal Behaviour Order in a first for the national Illegal Money Lending Team.

James Ringrose lent thousands of pounds to people, including workmates, charging ‘exorbitant’ interest rates and putting pressure on them to make them pay, Warwick Crown Court heard. He left borrowers feeling distraught and even suicidal as they struggled to pay him back.

Ringrose admitted two charges of illegal money lending and money laundering following an investigation by the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) and appeared before the court to be sentenced on Friday. (October 18)

The case was prosecuted by the IMLT in partnership with Coventry Trading Standards and West Midlands Police.

Mr Jonathan Barker, prosecuting on behalf of the IMLT, told the court Ringrose was operating as a loan shark between 2016 and July 2024 and used some of the proceeds to fund a house extension and cosmetic procedures in Turkey.

Ringrose was not authorised by the Financial Condict Authority to lend money, which meant he could charge whatever he wanted and did not have to abide by the rules that protect borrowers.

Mr Barker said one of Ringrose’s borrowers was a workmate who needed some cash but could not get a loan through a mainstream lender. He borrowed £40 and repaid £60. A few weeks later borrowed a further £100 and told to repay £140. The borrowing continued and by 2019 he was repaying Ringrose £400 a month.

Mr Barker said the borrower would go to a cashpoint and meet Ringrose, who had a clipboard and crossed his name off when he handed over cash. He said Ringrose also asked this borrower to withdraw using debit cards belonging to other people.

Mr Barker said the borrowing ‘spiralled out of control’. He was never given any paperwork and never knew exactly how much he owed.

Another colleague who needed money to repair a vehicle, borrowed £200 and was told she would have to repay £280 by the end of the month. She later took another loan on the same terms and when she struggled to repay, they came to an agreement where she was repaying £80 a month. Mr Barker said she was so scared of repercussions she continued to make payments for three years, significantly more than the original sum.

After an initial investigation by the IMLT, Ringrose was arrested at an address in Barons Croft, Nuneaton.

Analysis of his accounts showed that since November 2016 there were 317 third party credits totalling more than £80,000, 29 cash credits of over £17,000, 63 third party debits totalling just over £4,500 and 626 cash withdrawals worth over £90,000. There were at least 20 names associated with the transactions.

He was bailed but the court heard he continued to provide and collect on unauthorised loans to around 10 people, for more than £15,000.

In July 2024, he was arrested again following a warrant at an address in The Barley Lea, Coventry. During a search of property IMLT officers recovered loan records hidden under the carpet of the bottom stair in a folder.

New analysis of his bank accounts showed that since May 2023, there were 39 third party credits of just under £3,500, 94 third party debits of over £5,700 and 22 cash withdrawals worth just over £1,000.

Mr Barker said this showed part of the picture as the defendant would have conducted loan activity in cash.

The court heard another borrower borrowed £1,000 in various instalments and was charged double interest on anything over £100, which led her into a cycle of debt.

Mr Barker said: “She estimates that over the years she has borrowed a total of £5,000 and has already paid over £50,000 back, but the defendant had stated she still owes him over £60,000. She states for years she endured constant harassment from the defendant. This includes him persistently contacting her via phone, turning up outside her work address, forcing her to provide bank statements and wage slips to show what funds she has, entering her home without her permission following her and taking her to cash machines to withdraw funds.”

He said on one occasion Ringrose followed her around Coventry, shouted at her in the street and threatened her partner in order to get her to pay.

He said another workmate borrowed £3,000, adding: “He states that the defendant never kept his illegal money lending business a secret and was actually quite boastful about it. Ringrose told him that he would operate like a ‘payday loan lender’ and after collecting payments from people, they would have to borrow again from him immediately. He boasted that he had a constant stream of income.”

Mr Barker added: “The prosecution case is that the loan business was lucrative. The defendant would brag to others about how lucrative it was. It helped him fund an extension to his property and pay for cosmetic treatments in Turkey.”

Mr Barker also said when Ringrose found out that the IMLT had begun an investigation he tried to persuade borrowers not to speak to officers, offering money as an incentive.

Mr Gerard Cullen, defending, told the court there was a lack of sophistication in the offending and Ringrose did not realise he was acting illegally at first.

The judge, Mr Recorder Tom Restall, said despite coming to the attention of the authorities, Ringrose continued to lend money, charging ‘exorbitant’ levels of interest.

He said borrowers’ mental health suffered badly and one reported feeling suicidal.

For the first count of illegal money lending, Ringrose was sentenced to 16 months in jail to run concurrently with a three-month sentence for money laundering.

For the second offence of illegal lending, he was handed a 12-month sentence together with one month for money laundering, to run concurrently, but consecutive to the first set of offences.

He was also handed three months’ custody for breach of a suspended sentence for an earlier unrelated offence, bringing his total sentence to 31 months.

Ringrose was also made subject to a 10-year restraining order in relation to one borrower and handed a Criminal Behaviour order for five years, which means he must not enter the Stoke Aldemoor area of Coventry and not provide or collect unauthorised loans, directly or indirectly. If he breaches either order he could face a further jail term. A POCA timetable was set.

Councillor Abdul Salam Khan, chair of Coventry’s Police and Crime Board, added: “It is really disturbing how the culprits operate and that’s why I’m pleased about the action that has been taken to deal with this case. It shows the importance and effectiveness of partnership working between the Council’s trading standards officers and the Illegal Money Lending Team. I’d encourage anyone who has been affected by illegal money lending to get in touch on the Stop Loan Sharks helpline or via their online support.”

Dave Benbow, acting head of the IMLT, a national organisation hosted by Birmingham City Council, which investigates and prosecutes loan sharks, said: “This case is the first time we have used a Criminal Behaviour Order, which means that not only has Ringrose been punished for his illegal money lending activities, he will also be subject to strict rules that stop him acting as an illegal lender in the future.

“Even when illegal lenders are convicted and sentenced, that is not the end of it. We will do whatever we can to ensure they are not free to continue to blight communities in any way.

“Once again, we are grateful to all the witnesses who came forward in this case. We realise it’s not easy, but this shows that we can and will continue to take the strongest possible action against illegal lenders to make our communities safer.”

Anyone who has been affected by illegal money lending should call the Stop Loan Sharks 24/7 Helpline on 0300 555 2222 or access support online at http://www.stoploansharks.co.uk. Live Chat is available on the website from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Election officials are hard at work to deliver fair, secure and accurate elections – despite a constant flow of attacks

Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mitchell Brown, Professor of Political Science, Auburn University

Voting machines are tested at the Wake County Board of Elections on Sept. 17, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. Allison Joyce/Getty Images

The 2024 election is rife with controversy, from the politics of the campaigns to the politics surrounding the administration of elections. Accusations of wrongdoing and ineptitude continue to plague election officials, despite their explanations of legal compliance and process.

This is not new. During the 2016 election season, there was a growing narrative in the media and elsewhere that U.S. elections were poorly run. These accusations came from the left and the right, with concerns ranging from voter suppression to rigged machines.

My colleagues and I have been studying election administration intensely for many years. When these accusations were made, they struck us as both odd and incorrect. We traveled around the country to visit election offices. We did surveys, we interviewed people, we ran focus groups, we toured election offices.

In 2020, my colleague Kathleen Hale and I published a book on innovation in election administration. Among our conclusions: U.S. elections are not broken, and while fragmented and sometimes confusing, the system is functioning well, despite myriad pressures on it.

The 2020 election continued to underscore that American election administration is strong across the country, despite the narrative from some losing candidates that there was widespread fraud and conspiracy.

I continue to interact with election officials on a regular basis through meetings, conversations, classes I teach and election observations. While there are normal errors and mistakes that will always happen, this year’s presidential election also continues to demonstrate that the people running our elections are professionals engaging in neutral administration, upholding the law as well as important public administration principles of transparency, accountability, accuracy, integrity and widespread access for eligible voters.

These people are doing this work despite an increasingly complicated and threatening environment for election officials.

Elections happen almost every day

There are approximately 8,000 election jurisdictions across the country. For the most part, elections are run locally by community members who work for their county or city government. Some election officials are appointed, some elected, and some are career civil service employees. During the voting period, there are thousands and thousands of volunteer poll workers who are trained to support the process.

These offices work closely with other county and city government offices. Their employees are trained on standard operating procedures to ensure ballot security and electoral integrity, and they work closely with state election offices to ensure standard application of federal and state laws. In some states, such as Colorado and Ohio, they have professional associations to enhance their coordination and work. And there are national professional and training programs to further enhance the field.

Despite the fact that most people think elections are held every other year, when you take into account state, local and special elections and the steps involved in preparation, early and absentee voting, election day voting and canvas and certification, there is an election being run somewhere in America almost every day.

Working in elections is uniquely challenging. Deadlines are fixed, budgets are comparatively small in most places, and perfection is expected at all times. For the past two presidential election cycles, election officials in some jurisdictions faced almost constant accusations of incompetence or fraud. Accusers are rarely able to provide actual evidence.

There are excellent examples around the country of good election administration in the face of many challenges and accusations of wrongdoing.

‘Relentless … barrage of falsehoods’

Consider Wesley Wilcox, supervisor of elections in Marion County, Florida. Wilcox has been a dedicated election official for decades, honored by his colleagues across the country when they elected him to the Election Center Hall of Fame in 2023. He is an elected Republican and vocal about his support of his party.

But since 2020, Wilcox and his colleagues have been a constant target of accusations of wrongdoing, which he told a 2022 U.S. Senate committee hearing constituted a “relentless and unprecedented barrage of falsehoods.” These baseless accusations came despite the fact that Wilcox’s office was involved in the investigation of a woman who was charged with actual wrongdoing: substantiated voter fraud.

Another example is Mary Hall, an auditor in Thurston County, Washington. Hall has been recognized by the state of Washington and her colleagues for her strong professionalism for decades. She heads a robust office and staff who work to communicate to voters to ensure community trust in their processes and outcomes.

Despite that, groups in the area have organized to challenge voter registrations of people who have done no wrong, causing extra work for Hall’s office.

There are legitimate reasons that voter rolls are not perfect, and the presence of people on a voter roll who have moved and registered elsewhere is not evidence of fraud. And while such double registration is not illegal, voting in multiple places is. In the face of all of this, Hall continues to respectfully respond to their accusations and criticisms.

In 2023, her office was one of five nationally to have received envelopes with white powder in them, which turned out to be fentanyl in some cases.

“I used to be very proud of my position and telling people what I did for a living. And I don’t do that anymore, because you never know what reaction you’re going to receive from the people on the other end,” Hall told “PBS NewsHour” in November 2023.

Election Day precinct officials receive training at Wake County Board of Elections headquarters on Sept. 26, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C.
Allison Joyce/Getty Images

‘Years of unsubstantiated personal attacks’

Other than sowing confusion and public distrust, these attacks and accusations have real-life implications for the lives of the people running elections.

One of the hardest for me to watch has been Cathy Darling Allen’s resignation from the profession.

Darling Allen, the former chief election official for California’s Shasta County, is widely regarded among her peers as having the highest levels of professionalism, integrity and honesty. In 2024, Darling Allen was one of five election officials in the country whom the American Bar Association awarded its Unsung Heroes of Democracy Award. That award “recognizes those individuals and organizations who work every day, often behind the scenes or without fanfare, to ensure that our elections are secure and that the democratic ideals set forth in the U.S. Constitution are upheld.”

But years of threats, hate mail, accusations and unsubstantiated personal attacks against her left her physically ill. This stress and resulting health conditions forced her to retire early. A vocal group of county residents alleged that widespread election fraud was happening on her watch and accused her of sedition and treason. In an ironic development, a local news website reported that “Supervisor Patrick Jones, who is the most visible proponent of the claim that election fraud is occurring locally, was himself successfully elected to office in a process overseen by Darling Allen.”

Darling Allen is just one example of dedicated officials who have left the field in recent years because of the rampant, false narrative about election wrongdoing on the part of officials.

Election offices will never have the kinds of resources that those individuals, groups and countries who are attacking the integrity of their offices have.

But these officials nonetheless persist, upholding state and federal laws and professional standards of conduct and producing accurate and timely election results.

A review of the Moritz College of Law case tracker for the 2020 presidential election, which documents important election law cases from around the nation, demonstrates that many of these charges were meritless and that the results of the election were upheld. These results reflect the competence of those election officials.

Other groups, including academics, have been working to neutrally and empirically study these issues, looking at a range of topics, from election performance to best practices, as well as seeking to understand the impacts of the current narrative on the public.

Real electoral mismanagement is investigated, and the people involved face consequences if it is substantiated. Election fraud is a crime. Election officials know this and work tirelessly to ensure timely, fair, secure and accurate elections.

Mitchell Brown is the Curtis O. Liles III Professor in the Department of Political Science and directs the election administration program at Auburn University. For 35 years, Auburn University faculty have served as the curricular faculty for the Certified Elections/Registration Administrator (CERA) certification program, and through this role she serves on the Board of Directors of the Election Center. She has received numerous grants and contracts to study election administration, including from the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, Bipartisan Policy Center, and MIT MEDSL, among others.

– ref. Election officials are hard at work to deliver fair, secure and accurate elections – despite a constant flow of attacks – https://theconversation.com/election-officials-are-hard-at-work-to-deliver-fair-secure-and-accurate-elections-despite-a-constant-flow-of-attacks-236912

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Pineville Woman Sentenced to Consecutive Life Sentences in Prison for Kidnapping, Murder of Pregnant Arkansas Woman and Unborn Child

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

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Pineville, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for the kidnapping and murder of a pregnant Arkansas woman and her victim’s unborn child.

Amber Waterman, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to consecutive life sentences in federal prison without parole.

On July 30, 2024, Amber Waterman pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of thereby causing the death of a child in utero. Waterman admitted that she kidnapped Ashley Bush in order to claim her unborn child, Valkyrie Willis, as her own. Waterman transported Ashley Bush from Maysville, Ark., to Pineville. The kidnapping resulted in the deaths of both Ashley Bush and Valkyrie Willis.

Her husband, Jamie Waterman, 44, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of being an accessory after the fact to the kidnapping resulting in death. Jamie Waterman admitted that he knew Amber Waterman had kidnapped Bush, causing the death of her unborn child, and provided assistance in order to hinder or prevent the apprehension, trial, and punishment of Amber Waterman.

Amber Waterman, using a false name, contacted Bush, who was approximately 31 weeks pregnant, via Facebook. Amber Waterman pretended to help Bush obtain employment, suggesting she had a job opportunity for her. That prompted an in-person meeting between the two women on Oct. 28, 2022, at the Gravette, Ark., public library. They agreed to meet again on Oct. 31, 2022.

On Oct. 31, 2022, at roughly 11:45 a.m., Bush met Amber Waterman at the Handi-Stop convenience store in Maysville, Ark. Under the pretext that Amber Waterman was taking her to meet a supervisor to further discuss employment, Bush got into a truck driven by Amber Waterman. Amber Waterman then kidnapped and abducted Bush, driving her from Maysville to the Waterman residence in Pineville.

According to court documents, Amber Waterman led Jamie Waterman to Bush’s body. Jamie Waterman assisted in hiding and disposing of the body.

At about 5 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2022, first responders reported to the Longview store in Pineville for an emergency call of a baby who was not breathing. Amber Waterman admitted that she claimed to first responders that she had given birth to the child in the truck while on the way to the hospital. But in reality, she admitted, the child was Bush’s child, who died in utero, as a result of Amber Waterman’s kidnapping that resulted in the death of Bush.

An autopsy indicated that Bush died as a result of penetrating trauma of the torso and her death was classified as a homicide.

Under federal statutes, Jamie Waterman is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie L. Wan and James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the FBI, the Benton County, Ark., Sheriff’s Department, and the McDonald County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Arkansas and the Benton County, Ark., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Response and Recovery Efforts in Western North Carolina

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: Response and Recovery Efforts in Western North Carolina

Response and Recovery Efforts in Western North Carolina
mseets
Mon, 10/21/2024 – 10:38

After Hurricane Helene, North Carolina continues leading a robust response and recovery with the support of federal, local, and non-profit partners.

Helene hit North Carolina 25 days ago as the deadliest tropical storm in the state’s history. Because Governor Cooper declared a State of Emergency Declaration before the storm hit, North Carolina National Guard soldiers, swift water rescue teams, equipment and supplies were positioned in Western North Carolina to respond as soon as the storm passed. Just as this storm was unprecedented, the response that followed has been unprecedented in its size and speed.

Key Progress and Numbers

Today there are approximately 5,000 customers without power down from more than one million customers just after the storm. Most of the cell phone coverage that was wiped out by the storm has been restored. The NC Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has opened 789 roads of the approximately 1,200 roads that were closed as a result of the storm, which is significant considering the difficulty of making repairs in a rugged, mountainous region. NCDOT currently has approximately 2,000 employees and 900 pieces of equipment working to re-open roads that remain closed. 28 of the school districts that were closed following the storm have re-opened, with 7 still closed, two of which are scheduled to re-open this week.

North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) soldiers and other military personnel rescued 765 people with local first responders and swift water teams rescuing hundreds more. The state has confirmed 95 fatalities and there are currently approximately 26 people still unaccounted for.

Air Drop of Supplies and Commodities

Because road access was limited, the state, local and federal government working with nonprofits and volunteers used a system for aerial delivery of supplies and commodities like water, food and medicine. Supplies were brought into the Asheville airport by plane and then delivered to other parts of Western North Carolina by helicopter.

At the height of this operation, more than 30 planes and helicopters and 1,200 ground vehicles were in use. More than 27 million pounds of food and water were delivered by the state and federal government, with more being brought by non-profits and charities.

National Guard and Military

The response to Helene was the largest and fastest integration of U.S. military soldiers with the National Guard in North Carolina history.

More than 3,150 Soldiers and Airmen have been working in Western North Carolina in the aftermath of the storm. Joint Task Force- North Carolina, led by the North Carolina National Guard is made up of Soldiers and Airmen from 12 different states, two different XVIII Airborne Corps units from Ft. Liberty, a unit from Ft. Campbell’s 101st Airborne Division, and numerous civilian entities working side-by-side to get the much-needed help to people in Western North Carolina.

The Army Corps of Engineers is working with local, state and federal experts, including the EPA and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ), to assess damages, remove debris and repair water systems.

More than 1,600 responders from 39 state and local agencies have performed 146 missions supporting the response and recovery efforts through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

FEMA

Approximately $129 million in FEMA Individual Assistance funds so far have been paid directly to people in Western North Carolina hurt by the storm and more than 207,000 people have registered for Individual Assistance. More than 6,200 people have been able to get temporary housing through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance. More than 5,100 registrations for Small Business Administration Loans have been filed.

Approximately 1,500 FEMA staff are in the state to help with the Western North Carolina relief effort. In addition to search and rescue and providing commodities, they have been meeting with disaster survivors in their neighborhoods and homes, in shelters, and in other areas to provide rapid access to relief resources.

Cooper Signed Bipartisan Bill for Funding and Elections

Just days after the storm, state legislators returned to Raleigh on October 9 to begin the process of allocating state funding for storm recovery. On October 10, Governor Cooper signed HB 149 into law as a first step in that process. In addition to initial funding, the bill also allows people in affected counties to have more options in where they return absentee ballots and gives flexibility to local election boards in impacted counties to ensure people have opportunities to vote. The 2024 election will be safe and secure, and people impacted by the storm will be able to make their voices heard.

Governor Cooper also raised the amount of weekly unemployment payments for the thousands of people temporarily out of work. The Executive Order increasing benefits won unanimous bipartisan support from the NC Council of State.

Misinformation and Disinformation Permeate the Response

Governor Cooper and a bipartisan array of local, state and federal North Carolina officials have called out the intentional spread of disinformation and misinformation as detrimental to this response and recovery, leading to threats and intimidation, breeding confusion, and demoralizing storm survivors and response workers.

On October 11, Governor Cooper responded to one of Donald Trump’s social media posts by saying, “This is a flat out lie. We’re working with all partners around the clock to get help to people. Trump’s lies and conspiracy theories have hurt the morale of first responders and people who lost everything, helped scam artists and put government and rescue workers in danger.”

At a media briefing on October 16, Governor Cooper was asked why he believes the misinformation and disinformation have been worse after this storm compared to others. Governor Cooper explained:

“Candidates are using people’s misery to sow chaos for their own political objectives, and it’s wrong. This is a time where we all need to pull together to help the people of Western North Carolina and it’s disappointing when candidates, knowing full well what they’re doing, are continuing this kind of disinformation filled with lies,”

Efforts Will Continue to Ensure Long Term Recovery

Other resources have surged into the area following the storm. $100 million in emergency funding from US Department of Transportation has been granted. NC Department of Health and Human Services, NCDEQ, Department of Motor Vehicles, NC Department of Public Instruction and many other state entities are supporting response and recovery.

Western North Carolina has never experienced a storm like this. Recovery in mountainous terrain will require a unique, united and sustained effort that focuses on people who’ve lost everything while leaving politics at the door. With just weeks until the 2024 election, the Governor’s office urges all leaders to stick to the truth and not spread disinformation and misinformation, which only hurts the people who need help and those on the ground giving it their all to provide that help.

###

Oct 21, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Thomas Tuchel: the philosophical dilemma facing the new England coach

Source: The Conversation – UK – By John William Devine, Senior Lecturer in Ethics, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Swansea University

As the new senior head coach of the England men’s football team, Thomas Tuchel has assumed one of the most intensely scrutinised managerial roles, not only in football, but in all of sport.

Commentary following his appointment suggests that he should expect unprecedented scrutiny. Despite superb credentials, including coaching Chelsea to Champions League victory in 2021, Tuchel’s appointment has raised anew the question of whether English players should be managed by an English manager.

At the press conference announcing his appointment, he apologised (only partly in jest) for holding a German passport. He is the first German to be appointed to the role. Sceptics have voiced concern about whether a “foreign” manager – particularly one from the England team’s fiercest rival – could feel the requisite passion, loyalty and determination for English success. But doubts about his commitment are only the beginning – the role of England manager involves an unenviable footballing dilemma.

The renowned American football coach Vince Lombardi made popular the sporting mantra: “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” On the Lombardian view, performance has no value independent of its outcome. Set aside the mastery of skills, the lessons of winning and losing, forging bonds with teammates and opponents and the simple joy of play – for him, the value of sport lies in winning – and winning alone.

On this view, the clamour for Tuchel’s predecessor, Gareth Southgate, to depart following the 2024 UEFA European Football Championship was misguided. In reaching the final of successive European championships (2020 and 2024) and the semi-final of the World Cup in 2018, Southgate brought English men’s football to its greatest height since the World Cup-winning team of 1966.

His team comfortably outperformed the so-called “golden generation” of David Beckham, Stephen Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney, which never progressed beyond the quarterfinals of a major tournament, playing for another foreign manager, Sven-Goran Ericksson. Judged by results alone, Southgate was a once in a generation England manager.

However, the English public subscribed to a more demanding philosophy of football: “Winning is essential, but it is not enough.” Despite the team’s success, the public wanted more. They demanded not only victory, but style too.

Southgate’s team played a conservative, defensively-minded brand of football. In Euro 2024, their passing wasn’t fluid and they created few chances on goal. Instead, they relied on a strong defence coupled with rare moments of attacking brilliance from individual players. Despite their success, Southgate became a lightning rod for criticism due to the uninspiring manner of his team’s victories.

A philosophical dilemma

The pursuit of victory in sport would seem, on the face of it, to be a simple proposition – play as well as you can and hope that this suffices to overcome your opponent. But playing to win is often less about playing well and more about ensuring that your opponent plays badly. It is less about executing your strengths and more about stifling the opposition.

In happy circumstances, playing well and playing to win coincide. In such cases, an opponent’s strengths and weaknesses can largely be ignored. Athletes who are comfortably superior to their opposition (think Serena Williams, Simone Biles, or the All Blacks in their pomp) may have the luxury of ignoring their opponents’ performance. Such is their dominance that, if they play well, victory inevitably follows. However, for mere mortals – including the Three Lions – even a good day can be a losing day.

This tension between playing well and playing to win is one that all athletes, of whatever level, must navigate. Tuchel now takes up the challenge of marrying these often opposed ideals – anything but victory is unacceptable and so too is anything but thrilling football.

In contrast to the Lombardian obsession with winning, sport can also be seen as a vehicle for self-expression. Each sport presents athletes with a unique set of obstacles, constraints embedded in the rules coupled with challenges presented by opponents. How we respond to those obstacles can express something about us, both to ourselves and to others.

Sporting competition can serve as a means of self-expression – a blank canvas on which athletes paint. We must decide how much we value sport as an avenue for proving athletic superiority and how much we value sport as an avenue to convey who we are and what we value. At its best, a national team’s style reflects a national footballing philosophy. But honouring our sporting identity may conflict with our desire to win.

Winning at the highest level and playing to express the pure form of our footballing philosophy may be mutually exclusive goals for all but the most dominant teams. Tuchel must grasp both horns of this dilemma while persuading the public of his desire for English success.

If the team’s results are anything but flawless, his commitment to the cause will be questioned. If the team’s style is unpleasing to the eye, he will be accused of misunderstanding England’s footballing identity. Who would envy him the task ahead?

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

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

– ref. Thomas Tuchel: the philosophical dilemma facing the new England coach – https://theconversation.com/thomas-tuchel-the-philosophical-dilemma-facing-the-new-england-coach-241836

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: The 2026 Commonwealth Games will create an economic model that allows smaller nations to step up and host

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Gayle McPherson, Chair in Events and Cultural Policy, and Director of the Research Centre for Culture, Sport and Events, University of the West of Scotland

The tension was palpable as we waited to see if Glasgow would rescue the Commonwealth Games for 2026. After the Australian state of Victoria pulled out, the eyes of the Commonwealth turned to Scotland.

Glasgow delivered a hugely successful event in 2014, raising questions about whether a future games there could match that success. I was part of the bid team as the cultural advisor for Glasgow 2014 and went on to conduct research on the impact of the games on sustainable community participation for people with a disability. So I understand the positive impact the games had for Scotland.

My work over the past couple of decades has examined the social impact of mega sports events and their role as agents for change, specifically disability rights, social inclusion, and peace and diplomacy. In other words, considering whether major sport events truly serve as a force for good as it’s often argued they do. If this is indeed the case, why shouldn’t smaller Commonwealth nations benefit from hosting the games?

Experts often criticise the economic and social impact of major sporting events, but others argue for the social value these events can bring to communities long after they have left town.

My research team conducted a survey on perceptions of the impact of the Glasgow 2014 games that revealed overwhelming support for their lasting impact on the city and Scotland.

The results showed that 75% of respondents believed the games increased civic and national pride, boosted Glasgow and Scotland’s chances of securing future events, enhanced their international reputation, and, as often attested, strengthened the nation’s soft power. Scotland ranks second (behind Quebec) out of ten similar territories for overall soft power, and third for sport.

Amid a rise in the Bric countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) using sport in soft power terms, other nations have sought to be part of this too. The Commonwealth Games is increasingly being used as a vehicle for positive change and regional soft power.

Read more:
Glasgow’s 2026 Commonwealth Games needs to showcase an affordable and socially beneficial way of hosting sporting events

There has been a rise in emerging states running mega sports events, often wealthy illiberal nations such as China and Qatar. However, what about the smaller nations in the Commonwealth? Only two – Malaysia and Jamaica – have ever hosted the Commonwealth Games, and the only other nation outside of Australia, Canada, UK and New Zealand to do so is India.

Glasgow is offering a new model that will create a legacy not only for Scotland, but for many other smaller nations in the Commonwealth. The games are known as the “Friendly Games” – it’s a community that is known for three core values: humanity, equality and destiny.

The family of nations

The African nations form a significant part of the Commonwealth sports movement, so shouldn’t we expect the model that Glasgow is developing to be transferable, ensuring that sport can serve a common good? An environmentally sustainable approach would use facilities and networks already in place to help developing nations, which already suffer disproportionately in terms of climate and environmental risks.

Under this model, venues and infrastructure are already in place. The event is athlete-focused, with competitors staying in hotels as opposed to a purpose-built athlete village, and transport needs minimised through walking or the use of team buses. The 2026 Glasgow event could serve as a blueprint for a sustainable approach to games delivery, inspiring nations such as Ghana, which already has the necessary venues and infrastructure to take on future Commonwealth Games.

With just ten sports across four venues, Glasgow 2026 has thought differently about delivery and digital broadcast. This is the only fully integrated games, hosting para competition at the same time as able-bodied events. This too will help smaller nations’ para-athletes, who often do not get a chance to compete internationally.

The Commonwealth is made up of 56 independent countries and the Commonwealth Games Federation consists of 72 member nations and territories. Gabon and Togo joined the Commonwealth in 2022, neither of which had previous ties to the British empire or other Commonwealth states, demonstrating that some countries still want to be part of a wider family.

Given 19 African countries have Commonwealth Games Associations, we could well see one of these take the baton in future. The Ghanaian sports minister made it clear that after hosting a successful African Games in 2024, he believed the next step would be the Commonwealth Games.

The recent African Games in Ghana’s capital Accra held athletics in a stadium that seats 11,000 spectators, while the World Athletics Championships in 2022 used the University of Oregon’s temporary stadium that seated 13,000. Commonwealth Games Scotland realised that, for 2026, Glasgow could host athletics at an existing stadium in the city with an upgrade to facilities that would provide seating for 11,000.

Ghana and Scotland are learning from each other to lay a path for smaller nations to host future games. The Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022 contributed £1.2 billion to the UK economy and £79.5 million in social value. This is possible for small nations too.

Glasgow 2026 can create a different legacy for the Commonwealth Games; one that is built on inclusion, diversity and sustainability and which incorporates the culture, values and pride of the Commonwealth. The time is right to offer a new approach to event delivery that offers other smaller nations the chance to benefit from sport as a force for good.

Professor Gayle McPherson receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and Sport Canada and has previously received funding from the Peter Harrison Foundation and Observatory for Sport in Scotland.

– ref. The 2026 Commonwealth Games will create an economic model that allows smaller nations to step up and host – https://theconversation.com/the-2026-commonwealth-games-will-create-an-economic-model-that-allows-smaller-nations-to-step-up-and-host-241059

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: IPO campaign highlights dangers of counterfeit vehicle parts  
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The campaign focuses on the serious risks these goods pose, warning that ‘Fake Always Breaks’ .
the Intellectual Property Office has launched a new national awareness campaign warning of the dangers of buying counterfeit vehicle parts

the ‘Fake Always Breaks’ campaign highlights to consumers and the motor trade that counterfeits are more likely to fail and endanger road users, putting lives at risk

safety-critical items such as tyres, wheels, airbags and brakes are among the most commonly-purchased fake items

the campaign has been developed in partnership with the motoring industry

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has launched its latest national awareness campaign, warning consumers of the dangers of purchasing counterfeit vehicle parts.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) research estimated that counterfeit vehicle parts imported to the UK were worth almost £1billion in 2016.

Driving home a clear message that ‘Fake Always Breaks’, the IPO’s new campaign alerts drivers to the life-threatening dangers such counterfeits pose. These include items such as brakes, headlights and air bags.

A survey conducted for the IPO has revealed that one in six motorists who responded said they had bought a counterfeit part in the past 12 months alone.

The campaign highlights how counterfeit vehicle parts are not subject to the same rigorous testing as legitimate products. It signposts new guidance advice for consumers and the motoring industry published by the IPO on how to spot and report a fake, developed in partnership with the motoring industry.

The campaign shows that many of the most commonly-purchased counterfeit car parts in the UK pose significant safety concerns if faulty. These include car batteries (bought by 25% of motorists who admit to buying counterfeit parts), tyres/wheels (23%) and windscreen wipers (19%). 14% of motorists who have purchased fake car parts bought counterfeit airbags, while over a tenth (12%) bought fake brake pads or discs.

Although many purchases are made unknowingly, almost three fifths (58%) of motorists responding to a survey said they did so knowing the part was counterfeit.

The survey also found that getting parts for a lower price was a significant factor among those intentionally buying a fake part, with three in ten (31%) citing cost savings as a reason.

A third (34%) of motorists who admitted to buying fake parts said they did so because they felt there was no discernible difference in appearance (34%).

Responses also suggest that such purchases made unknowingly are often uncovered at a later stage. More than two in five motorists (45%) who bought a fake that they thought was genuine, found out through their garage after the part faulted, with 30% becoming aware during routine service checks.

The campaign is being supported by a range of organisations in the automotive industry and vehicle repair and servicing sectors. These include the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation and the Independent Garage Association.

Vehicle manufacturers including Mercedes Benz, and law enforcement bodies such as the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), are also involved in the campaign. It brings targeted social media and industry voices together to deliver an awareness message that will resonate, and help consumers make informed choices.

Miles Rees, IPO Deputy Director of Enforcement said:

This is a serious campaign with a very serious message. We want to raise awareness that the trade in counterfeit vehicle parts not only harms legitimate traders while enriching criminals, but can also lead to life-changing or life-ending consequences for road users.

Working with our partners, we’re highlighting that such illicit goods are not subject to safety tests, and are likely to be made using vastly inferior materials. This puts them at increased risk of failure, with potentially devastating results.

Our ‘Fake Always Breaks’ campaign seeks to arm motorists and the vehicle repair and servicing industries with the awareness they need to help spot a fake, avoid the risks and report sellers . It reinforces a clear message that – as with all counterfeiting and piracy – this is anything but a victimless crime.

Stuart James, Chief Executive Officer at the Independent Garage Association (IGA) said:

We are pleased to support the IPO’s campaign that aims to raise awareness of the severe safety risks that counterfeit vehicle parts pose to all road users.

Garages should ensure that they avoid using customer supplied parts and fit parts from trusted suppliers and reputable vehicle parts distributors. This practice not only enhances the safety of vehicles but also reassures customers that all components meet the required specifications.

We actively encourage any garage that identifies counterfeit parts to report them through the various channels highlighted in the IPO advice. Together, we can combat this issue and contribute to safer roads for all.

Detective Chief Inspector Emma Warbey, from the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), at City of London Police, said:

Counterfeiting safety-critical car components like tyres, wheels, airbags and brakes demonstrates the lengths that criminals will go to make money and their disregard for the safety of the people who will end up using these products.

Our officers recently seized 500 counterfeit car airbags, which could have put motorists at risk, during an operation in east London. Fake airbags aren’t manufactured to industry standards, so there’s a real possibility that they won’t inflate during a road traffic collision, or will deploy in error.

We know that the offer of a good deal can be enticing, but it’s vital to know how to spot the signs of a counterfeit car part and to buy from a reputable seller.

The campaign builds on previous consumer campaign activities undertaken by the IPO since the publication of its ambitious 5-year counter-infringement strategy, as the office continues to deliver on its commitments to raise public understanding, and ultimately respect, for IP rights.

Notes to editor:

1. A core strand of IPO’s Counter Infringement Strategy is to raise awareness and understanding of IP crime and infringement and the risks surrounding it.

2. The IPO regularly commissions research into topics relating to the infringement of intellectual property rights, including Social Media Influencers research published last year, regular reports include the Online Copyright Infringement and Physical Goods Tracker reports. The rese arch underpinning this campaign is found in the most recent Physical Goods Tracker report.

3. OECD source: Trade in Counterfeit Products and the UK Economy, 2019 Update

New guidance has been published by the IPO to consumers and industry.

4. Counterfeit vehicle parts are unauthorised copies of a genuine branded part being it an (OEM) part supplied by car manufacturers or aftermarket parts. An aftermarket part is anything not supplied by a vehicle manufacturer under their own brand name. Criminals target both categories. Counterfeit parts are usually made from inferior materials and are not safety-tested, increasing the risk of failure.

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Published 21 October 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: FBI Seeks Information on Fatal Shooting of Carlos Honable in Stockton, California

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

SACRAMENTO—The FBI is seeking information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of those responsible for the homicide of Carlos Honable, who was fatally shot on July 5, 2024.

A ‘Seeking Information’ poster, which contains images of the suspect vehicle and a sketch of one of the vehicle’s occupants, is below. These visuals, products of the collaborative investigation with the Stockton Police Department, are intended to aid in solving this homicide and seeking justice for the victim.

On July 5, 2024, at approximately 5:30 p.m., officers with the Stockton Police Department responded to a report of a person shot on the 3800 block of Fairburn Way. The investigation revealed that a 31-year-old male victim was sitting inside his parked vehicle when the suspect vehicle, a gray Toyota Camry (2018 model or newer), pulled up next to him. Occupants of the vehicle fired at the victim, striking him numerous times, before fleeing the scene. The victim, Carlos Honable, was transported to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

Investigators produced a sketch of one of the vehicle’s occupants based on the information gathered during the investigation. The individual is described as a young Black male, approximately 5’6″, with a thin build, weighing between 120 and 140 pounds. He was reportedly wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark-colored jeans at the time of the incident. He is considered armed and dangerous.

If you have any information about this homicide and/or the occupants of the Toyota Camry, please contact the FBI Sacramento Field Office by calling 916-746-7000. You may also submit information online at tips.fbi.gov. You may remain anonymous.

Link to FBI’s Most Wanted Release: FBI Seeks Information on Fatal Shooting of Carlos Honable in Stockton, California

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Jasper’s wildfire recovery is challenged by its unique land classification and the approaching winter

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jack L. Rozdilsky, Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, York University, Canada

On July 24, 2024, one-third of the structures in Jasper, Alta. were destroyed when the Jasper Complex Wildfire burnt an estimated 32,722 hectares.

As a researcher of disaster and emergency management, I visited Jasper in October to observe disaster recovery efforts there.

The Municipality of Jasper and its federal partners are actively managing the recovery. The municipality has submitted an application for $73.14 million in expenditures for reimbursement from Alberta’s provincial Disaster Recovery Program.

For those outside of the disaster zone, the message is that Jasper still exists and it is open for business. In the meantime, visitors need to be aware that residents are facing daunting tasks in a recovery effort that will take not months but years.

Visiting Jasper

As I approached Jasper from the south, through the fire-scarred Jasper National Park, I was first struck by what visually appears as a wasteland of burnt sticks in a black, brown and grey landscape.

Burned trees in Jasper National Park landscape.
(J. Rozdilsky), CC BY

Proceeding into Jasper, the landscape transforms into the disfigured skeletal remains of noncombustible portions of structures — the buildings have been reduced to piles of charred, rusting and decomposing objects in vast debris fields.

However, portions of Jasper’s built environment did survive the fire, and it is entirely possible to spend time in some parts of the town that remained intact rather than looking like a burnt-out war zone.

Clean-up challenges

A very visible and immediate challenge to Jasper’s practical recovery is the removal of debris.

A streetlamp lies on the ground in Jasper, outside what remains of the Wicked Cup Café.
(J. Rozdilsky), CC BY

Work is underway to expedite bulk debris removal action. The action would work by removing debris across multiple properties at the same time by using one contractor.

One of the challenges of removing the debris is the rapid approach of winter. November sees the most snowfall in Jasper, with an average snowfall of 135 millimetres.

Despite best efforts being made, if large tracts of disaster debris become frozen in place over winter, such a situation will impede recovery progress in 2025.

In addition to health hazards and special worker safety related to fire debris, improper management of disaster debris can impede the timely recovery of the affected area.

Land classification

Less visible, but nonetheless important, challenges facing disaster recovery in Jasper are unfolding policy dilemmas related to a very nuanced land tenure situation. Rules of land tenure define how access is granted to rights to use, control and transfer land, as well as associated responsibilities and restraints.

From the public administrative perspective, Jasper is not your typical Canadian town. It is formally a provincially classified specialized municipality that exists within the boundaries of federally administered national park lands governed under the National Parks Act.

The situation means disaster recovery will take place under a unique set of rules governing everything from land use decisions to one’s right to reside in Jasper. In Jasper, residents own their homes, but not the property they sit on; the Crown is the only landowner in the park.

Until an amendment to the Canada Parks Act known as Bill C-76 received royal assent on Oct. 3, 2024, Jasper’s local government did not have the ability to exercise control over its own land use and planning. Under Bill C-76, the Municipality of Jasper will formally take authority over specific elements of land-use planning and development that were previously held by Parks Canada.

However, this nuanced land tenure situation in Jasper will complicate recovery. Unanticipated consequences of overlapping interests will occur as several parties in Jasper are allocated different rights to the same parcel of land.

Collective recovery

A sign that Jasper was moving in the right direction was evidenced by a municipally based public information campaign consisting of posters in the town centre. The headline on the poster was “We’re in this together.”

A poster for a public information campaign addressing residents and visitors to Jasper.
(J. Rozdilsky), CC BY

The left column of the poster addresses Jasper residents, while the righthand side speaks directly to visitors. Visitors were advised to “ask us about our town, the park and our community. Try not to ask us what we lost in the fire.”

The “We’re in this together” theme related to recovery applies beyond local affairs. For those far outside of Jasper, now is the time to support the town’s unique role as a national asset, facilitating access of 2.5 million visitors yearly to Canadian natural areas.

For Jasper’s disaster recovery, we are indeed all in this together.

Jack L. Rozdilsky receives support for research communication and public scholarship from York University. He also has received research support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

– ref. Jasper’s wildfire recovery is challenged by its unique land classification and the approaching winter – https://theconversation.com/jaspers-wildfire-recovery-is-challenged-by-its-unique-land-classification-and-the-approaching-winter-241135

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dan Goldman Calls for CDC Study on Gun Violence as Adverse Childhood Experience

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

Estimated 3 Million American Children Exposed to Gun Violence Per Year, Potentially Traumatic Impact Following Throughout Their Lives

Read the Letter Here

New York, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) and 20 Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH, calling on the CDC to include gun violence as part of its Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening tools and prioritize research on the trauma caused by gun violence in children. An ACE is a traumatic event or set of events that occurs for a person during childhood (0-17 years) and can continue to have effects on an individual throughout their life.

“Many clinicians and professionals across the country will screen children for ACEs as it provides them with information on the likelihood of whether that child may be experiencing toxic stress,” the Members wrote. “Experiencing toxic stress, particularly for children, can impact many things, including their physical and mental health, their brain development, and their ability to succeed and thrive later on in life. Once an ACE clinical assessment has been completed, clinicians can create individualized plans to address and mitigate the harm a child is experiencing due to the ACEs. Gun violence needs to be explicitly part of these ACE screening tools.”

As the leading cause of death for children in the United States, gun violence will have an impact on an estimated 3 million children every year. On average, 23 children and teens are shot a day. Of those children and teens shot, 74 percent will survive but carry emotional and sometimes physical scars for the rest of their lives, while the other 26 percent, will die – often a result of gun homicide. Additionally, the firearm suicide rate among children in the U.S. increased by 57 percent over the past decade.

“Such high rates of daily gun violence mean that American children are threatened, afraid or traumatized where they live, play, and, infamously, where they learn. This compounding trauma is something that needs to be explicitly captured and more broadly defined when it comes to screening for ACEs. The CDC needs to provide additional guidance for clinicians and professionals to be able to capture the trauma from gun violence in their respective screening mechanisms,” the Members continued.

Read the letter here or below:

Dear Director Cohen,

We are writing today to urge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide guidance on how to include gun violence in future Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs) screening tools, prioritize studying gun violence as an Adverse Childhood Experience and prioritize funding, including policy evaluation research, focused on assessing the trauma caused by gun violence in our country.

An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) is a traumatic event or set of events that occurs for a person during childhood (0-17 years). Many clinicians and professionals across the country will screen children for ACEs as it provides them with information on the likelihood of whether that child may be experiencing toxic stress. Experiencing toxic stress, particularly for children, can impact many things, including their physical and mental health, their brain development, and their ability to succeed and thrive later on in life. Once an ACE clinical assessment has been completed, clinicians can create individualized plans to address and mitigate the harm a child is experiencing due to the ACEs. Gun violence needs to be explicitly part of these ACE screening tools.

Far too many American children — an estimated 3 million each year — are exposed to gun violence. Gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and teens in our country. On average, 23 children and teens are shot a day. Seventeen of those youth will survive but carry emotional and sometimes physical scars for the rest of their lives; six of those youth will die. The majority of those deaths are due to gun homicide, which encompasses everything from stray bullets to domestic violence and disproportionately impacts Black and Brown youth.

Though gun homicide accounts for the most youth deaths, firearm suicide rates are rising at an alarming rate. Over the past decade, the firearm suicide rate among children in the U.S. increased by a staggering 57%. Today, although the majority of youth suicide victims are white, the firearm suicide rate for children of color is rapidly increasing. Such high rates of daily gun violence mean that American children are threatened, afraid or traumatized where they live, play, and, infamously, where they learn. This compounding trauma is something that needs to be explicitly captured and more broadly defined when it comes to screening for ACEs. The CDC needs to provide additional guidance for clinicians and professionals to be able to capture the trauma from gun violence in their respective screening mechanisms.

Additionally, the CDC’s ongoing research regarding ACEs serves as a robust framework for comprehensively understanding childhood trauma. ACEs wield significant influence on future experiences of violence and long-term health outcomes and opportunities throughout one’s life. Scientific and medical research on a variety of public health issues has led to policy changes that have saved lives for decades, which is why Congress has, on a bipartisan basis, appropriated funds for the CDC to study firearm injury and mortality prevention research since Fiscal Year 2020. To that end, we request that you provide an overview of the CDC’s plans to study firearm violence, specifically as it relates to studying gun violence as it relates to an ACE and assessing the overall trauma that people are experiencing today living under the constant threat of gun violence.

We thank you for your engagement on this issue and stand ready to use this critical research to shape public policy to ensure that gun violence is neither the leading cause of death for children nor a primary cause of trauma for children.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Cooper Visits Community Care Station in Buncombe County with FEMA Administrator Criswell

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: Governor Cooper Visits Community Care Station in Buncombe County with FEMA Administrator Criswell

Governor Cooper Visits Community Care Station in Buncombe County with FEMA Administrator Criswell
mseets
Mon, 10/21/2024 – 14:39

Today, Governor Roy Cooper traveled to Buncombe County with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and visited a Community Care Station to speak with volunteers and give an update on relief efforts in Western North Carolina. The Community Care Station offers food and water distribution, basic hygiene services and medical care to the community.

“Today, I visited a Community Care Station in Asheville where I saw the massive effort by local, state and federal responders and volunteers to bring relief to Western North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “I urge everyone to confirm reports and information from trusted news sources and officials and be wary of bad actors on social media and the internet.”

Those impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for assistance for buying food through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on October 18. NCDHHS estimates more than 150,000 people will apply for up to $120 million in D-SNAP benefits. Eligible households may apply for D-SNAP through Thursday, October 24 by phone or in person. More information including a list of application sites by county is available at ncdhhs.gov/dsnap.

North Carolina National Guard and Military Response

Over 3,150 Soldiers and Airmen are working in Western North Carolina. Joint Task Force- North Carolina, the task force led by the North Carolina National Guard is made up of Soldiers and Airmen from 12 different states, two different XVIII Airborne Corps units from Ft. Liberty, a unit from Ft. Campbell’s 101st Airborne Division, and numerous civilian entities are working side-by-side to get the much-needed help to people in Western North Carolina.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping to assess water and wastewater plants and dams. Residents can track the status of the public water supply in their area through this website.

FEMA Assistance

Approximately $129 million in FEMA Individual Assistance funds have been paid so far to Western North Carolina disaster survivors and approximately 207,000 people have registered for Individual Assistance. Over 6,200 people have been helped through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance. More than 5,100 registrations for Small Business Administration Loans have been filed.

Approximately 1,500 FEMA staff are in the state to help with the Western North Carolina relief effort. In addition to search and rescue and providing commodities, they are meeting with disaster survivors in shelters and neighborhoods to provide rapid access to relief resources. They can be identified by their FEMA logo apparel and federal government identification.

North Carolinians can apply for Individual Assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 from 7am to 11pm daily or by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov, or by downloading the FEMA app. FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs.

Help from Other States

More than 1,600 responders from 39 state and local agencies have performed 146 missions supporting the response and recovery efforts through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). This includes public health nurses, emergency management teams supporting local governments, veterinarians, teams with search dogs and more.

Beware of Misinformation

North Carolina Emergency Management and local officials are cautioning the public about false Helene reports and misinformation being shared on social media. NCEM has launched a fact versus rumor response webpage to provide factual information in the wake of this storm. FEMA also has a rumor response webpage.

Efforts continue to provide food, water and basic necessities to residents in affected communities, using both ground resources and air drops from the NC National Guard. Food, water and commodity points of distribution are open throughout Western North Carolina. For information on these sites in your community, visit your local emergency management and local government social media and websites or visit ncdps.gov/Helene.

Storm Damage Cleanup

If your home has damages and you need assistance with clean up, please call Crisis Cleanup for access to volunteer organizations that can assist you at 844-965-1386.

Power Outages

Across Western North Carolina, approximately 5,000 customers remain without power, down from a peak of more than 1 million. Overall power outage numbers will fluctuate up and down as power crews temporarily take circuits or substations offline to make repairs and restore additional customers.

Road Closures

Some roads are closed because they are too damaged and dangerous to travel. Other roads still need to be reserved for essential traffic like utility vehicles, construction equipment and supply trucks. However, some parts of the area are open and ready to welcome visitors which is critical for the revival of Western North Carolina’s economy. If you are considering a visit to the area, consult DriveNC.gov for open roads and reach out to the community and businesses you want to visit to see if they are welcoming visitors back yet.

NCDOT currently has approximately 2,000 employees and 900 pieces of equipment working on over 7,200 damaged road sites.

Fatalities

Ninety-five storm-related deaths have been confirmed in North Carolina by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. This number is expected to rise over the coming days. The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will continue to confirm numbers twice daily. If you have an emergency or believe that someone is in danger, please call 911.

Volunteers and Donations

If you would like to donate to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, visit nc.gov/donate. Donations will help to support local nonprofits working on the ground.

For information on volunteer opportunities, please visit nc.gov/volunteernc.

Additional Assistance

There is no right or wrong way to feel in response to the trauma of a hurricane. If you have been impacted by the storm and need someone to talk to, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. Help is also available to anyone, anytime in English or Spanish through a call, text or chat to 988. Learn more at 988Lifeline.org.

If you are seeking a representative from the North Carolina Joint Information Center, please email ncempio@ncdps.gov or call 919-825-2599.

For general information, access to resources, or answers to frequently asked questions, please visit ncdps.gov/helene.

If you are seeking information on resources for recovery help for a resident impacted from the storm, please email IArecovery@ncdps.gov.

###

Oct 21, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Wire Fraud

Source: Office of United States Attorneys

Robert E. Carter Forged Financial Statements to Fraudulently Obtain Semi-Trucks

MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert E. Carter, 45, Eau Claire, Wisconsin was sentenced October 17, 2024 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to three years in prison for wire fraud and attempted wire fraud. Carter was convicted of these charges on July 16, 2024, following a jury trial.

Carter’s fraud scheme started in 2018 when he feigned interest in purchasing a trucking company headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. After telling elaborate lies about owning private jets and a personal yacht, Carter convinced the owners that he wanted to buy their trucking and brokerage companies for $10 million. Carter then sent the owners a letter of intent that required them to provide Carter, under the guise of due diligence, with the companies’ sensitive business information, including financial statements. Carter eventually informed the companies’ owners that Carter needed to back out of the deal; however, he held on to the financial statements for two years.

In 2020, Carter intentionally changed the financial statements that he fraudulently obtained from the Fond du Lac-based companies and made it appear as if the documents belonged to Carter’s businesses. Carter then submitted the phony financial statements to an equipment leasing company so Carter could fraudulently obtain three semi-trucks and two trailers.

While defrauding the first leasing company, Carter simultaneously downloaded financial statements from the Internet that belonged to a charitable trust in Iowa.

Again, Carter intentionally changed these financial statements so the documents appeared to belong to Carter’s trust. Carter then submitted the fake trust financial statements to a second equipment leasing company in an attempt to fraudulently lease ten more semi-trucks.

In sentencing Carter, Judge Conley highlighted Carter’s criminal history, which included prior convictions for fraud.

The charges against Carter were the result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance provided by the Office of the U.S. Trustee for the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chadwick M. Elgersma and Megan R. Stelljes prosecuted this case.

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Donald Trump and Peter Dutton have both embraced populism. Are working-class voters buying it?

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has often been accused of copying former US President Donald Trump’s tactics. Some analysts even refer to Dutton, like Trump, as a “populist” who seeks political gain by pitting ordinary citizens against corrupt “elites”.

There is evidence of this populism in the willingness of Trump, Dutton and other figures in their parties to attack “big business”.

This is unusual for the conservative parties, and it has alarmed business-aligned outlets like the Wall Street Journal and the Australian Financial Review.

Republicans and Liberals have always preferred to identify with small business rather than big business. Their relationship with corporate interests has not always been smooth.

But they do not believe there is a natural conflict between business and workers, or between different sections of the economy. And they usually align with big business on the critical issues of taxation and government regulation.

So Dutton’s declaration earlier this year that the Liberal Party is “not the party of big business” but “the friend of the worker” marks a notable rhetorical shift, even if there is reason to doubt the substance behind it.

It mirrors a similar shift to pro-worker rhetoric among leading Republicans. Florida Senator Marco Rubio said in 2020, for instance, the future of the Republican Party is based on “a multiethnic, multiracial, working-class coalition”.

Expanding their share of the working-class vote may be necessary for both parties, given their losses of tertiary-educated, middle-class voters and seats in recent elections. Economic populism may be one path to do it.

But how economically populist can conservative parties get in either country?

Why attack big business?

A lot of Republican and Liberal attacks on big business are fundamentally cultural rather than economic.

Publicly-owned corporations have embraced diversity, equity and inclusion policies. They declare commitments to “sustainability”. And plenty of them have backed causes like marriage equality, Black Lives Matter and the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

However cosmetic these gestures are, many conservatives see major corporations as culturally hostile to them. More importantly, they no longer see big business and finance as reliable political backers.

And they don’t need them like they once did. Dynastic wealth in both countries has seen the ascendancy of private companies owned by super-rich individuals and families. These, not corporate donors, are now the most consistent sources of financial and political support for conservative parties.

These changing conditions have given Republicans and Liberals a free hand to make big business – never a popular entity – into a target of populist campaigns.

Many of their attacks are about “wokeness”. But not all. Consumer protection has also become an opportune theme, given the cost of living crisis in both the United States and Australia.

Trump, for instance, has floated capping credit card interest rates at 10%. Dutton has proposed using the government’s divestiture powers to break up supermarket and hardware chains that are accused of using their monopoly power to exploit consumers and suppliers.

They can propose these ideas because voters usually trust the Republican and Liberal parties more than their opponents on economic issues. Most Democratic and Labor politicians would be unwilling to take populist measures that far because of their perennial fears of being seen as economically irresponsible.

But when it comes to actually siding with workers over business, a different picture emerges.

The Republican romance with ‘union workers’

As president, Trump had a notably anti-union record. His appointees to the National Labor Relations Board, which enforces labour law, consistently ruled against unions.

In Trump’s current campaign to re-enter the White House, unions have criticised him for holding a rally appealing to “union workers” at a non-union shop, and for praising tech billionaire Elon Musk because he sacked workers who threatened to strike.

Trump also said recently that as a business owner he hated paying overtime. He has also previously said he preferred to use non-union workforces.

Despite all this, the Trump campaign is making a serious play for the votes of unionised workers, who could be critical in Midwestern battleground states.

Although unions as organisations usually support Democrats, the number of voters in union households who support Republicans is sometimes more than 40%.

This year, Trump sought the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the North American truck drivers’ union with 1.3 million members. The Teamsters have supported Democratic candidates in every presidential election since 2000, but prior to that, the organisation had also backed Republican candidates like Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush.

This year, the Teamsters did not join most other unions in quickly endorsing Democratic incumbent Joe Biden before he stepped aside for Vice President Kamala Harris.

The Teamsters’ president, Sean O’Brien, almost got into a fight with a Republican senator in a committee hearing in 2023 after calling him a “greedy CEO who acts like he’s self-made”. Nonetheless, he got an invitation to speak at this year’s Republican National Convention. He praised Trump as a “tough SOB”, but then blasted various businesses and business organisations for being anti-union, to the discomfort of the audience.

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien addressing the Republican National Convention.

The Teamsters ultimately endorsed neither candidate. However, they released polling showing nearly 60% of their members supported Trump compared to a third for Harris.

Trump-era Republicans frequently praise “union workers” rather than actual unions. When Senators JD Vance (now Trump’s running mate) and Josh Hawley supported the striking United Auto Workers last year, they criticised the union’s leadership. But they are happy to be seen as being on the side of unionised workers against big businesses who send manufacturing jobs overseas, a trend Trump promises to reverse.

The term “union workers” prompts conservative nostalgia, especially for a group like the Teamsters with their mostly male membership and reputation for toughness. It evokes the anti-communist, blue-collar workers of the 1960s and ‘70s who supported Nixon and brawled in the streets with college-educated anti-Vietnam War protesters.

That is not the only nostalgic element. Through heavily protectionist measures, Trump is promising to restore millions of manufacturing jobs to the United States – the kinds of jobs that used to be largely unionised. He also promises to roll back environmental regulations to expand mining, drilling and fracking on federal land. Again, these are the kinds of jobs often associated with “union workers”.

When Trump and others praise “union workers”, they are not really talking about unions, but a certain type of blue-collar job they are promising to create and protect. “Union” in this context has the positive connotation of well-paid, stable work.

But Trump claims it is his policies that will guarantee these jobs, making unions themselves virtually irrelevant.

Where Liberals won’t follow

Dutton may praise workers, but he is unlikely to add the prefix “union” anytime soon. It is hard to imagine any Liberal leader courting the support of a union because Australia’s party system effectively enshrines the country’s adversarial industrial relations system in its politics.

The Australian Labor Party began as the parliamentary wing of the union movement, and to this day affiliated unions are entitled to 50% of delegates at party conferences. American unions are not linked to the Democratic Party in the same way.

This does not mean the votes of union members are off-limits to other parties. In 2006, then-economist (now Labor MP) Andrew Leigh estimated about a third of union members voted for the Coalition on a two party-preferred basis from 1966 to 2004. But Liberals will not appeal to these voters as “union workers” in the same way Republicans do.

Trump’s dream of restoring American manufacturing dominance would involve a resurgence of long-term employment in large and medium-sized firms. He is promising the stability once associated with unions, not the “flexibility” that Australia’s Liberals want in workplaces.

For the most part, Liberals still prefer to talk about blue-collar workers as independent tradespeople or aspiring business owners rather than employees.

Dutton says the modern Liberal Party is the friend of “small business owners and employees in that business”. This conjures images of family-like operations where staff loyally put in unpaid overtime – instead of larger, impersonal workplaces (where unpaid overtime is also the norm).

And unlike Trump Republicans, the Liberal and National parties still believe in free trade. After a long bipartisan opposition to protectionism, Labor has recently embraced a major new industrial policy. The Coalition is not on board.

Some doubt whether Trump is a genuine populist. But he has a wider scope for genuinely populist rhetoric than Dutton, at least for now.

Even though he’s a symbol of capitalist excess, part of Trump’s message is that capitalism has taken a wrong turn. Not just into excessive wokeness, but into globalisation and financialisation, where investment and speculation are more profitable than production.

There are limits to how much any Liberal leader, even Dutton, can tap into anger with capitalism itself.

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

– ref. Donald Trump and Peter Dutton have both embraced populism. Are working-class voters buying it? – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-and-peter-dutton-have-both-embraced-populism-are-working-class-voters-buying-it-240309

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Parliamentary Secretary Jones represents Canada at 2024 Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland
Source: Government of Canada News

News release

This week, Yvonne Jones, Parliamentary Secretary (PS) to the Minister of Northern Affairs and to the Minister of National Defence (Northern Defence) and Member of Parliament for Labrador, participated in the Arctic Circle Assembly, held in Reykjavík, Iceland. Over three days from October 17 to 19, around 2,000 participants from over 70 countries gathered to discuss the future of the Arctic on the international stage.

October 21, 2024 — Reykjavik, Iceland — Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Engaging with Arctic leaders and international partners is essential to building a strong, secure, and prosperous future for the North and Arctic. That is why we are working together with partners to address climate change, advance reconciliation, and support sustainable economic development across the Arctic.

This week, Yvonne Jones, Parliamentary Secretary (PS) to the Minister of Northern Affairs and to the Minister of National Defence (Northern Defence) and Member of Parliament for Labrador, participated in the Arctic Circle Assembly, held in Reykjavík, Iceland. Over three days from October 17 to 19, around 2,000 participants from over 70 countries gathered to discuss the future of the Arctic on the international stage.

PS Jones met with international and Arctic leaders including United States Senator for Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, EU Special Envoy for Arctic Matters Representative, Mme Claude Véron-Réville, and Arctic Economic Council Director, Mads Qvist Frederiksen in support of circumpolar cooperation. During these meetings, PS Jones discussed the challenges and resilience of the North, and reiterated the importance of collaboration amongst Arctic nations.

PS Jones took part in a panel discussion on wildland fires in the Arctic, where she highlighted the devastating impact of recent wildfire seasons on Arctic communities, and praised the strength and determination of the affected communities.

Canada’s collaboration with partners at the Arctic Assembly is key to the implementation of the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, as we work across the circumpolar region to build strong, self-reliant communities across the Arctic.

Quotes

“I am honoured to participate in this important international event and engage with Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders on solutions to the challenges the Arctic faces. Sharing Canada’s perspective on these challenges helps us work towards realizing our shared vision for secure, prosperous, and vibrant Arctic and Northern communities.”

Yvonne Jones
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern Affairs and to the Minister of National Defence (Northern Defence) and Member of Parliament for Labrador

Quick facts
- Supporting Indigenous leadership and co-developing solutions to climate change, housing and food security in northern communities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis is central to advancing the reconciliation journey and self-determination.
- Launched in 2019 and developed with Indigenous representatives and six territorial and provincial governments, Canada’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework is a long-term vision for the Arctic and the North to reflect the priorities and perspectives of Arctic and northern people.
- As lead federal department for the North, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) has direct responsibility for its political and economic development, and improving knowledge of the North through scientific cooperation. Advancing Canada’s northern interests internationally falls directly within this mandate.
Associated links

Contacts

For more information, media may contact:

Carson Debert
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Dan Vandal
Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
carson.debert@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

Media Relations
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
819-934-2302
RCAANC.media.CIRNAC@sac-isc.gc.ca

Stay connected

Join the conversation about the North:

X: @GovCanNorth
Facebook: @GovCanNorth

You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit http://www.cirnac.gc.ca/RSS.

MIL OSI Canada News –
January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to California Businesses and Residents Affected by the Park and Borel Fires

Source: United States Small Business Administration

“As communities across the Southeast continue to recover and rebuild after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the SBA remains focused on its mission to provide support to small businesses to help stabilize local economies, even in the face of diminished disaster funding,” said Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman. “If your business has sustained physical damage, or you’ve lost inventory, equipment or revenues, the SBA will help you navigate the resources available and work with you at our recovery centers or with our customer service specialists in person and online so you can fully submit your disaster loan application and be ready to receive financial relief as soon as funds are replenished.”

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to California businesses and residents affected by the Park and Borel fires that occurred July 24–Aug. 26, announced Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman of the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster in response to a request SBA received from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s authorized representative, Director Nancy Ward, of the California Office of Emergency Services on Oct. 15.

The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Inyo, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Mendocino, Plumas, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Shasta, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tulare, Ventura and Yuba counties in California.

“Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by this disaster,” said Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “Within a few days, SBA will announce the opening of a Disaster Loan Outreach Center where SBA disaster representatives will be on hand to answer questions about SBA’s disaster loan program, explain the application process and help each individual complete their application,” Sánchez continued.

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets.

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

“SBA’s disaster loan program offers an important advantage–the chance to incorporate measures that can reduce the risk of future damage,” Sánchez added. “Work with contractors and mitigation professionals to strengthen your property and take advantage of the opportunity to request additional SBA disaster loan funds for these proactive improvements.”

Disaster loans up to $500,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $100,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, including personal vehicles.

Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.688 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

On October 15, 2024, it was announced that funds for the Disaster Loan Program have been fully expended. While no new loans can be issued until Congress appropriates additional funding, we remain committed to supporting disaster survivors. Applications will continue to be accepted and processed to ensure individuals and businesses are prepared to receive assistance once funding becomes available.

Applicants are encouraged to submit their loan applications promptly for review in anticipation of future funding.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

The deadline to apply for property damage is Dec. 20, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is July 21, 2025.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit http://www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Security: USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) returns to homeport after Indo-Pacific deployment

Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

SAN DIEGO –

Amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) returned to homeport in San Diego, following a seven-month deployment in the U.S. 7th and 3rd Fleet areas of operations with embarked elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Oct. 18, 2024.

Carrying over 700 Sailors and embarked Marines, Harpers Ferry participated in multiple, multi-national exercises and operations in the Pacific, displaying interoperability and the U.S.’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

“The accomplishments of USS Harpers Ferry and its Navy and Marine Corps team are quite impressive,” said Cmdr. Gabriel Burgi, the commanding officer of Harpers Ferry. “Together, we steamed tens of thousands of miles from home, away from our friends and families, and completed important missions necessary to protect high seas freedoms. We took part in several bilateral and multinational exercises, and we were great ambassadors of the United States. I couldn’t be more proud of how well the crew and Marines worked together to accomplish many ‘firsts’ for the ARG-MEU team.”

This deployment was an opportunity for the Marine Corps’ newest amphibious ship-to-shore connector, the amphibious combat vehicles (ACV), to gather operational data and lessons learned that will shape future deployments of the new platform in expeditionary environments.

“This deployment was the first ever for the Marine Corps’ first new amphibious vehicle in over 50 years,” said Burgi. “All eyes were on us as we set the precedent for deployed operations of the ACV, and we helped write doctrine for future deployments. We launched and landed the first ACVs in foreign waters and on foreign shores, and the world was watching.”

Harpers Ferry departed San Diego in March to begin a regularly scheduled, Western Pacific deployment. During the deployment, Harpers Ferry and embarked elements of the 15th MEU participated in Exercise Balikatan 24 (BK24), the largest, annual, bilateral exercise conducted between the U.S. and the Philippines. Elements of the embarked 15th MEU conducted a command-and-control exercise (C2X), Humanitarian Civic Assistance (HCA) projects and engagements, and a series of field training events.

ACVs made their operational debut during BK24 in May, splashing from Harpers Ferry in Oyster Bay to conduct a waterborne live-fire gunnery exercise.

“Throughout this deployment the landing force accomplished many firsts for the Marine Corps,” said Maj. Joe Santos, the ACV liaison officer, 15th MEU, and the commander of troops aboard Harpers Ferry. “The 15th MEU deployed with the Amphibious Combat Vehicle for the first time, which marked many more firsts for the Navy and Marine Corps. The Harpers Ferry and landing force was the first to achieve amphibious warfare certifications with the ACV; first to conduct ACV intermediate maintenance underway; first to conduct waterborne gunnery with the ACV; and first to operate within the Indo-Pacific.”

While in the Philippines, Marines and Sailors of the 15th MEU also participated in the Amphibious Coastal Defense Continuum (ACDC), partnering with Philippine Marine Corps’ 3rd Marine Brigade to enhance the Philippine Marine Corps’ coastal defense strategy while supporting the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

After BK24 and ACDC, the ship made its way north to Busan, South Korea, for Exercise Ssang Yong 24, a bilateral field training exercise with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps (ROKMC), and U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in vicinity of Pohang.

Ssang Yong was another landmark event for the ACV, marking the first time ACVs conducted a ship-to-shore amphibious assault overseas, partnered with ROKMC amphibious forces.

“Harpers Ferry and their embarked Apache Company and ACV Platoon proved that we could safely and expeditiously launch and recover ACVs,” said Burgi. “The ACVs on deployment was a major milestone for the Navy-Marine Corps team. From onboard maintenance to overseas launch and recovery, almost everything we did with the ACVs was a first for our services. Deploying also gave the ACV platoon confidence in their weapon systems and in their ability to operate far from home without the benefit of onsite maintenance facilities.”

After Ssang Yong, Harpers Ferry transited home to San Diego following a successful seven-month deployment.

“I have seen this ship and her crew go from exiting the shipyards to the completion of a 7th Fleet deployment. This ship and her crew has been tasked over and over, and has exceeded the expectation of fleet commanders every time,” said Burgi. “There is no other crew or ship I would rather go to sea with. This crew has delivered miracles selflessly and tirelessly. I couldn’t be more proud of them; being the commanding officer to this crew has been the utmost privilege and highlight of my nearly 30-year career.”

Santos echoed Burgi’s thoughts on the deployment.

“I am excited for the Marines and Sailors to go home after this deployment knowing that they have accomplished so much,” said Maj. Santos. “They are a part of naval history and will remember this for the rest of their lives. It’s a beautiful day to be on the USS Harpers Ferry!”

MIL Security OSI –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: Arrests – Domestic violence – Darwin

Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

Northern Territory Police have made multiple arrests in relation to domestic violence across Darwin.

Yesterday, investigators from Strike Force Lyra attended a Domestic Violence incident in Leanyer and arrested a 34-year-old man within his vehicle. While apprehending the offender, officers located dangerous drugs within the vehicle. The 34-year-old has since been charged with a number of domestic violence offences, drug offences, traffic offences, possess property, and fail to submit to saliva testing. He was granted bail to appear Darwin Local Court on 13 November 2024.

Members from Strike Force Lyra also arrested a 38-year-old man yesterday in the Darwin area for an alleged domestic violence aggravated assault over the weekend. The man allegedly assaulted his female partner with broken glass, resulting in injuries. He was arrested without incident and has since been charged with Aggravated assault and breach domestic violence order. He was remanded to appear in Darwin Local Court today.

Detective Acting Sergeant Katherine Lumsden said “ Domestic and Family Violence has no place in our community and we appreciate the brave victims who reported these incidents to police.

Anyone with information on domestic and family violence is urged to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. In an emergency, always dial triple zero.

Support services for those affected by domestic violence are available, including 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and Lifeline (13 11 14).

MIL OSI News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI Australia: August crime statistics

Source: South Australia Police

Police involved in the Operation Mandrake anti-gang crime initiative have arrested six individuals involved in four separate crime sprees in August.

The alleged offenders, who are either known persons of interest to investigators or associates, are facing dozens of charges including serious criminal trespass involving 16 residential and business break-ins, the illegal use of five vehicles, using stolen credit cards and petrol theft.

Despite the crime series contributing 33 individual property related offences to the August rolling crime statistics, an overall decrease in offences against property of two per cent was recorded in the period.

Assistant Commissioner (Metropolitan Operations Service) Scott Duval said the criminal activities of those allegedly involved in the crime series presented a significant risk to community safety and well-being.

“They are breaking into houses, they are breaking into business premises, they are stealing cars,’’ he said.

“And they do drive at high speeds in stolen vehicles, often filming their exploits and posting to social media.

“This activity is clearly a risk to other road users, their behaviour is dangerous and extreme.’’

Mr Duval said police were often frustrated by the fact some of the young offenders continued to offend after being released on bail by the Youth Court.

“We have numerous examples of multiple offences being committed by individuals who have been released on bail on numerous occasions. They are serious recidivist offenders,’’ he said.

The August rolling year figures reveal the number of shop thefts continued to increase with 17,956 offences reported during the period, compared with 16,802 in the previous period. While the overall figure increased, the increase has slowed considerably over the past six reporting periods as police continue to successfully target recidivist offenders.

The latest statistics also reveal house break-ins recorded a three per cent decrease in the period with 5,691 offences reported, compared with 5,840 in the corresponding period.

Car theft and illegal use of a motor vehicle also decreased during the period with 325 fewer incidents – 3,582 compared with 3,907 in the corresponding period. Theft from a motor vehicle also fell considerably, from 10,604 offences to 8,834 offences.

Fraud and deception related offences also showed a significant decline with a 26 per cent decrease to 4,192 offences compared with 5,686 offences in the previous period.

The number of family and domestic abuse related offences reported to police has continued to be high with the rolling year figures revealing 13,028 offences were reported to police.

The number of sexual offences reported to police decreased by eight per cent from 2,566 offences to 2,357 offences in the latest period. An identical decrease was recorded in the July 2023 to July 2024 period.

MIL OSI News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: NDB positioned to drive growth of member states

Source: China State Council Information Office

The New Development Bank will make greater efforts to advance economic growth in emerging economies and help address pressing issues such as climate change as it welcomes more potential members, said Dilma Rousseff, the NDB’s president.

To help emerging countries ensure stable development and avoid crises, the NDB will facilitate the building of infrastructure in areas such as logistics, education, digital services and healthcare, Rousseff had said during an interview in September after she received China’s Friendship Medal, the highest honor China offers foreigners.

The NDB has already stepped up efforts to finance infrastructure projects in member countries. It has cumulatively approved loans of $35 billion for 105 projects, with the major ones being the Mumbai Urban Transport Project-III in India, the Serra da Palmeira Wind Power Project in Brazil, and the Jiangxi Urban and Rural Cold Chain Logistics Project in China, according to a Xinhua News Agency report.

At the end of August, the NDB announced a $280 million loan agreement with Transnet, South Africa’s leading freight transport and logistics company, to support the modernization and improvement of the country’s freight rail sector.

During a meeting of the bank’s board of directors in late August, a $1-billion loan was approved for financing South Africa’s water and sanitation infrastructure development. Another $150 million loan was approved to China’s Bank of Communications Financial Leasing for the acquisition of at least three liquefied natural gas carriers.

In January, the NDB inked three loan agreements with India to boost the country’s transportation, water and sanitation infrastructure in designated areas. The combined value of the loans is about $700 million.

As Rousseff pointed out, developing countries have limited capacity to address climate change. Further development and use of more renewable energy sources was needed, she said. As China is already a world leader in the electric vehicle segment, she hoped the nation would make more progress in energy storage and stable renewable energy supply.

According to the NDB’s strategy between 2022 and 2026, climate change mitigation will be a focus area, as the majority 40 percent of the bank’s $30 billion financing to be provided by 2026 has been reserved for green goals.

After issuing a 6-billion yuan ($840 million) five-year panda bond — yuan-denominated bonds issued by overseas institutions in the Chinese onshore market — at the beginning of the year, in July the NDB issued an 8-billion yuan three-year panda bond. The bonds are part of the bank’s efforts to finance infrastructure and sustainable development in member states while addressing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Initiated by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in 2014 with the purpose of mobilizing resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in emerging markets and developing countries, the NDB formally began operations in July 2015, with its headquarters in Shanghai.

In 2021, the NDB began expanding its membership and admitted Bangladesh, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay as new member countries.

“The partnership within the NDB does not sit on the development goals of respective members but rather represents the vision of member countries and better connects them,” she said, adding that the NDB welcomes other countries.

A model for the future

According to Rousseff, China’s development trajectory can serve as a good reference for the Global South. The nation’s experiences show that economic, infrastructure and technological development can overcome barriers, sanctions and obstacles, she said.

Applauding China’s achievements in the fields of socioeconomic and cultural development over the past 75 years, Rousseff said that it is now taking the lead in innovation, helping to advance globalization and reform. The country’s stress on development of new quality productive forces has shown its dedication to scientific and technological development.

“I feel like that there is no one single moment that I can have a full picture of China, as it is always developing, taking on a new look. The ever ongoing reform and opening-up has been refreshing China’s image,” she said.

The stronger ties between China and Brazil are another good example, showing that partnership among the Global South countries can help facilitate economic growth and improve people’s well-being, she said.

Under the Belt and Road Initiative, China and Brazil have strengthened their cooperation in the areas of trade and technology. At the same time, Brazil has served as China’s largest food supplier over the past few years, playing an important role in China’s food security, said Rousseff.

Meanwhile, Chinese companies’ presence in Brazil is of great importance, facilitating Brazil’s reindustrialization, she said.

As Rousseff further explained, there are several highlights in China’s investments in Brazil. These include the China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s concession contracts with Brazil’s leading oil and gas company Petrobras for oil exploration in the Pelotas Basin in southern Brazil.

Also, the less-developed areas in Brazil have benefited from China’s investment in power and overall energy supply, and high-voltage direct transmission lines built by China have helped address Brazil’s energy shortage, she said.

Since 2009, China has been Brazil’s largest trading partner and a major source of investment, while Brazil has been China’s largest trading partner in Latin America. Trade volume between China and Brazil reached $181.53 billion in 2023.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Huawei releases HarmonyOS NEXT operating system

Source: China State Council Information Office

Yu Chengdong, Huawei’s executive director, speaks at the launch event of HarmonyOS NEXT in Shenzhen, south China’s Guangdong Province, Oct. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chinese tech giant Huawei on Tuesday released HarmonyOS NEXT, its self-developed operating system built independent of Android architecture.

The launch event in Shenzhen, where the company is based, marks another milestone for Huawei since Washington put it on the “Entity List” in 2019, barring it from doing business with U.S. firms including Google, which provides Android.

HarmonyOS NEXT is the fifth iteration of HarmonyOS. HarmonyOS has been installed on over 1 billion devices, said Yu Chengdong, Huawei’s executive director, at the event.

Yu said that HarmonyOS NEXT is truly independent from Android and Apple’s iOS, with its own operating kernel, programming language, AI framework and other features that were developed without using the Linux kernel or Android open-source code.

“HarmonyOS NEXT provides a new option and market space for the development of related industries around the world,” he said, hailing it as an open, secure and efficient operating system.

Over the past year, Huawei worked with more than 10,000 domestic partners to develop HarmonyOS NEXT apps, helping build an innovative IT industrial chain, Yu said.

As an open-source operating system, HarmonyOS was first launched in August 2019 and has replaced iOS to become the second-largest mobile operating system on the Chinese market.

More than 15,000 applications and meta-services are available for use on HarmonyOS, according to Yu.

Industry insiders say a major advantage of HarmonyOS is its coordination of various platforms, including smartphones, cars and other intelligent devices.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Central SOEs invest 1.4 trillion yuan in emerging industries

Source: China State Council Information Office 3

The investment of China’s centrally administrated state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in strategic emerging industries reached 1.4 trillion yuan (about 196.6 billion U.S. dollars) in the first three quarters of the year, official data showed Tuesday.

The investment during the period jumped 17.6 percent year on year, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the central SOEs’ total investment, data from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council showed.

The SASAC said it has guided the central SOEs to develop strategic emerging industries and launched actions to promote industrial upgrading and boost future industries, achieving positive results.

The central SOEs have made a series of important achievements in key areas such as new-generation information technology, artificial intelligence and new-energy vehicles, it added.

Data from the SASAC also showed that the operating revenue of the central SOEs in strategic emerging industries in 2023 has exceeded 10 trillion yuan for the first time.

MIL OSI China News –

January 24, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Grill seekers – Burglars cooking up trouble with a stolen BBQ.

Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

At about 3.30pm on Monday afternoon, two people broke a window to enter a house in Fairfield Hamilton setting off the house alarm which alerted a passerby.

They were then seen running from the address carrying a television set.

Witnesses saw them ditch the television over a back hedge, then leave in a white Holden vehicle, which had been parked in the driveway of the victim’s house.

Police units recognised the description of the vehicle as it had been spotted acting suspiciously in the area earlier in the day.

At about 4.45pm, Police located the Holden vehicle and two people matching the descriptions of the burglars.

They were found at the shops in Dinsdale, parked in a disability car park.

The offenders were trying to sell a BBQ at the Dollar Dealers when they were confronted by Police.

Both attempted to resist the officer, and they were sprayed with O/C spray and arrested, without further incident.

Inspector Andrea McBeth, Area Commander Hamilton City says, “This is a good catch and we appreciate the people who called us so quickly with good descriptions.

This incident serves as a timely reminder to anyone leaving their property unattended for a period of time to take steps to make sure it’s secure.

Burglars are largely opportunistic. Alarms will help discourage any burglar looking for easy entry and, in this case, it did. It alerted members of the public who were able to help.

Locks on windows and doors can be effective, as well as security signage, CCTV, alarms, and sensor lights.

Be wary of posting too much information on social media about holiday or travel plans, or photos of inside your home, as this can make your property a vulnerable target while you’re away.

Keep in contact with your neighbours and let each other know if you notice anything unusual.

Call Police straight away on 111 if you see or suspect anything suspicious at your home or a neighbour’s.

When reporting activity, it’s helpful to take note of the number of people, clothing they wear, and any vehicles present.

You can make a report after the fact using our 105 service, either by phone or online.

A woman aged 22 is charged with burglary and a man aged 40 is charged with burglary, resisting arrest, obstructing police, and possession of an offensive weapon. They both appeared in the Hamilton District Court today.

The driver of the Holden vehicle also received a number of tickets including one for illegally parking in a disability car park.

ENDS

Issued by Police Media Centre

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 24, 2025

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