Category: Business

MIL-OSI USA: King, Rubio Urge FDA for Guidance on Stronger, Cheaper Drug Manufacturing Process
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Maine Angus King

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senator Angus King (I-ME) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) are urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to clarify its approval process for pharmaceutical companies considering advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs) — such as continuous manufacturing, a means of production that involves a more uninterrupted process. In a letter to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf, the senators encouraged the FDA to incentivize the pharmaceutical industry to invest in AMTs to help address drug shortages and quality control issues, which contribute to more than 60% of the drug shortage problem.

AMTs have great potential to lower the cost of drug production and can increase the possibility of domestic manufacturing. Compared to other industries, the pharmaceutical industry tends to operate in more outdated processes. Currently, much of the industry still employs what is called “batch” process, an active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) production method that takes place at multiple sites and can lead to sterilization issues. By implementing continuous manufacturing, companies can ensure a more sterile process at one single production site and reduce the risk of drug shortages.

“For several years, the United States has grappled with a concerning uptick in shortages of key APIs and medications. Quality issues resulting from weak manufacturing standards abroad are the most common cause for shortages. Unsurprisingly, most of these quality issues occur in traditional manufacturing facilities overseas. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the U.S.’ heavy reliance on foreign entities, particularly China, for our drugs and medical supplies. The lack of domestic medical manufacturing has created dangerous vulnerabilities for American public health and national security,” wrote the senators.

“We are concerned that the FDA has not yet created a feasible pathway for stakeholders to invest confidently in domestic AMTs. As the FDA continues to evaluate its AMT regulations, we urge you to prioritize domestic manufacturing facilities and commit to frequent engagement with industry and patient stakeholders, ensuring a clear and efficient approval process for AMTs and their products,” continued the senators.

“As the FDA works toward finalizing its AMT Designation Program and continues to evaluate and approve AMTs for commercial use, we urge you to ensure that these efforts prioritize domestic supply chain resilience and enforce clear guidelines for manufacturers to take part in this program,” the senators wrote.

The full text of the letter can be found here or below.

+++

Dear Commissioner Califf:

We write to urge the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to promote domestic pharmaceutical supply chain resilience through the implementation of programs to manufacture drugs and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) using advanced manufacturing technologies (AMTs), such as continuous manufacturing processes. We commend the FDA’s work to issue industry guidance for considerations specific to continuous manufacturing of APIs, but greater action is needed to promote a resilient domestic API supply chain. We are concerned that the FDA has not yet created a feasible pathway for stakeholders to invest confidently in domestic AMTs. As the FDA continues to evaluate its AMT regulations, we urge you to prioritize domestic manufacturing facilities and commit to frequent engagement with industry and patient stakeholders, ensuring a clear and efficient approval process for AMTs and their products.

For several years, the United States has grappled with a concerning uptick in shortages of key APIs and medications. Quality issues resulting from weak manufacturing standards abroad are the most common cause for shortages. Unsurprisingly, most of these quality issues occur in traditional manufacturing facilities overseas. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the U.S.’ heavy reliance on foreign entities, particularly China, for our drugs and medical supplies. The lack of domestic medical manufacturing has created dangerous vulnerabilities for American public health and national security.

AMTs, such as continuous manufacturing sites, provide a promising pathway to lower the cost of domestic drug manufacturing, and accelerate the reshoring of key API production here in the United States. Yet, the FDA has not yet invested sufficient resources toward developing clear regulatory guidelines for these innovative manufacturing tools. The FDA must quickly finalize and implement the AMT Designation Program, as directed by Congress, to provide companies regulatory clarity as they evaluate whether to invest and seek approval of AMTs for their products.

Though the FDA has identified current regulatory barriers that are preventing more companies from adopting AMTs in their manufacturing pipelines, we are concerned that the FDA has not addressed these barriers adequately. A 2021 National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine report found that significant regulatory challenges to implementing advanced manufacturing for drugs include challenges within the FDA’s approval process for each step in the manufacturing process and the lack of guidance and expertise within the FDA related to advanced manufacturing technologies. Industry stakeholders must be able to establish the business case for the use of an AMT, but current ambiguities in the regulatory environment exacerbate challenges for arguing the business incentives for AMTs, deterring investment in these technologies. Though the agency expressed a willingness to address the barriers the report identified, a 2023 GAO report on the status of the FDA’s efforts in supporting investment in AMTs found that only a few drugs manufactured using an AMT are currently approved for marketing in the United States. Between 2015 and 2022, the FDA had only approved 16 out of the 112 applications or supplemental applications that used an AMT. This low rate of approval does not inspire investor confidence and proves that the FDA has considerable work to do to improve the regulatory environment for AMTs.

As the FDA works toward finalizing its AMT Designation Program and continues to evaluate and approve AMTs for commercial use, we urge you to ensure that these efforts prioritize domestic supply chain resilience and enforce clear guidelines for manufacturers to take part in this program. As such, we request answers to the following questions:
1. What strategies has the FDA implemented to encourage greater investment by domestic drug manufacturers into AMTs, such as continuous manufacturing?
1. How is the FDA ensuring that the AMT Designation program will benefit more domestic manufacturing facilities than foreign-based facilities?
2. Based on the current application pool for AMTs seeking FDA approval through currently active pathways, what is the ratio of domestic versus foreign-based facility applications that the FDA has received?
1. Has the FDA received any new continuous manufacturing applications for generics, especially among pharmaceuticals experiencing domestic shortages?
1. How is the FDA communicating about the AMT Designation Program to eligible entities and the public?
1. How is the FDA ensuring the timely approval of continuous manufacturing technologies?
2. Has the FDA seen continued growth in the number of approved continuous manufacturing products since 2022?
3. What is the implementation status of the AMT Designation Program?
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,
MIL OSI USA News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI: Independent Bank Corporation Announces Date for Its Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Release

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Independent Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: IBCP), the holding company of Independent Bank, a Michigan-based community bank, announced that it expects to issue its 2024 third quarter results on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at approximately 8:00 am ET. The release will be available on the Internet at IndependentBank.com within the “News” section of the “Investor Relations” area of the Company’s website.

Brad Kessel, President and CEO, Gavin Mohr, CFO and Joel Rahn, EVP Commercial Banking will review the quarterly results in a conference call for investors and analysts beginning at 11:00 am ET on Thursday, October 24, 2024.

To participate in the live conference call, please dial 1-833-470-1428 (Access Code # 957797). Also the conference call will be accessible through an audio webcast with user-controlled slides via the following event site/URL: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/824908063.

A playback of the call can be accessed by dialing 1-866-813-9403 (Access Code # 159381). The replay will be available through October 31, 2024.

About Independent Bank Corporation

Independent Bank Corporation (NASDAQ: IBCP) is a Michigan-based bank holding company with total assets of approximately $5.3 billion. Founded as First National Bank of Ionia in 1864, Independent Bank Corporation operates a branch network across Michigan’s Lower Peninsula through one state-chartered bank subsidiary. This subsidiary (Independent Bank) provides a full range of financial services, including commercial banking, mortgage lending, investments, insurance and title services. Independent Bank Corporation is committed to providing exceptional personal service and value to its customers, stockholders and the communities it serves.

For more information, please visit our website at: IndependentBank.com.

Contact: William B. Kessel, President and CEO, 616.447.3933

Gavin A. Mohr, Chief Financial Officer, 616.447.3929

The MIL Network –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Executive Board Concludes 2024 Article IV Consultation with Brunei Darussalam

Source: IMF – News in Russian

September 23, 2024

Washington, DC: The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) concluded on September 16, 2024 the Article IV consultation^{^[1]} with Brunei Darussalam on a lapse-of-time basis^{^[2]}.

Brunei’s real GDP rose by 1.4 percent in 2023 after two years of recession, mainly driven by the non-oil and gas (O&G) sector and the earlier-than-anticipated production from the new Salman oil field in Q4 2023. Inflation fell, reaching 0.4 percent in 2023 compared to 3.7 percent in 2022, supported by the easing of post-pandemic supply chain disruptions, the softening commodity prices, as well as large subsidies and price controls. The fiscal and external position deteriorated in 2023 reflecting weaker O&G production and prices. The current account was also impacted by higher service imports and net income outflows. The banking sector remains stable, liquid, and well capitalized with declining non-performing loans.

The recovery is anticipated to continue and risks to the outlook are broadly balanced. Growth is forecasted at about 2.4 percent in 2024 on the back of expected increase in O&G production, including from the new offshore oil fields and rebound in downstream sector, while domestic non-O&G non-tradeable sector growth is expected to plateau. Inflation is expected to remain unchanged at 0.5 percent in 2024, and fiscal and external balances would stabilize alongside O&G prices. Near-term risks tilted downward due to external factors and O&G production challenges. New O&G field discoveries would provide significant upside, while accounting for decarbonization pressures. Structural reform implementation, with product diversification and technological advancement, could boost productivity, but economic and social challenges would remain with adoption of artificial intelligence.

Executive Board Assessment

In concluding the 2024 Article IV consultation with Brunei Darussalam, Executive Directors endorsed staff’s appraisal, as follows:

Growth rebounded moderately in 2023. The stronger-than-expected growth turnaround was supported by a new O&G field coming to stream in late 2023, a high interest rate environment and post-pandemic momentum boosting finance, transport, and hospitality. However, persistent O&G production challenges and maintenance related disruptions in downstream activities along with lower O&G prices weakened the fiscal and external positions in 2023. Consequently, the external position for 2023 remained substantially weaker than suggested by fundamentals and desirable policies and the output gap is assessed to be negative. Disinflation continued mainly due to easing supply chain disruptions and the softening of commodity prices, aided by continuing large scale subsidies and price controls.

The narrowing output gap, O&G revenue uncertainty and long-term decarbonization trends warrant a prudent fiscal stance, while protecting the vulnerable and public investment. While the use of fiscal buffers in FY 2023/24 was appropriate in view of the cyclical position and to support economic recovery, restoring fiscal buffers through growth-friendly fiscal consolidation should be prioritized going forward. This will require enhanced revenue generation, and could be supported by a low-rate carbon tax, and expenditure rationalization—including via more targeted subsidies. These efforts should be guided by a fiscal consolidation plan with clear fiscal targets. Plans to establish a MTFF and fiscal anchors, strengthening fiscal risk management and transparency are welcome.

The currency board arrangement with Singapore is sound and has played a key role in supporting Brunei’s macroeconomic and financial sector stability. Efforts to improve monetary operations, by including Singapore’s interbank transactions in its analysis to understand the influence of Singapore’s policy rates since January 2024, and continuing to narrow the corridor by raising the SFDR, integrating I-bills into the Asset Maintenance Ratio and launching a website for better communication on monetary policies, are welcome. Enhancing inter-agency cooperation regarding the issuance and management of sukuks will be helpful. Over the medium-term, the BDCB is encouraged to build internal capacity in liquidity forecasting to calibrate the issuance of the I-bills and consider establishing a single treasury account.

The financial sector remained stable with strong capital and liquidity buffers. Systemic risk is assessed to be contained. Careful tracking of credit growth in both offshore and domestic personal loans is warranted, as declining oil prices could pose risks, despite low NPLs. Ensuring that that the foreign loans continue to be invested in highly credit-rated assets will help to mitigate credit risk. For domestic lending, continuing to deploy prudential measures like capping the Total Debt Service Ratio, assessing unsecured personal loan exposure, and maintaining NPL standards are welcome measures. Authorities are encouraged to stay on track with plans to implement Basel III standards for better liquidity management by the end-2024. Implementation of stress tests is recommended, while considering stress testing for climate transition and physical risks. Efforts to further strengthen prudential frameworks, develop a long-term sukuk markets, green taxonomy and unify disclosure standards, and to improve AML/CFT effectiveness will help to deepen markets, and support long-term green projects. The authorities’ commitment to continue implementing the recommended actions in the APG’s Mutual Evaluation Report is welcome.

The authorities’ commitment to ambitious and sustained structural reforms will be critical to ensure growth and diversification, including by transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Reaching the authorities’ net zero emissions goal by 2050, will require continued development of the non-O&G sector, including through adoption of green technologies. Continued skill development, while addressing AI-related challenges and closing structural gaps in the first-generation reform areas (external sector trade facilitation, improving business regulation, and governance) vis-à-vis top peers, will be key to facilitate FDI and PPPs. Completing the 2025 National Adaptation Plan and a Climate Vulnerability Assessment should support the prioritization of adaptation strategies.

Data provided to the Fund has some shortcomings that somewhat hamper surveillance and data quality should be strengthened. Steps are needed to close the identified data gaps in national income, prices, external and fiscal sectors. Efforts for improving external sector data through a survey to better gauge trends in errors and omissions, and payables/receivables and strengthening public financial management (PFM) to build more transparent and accountable fiscal systems and aligning these further with GFSM (2014) are welcome, as are plans to enhance dissemination via the Fund’s e-GDDS portal.

Table 1. Brunei Darussalam: Selected Economic and Financial Indicators, 2019–29
Area: 5,765 sq. kilometers
Population (2023): 450,500
Nominal GDP per capita (2023): US$33,581.1
Main export destinations (2023): Australia (21.5 percent), China (16.9), and Singapore (16.7)
Unemployment rate (2023): 5.1%
Labor force participation rate (2023): total 67.2; male 75.8%; female 57.3%
			2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029
							Est.	Proj.	Proj.	Proj.	Proj.	Proj.	Proj.
Output and Prices
	Nominal GDP (millions of Brunei dollars)		18,375	16,564	18,822	23,003	20,319	20,893	22,197	23,073	24,081	25,153	26,447
	Nominal non-oil and gas GDP (millions of Brunei dollars)		8,268	8,868	9,790	11,043	10,883	11,386	12,411	13,620	15,045	16,281	17,717
	Real GDP (percentage change) 1/		3.9	1.1	-1.6	-1.6	1.4	2.4	2.6	2.6	2.7	2.9	3.1
		Oil and gas sector GDP	3.9	-4.9	-4.8	-7.3	-2.0	2.6	3.1	3.1	1.7	1.1	1.0
		Non-oil and gas sector GDP	3.9	8.9	2.0	4.3	4.5	2.1	2.0	2.1	3.5	4.4	4.7
	Oil production (‘000 barrels/day)		121	110	107	92	74	84	94	94	99	90	90
	Natural gas output (millions BTUs/day)		1,402	1,358	1,253	1,151	1,214	1,226	1,201	1,220	1,277	1,313	1,313
	Average Brunei oil price (U.S. dollars per barrel)		68.6	43.3	72.1	107.7	87.1	89.5	83.3	79.9	77.0	75.1	73.8
	Average Brunei gas price (U.S. dollars per million BTU)		9.1	6.7	9.1	14.4	10.9	8.6	9.9	8.7	7.8	7.4	7.0
	Consumer prices (period average, percentage change)		-0.4	1.9	1.7	3.7	0.4	0.5	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	1.0
			(Fiscal Year, In percent of GDP)
Public Finances: Budgetary Central Government
	Total revenue		26.4	12.6	24.0	28.3	17.3	19.3	18.9	17.5	16.3	15.5	15.1
		Oil and gas	19.8	7.7	20.2	24.5	13.0	13.6	13.4	12.2	11.1	10.1	9.5
		Other	6.5	5.0	3.8	3.9	4.3	5.6	5.5	5.3	5.2	5.4	5.6
	Total Expenditure		31.9	32.6	29.1	26.7	29.2	29.4	28.6	27.8	26.9	25.9	25.1
		Current	29.5	31.3	28.0	25.7	27.4	27.0	26.2	25.4	24.5	23.6	22.8
		Capital	2.4	1.3	1.1	1.0	1.8	2.4	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.3	2.3
	Overall balance 2/		-5.6	-20.0	-5.1	1.6	-11.8	-10.1	-9.6	-10.2	-10.5	-10.4	-9.9
	Overall primary balance excluding royalties		-22.7	-25.8	-22.5	-19.8	-22.6	-21.5	-20.7	-20.2	-19.6	-18.7	-17.7
	Non-oil and Gas Balance (In percent of non-oil and gas GDP)		-49.5	-46.1	-44.3	-40.2	-41.8	-39.2	-36.5	-33.7	-31.1	-28.6	-26.1
			(12-month percent change)
Money and Banking
	Private Sector Credit		2.0	0.2	2.7	6.0	3.9	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0	2.0
	Narrow money		6.6	20.8	6.5	1.2	0.7	3.8	3.8	3.8	3.8	3.8	3.8
	Broad money		4.3	-0.4	2.7	1.3	2.7	2.6	2.7	2.7	2.7	2.7	2.7
			(In millions of U.S. dollars, unless otherwise indicated)
Balance of Payments
	Goods		2,211	1,359	2,679	5,153	3,808	3,966	4,264	4,121	3,925	4,013	4,131
		Exports	7,210	6,535	11,001	14,130	11,264	11,416	11,987	12,098	12,024	12,390	12,780
		Of which: oil and gas	3,244	2,943	4,730	5,660	4,185	3,867	4,387	4,243	3,798	3,668	3,617
		Imports	4,999	5,176	8,322	8,977	7,456	7,450	7,723	7,977	8,099	8,377	8,649
	Services (net)		-1,189	-855	-696	-848	-1,305	-1,324	-1,271	-1,173	-1,086	-1,029	-989
	Primary Income (net)		362	360	90	-370	194	327	226	193	146	119	83
	Secondary Income (net)		-490	-350	-502	-671	-749	-641	-687	-692	-673	-684	-683
	Current Account Balance		894	514	1,570	3,264	1,949	2,328	2,532	2,448	2,311	2,419	2,541
	Current Account Balance (in percent of GDP)		6.6	4.3	11.2	19.6	12.9	15.0	15.5	14.4	13.0	13.0	13.0
	Gross Official Reserves 3/		4,273	3,997	4,980	5,035	4,485	4,583	4,682	4,780	4,879	4,977	5,075
		In months of next year’s imports of goods and services	8.0	5.2	5.9	6.6	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.9	5.9
	Brunei dollars per U.S. dollar (period average)		1.36	1.38	1.34	1.38	1.34	…	…	…	…	…	…
	Brunei dollar per U.S. dollar (end of period)		1.35	1.34	1.36	1.35	1.33	…	…	…	…	…	…
Sources: Data provided by the Brunei authorities; and Fund staff estimates and projections.
1/ Non-oil and gas GDP includes the downstream sector.
2/ In absence of government debt and interest payments, this is also primary balance.
3/ Comprises foreign exchange assets of Brunei Darussalam Central Bank, SDR holdings, and reserve position in the Fund.

[1] Under Article IV of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement, the IMF holds bilateral discussions with members, usually every year. A staff team visits the country, collects economic and financial information, and discusses with officials the country’s economic developments and policies. On return to headquarters, the staff prepares a report, which forms the basis for discussion by the Executive Board.

[2] The Executive Board takes decisions under its lapse-of-time procedure when the Board agrees that a proposal can be considered without convening formal discussions.

IMF Communications Department

MEDIA RELATIONS

PRESS OFFICER: Randa Elnagar

Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

@IMFSpokesperson

https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/09/23/pr-24340-brunei-imf-concludes-2024-article-iv-consultation

MIL OSI

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI USA: Governor Kelly Announces 14 Grant Recipients for Rural Champions Program – Governor of the State of Kansas

Source: US State of Kansas

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today the 14 grant recipients of the Rural Champions program’s second cohort. The selected Rural Champions will join a growing statewide network of grassroots individuals tackling critical projects in their respective rural communities.

“Since day one, my administration has been focused on the needs of our rural communities and the quality of life in every region of the state,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Creating the Office of Rural Prosperity was only the beginning of our support for rural Kansans and their needs. By developing the Rural Champions program, we are assisting communities to find local solutions to specific local challenges.”

Inspired by a Kansas Sampler Foundation report, the Office of Rural Prosperity, in collaboration with the Patterson Family Foundation, created the Rural Champions program as a way for rural communities to move the needle in areas where a lack of capital or other resources hinders necessary progress. The Rural Champions program provides a one-year wage stipend of $20,800 to each community, along with training and resources. Communities also will receive up to $25,000 at the end of the year to move into the implementation phase of their projects.

“The diverse challenges rural communities face are much easier to resolve when you have an individual specifically dedicated to their particular issues, which is why the innovative Rural Champions program is so important,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “Investing in our rural communities means investing in our people, which benefits the entire state and elevates their towns in ways that might otherwise not be possible.”

The 2024-25 Rural Champions include:

Organization	Community	Project area(s)
Cardinal Community Foundation	Nemaha County	Community/Economic Development
Cheyenne Community Development Corporation	Cheyenne	Housing
City of Herington and CVB	Herington	Downtown Revitalization
Comanche County Economic Development	Comanche County	Grant Writing/ ED Regionalization
Grinnell-Promoting Pride & Progress	Grinnell	Downtown Revitalization
Harvey County United Way	Harvey County	Childcare
Healthy Bourbon County Action Team	Bronson	Placemaking/ Recreation
Hodgeman County Economic Development	Hodgeman County	Housing
Lane County Community Foundation	Dighton	Food Access-Rural Grocery
Legacy Regional Community Foundation	Cowley County	Food Access
Rooks County Healthcare Foundation	Rooks County	Workforce Recruitment
Stafford County Economic Development	Stafford County	Childcare
The Building Community	Fredonia	Community/Economic Development
United Way of the Flint Hills	Emporia	Homelessness

“The first round of Rural Champions provided a great opportunity for progress and impact in the communities and organization. We again received many outstanding applications — making the selection of these 14 projects very competitive,” Director of the Office of Rural Prosperity Trisha Purdon said. “We are excited to continue the development of the program and add to our network of learning with the new group of Rural Champions.”

Rural Champions will work with the Office of Rural Prosperity through project completion. At that time, information will again be compiled in the form of guidebooks to add to the library of projects and be made available to provide learning and support to additional communities.

More information on the Rural Champions program is available here. The guidebooks developed by the first cohort of Champions are available to review here.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Fly-By: September 13, 2024

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

Pfluger Fly-By: September 13, 2024

Washington, September 13, 2024

September 13, 2024

Blocking Confucius Institutes from American Universities

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed my legislation to stop the Chinese Communist Party from infiltrating American university campuses.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) operates “Confucius Institutes” on college campuses under the guise of promoting Chinese language and culture throughout the country. In reality, these organizations are used as Trojan horses to gain access to critical American research and exert the global influence of the CCP.

My legislation is crucial. It prevents the Department of Homeland Security from funding American universities that host a Confucius Institute or have ties with a Chinese entity of concern. We must not underestimate the credible and real threat that the CCP poses to the United States.

Click here or below to watch my full floor remarks.

Remembering 9/11

Wednesday marked twenty-three years since the horrific 9/11 attacks on our country. May we never forget the 2,977 innocent American lives lost, which included many first responders who ran straight into danger.

As a member of the Committee on Homeland Security and the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, I have sounded the alarm on the rise of activity from aggressive terrorist groups. I have introduced legislation aimed at slowing the global recruitment and planning of attacks. The terror threat landscape is as high as it has ever been, especially with hundreds of known and suspected terrorists flowing across our southern border and the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.

September 11, 2001, will forever be ingrained in our minds. The fight against evil is not finished. Thank you all to my fellow servicemen and women and their families for their sacrifice. My prayers continue to remain with the families of the victims and survivors of 9/11.

Biden-Harris Energy Agenda is Hurting Americans

The Biden-Harris Administration’s war on fossil fuels has led to high energy bills for American families and businesses across the country. This week, I joined my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy to learn more about the impacts of the Administration’s energy policies over the last three years. We heard directly from a generational family farmer whose business is struggling due to skyrocketing inflation and increasing production costs.

In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 2024 farm income forecast painted a bleak picture for American agriculture. It projects that net farm income will decline nearly 25% in two years, with substantial losses in crop receipts and continued pressure from rising costs. Meanwhile, interest rates are at the highest level seen in 40 years.

Congress must pass a strong Farm Bill to protect not only our farmers and ranchers but also the American food supply. Watch here or below for my full line of questioning.

2024 Angels in Adoption Honoree

Congratulations to Matt Waller of Midland on being named a 2024 Angels in Adoption Honoree. I enjoyed visiting with him to hear about his work to establish The Attic Foster Network and the Heart Gallery of West Texas. I thank Matt for his dedication and commitment to bettering the lives of children and families across our state.

Examining the FDA’s Role in Protecting Americans

On Tuesday, I joined my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee to oversee the FDA’s regulation of food and tobacco. Since 2020, illegal disposable e-vapor products from China have flooded the U.S. market, with 65% of the market being illegal and targeting teens. The FDA has failed to stop these imports and hasn’t provided clear guidance to retailers on unauthorized products. The FDA must be held accountable for failing to protect Americans’ health. Watch here or below for my full line of questioning.

Congress Must Take Action to Secure Medical Supply Chains

I joined Representatives Brad R. Wenstrup, D.P.M. (OH-02), Blake D. Moore (UT-01), and Mark Green, M.D. (TN-07) in releasing a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit feedback for strengthening and enhancing domestic medical supply chains.

Securing our nation’s medical supply chains is not just a matter of economic importance; it is a matter of national security. Congress must prioritize revitalizing our domestic medical supply chains to eliminate our reliance on adversaries, like China, for essential medical supplies. Read more about the RFI here.

Applications Closing for Congressional Youth Advisory Council

I am excited to announce the re-launch of the Congressional Youth Advisory Council for high school juniors and seniors in the 11th Congressional District of Texas. This esteemed program offers a unique opportunity for passionate and driven young leaders to engage with government, collaborate with peers, and serve their communities.

Participants will have the chance to interact directly with me, special guests, and senior staff members in up to four interactive virtual meetings. Additionally, CYAC participants will be provided special admittance to the Pfluger Youth Leadership Conference in Spring 2025 (Date TBD).

Interested students are encouraged to apply by completing an application at pfluger.house.gov/services/cyac.htm.

The deadline for submissions is TODAY September 13, 2024.

For questions about the program or application, please contact Corbette Padilla in the Midland district office at 432-687-2390.

Upcoming Service Academy Night

My office will soon be hosting a Service Academy Night on September 30th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. for high school students interested in pursuing an education and military career through the U.S. military service academies.

The event will be held at the Angelo State University Houston Harte University Center in the CJ Davidson Conference Center, 1910 Rosemont Drive, San Angelo, Texas, 76901.

Students, parents, and educators are encouraged to attend! If you have questions or would like to RSVP, please reach out to Mary O’Connor in my office at mary.oconnor@mail.house.gov.

2024 Congressional App Challenge

My office is now accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional App Competition. The competition is open to all 6-12 grade students in the 11th Congressional District of Texas and is an opportunity for students to develop their skills in computer science and STEM skills.

The deadline is October 24th, 2024 at 12:00 pm ET. Students can register and upload their app here.

Step-by-Step Video Guide

The Congressional App Challenge website has a step-by-step video guide that walks students, parents, and educators through the application process. Clickhereto access the video guide.

PRIZES

The winner from the 11th Congressional District, chosen by a panel of expert judges, will be featured on the House of Representatives website, House.gov, as well as on CongressionalAppChallenge.us. The winning app will also be displayed in the U.S. Capitol among other winners from across the country. Additional sponsor prizes to be announced.

RULES

· Students will create an application (aka app) for PC, web, tablet, robot, mobile, etc Any programming such as C, C++, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, or “block code” will be accepted.

· There are NO LIMITS on the application theme or topic.

· Students may work individually or in teams made up of no more than four.

Students are highly encouraged to review the competition’s complete rules and regulations on the Congressional App Challenge’s website. For more information, please visit congressionalappchallenge.us/or contact Kathy Keane in the San Angelo Office at Kathy.Keane@mail.house.gov.

Thank you for reading. It is the honor of my lifetime to serve you in Congress. Please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for daily updates.

Rep. August Pfluger

Member of Congress

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI: Sophos Named a Leader in 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

OXFORD, United Kingdom, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sophos, a global leader of innovative security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, today announced that it has once again been named a Leader in the 2024 Gartner^® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP). This is the 15th consecutive time that Sophos has been positioned as a Leader in the report.

Sophos’ market-leading endpoint security solutions, including Sophos Intercept X Endpoint, protect more than 300,000 organizations against advanced cyberthreats with anti-exploit, anti-ransomware, deep learning artificial intelligence (AI), and other sophisticated technologies. This includes the ability to detect remote ransomware, an attack that attempts to encrypt data over the network from a compromised remote device, by stopping it in real-time and automatically rolling devices to their original state. It also includes Adaptive Attack Protection, an industry-first feature which automatically disrupts attackers and dynamically adjusts protections based on threat context to stop in-progress attacks. The feature provides defenders with valuable additional time to respond when under active attack. Through a partnership with Tenable, Sophos Managed Risk provides attack surface visibility, continuous risk monitoring, vulnerability prioritization, investigation, and proactive notification to prevent early-stage cyberattacks, reducing the workload for security teams tasked with tackling vulnerability and exposure management. Account Health Check capabilities further monitor and correct security configuration changes, enabling organizations to promptly re-establish security best practices.

“Organizations are facing an unprecedented level of cyberattacks, with our Sophos X-Op research showing that adversaries are doing far more than accelerating their attacks and covering their tracks. Attackers are shifting their tactics, techniques, and procedures to evade and disable EDR tools – signaling that choosing a tested and hardened solution with a track record for consistent innovation is a ‘must have,’ not optional,” said Rob Harrison, senior vice president, product management at Sophos. “Sophos has been recognized as a 15-time Leader in Endpoint Protection Platforms, we feel this would have not been possible without moving as quickly and aggressively as the adversaries we are fighting every day. Sophos’ technology is rooted in its unique prevention-first approach that reduces breaches, adapts defenses in response to an attack, and improves detection and response outcomes.”

Already this year, Sophos was named a Customers’ Choice in the Gartner^® Peer Insights™ Voice of the Customer for Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP) report. This recognition follows Sophos being named Gartner Customers’ Choice for EPP for the third consecutive year.

Sophos is also named a G2 Leader in Endpoint Protection, EDR, MDR, Firewall, and XDR in its Fall 2024 G2 Grid^® Reports. Sophos Intercept X is also recognized as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape for Modern Endpoint Midsize Business and the IDC MarketScape for Modern Endpoint Small Business.

Like Intercept X Endpoint, Sophos Managed Detection and Response is the top-rated MDR solution on Gartner Peer Insights and a leader. As the most widely used MDR offering with more than 24,000 customers, Sophos MDR is the only MDR service that can be delivered across end users’ existing third-party security deployments as well as Sophos offerings. Organizations can integrate telemetry sources from dozens of vendors, including Microsoft, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Check Point, Okta, Darktrace, and many others, through the Sophos Marketplace.

Sophos endpoint solutions are a key part of the company’s portfolio of end-to-end integrated security products and services that protect customers at every layer, even across distributed organizations. In addition to endpoint, the portfolio includes network, email, and cloud solutions, as well as managed security and incident response services. All of the solutions feed into the Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem and are powered by threat intelligence from Sophos X-Ops for faster and more contextual and synchronized protection, detection and response.

To learn more about Sophos’ recognition in the 2024 Gartner Magic Quadrant for EPP, visit our website and read the blog.

To learn more about Sophos Intercept X Endpoint, visit https://www.sophos.com/en-us/products/endpoint-antivirus.

Gartner disclaimers:
Gartner^® Magic Quadrant™: Endpoint Protection Platforms (EPP), Evgeny Mirolyubov, Franz Stefan Hinner, Chris Silva, Deepak Mishra, Satarupa Patnaik, September 23, 2024.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark, Peer Insights and MAGIC QUADRANT is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About Sophos
Sophos is a global leader and innovator of advanced security solutions for defeating cyberattacks, including Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and incident response services and a broad portfolio of endpoint, network, email, and cloud security technologies. As one of the largest pure-play cybersecurity providers, Sophos defends more than 600,000 organizations and more than 100 million users worldwide from active adversaries, ransomware, phishing, malware, and more. Sophos’ services and products connect through the Sophos Central management console and are powered by Sophos X-Ops, the company’s cross-domain threat intelligence unit. Sophos X-Ops intelligence optimizes the entire Sophos Adaptive Cybersecurity Ecosystem, which includes a centralized data lake that leverages a rich set of open APIs available to customers, partners, developers, and other cybersecurity and information technology vendors. Sophos provides cybersecurity-as-a-service to organizations needing fully managed security solutions. Customers can also manage their cybersecurity directly with Sophos’ security operations platform or use a hybrid approach by supplementing their in-house teams with Sophos’ services, including threat hunting and remediation. Sophos sells through reseller partners and managed service providers (MSPs) worldwide. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com.

The MIL Network –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI NGOs: Israeli authorities’ shutdown of Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office a crushing blow for press freedom

Source: Amnesty International –

Responding to the Israeli authorities’ raid on Al Jazeera’s Ramallah office and a court order mandating its closure for 45 days Heba Morayef, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, said:

“The Israeli authorities’ shutdown of Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah is another shameless attack on the right to freedom of expression and a crushing blow for press freedom.

“Amid escalating violations of international law, including through military operations in the occupied West Bank and relentless unlawful attacks in the occupied Gaza Strip with the real risk of genocide, access for journalists to shed light on ongoing events is crucial. The shutdown of Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah is a brazen attempt by the Israeli government to limit reporting on their violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

“The Israeli authorities’ shutdown of Al Jazeera’s office in Ramallah is another shameless attack on the right to freedom of expression and a crushing blow for press freedom.

Heba Morayef, MENA Regional Director

“This move clearly illustrates the extreme lengths to which Israeli authorities are prepared to go in order to shield themselves from critical media coverage and public scrutiny. All journalists must have the right to carry out their work freely and safely without fearing arrest, harassment, intimidation or any other form of reprisals.

“Israeli authorities already ban most international journalists from freely entering the occupied Gaza Strip to report on the ongoing war, now they are extending their crackdown on media to the occupied West Bank. The authorities must immediately revoke the order to shut down Al Jazeera bureau, end their harassment, intimidation and obstruction of journalists and other media workers in the occupied Palestinian Territory in accordance with international humanitarian and human rights law. ”

Background

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 116 journalists and other media workers have been killed since 7 October 2023 making it the deadliest period for journalists since CPJ began gathering data in 1992.

This is the second time that Israeli authorities shut down Al-Jazeera offices. In May 2024, Israeli forces raided Al Jazeera’s office used by the network in the occupied East Jerusalem. The decision was under a then-new law known as “Al Jazeera Law” that authorized the telecomms minister, with Prime Minister’s approval, to take repressive action against foreign media that broadcast content deemed to pose a threat to national security during the war on Gaza. Office remains closed until this day due to Israeli authorities’ continuous extension of the order.

MIL OSI NGO –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Global: UN security council: African countries face hurdles and dangers in getting permanent seats
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anthoni van Nieuwkerk, Professor of International and Diplomacy Studies, Thabo Mbeki African School of Public and International Affairs, University of South Africa

There is growing global consensus among the members of the United Nations that the UN security council, responsible for maintaining international peace and security, requires reform or restructuring to reflect the current balance of forces, and to improve its working methods and ability to do its work.

There is also growing consensus among members of the African Union that Africa deserves a permanent presence at the council.

The debate took a new turn on 13 September, when the US announced it would support the creation of two new permanent seats for African countries, and a non-permanent seat for small island developing nations. This came after a pledge in 2022 by the Biden administration to support the expansion of the security council.

The new permanent seats would come without the power of a veto vote.

Read more:
Africa on the UN security council: why the continent should have two permanent seats

There are several reasons why, in my view, this quest to expand the council is likely to fail. I have followed and published on the South African experience of the UN security council and believe there is need for a sober assessment of what is achievable.

First, those with permanent seats and veto power (Russia and China, the US, the UK and France) are reluctant to share it, for fear of diluting their own interests and influence.

Second, if there was agreement on expansion, who would be worthy to fill the extra seats, and how would they be chosen? There are many deserving candidates, from Latin America to Europe and Asia.

Third, how would Africa go about selecting two of its own to represent the continent on the council?

Fourth, what would prevent such newcomers from being co-opted by the powerful (in this case, the US) to support or help implement western peace and security agendas at the expense of African and global south agendas?

To offset the attractiveness and prestige of joining the premier international security club, Africa should be mindful of the entry requirements (namely, diplomatic nous, experience with peacekeeping and the ability to finance such), lest it find itself relegated to serving the security council’s longstanding members.

Africa would be wise to select and support candidates that have experience, resources and a credible peacebuilding track record on the continent.

Hurdles and dangers

It is far from obvious that the continent’s two economic giants, Nigeria and South Africa, should represent Africa. Size counts but doesn’t always translate into attractiveness or credibility at home – a key requirement for a successful role in regional and international affairs.

The unfortunate reality is that Africa remains divided on the basis of region, language and culture. The continent struggles to speak with one voice on critical matters such as peace and security – the priority of the UN security agenda.

Under these conditions, a drawn-out and perhaps even unsuccessful process of selecting two out of the 54 members of the African Union is likely.

In addition, the offer by the west for Africa to take up seats should not be viewed as an act of benevolence. Bringing Africa into the western sphere of influence is a strategic calculation to counter the growing impact of Russia and China on global affairs.

The emergence of a new world order produces stresses and strains. The west, led by the US, continues to exercise hard power but declining influence, while an assertive alliance of global south states, led by China, is bent on eventually determining international affairs.

Read more:
Pan-Africanism remains a dream: four key issues the African Union must tackle

Prominent members of the global south are enticed or pressured to partner with one or the other power bloc.

Africa in particular is being courted precisely because of its large voting number (54 countries can swing decisions at multilateral meetings) but more strategically, because it constitutes the reservoir of the world’s future economy. Apart from being blessed with a youthful demographic, Africa can come into central focus due to its unique endowment of green transition minerals like cobalt, lithium and nickel.

Where to from here?

If all obstacles are overcome, the chosen countries would have their work cut out for them. Serving – never mind shaping – the UN security council agenda is a demanding, full-time task. The chosen African countries would have to commit significant human and financial resources, peacebuilding capacity and diplomatic leadership skills.

South Africa is arguably the best placed to meet these criteria and can play a constructive role pushing the African agenda. But it needs to be wary.

Read more:
Rating agencies and Africa: the absence of people on the ground contributes to bias against the continent – analyst

The country’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, was quick to respond to the US statement. On the eve of departing for the annual UN general assembly talk show he told the media

We have been campaigning and the concept has been accepted and of course Africa continues to play through various countries on the continent, important roles, peacekeeping missions not only on our continent but around the world. So, we [have] got the capability, we know how and Africa needs to be given its rightful place in the UN system and its various structures.

Some critical questions need to be answered by all African leaders first:
- What are the benefits for an African country taking up a permanent seat on the UN security council?
- How would it contribute, and what would it receive in return?
- Would it be able to set agendas and norms, or would it be forced to carry out the tasks of those who allowed it a seat at the table?
Africa is not unfamiliar with the workings of the United Nations system. It has benefited immensely from UN involvement as it strove for decolonialisation and overcoming the apartheid system. It works closely with the UN as it faces the challenges of underdevelopment, unequal trade, extreme weather and the ongoing exploitation of its human and natural resources.

It is fitting and ethical for Africa to take up permanent seats at the apex institution and put the security council to work to address Africa’s peace and security challenges.

To do so, its chosen members must chart an African course of action, supported by the other members of the council.

Anthoni van Nieuwkerk 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. UN security council: African countries face hurdles and dangers in getting permanent seats – https://theconversation.com/un-security-council-african-countries-face-hurdles-and-dangers-in-getting-permanent-seats-239642
MIL OSI – Global Reports –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Deadlines Approaching in Oregon for SBA Working Capital Loans Due to Adverse Weather Conditions

Source: United States Small Business Administration

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today reminded Oregon small nonfarm businesses of the deadline dates to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury. These low-interest loans are to offset economic losses because of reduced revenues caused by adverse weather conditions in the following primary counties.

Declaration Number: 20217
Primary County: Hood River
Neighboring Counties: Clackamas, Multnomah and Wasco in Oregon; Skamania and Klickitat in Washington
Incident Type: Excessive Rain
Incident Date: July 7, 2023 & continuing
Deadline: 10/23/24

Declaration Number: 20220
Primary County: Wasco
Neighboring Counties: Clackamas, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson, Marion, Sherman and Wheeler in Oregon; Klickitat in Washington
Incident Type: Drought, Excessive Heat and High Winds
Incident Date: July 5 – 15, 2023
Deadline: 10/23/24

According to Sánchez, small nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size may apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans of up to $2 million to help meet working capital needs caused by the disasters. “Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disasters’ impact,” said Sánchez.

“SBA eligibility covers both the economic impacts on businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers that have suffered agricultural production losses caused by the disasters and businesses directly impacted by the disasters. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the applicant suffered any property damage,” Sánchez added.

The interest rate is 4 percent for businesses and 2.375 percent for private nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the initial disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

By law, SBA makes Economic Injury Disaster Loans available when the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture designates an agricultural disaster. The Secretary declared these declarations on Feb. 23.

Businesses primarily engaged in farming or ranching are not eligible for SBA disaster assistance. Agricultural enterprises should contact the Farm Services Agency about the U.S. Department of Agriculture assistance made available by the Secretary’s declaration. However, in drought disasters nurseries are eligible for SBA disaster assistance.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Deadline Approaching in Montana for SBA Disaster Loans for Property Damage Due to Straight-line Winds

Source: United States Small Business Administration

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Francisco Sánchez Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration, today reminded Montana private nonprofit organizations of the Oct. 22 deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for property damage caused by straight-line winds that occurred July 24. Private nonprofits that provide essential services of a governmental nature are eligible for assistance.

According to Sánchez, eligible private nonprofits of any size may apply for SBA federal disaster loans of up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize disaster damage from occurring in the future.

In addition, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help eligible private nonprofits meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that cannot be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Economic injury assistance is available regardless of whether the private nonprofit suffered any property damage. Private nonprofits have until May 23, 2025, to apply for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan.

These low-interest federal disaster loans are available in Missoula and Powell counties in Montana.

The interest rate is 3.25 percent with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

Applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

Related programs: Disaster

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: MEMORANDUM: EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 24-208 (Emergency Management – Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine)

Source: US State of Florida

TO: Members of the Press

FROM: Bryan Griffin, Director of Communications, Governor Ron DeSantis

DATE: Monday, September 23, 2024

RE: Executive Order Number 24-208 (Emergency Management – Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine)

Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order (EO) 24-208, Emergency Management – Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine, declaring a state of emergency in 41 Florida counties ahead of the storm.

To read the full executive order, click here or read below:

STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 24-208
(Emergency Management – Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine)

WHEREAS, as of 11:00 AM EDT on Monday, September 23, 2024, showers and thunderstorms located over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and portions of Central America have been associated with a broad area of low pressure, now identified as Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine; and

WHEREAS, based on atmospheric and oceanic data, highly conducive environmental conditions are forecast to organize and develop Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine into a tropical depression or tropical storm during the next day or two over the northwestern Caribbean Sea and southeastern Gulf of Mexico, where further development and strengthening is expected; and

WHEREAS, forecast models indicate that this system will have a vast areal extent, and its impact will likely extend well beyond its center, along the northeast Gulf Coast; and

WHEREAS, there is a significant threat of storm surge, coastal flooding and erosion, heavy rainfall and flash flooding, and damaging winds to the Florida Gulf Coast; and

WHEREAS, due to the impacts from Hurricane Debby, the water tables and riverine levels across North and West-Central Florida remain above normal, and the additional incoming heavy rainfall will likely cause significant riverine flooding for an extended period; and

WHEREAS, the incoming heavy rainfall, flooding, and gusty winds will cause widespread power outages due to fallen trees and powerlines; and

WHEREAS, these conditions could damage the operational capability of major interstates, roadways, bridges, airports, schools, hospitals, power grids and other critical infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, as Governor of Florida, I am responsible to meet the dangers presented to the State of Florida and its people by this emergency.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ron DeSantis, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution and by the Florida Emergency Management Act, as amended, and all other applicable laws, promulgate the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:

Section 1.        Because of the foregoing conditions, which are projected to constitute a major disaster, I declare that a state of emergency exists in Alachua, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington counties.

Section 2.        I designate the Executive Director of the Division of Emergency Management (“Director”) as the State Coordinating Officer for the duration of this emergency and direct him to execute the State’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and other response, recovery, and mitigation plans necessary to cope with the emergency, including any logistical, rescue or evacuation operations. Pursuant to section 252.36(1)(a), Florida Statutes, I delegate to the State Coordinating Officer the authority to exercise those powers delineated in sections 252.36(6)-(12), Florida Statutes, which he shall exercise as needed to meet this emergency, subject to the limitations of section 252.33, Florida Statutes. In exercising the powers delegated by this Executive Order, the State Coordinating Officer shall confer with the Governor to the fullest extent practicable. The State Coordinating Officer shall also have the authority to:

A. Invoke and administer the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (“EMAC”) (sections 252.921-252.9335, Florida Statutes) and other compacts and agreements existing between the State of Florida and other states, and the further authority to coordinate the allocation of resources from such other states that are made available to Florida under such compacts and agreements so as to best meet this emergency.

B. Seek direct assistance and enter into agreements with any and all agencies of the federal government as may be needed to meet this emergency.

C. Direct all state, regional, and local governmental agencies, including law enforcement agencies, to identify personnel needed from those agencies to assist in meeting the response, recovery, and mitigation needs created by this emergency, and to place all such personnel under the direct command and coordination of the State Coordinating Officer to meet this emergency.

D. Direct the actions of any state agency as necessary to implement the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Disaster Recovery Framework.

E. Designate Deputy State Coordinating Officers and Deputy State Disaster Recovery Coordinators, as necessary.

F. Suspend the effect of any statute, rule, or order that would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay any mitigation, response, or recovery action necessary to cope with this emergency. In accordance with section 252.3611(1), Florida Statutes, any such order, declaration, or other action shall specify each statute or rule being amended or waived, if applicable, and the expiration date for the order or action.

G. Enter orders as may be needed to implement any of the foregoing powers; however, the requirements of sections 252.46 and 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, do not apply to any such orders issued by the State Coordinating Officer. No such order shall remain in effect beyond the expiration of this Executive Order, including any extension thereof.

Section 3.        I order the Adjutant General to activate the Florida National Guard, as needed, to deal with this emergency. I further order the Director of the Florida State Guard to activate the Florida State Guard, as needed, to respond to this emergency.

Section 4.        I find that the special duties and responsibilities resting upon some state, regional, and local agencies and other governmental bodies in responding to this emergency may require them to suspend or waive certain statutes, rules, ordinances, and orders they administer. Therefore, I issue the following authorizations:

A. Pursuant to section 252.36(6)(a), Florida Statutes, the Executive Office of the Governor may suspend all statutes and rules affecting budgeting to the extent necessary to provide budget authority for state agencies to cope with this emergency. The requirements of sections 252.46 and 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, do not apply to any such suspension issued by the Executive Office of the Governor. No such suspension shall remain in effect beyond the expiration of this Executive Order, including any extension thereof.

B. Each state agency may suspend the provisions of any regulatory statute prescribing the procedures for conduct of state business or the orders or rules of that agency, if strict compliance with the provisions of any such statute, order, or rule would in any way prevent, hinder, or delay necessary action in coping with the emergency. This includes, but is not limited to, the authority to suspend any and all statutes, rules, ordinances, or orders which affect leasing, printing, purchasing, travel, and the condition of employment and the compensation of employees. In accordance with section 252.3611(1), Florida Statutes, any agency order, declaration, or other action suspending a statute or rule shall specify each statute or rule being amended or waived, if applicable, and the expiration date for the order or action. The requirements of sections 252.46 and 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, shall not apply to any such suspension issued by a state agency. No such suspension shall remain in effect beyond the expiration of this Executive Order, including any extension thereof.

C. In accordance with section 252.38(3), Florida Statutes, each political subdivision within the State of Florida may waive the procedures and formalities otherwise required of the political subdivision by law pertaining to:

1) Performance of public work and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the community;

2) Following local procurement and contracting policies;

3) Entering into contracts; however, political subdivisions are cautioned against entering into time and materials contracts without a ceiling as defined by 2 CFR 200.318(j) or cost plus a percentage of cost contracts prohibited by 2 CFR 200.324(d);

4) Incurring obligations;

5) Employment of permanent and temporary workers;

6) Utilization of volunteer workers;

7) Rental of equipment;

8) Acquisition and distribution, with or without compensation, of supplies, materials, and facilities; and

9) Appropriation and expenditure of public funds.

D. All agencies whose employees are certified as disaster service volunteers within the meaning of section 110.120(2)(d), Florida Statutes, may, in accordance with section 110.120(3), Florida Statutes, release any such employees for such service as requested by the employee to meet this emergency.

E. The Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) may:

1) Waive the collection of tolls and other fees and charges for the use of the Turnpike and other public highways, to the extent such waiver may be needed to provide emergency assistance or facilitate the evacuation of the affected counties;

2) Manage the flow of traffic or close any and all roads, highways, and portions of highways as may be needed for the safe and efficient transportation of evacuees to those counties that the State Coordinating Officer may designate as destination counties for evacuees in this emergency;

3) Suspend enforcement of the registration requirements pursuant to section 316.545(4), Florida Statutes, for commercial motor vehicles that enter Florida to provide emergency services or supplies, to transport emergency equipment, supplies or personnel, or to transport FEMA mobile homes or office style mobile homes into or from Florida;

4) Waive by special permit the warning signal requirements in the Utility Accommodations Manual to accommodate public utility companies from other jurisdictions which render assistance in restoring vital services; and

5) Waive the size and weight restrictions for divisible loads on any vehicles transporting emergency equipment, services, supplies, and agricultural commodities and citrus as recommended by the Commissioner of Agriculture, allowing the establishment of alternate size and weight restrictions for all such vehicles for the duration of the emergency. The DOT shall issue permits and such vehicles shall be subject to such special conditions as the DOT may endorse on any such permits.

Nothing in this Executive Order shall be construed to allow any vehicle to exceed weight limits posted for bridges and like structures, or relieve any vehicle or the carrier, owner, or driver of any vehicle from compliance with any restrictions other than those specified in this Executive Order, or from any statute, rule, order, or other legal requirement not specifically waived or suspended herein or by supplemental order by the State Coordinating Officer.

F. The Executive Director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) may:

1) Suspend enforcement of the registration requirements pursuant to sections 316.545(4) and 320.0715, Florida Statutes, for commercial motor vehicles that enter Florida to provide emergency services or supplies, to transport emergency equipment, supplies or personnel, or to transport FEMA mobile homes or office style mobile homes into or from Florida;

2) Waive the hours-of-service requirements for such vehicles;

3) Suspend the enforcement of the licensing and registration requirements under the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) pursuant to chapter 207, Florida Statutes, and the International Registration Plan (IRP) pursuant to section 320.0715, Florida Statutes, for motor carriers or drivers operating commercial motor vehicles that are properly registered in other jurisdictions and that are participating in emergency relief efforts through the transportation of equipment and supplies or providing other assistance in the form of emergency services;

4) Waive fees for duplicate or replacement vessel registration certificates, vessel title certificates, vehicle license plates, vehicle registration certificates, vehicle tag certificates, vehicle title certificates, handicapped parking permits, replacement drivers’ licenses, and replacement identification cards and to waive the additional fees for the late renewal of or application for such licenses, certificates, and documents due to the effects of adverse weather conditions; and

5) Defer administrative actions and waive fees imposed by law for the late renewal or application for the above licenses, certificates, and documents, which were delayed due to the effects of adverse weather conditions, including in counties wherein the DHSMV has closed offices, or any office of the County Tax Collector that acts on behalf of the DHSMV to process renewals has closed offices due to adverse weather conditions. Recordkeeping and other applicable requirements for existing IFTA and IRP licensees and registrants are not affected by this Executive Order. The DHSMV shall promptly notify the State Coordinating Officer when the waiver is no longer necessary.

G. In accordance with section 465.0275(2), Florida Statutes, pharmacists may dispense up to a 30-day emergency prescription refill of maintenance medication to persons who reside in an area or county covered under this Executive Order and to emergency personnel who have been activated by their state or local agency but who do not reside in an area or county covered by this Executive Order. In accordance with section 465.019(4)(b), Florida Statutes, a hospital that operates a Class II or Class III institutional pharmacy located in an area or county covered under this Executive Order may prescribe and dispense a supply of medicinal drug lasting up to 72 hours.

H. All state agencies responsible for the use of state buildings and facilities may close such buildings and facilities in those portions of the State affected by this emergency, to the extent necessary to meet this emergency. I direct each state agency to report the closure of any State building or facility to the WebEOC system utilized by the Division of Emergency Management. Under the authority contained in section 252.36, Florida Statutes, I direct each county to report the closure of any building or facility operated or maintained by the county or any political subdivision on a daily basis to the WebEOC system. Furthermore, I direct the Secretary of the Department of Management Services to:

1) Maintain an accurate and up-to-date list of all such closures; and

2) Provide that list daily to the State Coordinating Officer.

I. All State agencies may abrogate the time requirements, notice requirements, and deadlines for final action on applications for permits, licenses, rates, and other approvals under any statutes or rules under which such application are deemed to be approved unless disapproved in writing by specified deadlines. All such time requirements that have not yet expired as of the date of this Executive Order are suspended and tolled to the extent necessary to meet this emergency.

J. All agencies shall implement Selected Exempt Services (SES) Extraordinary Payment Plans and Career Service Regular Compensatory Leave Payment Plans for:

1) All essential agency personnel who are required to work extraordinary hours when state-owned or state-operated facilities are closed in response to an emergency condition. Employees who are eligible to receive extraordinary pay under the agency’s activated plan shall accrue special compensatory leave credits for work performed during facility closures up to the number of hours in the employee’s established workday. For these employees, any additional time worked beyond the employee’s established workday during facility closures will result in extraordinary pay;

2) All agency personnel who are assigned to the State Emergency Operations Center and are required to work extraordinary hours; and

3) All agency personnel who are deployed throughout the state in response to an emergency condition and are required to work extraordinary hours.

K. All State agencies may waive the forty-day time limit to issue a warrant pursuant to section 215.422(3)(b), Florida Statutes. This waiver applies to invoices and reimbursement requests arising from this emergency that were received, inspected, and approved by the agency prior to the expiration of this Executive Order, including any extension thereof. This waiver of section 215.422(3)(b), Florida Statutes, and all waivers based upon this waiver shall expire upon the expiration of this Executive Order, including any extension thereof.

L. The provisions of section 934.50, Florida Statutes, excluding subsection (4), are waived for state and local agencies conducting emergency operations arising from the state of emergency for the limited purpose of capturing aerial evidence concerning the amount of damage sustained to private and public property; to assist in search, rescue, and recovery activities; and prevent imminent danger to life or serious damage to property.

Section 5.        All public facilities, including elementary and secondary schools, community colleges, state universities, and other facilities owned or leased by the state, regional or local governments that are suitable for use as public shelters shall be made available at the request of the local emergency management agencies to ensure the proper reception and care of all evacuees. Under the authority contained in section 252.36, Florida Statutes, I direct the Superintendent of each public-school district in the State of Florida to report the closure of any school within its district to the Commissioner of the Florida Department of Education. Furthermore, I direct the Commissioner of the Department of Education to:

A. Maintain an accurate and up-to-date list of all such closures; and

B. Provide that list daily to the State Coordinating Officer.

Section 6.        I find that the demands placed upon funds specifically appropriated to state and local agencies for disaster relief or response are unreasonably great and that such funds may be inadequate to pay the costs of coping with this emergency. In accordance with section 252.37(2), Florida Statutes, I direct that sufficient funds be made available, as needed, by transferring and expending moneys from the Emergency Preparedness and Response Fund.

Section 7.        All state agencies entering emergency orders, emergency rules, or other emergency actions in response to this emergency shall advise the State Coordinating Officer contemporaneously or as soon as practicable thereafter, and, pursuant to section 252.36(3)(b), Florida Statutes, shall submit the order or declaration to the Division of Administrative Hearings within five (5) days of issuance.

Section 8.        Medical professionals and workers, social workers, and counselors with good and valid professional licenses issued by states other than the State of Florida may render such services in Florida during this emergency for persons affected by this emergency with the condition that such services be rendered to such persons free of charge, and with the further condition that such services be rendered under the auspices of the American Red Cross or the Florida Department of Health.

Section 9. Pursuant to section 501.160, Florida Statutes, it is unlawful and a violation of section 501.204, Florida Statutes, for a person to rent or sell or offer to rent or sell at an unconscionable price within the area for which the state of emergency is declared, any essential commodity including, but not limited to, supplies, services, provisions, or equipment that is necessary for consumption or use as a direct result of the emergency.

Section 10.      Under the authority contained in sections 252.36(6)(a), (g), and (m), Florida Statutes, I direct that, for the purposes of this emergency, the term “essentials”, as defined by section 252.359(2), Florida Statutes, shall be the same as and no more expansive than the term “commodity”, as defined by section 501.160(1)(a), Florida Statutes (hereinafter referred to collectively or alternatively as “essential commodities”). Accordingly, any person who delivers essential commodities to a location in the area(s) declared to be under a state of emergency by this Executive Order, and when necessary to ensure that those commodities are made available to the public, may travel within evacuated areas and exceed curfews, provided the State Coordinating Officer determines, after consultation with the appropriate Emergency Support Function(s), that:

A. Law enforcement officials in the declared area(s) can provide adequate security to protect the essential commodities from theft;

B. The weight of a delivery vehicle will not jeopardize the structural integrity of any roadway or bridge located within the declared area;

C. Delivery vehicles will not negatively impact evacuation activities in the declared area(s); and

D. Delivery vehicles will not negatively impact any response or recovery activities occurring within the declared area(s).

After consulting with the appropriate Emergency Support Function(s), and after consulting with local officials, the State Coordinating Officer may dictate the routes of ingress, egress, and movement within the declared area(s) that drivers must follow when delivering essential commodities.

Provided he or she is actually delivering medications, any person authorized to deliver medications under chapter 893, Florida Statutes, qualifies as a person delivering essential commodities.

In order to qualify as a person delivering essential commodities under this section, a person must be in the process of delivering essential commodities only. If an individual is transporting both essential and non-essential commodities, then this section shall not provide any authorization for that individual to enter into or move within the declared area(s).

Section 11.      Consistent with Executive Order 80-29, nothing in this Executive Order shall prevent local jurisdictions in any area not declared to be under a state of emergency by this Executive Order from taking prompt and necessary action to save lives and protect the property of their citizens, including the authority to compel and direct timely evacuation when necessary.

Section 12. I authorize the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to distribute funds pursuant to section 420.9073, Florida Statutes, to any county, municipality, or other political subdivision located within the area(s) declared to be under a state of emergency by this Executive Order. The authority of the Florida Housing Finance Corporation to distribute funds in connection with this emergency shall expire six months after the expiration of this Executive Order, including any extension thereof.

Section 13. All actions taken by the Director of the Division of Emergency Management with respect to this emergency before the issuance of this Executive Order are ratified.

Section 14. This Executive Order is effective immediately and shall expire sixty (60) days from this date unless extended.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Main Street Capital Program Helps New York’s Entrepreneurs

Source: US State of New York

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the launch of the Main Street Capital Program, a new $10 million fund that will provide qualifying start-up and early-stage companies with access to affordable term loans up to $100,000. Part of New York’s broader State Small Business Credit Initiative efforts led by Empire State Development, this program will help bridge the financing gap experienced by many entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their businesses.

“New York’s businesses are the backbone of our economy and a key driver of our economic growth,” Governor Hochul said. “The Main Street Capital Program will boost and strengthen our small businesses, especially our minority and women entrepreneurs, creating jobs and investment in New York State.”

Recognizing the critical support entrepreneurs need early on, this program offers minimal payments for the first 12 months of the loan to give businesses more flexibility as they launch and grow. Loans will be up to six years with a fixed interest rate of 9.9%. In the first year, borrowers will pay less-than-interest-only, with no principal payments during that time.

This $10 million fund is a partnership between Empire State Development and Pursuit, a community lender with a 70-year history serving businesses in all stages in New York State and beyond.

Many entrepreneurs in the startup and early-growth phases of business lack access to equity and networks for financing needed to be successful. The Main Street Capital Loan Fund offers a more accessible option, particularly for Socially and Economically Disadvantaged Individual Owned Business (SEDI) and Very Small Business (VSB) entrepreneurs with fewer than 10 employees.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Entrepreneurs and their innovation fuel New York State’s economy. The Main Street Capital Program is one of the ways Empire State Development is helping provide promising start-ups and early-stage companies the tools they need to launch, grow, and achieve business success.”

Pursuit CEO Chris Levy said, “New York State has been a foundational partner of Pursuit for decades. We are thrilled to be launching another innovative program that benefits underserved startup businesses throughout New York State by ensuring they have a path to success.”

Pursuit’s Community Development Financial Institution Affiliate President Steve Cohen said, “New and early-stage small businesses often need more time to grow their revenues before repaying their debt, and this time crunch can lead them to predatory sources for capital. The Main Street Capital Loan Fund offers New York’s newest and smallest businesses their best chance at long-term success by providing flexible capital and advisory services to support their future.”

State Senator Sean Ryan said, “Small businesses are the backbone of New York’s economy. It is important that we enact policies and programs that support them in the early stages that are so critical to a new business. This program will help budding entrepreneurs get established and keep fledgling businesses on track as they establish themselves in their communities.”

Assemblymember Albert A. Stirpe Jr. said, “The Main Street Capital Program is a valuable resource for New York entrepreneurs, offering affordable-rate loans of up to $100,000. The loan fund provides a more accessible financing option, particularly for socially and economically disadvantaged individual-owned businesses, as well as very small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. New York’s State Small Business Credit Initiative, led by Empire State Development, will help bridge the financing gap, empowering entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality and grow their businesses.”

Startups and early-stage businesses must complete a pre-application questionnaire. Based on their responses, they will be invited to complete a full application for the program, or they may be connected with their local Entrepreneurial Assistance Center (EAC) or Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for additional support.

For more information on the fund, eligibility, and requirements, please visit the program’s webpage.

Governor Hochul’s Support for New York’s Small Business Community

These events build on Governor Hochul’s commitment to helping New York’s small businesses contribute to their local economies. During Small Business Month in May, the Governor announced new initiatives to support business owners, including a $6 million Innovation Matching Grant Program to New York companies applying for the certain federal funding programs and additional support for thousands of NYSIF-insured businesses.

Governor Hochul also announced that New York State has exceeded its goal for MWBE utilization on New York State contracts with a utilization rate of 32.30 percent during the 2023 Fiscal Year, the highest MWBE utilization rate in the country for the third year in a row. Nearly $3 billion in state contracts were awarded to MWBE firms during the 2023 Fiscal Year, and nearly $29 billion in state contracts have been awarded to MWBEs since 2011Additionally, New York has not only met its commitment to shortening response times for MWBE certification applications to 90 to 120 days — it has exceeded that commitment. Since August 1, 2023, ESD has certified and recertified more than 3,000 businesses, with the average application processing time now taking on average, 90 days. The announcement builds on the Governor’s strong support for MWBEs, including the historic elimination of New York’s yearslong MWBE certification backlog following an $11 million investment in the FY 2023 Budget.

There are nearly 695,000 small businesses in New York State and approximately 98 percent of New York businesses have fewer than 100 employees. These businesses employ more than 4.5 million individuals in fields from retail and food service to financial services, to agriculture, innovation and construction. In addition to the summer event series, NYSDOL supports businesses of any size and offers several resources.

Business Services Representatives work with entrepreneurs to create customized solutions to help meet their business goals. The Department also offers free human resource service consultations and assists with workforce recruitment to help employers find skilled workers. NYSDOL offers guidance on hiring incentives, tax credits and funding opportunities that can help employers curb costs.

About State Small Business Credit Initiative
More than $500 million in federal funding has been allocated to support the resurgence of small businesses across New York State through the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI), a program through the American Rescue Plan Act. Managed by the U.S. Department of Treasury, SSBCI provides funds to support programs for small businesses, including socially and economically disadvantaged individual (SEDI) owned businesses and very small businesses (VSB), to recover from the economic effects of COVID-19 and allow them opportunity to succeed in the post-pandemic economy. With this funding, Empire State Development (ESD) has developed a suite of capital access and equity programs to help New York State small businesses grow and succeed. Learn about the following SSBCI programs that Empire State Development has established.

About Pursuit

Pursuit is empowering businesses through access to responsible capital and resources to reach higher, transform and grow. With nearly 70 years of lending experience, you’ll find a wide selection of loan programs and advisory services to support businesses at any stage. We’re doing our part to create a more inclusive economy that ensures every business owner has a path to success. Learn more at www.pursuitlending.com.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: $38 Million Bridge Project in Albany and Rensselaer Counties

Source: US State of New York

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of a $38.2 million bridge superstructure rehabilitation and resiliency project on the historic Castleton-On-Hudson Bridge over the Hudson River connecting Albany and Rensselaer counties. The project is the final step in the Thruway Authority’s restoration of the more than one-mile blue cantilever truss bridge that is traveled by more than six million vehicles per year and is a vital economic gateway for tourism and commercial traffic traveling from New England into New York State and beyond.

“The Biden-Harris administration understand the importance of investing in infrastructure to boost and maintain economies, both locally and across the country,” Governor Hochul said. “The Castleton Bridge is among the thousands of bridges in New York crucial for transporting people and goods. I appreciate the Thruway Authority and our federal partners for their support and efforts toward modernizing our transportation system.”

The project is being partially funded by a $21 million federal grant that was awarded to the Thruway Authority in April 2023 for their 2022 grant application to restore the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration Bridge Investment Program.

Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, “With the support of our federal partners at the U.S. Department of Transportation, the Castleton Bridge will continue to serve millions of drivers for decades to come. This project will significantly prolong the superstructure’s lifespan and by utilizing the grant funding, it enables the Authority to allocate resources to other vital transformative projects throughout the state.”

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “The Castleton-On-Hudson Bridge is a vital gateway in the Capital Region connecting Albany and Rensselaer counties and the New York State Thruway to the Berkshire Spur and the Massachusetts Turnpike, but its deteriorating infrastructure has put Upstate travelers at risk and hindered economic development. I fought to increase funding for the federal Bridge Investment Program when I crafted my Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law with improvements like this in mind. Now, this program is delivering millions in federal support, the final push needed in this project to extend the service life of the bridge by over 50 years, boosting the Capital Region economy and giving travelers a safer, more secure commute. I’m grateful for Governor Hochul’s partnership in ensuring this bridge is ready and safe for people to use.”

Representative Congressman Paul Tonko said, “For the past several years, I’ve been proud to push for federal funding to upgrade our Capital Region’s critical infrastructure and ensure the safe and efficient movement of people and goods across our region. That’s why today, I’m thrilled to celebrate the beginning of the final stage of the restoration of the historic Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge. This project, along with other infrastructure updates across New York State, will provide significant benefits for our local commuters, small business, and our entire regional economy. Investments in our bridges help strengthen the vital connections that keep our communities thriving and moving forward, and I’m eager to see how the completion of this project will support Capital Region residents for years to.”

Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, “Investing in our Thruway, specifically the Castleton-on-Hudson, reinforces New York State’s commitment to protecting and enhancing our statewide infrastructure thereby strengthening economic development and our quality of life. The safety improvements and renovations will benefit both residents and those visiting the area by improving the reliability of the Thruway.”

Opened in 1958, the Castleton-On-Hudson Bridge, more commonly referred to as the Castleton Bridge, connects the Berkshire Spur section to the Thruway’s mainline (I-87), and carries traffic over the Hudson River as well as Schodack Island State Park. The Castleton Bridge stands approximately 135 feet above the Hudson River and includes 43 segments and more than 364,000 square-feet of concrete decking.

The first stage of the project is now underway and includes the construction of two crossover areas that will allow for a traffic shift beginning in the spring of 2025, as well as work under the bridge.

In the spring of 2025, eastbound traffic entering the Berkshire Spur from the Thruway mainline (I-87) will be shifted to the westbound lanes of the bridge while construction crews remove and completely replace the eastbound bridge deck. During this stage, all traffic on the Castleton Bridge will remain reduced to one travel lane in each direction. The traffic shift is expected to be in place through the fall of 2025.

The project also includes steel repairs to girders and truss members, replacement of bridge bearings and safety upgrades including bridge rail replacement, new highway signs, mile-post delineators, reflective pavement markings and milled-in audible roadway delineators (MIARDs).

DA Collins Construction of Wilton, New York was selected as the contractor for the project after a competitive bidding process.

The project is expected to be complete in Summer 2026.

Over the last three years, the Thruway Authority has invested approximately $85 million into the restoration of the Castleton Bridge. In 2023, a $47.6 million project was completed on the Castleton Bridge which included the deck replacement of the westbound travel lanes, repairs to the deck on the eastbound travel lanes, replacement of the center median and bridge steel repairs. The project was the first major rehabilitation to the driving surface of the Castleton Bridge since 2009. The massive steel trusses were repainted in 2016 and maintenance was regularly performed by Thruway Maintenance crews to prolong the lifespan of the driving surface. With the completion of these two projects, the anticipated service life of the superstructure will be extended by approximately 50 years.

Motorists are urged to be alert and follow the posted work zone speed limits. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone.

To further enhance safety for workers in a work zone, Governor Hochul signed legislation establishing the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement pilot program. The safety enforcement program began in April 2023 and is in effect in various active construction zones on the Thruway. Work zones with speed camera enforcement will have clear signage leading up to it and motorists violating the posted speed limit within the work zone will be fined.

Thruway Authority Federal Grants

The Authority has applied for and secured more than $64 million of federal funding from competitive grant programs funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law since 2021.

In April 2024, the Thruway Authority was awarded a $39 million federal grant for infrastructure enhancements at the South Grand Island Bridges in Western New York. The original Grand Island bridges were constructed in 1935 and will undergo strengthening and essential upgrades to make them more resistant against seismic loading caused by an earthquake.

The Authority continues to pursue all eligible grant funding opportunities. A full list of grant applications and results can be found here.

About The Thruway Authority

The Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway, built in the early 1950s, is one of the oldest components of the National Interstate Highway System and one of the longest toll roads in the nation. The maintenance and operation of the Thruway system is funded primarily by tolls. The Thruway Authority does not receive any dedicated federal, state or local tax dollars and is paid for by those who drive the Thruway, including one-third of drivers from out-of-state.

The Thruway is considered one of the safest roadways in the country with a fatality rate far below the nationwide index, and toll rates are among the lowest in the country compared to similar toll roads. The Thruway’s base passenger vehicle toll rate is less than $0.05 per mile, compared to the Ohio Turnpike ($0.06 per mile), the New Jersey Turnpike ($0.11 and $0.31 per mile) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike ($0.14 per mile).

The Authority’s 2024 Budget invests a total of $451 million to support its Capital Program, which is expected to invest $2.4 billion into capital projects over the next five years — a $500 million increase following the enacted toll adjustment that went into effect on January 1, 2024. The increased investment will lead to work on approximately half of the Thruway’s more than 2,800 lane miles as well as projects on approximately 90 of Thruway’s 817 bridges.

For up-to-date travel information, motorists are encouraged to download the mobile app which is available to download for free on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides motorists direct access to real-time traffic and navigation assistance while on the go. Travelers can also visit the Thruway Authority’s interactive Traveler Map which features live traffic cameras. Motorists can also sign up for TRANSalert e-mails, which provide the latest traffic conditions along the Thruway.

For more information, follow the Thruway on Facebook, X and Instagram, or visit thruway.ny.gov.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI Russia: Financial news: Three Federal Treasury deposit auctions will take place on 09/24/2024

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Exchange – Moscow Exchange –

Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications	09.24.2024
Unique identifier of the application selection	22024484
Deposit currency	rubles
Type of funds	funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units	289,000
Placement period, in days	2
Date of deposit	09.24.2024
Refund date	09.26.2024
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)	FIXED
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum	18.14
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds	–
Minimum spread, % per annum	–
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)	Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units	1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.	5
Application selection form (open or closed)	Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications	PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:	from 09:30 to 09:40
Preliminary applications:	from 09:30 to 09:35
Applications in competition mode:	from 09:35 to 09:40
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:	from 09:40 to 09:50
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:	from 09:40 to 10:00
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:	from 10:00 to 11:00
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:	from 10:00 to 11:00
Deposit transfer time	In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n

Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications	09.24.2024
Unique identifier of the application selection	22024478
Deposit currency	rubles
Type of funds	funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units	20,000
Placement period, in days	182
Date of deposit	09.24.2024
Refund date	03/25/2025
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)	FLOATING
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum	–
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds	RUONmDS
Minimum spread, % per annum	0.00
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)	Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units	1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.	5
Application selection form (open or closed)	Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications	PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:	from 12:30 to 12:40
Preliminary applications:	from 12:30 to 12:35
Applications in competition mode:	from 12:35 to 12:40
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:	from 12:40 to 12:50
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:	from 12:40 to 13:00
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:	from 13:00 to 14:00
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:	from 13:00 to 14:00
Deposit transfer time	In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n

RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where

RUONIA – the value of the indicative weighted rate of overnight ruble loans (deposits) RUONIA, expressed in hundredths of a percent, published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued. In the absence of a publication of the RUONIA rate value on the day preceding the day for which interest is accrued, the last of the published RUONIA rate values is taken into account.

DS – discount – a value expressed in hundredths of a percent and rounded (according to the rules of mathematical rounding) to two decimal places, calculated by multiplying the value of the Key Rate of the Bank of Russia by the value of the required reserve ratio for other liabilities of credit institutions for banks with a universal license, non-bank credit institutions (except for long-term ones) in the currency of the Russian Federation, valid on the date for which interest is accrued, and published on the official website of the Bank of Russia on the Internet.

Application selection parameters
Date of the selection of applications	09.24.2024
Unique identifier of the application selection	22024479
Deposit currency	rubles
Type of funds	funds of the single treasury account
Maximum amount of funds placed in bank deposits, million monetary units	100,000
Placement period, in days	35
Date of deposit	09/25/2024
Refund date	10/30/2024
Interest rate for placement of funds (fixed or floating)	FLOATING
Minimum fixed interest rate for placement of funds, % per annum	–
Basic floating interest rate for placement of funds	RUONmDS
Minimum spread, % per annum	0.00
Terms of conclusion of a bank deposit agreement (fixed-term, replenishable or special)	Urgent
Minimum amount of funds placed for one application, million monetary units	1,000
Maximum number of applications from one credit institution, pcs.	5
Application selection form (open or closed)	Open
Application selection schedule (Moscow time)
Venue for the selection of applications	PAO Moscow Exchange
Applications accepted:	from 15:30 to 15:40
Preliminary applications:	from 15:30 to 15:35
Applications in competition mode:	from 15:35 to 15:40
Formation of a consolidated register of applications:	from 15:40 to 15:50
Setting a cut-off percentage rate and/or recognizing the selection of applications as unsuccessful:	from 15:40 to 16:00
Submission of an offer to credit institutions to conclude a bank deposit agreement:	from 16:00 to 17:00
Receiving acceptance of an offer to conclude a bank deposit agreement from credit institutions:	from 16:00 to 17:00
Deposit transfer time	In accordance with the requirements of paragraph 63 and paragraph 64 of the Order of the Federal Treasury dated 04/27/2023 No. 10n

RUONmDS = RUONIA – DS, where

Contact information for media 7 (495) 363-3232PR@moex.com

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

https://www.moex.com/n73339

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI: Brompton Funds Declare Distributions

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — (TSX: DGS, ESP.PR.A, GDV, GDV.PR.A, LBS, LBS.PR.A, LCS, PWI, PWI.PR.A, SBC, SBC.PR.A) – Brompton Funds announces distributions payable on October 15, 2024 to class A shareholders of record at the close of business on September 30, 2024 for each of the following funds:

Fund Name	Ticker	Amount Per Share
Dividend Growth Split Corp. (“DGS”)	DGS	$	0.10
Global Dividend Growth Split Corp. (“GDV”)	GDV	$	0.10
Life & Banc Split Corp. (“LBS”)	LBS	$	0.10
Brompton Lifeco Split Corp. (“LCS”)	LCS	$	0.075
Sustainable Power & Infrastructure Split Corp. (“PWI”)	PWI	$	0.06667
Brompton Split Banc Corp. (“SBC”)	SBC	$	0.10

Brompton Funds also announces distributions payable on October 15, 2024 to preferred shareholders of record at the close of business on September 30, 2024 for the following funds:

Fund Name	Ticker	Amount Per Share
Brompton Energy Split Corp.	ESP.PR.A	$	0.20625
Global Dividend Growth Split Corp.	GDV.PR.A	$	0.1250
Life & Banc Split Corp.	LBS.PR.A	$	0.18125
Sustainable Power & Infrastructure Split Corp.	PWI.PR.A	$	0.1250
Brompton Split Banc Corp.	SBC.PR.A	$	0.15625

The funds noted above offer distribution reinvestment plans (“DRIP”) for class A shareholders which provide class A shareholders with the ability to automatically reinvest distributions, commission free, and realize the benefits of compound growth. Class A shareholders can enroll in a DRIP program by contacting their investment advisor or dealer.

About Brompton Funds
Founded in 2000, Brompton is an experienced investment fund manager with income and growth focused investment solutions including exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and other Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”) traded investment funds. For further information, please contact your investment advisor, call Brompton’s investor relations line at 416-642-6000 (toll-free at 1-866-642-6001), email info@bromptongroup.com or visit our website at www.bromptongroup.com.

You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell shares of the investment funds on the TSX or other alternative Canadian trading system (an “exchange”). If the shares are purchased or sold on an exchange, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying shares of the investment fund and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them.

There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning shares of an investment fund. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the funds. You can find more detailed information about the funds in the public filings available at www.sedarplus.ca. Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.

Certain statements contained in this document constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to matters disclosed in this document and to other matters identified in public filings relating to the funds, to the future outlook of the funds and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding the future financial performance of the funds. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terms such as “may”, “will”, “should”, “expect”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “intend”, “estimate”, “predict”, “potential”, “continue” or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Actual results may vary from such forward-looking information. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

The MIL Network –

September 29, 2024

MIL-OSI USA: NSF and philanthropic partners invest more than $18M to prioritize ethical and societal considerations in the creation of emerging technologies
Source: US Government research organizations

Awardees will contribute to the responsible advancement of emerging technologies to promote the public’s well-being and mitigate potential harms
The U.S. National Science Foundation announced an inaugural investment of more than $18 million to 44 multidisciplinary, multi-sector teams across the U.S. through the NSF Responsible Design, Development and Deployment of Technologies (NSF ReDDDoT) program. NSF ReDDDoT invests in the creation of technologies that promote the public’s well-being and mitigate potential harms by seeking to ensure that ethical, legal, community and societal considerations are embedded in the lifecycle of technology’s creation and use. NSF launched this program in collaboration with leading philanthropic partners including the Ford Foundation, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and Siegel Family Endowment.

“NSF is committed to creating mutually beneficial research collaborations among diverse partners who contribute their expertise and resources to accelerating technology innovation that positively addresses pressing national, societal and geostrategic challenges,” said Erwin Gianchandani, assistant director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “Through a robust public-private partnership with philanthropies, NSF’s investment in ReDDDoT aims to ensure that TIP advances the design, development and deployment of new technologies responsibly. This investment is consistent with the ‘CHIPS and Science Act of 2022,’ in which Congress called upon TIP to invest in exactly this approach when pursuing the key technology areas listed in that law.”

NSF awarded 30 teams Phase 1 funding: 21 teams will receive planning grants of up to $300,000 each for up to two years to facilitate collaborative transdisciplinary and multi-sector activities to plan for submission of larger proposals, while an additional nine teams will receive Phase 1 funding of up to $75,000 each to plan and host workshops designed to raise awareness and identify relevant approaches and needs in the key technology areas identified in the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.”

Additionally, NSF awarded Phase 2 funding to 14 teams that demonstrated maturity in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, or natural and anthropogenic disaster prevention or mitigation, key technology areas in the statute that TIP emphasized for ReDDDoT funding. Each Phase 2 team will receive up to $1.5 million over three years to expand upon their identified experience in use-inspired and translational activities in responsible design, development and deployment of innovative technology.

The ReDDDoT program invited proposals from teams that examined and demonstrated the principles, methodologies and impacts associated with ethical, legal, community and societal considerations of technology’s creation and use, especially those specified in the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.”NSF anticipates issuing a second ReDDDoT funding opportunity in the future that will build on this round of funding to ensure ethical, legal, community, and societal considerations are embedded in the lifecycle of technology’s creation.

NSF ReDDDot Awardees

Awardees are grouped by award type and then listed in alphabetical order by organization. The full award list can be found on NSF Award Search webpage.

Planning grants:
- Carnegie Mellon University: Responsible AI Across the Transportation Sector (NSF award 2427699).
- Case Western Reserve University: Designing a Responsible AI-enabled Digital Service Ecosystem in Finance and Healthcare (NSF award 2427505).
- Data & Society: Assessing Environmental Impacts of AI Through Participatory Methods (NSF award 2427700).
- DePaul University: AI-Enabled Support Services for Transplanted Populations: A Community-Centered Design and Development Approach (NSF award 2427713).
- Georgetown University: Piloting a Framework to Measure the Impacts of Artificial Intelligence Tools for Government Agencies (NSF award 2427748).
- Harvard Medical School: Piloting an Impact Accelerator Model for Cultivating Equity and Ethics in Genetics Innovation (NSF award 2427533).
- Michigan State University: Supporting Culturally Centered Artificial Intelligence Literacy through Community-Engaged Partnerships (NSF award 2427697).
- New York University: Collaborative award: AI Summer Institute on Communities (NSF award 2427677).
- North Central College: Collaborative award: AI Summer Institute on Communities (NSF award 2427678).
- Northeastern University: An AI toolkit for Designing Inclusive Digital Activities for Older Adults (NSF award 2427714).
- Pennsylvania State University: Prioritization of Housing & Behavioral Health Services to Individuals and Families (NSF award 2427737).
- Rutgers University: Writing Education through Design-Oriented AI (NSF award 2427646).
- TERC Inc.: Alternative Systems for Human Waste Management (NSF award 2427679).
- Texas Tech University: Building Community-Driven Resilience and Empowerment through Adaptive Manufacturing Technologies (NSF award 2427747).
- University of Akron: Materials Advancement through a Precede-Proceed framework for Safety (NSF award 2427693).
- University of California Santa Cruz: Destigmatizing Disfluencies in Speech AI with Grassroots Stuttering Communities (NSF award 2427710).
- University of Florida: Treatment Technologies for Phosphorus Mitigation (NSF award 2427542).
- University of Michigan: Bridging Past and Future: Fostering Community-Researcher Synergy through Planning NSF award 2427332).
- University of Wisconsin: Novel Cellular Technologies in Ecosystem Preservation: Ethics, Data Sovereignty and Implementation (NSF award 2427636).
- Vanderbilt University: Towards Responsible Design, Development, and Deployment of a GenAI-Enabled System for Dispatcher Training in Emergency Response (NSF award 2427711).
- Virginia Tech: Facilitating Responsible, Ethical, and Explainable Ergonomic Exposure Assessments When Using Artificial Intelligence Methods (NSF award 2427599).
Workshops:
- Arizona State University: Indigenous Approaches to Computational Futures (NSF award 2427641).
- Association of Science-Technology Centers: Exploring Roles of Science and Technology Centers and Museums in Facilitating Public Collaboration in Artificial Intelligence (NSF award 2427449).
- Case Western Reserve University: Employing Public Interest Technologies to Promote Access in Education and Employment for People who have Physical Disabilities (NSF award 2427587).
- Michigan State University: Generative AI Ethics Module Design Sprint for STEM Educators (NSF award 2427666).
- Texas A&M University: Artificial Intelligence and Biosecurity: Technologies and Policy Options to Leverage Opportunities and Mitigate Risks (NSF award 2427760).
- UC Berkeley: Workshop Towards the Promise of Open-Source AI Models – A Workshop to Co-Create a Vision for Responsibility and Corresponding Research Roadmap (NSF award 2427618).
- UCLA: Responsible Quantum Innovation (NSF award 2427775).
- University of California, Davis: Responsible Artificial Intelligence to Promote Sustainability, Climate Resilience, and Equitable Access to Healthy Food in US Food Systems (NSF award 2427769).
- Virginia Tech: Situating Network Infrastructure with People, Practices, and Beyond (NSF award 2427606).
Phase 2:
- Columbia University: Collaborative award: Enabling Participatory Privacy Protections for AI Training Data (NSF award 2429841).
- Columbia University: Leveraging Urban AI as a Communal Tool for Connection and Exchange in Harlem (NSF award 2429672).
- Development Gateway: The Digital Governance Design Project (NSF award 2429815).
- Fred Hutchison Cancer Center: Collaborative award: Enabling Participatory Privacy Protections for AI Training Data (NSF award 2429840).
- Georgetown University: Collaborative award: Enabling Participatory Privacy Protections for AI Training Data NSF award 2429838).
- Indiana University: Collaborative award: Inclusive American Language Technologies (NSF award 2429338).
- Iowa State University: Empowering Resilience: Innovations in Rural Electric Network Disaster Preparedness and Response (NSF award 2429602).
- Louisiana State University: Climate-Informed Flood Risk Mitigation Sandbox (NSF award 2429888).
- Michigan State University: Collaborative award: A User-Centered Platform for Digital Content Integrity (NSF award 2429836).
- Mozilla Foundation: Collaborative award: Inclusive American Language Technologies (NSF award 2429337).
- Rice University: Responsible Multi-Modal AI Systems for Multi-Hazard Resilience and Situational Awareness (NSF award 2429680).
- Rochester Institute of Technology: Collaborative award: A User-Centered Platform for Digital Content Integrity (NSF award 2429835).
- The University of Mississippi: Collaborative award: A User-Centered Platform for Digital Content Integrity (NSF award 2429837).
- University of Maryland: Collaborative award: Enabling Participatory Privacy Protections for AI Training Data (NSF award 2429839).
About NSF ReDDDoT

The NSF ReDDDoT program is a collaboration with philanthropic partners and crosses all disciplines of science and engineering. The program seeks to ensure ethical, legal, community and societal considerations are embedded in the lifecycle of technology’s creation and use. The program supports research, implementation and education projects involving multi-sector teams that focus on the responsible design, development or deployment of technologies.
MIL OSI USA News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: President Biden Commemorates Historic Climate Legacy during Climate Week NYC
Source: The White House

President Biden will deliver remarks tomorrow highlighting his climate, conservation, clean energy, and environmental justice agenda, which is lowering costs, creating good-paying and union jobs, and reducing harmful emissions

Meanwhile, House Republicans continue reckless attempts to roll back climate, conservation, and clean energy investments

When President Biden took office, he pledged to restore America’s climate leadership at home and abroad. Every day since, the Biden-Harris Administration has led and delivered on the most ambitious climate, conservation, clean energy, and environmental justice agenda in history, including securing the largest ever climate investment and unleashing a clean energy manufacturing boom that has attracted hundreds of billions of dollars in private sector investment; created hundreds of thousands of new clean energy jobs; and lowered energy costs for families while delivering cleaner air and water for communities across the country.

As business leaders, government officials, young people, and other advocates from around the world gather in New York City to participate in Climate Week, tomorrow President Biden will deliver remarks in New York City highlighting his Administration’s unprecedented progress in tackling the climate crisis, cutting energy costs for everyday Americans, and creating good-paying union jobs.

Meanwhile, as President Biden and Vice President Harris continue to implement their Investing in America agenda, many Congressional Republicans continue to deny the impacts of climate change and are actively working to roll back this Administration’s historic and urgent climate investments – in fact, House Republicans have voted more than 50 times to repeal parts of President Biden’s climate investments. The contrast couldn’t be clearer.

From replacing toxic lead pipes and modernizing our electric grid to reducing air pollution and conserving our nation’s lands and waters, President Biden and Vice President Harris have positioned America to lead the global effort against climate change and protect the health, safety, and economic vitality of our communities and our environment for generations to come.

Biden-Harris Administration’s Top Climate Accomplishments

Deploying Clean, Affordable Electricity and Strengthening America’s Power Grid
Through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, President Biden has secured unprecedented investments in a clean power sector, unleashing a boom in American solar, wind, battery storage, nuclear, and other clean energy technologies that are creating good-paying jobs and saving families money on utility bills. President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is supporting the U.S. offshore wind industry, transmission buildout and other power grid upgrades, residential solar for low-income households, investments in clean electricity across rural America, efficient permitting to get new projects built, and American manufacturing of clean energy technologies. Since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration, the US has added more than 100 gigawatts of new clean energy – enough to power more than 25 million homes. Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, clean energy project developers get access to expanded tax incentives if they pay workers prevailing wages and employ registered apprentices, build their projects with domestic content, or locate projects in historic energy communities—provisions that are helping make more clean energy jobs good-paying and union jobs, supporting American manufacturing, and driving clean energy investment to the places that can benefit the most.

Bolstering Climate Resilience and Adaptation

The Biden-Harris Administration is taking a whole-of-government approach to addressing climate impacts, including through Federal climate adaptation planning and integrating consideration of climate impacts into Federal policies, programs, and funding. The Administration released a National Climate Resilience Framework and President Biden secured more than $50 billion for climate resilience and adaptation investments that are upgrading aging roads and bridges, including critical evacuation routes; restoring critical waterways, forests, and urban greenspaces; building forest health and reducing wildfire risk; bolstering water infrastructure and drought resilience across the American West; reducing the risk to federal assets from future floods; and modernizing our electric grid. Through portals like Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) and Heat.gov, the Administration is equipping communities with the information and resources they need to assess climate risks and implement adaptation actions in their communities. With historic investments from the President’s Investing in America agenda, the Administration stabilized the short-term security of the Colorado River and is making investments to ensure the long-term stability of the Colorado River Basin.

Accelerating a Clean Transportation Future

Last year, the Biden-Harris Administration released the National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, a landmark strategy for eliminating nearly all greenhouse gas emissions from the U.S. transportation sector by 2050. The Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act invest tens of billions to decarbonize maritime, trucking, transit, rail, and aviation, all while making communities more walkable, bikeable, and connected. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is also investing $7.5 billion to build a nationwide network of convenient, reliable electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure along corridors and within communities, and $5 billion to put clean school buses on our roads. In addition, the President rallied automakers and autoworkers around a historic goal of having electric vehicles account for at least 50% of new passenger vehicles sold by 2030. To support this goal while driving down consumer costs, the Administration secured tax credits that reduce the cost of new or used clean vehicles by thousands of dollars directly at the dealership as well as tax credits to deploy EV charging and alternative fueling infrastructure to support clean vehicle deployment needs for individuals and businesses within rural and low income communities. The Administration is also leading by example to electrify the federal vehicle fleet, including 66,000 U.S. Postal Service delivery vehicles over five years.

Cutting Energy Costs and Pollution at Homes, Schools, and in Communities

Last year, 3.4 million American families saved $8.4 billion from IRA home energy tax credits for heat pumps, insulation, solar, and other clean energy technologies, and today states across the US are rolling out IRA rebates of up to $14,000 per household to help low- and middle-income families afford cost-saving electric appliances and energy efficiency improvements. The President established a $20 billion national clean energy financing network that will support tens of thousands of clean energy projects and cost-saving retrofits, reducing or avoiding up to 40 million metric tons of carbon pollution annually over the next seven years. The Biden-Harris Administration has also strengthened energy efficiency standards to save households and businesses money, with standards updated by DOE for dozens of appliances expected to provide nearly $1 trillion in consumer savings over 30 years, saving the average household more than $100 a year while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2 billion metric tons. Schools across the country are using IRA clean energy tax credits and elective pay to install solar, energy storage, and ground source heat pumps.

Revitalizing American Manufacturing for the Clean Economy

President Biden’s Investing in America agenda has helped catalyze historic manufacturing growth, with factories opening across the nation. The private sector has committed over $910 billion in investments in American manufacturing and clean energy, including sectors central to our industrial strength. The President’s agenda is helping to make U.S. manufacturing the cleanest and most competitive in the world. The Inflation Reduction Act is investing more than $6 billion to slash climate pollution and support workers and community health at U.S. factories producing the steel, aluminum, cement, and other materials that form the backbone of our economy, nearly $2 billion to support shuttered or at-risk auto facilities retain or re-hire workers to support manufacturing in the electric vehicle supply chain, over $3 billion to bolster battery manufacturing, and over $4 billion through the Federal Buy Clean Initiative to bolster markets to buy cleaner materials. The Biden-Harris Administration’s historic steps to reduce super-polluting methane and hydrofluorocarbons are also harnessing American innovation and creating good-paying union jobs.

Advancing Environmental Justice

Since Day One, the Biden-Harris Administration has prioritized a whole-of-government approach to environmental justice. The President signed a historic Executive Order that mobilizes the federal government to bring clean energy and healthy environments to all and mitigate harm to those who have suffered from pollution and environmental burdens like climate change. Through the Justice40 Initiative, over 500 programs across 19 federal agencies are being reimagined and transformed to maximize the benefits of President Biden’s unprecedented investments – from clean energy projects to floodwater protections to wastewater infrastructure – to communities that need them most. At the same time, the Administration is taking unprecedented action to protect communities from PFAS pollution, accelerate Superfund and brownfield cleanups, tighten standards for hazardous air pollutants, and enhance air quality enforcement. To ensure the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of communities with environmental justice concerns are heard in the White House and reflected in federal priorities, policies, investments, and decision-making, President Biden also created the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council.

Delivering Clean Water and Replacing Lead Pipes

President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting to ensure a future where every American has access to clean, safe water. The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests over $50 billion in upgrading the nation’s water infrastructure – the largest investment in clean water in American history. The Administration has already launched over 1,700 projects to expand access to clean drinking water, replace lead pipes, improve wastewater and sanitation infrastructure, and remove PFAS pollution in water. The Biden-Harris Administration invested over $1 billion from the President’s Investing in America agenda to specifically accelerate the delivery of drinking water and community sanitation infrastructure projects in Indian Country, where almost 50% of communities are lacking this basic human right. President Biden has also made a commitment to replace every toxic lead pipe in the country within a decade, protecting families from lead poisoning that can irreversibly harm brain development in children.

Empowering Every Community to Advance Climate Solutions

The historic set of federal actions that the Biden-Harris Administration has taken are supporting communities across the country in seizing opportunities in the clean energy economy. The Administration has mobilized billions of dollars in investment in the energy communities and workers that have powered our nation for generations. To help young people access skills-based training for good-paying careers in the clean energy and climate resilience economy, the Administration launched the American Climate Corps, which will mobilize a new, diverse generation of more than 20,000 Americans. And with direct support from the Administration’s Investing in America Agenda, more than 45 states and more than 200 Tribes, territories, and metro areas have now developed their own Climate Action Plans. All of these foundational efforts will support climate solutions in the near-term and for years to come, helping the nation achieve the goal of reducing climate pollution by 50-52% below 2005 levels in 2030 and reaching a net-zero economy by no later than 2050.

Conserving our Lands and Waters

President Biden’s America the Beautiful initiative is supporting and accelerating voluntary, locally led conservation and restoration efforts across the country, and with 42 million acres already protected under President Biden, the U.S. is on track to meet the first-ever national goal to conserve at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030. The Biden-Harris Administration has established or expanded eight national monuments and restored protections for three more; created five new national wildlife refuges and significantly expanded five more; established two new national marine sanctuaries and begun the process to designate or expand protections for five more; created one new national estuarine research reserve; protected the Boundary Waters of Minnesota, the nation’s most visited wilderness area; safeguarded Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska from the impacts of mining; protected the Arctic Ocean from oil and gas development; and withdrawn Chaco Canyon in New Mexico and Thompson Divide in Colorado from further oil and gas leasing which will protect pristine lands and thousands of sacred sites. The Administration also directed the conservation of old-growth and mature forests, put conservation on equal footing with development in managing our public lands, launched the America the Beautiful Freshwater Challenge to protect, restore, and reconnect 8 million acres of wetlands and 100,000 miles of our nation’s river and streams, protected vast areas of caribou habitat in the Western Arctic for future generations, and is advancing the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of California.

Rallying Leaders of the World’s Largest Economies to Raise Global Climate Ambition

President Biden has restored America’s climate leadership at home and abroad. Under his leadership, the Administration is securing commitments from more than 155 countries to reduce methane emissions by at least 30 percent by 2030; successfully galvanizing other countries at COP28 to commit, for the first time, to transition away from unabated fossil fuels, stop building new unabated coal capacity globally, and triple renewable energy globally by 2030 and nuclear energy by 2050; launching a new Clean Energy Supply Chain Collaborative to work with international partners to diversify supply chains that are critical to a clean and secure energy transition; mobilizing other governments to follow the U.S. lead and commit to achieve net-zero government emissions by 2050 through a new Net-Zero Government Initiative; and becoming a world leader in innovative debt-for-nature swaps that have helped countries restructure over $2 billion in debt and unlock hundreds of millions of new financing for nature and climate.

Accelerating Federal Permitting to Deliver Clean Energy and Infrastructure More Quickly

The Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to accelerate clean energy infrastructure and deliver other critical projects by securing and directing long overdue resources to improve and accelerate permitting and environmental reviews. The Administration also finalized the Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule to address climate change, protect public health, encourage better environmental outcomes, and promote meaningful public input on Federal decisions and projects.

House Republicans Continue Attempting to Roll Back Climate Protections

As President Biden and Vice President Harris implement the most ambitious and impactful climate and conservation agenda in history, House Republicans are taking action right now that would roll back investments in climate, clean energy, and public health. House Republicans’ efforts to gut climate protections through a variety of avenues – including appropriations bills, Congressional Review Act resolutions, and other legislative actions – would raise consumer energy costs, undermine public health protections, worsen the impacts of extreme weather events, and destroy environmental safeguards for our lands and waters.

Ongoing attempts by Congressional Republicans to roll back climate and environmental protections would:

Raise Consumer Energy Costs, including by:

Gut Public Health Protections, including by:
- Trying to overturn Biden-Harris Administration rules that protect communities from coal plants’ water pollution, air pollution, and waste disposal.
- Trying to overturn a Biden-Harris Administration rule that will reduce by 96% the number of people with elevated cancer risk near certain chemical plants, by reducing emissions of toxic chloroprene and ethylene oxide from those facilities.
- Rolling back the Clean School Bus program that will reduce climate pollution and provide cleaner air for our nation’s children.
- Undermining clean air progress by trying to overturn rules that reduce pollution from power plants, cars and trucks , and industrial sources.
- Taking steps to block new Biden-Harris Administration rules to protect coal and other miners from toxic silica dust.
Destroy Protections for Our Lands and Waters, including by:
- Trying to eliminate Presidential authority to establish national monuments altogether.
- Working to dismantle President Biden’s America the Beautiful Initiative.
- Threatening to expose cherished landscapes to new drilling, including 13 million acres of special areas in the Western Arctic.
- Planning to reduce accountability for oil and gas companies.
###

MIL OSI USA News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: $400K restitution in the mail to Ilwaco mobile home park residents as a result of successful AG lawsuit

Source: Washington State News

Owners issued unlawful eviction and utility shut-off notices to residents

OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced today that approximately $400,000 in restitution is on its way to current and former residents of an Ilwaco mobile home park. The owners, Michael and Denise Werner and their companies, including Deer Point Meadows Investments, are paying nearly $1.1 million as part of a legally binding resolution to Ferguson’s consumer protection lawsuit over the Werners’ unlawful eviction and utility shutoff notices.

In 2022, the Werners and their agents distributed eviction and utility shutoff notices to residents of the Beacon RV mobile home park, signed by “Management,” despite not yet owning the park. While distributing the notices, two of the agents were visibly armed with firearms.

In written communication, Denise Werner described the Beacon RV residents as “filth.” Michael Werner stated he was not concerned about the Beacon residents’ rights and that he did not believe the law applied to him.

A judge in Pacific County Superior Court previously ruled the notices were unlawful. The legally binding resolution requires the Werners to pay back their current and former tenants, plus interest, as well as covering the costs of the Attorney General’s investigation and enforcement.

The approximately 40 current and former tenants will receive a letter from the Attorney General’s Office explaining the resolution. Each tenant will receive a check for $10,000. This is in addition to $57,000 in administrative fines from the Attorney General’s prior enforcement for violations of Washington’s Manufactured/Mobile Housing Landlord Tenant Act, and a court order to provide $2,000 or actual relocation costs to tenants, whichever is greater.

“This resolution gives significant relief to tenants — many of whom are elderly, disabled, low-income or veterans — and provides accountability for the park owners’ illegal conduct,” Ferguson said. “Washington law is clear: Mobile home landlords must deal fairly with their tenants. My office will continue to be a watchdog for Washingtonians.”

Ferguson filed a lawsuit in Pacific County Superior Court asserting the Werners violated the Consumer Protection Act and Manufactured/Mobile Housing Landlord-Tenant Act during their purchase and operation of Beacon Charters and RV Park.

The Werners are based in Vancouver, Wash., and own and operate dozens of mobile home and RV parks across the state. Approximately 4,000 people live in those parks.

On April 11, 2022, the Werners purchased Beacon, intending to convert the park to short-term rentals. Prior to completing the sale, the Werners began issuing eviction notices to Beacon’s 45 long-term residents on Feb. 25, 2022. The notices were signed by “Management.”

On April 6, 2022 – still prior to owning the park – the Werners issued a utility shut-off notice, also signed by “Management.” The former CEO of Deer Point testified that this was “standard practice” for the Werners. The Werners attempted to shut off the power, but the local utility provider refused.

Judge Katherine Svoboda, a Grays Harbor judge who presided over the case in Pacific County court, ruled that the notices were unfair and deceptive, in violation of the Consumer Protection Act. When issuing the notices, and subsequent notices around the park, two of the Werners’ employees were visibly armed with firearms, at the direction of Michael Werner. In addition, the Werners had refused to keep the park clean and safe, as required by law, allowing a rat infestation, piles of garbage and feces-smeared bathroom facilities.

One resident said people at the park were “shocked and scared.”

An 81-year-old resident who has lived at the park for eight years said she “worried we might get kicked out onto our butts in the street. … How on Earth can [the Werners] do that legally?”

A 78-year-old resident undergoing cancer treatment said she saw “rats running all over the place. … I had to borrow money for a lot of things” in order to move.

In response to the Werner’s notices, a majority of the Beacon residents were forced to leave the property. Some Beacon residents feared for their safety, believing the Werners would kick them out on the streets or tow away their homes.

One Beacon resident feared having an eviction on her record, which could prevent her from securing low-income housing.

Another Beacon resident was prevented from seeing his young child because of the Werner’s threats of utility shut-off and safety concerns stemming from the Werner employees openly carrying firearms. Some Beacon residents experienced physical harm from the stress and physical exertion required to move their homes, requiring hospitalization and ongoing care.

Other tenants had difficulty finding parks with availability to accept their mobile homes.

Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution program helps tenants and landlords

The Attorney General’s Manufactured Housing Dispute Resolution Program received 13 complaints from 10 tenants at Beacon.

The Legislature created the program in 2007 to help enforce Washington’s Manufactured/Mobile Housing Landlord-Tenant Act (MHTLA) and help resolve disputes between landlords and manufactured home owners. The act applies to situations where the tenant owns their manufactured or mobile home, but rents the space the home sits on.

Both landlords and tenants can file complaints with the program. The program serves as a neutral party, not an advocate for either side.

The law directs the program to attempt to bring parties into compliance with the law prior to taking enforcement actions. Enforcement can include administrative measures and litigation.

Tenants and landlords can file complaints with the program online here: https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/MHLTComplaintForm.aspx

Assistant Attorney General Sebastian Miller, investigator Scott Henderson, paralegal Emin Aliiasov and legal assistant Chris Kiefer handled the case. Former Assistant Attorney General Shidon Aflatooni also worked on the case.

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Washington’s Attorney General serves the people and the state of Washington. As the state’s largest law firm, the Attorney General’s Office provides legal representation to every state agency, board, and commission in Washington. Additionally, the Office serves the people directly by enforcing consumer protection, civil rights, and environmental protection laws. The Office also prosecutes elder abuse, Medicaid fraud, and handles sexually violent predator cases in 38 of Washington’s 39 counties. Visit www.atg.wa.gov to learn more.

Media Contact:

Brionna Aho, Communications Director, (360) 753-2727; Brionna.aho@atg.wa.gov

General contacts: Click here

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: House Fights the Woke Agenda of the Biden-Harris Administration

Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

WASHINGTON — This week, the Republican-led House took several important steps to expose and fight the woke agenda of the Biden-Harris Administration.

“This week, the House passed three comprehensive anti-woke legislative packages, along with several key individual bills, to counter the woke, wasteful, and weaponized agenda of the Biden-Harris Administration. Americans want our banks to be fiduciaries, not social justice warriors. And they want our schools to be places of education, not indoctrination. These key pieces of legislation expose the Democrats radical agenda that’s hurting our students, our banks, and our country,” Speaker Johnson said.

“From enhancing transparency at the SEC and safeguarding retirement plans so Americans can secure their futures without interference from radical agendas, to challenging divisive DEI mandates that prioritize identity over merit and protecting free speech on our college campuses – House Republicans are working to restore common-sense and accountability in our federal government.”

Below is a complete list of legislative packages and individual bills passed this week:

H.R. 5339 – Protecting Americans’ Investments from Woke Policies Act

H.R.5339 – RETIRE Act

H.R.5338 – No Discrimination in My Benefits Act

H.R.5337 – Retirement Proxy Protection Act

H.R.5340 – Providing Complete Information to Retirement Investors Act

H.R. 3724 – End Woke Higher Education Act

H.R.3724 – Accreditation for College Excellence Act

H.R.7683 – Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act

H.R. 4790 – Prioritizing Economic Growth Over Woke Policies Act

H.R.4790 – Guiding Uniform and Responsible Disclosure Requirements and Information Limits Act

H.R.4655 – Businesses Over Activists Act

H.R.4767 – Protecting Americans’ Retirement Savings from Politics Act

H.R.4823 – American FIRST Act

H.R. 5717 – No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act

H.J. Res. 136 – Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles”

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Financial News: Corporate Lending Continues to Grow Strongly in August, Retail Lending Grows More Moderately

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Central Bank of Russia –

The growth rate of corporate lending remained high (1.9% in August, 2.3% in July). Funds were attracted by companies from a wide range of industries, mainly for working capital financing.

Mortgages, according to preliminary data, grew by a moderate 0.9% (0.7% in July). A slight increase was shown by the issuance of both market and preferential mortgages, where about 90% fell to the “Family Mortgage”.

Amid rising rates and tighter macroprudential regulation, consumer lending continued to slow, growing 1.3% in August after 1.4% in July.

Household funds in banks are actively growing (1.3%; in July: 1.1%), especially in term deposits in rubles due to high rates. Legal entities’ funds also increased (1.3%; in July: 1.6%), mainly ruble balances of exporting companies grew.

The banking sector’s profit (adjusted for dividends from subsidiary banks) amounted to 435 billion rubles, having increased mainly due to positive currency revaluation caused by the decline in the ruble exchange rate against the euro and the dollar.

Read more in the information and analytical material “On the development of the banking sector of the Russian Federation in August 2024”.

Preview photo: Mikhail Metzel / TASS

Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.kbr.ru/press/event/?id=21026

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

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI: Force for Good: UN’s Sustainable Development Goals at risk of being missed – 9 urgent actions needed to unlock progress as cost of SDG gap rises by 10% to US$112-136 trillion
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
- A new report from Force for Good – “Capital as a Force for Good: Shifting the Global Order Through the Mass Mobilization of Solutions” – finds urgent action is needed now to unlock progress and achieve the SDGs
- It identifies ‘Nine Big Ideas’ that, if scaled globally, have the potential to unlock SDG progress from less than 66% today, to nearly 90% by the end of the decade, helping correct the annual SDG funding gap of US$14-17 trillion
- Ideas include climate transition frameworks, AI-enabled connectivity, and universal digital financial services, through coordinated action across governments, the private sector and multi-lateral institutions, proposing a high-impact roll-out across the world
LONDON, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Force For Good: The world is failing to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and urgent action is needed to unlock progress and overcome the growing annual SDG funding gap, which now stands at US$14-17 trillion, a new report from Force for Good finds, US$112-136 trillion in total, up 10%, due to the costs of global climate transition and development needs in the Global South.

Today, only 16% of the goal’s 169 underlying targets are on track to be met by 2030, with 50% falling behind, and 30% regressing below their 2015 levels when the SDGs were kicked off, the report finds.

Nine ‘Big Ideas’, including climate transition frameworks, AI-enabled connectivity, and universal digital financial services, if scaled globally, have the cumulative potential to progress SDG achievement to nearly 90%, from less than 66% today, reigniting exponential progress.

“This report shows how the global order and the systems itself can be transformed by delivering solutions en masse across the planet, engaging everyone in this endeavour … By leveraging the strengths of governments, private companies, NGOS and mobilising the individual as an agent of change, we can create a sustainable, secure, and prosperous future,” said Ketan Patel, Chair of the Advisory Council.

The world’s failure to meet the goals is being driven by a series of interrelated economic, political, geopolitical and environmental shocks – including the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and Gaza, the energy, cost-of-living and climate crises – interacting with one another to create a ‘polycrisis’ that is diverting attention and resources away from sustainable development.

A mass and fast roll out of the ‘Nine Big Ideas’, sponsored by appropriate champions across government, private sector or multi-lateral institutions, working with the United Nations, can make a transformative impact on developing countries, while benefitting the global economy.

While the mass mobilisation of solutions will take a global effort, the largest developing countries, particularly India, China, and Brazil, account for two-thirds of the world’s sustainable development potential. These countries represent the first wave of opportunity in a multi-wave project to realize the future faster.

Meeting the SDGs is a crucial step for the world in the transition to the next era of human civilization, building a platform on which further breakthroughs and technologies can create a sustainable, secure and superior future.

About Force for Good

Force for Good’s mission is to mobilize capital, resources, and ideas as a force for good in the world at a time of profound change. The organization’s Capital as a Force for Good Initiative engages the world’s leading financial institutions and other stakeholders, to promote sustainable development through the deployment of capital and solutions to address global issues and enable the transition to a better future.

The annual Capital as a Force for Good report, now in its fourth edition, is the result of collaboration with the United Nations and major global financial institutions, assessing the role of capital in addressing the world’s most pressing issues.

Institutions actively engaged include Bank of America, BlackRock, Bridgewater Associates, Citi, Credit Suisse, Fidelity Investments, First Abu Dhabi Bank, GIC Singapore, Goldman Sachs, Great-West Lifeco, HDFC Bank, HSBC, Investec Group, Japan Post Holdings, JPMorgan Chase, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Lloyds Banking Group, Morgan Stanley, Nomura, Nordea, Northern Trust, OMERS, Putnam Investments, Schroders, State Street, UBS, Wellington, and others.

For further details, please visit www.forcegood.org

CONTACTS

Force For Good Contact:
Lesley Whittle
Lesley.whittle@forcegood.org

*ESG News is a proud supporter of Force for Good

The MIL Network –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI NGOs: The long road to recovery for Gaza’s war-wounded children story Sep 20, 2024

Source: Doctors Without Borders –

“I heard that when you die, you can still hear people’s voices as they bury you—their prayers and their footsteps as they walk away from your final resting place,” says Karam.

Karam is receiving care at the hospital run by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Amman, Jordan, where our teams provide reconstructive surgery for patients from countries experiencing war, such as Iraq, Yemen, and Gaza, Palestine.

The home of Karam (left) was obliterated in an Israeli airstrike, killing everyone in his family except for his sister Ghina and father Ziad (right). Karam was badly injured, with burns across his whole face and body.
Jordan 2024 © Moises Saman

“He had no human features”

On February 14, 2024, an Israeli airstrike obliterated Karam’s home in Gaza, killing everyone in his family except for his 7-year-old sister, Ghina, and his father, Ziyad. Karam was badly injured, with burns across his whole face and body.

“In the ambulance, I could feel the speed bumps but I couldn’t open my eyes,” Karam says. “I could still hear voices, so I was afraid that maybe I was already dead.”

That day, Al-Aqsa Hospital was overwhelmed with casualties after the bombing of Nuseirat camp in central Gaza by Israeli forces. When Karam arrived at the hospital, the emergency room team worked to resuscitate him, but they eventually had to move on to treat other patients because they, too, thought he was dead.

In the ambulance, I could feel the speed bumps but I couldn’t open my eyes. I could still hear voices, so I was afraid that maybe I was already dead.
Karam, 17, MSF patient

One hour later, Karam’s uncle, who worked as a nurse at Al-Aqsa Hospital, entered the emergency room and realized that his nephew was still breathing. He rushed Karam to the operating theater, where MSF staff performed CPR and emergency surgery, saving his life.

His father, Ziyad, is a psychologist for UNRWA and was working at a refuge center when their family home in Nuseirat was hit.

“When I found out about the strike, I rushed to Al-Aqsa, as my neighbor told me that Ghina and Karam had been taken there,” says Ziyad. “I got to the emergency room and there were bodies everywhere, all over the floor. I found Ghina with first-degree burns on her face, shoulders, and back.”

The impact of the bomb dropped on Ziyad’s home was so strong that all that remains of the house is a crater. The blast killed 13 members of Ziyad’s family, including his wife, his youngest son Mohammed, and his eldest son Tareq, who was stuck in Gaza due to the war while visiting from Russia, where he was studying dentistry.

Ziyad with his daughter Ghina and son Karam in the hospital room they share at MSF’s hospital in Amman. Ziyad’s elder son Tareq, who was visiting from Russia where he was studying to be a dentist, was killed in the strike that injured Ghina and Karam.
Jordan 2024 © Moises Saman/MSF

“When Karam was brought into the emergency room, I didn’t notice it was my son,” says Ziyad. “He had no human features on him. There were no clothes left on him. His body was completely black. His eyes were closed.”

After stabilizing Karam, MSF and Ministry of Health staff at Al-Aqsa Hospital performed six rounds of plastic surgery on Karam’s severely burned body. For seven days he was in a coma.

Karam was later evacuated to the Emirati floating hospital in Al-Arish, Egypt and then was flown to MSF’s reconstructive surgery hospital in Amman, where he is currently receiving comprehensive rehabilitation, along with his sister and other patients who have been medically evacuated from Gaza.

Thousands in Gaza need specialized care but are trapped

The small number of patients from Gaza receiving vital rehabilitation at MSF’s hospital in Amman are barely a ripple on the surface of needs across the Gaza Strip.

“We know from our experience at the reconstructive surgery hospital in Amman, where we have treated people with war wounds from the region for nearly 20 years, that typically up to 4 percent of people who suffer war injuries will need reconstructive surgery,” says Moeen Mahmood Shaief, MSF head of mission in Jordan.

“In the case of Gaza, we are talking about nearly 100,000 people who have been injured since October 7, 2023. Therefore we are looking at up to 4,000 people in Gaza who need reconstructive surgery and comprehensive rehabilitation,” he says.

Deema was almost killed when she fell four storeys from her balcony following an Israeli airstrike and was buried under the rubble for an hour.
Jordan 2024 © Moises Saman/MSF

Almost 60 percent of medical evacuation requests are denied

According to OCHA, at least 41,000 people have been killed—not counting at least 10,000 still missing under rubble—in Gaza since the war started last year, and over 95,000 people have been injured, with at least 14,000 in need of medical evacuation.

However, the process that allows a wounded patient to be referred abroad for care is long and complicated. The Israeli authorities’ criteria for approving requests are unclear and patients often have to wait months for a response. Almost 60 percent of requests for medical evacuations from Gaza are turned down, according to the World Health Organization. This includes requests to evacuate wounded children and their caretakers, according to MSF.

MSF calls for medical evacuations without prejudice to Palestinians’ right to return

Thousands of Palestinians in Gaza require complex and sustained medical care that is unavailable in the Strip due to the collapse of its health system during the war. Israel must resume issuing medical referral permits for treatment in the West Bank and Jerusalem for severe cases that cannot be treated in Gaza. All medical referrals, patients, and their caregivers must be guaranteed safe, voluntary, and dignified return to Gaza.

Learn more

“Of the eight cases for which we applied for medical evacuation in August, only three were approved with their caretakers by the Israeli authorities,” says Dr. Hani Isleem, MSF project coordinator for medical evacuations from Gaza.

“We will apply again for the next batch, but it is 100 percent clear that they will not approve all the patients. Perhaps they are suspicious of allowing adults to leave the Gaza Strip, but even that suspicion cannot explain the refusal to evacuate children.”

MSF calls on the Israeli authorities to ensure medical evacuations for Palestinians in need of specialized medical care, including their caregivers, and for other states to receive and facilitate treatment outside of Gaza, while ensuring that all patients and their caregivers are guaranteed safe, voluntary, and dignified return to Gaza.

Deema’s little brother Hazem was playing football outside when their home collapsed, leaving him severely injured, while Deema was holding her baby nephew inside. After being trapped under the rubble, Deema survived, but the baby was never found.
Jordan 2024 © Moises Saman

“It was pitch black under the rubble”

Deema, 11, and her family were sheltering at their home in Gaza City when their neighbor’s house was hit by an airstrike on October 10, 2023. Deema was on the fourth floor, holding her baby nephew in her arms, when the building collapsed around them. She fell four stories to the ground floor.

“It was pitch black under the rubble,” says Deema. “I couldn’t open my eyes and could barely breathe. I couldn’t hear anyone and I couldn’t speak. There was dust and stones covering my face. I was convinced that I was going to die.”

“I managed to move my hand under the rubble and used a cable to signal to people that I was there,” she continues. “I remember hearing voices, and I felt air on my leg, and soon people were pulling me out and rushing me to the ambulance. To this day, they haven’t found my baby nephew.”

Seventy-five people were killed in the strike, including Deema’s 14-year-old brother, Hamza. Her younger brother, Hazem, was playing football outside and was also severely injured when the building collapsed. After the dust settled and rescue teams arrived at the scene, Deema and Hazem were rushed to Al-Shifa Hospital, where they received emergency medical care.

The most dangerous place in the world to be a child

Read more

Due to the incessant bombardment of Gaza City, Deema, Hazem, and their mother, Eman, stayed at Al-Shifa Hospital for six months. They were eating, sleeping, and receiving care there, along with thousands of other Palestinians who were taking shelter inside the hospital.

On March 18, 2024, Israeli forces surrounded the hospital, forcing the thousands of people inside to flee. In the chaos of the evacuation, Deema became separated from her mother and Hazem, who were forced to move south. Meanwhile, Deema managed to reunite with her father and took shelter with him at Asma’a School in Gaza City, where they remained for 45 days.

“We stayed in a classroom with around 50 families,” explains Deema. “We had almost no food or water, and there was no electricity or gas, so we had to light fires. My shoulder was broken, and I couldn’t move it at all and I was barely able to walk at that time.”

In early May, Deema was at last able to travel to the south of Gaza, where she was reunited with her mother and Hazem in Rafah. One week later they were medically evacuated, first to Egypt and then to MSF’s hospital in Amman, where Deema and Hazem continue to receive reconstructive surgery, physiotherapy, and mental health support.

As a result of the attack on her home, Deema suffered fractures to her right femur and shoulder as well as an open wound to her forehead. In Amman, the MSF physiotherapy team works with her daily to encourage her fractured bones to heal before the external fixator in her leg can be removed. With time, she hopes to be able to regain full function of her limbs.

“I wasn’t able to move my ankle or my arm when I first arrived in Jordan, but with the help of surgery and physiotherapy I can move them both again,” says Deema. “But it’s hard for me to think of the future as long as there is war in Gaza.”

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the acute stress and life-changing injuries they have suffered in Gaza.
Jordan 2024 © Moises Saman

The mental health impact on Gaza’s war-wounded

MSF mental health teams at the Amman hospital have noted that before the start of the war, Palestinians from Gaza already suffered from depression and frustration, often related to unemployment, poverty, and high addiction rates, as well as to disabilities and amputations caused by previous wars. However, since the war started last October the mental health of Gazans has deteriorated dramatically.

“A lot of patients coming from Gaza to the Amman hospital are experiencing not only post-traumatic stress disorder, but even acute stress syndrome,” says Dr. Ahmad Mahmoud Al Salem, MSF psychiatrist at the hospital in Amman. “This means that the patients usually have a lot of nightmares and a lot of flashbacks, as well as low mood, insomnia, and avoidance of the whole memory.”

This is not a normal trauma. This is a huge, tormenting catastrophe, and psychologically their minds are unable to bear all of this stress.
Dr. Ahmad Mahmoud Al Salem, MSF psychiatrist

Many Palestinians in Gaza have witnessed the destruction of their homes and the killing of their families, and many have suffered life-changing injuries. On top of that, they are constantly learning of the loss of more family members and friends.

“This is not a normal trauma,” says Dr. Al Salem. “This is a huge, tormenting catastrophe, and psychologically their minds are unable to bear all of this stress.”

The mental health team at MSF’s hospital in Amman provide patients who have suffered acute trauma with comprehensive therapy. Children are offered one-on-one psychological support, as well as educational activities and occupational therapy to help them feel more empowered. The more severe cases are referred to Dr. Al Salem for psychiatric support and medication.

Longing for Gaza after medical evacuation: Abdul Rahman’s story

Read about Abdul Rahman

Adolescents are particularly vulnerable to the acute stress and life-changing injuries they have suffered.

“Adolescents can suffer real misery, as they are just starting to form their personality and their identity,” adds Dr. Al Salem. “They are beginning to understand their place in the world and they are asking themselves: ‘Will I be productive one day, will I be attractive, will I be able to earn money?’”

According to Dr. Al Salem, adolescent patients who have suffered horrific, life-changing wounds will need long-term psychotherapy and support, not only to deal with painful memories and mental trauma, but to rebuild their sense of self-worth and learn to live with a disability.

“These kids need support to rebuild their self-worth and self-esteem,” says Dr. Al Salem. “But it takes time.”

Shahed, 16, from Rafah, Gaza, survived a December 9, 2023, airstrike that killed her father and sister. “I remember waking up in the ambulance.”
Jordan 2024 © Moises Saman/MSF

Living life by the moment

For young Palestinian patients at MSF’s Amman hospital, the future remains dark and unclear. There is still no safe place in Gaza, and while they may be able to return to Gaza physically at some point, the prospects are bleak. All of them have lost family members, as well as their homes and their schools.

Deema wants to go back to school and to see her family, but not until the war is over and Gaza has been rebuilt.

“I would like to become an engineer,” says Deema. “I wish that Gaza could return to how it once was. We don’t want to be displaced or pushed out, we just want to go back to our lives before the war.”

I wish that Gaza could return to how it once was. We don’t want to be displaced or pushed out, we just want to go back to our lives before the war.
Deema, 11, MSF patient

Five months after the catastrophic attack on his home, Karam is walking again, he is able to move his left arm, and his left eye is slowly reopening—a nearly miraculous recovery considering he was originally thought dead by medical staff at Al-Aqsa Hospital.

Today, Karam is smiling as he lets go of his crutches in the physiotherapy department and grabs hold of the parallel stabilizing bars to take a few steps forward. Before the war he had wanted to become a dentist, like his older brother Tareq, but since he was injured, he is not sure if it will be possible.

“I’m taking it one step at a time,” says Karam. “If the war ends, God willing, we will head back to Gaza. It’s my country, it’s where I spent my whole life. My friends are there. But for now, I’m here and I want to get better, one second at a time.”

We speak out. Get updates.

MIL OSI NGO –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Panetta Praises Early Success of His REPLANT Act to Help Restore National Forests

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif)

Monterey, CA – United States Representative Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) praised the progress being made to help reforestation efforts in our National Forests due to his REPLANT Act. Rep. Panetta authored the bipartisan and bicameral bill and ensured that it was included in the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that passed in the 117^th Congress and was signed into law by President Joe Biden. The REPLANT Act mandates federal investment in the Reforestation Trust Fund that helps reduce the backlog of projects to plant more trees in burn-scarred areas. Since the REPLANT Act became law, the U.S. Forest Service has reforested 360,000 acres.

National Forests account for 193 million acres of land across the United States. These forests store 25% of the nation’s carbon, filter drinking water for 60 million Americans, are home to 3,000 species, host 159 million visitors annually, and contribute $13.7 billion to local economies. In 2021, the U.S. Forest Service had a reforestation backlog of 3.6 million acres, largely due to destructive wildfires and other hazards.

The REPLANT Act increased investments in reforestation projects on national forests and removed the previous $30 million annual cap in the Reforestation Trust Fund, making an average of $123 million available for reforestation each year.

“As stewards of our environment, it was long past time that we stopped talking about replanting our treasured National Forests and started taking action,” said Rep. Panetta. “I am not only proud to have authored the bipartisan REPLANT Act and have it signed into law, but I’m also very pleased to see that the landmark investments are having a significant impact in replanting and revitalizing our forests. We have more work to do when it comes to managing and protecting our environment, but the early results of the REPLANT Act should give us hope that the United States Congress can properly promote and perpetuate our National Forests.”

The goal of the REPLANT Act is to help reforest 4.1 million acres by planting 1.2 billion trees over the next 10 years. This level of reforestation is expected to sequester 758 million metric tons of carbon over the trees’ lifetimes, the equivalent of 85.3 billion gallons of gasoline, improve soil health and wildlife habitats, and create nearly 49,000 jobs over the next 10 years. Rep. Panetta led the REPLANT Act with Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and then Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) as well as Representative Mike Simpson (ID-02).

In addition to the REPLANT Act’s investments, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes key measures for climate and community resiliency, such as $3.37 billion for wildfire risk reduction, $27.65 billion to modernize energy grids, $7.7 billion to strengthen clean energy supply chains, and $55 billion to improve water infrastructure.

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MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Canada: Building on 50 years of friendship with Gangwon
Source: Government of Canada regional news

The reaffirmation of Alberta’s and Gangwon’s sister province relationship took place in a ceremonial signing between Premier Smith and Governor Kim Jin Tae of Gangwon State, Republic of Korea as part of the Governor’s official visit to the province from Sept. 21 to 25.

With this renewal, Alberta and Gangwon will strive to build on decades of co-operation by exploring opportunities to expand collaboration in health innovation and life sciences, technology and innovation, sustainable energy development, export growth, investment attraction and sport.

“This monumental occasion is not just an opportunity to look back at our shared achievements, but also to forge new, mutually beneficial ties together. Gangwon is a valuable friend and partner to our province, and through the reaffirmation of this historic agreement, we are setting the stage to ensure our deep-rooted ties continue to grow even deeper for years to come. I am excited for our continued collaboration, which will enhance trade and investment that grows our economies, secures opportunities for businesses and industries, and ensures a prosperous future for people in Alberta and Gangwon.”

Danielle Smith, Premier

“I vividly recall the news about the Gangwon-Alberta Sisterhood Agreement forged 50 years ago, and it is a great honor for me to serve as the Governor during this historical year. On the foundation of longstanding friendship and amity, Gangwon and Alberta now seek to expand their relationship into a robust economic partnership. In addition to the energy, bio-healthcare and sports that will be the part of this visit, we will continue to work closely with Alberta to facilitate substantive collaboration in other future-oriented industries as well.”

Kim Jin Tae, governor of Gangwon State, Republic of Korea

A memorandum of understanding establishing the sister province relationship between Alberta and Gangwon, Republic of Korea was originally inked on Sept. 3, 1974, and was the first ever international sister relationship for both Alberta and Gangwon.

Collaboration under this agreement has traditionally focused on education, culture and sport exchanges, but has expanded over the years to include research and business-to-business relations.

Quick facts
- Alberta and Gangwon’s sister province relationship has been a catalyst for several successes over the past five decades. For example:
  - From 1974 to 2020, Alberta participated in numerous sports exchanges with Gangwon, including alpine and Nordic skiing, whitewater canoeing, wrestling, golf, boxing, soccer, tennis, team handball, fencing and cycling.
  - Since 1984, the University of Alberta’s Kangwon Teachers of Education Program has helped more than 600 Gangwon Province teachers hone their English language teaching skills.
  - In 2015, Alberta’s government provided support for an international research collaboration between the University of Calgary and Gangwon, with additional funding provided by Opti pharm-M & D, Inc., a Gangwon-based biomedical company. The project focused on improving early diagnosis for breast cancer by examining cancer cells and tissue samples to measure biomarker expression in real-time.
- The Republic of Korea, known informally as South Korea, is an important economic partner for Alberta.
  - Bilateral trade between Alberta and South Korea totalled about $1.3 billion in 2023.
  - Alberta’s total exports to the region in 2023 totalled $940.6 million, and consisted primarily of energy, nickel, meat, wood pulp, canola oil and cereals.
  - Several major South Korean energy companies have Canadian headquarters in Calgary, including KOGAS, Korea National Oil Corp (KNOC) and SK Eco-Engineering.
- Alberta has a strong and vibrant Korean community, with about 24,000 Albertans with ethnic or cultural origin to Korea.
MIL OSI Canada News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Scanlon, Casey, Fetterman, Boyle, Evans Secure More than $217 Million for PhilaPort

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon(PA-5)

Funding will expand port to increase shipping capacity and efficiency

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Scanlon (PA-05) today joined Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA), and Congressmen Dwight Evans (PA-03) and Brendan Boyle (PA-02) in announcing the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PhilaPort) is receiving a total of $217,000,000 in funding to expand the operational capacity of the SouthPort terminal. The operational expansion will create a new space for ships and expand onloading and offloading capacity and efficiency. This award is from the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (MEGA) Program, which was created and funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

“The Port of Philadelphia is a critical driver of good-paying jobs for our regional economy. I’m so pleased to see this critical funding coming to our region to bring more cargo to the Port,” said Rep. Scanlon.

“The infrastructure law is helping the port transport more goods, which will create good jobs in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This game-changing investment in PhilaPort will ensure that the port remains a critical force in the Nation’s supply chain and the Commonwealth’s economy.” said Senator Casey. “I will always fight to improve our shipping hubs to ensure that the Commonwealth’s waterways boost economic growth and create and sustain good jobs.”

“I’m proud to see this $217 million funding coming to the SouthPort terminal. By expanding the terminal and increasing capacity, the Department of Transportation is investing in Pennsylvania as a leader in trade and infrastructure and supporting the communities that rely on these jobs every day. I thank the Biden-Harris Administration for their continued investment in Pennsylvania’s future,” said Senator Fetterman.

“This funding will improve Philadelphia port infrastructure and will allow greater efficiency in handling and transporting goods. Most of all, this funding will create jobs by increasing trade, and enhancing global competitiveness. Philadelphia ports must always be kept updated and modernized to remain competitive in both the regional and global supply chain economy,” said Rep. Boyle.

“I was proud to vote for the Biden-Harris administration’s infrastructure and jobs law, and it’s again delivering for Philadelphia and the region with $217 million in federal funding – that is a major investment in our future!” said Rep. Evans.

The $217,200,000 investment from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is made possible by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). This funding will expand the port’s operational capacity by creating more space to for vessels to dock at the port and increasing on and offloading efficiencies. Specifically, this funding will support the construction of a second berth which will improve the port’s ability to on and offload goods from ships. Additionally, the funding will support infill construction, which will expand the port by approximately ten acres. This port expansion will ensure that the port can remain a competitive and efficient shipping hub.

###

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI: Parallels is Recognized as a Visionary in the 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Desktop as a Service

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Parallels, a global leader in cross-platform solutions, today announced it has been named a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service. While included as an Honorable Mention in the 2023 version of the report, this is the first time Parallels has appeared as one of the placed vendors within the Magic Quadrant.

Parallels DaaS is a cloud-native, Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS) solution that offers users secure and seamless access to their virtual applications and desktop environments anytime, anywhere. Parallels is identified as a Visionary in Gartner’s evaluation for its Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision.

While Parallels DaaS is a new offering, it benefits from Parallels’ extensive experience in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) through its more mature Parallels RAS (Remote Application Server) solution. Parallels RAS (Remote Application Server) is a flexible virtual application and desktop delivery solution providing a unified management platform that enables on-premises VDI, hybrid environments, cloud PCs, and physical endpoints.

A Gartner Magic Quadrant is a culmination of research in a specific market, giving end users a wide-angle view of the relative positions of the market’s competitors.

“We believe that our position as a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service is not only an accomplishment for Parallels, but also a testament to our commitment to simplifying the management of virtual machines and meeting the demands of the market,” said Prashant Ketkar, CTO at Parallels. “With Parallels DaaS, organizations receive an intuitive, user-friendly solution with simple licensing without sacrificing scalability and security.”

Gartner Attribution & Disclaimer
Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service, By Stuart Downes, Eri Hariu, Mark Margevicius, Craig Fisler, Sunil Kumar, 16 September.

Gartner and Magic Quadrant are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Parallels
Parallels is a global leading brand in cross-platform solutions that make it simple for businesses and individuals to use and access the applications and files they need on any device or operating system. Parallels helps customers leverage the best technology out there, whether it’s Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, iOS, Android, or the cloud. Parallels solves complex engineering and user-experience problems by making it simple and cost-effective for businesses and individual customers to use applications anywhere, anytime. For more information, please visit www.parallels.com.

© 2024 Parallels International GmbH. All rights reserved. Parallels is a trademark or registered trademark of Parallels International GmbH. in Canada, the United States and/or elsewhere. Mac is a trademark of Apple Inc. Android and ChromeOS are trademarks of Google LLC. All other company, product and service names, logos, brands and any registered or unregistered trademarks mentioned are used for identification purposes only and remain the exclusive property of their respective owners. For all notices and legal information please visit www.parallels.com/about/legal/.

The MIL Network –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council raises awareness of market operator’s licences

Source: Scotland – Highland Council

The Highland Council is asking any businesses, companies or organisations who are planning to hold any type of market, including Christmas or festive type markets, to contact the Licensing Service to check if they require a market operator’s licence.

If a licence is required, organisers will have to have applied for, and had this granted, prior to the market taking place.

Applications should be submitted at least four weeks before the proposed market date to allow sufficient time for processing.

Further information (including guidance notes and conditions of licence) is available on the Council’s website at: www.highland.gov.uk/marketoperatorlicence

There are certain exemptions from the requirement to be licensed for non-commercial markets. For example, if the market is to be organised by charitable, religious, youth, recreational, community, political or similar organisations.

If you wish to check if your market will require a licence, please do not hesitate to contact the Council’s Licensing team at licensing@highland.gov.uk

23 Sep 2024

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MIL OSI United Kingdom –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: Beyond the ivory tower: universities need to prioritise the entrepreneurial mindset, not just new ideas

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rod McNaughton, Professor of Entrepreneurship, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

As universities consider their future in the 21st century, many are embracing the concept of “innovation” in their strategic plans.

According to Harvard Business School, innovation is “a product, service, business model or strategy that’s both novel and useful”.

By focusing on innovation, universities are attempting to position themselves as drivers of progress – as institutions that generate knowledge and apply it to solve the world’s most pressing problems.

But here’s the catch: fewer universities embrace “entrepreneurship” similarly, despite it being the critical bridge between innovation and real-world impact.

Innovation vs entrepreneurship

It’s easy to see why universities are more comfortable with innovation.

Labs, research centres and academic programs encourage pushing the envelope in a relatively risk-free setting.

Original research is one of the requirements of completing a doctorate. This means universities feel like hubs of cutting-edge thinking, even if the innovations never leave the confines of the campus.

However, entrepreneurship requires something different. Those with an idea also have to understand how to navigate the messy realities of bringing it to fruition.

Entrepreneurship demands the skills to manage people and resources, assess viability, identify pathways to adoption, and understand the environment while being comfortable with uncertainty and resilient in the face of failure and change.

Fostering an entrepreneur mindset in academics

Understanding the distinction between innovation and entrepreneurship is critical. Innovation often begins by assuming no constraints and imagining a world of possibility.

But entrepreneurship assumes resources are scarce and that success depends on overcoming obstacles and working with what’s available. While innovation can happen in isolation, entrepreneurship needs community, collaboration, feedback and constant adaptation.

Entrepreneurial skills are valuable for students at all levels and any discipline. But the entrepreneurial process can be especially helpful for researchers and PhD students who have spent years developing an idea but not a way to get it into the real world.

Bridging the gap

Globally, there is a growing gap between the number of doctoral graduates and academic jobs.

Programs such as the ones run by the University of Auckland Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) (which I am involved in), are teaching how to identify opportunities and navigate resource constraints through mentoring, workshops and hands-on projects.

While some find opportunities to commercialise their research, others pursue policy changes or social ventures.

One good illustration of this is Kate Riegle van West’s doctoral research. Riegle van West examined the benefits of poi for the health of older adults. Supported by CIE’s programs, she launched SpinPoi, a social venture dedicated to working with poi to improve health and well being.

Since its founding, CIE has helped start more than 279 ventures and provides entrepreneurial experiences to more than 7,500 students and staff across the university each year.

Similar programs exist at other universities, but much more needs to be done to scale up the development of entrepreneurial skills within universities.

Overcoming resistance

Universities have been slow to prioritise developing an entrepreneurial mindset among students and staff.

Innovation without entrepreneurship is like building a bridge halfway. You may have a brilliant idea, but it is unlikely to make a meaningful impact without the skills to bring it to reality. Entrepreneurship transforms creative ideas into valuable, tangible outcomes.

But there are challenges. “Innovation” is more palatable to some academics, especially those who equate entrepreneurship with commercialism. To overcome this, it’s crucial to recognise that entrepreneurial skills are valuable across most endeavours.

Skills like opportunity recognition, resource allocation, and risk management are critical for starting businesses. But they are also highly valued within existing organisations and for leading teams and driving change in any sector.

Staff and students may not immediately see the relevance of entrepreneurship to their discipline or career aspirations, thinking entrepreneurship is only for those in business or the sciences.

Yet there is a growing need for entrepreneurial skills to bridge the gap between academic expertise and application from students in all disciplines.

At the doctoral level, developing these skills can help ensure research has wider impact, and create opportunities for these researchers once they graduate.

It’s not that innovation isn’t useful – it’s essential.

Many industries and organisations rely on innovation to improve efficiency, create new products, and solve complex problems. In some professional contexts, an innovation mindset may be more relevant than an entrepreneurial one.

But to truly contribute to solving societal problems and prepare their students to make a difference, universities must do more than foster innovation. They must prioritise and develop an entrepreneurial mindset and competencies among students and staff, enabling them to execute, adapt and create lasting impact.

Rod McNaughton 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. Beyond the ivory tower: universities need to prioritise the entrepreneurial mindset, not just new ideas – https://theconversation.com/beyond-the-ivory-tower-universities-need-to-prioritise-the-entrepreneurial-mindset-not-just-new-ideas-239377

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI: UPDATE – Thnks Announces Winners of the 2024 Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards

Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thnks, the first on-demand gratitude expression platform for enterprises, SMBs, and individual contributors, today announced Troy Stevenson, Account Manager at Pegasus Logistics Group as the individual winner and Pegasus Logistics Group as the company winner for the 2024 Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards sponsored by First Horizon.

As the gratitude in business pioneer, Thnks has transformed small gestures of appreciation into enduring business connections, fostering loyalty, and driving revenue growth. Through the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards, Thnks celebrates individuals and organizations who are growing their businesses with gratitude.

“Troy and the entire team at Pegasus Logistics Group inspire a ripple effect of gratitude that transforms how we do business and strengthens our communities,” said Brendan Kamm, Thnks Co-Founder and CEO. “The response to this year’s Thnks Gratitude in Business Award has been truly remarkable. We’ve seen an inspiring array of stories demonstrating how gratitude is being leveraged as a powerful tool for business growth and relationship building.”

Pegasus Logistics Group, the first company honored by the Gratitude in Business Awards, is being recognized for their exceptional dedication to fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition to drive growth. The company’s innovative initiatives, including their Culture Team’s CREW program and “People on Point” rewards system, demonstrate a strong commitment to fostering a culture of gratitude and empowerment. As the individual winner, Stevenson’s commitment to building trust-based relationships and consistently showing appreciation embodies the transformative power of gratitude in the workplace.

“We are truly honored to receive this recognition from Thnks and First Horizon,” said Ken Beam, Founder and CEO of Pegasus Logistics Group. “Gratitude is at the heart of our culture, and this win is a testament to the dedication and commitment of individuals like Troy Stevenson and all our team members. We believe that gratitude is the foundation for building strong relationships with our team members, clients, partners, and the community. It’s wonderful to see both Troy’s efforts and the collective spirit of Pegasus Logistics recognized. We’re excited to continue fostering an environment where appreciation drives success and strengthens our connections.”

Stevenson will be awarded $10,000 in Thnks credits to enhance further the gratitude program at Pegasus Logistics, a $500 credit from a selection of Thnks retailers, and a $2,500 donation will be made in his name to The Grace Foundation, which assists individuals and families in crisis and guidance toward self-sufficiency. The team at Pegasus Logistics will receive $10,000 in Thnks credits for their gratitude program.

“At First Horizon we’re proud to support the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards,” said Lucas Doppler, SVP at First Horizon. “We share Thnks’ vision of celebrating those who elevate their workplace, enhance customer experiences, and enrich their communities – by leading with gratitude. “

To learn more about the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards sponsored by First Horizon, visit thnks.com.

ABOUT THNKS
Established in 2016, Thnks believes making people feel appreciated – not just part of a transaction – is a business-building strategy. Utilized by over 10,000 teams and 120 Fortune 500 companies, Thnks is an on-demand gratitude expression platform for enterprises, SMBs, and individual contributors that converts small acts of gratitude into lasting business relationships that drive loyalty and revenue. The Thnks platform incorporates technology, program analytics and compliance/budget adherence to empower customers with a more economical, intentional, and authentic way to make people feel appreciated. To date, millions of Thnks have been sent – proving small acts of gratitude generate outsized business impact.

ABOUT FIRST HORIZON
First Horizon Corp. (NYSE: FHN), with $82.2 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024, is a leading regional financial services company, dedicated to helping our clients, communities, and associates unlock their full potential with capital and counsel. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the banking subsidiary First Horizon Bank operates in 12 states across the southern U.S. The Company and its subsidiaries offer commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, and mortgage banking services. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation’s best employers by Fortune and Forbes magazines and a Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Bank. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com.

ABOUT PEGASUS LOGISTICS GROUP
Pegasus Logistics Group is a global leader in transportation and logistics, specializing in both international and domestic shipments of consequence. With a client-centric approach and a flexible global network of partners, we deliver a highly managed transportation model that adapts to the unique challenges of each business. Our stakeholder-focused approach ensures that our solutions benefit not just our clients but also our team members, partners, and communities. At Pegasus Logistics Group, we believe that true partnership is defined by flexibility, collaboration, and a commitment to improving business processes as we grow together.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PRESS ONLY:
Kaileigh Higgins
thnks@inkhouse.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d0bcf29-0a44-40ba-92d5-2b6dadd89c15

The MIL Network –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Wyden, Merkley, Colleagues Urge Social Media and Encrypted Messages Companies to Increase Resources Toward Combating 2024 U.S. Election Disinformation

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
September 23, 2024
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley said today they have joined Senate colleagues in calling on 11 of the largest and most popular social media and encrypted chat companies in the United States to increase resources needed to combat 2024 U.S. election administration and certification disinformation.
“We are deeply concerned that the dissemination of election disinformation via your products and/or platforms – if left unmitigated – will suppress voter participation, sow doubt in U.S. democracy and incite political violence,” the senators wrote. “Considering the increase in election disinformation on digital platforms during recent elections, there is ample cause for concern.”
“During the 2020 and 2022 U.S. federal elections, foreign adversaries supported the creation and targeting of election disinformation to undermine our democracy. During the 2020 elections, research showed that election disinformation in Spanish stayed up for longer on social media, as compared to English,” the senators continued.
The senators urged Meta, Google (YouTube), TikTok, X (Twitter), Reddit, Snapchat, Amazon (Twitch), Discord, Signal, Telegram and Apple (Messages) to:
Share information about the size and capacity of their 2024 U.S. elections safety resourcing – including personnel and technologies – broken down by language;
Commit to increasing their 2024 U.S. election safety team and technology resourcing for the 10 most commonly spoken languages on their platform(s);
Share information about how they plan to de-amplify and/or remove election disinformation (whether created using AI or not) and/or user accounts who spread this disinformation, when in violation of their policies;
Share their plans for amplifying official election information before, during and after the 2024 U.S. elections; the letter also encourages companies to offer translation of official election information as a public service;
For encrypted chat providers, explain whether they have a reporting system for their users to flag unwanted election disinformation and what enforcement measures are in place.
The letter was led by U.S Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.). In addition to Wyden and Merkley, the letter was signed by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
The full text of the letter is here.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024