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  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Ron DeSantis Issues Updates on Response and Recovery Efforts to Hurricane Helene

    Source: US State of Florida

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Today, Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Executive Director Kevin Guthrie in Perry and Cedar Key to provide updates on recovery efforts after Hurricane Helene impacted Florida’s Big Bend region. As of this afternoon, approximately 828,548 Floridians are without power. The State of Florida has already restored 1,573,907 accounts.

    Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order 24-209 on September 24, amending EO 24-208 and declaring a state of emergency for 61 counties.

    To learn more, residents can visit FloridaDisaster.org/Guide. For updates on county resources available visit FloridaDisaster.org/Counties for a list of all 67 county emergency management contacts.

    State Preparedness Effort

    • The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) activated the State Emergency Operations Center to Level 1 on Tuesday, September 24, and is leading coordination efforts for the State Emergency Response Team.
    • The State Emergency Response Team is engaged in over 1,500 missions to assist counties in their preparation efforts. These missions accomplish vital tasks like staging response resources, protecting critical infrastructure facilities like hospitals and utility stations, and coordinating personnel statewide.
    • Seven Urban search and rescue task forces are deployed.
    • The Florida National Guard (FLNG) has mobilized nearly 3,900 Soldiers and Airmen in preparation for Hurricane Helene.
    • The FLNG has rescued 30 residents throughout the impacted area. We have mobilized 15 route clearing teams and have 13 rotary wing aircraft prepared to provide SAR and/or damage assessment support. Mississippi is providing an additional 3 rotary wing aircraft later today.
    • The FLNG is providing logistics support, law enforcement support, route clearance, search and rescue, commodity distribution, flood mitigation, aviation and other support as needed by the state.
    • The Florida State Guard (FSG) is standing by with the following:
      • 250+ Soldiers ready to deploy.
      • 10 shallow water vessel boat teams
      • 7 flat-bottom-flood rescue skiffs
      • 2 amphibious rescue vehicles
      • 2 K-9 search and rescue teams
      • 12 UTV’s
      • 15 Cut and toss crews
      • 7 search and rescue teams
      • 2 UH-60 Blackhawk for daytime aerial assessment and logistics missions
    • The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Mutual Aid team is coordinating law enforcement missions including search and rescue and fuel for first responders.
    • FDLE is conducting status calls with DMS to ensure State SLERS radio communications systems are operative for law enforcement.
    • FDLE’s Aviation Unit conducted an aerial survey of impacted counties in coordination with the Air Operations Branch. FDLE has flown seven missions with five aircraft.
    • The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has more than 100 officers and support staff responding to areas of Florida impacted by Hurricane Helene.
    • Two Special Operations Group (SOG) teams, totaling 15 officers, from the NW Region responded to western coastal areas of the impacted area such as Franklin and Gulf counties, assisting residents in need and moved onto harder hit areas once areas were clear.
    • FWC officers are conducting welfare checks and search and rescues in coastal communities in Dixie, Levy and Taylor Counties with shallow draft vessels and specialized high-water vehicles.
    • A team of officers from the Southwest region assisted Pasco County law enforcement with high water evacuations due to storm surge conditions on Thursday night. Approximately seven people were rescued by FWC teams. Additionally, FWC officers rescued eleven people and six pets in Charlotte County due to high water conditions.
    • The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has over 2,100 FDOT team members working directly on storm response.
    • Damage assessment teams are active in the field and are surveying impacts.
    • 61 Cut and Toss crews have worked since 3 a.m. and have completely cleared I-10.
    • Cut and Toss Operations
      • 577 crews are active in the field and have already cleared over 8,300 miles of roadway.
      • 129 Bridge Inspectors have inspected 1,200 bridges across the impacted areas.
      • FDOT is directly coordinating Cut & Toss Crews with Utility Response Crews to aid in swift utility restoration.
    • Westbound Gandy Bridge has reopened. One lane of eastbound Gandy Bridge has reopened.
    • Southbound Howard Frankland Bridge has reopened.
    • Sunshine Skyway Bridge is now open in both directions.
    • A 10-mile stretch of State Road 789 in Sarasota County and Manatee County has experienced extreme damage and the roadway is inaccessible. Crews are working to assess the entire corridor and have implemented an emergency contract to quickly perform repairs.
    • State Road 24 heading into Cedar Key was heavily damaged earlier this morning. Crews have completed repairs and reopened the roadway.
    • Crews are working to repair damage from erosion at Courtney Campbell Causeway.
    • Crews are working to clear sand and debris from the roadway on Gulf Blvd in Pinellas County.
    • Crews have reviewed over 7,000 traffic signals statewide. 255 signals across the impacted areas are not operational, however, crews are actively working to restore power to these locations.
    • Debris pick up has begun in South Florida- 42 crew members are FDOT has committed to perform debris pick up within fiscally constrained counties.
    • FDOT Secretary issued FDOT Emergency Order on September 23, 2024.
      • FDOT has lifted weight restrictions and is allowing bypass of weigh stations for emergency response vehicles, including utility vehicles staging for rapid response.
    • FDOT’s Post-Storm Statewide Response Efforts include:
    • Road Ranger service has been expanded to assist motorists along critical roadways.
    • Resources deployed in the field or available as needed:
      • Over 858 generators
      • Nearly 49 pumps
      • Over 70 pieces of heavy equipment and trucks are actively in the field for response efforts
      • 43 Drone team members staged to make assessments where needed
      • 5 ITS trailers
    • FDOT encourages drivers to download the FL511 app or visit FL511.com for road/bridge closures and potential detours that may be activated.
    • Remember to never drive through flooded areas. The area of the roadway beneath the water may be washed out or may conceal debris or even power lines. Turn Around; Don’t Drown.

    Transportation Modes
    Seaports

    • Port Panama City, Port of Port St. Joe, Port Tampa Bay, SeaPort Manatee, Port St. Pete, Port of Fernandina, and JAXPORT are closed waterside while awaiting Coast Guard Channel survey.

    Airports

    • All airports have reopened.
    • Please check with airlines directly on the specific status of flights.

    Rail

    • Passenger Rail:
      • Amtrak is operating. Please check with Amtrak directly for service impacts.
      • SunRail service has resumed with some service delays due to power outages.
    • Freight Rail:
      • Railroads in the impacted areas are assessing damage and conducting inspections.

    Transit

    • Transit agencies in the impacted areas are assessing conditions and resuming service where possible. Please check directly with local agency providers for service impacts.
    State-Owned Roads Closures (As of 2:30 p.m., 9/27/24) 
    State Road closures listed below. For real-time updates, Check FL511.com. 
    Bridge Closures
    • Closures
      • Northbound Howard Frankland
      • Courtney Campbell Causeway
      • One lane of eastbound Gandy Bridge
    • Alachua County
      • Debris on Roadway on NW 34th Blvd Northbound at NW 24th Ter. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-222 Both Directions from NE 27th Ave to NE 52nd St. All lanes closed.
      • Object on roadway on SR-26 / Newberry Rd East, at NW 66th St. 2 Right lanes blocked.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-121 Northbound at NW 24th Ave. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-26 Both Directions at NE 27th Ave. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on us-441 Northbound at NW 104th Ln. 1 Right Lane closed.
    • Baker County 
      • Debris on Roadway on US-90 Both Directions at Tiger Lake Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-90 Eastbound at Arnold Rhoden Rd. All lanes closed.
    • Charlotte County  
      • Flooding on E Olympia Ave Eastbound at Nesbit St. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on E Marion Ave Westbound at Cooper St. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on US-41 North, before West Marion Ave. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on US-17 East, at Nesbit St. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on US-17 West, at Cooper St. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on McCall Rd Northbound at Myakka River. All lanes closed.
      • High Winds on Tamiami Trl Southbound at Main St. All lanes closed.
      • High Winds on Tamiami Trl Northbound at Harborside Ave. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on SR-776 North, before El Jobean Bridge. All lanes closed.
    • Columbia County 
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-247 Both Directions at Oyster Shell Lane. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-47 Both Directions at US-41. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-441 Both Directions at NE Sunny Brook St. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-441 Both Directions at NW Ernest Greene Gln. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-10A Westbound at US-41. All lanes closed
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-247 Both Directions at SW Tamarack Loop. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-47 Both Directions near CR-240. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-47 Both Directions at SW Marvin Burnett Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-441 Both Directions from I-10 Eastbound to Georgia State Line. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-100 Both Directions at SE Douglas Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-247 Both Directions at SW Norris Ave. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-247 Both Directions at SW Dairy St. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-47 Both Directions at SW Watson Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on S US Highway 441 Northbound at CR-240. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-90 Westbound at SW Koonville Ave. All lanes closed.
      • Object on roadway on US-90 / Lake City East, at Sisters Welcome Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Object on roadway on US-90 / Lake City West, at Sisters Welcome Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Object on roadway on I-75 North, before MM 416. Right shoulder blocked.
      • Debris on Roadway on S US Highway 441 Both Directions at CR-18. All lanes closed.
    • Dixie County 
      • Debris on Roadway on US-19 Southbound at NE 824th St. All lanes closed.
    • Duval County 
      • Debris on Roadway on Emerson St Westbound at Rosemary St. All lanes closed.
    • Gilchrist County 
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-26 Eastbound at TL Johnson Blvd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-47 Northbound at NE 40th Ct Rd. All lanes closed.
    • Hillsborough County 
      • Flooding on SR-618 West, ramp to 22nd St.
      • Flooding on SR-618 East, at 22nd St.
      • Bridge Closed in Hillsborough County on SR-60 West, at Ben T Davis Beach. All lanes closed.
    • Jackson County
      • Flooding on Caverns Rd Both Directions at Russell Rd. All lanes closed.
    • Jefferson County
      • Debris on Roadway on Still Rd Southbound near N Jefferson St.
      • Debris on Roadway on W Washington Hwy Both Directions near Creekside Ct. All lanes closed.
    • Lafayette County 
      • Debris on Roadway on E US 27 Northbound near CR-450. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on S SR-51 Both Directions at SW Van Buren Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on W US 27 Both Directions at CR-536. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on W US 27 Both Directions at NW Griffin Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on W US 27 Eastbound near SW Gary L Thomas Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on W US 27 Northbound at CR-350. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-27 Northbound at SW Truman Ln. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on E Main St Southbound at NE Willis Ave. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-349 Northbound at SR-27. All lanes closed.
        Debris on Roadway on SR-349 Northbound at CR-500. All lanes closed.
    • Lee County  
      • Flooding on US-41 Business North, at Edison Bridge. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on Edison Bridge Northbound 0.48 Miles Beyond 2nd St. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on SR-80 / First St West, before Park Avenue. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding in Lee County on SR-865/ San Carlos Blvd North, at Matanzas Pass Bridge. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding in Lee County on SR-865/ San Carlos Blvd South, at Matanzas Pass Bridge. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on US-41 South, beyond N Key Dr.. All lanes closed.
    • Levy County 
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-345 Both Directions near NW 53rd Ln.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-345 Both Directions at SE 4th St. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on NE Highway 27 Alt Both Directions at CR-339. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-19 Northbound at NW 140th St. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-41 Southbound at NE 75th St. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-121 Northbound at NE 50th St. All lanes closed.
    • Madison County 
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-53 Both Directions near SR-14. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-53 Northbound at SR-10. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-221 Both Directions at I-10 Eastbound. All lanes closed.
    • Manatee County 
      • Flooding in on SR-684 / Cortez Rd W East, at Gulf Dr. N (SR-789).
      • Flooding on SR-684 / Cortez Rd W West, at Gulf Dr N (SR-789). All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on SR-64 / Manatee Ave East, at Gulf Dr.. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on SR-64 / Manatee Ave West, at Gulf Dr.. All lanes closed.
    • Pinellas County 
      • Emergency vehicles on I-275 North, at Roosevelt Blvd. All lanes closed.
      • Emergency vehicles on I-275 North, ramp from EB Ulmerton Rd. On-ramp closed.
      • Emergency vehicles on I-275 North, ramp from NB 4th St N. On-ramp closed.
      • Bridge Closed on SR-60 East, at Dr. Kiran C. Patel Blvd. All lanes blocked.
      • Bridge Closed on SR-600/Gandy Blvd East, beyond MM 3. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on I-275 South, ramp from EB Ulmerton Rd.
      • Flooding on N Pinellas Ave Both Directions at Anclote Rd.
      • Flooding on S Pinellas Ave Southbound at W Lime St.
      • Flooding on S Pinellas Ave Northbound at E MLK Dr.
      • Flooding on Bayshore Blvd Northbound at San Christopher Dr. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on Bayshore Blvd Southbound at Causeway Blvd. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on Pasadena Ave Southbound at Sunset Dr S. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on 75th Ave Northbound near Mangrove Ave. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on Edgewater Dr Southbound from President St to Locklie St. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on S Pinellas Ave Southbound at Meres Blvd. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on I-275 North, beyond 4th St N.
      • Flooding on I-275 South, ramp to 54th Ave S.
      • Flooding on SR-688 East, beyond Roosevelt Blvd N.
      • Flooding on SR-688 West, before Roosevelt Blvd N.
      • Debris on Roadway on Pinellas Bayway Southbound at Palma del Mar Blvd S. All lanes closed.
    • Sarasota County  
      • Flooding on SR-789 North, at Sunset Drive. All lanes closed.
      • Flooding on SR-789 South, at Sunset Drive. All lanes closed.
    • Suwannee County 
      • Debris on Roadway on US-90 Eastbound at 149th Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-90 Both Directions at CR-137. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-90 Westbound at 185th Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-90 Westbound at 63rd Dr. All lanes closed.
    • Taylor County 
      • Debris on Roadway on S Jefferson St Both Directions at S Byron Butler Pkwy. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on SR-51 Both Directions near US-19 Southbound. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-19 Both Directions at Kelly Grade. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-27 Westbound at Granger Rd. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-27 Eastbound at CR-296. All lanes closed.
      • Debris on Roadway on US-98 Westbound at Dice Rd. All lanes closed.
    • The Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs (FDVA) The VISN 8 Clinical Contact Center is operational 24/7/365 for virtual care and tele-emergency care and support to Veterans enrolled for VA Health Care in Florida. 1-877-741-3400. Visit https://department.va.gov/integrated-service-networks/visn-08 for more information.
    • Robert H. Jenkins Jr. Veterans’ Domiciliary Home in Lake City lost power and is currently on generator.
    • Volunteer Florida: Disaster Legal Hotline is open to assist and refer callers: 833-514-2940
    • Samaritan’s Purse hotline: 1-833-747-1234 free assistance for homeowners affected by the disaster. Volunteers may be able to assist with removal of personal property and furniture, flood cleanup, sanitizing with shockwave treatment, chainsaw work and Debris Clean-up, temporary roof tarping.
      • 2-1-1 is open and ready to receive calls. Individuals can call for up-to-the-
      • Red Cross Hotline is open to assist: 1-800-Red Cross
      • Florida Baptists Disaster Relief Public Assistance: 904-253-0502 or text Helene to 27123. Free Assistance for homeowners affected by the disaster. Volunteers may be able to assist with Storm Debris Cleanup, Temporary Roof Tarping, Chainsaw work, and muckouts.
      • Crisis Cleanup number: 844-965-1386

     

    Health and Human Services

    • The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) has shifted to recovery efforts and has begun post storm calls and wellness checks with clients, providers, partners, and staff in affected areas verifying status and ask about immediate needs caused by the storm and develop plans to resolve.
    • APD operated facilities in Marianna and Chattahoochee maintained power through the storm, while the Gainesville facility is without power and operating on generators. All residents, clients, and staff have reported they are safe.
    • 14 evacuated APD licensed Group Homes have also reported they are safe, and APD will continue to work with providers to see about storm damage and potential needs.
    • APD is mapping Group Homes, clients in Supported Living Facilities, and clients living in family homes in affected areas for priority follow up and wellness checks by APD teams and provider staff.
    • APD is working with partners and the State Emergency Response Team to ensure the functional and access needs of disaster survivors are met.
    • APD Hope Florida Navigators and APD emergency recovery teams standby ready for deployment to affected areas to serve disaster distribution centers as needed.
    • The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) is deploying over 470 emergency response vehicles. Staging is currently in Leon, Liberty, Osceola, Pinellas, and Polk counties.
    • At this time, one Boil Water Notice has been reported for Marion County as a result of Hurricane Helene.
    • DOH has Special Needs Shelters available in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene. A press release has been sent statewide for additional information on special needs shelters. To find a shelter near you, please visit the county emergency management page here.
    • DOH and the Agency for Health Care Administration initiated Patient Movement Mission to support medical transport and evacuations of health care facilities.
    • The State Surgeon General signed Emergency Order 24-002, which:
      • Waives competitive procurement requirements in order to procure commodities, goods, and services expeditiously in response to the emergency.
      • Permits emergency medical transportation services to operate across county lines.
      • Permits Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, and Medical Directors, as defined by Chapter 401, Florida Statutes, licensed in other U.S. states, territories, or districts to practice in Florida in response to the emergency without penalty.
      • Authorizes a reporting extension for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program.
      • Authorizes an extension of the upcoming licensure renewal deadlines for Nursing Home Administrators, Radiological Personnel, and Athletic Trainers until October 31, 2024.
    • DOH and the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) sent information regarding early prescription refills permitted under Executive Order 24-209. This information was sent to the public, health insurers, managed care organizations, pharmacy benefit managers, pharmacy chains, and health care providers.
    • The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) has activated reporting in the Health Facility Reporting System (HFRS) and has requested that all health care providers report their census, available beds, evacuation status, and generator status information. This information allows AHCA to assist health care providers in transferring patients if needed and ensure that health care providers in impacted areas have the necessary resources and adequate power.
    • AHCA has made 40 phone calls to health care facilities in the impacted area, to check their status.
    • As of 3 p.m., 92 health care facilities have reported evacuations. This includes:
      • 46 assisted living facilities
      • 29 nursing homes
      • 6 hospitals
      • 1 hospital emergency department
      • 5 residential treatment facilities
      • 2 residential treatment centers for children and adolescents
      • 2 adult family care home, and 2 intermediate care facility for developmentally disabled
    • 100% of operating long-term care facilities have a generator on-site. The Generator Status Map for long-term care facilities is available here.
    • As 3 p.m., there are 158 health care facilities on generator power across the state. This includes:
      • 3 hospitals
      • 77 assisted living facilities
      • 43 nursing homes.
      • 5 adult family care home
      • 2 hospices
      • 5 hospital emergency department
      • 5 intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled
      • 10 residential treatment facilities
      • 1 residential treatment centers for children and adolescents
      • 7 crisis stabilization and short-term rtf
    • The Agency has waived all prior authorization requirements for critical Medicaid services until further notice.
    • AHCA has conducted 39 onsite post-incident assessment visits.

    Infrastructure, Roads and State Closures

    • The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) cut teams and FDOT road clearing teams are providing aid to areas impacted by the storm.
    • FHP continues to mobilize drone assets to help assess post-storm damage and assist with rescue and recovery efforts in areas impacted by the storm.
    • FHP Troopers are assisting with escorting critical restoration and recovery vehicles from around the state to areas impacted by the storm.
    • FHP is mobilizing Quick Response Force team members to deploy to affected areas of Florida to assist with recovery efforts.
    • FHP and FDOT cut teams cleared all trees and debris from Interstate 10 and Interstate 75 and traffic flow has been restored.
    • FHP drone assets and fixed-wing aircraft are actively assisting with search and rescue efforts and storm damage assessment.
    • FHP mobilized high-water vehicles to areas affected by the storm to assist with search and rescue efforts.
    • FHP is providing security at storm response fuel sites.
    • FLHSMV has 3 Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW) mobiles on standby to provide mobile credentialing services in impacted areas and to those affected by the storm.
    • Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) issued Emergency Order 24-05, in support of Executive Order 24-209 which: waives specific requirements for commercial motor vehicles providing emergency relief; and waives the replacement fees for driver’s license and identification credentials, vehicle registrations and titles, vessel registrations and titles and temporary parking permits for impacted individuals.
    • The Department of Children and Families (DCF) has contacted over 2,000 families and group homes to ensure all children and families served are safe and to determine needs.
    • The HOPE LINE has been activated at 8 a.m. today to assist those in need of resources or other assistance after the storm. It is now available 24/7 for the next two-plus weeks at 833-GET-HOPE.
    • Activate Hope has been deployed to help connect Floridians impacted by the storm with needed resources like food, supplies, home repairs, and more. Serving as the emergency response component of the Hope Florida initiative, Activate Hope connects the private sector, nonprofits, and government to help Floridians get back on their feet following a natural disaster. Fill out the form here to get help.
    • DCF has contacted over 5,500 licensed providers in impacted areas to check for needs after the storm.
    • The State Mental Health Treatment Facilities are fully operational.
    • Through ESF 6, DCF provided staffing and emergency supplies to 32 shelters and meals to 1,000 first responders.
    • The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) continues to contact all Area Agencies on Aging partners to receive updates. Post storm call downs to clients are ongoing and there are currently no unmet needs.
    • The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has been contacting school districts and state colleges following Hurricane Helene and is addressing needs to reopen as quickly as possible. Districts, colleges, and universities are conducting damage assessments following the storm. Currently, 48 school districts, 19 state colleges, and 8 universities remain closed as of Friday, September 27, 2024.
    • The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is actively working to provide assistance to drinking water, wastewater and hazardous waste facilities. Outreach to these facilities to determine operational status is ongoing.
    • DEP’s online portal WaterTracker is now live for drinking and wastewater facilities to report their operational status.
    • DEP published a storm updates webpage to keep state park visitors updated: FloridaStateParks.org/StormUpdates. Visitors with existing camping and cabin reservations at closed parks have been notified of their reservation status.
    • DEP is working with Florida’s Water/Wastewater Agency Response Network (FlaWARN), the Florida Rural Water Association and other response agencies to dispatch generators, fuel and pump trucks and other resources to assist drinking and wastewater facilities.
    • DEP and response agencies are working 1-on-1 with partially- and non-operational drinking and wastewater facilities to get them back to operational status as quickly as possible to meet the immediate service needs of the communities they serve. Areas under boil water advisories can be found at https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/drinking-water/boil-water-notices/index.html.
    • DEP is working in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard to identify oil spills and hazardous material releases in coastal and inland waterways.
    • 94 Disaster Debris Management Sites have been authorized to operate for Hurricane Helene. These sites are a critical component of expediting clean-up and reducing environmental and public health impacts post-storm and meeting federal reimbursement requirements.
    • 12 Florida State Parks strike teams have been assembled to assist with assessment and recovery efforts at impacted parks.
    • More than 60 state parks have reopened following Hurricane Helene. DEP published a storm updates webpage to keep state park visitors updated of closures: FloridaStateParks.org/StormUpdates. Visitors with existing camping and cabin reservations at closed parks have been notified of their reservation status.

    Resources for Employees, Businesses and Consumers

    • The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has partnered with the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association to encourage more than 71,000 Florida-licensed lodging establishments to relax pet policies and waive pet fees for evacuees.
    • DBPR has proactively communicated with more than 137,000 restaurant and lodging licensees to provide storm preparation and food safety resources.
    • DBPR has proactively contacted more than 2,300 prescription wholesale stakeholders to provide information on emergency provisions under Governor DeSantis’ Executive Order 24-211 that will help mitigate supply chain difficulties with prescription drugs and medical gas.
    • The Florida Disaster Contractors Network has been activated to connect homeowners with licensed contractors and suppliers to perform emergency repairs.
    • DBPR encourages Florida’s licensed contractors who provide post-storm construction-related services to register with its Florida Disaster Contractors Network at DCNOnline.org.
    • DBPR has distributed FloridaCommerce’s Business Damage Assessment Survey to nearly 1,000,000 licensees in impacted counties and encouraged them to report damages using the survey.
    • DBPR’s Division of Hotels and Restaurants has begun disaster assessments in impacted areas. Emergency Response Teams across the state are completing outreach to impacted businesses to reinforce food safety protocols after the storm.
    • FloridaCommerce activated the private sector hotline at (850) 815-4925, open daily 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Inquiries may also be emailed to ESF18@em.myflorida.com.
    • Updates on business closures and business resources are updated at FloridaDisaster.biz/CurrentDisasterUpdates.
    • FloridaCommerce and the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) activated the Business Damage Assessment Survey in response to Hurricane Helene. Business owners can self-report physical and economic damage caused by Hurricane Helene. Survey responses will allow the state to expedite Hurricane Helene recovery efforts by gathering data and assessing the needs of impacted businesses. Businesses can complete the survey online by visiting FloridaDisaster.biz and selecting “Hurricane Helene” from the dropdown menu.
    • FloridaCommerce is working with the Florida Chamber, the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association and other private sector partners to consistently update business open/close status on FloridaDisaster.biz. FloridaCommerce staff have made more than 300 calls to rural and small businesses to help with this effort.
    • Walmart has donated $500 gift cards to shelters in Hamilton, Madison and Suwannee Counties for the purchase of pet food.
    • Lowes has deployed their Tool Rental Truck to assist in recovery efforts providing a rental option for power tools from chainsaws and pressure washers, to fence post augers and compressors. The truck is also staffed with small engine mechanics to support local communities with power.
    • VISIT FLORIDA Emergency Accommodation Modules on Expedia, Priceline and Booking.com will remain available to provide real-time hotel availability and lodging resources for impacted Floridians and visitors.
    • Visit website for CareerSource openings: careersourceflorida.com
    • Comcast has opened more than 52,000 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots in Florida. The free and public hotspots are open for all, including non-Xfinity customers. For more information, click here.
    • CVS Health created pop-up pharmacies in impacted areas.
    • The Florida Department of State, Division of Elections, has contacted the United States Postal Service (USPS) about election information and vote-by-mail ballots. The Division of Elections recommended that Supervisors of Elections t contact their local district USPS to discuss a mitigation plan for ballot mailing, delivery, and return.
    • The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) worked with Florida’s ports and fuel industry partners to ensure adequate fuel supplies are available, and with Florida’s agricultural partners so producers have adequate resources. The Florida Forest Service staged equipment, like high-water vehicles.
    • The Commissioner of Agriculture, Wilton Simpson, has approved an Emergency Order temporarily suspending the intrastate movement requirements for animal transportation. In addition, the following states have waived their interstate import requirements for Florida pets, horses, and livestock leaving the state: Alabama, Georgia (does not include livestock), Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
    • Commissioner Wilton Simpson has approved an emergency rule authorizing out-of-state licensed security guards to protect people and property in Florida and has approved an emergency rule to aid the distribution of liquefied petroleum gas to disaster response and recovery operations.
    • Fuel inspectors are responding to impacted areas to ensure retail fuel dispensers are working properly and testing the quality of fuel.
    • Floridians are encouraged to visit complaints.fdacs.gov or call 1-800-HELP-FLA to report water-contaminated fuel issues to the department.
    • Food safety inspectors are responding to impacted areas to conduct damage assessments and ensure the safe operation of over 12,000 potentially impacted food establishments.
    • Agricultural partners can request critical assistance for  livestock and animals in critical need, please complete this form then send it to DAIOPSAssessment@FDACS.gov, or call 863-993-5460.
    • UF/IFAS is studying the agricultural losses and damages resulting from Hurricane Helene. Producers can share information about impacts experienced at your farm, ranch, or aquaculture operation here.
    • Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) launched the Agriculture and Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program for Florida farmers, ranchers, and growers impacted by Hurricane Helene to apply for low-interest and interest-free loans. Loans can be used by eligible agriculture and aquaculture producers to restore, repair, or replace essential physical property – including fences, equipment, greenhouses, and other buildings – or to remove vegetative debris.
    • FDACS is securing and providing critical resources to our agricultural producers, such as generators, fencing, feed/water, and veterinary supplies.
    • The Department of Revenue (FDOR) has issued Emergency Order 24-001: Taxing Authority Millage and Budget Hearings to assist local taxing authorities with altering their plans for annual budget hearings because of Helene. Department of Revenue bulletin PTO 20-07 provides further instructions for local taxing authorities during declared emergencies.
    • The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is posting updates publicly and in real-time at FDC.myflorida.com/weather-updates.
    • The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) have finalized storm preparations to ensure the safety and security of staff and youth in our care. This includes fueling all vehicles, moving vehicles in low-lying and flood-prone areas to higher ground, testing and ensuring adequate fuel supplies for generators in the event of loss of power, and ensuring food, medicine, and emergency supplies are stocked and ready.

      For previous updates see below:
      9/24/2024
      9/25/2024
      9/26/2024

      Follow FDEM on X, Instagram, and Facebook for updates and visit FloridaDisaster.org/Updates for information relating to Hurricane Helene.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Two more service stations open in Shanghai airports

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

    Maria Costa Sanchez from Spain is served by staff members of the one-stop service station opened at Terminal 1 of Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on Friday. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn

    Two more one-stop service stations opened on Friday to serve international travelers at Shanghai’s two airports, marking the availability of arrival service at both the city’s two aviation hubs.

    The two service stations coming into operation are situated at Terminal 1 of the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Terminal 1 of the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, respectively. They will work together with the existing one at Terminal 2 of the Pudong International Airport, which was in trial operation since June 29, to provide inbound travelers with comprehensive, considerate, and efficient services upon their arrival in the city.

    Tailored for the specific requirements of inbound travelers, the three one-stop service stations are tasked to effectively improve the convenience and satisfaction of expatriates traveling working and living in Shanghai.

    A view of the one-stop service station opened at Terminal 1 of Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on Friday. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

    Under a screen displaying “International Services Shanghai”, staff members work at four counters set up at each of the three stations, ready to offer services including communication, payment, tourism and transportation.

    Crucial services including purchasing local SIM cards, cash exchange and withdrawal, portable Wi-Fi equipment, mobile payment consultation and transportation pass sale are available at the stations sitting directly outside the terminals’ international arrival exit points.

    A view of the one-stop service station opened at Terminal 1 of Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai on Friday. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

    Jorge Cinco from Mexico, who just arrived at Terminal 1 of the Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport, said the services he needed most were payment consultation as well as telecommunications.

    “They are very friendly and helpful,” he said of the staff members who helped him purchase a local SIM card at the counter.

    Maria Costa Sanchez, who travelled from Spain to Shanghai to visit her daughter and three granddaughters, showed the same appreciation toward the service stations. Aided by a translation machine, she managed to exchange cash and acquire a local SIM card at Terminal 1 of the Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

    So far, the one-stop service station at Terminal 2 of the Pudong International Airport has offered inquiries and services to more than 44,000 passenger trips, and received more than 3,600 pieces of positive feedback from international travelers from countries including Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and the Philippines.

    A view of the one-stop service station opened at Terminal 1 of Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai on Friday. International travellers are served by staff members of the one-stop service station opened at Terminal 1 of Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai on Friday. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The three one-stop service stations at Shanghai’s two airports would also respond to the upcoming seventh China International Import Expo by providing thoughtful services for exhibitors and participants of the event from all over the world.

    Shanghai’s airports received 8.07 million passenger trips in the first half, soaring 173 percent from the same period of last year.

    The stations are the result of collaboration between the Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai Municipal Government, Shanghai Head Office of the People’s Bank of China, Shanghai Municipal Commission of Transport, Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, Shanghai Communications Administration, Shanghai Airport (Group) Co Ltd and Shanghai Foreign Service (Group) Co Ltd affiliated to Donghao Lansheng (Group) Co Ltd.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: FS concludes visit to UK (with photos/video)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹The Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, continued his visit to London, the United Kingdom (UK), yesterday (September 27, London time). In the morning, he attended a roundtable meeting organised by The CityUK, an industry-led body representing UK-based financial services. He engaged in in-depth discussions with over 20 leaders from the UK’s financial community. At the meeting, Mr Chan briefed participants on the economic situation in Hong Kong, and highlighted that the city’s financial markets are undergoing continuous reforms and innovations, with good progress achieved in the stock market, asset and wealth management, offshore renminbi business, green finance, fintech, etc. He said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government is actively working to reinforce and enhance Hong Kong’s status as an international financial centre, and he looks forward to strengthening co-operation with the UK financial sector to promote mutual development.

         Mr Chan then attended a luncheon hosted by the Hong Kong Association of the UK, where he delivered a speech to about 150 guests from the UK political and business communities. He said that with the solid support of the Central Authorities, Hong Kong’s economy is steadily advancing, and the city is fully committed to promoting the development of the “Eight Centres”. He emphasised that financial services and innovation and technology are the city’s key future dual economic engines. Citing green finance as an example, Mr Chan highlighted that Hong Kong is developing itself into an international green tech and green finance centre; where the city fully supports the development of technologies in addition to green and sustainable financing. Hong Kong is also actively aligning with international green standards, including developing green classification frameworks, and pressing ahead with sustainability disclosure requirements in financial reporting. Mr Chan also introduced the four main areas of innovation and technology development in Hong Kong and explained how the Hong Kong Investment Corporation Limited, as “patient capital,” can leverage capital to guide more long-term private market investments into strategic industries, accelerating the development of its ecosystem.

         Mr Chan will leave London today (September 28, London time) and arrive in Hong Kong in the afternoon of September 29.            

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: PHOTOS: Capito Participates in Naturalization Ceremony for New U.S. Citizens

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito
    CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) today delivered remarks during a naturalization ceremony in Charleston, W.Va. Senator Capito joined Frank Volk, Chief Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, and other officials where she spoke to 55 new United States citizens and their families in attendance, and helped hand out their certificates of citizenship. The new citizens represented 34 different countries.
    “From India to Brazil to the United Kingdom and elsewhere, you have come from nearly every corner of the world, united in the shared belief that in the United States your future can be anything you want it to be,” Senator Capito said to the group. “I want to thank you and your families for all the sacrifices, courage, patience, persistence, and commitment to this process. It’s both a testament to the promise of our great nation, and also to your character, in committing to America and its laws. You earned it, and I am honored to help officially welcome you, my fellow citizens, to the United States.”
    Photos from the event are included below:
    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) participates in a naturalization ceremony in Charleston, W.Va. on Friday, September 27, 2024.
    U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) joins Chief Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia Frank Volk and members of the American Legion at a naturalization ceremony in Charleston, W.Va. on Friday, September 27, 2024.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China expects rational perception from Washington about bilateral ties

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York, Sept. 27, 2024. (Xinhua/Li Rui)

    Instead of having it both ways by seeking containment on one hand and requesting cooperation on the other, the United States should derive its China policy from a rational perception about China, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York on Friday.

    “The United States should not always approach China with two faces: On the one hand encircling and suppressing China brazenly, and on the other hand, having dialogue and cooperation with China as if nothing is wrong,” said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

    “Since the United States has expressed multiple times that it has no intention to have conflict with China, then fundamentally, it needs to establish a rational perception of China, and find the right way to get along with it,” said the veteran Chinese diplomat.

    “The United States needs to carry out dialogue with respect, advance cooperation in the spirit of reciprocity, and address differences with great prudence, rather than act willfully as it sees fit from a position of strength or use previous mistakes as excuses to make more mistakes,” Wang said on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

    On the Taiwan question, Wang said that “if the United States truly hopes to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, it should abide by the one-China principle, implement the three China-U.S. Joint Communiqués, stop arming Taiwan, publicly oppose ‘Taiwan independence,’ and support the peaceful reunification of China.”

    Wang went on to say that China “is firmly opposed to U.S. suppression in trade and technology,” and that China “will never accept finger-pointing by human rights preachers, still less interference in China’s internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.”

    Highlighting the importance of people-to-people exchanges between China and the United States, Wang urged the U.S. side to “remove obstacles with real actions.”

    Wang articulated China’s firm position on the South China Sea issue. He said that China remains committed to resolving differences through dialogue and consultation with countries directly concerned.

    The United States should not stir up trouble in the South China Sea, or undermine regional countries’ efforts to safeguard peace and stability there, Wang added.

    On the Ukraine issue, Wang said China’s position is aboveboard. China has been committed to promoting talks for peace and has been making its efforts toward peaceful settlement.

    The United States should stop smearing, scapegoating and arbitrarily imposing sanctions on China, and stop using this issue to create antagonism and incite camp-based confrontation, Wang said.

    The two sides agreed that the meeting was candid and substantive, and that China and the United States need to find a way to live alongside one another in peace in the indefinite future.

    The two sides will continue to implement the important common understandings of the two presidents in San Francisco in last November, engage in dialogue and cooperation, and properly manage differences to work toward stable, healthy and sustainable development of bilateral relations.

    The two sides agreed to maintain communication on international and regional hotspot issues, and hold a new round of consultations on Asia-Pacific affairs in due course. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: ‘Meet China’ cultural festival held in Switzerland

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The cultural event themed “Meet China: Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China” was held Friday afternoon at Waisenhaus Square in Bern, the capital of Switzerland.

    Showcasing traditional Chinese culture through art performances and cultural exhibits, the “Meet China” festival is an annual celebration that began in 2015 aimed at promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding. .

    Mao Jun, the charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Switzerland, highlighted the importance of “Meet China” festival in fostering China-Switzerland cultural exchanges, saying the event helps nurture the innovative partnership between the two nations, ensuring its continued healthy growth.

    Mao noted that by organizing a diverse array of cultural activities, the festival provides Swiss people with more opportunities to learn about Chinese traditions and development achievements, ultimately enhancing mutual appreciation and respect between the two peoples.

    The festival featured a variety of cultural performances, including Chinese dancing lions and dragons, Sichuan Opera face-changing, Chinese calligraphy, traditional musical instruments, martial arts, tea ceremonies, and Chinese cuisine. The event also included a Swiss Alphorn performance.

    The festival drew hundreds of attendees, including local residents, tourists, students, and members of the Chinese community in Switzerland.

    Tamara Dubach, an eighth-grade student who attended the event with her Chinese friends, told Xinhua that these activities “look very cool” and are very novel to her. “I’ll definitely come back for the next ‘Meet China’ festival,” she added.

    Yu Mei, one of the event organizers, said the festival not only relieved the homesickness of the Chinese living in Switzerland, but also spread Chinese culture throughout the country. “This event helps more people understand China better,” Yu added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: New tech at digital trade expo signals China’s foreign trade momentum

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

    HANGZHOU, Sept. 28 — The third Global Digital Trade Expo, currently unfolding in Hangzhou, capital of east China’s Zhejiang Province, is offering a glimpse into avant-garde technologies that are unlocking the country’s burgeoning potential in foreign trade.

    Over the span of five days, the exhibition is featuring 446 new products and technologies, ranging from robots performing remarkable tasks like opening bottles and sorting waste to AI-driven digital humans engaging in debate competitions.

    “I was impressed most by medical AI displayed at the exhibition, such as robotic surgical arms and screening clinics,” said Kgaladi Melia Thema, a consultant for innovation and technology of Small Enterprise Development Agency, South Africa.

    “Nurses can use chronic disease management screening products for patients, which can be applied both at home and in clinics. This reduces costs and enables remote patient monitoring, offering great potential,” she added.

    Digital technologies such as big data, cloud computing and blockchain are taking center stage at the expo, underscoring how China is harnessing these innovations to propel its foreign trade.

    At the booth of iFLYTEK Co., Ltd., a front-runner in China’s AI and speech technology industry, several African visitors were immersed in real-time conversations with staff through a state-of-the-art multilingual AI-powered translation screen. Despite the bustling environment, the screen, equipped with advanced voice recognition technologies, accurately captured and responded to human voices.

    “Overseas business is poised to become a significant growth engine for us in the coming years. Our aspiration is for it to constitute one-third of our business segments in the future,” said Liu Qingfeng, chairman of iFLYTEK.

    Chinese cultural exports are also stealing the show at the exhibition. In the digital entertainment zone, innovative exhibits such as an AI-powered representation of Su Dongpo, a celebrated poet from the Song Dynasty (960-1279), a virtual museum of traditional Chinese music, as well as a 3D display of the four bronze animal heads from the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), are offering visitors a fascinating glimpse into the richness of Chinese culture.

    “The fusion of digital technology with the splendor of traditional Chinese culture has not only expanded our export opportunities, but also invigorated the growth of China’s culture industry,” said Wu Shuang, a staff member of Zhejiang Kayou Animation Co., Ltd., a domestic card game creator.

    Visitors are also being treated to futuristic transportation solutions, including autonomous boat taxis and the electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (eVTOL) vehicles, all being showcased for the first time at this year’s expo.

    “China is rightly regarded as a global leader in digital technologies and innovations,” said Zhaslan Madiyev, minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, adding that China’s advancement in digital trade is not only creating new avenues for cooperation, but also enhancing global trade infrastructure, fostering sustainable development worldwide.

    “Chinese technologies and innovations are enhancing supply chains, making them faster and more efficient, while also improving access to goods and services,” Madiyev noted.

    According to the Global Digital Trade Development Report 2024 released during the event, global digital trade soared to around 7.13 trillion U.S. dollars (about 1.02 trillion yuan) in 2023, up from 6.02 trillion U.S. dollars in 2021, marking an average annual growth rate of 8.8 percent.

    The report also highlighted that the import and export scale of China’s cross-border e-commerce reached 2.37 trillion yuan last year, up 15.3 percent year on year.

    Mercado Libre, a leading Latin American e-commerce platform, witnessed a 70-percent increase in online Chinese sellers and a 75-percent surge in their sales on its platform in 2023.

    The company has opened its cross-border e-commerce services to Chinese sellers in Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Colombia, according to its representative at the expo, who also emphasized the escalating significance of the Chinese market.

    As China’s sole national-level event focusing on the theme of digital trade, the expo has drawn over 1,500 enterprises, including more than 300 international companies, and over 30,000 purchasers this year.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Medium-term budgetary structural plan 2025-2029

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –

    Source: Government of Italy

    September 28, 2024

    The Presidency of the Council of Ministers has transmitted to the Chambers the Medium-Term Structural Budget Plan 2025-2029, as provided for in Chapter IV of Regulation (EU) 2024-1263 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2024.

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: The Great British Festival is back in Manila

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    The British Embassy Manila, the British Chamber of Commerce and British Council Philippines announces the return of the Great British Festival on 19-20 October.

    The British Embassy Manila and British Chamber of Commerce, together with British Council Philippines, are excited to announce the return of the Great British Festival – a weekend celebration of British culture, creativity, innovation, and friendship – taking place on 19-20 October. This year’s festival coincides with the UK-Philippines Friendship Day, making it a special event that highlights the 88 strong years of enduring partnership between the UK and the Philippines. 

    The Great British Festival will be held at Bonifacio Global City’s Amphitheatre and C1 Park, transforming it into a literary themed hub of activities, performances, and showcases that capture the essence of British culture. The festival is open to the public and promises a weekend of fun and excitement for people of all ages.  

    Highlights of the Great British Festival:  

    • Cultural performances 

    • Food and Drink 

    • Education pavilion 

    • Innovation and Technology 

    • Sport and Games 

    • Business and trade 

    British Ambassador to the Philippines, Laure Beaufils, expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming festival, saying: 

    The Great British Festival is our way of celebrating the rich cultural ties between the UK and the Philippines. This year, we’re delighted to hold it on the same week-end as UK-Philippines Friendship Day.  We invite everyone to join us in experiencing the best of British culture at the festival – whether that be music, dance, food, education or more!  Together, we will continue to strengthen the bonds of friendship and partnership between our two countries.

    Executive Director and Trustee of the British Chamber of Commerce, Chris Nelson, said: 

    We are glad to welcome everyone again to the upcoming Great British Festival. The British Chamber along with the British Embassy Manila and the British Council have worked together to promote the growing trade and cultural relations between the UK and the Philippines. We look forward to showcasing a promising business landscape to more British investors. 

    The Great British Festival will also foster business and educational connections with dedicated zones for trade and investment, featuring UK brands and businesses, and providing opportunities for collaboration between British and Filipino businesses. Additionally, education institutions will be present, providing valuable insights and guidance for those interested in studying in the UK.

    Event details 

    • Dates: 19-20 October 2024 

    • Venue: C1 Park and Amphitheatre 

    • Time: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM 

    • Admission: Free 

    The Great British Festival is organised by the British Embassy Manila, in partnership with the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines and the British Council. The Great British Festival is organised with the support of our partners at PruLife UK, Shell, Pandiman, BPI, Unilever, Corio Generation, HSBC, SSI Marks & Spencer, VFS Global, PGA Cars – Bentley, BSI, Inchcape, BDO, Standard Chartered, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Radical Motors, Union Jack Tavern, Yummy Organics Food Corporation, Tao Corporation, The Borough Pizza Pub, Gridiron Shawarma x Sausage, Ginebra San Miguel, Vogue Concepts – Charles Tyrwhitt, Nord Anglia International School Manila and Drake International, McDonald’s, Philippine Airlines and Estate Wines.

    For more information and updates on the programme and participating companies, follow the British Embassy Manila on X (@ukinphilippines), Facebook and Instagram (@ukinthephiliipines). 

    Contact:

    Cara San Pedro, British Embassy Manila – Cara.SanPedro@fcdo.gov.uk 

    Keenah Ticzon, British Chamber of Commerce Philippines – Kticzon@britcham.org.ph

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Man convicted of murder after detectives retrieve CCTV that disproves his claim of self-defence

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A man who claimed self-defence following a fatal stabbing has been convicted of murder after detectives uncovered CCTV which disproved his claim.

    Sabin Manda, 32 (27.08.92) of Popes Lane, Ealing, was found guilty of murdering 27-year-old Bajram Luli on Thursday, 26 September at Inner London Crown Court.

    The pair had been involved in a dispute over drugs in Sudbury Heights Avenue, Greenford, on 11 March 2024.

    Manda claimed he attacked Bajram in self-defence after fearing for his own life. However following the incident he went ‘off the grid’ claiming he was worried about possible retaliation.

    In the meantime, detectives had secured CCTV footage which captured the attack and showed it was unprovoked. After using various forensic techniques, Manda was located and arrested.

    Detective Inspector Adam Guttridge, Specialist Crime South, said: “The investigation team worked long and hard to locate footage of this incident that helped disprove Sabin Mandas’s claims of self-defence.

    “This was an unprovoked attack and Manda will now face many years in prison to consider the consequences of his actions.

    “I can only hope his conviction brings some comfort to Bajram’s family.”

    Manda was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at the same court on Thursday, 11 October.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Nokia selected by Vodafone Idea as major 4G and 5G partner in India

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Press Release

    Nokia selected by Vodafone Idea as major 4G and 5G partner in India  

    • Nokia and Vodafone Idea to deploy 5G network across major Indian cities; Deal includes modernizing and expanding the 4G network.
    • Nokia to supply equipment from its energy-efficient AirScale portfolio including its MantaRay SON solution for network optimization and automation.
    • Deal will bring premium connectivity to Vodafone Idea’s subscribers.

    28 September 2024
    Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced that it has been awarded a three-year deal by Vodafone Idea Limited (VIL) to deploy 4G and 5G equipment. The agreement includes the modernization and expansion of VIL’s 4G network of which Nokia is already a major supplier. The deployment will deliver premium connectivity to 200 million VIL customers. Nokia will increase its market share and replace the incumbent vendor in Chennai and Andhra Pradesh, making it the largest supplier covering circles that generate more that 50% of VIL’s revenue. Deployment will begin immediately.

    The deal will see Nokia deploy equipment from its comprehensive, industry-leading 5G AirScale portfolio, powered by its energy-efficient ReefShark System-on-Chip technology. This includes base stations, baseband units, and its latest generation of Habrok Massive MIMO radios. These are designed for easy deployment and will deliver premium 5G capacity and coverage. Nokia will also modernize VIL’s existing 4G network with multiband radios and baseband equipment, which can also support 5G.

    VIL will also benefit from Nokia’s industry-leading network optimization and automation platform, MantaRay SON. This uses self-configuring modules to boost network performance and efficiency and can be tailored and deployed to optimize specific software applications to address unique operational challenges. Nokia will also provide planning, deployment, integration, and network optimization services.

    Nokia is a long-term partner of VIL and has supported them with the deployment of its 2G, 3G, 4G, and now 5G networks.

    Akshaya Moondra, CEO of Vodafone Idea Limited, said: “We are committed to providing a best-in-class 4G and 5G experience to our customers and this new deal with Nokia, who has been our partner since the beginning, will help us to deliver that. 5G will bring seamless high-speed connectivity and increased capacity supporting citizens and enterprises alike. This will also enable unprecedented levels of innovation and efficiency across various sectors, empowering organizations to thrive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.”

    Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, said: “Nokia is proud to be Vodafone Idea’s partner in the next stage of its network evolution. This is a continuation of our long-term partnership that has lasted for over three decades and highlights their trust in our technology portfolio. They will benefit from the very latest products and innovations from our industry-leading, energy-efficient AirScale portfolio that will bring premium quality capacity and connectivity to their customers. We look forward to working with Vodafone Idea on this exciting deployment.”

    Resources and additional information
    Webpage: Nokia AirScale
    Webpage: Nokia Sustainability
    Webpage: MantaRay SON

    About Nokia
    At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together.

    As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs.

    With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future.

    Media inquiries
    Nokia Press Office
    Email: Press.Services@nokia.com

    Follow us on social media
    LinkedIn X Instagram Facebook YouTube

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Former Candidate for 13th Congressional District of Florida Charged for Election-Related Threat to Former Primary Candidate and Private Citizen

    Source: US State of California

    An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging a Florida man with threatening to kill his primary opponent in the 2021 election for the 13th Congressional District of Florida and a private citizen and acquaintance of his opponent.

    According to the indictment, William Robert Braddock III, 41, of St. Petersburg, and Victim 1 were candidates in the primary election to represent the 13th Congressional District of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives. Victim 2 was a private citizen and acquaintance of Victim 1. On June 8, 2021, Braddock made several threats to injure and kill Victim 1 and Victim 2 during a telephone call with Victim 2. Specifically, Braddock threatened, in part, to “call up my Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” and make Victim 1 disappear. After making the threats, Braddock left the United States and was later found to be residing in the Philippines. Braddock was recently deported from the Philippines to the United States and made his first court appearance yesterday in Los Angeles.

    Braddock is charged with one count of interstate transmission of a true threat to injure another person. If convicted, Braddock faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    The FBI Tampa Field Office is investigating the case with support from the St. Petersburg Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI’s Office of the Legal Attaché in Manila, and U.S. Marshals Service provided substantial assistance. The investigation also benefited from foreign law enforcement cooperation provided by the Philippine Department of Justice and Philippine Bureau of Immigration.

    Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlton Gammons for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.

    Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by PIN and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.

    To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Candidate for 13th Congressional District of Florida Charged for Election-Related Threat to Former Primary Candidate and Private Citizen

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    An indictment was unsealed yesterday charging a Florida man with threatening to kill his primary opponent in the 2021 election for the 13th Congressional District of Florida and a private citizen and acquaintance of his opponent.

    According to the indictment, William Robert Braddock III, 41, of St. Petersburg, and Victim 1 were candidates in the primary election to represent the 13th Congressional District of Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives. Victim 2 was a private citizen and acquaintance of Victim 1. On June 8, 2021, Braddock made several threats to injure and kill Victim 1 and Victim 2 during a telephone call with Victim 2. Specifically, Braddock threatened, in part, to “call up my Russian-Ukrainian hit squad” and make Victim 1 disappear. After making the threats, Braddock left the United States and was later found to be residing in the Philippines. Braddock was recently deported from the Philippines to the United States and made his first court appearance yesterday in Los Angeles.

    Braddock is charged with one count of interstate transmission of a true threat to injure another person. If convicted, Braddock faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

    Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.

    The FBI Tampa Field Office is investigating the case with support from the St. Petersburg Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI’s Office of the Legal Attaché in Manila, and U.S. Marshals Service provided substantial assistance. The investigation also benefited from foreign law enforcement cooperation provided by the Philippine Department of Justice and Philippine Bureau of Immigration.

    Trial Attorney Alexandre Dempsey of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section (PIN) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlton Gammons for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.

    This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers — whether elected, appointed, or volunteer — are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Three years after its formation, the task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.

    Under the leadership of Deputy Attorney General Monaco, the task force is led by PIN and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.

    To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.

    An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Francis in Luxembourg and Belgium (26 to 29 September 2024) – Courtesy Visit to the King of the Belgians and Meeting with the Authorities and Civil Society in the Castle of Laeken

    Source: The Holy See

    Apostolic Journey of His Holiness Francis in Luxembourg and Belgium (26 to 29 September 2024) – Courtesy Visit to the King of the Belgians and Meeting with the Authorities and Civil Society in the Castle of Laeken, 27.09.2024
    Courtesy Visit to the King of the Belgians
    This morning, after celebrating Holy Mass privately, the Holy Father Francis transferred by car to the Castle of Laeken for the courtesy visit to the King of the Belgians, His Majesty Philippe Leopold Lodewijk Maria and Queen Mathilde d’Udekem d’Acoz.
    Upon arrival, at 9.30, a Guard of Honour on horseback accompanied him to the main entrance of the Castle, where he was welcomed by the Belgian Royals.
    After the official photographs and the signing of the Book of Honour, the private meeting took place, followed by the exchange of gifts.
    At the end of the visit, the Pope, the King and the Queen transferred to the Grande Galerie of the Castle of Laeken for the meeting with the authorities and civil society.

    Meeting with the Authorities and Civil Society
    At 10.15, in the Grande Galerie of the Castle of Laeken, the Holy Father Francis met with political and religious authorities, businesspeople and representatives of civil society and culture.
    After the speeches of the King of Belgium and the Prime Minister, the Holy Father delivered his address.
    At the end of the meeting, after taking leave of the Royals and before returning to the Apostolic Nunciature, Pope Francis visited the Home Saint-Joseph in Brussels, a residence for elderly people in financial difficulty, where the Little Sisters of Charity are working.
    The following is the address delivered by the Holy Father during his meeting with the authorities and civil Society:

    Address of the Holy Father
    Your Majesty,Mr Prime Minister,Brother Bishops,Distinguished Authorities,Ladies and Gentlemen!
    I thank Your Majesty for your cordial welcome and kind words of greeting. I am very pleased to be visiting Belgium. When I think of this country, what comes to mind is something small yet great; a country in the west that at the same time is also at the centre, as if Belgium were the beating heart of an enormous organism.
    Indeed, it would be a mistake to judge the quality of a country by its geographical size. Belgium may not be a large state, yet its particular history has been impactful. Immediately after the Second World War, the exhausted and downhearted peoples of Europe, in beginning a profound process of peace, cooperation and integration, looked to your country as a natural location to establish key European institutions. This was because Belgium was on the fault line between the Germanic and Latin worlds, sandwiched between France and Germany, two countries that had most embodied the opposing nationalistic ideals underlying the conflict.
    We could describe Belgium as a bridge between the continent and the British Isles, between the Germanic and French-speaking regions, between southern and northern Europe. A bridge enabling concord to spread and disputes to abate. A bridge where all people, with their own languages, ways of thinking and beliefs can meet others and choose conversation, dialogue and sharing as the means of mutual interaction. A bridge where all can learn to make their own identity not an idol or barrier, but a welcoming place, from which to begin and then return; a place for promoting valuable personal exchanges, seeking together new social stability and building new agreements. Belgium is a bridge that promotes trade, connects and brings cultures into dialogue. An indispensable bridge, then, for rejecting war and building peace.
    It is thus easy to see how great little Belgium really is! How Europe needs Belgium to remind it that its history comprises peoples and cultures, cathedrals and universities, achievements of human ingenuity, but also many wars and the will to dominate that sometimes led to colonialism and exploitation.
    Europe needs Belgium in order to continue along the path of peace and of fraternity among its peoples. Indeed, Belgium is a reminder to all others that when nations disregard borders or breach treaties by employing the most varied and untenable excuses, and when they use weapons to replace actual law with the principle of “might is right”, then they open Pandora’s box, unleashing violent storms that batter the house, threatening to destroy it. At this moment in history, I think Belgium plays a very important role. It seems we are close to a world war.
    Moreover, peace and harmony are never won once and for all. On the contrary, they are a duty and a mission – concord and peace is a task and a mission – one that needs to be undertaken unceasingly, with great care and patience. For when human beings forget the memory of the past and its valuable lessons, they run the dangerous risk of once again falling backwards, even after having moved on, forgetting the suffering and appalling costs paid by previous generations. Human beings forget the past, but it is curious as there are other forces, both in society and in individuals, that make us fall repeatedly into the same mistakes.
    In this regard, Belgium is more essential than ever for keeping alive the memory of the European continent. Indeed, it provides an irrefutable argument for developing a timely and continuous cultural, social and political movement that, at the same time, is both courageous and prudent. A movement that excludes from the future the idea and practice of war as a viable option with all its catastrophic consequences.
    Furthermore, history is the often unheeded magistra vitae and Belgium’s history calls Europe to return to its path, rediscover its true identity, and invest once again in the future by opening itself to life and hope by overcoming the demographic winter and the torments of war! These are the two calamities we face right now. We are seeing the nightmare of war, which can still turn into a world war. And the demographic winter; that is why we have to be pragmatic and have more children!
    In bearing witness to its faith in the Risen Christ, the Catholic Church wishes to be a presence offering individuals, families, societies and nations a hope both ancient and ever new. A presence helping everyone to face challenges and difficulties, not with frivolous enthusiasm or bleak pessimism, but with the certainty that humanity, loved by God, is not destined to collapse into nothingness, but is eternally called to goodness and peace.
    Fixing her gaze on Jesus, the Church always recognizes herself as the disciple who follows her Master with fear and trembling. While she knows that she is holy, for she has been founded by the Lord, she experiences at the same time the fragility and shortcomings of her members; saints and sinners who are never fully up to the task entrusted to them since it is always beyond their capacity.
    The Church proclaims the good news that can fill our hearts with joy. Through works of charity and countless examples of love for our neighbour, the Church seeks to offer concrete and trusted signs of the love that motivates her. Yet, she always lives in a specific culture, within the thinking of a given age that she sometimes helps to shape and to which at other times she is subjected; and her members do not always understand and live the message of the Gospel in all its purity and fullness. The Church is holy but has sinful members.
    In this perennial coexistence of sanctity and sin, light and shadow, the Church carries out her mission, often with examples of great generosity and heartfelt dedication, but sadly, at times, with the emergence of painful counter-testimonies. I refer to the tragic instances of child abuse – also referenced by the King and the Prime Minister – which is a scourge that the Church is addressing firmly and decisively by listening to and accompanying those who have been wounded, and by implementing a prevention programme throughout the world.
    Brothers and sisters, it is shameful! It is a shame that we have to address this situation, ask for pardon and solve the problem: the shame of child abuse. We think of the time of the Holy Innocents and say, “Oh what a tragedy, what did King Herod do!” but today there is this crime in the Church. The Church must be ashamed, ask for pardon and try to solve this situation with Christian humility and by putting in all the measures necessary to ensure that it does not happen again. Someone might say to me, “Your Holiness, according to the statistics, the vast majority of abuse are in the family, in the neighbourhood, in the world of sport or in school. Yet, even one case is enough for us to be ashamed! In the Church we must ask pardon for this; others can ask forgiveness for their part. This is our shame and humiliation.
    In this regard, I was saddened to learn about the practice of “forced adoptions” that also took place here in Belgium between the 1950s and the 1970s. In those poignant stories, we see how the bitter fruit of wrongdoing and criminality was mixed in with what was unfortunately the prevailing view in all parts of society at that time. This was so much the case that many believed in conscience that they were doing something good for both the child and the mother.
    Frequently, the family and other actors in society, including within the Church, thought that in order to avoid the stigma that unfortunately fell upon unmarried mothers in those times, it would be preferable for the good of both the child and the mother that the child be given up for adoption. There were even cases in which some women were not given the possibility of choosing between keeping their children or giving them up for adoption. This is actually happening today in some cultures and countries.
    As the successor of the Apostle Peter, I pray to the Lord that the Church will always find within herself the strength to bring clarity and never conform to the predominant culture, even when that culture uses, in a manipulative way, values derived from the Gospel, drawing from it inauthentic conclusions that cause suffering and exclusion.
    I pray that the leaders of the nations, by looking at Belgium and its history, will be able to learn from it. In this way, they can spare their peoples endless misfortunes and sorrow. I likewise pray that those in government will know how to take up the responsibility, the risk and the honour of peace, knowing how to avoid the danger, disgrace and absurdity of war. I pray too that they will fear the judgment of conscience, of history and of God, so that their hearts and minds will be converted so as always to put the common good first. At this time when the economy has developed so much, I would like to point out that in some countries the most profitable investments are in arms manufacturing.
    Your Majesty, Ladies and Gentlemen, the motto of my visit to your country is “En route, avec Espérance”. The fact that Espérance is written with a capital letter leads me to reflect that hope is not merely something to be carried in our luggage on a journey. Instead, hope is a gift from God, perhaps the most humble virtue – the writer said – and the one that never fails, never disappoints. Hope is a gift from God to be carried in our hearts. I would like to leave you, then, with the following wish for you and for all those living in Belgium: may you always ask this gift of hope from the Holy Spirit, and welcome it in order to walk together with hope along the path of life and history. Thank you!

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: ASIA/HOLY LAND – The relic of the blood of St. Francis brought to the Holy Land, in a pilgrimage to invoke peace

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –

    Source: The Holy See in Italian

    Rome (Agenzia Fides) – “After 800 years we bring St. Francis back to the Holy Land to try to be, like him, capable of crossing borders in a wounded place, just as eight centuries ago the Poverello went on a pilgrimage to the holy places in an equally difficult time, because marked by the crusades, with the desire to build bridges and not walls”. Thus, Brother Matteo Brena, Commissioner of the Holy Land of the Friars Minor of Tuscany and coordinator of the Committee for the eight hundredth anniversary of the stigmata of Saint Francis, announces that from September 30 to October 5, together with 10 other people, including friars and lay people, he will bring the relic of the blood of Saint Francis of Assisi to the Holy Land, while war rages and while the people in these troubled territories are suffering, fear, mourning, precarious. “We leave – continues Brother Matteo – with a great desire in our hearts: to be that ‘small remnant’ that can be the bearer, in this new dramatic moment for the Middle East, of a sign of consolation and a word of hope. ‘From the wounds, new life’ was the motto of the eighth centenary of the stigmata of Saint Francis; and we, bringing to Jerusalem and Bethlehem the relic of his blood, which flowed from the signs of the passion on his body, try to tell those brothers and sisters that it is possible to inhabit the wounds with hope and with a desire for the future”. The delegation, composed of four friars and six lay people, including representatives of the Franciscan Youth and the Secular Franciscan Order, will travel between Jerusalem and Bethlehem to bring the relic to the Christian communities of the area, meeting the local people and also visiting some places that are symbols of the commitment that Christians carry out to bring peace to the land where Jesus lived. October 2 will be one of the central moments of the trip: in fact, the twinning between the Basilica of Gethsemane, a place that preserves the memory of the dramatic hours of Christ’s passion, and the Sanctuary of La Verna will be established. The twinning will also establish the bond between the two hermitages. The ceremony will be attended by Fra’ Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land, and Fra’ Livio Crisci, Provincial Minister of the Friars Minor of Tuscany. “This year – adds Fra’ Brena – the Basilica of Gethsemane celebrates a century since it was built, in 1924, together with the Basilica of the Transfiguration, by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi, who died in 1960 in Rome in the convent of the Delegation of the Holy Land. We will therefore also include ourselves in the initiatives of this centenary.” “United in prayer, we accompany these brothers of ours on the pilgrimage between Jerusalem and Bethlehem,” affirm the Franciscan fraternities from all over Italy. Eight hundred years ago, in September 1224, Francis of Assisi received the Sacred Stigmata on Mount Verna, in the Arezzo area. On that occasion the friar was conformed to Christ Crucified and a part of his habit, soaked in the blood of the side, became an important relic, as a perpetual testimony of that event, guarded by the Friars Minor. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/9/2024) Share:

    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: Shipping Companies Sentenced to $2M Criminal Penalty for Concealing Oil Discharge

    Source: US State of California

    Two corporations that operated the motor tanker P/S Dream — Prive Overseas Marine LLC and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret — were sentenced yesterday in federal court in New Orleans to pay a $2 million criminal penalty and complete four years of probation. The companies pleaded guilty in May to charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). The court sentenced the P/S Dream’s Captain, Abdurrahman Korkmaz, on Sept. 10 to eight months in prison for an APPS offense and obstructing the U.S. Coast Guard’s investigation.

    The charges pertain to the investigation of the P/S Dream vessel when it was heading to New Orleans in January 2023. Senior corporate managers were aware that Korkmaz had arranged to discharge oil-contaminated waste from a residual tank on deck into the ocean. The captain ordered the crew to pump the waste overboard and clean the tank with soap. The seamen rigged a portable pump to empty the contents overboard over three days. The defendants falsified the vessel’s oil record book by omitting the discharge.

    One of the crew members alerted the Coast Guard and shared videos of the discharge and resulting oil sheen. When the ship arrived in Louisiana, another crew member came forward and gave the Coast Guard a recording of an officer discussing the discharge.

    The falsified logs, presented to the Coast Guard during its inspection, were intended to conceal the fact that the crew had dumped oil-contaminated waste overboard in violation of MARPOL Annex I, an international treaty regulating oil pollution from ships. Corporate representatives at Prive Shipping were aware that the oil-contaminated waste remained in the tank and were informed by the ship’s master that it had been dumped overboard.

    The $2 million criminal penalty includes $500,000 in organizational community service payments that will fund various maritime environmental projects in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Those projects will be managed by the congressionally established National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.

    Captain Korkmaz is a Turkish national. Prive Overseas Marine is based in Dubai and Prive Shipping is headquartered in Turkey. As a condition of probation, the corporations must also adhere to an environmental compliance plan mandating audit, safety and inspection requirements over the next four years.

    Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.

    The Coast Guard Investigative Service and EPA Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case with assistance from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans.

    Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Dall Kammer and Christine M. Calogero for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Shipping Companies Sentenced to $2M Criminal Penalty for Concealing Oil Discharge

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Two corporations that operated the motor tanker P/S Dream — Prive Overseas Marine LLC and Prive Shipping Denizcilik Ticaret — were sentenced yesterday in federal court in New Orleans to pay a $2 million criminal penalty and complete four years of probation. The companies pleaded guilty in May to charges of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). The court sentenced the P/S Dream’s Captain, Abdurrahman Korkmaz, on Sept. 10 to eight months in prison for an APPS offense and obstructing the U.S. Coast Guard’s investigation.

    The charges pertain to the investigation of the P/S Dream vessel when it was heading to New Orleans in January 2023. Senior corporate managers were aware that Korkmaz had arranged to discharge oil-contaminated waste from a residual tank on deck into the ocean. The captain ordered the crew to pump the waste overboard and clean the tank with soap. The seamen rigged a portable pump to empty the contents overboard over three days. The defendants falsified the vessel’s oil record book by omitting the discharge.

    One of the crew members alerted the Coast Guard and shared videos of the discharge and resulting oil sheen. When the ship arrived in Louisiana, another crew member came forward and gave the Coast Guard a recording of an officer discussing the discharge.

    The falsified logs, presented to the Coast Guard during its inspection, were intended to conceal the fact that the crew had dumped oil-contaminated waste overboard in violation of MARPOL Annex I, an international treaty regulating oil pollution from ships. Corporate representatives at Prive Shipping were aware that the oil-contaminated waste remained in the tank and were informed by the ship’s master that it had been dumped overboard.

    The $2 million criminal penalty includes $500,000 in organizational community service payments that will fund various maritime environmental projects in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Those projects will be managed by the congressionally established National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.

    Captain Korkmaz is a Turkish national. Prive Overseas Marine is based in Dubai and Prive Shipping is headquartered in Turkey. As a condition of probation, the corporations must also adhere to an environmental compliance plan mandating audit, safety and inspection requirements over the next four years.

    Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.

    The Coast Guard Investigative Service and EPA Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case with assistance from Coast Guard Sector New Orleans.

    Senior Litigation Counsel Richard A. Udell and Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors of the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys G. Dall Kammer and Christine M. Calogero for the Eastern District of Louisiana prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Delivers Remarks Announcing the Results of Operation North Star

    Source: United States Attorneys General 7

    Remarks as Delivered

    Good afternoon.

    We are here today to announce the results of the fourth phase of Operation North Star, a five-month initiative undertaken by the U.S. Marshals Service and law enforcement partners to target the most dangerous fugitives and violent offenders in 10 metropolitan areas across the country.

    Before we do, however, there are two matters I want to address:

    The first is a major law enforcement action the Justice Department has taken to counter some of the many threats Iran poses to our country.

    And the second is that we will soon mark one year since Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

    First, with regard to Iran. There are few actors in this world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran, a state sponsor of terrorism.

    Iran’s malign activities are wide-ranging.

    The U.S. government is intensely tracking Iran’s lethal plotting against current and former U.S. government officials, including former President Trump.

    We are working to investigate and disrupt Iran’s funding and support of Hamas, Hizballah, and other terrorist groups.

    And we are working relentlessly to uncover and counter Iran’s efforts to stoke discord, to undermine confidence in our democratic institutions, and to influence our elections.

    As the intelligence community has reported, we are seeing increasingly aggressive Iranian cyber activity during this election cycle.

    In August, the Intelligence Community reported an ongoing effort by Iran to compromise former President Trump’s campaign and to influence the U.S. election process.

    Last week, the Intelligence Community reported that in late June and early July, Iranian malicious cyber actors sent unsolicited emails to individuals, who were then associated with President Biden’s campaign. The emails contained an excerpt taken from stolen, non-public information from former President Trump’s campaign as text in the emails. The Intelligence Community reported that there is currently no information indicating the recipients of the emails replied.

    The Intelligence Community further reported that Iranian malicious cyber actors have continued their efforts since June to send stolen, non-public material associated with former President Trump’s campaign to U.S. media organizations.

    Moments ago, the Justice Department unsealed an indictment charging three hackers working for the Iranian government with material support for terrorism, computer fraud, wire fraud, and identity theft for their roles in these cyberattacks. The three hackers are Iranian nationals residing in Iran.

    As outlined in our indictment, the defendants, Masoud Jalili, Seyyed Ali Aghamiri, and Yaser Balaghi, conspired with others to deploy a years-long, wide-ranging hacking operation on behalf of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC. The operation targeted the email accounts of current and former American public officials, journalists, and most recently, individuals associated with U.S. political campaigns.

    The defendants’ own words make clear that they were attempting to undermine former President Trump’s campaign in advance of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

    We know that Iran is continuing its brazen efforts to stoke discord, erode confidence in the U.S. electoral process, and advance its malign activities through the IRGC, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

    The Justice Department is committed to countering the threat that Iran poses to our democracy, to our national security, and to our allies in the international community.

    As we approach the upcoming election, I want to reiterate that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts by Iran — or by any foreign power — to interfere in our elections and undermine our democracy.

    Together with our partners across the federal government, we will use every tool we have to counter and disrupt the efforts of Iran, as well as Russia and China, to exploit our democratic system of government.

    The message of the U.S. government is clear:

    The American people — not a foreign power — decide the outcome of our country’s elections.

    Not Iran and its malicious cyber activities, as laid bare in today’s indictment.

    Not Russia, and its efforts to spread disinformation and propaganda to secure its preferred outcome in the U.S. presidential election, as laid bare in the indictment and seizures announced earlier this month.

    And not China, which continues in its efforts to exert targeted influence at the federal, state, and local levels in furtherance of the PRC’s agenda, as described in multiple previous indictments and the Intelligence Community’s recent Election Security Updates.

    These authoritarian regimes, which violate the human rights of their own citizens, do not get a say in our country’s democratic process.

    The American people — and the American people alone — will decide the outcome of our country’s elections.

    Now to the second matter.

    In just over a week, we will mark one year since Hamas’s October 7 terrorist attack on Israel.

    On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists murdered nearly 1,200 people, including more than 40 Americans, and kidnapped hundreds of civilians.

    And they perpetrated the deadliest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust.

    We are committed to pursuing the terrorists responsible for murdering Americans — and those who illegally provide them with material support — for the rest of their lives.

    Earlier this month, the Justice Department unsealed charges against Yahya Sinwar and other senior leaders of Hamas for the October 7 attacks and for financing and directing a decades-long campaign to murder American citizens and endanger the security of the United States.

    Those charges are just one part of our effort to target every aspect of Hamas’ operations. There will be more to come.

    In the wake of Hamas’s October 7 attacks, we also saw a disturbing increase in the volume and frequency of threats here at home against Jewish, Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian communities.

    That is why, last October, I directed all of our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and all of our FBI Field Offices to meet with local law enforcement and community leaders to strengthen our response to threats of hate-fueled violence. And that is what we have continued to do in the year since.

    But we recognize that the ramifications of October 7 are still being felt in communities across the country.

    For the Jewish community, this has been a time of a renewed, deeply familiar sense of isolation and fear.

    And as we approach one year since the October 7 attacks, we do so at a time when Jews across the country will soon be observing the High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

    For Jews, this is a period of solemn reflection and prayer.

    It is a time to gather together to worship and to be in community with each other.

    It should not be a time of fear.

    The Justice Department has and will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute acts and threats of violence fueled by antisemitism and by hatred of any kind.

    In recent months, the Department has brought charges, obtained plea agreements, and obtained sentences for more than 35 defendants for criminal acts motivated by antisemitic hate. This is in addition to the many charges brought by our state and local partners. That work will continue.

    No person and no community in this country should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence. 

    No faith community should have to fear that they will be attacked in their place of worship.

    The Justice Department has no higher priority than protecting the safety and civil rights of everyone in our country.

    Working to uphold that promise is our sacred responsibility.

    It is one we will never abandon.

    Protecting the safety of our people also includes combating violent crime, which is the topic of today’s third announcement to which I will now turn.

    From May to September of this year, the U.S. Marshals Service worked with state and local law enforcement partners in 10 metropolitan areas to arrest more than 3,400 fugitives and violent offenders — including more than 200 wanted for homicide. They also seized more than 500 firearms, more than $500,000 in U.S. currency, and over 450 kilograms of illegal narcotics including more than 550,000 pills of deadly fentanyl.

    The U.S. Marshals and their partners conducted this operation in Dallas-Fort Worth, Charleston, Baton Rouge, Little Rock, Phoenix, St. Louis, Birmingham, Winston-Salem, Dayton, and San Antonio.

    The arrests included a Louisiana man, wanted for domestic abuse, child endangerment, and home invasion.

    It included four people in Texas, wanted for a drive-by shooting that injured multiple children.

    It included a gang member in Texas wanted for homicide.

    It included a Virginia man wanted for sexually assaulting a child.

    It included a Missouri man wanted for opening fire at a car meet-up, shooting seven people, and killing a 14-year-old.

    These cases represent only a small fraction of the extraordinary efforts that the U.S. Marshals Service and its partners undertook during this operation.

    I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal, task force officer, investigator, and police officer who carried out these arrests. They did so at great risk to themselves.

    And I am grateful to U.S. Marshals Service Director Ron Davis, for his leadership of the more than 5,500 public servants who have dedicated their careers to protecting their communities.

    This is now the fourth iteration of Operation North Star, which we first launched in 2022 to zero in on and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives and violent offenders.

    But this is the first iteration of Operation North Star since the devastating attack that took place during a U.S. Marshals task force operation in North Carolina earlier this spring.

    On that day, we lost Deputy U.S. Marshal Tommy Weeks, task force officers Alden Elliot and Samuel Poloche, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Joshua Eyer.

    As we remember them, we are reminded of the enormous risks that Deputy U.S. Marshals and their partners encounter every day.

    We are also reminded of the extraordinary courage of the people who do this work, and of their loved ones.

    We could not be more grateful for their sacrifices.

    Three-and-a-half years ago, the Justice Department launched an ambitious strategy to combat the sharp spike in violent crime that had occurred during the pandemic.

    We focused our efforts on enhancing the most powerful tool we have: our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, and with the communities we all serve.

    And then we fortified those partnerships with substantial funding from our grant-making components and by bringing to bear new technological tools that allowed us to identify and focus on those actors most responsible for committing violent crimes and take them off of our streets.

    Today, we know that work is paying off.

    Statistics released by the FBI earlier this week show an historic drop in homicides nationwide, and one of the lowest levels of violent crime in 50 years.

    And recently released data from the Justice Department’s Violent Crime Steering Committee indicates that this trend is continuing. A study of 88 cities shows that violent crime has continued to decline considerably in the first half of 2024 compared to the same time last year — including a further 16.9% decline in murder.

    Here in Washington, D.C., where we surged resources to target the individuals and organizations driving violent crime, we have seen a more than 30% decline in homicides so far this year compared to the same time last year.

    But we know that progress in many communities is still uneven. And there is no acceptable level of violent crime.

    That is why the U.S. Marshals Service launched, and continues to relaunch, Operation North Star.

    And that is why the Justice Department will continue to use every resource we have in the fight against violent crime.

    Our commitment to combating violent crime is not about statistics — it is about saving lives.

    It is about community members and law enforcement officers, who are still here to see their children grow up and to work toward fulfilling their dreams.

    The Justice Department will continue to work tirelessly to deploy our anti-violent crime strategy across our law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ offices, and grantmaking components.

    We will work in close partnership with police and sheriff’s departments and communities across the country to go after the recidivists and gangs that are responsible for the greatest violence.

    We will continue to deploy our technological and prosecutorial resources to identify and prosecute the principal drivers of gun violence.

    And we will continue to invest in the essential programs that allow law enforcement agencies to hire more officers; to build the public trust essential for public safety; and to support the evidence-based community violence intervention initiatives that save lives.

    We will not rest until all Americans feel safe in their communities.

    And now I would now like to ask Marshals Service Director Davis to say a few words.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: PC dismissed following misconduct hearing after assaulting child

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    A police officer has been dismissed after a misconduct panel found he assaulted a child by spanking her bare bottom on numerous occasions.

    A misconduct hearing, which concluded on Friday, 27 September, found that PC Ross Benson, attached to the North West Basic Command Unit, breached the standard of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct at the level of gross misconduct.

    He was dismissed without notice.

    The misconduct hearing panel, led by an independent chair, examined allegations that between April 2018 and August 2018 PC Benson administered spankings to a girl, while she was aged between 12-13 years old, and there was a sexual element to them.

    The girl was known to him and the spankings happened when he was off-duty.

    On 6 November 2020, PC Benson was arrested by Bedfordshire Police on suspicion of sexual assault. In September 2021 he was informed no further action would be taken.

    Bedfordshire Police contacted the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards and a misconduct investigation was launched.

    Detective Superintendent Will Lexton-Jones, the acting the North West Basic Command Unit Commander, said: “My thoughts are first and foremost with the victim who displayed courage in reporting this. PC Benson’s abhorrent behaviour has led to his immediate dismissal, which is a decision I fully support.

    “I hope this outcome demonstrates how we are rooting out those who do not demonstrate the high standards we demand from our officers.”

    Following the hearing PC Benson will now be placed on the barred list held by the College of Policing. Those appearing on the list cannot be employed by police, local policing bodies (PCCs), the Independent Office for Police Conduct or His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Central London restaurants fined for mice infestation and falsifying documents | Westminster City Council

    Source: City of Westminster

    Wong Kei, the well-known Chinatown restaurant has received over £40,000 in fines after cockroaches and dead mice were found in the kitchen and the owner was found to have falsified documents.  In a separate case brought by the City Council, Little Sicily on Whitehall was also prosecuted after failing to correct numerous hygiene offences, most notably a mouse infestation.

    Gosing Limited, the operators of the Chinatown stalwart pleaded guilty to four offences of failing to comply with EU food safety and hygiene regulation and was fined at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 4, 2024, and ordered to pay £31,503.25 in fines and costs.

    After an initial visit by Westminster City Council’s Environmental Health team in 2022, Wong Kei operating under Jexstar Limited, was served two Hygiene Improvement Notices and was asked to improve business standards. As a result, the Council was told that its director Mr. Daniel Luc had parted company with the restaurant. However, in May 2023, the restaurant which now operated under Gosing Limited was inspected again and found there was no change to the business as Mr. Daniel Luc still retained overall control.

    The restaurant was found to have issues with mice and cockroaches as well as other food hygiene offences including cross contamination of raw and precooked food, and unsanitary hygiene practices by staff. Subsequently, the court fined Mr. Luc a total of £10,803.25 for pleading guilty to all offences.  The total fines amounted to £42,306.50, and between Mr. Luc and Gosing Ltd  they pled guilty to over eleven (11) food hygiene offenses.

    In a separate matter, the director of Italian themed restaurant Little Sicily, Mr. Magdi Assif, was also charged with three food hygiene offences at Westminster Magistrates’ court on September 4, 2024, and issued with penalties totalling £20,176.50. Following a routine inspection of the eatery on Whitehall by the council there was evidence of mice droppings in the kitchen and storage areas, and mouldy food was found in the fridge. Inspectors also found sinks blocked by lettuce heads, grease dripping from cookers and mice droppings on the ground. Upon further inspection they also found cockroaches scuttling off after moving three chillers. This resulted in a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice being served on the Food Business on the 26th of June 2023.

    The court heard how inspecting officers had also issued a previous Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice to Little Sicily Restaurant Limited on January 25th, 2023, relating to mice activity at the premises. Due to Mr. Assif’s poor history as the director of the business, it was decided, in the interest of the public to proceed with prosecution as the premises had been closed twice in 6 months.

    Westminster City Council remains dedicated to educating businesses to uphold the highest food safety standards. For more information about what the council does to ensure all establishments serve food that is safe to consume more information can be found on our website.  

    Cllr Aicha Less, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children and Public Protection said:

    These fines demonstrate that Westminster Council remains committed to ensuring the safety and protection of consumers who enjoy the wide variety of food within the borough.

    Our vigilant food safety officers will continue to monitor and inspect all food-preparing and food-serving places to ensure they adhere to all laws and regulations that we as a council set.  And it is only fair that we ensure that those businesses who invest in compliance have the chance to thrive and that those who put others at risk of harm are held to account for their failures and unscrupulous practices”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: British beetroot growers to put down roots in US market

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Food and farming businesses to benefit from new export access to US

    The government has delivered a significant early victory for British farmers, securing access to the US market for UK beetroot growers. 

    Following extensive talks between the two Governments and trade representatives, this will open new opportunities for British farmers by increasing export opportunities and raising the profile of British beetroot in international markets – and is a springboard to grow the economy and expand UK trade relationships post-Brexit. 

    Daniel Zeichner met with his US counterpart, Secretary Vilsack at the G7 Ministers’ Meeting on Agriculture today to celebrate the milestone.  

    For the US, this will allow their processors to diversify their supply to satisfy demand for high-quality beetroot outside the US growing season, giving American consumers to access beetroot all year round from world-leading producers in the UK.  

    Industry estimates this new access will be worth approximately £150,000 per year in increased exports, with groups such as the NFU recently voicing their desire for the barrier to be resolved to allow British producers to benefit from the enormous potential of the US market, building on the recent successes of UK lamb in the US.  

    Minister for Food Security, Daniel Zeichner said:    

    This Government was elected on a mandate to support our farmers in trade deals – that is exactly what we are delivering.  

    This milestone marks a significant step forward for our beetroot farmers.    

    But this is only the start – over the coming weeks and months I will work tirelessly to back our British farmers and get our food exports moving again.

    NFU President Tom Bradshaw said:  

    It is great news that after many years of campaigning, British beetroot growers will have access to the market in the United States for the first time. Being able to access the US market, supplementing local production, will help to meet rising consumer demand for this healthy, nutritional crop, creating genuine growth opportunities for farmers and growers in the UK. 

    I am especially delighted that this announcement comes days after we returned from the US where we were able to make the case for UK beetroot directly to government officials. Industry collaboration with government and especially with the UK’s agri-food attaché based in Washington has been key to resolving this issue. 

    It shows the type of wins we’re able to achieve with the UK’s expanded network of agriculture attachés following a number of years of campaigning by the NFU for the creation of these positions. Long may the collaboration continue so British farmers and growers can expand into further markets and increase sales of great British food overseas.

    British businesses such as G’s Fresh will directly benefit from the opportunity to showcase their premium produce and grow their business in the US.    

    Graham Forber, Beetroot Product Director for G’s:    

    I would like to thank all involved in the assistance given to support our Love Beets beetroot development in the USA, in securing permission to import UK Beetroot. This will assist in our development and growth in processing beetroot in New York State while strengthening our supply across the USA.  

    I would like to thank all the parties who helped with this and particularly the support of the UK’s Agriculture Attaché at the British Embassy in Washington DC.

    Defra’s Agri-food attaché in the US was key to delivering this win for the UK, building on the strong relationship between the UK and US. Defra’s technical experts and global network of 16 agri-food attachés are driving sterling progress to remove non-tariff barriers to exports of high-quality UK food and drink, which are worth £24 billion per year.  

    Defra will work closely with UK beetroot growers and relevant industry bodies to ensure a smooth transition into the US market.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Defending the right to abortion shouldn’t be a dangerous job

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Fernanda Doz Costa, Director of Gender, Racial Justice, Refugees and Migrants Rights Program at Amnesty International.

    Hate emails, stigmatization, death threats, stalking, burglaries, attacks, harassment at work and at home. Killings. This is what life is like for many who provide life-saving reproductive care, including abortions.

    Facilitating safe access to abortions has become an increasingly dangerous undertaking in most corners of the world, despite huge progress to expand access to healthcare.

    From the United States to Ethiopia, Colombia and Poland, those who defend the right to abortion, including health professionals such as midwives, nurses and doctors, have been facing a relentless backlash.

    In the USA, the National Abortion Federation recorded 11 murders, 26 attempted murders and 531 cases of assault, among many other types of attacks against people who facilitated abortions between 1977 and 2022. Since a devastating Supreme Court ruling two years ago greatly limited access to abortion services and created an environment of fear, there has been an increase in incidents like arsons, burglaries and death threats.

    From the United States to Ethiopia, Colombia and Poland, those who defend the right to abortion, including health professionals such as midwives, nurses and doctors, have been facing a relentless backlash.

    Fernanda Doz Costa, Director of Gender, Racial Justice, Refugees and Migrants Rights Program, Amnesty International

    In Sudan, abortion providers routinely face physical violence and public shaming.

    “A provider was shot by the spouse of a woman who sought an abortion,” one gynecologist recently told us. “There have been a few instances where service providers have been beaten by members of the public, even when just educating about contraception, or intervening in child marriage cases, especially in rural communities. So, providers are scared.”

    In other countries, such as Italy, anti-abortion activists organize online harassment campaigns against health professionals, which can have a deep impact offline. Attacks include barrages of insults, threats and trolling, and their profiles being reported to social media companies, in an attempt to get them banned from social media platforms.

    Another form of intimidation that is common across the world are aggressive anti-abortion protests and pickets outside health clinics, a strategy to terrorize both people seeking medical care, particularly those relying on public services, and the professionals trying to provide it.

    Not all is bad news. Over the last few decades, there has been a tremendous positive global trend towards advancing abortion rights around the world — in the past 30 years alone, more than 60 countries have liberalized their abortion laws. But, partly as a response to this, anti-rights initiatives continue to impede millions of people from accessing essential and vital health care. This happens even in countries where abortion services are legal on paper but challenging to access in practice.  

    Individuals and organizations advocating for limits to basic human rights have promoted an agenda that violently targets and stigmatizes anyone working to protect those in need of medical attention.

    As a gynecologist from Nigeria told us: “I face harassment and stigmatization for the work I do. The stigma is among fellow professional colleagues who make remarks that are demeaning to me. On the basis of religion, they preach to me about the sins committed for supporting abortion care, the killing of ‘the unborn children’ and the ‘hellfire that awaits all murderers.’”

    Similarly, Dr. Laura Gil, a doctor from Colombia, described the harassment and violence her and other colleagues who perform abortions face, even from colleagues: “They slashed one of my friend’s car tires. They glued shut a different colleague’s padlock so she couldn’t open her locker. When another friend who is a psychiatrist stood up for a patient who was asking to terminate her pregnancy because of a health risk, one of her colleagues hit her with a folder. All this mistreatment stems from the idea that people who do abortions are morally inferior.”

    Why does this matter? You may ask.

    When health professionals trying to care for their patients are prevented from doing their jobs, it is the most vulnerable who end up at high risk. It’s been long documented that limits to accessing abortion care particularly affect vulnerable populations who are unable to pay for the services in private – which is how many people access abortions in countries where the procedure is illegal.

    When health professionals trying to care for their patients are prevented from doing their jobs, it is the most vulnerable who end up at high risk.

    Fernanda Doz Costa, Director of Gender, Racial Justice, Refugees and Migrants Rights Program, Amnesty International

    These kinds of harassment campaign also have the pervasive effect of discouraging health professionals from pursuing certain specialities, which, in turn, greatly limits the availability of good quality accessible healthcare, as Dr. Gil told us.

    It’s a silent and dangerous rollback on human rights that is placing many lives at risk.

    Providing safe abortions should not be a risky job. In fact, in many countries it isn’t. There, doctors and nurses are able to care for their patients, provide information and advice about their options so they are able to make informed decisions about what is best for them and then access the services they need. Without harassment, hate campaigns and attacks, health professionals are able to do what they trained to do: save lives and support people to follow their lives plans as healthy and as free as possible.

    Over the many years we have been working, side by side millions of brave activists and organizations from across the world, to ensure abortion services are a reality for all, we asked many health professionals working in challenging environments why they do it, despite all the risks.

    Many told us of their unwavering commitment to dedicate their life to the service of humanity, to care for their patients, regardless of any considerations of creed, gender or any other factors.

    On international safe abortion day, let’s all do our part to celebrate and protect them.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Lebanon crisis, note from Palazzo Chigi

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –

    Source: Government of Italy

    September 28, 2024

    In the last few hours, the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, has had several telephone contacts with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, with the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, and with the Authority delegated for the security of the Republic, Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, regarding the developments of the crisis in Lebanon.

    Despite its dramatic nature, the situation of our compatriots, military and civilians present on Lebanese territory does not show profiles different from those of the past few days. Italy confirms, in line with the position held so far, the need for every diplomatic effort in order to restart channels of dialogue between the parties in conflict.

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Letter of the Holy Father to the Special Envoy to the Fifth Eucharistic Congress of Taiwan (5 October 2024)

    Source: The Holy See

    Letter of the Holy Father to the Special Envoy to the Fifth Eucharistic Congress of Taiwan (5 October 2024), 28.09.2024
    On 3 August 2024, the Holy Father appointed His Eminence Cardinal John Tong Hon, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, as his Special Envoy to the concluding celebration of the Fifth Eucharistic Congress of Taiwan, to take place at the Exhibition Center of the diocese of Kaohsiung on 5 October 2024.
    The Special Envoy will be accompanied by a Pontifical Mission composed of the following ecclesiastics:
    1. The Reverend Francis X. HUANG, parish priest of the parish of the Most Holy Trinity, Pingtung;
    2. The Reverend Giovanni Battista BERGAMO, prefect of studies of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary, Kaohsiung.
    The following is the Holy Father’s Letter to His Eminence Cardinal John Tong Hon:

    Letter of the Holy Father
    Venerabili Fratri Nostro
    IOANNI S.R.E. Cardinali TONG HON
    Episcopo emerito Sciiamchiamensi
    «Haec est vera fraternitas, quae numquam poterit violari certamine nec frangi labore nec vinci gravamine, quia caritas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum sanctum, qui datus est humilibus, contritis, egenis, mansuetis, pacificis et ad omne opus bonum et laudem Dei die ac nocte paratis» (Thomas a Kempis, De resurrectione orationes in duas partes sectae V, 2, 6). Talis fraternitas quidem mundum ad sanitatem sanctitatemque perducere potest, ita ut unusquisque hominum hac in semita pacem et reconciliationem incarnatam inveniat. Cuius enim exemplum iam in Lucae Evangelio vidimus, dum post sua beata e mortuis resurrectione Dominus Scripturas explicans, iter cum discipulis fecit et una cum eis eodem tempore tum fraternitatem tum Eucharistiam celebravit (cfr Lc 24, 13-35), valide demonstrans id quod in alio loco promisit: “Ego vobiscum sum omnibus diebus usque ad consummationem saeculi” (Mt 28, 20).
    Novimus autem ex litteris Venerabilis Fratris Ioannis Baptistae Lee, Episcopi Hsinchuensis, Praesidis Sinensis Regionalis Conferentiae Episcoporum, proxime V Nationalem Eucharisticum Congressum celebraturum esse, qui, sicut speramus, in cordibus christifidelibus verum cultum et Eucharistiae dilectionem excitabit itemque enutriet necnon altiore usque modo hanc piam devotionem perscrutari adiuvabit.
    Ideo, memoratus Praesul humanissime quaesivit ad sollemniorem efficiendum hunc eventum, ut Nos Patrem Purpuratum eligeremus, qui inter Missarum liturgiam personam Nostram gereret fratresque in fide de Christi pace, reconciliatione et eiusdem ineffabili dilectione erga homines praeciperet. Te quidem, Venerabilis Frater Noster, qui peculiari cultu ac devotione erga Dominum Pastorem bonum eiusque Ecclesiam emines, ad dictum Congressum fidenter comiterque destinamus. Itaque, hisce Litteris virtute te Missum Extraordinarium Nostrum nominamus ad memoratum Nationalem Eucharisticum Congressum, qui proximo die V mensis Octobris in Aula exhibitionis dioecesis Kaohsiungensis celebrabitur. Sollemni Missae conclusionis praesidebis, de necessitate verae fraternitatis ad mundum sanandum in luce Evangelii locuturus.
    Nostram benignam istic adstantibus significabis salutationem, praesertim Kaohsiungensi diligenti Pastori omnibusque Fratribus in episcopatu, presbyteris, diaconis, cunctis vitae consecratae membris et christifidelibus laicis. Deinde omnes congregatos ferventer hortaberis ut sanctam Eucharistiam semper fraterno spiritu sinceraque et mutua dilectione celebrent atque pie colent, sese committentes una cum vitae sollicitudinibus intercessioni Beatae Mariae Virginis, quae tota sua vita est mulier “eucharistica” (Ioannes Paulus II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 53).
    Nos profecto tuam missionem precibus comitabimur, dum iam nunc enixe te, Venerabilis Frater Noster, committimus amantissimae tutelae Beatae Mariae Virginis eiusque Sponsi sancti Ioseph. Nostram denique Benedictionem prolixe tibi imprimis elargimur, cum omnibus ad quos nunc mitteris communicandam, vicissim pro gravi Nostro Petrino ministerio exercendo preces postulantes.
    Ex Aedibus Vaticanis, die XV mensis Augusti, in sollemnitate Assumptionis Beatae Mariae Virginis, anno MMXXIV, Pontificatus Nostri duodecimo.
    FRANCISCUS

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP welcomes G7 commitment to food security and nutrition, especially in Africa

    Source: World Food Programme

    ROME – The United Nations World Food Programme today welcomed a renewed commitment by G7 Agriculture Ministers to work towards greater food security and better nutrition globally, noting that 309 million people face acute hunger caused by conflict, economic upheaval and the climate crisis.

    During a two-day meeting in the southern Italian city of Siracusa, which ended today, ministers agreed to work to make agriculture and food systems more productive, resilient and sustainable. They also made a specific commitment to help develop agriculture and food systems in Africa, through equitable partnerships.

    “Strategic investments by G7 nations are critical to drive the transformation in global agriculture needed to tackle widespread hunger and create food security for all. With our expertise and decades of experience, WFP is ready to play our full part in this process,“ said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain during the ministers’ meeting. “The G7’s welcome commitments must now translate into tangible support, which helps smallholder farmers adapt to climate change and builds strong foundations for more resilient global food systems.”

    Italy, which holds the G7 presidency for the year, has historically been one of the leaders in placing food security at the core of the global agenda and hosted the first G7 Agriculture Ministers’ Meeting in 2009.

    The Italian G7 presidency held a ‘Forum for Africa’ in Siracusa aimed to strengthen cooperation in the agriculture sector between G7 members and African countries. It was attended by ministers from nine African countries, the African Union as well as international organizations including WFP.

    #                #            #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Dan Bouncher on the impact of the Protocol on Northern Ireland’s economy

    Source: Traditional Unionist Voice – Northern Ireland

    The following is the full text of Dr Boucher’s comments quoted in today’s News Letter.

    “One of the curious things about the Northern Ireland economy since the introduction of the Protocol/Windsor Framework has been that services have done so much better than manufacturing. This is odd because the Protocol/Windsor Framework pertains to goods and not services, offering the goods component of the Northern Ireland economy the unique opportunity of ‘Dual Market Access.’ In this context one would have expected that the biggest winner since January 2021 would have been our manufacturing sector. Speaking on the View this week, the Economy Minister was challenged on this point but struggled to provide a convincing answer.

    “Dual market access is spoken of as if Northern Ireland has been afforded a uniquely privileged position because we are blessed with the opportunity of being located in two markets at the same time. Being part of a market means being able to move goods freely within it (having unfettered access) without having the expense of negotiating a customs or international SPS border. Dual Market Access was about getting this benefit for Northern Ireland both in terms of the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland/EU. There is, however, a small problem. The Windsor Framework does not provide Dual Market Access and can no more do so than it can provide a square circle.

    “What the Windsor Framework actually offers us is access to the Republic of Ireland/EU without having to engage with the expense of crossing a customs and international SPS border, but the price of this is the erection of a customs and international SPS border within the UK, separating Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Of course, trade can still take place within the UK between GB and NI, but there is no way of crossing the border – whether you use the Green or the Red Lane – without having an export number and having to negotiate the expense of a customs border and an international SPS border. The only concession here is that if your goods are eligible for the Green Lane, which requires negotiating additional hurdles like becoming a trusted trader, some of the other processes are made a bit simpler.

    “In response to this some might say, well, even if we don’t enjoy real dual market access, to the extent we get the benefit of being able to move goods freely within one economy, together with the option of accessing another economy for some purposes via a Green Lane which is less burdensome, surely that is a net gain? That might sound like a net gain but there are three huge problems.

    “First, up until 2020 Northern Ireland operated as a fully integrated part of the UK economy and the 67 million people in GB are our closest and most important market which we can now access subject to an international customs and SPS border. Whatever economic advantages there are of getting unfettered access to the Republic are more than offset by finding that, even in the Green Lane, our access to our main market is now fettered by a customs and international SPS border. Second, many businesses don’t regard the Green Lane as simpler and are opting either for the Red Lane or ceasing to trade with Northern Ireland. Third, our inclusion in the same single market for goods as the Republic, notwithstanding our remaining in the UK, means that we are now subject to the indignity of disenfranchisement, of having our laws made for us by 27 other countries in 300 different areas, laws that are made for us by a foreign Parliament in which we have no representation.

    “Far from presenting us with the best of both worlds, this is plainly the worst of both worlds.

    “If the UK Government had insisted on Mutual Enforcement, the means of managing the UK-ROI land border that did not involve partly disenfranchising 1.9 million of its citizens, one would expect that not only would our services sector have flourished since January 2021 but that our manufacturing sector would have also performed significantly more strongly since then.“

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: BRICS expansion process shows limits of the organization

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Wikipedia

    by Cosimo GrazianiKazan (Agenzia Fides) – The next BRICS Summit will take place from 22 to 24 October in the Russian city of Kazan.The geopolitical and economic alliance known as BRICS takes its name from the initials of its original founding countries: Brazil, Russia, India and China joined in 2006, while South Africa joined in 2010.Now the BRICS network is gradually expanding. Similar to last year’s summit in South Africa, this time too there are a number of countries that want to join the group.In Johannesburg, Ethiopia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia were admitted as new members.This year Turkey, Azerbaijan and Malaysia, which have submitted formal applications for membership in recent weeks, could join. But the list of countries seeking to join or being courted by the current members is long: Thailand is very interested in joining, China is pushing for Kazakhstan to join, and Algeria is expected to join, which was due to join last year but was blocked by an Indian veto.All the new countries applying to join have great geopolitical weight: Turkey and Azerbaijan are involved in the political changes in Europe and Asia, while Malaysia is a member of ASEAN, an organization that has been able in recent years to carve out an exceptional economic role for itself in a context such as the Indo-Pacific region, where the giants India and China are located.Analysts say Turkey’s application for membership is linked to its chances of gaining the desired accession to the European Union, a process in which negotiations have been stalled for about six years now. This reading is confirmed by comments made by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in a broadcast to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency on Thursday, September 19. “If our economic integration into the European Union had been crowned with membership that went beyond the customs union, we might not be embarking on this kind of search on many issues,” Fidan said.For Azerbaijan, the accession would be the final recognition of its new status as a medium-sized power at the international level, as it would take place in the same year that Baku is organizing the Cop29 on the environment and thus can also influence the global agenda to combat climate change, despite being an oil-producing country.Finally, Malaysia hopes to join the bloc to be able to act more freely in its trade relations: as explained on the website of The Diplomat magazine, Malaysia would use its membership to maintain political relations that are not too unbalanced with its trading partners, to ensure a fair distance with everyone, and to present itself as a “bridge” between this organization and ASEAN.New members mean new international weight for the organization. But such an accelerated expansion of membership also raises doubts about the real benefits that members hope to gain. Up front, there is the problem of the procedures for admitting a new candidate. As seen in the case of Algeria last year, the weight of individual states in the final decisions is still enormous, and there are no defined criteria for admission.Suffice it to say that Malaysia’s application letter was sent to Russia and not to a special body, a sign that the decision will be strongly influenced by the interests and assessments of the country organizing the summit this year.This hypothesis is confirmed by China’s announcement last July that it would admit Kazakhstan to the organization: Beijing obviously did so because it has a strong interest in integrating Kazakhstan into the organization over the other members. This year, the acceptance of the candidacy of Turkey and Azerbaijan comes at a very convenient time for Russia, as it is involved in various issues in Europe and the Caucasus, and the acceptance of Malaysia is to be seen in a dialectical relationship with the Western world in terms of enlargement.An enlargement that depends too much on the specific interests of the country organizing the summit risks making membership unbalanced in certain geographical contexts, quite unlike the “diffuse” and “balanced” enlargement that was clearly one of the selection criteria last year. This year, Eurasia is at the heart of the process, while the Indo-Pacific plays a secondary role and Africa, the Middle East and South America are left out. This would mean a reorientation towards these contexts next year, with the uncertainty that the respective relations between individual candidates and member states could slow down or block the process.Such a dynamic affects the enlargement process, but also calls into question the very nature of the organization: what does BRICS want to be? An alternative to Western organizations or just an economic platform? One answer to this question seems to be the solution found with Algeria after last year’s rejection: the country first joined the “New Development Bank” the BRICS banking institution, which also includes a South American country that has so far refused to join the bloc, such as Uruguay. Applying this solution of partial or reduced membership to other countries in the future would weaken the idea of BRICS as an alternative to the West and its international importance. (Agenzia Fides, 28/9/2024)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Statement by Palazzo Chigi on the crisis in Lebanon

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    28 Settembre 2024

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, has had a number of telephone conversations over the last few hours with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, the Minister of Defence, Guido Crosetto, and the delegated authority for the security of the Republic, Undersecretary of State Alfredo Mantovano, regarding the developments in the crisis in Lebanon.

    Despite being dramatic, the situation of our compatriots, military personnel and civilians currently in Lebanon remains unchanged compared with the previous days. In line with its position thus far, Italy confirms the need for all diplomatic efforts to be made to reopen channels of dialogue between the parties to the conflict.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: UK response to the conclusion of the Global Coalition’s military mission in Iraq

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 3

    The US and Iraq have announced the Global Coalition against Daesh’s military mission will draw to a close over the next 12 months.

    The US and Iraq have announced the Global Coalition against Daesh’s military mission will draw to a close over the next 12 months. The terrorist organisation has been territorially defeated in Iraq.

    The UK will continue to support the security of Iraq, as the Global Coalition enters a new phase. The UK will work closely with our Iraqi partners to develop an enduring bilateral relationship during the coming months, as part of the transition to a new security and defence partnership with Iraq.  

    Operation Inherent Resolve was established in 2014 to advise, assist and enable partner forces to secure the lasting defeat of Daesh and establish enduring security cooperation. This mission operates under The Global Coalition Against Daesh, consisting of 87 partners (82 governments and five member organisations).

    During the last decade, the UK has played a leading role through Operation SHADER, the UK’s contribution to Op Inherent Resolve. At the invitation of the Iraqi government, UK forces provided valuable support, training and assistance to more than 111,000 members of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), including more than 21,000 of the Kurdish Peshmerga, in crucial infantry, weapons maintenance, counter-IED, medical and engineering skills.

    The RAF have also conducted more than 10,000 sorties striking more than 1400 targets, as well as providing critical surveillance and reconnaissance in support of ISF ground operations. 

    We pay tribute to the professionalism of UK personnel who have played their part in the Global Coalition. 

    Thanks to the bravery and effectiveness of the Iraqi Security Forces, Peshmerga and the coalition’s continued commitment, Daesh has been territorially defeated in Iraq. The ISF has enabled the restoration of critical services for communities and the rehabilitation of conflict affected areas. With these core aims achieved, the process of moving to new security arrangements under Iraqi leadership can commence.

    Working alongside our global coalition partners, the UK remains committed to ensuring the global defeat of Daesh and its violent ideology. Our commitment to the security of Iraq and the wider region remains unwavering and we will look to develop a bilateral relationship that supports long-term stability in Iraq.

    Updates to this page

    Published 28 September 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Deputy President Mashatile’s address at TUS Athlone Campus in Ireland

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements)

    Deputy President Mashatile’s address at TUS Athlone Campus in Ireland

    Checkout more: http://www.thepresidency.gov.za

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    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKMCCHu7tg4

    MIL OSI Video –