Category: Americas

MIL-OSI Global: How Lebanon’s national identity is exploited to justify violence against it

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Rayyan Dabbous, PhD student, Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Toronto

The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah confirmed on Sept. 28 that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut a day earlier. Nasrallah is the highest-ranking Hezbollah leader to have been killed since Israel began targeting the group’s leadership.

Several Hezbollah commanders, and hundreds of Lebanese civilians, have been killed in Israeli attacks in recent weeks. On Sept. 20, Israel launched its heaviest aerial bombing on Lebanon since 2006, killing hundreds of civilians. The attack followed the Sept. 17 coordinated explosions of hand-held wireless pagers allegedly carried by members of Hezbollah (but still also carried by many medical professionals). That assault maimed thousands of Lebanese people.

Israel says the violent strikes were necessary to preemptively thwart Hezbollah from launching rockets into northern Israel. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Lebanese population: “Israel’s war is not with you, it’s with Hezbollah,” which has long “been using you as human shields.”

The Telegraph in the United Kingdom proclaimed Israel’s war against Hezbollah as a brave move on behalf of the “West” to “uphold civilization.” Other news outlets, both western and Israeli, also framed the conflict as one for civilization. They also mentioned religion.

Wars have always required these types of false dichotomies: Christian and Muslim, civilization and barbarism, West and East.

Generations of Orientalists from the “West” constructed the “East” as a place with distinct cultural identities and values, and one over which the West must triumph.

The way East and West has historically been framed in Lebanon can help us understand the way the conflict there is being discussed in the Global North. To do this, I briefly outline three time periods to attempt to shed some light on how this framing can be used to justify violence against the nation.

1. Premodern times: Caught between two empires

Lebanon has frequently been a battleground between West and East. For aristocracies and clergies in France and Italy, Lebanon first became part of the East under Byzantium (the eastern half of the Roman empire). Later, Lebanon became part of the Islamic and Ottoman empires. It was not religion that defined these West/East splits but aspirations for wealth, resources, power and hegemony.

Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, in which modern-day Lebanon was situated, economic and political power remained in Christian hands but was transferred from Rome to Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). After eight major waves of Crusades, notorious for their pillages and “collateral damage” even in Christian cities, Western observers came to regard the East as a “treasure” that had been regained.

In his seminal book Europe and Islam, first published in French in 1978, pre-eminent Tunisian historian Hichem Djaït showed how Christianity in Europe was, from its inception, a political project aimed to both unite against and catch up to Islamic cultural, scientific and economic advancement.

The East, Djaït emphasized, was regarded as a deformed West, a “parvenu” and “a primitive newcomer” whose civilization was an aberration in Medieval Christian eyes. They regarded Islam’s prophet Muhammad as an internal traitor rather than an external threat. For example, in Dante’s Inferno Muhammad is punished for contributing to the West/East schism.

Western interest in the East was also, for Djaït, rooted in an envy for how diverse groups co-existed for centuries in the east but not the west.

II. Caught within colonial expansion

Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the First World War, Lebanon came under French rule. By this point, the Ottomans had been regarded as “the Sick Man of Europe” since at least the mid-19th century. Global powers exploited this characterization of Lebanon and were activated to send missionaries, build missionary schools, and revamp ports. The French also intervened with the work of sectarian groups. Therefore, especially in the 1920s, the French led a rapid modernizing of Lebanon, characterized as a trade-off between West and East.

The Syrian playwright Saadallah Wannous dramatized this trade-off in The Drunken Days in a dialogue between an old Lebanese man in his Eastern headwear, the tarbush, and a young Lebanese woman urging him to wear a Western hat:

Him: The tarbush is a symbol of religion.

Her: The hat is a symbol of urbanization.

Him: The tarbush indicates devotion.

Her: The hat indicates civilization.

Lebanese intellectuals at the time were aware of this dangerous equation of West with civilization. Palestinian-Lebanese writer May Ziadeh actively worked in the 1920s and 1930s to dispel the false dichotomy between West and East. She encouraged her students to “learn Western languages without forgetting their own” and she believed that “not a single nation in the world has been able to create itself without the input of others.”

Ziadeh belonged to a time referred to as the Nahda, or Arab Renaissance, when Arab writers wanted to revive the human flourishing once experienced in the medieval Islamic world. These intellectuals favoured a balanced approach between West and East and recognized the modernity the West ushered as a continuation of Eastern achievements.

III. 1975-2005: Caught between civil war and 9/11

Whereas questioning the West/East divide united a previous generation of Lebanese Christians and Muslims, the generations that went through the Lebanese civil war (1975–1990) affirmed that divide.

Western media capitalized on the newly divided allegiances of Lebanese Christians and framed them as torn in a West/East clash.

Some Lebanese political leaders also promoted this narrative and appealed to the West for support. Meanwhile, the emergence of Hezbollah after Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon became synonymous with a resistance against the West.

But this narrative obscures the realities of how and why these divides were created. These divides are created by Lebanese groups, including Hezbollah, as well as the West. They boosted, hindered and created each other. For example, in 2018, western media ignored claims of election fraud in Lebanon and instead sensationalized Hezbollah’s victory.

In a 1985 piece for the London Review of Books, Edward Said, author of Orientalism, cautioned against seeing Beirut as the Paris of the Middle East and Lebanon as its Switzerland, comparisons popular since the 1960s. Such comparisons have been recently recirculated and mourned by both Israeli and Lebanese media.

For Said, this representation of Lebanon threatened solidarity movements with Arabs and Palestinians by characterizing it as something fundamentally different from the rest of the Arab world.

But two years after the end of the Lebanese Civil War, American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington promoted the simplistic logic Said warned against and declared a clash of civilizations. The aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks saw a resurgence of Huntington’s theory. It revived in the West the Medieval Christian view of the East, and a desire to act as crusaders who export human rights and defend the world against terrorists.

We need to once and for all dispose of the West and the East as a clash of civilizations. Militaries and militias should not have to race to eliminate either side. They should instead realize that their fate is as intertwined as their past, and that only dialogue can solve conflict.

Rayyan Dabbous 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. How Lebanon’s national identity is exploited to justify violence against it – https://theconversation.com/how-lebanons-national-identity-is-exploited-to-justify-violence-against-it-239697

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Only the United States benefits from renegotiating the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Blayne Haggart, Associate Professor of Political Science, Brock University

There is a ticking time bomb at the heart of the North American economy. And this is the year that it begins to detonate.

Over the past several months, Canadian businesses and analysts have been pressuring the federal government to better prepare for the mandated renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) that regulates trade and economic activity among the three North American countries.

Article 34.7 of the pact effectively commits the three countries to undertake a review of the new agreement every six years, in 2026 (the agreement went into force in 2020).

This might not seem like a big deal. Canada has negotiated many trade agreements, and a regular review of our most important trade agreement may seem reasonable.

But CUSMA is no regular trade agreement, in large part because this highly unusual review process undermines the very security and stability that trade agreements are supposed to provide.

Read more:
The winners and losers in the new NAFTA

Eviscerating Canadian policy autonomy

In 2018, in the depths of the first Donald Trump presidency, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that had governed continental economic relations since 1994.

The agreement — called the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the U.S., the Tratado entre México, Estados Unidos y Canadá (T-MEC) in Mexico and CUSMA in Canada — was largely greeted with relief throughout Canada.

Negotiated under duress with a Trump administration that was threatening to tear up NAFTA, the three governments seemingly preserved a rules-based approach to managing economic relations with our most important trading partner. Free trade had been saved.

But there was a twist due to the deal’s requirement that the three countries review the pact every six years.

Trade agreements are bigger than their specific rules. Their real importance lies in how they provide the smaller partners with certainty and protection from the coercive power of the larger partners.

The promise of greater market access, and the threat of restricting this access, has always been the American trump card in its international economic relations. American negotiators use this threat/promise to convince partners to adopt, change or eliminate policies in the U.S. interest.

But once an agreement is signed, the U.S. loses this leverage — which is good for smaller countries’ policy autonomy.

American interests

As I detail in my 2014 book Copyfight: The Global Politics of Digital Copyright Reform, Canada demonstrated significant policy autonomy in its 2000s-era copyright reforms. In contrast, Mexico’s 1990s-era digital copyright reforms related to software reflected American interests.

Read more:
More means less: Extended copyright benefits the corporate few, not the public

The difference? Canada’s negotiations took place after NAFTA had been negotiated, while Mexico’s reforms were the result of the NAFTA negotiations, when the U.S. was using market access as a negotiating tactic.

Having a trade agreement with a renegotiation clause is like having no agreement at all because everyone knows that, once renegotiations start, everything is back on the table.

As I argued in two 2018 articles for The Conversation Canada, the renegotiation requirement significantly reduces smaller countries’ overall policy autonomy. Knowing that renegotiation is on the horizon will mean that the threat of economic blackmail will hang over all policies as they become pawns to be sacrificed to preserve the Holy Grail: access to the U.S. market.

Read more:
Make no mistake: The USMCA is an America-first trade deal

‘Regulatory chill’

Knowing that any policy could be effectively targeted by the U.S. means that Canada and Mexico run the risk of widespread regulatory chill: governments, anticipating retaliation, become excessively cautious in their regulatory efforts.

These chilling effects can already be seen, two years away from the start of formal renegotiations. In early September, the Business Council of Canada called on the federal government to revoke its new three per cent digital services tax on foreign tech giants for fear it might “imperil” the upcoming talks.

The implications of the CUSMA time bomb are beginning to be understood in Canada.

In a recent editorial, The Globe and Mail argued that Canada should make some enormous policy concessions — eliminate the new digital services tax, end the agriculture supply management system and crack down on forced labour in supply chains — in exchange for eliminating regular CUSMA reviews.

The myth of free trade

Editorialists are labouring under the belief that free trade is still in play. It’s not.

Ideologically, the U.S. is no longer the free-trade champion it was.

More pragmatically, any concessions are highly unlikely to convince the U.S. — regardless of which party is in power — to surrender the most potent weapon it has in its arsenal to pressure its neighbours to adopt its preferred policies. Policy reform, simply put, leads to U.S. market access.

While the U.S., Canada and Mexico will continue to sign trade and economic agreements, these deals are no longer reliable tools to deliver the certainty and protection enjoyed under NAFTA for three decades prior to 2018. Renegotiated deals will merely restructure Canada’s continental relationship, they won’t preserve Canadian autonomy.

The 2018 CUSMA didn’t preserve free trade in North America. It signalled its demise and the return of power politics to our most important economic relationship.

Blayne Haggart has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

– ref. Only the United States benefits from renegotiating the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal – https://theconversation.com/only-the-united-states-benefits-from-renegotiating-the-canada-u-s-mexico-trade-deal-239170

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Out of the archive: A collection of stories about Mount Elgin Indian Residential School

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mary Jane Logan McCallum, Professor of History, University of Winnipeg

Brown Tom’s Schooldays, is a semi-autobiographical collection of stories about growing up in a residential school in Ontario in the early 1900s.

The author is the late Enos Montour, a Delaware writer from Six Nations of the Grand River. As the title suggests, it is an ironic play on Tom Brown’s Schooldays (1857), Thomas Hughes’s popular novel about his boyhood in an English school.

In Brown Tom’s Schooldays, instead of the main character being an English boy at an elite private boarding school, he is Tom Hemlock, a First Nations boy attending Mount Elgin Indian Residential School between 1910 and 1915. Montour’s narrative is the only known substantive writing by a Mount Elgin student. His stories unfold school life, illuminating the physical and social world of Mount Elgin in powerful ways.

A new edition of Brown Tom’s Schooldays has recently been published by the University of Manitoba Press Series called First Voices, First Texts. This series aims to reconnect contemporary readers with some of the most important Indigenous literature of the past, much of which has been unavailable for decades.

The series reveals the richness of these works by providing re-edited texts that give readers new insights into the cultural contexts of these unjustly neglected classics. The diversity and complexity of Indigenous writers and their work was not appreciated by publishers when authors like Montour attempted to have his book published in the 1970s and 80s.

As a historian and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous People, History and Archives at the University of Winnipeg, and band member of the Munsee Delaware Nation who has been engaged in community-based projects chronicling the history of Mount Elgin, I led the project.

In my introduction, I document Montour’s fascinating life and work and detail Brown Tom’s Schooldays’ publication history, drawing from documents from the United Church of Canada Archives, Trent and McGill University Archives, Library and Archives Canada, private correspondence and other sources. I also show how the book provides insight into the operations of Mount Elgin, as well as social and linguistic histories of the First Nations communities in the area.

20th century Indigenous print cultures

Montour, a minister with the United Church of Canada, published several of the early chapters of Brown Tom in United Church magazines.

After he retired, he gathered these and other Mount Elgin stories together and sought a church or trade publisher for the book. When no publishers moved, Montour felt frustrated that his work might be read as too “mild” for a reading public who expected sensationalized depictions of First Nations life.

In declining health, Montour ensured a legacy for the book by asking anthropologist Elizabeth Graham to transcribe, edit and photocopy the manuscript. Copies were made for family and friends. One copy of the manuscript was sent by Graham to the National Library in Ottawa. Until this fall, that was the only publicly accessible copy of the work.

For this new edition of Brown Tom’s Schooldays, with University of Manitoba Press editor Jill McConkey, I consulted with Graham, as well as Montour’s two granddaughters, Mary I. Anderson and Margaret McKenzie, about how we might frame the book. Using archival correspondence between herself and Montour, Graham wrote a new preface. Anderson and McKenzie shared family records, including photos, and wrote an afterword to the book.

This new edition of Montour’s book is a good reminder that formal published work accounts form a small fraction of the literature by and about Indigenous people and history. A much more representative field is produced in copy shops, and this self-published, limited-run “grey literature” is now held in archives across the country.

Read more:
Looking for Indigenous history? ‘Shekon Neechie’ website recentres Indigenous perspectives

Industrial School from perspective of young boy

Brown Tom’s Schooldays is based solidly in a real place and draws from lived experiences. Like the central tension of Tom Brown’s Schooldays, Montour’s book is about moving toward adulthood and the meaning of that for First Nations students at the time. Montour’s layered story shows how, for “Brown Tom,” this journey involved learning and then working through self-doubt and prejudice and confronting the impossible choice of a white or Indian adulthood.

‘Brown Tom’s Schooldays,’ by Enos Montour.
(University of Manitoba Press)

Montour’s formal education at Mount Elgin was based on set curriculum that endorsed colonial domination, racism and discrimination against people of colour and Indigenous people. Moreover, a federal Indian Residential School, Mount Elgin’s purpose was to facilitate assimilation of First Nations children, and this happened in an underfunded, carceral and abusive setting. Mount Elgin, like other residential schools, emphasized children’s manual labour more than academics.

Read more:
Seeing histories of forced First Nations labour: the ‘Nii Ndahlohke / I Work’ art exhibition

In spite of this early education, Montour loved reading and writing, and he brought this love to his stories of Mount Elgin and the surrounding area, giving the school character and beauty and students humour and agency. The stories are at times strikingly sentimental.

When I first read this collection, I did not know what to think of it. For me, Montour’s consistent references to the Bible and classic works of English literature did not fit with what I expected in an Indian Residential School memoir. I chaffed when reading Montour’s characters written in terms that seem to accept standard racist stereotypes of First Nations at the time. His representation of the early 20th century seemed too funny, or rosy, too Anglophile and too naive.

At the same time, I knew that Montour wrote stories true to his experience, as he understood it, and by his ironic play on English literature through the eyes of a First Nations boy. This way of writing is a window into a sense of humour and way of telling what mattered that reminded me of people of my great-grandfather’s generation.

Read more:
How stories about alternate worlds can help us imagine a better future: Don’t Call Me Resilient EP 7

There is backlash to Indian Residential School historical research and a hardcore fringe who deny that the research of the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission and trained professional historians is reliable. They deny systemic harms of the Indian Residential School system primarily by likening it to a slightly harsher version of boarding schools.

But I don’t think Montour would have feared how the book would be received and read. He writes compellingly about youth, school life and friendship, but also about the callous and disorienting experience of arriving at Mount Elgin and the everyday pervasive hunger and homesickness felt there.

He also describes extraordinary moments, including the death of a fellow student, Noah, who had tuberculosis. Short, moving and profoundly troublesome, this chapter shows the pervasive apathy towards student life at Mount Elgin and the ungreivablity of student death.

Ultimately, even in retirement and ill health, Montour insisted on completing the book and making it accessible because the stories mattered to him. And they matter to us, too.

Brown Tom’s Schooldays can be purchased from anywhere you buy books.

Mary Jane Logan McCallum receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada

– ref. Out of the archive: A collection of stories about Mount Elgin Indian Residential School – https://theconversation.com/out-of-the-archive-a-collection-of-stories-about-mount-elgin-indian-residential-school-237099

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Reflections on the Canadian Medical Association’s apology to Indigenous Peoples

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Marcia Anderson, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba

On Sept. 18, I was on the traditional territory of the Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations to stand with my Indigenous physician family as the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) delivered its apology to Indigenous Peoples in Victoria, B.C. This wasn’t the first time that we have stood together to witness a collective apology.

In June 2008, many of us were at a gathering of the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Congress in Kauai, Hawaii. Our hosts ensured that we had time and space to watch Prime Minister Stephen Harper issue an apology on behalf of Canada to Indigenous Peoples for Indian Residential Schools.

As Harper said sorry for the federal government’s attempt to “kill the Indian in the child,” Canadians had a range of reactions from ignorance to collective humility to ongoing residential school denialism.

That day, we hoped the apology signalled a turning point and that a new day was coming. What we’ve seen since, as evidenced by multiple reports on progress on reconciliation, is that it takes a long time for that new day to come, and progress on reparations and reconciliation is not linear or always forward-moving.

I carried the lessons from that 2008 experience with me to Victoria to witness the apology from CMA — Canada’s national association of physicians — and knew this would be different for me. My experiences of racism in the health-care system are significantly more direct than my experiences of residential schools.

Racism in health care

I navigated medical education as a Cree-Anishinaabe woman, experiencing significant amounts of both non-malicious and malicious racism. This ranged from being asked if there were polar bears where I grew up (the North End of Winnipeg) to being asked by an attending emergency room physician if I had to “jump out of the Indian Posse” to transfer from Winnipeg to Saskatoon.

Read more:
As an Indigenous doctor, I see the legacy of residential schools and ongoing racism in today’s health care

I have experienced racism when seeking health care myself (like when a training physician commented on my reading ability even though I was already a practising physician and national Indigenous health leader) and when my father needed emergency care while having a massive heart attack.

Collective apology

What would this collective apology for systemic racism in health care mean to me, an Indigenous physician, who has and continues to experience racism from my physician peers?

So when the CMA said “we are deeply ashamed” for the deplorable racism that Indigenous patients and health-care providers face I wondered who was included in that “we.”

Did/does the ER physician whose behaviour escalated to include putting his hand in the back pocket of my jeans when I was on call to both grope me and “check if I had stolen their reflex hammer” feel deep shame? Probably not, and that disconnect impacted how the apology landed.

Read more:
We curated a podcast playlist for you: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Within “the national voice of the medical profession” are those of us who have experienced and continue to experience anti-Indigenous racism; those we work with in consensual solidarity or allyship to dismantle white supremacy within the profession; and those who are actively perpetuating the spread of false and harmful anti-Indigenous stereotypes that contribute to the unequal health care we receive. Many of these behaviours are described in British Columbia’s In Plain Sight Report

A collective apology cannot speak to this range of experiences or contributions to harm. As racism operates at multiple levels, so must accountability.

This is why on the day of the apology I was apprehensive and feeling somewhat pressured to respond positively to it, to make a show of unity. Since the apology hadn’t really spoken to the breadth and depth of experiences of racism I’ve had or that I know many of my Indigenous physician colleagues have had, I was not ready for that. I suspected some of my colleagues felt the same.

After the apology was delivered, in a small group that included many of the Indigenous physicians who were there, I shared my feelings. I said, “An apology has been offered. Whatever your reaction is to what was said today is valid. You don’t have to accept this apology today, tomorrow or ever. It’s okay to wait and see what comes next.” I saw people nodding and tears being shed.

I sat with that feeling, and then a couple days later I was reading Cole Arthur Riley’s This Here Flesh. Riley is a Black American author and founder of the incredibly popular Black Liturgies Instagram account. Her writing of Black liberation and the reparations needed for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and other injustices strongly parallel the need for Canada’s ongoing truth and reconciliation work — which we will be recognizing on Sept. 30.

This passage from This Here Flesh resonated with me when reflecting on this latest apology:

“There are some of us who have grown weary of talk of reconciliation. This is probably because it comes to us on the tongues of men who have paid no time to the process of true repair. It is both ego and shame concealed in shallow unity-speak that regresses any progress that has been made.”

Racism, reconciliation and repair

Anti-Indigenous racism is embedded across and within all institutions of the Canadian state, and the medical profession is no different.

Based on the fallout after the Indian Residential School apology, we can accurately predict the actions following this apology will not be linear with forward progress.

As Indigenous physicians we know both ourselves and our relatives are vulnerable to ongoing harms while the organizational level actions unfold.

If we are hesitant to fully accept this most recent apology, it is because we have learned the hard way that our safety, and sometimes our survival, depends on first seeing the integrity of the other party we are in union with.

Read more:
Québec’s cultural awareness training makes flawed assumptions that do not prioritize the safety of Indigenous people

There is a deep social contract between the medical profession and the public we serve. There is an individual contract between each physician and each patient they see. There is also a contract between physicians as colleagues, teachers and learners, embedded in our Modern-Day Physician’s Pledge.

This apology is meaningful because it addresses a tragic breach between the medical profession and the public. The CMA has committed to followup actions.

This, however, does not offer “true repair” for the past breaches, and the ones still to come, in all of these contracts. That is a gap that remains to be closed and without it we will not see the end of anti-Indigenous racism in health care.

Marcia Anderson received funding from Health Canada to develop Indigenous Cultural Safety and Anti-Racism Training.

– ref. Reflections on the Canadian Medical Association’s apology to Indigenous Peoples – https://theconversation.com/reflections-on-the-canadian-medical-associations-apology-to-indigenous-peoples-239716

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Video: Quick tour of an M1A2 Abrams!

Source: US Army (video statements)

: AEMO

About the U.S. Army:

The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

Connect with the U.S. Army online:
Web: https://www.army.mil
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/
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#USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Shorts #Tank #M1Abrams #19k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD3ieSwGE0Q

MIL OSI Video –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: North Carolina Receives Federal Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: North Carolina Receives Federal Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina

North Carolina Receives Federal Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina
mseets
Sun, 09/29/2024 – 08:19

President Biden has granted Governor Roy Cooper’s request for a Federal Major Disaster Declaration for Tropical Storm Helene providing immediate federal help for 25 North Carolina counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

The declaration means that FEMA will be able to speed additional help to the state, and provide Individual Assistance to people living in those counties, as well as Public Assistance to reimburse local governments, state agencies, and non-profits or other eligible organizations for funds spent repairing facilities and infrastructure.

“The people in western North Carolina are hurting from this devastating storm and we are all working to get resources to people as fast as we can,” said Governor Cooper. “We have deployed rescue teams, transportation crews, water, mobile kitchens and more. This is going to be a long-term recovery and this federal declaration will help us respond.”

The counties in the declaration are Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties as well as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. As response operations and eligible damages dictate, North Carolina may be able to add additional counties or programs as assessments move forward. This declaration will also provide Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding for future efforts to mitigate the impacts of future events.

This declaration is in addition to the federal emergency declaration already in place prior to the impacts of Tropical Storm Helene.

Read the declaration summary here.

###

Sep 29, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79): Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program Receives Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Investment Award

Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

NEW YORK, United States of America, September 29, 2024/APO Group/ —

The Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) (http://apo-opa.co/3ZHg6nA) has been honored as the “Best Investable NDC Adaptation Investment Initiative of the Year” at the 2024 African NDC Investment Awards.

The award, presented during the African NDC Institutional Investment Summit in New York, held on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, recognizes the AAAP’s groundbreaking efforts to accelerate climate adaptation across the continent.

Launched by the African Development Bank and the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) in 2021, the AAAP set an ambitious goal to mobilise $25 billion by 2025 to drive transformative climate adaptation actions across Africa. To date, the Bank has committed $12.5 billion and by the end of 2023 had successfully mobilised $9.22 billion.

Sponsored by the African Green Infrastructure Investment Bank and presented by Africa Investor Magazine, the award honors projects that excel in advancing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) by mobilizing private climate capital and enhancing investment readiness. Africa’s NDC implementation requires over $3 trillion by 2030 to meet the continent’s adaptation and mitigation goals.

Accepting the award on behalf of the African Development Bank, Professor Anthony Nyong, Director for Climate Change and Green Growth, said:

“This recognition is a testament to the incredible impact the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program is having across the continent. We are not only on track to meet our financial commitments, but we are also transforming lives through resilient infrastructure, food security, and youth entrepreneurship. Together with our partners, we are driving real change and positioning Africa at the forefront of global climate adaptation efforts.”

AAAP’s impact is already being felt throughout the continent, with climate adaptation initiatives integrated into 38 African Development Bank operations and 30 technical assistance activities over 41 countries. These projects cover critical sectors such as agriculture, water and sanitation, transport, energy access, and urban development to the benefit of millions of people. The AAAP exemplifies how innovative financing and partnerships can address the most pressing climate challenges.

The program’s focus on youth entrepreneurship and job creation stands out, with $5.5 million invested to support 41 young climate innovators in 20 African countries, positioning Africa’s youth as leaders in adaptation.

In the critical area of food security, the AAAP has implemented 17 investment and technical assistance projects across the Sahel, Horn of Africa, and Zambezi regions, improving food resilience for 9.4 million people. Meanwhile, the AAAP’s work on resilient infrastructure includes 28 projects in 23 countries, ensuring that communities are better equipped to withstand climate shocks.

AAAP’s Technical Assistance Program has enabled 14 African entities to gain accreditation with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), facilitating direct access to vital climate finance. These efforts have led to the development of GCF proposals that mobilized over $250 million, benefiting 4.6 million people across Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

Recognized at the 35th Ordinary Session of the African Union for its achievements, the AAAP is setting the standard for climate adaptation in Africa and beyond. The program’s success is sparking global interest, with its model being adapted in Asia. Discussions are underway to extend it to small island developing states.

Richard Uku, Director of External Affairs at the Global Center on Adaptation, represented GCA’s CEO Professor Patrick V. Verkooijen. He said: “This award highlights the power of partnership. The Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program demonstrates that when we work together, we can achieve scale and speed in climate adaptation efforts.”

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James and DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar Announce Completion of $68.6 Million Environmental Investment Program in Greenpoint
Source: US State of New York

NEW YORK – In celebration of Climate Week, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar today announced the completion of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund (GCEF), an innovative, community-led grant program that invested more than $68.6 million in environmental initiatives for Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The GCEF was established with funds from New York state’s 2010 settlement with ExxonMobil that addressed the company’s responsibility for allowing millions of gallons of oil to contaminate the land and groundwater in Greenpoint for more than five decades. The Greenpoint oil spill was one of the largest spills recorded in the United States. Throughout its 13 years, GCEF created a wide range of public space enhancements, infrastructure improvements, and environmental education programs, including a new, state-of-the-art public library and environmental education center, a tree planting program, and major park upgrades. In total, GCEF awarded 77 grants, ranging from $5,000 to more than $5 million, to initiatives selected with the input from the Greenpoint community.

“After we held ExxonMobil accountable for its careless destruction of the Greenpoint environment, the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has invested millions of dollars in restoring the neighborhood and bringing residents together,” said Attorney General James. “From a new public library to vibrant green space improvements, this community-led effort directly supported the initiatives that residents wanted. It has been an honor to work so closely with this community and our partners at DEC to deliver a cleaner, healthier, and greener Greenpoint for generations to come.”

“The successful implementation of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund is an excellent example of state government working with New Yorkers to hold responsible parties accountable for legacy industrial pollution to benefit both community residents and the environment,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar. “In Greenpoint, nearly $68 million is being invested to improve green infrastructure, renew and restore the waterfront, and advance environmental stewardship programs that will leave a lasting impact on this community and the environment.”

Greenpoint residents played a direct role in the GCEF and its investments. Residents prioritized four specific areas of investment for the program: 1) funding education and environmental stewardship; 2) greening the community; 3) revitalizing neighborhood parks and open spaces; and 4) restoring the waterfront and its infrastructure. An advisory panel, comprised of members of the Greenpoint community, guided every stage of the program’s development and implementation.

As a result of GCEF’s investments, residents were able to attend environmental lectures and events at the library, participate in a birdwatching tour at the park, spend recess learning to care for the trees and plants on the playground, learn about the neighborhood’s history on a canoe tour, and watch the sunset with friends from a rooftop garden. Projects funded by GCEF include:
- Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, a $5 million brand new, state-of-the-art, sustainable public library with dedicated community green space, and $100,000 to provide ongoing environmental programming for Greenpoint families.
- Greenpoint Eco-Schools, a project that developed and implemented more than 40 environmental education programs at eight schools in Greenpoint, providing hands-on environmental education and enrichment to more than 4,700 students by transforming the way they learn about and care for nature and their community.
- Greening Greenpoint, a multi-year initiative that engaged nearly 3,000 community volunteers in planting more than 1,000 new trees and over 27,000 flowers and other plants throughout the neighborhood.
- Monsignor McGolrick Park Restoration and Upgrades, an ongoing investment of approximately $840,000 to support planting and beautification efforts and introduce community engagement programming, including nature walks and birdwatching groups, at a beloved park in the heart of Greenpoint.
- Various other community-led initiatives that included but were not limited to the creation of 25,000 square feet of community rooftop gardens for gardening, education, and enjoyment; upgrades to 19 parks, community gardens, and other shared greenspaces; and the creation of nearly eight acres of new natural areas.
The GCEF was established by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and DEC in 2011 after New York state obtained a settlement with ExxonMobil over its massive oil spill in Greenpoint. The spill released at least 17 million gallons of oil, contaminating more than 50 acres of soil and groundwater in Greenpoint. DEC required ExxonMobil to contain and cleanup the massive underground plume of oil for more than a decade, and it will continue to require ExxonMobil to take actions to protect Newtown Creek.

With matching contributions from grantees, the GCEF program was able to more than triple the funds won in the ExxonMobil settlement into a total investment of more than $68.6 million. The GCEF convened nearly 70 community meetings, attended by more than 2,600 people, to educate Greenpoint residents about the program, identify their funding priorities, and assist them in developing projects for funding. The GCEF’s biggest investments were determined by community vote—more than 1,000 Greenpoint residents cast votes for their preferred projects.

The short film “Greening Greenpoint” highlights the program’s innovations and years of success in the community. A full report detailing GCEF’s history, design, implementation, and a description of each project funded is available online and in print at the Greenpoint Library.

“Our communities are on the frontlines in the fight against climate change, and nowhere is this more apparent than on the banks of Newtown Creek” said Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez. “Over the last decade, this significant investment has gone a long way to provide the Greenpoint community with more resources to fund environmental programs, green infrastructure and great community facilities like the library and environmental center. I’d like to recognize the work of Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation for securing this restorative funding, as well as the perseverance and advocacy of the Greenpoint community.”

“The Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has been such a valuable investment in our community,” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher. “Although no amount of money can make up for the environmental harm ExxonMobil brought to our neighborhood, funding these incredible projects has been a beautiful start. We are so grateful to Attorney General Letitia James and DEC for their efforts to restore our community, and for helming this project to support and sustain North Brooklyn.”

“The Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has been a tremendous success. GCEF has been a model for holding a corporate polluter accountable and reinvesting Exxon-Mobil settlement funds into transformative new investments – like a new public library building, environmental education programs, parks improvements and more,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler. “I’m extremely grateful to the leadership of Attorney General Letitia James and her team for creating this framework and smartly selecting the most impactful investments that were determined with substantial community input.”

“Although GCEF has come to a close, I know the legacy of its achievements will remain for many years to come,” said Christine Holowacz, Greenpoint environmental advocate. “I am very proud of what GCEF accomplished in Greenpoint and I am excited by the foundation it helped lay for an even ‘greener’ future for our community. I thank the Attorney General’s Office and DEC for their commitment to GCEF and the residents of Greenpoint.”

“GCEF offered transformational grants for so many environmentally focused organizations in Greenpoint; not only giving local, volunteer-run non-profits like North Brooklyn Community Boathouse the ability to expand programs and capacity but creating synergies between grantees, such as our partnership with the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center,” said Dewey Thompson, Greenpoint environmental advocate. “The Office of the Attorney General and DEC deserve tremendous credit for bringing this highly successful program to life in our community. GCEF was a game-changer for local environmental projects, and I think its impact will resonate for years to come.”

“We are deeply thankful for the continued GCEF support for McGolrick Park, a key gathering place and an extension of many families’ homes in Greenpoint, Brooklyn,” said Janine Murphy and Jodie Love, Steering Committee, Friends of McGolrick Park. “Thanks to past investments, the park now features a thriving ecosystem, recognized as a Monarch waystation and part of the New York State bird trail. Recent upgrades such as new benches, repaved paths, and reseeded lawns have made our ‘local backyard’ safer and more inviting. Partnering with our strong community to envision and help implement this next phase of the GCEF grants will help sustain and enhance McGolrick Park for all our neighbors. We look forward to collaborating on the last phase of GCEF grants, with heartfelt appreciation for AG James, Interim DEC Commissioner Mahar, and local officials’ dedication to preserving and enhancing McGolrick Park.”

“Four years after opening the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, I am thrilled to report it is one of the busiest branches in the borough. Patrons stop by for story time, to enjoy our outdoor space, learn about the plants on the rooftop, or attend programming about sustainability. Working together with the community, and with the generous support of GCEF, we were able to turn the tragedy of an oil spill into a modern, green library which will serve the community for generations to come,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. “We extend our sincerest thanks to the Attorney General’s Office and DEC, who funded and championed the library early on and who have continued to support environmental programming to this day.”

The OAG and DEC have received support from GCEF’s general administrators, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the North Brooklyn Development Corporation, Community Outreach Consultants Laura Truettner and Laura Treciokas, Graphics and Design Consultant SooYoung VanDeMark, the GCEF Community Advisory Panel, and former State Assemblymember Joseph Lentol.

This matter was handled for DEC by attorneys in the Office of General Counsel and Region 2 Public Participation Specialist Adanna Roberts.

This matter was handled for OAG by Policy Advisor Peter C. Washburn of the Environmental Protection Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. The Environmental Protection Bureau is part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

MIL OSI USA News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Rubio, Scott Support Florida’s Request for Major Disaster Declaration
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio

Rubio, Scott Support Florida’s Request for Major Disaster Declaration

Sep 28, 2024 | Press Releases
Hurricane Helene caused catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast after making landfall as a Category 4 storm. It is crucial that the areas impacted have the necessary resources to begin recovery.

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to President Joe Biden, urging his immediate approval of the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration.

“Unfortunately, Helene’s effects will continue to impact the state for some time, and the full extent of damage will not be known for several days as response and recovery efforts get underway. However, approving this declaration request will allow Floridians to be better prepared for the recovery phase. As such, we urge you to approve the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration in its entirety.”

The full text of the letter is below.

Dear Mr. President:

We write in support of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration due to Hurricane Helene, which caused catastrophic damage to much of Florida’s Gulf Coast as it made landfall along Florida’s Big Bend coastline as a Category 4 hurricane on Thursday evening. Hurricane Helene’s devastating wind speeds, extreme storm surge, and heavy rainfall severely impacted substantial portions of the state, with significant flooding, massive power outages, and widespread damage that will take a strong partnership to recover and rebuild.

Unfortunately, Helene’s effects will continue to impact the state for some time, and the full extent of damage will not be known for several days as response and recovery efforts get underway. However, approving this declaration request will allow Floridians to be better prepared for the recovery phase. As such, we urge you to approve the State of Florida’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration in its entirety.

Floridians are incredibly resilient, and with the cooperation from all levels of government, we will rebuild stronger than ever. Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,
MIL OSI USA News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: Springboks cruise to victory

Source: South Africa News Agency

Sunday, September 29, 2024

The Springboks brought joy to the nation after beating Argentina 48-7 and winning the Castle Lager Rugby Championship for the first time in five years.

The world cup winning side beat the Pumas at the Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga on Saturday evening.
The match saw the Boks lead 27-7 at half time.

“The win was never in doubt after the Springboks – celebrating a new Test record for Eben Etzebeth (128 caps) – had a sublime start that had the sold-out crowd of 43 578 in raptures and hardly gave them time to either sit down or catch a breath in a spellbinding first 15 minutes,” said the SA Rugby in match report.

Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Gayton McKenzie described Etzebeth as a warrior.

“On behalf of South Africa, I would like to acknowledge a warrior of SA, a man that donned the green and gold shirt 128 times doing duty for his country. You have done so much for us and the sport of rugby. You are truly a role model with the most magnificent teammates and coaches,” the Minister said in a post on X.

The Springboks scored a total seven tries in their victory on Saturday.

“A crowd of 43 578 celebrated as the Springboks scored seven tries to claim the southern hemisphere crown for the first time since 2019 – scoring more tries in a match in the competition since scoring nine in beating the same opponents at the FNB Stadium 73-13 in 2013,” said SA Rugby.

Proteas

Meanwhile, the Proteas Men are set to face Ireland in their T20i clash today.

“The Proteas are ready to bring the heat in the final T20i against Ireland! With the series on the line, they’re focused on sealing the deal,” Cricket South Africa said in a post on X ahead of Sunday’s match. The match will get underway at 5:30 pm.

Cricket SA called on the nation to “get behind the Proteas as they aim to dominate and finish strong.” –SAnews.gov.za

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MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Maksim Rudnev, Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo

We all admire wise people, don’t we? Whether it’s a thoughtful teacher, a compassionate doctor, or an elder in the community, we recognise wisdom when we see it. But have you ever thought about how people in different cultures perceive wisdom? Does someone in Morocco view a wise person in the same way as someone in Ecuador? Our recent study explored how people across cultures think of wisdom.

This large-scale project required a joint effort of 34 researchers across fields of philosophy, psychology, anthropology, social science and psychometrics – and from all over the world, connected in a research consortium called The Geography of Philosophy.

What we found was somewhat surprising. Wisdom may appear to be shaped by cultural differences, but the core aspects of what makes someone wise are largely the same across cultures. From urban college students in Japan to villagers in South Africa, participants associated wisdom with two key characteristics: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. We explain what that means below.

Contrary to widespread stereotypes, people recognise wisdom in a similar way across east and west, south and north. Despite the divisions of the world, we see wisdom in the same individuals and associate it with similar traits. Are we indeed more alike than we are different, when it comes to how we perceive wisdom? And what characterises wise people?

These are the characteristics of wise people

There are two key characteristics. Reflective orientation is about people who think before acting, carefully consider different perspectives, and use logic and past experiences to guide their decisions. They’re the type of person who keeps their cool in difficult situations, taking time to weigh all the options before making a move.

The second is socio-emotional awareness. Wise people are good at understanding and caring about the thoughts and feelings of others. They pay attention to emotions and consider different views on the situation. Such an individual might be skilled at mediating conflicts by understanding each party’s point of view, or be adept at providing emotional support during difficult times.

Together, these two dimensions combine to form the global image of wisdom. The study suggests that the wisest people are those who balance both, showing strong abilities in reasoning while also being emotionally and socially aware.

A highly reflective person who is suppressing their own emotions but doesn’t notice the social context of the problem wouldn’t be called wise. Likewise, someone who is entirely driven by emotion and the social environment but fails to make logical connections wouldn’t be called wise either. Real wisdom, according to our study, is about finding a balance between thoughtful reasoning, social understanding, and emotional awareness.

Cultures do differ, but not as much as you might think

To uncover these dimensions, we employed a method sometimes called experimental philosophy. Participants across 16 different cultures in 12 countries on five continents compared a set of targets to each other. For example, one of the questions asked participants to compare whether a doctor or a religious person was more likely to think logically when making a hard life decision with no right or wrong answers. Our participants also rated themselves. Then we asked how wise each of these persons were.

When we started this project, we expected to find big differences between cultures. Previous research suggested that people in “the west” use and value analytical thinking, which tends to dismiss social and emotional parts of the situation. In contrast, individuals in “the east” emphasise holistic thinking, that is, all-encompassing views of complex situations.

But that’s not what we found. While there were some small differences – people in South Africa, for example, placed more importance on nature and divinity when thinking about socio-emotional awareness – the overall picture was strikingly similar. Across the globe, people rated individuals who were both reflective and socially and emotionally aware as the wisest. For instance, they named a doctor and a 75-year-old person as the wisest, and at the same time the highest on both dimensions.

What was particularly fascinating was that people tended to rate themselves differently from how they rated others. Most people saw themselves as less reflective but more socially and emotionally aware than the “wise” figures they were asked to rate. In other words, people were ready to admit a moderate level of their own intellectual capabilities, but they were quite confident in their ability to understand and care for others.

Why this matters

This research defies stereotypes of a cold analytical ideal of “the west” and a social-minded and emotionally driven image of “the east” and “the south”. The idea that wisdom is purely intellectual, or conversely, purely social or divine, is too simplistic. It also highlights that wisdom manifests in a balance of traits traditionally attributed to different cultures.

In a time when global cooperation is more important than ever, recognising our shared appreciation for certain qualities can help bridge cultural divides.

The study opens up new avenues for research. Could these dimensions of wisdom help us understand how to solve global problems? Are people more likely to trust leaders who show both reflective thinking and socio-emotional awareness? And how do these qualities affect the way we handle personal relationships, difficult decisions, or conflicts?

One thing is clear: wisdom is something we all value, no matter where we come from. By understanding it better, we can not only become wiser ourselves but also learn to appreciate wisdom in others, wherever they may be.

Veli Mitova receives funding from the John Templeton Foundation and the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences.

Maksim Rudnev 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. What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think – https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-person-seem-wise-global-study-finds-that-cultures-do-differ-but-not-as-much-as-youd-think-238808

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think

Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Maksim Rudnev, Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo

We all admire wise people, don’t we? Whether it’s a thoughtful teacher, a compassionate doctor, or an elder in the community, we recognise wisdom when we see it. But have you ever thought about how people in different cultures perceive wisdom? Does someone in Morocco view a wise person in the same way as someone in Ecuador? Our recent study explored how people across cultures think of wisdom.

This large-scale project required a joint effort of 34 researchers across fields of philosophy, psychology, anthropology, social science and psychometrics – and from all over the world, connected in a research consortium called The Geography of Philosophy.

What we found was somewhat surprising. Wisdom may appear to be shaped by cultural differences, but the core aspects of what makes someone wise are largely the same across cultures. From urban college students in Japan to villagers in South Africa, participants associated wisdom with two key characteristics: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. We explain what that means below.

Contrary to widespread stereotypes, people recognise wisdom in a similar way across east and west, south and north. Despite the divisions of the world, we see wisdom in the same individuals and associate it with similar traits. Are we indeed more alike than we are different, when it comes to how we perceive wisdom? And what characterises wise people?

These are the characteristics of wise people

There are two key characteristics. Reflective orientation is about people who think before acting, carefully consider different perspectives, and use logic and past experiences to guide their decisions. They’re the type of person who keeps their cool in difficult situations, taking time to weigh all the options before making a move.

The second is socio-emotional awareness. Wise people are good at understanding and caring about the thoughts and feelings of others. They pay attention to emotions and consider different views on the situation. Such an individual might be skilled at mediating conflicts by understanding each party’s point of view, or be adept at providing emotional support during difficult times.

Together, these two dimensions combine to form the global image of wisdom. The study suggests that the wisest people are those who balance both, showing strong abilities in reasoning while also being emotionally and socially aware.

A highly reflective person who is suppressing their own emotions but doesn’t notice the social context of the problem wouldn’t be called wise. Likewise, someone who is entirely driven by emotion and the social environment but fails to make logical connections wouldn’t be called wise either. Real wisdom, according to our study, is about finding a balance between thoughtful reasoning, social understanding, and emotional awareness.

Cultures do differ, but not as much as you might think

To uncover these dimensions, we employed a method sometimes called experimental philosophy. Participants across 16 different cultures in 12 countries on five continents compared a set of targets to each other. For example, one of the questions asked participants to compare whether a doctor or a religious person was more likely to think logically when making a hard life decision with no right or wrong answers. Our participants also rated themselves. Then we asked how wise each of these persons were.

When we started this project, we expected to find big differences between cultures. Previous research suggested that people in “the west” use and value analytical thinking, which tends to dismiss social and emotional parts of the situation. In contrast, individuals in “the east” emphasise holistic thinking, that is, all-encompassing views of complex situations.

But that’s not what we found. While there were some small differences – people in South Africa, for example, placed more importance on nature and divinity when thinking about socio-emotional awareness – the overall picture was strikingly similar. Across the globe, people rated individuals who were both reflective and socially and emotionally aware as the wisest. For instance, they named a doctor and a 75-year-old person as the wisest, and at the same time the highest on both dimensions.

What was particularly fascinating was that people tended to rate themselves differently from how they rated others. Most people saw themselves as less reflective but more socially and emotionally aware than the “wise” figures they were asked to rate. In other words, people were ready to admit a moderate level of their own intellectual capabilities, but they were quite confident in their ability to understand and care for others.

Why this matters

This research defies stereotypes of a cold analytical ideal of “the west” and a social-minded and emotionally driven image of “the east” and “the south”. The idea that wisdom is purely intellectual, or conversely, purely social or divine, is too simplistic. It also highlights that wisdom manifests in a balance of traits traditionally attributed to different cultures.

In a time when global cooperation is more important than ever, recognising our shared appreciation for certain qualities can help bridge cultural divides.

The study opens up new avenues for research. Could these dimensions of wisdom help us understand how to solve global problems? Are people more likely to trust leaders who show both reflective thinking and socio-emotional awareness? And how do these qualities affect the way we handle personal relationships, difficult decisions, or conflicts?

One thing is clear: wisdom is something we all value, no matter where we come from. By understanding it better, we can not only become wiser ourselves but also learn to appreciate wisdom in others, wherever they may be.

– What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think
– https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-person-seem-wise-global-study-finds-that-cultures-do-differ-but-not-as-much-as-youd-think-238808

MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Global start-ups, incubators seek business opportunities in Chinese market

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

SHANGHAI, Sept. 29 — Global incubators and start-up entrepreneurs have praised the opportunities bred by the vast Chinese market and incubation soil for technology start-ups at the World Top-Performing Incubator Conference 2024.

The conference, held in Shanghai Municipality from Sept. 26 to 28, attracted nearly 300 innovation projects in cutting-edge fields such biomedicine, integrated circuits and artificial intelligence. It saw the attendance of top incubators from more than 10 countries, including China, the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.

Sejun Oh, CEO of Huespine, a digital healthcare rehabilitation platform, brought their AI-based nursing equipment to China. He hopes to establish contact with Chinese hospitals, enterprises and consumers and is optimistic about the Chinese market.

Jorg Kop, managing director of UtrechtInc, a university-linked start-up incubator, said he hopes to further their cooperation network in China and help European start-ups enter the Chinese market.

Kop said China is crucial to the development of the world economy and Shanghai has economic vitality as well as fantastic ideas. He added that the Lin-gang special area of Pudong district in the municipality can be a convenient entrance for its start-ups to enter the Chinese market.

According to Zhai Jinguo, deputy director of the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, Shanghai will continue to establish an innovative incubation ecosystem, cultivate new quality productivity forces, and provide support and guarantee for scientific and technological innovation projects and teams in Shanghai.

China has more than 700,000 incubated enterprises and teams. The revenues of incubated enterprises have exceeded 1 trillion yuan (about 143 billion U.S. dollars).

MIL OSI China News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI China: New tech at expo signals China’s foreign trade momentum

Source: China State Council Information Office

Robots perform dance at a booth during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

The third Global Digital Trade Expo, currently unfolding in Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province, is offering a glimpse into avant-garde technologies that are unlocking the country’s burgeoning potential in foreign trade.

Over the span of five days, the exhibition is featuring 446 new products and technologies, ranging from robots performing remarkable tasks like opening bottles and sorting waste to AI-driven digital humans engaging in debate competitions.

“I was impressed most by medical AI displayed at the exhibition, such as robotic surgical arms and screening clinics,” said Kgaladi Melia Thema, a consultant for innovation and technology of Small Enterprise Development Agency, South Africa.

“Nurses can use chronic disease management screening products for patients, which can be applied both at home and in clinics. This reduces costs and enables remote patient monitoring, offering great potential,” she added.

Digital technologies such as big data, cloud computing and blockchain are taking center stage at the expo, underscoring how China is harnessing these innovations to propel its foreign trade.

At the booth of iFLYTEK Co., Ltd., a front-runner in China’s AI and speech technology industry, several African visitors were immersed in real-time conversations with staff through a state-of-the-art multilingual AI-powered translation screen. Despite the bustling environment, the screen, equipped with advanced voice recognition technologies, accurately captured and responded to human voices.

“Overseas business is poised to become a significant growth engine for us in the coming years. Our aspiration is for it to constitute one-third of our business segments in the future,” said Liu Qingfeng, chairman of iFLYTEK.

Chinese cultural exports are also stealing the show at the exhibition. In the digital entertainment zone, innovative exhibits such as an AI-powered representation of Su Dongpo, a celebrated poet from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), a virtual museum of traditional Chinese music, as well as a 3D display of the four bronze animal heads from the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), are offering visitors a fascinating glimpse into the richness of Chinese culture.

“The fusion of digital technology with the splendor of traditional Chinese culture has not only expanded our export opportunities, but also invigorated the growth of China’s culture industry,” said Wu Shuang, a staff member of Zhejiang Kayou Animation Co., Ltd., a domestic card game creator.

Visitors are also being treated to futuristic transportation solutions, including autonomous boat taxis and the electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles, all being showcased for the first time at this year’s expo.

“China is rightly regarded as a global leader in digital technologies and innovations,” said Zhaslan Madiyev, minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, adding that China’s advancement in digital trade is not only creating new avenues for cooperation, but also enhancing global trade infrastructure, fostering sustainable development worldwide.

“Chinese technologies and innovations are enhancing supply chains, making them faster and more efficient, while also improving access to goods and services,” Madiyev noted.

According to the Global Digital Trade Development Report 2024 released during the event, global digital trade soared to around 7.13 trillion U.S. dollars (about 1.02 trillion yuan) in 2023, up from 6.02 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021, marking an average annual growth rate of 8.8 percent.

The report also highlighted that the import and export scale of China’s cross-border e-commerce reached 2.37 trillion yuan last year, up 15.3 percent year on year.

Mercado Libre, a leading Latin American e-commerce platform, witnessed a 70-percent increase in online Chinese sellers and a 75-percent surge in their sales on its platform in 2023.

The company has opened its cross-border e-commerce services to Chinese sellers in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Colombia, according to its representative at the expo, who also emphasized the escalating significance of the Chinese market.

As China’s sole national-level event focusing on the theme of digital trade, the expo has drawn over 1,500 enterprises, including more than 300 international companies, and over 30,000 purchasers this year.

MIL OSI China News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: UPDATE: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration’s Continued Response Efforts to Hurricane Helene
Source: The White House

Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, the Administration is continuing to provide robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts to Hurricane Helene’s impacts. The President and Vice President are closely monitoring these efforts and receive regular updates from their teams.

At the President’s direction, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell visited Florida over the weekend to assess damage alongside local and state officials. She continued surveying damage today in parts of Georgia before she moves into North Carolina on Monday.

Earlier this evening, Administrator Criswell and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall briefed President Biden on the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene in multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia. Administrator Criswell also updated the President on Federal actions to support response and recovery.

The President directed Administrator Criswell to determine what more can be done to accelerate support to those who are having the most difficult time accessing assistance in isolated communities. He also advised the FEMA Administrator that as soon as it will not disrupt emergency response operations, he intends to travel this week to impacted communities.

Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring an additional weather disturbance in the Caribbean Sea that has the potential to form into another storm in the coming week. Residents throughout the Gulf Coast should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.

Additional Federal response actions include:

Approving Major Disaster Declarations

Yesterday, President Biden approved Major Disaster declarations for the states of Florida and North Carolina, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. People in 17 counties in Florida and 25 counties in North Carolina, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.

FEMA assistance in Florida and North Carolina may include upfront 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.

Emergency declarations were also approved for Florida, North Carolina Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA provides direct Federal support to states for life saving activities and other emergency protective measures, such as evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue.

Supporting On-The-Ground Response Efforts

As of today, more than 3,300 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed and supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts across the impacted states. This includes the most experienced incident management teams to help identity Federal resources to address unmet needs, as well as Urban Search and Rescue personnel using high water rescue equipment for rescue missions across the region.

At least 50,000 personnel from 31 states and the District of Columbia and Canada are responding to power outages and working around the clock throughout parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to restore power to those communities that can receive power. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is moving generators and additional power generation assets into the hardest hit areas of South and North Carolina as flood waters recede and debris removal allows. As of this afternoon, approximately 2.3 million customers are without power, down from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27.

Additional Interagency Support Efforts

Together with state and local partners, the Federal government is actively supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts and is coordinating requests for Federal assistance.
- FEMA distribution centers are fully stocked and ready to provide commodities and equipment to any impacted state, as required.
- FEMA is trucking dozens of trailers containing food and water in North Carolina to support the State as they start to set up care-sites for survivors.
- FEMA is also working with the Federal Communications Commission and private sector telecommunications partners to deploy emergency mobile communications assets while they work to restore network services, particularly in remote areas.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency for Florida and Georgia, giving health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. About 200 medical responders are in Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina, along with medical equipment and supplies, to help ensure the delivery of health care services following the landfall of Hurricane Helene.
- Twenty-four federal Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces are deployed across the affected regions. Roughly 1,302 Urban Search and Rescue personnel are assisting in the impacted areas. Together with local and state responders, teams have rescued and supported over 1,400 of people across the impacted area.
- The U.S. Coast Guard has thousands of personnel working on response efforts and are conducting post-storm assessments to support the rapid reopening of impacted ports.
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed teams for temporary emergency power, debris removal, and infrastructure assessment, including for dams throughout the region.
- The Environmental Protection Agency has personnel on the ground who are offering technical assistance and guidance on water systems, debris management, and maintaining critical public health and environmental protections in place as storm impacts are assessed.
- The U.S. Small Business Administration deployed more than 50 personnel to support survivors and small businesses as they recover from the hurricane.
- The U.S. Department of Energy has responders deployed across the region and are closely monitoring power, fuel, and supply chain interruptions.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has deployed personnel to the impacted region to extend much-needed emergency credit to farmers and agriculture producers who lost crops and livestock.
###

MIL OSI USA News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Administrator Visits Impacted Areas by Helene, Federal Family Continues Response and Recovery Efforts Multi-State Disaster

Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

Headline: FEMA Administrator Visits Impacted Areas by Helene, Federal Family Continues Response and Recovery Efforts Multi-State Disaster

FEMA Administrator Visits Impacted Areas by Helene, Federal Family Continues Response and Recovery Efforts Multi-State Disaster

WASHINGTON — As FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell continues to meet with state and local emergency managers in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene, today, she was in several areas of Georgia assessing damage, talking with survivors and meeting with emergency workers. She will be traveling to North Carolina on Monday, Sept. 30.

In five states – Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee – federal agencies, private sector, nonprofit and faith-based organizations are responding to large disasters. Each of these states are at different stages of their response and recovery efforts. However, all states are addressing the impacts including impassable roads, communications and water systems disruptions and power outages.

President Biden approved major disaster declarations for the states of Florida and North Carolina, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. People in 17 counties in Florida and 25 counties in North Carolina, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.

FEMA assistance in Florida and North Carolina may include upfront 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.

Emergency declarations are still in effect for Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA can provide support for urgent disaster response activities.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is assessing the impact of the water systems and what is needed to bring these online in several areas across the southeast. Several counties in all states have issued boil water notices. Also, several federal agencies are moving in portable equipment to help reestablish communications in some of the hardest hit areas.

As water rescues continue in northwest North Carolina for more than a dozen search and rescue teams, Florida is distributing state supplies of food and water at dozens of points of distribution. In addition, as state supplies are being distributed, FEMA and other federal agencies have moved more commodities into the region to help supplement these efforts, if needed.

These snapshots highlight some of the various response and recovery efforts underway.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”55446″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/973f3e29522b202afa24fedc36ad58d3.jpg?itok=rVG9vUsq” alt=”Caption:

VALDOSTA, GA – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, FEMA Region 4 Regional Administrator Robert Samaan and Georgia Rep. Austin Scott, visit Helene survivors in front of their home in Valdosta GA.

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VALDOSTA, GA – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, FEMA Region 4 Regional Administrator Robert Samaan and Georgia Rep. Austin Scott, visit Helene survivors in front of their home in Valdosta GA.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”55447″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/b197d49c02bd4cf7da30d7a307d1774a.jpeg?itok=-oBqrMXz” alt=”Caption:

Bradenton, Fla. (Sept. 29, 2024) – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams help survivors of Hurricane Helene.

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Bradenton, Fla. (Sept. 29, 2024) – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams help survivors of Hurricane Helene.

View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”55457″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/451f5d0a3929253441bb510857096d82.jpeg?itok=LxXoxfCe” alt=”Caption:

Raleigh, NC – Gov. Roy Cooper holds press conference to announce the approval of an expedited major disaster declaration by President Joseph R. Biden.

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Raleigh, NC – Gov. Roy Cooper holds press conference to announce the approval of an expedited major disaster declaration by President Joseph R. Biden.

mashana.davis
Sun, 09/29/2024 – 23:33

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Can Australia prosecute foreigners for genocide overseas? Here’s how our atrocity laws work

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alister McKeich, Lecturer and Researcher in Law, Criminology and Indigenous Studies, Victoria University, Victoria University

Shutterstock

The onslaught in the Middle East has brought to the world’s attention once again the “crime of crimes”, genocide.

Both the the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court (ICC) have brought allegations of genocide against Israel as a state and Israeli and Hamas leaders as individuals.

The Australian government’s response to the Gaza crisis has included temporarily freezing of A$6 million of funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine. Though funding has been flowing again since March, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been referred to the ICC by a law firm for being “an accessory to genocide”.

Against this backdrop, Australia’s own genocide legislation is under parliamentary scrutiny. A bill tabled by independent Senator Lidia Thorpe (for whom I work as a casual legal researcher) seeks to change the way Australia deals with genocide.

So what do our current laws say and what’s the case for changing them?

What do our laws say?

Australia ratified the Genocide Convention in 1949.

Yet it was not until 2002, once the ICC was established, that the Commonwealth Criminal Code was amended to create a new division of atrocity crimes.

Through this legislation, Australia may prosecute any person accused of a Rome Statute crime (such as genocide) under Australian law.

At the moment, written consent from the attorney-general is required before legal proceedings about genocide and other atrocity crimes can commence. This is called the “attorney-general’s fiat”.

Further, the attorney-general’s decision is final. It “must not be challenged, appealed against, reviewed, quashed or called into question”.

Thorpe’s bill seeks to overturn these two measures.

The explanatory memorandum in the 2002 amendment did not say why the attorney-general’s consent was necessary.

Consent from an attorney-general (or similar position) is not an international requirement.

Australia is only one of a handful of other countries (including the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada) where the fiat also exists.

Why is it a problem?

The Australian government has justified the rule on the basis that prosecutions for atrocity crimes against individuals could affect Australia’s international relations and national security.

However, submissions from legal experts and community groups to a senate inquiry looking at the issue point out flaws.

They say this rule prevents access to justice for victims and survivors of atrocity crimes. It can also create the potential for government bias.

Submissions also say the lack of explanation or appeal process ignores fundamental principles of jurisprudence.

Has the rule been used?

The attorney-general’s fiat has been used in a limited number of cases.

In 2009, Palestinian rights groups Australians for Palestine issued a request for consent for the prosecution of former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert, who was visiting at the time.

The Australian Centre for International Justice states in its submission how then-attorney-general Robert McClellend denied the request. He cited matters of international state sovereignty and the difficulties of pursuing such a case in an overseas jurisdiction.

Then, in 2011, Arunchalam Jegastheeswaran, an Australian citizen of Tamil
background, sought the attorney-general’s consent for the prosecution of then Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was due to visit Australia.

McClellend again denied the request, saying Rajapaska was protected under “head of state immunity”. This concept is controversial in international law, given it’s often heads of state who commit atrocity crimes.

Head of state protection was also offered to former Myanmar (Burma) leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was in government when the 2017 genocide against the Rohingya was committed.

With Suu Kyi due to be in Australia for an ASEAN conference in 2018, the Australian Rohingya community sought a prosecution. It was denied by then attorney-general Christian Porter.

And in 2019, retired Sri Lankan General Jagath Jayasuriya visited Australia. Despite concerted efforts to raise evidence to prosecute Jayasuriya of war crimes, delays with the Australian Federal Police meant the case never reached the point of attorney-general consent.

First Nations plaintiffs such as Paul Coe and Robert Thorpe have also sought to bring cases of genocide before the domestic courts, with no success.

What would changing the laws mean?

As it’s unlikely an attorney-general would consent to prosecutions against its own government, submissions to the inquiry argue the rule creates a direct conflict of interest.

For First Nations people seeking justice for crimes of “ongoing genocide” perpetuated by the Commonwealth, any government is hardly going to rule in their favour.

Some Indigenous community groups argue the high rates of First Nations children in protection, deaths in custody, hyper-incarceration and cultural, land and environmental damage amount to genocide crimes.

Submissions to the inquiry recommend instead of requiring the consent of the attorney-general, claims of genocide should be directed to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions. This would ensure greater independence from government.

The director has a mandate for this sort of work. It already investigates similar crimes such as people smuggling, human trafficking, slavery and child exploitation.

Internationally, the implications of this bill, if passed, will be consequential. The Australian Centre for International Justice estimates up to 1,000 Australian citizens have returned to Israel to fight as part of the Israel Defense Forces. Israel has been accused of serious atrocity crimes in Gaza.

Should any of those citizens return, there could be attempts to mount a case. The government would then have to consider Australia’s political and economic ties with Israel.

Whether the bill is passed will depend on parliament. But the situation highlights a paradox: the state itself will be deciding whether to remove its own inbuilt protections against charges of genocide.

Alister McKeich is a casual legal researcher with the office of Senator Lidia Thorpe.

– ref. Can Australia prosecute foreigners for genocide overseas? Here’s how our atrocity laws work – https://theconversation.com/can-australia-prosecute-foreigners-for-genocide-overseas-heres-how-our-atrocity-laws-work-236394

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 23, 2025
MIL-Evening Report: Kamala Harris the slight favourite to win US election as she narrowly leads in key states

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

The US presidential election will be held on November 5. In analyst Nate Silver’s aggregate of national polls, Democrat Kamala Harris leads Republican Donald Trump by 49.3–46.0 – a slight widening of the competition since last Monday, when Harris led Trump by 49.2–46.2.

President Joe Biden’s final position before his withdrawal as Democratic candidate on July 21 was a national poll deficit against Trump of 45.2–41.2.

There will be a debate on Tuesday evening US time between the vice-presidential candidates, Democrat Tim Walz and Republican JD Vance. Vice-presidential debates in previous elections have not had a significant influence on the contest.

The US president isn’t elected by the national popular vote, but by the Electoral College, in which each state receives electoral votes equal to its federal House seats (population based) and senators (always two). Almost all states award their electoral votes as winner-takes-all, and it takes 270 electoral votes to win (out of 538 total).

The Electoral College is biased to Trump relative to the national popular vote, with Harris needing at least a two-point popular vote win in Silver’s model to be the Electoral College favourite.

In Silver’s polling averages, Harris leads Trump by one to two points in Pennsylvania (19 electoral votes), Michigan (15), Wisconsin (ten) and Nevada (six). If Harris wins all these states, she is likely to win the Electoral College by at least a 276–262 margin. Trump is ahead by less than a point in North Carolina (16 electoral votes) and Georgia (16), and if Harris wins both, she wins by 308–230.

In Silver’s model, Harris has a 56% chance to win the Electoral College, up from 54% last Monday but down from her peak of 58% two days ago. Earlier this month, there were large differences in win probability between Silver’s model and the FiveThirtyEight model, which was more favourable to Harris. But these models have nearly converged, with FiveThirtyEight now giving Harris a 59% win probability.

There are still more than five weeks until election day, so polls could change in either Trump’s or Harris’ favour by then. Harris’ one to two point leads in the key states are tenuous, and this explains why Trump is still rated a good chance to win.

Silver wrote on September 1 that polls in 2020 and 2016 were biased against Trump, but polls in 2012 were biased against Barack Obama. In the last two midterm elections (2022 and 2018), polls have been good. It’s plausible there will be a polling error this year, but which candidate such an error would favour can’t be predicted.

On Sunday, Silver said if there was a systematic error of three or four points in the polls in either Trump’s or Harris’ favour, that candidate would sweep all the swing states and easily win the Electoral College. There are other scenarios in which one candidate underperforms the polls with some demographics but overperforms with other demographics.

I wrote about the US election for The Poll Bludger last Thursday, and also covered bleak polls and byelection results in Canada for the governing centre-left Liberals ahead of an election due by October 2025, a dreadful poll for UK Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the new French prime minister, a German state election and a socialist win in Sri Lanka’s presidential election.

Upwardly revised economic data

Last Thursday, a revised estimate of June quarter US GDP was released. There was a large upward revision in real disposable personal income compared to the previously reported figures. This has resulted in the personal savings rate being revised up to 4.9% in July from the previously reported 2.9%, and it was 4.8% in August.

With these upward revisions, Silver’s economic index that averages six indicators is now at +0.25, up from +0.09. As the incumbent party’s candidate, a better economy than was previously believed should help Harris.

Coalition gains narrow lead in Essential

In Australia, a national Essential poll, conducted on September 18–22 from a sample of 1,117 people, gave the Coalition a 48–47 lead (including undecided voters) after a 48–48 tie in early September. It’s the Coalition’s first lead in the Essential poll since mid-July.

Primary votes were 35% Coalition (steady), 29% Labor (down one), 12% Greens (down one), 8% One Nation (steady), 2% UAP (up one), 9% for all Others (up one) and 5% undecided (steady).

Anthony Albanese’s net approval was up five points since August to –5, with 47% disapproving and 42% approving. Peter Dutton’s net approval was down one to net zero.

On social media regulations, 48% thought them too weak, 43% about right and 8% too tough. By 67–17, voters supported imposing an age limit for children to access social media (68–15 in July). By 71–12, voters supported making doxing (the public release of personally identifiable data) a criminal offence (62–19 in February).

By 49–18, voters supported Labor’s Help to Buy scheme, and by 57–13 they supported the build-to-rent scheme. The questions give detail that few voters would know.

Voters were told the Liberals and Greens had combined to delay Labor’s housing policies in the senate. By 48–22, voters thought the Liberals and Greens should pass the policies and argue for their own policies at the next election, rather than block Labor’s policies. Greens voters supported passing by 55–21.

Labor keeps narrow lead in Morgan

A national Morgan poll, conducted September 16–22 from a sample of 1,662 people, gave Labor a 50.5–49.5 lead, unchanged from the September 9–15 Morgan poll.

Primary votes were 37.5% Coalition (steady), 32% Labor (up 1.5), 12.5% Greens (steady), 5% One Nation (down 0.5), 9.5% independents (down 0.5) and 3.5% others (down 0.5).

The headline figure is based on respondent preferences. By 2022 election preference flows, Labor led by an unchanged 52–48.

Adrian Beaumont 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. Kamala Harris the slight favourite to win US election as she narrowly leads in key states – https://theconversation.com/kamala-harris-the-slight-favourite-to-win-us-election-as-she-narrowly-leads-in-key-states-239735

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4318-4320: One Last Weekend in the Channel

Source: NASA

2 min read

Earth planning date: Friday, Sept. 27, 2024

We’re wrapping up our time in the channel with the highly anticipated examination of the “Sheep Creek” white stones. Last plan’s reposition was a success, so we are able to go ahead with contact science on them this weekend. MAHLI and APXS picked three targets to investigate: “Cloud Canyon,” “Moonlight Lake,” and “Angora Mountain,” all of which sound so lovely and soft, and are quite evocative of these pale stones, which stand out so much against the background. ChemCam is also examining another of the white stones, “Pee Wee Lake.”

Since this is looking like it will be our last weekend in the channel, we’re packing the plan with all the other last-chance targets before we leave them behind. Mastcam is making a large survey of some other light-toned rocks in the middle distance dubbed “Orchid Lake,” as well as getting a bit more context for an old target, “Marble Falls,” which we first imaged almost two weeks ago. A bit closer to the rover, it will examine a target we’re calling “Brown Bear Pass,” to study the surface properties of the soil. Mastcam will also be looking backwards at our tracks to see if we turned up anything interesting in our travels. And ChemCam has a couple of long-distance observations of another familiar target, “Buckeye Ridge.”

After all that, it’s time for us to turn back around and head toward the edge of the channel with a drive of 55 meters (about 180 feet) back to our exit point. Even then, our weekend still isn’t over. We have a ChemCam-filled third sol, using AEGIS to autonomously select a target, and then getting a passive sky observation to keep an eye on the amount of different gases like oxygen and water vapor in the atmosphere. Speaking of the atmosphere, here on the environmental side we’re kept busy this weekend looking for dust devils and clouds, and keeping an eye on the amount of dust in the air around us. We’ll wrap up the weekend as we often do — with an early morning dedicated environmental science block.

Written by Alex Innanen, Atmospheric Scientist at York University

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Tuberville, Britt Congratulate Sumpter Smith on Being Selected as Finalist for the KC-46A Main Operating Base

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)
WASHINGTON – Today,U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) and Katie Britt (R-AL) announced that Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base is selected as a finalist to be the home of the KC-46A Tanker.
“Alabama continues to be a leader in cutting-edge military equipment and technology,” said Senator Tuberville. “Sumpter Smith, home of the 117th Air Refueling Wing, is dedicated to providing air refueling and airlift support across Alabama and our nation. I am proud that Alabama is such a pro-military state and hope to see Sumpter selected for this designation next year.”
“I am proud Birmingham’s Sumpter Smith Air National Guard Base has been selected as a finalist for this important basing decision. Alabama is the arsenal of the world, and because of that we have incredible communities, synergies, and personnel ready, willing, and able to support this potential investment by the Air Force,” said Senator Britt. “Sumpter Smith is already well-suited to handle the recapitalization of KC-46A due to existing infrastructure that will save the Air Force money and only require a nominal investment. The close proximity to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport is also beneficial as the runway allows the 117th Air Refueling Wing to launch with full fuel capacity. This is critical given growing threats around the globe. I firmly believe Sumpter Smith is the best possible choice, and we will continue to encourage the Air Force to choose Alabama.”
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI New Zealand: Foreign Minister completes successful week of international engagements

Source: New Zealand Government

Foreign Minister Winston Peters today wrapped up a week of high-level engagements at the United Nations in New York and in Papeete, French Polynesia.

“Our visit to New York was about demonstrating New Zealand’s unwavering support for an international system based on rules and respect for the UN Charter, as articulated by then Prime Minister Peter Fraser at the UN’s founding on behalf of New Zealand people,” Mr Peters says.

“The UN Security Council remains at the centre of the international peace and security system. Our bid for a seat on the Security Council for the 2039-40 term is both important and necessary. As a small state and country of the Pacific, we look forward to again bringing a constructive voice to the top table.”

While in New York, Mr Peters also engaged in several high-level meetings and held talks with a range of counterparts, including from Iceland, Italy, Jordan, Egypt, Netherlands, Costa Rica, Sweden, Kiribati, Maldives, Palestinian Authority, and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

“Our talks in Papeete today with President Moetai Brotherson, French High Commissioner Dominique Sorain, former Presidents Édouard Fritch and Oscar Temaru, Members of Parliament, and business leaders reinforced the warm and enduring relationships between New Zealand, French Polynesia and France”, Mr Peters says.

Mr Peters is aiming to visit all 17 other Pacific Islands Forum countries in 2024. French Polynesia was the 15^th he visited, leaving only New Caledonia and Kiribati to go.

Mr Peters returns to New Zealand later today.

MIL OSI New Zealand News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI China: Chinese FM outlines China’s vision for addressing global challenges

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

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday outlined China’s vision for tackling the world’s most urgent challenges, reaffirming the country’s role as a proactive force in global governance and cooperation.

“As the world faces increasingly serious challenges, China has never opted to be an indifferent spectator. Instead, we have been playing a bigger part in global governance than ever before,” said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, in his speech at the general debate of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Wang referenced the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping as examples of China’s leadership in proposing solutions to the difficult issues facing humanity.

“They carry China’s wisdom for resolving various difficult issues confronting humanity, and bring impetus from China for improving global governance,” he said.

In the face of uneven and inadequate global development, China’s proposal is to put development at the top of the global agenda, focus on delivering the Sustainable Development Goals of the U.N. 2030 Agenda, increase input in development, and help developing countries better respond to different risks and challenges, said Wang.

At the recent Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Xi outlined 10 partnership actions to be taken together with Africa to advance modernization, and announced the decision to give over 40 least developed countries (LDCs), including those in Africa, zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines.

“China is the first major developing country and the first major economy to take such a significant step,” Wang said.

He pointed out that in the face of unilateral, bullying acts such as sanctions and blockade, China firmly supports countries in defending their legitimate rights, upholding the equity and openness of the international system, making global development more coordinated and beneficial for all, and jointly opposing technology blockade and rejecting decoupling or severing supply chains.

“Sanctions and pressure will not bring monopolistic advantages. Suppressing and containing others will not solve problems at home. The right of people of all countries to pursue a better life should not be taken away. Here, we once again urge the United States to completely lift its blockade, sanctions and terrorism-related designation against Cuba,” said Wang.

In the face of aggravating ecological challenges, Wang said, China is firmly committed to a path of green, low-carbon and sustainable development.

“We will move from carbon peaking to carbon neutrality in the shortest time span in world history, contributing China’s efforts to harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature,” he said.

At the global level, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must be upheld, and the Paris Agreement must be implemented in earnest, he added.

“Developed countries should assist developing countries in building their capacity to cope with climate change. Touting the need of climate response while suppressing the green industries of others will only hold back global progress in green transition,” said Wang.

Addressing the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), Wang stressed China is committed to taking a people-centered approach, developing AI for good, and putting equal emphasis on development and security.

“We are working to explore and establish widely-recognized international rules and standards,” he said, adding China supports the U.N.’s role as the main channel for global AI governance and is committed to strengthening international cooperation on AI capacity-building.

“China has put forth the AI Capacity-Building Action Plan for Good and for All, and is ready to make more contributions to the sound, orderly, fair and inclusive development of AI,” said Wang.

On human rights protection, Wang reiterated China’s stance that all countries should have the right to independently choose their path of human rights development. He rejected external interference in others’ internal affairs citing human rights as an excuse, asserting that no country should impose its own will on others.

“In human rights protection, China is committed to putting people first and promoting the free and well-rounded development of the people. We have found a path of human rights development that suits China’s national conditions,” he said. “China is ready to engage in dialogue and exchanges with all countries and UN human rights bodies on an equal footing, and jointly promote the sound development of the global human rights cause.”

MIL OSI China News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: REMARKS BY THE ACTING PRIME MINISTER, HON. TUALA TEVAGA IOSEFO PONIFASIO ON THE OCCASION OF THE CROWNING OF THE MISS UNIVERSE SAMOA – MS. HAYLANI PEARL KURUPPU

Source: Government of Western Samoa

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(20TH SEPTEMBER 2024, ORATOR HOTEL AT 4:30PM)

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today marks the dawn of a new chapter in the history of pageantry for our nation. We gather here to celebrate and crown our Miss Universe Samoa, who will have the honor of representing our beautiful country at the 73rd Miss Universe competition, to be held in Mexico City on November 16, 2024.

The Miss Universe competition is globally recognized as one of the top three international pageants. With its empowering motto, “Beautifully Confident,” the Miss Universe pageant aims to provide a platform where adult women from around the world can challenge themselves, express their voices, and be heard on the global stage. It is a movement that advocates for a future shaped by women—women with the courage to defy limits, curiosity to make groundbreaking discoveries, and audacity to continuously push the boundaries of possibility. These women become advocates for social causes, shouldering the responsibility of serving as role models with integrity and purpose.

For over 30 years, Samoa has been absent from the Miss Universe platform. Today, it is time for our talented, intelligent, and vibrant ‘Tama’ita’i Samoa to once again shine on the global stage. As we continue our efforts to promote Samoa as a premier tourist destination, this pageant is yet another significant initiative driven by our dynamic private sector.

The government of Samoa is fully committed to promoting the important role of women in our society. This commitment is not just words but is demonstrated through our policies and actions. We actively support women’s involvement at all levels, including in Parliament and high-level leadership roles. By doing so, we affirm our dedication to the principles of equality and inclusion. We believe in the invaluable contributions of women to the progress and development of our society, and this commitment is woven into the fabric of our national vision for the future. “Pathway to the development of Samoa.

I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to Manaia Events for spearheading this effort. It takes vision, dedication, and courage to bring Samoa back onto the world stage, and your hard work and commitment are truly commendable. This is a testament to the power of partnerships between the private sector, local organizations, and national efforts to elevate Samoa’s presence globally.

Special recognition goes to Ms. Haylani Pearl Kuruppu, our Miss Universe Samoa. Ms. Kuruppu has already made us proud on the international stage, having represented Samoa and the Pacific at the Miss Global Pageant in Cambodia in 2023. We all shared in the pride and excitement when Samoa was announced as one of the top two finalists. Millions around the world cheered for you then, and millions more will stand behind you as you step onto the Miss Universe stage. Your journey is not just one of personal achievement, but one that inspires hope and pride in the hearts of Samoans everywhere.

As you prepare to compete in Mexico, remember that you carry with you not only the dreams of young Samoan women but also the rich cultural heritage of our nation. You embody the grace, strength, and resilience of our people. Through your presence on the Miss Universe stage, you are representing more than beauty; you are representing the values of courage, determination, and unity that define Samoa.

Your dedication and service to Samoa have been commendable, and we pray for God’s continued protection and guidance as you undertake this momentous journey. We trust that you will inspire not only those in Samoa but also women around the world, showing them that no matter where they come from, their voices can be heard, their talents recognized, and their dreams realized.

Once again, I extend my sincere thanks to Manaia Events, Vodafone Samoa, Fiji Airways, and everyone who has played a role in preparing our Miss Universe Samoa, Ms. Haylani Pearl Kuruppu, for her upcoming competition in Mexico City.

God bless Haylanni and the Team Miss Universe Samoa.

Fa’afetai tele lava. Thank you.

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September 30, 2024

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Joint statement following the Strategic Dialogue between Canada, Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden

Source: Government of Sweden

Between September 27 and 29, 2024, the foreign ministers of Canada and the Nordic countries met in New York and Iqaluit, Nunavut, for the Canada-Nordic Strategic Dialogue. This meeting delivers on the commitment for foreign ministers to hold a strategic dialogue, made at the Prime Minister level meeting in Iceland, on June 26, 2023. On September 27, 2024, the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden and the State Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland met in New York. On September 28 and 29, they traveled to Iqaluit, Nunavut where they were joined by the Foreign Minister of the Faroe Islands and an official from the Government of Greenland (Naalakkersuisut). In Iqaluit, Iceland was represented by the Deputy Permanent Secretary of State / Arctic Ambassador.

Canada and the Nordic countries enjoy a strong and deepening partnership, anchored in our common democratic values, shared interests in the North Atlantic and the Arctic region, as well as our commitment to the rules-based international order, multilateral cooperation, international law, democracy, human rights, and tackling disinformation. The transatlantic relationship is key to our collective security, and we will work together to strengthen this relationship. This is the foundation upon which we commit to work pragmatically together to address complex global challenges, including those arising from challenges to the global order.

In New York, substantive issues were discussed relating to Russia’s illegal and full-scale invasion of Ukraine, transatlantic cooperation, and the concerning developments taking place in the Middle East, including the Gaza Strip. The foreign ministers reiterated their steadfast support to Ukraine in the face of continued Russian aggression and re-affirmed their commitment to continue to provide Ukraine the means to defend itself for as long as it takes. They also condemned the hostile hybrid operations Russia conducts in response to support given to Ukraine.

The Iqaluit portion of the Dialogue focused on Arctic issues. As Arctic nations, Canada and the Nordic countries share a deep commitment to multilateral cooperation and international law, including UNCLOS. Inclusive engagement with those who live there, including Indigenous peoples, is essential to ensure a stable, prosperous and secure Arctic region. The foreign ministers committed to work together to achieve these goals. To this end, they agreed to explore means through which to deepen security dialogue amongst all like-minded states in the Arctic.

In Iqaluit, the delegation heard valuable perspectives from the Government of Nunavut, Inuit leaders including from Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, National Defence officials and Canadian Rangers on the context, realities and challenges experienced by northerners in the Canadian Arctic. The foreign ministers expressed their strong concern over the intensifying impacts of climate change, notably in the Arctic. They re-affirmed their commitment to work pragmatically together to address complex climate change challenges, to promote sustainable economic growth in the Arctic, to foster regional stability and to support closer collaboration, including North-to-North and Indigenous-to-Indigenous connections.

Canada and the Nordic countries will continue to explore opportunities to deepen collaboration in addressing wildland fires in the North and securing healthy oceans and ecosystem-based resources as part of a comprehensive, knowledge-based, and sustainable approach to ocean management.

The foreign ministers recognize that our countries possess significant deposits of critical minerals and confirm their commitment to promote the responsible development of sustainable and resilient critical mineral value chains and to work together to advance economic well-being, defence and security, infrastructure, energy security and connectivity, including in the Arctic.

The foreign ministers agreed to continue the dialogue on shared policy priorities and to further strengthen the transatlantic cooperation between Canada and the Nordic countries.

MIL OSI Europe News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: NNIT A/S: ATP choses NNIT as new supplier of business-critical SAP system
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

As referred to in the Company Announcement 05/2024, Interim Financial Report Q2 2024 on August 26, NNIT was close to signing a large important strategic contract. NNIT has entered into a contract with ATP (Udbetaling Danmark) for the delivery of their critical SAP Debtor system. Udbetaling Danmark is the authority responsible for the collection, disbursement, and control of a number of public benefits. – e.g., state pension and housing benefits.

The contract will initially run for six years with the possibility to extend twice for a two-year period. The contract was tendered by ATP at an estimated value of DKK 240 million incl. options, ad hoc solutions made to order and infrastructure operations to be delivered by a subcontractor.

Kasper Søndergaard Andersen, Senior Vice President of Region Denmark, says “We are exceedingly pleased to have won the project for the delivery of ATP’s Debtor system. Public digitalization is a strategic focus area in NNIT, and we are energized by the significant task of ensuring the continued welfare in Denmark. With this Debtor delivery, we are building on our long-standing relationship with ATP, and we will also have the opportunity to bring our recently fortified SAP business to the table and begin the substantial task of modernizing SAP”.

The contract has no implications for NNIT’s financial guidance for the full-year of 2024.

For more information, please contact:

Investor Relations
Carsten Ringius
EVP & CFO
Tel: +45 3077 8888
carr@nnit.com

Media Relations
Tina Joanne Hindsbo
Media Relations Manager
Tel: +45 3077 9578
tnjh@nnit.com

ABOUT NNIT

NNIT is a leading provider of IT solutions to life sciences internationally, and to the public and private sectors in Denmark.

We focus on high complexity industries and thrive in environments where regulatory demands and complexity are high.

We advise on and build sustainable digital solutions that work for the patients, citizens, employees, end users or customers.

We strive to build unmatched excellence in the industries we serve, and we use our domain expertise to represent a business first approach – strongly supported by a selection of partner technologies, but always driven by business needs rather than technology.

NNIT consists of group company NNIT A/S and subsidiaries SCALES, Excellis Health Solutions and SL Controls. Together, these companies employ more than 1,700 people in Europe, Asia and USA. Read more at http://www.nnit.com.

Attachment
- NNIT_Investor News_ATP
The MIL Network –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Internet exchange giant NIC.br selects Nokia to boost internet connectivity in Brazil
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Press Release

Internet exchange giant NIC.br selects Nokia to boost internet connectivity in Brazil
- Largest Internet Exchange Provider (IXP) in the world upgrading network to manage skyrocketing internet and traffic growth over next five years
- NIC.br to scale network capacity, improve resiliency and increase automation, resulting in more advanced services for customers
- Nokia to deploy IP routing technology, designed to handle world’s most demanding traffic environments, supporting Ethernet VPN (EVPN) services and 400/800G interfaces
30 September 2024

Espoo, Finland – Nokia announced it has been selected by the Brazilian Network Information Center (NIC.br), the largest IXP operator in the world, to increase the performance and reliability of Brazil’s internet infrastructure. Nokia’s cutting-edge IP routing solutions will support NIC.br’s mission of interconnecting the Brazilian Internet ecosystem and enable its expansion and reliability. The network upgrade comes as the country faces massive internet data traffic growth that is expected to reach 218.5 million users and over 50 terabits per second (Tb/s) in the next five years.

NIC.br is responsible for, among several initiatives, registering and maintaining .br domain, as well as operating the Brazilian Internet Exchange (IX.br), which connects more than 3,500 Autonomous Systems (AS) and facilitates data traffic among internet service providers, content providers, hosting services, hyperscalers and other network operators. With Nokia’s IP routing technology, NIC.br is able to scale up its network capacity, improve its resiliency and availability, and vastly improve automation, resulting in a better customer experience.

NIC.br will replace part of its existing technology with the Nokia 7250 Interconnect Router (IXR) and 7750 Service Router (SR) which support EVPN services and 400/800G interfaces. Nokia is an industry leader in standardizing and expanding the EVPN protocol. EVPN is a next-gen VPN solution that provides a unified architecture, in both the control and data planes, and supports a broad range of carrier and business VPN services and network infrastructures. EVPN delivers a variety of benefits to service providers and their customers, including greater network efficiency, reliability, scalability, and simplifies infrastructures with advanced automation.

Julio Sirota, IX.br Infrastructure Manager at NIC.br, said: “Nokia is a trusted and strategic partner for us, as they have proven their ability to deliver state-of-the-art network solutions that match our needs and expectations. By upgrading our network infrastructure with Nokia’s routing platforms, we will be able to provide faster and more reliable internet connectivity for our customers and partners, as well as foster the development of new applications and services that will benefit the entire Brazilian society.”

Vach Kompella, Senior Vice President and General Manager of IP Networks business at Nokia, said: “Internet exchange giants like IX.br from NIC.br are on the front lines for managing unrelenting internet and data traffic growth spurred by hyperscalers, ISPs, content providers and network operators. Keeping up with Brazil’s skyrocketing growth means increases in network capacity, reliability, and automation are critical to NIC.br’s network upgrade. Nokia’s routing solutions are designed to handle the world’s most demanding traffic environments and enable the delivery of high-quality services, like EVPN. We are delighted to work with NIC.br to help them scale, connect and empower the Brazilian internet ecosystem.”

Resources and additional information
Webpage: Nokia 7250 Interconnect Router
Webpage: Nokia 7750 Service Router
Webpage: Nokia Ethernet VPN

About Nokia
At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

About the Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br

The Brazilian Network Information Center – NIC.br (https://nic.br/) is a non-profit entity that is in charge of the operations related to the .br domain, as well as the allocation of IP numbers and the registration of autonomous systems in the country. NIC.br has been implementing decisions and projects of the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee – CGI.br since 2005. All the funds that are collected come from its entirely private activities. It takes actions and conducts projects that are of benefit to the infrastructure of the Internet in Brazil. Also part of NIC.br are: Registro.br (https://registro.br), CERT.br (https://cert.br/), Ceptro.br (https://ceptro.br/), Cetic.br (https://cetic.br/), IX.br (https://ix.br/), and Ceweb.br (https://ceweb.br), in addition to projects like Internetsegura.br (https://internetsegura.br) and the portal Best Practices for the Internet in Brazil (https://bcp.nic.br/). It also houses the office of the W3C Chapter São Paulo (https://w3c.br/).

Media inquiries

Nokia Communications
Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

NIC.br Communications
imprensanic@webershandwick.com

Follow Nokia on social media
LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube

The MIL Network –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Postal services to Cayman Islands return to normal

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Postal services to Cayman Islands return to normal
Postal services to Cayman Islands return to normal
**************************************************

Hongkong Post announced today (September 30) that, as advised by the postal administration of Cayman Islands, mail delivery services to Cayman Islands previously impacted by severe weather have returned to normal.

Ends/Monday, September 30, 2024Issued at HKT 15:15

NNNN

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Nations: Press Release 30 September 2024 Major international drought conference seeks to increase resilience
Source: World Meteorological Organization

Experts, policymakers, and practitioners will gather at the headquarters of the World Meteorological Organization at the Drought Resilience +10 Conference – so called because it marks a decade since the High-Level Meeting on National Drought Policy.

The conference provides an opportunity for global stakeholders to reflect on a decade of advancements in drought preparedness, response, and adaptation while exploring new ways to turn knowledge into practical solutions that can help countries become more drought-resilient.

“Droughts are an insidious and dangerous climate-related hazard, which undermines food human security and is a major cause of internal displacement in worst-hit countries. It can wreak a devastating impact on the environment and economies and reverse progress in sustainable development,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

“We need sustainable solutions, based on scientific knowledge and tailored policies that promote integrated drought management practices and policies. We have the knowledge and the tools but we all too often lack the necessary political will and financial investment to build drought-resilient societies,” said Celeste Saulo.

The Conference will focus on the escalating drought-related risks posed by climate change and increasing structural vulnerabilities in many societies. It will examine how to accelerate the shift in approach from a reactive, crisis-driven one to a more proactive approach, which leverages climate services such as seasonal forecasts, and anticipatory action tools, including innovative financing mechanisms.

The conference will examine drought monitoring and forecasting advances and will discuss how to strengthen drought monitoring for early warnings for food security and health, and how to embed policies into the international Early Warnings for All initiative. There will be a heavy emphasis on case studies and community-led actions.

It will also look at scientific and policy-making developments, including progress in satellite technology and artificial intelligence tools, which bring new perspectives to forecasting, monitoring and impact assessment.

Drought is not a new phenomenon and has historically occurred as a consequence of natural climatic variability. However, climate change is intensifying the water cycle. This brings more intense rainfall and associated flooding, as well as more intense drought in many regions, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Changes in land use and land cover are compounding the challenge.

“Healthy economies depend on healthy lands. We must urgently recognize that our land and natural systems are allies in our responses to climate change and drought, and we must leverage them for integrated, proactive drought management. Drought Resilience +10 is a crucial opportunity to exchange knowledge and build momentum for UNCCD COP16, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2 to 13 December”, remarked the UNCCD Deputy Executive Secretary Andrea Meza.
Drought Resilience +10 Conference

State of Climate

Between 1970 and 2019 drought caused approximately 650,000 reported deaths. Poverty and poor land use can increase vulnerability to drought and intensify their impact, according to the WMO Atlas of Mortality and Economic Losses from Weather, Climate and Water Extremes.

In Africa, 1 839 disasters attributed to weather, climate and water extremes were reported between 1970 and 2021. They caused 733 585 reported deaths and US$ 43 billion in economic losses. Droughts accounted for 95% of reported deaths.

WMO State of the Climate reports report on the occurrence and impact of droughts.

For instance, a prolonged La Niña event led to five consecutive failed rainfall seasons in the Horn of Africa, culminating in a massive humanitarian, food security and displacement crisis in 2023 in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

With the transition to El Niño in 2023-2024, Southern African nations became the focus of the drought crisis – especially countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi.

Enhanced drought resilience

Despite the challenges, progress has been made in integrated drought management.

The Integrated Drought Management Programme (IDMP) is a joint initiative between WMO and the Global Water Partnership (GWP), which works with over 45 partners to support countries and states, by providing them with policy and management guidance for handing droughts.

There are a number of success stories. These examples underscore the importance of strong drought management policies and early warning systems. They highlight the need for governments to adopt forward-looking approaches that integrate climate data and resource management into their drought preparedness strategies.

Brazil’s Northeast region, which historically faces frequent and severe droughts, provides a prime example of the benefits of proactive drought management policies. Recent policy responses focused on developing a comprehensive drought management system that integrates early warning systems, sustainable water management practices, and integration of climate change scenarios into infrastructure planning. Coordination between federal, state, and local governments was also enhanced to facilitate timely and efficient responses.

Similarly, in the USA, a proactive approach helped mitigate the effects of a severe water shortage in the State of Washington in 2024. With water supplies falling below 75% of normal levels in April, the state issued an early emergency drought declaration, unlocking funding for drought relief measures. This early action allowed communities and public entities to access funding for drought relief in advance, giving them time to implement mitigation strategies such as securing alternative water supplies and preparing for reduced irrigation.

Drought Resilience +10 Conference

Conference themes

Discussions at DR+10 will focus on nine topics, each addressing key aspects of drought management and reflecting the central challenges and opportunities for building drought resilience globally.

It will include national and regional case studies
These include:
- Drought resilience and global mechanisms
- Drought risk governance: the regional, national and local challenges
- Drought monitoring, impact assessment and forecasting
- From policies to action
- Ecosystems
- Social inclusion and climate justice
- Drought finance
- Public-private civil society partnerships
- Health
There will be a high-level closing session: Turning Drought Resilience Challenges into Action.

The Conference’s final declaration will include recommendations for countries to accelerate drought resilience efforts over the next decade. It will focus on policy implementation, drought resilience in countries’ preparedness plans, and adaptation strategies. It will also seek to mobilize resources to support vulnerable countries facing drought-related challenges.

The outcomes of the Conference will inform the global drought community as well as the high-level discussions at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-16) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in Riyadh in December 2024.

Logos of the World Meteorological Organization, Drought Resilience High-Level Meeting on National Drought Policy, and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for promoting international cooperation in atmospheric science and meteorology.

WMO monitors weather, climate, and water resources and provides support to its Members in forecasting and disaster mitigation. The organization is committed to advancing scientific knowledge and improving public safety and well-being through its work.

MIL OSI United Nations News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Pan-African partnership reaches milestone for long-term climate finance solutions in Kenya
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Mobilisation of climate finance set to be boosted across East Africa through new UK-backed company as investors put pen to paper to begin operations.
Investors back Dhamana Guarantee Company’s work to transform East Africa’s financial landscape.

Tackling climate change given another boost in Kenya as, for second time in a week, a UK-Government backed investor in green finance solutions puts pen to paper.

Monday 30 September 2024 – Dhamana Guarantee Company Ltd (Dhamana) has reached a major milestone, marked at an event in Nairobi today.

Investors in the new company put pen to paper at a signing ceremony, which will allow the company to kick-start operations.

Dhamana aims to mobilise private sector finance to support the development of sustainable businesses. It will do so by issuing guarantees to commercially viable projects, businesses, and institutions that tackle the climate crisis and make progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The design and creation of the company was supported by the UK-Government backed investor the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) through InfraCo Africa. With its anchor investment, PIDG kick-started Dhamana, attracting further equity investment from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and CPF Group, with support provided by Cardano Development and FSD Africa.

Dhamana is a new limited liability company based in Kenya with a mandate to deliver for the East African region – including – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. It will provide credit guarantees on debt capital market instruments, to boost the credit rating of such instruments and crowd in investment from pension funds, insurance companies and sovereign wealth funds to support sustainable infrastructure and business development in East Africa.

Dhamana will target businesses that add value to people’s lives, improving the day-to-day life of Kenyans and of people across the region. The increase in affordable finance for Kenyan businesses will mean projects will require less capital to get off the ground, make money, and generate growth. Dhamana will also enable investors to diversify their portfolios, acting as a catalyst to transform East Africa’s financing landscape.

This is the second time in a week that an investor in climate solutions backed by the UK Government has achieved a milestone. Last week, MOBILIST signed a partnership with the Nairobi Securities Exchange which aims to drive the listing of new investment products in the Kenyan market and increase the amount of private sector capital available for development and climate projects in Kenya and drive growth.

Dhamana CEO, Christopher Olobo, said:

With the support of our investors and supporters, we have worked to develop Dhamana as an important catalyst for long-term sustainable finance in the region. Dhamana’s local currency guarantees will connect pools of untapped capital with East Africa’s real economy, making a tangible difference to people’s lives and offering local investors the opportunity to invest in Paris-aligned initiatives.

Deputy High Commissioner and Development Director, British High Commission Nairobi, Leigh Stubblefield, said:

For the second time in a week I am proud to say that the UK has supported a climate finance solution in Kenya – an example of our long-term commitment to long-term investment and growth. This is a great pan-Africa partnership that will improve the lives of East Africans for the better, and as the saying goes, we go far when we go together.

Representing PIDG, InfraCo Africa CEO, Gilles Vaes, added:

Building on the success of other PIDG-supported credit enhancement facilities in Nigeria and Pakistan, Dhamana will demonstrate the value of such a facility in the East African market, opening up opportunities for investors and clients alike. Crucially, Dhamana will engage new partners and investors in our efforts to urgently address the climate crisis and accelerate delivery of the UN sustainable development goals.

In his remarks at the launch event, Solomon Quaynor, African Development Bank Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialisation, said:

The African Development Bank’s equity investment in Dhamana reinforces the catalytic role and potential of credit enhancement companies in leveraging opportunities for infrastructure financing in local currency and supporting debt capital markets deepening in our regional member countries. We intend to replicate this business model in appropriate markets across Africa with partners such as the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) and others. The first example of this type of credit enhancement company was InfraCredit in Nigeria which has had demonstrated success, and now Dhamana in East Africa. The investment in Dhamana aligns with the Bank’s priority to mobilise financing through innovative vehicles from African institutional funds including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and insurance companies for infrastructure development in Africa.

On his part, Dr. Hosea Kili, OGW – CPF Group Managing Director/CEO – said:

We are proud to be part of this transformative initiative through Dhamana Guarantee Company. We believe in the power of innovative financial solutions to drive sustainable growth. By leveraging local currency guarantees, Dhamana will unlock critical capital for critical infrastructure projects, advancing economic development. This partnership aligns with our commitment to investing in initiatives that improve the lives of people’s lives and our economy while contributing to a more sustainable future.

Joost Zuidberg, CEO of Cardano Development concluded:

Dhamana’s true strength lies in its capacity to attract significant investments from East Africa’s institutional capital, laying a strong foundation for future scaling up according to its sizeable potential and thus meaningfully contribute to sustained economic growth in the region. Part of our core work is to incubate guarantee solutions for emerging and frontier markets, and we are thrilled to formalise this partnership today, as we collectively provide Dhamana with the crucial support and capital needed to fulfil this vital objective.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership

The UK-Kenya strategic partnership joint statement can be found here.

About Dhamana

Dhamana Guarantee Company (Dhamana): Dhamana is working to catalyse the development of domestic capital markets in East Africa. It does this by connecting significant under-utilised sources of domestic institutional capital with the real economy, such as new green infrastructure, and providers of credit to businesses. This increases access and the affordability of local capital, providing new low-risk opportunities for local investors. Dhamana will also serve to provide a portfolio of businesses with access to the local currency capital needed to deliver bankable projects, meeting the high demand for new affordable housing, transportation, water, and energy infrastructure, and promoting long term economic development. http://www.dhamana.com

About PIDG

The Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) is an innovative infrastructure project developer and investor which mobilises private investment in sustainable and inclusive infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa and south and south-east Asia. PIDG investments promote socio-economic development within a just transition to net zero emissions, combat poverty and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PIDG delivers its ambition in line with its values of pioneering, partnership, safety, inclusivity, and urgency. PIDG offers Technical Assistance for upstream, early-stage activities and concessional capital; its project development arm – which includes InfraCo Africa and InfraCo Asia – invests in early-stage project development and project and corporate equity. PIDG credit solutions include EAIF (the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund), one of the first and more successful blended debt funds in low-income markets; GuarantCo, its guarantee arm that provides credit enhancement and local currency solutions to de-risk projects; and a growing portfolio of local credit enhancement facilities, which unlocks domestic institutional capital for infrastructure financing. Since 2002, PIDG has supported 233 infrastructure projects to financial close, which provided an estimated 228 million people with access to new or improved infrastructure. PIDG is funded by the governments of the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Global Affairs Canada, Germany, and the IFC. http://www.pidg.org

About the African Development Bank (AfDB)

The African Development Bank (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 34 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. http://www.afdb.org

About the CPF Group

The CPF Group offers a comprehensive range of services through its various subsidiaries including CPF Financial Services which administers both private and public pension funds; notably – the Public Service Superannuation Scheme (PSSS); The Local Authorities Pensions Trust (LAPTRUST); the Taifa Pension Fund; the County Pension Fund and CPF Individual Pension Plan. The funds under our administration have a total membership of just over 500,000 members.

Other subsidiaries include Laser Infrastructure & Technology Solutions (LITES); Laser Property Services; Rukisha Advances payment platform; CPF Asset Managers; CPF Capital & Advisory; and Laser Insurance Brokers (LIB). The Group offers a wide range of services in ICT & renewable energy solutions, Property Services, Insurance Brokerage, Smart Money platform, fund management, Transaction Advisory, Trust fund services, training & consultancy, and Corporate Trustee Services. Derived from uncompromised commitment to fulfilling lives, the CPF Group prioritises new models and approaches in engineering turnkey solutions for clients across the region. http://www.cpfgroup.or.ke

About Cardano Development

Cardano Development (CD), established in 2007, incubates new companies, and creates and manages fund managers. Through careful risk-management analysis in data poor settings, CD identifies scalable solutions that can help to make frontier financial markets more inclusive, investible, and sustainable to unlock lasting economic value. CD creates scalable solutions for currency, credit, and liquidity risks in these markets. With over USD 6 billion assets and USD 3.1 billion capital under management, CD supports scale-up ventures (TCX, GuarantCo, Frontclear, BIX Capital, ILX Fund, AGRI3 Fund), and a number of new start-ups, with ongoing management support services and corporate governance oversight. http://www.cardanodevelopment.com.

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Published 30 September 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Africa: South African woman arrested for drug trafficking at OR Tambo

Source: South Africa News Agency

Monday, September 30, 2024

A 21-year-old South African woman has been arrested for drug trafficking at the OR Tambo International (ORTIA) Airport.

This is the 11th drug mule to be arrested at the airport in a period of two months.

“The drug mule was profiled and intercepted as she was arriving on a flight from São Paulo, Brazil, on Sunday morning, just before 9am. She was taken to a local hospital where an X-ray confirmed that she had foreign objects in her stomach,” said the police in a statement.

The woman has already released a number of bullets from her body and is in police custody where they are closely monitoring the release of further drug bullets. The process is still unfolding, said SAPS.

National Commissioner of the Police, General Fannie Masemola, commended the vigilance of members of SARS and SAPS at the airport.

“Our men and women in blue working closely with SARS customs and various stakeholders continue to assert the authority of the state at all our ports of entry.

“We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our members and urge them to do more to squeeze the space for criminals. Drug traffickers are feeling the heat and there is nowhere to hide,” said Masemola.

Every week in the last month, SAPS and SARS customs, immigration and the Border Management Authority (BMA) have been intercepting drug traffickers at OR Tambo International Airport.

On Sunday, 22 September 2024, a 30-year-old Namibian drug mule was arrested after arriving from São Paulo.

She too was taken for medical examination and released more than 60 drug bullets. She has already appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on a charge of dealing in drugs.

On Friday, 13 September 2024, a Nigerian drug mule was arrested after he was found in possession of cocaine that was concealed in aircraft head phones. He had just landed from São Paulo.

He has already appeared before the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on a charge of dealing in drugs. – SAnews.gov.za

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MIL OSI Africa –

January 23, 2025