NewzIntel.com

Category: Americas

  • MIL-OSI USA: USAID and UNICEF Launch $150 Million-Backed Partnership for a Lead-Free Future

    Source: USAID

    Today, on the sidelines of the 79th UN General Assembly, First Lady of the United States Jill Biden, Administrator Samantha Power, and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell launched a global initiative to end childhood lead poisoning in low- and middle-income countries. The Partnership for a Lead-Free Future is the first-ever public-private partnership dedicated to tackling an often neglected yet solvable issue affecting one-in-two children in these countries, with over 50 founding partners at the ground floor of the launch.

    Globally, lead exposure kills 1.5 million people each year – more than annual deaths from HIV and malaria combined – and the vast majority of these are in low- and middle-income countries. Lead exposure may account for as much as 20 percent of the gap in educational outcomes between high- and low-income countries and create at least a $1.4 trillion loss in global GDP each year. 

    Despite the scale of these harms, only $15 million in international funding has gone toward addressing this problem each year. That changed today, when members of the Partnership collectively committed over $150 million toward mitigating global lead exposure, including nearly $25 million that USAID will provide in consultation with Congress. USAID also announced it will integrate capacity for blood lead level testing into its health and demographic surveys and committed to creating a “do no harm” approach to further limit potential risks for lead exposure from USAID’s foreign assistance and ensure greater lead safety in its development programs.

    The Partnership for a Lead-Free Future, with a secretariat at UNICEF, is facilitated through growing leadership of national governments, with over 20 countries as founding partners. Since Administrator Power made a call to action to eliminate lead from consumer goods one year ago, six countries have already committed to regulating lead in paint for the first time. 

    The Partnership will marshal more global attention, leadership, and resources to champion these country-led efforts to phase lead out of consumer goods and ensure safer industrial stewardship of lead. As a first step, it will facilitate blood lead surveys and environmental testing in low- and middle-income countries to determine the source and extent of lead poisoning. Based on the priority areas arising from that measurement, the Partnership will work with national governments to accelerate their efforts to implement effective regulations and standards, and mobilize the private sector to transition to lead-free alternatives and lead-safe industrial operations.

    The newly launched Partnership for a Lead-Free Future is open to national governments, international organizations, and philanthropies that support the partnership mission statement, indicating commitment to making concrete efforts that reduce lead exposure.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ANSWERS Pet Food Voluntarily Withdrawals Certain Limited Lots of Beef and Chicken Dog Foods Due to Potential Salmonella and Listeria

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Lystn, LLC d.b.a./ANSWERS Pet Food of Fleetwood, PA, is voluntarily withdrawing certain lots of ANSWERS Detailed Beef Formula for Dogs, ANSWERS Straight Beef Formula for Dogs, and ANSWERS Straight Chicken Formula for Dogs out of an abundance of caution after samples collected by the U.S. Food and Dr

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Selects Launch Provider for New NOAA Environmental Satellite

    Source: NASA

    NASA has selected Firefly Aerospace, Inc. of Cedar Park, Texas, to provide launch services for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) QuickSounder mission.
    The selection is part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to make fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity awards during VADR’s five-year ordering period, with a maximum total value of $300 million across all contracts.
    The QuickSounder mission will support NOAA’s next generation satellite architecture for its future low Earth orbit program, which will provide mission-critical data for the agency’s National Weather Service, the nation’s weather industry, and other users worldwide.
    QuickSounder is the first small satellite in NOAA’s Near Earth Orbit Network (NEON). A collaborative effort between NASA and NOAA, NEON will provide a new approach to developing a new global environmental satellite system by quickly building small to medium-sized satellites with Earth-observing instruments for weather forecasting, disaster management, and climate monitoring. QuickSounder has a launch readiness date of February 2026.
    NASA will manage the development and launch of the satellites for NOAA. As the mission lead, NOAA provides funding, technical requirements, and will manage post-launch operations. NASA and NOAA will work with commercial partners to design and build the network’s spacecraft and instruments.
    For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

    Home Page

    -end-
    Liz Vlock / Karen FoxHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov / karen.fox@nasa.gov
    Patti BiellingKennedy Space Center, Florida321-501-7575patricia.a.bielling@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Station Science Top News: September 20, 2024

    Source: NASA

    Researchers found that eddies, or swirling wind patterns, increased moisture evaporation in an alfalfa field. A better understanding of the complex exchange of water and heat between the ground and atmosphere could improve remote sensing products and their use in agricultural water management.  
    The station’s ECOSTRESS instrument takes high-resolution thermal infrared measurements of Earth’s surface that provide data on changes in water availability, vegetation water stress, and agricultural water use. Researchers use observations from the USGS Landsat 8 and 9 satellites and ECOSTRESS to validate climate models and update data on Earth’s surface energy (the amount of energy absorbed from the Sun and radiated back into the atmosphere).

    Researchers identified various properties for flow boiling using n-perfleurohexane, a fluid used to cool electronics. A better understanding of this process can improve models for designing thermal cooling systems used in the electronics, energy, aerospace, and other industries. 
    Flow boiling, a method of thermal management, uses the heat generated by a device to boil a liquid, generating vapor bubbles that lift the heat from the surface. The Flow Boiling and Condensation Experiment (FBCE) tested a flow boiling method in microgravity, where the process is less efficient; in the absence of buoyancy, bubbles grow larger and remain near the surface.

    Researchers successfully manufactured a polymer of rare metals and other elements that showed high radiation resistance and has a suitable size and weight for use in space. This result provides knowledge that can support development of improved shielding for future spacecraft and extraterrestrial habitats. 
    The Roscosmos investigation Shielding Composite tested the absorbed radiation dose of two polymers during 225 days on the space station using monthly monitoring by the Pille-ISS investigation. The data showed that the material has high and stable radiation shielding characteristics. Protecting crew members and equipment from radiation is an important requirement for future long-duration space missions.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A renovated aircraft for atmospheric sciences is ready for action

    Source: US Government research organizations

    The newly updated U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) University of Wyoming (UW) King Air Research Aircraft (King Air) is set to fly its first research mission in the summer of 2025.

    The university is hosting an open house on Sept. 24 to celebrate this upcoming milestone, at the Donald L. Veal Research Flight Center. On Friday, Sept. 27, the university will host a public ribbon cutting.

    “The renovated aircraft will be a remarkable asset to the atmospheric sciences community,” said Anne Johansen, the NSF division director for Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences. “Not only does it demonstrate our strong partnership with the University of Wyoming, but it also enables new and creative approaches to educating and training scientists and engineers.”

    The aircraft has new and upgraded equipment and sensors to explore atmospheric chemistry, cloud physics, aerosol dynamics, air quality and energy exchange between the surface of the Earth and its lower atmosphere.

    The first research mission for the NSF UW King Air will take place in Salt Lake City in the summer of 2025. The Salt Lake City Summer Ozone Study will investigate the formation of ozone over the Salt Lake Valley during summer.

    Credit: Dr. Dana Caulton, University of Wyoming

    The new University of Wyoming King Air Research Aircraft, on the ground in Laramie, WY

    To make this new aircraft possible, NSF provided funding through an NSF Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure award to UW that totaled $15.7 million. About $7 million from that funding went into building and acquiring research infrastructure and new instruments for the plane.

    The aircraft is managed under a cooperative agreement with UW. NSF invested about $8.9 million into the design, installation and certification of the new aircraft, and UW invested approximately $4.5 million into the baseline aircraft, along with the new avionics suite of instruments.

    “The upgrade includes everything from cabling to racks; physical instruments, such as new lidars; upgrades to existing radars; and acquisition of new atmospheric chemistry and aerosol equipment,” Jeff French, a professor at UW, said in the university press release.

    Since 1987, NSF UW King Air has been supported and funded through a series of cooperative agreements between UW and NSF. This will continue with the new research aircraft; UW will receive nearly $3 million annually through its cooperative agreement to maintain the aircraft.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transcript: Fireside Chat on Gun Violence Prevention

    Source: US State of New York

    Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul participated in a Clinton Global Initiative fireside chat on gun violence prevention.

    VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).

    AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.

    PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page has photos of the event here.

    A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: So the issue we are about to talk about, gun violence, is urgent, complex, and multifaceted. Before we jump into some of the solutions and approaches you’ve taken in New York, I’d like to talk to you about how you’ve addressed the issue here. First to start out I’d like to talk about one of the countless tragedies that has befallen our state. The May 2022, mass shooting at a grocery store in Buffalo, your hometown. Tell me what that was like and what actions you’ve taken as a result.

    Governor Hochul: Well, it was the most horrific event in Buffalo’s history and that was ten minutes from where I live. That was an area I’ve been to so many times. I knew the people. And to have an individual who was radicalized online, which again is another topic, but really important as to how people are developing these horrible, horrible thoughts. And his intent was to replicate the shooting in New Zealand just a few years before. So he learned how to do it online is the point.

    He was able to walk into a store on his 18th birthday and to be able to buy an AK-47. Okay? Buy it. Go over to Pennsylvania where they have different laws and a magazine enhancer so he could have the highest number of casualties possible. And what he did was he looked geographically to find the largest black population closest to him. It was 3 hours and 10 minutes to Buffalo, it would have been 3 hours and 20 minutes to Brooklyn. Or to, to the Bronx. So he was trying to find a population that he intentionally wanted to slaughter. He scoped out the location. He knew where he was going. And when I went there and saw the scene of that massacre and held weeping families and hugging them and just trying to give some comfort to them, I knew I had to do something in that moment. Dramatic. And change the whole dynamic, change every law I could in the State of New York. And that has been an inspiration to me, to know that can happen in an innocent place. A sunny day in May, where people are shopping for groceries, including a dad who is buying a birthday cake for his little girl’s third birthday that he never got to see. I’ve held that little girl. And this just tears at you. At a very human level.

    And all of us in government – we shouldn’t have to wait to have the kind of slaughter I saw in Buffalo or you experienced in covering Uvalde, and other people have day after day to a point where my fear is that people become desensitized to this and they don’t have that shock and that sense of urgency to do something. I don’t ever want to get to that place in this country because it would be a sad commentary on how far we’ve fallen.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: In the last few years, more than 20 states including New York, have passed new laws restricting how people can buy and carry guns but we’re seeing data that indicates there’s a thriving underground market for guns. Can you talk about the 2022 Interstate Task Force to stop the illegal trafficking of guns?

    Governor Hochul: When I took office three years ago, we were in the throes of a major crime wave nationwide, not just New York. It was a nationwide phenomena. And my husband was the United States Attorney for Barack Obama. And I saw how collaboration can help and eradicate crime. And I thought, why don’t we harness the power of not just New York State, but all of our neighbors? Because 80 percent of the guns in New York come from out of state. We don’t manufacture them. So there is a pipeline that’s bringing these guns right to the streets of New York, and we have to stop that.

    So I reached out to other Governors. We had nine at first. We now have 12 states that are all contiguous. And if we’re sharing data, identifying perpetrators, stopping them at the border, we can stop the flow of illegal guns from coming into our state. And the numbers have been incredibly successful.

    The number of gunned addictions about 9,500. We’ve taken 10,000 guns off the streets. These are numbers that were just escalating year after year until someone finally says, “We’re gonna work together. I’ll put the resources behind it.” We have spent over 800 million directly on gun interdiction measures and another billion dollars to help support our local communities for the gun violence disrupter program. So combined almost $2 billion into in three years to say no more, no more slaughter in my state.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: Following our conversation here I’m going to dive in with our panelists on community based solutions and approaches that they’re doing on the ground throughout the country. We know that these solutions from the communities themselves are promising toward reducing gun related injuries and killings. In a similar vein from your perch what do you see as promising solutions and approaches to the issue?

    Governor Hochul: It does absolutely come down to engaging the community. They’re the ones who are victimized. They’re the ones who often see perpetrators. They’re the ones who have evidence that can come forward.

    But also, how do we change the hearts and minds of particularly young men? Young kids in these neighborhoods who think that the only alternative they have is to be part of a gang because they’re not getting the love and nurture they need at home. This becomes their family. And that is what’s so tragic about this.

    But, what you can do with these violence disruptor programs, and we funded so many of them, all across the state – is that oftentimes these might be former gang members, these are people who’ve been involved with the law. And so they’re the ones who have the story to say, don’t make the same mistake I did. And if we fund them and increase the number of them in every community, they are making a real difference. So I’m going to continue focusing on not just the law enforcement side, which has been quite extraordinary.

    And back to changing our laws, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a law that we had on the books for over 100 years. A concealed carry law that says you should not be able to walk into this venue right now with a gun in your pocket, go on our subways, walk around Times Square. And the Supreme Court took that power away from me as the Governor of New York to protect my citizens. And I said, the next day, we’re fighting back. We’re going to structure a different law. We’ll go right up to the line. to where we can go and now we’ve identified sensitive locations, which is a large part of New York where you cannot carry a gun, including Times Square and houses of worship and other places. So I had to come around and do an end run basically around what the Supreme Court was trying to do, taking away my rights.

    So the violence disruptor programs, the massive funding into law enforcement, the community policing, the interdiction at the borders with our consortium is making a difference to a point where our murders are down almost to the 1960s levels, which is extraordinary. In one year, we had, in 1990, we had 2,600 murders in the State of New York. We’re trending to be about 350 this year. Look at the difference in that. It’s gone. Shootings are down 47 percent since I became Governor because we had an intentional strategy that said, “We’re not going to lose any more lives senselessly to guns.”

    And again the laws are so important the laws that we have on the books – the red flag laws. We had about 1,300 Extreme Risk Protection Orders – when you identify someone who shows a propensity to do harm to themselves or to others, someone sees that red flag – a school counselor, a family member, a, law enforcement, a principal, a teacher, someone’s seeing this behavior, someone’s watching it. And they don’t think they have the power to do something about it. But we said, “You do have the power.” And by changing the law to say you are required to notify the authorities so they can identify whether they have access to a gun, we have had a 1,300 percent increase in the number of Extreme Risk Protection Orders where other states aren’t doing anything.

    And I need to, this should be a national policy. This should be a national policy passed by Congress because we have taken guns out of the hands that we know from people that could do harm to others before there’s a tragedy that happens. This is what smart policies are all about. Getting there before you have to go to another funeral of a child. And that’s what I want to continue doing here in New York. And I hope other states will follow suit.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: The Supreme Court stands poised to knock down any legislation, attempts to legislate the gun violence epidemic. You mentioned going right up to the line. What is that line? What can you do? What can’t you do?

    Governor Hochul: We weren’t allowed to ban concealed carry weapons, but I put in place more restrictions on who can apply for them. We are able to look at your social media. That’s where people are telegraphing what they’re going to do. That was our Buffalo killer. It was all out there on social media. It’s often out there. People are telegraphing what they’re going to do. And if you can’t be aware of that and you can’t see what’s out there about them, then you’re not protecting yourself or society.

    My number one job as Governor of the State is to protect our citizens. Full stop. And this is part of that strategy. So we made – we have more requirements on background checks. Our background checks are very strong, but even if someone is able to secure a concealed weapon permit and many of them are legitimate, there’s people in security and there are legitimate purposes that I will agree with, but it’s time, place and manner.

    And again, I don’t want them on the streets of New York. I don’t think that’s appropriate. I don’t think it should be in a schoolyard. That’s not appropriate. A playground. So many places, they don’t make that. So we went right, when they said, I can’t ban them, I said, but they threw some words about sensitive places and I define sensitive places in New York and our law is holding, so far.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: You mentioned violence diversion programs. What’s entailed in these programs?

    Governor Hochul: We fund an enormous number of these. We know the neighborhoods where they need them. These are individuals who – community based organizations, SNUG is one of them. It’s just “guns” spelled backwards.

    It’s one I was familiar with in Buffalo, New York. Like I said, I was – I have a family member in law enforcement, a prosecutor, and I saw the power of these organizations when they got together. I did a lot of events with them. We announced a lot of funding for them all over the state. And what they do is, they develop relationships.

    They intervene because if a young person has a strong role model at home, both parents, one parent, grandparents, someone that’s taking care of them and watching them and knows where they are after school and keep an eye on them. There’s not likely to be a problem, but that’s not the reality for so many families in so many of our communities.

    The parents have to work, the mom has to work, and there’s no one there after school. And this is where the temptation is great to find alternatives. These members, like I said, many of them have done time themselves. They can speak truth to what they saw. They’re credible messengers that are the only ones who can break through and make a difference.

    And they’ve been successful and I’ll keep supporting them over and over again as part of a holistic strategy. But another part of that strategy deals with mental health. We have seen the radicalization of people on social media, but also our teenagers are – many of them are despairing. And I’ve seen this because I’ve convened countless roundtables with teenagers over the last year as I look at social media, the effect it has on their well being, how they feel about themselves, and also cell phones in schools.

    This is an issue I’m looking intensely at because kids are spiraling. They’re not paying attention in class. They’re being bullied all day long. They don’t have a break from it. And one young woman said to me at one of our forums, “You have to save us from ourselves. You have to help us. You have to stand up and say we shouldn’t be doing this because we can’t do it alone.”

    So that’s only tangentially related to gun violence, but it also goes to the psychology of people. And if we’re not helping children and teenagers be healthy now, what are we supposed to expect from them when they turn to adults? We’re supposed to not just raise children, but raise adults who are healthy and fully functioning and have human connections that they’re being denied right now. The way this device has taken over their lives.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: I have to wrap up here. But one more question. If there’s one key message that you’d the audience here, to walk away with, what would it be?

    Governor Hochul: We have seen in New York State, that leadership that is committed to ensuring that you look at all the levers at our disposal, the platforms we have, the ability to change.

    There are ways that we can stop gun violence in this country. We can be like the other countries who are gathering in our city right now that don’t know a fraction of the shootings we have. It’s accessibility to guns. I continue to call on Congress to do the right thing and reinstate the ban on assault weapons that was so effective for an entire decade until it was repealed.

    That’s number one. Call on other states to do as we’ve done with the red flag law. Just pass what we did here in New York and you could have prevented so many of the mass shootings. Every time you look at and analyze the social media and the footprint that’s out there for these shooters, it’s always telegraphed in advance.

    You can – and they – and there’s always someone who says, “Yeah, I thought that kid was – Something wrong was there.” The evidence is there. We have to give people the responsibility to report it to law enforcement. Let them get the order of protection. And let’s start protecting people. That’s what this is all about.

    I would say, don’t give up hope. The situation is dire. It is spiraling. One more mass shooting on the news is just making us sick and it’s taking us to a dark place, but it does not have to be that way. I reject the notion that this has to be our destiny. There are policies out there that are working.

    Otherwise, how do we cut shootings down 47 percent? This is all since I’ve been Governor in just a few years. Look at the impact that we have had here in the State of New York. I want every state to be just like that. And then we start reclaiming our kids and our safety and the mental health that we need to know that we are safe in our country.

    Gabriel Arana, Texas Observer Former Editor-in-Chief: Governor Hochul, thank you so much for being here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DoD Commits $500 Million for Women’s Health Research, Supports Better Care for All Women

    Source: United States Department of Defense

    The Department of Defense (DoD) is working to ensure that research conducted across the Department addresses health disparities faced by women, including conditions that affect women uniquely, disproportionately, or differently. As part of the Department’s broader efforts to support the health of women Service members, veterans, and beneficiaries (such as spouses and dependents) to enhance the medical readiness of the force—and consistent with the President’s Executive Order on Advancing Women’s Health Research and Innovation—DoD is publicly announcing a series of new actions and commitments to advance women’s health research by:

    • Spending half a billion dollars each year on women’s health research, primarily through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP);
    • Adopting a new research policy to ensure that women’s health is considered during every step of the research process that will apply to relevant research funded through the CDMRP beginning on October 1, 2024;
    • Standardizing CDMRP and Military Health System Research funding opportunity announcements to encourage applicants to consider research on health areas and conditions that affect women; and
    • Committing DoD’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program to increase its investments in supporting innovators and early-stage small businesses engaged in research and development on women’s health.

    These new announcements build on recent work that DoD has already done to advance women’s health research—including the establishment of a joint collaborative to improve women’s health research with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), DoD’s new Military Women’s Health Research Program, and the appointment of Dr. Lynette Hamlin as the first-ever dedicated Director of the Military Women’s Health Research Program at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences—as well as DoD’s prior investments in women’s health research.

    Investing in women’s health research and evidence-based care is critical to meeting the health care needs of the women served by DoD. The DoD provides medical care to more than 230,000 active-duty Service women, nearly 2 million women military retirees, and to the family members of the active force and of retirees. Compared to men, this population experiences more than twice the rate of conditions in hematological, genitourinary, endocrine, nutrition, and immunity-related disorder categories. Additionally, women’s rates for illness and injury-specific diagnoses, such as those associated with the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, are more than 1.5 times those of male rates. DoD’s systematic surveillance and research of health conditions among Service women at a population level will bolster treatment options, improve patient care, and support breakthrough technologies and resources for women inside and outside of the military health system. Information on specific DoD policy efforts can be found below.

    Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs
    CDMRP funds a wide variety of specialized health research areas that affect women, such as Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus, orthopedic and musculoskeletal injuries, and various cancers. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and FY 2023, CDMRP funded 751 grants, produced 625 studies, and supported 706 researchers. For FY 2024, depending on the applications received, DoD anticipates investing more CDMRP funding for women’s health research than in previous years. These funds will be used to support research on topics such as rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue, eating disorders, and gynecological cancers.

    In addition to this new commitment, DoD adopted a new policy that will require researchers interested in CDMRP funding to consider sex as a biological variable in study design and analysis. Intentional consideration of biological variables, like sex, in medical research improves our understanding of health and disease in men and women. Under the new policy, CDMRP-funded research must consider the known and potential sex differences in disease prevalence, presentation, and outcomes. Peer and programmatic panels will review applications for how sex as a biological variable is incorporated into the proposed research and data analysis plans.

    This new policy aligns with a similar policy adopted by the National Institutes of Health and will take effect on October 1, 2024. The new policy will apply to applications submitted for FY 2025 CDMRP funding opportunities, contingent on FY 2025 funding for CDMRP-managed programs. White House and DoD officials highlighted this change at DoD’s 2024 Military Health System Research Symposium, the Department’s premier scientific meeting.

    Accounting for Women’s Health Across DoD’s Research Programs and Processes
    DoD has taken action to ensure that women’s health is considered throughout the research application process. For instance, the CDMRP, the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS), and the Military Health System Research Program have all included standardized language in their FY 2024 funding opportunity announcements to encourage research on women’s health, including consideration of sex as a biological variable and its relationship to socioeconomic factors in affecting health outcomes. Additionally, for these programs, DoD has implemented policies to ensure that reviewers consider women’s health when evaluating research proposals, where appropriate.

    Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences
    The USUHS established the Military Women’s Health Research Program (MWHRP) in 2023, under the leadership of Dr. Lynette Hamlin, the program’s inaugural Director. The MWHRP funds $1.67 million in research grants annually, sponsors publications and webinars to share important research findings, and encourages women to participate in the SBIR program and the STTR program. Over the last five years, USUHS has sponsored 76 grants, and produced 32 presentations and 152 publications specific to women’s health research.

    USUHS also established the Military Women’s Health Research Consortium to develop and guide best practices for the clinical care of women in the Military Health System. Recent research focus areas include studying interventions for physical and emotional pain due to uterine fibroids, evaluating treatment options for women with low back pain, and studying the effects of prenatal mental health support.

    Defense Health Program Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs
    The Defense Health Agency (DHA) SBIR and STTR programs are statutorily required programs established to increase the participation of small businesses in federal research and development. These programs enable DHA to spark the development of future technologies to improve warfighter health and survival. DHA SBIR and STTR revised the DoD Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), the funding mechanism utilized for these programs, to encourage participation in innovation and entrepreneurship by women. Additionally, to enhance investments in applied research and practice focused on women’s health, SBIR and STTR have requested women’s health research topics from stakeholders as part of the FY 2025 BAA development process.

    DoD/VA Women’s Health Research Collaborative
    To further our collaboration and partnership with the VA, the joint DoD/VA Health Executive Committee established a Women’s Health Research Collaborative in 2024, which will explore opportunities to promote joint efforts to advance women’s health research and improve evidence-based care for the women they serve: Service members, veterans, and their spouses, surviving spouses, dependents, and family caregivers. Additionally, the Collaborative will increase coordination with the goal of improving care and care delivery across the lifespan of women Service members, veterans, and other beneficiaries. The Collaborative will also advance research on key women’s health issues and develop a roadmap to close pressing research gaps, including those specifically affecting Service women and women veterans.

    Moreover, the Department ensures our providers are trained in gender-specific care. Through the DoD/VA Women’s Health Working Group, two mini-residencies are held annually to build provider proficiency. The DoD/VA Women’s Musculoskeletal Mini-Residency and DoD/VA Women’s Mental Health Mini-Residency offer health care providers, from both departments, opportunities to learn about the latest research while strengthening skills and knowledge in how to assess, diagnose, and treat women Service members, veterans, and other beneficiaries.

    The DoD/VA also developed a Women’s Midlife Health Concerns Working Group to develop a needs assessment tool that will be deployed to women Service members, veterans, and other beneficiaries to gather their input on their midlife health concerns, including menopause and cardiovascular health. This group will make recommendations and develop tools to build provider proficiency in appropriately assessing and treating midlife health concerns.

    Additional DoD actions to support the health needs of women Service members, retirees, and their eligible family members include the establishment of the Women’s Midlife Telehealth Clinic – the first U.S.-based study examining birth outcomes between births attended by Certified Nurse Midwives and physicians focused on births within the MHS – and the provision of world-class cancer care and translational research at the Murtha Cancer Center at Walter Reed Gynecological Cancer Center of Excellence.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The 2024 Southern Sea Otter Census and Statistical Model Development

    Source: US Geological Survey

    WERC collaborates with other research scientists to conduct annual population surveys of the southern sea otter — a federally listed threatened species. In coordination with the California Department of Fish and Game and other institutions, ongoing surveys and research continues to inform the southern sea otter recovery plan for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and contributes to our…

    Learn More

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Marshals in Puerto Rico Add Man Wanted in New York to 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List

    Source: US Marshals Service

    San Juan, PR – The U.S. Marshals Service District of Puerto Rico has added to its 10 Most Wanted fugitives list a man wanted by the Irondequoit, New York, Police Department on four charges of second-degree murder and charges of narcotics.

    Luis Francisco Soriano, aka Jefry Yeyo, 31, of Dominican Republic, is suspected to have been involved in a quadruple homicide Aug. 31 near Rochester, New York. Two of the victims were children, 2 and 4. Soriano is believed to have fled to Puerto Rico, where authorities are actively searching for him.

    The U.S. Marshals in Puerto Rico request the public’s assistance in capturing dangerous fugitives, such as Soriano. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact local law enforcement or the U.S. Marshals directly.

    “Given the nature of Soriano’s alleged crimes, his danger to the community at large and ability to elude law enforcement, the U.S. Marshals in Puerto Rico have added him our 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list,” said Wilmer Ocasio-Ibarra, U.S. Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico. “Soriano and his co-conspirators committed a horrendous crime against a family, whose children were innocent victims and did not deserve a cruel death. We will not allow terror, violence and impunity to take over our communities. That is why we are seeking the public’s assistance in getting this dangerous individual in custody so that he can face justice.”

    Soriano is 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighs approximately 150 pounds, and has black hair and brown eyes. He has four moles under his right eye and tattoos on both arms. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

    The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) encourages the community to continue to collaborate with our deputies on tips that help find the whereabouts of a fugitive by contacting our local office at (787) 766-6297, calling the U.S. Marshals Service Communication Center at 1 (800) 336-0102, or submitting tips using the USMS Tips App. You can also contact the case agents at (787) 306-9411 or (787) 412-1462.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Panasonic Plant Could Revolutionize Region’s Economy – Governor of the State of Kansas

    Source: US State of Kansas

    KEY QUOTE: “For Gov. Kelly, the impact of the Panasonic project is huge and ongoing. “It already has changed Kansas’s perception of itself – the fact that we were able to attract a business like Panasonic,” Kelly said. “People out in Hays are fully aware this is happening. They have a sense of pride and anticipate what else is to come,” the governor said.

    Panasonic Plant Could ‘Revolutionize Region’s Economy’
    Martin Rosenberg, Flatland KC
     Sept. 19, 2024

    • Laura Kelly of Kansas believes the opening of the $4 billion electric car battery manufacturing plant in DeSoto early next year will revolutionize the region’s economy, lifestyle and self-image.
    • “The overall impact of this is just truly transformational,” Kelly said of the massive 4.7 million square foot Panasonic plant nearing completion. “The northeast quadrant of our state will look very different and feel very different,” the governor said.
    • The good news is undeniable. Allan Swan, president of Panasonic Energy of North America, in June said the DeSoto plant, “will be the largest battery manufacturing plant in the world.”
    • For Kelly, Panasonic’s arrival is the capstone of [nearly] $20 billion in new capital investment in the state made on her watch as governor coming from 1,300 economic development wins.
    • The jobs Panasonic is creating will lead to further significant job growth. “We expect suppliers to set up shop. We expect another 4,000 jobs,” Kelly said.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mexico: ICITAP Training and Mentoring Lead to Accreditation and High-Tech Equipment in Baja California Sur

    Source: United States Attorneys General 13

    On June 11, the ICITAP-Mexico mission provided an update on its impact on the criminal justice system in Baja California Sur. In 2022, the state of Baja California Sur acquired high-tech equipment for its forensic chemistry laboratory for the detection of street and pharmaceutical drugs in biological samples. The equipment uses liquid chromatography coupled with a high-resolution mass spectrometry detector capable of detecting up to 64 drugs in a single sample. Until 2023, it was the only state in Mexico with this technology. The degree of error is so low that it allows experts to differentiate with high precision between one substance and another and even identify new substances that are not reported in databases or libraries which is of vital importance because new drugs appear on the market every day. In addition, sellers have been known to mix various substances and this equipment is sensitive enough to be able to identify them. The Baja California Sur forensic chemistry laboratory achieved ANAB accreditation in January 2020, which guarantees that it operates with internationally recognized standards of quality. For this achievement, ICITAP-Mexico, through its expert advisors, collaborated with the laboratory by providing training, advice and support since 2018. It should be noted that the implementation of a culture of quality standards in forensic services led the state to make an investment for the acquisition of the new technology. ICITAP continues to advise in the development of methods necessary for its proper use. Seven in-state analyses of post-mortem biological samples were recently analyzed in five cases and in all of them fentanyl was identified along with various other drugs. These samples were obtained largely from cases involving foreigners. These different adulterants with fentanyl were identified thanks to the additional scope provided by the new technology. As the only state to have this equipment and methodology until 2023, other states requested support for sample analysis from Baja California Sur including Chihuahua, Morelos, and Tabasco. The presence or lack of drugs in the biological samples have been a factor in the prosecution of various cases in these states. ICITAP wholeheartedly supports this type of collaboration between states. To date Guanajuato, Sonora and the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) have also acquired this technology. The use of this equipment will have many more advantages for Mexico, once the prosecutors’ offices understand the scope of this type of analysis and exploit the capacity of the equipment, but for the moment the ICITAP-trained Baja California Sur laboratory is already capable of responding to increasingly complex situations and cases involving illicit substances. In Mexico, ICITAP works with the support of and in coordination with the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Habeas Corpus (constitutional challenge, “Amparo”) granted against the Ministry of Energy, Mexico – BERDEJA Y BUTLER CONSULTORES, S.C.

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Santa Fe, Mexico City, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

    Amparo en contra de la Secretaría de Energía, México

    Verfassungsbeschwerde gegen das Energieministerium, Mexiko

    Berdeja y Butler Consultores, S.C. (“the Firm”) has achieved a significant legal victory securing an Amparo against  Mexico’s Ministry of Energy, challenging its Decree imposing maximum tariffs on ‘UVIEs’ -verifiers for conformity in electrical installations to the Mexican Official Standards (“NOMs”), “the Decree”, dated September 5, 2022.

    The Amparo was granted in October 2023 and ratified on 4th July 2024 by the First Collegiate Circuit Court in Administrative Matters Specialising in Economic Competition, Broadcasting & Telecommunications.

    The illegal imposition of maximum rates discouraged the work of the UVIEs, promoted simulation, and generated uncertainty for customers, who, due to the improper actions of the authorities, believed that below-market rates were valid; that is, below the rates formally registered by each UVIE with the Ministry of Economy. In other words, the Ministry of Energy was distorting the market and services provided by the UVIEs, and their economics because they had to judicially defend themselves from the now judged illegal Decree.

    The Decree violates the principles of statement of reasons, foundation -constitutional, conventional, and legal–, legal certainty, free competition, job freedom, efficient economy, and the supremacy of the rule of law by prioritising a public interest artificially constructed by the Decree.

    The granting of the definitive Amparo will generate the following benefits: 1. Recover legal and economic certainty in the UVIE-clients relationship; 2. Remove the distortion of UVIE rates in the relevant market; 3. Eliminate the constraint on the UVIE’s job freedom; 4. Reconfirm that the powers of the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Economy are limited; it constrained their arbitrariness; 5. Clarify the difference between the regulated electricity industry and the electricity sector; 6. Enforce the international treaties to which Mexico is a party, as well as Mexico’s Constitution and laws; in summary, the rule of law in Mexico.

    There are key industries that need to be properly defended against legislative changes or acts of authority. These include energy: oil & gas, and clean energies; mining for lithium & open-pit mines; and water, particularly pre-existing or granting of future concessions. When acts or ommisions of public authorities violate human rights, the Constitution is the best defense; however, if it is also violated, Conventional mechanisms for the defense and protection of international investments can be activated.

    The Firm trusts that the next President of Mexico will promote the energy sector and the rule of law, and hopes that the administration of justice will not be adversely affected by any reform to the Judiciary Power. Likewise the Firm will continue working towards legal certainty and regulatory compliance to effectively and efficiently protect its clients’ interests, and the investment attraction of Mexico; otherwise, the Firm is ready to help defending business interests in Mexico.

    Please do not hesitate to contact Carlos Berdeja Prieto, Berdeja y Butler Consultores, S.C., carlos_berdeja@bybconsultores.com; (+52)5554362055, in case any business plan related to Mexico needed to be implemented or defended.

    #Verfassungsrecht #Amparo #ConstitutionalLaw #Energie #Energia #Energy #Mexiko #México #Mexico #JuristischeDienstleistungen #LegalServices #ServiciosLegales #Investitionen #Investments #Inversiones #RegulatorischeCompliance #CumplimientoRegulatrorio #RegulatoryCompliance #WirtschaftlicherWettbewerb #EconomicCompetition #CompetenciaEconomica

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Red Cat Holdings Reports Financial Results for Fiscal First Quarter 2025 and Provides Corporate Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or “Company”), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations, reports its financial results for the fiscal first quarter ended July 31, 2024 and provides a corporate update.

    Recent Operational Highlights:

    • Presented drone solutions to high-level officials, at multiple Defense Conferences, including the U.S Marine Corps (Modern Day Marine), domestic and international Special Operations Forces (SOF Week), and European Union and NATO forces at Eurosatory 2024 in Paris, France.
    • Announced development of a new Family of Small ISR and Precision Strike Systems at Eurosatory 2024.
    • Recently closed FlightWave asset purchase agreement.
    • Launched Robotics and Autonomous Systems Industry Consortium called Red Cat Futures Initiative.

    First Quarter 2025 Financial Highlights:

    • Quarterly revenue of $2.8 million, representing 59% year-over-year growth.
    • Ended the quarter with cash of $7.7 million.
    • Guidance of $50-$55 million for calendar year 2025 exclusive of government or NATO programs of record.
    • Record backlog of $13 million.

    “Red Cat continues to see significant global demand and year-over-year growth with a strong pipeline and backlog,” said Jeff Thompson, Red Cat Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “This is being driven by strong domestic and international adoption and sales across our entire Family of Systems, which now includes the Edge 130 Blue. Our guidance for the upcoming 2025 calendar year of $50 – $55 million will continue our growth trend as we await news around the U.S. Army’s Short-Range Reconnaissance Program of Record and prepare to scale up production capacity.”

    “We are reporting 59% year-over-year growth and $13 million in backlog for the first quarter of fiscal 2025,” stated Leah Lunger, Chief Financial Officer. “Having officially closed the acquisition of FlightWave Aerospace System, we look forward to integrating the Edge 130 Blue into our Family of Systems, which will open new revenue streams and partnership opportunities with companies in our Futures Initiative. We also have significant market potential for NDAA compliant FPV precision strike drones within our innovation roadmap.”

    Conference Call Today

    CEO Jeff Thompson and CFO Leah Lunger will host an earnings conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, September 23, 2024 to review financial results and provide an update on corporate developments. Following management’s formal remarks, there will be a question-and-answer session.

    Interested parties can listen to the conference call by dialing 1-844-413-3977 (within the U.S.) or 1-412-317-1803 (international). Callers should dial in approximately ten minutes prior to the start time and ask to be connected to the Red Cat conference call. Participants can also pre-register for the call using the following link: https://dpregister.com/sreg/10192508/fd6e5cff60

    The conference call will also be available through a live webcast that can be accessed at:
    https://event.choruscall.com/mediaframe/webcast.html?webcastid=TD6F4UVA

    A replay of the webcast will be available until December 22, 2024 and can be accessed through the above link or at www.redcatholdings.com. A telephonic replay will be available until October 7, 2024 by calling 1-877-344-7529 (domestic) or 1-412-317-0088 (international) and using access code 2058195.

    About Red Cat, Inc.
    Red Cat (Nasdaq: RCAT) is a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government, and commercial operations. Through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Teal Drones and FlightWave Aerospace, Red Cat has developed a bleeding-edge Family of ISR and Precision Strike Systems including the Teal 2, a small unmanned system offering the highest-resolution thermal imaging in its class, the Edge 130 Blue Tricopter for extended endurance and range, and FANG™, the industry’s first line of NDAA compliant FPV drones optimized for military operations with precision strike capabilities.  Learn more at www.redcat.red.

    Forward Looking Statements
    This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “contemplate,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “seek,” “may,” “might,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “aim,” “should,” “will” “would,” or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Red Cat Holdings, Inc.’s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 27, 2023. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Red Cat Holdings, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

    Contact:

    INVESTORS:
    E-mail: Investors@redcat.red

    NEWS MEDIA:
    Phone: (347) 880-2895
    Email: peter@indicatemedia.com

    RED CAT HOLDINGS
    Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
           
        July 31,     April 30,
        2024       2024  
    ASSETS          
               
    Cash and marketable securities $ 7,732,763     $ 6,067,169  
    Accounts receivable, net   681,775       4,361,090  
    Inventory, including deposits   10,667,676       8,610,125  
    Intangible assets including goodwill, net   12,612,560       12,882,939  
    Other   6,260,457       7,473,789  
    Equity method investee   —       5,142,500  
    Note receivable   —       4,000,000  
               
    TOTAL ASSETS $ 37,955,231     $ 48,537,612  
               
    LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY          
               
    Accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 3,428,538     $ 2,703,922  
    Debt obligations   599,570       751,570  
    Operating lease liabilities   1,471,589       1,517,590  
    Total liabilities   5,499,697       4,973,082  
               
    Stockholders’ capital   126,002,642       124,690,641  
    Accumulated deficit/comprehensive loss   (93,547,108 )     (81,126,111 )
    Total stockholders’ equity   32,455,534       43,564,530  
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY $ 37,955,231     $ 48,537,612  
               
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations      
                     
        Three months ended      
        July 31,       
        2024     2023  
      Revenues $ 2,776,535     $ 1,748,129  
                     
      Cost of goods sold   3,259,926       1,573,464  
                     
      Gross (loss) profit   (483,391 )     174,665  
                     
      Operating Expenses              
      Research and development   1,626,440       1,353,551  
      Sales and marketing   2,041,511       1,288,760  
      General and administrative   3,483,095       2,863,758  
      Impairment loss   93,050       —  
      Total operating expenses   7,244,096       5,506,069  
      Operating loss   (7,727,487 )     (5,331,404 )
                     
      Other expense   4,688,889       262,891  
                     
      Net loss from continuing operations (12,416,376 )     (5,594,295 )
                     
      Loss from discontinued operations   —       (242,573 )
      Net loss $ (12,416,376 )   $ (5,836,868 )
                     
      Loss per share – basic and diluted $ (0.17 )   $ (0.11 )
                     
      Weighted average shares outstanding – basic and diluted   74,500,480       54,935,339  
                     
    Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
         
          Three months ended July 31,  
          2024       2023  
    Cash Flows from Operating Activities                
    Net loss from continuing operations   $ (12,416,376 )   $ (5,594,295 )
    Non-cash expenses     6,755,639       1,522,611  
    Changes in operating assets and liabilities     3,312,325       (2,854,385 )
    Net cash used in operating activities     (2,348,412 )     (6,926,069 )
                     
    Cash Flows from Investing Activities                
    Proceeds from sale of equity method investment and note receivable     4,400,000       —  
    Proceeds from sale of marketable securities     —       4,888,399  
    Other     (99,957 )     (5,054 )
    Net cash provided by investing activities     4,300,043       4,883,345  
                     
    Cash Flows from Financing Activities                
    Payments of debt obligations, net     (152,000 )     (137,989 )
    Payments related to employee equity transactions     (134,037 )     (8,520 )
    Net cash used in financing activities     (286,037 )     (146,509 )
                     
    Net cash used in discontinued operations     —       (118,295 )
                     
    Net increase (decrease) in Cash     1,665,594       (2,307,528 )
    Cash, beginning of period     6,067,169       3,260,305  
    Cash, end of period     7,732,763       952,777  
    Less: Cash of discontinued operations     —       (15,021 )
    Cash of continuing operations, end of period     7,732,763       937,756  
    Marketable securities     —       7,922,392  
    Cash of continuing operations and marketable securities   $ 7,732,763     $ 8,860,148  
                     

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Ellomay Capital Announces Execution of An Agreement for the Sale of Tax Credits of Texas Solar Projects

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Tel-Aviv, Israel, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —  Ellomay Capital Ltd. (NYSE American; TASE: ELLO) (“Ellomay” or the “Company”), a renewable energy and power generator and developer of renewable energy and power projects in Europe, Israel and the USA, today announced a key achievement in its U.S. strategic growth plan. The Company has successfully entered into an agreement for the sale and transfer of Investment Tax Credits (ITCs) linked to its Fairfield (13.4 MW), Malakoff (13.92 MW), Mexia (11.1 MW), and Talco (10.5 MW) solar projects, all located in the State of Texas, USA. The agreement was executed with a reputable financial institution, with vast experience in executing tax credit transactions.

    Through this transaction, the Company expects to receive approximately $19 million from the sale of Investment Tax Credits, representing approximately 32% of the expected total portfolio costs. The sale is facilitated under the Inflation Reduction Act’s new transferability provisions, allowing Ellomay to retain 100% of the operating profits from these projects. Funds from the sale of the ITCs generated from a project will be disbursed after such project is placed in service and meets the applicable requirements. The Company expects the Fairfield and Malakoff projects to be placed in service by the end of Q4 2024, and the Mexia and Talco projects to be placed in service by the end of Q2 2025. The agreement includes customary indemnification obligations (for damages not covered by tax insurance policy), including in connection with certain continued eligibility requirements and scope of the ITCs, for which the Company provided a guarantee to the purchaser of the ITCs.

    Ran Fridrich, CEO and a board member of Ellomay, said “The agreement to sell the Investment Tax Credits to an institutional buyer represents a major milestone in the development of Ellomay’s solar portfolio in Texas and underscores the Company’s commitment to expanding its renewable energy presence in the U.S. The Company sees great importance in its ability to sell the ITCs while maintaining the benefits of accelerated depreciation in the Company. The Company believes that additional projects in the pipeline will be able to follow a similar strategy.”

    About Ellomay Capital Ltd.

    Ellomay is an Israeli based company whose shares are listed on the NYSE American and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “ELLO”. Since 2009, Ellomay Capital focuses its business in the renewable energy and power sectors in Europe, USA and Israel.

    To date, Ellomay has evaluated numerous opportunities and invested significant funds in the renewable, clean energy and natural resources industries in Israel, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Texas, USA, including:

    • Approximately 335.9 MW of operating photovoltaic power plants in Spain (including a 300 MW photovoltaic plant in owned by Talasol, which is 51% owned by the Company) and approximately 20 MW of operating photovoltaic power plants in Italy;
    • 9.375% indirect interest in Dorad Energy Ltd., which owns and operates one of Israel’s largest private power plants with production capacity of approximately 850MW, representing about 6%-8% of Israel’s total current electricity consumption;
    • Groen Gas Goor B.V., Groen Gas Oude-Tonge B.V. and Groen Gas Gelderland B.V., project companies operating anaerobic digestion plants in the Netherlands, with a green gas production capacity of approximately 3 million, 3.8 million and 9.5 million Nm3 per year, respectively;
    • 83.333% of Ellomay Pumped Storage (2014) Ltd., which is involved in a project to construct a 156 MW pumped storage hydro power plant in the Manara Cliff, Israel;
    • Ellomay Solar Italy Ten SRL that is construction a photovoltaic plant (18 MW) in Italy;
    • Ellomay Solar Italy Four SRL (15.06 MW), Ellomay Solar Italy Five SRL (87.2 MW), Ellomay Solar Italy Seven SRL (54.77 MW), Ellomay Solar Italy Nine SRL (8 MW) and Ellomay Solar Italy Fifteen SRL (10 MW) that are developing photovoltaic projects in Italy that have reached “ready to build” status; and
    • Fairfield Solar Project, LLC (13.44 MW), Malakoff Solar I, LLC (6.96 MW) and Malakoff Solar II, LLC (6.96 MW), that are constructing photovoltaic plants and Mexia Solar I, LLC (5.6 MW), Mexia Solar II, LLC (5.6 MW), and Talco Solar, LLC (10.3 MW), that are developing photovoltaic projects that have reached “ready to build” status, all in the Dallas Metropolitan area, Texas.

    For more information about Ellomay, visit http://www.ellomay.com.

    Information Relating to Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements that are based on the current expectations and assumptions of the Company’s management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding the Company’s plans and objectives, expectations and assumptions of management are forward-looking statements. The use of certain words, including the words “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” “expect,” “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on the Company’s forward-looking statements. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by the Company’s forward-looking statements, including the delays or failure in placing into service of any or all of the Texas solar facilities, failure to meet the continued eligibility requirements for the ITCs, changes in the markets and economy, changes in electricity prices and demand, continued war and hostilities in Israel and Gaza, regulatory changes, including extension of current or approval of new rules and regulations increasing the operating expenses of manufacturers of renewable energy in Spain, increases in interest rates and inflation, changes in the supply and prices of resources required for the operation of the Company’s facilities (such as waste and natural gas) and in the price of oil, the impact of continued military conflict between Russia and Ukraine, technical and other disruptions in the operations or construction of the power plants owned by the Company and general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates, including Israel, Spain, Italy and the United States. These and other risks and uncertainties associated with the Company’s business are described in greater detail in the filings the Company makes from time to time with Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 20-F. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Contact:
    Kalia Rubenbach (Weintraub)
    CFO
    Tel: +972 (3) 797-1111
    Email: hilai@ellomay.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Jade Power Announces Closing of Non-Brokered Private Placement

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Jade Power Trust (“Jade Power” or the “Trust”) (TSXV:JPWR.H) is pleased to announce that it has closed its non-brokered private placement of 6,666,666 units (the “Units”) at a price of C$0.075 per Unit (the “Offering”).

    Each Unit consists of one trust unit in the capital of the Trust (the “Trust Units”) and one half of one Trust Unit purchase warrant (each a “Warrant”). Each whole Warrant is exercisable for a period of one year from the date of issuance to purchase an additional Trust Unit at a price of C$0.10. Net proceeds of the Offering will be used for working capital and general corporate purposes.

    Closing of the Offering remains subject to receipt of all necessary corporate and regulatory approvals, including the final approval of the NEX Board and the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the Offering are subject to a hold period of four months plus a day from the date of issuance and the resale rules of applicable securities legislation.

    This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

    For further information please contact:

    David Barclay
    Chief Executive Officer
    +1 954-895-7217
    david.barclay@bellsouth.net

    About Jade Power

    The Trust, through its direct and indirect subsidiaries in Canada, the Netherlands and Romania, was formed to acquire interests in renewable energy assets in Romania, other countries in Europe and abroad that can provide stable cash flow to the Trust and a suitable risk-adjusted return on investment. All material information about the Trust may be found under Jade Power’s issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of securities legislation in the Canada and which are based on the expectations, estimates and projections of management of the parties as of the date of this news release unless otherwise stated. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words “expect”, “anticipate”, “continue”, “estimate”, “objective”, “ongoing”, “may”, “will”, “project”, “should”, “could”, “believe”, “plans”, “intends” or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

    Details of the risk factors relating to Jade Power and its business are discussed under the heading “Business Risks and Uncertainties” in the Trust’s annual Management’s Discussion & Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2023, a copy of which is available on Jade Power’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Trust. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, Jade Power expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    Neither the TSXV nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rutherford Opposes Florida’s Amendments 3 and 4

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Rutherford (4th District of Florida)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Friday, U.S. Congressman John H. Rutherford (FL-05) stood in strong opposition to Florida’s Constitutional referendum process, as well as Amendments 3 and 4, during a Special Order Hour on the U.S. House Floor.

    Watch the full remarks:

    [embedded content]

    “This November, Floridians are being asked to vote on state Constitutional amendments,” said Rutherford. “Not only am I opposed to both Amendments 3 and 4, but I am vehemently against using the referendum process to legislate.

    “We have a legislature. We have a process to pass laws that does not involve radically changing our Constitution. The referendum process seeks to circumvent Florida’s legislative process by offering quick, ‘easy,’ and often worse fixes to complicated problems.

    “Referendums are shortcuts to hard answers. In order to govern well, we must leave the legislating to our legislature, not special interest groups.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Province expanding recovery support in Red Deer

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Alberta’s government has built a system of care based on the belief that recovery is possible for those suffering from the disease of addiction. The focus has been on reducing barriers to recovery by increasing capacity and ensuring that no one is forced to pay for life-saving addiction treatment. Since 2019, the province has added more than 10,000 new addiction treatment spaces. It has also removed financial barriers and pioneered a program for immediate, same-day access to life-saving evidence-based treatment medication.

    Red Deer is home to Alberta’s first of 11 recovery communities being built by the province. This facility opened its doors in May 2023 and has become a beacon of hope for those suffering from addiction, along with their families. Red Deer was also the first in Alberta to open a Therapeutic Living Unit within its correctional center. This means the recovery community model of treatment has been adopted in corrections, lowering the chances of reoffending and breaking the cycle of addiction and crime in individuals’ lives. Access to opioid agonist therapy has been expanded to police cells through the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program and can also be administered by specialized paramedics with support from the province.

    Earlier this year, Red Deer city council put forward and passed a motion requesting a transition of the drug consumption site to instead implement options focused on health, wellness and recovery.

    In response to this request, Alberta’s government has committed $3.4 million to provide the following:

    • A Mobile Rapid Access Addiction Medicine clinic operated by Recovery Alberta, located in the homeless shelter parking lot. This will offer screening, diagnosis and referral to services; access to the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program; and education, naloxone kits and needle exchange.
    • A Dynamic Overdose Response Team of paramedics and licensed practical nurses to monitor a designated area of the Safe Harbour shelter facility, as well as the surrounding block.
    • Recovery coaches in and around the homeless shelter to provide outreach services and help guide individuals along the path of recovery.
    • Enhancements to medically supported detox capacity in partnership with Safe Harbour that will help more people safely withdraw from substances so they can continue their pursuit of recovery.

    In addition, Alberta’s government recently provided more than $1.2 million over the next two years to the Red Deer Dream Centre to support 20 additional publicly funded addiction treatment beds.

    “Our government will always listen to and take seriously the feedback we receive from elected local leaders. This is a well-thought-out plan that aligns with Red Deer’s needs and requests, which is why the province is making these changes and increasing support for the community. We remain committed to protecting the health and well-being of Albertans while actively supporting connections to treatment and recovery.”

    Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction

    “Our council is pleased to see this new path forward for recovery-oriented services in Red Deer. At the heart of our council’s and community’s efforts is the belief that recovery is possible for everyone, especially the most vulnerable. This is a complex challenge and only by working with all our partners at the province, agencies, businesses, faith communities and all Red Deerians will we create a safe, healthy and prosperous community. We look forward to close collaboration with the province as these changes are made.”

    Ken Johnston, mayor, City of Red Deer

    Alberta’s government is working closely with the City of Red Deer, Safe Harbour Society, Recovery Alberta and others to implement these supports starting this fall.

    Since October 2018, the Red Deer drug consumption site has been operating at a temporary site within an ATCO trailer in the parking lot next to Safe Harbour Society’s detox building. As requested by the city council, the drug consumption site will be transitioned out of Red Deer once all other services are operational, which is anticipated to be in spring 2025. The program expansion for recovery services represents a net increase in programming and staffing. 

    “We look forward to bringing a new service to Red Deer with the opening of a Mobile Rapid Access Addiction Medicine clinic. With this and the new outreach services being put in place, Recovery Alberta will provide opportunities for those facing addiction and mental health issues to access support on an ongoing basis.”

    Kerry Bales, CEO, Recovery Alberta

    “I am pleased to see that Alberta’s government is working collaboratively with our local government and service providers. This plan ensures we prioritize Red Deer’s needs while also supporting individuals in their pursuit of recovery.”

    Adriana LaGrange, MLA for Red Deer-North

    “Red Deer is a beautiful community with wonderful families and individuals. Transitioning the drug site out of Red Deer and focusing on recovery is the right thing to do. Thank you to the Government of Alberta and Red Deer City Council for leading, listening and doing what is right.”

    Jason Stephan, MLA for Red Deer-South

    “We are pleased to partner with Alberta’s government, Recovery Alberta and the City of Red Deer to increase access to addiction and detox services for those accessing supports at Safe Harbour. This partnership profoundly enhances our capacity to meet the needs of community members challenged by addiction and to support them in their recovery journey.”

    Perry Goddard, executive director, Safe Harbour Society

    Alberta is making record investments and removing barriers to recovery-oriented supports for all Albertans, regardless of where they live or their financial situation. This includes the addition of more than 10,000 new publicly funded addiction treatment spaces, expanded access to the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program—which provides same-day access to life-saving treatment medication—the removal of daily user fees for publicly funded live-in treatment, and the construction of 11 world-class recovery communities.

    Quick facts

    • Albertans struggling with opioid addiction can contact the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program (VODP) by calling 1-844-383-7688, seven days a week, from 6 a.m. to midnight. VODP provides same-day access to addiction medicine specialists. There is no wait list.

    Related information

    • Alberta Recovery Model
    • Recovery communities

    Related news

    • City Council requests the Province of Alberta make changes to OPS in Red Deer (Feb. 16, 2024)
    • Next steps for Red Deer overdose prevention site (Feb. 3, 2023)
    • Alberta’s first recovery community nearly complete (Oct. 1, 2022)
    • Red Deer police to offer drug addiction treatment (Jul. 19, 2022)

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bergman Leads on School Safety, Introduces Bill to Secure Resource Officer Funding

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jack Bergman (MI-1)

    Today, Representative Jack Bergman (R-MI) introduced the School Resource Officer (SRO) Funding Protection Act with original cosponsors Bill Huizenga (R-MI) and Lisa McClain (R-MI) and support of First District State Legislators, as well as law enforcement. The bill would require states to maintain funding for SRO programs at or above the amount spent in their previous fiscal year to remain eligible for full federal aid for elementary and secondary education.

    “The horrific epidemic of school shootings requires all of us to put people above politics and action behind words in wake of these tragedies. Lagging school safety measures aren’t going to cut it – children can’t be sitting ducks, unprotected from evil intruders due to budget cuts. My bill will ensure that states maintain a sufficient budget for school resource officers and related programs, because our children deserve to feel safe and be protected,” Representative Bergman stated.

    State Senator John Damoose noted, “We have all seen the devastation caused by school violence and a spiraling mental health crisis amongst our kids. Cutting funding for school resource officers and mental health care was just plain irresponsible. I applaud Congressman Jack Bergman for taking the lead to protect our kids and doing the job our state legislature should have done in the first place.”

    State Senator Michelle Hoitenga asserted, “When Democrats in Lansing slashed school safety funding, they put Michigan’s students and teachers at risk. Congressman Bergman’s School Resource Office Funding Protection Act would safeguard our students and staff, by investing in the security and well-being of our children.”

    “Unbelievable that at a time our students need more support, the Democratic leadership in Lansing removed over 90% of the funding for mental health support in our schools. We need to support our kids. This legislative proposal by Rep. Bergman will provide important checks and balances at the federal level to ensure our children are safe at school,” said State Representative John Roth.

    “I’ve been working with my colleagues on a bipartisan school safety package, House Bills 4088-4100, to improve communication, mental health resources, and staff training in schools,” State Representative Cam Cavitt remarked. He continued, “Congressman Jack Bergman’s efforts at the federal level will provide critical support to these initiatives, ensuring schools have the tools to address threats and mental health concerns more effectively. Together, these efforts will create safer, more supportive environments for our kids, both physically and emotionally.”

    “Commonsense legislation such as this is what our kids really need instead of the political games that Lansing politicians have played with their lives. During a time of heightened security threats in our school systems, we need more safety resources and funding for key programs, not less. I commend Rep. Bergman for his work on this issue and I’ll continue to work alongside him to keep our schools safe,” State Representative Ken Borton stated.

    “As a former Special Education teacher I am troubled by the cuts in School Resource Officer funding,” State Representative Ed Markkanen added. “This legislation will ensure our schools have SRO’s present across the U.P. and the rest of Michigan.”

    Speaking to the budgetary importance of SRO funding, Kenneth Grabowski, Legislative Director, Police Officers Association of Michigan said, “Everyone wants to talk about school safety, but far too often politicians fail to put their money where their mouth is. This year, the state changed budget priorities and cut millions of dollars in dedicated school safety funding, putting our students and teachers at risk. We commend Rep. Bergman for stepping up and introducing the School Resource Officer Funding Protection Act to ensure our kids are safe at school and our SRO’s are properly funded.”

    “Funding for School Resource Officers and mental health are a critical part of keeping our children safe. Cuts in these areas make it difficult for police departments and school districts to keep this lifesaving service available in our state.  In rural communities, where police response if often delayed due to a limited amount of law enforcement, these cuts make it next to impossible to provide adequate security for our students and faculty,” Gaylord City Police Chief Frank Claeys stated.

    Emmet County Sheriff Pete Wallin expressed his support, “Our students are our future. Protecting them is one of the most important jobs we have. Restoring full funding for our School Resource Officers is critical at a time when threats are at an all time high. I applaud Rep. Bergman for introducing this badly needed legislation.”

    “As Sheriff, one of the most important jobs I have is protecting our children at our schools. I’m grateful that Representative Bergman introduced this legislation to protect our School Resource Officers following massive cuts at the State level,” said Otsego County Sheriff Matthew Nowicki.

    The State of Michigan’s fiscal year 2025 budget slashes nearly $302 million in school safety and mental health funding. The funds will be reduced to $26.5 million come October 1, 2024, a 92% decrease. Rep. Bergman’s legislation will ensure that any state which fails to maintain the required funding levels for SRO programs will see its federal education aid reduced, unless a waiver has been granted. Waivers can be granted by the Secretary of the Department of Education on a case-by-case basis.

    Read the full text of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Neal Statement on USTR Enforcement Action under the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA)

    Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member released the following statement after the United States Trade Representative (USTR) announced enforcement action under the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement (PTPA):

    “Today’s timber enforcement action demonstrates the unwavering commitment of USTR and the Biden-Harris Administration to protecting our workers and environment. Step-by-step the Administration and House Democrats are shaping international trade to be a force for good in our communities, with House Democrats leading the effort to include the first-of-its-kind timber agreement in the Peru FTA. We structured the agreement to ensure that Peruvian timber doesn’t contribute to deforestation and that illegal loggers who do engage in unfair trade practices are held accountable. With this strong enforcement, we are standing up for American workers, our industry, and environment.

    Ways and Means Ranking Member Neal continued, “The U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Katherine Tai, deserves credit for her unfailing commitment to enforcing trade rules, with Congressman Earl Blumenauer as the driving force behind the Peruvian Forestry Annex when it was negotiated and leading on every major environmental advancement in trade policy for the two decades. Earl’s leadership will be sorely missed, but his legacy will endure and House Democrats will proudly carry his mantel forward.” 

    The PTPA contains a landmark Environment Chapter and Forest Annex, which includes a requirement for Peru to conduct audits and verifications of particular timber producers and exporters upon request from the United States. The agreement also provides for U.S. participation in the verification process and permits the United States to take compliance measures based on the results of a verification. Since the signing of the PTPA, the United States and Peru have cooperated in efforts to ensure the sustainable management of natural resources, however serious concerns about illegal logging in Peru remain. 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell, Moore, Murray Introduce SAFE for Survivors Act to Provide Economic Security for Domestic Violence Survivors

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Today, Representatives Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Gwen Moore (WI-04), along with Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), introduced the Security and Financial Empowerment (SAFE) for Survivors Act to establish provisions that promote the safety and security of survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, gender-based violence, and stalking. 

    The 2024 SAFE for Survivors Act allows victims to take time off from work without fear of penalty, requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations to assist survivors dealing with the aftermath of violence, provides access to unemployment benefits for survivors, and establishes insurance protections to support survivors–ensuring that victims are not punished for their abusers’ crimes.

    “Financial abuse occurs in nearly every case of domestic violence. So many survivors are financially tied to their abuser, which ends up being one of the main reasons survivors stay with an abusive partner,” Dingell said. “Survivors have unique needs in their journey to economic independence, and the provisions in this bill will support their ability to provide for their families safely and independently, whether they choose to enter, remain, or take time off from the workplace.”

    “Domestic violence survivors shouldn’t face financial hardship as they work to pick up the pieces after experiencing abuse,” Moore said. “But too many endure a financial cost, which is why we must work to remove these barriers, so that survivors can access the resources they need. That’s why I am thankful to partner with my House and Senate colleagues in much-needed legislation to strengthen survivors’ access to health care, unemployment benefits, and paid leave.”

    “No survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault should be forced to choose between their safety and their paycheck, job, or ability to support their family,” Murray said. “Survivors who are dealing with the mental and physical impacts of assault and violence often can’t afford to miss a day of work or can’t provide for their families on their own if they choose to leave a dangerous situation. We must do everything we can to change this heartbreaking reality. The SAFE Act for Survivors Act would take a huge step toward ensuring no woman or person is stuck between worrying for their safety and making ends meet.”

    One in four women in the U.S. experience physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime and one in four women report an attempted or completed rape during their lifetime. Individuals who experience intimate partner violence, sexual assault, gender-based violence and stalking often find that abuse and threats follow them from home into the workplace. This type of violence has direct consequences for survivors’ economic security, which can affect their ability to recover, provide for their families, and remove themselves from dangerous situations. 

    According to the Domestic Violence Hotline,  44% of full-time employed adults in the US reported experiencing the effect of domestic violence in their workplace; 21% identified themselves as victims of intimate partner violence. Domestic violence issues lead to nearly 8 million lost days of paid work each year, the equivalent of over 32,000 full-time jobs.

    Highlights of the 2024 SAFE for Survivors Act include: 

    Increased Access to Leave

    1. The SAFE for Survivors Act allows victims to take time off from work—40 days of leave, ten of which must be paid—without penalty in order to contend with the consequences of gender-based violence, including attending court appearances, seeking legal assistance, and getting help with safety planning. For too many victims, access to these essential services can mean the difference between life and death.

    Enhanced Workplace Protections

    1. The SAFE for Survivors Act prohibits discriminatory employment practices in connection with survivors of domestic or sexual violence and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to assist survivor dealing with the aftermath of violence.

    Access to Unemployment Benefits

    1. The SAFE for Survivors Act allows victims in every state access to unemployment benefits if they are fired or forced to leave their job because of abuse.

    Insurance Protections for Survivors

    1. The SAFE for Survivors Act prohibits denial or restriction of insurance coverage based on the status of the applicant or insured regarding abuse or abuse related claims, ensuring that victims are not punished for their abusers’ crimes.

    A section by section of the SAFE for Survivors Act is available HERE.

    In the House, the SAFE for Survivors Act is cosponsored by: Ann Kuster (NH-02), Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Barbara Lee (CA-12)

    In the Senate, the SAFE for Survivors Act is cosponsored by: Baldwin, Blumenthal, Casey, Hirono, Klobuchar, Padilla, Sanders, Shaheen.

    The SAFE for Survivors Act is endorsed by: National Partnership for Women & Families, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Ascend Justice, Just Solutions, Legal Momentum, The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund, Family Values @ Work, Center for American Progress, Futures Without Violence, A Better Balance, Legal Aid at Work, Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence, MomsRising, Center for Law and Social Policy, Women’s Center & Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, Women Employed, Project Safeguard, The Restaurant Opportunities Centers United (ROC UNITED), Family Forward, Caminar Latino-Latinos United for Peace and Equity, National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, National Network to End Domestic Violence, The Network Advocating Against Domestic Violence.

    “In Illinois, we are fortunate to have job-protected leave for survivors under the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act,” said Katherine Gaughan-Palombi, Senior Attorney of Economic Justice Project, Ascend Justice. “However, passage of the Federal SAFE Act would enhance employment protections and economic security for survivors in Illinois – such as including paid leave. It would also provide crucial safe leave and job protections for survivors across the nation.”

    “In our decades of work to enact workplace protections for survivors of gender-based violence and harassment, Legal Momentum has seen how essential these laws are to ensuring the safety of survivors. Yet, the slim patchwork of state and local laws leaves too many survivors at risk,” said Seher Khawaja, Director of Economic Justice, Legal Momentum, The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund. “We are grateful to Representative Dingell, Representative Moore, and Senator Murray for their leadership in introducing a comprehensive bill that would establish federal paid safe leave, anti-discrimination protections and reasonable accommodations in the workplace, and access to unemployment insurance for survivors. These protections are at the heart of safeguarding and empowering survivors, and we are proud to endorse the SAFE Act.”

    “At The Hotline, we hear time and time again that economic insecurity is the largest barrier preventing survivors from leaving abusive situations,” said Katie Ray-Jones, CEO of The National Domestic Violence Hotline. “The SAFE for Survivors Act, introduced by Senator Murray, and Representatives Dingell and Moore, answers this call by giving survivors the protections they need—whether it’s leave from work, unemployment benefits, or increased protections—they can better focus on their safety and recovery. We commend their efforts to prioritize survivors’ economic security,”

    “Family Values @ Work is proud to support Representatives Dingell and Moore’s and Senator Murray’s SAFE For Survivors Act of 2024,” said Family Values @ Work (FV@W) Deputy Director Erica Clemmons Dean. “We have long championed and advocated for the need for paid sick and safe time for all, and ensuring victims of domestic violence have access to paid sick and safe time is good policy. For 20 years, FV@W has worked to win paid time to care for all workers. We’ve been fortunate to have the support of the Congresswomen and Senator, and are proud to endorse the SAFE Act as well.”

    “Survivors deserve the opportunity to seek the care they need to leave their abusive partner without the looming fear that they will lose their job or income, and job-protected, paid safe leave provides that opportunity,” said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families. “We thank Senator Murray and Representative Dingell for their tremendous efforts to protect survivors and to support vulnerable workers and their families.”

    “Survivors of domestic and sexual violence deserve paid leave from work so they can be safe and seek justice and healing while still being able to keep their jobs,” said Esta Soler, President and Founder of Futures Without Violence. “Thank you Senator Murray and Representatives Dingell and Moore for introducing the SAFE for Survivors Act and always fighting for the economic security of all of survivors.”

    “For survivors of violence, safety and economic security go hand in hand,” said Molly Weston Williamson, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress. “The SAFE for Survivors Act would give survivors the tools they need to pursue safety without compromising their economic independence, including paid, protected safe leave from work for needs like relocating to safety or accessing legal or support services.”

    “Through our free and confidential legal helpline, A Better Balance hears far too often from workers who are forced to choose between their jobs and their personal or family safety,” said Jared Make, Vice President of A Better Balance. “It is imperative to provide safe leave to workers across the United States, to ensure that survivors of domestic and sexual violence are able to stay connected to the workforce while also remaining safe.”

    Dingell has long been a leader in Congress in combating domestic violence. She has led the Strengthening Protections for Domestic Violence and Stalking Survivors Act to close the boyfriend loophole and keep guns out of the hands of abusive dating partners and stalkers. In 2018, she established the Bipartisan Working Group to End Domestic Violence to bring together a bipartisan group of members to identify ways to strengthen resources and protections for survivors and their children.

    She has been working to address funding shortfalls in the Victims of Crime Act’s (VOCA) Crime Victims Fund (CVF), the largest source of federal grant funding for victim services organizations, including organizations supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence, child abuse, stalking, and other crimes. 

    In April, Dingell led a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel, urging the Commission to take proactive measures to address the threat of domestic abusers exploiting connectivity tools in vehicles to harass and intimidate their partners.

    This year she co-led the Justice in Sentencing for Survivors Act, which authorizes the court to impose a sentence that is below the mandatory minimum if the offender’s crime is connected to their survivor status, and the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which bans the publication of non-consensual intimate images (also known as deepfakes) prohibits their distribution and creates a criminal penalty for doing so, and requires websites to have a removal process.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Announces $50 Million for Battery Manufacturing in Van Buren Township

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) today announced Cabot Corporation will receive $50 million from the Department of Energy (DOE) to build the first commercial-scale facility in the U.S. to produce critical components for lithium-ion batteries in Van Buren Township. The grant was awarded under the DOE’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing funding opportunity as part of a $355 total million investment in battery manufacturing in Michigan. 

    “Our state is driving the next generation of auto innovation and technology, and there’s no better place for this plant than here in Southeast Michigan. To keep America a global leader in EVs and manufacturing, we must ensure electric vehicles, their batteries, all their components, and their infrastructure are built here at home,” Dingell said. “This investment will strengthen our domestic battery supply chain, create good paying union jobs, support Michigan’s auto leadership, and advance our transition to a clean-energy future.”

    “We are grateful for the Department of Energy’s support in selecting Cabot Corporation for this significant grant, which underscores the importance of building a strong domestic supply chain for critical battery materials in the U.S. With the strong support of Congresswoman Dingell and other congressional leaders, we are confident this project will contribute meaningfully to the future of clean energy and drive sustainable innovation in Michigan and the U.S.,” said Martin O’Neill, Cabot Corporation, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer. “This funding accelerates our efforts to establish the first U.S. commercial-scale production facility of battery-grade carbon nanotubes and conductive additive dispersions located here in Michigan. We are excited about the opportunities this project brings to the state, not only in terms of job creation and local economic growth, but also in advancing the clean energy transition.”

    Cabot Corporation will build and operate a plant capable of producing an initial ~1,000 tons per year of battery-grade carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and up to 12,000 tons per year of conductive additive (CA) dispersions at a commercial scale to support the domestic lithium-ion battery supply chain. Conductive additives, including CNTs, are indispensable ingredients in battery electrodes, connecting active materials within a conductive matrix. Without conductive additives, lithium-ion batteries do not work. Cabot’s plant will be the first production-scale facility to manufacture and supply battery-grade CNTs and CA dispersions in the U.S., expanding U.S. capabilities in advanced battery manufacturing, reducing reliance on imports, and strengthening national security. 

    The facility is expected to employ approximately 85 permanent workers and more than 250 tradespeople during construction. Cabot will work with the local government to sign a Good Neighbor Agreement and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the North American Building Trades Union (NABTU) for construction of the facility and a neutrality agreement with the International Chemical Workers Union Council (ICWUC) for the operations of the facility. Cabot will also partner with local and regional universities, colleges, and trade schools to implement internship programs, support STEM career development, and promote training opportunities to develop a qualified and skilled domestic workforce.

    Learn more about the project here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Climate change is a pollution problem, and countries know how to deal with pollution threats – think DDT and acid rain

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Alexander E. Gates, Professor of Earth and Environmental Science, Rutgers University – Newark

    Adding scrubbers in coal-fired power plants helped reduce acid rain, but they continued to fuel climate change. Drums600 via Wikimedia, CC BY-SA

    Climate change can seem like an insurmountable challenge. However, if you look closely at its causes, you’ll realize that history is filled with similar health and environmental threats that humanity has overcome.

    The main cause of climate change – carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels – is really just another pollutant. And countries know how to reduce harmful pollutants. They did it with the pesticide DDT, lead paint and the power plant emissions that were causing acid rain, among many others.

    In each of those cases, growing public outcry eventually led to policy changes, despite pushback from industry. Once pressured by laws and regulations, industries ramped up production of safer solutions.

    I am an earth and environmental scientist, and my latest book, “Reclaiming Our Planet,” explores history’s lessons in overcoming seemingly insurmountable hazards. Here are a few examples:

    Banning DDT despite industry pushback

    DDT was the first truly effective pesticide and considered to be miraculous. By killing mosquitoes and lice, it wiped out malaria and other diseases in many countries, and in agriculture, it saved tons of crops.

    After World War II, DDT was applied to farms, buildings and gardens throughout the United States. However, it also had drawbacks. It accumulated in mother’s milk to levels where it could deliver a toxic dose to infants. Women were advised against nursing their babies in the 1960s because of the danger.

    U.S. bald eagle populations were decimated by DDT. Once the chemical was banned, they began to rebound.
    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

    In addition, DDT bioaccumulated up the food chain to toxic levels in apex species like raptors. It weakened the eggshells to the point where brooding mothers crushed their eggs. Bald eagles were reduced to 417 breeding pairs across North America by 1967 and were placed on the endangered species list.

    Biologist Rachel Carson documented DDT’s damage in her 1962 book “Silent Spring” and, in doing so, catalyzed a public environmental movement. Despite disinformation campaigns and attacks from the chemical industry, tremendous public pressure on politicians led to congressional hearings, state and federal restrictions and eventually a U.S. ban on the general use of DDT in 1972.

    Rachel Carson, whose book ‘Silent Spring’ led to a study of pesticides, testifies before a Senate committee in Washington on June 4, 1963.
    AP Photo/Charles Gorry

    Bald eagles recovered to 320,000 in the United States by 2017, about equal to populations from before European settlement. The chemical industry, facing a DDT ban, quickly developed much safer pesticides.

    Building evidence of lead’s hazards

    Lead use skyrocketed in the 20th century, particularly in paints, plumbing and gasoline. It was so widespread that just about everyone was exposed to a metal that research now shows can harm the kidneys, liver, cardiovascular system and children’s brain development.

    Clair “Pat” Patterson, a geochemist at the California Institute of Technology, showed that Americans were continuously exposed to lead at near toxic levels. Human skeletons from the 1960s were found to have up to 1,200 times the lead of ancient skeletons. Today, health standards say there’s no safe level of lead in the blood.

    Lead paint was banned for residential use in the U.S. in 1978, but existing lead paint in older homes can still chip, creating a health risk for children today.
    EPA

    Despite threats both personally and professionally and a disinformation campaign from industry, Patterson and his supporters compiled years of evidence to warn the public and eventually pressured politicians to ban lead from many uses, including in gasoline and residential paints.

    Once regulations were in place, industry ramped up production of substitutes. As a result, lead levels in the blood of children decreased by 97% over the next several decades. While lead exposure is less common now, some people are still exposed to dangerous levels lingering in homes, pipes and soil, often in low-income neighborhoods.

    Stopping acid rain: An international problem

    Acid rain is primarily caused when sulfur dioxide, released into the air by the burning of coal, high-sulfur oil and smelting and refining of metals, interacts with rain or fog. The acidic rain that falls can destroy forests, kill lake ecosystems and dissolve statues and corrode infrastructure.

    Acid rain damage across Europe and North America in the 20th century also showed the world how air pollution, which doesn’t stop at borders, can become an international crisis requiring international solutions.

    The problem of acid rain began well over a century ago, but sulfur dioxide levels grew quickly after World War II. A thermal inversion in London in 1952 created such a concentration of sulfur dioxide and other air pollutants that it killed thousands of people. As damage to forests and lakes worsened across Europe, countries signed international agreements starting in the 1980s to cut their sulfur dioxide emissions.

    Trees killed by acid rain in the Czech Republic in 1998. Forests across many parts of Europe and North America suffered from acid rain damage.
    Seitz/ullstein bild via Getty Images

    In the U.S., emissions from Midwestern power plants killed fish and trees in the pristine Adirondacks. The damage, health concerns and multiple disasters outraged the public, and politicians responded.

    Sulfur dioxide was named as one of the six criteria air pollutants in the groundbreaking 1970 U.S. Clean Air Act, which required the federal government to set limits on its release. Power plants installed scrubbers to capture the pollutant, and over the next 40 years, sulfur dioxide concentrations in the U.S. decreased by about 95%.

    Parallels with climate change

    There are many parallels between these examples and climate change today.

    Mountains of scientific evidence show how carbon dixoide emissions from fossil fuel combustion in vehicles, factories and power plants are warming the planet. The fossil fuel industry began using its political power and misinformation campaigns decades ago to block regulations that were designed to slow climate change.

    And people around the world, facing worsening heat and weather disasters fueled by global warming, have been calling for action to stop climate change and invest in cleaner energy.

    The first Earth Day, in 1970, drew 20 million people. Rallies in recent years have shifted the focus to climate change and have drawn millions of people around the world.

    Public campaigns and huge rallies for action on climate change, like this one in New York City in 2023, help put public pressure on politicians.
    Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images

    The challenge has been getting politicians to act, but that is slowly changing in many countries.

    The United States has started investing in scaling up several tools to rein in climate change, including electric vehicles, wind turbines and solar panels. Federal and state policies, such as requirements for renewable energy production and limits on greenhouse gas emissions, are also crucial for getting industries to switch to less harmful alternatives.

    Climate change is a global problem that will require efforts worldwide. International agreements are also helping more countries take steps forward. One shift that has been discussed by countries for years could help boost those efforts: Ending the billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded fossil fuel subsidies and shifting that money to healthier solutions could help move the needle toward slowing climate change.

    Alexander E. Gates is affiliated with The Newark Green Team.

    – ref. Climate change is a pollution problem, and countries know how to deal with pollution threats – think DDT and acid rain – https://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-a-pollution-problem-and-countries-know-how-to-deal-with-pollution-threats-think-ddt-and-acid-rain-236479

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Condemns National Review Cartoon Depicting Rep. Tlaib

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Dingell Condemns National Review Cartoon Depicting Rep. Tlaib

    WASHINGTON, September 20, 2024

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) released the following statement condemning the National Review cartoon depicting Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-12).

    “This cartoon is vile, Islamophobic, racist, hateful, and unequivocally false. At a time when we must be combating all forms of hatred and xenophobia, this inflammatory depiction does the opposite. Though the harm already done cannot be reversed, the cartoon should be removed, and the National Review and the artist owe Rep. Tlaib an apology. Rising hatred, anger, and discrimination of all kinds, including Islamophobia and antisemitism, are inciting violence across the country and putting communities in real danger, including many in my district. I stand against any attack against any member of my community. This must stop.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Can you trust companies that say their plastic products are recyclable? US regulators may crack down on deceptive claims

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Patrick Parenteau, Professor of Law Emeritus, Vermont Law & Graduate School

    Keurig, maker of K-Cup single-use coffee pods, was recently fined for claiming the pods were recyclable. Dixie D. Vereen/For The Washington Post, via Getty Images

    Plastic is a fast-growing segment of U.S. municipal solid waste, and most of it ends up in the environment. Just 9% of plastic collected in municipal solid waste was recycled as of 2018, the most recent year for which national data is available. The rest was burned in waste-to-energy plants or buried in landfills.

    Manufacturers assert that better recycling is the optimal way to reduce plastic pollution. But critics argue that the industry often exaggerates how readily items can actually be recycled. In September 2024, beverage company Keurig Dr Pepper was fined US$1.5 million for inaccurately claiming that its K-Cup coffee pods were recyclable after two large recycling companies said they could not process the cups. California is suing ExxonMobil, accusing the company of falsely promoting plastic products as recyclable.

    Environmental law scholar Patrick Parenteau explains why claims about recyclability have confused consumers, and how forthcoming guidelines from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission may address this problem.

    Why do manufacturers need guidance on what ‘recyclable’ means?

    Stating that a product is recyclable means that it can be collected, separated or otherwise recovered from the waste stream for reuse or in the manufacture of other products. But defining exactly what that means is difficult for several reasons:

    • Different U.S. states have different recycling regulations and guidelines, which can affect what is considered recyclable in a given location.

    • The availability and quality of recycling infrastructure also varies from place to place. Even if a product technically is recyclable, a local recycling facility may not be able to accept it because its equipment can’t process it.

    • If no market demand for the recycled material exists, recycling companies may be unlikely to accept it.

    Most plastic goods that consumers put in their recycle bins aren’t recycled, despite the “chasing arrow” label. Critics say manufacturers have deceived the public to avert plastic bans.

    What is the Federal Trade Commission’s role?

    Public concern about plastic pollution has skyrocketed in recent years. A 2020 survey found that globally, 91% of consumers were concerned about plastic waste.

    Once plastic enters the environment, it can take 1,000 years or more to decompose, depending on environmental conditions. Exposure through ingestion, inhalation or in drinking water poses potential risks to human health and wildlife.

    The Federal Trade Commission’s role is to protect the public from deceptive or unfair business practices and unfair methods of competition. Every year, it brings hundreds of cases against individuals and companies for violating consumer protection and competition laws. These cases can involve fraud, scams, identity theft, false advertising, privacy violations, anticompetitive behavior and more.

    The FTC publishes references called the Green Guides, which are designed to help marketers avoid making environmental claims that mislead consumers. The guides were first issued in 1992 and were revised in 1996, 1998 and 2012. While the guides themselves are not enforceable, the commission can use them to prove that a claim is deceptive, in violation of federal law.

    The guidance they provide includes:

    • General principles that apply to all environmental marketing claims

    • How consumers are likely to interpret claims, and how marketers can substantiate these claims

    • How marketers can qualify their claims to avoid deceiving consumers

    The agency monitors environmentally themed marketing for potentially deceptive claims and evaluates compliance with the FTC Act of 1914 by reference to the Green Guides. Marketing inconsistent with the Green Guides may be considered unfair or deceptive under Section 5 of the FTC Act.

    Courts also refer to the Green Guides when they evaluate claims for false advertising in private litigation.

    Currently, the Green Guides state that marketers should qualify claims that products are recyclable when recycling facilities are not available to at least 60% of consumers or communities where a product is sold.

    How is the agency addressing recyclability claims?

    The FTC is reviewing the Green Guides and issued a request for public comment on the guides in late 2022. In May 2023, the agency convened a workshop called Talking Trash at the FTC: Recycling Claims and the Green Guides.

    This meeting focused on the 60% processing threshold for recyclability claims. It also addressed potential confusion created by the “chasing arrows” recycling symbol, which often identifies the type of plastic resin used in a product, using the numbers 1 through 7.

    Many critics argue that consumers may see the symbol and assume that a product is recyclable, even though municipal recycling programs are not widely available for some types of resins. Other labels use a version of the symbol for products such as single-use grocery bags that aren’t accepted in most curbside recycling programs but can be dropped off at designated stores for recycling.

    The FTC has sought public comments on specific characteristics that make products recyclable. It also has asked whether unqualified recyclability claims should be made when recycling facilities are available to a “substantial majority” of consumers or communities where the item is sold – even if the item is not ultimately recycled due to market demand, budgetary constraints or other factors.

    What are companies and environmental advocates saying?

    Organizations representing environmental interests, recycling businesses and the waste and packaging industries have offered numerous suggestions for updating the Green Guides. For example:

    • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency urged the FTC to increase its threshold for recyclability claims beyond the current 60% rate. The EPA said that products and packaging “should not be considered recyclable without strong end markets in which they can reliably be sold for a price higher than the cost of disposal.” It also recommended requiring companies’ recyclability claims to be reviewed and certified by outside experts.

    • The Consumer Brands Association, which represents the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Plastics Industry Association and other commercial interests, called for more research into public understanding of environmental marketing claims. To help companies avoid making deceptive advertising claims, it urged the FTC to provide more detailed explanations, with examples of acceptable marketing.

    • The Association of Plastic Recyclers encouraged the FTC to increase enforcement against deceptive unqualified claims of both recyclability and recycled content. It recommended providing stronger, more prescriptive guidance; publicizing specific examples from the marketplace of deceptive representations; and sending warning letters when companies appear to be making unsubstantiated claims. It also asked the FTC to maintain its current recyclability claim threshold at 60% and to update the Green Guides again within five years instead of 10.

    • A coalition of environmental groups, including Greenpeace USA and the Center for Biological Diversity, urged the commission to codify the Green Guides into binding rules. They also argued that for goods that require in-store drop-off, companies should have to prove that processors can capture and recycle at least 75% of the material.

    The FTC has not set a date for publishing a final version of the revised Green Guides. All eyes will be on the agency to see how far it is willing to go to police recycling claims by manufacturers in this $90 billion U.S. industry.

    Patrick Parenteau does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Can you trust companies that say their plastic products are recyclable? US regulators may crack down on deceptive claims – https://theconversation.com/can-you-trust-companies-that-say-their-plastic-products-are-recyclable-us-regulators-may-crack-down-on-deceptive-claims-239156

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Statement on Commerce Proposed Rulemaking on Connected Vehicles

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) released the following statement on the Department of Commerce’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would prohibit the sale or import of connected vehicles integrating specific pieces of hardware and software, or those components sold separately, with a sufficient nexus to the People’s Republic of China or Russia.

    “As our vehicles become smarter, safer, and increasingly connected, it’s important we’re taking action to mitigate security risks, especially when this technology is coming from countries of concern, like China and Russia. An investigation by the Department of Commerce concluded that technology from these adversarial countries poses a real risk both to consumers and to American infrastructure. For example, we know that Chinese automakers are deploying autonomous vehicles in the U.S. for surveillance and data collection, meanwhile banning American vehicles from their own streets. Today’s NPRM is an important step to combat the real threat this poses. We must maintain our leadership at the forefront of the global auto industry in a way that protects Americans’ privacy and safety and strengthens our national security.”

    The proposed rule focuses on hardware and software integrated into the Vehicle Connectivity System (VCS) and software integrated into the Automated Driving System (ADS). These are the critical systems that, through specific hardware and software, allow for external connectivity and autonomous driving capabilities in connected vehicles. Malicious access to these systems could allow adversaries to access and collect our most sensitive data and remotely manipulate cars on American roads. The proposed rule would apply to all wheeled on-road vehicles such as cars, trucks, and buses, but would exclude vehicles not used on public roads like agricultural or mining vehicles.

    The rule would also prohibit manufacturers with a nexus to the PRC or Russia from selling connected vehicles that incorporate VCS hardware or software or ADS software in the United States, even if the vehicle was made in the United States.

    The prohibitions on software would take effect for Model Year 2027 and the prohibitions on hardware would take effect for Model Year 2030, or January 1, 2029 for units without a model year.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dingell Statement on Violent Incidents in Ann Arbor

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)

    Dingell Statement on Violent Incidents in Ann Arbor

    ANN ARBOR, Mich. , September 23, 2024

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-06) released the following statement on two reported incidents in Ann Arbor.
     
    “Over the weekend there were two more reported incidents of assault against individuals potentially because of their faith or religion. As a community we must support law enforcement in investigating the facts and holding all perpetrators accountable. Violence, hateful language, or threats toward anyone are unacceptable and each of us must stand up against them to protect our neighbors. Antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, and sexism are happening too often and have no place in our communities or anywhere in our country. We cannot allow this behavior to be normalized, ignored, or tolerated, and most importantly, we cannot let this define who we are. I am concerned about increasing incidents of hate and people being pitted against each other, and about the factors at work stirring up hate and division. We must remain especially vigilant as we grow nearer to the election and outside forces may seek to inflame hatred, division, and controversy.” 
     
    You can anonymously report any information you wish to share with police at aapd.a2gov.org/silentwitness.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Connolly, Correa Lead Nearly 60 Members Calling for TPS or DED for Guatemalan Nationals in United States

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Gerry Connolly (D-Va)

    Today, Representative Lou Correa (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee, and Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) led nearly 60 of their colleagues in a letter urging the Biden-Harris Administration to designate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Guatemalan nationals residing in the United States.

    “We write to urgently request that your administration provide temporary humanitarian protections for Guatemalan nationals living in the United States by either designating the country for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) or authorizing Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for Guatemalan nationals,” the members wrote. “Several significant and overlapping natural disasters are causing substantial disruption and hampering the country’s ability to adequately handle the return of its nationals at this time. Additionally, widespread impunity, corruption, and violence are preventing Guatemalans from returning to the country safely.”

    Today, the vast majority of Guatemalans have lived in the United States for many years and are deeply integrated into the fabric of American families, communities, and local economies. Providing these humanitarian protections will reinforce the relationship that the United States is developing with the new, democratically elected government in Guatemala, which has committed to taking steps to try to ameliorate many of the conditions that have long been neglected by previous Guatemalan leaders.

    “Granting TPS or DED to Guatemalan nationals in the United States is entirely within the legal authority of this administration and it is both the right and the smart thing to do,” the members concluded. “The problems in Guatemala today are deeply rooted and they pose a threat not only to the safety and security of Guatemalan nationals who have long resided in the United States, but also to the U.S. Government’s efforts to address the root causes of forced and irregular migration in the hemisphere.”

    The U.S. Government’s official reports on human rights abuses and violence in Guatemala are unsparing. The State Department’s 2023 Human Rights Report cites credible reports of: “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment by the government; harsh and life threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest or detention,” and more.

    “The President has recognized the critical role that Temporary Protected Status plays in offering relief to families,” says Gustavo Torres, Executive Director of CASA. “We urge him and the administration to continue to extend relief to those who have been a part of our community for decades. A designation of TPS or DED for Guatemala would ensure that CASA members and Guatemalan families across the country will be able to secure work authorization, allowing them to support their loved ones without the constant fear of being separated. As so many have become fundamental members of communities across the US, we call on the administration to recognize their long-standing contributions and ensure that those who now call the US home can do so with pride and security.” 

    Led by Correa and Connolly, this letter was endorsed by CASA co-signed by nearly 60 Democratic members of the House of Representatives. A full list of co-signers can be found HERE.

    “Due to climate change and natural disasters, Guatemala does not have an infrastructure where people can continue to live, as many communities are destroyed,” said Julian Ramirez, CASA member in Georgia. “In 2020, I watched as Hurricane Eta and Iota destroyed people’s homes. Completely destroyed the agriculture that our people rely on. We immigrants came to this country to contribute to our families and to this country at the same time. We come to work, to support our families, and a TPS would give us the freedom and opportunity to do more than we can now.”

    “TPS will give me the protection I need to keep working and supporting my family,” says Jose Berduo, CASA community member in Virginia. “As an essential agriculture worker, it means I can continue contributing to the economy without the constant fear of losing everything—or losing my family to deportation. I immigrated with my family 16 years ago from Guatemala, and ever since then, I’ve been working on America’s farms, helping to feed our communities. TPS would provide the stability I need to keep supporting my family and fulfilling my dreams while giving back to the country that has become my home.”

    “A TPS or DED designation from President Joe Biden for the Guatemalans unprotected in our country is the biggest hope they have after decades of contributing to the economy and raising their families here in the US,” says Walter Baltres, President of the Red Migrante Guatemalteco (Guatemalan Immigrant Network). “This is a long overdue act of dignification for our members across forty states. There is no moment better than right now to bring our people out from behind the shadows.”

    You can read the full text of the letter HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: After recent attacks, the Hezbollah-Israel confrontation could become more intense

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Emilie El Khoury, Postdoctoral fellow at Queen’s University’s Centre for International Policy and Defence (CIDP), Queen’s University, Ontario

    The violent conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has intensified in recent days. Reports from Lebanon indicate Israeli air strikes have killed 356 people and injured more than 1,200.

    These latest air strikes come shortly after thousands of pagers and other electronic devices exploded across Lebanon on Sept. 17 and 18, killing 37 people and injuring thousands.

    Hezbollah quickly laid the blame for the explosions on Israel, which has not taken credit for the attack. Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said international humanitarian law prohibits the use of booby-trapped devices and that “it is a war crime to commit violence intended to spread terror among civilians.”

    Days later, Israel bombed a building in Beirut, killing 45 people, including a Hezbollah commander.

    Israeli officials have reportedly said their recent attacks on Lebanon are an attempt to reach “de-escalation through escalation.” However, in response, Hezbollah has launched hundreds of rockets deep into Israel, signalling that Israeli attempts at de-escalatory escalation are unlikely to work.

    In a speech following the pager explosions, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said Israel had “crossed all red lines,” that the group remained resolved and that it would continue its attacks on Israel.

    Psychological warfare

    Since the current Hamas-Israel war began in October 2023, the violent exchanges between Hezbollah and the Israeli military have been based on a logic of deterrence, with each side attempting to discourage the other from widening the conflict.

    However, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant recently said the focus of Israel’s war effort is moving to the north of the country and that Israel plans to deepen its attacks on Lebanon.

    Israeli President Isaac Herzog has claimed Hezbollah hides rockets in civilian homes, suggesting they could become targets. Meanwhile, the Israeli education minister has called for “a massive war against Lebanon.” He has also declared: “There is no difference between Hezbollah and Lebanon. The way things are progressing, Lebanon will be annihilated.”

    Such comments, along with the attacks on Lebanon, indicate the confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel may become more intense in the coming weeks and months. They also exacerbate the level of terror among civilian populations already grappling with the uncertainty and stress the war has wrought.

    While Israel has not confirmed it was behind the pager explosions, Israeli jets regularly fly over Lebanon, causing sonic booms as they break the sound barrier. This is a tactic designed to spread fear among the civilian population.

    Israel has adopted a similar tactic in Gaza, using drones that produce a loud constant buzzing sound that causes anxiety and a sense of insecurity.

    These displays allow Israel to demonstrate the strength of its military capabilities. In this context, Israel is intensifying its attacks across Lebanon to erode the morale of the Lebanese people.

    What is terrorism?

    The explosions across Lebanon instilled deep terror among the population. Among the injured and killed were innocent civilians, including children.

    This raises the question: Do indiscriminate attacks that spread fear among civilian populations qualify as terrorist if they possess all the characteristics of terrorism but lack a specific objective or motivation given that no one has claimed any?

    Politics scholars have attempted to come up with definitions of terrorism. Some argue any action that generates terror or panic and aims to destabilize society can be considered a terrorist act.

    However, the lack of a clear claim complicates this classification. These acts seem more akin to criminal acts, as the political or ideological motivations are not formally established.

    The concept of terrorism originated during the French Revolution, particularly during the Reign of Terror, a violent period marked by the execution of tens of thousands by revolutionary governments.

    In response to state terror, groups identifying as revolutionaries emerged, employing similar tactics to resist their authorities, and these groups were seen as terrorists.

    Since then, terrorism has been viewed as a form of violent communication directed at a state, using lethal means to instil fear and achieve specific ideological or political goals.

    In 1979, the United States government began designating certain countries as “state sponsors of terrorism,” with Iran notably implicated in supporting such activities following the Iranian Revolution.

    Today, the question of whether states employ tactics akin to terrorism is complex and widely debated. Anti-terrorism strategies typically aim to protect nations from immediate threats, while counterinsurgency focuses on stabilizing and supporting existing governments.

    But violent counterinsurgency raises ethical dilemmas. It can perpetuate cycles of violence, cause more terror and reinforce rebellion among affected populations.

    Do such attacks work?

    If the goal is to spread fear, then these attacks are successful. The explosions triggered scenes of panic in public places as shops, restaurants, schools and hospitals became sites of terror.

    However, if — as the Israeli government has suggested — the attacks seek to weaken Hezbollah’s support among the Lebanese population, they can have the opposite effect. Although many Lebanese people have been critical of Hezbollah’s involvement in the conflict, these recent attacks are perceived as targeted against all Lebanese.

    Many innocent civilians were killed or injured, including women, children and health-care workers. People from all walks of life felt a palpable threat, giving rise to unprecedented solidarity.

    From an anthropological perspective, Israel’s latest attacks have galvanized a greater sense of solidarity within the Lebanese population. Following the attacks, calls for blood donations poured in, while various political parties and religious groups expressed support for the victims.

    For Hezbollah, these attacks, despite the significant human losses, can bolster it politically. They reinforce its narrative of martyrdom and portray the group as a defender of Lebanon to its supporters.

    The cross-border attacks by Israel and Hezbollah are in part designed to pressure the civilian populations, and in turn, the opposing side. However, this psychological war has not yielded the expected results for either side. Thousands of civilians on both sides of the border have had to flee their homes. However, neither side has seemingly been deterred.

    As the attacks become more deadly and rhetoric more inflammatory, there is an urgent need to de-escalate tensions, abandon this violent approach and return to diplomacy.

    Emilie El Khoury receives funding for her postdoctoral research at Queen’s University from Queen’s Research Opportunities Postdoctoral Fund.

    – ref. After recent attacks, the Hezbollah-Israel confrontation could become more intense – https://theconversation.com/after-recent-attacks-the-hezbollah-israel-confrontation-could-become-more-intense-239554

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Issa, Phillips Introduce Legislation to Counter Houthi Human Rights Abuses, Anticipate Markup

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-50)

    WASHINGTON – Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Congressman Dean Phillips (MN-03), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, introduced the Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act (H.R. 9564). The legislation will address human rights abuses, student indoctrination, and attempted aid diversion by the Houthis in Yemen. The legislation has been noticed for markup in the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, September 24.

    “The Houthis campaign of terror has expanded from a serious regional concern to a daily crisis in a part of the world that is increasingly unstable with armed conflict across multiple nations,” said Rep. Issa. “Their blatant human rights abuses, teaching of antisemitic hate, and outright theft of international aid are happening every day, and the Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act puts a spotlight where it belongs, tells the truth about these terrorists, and will put our national interest on a better course to deal with it.”

    “The Houthis, an Iranian-backed terrorist organization, wreak havoc not only across the region through its relentless attacks in the Red Sea, but also on the Yemeni people,” said Rep. Phillips. “I am appalled by the Houthis’ continued human rights abuses against Yemeni civilians, especially children, as well as the continued detention of international aid workers. This brutal behavior must be held to account, which is why I am pleased to introduce the Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act with Rep. Issa.”   

    The Houthi movement, officially known as Ansarallah, is a longtime terrorist group based in Yemen. It has also received material and monetary support from Iran for the express purpose of committing terrorism within Yemen as well as regionally. Additionally, since October 7th of last year, the Houthis have carried out a daily campaign of firing drones, rockets, and missiles to significantly disrupt international shipping in and around the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden while frequently attacking U.S. Navy vessels.

    Specifically, H.R. 9564:

    • Affirms the sense of Congress that the Houthi antisemitic indoctrination is a threat to regional stability
    • Requires the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to inform Congress on Houthi indoctrination, on gross violations of human rights abuses by the Houthis, and how the Houthis have attempted to interfere with humanitarian aid delivery in Yemen.
    • Requires a determination on whether Houthis involved in blocking humanitarian aid and human rights abuses should be sanctioned under the Global Magnitsky Act.
    • Requires a determination on whether Houthis should be sanctioned for hostage-taking under the Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery and Hostage-Taking Accountability Act. 

    The text of the bill can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Secretary Blinken delivers remarks at the Summit of the Future – 5:30 PM

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

    Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken delivers remarks at the Summit of the Future in New York City, New York, on September 23, 2024.
    ———-
    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.

    Get updates from the U.S. Department of State at www.state.gov and on social media!
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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jorfc3QBMk0

    MIL OSI Video –