Category: Asia Pacific

MIL-OSI Europe: President Erdoğan’s Address to the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Source: Republic of Turkey

ADDRESS TO THE 79TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
by
THE PRESIDENT of the REPUBLIC of TÜRKİYE,
H.E. RECEP TAYYİP ERDOĞAN
(24 SEPTEMBER 2024, NEW YORK)

Mr. President,
Distinguished Heads of State and Government,
Mr. Secretary General,
Esteemed Delegates,
I greet you with my most heartfelt feelings and respect on behalf of myself, my country and my nation.
I am very pleased to have the opportunity to address the United Nations General Assembly once again today.
I wish the 79th General Assembly to be beneficial to our countries and to all humanity.
I would like to congratulate Mr. Dennis FRANCIS, who has completed his Presidency of the General Assembly, and I wish success to Mr. Philemon YANG, who assumed this duty.
I would like to express our pleasure in seeing the Representative of the friendly and brotherly Palestine in the place he deserves among the member states, after lengthy struggles.
I wish this historic step to be the last stage on the way to Palestine’s membership in the United Nations.
I also invite other states, that have not yet done so, to recognize the State of Palestine as soon as possible and take their place on the right side of history at this very critical period.
Distinguished Delegates…
We are living through and trying to manage the crises minute by minute that most of my friends here watch on TV screens.
Therefore, I am addressing you today as the leader of a country that is not far from the tensions, but right in their epicentre.
Even if some feel uncomfortable, even if some will once again criticize us, I wish to speak out certain truths openly today, in the name of humanity, from the common rostrum of humanity.
Let’s consider… the United Nations, under whose roof we are now, was established to maintain international peace and security after the Second World War, during which millions of people lost their lives.
With the establishment of the United Nations, expectations for global stability, peace and justice blossomed again, and hopes for peace revived.
However, we observe with regret that in recent years, the United Nations is struggling to fulfill its founding mission and is gradually turning into a dysfunctional, unwieldy and inert structure.
We need the values represented by the maxim “THE WORLD IS BIGGER THAN FIVE”, more and more nowadays.
We witness that international peace and security are too important to be left to the arbitrariness of the “privileged five”.
The most dramatic example of this is the massacre that has been going on in Gaza for 353 days.
More than 41 thousand Palestinians have lost their lives in the ongoing Israeli attacks since October 7.
41 thousand people, 41 thousand lives brutally taken away, most of whom are children and women.
Similarly, the whereabouts of more than 10 thousand Gazans, most of whom are children, is unknown.
In the same way, about 100 thousand people have been injured and become disabled.
172 journalists have been killed while trying to do their job under difficult conditions.
More than 500 paramedics working to save lives have been killed.
Humanitarian aid workers and more than 210 United Nations personnel, who rushed to the rescue of the people of Gaza struggling with hunger and thirst, have been killed.
They hit 820 mosques and 3 churches that should be protected even at war.
They hit tens of hospitals, hundreds of schools, and more than 130 ambulances carrying patients.
By tearing down the Charter of the United Nations at the United Nations rostrum, they shamelessly challenged the whole world, all the conscientious people right from here, from this rostrum.
Friends…
The leaked images from the prisons that Israel has turned into “concentration camps” indicate very clearly what kind of persecution we are facing.
As a result of the Israeli attacks, Gaza has become the largest cemetery for children and women in the world.
More than 17 thousand children have been the targets of Israeli bullets and bombs.
HİND RAJAB was only 6 years old.
Their vehicle was hit by Israeli forces while she was searching for a safe place with her relatives.
Her uncle, aunt-in-law, and cousins all died, only she survived.
For 12 days she waited desperately to be rescued.
She waited for a helping hand to reach out to her for 12 days, saying, “WILL YOU COME TO PICK ME UP? I AM SCARED!”
Despite the level of development which our world has reached, despite the technology at our disposal; despite our organisations with huge budgets employing thousands of personnel under their roofs, unfortunately, as humanity of 8 billion, we have not been able to save a 6-year-old girl, an injured sparrow fluttering in front of our eyes.
Hundreds of Gazan children have died so far because they were not able to find a bite of dry bread, a sip of water or a bowl of soup, and they are still dying.
Not only children are dying in Gaza; the United Nations system is also dying, the truth is dying, the values that the west claims to defend are dying, the hopes of humanity to live in a fairer world are dying one by one.
I am asking you frankly from here…
HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATIONS!
Are the ones in Gaza, the ones in the West Bank not human beings?
The children in Palestine, do they not have the right to study, live, and play in the streets?
INTERNATIONAL PRESS ORGANISATIONS!
The journalists that Israel massacred on live TV, whose offices were raided, are they not your colleagues?
THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL!
What are you waiting for to prevent the genocide in Gaza and to say “stop” to this cruelty, this barbarism?
What more are you waiting for to stop the massacre network that endangers also the lives of its own citizens along with the Palestinian people and drags the entire region into war for the sake of its political prospects?
AND THOSE WHO UNCONDITIONALLY SUPPORT ISRAEL!
For how long will you continue to bear the shame of looking on this massacre, of being accomplices in this atrocity?
Distinguished Friends…
While children are dying in Gaza, Ramallah, Lebanon, and babies are dying in incubators, unfortunately, the international community has also given a very bad account of itself.
What is happening in Palestine is an indicator of a huge moral breakdown.
I believe that all the peoples of the world, leaders, international organisations should reflect on this painful picture.
I also want to hereby express a truth loud and clear.
Ignoring basic human rights, the Israeli government, is practicing ethnic cleansing, an overt genocide against a nation, a people, and occupying their territory step by step.
Palestinians, whose freedom, independence and the most basic rights have been usurped, are very rightly exercising their “LEGITIMATE RIGHT OF RESISTANCE” against this occupation and these ethnic cleansing activities.
The rightful resistance of the Palestinian people against those who occupy their land is too noble, honourable, heroic to be portrayed as illegitimate.
From here, I wholeheartedly salute once again my Palestinian brothers who defend their country at the cost of their lives.
The only reason for Israel’s aggression against the Palestinian people is the unconditional support of a handful of countries to Israel.
The countries that have an influence over Israel are openly becoming accomplices of this massacre with the policy of “run with the hare, hunt with the hounds”.
Those who are supposedly working for a ceasefire in the limelight continue to send weapons and ammunition to Israel behind the stage, so that it can continue its massacres.
This is inconsistency and insincerity.
Please consider … there’s a document that has been going back and forth since May.
HAMAS has repeatedly declared its acceptance of the ceasefire proposal.
However, the Israeli government has very clearly indicated that it is the party that does not want peace by continuously hampering the process, constantly finding excuses, perfidiously killing the interlocutor it negotiated with at a time when the ceasefire was closest.
There should be no more credit given to Israel’s distraction and deception moves.
In an environment where United Nations Security Council Resolution 2735 is not being implemented, coercive measures against Israel should be put on the agenda.
Israel’s attitude has once again shown that it is essential for the international community to develop a protection mechanism for Palestinian civilians.
Just as HITLER was stopped by the alliance of humanity 70 years ago, Netanyahu and his murder network must be stopped by the “alliance of humanity”.
We believe that the power of the General Assembly to make recommendations on the use of force, as it exists in the “Uniting for Peace Resolution dated 1950”, should definitely be considered in this process.
An immediate and permanent ceasefire should be achieved, a hostage-prisoner exchange should be carried out, and humanitarian aid should be delivered to Gaza in an unhindered and uninterrupted way.
We have to extend a helping hand to the people of Gaza trying to survive, especially before winter when conditions will deteriorate.
Please consider, 70 percent of the water resources and 75 percent of the ovens in Gaza have been destroyed until now.
95 percent of health centres have been partially or completely damaged.
150 thousand houses were completely destroyed, 200 thousand houses were partially destroyed, 80 thousand houses became uninhabitable.
Infectious diseases, especially polio and hepatitis, are gradually increasing.
The people of Gaza can only reach a quarter of the amount of aid they need.
As Türkiye, we have maintained and are continuing to maintain our humanitarian aid activities for our Palestinian brothers since the first day.
With the amount of aid exceeding 60 thousand tons, Türkiye is the country that sends the highest amount of aid to Gaza.
In the same way, by stopping commercial transactions with Israel, we have demonstrated our sensitivity on this issue.
We also stand with the people and government of Lebanon, where Israel has stepped up its attacks in recent days.
Now we can all see this truth:
Our conscience cannot be at peace until those who massacred 41 thousand people are held accountable for the crimes they committed, from the person who gives the order to the ones who pull the trigger, and drop the bomb.
The bill for the billions of dollars of damage at the destroyed, wiped out, demolished cities must and will definitely be compensated by the perpetrators.
We support the lawsuit filed by the Republic of South Africa at the International Court of Justice to ensure that the crimes committed by Israel do not go unpunished.
We will take all necessary steps to ensure that justice is served in this case in which we have applied for intervention.
We will make every legal struggle to find justice for our daughter Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, who was shot in the head by Israeli soldiers during a peaceful protest in Nablus.
Although there is an urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the main issue is the occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel.
Creation of an independent, sovereign and geographically contiguous Palestinian State on the basis of the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital can no longer be delayed.
I would like it to be known that we are also closely following the increasing attacks against our first Qibla, Al-Masjid al-Aqsa and Al-Haram Al-Sharif.
While saying all this as Tayyip Erdoğan, I never speak with empty words from this rostrum.
Here, I am speaking with the courage that I get from my history and the conscientious and fair stance of my ancestors.
Because we are a nation that has always been on the side of the oppressed and stood against oppressor and tyranny throughout history.
We had welcomed the Jews who escaped from the inquisition 500 years ago and the Jews who escaped from Hitler’s concentration camps.
I tell it frankly; as a country and as a nation, we have no hostility towards the people of Israel.
We are against ANTI-SEMITISM in the same way that we are against the targeting of Muslims just because of their beliefs.
Our problem is with the policies of massacre of the Israeli government.
Our problem is again with the oppressor and tyranny, just as it was 5 centuries ago.
Everyone should know that we do not refrain from crying out the truth.
Even if some feel uncomfortable, we are not afraid to tell the truth.
Insha’Allah, we will continue to stand by the righteous until the end and speak of what we know as truth, even if it is harsh.
Hereby, I would also like to thank all the brave people who show solidarity with the Palestinian people without distinction of faith, country, language or religion, and raise their voice against the massacre in Gaza by filling the streets almost every week.
Distinguished Delegates…
Unfortunately, in the 14th year of the conflict, Syria is also still far from stability.
The economic and humanitarian situation in the country, which is in the grip of terrorist and separatist organizations remains dire.
We hope that the political process will be advanced and national reconciliation will be achieved on the basis of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254.
We are determined to maintain our position in favour of a realistic dialogue with sincerity.
While our neighbour Iraq continues its struggle against terrorism, it is taking decisive steps towards development, reconstruction and reintegration with the region.
The international community should support these efforts of Iraq.
It is important in this context to implement initiatives that will benefit the entire region, such as the Development Road Project.
The success of all these efforts depends on the elimination of the terrorist threat in Iraq, especially from the PKK.
We believe that taking steps towards reviving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with our other neighbour Iran will contribute to the establishment of the environment of trust and stability in the region.
As the third year of the war in Ukraine comes to an end, we are still far from reaching a just and lasting peace.
As the armament race accelerates, the field of diplomacy is gradually narrowing.
We will further increase our support to the efforts to end the war through diplomacy and dialogue, on the basis of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
In this process, we will continue to meticulously implement the Montreux Convention.
We support the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and we hope that the work will be completed with good news as soon as possible.
We are also taking mutually positive steps on the Türkiye-Armenia track.
The developments that can be achieved in the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process will also have a positive impact on the Türkiye-Armenia normalization process.
Esteemed Friends…
We play a constructive role for the prosperity and peace of the Balkans, of which we are an integral part, and act in close cooperation with all actors in the region.
As a member of the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council, we emphasize the importance of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s sovereignty, political unity and territorial integrity on every platform, and we continue to contribute to the EUFOR-ALTHEA Operation.
We successfully continue the KFOR command that we assumed last year and support the Belgrade-Prishtina Dialogue process.
We want to see the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean as a region of stability and prosperity where the legitimate interests of all parties concerned are respected.
The limitation of maritime jurisdiction areas in accordance with international law, freedom and safety of navigation, and the development of cooperation, especially on maritime trade issues, are to the common interest of the entire region.
Türkiye is ready for constructive cooperation on all issues, especially energy and environment.
We expect the same approach from our neighbours.
As the country with the longest coastline in the Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye’s key role is undeniable.
Türkiye has rights to the north and west of the Island of Cyprus in the declared continental shelf and Turkish Cypriots have rights all around the Island.
It has been 50 years since the Cyprus Peace Operation and 61 years since the Cyprus issue emerged as a result of the usurpation of the partnership state by Greek Cypriots.
From that day to this, peace and tranquillity have prevailed on the Island.
It has always been the Turkish Cypriots and Türkiye that have shown a sincere will to bring about a just, permanent and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue.
The federation model has now completely lost its validity.
There are two separate states and two separate peoples on the island.
The sovereign equality and equal international status of the Turkish Cypriots, which are their inherent rights, should be reaffirmed, and the isolation should now come to an end.
Today, I once again call on the international community to recognize the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and establish with it diplomatic, political and economic relations.
We provide active support to the establishment of stability in Libya and the preservation of the unity and integrity of the country.
We call on all states to take a sincere stand by Libya during this sensitive period and to contribute to the establishment of trust between the parties.
We need to exert more efforts to end the conflicts in Sudan.
We all have a responsibility to deliver humanitarian aid to millions of Sudanese displaced due to conflicts.
Africa has a very huge potential with its young and dynamic population, rich natural resources and fertile extensive lands.
On the basis of the principles of equal partnership and mutual respect, we support the Continent’s peace, stability and development efforts with the African peoples.
We will continue to be in full solidarity with our African brothers and sisters.
We are deepening our engagement with regional organizations, such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the Pacific Islands Forum and particularly ASEAN.
We maintain our will to develop our relations with BRICS, which brings together emerging economies.
We share a deep-rooted history with the Central Asian countries; we further strengthen our cooperation on bilateral and multilateral grounds.
Our Organisation of Turkic States is increasingly turning into a centre of attraction.
The Organisation is becoming an exemplary model of cooperation, also with the contributions of observer members Hungary and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
As the Turkic world, we will further strengthen our unity and solidarity.
Within the framework of respect for China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, we are in close dialogue with China to protect the fundamental rights and freedoms of the Uighur Turks, with whom we have strong historical, cultural and human ties.
We are trying to advance the friendly ties we have established with all the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to a further stage.
Distinguished Delegates…
We are obliged to work together to eliminate global injustice.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals’ notion of “leave no one behind” is a guide for these efforts.
As one of the countries that provide the highest aid in proportion to its national income, Türkiye’s activities contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
We support the activities that will ensure fair, inclusive growth and development on all international platforms, especially within the G20.
We believe that all nations should benefit equally from the transformative power of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
The United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries that we host is a concrete manifestation of our efforts in this direction.
The “cyber terrorist attacks” perpetrated against Lebanon last week demonstrated how these technologies can at the same time turn into a fatal weapon.
We address climate change with a similar approach.
No country can cope with the emission reduction and adaptation process to climate change alone.
The most important issues for developing countries are financing, technology transfer and capacity building.
I believe that the COP29 Climate Summit to be held in Baku will contribute to the solution of these issues.
With the vision of a more sustainable and cleaner world, we have carried the Zero Waste Movement, which we launched under the auspices of my Spouse, Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, to a global level with the resolution co-sponsored by 105 countries and adopted unanimously at the United Nations General Assembly.
Hereby, I invite all countries, international organisations and non-governmental organisations to become partners in our movement.
We see that Islamophobia, xenophobia and racism are enveloping the world like a poison ivy.
Hardly a day goes by that we do not witness attacks on mosques and our holy book, the Holy Quran.
In the middle of Europe, people’s houses are being set on fire; their lives are being targeted; their most fundamental rights are being usurped because of their ethnic and religious identities.
No one can ignore this growing danger any longer.
As stipulated in the resolution adopted on 15 March 2024, we expect the appointment of a “Special Envoy for Combating Islamophobia” at the United Nations as soon as possible.
Distinguished Friends…
Today I would like to draw your attention once again to a danger that I raised at this rostrum last year.
The attacks against the family institution, which is the basic pillar of society, are intensifying.
The disgrace staged at the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games has revealed the dimensions of the threat we face as humanity.
A sports event followed by innocent children and hundreds of millions of people of all ages and faiths has been used, in a very ugly manner, for degenderization propaganda.
Those wicked scenes have deeply wounded not only the Catholic world, the Christian world, but also Muslims and everyone who respects the sacred.
The issue of desexualisation is now turning into a global imposition rather than a “preference”, literally a war against the sacred and the creation.
Anyone who raises a voice against this destruction project and shows the slightest reaction is silenced and becomes the target of lynching campaigns.
Türkiye is determined to break this siege and resist this climate of fear at all cost.
For this purpose, we became a member of the United Nations Group of Friends of the Family.
Insha’Allah, we will not hold back from defending the family, the human being and the creation in solidarity with other member states.
I invite the countries that share the same concerns with us to support this struggle.
With these thoughts, I wish that the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly will be beneficial for all humanity.
I salute you all once again with affection and respect.
May you all remain in good health…

MIL OSI Europe News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: State Parks Closures Due to Hurricane Helene, Including Monarch Festival Cancellation

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: State Parks Closures Due to Hurricane Helene, Including Monarch Festival Cancellation

State Parks Closures Due to Hurricane Helene, Including Monarch Festival Cancellation
jejohnson6
Thu, 09/26/2024 – 13:20

Due to expected impacts of Hurricane Helene, Gorges State Park and Mount Mitchell State Park will be closed Thursday and Friday, Sept. 26-27.

The Mountain Monarch Festival at Gorges, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, has been cancelled.

The Blue Ridge Parkway expects to be closed for the next several days. Mount Mitchell State Park will reopen when the Parkway reopens.

The N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation will continue to monitor the situation over the next few days. Closures may be extended or added in western North Carolina as the storm moves through the region. Visitors should check the park pages on ncparks.gov for the most up-to-date status of facilities and parks. Parks and facilities will reopen when staff can confirm that conditions are safe to do so.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

Sep 26, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: America250 and America 250 NC Open Submissions for America’s Field Trip Contest

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: America250 and America 250 NC Open Submissions for America’s Field Trip Contest

America250 and America 250 NC Open Submissions for America’s Field Trip Contest
jejohnson6
Thu, 09/26/2024 – 13:39

America250, the official nonpartisan entity charged by Congress with planning the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Semiquincentennial, in collaboration with BNY and America 250 NC, kicked off the second installment of “America’s Field Trip” — a nationwide scholastic contest where students have the opportunity to earn a special behind-the-scenes experience at an iconic American historical and cultural site. Starting today through Wednesday, April 16, 2025, America’s Field Trip invites students in grades 3-12 to submit artwork or a piece of writing to reflect on what America means to them.

Earlier this year, thousands of students from nearly every U.S. state and territory submitted inspiring entries for the inaugural America’s Field Trip contest. During July and August 2024, first-place awardees — including three students from North Carolina — participated in special field trip experiences at the Statue of Liberty, Yellowstone National Park, the National Archives, and more. Three second-place recipients from North Carolina received cash awards.

The 2024 awardees from North Carolina include:

First Place
• Taliesin Robert Allen R., Greensboro, 5th Grade
• Elizabeth B., Winston-Salem, 8th Grade
• Mya F., Raleigh, 11th Grade

Second Place
• Charleston D., Rougemont, Elementary School (Grades 3–5)
• Ethan K., Kernersville, High School (Grades 9–12)
• Abigail P., Winston Salem, High School (Grades 9–12)

The full list of 2024 awardees and their submissions can be found online at america250.org/fieldtrip/awardees.

Watch this video to learn more about the America’s Field Trip contest, and see some of the incredible places awardees visited this summer.

Next summer, 75 first-place awardees and their designated chaperone will be provided airfare, lodging, and access to an unforgettable field trip experience at one of our nation’s select historical and cultural sites across the country. Second-place awardees will receive a $500 cash award. Summer 2025 field trip experiences and partners include:

• Behind-the-scenes tour of the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and sleepover at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C.
• Exclusive visits to two Washington, DC institutions: a trip into the National Archives Vault on the National Mall and private tour of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
• Exclusive tour of Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia and visit to the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.
• Storytelling, history, and commemoration under the stars at Mount Rushmore National Memorial
• Private tours of Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, the International African American Museum, and the South Carolina Aquarium in Charleston, S.C.
• Exclusive tours of the Alamo in San Antonio and the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin, Texas.
• Backstage tour of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio
• Beyond the ropes tour of Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pa.
• Guided visit to Angel Island Immigration Station and candlelight tour of Fort Point at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Calif.
• Private guided tour of Yellowstone National Park in Montana and Wyoming
• Ranger-led hikes and tours of the cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado
• Private tour of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida

The full list and descriptions of 2025 Field Trips are available HERE.

“America’s 250th anniversary is an opportunity for everyone to share their stories, their thoughts on the past, and their hopes and dreams for the future — especially our young people,” said America250 Chair, Rosie Rios. “America’s Field Trip is more than just a contest; it’s an investment in our country’s future. When we provide students with special opportunities to explore our nation’s iconic landmarks, we’re not just creating incredible memories; we’re fostering a deeper understanding of our shared history and values. These experiences will inspire the next generation of leaders to build a stronger, more united America.”

“Students represent the voices of future leaders and innovators, and we want to hear their voices,” said North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Secretary Reid Wilson. “On behalf of our agency team leading the America 250 NC commemoration planning, we encourage all North Carolina students to engage in the America’s Field Trip contest.”

“BNY is excited to continue our partnership with America250 and support this exceptional opportunity for young people to explore the accomplishments and potential of our nation,” said Jayee Koffey, Global Head of Enterprise Execution and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for BNY. “Students are the architects of tomorrow and we believe America’s Field Trip will inspire the next generation to continue our nation’s long history of innovation.”

America250 has also partnered with edtech leader Discovery Education to develop customized educational resources including lesson plans and student activities that empower educators to bring America’s 250th anniversary into their classrooms. New for the 2024-2025 school year, an educator-facing instructional video from Discovery Education is designed to help teachers align the contest prompt, “What does America mean to you,” with standards frameworks.

“America’s Field Trip is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students to step out of the classroom and into the heart of our nation’s history and culture,” said Amy Nakamoto, General Manager of Corporate Partnerships at Discovery Education Experience. “As we approach this important milestone, we are excited to work with America250 and BNY to spark curiosity and bring this national contest to life for students nationwide.”

How to Participate in America’s Field Trip

Students must develop their submissions individually and must have a teacher, parent, or legal guardian submit on their behalf. Students at each grade level will respond to the question, “What does America mean to you?” Students, families, and teachers can find more information, including resources, contest rules, release forms, and toolkit materials to integrate the contest into classroom activities at america250.org/FieldTrip.

The contest has different submission requirements for each grade band and is available to any student in elementary school (third to fifth grade), middle school (sixth to eighth grade), and high school (ninth to twelfth grade). The contest will remain open until 5 p.m., April 16, 2025. First- and second-place award recipients will be announced in May 2025, and field trips will occur in July and August 2025.

Educators can help spread the word about America’s Field Trip for the chance to win a cash award! The educator associated with the top-scoring entry in each grade band will each receive a $1,000 cash award.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest begins 12 a.m. ET on Sept. 16 and ends 5 p.m. ET on April 16, 2025. Open to U.S. students (3rd – 12th grade); student’s parent/legal guardian or teacher with parental permission must submit entry on student’s behalf (unless student is the age of majority). Submission includes grant of license rights to entry’s content. First Prize awardees must travel with parent/legal guardian on designated dates. See Official Rules for full details including how to enter, eligibility requirements, prize description/restrictions and judging procedure. Void where prohibited.

About America250
America250 is a nonpartisan initiative working to engage every American in celebrating and commemorating the Semiquincentennial, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It is spearheaded by the congressionally appointed U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and its sole-supporting nonprofit organization, America250.org, Inc., together known as America250. This multi-year effort kicked off with America’s Invitation on July 4, 2023: a national public engagement campaign inviting all Americans to share their stories and their hopes and dreams for the future of this country. Leading up to July 4, 2026, America250 is working to provide opportunities for all Americans to pause and reflect on our nation’s past, honor the contributions of all Americans, and look to the future we want to create for the next generation and beyond. To learn more, visit America250.org, and follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

About BNY
BNY is a global financial services company that helps make money work for the world – managing it, moving it and keeping it safe. For 240 years BNY has partnered alongside clients, putting its expertise and platforms to work to help them achieve their ambitions. Today BNY helps over 90% of Fortune 100 companies and nearly all the top 100 banks globally to access the money they need. BNY supports governments in funding local projects and works with over 90% of the top 100 pension plans to safeguard investments for millions of individuals, and so much more. As of June 30, 2024, BNY oversees $49.5 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration and $2.0 trillion in assets under management.

BNY is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Headquartered in New York City, BNY employs over 50,000 people globally and has been named among Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies and Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators. Additional information is available on http://www.bny.com. Follow on LinkedIn or visit the BNY Newsroom for the latest company news.

¹Funding provided by The Bank of New York Mellon Foundation.

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the worldwide edtech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place. Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, innovative classroom tools, and corporate partnerships, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale. Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories. Inspired by the global media company Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and trusted organizations to empower teachers with leading edtech solutions that support the success of all learners. Explore the future of education at http://www.discoveryeducation.com.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

Sep 24, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: State Archives to Host Virtual Program on its Podcast, ‘Connecting the Docs’

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: State Archives to Host Virtual Program on its Podcast, ‘Connecting the Docs’

State Archives to Host Virtual Program on its Podcast, ‘Connecting the Docs’
jejohnson6
Thu, 09/26/2024 – 13:29

Meet the team behind “Connecting the Docs,” the State Archives of North Carolina’s podcast.

A Zoom teleconference scheduled for Monday, Oct. 7, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., will introduce and summarize how the archival collections are used to create historical narratives. The program also will share information about improving your research skills.

Oral historians John Horan and Annabeth Poe will provide an overview of “Connecting the Docs,” including audience statistics and how one letter from our private collections inspired an entire podcast episode of content.

Records Description Unit head Joshua Hager will summarize how archivists used our Treasurer’s and Comptroller’s collection to spotlight work done by enslaved laborers.

Reference Archivist Katherine Crickmore will highlight the criminal records used in the murder ballads episode of our true crime series.

Archivist T. Mike Childs will demonstrate how he put together the more lighthearted story of Slow Poke the Possum using state agency records.

The program also will include a Q&A session.

Register for the program at https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_IrE6Fad3RD-ubb-Ot02lMQ#/registration

About the State Archives
The State Archives serves as the custodian of North Carolina’s historical records, preserving and providing public access to a wealth of archival materials. Through its diverse collections, educational programs, and exhibitions, the State Archives plays a crucial role in promoting an understanding and appreciation of North Carolina’s rich historical legacy.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

Sep 25, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Meherrin Indian Tribe to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: Meherrin Indian Tribe to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker

Meherrin Indian Tribe to be Featured on N.C. Highway Historical Marker
jejohnson6
Thu, 09/26/2024 – 13:47

An American Indian tribe that settled in northeastern North Carolina soon will be recognized with a North Carolina Highway Historical Marker.

The marker commemorating the Meherrin Tribe will be dedicated during a ceremony Oct. 5 at 1 p.m., at the Meherrin Tribal Grounds (852 NC-11 South, Ahoskie, N.C.).

The Meherrin, whose traditional name Kauwets’a·ka means “People of the Water,” received formal recognition from the North Carolina government in 1986.

The first known written account of the Meherrin people came from English merchant and explorer Sir Edward Bland, who visited the Meherrin village of Cowonchahawkon near present-day Emporia, Va., in 1650 while on an expedition from Fort Henry (present-day Petersburg, Va.). Later, encroaching European settlements in the mid-17th century pressured native peoples, including the Meherrin, to move. Following Bacon’s Rebellion, all Virginia tribes signed the Middle Plantation Treaty of 1677, which subjugated them to King Charles II of England and the governor of Virginia.

A short time later, the Meherrin left the area of Cowonchahawkon and settled on Tawarra/Taurura Creek near Boykins, Va. Other members of the tribe moved north of the Blackwater River, but in 1687 they were ordered by the Virginia Council of State to return south of the river. About 1691, the tribe moved across the border into Carolina Province in what is today North Carolina where their tribal territories are found in Hertford, Bertie, Northampton, and Gates counties.

In 1920, a new Pleasant Plains Indian School was built in Hertford County to replace the original school built in 1866. It was the second Rosenwald-funded school in the county. The school closed in 1949 and was converted into a community center to serve Indian and mixed families in 1950.

In 1975, Meherrin descendants reorganized the tribe and reclaimed its identity under Chief Wayne Mackanear Brown. They created a modern tribal government, led by a chief and seven elected council members. The tribe holds an annual powwow during the first week of October at the tribal grounds between Ahoskie and Murfreesboro, N.C.

A more complete history of the Meherrin Tribe can be found at http://www.meherrinnation.org.

For more information about the historical markers, please visit https://www.dncr.nc.gov/blog/2023/12/04/meherrin-tribe-95, or call (919) 814-6625.

The marker is one of nine markers being dedicated in 2024 that highlight American Indian culture and history in North Carolina. Historical markers were approved for the Coharie, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi, Sappony, and Waccamaw Siouan tribes. In addition, historical markers were approved for the site of the East Carolina Indian School and the Buie Mound site. The N.C. American Indian Heritage Commission staff worked closely with N.C. tribes to complete applications to be considered for the historical marker program.

The Highway Historical Marker Program is a collaboration between the N.C. departments of Natural and Cultural Resources and Transportation.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

Sep 23, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: N.C. American Indian Heritage Commission Receives Grant to Fund Oral History Project

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: N.C. American Indian Heritage Commission Receives Grant to Fund Oral History Project

N.C. American Indian Heritage Commission Receives Grant to Fund Oral History Project
jejohnson6
Thu, 09/26/2024 – 13:35

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) is excited to announce a new oral history project, supported by a $141,264 Public Engagement with Historical Records Grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

“Oral histories are an integral part of our traditions,” said Kerry Bird, Director of the North American Indian Heritage Commission. “This grant will allow us to expand our efforts to collect these stories while our elders are alive to tell them.”

The grant will fund the North Carolina American Indian Oral History Project, which aims to enhance the visibility and understanding of American Indian communities in North Carolina. This project, a collaborative effort between DNCR and the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission, will focus on the eight state-recognized tribes: the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of Saponi Nation, Sappony, and Waccamaw Siouan.

In partnership with the North Carolina Native American Youth Organization, the project will also train American Indian youth in how to properly collect, document, and preserve the rich narratives and cultural traditions of their communities. Additionally, a guidebook will be developed to assist future generations in collecting and sharing American Indian oral histories, ensuring the preservation of ancestral memories and cultural practices for years to come.

About The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC), a statutory body affiliated with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), supports a wide range of activities to preserve, publish, and encourage the use of documentary sources, created in every medium ranging from quill pen to computer, relating to the history of the United States.

About the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission (NCAIHC)
Established in 2021, the NCAIHC advises and assists the Secretary of DNCR in the preservation, interpretation, and promotion of American Indian history, arts, customs, and culture. The NCAIHC works closely with its sister agencies under DNCR to ensure American Indian narratives are included in interpretation at statewide museums and historic sites, that they are culturally sensitive, and that American Indian communities are involved in programs and outreach. The NCAIHC is instrumental in promoting American Indian cultural visibility throughout the State of North Carolina.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

Sep 24, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025

MIL-OSI USA: Schweikert: The World Has Now Surpassed Its Record of Debt, at $312 Trillion

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman David Schweikert (AZ-06)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative David Schweikert (AZ-01) took to the House floor yesterday to deliver his last speech before the 2024 election. He started by mentioning that the world has now surpassed the cumulative record of governmental debt, totaling an astonishing $312 trillion. Rep. Schweikert references previous floor speeches where he points out that every tax proposal for the wealthy only brings in 1.5 percent of GDP. He presents an additional hypothetical if Congress were to cut discretionary spending (which accounts for $860 billion) by $300 billion. With the combination of every Democrat tax proposal and every Republican cut, that still only gets 2.5 percent of GDP. All of this borrowing, mind you, comes in a good economic year, where tax receipts are up. We are still going to borrow almost 7% GDP.

Excerpts from Rep. Schweikert’s floor speech can be found below:

On other countries bond rates’ being cheaper than the Unites State’s rates:

[Beginning at 02:12]
“Congress has made the decision that those who are really running this government, those who run this country, will be called the ‘bond market’. Because, if you need to refinance, like we did this fiscal year, we’ve refinanced about $8 trillion and [brought] to market an additional $2 [trillion]. You’re basically sitting on $10 trillion, and that’s not even counting the short term where it was a thirty-day, [and then] six months… those things that had to be rolled. You are subject to the fragility of the bond market, and what interest rate, and how much liquidity… and how many idiots like me come behind these microphones and try to explain the world debt markets to you? Take it seriously, it is not a game. United States is now #14 on the credit stack. That means there [are] 13 other countries today that can sell a ten-year bond cheaper than us. Greece, today, can sell 10-year bonds cheaper than the United States. Think about that.”

On the morality of more cures coming to market:

[Beginning at 09:04]
“Remember: in 15 years, the United States has more deaths than births. We are about to have the fifth year where prime-age males are dying younger. In the last six years, 390,000 Americans have died from fentanyl. Well, it turns out, next year, we might have a fentanyl vaccine. And you might not like it… 390,000 have died in six years! You’re not willing to deal with the moral imperative of saving our brothers and sisters?! We need to think differently. And the fact of the matter is, you are living in a time of miracles. We can cure Hepatitis-C, we can cure hemophilia. There are things that are coming out. There [are] the Vertex experiments that look to cure Type 1 diabetes. If diabetes is 33% of all U.S. health care spending, what is the morality, but what’s also the amazing economics if we would fixate– in the Farm Bill, in nutrition support– in the way we deliver health care to get our brothers and sisters healthier? Turns out, it is the single biggest thing you can do to stabilize U.S. debt. How many people have you heard come behind these microphones within the last year, and be willing to say that? Because you upset the lobbyists, walking up and down the hallways, that need people that are sick!”

On the reiteration that interest is the second biggest expenditure of U.S. government spending:

[Beginning at 17:30]
“If you actually care about the debt, stop living in this fantasy; “We’ll just tax rich people, and that takes care of everything!” If you look at some of the proposals, they’ve already spent the money three or four times. I keep trying to present over and over; when you start to realize the amount of our spending– and by the end of the decade, think of this, 10 years from now– if you add in the debt we will owe to the trust funds, what’s left of them, we’re at $56 trillion. $56 trillion! What happens if interest rates move against us? Remember, interest today is the second biggest expenditure in this government. [Number one is] Social security. Behind that is interest. Then Medicare, then defense. Defense is now the fourth [largest] expenditure in this government. And you try over and over and over. You see right here– 2024-2025– the little, tiny movement we get in 2026 and a couple years after that, and then, boom! Now, this here is because the tax hikes that are coming– they’re already in statute, they’re coming. It’s not a vote, we’re not taking a vote to say we’re going to raise these taxes. It’s called tax expiration. It’s already coming. It’s math– But boom. After three or four years, you’re back, and the curve is back in. We don’t want to tell the truth: it’s demographics“

###
Congressman David Schweikert serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and is the current Chairman of the Oversight Subcommittee. He is also the Vice Chairman on the bicameral Joint Economic Committee, chairs the Congressional Valley Fever Task Force, and is the Republican Co-Chair of the Blockchain Caucus, Telehealth Caucus, Singapore Caucus, and the Caucus on Access to Capital and Credit.

Back to News

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: Ukraine recap: Putin’s nuclear sabre-rattling becomes more ominous

Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

In recent months, Vladimir Putin and his proxies have been foreshadowing a change in Russia’s nuclear doctrine. This is the set of rules that spells out when and how his country might resort to the use of its nuclear arsenal, which is currently the largest in the world. Most recently his deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said the revisions to the rulebook were “connected with the escalation course of our western adversaries”. In other words: it’s not us, it’s you.

You don’t have to read too much between the lines to discern a connection between the growing clamour by some in the west to allow Ukraine to use western long-range missiles against targets deep inside Russia and Russia’s decision to reconsider under what circumstances it would use its nuclear arsenal.

Over the past couple of years – since shortly after he initiated Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine – Putin and his inner circle have regularly invoked Russia’s nuclear deterrent, writes Christoph Bluth, an expert in nuclear proliferation and international security at the University of Bradford. All it seems to take is for the west to agree another large package of funding, or change the terms of its aid to Kyiv for the Kremlin to dust off the doomsday scenario.

So it comes as little surprise that, shortly after Volodymr Zelensky gave his impassioned speech to the United Nations general assembly yesterday restating his country’s urgent need for more support and more latitude in how to use it, Putin announced his country’s new “draft” nuclear doctrine. Henceforth, he said, Russia would consider using nuclear weapons if it was attacked by any state with conventional weapons. The trigger for the launch of nuclear missiles against Ukraine or any of its allies, he said, would be “reliable information about a massive launch of aerospace attack means and their crossing of our state border”.

Read more:
Ukraine war: Vladimir Putin ups the ante on his nuclear blackmail – the big question is how the west will respond

Bluth recounts how, earlier this month, one of Putin’s proxies, Alexander Mikhailov, the director of the Bureau of Military Political Analysis, recently called for Russia to “bomb plywood mock-ups of London and Washington to simulate a nuclear attack, so that it would ‘burn so beautifully that it will horrify the world’.” Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s lower house, said that any attacks against Russia would prompt it to respond with nuclear weapons. He is reported to have added – with what appears to have been ghastly relish – that the European parliament in Strasbourg was “only a three-minute flight for a Russian nuclear missile”.

It’s tempting to dismiss Russia’s threats as just so much sabre-rattling. And there have been plenty of voices in the west urging leaders to defy Putin’s threats. After Ukraine launched its lightning raid into Russia’s Kursk province in August, Zelensky said it was clear that Russia’s red lines were a bluff. He said: “The naive, illusory concept of so-called red lines regarding Russia, which dominated the assessment of the war by some partners, has crumbled apart these days.”

Colin Alexander, a specialist in political commnunications at Nottingham Trent University, believes that since the end of the cold war the focus of what he calls “fear propaganda” has changed. It has moved away from the prospect of nuclear annihilation to “other threats, such as extremism, pandemics and migration”.

But anyone who grew up during the cold war will remember the omnipresent fear of the “three-minute warning” regularly reinforced by government messaging, TV documentaries and dramas. These all served to remind everyone that a nuclear holocaust was only a series of wrongheaded decisions away. It’s that atmosphere of peril, writes Alexander, which makes a leader’s threats believable.

And the “madman theory” which holds that only an unstable leader would contemplate pushing the button, has helped lull people into the idea that a nuclear conflict is indeed unthinkable, because surely no leader would be mad enough. But Alexander concludes by citing the one leader who actually did drop a nuclear bomb in an enemy:

US president Harry S. Truman pushed the button in 1945. He was then given detailed reports of the death and destruction that his decision caused to Hiroshima. Then he pushed the button again to annihilate Nagasaki.

Read more:
The world isn’t taking Putin’s nuclear threats seriously – the history of propaganda suggests it should

Zelensky’s plea

Zelensky’s speech to the UN general assembly was compelling and moving in equal measure. He warned of intelligence reports that Russia was preparing to target Ukraine’s nuclear power plants as part of its campaign to wreck the country’s energy infrastructure before winter. He mourned for the children of Ukraine, who “are learning to distinguish the sounds of different types of artillery and drones because of Russia’s war”. And he restated his ten-point plan for peace, which involves Russia withdrawing from all the lands it has occupied since 2014.

But, Stefan Wolff notes, a growing number of countries are lining up behind a peace plan proposed earlier in the year by China and Brazil, which would freeze the conflict along the existing frontlines before proceeding to negotiations.

The state of the conflict in Ukraine as at September 25.
Institute for the Study of War

Wolff, an expert in international security at the University of Birmingham, believes this plan is deeply flawed. For one thing it would inevitably involve Kyiv being forced to give up territory illegally annexed by Russia. It would also give Russia time to regroup, rearm and train extra troops and would almost certainly not guarantee a lasting peace, but would simply stave off another Russian assault on Ukraine.

But Zelensky faces two key problems which make his diplomatic mission that much harder. His voice is in danger of being drowned out by the conflict in the Middle East, which appears almost inevitably bound for a ground war in Lebanon in days to come. And the prospect of Donald Trump winning a second term in about six weeks’ time, means that the days of Washington as Kyiv’s staunchest partner could well be coming to an end.

Read more:
Ukraine war: Zelensky’s pleas for help are getting drowned out in the clamour from the Middle East

As the conflict drags on – 31 months and counting – there is evidence that some Ukrainians would give up territory in return for peace and an end to the killing. Our team of political scientists, Kristin M. Bakke of UCL, Gerard Toal of Virginia Tech and John O’Loughlin of University of Colorado Boulder, have been polling Ukrainians since the invasion and have detected a definite shift in attitudes towards the conflict.

While most Ukrainians still hate the idea of having to give up territory to Russia, support for the proposition that Ukraine should “continue opposing Russian aggression until all Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, is liberated” had fallen from 71% in 2022 to 51% now. And, while in 2022 just 11% of respondents agreed with “trying to reach an immediate ceasefire by both sides with conditions and starting intensive negotiations”, that number had almost tripled in the most recent polling.

Interestingly, the researchers note, while most people they spoke with professed unchanged support for their country’s war effort, a growing number said they were worried that their fellow Ukrainians were beginning to suffer from war-weariness.

Read more:
Growing number of war-weary Ukrainians would reluctantly give up territory to save lives, suggests recent survey

Land grabs

Russia is already calling for more territory in eastern Ukraine in the form of a “buffer zone” around Ukraine’s second city, Kharkiv in the north-east of the country. This, the Kremlin claims, is to protect Russian towns from shelling and missile attacks from Ukrainian territory.

Interestingly, writes Iain Farquharson, a security expert and military historian at Brunel University London, Israel has also proposed setting up a buffer zone in southern Lebanon, to protect Israelis living near the the country’s northern border from Hezbollah missile barrages.

Farquharson considers the history of buffer zones in the Middle East and beyond. Firstly, buffer zones rarely live up to their supposed function – as Afghanistan’s misfortune to be between British India and southern Russia in the 19th century and Lebanon’s bad luck to be between Syria and Israel in the 1960s and 1970s amply demonstrate.

But what Russia and Israel are proposing are not so much buffer zones as land grabs, pure and simple. There’s no sense that either country is willing to contribute any of its own territory to these so-called demilitarised areas (or that they’ll actually be demilitarised). They should, he writes, “instead primarily be seen as a way of formalising control over contested territory to protect their home bases, which would give them a military advantage”.

Read more:
When Russia and Israel talk about setting up ‘buffer zones’ what they are really talking about is a land grab

– ref. Ukraine recap: Putin’s nuclear sabre-rattling becomes more ominous – https://theconversation.com/ukraine-recap-putins-nuclear-sabre-rattling-becomes-more-ominous-239974

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: AUKUS Defence Ministers’ Meeting Communique
Source: United States Department of Defense

Today the Right Honourable John Healey MP, Secretary of State for Defence, United Kingdom hosted the Honourable Richard Marles MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, Australia and the Honorable Lloyd J. Austin III, Secretary of Defense, United States (U.S.) at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London, the United Kingdom (UK) to review progress in and reaffirm their commitment to the AUKUS partnership.

The AUKUS partnership reflects the continued commitment by Australia, the United Kingdom, and United States to support a free and open Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, secure and stable. The discussions between the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister today reaffirmed the importance of this innovative, enduring, and trusted partnership in the face of a rapidly evolving and increasingly unstable international security environment. The three nations will continue to work to uphold the global rules-based order where international law is followed, and states can make sovereign choices free from coercion. In this context, they reiterated their shared commitments to the AUKUS partnership for the decades to come and welcomed the progress made since AUKUS Defence Ministers last met in California, the United States, in December 2023.

Pillar I – Conventionally Armed, Nuclear-Powered Submarines (SSNs)

In March of 2023, our Heads of Government met to announce a comprehensive plan to support Australia’s acquisition of a conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability as quickly as possible. Since that announcement, our three governments have worked shoulder-to-shoulder to refine the milestones and principles that will form the building blocks for this decades-long partnership.

The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister reiterated their shared and enduring commitment to setting the highest nuclear non-proliferation standard, and the importance of this work to the success of the programme. They undertook to continue AUKUS partners’ open, and transparent engagement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and noted the ongoing bilateral negotiations between the IAEA and Australia to develop a robust safeguards and verification approach for Australia’s naval nuclear propulsion programme under Article 14 of Australia’s Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the IAEA.

Over the last year, our Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Royal Navy (RN), and U.S. Navy personnel have worked tirelessly across governments, defence industry, and academic institutions to optimise the training of personnel to maintain, sustain, operate, and crew nuclear-powered submarines. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister reiterated that the delivery of the “Optimal Pathway” depends upon the skilled workforces of all three countries and reaffirmed their shared commitment to develop a robust base of skills across their military, civilian and industrial sectors.
- More than 60 RAN personnel are currently in various stages of the U.S. nuclear-powered submarine SSN training pipeline to equip a cadre of Australian officers and sailors with experience aboard the U.S. Virginia class SSNs that the RAN will own and operate from the early 2030s. These numbers will increase further in 2025, with more than 100 personnel commencing training. Six officers have completed all training and have been assigned to U.S. Virginia class submarines. RAN enlisted sailors will join U.S. submarine crews before the end of this year.
- In the United Kingdom, three RAN officers completed the UK Nuclear Reactor course in July 2024 and are now assigned to UK Astute class submarines. The next group of RAN officers will commence training in the UK in November 2024.
- The RN, with the support of the Australian Submarine Agency, has also delivered professional and general naval nuclear propulsion training for more than 250 Australian personnel in Canberra.
- Australians have embedded into programme delivery teams in the UK Ministry of Defence and with Rolls-Royce Submarines. Australians are also currently embedded in U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program teams.
- In July and September 2024, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard welcomed the first 40 ASC Pty Ltd personnel into its training pipeline with the expectation of more than 100 additional ASC Pty Ltd employees by mid-2025.
- The Australian Government has committed to nearly AUD 250 million to start delivering the skills and workforce needed for its SSN program, including providing 4,001 Commonwealth Supported Places at Australian universities, in addition to 3,000 undergraduate scholarships over six years, to build the necessary Australian Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics workforce.
- Additional programs have seen more than 70 Australians supported to undertake postgraduate nuclear studies at universities in the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia.
- Australia has also recently announced the “Jobs for Subs” initiative, a government-funded program to evolve ASC Pty Ltd to recruit, train and retain approximately 200 additional graduates, apprentices and trainees to support Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West) in Western Australia.
Recognising that our partners in defence industry are and will remain vital to this endeavour, the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister discussed opportunities to maximize our efforts to foster collaboration and build resilience across our industrial bases and supply chains. They welcome the collaboration between BAE Systems (BAES) and ASC Pty Ltd to bring together their combined decades of submarine building to deliver the SSN-AUKUS programme.
- The U.S. Government decided to invest USD 17.5 billion into its submarine industrial base to support initiatives related to supplier development, shipbuilder and supplier infrastructure, workforce development, technology advancements, and strategic sourcing.
- Australia has also committed to invest over AUD 30 billion in the Australian defence industrial base to develop Australia’s supply chains and facilitate industry participation in U.S. and UK supply chains.
- His Majesty’s Government announced an initial allocation of £4 billion from the United Kingdom to continue the detailed design work of SSN-AUKUS and order long-lead items, as well as the United Kingdom’s investment of £3 billion across its Defence Nuclear Enterprise, including the construction of submarine industrial infrastructure that will help to deliver the SSN-AUKUS programme.
- The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the AUKUS partners’ commitment to accelerate opportunities for Australian industry in the Virginia class submarine supply chain, including through the Defence Industry Vendor Qualification Program and other industry collaboration initiatives. They welcomed ongoing efforts to encourage further industrial base partnerships to build resiliency across the trilateral Submarine Industrial Base.
- This August, as a direct result of our close collaboration over this year, our three nations commenced the execution of the first-ever planned maintenance activity of a U.S. SSN in Australia. More than 30 RAN personnel worked alongside U.S. Navy and contractor personnel and UK observers to conduct routine maintenance and observe safety and stewardship evolutions. This was an important step in building Australia’s capacity to support a rotational presence of UK and U.S. SSNs at SRF-West beginning as early as 2027, as well as Australia’s future sovereign SSN capability.
The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister emphasised the importance of ensuring that our trilateral systems have the tools they need to transfer information and data in a timely fashion to facilitate cooperation. They were pleased to welcome the August 2024 signing of an enabling agreement for trilateral cooperation related to naval nuclear propulsion. Once in force, this historic agreement will enable AUKUS partners to go beyond sharing naval nuclear propulsion information, allowing the United States and the United Kingdom to transfer nuclear-propulsion material and equipment to Australia required for the safe and secure construction, operation, and sustainment of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines.

This agreement reaffirms, and remains consistent with, the AUKUS partners’ respective, existing international non-proliferation obligations. As a non-nuclear-weapon State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Australia has re-affirmed unequivocally that it does not have, and will not seek to acquire, nuclear weapons.

Pillar II – Advanced Capabilities

The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister hailed progress being made under Pillar II to deliver capability to our defence forces while bolstering industry and innovation sector collaboration. AUKUS nations continue to pool the talents of our defence sectors to catalyse, at an unprecedented pace, the delivery of advanced capabilities.

Through AUKUS Pillar II, our trilateral science and technology, acquisition and sustainment, and operational communities are working across the full spectrum of capability development—generating requirements, co-developing new systems, deepening industrial base collaboration, and bolstering our innovation ecosystems. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed progress made in building a more capable, combined joint force of the future because of this work.
- This year, under the Maritime Big Play initiative, we are undertaking a series of integrated trilateral experiments and exercises to enhance interoperability and accelerate the combined fielding of autonomous uncrewed systems in the maritime domain. Later this year, the three nations will bring together approximately 30 systems across four domains for the first large-scale AUKUS integrated demonstration. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the inclusion of technologies from companies in each of the three nations and plans to expand to include additional industry partners in the future.
- In 2024, AUKUS partners furthered their undersea warfare capabilities by beginning to scale up the ability to launch and recover uncrewed underwater systems from torpedo tubes on current classes of British and U.S. submarines, which will increase the range and capability of our undersea forces. AUKUS partners are exploring opportunities to collaborate on sensors and payloads to maximize this capability and deliver effects such as strike, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.
- In parallel, the United Kingdom and the United States are strengthening superiority in the maritime domain by integrating the Sting Ray lightweight torpedo into the P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft alongside the Mk 54 torpedo, with trials planned for 2025. This will increase the opportunity for interchangeability and potential work on future torpedo programmes. These efforts will ultimately enhance the survivability of our surface combatant and submarine fleets.
- In the area of long-range precision strike, we are increasing our collective ability to develop and deliver offensive and defensive hypersonic technologies through a robust series of trilateral tests and experiments that will accelerate the development of hypersonic concepts and critical enabling technologies. These capabilities will hold time critical and heavily defended targets at risk from increased ranges, enhancing the survivability of our forces and defending our homelands and forces against potential threats.
- Advancing our maritime domain autonomy and decision advantage efforts, AUKUS partners demonstrated and deployed common advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms on P8-A Maritime Patrol aircraft to process data from each nations’ sonobuoys. These advances allow for faster data processing and improved target identification in congested acoustic environments, enhancing our combined anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed plans to scale these technologies in 2025.
- Our joint forces demonstrated several innovative uses of AI technologies to enhance decision making and bolster combined military effects. In March, AUKUS partners demonstrated the ability to rapidly co-develop and deploy trilateral AI algorithms to find and fix targets for strike. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed trilateral plans to explore the introduction of these capabilities into operational units in the coming years.
The International Joint Requirements Oversight Council (I-JROC) remains a critical collaborative forum to identify and validate joint and combined requirements to ensure capability development considers interoperability and interchangeability from the very start. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed the establishment of trilaterally determined key operational problems, leveraging existing activities to achieve capability development priorities endorsed by I-JROC. AUKUS partners seek:
- An enhanced multi-domain long-range strike capability that incorporates asymmetric capabilities and integrated targeting;
- Strengthened multi-domain integrated air and missile defence capability;
- Resilient command and control systems that maintain a diverse range of information; and
- Enhanced logistical networks that are able to deliver persistent support and sustainment for operations in contested environments.
To this end, the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed work underway across our trilateral Armies, Navies, and Air Forces to explore additional opportunities for collaboration in the land, maritime, air, and other domains under AUKUS Pillar II.

A cornerstone of our AUKUS Pillar II program remains the opportunity to leverage the best of our defence industrial bases and innovation ecosystems. Over the past year we have further integrated our innovation ecosystems and fostered increased collaboration with these stakeholder communities to explore opportunities in all aspects of Pillar II.
- AUKUS partners executed the first trilaterally sponsored innovation prize challenge, which focused on electronic warfare. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister are pleased to announce Advanced Design Technology Pty Ltd, Inovor Technologies Pty Ltd and Penten Pty Ltd (AUS), Amiosec Ltd, University of Liverpool, Roke Manor Research Ltd, Autonomous Devices Ltd (UK), and Distributed Spectrum (U.S.) as the winners for this challenge. The selection of these companies demonstrates the important contributions that our trilateral commercial sectors and innovation bases can make in addressing critical operational requirements.
- Building on the success of this first challenge, the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister were pleased to endorse plans for a robust two-year agenda that will increase collaboration between and among our innovation centres of excellence. Through this collaboration, AUKUS partners will leverage innovative tools to reach our entrepreneurs and actively solicit new and powerful capabilities from our trilateral innovation ecosystem and industrial base.
- In coordination with industry associations representing the trilateral defence industrial base, the Advanced Capabilities Industry Forum, continues to provide an opportunity for representatives across government and industry to exchange ideas and deepen industrial collaboration in Pillar II. By the end of this year, AUKUS partners will have convened meetings in each country and facilitated discussions with technology and policy subject matter experts to increase understanding and information sharing.
- In response to industry feedback and as current projects mature beyond traditional research and development projects, the National Armaments Directors from each nation are identifying opportunities to harmonise acquisition processes and reducing barriers to facilitate the accelerated delivery of Pillar II advanced capabilities.
In April 2024, the Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister announced principles for engaging additional partners on opportunities to collaborate on AUKUS Pillar II projects. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister welcomed progress on consultations with Japan on improving interoperability with Japan’s maritime autonomous systems as an initial area of cooperation. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister noted ongoing consultations with Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea to identify possibilities for collaboration on advanced capabilities under AUKUS Pillar II on a project by project basis.

Defence trade and industrial base collaboration

To promote innovation and realise the goals of AUKUS, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States implemented momentous amendments to our respective export control regimes. These historic efforts will maximise secure, licence-free defence trade and stimulate innovation across the full breadth of our defence collaboration, mutually strengthening our three defence industrial bases, while maintaining rigour and security in all three systems. The Secretaries and Deputy Prime Minister reaffirmed support to reduce bureaucratic barriers to collaboration to enable deeper defence industrial base cooperation.

MIL OSI USA News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: New public space celebrates Leicester’s diverse communities

Source: City of Leicester

A NEW and improved public space that celebrates Leicester’s diverse communities has been officially opened by the Lord Mayor.

New commemorative paving has been unveiled at the Sculptural Gateway on Belgrave Circle. The Sculptural Gateway is a striking piece of artwork by Anuradha Patel, that was installed last year to celebrate the arrival of Ugandan Asians to Leicester in 1972.

The granite paving is designed to complement the sculpture by celebrating the journeys made by many different communities to Leicester. Engraved into it are the names of people who have contributed towards the project.

A booklet marking the anniversary has been published to accompany the launch of the new space. Sculptural Gateway: A Community Collaboration Celebrating 50 Years of Ugandan Asian Migration to Leicester is available for free from Belgrave Library and Visit Leicester.

Community participation was a key element of the artwork’s development. Throughout the project, Leicester Museums and Galleries held several arts engagement events, gathering information and detail from people’s migratory stories. They also connected with people through last year’s Rebuilding Lives exhibition, which heard the stories of people fleeing Uganda and seeking refuge in Leicester, exploring the impact they and their families have had on all aspects of the modern city of Leicester.

To mark the official opening of the space, people were invited to write messages about their journeys to Leicester on parcel tags. Midlands-based artist Anuradha Patel, who created the sculpture, talked about her inspiration, while Jaffer Kapasi, a local businessman and Honorary Consul General of Uganda, spoke about experiences of migration.

Lord Mayor of Leicester, Cllr Bhupen Dave, was born and educated in Uganda before coming to the UK in 1972 with his parents. He said: “I’m delighted to be opening this new public space. As well as providing a gateway to the Golden Mile, it celebrates the tremendous positive impact that has been made on our city by all of the diverse communities that have travelled here, and now call Leicester home.

“This is a space that has been designed by and for Leicester communities. It’s a powerful message of unity and shows that we are proud of our culturally diverse city.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Kaine, Hagerty Applaud Senate Passage of Legislation to Honor Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) applauded Senate passage of their Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act (S. 91), a bill to honor 60 World War II-era diplomats from the United States and around the world who risked their careers and, in many instances, their lives to save others during the Holocaust. The Hagerty-Kaine legislation would posthumously award a Congressional Gold Medal collectively to these diplomats who took heroic actions to save Jews fleeing Nazi Germany, including issuing passports and travel visas and setting up safehouses and getaways to hide Jews from Nazi authorities. A version of this legislation led by Representatives Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL-27) and Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) passed the House of Representatives on June 11, 2024.
“These courageous diplomats from nations across the world took initiative and serious risks to save Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe. The Congressional Gold Medal is a small overdue gesture to honor righteous deeds in the most difficult times,” said Kaine. “As living memory of the Holocaust fades with the passing of 80 years, it will soon be up to us to remember humanity’s capacity for evil alongside our capacity for empathy and courage. Senator Hagerty and I aren’t Jewish, but we led this legislation because the duty of remembrance isn’t on the Jewish community alone; it is on all of us.”
“As U.S. Senator and former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, I applaud Senate passage of this bipartisan legislation to posthumously honor U.S. and foreign diplomats who risked their lives and careers to assist Jews who were fleeing Nazi tyranny during the Holocaust,” said Hagerty. “During a time of unimaginable darkness in the world, these diplomats went above their official obligations and beyond the call of duty to save the lives of so many. Current and future generations of diplomats—and everyone else who hears their stories—can look to these men and women of courage and be inspired by their lives of heroism and sacrifice.”

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Graham Introduces Religious Education Week Resolution

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Lindsey Graham
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) introduced a resolution designating October 6 – 12, 2024, as “Religious Education Week” to celebrate and emphasize the importance of religious education and the schools and organizations engaged in religious instruction.
“South Carolina’s children are our greatest resource and future leaders,” said Graham. “I am proud to introduce this resolution to emphasize the importance of continued religious education and the organizations who provide it.”
The resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Mike Braun (R-Indiana), Katie Boyd Britt (R-Alabama), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Montana), Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), James Lankford (R-Oklahoma), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming), Roger Marshall (R-Kansas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma), James Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Eric Schmitt (R-Missouri), Rick Scott (R-Florida), Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), and Todd Young (R-Indiana).
This resolution is also supported by Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty, Coalition for Jewish Values, Foundation for American Christian Education, School Time Bible Ministries, Association of Christian Schools International, Agudath Israel of America, and Catholic Education Partners Inc.
The full text of the resolution is HERE.

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Global: We curated a podcast playlist for you: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Vinita Srivastava, Senior Editor, Culture + Society / Host + Exec. Producer, Don’t Call Me Resilient

On Sept. 30, Canada will observe the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Formerly known as Orange Shirt Day, the now federal statutory day honours generations of Indigenous survivors, families and communities impacted by Canada’s residential school system and remembers the children who never returned home. It’s also a good time to honour the “Truth” in Truth and Reconciliation and check in on Canada’s progress on the 94 Calls to Action that came out of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee.

Here at Don’t Call Me Resilient, we’ve curated a playlist of episodes for you that explore the historical and current issues of Indigenous communities. Through the voices of experts, the playlist features discussions related to Indigenous history, justice, rights and resistance. In each episode, Indigenous scholars and experts present their research and ideas to help explain the issues. They dive deep into conversations about the importance of preserving and protecting Indigenous land, life and identity.

As a collection, these episodes invite listeners to engage in a process of learning and unlearning; to acknowledge the tragic legacies of residential schools in Canada and to move beyond a single day of remembrance. Individually, the conversations are thoughtful and informative explorations of Indigenous scholarship, living history and the future of reconciliation in Canada.

Indigenous Land Defenders

In this episode, two Indigenous land defenders from different nations as well as generations: Ellen Gabriel, a human rights activist and artist well known for her role during the 1990 Oka crisis, and Anne Spice, a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, discuss the importance and urgency of defending land. They explain why they work to protect the land against invasive development and why their work is necessary for everyone’s survival. Also, check out Gabriel’s forthcoming book with Sean Carleton: When the Pine Needles Fall.
(first aired: March, 2021)

How stories about alternate worlds can help us imagine a better future

Stories are a powerful tool to resist oppressive situations. They give writers from marginalized communities a way to imagine alternate realities, and to critique the one we live in. In this episode, Vinita speaks to two storytellers who offer up wonderous “otherworlds” for Indigenous and Black people. Selwyn Seyfu Hinds is an L.A-based screenwriter and the producer of Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black. Daniel Heath Justice is professor in Indigenous literature at the University of British Columbia and author of Why Indigenous Literatures Matter.

Stolen Identities: What does it mean to be Indigenous?

Over the last few years, we’ve seen a lot of high-profile figures accused of falsely claiming Indigenous identity, of being “Pretendians.” These cases have become big news stories, but they have big real-life consequences, too. Misidentifying as Indigenous can have financial and social consequences, with the misdirection of funds, jobs or grants meant for Indigenous peoples. Vinita delves into it all with two researchers who look at identity and belonging in Indigenous communities: Veldon Coburn and Celeste Pedri-Spade from McGill University.
(first aired: October, 2021)

Why pollution is as much about colonialism as chemicals

The state of our environment keeps getting scarier and scarier: and we have yet to find a way forward. Two Indigenous scholars who run labs to address the climate crisis say bringing an Indigenous understanding to environmental justice could help us get unstuck. A big part of that is seeing pollution through a new lens — one that acknowledges it is as much about racism and colonialism as it is toxic chemicals. Vinita talks to Michelle Murphy at the University of Toronto, and Max Liboiron, author of Pollution is Colonialism, and associate professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
(first aired: November, 2021)

Making our food fairer

Over 17 per cent of households in Canada are food insecure. For racialized Canadians, that number is higher — two to three times the national average. In this episode, Vinita asks what is happening with our food systems, and what we can do to make them fairer with two women who have been tackling this issue for years. Melana Roberts is Chair of Food Secure Canada and one of the leaders behind Canada’s first Black food sovereignty plan. Also joining the conversation is Tabitha Robin Martens, assistant professor at UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Martens researches Indigenous food sovereignty and works with Cree communities to bolster traditional land uses.
(first aired: November, 2021)

Unmarked graves of 215 Indigenous children were found in Kamloops a year ago: What’s happened since?

In this episode, we take a look at what has happened since the unmarked graves of 215 Indigenous children were found in Kamloops, B.C. in May 2021. Vinita speaks to Veldon Coburn, associate professor and faculty chair of the Indigenous Relations Initiative at McGill University about what happened, the widespread grief and outcry and the immediate political response, but also, how none of that lasted despite communities continuing to find bodies. Joining Vinita on the episode is Haley Lewis, then-Don’t Call Me Resilient producer and culture and society editor for The Conversation Canada. Lewis is mixed Kanyen’keha:ká from Tyendinaga and led our coverage of the findings.
(first aired: May, 2022)

Diamond mines are not a girl’s best friend

Since diamond mining started in Canada in 1998, Canada has become the third-largest producer of diamonds in the world. In 2019, the inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls linked resource extraction to spikes in violence against women. In this episode, we hear from two women who talk about how diamond mines in the Northwest Territories have negatively impacted and perpetuated gender violence, particularly among Indigenous women. Vinita chats with Rebecca Hall, assistant professor of global development studies at Queen’s University and the author of Refracted Economies: Diamond Mining and Social Reproduction in the North, and Della Green, former victim services co-ordinator, at the Native Women’s Association of the Northwest Territories.
(first aired: June, 2022)

Has the meaning behind the Canadian flag changed?

After weeks of the so-called Freedom Convoy in 2022, many of us took a hard look at the symbolism of the Canadian flag and the attempt to associate it with white supremacy. Some felt a new fear or anger at what they feel the flag represents. But other communities say they have always felt this way about the Canadian flag. Both our guests on this episode have studied multiculturalism, citizenship and belonging. Daniel McNeil looks at history and culture and the complexities of global Black communities. He is a professor and Queen’s National Scholar Chair in Black Studies at Queen’s University. Lucy El-Sherif is an assistant professor of global peace and social justice at McMaster University. They help us unpack the meaning and symbolism of the Canadian flag.
(first aired: June, 2022)

How to decolonize journalism

For decades, Canadian media have covered Indigenous communities with a heavy reliance on stereotypes — casting Indigenous Peoples as victims or warriors. This deep-seated bias in the news can have unsettling consequences for both how a community perceives itself as well as how others perceive them. Award-winning Anishinaabe journalist and former CBC reporter Duncan McCue is trying to change that both in the classroom and in the newsroom. He joins Vinita to talk about what Canadian media could be doing better.
(first aired: November, 2022)

About the Queen, the Crown’s crimes and how to talk about the unmourned

When the Queen died, there was a tremendous outpouring of love and grief for her and the monarchy she represented. But not everyone wanted to take a moment of silence — and there are a lot of reasons why. For example, the head of the Assembly of First Nations, RoseAnne Archibald told CTV News that the Royal Family should apologize for the failures of the Crown… “particularly for the destructiveness of colonization on First Nations people.” To explore these ideas further, we reached out to two scholars, Veldon Coburn, associate professor and faculty chair of the Indigenous Relations Initiative at McGill University and Cheryl Thompson, an associate professor of media and culture at Toronto Metropolitan University. Both say that the Queen’s death could be a uniting moment of dissent for people from current and former colonies.
(first aired: September, 2022)

The Vatican just renounced a 500-year-old doctrine that justified colonial land theft… Now what?

In 2023, the Vatican repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery, a 500-year-old decree used to justify settler colonialism. In this episode, political and Indigenous studies scholar Veldon Coburn explains why the Vatican’s repudiation of the Doctrine is a huge symbolic victory. We also examine what this repudiation may mean for members of Indigenous Nations, what prompted this renouncement, and what still needs to happen.
(first aired: April, 2023)

Digging into the colonial roots of gardening

In this episode, we explore how the practice of gardening is deeply tied to colonialism that affects what we plant and also, who gets to garden. But there is also a growing understanding that centuries-old Indigenous land-based knowledge and practices can foster a more resilient landscape. We speak to community activist Carolynne Crawley — a woman with Mi’kmaw, Black and Irish ancestry who leads workshops and walks that integrate Indigenous teachings into practice — and Jacqueline L. Scott — a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education whose research focuses on the wilderness and making it a welcoming space for Black people. We discuss a new way forward, discussing practical gardening tips with an eye to Indigenous knowledge.
(first aired: May, 2023)

Botanical classification; 227 figures of plant anatomical segments with descriptive text.
CC BY

Why preserving Indigenous languages is so critical to culture

This episode tackles why the revitalization of Indigenous languages is so critical. Guest host Veldon Coburn speaks with Frank Deer, professor of education at the University of Manitoba, to tackle the issue of disappearing Indigenous languages. They delve into how language reflects philosophies that guide political, cultural and ecological relationships — and discuss what more needs to be done to revitalize them.
(first aired: June, 2023)

Inside the search for the unmarked graves of children lost to Indian Residential Schools

In this episode, we take you inside the ongoing quest to document the children who died in Canada’s Indian Residential Schools system. Vinita speaks to Terri Cardinal, associate vice president of Indigenous initiatives and engagement at MacEwan University, about the search she led to uncover the unmarked graves of those who perished at the Blue Quills Residential School in Alberta. It’s deeply personal and emotional work for Cardinal, whose own father is a survivor of the school. Cardinal talks about what she found, how she felt, and what she hopes will come of it. She says the number of unmarked graves across the country is much higher than many of us could have imagined. And she says it’s important to keep shining a light on the rising numbers, especially with so many Canadians in denial about what really happened at these schools.
(first aired: September, 2023)

Students at Blue Quills Residential School.
Provincial Archives of Alberta, CC BY

How journalists tell Buffy Sainte-Marie’s story matters – explained by a ‘60s Scoop survivor

Musician Buffy Sainte-Marie in 1970.
CMA/wikicommons, CC BY

Lori Campbell, a ‘60s Scoop survivor and associate vice president of Indigenous engagement at the University of Regina, challenges the CBC’s motives in releasing an investigation that questioned the Indigenous roots of legendary singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie in this episode. Campbell asks: was the story in service of truth and reconciliation or a sensationalist headline? She also highlights the turmoil the story is causing, especially among Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan, home to the Piapot Nation that embraced Sainte-Marie.
(first aired: November, 2023)

Colonialists used starvation as a tool of oppression

Plains Cree Chief Mistahimaskwa resisted signing a treaty with the ‘Crown,’ until starvation of his people propelled him to sign Treaty 6.
(Library and Archives Canada), CC BY

Vinita speaks to two famine scholars about the use of starvation as a tool in the colonizer’s playbook through two historic examples — the attempted decimation of Indigenous populations in the Plains, North America and the 1943 famine in Bengal, India. Our guests James Daschuk from the University of Regina and Janam Mukherjee at Toronto Metropolitan University discuss how colonial forces inflicted famine upon Indigenous populations to control them, their land, and their resources.
(first aired: March, 2024)

From stereotypes to sovereignty: How Indigenous media makers assert narrative control

Reservation Dogs: Sarah Podemski and D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai.
Shane Brown/FX

Indigenous media in North America have rapidly expanded over the last 30 years, with Indigenous media makers gaining greater control of their own narratives, including the ability to subvert colonial representations. Karrmen Crey, who is Stó:lō from Cheam First Nation, is an associate professor in the School of Communication at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, and the author of “Producing Sovereignty: The Rise of Indigenous Media in Canada.” In this special episode, recorded on-site with an audience in Vancouver at Iron Dog books, Crey speaks with Vinita about the ways Indigenous creators are using humour along with a sharp critique of pop culture to show just how different the world looks when decision-making power over how stories get told shifts and Indigenous media makers take control.
(first aired: April, 2024)

– ref. We curated a podcast playlist for you: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation – https://theconversation.com/we-curated-a-podcast-playlist-for-you-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation-239669

MIL OSI – Global Reports –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Translation: Statement by Minister Guilbeault following the Canada-Norway Ministerial Meeting on Plastic Pollution held on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly

MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, issued the following statement as Canada and Norway concluded the Ministerial Consultation on the Plastic Pollution Treaty, which took place on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the fifth and final negotiating session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea later this year.

September 26, 2024 – Gatineau, Quebec The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Canada’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, issued the following statement as Canada and Norway concluded the Ministerial Consultation on the Plastic Pollution Treaty, which took place on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly and ahead of the fifth and final negotiating session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) scheduled to take place in the Republic of Korea later this year.

“Plastics are being produced and consumed at an increasing rate, travelling across national borders, posing a risk to wildlife and damaging ecosystems. Millions of metric tonnes of plastic pollution enter our oceans each year, leaving a legacy of environmental impacts for future generations. Canada is taking ambitious action to reduce plastic pollution and help Canadians transition to a circular economy by following a comprehensive, evidence-based plan that covers the entire plastics lifecycle to keep plastics in the economy and out of the environment. But we can’t just act at home – plastic pollution is a global problem that is only getting worse. “Two years ago, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) unanimously adopted a historic and ambitious resolution to develop a new legally binding instrument on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. Since then, Canada has been actively engaged in the development of this global agreement, including through the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) in April 2024, which brought together over 3,000 participants from around the world.

“To build on this momentum, the governments of Canada and Norway co-hosted a ministerial consultation on the Plastic Pollution Treaty this week in New York, which helped identify areas of convergence ahead of INC-5. This is a critical element of the negotiations, and Canada calls on all Member States and Ministers to step up their efforts to chart a path toward an ambitious and effective global agreement to protect human health and the environment from plastic pollution. Canada looks forward to working with other Member States, Indigenous Peoples, intergovernmental partners and stakeholders to reach a final negotiated agreement to end plastic pollution at the final scheduled negotiation session (INC-5), to be held in the Republic of Korea this November.”

Oliver AndersonDirector of CommunicationsOffice of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change819-230-1557Oliver.Anderson@ec.gc.ca

Media RelationsEnvironment and Climate Change Canada819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll free)media@ec.gc.ca

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

MIL Translation OSI

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Europe: Joint statement by President Macron and President Biden
Source: France-Diplomatie – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development
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Published on September 26, 2024

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It is time for a settlement on the Israel-Lebanon border that ensures safety and security to enable civilians to return to their homes.

The exchange of fire since October 7th, and in particular over the past two weeks, threatens a much broader conflict, and harm to civilians.

We therefore have worked together in recent days on a joint call for a temporary ceasefire to give diplomacy a chance to succeed and avoid further escalations across the border.

The statement we have negotiated is now endorsed by the United States, Australia, Canada, European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and Qatar. We call for broad endorsement and for the immediate support of the Governments of Israel and Lebanon.
MIL OSI Europe News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: History for Lunch: American Indian Tribes of North Carolina: Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe

Source: US State of North Carolina

Headline: History for Lunch: American Indian Tribes of North Carolina: Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe

History for Lunch: American Indian Tribes of North Carolina: Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe
jejohnson6
Thu, 09/26/2024 – 13:16

ELIZABETH CITY

The Museum of the Albemarle will host History for Lunch on Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 12 p.m. in the Gaither Auditorium. Dr. Marvin “Marty” Richardson, member and vice chief of the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe, will provide an informative talk on the history, culture, language, education, and contemporary issues of American Indian tribes in North Carolina. Dr. Richardson will focus on the Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe concerning the cultural revitalization, including the Tutelo-Saponi language.

The Museum will offer the History for Lunch program in-person and through Zoom. To attend the lecture virtually, register in advance by clicking here to receive the link. Registration is not required to attend the lecture in person.

The virtual program is supported by Friends of the Museum of the Albemarle.

About the Museum of the Albemarle

The Museum of the Albemarle is located at 501 S. Water Street, Elizabeth City, NC. (252) 335-1453. http://www.museumofthealbemarle.com. Find us on Facebook! Hours are Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Closed Sundays and State Holidays. Serving Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Hertford, Hyde, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties, the museum is the northeast regional history museum of the North Carolina Division of State History Museums within the N.C.

Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the state agency with the mission to enrich lives and communities and the vision to harness the state’s cultural resources to build North Carolina’s social, cultural, and economic future. Information is available 24/7 at http://www.dncr.nc.gov.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the North Carolina Symphony, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit http://www.dncr.nc.gov.

Sep 26, 2024

MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ron DeSantis Issues Updates on Preparedness Efforts Ahead of Hurricane Helene
Source: US State of Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Major General John D. Haas, Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Executive Director, and Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Purdue at the State Emergency Operations Center to provide updates ahead of landfall of Hurricane Helene. As of 8:00 am ET, Hurricane Helene’s maximum sustained winds have increased to 100 mph with higher gusts, making it a Category 2 hurricane. Additional strengthening is forecast, and Helene is expected to be a major hurricane when it reaches the Florida Big Bend coast tonight. Sixty-eight shelters are open throughout the state in preparation for severe impacts from Hurricane Helene, including 2 state-operated shelters in Tallahassee and DeFuniak Springs. These shelters have are housing over 2,500 residents from areas that may be severely affected by Hurricane Helene.

Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-209 on September 24, updating EO 24-208 and declaring a state of emergency for 61 counties. This allows state officials to make critical resources available to communities ahead of any potential storm impacts.

Following Governor DeSantis’ request, FEMA approved the state’s pre-landfall disaster declaration request. This provides important federal resources and assistance, including personnel, equipment, and supplies, and makes available funding sources for emergency protective measures. The pre-landfall declaration request is for the 41 Florida counties included in Executive Order 24-208.

Voluntary and mandatory evacuation orders are in effect in multiple counties statewide. Residents need to evacuate if they are under a mandatory evacuation order. Counties under evacuation orders can be found at FloridaDisaster.org/EvacuationOrders.

Residents in the big bed area needing assistance finding or going to a shelter in the Big Bend region for Hurricane Helene can call (800) 729-3413. FDEM team members are conducting callbacks from messages received last night and accepting new calls today to facilitate shelter coordination. For additional resources and assistance, residents can call the State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) at (800) 342-3557. Assistance is available in English, Spanish, and Haitian-Creole.

Watches and warnings in effect include:
Hurricane Warning: Western Alachua, coastal Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, coastal Hernando, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, western Marion, coastal Pasco, Suwannee, Taylor and Wakulla counties
Hurricane Watch: Inland Citrus, inland Hernando, coastal Hillsborough, coastal Manatee, inland Pasco, Pinellas, coastal Sarasota
Tropical Storm Warning: Central and eastern Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, inland Citrus, Clay, Collier, DeSoto, Duval, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, inland Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Indian River, Jackson, Lake, Lee, Miami-Dade, Monroe (including Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas), Manatee, central and eastern Marion, Martin, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, inland Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Union, Volusia, Walton, Washington
Storm Surge Warning: Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Dixie, Franklin, Gulf, Hernando, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Monroe, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Taylor and Wakulla counties

To learn more, residents can visit FloridaDisaster.org/Guide. For updates on county resources available visit FloridaDisaster.org/Counties for a list of all 67 county emergency management contacts.

State Preparedness Efforts
- The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 1 on Tuesday, September 24, and is leading coordination efforts for the State Emergency Response Team.
- The State Emergency Response Team is engaged in over 1,150 missions to assist counties in their preparation efforts. These missions accomplish vital tasks like staging response resources, protecting critical infrastructure facilities like hospitals and utility stations, and coordinating personnel statewide.
- There are 35,000 shelf-stable meals staged near the anticipated area of storm impact, ready to deploy for response.
- Seven Urban search and rescue task forces are ready to deploy.
- The Florida National Guard (FLNG) has mobilized nearly 3,500 Soldiers and Airmen in preparation for Hurricane Helene and can surge to 5,500 if needed.
- The FLNG is postured to provide logistics support, law enforcement support, route clearance, search and rescue, commodity distribution, flood mitigation, aviation and other support as needed by the state.
- The Florida State Guard (FSG) has prepared the following:
  - 250+ Soldiers ready to deploy.
  - 10 shallow water vessel boat teams
  - 7 flat-bottom-flood rescue skiffs
  - 2 amphibious rescue vehicles
  - 12 UTV’s
  - 15 Cut and toss crews
  - 7 search and rescue teams
  - 2 UH-60 Blackhawk for daytime aerial assessment and logistics missions
- The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) has positioned all assets, including aircraft, and is ready to respond for reconnaissance and damage assessments, including all backup satellite and communications systems. Portable towers have been staged for emergency communications.
- FDLE is prestaging Telecommunication Emergency Response Taskforces for response to ensure continuity of service of the 911 system.
- FDLE’s Criminal Justice Information Services received permission from the FBI to allow law enforcement agencies to perform criminal history queries on behalf of emergency shelters to determine the suitability of shelter staff who may care for vulnerable populations (children, the elderly, the disabled).
- Nearly 2,000 Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) team members work directly on storm response.
- FDOT encourages drivers to download the FL511 app or visit FL511.com for road and bridge closures and potential detours that may be activated. Remember to always follow the direction of local law enforcement and emergency personnel.
- FDOT issued an Emergency Order on September 23, lifting weight restrictions and allowing emergency response vehicles, including utility vehicles staging for rapid response, to bypass weigh stations.
- FDOT Statewide Preparedness Efforts Include:
- Road Ranger Service has expanded service to 24 hours in the storm impact areas.
  - 890 team members conducting pre-storm preparations.
  - 613 team members working in the field conducting pre-storm preparations.
  - 245 pieces of heavy equipment are being used for pre-storm preparations.
  - 307 team members staged for cut and toss operations
  - 120 bridge inspectors staged for deployment
  - 43 team members staged for UAV (drone) deployment
  - 40 large pumps staged
  - 688 generators staged to assist with traffic signal power
  - 4 ITS trailers are staged.
- Seaports:
  - Port Key West, Panama City, Port St. Joe, Tampa Bay, SeaPort Manatee, Port St. Pete, Port of Fernandina, JAXPORT, and Port Canaveral are closed waterside.
- Airports: Some flight cancellations or delays are being reported. Check with airlines directly on specific flight updates. The following airports have suspended service:
  - Tallahassee International Airport (TLH)
  - Tampa International Airport (TPA)
  - St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE)
- Railroads:
  - Amtrak: Silver Star and Silver Meteor routes (New York to Miami) will terminate in Jacksonville
  - Amtrak: Silver Star and Silver Meteor routes (Miami to New York) will originate in Jacksonville
  - SunRail service has been suspended.
- Freight Rail:
  CSX will limit operations in the Tampa area.
- Florida Gulf & Atlantic will shut down operations except the Pensacola area.
- Apalachicola Northern and BayLine have suspended operations
  - First Coast Railroad will shut down operations on 9/27 .
- The following transit providers have made the following schedule modifications.
  - Service Suspended: Lakeland Area Mass Transit (Citrus Connection), Manatee County Area Transit, Sarasota County Area (Breeze) Transit, Lee County (LeeTran), Charlotte County, Jacksonville Transit Authority (JTA) Skyway and St. Johns River Ferry, St. Johns County (Sunshine Line), Bay County (Bayway), StarMetro, Big Bend Transit, Wakulla County Transit, Jackson County (JTrans), Calhoun County Transit, Liberty County Transit, Gulf County ARC suspending, LYNX, Marion County Transit, Key West Lower Key Shuttle, Hillsborough County (HART), Pasco County, Hernando County (The Bus)
- The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) The VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center is operational 24/7/365 for virtual care and tele-emergency care and support to Veterans enrolled for VA Health Care in Florida. 1-877-741-3400. Visit https://department.va.gov/integrated-service-networks/visn-08 for more information.
- Department of Management Services (DMS) is working to identify potential evacuation shelter sites for special needs and pet-friendly evacuees as far east as Lake City and west as Panama City.
Health and Human Services
- The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) is tracking APD-licensed group homes in impacted areas to ensure client safety from Hurricane Helene. APD will provide necessary guidance for re-entry when it is appropriate to do so.
- The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) is deploying over 135 emergency response vehicles. Staging is currently in Leon, Liberty, Osceola, and Pinellas counties.
- DOH has prepared for Special Needs Shelter operations to begin in areas of Helene’s path. A press release has been sent statewide for additional information on special needs shelters. To find a shelter near you, please visit the county emergency management page here.
- DOH and the Agency for Health Care Administration have initiated Patient Movement Mission to support medical transport and evacuations of health care facilities.
- The State Surgeon General signed Emergency Order 24-002, which:
  - Waives competitive procurement requirements in order to procure commodities, goods, and services expeditiously in response to the emergency.
  - Permits emergency medical transportation services to operate across county lines.
  - Permits Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, and Medical Directors, as defined by Chapter 401, Florida Statutes, licensed in other U.S. states, territories, or districts to practice in Florida in response to the emergency without penalty.
  - Authorizes a reporting extension for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
  - Authorizes an extension of the upcoming licensure renewal deadlines for Nursing Home Administrators, Radiological Personnel, and Athletic Trainers until October 31, 2024.
- DOH and the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) sent information regarding early prescription refills permitted under Executive Order 24-209. This information was sent to the public, health insurers, managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacy chains, and health care providers.
- The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has activated reporting in the Health Facility Reporting System (HFRS) and has requested that all health care providers report their census, available beds, evacuation status, and generator status information. This information allows AHCA to assist health care providers in transferring patients if needed and ensure that health care providers in impacted areas have the necessary resources and adequate power.
- AHCA made 537 provider calls for Hurricane Helene preparation ahead of landfall.
- As of this morning, 80 health care facilities are reporting that they are evacuating.
  - 38 assisted living facilities
  - 26 nursing homes
  - 8 hospitals
  - 4 residential treatment facilities
  - 2 residential treatment centers for children and adolescents
  - 1 adult family care home, and 1 intermediate care facility for developmentally disabled
- 100% of operating long-term care facilities have a generator on-site. The Generator Status Map for long-term care facilities is available here.
- The Agency has waived all prior authorization requirements for critical Medicaid services until further notice.
Infrastructure, Roads and State Closures
- The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is assisting the Florida Department of Corrections with the evacuation of correctional facilities as needed.
- FHP is assisting with evacuations in Taylor County and in Cedar Key in Levy County.
- FHP is removing any abandoned or disabled vehicles left along roadways ahead of storm arrival.
- FHP cut teams, along with FDOT road clearing teams, are staged and ready for post-storm deployment to provide aid to areas impacted by the storm.
- Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issued Emergency Order 24-05, in support of Executive Order 24-209 which: waives specific requirements for commercial motor vehicles providing emergency relief; and waives the replacement fees for driver’s license and identification credentials, vehicle registrations and titles, vessel registrations and titles and temporary parking permits for impacted individuals.
- The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is working with the Community-Based Care Lead Agencies to contact foster families and group home providers to ensure preparedness. Two group homes are evacuating to safer locations.
- DCF has contacted all licensed providers in potentially impacted areas to ensure disaster preparation plans are in place and unmet needs have been addressed.
- The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) contacted all Area Agencies on Aging partners to receive updates on their ongoing preparation efforts and gather the status of any unmet needs.
- The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has been in contact with all school districts and state colleges and is ready to provide assistance immediately following Hurricane Helene. Currently, 68 school districts have announced closures in addition to 25 State Colleges and 11 Universities. For more information on school closures, visit fldoe.org/storminfo.
- In preparation for Hurricane Helene. Currently, 65 school districts have announced closures in addition to 22 State Colleges and 9 Universities. For more information on school closures, visit fldoe.org/storminfo.
- Following the issuance of the Governor’s Executive Order 24-209, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) issued an Emergency Final Order allowing for the activation of disaster debris management sites to store and process storm-generated solid waste and debris.
- DEP published a storm updates webpage to keep state park visitors updated of closures: FloridaStateParks.org/StormUpdates. Visitors with existing camping and cabin reservations at closed parks have been notified of their reservation status.
Resources for Employees, Businesses and Consumers
- The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has partnered with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association to encourage more than 71,000 Florida-licensed lodging establishments to relax pet policies and waive pet fees for evacuees.
- Through this effort, anti-price gouging information and emergency accommodations resources have also been provided.
- DBPR has proactively communicated with more than 137,000 restaurant and lodging licensees to provide storm preparation and food safety resources.
- The Florida Disaster Contractors Network has been activated to connect homeowners with licensed contractors and suppliers to perform emergency repairs.
- DBPR encourages Florida’s licensed contractors who provide post-storm construction-related services to register with its Florida Disaster Contractors Network at DCNOnline.org.
- FloridaCommerce has activated the private sector hotline at (850) 815-4925, open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inquiries may also be emailed to ESF18@em.myflorida.com.
- Updates on business closures and business resources are consistently being updated at FloridaDisaster.biz/CurrentDisasterUpdates.
- VISIT FLORIDA has activated Emergency Accommodation Modules on Expedia and Priceline to provide real-time hotel availability and lodging resources for impacted Floridians and visitors.
- Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort has crafted special offers for Evacuees and First Responders in need of accommodations during an evacuation. Please see the linked pages below for more information.
- Rosen Hotels & Resorts activated its Florida Resident Distress Rates* for residents in the 61 counties where Governor Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency. This initiative provides evacuees with a safe and affordable place to stay as they ride out the storm. For more information see https://www.rosenhotels.com/rosen-hotels-resorts-reduces-pricing-ahead-of-helene/
- Visit website for CareerSource openings: careersourceflorida.com
- Comcast has opened more than 52,000 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots in Florida. The free and public hotspots are open for all, including non-Xfinity customers. For more information click here.
- Walmart is working with state partners to provide needed supplies after the storm has passed.
- Publix has provided 10 pallets of water for shelters in Leon County.
- CVS Health is working with state partners to prepare pop-up pharmacies in impacted areas.
- UBER is providing Floridians free rides up to $35 each way to and from a state-approved shelter in counties under a state of emergency for Hurricane Helene. To get a ride users should use promo code HELENERELIEF.
- The Florida Department of State, Division of Elections, has contacted the United States Postal Service (USPS) about election information and vote-by-mail ballots. The Division of Elections recommended that Supervisors of Elections t contact their local district USPS to discuss a mitigation plan for ballot mailing, delivery, and return.
- The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) worked with Florida’s ports and fuel industry partners to ensure adequate fuel supplies are available, and with Florida’s agricultural partners so producers have adequate resources.
- The Florida Forest Service staged equipment, like high-water vehicles.
- The Commissioner of Agriculture, Wilton Simpson, has approved an Emergency Order temporarily suspending the intrastate movement requirements for animal transportation. In addition, the following states have waived their interstate import requirements for Florida pets, horses, and livestock leaving the state: Alabama, Georgia (does not include livestock), Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
- The Department of Revenue (FDOR) has issued Emergency Order 24-001: Taxing Authority Millage and Budget Hearings to assist local taxing authorities with altering their plans for annual budget hearings because of Helene. Department of Revenue bulletin PTO 20-07 provides further instructions for local taxing authorities during declared emergencies.
- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has high-water vehicles staged to deploy.
- 72 FWC officers and staff are ready to deploy with specialized equipment, such as:
  - 6 Airboats
  - 8 Shallow draft boats
  - ATVs/Side-by-sides
  - 71 high-water capable four-wheel drive vehicles
  - 3 aerial surveillance drones
  - 12 high-water capable swamp buggies/Fat Truck/UTVs
  - 4 SOG support trailers
  - 4 BERG self-sustainment container units
  - 4 Hygiene trailers
  - 2 Mobile command units
  - 6 Generators
  - 2 Water trailers
  - 1 Fuel trailer
- The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) has evacuated 22 satellite facilities and two major facilities and relocated 4,630 inmates into hardened housing units. Inmate visitation has been suspended statewide until Monday, September 30. The FDC will be posting updates publicly and in real-time at FDC.myflorida.com/weather-updates
- The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) have finalized storm preparations to ensure the safety and security of staff and youth in our care. This includes fueling all vehicles, moving vehicles in low-lying and flood-prone areas to higher ground, testing and ensuring adequate fuel supplies for generators in the event of loss of power, and ensuring food, medicine, and emergency supplies are stocked and ready.
For previous updates see below:
9/24/2024
9/25/2024

Follow FDEM on X, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates for information relating to Hurricane Helene.

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MIL OSI USA News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Tillis, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Eliminate Barriers to Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis, along with Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mike Braun (R-IN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), recently introduced the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act, bipartisan legislation that makes technical corrections to the original Camp Lejeune Justice Act by clarifying the right to jury trials and the appropriate causation standard, capping attorneys’ fees, and expanding jurisdiction to alleviate the backlog of toxic water claims.

“Currently, veterans and other victims exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune are running into roadblocks that are denying them their day in court before a jury for the often-crippling and deadly medical conditions they have suffered,” said Senator Tillis. “Since coming to office, I have worked alongside those who lived and worked at Camp Lejeune that were unknowingly exposed to harmful chemicals to finally give them the health care and benefits they deserve. I am proud to introduce this legislation with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to bring justice for victims and provide a path forward for justice after decades of delay.”

“Victims of the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune deserve justice. But instead, DOJ bureaucrats are throwing up roadblocks and making it harder for veterans to get their day in court,” said Senator Budd. “That’s why I’m proud to join Senator Tillis to introduce a bipartisan bill to remove regulatory hurdles and see that Camp Lejeune victims get the compensation, care, and benefits they deserve.”

“Victims of Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water deserve recompense and accountability,” said Senator Blumenthal. “With this essential legislation, we eliminate roadblocks and provide a pathway to seeking justice for our veterans and their families affected by toxic exposure, ensuring access to well-deserved benefits and relief.”

“We need to make it as easy as possible for veterans exposed to harmful chemicals to get the benefits they deserve,” said Senator Braun.

“After selflessly answering the call to serve our nation, too many brave servicemembers were exposed to toxic chemicals from Camp Lejeune’s drinking water—but could not receive the justice and care they deserve due to unnecessary roadblocks,” said Senator Duckworth. “This bipartisan legislation would help make it easier for impacted servicemembers and Veterans to access the care and benefits they’ve earned through their service. It’s the least we could do after all they sacrifice for us.”

“It’s unacceptable that individuals impacted by the Camp Lejeune water contamination continue to experience bureaucratic roadblocks,” said Senator Rubio. “Compensation for veterans and other victims impacted, including thousands of individuals in Florida, is long overdue. Senator Tillis and I are eternally grateful for their service and are working to rectify this situation.”

“Camp Lejeune veterans and their families deserve justice,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m proud to cosponsor the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act, which will improve and clarify the legislation Congress passed two years ago to give these families a path to justice.”

The following Veteran Service Organizations have endorsed the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act: the Special Operations Association of America, the American Legion, the National Military Family Association, the Marine Corps League, the Marine Corps Reserve Association, the Military Chaplains Association, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the Moral Compass Federation, the Blinded Veterans Association, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard, and the Association of the US Navy.

“Two years ago, Mike Partain and I sat in the Senate Gallery and witnessed the passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act,” said Jerry Ensminger, father of Janey Ensminger, a Camp Lejeune water contamination victim. “We thought our decades-long fight for justice at Camp Lejeune was nearing an end. Instead, we have seen yet more roadblocks and delays, which was not the intent of Congress and the original bill. This new legislation will help remedy this issue and help our service personnel and their families achieve their justice for the toxic tragedy at Camp Lejeune.”

“SOAA is glad to see this bi-partisan effort to achieve justice for veterans who have waited so long,” said David Cook, Executive Director, Special Operations Association of America. “This is also a win for veterans’ choice in pursuing action. Helping Camp Lejeune veterans and families has been a long-time priority for SOAA and the many victims of the contaminated water who are critically ill. We urge Congress to pass this legislation as soon as possible.”

“On behalf of our 1.6 million dues-paying members, The American Legion is proud to support the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2024,” said James A. LaCoursiere, National Commander, The American Legion. “This bill enhances previous Camp Lejeune water legislation by expanding judicial jurisdiction to any of the five states of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit — Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina — rather than just in North Carolina’s federal courts. In addition, this bill codifies caps on attorney’s fees for administrative claims and for lawsuits filed in court based on Department of Justice recommendations. We applaud Senator Tillis and Senator Blumenthal for their leadership in expanding court access and protecting our veterans and their families from predatory actors.”

“We have a special responsibility to protect those charged with protecting our freedoms,” said Besa Pinchotti, CEO, National Military Family Association. “But the veterans and military families affected by the water contamination at Camp Lejeune have been waiting for help for decades. This bill rights the technical wrongs in the Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, ensuring that the families who have served us and suffered since finally get the justice they deserve.”

“With exposure to toxic chemicals during military service also having emerged somewhat recently as a factor in diseases causing loss of sight, we as blind and low vision veterans feel that we can relate to the plight of service members and family members of Camp Lejeune who continue to be victimized by the lack of a fair and timely path to judicial relief,” said Donald D. Overton, Jr., Executive Director of the Blinded Veterans Association. “We support the Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act as a means of correcting this injustice and encouraging action on the incomprehensible 360,000 claims for which only 114 have currently received a settlement.”

Full text of the bill is available HERE and a one-page summary is available HERE.

Background:

With passage of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, Congress intended to create a jury trial right with a lower causation standard to ensure a compensation process that would be fair and proportionate to the level of harm and injuries caused by exposure. However, the Department of Justice has fought the law and successfully challenged both the jury trial and causation standards intended by Congress.

Specifically, The Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act:
- Permits cases to be heard in any district court in the 4^th Circuit.
- Explicitly provides for jury trials.
- Expressly states that victims must only show general causation, including for latent or potential harm.
- Caps attorney fees at 20% for settlements and 25% for trials.
- Ensures there is no room for interpreting Congress’ intent to provide complete and swift relief to victims of contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.
Senator Tillis has been fighting for the victims of Camp Lejeune toxic contamination for over a decade, working to successfully advance bipartisan legislation. In 2014, as Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives, Tillis was successful in amending North Carolina’s statute of repose that previously prevented toxic contamination victims from bringing lawsuits more than 10 years after a pollution event took place. In September 2015, Senator Tillis pressed the Department at a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) hearing on Camp Lejeune for answers about granting Lejeune veterans disability status. Bureaucratic red tape and internal resistance at the VA delayed a final decision for years. Finally, the VA announced in December 2015 that the victims of Camp Lejeune’s poisoned water diagnosed with certain illness would be granted disability status.

In 2019, he co-introduced the Janey Ensminger Act to ensure individuals with diseases scientifically linked to toxic chemical exposure at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina receive proper medical care from the Veterans Administration (VA). The bill was named in honor of Master Sergeant Jerry Ensminger’s daughter Janey, who was only nine-years-old when she died from a rare form of leukemia after being exposed to toxic water at Camp Lejeune. Unfortunately, while the VA allowed veterans exposed to contaminated water to pursue VA benefits, most of the claims were denied. In 2019 alone, the U.S. Navy denied nearly 5,000 claims filed by Navy veterans stationed at Camp Lejeune. During this timeframe, three in four Camp Lejeune veterans had their requests for VA benefits denied.

In September 2020, Senator Tillis introduced the Camp Lejeune Justice Act, legislation that provided veterans and their families who are suffering due to water contamination at Camp Lejeune long-overdue judicial relief. The legislation corrected unintended injuries unique to Marine families stationed at Camp Lejeune due to an anomaly in the application of North Carolina law in the federal court system. Senator Tillis reintroduced the bipartisan Camp Lejeune Justice Act in 2021, which was codified into law in 2022.

In May 2023, Senators Tillis and Budd led a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the Secretary of the Navy and Attorney General Garland expressing concerns over the Navy’s failure to adjudicate claims submitted since August 2022 for Camp Lejeune water contamination.
MIL OSI USA News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Guilbeault issues statement following Canada–Norway ministerial on plastic pollution on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly

Source: Government of Canada News

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, issued the following statement as Canada and Norway conclude the ministerial consultation on the plastic pollution treaty on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and ahead of the fifth and final negotiations of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in the Republic of Korea later this year.

September 26, 2024 – Gatineau, Quebec

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, issued the following statement as Canada and Norway conclude the ministerial consultation on the plastic pollution treaty on the margins of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and ahead of the fifth and final negotiations of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in the Republic of Korea later this year.

“Plastics are being produced and consumed at a growing rate, travelling beyond national borders, posing a risk to wildlife, and damaging ecosystems. Millions of metric tons of plastic pollution are entering our oceans every year, which is leaving a legacy of environmental impacts for future generations. Canada is taking ambitious action to reduce plastic pollution and help Canadians move toward a circular economy through an evidence-based and comprehensive plan. This plan addresses the entire lifecycle of plastics and keeps plastic in the economy and out of the environment. But we can’t just take action at home—plastic pollution is a global problem that is only getting worse.

“Two years ago, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) unanimously adopted a historic and ambitious resolution to develop a new, legally binding instrument on plastic pollution by the end of 2024. Canada has been actively involved in the development of this global agreement since then, which included hosting the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-4) in April 2024 with over 3,000 participants from around the world.

“To continue the momentum, the Governments of Canada and Norway co-hosted a ministerial consultation on the plastic pollution treaty this week in New York that helped identify areas of convergence ahead of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5). It is a critical point in negotiations, and Canada invites all member states and ministers to intensify their efforts to chart the path toward an ambitious and effective global deal to protect human health and the environment from plastic pollution. Canada looks forward to working with other member states, Indigenous peoples, intergovernmental partners, and stakeholders to reach a final negotiated agreement to end plastic pollution at the last scheduled negotiation session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in the Republic of Korea this November.”

Oliver Anderson
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
819-962-0686
Oliver.Anderson@ec.gc.ca

Media Relations
Environment and Climate Change Canada
819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free)
media@ec.gc.ca

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI USA: Mrvan Announces Department of Education Grant for Calumet College of St. Joseph

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank J. Mrvan (IN)

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Frank J. Mrvan announced a federal grant award for Calumet College of St. Joseph under the Department of Education’s Promoting Postbaccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans (PPOHA) program.

Calumet College of St. Joseph will receive $3 million over five years to implement Camino al Éxito: A GPS for Hispanic Student Success, a program that aims to expand opportunities for Hispanic and low-income students in graduate programs and connect students to postgraduate opportunities by coordinating preparation, enrollment, and support initiatives. According to the Department of Education, the PPOHA program provides grants to expand educational opportunities for and improve the academic attainment of Hispanic students.

Congressman Mrvan stated, “Congratulations to all the leaders of Calumet College of St. Joseph for successfully securing this vital federal funding to expand educational opportunities for Hispanic students in our region. I look forward to building on this initiative to continue to ensure that everyone in Northwest Indiana has the opportunity to obtain the education that they seek in order to thrive in our regional economy.”

Dr. Amy McCormack, President of Calumet College of St. Joseph, stated, “Calumet College of St. Joseph has offered graduate programs for more than two decades, so it is with great enthusiasm that we are able to take our post-baccalaureate programs and services to the next level. With support from the Department of Education, we can offer additional services to ensure our graduate students get individualized support to succeed. We are also very excited to launch new programs and to pursue the feasibility of our first doctorate program. Expanding the reach of CCSJ and serving the region has never been more important.”

For more information on the PPOHA grant program, click here.

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MIL OSI USA News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI NGOs: Afghanistan: International legal initiative an important step toward tackling the Taliban’s war on women

Source: Amnesty International –

Responding to the announcement by Australia, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands during the UN General Assembly yesterday that they will initiate legal proceedings that could ultimately lead to action at the International Court of Justice against Afghanistan for numerous violations of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard said:

“The Taliban have made life for Afghan women and girls intolerable. They have erased them from all spheres of life and systematically stripped away their rights and dignity. Amnesty International welcomes any steps by States to hold the Taliban accountable under international law for the widespread and institutionalized violation of women’s and girls’ human rights, which most likely amount to the crime against humanity of gender persecution. The international community should pursue all available avenues to end ongoing pervasive human rights violations in Afghanistan, including through the International Court of Justice.

The Taliban have made life for Afghan women and girls intolerable. They have erased them from all spheres of life and systematically stripped away their rights and dignity

Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard

“This is a vital step toward securing justice for violations of the UN Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. It should be complemented by other comprehensive efforts to address the full range of past and ongoing atrocities, including those against women and girls, that the Taliban and other state and non-state actors have committed throughout the continuous cycle of conflict in Afghanistan for over 40 years.

“The world must act in solidarity with the courageous women and girls of Afghanistan by advocating for their rights and holding the Taliban regime to account. This welcome legal initiative should also serve as a timely reminder that States have a responsibility to provide international protection to all those fleeing systematic discrimination and oppression in Afghanistan.”

MIL OSI NGO –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Translation: Canada-France Declaration on a Strengthened Partnership in Defence and Security

MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

Meeting in Ottawa on September 26, 2024, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, call for working together to foster the development of a strengthened partnership in defence and security.

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

Meeting in Ottawa on September 26, 2024, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, call for working together to foster the development of a strengthened partnership in defence and security.

Canada and France have a strong defence relationship, based on shared history and interests, a common language and universal values.

During the 20th century, Canada and France have forged a close defence relationship. During both world wars, Canadian and French soldiers fought side by side. This year, our two countries celebrated the eightieth anniversary of the Normandy landings. This defence relationship was solidified in 1949 with the establishment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), of which our two countries are founding members, and with our joint participation in several peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the United Nations, in operations under NATO command, and as part of the international coalition against Daesh.

We share common security interests in a context of serious international tensions and, more broadly, the assertion of power logics and fait accompli. The year 2024 is thus characterized by an increase in meetings between our respective authorities, both at the political and military levels, with a shared desire to boost our exchanges in the field of defense and security, in order to establish a more ambitious strategic partnership. We are convinced that strengthened cooperation between our two countries will make it possible to better contribute to defending the international order based on the rules of respect for the sovereignty of States and our democratic principles. Together, we are determined to do our part to uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter, to contribute to the management of international crises and conflicts, including in the cyber domain, and to ensure the security and collective defense of NATO members.

We will therefore deepen our defence and security cooperation with a view to supporting Ukraine, contributing to regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific, strengthening our collaboration in crisis management and in the modernisation of our armed forces and combating foreign interference and the manipulation of information.

Support Ukraine

Canada and France will support Ukraine for as long as it takes to defeat Russia’s war of aggression in flagrant violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter. Our support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders is unwavering. In line with the G7 Joint Statement of Support for Ukraine of July 2023, Canada and France have respectively signed bilateral agreements with Ukraine committing them, over the long term, to strengthening Ukraine’s capacity to defend itself, developing the country’s resilience and deterring Russia from any further aggression.

We will strengthen our cooperation in the field of military material support to Ukraine and in the field of training, within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG – also called the “Ramstein format”).

Canada and France have already trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers through Operation UNIFIER for Canada and the EU Military Assistance Mission in Support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine) for France. Our armed forces have continued cooperation on the training of Ukrainian fighter pilots. Our armed forces will continue to deepen their strategic cooperation in the field of cyber defence in support of Ukraine. We are determined to work with Ukraine and our partners to enable Ukraine to defend its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression, both in traditional domains and in cyberspace, including by supporting the strengthening of Ukraine’s civilian cybersecurity capacities through the Tallinn Mechanism. More broadly, we will continue our discussions on the topics of common interest discussed at the Paris conference on February 26, 2024.

Canada and France recognize that the deportation of Ukrainian children is a major issue and will continue their efforts, within the framework of the international coalition, for the return of Ukrainian children deported to Russia.

Contributing to regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific

Canada and France are two Pacific countries that wish to actively contribute to regional stability and security. We aim to maintain an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, free from excessive dependencies and any form of coercion, and based on respect for international law, sovereignty and multilateralism.

We reaffirm our shared commitment to support peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula through the implementation of United Nations resolutions and the enforcement of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council. We remain fully mobilized with our partners to deter any attempt to circumvent these sanctions through maritime and air-sea surveillance.

We deplore the escalating tensions in the South China Sea. We firmly oppose coercive or destabilizing activities, which lead to increasingly violent and recurring incidents, and call for enhanced dialogue between the different parties. We also emphasize the importance of the ability of all States to exercise their rights and freedoms, including freedom of navigation and overflight, in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Our two countries will strengthen their cooperation in strategic and military analysis in the area, study the deployment of future joint patrol missions and increase their participation in multilateral exercises. This cooperation will improve interoperability between the armed forces of our two countries. With this in mind, we will work on the possibility of integrating Canadian support for the deployment of the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier.

Canada and France will deepen cooperation to combat illegal fishing and conduct maritime surveillance with Pacific Island countries to strengthen their sovereignty. We will work toward joint deployments in the area. We will also strengthen regional security by participating in training for Pacific Island partner countries.

Strengthening our collaboration in international crisis management and engaging together

Canada and France recognize that climate change is not only an environmental threat, but also one of the greatest security challenges of our time. We strongly support NATO’s Action Plan on Climate Change and Security, including as co-sponsors, with 10 other Allies, of the NATO Centre of Excellence for Climate Change and Security in Montreal.

We will share our crisis management situation assessments, as we did recently during the crisis in Haiti and in anticipation during targeted situation assessment exchanges in areas of common interest, such as the Middle East. We will identify new opportunities to deploy together. We will strengthen the NATO partnership by sharing experience between framework nations for the Canadian deployments in Latvia and the French deployments in Romania. France is ready to cooperate with Canada to facilitate logistical support to Canadian forces positioned in Latvia.

In the Canadian Arctic, Canada and France are collaborating on Operation NANOOK, the Canadian Armed Forces’ flagship operation in this region. Our two countries aim to increase joint navigation exercises, experience sharing, interoperability and crew training in polar environments, particularly by leveraging the expertise and support of the Canadian Armed Forces in the Canadian Arctic.

In the Sahel and more recently in the Gulf of Guinea, Canada provides unwavering support to the French armed forces through its operation FREQUENCE. We intend to renew this important and effective cooperation in 2025.

Strengthening our collaboration in the modernization of the armed forces

To better respond to crises, Canada and France will deepen their partnership to modernize their armed forces and improve their ability to engage together.

We will continue to share expertise in human resources, which form the heart of our armed forces, in order to improve recruitment or for training in specific skills, by drawing on the capabilities that each has, particularly in terms of transport and strategic supply or submarine forces.

Canada and France are committed to increasing their defence resources and strengthening their capabilities in order to ensure their sovereignty and support their partners. In this context, we will develop the sharing of our respective technological know-how, and work on new concrete cooperation in the land, maritime, air and cyber domains. We will continue our discussions on the organization and improvement of our industrial and acquisition processes.

Combating foreign interference and manipulation of information

Canada and France are facing foreign interference operations and the manipulation of information. Canada and France will strengthen their exchanges in order to respond effectively to these threats.

Through our commitment to the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (G7 RRM), our two countries are developing a collective response framework to counter foreign information manipulation operations, as announced at the G7 Summit in Puglia. These efforts must be accompanied by support for honest and quality information, for example through the Partnership for Information and Democracy and its Forum on Information and Democracy. We welcome initiatives such as the Journalism Trust Initiative, in which several of our Canadian and French media participate, to promote quality information.

Through the G7 MRR, we are also developing collective approaches to counter other threats to democracy and will continue to advance these goals under our successive G7 presidencies in 2025 and 2026.

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

MIL Translation OSI

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Canada–France Declaration on a Stronger Defence and Security Partnership

Source: Government of Canada News

On September 26, 2024, in Ottawa, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, called on our countries to work together towards a stronger defence and security partnership.

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

On September 26, 2024, in Ottawa, the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, called on our countries to work together towards a stronger defence and security partnership.

Canada and France have cultivated a strong defence relationship, founded upon shared history, interests, a common language and universal values.

During the 20th century, Canada and France developed a close defence relationship. During both World Wars, Canadian soldiers and French soldiers fought side by side and this year, our countries celebrated the 80th anniversary of the Normandy landings. Our defence relationship was solidified in 1949 with the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), of which our two countries are founding members, as well as through our joint participation in various United Nations peacekeeping operations, NATO-led operations, and the Global Coalition Against Daesh.

We share common security interests in a world facing serious international tensions and, more broadly, one marked by unilateral assertions of power. Given this, our respective officials, both political and military, have met with one another more regularly in 2024, to enhance our conversations on defence and security, and ultimately build a more ambitious strategic partnership. We are convinced that stronger cooperation between our two countries will facilitate better defence of the rules-based international order founded on respect for state sovereignty, and our democratic principles. Together, we are committed to doing our part to uphold the principles of the Charter of the United Nations; to help manage international crises and conflicts, including in the cyber domain; and to ensure the collective security and defence of NATO members.

We will therefore expand our defence and security cooperation to support Ukraine, contribute to regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific, reinforce our collaboration on crisis management and modernization of our armed forces, and fight against foreign interference and information manipulation.

Support Ukraine

Canada and France will support Ukraine for as long as it takes to thwart Russia’s war of aggression, which is a flagrant violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations. Our support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders is unwavering. In line with the G7 Joint Declaration of Support for Ukraine of July 2023, Canada and France respectively signed bilateral agreements with Ukraine to confirm our commitment to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend itself, foster resilience in the country, and deter future aggression from Russia in the long-term.

As part of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), also known as the Ramstein group, we will strengthen our cooperation in the area of military equipment support to Ukraine and training.

Canada and France have trained tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers through Operation UNIFIER (Canada) and the EU Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (France). Our armed forces have cooperated on training Ukrainian fighter pilots. Our armed forces will continue to deepen their strategic cooperation in the field of cyber defence in support of Ukraine. We are determined to work with Ukraine and our partners to support Ukraine in defending its sovereignty, independence and its territorial integrity against Russian aggression, both in the traditional domains and in cyberspace, including by helping strengthen Ukraine’s civilian cyber capacity through the Tallinn Mechanism. More broadly, we will continue our conversations on the topics of shared interest broached at the conference in Paris on February 26, 2024.

Canada and France recognize that the deportation of Ukrainian children is a major concern and, as part of the international coalition, we will continue our efforts to ensure the return of the Ukrainian children deported to Russia.

Contribute to regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific

Canada and France are two Pacific nations that wish to actively contribute to regional stability and security. We aim to maintain an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, free of excessive dependencies and any form of coercion, and founded on respect for international law, sovereignty and multilateralism.

We reaffirm our shared commitment to support peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, through implementing United Nations resolutions and implementing sanctions decided upon by the United Nations Security Council. We remain fully engaged with our partners to dissuade any attempt to circumvent those sanctions by means of maritime surveillance and maritime air surveillance.

We deplore the rising tensions in the South China Sea. We strongly oppose coercive and destabilizing activities, which are leading to increasingly violent and recurrent incidents, and call for the various parties to engage in dialogue. We also highlight the importance for all states to be able to exercise their rights and freedoms, including freedom of navigation and overflight, in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Our two countries will strengthen our cooperation in terms of strategic and military analysis in the region, study opportunities for deploying future joint patrol missions, and increase our participation in multilateral exercises. This cooperation will improve interoperability between the armed forces of our two countries. In the same vein, we will consider integrating Canadian support to the deployment of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

Canada and France will cooperate more closely to fight against illegal fishing and ensure maritime surveillance with Pacific Island countries in order to strengthen their sovereignty. We will work on joint deployments in the area. We will also strengthen regional security by participating in the training of Pacific Island partner countries.

Collaborate more closely on international crisis management and conduct joint operations

Canada and France recognize that climate change is not only an environmental threat, but is also one of the greatest security challenges of our time. We wholeheartedly support NATO’s Climate Change and Security Action Plan, and we are two of the 12 sponsoring Allied nations of the NATO Climate Change and Security Centre of Excellence in Montreal.

We will share our crisis management situation assessments, as we did recently during the crisis in Haiti, and in anticipation of situations in areas of mutual interest, like the Middle East. We will identify new opportunities to deploy together. We will strengthen the partnership within NATO by sharing experience among framework nations for Canada’s deployment in Latvia and France’s deployment in Romania. France stands ready to cooperate with Canada to facilitate logistical support to Canadian forces prepositioned in Latvia.

In the Canadian Arctic, Canada and France collaborate on Operation NANOOK, the Canadian Armed Forces’ signature operation in that region. Our two countries wish to increase joint navigation exercises, knowledge sharing, interoperability and training of crews in polar environments, drawing on the expertise and support of the Canadian Armed Forces in the Canadian Arctic.

In the Sahel and more recently in the Gulf of Guinea, Canada has provided the French Armed Forces with unfailing support under Operation FREQUENCE. We intend to renew this important, effective collaboration in 2025.

Collaborate more closely on the modernization of armed forces

To better respond to crises, Canada and France will deepen our partnership to modernize our armed forces and improve our ability to conduct joint operations.

We will continue sharing expertise on human resources, the heart of our armies, to improve recruitment and training on specific skills, while leveraging each other’s capabilities in areas such as transport, strategic resupply, and submarine forces.

Canada and France are committed to increasing our defence capacity and strengthening our capabilities to ensure our sovereignty and support our partners. To that end, we will share our respective technical know-how, and will find tangible new ways to work together on land, sea, air and cyberspace. We will continue discussing how to organize and improve our industrial and procurement processes.

Fight against foreign interference and information manipulation

Canada and France are confronted with foreign interference operations and information manipulation. Canada and France will increase communication with each other to effectively respond to those threats.

Through our commitment to the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism (G7 RRM), our two countries are developing a collective response framework to counter foreign operations of information manipulation, as announced at the G7 Summit in Apulia. These efforts must be accompanied by support for factual and high-quality information, such as through the International Partnership on Information and Democracy and the Forum on Information and Democracy. We welcome initiatives such as the Journalism Trust Initiative, in which Canadian and French media are participating, to foster high-quality information.

Thanks to the G7 RRM, we are also developing collective approaches to counter other threats to democracy and will continue to advance these objectives during our successive G7 presidencies in 2025 and 2026.

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Additional $18.1 Million for First Nation and Métis Organizations Through 2024-25 Gaming Payments

Source: Government of Canada regional news

Released on September 26, 2024

Saskatchewan First Nation and Métis organizations will receive an additional $18.1 million for a total of $109 million in gaming payments in 2024-25 as a result of higher-than-forecast profits at Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority casinos, Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan casinos, and the PlayNow.com online gaming platform.

“These additional payments to First Nations and Métis organizations will help support economic, social, educational and cultural initiatives,” Minister Responsible for First Nations, Métis and Northern Affairs Don McMorris said. “We will continue to collaborate with First Nations and Métis communities to advance their priorities.”

The Ministry of Government Relations is responsible for distributing allocated casino gaming profits to the First Nations Trust, the Community Development Corporations, and the Clarence Campeau Development Fund in accordance with the 2002 Gaming Framework Agreement and the Lotteries and Gaming Corporation Act.

In the 2024-2025 Provincial Budget, the Government of Saskatchewan has provided $255.2 million in targeted funding has been provided for First Nation and Métis organizations. For more information on this year’s investment in First Nation and Métis communities, visit: saskatchewan.ca.

-30-

For more information, contact:

MIL OSI Canada News –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK organisations selected in first AUKUS Innovation Challenge
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

Projects from 4 UK organisations will share £2m in the inaugural AUKUS Pillar 2 Electronic Warfare (EW) Innovation Challenge.
Through AUKUS Pillar 2, Australia, the UK and the US are pooling the talents of their defence sectors to develop at pace the delivery of advanced capabilities. Four UK companies have been selected by the UK’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) to receive a share of the funding to develop solutions in electromagnetic targeting and protection.

The competition was run to find low cost, disposable, high volume and highly autonomous electromagnetic technology that can detect enemy actions or protect against them.

The four successful UK organisations to receive research funding are:

Amiosec Ltd

Autonomous Devices Ltd

Roke Manor Research Ltd

University of Liverpool

The trilateral AUKUS EW Challenge was run as 3 individual competitions by DASA in the UK; the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), in Australia; and the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in the US. The EW competition was the first in what will be a series of AUKUS Innovation Challenges, setting the template for future advanced defence technology competitions run by the 3 partners.

National winners of the 3 EW Challenge competitions were announced at the AUKUS Defence Ministers’ Meeting on 26 September in London by UK Secretary of State for Defence, the Right Honourable John Healey MP; Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Honourable Richard Marles MP; and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III. The three Defence Ministers together emphasised the value of the collaboration to a free and open Indo-Pacific, with the potential to enhance joint defence capabilities, ensuring national, regional and global stability.

The 3 innovation competitions called for proposals to identify electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) technology solutions to help give the AUKUS nations a strategic edge in targeting and to provide protection against adversarial electromagnetic-targeting capabilities. EMS is a heavily congested, contested, complex and competitive environment and there is an increasing need for low cost, disposable, high volume and highly autonomous capabilities to achieve advantage.

In total, across all 3 national innovation challenges, 173 qualified suppliers applied, in a show of strength of the AUKUS nations’ defence innovation capabilities.

The winning UK supplier organisations:

Amiosec Ltd: This project is seeking to create fake radio activity, masking the true location of friendly military forces to support missions. The research will focus on extending previous work on AI-generated traffic to boost realism to defeat adversary EW systems. It will be delivered by Amiosec in conjunction with its Australian defence technology partner, Penten.

Autonomous Devices Ltd: Is developing and flight-demonstrating the novel combination of a radar Electronic Counter Measure and a small Uncrewed Air System platform.

Roke Manor Research Ltd: The ability to transmit and receive on identical frequencies simultaneously has been an operational and technical challenge for decades. The Smart STAR Jammer project sets out to combine a Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STAR) Transceiver jointly developed by Roke and the University of Bristol.

University of Liverpool: This project aims to improve the ability to detect multiple individual faint signals in close geometric proximity to one another. This will be achieved using a combination of machine learning and statistics.

AUKUS is a landmark security and defence partnership to support a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening regional global security. A major part of the partnership, named Pillar 1, is helping Australia to acquire its first conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

Through AUKUS Pillar 2 which includes advanced capabilities such as Artificial Intelligence, autonomy, quantum technologies and electronic warfare – the 3 national partners seek to strengthen trilateral capabilities in cutting-edge military technologies, increase interoperability, and drive knowledge-sharing and innovation. One of the aims of Pillar 2 is to “foster deeper integration of security and defence-related science, technology, industrial bases, and supply chains”.

Find out more about the first ever UK-hosted meeting of AUKUS Defence Ministers held on 26 September 2024.

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Published 26 September 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada Announces over $5 Million for Indigenous Child Maltreatment and Youth Dating Violence Prevention Projects
Source: Government of Canada News

Today, the Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced an investment of over $5 million in funding over five years for five Indigenous focused projects aimed at promoting child development and preventing, recognizing and responding safely to child maltreatment and youth dating violence. These projects will serve over 1,270 Indigenous children, youth and their families across Canada.
September 26, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Public Health Agency of Canada

As part of the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation and the well-being of Indigenous Peoples, the Government of Canada is investing in initiatives that promote cultural identity, values, and healing.

Today, the Honourable Ya’ara Saks, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, announced an investment of over $5 million in funding over five years for five Indigenous focused projects aimed at promoting child development and preventing, recognizing and responding safely to child maltreatment and youth dating violence. These projects will serve over 1,270 Indigenous children, youth and their families across Canada.

Colonization, racism, and the impacts of the Indian Residential School system have devastating effects on First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in Canada. As a result, Indigenous communities face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and high rates of violence. There is a need to build the evidence-base of effective, culturally appropriate resources and support systems to address these challenges, to help heal and prevent ongoing cycles of violence and trauma.

This funding will support the development, delivery, and testing of health promotion interventions that promote resilience, healthy relationships, and cultural connection. The funded projects will provide Indigenous children, youth, and their families, as well as service providers, with the tools and knowledge to build safe, supportive relationships and reduce the prevalence of violence in their lives. This investment aligns with Canada’s broader efforts to advance reconciliation and promote the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples.

Quotes

“We are committed to supporting Indigenous Peoples to address violence and promote healing. By investing in these projects, we are helping ensure that Indigenous children, youth, and their families are empowered with culturally appropriate supports to foster healthy relationships and help prevent violence. This is part of our broader commitment to reconciliation.”

The Honourable Ya’ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health

“Projects like this saves lives. It is no secret by now that Indigenous Peoples have faced disproportionate rates of violence. When people are in crisis, they need a safe place and safe people to turn to. This funding will help support the many groups that provide these services day in and day out.”

The Honourable Patty Hajdu
Minister of Indigenous Services

Quick Facts
- As part of the federal Gender-based Violence Strategy, the Government of Canada has invested over $800 million, with $44 million per year ongoing in preventing gender-based violence (including family violence), supporting survivors, and promoting responsive legal and justice systems.
- Specifically, the Public Health Agency of Canada is investing up to $18 million per year until 2026, and over $9 million ongoing to support projects that promote safe relationships, prevent youth dating violence, family violence and child maltreatment, and equip health professionals and service providers to recognize and respond safely to gender-based violence.
- In addition, Budget 2022 committed $539.3 million over five years (2022 to 2027), to support provinces and territories in their efforts to implement the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence.
Yuval Daniel
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Ya’ara Saks
Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health
819-360-6927

MIL OSI Canada News –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: ThoughtSpot Appoints Ketan Karkhanis as new Chief Executive Officer

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ThoughtSpot, the AI-Powered Analytics Company, today announced that the Company has appointed Ketan Karkhanis as Chief Executive Officer.

Ketan is joining ThoughtSpot from Salesforce, where he has spent over a decade of his career. He most recently served as the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Salesforce Sales Cloud business, leading one of the company’s largest cloud businesses that generated more than $7 billion last fiscal year. He returned to Salesforce in March 2022 after his time as the COO of Turvo, a supply-chain collaboration platform that was acquired by Lineage Logistics in 2022. Before that, Ketan was the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Salesforce Einstein Analytics, incubating the business from launch to over $300 million and a 30,000 strong user community.

“During this time of accelerated transformation driven by the advent of generative AI, there is no better person to lead ThoughtSpot than Ketan,” said Ajeet Singh, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of ThoughtSpot. “He is a customer-obsessed, employee-focused business leader with a deep experience in analytics and has built and led world-class SaaS businesses of significant scale. The ThoughtSpot Board believes that Ketan is the right leader to help ThoughtSpot capitalize on its foundational innovation and capture the massive market opportunity that lies ahead in AI-powered analytics.”

Singh added, “Over the last six months, ThoughtSpot has made significant progress in accelerating its product roadmap, delivering genAI-driven value to customers that are migrating away from legacy visualization platforms, and centering its focus on durable growth at scale, all setting the table for our next CEO.”

“Ketan has the passion and experience to lead ThoughtSpot in its next chapter,” said Ravi Mhatre, Founder and Managing Director of Lightspeed Venture Partners and the founding investor on ThoughtSpot’s Board of Directors. “This appointment comes at a perfect time for the market as analytics is redefined by genAI, and ensures that ThoughtSpot is best positioned to scale rapidly.”

“ThoughtSpot has built a fundamentally different approach to analytics since its inception, squarely focused on democratizing data and empowering everyone to make data-driven decisions with its AI and search-driven analytics platform,” said Ketan Karkhanis, CEO of ThoughtSpot. “ThoughtSpot has a significant head start in innovation that is required for truly delivering on the expectations that genAI has created, with a proven solution that is delivering value to some of the largest and most complex enterprises in the world. I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to lead the company that finds itself intersecting with the genAI tailwinds at a perfect time, and is in a strong position to capitalize on this market opportunity by bringing unparalleled value to over a thousand customers across the globe.”

Ketan has a Bachelor’s in Computer Science from PICT (Pune Institute of Computer Technology, India) and an MBA from Santa Clara University Leavey School of Business.

About ThoughtSpot
ThoughtSpot is the AI-Powered Analytics company. Our mission is to create a more fact-driven world with the easiest to use analytics platform. With ThoughtSpot, anyone can leverage natural language search to ask and answer data questions with confidence. ThoughtSpot enables everyone within an organization to limitlessly engage with live data in any major cloud data platform, making it easy to create and interact with granular, hyper-personalized, and actionable insights. Customers can take advantage of both ThoughtSpot’s web and mobile applications to improve decision-making for every employee, wherever and whenever decisions are made. With ThoughtSpot’s low-code developer-friendly platform, ThoughtSpot Embedded, customers can also embed AI-Powered Analytics to their products and services, monetizing their data and engaging users to keep them coming back for more. Organizations like Capital One, Daimler, Comcast, Cigna, Royal Bank of Canada, Nasdaq, and Unilever rely on ThoughtSpot to transform how their employees and customers take advantage of data. Try ThoughtSpot today and see for yourself.

PR Contact:

Lindsay Noonan
Director of Communications, ThoughtSpot
press@thoughtspot.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/88088950-4082-42c9-b99f-a944c31c28c8

The MIL Network –

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI: Flow Traders Q3 2024 Pre-close Call
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

Flow Traders Q3 2024 Pre-close Call

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Flow Traders Ltd. (Euronext: FLOW) publishes the Q3 2024 pre-close call script to be used with analysts post the market close on 26 September 2024.

Flow Traders will conduct a pre-close call with the analyst community post the European market close today, prior to the start of the silent period on 1 October 2024. The script to be used can be found on our website.

https://www.flowtraders.com/investors/results-centre

Contact Details

Flow Traders Ltd.

Investors
Eric Pan
Phone:         +31 20 7996799
Email:        investor.relations@flowtraders.com

Media
Laura Peijs
Phone:         +31 20 7996799
Email:        press@flowtraders.com

About Flow Traders

Flow Traders is a leading global financial technology-enabled liquidity provider in financial products, historically specialized in Exchange Traded Products (ETPs), now expanding into other asset classes. Flow Traders ensures the provision of liquidity to support the uninterrupted functioning of financial markets. This allows investors to continue to buy or sell ETPs or other financial instruments under all market circumstances. We continuously grow our organization, ensuring that our trading desks in Europe, the Americas and Asia can provide liquidity across all major exchanges, globally, 24 hours a day. Founded in 2004, we continue to cultivate the entrepreneurial, innovative and team-oriented culture that has been with us since the beginning. Please visit http://www.flowtraders.com for more information.

Important Legal Information

This publication is prepared by Flow Traders Ltd. and is for information purposes only. It is not a recommendation to engage in investment activities and you must not rely on the content of this document when making any investment decisions. The information in this publication does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice and is not to be regarded as investor marketing or marketing of any security or financial instrument, or as an offer to buy or sell, or as a solicitation of any offer to buy or sell, securities or financial instruments.

The information and materials contained in this publication are provided ‘as is’ and Flow Traders Ltd. or any of its affiliates (“Flow Traders”) do not warrant the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of the information and materials and expressly disclaim liability for any errors or omissions. This publication is not intended to be, and shall not constitute in any way a binding or legal agreement, or impose any legal obligation on Flow Traders. All intellectual property rights, including trademarks, are those of their respective owners. All rights reserved. All proprietary rights and interest in or connected with this publication shall vest in Flow Traders. No part of it may be redistributed or reproduced without the prior written permission of Flow Traders.

Flow Traders expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update, review or revise any statements contained in this publication to reflect any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which such statements are based. Unless the source is otherwise stated, the market, economic and industry data in this publication constitute the estimates of our management, using underlying data from independent third parties. We have obtained market data and certain industry forecasts used in this publication from internal surveys, reports and studies, where appropriate, as well as market research, publicly available information and industry publications. The third party sources we have used generally state that the information they contain has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable but that the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed and that the projections they contain are based on a number of assumptions.

By accepting this publication you agree to the terms set out above. If you do not agree with the terms set out above please notify legal.amsterdam@nl.flowtraders.com immediately and delete or destroy this publication.

Market Abuse Regulation

This press release contains information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation.

Attachment
- Q324 Pre-close call press release
The MIL Network –
January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Translation: Supporting Tourism in Prince Edward Island

MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

Media Advisory

Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA, will join the Honourable Cory Deagle, PEI Minister of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture, to make an announcement regarding support for tourism in Prince Edward Island.

North Rustico, Prince Edward Island September 26, 2024 Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA, will join the Honourable Cory Deagle, PEI Minister of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture, to make an announcement regarding support for tourism in Prince Edward Island.

Date: September 27, 2024

Time: 10:00 a.m.

Location: Eliayhu Wellness Center 20 Recreation Street North Rustico, PEI.

Contact persons

Connor BurtonPress SecretaryOffice of the Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities AgencyConnor.Burton@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

David FlemingCommunications ManagerAtlantic Canada Opportunities Agencydavid.fleming@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

April GallantSenior Communications OfficerDepartment of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culturealdgallant@gov.pe.ca

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

MIL Translation OSI

January 23, 2025
MIL-OSI Translation: Biographical notice

MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

Source: Government of Canada – in French 2

Mylène Paradis (BA [communications], Université Laval, 1991; MA [journalism], Université Laval, 1993) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2002.

Mylène Paradis (BA [communications], Université Laval, 1991; MA [journalism], Université Laval, 1993) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2002. At headquarters, she held positions with the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force and the Central America and Caribbean Bureau. She was Chief of Staff to the Deputy Minister of International Development and Director of the Global Health and Nutrition Branch. Abroad, she was posted to Madrid from 2005 to 2008. Throughout her career, she has held secondments to various departments, including the Privy Council Office, Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Health Canada. Most recently, she was Director General of Canadian Partnerships for Health and Social Development at Global Affairs Canada.

Marianick Tremblay (BBA [civil and international law], Université de Sherbrooke, 1989; LL.B. Université de Sherbrooke, 1990) was called to the Quebec Bar in 1990 and joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1993. At headquarters, she served as senior counsel in the Environmental Law Division, coordinator of the Human Security Program, and senior counsel for small arms. Ms. Tremblay also served as deputy director of the Brazil and Southern Cone Section, and then as director of Hemispheric Affairs, which included relations with the Organization of American States and coordination of the Canadian delegation’s participation in the Summit of the Americas. From 2018 to 2021, she served as director general of the Mobilization of Canadians in the Partnerships for Development Innovation Sector. She has served in various overseas postings, including Mexico (1995–1998), Morocco (2001–2005), Chile (2007–2010), and as Ambassador to El Salvador (2010–2012), Ecuador (2015–2018), and Colombia (2021–2024).

Craig Weichel (BA Honours [History], Wilfrid Laurier University, 1994; MA [History], McMaster University, 1996) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 1998. At headquarters, he worked in the U.S. General Relations, Northern Europe, Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (Nuclear), and United Nations divisions. He also headed the Natural Disaster Response and Civilian Security Policy Division and the North Korea Task Force. From 2007 to 2009, he was President of the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers. Abroad, he served in New York with the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations; in Vienna with the Canadian Delegation to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe; in Rome and, more recently, in Washington, where he directed the embassy’s environment and energy program.

Brenda Wills (Hons BComm, University of Manitoba, 2003; MSc [Sustainable Development], University of Sussex, 2021) is a Métis from Red River, Manitoba who joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2004. Her first posting abroad was in Washington, D.C. as Second Secretary (Trade Policy). She subsequently served as First Secretary (Trade) in Chile, Senior Trade Commissioner and Counsellor (Trade) in Colombia, and Counsellor (Trade Policy) in Mexico City. At Headquarters, she worked in the Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch, first on negotiations with the European Union and the European Free Trade Association, and then on the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations as Deputy Director of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement. She also served as Chief of Staff to the Assistant Deputy Minister of International Business Development and Canada’s Chief Trade Commissioner. Most recently, she served as Senior Trade Commissioner and Counsellor (Commercial Affairs) in Singapore.

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

MIL Translation OSI

January 23, 2025

Category: Asia Pacific

Zelensky’s plea

Land grabs

Support Ukraine

Contributing to regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific

Strengthening our collaboration in international crisis management and engaging together

Strengthening our collaboration in the modernization of the armed forces

Combating foreign interference and manipulation of information

Support Ukraine

Contribute to regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific

Collaborate more closely on international crisis management and conduct joint operations

Collaborate more closely on the modernization of armed forces

Fight against foreign interference and information manipulation

The winning UK supplier organisations:

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