NewzIntel.com

Category: Business

  • MIL-OSI Banking: ICC calls for united action to end plastic pollution at NY Climate Week 

    Source: International Chamber of Commerce

    Headline: ICC calls for united action to end plastic pollution at NY Climate Week 

    In a keynote speech at a high-level roundtable hosted by ICC, Mr Varin emphasised ICC’s commitment in securing an ambitious, workable and effective agreement that rallies everyone, everywhere – including the business community – to end plastic pollution once and for all. 

    “We are confident that the spirit of collaboration and common purpose that brought the gavel down on the initial resolution in Nairobi, will prevail in advancing its mandate and delivering a historic agreement to spearhead the change the planet and humanity deserves.”

    Philippe Varin, ICC Chair.

    The event brought together leaders from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), government and regional group representatives as well as senior business executives from sectors across the plastics industry to discuss what is concretely needed to get an effective agreement finalised and how businesses can support these efforts. 

    A crucial role for business 

    Mr Varin highlighted the vital role business has to play in providing the expertise and the solutions that will be needed to tackle the plastics challenge at the required scale and speed across value chains.   

    “The global business community needs an agreement that provides the enabling frameworks and policies to drive innovation and accelerate business action across all sectors and geographies, including for MSMEs. This will be indispensable for businesses to effectively deliver on the objectives of the agreement and spur impactful change,” he added. 

    The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5), will take place from 25 November to 1 December 2024 in Busan, Republic of Korea. 

    “With only one negotiating session left this year to conclude an agreement, it will be critical to make the best use of the limited time left to advance towards a robust agreement that sets the foundation for a truly circular economy for plastics.”

    Raelene Martin, ICC Head of Sustainability

    Clear plans for intersessional work will be essential to build common ground on key issues and ICC is continuing to provide input to the process on behalf of over 45 million companies in more than 170 countries. 

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: Be Internet Awesome World: A fun new game to learn about online safety

    Source: Google

    Around the world, parents and teachers are eager for best practices and resources they can trust to help them navigate important conversations about online safety with their children and students. That’s why we created Be Internet Awesome, a program designed in partnership with leading child development and safety experts, focused on topics like how to spot scams, create strong passwords and be cautious about sharing personal information online. Over the years, we’ve educated more than 100 million children globally through this program.

    Today, we’re announcing Be Internet Awesome World, a new gaming experience on Roblox that will bring these same safety lessons to life in an interactive and fun way.

    Creating an immersive and educational game

    Roblox is one of the most popular online gaming platforms, with over 79.5 million daily active users. Working with Roblox helps Google to reach kids where they’re already spending time to teach them the basics of online safety.

    In the Be Internet Awesome experience, visitors will explore the magical world of the Internauts and learn how to navigate various real-world scenarios and risks by applying safety tips and critical thinking skills. They’ll have the ability to play multiple games, each based on a specific safety topic, ranging from identifying phishing attempts to practicing kindness online. During the game, players will receive immediate feedback, helping them learn through trial and error.

    This game-based learning approach not only reinforces the lessons of Be Internet Awesome, but also reimagines the curriculum in a new and exciting format for kids. Google’s experience is now available on Roblox.

    Promoting online safety and youth wellbeing

    Expanding Be Internet Awesome to a wider audience on Roblox is just one of the ways we keep more people safer online than anyone else in the world. Here are a few additional ways we’re working to promote online safety and youth wellbeing:

    • Partnering with Highlights Magazine: Earlier this year, we teamed up with Highlights to create a special edition of the magazine based on Google’s Be Internet Awesome curriculum. We’ve also partnered with the Boys and Girls club to host a series of events to help walk kids through the lessons and activities inside the magazine.
    • Investing in Teen Mental Health: Recently, Google.org launched a $10 million Teen Mental Health Initiative to help more than a million high school students and 10,000 teachers build strong mental health habits across the country. Google partnered with leading mental health and educational organizations on this effort including Selena Gomez’s Rare Impact Fund, DonorsChoose, JED Foundation, Child Mind Institute and The Steve Fund.
    • Building AI literacy: We’ve developed tailored resources to help teach teens how to use AI responsibly, including our AI Literacy Guide, and videos focused on the five must-knows of generative AI and how to use AI to uplevel learning.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI USA: IAM Local 774 Members at Textron Aviation Remain On Strike; Ready to Bargain Fair Contract

    Source: US GOIAM Union

    WICHITA, Kan., Sept. 24, 2024 — Nearly 5,000 International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 774 (District 70) members at Textron Aviation in Wichita remain on strike after the expiration of the current agreement on Monday, Sept. 23. IAM 774 members overwhelmingly rejected the company’s latest contract offer and voted to strike.

    IAM Local 774 members have been in negotiations with Textron Aviation for months. While both sides remain in contact, mediators have been contacted, and talks could potentially resume next week.

    Key sticking points in the negotiations include:

    1. Wages: IAM Local 774 members seek raises to keep pace with inflation and reflect their vital role in Textron’s success.
    2. Healthcare: IAM Local 774 members want affordable and comprehensive healthcare coverage for themselves and their families.
    3. Job Security: IAM Local 774 members are pushing for stronger protections against layoffs and outsourcing.
    4. Retirement Security: IAM Local 774 members demand an improved and reliable retirement plan after decades of service.

    “IAM Union members build the aircraft that make Textron Aviation a leader in the industry,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “Our skilled and dedicated membership deserves a contract recognizing their essential contributions and ensuring they are provided the best wages and benefits.”

    The strike has the potential to significantly impact Wichita’s economy. The nearly 5,000 workers are vital to the community, and local businesses and services could feel their absence.

    “Our members at Textron Aviation deserve a contract that reflects their hard work and dedication and secures a future where they can continue to build better lives for themselves and their families,” said IAM Southern Territory General Vice President Craig Martin. “We’re committed to fighting to help our members in Wichita improve and grow stronger with each negotiation.”

    “IAM Local 774 remains committed to securing a fair deal for our members and is prepared to stay on strike until an agreement is reached,” said IAM Aerospace Coordinator Shannon Stucker. “Our negotiating team is willing and able to sit down with Textron Aviation leadership to work on an agreement that is best for both parties.”  

    The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is one of North America’s largest and most diverse industrial trade unions, representing approximately 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, defense, airlines, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive, and other industries.

    goIAM.org [goiam.org] | @MachinistsUnion [twitter.com]

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: S. 2498, Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2024

    Source: US Congressional Budget Office

    S. 2498 would require providers of short-term lodging and websites that advertise or offer such lodging to display upfront the full lodging price and each mandatory fee required to complete a booking. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would be responsible for enforcing the requirements of the bill.

    Using information from the FTC, CBO estimates that implementing S. 2498 would cost $4 million over the 2024-2029 period to issue guidance and monitor and enforce violations. Any related spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

    Additionally, companies that fail to meet the new requirements could face civil penalties, which are recorded in the federal budget as revenues. However, the extent to which businesses would violate the bill’s requirements after they go into effect is uncertain. Furthermore, if a business does violate those requirements and the FTC chooses to proceed with an enforcement action, the extent to which the agency would pursue civil penalties rather than other remedies is also uncertain, as is the amount of time it would take to resolve each case. As a result, CBO estimates that any additional revenues collected under the bill would be insignificant over the 2024-2034 period. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Julie Rivera Pérez Bridges Business, STEM to ‘Make the Magic Happen’

    Source: NASA

    Senior Resource Analyst Julie Rivera Pérez ensures finances and assets are in place to enable missions’ engineering and science “magic” can happen. As a former intern, she also reaches out to current students to ensure a diverse and inclusive future workforce.
    Name: Julie Rivera PérezFormal Job Classification: Senior Resources AnalystOrganization: Systems Review Office/Resource Management Office, Office of the Chief Financial Officer (Code 159.2)

    What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard?
    I work in Goddard’s Systems Review Office (SRO), which plays a critical role in NASA’s mission gate reviews, also known as system review boards (SRBs). As the lead senior resources analyst, I provide financial expertise relating to budget planning and funds execution in support of all life-cycle reviews for Goddard missions. These reviews occur during key milestones in the progression of a mission through the various stages until launch. A mission cannot proceed with its work unless it passes the gate reviews, like the preliminary design review (PDR), critical design review (PDR), system integration review (SIR), operational readiness review (ORR), among others. It is great to support these reviews and make sure that key panel members like engineering, science, cost/schedule, and programmatic subject matter experts are planned for and funded to hold these SRB reviews. It is exciting to be able to contribute to Goddard missions!
    What is your educational background?
    In 2010, I graduated from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. My major was in human resources, and my minor was in marketing.
    Why did you come to Goddard?
    I first came to Goddard in 2008, as a summer intern. I will never forget the team of recruiters that visited my university and shared Goddard’s opportunities for business majors. I dreamed to contribute to the NASA mission! I took a chance and signed up to be interviewed. Three months later, I was offered an internship, and here I am, nearly 15 years later and thriving!
    Where have you worked at Goddard? What was a pivotal moment for you?
    In 2009, I had the opportunity to intern with the Office of Human Capital Management, the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, and the Office of Education.
    After graduating in 2010, I joined Goddard as a procurement analyst in the Small Business Office. In 2013, I became the Contracting Officer for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system.
    In 2015, I was selected as a participant in the NASA FIRST Program, a very prestigious NASA leadership program, which was pivotal for me. I learned about different roles at NASA including the important roles of business professionals. This inspired me to transition into the world of resources and finance!
    In 2017, I became a senior resources analyst for the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). My procurement background helped me understand the underlying contractual mechanics in the world of resources. I was very excited to continue to grow in my NASA career! In 2018, I served as a contract resources analyst of the Ground Systems and Missions Operations 2 contract for the Space Science Mission Operations Division. Presently, I serve as the lead senior resources analyst for the Systems Review Office within the Safety and Mission Assurance Business Branch of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO).
    It has been an amazing journey! I have had the opportunity to work in multiple flagship missions, mission operations, interagency collaborations, procurement, finance, and resources. I am excited for what the future will bring in my NASA career!
    What are your responsibilities in your current role?
    My key responsibility is serving as the financial liaison between the Systems Review Office (SRO) and program or project offices. I collaborate with program managers, deputy program managers for resources, and financial managers from other NASA centers to ensure the proper coordination of system review boards’ funding requirements. This includes preparing program, planning, budget, and execution (PPBE) inputs, labor projections, continuing resolution funding requirements, and phasing plans for all SRB missions.
    As the SRO lead senior resources analyst, I also oversee the daily functions and activities of the SRO staff members, providing them with appropriate guidance, direction, knowledge sharing, and mentorship.
    What are you most thankful about in your career?
    I have had many opportunities from the moment I started working at Goddard as an intern. I have always been encouraged to continue growing as a professional through several significant work opportunities. One of them being the NASA FIRST leadership program for the 2015 cohort. It was a joy when I was accepted into this life-changing and unique opportunity! Throughout my career at Goddard, I have learned about many different aspects and the importance of being a business professional to help achieve the NASA mission.
    Who is your mentor and what is their advice?
    I have had several amazing mentors throughout my career at Goddard. Dan Krieger was key in my recruitment and has always supported me through my journey. Veronica Hill has continuously provided her guidance and wisdom. Janine Dolinka welcomed me to Goddard as my first mentor and further inspired me grow at NASA. Jennifer Perez took me under her wing and taught me the importance and roles of the Small Business Office. Currently, I am under the mentorship of Rich Ryan (deputy program director for business, Mars Sample Return) and Kevin Miller (chief of Resources Management Office). All in all, my mentors have always reminded me to always be my authentic self. It sounds so simple, yet it is such powerful advice. I want to thank each and every one of them for fueling the desire to make a difference for the NASA mission and to continue bringing my talents to the workforce!
    What is important to you about your role on the Hispanic Advisory Committee for Employees (HACE)?
    A very fulfilling part of the work I do at NASA Goddard is my voluntary service as the co-chair for the Hispanic Advisory Committee for Employees (HACE) resource group. I am in a unique position to provide advice, guidance, and recommendations to center management, the Office of STEM Engagement, and the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity on initiatives regarding recruitment, outreach, retention, cultural awareness, and professional development of minorities and Hispanics at Goddard. I also serve as the recruitment and outreach co-lead for the committee. As co-chair, I am a voice representing the interests of the GSFC Hispanic community.
    I also develop key initiatives in student recruitment and outreach to build a pipeline of Hispanic interns for NASA. Every summer, I coordinate intern presentations to center management, as well as provide training to the Hispanic interns on how to write a federal résumé and apply for a federal job within NASA.
    It is my wish to pay it forward. I once was an intern. I want to encourage others to join the NASA community and make a positive impact with diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Así Se HACE!
    In 2021, you were a panel speaker at the Women of Color conference. What did you talk about?
    It was such an honor to be invited as a panel speaker with a financial professional background for a STEM event. I served as a bridge between STEM and the business world and how both come together to make the magic happen. I have a deep understanding of how the business world and the engineering and science come together to bring missions to life. While I may not have a STEM degree, I am a STEM advocate. This event was an opportunity to tell my story as a Hispanic woman in resources and finance working at NASA. As a business professional, it is important that the money and the assets are in place so all the engineering and science can happen. It was equally important to highlight the value of embracing yourself and what you bring you the table because that is where your strength lies and how you can make a difference.
    What do you do for fun?
    I have a passion for singing! Since my early teens, I studied music and singing at the Music Conservatory of Puerto Rico. In college, I was accepted into the very competitive University of Puerto Rico classical choir. I continued to pursue my love for music through the Goddard Music and Drama Club (MAD). I even starred in
    two musicals produced by MAD!
    I love spending time with my husband and two children, as well as watching movies with family and friends, spending time at the beach, reading, walking, listening to true crime podcasts, and watching the occasional Spanish telenovela.
    What is your favorite life quote?
    This Gandhi quote speaks to the power of perseverance and means a lot to me: “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”
    What is your “six-word memoir”? A six-word memoir describes something in just six words.
    PassionateCreativeDedicatedAuthenticLeaderDetermined

    Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SEC Charges Former CEO of Tech Startup SKAEL with $30 Million Fraud

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced fraud charges against Baba Nadimpalli, the co-founder and former CEO of SKAEL Inc., a San Francisco-based private technology company that developed business automation software.

    According to the SEC’s complaint, from January 2021 through February 2022, Nadimpalli raised more than $30 million from investors by falsely claiming that SKAEL had millions of dollars in annually recurring revenue, which was more than 10 times the true amount. The complaint also alleges that Nadimpalli falsely suggested to investors that SKAEL’s customers included a number of well-known companies, and, further, that Nadimpalli forged bank statements to show nonexistent payments from customers. Nadimpalli also allegedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars of SKAEL’s money on his own personal expenses, including payments on his house and car.

    “Startup founders cannot fake it until they make it by falsifying revenue metrics shared with investors,” said Monique C. Winkler, Director of the SEC’s San Francisco Regional Office. “While the SEC will continue to aggressively pursue private company executives who use falsehoods to raise money from investors, we also urge those who invest in private companies to remain vigilant.”

    The SEC’s complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, charges Nadimpalli with violating the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws. The complaint seeks permanent injunctions, including a conduct-based injunction, disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, civil penalties, and an officer-and-director bar.

    In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California (USAO) today announced criminal charges against Nadimpalli.

    The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Matthew Meyerhofer and Ellen Chen and supervised by Jason H. Lee and Ruth L. Hawley, all of the San Francisco Regional Office. The litigation will be conducted by John Han and Mr. Meyerhofer. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the USAO and the FBI.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Relaunches Art Program with Space-Themed Murals

    Source: NASA

    NASA launched the next phase of its art program with two new space-themed murals in New York’s Hudson Square neighborhood in Manhattan. The vision of the reimagined NASA Art Program is to inspire and engage the Artemis Generation with community murals and other art projects for the benefit of humanity. 
    “To continue pushing the boundaries of discovery and exploration we’ll need future generations to think critically and use creativity and ingenuity to solve some of our biggest challenges, and art is essential in preparing young minds for this task,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “I am thrilled that NASA’s Art Program is returning with such an impactful project that will inspire the next generation – the Artemis Generation – to be curious, dream big, and hopefully join us in our work at NASA someday.”
    For its inaugural project NASA collaborated with the Hudson Square Business Improvement District on an open call for New York-based artists to design and install a large-scale mural inspired by NASA’s work and missions.
    The two side-by-side murals, titled To the Moon, and Back, are located at 350 Hudson Street and were created by New York-based artist team Geraluz and WERC. The team received a small award for design fees, materials, labor, and equipment, with a portion of funds provided by NASA and matched by Hudson Square Business Improvement District.
    The piece illustrates a cosmic future with a universe of possibilities expressed through the dreams and aspirations of children. The use of geometrical patterns invites deeper reflection on the exploration, creativity, and our connection with the cosmos.
    “We are thrilled to partner with NASA on this visionary project, bringing together the exciting world of space exploration and the vibrant, creative energy of Hudson Square. This installation is not just a celebration of NASA’s incredible mission, but a continuation of our commitment to transforming the public realm through groundbreaking public art,” said Samara Karasyk, president of Hudson Square Business Improvement District. “It will inspire the next generation, ignite curiosity about space exploration, and strengthen our neighborhood’s identity as a limitless hub for creativity, mirroring the infinite possibilities of outer space. We can’t wait to see how this installation captivates both locals and visitors alike.”
    NASA has long used art to tell the story of its awe-inspiring missions. Soon after its inception, the agency started a formal program commissioning artists to develop inspiring pieces like portraits and paintings that highlighted an unexpected side of the agency. In 1962, NASA’s then Administrator James Webb tasked staffer and artist James Dean with implementing the new program, and with the help of the National Gallery of Art, Dean laid the framework to artistically capture the inspiration of NASA’s Apollo program. As the NASA Art Program continues to evolve, the agency remains focused on inspiring and engaging the next generation of explorers – the Artemis Generation – in new and unexpected ways, including through art.
    For more information on the NASA missions that will inspire future projects:

    Home Page

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: May 21-27 Severe Weather: Federal Assistance Tops $3M in Kentucky

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: May 21-27 Severe Weather: Federal Assistance Tops $3M in Kentucky

    May 21-27 Severe Weather: Federal Assistance Tops $3M in Kentucky

    FRANKFORT, Ky.– To date, FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration have approved more than $3 million for Kentuckians affected by May 21-27 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, landslides and mudslides.

    As of Sept. 22, FEMA has approved $2,634,757 for 1,445 individuals and households. This includes:

    • More than $1,714,675 in Housing Assistance.
    • More than $920,082 in Other Needs Assistance.

    The U.S. Small Business Administration provides low-interest disaster loans to small-businesses, households and renters throughout the disaster affected area. To date, the SBA has disbursed $382,900 in disaster loans for 17 homeowners, renters and businesses.

    FEMA continues to work with Kentucky Emergency Management and Commonwealth partners to support Kentucky recovery. At its peak, FEMA had 320 federal personnel on the ground assisting with recovery.

    During the application period, FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams spoke with approximately 2,800 households, providing face-to-face assistance to affected Kentuckians. They also contacted more than 800 faith-based, community-based and private sector organizations.

    To ensure applicants received all of the assistance they were eligible for, FEMA called disaster survivors and vulnerable populations. Through this outreach, FEMA was able to approve an additional $235,471 for 93 households and renters. 

    FEMA encourages survivors to keep in touch. Help is still available, even though the deadline to apply has passed. Survivors are encouraged to notify the agency of changes to their mailing address, email address or phone number and report insurance settlements or additional damage they may have discovered since their home inspection.

    Kentuckians can also get help with a pending application or appeal the following ways:

    Over the last two months, FEMA operated 15 Disaster Recovery Centers and Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers to help Kentuckians through the disaster assistance application process. These centers helped 1107 Kentucky survivors with applications, appeals and disaster related questions.

    For the latest information on Kentucky’s recovery from the May 21-27 severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, landslides and mudslides, as well as news releases, fact sheets and other helpful documents in multiple languages, please visit fema.gov/disaster/4804. Follow FEMA at x.com/femaregion4 and facebook.com/fema. 

    sandra.habib

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: POSTPONED Subcommittee Hearing: “Foreign Policy, Interrupted: How Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Blunt America’s Impact Abroad”

    Source: US House Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Media Contact 202-226-8467

    Washington D.C. – The Subcommittee on Oversight and Accountability will postpone a hearing entitled, “Foreign Policy, Interrupted: How Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Blunt America’s Impact Abroad” to a future date soon.

    What: Hearing – “Foreign Policy, Interrupted: How Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Blunt America’s Impact Abroad”

    Date: TBD

    Time: TBD

    Location: Rayburn 2172

    Witnesses:

    The Honorable Cardell K. Richardson, Sr.
    Inspector General
    Office of Inspector General
    U.S. Department of State

    The Honorable Paul K. Martin
    Inspector General
    Office of Inspector General
    U.S. Agency for International Development

    Mr. Anthony Zakel
    Inspector General
    Office of Inspector General
    U.S. International Development Finance Corporation

    Documents:

    ***Additional witnesses may be added. Check here for updates.***

    ***Coverage note: All committee proceedings are webcast live here.***

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Commerce Dept. CHIPS Act Contract Falls Short of Biden-Harris Administration’s Standards

    Source: Communications Workers of America

    Today’s announcement of the CHIPS Act-funded contract the U.S. Department of Commerce has signed with Polar Semiconductor falls short of the standards set by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Executive Order on Investing in America and American Workers and Good Jobs Principles. In particular, the announcement and information on the CHIPS for America website contain no details about enforceable labor and environmental standards or public reporting requirements.

    “CHIPS and Science Act funds could be an important part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s investment in creating good, sustainable manufacturing jobs that revitalize our communities, but the final contract terms reported do not appear to reflect those priorities,” said Carl Kennebrew, President of IUE-CWA, the industrial division of the Communications Workers of America. “We know that the semiconductor industry has a well-documented history of low pay for production workers, lax standards for exposure to toxic chemicals, and union busting. Addressing those issues requires transparency and public reporting on enforceable commitments, which are not noted in the public description of this contract.”

    This potential lack of public transparency is of particular concern when it comes to worker safety. OSHA standards for toxic chemical exposure are outdated and do not cover many of the hazards present in semiconductor manufacturing.

    While the contract with Polar falls short, upcoming awards to Intel, Micron, Samsung and other large industry players offer an opportunity to address these issues.

    In order to ensure that the manufacturing facilities created through the CHIPS Act have a positive impact on the communities where they are situated, these contracts must:

    • Set specific requirements for job creation and retention, wages, training, and safety with robust public reporting on those measures to ensure that these funds create the good jobs that are intended.
    • Be enforced through strong non-compliance language and clawback provisions should companies violate federal law or fall short on honoring their commitments.
    • Require that production workers have a free and fair opportunity to join a union. Union membership gives workers a seat at the table to set high standards for these facilities and provides an additional layer of transparency into how these standards are being implemented on the factory floor.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Dissenting Statement of Commissioner Caroline D. Pham on the Filing of Administrative Complaints for Enforcement Actions

    Source: US Commodity Futures Trading Commission







    /PressRoom/SpeechesTestimony/phamstatement092424

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  • MIL-OSI: Waterstone Financial Declares Regular Quarterly Cash Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    WAUWATOSA, Wis., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — On September 24, 2024, the Board of Directors of Waterstone Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: WSBF) declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.15 per common share. The dividend is payable on November 1, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on October 8, 2024.

    About Waterstone Financial, Inc:

    Waterstone Financial, Inc. is the savings and loan holding company for WaterStone Bank. WaterStone Bank was established in 1921 and offers a full suite of personal and business banking products. The Bank has branches in Wauwatosa/State St, Brookfield, Fox Point/North Shore, Franklin/Hales Corners, Germantown/Menomonee Falls, Greenfield/Loomis Rd, Milwaukee/Oklahoma Ave, Oak Creek/27th St, Oak Creek/Howell Ave, Oconomowoc/Lake Country, Pewaukee, Waukesha, West Allis/Greenfield Ave, and West Allis/National Ave, Wisconsin. WaterStone Bank is the parent company to Waterstone Mortgage, which has the ability to lend in 48 states. For more information about WaterStone Bank, go to wsbonline.com.

    Contact: Mark R. Gerke
    Chief Financial Officer
    414-459-4012
    markgerke@wsbonline.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: AMMO, Inc. Appoints New Chief Financial Officer and Provides Corporate Update

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Paul Kasowski, Who Has Served as Chief Compliance and Transformation Officer, Named New Chief Financial Officer

    The Board of Directors Has Retained Independent Advisors to Support an Investigation Into Financial Reporting for Fiscal Years 2020-2023

    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AMMO, Inc. (Nasdaq: POWW, POWWP) (“AMMO” or the “Company”), the owner of GunBroker.com, the largest online marketplace serving the firearms and shooting sports industries, and a leading vertically integrated producer of high-performance ammunition and components, today announced that Paul Kasowski, who has served as the Company’s Chief Compliance and Transformation Officer, has been appointed by AMMO’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) as the Company’s new Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Kasowski succeeds Rob Wiley, who resigned on September 19, 2024 at the request of the Board.

    After due consideration, the Company’s Board determined that Mr. Kasowski possesses the requisite experience and qualifications to serve as CFO. Mr. Kasowski most recently served as Chief Compliance and Transformation Officer since January 2024.

    Jared Smith, AMMO’s Chief Executive Officer and Board member, commented:

    “Since my appointment as CEO in July 2023, I have prioritized laying a foundation for long-term value creation and helping AMMO mature as a public company. The appointment of Paul will support these efforts. He brings additive experience in a variety of areas, including enhancing margins, improving internal processes, and positioning businesses to transform.”

    Paul Kasowski Biography:

    Prior to joining the Company in January 2024, Mr. Kasowski held the role of SVP, Business Transformation for Kinder’s Seasonings & Sauces from January 2022 to July 2023 where he professionalized financial reporting and implemented margin improvement projects while building a winning culture for this high growth brand. Previously, from December 2020 to December 2021, he was CFO for Arizona Natural Resources, a privately owned manufacturer of premium beauty care products where he oversaw finance, accounting, IT, HR, planning and sourcing. Mr. Kasowski also held the role of VP, Financial Planning & Analysis from April 2019 to December 2020 for Igloo Products Corp., a manufacturer of coolers and hydration products based in Katy, TX. From 2003 to 2019, he held progressing roles in finance, strategy, and operations for Del Monte Foods and Ainsworth Pet Nutrition. Mr. Kasowski earned his M.S. in Supply Chain Management from Michigan State University, MBA from Ohio University, and B.S. in Finance from Robert Morris University.

    Independent Investigation Into Historical Financial Statements

    As disclosed in a Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on September 24, 2024, a Special Sub-Committee of the Nominations and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors has retained a law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the Company’s internal control over financial reporting for the fiscal years 2020 through 2023. The independent investigation is in its early stages and is focused on fiscal years 2020 through 2023.

    The Company does not plan to comment further until the completion of the investigation.

    About AMMO, Inc.

    With its corporate offices headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona, AMMO designs and manufactures products for a variety of aptitudes, including law enforcement, military, sport shooting and self-defense. The Company was founded in 2016 with a vision to change, innovate and invigorate the complacent munitions industry. AMMO promotes branded munitions as well as its patented STREAK™ Visual Ammunition, /stelTH/™ subsonic munitions, and specialty rounds for military use via government programs. For more information, please visit: www.ammo-inc.com.

    About GunBroker

    GunBroker is the largest online marketplace dedicated to firearms, hunting, shooting and related products. Aside from merchandise bearing its logo, GunBroker currently sells none of the items listed on its website. Third-party sellers list items on the site and Federal and state laws govern the sale of firearms and other restricted items. Ownership policies and regulations are followed using licensed firearms dealers as transfer agents. Launched in 1999, the GunBroker.com website is an informative, secure and safe way to buy and sell firearms, ammunition, air guns, archery equipment, knives and swords, firearms accessories and hunting/shooting gear online. GunBroker promotes responsible ownership of guns and firearms. For more information, visit: www.gunbroker.com.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This document contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words like “may,” “will,” “likely,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “future,” “plan,” “believe,” “intend,” “goal,” “seek,” “estimate,” “project,” “continue,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of the business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual results and financial condition may differ materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect the impact of circumstances or events that arise after the dates they are made. You should, however, consult further disclosures and risk factors we include in Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports filed on Form 8-K.

    Contacts

    For media:
    Longacre Square Partners
    Joe Householder, (646) 582-3643
    AMMO@longacresquare.com

    For investors:
    Matt Blazei
    CoreIR
    Phone: (516) 386-0430
    IR@ammo-inc.com

    Source: AMMO, Inc.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Nasdaq Announces Mid-Month Open Short Interest Positions in Nasdaq Stocks as of Settlement Date September 13, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — At the end of the settlement date of September 13, 2024, short interest in 3,057 Nasdaq Global MarketSM securities totaled 12,241,625,467 shares compared with 12,296,040,928 shares in 3,037 Global Market issues reported for the prior settlement date of August 30, 2024. The mid-September short interest represents 3.06 days compared with 3.38 days for the prior reporting period.

    Short interest in 1,670 securities on The Nasdaq Capital MarketSM totaled 2,107,947,669 shares at the end of the settlement date of September 13, 2024, compared with 2,103,446,709 shares in 1,668 securities for the previous reporting period. This represents a 1.34 day average daily volume; the previous reporting period’s figure was 1.27.

    In summary, short interest in all 4,727 Nasdaq® securities totaled 14,349,573,136 shares at the September 13, 2024 settlement date, compared with 4,705 issues and 14,399,487,637 shares at the end of the previous reporting period. This is 2.57 days average daily volume, compared with an average of 2.72 days for the prior reporting period.

    The open short interest positions reported for each Nasdaq security reflect the total number of shares sold short by all broker/dealers regardless of their exchange affiliations. A short sale is generally understood to mean the sale of a security that the seller does not own or any sale that is consummated by the delivery of a security borrowed by or for the account of the seller.

    For more information on Nasdaq Short interest positions, including publication dates, visit
    http://www.nasdaq.com/quotes/short-interest.aspx
    or http://www.nasdaqtrader.com/asp/short_interest.asp.

    About Nasdaq:
    Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a leading global technology company serving corporate clients, investment managers, banks, brokers, and exchange operators as they navigate and interact with the global capital markets and the broader financial system. We aspire to deliver world-leading platforms that improve the liquidity, transparency, and integrity of the global economy. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software, exchange capabilities, and client-centric services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions, and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on X @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com. 

    Media Contact:
    Jennifer Lawson
    jennifer.lawson@nasdaq.com

    A graph accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ea6c93d1-befd-4bc5-88a7-0ac3aaa2dcbf

    NDAQO

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Dutton’s nuclear plan would mean propping up coal for at least 12 more years – and we don’t know what it would cost

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Reeve, Deputy Program Director, Energy and Climate Change, Grattan Institute

    Opposition leader Peter Dutton has revealed the Coalition’s nuclear energy plan relies on many of Australia’s coal-fired power stations running for at least another 12 years – far beyond the time frame officials expect the ageing facilities to last.

    The claim has set off a new round of speculation over the Coalition’s plans – the viability of which has already been widely questioned by energy analysts.

    Dutton offered up limited detail in a speech on Monday. He also revealed the plan relies on ramping up Australia’s gas production.

    It seems increasingly clear the Coalition’s nuclear policy would prolong Australia’s reliance on coal, at a time when the world is rapidly moving to cleaner sources of power.

    Coal: old and tired

    The Coalition wants to build nuclear reactors on the sites of closed coal plants. It says the first reactors could come online by the mid-2030s. However, independent analysis shows the earliest they could be built is the 2040s.

    Now it appears the Coalition’s plan involves relying on coal to provide electricity while nuclear reactors are being built. On Monday, Dutton suggested coal-fired electricity would be available into the 2030s and ‘40s.

    But this is an overly optimistic reading of coal’s trajectory. The Australian Energy Market Operator says 90% of coal-fired power in the National Electricity Market will close by 2035.

    All this suggests the Coalition plans to extend the life of existing coal plants. But this is likely to cost money. Australia’s coal-fired power stations are old and unreliable – that’s why their owners want to shut them down. To keep plants open means potentially operating them at a loss, while having to invest in repairs and upgrades.

    This is why coal plant owners sought, and received, payments from state governments to delay exits when the renewables rollout began falling behind schedule.

    So who would wear the cost of delaying coal’s retirement? It might be energy consumers if state governments decide to recoup the costs via electricity bills. Or it could be taxpayers, through higher taxes, reduced services or increased government borrowing. In other words, we will all have to pay, just from different parts of our personal budgets.

    Labor’s energy plan also relies on continued use of coal. Dutton pointed to moves by the New South Wales and Victorian governments to extend the life of coal assets in those states. For example, the NSW Labor government struck a deal with Origin to keep the Eraring coal station open for an extra two years, to 2027.

    However, this is a temporary measure to keep the electricity system reliable because the renewables build is behind schedule. It is not a defining feature of the plan.

    Eraring was given a two year extension.

    New transmission is essential under either plan

    Dutton claims Labor’s renewable energy transition will require a massive upgrade to transmission infrastructure. The transmission network largely involves high-voltage lines and towers, and transformers.

    He claims the Coalition can circumvent this cost by building nuclear power plants on seven sites of old coal-fired power stations, and thus use existing transmission infrastructure.

    Labor’s shift to renewable energy does require new transmission infrastructure, to get electricity from far-flung wind and solar farms to towns and cities. It’s also true that building nuclear power stations at the site of former coal plants would, in theory, make use of existing transmission lines, although the owners of some of these sites have firmly declined the opportunity.

    But even if the Coalition’s nuclear plan became a reality, new transmission infrastructure would be needed.

    Australia’s electricity demand is set to surge in coming decades as we move to electrify our homes, transport and heavy industry. This will require upgrades to transmission infrastructure, because it will have to carry more electricity. Many areas of the network are already at capacity.

    So in reality, both Labor’s and the Coalition’s policies are likely to require substantial spending on transmission.

    Gas is not an easy answer

    Both Labor and the Coalition acknowledge a big role for gas in their respective plans.

    Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen says gas, along with storage, is needed to help back up to the grid, when solar and wind farms are not producing electricity.

    Dutton spoke of plans “to ramp up domestic gas production” in the short term, “to get power prices down and restore stability to our grid” – presumably until nuclear comes online.

    But the issue isn’t a lack of gas. It’s that the gas is in the wrong places. There’s a gas shortage because southern reserves are declining and all the gas production is in the north of the continent.

    An increased role for gas means getting someone to pay for new infrastructure, such as pipelines or LNG terminals. That will make for expensive gas, and expensive gas means expensive electricity.

    Many unanswered questions

    It’s now three months since the Coalition released its nuclear strategy. Detail was thin then – and Monday’s speech shed little light.

    Many unanswered questions remain – chief among them, costings of the nuclear plan, and how much of that will be born by government. CSIRO says a nuclear reactor would cost at least A$8.6 billion.

    We also don’t know how the Coalition would acquire the sites, or get around nuclear bans in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.

    We still don’t know how the Coalition plans to keep the lights on in the coming decade, as coal exits.

    And crucially, we don’t know what it will cost households and businesses. It is unlikely to be cheap.

    Alison Reeve does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article. Since 2008, Grattan Institute has been supported in its work by government, corporations, and philanthropic gifts. A full list of supporters is published at www.grattan.edu.au.

    – ref. Dutton’s nuclear plan would mean propping up coal for at least 12 more years – and we don’t know what it would cost – https://theconversation.com/duttons-nuclear-plan-would-mean-propping-up-coal-for-at-least-12-more-years-and-we-dont-know-what-it-would-cost-239720

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The design tricks keeping your kids hooked on games and apps – and 3 things you can do about it

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chris Zomer, Associate Research Fellow at the Centre of the Digital Child, Deakin University

    This article is part of a series on the great internet letdown. Read the rest of the series.

    Ever found yourself unable to resist checking out a social media notification? Or sending a random picture just to keep a Snapchat “streak” going? Or simply getting stuck staring at YouTube because it auto-played yet another cute cat video?

    If so, you’re far from alone. And if we adults can’t resist such digital temptations, how can we expect children to do any better?

    Many digital environments are not designed with the best interest of users in mind – and this is especially true of games, apps and platforms commonly used by kids and teens.

    Designers use persuasive design techniques to make users spend more time on apps or platforms, so they can make more money selling ads. Below, we explain some of the most common design tricks used in popular games, social media and apps.

    Decision-making made easy 🔀

    Social media and streaming platforms strive to provide “seamless” user experiences. This makes it easy to stay engaged without needing to click anything very often, which also minimises any obvious opportunities where we might disengage.

    These seamless experiences include things such as auto-play when streaming videos, or “infinite scrolling” on social media. When algorithms present us with a steady flow of content, shaped by what we have liked or engaged with in the past, we must put in extra effort to stop watching. Unsurprisingly, we often decide to stay put.

    Rewards and dopamine hits 🧠

    Another way to keep children engaged is by using rewards, such as stars, diamonds, stickers, badges or other “points” in children’s apps. “Likes” on social media are no different.

    Rewards trigger the release of a chemical in our brains – dopamine – which not only makes us feel good but also leaves us wanting more.

    Rewards can be used to promote good behaviour, but not always. In some children’s apps, rewards are doubled if users watch advertisements.

    Loot boxes and ‘gambling’ 💰

    Variable rewards have been found to be especially effective. When you do not know when you will get a certain reward or desired item, you are more likely to keep going.

    In games, variable rewards can often be found (or purchased) in the form of “loot boxes”. Loot boxes might be chests, treasures, or stacks of cards containing a random reward. Because of the unpredictable reward, some researchers have described loot boxes as akin to gambling, even though the games do not always involve real money.

    Sometimes in-game currency (fake game money) can be bought with real money and used to “gamble” for rare characters and special items. This is very tempting for young people.

    In one of our (as yet unpublished) studies, a 12-year-old student admitted to spending several hundred dollars to obtain a desired character in the popular game Genshin Impact.

    The lure of streaks 🔥

    Another problematic way of using rewards in design is negative reinforcement. For instance, when you are at risk of a negative outcome (like losing something good), you feel compelled to continue a particular behaviour.

    “Streaks” work like this. If you do not do the same task for several days in a row, you will not get the extra rewards promised. Language learning app DuoLingo uses streaks, but so does Snapchat, a popular social media app. Research has shown a correlation between Snapchat streaks and problematic smartphone use among teens.

    Streaks can also make money for apps directly. If you miss a day and lose your streak, you can often pay to restore it.

    Loss of reputation 👎

    Reputation is important on social media. Think of the number of Facebook friends you have, or the number of likes your post receives.

    Sometimes designers build on our fear of losing our reputation. For instance, they can do this by adding a leaderboard that ranks users based on their score.

    While you may have heard of the use of leaderboards in games, they are also common in popular educational apps such as Kahoot! or Education Perfect. Leaderboards introduce an element of competition that many students enjoy.

    However, for some this competition has negative consequences – especially for those languishing low in the ranks.

    Similarly, Snapchat has a SnapScore where reputational loss is still at play. You do not want a lower score than your friends! This makes you want to keep using the app.

    Exploiting feelings of connection 🥰

    Another tool in the designers’ bag of tricks is capitalising on the emotional ties or connections users form with influencers or celebrities on social media, or favourite media characters (such as Elmo or Peppa pig) for younger children.

    While these connections can foster a sense of belonging, they can also be exploited for commercial gain, such as when influencers promote commercial products, or characters urge in-app purchases.

    What can parents do? 🤷

    Persuasive design isn’t inherently bad. Users want apps and games to be engaging, like we do for movies or TV shows. However, some design “tricks” simply serve commercial interests, often at the expense of users’ wellbeing.

    It is not all bleak, though. Here are a few steps parents can take to help kids stay on top of the apps:

    • have early and ongoing discussions with children about ideas such as the underlying commercial intent of what they are engaging with

    • model good digital choices of not giving in to persuasive design, such as by avoiding digital distractions yourself

    • use trustworthy resources to help in digital decision-making, such as Common Sense Media and Dark Pattern Games.

    For the moment, the responsibility for managing children’s interactions with the digital realm falls largely on individuals and families.

    Some governments are beginning to take action, but measures such as blanket age-based bans on social media or other platforms will only shield children temporarily. A better approach for governments and regulators would be to focus on safety by design: the idea that the safety and rights of users should be the starting point of any app, product or service, rather than an afterthought.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. The design tricks keeping your kids hooked on games and apps – and 3 things you can do about it – https://theconversation.com/the-design-tricks-keeping-your-kids-hooked-on-games-and-apps-and-3-things-you-can-do-about-it-239493

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Where do we stash the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges? That’s the conundrum Australia faces as oil and gas rigs close

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Darryn Snell, Associate professor, School of Management, RMIT University

    James Jones Jr, Shutterstock

    Oil and gas wells are dotted off Australia’s shores. They involve huge steel structures fixed firmly to the sea floor, and thousands of kilometres of pipelines.

    Most of Australia’s offshore oil and gas projects will be decommissioned in the next 30 years – some in the next decade. An estimated 5.7 million tonnes of material will need to be removed – the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges.

    Australia desperately needs the skills and equipment to conduct these complex decommissioning operations. The Albanese government says a high-capacity decommissioning facility is required by the early 2030s. At present, no such facilities exist.

    We hope the nation welcomes the opportunity to build a new multi-billion dollar demolition and recycling industry, with skilled jobs for workers. Rather than letting companies abandon structures for so-called “artificial reefs”.

    What would a decommissioning industry look like?

    Australia has two main offshore oil and gas producing areas: the North West Shelf in Western Australia and the Bass Strait off Gippsland, Victoria.

    WA and the Northern Territory have 35 platforms, 11 floating facilities and 6,076km of pipelines offshore. Victoria has 22 platforms and 2,089km of pipelines. Altogether, more than a thousand wells will need to be plugged and abandoned.

    Many of these facilities have already reached the end of their lives, or soon will. Less demand for fossil fuels in the future means we don’t need to refurbish or extend them. The only other option is to decommission them.

    Federal law requires the complete removal of offshore oil and gas infrastructure and plugging of wells, unless companies can come up with a better option.

    About 60% of the material requiring removal is steel, which could be recycled. A further 25% is concrete. The remainder includes plastics, hazardous metals and naturally occurring radioactive materials.

    But decommissioning is expensive, complex and time consuming, and the weak regulations are poorly enforced. Companies often present proposals that fail to meet community expectations.

    The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility argues “further regulation is needed to ensure greater transparency, disclosure, and public consultation on decommissioning”.

    The Albanese government has been developing a plan for a decommissioning industry in Australia. It would be worth A$60 billion over the next 30 to 50 years.

    The industry would reclaim the materials and transport them to dismantling yards, for safe sorting and recycling. It would create highly skilled jobs, many of which overlap with skills needed for building offshore wind farms. These include:

    • electricians and mechanical fitters
    • specialist engineering roles
    • various management and contract management roles
    • health, safety and environmental specialists
    • specialist offshore operators, including for cranes and drilling activities.

    Currently only a few countries such as Norway and Turkiye have such dedicated decommissioning industries. Some also accept materials from oil and gas fields further afield. Scottish oil and gas rigs, for example, were controversially transported to Turkiye for dismantling and recycling in 2022-23.

    Plenty of work to be done

    In Gippsland, there may be ways to decommission not just offshore oil and gas, but also coal-fired power stations in the Latrobe Valley, which are scheduled to close in coming years.

    Some 30,000 tonnes of steel and 65,000m³ of asbestos was removed when Hazelwood Power Station was demolished. A further 100,000 tonnes of steel and 100,000 tonnes of concrete was recycled.

    Much recycling work was done on site. This provided more than 1.1 million hours of work employment badly needed in a region that had lost one of its largest employers.

    The WA state government allocated $5 million to a local decommissioning industry in its 2022-23 budget. This funds the Centre of Decommissioning Australia’s research, including a study investigating how to develop a dismantling hub in WA.

    Unfortunately, Victoria has not shown similar interest. This is despite decommissioning work by Esso in Bass Strait raising ongoing community concerns. They relate to the marine environment, human safety – for fishing, beach and tourism activities – and the loss of other potential industry and job opportunities.

    Whether to remove oil and gas structures or leave them in place is hotly debated. Some people argue the structures should be left to serve as artificial reefs. Others say the material is dangerous and potentially toxic.

    Given the immense size and number of oil and gas platforms around the world, a lot of material could be left to decay in the oceans with unknown consequences.

    Gas in the Bass Strait is running out but what will happen to the offshore rigs? | 7.30.

    Challenges and opportunities

    Renewable energy promises to create jobs and revitalise many fossil-fuel dependent regions. Setting up a decommissioning industry in the oil and gas regions of WA and Victoria would provide further opportunities during the transition.

    Ideally, the decommissioning process would deliver positive social and environmental benefits, not just cost savings. But that requires managing decommissioning as part of policies aimed at supporting workers and communities to adjust to a low carbon economy.

    The Future Made in Australia policy, for instance, could consider including support for a decommissioning industry.

    Regulations for decommissioning of oil and gas infrastructure must be strengthened. Environmental groups and unions are increasingly campaigning for these changes. Australia’s oil and gas companies are powerful and will likely resist further regulation.

    Abandoning oil and gas infrastructure on the ocean floor would result in lost opportunities for regions, communities and workers. It would also set a precedent for the dumping of yet more industrial waste into the ocean.

    We must get decommissioning right. Otherwise, it may prove another environmental harm imposed on the planet by the oil and gas industry.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Where do we stash the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges? That’s the conundrum Australia faces as oil and gas rigs close – https://theconversation.com/where-do-we-stash-the-equivalent-of-110-sydney-harbour-bridges-thats-the-conundrum-australia-faces-as-oil-and-gas-rigs-close-235867

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Humanity needs more rare earth elements. Extinct volcanoes could be a rich new source

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Anenburg, Research Fellow in Earth Sciences, Australian National University

    Phawat/Shutterstock

    Extinct volcanoes are hard to study – we never see them erupt. Using a unique experimental technique, we were able to recreate a certain type of extinct volcano in a lab, learning more about the magma these volcanoes produce.

    We found that some rare magma types are surprisingly efficient at concentrating rare earth elements. This is a group of metals with crucial applications in several high-tech industries, such as magnets for electric vehicles and wind turbines.

    Demand for rare earths is soaring as society moves away from fossil fuels and electrifies energy production and transport. Despite the name, rare earths aren’t particularly rare. The biggest challenge is finding rocks in which these metals are concentrated enough to be economically viable to extract.

    Our new research, published in the journal Geochemical Perspectives Letters, shows certain extinct volcanoes are a great place to look.

    Iron-rich magma in extinct volcanoes

    There is an enigmatic type of magma that contains unusually large amounts of iron. It is so rare, no eruptions featuring this type of magma have happened in recorded history.

    Instead, it is only known from extinct volcanoes that were active many millions of years ago.

    The most famous example of such a volcano is El Laco in Chile. Another notable example is Kiruna in Sweden, mined for iron ore for many decades. Last year, its operating company LKAB announced Kiruna as the largest rare earths resource in Europe.

    The discovery at Kiruna made us (and many others) wonder why there would be a rare earth resource at a volcanic iron mine. We already know of many other rock types containing rare earths, and none of them are like Kiruna and other extinct iron-rich volcanoes.

    Was this just a geological serendipity, or is there something inherent to iron-rich magmas that make them rare-earth rich, too? After all, many of those iron-rich extinct volcanoes are known, but no one ever bothered to check whether they have a rare earth resource in them.

    Additionally, iron-rich rocks are often easy to find because of their strong magnetic signal, despite their rarity. Should they be added to the target list of rare earth explorers?

    Recreating volcanism in a bottle

    To test this hypothesis, we used a machine called a piston cylinder. We put synthetic material akin to volcanic rocks and magmas into small capsules or “bottles” made of noble metals such as platinum. We then pressurised them to depths equivalent to 15 kilometres deep in Earth’s crust and heated them up to 1,100°C, melting them into a liquid.

    At these extreme conditions, we found the iron-rich magma exists as bubbles inside a more common magma type known from virtually all modern active volcanoes. The iron-rich magma absorbs rare earths from the surrounding liquid.

    These iron-rich bubbles will have a different density and viscosity, and will separate from their iron-poor environment, similar to how water and oil mixed together will eventually separate into distinct layers.

    Iron-rich magmas absorb the rare earths so efficiently, their rare earth contents are almost 200 times greater than the regular magmas around them.

    This means the discovery at Kiruna wasn’t an accident. It’s something we can expect from most, if not all, iron-rich volcanoes.

    An experimental platinum capsule (4 mm in length) containing round bubbles of iron-rich and iron-poor magma. The capsule also contains abundant iron oxide crystals in light grey and blue, similar to the material making the iron ore in active mines.
    Shengchao Yan

    Why do we need more rare earth deposits?

    Production of rare earth elements is concentrated in just a handful of countries – mostly China, along with the United States, Myanmar and Australia.

    Rare earths are therefore classified as “critical minerals”: they have important uses, but suffer from a supply chain risk due to geopolitical factors.

    As demand for rare earths has surged, this has led to substantial investment in research and exploration for additional deposits. The more deposits are known, the better industry can pick deposits that will yield rare earths at the lowest financial, environmental and societal cost.

    Extinct iron-rich volcanoes are often mined for iron ore. Our results indicate existing mines at such locations can potentially be modified to produce rare earths as well.

    This would be a positive outcome – an existing mining operation can gain additional value. In some cases, mine waste can be reprocessed to extract these critical metals. This would mean new mines for rare earth elements may not even be required, preventing unnecessary disruption of natural environments.

    Michael Anenburg receives funding from the Australian Research Council for an Industry Fellowship co-funded by BHP Olympic Dam.

    – ref. Humanity needs more rare earth elements. Extinct volcanoes could be a rich new source – https://theconversation.com/humanity-needs-more-rare-earth-elements-extinct-volcanoes-could-be-a-rich-new-source-239410

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Barragán Brings Attention to the Threat of Air Pollution and Extreme Heat on Latina Maternal Health

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44)

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     

    September 24, 2024

    Contact: Kevin McGuire, 202-538-2386 (mobile)

    Kevin.McGuire@mail.house.gov

    Washington D.C. –  Today, Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) introduced a resolution that recognizes the threat of air pollution and extreme heat on Latina maternal and infant health at a press conference alongside Guadalupe Pacheco from the National Hispanic Health Foundation and Amy Tamayo from Alianza Nacional de Campesinas.

    The resolution recognizes the significant correlation between air pollution and extreme heat to maternal and infant health, particularly within Latino communities. It highlights that these communities face disproportionate exposure to environmental toxins, leading to adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preterm birth and stillbirth.

    “Air pollution and extreme heat are not just environmental issues—they are issues of equity and health that disproportionately harm Latina moms,” stated Rep. Barragan. “This resolution calls on Congress to invest in clean air initiatives, bilingual air quality alerts, improved maternal healthcare access, and much more. We must act now to ensure that no mother has to choose between her health and her job, or between staying cool and protecting her unborn child.”

    “Many healthcare providers emphasize exercise and nutrition, but they often overlook the critical need to protect ourselves from extreme heat—especially during pregnancy. I had to undergo a c-section at 36 weeks, and while my son and I are healthy, I wish I had been warned about the dangers of high temperatures,” added Luz Drada, EcoMadres’s Program Coordinator. “This resolution ignites optimism for a healthier future for mothers and children everywhere. Together, we can fight for a better tomorrow.”

    “The National Hispanic Health Foundation supports health equity for Latina women, especially during pregnancy and infancy,” explained Guadalupe Pacheco, Director of Programs at the National Hispanic Health Foundation (NHHF).”Addressing the disproportionate risks of extreme heat and air pollution is crucial to safeguarding mothers’ and their children’s health and well-being.”

    “We are very encouraged to see Congresswoman Barragán introduce this resolution calling on Congress to address health vulnerabilities in our communities,” said Amy Tamayo, National Policy and Advocacy Director at Alianza Nacional de Campesinas. “Farmworker women are not only subjected to extreme heat in the fields, but also sexual violence and harassment, and dangerous pesticide exposure that compromises their health and that of their children’s. Pregnant farmworkers growing food to nourish the nation should not have to fear for their children’s lives or their health. Farmworker women bear the heavy burden of risking their health daily and their well being must be a national priority.”

    The resolution also outlines several actions Congress should take to address this problem, including greater investment in air quality programs, more green spaces, bilingual air quality alerts, and the education of public health professionals.  

    The resolution is cosponsored by Representatives Raul Grijalva, Nydia Velázquez, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, Grace Napolitano, and Emmanuel Cleaver.

    The following organizations support the resolution: Ecomadres, Mom’s Clean Air Force, National Hispanic Health Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, Hispanic Access Foundation, American Women’s Medical Association, and Corazon Latino.

    Read the full text of the resolution here.

    # # #

    Congressmember Nanette Barragán represents California’s 44th District.  She sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and works on environmental justice and healthcare issues.  She is also Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Administrator Samantha Power’s First Day at the UN General Assembly High-Level Week

    Source: USAID

    The following is attributable to Spokesperson Benjamin Suarato:

    Today, Administrator Power arrived in New York today for the UN General Assembly High Level Week. She first met with Saudi Arabia’s Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Royal Court Adviser and Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, to discuss areas for potential collaboration and ongoing humanitarian responses in Sudan, Gaza, and Ukraine.

    Joined by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Administrator Power and UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell co-hosted the official launch of the Partnership for a Lead-Free Future, a first of its kind coalition to end childhood lead poisoning in developing countries by 2040. The launch event included an announcement of more than $150 million in donor commitments, ten times the amount that is spent each year tackling this problem, with 26 countries and 38 partner organizations joining the coalition.

    Administrator Power also participated in a roundtable hosted by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Bank of America, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Alongside U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Rich Verma and CEOs from major energy, finance, and insurance firms, Administrator Power discussed how USAID, other U.S. government agencies, and private sector actors are helping to address immediate needs and future opportunities in Ukraine’s energy sector and broader economy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NEWS RELEASE: DLIR Announces 2024 Workforce Development Heroes

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    NEWS RELEASE: DLIR Announces 2024 Workforce Development Heroes

    Posted on Sep 24, 2024 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

    DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

    KA ʻOIHANA PONO LIMAHANA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    JADE T. BUTAY

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    September 24, 2024

    DLIR Announces 2024 Workforce Development Heroes

    HONOLULU — The Hawaiʻi State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced the recipients of the second annual Workforce Development Hero Awards, which recognize outstanding individuals and organizations. September is Workforce Development Month, a time to honor workforce development leaders and staff across Hawaiʻi, as well as draw attention to the resources available to those looking for work, wanting to prepare for in-demand employment or exploring their career options.

    “Ensuring that businesses have access to skilled workers, while helping job seekers find meaningful employment, is essential to equipping both local businesses and workers with the talent and expertise needed to thrive as Hawaiʻi’s economy evolves,” said DLIR Director Jade T. Butay.

    The Workforce Development Hero Awards honor key contributors to workforce excellence across the islands, acknowledging their dedication and innovation in advancing employment opportunities and skill development in Hawaiʻi. The awards drew nominations from across the state, showcasing the vast range of individuals and institutions working toward strengthening Hawaiʻi’s workforce.

    2024 Workforce Development Hero Award Winners:

    • Oʻahu: Lord Ryan Lizardo, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii and Ariel Villanueva, Ewa Makai Middle School
    • Maui: Nicolette van Der Lee, University of Hawaiʻi, Maui Campus
    • Kauaʻi: Kaina Makua, Kumanu I Ke Ala
    • Hawaiʻi Island: Kevin Aki, County of Hawaiʻi
    • Legislator of the Year: Sen. Donovan M. Dela Cruz
    • Lifetime Achievement Award: David Lassner, President, University of Hawaiʻi

    “Each of this year’s Workforce Development Heroes has gone above and beyond in creating pathways to opportunity,” said the Workforce Development Council Executive Director Bennette Misalucha. “Their efforts have empowered individuals, strengthened communities, and contributed to the overall resilience and competitiveness of Hawaiʻi’s workforce.”

    The Workforce Development Hero finalists include Michael Cardenas, MC3 Technologies, Katie Hokama, Hilo Benioff Medical Center, Tracey Kaneshige, Workforce Development Division, DLIR, Joy Korkowski, Kaiser Permanente, Diane Oda, Workforce Development Division, DLIR, Constancio Paranal III, Department of Economic Revitalization, City and County of Honolulu, Erick Pascua, Workforce Development Division, DLIR, Jenna Silifaiva, County of Maui, Jeffrey Tom, WorkHawaiʻi Job Readiness Program, Deborah Uemura (Nakashima), Hawaiʻi National Guard Work for Warriors Program, Bridget Orsatelli, ʻŌmaʻo Ranch Lands, and Ashley Wang, Booz Allen.

    Lifetime Achievement Award

    A special Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to David Lassner, President of the University of Hawaiʻi, for his 46 years of distinguished service at UH. Under his leadership, the UH system has become a driving force in meeting Hawaiʻi’s workforce needs, setting records in research, graduation rates and inclusion of underrepresented populations. His dedication to affordable education and workforce advancement, combined with a recent $1 million donation to support graduate students in technology fields, reflects his deep commitment to creating opportunities for future generations.

    Legislator of the Year

    Sen. Donovan M. Dela Cruz is being recognized as Legislator of the Year for his commitment to advancing workforce development across the state. As Chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee, Dela Cruz has championed workforce development as a critical component in retaining local talent and meeting the needs of Hawaiʻi’s employers. Facing a state workforce vacancy rate averaging 30%, Dela Cruz spearheaded efforts to create the Hele Imua Internship Program.

    In 2022, the program was allocated $5.3 million, creating 330 interns with the state Executive Branch and four scholarships though the Ho‘oilina Scholarship program. The Ho‘oilina Scholarship is a partnership between the DLIR, Hawai‘i Lodging & Tourism Association (HLTA) and the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Shidler College of Business, School of Travel Industry Management that provides support to Hawai‘i public high school graduates pursuing careers in the hospitality, the tourism or the transportation industries.

    Awards Ceremony Future of Work Conference

    The Future of Work 2025 Conference will honor the seven Workforce Development Hero awardees on September 30, 2024, at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi. The event will highlight each winner’s contributions to workforce development and celebrate their achievements.

    To register for the conference, click here.

    # # #

    Equal Opportunity Employer/Program
    Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.
    TDD/TTY Dial 711 then ask for 808-586-8842

     

    View DLIR news releases:

    http://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/category/news/

    Media Contact:

    Chavonnie Ramos

    Public Information Officer

    Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

    Ka ʻOihana Pono Limahana

    808-586-9720

    [email protected]

    http://labor.hawaii.gov

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Newsom signs consumer protection bills targeting medical debt, overdraft fees, and unfair subscription practices

    Source: US State of California 2

    Sep 24, 2024

    What you need to know: New laws will strengthen consumer protections and help save Californians money.

    SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills that will strengthen protections for consumers, addressing issues that have put financial strain on Californians while setting new standards for transparency and accountability across industries.

    “Nobody wants to get ripped off, whether it’s a small subscription fee that’s seemingly impossible to cancel or massive medical debts which force families into financial ruin. We’re strengthening protections for Californians across the board and helping save consumers money.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Medical debt relief

    SB 1061 by Senator Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) targets the devastating impact of medical debt on consumers. Under this new law, medical debt will no longer be included on consumers’ credit reports, ensuring that people are not penalized for the high costs of necessary healthcare. The bill also prohibits using any medical debt listed on a credit report as a negative factor when making credit decisions, and gives individuals more room to address their medical bills before debt collection and reporting actions can take place.

    “I am proud to author legislation to provide relief to Californians suffering from the burden of medical debt,” said Senator Limón. “No Californian should be unable to secure housing, a loan, or even a job because they accessed necessary medical care. With this new law, California is stepping up to protect consumers impacted by the effects of medical debt.” 

    Making it easier to cancel subscriptions

    AB 2863 by Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo (D-Chatsworth) addresses complicated auto-renewing subscription services that are easy to sign up for but hard to cancel. The bill requires companies offering automatic renewals and continuous services to provide consumers a means to cancel the subscription using the same medium they used to sign up; for example, a person who subscribes online has to be given an online click-to-cancel option. This ensures that consumers can easily exit from services they no longer want, without being trapped by confusing processes or hidden fees.

    “At a time when too many in our community are struggling, unwanted subscription renewals can really add up. AB 2863 is the most comprehensive ‘Click to Cancel’ legislation in the nation,  ensuring Californians can  cancel unwanted automatic subscription renewals just as easily as they signed up – with just a click or two,” said Assemblymember Schiavo. “California is setting a model for the nation on protecting consumers from unnecessary charges – giving them more control over their finances and helping to ensure fair business practices, providing a win for both consumers and small businesses. I’m grateful that this important legislation was signed, as it will mean more money in the pockets of people throughout our community.” 

    Protecting against unfair fees 

    AB 2017 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) and SB 1075 by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) address unfair banking practices. AB 2017 prohibits certain banks and credit unions from charging nonsufficient funds fees when a transaction is declined due to the consumer having insufficient funds. SB 1075 sets limits on the amount credit unions can charge for overdraft fees. These bills aim to protect lower-income Californians that are disproportionately impacted by financial fees that can push them deeper into financial hardship.

    Additional consumer protection measures signed into law

    • AB 1849 by Assemblymember Tim Grayson (D-Concord) – Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act: services and repairs: travel trailers and motor homes (signed earlier this year).
    • AB 1900 by Assemblymember Dr. Akilah Weber (D-San Diego) – Consumer refunds: nondisclosure agreements (signed earlier this year).
    • AB 1971 by Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) – Administration of standardized tests.
    • AB 2202 by Assemblymember Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) – Short-term rentals: disclosure: cleaning tasks.
    • AB 2297 by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) – Hospital and Emergency Physician Fair Pricing Policies.
    • AB 2347 by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) – Summary proceedings for obtaining possession of real property: procedural requirements.
    • AB 2426 by Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) – Consumer protection: false advertising: digital goods.
    • AB 2801 by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) – Tenancy: Security Deposits (signed earlier this year).
    • AB 2837 by Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D-Orinda) – Civil actions: enforcement of money judgments.
    • AB 2992 by Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D-Elk Grove) – Real Estate Law: buyer-broker representation agreements.
    • AB 3108 by Assemblymember Reginald Byron Jones-Sawyer, Sr. (D-Los Angeles) – Business: mortgage fraud.
    • AB 3283 by the Committee on Judiciary – Enforcement of judgments: claims of exemption (signed earlier this year).
    • SB 919 by Senator Thomas Umberg (D-Santa Ana) – Franchise Investment Law: franchise brokers.
    • SB 924 by Senator Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) – Tenancy: credit reporting: lower income households.
    • SB 1286 by Senator Dave Min (D-Irvine) – Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: covered debt: commercial debts.

    Recent news

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    News SACRAMENTO – As Tropical Storm Helene is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it moves toward Florida’s Panhandle, Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the deployment of California firefighters to assist in staffing a Federal Emergency Management Agency…

    Sep 23, 2024

    News What you need to know: Governor Newsom signed four bills today to help law enforcement crack down on dangerous sideshows and street takeovers. These new laws will hold participants and organizers accountable by providing law enforcement with the tools to seize…

    Sep 23, 2024

    News What you need to know: Governor Gavin Newsom today signed Assembly Bill 3216, the Phone-Free School Act, to require every school district, charter school and county office of education to develop a policy limiting the use of smartphones by July 1, 2026….

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DCCA News RELEASE: Registration Opens for 2024-2025 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts Competition

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DCCA News RELEASE: Registration Opens for 2024-2025 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts Competition

    Posted on Sep 24, 2024 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

    KA ʻOIHANA PILI KĀLEPA


     JOSH GREEN, M.D.

    GOVERNOR | KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    NADINE Y. ANDO

    DIRECTOR | KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

    TY Y. NOHARA

    SECURITIES COMMISSIONER

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    September 24, 2024

    Registration Opens for 2024-2025 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts Competition

    HONOLULU — The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Business Registration Division invites teams to participate in the 2024-2025 Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts Competition.

    LifeSmarts is a free, national educational program that teaches students critical life skills in five key areas: Personal Finance, Consumer Rights & Responsibilities, Health & Safety, the Environment, and Technology through online quizzes and in-person competitions. Teams must consist of one adult coach/teacher and at least four students.

    Registration is now open at lifesmarts.org.

    Once registered, high school or “varsity” teams can participate in the online portion of the competition from Monday, October 21, 2024, until Friday, December 6, 2024, at 7 p.m. HST. The top four highest-scoring teams will be invited to compete in the state championship competition at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center in Honolulu on February 21, 2025. The winning team will have the opportunity to represent Hawaiʻi at the national competition, scheduled for April 24 to 27, 2024, in Chicago, Illinois.

    Middle school or “junior varsity” teams with students in grades 6 to 8 can participate in an online-only competition from Monday, October 21, 2024, to Friday, December 6, 2024, at 7 p.m. HST. For more information about the Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts program, please visit www.lifesmartshawaii.com or contact LifeSmarts State Coordinator, Theresa Kong Kee, at 808-587-7400 or [email protected].

    The Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts program is locally sponsored by DCCA’s Business Registration Division and Insurance Division, in partnership with the Hawaiʻi Credit Union League, and is run by the National Consumers League. More than 3,000 local students have participated in Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts since 2004. Local businesses interested in becoming a sponsor of the Hawaiʻi LifeSmarts program are welcome to contact the state coordinator for more information.

     

    Learn more about the Hawai‘i LifeSmarts program with this video. Content from previous years, including photos, is available here.

     

    # # #

    Media Contact:

    William Nhieu

    Communications Officer

    Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs

    Email: [email protected]

    Office: 808-586-7582

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pawtucket’s Puerto Rican Institute for Arts and Advocacy recommended for a national award to expand arts participation

    Source: US State of Rhode Island

    Providence, RI � The New England Foundation (NEFA) for the Arts joined the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to announce 112 organizations, including 13 organizations in New England, have been recommended for awards under a new pilot program called ArtsHERE. The R.I. State Council on the Arts (RISCA) reported that only grantees from Rhode Island is Pawtucket’s Puerto Rican Institute for Arts and Advocacy (PRIAA).

    The arts and advocacy organization was chosen from an applicant pool of more than 4,000 nationwide and recommended for an award of $101,400. All the applications were reviewed by multiple review panels including the applicant’s organizational size and capacity-building project, alignment with the program’s commitment to equity, and engagement with historically underserved communities.

    The Puerto Rican Institute for Arts and Advocacy will use the funding to assist with strategic planning, staff training, community engagement, marketing, and partnerships with heritage organizations and a network for the apprenticeship program.

    Founded in 1994, PRIAA is dedicated to promoting and facilitating civic and cultural awareness of the Puerto Rican culture, as well as other Latino/a/x heritages, through performance, workshops, visual art, literature, crafts and the Afro-ancestral arts. By bringing the best of the Caribbean arts and authentic folklore to Rhode Island and the New England region, PRIAA advocates for cultures that contribute to the social, political and economic well-being of an entire nation. https://www.priaa-ri.org.

    “The National Endowment for the Arts is thrilled to provide resources to a group of exceptional organizations through ArtsHERE, a program to help deepen meaningful and lasting arts engagement in underserved communities,” said Maria Rosario Jackson, Ph.D., chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. “Everyone should be able to live an artful life, and ArtsHERE is an important step in ensuring we are strengthening our nation’s arts ecosystem to make this a reality.”

    “We are excited to celebrate the 13 grant recipients’ projects in our region, along with many others across the country, that will expand access to arts participation. We are grateful to work on this important pilot initiative with the National Endowment for the Arts, the Wallace Foundation, and our RAO colleagues,” shared NEFA executive director Harold Steward.

    “On behalf of the arts and culture community in Rhode Island, we want to thank the NEA, NEFA, Wallace Foundation and our Congressional delegation for this new innovative program and their ongoing support for arts and culture, one of our state’s key economic drivers. Congratulations to the PRIAA on receiving national attention for the important work they do and continue to do preserving and perpetuating Puerto Rican culture in Rhode Island and beyond. Investments in critical cultural organizations like PRIAA fosters a robust and diverse cultural ecosystem in Rhode Island, leading to economically prosperous and civically engaged communities,” said Todd Trebour, RISCA’s Executive Director.

    Managed by South Arts, the NEA announced the ArtsHERE pilot grant program in 2023 in recognition that engaging in the arts is essential to individual, social, civic, and economic well-being and in response to President Biden’s Executive Order that put forward a government-wide effort to advance equity for all Americans.

    A partnership with South Arts and in collaboration with the other five U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, the organization suggested for grants demonstrated commitment to equity within their practices and programming. The grants range from $65,000 to $130,000 and more than $12.4 million, will fund projects to strengthen the organizations’ capacity to sustain meaningful community engagement and increase arts participation for underserved groups and communities. Grant recipients will also take part in peer-learning and technical assistance opportunities, and the NEA will report on lessons learned from this initiative.

    Recommended grant recipients are from all 50 states, DC, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. ArtsHERE aims to address disparities in arts participation through grants that help organizations better serve and reach their communities.

    ArtsHERE is also supported by The Wallace Foundation through matching funds to the Regional Arts Organizations in support of this program.

    National Endowment for the Arts, established by Congress in 1965 is an independent federal agency that is the largest funder of the arts and arts education in communities nationwide and a catalyst of public and private support for the arts. By advancing equitable opportunities for arts participation and practice, the NEA fosters and sustains an environment in which the arts benefit everyone in the United States. To learn more, visit arts.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

    New England Foundation for the Arts invests in artists and communities and fosters equitable access to the arts, enriching the cultural landscape in New England and the nation. NEFA accomplishes this by granting funds to artists and cultural organizations; connecting them to each other and their audiences; and analyzing their economic contributions. NEFA serves as a regional partner for the National Endowment for the Arts, New England’s state arts agencies, and private foundations. Learn more at www.nefa.org.

    South Arts advances Southern vitality through the arts. The nonprofit regional arts organization was founded in 1975 to build on the South’s unique heritage and enhance the public value of the arts. South Arts’ work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective. South Arts offers an annual portfolio of activities designed to support the success of artists and arts providers in the South, address the needs of Southern communities through impactful arts-based programs, and celebrate the excellence, innovation, value and power of the arts of the South. For more information, visit www.southarts.org.

    Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) is a state agency supported by appropriations from the Rhode Island General Assembly and grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. RISCA provides grants, technical assistance and staff support to arts organizations and artists, schools, community centers, social service organizations and local governments to bring the arts into the lives of Rhode Islanders. To learn more, visit www.arts.ri.gov or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

    The United States Regional Arts Organizations (USRAOs)�Arts Midwest, Mid-America Arts Alliance, Mid Atlantic Arts, New England Foundation for the Arts, South Arts, and Western States Arts Federation�are a collective of six nonprofit arts service organizations committed to strengthening America’s infrastructure by increasing access to creativity for all Americans. They serve the nation’s artists, arts and culture organizations, and creative communities with programs that reflect and celebrate the diversity of the field in which they work. They partner with the National Endowment for the Arts, state arts agencies, individuals, and other public and private funders to develop and deliver programs, services, and products that advance arts and creativity.

    Together, the USRAOs work to activate and operate national arts initiatives, encourage and support collaboration across regions, states, and communities, and maximize the coordination of public and private resources invested in arts programs. In Fiscal Year 2023, they invested over $18.4 million across the United States and Jurisdictions, through nearly 2,400 grants that reached more than 1,000 communities. For more information, visit usregionalarts.org.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Glacier Bancorp, Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    KALISPELL, Mont., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Glacier Bancorp, Inc.’s (NYSE: GBCI) Board of Directors, at a meeting held on September 24, 2024, declared a quarterly dividend of $0.33 per share. The Company has declared 158 consecutive quarterly dividends and has increased the dividend 49 times. The dividend is payable on October 17, 2024, to owners of record on October 8, 2024.

    About Glacier Bancorp, Inc.:

    Glacier Bancorp, Inc. is the parent company for Glacier Bank and its bank divisions: Altabank (American Fork, UT), Bank of the San Juans (Durango, CO), Citizens Community Bank (Pocatello, ID), Collegiate Peaks Bank (Buena Vista, CO), First Bank of Montana (Lewistown, MT), First Bank of Wyoming (Powell, WY), First Community Bank Utah (Layton, UT), First Security Bank (Bozeman, MT), First Security Bank of Missoula (Missoula, MT), First State Bank (Wheatland, WY), Glacier Bank (Kalispell, MT), Heritage Bank of Nevada (Reno, NV), Mountain West Bank (Coeur d’Alene, ID), The Foothills Bank (Yuma, AZ), Valley Bank (Helena, MT), Western Security Bank (Billings, MT), and Wheatland Bank (Spokane, WA).

    Visit Glacier’s website at http://www.glacierbancorp.com

    Contact: Randall M. Chesler, CEO
    (406) 751-4722
    Ron J. Copher, CFO
    (406) 751-7706

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: LanzaTech and Woodside Energy to Participate in Bank of America Hosted Webinar on September 27, 2024

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    CHICAGO, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA) (“LanzaTech”), the carbon recycling company transforming waste carbon into sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials, and Woodside Energy Group Ltd. (ASX, NYSE, LSE: WSD) (“Woodside”), the global energy company founded in Australia providing reliable and affordable energy to help people lead better lives, today jointly announced that Dr. Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech, and Meg O’Neill, CEO of Woodside, will participate in a webinar hosted by Bank of America analyst Steve Byrne to discuss hot topics and key challenges related to globally scaling the circular carbon economy and developing impactful carbon abatement programs for energy companies.

    Date: Friday, September 27, 2024
    Time: 1:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time

    To attend the webinar, or request the archived replay, please email Kate Walsh, Vice President of Investor Relations at LanzaTech: Kate.Walsh@lanzatech.com.

    About LanzaTech
    LanzaTech Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: LNZA) is the carbon recycling company transforming waste carbon into sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials. Using its biorecycling technology, LanzaTech captures carbon generated by energy-intensive industries at the source, preventing it from being emitted into the air. LanzaTech then gives that captured carbon a new life as a clean replacement for virgin fossil carbon in everything from household cleaners and clothing fibers to packaging and fuels. By partnering with companies across the global supply chain like ArcelorMittal, Zara, H&M Move, Coty, On, and LanzaJet, LanzaTech is paving the way for a circular carbon economy. For more information about LanzaTech, visit https://lanzatech.com.

    About Woodside
    Woodside Energy is a global energy company, founded in Australia, working across three continents to produce oil and natural gas and pursue new energy opportunities. With a focused portfolio, Woodside is recognised for its world-class capabilities as an integrated upstream supplier of energy. Woodside’s proven track record and distinctive capabilities are underpinned by 70 years of experience.

    LanzaTech Contact:
    Investor Relations
    Kate Walsh, VP Investor Relations & Tax
    Investor.Relations@lanzatech.com

    Woodside Contact:
    Marcela Louzada
    M: +61 456 994 243
    E: investor@woodside.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Univest Securities, LLC Announces Closing of $8.0 Million Registered Follow-on Offering for its Client Elevai Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: ELAB)

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    New York, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Univest Securities, LLC (“Univest”), a member of FINRA and SIPC, and a full-service investment bank and securities broker-dealer firm based in New York, today announced the closing of registered follow-on offering (the “Offering”) of approximately $8.0 million for its client Elevai Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: ELAB) (the “Company”), a pioneering force in medical aesthetics.

    The Offering was comprised of 28,571,425 shares of the Company’s common stock (or pre-funded warrants in lieu of shares of common stock). Each share of common stock or pre-funded warrant was sold with one Series A Warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.38 per share (the “Series A Warrants”) and one Series B Warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.38 per share or, pursuant to an alternative cashless exercise option, three shares of common stock (the “Series B Warrants” and, together with the Series A Warrants, the “Warrants”). The Series A Warrants will be exercisable beginning on the date of completion of the requisite waiting period following the filing of the Information Statement related to the approval by the stockholders of the Company (the “Initial Exercise Date” or “Effective Shareholder Approval Date”) of the issuance of shares upon exercise of the Warrants, among other things (the “Shareholder Approval”). The Series B Warrants will be exercisable beginning on the Effective Shareholder Approval Date. The Series A Warrants will expire on the five-year anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date and the Series B Warrants will expire on the two and one-half-year anniversary of the Initial Exercise Date. The purchase price of each share of common stock and accompanying Warrants was $0.28, and the purchase price of each pre-funded warrant and accompanying Warrants was equal to such price minus $0.0001.

    The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company was approximately $8 million.

    Univest Securities, LLC acted as the sole placement agent.

    The securities described above are being offered by the Company pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-281987) previously filed and declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering were filed with the SEC and are available on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, by contacting Univest Securities, LLC at info@univest.us, or by calling +1 (212) 343-8888.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sales of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering, together with the accompanying base prospectus, can be obtained at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

    About Univest Securities, LLC

    Registered with FINRA since 1994, Univest Securities, LLC provides a wide variety of financial services to its institutional and retail clients globally including brokerage and execution services, sales and trading, market making, investment banking and advisory, wealth management. It strives to provide clients with value-add service and focuses on building long-term relationship with its clients. For more information, please visit: www.univest.us.

    About Elevai Labs Inc.

    Elevai Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: ELAB) specializes in medical aesthetics and biopharmaceutical drug development, focusing on innovations for skin aesthetics and treatments tied to obesity and metabolic health. The Company operates a diverse portfolio of three wholly owned subsidiaries across the medical aesthetics and biopharmaceutical sectors, Elevai Skincare Inc., Elevai Biosciences Inc., and Elevai Research Inc. For more information please visit www.elevailabs.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When the Company uses words such as “may, “will, “intend,” “should,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions and the completion of the initial public offering on the anticipated terms or at all, and other factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of the registration statement filed with the SEC. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in the Company’s filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. Univest Securities LLC and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.

    For more information, please contact:

    Univest Securities, LLC
    Edric Guo
    Chief Executive Officer
    75 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 18C
    New York, NY 10019
    Phone: (212) 343-8888
    Email: info@univest.us

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. Announces 30th Consecutive Annual Increase in Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ARCHBOLD, Ohio, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Board of Directors of Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc., (Nasdaq: FMAO) the holding company of F&M Bank, with total assets of $3.32 billion at June 30, 2024, today announced that it has approved the Company’s quarterly cash dividend of $0.22125 per share. The third-quarter dividend is payable on October 20, 2024, to shareholders of record as of October 4, 2024.

    The $0.22125 per share cash dividend reflects a $0.00125 per share increase in the quarterly dividend, representing the 30th consecutive annual increase in the Company’s regular dividend payment.

    Lars B. Eller, President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “I am proud that F&M has established one of the longest track records of consecutive dividend increases for publicly traded banks, reflecting F&M’s growth, strong capital levels, and profitable business model. F&M’s financial and operating strength has provided us with flexibility to return additional capital back to shareholders throughout various economic cycles. In fact, F&M’s annual dividend will have increased from $0.2375 in 2004 to $0.8825 in 2024 reflecting a 6.8% compound annual growth rate over this period.”

    About Farmers & Merchants State Bank:
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: FMAO) is the holding company of F&M Bank, a local independent community bank that has been serving its communities since 1897. F&M Bank provides commercial banking, retail banking and other financial services. Our locations are in Butler, Champaign, Fulton, Defiance, Hancock, Henry, Lucas, Shelby, Williams, and Wood counties in Ohio. In Northeast Indiana, we have offices located in Adams, Allen, DeKalb, Jay, Steuben and Wells counties. The Michigan footprint includes Oakland County, and we have Loan Production Offices in West Bloomfield, Michigan; Muncie, Indiana; and Perrysburg and Bryan, Ohio.

    Safe Harbor statement
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc. (“F&M”) wishes to take advantage of the Safe Harbor provisions included in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements by F&M, including management’s expectations and comments, may not be based on historical facts and are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Actual results could vary materially depending on risks and uncertainties inherent in general and local banking conditions, competitive factors specific to markets in which F&M and its subsidiaries operate, future interest rate levels, legislative and regulatory decisions, capital market conditions, or the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impacts on our credit quality and business operations, as well as its impact on general economic and financial market conditions. F&M assumes no responsibility to update this information. For more details, please refer to F&M’s SEC filing, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. Such filings can be viewed at the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov or through F&M’s website www.fm.bank.

    Company Contact: Investor and Media Contact:
    Lars B. Eller
    President and Chief Executive Officer
    Farmers & Merchants Bancorp, Inc.
    (419) 446-2501
    leller@fm.bank    		 Andrew M. Berger
    Managing Director
    SM Berger & Company, Inc.
    (216) 464-6400
    andrew@smberger.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI is fuelling a deepfake porn crisis in South Korea. What’s behind it – and how can it be fixed?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sungshin (Luna) Bae, PhD student, Gender Equality Policy Special Public Officer at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office in South Korea, Monash University

    It’s difficult to talk about artificial intelligence without talking about deepfake porn – a harmful AI byproduct that has been used to target everyone from Taylor Swift to Australian school girls.

    But a recent report from startup Security Heroes found that out of 95,820 deepfake porn videos analysed from different sources, 53% featured South Korean singers and actresses – suggesting this group is disproportionately targeted.

    So, what’s behind South Korea’s deepfake problem? And what can be done about it?

    Teenagers and minors among victims

    Deepfakes are digitally manipulated photos, video or audio files that convincingly depict someone saying or doing things they never did. Among South Korean teenagers, creating deepfakes has become so common that some even view it as a prank. And they don’t just target celebrities.

    On Telegram, group chats have been made for the specific purpose of engaging in image-based sexual abuse of women, including middle-school and high-school students, teachers and family members. Women who have their pictures on social media platforms such as KakaoTalk, Instagram and Facebook are also frequently targeted.

    The perpetrators use AI bots to generate the fake imagery, which is then sold and/or indiscriminately disseminated, along with victims’ social media accounts, phone numbers and KakaoTalk usernames. One Telegram group attracted some 220,000 members, according to a Guardian report.

    A lack of awareness

    Despite gender-based violence causing significant harm to victims in South Korea, there remains a lack of awareness on the issue.

    South Korea has experienced rapid technological growth in recent decades. It ranks first in the world in smartphone ownership and is cited as having the highest internet connectivity. Many jobs, including those in restaurants, manufacturing and public transport, are being rapidly replaced by robots and AI.

    But as Human Rights Watch points out, the country’s progress in gender equality and other human rights measures has not kept pace with digital advancement. And research has shown that technological progress can actually exacerbate issued of gender-based violence.

    Since 2019, digital sex crimes against children and adolescents in South Korea have been a huge issue – particularly due to the “Nth Room” case. This case involved hundreds of young victims (many of whom were minors) and around 260,000 participants engaged in sharing exploitative and coercive intimate content.

    The case triggered widespread outrage and calls for stronger protection. It even led to the establishment of stronger conditions in the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes 2020. But despite this, the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office said only 28% of the total 17,495 digital sex offenders caught in 2021 were indicted — highlighting the ongoing challenges in effectively addressing digital sex crimes.

    In 2020, the Ministry of Justice’s Digital Sexual Crimes Task Force proposed about 60 legal provisions, which have still not been accepted. The team was disbanded shortly after the inauguration of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government in 2022.

    During the 2022 presidential race, Yoon said “there is no structural gender discrimination” in South Korea and pledged to abolish the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the main ministry responsible for preventing gender-based violence. This post has remained vacant since February of this year.

    Can technology also be the solution?

    But AI isn’t always harmful – and South Korea provides proof of this too. In 2022, a digital sex crime support centre run by the Seoul metropolitan government developed a tool that can automatically track, monitor and delete deepfake images and videos around the clock.

    The technology – which won the 2024 UN Public Administration Prize – has helped reduce the time taken to find deepfakes from an average of two hours to three minutes. But while such attempts can help reduce further harm from deepfakes, they are unlikely to be an exhaustive solutions, as effects on victims can be persistent.

    For meaningful change, the government needs to hold service providers such as social media platforms and messaging apps accountable for ensuring user safety.

    Unified efforts

    On August 30, the South Korean government announced plans to push for legislation to criminalise the possession, purchase and viewing of deepfakes in South Korea.

    However, investigations and trials may continue to fall short until deepfakes in South Korea are recognised as a harmful form of gender-based violence. A multifaceted approach will be needed to address the deepfake problem, including stronger laws, reform and education.

    South Korean authorities must also help to enhance public awareness of gender-based violence, and focus not only on supporting victims, but on developing proactive policies and educational programs to prevent violence in the first place.

    Sungshin (Luna) Bae does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. AI is fuelling a deepfake porn crisis in South Korea. What’s behind it – and how can it be fixed? – https://theconversation.com/ai-is-fuelling-a-deepfake-porn-crisis-in-south-korea-whats-behind-it-and-how-can-it-be-fixed-238217

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Colleagues Push for Gecko Robotics-Navy Contract to Create Jobs in Southwestern PA, Protect National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
    Contract with Navy to help grow defense business in Southwestern PA, help meet Navy strategic needs
    Navy investments in Gecko Robotics’ advanced technologies to boost national and economic security against rising threats from China
    Members: “For the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania, this contract is critical. It will bring more than 150 jobs to the region directly. […] GSA must do better. The Nation’s security demands it”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) led a bipartisan group of his colleagues in Congress in urging the General Services Administration (GSA) to expedite a U.S. Navy contract with Gecko Robotics to bolster national security amidst rising Chinese aggression and create jobs in Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Navy’s pending $75 million contract with Pittsburgh-based Gecko Robotics has already been delayed many months, putting critical work on hold. When implemented, the contract will support ship maintenance and help ensure the Navy’s readiness against increasing maritime threats from the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This project will directly create 150 new jobs in Southwestern Pennsylvania and help grow defense business in the region to create future job opportunities.
    “For the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania in particular, this contract is critical. It will bring more than 150 jobs to the region directly. It will help grow Gecko Robotics’ defense business across other Navy platforms, other U.S. military services, and allied militaries, leading to further job growth. And, through workforce investments by Gecko Robotics, it will help traditional manufacturing workers in the area develop the advanced manufacturing skills and expertise necessary to compete in the global marketplace. GSA must do better. The Nation’s security demands it,” wrote the Members.
    The Navy’s pending $75 million Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to Gecko Robotics for automated vessel inspection and maintenance has been stalled many months, despite the contract’s strategic importance and prioritization by the Navy. When implemented, the contract will enable the reduction of ship maintenance backlogs by using Gecko Robotics’ robots and software. This critical investment will not only create 150 new defense manufacturing jobs, but it will strengthen the defense industrial base in Southwestern Pennsylvania, help transition traditional manufacturing workers to meet twenty-first century advanced manufacturing demands and create a pathway for future job creation. In a letter to GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan, the Members stressed the importance of maintaining a strong Navy in the face of rising Chinese aggression and urged the Administration to create an expedited timeline to implement this project.
    Full text of the letter is below and the signed PDF can be found HERE.
    Dear Administrator Carnahan:
    We write to bring to your attention a contracting delay with national security ramifications for the Nation’s naval and technological competitions against the People’s Republic of China (PRC). We respectfully request that you expedite issuance of the Navy’s pending $75 million Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to Gecko Robotics for automated vessel inspection and maintenance–from its delayed Q2 2025 start date up to Q1 2025. This contract stands not only to bolster our national and economic security in the face of increasing Chinese aggression, but to create jobs and grow Navy business in Southwestern Pennsylvania, a region long known for its industrious workforce and ingenuity.
    As stated in President Biden’s National Security Strategy, “the PRC is the only competitor with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the… power to do it.”  The United States military must prioritize the Chinese threat across all domains of the competition, including naval capacity and the adoption of advanced technologies.
    The growing buildup of the PRC’s navy continues to strengthen its chances of winning a potential future war against the United States, as larger fleets have won 89 percent of wars with significant naval combat. Today, this shifting balance allows China to more confidently project power despite U.S. counterefforts.  A competition against a state, China, controlling 230 times our shipbuilding capacity will require continued large-scale investments and a refocused strategy to address today’s threats.
    As part of the naval competition, the U.S. Navy must resolve its significant maintenance backlog and current inability, in the event of a conflict, to quickly repair damaged ships.  Even if the United States had a navy with more vessels that are more powerful and hold more powerful weapons, we still would lose a war if those vessels were “in disrepair, tied to the pier, or in dry-dock.”  Without this maintenance and repair capability, the U.S. Navy’s combat power has become only a fraction of its reported size. A 2023 GAO study confirmed this effect: Over the last decade across 10 different ship classes, hours of availability for operations and training have decreased as maintenance cannibalizations, delays, and costs have increased.
    Specifically, the United States must improve its naval maintenance planning processes, starting with a better understanding of its vessels’ condition.  Experts have recommended that the U.S. Navy “invest in integrated [information technology (IT)] systems to document ships’ material condition properly,” as traditional methods of assessment take longer, cost more, and provide a much poorer understanding of a vessels’ maintenance needs.
    The Navy has identified its maintenance backlog as a priority and begun to execute on developing a technological solution to address that priority. To meet its spring 2024 availability timelines, the Navy worked hard to award a $75 million IDIQ contract to Gecko Robotics. Based in Pittsburgh, Gecko Robotics uses robotic automation and digital baselines to help the military optimize maintenance processes and improve mission readiness. This contract would allow the Navy to move more quickly in addressing its maintenance backlog while saving taxpayer funds compared to existing vehicles.
    Despite the contract’s strategic importance and prioritization by the Navy, it has stalled with GSA. Based on the Navy’s efforts, in December of 2023, a member of GSA informed Gecko Robotics that, “I’m confident we’ll have a contract in place by the end of February [2024].” In March of 2024 though, GSA backtracked, telling the Navy it could not support the contract until July. In April, GSA signed the requisite interagency agreement with the Navy, but by June, delays had worsened, leading a different member of GSA to inform Gecko Robotics that, “I don’t have a time frame when we would start the project.” In August, our staff learned from GSA that it does not plan to award the contract until Q2 of 2025, one year after it had originally planned.
    We understand that GSA has faced staffing turnover and a changing acquisition strategy, but in the meantime, the Navy’s readiness has suffered and will continue to suffer. China is emboldened. While commercial demand for Gecko Robotics’ capabilities is high, another young company in similar circumstances might have already gone out of business due to these delays. Difficulties generating revenue from contract delays like this will deter less mission-driven, innovative companies from even entering the defense market.
    For the people of Southwestern Pennsylvania in particular, this contract is critical. It will bring more than 150 jobs to the region directly. It will help grow Gecko Robotics’ defense business across other Navy platforms, other U.S. military services, and allied militaries, leading to further job growth. And, through workforce investments by Gecko Robotics, it will help traditional manufacturing workers in the area develop the advanced manufacturing skills and expertise necessary to compete in the global marketplace.
    GSA must do better. The Nation’s security demands it. We respectfully request that you expedite issuance of the Navy’s IDIQ contract to Q1 of 2025. Thank you for your attention to our request. We appreciate your swift efforts to remedy this situation.

    MIL OSI USA News –