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Category: Energy

  • MIL-OSI USA: How a Clean Energy Simulator Is Helping Build a Better Grid

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    A Sweeping Research Platform Can Now Mimic Steady, Predictable Water Power (and More)

    NREL’s energy simulator can mimic the grids of the future—and now, this massive, virtual and real-world research platform can simulate water power, too. Photo by Werner Slocum, NREL

    Say you want to study something big—like a community power grid, a massive pipe system, or roadways crisscrossing the entire United States—but none of it exists, at least not yet. How do you study these invisible labyrinths to make sure they will be safe and efficient?

    Good question, and here is the answer: You do that at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) on a platform called the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (or ARIES, for short).

    NREL’s experts have built a research platform that can create 3D simulations of entire power grids—either existing or theoretical—that contain thousands or even millions of different energy technologies. For example, researchers can populate an existing grid with wind turbines, solar panels, batteries, nuclear facilities, electric vehicles, or even smart devices, like our cell phones, to see how they could impact our future grid.

    But until recently, one grid puzzle piece has not been well represented.

    “The part that has been missing is: How can we simulate or represent water power devices?” said Rob Hovsapian, a mechanical engineer at NREL and an ARIES research advisor who helped introduce hydropower into the platform.

    With ARIES, researchers can play out and plan for almost any future grid scenario. For example: How could huge amounts of renewable energy impact different community grids? And how could hydropower help our power system weather hurricanes, cold snaps, cyberattacks, and other disruptions?

    “It allows us to do those ‘what if’ scenarios,” Hovsapian said. “In the real world, you’re limited to what’s there.”

    Now that ARIES has integrated water power into its grid simulations, researchers can explore even more “what if” scenarios to prepare for the grid to come. Photo by Bryan Bechtold, NREL

    Now, we can ask “what ifs” about water power technologies, like hydropower and the more nascent marine energy (sometimes called ocean energy because it often comes from powerful ocean waves, currents, and tides, but it can refer to energy from river currents as well). Though very different, both water power technologies generate predictable energy, making them a dependable partner for more variable energy sources, like wind energy and solar power. Those renewables, along with energy storage (like batteries), have been part of ARIES for a good while now. It was time to sprinkle a little water into the mix.

    “Now that we can use ARIES to simulate hydropower, we can study more scenarios in more locations and even potential future energy systems,” said Jerry Davis, the laboratory program manager for ARIES. “We want to represent as many renewable generation sources as we can.”

    But that is harder than it might sound.

    A Hydropower Simulator Helps a Remote Alaskan Village

    When fishers return to the harbor in the remote village of Cordova, Alaska, they enter a cove full of mast spikes resembling hundreds of mini-church spires. Those fishers—and there are a lot in Cordova—bring in salmon, halibut, rockfish, and trout but also something less desirable: a 400% increase in energy demand, which can strain the small village’s microgrid, a standalone power system that depends on just two hydropower plants and diesel generators (and diesel must be flown or boated in, often at great expense).

    And that is a problem.

    Cordova’s microgrid—and everything it powers, including hospitals and homes—is vulnerable to spikes in energy demand from the summer fish bonanza and Alaska’s dangerously cold winters as well as extreme weather events, like avalanches and droughts. The village needed solutions—novel ways for their microgrid to bob and weave with all these changes, so they can match energy supply to demand, especially when their economy or lives depend on it.

    But you cannot simply tinker with such a critical system, hoping your manipulations do not cause a blackout or irreparable damage. Nor can you study something that does not exist, like batteries or solar panels that have yet to be installed.

    That is where NREL and ARIES come in.

    The ARIES platform uses data from real-world wind turbines, solar panels, hydropower generators, and more to create a highly accurate virtual simulation of different grid scenarios and how they might react to changes in energy demand, weather, and higher levels of renewable energy. Graphic by Josh Bauer, NREL; photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

    The village was one of the first communities to directly benefit from ARIES’ hydropower emulation platform, which, like the rest of ARIES, relies on hardware and software to accurately simulate the town’s spiderweb of energy devices. ARIES’ software programs, which are built on real-world data, can mimic actual grids (like Cordova’s microgrid), so researchers can manipulate the Cordova system in the safety of a computer simulation. Soon, ARIES will also be able to connect actual hardware, like a hydropower generator, to these virtual simulations so the system can receive live feedback from real tech and learn from it.

    For hydropower, ARIES’ simulation capability is especially valuable. Although researchers can install experimental solar panels and wind turbines at a laboratory field site, they cannot replicate hydropower plants—they are simply too big and too specific to certain river sites or geography.

    Instead, Mayank Panwar, a senior research engineer at NREL, and Hovsapian built what they call a Real-Time Hydropower Emulation Platform, which can mimic real-world hydropower facilities in real time—one second in the hydropower simulator equates to one second in the real world. As of today, their 2.5-megawatt emulator uses data from actual hydropower plants (including those in Cordova) to inform its simulations.

    “As we add more and more technologies to ARIES and there’s more and more variability and uncertainty with the grid, such as wind and solar, hydro will play a key role in providing stability to the grid,” Hovsapian said. “But how would we quantify that? ARIES will be an ideal environment for us to do that.”

    With ARIES, Hovsapian can ask more “what if” questions, like what if this hydropower plant in Cordova is paired with a 10-megawatt battery or 3 megawatts of solar panels instead of 1? And how do these changes impact the grid’s reliability? Thanks to ARIES, Cordova has their answers—and a more resilient grid, too.

    No other system in the world can accomplish this kind of plug-and-play simulation, Hovsapian said.

    And it is not just hydropower that benefits.

    Getting Marine Energy to Communities Quickly

    Marine energy is still in the early stages of development, but these technologies can be valuable sources of clean energy for communities that have ample flowing water and little else. Like Cordova, the Alaskan village of Igiugig also relies on expensive shipments of diesel fuel. Many island communities off the coast of Maine struggle to maintain stable power when weather whips through. Communities in Hawaii, where energy costs are typically higher than in the rest of the country, also often depend on costly imported fuels.

    And yet, all three of these areas have one powerful thing in common: hefty amounts of water. With energy from river currents, waves, and tides, each community could improve its energy resilience and potentially achieve its clean energy goals, too.

    There is just one problem: Before communities opt to install one of these nascent devices, they need greater confidence that the technologies can deliver on their promise—and that is exactly what ARIES can provide.

    Prabakar (right) uses the ARIES research platform to simulate how marine energy technologies, like river current devices, could slot into existing grids and improve a community’s energy resilience. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

    “A big part of our mission is de-risking energy technologies, so communities are comfortable deploying them,” Davis said.

    At NREL, researchers are studying marine energy technologies “to make sure that things don’t fail in the field,” said Kumaraguru Prabakar, a research engineer at the laboratory. “Even if a small river generator is powering a small house, it is powering the grid, so you have to make sure it’s safe.”

    And for that—and more complicated analyses—he needs ARIES.

    Right now, Prabakar is examining how marine energy technologies slot into preexisting grids. Currents tend to be consistent, but rivers are still subject to freezes and droughts. Waves and tides are predictable but do not always churn out the same amount of power throughout the day or year. With ARIES, Prabakar can assess how these variations might impact different power systems and whether other solutions, like energy stored as green hydrogen, could balance out these fluctuations.

    ARIES’ biggest gift might be time. In the last decade, researchers used to take years to validate new energy technologies, Prabakar said. But now, with ARIES, experts can significantly speed up that process (ARIES can even pair up with similar simulators at other national laboratories to pull in even more data, capabilities, and answers). Speed is especially critical to accelerate the development of marine energy technologies so they can help fight climate change sooner rather than later.

    “If somebody comes up with an idea to add water power, they should be able to deploy it in less than 12 months,” Prabakar said.

    “It’s exciting,” Hovsapian added. “There are a lot of changes coming, and ARIES can help us prepare.”

    Learn more about the Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems (ARIES), the nation’s most advanced platform for energy system integration research and validation at scale. And subscribe to the NREL water power newsletter, The Current, to make sure you do not miss a water power update.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Wildlife, climate and plastic: how three summits aim to repair a growing rift with nature

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jack Marley, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition

    By the end of 2024, nearly 200 nations will have met at three conferences to address three problems: biodiversity loss, climate change and plastic pollution.

    Colombia will host talks next week to assess global progress in protecting 30% of all land and water by 2030. Hot on its heels is COP29 in Azerbaijan. Here, countries will revisit the pledge they made last year in Dubai to “transition away” from the fossil fuels driving climate breakdown. And in December, South Korea could see the first global agreement to tackle plastic waste.

    Don’t let these separate events fool you, though.

    “Climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion are not isolated problems” say biologist Liette Vasseur (Brock University), political scientist Anders Hayden (Dalhousie University) and ecologist Mike Jones (Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences).



    Read more:
    Humanity’s future depends on our ability to live in harmony with nature

    “They are part of an interconnected web of crises that demand urgent and comprehensive action.”

    Let’s start with the climate.


    This roundup of The Conversation’s climate coverage comes from our award-winning weekly climate action newsletter. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed.

    Earth’s fraying parasol

    “How hot is it going to get? This is one of the most important and difficult remaining questions about our changing climate,” say two scientists who study climate change, Seth Wynes and H. Damon Matthews at the University of Waterloo and Concordia University respectively.

    The answer depends on how sensitive the climate is to greenhouse gases like CO₂ and how much humanity ultimately emits, the pair say. When Wynes and Matthews asked 211 authors of past reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, their average best guess was 2.7°C by 2100.

    “We’ve already seen devastating consequences like more flooding, hotter heatwaves and larger wildfires, and we’re only at 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels — less than halfway to 2.7°C,” they say.



    Read more:
    New survey of IPCC authors reveals doubt, and hope, that world will achieve climate targets

    There is a third variable that is harder to predict but no less important: the capacity of forests, wetlands and the ocean to continue to offset warming by absorbing the carbon and heat our furnaces and factories have released.

    This blue and green carbon pump stalled in 2023, the hottest year on record, amid heatwaves, droughts and fires. The possibility of nature’s carbon storage suddenly collapsing is not priced into the computer models that simulate and project the future climate.

    Parched forests can emit more carbon than they soak up.
    Matthew James Ferguson/Shutterstock

    However, the ecosystems that buffer human-made warming are clearly struggling. A new report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) showed that the average size of monitored populations of vertebrate wildlife (animals with spinal columns – mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians) has shrunk by 73% since 1970.



    Read more:
    Wildlife loss is taking ecosystems nearer to collapse – new report

    Wildlife could become so scarce that ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest degenerate, according to the report.

    “More than 90% of tropical trees and shrubs depend on animals to disperse their seeds, for example,” says biodiversity scientist Alexander Lees (Manchester Metropolitan University).

    “These ‘biodiversity services’ are crucial.”



    Read more:
    Without birds, tropical forests won’t bounce back from deforestation

    The result could be less biodiverse and, importantly for the climate, less carbon-rich habitats.

    Plastic in a polar bear’s gut

    Threats to wildlife are numerous. One that is growing fast and still poorly understood is plastic.

    Bottles, bags, toothbrushes: a rising tide of plastic detritus is choking and snaring wild animals. These larger items eventually degrade into microplastics, tiny fragments which now suffuse the air, soil and water.

    “In short, microplastics are widespread, accumulating in the remotest parts of our planet. There is evidence of their toxic effects at every level of biological organisation, from tiny insects at the bottom of the food chain to apex predators,” says Karen Raubenheimer, a senior lecturer in plastic pollution at the University of Wollongong.



    Read more:
    Scientists reviewed 7,000 studies on microplastics. Their alarming conclusion puts humanity on notice

    Plastic is generally made from fossil fuels, the main agent of climate change. Activists and experts have seized on a similar demand to address both problems: turn off the taps.

    In fact, the diagnosis of Costas Velis, an expert in ocean litter at the University of Leeds, sounds similar to what climate scientists say about unrestricted fossil fuel burning:

    “Every year without production caps makes the necessary cut to plastic production in future steeper – and our need to use other measures to address the problem greater.”



    Read more:
    A global plastic treaty will only work if it caps production, modelling shows

    A production cap hasn’t made it into the negotiating text for a plastic treaty (yet). And while governments pledged to transition away from coal, oil and gas last year, a new report on the world’s energy use shows fossil fuel use declining more slowly than in earlier forecasts – and much more slowly than would be necessary to halt warming at internationally agreed limits. The effort to protect a third of earth’s surface has barely begun.

    Each summit is concerned with ameliorating the effects of modern societies on nature. Some experts argue for a more radical interpretation.

    “Even if 30% of Earth was protected, how effectively would it halt biodiversity loss?” ask political ecologists Bram Büscher (Wageningen University) and Rosaleen Duffy (University of Sheffield).



    Read more:
    Biodiversity treaty: UN deal fails to address the root causes of nature’s destruction

    “The proliferation of protected areas has happened at the same time as the extinction crisis has intensified. Perhaps, without these efforts, things could have been even worse for nature,” they say.

    “But an equally valid argument would be that area-based conservation has blinded many to the causes of Earth’s diminishing biodiversity: an expanding economic system that squeezes ecosystems by turning ever more habitat into urban sprawl or farmland, polluting the air and water with ever more toxins and heating the atmosphere with ever more greenhouse gas.”

    – ref. Wildlife, climate and plastic: how three summits aim to repair a growing rift with nature – https://theconversation.com/wildlife-climate-and-plastic-how-three-summits-aim-to-repair-a-growing-rift-with-nature-241419

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mother and Son Sentenced for Illegally Importing Endangered Wildlife

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

    PHOENIX, Ariz. – Raymond Anthony Rabago Montoya, 23, of Phoenix, was sentenced on October 2, 2024, by United States District Judge Dominic W. Lanza to 12 months and one day in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $3,000 to the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund. His co-defendant and mother, Griselda Guadalupe Montoya-Gastelum, 50, of Sonora, Mexico, was previously sentenced by Judge Lanza on July 8, 2024, to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Montoya-Gastelum pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Violate the Lacey Act on April 25, 2024, and Rabago Montoya pleaded guilty to the same offense on April 26, 2024.

    Defendants coordinated the illegal importation of exotic and protected wildlife from Mexico, including tigers, panthers, monkeys, and exotic parrots, into the United States, concealed through ports of entry, for financial gain. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began investigating the defendants in August 2022 after receiving a report from a person who believed that the four exotic parrots they had purchased from Rabago Montoya had been illegally imported. This report and further investigation led to the January 2023 execution of a search warrant at the home of Carlos Castro, where a tiger cub, an alligator, 12 snapping turtles, 6 tortoises, and boxes of other reptiles were found. Snapchat messages revealed that Montoya-Gastelum and Castro discussed illegal exotic animal sales and trades. Castro was subsequently convicted of Unlawful Sale of Wildlife in the Arizona Superior Court, Maricopa County.

    After federal agents observed advertisements for the sale of spider monkeys on Facebook, they conducted two undercover purchases of monkeys from the defendants for $6,000 each, one in April and one in May 2023. In June and August 2023, Rabago Montoya was encountered by law enforcement with dozens of endangered parrots concealed in his vehicle, many of which were deceased. Defendants were indicted on September 12, 2023, and arrested the following day.

    “Once again we see Arizonans profiting from the concealment of contraband through the Nogales and Lukeville Ports of Entry,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Here, in lieu of controlled substances we have mistreated protected animals: and the sentences imposed send strong messages both of deterrence and of the importance of robust environmental protections.”

    “Wildlife trafficking is illegal and immoral, as countless animals that are taken from the wild are smuggled across borders in inhumane conditions,” said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “In the case of spider monkeys, many trafficked animals perish due to inadequate care, while those that survive face a life of captivity. We hope this case emphasizes that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and our partners will continue to ensure that those engaged in wildlife trafficking are brought to justice.”

    U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart Zander and Lisa Jennis, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
     

    CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-01305-PHX-DWL
    RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-138_Montoya et al.

    # # #

    For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
    Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

    2024-138_Montoya et al.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Cooper Visits Yancey and Mitchell Counties to Survey Storm Damage as Federal, State, Local and Non-profit Partners Continue Unprecedented Response to Helene

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Cooper Visits Yancey and Mitchell Counties to Survey Storm Damage as Federal, State, Local and Non-profit Partners Continue Unprecedented Response to Helene

    Governor Cooper Visits Yancey and Mitchell Counties to Survey Storm Damage as Federal, State, Local and Non-profit Partners Continue Unprecedented Response to Helene
    mseets

    Today, Governor Roy Cooper traveled to Pensacola and Bakersville where he was joined by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, NCDPS Secretary Eddie Buffaloe and Commander of the State Highway Patrol Colonel Freddie Johnson to assess storm damage, witness relief operations and speak with those affected by Helene. In Pensacola, the Governor visited a supply distribution center operating at the Pensacola Volunteer Fire Department. In Bakersville, the Governor joined Mayor Charles Vines for a walking tour to see areas that sustained damage during the storm.

    “Today I was on the ground in Pensacola, Yancey County and Bakersville, Mitchell County, talking with folks affected by Helene and seeing how hard people are working to rebuild from this storm,” said Governor Cooper. “The people of Western North Carolina are strong, and we will keep working with them to surge resources and to recover and rebuild their communities.”

    The Major Disaster Declaration requested by Governor Cooper and granted by President Biden now includes the following North Carolina counties and designations which were added Tuesday night:

    • Cabarrus, Cherokee, Forsyth, Graham, Iredell, Lee, Nash, Rowan, Stanly, Surry, Union, and Yadkin counties for Individual Assistance,
    • Cabarrus, Cherokee, Forsyth, Graham, Iredell, Lee, Nash, Rowan, Stanly, Surry, Union and Yadkin counties for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.
    • Swain County for permanent work (already designated for Individual Assistance and assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures, including direct Federal assistance, under the Public Assistance program.

    The Major Disaster Declaration already includes 27 North Carolina counties (Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey) and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

    Also today, Governor Cooper issued an emergency Executive Order authorizing the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security, to increase the amount of weekly unemployment payments available to North Carolinians in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. As a result of this Order, weekly unemployment benefits will increase from a maximum of $350 a week to a maximum of $600 a week. Prior to the executive order, many low-income and part-time workers would have received less than the $350 weekly maximum. To ensure that these workers receive necessary benefits in the wake of Helene, the order will also increase benefits by $250 a week (up to the $600 cap) for all eligible workers. This order is tied to the State of Emergency for Hurricane Helene, and will remain in effect until the end of the Emergency or until it is rescinded.

    Law enforcement is working to ensure the safety of responders amid reports of threats and misinformation. FEMA officials remain in communities and are conducting operations to help people impacted by these storms recover as quickly as possible following reports of threats on the ground. Governor Cooper has directed the Department of Public Safety to work with local law enforcement to identify specific threats and rumors and coordinate with FEMA and other partners to ensure the safety and security of all involved as this recovery effort continues.

    North Carolina National Guard and Military Response

    Nearly 3,400 Soldiers and Airmen are working in Western North Carolina. Joint Task Force- North Carolina, the task force led by the North Carolina National Guard is made up of Soldiers and Airmen from 12 different states, two different XVIII Airborne Corps units from Ft. Liberty, a unit from Ft. Campbell’s 101st Airborne Division, and numerous civilian entities are working side-by-side to get the much-needed help to people in Western North Carolina.

    National Guard and military personnel are operating 12 aviation assets and approximately 1,200 specialized vehicles in Western North Carolina to facilitate these missions. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping to assess water and wastewater plants and dams. Residents can track the status of the public water supply in their area through this website.

    FEMA Assistance

    More than $102 million in FEMA Individual Assistance funds have been paid so far to Western North Carolina disaster survivors and approximately 181,000 people have registered for Individual Assistance. More than 2,000 households are now housed in hotels through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance.

    Approximately 1,400 FEMA staff are in the state to help with the Western North Carolina relief effort. In addition to search and rescue and providing commodities, they are meeting with disaster survivors in shelters and neighborhoods to provide rapid access to relief resources. They can be identified by their FEMA logo apparel and federal government identification.

    North Carolinians can apply for Individual Assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 from 7am to 11pm daily or by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov, or by downloading the FEMA app. FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs.

    Help from Other States

    More than 1,500 responders from 38 state and local agencies have performed 142 missions supporting the response and recovery efforts through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). This includes public health nurses, emergency management teams supporting local governments, veterinarians, teams with search dogs and more.

    Beware of Misinformation

    North Carolina Emergency Management and local officials are cautioning the public about false Helene reports and misinformation being shared on social media. NCEM has launched a fact versus rumor response webpage to provide factual information in the wake of this storm. FEMA also has a rumor response webpage.

    Efforts continue to provide food, water and basic necessities to residents in affected communities, using both ground resources and air drops from the NC National Guard. Food, water and commodity points of distribution are open throughout Western North Carolina. For information on these sites in your community, visit your local emergency management and local government social media and websites or visit ncdps.gov/Helene.

    Storm Damage Cleanup

    If your home has damages and you need assistance with clean up, please call Crisis Cleanup for access to volunteer organizations that can assist you at 844-965-1386.

    Power Outages

    Across Western North Carolina, approximately 11,000 customers remain without power, down from a peak of more than 1 million. Overall power outage numbers will fluctuate up and down as power crews temporarily take circuits or substations offline to make repairs and restore additional customers.

    Road Closures

    Some roads are closed because they are too damaged and dangerous to travel. Other roads still need to be reserved for essential traffic like utility vehicles, construction equipment and supply trucks. However, some parts of the area are open and ready to welcome visitors which is critical for the revival of Western North Carolina’s economy. If you are considering a visit to the area, consult DriveNC.gov for open roads and reach out to the community and businesses you want to visit to see if they are welcoming visitors back yet.

    NCDOT currently has approximately 2,000 employees and 900 pieces of equipment working on approximately 7,000 damaged road sites.

    Fatalities

    Ninety-five storm-related deaths have been confirmed in North Carolina by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. This number is expected to rise over the coming days. The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will continue to confirm numbers twice daily. If you have an emergency or believe that someone is in danger, please call 911.

    Volunteers and Donations

    If you would like to donate to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, visit nc.gov/donate. Donations will help to support local nonprofits working on the ground.

    For information on volunteer opportunities, please visit nc.gov/volunteernc

    Additional Assistance

    There is no right or wrong way to feel in response to the trauma of a hurricane. If you have been impacted by the storm and need someone to talk to, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. Help is also available to anyone, anytime in English or Spanish through a call, text or chat to 988. Learn more at 988Lifeline.org.

    If you are seeking a representative from the North Carolina Joint Information Center, please email ncempio@ncdps.gov or call 919-825-2599.

    For general information, access to resources, or answers to frequently asked questions, please visit ncdps.gov/helene.

    If you are seeking information on resources for recovery help for a resident impacted from the storm, please email IArecovery@ncdps.gov.

    ###

    Oct 16, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Action to boost jobs and investment for clean energy in Scotland

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    UK government accelerates “skills passport” and with Scottish Government strikes deal for Great British Energy to work with Scottish public bodies.

    • Energy Secretary visits Aberdeen as UK and Scottish Governments partner to make billions available in funding across the UK including for Scotland’s clean energy industry

    • UK and Scottish Governments strike new deal for Great British Energy to work with Scottish public bodies to support clean energy supply chains

    • UK Government also confirms the speeding up of delivery of a ‘skills passport’ to support oil and gas workers to move into offshore wind

    The UK Government will take decisive action to help make available billions of pounds in funding across the UK including for Scotland’s clean energy industry, the Energy Secretary has pledged ahead of a visit to Aberdeen.  

    The Energy Secretary will visit Aberdeen with Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier for the first time since the city was announced as the headquarters for the UK’s new publicly-owned energy company. 

    Following the visit, the UK Government is set to sign a new agreement with the Scottish Government today (Thursday 17 October) to boost Great British Energy’s ambitions to support clean energy supply chains and infrastructure.  

    By developing partnerships with Scottish public bodies in the clean energy sector – including Crown Estate Scotland, the Enterprise Agencies and the Scottish National Investment Bank – Great British Energy can deliver quickly and effectively, avoid duplication, and deliver maximum impact and value for money from Scottish projects. 

    Scotland has a strong pipeline of opportunities and is at the forefront of floating offshore wind development, and Great British Energy is in prime position to help accelerate this work by harnessing expertise in project development, investment and work with local communities. 

    Great British Energy has £8.3 billion of funding over this Parliament, and work is underway with the energy industry in Scotland to use this for public investment to create new private sector jobs and drive projects in Scotland.  

    Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:  

    Scottish energy workers will power the United Kingdom’s clean energy future- including in carbon capture and storage, in hydrogen, in wind, and with oil and gas for decades to come as part of a fair transition in the North Sea.  

    Unlike in the past we’re also working closely with the Scottish Government with a new agreement to ensure our publicly owned company Great British Energy is primed to accelerate clean energy investment in Scotland.

    This follows the announcement in the summer of a partnership between Great British Energy and The Crown Estate, covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland, which could support the leveraging of up to £30-60 billion of private investment. 

    Ahead of the visit, the UK Government has also confirmed that oil and gas workers will be supported to move more easily into careers in the renewable sector, including offshore wind, as the UK government accelerates delivery of a ‘skills passport’.  

    The passport is an industry led initiative overseen by RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK and supported by the UK and Scottish Governments which will align standards, recognise transferable skills and qualifications and map out career pathways for suitable roles. A digital tool for workers is set to be piloted by January 2025.   

    The UK Government’s Office for Clean Energy Jobs is working closely with Skills England to support other British workers on the energy transition, which by 2030 could create hundreds of thousands of new jobs across the UK.  

    Many of the skills required for the transition already exist, with research from Offshore Energies UK showing that 90% of oil and gas workers have transferable skills for offshore renewable jobs.  

    Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy Gillian Martin said:  

    I welcome this collaborative agreement committing Great British Energy to work with our public bodies to maximise investment into Scotland.  Scotland already has a strong pipeline of clean energy and supply chain opportunities, is at the forefront of floating offshore wind development, and has a depth of knowledge and experience on community & local energy. We look forward to working with Great British Energy to ensure it delivers real benefits for the people of Scotland and a just energy transition.  

    To make sure that no offshore energy workers are left behind, the Scottish Government provided initial funding of £3.7 million between 2022 – 2024 for the development of the industry-led Skills Passport.

    Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said:  

    The UK government will support our world class, world leading offshore workforce with the recognition they deserve and support the transition to renewable jobs in the future.  

    This is an area the UK Government and Scottish Government can and should work in partnership to deliver for Scotland and harness the potential we have to truly lead the world in renewables jobs. That’s why we have set out to reset the relationship between Scotland’s two governments to deliver better outcomes for Scots.  

    It should be easier to switch between oil and gas and renewables work offshore. The present situation, where training in one industry isn’t recognised in the other, cuts off opportunities for oil and gas workers. The fact some workers are paying out of their own pockets is scandalous. 

    We need to cut that red tape and deliver a skills passport that allows offshore workers to move flexibly back and forth between both industries in the years and decades to come.

    Great British Energy Chair Juergen Maier said: 

    The clean energy transition is a huge opportunity for Scotland, which is already at the cutting edge of technology like floating offshore wind, and Great British Energy is well positioned to help accelerate the development of key supply chains and infrastructure. 

    By working closely with the Scottish Government, alongside The Crown Estate in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, we can help to drive forward investment and create jobs across the country.

    RenewableUK’s Executive Director of Offshore Wind Jane Cooper said:  

    The upsurge in offshore wind jobs over the course of this decade and beyond creates excellent opportunities for highly-skilled oil and gas workers to bring their valuable experience to the clean energy sector. We’re working closely with our colleagues at Offshore Energies UK, and the UK and Scottish Governments, to make that transition as smooth as possible across all parts of the energy industry. The Energy Skills Passport is a great example of what we can achieve together and we’ll continue to look for other potential areas of work that can further support the transition of workers between sectors.

    David Whitehouse, Chief Executive Officer, Offshore Energies UK comments: 

    This package of announcements contains significant measures for firms, their workers and their supply chains across the UK. The skills passport is an important part of the toolkit industry is assembling in recognition of the integrated nature of the energy landscape. Those working in our domestic oil and gas sector have powered the country for the last fifty years and will play a critical role in our energy future. The sector is committed to working in partnership with government to leverage our industrial strengths to deliver a managed transition that creates opportunities for people and communities around the country.

    In Wales, the UK Government is already discussing how Great British Energy could work in partnership with their publicly-owned renewable energy developer, Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru, and other public bodies to deliver on shared priorities with the Welsh Government.  

    The UK Government is also working closely with the Northern Ireland Executive on opportunities for Northern Ireland, to help accelerate the clean energy transition across the United Kingdom. 

    Yesterday (Wednesday 16 October) the Energy Secretary also confirmed that Liz Ditchburn has been appointed as Chair of the North Sea Transition Authority, which regulates and influences the oil, gas, carbon storage and offshore hydrogen industries. Liz is a highly experienced public sector leader and will help to deliver the UK Government’s plans for a phased, responsible and prosperous energy transition in the North Sea. 

    Notes to editors

    The skills passport will show how these offshore workers’ skills and qualifications can be recognised by employers across various sectors, facilitating their smooth transition into the renewable energy sector. It will identify where oil and gas health and safety standards will be recognised in the offshore wind sector and map out different career pathways into the wind industry.   

    See figures on clean energy jobs.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Convenes Louisiana Energy Security Summit, Highlights Louisiana Investments and Future Economic Potential

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    BATON ROUGE – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) hosted the “Louisiana Energy Security Summit: Unleashing American Abundance in a Changing Global Landscape” at the Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge, bringing together leaders from the federal, state, and local government levels, industry, the research community, and elsewhere. 

    In his keynote address, Cassidy highlighted the geopolitical challenges confronting U.S. manufacturers operating internationally. Adversaries exploit lax environmental and labor standards to gain an unfair trade advantage over American companies. 
    “We are working to preserve the jobs we have in Louisiana and create more in the future,” said Dr. Cassidy. “We can do this by requiring that trade with countries like China be fair, and not allow them to pollute the atmosphere while we’re working to clean it.”
    “The Foreign Pollution Fee Act is a trade policy that rewards U.S. businesses and workers while penalizing foreign polluters. It creates a level playing field for American companies on the global stage. It’s a win for American workers, the U.S. economy, our national security, and the environment,” added Dr. Cassidy.
    The summit featured ten panels which explored protecting U.S. interests from unfair trade practices, Louisiana’s low emissions manufacturing advantage, and the role of natural gas in strengthening U.S. geopolitical influence. Panelists included presidents and CEOs from Entergy, First Solar, Buzzi UnicemUSA, Orsted, and Aluminum Technologies, former Trump administration officials, and leaders from Louisiana trade associations and major energy and Fortune 500 companies. 

    “We have the talent, we have the resources, we have the God-given location here in Louisiana with the Mississippi River, the Gulf, so much pipeline running underneath us, some of the greatest ports in the country, we’ve got all those tools. We just need to make sure we marry those with good policy,” said Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Will Green. “If we do, we will be unstoppable here in Louisiana.”
    “This is an energy economy here in Louisiana. We send it out, and we bring it in. It’s a manufacturing powerhouse. This state embodies what we can achieve again, if we open our alliances and we shut down our adversaries,” said Former Chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality James Connaughton.
    “There is a market disadvantage for U.S. producers and manufacturers,” said Former Energy Deputy Secretary Mark Menezes. “This is basic fairness. As a consumer you have choices to make on products. You can choose a U.S.-made product or something that is imported. The choice is easy. And as a consequence of making that choice you address the fundamental fairness of this, you recognize the importance of the U.S. role, and you incentivize U.S. manufacturers to come back from China.”
    “Everyone in this room knows China has not relaxed. They have increased production and are flooding the market,” said Huntsman Corporation Vice President of Global Communications and Government Affairs Kevin Gundersen. “We have gotten away from [our] competitive advantage, and we have leaned into our disadvantage as a country. I think there needs to be a course correction.”  
    “We already import more than 26 million tons [of cement] per year. All of the countries where we import cement—they don’t have all the environmental regulations we do. They don’t have all the laws. They don’t have all the regulation, so we already have a disadvantage,” said Buzzi UnicemUSA President and CEO Massimo Toso. “So we do appreciate the effort by Senator Bill Cassidy and his colleague to put in place a carbon border adjustment mechanism.”
    “Non-market actors overseas, subsidies, and unfair trade practices make it cheaper to produce goods than companies like ourselves,” said CF Industries Vice President for Public Affairs Linda Dempsey. “We’ve got the best workers and the best standards, but the second piece really is flipping the switch on the trade rules.”
    “The cheap solar panels that are brought in from China don’t have the same standards of which we hold ourselves accountable to creating an unfair blade,” said First Solar CEO Mark Widmar. “Between American ingenuity, passion, creativity, and know-how, we can outcompete, but we need fairness.”
    Background
    Cassidy and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced their Foreign Pollution Fee Act to level the playing field with Chinese manufacturing and expand American production.
    Earlier this month, he released the 3rd episode of Bill on the Hill, where he highlights his Foreign Pollution Fee Act and discusses China’s growing economy and military coming at the expense of the American worker. After hearing fellow Americans share their concerns, Cassidy presented his plan to address the nexus between economic development, national security, and the environment. His Foreign Pollution Fee Act would even the playing field while holding China accountable.
    He penned editorials in Foreign Affairs, The Washington Times, and jointly in the USA Today Network discussing the geopolitical threat that China poses to U.S. global standing. Cassidy also joined Greta Van Susteren on Newsmax to discuss his foreign pollution fee, noting the competitive advantage China receives from intentionally ignoring environmental standards. 
    Last Spring, the Louisiana Senate and House of Representatives unanimously adopted a resolution urging Congress to pursue an industrial manufacturing and trade policy to counter competition from China. Learn more here. 
    Last Congress, Cassidy released a landmark energy policy outline in response to the Biden administration’s assault on domestic energy. The outline details how we can successfully reset U.S. energy policy, including Cassidy’s plan for an Energy Operation Warp Speed to cut permitting red tape and unleash domestic energy and manufacturing. In support of this complete vision and in addition to the Foreign Pollution Fee Act, Cassidy led Republican colleagues in opposition to a domestic carbon tax and introduced the first comprehensive judicial reform for permitting bill. He also pushed back on disastrous proposals from the Biden administration to limit development in the Outer Continental Shelf with the introduction of the WHALE Act and the Offshore Energy Security Act of 2023.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: International Energy Agency issues wake-up call on climate action

    Source: Green Party

    Today’s report from the International Energy Agency highlights how far this Government’s actions are dragging us backwards in the fight against climate change. 

    “Luxon’s decision to pour fossil fuel on the climate crisis fire actively undermines not only energy security and resilience, but a climate-safe future,” says Green Party Co-Leader and spokesperson for Climate Change Chlöe Swarbrick. 

    “Today the International Energy Agency issued its annual energy outlook with the key message: energy security and climate action are inextricably linked. 

    “The IEA have once again underscored that efficient, cleaner energy systems reduce energy security risks. 

    “Unfortunately, we have a Government operating in half-truths, weaponising the energy crisis created by reliance on fossil fuels and incentivised by profit-at-all-costs to somehow justify reinforcing and worsening those very settings.

    “The Prime Minister and his Government have tied themselves in knots with the tentacles of the fossil fuel industry, lifting the oil and gas ban, tearing through pristine biodiversity with more coal mines and opening our shores to LNG imports. These actions actively undermine a clean, green transition which is not only critical for a stable climate, but a resilient energy system too.

    “A better world is possible. Affordable, more reliable, renewable and resilient energy distribution is possible. Communities across Aotearoa New Zealand want and deserve it. The Greens will continue to fight to deliver that future owed to all of us,” says Chlöe Swarbrick.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Padilla, Ruiz Celebrate Groundbreaking of Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project Expansion

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)

    Padilla, Ruiz Celebrate Groundbreaking of Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Project Expansion

    WATCH: Padilla highlights Inflation Reduction Act funding for Salton Sea habitat conservationSALTON SEA, CA — Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, and Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (D-Calif.-25) joined federal and state leaders to announce the expansion of a restoration project at the south end of the Salton Sea through the Salton Sea Management Program (SSMP). The event celebrated the groundbreaking of the expansion of the Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation awarded California $70 million from the Inflation Reduction Act for the project last December.
    The investment is a portion of the $250 million that Padilla, Ruiz, the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, and Representative Juan Vargas (D-Calif.-52) secured for the SSMP from funds included in the Inflation Reduction Act for drought resiliency. The federal funding commitments were made in the 2022 Commitment to Support Salton Sea Management Related to Water Conservation in the Lower Colorado River Basin Agreement.
    The expansion of the SCH Project represents a multiagency collaboration to address the ecological challenges facing the Salton Sea. The commitments made by the federal and state governments, as well as from regional agencies, will add 750 acres to the project’s footprint. This unprecedented support helps set the current project footprint at nearly 5,000 acres with the potential to expand to around 8,000 acres.
    “As the Salton Sea lakebed recedes, toxic dust is contaminating air quality and threatening the stability of the local ecosystem,” said Senator Padilla. “The $250 million in Inflation Reduction Act funding we secured for the Salton Sea Management Program is essential not only to protect public health in surrounding communities, but to restore the habitat of the abundant aquatic and avian wildlife in the region. Today’s exciting groundbreaking of the Species Conservation Habitat Project expansion will expand critical wetland habitat and improve air quality around the hazardous exposed lakebed.”
    “For years, my constituents have shared their concerns about the harmful impacts of the Salton Sea. As a physician in Congress, I have been committed to addressing this ongoing public health and environmental crisis,” said Congressman Ruiz, M.D. “Thanks to our partnership with the Biden-Harris administration and the $4 billion secured through the Inflation Reduction Act to stabilize the Colorado River Basin, we are bringing vital resources to our communities that will protect the health, environment, and economy of our region.”
    “Our largest project at the Salton Sea to suppress dust and restore habitat is getting bigger,” said Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for the California Natural Resources Agency. “The Biden-Harris Administration and our Congressional delegation delivered major funding to get this done, and it’s another step forward at the Sea. I’m proud of our partnerships and progress, while we all know much more work lies ahead.”
    “It was less than two years ago that we signed a memorandum of understanding for the Salton Sea, and here we are today breaking ground on phase two of the Species Conservation Habitat Project, on the heels of signing the largest water conservation agreement with the Imperial Irrigation District,” said Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. “We’re grateful to our partners in the State of California, the Imperial Irrigation District Board, and farmers and growers in the Imperial and Coachella Valley for leading the way for the Sea and the Colorado River Basin.” 
    “California’s commitment to protecting the Colorado River by conserving 1.6 million acre-feet under the Lower Basin Plan would not have been possible without the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration and Commissioner Touton,” said JB Hamby, Chairman for the Colorado River Board of California. “Their historic $250 million investment in California’s Species Conservation Habitat — the largest ever for Salton Sea restoration — marks a turning point. Together, these efforts protect both the Colorado River and the Salton Sea.”
    Located at the south end of the Salton Sea, near the community of Westmorland, the project aims to restore ecological value at the Salton Sea and help protect regional air quality by
    Creating a network of ponds and wetlands;
    Providing a habitat for fish and birds that visit the Salton Sea; and
    Suppressing dust within the project area.
    In August, the Bureau of Reclamation and the Imperial Irrigation District agreed to conserve nearly 230 billion gallons of water by 2026, facilitate land access for project implementation, and provide an additional $175 million in federal funding to accelerate California’s Salton Sea restoration efforts.
    Comprised of the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the SSMP is implementing a 10-year plan to improve the conditions around the Salton Sea by constructing 29,800 acres of habitat and dust suppression projects while establishing a long-term pathway for the Salton Sea’s success.
    Senator Padilla worked to include $4 billion for drought resiliency and inland waterways, including for projects to address historic drought impacting the Colorado River Basin and Salton Sea, in the Inflation Reduction Act. The $250 million in federal funding Padilla secured for the SSMP allows the Department of the Interior to contribute to vital restoration projects at the Salton Sea, including to expedite existing projects that the State of California and California water users are contributing to, like the SCH Project. Last Congress, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee advanced Padilla and Senator Feinstein’s Salton Sea Projects Improvements Act to give the Interior Department additional authorities to invest in Salton Sea ecological improvement projects and address the public health and environmental crises at the Salton Sea. Padilla also applauded the Department of the Interior last year for awarding approximately $367 million to California partners to protect the Colorado River Basin, including to restore the Salton Sea.
    Additional photos from the event are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Joint doorstop interview, Brisbane

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    JIM CHALMERS:

    Welcome to the most important electorate in Australia, the People’s Republic of Rankin. Welcome to the PM, Clare, Meaghan, this is our home patch. Cameron Dick and I and Shannon Fentiman, we’re really proud to represent this part of South East Queensland. We’ve got really 2 fantastic announcements to be making today.

    The first one which Clare will elaborate on is that we are announcing more money for this part of the world for more housing. More housing for Meadowbrook, more housing for South East Queensland, more housing for middle Australia, and most importantly, more housing for essential workers and social housing tenants near where the jobs and essential services are being provided. The wonderful thing about this part of South East Queensland – we’ve got a university there, a hospital and a TAFE there, a retail centre there, 2 motorways, a train station – and this is all about making sure that we build more homes for Australians where the jobs and essential services are. And so it’s a really important day to be making this announcement. This kind of funding is at risk with the worst combination of David Crisafulli and Peter Dutton and we make that clear as well today.

    More homes for our local community. Our highest priorities are housing and the cost of living and the Albanese Labor government, the Miles Labor government, we work together really closely to do whatever we can to build more homes and to ease the cost of living for more people. And a really important part of what we’re announcing today are our efforts to crack down on excessive charges when it comes to using credit cards and debit cards and tapping your phone. Too many Australians are paying too much when they tap their phone or use their credit cards. Too many Australians are paying too much when it comes to excessive fees on debit cards, in particular. We are cracking down on excessive fees for debit cards and we are funding the ACCC to do their important work in this regard as well. We are prepared to ban surcharges on debit cards subject to the important work that the RBA is doing, and also making sure that there aren’t unintended consequences for small businesses and for consumers. This is all about a better deal for consumers and small businesses. People are paying surcharges which are too high just to use their own money, and we want to see what we can do to crack down on that. We are prepared to ban the surcharges on debit cards subject to making sure that consumers and small businesses are the beneficiaries of any change. This is a really complex system. There are a number of fees at play in this system. It’s why the RBA’s work is so important, and it’s why it’s so important that this Albanese Labor government is taking action to crack down on excessive fees. While this work is being undertaken, we will provide $2.1 million to the ACCC for their education and monitoring and to make sure that businesses are doing the right thing when it comes to the charging of these fees and surcharges. We are making it really clear today. This Albanese Labor government is about easing the cost of living and building more homes. Whether it’s excessive surcharges using debit cards, whether it’s building more homes in communities, just like the Miles government, we are focused on the main game for middle Australia and that’s why we’re here today. I’ll throw you over to the Deputy Premier and Treasurer of Queensland, Cameron Dick.

    CAMERON DICK:

    Well, thanks, Jim. It is terrific to have the Prime Minister, Jim, Clare and Meaghan in Logan here today to announce more homes for Queenslanders. And this is what happens when you have a State Labor government and a Federal Labor government working together to deliver for the people of Queensland. This isn’t something you get from the Greens and it is certainly something you would never get from the LNP. It’s also great to have 2 Queensland based institutions, the Australian Retirement Fund and the Brisbane Housing Company, collaborating together to deliver on this project. We’ve already got homes through that collaboration coming out of the ground in Redcliffe, Chermside and Southport and now we will see more homes right here in Logan for hardworking Queenslanders. And so we very much welcome this announcement today and we thank the Prime Minister and his federal team for supporting Queensland.

    I just wanted to say something briefly before I hand over to the Prime Minister on David Crisafulli and the LNP’s election commitments, their costings and of course, their plan for cuts. Yesterday, David Crisafulli said he wouldn’t borrow for the operational costs of government. That would mean David would have to cut $3 billion as soon as he took office in October. It means David Crisafulli would have to cut $10 million a day, each and every day until the 30th of June next year to deliver on his promise. That means there are 17,000 Queenslanders whose jobs are now on the line under David Crisafulli and the LNP. And that is before he even finds one cent to pay for the $18 billion in election commitments that are unfunded and that he has already announced in this campaign. David Crisafulli won’t even tell Queenslanders the total of the election commitments he’s made in this campaign so far. That’s because he would have to tell Queenslanders what he would have to cut to deliver on those promises.

    I’ll hand over to the Prime Minister and thank him again for coming to Queensland and making this important announcement for the people of our state.

    ANTHONY ALBANESE:

    Well, thanks very much, Treasurer. And it’s great to be here with 2 treasurers and 2 housing ministers and I think 3 local members here in Logan. It’s fantastic to be, particularly to be in my friend, the Treasurer’s electorate of Rankin, and to show what happens when good Labor governments work together. This is about 1,100 new homes for Queenslanders – 1,100 new homes that will be built, including right here on this site, but throughout South East Queensland as well. It comes on top of, just a couple of weeks ago, the announcement we made in Cairns with about 500 new affordable and social homes being built there. This is about increasing housing supply, which is what our commitment is to do.

    It’s also about easing the cost of living and the measures that the Treasurer spoke about before in outlawing debit card surcharges, having a real crack at making sure that people, when they use their own money, there shouldn’t be surcharges on them using their money. And that’s why we are providing additional funds – $2.1 million for the ACCC – but also the Reserve Bank doing their inquiry to make sure that the details of this are got right, that small businesses looked after on the way through. This is my government’s priority, looking after the cost of living whilst also delivering on housing supply in partnership with state and territory governments. And it stands in stark contrast to our opponents. Be it David Crisafulli, who doesn’t seem to have too many policies I’ve got to say, at the Queensland election, and certainly no costed ones, and the Federal Opposition that today Michael Sukkar was out there once again just being opposed to our investment in new housing. They said they’ll get rid of the Housing Australia Future Fund. They’ve said they’re against the targets that we’ve set in partnership with state and territory governments, with those financial incentives for better planning for state and territory governments to make sure that we increase the supply. This project here as well is about our support for infrastructure in order so that homes can be built. It’s one of the missing pieces in the puzzle of housing supply that we are addressing. Making sure that energy, sewerage, water can all be connected so that new homes can be built. Something that we are providing that was never provided under the former government that didn’t for a while even bother to have a Housing Minister. I’ll turn to Clare and then we’re happy to take questions.

    CLARE O’NEIL:

    Thank you, PM and Treasurer, can I thank you for welcoming us to your beautiful electorate. We all know a bit about Jim Chalmers and one way to get the guy talking is to ask him about his community here in Rankin and you won’t hear the end of it. He is a huge advocate for this local area, he’s very proud of where he comes from, and it’s fantastic to be here. This is a really big and important announcement for South East Queensland where the Albanese government and the Miles Labor government here are announcing 1,100 new homes for Queenslanders. Five hundred will be constructed on this site here in Meadowbrook and 600 others will be scattered around some of the nearby suburbs. This is a reflection of what gets done when state and federal governments identify something that matters hugely to our constituents and that’s housing, and then works together to make a difference to that problem. We are, without question, one of the boldest and most ambitious Commonwealth governments on housing that we have seen for a generation in this country. We came from a standing start. The Prime Minister here mentioned that for most of the time the Coalition were in power, they didn’t even have a Housing Minister. Didn’t even have a Housing Minister. That’s how tapped out they were on this critical problem. Well, we have changed all that. Our country, led as it is by a Prime Minister whose access to housing in his childhood totally transformed the rest of his life. So, what are we doing? We’re building more homes. An ambitious target to build 1.2 million homes around the country over the coming 5 years. We’re helping renters through the work we’re doing with National Cabinet and lifts to the Commonwealth Rent Assistance payment. And we’re making sure that more Australians can own their own homes. We’ve helped 120,000 citizens get into home ownership in the time we’ve been in government. And we would be able to do more if other parties in the Parliament would come together and work with us. Now, we’ve got boldness and we’ve got ambition. But what do I see when I look at other parties in the Parliament? Well, I see the Greens who say some of the right things about housing. But when it comes time to make real progress for real people, instead of helping childcare workers and aged care workers get into housing, they instead try to play politics and stand in their path. And then I see the Liberals who have not a shred of credibility when it comes to housing. We heard this morning the Shadow Housing Minister, Michael Sukkar, make extraordinary admissions in a radio interview where, firstly, he said that the government is being too ambitious about housing. He says that if the Liberals are elected federally, they will scrap having a housing target altogether. Well, it’s that kind of low ambition that got us to where we are right now. And that is in a housing crisis where this is affecting the lives of millions of people in our country and the Liberals want us to lower our ambitions. The second thing he told us is that they want to make more cuts to states and territories in the funding that we’re giving them to make housing possible. Well, this is where we are right here. 1,100 new homes that’s made through that partnership that we’ve worked through with National Cabinet and we know with the Liberals we’ll get what we always get. That is cuts, cuts, cuts that hurt real people.

    ALBANESE:

    Happy to take questions.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, on the banking surcharge, it’s been welcomed by some, but others are saying that a few cents here and there might not save people that much in a cost living crisis. I guess, how do you expect it to assist people if they’re only saving small amounts on these surcharges?

    ALBANESE:

    We think it’ll make a difference. And when people go and they see a price up on the board at the business where they’re making a purchase – that should be the purchase price. There shouldn’t be hidden charges and surcharges there when people are using their own money. Bear this in mind – a debit card is taking money directly from people’s accounts. It is their money and there shouldn’t be surcharges on it.

    JOURNALIST:

    Prime Minister, this is a housing announcement, do you think it’s a good look to be buying a $4.2 million home during a cost‑of‑living crisis?

    ALBANESE:

    Well, Jodie and I are getting married, as is known, and I’m pleased about that. And Jodie’s a Coastie. She’s a proud Coastie. She’s as proud of being a Coastie as Jim is here, of being a Logan lifelong resident. There are 3 generations of Haydons on the coast there. And when your relationship changes, your life changes and you make decisions. But what I’m focused on is making sure that everyone can get a roof over their head. I’m focused on increased public housing and social housing investment. That’s why we have our Housing Australia Future Fund. We’re focused on increased rentals, which is why we have our Build to Rent scheme. And we’re focused, in addition to that, in getting more housing supply, such as the 1,100 homes for Queenslanders that we’re announcing right here.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, buying a $4 million dollar home is very different to buying a modest family home or living on a block like this. Do you think it’s a good look?

    ALBANESE:

    I have – of course, I am much better off as Prime Minister. I earn a good income. I understand that. I understand that I’ve been fortunate, but I also know what it’s like to struggle. My mum lived in the one public housing that she was born in for all of her 65 years. And I know what it’s like, which is why I want to help all Australians into a home, whether it be public homes or private rentals or home ownership.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, it’s been reported that Australia is seeking an assurance from PNG it won’t sign new security agreements with China in return for the $600 million assistance package for its NRL bid. Can you confirm if there is a security element in this agreement and what exactly it says?

    ALBANESE:

    This is a relationship between friends and what we don’t do is have our security arrangements out there in public. What we do is to work with our friends and partners. Papua New Guinea has made it very clear that Australia is their security partner of choice.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, do you plan to retire at that house on the New South Wales Central Coast?

    ALBANESE:

    Sorry?

    JOURNALIST:

    Are you planning to retire there?

    ALBANESE:

    I’m planning to be in my current job for a very long period of time.

    JOURNALIST:

    Are you going to rent it out in the meantime?

    ALBANESE:

    I’m planning to be in my current – I haven’t bought it yet. To be clear, it hasn’t settled yet, these arrangements, I’m very transparent. I declare everything. I’ve declared, some time ago, if you followed the story that I was selling a house in the Inner West that will make a contribution towards this.

    JOURNALIST:

    There’s been a lot of commentary around the hope from Federal Labor that some of the frustration may be taken out on October 26 and then maybe go easy at the federal election. What do you make of this and are you concerned about support for Labor in Queensland?

    ALBANESE:

    I want people to vote Labor in Queensland and to return Steven Miles as the Premier and this bloke here as the Deputy Premier, because I want a government that actually cares about Queenslanders. It’s a government that’s committed to increasing housing supply, that’s committed to dealing with cost‑of‑living pressures, including the 50 cent fares. I had the privilege of going on Gold Coast Light Rail yesterday. It’s committed to the free school lunches to make sure that people are looked after. This is a government that is getting things done and is worthy of re‑election and I’m very pleased to campaign with them.

    JOURNALIST:

    PM, Canada has expelled 6 Indian diplomats, accusing them of being part of a criminal network targeting the Sikh diaspora. Have you spoken, or do you plan to speak with Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau about this?

    ALBANESE:

    I speak with the Prime Minister of Canada all the time.

    JOURNALIST:

    Does Australia –

    ALBANESE:

    I speak with the Prime Minister of Canada all the time. And what I do in my relationships with international leaders is I have proper discussions with them and that’s how we get things done. And that’s why – one of the reasons why my government has been so effective in international diplomacy.

    JOURNALIST:

    On the Bruce Highway, why won’t you match Peter Dutton’s commitment for an 80/20 split.

    ALBANESE:

    He hasn’t done anything. His commitment? He was part of a government that didn’t fund things, that was good at media releases. I’ll give you the big clue. You can’t drive on a media release. What you can drive on is a road. And to build a road, you need money. So, Rockhampton Ring Road, for example, was $700 million short in terms of its funding. The former government made announcements with $0 attached to it, from time to time. When we came into government last time, we put record funding into the Bruce Highway. $1.3 billion under the Howard government, $7.6 billion under us, and we have $10 billion in our plan for the Bruce Highway, including additional money that we put in in the last Budget.

    JOURNALIST:

    So, those accusations are credible that we were talking about just before?

    ALBANESE:

    I’ve answered your question.

    JOURNALIST:

    Queensland has – you took a 50 cent fare yesterday. Obviously it’s a fair bit more expensive in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, to take a light rail, in Canberra. Should it not be? I mean, it’s increased our patronage in Queensland and would not do the same thing elsewhere?

    ALBANESE:

    Well, it’s a matter for state and territory governments. But I say this, that the Queensland government – and Cameron or Meaghan might want to comment on this as well – it’s been a huge success. Increasing patronage gets cars off the road, saves people money and also it’s good for people’s health. It’s good for a range of reasons to increase public transport patronage and from a Commonwealth government perspective, I make this point, when it comes to infrastructure. Gold Coast Light Rail, $365 million in the 2009 budget from the government when I was the Infrastructure Minister and now stage 3 underway, will be completed next year. It was opposed by the LNP – state and federal. You had federal LNP members like Steve Ciobo collecting petitions against Gold Coast Light Rail. Cross River Rail, major project to increase the whole capacity of the network was funded $715 million from the Commonwealth with an availability payment going forward each year in partnership with what was the Queensland LNP government then, originally started under the Labor government. Tony Abbott got elected, the whole thing crashed, and then they came up with this ridiculous plan that didn’t go anywhere. Cross River Rail would be open today if Labor governments had kept being elected. That’s why we believe in this. That’s why we’re funding Sunshine Coast Rail as well.

    JOURNALIST:

    Question for Mr Dick, please.

    ALBANESE:

    Sure.

    JOURNALIST:

    Credit rating agency S&P Global has warned Queensland’s AA+ credit rating is in danger of being downgraded due to your spending. How concerning is that?

    DICK:

    Well, S&P Global and Moody’s went through the Queensland Budget books top to bottom, left to right, up and down after our Budget, and they reaffirmed our AA+ credit rating. And when you look at our competitor states, our comparative states in New South Wales and Victoria, we are streets ahead of them when it comes to budget management and fiscal management in this state. Just a week ago, I announced the unaudited financial results for Queensland. Our net debt for last financial year has been halved from $12 billion to just under $6 billion. Our surplus went up from $600 million to $1.7 billion. And let’s put that in comparison to New South Wales and Victoria. So, our net debt at the end of last financial year was $5.7 billion. In New South Wales , it was $97 billion. In Victoria it was $136 billion. So, that means New South Wales debt is 16 times higher than Queensland and Victoria’s debt is 22 times higher. And so we are in a really strong position to make commitments and deliver on them because our commitments are fully funded. And the question for David Crisafulli and David Janetzki, who did 2 train wreck interviews today, the Shadow Treasurer who’s been in an LNP witness protection program, has not been seen with the Leader on the campaign trail for 2 weeks. And that is disrespectful to train wrecks because a train needs momentum and forward movement before it can run off the rails. We haven’t seen or heard from that bloke. And when he came out today, he didn’t say to Queenslanders – he couldn’t even tell Queenslanders what the total cost of their commitments would be, nor how they would pay for them. Now, their election commitments in this campaign are twice as high as ours. The LNP election commitments in this campaign now total $18 billion, twice as high as Labor. We’ve been upfront about how we’re paying for that. The only way that David Crisafulli can deliver on his promise of not borrowing for operational costs of government, by spending more, reducing taxation, lowering debt, delivering balanced budgets, not having a fiscal deficit, having a fiscal surplus. He has promised all of those things in this campaign. The only way he can deliver that is by cutting and that is what he is going to do. And that should put a shiver down the spine of every Queenslander, because the last LNP leader who offered to the community that he would look after the money of the people of Queensland, the last LNP leader who said that he would deliver a fiscal surplus was Campbell Newman. And 14,000 Queenslanders paid for that promise with their jobs. They built nothing for 3 years. So, they cut operating expenditure and they cut infrastructure expenditure. And the hide of David Crisafulli to say to Queenslanders that he respects money. The hide of David Crisafulli. David Crisafulli doesn’t respect public or private money. This is a man who was responsible for a training company that collapsed under $3 million of debt and owed the Australian Taxation Office $750,000. That’s not a man who respects money. That’s a man who disregards every single creditor of that company, including creditors that came from this community. And so we are fighting hard for the future of Queensland. Fully costed, fully funded plans, our promises will be delivered within the budget envelope and the funding envelope we’ve set aside. You cannot say the same for David Crisafulli.

    JOURNALIST:

    He wouldn’t have said what they’d said if they didn’t have concerns, though, surely?

    DICK:

    Well, let’s see what happens when I do – if I have that privilege – when I do the Budget update in December and when I do the Budget next year. Because there are 2 aspects to budgets, one’s expenditure and one’s revenue. And so you have to look at the budget position in total before we go to the ratings agencies and before they look at us. And so we’ll continue to deliver as we’ve delivered for every budget, except my first one, we’ve beaten our debt projections in every budget that I’ve delivered as Treasurer and we’ll continue to work hard to maintain that AA+ credit rating. We are the only state of the big 3 states that didn’t have a credit rating downgrade during or subsequent to COVID. That was because of our effective and appropriate financial and budgetary management and we’re going to continue on that path and people can trust us to deliver on our promises. The only thing you can trust David Crisafulli to do if he’s elected Premier is to cut. Anything else?

    JOURNALIST:

    Mr Janetzki was on radio this morning that he would release his costings once they make their final announcement. Is that the typical convention? Are you aware of that? And do you think it’s good enough considering voters already going to the polls?

    DICK:

    Look, this is all just a smokescreen for David Crisafulli to hide his plan for cuts. Our Party, Queensland Labor, has been the most transparent of any political party in any election in history. We put our costings live 2 weeks ago. We said upfront what we would do and how we would pay for it. And I released a budget economic and tax plan 2 weeks ago. Two years ago, David Crisafulli promised to release a tax and debt plan for Queensland. It is now 11 days until the election. David Crisafulli has been the Leader of the LNP now for more than 1,200 days and he still won’t be honest with the people of Queensland. And look, it’s just obvious the reason they won’t tell Queenslanders the total of their election commitments is because they would have to reveal to Queenslanders what they need to cut to deliver those election commitments. Which is why they’re hiding their costings, hiding their funding sources, because their single biggest funding source is to cut. And that’s why they’re not being honest with you.

    JOURNALIST:

    Amy McMahon from the Greens reckons you’re a hypocrite for recommending a preference for the Katter Australia Party in North Queensland. Are you not assisting an anti‑abortion party here by putting them above the Liberal Party?

    DICK:

    I don’t take political advice from the Queensland Greens Political Party. I never have and I never will. Anything else?

    JOURNALIST:

    What have you made of voter sentiment on the ground?

    CHALMERS:

    I don’t like being called the other Treasurer, but sure, you go ahead.

    JOURNALIST:

    What have you made of voter sentiment around the area? How closely will you be watching the result, particularly around this area?

    CHALMERS:

    Oh, look, Queenslanders right around our state desperately need a re‑elected Miles Labor government. You know, I was listening to Cameron and to the PM a moment ago. You know, Cameron is running one of the strongest budgets in the Commonwealth and that’s because we have a couple of things in common. You know, we are all about responsible economic management so that we can afford to provide cost‑of‑living relief for people who really need it, whether it’s in our community right around Queensland or indeed right around Australia. So, we have that in common and we want to work with the Miles Labor government after the election in a couple of weeks’ time. Now, as Cameron rightfully pointed out a moment ago, David Crisafulli and Peter Dutton have got something in common as well. Neither of them will come clean on their secret cuts. And those cuts that Peter Dutton and David Crisafulli won’t tell us about will make Queenslanders and Australians personally financially worse off. They’ll come after wages, they’ll come after housing, they’ll come after health. They will absolutely gut the joint. And we know this because Peter Dutton did that last time with Medicare when he was the Health Minister. And we know this because David Crisafulli is essentially Campbell Newman 2.0. And that was devastating for our local community. That has been a real low point for this part of the world seeing the way that Campbell Newman slashed and hacked at the essential services that local people desperately need. You asked a moment ago about our surcharging change and what it will mean for the cost of living. Now, that’s an important step that we are taking to help ease the cost of living, but it’s not the only step. Tax cuts for every taxpayer, Energy Bill Relief for every household, cheaper medicines, Rent Assistance, cheaper early childhood education, getting wages moving again. And here we have an enthusiastic and willing partner in the Miles Labor government. Cheaper fares for these communities in the outer suburbs are absolutely transformational. I’ve lost count of the amount of times that people have come up to me and said, ‘if you run into Cameron, or if you run into Steven, can you tell him how much we value those 50 cent fares?’ So, I’ll do that in front of all of our friends now, Cam. People appreciate the Energy Bill Relief that we’re working together with Steven and Cameron and Meaghan to provide. And so we desperately need a Miles Labor government re‑elected. We love working with these guys, not because we always have an identical view about every single issue, but because we’ve got a heart for local people. And that shows when it comes to housing, when it comes to health, and when it comes to cost of living.

    JOURNALIST:

    Sorry, just on the sentiment, you pick up anything on the ground around you?

    CHALMERS:

    Yeah, well, in our communities, people are desperately relying on the cost‑of‑living help that the Miles government and the Albanese government are providing. Now, we know that people are under pressure. You know, we know that people are doing it tough, but more than acknowledge that, we’re doing something about it. In all of the ways that I ran through a moment ago. And today, in addition, when it comes to surcharging on people’s debit cards, people shouldn’t be paying huge fees to use their own money. The Prime Minister has made that clear and we’ve made that clear today. So, in these local communities, we take no votes for granted. We don’t take any outcome for granted in this election. But I know I’ve seen what it’s like to have mostly state LNP members around here. I’ve seen what it’s like to have mostly Labor state members around here. We desperately need Labor members in this part of the world to look after the interests of the people and to work with Albo and I to make sure we’re rolling out that cost‑of‑living help.

    JOURNALIST:

    So, Queensland has – the Liberal National Party in Queensland has 21 of the federal seats in Queensland. Do you think that a plebiscite on nuclear power might change that?

    CHALMERS:

    Oh, we need to do better federally in Queensland. We’ve made that clear. You know, Anthony is an honorary Queenslander. You know, he spends a lot of time here in Queensland and I think Queenslanders understand because he is a practical, pragmatic leader and we are practical and pragmatic people in Queensland. And so, we need to do better, we’ve acknowledged that. Queensland is front and centre when it comes to our efforts as a Federal Labor government, including in the upcoming federal campaign. But first, we’ve got to re‑elect these guys because 2 Labor governments working together are better for local communities like this one.

    JOURNALIST:

    Queensland Labor has announced help for GP clinics that bulk bill. Isn’t that a tacit admission that Federal Labor hasn’t done enough to stop the gap, the Medicare gap, which has led to this?

    CHALMERS:

    No, I think it’s a tacit admission that both Labor governments are investing, in our case, billions and billions of dollars in strengthening Medicare. Now, there’s an Urgent Care Clinic down the road in Browns Plains which is making a major difference, taking the pressure off Logan Hospital, which is just next door. These are the investments that Labor governments make in local communities in getting out of pocket health costs down. And we welcome the contribution that the Miles Labor government comes to the table with when it comes to providing more money for health, so that we can get out of pocket costs down, so we can get the waiting times down, so that we can take pressure off local hospitals. But most importantly, make sure that we’re providing the healthcare that local families and pensioners need.

    JOURNALIST:

    When you were in Opposition, how many days before the election did you announce your costings?

    CHALMERS:

    Well, we did, unfortunately, we had a couple of goes at it when we were in Opposition and the timing of that varied. The difference was, you know, we didn’t have a big agenda for secret cuts like David Crisafulli does, and like Peter Dutton has. You know, Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor say that there’s $315 billion of spending in the Commonwealth Budget that they don’t support. That includes pension indexation, that includes Medicare funding, that includes funding for veterans, it includes funding for housing. And David Crisafulli and Peter Dutton are joined at the hip when it comes to their secret plans for cuts. I don’t think Queenslanders are asking too much when they say to David Crisafulli, ‘come clean in time for us to make an informed decision.’ And when they do, and if they do, they will understand that the Miles Labor government is providing cost‑of‑living relief, investing in housing and health, and David Crisafulli will cut all of those things as sure as night follows day.

    JOURNALIST:

    Why upgrade the travel advice to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories?

    ALBANESE:

    It’s a dangerous place at the moment. We know that that’s the case. So, what we do is we take advice from our security agencies and the government then implements that advice. We know that travelling into an area where there is conflict is a dangerous thing to do and it’s appropriate that the federal government make announcements in accordance with that advice from the security agencies. Can I just make one further point before we wrap up, which is that I was noticing – Clare probably noticed as well this morning – Michael Sukkar actually speak about the delay in implementing the Housing Australia Future Fund roll out and Help to Buy scheme that’s stuck in the Senate. Well, Labor are the builders, they’re the blockers. Between the LNP and the Greens, they blocked the Housing Australia Future Fund and now they’re still blocking the Help to Buy scheme. They could vote for it tomorrow or the next day that Parliament sits, but they don’t. So, they vote against it, block it and then complain that there’s a delay in its implementation. That says it all about how hopeless the Opposition are when it comes to policies that will actually deliver more housing supply. Thanks very much.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Falling Inflation Reflects a Falling Economy

    Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

    Data released by Stats NZ today showed inflation slowed to an annual rate of 2.2%, reflecting lower petrol prices and a weaker economy, said NZCTU Economist Craig Renney.

    “The data shows that petrol prices fell 8% annually, and vegetable prices fell 18% annually. These reflect both softer global demand and a return to normal harvests after Cyclone Gabrielle. Prices for discretionary spending items such as furniture, electronics, or second-hand vehicles fell. This suggests weak demand and low consumer confidence, which is exactly what you would expect when unemployment is rising,” said Renney.
     
    “Inflation and rising costs that can’t be avoided by households kept rising much faster than the headline rate. Electricity costs are up 7.4% a year. Rates bills rose 12% last year. Pharmaceutical products rose 17% with the reintroduction of prescription fees. Housing insurance was up 20% from last year.

    “Rents were the biggest contributor to annual inflation, up 4.5%. It’s clear that the landlord tax cuts aren’t working to reduce rents. Low-income households, struggling after real terms cuts to the minimum wage this year, will still be feeling the pinch of these increases.
     
    “One of the biggest drivers of the fall in inflation was the reduction in early childhood costs associated with the new family boost payment. Without that change quarterly inflation would have risen from 0.6% in September to 0.9%. Yet we know that more than half of all eligible households aren’t claiming that support – meaning that fall is unlikely to be translating into families’ pockets for many. Petrol pricing was supported by the one-off removal of the Auckland Fuel Tax, and with rising oil prices globally that fall is unlikely to be sustained.
     
    “Inflation is falling right now, but low-income workers might not be feeling the benefit as inflation they can’t escape keeps rising. Lower inflation is good news if it doesn’t come at a cost of much higher unemployment, which every forecast tells us will be happening.

    “With inflation now being back in the target band, the Government has no reason to not invest in making sure that unemployment doesn’t happen. Anything else is a choice,” said Renney. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beijing explores new growth avenues by nurturing high-tech industries

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

    A technician operates a device at a workshop of Beijing CRS Medical Device Co., Ltd., a precision manufacturing company specializing in the research, production and sales of sterile dental implants in Beijing, Oct. 13, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    BEIJING, Oct. 15 — In a sleek, automated workshop at the Daxing International Airport Economic Zone in southern Beijing, technicians from dental implant manufacturer CRS are meticulously checking their implants for any defects under microscopes.

    CRS, a precision manufacturing company specializing in the research, production and sales of sterile dental implants, began production here last month. The firm aims to produce one million implants annually. Its products are designed to be competitive by minimizing stress on bone and soft tissues, improving structural stability and simplifying clinical procedures.

    Su Hanqi, general manager of Beijing CRS Medical Device Co., Ltd., recalls that it took just an hour to choose the economic zone for their operations. “The one-stop services offered by the zone significantly reduced our efforts in navigating processes and approvals, while a range of supportive policies has fostered an exceptionally conducive entrepreneurial environment for us,” Su said.

    To promote the development of the medical and health industry, the economic zone and Daxing District offer policies that include monetary incentives for R&D, innovation application, mass production and space rentals.

    Su said that due to the support, overall operating costs are estimated to decrease by 30 percent. “For a manufacturing enterprise like ours, being able to focus on production and R&D is crucial.”

    The economic zone where Su’s firm operates aims to develop a series of industrial clusters in sectors such as life sciences, health, medical devices, logistics and international aviation. This aligns with the city’s broader goal of becoming a global hub for scientific and technological innovation.

    Data from the Beijing municipal government shows that, from January to August this year, investment in high-tech manufacturing and high-tech services grew by 72.7 percent and 19.4 percent year on year, respectively, driven by policies aimed at accelerating the development of new quality productive forces. This surge has fostered deeper integration between technological and industrial innovation, aligning with the national push for new quality productive forces.

    According to the resolution adopted at the third plenum of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China held in July this year, the country seeks to establish a mechanism for ensuring funding increases for industries of the future, and improve the policy and governance systems to promote the development of strategic industries such as next-generation information technology, AI, aviation and aerospace, new energy and biomedicine, among others.

    The picture taken on Aug. 20, 2024 shows the Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone in Beijing. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A 20-minute drive from Daxing airport is the Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone, home to Hypower, one of the world’s largest hydrogen refueling stations. With a maximum daily capacity of 4.8 tonnes, the station can meet the hydrogen needs of 800 hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric vehicles.

    Nearby, a workshop of SinoHytec, a Chinese high-tech company specializing in the R&D and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells, showcases fuel cells of various capacities to visitors.

    A technician is pictured working at a hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing company located at Daxing International Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Zone in Beijing, Aug. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    According to Bao Jianpeng, deputy director of production operations at SinoHytec, the company’s fuel cells have been used in more than 15,000 vehicles.

    “All the components of our fuel cell systems are home-grown. Another significant breakthrough is that the fuel cells we produce, which previously could only operate above zero degrees Celsius, can now function at temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius,” he said.

    The demonstration zone is focused on creating an industrial ecosystem incorporating hydrogen production, storage, transportation and refueling, fuel cell and components production, as well as testing and certification services for fuel cell vehicles and core components.

    The demonstration zone has already attracted over 20 enterprises in the hydrogen industry, including Hypower and SinoHytec, according to the Daxing district government.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: [Unboxing] Meet Galaxy Ring: A Personalized Health Care Device Encased in a Fancy Charging Case

    Source: Samsung

    Samsung Electronics’ latest wearable, the Galaxy Ring, is the smallest device in the Galaxy lineup to date. Despite its size, it’s packed with Samsung’s most advanced sensor technology and Galaxy AI capabilities, helping users keep tabs on their health by simply wearing it on their finger.
     
    Samsung Newsroom unboxed the Galaxy Ring, designed to enhance both style and convenience in everyday life.
     
     
    A Journey That Begins With Fine Packaging
    
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring and its charging case
     
    The Galaxy Ring’s innovative form factor is reflected in its thoughtfully crafted packaging. Constructed in a clamshell design, the packaging resembles a jewelry box, thereby accentuating the wearable’s unique form. Opening the box unveils a transparent charging case with LED lighting — evoking the feeling of revealing a precious gem.
     

    ▲ The Galaxy Ring in titanium black mounted inside its LED-lit clamshell charging case
     
    Consistent with the packaging, the charging case adopts a design similar to that of a jewelry box as well. Once opened, the charging case reveals the Galaxy Ring with its titanium frame and sleek curved body, subtly illuminated by LED lighting.
     
    The Galaxy Ring is available in three colors — titanium black, titanium silver and titanium gold — and comes in nine ring sizes from size 5 to 13. This range allows users to select the perfect combination of color and fit, tailored to their personal style and size.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring, alongside its packaging, charging case and a USB Type-C cable
     
     
    Sophisticated Design Offering Comfort All Week Long
    To provide continuous support and help users stay on track with their health, the Galaxy Ring is equipped with a powerful battery that lasts up to seven days on a single charge.1 The battery level and charging status can be easily monitored through the LED lighting in the charging case.
     

    ▲ The Galaxy Ring’s battery level can be intuitively monitored via an LED light when stored in the charging case. The case’s battery level can be checked by removing the Galaxy Ring and briefly pressing the central multipurpose button.
     
    
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring’s charging case is compatible with both USB Type-C wired charging and wireless charging.
     
    The Galaxy Ring’s main appeal lies in its lightweight and comfortable fit. Weighing between 2.3 grams (size 5) and 3 grams (size 13),2 the device’s sleek, slim design creates an effortless wearing experience that is so comfortable users might forget they have anything on.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring boasts a sleek, lightweight design.
     
    The Galaxy Ring is exceptionally durable, thanks to its concave design and Titanium Grade 5 finish that resists everyday scratches and wear.3 The device is also 10 ATM water resistant,4 allowing it to withstand pressures equivalent to a depth of 100 meters. This means the Galaxy Ring can continue to monitor users’ health while they wash their hands, take a shower or engage in strenuous activities without worrying about damaging the device.
     
    
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring’s Titanium Grade 5 finish and 10 ATM water resistance provide users with greater freedom in their daily lives.
     
     
    Advanced Sensors for Comprehensive Health Monitoring
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring features three state-of-the-art sensors.
     
    The Galaxy Ring’s ability to deliver a comprehensive range of health information, from sleep quality to daily activities, is rooted in its advanced built-in sensors. With a skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitor sensor and accelerometer, the Galaxy Ring’s trio of state-of-the-art sensors encircle the user’s finger — meticulously tracking data that is subsequently analyzed by Galaxy AI to provide personalized health insights. Users can access detailed health information and insights on the Samsung Health app.
     
     
    Quick and Easy Pairing With Galaxy Smartphones
    To use the Galaxy Ring, it must first be paired with a Galaxy smartphone. This process is very straightforward. When the case is opened, the device automatically enters pairing mode. Users can follow the instructions on their Galaxy smartphone to complete the connection.
     
    
    ▲ Opening the Galaxy Ring charging case automatically pairs the device to a Galaxy smartphone.
     
    To pair manually, place the Galaxy Ring in the case and press the multipurpose button for at least three seconds to activate pairing mode.
     
    ▲ A long press on the multipurpose button for three seconds will manually activate pairing mode. A short press will display the battery level via an LED light.
     
    The Galaxy Ring can be worn on the finger once paired, and users can begin personalizing and monitoring their health care right away.
     
    ▲ The initial setup screen for the Galaxy Ring when pairing showcases signature digital health features like Energy Score, sleep analysis, Wellness Tips and Heart Rate Alert.
     
     
    Finding the Perfect Fit With Galaxy Ring
    Choosing the right size and wearing the Galaxy Ring properly are crucial for optimal performance. If determining the right size proves challenging, consider using the sizing kit that can be tried at Samsung stores or shipped free from Samsung.com.5 This complimentary kit includes nine rings identical in size to the actual product from size 5 to size 13, allowing users to find the perfect fit.
     
    ▲ A complimentary ring sizing kit to measure the user’s finger size
     
    For accurate data tracking, the device should be worn with the protruding line that indicates the sensor’s direction facing the palm. The Galaxy Ring can be worn on any finger, but it is recommended that users try the sizing kit rings for a day or more to find out which finger suits them best.
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring worn correctly, with the protruding line facing the palm.
     
    In addition to health management, the Galaxy Ring also offers a handy smartphone control feature with just a simple gesture of the fingers. When wearing the device, users can double pinch via Gestures to take a photo or turn off an alarm on a connected Galaxy smartphone.6
     
    ▲ The Galaxy Ring’s smartphone control feature lets users take a photo or turn off an alarm by double-pinching their thumb and index finger together.
     
    The Galaxy Ring combines powerful performance and a sleek design for a refined and comfortable wearable experience. Reflecting Samsung’s commitment to advancing user convenience and health monitoring, the Galaxy Ring invites users to embark on a new journey towards healthier living.
     
     
    1 Based on the battery life of a size 13 product. Battery life will vary depending on ring size.2 Weight of Galaxy Ring varies by size. Size 5 Galaxy Ring is 2.3g, size 6 Galaxy Ring is 2.4g, size 7 Galaxy Ring is 2.4g, size 8 Galaxy Ring is 2.6g, size 9 Galaxy Ring is 2.7g, size 10 Galaxy Ring is 2.8g, size 11 Galaxy Ring is 3.0g, size 12 Galaxy Ring is 3.0g, and size 13 Galaxy Ring is 3.0g.3 Titanium is only applied on Galaxy Ring device frame.4 ATM stands for the standard atmosphere, a unit of air pressure. In theory, one ATM means that the product is waterproof to a depth of 10 meters under water.5 One Sizing Kit is available free of charge upon purchasing the Galaxy Ring. Only one Sizing Kit is provided per order number. Sample rings included in the Galaxy Ring Sizing Kit are inoperable and for measuring ring size only. Wearing the ring for at least 24 hours is recommended to test the ring.6 The double-pinch feature with the thumb and index finger is only able to take photos and turn off alarms on Galaxy Rings paired with Samsung Galaxy smartphones running on One UI 6.1.1 or later.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: BPA Investing Approximately $3 Billion in PacNW Electricity Grid Using Cantwell-Led Authorization

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Washington Maria Cantwell
    10.15.24
    BPA Investing Approximately $3 Billion in PacNW Electricity Grid Using Cantwell-Led Authorization
    Cantwell: “Bringing more affordable clean power online is the key to holding down electricity costs.”
    EDMONDS, WA – The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) announced today it is moving forward with approximately $3 billion in electricity grid improvement projects that will significantly increase the capacity and reliability of the Pacific Northwest grid and its ability to integrate new energy sources. This announcement adds to the $2 billion in grid upgrades BPA announced in July 2023, both investments enabled by the increased borrowing authority Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) included in the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. 
    In Central Washington these upgrades include expanding the capacity of the existing Coulee-Olympia 287 kV circuit to 500 kV, looping in the Columbia line with a new 500 kV substation, and reconductoring some adjacent transmission lines. In Western Washington, BPA will be rebuilding the Schultz-Olympia portion of the Coulee-Olympia by also increasing its capacity from 287 kV to 500 kV, along with installing some necessary new transformers and shunt capacitors. A 500 kV line can typically carry 3-5 times more power than a 287 kV line. The remaining grid investments will occur in Oregon. 
    “I commend Bonneville for expanding our region’s transmission capacity using the tools we gave them in the bipartisan infrastructure bill,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Bringing more affordable clean power online is the key to holding down electricity costs. These investments will not only create thousands of construction jobs, they will help revitalize our Pacific Northwest grid so we can take advantage of countless manufacturing, electrification, and emission reduction opportunities.”
    In July 2021, Sen. Cantwell authored and fought for passage of a bipartisan amendment that eventually resulted in a $10 billion increase in BPA’s borrowing authority being included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The measure allowed BPA to continue to borrow at low-interest rates at no ultimate cost to the taxpayer, so that Bonneville could move forward with the vital projects announced today. Sen. Cantwell’s amendment also linked expanded borrowing authority to new financial oversight requirements and opportunities for increased stakeholder engagement.
    Without Sen. Cantwell’s efforts, the borrowing authority would likely not have been established, industry insiders said at the time. 
    In July of 2023, BPA announced $2 billion in electricity grid investments. Combined with the proposed BPA announced then, BPA is now working on more than 20 proposed projects with an estimated cost of approximately $5 billion.
    This July, Sen. Cantwell joined U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and regional energy stakeholders to discuss technological and policy solutions that will ensure NW ratepayers and our regional economy continue to benefit from abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy. More than 200 business, government, and non-profit energy professionals attended the event, including BPA Administrator John Hairston. On the day of the event, Sen. Cantwell released a snapshot report highlighting the key energy technology areas that the Pacific Northwest is poised to lead.
    Bonneville’s generating and transmission portfolio consists primarily of emissions-free sources and is the backbone of an electricity system that is relied on by tens of millions of people throughout the Western United States. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the Pacific Northwest will need to add 56% more transmission capacity by 2040. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s latest report indicates that electricity demand in the Northwest is projected to increase by more than 30% in the next decade, triple the prediction from three years ago. 
    Sen. Cantwell has been a longtime champion of BPA and the cost-based power it helps provide the Pacific Northwest, and has successfully fended off multiple efforts to privatize BPA or increase regional electricity rates.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CE’s speech in delivering “The Chief Executive’s 2024 Policy Address” to LegCo (5)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    IV. Develop New Quality Productive Forces Tailored to Local Conditions

    75. The core element of new quality productive forces is to achieve high‑quality economic development through technological empowerment. Hong Kong is striving to become an international innovation and technology (I&T) centre by promoting the upgrading and transformation of traditional industries while actively nurturing emerging ones. We will spare no effort in developing new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions.

    (A) International I&T Centre

    Optimise the Strategy and Institutional Set-up for the Development of New Industrialisation

    76. We will draw up a medium to long‑term development plan for new industrialisation in Hong Kong. We will also press ahead with the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance to promote closer collaboration among the Government and the industry, academia, research and investment sectors, building a co‑operative platform for new industrialisation in Hong Kong. This includes providing more financing opportunities and fostering I&T co‑operation between newly‑listed companies in Hong Kong and local universities.

    Establish the Third InnoHK Research Cluster

    77. The InnoHK research clusters have become home to about 2 500 research and development (R&D) personnel from Hong Kong and around the world. The Government has already started preparatory work to establish the third InnoHK research cluster, which will focus on advanced manufacturing, materials, energy and sustainable development. The target is to attract world‑class R&D teams to collaborate with local institutions, promoting R&D and bringing in talents.

    Increase Research Funding

    78. The Government will launch a new round of Research Matching Grant Scheme totalling $1.5 billion to attract more organisations to support research endeavours of institutions.

    Increase Investment for I&T Industries

    79. We will increase investment and guide more market capital to invest in I&T industries, reflecting a revamped approach of Government in this. Relevant measures include:

    (i) setting up a $10 billion I&T Industry‑Oriented Fund – We will set up a fund‑of‑funds to channel more market capital to invest in specified emerging and future industries of strategic importance, including life and health technology, AI and robotics, semi‑conductors and smart devices, advanced materials and new energy. The goal is to systematically build an I&T ecosystem;

    (ii) optimising the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund – We will redeploy $1.5 billion to set up funds jointly with the market, on a matching basis, investing in start‑ups of strategic industries, to further enhance Hong Kong’s start‑up ecosystem; and

    (iii) maximising the impact of the HKIC as “patient capital” – The HKIC will continue to attract I&T enterprises to establish their presence and settle in Hong Kong by channelling and leveraging market capital.

    Attract International Start-up Accelerators to Establish a Presence in Hong Kong

    80. The Government will launch the I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme with a funding allocation of $180 million at a one‑to‑two matching ratio between the Government and the institution, up to a subsidy ceiling of $30 million. The Scheme aims to attract professional start‑up service providers with proven track records in and beyond Hong Kong to set up accelerator bases in Hong Kong, fostering the robust growth of start‑ups.

    Develop the Low-altitude Economy

    81. Low‑altitude economy, which refers to economic activities in airspace below 1 000 metres, presents a wide array of application scenarios including rescues, surveys and delivery of goods and passengers. Formulating a management system for low‑altitude economy will help drive development in areas such as telecommunication technologies, AI and the digital industry, unlocking the low‑altitude airspace as a new production factor for our economy.

    82. The Government will establish the Working Group on Developing Low‑altitude Economy. Led by the Deputy Financial Secretary, it will formulate development strategies and inter‑departmental action plans, starting with projects on low‑altitude applications. It will designate specific venues for such purposes, draw up regulations and design the institutional set-up, and study and map out plans to develop the required infrastructure and networks. Relevant measures include:

    (i) exploring low‑altitude flying application scenarios – We will press ahead with pilot projects and designate venues to explore deploying drones for delivery, surveys, building maintenance, aerial photography, performances, search and rescue, and other possibilities;

    (ii) amending relevant regulations – This includes relaxing restrictions on beyond‑line‑of‑sight flying activities, as well as those on weight and loading of drones, encouraging market research and investment, facilitating technology tests and developing aerial tours;

    (iii) promoting interface with the Mainland – We will explore with the Mainland authorities the joint establishment of low‑altitude cross‑boundary air routes, immigration and customs clearance arrangements and supporting infrastructure; and

    (iv) studying and planning for low‑altitude infrastructure – In the long run, we need a highly effective, intelligent and digitalised low‑altitude infrastructure system for the real‑time management on networks of low‑altitude activities. It will strategise solutions for complex management and safety issues arising from such activities. The working group will embark on technical studies and planning of support facilities for low‑altitude activities (such as vertiports and charging stations), communications network, air route network, management of low‑altitude flying activities and so on to lay the foundation for the low altitude economy.

    Promote Development of Communications Technology

    83. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites are less costly than traditional ones. The Government will conduct a study on streamlining the vetting procedures of licence applications for operating LEO satellites. The Government will also make available more suitable radio spectrum to the market in a timely manner.

    Advance R&D of Aerospace Science and Technology

    84. Hong Kong’s research teams have been actively engaged in R&D of aerospace science and technology. This year, a Hong Kong resident was selected as a preparatory astronaut. We are very grateful for our country’s support for Hong Kong in developing aerospace‑related technologies. The Government will set up a research centre under the InnoHK research cluster to participate in the Chang’E‑8 mission, contributing to national aerospace development.

    Promote Development of New Energy

    85. The Government will earmark around $750 million under the New Energy Transport Fund to subsidise the taxi trade and franchised bus companies to purchase electric vehicles, and launch the Subsidy Scheme for Trials of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Heavy Vehicles.

    86. We will further promote the development of new energy by:

    (i) setting a target for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) consumption – We will speed up the reduction of carbon emissions by the aviation industry and cater to the increasing demand of international airlines for SAF;

    (ii) developing SAF and green maritime fuel supply chains – We will formulate the long‑term plan for industry development in respect of fuel supply and demand, storage and bunkering; and

    (iii) promoting green and low carbon hydrogen energy – We will actively support the industry to establish a solar‑to‑hydrogen facility for demonstration, introduce a bill next year to ensure the safe use of hydrogen fuel, and formulate the approach of hydrogen standard certification suitable to Hong Kong.

    (B) Regional Intellectual Property Trading Centre

    87. Hong Kong’s intellectual property (IP)‑intensive industries accounted for about 30% of our Gross Domestic Product and of total employment respectively. We will strengthen our position as a regional IP trading centre by expanding the IP trading ecosystem of the I&T sector and creative industries.

    Enhance the Legislative Framework for IP

    88. The Government will strengthen protection for the products of innovation and creativity yielded by R&D efforts. Measures include putting forward a proposal next year to enhance the Copyright Ordinance regarding the protection for AI technology development, launching a consultation in 2025 on the registered designs regime currently under review, and proposing legislative amendments to streamline IP litigation processes for the High Court to manage and hear these cases more effectively.

    89. Next year, the Trade Marks Registry under the Intellectual Property Department (IPD) will launch a new AI‑assisted image search service to facilitate the public’s search of the trademark database.

    90. With the Central Government’s support, Hong Kong will participate in the World Intellectual Property Organization Lex‑Judgments Database next year, sharing important IP case precedents of local courts, to showcase to the international community the quality of our IP‑related judicial judgments.

    Strengthen Training of IP Talents

    91. The Government will continue to discuss with the patent agent sector and stakeholders to plan for the introduction of regulatory arrangements for local patent agent services, covering qualification, registration, and other areas, aiming to nurture professional talents and enhance service quality.

    92. The IPD will collaborate with the Qualifications Framework Secretariat to develop practical teaching materials for deployment by training providers, benefitting personnel across 23 different industries.

    (C) International Health and Medical Innovation Hub

    93. To expedite patients’ access to advanced diagnostic and treatment services, and to foster new quality productive forces in biomedical technology, the Government will complement technological innovation with institutional innovation, developing Hong Kong into an international health and medical innovation hub.

    Reform the Approval Mechanism for Drugs and Medical Devices

    94. The Government will expedite the reform of the approval mechanism for drugs and medical devices, including:

    (i) extending the “1+” mechanism to all new drugs, including vaccines and advanced therapy products, and improving the approval mechanism to speed up registration, facilitating good drugs for use in Hong Kong;

    (ii) devising the timetable for the Hong Kong Centre for Medical Products Regulation and the roadmap towards adoption of “primary evaluation”, as well as formulating strategies and measures to facilitate R&D of drugs and medical devices; and

    (iii) taking forward preparatory work for legislating for the statutory regulation of medical devices.

    Strengthen Biomedical Technology R&D and Translation

    95. The Government will enhance Hong Kong’s clinical trial capability on all fronts and facilitate the translation of innovative biomedical research results into clinical applications by:

    (i) joining hands with Shenzhen to establish the GBA Clinical Trial Collaboration Platform, extending the R&D network and expediting clinical trials;

    (ii) establishing the Real‑World Study and Application Centre to open up local health and medical databases and promote co‑operation between Hong Kong and Shenzhen to integrate data generated from the “special measure of using Hong Kong‑registered drugs and medical devices used in Hong Kong public hospitals in GBA”. This will accelerate approval for registration of new drugs in Hong Kong, the Mainland and overseas; and

    (iii) supporting R&D, clinical trials and application of advanced biomedical technology in Hong Kong, attracting global top‑notch innovative enterprises and research organisations to set up operations in Hong Kong.

    (D) Promote Integrated Development of Digital Economy and Real Economy

    96. A robust system to promote integration of real economy and digital economy is one of the key drivers of new quality productive forces. The Government will expedite the development of digital economy, which includes accelerating the digital transformation of industries, strengthening digital infrastructure, exploring development of a data‑trading ecosystem, and exploring on a pilot basis facilitation arrangements for cross‑boundary data flow within the GBA.

    Accelerate Development of Digital Trade

    97. The Government will push forward reforms in the digitalisation of enterprises and trade. Measures include fostering participation in discussions among the international community about the development of digital economy and exploring the inclusion of relevant provisions in bilateral trade agreements during the negotiation process, with a view to promoting digital trade and cross‑boundary e‑commerce.

    98. The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau is developing the Trade Single Window to provide a one‑stop electronic platform. It will help the industry lodge import and export trade documents for trade declaration and customs clearance. Separately, the HKMA has established a working group to conduct an in‑depth study into the changes in future supply chains and make recommendations. The scope of study covers promoting the digitalisation of trade through areas such as talents and financial infrastructure, as well as the technology and legal framework, with the goal to lower trade cost and upgrade the trade ecosystem.

    Establish a New Fintech Innovation Ecosystem

    99. The Government will continue to promote the development of innovative financial services including Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), mobile payment, virtual banks, virtual insurance and virtual asset (VA) transactions. The FSTB will shortly issue a policy statement, setting out its policy stance regarding the application of AI in the financial market. Other measures include:

    (i) promoting the use of CBDCs for cross‑boundary payment – The HKMA is actively testing and exploring more add‑on technology solutions and use cases related to cross‑boundary trade settlement on the mBridge platform, and will further widen the participation of both the public and private sectors;

    (ii) enhancing the regulation of VA trading – The FSTB will complete the second round public consultation on the regulatory proposals for over‑the‑counter trading of VA and put forward a proposed licensing regime for VA custodian service providers;

    (iii) promoting real‑world asset tokenisation and developing a digital money ecosystem – The HKMA is taking forward Project Ensemble, a financial market infrastructure project, to explore the application of real‑world asset tokenisation and the use of digital money for interbank settlement, facilitating the development of the relevant asset trading. Separately, the HKMA also allows potential stablecoin issuers to test business plans and use‑cases through the stablecoin issuer sandbox, and will work with the FSTB to introduce a bill on the regulation of fiat‑referenced stablecoin issuers later this year; and

    (iv) promoting the development of the digital securities market – The HKMA will soon launch the Digital Bond Grant Scheme to encourage more financial institutions and issuers to adopt tokenisation technology in capital market transactions.

    Facilitate Cross-boundary E-commerce Logistics Services

    100. To develop Hong Kong into a cross‑boundary e‑commerce logistics and distribution centre, the Government will review existing procedures to enhance the efficiency of cross‑boundary goods’ distribution, strengthening the competitiveness of our city.

    Promote Smart Construction and Management of Public Rental Housing Estates

    101. The Hong Kong Housing Authority (HKHA) has selected 10 Public Rental Housing (PRH) estates as pilot sites for smart estate management. Next year, it will establish a central platform for property management and introduce digital technologies in daily estate management work, enhancing management effectiveness and service quality. The HKHA will also progressively apply the Project Information Management and Analytics Platform in new public housing projects starting next year, enhancing works efficiency by project management digitalisation and adopting three‑dimensional digital maps and virtual digital models, etc.

    Promote LawTech

    102. The DoJ will set up the Advisory Group on Promoting the Development of LawTech to formulate policies and measures on LawTech and promote its application in relevant sectors.

    (To be continued.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: I&T will drive city’s development: CE

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Delivering his 2024 Policy Address, Chief Executive John Lee said today that Hong Kong must harness new quality productive forces and technological innovation as it seeks to achieve high-quality economic development.

    Mr Lee outlined that in its efforts to become an international centre for innovation and technology (I&T), the city is upgrading and transforming traditional industries, while actively nurturing emerging ones. He vowed that no effort will be spared in developing new quality productive forces tailored to local conditions. 

    Measures announced in Mr Lee’s speech include the drawing up of a development plan for new industrialisation, the setting up of a third InnoHK research cluster, a new round of $1.5 billion in funding under the Research Matching Grant Scheme, a revamping of the Government’s approach to I&T investment, and the launch of an I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme.

    Besides drawing up a medium to long‑term development plan for new industrialisation, Mr Lee said the Government will also press ahead with the establishment of the Hong Kong New Industrialisation Development Alliance. He explained that this will promote closer collaboration among the Government, industry, academia, and the research and investment sectors, expand financing opportunities, and foster I&T co‑operation between newly‑listed companies and local universities.

    In terms of research and development (R&D), Mr Lee highlighted that preparatory work is underway to establish a third InnoHK research cluster. He mentioned that the existing two such clusters are now home to about 2,500 R&D personnel from Hong Kong and around the world, and iterated that the new cluster will focus on advanced manufacturing, materials, energy and sustainable development. 

    In addition to the new round of funding under the Research Matching Grant Scheme, which encourages organisations to support research endeavours by institutions, Mr Lee pledged that the Government will increase its own investment in I&T industries and guide more market capital to invest in the sector. This will include setting up a $10 billion I&T Industry‑Oriented Fund, a “fund of funds” that will channel market capital to invest in emerging industries of strategic importance, including life and health technology, AI and robotics, semi‑conductors and smart devices, advanced materials, and new energy.

    The Chief Executive added that $1.5 billion from the Innovation and Technology Venture Fund will be redeployed to set up funds that will invest – jointly with the market, on a matching basis – in start‑ups operating in strategic industries. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Investment Corporation will continue to channel and leverage market capital to attract I&T enterprises to establish operations in Hong Kong.

    Announcing plans to allocate $180 million to establish an I&T Accelerator Pilot Scheme, Mr Lee said it will offer institutions government funding on a one-to-two matching basis, with a subsidy ceiling of $30 million. He explained that the scheme will attract professional start‑up service providers to set up accelerator bases in Hong Kong, thereby fostering the robust growth of start‑ups.

    Mr Lee also outlined plans to unlock the potential of Hong Kong’s low-altitude airspace economy. A working group led by the Deputy Financial Secretary will be established to formulate development strategies and action plans for this issue, and will collaborate with Mainland authorities in exploring the joint establishment of low‑altitude cross‑boundary air routes, as well as immigration and customs clearance arrangements. It will also carry out studies and make plans for the establishment of effective systems, networks and infrastructure for managing low-altitude activities.

    With regard to Low Earth Orbit satellites, Mr Lee announced that the Government will conduct a study aimed at streamlining vetting procedures in relation to licence applications for their operation. He also revealed that the Government will set up a research centre to participate in the Chang’E‑8 lunar mission.

    In relation to new energy development, around $750 million under the New Energy Transport Fund will be earmarked to subsidise the taxi trade and franchised bus companies to purchase electric vehicles, and to launch the Subsidy Scheme for Trials of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Heavy Vehicles.

    Mr Lee added that the Government will speed up the reduction of carbon emissions by setting a target for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) consumption, and formulate a long-term plan for the development of SAF and green maritime fuel supply chains. Furthermore, it will support industry in establishing a solar-to-hydrogen demonstration facility, and introduce a bill next year to ensure the safe use of hydrogen fuel. 

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: View from The Hill: Albanese would be better off if the story wasn’t ‘all about him’

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    Unless the government pulls up its political socks, Anthony Albanese could find himself spending a good deal of time in his  spectacular new home, with its uninterrupted ocean views, sooner than he wishes.

    This week’s Newspoll has the Coalition moving in front on a two-party basis for the first time, with Labor’s primary vote at 31%.

    Albanese would hope for another full term as prime minister. But if Labor fell into minority government at next year’s election, there would likely be pressure before too long to replace him. He would not be seen as a good bet for the 2028 election.

    If Peter Dutton pulled off a miracle win in a few months, Albanese could be regularly whale watching this time next year.

    Since the PM’s purchase of the $4.3 million house at the wonderfully-named Copacabana, was revealed on Tuesday,  two narratives have contended.

    Critics denounce Albanese as “tone deaf” in his timing during a housing affordability crisis.

    It was more than awkward that just hours after the news broke, Albanese was appearing with minister Clare O’Neil in Queensland to make an announcement about  housing.


    from Realestate.com, CC BY

    The Copacabana house is a story made for that renter-in-perpetuity, Greens spokesman Max Chandler-Mather.

    Dutton, who has bought and sold a few properties in his time, is careful with his words, knowing others will stir the outrage.

    The alternative narrative is that Albanese, marrying for a second time next year, is entitled to a private life. This involves reordering his property arrangements ahead of a wedding.

    Moreover, some observe, the criticism of him is the “politics of envy” or the “tall poppy syndrome”.

    But there’s another narrative. Suddenly, Albanese’s story has become “all about him” again, as it regularly does when he reverts to talking about his humble origins.

    Stressed voters could be forgiven for being impatient, or cynical about Albanese’s protestations this week that although he now has a good income, “I also know what it’s like to struggle”.

    My mum lived in the one public housing that she was born in for all of her 65 years. And I know what it’s like, which is why I want to help all Australians into a home, whether it be public homes or private rentals or home ownership.

    Unfairly or not, the house story will be read by some as a prime minister spending time on his own affairs.

    Buying a house is a major and reasonably time-consuming process, unless it was outsourced it to partner, Jodie Haydon. The Central Coast was chosen because her family lives there.

    The narrative can also be cast to look like Albanese is preparing for his post-political life while he is still the most important individual in politics.

    Whether this is accurate becomes beside the point, in this era when perceptions can be paramount.


    from Realestate.com, CC BY

    Unsurprisingly, he was asked whether he planned to retire at the house. “I’m planning to be in my current job for a very long period of time,” he said.

    In mid-1991 Bob Hawke purchased a property overlooking Sydney Harbour with a jetty and “stunning views”, and a price tag of $1.23 million.

    Hawke’s leadership was already on the decline – by year’s end he was replaced by Paul Keating.

    Apart from the bad publicity for Albanese, the house affair has taken a good deal of attention from what the government wanted to talk about, notably, what it’s doing to protect consumers and the like.

    It has meant his ministerial colleagues are forced to defend him when they are confronted with awkward questions.

    Energy Minister Chris Bowen tried to make the best fist of it that he could, when quizzed during an interview.

    “Every Australian is entitled to buy and sell property. Now Anthony cops it when he sells the property. He cops it when he provides a rent holiday to his tenants. He cops it when he buys a property,” he said.

    “I think most average Australians say, fair enough. You know, this is what aspiration is about, most average Australians say, well, you know, we all buy and sell properties.”

    When you are in the public eye it is not, however, such an ordinary story.

    By the way, when Albanese goes to the G20 in Rio de Janeiro next month, he can get to see the real Copacabana.

    Michelle Grattan 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. View from The Hill: Albanese would be better off if the story wasn’t ‘all about him’ – https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-albanese-would-be-better-off-if-the-story-wasnt-all-about-him-241479

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Cost of living support for Plymouth residents this winter

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Residents struggling with the cost of living crisis will be given extra support this winter, which includes help to pay for food and energy bills.

    Plymouth City Council has been given a further £2.2 million from the Department of Work and Pensions’ Household Support Fund to help local people during the next six months.

    The funding will be used to support residents, with a particular focus on:

    • Families with children that are in crisis, facing a cash shortfall or in debt
    • Preventing homelessness and supporting those who are affected by homelessness
    • Energy grants, supporting older people with fuel payments.

    Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet Member for Housing, Cooperative Development and Communities, said: “We’re pleased to have received a further six months of funding from the Household Support Fund, and I would like to thank the Government for this funding. This provides a lifeline to residents struggling with the cost of living which is extra important during the cold winter months.

    “We will be targeting our support to the most vulnerable groups in our community, including those unable to afford food and fuel, or people at risk of homelessness, making sure that there is help available for those who need it.”

    The way the funding will be distributed in Plymouth has been confirmed following an executive decision signed today.

    Grants will be given to community organisations to run warm, welcoming spaces during the colder months, with an application process due to open. The Welcoming Spaces scheme has been running since 2022 to provide people with warm and safe spaces to spend time in. Many of the spaces offer extras such as free Wi-Fi, refreshments or group activities.

    The funding will be used to provide food vouchers during school holidays to families with children that are eligible for Free School Meals. This will include the upcoming October half-term, Christmas holiday and February 2025 half-term.

    The scheme will be distributed directly to residents by Citizens Advice Plymouth via an application process. Eligible applicants will receive food and fuel vouchers, as well as help to purchase essential household goods. There will be a phased approach when the funding opens, determining who is eligible to apply, details of the application process and key dates will be shared on the Council’s website.

    Applications will reopen in November, for more information: Household support fund | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK

    Local organisations and charities will also receive funds to help their work, including Plymouth Energy Community (PEC), who support people on a referral basis.

    Grants for energy will be available through Plymouth Energy Community, with a particular focus on supporting older people with fuel payments over the winter.

    Distributing the bulk of energy support through PEC will bring significant added values as people will have access to their on-going core offers of support, information and guidance through the winter months.

    If you need support, please visit the cost of living hub:  Cost of living | PLYMOUTH.GOV.UK

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Briefing – Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: Henna Virkkunen – Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy – 15-10-2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Henna Virkkunen is a Finnish politician and member of the National Coalition Party, which is affiliated with the European People’s Party group in the European Parliament. She has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2014, serving inter alia on the Committees on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), and Transport and Tourism (TRAN). She was also a member of the Committee of Inquiry investigating the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance spyware (PEGA) and the Special Committee on Artificial Intelligence in a Digital Age (AIDA). In Parliament, Virkkunen has worked on various technology and cybersecurity dossiers such as the Digital Services Act, the Cyber-Resilience Act and the Connecting Europe Facility. Before her election to the European Parliament, Virkkunen was a member of the Finnish Parliament (2007-2014) and was part of the Finnish government as minister for education and science, minister for public administration and local government, and transport minister. Born in 1972 in Joutsa, Finland, Virkkunen holds master’s (2001) and bachelor’s degrees (2000) from the University of Jyväskylä. This is one of a set of briefings designed to give an overview of issues of interest relating to the portfolios of the Commissioners designate. All these briefings can be found at: https://epthinktank.eu/commissioner_hearings_2024.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Salazar and Wasserman Schultz Introduce Legislation to Stop Venezuelan Oil Exports Until Maduro Leaves Power

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar’s (FL-27)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) introduced the Revoke Exemptions for Venezuelan Oil to Curb Autocratic Repression (REVOCAR) Act. The bill is the House of Representatives companion to legislation introduced in the Senate by U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL).

    After the presidential election held in Venezuela on July 28, 2024, Nicolás Maduro and his regime have unleashed a torrent of repression and violence towards supporters of María Corina Machado and Edmundo González, the leader of the opposition and winner of the election, respectively. Since then, the Biden-Harris Administration renewed U.S. oil company Chevron’s license to operate in Venezuela just 33 days after the stolen election, undermining the United States’ ability to adequately pressure Maduro to concede his defeat and leave power.

    The REVOCAR Act will rescind these licenses and ensure American and European companies can no longer finance Maduro’s repression and hasten the democratic transition process the Venezuelan people voted for.

    “It’s long past time to cut off the flow of money that the Maduro Dictatorship uses to oppress their people,” said Chairwoman Salazar. “We are sending a loud and clear message that if Maduro stays, there will be no oil money for the Venezuelan regime.”

    At a recent hearing, Chairwoman Salazar condemned several oil companies in the United States and Europe for continuing to conduct business with PDVSA, Venezuela’s state-owned oil company and financial lifeline for the Maduro regime, even after the results of the July 28 presidential election. Salazar noted that companies like Chevron, Repsol, Eni, and Maurel et Prom are profiting off the continued repression of the Venezuelan opposition by operating with PDVSA.

    The REVOCAR Act ends Maduro’s financial lifeline by prohibiting American citizens and companies from engaging with PDVSA by eliminating General Licenses issued by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). These licenses are necessary to do business with the Maduro regime. The prohibitions would extend for three years or until the President certifies that a peaceful, democratic transfer of power to Venezuelan president-elect Edmundo González Urrutia has taken place.

    “Maduro’s brutal regime refuses to honor the undeniable election results, despite clear evidence proving his loss. Rescinding these special licenses, which exclusively serve to subsidize the regime’s crony corruption, violent repression, and flagrant human rights abuses, must be part of our international effort to reject Maduro’s election theft,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “If we truly intend to see through a peaceful transition of power and honor the will of the Venezuelan people, we cannot afford to indulge fossil fuel companies’ investors at the expense of democracy.”

    “Despite the sweeping and clear opposition victory in the recent Venezuelan presidential election, the Maduro regime refused to release results, announced that it had won instead, and arbitrarily arrested thousands of opposition supporters,” said Senator Durbin. “We must put an end to the outright theft of the Venezuelan voters’ overwhelming choice for a better future. I’m pleased that Reps. Wasserman Schultz and Salazar are introducing the House bill to terminate all U.S. petroleum cooperation and related trade with Venezuela until the legitimate results of the recent election are respected. The Maduro regime clings to power using oil revenues dependent on U.S. involvement. Under our bill, that will end, and so will Maduro’s financial strength.”

    To read the full text of the bill, click here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: MAST Upgrade – helping answer the big questions in fusion physics

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UKAEA and worldwide team tackle fusion physics’ major challenges as MAST Upgrade begins its fourth round of experiments.

    Wide angle of MAST Upgrade machine

    A worldwide team is spearheading a series of ambitious experiments using the UK’s compact tokamak, Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak (MAST) Upgrade, starting today at UKAEA’s Culham Campus.  

    Over the next 100 days, the UK’s national fusion energy laboratory will work with more than 100 scientists from 37 institutions worldwide on MAST Upgrade’s fourth round of experiments.  

    The scientists aim to conduct over 50 experiments, the largest number ever run by MAST Upgrade in an experimental campaign, to generate up to 1,600 plasma pulses. A “pulse” refers to the duration a plasma is confined within a fusion energy machine’s inner vessel.  

    To create fusion, fusion fuel and a confined environment with high temperatures and pressures are needed. 

    The research findings from MAST Upgrade are essential for advancing global knowledge of plasma physics.  

    MAST Upgrade is a compact fusion machine designed in the shape of a cored apple, in contrast to other ring-shaped tokamaks. It tests plasma science theories with deuterium fuel – an isotope of hydrogen – using real-world experiments.  

    This will be MAST Upgrade’s fourth scientific campaign and will focus on these two areas: 

    1. Maximising the core plasma pressure to determine effects on the plasma’s properties. 

    2. Understanding the methods to control the plasma’s exhaust. 

    MAST Upgrade has played a key role in providing the foundation for the design of the UK’s prototype fusion energy powerplant, Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP), to be sited at West Burton in Nottinghamshire. 

    The experiments will see MAST Upgrade operate at higher temperatures (35 million degrees Celsius from 15 million degrees Celsius), creating conditions closer to those expected in future machines, such as STEP.  

    James Harrison, MAST Upgrade Science Leader at UKAEA, said: “A diverse team of researchers from across the world will be contributing to this effort. This will be the most exciting scientific campaign MAST Upgrade has undertaken to date, with a clear focus on understanding how to confine and stabilise high-performance fusion plasmas while ensuring effective power exhaust.” 

    MAST Upgrade is renowned by the fusion industry for addressing one of fusion’s major challenges: plasma exhaust, the intense heat that escapes from the plasma.  

    Dr Fulvio Militello, Director of Plasma Science and Fusion Operations, added: “Previous results have demonstrated the effectiveness of MAST Upgrade’s innovative Super-X divertor, showing a 10-fold reduction exhaust temperature without impacting the hot core plasma. This campaign aims to build on these impressive results and will explore whether more compact and cost-effective divertors can achieve similar reductions in exhaust temperature.” 

    MAST Upgrade received significant enhancements to its operating system this year, including the addition of a cryoplant – a facility that produces and distributes the cooling power required for the magnets, thermal shields, and cryopumps to reduce the pressure inside the machine’s inner vessel, and raise the plasma’s temperature. The £5 million enhancements were funded by UKAEA and the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council.  

    Equipped with world-class diagnostics, MAST Upgrade can conduct a wide range of measurements supporting an extensive research programme aimed at delivering sustainable fusion energy. 

    “By utilising our world-leading facilities and expertise at UKAEA, we aim to lead the charge in fusion research. MAST Upgrade’s fourth round of experiments will accelerate our scientific progress by deepening the understanding and optimisation of future tokamak designs and fusion powerplants, bringing us one step further to commercial fusion energy,” Dr Militello, concluded.  

    UKAEA will be publishing regular updates from MAST Upgrade’s scientific campaign across its digital channels.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Revealing the Hidden Universe with Full-shell X-ray Optics at NASA MSFC

    Source: NASA

    The study of X-ray emission from astronomical objects reveals secrets about the Universe at the largest and smallest spatial scales. Celestial X-rays are produced by black holes consuming nearby stars, emitted by the million-degree gas that traces the structure between galaxies, and can be used to predict whether stars may be able to host planets hospitable to life. X-ray observations have shown that most of the visible matter in the universe exists as hot gas between galaxies and have conclusively demonstrated that the presence of “dark matter” is needed to explain galaxy cluster dynamics, that dark matter dominates the mass of galaxy clusters, and that it governs the expansion of the cosmos.

    X-ray observations also enable us to probe mysteries of the Universe on the smallest scales. X-ray observations of compact objects such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes allow us to use the Universe as a physics laboratory to study conditions that are orders of magnitude more extreme in terms of density, pressure, temperature, and magnetic field strength than anything that can be produced on Earth. In this astrophysical laboratory, researchers expect to reveal new physics at the subatomic scale by conducting investigations such as probing the neutron star equation of state and testing quantum electrodynamics with observations of neutron star atmospheres. At NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, a team of scientists and engineers is building, testing, and flying innovative optics that bring the Universe’s X-ray mysteries into sharper focus.

    A composite X-ray/Optical/Infrared image of the Crab Pulsar. The X-ray image from the Chandra X-ray Observatory (blue and white), reveals exquisite details in the central ring structures and gas flowing out of the polar jets. Optical light from the Hubble Space Telescope (purple) shows foreground and background stars as pinpoints of light. Infrared light from the Spitzer Space Telescope (pink) traces cooler gas in the nebula. Finally, magnetic field direction derived from X-ray polarization observed by the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer is shown as orange lines.
    Magnetic field lines: NASA/Bucciantini et al; X-ray: NASA/CXC/SAO; Optical: NASA/STScI; Infrared: NASA-JPL-Caltech

    Unlike optical telescopes that create images by reflecting or refracting light at near-90-degree angles (normal incidence), focusing X-ray optics must be designed to reflect light at very small angles (grazing incidence). At normal incidence, X-rays are either absorbed by the surface of a mirror or penetrate it entirely. However, at grazing angles of incidence, X-rays reflect very efficiently due to an effect called total external reflection.  In grazing incidence, X-rays reflect off the surface of a mirror like rocks skipping on the surface of a pond.

    A classic design for astronomical grazing incidence optics is the Wolter-I prescription, which consists of two reflecting surfaces, a parabola and hyperbola (see figure below). This optical prescription is revolved around the optical axis to produce a full-shell mirror (i.e., the mirror spans the full circumference) that resembles a gently tapered cone. To increase the light collecting area, multiple mirror shells with incrementally larger diameters and a common focus are fabricated and nested concentrically to comprise a mirror module assembly (MMA).

    Focusing optics are critical to studying the X-ray universe because, in contrast to other optical systems like collimators or coded masks, they produce high signal-to-noise images with low background noise. Two key metrics that characterize the performance of X-ray optics are angular resolution, which is the ability of an optical system to discriminate between closely spaced objects, and effective area, which is the light collecting area of the telescope, typically quoted in units of cm2. Angular resolution is typically measured as the half-power diameter (HPD) of a focused spot in units of arcseconds.  The HPD encircles half of the incident photons in a focused spot and measures the sharpness of the final image; a smaller number is better. 

    Schematic of a full-shell Wolter-I X-ray optic mirror module assembly with five concentrically nested mirror shells. Parallel rays of light enter from the left, reflect twice off the reflective inside surface of the shell (first off the parabolic segment and then off the hyperbolic segment), and converge at the focal plane.

    NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has been building and flying lightweight, full-shell, focusing X-ray optics for over three decades, always meeting or exceeding angular resolution and effective area requirements. MSFC utilizes an electroformed nickel replication (ENR) technique to make these thin full-shell X-ray optics from nickel alloy.

    X-ray optics development at MSFC began in the early 1990s with the fabrication of optics to support NASA’s Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF-S) and then continued via the Constellation-X technology development programs. In 2001, MSFC launched a balloon payload that included two modules each with three mirrors, which produced the first focused hard X-ray (>10 keV) images of an astrophysical source by imaging Cygnus X-1, GRS 1915, and the Crab Nebula.  This initial effort resulted in several follow-up missions over the next 12 years, and became known as the High Energy Replicated Optics (HERO) balloon program.

    In 2012, the first of four sounding rocket flights of the Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager (FOXSI) flew with MSFC optics onboard, producing the first focused images of the Sun at energies greater than 5 keV. In 2019 the Astronomical Roentgen Telescope X-ray Concentrator (ART-XC) instrument on the Spectr-Roentgen-Gamma Mission launched with seven MSFC-fabricated X-ray MMAs, each containing 28 mirror shells. ART-XC is currently mapping the sky in the 4-30 keV hard X-ray energy range, studying exotic objects like neutron stars in our own galaxy as well as active galactic nuclei, which are spread across the visible universe. In 2021, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE), flew and is now performing extraordinary science with an MSFC-led team using three, 24-shell MMAs that were fabricated and calibrated in-house.

    Most recently, in 2024, the fourth FOXSI sounding rocket campaign launched with a high-resolution MSFC MMA. The optics achieved 9.5 arcsecond HPD angular resolution during pre-flight test with an expected 7 arcsecond HPD in gravity-free flight, making this the highest angular resolution flight observation made with a nickel-replicated X-ray optic. Currently MSFC is fabricating an MMA for the Rocket Experiment Demonstration of a Soft X-ray (REDSoX) polarimeter, a sounding rocket mission that will fly a novel soft X-ray polarimeter instrument to observe active galactic nuclei. The REDSoX MMA optic will be 444 mm in diameter, which will make it the largest MMA ever produced by MSFC and the second largest replicated nickel X-ray optic in the world.

    Scientists Wayne Baumgartner (left, crouched) and Nick Thomas (left, standing) calibrate an IXPE MMA in the MSFC 100 m Beamline. Scientist Stephen Bongiorno (right) applies epoxy to an IXPE shell during MMA assembly.

    The ultimate performance of an X-ray optic is determined by errors in the shape, position, and roughness of the optical surface. To push the performance of X-ray optics toward even higher angular resolution and achieve more ambitious science goals, MSFC is currently engaged in a fundamental research and development effort to improve all aspects of full-shell optics fabrication.

    Given that these optics are made with the Electroformed Nickel Replication technique, the fabrication process begins with creation of a replication master, called the mandrel, which is a negative of the desired optical surface. First, the mandrel is figured and polished to specification, then a thin layer of nickel alloy is electroformed onto the mandrel surface. Next, the nickel alloy layer is removed to produce a replicated optical shell, and finally the thin shell is attached to a stiff holding structure for use.

    Each step in this process imparts some degree of error into the final replicated shell. Research and development efforts at MSFC are currently concentrating on reducing distortion induced during the electroforming metal deposition and release steps. Electroforming-induced distortion is caused by material stress built into the electroformed material as it deposits onto the mandrel. Decreasing release-induced distortion is a matter of reducing adhesion strength between the shell and mandrel, increasing strength of the shell material to prevent yielding, and reducing point defects in the release layer.

    Additionally, verifying the performance of these advanced optics requires world-class test facilities. The basic premise of testing an optic designed for X-ray astrophysics is to place a small, bright X-ray source far away from the optic. If the angular size of the source, as viewed from the optic, is smaller than the angular resolution of the optic, the source is effectively simulating X-ray starlight. Due to the absorption of X-rays by air, the entire test facility light path must be placed inside a vacuum chamber.

    At MSFC, a group of scientists and engineers operate the Marshall 100-meter X-ray beamline, a world-class end-to-end test facility for flight and laboratory X-ray optics, instruments, and telescopes. As per the name, it consists of a 100-meter-long vacuum tube with an 8-meter-long, 3-meter-diameter instrument chamber and a variety of X-ray sources ranging from 0.25 – 114 keV. Across the street sits the X-Ray and Cryogenic Facility (XRCF), a 527-meter-long beamline with an 18-meter-long, 6-meter-diameter instrument chamber. These facilities are available for the scientific community to use and highlight the comprehensive optics development and test capability that Marshall is known for.

    Within the X-ray astrophysics community there exist a variety of angular resolution and effective area needs for focusing optics. Given its storied history in X-ray optics, MSFC is uniquely poised to fulfill requirements for large or small, medium- or high-angular-resolution X-ray optics. To help guide technology development, the astrophysics community convenes once per decade to produce a decadal survey. The need for high-angular-resolution and high-throughput X-ray optics is strongly endorsed by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report, Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s.In pursuit of this goal, MSFC is continuing to advance the state of the art in full-shell optics. This work will enable the extraordinary mysteries of the X-ray universe to be revealed.

    Project Leads

    Dr. Jessica Gaskin and Dr. Stephen Bongiorno, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)

    Sponsoring Organizations

    The NASA Astrophysics Division supports this work primarily through the Internal Scientist Funding Model Direct Work Package and competed solicitations. This work is also supported by the Heliophysics Division through competed solicitations, as well as by directed work from other government entities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Breaking: Brown Announces New Partnership to Recycle Nickel in Piketon

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    PIKETON, OH – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is entering into a partnership with Leidos and The Conductive Group to develop a new facility that will recycle surface contaminated nickel in Piketon and create jobs in the community.

    The Department of Energy and Leidos and The Conductive Group will partner on a multi-phased project to develop a commercial scale processing facility at the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) in Piketon to recycle surface contaminated nickel.

    “Together with the Piketon community and Ohio Steelworkers, we worked to make this partnership a reality because we knew it would create good union jobs, grow the local economy, and advance the environmental cleanup at PORTS,” said Brown. “By working together, we are building a stronger future for Piketon.”

    Nickel is a critical for the modern battery technologies that are foundational to our country’s economic future and vital for numerous products. There is approximately 6,400 tons of nickel located at PORTS. Nickel recovered from PORTS could be used to produce a high-purity nickel for products like grid scale batteries.

    “For two decades, the United Steelworkers have been trying to unlock the potential of recycling the nickel from the DOE Portsmouth site to support reindustrialization. Senator Sherrod Brown has stood apart from the rest as a partner in Washington and has worked tirelessly to ensure valuable metals in rural Ohio can be used to create good-paying union jobs. This week, his advocacy and ours paid off,” said Herman Potter, President, Local USW Local 689.

    “We are very excited to hear about the Department’s announcement that they have selected a company to extract some of the nickel at the PORTS site. I know this has been years in the making and has been of high concern to the Commission. This announcement is a big step toward bringing in a talented outside workforce and providing good jobs for the talented people here in Pike County. We hope this initial step will be successful and lead to further nickel extraction and potentially more manufacturing onsite, ultimately bringing more jobs to Pike County and the surrounding community,” said Tony Montgomery, Pike County Commissioner.

    This project does not require federal funding and will employ local United Steelworkers (USW) members.  

    Senator Brown has been pushing the DOE on efforts around the cleanup and reindustrialization of PORTS throughout his time in office as a U.S. Senator, including pushing DOE to move forward with this opportunity to recycle nickel.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Wasserman Schultz, Salazar Sponsor Bipartisan REVOCAR Act to Defund Maduro’s Repression of Venezuelans

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-23)

    “Maduro’s brutal regime refuses to honor the undeniable election results, despite clear evidence proving his loss. Rescinding these special licenses, which exclusively serve to subsidize the regime’s crony corruption, violent repression, and flagrant human rights abuses, must be part of our international effort to reject Maduro’s election theft,” said Wasserman Schultz. “If we truly intend to see through a peaceful transition of power and honor the will of the Venezuelan people, we cannot afford to indulge fossil fuel companies’ investors at the expense of democracy.”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), co-chair of the Congressional Venezuela Democracy Caucus, and María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, introduced the bipartisan Revoke Exemptions for Venezuelan Oil to Curb Autocratic Repression Act, or REVOCAR Act, to prohibit new and existing licenses for companies to transact with Venezuela’s state oil company, which provides revenue for the Maduro regime’s crimes against humanity. U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) previously introduced a similar bill in the Senate.

    “Maduro’s brutal regime refuses to honor the undeniable election results, despite clear evidence proving his loss. Rescinding these special licenses, which exclusively serve to subsidize the regime’s crony corruption, violent repression, and flagrant human rights abuses, must be part of our international effort to reject Maduro’s election theft,” said Wasserman Schultz. “If we truly intend to see through a peaceful transition of power and honor the will of the Venezuelan people, we cannot afford to indulge fossil fuel companies’ investors at the expense of democracy.”

    “It’s long past time to cut off the flow of money that the Maduro Dictatorship uses to oppress their people,” said Salazar. “We are sending a loud and clear message that if Maduro stays, there will be no oil money for the Venezuelan regime.”

    “Despite the sweeping and clear opposition victory in the recent Venezuelan presidential election, the Maduro regime refused to release results, announced that it had won instead, and arbitrarily arrested thousands of opposition supporters,” said Durbin. “We must put an end to the outright theft of the Venezuelan voters’ overwhelming choice for a better future.  I’m pleased that Reps. Wasserman Schultz and Salazar are introducing the House bill to terminate all U.S. petroleum cooperation and related trade with Venezuela until the legitimate results of the recent election are respected. The Maduro regime clings to power using oil revenues dependent on U.S. involvement.  Under our bill, that will end, and so will Maduro’s financial strength.”

    The REVOCAR Act would prohibit U.S. persons and entities from engaging in transactions with PdVSA, Venezuela’s regime-controlled energy company, eliminating General Licenses issued by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) that allow certain companies to do business with the Maduro regime. These prohibitions would extend for three years or until the President certifies that a democratic transfer of power to Venezuelan president-elect Edmundo González has taken place.

    On July 28, 2024, more than 10,000,000 citizens of Venezuela voted in a presidential election in which meticulously documented and publicized data from credible election monitors clearly and convincingly showed that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez received more than two-thirds of the votes against the regime of Nicolas Maduro. The Maduro regime has refused to respect the overwhelming choice of the people of Venezuela and subsequently arrested and abused thousands of innocent citizens of Venezuela, including children, for peaceful political participation.

    Reps. Wasserman Schultz and Salazar have partnered on recent efforts promoting democracy in Venezuela including the VOICE Act, which would place individual sanctions on anti-democratic officials in the Maduro regime, and the AFFECT Human Rights in Venezuela Act, which would direct U.S. support for international investigations and reporting on the Maduro regime’s criminal repression of the Venezuelan people.

    The full text of the bill can be found here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Staff Completes 2024 Article IV Consultation Mission to Chad

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    October 15, 2024

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • After increasing to 4.9 percent in 2023, growth is expected to moderate this year, reflecting a slight decline in oil production and the impact of floods.
    • Following a decline in 2023, inflation is expected to increase significantly in 2024 on account of higher fuel and food prices before moderating over the medium term.
    • The authorities are encouraged to pursue ongoing efforts to enhance sustainability of public finances and increase their contribution to development objectives.
    • As the authorities are finalizing their National Development Plan for the next five years, the IMF staff team discussed with them a number of medium-term macroeconomic challenges Chad is facing. The team made recommendations aimed at increasing resilience against climate change, improving the business climate, strengthening governance, and reducing gender disparities.

    Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Mr. Édouard Martin, Mission Chief for Chad, visited N’Djamena to hold discussions on the 2024 Article IV consultation from October 3–15, 2024. Mr. Vitaliy Kramarenko, Deputy Director of the IMF African department, joined the mission for policy discussions. The Article IV discussions will continue in the coming days.

    At the conclusion of the discussions, Mr. Martin issued the following statement:

    “Chad’s economic activity grew by 4.9 percent in 2023, driven by a rebound in agricultural production, an increase in public investment, and higher oil production. After declining in 2023 (to 4.2 percent from 8.3 percent at end-2022) owing to a slowdown in food prices, year-over-year inflation went back up to 8.7 percent at end-August 2024, reflecting a rebalancing in domestic fuel prices and a rebound in food prices during a particularly difficult lean season.

    “The overall fiscal balance deteriorated substantially in 2023—to -2.7 percent of non-oil GDP from +4.9 percent in 2022. Non-oil revenue increased steadily as a result of tax administration reforms while current expenditures remained elevated, reflecting in part spending pressures related to the arrival of refugees from Sudan and the large use of emergency spending procedures (Dépenses avant ordonnancement, DAOs).

    “The banking sector remains undercapitalized. At end-December 2023, the sector’s capital adequacy ratio was below the regulatory minimum, while non-performing loans amounted to 31.5 percent of total loans. The mission emphasized the need to promptly finalize and start implementing restructuring plans for the two systemic public banks.

    “Looking ahead, the outlook for 2024-25 remains broadly favorable but subject to significant risks. The economy is expected to decelerate this year owing to a slight decline in oil production and the impact of floods. Despite a further decline in oil production, growth would increase to 3.4 percent in 2025 owing to better agricultural crops and livestock activity. Reflecting substantial increases in food and fuel prices, inflation would increase to 8.8 percent year-over-year at end- 2024 before gradually declining over the medium term. Risks include a possible intensification of regional conflicts, large fluctuations in oil prices, and an increase in climate-change related events, such as the recent floods.

    “Despite a further decline in oil revenue, the overall fiscal balance would somewhat recover in 2024. Non-oil revenue would increase significantly, reflecting further tax administration reforms, the increase in domestic fuel prices, and the renewal of telecommunications licenses. Current spending would decline, reflecting the phasing out of one-off spending related to the political transition and the election and the progress in reducing the use of emergency spending procedures.

    “With oil revenue expected to further decline over the medium term, discussions focused on measures to further improve domestic non-oil revenue mobilization, including through digitalization, and contain current expenditure, including the wage bill and transfers to the energy sector. The mission also encouraged the authorities to ensure that budget allocations for social spending (e.g., health, education, women, and environment) are actually spent and to reform public procurement to increase the efficiency of public investment.

    “The authorities are finalizing their National Development Plan, which will articulate the policies and reforms the government intends to implement over  the next five years to meet its development objectives. In this context, the mission discussed the key medium-term macroeconomic challenges that Chad is facing. It stressed the importance of ensuring a sustainable and inclusive development, which will notably require mobilizing concessional financing and grants to finance investment in key areas and taking measures to promote the development of the private sector and the diversification of the economy. It also made recommendations aimed at increasing resilience against climate change, improving the business climate, strengthening governance, and reducing gender disparities.

    “The IMF team would like to thank the Chadian authorities and other counterparts for their hospitality, excellent cooperation, and candid and constructive discussions.”

    The mission met with Mr. Mahamat Idriss Déby Into, President of the Republic of Chad; Mr. Tahir Hamid Nguilin, Minister of State for Finance, Budget, Economy and Planning; Ms. Ndolenodji Alixe Naïmbaye, Minister of Hydrocarbons, Mines, and Geology; Mr. Patalet Kanabe Marcelin, Minister of Water and Energy]; Mr. Idriss Ahmat Idriss, National Director of the regional central bank (BEAC); and other senior officials, as well as representatives of the private sector, civil society and international development partners.

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Julie Ziegler

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

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/15/pr-370-chad-imf-staff-completes-2024-article-iv-consultation-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada continues progress on greening operations and supporting clean electricity infrastructure

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    October 15, 2024 Calgary, Alberta Public Services and Procurement Canada The Government of Canada is taking further action on its Greening Government Strategy commitment to use 100 per cent clean electricity in federal buildings. This strategy supports green energy projects and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, leading Canada’s continued energy transition.

    October 15, 2024          Calgary, Alberta                         Public Services and Procurement Canada

    The Government of Canada is taking further action on its Greening Government Strategy commitment to use 100 per cent clean electricity in federal buildings. This strategy supports green energy projects and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, leading Canada’s continued energy transition.

    Today, on behalf the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Quebec Lieutenant, George Chahal, Member of Parliament for Calgary Skyview, announced contracts totalling over $73 million, awarded to hep solar and South Head Switch Power, for the supply of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).  

    These contracts support the Government of Canada’s commitment to the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. The announcement aligns with Public Services and Procurement Canada’s (PSPC) clean electricity initiative and Canada’s ongoing commitment to invest in renewable energy. These contracts will supply 100,600 RECs annually from new clean electricity solar facilities.

    This agreement will enable the Government of Canada to attribute its electricity consumption as being clean in regions where opportunities for new clean renewable sources are not yet available, while supporting the creation of new green energy facilities. The RECs will reduce up to 32,600 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent (eCO2) for the Government of Canada’s real property operations, which is equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of more than 9,980 gas-powered passenger vehicles.  

    Furthermore, these contracts will help promote Indigenous business capacity in the clean energy sector and contribute to Canada’s efforts to strengthen economic relationships with Indigenous entrepreneurs. South Head Energy is an Indigenous-owned business, and South Head Switch Power is joint venture with Switch Power, which is registered with the Indigenous Business Directory.

     

    “As a leader in clean energy, Canada is making significant progress toward a sustainable future with the announcement of over $73 million in Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). This investment supports our commitment to powering federal buildings with 100% clean electricity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions all while boosting our economy. Together, with our Indigenous partners, we are not just envisioning a net-zero future by 2050; we are actively creating it, ensuring that environmental responsibility and economic growth go hand in hand.”

    George Chahal
    Member of Parliament of Calgary Skyview

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Students Harness Power of New Kestrel Supercomputer for Cutting-Edge Energy Research and Innovation

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    Surendra Sunkari, a high-performance computing (HPC) engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, examines Kestrel. Photo by Joe DelNero, NREL

    Students pursuing careers in energy research had a unique opportunity this year to use Kestrel—the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE’s) third-generation supercomputer hosted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

    This summer, NREL completed the full buildout of Kestrel, reaching 44 petaflops of computing power focused on renewable energy and energy efficiency research. Students from across the country were invited by EERE to apply for access to this powerful tool to advance their research and to expand EERE’s computational efforts for the energy transition. Last fall, over 25 students from 15 universities across the United States applied to use Kestrel for the 2024 spring and summer semesters.

    Students like Yifan Hu at Iowa State University used Kestrel to study the effect of solar wind and other space weather phenomena on solar energy infrastructure. Using the supercomputer’s advanced central processing unit nodes, his team tested new scalable algorithms to provide robust and accurate methods to model solar wind using a numerical method called the relativistic Vlasov-Maxwell system, with the goal of understanding the effects of solar wind on the stability and efficiency of solar power plants to improve power grid reliability and resilience. Access to Kestrel enabled Hu to receive computing results within a week, which led to the submission of two journal articles currently under review.

    Rajat Goel, a chemical engineering student at the University of California, Davis used Kestrel’s high-performance graphics processing units to simulate uranium and its defects, an extremely complex problem that requires significant computational power. Goel researched developing future protective coatings for nuclear reactors to prevent uranium hydride formation, as it is highly toxic and incredibly flammable. Using Kestrel, he significantly reduced the time needed for these simulations. Nuclear energy plays a role as a noncarbon energy source by generating carbon-free power. Ensuring its safe and reliable production is an important factor toward achieving the Department of Energy’s 2050 net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target.

    Hu and Goel’s research projects highlight Kestrel’s ability to address large-scale challenges, particularly in enhancing energy resiliency. Meanwhile, across the country, students used the supercomputer for different yet equally impactful energy research.

    Stanford University student Mark Benjamin used Kestrel’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities in his manufacturing research project to apply AI models, including convolutional neural networks to model drag and convolutional autoencoders to represent realistic car shapes. The project goal was to set new standards for vehicle design and optimization, aiming to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

    Students from the University of Minnesota, led by Suryanarayan Ramachandran, used computational fluid dynamics codes on Kestrel to design novel engines that use hydrogen for combustion. This project leveraged an Exascale Computing Project code called AMRex Combustion PeleC to perform first-of-its-kind high-fidelity three-dimensional simulations of explosive hydrogen reactions, called oblique detonation waves, to investigate how hydrogen combustion can be used for future hypersonic propulsion systems, advancing fuel technologies research to reduce fossil fuels.

    Tackling complex energy challenges requires powerful computational resources along with support to ensure the productive use of these resources. Students received help getting their accounts set up and running their workflows on Kestrel from the User Operations staff in the Computational Science Center at NREL. Providing students with access to Kestrel not only advances current research but also shapes the future of clean energy technologies by equipping students with advanced skills to lead in the field of energy innovation and research.  

    Students interested in using Kestrel for their energy research should keep an eye out for future opportunities at nrel.gov/news.

    Read blog posts about the installation of NREL’s Kestrel high-performance computing system.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Genie Energy to Report Third Quarter 2024 Results

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEWARK, NJ, Oct. 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Genie Energy Ltd., (NYSE: GNE), a leading retail energy and renewable energy solutions provider, will announce financial and operational results for the third quarter of 2024 on Wednesday, November 6th, 2024.

    Genie Energy will issue an earnings release over a wire service and post it in the “Investors” section of the Genie Energy website (https://genie.com/investors/quarterly-earnings/) at 7:30 AM Eastern. The release also will be filed in a current report (Form 8-K) with the SEC.

    At 8:30 AM Eastern, Genie Energy’s management will host a conference call to discuss financial and operational results, business outlook, and strategy. The call will begin with management’s remarks followed by Q&A with investors.

    To participate in the conference call, dial 1-877-545-0523 (toll-free from the US) or 1-973-528-0016 (international) and provide the following participant access code: 644435.

    Approximately three hours after the call, a call replay will be accessible by dialing 1-877-481-4010 (toll-free from the US) or 1-919-882-2331 (international) and providing the replay passcode: 51441. The replay will remain available through Wednesday, November 20, 2024. In addition, a recording of the call will be available for playback on the “Investors” section of the Genie Energy website. 

    In this press release, all statements that are not purely about historical facts, including, but not limited to, those in which we use the words “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “plan,” “intend,” “estimate, “target” and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgment of what may happen in the future, actual results may differ materially from the results expressed or implied by these statements due to numerous important factors, including, but not limited to, those described in our most recent report on SEC Form 10-K (under the headings “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”), which may be revised or supplemented in subsequent reports on SEC Forms 10-Q and 8-K. We are under no obligation, and expressly disclaim any obligation, to update the forward-looking statements in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

    About Genie Energy Ltd.: 

    Genie Energy Ltd., (NYSE: GNE) is a leading retail energy and renewable energy solutions provider. The Genie Retail Energy division (GRE) supplies electricity, including electricity from renewable resources, and natural gas to residential and small business customers in the United States. The Genie Renewables division (GREW) is a vertically-integrated provider of community and utility-scale solar energy solutions. For more information, visit Genie.com.

    Contact: 
    Genie Energy Investor Relations
    Bill Ulrey
    E-mail: wulrey@genie.com 

    # # # 

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The DUP must act to remove O’Neill after yet another Sinn Fein scandal

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    Statement by TUV deputy leader Councillor Ron McDowell:
    “The last few weeks have seen Sinn Fein flounder around as their story changed repeatedly in relation to the Michael McMonagle scandal. It is clear that both powerful elements in the media and the Stormont establishment are keen to shut down the matter. I am proud to be a member of the only party represented in Stormont who remain intent on keeping the spotlight on the issue as demonstrated by colleague Timothy Gaston’s Members’ Statement on the floor of the house this morning.
    “But not even the Stormont establishment can ignore the Niall Ó Donnghaile scandal coming hard on the heels of that of Michael McMonagle. Again, the Sinn Fein top brass are implicated given the gushing praise they heaped on Ó Donnghaile when he left public life, including Michelle O’Neill. They did this presumably knowing the real reason for his hasty exit from public life.

    “Huffing and puffing is no longer good enough. If the DUP are serious about demanding any standards at all from Sinn Fein in order for them to be in government it is incumbent on them to demand the immediate resignation of the First Minister. If she does not resign then they are obliged to remove her from office by Emma Little-Pengelly tendering her resignation as deputy First Minister, a move which would trigger the removal of Ms O’Neill in a fashion not dissimilar to how Martin McGuinness removed Arlene now Baroness Foster.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller-Meeks Leads 232 House Members to Address Doc Cuts Before 2025

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ (IA-02)

    DAVENPORT – U.S. Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks led 232 bipartisan House members in urging House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to address the scheduled 2.8% cut in reimbursement for physicians who participate in Medicare before the end of the 118th Congress. With rising provider costs, the proposed 2025 Medicare physician payment schedule would threaten to impact patient care, especially for rural Americans, and contribute to provider burnout, which is already straining the healthcare workforce. 

    “As a Physician, I am thrilled to lead more than 200 bipartisan House members in urging leadership on both sides to address the proposed doc reimbursement cuts,” said Miller-Meeks. “The overwhelming, bipartisan support is a testament to the importance of fixing this issue to preserve patient access to quality care. Long-term payment reform is still desperately needed, but a temporary fix is also critical. In Congress, I will continue to lead the charge for better health access and outcomes for Americans.”

    “As physicians face yet another year of pending cuts stemming from the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, the AMA appreciates that a majority of House members cosigned a letter urging Congress to stop this harmful cycle,” said American Medical Association President Bruce A. Scott, M.D. “This unsustainable onslaught of annual cuts must cease, and physicians must receive a long-overdue and desperately needed payment increase. We applaud Reps. Miller-Meeks and Panetta for their leadership and thank the more than 218 bipartisan members of Congress who recognized that the status quo is not an option. We need Congress to Fix Medicare STAT!”

    “We applaud the work done by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, MD (IA-01), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Ami Bera, MD (CA-06), Larry Bucshon, MD (IN-08), Kim Schrier, MD (WA-08), Greg Murphy, MD (NC-3), John Joyce, MD (PA-13), and Raul Ruiz, MD (CA-25) to gain support from more than 200 House members to prevent the upcoming cuts to Medicare part B payments in January,” said American Medical Group Association (AMGA) President and CEO Jerry Penso, M.D., M.B.A.  “We are thankful for this strong showing by House members and encourage Congress to prevent these cuts so that AMGA members can continue to put the health of their communities, and not cost reductions, first.”

    The full text of the letter is below

    Dear Speaker Johnson and Minority Leader Jeffries:

    The undersigned bipartisan members of Congress write to urge you to expeditiously pass legislative fixes that not only stop another damaging round of cuts to Medicare payments, but also provide greater certainty and stability for clinicians serving Medicare beneficiaries. On July 10, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Proposed Rule, which includes provisions subjecting all physicians and other clinicians treating Medicare patients to a 2.8 percent payment cut. In lieu of these harmful cuts, which, absent federal legislation, will take effect on January 1, 2025, Congress must pass a bill providing physicians and other clinicians with a payment update that takes into account the cost of delivering care to patients.

    The scheduled 2.8 percent reduction represents the fifth consecutive year that CMS issued a fee schedule regulation lowering payments to physicians and other clinicians. While Congress has intervened in the past four years to mitigate portions of these cuts, the fact remains that the MPFS is inherently broken. Continued payment cuts undermine the ability of independent clinical practices—especially in rural and underserved areas—to care for their community, which reduces patient access to care. These ongoing cuts have forced medical groups and integrated systems of care to make difficult choices, such as imposing hiring freezes, delaying system improvements, postponing transitions to value-based care models, and potentially eliminating services. Because healthcare often comprises a large percentage of employment in rural areas, the closure of independent practices not only lessens patient access to care but also jeopardizes the livelihood of rural Americans.

    Over the last two decades, Medicare payment rates have fallen by 29 percent when adjusted for the costs of running a practice. Additionally, compliance with the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is both expensive and a flawed method of measuring quality and costs of care, resulting in steep and unfair penalties. These payment cuts and MIPS compliance costs also come on the heels of the extremely disruptive COVID-19 public health emergency and the Change Healthcare cyberattack.

    The CY 2025 MPFS Proposed Rule highlights that the estimated cost of running a practice—covering expenses like rent, staff compensation, and purchasing supplies and equipment—is expected to increase substantially next year. This widening gap between what Medicare pays and the cost of delivering quality care to patients demands Congressional intervention.

    Thankfully, bipartisan lawmakers have come together to propose several legislative solutions aimed at providing permanent relief from the long-term problems plaguing the Medicare payment system. We urge Congressional Leadership to move legislation that provides physicians and other clinicians with a permanent, annual inflationary update in Medicare equivalent to the Medicare Economic Index (MEI). We also request targeted reforms to statutory MPFS budget neutrality requirements, raising the current MPFS budget neutrality threshold to reflect 2024 dollars, requiring CMS to cross-check utilization assumptions associated with newly unbundled codes that trigger budget neutrality cuts, mandating CMS to review key elements of practice expense costs every five years, and limiting changes to the MPFS conversion factor to no more than 2.5 percent in a given year. Some of these legislative solutions have already passed the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2023 with strong bipartisan support. Moreover, we urge Congressional Leadership to utilize bipartisan offsets as we address all issues pertaining to Medicare payments to physicians and other clinicians.

    Increased instability in the healthcare sector due to looming cost hikes impacts the ability of physicians and clinicians to provide the highest quality of care and threatens patient access to affordable healthcare. Rural physicians and other clinicians, along with those treating underserved populations, are facing the most daunting challenge of trying to provide care in the wake of devastating reimbursement cuts. To prevent the very real scenario of insufficient access to physicians and other clinicians treating Medicare patients, Congress must stop the 2.8 percent payment cut from occurring in 2025, enact targeted reforms to statutory budget neutrality requirements, and provide physicians with a payment update reflective of inflationary pressures. We stand ready to work with you to pass crucial bipartisan legislative initiatives before the conclusion of the 118th Congress.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 2023 IAEA Annual Report Presented to the UN General Assembly

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    The 2023 IAEA Annual Report contains highlights of a significant year for the Agency. (Image: A.Vargas).

    The 2023 IAEA Annual Report is now available to read online, in all the official UN languages. The 2023 report was submitted to the United Nations General Assembly  today by the IAEA’s Director General, Rafael Mariano Grossi.

    The 2023 IAEA Annual Report contains highlights of a significant year for the Agency. A new Atoms4Food initiative was launched by Mr Grossi, together with the Director General Qu Dongyu of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The initiative builds on the IAEA’s experience of helping countries to use nuclear techniques to help them tackle global hunger by enhancing food security and nutrition. 

    At the same time, the IAEA continued to implement its existing key initiatives. These include Rays of Hope: Cancer Care for All, aimed at closing the gap in cancer care in lower- and middle- income countries, its Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action initiative  (ZODIAC) tasked with preventing future pandemics and NUTEC Plastics, which fights global plastic pollution.

    “Every day on every continent, the IAEA assists nations in overcoming challenges like diseases, poverty, hunger, pollution and climate change,” said Mr Grossi in his written statement to the UN General Assembly. “In partnership with our 178 Member States, we are enabling communities to improve healthcare, agriculture and energy systems through the power of nuclear science and technology.”

    An important part of the IAEA’s work in 2023 was to ensure transparency around the discharge of ALPS treated water from Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station. In July, Mr Grossi presented to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan an Agency report that concluded the discharge approach and activities to be consistent with international safety standards.

    Another key priority was to support Ukraine’s nuclear safety and security. A total of 86 IAEA missions comprising 187 staff travelled to Ukraine in 2023. The IAEA also maintained a continuous presence at all five nuclear sites in Ukraine. In May, Mr Grossi presented to the UN Security Council the five principles for protecting nuclear safety and security at Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant.

    A significant milestone for the IAEA was at last year’s United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, where leaders backed investment in nuclear as a low-carbon energy source for the first time. Further notable developments concerning nuclear energy included two interconnected mechanisms: the IAEA Platform on SMRs and their Applications and the IAEA’s Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative, launched together in 2023 to support its Member States with the safe and timely deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs offer a viable option to  enhance energy security while helping to achieve global climate goals for many countries worldwide. 

    The IAEA’s unique laboratories at Seibersdorf achieved a milestone last year, fundraising was completed for the renewal of the Nuclear Application Laboratories (ReNuAL) initiative. In addition, the IAEA’s new Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Centre opened, ready to assist Member States in tackling nuclear terrorism and crime.

    Mr Grossi also launched the World Fusion Energy Group in 2023, which will bringing together key stakeholders as this future technology continues its journey from experimentation to demonstration and deployment.

    In addition, the IAEA celebrated achievements in promoting gender equality in the nuclear sector. By the end of 2023, the IAEA Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme had 560 fellows, and the Lise Meitner Programme was also in place, offering early- and mid-career women in the nuclear sector new opportunities for career advancement. In 2023, gender balance was achieved in senior management at the IAEA.

    More information about the significant activities of the Agency during the past year is available here. The 2023 IAEA Annual Report can also be read in the UN official languages of Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish, as well as English. Mr Grossi’s full statement can be read here.

    MIL Security OSI –