NewzIntel.com

Category: Europe

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 16/10/2024 Prime Minister: On October 15, the nation united and removed the evil government

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    During his speech in the Sejm, Prime Minister Donald Tusk recalled that the success of the elections on October 15 paved the way for strengthening democracy and independence in Poland. The head of government also referred to geopolitical challenges, emphasizing the need for decisive protection of the eastern border. The Prime Minister assured that Poland will be in the vanguard of countries introducing changes to asylum regulations in defense of the stability of the region. October 15 – anniversary of the victory of democracy

    Already at the beginning of his speech in the Sejm, Prime Minister Donald Tusk recalled that the victory of the dinner on October 15 was in fact a success for the Polish nation.

    This applause, for which I am very grateful, is addressed to the millions of Polish women and men who, a year ago, on October 15, made a decision of historical significance

    – noted the Prime Minister. The last parliamentary elections, in which a record turnout was achieved, were an exceptional event in the history of Polish democracy.

    As someone who was lucky enough to be in the shipyard in 1980, I can confirm that something equally important, equally sacred happened on October 15 – the nation united, spoke out and removed the evil government.

    – Donald Tusk emphasized. The victory on October 15 would not have been possible without the great determination of Polish society, which in recent years has actively participated in protests and demonstrations in defense of women’s rights, the independence of courts and democracy.

    The elections on October 15th were about everything. Not only democracy was at stake. Today it is already clear that the stakes of these, as well as the upcoming presidential elections, are also Polish independence

    – Prime Minister summed up. The head of government also referred to the address delivered a moment earlier by President Andrzej Duda.

    I am grateful to President Duda for not taking the opportunity to remain silent on the anniversary of Poland’s victory, the victory of Polish women and men over those who also exercised power in his name. I am grateful that he has made everyone in Poland aware in such a clear and unambiguous way – I hope so – of how important the upcoming presidential elections will be; that we must complete this work.

    – stated Donald Tusk. The presidential elections will be held in 2025.

    Geopolitical Challenges and Border Security

    El prime minister Donald Tusk also referred from the Sejm’s rostrum to the difficult geopolitical situation that our country is currently facing.

    We are in a situation – not only Poland, but Poland in particular – that can be said to be a situation of conflict, of direct threat of war. Today we have to make unequivocal decisions

    – declared the head of government. The Prime Minister reminded that Poland cannot afford any cooperation with pro-Putin politicians in Europe. The defense of the eastern border of our country is also a challenge for the current government.

    Our decisions are aimed at effective protection of the border, but also, as stated in the government strategy, zero deaths on the border – both on the side of migrants and, above all, on the side of Polish soldiers.

    – Donald Tusk emphasized. The Prime Minister corrected the words of President Andrzej Duda, according to whom, as a result of the introduction of the new migration strategy, Belarusian oppositionists will have a problem obtaining asylum in Poland.

    There has not been a single case of a Belarusian oppositionist trying to illegally cross the Polish-Belarusian border in groups organized by Lukashenka.

    – said the Prime Minister. He explained once again that the migration strategy for 2025-2028, “Regaining Control, Ensuring Security,” adopted by the government on Tuesday is not about suspending human rights, but about introducing a temporary and territorial suspension of the right to asylum, i.e. not accepting asylum applications from people brought to the border by the Belarusian authorities.

    Poland and Poles on the side of human rights

    Modern regimes exploit human rights to wage hybrid warfare.

    The sacred right to political asylum for a persecuted refugee has been transformed into a tool cynically used by Putin, Lukashenko and human smugglers.

    – Primer Ministro explained. Poland will defend its border by taking internal actions and holding talks with our partners in Brussels.

    Poland will be in the vanguard of those countries that will change regulations, including international ones, which are completely inadequate to this situation

    – announced the head of government. The Polish government has the courage to speak out about the need to change the approach to defending the eastern borders of the European Union.

    Poland and Poles have proven that they are on the side of democracy, on the side of human rights. No one in Europe can accuse me personally, our government, Poland, or Poles of anything. We stand in solidarity, when necessary, with Ukrainians. We stood for women’s rights, human rights.

    – the Prime Minister listed. The essence of the elections on October 15 were independence, democracy and security – these values also guide the new migration strategy. Prime Minister Donald Tusk will also discuss the need to change the approach to illegal migration on Thursday in Brussels.

    MILES AXIS

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 16/10/2024 Euro bond pricing – detailed information

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    In reference to the announcement on the valuation made on October 15 of 7-year and 15-year benchmark bonds denominated in euro with maturities of October 22, 2031 and October 22, 2039, respectively, the Ministry of Finance presents additional information on the structure of purchasers. The structure of bond purchasers was diversified. The buyers of 7-year bonds were investors from: Great Britain and Ireland (24%), Germany and Austria (17%), Benelux countries (11%), France (8%), Scandinavian countries (8%), Asia (8%), Southern Europe (7%), Central and Eastern Europe (excluding Poland) (4%), Poland (3%), United States (3%), Switzerland (2%) and other countries (5%). The entity structure of investors of 7-year bonds included: investment funds (47%), banks (22%), central banks and public institutions (18%), hedge funds (9%), insurance institutions and pension funds (3%) and other financial institutions (1%). The buyers of 15-year bonds were investors from: Germany and Austria (27%), Great Britain and Ireland (25%), Southern Europe (14%), France (9%), Central and Eastern Europe (excluding Poland) (6%), Poland (5%), Scandinavian countries (4%), Switzerland (4%), Benelux countries (2%) and others (4%). The entity structure of investors of 15-year bonds included: investment funds (58%), banks (15%), insurance institutions and pension funds (13%), hedge funds (12%), central banks and public institutions (1%) and other financial institutions (1%).

    MILES AXIS

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: 16/10/2024 Undersecretary of State Henryka Mościcka-Dendys met with the US Special Envoy for Global Criminal Justice

    MIL ASI Translation. Region: Polish/Europe –

    Fuente: Gobierno de Polonia en poleco.

    Undersecretary of State Henryka Mościcka-Dendys meets with U.S. Special Envoy for Global Criminal Justice16/10/2024During the meeting between Deputy Minister Mościcka-Dendys and Ambassador Beth Van Schaack, which took place on October 16, the parties discussed mechanisms for holding accountable those guilty of violations of international law in connection with the conflict in Ukraine, as well as aspects of international criminal responsibility in relation to Belarus.

    The interlocutors emphasized the convergence of views and actions of Poland and the United States in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine, expressing the belief that nations have the inalienable right to shape their own bones as they see fit. They shared information and exchanged views on the involvement of both countries in ongoing proceedings using existing legal institutions, such as national and international courts and tribunals. The interlocutors also raised the issue of the international community’s actions to establish new mechanisms. “Perpetrators of international crimes committed against Ukraine or on its territory, including war crimes and crimes of aggression, should be held accountable. This is a matter of the credibility of the international community, which is discussing today the establishment of a special tribunal on Ukraine,” emphasized Deputy Minister Mościcka-Dendys. She also pointed out that from Warsaw’s point of view, such trials are a necessary condition for achieving lasting peace. In turn, Ambassador Van Schaack stressed the importance of ensuring justice in the transitional period after the end of the conflict, which should be based on the principles of a democratic state of law and constitute a legitimizing element for Ukrainian authorities, both at the central and local level.

    Photos (4)

    MILES AXIS

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Assistance Available to Georgia Renters After Storms

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    strong>ATLANTA. – FEMA assistance is available to renters, including students, with uninsured losses from Hurricane Helene and Tropical Storm Debby, with an incident period of Aug. 4–20, 2024. 

    FEMA may be able to help renters as well as homeowners with serious needs, displacement costs, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs. Renters may qualify for assistance including the replacement or repair of necessary personal property, such as furniture, appliances, clothing, textbooks or school supplies; replacement or repair of tools and other job-related equipment; vehicle repair; and medical/dental bills.

    Assistance is available to people with disaster-caused damage in Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks,  Bryan, Bulloch, Burke, Butts, Camden, Candler, Charlton, Chatham, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Columbia, Cook, Dodge, Echols, Effingham, Elbert, Emanuel, Evans, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Hancock, Irwin, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Lanier, Laurens, Liberty, Lincoln, Long, Lowndes, McDuffie, McIntosh, Montgomery, Newton, Pierce, Rabun, Richmond, Screven, Tattnall, Telfair, Thomas, Tift, Toombs, Treutlen, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne and Wheeler counties.

    There are several ways to apply: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App or call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362. The telephone line is open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service such as Video Relay Service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service.

    To view an accessible video on how to apply, visit Three Ways to Apply for FEMA Disaster Assistance – YouTube.

    What You’ll Need When You Apply

    • A current phone number where you can be contacted.
    • Your address at the time of the disaster and the address where you are now staying.
    • Your Social Security number.
    • A general list of damage and losses.
    • Banking information if you choose direct deposit.
    • If insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name.

    If you have homeowners, renters or flood insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your disaster expenses, you may be eligible for federal assistance.

    U.S. Small Business Administration Disaster Loans

    The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), FEMA’s federal partner in disaster recovery, may also be able to help. FEMA has streamlined the application process so people can apply to FEMA and SBA at the same time. The SBA disaster loan program is designed for your long-term recovery, to make you whole and get you back to your pre-disaster condition. No need to wait on the decision for a FEMA grant or for your insurance to settle; apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at sba.gov/disaster.

    SBA representatives will also be available to provide one-on-one assistance to disaster loan applicants at Disaster Recovery Centers scheduled to open throughout Georgia. In addition, applicants may call the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or send an email to disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. 

    For the latest information about Georgia’s recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4830. Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Department of Labor cites Kumho Tire Georgia $271K in penalties, finds 15 safety violations in wake of 57-year-old worker’s fatal injury

    Source: US Department of Labor

    MACON, GA – Federal safety inspectors found a Macon tire manufacturing facility with a history of safety and health violations could have prevented the fatal injuries sustained by a 57-year-old maintenance worker in April 2024. 

    The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated the fatal incident at Kumho Tire Georgia Inc., which occurred on April 10, 2024, when a worker was fatally injured after the machine they were working on unexpectedly started. 

    OSHA cited Kumho Tire Georgia after an investigation found the company bypassed safety procedures meant to prevent machinery from accidentally starting during maintenance. The company relied on basic on/off controls and sensors instead of following proper safety measures. As a result, the company was cited for one repeat, 12 serious, and two other-than-serious violations. The company was also cited for repeatedly failing to train authorized employees to safely perform servicing and maintenance activities.

    “Kumho Tire Georgia has repeatedly failed to protect its employees, and this time that negligence resulted in a preventable tragedy,” said OSHA Area Director Joshua Turner in Atlanta. “Every year, thousands of these incidents occur, causing serious and sometimes fatal injuries. There is no excuse for endangering the lives of the employees who keep their operations running.”

    The agency found the employer’s facility lacked sufficient machine guarding, designed to protect workers from caught-in hazards. Investigators also found missing guardrails and uncovered holes, leaving workers exposed to fall hazards. Kumho Tire Georgia Inc. faces a total of $271,930 in penalties.

    Kumho Tire Georgia has a substantial history of non-compliance with safety and health requirements. Since 2015, the facility has been inspected nine times, resulting in 52 violations. 

    Located in Macon, Kumho Tire Georgia is a Chinese and Korean-owned tire manufacturer that employs approximately 560 workers from both Korea and the U.S. The facility has been in operation in the U.S. since 2016. 

    The employer has 15 business days from receipt of the citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

    Learn more about OSHA.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Biden-Harris Administration Approves More Than $1.8 Billion for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Biden-Harris Administration Approves More Than $1.8 Billion for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts

    Biden-Harris Administration Approves More Than $1.8 Billion for Hurricane Response and Recovery Efforts

    WASHINGTON — The Biden-Harris Administration has approved more than $1.8 billion in federal assistance for individuals and communities affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell continues to lead the federal response, working in coordination with state and local partners to ensure that survivors receive the resources they need to jumpstart their recovery. 

    Currently, FEMA has deployed more than 4,400 personnel to the affected areas, working side by side with over 8,000 federal responders to support state and local governments in their recovery efforts. FEMA personnel on the ground are actively coordinating with local officials, conducting damage assessments and helping individuals apply for disaster assistance programs.

    Federal assistance for those affected by the hurricanes includes $597 million to support survivors with housing repairs, personal property replacement and other essential recovery efforts. Additionally, over $934 million has been approved for debris removal and emergency protective measures, which are necessary to save lives, protect public health and prevent further damage to public and private property.

    Applying for assistance is a critical first step towards recovery. Disaster survivors in certain areas of Georgia, Florida (Helene), Florida (Milton), North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia can begin their recovery process by applying for federal assistance through FEMA. Individuals affected by the hurricanes are encouraged to apply as soon as they are able to by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, which is the fastest way to get an application started. Individuals can also apply using the FEMA App, calling 1-800-621-3362 or in person at a local Disaster Recovery Center. Disaster Recovery Centers in the affected communities can provide survivors with in-person help on their applications and answer questions. Center locations can be found at FEMA.gov/DRC. FEMA also has Disaster Survivor Assistance team members in the field supporting survivors and helping them with the application process.

    Federal assistance for individuals may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay. Homeowners and renters with damage to their home or personal property from previous disasters, whether they received FEMA funds or not, are still eligible to apply for and receive assistance for other federally declared disasters.   

    FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program is ready to respond to insured flood losses. Those with an NFIP-backed flood insurance policy that suffered flood damage should begin filing their claim by contacting their flood insurance agent or company. 

    Recovery Update

    For those affected by Hurricane Helene, FEMA has approved over $911.1 million in assistance. This includes $581.1 million in assistance for individuals and families, along with more than $330 million for debris removal and efforts to protect public health and safety. In response to Hurricane Milton, FEMA has approved more than $620.2 million in assistance, with $16.2 million allocated for individuals and families and over $604 million for debris removal and safety measures.

    To support response and recovery efforts, FEMA delivered over 12.6 million meals and 12.9 million liters of water to states impacted by Helene. For Milton, FEMA delivered more than 2.2 million meals and 780,000 liters to Florida.

    FEMA continues to open Disaster Recovery Centers in affected communities, offering in-person assistance, information on available resources and help with FEMA assistance applications. Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are also on the ground in all affected states, helping survivors apply for aid and connect with additional resources from state, local, federal and voluntary agencies.

    Support for North Carolina

    As ongoing response efforts continue in western North Carolina, FEMA has approved over $100 million in housing and other types of assistance for over 77,000 households.

    More than 3,000 families who cannot return home are staying in safe and clean lodging through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program. Shelter numbers remain steady, with 13 shelters housing just over 560 occupants. 

    Commodity distribution, mass feeding and hydration operations remain in areas of western North Carolina. Voluntary organizations are supporting feeding operations with bulk food and water deliveries coming via truck and aircraft. 

    • Residents can visit: ncdps.gov/Helene to get information and additional assistance.  
    • Residents can get in touch with loved ones by calling 2-1-1 or visiting unitedwaync.org to add them to search and rescue efforts.  

    There are over 370 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also six Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Asheville, Bakersville, Boone, Lenoir, Marion and Sylva where survivors can speak directly with FEMA and state personnel for assistance with their recovery. To find the nearest center, visit FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Support for Florida 

    In response to Helene, FEMA has approved over $213 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 71,000 households. Additionally, FEMA has approved more than $330 million in Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency work. In response to Milton, FEMA has approved over $16 million in housing and other types of assistance for over 19,000 households. Additionally, FEMA has approved more than $604 million in Public Assistance for debris removal and emergency work. 

    There are 120 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities to provide support. There are also 12 Disaster Recovery Centers now open supporting survivors from Debby, Helene and Milton where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Residents in need of information or resources should call the State Assistance Information Line (SAIL) at 1-800-342-3557. English, Spanish and Creole speakers are available to answer questions.  

    Support for South Carolina 

    FEMA has approved over $132 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 146,000 households. 

    There are 92 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also five Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Anderson, Barnwell, Batesburg, Easley, Greenville and North Augusta where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Residents with questions on Helene can call the state’s toll-free hotline, open 24 hours a day, at 1-866-246-0133. Residents who are dependent on medical equipment at home and who are without power due to Helene may be eligible for a medical needs shelter. Call the state’s Department of Public Health Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for more information. 

    Support for Georgia 

    FEMA has approved over $119 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 118,000 households. 

    There are 139 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also four Disaster Recovery Centers now open in Valdosta, Douglas, Sandersville and Augusta where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene. 

    Support for Virginia  

    To date, FEMA has approved over $4.7 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 1,500 households. 

    There are about 57 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There are also four Disaster Recovery Centers open in Damascus, Dublin, Independence and Tazewell where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Residents can find resources like shelters and feeding sites at: Recover – Hurricane Helene | VDEM (vaemergency.gov).

    Support for Tennessee 

    FEMA has approved more than $11.8 million in housing and other types of assistance for more than 2,400 households. FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams are on the ground in neighborhoods across the affected counties, helping survivors apply for FEMA assistance and connecting them with additional state, local, federal and voluntary agency resources.

    There are more than 42 Disaster Survivor Assistance members in communities providing support. There is now one Disaster Recovery Center open in Erwin where survivors can speak to state and federal personnel to help with their recovery. Survivors may find their closest center by visiting FEMA.gov/DRC.

    Counties continue to establish donation centers. For the evolving list, visit TEMA’s website. 

    FEMA remains steadfast in its mission to support survivors as they begin their recovery from these historic storms. The agency will continue to work with federal, state and local partners to ensure the safety and well-being of those impacted by Milton and Helene.

    amy.ashbridge

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey, Colleagues Call on Biden Administration to Speed Up Enforcement of Iran Sanctions

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey

    In letter, bipartisan group of Senators call out Administration for missing deadlines on Iran sanctions

    The missed deadlines were put in place by Casey’s Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act, which cracks down on Iran’s petroleum trade

    Senators: “Due to the quantity of oil that Iran is able to trade and the subsequent profits, as well as their historical pattern of utilizing these funds to foster violence and chaos, it is vital that the United States take concrete action to disrupt their petroleum trade”

    Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) joined his colleagues Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and John Hoeven (R-ND) in a letter urging the Administration to speed up enforcement of sanctions on Iran’s petroleum trade. The letter pointed out that the Administration has missed several deadlines put in place by the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act, which cracks down on foreign persons who knowingly engage in the petroleum trade with Iran.

    “Due to the quantity of oil that Iran is able to trade and the subsequent profits, as well as their historical pattern of utilizing these funds to foster violence and chaos, it is vital that the United States take concrete action to disrupt their petroleum trade. Therefore, we ask the administration to honor the reporting deadlines and enforcement requirements prescribed within the SHIP and Fight CRIME Acts,” wrote the Senators.

    On April 23, 2024, Senator Casey voted to pass an emergency supplemental spending law with legislative provisions to strengthen U.S. national security, including the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act and the Fight and Combat Rampant Iranian Missile Exports (Fight CRIME) Act. 

    The SHIP Act includes important provisions to sanction foreign persons that knowingly engage in the petroleum trade with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Fight CRIME Act restricts certain missile-related activities and transfers by Iran. The bills include a number of reporting deadlines and enforcement requirements for the Administration so that Congress can track efforts to deny Iran the resources and ability to engage in destabilizing activities, commit human rights violations, support international terrorism, and fund weapons development.

    Senator Casey has long pushed to protect American economic and national security by monitoring Iranian oil activity. Earlier this year, Casey cosponsored the bipartisan Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act–legislation establishing a fund to cover expenses related to the seizure or forfeiture of property found in violation of sanctions imposed by the United States against Iran or a covered proxy of Iran, including Hamas, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran-sponsored militias in Iraq and Syria. Additionally, after learning about potential Iranian oil transport on Panamanian vessels in violation of U.S. sanctions, Casey urged the Panamanian Maritime Authority (AMP) to investigate the hundreds of vessels of concern. Thanks to Casey’s advocacy, AMP launched investigations into all Panamanian ships suspected of transporting Iranian oil, de-flagged vessels that had no evidence of oil transport, and removed dozens of ships from its registry.  

    Read the full letter HERE or below:

    Dear Secretary Blinken, Secretary Yellen, Acting Director Palluconi, and Administrator DeCarolis:

    On April 23, 2024, Congress passed H.R. 815, an emergency supplemental appropriation for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, that was signed into law by President Biden on April 24. The supplemental package included additional funding for Ukraine, Israel, the Indo-Pacific, and humanitarian assistance. The national security package also included legislation to strengthen U.S. national security, including the Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) Act and the Fight and Combat Rampant Iranian Missile Exports (Fight CRIME) Act. The SHIP Act includes important provisions to sanction foreign persons that knowingly engage in the petroleum trade with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the Fight CRIME Act restricts certain missile-related activities and transfers by Iran. The legislation includes a number of regulation publishing and reporting requirements from the administration in order for Congress to track efforts to deny Iran the resources and ability to engage in destabilizing activities, commit human rights violations, support international terrorism, and fund weapons development.

    For decades, there has been evidence that Iran has funded direct attacks on America and our allies. Since Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Iran has only become more emboldened to act against democratic interests across the globe. To cite just two recent events, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed in its August 2024 report that Iran continues to increase its stockpile of enriched uranium, and on September 10, 2024, the Pentagon confirmed reports that Iran has transferred shipments of Fath 360 close-range ballistic missiles to Russia to support their continued aggression against Ukraine. Iran is able to further these disrupting activities due to profits from their oil trade.  According to United Against Nuclear Iran, a non-partisan watchdog organization that tracks Iranian oil shipment, Iran exported 1,626,866 barrels per day in August 2024.  Due to the quantity of oil that Iran is able to trade and the subsequent profits, as well as their historical pattern of utilizing these funds to foster violence and chaos, it is vital that the United States take concrete action to disrupt their petroleum trade. Therefore, we ask the administration to honor the reporting deadlines and enforcement requirements prescribed within the SHIP and Fight CRIME Acts that were included in H.R. 815, the emergency supplemental appropriations.

    To date, the administration has not met the following deadlines:

    • By July 23, 2024 (90 after enactment, and every 180 days thereafter), the Secretary of State shall provide a report that identifies Iranian persons utilizing an unmanned combat aerial vehicle against a United States citizen. P.L. 118-50, Div. K Sec.6(a)
    • By August 12, 2024 (10 days before regulation enactment), the President shall notify the appropriate Congressional committees of the proposed regulations to combat proliferation of Iranian missiles. P.L. 118-50, Div. K Sec. 5(f)(2)
    • By August 22, 2024 (120 days after enactment), the President shall promulgate regulations as necessary for the implementation of sanctions to combat proliferation of Iranian missiles. P.L. 118-50, Div. K Sec. 5(f)(1)
    • By August 22, 2024 (120 days after enactment, and annually thereafter), the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration shall submit a report describing Iran’s growing exports of petroleum and petroleum products, including their exports to the People’s Republic of China and the ships and ports involved in the oil sales. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 4(a)
    • By August 22, 2024 (120 days after enactment), the Secretary of State shall submit written strategy on the role of the People’s Republic of China’s role in evading U.S.-imposed sanctions on Iranian-origin petroleum products. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 5

    The following deadlines are upcoming within the next 30 days:

    • By October 11, 2024, (10 days before regulation enactment) the President shall notify and brief the appropriate Congressional Committees on the regulations to be established to implement the SHIP Act. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 3(e)(2)
    • By October 21, 2024 (180 days after enactment), the President shall prescribe necessary regulations to implement sanctions enforcement. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 3(e)(2)
    • On and after October 21, 2024 (180 days after enactment), the President shall impose sanctions on foreign persons determined to have knowingly engaged in the Iranian petroleum trade. P.L. 118-50, Div. J Sec. 3(a)

    Given the havoc Iran is wreaking in the Middle East and the wider region, this information is both timely and vital for Congress to carry out appropriate sanctions oversight and understand what greater legislative action is required to ensure Iran does not have the resources to harm the United States or our partners and allies. We look forward to these timely reports and enhanced understanding of the administration’s plan to counter Iranian oil trade and accessible revenue for their funding of terrorism. We ask that you honor the October deadlines and work to address the deadlines already missed in order to provide Congress with the relevant reports as quickly as possible.

    We further request that you provide our offices an update on your efforts and when to expect these reports no later than October 29, 2024. Thank you for your continued work and attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Canada’s medical cannabis system changed but didn’t disappear after recreational legalization

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Michael J. Armstrong, Associate Professor, Operations Research, Brock University

    When Canada legalized recreational cannabis use on Oct. 17, 2018, there were concerns about the potential impacts. Would it trigger greater cannabis use, boost economic growth or otherwise affect the country’s health, safety and finances?

    Patients already using cannabis legally for medical purposes were especially concerned. They worried that recreational legalization might prompt physicians to stop authorizing cannabis treatments. Or that cannabis producers would abandon the small medical market to pursue the larger recreational one.

    After recreational legalization, the medical cannabis system did see declines. Between June 2018 and December 2022, the number of registered patients fell 32 per cent, while product sales fell 29 per cent. Some people thought the medical cannabis system had failed or become obsolete.

    As someone who studies the business aspects of cannabis legalization, I wondered about these issues, too. It wasn’t clear how patients, producers or health-care providers would react to recreational legalization. Legal medical use itself had only become accessible a few years earlier.

    Accessing medical cannabis

    Canada began allowing medical use of cannabis in 1999. But it remained difficult to get until regulations changed during 2014-15.

    The new rules allowed any physician to authorize patients to use cannabis. Those patients could then register to buy products online from licensed cannabis producers. Online orders could not exceed a 30-day supply.

    (Instead of buying cannabis products, some patients grew their own plants instead. My research hasn’t examined that.)

    Under this new procedure, the number of patients registering to buy cannabis soared. They grew from 7,914 in June 2014 to 330,344 in June 2018, nearly one per cent of Canada’s population.

    However, registration levels differed greatly between provinces. In June 2018, registrations represented almost three per cent of Alberta’s population, versus only 0.1 per cent of Québec’s.

    Interestingly, less than half of registrants bought medical cannabis in any given month. Perhaps they simply didn’t need the full dose. Or maybe they found it too expensive, inconvenient or ineffective.

    June 2018 was also when the federal government passed its new cannabis legislation. The law took effect in October 2018, when recreational sales of dried cannabis and cannabis oils began. After initial product shortages were overcome, recreational cannabis sales grew rapidly as more stores opened, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumer choice expanded in December 2019 when edibles and vapes became available.

    This is where my new study came in. I analyzed government data on patients’ use of Canada’s medical cannabis system between 2017 and 2022. This included how many patients registered, how often they placed orders, and how much cannabis they bought.

    Evolving system usage

    I found that as soon as parliament passed the new cannabis law, medical registrations began slowing down, despite recreational legalization still being four months away.

    But the response differed noticeably between provinces. For example, registrations kept growing steadily in Québec but plummeted rapidly in Alberta. Other provinces were in between.

    My data doesn’t say why those changes occurred. Perhaps Alberta, with its copious cannabis clinics, had many patients only mildly interested in using cannabis medically. Conversely, maybe Québec was still catching up with other provinces on medical use.

    When recreational sales started in October 2018, patient registrations seemed unaffected. Their average purchase sizes didn’t change either. But they bought medical cannabis slightly less often.

    This might have been due to retail convenience. At that time, medical producers and recreational stores were selling similar products: dried cannabis and cannabis oils. So, perhaps some patients started topping up their supplies occasionally at recreational stores but saw no reason to leave the online medical system completely.

    When edibles and other processed products began selling in December 2019, registrations dropped further. But the patients who remained bought medical cannabis slightly more often and in increasingly larger quantities.

    Product selections might explain this patient split. Perhaps producers with good edible products retained their customers and received larger orders from them. Conversely, maybe medical producers offering few edibles lost their patients to the recreational shops and their vast product assortments.

    In summary, Canada’s medical cannabis system experienced big changes after recreational legalization. But it didn’t disappear.

    Will other countries see similar outcomes if they allow recreational cannabis?

    A changing world

    In Europe, for example, The Netherlands is experimenting with recreational sales. Meanwhile, Germany has legalized recreational use but not retail sales. Will those countries experience medical cannabis changes like Canada did?

    Conversely, some countries barely tolerate even medical use. It is very difficult to legally obtain medical cannabis in the United Kingdom, for example, much like in Canada 20 years ago. And France has only conducted a few medical cannabis trials.

    Other countries, like Australia and New Zealand, are somewhere in between. They’re seeing rapid growth in legal medical use and illegal recreational use, but haven’t legalized recreationally. That’s roughly where Canada was 10 years ago.

    Will Canada’s medical and recreational cannabis experiences make these other countries more interested in legalization, or less? Either way, I hope they can learn from our experiences as they chart their own cannabis paths.

    Michael J. Armstrong 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. Canada’s medical cannabis system changed but didn’t disappear after recreational legalization – https://theconversation.com/canadas-medical-cannabis-system-changed-but-didnt-disappear-after-recreational-legalization-240796

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sen. Donzella James Praises Fulton County Superior Court Ruling Halting Election Hand-Count Requirement

    Source: US State of Georgia

    ATLANTA (October 16, 2024) — Today,Sen. Donzella James (D–Atlanta), Chairwoman of the Senate Standing Committee on Urban Affairs, praised Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney’s ruling to stop the State Election Board’s hand-count requirement. The ruling declared the Election Board’s Hand Count Rule to be “too much, too late,” while the Court continues to consider the matter.

    On October 1, Sen. James and fellow Democratic colleagues held a Senate Committee on Urban Affairs meeting to discuss election infrastructure. The committee specifically focused on the Election Board’s hand-count requirement and heard concerns from various Georgia voters and subject experts alike.

    “This court ruling is an important first step toward eliminating an unfunded mandate that would gravely inconvenience Georgia voters, overburden our state’s poll workers, and add an unnecessary expense while we continue to prioritize balancing our state’s budget,” said Sen. Donzella James. “Our committee worked hard to highlight the problems with this last-minute requirement, and I am confident our discussion and the public comment that we held earlier this month were instrumental in starting the conversation that ultimately led to the court’s decision to put the hand-count on hold.”

    More information on the full court case is available here.

    # # # #

    Sen. Donzella James serves as the Chair of the Senate Committee on Urban Affairs. She represents the 35th Senate District, which includes portions of Douglas and Fulton counties. She may be reached by phone at 404.463.1379 or by email at donzella.james@senate.ga.gov

    For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Two CPAs Sentenced in Billion-Dollar Syndicated Conservation Easement Tax Scheme

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Two accountants were each sentenced today to 20 months in prison for their roles in the promotion and sale of abusive syndicated conservation easement tax shelters.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Victor Smith was a CPA and founding partner of an Atlanta-based accounting firm. Beginning at least in 2014 and through at least 2019, Smith promoted and sold tax deductions to his wealthy clients in the form of units in illegal syndicated conservation easement tax shelters organized and created by co-defendants Jack Fisher, James Sinnott and others. Smith, along with his firm, sold approximately $14 million in false tax deductions to their clients, causing a tax loss to the IRS of about $4.8 million. He earned $491,400 in commissions from Fisher and Sinnott for his role in the scheme.

    William Tomasello was a CPA at another accounting firm who, at least in 2015 and through at least 2019, also promoted and sold units to his wealthy clients in these same syndicated conservation easement tax shelters. Tomasello sold approximately $8.5 million in false deductions, causing a tax loss of about $2.3 million. He earned approximately $525,072 in commissions.

    The scheme entailed the creation of partnerships that would purchase land and land-owning companies and then donate conservation easements over that land or the land itself. Appraisers would value the land and the partnerships would then claim a charitable contribution tax deduction based on the appraised value of the conservation easement, resulting in tax deductions flowing to the wealthy clients who purchased units in the partnership. Many of these clients joined the tax shelters after the donation of the interest in land and after the close of the relevant tax year.

    Smith and Tomasello both knew that, contrary to law, these syndicated conservation easement tax shelters lacked economic substance and that their wealthy clients participated in these sham investments only to obtain a tax deduction and received only a tax benefit for their participation in the tax shelters.  For example, a client who purchased units in a partnership had to “vote” ostensibly on what to do with the partnership’s land. However, Smith and Tomasello knew that the “vote” held by the partnerships each year was just optics and that the land invariably would be donated largely as a conservation easement. Smith and Tomasello also knowingly instructed and caused their clients to falsely backdate documents — such as subscription agreements and checks — related to the illegal tax shelters.

    In addition to their prison sentences, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr. for the Northern District of Georgia ordered Smith to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $4,878,990.90 in restitution. Judge Batten ordered Tomasello to serve three years of supervised release, to perform 120 hours of community service and to pay $2,386,816.04 in restitution.   

    Seven additional defendants have previously pleaded guilty to criminal conduct related to the syndicated conservation easement tax shelter scheme of Fisher and Sinnott (who were convicted after trial). These other defendants include appraiser Walter Douglas “Terry” Roberts, accountant Stein Agee, CPA Corey Agee, CPA Ralph Anderson, CPA James Benkoil, CPA Herbert Lewis and CPA and Attorney Randall Lenz.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia and IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco made the announcement. They also thanked U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina for her office’s assistance.

    IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing, Parker Tobin, Jessica Kraft and Nicholas J. Schilling Jr. of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, for the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two CPAs Sentenced in Billion-Dollar Syndicated Conservation Easement Tax Scheme

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    Defendants Helped Clients File Tax Returns Claiming Millions in False Charitable Deductions

    Two accountants were each sentenced today to 20 months in prison for their roles in the promotion and sale of abusive syndicated conservation easement tax shelters.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Victor Smith was a CPA and founding partner of an Atlanta-based accounting firm. Beginning at least in 2014 and through at least 2019, Smith promoted and sold tax deductions to his wealthy clients in the form of units in illegal syndicated conservation easement tax shelters organized and created by co-defendants Jack Fisher, James Sinnott and others. Smith, along with his firm, sold approximately $14 million in false tax deductions to their clients, causing a tax loss to the IRS of about $4.8 million. He earned $491,400 in commissions from Fisher and Sinnott for his role in the scheme.

    William Tomasello was a CPA at another accounting firm who, at least in 2015 and through at least 2019, also promoted and sold units to his wealthy clients in these same syndicated conservation easement tax shelters. Tomasello sold approximately $8.5 million in false deductions, causing a tax loss of about $2.3 million. He earned approximately $525,072 in commissions.

    The scheme entailed the creation of partnerships that would purchase land and land-owning companies and then donate conservation easements over that land or the land itself. Appraisers would value the land and the partnerships would then claim a charitable contribution tax deduction based on the appraised value of the conservation easement, resulting in tax deductions flowing to the wealthy clients who purchased units in the partnership. Many of these clients joined the tax shelters after the donation of the interest in land and after the close of the relevant tax year.

    Smith and Tomasello both knew that, contrary to law, these syndicated conservation easement tax shelters lacked economic substance and that their wealthy clients participated in these sham investments only to obtain a tax deduction and received only a tax benefit for their participation in the tax shelters.  For example, a client who purchased units in a partnership had to “vote” ostensibly on what to do with the partnership’s land. However, Smith and Tomasello knew that the “vote” held by the partnerships each year was just optics and that the land invariably would be donated largely as a conservation easement. Smith and Tomasello also knowingly instructed and caused their clients to falsely backdate documents — such as subscription agreements and checks — related to the illegal tax shelters.

    In addition to their prison sentences, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr. for the Northern District of Georgia ordered Smith to serve two years of supervised release and to pay $4,878,990.90 in restitution. Judge Batten ordered Tomasello to serve three years of supervised release, to perform 120 hours of community service and to pay $2,386,816.04 in restitution.   

    Seven additional defendants have previously pleaded guilty to criminal conduct related to the syndicated conservation easement tax shelter scheme of Fisher and Sinnott (who were convicted after trial). These other defendants include appraiser Walter Douglas “Terry” Roberts, accountant Stein Agee, CPA Corey Agee, CPA Ralph Anderson, CPA James Benkoil, CPA Herbert Lewis and CPA and Attorney Randall Lenz.

    Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia and IRS Criminal Investigation Chief Guy Ficco made the announcement. They also thanked U.S. Attorney Dena J. King for the Western District of North Carolina for her office’s assistance.

    IRS Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.

    Trial Attorneys Richard M. Rolwing, Parker Tobin, Jessica Kraft and Nicholas J. Schilling Jr. of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, for the Northern District of Georgia prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: US festival premiere of Torill Kove’s Mikrofilm/NFB animated short Maybe Elephants. SoCal audiences get three chances in October to see Oscar winner’s latest.

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Oscar winner Torill Kove’s new Mikrofilm/National Film Board of Canada animated short Maybe Elephants makes its much-anticipated US debut this month at three southern California film fests: the Newport Beach Film Festival (Oct. 17–24), Animation Is Film (Oct. 18–20) and AFI FEST in Los Angeles (Oct. 23–27).

    October 15, 2024 – Montreal – National Film Board of Canada

    Oscar winner Torill Kove’s new Mikrofilm/National Film Board of Canada animated short Maybe Elephants makes its much-anticipated US debut this month at three southern California film fests: the Newport Beach Film Festival (Oct. 17–24), Animation Is Film (Oct. 18–20) and AFI FEST in Los Angeles (Oct. 23–27).

    Maybe Elephants marks the fourth collaboration of the NFB and Norway’s Mikrofilm AS with Montreal-based animator Torill Kove—a stellar run of animation excellence over two decades, encompassing three Academy Award-nominated shorts, including her 2007 Oscar winner, The Danish Poet.

    A playful and loving autobiographical homage to family, adolescence and the therapeutic power of memories, however unreliable, Maybe Elephants reunites the cast of Kove’s previous Oscar nominee, Me and My Moulton.

    “I see this film as a sequel to my 2015 short Me and My Moulton, which was a semi-biographical snapshot of my family in the 1960s, when my sisters and I were under 10 years old and my parents were young and hip. In Maybe Elephants, I’m revisiting the same family. I think everybody has at least one important story. It can be catastrophic, like a war, or romantic. Maybe Elephants is my story, and it goes like this: we were a happy family and then our parents left us,” says Torill Kove.

    Maybe Elephants arrives in the US after a world premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France and its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, which was followed by an Official Selection in the Narrative Short Film Competition at the Ottawa International Animation Festival.

    The Spark Animation festival in Vancouver, British Columbia (Oct. 31–Nov. 3), is presenting its Lifetime Achievement Award to Torill Kove in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of animation, and honouring Maybe Elephants with its Canadian Film Prize.

    Maybe Elephants by Torill Kove (Mikrofilm/NFB, 16 min 43 s)
    Producers: Lise Fearnley (Mikrofilm), Maral Mohammadian (NFB), Tonje Skar Reiersen (Mikrofilm)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/maybe-elephants

    • In the ’70s, three rebellious teenage daughters, a restless mother, a father struggling with potatoes, and maybe some elephants, find themselves in bustling Nairobi—and the family will never be the same.
    • Narrated by Torill Kove, the film wraps rich nostalgia around memories of eventful family trips, timeless teen antics and those inevitable moments of adolescent epiphany—bursting with wit, a joyful colour palette and an energetic soundscape.
    • Maybe Elephants was made with the collaboration of several Kenyan Canadians who played the roles of Kenyan characters and with whom Kove consulted on Swahili language and Kenyan culture.
    • Torill Kove is a Norwegian-born filmmaker and animator living in Canada. Three of her films (including My Grandmother Ironed the King’s Shirts and Me and My Moulton) have been nominated for Academy Awards, with The Danish Poet, narrated by Liv Ullmann, winning the coveted golden statue in 2007. Kove’s films are known for her expressive designs and playful and poignant autobiographical themes.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: NFB.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    Lily Robert
    Director, Communications and Public Affairs, NFB
    C.: 514-296-8261
    l.robert@nfb.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSMAN BISHOP ANNOUNCES NEW ELIGIBILITY FOR HURRICANE HELENE FEMA DISASTER RELIEF

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr (GA-02)

    THOMASVILLE, Ga. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) announced that several counties in Georgia’s Second Congressional District were added to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Major Disaster Declaration for Hurricane Helene. The counties include:

    • Thomas County – Individuals and households are now eligible to apply for financial and direct services (FEMA Individual Assistance)
    • Dooly County, Grady County, Mitchell County, and Thomas County – local governments are now eligible for FEMA Public Assistance for repairs or replacement of disaster-damaged facilities (roads, bridges, water control facilities, public buildings and equipment, public utilities, parks, recreational, other facilities)

    More information about these developments as well as federal, state, and local resources in response to Hurricane Helene are available on Congressman Bishop’s website at https://bishop.house.gov/resources-services/hurricane-preparedness.

    Before and since Hurricane Helene hit Georgia and the southeast United States, Congressman Bishop has been in contact with the White House, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and FEMA. He and his staff have also been in regular contact with the Georgia Governor’s office, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA), and nongovernmental partners as they prepared for and responded to fallout from the hurricane.

    “I have worked with federal, state, and local officials to make sure our efforts are coordinated to expedite assistance to our families, farmers, business owners, cities, and counties,” said Congressman Bishop. “Working with Congressman Austin Scott, Senators Ossoff and Warnock, the entire Georgia Delegation, and our Georgia state government partners we helped guide President Biden, Vice President Harris, and other federal emergency agencies through our Georgia communities that were hit hard by this storm.”

    “Seeing the impact, first-hand, is crucial in understanding the challenges we face and appreciating the resilient spirit of Georgians as we rebuild,” added Congressman Bishop. “I will continue working to assure that Congress provides the needed resources to Georgia communities impacted by this hurricane.”

    In response to Hurricane Helene, Congressman Bishop, along with his congressional colleagues urged President Biden to issue an expedited major disaster declaration for Georgia counties significantly impacted by the storm. That request was honored within 24 hours. He also sent a letter to U.S. House and U.S. Senate leadership asking for appropriations to be made available as soon as possible to fully fund unmet agricultural disaster relief needs.

    Over 8,500 federal personnel have been on the ground, working side-by-side with state and local officials, to help survivors get what they need to begin their recovery. As of today, FEMA has approved over $860 million, which includes $507 million in assistance for individuals and communities affected and over $351.5 million for debris removal and activities to save lives, protect public health and safety and prevent damage to public and private property.

    Georgia residents that need emergency or immediate assistance should contact GEMA via https://gema.georgia.gov/hurricane-helene or apply for financial assistance at disasterassistance.gov. These websites provide updated information on resources and shelters.

    Georgia residents that need farm or ranch assistance can reach out to the USDA either by calling 877-508-8364 or visiting https://www.farmers.gov. For personalized assistance for your individual operation, use the Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool (https://www.farmers.gov/protection-recovery/disaster-tool) to determine eligibility.

    Local governments requiring rural development assistance, such as housing, sewer, and water, can reach out to USDA at https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/rural-development-disaster-assistance.

    Poultry and livestock producers affected by Hurricane Helene can get assistance with emergency animal mortality disposal through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Environmental Quality Incentives Program. You can learn more at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/eqip-environmental-quality-incentives or by contacting your local USDA Service Center (find yours here by visiting https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/find-a-service-center).

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: CONGRESSMAN BISHOP ANNOUNCES $14 MILLION IN FEDERAL HEAD START FUNDS SERVING THE CHATTAHOOCHEE VALLEY AND MIDDLE GEORGIA

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Sanford D Bishop Jr (GA-02)

    FORT VALLEY, Ga. – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop Jr. (GA-02) is happy to announce that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is awarding $6,134,765 to the Macon-Bibb County Economic Opportunity Council, $7,186,306 to the Fort Valley State University, and $705,440 to the Enrichment Services Program, Inc. in Columbus, GA to support their Head Start programs. The Head Start program supports disadvantaged families by providing early learning and development, health, and well-being to newborns and children up to five years of age.

    “The years leading up to primary school are crucial in setting children up to be successful throughout their education and eventually finding good-paying jobs. The Head Start program enriches youngsters by providing a quality preschool experience, while also providing working parents with affordable, reliable childcare,” said Congressman Bishop. “It is so important that these funds are made available to dependable organizations in every community to support for family activities and childhood development.”

    “The funds provided will be utilized to purchase a facility that will serve over 160 children in the Chattahoochee Valley. And with this purchase it will allow us to provide a safe location for children to gain school readiness skills and set them up to be successful in school and life,” said Enrichment Services Program, Inc. CEO Belva Dorsey-Mott. “We thank Congressman Bishop for his ongoing support to ensure that funds are available to help children prepare for school and support families which are the foundation for strong communities.”

    “This is exciting news, and we are very honored to have been named recipient of this federal grant award,” said Ms. Sarita R. Hill, Chief Executive Officer of the Macon-Bibb County Economic Opportunity Council. “This substantial funding is designated for the construction of our new Head Start building in Macon, tentatively scheduled for completion in December 2025. The 32,000 sq. ft. building will provide 24 classrooms that will accommodate up to 384 children. This will have a meaningful impact on the many lives of those we support by increasing the invaluable services provided by Head Start and Early Head Start programs.”

    “Fort Valley State University’s Head Start program will create a safe and innovative learning environment that empowers families, supports mental health, and promotes school readiness.” Said Ms. Nikkia Mosley, Executive Program Director at Fort Valley State University. “Together, we will make a lasting impact on our community and foster the growth and well-being of every child.”

    Head Start and Early Head Start programs across Middle and Southwest Georgia provide comprehensive, high-quality family and community services to eligible children. Head Start programs help prepare young children, infants to school aged, to succeed in school and throughout the rest of their lives through individualized learning experiences in a creative environment.

    Congressman Bishop is a strong supporter of the Head Start Program. As a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, he has worked to establish substantial funding that meets the changing needs of the program each year.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Global Bodies – Dr. Haroun Kabadi of Chad wins the MP of the year award – IPU

    Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

    16 October 2024, Geneva, Switzerland – The 2024 Cremer-Passy Prize, the MP of the year award, has been awarded to Dr. Haroun Kabadi, former President of the National Assembly of Chad (2011 to 2021) in recognition of his exceptional work in promoting peace and security.

    Currently, Dr. Kabadi heads Chad’s National Transitional Council, which is playing the role of legislative body as the country returns to constitutional order following the death of the President in 2021.

    Born in 1949, Dr. Kabadi holds a doctorate in agronomy and a master’s degree in rice genetics.

    His extensive political career includes serving as a Minister, Special Advisor to the President, Secretary-General of the Presidency and Prime Minister.

    During his tenure as President of the National Assembly, Dr. Kabadi worked tirelessly to strengthen peace, security and socio-political stability in Chad, the Sahel region, Central Africa and internationally.

    He contributed to the adoption of several legal instruments promoting peace and security within regional and sub-regional parliamentary organizations.

    As President of the G5 Sahel Interparliamentary Committee, he mobilized efforts against terrorism and advocated for dialogue and socio-economic development.

    In July 2022, Dr. Kabadi organized an international meeting on the role of parliaments in security and peace. He also met with members of the European Parliament to discuss the situation in the Sahel and seek their support for peace and security in the region.

    Background

    The Prize is named after the IPU’s two founders, parliamentarians Frédéric Passy and Sir William Randal Cremer, who created the IPU in 1889.

    The Cremer-Passy Prize is open to any sitting parliamentarians who make an outstanding contribution to the defence and promotion of the IPU’s objectives, as well as those “who contribute to a more united, peaceful, sustainable and equitable world”.

    Previous winners include Ms. Cynthia López Castro of Mexico and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (2022), and Mr. Samuelu Penitala Teo of Tuvalu (2023).

    Nominations for the prize are made by the IPU’s six geopolitical groups. https://www.ipu.org/about-ipu/members/geopolitical-groups

    The IPU is the global organization of national parliaments. It was founded more than 130 years ago as the first multilateral political organization in the world, encouraging cooperation and dialogue between all nations. Today, the IPU comprises 181 national Member Parliaments and 15 regional parliamentary bodies. It promotes democracy and helps parliaments develop into stronger, younger, greener, more gender-balanced and more innovative institutions. It also defends the human rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee made up of MPs from around the world.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Warner Robins Man Sentenced to Prison for Trafficking Meth

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

    Organization Distributed Deadly Narcotics to Middle Georgia from Atlanta Supplier

    MACON, Ga. – A member of an armed methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking organization operating in Middle Georgia was sentenced to serve more than 19 years in prison for his crime.

    Travis Warthen aka “Trap,” 40, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 235 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Warthen previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Sept. 28, 2023. U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal handed down the sentence on Oct. 16. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Travis Warthen is a repeat armed drug trafficker who put the community at additional risk when he dangerously attempted to outrun law enforcement at high speeds, which he’s done before,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “Our office and our law enforcement partners are focused on combatting dangerous armed drug trafficking organizations, which heighten violent crime in our communities.”

    “Violent and dangerous drug traffickers are enriching their lives by profiting off someone else’s pain and addiction,” stated Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “Travis Warthen will now face significant federal prison time for his crime.”

    “This organized criminal network peddled poison onto the streets of our community,” said Peach County Sheriff Terry W. Deese. “Most law enforcement agencies don’t have the resources to handle investigations to combat organizations like this one. We are fortunate to have federal, state and local law enforcement agencies in Middle Georgia that recognize the benefit of working together to keep our communities safe.”

    The following codefendants have been sentenced to prison:

    Heather Marie Breland, 40, of Atlanta, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison on Aug. 14. Breland previously pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting others to possess with intent to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine on Oct. 5, 2023;

    Randall Heath, 64, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison on Aug. 13. Heath previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 5, 2023;

    Raiford Reeves aka “RH,” 44, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 210 months in prison on May 15. Reeves previously pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine on March 29, 2023;

    Jeremiah Kaleta, 47, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 77 months in prison on July 23. Kaleta previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Oct. 3, 2023;

    Lucretia Snellgrove, 52, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison on Jan. 24. Snellgrove previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 12, 2023;

    Kendall Howard, 32, of Centerville, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison on Jan. 24. Howard previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on July 12, 2023;

    Luis Acosta, 36, of Centerville, was sentenced to time served on Jan. 24. Acosta previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 16, 2023; and

    Kenneth Maddox, 32, of Warner Robins, was sentenced to serve four years of probation on Oct. 16. Maddox previously pleaded guilty to use of a communication facility to unlawfully conspire to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on June 15, 2023.

    According to court documents and statements made in court, between Oct. 2021 and June 2022, DEA agents and local law enforcement investigated a drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by co-defendant Reeves and several of his criminal associates including Warthen and Breland. Breland—the supplier to this DTO—was distributing kilogram quantities of narcotics, primarily methamphetamine and fentanyl, to Reeves out of her condominium located in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. Law enforcement obtained court orders to intercept the phone calls and text messages from cell phones belonging to Breland and Reeves and conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Reeves. Reeves would supply other co-defendants, including Warthen, with some of the narcotics to sell.

    On May 25, 2022, Reeves obtained methamphetamine from Breland in Atlanta and met with Warthen in Warner Robins to supply him with the illegal narcotic. After the transaction, agents followed Warthen and attempted a traffic stop. Warthen fled from authorities, driving into oncoming traffic and reaching speeds more than 100 miles per hour. The defendant lost control and wrecked before exiting the vehicle and running on foot. Warthen fell to the ground and was eventually detained. Agents seized a stolen 9mm caliber handgun under the front passenger seat and found a blue plastic container holding 274.2 grams of methamphetamine in the rear floorboard area. Warthen has a lengthy criminal history including prior felony convictions in both state and federal courts for illegal drug distribution.

    This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven and multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

    The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Warner Robins Police Department, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.

    Deputy Criminal Chief Will Keyes prosecuted the case for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • 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 United Kingdom: expert reaction to study of metformin and birth defects

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A study published in the BMJ looks at metformin use and the risks of birth defects in offspring. 

    Dr Channa Jayasena, Consultant & Head of Andrology, Imperial College London, said:

    “Metformin is one of the most important drugs in the world, by providing an affordable and effective way to lower sugar levels in millions of patients with type 2 diabetes around the world. A previous study suggested that men taking metformin might be at increased risk of fathering children with birth defects, but I always urge caution with such studies because they can scare people away from medications that they need, because of a potential but unproven risk. 

    “The current study studied more than 3 million pregnancies, making it very large by current standards. Importantly, they found no increase in birth defects when men took metformin. This allows us to reassure men taking the drug that there is no consistent evidence suggesting that their children will be at increased risk of birth defects.”

     

    Prof Allan Pacey, Professor of Andrology at the University of Manchester, said:

    “This is a useful study that provides further clarity on the relationship between metformin use to control type 2 diabetes in fathers and birth defects in their sons. This has been of interest since the publication of a paper in 2022 by researchers using data from Denmark in which suggested there might be a link.

    “By using data from two different populations in Norway and Taiwan, the new paper has taken the analysis one step further and have concluded that no real link exists between a father’s metformin use and any birth defects in his sons. The makes sense because there was never any plausible biological mechanism which might have led us to this conclusion.

    “I think the reasons that this new paper finds no link, compared to the 2022 paper which did, is simply down to data quality. Both analyses were very well conducted, but in this paper using data from Norway and Taiwan, the authors were able to take into account many more confounding factors. This highlights the need for ongoing caution in the interpretation of observational studies like this and why they should always be repeated in many different populations before a firm conclusion is drawn.

    “At the time that the original Danish study was published in 2022, many of us expressed caution about how the findings might be interpreted and encouraged men who take Metformin to control their diabetes to continue doing so, or at least discuss it with their doctor. I hope that this new study provides further reassurance that Metformin is a safe drug that can be used for the control of type 2 diabetes in men who wish to become fathers.”

    ‘Paternal metformin use and risk of congenital malformations in offspring in Norway and Taiwan: population based, cross national cohort study’ by Lin-Chieh Meng et al. was published in The BMJ at 23:30 hours UK time on Wednesday 16 October 2024.

    DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2024-080127

    Declared interests

    Allan Pacey: “Chairman of the advisory committee of the UK National External Quality Assurance Schemes in Reproductive Science, Emeritus Editor in Chief of Human Fertility, Trustee of the Progress Educational Trust (Charity Number: 1139856) and Patron of the Fertility Alliance (Charity Number:1206323) (all unpaid).”

    Channa Jayasena: “No conflicts”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin Announces $12.5M to Improve Public Safety and Upgrade Infrastructure Along I-43 in Manitowoc County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin

    WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced $12.5 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding to boost roadway safety, reconstruct rest areas, and expand truck parking between Manitowoc and Green Bay. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), over 22,000 travelers use this corridor of I-43 daily. Senator Baldwin advocated to U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Buttigieg to fund the project, increase roadway safety, and help drive regional growth.   

    “I-43 is vital for our businesses to get their products on shelves and connects communities across Eastern Wisconsin,” said Senator Baldwin. “After decades of heavy use, the outdated and deteriorating infrastructure isn’t up to par. That’s why I fought to secure this investment, reconstructing an important resource for truckers, helping ensure that goods get to market on time, and keeping Wisconsin drivers safe on our roads.”

    The investment, from the DOT Infrastructure for Rebuilding America or INFRA program, comes from the Baldwin-backed Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Baldwin-supported Bipartisan Infrastructure Law made up to 8 billion available through this grant program from FY22-26 to help carry out major infrastructure projects across the country.

    The funding will replace the Rest Area 51 Maribel and Rest Area 52 Denmark facilities along I-43 in Manitowoc County. According to WisDOT, insufficient parking, deteriorating pavements, and outdated and undersized facilities require the reconstruction of this 44-year-old safety rest area. For both sites, the funding will be used to construct a new comfort building, maintenance garage, and parking lots for both automobiles and trucks, increasing the capacity of truck parking by 72 stalls. Additionally, lighting will be replaced throughout both facilities, roadways will be reconstructed to accommodate the additional truck parking stalls, the pavement will be improved, and a substandard beam guard will be removed.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: New monitoring team for violations of UN sanctions on North Korea

    Source: Australian Government – Minister of Foreign Affairs

    Australia is joining international partners to strengthen efforts to hold North Korea to account for violations and evasions of UN Security Resolution sanctions.

    Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States have committed to establishing a member state-led Multilateral Sanctions Monitoring Team (MSMT) to monitor and highlight North Korea’s sanctions non-compliance.

    This follows Russia’s March veto of the renewal of the mandate of the Panel of Experts (PoE) under the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 1718. The PoE was responsible for reporting on North Korea’s non-compliance with sanctions.

    Despite Russia’s obstruction, all North Korea-related UN Security Council resolutions remain in effect and all UN Member States are required to implement them.

    North Korea’s ongoing pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems undermines international non-proliferation efforts. Its actions are contrary to Australia’s interest in an open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

    North Korea’s malicious cyber activities pose serious national security and economic risks and threaten the security and stability of the online environment.

    North Korea’s supply of arms and related materiel to Russia, in support of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine, directly violates United Nations Security Council resolutions and increases the suffering of the Ukrainian people.

    Australia will continue to work with our partners to uphold international rules and norms and support global non-proliferation efforts to promote a safe and secure region and world.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Help us make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring

    Source: City of York

    Published Wednesday, 16 October 2024

    To help us achieve our aim of making homelessness and rough sleeping rare, brief and non-recurring, we’re asking everyone interested to comment on our new draft strategy.

    Our five-year Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy aims to build on the work of our highly-effective Housing Navigators and our partners. Through it, we plan to offer people who are homeless or facing homelessness, quick routes into suitable housing that can be sustained with high-quality support which is tailored to each individual’s needs.

    For single homeless people, we plan to focus on rapidly re-housing them directly into their own home, and ideally avoid time in a hostel or temporary accommodation.

    Where an individual or a family needs help to establish and maintain a tenancy, we will offer them support from our or our partner’s services. This will help prevent any future breakdown in tenancies and help people keep their homes.  

    Key to the success of this strategy, is working with partners to build up the supply of suitable and affordable homes. Our Housing Delivery Programme is underway with creating 600 homes in the city, and the Ordnance Lane site has been reworked to be 100% affordable and deliver more much-needed one and two-bedroomed homes.  

    Councillor Michael Pavlovic, Executive Member for Housing at City of York Council, said:

    Homelessness and rough sleeping on our streets is a problem for not just an individual, but for us all and we need to do everything we can to end it. We have spent time trying to get the right approach, talking to those who work with and have been homeless, as well as specialist academics in this area.

    “I’d ask anyone with an interest in housing, preventing homelessness and supporting anyone off the streets into a home to give ten minutes of their time to join this consultation. Your support will add to our strategy and help build hope and homes for all facing homelessness.”

    All feedback and data from this consultation will be used to inform our Homelessness Strategy which will be presented to the Council’s Executive to consider in December 2024.

    To take join in this consultation, please click here and take part before 15 November 2024.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Financial support for women’s health: UNFPA and Charité present new “WomenX Collective” programme in Berlin

    Source: United Nations Population Fund

    UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, launched its new  “WomenX Collective” programme at the World Health Summit in Berlin on October 15, in conjunction with the opening of its first hub office in a global network of centres specializing in the promotion of women’s health, especially sexual and reproductive health, in the German capital.  

    The Berlin office will be run in cooperation with Charité – Universitätsmedizin and the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH). With their new partnership, UNFPA and Charité aim to promote women’s health, particularly in middle and low income countries and to address the lack of solutions and financial resources in this field.  

    “Every minute, at least two women die globally from breast or cervical cancer or from  pregnancy-related complications due to inequitable access to healthcare,” says Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA. “Through the WomenX Collective, UNFPA and  Charité aim to help bring innovative health solutions to underserved communities, closing  the health gap for women worldwide.” 

    Initial financing commitments in place 

    With initial funding commitments from international donors, including the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Organon & Co., as well as a donation from Deutsche Postcode Lotterie, the WomenX Collective programme aims to raise at least  $100 million in catalytic investment by 2030 to support women’s health projects, scale innovative solutions locally and promote these solutions across sectors. This has the potential to avert more than 10.4 million unintended pregnancies, 3.2 million unsafe abortions, and 21,000 maternal deaths. With the network of hub offices, the programme aims to bring together experience and technical expertise from different countries and regions, as well as modern  technologies and sustainable financing. The office in Berlin will be followed by a hub in Nairobi in 2025. 

    To mark the opening of the hub office and the ceremonial signing of the partnership between UNFPA and Charité, partners of the WomenX Collective programme will be joined by Dr.  Bärbel Kofler, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic  Cooperation and Development, as well as representatives of the German healthcare sector  and stakeholders from the Global South.  

    Additional quotes from participating organisations: 

    “The investment in women’s health is convincing with numbers: Through new, women-centred evidence-driven investment opportunities, we want to show that for every euro invested, a dividend of over 7 euros is possible by 2030″, says Dr. Nigina Muntean, Chief of  Innovation at UNFPA. “By investing in women’s health and fostering innovation, we can unlock significant economic returns and ensure advancements reach those most in need.” 

    “Women’s health is still under-researched and under-funded,” says Prof. Dr. Heyo K.  Kroemer, Chairman of the Board of Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and partner of the  WomenX Collective initiative. “We are convinced of the collaborative and integrative approach of WomenX, so I am pleased that Charité can make a contribution here. In order to  address women’s health in a sustainable way, we need strong partnerships with institutions  from the global North and South.” 

    “We are delighted to welcome the WomenX Collective programme under our roof and to  contribute to the success of this important project,” says Prof. Dr. Christopher Baum, Chairman of the BIH Board of Directors at Charité and Chairman of the Translational Research Department at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. “WomenX Collective aims to  leverage proximity to innovations and experts and Berlin features an outstanding ecosystem of health and innovation.” 

    “The opening of UNFPA programme in Berlin in partnership with the Charité/BIH offers an  opportunity to intensify the diverse initiatives in the field of women’s health and to make this  even more effective,” says Prof. Dr. Jalid Sehouli, Medical Director Department of Gynecology including center of oncological surgery (Campus Virchow Klinikum) and  Department of Gynaecology (Campus Benjamin Franklin). 

    About UNFPA:  

    UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to  deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young  person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and  supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including  voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality  education.

    About Charité:  

    Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, a cutting-edge medical institution, is a leader in  diagnosis and treatment, with a special focus on severe, complex, and rare diseases and  health conditions. A medical school and university medical center in one, Charité has earned  an outstanding reputation worldwide, combining first-class patient care with excellence in  research and innovation, state-of-the-art teaching, and high-quality training and education.  At Charité, people and their health come first. Charité is dedicated to transformative  translational research, applying the very latest scientific findings to prevention, diagnostics,  and treatment and harnessing clinical observations to develop new lines of research and  scientific questions. Charité’s foremost goal is to actively help shape the medicine of the  future, all with one aim in mind: improving patients’ lives and quality of life.  

    With more than 100 departments and institutes spanning four campuses and 3,293 beds,  Charité is one of Europe’s largest university medical centers. At Charité, the areas of  research, teaching, and medical care are closely interconnected. Averaging about 23,500  across the entire group of companies, Berlin’s university medicine organization remained  one of the capital city’s largest employers in 2023. Last year, Charité provided care for some  138,000 inpatients and day case patients and about 788,000 outpatients. There are 9,879  students enrolled in medicine, dentistry, health care sciences, and nursing programs here, at  one of Germany’s largest medical schools. https://www.charite.de/en/ 

    About the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité:  

    The mission of the Berlin Institute of Health at Charité (BIH) is medical translation:  transferring biomedical research findings into novel approaches to personalized prediction,  prevention, diagnostics and therapies and, conversely, using clinical observations to develop  new research ideas. The aim is to deliver relevant medical benefits to patients and the  population at large. As the translational research unit within Charité, the BIH is also  committed to establishing a comprehensive translational ecosystem – one that places  emphasis on a system-wide understanding of health and disease and that promotes change  in the biomedical translational research culture. The BIH was founded in 2013 and is funded  90 percent by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and 10 percent by  the State of Berlin. The founding institutions, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin and Max  Delbrück Center, were independent member entities within the BIH until 2020. Since 2021  the BIH has been integrated into Charité as its so-called third pillar. The Max Delbrück  Center is now the Privileged Partner of the BIH.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Our Future Health becomes world’s largest research programme of its kind

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Our Future Health has now reached a critical milestone with over a million people from across the UK having completed all steps of the joining process. This makes it now the largest longitudinal cohort study in the world.

    The programme aims to transform the prevention, detection and treatment of conditions such as dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. With eventually up to five million volunteers right across the UK, the goal is to create one of the most detailed pictures ever of people’s health. Our Future Health already has the largest ever number of participants from under-represented groups in a health research programme.

    To coincide with this milestone, the SMC invited Dr Raghib Ali OBE, Chief Executive and Chief Medical Officer of Our Future Health, to brief journalists on the socio-demographic and health characteristics of the first million participants for the first time and the impact such a large and diverse cohort will have on the prevention, detection and treatment of diseases.

    Speakers included: 

    Dr Raghib Ali OBE, Chief Executive and Chief Medical Officer of Our Future Health

    Professor Michael Cook, Executive Director of Science, Our Future Health

    Professor Dame Anna F Dominiczak, Chief Scientific Adviser for Health, Scottish Government

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Major crackdown on NHS waste

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    A new strategy is being published to radically cut the number of single-use medical devices in the health service.

    • Move to scrap single-use MedTech as Health and Social Care Secretary launches waste blitz
    • Tens of millions of disposable items are binned after just one use
    • MedTech companies incentivised to produce sustainable products – pumping millions back to NHS frontline and cash into economy

    The government is launching a major crackdown on waste in the NHS to save millions of pounds a year, helping to divert more resources to frontline care.

    A new strategy – the Design for Life Roadmap – is being published to radically cut the number of single-use medical devices in the health service and reduce our reliance on foreign imports.

    Disposable medical devices substantially contribute to the 156,000 tonnes of clinical waste that the NHS produces every year in England alone. The roadmap paves the way to slashing this waste and maximising reuse, remanufacture and recycling in the NHS. 

    Doing so will create thousands more UK jobs and help transform the country into a life sciences superpower. As it stands, millions of devices like walking aids and surgical instruments are thrown away after just one use.

    Harmonic shears – surgical devices which seal patients’ wounds using ultrasound waves – each cost more than £500 and around 90% of them are binned after a single use. Innovative companies are already purchasing these used devices and safely remanufacturing them at a lower price.

    The government will encourage more of this kind of innovation to safely remanufacture a wider range of products and drive costs down, including by changing procurement rules to incentivise reusable products and rolling out examples where hospitals are already leading the way on cutting wasteful spending and practices.

    Approximately £10 billion each year is spent on medical technology like this in the NHS, but too much of it is imported via vulnerable routes that risk disrupting patient care.  

    A Circular Economy Taskforce has already been created to foster more highly skilled green jobs and smarter use of our resources. An economy wide shift to a circular economy could add £75 billion to the economy and create 500,000 jobs by 2030.

    Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said:

    The NHS is broken. It is the mission of this government to get it back on its feet, and we can’t afford a single penny going to waste.

    Because the NHS deals in the billions, too often it doesn’t think about the millions. That has to change. This government inherited a £22 billion blackhole in the public finances, so we will have a laser-like focus on getting better value for taxpayers’ money.

    Every year, millions of expensive medical devices are chucked in the bin after being used just once. We are going to work closely with our medical technology industry, to eliminate waste and support homegrown medtech and equipment.

    The below case studies illustrate the potential savings:

    • Mid Yorkshire Trust uses 330,000 single use tourniquets in a year, but a single reusable tourniquet can be used 10,000 times. In a one-year trial, reusable alternatives saved £20,000 in procurement costs and 0.75 metric tonnes of plastic waste.
    • In Northampton Hospitals NHS Trust, a single Ophthalmology department saved 1,000 pairs of disposable scissors and £12,000 in a year by switching to reusable pairs. Single-use scissors are often used in surgical settings. NHS procurement data shows that several million pairs of single-use scissors were purchased by the NHS in a single year (2022-23). That is the equivalent of hundreds of pairs of scissors thrown away every hour.
    • Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust saved £76,610 in costs purchasing 604 remanufactured Electrophysiology (EP) Catheters, and generated a further £22,923 for selling used devices for collection. If the same approach were to be scaled up across the UK, the NHS could save millions of pounds per year on EP catheters alone, just a few product lines among hundreds of thousands.
    • Harmonic shears are complex devices for performing surgical procedures and cost more than £500 each, yet around 90% are binned after a single use. Leeds University Teaching Hospitals Trust has demonstrated that companies can safely remanufacture them, giving up to 50% cost savings.

    The Design for Life programme will reduce this kind of waste and achieve an NHS-wide move to sustainable alternatives– also supporting the government’s net zero goals.

    A new roadmap sets out 30 actions to achieve this shift – including how the government will work with companies to encourage the production of more sustainable products, along with training for NHS staff on how to use them.

    Taking this approach will mean more money can be spent in the UK, driving growth, creating more engineering, life sciences and research jobs – all while securing savings for the NHS budget.

    Many of these products include precious metals such as platinum and titanium which are in high demand but go to landfill when they could be recovered and sold. A reduction in the amount of disposed single-use devices will also reduce the country’s carbon footprint and plastic pollution.

    The government will encourage industry figures to innovate by making sure benefits of reusable MedTech are part of how the NHS chooses the products it buys.

    Baroness Merron visited University College London Hospital on Tuesday, 15 October. The hospital is a member of the Circular Economy Healthcare Alliance, which advocates for sustainable practices within the NHS.

    Health Minister Baroness Gillian Merron said:

    Design for Life doesn’t just deliver on the Health Mission, to build an NHS fit for the future, it also delivers on our Growth Mission to make the UK a life science superpower and our commitment to get the NHS to net zero by 2045.

    She toured a mock operating theatre and was shown various sustainable products its NHS staff use – from simple products like gowns and scissors to sophisticated, expensive products like harmonic shears.

    Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director of NHS England, said:

    While the NHS is treating record numbers of patients, we know there is much more to do to ensure taxpayers get value for money.

    The NHS made a record £7.25bn worth of efficiency savings last year and is targeting a further £9bn of savings for 2024/25. But we are rightly still looking for ways to get our money’s worth for every penny we spend.

    NOTES TO EDITORS:

    • The Design for Life programme was developed with more than 80 stakeholders from the UK MedTech industry, the health and care system, and research organisations.
    • It forms part of the government’s ambition to transform the UK into a life sciences superpower and ensure sustainability.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Socially distanced layout of the world’s oldest cities helped early civilization evade diseases

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By R. Alexander Bentley, Professor of Anthropology, University of Tennessee

    Excavations at Çatalhöyük show how closely people lived before the settlement collapsed. Mark Nesbitt/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    In my research focused on early farmers of Europe, I have often wondered about a curious pattern through time: Farmers lived in large dense villages, then dispersed for centuries, then later formed cities again, only to abandon those as well. Why?

    Archaeologists often explain what we call urban collapse in terms of climate change, overpopulation, social pressures or some combination of these. Each likely has been true at different points in time.

    But scientists have added a new hypothesis to the mix: disease. Living closely with animals led to zoonotic diseases that came to also infect humans. Outbreaks could have led dense settlements to be abandoned, at least until later generations found a way to organize their settlement layout to be more resilient to disease. In a new study, my colleagues and I analyzed the intriguing layouts of later settlements to see how they might have interacted with disease transmission.

    Modern excavations at what was once Çatalhöyük, where inhabitants lived in mud-brick houses that weren’t separated by paths or streets.
    Murat Özsoy 1958/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

    Earliest cities: Dense with people and animals

    Çatalhöyük, in present-day Turkey, is the world’s oldest farming village, from over 9,000 years ago. Many thousands of people lived in mud-brick houses jammed so tightly together that residents entered via a ladder through a trapdoor on the roof. They even buried selected ancestors underneath the house floor. Despite plenty of space out there on the Anatolian Plateau, people packed in closely.

    Homes at Çatalhöyük were so tightly packed that people entered through the roof and even buried some ancestors beneath the floor.
    Illustration by Kathryn Killackey and The Çatalhöyük Research Project

    For centuries, people at Çatalhöyük herded sheep and cattle, cultivated barley and made cheese. Evocative paintings of bulls, dancing figures and a volcanic eruption suggest their folk traditions. They kept their well-organized houses tidy, sweeping floors and maintaining storage bins near the kitchen, located under the trapdoor to allow oven smoke to escape. Keeping clean meant they even replastered their interior house walls several times a year.

    These rich traditions ended by 6000 BCE, when Çatalhöyük was mysteriously abandoned. The population dispersed into smaller settlements out in the surrounding flood plain and beyond. Other large farming populations of the region had also dispersed, and nomadic livestock herding became more widespread. For those populations that persisted, the mud-brick houses were now separate, in contrast with the agglomerated houses of Çatalhöyük.

    Was disease a factor in the abandonment of dense settlements by 6000 BCE?

    At Çatalhöyük, archaeologists have found human bones intermingled with cattle bones in burials and refuse heaps. Crowding of people and animals likely bred zoonotic diseases at Çatalhöyük. Ancient DNA identifies tuberculosis from cattle in the region as far back as 8500 BCE and TB in human infant bones not long after. DNA in ancient human remains dates salmonella to as early as 4500 BCE. Assuming the contagiousness and virulence of Neolithic diseases increased through time, dense settlements such as Çatalhöyük may have reached a tipping point where the effects of disease outweighed the benefits of living closely together.

    A new layout 2,000 years later

    By about 4000 BCE, large urban populations had reappeared, at the mega-settlements of the ancient Trypillia culture, west of the Black Sea. Thousands of people lived at Trypillia mega-settlements such as Nebelivka and Maidanetske in what’s now Ukraine.

    If disease was a factor in dispersal millennia before, how were these mega-settlements possible?

    Geophysical plot of Nebelivka settlement shows its circular layout, divided into neighborhoods.
    Duncan Hale and Nebelivka Project, CC BY-NC

    This time, the layout was different than at jam-packed Çatalhöyük: The hundreds of wooden, two-story houses were regularly spaced in concentric ovals. They were also clustered in pie-shaped neighborhoods, each with its own large assembly house. The pottery excavated in the neighborhood assembly houses has many different compositions, suggesting these pots were brought there by different families coming together to share food.

    This layout suggests a theory. Whether the people of Nebelivka knew it or not, this lower-density, clustered layout could have helped prevent any disease outbreaks from consuming the entire settlement.

    Archaeologist Simon Carrignon and I set out to test this possibility by adapting computer models from a previous epidemiology project that modeled how social-distancing behaviors affect the spread of pandemics. To study how a Trypillian settlement layout would disrupt disease spread, we teamed up with cultural evolution scholar Mike O’Brien and with the archaeologists of Nebelivka: John Chapman, Bisserka Gaydarska and Brian Buchanan.

    Simulating socially distanced neighborhoods

    To simulate disease spread at Nebelivka, we had to make a few assumptions. First, we assumed that early diseases were spread through foods, such as milk or meat. Second, we assumed people visited other houses within their neighborhood more often than those outside of it.

    Would this neighborhood clustering be enough to suppress disease outbreaks? To test the effects of different possible rates of interaction, we ran millions of simulations, first on a network to represent clustered neighborhoods. We then ran the simulations again, this time on a virtual layout modeled after actual site plans, where houses in each neighborhood were given a higher chance of making contact with each other.

    Based on our simulations, we found that if people visited other neighborhoods infrequently – like a fifth to a tenth as often as visiting other houses within their own neighborhood – then the clustering layout of houses at Nebelivka would have significantly reduced outbreaks of early foodborne diseases. This is reasonable given that each neighborhood had its own assembly house. Overall, the results show how the Trypillian layout could help early farmers live together in low-density urban populations, at a time when zoonotic diseases were increasing.

    The residents of Nebilevka didn’t need to have consciously planned for their neighborhood layout to help their population survive. But they may well have, as human instinct is to avoid signs of contagious disease. Like at Çatalhöyük, residents kept their houses clean. And about two-thirds of the houses at Nebelivka were deliberately burned at different times. These intentional periodic burns may have been a pest extermination tactic.

    Re-creation of a Trypillian house-burning, with additional straw and wood necessary to burn hot enough to match archaeological evidence.
    Arheoinvest/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

    New cities and innovations

    Some of the early diseases eventually evolved to spread by means other than bad foods. Tuberculosis, for instance, became airborne at some point. When the bacterium that causes plague, Yersinia pestis, became adapted to fleas, it could be spread by rats, which would not care about neighborhood boundaries.

    Were new disease vectors too much for these ancient cities? The mega-settlements of Trypillia were abandoned by 3000 BCE. As at Çatalhöyük thousands of years before, people dispersed into smaller settlements. Some geneticists speculate that Trypillia settlements were abandoned due to the origins of plague in the region, about 5,000 years ago.

    The first cities in Mesopotamia developed around 3500 BCE, with others soon developing in Egypt, the Indus Valley and China. These cities of tens of thousands were filled with specialized craftspeople in distinct neighborhoods.

    This time around, people in the city centers weren’t living cheek by jowl with cattle or sheep. Cities were the centers of regional trade. Food was imported into the city and stored in large grain silos like the one at the Hittite capital of Hattusa, which could hold enough cereal grain to feed 20,000 people for a year. Sanitation was helped by public water works, such as canals in Uruk or water wells and a large public bath at the Indus city of Mohenjo Daro.

    These early cities, along with those in China, Africa and the Americas, were the foundations of civilization. Arguably, their form and function were shaped by millennia of diseases and human responses to them, all the way back to the world’s earliest farming villages.

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

    – ref. Socially distanced layout of the world’s oldest cities helped early civilization evade diseases – https://theconversation.com/socially-distanced-layout-of-the-worlds-oldest-cities-helped-early-civilization-evade-diseases-239586

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: China, Nordic countries see expanding trade cooperation

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

    BEIJING, Oct. 15 — China and Nordic countries have broadened their trade and economic cooperation in recent years, with expanded scale and improved quality, the Ministry of Commerce said Tuesday.

    During the first eight months of this year, trade volume between China and five Nordic countries, including Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden and Denmark, reached 35.44 billion U.S. dollars, up 5.7 percent year on year, Wang Yupeng, a commerce ministry official, told a press conference in Beijing.

    Wang said that high value-added products such as computers, communication equipment, pharmaceuticals, ships, autos and their parts constituted the mainstay of bilateral trade.

    Given the current momentum, annual trade between China and the five Nordic countries is expected to exceed 50 billion U.S. dollars this year, Wang said.

    For China, the Nordic countries are important sources of foreign investment and destinations for outbound investment, official data showed.

    The cumulative direct investment from the five Nordic countries in China has exceeded 15 billion U.S. dollars so far. In the first eight months of this year, China’s direct investment in these countries amounted to approximately 1 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for over one-fifth of China’s total investment in Europe.

    “We look forward to working with the Nordic countries to uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, maintain the stability of the China-Europe industrial and supply chains, and jointly oppose protectionism in the field of trade and investment,” Wang said.

    The 2024 China-Nordic Economic and Trade Cooperation Forum will be held this week in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei Province, according to the press conference.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: UK has no plans for EU-style tariffs on Chinese EVs

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    British Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said that the United Kingdom (UK) has no plans to follow the European Union’s (EU) decision to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle (EV) imports.

    Reynolds said that there had not been any complaints from the UK automative industry to the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), and he would not seek to follow the EU in pursuing tariffs, the Reuters reported on Monday.

    “We keep it under close analysis, but I think it’s important our industry is different, and as of yet industry itself hasn’t asked for that referral to the TRA,” Reynolds told reporters on the sidelines of the International Investment summit in London.

    Britain was an “outlier” in how little it had done in terms of building trade links with China, and engagement was a good thing, Reynolds added.

    Reynolds had made similar remarks at the G7 Trade Ministers’ Meeting in Italy in July, reaffirming that the UK would not impose punitive tariffs on Chinese EVs like the EU.

    China and the EU are yet to reach a mutually acceptable solution on the issue, despite important progress in certain areas, China’s commerce ministry said on Saturday.

    The EU’s move has also sparked criticism from several European countries and auto industries, who warn the move could backfire by undermining the EU’s own competitiveness.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trade Minister to attend G20 meeting in Brazil

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Trade Minister Todd McClay will attend the Group of Twenty (G20) Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in Brasilia next week. 

    “As an exporting nation reliant on trade, this is a significant opportunity to boost our interests with some of the world’s largest economies and many of our most important trading partners,” Mr McClay says.

    “New Zealand was invited to attend following our success in negotiating the E-Commerce agreement at this year’s WTO Ministerial Trade negotiation in Abu Dhabi, and our inaugural attendance at the G7 Trade Ministers meeting in Reggio Calabria.”

    Minister McClay will represent New Zealand alongside G20 members to discuss sustainable development, investment, global food security, reducing Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) and strengthening of the Multilateral system to grow trade. 

    In addition to G20 meetings, Mr McClay will look to engage directly with counterparts including from Brazil, Canada, Chile, the European Union, Germany, India, Mexico, Netherlands, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.

    While in the region, the Minister will also lead a business delegation to São Paulo to boost New Zealand’s $242 million exported to Brazil and supporting the 40 Kiwi businesses already operating in the region.

    The delegation includes 13 organisations: Aroa Biosurgery, Auckland Council, Foot Science International, Framecad, Gallagher Animal Management, Latin America Centre of Asia-Pacific Excellence (CAPE), Latin America New Zealand Business Council (LANZBC), Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), Loadscan, Mindhive Global, New Zealand Brazil Business Chamber (NZBBC), Seequent, and Tait Communications.

    “We are committed to ensuring New Zealand remains competitive on the world stage and that our high-quality, safe and sustainable exports gain the recognition they deserve.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s informal dinner with the Leader of the Greek Cypriot Community and the Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General hosted an informal dinner today with the leader of the Greek Cypriot community, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, and the leader of the Turkish Cypriot community, Mr. Ersin Tatar.

    The Secretary-General recalled the engagement of his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Ms. María Angela Holguín Cuéllar, who submitted her final report to him in July. He regretted that despite his Personal Envoy’s efforts and engagement with the two leaders, political actors and civil society on the island, the guarantor powers, and the broader international community, no common ground had been found between the leaders on the way forward on the Cyprus issue.

    The Secretary-General encouraged the leaders to consider how to bridge the gap in their positions and rebuild trust to allow movement leading to a settlement.

    The leaders agreed to have an informal meeting in a broader format in the near future, under the auspices of the Secretary-General, to discuss the way forward. They also agreed to meet in Cyprus to explore the possibility of opening new crossings.

    The Secretary-General underlined the continued steadfast commitment of the United Nations to a peaceful resolution of the Cyprus issue, for the benefit of all Cypriots and future generations.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why China now wants to put some limits on its ‘no limits’ friendship with Russia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Guangyi Pan, Teaching fellow, international politics, UNSW Sydney

    Just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China announced to much fanfare a “no-limits friendship” with Russia, suggesting a future of close collaboration in trade, energy and, perhaps most importantly, security.

    Now, more than two years into the war, the meaning and interpretation of this “no-limits” commitment has evolved.

    There has been much debate in Chinese society in recent months about Beijing’s alignment with Moscow. While some have advocated for a more formal alliance with Russia, others have taken a more cautious stance.

    In sharp contrast to 2022, China’s growing wariness is increasingly being discussed in the open, even among those who were previously censored. In early 2022, for instance, a joint letter by six Chinese emeritus historians opposing Russia’s invasion was censored by the government. The scholars were also warned.

    Now, however, it appears the government is seeking to balance its relationships with both Russia and the West. Beijing may not want to be seen as a “decisive enabler” of the war.

    For example, the once-prominent “no-limits” friendship language quietly vanished from a Sino-Russian joint statement in May.

    And Beijing’s response to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit that month was notably subdued. Putin ingratiated himself with Xi, saying they were “as close as brothers”. Xi’s response was more perfunctory – he called Putin a “good friend and a good neighbour”.

    Scholars are also articulating their concerns about China’s political and economic investments in Russia, both publicly and privately.

    Shen Dingli, a leading scholar of Chinese security strategy at Fudan University in Shanghai, said China doesn’t want to be seen as collaborating with Russia against Ukraine or any other country.

    He also quoted Fu Cong, China’s former ambassador to the European Union, who said last year the “no-limits” [friendship] is “nothing but rhetoric”.

    And in August, after Putin referred to China as an “ally” during a visit to far-eastern Russia, Chinese scholars promptly sought to clarify this statement to prevent any misunderstanding China wants a formal alliance with Russia.

    These statements carry weight. In many respects, leading Chinese scholars at the government-affiliated universities act as propagandists to convey and justify the government’s stance on issues. As a result, subtle shifts in their commentary provide insights into the strategic mindset in Beijing.

    Why China is rethinking its ‘no-limits’ friendship?

    There are three elements driving this re-evaluation of the Russia-China alignment.

    First, there is growing scepticism of Russia’s state capacities. The mutiny by the Wagner Group last year and Ukraine’s recent incursion into Russia’s Kursk region have prompted critical reassessments in Beijing of Russia’s political stability and military preparedness, as well as the growing anti-war sentiment in Russia.

    As Feng Yujun, director of Fudan University’s Russia and Central Asia Study Centre, argued, the Wagner rebellion was a reflection of Russia’s internal conflicts and domestic security challenges. He noted every time Russia has faced both internal and external crises in history, its regimes have become less stable.

    More recently, Feng has been even bolder, predicting Russian defeat in Ukraine. He argued China should keep its distance from Moscow and resume a policy of “non-alignment, non-confrontation and non-partisanship”.

    Second, China’s sluggish economy and its underwhelming trade with Russia have further exposed how dependent both countries are on the West.

    While Russia-China trade reached a record US$240 billion (A$360 billion) in 2023, it has slowed so far this year, as Chinese financial institutions have sought to limit connections with Russia.

    The relationship still heavily favours Beijing. Russia accounts for only 4% of China’s trade, while China accounts for nearly 22% of Russia’s trade.

    Many Chinese experts are now warning against an over-dependence on Russia, instead calling for more cooperation with neighbouring countries. This echoes a recent concern Russia has been using its natural resources as a bargaining chip to extract greater benefits from China.

    Russia’s value as a military ally

    Finally, there are rising Chinese concerns its international outlook does not align with Russia’s.

    Zhao Long, deputy director of the Shanghai Institute of International Relations, says there is an important difference in how they view the world:

    Russia wants to destroy the current international system to build a new one. China wants to transform the current system by taking a more prominent place in it.

    Shi Yinhong, a strategist at Renmin University in Beijing, has highlighted an unbridgeable gap preventing a stronger China-Russia alliance. He says there’s a deep mutual mistrust on regional security. Russia has never promised support for China in the event of a conflict over Taiwan, just as China has avoided involvement in the war in Ukraine.

    As Russia’s war in Ukraine reaches a stalemate, its value as a military ally is increasingly being questioned in China.

    Recently, Feng Yujun warned China risks being led by the nose by Russia, despite being the stronger economic partner. He says every time China has attempted an alliance with Russia in history, it has had negative consequences for China.

    Consequently, it is crucial for China to maintain its long-term partnership with Russia without undermining its constructive relationship with the West.

    Russia has arguably benefited from the current competition between the US and China, as it has sought to exploit the rivalry for its own benefit. But this has also led to uncertainty in the China-Russia relationship.

    As another analyst, Ji Zhiye, argues, relying too heavily on Russia will leave China isolated and vulnerable. And this is not a position China wants to be in.

    Guangyi Pan 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. Why China now wants to put some limits on its ‘no limits’ friendship with Russia – https://theconversation.com/why-china-now-wants-to-put-some-limits-on-its-no-limits-friendship-with-russia-238436

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –