NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Blinken at the High-Level Meeting to Launch the Friends of Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty

    Source: United States of America – Department of State (video statements)

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken participated at the High-Level Meeting to Launch the Friends of Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty in New York City, New York, on September 23, 2024.

    Transcript: https://www.state.gov/secretary-antony-j-blinken-at-the-high-level-meeting-to-launch-the-friends-of-fissile-material-cut-off-treaty/
    ———-
    Under the leadership of the President and Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State leads America’s foreign policy through diplomacy, advocacy, and assistance by advancing the interests of the American people, their safety and economic prosperity. On behalf of the American people we promote and demonstrate democratic values and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world.

    The Secretary of State, appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, is the President’s chief foreign affairs adviser. The Secretary carries out the President’s foreign policies through the State Department, which includes the Foreign Service, Civil Service and U.S. Agency for International Development.

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK9T2m2VYQA

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Young Kim Pushes to Improve Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Young Kim (CA-39)

    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Young Kim (CA-40) joined Reps. Joe Neguse (CO-02), Marc Molinaro (NY-19), and Josh Harder (CA-09) to introduce the Cross Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act (H.R. 9703). 

    This bipartisan bill will help inform recommendations for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of wildfire mitigation by identifying gaps and opportunities in current federal rules and regulations and supporting increased collaboration across agencies and land boundaries.  
     

    “As we introduce this bill, firefighters are working around the clock to contain the Airport fire on federal land in the Cleveland National Forest in Trabuco Canyon and surrounding communities. We also recently saw how a fire miles away can negatively impact the air quality in our area,” said Rep. Young Kim. “Reducing barriers to wildfire mitigation can save lives. The Cross Boundary Wildfire Solutions Act aims to bridge any barriers to wildfire mitigation and ensure our first responders can do their jobs as effectively as possible. I am proud to co-lead this bipartisan, commonsense effort with Reps. Neguse, Molinaro, and Harder, and I will keep doing all I can to keep our communities safe and support first responders.” 

    Rep. Kim has been working tirelessly to improve wildfire mitigation efforts through efforts such as: 

    • Leading the bipartisan Wildfire Technology Demonstration, Evaluation, Modernization, and Optimization (DEMO) Act (H.R. 4235) to expand access to wildfire technologies;  
    • Helping introduce the Fire Weather Development Act (H.R. 4866), which passed the House and includes bipartisan bills Rep. Kim worked on to enhance wildfire detection capabilities and improve communications and information sharing efforts between first responders and community members;  
    • Introducing the Restoring Our Unopened Trails for Enjoyment and Safety (ROUTES) Act (H.R. 6994) to prioritize, streamline, and improve maintenance of federal trails, roads, campgrounds, and recreation sites damaged by certain natural disasters;  
    • Securing funding in FY22 appropriations for the City of Yorba Linda Water District to install an additional heli-hydrant and for the City of Chino Hills’ fuel reduction project for areas susceptible to wildfires;  
    • Increasing resources for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search & Rescue Response System (US&R) task forces, which are deployed to respond to natural disasters in California and across the nation; 
    • Adding language to the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024 directing U.S. Forest Service to address deferred trail maintenance issues. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Steel Calls on Biden to Address Human Rights Abuses with Vietnam Leader

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Michelle Steel (CA-48)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a letter to President Biden ahead of his Wednesday meeting with Vietnam’s president and ruling Communist Party chief, Congresswoman Michelle Steel called on the President to directly address worsening human rights abuses in Vietnam under To Lam’s leadership.

    “Regretfully, this week you will be giving the enormous platform of a presidential meeting to Vietnam’s President and ruling Communist Party Chief, To Lam. During your sit down at the UN, it is crucial that you stop paying lip service to human rights and instead directly address the persecution that has defined To Lam’s leadership in Vietnam,” wrote Steel, who represents the Little Saigon community of Orange County that his home to a large population of Vietnamese Americans.

    Steel’s letter noted that during the meeting, Biden must pressure To Lam to:

    • Release all prisoners of conscience.
    • End the persecution of Vietnamese human rights defenders, activists, and government critics.
    • Respect all religious minorities and hold accountable Vietnamese authorities who imprison individuals based on religious beliefs.

    Steel also noted that the Biden-Harris Administration’s recent engagement with Vietnam has done nothing to slow the suppression of free speech and religious persecution on To Lam’s watch. Prior to his current head of state role, To Lam served as the Communist Party of Vietnam’s Minister of Public Security.

    “As the Biden Harris Administration attempts to promote closer ties with Vietnam, To Lam’s rise to power has coincided with a significant increase in human rights abuses by the Vietnamese authorities on its own citizens. This includes scores of human rights activists and independent journalists…who all face lengthy prison sentences for voicing their opinions about the Communist Party of Vietnam,” Steel added.

    Steel’s letter can be viewed here.

    Rep. Steel represents parts of Orange County and Los Angeles County, including the Little Saigon community which has the largest population of Vietnamese anywhere outside of Vietnam.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Moran Receives Guardian of Small Business Award from National Federation of Independent Business

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01)

    Washington, D.C. ­– Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) received the Guardian of Small Business Award from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) for his efforts to support small businesses in East Texas and across the country. Congressman Moran received an 100% score from NFIB for his voting record in Congress on issues that impact small businesses.

    “I’m grateful to receive the NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award,” said Congressman Moran. “As a former small business owner, it’s a privilege to promote the right to own, operate, and help grow East Texas small businesses. I look forward to continuing the fight to protect Main Street businesses.”

    “The NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award is presented to Members of Congress with a demonstrated record of supporting America’s small and independent business owners,” said NFIB President Brad Close. “This Congress, small businesses faced tough economic headwinds, especially from inflation, labor shortages, and tax pressures at all levels of the government. We are proud to recognize the lawmakers from the 118th Congress who stood up for Main Street by taking pro-small business votes that would reduce taxes, eliminate burdensome government mandates, lower health insurance costs, and fuel the Main Street economy.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Laurel Lee Introduce Bill to Combat CCP Cyber Threat Actors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Laurel Lee – Florida (15th District)

    Washington, D.C. – Today, House Homeland Security Committee Republicans introduced legislation to combat growing cyber threats from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) against our critical infrastructure. Representative Laurel Lee (R-FL) introduced legislation to establish an interagency task force led by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to address the cybersecurity threats posed by state-sponsored cyber actors associated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including Volt Typhoon.
     
    Additionally, the bill requires that the task force provide a classified report and briefing to Congress annually for five years on their findings, conclusions, and recommendations relating to malicious CCP cyber activity. Committee Chairman Mark E. Green, MD (R-TN) and Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) cosponsored the legislation. Read more in NextGov via David DiMolfetta.
     
    On the “Strengthening Cyber Resilience Against State-Sponsored Threats Act,” Representative Lee said, “The CCP, acting through Volt Typhoon and other threat actors, has made a concerted effort to pre-position itself within our networks in order to target and compromise the critical infrastructure Americans rely on every day––from the transportation and water sectors to the energy sector. While individual agencies have worked to examine and address the threats posed by malign cyber actors like Volt Typhoon, a siloed approach to cybersecurity will only give our adversaries the upper hand. It is critical that the federal government implements a focused, coordinated, and whole-of-government response to all of Beijing’s cyber threats, so no other actors succeed.”  
     
    Chairman Green said, “The threat actor ‘Volt Typhoon’ remained undetected and undeterred in our networks for far too long.  The discovery of the new actor ‘Flax Typhoon’ further demonstrates the CCP’s unabashed commitment to infiltrating our critical infrastructure. While intrusions from threat actors like the Typhoons create a dangerous opportunity for espionage, we know they could also serve as open doors for the CCP to manipulate or thwart crucial services Americans rely on in the event of escalation in the Indo-Pacific. Now is the time to address the threat China poses in cyberspace.”
     
    Chairman Moolenaar said, “At our Select Committee hearing earlier this year, FBI Director Wray broke the news that the United States had uncovered state-affiliated Chinese hackers, known collectively as Volt Typhoon, who infiltrated American critical infrastructure and installed malware to unleash a cyber-attack at a time of their choosing. I’m proud to co-sponsor this legislation alongside Rep. Laurel Lee that will help protect the American people.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: GAO Reports on Botched FAFSA Rollout Reveal New Failures, Harm to Students

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins

    The preliminary findings showed that more than 400,000 fewer students, disproportionately those from low- and middle-income families, did not utilize the FAFSA last year due to the Department of Education’s failures, which included an abysmal 25% support call center answer rate, and the application taking on average nearly 700 times longer to complete than the Department had advertised.

    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a senior member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, responded to the two statements released as part of the Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) preliminary findings reviewing the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) failure to roll out the updated and simplified 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The first statement of the two focused on the impact this failure had on students and schools, and the second reviewed the technical problems that led to this failure. Last month, the ED announced that the 2025-2026 FAFSA form will again not be available nationwide by the traditional release date of October 1.
    In January of this year, Senator Collins was part of the bicameral group that called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct these investigations into the Department of Education’s failure to implement the 2024-2025 FAFSA program. The final report is estimated for release in 2025. Last week, Senator Collins has joined a bipartisan group of her colleagues in introducing a resolution condemning the botched implementation by the Department of Education of the 2024-2025 FAFSA and the requirements mandated by the FAFSA Simplification Act.
    “These statements confirm much of what was already assumed, that the failures of the ED and its leadership have led to hundreds of thousands fewer students, many of them from low- and middle-income households, filling out a FAFSA application. The Department’s failures have directly led to many young people foregoing a traditional college education, for no reason other than lack of affordability,” said Senator Collins. “In my time working at Husson University, I learned firsthand the devastating impact a failure of this sort has on Maine students and families—whose decision of whether to send their children to college, especially for aspiring first-generation college students, is directly tied to the costs of doing so. With these reviews, it is clear that the Department must be held accountable for failing the American people in one of their most fundamental duties as a federal education agency. Maine families cannot make significant financial decisions for their children if they do not know what student aid is being made available to them, and the leadership of the Department must answer for these unacceptable mistakes.”
    The negative outcomes of the botched 2024-2025 FAFSA rollout described in the GAO statements include:
    Over 432,000 fewer students utilized the FAFSA, a 3% decrease from the previous year.
    The most significant decrease was amongst households who make between $30,000-$48,000 a year, where FAFSA applications were down 11%.
    The ED has reported and advertised that the new FAFSA form would only take between 15-20 minutes to complete. The actual average completion time for dependent first-time applicants was 5 days. The longer it takes for a student to complete a FAFSA, the less likely students and families are to finish it.
    74% of calls made to the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Call Center went unanswered.
    Additionally, the FSA waited 5 months before increasing call center staffing after the delayed launch.
    For those who submitted a paper FAFSA, FSA did not confirm receipt of forms. Those who submitted paper FAFSAs had to wait between 7 and 8 months before knowing if FSA had even received their application.
    ED mistakenly did not allow an applicant whose parent did not have a social security number to complete a FAFSA until 2 months after the form was launched. Then, ED grossly underestimated the work to verify the identity of parents who are non-citizens, required by law by 63 times. As a result, they suspended the requirement. It also did not allow for the automatic transferring of tax information for non-citizens with Individual Tax Identification Numbers (TIN). ED still has not timeline for fixing this issue.
    34,000 students who submitted paper FAFSAs did not receive confirmation of the receipt of their FAFSA until 7 months after it was submitted.
    ED does not have any comprehensive communication plan that includes steps to provide FAFSA applicants with timely updates on the status of their application and solutions to technical barriers.
    There are over 20 technical issues with the FAFSA processing system as of August 2024.
    The online form submission system was demonstrated to have an extremely high rate of defects. After deploying the system, 7 of the 55 discovered defects were categorized as “critical.”
    In 2020, Senator Collins co-sponsored the bipartisan FAFSA Simplification Act, which passed Congress, and required the Department of Education to roll out a new simplified FAFSA program by January 1, 2024. Despite having three years to prepare, the application was only made available for borrowers for 30 minutes on December 30, 2023 and then one additional hour on December 31, 2023. The application was then only accessible for sporadic periods until it became fully live on January 6, 2024. After the FAFSA went fully live, it was still plagued with issues, including delivering incorrect applicant data to colleges.
    In April of this year, Senator Collins questioned Secretary of the Department of Education Miguel Cardona on the Department’s failure to implement the FAFSA Simplification Act during an Appropriations hearing. Following the hearing, Senator Collins and a bipartisan, bicameral group of 10 Committee leaders in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to Secretary Cardona urging the Department to prioritize the timely rollout of the 2025-2026 FAFSA form. Yet still, In August, the ED again announced that the release of the 2025-2026 FAFSA form will also be delayed, this time, until December 1, 2024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Tenney Condemns Hochul Administration’s Silence on Embedded CCP Agent

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-22)

    Washington, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today issued the following statement in response to the Hochul Administration’s failure to address her inquiries by the September 18 deadline regarding the Department of Justice’s recent indictment of Linda Sun, a high-ranking official in the Hochul administration, for allegedly acting as an agent of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

    “Governor Hochul’s failure to respond promptly sends a dangerous message not only to the CCP but to all foreign adversaries seeking to infiltrate our government. Clearly, Governor Hochul does not take this issue seriously and is content with CCP infiltration of her administration. We must hold Governor Hochul accountable and ensure any other CCP operatives within this administration are exposed and removed. In addition, Hochul must recognize the serious consequences this has had on the state’s relationship with Taiwan and our economy. Her administration must immediately address these concerns and initiate a bipartisan investigation to ensure no compromised CCP agents remain employed by New York State,” said Congresswoman Tenney. 

    View Tenney’s letter that she sent to Governor Hochul on September 5th here. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Klobuchar Meets with Minnesota Veterans Visiting Washington

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Minnesota Amy Klobuchar
    WASHINGTON— U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar met veterans visiting Washington, D.C. through the Honor Flight Network program. The Honor Flight Network has flown approximately over 2,300 World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War veterans to Washington to see their memorials at no cost in recognition of their service and sacrifices. This flight consisted of 215 Minnesota and North Dakota-based veterans who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. 
    “It was an honor to meet these incredible Minnesota veterans on their trip to our nation’s capital for this important program,” said Klobuchar. “I am so thankful to all our veterans for their dedicated service to our country, and will continue fighting to ensure our servicemembers and veterans receive the full support they have earned.” 
    Veterans from Kittson, Roseau, Marshall, Beltrami, Polk, Red Lake, Pennington, Clearwater, Norman, Mahnomen, Hubbard, Clay, Becker, Wilkin, Otter Tail, Douglas, Grant, Traverse, Stevens, Swift, Big Stone, Pope, Todd and Wadena counties took part in this trip. 
    Photos available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Amherd emphasises Switzerland’s commitment to peace and calls for strengthening of multilateralism in New York

    Source: Switzerland – Department of Foreign Affairs in English

    Bern, 24.09.2024 – In her speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday, 24 September, President Viola Amherd focused on peacebuilding and international humanitarian law. She emphasised Switzerland’s commitment to strong and effective multilateralism.

    In various conflicts around the world civilian populations and infrastructure are not only afforded inadequate protection, but are being deliberately targeted, explained the President. International law, as the foundation of all joint efforts for peace, security and prosperity in the world, must serve as the basis for action. She cited Switzerland’s commitment to peacebuilding, including the Conference on Peace in Ukraine at the Bürgenstock, and called for focused and effective multilateralism. She warned against the fragmentation of the world into blocs and paid tribute to the central role of the UN as the only universal organisation to address common challenges.

    The UN General Assembly was preceded by the Summit of the Future, which was aimed at strengthening international cooperation. Switzerland welcomes the Pact for the Future adopted at the summit as an important commitment to multilateralism. The Pact draws on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as a reference framework, sets priorities in peacebuilding and places human rights at the heart of each chapter. The Pact for the Future is a call for action by all UN member states, said President Amherd at the weekend.

    UN Security Council debate and bilateral meetings

    The president’s programme during her visit to New York continues with her participation in a high-level debate of the UN Security Council on the topic of ‘Leadership for Peace’ on Wednesday. Ms Amherd will give a speech at an event on the equal participation of women in political decision-making processes, which will be attended by other female presidents and heads of government. An event on the inclusion of women in the peace process in Afghanistan has already taken place.

    President Amherd is taking advantage of her time at the UN to meet with heads of state and government. She met with Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah and the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday. The talks with the Kuwaiti Crown Prince covered bilateral relations while focusing on the Middle East conflict; this subject was also addressed at the meeting with President Pezeshkian alongside the human rights situation in Iran, Switzerland’s protecting power mandate and the 2015 nuclear agreement.

    A meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres is scheduled for Tuesday evening, which is set to address issues including multilateralism and Switzerland’s presidency of the UN Security Council in October.

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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – European Commission’s response to X’s non-compliance with the Digital Services Act – E-001748/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001748/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Estrella Galán (The Left)

    As a result of the investigation launched in December 2023, the Commission informed the platform X on 12 July 2024 that the latter was failing to comply with the Digital Services Act, in particular with Articles 25, 29 and 40 thereof. Far from investigating what changes in its operation were necessary to remedy the situation, the owner of the platform, Elon Musk, responded by insulting the Commissioner in charge of the preliminary investigation and dismissing the Commission.

    In other words, practices that contravene European law are continuing, and the public authorities are being ignored, much like in Brazil, where a Supreme Court judge had to suspend X’s operations in the country due to its refusal to comply with legal orders to block accounts used for committing hate crimes and spreading misinformation and fake news.

    • 1.What further steps is the Commission taking to ensure that X complies with the DSA and, above all, to enable digital independence from large technology platforms such as X in the long term?
    • 2.Will it continue to make use of a platform that fails to comply with European legislation?
    • 3.Is it planning to develop European digital public infrastructures that promote European digital sovereignty, in accordance with the principles of democratic oversight and the public interest?

    Submitted: 18.9.2024

    Last updated: 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: G7 DFIs, MedAccess, EIB, and IFC Announce MoU for Surge Financing Initiative for Medical Countermeasures

    Source: European Investment Bank

    Today, participating G7 development finance institutions (DFIs), MedAccess, the European Investment Bank (EIB), and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the Surge Financing Initiative for Medical Countermeasures (MCMs). These DFIs are working closely with global and regional health organizations to establish the collaboration frameworks and innovative financing mechanisms needed to support a rapid and equitable pandemic response. Building on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the initiative will focus on the procurement, production, and distribution of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other MCMs for low- and lower-middle-income countries. The MoU builds on the Joint Statement of Collaboration announced at UNGA last year as well as the Chair Summary and Report that outlined collaboration and innovating financing options. This effort is a joint collaboration between participating G7 DFIs, MedAccess, EIB, and IFC, in accord with G7 Hiroshima Vision for Equitable Access to Medical Countermeasures launched at the 2023 Hiroshima Summit and reaffirmed at the 2024 Apulia Summit.

    The MoU was signed by the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC, USA), Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP, Italy), British International Investment & MedAccess (UK), KfW & Germany’s Development Finance Institution DEG (Germany), AFD & Proparco (France), JICA (Japan), EIB (European Union), and IFC (World Bank Group). The MoU also has support from the Government of Canada and leading global and regional health organizations.  

    This work builds on ongoing collaboration across many DFIs on regional manufacturing in Africa. The ongoing Mpox public health emergency underscores the importance of this collaboration and need for surge financing. Leveraging this initiative, DFIs met with leading global health organizations including the World Health Organization, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Gavi, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) on August 22, soon after Mpox was declared a public health emergency of international concern, to discuss response efforts and financing needs.

    “DFC is proud to support this first-of-its kind framework to ensure DFIs can act swiftly and cohesively to provide surge financing for life-saving products at the start of a health emergency. We expect to leverage this initiative for the Mpox response, working closely with our U.S. Government, development finance, and health partners More broadly, DFC’s investments in health services, supply chains, and technology all help bolster pandemic preparedness and health system resilience.” said DFC DCEO Nisha Biswal.

    “JICA believes this surge financing initiative will enhance coordination among development finance institutions and health organizations to achieve our commitment to work towards equitable access to safe, effective, quality-assured and affordable MCMs for health emergencies, which Japan announced as Chair of the 2023 G7 Summit in Hiroshima.   Leveraging this initiative and JICA’s own lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to support countries that have suffered from inequitable access to MCMs in the past,” said Chief Representative of JICA USA Office Satoko Tanaka.

    “IFC is proud to participate in this innovative framework to support medical countermeasure financing mechanisms, an important step for responding more effectively to future health crises. Collaboration between development finance institutions and global health partners is key to ensure coordinated efforts that strengthen healthcare systems and supply chains, enhancing pandemic preparedness.” said Vice President of Industries Mohamed Gouled.

    “DEG and KfW are committed to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, one of which is improving healthcare”, said Member of the DEG Management Board Monika Beck. “Therefore, we are delighted to support this initiative to provide financing for healthcare products during health emergencies, together with our trusted development finance partner institutions. We are convinced that it is essential to join forces to support improved access to critical health products when they are in short supply.”

    “Sustainable development is linked to equitable and rightful access to health and well-being. As CDP, we strongly support this initiative, which has been mentioned in the G7 Leaders’ final declaration last June at the Apulia Summit, that will foster the development of health systems across emerging economies, ensuring the foundation is laid for research, production, and distribution of essential medicines, diagnostic equipment, and vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical need for every nation to be equipped with the tools to safeguard public health in times of crisis. Achieving the 2030 UN SDGs will require robust global collaboration, and we are proud to partner with G7 DFIs, the European Investment Bank, and the International Finance Corporation to help make this vision a reality.” said CDP Director of International Development Cooperation Paolo Lombardo.

    “The COVID-19 pandemic showed us the value of working together but also the need to coordinate our actions more closely,” said EIB Vice President Thomas Östros. “With joint efforts, we can multiply our impact and effectiveness, especially in meeting current challenges such as Mpox and in tackling future health emergencies. At the EIB, global health is a key priority, and we highly value this partnership.”

    “The MoU is an important step towards strengthening global health security and reducing the impact of future pandemics on vulnerable populations. This furthers our commitment, as the UK’s DFI, to invest in businesses that provide essential health services and products, including vaccines. It will ensure that future health crises can be mitigated to allow continued economic growth and social progress in low- and middle-income countries, said BII Chair Diana Layfield.

    “When critical health products are in short supply, fast and flexible capital can make the difference between life and death,“ said CEO of MedAccess Michael Anderson. “The COVID-19 pandemic showed how quickly global supply chains can grind to a halt when overwhelming demand meets scarce supply. This led to inequitable distribution of medical products, leaving millions of people at risk from the disease. Today’s announcement underlines our shared commitment to being prepared for future pandemics with the capital and financial tools to enable companies to meet large-scale, urgent demand for lifesaving products.”

    “A lesson learned from the COVID-19 crisis is that it is possible to mobilize significant public and private financial resources in turbulent times. Let’s use this experience of successful mobilization to anticipate effective pandemic preparedness. I believe this Memorandum of Understanding is one of the necessary steps towards better coordination among Public Development Banks to mobilize the private sector and demonstrates the catalytic power of joining forces for innovative financial instruments, as explored by Finance in Common and its Social Investment Coalition. Health is a common good, no one should be left behind in the face of a pandemic,” said Rémy Rioux, CEO of AFD Group (AFD, Proparco, and Expertise France) and Chairman of Finance in Common Summit in Paris.

    Background information

    The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term lending institution of the European Union owned by its Member States. It finances sound investment contributing to EU policy goals. The EIB’s activities focus on the following priority areas: climate and environment, development, innovation and skills, small and medium-sized businesses, infrastructure, and cohesion. The EIB works closely with other institutions and has provided total financing of more than € 42 billion for healthcare-related projects around the world since it started investing in the sector in 1997.  

    The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) partners with the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world today. We invest across sectors including energy, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, and small business and financial services. DFC investments adhere to high standards and respect the environment, human rights, and worker rights. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMENDMENTS 001-002 – JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the devastating floods in central and eastern Europe, the loss of lives and the EU’s preparedness to act on such disasters exacerbated by climate change – RC-B10-0057/2024(001-002)

    Source: European Parliament

    AMENDMENTS 001-002
    JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
    pursuant to Rule 136(2) and (4) of the Rules of Procedure
    replacing the following motions:
    B10-0057/2024 (PPE)
    B10-0058/2024 (The Left)
    B10-0059/2024 (Renew)
    B10-0060/2024 (ECR)
    B10-0061/2024 (S&D)
    B10-0063/2024 (Verts/ALE)
    on the devastating floods in central and eastern Europe, the loss of lives and the EU’s preparedness to act on such disasters exacerbated by climate change
    (2024/2817(RSP))
    Bartosz Arłukowicz, Andrey Novakov, András Tivadar Kulja, Siegfried Mureşan, Lídia Pereira, Peter Liese, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Daniel Buda, Andrzej Buła, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Adina Vălean, Dolors Montserrat, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Gheorghe Falcă, Mircea-Gheorghe Hava, Miriam Lexmann, Zoltán Tarr, Dóra Dávid, Gabriella Gerzsenyi, Andrzej Halicki, Krzysztof Hetman, Monika Hohlmeier, Adam Jarubas, Dariusz Joński, Kinga Kollár, Eszter Lakos, Magdalena Adamowicz, Krzysztof Brejza, Borys Budka, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Marcin Kierwiński, Łukasz Kohut, Ewa Kopacz, Janusz Lewandowski, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak, Mirosława Nykiel, Jacek Protas, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, Michał Szczerba, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Marta Wcisło, Daniel Caspary, Christine Schneider, Andrea Wechsler, Ralf Seekatz
    on behalf of the PPE Group
    Mohammed Chahim, Tiemo Wölken, Marcos Ros Sempere, Andreas Schieder, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Dan Nica, Klára Dobrev, Victor Negrescu, Maria Grapini, Mihai Tudose, Gabriela Firea, Adrian-Dragoş Benea, Claudiu Manda, Gheorghe Cârciu, Ştefan Muşoiu, Vasile Dîncu, Csaba Molnár, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Robert Biedroń, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Evelyn Regner, Hannes Heide, Elisabeth Grossmann, Günther Sidl
    on behalf of the S&D Group
    Waldemar Buda, Roberts Zīle, Pietro Fiocchi, Ivaylo Valchev, Ondřej Krutílek, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Veronika Vrecionová, Geadis Geadi, Georgiana Teodorescu, Gheorghe Piperea, Şerban-Dimitrie Sturdza, Adrian-George Axinia, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Alexandr Vondra, Daniel Obajtek, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Jacek Ozdoba, Patryk Jaki, Adam Bielan, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Michał Dworczyk, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Kosma Złotowski, Marlena Maląg, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Beata Szydło, Dominik Tarczyński, Mariusz Kamiński, Tobiasz Bocheński, Maciej Wąsik, Bogdan Rzońca, Anna Zalewska
    on behalf of the ECR Group
    Michal Wiezik, Martin Hojsík, Ľudovít Ódor, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Lucia Yar, Ľubica Karvašová, Marjan Šarec, Dan Barna, Sigrid Friis, Yvan Verougstraete, Grégory Allione, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Hilde Vautmans, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Anna Stürgkh, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Michał Kobosko
    on behalf of the Renew Group
    Sara Matthieu
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
    Jonas Sjöstedt, Younous Omarjee
    on behalf of The Left Group

    Source : © European Union, 2024 – EP

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Fitness check of regulation banning trade in seal products – E-001578/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001578/2024/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Emma Fourreau (The Left)

    A fitness check of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009 on trade in seal products has caused concern amongst many citizens who care about animal welfare.

    The 1983 and 2009 regulations, which banned the sale of seal products (meat, skin, fat, pelt) on the EU market, were adopted with the support of the public, who were shocked by the cruelty shown to such a vulnerable marine mammal. This ban deprived the seal industry of its main consumer: commercial hunting in Canada fell by 90%, saving the lives of millions of seals.

    The reasons behind the ban, as detailed in the recitals of Regulation (EC) No 1007/2009, remain relevant. Furthermore, seals today are particularly vulnerable to the effects of overfishing and climate breakdown that are threatening their habitat.

    Citizens have well-founded concerns about the pressure that the hunting industry and industrial fishing interest groups could exert to relax regulations and decrease the protections afforded to the seal population.

    • 1.Will the Commission reaffirm its commitment to maintaining the ban on the trade in seal products and promoting the strict protection of seals?
    • 2.Can the Commission say how far the assessment has progressed, and when we will know the results?

    Submitted: 2.9.2024

    Last updated: 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMENDMENTS 011-011 – JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Venezuela – RC-B10-0023/2024(011-011)

    Source: European Parliament

    AMENDMENTS 011-011
    JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
    pursuant to Rule 136(2) and (4) of the Rules of Procedure
    replacing the following motions:
    B10-0023/2024 (PPE)
    B10-0027/2024 (PfE)
    B10-0037/2024 (ECR)
    on the situation in Venezuela
    (2024/2810(RSP))
    Dolors Montserrat, Esteban González Pons, Gabriel Mato, Sebastião Bugalho, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Hélder Sousa Silva
    on behalf of the PPE Group
    Hermann Tertsch
    on behalf of the PfE Group
    Carlo Fidanza, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Rihards Kols, Assita Kanko, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Alberico Gambino
    on behalf of the ECR Group

    Source : © European Union, 2024 – EP

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMENDMENTS 004-006 – JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the case of José Daniel Ferrer García in Cuba – RC-B10-0022/2024(004-006)

    Source: European Parliament

    AMENDMENTS 004-006
    JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
    pursuant to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of the Rules of Procedure
    replacing the following motions:
    B10-0022/2024 (PPE)
    B10-0043/2024 (ECR)
    B10-0049/2024 (Renew)
    on the case of José Daniel Ferrer García in Cuba
    (2024/2805(RSP))
    Sebastião Bugalho, Gabriel Mato, Michael Gahler, Andrzej Halicki, Marcin Kierwiński, Željana Zovko, Tomáš Zdechovský, Jörgen Warborn, Wouter Beke, Ondřej Kolář, Nicolás Pascual De La Parte, Mirosława Nykiel, Vangelis Meimarakis, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Rosa Estaràs Ferragut, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Isabel Wiseler-Lima, Hélder Sousa Silva
    on behalf of the PPE Group
    Carlo Fidanza, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kamiński, Sebastian Tynkkynen, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Alexandr Vondra, Assita Kanko, Alberico Gambino
    on behalf of the ECR Group
    Raquel García Hermida-Van Der Walle, Petras Auštrevičius, Dan Barna, Bernard Guetta, Karin Karlsbro, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Nathalie Loiseau, Urmas Paet, Hilde Vautmans, Lucia Yar
    on behalf of the Renew Group

    Source : © European Union, 2024 – EP

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMENDMENTS 012-012 – JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the devastating floods in central and eastern Europe, the loss of lives and the EU’s preparedness to act on such disasters exacerbated by climate change – RC-B10-0057/2024(012-012)

    Source: European Parliament

    AMENDMENTS 012-012
    JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
    pursuant to Rule 136(2) and (4) of the Rules of Procedure
    replacing the following motions:
    B10-0057/2024 (PPE)
    B10-0058/2024 (The Left)
    B10-0059/2024 (Renew)
    B10-0060/2024 (ECR)
    B10-0061/2024 (S&D)
    B10-0063/2024 (Verts/ALE)
    on the devastating floods in central and eastern Europe, the loss of lives and the EU’s preparedness to act on such disasters exacerbated by climate change
    (2024/2817(RSP))
    Bartosz Arłukowicz, Andrey Novakov, András Tivadar Kulja, Siegfried Mureşan, Lídia Pereira, Peter Liese, Ioan-Rareş Bogdan, Daniel Buda, Andrzej Buła, Dan-Ştefan Motreanu, Virgil-Daniel Popescu, Adina Vălean, Dolors Montserrat, Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski, Gheorghe Falcă, Mircea-Gheorghe Hava, Miriam Lexmann, Zoltán Tarr, Dóra Dávid, Gabriella Gerzsenyi, Andrzej Halicki, Krzysztof Hetman, Monika Hohlmeier, Adam Jarubas, Dariusz Joński, Kinga Kollár, Eszter Lakos, Magdalena Adamowicz, Krzysztof Brejza, Borys Budka, Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz, Marcin Kierwiński, Łukasz Kohut, Ewa Kopacz, Janusz Lewandowski, Elżbieta Katarzyna Łukacijewska, Jagna Marczułajtis-Walczak, Mirosława Nykiel, Jacek Protas, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, Michał Szczerba, Michał Wawrykiewicz, Marta Wcisło, Daniel Caspary, Christine Schneider, Andrea Wechsler, Ralf Seekatz
    on behalf of the PPE Group
    Mohammed Chahim, Tiemo Wölken, Marcos Ros Sempere, Andreas Schieder, Krzysztof Śmiszek, Dan Nica, Klára Dobrev, Victor Negrescu, Maria Grapini, Mihai Tudose, Gabriela Firea, Adrian-Dragoş Benea, Claudiu Manda, Gheorghe Cârciu, Ştefan Muşoiu, Vasile Dîncu, Csaba Molnár, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Robert Biedroń, Sakis Arnaoutoglou, Evelyn Regner, Hannes Heide, Elisabeth Grossmann, Günther Sidl
    on behalf of the S&D Group
    Waldemar Buda, Roberts Zīle, Pietro Fiocchi, Ivaylo Valchev, Ondřej Krutílek, Claudiu-Richard Târziu, Veronika Vrecionová, Geadis Geadi, Georgiana Teodorescu, Gheorghe Piperea, Şerban-Dimitrie Sturdza, Adrian-George Axinia, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Alexandr Vondra, Daniel Obajtek, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Jacek Ozdoba, Patryk Jaki, Adam Bielan, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Michał Dworczyk, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Kosma Złotowski, Marlena Maląg, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Beata Szydło, Dominik Tarczyński, Mariusz Kamiński, Tobiasz Bocheński, Maciej Wąsik, Bogdan Rzońca, Anna Zalewska
    on behalf of the ECR Group
    Michal Wiezik, Martin Hojsík, Ľudovít Ódor, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Lucia Yar, Ľubica Karvašová, Marjan Šarec, Dan Barna, Sigrid Friis, Yvan Verougstraete, Grégory Allione, Benoit Cassart, Olivier Chastel, Hilde Vautmans, Vlad Vasile-Voiculescu, Anna Stürgkh, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, Michał Kobosko
    on behalf of the Renew Group
    Sara Matthieu
    on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group
    Jonas Sjöstedt, Younous Omarjee
    on behalf of The Left Group

    Source : © European Union, 2024 – EP

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Technical Media Briefing to Provide Update on the 2024 Wildfire and Hurricane Season

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Government of Canada officials will hold a virtual technical briefing for media to provide an update on the 2024 wildfire and hurricane season.

    Ottawa, Ontario – Government of Canada officials will hold a virtual technical briefing for media to provide an update on the 2024 wildfire and hurricane season.

    The technical briefing will be for attribution purposes. Journalists will be able to ask questions of officials present and responses may be attributed to the author.

    Event: Technical Briefing for Media (on Zoom)

    Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2024

    Time: 10:30 a.m. (EDT)

    Note to the media

    Simultaneous audio interpretation will be available. Only members of the Press Gallery will be able to participate in the question and answer period of the technical briefing, which will take place via Zoom. Members of the media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca to obtain temporary access. Members of the media who wish to listen to the conference by telephone may dial in using the numbers below. Members of the media are encouraged to dial in 15 minutes prior to the start of the press conference. No questions will be asked via teleconference.

    Participant Call-In Numbers: 1-866-206-0153/613-954-9003

    Access code: 6002899

    Media RelationsPublic Safety Canada613-991-0657media@ps-sp.gc.ca

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General Bonta Secures $7.7 Million Settlement with L.A. County-Based Healthcare Provider, Resolving Corporate Fraud Allegations

    Source: US State of California

    Tuesday, September 24, 2024

    Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

    OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced a settlement with U.S. Healthworks (USHW), a nationwide chain of occupational and urgent care clinics. The $7.7 million settlement resolves allegations that USHW knowingly kept millions of dollars from the State of California in unclaimed property, in violation of the Unclaimed Property Law (UPL) and the California False Claims Act (CFCA). The unclaimed property in question included patient balances due to overpayment. As part of the settlement, USHW must hand over unclaimed property totaling $1.5 million to the State Controller’s Office.

    “When companies cheat the State of California, they cheat the people of California,” said Attorney General Bonta. “U.S. Healthworks knowingly and repeatedly chose not to comply with the law by retaining millions of dollars that did not rightfully belong to them. This $7.7 million settlement signals my office is vigorously committed to protecting California against corporate fraud and financial misconduct.”

    At times, urgent care centers carry patient balances due to overpayment. This happens when an insurance payment is more than was anticipated after patients pay out-of-pocket costs. While the urgent care should issue a refund in these situations, sometimes refund checks mailed to patients are returned or are never cashed.

    In March 2022, Attorney General Bonta filed a complaint alleging that USHW possessed unclaimed property as early as 2001, and did not file mandated reports with the State of California until 2018 after being notified of the Attorney General’s investigation.

    Under the UPL, all intangible property that remains unclaimed by the true owner for more than three years after it became payable or distributable must be reported and then remitted to the state. The UPL also mandates 12% interest per year on property that should have been reported or remitted to the state. The CFCA permits the Attorney General to bring a civil law enforcement action to recover treble damages and civil penalties against any person who knowingly makes or uses a false statement or document to either obtain money or property from the State or avoid paying or transmitting money or property to the State.

    Even when USHW filed reports with California, the company underreported the unclaimed property it held in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. USHW violated the CFCA when it chose not to report its unclaimed property holdings, thereby knowingly concealing millions of dollars due to the State of California. Although USHW’s unreported property claims were repeatedly brought to management’s attention, management declined to comply and report the property to avoid an audit by state authorities. 

    A copy of the final judgment can be found here.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 🇨🇴 Colombia – President Addresses United Nations General Debate, 79th Session | #UNGA

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Gustavo Petro Urrego, President of the Republic of Colombia, addresses the General Debate of the 79th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (New York, 24 – 30 September 2024).

    World leaders gather to engage in the annual high-level General Debate under the theme, “Unity and diversity for advancing peace, sustainable development, and human dignity, everywhere and for all.” Heads of State and Government and ministers will explore solutions to intertwined global challenges to advance peace, security, and sustainable development.

    The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the Organization. Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations. Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations has an equal vote.

    General debate website: https://gadebate.un.org/

    —————————————-

    مشاهدة هذا الفيديو باللغة العربية على موقع البث الشبكي للأمم المتحدة
    请在联合国网络电视（UN Web TV）观看中文版视频
    Regardez cette vidéo en français sur UN Web TV
    Vean este video en español en UN Web TV
    Смотрите это видео на русском на UN Web TV
    https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1c/k1cjdgcyr8

    Screenshot credit: UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    #UNGA #UnitedNations

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XOzKED7x7E

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 🇬🇹 Guatemala – President Addresses United Nations General Debate, 79th Session | #UNGA

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    César Bernardo Arévalo de León, President of the Republic of Guatemala, addresses the General Debate of the 79th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (New York, 24 – 30 September 2024).

    World leaders gather to engage in the annual high-level General Debate under the theme, “Unity and diversity for advancing peace, sustainable development, and human dignity, everywhere and for all.” Heads of State and Government and ministers will explore solutions to intertwined global challenges to advance peace, security, and sustainable development.

    The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the Organization. Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations. Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations has an equal vote.

    General debate website: https://gadebate.un.org/

    —————————————-

    مشاهدة هذا الفيديو باللغة العربية على موقع البث الشبكي للأمم المتحدة
    请在联合国网络电视（UN Web TV）观看中文版视频
    Regardez cette vidéo en français sur UN Web TV
    Vean este video en español en UN Web TV
    Смотрите это видео на русском на UN Web TV
    https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1i/k1i4e6qak4

    Screenshot credit: UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    #UNGA #UnitedNations

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7-X88Kz37I

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 🇧🇷 Brazil – President Addresses United Nations General Debate, 79th Session | #UNGA

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, addresses the General Debate of the 79th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (New York, 24 – 30 September 2024).

    World leaders gather to engage in the annual high-level General Debate under the theme, “Unity and diveristy for advancing peace, sustainable development, and human dignity, everywhere and for all.” Heads of State and Government and ministers will explore solutions to intertwined global challenges to advance peace, security, and sustainable development.

    The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the Organization. Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations. Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations has an equal vote.

    General debate website: https://gadebate.un.org/

    —————————————-

    مشاهدة هذا الفيديو باللغة العربية على موقع البث الشبكي للأمم المتحدة
    请在联合国网络电视（UN Web TV）观看中文版视频
    Regardez cette vidéo en français sur UN Web TV
    Vea este video en español en UN Web TV
    Смотрите это видео на русском на UN Web TV
    https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1g/k1gvhfhxoy

    Screenshot credit: UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    #UNGA #UnitedNations

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngYMkpkF8Pk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Picuris Pueblo Site Visit: 750-Kilowatts of New Solar PV Capacity

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

    Known as the “Little Pueblo That Could,” Picuris Pueblo in New Mexico finished installing 750-kW of solar power on the Tribe’s lands. This $2.3 million project, co-funded by the Office of Indian Energy, is expected to save the Tribe about $84,900 annually.

    This project builds upon the Tribe’s 1-megawatt solar array project completed in Dec. 2017, also co-funded by the Office of Indian Energy.

    Learn more about the project: https://www.energy.gov/indianenergy/picuris-pueblo-2018-project

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xf–v8-s2CU

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: 🇺🇸 United States of America – President Addresses United Nations General Debate, 79th Session #UNGA

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Joseph R. Biden, President of the United States of America, addresses the General Debate of the 79th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (New York, 24 – 30 September 2024).

    World leaders gather to engage in the annual high-level General Debate under the theme, “Unity and diversity for advancing peace, sustainable development, and human dignity, everywhere and for all.” Heads of State and Government and ministers will explore solutions to intertwined global challenges to advance peace, security, and sustainable development.

    The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ of the Organization. Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter of the United Nations. Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations has an equal vote.

    General debate website: https://gadebate.un.org/

    —————————————-

    مشاهدة هذا الفيديو باللغة العربية على موقع البث الشبكي للأمم المتحدة
    请在联合国网络电视（UN Web TV）观看中文版视频
    Regardez cette vidéo en français sur UN Web TV
    Vea este video en español en UN Web TV
    Смотрите это видео на русском на UN Web TV

    https://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k13/k13h8xd6z7

    Screenshot credit: UN TV

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Vice President Harris meets Kai

    Source: United States of America – The White House (video statements)

    When Vice President Harris met Kai in Charlotte this summer, she had a message for her and young girls everywhere: We are counting on you to be a leader. Know that you can do anything, even if it hasn’t been done before.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAs1b-gm86g

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: NASA Administrator Bill Nelson | Answering Climate Change from Above

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

    NASA Administrator Bill Nelson speaks to the power of NASA’s climate-related data to help the world understand climate change and take action.

    “The challenge of the climate crisis is here and now. Let’s answer it—from above.”

    Most of what humanity knows about our changing planet comes from NASA’s more than two-dozen satellites and instruments—and from the agency’s observations for over 60 years.

    For more information about how NASA in conjunction with the rest of the federal government studies our changing planet, visit https://earth.gov/

    Credit: NASA
    Producer: Daniel Lauchu
    Music: Universal Production Music

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7kv9DT_Vgk

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: ASL Time to Prepare is Now PSA

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

    Please take this storm seriously. The storm is bringing strong winds and potentially dangerous storm surge.
    Right now, is the time to take final actions for your safety. Follow instructions from local officials and stay tuned to local weather alerts.
    Download the FEMA App to get current alerts. You can also find more information on how to prepare for the storm and how to stay safe at Ready.gov or in Spanish, Listo.gov.

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Hydro Cutting Timelapse

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

    Environmental Management Nevada crews employed hydro cutting to bring down an ancillary water tank dewar at the Test Cell C (TCC) facility in Area 25 of the NNSS. This method allowed workers to mitigate fire risks associated with traditional torch cutting and due to the nature of the dual-lined tank, provided a safe option for reduction. This video is a time lapse of that operation.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9jAUgXvh0

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: EMAD and TCC Water Tower Demolition

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

    In January, Environmental Management Nevada crews demolished two water towers in Area 25 of the NNSS. Located at the Engine Maintenance, Assembly and Disassembly (EMAD) and Test Cell C (TCC) facilities, both water towers are under the scope of the cleanup work EM is performing on the NNSS. This video has multiple angles of each tower coming down.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM2VleQjIEw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Biodiversity Conference – Discussion of main issues | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    Press briefing by Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia and Astrid Schomaker, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity will brief journalists on the main issues under discussion at the upcoming Biodiversity Conference, to take place in Colombia from 21 October until 1 November 2024.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ux0KoCpJXQ

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Delivers Opening Statement During Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing On Supreme Court Ruling In Donald Trump Immunity Case

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
    09.24.24
    Witnesses include legal experts and a presidential historians to examine the breadth of the Trump v US decision, its unprecedented nature, and its danger to the rule of law
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, today delivered an opening statement during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing entitled “‘When the President Does It, that Means It’s Not Illegal’: The Supreme Court’s Unprecedented Immunity Decision.”  The hearing will explore the ramifications of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. United States.
    Key Quotes:
    “Nearly two decades ago, then-Judge John Roberts came before this Committee for his confirmation hearing to be Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.  I asked him about limits on the President’s power.  In response, he told me, under oath, ‘No man is above the law, not the President and not the Congress.’  During his hearing, Roberts also repeatedly emphasized the limited role of a judge—famously comparing it to an umpire calling balls and strikes.”
    “But in 2024, Chief Justice Roberts authored the opinion in Trump v. United States, a game-changing act of judicial fiat that puts all future presidents above the law, protecting them from criminal prosecution for abusing the authority given to them for personal or political gain.  In plain language, the Court created three categories of varying degrees of presidential immunity.  Core presidential actions: absolutely immune.  Unofficial or private actions: not immune.  Actions within the ‘outer perimeter’ of official actions: presumptively immune.”
    “The decision also protects any president by preventing prosecutors from using evidence related to conduct or acts that are immune to prosecute a president for acts not protected by immunity.  The Court also found that the President’s motives—corrupt or not—may not be questioned. So even if a president is peddling access to his office, prosecutors would find it nearly impossible to bring charges.”
    “As Justice Amy Coney Barrett lamented, ‘[t]o make sense of charges alleging a quid pro quo, the jury must be allowed to hear about both the quid and the quo.’  And, in ruling that Donald Trump is, ‘absolutely immune from prosecution for the alleged conduct involving his discussions with Justice Department officials,’ the Court has stripped the Justice Department of its critical independence.”
    “DOJ may now stand as a weapon to be wielded by a corrupt president against his political opponents. As the Committee demonstrated in Subverting Justice, our report about Trump pressuring DOJ to subvert the 2020 election, this is not some farfetched scenario.”
    “So what does this all mean?  It means that any sitting president may hide behind their office for protection from prosecution for even the most egregious forms of wrongdoing.  It means effectively condoning Richard Nixon’s claim that, ‘when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.’”
    “The Roberts Court’s judicial activism has also left us with limited options when dealing with a delusional or corrupt executive.  During the second Trump impeachment trial, the Senate Republican Leader stated, ‘We have a criminal justice system in this country.  We have civil litigation, and former presidents are not immune from being accountable by either one.’  But this is no longer the case, because the Trump v. United States ruling demolished our justice system’s ability to hold any president accountable for abuses of power.”
    “Obstructing a federal criminal investigation of your campaign by firing your attorney general? Allowed.  Steering foreign governments to your family hotels and resorts in exchange for access to the White House?  Presumptively immune and your motive cannot be questioned.  Contrary to the Chief Justice’s supposed goal of preventing political retribution through prosecution, he has heightened the chances of future conflict between the political branches.”
    “If faced with a corrupt presidency, to meet the demands of the public and the Constitution, Congress will have to assert its powers, from appropriations to oversight to legislation.  The Supreme Court has made it nearly impossible for the courts to hold a runaway president accountable.  It will be left to the American people and Congress to hold the line.  Because as Justice Sotomayor noted in her dissent, ‘the President is now a king above the law.’”
    Video of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Audio of Durbin’s opening statement is available here.
    Footage of Durbin’s opening statement is available here for TV Stations.
    On July 1, the Supreme Court’s rightwing supermajority ruled that not just Donald Trump—but also future presidents—may be immune from abusing the levers of government to overturn an election or engage in other misconduct. The Court held in a misguided 6-3 decision that “the nature of Presidential power entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority. And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts.”
    Durbin previously condemned the ruling and announced this hearing, describing the decision as “judicial activism unmoored from the text of the Constitution and intentions of our framers” that “Congress cannot turn a blind eye to.”
    The Senate Judiciary Committee will examine the breadth of misconduct that may be immunized from prosecution, consider the unprecedented nature of this immunity in American history, and assess the danger it poses to both the rule of law and the independence of the Justice Department.
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    MIL OSI USA News –