NewzIntel.com

Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI: Diversified Royalty Corp. Announces November 2024 Cash Dividend

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Diversified Royalty Corp. (TSX: DIV and DIV.DB.A) (the “Corporation” or “DIV”) is pleased to announce that its board of directors has approved a cash dividend of $0.02083 per common share for the period of November 1, 2024 to November 30, 2024, which is equal to $0.25 per common share on an annualized basis. The dividend will be paid on November 29, 2024 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 15, 2024.

    About Diversified Royalty Corp.

    DIV is a multi-royalty corporation, engaged in the business of acquiring top-line royalties from well-managed multi-location businesses and franchisors in North America. DIV’s objective is to acquire predictable, growing royalty streams from a diverse group of multi-location businesses and franchisors.

    DIV currently owns the Mr. Lube + Tires, AIR MILES®, Sutton, Mr. Mikes, Nurse Next Door, Oxford Learning Centres, Stratus Building Solutions and BarBurrito trademarks. Mr. Lube + Tires is the leading quick lube service business in Canada, with locations across Canada. AIR MILES® is Canada’s largest coalition loyalty program. Sutton is among the leading residential real estate brokerage franchisor businesses in Canada. Mr. Mikes operates casual steakhouse restaurants primarily in western Canadian communities. Nurse Next Door is a home care provider with locations across Canada and the United States as well as in Australia. Oxford Learning Centres is one of Canada’s leading franchisee supplemental education services. Stratus Building Solutions is a leading commercial cleaning service franchise company providing comprehensive janitorial, building cleaning, and office cleaning services primarily in the United States. BarBurrito is the largest quick service Mexican restaurant food chain in Canada.

    DIV’s objective is to increase cash flow per share by making accretive royalty purchases and through the growth of purchased royalties. DIV intends to continue to pay a predictable and stable monthly dividend to shareholders and increase the dividend over time, in each case as cash flow per share allows.

    Forward Looking Statements

    Certain statements contained in this news release may constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. The use of any of the words “anticipate,” “continue,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “will,” ”project,” “should,” “believe,” “confident,” “plan” and “intends” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information, although not all forward-looking information contains these identifying words. Specifically, forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements made in relation to: the amount and timing of the November 2024 dividend to be paid to DIV’s shareholders; DIV’s objective to continue to pay predictable and stable monthly dividends to shareholders; and DIV’s corporate objectives. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events, performance, or achievements of DIV to differ materially from those anticipated or implied by such forward-looking information. DIV believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information included in this news release are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. In particular there can be no assurance that: DIV will be able to make monthly dividend payments to the holders of its common shares; or DIV will achieve any of its corporate objectives. Given these uncertainties, readers are cautioned that forward-looking information included in this news release are not guarantees of future performance, and such forward-looking information should not be unduly relied upon. More information about the risks and uncertainties affecting DIV’s business and the businesses of its royalty partners can be found in the “Risk Factors” section of its Annual Information Form dated March 21, 2024 and in its most recent Management’s Discussion and Analysis, copies of each of which are available under DIV’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    In formulating the forward-looking information contained herein, management has assumed that, among other things, DIV will generate sufficient cash flows from its royalties to service its debt and pay dividends to shareholders; the business and economic conditions affecting DIV and its royalty partners will continue substantially in the ordinary course, including without limitation with respect to general industry conditions, general levels of economic activity and regulations. These assumptions, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect.

    All of the forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors contained herein, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, DIV. The forward-looking information included in this news release is presented as of the date of this news release and DIV assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law.

    THE TORONTO STOCK EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR THE ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

    Additional Information

    Additional information relating to the Corporation and other public filings, is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com.

    Contact:
    Sean Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer
    Diversified Royalty Corp.
    (236) 521-8470

    Greg Gutmanis, Chief Financial Officer and VP Acquisitions
    Diversified Royalty Corp.
    (236) 521-8471

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Video: The Department of Education’s Response to Natural Disasters

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

    Schools and institutions of higher education are vital cornerstones in communities and critical components of whole community recovery. As educational entities recover from natural disasters, the U.S. Department of Education can provide support. For more information go to–
    • Disaster Recovery Unit (DRU) webpage: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/disaster-recovery-unit/
    • DRU email address: DisasterRecoveryUnit@ed.gov
    • Natural disaster resources: www.ed.gov/disasterrelief
    • Natural disaster resources for colleges, universities and students: https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/topics/natural-disaster-information
    For Information about relief options for higher education students and borrowers, visit: https://studentaid.gov/naturaldisaster or call 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Meal timing may be crucial for night shift workers’ health

    Source: University of South Australia

    05 November 2024

    A new Australian study published in Diabetologia this week has found that overnight eating may be putting night shift workers at higher risk of chronic health conditions.

    Led by researchers from the University of South Australia, University of Adelaide and SAHMRI, the NHMRC-funded study involved a six-day trial with 55 adults in the healthy BMI range, who don’t usually work night shifts.

    Participants stayed at the University of South Australia’s Behaviour-Brain-Body Sleep Research Centre and were divided into three groups: those who fasted at night, those who had snacks, and those who ate full meals.

    All participants stayed awake for four nights and slept during the day, with a recovery day on day five to re-establish normal sleeping and eating cycles, and blood glucose testing on day six.

    Prof Leonie Heilbronn, from SAHMRI and the University of Adelaide, says results showed participants who ate meals or snacks during the nightshift had significantly worse glucose tolerance compared to those who fasted.

     “We found that blood glucose skyrocketed for those who ate full meals at night and those who snacked, while the people who fasted at night showed an increase in insulin secretion which kept blood sugar levels balanced,” Prof Heilbronn says.

    “We know shift workers are more likely to have diabetes, they’re more likely to have heart disease, and they’re more likely to be overweight. Our research suggests that meal timing could be a major contributor to those issues.”

    Insulin sensitivity was disrupted among all participants, regardless of their eating habits, adding to the body of evidence that night shifts cause circadian misalignment and impair glucose metabolism.

    “When you eat a meal, your body secretes insulin, and that insulin helps your muscles and other tissues to take up glucose. If you become resistant to insulin, then you can’t take up that glucose as effectively into your muscles and if it continues, that potentially puts you at risk of diabetes.”

    Lead investigator UniSA Professor Siobhan Banks says not eating large meals while working night shift and instead eating primarily during the day could be a straightforward intervention to manage health outcomes for many workers.

    “This could be easier for people to follow than other, more complex diets,” Prof Banks says.

    Researchers say future trials will investigate whether eating only protein snacks on night shift is a potential solution to satiating hunger without predisposing workers to negative health consequences.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Media contact: Candy Gibson M: +61 434 605 142 E: candy.gibson@unisa.edu.au

    Researcher contacts: Professor Siobhan Banks E: siobhan.banks@unisa.edu.au; Professor Leonie Heilbronn E: leonie.heilbronn@adelaide.edu.au

    Other articles you may be interested in

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Health Research – Kiwi prostate cancer survivors wrestling with ED following treatment: new findings

    Source: Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand (PCFNZ)

    PCFNZ launching ‘Life After Treatment’ educational roadshow supporting Aotearoa New Zealand’s prostate cancer community.

    Kiwis treated for our nation’s most commonly diagnosed male cancer – prostate cancer, – report experiencing a confidence-robbing, stigmatised treatment side-effect, erectile dysfunction (ED), according to Prostate Cancer Foundation New Zealand (PCFNZ) survey findings released today.

    Nine in 10 (93 per cent) survey respondents reported developing ED after treatment; 36 per cent felt “robbed of confidence”; while 28 per cent experienced “moderate compromise” to their mental health.

    PCFNZ’s release of the new survey findings today coincides with the first of six, free, PCFNZ public information evenings for prostate cancer survivors, and their families, kicking off in Tauranga this evening.

    Featuring leading Urologists and health professional speakers, the PCFNZ ‘Prostate Cancer – Life After Treatment’ roadshow will tour Tauranga, Palmerston North, Auckland, Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington between November 5 – 14, 2024. Running between 7:00-8:30pm, each event will canvass the potential side-effects of prostate cancer treatment, and treatment options available to help manage, and aid recovery.

    According to PCFNZ Chief Executive Officer, Peter Dickens, for the more than 4,000 New Zealand men diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, treatment can disrupt urinary, bowel and sexual function.

    “Findings from our PCFNZ ‘Life After Treatment’ survey complements data from the Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry (PCOR-NZ), which reported sexual function as the most compromised patient outcome associated with prostate cancer treatment – 38 per cent of patients reported moderate to substantial ‘bother’, compared to bother with urinary function (10 per cent) and bowel function (5 per cent).

    “Our survey aimed to glean insights from patients treated for prostate cancer, on the physical, mental, emotional and relationship challenges they have faced,” said Mr Dickens.

    “Numerous prostate cancer survivors experience distressing sexual and urinary difficulties following surgery, which compromise their mental health and wellbeing, and intimate relationships.

    “Many men report their quality of life to be severely, or moderately affected by ED following prostate cancer treatment,” Mr Dickens said.

    “Similarly, urinary incontinence (UI) can also significantly impair a man’s quality of life following prostate cancer treatment.”

    ED is a common, yet under-diagnosed and under-treated men’s health condition 4, affecting one in every three New Zealand men aged 40-70 years.

    “Almost 7 in 10 respondents (69 per cent) to our survey reported they were experiencing ED very frequently (at least once a week), while nearly 8 in 10 respondents (78 per cent) have experienced UI, with 45 per cent describing their symptoms as either ‘moderate’ or ‘severe’,”5 said Mr Dickens.

    “Concerningly, more than two in five (42 per cent) of the prostate cancer survivors who participated in our survey reported they were neither informed, nor adequately educated on the possibility of developing ED after prostate cancer treatment.

    “We are therefore, encouraging men and their families nation-wide, to attend our ‘Prostate Cancer: Life After Treatment’ public information evenings, to learn about, and discuss management and treatment options with leading experts in the field,” Mr Dickens said.

    Urologist and Clinical Director of Urology, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury, and Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Otago, Mr Giovanni Losco, Christchurch, said ED is an outcome of prostate cancer surgery for many men. While the cancer may be effectively treated, those who fail to seek help may face future challenges with erectile function.

    “ED can lead to feelings of shame and frustration, may compromise mental health, and even taint a man’s view of himself as being ‘complete or whole’.

    “Almost half (47 per cent) of the Life After Treatment survey respondents reported living with ED following prostate cancer treatment had ‘severely affected’ their sex drive, while 37 per cent were left feeling ‘moderately frustrated’, and 36 per cent ‘lacking confidence’,”5 Mr Losco said.

    “Living with ED can further compromise men’s work, friend, and intimate relationships, with 40 per cent of the survey respondents claiming the condition, post-prostate cancer treatment, had led to a ‘severe loss of intimacy’ with their partner.

    ”According to the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ) President, Professor Helen O’Connell, AO, men who have experienced, or are at risk of developing prostate cancer, need to know effective treatment is available for ED.

    “As USANZ President, I want men to know that we recognise ED and UI as important health problems.

    “Once men have both overcome, and recovered from prostate cancer surgery, I urge them to be proactive in understanding how to both prevent, and recover from ED and UI,” said Prof O’Connell.

    “Importantly, a significant cause of ED is a history of prostate cancer and its treatment.

    “Should ED persist, don’t suffer in silence. Talk to your Urologist about your treatment options, because outside treatment for prostate cancer, there are other risk factors for developing ED,” Prof O’Connell said.

    “While it may take a little bit of courage, there are potential rewards for your relationship, mental health, partner, and your partnership in addressing the underlying causes of, and accessing effective treatment for both ED and UI.”

    Semi-retiree, father-to-two, and grandfather-to-three (with another on the way), Mike, 73, Tauranga, was diagnosed with ED and UI in 2016, following prostate cancer surgery. Although his UI improved within a few months, unfortunately Mike continued to grapple with the longer-term surgical side-effect, ED.

    “Prostate cancer itself was a really big thing, but then I was forced to contend with additional changes to my body following the surgery.

    “With UI, I set myself a goal to improve my symptoms, so I could stop using [incontinence] pads as quickly as possible,” Mike said.

    “I followed up with my surgeon, visited a physio, did pelvic floor exercises, and had a nurse call in every week. I managed my UI well and recovered within two-to-three months.

    “However, managing ED proved a much more protracted, complex journey, for which my main challenge was managing my compromised mental health,” said Mike.

    “As a man, I felt a loss. When you’re in a relationship, intimacy is vital, and I feared losing that special bond.

    Today Mike has an important, but poignant message for other Kiwi men (prostate cancer survivors or otherwise) living with ED.

    “Be proactive, and take the conversation lead with your family doctor.”

    About the survey

    PCFNZ conducted an online anonymous survey open to the public that attracted responses from 123 New Zealand men aged 45+ years between October 8 – 21, 2024. The ‘Prostate Cancer – Life After Treatment’ survey strove to glean insights from prostate cancer survivors about their experience of ED and UI following prostate cancer treatment.

    About Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ (PCFNZ)

    Prostate Cancer Foundation NZ provides vital support, education and information to patients, their families and whānau across Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as reducing the impact of prostate cancer through raising awareness, funding NZ-based research and advocating for improved standards of care.

    PCFNZ is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading male cancer charity. Our vision is to significantly reduce and ultimately end suffering from prostate and testicular cancer. We achieve this by providing support and education to the thousands of men and their families, those caring for them, and health professionals; advocating on their behalf for improved health outcomes; and investing in research that raises the understanding of the cancers, the effects on men, their families and our communities.

    To learn more about prostate cancer, ED and UI, head to prostate.org.nz or call the PCFNZ Information Service on 0800 66 0800.

    To register for a PCFNZ ‘Prostate Cancer – L ife A fter T reatment’ event in your area, visit: here: https://events.humanitix.com/host/5f32085d0b469c000a3ffbc6?c=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawGGlWxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHWKKJ2xhC7Xiku3-bGYvvx0BHkL9FY8156qyYYohxCx_BU-YakRuTIKU7Q_aem_twWLMR2tV8tsJYweP_TdJg

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Smoky Skies Over the Indo-Gangetic Plain

    Source: NASA

    Every November, satellites detect large numbers of small smoke plumes and heightened fire activity in northern India and Pakistan as farmers burn off excess straw after the rice harvest. Many farmers, particularly in the Punjab region, use fire as a fast, inexpensive way to clean up fields before planting winter wheat crops. However, the influx of smoke to the densely populated Indo-Gangetic Plain often contributes to a sharp deterioration of air quality in October and November.
    Levels of air pollution soared during the last week of October and first week of November in 2024 as weather patterns kept air bottled up in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. On November 3, 2024, the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite acquired this natural-color image of plumes of smoke streaming from large numbers of small fires burning in Pakistan and India.
    Air quality sensors in Lahore, Pakistan, recorded concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at hazardous levels—above 300 on the air quality index (AQI)—on several days in October and November, according to data posted by AirNow. As pollution levels rose, authorities in Pakistan announced school closures, partial lockdowns, and halts in construction in a bid to limit the health impacts, according to news reports.
    Smoke from crop fires is not the only contributor to the hazy skies, explained Pawan Gupta, a lead scientist for AERONET, a NASA-sponsored network of ground-based sensors that measures the concentration of aerosols at hundreds of locations around the world. Influxes of dust sometimes arrive from the Thar Desert to the west. An array of other human-caused sources of air pollution in cities, including motor vehicle emissions, industrial and construction activity, fireworks, and fires for heating and cooking, also produce particulate matter and other pollutants, Gupta added.
    Geography and weather can exacerbate the region’s poor air quality. Temperature inversions are common in November and December as cold air rolls off the Tibetan Plateau and mixes with smoky air from the Indo-Gangetic Plain. An inversion can function like a lid, with warm air trapping pollutants near the surface. The low-hanging haze becomes hemmed in between the Himalayas to the north and the Vindhya Range to the south.
    Pollution levels in Lahore typically peak in late November and December, “so this is just beginning,” Gupta said. “The worst pollution days are probably still ahead of us.”
    Hiren Jethva, a senior research scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Morgan State University, uses the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)—a measure of the land’s “greenness”—to anticipate fire activity in the region each year. Based on the NDVI data, he expects that NASA’s Aqua satellite will detect between 15,500 and 18,500 fires in 2024—higher than most years since 2002 but lower than 2016 and 2021, years with especially bountiful rice crops.
    NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership. Story by Adam Voiland.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Kansans Echo Governor Kelly’s Support for Medicaid Expansion in New Survey – Governor of the State of Kansas

    Source: US State of Kansas

    KEY QUOTE: “More than 72% of respondents to the Kansas Speaks survey said they support expanding Medicaid, up slightly from last year. That includes over 63% of Republicans and nearly 90% of Democrats… These signs of growth in support for Medicaid expansion follow a significant media tour and legislative push by Democratic Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly earlier this year.”

    These two issues find strong support among Kansans, according to Docking survey
    Rose Conlon, Kansas News Service
     Oct. 30, 2024

    • Support for Medicaid expansion in Kansas remains high, according to a new survey by the Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State University.
    • According to the Kansas Health Institute, Medicaid expansion would allow an estimated 152,000 more low-income Kansans to receive coverage under the government health care program.
    • The majority of the costs for the expansion are covered by federal funding, and Kansas is one of only ten states that has not yet implemented this expansion. Analysts say that many individuals who would benefit from the expansion are employed in jobs that don’t offer health insurance.
    • The survey also revealed that over 11% more Kansans now believe that expanding Medicaid would help rural hospitals remain in business. Several rural hospitals in the state have closed in recent years, including closures last year in Fort Scott and Herington, which have threatened timely access to emergency medical care.
    • Around half of Kansans who responded to the Kansas Speaks survey said the issue is highly or extremely important as they decide who to vote to represent them in the state legislature.
    • “We can see that a huge portion of Kansans say that (Medicaid expansion) is important to some degree,” said Alexandra Middlewood, a political science professor at Wichita State University who contributed to the survey’s development.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Friends like these: What a second Trump term may mean for the CDC, and how it affects Canada

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Kevin Quigley, Scholarly Director of the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance, Dalhousie University

    Should Donald Trump be re-elected on Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is likely facing a major shake-up. Many Republicans were frustrated by the CDC’s performance during the pandemic. Project 2025, authored by leading Republicans with ties to Trump, describes the CDC as incompetent and arrogant.

    In fact, no matter who wins the United States presidential election on Nov. 5, the Trump administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is a cautionary tale for Canada.

    While there is significant and justifiable criticism to be leveled at Trump about his administration’s handling of the pandemic in the early stages, as former chief medical advisor to the president, Dr. Anthony Fauci noted to Congress in 2024, the U.S. health system is not designed for an effective co-ordinated response to a health crisis.

    Trump and the CDC

    There was clearly a disconnect between Trump and the CDC during the pandemic. For weeks in early 2020, President Trump had described the threat as low risk; he said that the situation was under control in the U.S. and that only a few cases had been reported.

    While the president was on a return flight from India, Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, announced that the situation in the U.S. was about to change quickly and severely. Officials say that Trump was very upset by the announcement and concerned about potential lockdowns causing panic and disruption to financial markets.

    Throughout the early stages of the pandemic, the actions of the CDC sparked a high degree of politicization. The Trump administration was criticized for interfering with the CDC’s operations and censoring internal experts. Disagreements between federal and state political leaders and public health experts led to inconsistencies in public health messaging, reporting, enforcement of directives and timing of public health restrictions.

    The CDC itself was not above criticism. The agency’s infrastructure had been neglected for decades, and years of declining funding resulted in insufficient preparations for a possible pandemic. The CDC had also been criticized for being too insular and academic.

    The CDC made key mistakes, particularly regarding surveillance and testing. It was criticized for underestimating the threat of the virus and overestimating its ability to design, manufacture and distribute a test quickly.

    Rapid responses are crucial during such events, and the early stages of the U.S.’s pandemic response provides salient lessons for Canada, both about its relationship with the U.S. and to global threats more generally.

    Pre-event planning is necessary, but audits and world rankings of emergency preparedness can be unreliable. In 2019, Johns Hopkins University ranked the U.S. as the best prepared country in the world to address a health crisis. The pandemic demonstrated that it was not.

    Canada needs to establish a strong and independent capacity to assess health threats. Trump’s early handling of the pandemic has been widely criticized, yet the Canadian government’s speaking points in the early stages were the same: the virus was low risk. It was only when the CDC and the World Health Organization increased its threat assessment that Canada followed suit.

    Lessons from the pandemic

    Borders can re-assert themselves. Despite decades of global political and economic agreements that saw a freer flow of goods, services and people, many western governments were unable or unwilling to assume the risks associated with letting those from other jurisdictions cross their borders, and as such, imposed strict rules to prevent non-citizens from entering. This aggressive stance was ironic and unforeseen, as during previous public health crises such as the H1N1 flu episode in 2009-10, many governments underscored that closing borders had little impact on disease spread.

    The weaknesses of supply chains were highlighted as the global economy shut down in March 2020. Canada’s Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland described competition for medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) as resembling the “wild west.” Shipment delays, order shortages, trade restrictions and defective or contaminated items prevented governments from effectively procuring supplies.

    Global manufacturing capabilities for vaccines were below what was needed, with only about a dozen countries able to produce COVID-19 vaccines early on, including the U.S. More than any other country, the U.S. enabled the rapid development and production of the vaccine, highlighting Canada’s considerable dependence on the U.S. Canada has since funded vaccine manufacturing initiatives, but the investments have produced little to-date.

    The adage “When the U.S. sneezes, the world catches a cold” applies nowhere more than in Canada. Should Trump be re-elected, the CDC will likely exist on a smaller budget with a reduced role internationally. This will increase Canadian vulnerabilities.

    Whatever the criticisms, the CDC has more capacity and influence than any other health agency in the world. If Canada cannot depend on strong and co-ordinated response from the U.S. administration during a health crisis, Canada has to be better prepared to adapt. Lessons from the pandemic provide a powerful to-do list.

    Kevin Quigley is the Scholarly Director of the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance, an independent, non-partisan research institute located at Dalhousie University.

    – ref. Friends like these: What a second Trump term may mean for the CDC, and how it affects Canada – https://theconversation.com/friends-like-these-what-a-second-trump-term-may-mean-for-the-cdc-and-how-it-affects-canada-242673

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: School of Pharmacy’s Megan Delaney Receives 2024 Provost Award

    Source: US State of Connecticut

    Delaney earned the award for her efforts in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism (DEIA) initiatives within the university. She expressed surprise and gratitude for receiving the award, noting that it acknowledges her work in both advising students and addressing systemic issues in academic settings.

    Delaney completed her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership at UConn in May 2023, with a focus on higher education, critical whiteness studies, and academic advising. Her dissertation, titled “Systemic Whiteness, Racial Consciousness, and Deconstructing Becky(s): A Phenomenological Study of White Women STEM Academic Advisors”, delved into how whiteness affects academic advising in predominantly white spaces.

    “I noticed there was a much bigger gap in terms of the diversity. In the humanities, there were a lot more diverse students. When I came over to the pharmacy, I saw a lot of these students, who looked like me—they’re white” she says. 

    Delaney’s journey from advising liberal arts students to working with STEM students highlighted stark differences in diversity.

    She describes a “light bulb moment” during her doctoral studies when she realized that the educational system often frames students as the problem rather than addressing the inequities built into the system. “We need to think about how the system is set up to benefit certain students over others,” Delaney says. 

    Her research found that white women advisors often reinforce existing social hierarchies and gender norms in their advising, making it harder for students of color.

    Delaney has consistently advocated for change, serving on various committees at UConn, including the School of Pharmacy’s Diversity Committee and the Wellness Committee. 

    She hopes to collaborate with UConn’s Central University Advising to develop in-depth training that moves beyond basic sessions. 

    “There’s a lot of work that needs to be done to break down those barriers,” she says, emphasizing that while most advisors want to improve, many lack the tools to do so effectively.

    Reflecting on her work, Delaney acknowledges the challenges she faced, such as time constraints and difficult conversations. However, she remains committed to addressing systemic issues head-on. 

    “If I can’t talk to other white people about it, you’re never going to move the needle,” she says.

    Delaney’s work, driven by her personal dedication and academic research, is a strong example of the continued efforts to create a more inclusive academic community at UConn.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wyden Announces Town Hall in Multnomah County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    November 04, 2024
    Friday, Nov. 8 town hall at David Douglas High School will be No. 1,101 in fulfilling the Senator’s pledge to hold at least one annual town hall in each of Oregon’s 36 counties
    Portland – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden today announced he will hold an open-to-all town hall on Friday, Nov. 8 in Multnomah County.
    This 10 am town hall at David Douglas High School’s Howard F. Horner Performing Arts Center (1400 SE 130th Ave, Portland) will be Wyden’s 1,101st overall — honoring his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of our state’s 36 counties. 
    “Town halls that provide Americans the opportunity to have face-to-face conversations with their elected representatives are just as vital to a vibrant democracy as elections,” Wyden said. “I’m honored that Oregonians have turned out 1,100 times in every county every year to voice their opinions in an open-to-all setting. And I very much look forward to this Friday’s town hall in Multnomah County to work on common-ground and common-sense solutions that make our state an even better place to live and work. That’s the Oregon Way.”
    Parking is limited due to construction on campus, so public transit or carpooling is encouraged. Attendees who want to park should use street parking or use the high school’s South Lot, 1500 SE 130th Ave, Portland. ADA parking and attendee drop-off only can be done in the Howard F. Horner Performing Arts Center Lot.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Watson Lake — Watson Lake Secondary School Youth Hunt

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    This October, students from Watson Lake Secondary School (WLSS)’s grade 12 class participated in an on the land hunting adventure on Kaska Traditional Territory alongside Watson Lake RCMP and Yukon conservation officers.

    Following the success of the youth hunt collaboration in 2023, the First Nations School Board met with key stake holders and purchased canvas wall tents, stoves, and a Utility Task Vehicle (UTV), ensuring the program could continue.

    This year, the hunt was held the week of October 7 to 11. David Dickson, Land and Language Connector for WLSS, organized Elders to attend the camp for the week to share the knowledge of the area, traditions, and culture of the Kaska Nation. Elder Agnes Chief, who was born at Frances Lake, told of stories about living off the land and making the long journey down the Frances River to Watson Lake for supplies. Students also learned about the community of Frances Lake and the forts that existed during the fur trade.

    Elder Charlie Dickson, taught the students about traditional methods of preparing a moose head. Elder Agnes Chief taught about local, traditional medicines, where to find them and how to prepare them for consumption.

    The youth were shown how to field dress and care for meat. They learned about giving thanks to the animals and the traditional ways of giving respect to the harvested moose. The harvested meat was shared throughout the community, benefiting Elders, students, community members, Liard Aboriginal Women Society, and the First Nations Health Program. The First Nations Heath Program will use the meat for traditional meals and will be shared among all three Yukon Hospitals for patients.

    “Traditions being passed down to the younger generation is what life is all about, I was very honoured to be apart of such a meaningful hunt. Seeing Elders and youth interact together brought back so many memories from when I was young. Being raised to hunt was always apart of my upbringing, and now that I’m older and able to provide for my family it has taken on a whole different meaning. Being that role model to my kids but also being a strong woman role model for young lady hunters is also very empowering. Seeing the young ladies dive in with no fear of getting dirty was very heart filling and made me proud” – Nicole Donovan from First Nations Health Program

    “The Yukon Territory provides unparalleled access to incredible outdoor recreation opportunities. The WLSS Grade 12 Youth Hunt, with the support of the Watson Lake RCMP Detachment, Yukon Conservation Officer Services, Liard First Nation, First Nations School Board, and local community members, is an impressive joint-effort to ensure that the next generation is exposed to these amazing opportunities. The experiences, skills, ethics, and knowledge shared with the youth will stay with them for the rest of their lives, and hopefully provide some youths with the first step to taking on the age-old tradition of being a provider to one’s family and community. As a Conservation Officer, I believe that there is no experience more fulfilling to a young man or woman than putting hard work into a hunt, and as a result, providing wholesome food for their family and community. There is a deep sense of pride instilled in a young person when they experience the incredible sense of accomplishment that comes from a hunt. That is the greatest benefit of the youth hunt, and I am optimistic that all of the participating youth will carry that sense of accomplishment and pride with them for the rest of their lives.” – Yukon Conservation Officer, Parker Antal

    “The continued success of this program could not have been achieved without the community support of Liard First Nations, First Nations School Board, Liard Aboriginal Women Society, WLSS, Yukon Conservation Officer Services, and the community volunteers. We look forward to 2025. ” – Sergeant Jordan Cropper, Detachment Commander Watson Lake RCMP

    “It’s important for me to be part of this initiative, on my traditional territory. I am happy to participate. Sógá sénlá’.” – David Dickson, Land and Language Connector with the First Nation School Board

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: West Papuan outcry over Prabowo’s plan to revive transmigration

    By Victor Mambor in Jayapura

    Just one day after President Prabowo Subianto’s inauguration, a minister announced plans to resume the transmigration programme in eastern Indonesia, particularly in Papua, saying it was needed for enhancing unity and providing locals with welfare.

    Transmigration is the process of moving people from densely populated regions to less densely populated ones in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s most populous country with 285 million people.

    The ministry intends to revitalise 10 zones in Papua, potentially using local relocation rather than bringing in outsiders.

    The programme will resume after it was officially paused in Papua 23 years ago.

    “We want Papua to be fully united as part of Indonesia in terms of welfare, national unity and beyond,” Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara, the Minister of Transmigration, said during a handover ceremony on October 21.

    Iftitah promised strict evaluations focusing on community welfare rather than on relocation numbers. Despite the minister’s promises, the plan drew an outcry from indigenous Papuans who cited social and economic concerns.

    Papua, a remote and resource-rich region, has long been a flashpoint for conflict, with its people enduring decades of military abuse and human rights violations under Indonesian rule.

    Human rights abuses
    Prabowo, a former army general, was accused of human rights abuses in his military career, including in East Timor (Timor-Leste) during a pro-independence insurgency against Jakarta rule.

    Simon Balagaize, a young Papuan leader from Merauke, highlighted the negative impacts of transmigration efforts in Papua under dictator Suharto’s New Order during the 1960s.

    “Customary land was taken, forests were cut down, and the indigenous Malind people now speak Javanese better than their native language,” he told BenarNews.

    The Papuan Church Council stressed that locals desperately needed services, but could do without more transmigration.

    “Papuans need education, health services and welfare – not transmigration that only further marginalises landowners,” Reverend Dorman Wandikbo, a member of the council, told BenarNews.

    Transmigration into Papua has sparked protests over concerns about reduced job opportunities for indigenous people, along with broader political and economic impacts.

    Apei Tarami, who joined a recent demonstration in South Sorong, Southwest Papua province, warned of consequences, stating that “this policy affects both political and economic aspects of Papua.”

    Human rights ignored
    Meanwhile, human rights advocate Theo Hasegem criticised the government’s plans, arguing that human rights issues are ignored and non-Papuans could be endangered because pro-independence groups often target newcomers.

    “Do the president and vice-president guarantee the safety of those relocated from Java,” Hasegem told BenarNews.

    The programme, which dates to 1905, has continued through various administrations under the guise of promoting development and unity.

    Indonesia’s policy resumed post-independence on December 12, 1950, under President Sukarno, who sought to foster prosperity and equitable development.

    It also aimed to promote social unity by relocating citizens across regions.

    Transmigration involving 78,000 families occurred in Papua from 1964 to 1999, according to statistics from the Papua provincial government. That would equal between 312,000 and 390,000 people settling in Papua from other parts of the country, assuming the average Indonesian family has 4 to 5 people.

    The programme paused in 2001 after a Special Autonomy Law required regional regulations to be followed.

    Students hold a rally at Abepura Circle in Jayapura, the capital of Indonesia’s Papua Province, yesterday to protest against Indonesia’s plan to resume a transmigration programme, Image: Victor Mambor/BenarNews

    Legality questioned
    Papuan legislator John N.R. Gobay questioned the role of Papua’s six new autonomous regional governments in the transmigration process. He cited Article 61 of the law, which mandates that transmigration proceed only with gubernatorial consent and regulatory backing.

    Without these clear regional regulations, he warned, transmigration lacks a strong legal foundation and could conflict with special autonomy rules.

    He also pointed to a 2008 Papuan regulation stating that transmigration should proceed only after the Indigenous Papuan population reaches 20 million. In 2023, the population across six provinces of Papua was about 6.25 million, according to Indonesia’s Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS).

    Gobay suggested prioritising local transmigration to better support indigenous development in their own region.

    ‘Entrenched inequality’
     British MP Alex Sobel, chair of the International Parliamentarians for West Papua, expressed concern over the programme, noting its role in drastic demographic shifts and structural discrimination in education, land rights and employment.

    “Transmigration has entrenched inequality rather than promoting prosperity,” Sobel told BenarNews, adding that it had contributed to Papua remaining Indonesia’s poorest regions.

    Pramono Suharjono, who transmigrated to Papua, Indonesia, in 1986, harvests oranges on his land in Arso II in Keerom regency last week. Image: Victor Mambor/BenarNews]

    Pramono Suharjono, a resident of Arso II in Keerom, Papua, welcomed the idea of restarting the programme, viewing it as positive for the region’s growth.

    “This supports national development, not colonisation,” he told BenarNews.

    A former transmigrant who has served as a local representative, Pramono said transmigration had increased local knowledge in agriculture, craftsmanship and trade.

    However, research has shown that longstanding social issues, including tensions from cultural differences, have marginalised indigenous Papuans and fostered resentment toward non-locals, said La Pona, a lecturer at Cenderawasih University.

    Papua also faces a humanitarian crisis because of conflicts between Indonesian forces and pro-independence groups. United Nations data shows between 60,000 and 100,000 Papuans were displaced between and 2022.

    As of September 2024, human rights advocates estimate 79,000 Papuans remain displaced even as Indonesia denies UN officials access to the region.

    Pizaro Gozali Idrus in Jakarta contributed to this report. Republished with the permission of BenarNews.

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Monitoring update: November 2024

    Source: Tertiary Education Commission

    This update includes information about:

    Fees Free from 2025
    Final-year Fees Free online content updated
    The final-year Fees Free eligibility criteria and settings are now available on the TEC and Fees Free websites.  

    Fees Free website – the home page of the Fees Free website directs learners to either the final-year or first-year information depending on when they are starting their study or training.
    TEC website –information on first-year Fees Free and final-year Fees Free is now available on the following pages:

    Updating your website
    Please review and update the Fees Free copy on your website, using the following information. This clarifies to learners starting study or training for the first time in 2025 that Fees Free will cover final-year fees, for eligible learners.
    Content for TEO websites – final-year Fees Free
    We will keep you informed as this important mahi progresses. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please email customerservice@tec.govt.nz with the subject line [EDUMIS #] – final-year Fees Free policy or call 0800 601 301.
    Student services fees: 2024 reports due
    Since 1 January 2023, student services fees (SSFs) are regulated through funding conditions determined by the Minister for Tertiary Education and Skills and administered by the TEC. Funding conditions outline the rules that TEOs must follow when receiving TEC funding, including that TEOs that charge an SSF must report on it annually.

    Tertiary education institutions (TEIs) must report on their SSF in their annual reports.
    Registered private training establishments (PTEs) must provide a written report to their learners. They must then forward this report to the TEC.

    Thank you to those who have already submitted their 2024 report. For TEOs that charge an SSF but have not yet submitted their report, please send your current SSF report to ssf@tec.govt.nz. 
    For more information about how to report on SSFs, including what to include in your report, see the guidance:
    Student services fees: Guidance for tertiary education providers (PDF 1.1 MB).
    If you have any questions, please contact ssf@tec.govt.nz.
    Annual Maximum Fee Movement (AMFM)
    The Government regulates how much tertiary providers can increase their fees for domestic students each year through the AMFM. This caps the percentage increase on fees for existing courses at level 3 and above on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).
    Following consultation, the Minister has confirmed that the AMFM rate will be set at 6.0% for the 2025 calendar year. This permits an increase of up to a 6.0% on the fees (GST exclusive) charged to domestic students in 2024. The increase aims to strike a balance between supporting providers to manage cost pressures and supporting affordable tertiary education for students and their whānau.
    The micro-credential fee cap
    The micro-credential fee cap sets a per-credit cap on the fees that providers can charge domestic students enrolled in micro-credentials. Following consultation, the Minister has confirmed a $64 (GST inclusive) per credit fee cap will be maintained for the 2025 calendar year.
    2025 AMFM exceptions
    TEOs may apply for an AMFM exception to increase your fee by up to an additional 6% above the permitted AMFM.
    We may only grant an exception to the AMFM policy under exceptional circumstances. The exception criteria are published in the funding mechanisms.
    How to apply for an exception to the AMFM
    The application process for 2025 is now open. TEOs must submit applications for any courses that start between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025 by 5.00pm on 29 November 2024.
    Please read the exceptions information:
    AMFM exceptions – Application guidelines and assessment information (PDF 501 KB).
    Submit applications and all supporting information with the subject line [EDUMIS] – Exception to the AMFM to our Customer Contact Group at customerservice@tec.govt.nz.
    For more information, see Annual Maximum Fee Movement (AMFM).
    Monitoring the AMFM
    During TEC audits we monitor compliance with the AMFM and associated conditions. Recent audits have identified some issues, including:

    TEOs increasing fees for some courses above the AMFM rate. Audits will look at increases in fees in each course to ensure they stay within the cap.
    Discrepancies between the fees being charged to learners and the fees that are recorded in Services for Tertiary Education Organisations (STEO). It is a condition of your funding that you must report in STEO accurate information regarding the fee you are charging learners.

    If you have any questions about fees, including how to update fees in STEO or how to calculate your fee increases, please contact your relationship manager or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.  
    Correctly reporting course results and end dates
    We have recently identified a number of inconsistencies in some TEOs’ reporting of courses where a result has not yet been determined. Please continue reporting courses in the Single Data Return (SDR) until a result is available, after the course end date has elapsed. This may mean manually adding a course enrolment record to the SDR if the course end date was in a previous calendar year.
    Note that you should not change the end date of extended or un-resulted courses. Although this may be a workaround to keep the record active in your student management system (SMS), it will result in funding anomalies (including over-funding) when you change end dates from one December SDR to subsequent SDR.

    For courses at Levels 1–8, you must report a result within 11 months of the course end date. A result means a completion code that is not code 0, 6 or 7.
    Courses at Levels 9 or 10 can continue to be reported in the SDR with a non-completion code of 6 or 7 indefinitely. You can do this until a completion result is available (code 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5).

    Please do not change course start or end dates once returned in a previous December SDR. The preferred approach is to continue reporting extended Level 9 and 10 courses with a completion code of 6 or 7. You can do this each year without changing the course end date, until a result of code 1,2,3,4 or 5 is available and reported in the SDR.
    More information can be found on page 135 of the SDR Manual:
    SDR Manual (PDF 1.73 MB).
    If you have any questions, please contact your relationship manager or customerservice@tec.govt.nz.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Urge Federal Agencies Expand Outreach on Discharging Student Loan Debt in Bankruptcy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock – Georgia

    Senator Reverend Warnock, Colleagues Urge Federal Agencies Expand Outreach on Discharging Student Loan Debt in Bankruptcy

    New data shows vast majority of borrowers using the new guidance received recommendations for either full or partial debt discharge
    ICYMI from Business Insider: More student-loan borrowers are taking advantage of an updated route to get rid of their debt in bankruptcy court, top Democratic senators say
    Senator Reverend Warnock, lawmakers: “We encourage your agencies to continue to expand awareness of the guidance so that the 43 million borrowers in the United States… may be able to access relief if they need to file for bankruptcy”
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (ED) to continue expanding awareness to student loan borrowers who are struggling financially about available resources to discharge their student loans in bankruptcy.
    In November 2022, the DOJ and ED issued guidance to DOJ attorneys that sought to streamline the process of discharging student loans in bankruptcy. Prior to this change, borrowers had to undergo a confusing, invasive, and time-consuming process in bankruptcy court to prove repayment would constitute an “undue hardship.”
    “The ‘undue hardship’ standard historically set an unnecessarily high bar that essentially required borrowers to demonstrate a certainty of hopelessness to obtain relief,” wrote the senators.
    99.9% of borrowers who filed bankruptcy from 2011 to 2019 did not have their student loans discharged — borrowers came to believe that there was no way out of the crushing weight of student loans, even through bankruptcy. Since DOJ and ED’s new process was announced, more and more borrowers have received relief. New data obtained by Senator Warren’s office show that, under the Biden administration’s new guidance, 85% of borrowers who sought relief received recommendations for either full or partial debt discharge.
    The high rates of total or partial discharge for those who have applied through the new guidance suggest that many other borrowers could also qualify if they applied. The senators are pushing to expand awareness on the more transparent, fair, and accessible process.
    “We thank you for your agencies’ ongoing commitment to helping borrowers struggling with student debt and urge continued outreach to expand awareness of the streamlined process for qualified borrowers,” concluded the senators.
    Senator Reverend Warnock has long advocated for comprehensive action to address the student loan crisis and has continued pushing the Administration to deliver meaningful student debt relief. Most recently, Senator Warnock led the first Senate Banking committee hearing in over a decade to focus on private student loans and explored the lack of data and transparency in that market and loan servicing concerns while highlighting the potential legislative and regulatory recommendations and measures to stop these abusive practices and to better protect students and taxpayers. Additionally, in August of 2023, the Senator pushed President Biden to swiftly fulfill his promise to deliver targeted student debt cancellation to working and middle-class families following the misguided SCOTUS decision overturning the President’s student debt cancellation.
    The letter can be found HERE and text of the letter is below:
    Dear Attorney General Garland and Secretary Cardona:
    We are writing today to highlight and support your agencies’ progress in making it easier for borrowers struggling financially to discharge their student loans in bankruptcy. In November 2022, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Education (ED) released guidance to DOJ attorneys that sought to streamline the process of discharging student loans in bankruptcy. In the time since, more and more borrowers have taken advantage of this guidance and received relief.
    The 1978 Bankruptcy Code allowed borrowers to discharge their federal student loans by demonstrating that repayment would impose an “undue hardship” on the borrower or by showing that the loan became due at least five years before the borrower’s bankruptcy filing. Subsequent amendments benefitting lenders, however, removed the second option. Further, the “undue hardship” standard historically set an unnecessarily high bar that essentially required borrowers to demonstrate a certainty of hopelessness to obtain relief. The federal government’s aggressive challenges in bankruptcy court against students who pursued undue hardship claims only exacerbated the issue. The lack of clarity resulted in a situation where 99.9% of borrowers who filed bankruptcy from 2011 to 2019 did not have their student loans discharged and remained burdened by student loans even after exiting the bankruptcy process.
    In November 2022, after we advocated for a more simplified and transparent process, DOJ and ED published new guidance to make it easier for borrowers to discharge student loans through bankruptcy. The guidance outlined a more transparent, fair, and accessible process designed to empower borrowers burdened with crippling student loan debt who previously had no clear pathway for relief.
    Previously unpublished data obtained by our offices show the impressive growth of the program thus far. For example, while only roughly 200 borrowers attempted to discharge student debt in each of Fiscal Years (FY) 2021 and 2022, that number rose to 648 in FY 2023. In less than eight months in FY 2024, nearly 900 borrowers sought to discharge their student loans in bankruptcy, adding up to 1,520 borrowers since the guidance was implemented.
    Equally important, both unpublished and publicly available data show that the overwhelming majority of those who sought discharge using the new guidance were provided debt relief through full or partial discharge. The Biden Administration recommended approximately seven in 10 borrowers who filed using the updated guidance for full student loan debt discharge. The Administration recommended another 15% of borrowers receive partial debt discharge, meaning 85% of borrowers using the new guidance received recommendations for either full or partial debt discharge. Critically, courts accepted those recommendations in 98% of cases, meaning borrowers received real relief at the end of this process.
    ED and DOJ deserve praise for the complete turnaround of student loan bankruptcy outcomes and you should continue to build on the successes of the streamlined guidance so that more borrowers with crushing student loan debt can find relief. We encourage your agencies to continue to expand awareness of the guidance so that the 43 million borrowers in the United States, who carry a total of $1.6 trillion dollars in student loan debt, may be able to access relief if they need to file for bankruptcy. The high rates of total or partial discharge for those who have applied through the new guidance suggest that many other borrowers would also qualify if they have applied. For years, borrowers came to correctly believe that there was essentially no way out of the crushing weight of student loans, even through bankruptcy. ED and DOJ have changed this narrative and you should continue to educate potentially qualifying borrowers, their attorneys, and other individuals and organizations who work to help borrowers. 
    We thank you for your agencies’ ongoing commitment to helping borrowers struggling with student debt and urge continued outreach to expand awareness of the streamlined process for qualified borrowers. Further, for Congress and the public to better assess your agencies’ plans to increase borrowers’ access to relief through bankruptcy, please provide responses to the following questions by November 12, 2024:
    What types of education and outreach have your agencies already used to reach borrowers regarding the new guidance?
    What are your agencies’ plans for continued and improved education and outreach about the streamlined process to borrowers who may benefit from it? 
    What specific goals do your agencies have for measuring the success of increased education and outreach to borrowers who may benefit from the streamlined process? How will these goals change over time if at all? 
    Do your agencies have systems in place so that borrowers who have filed for bankruptcy can track their filing? If a system does not yet exist, what resources do your agencies need to create one? 
    How much time elapses, on average, between a borrower’s bankruptcy filing and a discharge determination entered by a court under the new process? Please provide a timeline of the different phases of the process (e.g., filing of an adversary proceeding, review by the assigned DOJ attorney, review by ED, recommendation filed by DOJ and ED) and how long each phase typically takes.
    Do your agencies track or record the reasons for denial of discharge based on the factors considered under the guidance? If so, please describe the 3-5 most common reasons you have identified.
    Do your agencies track or record student loan discharge outcomes by region? If so, please describe any regional trends you have observed.
    How can Congress support your agencies as you increase your education and outreach efforts to borrowers?

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Law Enforcement Officers Join Students for A Day of Learning

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    BLAST
    (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community)
    The BLAST Program Brings Law Enforcement and Communities Together

    TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – The United States Attorney’s Office, the Tallahassee Police Department, and Leon High School will present a BLAST event at Leon High School on Thursday, November 7. The BLAST event offers students an opportunity to meet and ask questions of prosecutors and law enforcement officers. The program is based on the belief that young people and law enforcement officers can benefit from spending time together discussing challenges and perspectives on law enforcement to reach a better understanding of each other. This productive interaction enhances relationships and replaces doubt with familiarity and trust.

    During the three-hour program, law enforcement officers share the challenges in responding to dangerous or uncertain circumstances and the actions officers and civilians can take to de-escalate situations.

    Agencies participating in the program include the ATF, DEA, FBI, United States Marshals Service, and the Tallahassee Police Department.

    Members of the media are welcome to attend and photograph/video most segments of the BLAST (Building Lasting Relationships Between Police and Community) program.

    Event: BLAST
    (Building Lasting Relationships Between Law Enforcement and Community)
    Location: Leon High School
    550 East Tennessee Street
    Tallahassee, FL 32308

    Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024

    Time: 8:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. EST

    Media: Please RSVP to chris.canova@usdoj.gov if you plan to attend.

    The BLAST program schedule includes the following discussion sessions, during which students have a chance to participate in role-play with law enforcement officers. (Students with media permissions will be identified)

    • Federal Crimes Scenario: Students evaluate video scenarios and learn about each phase of a federal criminal case, including investigation, prosecution, and sentencing. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Domestic Response / K-9 Demonstration: Students participate in a scenario in which law enforcement officers respond to a domestic disturbance. The discussion includes the challenges officers face, the rights of witnesses and suspects, and the benefits of providing information to law enforcement. Officers explain the role and capabilities of police K9s. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Traffic Stop Simulation: Students and officers alternate playing the roles of civilians and officers in a traffic stop. The discussion includes de-escalation and the uncertainty officers and vehicle occupants face during a traffic stop. This session is open to the media, and videography and photography are permitted.

    • Use of Force: Facilitators and students discuss when law enforcement officers may use force and an officer’s reaction time when confronted with a life-threatening situation. This session is closed to the media. Reporters may try the simulator equipment after the event ends.

    • The Way Forward – Returning from Prison: A formerly incarcerated individual shares his journey from prison to a productive citizen.

    The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New appointments to National Portrait Gallery of Australia Board

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Albanese Labor Government has today announced the appointment of Ms Sam Meers AO as a member and future Chair, the reappointment of Mrs Penny Fowler AM as interim Chair and Ms Elizabeth Dibbs as a member of the Board to the National Portrait Gallery.

    Mrs Fowler will serve as Chair for the remainder of her final term until March 2025 and will be succeeded by Ms Meers for a two and half year term. Ms Dibbs will be appointed as a member for a three year term from January 2025. 

    The National Portrait Gallery holds Australia’s largest collection of portraits of notable Australians, telling our story and increasing the understanding and appreciation of Australian people by examining their identity, history, culture, creativity and diversity. 

    Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke, said the experience and skills of the appointees would be invaluable to the Board.

    “Sam has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to the Australian arts sector and her significant experience will provide continued strong leadership for the gallery.

    “I’d also like to thank Penny and Elizabeth for their continued service and dedication to the National Portrait gallery.

    “Penny has made a significant contribution in advancing the goals of Revive at the gallery, including elevating First Nations representation in the collection and ensuring the institution can present Australian stories through the diverse and emotive genre of portraiture.” 

    Ms Sam Meers AO is co-founder and Chair of the Nelson Meers Foundation, a not-for-profit philanthropic foundation. Ms Meers has extensive experience in the arts and philanthropy sectors and was made an Officer for the Order of Australia in 2018. She is currently chairman of the Brett Whiteley Foundation and a director of Environmental Leadership Australia. Her board appointments have included chairman of Belvoir St Theatre; chairman of Documentary Australia; deputy chairman of the Federal Government Creative Partnerships Australia; a trustee of the Arts Gallery of NSW and a director of the State Library of NSW Foundation. Ms Meers holds degrees in Law and Arts and a Master of letters (literature) from the University of Sydney. She is a member of Chief Executive Women, and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Royal Society of NSW.

    Ms Elizabeth Dibbs is currently a member of the Board where she has managed the role of chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for three years. She is deputy chancellor of Western Sydney University and chair of its Audit and Risk Committee. She is also deputy chair of the ACT City Renewal Authority and chair of United Way Australia. Elizabeth has previously served as the Western City District Commissioner for the Greater Cities Commission, as a Council Member of Chief Executive Women, chair of its Scholarship Committee and as chair of YWCA NSW. 

    Mrs Penny Fowler AM has served as chair of the of the Board since January 2022 after first being appointed as a member in March 2016. She is the chair of the Herald and Weekly Times and is News Corp Australia’s Community Ambassador. She is also chair of the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, chair of the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, a Board member of Tourism Australia, an Advisory Board member of Visy, and a Board member of Tech Mahindra. Ms Fowler is a member of Chief Executive Women and an ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation and SecondBite. In 2024, Mrs Fowler was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Quincy Jones mastered the art of arrangement, transforming simple tunes into epic soundscapes

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jose Valentino Ruiz, Associate Professsor of Music Business and Entrepreneurship, University of Florida

    Quincy Jones left his indelible touch on some of the 20th century’s most iconic albums. Arnold Turner/Getty Images for Netflix

    On the sleeve notes of some of the most memorable and best-selling albums of all time, you’ll find the words “Produced and arranged by Quincy Jones.”

    It was a hallmark of quality.

    Jones, who died on Nov. 3, 2024, at the age of 91, transformed our understanding of musical arrangement. His work spanned decades and genres, from jazz and pop to hip-hop and film scoring. He worked with pop icons like Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin, and also collaborated with lesser-known artists such as Lesley Gore and Tevin Campbell.

    Each of his projects, collaborations and forays into new genres redefined what it meant to arrange music.

    As a music business and entrepreneurship professor, I’ve studied and taught Jones’ techniques, which I hope can inspire the next generation of musicians.

    A master musical architect

    Musical arrangement might seem like an abstract concept.

    Simply put, it’s the art of deciding how a song unfolds. While a composer writes the melody and harmony, an arranger shapes the experience, choosing which instruments play when, how textures build and where dynamics shift.

    Arrangement transforms a song from notes on paper into a fully realized piece of art that resonates with listeners. In essence, an arranger acts as a musical architect, designing the structure of a song to tell a compelling story.

    Jones brought a visionary approach to arranging. He wasn’t merely filling in the gaps around a melody with a drum beat here and a horn section there; he was crafting a musical narrative that gave each instrument a purpose, guiding listeners through an emotional journey.

    From his early work in the 1950s and 1960s with jazz greats like Count Basie and R&B star Ray Charles, to his blockbuster productions with Michael Jackson, Jones saw arrangement as a tool to guide listeners from one musical moment to the next.

    Elevating voices

    His work on “Sinatra at the Sands” is but one example.

    Jones created lush, energetic big-band arrangements that perfectly complemented Sinatra’s smooth, warm voice. The choice of brass swells and the dynamic shifts amplified Sinatra’s charisma, turning the album into a lively, almost-cinematic experience. Unlike many arrangements, which often stay in the background, Jones’ took center stage, blending harmoniously with Sinatra’s vocals while adding depth and excitement to the entire performance.

    In Ray Charles’ “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” Jones used orchestral swells and background vocals to bring out the soul in Charles’ voice, creating a richly emotional experience for listeners. By intelligently pairing Charles’ gospel-tinged vocals with a polished, orchestral arrangement, Jones captured the tension between sorrow and resilience – a demonstration of his ability to communicate complex emotions through arrangement.

    Ray Charles, left, shares a laugh with Quincy Jones in 2004.
    George Pimentel/WireImage for NARAS via Getty Images

    Turning songs into stories

    Jones’ skill at using arrangement as a storytelling device was exemplified by his collaboration with Jackson.

    Albums like “Thriller” and “Off the Wall” showcased Jones’ knack for inventively layering sounds. On “Thriller,” Jones combined electronic and acoustic elements to create a multidimensional soundscape that set a new standard for production.

    His ability to incorporate textures, background vocals and unique instrument choices – such as horror actor Vincent Price’s iconic narration on the song “Thriller” – transformed pop music, setting the stage for future producers to experiment with storytelling in their own arrangements.

    In Jackson’s “Bad,” Jones pushed the boundaries of genre by blending funk rhythms with pop structures, giving Jackson’s music a timeless appeal.

    The title track’s arrangement has layers of rhythm and harmony that build a feeling of tension and power, enhancing Jackson’s message of confidence and defiance. Each instrument and background vocal in “Bad” serves a purpose, creating a sound that is bold, exciting and engaging.

    Lessons for educators

    For educators teaching music production and commercial music, Jones’ approach provides a gold mine of practical lessons.

    First, his commitment to genre fusion teaches students the importance of versatility. Jones’ career demonstrates that blending jazz, pop, funk and even classical elements can create something innovative and accessible. Students can learn to break free from the constraints of single-genre production, seeing instead how various musical styles can work together to create fresh, engaging sounds.

    Quincy Jones, pictured here with Michael Jackson, won 28 Grammys during his career.
    Chris Walter/WireImage via Getty Images

    Second, Jones’ emphasis on storytelling through arrangement offers students a framework for making music that resonates.

    In my classes, I encourage students to ask themselves: How does each musical element support the emotional arc of the song? By studying Jones’ arrangements, students learn to think of themselves as storytellers, not just sound engineers. They can begin to see arrangement as an art form in itself – one that has the power to captivate audiences by drawing them into a musical journey.

    Finally, Jones’ work shows the power of collaboration. His willingness to work across genres and with a variety of artists – each bringing unique perspectives – demonstrates the value of open-mindedness and adaptability.

    His life’s work serves as a reminder that music is more than just sound; it’s an experience shaped by careful, intentional decisions, with every sound and silence in a piece of music serving a purpose.

    Jose Valentino Ruiz is the CEO of JV Music Enterprises.

    – ref. Quincy Jones mastered the art of arrangement, transforming simple tunes into epic soundscapes – https://theconversation.com/quincy-jones-mastered-the-art-of-arrangement-transforming-simple-tunes-into-epic-soundscapes-242877

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada and churches have moral obligations for the reparations of missing and disappeared Indigenous children: Final Report

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Frank Deer, Professor, Faculty of Education, University of Manitoba

    Independent Special Interlocutor Kimberly Murray has released her final report after two years of examining the issue of missing and disappeared Indigenous children and unmarked burials sites at residential schools in Canada.

    During the ceremony last week in Gatineau, Que., Murray said governments do not often implement recommendations given on such reports. So she opted to identify 42 “legal, moral and ethical obligations” for governments, churches and other institutions. These are proposals on how to make holistic reparations to Indigenous Peoples.

    Murray emphasized that the children were “victims of enforced disappearance.”

    Since the 1870s and continuing for more than 150 years, over 150,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were taken from their families and forced to attend church-run, government-funded residential schools. The National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation has documented more than 4,100 deaths of children at the schools.

    After potential unmarked graves were identified at former residential school sites, the Canadian government appointed Murray to make recommendations on unmarked graves and burial sites.

    The report, “Sites of Truth, Sites of Conscience” focuses on aspects of the Indian Residential School experience: unaccounted missing children, unmarked grave sites, the roles of government and churches in the Indian Residential School genocide and failure to maintain records of the deaths and burials of deceased children.

    The report centres Indigenous strategies for research and advances a framework of reparations to “support the search for and recovery of the missing and disappeared children and unmarked burials.” It is an extension of the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) whose final report devoted an entire volume toward missing children and unmarked burials. The newest report is even more bold than the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

    The TRC report observed that “the most basic of questions about missing children — Who died? Why did they die? Where are they buried? — have never been addressed or comprehensively documented by the Canadian Government.”

    Since the TRC report was released in 2015, efforts to investigate this issue of missing children and unmarked graves has increased significantly.

    CBC News report: Special interlocutor on Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites issues final report.

    Reconciliation and reparations

    Murray explores the issue of genocide in the Indian Residential School system in ways that indict the Canadian government and other institutions of crimes.

    The report says Canada must refer to “the enforced disappearance of children,” as a “crime against humanity” and the issue needs to be taken to the International Criminal Court. It further states that the “federal government and other institutions have worked harder to protect perpetrators than they ever did to protect Indigenous children, families, and communities,” and that Canada has embraced a culture of “settler amnesia and willful forgetting.”

    In support of this indictment, Murray shows how the government and church were not only responsible for acts of omission in that somehow failed to protect Indigenous children in their care. Instead, they were acts of commission: deliberately created situations in which Indigenous children in their care were severely harmed.

    Murray refers to this as forced disappearances — when the liberty of Indigenous children is taken away and their fate was concealed.

    In addition, the Independent Special Interlocutor also focuses on, among other things, our moral and ethical obligations as foundational frames for reparations.

    A moral framework

    Murray put forth 42 obligations that reflect the morally and ethically centred responsibilities of governments, churches and other institutions.

    These moral and ethical responsibilities inform the reparations that Murray articulates in her report.

    These responsibilities and obligations include:

    • Calls for long-term financial support of investigations into missing and disappeared Indigenous children and Indian Residential School burial sites

    • Support for survivors

    • The recording of their stories

    Core values

    Underlining the report is a moral principal that efforts to find missing children and unmarked graves must be Indigenous-led.

    These moral principles, this foundation for action, articulated by Murray, can provide a compelling rationale that may help change attitudes and action.

    The recent report puts forth several moral and ethical principles which we need to consider.

    One of the report’s powerful statements is:

    “Children must be cared for in life and after death.”

    This might seem to some a simple point that is obvious and even unnecessary. However, the distance between such important declarations and the policies of Canadian governments and institutions has been vast.

    That this particular principle refers to the importance of care “after death” ought to be familiar to any of us who’ve lost loved ones. However, stating it clearly here strengthens the point that government and other institutions have obligations to children who died in their care.

    Another important principle from the report is that “search and recovery work is sacred.”

    The need to discover who died, the reasons why they died, and the location of their remains is one so connected to the emotional well-being of living descendants and fellow community members that it is a spiritual journey.

    This is why the search and recovery processes must be Indigenous-led.

    This report, like the TRC’s and the final report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, contains demands for action that should be accepted and acted upon by governments and institutions.

    The moral and ethical principles that inform those demands can be as important for informing change. It is in these principles that we may find moral guidance and direction toward righteousness.

    We may also find, if we’re paying attention, our humanity.

    Frank Deer receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Canada and churches have moral obligations for the reparations of missing and disappeared Indigenous children: Final Report – https://theconversation.com/canada-and-churches-have-moral-obligations-for-the-reparations-of-missing-and-disappeared-indigenous-children-final-report-242560

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘I can make a band play like a singer sings’: Quincy Jones shaped our listening for seven decades

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leigh Carriage, Senior Lecturer in Music, Southern Cross University

    The legendary composer, musical arranger and producer Quincy Jones has died at 91.

    Over his long career, Jones arranged and produced for a broad range of genres. His work blended the traditions of jazz, popular, world music and Western classical music.

    This was perhaps most present in his 1989 album Back on the Block. It features jazz improvisation, Zulu language, gospel and rapping. The album won seven Grammy Awards, including album of the year.

    But even more than his own albums, Jones will be familiar to listeners across decades of popular music, for his work as a producer and arranger with legendary artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Barry White, Chaka Khan, Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson.

    Finding his feet in jazz

    Jones was born in Chicago in 1933, right in the middle of the depression. Around 11 years old, Jones found music.

    In high school, Jones sang in a capella groups and played in school bands on the trumpet.

    By 13, he was beginning to demonstrate a strong musical ability and musicianship skills, writing arrangements for his bands.

    When Jones was a teenager, his family moved from Chicago to Seattle. In these early years, Jones had two pivotal mentors. One was the jazz trumpeter Clark Terry; the other was his contemporary and friend Ray Charles.

    By the late 1940s, Jones was working as a trumpeter and as composer and arranger for bandleaders such as Dizzy Gillespie and Lionel Hampton.

    A jazz big band bandleader in the 1950s, Jones quickly became a sought-after arranger.

    Over his career, he worked on numerous jazz recordings with Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan (including a great swingin’ arrangement of the song
    Witchcraft), Frank Sinatra (with popular favourites Fly Me To The Moon and Mack the Knife) and the Dinah Washington recording They Didn’t Believe Me with the Quincy Jones Orchestra.

    The move into pop

    By the 1960s Jones began transitioning into popular music.

    In 1961 Jones became the first African American in the position of vice president at a major label, Mercury Records. In 1963 Jones selected and produced Lesley Gore’s hit song It’s My Party from more than 200 demos.

    Elements of the previous decades expertise in jazz arranging are apparent with touches of brass and reharmonising (or modifying the harmonic structure – the chords) of a song. Jones’ production approach here was to double-track the melody (duplicating, and placing the second track with a slight delay), enhancing the richness of Gore’s voice.

    In 1968, Jones received his first Oscar nomination for Best Original Score for the soundtrack to In Cold Blood. The following year his composing and arranging versatility was demonstrated when he wrote the music for The Italian Job.

    In 1979 Jones began working with Michael Jackson on the album Off The Wall.

    By the 1980s, Jones was receiving high acclaim and success immersed in many diverse projects including Jackson’s Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987), in which Jones masterfully fuses pop with rhythm and blues, rock and funk.

    His innovation in producing was in his broad understanding of multiple genres of music, adoption of technology and his constant musical invention.

    ‘A great gift’

    In 1985 Jones and Michael Omartian were asked to produce the song We Are The World, written by Lionel Richie and Jackson. It was released to worldwide acclaim.

    Jones conducted the recording and left a sign on the studio door: “Check your egos at the door”.

    Also in 1985, Jones wrote the original score and produced the music for Steven Spielberg’s The Colour Purple, including the song Miss Celie’s Blues, written collaboratively with Jones, Rod Temperton and Richie. The score and Miss Celie’s Blues each received another Oscar nomination for Jones.

    Jones was requested on many large projects as a conductor. A great example is Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration (1992) conducted by Jones. This album featured some of the music industry’s best arrangers Mervyn Warren and Shelton Kilby as well as a stellar list of vocalists such as Gladys Knight, Take 6, Sounds of Blackness, Pattie Austin, Johnny Mathis, Chaka Khan and Al Jarreau.

    In an interview with culture journalist David Marchese in 2018, Jones was asked what he was proudest of in his musical career. He told Marchese:

    That anything I can feel, I can notate musically. Not many people can do that. I can make a band play like a singer sings. That’s what arranging is, and it’s a great gift.

    Beyond his own work as an artist, Jones undertook humanitarian work, mentored new generations of musicians, and was often a commentator on jazz history or the significance of African Americans in the entertainment and recording industry.

    Jones’ artistic innovation and highly effective collaborations, spanning a 70-year career, has made an indelible contribution to music and culture globally.

    Leigh Carriage 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. ‘I can make a band play like a singer sings’: Quincy Jones shaped our listening for seven decades – https://theconversation.com/i-can-make-a-band-play-like-a-singer-sings-quincy-jones-shaped-our-listening-for-seven-decades-242813

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What Kamala Harris’ Converse All-Stars tell us about how shoes shape our identity

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Sherlock, Lecturer, School of Fashion and Textiles, RMIT University

    Like most public figures, Kamala Harris adapts her footwear to different occasions. While her wardrobe includes traditional choices such as formal black heels, it was her appearance in Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars on the February 2021 cover of Vogue that drew particular notice.

    As Democratic nominee for president, these sneakers once again became a focal point of her campaign.

    Through her choice of sneakers, Harris signals a new era in female political leadership – and demonstrates how footwear choices can shape a leader’s identity and ability to connect with voters.

    Embracing all-American values

    We may know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but all politicians – especially women – know that we inevitably do. The appearance of others is how we categorise people to make sense of the world and our place in it.

    Clothing is a key medium through which we identify ourselves and others. Shoes are particularly layered with meaning: when we observe someone’s footwear we are using them to know whether or not we identify with that person.

    This is something that politicians and their teams know and manipulate to win votes.

    One famous scene that illustrates this beautifully is Brooklyn Democratic congressman David Norris’s concession speech in the movie The Adjustment Bureau (2011).

    Played by Matt Damon, the character reveals the significant work that goes into curating the perfect outfit:

    Shiny shoes, we associate with high-priced lawyers and bankers. If you want to get a working man’s vote, you need to scuff up your shoes a little bit, but you can’t scuff them up so much that you alienate the lawyers and the bankers […] So what is the proper scuffing amount? Do you know, we actually paid a consultant $7,300 to tell us that THIS is the perfect amount of scuffing?

    While Harris’ Chuck Taylors generally look pristine, she is transparent about her awareness of the style’s significance to potential voters, explaining in a 2020 interview:

    Whatever your background or whatever language your grandmother spoke, we all at some point or another had our Chucks, right?

    An all-American shoe worn by people of all ages, races, genders and sexualities, the relatively inexpensive and utilitarian Converse All-Star is a social leveller – a smart choice for a politician wishing to identify with a broad electorate.

    As others have identified, Harris’ choice of sneakers signals her American values and no-nonsense attitude.

    In these shoes, she’s ready for anything.

    Shoes change us

    Interviewed in 2018, Harris’ relationship with the sneakers goes back several years and certainly appears authentic.

    Whether the initial choice to wear them was hers – or, like Norris, that of a team of consultants – is now irrelevant. Through the process of wear, shoes change us.

    Not only do they affect how we move through the world physically, but they also shape how we relate to others socially.

    Anyone who has selected a particular pair of shoes for an interview or special occasion will be familiar with their transformative effect, one that helps you to feel the part.

    Identity can be understood as something that is performed. When a performance is received as convincing, we become the part we are playing and the identity is incorporated into our sense of self.

    Harris’ shoes are relatable. In them, she is perceived as – and may therefore feel – approachable and down-to-earth.

    On the campaign trail, the social interactions they afford increase her ability to relate to and connect with other people. Through this process, her performance and her identity become one.

    One might say she has become her shoes; in doing so, she has come to embody the all-American values they represent. And at only 5 feet 4 ¼ inches, the choice not to compensate for her height with heels exudes a self-assurance more women are discovering.

    This woman knows who she is and is reassuringly at ease with herself.

    Finding authenticity

    Aside from ongoing speculation about Trump’s height and whether he wears elevating insoles, his choice of footwear has attracted comparatively less attention, as is often the case for male politicians.

    According to Footwear News, he rarely diverts from black leather dress shoes, signifying his corporate associations. This didn’t stop Trump launching a line of gold sneakers, named “Never Surrender High-Tops” and priced at US$399 in February. A new design, with the words “Fight, fight, fight”, was released after the July assassination attempt.

    This represents quite a different use of shoes to connect with voters.

    In an era when authenticity in politics is increasingly valued, Harris’ footwear choice represents more than a campaign strategy. It reflects changing expectations around power and leadership.

    Her Converse sneakers challenge the notion that women must literally elevate themselves to command authority.

    Instead, they suggest a new kind of political performance where power comes not from height or traditional status symbols, but from the ability to connect genuinely with voters.

    Alexandra Sherlock 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. What Kamala Harris’ Converse All-Stars tell us about how shoes shape our identity – https://theconversation.com/what-kamala-harris-converse-all-stars-tell-us-about-how-shoes-shape-our-identity-242777

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sols 4352-4354: Halloween Fright Night on Mars

    Source: NASA

    3 min read

    Earth planning date: Friday, Nov. 1, 2024

    Yesterday evening (Thursday) was Halloween for many of us here on Earth. My neighborhood in eastern Canada was full of small (and not so small!) children, running around in the dark collecting sweets and candy but also getting scared by the ghostly decorations hung at each house. Little did we suspect that our poor rover on Mars was also getting spooked. Curiosity completed about a meter (about 3 feet) of the planned drive before becoming unsettled … scared, if you will! … when its left front wheel got hung up on a rock and stopped moving.

    Luckily, we understood this kind of frightened behavior and were able to resume planning today as per usual. That meter was enough to give us a whole new set of targets to choose from. As APXS Strategic Planner this week, I had chosen darker-looking targets in the workspace — “Ladder Lake” and “Reds Meadow” (shown in the accompanying MAHLI image) — earlier in the week. I was happy that bumping backwards by a meter allowed us to reach some of the more typical pale colored bedrock at “Eureka Valley” and a second APXS analysis on “Black Bear Lake,” which is a mixture of both pale bedrock and some darker layers. MAHLI added in a bonus set of images on “Stag Dome,” focusing on small, rougher patches on the pale bedrock.

    ChemCam is taking advantage of the short bump, too, adding a passive observation on the brushed Reds Meadow target, analyzed by APXS and MAHLI in Monday’s plan. A ChemCam LIBS target “Hoist Ridge” focuses on a small vertical face of dark material. Two long distance images planned for ChemCam’s Remote Micro Imager (RMI) look at the distribution of rocks along the Gediz Vallis ridge in the distance.

    Mastcam is taking several mosaics this weekend (must have gotten extra energy from the Halloween sugar!). Close to the rover, Mastcam will acquire single-frame images of the targets Hoist Ridge and Eureka Valley, and a small mosaic of some surficial troughs just a little further away. Moving further afield, a small 3×1 mosaic (three images in one row) will image the same area as the ChemCam RMI of the Gediz Vallis ridge, and a larger 9×2 mosaic will focus on the faraway yardang unit, where we hopefully will be in a few years.

    Then for the really big images: Mastcam will image the whole landscape in a special 360-degree view, so big it needs to be broken into two parts. The first will have 43×4 frames, the second 34×5 frames. These mosaics are huge, so we save them for when we are at a really good vantage point to allow us to capture as much detail as possible for science and engineering planning.

    As ever, we continue our environmental monitoring of conditions, with Mastcam and Navcam movies and images looking at dust in the atmosphere above and around us in Gale crater, and watching out for dust devils.

    Written by Catherine O’Connell-Cooper, Planetary Geologist at University of New Brunswick

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Confucius Institute marks 15 years of promoting China-Malta friendship

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Confucius Institute at the University of Malta received acclaim on Monday for its role in promoting friendship between China and Malta, as it marked its 15th anniversary.

    The special anniversary celebration featured performances by university students from the Confucius Institute as well as primary and secondary school students.

    In his address, Peng Yijun, charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Malta, praised the institute’s contributions over the past 15 years.

    “The Confucius Institute has opened a door for Maltese young people to explore the real China,” he said, underscoring the strong partnership between the University of Malta and Xiamen University in southeast China’s Fujian Province.

    Shi Dalin, vice president of Xiamen University, expressed hope that the Confucius Institute would continue to serve as a model for educational and cultural collaboration between Xiamen University and the University of Malta.

    University of Malta Pro-Rector Frank Bezzina highlighted Confucius Institute’s role in language teaching and cultural exchanges, noting that institute plays a unique role by promoting dialogue and mutual understanding.

    In a video message, Yu Yunfeng, director of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation at China’s Ministry of Education, said the Confucius Institute has played “a unique and important role” in promoting cultural exchanges and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese book reading classroom opens at university in Mongolia

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The Chinese Book Reading Classroom at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences was inaugurated in Ulan Bator on Monday.

    “All of our teachers and students are delighted that the Chinese Book Reading Classroom has opened at our school. We hope this classroom will help us learn more about China,” said Gonchigdorj Enkhbayar, vice director of the university, at the launch ceremony.

    Xue Ming, deputy editor-in-chief of the Inner Mongolia People’s Publishing House, spoke at the opening ceremony about the Inner Mongolia Publishing Group’s commitment to strengthening cultural exchanges under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation with neighboring countries.

    He said that the Chinese Book Reading Classroom will undoubtedly yield positive results in fostering cultural exchanges and mutual learning between the two countries. Additionally, it will provide new impetus and contribute to mutual assistance, friendly relations, and win-win cooperation.

    The Chinese publishing group donated more than 800 Chinese books across over 400 categories, including traditional culture, science, agriculture, medicine, literature, and dictionaries, to the reading classroom.

    Chinese Book Reading Classrooms have been gradually established in major universities in Mongolia since 2019, aimed at showcasing and introducing Chinese culture to Mongolian readers. Currently, there are six such classrooms.

    The opening of the reading classroom at the Mongolian University of Life Sciences is part of a series of activities titled “Feel China,” co-organized by the Chinese Embassy in Mongolia, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, Tourism, and Youth of Mongolia, and the Information Office of the People’s Government of China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Cambodia, China eye stronger digital economy cooperation

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    PHNOM PENH, Nov. 4 — The 2024 China-Cambodia Digital Economy Cooperation Forum was convened here in Phnom Penh, capital of Cambodia, on Monday, exploring ways to boost stronger digital economy cooperation between the two countries.

    In an opening speech, Cambodian Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth said the forum was vital to further promoting cooperation between Cambodia and China, especially in the fields of technology, innovation, and digital economy.

    “For Cambodia, the development of the digital economy is considered an important driver in the process of economic development,” he told the forum with approximately 250 participants.

    Pornmoniroth, who is also a Cambodian deputy prime minister, said the development of digital technology is one of the top priorities in the Cambodian government’s Pentagonal Strategy Phase 1 and that digital technology will help Cambodia achieve its vision of becoming a high-income country by 2050.

    “In recent years, digital technology has been rapidly developed, becoming a new stand for supporting and ensuring economic resilience,” he said.

    “The digital technology has spurred new innovations that contribute to value added creation, productivity increase, and work efficiency, as well as become a catalyst for global trade and economic connectivity,” he added.

    Pornmoniroth said Cambodia and China have been working closely to promote digital economy and that the Southeast Asian country has collaborated with Alibaba to boost e-commerce and with UnionPay International and Ant International’s Alipay+ to bolster cross-border QR code payments.

    At the event, the Digital Economy Professional Association of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia was launched.

    Pornmoniroth hopes that the association will play a leading role in promoting digital innovations, producing digital talents, and enhancing the use of digital technology.

    Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin praised Cambodia for its rapid development of digital economy, and was amazed by the significant rise of mobile payments with smartphones.

    He was pleased to see that China-Cambodia digital economy cooperation has progressed well, saying that China will continue to help Cambodia achieve the goal of 100 percent high-speed Internet coverage in urban areas and 70 percent coverage in rural areas by 2025.

    “Chinese companies in Cambodia have fully utilized their own technological advantages to promote emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud technology, and mobile payments in Cambodia, helping the kingdom improve its digital level and promote digital transformation,” he said.

    Lin Shiqiang, president of the China Chamber of Commerce in Cambodia, said China Unicom, Huawei and other companies have played a crucial role in constructing Cambodia-China submarine cable, providing strong support for the deep integration and connectivity of the digital economy of the two countries.

    Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh, said China has been a great supporter of digitalization of Cambodia, gradually transforming Cambodia’s present system into digitalization.

    “China has a policy. They are sharing their wealth and their technology with countries and with their friends like Cambodia,” he told Xinhua.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 136th Canton Fair wraps up with record int’l buyer attendance

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Buyers select massage machines at the 136th China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, Nov. 4, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The 136th Canton Fair, officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, concluded on Monday in Guangzhou, south China, recording a historic high in terms of overseas buyer attendance, according to data from the organizers.

    As of Sunday, a total of 253,000 overseas buyers from 214 countries and regions had attended the event, marking an increase of 2.8 percent compared to the previous edition held from April 15 to May 5 this year, setting a new record, Zhou Shanqing, deputy director of China Foreign Trade Center and head of the fair’s media center, told a press conference held on Monday.

    Buyers from countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) accounted for over 60 percent of the attendance. The number of buyers from Middle East countries grew the most, reaching 34,000 or a surge of 32.6 percent compared with the previous edition. There was also a notable rise in the number of buyers from the United States and European countries, with 54,000 attending, an 8.2-percent increase from the previous edition.

    The intended turnover of export transactions at this session reached 24.95 billion U.S. dollars, 1 percent higher than the previous session. Notably, transactions with Belt and Road partner countries accounted for more than half of this total, while transaction volumes involving buyers from Europe and the United States both logged growth.

    Yang Zhusong, an associate professor at the School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, said that the growing number of exhibitors at the fair is a microcosm of China’s influence in global import and export trade.

    The increase in buyer attendance from Europe and the United States is attributable not merely to their confidence in China’s huge market potential but also to China’s efficient manufacturing prowess, which provides a complete industrial chain of services, Yang said.

    The attendance of increasing number of enterprises from Belt and Road partner countries indicates that China’s cooperation with these countries is pragmatic and the benefits are mutual, according to Yang.

    Christian Noll, a buyer from Germany, was still busy on the last day of the fair. Focused mainly on garments, he browsed some booths and settled on a cooperation plan with a partner from Fuzhou in east China’s Fujian Province.

    “It is the biggest trade show I’ve ever seen. Normally trade shows happen every two years or at most once a year, to allow companies to innovate in between. This show occurs twice a year and each time the size is amazing, and there is a lot of new stuff. This is the coolest show on the planet,” said Noll.

    Having attended the fair for four consecutive years, Moulay Elkamel, a buyer from Morocco, described his latest trip to China as “beyond delightful.”

    “I’ve met great friends and partners and have seen many interesting products. It’s a pity the fair only lasts for half a month. I plan to come back for the show next year in April. There are already some orders ready for settlement,” Elkamel said.

    Themed “Serving high-quality development, promoting high-level opening up,” the 136th Canton Fair featured more than 30,000 exhibitors showcasing 1.15 million new products.

    Yang said international buyers are leveraging the Canton Fair as a platform to forge deeper, more mutually advantageous and promising partnerships with Chinese companies.

    The continuous development of “Made in China” and “Created in China” is also injecting fresh impetus into the growth of global industrial and supply chains, Yang added.

    Chu Shijia, deputy director and secretary general of the fair and head of China Foreign Trade Center, said that the continuous expansion of the Canton Fair reflects the growth and strength of China’s foreign trade, and demonstrates China’s unwavering determination to open wider to the outside world, providing new opportunities for the world with the country’s new development and contributing to the development of an open global economy.

    Founded in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong Province. It is the longest-running of several comprehensive international trading events in China, and is hailed as the barometer of China’s foreign trade.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Primary care involves more than GPs. A new review shows how patients can better access care

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Duckett, Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne

    Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

    Australians today are more likely than previous generations to live with complex and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.

    This means they’re more likely to need health care from a variety of different providers, such as nurses, podiatrists, psychologists and physiotherapists, as well as GPs. This is known as “multidisciplinary care”. It works best when the skills of all these professions are available to the patient in a co-ordinated way.

    But the roles of health professions, and the way they’re funded, have been frozen in legislation and policy for decades. Any change has been incremental and disjointed. It has mostly involved adding more items to the Medicare schedule, with each professional practising separately.

    The result has been greater inequity of access. Because fewer than half of allied health fee-for-service visits are bulk-billed, most patients pay almost A$70 for each consultation – and sometimes much more. Those who can’t afford the out-of-pocket costs and can’t find a bulk-billing practitioner miss out.

    To assess how the government can remove barriers to team-based care and get health professions working to their full potential, or their full “scope of practice”, last year the government commissioned an independent review.

    The final report, released yesterday, sets a new path for the primary care workforce. This could make multidisciplinary care within reach of all Australians.

    Using health-care workers’ full potential

    The review involved extensive consultation, including on two issues papers. The report itself incorporates feedback from the consultations, including sceptical comments, reflecting a divergence of opinions.

    Reflected the report’s title, Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce, its main emphasis is to change the rules and regulations imposed by state and federal governments. These stymie health professionals and limit their ability to use their full skills and knowledge to manage their patients’ care.

    Over recent decades, health professionals’ education has improved. So professionals are capable of doing more than previously. Yet the rules and regulations have not advanced and so inhibit professionals from making those skills and knowledge available.

    The review argues this contributes to career dissatisfaction, and to people leaving various health professions, exacerbating workforce shortages.

    The review proposes a new way of documenting and describing what can be done by a profession through what it calls a National Skills and Capability Framework and Matrix.

    As with many other recommendations, the review points to where this is done already internationally and how it can nestle into other policies and frameworks to aid implementation.

    Health-care workers aren’t using all their skills.
    DC studio/Shutterstock

    To the disappointment of most allied health professions, the review does not recommend more Medicare payments for them to practise independently.

    Rather, the review recommends payment to general practices for them to expand multi-disciplinary teams. This would see professionals working together, rather than in competition or isolation.

    The review also recommends changing the rules about referrals by health professionals, allowing qualified health professionals to refer directly to non-GP medical specialists in similar areas. This means your psychologist could refer you directly to a psychiatrist if needed, or your physiotherapist could refer you directly to an orthopaedic surgeon rather than needing to go back to your GP.

    This will weaken the role of the GP as a “gatekeeper” and also potentially undermine the more holistic care that GPs provide. But from a patient’s point of view, eliminating the intermediate step saves them out-of-pocket costs.

    An important recommendation recognises that the health system evolves and rules and regulations need to evolve too. It therefore supplements its recommendations for changes now, with an approach for continuous review through an independent mechanism. This would provide evidence-based advice and recommendations about:

    • significant workforce innovation
    • emerging health care roles
    • workforce models that involve significant change to scope.

    When will we see change?

    The review sets out a loose timeline for implementation, described as short, medium and long term. And it assigns responsibility for each element of its recommendations to appropriate bodies and governments.

    As almost all the recommendations require legislative change, and many require agreement between the Commonwealth and the states, it’s unlikely any of the changes will take effect this financial year.

    The review recommends change be implemented in a systematic, evidence-based and safe way. Implementation would start in areas of greatest need such as in rural and remote Australia and also in practices most ready for the change, such as Aboriginal Controlled Community Health Organisations or Victoria’s Community Health Centres.

    The review recommends changes to the referral process.
    voronaman/Shutterstock

    In releasing what he referred to as a “landmark” report, Health Minister Mark Butler noted the complexity of implementation, which would require collaborative action with states and territories. He noted the need for further consultation, but nevertheless took a supportive tone.

    Can this review prompt real health reform?

    Overall, the review charts a middle course between letting health professionals roam free and the tight and inappropriate rules and regulations which constrain patient care today. It also sets out the practical steps to achieve its goals.

    The one downside of the report is the emphasis on harmonisation of state and territory approaches. This would replace the current approach, where each state and territory decides, for example, on what vaccines can be administered by which professionals and what pharmacists can dispense without a medical practitioner’s prescription.

    One of the benefits of a federation is the potential for state- and territory-based innovation and cross-border learning. Harmonisation will limit that experimenting, and may lead to more of the stasis seen in health workforce policy in the past.

    Stephen Duckett was consulted by the Independent Reviewer during the course of the Review and commented on the Review’s Issues Papers and Draft Final Report

    – ref. Primary care involves more than GPs. A new review shows how patients can better access care – https://theconversation.com/primary-care-involves-more-than-gps-a-new-review-shows-how-patients-can-better-access-care-242698

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Gaming the news: How interactive journalism is changing how we tell stories to the next gen

    Source: University of South Australia

    05 November 2024

    The Ramping Rush game.

    Journalists have long used newspapers, radio, television, magazines and, more recently, the internet to entertain and inform the public on the stories that matter most. But what if there’s a richer, more compelling and interactive way to share and address real world issues?

    A University of South Australia academic is exploring how video games are being developed in journalism as a more interactive way to engage younger audiences and tell impactful stories.

    Dr Ben Stubbs, a senior lecturer in journalism and creative writing at UniSA, has created a news game – Ramping Rush: Ambulance Rescue – to explore one of South Australia’s most important health issues: ambulance ramping.  

    The game was led by UniSA’s Australian Research Centre for Interactive and Virtual Environments (IVE) and developed by computer science and media and literature students from around the world as part of a virtual internship.

    Ramping Rush: Ambulance Rescue is a free and online single-player game that aims to demonstrate the impact of ramping – an issue that has given rise to countless media reports in recent years as the state’s hospital system strains under pressure. Ramping occurs when ambulances are made to queue outside overcrowded hospital emergency departments, leaving patients with a prolonged wait upon arrival.

    In the game, the player steps into the shoes of a busy paramedic, racing against time to rescue patients while dealing with long hospital waits and ramping delays.

    The aim is for the player to make snap decisions and save as many lives as possible before getting stuck in traffic or being held up at clogged emergency departments. However, the player soon learns that it’s impossible to save the patients and ‘win’ the game as the ramping situation is too dire.

    By demonstrating the challenges of ramping through a gaming scenario, the team hopes to capture the attention of younger audiences, particularly school students, who are less likely to engage in traditional media.

    Dr Stubbs, an experienced journalist who has written for publications including The New York Times, The Guardian and Sydney Morning Herald, says the video game was created to engage younger audiences with important and current community issues.

    “Interactive news games are another way for people to think about real world issues in a fun and engaging way,” he says.

    “We know that people have been moving away from traditional news for a long time now and how people are consuming news is constantly changing.

    “Video games are just another way to think about the potential of alternative journalism when traditional forms might only reach certain audiences.”

    Last year saw the biggest increase in the number of Australians playing video games, from 67% (17 million) in 2021 to 81%  (21 million) in 2023. Nearly 95% of Australian households have a device for playing video games while 91% of parents play with their children to connect as a family.

    Meanwhile, the journalism landscape has experienced significant change in recent decades, with traditional reporting formats like newspapers in decline. In Australia only 18% of people still read newspapers, with online news now attracting the majority of audiences.

    “Shifting attitudes towards news consumption is driving demand for new outlets such as games,” Dr Stubbs says.

    “News video games are not entirely new to journalism. For example, after the September 11 terrorist attacks, a game was created to help people understand the complexities of modern warfare.

    “Similarly, ABC created The Amazon Race’ in 2019 to showcase the realities of working in a pressure-cooker environment such as Amazon’s Melbourne warehouse.”

    UniSA has recently added a module all about news games to the Innovations in Visual Journalism course which will be part of the online Bachelor of Journalism program in 2025.

    “I think there’s great potential with news games,” Dr Stubbs says. “In our research we found games on everything from the Syrian civil war, remembrance around the Madrid train bombings, identifying fake news, games on the realities of living with a low income, managing a sweatshop factory, pirate fishing, distracted driving and managing COVID misinformation.

    “Creating new and timely additions to the video news portfolio is an important step in remaining connected to the next generation.”

    Ambulance Rush: Ramping Rescue is available to play on itch.io.

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Contact for interview: Dr Ben Stubbs, Senior Lecturer, UniSA E: Ben.Stubbs@unisa.edu.au
    Media contact: Melissa Keogh, UniSA Media M: +61 403 659 154 E: Melissa.Keogh@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: ASEAN-Australia Centre inaugural Advisory Board appointments

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Today, I am pleased to announce the inaugural Advisory Board of the ASEAN-Australia Centre.

    The establishment of the ASEAN-Australia Centre was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit and commenced operations earlier this year.

    The Centre replaces the Australia-ASEAN Council and will strengthen people-to-people links, increase ties with national cultural institutions, support emerging leaders, drive business engagement, and deepen Australia’s trade and investment links under Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

    The following individuals have been appointed to the Advisory Board of the ASEAN-Australia Centre:

    • Ms Louise Adams, Chief Operating Officer, Aurecon
    • Professor Nicholas Farrelly, Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Tasmania
    • Professor Sango Mahanty, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australia National University
    • Ms Audra Morrice, chef, author, television presenter and sustainability tourism champion in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
    • Mr Tarun Nagesh, Curatorial Manager, Asian and Pacific Art, Queensland Art Gallery, Gallery of Modern Art
    • Ms Su-Lin Ong, Managing Director and Chief Economist, RBC Capital Markets
    • Professor Sharon Pickering, Vice-Chancellor and President, Monash University
    • Ms Kate Russell, Chief Executive Officer, Supply Nation
    • Ms Hayley Winchcombe, Engagement Manager, Mandala
    • Mr John Hopkins, (ex officio) Managing Director and CEO, Export Finance Australia
    • Ms Michelle Chan, (ex officio) Deputy Secretary and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

    The Chair of the Advisory Board will be announced early next year.

    I would like to thank outgoing Chair Mr Glenn Keys AO and board member Ms Caroline Chan for their contributions in advancing the Australia-ASEAN Council’s work.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Oranga Tamariki Oversight Bill passes first reading

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Legislation to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system has passed its first reading in Parliament today, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says.

    “These changes will build on New Zealand’s current child protection system by clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the agencies that oversee it, including greater advocacy and independence.”

    The Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Legislation Amendment Bill will make the Independent Children’s Monitor an Independent Crown Entity and replace the Children and Young People’s Commission’s five-member board structure with a sole Children’s Commissioner.

    The Monitor will be led by a board of three members with current Chief Executive, Arran Jones remaining in his role from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 to oversee and support the organisation’s transition.

    Current Chief Commissioner of the Children and Young People’s Commission Board, Dr Claire Achmad, also will be re-appointed for a period of one year from 1 July 2025, to serve as the sole Children’s Commissioner.

    “Dr Achmad is a well‑respected voice for children and young people. Having her as the Children’s Commissioner will ensure their interests and concerns will continue to be heard,” Louise Upston says.

    “We want it to be crystal clear to young people and their families that the Children’s Monitor is independent and separate from government.

    “These changes address some of the findings in the final report of the Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry. As the Human Rights Commission noted in that report, a Children’s Monitor that is not completely independent of government will struggle to gain the public trust necessary to address past failures.”

    Notes on Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Legislation Amendment Bill

    • Under the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989, the Oranga Tamariki system includes several government agencies that are responsible for providing services or support to children, young people, and their families and whānau.  
    • This includes Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children, Police, the Ministries of Health, Social Development, Education, and Justice, and the Department of Corrections.
    • The Children and Young People’s Commission Act 2022 established the Children and Young People’s Commission, equipping it with the functions, duties, and powers to protect and advocate for the interests and wellbeing of all children and young people over 18 and under 25 years old who are in care or have been in care or custody.
    • The Oversight of Oranga Tamariki System Act 2022 established the Independent Children’s Monitor as the independent monitoring agency of the Oranga Tamariki system and appointed the Ombudsman to investigate issues and handle complaints that relate to services of support delivered by Oranga Tamariki or other care and/or custody providers.
    • The Bill does not propose any changes to the roles and responsibilities of the Independent Children’s Monitor, the Children’s Commissioner, or the Ombudsman (in relation to complaints that relate to children and young people). 
    • The cost of implementing these changes will be met by reallocating existing funding.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI: Global Strategy: Fergus Kane Leads DIGZAX in Shaping the Future of Crypto Finance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    ARVADA, Colo., Nov. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Recently, the internationally renowned cryptocurrency exchange DIGZAX announced its global expansion strategy aimed at penetrating emerging markets and enhancing its business coverage and international influence. This initiative marks the further commitment of DIGZAX to the international market while showcasing its success in strategic positioning and market operations. As the heart of this expansion strategy, Fergus Kane, the founder and CEO of DIGZAX, has once again become a focal point in the industry.

    Fergus not only possesses a robust financial background but is also a pioneer in the realm of cryptocurrency. He graduated from Harvard University, and later achieved significant success at top financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan on Wall Street. However, he did not confine himself to traditional finance; instead, he keenly recognized the vast potential within crypto finance.

    After extensive research into the blockchain and cryptocurrency sectors, Fergus identified numerous pressing issues facing cryptocurrency exchanges. In response, he decided to establish DIGZAX, a user-centric trading platform that emphasizes security and compliance. Since its inception in 2019, DIGZAX has rapidly secured a significant position in the global market, thanks to its innovative technology applications and high-quality user experience.

    According to the recently announced global expansion plan of DIGZAX, the platform will first solidify its leadership in the Asia-Pacific market before gradually extending its reach into Latin America. Fergus stated that both regions are experiencing rapid growth in their cryptocurrency user bases, presenting immense market potential. DIGZAX intends to establish a solid business foundation in these markets through stringent compliance measures and flexible operational strategies.

    This strategy not only reflects the global vision of DIGZAX but also underscores its keen attention to emerging markets. By deeply exploring these regional markets, DIGZAX aims to provide users with a more diversified range of services, ensuring it maintains a leading position in the fiercely competitive cryptocurrency landscape.

    For Fergus Kane, DIGZAX is not merely a cryptocurrency trading platform; it is a bridge that helps more people safely and conveniently enter the world of crypto finance. Throughout its global expansion, DIGZAX has consistently prioritized user experience as its core objective. Whether it involves the continuous optimization of platform features, the promotion of user education, or rigorous compliance management, Fergus and his team are dedicated to creating an efficient and secure trading environment, ensuring that more potential investors can confidently engage with the crypto market and fully enjoy the growth dividends of the industry.

    In addition to business expansion, Fergus particularly emphasized the importance of industry knowledge dissemination. He believes that users can only better participate and benefit from crypto finance when they truly understand its operational mechanisms and underlying values. Consequently, DIGZAX plans to further strengthen market education in the future, helping more investors grasp the relevant knowledge of cryptocurrencies. Through this initiative, DIGZAX aims to provide users with a safe and robust path to market participation, maximizing their potential returns.

    With the rapid development of the cryptocurrency market, Fergus Kane and the DIGZAX exchange have emerged as industry leaders. Through precise market insights, cutting-edge technology applications, and a user-centered service philosophy, DIGZAX is swiftly rising to become a frontrunner in the global crypto finance sector. With its global expansion plan, DIGZAX will continue to drive industry innovation, creating greater value and opportunities for users.

    Media Contact:

    Full company name: DIGZAX BLOCKCHAIN DEVELOPMENT INC

    Company website: https://www.digzax.co

    Contact Person: Darma

    Email id: support@DIGZAX.co

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by sponsor. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/645f4f0f-608a-424c-9d2e-50837f5090e2

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What to expect on Election Day: history could be made, or we’re in for a long wait (and plenty of conspiracies)

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Emma Shortis, Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University

    As Americans vote in one of the most important presidential elections in generations, the country teeters on a knife edge. In the battleground states that will likely decide the result, the polling margins between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump are razor thin.

    These tiny margins, and the general confusion around American politics today, make it impossible to predict the outcome.

    The polls might well be wrong: the electorate may have shifted dramatically since 2020 in ways that will only reveal themselves after the election. The reality is we do not know much of anything for sure, and we may never be able to untangle all of the threads that make up the knot of American politics.

    After two assassination attempts on Trump and incumbent President Joe Biden’s dramatic decision to leave the race in August, it is entirely possible this election will throw up more big surprises. But as things stand, there are three broad possibilities for what will happen on Election Day.

    All of them throw up their own challenges – for the United States, and for the world.

    Possibility 1: the return of Trump

    Trump may make history and win back the White House. Only Grover Cleveland has managed to get elected a second time as president (in 1892) after suffering a defeat four years earlier.

    If Trump does win, it could be via a similar path to the one he took in 2016 – by once again sundering the “blue wall” and winning the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan.

    This feat will likely mean his campaign tactic of mobilising men has worked.

    A Trump victory would represent the culmination of a generational project of the American right. A second Trump administration would be very different from the first – the movement behind Trump is more organised, focused and cognisant of the mistakes of the first Trump White House. It would also face considerably weakened democratic guardrails.

    The implementation of Trump’s radical agenda, alongside some or all of the broader far-right agenda detailed in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, would radically reshape American life and create political and economic chaos.

    The rest of the world would have to reorient itself, once again, around Trump.

    Possibility 2: Harris makes history

    It is entirely possible Harris makes history – not only by beating Trump, but by becoming the first woman and woman of colour to win the US presidency.

    Like Trump, if Harris does win, it will likely be through one or more of the battleground states – in particular, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

    For Harris, victory will likely come via high turnout by women and voters of colour, particularly African-Americans, or through a combination of turnout by this core Democratic base and swing voters in key states like Pennsylvania.

    How Harris wins – and by how much – will be crucial, both to the immediate aftermath of the election and to the shape of a future Harris administration.

    A big question: can she win by enough to head off resistance by Trump and the movement behind him? As Australian writer Don Watson has noted, a Harris victory would likely be taken as an existential defeat by the MAGA movement.

    How Trump’s supporters react to such a defeat – and how US institutions react to their reaction – will be a critical test for American democracy.

    Possibility 3: too close to call

    This brings us to the third possibility: the polls are correct, and it’s such a tight race that the margins in the battleground states are in the thousands of votes, or even less.

    If it is that close, counting could take days. And there could be recounts after that.

    While conspiracies abound, a delay in the result like this would be an entirely predictable and normal outcome. In the United States, there isn’t one system for counting the votes; elections are run by the states on a county-by-county basis, and each state does it differently.

    Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, for example, legally can’t start counting mail-in votes until the polls open on Election Day.

    Then there is the supposed “blue shift” or “red mirage” that sometimes occurs on election night.

    There are now many ways to vote in the US – in person on Election Day, early voting before Election Day or by mail-in ballot. And the time it takes to count these different ballots can vary. So, it may appear as if one candidate is winning early in the night (say, when in-person votes are counted) only for their opponent to slowly turn the tide (when mail-in ballots are counted).

    In the 2020 election, this meant early Trump (“red”) leads were gradually lost to the Biden (“blue”) votes. Researchers found that counties won by Biden counted more slowly, on average, than those won by Trump – hence the so-called “blue shift”.

    This is an entirely normal – and legal – phenomenon. In Nevada, for instance, state law permits mail-in ballots to be counted four days after Election Day, so long as they were postmarked by Election Day.

    Trump and his surrogates like Steve Bannon, however, have exploited the differing times it takes to count votes to peddle baseless conspiracy theories, undermining Americans’ faith in their own democracy, and to incite unrest.

    By baselessly declaring victory in 2020 on the early “red mirage” tallies in key states before all the votes were counted, Trump was able to create what Bannon described as a “firestorm” – one that eventually led to the insurrection of January 6 2021.

    This could very well happen again. Bannon, in fact, has just been released from prison after serving four months for contempt of Congress, and could once again be a driving force in any post-election challenges by the Trump campaign.

    Trump, meanwhile, lied again this week when he said “these elections have to be, they have to be decided by 9 o’clock, 10 o’clock, 11 o’clock on Tuesday night” – laying the groundwork for further election conspiracies.

    Delays are normal – but fraught

    Trump has made it very clear he will not accept another election loss. If he does lose, he or his surrogates will attempt to weaponise similar conspiracy theories again. They may also use legal challenges to vote counts as they did in 2020 – both to contest the result and to once again mobilise the MAGA movement.

    In the event of close margins, it’s also possible some states will go to a recount.

    There are different rules for this in different states. To take one example, if the margin is within 0.5% in Georgia, a candidate can request a recount.

    In the 2020 presidential election, Biden narrowly defeated Trump in Georgia by 0.25%, which triggered a full hand recount of the votes. The Associated Press declared Biden the winner of the state more than two weeks after Election Day. A second recount was later reconfirmed by Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

    Again, this is a normal part of the process. It ensures all votes are counted accurately and the result reflects the democratic will of the American people as best as the (admittedly, deeply flawed) system allows.

    Such a delay, legitimate as it would be, would elevate the already very real risk of further political violence and instability in the United States.

    None of these outcomes is inevitable. 2024 is not 2020; nor is it 2016. What happens next in America depends on the movement and interplay of so many tangled threads, it is impossible to see where old ones end and new ones might begin.

    In all of this, only one thing is certain. Whatever the result – and however long it takes to come through – the divisions and conspiracy theories that have destabilised American politics for so long will not be easily or quickly resolved. That knot may well prove impossible to untangle.

    Emma Shortis is Director of the International and Security Affairs program at The Australia Institute, an independent think tank.

    – ref. What to expect on Election Day: history could be made, or we’re in for a long wait (and plenty of conspiracies) – https://theconversation.com/what-to-expect-on-election-day-history-could-be-made-or-were-in-for-a-long-wait-and-plenty-of-conspiracies-242598

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –