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Category: Education

  • MIL-OSI USA: Upcoming US Law Webinars – November 2024

    Source: US Global Legal Monitor

    We are excited about what the changing of the season has brought us so far and with that, the Law Library of Congress is offering more educational webinars in November. The Law Library of Congress’s next offerings will be a Lunch and Learn webinar concerning the use of secondary sources, an Orientation to Legal Research webinar on federal legislative history, and an Orientation to Law Library Collections webinar with a special guest from the Alaska State Court Law Library. We hope you can join us.

    Flyer announcing the Lunch and Learn Webinar titled, “Using Secondary Sources in Legal Research.” The webinar will take place on November 5, 2024 at 1:00 PM EST. Created by Taylor Gulatsi.

    A Lunch and Learn Webinar: Using Secondary Sources in Legal Research

    Date: Tuesday, November 5, 2024, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST

    Content: This webinar will provide an overview of secondary sources such as legal encyclopedias, treatises, and dictionaries. In addition, the webinar will provide examples to show how these resources are used in practice. The presentation will demonstrate how secondary sources are an important step in the legal research method and how they can guide researchers to primary sources. Many of the materials and content for this webinar have come from the Law Library’s research guide, Legal Research: A Guide to Secondary Resources.

    Instructors: Olivia Kane-Cruz and Linnea Eberhart. Olivia Kane-Cruz is a legal reference librarian at the Law Library of Congress. Olivia holds a B.A. in political science from Humboldt State University (Cal Poly Humboldt), a J.D. and a master of environmental law and policy from Vermont Law School, and an M.L.I.S. from the University of Washington. Linnea holds a B.A. in international studies and criminology from the University of South Florida Judy Genshaft Honors College, a J.D. from the University of Florida Levin College of Law, and an M.S.I. from Florida State University. She is currently a Librarian-in-Residence at the Law Library.

    Register here. 

    An Orientation to Legal Research Webinar: Federal Legislative History

    Date: Thursday, November 7, 2024, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST

    Content: This entry in the series provides an overview of U.S. federal legislative history resources, including information about the methods of identifying and locating them. In tackling this area of research, the focus will largely be on finding these documents online.

    Instructor: Jason Zarin. Jason is a legal reference specialist at the Law Library. Jason has a B.A. in economics from Tufts University, an M.A. in economics from UCLA, a J.D. from the University of Southern California, an LL.M. in taxation from Georgetown University, and a Master of Science in information systems from the University of Texas at Austin.

    Register here.

    An Orientation to Law Library Collections Webinar feat. the Alaska State Court Law Library

    Date: Thursday, November 14, 2024, 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. EST

    Content: This webinar is designed for patrons who are familiar with legal research, and would instead prefer an introduction to the collections and services specific to the Law Library of Congress. Some of the resources attendees will learn about include the Law Library’s research guides, digital collections, and the Guide to Law Online, among others. This Orientation to Law Library Collections webinar will feature a special appearance by Susan Falk, State Law Librarian for the Alaska State Court Law Library as part of our 50 State Outreach Program.

    Instructor: Anna Price. Anna is a legal reference librarian at the Law Library. Anna holds a B.S. in communications from Ithaca College, a J.D. from the University of Washington School of Law, and an M.L.I.S. from the University of Washington iSchool.

    Register here.

    To learn about other upcoming classes on domestic and foreign law topics, visit the Legal Research Institute.

    Subscribe to In Custodia Legis – it’s free! – to receive interesting posts drawn from the Law Library of Congress’s vast collections and our staff’s expertise in U.S., foreign, and international law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warren, Lawmakers Renew Legislative Push to Stop Private Equity Looting

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts – Elizabeth Warren
    October 10, 2024
    Warren, Lawmakers Renew Legislative Push to Stop Private Equity Looting
    The bill would close loopholes and end incentives for private equity pillaging.
    Updated text responds to private equity’s ruinous takeover of now-bankrupt Steward Health Care, preventing a similar collapse from ever happening again.
    Text of Bill (PDF) | Text of One-Pager (PDF) | Text of Section-by-Section (PDF) | Text of Economic Analysis (PDF)
    Washington, D.C. – Today, United States Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.),Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), along with Representatives Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.), Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), reintroduced the Stop Wall Street Looting Act, comprehensive legislation to fundamentally reform the private equity industry and level the playing field by forcing private investment firms to take responsibility for the outcomes of companies they take over, empowering workers and protecting investors. This reintroduction comes after private equity firm Cerberus looted Steward Health Care, leaving hospitals, patients, and workers hanging out to dry.
    “Private equity takeovers are legal looting that make a handful of Wall Street executives very rich while costing thousands of people their jobs, putting valuable companies out of ­business, and in the case of health care, is literally a matter of life and death,” said Senator Warren. “Our bill is designed to close loopholes and end incentives for private equity pillaging – and it will make sure what happened at Steward never happens again.”
    “When out-of-state investors buy Wisconsin companies only to turn a quick profit and shutter their doors, it’s Wisconsin workers and communities that suffer. I’m committed to ensuring that when Wisconsin businesses are purchased, Wisconsin families are protected and not left high and dry like we’ve seen in places like Janesville, Green Bay, and Waukesha,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our legislation will help put workers and our community first – protecting them from predatory practices that too often result in devastating job losses for Wisconsin’s working families.”
    “More and more Americans are feeling the presence of private equity in our economy, including in critical sectors like housing and health care,” said Senator Smith. “They arrive promising to revitalize communities and turn around struggling hospitals and companies, but far too often, they extract value for themselves at the expense of workers and ordinary people. This bill will help put an end to their most egregious practices and provide accountability.”
    “The greed of private equity robs too many Americans of stability, security, and prosperity. In Massachusetts, the Steward Health Care crisis is just one example of private equity sacrificing the long-term prosperity of workers, customers, and communities for their short-term profits. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act would finally prevent private equity firms from monetizing productive sectors of the economy and hollowing them out by laying off workers and closing businesses. We need to put in guardrails for private equity to ensure they cannot sacrifice people for profits,” said Senator Markey.
    “It’s long past time for billionaires and big corporations to stop gambling with hardworking Americans’ and their communities’ assets in service of corporate greed,” Representative Pocan said. “In Wisconsin, we’ve seen what happens when private equity firms like Sun Capital raid companies for their wealth and leave workers and communities to pick up the pieces. When Sun Capital took over Shopko – a Wisconsin-based retail chain that had stood strong for more than 50 years – they drained it dry, buried it in debt, pushed it into bankruptcy, and abandoned roughly 14,000 workers. This bill will finally hold these predatory firms accountable and protect workers from being plundered by corporate greed.”
    Since 2020, private equity fund assets have grown exponentially, reaching nearly $8 trillion in 2023 compared to $4.5 trillion in 2020. Private equity funds have purchased companies in nearly every sector of the economy — from nursing homes, to newspapers, to grocery stores — laying off hundreds of thousands of workers and ruining thousands of companies in the process.
    The private equity industry claims to invest in companies while also earning high returns for investors by using their management expertise to make the companies’ operations more efficient, and then selling the companies at a profit. In reality, private equity funds often load mountains of debt on the companies they buy, strip them of their assets, and extract exorbitant fees and dividends, guaranteeing payouts for themselves regardless of how the investment performs. When their debt-ridden investments go belly-up, private equity funds walk away with no responsibility for the mess they create, leaving workers in the lurch and forcing communities to clean up their mess.
    It’s time to level the playing field, protect workers, consumers, and investors, and force private equity firms to take responsibility for the companies they control. This bill does so by closing the loopholes that allow private equity to capture all the rewards of their investments while insulating themselves from risk and liability. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act will:
    Require Private Investment Funds to Have Skin in the Game: Private equity firms, the firm’s general partners, and their insiders will all be on the hook for the liabilities of companies under their control—including debt, legal judgments, and pension-related obligations—to better align the incentives of private equity firms and the companies they own. Liability would not extend to the fund’s limited partners, ensuring that only those that control portfolio firms are on the hook. In order to encourage more responsible use of debt, the bill ends the tax subsidy for excessive leverage and closes the carried interest loophole.
    End Looting of Portfolio Companies. To give portfolio companies a shot at success, the bill limits how much money private equity firms can extract from companies and closes the loophole that private equity firms have used to hide certain assets from bankruptcy courts. Every transaction since Steward Health Care was bought by private equity would be subject to review as part of Steward’s bankruptcy to determine whether it can be clawed back as a fraudulent transfer.
    Protect Workers, Customers and Communities. This proposal prevents private equity firms from walking away when a company fails and protects workers and communities by:
    Prioritizing workers’ pay in the bankruptcy process and amending the laws to increase the priority claims for unpaid earnings and other benefits from $10,000 to $20,000 per worker.
    Creating incentives for job retention so that workers can benefit from a company’s second chance.
    Ending the immunity of private equity firms from legal liability when their portfolio companies break the law, including the WARN Act. When workers at a plant are shortchanged or residents at a nursing home are hurt because private equity firms force portfolio companies to cut corners, the firm should be liable.
    Expanding protections for striking workers by clarifying unfair labor practices and the employer duty to bargain.
    Empower Investors by Increasing Transparency. Private equity managers will be required to disclose fees, returns, and other information about their funds and the corporate loans they make so that investors can monitor their investments. This would have required Cerberus to disclose the terms of its investments in Steward Health Care, which Cerberus continues to withhold from Congress.
    Put Guardrails Around Accessing Public Funds. Firms receiving any funds from a federal or state agency must publicly disclose how the funds are used and will be prohibited from acquiring any company or making a distribution to investors for two years after receipt.
    Drive REITS out of Health Care. Prohibits payments from federal health programs to entities that sell assets or use assets for a loan collateral made to a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) d; repeals a rule in the Tax Code that allows taxable REIT subsidiaries to exert influence on the operations of health care entities; and removes the 20 percent pass-through deduction, passed in the 2017 Trump tax cuts, for all REIT investors. Ralph de la Torre executed a sale-leaseback transaction of the Steward properties in exchange for a $1.25B payout from a REIT; this would have banned the hospitals from continuing to receive federal dollars upon executing the property sale—thus likely preventing the sale.
    The bill is supported by Action Center on Race and the Economy, AFL-CIO, American Economic Liberties Project, American Federation of Teachers, Americans for Financial Reform, Center for Popular Democracy, Coalition for Patient-Centered Care, Communications Workers of America, Community Catalyst, Economic Policy Institute, Indivisible, Massachusetts Nurses Association, National Employment Law Project, National Nurses United, National Women’s Law Center, Private Equity Stakeholder Project, People’s Action, Public Citizen, SEIU, Strong for All, Student Borrower Protection Center, Take Medicine Back, Take on Wall Street, UNITE HERE, United for Respect, Working Families Party, and Worth Rises.
    “Private equity has an immense impact on the U.S. economy, touching virtually every aspect of life from healthcare to housing to technology to retail and more. Private equity’s extractive playbook harms workers and communities, diminishes access to quality affordable health care, worsens the housing crisis and the climate crisis, and perpetuates systemic racism. Without major changes, a handful of ultra wealthy Wall Street executives will continue getting richer at everyone else’s expense. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act takes important, much needed steps to reign in Wall Street predatory practices and promote a just and sustainable economy,” said Lisa Donner, Executive Director, Americans for Financial Reform.
    “Union busting, pollution, and bankruptcy aren’t side effects of the private equity model: they are the model,” said Porter McConnell, Take on Wall Street. “It’s a smash-and-grab, plain and simple. That’s why we are so pleased to see comprehensive legislation like the Stop Wall Street Looting Act introduced in Congress today. We created the loopholes in the law that allowed the private equity industry to thrive, and we can end them. Our communities, our economy, and our democracy are depending on it.” 
    “As we fight for more public investment in the child care sector, we must also rein in private equity’s ability to enrich themselves at the expense of the public. Building guardrails – such as those in the Stop Wall Street Looting Act – will help put the wellbeing of children and families ahead of private equity’s profits,” said Melissa Boteach, Vice President, Income Security and Child Care/Early Learning, National Women’s Law Center.
    “Private equity firms, which control nearly $15 trillion in assets, routinely prioritize quick, outsized profits, at the expense of workers, patients, renters, and local economies as part of their business model,” said Chris Noble, Policy Director for the Private Equity Stakeholder Project. “The Stop Wall Street Looting Act provides an essential check on this opaque industry. By addressing the systemic risks tied to debt-laden private equity buyouts, this legislation prioritizes the long-term health of businesses and communities over short-term profits for wealthy private equity executives.” 
    “Private equity should have no influence over medical treatment decisions made jointly by independent physicians and their patients. The Stop Wall Street Looting Act goes a long way towards ensuring physicians, in consultation with their patients, are able to deliver quality, patient-centered, cost-efficient care without corporate interference,” said Dr. Stephen M. McCollam, Chair, Coalition for Patient-Centered Care.
    “Wall Street private equity firms have proven themselves to be a parasite on workers, our economy, and American retailers by gutting companies for profit and driving mass layoffs. Holding billionaire profiteers accountable for the damage they do to our working families and communities is imperative to addressing growing economic inequality,” said United for Respect Co-Executive Directors Bianca Agustin and Terrysa Guerra in a joint statement. “The Stop Wall Street Looting Act will help close loopholes in our laws that for too long have allowed private equity to pillage companies and amass huge profits while workers lose their jobs and are left with nothing. United For Respect is proud to support this bill — and we need all legislators to join us in protecting workers and putting Wall Street on the hook for the havoc they reap.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: AI affects everyone – including Indigenous people. It’s time we have a say in how it’s built

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tamika Worrell, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Critical Indigenous Studies, Macquarie University

    Since artificial intelligence (AI) became mainstream over the past two years, many of the risks it poses have been widely documented. As well as fuelling deep fake porn, threatening personal privacy and accelerating the climate crisis, some people believe the emerging technology could even lead to human extinction.

    But some risks of AI are still poorly understood. These include the very particular risks to Indigenous knowledges and communities.

    There’s a simple reason for this: the AI industry and governments have largely ignored Indigenous people in the development and regulation of AI technologies. Put differently, the world of AI is too white.

    AI developers and governments need to urgently fix this if they are serious about ensuring everybody shares the benefits of AI. As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people like to say, “nothing about us, without us”.

    Indigenous concerns

    Indigenous peoples around the world are not ignoring AI. They are having conversations, conducting research and sharing their concerns about the current trajectory of it and related technologies.

    A well-documented problem is the theft of cultural intellectual property. For example, users of AI image generation programs such as DeepAI can artificially generate artworks in mere seconds which mimic Indigenous styles and stories of art.

    This demonstrates how easy it is for someone using AI to misappropriate cultural knowledges. These generations are taken from large data sets of publicly available imagery to create something new. But they miss the storying and cultural knowledge present in our art practices.

    AI technologies also fuel the spread of misinformation about Indigenous people.

    The internet is already riddled with misinformation about Indigenous people. The long-running Creative Spirits website, which is maintained by a non-Indigenous person, is a prominent example.

    Generative AI systems are likely to make this problem worse. They often conflate us with other global Indigenous peoples around the world. They also draw on inappropriate sources, including Creative Spirits.

    During last year’s Voice to Parliament referendum in Australia, “no” campaigners also used AI-generated images depicting Indigenous people. This demonstrates the role of AI in political contexts and the harm it can cause to us.

    Another problem is the lack of understanding of AI among Indigenous people. Some 40% of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population in Australia don’t know what generative AI is. This reflects an urgent need to provide relevant information and training to Indigenous communities on the use of the technology.

    There is also concern about the use of AI in classroom contexts and its specific impact on Indigenous students.

    Looking to the future

    Hawaiian and Samoan Scholar Jason Lewis says:

    We must think more expansively about AI and all the other computational systems in which we find ourselves increasingly enmeshed. We need to expand the operational definition of intelligence used when building these systems to include the full spectrum of behaviour we humans use to make sense of the world.

    Key to achieving this is the idea of “Indigenous data sovereignty”. This would mean Indigenous people retain sovereignty over their own data, in the sense that they own and control access to it.

    In Australia, a collective known as Maiam nayri Wingara offers important considerations and principles for data sovereignty and governance. They affirm Indigenous rights to govern and control our data ecosystems, from creation to infrastructure.

    The National Agreement on Closing the Gap also affirms the importance of Indigenous data control and access.

    This is reaffirmed at a global level as well. In 2020, a group of Indigenous scholars from around the world published a position paper laying out how Indigenous protocols can inform ethically created AI. This kind of AI would centralise the knowledges of Indigenous peoples.

    In a positive step, the Australian government’s recently proposed set of AI guardrails highlight the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty.

    For example, the guardrails include the need to ensure additional transparency and make extra considerations when it comes to using data about or owned by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to “mitigate the perpetuation of existing social inequalities”.

    Indigenous Futurisms

    Grace Dillon, a scholar from a group of North American Indigenous people known as the Anishinaabe, first coined the term “Indigenous Futurisms”.

    Ambelin Kwaymullina, an academic and futurist practitioner from the Palyku nation in Western Australia, defines it as:

    visions of what-could-be that are informed by ancient Aboriginal cultures and by our deep understandings of oppressive systems.

    These visions, Kwaymullina writes, are “as diverse as Indigenous peoples ourselves”. They are also unified by “an understanding of reality as living, interconnected whole in which human beings are but one strand of life amongst many, and a non-linear view of time”.

    So how can AI technologies be informed by Indigenous ways of knowing?

    A first step is for industry to involve Indigenous people in creating, maintaining and evaluating the technologies – rather than asking them retrospectively to approve work already done.

    Governments need to also do more than highlight the importance of Indigenous data sovereignty in policy documents. They need to meaningfully consult with Indigenous peoples to regulate the use of these technologies. This consultation must aim to ensure ethical AI behaviour among organisations and everyday users that honours Indigenous worldviews and realities.

    AI developers and governments like to claim they are serious about ensuring AI technology benefits all of humanity. But unless they start involving Indigenous people more in developing and regulating the technology, their claims ring hollow.

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

    – ref. AI affects everyone – including Indigenous people. It’s time we have a say in how it’s built – https://theconversation.com/ai-affects-everyone-including-indigenous-people-its-time-we-have-a-say-in-how-its-built-239605

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Violence at all levels’: UN report into the abuse of women and girls in sport is a wake-up call for Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Fitz-Gibbon, Professor (Practice), Faculty of Business and Economics, Monash University, Monash University

    PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock

    This week the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls presented a report detailing the violence experienced by women and girls in sport globally.

    The report provides a global snapshot of the abuse women athletes experience, who is most likely to perpetrate the violence, and makes recommendations on what should been done to promote safety of women and girls.

    Off the back of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic games, where Australia cheered on the record-breaking success of women athletes, the report should be a wake-up call for Australian sports and clubs.

    Abuse of women and girls in sport

    Drawing on more than 100 submissions and consultations with 50 people, the report finds:

    Women and girls in sport face widespread, overlapping and grave forms and manifestations of violence at all levels.

    These abusive behaviours include coercive control, physical violence, corporal punishment, verbal abuse, social exclusion, bullying and identity abuse.

    The impacts of this violence are wide-ranging: physical injuries, insomnia, fear and anxiety, reduced self-confidence, substance misuse, eating disorders, self harm, and decline in athletic performance and participation.

    These impacts can extend well beyond the athlete’s involvement in their sport.

    Women and girls also experience economic violence in sport. For example, when women athletes do not have control over their earnings, or when they are coerced into signing exploitative contracts.

    The report notes women athletes also experience heightened rates of abusive and harassing behaviours in online settings. This includes sexual harassment and threats, racism, ridicule, body shaming, sexualised comments, stalking, doxing and revenge porn.

    Perpetrators are wide-ranging. They include coaches, managers, spectators, teachers, peers, sports lawyers, referees and medical staff.

    The report describes sexual harassment and abuse as “rampant” and acknowledges the high rate of sexual violence, in particular with relationships between coaches and athletes.

    This includes grooming of younger athletes, where power and control dynamics, combined with an abuse of trust between an adult and child athlete, provide the conditions for sexual abuse to proliferate.

    It follows a 2023 report from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and UN Women, which estimates 21% of girls worldwide have experienced at least one form of sexual abuse as a child in sport.

    Is this a problem in Australia?

    Australians often pride themselves on how sports bring the nation, communities and families together but we too have a wide-reaching problem in this area.

    In 2021, a review of Swimming Australia found women athletes and coaches had experienced physical and mental abuse while the “Change the Routine” review of Gymnastics Australia revealed child abuse and neglect, misconduct, bullying, abuse, sexual harassment and assault towards gymnasts.

    More recently, a review by Sports Integrity Australia into Australian volleyball, which revealed systemic verbal and physical abuse of athletes, prompted a formal apology to past athletes.

    And a 2024 Deakin University study showed 87% of Australian sportswomen had experienced online harm within the past year.

    A lack of accountability and consequence

    In the traditionally male-dominated culture of sport, abusers have often gone unsanctioned, while those who experience abuse often leave their sport early and with significant consequences to their careers, financial stability, and mental and physical wellbeing.

    There are examples where abuse has been minimised or ignored by those in leadership to protect the reputation of the team or the sporting code, and where coaches have been able to move between teams without consequence.

    Take, for example, the sexual abuse of young female gymnasts by United States coach Larry Nassar.

    The first complaint against Nassar was made in 1997. Despite this, and the numerous other complaints which followed, Nassar remained in his coaching position with USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University until 2015. In December 2017 he was convicted of numerous counts of sexual abuse of minors.

    Outcomes of investigations by sporting bodies often remain confidential. For example, in 2017 the Fremantle Dockers and the AFL were criticised for their use of a “confidentiality agreement” in settling a sexual harassment matter.

    This impunity demonstrates a significant lack of accountability.

    The barriers to reporting abuse in sport

    There are significant barriers to reporting.

    Women elite athletes may fear losing their funding and sponsorship deals if they report abuse.

    In Australia, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard child athletes are most at risk of experiencing abuse by a person of authority (such as a coach) when they are about to achieve their best performance.

    As the UN Report states, it is at this time that “there is very little to gain by revealing the abuse and too much to lose”.

    This must change.

    When sporting codes put a desire to win above safeguarding and accountability, the clear message sent to victims is that violence is excusable, and that sporting heroes are immune to the consequences of their abusive actions.

    Raising awareness around early identification of abusive behaviours is key.

    The UN report reveals athletes often feel uncertain and uncomfortable in identifying early forms of abusive behaviours and lack information on what supports are available to them when they do.

    Ensuring a suite of reporting pathways is also critical. There is no one-size-fits-all model.

    Why Australia should take the lead

    Participating in sport has significant benefits. But sport settings must be safe for all.

    Many sporting organisations and clubs have recognised the problem of abuse of women and girls in sport, rolling out respect and responsibility programs, sexual harassment policies, as well as clearer reporting and investigation policies.

    This is a good start but must be built on.

    Indeed, the safety of women and girls must be a key focus of the Australian High Performance “Win Well” strategy for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

    Recent initiatives and policy changes should be monitored to examine how they work and whether they deliver safer outcomes for women and girls in sport at all levels.

    Responses to proven allegations of abuse must hold perpetrators to account. And critically, investigations must be independent, transparent and timely.

    The UN report reminds us “sports is a microcosm of society”.

    Violence against women and children in Australia has been declared a national emergency – ensuring the safety of women and girls in all sport settings is one critical component of addressing that crisis.

    Kate has received funding for family violence-related research from the Australian Research Council, Australian Institute of Criminology, Australia’s National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety, the Victorian, Queensland and ACT governments, the Commonwealth Department of Social Services and the Victorian Women’s Trust. This piece is written by Kate Fitz-Gibbon in her role at Monash University and is wholly independent of Kate Fitz-Gibbon’s role as Chair of Respect Victoria.

    – ref. ‘Violence at all levels’: UN report into the abuse of women and girls in sport is a wake-up call for Australia – https://theconversation.com/violence-at-all-levels-un-report-into-the-abuse-of-women-and-girls-in-sport-is-a-wake-up-call-for-australia-239085

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: A patchwork of spinifex: how we returned cultural burning to the Great Sandy Desert

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Braedan Taylor, Traditional Owner; Karajarri Lands Trust Association/UWA, Indigenous Knowledge

    How can a desert burn? Australia’s vast deserts aren’t just sand dunes – they’re often dotted with flammable spinifex grass hummocks. When heavy rains fall, grass grows quickly before drying out. That’s how a desert can burn.

    When our Karajarri and Ngurrara ancestors lived nomadic lifestyles in what’s now called the Great Sandy Desert in northwestern Australia, they lit many small fires in spinifex grass as they walked. Fires were used seasonally for ceremonies, signalling to others, flushing out animals, making travel easier (spinifex is painfully sharp), cleaning campsites, and stimulating fresh vegetation growth ready for foraging or luring game when people returned a few months later. The result was a patchwork desert.

    After colonisation, this ended. Without management, the spinifex and grassy deserts began to burn in some of the largest fires in Australia.

    But now the work of caring for desert country (pirra) with fire (jungku, or warlu) has begun again. We are Karajarri and Ngurrara rangers who care for 110,000 square kilometres of the Great Sandy Desert. Our techniques have changed – we now drop incendiaries from helicopters to cover more distance – but our goals are similar. Guided by our elders, we are combining traditional knowledge with modern technologies and science to refine how we manage fire in a changing world.

    In research published today, we and our co-authors paired analysis of historic fire patterns with five years of fauna surveys. Put together, we found mature spinifex was important for creatures of the Great Sandy Desert – and that means we should burn small and often, like our ancestors.

    Fire and sand

    In the 1940s and ‘50s, the Royal Australian Air Force photographed the Great Sandy Desert from the air. These photos were taken before our people moved to settlements and pastoral stations between the 1960s and ’80s.

    That means these aerial photographs capture a time when traditional burns were still happening.

    Our ranger teams are studying these photographs to draw out the fire patterns produced by our ancestors.

    These photographs tell a story. Our ancestors burned many small areas, creating a complicated patchwork of spinifex at different stages of regrowth after fire.

    But they also left a great deal of mature spinifex – large old hummocks that hadn’t burnt for years. This patchwork of burned and unburned areas made it hard for bushfires to spread far and fast. When traditional burning practices stopped, bushfires became common.

    The knowledge contained in these old photos is very valuable. The images give us clear goals for our fire management. We combine this with guidance from elders and information on fuel loads across Country gleaned from remote sensing and weather modelling, to plan our fire management.

    We could see where our ancestors burnt (white patches) in the Karajarri Indigenous Protected Area in this aerial photo from the late 1940s.
    National Library of Australia, CC BY-NC-ND

    What does fire mean for desert creatures?

    Australian deserts are remarkably biodiverse, especially in reptiles. In a single clump of mature spinifex, you might find up to 18 different species of lizard. Then there are snakes and goannas, as well as mammals such as marsupial moles found only in the arid zone.

    Spinifex hummocks are crucial to many of these species, offering shelter, food and prey. What does fire do to spinifex-dwellers?

    On this topic, scientific knowledge is playing catchup with Indigenous traditional knowledge but we see value in using the scientific method – a universal language – to help us manage Country, and tell other people about what we are doing.

    The past few decades have been a time of major change for the Great Sandy Desert. Cultural burns stopped, and feral animals such as camels and cats grew in number. As a result, many native animals are disappearing or already gone.

    We think larger, more frequent fires play a part. Our Karajarri and Ngurrara rangers are using science to make sure our patchwork burns – known as right-way fire – are good for native animals.

    Between 2018 and 2022, we surveyed reptiles and mammals from 32 sites across the Karajarri and Warlu Jilajaa Jumu (Ngurrara) Indigenous Protected Areas in the desert. We caught almost 3,800 mammals and reptiles from 77 species. Reptiles made up the lion’s share, with 66 species. We also recorded when fire had come through, and how big the burnt patches were.

    The data showed reptile species care a lot about where they live. Some prefer recently burned areas, where the spinifex is gone or still very small. Others like old spinifex, huge hummocks going unburned for years. And others still liked mid-sized spinifex.

    We found mammals were rare in recently burned areas and more common in mature spinifex. We also found more mammal diversity in areas with fine-scale patchworks of fires.

    This shows we must keep our fires small, burning different areas at different times, and protect enough mature spinifex.

    This patchwork approach will help spinifex hopping mice, desert mice, planigales, dunnarts, and dozens of small reptile species to survive. But it will also help now-rare game species, the marlu (red kangaroo in Walmajarri language) and pijarta (emu in Karajarri).

    Our research tells us returning to the traditional burning techniques of our ancestors is still the right thing to do – even though the desert has changed.

    Karajarri Rangers talk about the Pirra Junkgu-Warlu project.

    Rare finds

    Scientists have rarely surveyed the Great Sandy Desert. As a result, our surveys have turned up important findings.

    The kaluta (Dasykaluta rosamondae), for instance, is a feisty little carnivorous marsupial. We found it on the Canning Stock Route, 500km further north than the distribution known to scientists.

    Similarly, we found the threatened Dampierland sandslider (Lerista separanda), a vividly coloured skink, in the Karajarri Indigenous Protected Area, expanding its distribution 450km southeast. Karajarri people call sandsliders winkajurta, or “lice eaters”, because in the old days you could use them to hunt lice in your hair.

    Our research gives us confidence that bringing back traditional burns helps desert creatures. We want more people to know that right-way fire is part of healthy Country, including our own mob and tourists who pass through, so we can all look after the desert.

    In our work, we take our old people out onto Country to get advice on burning and their knowledge of animals. As one told us, seeing the old ways return made him “real happy [and] to come alive” – just like the desert.

    We thank Karajarri and Ngurrara Traditional Owners and acknowledge past and present elders. Thanks to the many rangers and coordinators who helped in these surveys, and our partners: Environs Kimberley, Charles Darwin University, Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, and Indigenous Desert Alliance. Special thanks to Hamsini Bijlani, our project coordinator.

    Braedan Taylor and other rangers in this project were funded by the Australian Government’s Indigenous Protected Area Program, Indigenous Ranger Program, and the National Environmental Science Program via the Threatened Species Recovery Hub; by the Western Australia State Natural Resource Management, Aboriginal Ranger Program, Lotteries West, and via in kind support from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions; by the Indigenous Desert Alliance/10Deserts; and by the Australian Research Council.

    Jacqueline Shovellor receives funding from the same sources as the lead author.

    Frankie McCarthy receives funding from the same sources as the lead author.

    Sarah Legge receives funding from the Australian Research Council. The work reported here was partly funded by the National Environmental Science Program via the Threatened Species Recovery Hub.

    Thomas Narda receives funding from the same sources as the lead author.

    – ref. A patchwork of spinifex: how we returned cultural burning to the Great Sandy Desert – https://theconversation.com/a-patchwork-of-spinifex-how-we-returned-cultural-burning-to-the-great-sandy-desert-240447

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Are you over 75? Here’s what you need to know about vitamin D

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Elina Hypponen, Professor of Nutritional and Genetic Epidemiology, University of South Australia

    OPPO Find X5 Pro/Unsplash

    Vitamin D is essential for bone health, immune function and overall wellbeing. And it becomes even more crucial as we age.

    New guidelines from the international Endocrine Society recommend people aged 75 and over should consider taking vitamin D supplements.

    But why is vitamin D so important for older adults? And how much should they take?

    Young people get most vitamin D from the sun

    In Australia, it is possible for most people under 75 to get enough vitamin D from the sun throughout the year. For those who live in the top half of Australia – and for all of us during summer – we only need to have skin exposed to the sun for a few minutes on most days.

    The body can only produce a certain amount of vitamin D at a time. So staying in the sun any longer than needed is not going to help increase your vitamin D levels, while it will increase your risk of skin cancer.

    But it’s difficult for people aged over 75 to get enough vitamin D from a few minutes of sunshine, so the Endocrine Society recommends people get 800 IU (international units) of vitamin D a day from food or supplements.

    Why you need more as you age

    This is higher than the recommendation for younger adults, reflecting the increased needs and reduced ability of older bodies to produce and absorb vitamin D.

    Overall, older adults also tend to have less exposure to sunlight, which is the primary source of natural vitamin D production. Older adults may spend more time indoors and wear more clothing when outdoors.

    As we age, our skin also becomes less efficient at synthesising vitamin D from sunlight.

    The kidneys and the liver, which help convert vitamin D into its active form, also lose some of their efficiency with age. This makes it harder for the body to maintain adequate levels of the vitamin.

    All of this combined means older adults need more vitamin D.

    Deficiency is common in older adults

    Despite their higher needs for vitamin D, people over 75 may not get enough of it.

    Studies have shown one in five older adults in Australia have vitamin D deficiency.

    In higher-latitude parts of the world, such as the United Kingdom, almost half don’t reach sufficient levels.

    This increased risk of deficiency is partly due to lifestyle factors, such as spending less time outdoors and insufficient dietary intakes of vitamin D.

    It’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from food alone. Oily fish, eggs and some mushrooms are good sources of vitamin D, but few other foods contain much of the vitamin. While foods can be fortified with the vitamin D (margarine, some milk and cereals), these may not be readily available or be consumed in sufficient amounts to make a difference.

    In some countries such as the United States, most of the dietary vitamin D comes from fortified products. However, in Australia, dietary intakes of vitamin D are typically very low because only a few foods are fortified with it.

    Why vitamin D is so important as we age

    Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, which is essential for maintaining bone density and strength. As we age, our bones become more fragile, increasing the risk of fractures and conditions like osteoporosis.

    Keeping bones healthy is crucial. Studies have shown older people hospitalised with hip fractures are 3.5 times more likely to die in the next 12 months compared to people who aren’t injured.

    People over 75 often have less exposure to sunlight.
    Aila Images/Shutterstock

    Vitamin D may also help lower the risk of respiratory infections, which can be more serious in this age group.

    There is also emerging evidence for other potential benefits, including better brain health. However, this requires more research.

    According to the society’s systematic review, which summarises evidence from randomised controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation in humans, there is moderate evidence to suggest vitamin D supplementation can lower the risk of premature death.

    The society estimates supplements can prevent six deaths per 1,000 people. When considering the uncertainty in the available evidence, the actual number could range from as many as 11 fewer deaths to no benefit at all.

    Should we get our vitamin D levels tested?

    The Endocrine Society’s guidelines suggest routine blood tests to measure vitamin D levels are not necessary for most healthy people over 75.

    There is no clear evidence that regular testing provides significant benefits, unless the person has a specific medical condition that affects vitamin D metabolism, such as kidney disease or certain bone disorders.

    Routine testing can also be expensive and inconvenient.

    In most cases, the recommended approach to over-75s is to consider a daily supplement, without the need for testing.

    You can also try to boost your vitamin D by adding fortified foods to your diet, which might lower the dose you need from supplementation.

    Even if you’re getting a few minutes of sunlight a day, a daily vitamin D is still recommended.

    Elina Hypponen receives funding from the National Health and Medical Research Foundation, Medical Research Future Fund, Australian Research Council, and Arthritis Australia.

    Joshua Sutherland’s studentship is funded by the Australian Research Training Program Scholarship, and he volunteers on the board for the Australasian Association and Register of Practicing Nutritionists.

    – ref. Are you over 75? Here’s what you need to know about vitamin D – https://theconversation.com/are-you-over-75-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-vitamin-d-231820

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: It’s time to talk about how the media talks about sexual harassment

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rawan Nimri, Lecturer in Tourism and Hospitality, Griffith University

    Sexual harassment is all too common in hospitality and tourism. One Australian survey found almost half of the respondents had been sexually harassed, compared to about one in three in workplaces more generally.

    Hospitality and tourism are marked by intense and close interpersonal interactions and dismissive treatment by some customers, including verbal and physical aggression, bullying and sexual suggestions.

    Workers who are young, female, low-paid and casual are especially vulnerable.

    The scandals at the Merivale Hospitality Group and Sydney’s Swillhouse restaurant are only the most recent.

    The widely held view that “the customer is always right” gives customers power. The power imbalance is magnified where tipping makes up a substantial part of workers’ earnings.

    What newspapers report

    To examine how sexual harassment is reported, we identified about 2,000 newspaper articles across a number of countries published between 2017 and 2022 dealing with the treatment of hotel room attendants, airline cabin crew and massage therapists. We zeroed in on 273 for closer analysis.

    This was a period in which the public awareness of sexual harassment climbed with the rise of the #MeToo movement and media coverage probably peaked.

    Media coverage matters because of its effect on public opinion.

    Computer-assisted thematic analysis showed four different types of coverage, some overlapping, relating to legal matters, celebrities, power dynamics, and calls to action.

    The language used varied according to the countries in which the newspapers were located.

    In the United States and the United Kingdom, the accused were often described by their social or economic status, with cases involving famous people getting a lot of attention. In Asia and Africa, the reports focused on basic details such as the offender’s age and where they lived.

    Women infantilised

    But universally we found the terms used to describe victims were highly gendered and dated in ways that suggested subservience and undermined their professional skills. Cabin crew were called “air hostesses”. Room attendants were called “maids”.

    Framing these professionals as modern-day servants has the potential to foster and perpetuate an expectation that sexual harassment is to be expected.

    Reports involving celebrity harassers highlighted victims’ narratives with emotionally charged quotes using words such as “awful” and “terrible”. These words were perhaps intended to evoke empathy for the victims but also serve to further victimise them.

    Female aggression under-reported

    In all cases, women were heavily featured as victims but never as aggressors. It is a gender bias that does not match the established statistics, which show that almost one-quarter of aggressors are women.

    This misrepresentation creates a skewed understanding of who commits and suffers from sexual harassment. It has the potential to discourage victims of harassment by women from coming forward.

    It’s important for the tourism industry to foster secure and dignified working conditions. But it is also important that the media reflect the actual behaviour of aggressors and victims.

    Done better, reporting could help

    The media could play a crucial role in bringing about better policies and practices in these industries by emphasising the severe consequences of ignoring the problem and the benefits of taking proactive steps.

    More respectful and accurate reporting might be able to help drive lasting change, making a positive difference in the lives of the skilled workers on whom so many of us depend.

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

    – ref. It’s time to talk about how the media talks about sexual harassment – https://theconversation.com/its-time-to-talk-about-how-the-media-talks-about-sexual-harassment-238771

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Use of AI in property valuation is on the rise – but we need greater transparency and trust

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By William Cheung, Senior Lecturer, Business School, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau

    New Zealand’s economy has been described as a “housing market with bits tacked on”. Buying and selling property is a national sport fuelled by the rising value of homes across the country.

    But the wider public has little understanding of how those property valuations are created – despite their being a key factor in most banks’ decisions about how much they are willing to lend for a mortgage.

    Automated valuation models (AVM) – systems enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) that crunch vast datasets to produce instant property values – have done little to improve transparency in the process.

    These models started gaining traction in New Zealand in the early 2010s. The early versions used limited data sources like property sales records and council information. Today’s more advanced models include high-quality geo-spatial data from sources such as Land Information New Zealand.

    AI models have improved efficiency. But the proprietary algorithms behind those AVMs can make it difficult for homeowners and industry professionals to understand how specific values are calculated.

    In our ongoing research, we are developing a framework that evaluates these automated valuations. We have looked at how the figures should be interpreted and what factors might be missed by the AI models.

    In a property market as geographically and culturally varied as New Zealand’s, these points are not only relevant — they are critical. The rapid integration of AI into property valuation is no longer just about innovation and speed. It is about trust, transparency and a robust framework for accountability.

    AI valuations are a black box

    In New Zealand, property valuation has traditionally been a labour-intensive process. Valuers would usually inspect properties, make market comparisons and apply their expert judgement to arrive at a final value estimate.

    But this approach is slow, expensive and prone to human error. As demand for more efficient property valuations increased, the use of AI brought in much-needed change.

    But the rise of these valuations models is not without its challenges. While AI offers speed and consistency, it also comes with a critical downside: a lack of transparency.

    AVMs often operate as “black boxes”, providing little insight into the data and methodologies that drive their valuations. This raises serious concerns about the consistency, objectivity and transparency of these systems.

    What exactly the algorithm is doing when an AVM estimates a home’s value is not clear. Such opaqueness has real-world consequences, perpetuating market imbalances and inequities.

    Without a framework to monitor and correct these discrepancies, AI models risk distorting the property market further, especially in a country as diverse as New Zealand, where regional, cultural and historical factors significantly influence property values.

    Transparency and accountability

    A recent discussion forum with real estate industry insiders, law researchers and computer scientists on AI governance and property valuations highlighted the need for greater accountability when it comes to AVMs. Transparency alone is not enough. Trust must be built into the system.

    This can be achieved by requiring AI developers and users to disclose data sources, algorithms and error margins behind their valuations.

    Additionally, valuation models should incorporate a “confidence interval” – a range of prices that shows how much the estimated value might vary. This offers users a clearer understanding of the uncertainty inherent in each valuation.

    But effective AI governance in property valuation cannot be achieved in isolation. It demands collaboration between regulators, AI developers and property professionals.

    Bias correction

    New Zealand urgently needs a comprehensive evaluation framework for AVMs, one that prioritises transparency, accountability and bias correction.

    This is where our research comes in. We repeatedly resample small portions of the data to account for situations where property value data do not follow a normal distribution.

    This process generates a confidence interval showing a range of possible values around each property estimate. Users are then able to understand the variability and reliability of the AI-generated valuations, even when the data are irregular or skewed.

    Our framework goes beyond transparency. It incorporates a bias correction mechanism that detects and adjusts for constantly overvalued or undervalued estimates within AVM outputs. One example of this relates to regional disparities or undervaluation of particular property types.

    By addressing these biases, we ensure valuations that are not only accountable or auditable but also fair. The goal is to avoid the long-term market distortions that unchecked AI models could create.

    The rise of AI auditing

    But transparency alone is not enough. The auditing of AI-generated information is becoming increasingly important.

    New Zealand’s courts now require a qualified person to check information generated by AI and subsequently used in tribunal proceedings.

    In much the same way financial auditors ensure accuracy in accounting, AI auditors will play a pivotal role in maintaining the integrity of valuations.

    Based on earlier research, we are auditing the artificial valuation model estimates by comparing them with the market transacted prices of the same houses in the same period.

    It is not just about trusting the algorithms but trusting the people and systems behind them.

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

    – ref. Use of AI in property valuation is on the rise – but we need greater transparency and trust – https://theconversation.com/use-of-ai-in-property-valuation-is-on-the-rise-but-we-need-greater-transparency-and-trust-240880

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and its harrowing, visceral impact has been rarely matched, 50 years on

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nicholas Godfrey, Senior Lecturer, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Flinders University

    The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a product of a unique time in American filmmaking, when independent exploitation films were nastier than ever, and equally capable of piercing the mainstream consciousness.

    Tobe Hooper’s 1974 film arrived in a recently transformed exhibition landscape. The 1967 outcry over onscreen violence in Bonnie and Clyde marked the end of Hollywood’s Motion Picture Production Code and the introduction of film ratings.

    Films like Easy Rider (1969) elevated the standing of formerly disreputable exploitation fare within Hollywood. By 1973, The Exorcist was packing out cinemas and producing lines around city blocks with the promise of the most unremitting horror film yet made.

    The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was shot quickly on a shoestring budget, financed in part by the newly-formed Texas Film Commission. The film assembled its cast and crew from Austin’s circles of recent college graduates and dropouts.

    Its plot is straightforward enough: a group of young people are stranded when they run out of gas in rural Texas. They are terrorised and subsequently murdered by an eccentric local family, including the chainsaw wielding Leatherface – a nonverbal, childlike giant who wears masks made from the skin of his flayed victims.

    We learn this family have lost their jobs at the local slaughterhouse with the introduction of bolt gun technologies, leaving them sell roadside meat made from human victims.

    This detail has inspired a range of thematic interpretations for the film, encompassing commentary on class and family, gender and animal rights.

    The film lays bare the horrors of meat production, inflicted on human victims. The family home is the site where these themes come into conflict.

    Porn and violence on screen

    The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was picked up by the Bryanston Distributing Company. In 1972, Bryanston was the distributor for the theatrical release of the hardcore pornographic film Deep Throat. The film’s success shifted popular discourse around pornography, and helped Bryanston widen the theatrical release for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

    In subsequent years, media reported on alleged abusive on-set conditions on Deep Throat, along with claims Bryanston was connected with organised crime. Director Hooper, and many of the Chain Saw Massacre cast, alleged they never received their share of box office from the distributor.

    A 1974 poster.
    Ralf Liebhold/Shutterstock

    The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’s proximity to Deep Throat stoked controversy, conflating concern about increasingly extreme depictions of sex and violence onscreen.

    Two years earlier, young filmmaker Wes Craven had transitioned from making pornography to horror film. His low budget rape-revenge exploitation film The Last House on the Left (1972) was originally developed as a hardcore pornographic film. This approach was abandoned when it entered production.

    Unlike Craven’s notorious film, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is not overtly sexualised. While there may be a sexual undertone to Leatherface’s pursuit of Sally and her companions, it does not escalate to onscreen acts of sexual violence.

    Regardless, the film drew condemnation, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it was banned, and later figured in public debates about the censorship of “video nasties” in the 1980s.

    For my part, I remember encountering The Texas Chain Saw Massacre at the video rental store as a child: its title, cover and R-rating promised horrors beyond comprehension, many years before I actually saw the film itself.

    Horrors implied, rather than shown

    Beyond its controversies, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre played an important role in the developing field of horror film studies. It figures prominently in Robin Wood’s taxonomy of “reactionary” horror movies (which uphold traditional values) and “progressive” horror movies, which take a more ambivalent stance on the figure of the monster, challenging conservative social values. Wood counts The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in the latter category.

    It is also central to Carol J. Clover’s influential codification of the “final girl” narrative trope, in which a sole young woman is able to withstand the monster’s onslaught.

    Alongside Halloween (1978), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre helped steer the trajectory of American horror films in the 1980s.

    Halloween is situated within the manicured surroundings of suburbia, and conveys its menace through the slick technical qualities of its gliding camera, and John Carpenter’s staccato synth score.

    By contrast, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre locates its horror in the backroads and decrepit farmhouses of central Texas. The idea of Texas looms large, connoting a place of lawlessness, violence and danger.

    Hooper punctuates his long shots with extreme close ups via rapid editing. The film’s most grotesque horrors are implied, rather than shown. Its most visceral impact comes from its extended chase sequences, and via its soundtrack: Sally’s piercing screams, and Leatherface’s ever-present chainsaw.

    While the Texas Chain Saw Massacre spawned several sequels and influenced even more imitators over the years, from the Ramones to Wolf Creek (2005) and X (2022), it has rarely been matched in its intensity, and its harrowing, visceral impact.

    Nicholas Godfrey 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. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and its harrowing, visceral impact has been rarely matched, 50 years on – https://theconversation.com/the-texas-chain-saw-massacre-and-its-harrowing-visceral-impact-has-been-rarely-matched-50-years-on-236700

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sorensen Helps Secure Over $22,000 for Illinois State University Police

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17)

    PEORIA, IL – Today, Congressman Eric Sorensen (IL-17) announced that he helped secure over $22,000 for Illinois State University (ISU) Police. The money will be used to improve relations with underserved communities on campus. 

    “We need to make sure Illinois State University police have the tools to keep every student and neighbor safe,” said Sorensen. “That means providing them with the resources to engage with the many diverse communities that exist on campus and across Bloomington and Normal. I was proud to help ISU secure this important grant funding that will make their campus safer for students, university police, staff, and faculty.”   

    “Illinois State University Police is grateful to Representative Sorensen for supporting this effort to engage and uplift marginalized voices on our campus,” said Illinois State University Chief of Police Aaron Woodruff. “This funding will create new training, accreditation, and engagement opportunities that will enrich our student experience and enhance safety for the broader Bloomington/Normal community.” 

    The $22,005 in funding for ISU is coming from the Community Policing Development (CPD) Program under the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office, which provides funding to local and state law enforcement agencies to implement demonstration or pilot projects that offer creative ideas to advance crime fighting, community engagement, problem solving, or organizational changes in support of community policing.  

    This past May, Sorensen wrote a letter on behalf of ISU to the CPD grant program manager in support of the university receiving this grant. Sorensen also led a group of 24 of his colleagues in calling on Congress to fully fund the COPS program in direct response to roundtable discussions and meetings he has hosted with law enforcement from across Central and Northwestern Illinois.   

    Congressman Eric Sorensen serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. Prior to serving in Congress, Sorensen was a local meteorologist in Rockford and the Quad Cities for nearly 20 years. His district includes Illinois’ Quad Cities, Rockford, Peoria, and Bloomington-Normal.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration Celebrates International Day of the Girl and Continues Commitment to Supporting Youth in the U.S. and  Abroad

    Source: The White House

    International Day of the Girl provides an opportunity to celebrate the leadership of girls around the world and recommit to addressing the barriers that continue to limit their full participation. Today, to commemorate International Day of the Girl, First Lady Jill Biden will host the second “Girls Leading Change” event at the White House to recognize outstanding young women from across the United States who are making a difference in their communities. This year’s event will honor 10 young women leaders, selected by the White House Gender Policy Council, who are leading change and shaping a brighter future for generations to come.  

    The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that girls can pursue their dreams free from fear, discrimination, violence, or abuse; and to advancing the safety, education, health, and wellbeing of girls everywhere. Investing in young people means investing in our future; and they should have the opportunity and resources they need to succeed.

    That’s why, since day one in office, this Administration has taken action to advance the safety, education, health, and well-being of girls, including:

    • Accelerating Learning and Improving Student Achievement. The American Rescue Plan, the largest one-time education investment in our history, included $130 billion to help schools address the impact of the pandemic on student well-being and academic achievement. To sustain these efforts, the Biden-Harris Administration increased funding and targeting of federal grants to better support academic recovery—from the Education Innovation and Research program to extended-day and afterschool programming through 21st Century Community Learning Centers. And the Administration’s Improving Student Achievement Agenda for 2024 is helping accelerate academic performance for every child in school.
    • Canceling Student Debt. President Biden and Vice President Harris vowed to fix the federal student loan program and make sure higher education is a ticket to the middle class—not a barrier to opportunity. The Biden-Harris Administration has approved nearly $170 billion in loan forgiveness for almost 5 million borrowers through more than two dozen executive actions with the goal of helping these borrowers get more breathing room in their daily lives, access economic mobility, buy homes, start businesses, and pursue their dreams.
    • Cutting Child Poverty Nearly in Half in 2021. President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that no child should grow up in poverty. Their expansion of the Child Tax Credit helped cut child poverty nearly in half in 2021 to a record low of 5.2%. President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting to restore this expansion, which would lift over a million girls out of poverty and narrow racial disparities. The Biden-Harris Administration has also lifted hundreds of thousands of girls out of poverty by updating the Thrifty Food Plan and creating SunBucks, a new program that helps low-income families afford groceries over the summer when they don’t have access to school meals.
    • Supporting Youth Mental Health. President Biden and Vice President Harris believe that health care is a right, not a privilege, and that mental health care is health care—period. That’s why they invested almost $1.5 billion to strengthen the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and launched the National Mental Health Strategy, with ongoing investments to strengthen the mental health workforce, ensure parity for mental health and substance use care, connect Americans to care, and better protect youth from the harms of social media. The Biden-Harris Administration is also delivering the largest investments in school-based mental health services ever, bringing 14,000 new mental health professionals into schools across the country and making it easier for schools to leverage Medicaid to deliver care.
       
    • Preventing Gun Violence, Including Domestic Violence with Firearms. Gun violence is the leading killer of children and teenagers in the United States. President Biden and Vice President Harris have taken historic executive action to reduce gun violence and violent crime. In 2022, President Biden signed into law the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the most significant new gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years. The intersection between guns and domestic violence can be especially deadly, and BSCA expanded background checks to keep guns out of the hands of more domestic abusers, narrowed the “boyfriend loophole” so an individual convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence against a dating partner is prohibited from purchasing a firearm, and expanded funding for red flag laws that allow for temporary removal of firearms from an individual who is a danger to themselves or others. President Biden established the first-ever Office of Gun Violence Prevention, overseen by Vice President Harris. The Biden-Harris Administration has made historic investments in law enforcement and community-led crime prevention and intervention strategies and has announced more executive actions to reduce gun violence than any other administration. Most recently, building on life-saving actions that the Administration has already taken, President Biden signed a new Executive Order in September 2024 to improve school-based active shooter drills and combat emerging firearms threats. The President and Vice President also announced new actions to support survivors of gun violence, promote safe gun storage, fund community violence intervention, and improve the gun background check system, among other actions.
       
    • Launching the American Climate Corps. President Biden launched the American Climate Corps to give a diverse new generation of young people the tools to fight the impacts of climate change today and the skills to join the clean energy and climate-resilience workforce of tomorrow. The American Climate Corps is tackling the climate crisis, including by restoring coastal ecosystems, strengthening urban and rural agriculture, investing in clean energy and energy efficiency, improving disaster and wildfire preparedness, and more. More than 15,000 young Americans have already been put to work in high-quality, good-paying clean energy and climate resilience workforce training and service opportunities through the American Climate Corps—putting the program on track to reach President Biden’s goal of 20,000 members in the program’s first year ahead of schedule.
       
    • Providing Children with Healthier, More Sustainable Environments. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program has awarded nearly $3 billion and funded approximately 8,700 electric and low-emission school buses nationwide, protecting children from air pollution by transforming school bus fleets across America. The Biden-Harris Administration also invested $15 billion toward replacing every toxic lead pipe in the country within a decade, protecting children and schools from lead exposure that can cause irreversible harm to cognitive development and hamper children’s learning. And earlier this year, the Environmental Protection Agency provided $58 million to protect children from lead in drinking water at schools and child care facilities.
    • Fighting Online Harassment and Abuse. Online harassment and abuse is increasingly widespread in today’s digitally connected world and disproportionately affects women, girls, and LGBTQI+ individuals. President Biden established the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse to coordinate comprehensive actions from more than a dozen federal agencies, and his Executive Order on artificial intelligence directs federal agencies to address deepfake image-based abuse. The Department of Justice also funded the first-ever national helpline to provide 24/7 support and specialized services for victims of online harassment and abuse, including the non-consensual distribution of intimate images; raised awareness of new legal protections against the non-consensual distribution of intimate images that were included in the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022; and funded a new National Resource Center on Cybercrimes Against Individuals.
    • Keeping Students Safe and Addressing Campus Sexual Assault. The Department of Education restored and strengthened vital Title IX protections against discrimination on the basis of sex for students and employees. The Department of Justice awarded more than $20 million in FY 2024 to support colleges and universities in preventing and responding to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. And the Department of Education—in collaboration with the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services—launched a Task Force on Sexual Violence in Education that has released data on sexual violence at educational institutions and is working to improve sexual violence prevention and response on campus.
    • Supporting Vulnerable Youth. The Biden-Harris Administration has taken action to support the needs of vulnerable and underserved youth—from helping prevent youth homelessness and human trafficking to supporting employment initiatives for youth with disabilities. This includes $800 million in dedicated funding to support students experiencing homelessness through the President’s American Rescue Plan. The Department of Health and Human Services also issued landmark rules to improve the child welfare system, particularly for the most vulnerable children, and to advance the safety and wellbeing of families across the country, including for LGBTQI+ children in foster care. And the Department of Justice has funded programs to help communities develop, enhance, or expand early intervention programs and treatment services for girls who are involved in the juvenile justice system.

    The Biden-Harris Administration has also taken action to support girls around the globe by fighting to advance the human rights of women and girls and promote access to education, health, and safety, including:

    • Promoting Girls’ Education Globally. The United States is investing in girls’ education around the world, which in turn advances health and economic development. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) invested more than $2.5 billion from FY 2021-2023 to increase access to quality basic and higher education, and reached 18.7 million girls and women in 69 countries in FY23 alone to advance gender equality in and through education. The Departments of State and Labor have also supported efforts to promote girls’ education through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs in Kenya and Namibia, as well as technical and vocational education training centers for adolescent girls in Ethiopia. The United States has strongly condemned the restriction of girls’ education in Afghanistan, including by restricting visas for individuals believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, repressing women and girls by limiting or prohibiting access to education.
    • Closing the Gender Digital Divide. Last year, Vice President Harris launched the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (Wi-DEF) to accelerate progress towards closing the gender digital divide. To date, Wi-DEF has raised over $80 million, including an initial $50 million commitment from USAID. Building on the success of the Fund, the Women in the Digital Economy Initiative includes commitments from governments, private sector companies, foundations, civil society, and multilateral organizations that have pledged more than $1 billion to accelerate gender digital equality. This Initiative supports girls’ access to digital learning opportunities, provides employment and educational skills, and helps fulfill the historic commitment of G20 Leaders to halve the digital gender gap by 2030. Since the launch of Wi-DEF, the United States has invested $102 million in direct and aligned commitments to closing the gender digital divide and accelerating gender digital equality.
    • Preventing and Responding to Online Harassment and Abuse Globally. To address the scourge of online harassment and abuse against girls and women, the Biden-Harris Administration launched the 15-country Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, which has advanced international policies to address online safety and supported programs to prevent and respond to technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Since the Global Partnership was launched in 2022, the Department of State has supported projects in every region to prevent, document, and address technology-facilitated gender-based violence, cultivate safe online use, and respond to survivors’ needs. 
    • Championing Girls’ Leadership in Addressing the Climate Crisis. In 2023, Vice President Harris announced the Women in the Sustainable Economy Initiative—an over $2 billion public-private partnership to promote women’s access to jobs in the green and blue industries of the future—including by advancing girls’ access to STEM education. Through WISE, the Department of State is investing more than $12 million in programs to benefit girls, including programs that promote girls’ economic skills and opportunities in STEM and that foster girls’ roles in leading, shaping, and informing equitable and inclusive climate policies and actions.
    • Strengthening HIV Prevention Services for Girls. To address key factors that make adolescent girls and young women particularly vulnerable to HIV, the United States launched the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe) public-private partnership as part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2014. Announced in 2023, PEPFAR’s DREAMS NextGen program is the next phase of DREAMS that will take a more nuanced approach that is responsive to the current context within each of the 15 DREAMS countries. PEPFAR has invested more than $2 billion in comprehensive HIV prevention programming for girls through DREAMS—including $1.3 billion since the start of the Administration—and the program reaches approximately 2.5 to 3 million girls annually.
    • Increasing Efforts to End Child Marriage Globally. To address the global scourge of child, early, and forced marriage, USAID and the Department of State invested $86 million in 27 countries to support programs that prevent and respond to this harmful practice, including by equipping girls and young women with education and workforce readiness skills; providing education, health, legal, and economic support; and raising awareness. Under the leadership of the Biden-Harris Administration, the United States also made its first-ever contribution to the UNICEF-UNFPA Global Programme to End Child Marriage, which works in 12 countries in Africa and South Asia to promote the rights of adolescent girls, and is contributing more than $2 million in FY 2024 to UNFPA to help reach refugee adolescent girls and prevent child marriages in humanitarian settings.
    • Leading Programs to End Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting. To address the harmful practice of female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), USAID invested in programs to address this issue in Djibouti, Egypt, Mauritania, and Nigeria. The United States is a long-standing donor to the UNICEF-UNFPA Joint Programme on the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation, and invested $20 million from FY 2020-FY 2023 in this partnership, which has succeeded in advocating for legal and policy frameworks banning FGM/C in 14 of 17 countries and supported more than 6.3 million women and girls with FGM/C-related protection and care services.
    • Promoting Young Women’s Civic and Political Participation. The Biden-Harris Administration has advanced the political and civic participation of women and girls as a pillar of democracy promotion efforts worldwide. The Administration launched Women LEAD, a $900 million public-private partnership focused on building the pipeline of women leaders around the world, including by supporting programs to reach girls and young women. Under this umbrella, the USAID-led Advancing Women’s and Girls’ Civic and Political Leadership Initiative provides more than $25 million to identify and dismantle the individual, structural, and socio-cultural barriers to the political empowerment of women and girls in ten focus countries: Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Kyrgyz Republic, Yemen, and Fiji. Furthermore, the State Department is launching a new $1.25 million program in Africa that will empower and equip young women leaders to take on decision-making roles in democratic transition processes.
    • Protecting Girls in Humanitarian Emergencies. The United States government has increased its support for girls in humanitarian and fragile contexts. Since 2021, USAID has more than doubled the percentage of its humanitarian budget allocated to the protection sector, which includes child protection and gender-based violence activities serving girls. In FY 2023, USAID provided $163 million specifically towards addressing gender-based violence in humanitarian emergencies. In 2022, USAID and the Department of State launched Safe from the Start: ReVisioned, which seeks to better address the needs of girls and women from the onset of a conflict or crisis.
    • Combatting Child Trafficking. To combat child trafficking, including trafficking of girls, the Department of State has committed $37.5 million through Child Protection Compacts, building capacity in Jamaica, Peru, and Mongolia, and establishing new partnerships with Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, and Romania. These partnerships strengthen country responses to child trafficking to more effectively prosecute and convict traffickers, provide comprehensive trauma-informed care for child victims—including girls—and prevent child trafficking in all its forms.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: First Lady Jill  Biden Announces 2024 “Girls Leading Change”  Honorees

    Source: The White House

    In celebration of International Day of the Girl, the First Lady is honoring ten young women who are leading change and shaping a brighter future in their communities 

    In honor of International Day of the Girl, First Lady Jill Biden will celebrate ten young women leaders, selected by the White House Gender Policy Council, who are leading change and shaping a brighter future in their communities across the United States.    

    As an educator for more than 40 years, Dr. Biden has continued to be a champion for young people here in the United States and abroad. Together with the White House Gender Policy Council, Dr. Biden is hosting the second “Girls Leading Change” event at the White House to recognize the profound impact young women are having on their communities and their efforts to strengthen our country for generations to come.     

    “Everywhere I travel, I see inspiring girls leading change in their communities,” said First Lady Jill Biden. “These incredible honorees are meeting the challenges they see in the world by developing innovative new technologies, expanding access to education, erasing silence through the power of art and poetry and more. It is an honor to celebrate these young leaders at the White House and I hope that their courage and determination inspires the next generation.”  

    The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to ensuring that girls can pursue their dreams free from fear, discrimination, violence, or abuse; and to advancing the safety, education, health, and wellbeing of girls everywhere. Investing in young people means investing in our future; they should have the opportunity and resources they need to succeed. Since day one in office, this Administration has taken actions to advance the safety, education, health, and well-being of girls. A full summary of these actions can be found via a White House Fact Sheet released today HERE.  

    “Girls Leading Change” will begin at 5:30 PM ET today, Thursday, October 10th, and be available via livestream at whitehouse.gov/live  

      2024 Girl Leading Change Honorees   

    Cheyenne Anderson (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 

    Cheyenne Anderson, Iztac Citlali (White Star), age 17, is an artist and photographer who aims to lift up underrepresented communities, including those of her own Chicana, Mexica, and Apache heritage, through creative art forms. In ninth grade, Cheyenne created and co-edited a book, titled South Valley, which features poetry and artwork from fellow youth poets and local community members that showcase the beauty and spirit of Albuquerque’s South Valley. Through her art and elevating the art of others, Cheyenne hopes to inspire people of all backgrounds to share their unique stories. 

    Emily Austin (Alcabideche, Portugal) 

    Emily Austin, age 17, is a proud daughter of a U.S. Navy service member. Emily and her family have moved to seven different duty stations. She has attended seven different schools, over the course of her education. She currently serves as the Chief of Staff at Bloom, an organization started by military-connected teens dedicated to empowering teens from military families and elevating their voices. Emily started the Bloom Ambassador program to directly connect teens from military families to Bloom staff members and opportunities in their region, cultivating a sense of community and providing peer support through the shared joys and challenges of the military lifestyle. 

    Sreenidi Bala (Farmington, Connecticut) 

    Sreenidi Bala, age 16, is an advocate for the accessibility of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for students of all abilities. After recognizing a gap in STEM education for neurodivergent students in her school district, Sreenidi developed an elective to fill that gap called ASPIRE Adaptive STEM. Sreenidi also founded Code for All Minds—a free online platform offering educators and families comprehensive lessons in coding, digital citizenship, and essential technology skills tailored for students with learning disabilities. Through partnerships with neurodiversity advocacy groups and local college access programs, Code for All Minds has created and distributed adaptive STEM curriculums to schools across the country. 

    Noel Demetrio (Lake Forest, Illinois) 

    Noel Demetrio, age 17, is dedicated to supporting refugee and immigrant communities. Noel is the founder of Project Xenia, a local program that aims to educate students about displacement and show how they can support and welcome refugees into their community. Project Xenia has also helped fund scholarships for Ukrainian refugees in her local community. Noel serves as a Girl Delegate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to the United Nations and attended the 68th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women to advocate for the rights of girls all over the world. 

    Serena Griffin (Oakland, California) 

    Serena Griffin, age 17, is passionate about empowering youth through poetry, songwriting, and storytelling, and using creative expression as a tool for social change. She is the founder of EmpowHer Poets, a free afterschool program that provides writing workshops to local Bay Area youth, particularly young girls of color, to encourage them to find power in their voices. In addition, Serena is the current Berkeley Vice Youth Poet Laureate. She also serves as a member of the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls Youth Advisory Council, advising on the impact of state legislation on youth and its implementation in schools.  

    Pragathi Kasani-Akula (Cumming, Georgia) 

    Pragathi Kasani-Akula, age 17, is a scientist and innovator dedicated to developing novel solutions that make health care more accessible to people across the world. Following her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis, she developed a prototype for a low-cost, less invasive test to detect triple negative breast cancer. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pragathi also worked with the ScioVirtual Foundation to teach an online course on epidemiology to students across the nation, including education on how to advance public health. 

    Meghna “Chili” and Siona “Dolly” Pramoda (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) 

    Meghna “Chili” Pramoda, age 17, and Siona “Dolly” Pramoda, age 16, are advocates for digital safety for all. As co-founders of SafeTeensOnline (STO), the Pramoda sisters have educated and empowered over 5 million teens worldwide. STO’s work consists of year-round online awareness campaigns through social media and teen-led large-scale survey and research initiatives on topics such as internet usage and patterns of cyber incidents. During the COVID-19 pandemic when the world moved online, the Pramoda sisters noticed that older members of their community often felt isolated due to a lack of digital literacy. As a result, STO expanded from a teen-focused organization to one that also educates parents, teachers, and grandparents on safe digital practices and on how to build judgment-free spaces online. 

    Kira Tiller (Gainesville, Virginia) 

    Kira Tiller, age 18, is a disability rights activist who aims to expand accessibility and amplify the voices of young people with disabilities. After Kira discovered that the flashing lights during school fire drills posed a seizure risk for her due to her epilepsy, she dedicated herself to advocating for legislation to ensure students with disabilities are fully accommodated and protected during emergency situations at school. Kira founded and is the executive director of a national, student-led organization called Disabled Disrupters, which advocates for state and federal disability rights legislation and helps students take action to advance disability equity. 

    Morgaine Wilkins-Dean (Denver, Colorado) 

    Morgaine Wilkins-Dean, age 18, is a Gold Award Girl Scout who is working to eliminate gun violence in her community and across the country.  Morgaine’s high school experienced three firearm-related incidents in a single year that resulted in the loss of two of her classmates. As a result, Morgaine worked with the Denver Public School Board on gun violence prevention and safe gun storage policies. Due in part to Morgaine’s advocacy, this school year, for the first time, Denver Public Schools are required to educate families about the risks associated with unsecured firearms at home. 

    ### 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way, and it’s not just stubbornness

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, Research Associate, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder

    Evacuation is more difficult for people with health and mobility issues. Ted Richardson/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

    As Hurricane Milton roared ashore near Sarasota, Florida, tens of thousands of people were in evacuation shelters. Hundreds of thousands more had fled coastal regions ahead of the storm, crowding highways headed north and south as their counties issued evacuation orders.

    But not everyone left, despite dire warnings about a hurricane that had been one of the strongest on record two days earlier.

    As Milton’s rain and storm surge flooded neighborhoods late on Oct. 9, 2024, 911 calls poured in. In Tampa’s Hillsborough County, more than 500 people had to be rescued, including a dozen people trapped in a flooding home after a tree crashed though the roof at the height of the storm.

    In Plant City, 20 miles inland from Tampa, at least 35 people had been rescued by dawn, City Manager Bill McDaniel said. While the storm wasn’t as extreme as feared, McDaniel said his city had flooded in places and to levels he had never seen. Traffic signals were out. Power lines and trees were down. The sewage plant had been inundated, affecting the public water supply.

    Evacuating might seem like the obvious move when a major hurricane is bearing down on your region, but that choice is not always as easy as it may seem.

    Evacuating from a hurricane requires money, planning, the ability to leave and, importantly, a belief that evacuating is better than staying put.

    I recently examined years of research on what motivates people to leave or seek shelter during hurricanes as part of a project with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Natural Hazards Center. I found three main reasons that people didn’t leave.

    Evacuating can be expensive

    Evacuating requires transportation, money, a place to stay, the ability to take off work days ahead of a storm and other resources that many people do not have.

    With 1 in 9 Americans facing poverty today, many have limited evacuation options. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, for example, many residents did not own vehicles and couldn’t reach evacuation buses. That left them stranded in the face of a deadly hurricane. Nearly 1,400 people died in the storm, many of them in flooded homes.

    When millions of people are under evacuation orders, logistical issues also arise.

    Two days ahead of landfall, Milton was a Category 5 hurricane. About 5 million people were under evacuation orders, and highways were crowded.

    Gas shortages and traffic jams can leave people stranded on highways and unable to find shelter before the storm hits. This happened during Hurricane Floyd in 1999 as 2 million Floridians tried to evacuate.

    People who experienced past evacuations or saw news video of congested highways ahead of Hurricane Milton might not leave for fear of getting stuck.

    Health, pets and being physically able to leave

    The logistics of evacuating are even more challenging for people who are disabled or in nursing homes. Additionally, people who are incarcerated may have no choice in the matter – and the justice system may have few options for moving them.

    Evacuating nursing homes, people with disabilities or prison populations is complex. Many shelters are not set up to accommodate their needs. In one example during Hurricane Floyd, a disabled person arrived at a shelter, but the hallways were too narrow for their wheelchair, so they were restricted to a cot for the duration of their stay. Moving people whose health is fragile, and doing so under stressful conditions, can also worsen health problems, leaving nursing home staff to make difficult decisions.

    At least 700 people stayed in chairs or on air mattresses at River Ridge Middle/High School in New Port Richey, Fla., during Hurricane Milton.
    AP Photo/Mike Carlson

    But failing to evacuate can also be deadly. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, seven nursing home residents died in the rising heat after their facility lost power near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In some cases, public water systems are shut down or become contaminated. And flooding can create several health hazards, including the risk of infectious diseases.

    In a study of 291 long-term care facilities in Florida, 81% sheltered residents in place during the 2004 hurricane season because they had limited transportation options and faced issues finding places for residents to go.

    Some shelters allow small pets, but many don’t. This high school-turned-shelter in New Port Richey, Fla., had 283 registered pets.
    AP Photo/Mike Carlson

    People with pets face another difficult choice – some choose to stay at home for fear of leaving their pet behind. Studies have found that pet owners are significantly less likely to evacuate than others because of difficulties transporting pets and finding shelters that will take them. In destructive storms, it can be days to weeks before people can return home.

    Risk perception can also get in the way

    People’s perceptions of risk can also prevent them from leaving.

    A series of studies show that women and minorities take hurricane risks more seriously than other groups and are more likely to evacuate or go to shelters. One study found that women are almost twice as likely than men to evacuate when given a mandatory evacuation order.

    If people have experienced a hurricane before that didn’t do significant damage, they may perceive the risks of a coming storm to be lower and not leave.

    Video from across Florida after Hurricane Milton shows flooding around homes, trees down and other damage. At least five people died in the storm, and more than 3 million homes lost power.

    In my review of research, I found that many people who didn’t evacuate had reservations about going to shelters and preferred to stay home or with family or friends. Shelter conditions were sometimes poor, overcrowded or lacked privacy.

    People had fears about safety and whether shelter environments could meet their needs. For example, religious minorities were not sure whether shelters would be clean, safe, have private places for religious practice, and food options consistent with faith practices. Diabetics and people with young children also had concerns about finding appropriate food in shelters.

    How to improve evacuations for the future

    There are ways leaders can reduce the barriers to evacuation and shelter use. For example:

    • Building more shelters able to withstand hurricane force winds can create safe havens for people without transportation or who are unable to leave their jobs in time to evacuate.

    • Arranging more shelters and transportation able to accommodate people with disabilities and those with special needs, such as nursing home residents, can help protect vulnerable populations.

    • Opening shelters to accommodate pets with their owners can also increase the likelihood that pet owners will evacuate.

    • Public education can be improved so people know their options. Clearer risk communication on how these storms are different than past ones and what people are likely to experience can also help people make informed decisions.

    • Being prepared saves lives. Many areas would benefit from better advance planning that takes into account the needs of large, diverse populations and can ensure populations have ways to evacuate to safety.

    Carson MacPherson-Krutsky works for the Natural Hazards Center (NHC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. She receives grant and contract funding for her work at NHC through the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other funders.

    – ref. Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way, and it’s not just stubbornness – https://theconversation.com/evacuating-in-disasters-like-hurricane-milton-isnt-simple-there-are-reasons-people-stay-in-harms-way-and-its-not-just-stubbornness-240869

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way, and not just stubbornness

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Carson MacPherson-Krutsky, Research Associate, Natural Hazards Center, University of Colorado Boulder

    Evacuation is more difficult for people with health and mobility issues. Ted Richardson/For The Washington Post via Getty Images

    As Hurricane Milton roared ashore near Sarasota, Florida, tens of thousands of people were in evacuation shelters. Hundreds of thousands more had fled coastal regions ahead of the storm, crowding highways headed north and south as their counties issued evacuation orders.

    But not everyone left, despite dire warnings about a hurricane that had been one of the strongest on record two days earlier.

    As Milton’s rain and storm surge flooded neighborhoods late on Oct. 9, 2024, 911 calls poured in. More than 500 people were rescued in Tampa’s Hillsborough County. Tampa police helped more than a dozen adults and children from a flooding home after a tree crashed though the roof at the height of the storm.

    In Plant City, 20 miles inland from Tampa, at least 35 people had been rescued by dawn, City Manager Bill McDaniel said. While the storm wasn’t as extreme as feared, he said his city had flooded in places and to levels he had never seen. Traffic signals were out. Power lines and trees were down. The sewage plant had been inundated, affecting the public water supply.

    Evacuating might seem like the obvious move when a major hurricane is bearing down on your region, but that choice is not always as easy as it may seem.

    Evacuating from a hurricane requires money, planning, the ability to leave and, importantly, a belief that evacuating is better than staying put.

    I recently examined years of research on what motivates people to leave or seek shelter during hurricanes as part of a project with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Natural Hazards Center. I found three main reasons that people didn’t leave.

    Evacuating can be expensive

    Evacuating requires a car, gas money, a place to stay, the ability to take off work days ahead of a storm and other resources that many people do not have.

    With 1 in 9 Americans facing poverty today, many have limited evacuation options. During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, for example, many residents did not own vehicles and couldn’t reach evacuation buses. That left them stranded in the face of a deadly hurricane. Nearly 1,400 people died in the storm, many of them in flooded homes.

    When millions of people are under evacuation orders, logistical issues also arise.

    Two days ahead of landfall, Milton was a Category 5 hurricane. About 5 million people were under evacuation orders, and highways were crowded.

    Gas shortages and traffic jams can leave people stranded on highways and unable to find shelter before the storm hits. This happened during Hurricane Floyd in 1999 as 2 million Floridians tried to evacuate.

    People who experienced past evacuations or saw news video of congested highways ahead of Hurricane Milton might not leave for fear of getting stuck.

    Health, pets and being physically able to leave

    The logistics of evacuating are even more challenging for people who are disabled or in nursing homes. Additionally, people who are incarcerated may have no choice in the matter – and the justice system may have few options for moving them.

    Evacuating nursing homes, people with disabilities or prison populations is complex. Many shelters are not set up to accommodate their needs. In one example during Hurricane Floyd, a disabled person arrived at a shelter, but the hallways were too narrow for their wheelchair, so they were restricted to a cot for the duration of their stay. Moving people whose health is fragile, and doing so under stressful conditions, can also worsen health problems, leaving nursing home staff to make difficult decisions.

    At least 700 people stayed in chairs or on air mattresses at River Ridge Middle/High School in New Port Richey, Fla., during Hurricane Milton.
    AP Photo/Mike Carlson

    But failing to evacuate can also be deadly. During Hurricane Irma in 2017, seven nursing home residents died in the rising heat after their facility lost power near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In some cases, public water systems are shut down or become contaminated. And flooding can create several health hazards, including the risk of infectious diseases.

    In a study of 291 long-term care facilities in Florida, 81% sheltered residents in place during the 2004 hurricane season because they had limited transportation options and faced issues finding places for residents to go.

    Some shelters allow small pets, but many don’t. This high school-turned-shelter in New Port Richey, Fla., had 283 registered pets.
    AP Photo/Mike Carlson

    People with pets face another difficult choice – some choose to stay at home for fear of leaving their pet behind. Studies have found that pet owners are significantly less likely to evacuate than others because of difficulties transporting pets and finding shelters that will take them. In destructive storms, it can be days to weeks before people can return home.

    Risk perception can also get in the way

    People’s perceptions of risk can also prevent them from leaving.

    A series of studies show that women and minorities take hurricane risks more seriously than other groups and are more likely to evacuate or go to shelters. One study found that women are almost twice as likely than men to evacuate when given a mandatory evacuation order.

    If people have experienced a hurricane before that didn’t do significant damage, they may perceive the risks of a coming storm to be lower and not leave.

    Video from across Florida after Hurricane Milton shows flooding around homes, trees down and other damage. At least five people died in the storm, and more than 3 million homes lost power.

    In my review of research, I found that many people who didn’t evacuate had reservations about going to shelters and preferred to stay home or with family or friends. Shelter conditions were sometimes poor, overcrowded or lacked privacy.

    People had fears about safety and whether shelter environments could meet their needs. For example, religious minorities were not sure whether shelters would be clean, safe, have private places for religious practice, and food options consistent with faith practices. Diabetics and people with young children also had concerns about finding appropriate food in shelters.

    How to improve evacuations for the future

    There are ways leaders can reduce the barriers to evacuation and shelter use. For example:

    • Building more shelters able to withstand hurricane force winds can create safe havens for people without transportation or who are unable to leave their jobs in time to evacuate.

    • Arranging more shelters and transportation able to accommodate people with disabilities and those with special needs, such as nursing home residents, can help protect vulnerable populations.

    • Opening shelters to accommodate pets with their owners can also increase the likelihood that pet owners will evacuate.

    • Public education can be improved so people know their options. Clearer risk communication on how these storms are different than past ones and what people are likely to experience can also help people make informed decisions.

    • Being prepared saves lives. Many areas would benefit from better advance planning that takes into account the needs of large, diverse populations and can ensure populations have ways to evacuate to safety.

    Carson MacPherson-Krutsky works for the Natural Hazards Center (NHC) at the University of Colorado Boulder. She receives grant and contract funding for her work at NHC through the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other funders.

    – ref. Evacuating in disasters like Hurricane Milton isn’t simple – there are reasons people stay in harm’s way, and not just stubbornness – https://theconversation.com/evacuating-in-disasters-like-hurricane-milton-isnt-simple-there-are-reasons-people-stay-in-harms-way-and-not-just-stubbornness-240869

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: US inflation rate fell to 2.4% in September − here’s what that means for interest rates and markets

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jason Reed, Associate Teaching Professor of Finance, University of Notre Dame

    All eyes on the CPI. Sila Damrongsaringkan/Getty Images Plus

    It wasn’t that long ago that the Federal Reserve, the central bank for the United States, was worrying that annual inflation would surpass 9% in the middle of 2022. The U.S. economy hadn’t seen prices rise that fast since the 1980s, and most everyone feared that a series of interest rate hikes would plunge the economy into a recession.

    What a difference two years can make.

    Inflation cooled to 2.4% in September 2024, according to consumer price index data released by the Labor Department on Oct. 10. That’s down from 2.5% the previous month and in line with market expectations of 2.3% to 2.4%. The inflation rate peaked at 8.9% in June 2022 – a 41-year high.

    The news brings the Fed – and its chair, Jerome Powell – much closer to reaching its 2% inflation target. It also marks the fourth straight month that year-over-year price changes have been below 3% and the third consecutive month of declining inflation rates.

    Speaking as an economist and finance professor, I think this could be a big deal for the Federal Reserve, which next meets – and could again cut interest rates – in November.

    Fodder for another rate cut?

    The Fed has what’s called a dual mandate: It pursues both low inflation and stable employment, two goals that can sometimes be at odds. Cutting interest rates can help employment but worsen inflation, while hiking them can do the opposite.

    Since inflation started to take off during the COVID-19 pandemic, Fed officials have emphasized that their job isn’t done until price increases are back down to the 2% target.

    But in light of recent labor market news, Powell and his colleagues have changed their messaging a bit. This indicates that the upside risks of inflation are lower than the risks associated with a weakening labor market.

    And in September, the Fed slashed the federal funds rate by 0.5 percentage point, or 50 basis points – the first cut since it began hiking rates in March 2022. The move came as unemployment had ticked up to 4.3% in July, job openings plummeted and broader labor markets weakened.

    Increasingly optimistic markets

    Equity markets rallied on the news of the September rate cut. Investors believe reductions in the federal funds rate, which is a prime rate that helps to dictate mortgage rates, auto loans, credit card rates and home equity lines of credit, will spur increases in investment and consumption, guiding the economy to a so-called soft landing instead of a recession.

    After that meeting, most members of the Federal Reserve Board indicated they would also favor cutting rates by 25 basis points at each of their upcoming November and December meetings.

    Between today’s inflation news and the unexpectedly sunny jobs report on Oct. 4, investors and markets have a lot of news to digest as they consider what path interest rates will take in the months ahead. Many continue to believe that we may well see two 25-basis-point cuts by the end of 2024 – and so do I.

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

    – ref. US inflation rate fell to 2.4% in September − here’s what that means for interest rates and markets – https://theconversation.com/us-inflation-rate-fell-to-2-4-in-september-heres-what-that-means-for-interest-rates-and-markets-240872

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Violation of LGBTQ+ rights by the Republic of Bulgaria – P-001504/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    As set out in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, equality and respect for human dignity and human rights are values common to the Member States on which also the EU is founded.

    The Commission remains steadfast, within the limits of its competences, in its commitment to tackling discrimination, inequalities and challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, non-binary, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) individuals, including in education, as outlined in our LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025[1], of course including in Bulgaria .

    The Commission is aware of the law adopted by the Bulgarian parliament.

    On 13 August 2024, Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli, sent a letter to the Bulgarian Minister of Education and Science, Mr Galin Tsokov, to request further information on the legislation. The Commission received the reply of the Minister on 3 September and is assessing it.

    The Commission is analysing whether the legislation is aligned with EU law, including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Commission will use all the instruments at its disposal to protect the EU’s values and will not hesitate to take the necessary actions within the limit of its competence.

    • [1] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0698
    Last updated: 10 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Speech by DSJ at Spanish National Day Reception in Hong Kong (English only) (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the speech by the Deputy Secretary for Justice, Mr Cheung Kwok-kwan, at the Spanish National Day Reception in Hong Kong today (October 10):
     
    Consul General (Consul General of Spain in Hong Kong, Mr Miguel Aguirre de Cárcer), Deputy Commissioner Fang Jianming (Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
     
         Good evening. I’m delighted to be here tonight to celebrate the national day of Spain. This is a proud and festive occasion throughout Spain, one of the major economies in the European Union.
     
         A celebration, too, of the growing ties between our two economies.
     
         Less than three weeks ago, the Financial Secretary visited Madrid, leading a high-profile delegation of Hong Kong start-up companies, together with the heads of Hong Kong Science Park and Cyberport.
     
         Over three fruitful days, the Financial Secretary and his delegation visited a variety of Spanish start-ups, investors and corporate representatives, such as start-up accelerators IMPACT and Wayra, and Spanish telecommunications company Telefónica, and met with the Director General of CDTI (the Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico y la Innovación), which promotes I&T (innovation and technology) co-operation between Spain and other economies.
     
         They also met with Spain Startup President and officials from IE University, the organisers of the renowned innovation and entrepreneurship event South Summit, which brings together a world of start-ups, investors, and entrepreneurs each year. The Financial Secretary welcomed the prospect of holding the South Summit in Hong Kong, and for good reasons.
     
         Asia’s super-connector, Hong Kong is at the heart of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and its consumer-powered population of more than 80 million people. Technology and innovation will drive the flourishing future of both Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.
     
         Hong Kong is also among the world’s leading financial centres – placing third worldwide and topping the Asia-Pacific in the latest Global Financial Centres Index. Also, in the World Bank Group Business Ready 2024 Report which was just published last week, Hong Kong is among the top ten performers among 50 economies covered in that report. 
     
         We are familiar with the common law and we have connection with the Mainland legal system through a number of very important mutual legal assistance arrangements. Hong Kong is also a unique gateway. We can help Spanish start-ups find markets, and fund their expansion in the Mainland China and throughout Asia.
     
         Our legal co-operation with Spain is also well-established. I’m pleased to say that there has been well-established regimes for legal co-operation on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and the co-operation has been smooth and effective.
     
         Our good ties extend to culture and culinary creativity, too. This year’s Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival opens in less than two weeks at Central Harbourfont. And I know Hong Kong will revel in the Festival’s Spanish gourmet delights and featured wine and spirit tastings. They will surely be among the highlights of this year’s Wine & Dine Festival. I’ll see you there.
     
         And now, ladies and gentlemen, please join me in a toast: to the people of Spain.      

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Garamendi Delivers Remarks at San Francisco Fleet Week Senior Leaders Seminar

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Garamendi – Representing California’s 3rd Congressional District

    SAN FRANCISCO, CA—Representative John Garamendi (D-CA-08), the top Democrat on the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness, joined Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro in addressing senior military leaders, industry experts, and international allies during the San Francisco Fleet Week Senior Leaders Seminar aboard the USS Tripoli.

    In his remarks titled “Reimagining the American Maritime Industry,” Garamendi emphasized workforce development, shipbuilding modernization, infrastructure investment, and the vital role that the Bay Area plays in strengthening the U.S. maritime industry. He also praised Secretary Del Toro’s focus on a whole-of-government approach to enhancing U.S. maritime capabilities. Garamendi outlined his “Congressional Guidance for a National Maritime Strategy,” co-led with Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Representative Waltz (R-FL-06), and discussed ongoing legislative efforts to bolster America’s maritime industries.

    “Reinvigorating the American maritime sector is not just a military imperative but an economic one. We must prioritize strategic investments that will drive innovation and keep our industry competitive on the global stage. The future of American shipbuilding and repair lies not only in technology but in the people who bring that technology to life,” said Garamendi.

    He also highlighted the Bay Area’s maritime legacy and its potential to lead the nation in green shipbuilding and port modernization. Citing Mare Island—the first U.S. Navy base on the West Coast—as an example, Garamendi highlighted how revitalizing legacy sites like Mare Island Shipyard with modern infrastructure and workforce development, position the San Francisco Bay Area as a cornerstone for revitalizing U.S. maritime strength.

    Garamendi stressed the importance of preparing the next generation of maritime workers, underscoring the need for strategic federal investments that will create high-paying jobs, strengthen local communities, and bolster national defense. 

    Garamendi has been a longtime advocate of reinvigorating the American maritime industry. Garamendi has led bipartisan efforts throughout his career to pass legislation supporting U.S. shipbuilding, maintaining a robust Ready Reserve Fleet, and enhancing ship repair capacity nationwide.

    He has supported key provisions in Congress, including:

    • 2023 Federal Ship Financing Improvement Act: 
      • This legislation aims to provide new federal loans and loan guarantees for repairs and retrofits of U.S.-flagged civilian vessels in domestic shipyards, like Mare Island Dry Dock.
    • Maritime Administration (MARAD) Funding Initiatives:
      • Garamendi has advocated for increased funding for MARAD programs that support shipbuilding and repair, including Title XI loan guarantees. In 2021, Garamendi secured a provision in federal law designating the California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) as national center of excellence for domestic maritime workforce training and education, ensuring closer cooperation and sharing of resources with the Maritime Administration (MARAD).
    • Sustained Funding for the National Defense Reserve Fleet:
      • In 2024, Garamendi secured funds to support the National Defense Reserve Fleet and the Maritime Security Program, U.S.-flagged commercial vessels used to transport military personnel, cargo, fuel, and equipment for the U.S. military in the National Defense Authorization Act.
    • National Maritime Strategy:
    • Support for the Jones Act:
      • Garamendi has worked to ensure that domestic maritime commerce is conducted by U.S.-flagged vessels, preserving jobs in the American maritime industry. He reintroduced the “Close Agency Loopholes to the Jones Act,” which would close nearly 50 years of loopholes that disadvantage American workers—known as “letter rulings”—by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Specifically, these loopholes allow federal regulators to circumvent the Jones Act—a federal maritime law that requires transportation and items shipped between U.S. ports to be conducted on ships that are built and operated by American citizens or permanent residents.
    • Maritime Workforce Development Programs:
      • In 2022, Garamendi announced a $13 million investment at Mare Island Dry Dock that would double its workforce and help the shipyard prepare to conduct ship repairs for the United States Navy and Coast Guard. In 2023, Garamendi secured $1 million for job training programs at a new Career Technical Education Centers in Contra Costa County. This will help young people throughout the Bay Area receive the highest possible industry-standard certifications to help them earn high-wage jobs in the skilled trades.
    • Environmental Standards for the Maritime Industry:
      • In the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, Garamendi secured a provision that will minimize runoff of untreated water and designate a DoD official responsible for coordinating regional stormwater management among military departments.
      • Garamendi secured funding for portable battery-electric generators, like those manufactured in Richmond, to ensure that installations can continue operations in the event of a blackout or Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS). This builds on Garamendi’s efforts to ensure that the military supports a transition to a clean energy economy.
    • Public-Private Partnerships for Infrastructure:
      • Garamendi has encouraged the use of public-private partnerships (PPPs) to finance port and maritime infrastructure projects, reducing the financial burden on public entities.
    • Maritime Research and Development Initiatives:
      • Garamendi authorized more than $58 million for state maritime academies like California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) in Vallejo. Once enacted into law, this new federal funding will support scholarships for low-income students, funding for shoreside infrastructure, and funding for fuel and maintenance expenses.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Progress on Jasper recovery: Premier Smith and Minister McIver Joint Statement

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    “Our government has been steadfast in our support for Jasper’s recovery. The Jasper Re-Entry Cabinet Committee has been meeting on a weekly basis since August 22, 2024. Prior to that, the Emergency Management Cabinet Committee was meeting daily to respond to emerging issues related to the wildfire situation across the province, including the wildfire that devastated the Municipality of Jasper and Jasper National Park.

    “The mandate of Alberta’s Jasper Re-Entry Cabinet Committee is to provide oversight and support in the transition from emergency response to long-term recovery. The committee provides direction to provincial representatives on the Jasper Recovery Task Force, which is working closely with the Municipality of Jasper and Parks Canada to determine the best solutions to promote recovery in the area.

    “While the wildfire in Jasper originated within Jasper National Park, Alberta’s Jasper Re-Entry Cabinet Committee provided $7.5 million in emergency evacuation payments to support more than 6,500 evacuees from the town of Jasper, followed by a provincial Disaster Recovery Program with a budget of up to $149 million to support Jasper’s recovery. However, under the federal Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program, only a portion of Alberta’s costs are eligible for reimbursement.

    “Now that the federal government has also established a working group for Jasper’s recovery, we are calling on the federal government to waive the DFAA cost-share formula, given that this fire originated from the national park, which is under federal jurisdiction. We encourage quick decisions to ensure plans that fit Jasper’s unique circumstances are in place before the snow flies.

    “Alberta’s government has a plan for interim housing to support Jasper residents while they rebuild their homes and community. To support this plan we have asked the federal government to partner with Alberta in sharing the costs of this project that would provide much needed interim housing in Jasper through the DFAA. With winter fast approaching, we hope that they will support this important work to provide interim housing in Jasper.

    “We’re glad to see that the federal government has now appointed a task force of ministers at the federal level. It is our hope that the task force will respond to these requests and work with us to continue supporting Jasper residents.”

    Key Facts:

    • Alberta’s government contributed more than $12 million in matching funds to the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Wildfire Appeal for donations to help Jasper residents impacted by wildfires.
    • Residents affected by mandatory evacuation orders were provided emergency evacuation payments.
    • Weekly telephone townhalls were set up to provide information to Jasper residents.
    • Schools reopened in September after undergoing deep cleaning.
    • All services at the Seton-Jasper Healthcare Centre returned to normal on August 26.
    • Arrangements were made to safely relocate seniors from affected facilities.
    • The Canadian Red Cross launched its support program for small businesses and not-for-profit organizations with funds from the Alberta government.
    • Mental health supports were provided through reception centres and continue to be provided at the Re-Entry Centre in Jasper.
    • Together with the Municipality of Jasper, we have worked with the federal government to streamline processes for obtaining permits for demolition, remediation and debris removal at non-industrial sites.

    Membership of Alberta’s Jasper Re-entry Cabinet Committee (JRCC):

    • Danielle Smith, Premier (Chair)
    • Ric McIver, Minister of Municipal Affairs, (Vice-chair)
    • Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
    • Nate Horner, President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance
    • Pete Guthrie, Minister of Infrastructure
    • Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks
    • Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services
    • Brian Jean, Minister of Energy and Minerals
    • Joseph Schow, Minister of Tourism and Sport
    • Matt Jones, Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade
    • Dan Williams, Minister of Mental Health and Addiction
    • Martin Long, parliamentary secretary for Rural Health, MLA for West Yellowhead

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Backgrounder: Federal and provincial governments invest in essential building upgrades throughout Alberta

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Backgrounder

    The federal government is investing $13,811,772 through the COVID-19 Resilience Stream (CVRIS) of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) to support upgrades in ten communities through three bundles of projects to improve accessibility, air quality, and building systems across Alberta. The Alberta government is investing $4,182,373 into these projects.

    Project Information:

    Location

    Project Name

    Project Details

    Federal Funding

    Provincial Funding

    Town of Bonnyville; Town of Edson; Town of High Level; Municipal District of Lac La Biche County; Town of Peace River; Town of St. Paul

    Northern Alberta Retrofit, Repair, and Upgrade Projects

    This bundle of eight projects includes retrofits, repairs and upgrades in five communities in Northern Alberta:

    • The Bonnyville Provincial Building will have its domestic water lines and fixtures, an elevator, and its motor control centre, transformer and power feed replaced, and barrier free access will be improved.

    • The High Level Provincial Building will have its variable air volume boxes, air balancing, and interior lighting replaced.

    • The Lac La Biche Provincial Building will have its elevator replaced.

    • The Peace River Provincial Building will have its heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), and controls replaced.

    • The Peace River Warehouse Building will have its roof and flashing  replaced.

    • The Peace River Courthouse will have its interior finishes renewed.

    • The St. Paul Courthouse will have its elevator cab and controls and domestic water line and fixtures replaced, and its exterior envelope and interior finishes will be renewed.

    • The St. Paul Provincial Building will have its elevator cab and controls and domestic water lines and fixtures replaced.

    $4,747,772

    $1,866,373

    City of Calgary; Town of Drumheller; City of Edmonton; Town of Stony Plain

    Alberta Province-wide HVAC Replacement Projects

    This bundle is for non-remote projects to support HVAC upgrades to seven buildings in four communities:

    • The McDougall Centre in Calgary will modify its cooling system.

    • The Drumheller Provincial Building will see upgrades to its existing ventilation system and supply and return air ducts.

    • The Edmonton Winnifred Stewart School will have its existing heating units replaced, supply and return air system installed, and exterior operable windows replaced.

    • The Queen Elizabeth II Building in Edmonton will have its server room cistern exhaust system and pump room ventilation system modified and repaired.

    • The Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton will have the coil in its south air handler replaced.

    • In Stony Plain the Courthouse and Provincial Building will have HVAC upgrades completed, including chillers, air handling units, supply and return air ducts, and controls.

    $7,264,000

    $1,816,000

    Municipal District of Lac La Biche County; Town of Peace River

    Lac La Biche and Peace River Retrofit, Repair, and Upgrade Projects

    The bundle provides funding for upgrades and repairs for one project in Peace River and one in Lac La Biche.

    • Peace River Correctional Centre will have its water line to the tower replaced.

    • Lac La Biche Parks Workshop will have its security fence and lighting improved.

    $1,800,000

    $500,000

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada Announces New Intake for Clean Electricity Program With $500 Million in Additional Funding

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources announced up to $500 million in funding for the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways program (SREPs) Utility Support Stream. SREPs was recapitalized with nearly $2.9 billion in Budget 2023 and supports clean electricity infrastructure — such as renewable energy technologies, energy storage and grid modernization technologies — that strengthen the electricity grid. Through the program, the federal government will support even more clean electricity projects.

    October 10, 2024                                             Toronto, Ontario                          Natural Resources Canada

    The Government of Canada is supporting Canadian utilities and system operators that are working to clean their electricity, integrate clean solutions such as utility storage systems and micro grids, and meet the demands of increased electrification at the least cost to rate payers. These measures are enabling clean growth and ensuring a healthier environment for our communities. Canada’s electricity systems will be the backbone of Canada’s clean economy and central to our efforts to fight climate change and build a more prosperous economy for Canadian workers and businesses. 

    Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources announced up to $500 million in funding for the Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways program (SREPs) Utility Support Stream. SREPs was recapitalized with nearly $2.9 billion in Budget 2023 and supports clean electricity infrastructure — such as renewable energy technologies, energy storage and grid modernization technologies — that strengthen the electricity grid. Through the program, the federal government will support even more clean electricity projects.

    This latest round of the SREPs program is launching its first of several intake processes today. The Request for Expressions of Interest for the Utility Support Stream (USS) is now open to utilities, system operators and industry organizations seeking to modernize to enable greater renewable energy integration or expand transmission and distribution systems while maintaining reliability and affordability. This represents an additional step in the Government of Canada’s work to support provinces and territories, as well as electricity operators, to achieve a clean grid in line with industry and government goals. This work — which reflects mutual objectives reached through the Regional Energy and Resources Tables — is injecting much-needed funds into the Canadian electricity sector to modernize and future-proof grids as they withstand growing populations, high demand and increasing extreme weather events.

     Projects funded under the USS will: 

    • improve the utilization and efficiency of existing assets;
    • increase the reliability, resiliency, and flexibility of the power system;
    • increase the integration and use of renewable resources and non-conventional infrastructure solutions;
    • generate economic and social benefits; and
    • help accommodate growing demand for clean and affordable electricity.

    More intake processes for other types of projects will be launched over the next few months.  

    Today’s announcement took place at the University of Toronto, host of Canada’s future first grid modernization centre that previously benefited from $10 million in federal government funding, where the Minister also took the opportunity to announce the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Energy and Climate Strategies Project, which previously received $768,750 in SREPs funding to complete studies and to explore renewable technologies, including geothermal, solar photovoltaic (PV), solar thermal, microgrid and battery storage. Investments like this lead to renewable energy projects that clean the air in our communities.

    The Government of Canada is taking every step to build a clean, reliable and affordable electricity system across the country. 

    “By making historic investments in clean electricity, this government is positioning Canadians to take advantage of the economic opportunities presented by the clean economy, now and into the future. The Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways program is already providing Canadian communities across the country with affordable and clean power while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. I am pleased to celebrate the ongoing successes of this program and to announce the opening of the Utility Support Stream as of today. This next step will allow us to support even more projects as we work with provinces, territories, Indigenous governments and non-governmental partners as we work toward our common goal of an energy-efficient and money-saving clean grid. I look forward to seeing the results of this new funding as it improves energy infrastructure from coast to coast to coast.”

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources 

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Remarks by the Deputy Prime Minister announcing new actions to build secondary suites and unlock vacant lands to build more homes

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Today, I will tell you about the new measure our government is taking to build new housing. Minister Jean-Yves Duclos (Minister of Public Services and Procurement) will tell you about the latest additions to the Canada Public Land Bank, a very important program that continues. And after that, Minister Terry Beech (Minister of Citizens’ Services) will tell you about the impact of these measures for Canadians.

    October 8, 2024 – Ottawa, Ontario

    Check against delivery

    Introduction

    Good morning.

    I’m going to start on a very celebratory note. I want to start by congratulating the amazing Geoffrey Hinton on his Nobel Prize in physics. He is a great Canadian. He is absolutely brilliant. He happens to be a constituent of mine and, as the father of AI, is the teacher of generations of great Canadian intellectual leaders who have been taught by him, and who have learned from him at the University of Toronto. What a wonderful accomplishment. This is an honour which is richly deserved, and I think I speak for all Canadians in saying we are so proud of you and so grateful to you.

    Today, I will tell you about the new measure our government is taking to build new housing. Minister Jean-Yves Duclos (Minister of Public Services and Procurement) will tell you about the latest additions to the Canada Public Land Bank, a very important program that continues. And after that, Minister Terry Beech (Minister of Citizens’ Services) will tell you about the impact of these measures for Canadians.

    I do want to start by talking for a moment about the good economic news we’ve been having in recent weeks. Canada is leading the G7 in achieving a soft landing after the COVID recession. Inflation fell to 2 per cent in August. That is a 42-month low and it means that, for all of this year, inflation has been within the Bank of Canada’s target range.

    Thanks to that inflation trajectory, the Bank of Canada led the G7 in cutting rates. Canada was the first G7 country to cut interest rates for the first time, we were the first G7 country to cut interest rates for the second time, and we were the first G7 country to cut interest rates for the third time.

    Wages have been outpacing inflation for 19 months in a row now. What all of that means for Canadians is their paycheques are going further. And for people who own a home and have a mortgage that is coming up for renewal, the fact that interest rates are coming down is a source of really great relief.

    Now on our announcement. We are announcing today new rules about secondary suites, and we’re issuing technical guidance for lenders and insurers to offer refinancing for secondary suites. These will come into force on January 15th.

    The idea here is to make it easier for people to build a secondary suite in their home, for someone to build a basement flat, a garden flat, or laneway housing. This is all about gentle density, creating more homes for Canadians to live in. It builds on the secondary suite loan program, which was announced in Budget 2024.

    Specifically, we’re going to allow refinancing of insured mortgages to build a secondary suite in your home. You will be able to access up to 90 per cent of the home value, including the value added by the secondary suite, and you will be able to amortize your refinanced mortgage for up to 30 years. The limit for insured mortgages, if you are building a secondary suite, will be $2 million and that will be particularly important to recognize—and is a recognition of conditions in the GTA, and in the Lower Mainland.

    This is really about giving Canadians, Canadian homeowners the opportunity to be part of our great national effort to build more homes faster. It’s to let a family who already owns a home and maybe would like their grandmother or grandfather, or both of them, to move in with them to give them access to a little bit more money to build that basement flat, to build that garden suite, so that grandparents can move in.

    It’s also about grandparents who have a big house. Maybe they are alone in that house, and they’d like a grandchild to be able to move in with them to go to school. This is about making it easier for them to build that extra space. And we see this as a measure which goes alongside other measures that we’ve put in place—designed for the big builders to get more homes built faster, to get more rental units built. This is about saying regular Canadians should have the ability and access to the financing to build gentle density in their neighbourhoods. To build density that their families and their communities need.

    The second announcement is a consultation on taxation of vacant land. We believe that good land should not be left unused. Ireland, for example, has a measure like that. Today, we are announcing consultations with municipalities, provinces and territories to discuss whether we need such a measure here in Canada.  And the objective, like all our objectives concerning housing, is to build more housing faster. We know that Canada needs this.   

    We know that one of the most pressing issues for Canada, for Canadians, is housing. And we know that the centre of that issue, the centre of the solution, needs to be to get more homes built faster. Today’s announcements are another arrow in our quiver of measures to get more homes built faster in Canada. This is about getting 4 million homes built.

    I’m now going to turn it over to my colleague, Jean-Yves Duclos.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: World Mental Health Day: Minister Williams

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    “On World Mental Health Day, we recognize those struggling with their mental health and send a message of support. You are not alone, and help is available. Today, we reaffirm our commitment to supporting Albertans facing mental health challenges in their pursuit of recovery.

    “We are making targeted investments to expand mental health services, especially for our youth. This includes significant funding for CASA Mental Health, expanding the Integrated School Support Program, and Kids Help Phone. We are also supporting youth mental health hubs, increasing access to eating disorder treatment, and providing affordable counselling across the province to Albertans of all ages.

    “The Alberta Recovery Model is built on the fact that recovery and wellness are possible. With comprehensive services including prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery, Albertans can access mental health care that helps rebuild lives and strengthens communities.

    “Take time to strengthen your mental health by building healthy habits and relationships. Spend quality time with family and friends, consider reducing screentime, and increase time spent outdoors or learning a new skill.

    “We extend our gratitude to front-line mental health professionals and those helping people in need. The recent establishment of Recovery Alberta marks a new era for mental health and addiction services, with staff working hard every day to help people overcome the challenges they face.

    “If you need support, reach out. By calling 211, you can connect with local programs in your community. With the right care and support, recovery is possible.”

    Related information

    • Counselling Alberta
    • 211 Alberta
    • Kids Help Phone
    • New school year, new mental health classrooms

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Arvin High School Employee Sentenced for Explosives Conspiracy and Making False Statements to FBI

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)

    FRESNO, Calif. — Angelo Jackson Mendiver, 27, of Bakersfield, a former campus security supervisor at Arvin High School, was sentenced today to two years in prison for conspiring to engage in the manufacturing and dealing in explosive materials and for mailing explosive devices, as well as making false statements to FBI agents, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

    According to court documents, Mendiver used an Instagram account to sell explosives and explosive materials and worked closely with a male juvenile Bakersfield high school student to fulfill transactions and send explosives in the mail to residents of other states. In Instagram messages to the juvenile, Mendiver sent a photo of titanium salute, an explosive device, followed by two videos of homemade explosive devices that he had made and the statement that “homemade kills all consumer.” He also advised the juvenile to be “super careful bro that homemade shit is dangerous.” On June 1, 2023, a federal search warrant executed at Mendiver’s residence resulted in the seizure of 536 pounds of uncontained explosives and explosive materials, which presented an extreme safety hazard to the residents. Agents seized another 440 pounds of uncontained explosives and explosive materials from the juvenile’s residence. At both residences, agents also found items used to make explosives.

    Mendiver also falsely stated to FBI agents that he did not sell explosives and did not work with anyone in committing explosives offenses.

    The juvenile co-conspirator’s case is being handled by the Kern County District Attorney’s Office.

    This case was the product of an investigation by the FBI with assistance from the Bakersfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Humanity’s future depends on our ability to live in harmony with nature

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Liette Vasseur, Professor, Biological Sciences, Brock University

    The world is facing multiple — potentially catastrophic — crises, including inequality, poverty, food insecurity, climate change and biodiversity loss. These issues are interconnected and require systemic solutions, as changes in one system affects others.

    However, human systems have largely failed to acknowledge their connection to ecological systems. Most modern societies have dominating and exploitative relationships with nature, which are underpinned by imperialist and dualistic thinking that divides living beings into racial, gender, class or species hierarchies.

    Our current mindset, with its focus on competition, growth and profit, has been a key contributor to social and ecological crises. Even more alarming is that this mindset has depleted nature to the point that it may soon fail to sustain human and non-human lives entirely.

    Sustainable and equitable well-being

    Policies for future survival and prosperity must address the interconnected crises affecting the world today. These challenges are pushing social and economic systems beyond their sustainable limits.

    While current sustainability efforts, such as those outlined in Earth for All: A Survival Guide for Humanity — a collaboration between scientists and economists from around the world — and the United Nations’ Pact for the Future offer pathways for action, they often fall short. These initiatives, though well-intentioned, remain rooted in a business-as-usual approach.



    Read more:
    Have we reached the end of nature? Our relationship with the environment is in crisis

    This isn’t enough. What’s needed is a transformative shift in how we interact with the natural world. A reciprocal relationship between humans and nature, where humans give back to the environment as much as we take, is essential. Sustainable and equitable well-being must be placed at the centre of human societies.

    Central to this transformation is the need to ensure good lives for all while staying within the Earth’s planetary boundaries. These boundaries are the limits within which humanity can safely operate without causing irreversible environmental harm. This will require a new economic mindset that enables people to live with nature, instead of destroying it.

    Change is daunting, but possible

    Though the scale of change needed may seem daunting, it’s achievable and already in motion in some places. In many communities around the world, like Puget Sound on the northwestern coast of Washington state, people are already living in ways that allow humans and ecosystems to flourish.

    In other regions, like Ecuador and Sumas First Nation, new possibilities are emerging for building human societies that operate within the planetary boundaries. Humans are exceptionally adaptable and have the advantage of foresight and the ability to transform entire systems through ethical collaboration.

    Individual action is one necessary element to accelerate this shift. Change often starts small, with individuals and small groups adjusting their lives. But while personal choices do matter, individuals must also push for systemic changes in their communities, organizations, and broader society.

    To make nature-connected living more widely accessible, collaborative, equitable and intentional efforts are needed. This involves intercultural communication, collaboration and open dialogue to ensure diverse perspectives are considered in decision-making processes.

    Thoughtfully considering the direct and indirect impacts of our action, including the immediate and long-term consequences of any decisions, will create more equitable and sustainable systems.

    People looking to create meaningful change should seek to support a range of groups and organizations dedicated to environmental and social justice. This includes Indigenous leaders and treaty protocols, local authorities, environmental advocacy groups, community organizations or labour unions. A good example of this is the work being done by the UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserves.

    Alternative ways of knowing

    The problems facing the world today are vast and multifaceted, and need to be addressed in multiple ways. Both formal knowledge, like scientific research, and informal knowledge, through the Two-Eyed Seeing principle have roles to play in fostering more equitable nature-human relationships.

    Although western scientific knowledge is often centred in evidence based discussion, many valuable solutions stem from alternative ways of knowing, such as Indigenous ecological knowledge. By welcoming and supporting diverse knowledge holders in creating solutions, we can expand the range of approaches, successes and failures from which humanity can learn.

    Creativity — the essence of adaptability — flourishes when different knowledge systems are woven together. However, this must be done ethically and involve consensual and collaborative exchanges to ensure no knowledge system is exploited or undervalued. We must be careful to avoid repeating the mistakes of imperialism and domination that have created our current planetary crises.

    In addition to rethinking how we approach knowledge, rebuilding strong, interconnected relationships between humans and nature also means rethinking our technological systems.

    Technological innovation has been used to exploit the Earth for short-term gains, but it also holds great potential for positive change. It can either maintain or disrupt the status quo, depending on how we use it.

    To build healthier relationships between people and nature, human societies need to adopt a systems thinking approach. This approach looks at the bigger picture, considering the ecological, cultural, political and social aspects of technology in an integrated manner. It ensures that innovation is guided by principles of sustainability and equity.

    What the future holds

    The future will bring massive changes to Earth’s natural environments, accompanied by shocks to political economic and social systems. The survival of human and non-human beings depends on our ability to plan for these challenges.

    Climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion are not isolated problems — they are part of an interconnected web of crises that demand urgent and comprehensive action.

    Incremental approaches are not enough to address the scale of these looming threats. Purposefully co-ordinated actions are needed to shift the current trajectory away from exploitation to one of mutual benefit for humans and the natural world.

    What is needed is radical transformation aimed at creating just and flourishing relationships between nature and humanity for the benefit of all current and future life on Earth.

    Christie Manning, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Macalester College; Jacqueline Corbett, Professor of Information Systems, Université Laval; and Simone Bignall, Senior Researcher at the University of Technology Sydney, co-authored this article.

    Liette Vasseur receives funding from New Frontiers Research Program Exploration program in Canada.

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

    – ref. Humanity’s future depends on our ability to live in harmony with nature – https://theconversation.com/humanitys-future-depends-on-our-ability-to-live-in-harmony-with-nature-233042

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Scott, Graham, Colleagues Introduce Religious Education Week Resolution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for South Carolina Tim Scott

    WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) in introducing a resolution designating October 6-12, 2024, as “Religious Education Week” to celebrate and emphasize the importance of religious education and the schools and organizations engaged in religious instruction.

    “Each year, countless families across the country choose to enroll their children in religious education,” said Sen. Scott. “This resolution reaffirms that choice and emphasizes our commitment to ensuring religious schools can thrive alongside their secular counterparts. Families deserve the freedom to educate their children in the way they see fit, and religious schools are key in making that possible.”

    The resolution is cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), John Kennedy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.).

    This resolution is also supported by Lutheran Center for Religious Liberty, Coalition for Jewish Values, Foundation for American Christian Education, School Time Bible Ministries, Association of Christian Schools International, Agudath Israel of America, and Catholic Education Partners Inc.

    The full text of the resolution can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime for Breaking into Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University and Destroying Property

    Source: US State of Vermont

    A New Jersey man pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal hate crime for breaking into the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University (CILRU) in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and destroying property.

    “This defendant is being held accountable for Islamophobic-fueled acts of hate, interfering with the religious freedom of university students and staff during a sacred holiday for those of the Islamic faith,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department stands ready, along with our state and local partners, to hold accountable people who use force, or threats of violence, in order to intimidate people from exercising their religious beliefs. Islamophobic hate crimes have no place in our society today. We will continue to enforce the laws that make it safe for people of all faiths to engage in religious observance, including at educational institutions.”   

    “The free exercise of religion is a fundamental right of all Americans,” said U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger for the District of New Jersey. “Jacob Beacher admitted he intentionally broke into the Center for Islamic Life during the holy Eid-al-Fitr holiday and damaged and destroyed religious artifacts because of the Islamic faith of those associated with the facility. This office will not tolerate the use of force or threats to intimidate people and put them in fear of worshipping as they see fit.”

    “When we learned of this vandalism back in April, we immediately engaged with our law enforcement partners and Rutgers University,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado of the FBI Newark Field Office. “Within days, we tracked down and arrested Beacher. We want our actions and the speed with which we responded to illustrate our commitment and resolve to protect houses of worship in New Jersey. We all have the right to practice whatever religion we choose, without fear of hate marring the physical and spiritual place where we do it.”

    According to court documents, on or about April 10, at approximately 2:39 a.m., during the Eid- al-Fitr holiday, video surveillance footage showed Jacob Beacher, 24, walking toward the rear door of the CILRU. Soon after, at approximately 2:41 a.m., an intruder, later determined to be Beacher, forcibly entered the CILRU through its back door. Specifically, Beacher broke a glass pane on the door, pushed through a piece of plexiglass that was affixed to the interior side of the door and then manually opened the door from the inside by reaching through the broken glass to unlatch a deadbolt lock.

    Once inside the CILRU, Beacher damaged the CILRU’s property, including several religious artifacts, such as Turbah prayer stones and numerous items that contained holy language from the Qur’an, Islam’s sacred scripture. Beacher also stole a Palestinian flag and at least one charity box belonging to the CILRU.

    A sentencing hearing will be scheduled for a later date. Beacher faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    The FBI Newark Field Office, Branchburg Resident Agency, New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Rutgers University Police Department-New Brunswick Division and New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Levin and R. Joseph Gribko for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Daniel Grunert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: The Justice Department’s Executive Office for U.S. Trustees announced today the appointment of three Assistant U.S. Trustees to offices in Missouri, Ohio and Washington.

    Source: US State of Vermont

    The Justice Department’s Executive Office for U.S. Trustees announced today the appointment of three Assistant U.S. Trustees to offices in Missouri, Ohio and Washington.

    Jill Parsons was appointed in September as the Assistant U.S. Trustee for the Kansas City office, which serves the Western District of Missouri (Region 13). Before joining the U.S. Trustee Program (USTP), Parsons served as a chapter 7 panel trustee since 2009 and practiced bankruptcy law, representing both creditors and debtors in Kansas City for over 20 years. Parsons received her bachelor’s degree in English from Weber State University and her law degree with honors from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

    Angela Abreu was appointed in August as the Assistant U.S. Trustee for the Cleveland office, which serves the Northern District of Ohio (Region 9). Abreu joined the USTP after several years in private practice specializing in creditors’ rights and chapter 7 bankruptcy practice. Most recently, Abreu was a corporate vice president and loss mitigation manager at a regional bank. Abreu received her bachelor’s degree in psychology and general administration of justice from Saint Vincent College and her law degree cum laude from Duquesne University. 

    Hilary Mohr was appointed in August as the Assistant U.S. Trustee for the Seattle office, which serves the Western District of Washington and the District of Alaska (Region 18). Mohr joined the USTP as a trial attorney in the Seattle office in January 2016 after working as a partner at a Seattle law firm focused primarily on creditors’ rights litigation and bankruptcy matters. Mohr received her bachelor’s degree in political science from University of Washington, worked in the nonprofit sector and received a law degree summa cum laude from Seattle University.

    The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 89 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at http://www.justice.gov/ust. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Transcript: World Mental Health Day Festival

    Source: US State of New York

    Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul participated in a fireside chat at The Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Festival. World Mental Health Day was established on October 10, 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health. Since then, it has been observed every year with the aim of raising awareness in the global community about critical mental health agendas through collaboration with various partners to take action and create lasting change.

    VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and available in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.

    AUDIO of the Governor’s remarks is available here.

    PHOTOS of the event are available on the Governor’s Flickr page.

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

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: Good morning, everyone. Good morning, and thank you so much for joining us on this World Mental Health Day. We are excited to have this conversation with regard to mental health — America’s fraying social fabric — which is such a necessary and worthwhile conversation to have. And we are so glad to have with us Kathy Hochul, the 57th Governor of New York — first female Governor of New York.

    Governor Hochul: Yes. Thank you, everybody.

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: And not only do we have in her an advocate when it comes to mental health reform, but also with abortion rights and gun safety and beyond. But in particular, today we’re going to really talk about the status of mental health when it comes to our youth both in the State of New York and beyond, because a number of the initiatives that you’ve actually started are really a model that the rest of the country is looking at and implementing. And so, we just thank you so much for taking the time to have this really critical and necessary conversation.

    You know, it’s been said that if you’re not afraid, you’re not paying attention. And I think that is certainly true of these times when we think about — whether it’s natural disasters or the global conflict in Ukraine or Israel, and the slightly contentious election for President that we’re in the midst of — but all of these have ramifications when it comes to our young people. And I want to get to that larger crisis that’s taking place, but first I want to talk about — further compounding all of this — is that there are still lingering effects from COVID-19.

    Governor Hochul: That’s exactly right. I would put that at the top of the list of what maybe precipitated this unusual time in our history where we’re finding that childhood is no longer a time of joy. It is enormously stressful. And to see kids in middle school and high school in particular that are really devolving into a dark place — and this is not from me reading books. This is from me spending two years on the road convening young people in libraries and classrooms and different community centers all over the State, and asking them what’s going on. Why are these statistics that we’re seeing about — particularly young women contemplating suicide and actually following through with it — happening? The depression, the anxiety — all these parallel factors are going on at a time when people are not recovered from the pandemic.

    And I say that to adults and they don’t even think about it anymore because their resiliency was baked into them. As adults, you’ve been through a lot. When you are a 12-year-old or a 16-year-old, you don’t have those natural coping skills. And those kids today are still talking about the pandemic that we have put in the rear view mirror.

    But parallel with that was the rise in social media algorithms that are addictive. So, this was the imperfect storm that — the collision of which — has affected the mental health of our kids, and we have to do something about it because we’re the adults in the room, we’re the adults in their lives and they’re asking us, as one young woman said to me, “You have to save us from ourselves. We cannot put down the phones, we cannot break the addiction.” And I have to do something. I’m the first woman governor, but also I’m the first mom governor whose kids have gone through this, and I see so many family members and so, I applaud you. And also Project Healthy Mind for putting a spotlight on something that four or five years ago I don’t think there would have been as much interest in, but now even the Surgeon General has declared this a crisis. And we, in leadership positions, have no option but to act, and I’ve been doing this for years.

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: And when you talk about the stress, anxiety, uncertainty in particular that kids are feeling — give us an idea of some of the initiatives, some of the specific steps that your administration is taking.

    Governor Hochul: Well, number one, when I first became governor three years ago, I knew that there’s still a stigma about seeking help. I mean, I’ve been working on this in the addictive space — opioid addiction — and so people don’t want to get help. Mental health, it seems like you’re admitting a weakness if you seek help. I’m glad to see there’s been an evolution where more people are open about it and talking about it on social media platforms and podcasts, and programs like this that allow people to feel more comfortable with the fact that we’re all imperfect. Sometimes we need help at different points in our lives. But when it came down to what I could do as governor — $1 billion I put on the table. I said, “This means we’re serious.” The whole array of services, whether it’s in schools — which I think is one of the most important places [for there to be] mental health services and clinics inside our schools — to help kids who are starting to show signs of fraying from the stress. If we help them now, we don’t have to commit them to a lifetime of needing services and help later. So, it’s right in the classroom, all the way to dealing with the challenge of homelessness and mental health challenges on our subways — we have embedded teams that are professionals, they’re caring, I’ve met with them so many times, I’ve been there with them — they meet individuals who others may walk by and be afraid of and say, “You know, that person could do harm to myself or my baby in the stroller. I’m a senior citizen going to a doctor’s appointment.” There’s a fear that’s embedded in all of us when you see something that is unknown to you.

    So, let’s get people help. They do not deserve to live on the subways and in our streets; we get them supportive housing so there’s money involved in that as well; opening up more mental health beds.

    During the pandemic — people don’t know this — thousands of beds dedicated for providing mental health services in our hospitals were converted to COVID beds. And then afterward I said, “Well, why aren’t they all back online? I’m tracking the numbers. Why do we have such a shortage in places like New York City? Why is there a shortage of hospital beds available to treat people who need these services?” Well, it turns out that the reimbursement rates were higher for a hospital, more profit could be made if you kept them as non-psychiatric beds because those costs are higher.

    So I said, “That’s not okay.” I closed the gap so they can make the money they need to make on Medicaid provided beds, so that was taken care of. And also making those — bringing them back online. So it’s everything from the classroom to reducing the stigma in countless ways, programs like this, money for programming and supportive services.

    Everything we can think of, we’re trying to do. But my job is to make sure we don’t start another whole generation of young people who are held captive to these algorithms. We have nation leading legislation, and I’ll tell you, taking on the tech companies is not the easiest thing in life to do, but we forced them to adhere to what we’re saying in New York.

    In New York State, as a result of laws that I enacted just a few months ago and with the support of Common Sense Media and other great organizations and our advocates, no longer can social media companies unsolicited — and bombard young people with addictive algorithms without them asking for it. Their parents have to be okay with that. I don’t think too many parents are going to say that’s okay.

    They also cannot send notifications all night long to our kids who need a good night’s sleep. They’re exhausted. You don’t function at a high level as an adult, but certainly not a young person supposed to sit for eight hours a day and be paying attention when you haven’t slept at night because you cannot put down that addictive feature, which is your phone.

    And so that’s where we are now, and again, talking about what’s happening in schools. Stood up to the social media companies. We are a tech society. We are a tech state. We’re a tech city. I welcome the tech companies. This is not an ‘us against them,’ it is saying, “You know better. You are all executives who probably have children. Do you really want your kids to be seeing these dark images and being drawn into places?”

    You put in the word ‘suicide,’ it’s not teaching you how to get help and supportive and uplifting messages to help you heal, it teaches you how to commit suicide. That’s what I’m talking about. There are messages that are not appropriate for young people.

    They can, on their own, go to social media sites, but don’t be taking personal information you have collected about a child that you have gathered, and now use that to hold them captive. That’s the cycle we’re going to break here in the State of New York, and I hope every other state follows suit.

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: And these are, as you’ve said — yes, there’s applause there — first in the nation social media laws that you are taking to protect our children. But beyond that, you just finished a listening tour with regard to — I guess, that has informed some of your decisions to try to have this initiative to ban cell phones in schools. I’m curious what made you decide, “You know what, we have to do this,” and what has been the reaction, the feedback that you’ve been getting?

    Governor Hochul: Great question. Again, I wanted to hear from parents, teachers, students themselves, administrators, school boards, principals, everybody. So, these are the people I’ve been gathering.

    And what I have universally heard is that school districts and school boards don’t want to be the heavies. They know this should happen, and those who are courageous enough to go forward already, and some school districts have, I know Lackawanna in Western New York, where I was born in the City of Lackawanna, they’ve done it; there’s a number in Westchester; Schoharie County was the first that I could think of that had a widespread unveiling of this. They said it was hard at first, and parents were resistant. Teachers didn’t know what would happen, they didn’t want to be the cell phone police, they wanted to just teach. But they are the happiest school district in our state — I’m going to go out on a limb here. Because the school superintendent said to me, “We heard something we haven’t heard in years, children’s voices – children’s voices at lunch, physical education, in the hallways.”

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: They’re actually interacting with each other.

    Governor Hochul: They’re talking, they’re sometimes yelling at each other. Sometimes there’s things — he says, “They’re not always friendly.” But he says, “And they’re making eye contact with each other.” I mean, think about what happens when you spend your day like this. You lose those human interaction skills that we expect young people to graduate from school having developed. And what happens to an 18-year-old, who does not have that because we’ve allowed this phenomenon and this distraction all day long. And they don’t develop that. When they go to a workplace, they want to get a job at Hudson Yards and be part of a team and, and the creative collisions that come up with the brilliant ideas that New York City is known for. It’s not going to happen because we’ve not allowed them to emerge as fully functioning adults by letting this distraction – And teachers, I’ll tell you, when I say distraction — 74 percent of teachers in the United States of America say this is such a distraction they want them gone because they’re in competition. One teacher said, “I don’t even want to teach anymore. I’m in competition with this cell phone, and they’re not looking at me, they’re not paying attention. I’m trying to create a bond and a relationship with them. And I, by the end of this school year, I’ve thrown in the towel, I can’t do this anymore.” So the teachers want it. School districts want me to be the heavy. I said, “I get blamed for everything anyhow, just add it to the list, right?” It’s like, “I can take it, don’t worry about me.” So I said, “I’ll be the heavy because this is right.”

    The parents are the ones you worry about, right? And I’m a mom. My kids were in middle school during Columbine. So that shapes how you feel, that insecurity when the most, you know, your most precious person in the world to you is your child going off to kindergarten. And again, I still sometimes think about how I cried for days when my kid’s going off to kindergarten. Then they go off to college, it’s like, bye, give us a call once in a while.

    So, but, it’s hard. And when you see this — the shootings, the mass shootings, we did an event with Gabby Giffords yesterday on gun violence, and thank you for raising that. We have the toughest gun laws in the country, by the way, and the lowest — third lowest homicide rate by the — third lowest in the nation. So that’s another focus, but it ties into anxiety that parents have and they feel now that because they have to be connected with their kids all day long and, and especially if there’s a crisis on the school grounds. There’s the worst nightmare of all: a school shooter on the loose near your child. I also was thinking, well, maybe this is going be too hard for parents because, you know, it’s a lot to ask and they’re going to be worried.

    When I talk to law enforcement, and they said to me, “Tell the parents and we’ll tell them — if there is an active shooter on the grounds, in the building — the last thing you want your child to be doing is looking for their cell phone, starting to record things, talking to their friends, calling their parents.” He said, “They need to be focused on the adult in the room who will lead them to safety.” And that was my aha moment. I said, “You’re right. Parents need to know that.” So, there’s that safety issue, but also, my kids are adults now. They didn’t have cellphones in school. They’re — it did not happen during their era. Our job is not to raise kids. Our job is to raise adults. Fully functioning adults who know how to interact with others, who are not so attached to their parents every hour of the day throughout school. At some point, you do have to cut the cord. The apron strings as they used to say. No one knows what an apron is anymore, so I don’t say that. I had to make one at Home Ec because they wouldn’t teach us real skills, okay? I wanted to work on cars, with the guys in the shop, but they didn’t let us, okay? So, you have to cut the ties at some point.

    And one first grade teacher said to me, and I love talking to teachers, she says, “I’m fed up with the fact that every child, every six-year-old in my first grade class, has a smartwatch on that the parents send so they can be in touch with their child throughout the day, and they’re like, ‘Oh, the teacher was mean to me, Mommy.’”

    They said they’re getting phone calls from parents: “‘I just got sent to the office.’ Why are you sending my little girl to the office?” So, it’s not functioning. And so, parents, I know it’s hard because you need to go back to a time when you grew up, your parents did not keep track of you all day long. You did not have them as a crutch. And my God, if you forgot your lunch, two options: Borrow one of your friends, see if you can share a sandwich, or the next day, don’t forget. And you won’t forget the next day, right? Oh, because I hear that. “What if they forget their lunch? What if they have to make their after school plans?” Well, we’ll give them the phone back after school and maybe they’ll learn the skill of pre-planning their day. So, I want them to learn coping skills, resiliency and emerge as part of our New York State workforce — fully functioning — and we are the barriers because we’re not being the heavies and saying no, and that’s the path I’m on. I have to work with our Legislature. I have to do a lot more education on this because it’s a change. But, none of us had it and we turned out okay, right?

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: I want to switch gears here for a minute because we are talking about — obviously, in the news — the devastation from Hurricane Milton, and when it comes to national disaster relief, quite often we’re talking about money to build homes and jobs back again, food and all of that. But, when it comes to mental health assistance, what do you think the role of the state and federal government is at that point?

    Governor Hochul: They’re absolutely right about the devastation — so many New Yorkers have a connection to Florida, right? My father’s home, my sister’s home, my brother’s home and my aunt’s home — all in St. Petersburg, heavily damaged. My aunt’s home was already demolished two weeks ago. So, we have connections that are tighter than most other states, so I immediately sent our resources. I said, “Tell the governor we’re on our way.” And, we sent helicopters, search and rescue — 65 people are down there now, we’ll send more.

    So, there’s that side of it, but the trauma inflicted on a community after an event like this is something we cannot overlook. This is like a community that has gone through a mass shooting. I refer back to Buffalo again. We had to provide mental health services to the survivors of the Tops shooting when ten people were gunned down and slaughtered in a grocery store in 2022 because of the color of their skin, and that’s what that white supremacist 18-year-old said he was going to do.

    That community is trying to heal, but you need to provide services so we went in, our mental health teams went in to help them heal. The same thing should happen in communities where you see these people sobbing, standing their whole — everything they’ve built their whole lives, the baby pictures are in a puddle on the street and their wedding album and their clothes.

    It is so hard to see your whole life wiped away, and if we don’t think that has an effect on your mental health and your sense of security forever, then we are wrong. So, we need to be more intentional and provide resources to local social service agencies and say, “Once the storm is cleaned up, don’t assume their lives are cleaned up — that they’re back to normal.” And so, being sensitive to that in government is the smart way to do it. These people need our help and that’s what government is there to do.

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: And we’re just about out of time, but I do want to ask one last question — which I think is a large overarching issue — which is, how do you destigmatize the idea of mental health? Because, a lot of people still — there is a fear or an embarrassment that I need a little help. I need to talk to somebody about this.

    Governor Hochul: That’s when you get the validators that people trust. It’s the hip hop artists, it’s the athletes, it’s the people that, people are watching their — I watch “Only Murders in the Building.” I mean, is that building actually here? I can’t find it. I keep walking around.

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: I think it’s on the Upper West Side.

    Governor Hochul: Okay, I keep walking around trying to find it. I walk around the City all the time. No one knows it’s me, because I can put on a baseball hat and jeans and no one knows who I am, so it’s great. So, I’m always walking around doing things.

    But, more people who do that — I think because we are a society that’s impacted by influencers— Taylor Swift talks about it. I think that’s an important part of it because it’s really hard to break out of that, especially for men, I believe. But I’m really proud of even family members who say, “I have my weekly check in telehealth services with my therapist.” like, thank you. That’s smart, and tell your other friends you’re doing that.

    And I do think that the telehealth services help destigmatize. You don’t have to get up and go into an office and sit in a waiting room, and you might know somebody and you’re all kind of like — I think that’s a brilliant innovation that creates accessibility, even on your cell phone. I’ve got my appointment, I can talk to somebody.

    So, it has gotten much easier and stigma is a powerful negative force on people who should be seeking help. Whether it’s from fentanyl addiction, or opioid addiction. I did commercials on this when I was Lieutenant Governor, trying to destigmatize getting help for those addictions and services that are provided.

    Same thing with mental health. So, there’s not one answer, but forums like this, sharing information — I just talked about mental health on a podcast not long ago, and it’s getting out there. So, I will do my role. Anything I can do in state government, you know. Whether it’s public awareness campaigns, we always are doing this, but I’m open to ideas. I really am.

    We don’t have all the answers, and I want to be helpful. I want to be not just investing, the government investing the most money ever, but having the best results. And it is my state where people dealt with the epicenter of the pandemic, we have to recognize that.

    And we’re the ones who are very anxious about crime. I can tell everybody in the whole City that the crime rates, the murder rate in New York City is almost as low as it was in the 1960s. We have plummeted. Shootings are way down — but I can’t tell you to feel good about that. And that’s what we wrestle with. I want to change the psychology around this and it’s hard, but we have to take it on and say, “I want people to feel good about the City.” Not just, “I’m supposed to feel better because the numbers are down.” I don’t expect that. What I want to do is make people feel that they’re safer, that their kids are going to be okay. And just try to remove some of the stress that is part of everyday life here, because this is an extraordinary place.

    And the benefits so outweigh the negative, and we have to keep focusing on the positive — because life is good. And people sometimes just need a little bit of help, and pulling them upwards and letting them grow. Letting them just really flourish, you know? And mental health is such an important part, it’s the foundation of everything. It’s everything.

    Linsey Davis, ABC News: Well, I think that forums like this, conversations like this, are so helpful. And step one, two three, right? Just to talk about it.

    And we appreciate so much you taking this time — your leadership and the initiatives that you have in order to try to make things better in particular, not just for us, but for our youth. And by extension of our youth, for all of us as the adults. So, we thank you so much. And we thank all of you for being such very intensive listeners today.

    And we do want to remind everybody here — I say it to you as I say it to myself as well, that we have to keep mental health top of mind, right? That is just as important as any other aspect of our wellness.

    And so, again, on this mental health day. We just thank you all so much for taking the time to be together.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper Hires Taylor Leyva as Constituent Advocate Based in Pueblo

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator John Hickenlooper – Colorado
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper announced Taylor Leyva as his new Constituent Advocate based in Pueblo.
    “Our Constituent Advocates are the problem solvers that untangle the bureaucracy of the federal government. Whether it’s a passport renewal or Social Security benefits, they’re making sure Coloradans get the support they need,” said Hickenlooper. “We’re excited to welcome Taylor to the team and have her based in Pueblo!”
    “I am so grateful to be a part of Senator Hickenlooper’s team. The knowledge and care with which the Constituent Advocates approach each case is truly remarkable,” said Leyva. “As a Pueblo native, it’s heartening to see the Senator investing in our community. I am excited to not only serve constituents in Pueblo, but across the entire state.”
    Based in Pueblo, Leyva will assist Coloradans navigate problems with federal agencies – like passport applications, veteran benefits, federal taxes, immigration issues and more. Prior to joining Hickenlooper’s office, Leyva served as a Court Judicial Assistant for Colorado’s 10th Judicial District. She was born and raised in Pueblo and is a Northern Arizona University alum.
    Coloradans can reach out to Hickenlooper’s office for help with federal agencies at: https://www.hickenlooper.senate.gov/help-with-federal-agencies/. In 2023 alone, Hickenlooper and his Constituent Advocate team helped over 4,400 Coloradans resolve issues with government agencies and helped return more than $16 million to Colorado residents.
    Stay tuned for our staff office hours in the community. Coming soon!

    MIL OSI USA News –