Source: China State Council Information Office
Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Laszlo Kover will lead a delegation to visit China from Nov. 5 to 12, at the invitation of Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee.
Source: US State of North Dakota
A federal jury in Louisville, Kentucky, today convicted a former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) officer for violating the civil rights of Breonna Taylor during the execution of a search warrant in March 2020 that led to the tragic death of Taylor in her home.
Brett Hankison, 46, was convicted on one count of civil rights abuse. Count one charged him with depriving Taylor of her constitutional rights when he fired five shots through a bedroom window that was covered with blinds and a blackout curtain. The jury found that Hankison used a dangerous weapon in the commission of the offense, and that his conduct involved an attempt to kill, although his shots did not strike Taylor. Hankison was found not guilty on count two, which charged him with depriving three of Taylor’s neighbors of their constitutional rights by firing five more shots through a sliding glass door that was also covered with blinds and a curtain.
“Today, Brett Hankison was found guilty by a jury of his peers for willfully depriving Breonna Taylor of her constitutional rights,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “His use of deadly force was unlawful and put Ms. Taylor in harm’s way. This verdict is an important step toward accountability for the violation of Breonna Taylor’s civil rights, but justice for the loss of Ms. Taylor is a task that exceeds human capacity.”
“This defendant is being held accountable for his willful and heinous use of deadly force that endangered the life of Breonna Taylor,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Breonna Taylor’s life mattered. We hope the jury’s verdict recognizing this violation of Ms. Taylor’s civil and constitutional rights brings some small measure of comfort to her family and loved ones who have suffered so deeply from the tragic events of March 2020. We hope that communities use this moment to say her name and to engrave on their hearts and minds Breonna Taylor’s life and enduring legacy. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend the civil rights of every person in this country to be free from unlawful police violence.”
According to evidence at trial, during the execution of the warrant at Taylor’s home, officers knocked on Taylor’s door and announced themselves as police at approximately 12:45 a.m. No one answered the door, and the officers saw no indication that anyone in the home was awake or had heard their announcement. The police then rammed the door open and Taylor’s boyfriend, believing that intruders were breaking in, fired his handgun one time at officers, two of whom fired back, hitting and killing Taylor.
Hankison was not one of the officers who fired from the doorway. He fired separately, from the side of the building, through a sliding glass door and a bedroom window, both of which were covered with closed blinds and curtains. Evidence showed that several of Hankison’s shots passed through Taylor’s apartment, pierced the interior walls and narrowly missed a young couple with a five-year-old child living next door to Taylor. Other shots flew over Taylor’s head as she lay on the floor of her apartment.
At trial, numerous law enforcement witnesses testified that officers are trained never to fire their weapons at a target they cannot see. Officers who were on the scene for the execution of the warrant, and others who responded later, testified that Hankison violated LMPD training and the principles of law enforcement when he fired blindly into a crowded apartment complex. The Commander of LMPD’s SWAT unit, who responded to the scene shortly after the shooting, testified that he was in “shock and disbelief” when he learned that Hankison had fired into the covered windows in Ms. Taylor’s home. The jury also heard from her neighbors, who were nearly hit by Hankison’s bullets.
Hankison will be sentenced on March 12, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Two other LMPD officers remain charged in connection with the search warrant executed at Taylor’s home. Former Detective Joshua Jaynes, 40, and LMPD Sergeant Kyle Meany, 35, are charged with federal civil rights and obstruction offenses for their roles in preparing and approving a falsified search warrant affidavit that resulted in the warrant that led to Taylor’s death. A trial will be set for a later date, and they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Another former LMPD officer, Detective Kelly Goodlett, previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with Jaynes to falsify the affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for Taylor’s home and to cover up their actions after Taylor’s death. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 29, 2025.
The FBI Louisville Field Office investigated the case.
Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorney Anna Gotfryd of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia
We will issue a Reduced Threat message when the threat to the community has reduced.
All bushfire incidents that have had an Advice, Watch and Act or Emergency Warning message issued will be finalised with an Advice – Reduced Threat message.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
PROVIDENCE, RI – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced today that the Justice Department will monitor compliance with federal voting rights laws in Pawtucket, Providence, and Woonsocket for the Nov. 5 general election.
The Justice Department enforces federal voting rights laws that protect the rights of all eligible citizens to access the ballot. The department regularly deploys its staff to monitor for compliance with federal civil rights laws in elections in communities across the country.
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will coordinate the effort. Monitors will include Justice Department personnel, who will contact state and local election officials as needed throughout Election Day.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of federal statutes that protect the right to vote, including the Voting Rights Act, National Voter Registration Act, Help America Vote Act, Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act and Civil Rights Acts. The division’s Disability Rights Section enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure that persons with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote. The division’s Criminal Section enforces federal criminal statutes that prohibit voter intimidation and voter suppression based on race, color, national origin or religion.
On Election Day, Civil Rights Division personnel will be available all day to receive questions and complaints from the public related to possible violations of federal voting rights laws. Reports may be made through the department’s website www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling toll-free at 800-253-3931. [The U.S. Attorney’s Office will also be available to receive complaints on Election Day at (401) 709-5010.
Individuals with questions or complaints related to the ADA may call the department’s toll-free ADA information hotline at 800-514-0301 or 833-610-1264 (TTY) or submit a complaint through a link on the department’s ADA website at www.ada.gov.
Complaints related to any disruptions at a polling place should always be reported to local election officials (including officials based in the polling place). Complaints related to violence, threats of violence or intimidation at a polling place should be reported immediately to local police authorities by calling 911. These complaints should also be reported to the department after local authorities have been contacted.
More information about voting and elections, including guidance documents and other resources, is available at www.justice.gov/voting. Learn more about the Voting Rights Act and other federal voting laws at www.justice.gov/crt/voting-section.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
###
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Samuel Adomako, Associate Professor of Strategy and Innovation, University of Birmingham
Financial literacy is vital for individuals and households. Simply put, it’s the ability to understand and effectively use various financial skills: budgeting, managing debt, making sound investments, and understanding financial statements.
These skills are crucial for businesses, too – especially small and medium enterprises. Small and medium enterprises are widely recognised as the backbone of many low-income countries’ economies. The World Bank estimates that these businesses account for between 60% and 70% of jobs in sub-Saharan Africa and approximately 40% of low-income countries’ GDPs globally.
Ghana is one of the countries whose economy relies heavily on small and medium enterprises. Much emphasis has been placed on how important it is for these businesses to access finance. But far less has been discussed about the value of financial literacy. In Ghana, as is the case in many other countries, the reality is that many small and medium enterprises still fail to grow as expected, even when they have access to capital. This surprising outcome suggests that access to finance, while crucial, is not the sole factor determining business success. The missing piece of the puzzle? Financial literacy.
We conducted a study to find out whether managers at small and medium enterprises in Ghana believed that financial literacy would help them to improve their growth after accessing finance. CEOs and senior financial managers who self-identified as being financially literate told us that their businesses had grown as a result, explicitly linking growth and financial literacy.
It is clear from this study that financial literacy empowers the managers of small and medium enterprises to make informed decisions, make the best use of their resources, and avoid common pitfalls that can derail business growth. It enables them not only to access finance but also to use it effectively for sustainable growth and long-term success.
Our findings have wider implications. Small and medium enterprises are vital for economic growth. But their potential is being undermined by a lack of financial literacy. This isn’t just a problem for businesses themselves: it’s a problem for the entire economy they are part of. When small and medium enterprises fail to grow, job creation stalls, innovation slows down, and the economy as a whole suffers.
There is no single public register for small and medium enterprises in Ghana. So we drew our participants from a range of resources, including the national company register, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, the Association of Ghana Industries and the Ghana Business Directory.
We defined small and medium enterprises in the same way as Ghana’s Statistical Service does: companies that have 250 or fewer employees.
Ultimately, 201 firms across the manufacturing and services sectors took part in the study. The vast majority of responses were from CEOs and senior finance managers, which is important since people in these positions ought to have comprehensive knowledge about a firm’s growth and performance.
The respondents saw a clear link between financial literacy and access to finance for growing their businesses. One CEO said:
Understanding financial principles is the foundation of our business decisions. Without financial literacy, we wouldn’t have been able to secure the necessary funding to expand our operations. It’s not just about getting access to finance but knowing how to manage it effectively that drives growth.
A senior financial manager told us:
Before improving our financial literacy, we struggled to convince lenders of our potential. Learning how to present our financials clearly and manage our cash flow gave us the credibility we needed to secure financing and invest in our growth.
Some interviewees discussed how not being financially literate had hampered their ability to properly use funding. A finance manager said that, after securing an initial round of funding. “we quickly realised we couldn’t manage cash flow effectively”, adding:
It felt like we were putting out fires every day. I didn’t understand terms like ‘liquidity ratios’ or ‘debt management’ until I started learning about financial literacy. It was eye-opening.
These lessons happened in various ways, some more formal than others. One CEO, realising their own financial management skills needed work, hired a financial officer with strong abilities in this area and learned a great deal from them.
Some CEOs signed themselves up for financial management workshops; others organised short courses for their entire teams. One told us: “We took a financial literacy course designed for entrepreneurs, and it gave us new insights into how to manage loans and investments. It wasn’t just about survival but also about how to leverage what we had to grow. Now, we budget better, monitor our cash flow closely, and even started saving for unexpected expenses.”
Read more:
Battling to make ends meet? Financial planning expert offers 5 tips on how to build your budget
There are several ways to improve financial literacy among small and medium enterprises.
First, policymakers should incorporate mandatory financial literacy training into existing support programmes for these businesses. It should cover essential financial management skills such as budgeting, cash flow management and investment planning.
Policymakers could also facilitate partnerships between banks, microfinance institutions and educational organisations to offer targeted financial literacy workshops for managers at small and medium enterprises. This would equip businesses to manage the financial support they receive.
Finally, policymakers should introduce incentives, such as reduced interest rates or preferential loan terms, for small and medium enterprises that complete certified financial literacy courses. This would motivate managers to enhance their financial management skills, leading to more sustainable business growth and improved economic outcomes.
Samuel Adomako 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. Financial skills like managing debt are key to success, but Ghana’s small businesses don’t have them – https://theconversation.com/financial-skills-like-managing-debt-are-key-to-success-but-ghanas-small-businesses-dont-have-them-241955
Source: Tasmania Police
Trail bike rider seriously injured in West Coast crash
Sunday, 3 November 2024 – 8:44 pm.
A 16-year-old male rider has received serious injuries after being involved in a trail bike crash at Four Mile Creek on the state’s west coast.
Emergency services, including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, responded to the incident and transferred the rider to the Royal Hobart Hospital for treatment.
Initial investigations indicate the rider was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.Investigations into the crash are continuing.
Anyone with information should call Police on 131444.
Source: International Chamber of Commerce
Headline: ICC calls for continued dialogue on biodiversity benefit sharing mechanism
ICC has issued the following statement upon the conclusion of the United Nations’ Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) underscoring the commitment of business to support future efforts to secure a robust and workable multilateral benefit sharing mechanism.
ICC appreciates the efforts of Parties and the Colombian Presidency at CBD COP16 to progress on the operationalisation of the multilateral mechanism on benefit sharing from the use of digital sequence information, including the COP16 Decision’s recognition that further work is needed to refine several of its elements .
Businesses are committed to supporting biodiversity goals and engaged constructively in the discussion – viewing the multilateral mechanism as an opportunity to increase benefits shared for biodiversity through a simpler system that provides more legal certainty for companies and supports research and innovation.
As several countries have recognised, the decision provides a starting basis for moving forward but many important aspects require further evidence-based work to ensure that the mechanism has the necessary enabling conditions and incentives to engage broad business participation. A system that is broad in scope makes it easy to contribute, sets fees at realistic levels, provides legal certainty for research and innovation, and has the potential to incentivise more funding for biodiversity. Business will strengthen its engagement as an integral part of the solution and will need to play a role in further refining the mechanism to ensure its success.”
Further work could continue along several tracks, through formal CBD workstreams, informal dialogues, or a pilot phase to test the modalities in the decision and obtain evidence for consideration at COP17. ICC will be working with companies, countries and other stakeholders along all these tracks to optimise the potential of the mechanism to attract broad participation from businesses to further biodiversity goals.
Source: South Australia Police
Two teens have been arrested following a bushfire in Port Lincoln this evening.
Just before 6pm Sunday 3 November emergency services were called to the intersection of Bernard Place and Garrett Road after reports of a scrub fire burning in a north east direction.
The fire was controlled by CFS and contained to an area of approximately an acre. No homes were impacted and there were no injuries.
Following an investigation two local teens, a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old, were located near by and arrested. They are expected to be charged with bushfire related offences.
Police would like to remind the public as we head into fire danger season that police will take a zero-tolerance approach to fires caused by deliberate, reckless or negligent behaviour – bushfires not only destroy communities and properties but have the potential to kill.
If you see a fire, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
Anyone with information about people deliberately lighting fires or engaging in reckless or negligent fire lighting behaviour, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au – you can remain anonymous.
Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)
Deputy President Paul Mashatile takes part in the Soweto Marathon
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Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia
Issued on
03 Nov 2024 19:47
Issued for
Port Lincoln near Happy Valley Road, Valley View Road and Shane Street.
Warning level
Advice – Threat is Reduced
Action
The threat of this fire has reduced however people are reminded to take care in the area. Smoke will reduce visibility in the area and there is a risk of falling trees and branches.
For updates, check the MFS website at mfs.sa.gov.au or phone the Information Hotline on 1800 362 361.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
AMS holds passing-out parade for new members (with photos)
AMS holds passing-out parade for new members (with photos)
**********************************************************
The Auxiliary Medical Service (AMS) held a passing-out parade today (November 3), where the 287 new members were reviewed by the Secretary for Security, Mr Tang Ping-keung. Speaking at the event, Mr Tang encouraged all graduates to embrace the spirit of the AMS in their key roles as supporters of emergency operations, guardians of public safety during events, and promoters of primary healthcare development, urging them to continue to serve the Hong Kong community wholeheartedly. As an auxiliary service under the Security Bureau, the AMS consists of members from various backgrounds, industries and age groups. After completing a 132-hour training programme and passing rigorous assessments, members will be deployed to different units to commence their services. The duties of the AMS include providing first-aid services at major events, manning first-aid posts in country parks on weekends and public holidays, and providing first-aid bicycle services on cycle tracks. To align with the Government’s primary healthcare development strategy, the AMS will expand its non-emergency ambulance services to provide special medical care to the public in need. Recruitment details and application forms are available on the AMS website (www.ams.gov.hk/en/join_us.html).
Ends/Sunday, November 3, 2024Issued at HKT 18:57
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Source: Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
The Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa says it is appalling that the government has remained totally silent on Israeli military and diplomatic attacks on the United Nations.
PSNA Chair, John Minto, says the Israel parliament decision this week to ban UNRWA operations in Israel and East Jerusalem effectively closes down the major aid organisation’s desperately needed work in the Gaza Strip.
“UNRWA was set up by the United Nations to assist the hundreds of thousands Palestinian refugees expelled by Israel in 1948, pending their right of return – which Israel refuses to recognise.”
“Israel sees UNRWA as an unwelcome reminder of Palestinian national rights and has always aimed to get rid of it. Support for banning UNRWA came from the Zionist New Zealand Jewish Council earlier this year.”
Israel has also recently shelled United Nations peacekeeping positions in Lebanon and has killed an estimated 230 UNRWA workers in Gaza.
“Our government has previously stated how important UNRWA relief work is for Palestinian refugees in Gaza. The US government says the UNRWA supply of food, water and medicine is ‘irreplaceable’”.
“Yet, under no doubt as a result of Israeli lobbying, our commitment to the UN and its work is increasingly exposed as somewhere between shallow and non-existent.”
John Minto says other western governments have been critical of the UNRWA ban and the recent Israeli refusal to allow the UN secretary general Antonio Guterres to enter Israel.
Despite New Zealand having UN peace keepers in the Lebanon border areas, it failed to join the more than 40 countries which condemned the military attacks on a number of UNIFIL bases in south Lebanon last month”.
“Our government refuses to offend Israel in any way. Even major arms suppliers to Israel, particularly the US, France and the UK, have been sometimes critical of what is a genocide by Israel in Gaza.”
“In contrast, the New Zealand government blames Hamas for all the killing and destruction committed by Israel, though it also finds space to condemn Hezbollah, the Houthis and Iran.”
Previous New Zealand governments have formally rebuked Israel for its violence, most recently former Foreign Minister Murry McCully in 2010 and former Prime Minister John Key in 2014, both by summoning in the Israeli ambassador.
“This time, when Israeli attacks on Gaza are becoming even more savage and sadistic by the day, our Foreign Minister and his government remains inactive and silent.”
John Minto says the Israeli war crimes in Gaza now clearly include ethnic cleansing.
“Reports of what is called the Israeli ‘General’s Plan’ are now widespread in our news media. The General’s Plan is a vile combination of military assault, starvation and exclusion of both aid workers and news media, to hide and facilitate the ‘death march’ of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from north of the Netzarim Corridor”.
“This is to prepare for a resumption of illegal Israeli colonisation in northern Gaza.”
“In September, our government voted with 123 other countries for a UN General Assembly resolution to demand that Israel withdraw from the Occupied Palestinian Territories without delay.”
“That was welcome.”
“What is not welcome is for New Zealand to then stand by when genocidal Israel carries out ethnic cleansing on a massive scale to once again spit on the UN and increase its occupation of Palestinian lands.”
John Minto
National Chair
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa
Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
4. Future activities of Start-ED – 15 minutes
5. Any other business – 5 minutes
6. Next meeting
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Main venue for 7th CIIE fully decorated
Source: US Army (video statements)
About the U.S. Army:
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Source: The Holy See
Letter of the Holy Father on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the erection of the Apostolic Administration of Estonia, 03.11.2024
The following is the Letter sent by the Holy Father to Bishop Philippe Jourdan of Tallinn, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the erection of the Apostolic Administration of Estonia:
Letter of the Holy Father
To The Most Reverend Philippe Jourdan
Bishop of Tallinn
With fond memories of my Apostolic Journey to your country in 2018, I send heartfelt greetings, together with the assurance of my spiritual closeness, to you and the entire Catholic community on the happy occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the creation of the Apostolic Administration of Estonia, recently raised to the level of a Diocese.
This significant milestone in your history marks a century of steadfast fidelity to the Catholic faith, which has enabled this small yet vibrant Church to be a source of compassion and spiritual nourishment for countless men and women across the nation. At the same time, this anniversary commemorates unwavering hope and trust in the Lord through decades of suffering, occupation and oppression.
In this regard, as you reflect upon these past hundred years, I join you in giving thanks to Almighty God for the example of faith offered by your courageous and resilient forefathers who were instrumental in nurturing and sustaining the Catholic community in Estonia. In a particular way, I think of Servant of God Archbishop Eduard Profittlich, whose witness to Christ and fortitude in remaining close to his flock, even to the shedding of his blood, sowed seeds which even today are bearing fruit. May his testimony always be a source of inspiration for you and remind you that even the tiniest of plants, the smallest of gestures and the lowliest of offerings can grow far beyond their humble beginnings to bestow a rich harvest (cf. Mt 13:31-32).
Moreover, I am confident that this admirable legacy of faith and charity that characterizes your Diocese will encourage the present generation of priests, religious and lay faithful to continue to grow in joyful missionary discipleship as they look to the future. Indeed, may the present centenary be an opportunity for spiritual renewal in your land, igniting a renewed sense of zeal for evangelization, especially among young people. In this way, they will more effectively be able to proclaim God’s message of love, mercy, and reconciliation, and so, bring the light of Jesus and the liberating power of the Gospel to the many men and women of today who do not even believe in God.
It is likewise my hope that as the Catholics of Estonia seek to build a society rooted in peace, justice, solidarity, and the dignity of every human person, they will work increasingly with the men and women of other Christian denominations in bearing a united witness to God’s promises. This is especially important in the context of today’s war in Europe, which is a source of deep anxiety and tragically echoes the darker moments of yesteryears. Even so, the Holy Spirit can guide you to be an eloquent sign of continued trust in God’s providence and lead Estonian Christians, together with all people of good will, to extend the hand of friendship to refugees and the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters. May Christ the Prince of Peace bless you with his gifts of perseverance, fraternal unity and concord.
With these sentiments, it is my fervent prayer that the grace of God will continue to accompany you, the clergy, religious, and lay faithful of the Church in Estonia, as you embark upon the next chapter of your journey full of faith, hope, and love. Entrusting all of you to the intercession of Saint Victor and to the loving protection of Mary, Mother of the Church, I gladly impart my Blessing as pledge of abundant heavenly graces.
Rome, Saint John Lateran, 1 November 2024
FRANCIS
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Day 4-8 Severe Weather Outlook Issued on Nov 3, 2024
Updated: Sun Nov 3 09:41:03 UTC 2024
.
D4
Wed, Nov 06, 2024 – Thu, Nov 07, 2024
D7
Sat, Nov 09, 2024 – Sun, Nov 10, 2024
D5
Thu, Nov 07, 2024 – Fri, Nov 08, 2024
D8
Sun, Nov 10, 2024 – Mon, Nov 11, 2024
D6
Fri, Nov 08, 2024 – Sat, Nov 09, 2024
(All days are valid from 12 UTC – 12 UTC the following day)
Note: A severe weather area depicted in the Day 4-8 period indicates 15%, 30% or higher probability for severe thunderstorms within 25 miles of any point.
PREDICTABILITY TOO LOW is used to indicate severe storms may be possible based on some model scenarios. However, the location or occurrence of severe storms are in doubt due to: 1) large differences in the deterministic model solutions, 2) large spread in the ensemble guidance, and/or 3) minimal run-to-run continuity.
POTENTIAL TOO LOW means the threat for a regional area of organized severe storms appears unlikely (i.e., less than 15%) for the forecast day.
Forecast Discussion
ZCZC SPCSWOD48 ALL
ACUS48 KWNS 030939
SPC AC 030939
Day 4-8 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0339 AM CST Sun Nov 03 2024
Valid 061200Z – 111200Z
…DISCUSSION…
NHC is forecasting a high probability of TC formation in the
Caribbean by D2. Predictability is low along the FL Gulf Coast
vicinity regarding downstream tornado potential during D4-5, with
large spread in guidance at this time frame and beyond.
Meanwhile, modified moisture return will ensue on D4-5 over the
southern High Plains, in advance of a shortwave trough evolving into
a cutoff low across the Southwest. Given an initially inverted
surface trough, severe potential should be limited/mesoscale-focused
on D5/Thursday. With an emerging consensus of ensemble guidance
suggesting acceleration of the upper low onto the Great Plains,
severe potential may increase next weekend with broadening of the
warm-moist sector in the central states. Predictability is far too
low to warrant consideration of greater than 15 percent areas yet.
..Grams.. 11/03/2024
CLICK TO GET WUUS48 PTSD48 PRODUCT
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SPC AC 031249
Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0649 AM CST Sun Nov 03 2024
Valid 031300Z – 041200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS…
…SUMMARY…
Multiple rounds of strong-severe thunderstorms are possible today
through tonight over parts of the southern Plains. Tornadoes,
damaging winds and large hail are possible.
…Synopsis…
A full-latitude, mid/upper-level trough will move slowly eastward
across the western CONUS, while evolving into a split-flow regime.
The more-influential southern section of the trough is expected to
amplify considerably as a shortwave perturbation and associated
speed max — now located over the southern Great Basin — pivot
through the base of the synoptic trough. By 00Z, the shortwave
trough should dig southeastward to southern AZ and adjoining
portions of Sonora. A leading vorticity lobe should eject to
eastern NM by the end of the period, within a broader area of
enhanced cyclonic flow extending across AZ, northern Chihuahua, and
west TX. A 500-mb low may form by 12Z tomorrow near the center of
that curvature, across central NM. In response to these
developments, strengthening/difluent flow and height falls will
spread eastward ahead of the synoptic trough — across the southern
Plains and west TX.
At the surface, 11Z analysis showed an outflow boundary fronting an
MCS from the western Ozarks southwestward to northwest TX. The
boundary should shift into AR and southeastern OK through the
remainder of the morning before stalling, while the segment from the
Red River region southwestward across the Big Country and northern
Permian Basin already has become very slow-moving to stationary.
The boundary should retreat northward through the period, with
uncertainty remaining as to how far and with what specific timing,
given a substantial cold pool evident across central/western OK and
the South Plains/Panhandle region. A dryline — initially analyzed
over southeastern NM and far west TX — should shift eastward to the
southern Panhandle/south Plains and across the Permian Basin through
the afternoon. A surface low initially near the central CO/KS
border should move northeastward to central/north-central NE by 00Z,
with cold front southwestward to another low in southeastern CO. A
lee trough and more diffuse dryline will take shape and move
eastward across the central High Plains into western KS, before
being overtaken by the cold front.
…Southern/central Plains…
A QLCS began the period arching from the western Ozarks across
southeastern OK and parts of north-central/northwest TX. The
central/northern part of this complex is outrunning favorably
unstable inflow and should continue a broader weakening trend
through the remainder of the morning. Meanwhile the southern part
— over southern OK and north TX — has more buoyancy and still-
favorable vertical shear to its east and southeast. However, that
segment of convection is decelerating and non-severe. It also is
located behind the associated outflow boundary, which is exhibiting
anafrontal characteristics.
As it retreats northward across the Red River Valley today into this
evening, the outflow boundary should become more diffuse, with a
loosening baroclinic gradient. This will occur amidst broader,
synoptically driven theta-e advection. Meanwhile this feature and
the dryline to its southwest should focus additional widely
scattered to scattered thunderstorm development. Convection also
may form in the warm/moist sector east of the dryline and south of
the outflow boundary, given the lack of a substantial EML and
typically accompanying capping. With favorable low-level and deep-
layer shear expected, supercells and bowing QLCS configurations are
possible, offering all severe hazards (hail, gusts, tornadoes). The
greatest potential for relatively discrete/sustained supercells
appears to be near the retreating boundary in northwest TX and parts
of southern/central OK, and significant-severe hail may occur with
some of that convection.
Multiple convective episodes are expected from the afternoon’s
greatest boundary-layer heating through late overnight, when
large-scale ascent will increase again due to both warm advection/
LLJ processes and DCVA/cooling aloft ahead of the approaching
trough. These will overlap rich low-level moisture (surface
dewpoints near and south of the boundary in the mid 60s to low 70s
F). By late overnight, airmass recovery may extend into much of
western/central OK, supporting another round of severe potential
there. A more-concentrated mesoscale-focused severe threat
(especially for tornadoes and/or severe gusts) may develop today
into this evening near the residual boundary, but uncertainty on
convective mode/coverage remains too large to assign greater
unconditional probabilities at this cycle.
Farther north, diurnally destabilized but convectively processed
trajectories will temper the overall threat into the central Plains,
along/ahead of the dryline and cold front. However, a few strong-
severe thunderstorms are possible, mainly this afternoon into early
evening.
..Edwards/Mosier.. 11/03/2024
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Source: United States Coast Guard
11/03/2024 08:25 AM EST
The crew of a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter medevaced two injured people from the Carambola zip-line platform in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, Friday. Medevaced were Jason Bomar, 58, and Jeanne Glidewell, 32, both U.S. citizens, after they sustained multiple injuries associated with a high-speed collision on the zip-line. “This case highlights the importance of teamwork,” said Lt. David Tirado Tolosa, Coast Guard MH-60T Jayhawk aircraft commander for the medevac. “It was a complex location to hoist two injured persons, but our crew and the local rescue personnel did an amazing job stabilizing them which allowed us to conduct the hoists safely. We are very glad to have transported these patients to receive the medical care they required.”
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JIUQUAN, Nov. 3 — China’s Shenzhou-18 manned spaceship separated from the space station combination at 16:12 on Sunday, and the astronauts aboard — Ye Guangfu, Li Cong and Li Guangsu — are returning to Earth, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
The CMSA said that prior to the separation, the Shenzhou-18 crew, with the assistance of the ground staff, completed various tasks such as setting the status of the space station combination, processing and transmitting the experimental data, and transferring remaining supplies, and then carried out handover work with the Shenzhou-19 crew.
China launched the Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship on Oct. 30, sending three astronauts Cai Xuzhe, Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze to its space station for another six-month mission.
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
The UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, will announce new support for Anguilla’s health and security infrastructure as he makes his first visit to the Overseas Territories this week (2-4 November).
The UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, will announce new support for Anguilla’s health and security infrastructure as he makes his first visit to the Overseas Territories this week (2-4 November).
The minister will be opening Anguilla’s new emergency 911 control room, partly funded by the UK government, and a facility that will be vital asset in helping to improve public safety. He will also formally announce the UK government’s provision of two new ambulances to Anguilla, and a new boat for assisting with coastal search and rescue operations.
UK Overseas Territories Minister, Stephen Doughty said:
“UK funding for Anguilla is helping islanders live healthier, safer, and more prosperous lives.
“The new support I will announce is just the latest chapter in the UK’s close relationship with Anguilla, with sustainable investment and close partnership at its heart.”
The minister will make a stop at the Royal Anguilla Police and National Emergency Operating Centre, where he will commend the force for their efforts in reducing gang violence in recent months. The UK has funded seven UK officers to help the Royal Anguilla Police Force tackle gang violence and conduct investigations on the island.
The Minister will also visit the Princess Alexandra Hospital, where he will hear about the challenges faced by those working in Anguilla’s healthcare sector. UK funding has already provided a dialysis unit, reconstruction lab, isolation ward, and a new morgue, which will significantly improve coronial and post-mortem processes.
Source: Government of Canada News
The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, issued a statement to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belgium.
Ottawa, ON – Today, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, and the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of National Defence, issued the following statement to mark the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Belgium:
“The fall of 1944 was a defining period for the First Canadian Army. After clearing coastal areas in northern France following the successful D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy, tens of thousands of Canadian troops played a leading role in opening the Scheldt Estuary toward the Belgian port of Antwerp.
“Not only did maintaining such a vital supply line allow the Allied armies to continue their push toward Germany, it also helped to ultimately free Western Europe from more than four years of Nazi occupation.
“Eighty years ago today, the people of Belgium were finally liberated. For weeks, Canadian soldiers fought their way across flat, muddy and flooded terrain that offered them little cover as they advanced. Undeterred by the challenges they faced, they succeeded in clearing the Breskens Pocket and liberate the last portions of Belgian territory held by enemy troops, on 3 November 1944.
“The victory was costly, with the Canadian army accruing thousands of casualties including more than 800 Canadian soldiers making the ultimate sacrifice in battle in Belgium. To this day, we remain grateful that our friends and allies in Belgium continue to honour the memory of the hundreds of Canadian service members who were laid to rest at in cemeteries like Adegem Canadian War Cemetery and Schoonselhof Cemetery.
“The lasting bond between our countries was forged by thousands of Canadians and Belgians who bravely fought for freedom during the Second World War. Canadians like Edna Beattie who enlisted in 1940, and served as a nurse in England, France and later Belgium where she treated Allied wounded, and Joseph Ross who served with the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada helping liberate the Breskens Pocket.
“Today, we remember them and their families, and all they endured to liberate Belgium and Europe.”
Associated Links:
Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: 613-904-3333
mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca
Simon Lafortune
Press Secretary and Communications Advisor
Office of the Minister of National Defence
simon.lafortune2@forces.gc.ca
Source: US State of New Jersey
PRINCETON – First Lady Tammy Murphy on Tuesday hosted an intimate Día de Muertos commemoration at Drumthwacket, marking the first time this holiday has been celebrated at The People’s House. The First Lady was joined by Mariana Díaz Nagore, the Head Consul of the Consulate of Mexico in New Brunswick, and prominent leaders from New Jersey’s Mexican and Latino communities.
“New Jersey is home to an incredibly strong and vibrant Mexican American community, which is why I wanted to open Drumthwacket – the People’s House – to both celebrate Día de Muertos and acknowledge the rich contributions of our state’s Mexican and Latino residents,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “Día de Muertos is a special time to come together with friends and family to reflect, connect with our ancestors, and remember loved ones who have passed. We were honored to mark this beautiful holiday and, when we looked at the altar, Phil and I truly felt the presence of our loved ones.”
On Día de Muertos, families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration. The living family members treat the deceased as honored guests in their celebrations and leave the deceased’s favorite foods and other offerings at gravesites or on altars built in their homes.
As part of the event, Drumthwacket’s Music Room was transformed into an altar honoring the Governor and First Lady’s departed loved ones, including their late parents, siblings, additional family members and friends.
The altar was decorated by Lilia Rios and Francisco Del Toro, Co-Founders of La Providencia, and was adorned with photos, candles and bright marigolds called cempasuchil alongside food for the deceased.
“The altar for the Dia de Muertos at Drumtwacket is a recognition of the Mexican community in New Jersey and a celebration of its rich culture and values. I am grateful to First Lady Tammy Murphy for opening the doors of Drumthwacket for the first time to Mexico’s Day of the Dead traditions and allowing us to share them with the community as a whole with this beautiful altar,” said Mariana Díaz Nagore, the Head Consul of the Consulate of Mexico in New Brunswick.
“For us at La Providencia, it has been a true honor, pride, and privilege that the Governor and the First Lady have chosen our company to carry out the first celebration of Día de Muertos in the history of the Governor’s Mansion. This celebration is undoubtedly a great source of pride for Mexico and Mexicans, as it represents the inclusion and diversity that this government emphasizes, especially promoting Mexican traditions to an unprecedented level. We are immensely grateful for the opportunity to have participated in this wonderful event and hope that it will be the first of many celebrations in this historic mansion,” said Lilia Rios, Co-Founder of La Providencia and altar designer.
Source: US State of New Jersey
PRINCETON – El martes, la Primera Dama Tammy Murphy organizó una conmemoración íntima del Día de Muertos en Drumthwacket, también conocida como la Casa del Pueblo, marcando la primera vez que esta festividad se celebra allí. La Primera Dama estuvo acompañada por Mariana Díaz Nagore, Cónsul Titular del Consulado de México en New Brunswick, y destacados líderes de las comunidades Mexicanas y Latinas de Nueva Jersey.
“Nueva Jersey es hogar de una comunidad mexicana-americana fuerte y vibrante, por lo que quise abrir Drumthwacket—también conocida como la Casa del Pueblo—para celebrar el Día de Muertos y reconocer las valiosas contribuciones de los residentes Mexicanos y Latinos de nuestro estado,” dijo la Primera Dama Tammy Murphy. “El Día de Muertos es un momento especial para reunirse con amigos y familiares, reflexionar, conectarse con nuestros ancestros y recordar a nuestros seres queridos que han fallecido. Fue un honor conmemorar esta hermosa festividad y, al mirar el altar, Phil y yo realmente sentimos la presencia de nuestros seres queridos.”
En el Día de Muertos, las familias reciben las almas de sus familiares fallecidos para una breve reunión que incluye comida, bebida y celebración. Los miembros vivos de la familia tratan a los fallecidos como invitados de honor en sus celebraciones y dejan las comidas favoritas de los difuntos y otras ofrendas en las tumbas o en altares construidos en sus hogares.
Como parte del evento, la Sala de Música de Drumthwacket se transformó en un altar en honor a los seres queridos fallecidos del Gobernador y la Primera Dama, incluidos sus padres, hermanos, otros familiares y amigos.
La ofrenda fue decorada por Lilia Ríos y Francisco Del Toro, cofundadores de La Providencia, y estaba adornada con fotos, velas y cempasúchiles junto con comida para los difuntos.
“El altar de Día de Muertos en Drumthwacket es un reconocimiento a la comunidad mexicana de Nueva Jersey y una celebración de su rica cultura y valores. Agradezco a la Primera Dama Tammy Murphy por abrir las puertas de Drumthwacket por primera vez a la tradición mexicana de Día de Muertos y por permitirnos compartir con toda la comunidad este hermoso altar,” dijo Mariana Díaz Nagore, Cónsul Titular del Consulado de México en New Brunswick.
“Para nosotros en La Providencia ha sido un verdadero honor, orgullo y privilegio que el Gobernador y la primera dama hayan seleccionado nuestra empresa para llevar a cabo la primera celebración del Día de Muertos en la historia de la mansión del Gobernador. Esta conmemoración es, sin duda, un motivo de gran orgullo para México y los mexicanos, ya que simboliza la inclusión y la diversidad que este gobierno promueve, resaltando las tradiciones mexicanas a un nivel nunca antes alcanzado. Estamos profundamente agradecidos por la oportunidad de haber participado en este maravilloso evento y esperamos que sea el inicio de una larga serie de celebraciones en esta emblemática mansión,” dijo Lilia Ríos, cofundadora de La Providencia.
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sarah Elizabeth Wolfe, Professor, School of Environment and Sustainability, Royal Roads University
Death and destruction from climate crises — flooding, fires, hurricanes and heat.
Then there’s the multimedia firehose of tragic accidents, gruesome images from devastating wars, seemingly random local street violence, warnings of a Third World War and grim distress signals about the dangers of rising authoritarianism on the eve of the United States presidential election and the possible return to power of climate-change skeptic Donald Trump.
Combine these stressors with our own personal mortality reminders: that new grey hair, an unexpected medical diagnosis, the COVID-19 related deaths of our friends or colleagues, and we’re left grappling with surprising and unwelcome fear.
But trying to get through our days as mostly functional, civilized adults while paralyzed with fear about our unavoidable death isn’t optimal or sustainable. Thankfully, our brains have a hardwired, helpful strategy that’s explained by “terror management theory.”
Terror management researchers have shown that we all have predictable defences aimed at repressing our death awareness. Unfortunately, those defences can also contribute to destructive social forces.
Recognizing and understanding how these defences work is essential to making them less dangerous. These defences depend a lot on our pre-existing identities and whether death awareness operates within our conscious or subconscious mind.
When death fears are conscious, our defences include denial, rationalization, distraction and self-esteem-building , often via consumption or consumerism. We build ourselves up by gathering or protecting our resources — think negotiating higher incomes or trying to avoid paying taxes — and shopping for necessities to keep our families safe.
Read more:
Joe Biden’s refusal to step aside illustrates the political dangers of ‘death denial’
Death fears also trigger conspicuous consumption to signal our social status and bolster our self-esteem. In terror management theory, money is valued because money buys safety, and safety means the avoidance of death, at least for a little while longer.
When death fears are unconscious or just “background noise,” the situation gets more complex and problematic. Some of us will harden our identities and ideas about what we believe is right or just, what we are entitled to and with whom we’ll share resources, opportunities and power.
Sometimes we’ll show greater antagonism towards groups who are unlike us in looks or practice: immigrants, religious minorities or even international students. As these defences emerge and coalesce, we’ll blame “others” for both the big and small troubles we experience or perceive.
The result is increased social fragmentation and polarization rather than capitalizing on people’s diverse ideas, perspectives and experiences.
When mortality awareness is infused throughout a society — say, during a deadly pandemic or climate disasters — manipulating people’s death fears becomes a seductive route to power for authoritarians or would-be authoritarians like Trump.
Some people will become receptive to a charismatic figure’s promises of safety, rules, and a return to a better time.
German psychology professor Immo Fritsche and colleagues have identified clear evidence that climate change has increased authoritarian attitudes and support for authoritarian leadership styles.
Read more:
Time to freak out? How the existential terror of hurricanes can fuel climate change denial
Other researchers found that individuals who did not have prior authoritarian tendencies — after controlling for their political affiliation and ideology — expressed greater support for authoritarian leadership when they experienced mortality awareness.
In a subsequent study, Fritsche’s results were more dire: death awareness defences created “prejudice, stereotyping, aggression, and racism, which, in turn, can lead to the escalation of violent intergroup conflict and, thus, the escalation of war.”
While this trajectory isn’t guaranteed, ignoring the influence of mortality defences on social dynamics seems both short-sighted and foolish.
So, what can we do to avoid the worst outcomes of polarization, antagonism against marginalized and racialized communities, authoritarianism and potential violence?
Some good news: first, positive world views and identities can be strengthened even when we feel threatened by death. People who see the world as a collective, are willing to welcome others and work to maintain civil society may intensify their efforts when their mortality is salient. These people need to be supported and celebrated.
Second, a final defence against mortality fears is to build up our self-esteem through positive “hero projects.” Through these activities — philanthropy, raising children, works of art or literature, teaching, protest or activism for social change — we commit to an action that may not be in our immediate self-interest but we persist despite difficulties, discomfort and often daunting odds.
Read more:
How the altruistic response to far right riots reveals the innate goodness in human beings
In our hero projects, we may take less but give more, and direct our energy to outcomes that will, hopefully, benefit our communities long after we’re gone.
The authoritarians among us are already adept at manipulating our mortality fears for their own benefit. We can accept their preferred power trajectory, or we can recognize the influence of mortality fears and create alternatives in the days, weeks, months and years to come.
Sarah Elizabeth Wolfe gratefully acknowledges two decades of funding from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The author does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond her academic appointment.
– ref. Is Donald Trump preying on his supporters’ death fears? What terror management theory offers us – https://theconversation.com/is-donald-trump-preying-on-his-supporters-death-fears-what-terror-management-theory-offers-us-242568
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Hari Har Jnawali, Instructor, Global Governance, Wilfrid Laurier University
South Asian countries Bangladesh and India are using settler colonial policies as they resettle citizens in contested territories.
The intention is to reduce the demographic strength of ethnic minorities, minimize their influence over their ancestral lands and eliminate their demands for internal autonomy.
Population resettlement is the practice of relocating members of the ethnic-majority population to disputed ethnic territories to undermine ethnic solidarity and obtain territorial control over those regions.
Population resettlement was an integral part of European colonialism. European colonizers settled their people in countries like India, bought up large swaths of land, established institutions that served their interests and achieved the territorial domination of the countries they colonized.
But even following the decline of European colonialism, the inclination towards colonial policy has not decreased in South Asia. My preliminary research is finding that population resettlement has become a part of the region’s post-colonial playbook.
Over the years, South Asian countries have advanced population resettlement projects in their contested ethnic territories.
Nepal, for instance, launched its organized population resettlement program in 1961, relocating the Pahadi people from the hilly areas of the country to the Tarai lowlands, the contested homeland of the Madheshi, Tharu and Indigenous Peoples.
In the 1990s, nearby Bhutan evicted around a million Nepali-speaking ethnic Lhotsampas from its southern region and offered incentives to the majority Bhutanese people to settle in the area.
In 2019, the Indian government amended the country’s constitution to allow non-Kashmiri people from elsewhere in India to settle in India-administered Kashmir. The Muslim majority region has been divided into Indian, Pakistani and Chinese controlled areas for decades.
Read more:
India is using the G20 summit to further its settler-colonial ambitions in Kashmir
Kashmiris fear India is seeking more territorial control over the disputed region by changing its demographic makeup. Since 2019, it’s issued more than four million domicile certificates allowing outsiders to settle in Kashmir in an effort to expedite the settlement of the majority Hindu people in the region.
Pakistan hasn’t embarked on population resettlement to this scale, but its treatment of ethnic minorities is also troubling. The extreme oppression of ethnic groups in East Pakistan prompted Bengali minorities to fight for independence, leading to the formation of modern Bangladesh in 1971.
Bangladesh, in turn, continued Pakistan’s oppressive policies against its Indigenous minorities. Not only did it refuse to recognize Indigenous Peoples in its constitution, it also advanced the military-assisted population transfer programs in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, a region inhabited by Indigenous Peoples.
It provided the settlers with money, land, grain and arms to facilitate their settlements in Indigenous territory.
Currently, Sri Lanka has been resettling Sinhalese people to Tamil areas 14 years after the end of a devastating and prolonged civil war between Tamil separatists and the Sri Lankan state.
South Asian countries pursued these settlement policies as ethnic minorities — the Madheshis in Nepal, the Lhotshampas in Bhutan, the Kashmiris in Kashmir, the Paharis in Bangladesh and the Tamils in Sri Lanka — were demanding autonomy and self-determination in their ancestral territories.
The governments in these countries fear autonomy will eventually lead to secession. They’ve pursued settler colonial policies to resettle citizens in these regions to prevent that from happening.
Read more:
Canada-India crisis: India’s post-colonial era explains why it’s on edge about Sikh separatism
Despite official claims that resettlements foster greater economic development and inter-ethnic harmony, population relocation causes real harms to ethnic cohesion, solidarity and collective rights.
It suggests these South Asian governments have internalized colonialism, although they didn’t all share the same experiences with European colonialism.
India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka experienced direct British colonial occupation. While Nepal and Bhutan were not under direct colonial rule, they had indirect encounters with the British.
Nepal faced threats to its territorial integrity from the British government and fought against the potential encroachment during the Anglo-Nepal War of 1814-1816. It signed a humiliating treaty with the British government and ceded its sovereign rights over some of its territories.
Bhutan signed a treaty in 1910, allowing the British government to oversee its external affairs.
South Asian countries emulated the settler colonial mentalities of their former colonizers and are resorting to practices that hurt the marginalized communities living within their national borders.
Governments often insist they’ve adopted resettlement projects to enhance economic growth, development and inter-ethnic harmony. However, it is often ethnic minorities who are displaced and face threats to their cultures, traditions and languages. The displacement of Indigenous Paharis in Bangladesh is a glaring example.
Granting autonomy to ethnic minorities that would allow them to exercise their right to self-determination internally could prevent these human rights violations, but some South Asian governments have not taken this route.
Instead, they’re opting to move non-ethnic minority citizens into ethnic territories.
In an era when inclusion has become something aspirational in many countries, this colonial population resettlement practice is likely to hurt the credibility and reputations of South Asian states — and probably won’t end well. The nationalist dreams and aspirations of ethnic minorities don’t vanish in the face of adversity; quite the contrary.
Hari Har Jnawali receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada to work on the project “Population Resettlements in Ethnic Territories of South Asia: Why and How States Pursue Internal Colonialism?”
– ref. How some South Asian countries are embracing colonialism by moving citizens to disputed areas – https://theconversation.com/how-some-south-asian-countries-are-embracing-colonialism-by-moving-citizens-to-disputed-areas-242361
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Dominique Charron, Visiting Scholar in One Health, University of Guelph
(Shutterstock)
November 3 is World One Health Day. One Health brings all parts of society and governments together to tackle joint problems of human, animal, plant and ecosystem health.
Canada needs a One Health plan now to better face worsening climate change, accelerating biodiversity loss, pandemic threats, and threats from superbugs resistant to antibiotics. Canada’s actions on these issues are reactive rather than preventive, and aren’t well co-ordinated or funded. This undermines our readiness and response.
One Health is based on an understanding that our health and that of animals, plants and ecosystems are interdependent. It presents a way to promote the health of all and to navigate the inevitable trade-offs.
A look to our southern border highlights the urgency for action. On March 25, a strain of Avian Influenza A:H5N1 virus that had caused outbreaks in wild birds and poultry in Canada and the United States since 2021, suddenly infected dairy cows in Texas.
The virus had never been reported in cows before. Its detection was slow and too little was done to stop the spread. As of Nov. 1, H5N1 had spread quickly to 404 dairy farms across 14 states, costing millions in lost milk production and spilling back into poultry and wildlife, killing millions more birds.
It is concerning that H5N1 has also infected at least 39 people, primarily farm workers, fortunately causing only mild symptoms.
Canada’s response to the outbreak ramped up after H5N1 reports in U.S. dairy cows. No cases of H5N1 have yet been detected in Canadian cows, but there is need for vigilance because of ongoing H5N1 outbreaks across North America. Authorities in both countries have confirmed that pasteurized milk products are safe.
Read more:
U.S. has found H5N1 flu virus in milk — here’s why the risk to humans is likely low
H5N1 is a growing threat because it infects many species, including seals, mink, bears, foxes, coyotes, dogs and cats. Influenza viruses that jump species pose a greater pandemic threat because of the mixing that may occur when different influenza viruses infect the same animal or person. This can produce new, more severe strains of human flu.
No one wants to face another pandemic. Canada’s actions to keep ahead of this threat would be enhanced by national One Health planning and co-ordination.
National One Health plans of other countries, like Rwanda, Thailand and Bangladesh, have been shown to help prevent human and animal disease outbreaks. Global Affairs Canada and the International Development Research Centre have invested $40 million since 2021 to support One Health internationally, including in hotspots of disease emergence.
The U.S. has a One Health Act and recently launched its national co-ordination platform. However, Canada has just begun this work at home. Canada created a high level steering committee to oversee the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Time and effort were taken to involve federal, provincial and territorial agencies, Indigenous people, civil society and researchers to arrive at an inclusive framework with the right objectives, responsibilities and outputs. It’s an ideal model for a new Canadian One Health action plan.
Canada has a mixed track record of working across sectors, whether to fight past outbreaks of Mad Cow Disease, avian or swine flu, or co-ordinating actions by people from different departments and agencies on H5N1 or COVID-19 today. There are problems: nationally, collaboration is informal and focused on single issues, more reactive than preventive, and not supported by any overarching plan, decision-making structure or resources to ensure consistent, ongoing co-operation across threats and issues.
The risks of not putting these measures in place include information not reaching decision-makers, resources and expertise not being used optimally, trade-offs being misread by other agencies or partners, duplication and gaps, and too little getting done to prevent health threats.
There is guidance. In 2021, the World Health Organization, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, UN Environment, and the World Organisation for Animal Health agreed to work together on a One Health Joint Plan of Action and implementation guidance.
With gender equality, inclusiveness and equity, and the importance of local and traditional knowledge at the fore, countries should start implementing One Health by assessing capacities and programs already in place, setting up and funding national co-ordination, setting priorities for action, then producing and putting into action their national plan.
Canada should mirror what it has done to manage antibiotic-resistant microbes by developing and governing our own national One Health action plan, similar to the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance.
It needs to engage Indigenous perspectives and knowledge to strengthen One Health prevention, readiness and response capabilities. A national One Health action plan, and the co-ordination and resources to go with it, could help Canada achieve other goals — such as the National Climate Adaptation Strategy, biodiversity commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Protocol, and the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on Anti-Microbial Resistance — and to collaborate more effectively with other countries on shared issues.
Without a national One Health plan, Canada risks being vulnerable to new threats (including pandemics), investing too little in prevention and having a suboptimal response. It’s time for Canada’s One Health action plan.
This article was co-authored by Andrea Ellis, DVM, MSc., a consultant currently supporting One Health work with the World Organisation for Animal Health. She is the former Senior Veterinary Advisor to the Chief Veterinary Officer and World Organisation for Animal Health Delegate for Canada.
Dominique Charron is affiliated with the McEachran Institute and START.org. She is a member of the One Health High Level Expert Panel that advises the World Health Organization, UN Food and Agriculture Organization, UN Environment, and World Organisation for Animal Health. She is a former Vice-President, Programs and Partnerships, of the International Development Research Centre.
Cate Dewey is currently working on a community One Health project in Rwanda. The project is managed by Veterinarians without Borders, North America and is funded by Global Affairs Canada
– ref. Without a One Health plan, Canada is vulnerable to future pandemics – https://theconversation.com/without-a-one-health-plan-canada-is-vulnerable-to-future-pandemics-242378