NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Business – Hellmann announces logistics partnership with Lacoste Mexico

    Source: Hellmann

    Osnabrueck, Mexico City, September 30, 2024. Global logistics service provider Hellmann Worldwide Logistics announces a contract logistics partnership with the iconic fashion-sport brand Lacoste in Mexico.

    As part of the cooperation, Hellmann, who was recently recognized as an outstanding employer (“Super Empresa”) by Mexican Expansion magazine, is managing a dedicated, full-service distribution center for Lacoste Mexico. 

    Operating out of a state-of-the-art 11,000 square meter warehouse in Mexico City, Hellmann manages the supply of 45 retail locations and direct to consumer shipments across Mexico. The array of services provided by Hellmann includes receiving, inventory management, as well as pick, pack and ship operations for outgoing B2B and e-commerce orders.

    Since Hellmann established its fashion logistics division over two decades ago, the freight forwarder has evolved into a leading provider of end-to-end logistics from production facilities to point of sale for several players in the fashion and retail sector. In addition to contract logistics services, a network of regional teams of experts situated in major markets provide flexible omni-channel concepts, e-commerce, fulfillment and logistics solutions around the globe.

    “Thanks to our very successful track record, we are pleased to strengthen our market position in fashion and lifestyle logistics in the Americas by partnering with Lacoste in Mexico. As a company with a strong focus on providing tailor-made solutions to fashion and retail companies, we are delighted to support Lacoste in their expansion in the Mexican market,” says Volker Sauerborn, Chief Operating Officer Contract Logistics, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics.

    About Hellmann

    Since its foundation over 150 years ago, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has developed into one of the largest international logistics providers in the world. With more than 12,000 employees, the company is active in 57 countries and generated sales of EUR 3.5 billion in 2023.The range of services includes classic forwarding services by road, rail, air- and seafreight, as well as a comprehensive range of CEP services, contract logistics, industry and IT solutions.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI: Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Sept. 30, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bango (AIM: BGO), today announces its interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2024.

    Financial Overview (unaudited):

    Results for the 6 months ended 30 June 2024  1H24 1H23 Change
           
    Total Revenue $24.1M $20.3M +18.6%  
             
    Transactional Revenue1 $16.4M $15.5M +5.3%  
             
    DVM, Audiences & One-Off2 $ 7.7M $ 4.7M +62.5%  
             
    Annual recurring revenue (ARR)3 $12.9M $5.6M +130.4%  
           
    Net Revenue Retention4 159%      
             
    Adjusted EBITDA5 $4.0M ($0.2M) +$4.2M
           
    Profit/(Loss) before taxation ($3.4M) ($4.9M) +$1.5M
           
    Net (Debt6)/Cash ($5.1M) $5.5M -$10.6M


    Notes:

    • Transactional revenue grew 9.4% on a constant currency basis.
    • Other Income of $1.4M, which is not included in the revenue figure above, related to recovery of tax costs from the acquisition of DOCOMO Digital. $1.1M will be accounted for as a tax cost, resulting in $0.3M profit.
    • Gross profit margin of 80.8% (1H23: 90.0%) reduced from 82.8% in 2H 2023 due to geographic mix. Improvements expected in 2H 2024 as high margin DVM revenue grows.
    • Net debt6 of $5.1M at 30 June 2024 (net debt of $3.9M at 31 Dec 2023) after R&D investment of $7.6M in the period.

    Operational Highlights

    • Bango signed 4 new Digital Vending Machine® (DVM) customers in 1H24, including a Bank in Brazil. Post-period there has been a further 3 new customer wins.
    • A leading European telco that adopted the DVM in 2020 extended their contract for a further 3 years, with a minimum contract value of $1.5M over the term.
    • 13 new subscription content providers were added to the DVM in 1H24, taking the total to 106.
    • The eDisti7 program now has 20 content providers, including Microsoft and Disney, allowing Bango to provide a ‘pre-stocked’ Digital Vending Machine, reducing time to revenue for both DVM customers and Bango.
    • Bango signed a global agreement with Uber to accelerate the take-up of Uber One subscriptions through telco channels, proving the appeal of the Bango DVM beyond digital video, music and gaming services.
    • The ‘global technology leader’ (announced in June 2022) launched its first two telcos with Bango in 1H24. Additional launches are underway.
    • Chartered Accountant Tony Perkins joined the Bango Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee. In Q3, Tony was appointed as Senior Independent Director replacing Eric Peacock who retired from the Board to focus on his recovery from an accident.

    Presentation and Webcast

    A presentation of the interim results will be made to investors and analysts at 10:00 BST today via the Investor Meet Company Platform. Those wishing to join the call can sign up to Investor Meet Company for free via:
    https://www.investormeetcompany.com/bango-plc/register-investor

    Full RNS announcement

    Read the full Interims Results RNS announcement here: https://polaris.brighterir.com/public/bango_plc/news/rns/story/r7ze9jw

    Paul Larbey, Chief Executive Officer of Bango, commented:

    “The first six months of 2024 have gone to plan and are in-line with the Trading Update issued in July. The payments business continues to deliver growth, providing cash to fund expansion of the Digital Vending Machine® (DVM), which continues to be adopted as the defacto standard platform for subscription bundling by the world’s largest companies. The addition of Disney+ to the Bango eDisti program is further evidence of this and will help accelerate time-to-revenue from DVM deals. With 4 new DVM wins in the 1H and a further 3 in Q3, the pipeline built over the past years continued to deliver results and provides confidence in meeting market expectations for the full year.

    The subscriptions market is vast and growing, and the percentage of subscriptions bundled through channels is increasing. Bango’s leadership position in this market is strengthening with the DVM now playing a key role in the customer acquisition and engagement strategies of major content brands. We are excited by the opportunity ahead and remain on track to continue our strong growth trajectory and return to a positive net cash position in FY25.”

    1 Transactional Revenue is revenue derived by charging a percentage of the retail price paid by the consumer and is made up of direct carrier billing, resale and revenue share amounts.
    2 DVM, Bango Audiences & one-off Revenue includes all DVM license and support fees, revenue from Bango Audiences (discontinued in Q1) and one-off fees including DVM set-up and change requests.
    3 Annual Recurring Revenue is the expected annual revenues to be generated in the next 12 months based on contracted revenues recognized as at 30 June 2024.
    4 Net Revenue Retention is a measure of the retention and expansion of revenue from customers over the previous 12 months and is calculated by dividing the ARR from existing customers at the end of 1H24 to the ARR from those same customers at the end of 1H23.
    5 Adjusted EBITDA is earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortization, negative goodwill, exceptional items, share of net loss of associate and share based payment charge 
    6 Net debt is cash and cash equivalents plus short-term investments less the loan from NHN and borrowings. Barclays continues to provide an overdraft facility which was not used at the end of the period .
    7eDisti is a program that allows Bango to resell subscriptions from content providers removing the need for a commercial agreement between the DVM customer and the content provider.

    Contact Details:  
    investors@bango.com

    About Bango

    Bango enables content providers to reach more paying customers through global partnerships. Bango revolutionized the monetization of digital content and services, by opening-up online payments to mobile phone users worldwide. Today, the Digital Vending Machine® is driving the rapid growth of the subscriptions economy, powering choice and control for subscribers.

    The world’s largest content providers, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft trust Bango technology to reach subscribers everywhere.

    Bango, where people subscribe. For more information, visit http://www.bangoinvestor.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: QUADIENT: Signing of a contract with an investment service provider to execute the share buyback program

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

     

    Signing of a contract with an investment service provider to execute the share buyback program

    Paris, 30 September 2024

    Quadient S.A. (Euronext Paris: QDT), a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, today announces the signing of a share buyback contract with an investment services provider to execute its share buyback program announced Monday 23 September1.

    Under the terms of this contract, Quadient mandates the investment service provider to acquire shares on the market and on its behalf for up to €30 million (total purchase price excluding ancillary costs) over a period of up to 18 months2.

    The share buyback program will be carried out under the authorization granted by the 2024 Annual General Meeting of shareholders held on 14 June 2024, and may be renewed or extended, up to a maximum of 10% of the total number of shares comprising the share capital of the Company as set out in the 19th resolution of the 2024 Annual General Meeting. Quadient intends to cancel the shares acquired through the share buyback program apart from a portion of up to €10 million, which will be dedicated to future equity-based long term incentive plans for employees and management, as set out in the 19th resolution of the 2024 Annual General Meeting.

    The buybacks will be carried out subject to market conditions and in compliance with applicable rules and regulations, including the Market Abuse Regulation 596/2014 and the European Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052. Quadient hereby confirms the absence of any agreement with any of its existing shareholders regarding their potential participation in the share buyback program.

    About Quadient®

    Quadient is a global automation platform provider powering secure and sustainable business connections through digital and physical channels. Quadient supports businesses of all sizes in their digital transformation and growth journey, unlocking operational efficiency and creating meaningful customer experiences. Listed in compartment B of Euronext Paris (QDT) and part of the CAC® Mid & Small and EnterNext® Tech 40 indices, Quadient shares are eligible for PEA-PME investing.

    For more information about Quadient, visit https://invest.quadient.com/en/

    Contacts

    1Press release announcing the share buyback program can be found here

    2Subject to the renewal of the share buyback authorizations at the 2025 AGM

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The history and importance of airborne thermal infrared imaging in Yellowstone National Park

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles is a weekly column written by scientists and collaborators of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory.  This week’s contribution is from R. Greg Vaughan, research scientist with the U.S. Geological Survey.

    Top: the first thermal infrared images of Yellowstone (1961).  Warm areas are brighter; cold areas are darker.  These images were published in: McLerran, J.H. and Morgan, J.O. (1965) Thermal mapping of Yellowstone National Park. Proceedings of the 3rd International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, University of Michigan, Institute of Science and Technology, Ann Arbor, MI, pp. 517-530.  Bottom: the first thermographic mosaic of Yellowstone (April 1969).  These image strips were acquired by flying an infrared line scanner that was modified for video tape recording along dozens of adjacent flight lines.  This type of airborne image acquisition resulted in many distortions and striping effects due to differing look angles.  Some of these artifacts could be corrected in image post-processing.  This uncontrolled mosaic was published in: Williams Jr, R.S., Hasell Jr, P.G., Sellman, A.N. and Smedes, H.W. (1976). Thermographic mosaic of Yellowstone National Park. Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing, 42(10), pp.1315-1324.

    In 1800, German-British astronomer William Herschel discovered infrared light—electromagnetic radiation that exists beyond what we can see with our eyes. Using a prism to separate sunlight into its rainbow of colors, and placing a thermometer within distinct colors, Herschel noted that heating was unequal among the different colors, and that the temperature would increase further in a thermometer placed below the red color of the spectrum.  Indeed, “infrared” means “below red,” although at the time Herschel called this part of the spectrum “invisible rays of the Sun” and “calorific rays.”  He would also use the term, “radiant heat” and was the first to propose that visible light and radiant heat may be the same phenomenon.  This was many decades before development of electromagnetic radiation theory. 

    In the century that followed, numerous advances were made in the ability to measure radiant heat, providing the ability to measure very small differences in temperature.  For example, in 1901, a bolometer (a type of infrared detector invented in the 1870s by American astronomer and physicist Samuel Pierpont Langley), could detect thermal infrared radiation from a cow 400 m (1300 ft) away. 

    Thermal infrared imaging was born in 1929, when Hungarian physicist Kálmán Tihanyi invented an electronic television camera that was sensitive to thermal infrared light and could be used for military applications—it could see planes flying at night. 

    Thermal imaging methods advanced throughout the following decades, but much of the technology was classified because of its military applications.  Eventually, thermal infrared cameras became more widely available, rendering thermal infrared radiation emitted by warm objects into an image represented by visible colors. 

    In April-May 1961, a series of aerial infrared images were collected in Yellowstone National Park by the U. S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory and the Infrared Laboratory of the University of Michigan Institute of Science and Technology, in cooperation with the National Park Service.  Several thermal areas were imaged, including Norris Geyser Basin, Roadside Springs, Roaring Mountain, Midway and Upper Geyser Basin, Tern Lake, Fern Lake, and Pelican Creek.  Several other airborne infrared surveys were conducted in Yellowstone in the 1960s and 1970s.  These data led to the discovery of some previously unknown thermal areas and allowed the creation of the first thermographic mosaic of Yellowstone National Park. 

    Top: Thermographic mosaic of Yellowstone acquired by the NASA’s MODIS-ASTER Airborne Simulator (MASTER), a thermal infrared scanner, in September 2006.  Dark shades indicate cool temperatures and bright are warm; this reflects not only hydrothermal activity, but also types of ground cover.  Bottom: Thermographic mosaic of a portion of Norris Geyser Basin acquired from a thermal infrared camera mounted on an aircraft, acquired in March 2015.

    With modern infrared scanning and imaging technologies and digital image processing, it is now possible to produce seamless thermographic mosaics of large areas and high-resolution thermal infrared images of geyser and hot spring basins throughout Yellowstone.  From 2005 to 2015, there was an annual (and sometimes bi-annual) campaign of airborne thermal infrared surveys of selected thermal areas in the park.  These surveys produced very high-resolution (1 meter per pixel) mosaics, allowing for detailed mapping, characterization, and change detection of individual thermal features. 

    One of the tradeoffs with high-resolution airborne thermal surveys is that they are expensive and require a lot of logistical planning, and they are therefore infrequent.  This is why YVO scientists make extensive use of satellite based thermal infrared imaging to study and monitor thermal activity in Yellowstone.  These data have proven remarkably useful, for instance, in the discovery of a new thermal area near Tern Lake.  And these data are complemented by high-resolution visible imagery that have also been used identify previously unmapped thermal areas.

    While satellite data provide a wonderful overall view of thermal output from Yellowstone and some localized views of thermal features, airborne thermal infrared surveys are the most effective for detailed mapping and monitoring.  YVO scientists are currently exploring new, more efficient, and cost-effective ways of acquiring high-resolution aerial thermal data, and we look forward to sharing our progress in future editions of Yellowstone Caldera Chronicles!

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Singapore and Ghana Launch First Call for Project Applications under Implementation Agreement on Carbon Credits Cooperation

    Source: Asia Pacific Region 2 – Singapore

    Singapore, 30 September 2024 — Singapore and Ghana have set out the processes for authorising carbon credit projects under their Implementation Agreement on carbon  credits cooperation, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Applications may be submitted through Singapore’s Carbon Markets Cooperation website, at http://www.carbonmarkets-cooperation.gov.sg.

    2               The carbon credit projects authorised under the Implementation Agreement will channel financing towards emissions reduction or removal projects in Ghana. These projects can promote sustainable development and generate benefits for local communities, including job creation, clean water access, improvements to energy security, and reducing environmental pollution (See Annex A for potential project types).

    3               Authorised projects can generate carbon credits aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Under Singapore’s International Carbon Credit (ICC) Framework, these credits may be eligible for use by Singapore-based carbon tax-liable companies to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions.

    4               From 30 September 2024, interested parties may submit applications for their carbon credit projects in Ghana to be authorised. Applications submitted will be reviewed by Singapore and Ghana governments on a rolling basis as they are received.

    Application and Authorisation Process

    5               The application and authorisation process comprises four stages, each corresponding to a different stage of implementation for the carbon credit project (See Annex B). The first three stages require applicants to submit details on the design and implementation plan for the carbon credit project in the lead-up to project authorisation. The final stage is for corresponding adjustments to be applied to the carbon credits generated from the authorised project, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

    6               Singapore and Ghana will assess applications against each country’s respective requirements. For Singapore, these projects must meet Singapore’s Eligibility Criteria for International Carbon Credits. The Eligibility Criteria, and the list of eligible carbon crediting programmes and methodologies under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement, are at Annex C, and on the Carbon Markets Cooperation website. The list will be reviewed regularly to maintain relevance and uphold environmental integrity.

    Annex A

    Potential Carbon Credit Project Types for Applications

    Project Type Description
    Clean Water Supply Rural communities are provided with water purification technologies (e.g. UV-based disinfection systems). This empowers communities with an alternate source of clean and safe drinking water without relying on the conventional method of using firewood to boil water. This reduces carbon emissions from burning firewood and associated deforestation activities, and carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
     
    Local communities can also benefit from improved water safety and security.
    Efficient and Clean Cookstoves In rural areas where households use firewood for their cooking and heating needs, the switch to efficient and clean cookstoves (e.g. cookstoves that use renewable fuel like biogas or solar energy) enables households to meet their cooking and heating needs more efficiently and cleanly. This reduces the burning of firewood and resulting carbon emissions from deforestation. Carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
     
    Co-benefits are also delivered to local communities, including cleaner air quality through the reduction of firewood burning.
    Green Mobility As Electric Vehicles (EVs) replace fossil fuel-powered vehicles for transportation needs, there are emissions reductions as EVs are more efficient and potentially powered by green energy. Carbon credits are issued based on the emissions reduced.
     
    There are also sustainable development benefits for local communities. Skilled jobs are created for the maintenance of EV infrastructure, and improves air quality from reduced reliance on fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

    Annex B

    Flowchart of Application and Authorisation Process

    Joint Committee The Joint Committee is a coordination body that oversees the administration of the Implementation Agreement. The Joint Committee under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement is co-chaired by the Director-General of Climate Change at the National Climate Change Secretariat of Singapore, and the Director of Environment, Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation of Ghana.
    Stage A: Project Application Applicants are to submit a concept note on the intended project, indicating the programme and methodology that the project will be developed under, and broadly how the project will be implemented to uphold environmental integrity (e.g. explanations on how the project will demonstrate additionality).
    Stage B: Project Design As the project concept is further developed, applicants are to submit a project design document (PDD) on the intended project. The PDD should contain the detailed implementation plan (e.g. how the baseline emissions will be determined, how the project will address permanence and leakage concerns).
    Stage C: Project Authorisation Under this stage, applicants are to submit a validation report from a third-party auditor determining that the project design meets all the rules and requirements of the intended methodology and carbon crediting programme. After receiving Letters of Authorisation from both Singapore and Ghana, the project should proceed to be registered under the intended carbon crediting programme, and proceed to implementation.
    Stage D: Corresponding Adjustment Application As the authorised project is implemented and the emission reductions and removals have been verified by a third-party auditor, the carbon crediting programme will issue carbon credits to the project. Applicants are to submit a Proof of Issuance from the carbon crediting programme accompanied with the verification report from the third-party auditor, to be considered for corresponding adjustments to be applied to the issued carbon credits, in accordance with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

     

    Annex C

    Singapore’s Eligibility Criteria and the Eligibility List under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement

    Eligibility Criteria

     1               The Eligibility Criteria requires ICCs to represent emissions reductions or removals that occur within the timeframe specified under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and meet seven principles to demonstrate environmental integrity (see Table C-1 below).

     Table C-1: Eligibility Criteria for ICCs

    Principle Definition
    To comply with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, the certified emissions reductions or removals must have occurred between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2030.
    Not double-counted The certified emissions reductions or removals must not be counted more than once in contravention of the Paris Agreement.
    Additional The certified emissions reductions or removals must exceed any emissions reduction or removals required by any law or regulatory requirement of the host country, and that would otherwise have occurred in a conservative, business-as-usual scenario.
    Real The certified emissions reductions or removals must have been quantified based on a realistic, defensible, and conservative estimate of the amount of emissions that would have occurred in a business-as-usual scenario, assuming the project or programme that generated the certified emission reductions or removals had not been carried out.
    Quantified and verified The certified emissions reductions or removals must have been calculated in a manner that is conservative and transparent, and must have been measured and verified by an accredited and independent third-party verification entity before the ICC was issued.
    Permanent The certified emissions reductions or removals must not be reversible, or if there is a risk that the certified emissions reductions or removals may be reversible, there must be measures in place to monitor, mitigate and compensate any material reversal of the certified emissions reductions or removals.
    No net harm The project or programme that generated the certified emissions reductions or removals must not violate any applicable laws, regulatory requirements, or international obligations of the host country.
    No leakage The project or programme that generated the certified emissions reductions or removals must not result in a material increase in emissions elsewhere, or if there is a risk of a material increase in emissions elsewhere, there must be measures in place to monitor, mitigate and compensate any such material increase in emissions.

    Eligibility List under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement

     2               The Eligibility List of carbon crediting programmes and methodologies in Table C-2 adhere to the Eligibility Criteria and meet the requirements of both Singapore and Ghana. The carbon crediting programmes and methodologies that are eligible may be different for each host country, as host countries also have their own criteria.

     Table C-2: Eligibility List under the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement 

    Carbon Crediting Programmes  Methodologies 
    Gold Standard for the Global Goals (GS4GG)  All active methodologies published before 31 March 2023, except those under the “Land Use and Forestry & Agriculture” category of GS4GG 
    Verified Carbon Standard (VCS)  All active methodologies published before 31 March 2023, except those that are under the “Sectoral Scope 14” category of VCS, with these allowable exceptions: 
    ·     Scenario 2a and 3 of VCS Jurisdictional and Nested REDD+ (JNR) framework  
    ·     VM0012 
    ·     VM0017 
    ·     VM0021 
    ·     VM0022 
    ·     VM0024 
    ·     VM0026 (and VMD0040) 
    ·     VM0032 
    ·     VM0033  
    ·     VM0036  
    ·     VM0041 
    ·     VM0042 
     
    Where any VCS methodology is used, the project participant will be required to demonstrate the Sustainable Development contributions or co-benefits of the relevant mitigation activity by submitting to the Joint Committee its verification report under the Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCB Standards), the Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) or another standard recognised by VCS for such purpose. 

    Annex D

    Information on the Singapore-Ghana Implementation Agreement

     1               Singapore and Ghana signed an Implementation Agreement on carbon credits cooperation under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on 27 May 2024. Since the signing, Singapore has been working with Ghana to operationalise the Implementation Agreement.

     2               As an additional contribution to mitigation of global emissions, Singapore has committed to having 2% of the correspondingly adjusted carbon credits authorised under this Implementation Agreement cancelled at first issuance. These carbon credits cannot be sold, traded, or counted towards any country’s emission targets, and will instead contribute towards a net reduction in global emissions.

     3               Singapore has committed to channelling the value from 5% of the correspondingly adjusted carbon credits authorised under this Implementation Agreement towards adaptation measures such as heat resilience measures and coastal protection in Ghana.

     4               This is the second Implementation Agreement for Singapore, after the first with Papua New Guinea which was signed in December 2023. Singapore signed MOUs / Letters of Intent on carbon credits collaboration with countries such as Bhutan, Cambodia, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Mongolia, Morocco, Peru, the Philippines, Vietnam, Rwanda, Senegal, and Sri Lanka, with the aim of inking similar Implementation Agreements.

     5               Effective international cooperation, such as through carbon markets, is an important part of Singapore’s efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, given Singapore’s national circumstances as an alternative-energy disadvantaged country with limited domestic mitigation potential.

     

     

     

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: As Republicans continue to block the right to IVF, Governor Newsom signs legislation to expand access

    Source: US State of California 2

    Sep 29, 2024

    What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed legislation today to expand IVF coverage.

    Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed SB 729 by Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-Van Nuys) which requires large group health care service plan contracts and disability insurance policies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and fertility service, including in vitro fertilization (IVF). A signing message can be found here.

    Today’s action comes as Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked legislation to establish a nationwide right to in vitro fertilization, for a second time this year, just last week. 

    “California is a proud reproductive freedom state – and that includes increasing access to fertility services that help those who want to start a family. As Republicans across the country continue to claw back rights and block access to IVF – all while calling themselves ‘the party of families’ – we are proud to help every Californian make their own choices about the family they want.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    California’s leadership on reproductive rights

    In the over two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Governor Newsom, in partnership with the California Legislature, has built California into a national leader for reproductive freedom. Governor Newsom is a founding member of the Reproductive Freedom Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition of 23 Governors committed to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom. The Newsom administration has invested more than $240 million to protect and expand access to reproductive health care in California since the reversal of Roe.

    People seeking abortion care or information about reproductive health care in California, should visit Abortion.CA.Gov.

    Recent news

    Sep 29, 2024

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom announced that the “godmother of AI,” Dr. Fei-Fei Li, as well as Tino Cuéllar, member of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Social and Ethical Implications of Computing Research, and Jennifer Tour Chayes, Dean of…

    Sep 29, 2024

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed a package of bills that will streamline and simplify procedures that support veterans and their families. Sacramento, California – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he had signed a package of bills designed…

    Sep 28, 2024

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed a package of legislation today to increase participation in food assistance programs, protect kids from overly processed foods, reduce food waste, and improve access to healthy, locally grown foods in an effort to…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: How to Apply for FEMA Assistance After Tropical Storm Helene

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>ATLANTA, Ga.- North Carolina homeowners and renters in 25 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Tropical Storm Helene may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance.

    FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs. Homeowners and renters in 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 and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians can apply.

    There are several ways to apply: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App or call 800-621-3362 from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET daily. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. 

    To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

    FEMA’s disaster assistance offers new benefits that provide flexible funding directly to survivors. In addition, a simplified process and expanded eligibility allows North Carolinians access to a wider range of assistance and funds for serious needs.

    What You’ll Need When You Apply

    • A current phone number where you can be contacted.
    • Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
    • Your Social Security number.
    • A general list of damage and losses.
    • Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
    • If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.

    If you have homeowners, renters or flood insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.

    For the latest information about North Carolina’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4827. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: How to Apply for FEMA Assistance in Florida After Hurricane Helene

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    How to Apply for FEMA Assistance in Florida After Hurricane Helene

    WASHINGTON — Florida homeowners and renters in 17 counties who had uninsured damage or losses caused by Hurricane Helene may be eligible for FEMA disaster assistance.

    FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs. Homeowners and renters in Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Franklin, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor and Wakulla counties can apply.

    If you applied to FEMA after Hurricane Debby and have additional damage from Hurricane Helene, you will need to apply separately for Helene and provide the dates of your most recent damage. Apply for either storm online at DisasterAssistance.gov. You can also apply using the FEMA mobile app or by calling FEMA’s helpline toll-free at 800- 621-3362. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, such as Video Relay Service (VRS), captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. To view an accessible video on how to apply visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

    FEMA’s disaster assistance offers new benefits that provide flexible funding directly to survivors. In addition, a simplified process and expanded eligibility allows Floridians access to a wider range of assistance and funds for serious needs.

    What You’ll Need When You Apply

    • A current phone number where you can be contacted.
    • Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
    • Your Social Security number.
    • A general list of damage and losses.
    • Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
    • If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.

    If you have homeowners, renters or flood insurance, file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.

    For the latest information about Florida’s Hurricane Helene recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4828. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    mashana.davis

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom issues legislative update 9.29.24

    Source: US State of California 2

    Sep 29, 2024

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills:
     

    • AB 98 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Planning and zoning: logistics use: truck routes.
    • AB 347 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Household product safety: toxic substances: testing and enforcement.
    • AB 772 by Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) – Child day care facilities.
    • AB 796 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Athletic trainers.
    • AB 801 by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) – Student privacy: online personal information.
    • AB 866 by Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (D-Baldwin Park) – Juveniles: care and treatment.
    • AB 977 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona) – Emergency departments: assault and battery.
    • AB 1755 by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) – Civil actions: restitution for or replacement of a new motor vehicle. A signing message can be found here.
    • AB 1810 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Incarcerated persons: menstrual products.
    • AB 1824 by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) – California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018: opt out right: mergers.
    • AB 1825 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) – California Freedom to Read Act.
    • AB 1841 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Student safety: opioid overdose reversal medication: student housing facilities.
    • AB 1843 by Assemblymember Freddie Rodriguez (D-Pomona) – Emergency ambulance employees.
    • AB 1907 by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) – California Child and Family Service Review System: Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment.
    • AB 1934 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) – Digital financial asset businesses.
    • AB 2074 by Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) – Pupil instruction: English Learner Roadmap Policy: statewide implementation plan. A signing message can be found here.
    • AB 2096 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) – Restraining orders: educational institutions.
    • AB 2119 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Mental health.
    • AB 2123 by Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) – Disability compensation: paid family leave.
    • AB 2129 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) – Immediate postpartum contraception.
    • AB 2132 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) – Health care services: tuberculosis.
    • AB 2164 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) – Physicians and surgeons: licensure requirements: disclosure.
    • AB 2192 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Public agencies: cost accounting standards.
    • AB 2215 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Criminal procedure: arrests.
    • AB 2224 by Assemblymember Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) – Special immigrant juvenile status: court orders and guardianship.
    • AB 2245 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Certificated school employees: permanent status: regional occupational centers or programs operated by single school districts.
    • AB 2318 by Assemblymember Diane Papan (D-San Mateo) – State Water Pollution Cleanup and Abatement Account: receipts and expenditures: report.
    • AB 2343 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) – CalWORKs: childcare programs.
    • AB 2357 by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D-Bakersfield) – University of California: school of medicine: University of California Kern County Medical Education Endowment Fund. A signing message can be found here.
    • AB 2377 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Sylmar) – Pupil instruction: physical education: accommodation: religious fasting.
    • AB 2443 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Transactions and use taxes: Cities of Lancaster, Palmdale, and Victorville.
    • AB 2458 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) – Public postsecondary education: student parents.
    • AB 2475 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Parole.
    • AB 2483 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Postconviction proceedings.
    • AB 2484 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Courts: juveniles: remote proceedings.
    • AB 2493 by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) – Tenancy: application screening fee.
    • AB 2499 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) – Employment: unlawful discrimination and paid sick days: victims of violence.
    • AB 2531 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Deaths while in law enforcement custody: reporting.
    • AB 2738 by Assemblymember Luz Rivas (D-Sylmar) – Labor Code: alternative enforcement: occupational safety. A signing message can be found here.
    • AB 2741 by Assemblymember Matt Haney (D-San Francisco) – Rental car companies: electronic surveillance technology.
    • AB 2843 by Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine) – Health care coverage: rape and sexual assault.
    • AB 2883 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) – California State University: University of California: Lunar New Year holiday.
    • AB 2988 by Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento) – Courts.
    • AB 2998 by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) – Opioid overdose reversal medications: pupil administration.
    • AB 3059 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Human milk.
    • AB 3145 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Family preservation services: standards.
    • AB 3206 by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) – Alcoholic beverages: hours of sale: arenas in the City of Inglewood. A signing message can be found here. 
    • AB 3258 by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) – Refinery and chemical plants.
    • SB 285 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Criminal procedure: sentencing.
    • SB 379 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Victim services: restorative justice.
    • SB 442 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara) – Sexual battery.
    • SB 504 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Wildfires: defensible space: grant programs: local governments.
    • SB 551 by Senator Anthony Portantino (D-Burbank) – Beverage containers: recycling.
    • SB 575 by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Silicon Valley) – Marriage: underage marriage.
    • SB 918 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Law enforcement contact process: search warrants.
    • SB 940 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Civil disputes.
    • SB 946 by Senator Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) – Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: exclusions: wildfire mitigation payments.
    • SB 958 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Surplus state property: County of Napa.
    • SB 1143 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Paint products: stewardship program.
    • SB 1174 by Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) – Elections: voter identification.
    • SB 1303 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) – Public works.
    • SB 1379 by Senator Bill Dodd (D-Napa) – Public Employees’ Retirement Law: reinstatement: County of Solano.
    • SB 1386 by Senator Anna Caballero (D-Merced) – Evidence: sexual assault.

     The Governor also announced that he has vetoed the following bills:

    • AB 637 by Assemblymember Dr. Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley) – Zero-emission vehicles: fleet owners: rental vehicles. A veto message can be found here. 
    • AB 1111 by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D-Santa Cruz) – Cannabis: small producer event sales license. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 1122 by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (D-Bakersfield) – Commercial harbor craft: equipment. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 1296 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) – Bar pilots: regulation of vessels. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 1890 by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) – Public works: prevailing wage. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 1895 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Public health: maternity ward closures. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 1973 by Assemblymember Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) – Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: Bobcat Fire: exclusions. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 2058 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Devices: disclosures. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 2178 by Assemblymember Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) – Prisons: bed thresholds. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 2447 by Assemblymember Avelino Valencia (D-Anaheim) – California State University: fiscal transparency: internet website. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 2693 by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland) – Childhood sexual assault: statute of limitations. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 2773 by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) – Elders and dependent adults: abuse or neglect. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 2892 by Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Campbell) – Vehicles: financial responsibility: self-insurance. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 3179 by Assemblymember Juan Carrillo (D-Palmdale) – Emergency telecommunications medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 3245 by Assemblymember Joe Patterson (R-Rocklin) – Coverage for colorectal cancer screening. A veto message can be found here.
    • AB 3282 by the Committee on Judiciary – Courts. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 299 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara) – Voter registration: California New Motor Voter Program. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 336 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – State grant programs: negotiated indirect cost rates. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 542 by Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) – Personal Income Tax Law: Corporation Tax Law: wildfires: exclusions. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 615 by Senator Ben Allen (D-Santa Monica) – Vehicle traction batteries. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 782 by Senator Monique Limόn (D-Santa Barbara) – Gubernatorial appointments: report. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 984 by Senator Aisha Wahab (D-Silicon Valley) – Public agencies: project labor agreements. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 1022 by Senator Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) – Enforcement of civil rights. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 1066 by Senator Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas) – Hazardous waste: marine flares: manufacturer responsibility. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 1155 by Senator Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) – Political Reform Act of 1974: postgovernment employment restrictions. A veto message can be found here.
    • SB 1281 by Senator Caroline Menjivar (D-San Fernando Valley/Burbank) – Advancing Equity and Access in the Self-Determination Program Act. A veto message can be found here.

    For full text of the bills, visit: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

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  • MIL-OSI USA: Pitting Good Versus Bad Fungi on Sweet Corn: A Delicate Dance

    Source: US Agriculture Research Service

    Pitting Good Versus Bad Fungi on Sweet Corn: A Delicate Dance

    Contact: Jan Suszkiw
    Email: Jan.Suszkiw@usda.gov

    September 30, 2024

    The same defenses that help some varieties of sweet corn resist fungal diseases can also stymie the potency of a beneficial fungus used to kill hungry caterpillar pests, studies by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists suggest.

    Entomologist Pat Dowd and Molecular Biologist Eric Johnson—both at the ARS National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research in Peoria, Illinois—conducted the study as a follow up to one they did in 2022 with field (dent) corn, which is grown for livestock consumption and other uses.

    Results from the 2022 study indicated resistance to fungi that cause Fusarium disease in some lines of field corn can diminish the effectiveness of the beneficial fungus Beauveria bassiana, which can be sprayed onto the crop as a biopesticide that kills caterpillar pests such as European corn borers and fall armyworms.

    However, not all of the Fusarium-resistant dent corn lines tested had a corresponding decline in the Beauveria fungus’s caterpillar-killing performance. Some corn lines also withstood the insect pests’ feeding damage, leaving open the possibility these lines carried the right combination of genes for benefiting from both disease resistance and compatibility with Beauveria.

    Caterpillar stage of European corn borer infected with the beneficial fungus Beauveria bassiana. (Photo by Keith Weller)

    Follow-up studies with sweet corn reflect a similar possibility with respect to the genes they possess, according to Dowd and Johnson. In those studies, biopesticide applications of Beauveria killed 12 to 58 percent of European corn borer and fall armyworm caterpillars. However, as with dent corn, the level of insecticidal activity depended on which of 14 lines of Fusarium-resistant hybrid or inbred sweet corn had been treated. In some sweet corn lines, for example, signs of high levels of disease resistance in the form of smaller dead spots on Fusarium-infected leaves were associated with increases in the percentage of caterpillars killed by the fungus two days after application. In other types of sweet corn that were less resistant, larger dead spots corresponded to lower levels of caterpillar control.

    Caterpillar control also varied depending on which of two Beauveria strains were used, an observation that underscores the need for continued study on how these subtleties can translate to practical data growers can use in choosing sweet corn lines offering both Fusarium resistance and high levels of insecticidal activity using the beneficial fungus.

    Culture of the beneficial fungus Beauveria bassiana. (Photo by Keith Weller)

    Finding that “sweet spot” in sweet corn would be especially important to organic growers, who cannot use synthetic pesticides and have fewer options for disease and insect control than in conventional production systems.

    “The results of gene expression studies comparing sweet corn hybrids with more and less desirable combinations of Fusarium resistance and Beauveria efficacy were recently received,” said Dowd. “These results will help identify favorable combinations of genes that will help guide the breeding of sweet corn varieties to produce ones that have good resistance to Fusarium and are more compatible with the use of Beauveria.”

    The researchers detailed their findings in the January 2024 issue of the journal Organic Agriculture.

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Verizon and Vertical Bridge agree to $3.3 billion tower transaction

    Source: Verizon

    Headline: Verizon and Vertical Bridge agree to $3.3 billion tower transaction

    NEW YORK, NY & BOCA RATON, FL – September 30, 2024 – Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) and Vertical Bridge today announced they have entered into a definitive agreement for Vertical Bridge to obtain the exclusive rights to lease, operate and manage 6,339 wireless communications towers across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. from subsidiaries of Verizon for approximately $3.3 billion, including certain commercial benefits. The transaction is structured as a prepaid lease with upfront proceeds of approximately $2.8 billion in cash.

    Under the terms, Verizon will enter into a 10-year agreement1 to lease back capacity on the towers from Vertical Bridge, serving as the anchor tenant, with options that could extend the lease term up to 50 years. Verizon will also have access to certain additional space on the towers for its future use, subject to certain restrictions. This agreement, along with Verizon’s existing build-to-suit joint venture with Vertical Bridge, will support Verizon’s efforts to drive down tower-related costs and provide greater vendor diversity in a concentrated industry. 

    “As the nation’s largest mobility provider, we are well positioned with greater financial flexibility to invest in our business, return value to our shareholders and make the nation’s best network even better for customers,” said Verizon Chairman and CEO Hans Vestberg. “This transaction builds on our existing relationship with Vertical Bridge while realizing substantial value for this unique set of assets and allows us to be agile in optimizing the network with one of the best operating partners.” 

    “We are pleased to have been selected by Verizon as the counterparty in the largest US tower transaction in almost a decade,” said Ron Bizick, President and CEO of Vertical Bridge. “This transaction represents a significant step for Vertical Bridge. The vision of the company founders 10 years ago was to create a permanent, private, and at-scale US tower company. This transaction marks a significant milestone in the realization of that vision. Upon the completion of this transaction, these assets, together with our existing portfolio which includes thousands of young, purpose-built towers, enhance Vertical Bridge’s position as a fast, friendly, and flexible colocation partner to the wireless industry.”

    “Since co-founding Vertical Bridge in 2014, we’ve been on a transformative journey, and this landmark transaction with Verizon Communications marks an inflection point in that evolution,” said Marc Ganzi, CEO of DigitalBridge and Vice Chairman of Vertical Bridge. “This transaction not only solidifies our leadership in the tower space but also strategically positions us to capitalize on the growing demand for wireless infrastructure, especially as AI-driven technologies and 5G continue to reshape connectivity needs across industries.”

    DigitalBridge, a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure and majority owner of Vertical Bridge, has committed capital to support the transaction.

    CDPQ, a global investment group and an important shareholder of Vertical Bridge since 2019, also committed capital to finance this transaction.

    The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.

    Advisors
    J.P. Morgan acted as financial advisor to Verizon and Jones Day acted as legal counsel. Centerview Partners LLC served as financial advisor to Vertical Bridge and Greenberg Traurig acted as legal counsel. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett acted as legal counsel to DigitalBridge. Mayer Brown LLP acted as legal counsel to CDPQ.

    About Vertical Bridge 
    Vertical Bridge REIT, LLC, headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, was founded in 2014 and is the largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure and locations in the United States, with a portfolio of more than 500,000 sites, including over 11,000 owned and master-leased towers pre-transaction. Vertical Bridge provides build-to-suit and colocation solutions to the wireless industry. The Company’s portfolio spreads across all 50 states and Puerto Rico. 

    In 2020, Vertical Bridge became the first tower company in the world to achieve the CarbonNeutral® company certified status and has been recertified every year since. For more information, please visit http://www.verticalbridge.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    n this communication we have made forward-looking statements. These statements are based on our estimates and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include the information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations. Forward-looking statements also include those preceded or followed by the words “anticipates,” “assumes,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “forecasts,” “hopes,” “intends,” “plans,” “targets” or similar expressions. For those statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We undertake no obligation to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

    [1] Initial term of 10 years, plus 8 optional renewal terms of 5 years each, subject to certain early termination rights. 

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Gebrüder Weiss bikes to the moon and back

    Source: Gebrüder Weiss

    Third GWcycles cycling campaign sets new record / International bike community comes together to cycle over 768,800 kilometers / Corporate forest project in Nicaragua grows by 7,000 new trees

    Lauterach, October 1, 2024. Gebrüder Weiss’ international community of bike enthusiasts has raised the bar with this year’s GWcycles cycling campaign: More than 600 participants came together to cycle over 768,800 kilometers – the distance it would take to the moon and back.

    Between March and September, the logistics company ran its third and latest cycling campaign, aptly titled “Cycling to the moon and back,” calling on cyclists around the world to dowload the Radbonus app and cover as many kilometers as possible on two wheels. 

    “It’s clear that bicycle mobility is growing in popularity,” remarks Frank Haas, Head of Communications at Gebrüder Weiss, “and rightly so: Cycling gives people a chance to enjoy being active and boosts both personal health and climate protection. I’m particularly pleased that we were once again able to encourage so many people to do their best to support a good cause. Thank you to everyone who got involved!”

    Another benefit is that each kilometer cycled helps to protect the climate. The 2024 cycling campaign has enabled Gebrüder Weiss to plant 7,000 new trees in the corporate forest in Nicaragua. A total of 19,000 trees have been planted since the campaign was launched in 2022. Once fully grown, these trees will absorb around 285 tons of CO2 from the atmosphere per year.

    For more information about “Cycling around the World”, go to: https://info.gw-world.com/gwcycles.

    GW Team Lauterach

    Frank Haas

    Duathlon Malaysia

    GW Team Czech republic

    GW Team Singapore

    Corporate forest Nicaragua

    GWcycles Logo

    About Gebrüder Weiss

    Gebrüder Weiss Holding AG, based in Lauterach, Austria, is a globally operative full-service logistics provider with about 8,600 employees at 180 company-owned locations.

    The company generated revenues of 2.46 billion euros in 2023. Its portfolio encompasses transport and logistics solutions, digital services, and supply chain management. 
    The twin strengths of digital and physical competence enable Gebrüder Weiss to respond swiftly and flexibly to customers’ needs. 
    The family-run organization – with a history going back more than half a millennium – has implemented a wide variety of environmental, economic, and social initiatives. Today, it is also considered a pioneer in sustainable business practices. http://www.gw-world.com

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Deputy President calls on the UK to raise tariff-free quota on wine from SA

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on the United Kingdom government to raise the tariff-free quota (TFQ) on wine and sugar coming from South Africa. 

    The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the Mozambique Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) include provisions for a 70/30 split between bottled and bulk wine throughout the trade relationship. 

    “As the South African government, we urge flexibility for a 50/50 split. In our view, this does not necessitate an amendment of the EPA but can be a decision of the SACUM-UK Joint Council.

    “South Africa has requested that the United Kingdom raise the TRQ amounts allowed under the Environmental Protection Agency Framework for South African sugar to 171 thousand tonnes and for wine to 150 million litres,” he said on Monday. 

    The TFQ for imports of South African wine into the United Kingdom is currently sitting at 71.5 million litres per annum, which applies to 30% bulk and 70% packaged wine.

    “We call for the UK to agree to this change which is mutually beneficial and will benefit the UK bottling industry.”

    Deputy President Mashatile was speaking during the South African Heritage Month dinner hosted by Brand South Africa in London.

    The country’s second-in-command is in London for the second leg of his working visit to improve trade and investment relations between the two nations. 

    He said he believed that if South Africa could introduce local umqombothi, also known as African beer, or more wine to the global market, the country could double exports from South Africa to the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Netherlands and Canada.

    The Deputy President said another element that has worked to construct a robust economy and enhance economic relations with the United Kingdom is the conventional interchange of commodities and services, such as food and clothes. 

    “As you run your company and live in this area of the globe, you must show that South Africa is a nation moulded by a diverse range of cultures, languages, and traditions, all of which contribute to the vivid mosaic that defines South Africa.”

    Government of National Unity

    Shifting his focus to the Government of National Unity (GNU), he said the coalition government has demonstrated that South Africa embraces its diversity. 

    “We have shown to the world that, despite our differences, we can work together for a single goal – to create a stronger South Africa. We have also shown the world that our rainbow country has a thriving democracy.”

    He told the attendees that he was convinced that the GNU would endure and achieve its goals of driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty, addressing the high cost of living, and establishing a competent, ethical, and progressive State. 

    “However, as we mark 30 years of freedom this year, we must remember those who were at the forefront of the liberation of our nation and spent years in exile advocating for a peaceful and democratic South Africa.”

    The Deputy President paid tribute to those who continue to raise the South African flag high internationally by contributing to the welfare of their fellow citizens and the economy. 

    “We refer to these people as Global South Africans. Now to all South Africans living, working, studying or travelling abroad, it is an exciting time for you to be a Global South African – to be part of the South African story, to be a son or daughter of Africa, to be directly connected to what we confidently predict will be the African century.” 

    He applauded Brand South Africa for launching the Global South African programme, as the country works to position itself as a global player in an increasingly competitive world. 

    “We believe that as Global South Africans you are an untapped voice and advocates who can elevate our nation’s brand position to greater heights in international markets, whilst also shaping perceptions and the narrative about our beautiful and beloved country.” – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Deputy President calls on the UK to raise tariff-free quota on wine, sugar from SA

    Source: South Africa News Agency

    Deputy President Paul Mashatile has called on the United Kingdom government to raise the tariff-free quota (TFQ) on wine and sugar coming from South Africa. 

    The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the Mozambique Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) include provisions for a 70/30 split between bottled and bulk wine throughout the trade relationship. 

    “As the South African government, we urge flexibility for a 50/50 split. In our view, this does not necessitate an amendment of the EPA but can be a decision of the SACUM-UK Joint Council.

    “South Africa has requested that the United Kingdom raise the TRQ amounts allowed under the Environmental Protection Agency Framework for South African sugar to 171 thousand tonnes and for wine to 150 million litres,” he said on Monday. 

    The TFQ for imports of South African wine into the United Kingdom is currently sitting at 71.5 million litres per annum, which applies to 30% bulk and 70% packaged wine.

    “We call for the UK to agree to this change which is mutually beneficial and will benefit the UK bottling industry.”

    Deputy President Mashatile was speaking during the South African Heritage Month dinner hosted by Brand South Africa in London.

    The country’s second-in-command is in London for the second leg of his working visit to improve trade and investment relations between the two nations. 

    He said he believed that if South Africa could introduce local umqombothi, also known as African beer, or more wine to the global market, the country could double exports from South Africa to the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, Netherlands and Canada.

    The Deputy President said another element that has worked to construct a robust economy and enhance economic relations with the United Kingdom is the conventional interchange of commodities and services, such as food and clothes. 

    “As you run your company and live in this area of the globe, you must show that South Africa is a nation moulded by a diverse range of cultures, languages, and traditions, all of which contribute to the vivid mosaic that defines South Africa.”

    Government of National Unity

    Shifting his focus to the Government of National Unity (GNU), he said the coalition government has demonstrated that South Africa embraces its diversity. 

    “We have shown to the world that, despite our differences, we can work together for a single goal – to create a stronger South Africa. We have also shown the world that our rainbow country has a thriving democracy.”

    He told the attendees that he was convinced that the GNU would endure and achieve its goals of driving inclusive growth and job creation, reducing poverty, addressing the high cost of living, and establishing a competent, ethical, and progressive State. 

    “However, as we mark 30 years of freedom this year, we must remember those who were at the forefront of the liberation of our nation and spent years in exile advocating for a peaceful and democratic South Africa.”

    The Deputy President paid tribute to those who continue to raise the South African flag high internationally by contributing to the welfare of their fellow citizens and the economy. 

    “We refer to these people as Global South Africans. Now to all South Africans living, working, studying or travelling abroad, it is an exciting time for you to be a Global South African – to be part of the South African story, to be a son or daughter of Africa, to be directly connected to what we confidently predict will be the African century.” 

    He applauded Brand South Africa for launching the Global South African programme, as the country works to position itself as a global player in an increasingly competitive world. 

    “We believe that as Global South Africans you are an untapped voice and advocates who can elevate our nation’s brand position to greater heights in international markets, whilst also shaping perceptions and the narrative about our beautiful and beloved country.” – SAnews.gov.za

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Media Advisory: Deputy Chair Adriano Espaillat Leads Second CHC Artificial Intelligence Roundtable

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

    Watch Live Stream Here

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. EST, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Deputy Chair Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) will host a roundtable discussion to examine how Artificial Intelligence (AI) impacts our communities every day. With a focus on equity, inclusion, and fair regulation, this conversation will also help shape policies to ensure everyone, including America’s 62+ million Latinos, benefits equitably by evolving AI developments. 

    Tune in online as the CHC works to shape the future of AI.

    Moderated by:

    ·    Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Deputy Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus

    Participants:

    ·    Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus 

    ·    Chan Park, Head of US Policy and Partnerships at OpenAI

    ·    Hoda Hawa, Civil Rights Policy Lead at Google

    ·    Renzo Rodriguez, Managing Director of Amazon Web Services (AWS) Worldwide Public Sector, Federal Technology & Innovation

    ·    Danyelle Solomon, AI Policy Lead at Microsoft

    ·    Allison Virgil, Managing Director with Accenture Federal Services

    ·    Michael Sellitto, Head of Global Affairs at Anthropic

    ·    Ricky Revesz, Administrator of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA)

    ·    Conrad Stosz, Director of Policy for the US AI Safety Institute

    WHAT: Roundtable to convene CHC members, stakeholders, for a conversation to ensure that AI policies and advancements reflect and address Hispanic communities’ unique needs and opportunities.

    WHEN: Wednesday, September 18 at 1:00 p.m. EST

    WHERE: Watch Live Stream Here.

    ###

    Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 118th Congress. He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Deputy Chair as well as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Rep. Espaillat is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

    Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Representative Adriano Espaillat Presents Landmark U.S.- Dominican Republic Open Skies Agreement

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (NY-13)

    ESPAILLAT HIGHLIGHTS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HISTORIC OPEN SKIES AGREEMENT IN STRENGTHENING BILATERAL RELATIONS, BOOSTING ECONOMIC AND TRAVEL OPPORTUNITIES

    NEW YORK, NY – Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) presented the historic Cielos Abiertos (Open Skies) agreement between the United States and the Dominican Republic, at an event held at the Juan Pablo Duarte School in New York. The presentation, which was attended by President of the Dominican Republic, the Honorable Luis Abinader; New York City Mayor Eric Adams; U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment José W. Fernandez; ministers of the Dominican government; and numerous New York elected officials, underscored the landmark deal’s pivotal role in strengthening bilateral ties, spurring economic growth, and expanding travel opportunities between the two nations. 

    The Open Skies (Cielos Abiertos) agreement, signed on August 5, 2024, came after more than two decades of negotiations, with Representative Espaillat playing a crucial role in advocating for its finalization. During his speech at the event, Rep. Espaillat emphasized the transformative nature of the agreement, which will open up new air routes, increase competition among airlines, and significantly reduce flight costs for travelers between the U.S. and the Dominican Republic. 

    “Today’s Open Skies agreement marks a new chapter in U.S.-Dominican relations,” said Espaillat. “This agreement will have a profound impact on Dominican American families, businesses, and tourists, offering more flight options and making travel more affordable. By increasing competition, this deal ensures lower airline fares and more frequent travel opportunities for consumers between our two nations.” 

    For years, Dominican American families have faced limited flight options and exorbitant prices for travel to and from the Dominican Republic, particularly during peak travel seasons. Rep. Espaillat has long advocated for solutions to these challenges, and the Open Skies agreement addresses these concerns by providing more affordable and accessible air travel. 

    The agreement also promises to boost tourism and economic growth in both nations. By increasing flight availability and reducing costs, the deal is expected to drive job creation and enhance commercial ties between the United States and the Dominican Republic. 

    “Open Skies is not only about making air travel easier,” continued Espaillat. “It ensures stronger connections between our people, strengthening our economies, and reinforcing the deep, historic ties that unite our two great nations.” 

    The event was also attended by a number of high-profile leaders, including Dominican President Luis Abinader, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and U.S. Under Secretary of State José W. Fernandez, who emphasized the significance of this agreement in the context of U.S. foreign policy.

    Rep. Espaillat’s advocacy for the Open Skies agreement reflects his continued commitment representing the Dominican American community while fostering strong, mutually beneficial relations between the United States and the Dominican Republic.

    ###

    Representative Espaillat is the first Dominican American to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and his congressional district includes Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Hamilton Heights, Washington Heights, Inwood, Marble Hill and the north-west Bronx. First elected to Congress in 2016, Representative Espaillat is serving his fourth term in Congress. Representative Espaillat currently serves as a member of the influential U.S. House Committee on Appropriations responsible for funding the federal government’s vital activities and serves as Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee of the committee during the 118th Congress. He is also a member of the House Budget Committee and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), where he serves in a leadership role as the Deputy Chair as well as Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI). Rep. Espaillat is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) and serves as a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. To find out more about Rep. Espaillat, visit online at https://espaillat.house.gov/.

    Media inquiries: Candace Person at Candace.Person@mail.house.gov 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Buttigieg convenes supply chain leaders ahead of potential strike.

    Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)

    Our department has been engaging with partners across U.S. supply chains throughout recent months ahead of deadlines for port labor negotiations.

    We’ve urged the parties in this negotiation to come to terms in good faith, fairly and quickly.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU37m4cLlxg

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wuthering Heights casting row: most adaptations struggle with picking the right Heathcliff and Cathy, but we deserve better in 2024

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Adelene Buckland, Reader in Nineteenth-Century Literature, King’s College London

    How do you cast Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel about a child so brutalised by his adoptive family that he drives his pregnant love to death? Not, it would seem, like Emerald Fennell, the latest director to attempt it.

    Fennell’s previous projects include the Oscar-winning A Promising Young Woman (2020) and Netflix hit Saltburn (2023), but she has been under fire for casting Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in the lead roles of Heathcliff and Catherine, two teenagers on the wild, 19th-century Yorkshire moors. As tanned Australian actors aged 27 and 34, best known for playing Elvis and Barbie, it is hard to imagine how they can pull this off.

    But has anybody ever got Heathcliff and Catherine right?

    Lawrence Olivier was nominated for an Oscar for playing Heathcliff in 1939, but his clipped, Royal Shakespeare Company gentlemanliness hardly befitted the “savage vehemence” of the role. Heathcliff is an orphan, probably picked up on the Liverpool docks, bullied for looking like “a dark-skinned gypsy”, “a little Lascar, or an American or Spanish castaway” (a lascar was a sailor or militiaman often from Asia). Among his many eventual crimes, he tortures puppies and beats children. But the Olivier movie staged the novel as a classic Hollywood romance.

    Until very recently other directors followed suit, cutting the story’s more brutal elements (including most of its second half) and casting dashing (white) leads like Timothy Dalton (1970) and then-newcomer Ralph Fiennes (1992). In the latter film, Juliette Binoche’s Catherine had a notably French accent. (Maybe best not to mention Cliff Richard’s 1996 musical, in which, at 56, he was panned for playing a teenage Heathcliff as a pop idol.)

    As the director of a 2011 BBC Radio Three adaptation put it, Wuthering Heights is not supposed to be “a Vaseline-lensed experience”. But it has been mostly sold that way.

    Perhaps the only director to capture the nightmarishness of Bronte’s text is Andrea Arnold, who in 2011 cast untrained actors in the central roles, including a black actor, James Howson, as Heathcliff. At the time, some critics even found that decision controversial. But the casting was a turning point, and Arnold’s bleak, almost wordless, adaptation changed the game.

    In 2024, audiences are more aware that casting a white actor like Elordi as Heathcliff is not only to undersell the novel as romance, but to wilfully ignore the imperialism in the text.

    There is evidence to suggest that Heathcliff’s story was at least partly inspired by a local slave-owning family, the Sills, who, as well as making their money from sugar plantations in Jamaica, had 30 enslaved Africans working on their home estate in Yorkshire.

    Also, as mentioned, characters speculate about Heathcliff’s race throughout. For instance, Nelly Dean, Cathy’s family’s servant, wonders whether “[his] father was Emperor of China, and [his] mother an Indian queen.” He is clearly not white.

    Still, in going in the opposite direction to Arnold, Fennell’s film might offer us something new.

    The novel is difficult to film not only because it depicts human beings at their most primal, but also because it is so strangely told. Bronte rarely shows us Catherine or Heathcliff firsthand. We learn their tale through an uninitiated southerner, Lockwood, who himself hears much of the story from a servant with unreliable passions of her own.

    Key scenes in the novel have an emotional realism drawn not only from the rough-hewn Yorkshire rocks but also from gothic melodrama: Catherine’s ghost literally bleeds as it grasps Lockwood through a window; Heathcliff digs up Catherine’s grave just “to have her in my arms again”. If this is realism, it is so extreme it borders on the theatrical.

    And this is where Fennell excels. Saltburn’s bathtub scene is infamous for body horror, but mostly it depicts an urgent need to consume and be consumed by another. Saltburn also has its own graveside scene, which clearly echoes Heathcliff’s necrophiliac desires in Wuthering Heights.

    I would argue there can be no justification for casting a white actor as Heathcliff, and it is to be hoped that Fennell rethinks this decision. But perhaps there is also something to be gained from having a Heathcliff and Catherine with the glitzy theatricality of Elvis and Barbie. Fennell isn’t going to give us the Catherine and Heathcliff we have come to expect, but it is possible she will evoke the passion the characters deserve.


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

    Adelene Buckland 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. Wuthering Heights casting row: most adaptations struggle with picking the right Heathcliff and Cathy, but we deserve better in 2024 – https://theconversation.com/wuthering-heights-casting-row-most-adaptations-struggle-with-picking-the-right-heathcliff-and-cathy-but-we-deserve-better-in-2024-240128

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Luis de Guindos: Expectations surveys, central banks and the economy

    Source: European Central Bank

    Welcome address by Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the ECB, at the 5th joint ECB, Bank of Canada and Federal Reserve Bank of New York Conference on expectations surveys, central banks and the economy

    Frankfurt am Main, 1 October 2024

    It is my pleasure to welcome you to this fifth joint conference on expectations surveys organised by the European Central Bank, the Bank of Canada and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

    In my remarks today, I will delve into the fascinating world of expectations surveys and their relevance to central banks. I will review how useful expectations surveys have proven to be for central banks over the period since 2019, the year we held our first conference in this series. In addition, I will touch on the challenges facing central banks in using surveys. The fact that central banks generally operate under great uncertainty has come to the fore over the past five years. Today, too, we are facing huge uncertainty – not least in view of the many prevailing economic, financial and geopolitical risks. Yet, it is precisely in this unpredictable and highly complex landscape that surveys have come into their own.

    The return of survey expectations

    Over the past decade, central banks and other policymaking institutions have invested significantly in expectations surveys and have drawn increasingly on survey data for their policy analysis and research. These surveys cover consumers, firms, financial market participants and other experts, including professional forecasters. At the ECB, we can fortunately look to a wide array of such surveys covering diverse topics such as consumer expectations, household finance and consumption, access to finance of enterprises, the payment attitudes of consumers and bank lending. Since 2013, the ECB has also conducted a survey of wholesale market participants on credit terms and conditions, and it recently developed a new survey of monetary analysts to collect expert expectations about key monetary policy parameters and concepts. Finally, the ECB’s Survey of Professional Forecasters was launched back in 1999 at the start of Economic and Monetary Union. Its structured collection of data has supported a rich research programme investigating economic forecasts and expert expectations.[1]

    All ECB surveys can provide insights into how different economic agents form and update their expectations. They can reveal the potential biases in these expectations and the extent to which expectations feed into economic decisions. Surveys were indeed quite central to the economic debate in the 1950s and the 1960s but their role became more marginal when rational expectations were incorporated into economic modelling in the 1970s. Over the past ten years, however, economists have seen survey expectations clearly returning to the mainstream.[2] One could describe the recent growth in survey-based research as a “counter-revolution” following the earlier “revolution” centred on rational expectations. Today, while models based on rational expectations still form a useful reference point in our analysis and research, they are no longer thought to provide a solid basis for understanding business cycles, for gauging the risks of financial crises or for designing effective economic policies. The central insight gained from this new line of survey-based research is that many economic agents may systematically form expectations by using partial sets of information or by following subjective narratives about how the economy functions – for example by applying simple rules of thumb.[3] It is important to understand such subjective expectations, because these beliefs often underlie the economic choices and financial decisions that drive the economy.[4]

    Surveys have repeatedly proven their usefulness over the past five years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they were especially useful in helping to track financial conditions for firms and households, as well as in estimating the labour market response to the pandemic shock. Online surveys were of great benefit during the pandemic as in-person survey interviews were hampered by lockdown restrictions. For example, the ECB’s Consumer Expectations Survey – an online survey which was fortuitously launched in early 2020 – helped us understand the severity of the pandemic-induced collapse in consumption and gauge the overall effectiveness of the major policy interventions by governments and other authorities at the time.[5]

    Insights from surveys during the recent period of high inflation

    More recently, the data collected in surveys strongly supported the analysis of the recent inflationary episode in the euro area.[6] During the early phase of the inflation surge in 2022, survey data helped to inform the central discussion on the likely persistence of the shock. For example, the observed increase in consumers’ medium-term expectations may have interacted with an increase in firms’ pricing power to make the original supply shocks more persistent than they would otherwise have been.[7]

    Forces that would gradually help bring inflation back down to our target were also visible in more recent survey data. For example, we could see how the rise in inflation and inflation expectations was acting as a major constraint on demand and consumer spending owing to its impact on real incomes. In August 2023 respondents to the ECB’s Consumer Expectations Survey were asked what actions they were planning to take in light of their expectations about future inflation. The results clearly showed that a much higher share of consumers planned to reduce their spending in response to the expectations of higher prices.[8] In addition, consumers indicated that they would start to shop around more and buy cheaper varieties of goods and services than they normally would. In a context where the ECB was taking decisive monetary policy action aimed at restoring price stability, these behavioural responses to higher inflation expectations also contributed to the gradual unwinding of the inflationary pressures across the euro area economy.

    Insights for financial stability analysis

    In addition to monetary policy, expectations surveys are now increasingly being used for other central bank tasks as well. This includes financial stability analysis. Here, surveys can help identify potential sources of financial risk not only in financial markets and the banking system, but also in the household and non-financial corporate sectors.[9] Even when there is no discernible financial stress at the aggregate level, the disaggregated or individual-level data typically provided by surveys can help us to identify emerging risks across particular sectors or socio-demographic groups.

    In financial stability analysis, the topic of financial literacy is receiving increased attention. In the first keynote lecture of the conference, Professor Annamaria Lusardi from Stanford University will talk about why financial literacy is relevant for central banks. One consideration for financial stability analysis is that less financially literate households may be less prepared to cope with adverse economic and financial shocks. Yet, these households tend to be the most exposed to such shocks and more heavily affected when they occur. Policies seeking to boost financial literacy may help borrowers to source loans that are cheaper to service, thus promoting more efficient and more sustainable debt management. These issues may be particularly relevant for real estate markets and housing, which will be the focus of the second keynote lecture of the conference, given by Professor Tarun Ramadorai from Imperial College London. Professor Ramadorai will discuss the importance of non-rational beliefs in the housing market and how household surveys can help inform policies that can address these frictions.

    Sustaining the quality and representativeness of surveys

    Our experiences with survey data also highlight the challenges that policymakers face when using these data. Survey data can be volatile and there is evidence of overreaction in both household and firm surveys of expectations. For this reason, surveys may provide a noisy signal for policymaking in practice, which complicates how these data should feed into the policy reaction function. In this respect, I hope the research presented at today’s conference can also help policymakers distinguish the signal from the noise that is always embedded in expectations data. These considerations underline the importance of the quality of the survey design, including the sampling and data collection methods. It is crucial that questions are designed to avoid the framing of responses and that the complexity of the questionnaires is managed appropriately to avoid survey fatigue, which may negatively affect data quality. As central banks are making increasing use of survey data, they need to continuously and carefully monitor these data to ensure responses remain representative of the underlying population’s beliefs and behaviour.

    Conclusion

    Let me conclude. Today, expectations surveys are an important part of the toolkit available to central banks for their policy analysis. These surveys reveal insights about the economy that would otherwise remain hidden from view. As a result, they can contribute to more robust policy decisions and better policy assessments.

    I would like to finish by thanking the presenters and participants in advance for their contributions and the conference organisers for putting together such an impressive programme. I wish you all a productive and successful two days of lively debate and discussion. I am confident that the insights that will emerge from sharing our experiences of different surveys across many countries and institutions will ultimately enhance the way in which we use expectations surveys to help guide policy decisions.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Biden-Harris Administration Prepared for Multi-State Event as Hurricane Helene Approaches, FEMA Encourages People in Storm’s Path to Listen to Local Officials

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Biden-Harris Administration Prepared for Multi-State Event as Hurricane Helene Approaches, FEMA Encourages People in Storm’s Path to Listen to Local Officials

    Biden-Harris Administration Prepared for Multi-State Event as Hurricane Helene Approaches, FEMA Encourages People in Storm’s Path to Listen to Local Officials

    At the Direction of President Biden, FEMA Administrator to Travel to Florida to Survey Impacts

    WASHINGTON — Hurricane Helene is a massive, dangerous storm and FEMA is prepared for anticipated multi-state impacts. In advance of Hurricane Helene’s landfall in Florida, the Biden-Harris Administration approved pre-landfall emergency declarations for Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. These declarations enable FEMA to provide federal resources to the states for emergency protective measures like reimbursement for evacuations and sheltering and aid initial response and recovery efforts.

    FEMA urges people in the path of Hurricane Helene to take immediate action to protect themselves as the storm approaches. Hurricane Helene is expected to continue strengthening and bring life-threating storm surge and hurricane conditions to Florida starting today. There is also the risk for dangerous flash and flooding in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

    “The Biden-Harris Administration is ready for this event. We are prepared and postured for response,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “People in Hurricane Helene’s path need to take this seriously. Listen to your state and local elected officials. If they tell you to evacuate, evacuate. If they tell you to shelter in place, stay where you are. These decisions can save lives.”

    FEMA, the entire federal family and partner organizations are actively coordinating response efforts across Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. There are over 1,100 personnel actively supporting from across the federal government, which include Urban Search and Rescue Teams, Coast Guard, the Department of Defense and power restoration teams from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. An additional 700 FEMA team members already deployed across the region from previous events. To help people who may need to evacuate, the American Red Cross is actively standing up shelters in the areas likely to feel the impacts from Helene.

    Safety Tips During the Storm

    Residents in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina can find a list of state, tribal and local resources such as evacuation, shelter and important storm updates on FEMA.gov.

    • Pay attention to local officials. Weather conditions can change quickly. Make sure to heed their warnings and evacuate immediately if told to do so.
    • NOW is the time to finish preparations. Today is the day to prepare for this storm. Take action immediately to protect yourself, your family, your pets and your home. Finish gathering any supplies like food, water, medication, flashlights and food for your pets now. If possible, include cash in your emergency kit, as ATMs may not work after the storm.
    • If you did not evacuate, stay safe at home. Gather your supplies including flashlights, battery operated radio and food and water and keep them on a high shelf or upper level. Find a safe location to ride out the storm, such as a designated storm shelter or interior room for high winds.
    • Be in the know about your evacuation route. Several counties in Florida issued mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders. Visit Evacuation Orders | Florida Disaster to see the full list. Florida residents can call 800-729-3413 for shelter locations. People in Florida, Alabama and Georgia should be prepared to evacuate quickly if they are in the path of this storm and are told to do so.
    • Have several ways to receive alerts. People in areas along Florida’s Panhandle, west coast and into Alabama and Georgia should follow the forecast carefully and instructions of state and local officials by monitoring local radio or television stations for updated emergency information. Sign up for community alerts in your area and be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), which require no sign up. You can also download the free FEMA App available in English and Spanish languages to receive real-time weather alerts and find local emergency shelters in your area.
    • Your neighbors are your lifeline. Check on your neighbors, especially older adults or those who may need additional assistance, to make sure they have what they need to ride out the storm. Have a plan to remain in contact during and after the storm.
    • Power outage and generator safety. If you lose power, use only flashlights or battery-powered lanterns for emergency lighting. If using a generator, remember to always use them outdoors and keep it at least 20 feet from doors and windows. Additionally, make sure to keep the generator dry and protected from rain or flooding. De-clutter drains and gutters, bring in outside furniture and put up hurricane shutters if you have them.
    • Stay out of floodwater. Walking, swimming or driving through flood waters is extremely dangerous. Standing water may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines or contain hazards such as wild or stray animals, human and livestock waste and chemicals that can lead to illness.
    • Turn Around. Don’t Drown™. Driving through a flooded area can be extremely hazardous. Almost half of all flash flood deaths happen in vehicles. When in your car, look out for flooding in low lying areas at bridges and at highway dips. As little as 6 inches of water may cause you to lose control of your vehicle or fall if you are walking through it. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles including sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and pick-ups.
    • Keep important documents safe. Save copies of birth certificates, passports, medical records and insurance papers in a safe, dry place. Keep important documents in a waterproof container and create password-protected digital copies. Take photos or videos of your belongings and property on your phone or upload them to the internet. Move valuables like photo albums, heirlooms and other treasured items to higher levels.

    mashana.davis

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Integrated Youth Services Site Opens in Humboldt

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Released on September 26, 2024

    Today, the province’s first Integrated Youth Services (IYS) site, or hub, opened its doors in Humboldt, delivering supports to young people ages 12 to 25 and their caregivers. 

    The hub is located at 307 Main Street and will operate under the name HOMEBASE. It will provide co-located access to mental health and addictions services; physical health services; peer supports; education, employment and training supports; cultural and traditional supports; and social and community supports.

    “We are proud to have our first youth-focused and youth-friendly services center opening in Humboldt,” Humboldt-Watrous MLA Donna Harpauer said on behalf of Mental Health and Addictions Minister Tim McLeod. “Integrated Youth Services is an innovative way to connect young people and their caregivers with the resources they need to enhance their wellbeing.”

    The HOMEBASE team within the John Howard Society of Saskatchewan (JHSS) is leading the implementation of hubs across the province with $3.4 million in funding from the Government of Saskatchewan for development and operations. 

    “We are thrilled to have our first HOMEBASE youth hub opening in Humboldt,” Integrated Youth Services HOMEBASE Director Pam Reimer said. “Our lead agency and their local youth co-design team have been hard at work to create a safe, inclusive, barrier-free environment to serve the youth of Humboldt and the surrounding area.”

    PARTNERS Family Services has been contracted by the JHSS to operate HOMEBASE Humboldt, which also has support from local school divisions, the Saskatchewan Health Authority, Humboldt and District Community Services, Sask Central Victim Services and other community partners.

    “Our team has been working tirelessly with our youth, caregivers, and community partners to shape HOMEBASE Humboldt and our service delivery model,” PARTNERS Family Services Executive Director Hayley Kennedy said. “We are so excited to bring this model to Humboldt and offer barrier-free access to mental health and wellbeing supports, physical health care, and other areas of need as identified by our diverse youth community.”

    IYS is a national and international movement, aimed at reimagining how youth and their caregivers find and access the resources, services and supports they need.

    In January 2024, the JHSS announced that the first IYS hubs were selected with partner organizations. In the coming weeks, HOMEBASE hubs in Regina and Moose Jaw will also become operational. Sturgeon Lake First Nation is the fourth community to host a hub, after previously hosting one as part of a national research project. HOMEBASE Sturgeon Lake will open later in 2024-25.

    Additional information on HOMEBASE’s integrated youth services is available at homebasesask.ca and Integrated Youth Services.

    -30-

    For more information, contact:

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Biden Administration Announces New Security Assistance Package for Ukraine

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    Today, as part of the surge of assistance that President Biden directed ahead of his meeting with President Zelenskyy, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced a significant new security assistance package to ensure Ukraine has the tools it needs to prevail in its fight against Russian aggression. This security assistance package commits an additional $2.4 billion in support through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) that will provide Ukraine with additional air defense, Unmanned Aerial Systems, and air-to-ground munitions, as well as strengthen Ukraine’s defense industrial base and support its maintenance and sustainment requirements. 

    The capabilities in this announcement include:

    • Munitions and support for Ukrainian air defense systems;
    • Air-to-ground munitions;
    • Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and components to support Ukrainian production of UAS;
    • Counter-UAS equipment;  Unmanned surface vessels;
    • Secure communications equipment;
    • Equipment and materiel to support Ukrainian munitions production; and 
    • Spare parts, maintenance and sustainment support, and other ancillary equipment.

    This is the Biden Administration’s twenty-first USAI package. The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners through the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and its associated capability coalitions to provide the support Ukraine needs to win the war.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The music never stops at South Health Campus | La musique ne s’arrête jamais au South Health Campus

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    After the impressive success of the pilot concert series earlier this year, Alberta’s government is providing a $19,000 grant to Calgary company Stagehand to bring a second concert season to the South Health Campus. The second season of the full-year concert series will begin on Sept. 26.

    A patient watches local musicians play at the South Health Campus music series pilot project in February of 2024.

    This grant renews the pilot project from February 2024, when Alberta’s government first enabled Stagehand to bring musicians to perform for South Health Campus patients, staff and visitors.

    “Alberta’s government recognizes the incredible impact music has on people’s lives, and how it can give people the strength to beat their illness. That is why we are proud to support this amazing concert series that supports local artists and helps lift spirits at the South Health Campus.”

    Tanya Fir, Minister of Arts, Culture and Status of Women

    “Music has the power to heal and uplift, and this concert series brings that joy to patients, families and health care workers. We’re proud to support Alberta’s talented musicians while enhancing the well-being of everyone at the South Health Campus.”

    Adriana LaGrange, Minister of Health

    Stagehand offers a digital platform that connects artists with venues to book and promote live events. The Calgary-based company will provide the platform to manage an open call for artists, selection, contracting, scheduling, payment and data collection.

    The pilot project in February included 10 performances at various times and locations at the South Health Campus. The program aligns with the government’s goals for Alberta’s continued economic success by supporting the province’s music industry. This project also helps share Alberta’s cultures, perspectives and stories through music while supporting local musicians.

    “Stagehand is proud to bring music back into Calgary’s South Health Campus for a second concert series. Music has an incredible ability to heal, and Stagehand is exploring even more ways to get more music to the people who need it. I would like to thank Alberta’s government and Minister Fir for the continued support, and I look forward to collaborating in the future.”

    Derek Manns, co-founder and chief executive officer, Stagehand

    “Music offers more than just entertainment for patients; it provides a powerful source of joy, comfort and healing, especially for those dealing with pain, undergoing medical procedures, rehabilitation therapies, or facing long hospital stays. By reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure and enhancing mood, music fosters a sense of calm and empowerment, helping patients regain control in the midst of their challenges.”

    Dr. Stephanie Plamondon, physician, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at South Health Campus, and clinical professor, University of Calgary

    Quick facts

    • According to West Anthem’s Resonant Energies: A Music City Strategy for Calgary released in May, music contributed $1.7 billion to Alberta’s GDP and supported 20,577 jobs in 2020.
    • Feedback on the pilot project in February was overwhelmingly positive, with 97 per cent of audiences reporting being satisfied or very satisfied with the performances, and 82 per cent of musicians reporting a positive impact on their mental health.

    Related information

    • Alberta Health Services Upcoming Events – Stagehand (Concert Schedule)

    Related news

    • Good vibrations for Calgary’s South Health Campus | Bonnes vibrations au South Health Campus de Calgary (Jan. 19, 2024)
    • Music encore at Calgary’s South Health Campus | La musique en rappel au South Health Campus de Calgary (July 16, 2024)

    Une série de concerts qui aide à remonter le moral et à guérir les Albertaines et Albertains au South Health Campus de Calgary est de retour pour une deuxième saison.

    Après le succès retentissant de la série de concerts pilotes présentée au début de l’année, le gouvernement de l’Alberta a accordé une subvention de 19 000 dollars à l’entreprise Stagehand de Calgary pour qu’elle puisse organiser une deuxième série de concerts au South Health Campus. La deuxième série de concerts s’étendra sur toute l’année et débutera le 26 septembre.

    En février 2024, un patient regarde des musiciens de la région jouer dans le cadre du projet pilote de la série musicale du South Health Campus.

    Cette subvention renouvelle le projet pilote de février 2024, lorsque le gouvernement de l’Alberta a permis pour la première fois à Stagehand d’inviter des musiciens à se produire devant les patients, le personnel et les visiteurs du South Health Campus.

    « Le gouvernement de l’Alberta reconnaît l’impact incroyable de la musique sur la vie des gens et la façon dont elle peut leur donner la force de vaincre leur maladie. C’est pourquoi nous sommes fiers de soutenir cette formidable série de concerts, qui permet d’encourager les artistes locaux tout en remontant le moral des gens au South Health Campus. »

    Tanya Fir, ministre des Arts, de la Culture et de la Condition féminine

    « La musique a le pouvoir de guérir et de remonter le moral des gens, et cette série de concerts apporte cette joie aux patients, aux familles et aux travailleurs de la santé. Nous sommes fiers de soutenir les musiciens talentueux de l’Alberta tout en améliorant le bien-être de toutes et de tous au South Health Campus. »

    Adriana LaGrange, ministre de la Santé

    L’entreprise Stagehand met en relation les artistes et les établissements en proposant une plateforme numérique qui permet de réserver et de promouvoir des événements en direct. Basée à Calgary, l’entreprise fournira la plateforme où pourront être gérés les appels ouverts aux artistes et leur sélection, les contrats, la programmation, le paiement et la collecte de données.

    Le projet pilote de février a permis de donner dix représentations à des heures et à des endroits différents au South Health Campus. Le programme s’inscrit dans les objectifs du gouvernement qui visent à assurer le succès économique continu de l’Alberta grâce au soutien de l’industrie musicale de la province. Ce projet contribue également à partager, par la musique, les cultures, les perspectives et les récits de l’Alberta, tout en soutenant les musiciens locaux.

    « Stagehand est fière de ramener la musique au South Health Campus de Calgary pour une deuxième série de concerts. La musique a une incroyable capacité de guérison, et Stagehand explore encore plus de moyens pour apporter plus de musique aux personnes qui en ont besoin. Je tiens à remercier le gouvernement de l’Alberta et la ministre Fir de leur soutien continu, et je me réjouis à l’idée de continuer à collaborer avec eux. »

    Derek Manns, cofondateur et directeur général de Stagehand

    « La musique est plus qu’un simple divertissement pour les patients; elle est une puissante source de joie, de réconfort et de guérison, en particulier pour celles et ceux qui souffrent, qui subissent des procédures médicales, des thérapies de réadaptation ou qui doivent effectuer de longs séjours à l’hôpital. En réduisant l’anxiété, en abaissant la tension artérielle et en améliorant l’humeur, la musique favorise un sentiment de calme et d’autonomisation, ce qui aide les patients en difficulté à reprendre le contrôle de leur santé. »

    Stephanie Plamondon, médecin, Département de physiatrie et de réadaptation du South Health Campus, et professeur clinique à l’université de Calgary

    En bref

    • Selon le rapport intitulé « Resonant Energies: A Music City Strategy for Calgary », publié en mai, la musique a contribué à hauteur de 1,7 milliard de dollars au PIB de l’Alberta, en plus de soutenir 20 577 emplois en 2020.
    • Les réactions au projet pilote de février ont été extrêmement positives : 97 % des spectateurs se sont déclarés satisfaits ou très satisfaits des spectacles, et 82 % des musiciens ont fait état d’un impact positif sur leur santé mentale.

    Renseignements connexes (en anglais seulement)

    • Alberta Health Services Upcoming Events – Stagehand (horaire des concerts)

    Nouvelles connexes

    • Good vibrations for Calgary’s South Health Campus | Bonnes vibrations au South Health Campus de Calgary (19 janvier 2024)
    • Music encore at Calgary’s South Health Campus | La musique en rappel au South Health Campus de Calgary (16 juillet 2024)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canada named as Country of The Year for France’s 2025 Viva Technology 

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    September 26, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

    Today, the Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, announced that Canada has been named the Country of The Year for Viva Technology 2025, the largest technology event in Europe, which is scheduled for June 11 to 14, 2025 in Paris, France. This honour reinforces Canada’s reputation as a worldwide leader in artificial intelligence. Scale AI, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI), will lead Canada’s business delegation.

    Viva Technology is a major annual technology conference where business leaders, startups, and investors come together to share ideas and showcase innovative technologies. As the Country of The Year, Canada will showcase its expertise to the global community and connect with thousands of visionary startups, investors, organizations, researchers, and media during the ninth edition of one of the world’s biggest tech events. Leveraging advancements in AI can enhance Canada’s economy, increase productivity, and create exciting new opportunities for all Canadians.

    Companies interested in being part of Canada’s delegation to Viva Technology 2025 can express their interest through Scale AI, Canada’s AI Global Innovation Cluster focused on leveraging AI to improve value chains.

    Canada’s participation in Viva Technology 2025 was addressed by Prime Minister Trudeau and French President Macron in their Joint Declaration as President Macron concluded his visit to Canada yesterday. This reflects the strong collaboration between Canada and France in artificial intelligence through initiatives like the Global Partnerships on AI and the Centres of Excellence in Montreal and Paris. Viva Technology 2025 will provide an excellent opportunity to build on our ongoing work with France to strengthen cooperation among governments, organizations, and businesses to deliver technology solutions that are responsible, secure, and grounded in human rights and democratic values.

    Quotes

    “As the Country of The Year at Viva Technology 2025, Canada will stand at the forefront of innovation, showcasing the immense trade benefits that arise from connecting startups, technology leaders, large companies, and investors. Together, Canada and France are not only enhancing global collaboration but also driving a new era of growth and creativity that benefits both of our nations.”

    – Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development

    “Canada is building an ecosystem where innovation can thrive while ensuring we are developing safe technologies. Canada has been working hard with France to make concrete progress in the development of a robust and responsible AI ecosystem and I look forward to furthering our collaboration as we showcase our progress at this global technology event.”

    – François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

    Quick facts

    • The commercial relationship between Canada and France is underpinned by the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which has been provisionally applied since 2017. 

    • CETA creates opportunities for French and Canadian businesses by eliminating tariffs and increasing the mobility of business people, among other things.

    • Canada and France have worked collaboratively on several initiatives for the responsible use of AI including launching the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI) in June 2020.

    • The Government of Canada announced a Voluntary Code of Conduct on the Responsible Development and Management of Advanced Generative AI Systems in September 2023 and an AI Safety Institute.

    • The Viva Technology 2024 Canadian delegation of 60 organizations was the largest Canadian AI presence ever showcased at an international event.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Huzaif Qaisar
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development
    343-575-8816
    Huzaif.Qaisar@international.gc.ca

    Media Relations Office
    Global Affairs Canada
    media@international.gc.ca
    Follow us on X (Twitter): @CanadaTrade
    Like us on Facebook: Canada’s international trade – Global Affairs Canada

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Federal government invests in housing in Salt River First Nation

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, September 26, 2024 — New homes in Salt River First Nation Reserve in Fort Smith are one step closer after an investment of $205,000 from the federal government was announced today by MP McLeod. This funding was used to purchase equipment to assist with the construction of new homes on reserve.

    Supporting the needs of the most vulnerable people in Canada is one of the goals of Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy. The funding announced today for the Salt River First Nation is being used to address territorial homelessness by helping to build dedicated housing for individuals and families experiencing or at imminent risk of homelessness.

    Quotes

    “The federal government is committed to working with communities and Indigenous partners to increase the availability of safe, inclusive housing options. By investing in housing and relevant supports, we can create stronger, healthier, and more resilient communities for generations to come.”

    Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Developing our new reserve to meet the critical housing needs of our people is a high priority for SRFN. Chief and Council value the support from Canada as we collaborate  to build a better future for our nation”

    Elizabeth Westwell, Chief Executive Officer of Salt River First Nation

    Quick facts

    • Reaching Home is a community-based program aimed at preventing and reducing homelessness across Canada. This program provides funding and support to urban, Indigenous, territorial, rural, and remote communities to help them address their local homelessness needs.

    • Funding under this program is allocated to 64 Designated Communities (urban centres), three territorial capitals, 30 Indigenous communities, and rural and remote communities across Canada. The program also makes funding available to Indigenous partners to support distinctions-based approaches to homelessness services.

    • Through Reaching Home, the federal government is investing $4 billion over 9 years to address homelessness. Budget 2024 announced an additional $1 billion over four years from 2024-25 to 2027-28 to stabilize funding for Reaching Home. This includes $50 million to accelerate community-level reductions in homelessness.

    • Budget 2024 also announced $250 million over two years, starting in 2024-25, to address the urgent issue of encampments and unsheltered homelessness. This initiative envisions working with provinces and territories to cost-match federal investments.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information (media only), please contact:

    Sofia Ouslis
    Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
    Sofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
    613-960-9251
    Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
    Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
    Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
    Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: HMCS Vancouver completes rearmament in Australia

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    September 26, 2024 – Broome, Australia – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces

    His Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Vancouver completed a forward rearmament in Australia on September 23, 2024, more than halfway through its six-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific region on Operation HORIZON.

    This forward rearmament with Australia was a first for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The rearmament coordination and execution were nine months in the making, with planning having commenced in January 2024, and were made possible in part thanks to the close coordination and cooperation of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

    Having the capability to rearm far from a Canadian homeport is a significant achievement. Accomplishing it with the support of our allies and partners demonstrates the strength of Canada’s relationships in the Indo-Pacific region. This rearmament process allows the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to strengthen its interoperability and interchangeability through the sharing of information, techniques, and lessons learned that will allow for more agility moving forward.

    Since HMCS Vancouver’s deployment in June 2024, the ship has participated in three different multinational maritime exercises and expended munitions, including two vertically launched missiles at Exercise RIM OF THE PACIFIC (RIMPAC) 2024.

    Ammunition for the rearmament was transported from Canada to Darwin, Australia, via a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CC-177 Globemaster, where it was stored until the ship’s arrival. It was then transported to Broome, Australia, by the Australian Air Force and civilian contractors, and loaded onto the ship. During the rearmament itself, Canadian Forces Ammunition Depot staff members were on the ground, with members from the Australian Defence Industry (ADI) and the Royal Australian Navy to support.

    The logistics of facilitating a technical rearmament process occurring far from a Canadian Naval Base are complex and support from elements of the ADF and ADI were instrumental in the success of this mission.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kean Constituent Services Return Over $10 Million to NJ-07 Residents

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07)

    (September 26, 2024) BERNARDSVILLE, NJ – Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) announced that his casework team has returned more than $10,012,316 to constituents. 

    Since the office opened in January of 2023, Congressman Kean and his team have closed over 2,730 constituent cases, representing over $10,012,316 dollars returned back to New Jerseyans in the 7th Congressional District. From the beginning of Congressman Kean’s term in office, Team Kean has helped constituents save money and obtain benefits from the VA, IRS, Social Security Administration, and other federal agencies. The top three groups of people served are seniors, veterans, and families. 

    “$10,000,000 back to constituents is an incredible milestone that demonstrates the positive impact of the work we do to help our fellow New Jerseyans,” said Congressman Kean. “I am committed to serving my district to ensure every constituent receives the benefits and assistance to which they are entitled.” 

    Below are testaments from constituents who have received assistance from Team Kean with their federal agencies. 

    “The staff was very helpful through the process and they were reassuring. I appreciate the great assistance!!” -Payal from Flemington  

    “Thank you to the Congressman Kean’s office for your help with expediting my EAD! It was expedited so quickly and truly appreciate your help. I was also very pleasantly surprised by the customer service on the phone. It was great there were no automated phone systems and I was able to reach a rep right away and they were very courteous. Overall a very positive experience.” -Aparajitha from Somerville  

    “Congressman Keans staff was highly responsive and helpful in resolving my issue. They reached out numerous times and even when the problem was resolved they followed up to ensure all was well. Thank you for all of your help.” -Antonio from Ledgewood  

    “I emailed the office late in the evening after business hours and they responded around 9am the next morning. By 4:00pm that day, the social security worker called me and gave me her direct extension, apologized, and said she would process the application immediately. Congressman Kean’s office went above and beyond my expectations and I am truly grateful. It gives me great faith that he will do what he says he will do.” -Amber from Washington  

    Team Kean is always here to help. If you or someone you know needs help with a federal agency, please do not hesitate to contact the office. You can find more information here: https://kean.house.gov/services/help-federal-agency or call (908) 547-3307. Team Kean also hosts frequent Satellite Office Hours, the first week of every month. Make sure to follow Congressman Kean for updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @CongressmanKean. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Mfume, Ruppersberger, Bipartisan Group Secures SNAP Theft Reimbursement in Stop-Gap Funding Bill

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Victims of food stamp theft will continue to be reimbursed thanks to a provision in a stop-gap funding bill secured by a bipartisan group of lawmakers led by Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. H.R. 9747, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives today in a 341-82 vote, keeping the government funded – and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits flowing – through December 20, 2024. It is expected to be taken up in the U.S. Senate quickly.

    Last month, Ruppersberger, along with Representatives Kweisi Mfume (D-Maryland), Mike Lawler (R-New York),  Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Oregon), James P. McGovern (D-Massachusetts), Dan Goldman (D-New York), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania), Anthony D’Esposito (R-New York), Marc Molinaro (R-New York), Brittany Pettersen (D-Colorado) and Grace Meng (D-New York) sent a letter to Congressional leadership urging them to allow victims of SNAP theft to continue to be reimbursed from federal and state coffers.

    Reports of SNAP theft – in which perpetrators use skimming devices to steal SNAP benefits distributed on electronic debit cards (EBT) – are skyrocketing across the nation. States are currently required to replace stolen benefits under a measure included in the 2023 omnibus funding bill passed by Congress at the end of 2022. But that provision was set to expire on September 30.

    “It is appalling that Americans are being targeted at record rates in major SNAP benefit theft. These sickening crimes are carried out against veterans, families, low-income workers, children, the elderly, and the disabled – all of whom are just trying to put food on their table,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07). “Our letter represented a unified effort, across the political aisle, to bring justice to victims in all our respective Congressional Districts. Today’s triumph was a culmination of fierce collaboration between both Democrats and Republicans and boldly fighting for justice on behalf of all households that rely on SNAP,” he concluded. 

    “I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle who recognize the dire straits that SNAP theft leaves its victims, which often include veterans, families, low-income workers, children, the elderly and the disabled,” said Congressman Ruppersberger (MD-02). “While Congress continues to work toward its long-term and strategic spending bills, I am relieved to know these innocent constituents will not lose their primary source of healthy food.”

    “Ensuring that SNAP recipients who have their benefits stolen are made whole is my top priority and is deeply important to New York families,” said Congressman Mike Lawler (NY-17). “That’s why I joined colleagues in both parties and chambers to introduce the Enhanced Cybersecurity for SNAP Act to protect these programs from fraud, and it’s why I have been adamant about the need to include SNAP protections in FY25’s appropriations. I was pleased to see these provisions in the CR being voted on this week. We must complete our appropriations work while protecting the most vulnerable in our society.”

    “I was proud to join this bipartisan group of my colleagues in urging congressional leaders to prevent critical SNAP theft reimbursements from ending,” said Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05). “I’m glad our message was heard and an extension was included in this stopgap funding bill. I’ll keep working to ensure victims of SNAP theft are protected.”

    “I am proud to have helped secure an extension that will allow states to use existing federal funding to reimburse vulnerable victims of SNAP theft so that families in need can put food on the table,” Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) said. “SNAP theft can be devastating for working families and these reimbursements are a critical lifeline that allows working families to make ends meet. I will continue fighting alongside my colleagues to ensure that states retain this authority when Congress passes its final budget at the end of the year.”

    “Families that rely on SNAP to put food on the table each day should never go hungry, especially as a result of their benefits being stolen,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. “That’s why I fought to help over 36,000 New Yorkers recover more than $17.5 million in stolen SNAP benefits. I’m glad to see that this provision was included and extended in this critical government funding bill. I’ve also been fighting to make EBT benefit cards more secure to deter scams, and I’m excited that this bill includes language that will hopefully lead to more secure EBT cards. Many beneficiaries in Queens and across the country continue to be targeted by these scams, and we must continue fighting for the families in our communities experiencing the greatest needs.”

    “Because of our bipartisan push, victims of SNAP theft will continue to be protected through the SNAP Reimbursement Extension,” said Congressman Marc Molinaro (NY-19). “I’m proud to have helped lead the effort to ensure Upstate New York families who rely on SNAP benefits always have access to the meals they deserve.”

    “Thousands of Bucks and Montgomery County residents depend on SNAP to put food on their tables, which is why I was proud to join my colleagues in the critical fight to prevent SNAP theft reimbursements from ending. This common-sense reimbursement provision is essential to safeguarding the integrity of the SNAP program and ensuring families in my community and nationwide who have fallen victim to SNAP theft can quickly recover their benefits. Today’s victory is a powerful reminder that when we unite across party lines, we can achieve meaningful change and stand firm in our commitment to uplift our communities and safeguard the well-being of those who need it most,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1).

    “SNAP recipients who had their food benefits stolen—through no fault of their own, I would add—should not be kicked while they’re down by an indifferent government that tells them ‘too bad’ and leaves them to fend for themselves,” said Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02). “Especially when the average SNAP benefit is barely over $2 per person, per meal. We’re talking about people who rely on these benefits to feed themselves and their families. When they are stolen, people go hungry. I’m glad that because of our continued advocacy, Congress is making sure that food insecure families are protected through the end of the year.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Mfume, Team Maryland Looks to the Future of the Chesapeake Bay After Current Multi-State Agreements Expire in 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume, Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Congressmen Steny Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Jamie Raskin, and Glenn Ivey met Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol with senior representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), U.S. Department of the Interior and Maryland Department of Natural Resources to discuss planning for the next stage of the Chesapeake Bay program and restoration efforts. This is a critical time for the Bay and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which was signed in 2014. Many of the goals and outcomes for the Bay had a target of 2025. As this date approaches, the Chesapeake Bay Program is determining how best to meet these goals and outcomes, incorporate new science and strategies, and strengthen the multi-state partnership.

    At Wednesday’s meeting, members of the Maryland delegation heard from key federal agency and state leaders working towards the next stage of the agreement. Leading the discussion was Adam Ortiz, who serves as the Administrator for EPA Region 3, which governs the Mid-Atlantic Region. In this role Administrator Ortiz is deeply involved in EPA’s role in the Chesapeake Bay Program. The delegation also heard from Department of Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, Matt Strickler, who serves at the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Principal’s Staff Committee Chair. In 2022, the Chesapeake Executive Council tasked its Principal’s Staff Committee with making recommendations for the future of the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program’s work. Representing senior state leadership was Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, who directs Maryland’s role in the multi-state partnership and has deep expertise in the stakeholder community.

     The planning effort marked a milestone this summer when the Chesapeake Bay Program Beyond 2025 Steering Committee released its Beyond 2025 Draft Report and invited public feedback.

    “Marylanders across our state depend on a healthy Chesapeake Bay — the largest estuary in the United States — for food, recreation, and to make a living,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume. “Continued collaboration at the federal, state, and local levels is vital to ensure this national treasure flourishes and effective restoration and conservation projects are enacted throughout the Bay and its ecosystem,” he concluded.

    “Team Maryland will always fight for the Bay. The Chesapeake Bay is a national treasure, and its restoration is a model for regional, multi-jurisdictional landscape stewardship. It is a model for other regions and other environmental protection efforts at many scales – and it is not simple,” said Senator Cardin. “As the Chesapeake Bay program is recalibrated for the next phase of action, we are committed to securing additional federal resources. We have high expectations for future results.”

    “We have a responsibility to protect the Chesapeake Bay – our people, our economy, and our environment depend on it. That’s why we’ve fought to deliver major federal investments to improve the Bay’s health – and while we know they’re making a real difference, the watershed states have more work to do to reach our restoration goals. As we near the Bay Agreement’s 2025 benchmark, we must take stock of the challenges faced in meeting its goals and work together to drive further progress toward a healthier Chesapeake Bay,” said Senator Van Hollen.

    “I’ve been proud to work with our delegation to support the health of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries throughout my career – especially in the past decade since we secured the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement,” Congressman Hoyer said. “I was pleased our delegation could meet with our partners in federal and state government to discuss the progress we’ve made toward fulfilling the various goals we laid out in that agreement and to assess the important work that remains. The Chesapeake Bay is the beating heart of Maryland and a true national treasure, and we will continue working to preserve it for generations to come.”

    “Ten years ago, we set aggressive but necessary goals to restore and protect our treasured Chesapeake Bay, which has taken an all-hands-on-deck approach from every level of government,” Congressman Ruppersberger said. “As we approach our deadline, we must ensure we are leveraging new technologies and sciences and collaborating with our other watershed states as effectively as possible. I appreciated this opportunity to come together and discuss our long and short-term strategies, especially as my own time in office draws to a close.”

    “Today’s discussions provided an opportunity to reaffirm our collective vision for the future of the Chesapeake Bay. It is imperative that the next phase of watershed restoration is centered around achieving goals and outcomes that reflect the current, best available science to ensure the health of our communities, the vitality of our region and a sustainable future for Bay ecosystems and natural resources. We look forward to sustained collaboration with federal, state and local government partners as we continue to support Beyond 2025 planning,” said Congressman Sarbanes.

    “Team Maryland is united in our efforts to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay, a treasured natural resource and cornerstone of our local ecosystem,” said Congressman Raskin. “I’m grateful to our EPA and Maryland state government partners for their continued collaboration with the Maryland Congressional delegation to preserve the Bay for generations to come.”

    “Protecting the Chesapeake Bay is everyone’s responsibility.  We are grateful for our longtime Maryland advocates now on the federal and state level, Adam Ortiz, and Josh Kurtz, respectively.  Local, state, and federal partnerships can help keep our national treasure, the Chesapeake Bay, available for all to appreciate and partake in.  Crabbing, fishing, sailing and otherwise being active in and around its shores are activities we want to cherish well into the future and our actions today will make sure that our kids and grandkids can benefit from the Bay in their tomorrow’s,” said Congressman Ivey.

    “It is not an accident that the Bay recently received its highest grade in 22 years. Through historic investments and coordination, we’re seeing progress and momentum in states and sectors that were previously lagging,” said EPA Regional Administrator Ortiz. “The Biden-Harris Administration is making good on its promise to accelerate the Bay effort.”

    “The Moore-Miller administration thanks the Maryland congressional delegation for their continued strong leadership on the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. Their efforts have resulted in improvements in water quality and the health of the ecosystem,” said Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz. “It was an honor today to discuss our plans to focus our work post-2025 on rebuilding habitat, creating resiliency in the face of climate change, and charting a new future for the Chesapeake Bay.”

    The Chesapeake Executive Councilconsists of the governors of the six watershed states, the mayor of the District of Columbia, the chair of the Chesapeake Bay Commission and the administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay.

    The Principals Staff Committee (PSC) acts as the policy advisors to the Executive Council, accepting items for Council consideration and approval, and setting agendas for Council meetings. Individual members of the PSC arrange and provide briefings to their principals, the Agreement signatories. The PSC also provides policy and program direction to the Management Board.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Statement on Federal Approval of Minnesota Broadband Infrastructure Plan

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a senior member of the Senate Commerce Committee, announced that the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at the U.S. Department of Commerce approved Minnesota’s plan for broadband infrastructure deployment. This development advances Minnesota to the next step in their planned affordable broadband rollout across the state.
    Klobuchar’s Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act was incorporated into the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and was the basis for the significant federal funding to Minnesota for expanding high-speed internet access.
    “Internet access is necessary for everything from education to healthcare, not to mention for keeping in touch with friends and family. However, many households in Minnesota currently don’t have a reliable broadband connection,” said Klobuchar. “That is why I fought to secure this game changing investment that will deliver affordable and reliable high-speed internet to everyone in Minnesota. With the approval of Minnesota’s rollout plan, we are one step closer to connecting every corner of our state.” 
    Klobuchar has long led efforts to expand broadband access, support rural broadband, and bridge the digital divide.
    In June 2023, Klobuchar announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce had awarded major federal funding through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bring reliable, affordable, high-speed internet access to every household in Minnesota. The Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act, Klobuchar’s legislation with Former House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) to expand high-speed internet nationwide, served as the basis for the program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 
    In March 2023, Klobuchar and Senators John Thune (R-SD), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand broadband access to rural communities. The Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act would strengthen funding mechanisms for the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Universal Service Fund (USF), which promotes universal access to broadband and other telecommunications services. Currently, the USF is primarily funded through landline fees, disproportionately impacting seniors, who are more likely to use landlines than other Americans. 
    In February 2023, Klobuchar introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) to strengthen broadband access for rural communities. The Rural Broadband Protection Act would ensure that providers applying for federal funding can reliably deliver broadband to underserved, rural communities. 
    In July 2021, Klobuchar introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to expand rural broadband access by streamlining the funding process and removing barriers for broadband connectivity in hard-to-serve rural areas.

    MIL OSI USA News –