NewzIntel.com

Category: Fisheries

  • MIL-OSI Global: Egypt’s fears about Ethiopia’s mega-dam haven’t come to pass: moving on from historical concerns would benefit the whole region

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mike Muller, Visiting Adjunct Professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand

    A new round of angry exchanges has broken out between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

    On September 1, Cairo wrote to the UN security council to protest against Ethiopia’s continued filling of Africa’s second largest reservoir and bringing two more power generating turbines into operation. Egypt sees any new infrastructure development on the Nile as a potential threat, since the river is the source of over 98% of the country’s water.

    Egypt calls this a violation of international law and Ethiopia’s obligations to “prevent significant harm”. Ethiopia’s policies, it says,

    could result in an existential threat to Egypt … and would consequently jeopardise regional and international peace and security.

    Ethiopia has told Egypt to “abandon its aggressive approach” towards the dam. Ethiopia says that it must allow the Blue Nile’s water to flow through the dam’s turbines and on to Egypt to generate the hydropower for which it has been built, thus guaranteeing the overall flow to Egypt.

    I have tracked the Nile disputes since the 1970s, first as a development journalist, then as a civil engineer and senior public servant. More recently, my research on water and regional integration for regional development agencies has provided further insights. My 2021 study considered the lessons to be learnt for today’s water challenges from centuries of the use and management of Nile waters.



    Read more:
    Innovations on the Nile over millennia offer lessons in engineering sustainable futures

    Ongoing tension between Egypt and Ethiopia over control of the Nile River has a long history. Therefore, in one sense, the row between Egypt and Ethiopia is nothing new.

    The countries went to war as far back as 1874, even as they both were also battling European colonialism. Ethiopia won the war of 1874 and, 20 years later, beat back Italy’s attempt to colonise it, at the battle of Adwa.

    However, Egypt gained long term advantage from treaties negotiated by the British, which gave Cairo almost total control over the Nile. Egypt is still asserting the rights and privileges conferred by those colonial era treaties even though they are being challenged by other Nile countries. In my view, this is because Egyptians are still trapped by their past fears. As Norwegian professor Torje Tvedt has explained, these fears were deliberately entrenched by past colonial authorities.

    With these perspectives, my view is that the current controversy over the Ethiopian dam still reflects historical conflicts rather than a careful analysis of present challenges.

    Now 90% complete, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has begun to generate electricity. A series of good rainy seasons have allowed the reservoir to start filling rapidly without affecting Egypt’s water availability.

    The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam offers not just cheap green electricity for Ethiopia and the sub-region as well as reliable irrigation supplies and flood control for Sudan. Once filled, its storage could offer supply security and increase the amount of water available for Egypt as well.

    The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

    What, then, are the issues that have prompted Egypt’s recent protests and what are the possible solutions to the problems raised?

    The immediate technical challenge is to continue filling the dam without disrupting flows to Sudan and Egypt. The filling process might have to be interrupted if there is a regional drought. So recent developments, notably the greater focus on the rate at which the dam will be filled rather than the legality of its construction, suggest that there is a shift in positions which neither side is yet willing to acknowledge publicly.

    This shift will be supported when other future-focused issues are raised. For instance, there must be negotiations about the supply of electricity to support Sudan’s irrigation expansion, although this is on hold due to the war in Sudan. In the longer term, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia could cooperate to use the GERD’s storage to help Egypt to manage its Aswan High Dam more efficiently. Aswan currently suffers very high evaporation losses, which could be reduced if its reservoir levels were better controlled. The GERD could help to do this.

    Unfortunately, the history of colonial Britain repeatedly threatening to cut Egypt’s Nile water supplies has been deeply imprinted in Egyptian public consciousness. It is understandable that Egyptians still fear a similar threat from Ethiopia. The responsibility now falls on Ethiopia to show good faith in its operation of the dam and to work with Egypt to change the combative discourse.

    Potential for cooperation

    Egypt’s repeated complaints have alerted Ethiopia and international organisations of the need to act carefully. If there is another regional drought, Ethiopia will need to slow the rate at which it completes filling its dam. Informal liaison structures are monitoring the situation and such a response would help to build a more constructive engagement with Egypt.

    Water is a patient teacher. Every season provides an opportunity for those who live with its natural cycles to understand it better. The hope is that, if the three countries experience the benefits of some seasons of the dam’s operation, the natural cycle will reveal the potential for cooperation and mitigate the conflict.



    Read more:
    Sudan’s catastrophe: farmers could offer quick post-war recovery, if peace is found

    When peace returns to Sudan, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will enable a vast expansion of irrigation to develop its role as a regional breadbasket. The dam will also help to manage Nile floods which regularly cause death and destruction, even to Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.

    Efforts to promote cooperation between the East African countries that share the White Nile have been relatively successful. However, such cooperation on the Blue Nile will need much greater trust between the parties. To achieve this trust, the countries and their people will have to overcome centuries of cultural and political preconceptions. This will require much patient work and interaction, which is not easy in the current climate.

    Mike Muller has received funding from the African Development Bank and South Africa’s Water Research Comission for work on regional cooperation in water resource management. He has been a member of the Global Water Partnership’s Technical Committee, chaired the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Water and been funded by the World Bank’s Cooperation in International Waters (CIWA) programme for contributions to the Nile Basin Initiative. He was also funded by UNESCO to attend a conference in Khartoum, organised with Sudan’s Ministry of Water Resources Irrigation and Electricity, on integrated and sustainable water management.

    – ref. Egypt’s fears about Ethiopia’s mega-dam haven’t come to pass: moving on from historical concerns would benefit the whole region – https://theconversation.com/egypts-fears-about-ethiopias-mega-dam-havent-come-to-pass-moving-on-from-historical-concerns-would-benefit-the-whole-region-239418

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Canada and France reach agreement in Atlantic halibut negotiations

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Atlantic halibut is found in waters from eastern Newfoundland to the northeastern United States. The majority of the stock is found in Canadian fishing waters, with a small percentage of the stock also found in the French maritime zone off Saint Pierre and Miquelon.

    September 23, 2024

    Ottawa, Ontario – Atlantic halibut is found in waters from eastern Newfoundland to the northeastern United States. The majority of the stock is found in Canadian fisheries waters, with a small percentage of the stock also found in the French maritime zone off Saint Pierre and Miquelon. The Government of Canada recognizes the importance of this stock to both Canadian and French fisheries.

    Today, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, announced that after several months of negotiations, Canada has reached an agreement with France (with respect to Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon) on the sharing of Atlantic halibut.

    The agreement, concluded on September 20, 2024, will allow French fishermen in Saint Pierre and Miquelon to catch 3% of Canada’s total allowable catch. This allocation will allow for measured growth in the Atlantic halibut fishery in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, while providing benefits to Canadian coastal communities through French landings of Atlantic halibut in Canadian ports. This agreement supports the health and sustainability of the Atlantic halibut stock, and recognizes the importance of this fishery to coastal communities in Atlantic Canada, as well as the significant investments made by Canada and its fishing industry to develop and manage the fishery.

    Since 2016, Canada has been working with France to reach an agreement on sharing Atlantic halibut quotas, with representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada leading the negotiations.

    “I am pleased with the outcome of our negotiations with France. I am confident that we have reached a fair agreement that will ensure the long-term health of the Atlantic halibut stock, while supporting the economies and coastal communities of Canada and France.”

    The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

    Andrew RichardsonOffice of the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guardandrew.richardson@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Economics: How Google AI is helping scientists protect humpback whales in Australia

    Source: Google

    Every year, humpback whales migrate up the east coast of Australia to breed, and journey back to Antarctica to feed. During their migration, the whales make calls and sing songs – a grand chorus in the symphony of their ecosystems.

    This underwater soundscape is a valuable and vital window into the health of this species and their habitats. By tracking audio data, scientists can understand migration activity, patterns, mating calls, competitive behaviors and more.

    Humpback whale mating call, collected in the Gold Coast

    As part of the Digital Future Initiative, Google Australia is teaming up with Griffith University to implement more precise, comprehensive and efficient monitoring of whale migrations and their ecosystems in Australia – enabled by Google AI and automatic audio detection.

    Researchers Dr Olaf Meynecke from Griffith University’s Whales and Climate Program and Dr Lauren Harrell from Google Research are leading this collaboration.

    Traditional whale research methods have faced limitations in both data collection and analysis. Researchers logged sightings and manually analysed audio recordings, which is time-consuming and does not give a continuous view of whale activity. Moreover, visual sightings can only be logged during daylight, and tracking the evolving vocal dialects of whales across different regions and seasons is a complex task.

    With this new collaboration, researchers have deployed hydrophones — underwater microphones — and Google AI powered audio detection systems to monitor the sounds and songs of humpback whales and their habitats.

    A seal swimming around a hydrophone off the South Coast, NSW

    Hydrophones allow us to tune into marine soundscapes and continuously collect underwater audio data all day and all night, through the entire humpback migration season. Google’s AI technology processes this data, automatically detecting whale sounds, marking their location in time and classifying the species. This frees researchers from the minutiae and laborious manual work, so they can look at the big picture, uncover insights and explore new research frontiers.

    Dr Olaf Meynecke deploying a hydrophone in Terrigal, NSW

    Curtin University’s Centre for Marine Science and Technology is supporting the collection and labeling of acoustic data, and a range of local citizen science groups will assist with monitoring each of the hydrophone sites. The AI model will eventually be open-sourced on Kaggle and GitHub, benefiting other whale and marine researchers worldwide.

    While our current focus is on monitoring humpback whale sounds, the potential of this AI model extends far beyond. We’ll look to build on the model to detect the sounds of diverse marine species, from fish to dolphins and seals. These advancements will open up uncharted territories of research that could help protect these magnificent creatures and their habitats for generations to come.

    Posted in:

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: McConnell Urges Administration, Colleagues Not To Make Israel’s Job Harder

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:

    “In May, 2000, Israeli forces withdrew from southern Lebanon. But while the occupation ended, Hizballah’s appetite for waging war on Israel only grew. And its further deadly attacks on Israel invited the 2006 conflict.

    “The history of Israel’s fight to defend its northern border and innocent civilians against Hizballah terrorists bears eerie parallels to the story of brutal violence Hamas has perpetrated from Gaza.

    “Israel withdrew there in August, 2005. And by 2007, Iran-backed terrorists had bent the enclave to its all-consuming mission: war on Israel.

    “But the most glaring through-lines in Israel’s north and south are not the relentless bloodlust of terrorists. They’re the predictable delusion of Israel’s ‘friends’… And the shameful cowardice of international authorities that claim to stand for peace.

    “Take, for starters, how the Biden-Harris Administration chose to welcome the U.N. General Assembly by signaling its openness to resuming funding for UNRWA. And how it apparently still clings to the fiction that an organization so thoroughly corrupted by Hamas that nearly a dozen of its staff directly participated in the October 7th attacks is somehow reform-able.

    “But while the civilized world gathers in one place, the General Assembly might productively spend its time contemplating other pressing questions. For example:

    “Why hasn’t the U.N. Security Council managed to enforce resolutions 1559 and 1701 in Lebanon? These resolutions were passed to end and prevent further conflict between Israel and Lebanon by removing the threat Hizballah posed on Israel’s border, and to end the threat Hizballah posed to the state of Lebanon itself.

    “And why has the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon allowed Hizballah to build up massive stockpiles on Israel’s border in clear preparation for war? Why has the UN looked the other way as Hizballah has expanded its corrosive influence over the institutions of Lebanon’s government?

    “But setting aside the failures of the so-called international community, this past weekend once again cast a spotlight on America’s own naivete toward the glaring facts of Iran-backed war on our friend, Israel.

    “In an interview that might rightly attract scrutiny for its host’s obfuscation of the facts on Israel’s latest responses to Hizballah terrorism, the White House national security communications advisor said out loud what the Biden-Harris Administration has been saying by its actions for nearly a year.

    “Quote: ‘We’ve been working since the beginning of this conflict, October 8th… to try to prevent an escalation…’

    “Think about it, Madam President. The only way to claim credit for working to ‘prevent an escalation’ is by pretending like Hizballah’s October 8th attacks – or Hamas’ October 7th massacre – weren’t actually escalations, themselves!

    “Unfortunately, the Administration official also seemed to suggest a moral equivalence between Israel and Hizballah. He suggested that ‘military action, by either side’ would not be ‘in either side’s best interest,’ and implied that an Israeli response would itself be escalation.

    “Second-guessing Israel’s interests.  Micromanaging their defensive efforts.  Blaming Israel for escalation when it’s clear Hamas and Hizballah have been the instigators of this conflict. It’s a tired playbook.

    “The Administration is telling the world that what America wants is a return to October 6th, as if the status quo ante was sustainable or peaceful. This, of course, is pure fantasy. Hamas broke a cease-fire on October 7th.

    “Or consider Hizballah’s history as the centerpiece of Iran’s ‘ring of fire’ around Israel:

    “Just since the 2006 conflict, Hizballah terrorists have imported tens of thousands of rockets to target Israel, deployed forces directly to Israel’s border, and constructed tunnels that would allow them to emulate Hamas’ October 7th invasion.

    “Recent estimates suggest the terrorists posses up to 200,000 rockets, missiles, drones, and precision-guided munitions, along with 25,000 active-duty militants. All of it is pointed south at Israel. And all of it, as Hizballah’s leader has boasted, is from Iran.

    “Or consider Lebanon itself. Hizballah is a cancer on the Lebanese state. It wields its power as a sectarian terror squad, and leaves a long trail of blood through the highest ranks of civilian government and civil society. Sunnis, Christians, Druze, and fellow Shiites – none are immune from Hizballah’s wrath.

    “Then again, National Public Radio refers to Hizballah as a ‘political’ group. Perhaps the Administration officials’ confusion is a symptom of their media diet. Or, more likely, the foundations of their foreign policy are fundamentally flawed:

    “Remember the declaration by the President’s national security advisor early last fall that the Middle East was ‘quieter than it has been for decades’.

    “The absurdity of this boast in light of October 7th is striking enough. But even when it was written, it betrayed the Administration’s naivete toward glaring and abiding threats to Israel and America’s national security interests in the region.

    “Iran’s agents in Syria and Iraq had already fired hundreds of rockets at American forces on this Administration’s watch. Since last October, these attacks have only metastasized, including into the Red Sea. Was this an acceptable status quo?

    “Was Hizballah’s steady preparation for war? Was Hamas’ expropriation of humanitarian assistance in order to build terror tunnels?

    “The United States ought to stand with our friend, Israel, as it faces these terrorists down. The goal should not be simply to avoid escalation or to return to the status quo ante, but to help Israel defend itself against terrorists bent on Israel’s destruction.

    “We have a stake in ensuring Israel emerges from this conflict stronger and these terrorist organizations and their Iranian patron weaker. These same terrorists want to expel the United States from the region. We are the Great Satan, in their own parlance.

    “Instead, by their misplaced obsession with escalation, the Administration and Washington Democrats are making Israel’s job harder.

    “If the President and Vice President want to see an end to war in Gaza and prevent greater hostilities in Lebanon, then it’s time to switch the focus of their diplomatic pressure.

    “Every time Administration officials try to tie Israel’s hands in public comments… And every time a U.S. Senator threatens to hold critical security assistance hostage… Hamas, Hizballah, and their patrons in Tehran are emboldened.

    “If our colleagues want peace, it’s time to show support for a nation founded on peace… And resolve toward terrorists whose reason for existence is chaos and violence.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Police lay arson charges over Auckland fires

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    A man has been remanded in custody after being charged over a series of vehicle fires in central Auckland.

    Police have been investigating the suspicious fires in the vicinity of the Auckland Domain since 18 September.

    Detective Senior Sergeant Martin Friend, from Auckland City’s Crime Squad, says at least four fires have been under investigation.

    The most recent incident, on 20 September, occurred when two vehicles were targeted on Park Road at around 9.15pm.

    Earlier fires occurred within the vicinity of the Auckland Domain on 18, 19 and 20 September.

    “The vehicles suffered varying degrees of damage, and it’s fortunate that no one was seriously injured as a result of these brazen acts,” Detective Senior Sergeant Friend says.

    “It’s clear though that this has caused great inconvenience to the victims.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Friend says a 50-year-old man was arrested in the Auckland Domain on Sunday evening.

    “The man appeared in the Auckland District Court on Monday, charged with three counts of arson,” he says.

    “He has been remanded in custody until his next appearance on 25 September.”

    Detective Senior Sergeant Friend says enquiries are ongoing and further charges cannot be ruled out.

    ENDS.

    Jarred Williamson/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW Government invests $750,000 to improve coastal fish habitat

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: NSW Government invests $750,000 to improve coastal fish habitat

    Published: 24 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Regional NSW

    The Minns Labor Government is continuing to invest in on-ground activities to improve fish habitat and recreational fishing in NSW, with more than $750,000 in grants awarded to five innovative coastal projects.

    The Flagship Fish Habitat Rehabilitation Grant program provides funding for large-scale projects that significantly enhance fish habitat, water quality and fish passage opportunities within the coastal catchments of NSW.

    This includes projects to significantly rehabilitate river banks and coastal wetlands, remove or modify barriers to fish passage and construct fishways, re-snag waterways and undertake remediation works including riverbank stabilisation.

    After assessing applications for the 2023-24 grants round, a total of $756,947 is being awarded to five projects:

    • $109,222 to Nambucca Valley Landcare to improve fish habitat and reduce risks to water quality in the Nambucca River by restoring an eroding riverbank;
    • $169,150 to OzFish Unlimited to rehabilitate an area of critical fish habitat in the Bellinger River catchment together with recreational fishers;
    • $158,000 to Rous County Council to restore 1,600m2 of complex fish habitat and a popular bass fishing destination on Bungawalbyn Creek;
    • $261,275 to Port Macquarie Hastings Council to stabilize an eroded area, improve shoreline vegetation and enable access for recreational fishers on the Hastings River estuary;
    • $59,300 to Shoalhaven City Council to complete design and plans for a living shoreline including accessible and resilient foreshore, and oyster reef restoration on the Crookhaven River.

    The grants are part of the Government’s ongoing work to grow recreational fishing opportunities by enhancing the habitats that fish need to thrive.

    Since the inception of the Flagship Grant Program in 2016, almost $3 million from the Recreational Fishing Trust has been invested in coastal aquatic habitat rehabilitation, water quality improvement and fish passage opportunities.

    Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

    “These Flagship grants allow fishing clubs, non-Government organisations and other agencies to tackle large, complex projects that will safeguard and enhance local fish habitats and recreational fisheries.

    “Improved habitat means better opportunities for fish and therefore better opportunities for recreational fishers.

    “This program is yet another excellent example of how recreational fishing fees are helping to support and improve sustainable fisheries in NSW.”

    More information on Flagship Habitat Rehabilitation Grants is available here.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: FishTech visit boosts regional research collaborations

    Source: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

    Among the tour delegates was Cambodian Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, His Excellency Khun Savoeun. 

    His Excellency said the visit provided an excellent opportunity for Mekong leaders to rethink water and fish management, and to expand efforts to maintain fish migration routes. 

    ‘It promoted collaboration between irrigation engineers and fishery biologists to work together on river connectivity, aiming to save both water and fish, which are essential for rural food security. 

    We learned that the integration of fishery technology into river engineering is crucial for conserving fish and saving water for multiple purposes.

    His Excellency Khun Savoeun
    Cambodian Secretary of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
     

    His Excellency said the visit also underscored the importance of leadership in environmental planning and sustainable development in his own country.  

    ‘Fish are a vital Cambodian food source, with many poor households dependent on fishing for their livelihoods. 

    ‘This program was both useful and necessary, especially for incorporating fish passage outcomes into water and development policies.’ 

    Dr Baumgartner said the visit also provided a valuable knowledge exchange for the Australian project partners.  

    ‘What was particularly interesting were design discussions and hearing how the different countries are developing policies and legislation to protect fish.’ 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US needs to end obsession with containing China: Chinese foreign ministry

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The United States needs to end its obsession with perpetuating its supremacy and containing China, and cease using regional countries as its tools, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday.

    Spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks at a daily press briefing following U.S. President Joe Biden’s claims that China continues to act aggressively and is testing the U.S. and its allies in the Indo-Pacific region, claims which he made at the Quad summit in the U.S. over the weekend.

    Lin noted that the Quad is seen as the premier regional grouping that plays a leading role in the United States’ Indo-Pacific strategy. It is a tool the U.S. uses to contain China and perpetuate U.S. hegemony.

    The U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy attempts to amass forces to exclude and contain China by peddling the “China threat” narrative, and the Quad attempts to muster military and security cooperation under the pretext of maritime issues, he said, adding that they have the same intention and the same tactics.

    Though the U.S. claims it does not target China, the first topic of the summit was China-related, and China was made an issue throughout the event, Lin noted, saying that the U.S. is “lying through its teeth” and not even the U.S. media believes these lies.

    “China believes that cooperation between countries should not target any third party or even harm their interests. Any regional initiative should follow the overwhelming trend of the region and promote regional peace, stability and prosperity,” Lin said.

    He stressed that ganging up to form exclusive groupings undermines mutual trust and cooperation between regional countries, runs counter to the overwhelming trend of pursuing peace, development, cooperation and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific, and is bound to fail.

    The U.S. needs to end its obsession with perpetuating its supremacy and containing China, cease using regional countries as its tools, stop glossing over the strategic intentions behind all kinds of exclusive groupings, and act on its claim that the revitalization of its alliances is not aimed at China, instead of seeking selfish gains at the expense of other countries’ strategic security interests and the well-being of the people in the Asia-Pacific, Lin said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Costly defamation action looms large over Australian newsrooms. It’s diminishing press freedom

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of Melbourne

    Shutterstock

    This piece is the final of a three part series on Australia’s defamation laws. You can read the other pieces here and here.

    Defamation laws exist to strike a balance between press freedom and the protection of people’s reputations from wrongful harm. In Australia, this balance has always been loaded against press freedom.

    This is due partly to the way the defamation laws have been framed and partly by the way the courts have interpreted them.

    Courts examine matters of journalism in the same way they examine matters of law: forensically, with strict rules and high standards of evidence and proof.

    While we rightly expect ethical and honest reporting from our media, even the best can prove insufficient under the piercing gaze of defamation law. And in a time when media companies are more cash-strapped than ever, this has a chilling effect on the stories that get told and press freedom more broadly.

    Ethics vs the law

    Until 2006, each Australian jurisdiction had its own defamation laws. This created a nightmare of complexity for publishers, especially of newspapers and broadcasts that crossed state boundaries, which meant all the main media organisations.

    They had to take into account the risks posed by litigation in the jurisdiction least favourable to press freedom.

    For many decades, that was New South Wales. It was one of the states where truth alone was not a sufficient defence; there also had to be a public interest in the material. In some other jurisdictions this was called public benefit.



    Read more:
    With all these defamation lawsuits, what ever happened to free speech?

    This was a major burden on press freedom and it was removed by the introduction of uniform defamation laws in 2006.

    Since then, it has been enough for publishers to prove the substantial truth of the meanings conveyed in an article in order for the defence of truth to succeed.

    It may sound straightforward, but proving substantial truth requires producing admissible evidence strong enough to satisfy the civil standard of proof: on the balance of probabilities. That usually means having documents and witnesses who are willing to be identified.

    If, as is often the case, the article has drawn on evidence from a confidential source, the publisher is unable to put that source in the witness box because to do so would breach the media’s fundamental ethical obligation to protect the identity of confidential sources.

    So unless the source is prepared in advance to be identified should the matter come to court, a story relying significantly on that person’s testimony may not see the light of day unless some other defence is available.

    In 2021, those defences were expanded, although quite how significant that expansion turns out to be remains to be seen.

    What appears on paper to be the most significant change was the introduction of a general public interest defence. This says that if publication of a story is in the public interest, and the publisher has a reasonable belief that it is, then publication can be defended on that ground.

    There has been only one major test of that new defence, and it went against the media.

    That case showed “reasonable belief” depended on the journalism being sound. In this case, the court found that the defendant, which was the ABC, had relied on shaky testimony that had not been sufficiently verified and had not given the subject of the story a fair opportunity to respond.

    At odds with practicalities

    This brings us to the question of how the courts interpret the law.

    One of the big disappointments in this respect has been the way the courts have interpreted what, at the time, was hoped to be a significant addition to Australia’s threadbare free-speech jurisprudence.

    In a case brought against the ABC by a late prime minister of New Zealand, David Lange, the High Court established the principle that freedom of speech on matters of government and politics trumped a person’s case for protection for their reputation.

    If a person wanted to sue for defamation, they had to do so in a way that did not burden freedom of speech on matters of government and politics.



    Read more:
    Politicians know defamation laws can silence women, but they won’t do anything about it

    However, the High Court attached a test of reasonableness to this freedom. In several ways, it’s similar to the “reasonable belief” test in the new public interest defence.

    Unfortunately, successive courts have applied the Lange reasonableness test in ways that are so strict they require journalists to meet standards demanding more powers of investigation than they possess or to exceed the usual journalistic standards of verification. Journalists can’t subpoena documents or compel people to speak to them.

    The result is that this defence has become more or less a dead letter for journalistic purposes.

    Is a story worth the cost?

    Those accused of defamation can also defend it by saying it was comment or honest opinion. The first requirement of this defence is that the material be a comment and not a statement of fact.

    But courts have interpreted this in different ways.

    This uncertainty was illustrated by a famous case that became known as “Leo the Lobster”. A restaurant and restaurateur in Sydney successfully sued the Sydney Morning Herald over a review of a lobster dinner written by one Leo Schofield.

    Schofield, who was a colourful writer, said the lobster had been overcooked:

    the carbonized claws contained only a kind of white powder which might have been albino walrus.

    Despite the amusing language, the court interpreted that as a literal factual description, not a statement of opinion.

    Courts have a limited sense of humour, which makes satirical writing a chancy business, since the sharper the satire, the closer it is to literal truth.

    Cartoons, which are satirical by definition, have more leeway but are not immune to defamation suits.

    Then there’s the costs of defamation, particularly for media outlets. They’ve become exorbitant.

    It has been estimated that the costs involved in the case brought by Ben Roberts-Smith against The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Canberra Times amounted to about $25 million. The newspapers won, although the matter has gone to appeal.

    But even if the verdict is upheld, experience shows it is unlikely they will recoup anything like their full costs.

    At a time when all major news media organisations are under acute financial pressure because of the inroads the internet has made on their revenue, there is a strong temptation not to risk publishing material the public has a right to know because of the financial impact an action for defamation would have.

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

    – ref. Costly defamation action looms large over Australian newsrooms. It’s diminishing press freedom – https://theconversation.com/costly-defamation-action-looms-large-over-australian-newsrooms-its-diminishing-press-freedom-238072

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Stats NZ information release: Injury statistics – work-related claims: 2023

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Injury statistics – work-related claims: 2023 – 24 September 2024 – Injury statistics for work-related claims give information about claims accepted by ACC for work-related injuries.

    Key facts

    • A total of 226,600 work-related injury claims were made in 2023 (up 1,200 from 2022).
    • The incidence rate for claims related to work-related injuries was 86 claims per 1,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) in 2023. This is the lowest rate since the start of the series in 2002.
    • The manufacturing; agriculture, forestry, and fishing; and construction industries had the highest incidence rates of work-related injury claims in 2023.
    • Trades workers had the highest number of claims by occupation in 2023, with 39,000 claims.

    Visit Statistics NZ’s website to read this information release:

     

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace occupies Straterra’s Wellington HQ in seabed mining protest

    Source: Greenpeace

    Greenpeace activists have occupied the Wellington offices of the mining lobby group Straterra to protest plans to Fast Track its client Trans-Tasman Resources’ seabed mining in the South Taranaki Bight.
    Three activists have locked themselves inside the building, and two more have climbed onto an awning at the front of the building to deploy a large ‘No Seabed Mining’ banner.
    Greenpeace says this action is “a demonstration of the resistance promised” in a recently published open letter to all companies considering using the Fast Track Approvals process. More than 7,500 people have signed on to the letter so far.
    A second company seeking consent for seabed mining in the area has just confirmed they are voluntarily withdrawing, citing regulatory uncertainty as one of the reasons, along with the emergence of an offshore wind energy generation proposal that would be incompatible with the seabed mining industry.
    Greenpeace says that’s evidence that the pressure is working.
    Australian mining company TTR is vying to mine 50 million tons of iron sands in the South Taranaki Bight every year for 30 years. The company has made no secret of the fact it will use the much-maligned Fast Track Bill to get a green light after years of opposition by Taranaki hapū, environmentalists, the fishing industry and marine mammal experts.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Juressa Lee says, “We’re taking this action to highlight the danger that Trans-Tasman Resources may slip through the Fast Track process, despite years of community opposition and rejection by the courts.
    “We’re also highlighting the role played by the mining industry lobbyist Straterra, which has the ear of this government and is pushing this extractive, polluting project.
    “Straterra is a malignant force in New Zealand politics, operating in the shadows and backrooms to exert a pernicious influence over Government policies. Straterra’s stated objectives would shock all New Zealanders who value the natural world and a healthy democracy.
    “Today, we will drag Straterra’s dirty business into the sunlight and expose their malevolent intentions for all to see.
    “TTR has tried and failed for more than a decade to get approval to mine the seabed because it was never able to show that it wouldn’t cause substantial harm to the environment. If seabed mining is fast tracked, it will be in contempt of all expert advice and the wishes of local iwi, environmental groups, Taranaki communities and the 60,000 New Zealanders who have signed the petition calling for it to be banned.”
    Lee says it’s clear that even the coalition’s own supporters are against the Fast Track too.
    Recent Horizon Research polling shows that 55% of NZ First supporters do not support the Fast Track Bill, an increase from 36% of respondents in May 2024.
    “The Luxon coalition government needs to stop listening to Stratera and start listening to their constituency, and the broader public that are saying they do not want seabed mining, and they do not want seabed mining fast tracked.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Environment – New species of NZ ghost shark discovered – NIWA

    Source: NIWA

    Scientists have found a new ghost shark that lives exclusively in the deep waters of Australia and New Zealand.
    The Australasian Narrow-nosed Spookfish was described by NIWA Fisheries Scientist Dr Brit Finucci.
    It was previously thought to be part of a single globally distributed species, until research revealed it is genetically and morphologically different to its cousins.
    Dr Finucci gave it the scientific name Harriotta avia in memory of her grandmother.
    “Avia means grandmother in Latin; I wanted to give this nod to her because she proudly supported me through my career as a scientist. Chimaeras are also rather ancient relatives – the grandmas and grandpas – of fish and I thought the name was well suited,” said Dr Finucci.
    Ghost sharks, or chimaeras, are a group of cartilaginous fish closely related to sharks and rays. Other names for these mysterious animals include ratfish, rabbitfish and elephant fish.
    They have smooth skin, free of scales, and feed off crustaceans such as shrimp and molluscs with their distinctive beak-like teeth.
    ” Harriotta avia is unique due to its elongated, narrow and depressed snout; long, slender trunk; large eyes; and very long, broad pectoral fins. It is a lovely chocolate brown colour.
    “Ghost sharks like this one are largely confined to the ocean floor, living in depths of up to 2,600m. Their habitat makes them hard to study and monitor, meaning we don’t know a lot about their biology or threat status, but it makes discoveries like this even more exciting,” said Dr Finucci.
    The specimens were collected in the Chatham Rise off New Zealand’s coast during research surveys for Fisheries New Zealand. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Defence News – Mortars and machine guns pack the punch in latest Fiji-New Zealand Army exercise – NZDF

    Source: New Zealand Defence Force

    Nearly 50 New Zealand Army personnel have returned from Fiji following a valuable week of mortar and machine gun tactical training exercises.

    Exercise Cartwheel involved soldiers from 16th Field Regiment, Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery and 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment delivering training courses to Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) personnel, to further build their 81mm mortar and sustained-fire machine gun capabilities.

    The exercise culminated with a live fire exercise in the Nausori Highlands, which was a prime opportunity for RFMF and NZ Army soldiers to not only put theory into practice, but also enhance the relationship between the two forces and their ability to work together in a jungle warfare environment.

    1 (NZ) Brigade Commander, Colonel Ben Bagley, was in Fiji for part of the exercise and says these opportunities are invaluable.

    “Purely on a tactical and technical level, any opportunity to get our soldiers into the field and put their skills into practice is fantastic, but Exercise Cartwheel is much more than just that. It allows us to spend some valuable time with one of our key Pacific partners in the RFMF and enhance our interoperability,” Colonel Bagley said.

    “The feedback we receive from the RFMF has always been positive around this exercise, and we equally value the opportunity to come and learn from our partners – it goes both ways.”

    Exercise Cartwheel is an annual RFMF-US Army Pacific bilateral exercise designed to train, assess and build light infantry and combat support warfighting capability. Fiji and the US are the main participants. Partner nations like Australia and the United Kingdom also regularly take part, with the NZ Army involved in the past three editions.

    “Getting the opportunity to link up with our partners for these exercises in the field is critical for our relationships in the region, because fundamentally we – Ngāti Tūmatauenga, the New Zealand Army – are from, and of the Pacific. What happens here is of huge significance to us all,” Colonel Bagley said.

    “We’d like to thank our friends and partners in the RFMF for their continued trust and support in us, and welcoming us back here every year. The camaraderie between our people is as strong as ever, and we look forward to the next opportunity to link up.”

    Commanding Officer 3rd Battalion Fiji Infantry Regiment (3FIR), Lieutenant Colonel Atunaisa Vakatale, says the exercise marks another milestone in the defence partnership of both nations, and reflects the understanding, trust and shared vision between both armies.

    “It also highlights the successful transfer of knowledge and skills, and the completion of training objectives that immensely contributes to the readiness and capabilities of both forces,” Lieutenant Colonel Vakatale said.

    “I am certain the training activities over the past three weeks have not only further enhanced our cooperation and interoperability, but it has also set the conditions for more people-to-people connections and networking amongst our troops.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Greenpeace seabed mining protest extends to a second site

    Source: Greenpeace

    After five Greenpeace activists occupied the Wellington offices of mining lobby group Straterra to protest seabed mining by its client Trans Tasman Resources today, two more have scaled a tower near Parliament and deployed a 22-meter banner that reads No Seabed Mining.
    Greenpeace says today’s action is “a demonstration of the resistance promised” in a recently published open letterto all companies considering using the Fast Track Approvals process.
    Spokesperson Juressa Lee says that while today’s focus has been on Trans Tasman Resources and their plan to mine the seabed of the South Taranaki Bight, it should also be a warning to any company considering using the Fast Track approvals process that they will face resistance.
    Earlier in the day, three Greenpeace activists gained entry to the Straterra HQ and locked it from the inside to prevent entry. They then proceeded to tweet images from a Straterra document outlining its intention to influence Government policy and clear the way for mining on the seabed and on conservation land.
    Meanwhile, two more activists climbed onto the awning outside the Straterra offices and firefighters and erected a large banner reading No Seabed Mining.
    All five activists at the Straterra building were eventually arrested by police.
    Australian mining company TTR is vying to mine 50 million tons of iron sands in the South Taranaki Bight every year for 30 years. The company has made no secret of the fact it will use the much-maligned Fast Track Bill to get a green light after years of opposition by Taranaki hapū, environmentalists, the fishing industry and marine mammal experts.
    Greenpeace Aotearoa spokesperson Juressa Lee said, “We’re taking this action to highlight the danger that Trans-Tasman Resources may slip through the Fast Track process, despite years of community opposition and rejection by the courts.
    “We’re also highlighting the role played by the mining industry lobbyist Straterra, which has the ear of this government and is pushing this extractive, polluting project.
    “Straterra is a malignant force in New Zealand politics, operating in the shadows and backrooms to exert a pernicious influence over Government policies. Straterra’s stated objectives would shock all New Zealanders who value the natural world and a healthy democracy.
    “Today, we have dragged Straterra’s dirty business into the sunlight and expose their malevolent intentions for all to see.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stats NZ information release: Injury statistics – work-related claims: 2023

    Source: Statistics New Zealand

    Injury statistics – work-related claims: 2023 – 24 September 2024 – Injury statistics for work-related claims give information about claims accepted by ACC for work-related injuries.

    Key facts

    • A total of 226,600 work-related injury claims were made in 2023 (up 1,200 from 2022).
    • The incidence rate for claims related to work-related injuries was 86 claims per 1,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) in 2023. This is the lowest rate since the start of the series in 2002.
    • The manufacturing; agriculture, forestry, and fishing; and construction industries had the highest incidence rates of work-related injury claims in 2023.
    • Trades workers had the highest number of claims by occupation in 2023, with 39,000 claims.

    Visit our website to read this information release:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Newhouse Introduces Resolution to Honor Gold Star Families

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Newhouse (4th District of Washington)

    Headline: Newhouse Introduces Resolution to Honor Gold Star Families

    Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) led 44 members in introducing the Gold Star Families Remembrance Week Resolution to honor the sacrifices made by families of U.S. military servicemembers who lost their lives in service to the nation. It designates September 22 – 28, 2024 as Gold Star Families Remembrance Week.

    “Our service members and their families have made great sacrifices in service to their country, and it is important that they are not forgotten,” said Rep. Newhouse.

    Newhouse continues, “By designating September 22-28 as Gold Star Families Remembrance Week, we recognize the extraordinary courage and resilience of our Gold Star Families and reflect on those we have lost. These families bear an unimaginable burden—enduring the loss of their loved ones who gave their lives in service to our nation—and we have a responsibility to ensure their memory is preserved.”

    The following are quotes of support from Gold Star Family members:

    “I am very pleased that Congress is choosing to recognize Gold Star Families Remembrance Week. Every Memorial Day, we honor our warriors who gave their lives in defense of America. We should also honor the families of those fallen warriors, who stood behind them as they served, suffered the pain of their loss, then picked up the pieces and carried on. I’m a Gold Star son who lost my father in Vietnam. Life has taught me three truths. Grief fades. Love never dies. Courage shines on forever.” – Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Hank Cramer, Washington, Gold Star Son of Captain Harry Griffith Cramer Jr. (U.S. Army Special Forces), who was Killed in Action in 1957 in Vietnam.

    “I was just a year old when my father was declared Missing in Action in December 1945 in Germany. I have no memory of him but would like to honor his legacy by sharing his story with others who want to know the experiences of Gold Star families.” – Karen Oberg, California, Gold Star Daughter of Pvt. Worrell F. Oberg (Army) who was Killed in Action on December 22, 1945, and whose remains have yet to be recovered.

    “My brother had just turned one and I was two and a half when our father was killed. As we got older, we often wondered what kind of man he was. In a letter to his sister just before he was killed, dad wrote that he had been wounded and had to build up his courage to go back in combat because he had seen so much death and destruction. From that letter, and in that moment, we knew our dad was a hero and we brought him off the shelf and back into life.” – Walt Linne, Indiana, Gold Star Son of Sgt. Walter John Linne (Army) who was Killed in Action in Germersheim, Germany on March 24, 1945.

    “In 2022, when I visited South Korea and observed for myself the freedom, liberty, prosperity and gratitude of the South Korean people, I further realized that the supreme sacrifice by my father and its effect on our family was not in vain.” – Robert James Johnston, Tennessee, Gold Star Son of Sgt. James Fred Johnston (Army) KIA/MIA, December 2, 1950, at the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea.

    “Since I was only two when my Dad went missing, I have no personal memories of him other than what my Mom told me often that to do my best as my Dad would expect or when I did something good, she would tell me how proud he would be of me. David, my brother, and I grew up loving the same things our Dad did, Boy Scouts, the outdoors, hunting, fishing and family.” – Mike Logan, Tennessee, Gold Star Son of Maj. Samuel P. Logan, Jr. (USAF). He was the pilot of a B-29 shot down and taken captive while on a mission over North Korea on September 9, 1950. In 1954 he was declared Killed in Action. Maj. Logan was survived by his Gold Star Wife and two Gold Star Sons.

    “Being a Gold Star family member signifies profound sacrifice and loss as we bear the enduring grief of losing a loved one in service to the nation. Gold Star families’ identities are shaped with both pride and sorrow.” – Carol Brenneman Reed, California, Gold Star Daughter of Captain Austin E.E. Brenneman (USMC) who was Killed in Action on May 28, 1951, in Anak, North Korea.

    “In July 1951, the 2nd Inf Div deployed to Korea, leaving a pregnant, newlywed wife on a lifetime path of uncertainty, grief, loss, and life challenges. Ellen Marie Blissenbach handled her loss by joining the Gold Star Wives of America, becoming very active in supporting other families and veterans, as well as seeking information on my missing father, ultimately achieving some closure before her passing.” – Maj. Paul K. Blissenbach US Army (Retired), Kentucky, Gold Star Son of SFC Joseph A. Blissenbach, who gave his life on November 30, 1950, in Kunu-ri, North Korea.

    “Losing my father in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley during the Vietnam War was an indescribable blow, not only to my family but to the very fabric of my life. His absence left a profound void, a loss that reverberated through every milestone, forever shaping who I became. The sacrifice he made in such a fierce and historic battle deepens the sorrow, as his life was cut short defending a cause that took him far from home, never to return.” – Army veteran Thomas Barrett, Ph. D., Maryland, Gold Star Son of SSGT Thomas J. Barrett, Jr. (Army), Killed in Action November 15, 1965, Vietnam.

    “During Gold Star Families Remembrance Week, we honor the parents, spouses, siblings and children of those service members who lost their lives defending the United States and her allies. For nearly a century, ‘The Long Gold Line’ of these Gold Star Families has personified the resilience of the American spirit. Here on the home front, they endured the worst possible news delivered from a faraway war front. Yet they moved forward supporting each other and carrying on the legacies of their fallen heroes who, in the name of freedom, gave their last full measure of devotion.” – Tony Cordero, California, Gold Star Son of Maj. William E. Cordero (USAF) who was killed on a bombing mission over North Vietnam on June 22, 1965. He is the founder of Sons and Daughters In Touch – America’s Gold Star Children from the Vietnam War.

    “Our son held a strong sense of honor and service and would have no regrets. We honor his valor and sacrifice every day. We gratefully support this resolution to honor and remember the sacrifices of all of our fallen and of the 7068 men and women Killed In Action in the Global War on Terror and the ongoing sacrifices of the families they left behind. It is this nation’s responsibility to Never Forget, to honor their valor, and to always support the families left behind.” – Barbara and Col. Mark Roland (USAF, Retired), Kentucky, Gold Star Mother and Father of Captain Matthew Roland, USAF, Killed In Action in Afghanistan on August 26, 2015.

    “My father flew 22 missions along the coastal waters of Vietnam to clear the area of enemy submarines before the US could bring in the 7th Fleet at the onset of the Vietnam War. His body was never recovered after his plane plunged into the South China Sea. My life and my family crumbled before my eyes and to this day I continue to live a life never knowing my father. Three months after the attack on the Twin Towers, my son joined the US Army, following his grandfather’s footsteps as he was also willing to die for his country. Unfortunately, it ended horrifically when he was killed by an enemy IED while on patrol near the Hor Rijeb Canal in Iraq. There is no greater love than this: that a person would lay down his life for the sake of his country.” – Elaine M. Roach, California, Gold Star Mother of PFC Joel Brattain, Killed in Action on March 13, 2004, and Gold Star Daughter of Lt. Harold S. Roach (Navy), lost in the South China Sea on October 2, 1964.

    The following Members are co-sponsors of the legislation:

    Reps. Andy Barr (R-KY), Mike Bost (R-IL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Larry Bucshon (R-IN), Troy Balderson (R-OH), Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ), Jake Ellzey (R-TX), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN), Mike Flood (R-NE), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Mark Green (R-TN), Michael Guest (R-MS), Young Kim (R-CA), Greg Lopez (R-CO), Julia Letlow (R-LA), Nick LaLota (R-NY), Mike Lawler (R-NY), Greg Murphy (R-NC), John Moolenaar (R-MI), Tracey Mann (R-KS), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), Greg Steube (R-FL), Glenn Thompson (R-PA), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Roger Williams (R-TX), Brandon Williams (R-NY), David Valadao (R-CA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), Don Davis (D-NC), Josh Harder (D-CA), Glenn Ivey (D-MD), Derek Kilmer (D-WA), William Keating (D-MA), Joe Morelle (D-NY), Kathy Manning (D-NC), Wiley Nickel (D-NC), Scott Peters (D-CA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Juan Vargas (D-CA).

    Click here to read the full text of the bill.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gunmen who shot at four year old girl sentenced thanks to Met specialist teams

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men with affiliations to the Manor House street gang in Hackney have been jailed following an investigation by Met specialist officers.

    Jordan Shaw, 20, (25.10.2003) of Green Lanes was sentenced to twenty-one years for two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.

    Joshua Fraser, 19, (21.1.2005) of King Edwards Road was sentenced to fourteen years for possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to commit murder.

    Both Shaw and Fraser took part in a ‘ride out’ into opposition gang territory in the Shrubland Road, E8, area of Hackney where they shot at a car they thought belonged to a rival gang. However, the car belonged to a family with no connection to gang members, and a 13-year old boy and four-year old girl were inside at the time of the shooting. Fortunately, nobody was injured during the incident.

    Shaw was subsequently involved in a shooting on Stoke Newington High Street, N16, in which three shots were fired towards a victim who sustained a single gunshot wound to the arm.

    The Met’s specialist firearms teams carried out round the clock investigations into Shaw and Fraser before arresting them at their home addresses on 31 May 2023 and 4 October 2023 respectively.

    The Met Police Specialist Crime units are working with borough colleagues to dismantle serious and organised crime groups that pose the greatest harm to London’s communities. Last year 386 illegal firearms were seized across the capital, equal to more than one a day. Between April 2023 and March 2024 there was a reduction in the number of firearms offences from 196 to 145.

    Andrea Ireland, Detective Chief Inspector, Specialist Crime North, said:

    “Following exhaustive investigative enquiries by Specialist Crime Trident officers we have taken two extremely dangerous men off the streets. Our Specialist Crime Proactive teams also recovered the firearm used in the gang-related activity in Hackney and which was subsequently found to have been used in eleven previous discharges in London.

    “This vital work has no doubt had a significant impact in safeguarding our local community and securing justice for victims which included very young children.”

    The sentencing took place at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, 3 September 2024.

    The Metropolitan Police Service is building a New Met for London which aims to engage with communities, foster trust, and combat crimes including firearms offences. The Met’s response to firearms offences demonstrates our commitment to improving safety and security across the capital. Through prioritising community engagement and targeted interventions, the Met’s innovative approach represents a significant stride towards creating a safer environment for all Londoners.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Coast Guard, Navy medically evacuate ill crewman from foreign fishing vessel northwest of Saipan

    Source: United States Coast Guard

     

    09/24/2024 04:34 AM EDT

    SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Navy’s Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 25 (HSC-25) conducted a successful medical evacuation of a 37-year-old crewman from the 95-foot Chinese Taipei-flagged fishing vessel Jin Hsiang Fa, approximately 138 nautical miles northwest of Saipan on Sept. 21, 2024, with coordination from U.S. Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam. “Having the support of hoist-capable aircraft like the MH-60S and our HSC-25 partners is invaluable for search and rescue operations in the Pacific,” said Vince Grochowski, command duty officer at Coast Guard Forces Micronesia/Sector Guam. “Their ability to quickly access vessels at sea and provide transport of mariners to a higher level of medical care can be lifesaving, particularly in remote areas like this.” Following a request for assistance from the Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) Taipei at 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 20, the Joint Rescue Sub-Center (JRSC) Guam began coordinating the response with HSC-25. “RCC Taipei was vital in this rescue by keeping us updated and helping bridge the language gap between the ship and the aircrew,” said Lt. Chelsea Garcia, search and rescue mission coordinator. “Their teamwork ensured we could respond quickly and get the crewman the medical care he needed without delay.”

    For breaking news follow us on twitter @USCGHawaiiPac

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Wonderful gardens, the tsar’s residence and a Moscow salon: what the capital’s parks looked like in different years

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Moscow parks have long been a place of attraction for residents. Lectures, excursions, master classes and even open-air film screenings are held here. This year, 14 Moscow parks will celebrate their anniversaries – many of them will be over 50 years old. We tell you which recreation area was improved by Sergei Tretyakov, where football player Alexei Khomich began his career and which park was founded by Peter I.

    Center of cultural life

    This year is special for Tagansky Park, located on Taganskaya Street (40–42 buildings) — it is turning 90 years old. It was founded in 1934 at the N. I. Bukharin Workers’ Club and immediately became the center of cultural life in the Tagansky District. In 1957, the Zenit Cinema was built on the site of the old club, housing a concert hall. At the same time, amateur art and applied arts clubs for children and adults opened here.

    The history of Tagansky Park is connected with the names of outstanding residents of the capital. For example, football players Konstantin Beskov and Alexey Khomich, USSR tennis champion Nikolay Ozerov and Olympic figure skating champion Irina Rodnina began their sports careers here.

    After the Great Patriotic War, the park hosted meetings with heroes of the Soviet Union, military-patriotic gatherings, competitions and holiday concerts. In addition, jazz and brass bands, as well as dance evenings, were organized here. The park hosted major festivals such as the Musical Bazaar on Taganka, Beauty Will Save the World, Moscow Yard, Spring in Tagansky Park, Taganka Running Festival and many others. And sports clubs from the districts and the city competed at the stadium.

    In the early 2000s, the park began to actively work with children and teenagers. For example, a creativity center with a chamber auditorium was opened, where musical performances and festivals were held. Today, the park still hosts concerts, master classes and sports competitions. In the summer, guests practice yoga, bachata and zumba, and in the winter, ice discos are organized for them at the stadium, which turns into a skating rink.

    Tagansky Park pleases visitors with a variety of plants, for example, poplars, chestnuts, lindens, maples, ash trees, apple trees and a three-hundred-year-old pedunculate oak grow here, tulips and lilacs bloom in the spring. While walking through the park, you can meet starlings, thrushes, tits, wagtails and squirrels.

    On the territory of Tagansky Park there is a large fountain, an open stage, a rope park, children’s and sports grounds, a stadium with a football field, stands and running tracks, a creativity center, a physical education and health complex, a martial arts center, as well as a Museum of Tricks and Illusions.

    In 2012–2013, a large-scale reconstruction of the park’s territory took place, during which the stadium was transformed and new sports grounds and leisure facilities appeared.

    Tagansky Park includes the N.N. Pryamikov Children’s Park (Taganskaya Street, Building 15a, Building 1) — one of the first recreation areas in the city, the history of which began in 1775. The park is named after the hero of the October Revolution. In 2017, the landscape was updated, small architectural forms and new modern equipment were installed.

    Today, Tagansky Park is a cultural, leisure and sports center, a place for active recreation and leisurely walks. It plans to continue its traditions and open even more clubs for the younger generation.

    The first pleasure garden

    The Hermitage Garden was founded 130 years ago. It was the first pleasure garden in Moscow with gazebos, flowerbeds, a theater, a stage, coffee houses and pavilions. From 1830 until the end of the 19th century, it was located on Staraya Bozhedomka (now Durova Street). The garden reached its greatest prosperity when it belonged to the entrepreneur and former actor of the Maly Theater Mikhail Lentovsky. However, after his destruction, the garden fell into disrepair and its entire territory was built up. In 1894, a new life for the garden began – but in a different place. In just a year, the plot of land on Karetny Ryad, which was owned by the Moscow merchant Yakov Shchukin, turned from a wasteland into a blooming garden. Flowerbeds and paths were laid out there, trees and bushes were planted, and the theater building was reconstructed. At the same time, electric lighting, running water and a swimming pool appeared in the Hermitage.

    A year later, in 1896, one of the first film screenings in Russia took place in the garden – the townspeople were able to appreciate the invention of the Lumiere brothers. A performance by the famous American illusionist Harry Houdini was also a significant event.

    Fyodor Chaliapin, Leonid Sobinov, Antonina Nezhdanova sang on the stage of the Hermitage, and it was here that Sergei Rachmaninoff made his debut as a conductor. In 1898, the Moscow Art Theatre opened in the building of the Hermitage Theatre, where the play Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich was staged. Leo Tolstoy and Vladimir Lenin often visited the garden.

    After 1917, the garden was nationalized and then leased privately. In 1924, the theater building was occupied by the Theater of the Moscow City Council of Trade Unions, which was later renamed the Mossovet Theater.

    The Hermitage Garden survived the Great Patriotic War, and in the summer of 1945, it was reconstructed. Three years later, a summer concert hall was built on its territory, where Arkady Raikin, Klavdiya Shulzhenko, Lidiya Ruslanova performed and Leonid Utesov’s orchestra played. Vladimir Vysotsky also sang in the garden and the first game of “What? Where? When?” was held.

    Today, the Hermitage Garden is a protected monument of landscape gardening. It is regularly renovated and landscaped. Concerts, performances and festivals are held here.

    First entertainment. The Hermitage Garden celebrates its 130th anniversaryOutdoor recreation and attractions: Glavarkhiv – about how parks were organized in the USSR

    The famous Moscow salon

    The history of the Vorontsovo estate, which has been around for five centuries, is no less interesting. The estate was first mentioned in the will of the Moscow Prince Ivan III. In 1640, the estate passed into the possession of the Repnin princes. However, all the buildings that have survived to this day were built at the turn of the 18th–19th centuries under Field Marshal Nikolai Repnin. At that time, the northern and southern wings, the greenhouse, the stable yard, the ensemble of the main entrance and the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity were erected.

    During the Patriotic War of 1812, a hot air balloon was developed at the estate under the direction of the German mechanic Franz Leppich. This episode is described in Leo Tolstoy’s novel War and Peace. In the 1820s, the Vorontsovo estate was owned by Princess Zinaida Volkonskaya. All the celebrities of the time visited her Moscow salon; for example, the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz came here.

    After 1918, members of European socialist parties Emil Vandervelde, Arthur Waters, Theodor Liebknecht and Kurt Rosenfeld lived here. After the evacuation of the All-Union Scientific Research Vitamin Institute from Leningrad at the end of 1942, the Vorontsov Central Biological Station appeared on the estate, and in the 1950s, the state farm built three two-story buildings on the estate.

    Today, the Vorontsovo estate is a monument of landscape gardening and architecture with an area of 40.7 hectares. On its territory there is a cascade of ponds, an oak grove, Italian and Chinese gardens. The park has playgrounds, attractions, outdoor cafes and skating rinks. The estate often hosts city festivals and quests, flash mobs and exhibitions. Sports activities and excursions are also organized here.

    The Tsar’s residence in the south of Moscow

    Another historical park in Moscow is the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve. Kolomenskoye was first mentioned in the spiritual charters of Prince Ivan Kalita. Over time, this place turned into a famous grand ducal, royal and imperial residence.

    The names of representatives of the royal dynasties of Rurikovich and Romanov are associated with Kolomenskoye. Among them are Dmitry Donskoy, Ivan III, Vasily III, Ivan the Terrible, Alexei Mikhailovich the Quietest, Peter I, Catherine II and many others. At various times, the victory in the Battles of Kulikovo and Poltava was celebrated here and other events were marked.

    Today, the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve is a unique historical and cultural territory where medieval landscapes and natural monuments have been preserved. It was created in 1923 on the initiative of the cultural figure Pyotr Baranovsky.

    Sergei Sobyanin showed what Sokolniki, Gorky Park, Izmailovsky Park and Tsaritsyno looked like in spring several decades agoArt and nature: which theaters operate in the capital’s parks

    From falconry to concerts of Feodor Chaliapin

    Sokolniki Park is another favorite place for Muscovites to take walks since the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. In the 17th century, during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, falconry was held here, hence the name of the park. All high society gathered here, including princes, emperors and empresses.

    And, according to legend, at the end of the 17th century, by order of Peter I, the first clearing was cut in Sokolnichya Grove, which still exists today. In 1845-1848, a city park was created here, and new cascades of ponds appeared on the site of old reservoirs. In 1866, the recreation area was included in the boundaries of Moscow, and in 1879 it became the property of the city. The city mayor Sergei Tretyakov, the brother of the founder of the Tretyakov Gallery, invested his own funds in the improvement of the park territory, and he also ensured that the park territory became part of Moscow.

    Here, in the openwork pavilion-rotunda, classical music concerts were held, where Fyodor Shalyapin and Leonid Sobinov performed. In addition, film screenings and children’s parties were held. For example, in 1919, Vladimir Lenin organized a festive Christmas tree in the park for the students of the forest school.

    In 1931, the Moscow City Council declared Sokolniki a city park of culture and recreation. After the Great Patriotic War, the recreation area of over 500 hectares was reconstructed. In 1973, the legendary Sokolniki Sports Palace was built on its territory. In 1979, the park was recognized as a cultural heritage site, a monument of landscape gardening of regional significance.

    Wonderful Gardens and Menagerie

    The history of Izmailovsky Park goes back to the reign of Alexei Mikhailovich. In the 17th century, marvelous Italian-style gardens were laid out in the royal estate located here, decorative towers with promenades were built, which complemented the landscape paintings. Three kilometers from the sovereign’s court, the Prosyansky Garden was arranged. On the territory of the forest (now Izmailovsky Park) there was one of the largest menageries in Europe, which served for the royal amusement. Lions, tigers, leopards, monkeys and rare birds were kept there. The forest also had farmland where fish were bred.

    The Izmailovsky Park of Culture and Leisure was created in 1931. Until 1961, it bore the name of Joseph Stalin. On its territory is the oldest Ferris wheel in the city, the open-air museum of military equipment “Ploshchad Muzhestva”, the 17th-century Round Pond and a music pavilion.

    Open-Air Stages. Theatrical History of Moscow Parks and EstatesAll eyes on the front: life in the capital’s parks during the war

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144324073/

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Background Press Call on President  Biden’s Engagements at  UNGA

    Source: The White House

    Via Teleconference

    5:33 P.M. EDT

    MODERATOR:  This is Michael Feldman with the NSC press team.  Just as a reminder for today’s call, it is on background and attributable to senior administration officials.  The call is also under embargo until 5:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time tomorrow morning.

    For awareness and not for attribution, on today’s call we have [senior administration official] and [senior administration official].  I will now turn the call over to [senior administration official] to give some opening remarks.  Over to you.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Excellent.  Thank you.  And good evening, everybody.  We’re very excited for the President’s trip to this year’s U.N. General Assembly, the last one of his presidency. 

    So, at meetings at the U.N. this week, we’re going to get a lot of business done for the American people.  The President, the Secretary of State, other Cabinet officials, and even some members of Congress are here in New York to advocate for our country’s interests and values. 

    At the General Assembly, the President will do what he has done throughout his presidency: rally global action to tackle some of our world’s biggest challenges.  So, for example, he’ll be talking this week about the climate crisis and the environment.  We’ll be talking about the need to strengthen our systems for providing humanitarian assistance; to end brutal wars in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan; and we’ll also be talking about the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence. 

    When President Biden came to office nearly four years ago, he pledged to restore American leadership on the world stage.  And given that this is the President’s last General Assembly, it’s a chance for him to talk about how this approach has produced results, real achievements for the American people and for the world. 

    The President’s engagements this week reflect his vision for a world where countries come together to solve big problems.  This stands in contrast to some of our competitors, who have a more cynical and transactional worldview, one where countries interpret their self-interest very narrowly and don’t work together for the common good. 

    An overarching theme at this year’s General Assembly will be the need to reform and strengthen our global institutions, including the U.N., to make them more effective and inclusive.  And that’s been a big theme of the U.N. Secretary-General’s Summit for the Future, the marquee event at high-level week this year. 

    Last week, President Biden released a video message ahead of the summit.  I encourage you all watch it.  You can find it on the Web.  In the video, the President spoke about using this moment to reaffirm our commitment to the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  And he talked about pushing for a stronger, more effective United Nations and a reformed and expanded Security Council.  And he also talked about our efforts, investing billions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and building on the global consensus that we achieved last spring in the United Nations General Assembly on principles for the use of artificial intelligence. 

    We’re going into a General Assembly this year with the world facing many steep challenges, problems so big no one country can solve them on their own, but that’s why the President feels so strongly the world needs strong and effective global institutions, including an adapted United Nations.  This is his vision of countries working together.  It has been a theme of his presidency and an important part of his legacy. 

    Let me just briefly note the President’s key engagements, and then I’ll turn over to my colleague to discuss the major event that he’s hosting on the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats. 

    On Tuesday morning, tomorrow, he will deliver and address to the U.N. General Assembly.  It will have many of the themes that I’ve mentioned here and talk about — again, some of the achievements of his approach to the United Nations and global cooperation. 

    The President will also meet tomorrow with U.N. Secretary-General Guterres to talk about how the United States and the United Nations are working together to advance peace, safeguard human rights, and help countries develop. 

    On Tuesday afternoon, the President will host a summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, and I’ll turn over to my colleague in a second to talk about that. 

    The President is also giving a major address later that afternoon on the urgent need to combat climate change. 

    On Wednesday, the President will meet with the President of Vietnam, To Lam.  The President of Vietnam just came into office four months ago, and this meeting will be an important opportunity for the two leaders to talk about our shared interest in stability and prosperity in Southeast Asia. 

    The President will also attend, that afternoon, a meeting focused on Ukraine reconstruction with other world leaders. 

    And then on Wednesday evening, at the Met, the President will host world leaders and senior U.N. officials for a reception. 

    This is just a small slice of all the diplomacy and business that we’re doing here at the U.N. General Assembly.  There’ll be high-level meetings on the future of multilateral cooperation, sea level rise, antimicrobial resistance.  Really, every big, major challenge will be addressed here, and we’ll have senior U.S. representatives at all of these main events on issues such as the impact of emerging technology and specific meetings on global crises such as the difficult situation in Haiti, Sudan, Venezuela, Ukraine, Syria, and the Rohingya refugee crisis. 

    Other U.S.-hosted and U.S.-attended side events will focus on climate; scaling clean energy for Africa; a major core group meeting of countries committed to LGBTQ rights that was attended by the First Lady; and partnering for a lead-free future. 

    So, again, this is just a small slice of everything that is going on, plus the countless private sector and civil society events focusing on the great challenges of the 21st century. 

    So, as I mentioned, we’re going to use this high-level week, the President’s last U.N. General Assembly, to get as much done for the American people in the coming days.

    I’d like to now turn over to my colleague who will discuss the President’s summit on the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Great.  Thanks so much, and thanks to all of you for joining this call. 

    I wanted to share with you the exciting news that, on Tuesday, President Biden will, as [senior administration official] already said, host a summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats.  This is a coalition that President Biden launched in June 2023 to mobilize international action to tackle the synthetic drug crisis. 

    In just over one year, this global coalition has grown to include 158 countries and 15 international organizations working together to prevent the illicit manufacture and trafficking of synthetic drugs, to detect emerging drug threats, and to promote effective public health interventions. 

    With the summit as a motivating force, we now have 11 core coalition countries that will be joining the President tomorrow, and they will be announcing new initiatives that will continue to advance the work of the coalition, including work to prevent, detect, and disrupt the supply chain of synthetic drugs. 

    It’s important to emphasize that these international efforts complement intensive work that’s already been done and is being done domestically, including an increased focus on coordinated disruption of drug trafficking networks and concerted efforts to make the opioid overdose reversal medication, naloxone, widely available over the counter. 

    These are just some of a wide array of actions that the Biden-Harris administration has taken to tackle the synthetic drug threats. 

    And as a result of these efforts, we’re starting to see the largest drop in overdose deaths in recorded history.  When President Biden and Vice President Harris came into office, the number of drug overdose deaths was increasing by more than 30 percent year over year.  Now we have the latest provisional data released from the Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Health Statistics, showing an unprecedented decline in overdose deaths of roughly 10 percent from April 2023 to April 2024.

    But there’s a lot more to be done, and the Global Coalition’s work recognizes that we need a global solution to a global problem. 

    We are thrilled that we have so many countries coming together tomorrow to celebrate the work of the coalition, and we also will be announcing a new pledge that all of the core coalition members will be announcing — will be signing on to tomorrow, and we will be working over the coming months to ensure that all coalition members sign on to this pledge. 

    And we truly think that this is a reflection of President Biden’s commitment to work both domestically and globally on the most important challenges that we face, recognizing that we need both domestic action and global action working together. 

    And with that, I’ll turn it back to [senior administration official].

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks, Michael.  I’ll turn it back to you. 

    MODERATOR:  All right.  Thank you, [senior administration officials].  All right, with that, we will take some questions. 

    The first question is going to go to Zeke Miller.  You should be able to unmute yourself. 

    Q    Thanks so much for doing this.  You mentioned this is the President’s last U.N. of his presidency.  He’s going to deliver remarks to the General Assembly tomorrow.  Can you give us a preview, potentially, of what his message will be?  And will it be different from his prior remarks, in the sense — you know, obviously, world events have changed, but, you know, with an eye towards his legacy?  Or is there some message he’s trying to give on the world stage before he leaves office in January?  Thank you.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  You know, the themes I — thanks, Zeke.  The themes I previewed at the beginning will be really central to the President.  So, again, he came into office four years ago with a vision of America returning to the world stage, having a new way of interacting with other countries, bringing countries together to solve some of these big challenges.  This will be a good opportunity for him to look at the results that have been achieved. 

    We live in a world with many problems, with many divisions, but we have a story to tell about what we’ve done to rally the world to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty, uphold principles of the U.N. Charter; what we’ve done to manage responsibly our competition with other countries including China; and also what we’re doing to deal with the ongoing and serious conflicts in our world in places like Gaza, where the President has worked tirelessly to get a hostage ceasefire deal, and conflicts like Sudan, where you have absolutely unprecedented displacement and a really serious crisis that we think needs to get more attention. 

    So I think that will be the frame, and I’ll leave the details for the President’s speech tomorrow.

    MODERATOR:  Great.  Thank you very much.  Our next question is going to go to Asma Khalid.  You should be able to unmute yourself.

    Q    Yes.  Hi.  Thanks for doing this.  Similarly, sort of on the speech, could I get a sort of broad, I guess, framework or tone that you all are thinking about?  I know you say that the President came into office talking about building international coalitions, wanting to rebuild the United States stature on the world, but this is a really different moment than when the President even gave the speech last year, before October 7th.  He is now leaving office, and there are multiple sort of intractable problems right now in the world.  And can you just kind of give us any sense of tone in how the President is thinking about that and the very limited time he has left to solve them?

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks, Asma.  Look, I think it’s a good question.  The world has changed.  The world has gotten more difficult in many ways, as you noted. 

    But, you know, as I said, the President came into office with a vision of how countries need to work together, how they need to work through institutions, how they need to partner to solve big global challenges.  And the fact that we do have these challenges, the fact that we do have Gaza, the fact that we do have Ukraine and Sudan, still serious issues in our world, just underscores the need for that kind of cooperation.  And I think you’ll hear that in his speech. 

    Yes, he’ll talk about the significant accomplishments, achievements of his approach, but also talk about how we need the spirit, we need to continue working together to solve these big challenges, whether it is the wars you mentioned or other challenges such as the climate crisis or managing the implications of some of the new technologies. 

    So I think this will be an important moment to say: Where do we go and what are the principles in which we’re going to solve these problems?  Thanks.

    MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  Our next question is going to go to Paris Huang.  You should be able to unmute yourself. 

    Q    All right.  Hi.  Thank you, Michael.  Thank you, [senior administration official].  Two-parts question.  So, kind of follow up on the questions from Zeke and Asma.  So, of course, we know China and Russia have been heavily influencing the U.N. for years.  You know, we see all those voting records.  And President Biden have been doing a lot of reform during the four years.  Does he believe that those changes will sustain after he leaves the White House?

    And second question: In last year’s UNGA remarks, President Biden talked about the peace and stability of Taiwan Strait, which was the first time a U.S. president actually talked about Taiwan at the UNGA.  So, will he include Taiwan again in his remarks this year?  Thank you.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thanks.  And I appreciate the question.  I think it’s a good question in terms of, you know, have we left the United Nations as an institution better off.  I think we do have results, and the President will talk about that.  You know, it’s a time of great divisions, and the U.N. has already been — has always been a reflection of the world as it is. 

    That said, when you look at what we’ve done, including through the United Nations, to, for example, rally the world to defend the U.N. Charter after the Ukrainian invasion, we secured a U.N. General Assembly resolution in which 141 countries stood up and said, “We condemn this, and we stand in favor of the U.N. Charter.”

    You’ve also seen a more progressive and forward-leaning position on institutional reform.  For example, two years ago, the President announced a shift and a more forward-leaning position in reforming and expanding the United Nations Security Council.  And that’s definitely a piece of this well as well. 

    I won’t get into the details on, you know, specifically what he’ll mention on individual issues, but I will say that an important part of the President’s legacy has been thinking about how we responsibly manage our competition with China, and that includes many facets, economic security, and those will be addressed in the speech.

    MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  Our next question is going to go to Sheryl Gay Stolberg.  You should be able to unmute yourself, Sheryl.

    Q    Hi.  Thank you for doing this call.  You know, this is not a political speech, but it does occur in the context of an election in which one of the candidates has an isolationist vision that is far apart, diametrically opposed to that of the President.  And I’m wondering, to what extent can the President use this speech to ensure that his own vision of global alliances survives?  Is he concerned that that vision will unravel?

    And will this speech be in any way directed to the American people, as much as to world leaders, as a reminder of the importance of America’s place in the world?

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Look, as you said, this is not a political speech, but the President, again, he has a vision.  He came into a vision — into office.  That vision has produced results.  And there are many opponents and critics of that vision, not just internationally but at home.  It has been the President’s view that he needs to explain why this vision of working together with countries to solve these big challenges actually produces results, and that’s actually how we’re going to be measured. 

    And when I say “produces results,” that means internationally, in terms of ending war, in terms of tackling challenges like sustainable development, the debt crisis, climate, but it also means that he needs to explain how his vision has produced results for the American people.  And that’s where I think there’s a very strong record, and some of it is very, very tangible. 

    For example, the summit on the coalition on synthetic drugs, that is him bringing together countries, all of whom share a challenge — dealing with synthetic drugs — but convening them here, talking about deliverables, talking about how we’re going to work together.  And this is something that directly affects the situation of the American public, as my colleague briefed earlier, in terms of the overall record on issues like fentanyl. 

    So I think he’ll lay that out tomorrow, and I think it will stand as representing that vision and what it’s achieved.

    MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  We will go to Danny Kemp.  You should be able to unmute yourself.

    Q    Thanks very much for doing this.  I just wanted to ask about the current situation in the Middle East.  I mean, you know, the speech tomorrow is really going to be a bit overshadowed by the events in Lebanon, where we’ve seen nearly 500 people killed in the space of a day.  How’s he going to address that?  And more particularly, how will the President be seeking to — will he be talking to other leaders about that?  What’s he actually going to be doing at the UNGA more generally to try and get this thing sorted out?  Thanks.

    SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  This is one of the advantages of the U.N. General Assembly: You literally have the whole world here.  So when you do have crises of the day, they’ll be addressed.  And I have no doubt that the situation in the Middle East will be an important theme in a lot of the meetings, not just that the President has, but other senior U.S. officials who will be convening to talk about various aspects of the crisis and what we can do to stabilize the situation. 

    He will address the Middle East, especially this very, very difficult year that we have all gone through.  And again, I think it’s an opportunity to talk about what we have achieved and what we still need to do, given a situation that is just heartbreaking where hostages have not been returned, the humanitarian situation in Gaza, and, as you know, just such a sensitive issue, such a delicate and dangerous situation between Israel and Lebanon right now.

    Thanks.

    MODERATOR:  Thank you very much.  And unfortunately, that is all the time we have today.  Thank you all for joining this call.  Thank you to our speakers.  And feel free to follow up with our team at the NSC press team with any questions. 

    And again, this call is under embargo until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow.  Thank you all again, and hope you have a great rest of your evening.

    5:53 P.M. EDT

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Gunmen who shot at four-year-old girl sentenced following Met investigation

    Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police

    Two men who shot at a car that contained two children have been sentenced following an investigation by detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command.

    Jordan Shaw, 20, (25.10.03) of Green Lanes, N8, was sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment for two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life, conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.

    Joshua Fraser, 19, (21.01.05) of King Edwards Road, E9, was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm and ammunition with intent to endanger life and conspiracy to commit murder.

    On 25 February 2023, both Shaw and Fraser drove into the Shrubland Road, E8, area of Hackney where they shot at a car they thought belonged to a rival gang. However, the car belonged to an innocent family. A 13-year-old boy and four-year-old girl were inside at the time. Fortunately, nobody was injured.

    On 11 August 2023, Shaw was subsequently involved in a shooting on Stoke Newington High Street, N16, in which three shots were fired towards a victim who sustained a single gunshot wound to the arm.

    Detectives carried out extensive investigations into Shaw and Fraser before arresting them at their home addresses on 31 May 2023 and 4 October 2023 respectively.

    Across London, specialist detectives are working closely with local officers to dismantle serious and organised crime groups that pose the greatest harm to London’s communities. Last year, 386 illegal firearms were seized across the capital and between April 2023 and March 2024 there was a reduction in the number of firearms offences from 196 to 145.

    Detective Chief Inspector Andrea Ireland, from Specialist Crime North, said: “Following an extensive investigation, officers have taken two extremely dangerous men off the streets. Our teams also recovered the firearm used in the shooting in Hackney. Forensic work carried out on the gun revealed it was also used in 11 previous firearm discharges in London.

    “This vital work has no doubt had a significant impact in safeguarding our local community and securing justice for the victims of Shaw and Fraser’s crimes.”

    The sentencing took place at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, 3 September.

    The Metropolitan Police Service is building a New Met for London, which aims to engage with communities, foster trust, and tackle crime that impacts Londoners the most, such as firearms offences.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Lifting the ban on electric pulse fishing in the light of new scientific findings – P-001786/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Priority question for written answer  P-001786/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Ton Diepeveen (PfE)

    The European Parliament decided in 2019 to ban electric pulse fishing. A number of scientific studies published since then show that that fishing technique is more sustainable than traditional methods such as beam trawling. For instance, electric pulse fishing reduces impact on seabed life, considerably lowers fishing vessels’ fuel consumption and results in less bycatch.

    Studies by Wageningen Marine Research in 2020 and the ICES Working Group on Electrical Trawling (WGELECTRA) in 2024.

    ICES Scientific Reports. 2024. Working Group on Electrical Trawling (WGELECTRA; outputs from 2023 meeting). Volume 6 | Issue 67 (p. Vii-viii) show that electric pulse fishing causes considerably less environmental harm than traditional fishing methods.

    Wageningen University & Research. 2020. The Implications of a Transition from Tickler Chain to Pulse Trawling (p. 10-11).

    In this connection:

    • 1.Is the Commission aware of the content of the scientific studies cited in the introduction? If not, why not?
    • 2.Does the Commission agree with the main conclusions of both reports, including the fact that electric pulse fishing reduces impact on seabed life, lowers fuel consumption and results in less by-catch? If not, why not?
    • 3.Why has the Commission not yet lifted the ban on electric pulse fishing?

    Submitted: 23.9.2024

    Last updated: 24 September 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – Crown-of-thorns starfish thrive in degraded coral habitats – UoS

    Source: University of Sydney (UoS)

    Better understanding of how reefs degrade will help marine conservation work – Research into one of the most persistent coral predators on the Great Barrier Reef has revealed a troubling paradox in reef ecosystems: the crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) appears to thrive in the very conditions of coral degradation it helps create.

    This work, from Professor Maria Byrne at the University of Sydney and marine science researcher Dr Kennedy Wolfe, sheds light on the interactions between coral health and the population dynamics of COTS, offering critical insights for conservation efforts.

    Professor Byrne from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney said: “This research reinforces our understanding that resilient species have the upper hand when adjusting to altered habitats. Unfortunately, in the case of the Great Barrier Reef, one of these resilient species – the crown-of-thorns starfish – is one of its most persistent coral predators.”

    Negative feedback: how the degraded reef framework operates. Image: Wolfe and Byrne

    Coral reefs, often referred to as the “rainforests of the sea”, are vital ecosystems that support a diverse array of marine life. However, these ecosystems are under severe threat from various stressors, including climate change, pollution and overfishing. Among the most significant challenges are outbreaks of COTS, which can decimate coral populations and lead to widespread reef degradation.

    This study, published in the Marine Environmental Research journal, proposes a “degraded reef hypothesis”, to better understand how COTS remain so persistent, despite extensive efforts to manage their impact.

    The degraded reef framework explains how the loss of live coral, which crown-of-thorns starfish feed off, paradoxically benefits juvenile COTS. As live coral diminishes, these starfish accumulate in rubble habitats, which serve as juvenile nurseries.

    This accumulation of juveniles-in-waiting can promote a pulsed emergence of COTS as they transition into coral-eating adults when corals start to recover. This exacerbates the cycle of coral loss and reef degradation.

    “Our previous research has shown that juvenile COTS can wait for just the right moment to emerge in large numbers; sometimes up to six years,” Professor Byrne said.

    Professor Byrne and Dr Wolfe’s research emphasises that the very conditions that lead to coral degradation – such as heatwaves, cyclones and pollution – create favourable environments for COTS to thrive. This resilience poses a significant challenge for reef management and conservation strategies, as efforts to restore coral health may inadvertently support the proliferation of these destructive starfish.

    “Our findings reveal a critical feedback loop in reef ecosystems,” said Dr Wolfe, who started his research career as a PhD student at the University of Sydney.

    “COTS populations may thrive as coral reefs degrade, leading to further coral loss. This cycle not only threatens corals but also the range of species that depend on healthy reefs for survival,” he said.

    Professor Byrne said: “This feedback loop explains repeated outbreaks on the Great Barrier Reef, despite exhaustive management through manual culling.”

    These findings underscore the need for a multifaceted approach to coral reef conservation that addresses the root causes of degradation while also considering broad ecological dynamics at play.

    Professor Byrne said: “Effective management strategies must account for the resilience of crown-of-thorns starfish and their ability to exploit degraded habitats. These coral predators are a symptom of ongoing environmental impact.”

    By understanding the relationship between coral health and COTS populations, conservationists can develop targeted interventions that mitigate the impacts of these starfish. This may include habitat restoration efforts that focus on enhancing coral resilience, as well as strategies to manage nutrient runoff and sedimentation.

    This latest study adds to the impressive work that Professor Byrne and her team have undertaken, which has improved our understanding of how the crown-of-thorns starfish is able to persist as a pest species on the Great Barrier Reef.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – Diet change for farmed yellowtail kingfish aims to save wild stocks – Flinders

    Source: Flinders University

    As the cost of fish oil continues to rise, Australian aquaculture operators are looking for safe and more sustainable sources for healthy formulated feed in order to expand commercial production of popular yellowtail kingfish.
    A South Australian study led by Flinders University, connected to project funding awarded to the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), assessed the use of substitutes canola oil and poultry oil in farmed kingfish production.  
    “Reducing the use of wild-caught sardines and other small fish to sustain farmed fish – to produce more farmed fish for human consumption – will help maintain our oceans and fishery food chains,” says Associate Professor James Harris, from the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University.
    As well as demand for seafood in a healthy diet, fish oil is also used in terrestrial animal feeds, with an estimated 460% of current production levels required by 2030 also driving up the commodity costs for aquaculture industries.  
    “We can’t keep catching loads of small fish to feed to larger fish we are growing, so are increasingly looking to reduce fish oil in their diets.”
    Fish oils have large concentrations of long-chain omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids which are essential for cultured carnivorous finfish to sustain optimal growth and health.  
    The Flinders experts, with colleagues from Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) research division SARDI and the University of Adelaide School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, undertook the study on locally grown kingfish.
    “We found that both oil from canola plants and oil from poultry could be effectively used, although there were some potentially adverse changes seen in the kingfish livers,” says Associate Professor Harris.  
    “These changes give us a chance to investigate further the major role in kingfish fat metabolism to continue looking to manipulate formulated feed to produce these popular fish, which also are farmed in Japan, Europe and the Americas.”
    Previous aquafeed studies have also used soybean oil and swine, bovine or ovine fats as fatty acid substitutes or supplements, with the goal of achieving optimum growth and lipid metabolism as well as palatability of alternative feeds.
    Liver structure and function in yellowtail kingfish, Seriola lalandi, in response to alternative oils in feed (2024) by Benjamin H Crowe, James O Harris, Todd J McWhorter, Matthew S Bansemer and David AJ Stone has been published in Aquaculture 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2024.741379. 
    Acknowledgements: 
    This project is supported by funding from the $6 million Australian Government Department of Agriculture and Water Resources as part of its Rural R&D for Profit Programme and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC) awarded to SARDI, the research arm of PIRSA, in partnership with other project participants, including Flinders University and University of Adelaide School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Roseworthy. This study was led by researchers from Finders University.

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: MSF calls for quick response and unrestricted access as cholera poses latest peril in Sudan’s war – MSF

    Source: Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)

    Port Sudan, 11 September, 2024. A cholera outbreak is gripping central and eastern Sudan bringing more, death and misery to people already suffering under the country’s brutal war. Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF)’s emergency teams are supporting by treating patients and providing water and sanitation services.

    Ongoing war, floods and now cholera

    In August, Sudanese authorities declared a cholera outbreak, which is currently heavily affecting the states of Kassala, Gedaref and River Nile, Al Jazirah and Khartoum. According to the Ministry of Health, over 5,000 cases of cholera and 191 deaths have been reported. In the second half of August the weekly cases of the disease multiplied by four.

    Cholera cases are not uncommon in Sudan, but this is the second time since the start of the war in April 2023, that the country is faced with outbreaks of the disease. For the past two years, our teams have been actively engaged in emergency responses to mitigate the spread of cholera.

    “The mix of heavy flooding and torrential downpours, combined with the terrible living conditions and inadequate access to drinking water that people, particularly in crowded displaced camps are facing, have created the perfect storm for the spread of this often deadly disease,” says Esperanza Santos, MSF emergency coordinator for Sudan.

    In Kassala, heavy rains and river floods have destroyed water and sanitation infrastructure and left both internally displaced communities and Eritrean and Ethiopian refugees living in even more appalling living conditions.

    “People are dying from cholera right now; and we are pleading on the UN and international organizations to fund and scale up activities, particularly water and sanitation services, which are crucial to stop the lethal spread of cholera,” says Frank Ross Katambula, MSF medical coordinator.

    Cholera adds yet another challenge to the crisis in Sudan and to the decimated health system, already struggling with increasing child malnutrition, high numbers of war wounded and regular cases of preventable diseases. The humanitarian response, frequently obstructed by both warring parties, remains far below what is needed.

    Case management and water and sanitation

    MSF teams in Khartoum, River Nile, Kassala and Gedaref have mobilized to support the Ministry of Health to respond to the situation, by setting up and running cholera treatment centres and units (CTCs and CTUs) and providing support to existing treatment facilities, in some of the most affected areas and hard-to-reach places. Between the end of August and 9 September, MSF teams treated 2,165 patients in our supported facilities.

     Caused by a water-borne intestinal infection, cholera is transmitted through contaminated food , water, or through contact with faecal matter. Cholera can cause severe diarrhea and vomiting, and rapidly proves fatal, within hours, if untreated. But cholera is very simple to treat – rehydration is key.

    “One adult male was unconscious [upon arrival to the facility]. Dehydration causes the body to go into shock. Doctors were resuscitating him, squeezing liters of fluids in his veins for about five minutes,” recalls Angela Giacomazzi, a Human Resource coordinator in Tanedba, about a patient who fortunately survived.

    MSF teams are setting up oral rehydration points, trucking drinking water, constructing handwashing points and latrines, distributing hygiene kits and doing health promotion in the affected communities.In Darfur, where no cases have yet been registered, MSF teams are helping to improve cholera preparedness.

    Unrestricted rapid access for staff and supplies

    After nearly 17 months of challenges and obstructions around the provision of humanitarian assistance in Sudan, MSF calls on the warring parties to allow unhindered access for medical staff and supplies, to all the areas in need across Sudan, to enable a quick and coordinated response and prevent avoidable deaths.

    “There is a risk of running out of essential supplies such as cholera kits in a moment when scaling up the response is urgently needed. We call on the authorities to fast-track and facilitate the delivery of supplies and drugs, as bureaucratic obstacles remain a major challenge,” says Katambula, MSF’s Medical Coordinator.

    MSF Australia was established in 1995 and is one of 24 international MSF sections committed to delivering medical humanitarian assistance to people in crisis. In 2022, more than 120 project staff from Australia and New Zealand worked with MSF on assignment overseas. MSF delivers medical care based on need alone and operates independently of government, religion or economic influence and irrespective of race, religion or gender. For more information visit msf.org.au  

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Universities – New fossil fish species scales up evidence of Earth’s evolutionary march – Flinders

    Source: Flinders University

    Climate change and asteroids are linked with animal origin and extinction – and plate tectonics also seems to play a key evolutionary role, ‘groundbreaking’ new fossil research reveals.
     
    The discovery of an exceptionally well preserved ancient primitive Devonian coelacanth fish in remote Western Australia has been linked to a period of heightened tectonic activity, or movement in the Earth’s crust, according to the new study in Nature Communications. (Open access when published)  
     
    Led by Flinders University and experts from Canada, Australia and Europe, the new fossil from the Gogo Formation in WA, named Ngamugawi wirngarri, also helps to fill in an important transition period in coelacanth history, between the most primitive forms and other more ‘anatomically-modern’ forms.
     
    “We are thrilled to work with people of the Mimbi community to grace this beautiful new fish with the first name taken from the Gooniyandi language,” says first author Dr Alice Clement, an evolutionary biologist and palaeontologist from Flinders University.
     
    “Our analyses found that tectonic plate activity had a profound influence on rates of coelacanth evolution. Namely that new species of coelacanth were more likely to evolve during periods of heightened tectonic activity as new habitats were divided and created,” she says.  
     
    The study confirms the Late Devonian Gogo Formation as one of the richest and best-preserved assemblages of fossil fishes and invertebrates on Earth.
     
    Flinders University Strategic Professor of Palaeontology John Long says the fossil, dating from the Devonian Period (359-419 million years ago), “provides us with some great insight into the early anatomy of this lineage that eventually led to humans”.
     
    “For more than 35 years, we have found several perfectly preserved 3D fish fossils from Gogo sites which have yielded many significant discoveries, including mineralised soft tissues and the origins of complex sexual reproduction in vertebrates,” says Professor Long.
     
    “Our study of this new species led us to analyse the evolutionary history of all known coelacanths.”
     
    Many parts of human anatomy originated in the Early Palaeozoic (540-350 million years ago). This was when jaws, teeth, paired appendages, ossified brain-cases, intromittent genital organs, chambered hearts and paired lungs all appeared in early fishes.
     
    “While now covered in dry rocky outcrops, the Gogo Formation on Gooniyandi Country in the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia was part of an ancient tropical reef teeming with more than 50 species of fish about 380 million years ago.
     
    “We calculated the rates of evolution across their 410 million-year history. This revealed that coelacanth evolution has slowed down drastically since the time of the dinosaurs, but with a few intriguing exceptions.”
     
    Today, the coelacanth is a fascinating deep-sea fish that lives off the coasts of eastern Africa and Indonesia and can reach up to 2m in length. They are “lobe-finned” fish, which means they have robust bones in their fins not too dissimilar to the bones in our own arms, and are thus considered to be more closely related to lungfish and tetrapods (the back-boned animals with arms and legs such as frogs, emus and mice) than most other fishes.
     
    Over the past 410 million years, more than more than 175 species of coelacanths have been discovered across the globe. During the Mesozoic Era, the age of dinosaurs, coelacanths diversified significantly, with some species developing unusual body shapes. However, at the end of the Cretaceous Period, around 66 million years ago, they mysteriously disappeared from the fossil record.
     
    The end Cretaceous extinction, sparked by the impact from a massive asteroid, wiped out approximately 75% of all life on Earth, including all of the non-avian (bird-like) dinosaurs. Thus, it was presumed that the coelacanth fishes had been swept up as a casualty of the same mass extinction event.
     
    But in 1938, people fishing off South Africa pulled up a large mysterious looking fish from the ocean depths, with the ‘lazarus’ fish going on to gain cult status in the world of biological evolution.
     
    Another senior co-author, vertebrate palaeontologist Professor Richard Cloutier, from the University of Quebec in Rimouski (UQAR), says the new Nature Communications study challenges the idea that surviving coelacanths are the oldest ‘living fossils’.
     
    “They first appear in the geological record more than 410 million years ago, with fragmentary fossils known from places like China and Australia. However, most of the early forms remain poorly known, making Ngamugawi wirngarri the best known Devonian coealacanth.
     
    “As we slowly fill in the gaps, we can start to understand how living coelacanth species ofLatimeria, which commonly are considered to be ‘living fossils,’ actually are continuing to evolve and might not deserve such an enigmatic title,” says Professor Cloutier, a previous honorary visiting scholar at Flinders University.
     
    The study’s coauthors have affiliations with Mahasarakham University in Thailand, the South Australian Museum, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany, University of Bristol, Curtin University in Western Australia and the WA Museum.
     
    The article, ‘A Late Devonian coelacanth reconfigures actinistian phylogeny, disparity, and evolutionary dynamics’ (2024) by Alice M Clement, Richard Cloutier, Michael SY Lee, Benedict King, Olivia Vanhaesebroucke, Corey JA Bradshaw, Hugo Dutel, Kate Trinajstic and John A Long has been published in Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4.
     
    https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51238-4

    MIL OSI – Submitted News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: A Proclamation on National POW/MIA Recognition Day,  2024

    Source: The White House

    Throughout history, America’s service members have risked everything to keep the light of liberty shining bright.  Today, more than 81,000 of these brave men and women remain missing and unaccounted for around the world.  They will never be forgotten, and their courage, service, and sacrifice will always be cherished by our grateful Nation.  On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we honor all those missing and unaccounted for.  We recommit to bringing them home, no matter how long it takes.  And we express our ironclad support for their families.

    The POW/MIA flag is displayed in its rightful place above the White House — the People’s House.  The flag serves as a reminder to all Americans that we are the fortunate heirs of the legacy that they — our Nation’s unreturned heroes — helped to forge.  These service members gave all, risked all, and dared all to protect our freedom.  Just as they kept faith in our Nation, we must keep faith with them.  My Administration will never forget our obligation to these patriots and their families.  We owe them a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay.

    For those with family members who are missing and unaccounted for, I know that the not knowing weighs on your hearts, amid the grieving, remembering, and cherishing of your loved ones.  My Administration sees you, stands with you, and will never forget our sacred obligation to care for you. 

    During National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we recognize the absolute bravery of our Nation’s service members who are missing and unaccounted for, and we recommit to bringing them home.  We offer our gratitude and steadfast support for their families, who have given so much to our Nation.  We also honor the service and sacrifice of former prisoners of war.  And we remember that the truest testimonial to their sacrifice is doing our part to ensure that our democracy and the soul of our Nation endure.

    NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 20, 2024, as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.  Let all who read this know that America remains grateful to our heroes held in the worst imaginable conditions as prisoners of war.  Additionally, I encourage my fellow citizens across the Nation to reflect on today and let us not forget those heroes who never returned home from the battlefields around the world or their families who are still waiting for answers.  I call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and private organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                                  JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: National Forest Week: Minister Todd Loewen

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    “National Forest Week is a time to recognize the importance of Alberta’s forests, not just as part of our landscape, but as a vital piece of who we are as Albertans. Living in Alberta, we’re constantly reminded how fortunate we are to be surrounded by natural landscape. They provide more than just beauty – they drive our economy, protect our environment and give countless Albertans and visitors opportunities to explore and thrive.

    “As Minister of Forestry and Parks, I am responsible for forest management, ensuring we protect what matters most while pushing forward on the economic benefits our forests provide.

    “To be clear, Alberta’s forestry industry isn’t just about cutting trees – it’s about harvesting them responsibly, reducing risks from pests and wildfire and planting new life to keep our forests strong and sustainable. This process supports thousands of hard-working Albertans, especially in our rural communities, where forestry is not only an industry but a way of life.

    “One program I’m especially proud of is the Alberta Value Added Wood Products Program. Launched in 2021, this initiative has supported small businesses and research, pushing innovation in how we use our forest resources. It’s about making the most of what we’ve got and creating new opportunities while reducing waste.

    “There is no doubt that our forests face challenges. But I’m fortunate to work with dedicated, hard-working people who aren’t afraid to take them head-on. The 98 per cent reduction in mountain pine beetle populations since 2019 is proof that we can make a real impact when we apply strategic resource management.

    “One of the biggest challenges we face today is wildfires. As more than half of our province is covered in forests, we need serious solutions to prevent and manage these fires. That’s why we increased funding in Budget 2024, ultimately growing from a low of $86 million in 2016-17 to its highest ever amount. That’s why I’m proud of the Community Fireguard Program, which has already drawn attention from communities all over Alberta and will start seeing action this fall.

    “In the end, it all comes down to smart, responsible management that protects our forests. I’m proud of how much Albertans care about these forests, and it’s my responsibility to ensure they’re safeguarded for the future.

    “So, during National Forest Week, I urge you to get out there, enjoy the wilderness and appreciate everything our forests provide. Let’s keep fighting to protect what makes Alberta great.”

    Related information

    • Mountain pine beetle
    • Alberta Value Added Wood Products Program
    • Community Fireguard Program

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Art exhibition to raise awareness of domestic abuse

    Source: Anglia Ruskin University

    Published: 23 September 2024 at 15:58

    ARU to display work produced by survivors to mark Domestic Abuse Awareness Month

    A powerful exhibition featuring artwork produced by the victims of domestic abuse will be held at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in Cambridge on Wednesday, 2 October.

    Sharon Livermore MBE, of Cambridge-based Domestic Abuse Education, has been working with ARU to provide information and training to raise awareness amongst students, and is helping ARU host the event to mark the start of Domestic Abuse Awareness Month in October.

    The most recent Crime Survey for England and Wales estimates that 1.4 million women and 751,000 men, aged 16 years and over, had experienced domestic abuse in the 12 months to March 2023. At 8%, a higher proportion of people aged 16-19 had been victims of domestic abuse than any other age group.

    ARU has trained five student domestic abuse ambassadors whose role is to both raise awareness of the issue and signpost the internal and external support that is available to any student who needs help.

    The art exhibition – called Breaking the Silence: Art Against Abuse – will feature two pieces of work by Holly Ringrose, who paints portraits of women who have lost their lives due to gender-based violence.

    Holly’s pictures are all unfinished, to highlight lives cut short, with Holly painting each portrait for one minute for each year the women lived for. The other work on show, which includes poetry as well as art, has all been produced by survivors of domestic abuse.

    Domestic Abuse Education have been working on projects with ARU’s student domestic abuse ambassadors, and Sharon has spoken at events on campus aimed at students and staff. Sharon, who herself is a survivor of domestic abuse, said:

    “It shouldn’t be necessary to have to hold this exhibition, but sadly this issue isn’t going away.

    “For ARU, talking about domestic abuse isn’t a ‘tick box’ exercise – they really are leading the way compared to many other universities. As well as having an excellent Counselling and Wellbeing Service and five student domestic abuse ambassadors, ARU has a specific policy on domestic abuse and has held conferences dedicated to gender-based violence. ARU should be commended for their work in this area.”

    The exhibition on 2 October (11am-4pm) is open to the public and will take place in room LAB 027 on ARU’s main East Road campus in Cambridge. Also attending on 2 October will be over a dozen frontline support services, who will be there to provide expert advice and information.

    These include Cambridgeshire Police, Cambridge Women’s Aid, Peterborough Women’s Aid and their B-United project offering help to male victims, the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, the Kite Trust supporting LGBTQ+ young people, Cambridgeshire County Council’s Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence partnership, and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.

    Suzanne Drieu, Head of Counselling and Wellbeing at ARU, said:

    “Unfortunately, domestic abuse is a societal problem and it can affect people regardless of their age, sex or background.

    “The aim of holding this exhibition and inviting the different services onto campus at this point in the academic year is to ensure everyone is aware of the support available. This is particularly important for those who have relocated to the area and left behind their existing support networks.

    “ARU’s Counselling and Wellbeing Service is available to all students and offers confidential counselling, mental health advice and wellbeing support. We can also liaise with internal and external specialist services to help students at any point in their academic journey.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Secret Service is Slow-Walking Investigation

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson

    In the week since the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, we still have far more questions than answers about both events.Two attempts in a little over 60 days is horrendous and unacceptable.
    There’s just basic information we should have right now, and we don’t have it. Regarding the July 13 assassination attempt against President Trump, the Secret Service and FBI fail to provide unredacted documents and they are slow-walking witnesses to Congress. Subpoenas must be issued to compel compliance.
    The Secret Service’s budget has increased 65% over the past decade. They don’t lack resources, they simply lack good management. 
    READ Fox News: Sen. Ron Johnson describes ‘heavily redacted’ documents provided to lawmakers
    WATCH Real America’s Voice: Sen. Johnson talks about upcoming preliminary report on July 13 assassination attempt. 
    LISTEN to Clay & Buck Show: Why we cannot trust the FBI to investigate the Trump assassination attempts.
    WATCH Jesse Waters Show: Subpoenas must be issued to compel compliance.
    SAVE Act for Election Integrity

    I’m a co-sponsor of the SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) because it should be obvious to everyone — even Democrats — that we should prevent illegal immigrants from voting. 
    Unfortunately most Democrats in Congress don’t agree. This legislation aims to secure our elections by requiring proof of citizenship to vote.
    This op-ed I wrote for The Federalist outlines why the SAVE Act is important. 
    READ: Democrat-Controlled States Refuse To Clean Voter Rolls And Fix Election Problem
    Why is Social Security in Trouble? 

    During the Senate Finance Committee on September 12, I talked about why Social Security is in trouble.
    Here are the issues I raised in my questioning. Since the inception of Social Security: 
    — Life expectancy increased 16 years,— Worker-to-beneficiary ratio fell from 30+:1 to 2.7:1, and— Government spent the money instead of properly investing it.
    Only taxing the “wealthy” won’t solve the problem — it will hurt economic growth and make things worse.
    Tune in Monday!

    On Monday, September 23 at 2pm ET,  I will lead a roundtable discussion titled, “American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion.” A panel of experts will provide a foundational and historical understanding of the changes that have occurred over the last century within public sanitation, agriculture, food processing, and healthcare industries which impact the current state of national health.
    Watch Monday’s livestream on the Senator Ron Johnson Rumble channel.
    Angels in Adoption

    I had the honor to congratulate Scott and Dawn Ripkey from Fontana, Wisconsin for being this year’s Angels in Adoption honorees representing our state. 
    Each year, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute selects individuals, families or organizations across the nation who have demonstrated a commitment to improving the lives of children in need of permanent, loving homes. As past co-presidents of the Gift of Adoption Wisconsin chapter, the Ripkeys grew the organization in size and reach, helping make the dream of a family a reality for many more children.
    If you know someone who should be nominated for this award next year, please email my office. 

    MIL OSI USA News –