Source: United States Air Force
Headline: CSAF, CMSAF kickoff INDO-PACIFIC trip to engage allies and partners
Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi began a week-long tour of the U.S. Pacific Air Force’s area of responsibility following a brief stop at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
Source: NASA
While in Milan for international meetings, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson was among the witnesses as Estonia signed the Artemis Accords and became the 45th nation to join the United States and other signatories agreeing to the safe, transparent, and responsible exploration of the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
The signing ceremony took place ahead of Italy hosting the 75th International Astronautical Congress beginning Monday, Oct. 14, where government and space officials from signatory countries will discuss advancing implementation of the Artemis Accords, among other topics.
“We welcome Estonia’s signing of the Artemis Accords, which will open the door for more international collaboration,” said Nelson. “This decision also strengthens our family of nations, united by a common cause, and builds on our commitment to explore space for the benefit of humanity under the sound principles of the accords.”
Erkki Keldo, Estonia’s minister of economy and industry, signed the Artemis Accords. Rahima Kandahari, deputy assistant secretary for the U.S. State Department and Lisa Campbell, CSA (Canadian Space Agency) president, also participated in the event.
“Estonia is well known as the leading country in e-governance, and it is a great honor for us to enter a next level in space exploration, said Keldo. “We are more than interested to share our knowledge with the global space community to make future collaboration in space exploration a success for humankind. I am sure that joining the Artemis Accords will open attractive opportunities to Estonian enterprises too, to share their valuable knowledge and competences.”
In 2020, the United States and seven other nations were the first to sign the Artemis Accords, which identified an early set of principles promoting the beneficial use of space for humanity. The accords are grounded in the Outer Space Treaty and other agreements including the Registration Convention, the Rescue and Return Agreement, as well as best practices and norms of responsible behavior that NASA and its partners have supported, including the public release of scientific data.
The commitments of the Artemis Accords and efforts by the signatories to advance implementation of these principles support the safe and sustainable exploration of space. More countries are expected to sign in the coming weeks and months.
Learn more about the Artemis Accords at:
https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-accords
-end-
Meira Bernstein / Elizabeth ShawHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1600meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / elizabeth.a.shaw@nasa.gov
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced the appointment of Mike Savage as the new Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.
Mike Savage is a respected former parliamentarian, mayor, and business leader with a lifelong commitment to serving the people of Nova Scotia. He was the Member of Parliament for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour for seven years and the Mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality for 12 years. Throughout his career, he has been a champion for social inclusion and disability rights, economic growth and affordability, and climate change action and mitigation.
The Prime Minister thanks the outgoing Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc, for his service to the people of Nova Scotia and to Canada.
“I congratulate Mike Savage on his appointment as the new Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. He is a passionate public servant and an experienced leader, and I am confident that he will continue to serve Nova Scotians well and make important contributions in his new role.”
Source: United States Department of Defense
At the direction of the President, Secretary Austin authorized the deployment of a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and associated crew of U.S. military personnel to Israel to help bolster Israel’s air defenses following Iran’s unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on October 1. The THAAD Battery will augment Israel’s integrated air defense system. This action underscores the United States’ ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel, and to defend Americans in Israel, from any further ballistic missile attacks by Iran. It is part of the broader adjustments the U.S. military has made in recent months, to support the defense of Israel and protect Americans from attacks by Iran and Iranian-aligned militias.
This is not the first time the United States has deployed a THAAD battery to the region. The President directed the military to deploy a THAAD battery to the Middle East last year following the October 7th attacks to defend American troops and interests in the region. The United States previously deployed a THAAD battery to Israel in 2019 for training and an integrated air defense exercise.
Source: NASA
Find details about the launch sequences for the orbiter, which is targeting an Oct. 14 liftoff on its mission to search for ingredients of life at Jupiter’s moon Europa.
In less than 24 hours, NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft is slated to launch from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket. Its sights are set on Jupiter’s ice-encased moon Europa, which the spacecraft will fly by 49 times, coming as close as 16 miles (25 kilometers) from the surface as it searches for ingredients of life.
Launch is set for 12:06 p.m. EDT on Monday, Oct. 14, with additional opportunities through Nov 6. Each opportunity is instantaneous, meaning there is only one exact time per day when launch can occur. Plans to launch Europa Clipper on Oct. 10 were delayed due to impacts of Hurricane Milton.
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NASA’s Europa Clipper is the first mission dedicated to studying Jupiter’s icy moon Europa, one of the most promising places in our solar system to find an environment suitable for life outside of Earth.
With its massive solar arrays extended, Europa Clipper could span a basketball court (100 feet, or 30.5 meters, tip to tip). In fact, it’s the largest spacecraft NASA has ever built for a planetary mission. The journey to Jupiter is a long one — 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers) — and rather than taking a straight path there, Europa Clipper will loop around Mars and then Earth, gaining speed as it swings past.
The spacecraft will begin orbiting Jupiter in April 2030, and in 2031 it will start making those 49 science-focused flybys of Europa while looping around the gas giant. The orbit is designed to maximize the science Europa Clipper can conduct and minimize exposure to Jupiter’s notoriously intense radiation.
But, of course, before any of that can happen, the spacecraft has to leave Earth behind. The orbiter’s solar arrays are folded and stowed for launch. Testing is complete on the spacecraft’s various systems and its payload of nine science instruments and a gravity science investigation. Loaded with over 6,060 pounds (2,750 kilograms) of the propellant that will get Europa Clipper to Jupiter, the spacecraft has been encapsulated in the protective nose cone, or payload fairing, atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, which is poised for takeoff from historic Launch Complex 39A.
Launch Sequences
The Falcon Heavy has two stages and two side boosters. After the side boosters separate, the core stage will be expended into the Atlantic Ocean. Then the second stage of the rocket, which will help Europa Clipper escape Earth’s gravity, will fire its engine.
Once the rocket is out of Earth’s atmosphere, about 50 minutes after launch, the payload fairing will separate from its ride, split into two halves, and fall safely back to Earth, where it will be recovered and reused. The spacecraft will then separate from the upper stage about an hour after launch. Stable communication with the spacecraft is expected by about 19 minutes after separation from the rocket, but it could take somewhat longer.
About three hours after launch, Europa Clipper will deploy its pair of massive solar arrays, one at a time, and direct them at the Sun.
Mission controllers will then begin to reconfigure the spacecraft into its planned operating mode. The ensuing three months of initial checkout include a commissioning phase to confirm that all hardware and software is operating as expected.
While Europa Clipper is not a life-detection mission, it will tell us whether Europa is a promising place to pursue an answer to the fundamental question about our solar system and beyond: Are we alone?
Scientists suspect that the ingredients for life — water, chemistry, and energy — could exist at the moon Europa right now. Previous missions have found strong evidence of an ocean beneath the moon’s thick icy crust, potentially with twice as much liquid water as all of Earth’s oceans combined. Europa may be home to organic compounds, which are essential chemical building blocks for life. Europa Clipper will help scientists confirm whether organics are there, and also help them look for evidence of energy sources under the moon’s surface.
More About Europa Clipper
Europa Clipper’s three main science objectives are to determine the thickness of the moon’s icy shell and its interactions with the ocean below, to investigate its composition, and to characterize its geology. The mission’s detailed exploration of Europa will help scientists better understand the astrobiological potential for habitable worlds beyond our planet.
Managed by Caltech in Pasadena, California, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory leads the development of the Europa Clipper mission in partnership with the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. APL designed the main spacecraft body in collaboration with JPL and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland; NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama; and NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. The Planetary Missions Program Office at Marshall executes program management of the Europa Clipper mission.
NASA’s Launch Services Program, based at Kennedy, manages the launch service for the Europa Clipper spacecraft, which will launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.
Find more information about Europa here:
europa.nasa.gov
News Media Contacts
Meira Bernstein / Karen FoxNASA Headquarters, Washington202-358-1600meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / karen.c.fox@nasa.gov
Gretchen McCartneyJet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.818-287-4115gretchen.p.mccartney@jpl.nasa.gov
2024-139
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: FEMA Assistance Tops $50 Million for Illinoisans Affected by Mid-July Severe Storms
FEMA Assistance Tops $50 Million for Illinoisans Affected by Mid-July Severe Storms
SPRINGFIELD – Just under a month since President Joe Biden declared a major disaster for the state of Illinois, FEMA assistance for households affected by the July 13 -16 severe storms, tornadoes, straight-line winds and flooding tops $50.6 million. These grants help pay for uninsured and underinsured losses and storm-related damage, including:
More than $1.6 million in long-term, low-interest disaster loans has been approved by the U.S. Small Business Administration for homeowners and renters to help repair, rebuild or replace disaster-damaged physical property and to cover economic injury for businesses of all sizes and non-profit organizations.
Homeowners and renters with July 13 – 16 storm damage to their home or personal property in the seven designated counties including, Cook, Fulton, Henry, St. Clair, Washington, Will and Winnebago, have until the November 19 deadline to apply for disaster assistance from FEMA and U.S. Small Business Administration.
Apply for FEMA assistance several ways:
Learn more about SBA disaster assistance at http://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance. Visit http://www.fema.gov/disaster/4819 for more information about the disaster recovery in Illinois.
kimberly.keblish
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Barbara Lee 13th District of California
WASHINGTON — U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee (CA-12), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), James P. McGovern (MA-02), and Greg Casar (TX-35) today issued the following statement following press reports regarding possible U.S. participation in an offensive strike on Iran:
“Let us be clear: we strongly condemn Iran’s reprehensible launch of ballistic missiles into Israel. Military force will not solve the challenge posed by Iran. We need meaningful de-escalation and diplomacy—not a wider war. Addressing the root causes are the only route to achieving long-term security and stability in the region. Nothing in current law authorizes the United States to conduct offensive military action against Iran. We risk becoming entangled in another catastrophic war that will inevitably harm innocent civilians and may cost billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars.
“As progressives, we have been consistent in our support for diplomacy and following the law in complying with congressional war powers. We supported President Obama’s landmark nuclear diplomacy, which successfully limited Iran’s nuclear program multilaterally before it was sabotaged by President Trump’s misguided ‘maximum pressure’ strategy. Similarly, we rejected Trump’s reckless push for war and passed bipartisan legislation through both chambers of Congress to prevent unauthorized U.S. force against Iran, following the reckless assassination of Iranian General Soleimani.”
Source: US State of Pennsylvania
October 14, 2024 – Pittsburgh, PA
Governor Josh Shapiro and PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll will visit the Neville Island Bridge to celebrate recently completed repairs to keep the I-79 bridge over Neville Island in good condition – and Pennsylvania’s historic progress in repairing the most poor-condition bridges of any state last year. Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has secured more than $300 million in new state infrastructure funding to maintain Pennsylvania’s roads and bridges.
WHO:
Governor Josh Shapiro
Sec. Mike Carroll
Congressman Chris Deluzio
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato
Senator Wayne Fontana
Representative Anita Kulik
Matt Smith, Chief Growth Officer, Allegheny Conference on Community Development
Joe Slezak, Company Labor Foreman, Trumbull
WHEN:
Monday, October 14, 2024, at 1:45 PM
WHERE:
Neville Island Bridge
5605 Grand Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15225
LIVE STREAM:
pacast.com/live/gov
governor.pa.gov/live/
RSVP:
Press who are interested in attending must RSVP with the names and phone numbers for each member of their team to ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov. Directions to the specific location will be sent to those who RSVP.
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Barnwell, Lexington Counties
Disaster Recovery Centers Open in Barnwell, Lexington Counties
Disaster Recovery Centers are open in Barnwell and Lexington counties to provide in-person assistance to South Carolinians affected by Hurricane Helene. These locations join the center previously opened in Greenville County.
Center location: Barnwell County
Barnwell Regional Airport
155 State Road S-6-398
Barnwell, S.C. 29812
Hours of Operation: Open Oct. 13–15 from 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
Center location: Lexington County
Batesburg-Leesville Fire Station
537 W. Church St.
Batesburg, SC 29006
Hours of Operation: Open Oct. 13–16 from 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
Center location: Greenville County
Freetown Community Center
200 Alice Ave.
Greenville, SC 29611
Hours of Operation: Open daily from 8 a.m.–7 p.m.
Additional Disaster Recovery Centers will open soon in other affected areas. You can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA, the state of South Carolina and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. To find other center locations, go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362.
Homeowners and renters in Abbeville, Aiken, Allendale, Anderson, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Cherokee, Chester, Edgefield, Fairfield, Greenville, Greenwood, Hampton, Jasper, Kershaw, Laurens, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Oconee, Orangeburg, Pickens, Richland, Saluda, Spartanburg, Union and York counties and tribal members of the Catawba Indian Nation can apply for federal assistance.
The quickest way to apply is to go online to DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA App for mobile devices or calling toll-free 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in many languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.
FEMA programs are accessible to survivors with disabilities and others with access and functional needs.
kwei.nwaogu
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: Biden-Harris Administration Approves $825 Million to Helene Survivors and Communities, President Biden and Administrator Criswell Travel to Florida
Biden-Harris Administration Approves $825 Million to Helene Survivors and Communities, President Biden and Administrator Criswell Travel to Florida
FEMA received over 250,000 applications for assistance in one day, making it the busiest day in the agency’s history for registrations
WASHINGTON – FEMA remains fully committed to assisting survivors affected by Helene and Milton as response teams work tirelessly to address immediate needs.
Today, President Biden and FEMA Administrator Criswell traveled to St. Petersburg, Florida to visit areas impacted by Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene. On Friday, in response to Milton, President Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Florida, unlocking federal funds for survivors in 34 counties for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. Survivors also have access to Serious Needs Assistance, for essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication and other emergency supplies.
Yesterday, FEMA experienced a record-breaking day with over 250,000 applications, making it the busiest day in FEMA history for registrations inclusive of all storms. Applying online at disasterassistance.gov is the best way to apply for assistance.
Throughout the Southeast, over 9,600 total federal personnel are deployed, including 4,100 FEMA personnel on the ground, working closely with state officials to ensure survivors receive the support they need. As of today, FEMA has approved $474 million in assistance for individuals and communities affected and over $351 million for debris removal and activities to save lives, protect public health and safety and prevent damage to public and private property.
While Hurricane Milton has passed, people in Milton-affected areas should continue following safety guidance from local officials – stay clear of downed power lines and continue to practice power outage and generator safety.
Power Restoration: Power restoration efforts have significantly improved across the region following Hurricane Milton. Crews have continued to work around the clock and have restored over 71% of the power outages.
Debris: FEMA is currently working with state and local officials on debris removal plans for areas affected by the storms. Residents should pay attention to local guidance related to debris removal in their area.
Staffing: More than 800 FEMA staff are on the ground providing support to affected communities. FEMA mobilized search and rescue teams, disaster response units and vital resources across Florida. Urban Search and Rescue continues to support state search and rescue teams, the National Guard, and local authorities. Federal teams supplemented the state’s critical operations such as water rescues, Emergency Operations Center support, volunteer and donations management and fire/HAZMAT response.
Sheltering: Over 40 shelters are currently housing over 2,700 people impacted by Milton, a significant decrease from nearly 13,000 earlier in the week.
Commodities: FEMA has delivered more than 1.2 million meals and 392,000 liters of water to augment the state’s supplies. FEMA has an additional 7.2 million meals and 4 million liters of water available to support survivors of Hurricane Milton, ensuring critical supplies are ready for immediate distribution.
FEMA has approved $474 million in federal disaster assistance for Hurricane Helene survivors and over $351 million in public assistance funding to help communities rebuild.
Hurricane Helene recovery efforts continue, with federal responders working throughout the region to provide immediate and long-term support. FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are open across the region to provide support.
The agency is actively working alongside state, local and tribal partners to assess damage and support those affected by Helene. Over 9,600 personnel from across the federal workforce, including FEMA staff, are deployed to affected communities. To date, FEMA has delivered over 12.6 million meals and more than 12.8 million liters of water to the region.
Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. People with damage to their homes or personal property who live in the designated areas should apply for assistance, which may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for Helene.
There are three ways to apply for FEMA assistance:
Financial Support: FEMA has approved more than $86 million in housing and other types of assistance for over 66,800 households.
Power and Cellular Restoration: More than 96% of originally reported power outages have been restored. Cellular restoration continues to improve, with more than 93% of cellular sites in service as of today.
Staffing: As response efforts continue in North Carolina, more than 1,250 FEMA staff are on the ground providing support to affected communities. Over 350 Urban Search and Rescue personnel remain in the field helping people. These teamshave rescued or supported over 3,100 survivors to date.
Sheltering: More than 2,225 families who cannot return home are staying in safe and clean lodging through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. Under FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, residents in declared counties who have applied for disaster assistance may be eligible to stay temporarily in a hotel or motel paid for by FEMA while they work on their long-term housing plan. FEMA will notify applicants of their eligibility for this assistance through an automated phone call, text message, and/or email, depending upon the method of communication they selected at the time of application for disaster assistance. Shelter numbers continue to decline, with 14 shelters housing just over 500 occupants.
Commodities: Commodity distribution, mass feeding, and hydration operations remain in areas of western North Carolina. Voluntary organizations are supporting feeding operations with bulk food and water deliveries coming via truck and aircraft. Mobile feeding operations are helping survivors in heavily affected areas, including mass feeding sites in Buncombe and Watauga counties serving locations across the impacted areas.
As Helene recovery efforts continue in Florida, FEMA has approved more than $164 million for over 53,700 households. FEMA specialists are canvassing Florida communities affected by Helene to help survivors apply for assistance. Additionally, FEMA inspectors are visiting applicants’ homes to verify disaster-caused damage.
There are 82 FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance members going into neighborhoods, and three Disaster Recovery Centers are open where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Additional centers will reopen following assessments to the facilities impacted by Milton. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
Residents in need of information or resources should call the State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-342-3557. English, Spanish and Creole speakers are available to answer questions.
As recovery efforts continue in South Carolina, FEMA has approved over $114 million for more than 129,500 households. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties, continuing to help survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connect them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources.
There are 76 Disaster Survivor Assistance members going into neighborhoods, and one Disaster Recovery Center is open where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
Residents with questions on Helene can call the state’s toll-free hotline, open 24 hours a day, at 1-866-246-0133.
Residents who are dependent on medical equipment at home and who are without power due to Helene may be eligible for a medical needs shelter. Call the state’s Department of Public Health Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for more information.
FEMA has approved over $94 million for more than 99,800 households. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties helping survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connecting them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources.
There are 129 Disaster Survivor Assistance members going into neighborhoods, and two Disaster Recovery Centers are open with another opening today where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
Resources: Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene.
To date, FEMA has approved over $3.9 million for over 1,220 households. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties, helping survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connecting them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources.
There are about 40 Disaster Survivor Assistance members going into neighborhoods, and three Disaster Recovery Centers open where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.
Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at: Recover – Hurricane Helene | VDEM (vaemergency.gov)
FEMA has approved more than $10 million for disaster assistance for over 2,036 households. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties, helping survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connecting them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources.
There are more than 40 Disaster Survivor Assistance members going into neighborhoods to connect with survivors without cell coverage or power.
Counties continue to establish donation centers. For the evolving list, visit TEMA’s website.
Voluntary organizations are also providing personnel and resources to the hardest hit areas. The American Red Cross has hundreds of trained disaster workers providing comfort and operating shelters. Additionally, they are helping find loved ones through their helpline 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by the Red Cross Hurricane Helene Reunification page where people can enter pertinent information about the person they’re looking for. If someone is missing a child related to this disaster or any other incident, they need to call 9-1-1 and then 1-800-THE-LOST to receive assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
FEMA remains steadfast in its mission to support survivors as they begin their recovery from these historic storms. The agency will continue to work with federal, state, and local partners to ensure the safety and well-being of those impacted by Milton and Helene.
amy.ashbridge
Source: NASA
4 min read
Earth planning date: Friday, Oct. 11, 2024
This blogger is in the United Kingdom, just north of London, where we yesterday had beautiful night skies with a red aurora that was even visible with the unaided eye, and looked stunning on photographs. That reminded me of the solar storm that made it all the way to Mars earlier this year. Here is my colleague Deborah’s blog about it: “Aurora Watch on Mars.” And, of course, that was a great opportunity to do atmospheric science and prepare for future crewed missions, to assess radiation that future astronauts might encounter. You can read about it in the article, “NASA Watches Mars Light Up During Epic Solar Storm.” But now, back from shiny red night skies north of London, and auroras on Mars six months ago, to today’s planning!
Power — always a negotiation! Today, I was the Science Operations Working Group chair, the one who has to watch for the more technical side of things, such as the question if all the activities will fit into the plan. Today there were many imaging ideas to capture the stunning landscape in detail with Mastcam and very close close-ups with the long-distance imaging capability of ChemCam (RMI). Overall, we have two long-distance RMIs in the plan to capture the details of the ridge we are investigating. You can see in the accompanying image an example from last sol of just how many stunning details we can see. I so want to go and pick up that smooth white-ish looking rock to find out if it is just the light that makes it so bright, or if the surface is different from the underside… but that’s just me, a mineralogist by training, used to wandering around a field site! Do you notice the different patterns — textures as we call them in geology — on the rocks to the left of that white-ish rock and the right of it? So much stunning detail, and we are getting two more RMI observations of 10 frames each in today’s plan! In addition there are more than 80 Mastcam frames planned. Lots of images to learn from!
Chemistry is also featuring in the plan. The rover is stable on its wheels, which means we can get the arm out and do an APXS measurement on the target “Midnight Lake,” which MAHLI also images. The LIBS investigations are seconding the APXS investigation on Midnight Lake, and add another target to the plan, “Pyramidal Pinnacle.” On the third sol there is an AEGIS, the LIBS measurement where the rover picks its own target before we here on Earth even see where it is! Power was especially tight today, because the CheMin team does some housekeeping, in particular looking at empty cells in preparation for the next drill. The atmosphere team adds many investigations to look out for dust devils and the dustiness of the atmosphere, and APXS measures the argon content of the atmosphere. This is a measure for the seasonal changes of the atmosphere, as argon is an inert gas that does not react with other components of the atmosphere. It is only controlled by the temperature in various places of the planet — mainly the poles. DAN continues to monitor water in the subsurface, and RAD — prominently featured during the solar storm I was talking about earlier — continues to collect data on the radiation environment.
Let’s close with a fun fact from planning today: During one of the meetings, the rover drivers were asked, “Are you driving backwards again?” … and the answer was yes! The reason: We need to make sure that in this rugged terrain, with its many interesting walls (interesting for the geologists!), the antenna can still see Earth when we want to send the plan. So the drive on sol 4332 is all backwards. I am glad we have hazard cameras on the front and the back of the vehicle!
Written by Susanne Schwenzer, Planetary Geologist at The Open University
Source: US State of Minnesota
Today, Governor Tim Walz and Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan celebrated the twelfth annual Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener in Sleepy Eye and Brown County. The weekend included a public lands celebration, community gathering, hunters’ breakfast, and a post-hunt lunch.
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: President Joseph R. Biden and FEMA Administrator Tour Damage in St. Petersburg Post Hurricanes
President Joseph R. Biden and FEMA Administrator Tour Damage in St. Petersburg Post Hurricanes
Today, President Joseph R. Biden and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell met with federal, state and local officials as well as survivors to receive a briefing on the recovery efforts and tour the damage in areas of Florida impacted by two hurricanes less than a week apart.
Throughout the Southeast, over 9,600 total federal personnel are deployed, including 4,100 FEMA personnel on the ground in Florida, working closely with state officials to ensure survivors receive the support they need.
On Friday, Oct. 11, the President approved a major disaster declaration for 34 counties in Florida following Hurricane Milton. President Biden previously approved federal disaster assistance in six states affected by Helene. This opens up federal help for survivors in designated areas in Florida, Georgia North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. FEMA reported a record-breaking day on Oct. 12 with more than 250,000 applications received for disaster assistance.
Those affected by Hurricane Milton can now start to register for disaster assistance. In addition, Hurricane Helene survivors—who to date have been approved for over $474 million in federal disaster assistance—can also continue to apply for assistance.
FEMA encourages individuals to apply online as this remains the best way to apply for disaster assistance. The three ways to apply include visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 800-621-3362 or using the FEMA App. Survivors may receive funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.
These photos highlight response and recovery efforts across states impacted by Helene and Milton.
St. Petersburgh, Fla – President Biden and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell met with community members, local, state, federal officials and disaster survivors to talk about the ongoing Hurricane Milton recovery efforts.
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Smyth County, Va. (Oct. 10, 2024) – A FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Specialist leaves a flyer with information on applying for disaster assistance after Hurricane Helene at a home in Smyth County, Va., on Oct. 10.
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FEMA’s Disaster Multimedia Toolkit page provides graphics, social media copy and sample text in multiple languages. In addition, FEMA has set up a rumor control web page to reduce confusion about its role in the Helene response. Visit Hurricane Rumor Response.
amy.ashbridge
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
People visit a historical and cultural street in Xixiu District of Anshun City, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, Oct. 2, 2024. (Photo by Chen Xi/Xinhua)
With neon lights sparkling against the night sky, a group of models, clad in vibrantly colored and intricately crafted costumes of ethnic minorities, sauntered down the catwalk, each step met with raucous applause.
This fashion show featuring intangible cultural heritage is the first of its kind held on Qilou Old Street, a national historical and cultural street in Haikou, Hainan Province, south China.
Both professional and amateur models walked the show, including Pan Yuzhen, in her seventies, a well-known inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Miao embroidery of the Miao ethnic group who had been a guest on the fashion stage in London and Paris.
“This is my first time in Haikou, and I like it very much,” said Pan, adding that she was happy to have the opportunity to promote the intangible cultural heritage of her people.
The performance, which integrated tradition with modernity, serves as a microcosm of how localities explored creative approaches to better meet the surging cultural and tourism demand during the National Day holiday ending earlier this week.
Official data showed that 765 million domestic trips were made during the just-concluded holiday, up 5.9 percent year on year, with total tourist spending rising 6.3 percent to 700.8 billion yuan (about 99.1 billion U.S. dollars).
People’s interest in traditional cultural attractions was reflected in the travel boom, with many flocking to historical sites over the vacation period. During the week-long holiday, the demand for taxi services to tourist attractions like ancient cities and towns soared by 111 percent compared to the pre-holiday period, according to data from Didi Chuxing, a popular ride-hailing platform in China.
With multiple scenic spots featured in the Chinese hit video game “Black Myth: Wukong,” north China’s Shanxi province was experiencing a boom in tourists even before the holiday kicked off.
In response to the travel peak, the local government and businesses intensified efforts to provide better services for all visitors. “Many local temples that were not accessible for hundreds of years are open to the public this time,” said a travel vlogger in her video on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok.
As treasure troves of history and culture, museums have also been gaining popularity among the Chinese in recent years, with 1.29 billion visits to nationwide museums in 2023, surpassing the figures of previous years, data from Chinese authorities revealed.
Aside from traditional hotspots, lower-profile cities and counties started to rank among the top travel destinations, as an increasing number of people, especially the youth from first-tier cities, prefer to spend their leisure time in less crowded areas.
Data from Ctrip, a leading online travel agency, noted that tourism orders to counties during the National Day holiday grew by 20 percent compared to the same period last year.
While venturing to different places, many tourists picked up cultural and creative products as mementos of their trips, and more thoughtfully designed items have started to make their way to market.
This summer, a plush toy modeled after roujiamo, which is sometimes called the “Chinese hamburger,” went viral among visitors to Xi’an in northwest China’s Shaanxi province. A purchase was combined with learning to make this local street food, which has been hailed as a new, enticing experience. The toy has proved popular far and wide, with more than 10,000 orders made within three months, with people living as far away as New York and Sydney managing to snag one.
Such consumption frenzy is evident across various cultural activities, including movies, concerts, music festivals and sporting events, with many willing to travel long distances for the experience.
Mo Zhenqi, from south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, took his child to Rongjiang County, the birthplace of the Guizhou Village Super League, also known as “Cun Chao” in southwest China’s Guizhou Province. They came to watch friendly soccer matches featuring international players from countries including Brazil. He felt “extremely excited” about the fierce competition on the field, the wonderful song and dance performance, and the enthusiastic atmosphere.
Tourists like Mo revved up the county’s holiday economy, as the holiday week witnessed nearly 500,000 trips to Rongjiang County, with over 600 million yuan in tourism revenue, an increase of nearly 22 percent year on year.
“The booming cultural and tourism industry could play a more important part in upgrading the economy, boosting consumption, and meeting people’s needs for a better life,” said Miao Muyang, an official with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sasha Grishin, Adjunct Professor of Art History, Australian National University
OA_RR, 2016-2017 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia Photo Kate Shanasy
Is Reko Rennie Australia’s equivalent of Keith Haring? Both Rennie, a Melbourne-based Aboriginal artist who celebrates the heritage the Kamilaroi people of northern New South Wales, and Haring, the American pop art great, emerged out of an urban graffiti culture.
Both create a widely recognisable visual language that has a striking vitality, sense of authenticity and a pulsating vibrancy. Both are deeply autobiographical artists who created a visual code through which to share their personal histories.
Rennie is an interdisciplinary artist who seamlessly moves between video, printmaking, sculpture, painting and neon art. With more than a hundred works on display, drawn from the artist’s two-decade-long career, this is the first significant retrospective of his art.
Rennie possesses the gift of creating memorable images that are simultaneously puzzling, intriguing and entertaining. On entering the gallery, you encounter a 1973 Rolls-Royce Corniche decorated with the strange camouflage colours that reoccur throughout Rennie’s art. The physical car is accompanied by a three-channel video work with a Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds soundtrack.
Although born in Footscray in Melbourne, the artist’s grandmother Julia, who belonged to the Stolen Generation in the 1920s and was enslaved on a pastoral station, raised him and imparted to him his Kamilaroi heritage. In his youth, Rennie saw a photograph of a pastoralist and his wife dressed up for Sunday church and seated in their luxury Rolls-Royce car. At the time, he reflected on the poverty his grandmother would have experienced while working on a pastoral station.
The markings he made on the car, that are layered with a traditional diamond pattern of the Kamilaroi people, claim ownership over the vehicle. Inside it is a photograph of his grandmother. In the video, with a setting sun as a backdrop, Rennie drives the car down dirt tracks to his home country and, in something resembling burnouts, he makes traditional sand engravings with the tyres of the car. The work is poignant, evocative and becomes quickly embedded in your memory.
The piece references an earlier one, with a pink 1973 Holden Monaro. In that video, the car performs a series of burnouts and doughnuts, the traditional initiation ceremony with Westie drag-racing culture of suburbia into which the artist was born. This is in contrast with the initiation practices and traditional sand engravings of the Kamilaroi people. The video is accompanied with an operatic score from Yorta Yorta woman, composer and soprano, Deborah Cheetham, performed with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Again, the video becomes a haunting and somewhat surreal experience.
Rennie is an artist who looks best when he operates in a public environment.
His early street art, accompanied by break dancing and hip hop, thrives in the accidental lighting of urban spaces. He loves the way street art can ambush the viewer and employ strategies that catch and hold the gaze of the casual passerby. Keith Haring and Howard Arkley were two of the artists who pointed a way for Rennie to move from the street and onto the gallery wall. Although they may have suggested some of the formal strategies, Aboriginal culture provided the content that would consummate the work and give it a narrative.
When in 2020 there was a commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Lieutenant James Cook’s first landfall at Botany Bay and the HMB Endeavour’s charting of the East Coast of Australia, the Carriageworks in Sydney commissioned Rennie to make a piece for the occasion.
His monumental text work is made up of LED neon lettering held up in an aluminium armature. It measures over two-and-a-half metres in height and almost 19 metres in length. The simple message, one anchored in a tradition of street art, reads: “REMEMBER ME”. Cook’s landing marked the beginning of a process of invasion and dispossession, Rennie’s text affirms an opposition to the invasion and stresses that First Nations people survived. Sovereignty was never ceded.
This message has been at the core of much of Rennie’s art, for instance, in the two neon pieces, OA Warrior I (pink) and OA Warrior I (blue), both from 2020. They are based on an 1800s photograph of a defiant Kamilaroi warrior with his raised club. The message is that the OA (Original Aboriginal) will never cede sovereignty.
In a much earlier piece from 2016, that has always been one of my favourites in Rennie’s art, a ten-metre-long banner bears the inscription, “I was always here”. It is made of hand-pressed metallic foil on satin where he employs the geometric diamond patterning of the Kamilaroi people as a background to the words.
The work commemorates all of the Frontier Wars, massacres and oppression suffered by First Nation peoples in this country and in many other countries in a powerful way.
Rennie, who turns 50 this year, exhibited at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015 and with the 2016 XIII Bienale de Cuenca in Ecuador and has held numerous exhibitions across Australia, Asia, the United States and Europe.
His star is in the ascendancy and he is widely regarded as one of Australia’s most distinctive and versatile artists, who is attracting international acclaim.
Beautifully curated by Myles Russel-Cook as his final show at the NGV before he takes up the directorship of ACCA, Rekospective is impressive in scope, consistent in content but not repetitive.
While Keith Haring died at the age of 31, I feel Reko Rennie will be viewed, in retrospect, as an artist at least as significant as Haring and one of growing importance in Australian art.
REKOSPECTIVE: The Art of Reko Rennie is at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia until 27 January 2025. Free admission.
Sasha Grishin 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. NGV’s Reko Rennie retrospective asks whether he should be considered Australia’s Keith Haring – https://theconversation.com/ngvs-reko-rennie-retrospective-asks-whether-he-should-be-considered-australias-keith-haring-238881
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adam Smith (9th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Smith releases a statement regarding Boeing’s employee layoff announcement.
“I am disappointed by Boeing’s decision to lay off 10 percent of its 170,000-employee workforce over the coming months. This is a hard day for Boeing employees across the world and many of whom reside in King County, Washington. My heart is with those employees and their families who will find themselves out of work.
“Employees are being forced to absorb the consequences of poor corporate management and oversight. In recent years, the company has prioritized profits and stakeholders over the integrity of their product and the well-being of their employees. This strategy is clearly not working. From production delays, faulty parts, stranded astronauts, ongoing litigation, and investigations, Boeing has struggled to produce high quality products.
“This failure has a rippling impact on the nation and the strength of American aerospace. Boeing is a giant legacy aerospace company and the way that they do business impacts not only folks in King County, but also people across the world. Our transportation sector and our national defense rely on the strength of Boeing, but any company is only as strong as its workforce.
“Boeing’s success relies on its dedicated employees, and investing in them is essential for long-term recovery. Boeing employees have put up with a lot for a long time, from cut pensions to insufficient wage increases. Now more than ever, a fair resolution to the machinists’ strike is essential to restore trust and show commitment to those who drive Boeing’s future. I sincerely hope that the parties reach an agreement that respects all employees and ensures the strength of the company as a whole.”
###
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Robert Aderholt (AL-04)
A note from Congressman Aderholt on the passing of his mother:
My mom, Mary Frances Aderholt, passed away Saturday afternoon October 12, 2024 here in Haleyville. She was 88, and I thank God I had her as long as I did.
I was with her a couple of days last week and before I left her to go out of town Thursday morning, I told her I loved her and she told me that she loved me.
She was the best mom a son could possibly have.
Even though she was 88, I would have liked to have had her much, much longer. To be honest, it is especially tough, as I am an only child, and lost my dad three years ago. Thankfully, I have the strong arm of the Lord Jesus to cling to.
It is also comforting to know she had a faith in Christ Jesus and she is reunited with my dad, whom she loved so much.
She was quite a lady, and very proper, and always wanted to do things first class. She, along with my dad, were my biggest cheerleaders.
I look forward to seeing both of them again.
I love you Mom!
Recently I was reminded of the song: “He is mine I am His” I want to share the words as it has given me great encouragement. It was written by a fellow Winston Countian, GT Speer back in 1965.
He Is Mine & I Am His Forever
GT Speer
Verse 1: God’s amazing grace sent down from Heaven Rescued me from death and from shame
Opened up my eyes and brought salvation
Now I’m His, praise His holy name
Chorus: Now I know ( I know) He is mine (that He’s mine) I am His forever (I’m His forever)
He is leading me along life’s way (along life’s way)
He’ll be holding to my hand (to my hand)
When I cross death’s river (When I cross death’s river) He will take the sting of death away (death’s sting away)
Verse 2: ‘Tis so sweet just to know I have Jesus with me He will keep me from sin and from strife
He delivered me from condemnation
Now I have eternal life
Repeat Chorus
Bridge: He’ll be holding to my hand (to my hand)
When I cross death’s river (When I cross death’s river) He will take the sting of death away (death’s sting away)
Tag: He will take the sting of death away (death’s sting away)
Source: University of South Australia
14 October 2024
Coughing, chest pain and a shortness of breath – they’re all distressing symptoms of lung cancer. So, while exercise may seem a counterintuitive activity for lung cancer patients, new research shows otherwise.
In a cornerstone review from a team of global experts* – including Southern Cross University and the University of South Australia – researchers show that exercise may not only improve quality of life and treatment effectiveness, but also boost survival rates for lung cancer patients.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. In Australia, it is estimated that 15,122 people will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year alone.
Examining the effects of exercise on various lung-cancer associated health outcomes, researchers have now developed recommendations for patients and health practitioners, to support exercise before, during and after lung cancer treatments.
Combined aerobic and resistance training, performed 2-5 times per week, is typically prescribed across the cancer continuum. Researchers say that exercise can support lung cancer patients by:
Lead author Southern Cross University’s Associate Professor Kellie Toohey says to optimise exercise interventions for lung cancer patients, an integrated approach across interdisciplinary care teams was needed.
“Lung cancer care involves a broad range of healthcare professionals – oncologists, clinical exercise physiologists, dieticians, psychologists, and physical therapists – all of whom must work together to support a patient with exercise,” Associate Professor Toohey says.
“To facilitate this integration, we need to educate healthcare providers and patients about exercise in lung cancer care.
“By highlighting the mental and physical benefits of exercise, we hope that patients can be empowered to take a more active role in their treatment and recovery, potentially transforming their lung cancer journey from passive endurance to active participation in health improvement.”
UniSA researcher Dr Ben Singh says the research challenges beliefs about the inability of people with lung cancer to exercise.
“There’s an often-held misconception that lung cancer patients are too ill or frail to exercise, particularly because their illness affects their lungs and breathing. But contrary to this belief, research shows that exercise can have many benefits for people with lung cancer,” Dr Singh says.
“Exercise has the potential to counteract many health issues, not only improving their quality of life, but also potentially influencing treatment outcomes.
“This is particularly striking given the historically poor prognosis associated with lung cancer.
“Regular, tailored exercise can help improve a patient’s physical condition, helping them better tolerate the physical demand of diagnosis, surgery, treatment, and recovery. It can also vastly improve a patient’s mental health, helping counteract feelings of depression and anxiety, so often associated with a lung cancer diagnosis.”
Notes for editors:
*This research has been conducted by a team of researchers from Southern Cross University, University of Canberra, University of Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, Edith Cowan University, Flinders University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Notre Dame Australia, University of South Australia, Universidade de Caxias do Sul (Brazil), Institute for Respiratory Health, University of Western Australia, University of Queensland, University of Pittsburgh (USA), Campbelltown Hospital, University of Melbourne, The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Griffith University, and Cancer Council Queensland.
Media contacts
Southern Cross University: Sharlene King, media office, M +61 429 661 349 E scumedia@scu.edu.au
UniSA: Annabel Mansfield, media & communications, M +61 479 182 489 E Annabel.Mansfield@unisa.edu.au
UniSA contact for interview: Dr Ben Singh E: Ben.Singh@unisa.edu.au
Source: Government of Canada regional news
Minister of Health and Social Services Tracy-Anne McPhee has issued the following statement:
Source: Government of Canada regional news
The Government of Yukon is committed to supporting new parents and improving health outcomes for pregnant people, babies and families. Since full-service midwifery care resumed on February 12, 2024, the Yukon Midwifery Program has continued to demonstrate a passionate commitment to providing care in the Yukon, supporting 13 births.
Source: Government of Canada regional news
The Government of Yukon recognizes the ongoing seriousness of the heap leach failure that occurred at Victoria Gold’s Eagle gold mine on June 24 and continues to work to protect the environment as well as human, fish and animal health in the areas surrounding the mine site.
Source: Government of Canada regional news
Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:
“As Thanksgiving approaches, we reflect upon this time for gathering, contemplation and gratitude. As we come together with loved ones, it is important that we, as Yukoners, take time to understand the deeper historical context of this holiday, particularly in relation to First Nations Peoples.
Source: Government of Canada regional news
On October 9, the Yukon Electoral District Boundaries Commission 2024 final report was tabled in the Yukon Legislative Assembly. This report outlines key recommendations on proposed boundaries to ensure effective representation in the Yukon Legislative Assembly.
Proposed changes would result in an increase of electoral districts, from the current 19 to 21. These proposed changes are designed to improve representation across the Yukon, accounting for demographic shifts while maintaining the legal principle of voter parity.
Source: Government of Canada regional news
Today, the Government of Yukon introduced Bill No. 43, the Act to Amend the Business Corporations Act (2024), in the Yukon Legislative Assembly. These amendments are part of the Government of Yukon’s efforts to participate in national and international efforts to safeguard against money laundering, tax evasion and other illegal activities.
Bill 43 meets the Government of Yukon goal of improving transparency, enhancing corporate governance, protecting market integrity and supporting sustainable economic growth.
Source: Government of Canada regional news
Premier Ranj Pillai has issued the following statement:
“This Friday at sunset, Jewish communities here in the Yukon, in Canada and around the world will begin the observance of Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement and the holiest day in Judaism.
“Yom Kippur is marked by a 25-hour period of fasting and prayer, bringing a close to the 10-day High Holy Days. This sacred time is dedicated to reflection, repentance and atonement, as people seek reconciliation and prepare for the year ahead.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Tomas Sniegon, Associate Professor, Department of European Studies, Lund University
The overthrow of Nikita Khrushchev from the posts of first secretary of the Soviet Communist Party and the leader of the Soviet state in October 1964 was an unprecedented event in the history of the Soviet Union.
The old leader was deposed by the opposition without violence. He was not imprisoned or killed after losing power. While his predecessors Lenin and Stalin and successors Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko all died in power, Khrushchev was sent into retirement, where he lived under supervision for another seven years.
Unlike the era of the last Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union did not disintegrate when its leader had to relinquish power. Six decades have now passed since what has become known as the “most democratic coup” in Soviet history – sometimes referred to as the “little October revolution”.
Khrushchev, who rose to power on the death of Josef Stalin in 1953, actually came close to being overthrown as early as 1957. At that time, Stalin’s former collaborators and close comrades, including Georgy Malenkov and Vyacheslav Molotov, opposed him. They even gained an upper hand in the party’s highest body, the presidium. But Khrushchev was saved by the support of the army leadership, the KGB political police and the wider party leadership, the central committee.
Seven years later, however, he was brought down by politicians from the next generation – men who largely owed their powerful positions to him.
Strongest among them was Leonid Brezhnev, who duly took Khrushchev’s place as first secretary (shortly afterwards renaming his position general secretary, the same title as Stalin). Next in line was Alexander Shelepin, the powerful secretary of the party’s central committee who had run the KGB from 1958 to 1961.
The role of the KGB, which in October 1964 was headed by Shelepin’s successor Vladimir Semichastny, was crucial in ensuring Khrushchev’s downfall, as its ninth directorate – which was responsible for the protection of state officials – not only protected but also constantly monitored them.
Semichastny not only knew about the revolt against Khrushchev but was actively involved in it. Had he informed the leader about the plotting, pretty much what he was in the job to do, Khrushchev would more than likely have averted the palace coup this time as well.
In his memoirs, Semichastny even mentioned the fact that Brezhnev raised the possibility of Khrushchev’s assassination during one conversation with him. But this plan was never put into action. In the event the plot to remove the Soviet leader was completed by non-violent means.
Khrushchev has gone down in history as a reformer who wanted to make Soviet communism less brutal. He strongly criticised Stalin for his abuse of power but, at the same time, he gradually increased his own powers.
His efforts at political and economic reforms stopped when they posed a threat to maintaining the monopoly of communist power. Despite paying lip service to the idea of less heavy-handed domination of the Soviet bloc from Moscow, he became known for his bloody suppression of the Hungarian revolt in 1956. During the Cuban missile crisis in 1962, he then brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
His initially positive reforms improved the living standards) of the people in his country, but later became chaotic and led to social unrest, including the massacre of workers in Novocherkassk in 1962 and the need to buy grain from the west, which he had previously wanted to ideologically “bury”.
Also, the rift between the Soviet Union and China at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s caused a certain resentment in Moscow. Khrushchev’s moves towards liberalisation had not caused the rift, which was more due to China’s increased authoritarianism under Mao Zedong during that era. This was exacerbated by border disputes between the two countries as well as disagreements over international relations. But Khrushchev’s critics felt he could – and should – have handled relations more skilfully.
Having faced down a coup attempt in 1957, by October 1964 Khrushchev found himself politically isolated and without support in either the presidium or in the central committee. His opponents forced him to return prematurely from his vacation in the Georgian report town of Pitsunda to Moscow where he was confronted by his political opponents, led by Brezhnev with the support of other powerful politicians, including Shelepin, Alexei Kosygin and Mikhail Suslov.
Realising his supporters in the presidium were in the minority and that to retain power would mean involving the army or KGB, which he was not confident would back him, Khruschev resigned.
Reflecting on how his leadership had rejected Stalinism, he is reported to have said: “I am glad that, finally, the party has matured and can control any individual.”
But Brezhnev, who manoeuvred himself into power in Khrushchev’s stead, learned from the fall of his predecessor and tightened his grip on the levers of power. Yet the Soviet Union – thanks in large part to Khrushchev – never returned the state terror and mass murder of Stalinism.
The Soviet Union was to experience another coup attempt against a leader in 1991, when conservative opponents tried to overthrow another reformer, Mikhail Gorbachev. But this attempt, much less prepared and elaborate and lacking the necessary wider support, failed. The Soviet Union collapsed and was formally disbanded just a few months later.
But for many people, it’s Khrushchev whose reforms and governing style began the gradual disintegration of the Soviet Union as far back as the 1950s, partly thanks to his efforts to impose more democratisation. It is not surprising that the current Russian president, Vladimir Putin, disdains him – especially since Khrushchev, according to Putin, “senselessly donated” Crimea to Ukraine in 1954.
At least Khrushchev himself was able to live to focus on the positives. He would recall in his memoir how he freed his country from the suffocating fear of Stalinism and was able to raise a generation of younger politicians who were finally not afraid to stand up to him. Sadly, this is no longer a hallmark under the current leadership.
Tomas Sniegon 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. Fall of Khrushchev: 60 years since the ‘most democratic coup’ in Soviet history, how Comrade Nikita was toppled – https://theconversation.com/fall-of-khrushchev-60-years-since-the-most-democratic-coup-in-soviet-history-how-comrade-nikita-was-toppled-241053
Source: Government of Canada News
October 10, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario
Canadian consumers require strong consumer advocacy groups to represent their interests.
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced four projects that will support efforts to ensure Canadians make informed purchases. Through the Canadian Consumer Protection Initiative, formerly the Contributions Program for Non-profit Consumer and Voluntary Organizations, the government announced more than $900,000 in funding over the next two years.
The funded projects cover a variety of affordability-related topics with a focus on challenges in the retail sector, and important issues like barriers to competition in the grocery sector.
These efforts align with the Government’s goal to enhance affordability, transparency and support for consumers so they can make informed choices.
“The input and experience of strong consumer advocacy groups are essential to informing our continued efforts to make life more affordable for Canadians and to ensure that the interests of consumers are impartially represented. That’s why we have made it a priority to fund timely, independent research that will help inform consumer protection policy in Canada.”
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
The Canadian Consumer Protection Initiative has an annual budget of $5 million for the next five years.
ISED’s Office of Consumer Affairs manages this program on behalf of the Government.
Funding available through the Initiative helps Canadian consumer organizations produce high quality, independent and timely research on consumer issues, as well as strengthen capacity building for consumer organizations to help fulfil their mandates.
Audrey Milette
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
audrey.milette@ised-isde.gc.ca
Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
media@ised-isde.gc.ca
Find more services and information at Canada.ca/ISED.
Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.
Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn
Source: Government of Canada News
The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, issued the following statement today to mark the introduction of legislation to establish a new Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation
Ottawa, Ontario, Unceded Algonquin Traditional Territory (October 10, 2024)
The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, issued the following statement today to mark the introduction of legislation to establish a new Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation:
“For decades, Indigenous partners have called for an independent oversight body to hold the federal government accountable for its Modern Treaty commitments. Today represents a significant milestone in this shared journey toward reconciliation. We have introduced legislation to establish a Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation as an independent Agent of Parliament. This follows an extensive co-development process between Canada and Indigenous Modern Treaty partners. Focusing exclusively on Modern Treaties, the Commissioner will ensure the federal government is held accountable, will identify areas where the government can improve and ultimately make us be better Treaty partners.
In developing Bill C-77, we engaged with over 130 groups, including Indigenous Modern Treaty partners, Indigenous groups negotiating Modern Treaties, Self-Government Arrangement holders, Sectoral Agreement holders, National Indigenous Organizations, and colleagues in provincial and territorial governments. I thank Indigenous Modern Treaty partners across the country for their tireless advocacy and collaboration in developing this legislation.
Reconciliation requires lasting trust, transparency, and accountability which means honouring the commitments we have made. Establishing a Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation will serve as an additional support and safeguard.
The establishment of the Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation contributes to the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and advances Measure 9 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act Action Plan by co-developing a Modern Treaty oversight mechanism.
The introduction of this legislation marks important progress toward ensuring lasting accountability and fairness for Indigenous Peoples. The creation of a new Commissioner for Modern Treaty Implementation as an Agent of Parliament signifies a transformational shift toward a future where partners can be assured Canada will fulfill all Modern Treaty commitments and responsibilities, holding the government accountable to that standard in the legislature.”
Greg Frame
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree
Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations
gregory.frame@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca
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.
US Senate News:
Source: The White House
Senator Tim Johnson was a tenacious fighter for the people of South Dakota. Throughout his career—as a member of the South Dakota legislature, as the state’s sole representative in the U.S. House of Representatives, and as a U.S. Senator—he brokered compromise and advanced commonsense solutions that improved the lives of South Dakotans and all Americans. Senator Johnson secured support for critical water infrastructure that delivered clean water to communities across South Dakota, including Native reservations and rural communities across the state. He played a vital role in passing the Affordable Care Act, which delivered high-quality, affordable health care to millions of Americans, including tens of thousands of South Dakotans. And as Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, he championed community banks and housing finance reforms to help ensure that rural communities across the nation have the support they need to access safe and affordable housing. His life and legacy will be felt by generations of South Dakotans and all Americans to come. Doug and I send our prayers to his wife, Barbara, and the entire Johnson family.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL)
Naples, Fla., October 8, 2024
NAPLES, Fla. – Today, Congressman Byron Donalds joined Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), State Representative Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R-FL), and other local leaders from across Southwest Florida at the Lee County Emergency Operations Center.
Together, the lawmakers were briefed ahead of Hurricane Milton’s projected landfall tomorrow on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, additional members of local law enforcement, and local emergency management officials presented local plans of action to the lawmakers.
The Office of Congressman Byron Donalds is closely monitoring Hurricane Milton and is actively coordinating storm preparations alongside federal, state, and local partners. The Congressman and his team stand ready to support our Southwest Florida community and ensure all necessary resources are available.
