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  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Requests Information on Arrest of Afghan Nationals Allegedly Plotting Election Day Terrorist Attack

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford
    OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee,  in sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting information concerning the recent arrest of two Afghan nationals in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who were allegedly plotting an Election Day terrorist attack on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
    “This alarming incident adds to a growing list of similar security breaches, raising serious concerns about the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ability to effectively protect our homeland. The screening and vetting processes under the Biden-Harris Administration are clearly failing, allowing criminals and individuals with terrorist links to exploit vulnerabilities in the system. Given the significant threat to American lives, it is imperative that we receive detailed information to fully understand the scope of these issues,” wrote the Senators.
    According to the unsealed criminal complaint referenced in the letter, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi entered the United States using a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), shortly after the Biden-Harris Administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. After entering the United States, Tawhedi promoted ISIS propaganda, sent funds to known charities linked to ISIS support networks, and liquidated all assets to purchase weapons; with the remaining funds intended for the ISIS Treasury. The Senators stressed this alarming incident adds to a growing list of similar security breaches, raising serious concerns about DHS’s ability to effectively protect our homeland. Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Roger Marshall (R-KS), both members of the Homeland Security Committee, also signed the letter.
    You can read the full letter HERE or below:
    Dear Secretary Mayorkas:
    We, as Members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), are writing to request information concerning the recent arrest of two Afghan nationals in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, who were allegedly plotting an Election Day terrorist attack, on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). According to the unsealed criminal complaint, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi entered the United States on September 9, 2021, using a Special Immigration Visa (SIV), shortly after the Biden-Harris Administration’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan.
    After entering the United States, Tawhedi promoted ISIS propaganda, sent funds to known charities linked to ISIS support networks, and liquidated all assets to purchase weapons; with the remaining funds intended for the ISIS Treasury. Tawhedi was working with a juvenile coconspirator with legal permanent resident status who had entered the United States on March 27, 2018, using a SIV. According to reports, the two Afghan nationals planned to carry out a violent, armed attack on Election Day.
    This alarming incident adds to a growing list of similar security breaches, raising serious concerns about the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) ability to effectively protect our homeland. The screening and vetting processes under the Biden-Harris Administration are clearly failing, allowing criminals and individuals with terrorist links to exploit vulnerabilities in the system. Given the significant threat to American lives, it is imperative that we receive detailed information to fully understand the scope of these issues.
    For this reason, we request the following information as soon as possible, but no later than November 8, 2024:
    All DHS records, including component records and complete Alien Files (A-Files), related to all of the individuals arrested in connection with this terrorist plot, including their immigration status and criminal history;
    All communications from or between DHS, CBP, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regarding these individuals, including but not limited to their immigration status and criminal history;
    All documents and communications regarding the arrival and entry of these individuals in the US;
    Any addresses provided by these individuals upon entering the US;
    All documents and communications related to these individuals’ personal information processed through international and national criminal databases;
    All documents and communications related to any asylum or protection claims made by these individuals, including the type and reason provided;
    All communications that DHS, CBP, or ICE had with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in relation to these individuals, including but not limited to any arrests or detainments by any state jurisdiction; and
    All documents and communications detailing their transit through other countries;
    All documents sufficient to show all derogatory information in the Terrorist Screening Data Set associated with the two Afghan nationals arrested on October 7, 2024.
    Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bennet, Hickenlooper, Bipartisan Colleagues Push for More Temporary Work Visas to Help Small Businesses in Colorado

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet
    Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper joined U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), alongside 37 of their bipartisan colleagues, to urge the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to release the maximum allowable number of additional temporary, non-agricultural (H-2B) visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 to support local economies and fill needed roles for American small businesses.
    “Many employers turn to the H-2B program to meet their workforce needs to not only sustain their businesses, but also support their American workers,” wrote Bennet, Hickenlooper, and the senators. “The H-2B program places requirements on employers to recruit U.S. workers, who are intentionally prioritized by the program and also receive demonstrated, positive impacts from their seasonal colleagues. In fact, a 2020 Government Accountability Office report concluded that ‘counties with H-2B employers generally had lower unemployment rates and higher average weekly wages than counties that do not have any H-2B employers.”
    In Colorado, more than 8,400 temporary H-2B visas were requested by over 250 employers in Fiscal Year 2021 – reflecting a strong demand for H-2B workers in the state. In the letter, the senators highlight recent data from DOL’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Surveys illustrating the workforce struggles of seasonal businesses nationwide. The rate of job openings have increased annually for top five H-2B occupations. Landscaping, hospitality, and the ski industry – all key to Colorado’s economy – are among the industries with the highest share of certified H-2B workers.
    “As you know, the FY 2025 H-2B first half fiscal year cap was met on September 18, 2024—roughly three weeks earlier than the cap was met in FY 2024. The result is that seasonal employers whose peak seasons are in late fall and winter are capped out before their period of seasonal need begins. Absent cap relief, these employers will be unable to receive temporary, U.S. government-vetted guest workers,” continued the senators.
    In addition to Bennet, Hickenlooper, King, and Rounds, U.S. Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chris Coons (D-Del.), John Cornyn (R-Teas.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), George Helmy (D-N.J.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Joe Manchin (I-W.V.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), John Thune (R-S.D.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also signed the letter. 
    Bennet and Hickenlooper have previously pushed DHS and DOL to increase the availability of H-2B visas and worked to ensure that the visa program is efficient and effective. In 2022, they welcomed an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas. 
    The text of the letter is available HERE and below. 
    Dear Secretaries Mayorkas and Su:
    We write on behalf of seasonal businesses in our states—including employers of housekeepers in tourist destinations, landscapers with defined seasons, seafood processors with short harvesting windows, and fairs and carnivals—who are struggling to hire a sufficient number of temporary, seasonal laborers to support their operations.  
    In light of these labor shortages, we strongly urge the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), to utilize the authority provided by Congress in the FY2025 Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act to release the maximum allowable number of additional H-2B visas for Fiscal Year 2025, as you did for Fiscal Year 2024. These visas will help employers handle their labor challenges, and provide additional certainty regarding their workforce planning decisions in the coming months. We urge you to promptly publish a temporary rule implementing the release of these supplemental visas.
    Many employers turn to the H-2B program to meet their workforce needs to not only sustain their businesses, but also support their American workers. The H-2B program places requirements on employers to recruit U.S. workers, who are intentionally prioritized by the program and also receive demonstrated, positive impacts from their seasonal colleagues. In fact, a 2020 Government Accountability Office report concluded that “counties with H-2B employers generally had lower unemployment rates and higher average weekly wages than counties that do not have any H-2B employers.” 
    The most current employment data illustrates the workforce struggles of seasonal businesses nationwide. The Department of Labor’s Job Openings and Labor Turnover Surveys (JOLTS) show the rate of job openings have increased year over year for the industries that represent the top five H-2B occupations. As you know, the FY 2025 H-2B first half fiscal year cap was met on September 18, 2024—roughly three weeks earlier than the cap was met in FY 2024. The result is that seasonal employers whose peak seasons are in late fall and winter are capped out before their period of seasonal need begins. Absent cap relief, these employers will be unable to receive temporary, U.S. government-vetted guest workers. 
    Congress has acknowledged this seasonal labor shortage by providing DHS with the authority to lift the H-2B visa cap for each of the past eight fiscal years. Given the growing demand for H-2B workers as employers continue to struggle with staffing shortages, we encourage you to promptly promulgate a temporary final rule for FY 2025 along the same lines as the FY 2024 rule.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen, Cortez Masto Announce Funding to Increase Women’s Access to Skilled Trades Apprenticeship Programs in Southern Nevada 

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

    LAS VEGAS, NV – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) announced more than $700,000 in federal grant funding to increase women’s access to skills training in Southern Nevada to enhance their participation in construction apprenticeship programs. The funding, awarded to the Southern Nevada Building Trades Union, will help recruit, train, and retain more women in their construction training programs. The funding comes from the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations grant program, which supports programs that train women for union jobs and nontraditional occupations.
    “Skills training programs and apprenticeships open the door to good-paying jobs without having to get a four-year college degree, and I’m working to make these opportunities available to more Nevadans,” said Senator Rosen. “I’m proud to announce hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal funding are being awarded to the Southern Nevada Building Trades Union to expand access for more women in their apprenticeships programs. I’ll keep working to support Nevada’s workforce and economy.”
    “Apprenticeships are a great way for hardworking Nevadans of all walks of life to build opportunity and access good-paying, union jobs,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This grant will allow Southern Nevada Building Trades to expand their apprenticeship programs, and will help more women, especially women of color, build union careers and provide for their families. I’ll always fight to make sure Nevada’s workers have everything they need to build the infrastructure of the future.”
    “We are proud to be awarded the first federal grant in the history of the Southern Nevada Building Trades through the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations (WANTO) program,” said Vince Saavedra, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Southern Nevada Building Trades. “This $710,000 award will help us launch stipend programs for childcare, transportation, and create other critical support services, removing barriers for women to join and thrive in the union trades. With major projects like Brightline West, the Athletics Stadium, and others on the horizon, growing our skilled workforce is more important than ever. This grant is just the beginning as we continue to work to expand access to union apprenticeships and build a stronger future for all.”
    Senators Rosen and Cortez Masto have been working to support Nevada’s workers and ensure they have access to the training they need. Earlier this year, both senators announced that they secured nearly $16 million in federal funding for community projects to bolster workforce development in critical sectors throughout the state, including mental health care, nursing, and education. They also announced the delivery of federal funding they secured for workforce development to fill in-demand jobs in Southern Nevada. Senator Rosen recently announced $4 million to support registered apprenticeships and skilled workforce development in Northern Nevada and introduced legislation to bolster the housing construction workforce and a bill to provide Nevadans skills training in high demand fields like manufacturing, construction, and IT.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pallone Delivers $54.9 Million Federal Boost for Zero-Emission Ferry Project, Driving Cleaner Transit Solutions for Highlands and Central New Jersey

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank Pallone (6th District of New Jersey)

    Major Investment Made Possible Through Historic Inflation Reduction Act Championed by Pallone

    Highlands, NJ – Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. has announced a major win for central New Jersey with $54.9 million in federal funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Ports Program to advance zero-emission high-speed ferries through Seastreak, LLC. This award will support the deployment of zero-emission ferries and essential charging infrastructure, aimed at cutting dangerous pollution and easing travel between New Jersey and Manhattan. Pallone, who helped author the Inflation Reduction Act as the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, championed Seastreak’s proposal as a model for clean, efficient transit in coastal communities.

    “Bringing these federal dollars back to New Jersey means cleaner air, less traffic on our busiest routes, and a long-term boost for communities like Highlands,” said Pallone. “This project is about more than cutting dangerous pollution; it’s about strengthening our local economy and supporting sustainable transit solutions that benefit residents and businesses alike. Projects like this put New Jersey on the cutting edge of homegrown, clean energy.”

    Headquartered in Atlantic Highlands, Seastreak operates a vital ferry service for thousands of central New Jerseyans daily. This funding allows the company to take a critical first step in its fleet overhaul, advancing zero-emission technology and setting a national example in coastal air quality improvement. The project also includes workforce development initiatives, such as training partnerships with local schools and industry groups.

    “Seastreak is committed to being the one of the most environmentally friendly passenger ferry operators in the country,” said James D. Barker, Seastreak Vice President. “High-speed electric ferry technology is a new and quickly evolving space. With this grant, we are excited to contribute to a new frontier in maritime technology while continuing our efforts to improve air quality within the communities we serve. We’re grateful for Congressman Pallone’s work in Congress to make this project possible.”

    Additionally, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) will receive $344 million to expand zero-emission equipment across port operations. Programs like the ZE Equipment for Ports (ZEEP) Voucher Incentive Program and Green Drayage Accelerator (GDA) will help replace polluting cargo vehicles and install new charging stations to reduce harmful port emissions affecting neighboring communities.

    EPA announced the selection of 55 applicants across 27 states and territories to receive nearly $3 billion nationwide through EPA’s Clean Ports Program.

    “Our nation’s ports are critical to creating opportunity here in America, offering good-paying jobs, moving goods, and powering our economy,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Today’s historic $3 billion investment builds on President Biden’s vision of growing our economy while ensuring America leads in globally competitive solutions of the future. Delivering cleaner technologies and resources to U.S. ports will slash harmful air and climate pollution while protecting people who work in and live nearby ports communities.”

    The EPA’s Clean Ports Program, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, reduces climate pollution from our nation’s ports.  It aims to cut harmful diesel pollution, including criteria pollutants, greenhouse gases, and air toxics, both at ports and in near-port communities by funding transformative infrastructure deployment and air quality planning. The EPA will work closely with Seastreak and PANYNJ to finalize agreements, ensuring these projects fulfill their commitment to cleaner, healthier communities across the New Jersey region.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Beatty, Nadler & Williams Urge CMS to Protect Pregnant Patients’ Rights in Drug Testing

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)

    WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, Representatives Joyce Beatty (OH-03), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-05) led Representatives Barragán (CA-44), Brown (OH-11), DeGette (CO-01), Schakowsky (IL-09), and Watson Coleman(NJ-12)in a letter to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requesting CMS include guidance on informed consent prior to drug testing of pregnant patients in the proposed obstetric care Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) included in the proposed CY2025 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS).

    The risk of arrest, prosecution, or family separation following a positive toxicology test makes patients afraid to access health and medical services during pregnancy, putting them and their fetus at an increased risk of harm. While the Supreme Court determined in 2001 that diagnostic tests on pregnant patients without the patient’s consent constitutes an unreasonable search, drug testing of pregnant patients without their consent is still a relatively common practice.

     

    The members write: “As members of Congress committed to improving the health and safety of our pregnant, birthing, and postpartum constituents, we write to commend the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for promulgating a thoughtfully considered proposed rule that establishes obstetric care Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs). As part of our efforts to advance the health and safety of all patients, we encourage CMS to incorporate guidance into the final rule that reduces roadblocks for pregnant patients with substance use disorder (SUD) seeking prenatal care.

     

    SUD is a leading cause of maternal death and can also have severe health consequences for infants. However, research has shown that increasing prenatal care for pregnant people with SUD can improve both maternal health outcomes and birth outcomes.”

     

    In an effort to improve maternal and fetal health outcomes, the letter requests that CMS:

    1. Provide guidance for providers on how to obtain informed consent for drug testing during the prenatal period and during labor and delivery.
    2. Prohibit drug testing of people during pregnancy and labor and delivery without the patient’s informed consent.
    3. Enhance provider training requirements regarding SUD during pregnancy.

     

    The members continued:“CMS should include guidance for medical providers in the obstetric care CoPs on obtaining informed consent for drug toxicology testing during the prenatal period and during labor and delivery. The risk of arrest, prosecution, or family separation following a positive toxicology test makes patients afraid to access health and medical services during pregnancy, putting them and their fetus at an increased risk of harm.

     

    Maternal toxicology testing often takes the form of a verbal screen or urine test to monitor for conditions such as diabetes or preeclampsia. However, many pregnant patients are not informed that the urine tests can also be used to screen for substance use. Additionally, doctors have reported that because urine tests are regularly provided in prenatal care, patients are not given an option to refuse urine drug testing… 

     

    …This high occurrence of drug testing of people during pregnancy and labor and delivery without informed consent is concerning, as experts warn that nonconsensual drug testing can undermine trust between patients and providers. In fact, research found that the most common strategy that pregnant patients with SUD employ to avoid their provider detecting their substance use is to skip medical visits or avoid prenatal care altogether…

     

    …. Ensuring that pregnant patients are aware of all potential ramifications that could result from any medical test in advance of a patient consenting to that test will assuage fears and encourage patients to seek essential prenatal care. Therefore, CMS should incorporate guidance into the obstetric care CoPs that specifically prohibits drug testing of pregnant, birthing, and postpartum patients without their informed consent. CMS should ensure that any updated guidance related to informed consent and drug testing of pregnant patients is not redundant with or in conflict with current requirements mandated by existing state or federal policy.”

     

    “Hospitals must be places of care and comfort, not fear. Our research shows that the majority of pregnancy-related criminal cases begin in a health care setting,” said Pregnancy Justice President Lourdes A. Rivera. “Ensuring that providers obtain informed consent before unnecessarily drug testing patients is one important step in building trust and improving maternal health outcomes. We are thrilled that Reps. Nadler, Beatty, and Williams are urging this vital guidance to protect pregnant people from criminalization and family separation.”

     

    The full letter can be found here. 

     

    For media inquiries, please contact Cassandra.Johnson@mail.house.gov.

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Lee Helps Secure $375M+ for Recreation and Restoration Projects in Nevada, Lake Tahoe Basin

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03)

    WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) announced that she helped secure a $375 million federal investment for 36 local and regional infrastructure and conservation projects in Nevada and the Lake Tahoe Basin. 

    Provided by targeted land sales under the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA), this investment will support recreation improvement, wildlife habitat conservation, hazardous fuels reduction, wildfire prevention, and job creation, through the Department of the Interior. As Southern Nevada’s only member of the House Appropriations Committee, Lee has consistently fought to protect SNPLMA funding to ensure that this important program can continue to benefit Nevadans.  

    “This new investment will help ensure that Southern Nevada remains a world-class outdoor recreation destination and conservation leader. It will protect our water and lands, improve our outdoor recreation infrastructure, and combat the climate crisis,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “As Southern Nevada’s only voice on the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to secure federal investments for environmental conservation, economic development, and job creation.” 

    “Since 1998, public land sales in the Las Vegas Valley have fueled projects that benefit communities and elevate quality of life for residents and visitors,” said Acting Deputy Interior Secretary Laura Daniel-Davis. “This program supports jobs and local economies, improves recreation in rural and underserved areas, and aligns with our commitment to conserve at least 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030 under the America the Beautiful initiative.”

    Lee has also worked with local and federal partners to leverage SNPLMA sales to address Nevada’s housing crisis. Earlier this month, Lee helped unveil a new housing project of more than 200 affordable, single-family homes in Nevada’s Third Congressional District, provided by a first-of-its-kind sale of public lands below fair market value.

    Read more about SNMPLA investments here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: For many Venezuelan migrants in the US, working all hours means hope for a life back home

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matt Wilde, Lecturer in Human Geography, University of Leicester

    Migrants seeking asylum at El Paso, Texas, on the US-Mexico border. Ruben2533 / Shutterstock

    Donald Trump and his followers have eagerly whipped up anti-immigrant sentiment throughout the US presidential campaign, as a growing number of migrants from Haiti and Venezuela arrive due to continuing crises at home.

    Stories about Haitians eating pets in Springfield, Ohio, have ultimately been proven to be false. And accounts of Venezuelan gangs taking over apartment blocks in Aurora, Colorado, have been called “an incredible exaggeration” by the city’s mayor.

    Progressives have rightly challenged such accounts. But the absence of an effective counter-narrative about migration cedes ground to regressive messaging that reduces the complexities of human mobility to a zero-sum game between national populations and migrant-others.

    As an anthropologist conducting research with Venezuelan migrants in Chicago, two points strike me as vital to changing the terms of this debate.

    The first is that among the Venezuelans I work with – most of whom hold what’s known as temporary protected status – the US isn’t a place they ultimately plan to settle. Their overwhelming focus is on earning enough money to build a life back home. The second is that to truly understand migration, we need to place migrant experiences and motivations in historical context.

    Working all hours

    Two days after the televised presidential debate in September where Trump made repeated references to immigrants, I shared cold beers with eight young Venezuelan men in the backyard of a rented house on Chicago’s South Side.

    Each had his own story of the journey to the US, with most making the perilous walk through the Darién Gap – or la selva (“the jungle”), as they call it – before claiming asylum at the Mexico-US border.

    Having eventually been granted the right to work, the men are now employed on the same assembly line in a Chicago factory. Many of them also work as delivery drivers after hours.

    “I don’t have to defend myself with words or argue with people,” says Hector, a 24-year-old from San Cristóbal in western Venezuela. “I just need to show that my work is good. In that way, I’m contributing to the better image of Venezuelans.”



    Read more:
    Venezuelan migrants are boosting economic growth in South America, says research

    Guillermo, a 38-year-old from Venezuela’s third-largest city, Valencia, works 12 to 14 hours a day, seven days a week. When he isn’t working or resting, he’s on WhatsApp talking to friends and family, many of whom are among the estimated 8 million Venezuelans who now live abroad due to the country’s economic and political crisis.

    Each week, Guillermo sends several hundred dollars home to his father, wife and daughter. He’s also been slowly working towards buying a house in his home city, a goal that motivates him amid the many hardships he’s endured abroad.

    “I’m a guerrero [warrior],” he jokes as he recounts his journey since he left Venezuela in 2017. In that time, Guillermo has worked as a street vender in Colombia, a taxi driver under precarious conditions in Chile, and has crossed borders from Bolivia to Mexico on foot.

    This determination to return is shared by Guillermo’s Venezuelan friends in Chicago, all of whom hope to go home despite recent allegations of electoral fraud against the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro. “With Maduro, without Maduro, with whoever is there … eventually we want to return to our country,” Guillermo explains.



    Read more:
    Venezuela: Maduro’s declaration of victory isn’t fooling anyone

    Guerrilla redistribution

    The reasons for Venezuela’s present situation are complex. Few would dispute the claim that Maduro has grossly mismanaged the economy. But there’s a longer backstory rooted in the deep inequalities between the global north and the global south, as well as the country’s vulnerability as a postcolonial petrostate that has repeatedly experienced cycles of boom and bust.

    And then there are the sanctions that were levelled against the country by the Trump administration. According to researchers Benedicte Bull and Antulio Rosales, the sanctions have accelerated Maduro’s transformation of Venezuela into what they term “authoritarian capitalism”.

    The bitter irony for the young people I work with is that all of this means they have had to travel thousands of miles to have a chance of building a better life at home. For Hector and Guillermo, the biggest difference between the US and countries like Chile or Colombia is the US dollar, the strength of which means their labour goes much further when it’s sent home in the form of remittances.

    In this sense, perhaps a better way of understanding these recent arrivals to the US is that, against all the odds, they’re enacting a form of “guerrilla redistribution” in a profoundly unequal world. For progressives, the urgent political challenge is to widen the terms in which we understand what migration is and what it could be on a more just planet.

    The research for this article was funded by the British Academy (SRG2324240415). The author thanks Ana Mattioli for support with interview transcriptions.

    – ref. For many Venezuelan migrants in the US, working all hours means hope for a life back home – https://theconversation.com/for-many-venezuelan-migrants-in-the-us-working-all-hours-means-hope-for-a-life-back-home-241648

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: From a scream to a whisper – ‘quiet horror’ novels are making a comeback

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Nick Freeman, Reader in Late Victorian Literature, Loughborough University

    Readers need to be imaginative rather than being startled by jump scares. zef art/Shutterstock

    Ever since its inception with Horace Walpole’s novel The Castle of Otranto (1764), a delirious mixture of violent death and familial conspiracy, gothic literature has been a restless cultural form, constantly mutating and assuming new guises but always exploring the darker side of life. Sometimes, its fashions are those of the historical moment. Sometimes they are initiated by a book enjoying unprecedented commercial success.

    One of these was Thomas Harris’s The Silence of the Lambs (1988). After the film adaptation scooped five Oscars in 1991, the deviant genius became the villain of choice for gothic films and novels. For a time, the violent merging of the crime thriller with the “body horror” of 1980s cinema ensured that the genre was dominated by such characters. Usually (though not always) men with high IQs, elevated artistic taste and ingenious ways of torturing and killing their fellow human beings, Hannibal Lecter and his ilk became modern icons.

    In the wake of such influences, crime novels (and films) got bloodier and horror novels grew longer. John Connolly’s first novel, EveryDeadThing (1999), for example, spent 470 pages documenting the murderous activities of a serial killer who mutilated his victims in the style of Renaissance anatomical drawings.

    In recent years however, there has been a reaction against these excesses. So-called “quiet horror” has become increasingly popular on both sides of the Atlantic. Perhaps taking its name from a 1965 collection of short stories by Stanley Ellin, which was literally called “quiet horror”, this is a genre that prizes suspense and subtlety over graphic bodily violence.

    The novelist Selena Chambers characterises quiet horror as exploring “the unexplained, the suppressed, the supernal [otherworldly], the material, the cosmic, and the secular … everything we cannot see, or verbalise and fail to feel concretely”. As she implies, suggestion is crucial.

    Readers need to be patient and imaginative, sensitive to the nuances and implications of language and willing to respond to spooky ambiguities rather than being startled by jump scares or “gross out” imagery.

    Slasher movies usually treat their characters as no more than fodder for the next brutal killing. Quiet horror, by contrast, takes character development far more seriously and imbues its stories with greater psychological depth. This in turn can enhance readers’ involvement. Put simply, those who dislike “splatter fiction” are more likely to care what happens to a well-rounded, sympathetic character than a stereotypical US teenager about to be put under a steam hammer.

    Women and quiet horror

    Female novelists have been at the forefront of this style of writing since the Victorian period. Elizabeth Gaskell’s tales, including The Old Nurse’s Story (1852), a chilling tale of a family curse, are foundational works.

    A long line of women writers have explored how the familiar, the domestic, the marital and the homely can be imbued with subtle terrors, from loneliness and isolation to paranoia, alienation, captivity and psychological trauma.

    The haunted house does not need to contain a typical ghost. From Elizabeth Bowen’s The Demon Lover (1945) to Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House (1959), to Sarah Waters’ The Little Stranger (2009) and beyond, the complex and fraught relationships between a dwelling and its occupants have frequently engaged women writers’ imaginations.

    The continuing success of Susan Hill’s The Woman in Black (1983) in its literary, theatrical and cinematic incarnations has helped ensure that quiet horror, particularly tales which recall the golden age of the ghost story a century or so ago, are once again much in vogue. This can be seen in the bestselling novels of Michelle Paver, such as Dark Matter (2010) and in anthologies such as The Haunting Season (2021).

    At the same time, readers are increasingly rediscovering forgotten practitioners of the genre. One such figure is Elizabeth Walter (1927-2006). As a writer (and the editor of Collins Crime Club for 30 years from the mid-1960s) Walter recoiled from sadistic violence, cardboard characterisation and haphazard plotting.

    Shirley Jackson was a master of ‘quiet horror’.
    Wiki Commons, CC BY

    After five collections of stories, beginning with Snowfall and Other Chilling Events (1965), she retired from writing supernatural fiction in the mid-1970s as the traits she didn’t like were becoming dominant within Anglo-American gothic. Many of her stories are set in the border country between England and Wales and draw upon folklore and a sensitivity to landscape to create creepily unnerving works such as The Sin Eater (1967) and Telling the Bees (1975).

    I edited a collection of Walter’s writing titled Let a Sleeping Witch Lie (2024). Spanning the ten years from Snowfall to her final collection, Dead Woman and Other Haunting Experiences (1975), the stories within anticipate some elements of Phil Rickman’s Merrily Watkins novels which also involve Welsh border settings, supernatural elements, and police procedural, though they lack Rickman’s religious dimension.

    There is no sense of providence at work in Walter’s borderlands, only ancient and mysterious menace. Marriages tend to be unhappy, families harbour terrible secrets, and the old ways continue to overshadow the present. Fifty years since her final collection, Walter’s work might be more relevant than ever before.

    Quiet horror has never really been away, but it seems to finding a new audience, one which both looks to its past and relishes its present.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Nick Freeman 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. From a scream to a whisper – ‘quiet horror’ novels are making a comeback – https://theconversation.com/from-a-scream-to-a-whisper-quiet-horror-novels-are-making-a-comeback-241945

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump accused of ‘malignant narcissism’ – but how accurately can you diagnose someone you’ve never met?

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Ava Green, Lecturer in Forensic Psychology, City St George’s, University of London

    Jonah Elkowitz/Shutterstock

    Self-absorbed. Arrogant. Boastful. It does not take a mental health professional to recognise these features as narcissistic. Most of us, regardless of our educational background, are confident to label someone we’ve never met as narcissistic.

    Other behavioural features associated with narcissism can be similarly obvious, including a grandiose sense of self, an excessive need for attention and admiration, a lack of empathy and lashing out when criticised.

    Public figures have often been subject to speculations as to whether their behaviour meets a mental health diagnosis. Ahead of the US presidential elections, Donald Trump’s mental fitness has, once again, been called into question. This time, 200 mental health professionals have signed an open letter warning the public of Trump’s “malignant narcissism”.

    The letter, organised by an anti-Trump political group, argues that Trump poses “an existential threat to democracy” in the US. Citing the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the mental health professionals argue that Trump meets the diagnostic criteria for narcissistic, antisocial and paranoid personality disorder. These are “all made worse by his intense sadism, which is a symptom of malignant narcissism,” they claim.

    Malignant narcissism is considered a combination of the above personality disorders, in addition to the sadistic urge to inflict pain towards others while gaining pleasure from doing so. For instance, the letter states: “According to first-hand accounts, Trump watched the violence he unleashed on January 6 for three hours on TV with ‘glee’, watching his favorite parts ‘over and over’ on ‘rewind’.”

    Even though Trump has not been formally assessed by a psychologist as having any of the diagnoses put forward in the letter, it argues that it is “easy to see that Trump meets the behavioral criteria for antisocial personality disorder”.

    The signatories argue that thousands of hours of media coverage of Trump’s behaviour have demonstrated a lifetime pattern of “failure to conform to social norms and laws, repeated lying, reckless disregard for the safety of others, irritability, impulsivity, irresponsibility and lack of remorse”. Other psychologists have come to similar conclusions.

    The Goldwater rule

    A rule set forth by the American Psychiatric Association, known as the Goldwater rule, considers it unethical to diagnose people a psychiatrist has not personally assessed.

    The rule is named after Barry Goldwater, a former US senator and 1964 Republican presidential candidate who was labelled “psychotic” and “schizophrenic” by psychiatrists who responded to a survey from Fact magazine. Goldwater successfully sued the magazine for libel and won a $75,000 punitive settlement (£57,779).

    The 200 signatures on the open letter about Trump believe they can justify overriding this ethical duty on the grounds that the public should be warned about Trump’s behaviour.

    However, it can be argued that clinicians do not need to render a diagnosis to warn us that a public figure poses a risk to our safety. Media coverage about Trump’s danger is abound and people can draw their own conclusions without the need to put a label on it.

    This is because speculative diagnoses can do more harm than good. The casual use of mental health terminology can quickly become pejorative, as the press has demonstrated in relation to Trump but also other celebrities.

    Speculative diagnoses about Trump’s mental illness on social media have ranged from obsessive–compulsive disorder to delusional disorder, with little consideration that these conditions are merely conjecture. And more importantly, they shame and belittle people who are, in fact, diagnosed with these conditions.

    Accuracy

    But how accurately can a mental health professional diagnose someone who isn’t their patient? Would you trust a diagnosis from a doctor you had never met? Probably not.

    That said, there are some benefits to external perspectives when it comes to psychiatric evaluations. Studies show that other people (spouses, close friends, neighbours) often provide a more reliable assessment of someone’s personality than self-assessments, especially in relation to narcissistic features.

    Research using self-report measures show that narcissistic people tend to distort their responses to enhance themselves. For studies of personality, self-reported answers along with a psychologist’s evaluation and assessments by friends and family would give the best insight.

    You can learn a lot from someone’s social media posts.
    Nicoleta Ionescu/Shutterstock

    Social media offers yet another layer. A study in 2015 showed that a computer model could more accurately assess someone’s personality based on their Facebook posts than their closest friends – or even a spouse. And for Trump, there are thousands of social media posts to draw on.

    But regardless of how accurate these observations may be, making public speculations about someone’s mental health and labelling them with a personality disorder diagnosis at a distance is unethical and, at worst, may have legal implications.

    Ava Green 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. Trump accused of ‘malignant narcissism’ – but how accurately can you diagnose someone you’ve never met? – https://theconversation.com/trump-accused-of-malignant-narcissism-but-how-accurately-can-you-diagnose-someone-youve-never-met-242277

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Plans to cool the Earth by blocking sunlight are gaining momentum but critical voices risk being excluded

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Albert Van Wijngaarden, Phd Candidate, Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge

    Muratart / shutterstock

    Solar geoengineering research is advancing fast, after a recent flurry of funding announcements. Yet these technologies are still speculative and have many critics, and we worry their concerns won’t be heard. If geoengineering is essentially allowed to self-regulate, with no effective global governance, future research could easily take us down a dangerous path.

    Solar geoengineering refers to proposals to reduce global warming by reflecting a portion of sunlight back into space before it reaches the Earth’s surface. In its best-known form, this means using high-flying aircraft to inject tiny reflective particles into the upper atmosphere.

    This so-called “stratospheric aerosol injection” hasn’t actually happened yet, beyond a few very small experiments with balloons. Yet for a long time, such ideas remained fringe and too controversial to even consider – and for some academics they still are.

    The academic discussion was highly polarised from the start. Opponents, mainly governance scholars and social scientists, stood firmly entrenched against assumed proponents, mainly natural scientists and engineers. Both sides had their champions, arguments, assumptions, key publications and meetings, generally working on the topic without proper engagement with the other side.

    This polarisation is still visible in publishing today. Take, for example, articles on The Conversation. Critics focus on potential negatives such as altered rainfall patterns, the infringement of human rights, or even a catastrophic “termination shock”. Advocates highlight potential benefits such as reducing extreme heat and preserving ice caps, while others suggest we may soon be forced to try it.

    The authors of these articles are all academic experts. Yet they come from different disciplines and use different arguments.

    A public and private funding boom

    Though the two camps have not resolved their arguments, geoengineering research funding is suddenly booming. There are major philanthropic pledges of US$50 million (£38 million) and US$30 million from the Simons and Quadrature Climate foundations, which are vying for the title of biggest donor with the £10.5 million and £56.8 million of the UK government’s UKRI and Advanced Research and Innovation Agency programs.

    The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines blocked so much sunlight the world temporarily cooled by a few tenths of a degree. Solar geoengineering works on a similar principle.
    Dave Harlow / USGS

    Other key organisations speaking about the need for more research include the European Commission, the US government and the World Climate Research Programme. This comes on top of the shock of controversial private enterprises pushing for solar geoengineering, most notoriously the US-based start-up Make Sunsets.

    Support is certainly not unanimous. Many prominent scholars have signed up to a call for a moratorium, for instance. And at a recent UN Environment Assembly session in Kenya many climate-vulnerable nations mobilised against calls for further research into what they see as a highly risky technology that would enable big emitters to carry on emitting.

    However, many powerful interests are seemingly in favour of more research, while the 1.5°C global warming target is moving ever further out of sight. In the near future, we can therefore expect further research, perhaps including including small-scale outdoor experiments.

    As PhD students working on geoengineering, situated somewhere between both camps, we have found this polarisation deeply unproductive and difficult to deal with. Our own research sometimes feels like wandering through a minefield of opinions and perspectives. Yet we can also see the valuable concerns and hopes of both sides.

    That’s why we believe that upcoming research projects must factor in the concerns of opponents, and not represent only supporters of geoengineering or those who have not been explicitly against it. Excluding critical voices would directly impact the scientific process, for one thing.

    But this exclusion is especially worrying as there are currently no governance structures for solar geoengineering. If efforts to develop such governance only involve supportive researchers, they could lack the critical capacity to prevent risks or undesired effects. Disasters in the financial sector and the chemical industry warn us of the perils of self-regulation without critical voices.

    Learn from the critics

    There are other critiques that ought to be factored into any major research project. They include concerns that simply researching the technology will create a slippery slope towards it being deployed, or worries that geoengineering ignores the social and political dynamics behind climate change and addresses only its outcomes. There are also major governance concerns over issues such as the role of the military (could geoengineering be deployed for security reasons in contested regions like the Arctic?), or the concentration of research at influential institutions in the US and Europe.

    Over time, geoengineering researchers have become more aware of such arguments and some are explicitly trying to include them in their work. The American Geophysical Union has recently published an ethical framework for geoengineering, which should provide valuable guidance for any research project. But without active dialogue with critical scholars, their arguments will likely only echo faintly in the pro-research space.

    In practice, more engagement between the two camps would come with many difficulties. For advocates, it can be tempting to avoid such debates and exclude those who disagree with the very foundations on which their research is built. On the flip side, some scholars who have already explicitly argued against the continuation of solar geoengineering research would nevertheless have to participate in it.

    The practical implications will therefore need to be carefully worked out. However, a more productive dialogue might still shape a future that can be acceptable to all sides.

    Albert Van Wijngaarden receives PhD funding from Gates Cambridge. He is involved in UArctic’s Frozen Arctic Conservation project, and was an advisory board member of Ocean Vision’s Sea Ice Roadmap.

    Adrian Hindes is also an analyst for Civilization Research Institute which does work pertaining to global catastrophic risks, including those related to emerging technologies such as solar geoengineering.

    Chloe Colomer receives PhD funding from the UK Research Institute (UKRI) Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) with the grants EP/R513143/1 and EP/T517793/1.

    – ref. Plans to cool the Earth by blocking sunlight are gaining momentum but critical voices risk being excluded – https://theconversation.com/plans-to-cool-the-earth-by-blocking-sunlight-are-gaining-momentum-but-critical-voices-risk-being-excluded-236882

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Dahomey: timely repatriation documentary gives a literal voice to Benin’s stolen objects

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Njabulo Chipangura, Anthropologist and Curator of Living Cultures at Manchester Museum, University of Manchester

    Dahomey, a new documentary film from the award-winning French director Mati Diop, follows the unconditional restitution process of 26 cultural heritage objects in 2021. The items were looted by French troops during an invasion and subsequent colonial occupation of the kingdom of Dahomey, now the present-day Republic of Benin, in November 1892.

    Prior to its return, the collection was kept in the basement at Quai Branly Museum in Paris. Stored under lock and key, they existed as static and lifeless anthropological objects, that only served as war “trophies” and representations of the cultures of the vanquished and colonised. They had once been exhibited under the classification of “devil, idol, fetish, kaffir, charm, evil spirit and amulet” objects.

    Dahomey is timely. It comes as debates rage on the urgent necessity of repatriating the African cultural heritage objects that were appropriated by French, British, Germans, Portuguese, Spanish and Belgian forces during 18th and 19th century colonial conquest and expansion projects.

    In her film, Diop has managed to restore the agency of the objects at the heart of the Dahomey restitution case by transforming them into living cultures. She gives a literal voice, for example, to object number 26 – a human-sized wooden statue that is an allegorical portrait of King Ghezo, depicting him as half bird, half man. The real King Ghezo ruled Dahomey from 1818 until 1958. In the documentary, the statue recounts his “loss of life” when he was dislocated from his place of birth by French troops in 1892.



    Read more:
    Why stolen objects being returned to Africa don’t belong just in museums – podcast

    The trailer for Dahomey.

    Just as King Ghezo was depicted as his symbol – half man, half-bird – two other royal statues that feature prominently in the documentary are also kings of Dahomey sculpted as their symbols: King Béhanzin who ruled from 1890 to 1894 is a shark-man and King Glele who ruled from 1858 until 1889 is a lion-man. Each of these kings reigned over Dahomey and resided at Abomey, which was the kingdom’s capital.

    I see the choice to give voice to these objects as a call for museums to rehumanise collections that were acquired as a result of colonial violence. This would mean taking a proactive approach to acknowledge how both objects and ancestors from the colonised country were dehumanised by different colonial collecting practices, from looting to grave robbing.

    King Ghezo’s journey

    Dahmoey follows the statue of King Ghezo as he journeys back home from France’s Jacques Chirac Museum of Branly Quay to the Republic of Benin. He wonders what his new life will be like in the country he was ripped from 129 years ago.

    Upon the collection’s arrival in Benin, there was pomp and jubilation in the modern capital city of Cotonou, but the critical question remained – who now owns this heritage? Is it the state, the community or direct descendants of King Ghezo?

    The staging of the return was well-choreographed, and its politicisation clearly visible. The 26 objects lay in state, heavily guarded and protected as national heroes. However, in Diop’s film, King Ghezo reflects that he felt like a foreigner, far removed and detached from the country he imagined when he was still an ethnographic museum object in Paris.

    This crisis of belonging and identity can be interpreted as a consequence of how African museums were established during the colonial period. Their history mirrored the colonial practices of ordering, categorisation and classification of objects of the western museums where King Ghezo was imprisoned for more than a century. African museums are by products of colonisation and are, in many ways, still exclusionary and elitist.

    Therefore, placing King Ghezo in a museum in Benin can end up reinforcing ideals similar to colonial classifications. Instead, King Ghezo needs to have his life restored by giving agency to community ways of doing and knowing, and to the heritage management systems established in Benin long before colonisation.

    Repatriation debates

    The film also shows students at the University of Abomey-Calavi in the south of Benin debating the repatriation. Many express dissatisfaction in view of the fact that only 26 objects were returned out of the 7,000 which were looted by the French at Abomey in 1892.

    Many students dismiss the return as a non-event, without any historical significance. They see it, instead, as a charade for political mileage by the president of the Republic of Benin, Patrice Talon. Listening to the students made me reflect on the political nature of restitution, and how most European museums still hold power and authority in setting the conditions for or against returning.

    These 26 objects were returned to Benin unconditionally, meaning France no longer has any claims to ownership. In conditional repatriation, however, European museums decide which objects should be given back to their countries of origin, and in most cases within the premises of short to long-term loans

    For example, in June 2024, the Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology conditionally returned 39 objects to Uganda on three-year negotiated loan deal. Ownership of these objects is still in the hands of Cambridge University. On the contrary Manchester Museum, where I work, unconditionally returned 174 objects to the Anindilyakwa people of Groote Eylandt in northern Australia in September 2023.

    As a practical decolonial strategy, unconditional repatriation means that museums must not prescribe conditions of caring for cultural heritage objects to communities of origin upon their return. This is part of the process of giving communities agency to use their own heritage objects in ways that they deem necessary.

    The 26 objects at the heart of Dahomey were not made to be imprisoned in museum storage. They still have potency and can be viewed by communities as living beings which they can use, touch, smell and taste. Although these “objects” may appear stagnant within ethnographic classifications in museums, they have individual biographies and carry with them important meanings connected to their ritual and cultural functions located in societies of origin.

    One student succinctly captures this sentiment in the film by recounting how she cried for 15 minutes on seeing the returned sculpture of King Ghezo, who she considered her ancestor. In the end, the restitution of cultural heritage objects by European museums back to Africa must not regarded as loss but rather as a means towards building practical relationships of care with their communities of origin.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    Njabulo Chipangura 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. Dahomey: timely repatriation documentary gives a literal voice to Benin’s stolen objects – https://theconversation.com/dahomey-timely-repatriation-documentary-gives-a-literal-voice-to-benins-stolen-objects-242324

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Weather doesn’t dampen the spirits of Foster Portsmouth Great South Run team

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Three children in our care, three of our foster carers and two of their birth children completed the three races on Saturday which did dawn bright and clear.

    Wearing branded running vests, they hoped to raise awareness of Foster Portsmouth and the need for more foster carers from diverse backgrounds to provide a safe home for the vulnerable children and young people in Portsmouth.

    Foster carer Emma shared:

    “I really enjoyed the run. Unlike Sunday, Saturday had perfect conditions, sunny but not too warm and no wind. I managed the race nice and slow and steady, and ended by finishing faster than my goal. I really enjoyed the atmosphere and supporters. Two birth children and two of our foster children gave me ‘power-up’ high fives and shouted how proud of me they are. My youngest wore the medal for the rest of the morning.”

    Emma’s son and two of the children in her care also took part in the junior and mini races,

    “They did so well! Our 10 year old started strong and went off fast with some of the biggest kids. He had slowed down a bit, but then when he heard and saw us on Avenue de Caen, he began to sprint and sprinted right to the end. It was his second time running the junior Great South Run and he managed to come 25th!”

    “Our seven year old boys, one fostered and one birth child, did the mini run with my husband, Chris, assisting them. They set off together and both worked hard and ran the whole course. They were both so pleased and proud of themselves at the finish line. The boys loved the encouragement and high fives, and especially loved the goodie bags, finishers t-shirts and medals!”

    “We sat in a play park and shared fish and chips for lunch afterwards, which was the perfect end to a busy morning!”

    Unfortunately the remaining 15 foster carers and council staff in the Foster Portsmouth team were unable to take part this year in the 10-mile race on Sunday 20 October due to the weather.  However, they are determined to take on the challenge again for us in 2025.

    Cllr Suzy Horton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council, commented:

    “Despite the weather cutting the weekend short, we’re really pleased that three of the children in our care could once again join our team for this year’s Great South Run’s other races. It made the day extra special to see them enjoy taking part and achieving something new.”

    “With the team of eight taking on the challenge of the first three races in our running vests, we were still able to once again successfully shine a light on the pressing need for new foster homes in the city and the surrounding area.”

    “I was pleased to start the 5km race on the day, seeing off these foster families and many of Portsmouth’s and other local residents about to take in the sights of our great city.”

    “Everyone at Foster Portsmouth would like to express their thanks to every member of the team, whether they were able to take part in the end or not.  We hope the Saturday team of eight have enjoyed a well-earned break since.”

    Foster carers receive a competitive financial package, local round the clock support and ongoing quality training including through our mentoring scheme and our innovative award-winning Mockingbird programme which provides a support network of other foster carers similar to that of an extended family.

    The 5km race was also completed by foster carer Tania shared that the young person in her care who also completed the junior race on behalf of Foster Portsmouth:

    “She really enjoyed it – ran the whole way! I’m so proud of her!”

    Foster carer Rob, who ran the 5km with daughter Laura, reported:

    “Luckily the 5k was still on. The weather was actually really nice with sunshine and a little breeze to keep us cool. Lauren and I proudly wore our Foster Portsmouth vests, and plenty of people commented and shouted our names as we ran by.”

    “I’m super proud of Lauren running with me after having her baby daughter Rosie just 12 weeks ago! Rosie came to support us but was asleep from start to finish!”

    “We really enjoyed our run and saw quite a few familiar faces including a couple of children who have spent respite care with me.”

    The council welcomes all enquiries about fostering. Portsmouth City Council’s foster carers all share the same commitment and motivation to make a positive difference to a child’s life. This could be a short or long-term arrangement for a child, young person or siblings until they’re ready to live independently or be reunited with family, support for children seeking asylum or children with a disability, supported lodgings to develop their independent living skills, a parent and baby placement, or respite care.

    Foster Portsmouth needs more foster carers from diverse backgrounds to reflect the children and young people we look after in our city. Anyone aged 21 or over with a spare bedroom could foster with Foster Portsmouth regardless of their age, gender, faith, ethnicity, sexuality, marital or work status, or whether they rent or own their own home. 

    For more information on fostering with Foster Portsmouth, contact the Fostering SouthEast recruitment team on 0300 131 2797, visit www.foster.portsmouth.gov.uk or email info@lafosteringse.org.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s Remarks at the High-Level Segment of COP16 on Biodiversity [trilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English]

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    Presidente Petro,

    Gracias por acoger esta importante sesión, aquí en Cali – un microcosmos de la rica biodiversidad de nuestro planeta.

    Excelencias, queridos amigos,

    La naturaleza es vida.

    Y, sin embargo, estamos librando una guerra contra ella.

    Una guerra donde no puede haber vencedores.

    Cada año, vemos las temperaturas subir más y más.

    Cada día, perdemos más especies.

    Cada minuto, vertemos un camión de basura de desechos plásticos en nuestros océanos, ríos y lagos.

    No se equivoquen.

    Así es como se ve una crisis existencial.

    Ningún país, rico o pobre, es inmune a la devastación provocada por el cambio climático, la pérdida de biodiversidad, la degradación de la tierra y la contaminación.

    Estas crisis ambientales están entrelazadas. No conocen fronteras.

    Y están devastando ecosistemas y medios de vida, amenazando la salud humana y socavando el desarrollo sostenible.

    Los motores de esta destrucción están arraigados en modelos económicos obsoletos, que alimentan patrones insostenibles de producción y consumo.

    Y se ven multiplicados por las desigualdades – en riqueza y poder.

    Cada día que pasa, nos acercamos más a puntos de inflexión que podrían alimentar más hambre, desplazamientos y incluso conflictos armados.

    Ya hemos alterado el 75% de la superficie terrestre y el 66% de los océanos.

    Queridas amigas y queridos amigos,

    La biodiversidad es aliada de la humanidad.

    Debemos pasar de saquearla a preservarla.

    Como he dicho una y otra vez, hacer las paces con la naturaleza es la tarea definitoria del siglo XXI.

    Ese es el espíritu de la Declaración de hoy de la Coalición Mundial por la Paz con la Naturaleza:

    Un llamado a la acción para mejorar los esfuerzos nacionales e internacionales hacia una relación equilibrada y armoniosa con la naturaleza – protegiendo la naturaleza y conservando, restaurando, utilizando y compartiendo de manera sostenible nuestra biodiversidad global.

    Un llamado a reconocer el conocimiento vital, las innovaciones y las prácticas de los Pueblos indígenas y afrodescendientes, los agricultores y las comunidades locales.

    Un llamado por la vida.

    Excellencies, Dear friends,

    Last month, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future.

    The Pact recognizes the need to accelerate efforts to restore, protect, conserve and sustainably use the environment.

    It emphasizes the importance of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems that act as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases.

    This means conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards – in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

    When the Framework was adopted two years ago in Montreal, the world made bold commitments to living in harmony with nature by mid-century.

    Its goals and targets require robust monitoring, reporting, and review arrangements to track progress, as well as a resource mobilisation package to increase finance for biodiversity from all sources – mobilizing at least USD 200 billion per year by 2030.

    But we must now turn these promises into action in four vital ways.

    First – at the national level, all countries must finally present clear, ambitious and detailed plans to align with the Framework’s targets.

    These national plans should be developed in coordination with Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans – with positive outcomes in the Sustainable Development Goals.

    We must shift to nature-positive business models and production: renewable energies and sustainable supply chains… zero-waste policies and circular economies… regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices…

    These must become the default for governments and businesses alike.

    Second – we must agree on a strengthened monitoring and transparency framework.

    This is not only vital for accountability but also about enabling course corrections and driving ambition.

    Third – finance promises must be kept and support to developing countries accelerated.

    We cannot afford to leave Cali without new pledges to adequately capitalize the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, and without commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver the Framework – in full.

    And we must bring the private sector on board.

    Those profiting from nature cannot treat it like a free, infinite resource.

    They must step up and contribute to its protection and restoration.

    By operationalizing the mechanism on the sharing of benefits from the use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources, we will give them one clear avenue to do so, bringing more equity and inclusivity.

    Finally – in the spirit of this “COP de la gente”, we must engage all parts of society, in particular Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities.

    Too often, they have been on the sidelines of global environmental policy.

    Too often, environmental defenders have been threatened and killed.

    Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities are guardians of our nature.

    Their traditional knowledge is a living library of biodiversity conservation.

    They must be protected.

    And they must be part of every biodiversity conversation.

    The establishment of a permanent subsidiary body within the Convention on Biological Diversity would mark a significant step forward, ensuring Indigenous voices are heard at every stage of the process.

    Peace with nature means peace with those who protect it. 

    We must defend the people who defend nature.

    Excellencies,

    Across all these areas, we know progress is possible.

    Many countries around the world are stepping up to lead the way.

    Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Malaysia are leading by example by ramping up efforts to curb deforestation.  

    The Congo Basin is intensifying efforts to increase protected area coverage.  

    The European Union’s Nature Restoration Law is a step toward halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    Mobilizing all countries – each with different levels of wealth and capacities – is challenging.

    But swift global cooperation can provide the defense we so desperately need – against wildfires, floods, extreme weather, and pandemics.

    Last year’s Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction demonstrated our determination for every hectare of the planet. 

    We need the same determination later in the year as countries come together to conclude negotiations on a landmark treaty to tackle plastic pollution.  

    Let us be inspired and lifted by these examples.

    Excellences, Chers amis,

    Notre mission à Cali est claire : accélérer le progrès pour la biodiversité ; mobiliser les ressources nécessaires ; et renforcer le rôle des peuples autochtones, des personnes d’ascendance africaine et des communautés locales.

    Nous pouvons – et nous devons – sauvegarder les écosystèmes qui nous font vivre et maintenir les objectifs climatiques à notre portée.

    Tout autre chemin est impensable.

    Il en va de la survie de la planète – et de la [nôtre].

    Choisissons avec sagesse.

    Choisissons la vie.

    Faisons la paix avec la nature.

    Je vous remercie.

    ****

    [All-English]

    President Petro,

    Thank you for hosting this important session, here in Cali – a microcosm of our planet’s rich biodiversity.

    Excellencies, dear friends,

    Nature is life.

    And yet we are waging a war against it.

    A war where there can be no winner.

    Every year, we see temperatures climbing higher.

    Every day, we lose more species.

    Every minute, we dump a garbage truck of plastic waste into our oceans, rivers and lakes.

    Make no mistake.

    This is what an existential crisis looks like.

    No country, rich or poor, is immune to the devastation inflicted by climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution.

    These environmental crises are intertwined. They know no borders.

    And they are devastating ecosystems and livelihoods, threatening human health and undermining sustainable development.

    The drivers of this destruction are embedded in outdated economic models, fueling unsustainable production and consumption patterns.

    They are multiplied by inequalities – in wealth and power.

    And with each passing day, we are edging closer to tipping points that could fuel further hunger, displacement, and even armed conflicts.

    We have already altered 75% of the Earth’s land surface and 66% of its ocean environments.

    Dear friends,

    Biodiversity is humanity’s ally.

    We must move from plundering it to preserving it.

    As I have said time and again, making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century.

    That is the spirit of today’s Declaration of the World Coalition for Peace with Nature:

    A call for action to enhance national and international efforts towards a balanced and harmonious relationship with nature – protecting nature and conserving, restoring and sustainably using and sharing our global biodiversity.

    A call to recognize the vital knowledge, innovations and practices of Indigenous people, people of African descent, farmers and local communities.

    A call for life.

    Excellencies,

    Last month, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future.

    The Pact recognizes the need to accelerate efforts to restore, protect, conserve and sustainably use the environment.

    It emphasizes the importance of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems that act as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases.

    This means conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards – in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

    When the Framework was adopted two years ago in Montreal, the world made bold commitments to living in harmony with nature by mid-century.

    Its goals and targets require robust monitoring, reporting, and review arrangements to track progress, as well as a resource mobilisation package to increase finance for biodiversity from all sources – mobilizing at least USD 200 billion per year by 2030.

    But we must now turn these promises into action in four vital ways.

    First – at the national level, all countries must finally present clear, ambitious and detailed plans to align with the Framework’s targets.

    These national plans should be developed in coordination with Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans – with positive outcomes in the Sustainable Development Goals.

    We must shift to nature-positive business models and production: renewable energies and sustainable supply chains… zero-waste policies and circular economies… regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices…

    These must become the default for governments and businesses alike.

    Second – we must agree on a strengthened monitoring and transparency framework.

    This is not only vital for accountability but also about enabling course corrections and driving ambition.

    Third – finance promises must be kept and support to developing countries accelerated.

    We cannot afford to leave Cali without new pledges to adequately capitalize the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, and without commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver the Framework – in full.

    And we must bring the private sector on board.

    Those profiting from nature cannot treat it like a free, infinite resource.

    They must step up and contribute to its protection and restoration.

    By operationalizing the mechanism on the sharing of benefits from the use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources, we will give them one clear avenue to do so, bringing more equity and inclusivity.

    Finally – in the spirit of this “COP de la gente”, we must engage all parts of society, in particular Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities.

    Too often, they have been on the sidelines of global environmental policy.

    Too often, environmental defenders have been threatened and killed.

    Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities are guardians of our nature.

    Their traditional knowledge is a living library of biodiversity conservation.

    They must be protected.

    And they must be part of every biodiversity conversation.

    The establishment of a permanent subsidiary body within the Convention on Biological Diversity would mark a significant step forward, ensuring Indigenous voices are heard at every stage of the process.

    Peace with nature means peace for those who protect it. 

    We must defend the people who defend nature.

    Excellencies,

    Across all these areas, we know progress is possible.

    Many countries around the world are stepping up to lead the way.

    Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Malaysia are leading by example by ramping up efforts to curb deforestation.  

    The Congo Basin is intensifying efforts to increase protected area coverage.  

    The European Union’s Nature Restoration Law is a step toward halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    Mobilizing all countries – each with different levels of wealth and capacities – is challenging.

    But swift global cooperation can provide the defense we so desperately need – against wildfires, floods, extreme weather, and pandemics.

    Last year’s Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction demonstrated our determination for every hectare of the planet. 

    We need the same determination later in the year as countries come together to conclude negotiations on a landmark treaty to tackle plastic pollution.  

    Let us be inspired and lifted by these examples.

    Excellencies, Dear friends,

    We are in Cali to accelerate progress, commit resources, and elevate the role of Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities.

    We can – and we must – save the ecosystems that sustain us and keep our climate goals within reach.

    The alternative is unthinkable. 

    The survival of our planet — and our own — is on the line.

    Let us choose wisely.

    Let us choose life.

    Let us make peace with nature.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI: Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Announces Third Quarter 2024 Dividends, Reports Earnings

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today the Board of Directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (“FHLBank Indianapolis” or “Bank”) declared its third quarter 2024 dividends on Class B-2 activity-based capital stock and Class B-1 non-activity-based stock at annualized rates of 9.50% and 4.50%, respectively. The higher dividend rate on activity-based stock reflects the Board’s discretion under the Bank’s capital plan to reward members that use FHLBank Indianapolis in support of their liquidity needs.

    The dividends will be paid in cash on October 30, 2024.

    Earnings Highlights

    Net income, for the third quarter of 2024, was $91 million, a net increase of $214,000 compared to the corresponding quarter in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to net changes in gains (losses) on investments, substantially offset by an increase in voluntary allocations to affordable housing, small business and community investment programs.

    Net income, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, was $275 million, a net increase of $1 million compared to the corresponding period in the prior year. The increase was primarily due to higher earnings on the portion of the Bank’s assets funded by its capital.1 However, such increase was substantially offset by net gains on the extinguishment of consolidated obligations in the corresponding period that did not occur in the current period and an increase in voluntary allocations to affordable housing, small business and community investment programs.

    __________________
    1     FHLBank Indianapolis earns interest income on advances to and mortgage loans purchased from its Michigan and Indiana member financial institutions, as well as on long- and short-term investments. Net interest income is primarily determined by the size of the Bank’s balance sheet and the spread between the interest earned on its assets and the interest cost of funding with consolidated obligations. Because of the Bank’s inherent relatively low interest-rate spread, it has historically derived a substantial portion of its net interest income from deploying its interest-free capital in floating-rate assets.

    Affordable Housing Program Allocation

    The Bank’s Affordable Housing Program (“AHP”) provides grant funding to support housing for low- and moderate-income families in communities served by its Michigan and Indiana members. For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, AHP assessments2 totaled $32 million. Full-year 2024 required allocations will be available to the Bank’s members in 2025 to help address their communities’ affordable housing needs, including construction, rehabilitation, accessibility improvements and homebuyer down-payment assistance.

    In addition, as part of the Bank’s commitment to further support its AHP and additional affordable housing, small business and community investment programs, the Bank voluntarily allocated additional funding in 2024 totaling $23 million, based on 5% of its net earnings for 2023. During the third quarter of 2024, the Bank also committed additional voluntary funding of $10 million, raising the total voluntary allocation for 2024 to $33 million, of which $17 million has been recognized in the nine-month period and is reported in other expenses. The timing of the recognition of such allocations in other expenses can vary due to the application of the related accounting requirements.

    As a result, the Bank’s combined required and voluntary allocation recognized in the nine-month period totaled $49 million, an increase of $11 million, or 30%, compared to the corresponding period in the prior year.

    Condensed Statements of Income

    The following table presents unaudited condensed statements of income ($ amounts in millions):

        Three Months Ended
    September 30,    		   Nine Months Ended
    September 30,
        2024   2023   2024   2023
    Interest income (a)   $ 1,090   $ 974   $ 3,140   $ 2,743
    Interest expense (a)     960     846     2,756     2,388
    Provision for credit losses     —     —     —     —
    Net interest income after provision for credit losses     130     128     384     355
    Other income (b)     9     —     26     39
    Other expenses (c)     37     27     103     89
    AHP assessments     11     10     32     31
                     
    Net income   $ 91   $ 91   $ 275   $ 274
    (a)   Includes hedging gains (losses) and net interest settlements on fair-value hedge relationships. The Bank uses derivatives, specifically interest-rate swaps, to hedge the risk of changes in the fair value of certain of its advances, available-for-sale securities and consolidated obligations. These derivatives are designated as fair-value hedges and, therefore, changes in the estimated fair value of the derivative, and changes in the fair value of the hedged item that are attributable to the hedged risk, are recorded in net interest income.
    (b)   Includes impact of purchase discount (premium) recorded through mark-to-market gains (losses) on trading securities and net interest settlements on derivatives hedging trading securities, while generally offsetting interest income on trading securities is included in interest income.
    (c)   Includes voluntary allocations to the Bank’s AHP and other affordable housing, small business and community investment programs.

    __________________
    2 Each year, Federal Home Loan Banks are required to allocate to the AHP 10% of earnings, defined for this purpose as income before assessments plus interest expense on mandatorily redeemable capital stock.

    Balance Sheet Highlights

    Total assets, at September 30, 2024, were $81.1 billion, a net increase of $4.5 billion, or 6%, from December 31, 2023, primarily due to an increase in advances outstanding.

    Advances 3

    Advances outstanding, at September 30, 2024, at carrying value, totaled $38.6 billion, a net increase of $3.0 billion, or 9%, from December 31, 2023. The par value of advances outstanding increased by 7% to $38.5 billion, which included a net increase in short-term advances of 31% and a net decrease in long-term advances of 2%. At September 30, 2024, based on contractual maturities, long-term advances composed 67% of advances outstanding, while short-term advances composed 33%.

    The par value of advances outstanding to depository institutions — comprising commercial banks, savings institutions and credit unions — increased by 11%, while advances outstanding to insurance companies increased by 1%. As a percent of total advances outstanding at par value, at September 30, 2024, advances to commercial banks and savings institutions were 50% and advances to credit unions were 15%, resulting in total advances to depository institutions of 65%, while advances to insurance companies were 35%.

    Mortgage Loans Held for Portfolio 4

    Mortgage loans held for portfolio, at September 30, 2024, totaled $10.0 billion, a net increase of $1.3 billion, or 16%, from December 31, 2023, as the Bank’s purchases from its members exceeded principal repayments by borrowers. Purchases of mortgage loans from members, for the nine months ended September 30, 2024, totaled $2.0 billion.

    Liquidity Investments 5

    Liquidity investments, at September 30, 2024, totaled $11.3 billion, a net decrease of $874 million, or 7%, from December 31, 2023. The Bank’s liquidity remained well above regulatory requirements and continues to enable the Bank to be a reliable liquidity provider to its members.

    Cash and short-term investments decreased by $1.4 billion, or 12%, to $10.2 billion. The portion of U.S. Treasury obligations classified as trading securities increased by $501 million, or 84%, to $1.1 billion. As a result of this activity, cash and short-term investments represented 90% of the total liquidity investments at September 30, 2024, while U.S. Treasury obligations represented 10%.

    The total outstanding balance and composition of the Bank’s liquidity investments are influenced by its liquidity needs, regulatory requirements, actual and anticipated member advance activity, market conditions, and the availability of short-term investments at attractive interest rates, relative to the cost of funds.

    Other Investment Securities

    Other investment securities, which consist substantially of mortgage-backed securities and U.S. Treasury obligations classified as held-to-maturity or available-for-sale, at September 30, 2024, totaled $20.3 billion, a net increase of $881 million, or 5%, from December 31, 2023.

    __________________
    3 Advances are secured loans that the Bank provides to its member institutions.
    4 The Bank purchases mortgage loans from its members to support its housing mission, provide an additional source of liquidity to its members, and diversify its investments.
    5 The Bank’s liquidity investments consist of cash, interest-bearing deposits, securities purchased under agreements to resell, federal funds sold and U.S. Treasury obligations.

    Consolidated Obligations 6

    FHLBank Indianapolis’ consolidated obligations outstanding, at September 30, 2024, totaled $75.0 billion, a net increase of $3.9 billion, or 6%, from December 31, 2023, which reflected increased funding needs associated with the net increase in the Bank’s total assets.

    Capital 7

    Total capital, at September 30, 2024, was $4.1 billion, a net increase of $383 million, or 10%, from December 31, 2023. The net increase resulted from issuances of capital stock to support advance activity, the growth in retained earnings and an increase in accumulated other comprehensive income.

    The Bank’s regulatory capital-to-assets ratio8, at September 30, 2024, was 5.56%, which exceeds all applicable regulatory capital requirements.

    __________________
    6 The primary source of funds for FHLBank Indianapolis, and for the other FHLBanks, is the sale of FHLBanks’ consolidated obligations in the capital markets. FHLBank Indianapolis is the primary obligor for the payment of the principal and interest on the consolidated obligations issued on its behalf; additionally, it is jointly and severally liable with each of the other FHLBanks for all of the FHLBanks’ consolidated obligations outstanding.
    7 FHLBank Indianapolis is a cooperative whose member financial institutions and former members own all of its capital stock as a condition of membership and to support outstanding credit products.
    8 Total regulatory capital, which consists of capital stock, mandatorily redeemable capital stock and retained earnings, as a percentage of total assets.

    Condensed Statements of Condition

    The following table presents unaudited condensed statements of condition ($ amounts in millions):

        September 30, 2024   December 31, 2023
    Advances   $ 38,600     $ 35,562  
    Mortgage loans held for portfolio, net     9,955       8,614  
    Liquidity investments     11,278       12,152  
    Other investment securities (a)     20,332       19,451  
    Other assets     894       829  
             
    Total assets   $ 81,059     $ 76,608  
             
    Consolidated obligations   $ 74,989     $ 71,053  
    MRCS     363       369  
    Other liabilities     1,580       1,442  
    Total liabilities     76,932       72,864  
             
    Capital stock (b)     2,476       2,285  
    Retained earnings (c)     1,668       1,532  
    Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)     (17 )     (73 )
    Total capital     4,127       3,744  
             
    Total liabilities and capital   $ 81,059     $ 76,608  
             
    Total regulatory capital (d)   $ 4,507     $ 4,186  
             
    Regulatory capital-to-assets ratio     5.56 %     5.46 %
    (a)   Includes held-to-maturity and available-for-sale securities.
    (b)   Putable by members at par value.
    (c)   Includes restricted retained earnings, at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, of $453 million and $398 million, respectively.
    (d)   Consists of total capital less accumulated other comprehensive income plus mandatorily redeemable capital stock.
         

    All amounts referenced above are unaudited. More detailed information about FHLBank Indianapolis’ financial condition as of September 30, 2024, and its results for the three and nine months then ended, will be included in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in the Bank’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

    Safe Harbor Statement

    This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events and performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “will,” “believes,” “may,” “temporary,” “estimates,” and “expects” or the negative of these words or comparable terminology. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release reflects FHLBank Indianapolis’ current beliefs and expectations. Actual results or performance may differ materially from what is expressed in any forward-looking statements.

    Any forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date on which it was made. FHLBank Indianapolis undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by law. Readers are referred to the documents filed by the Bank with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, specifically reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, which include factors that could cause actual results to differ from forward-looking statements. These reports are available at www.sec.gov.

    Media Contact:
    Scott Thien
    Sr. Communications Lead
    317-902-3103
    sthien@fhlbi.com

    Building Partnerships. Serving Communities.
    FHLBank Indianapolis is a regional bank included in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. FHLBanks are government-sponsored enterprises created by Congress to provide access to low-cost funding for their member financial institutions, with particular attention paid to providing solutions that support the housing and small business needs of members’ customers. FHLBanks are privately capitalized and funded, and receive no Congressional appropriations. FHLBank Indianapolis is owned by its Indiana and Michigan financial institution members, including commercial banks, credit unions, insurance companies, savings institutions and community development financial institutions. For more information about FHLBank Indianapolis, visit www.fhlbi.com. Also, follow the Bank on LinkedIn, as well as Instagram and X at @FHLBankIndy.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s Remarks at the High-Level Segment of COP16 on Biodiversity [trilingual, as delivered; scroll down for all-English]

    Source: United Nations – English

    residente Petro,

    Gracias por acoger esta importante sesión, aquí en Cali – un microcosmos de la rica biodiversidad de nuestro planeta.

    Excelencias, queridos amigos,

    La naturaleza es vida.

    Y, sin embargo, estamos librando una guerra contra ella.

    Una guerra donde no puede haber vencedores.

    Cada año, vemos las temperaturas subir más y más.

    Cada día, perdemos más especies.

    Cada minuto, vertemos un camión de basura de desechos plásticos en nuestros océanos, ríos y lagos.

    No se equivoquen.

    Así es como se ve una crisis existencial.

    Ningún país, rico o pobre, es inmune a la devastación provocada por el cambio climático, la pérdida de biodiversidad, la degradación de la tierra y la contaminación.

    Estas crisis ambientales están entrelazadas. No conocen fronteras.

    Y están devastando ecosistemas y medios de vida, amenazando la salud humana y socavando el desarrollo sostenible.

    Los motores de esta destrucción están arraigados en modelos económicos obsoletos, que alimentan patrones insostenibles de producción y consumo.

    Y se ven multiplicados por las desigualdades – en riqueza y poder.

    Cada día que pasa, nos acercamos más a puntos de inflexión que podrían alimentar más hambre, desplazamientos y incluso conflictos armados.

    Ya hemos alterado el 75% de la superficie terrestre y el 66% de los océanos.

    Queridas amigas y queridos amigos,

    La biodiversidad es aliada de la humanidad.

    Debemos pasar de saquearla a preservarla.

    Como he dicho una y otra vez, hacer las paces con la naturaleza es la tarea definitoria del siglo XXI.

    Ese es el espíritu de la Declaración de hoy de la Coalición Mundial por la Paz con la Naturaleza:

    Un llamado a la acción para mejorar los esfuerzos nacionales e internacionales hacia una relación equilibrada y armoniosa con la naturaleza – protegiendo la naturaleza y conservando, restaurando, utilizando y compartiendo de manera sostenible nuestra biodiversidad global.

    Un llamado a reconocer el conocimiento vital, las innovaciones y las prácticas de los Pueblos indígenas y afrodescendientes, los agricultores y las comunidades locales.

    Un llamado por la vida.

    Excellencies, Dear friends,

    Last month, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future.

    The Pact recognizes the need to accelerate efforts to restore, protect, conserve and sustainably use the environment.

    It emphasizes the importance of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems that act as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases.

    This means conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards – in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

    When the Framework was adopted two years ago in Montreal, the world made bold commitments to living in harmony with nature by mid-century.

    Its goals and targets require robust monitoring, reporting, and review arrangements to track progress, as well as a resource mobilisation package to increase finance for biodiversity from all sources – mobilizing at least USD 200 billion per year by 2030.

    But we must now turn these promises into action in four vital ways.

    First – at the national level, all countries must finally present clear, ambitious and detailed plans to align with the Framework’s targets.

    These national plans should be developed in coordination with Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans – with positive outcomes in the Sustainable Development Goals.

    We must shift to nature-positive business models and production: renewable energies and sustainable supply chains… zero-waste policies and circular economies… regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices…

    These must become the default for governments and businesses alike.

    Second – we must agree on a strengthened monitoring and transparency framework.

    This is not only vital for accountability but also about enabling course corrections and driving ambition.

    Third – finance promises must be kept and support to developing countries accelerated.

    We cannot afford to leave Cali without new pledges to adequately capitalize the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, and without commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver the Framework – in full.

    And we must bring the private sector on board.

    Those profiting from nature cannot treat it like a free, infinite resource.

    They must step up and contribute to its protection and restoration.

    By operationalizing the mechanism on the sharing of benefits from the use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources, we will give them one clear avenue to do so, bringing more equity and inclusivity.

    Finally – in the spirit of this “COP de la gente”, we must engage all parts of society, in particular Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities.

    Too often, they have been on the sidelines of global environmental policy.

    Too often, environmental defenders have been threatened and killed.

    Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities are guardians of our nature.

    Their traditional knowledge is a living library of biodiversity conservation.

    They must be protected.

    And they must be part of every biodiversity conversation.

    The establishment of a permanent subsidiary body within the Convention on Biological Diversity would mark a significant step forward, ensuring Indigenous voices are heard at every stage of the process.

    Peace with nature means peace with those who protect it. 

    We must defend the people who defend nature.

    Excellencies,

    Across all these areas, we know progress is possible.

    Many countries around the world are stepping up to lead the way.

    Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Malaysia are leading by example by ramping up efforts to curb deforestation.  

    The Congo Basin is intensifying efforts to increase protected area coverage.  

    The European Union’s Nature Restoration Law is a step toward halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    Mobilizing all countries – each with different levels of wealth and capacities – is challenging.

    But swift global cooperation can provide the defense we so desperately need – against wildfires, floods, extreme weather, and pandemics.

    Last year’s Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction demonstrated our determination for every hectare of the planet. 

    We need the same determination later in the year as countries come together to conclude negotiations on a landmark treaty to tackle plastic pollution.  

    Let us be inspired and lifted by these examples.

    Excellences, Chers amis,

    Notre mission à Cali est claire : accélérer le progrès pour la biodiversité ; mobiliser les ressources nécessaires ; et renforcer le rôle des peuples autochtones, des personnes d’ascendance africaine et des communautés locales.

    Nous pouvons – et nous devons – sauvegarder les écosystèmes qui nous font vivre et maintenir les objectifs climatiques à notre portée.

    Tout autre chemin est impensable.

    Il en va de la survie de la planète – et de la [nôtre].

    Choisissons avec sagesse.

    Choisissons la vie.

    Faisons la paix avec la nature.

    Je vous remercie.

    ****

    [All-English]

    President Petro,

    Thank you for hosting this important session, here in Cali – a microcosm of our planet’s rich biodiversity.

    Excellencies, dear friends,

    Nature is life.

    And yet we are waging a war against it.

    A war where there can be no winner.

    Every year, we see temperatures climbing higher.

    Every day, we lose more species.

    Every minute, we dump a garbage truck of plastic waste into our oceans, rivers and lakes.

    Make no mistake.

    This is what an existential crisis looks like.

    No country, rich or poor, is immune to the devastation inflicted by climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and pollution.

    These environmental crises are intertwined. They know no borders.

    And they are devastating ecosystems and livelihoods, threatening human health and undermining sustainable development.

    The drivers of this destruction are embedded in outdated economic models, fueling unsustainable production and consumption patterns.

    They are multiplied by inequalities – in wealth and power.

    And with each passing day, we are edging closer to tipping points that could fuel further hunger, displacement, and even armed conflicts.

    We have already altered 75% of the Earth’s land surface and 66% of its ocean environments.

    Dear friends,

    Biodiversity is humanity’s ally.

    We must move from plundering it to preserving it.

    As I have said time and again, making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century.

    That is the spirit of today’s Declaration of the World Coalition for Peace with Nature:

    A call for action to enhance national and international efforts towards a balanced and harmonious relationship with nature – protecting nature and conserving, restoring and sustainably using and sharing our global biodiversity.

    A call to recognize the vital knowledge, innovations and practices of Indigenous people, people of African descent, farmers and local communities.

    A call for life.

    Excellencies,

    Last month, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future.

    The Pact recognizes the need to accelerate efforts to restore, protect, conserve and sustainably use the environment.

    It emphasizes the importance of halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030, and other terrestrial and marine ecosystems that act as sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases.

    This means conserving biodiversity, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards – in line with the Paris Climate Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

    When the Framework was adopted two years ago in Montreal, the world made bold commitments to living in harmony with nature by mid-century.

    Its goals and targets require robust monitoring, reporting, and review arrangements to track progress, as well as a resource mobilisation package to increase finance for biodiversity from all sources – mobilizing at least USD 200 billion per year by 2030.

    But we must now turn these promises into action in four vital ways.

    First – at the national level, all countries must finally present clear, ambitious and detailed plans to align with the Framework’s targets.

    These national plans should be developed in coordination with Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans – with positive outcomes in the Sustainable Development Goals.

    We must shift to nature-positive business models and production: renewable energies and sustainable supply chains… zero-waste policies and circular economies… regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming practices…

    These must become the default for governments and businesses alike.

    Second – we must agree on a strengthened monitoring and transparency framework.

    This is not only vital for accountability but also about enabling course corrections and driving ambition.

    Third – finance promises must be kept and support to developing countries accelerated.

    We cannot afford to leave Cali without new pledges to adequately capitalize the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, and without commitments to mobilize other sources of public and private finance to deliver the Framework – in full.

    And we must bring the private sector on board.

    Those profiting from nature cannot treat it like a free, infinite resource.

    They must step up and contribute to its protection and restoration.

    By operationalizing the mechanism on the sharing of benefits from the use of Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources, we will give them one clear avenue to do so, bringing more equity and inclusivity.

    Finally – in the spirit of this “COP de la gente”, we must engage all parts of society, in particular Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities.

    Too often, they have been on the sidelines of global environmental policy.

    Too often, environmental defenders have been threatened and killed.

    Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities are guardians of our nature.

    Their traditional knowledge is a living library of biodiversity conservation.

    They must be protected.

    And they must be part of every biodiversity conversation.

    The establishment of a permanent subsidiary body within the Convention on Biological Diversity would mark a significant step forward, ensuring Indigenous voices are heard at every stage of the process.

    Peace with nature means peace for those who protect it. 

    We must defend the people who defend nature.

    Excellencies,

    Across all these areas, we know progress is possible.

    Many countries around the world are stepping up to lead the way.

    Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia and Malaysia are leading by example by ramping up efforts to curb deforestation.  

    The Congo Basin is intensifying efforts to increase protected area coverage.  

    The European Union’s Nature Restoration Law is a step toward halting and reversing biodiversity loss.

    Mobilizing all countries – each with different levels of wealth and capacities – is challenging.

    But swift global cooperation can provide the defense we so desperately need – against wildfires, floods, extreme weather, and pandemics.

    Last year’s Agreement on Marine Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction demonstrated our determination for every hectare of the planet. 

    We need the same determination later in the year as countries come together to conclude negotiations on a landmark treaty to tackle plastic pollution.  

    Let us be inspired and lifted by these examples.

    Excellencies, Dear friends,

    We are in Cali to accelerate progress, commit resources, and elevate the role of Indigenous Peoples, people of African descent, and local communities.

    We can – and we must – save the ecosystems that sustain us and keep our climate goals within reach.

    The alternative is unthinkable. 

    The survival of our planet — and our own — is on the line.

    Let us choose wisely.

    Let us choose life.

    Let us make peace with nature.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by the Prime Minister on the results of the provincial election in British Columbia

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the results of the provincial election in British Columbia:

    “On behalf of the Government of Canada, I congratulate David Eby and the British Columbia New Democratic Party on their re-election. For the first time in the province, women will hold the majority of seats in the legislature.

    “I look forward to continuing to work with Premier Eby to deliver on the issues that matter most to British Columbians and all Canadians. Whether it’s building more homes, improving access to health care, advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, growing our economies, or creating good middle-class jobs – we will remain focused on building stronger communities and a more prosperous province for all.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USDA’s Agricultural Research Technology Center Breaks Ground in Davis, CA

    Source: US Agriculture Research Service

    USDA’s Agricultural Research Technology Center Breaks Ground in Davis, CA

    Contact: Amaani Lyle
    Email: Amaani.Lylew@usda.gov

    DAVIS, Calif., Oct. 29, 2024 — Advances in crop production and preservation are poised for new digs as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) broke ground today for a modernized facility to consolidate labs that are currently located at the University of California, Davis.

    The Agricultural Research and Technology Center (ARTC) is a cutting-edge facility that will include customized laboratories, greenhouses and capacity for scientists as part of the ARS’s ongoing efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, water scarcity, emerging pests, and increasing global need in support of a resilient agricultural production system.

    The two-story 59,000 square foot building will house four ARS research units: Crops Pathology and Genetics, Invasive Species and Pollinator Health, National Clonal Germplasm Repository – Tree Fruit and Nut Crops and Grapes, and Sustainable Agricultural Water Systems.

    Collectively, these units improve the health, sustainability, and profitability of agricultural production and natural resources in California and the Western United States.

    “The building will be a nexus for scientists to investigate plant diseases, plant genetic resources, conventional and advanced plant breeding methods, soil health, invasive species management and myriad other areas driven by long-term agricultural research and climate-informed decision-making strategies,” said Dr. Simon Liu, ARS Administrator.

    A rendering of the new Agricultural Research and Technology Center in Davis, California. (Image courtesy of Burns & McDonnell)

    Collaborations between ARS, USDA’s chief in-house research agency, and UC Davis began in 1956 with the location of the Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit (CPGRU) led by ARS Plant Pathologist, Dr. Austin Goheen, on campus to research grape viruses.

    ARS scientists have since fanned across several UC Davis departments, including Plant Pathology, Viticulture and Enology; Entomology and Nematology; Plant Sciences; and Land, Air and Water Resources, which has facilitated many collaborations that have benefited various stakeholders in industries that include almond, walnut, rice, and grapes.

    ARS’s presence on campus has since grown to over 30 scientists with supporting staff across the four research units and the Western Human Nutrition Research Center.

    Strong collaborative research efforts between university extension specialists, farm advisors, and faculty will continue with the move to the ARTC.

    “This research will benefit growers, commodity groups, agricultural businesses, and U.S. consumers who rely on ARS to find solutions to agricultural and environmental problems,” said Dr. Amisha Poret-Peterson, CPGRU Acting Research Leader. “It’s incredible to celebrate current and future cooperative research among ARS, groundwater sustainability agencies, UC Davis researchers, and stakeholders in diverse specialty realms such as tree nut, rice, and beekeeping industries.”

    ARS remains committed to nationwide infrastructure modernization, empowering researchers to address agricultural challenges from animal science and crop production to climate change and sustainable farming practices.

    Notable speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony included:

    • Dr. Simon Liu, ARS Administrator
    • U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, California 4th Congressional District
    • Dr. Tara McHugh, ARS Pacific West Area Director
    • Dr. Amisha Poret-Peterson, Acting Research Leader, CPGRU
    • Dr. Glenda Humiston, Vice President, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources 
    • Dr. Helene Dillard, Dean, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at UC Davis

    The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Celebrating 75 Years of USGS Science at the Idaho National Laboratory

    Source: US Geological Survey

    Established in 1949, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho Operations (DOE-ID) office oversees work at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), one of 21 DOE-operated national laboratories and technology centers. The USGS began working at what is now the INL in 1949 by monitoring the amount of groundwater that was available for the facility and determining baseline groundwater chemistry prior to the development and implementation of nuclear reactor research on site. 

    In those early days, USGS scientists travelled to the INL either from USGS headquarters in Reston, Virginia, or from the Idaho district office in Boise. In 1959, it was decided to house a permanent office at the INL in the same building as DOE’s Radiological and Environmental Sciences Laboratory. USGS staff commuted out to the INL until 1998 when project offices were established in Pocatello and Idaho Falls. 

    Our USGS mission at the INL is to maintain a comprehensive groundwater monitoring and hydrogeologic studies program to evaluate the availability and movement of water in the eastern Snake River Plain aquifer to align with DOE’s strategic goal of safeguarding the environment.  

    We are also tasked with describing the processes controlling the fate of contaminants (advective transport, dispersion, adsorption, dilution, diffusion, radioactive decay, and chemical reactions), and provide independent reviews of hydrogeological data and reports submitted by DOE and its contractors to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the State of Idaho.  

    Throughout this 75-year history, USGS scientists at the INL have been at the forefront of science development in groundwater flow modeling, geochemistry research, unsaturated zone research, and volcanic hazards assessments. The USGS INL Project Office has drilled or contracted to drill more than 300 wells, and has collected data from more than 475 sites, including 72,000 water-level measurements, 22,000 water samples, 1,500 geophysical logs from 137 sites, and 1,500 surface-water measurements. We have published our research in more than 385 scientific publications. 

    Roy Bartholomay is the director of the Idaho Water Science Center. He previously served as the chief of the Idaho National Laboratory Project Office and as the water-quality specialist and chief of the Huron Programs Office of the USGS South Dakota Water Science Center. His scientific research involves studies on groundwater geochemistry and water quality. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Convicted Felons from Nashua and Manchester Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Ghost Guns and Ammunition

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

    CONCORD – A Nashua man and a Manchester man were sentenced today in federal court for separate firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

    “Two unrelated felons, Mr. Reidy and Mr. Maker, were each a danger to their respective communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “Both of these defendants were distributing narcotics while illegally owning weapons and ammunition, which is always a perilous combination. Mr. Reidy also put law enforcement officers in harm’s way by engaging in a three-hour standoff with the Nashua Police Department to conceal his three ghost guns, ammunition, and an AR-style rifle underneath the insulation in his attic. Mr. Maker attempted to flee from Manchester police officers at the time of his arrest. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not stand by and allow dangerous individuals to possess deadly weapons. As demonstrated by today’s sentencings, this office will investigate and prosecute convicted felons in possession of firearms with the goal of removing them from the public in a concerted effort to make our communities safer.”

    “ATF is firmly committed to removing illegal drugs, firearms, and ghost guns from the streets of New Hampshire, particularly from the hands of convicted felons,” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “By dismantling trafficking networks, targeting the proliferation of untraceable ghost guns, and collaborating with our local, state, and federal partners, we aim to create safer communities and protect citizens from the harm associated with these illegal activities.”

    Robert Reidy, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 87 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.  In July 2024, Robert Reidy pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person and one count of possession of unregistered firearms.

    In October 2023, the Nashua Police Department learned that Reidy was selling drugs out of his home in Nashua. In October and November 2023, Reidy allegedly engaged in three controlled purchases of methamphetamine. During these alleged controlled purchases, law enforcement used audio and video recording, which captured images of firearms within the defendant’s bedroom. Reidy was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition by virtue of a prior felony conviction for Escape from a Penal Institution in 2017.

    On December 5, 2023, members of the Nashua Police Department arrived at Reidy’s residence to execute a state search warrant. Reidy refused multiple commands to exit his residence, and ultimately surrendered after chemical munitions were deployed into his residence.  Law enforcement ultimately located one short-barreled AR-style rifle with a silencer threaded onto the barrel, three additional disassembled firearms hidden in the attic that all appeared to be privately manufactured, as well as 160 rounds of ammunition. Reidy also did not register the short-barreled rifle or silencer as required by the National Firearm Act.

    Reidy’s alleged distribution of methamphetamine is pending in state court.

    Nashua Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. 

    Monytung Maker, a/k/a “MoSavage,” 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven McAuliffe to 12 months and a day in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release.  In July 2024, Monytung Maker pleaded guilty to one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

    In May, June, and July 2023, Maker allegedly sold cocaine to a confidential informant on several occasions. On or about August 2, 2023, officers from the Manchester Police Department executed a search warrant at Maker’s Manchester apartment and found a backpack in Maker’s bedroom containing his bank cards and a 9mm pistol loaded with eight rounds of 9mm ammunition. Maker was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms and ammunition by virtue of a 2019 felony conviction for unlawful possession of a handgun without a permit in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Bergen County.

    Maker’s alleged distribution of cocaine is pending in state court.

    The Manchester Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives led the investigation.

    Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany Scanlon prosecuted both cases. 

    These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

     

    ###

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Designates Madison County for Federal Support to Reduce Domestic Violence

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

    FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – Attorney General Merrick B. Garland approved 78 communities across 47 states, territories, and the District of Columbia for designation under Section 1103 of the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, and U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe announced Madison County as a designee.

    With this designation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Illinois and the Kansas City Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives partnered with the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to develop a plan to reduce firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders prohibited under 18 U.S. Code Section 922(g) from owning firearms. 

    “To address domestic violence in our communities, it’s important to strengthen the relationships between prosecutors and law enforcement in order to hold abusers accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “As October is recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we reaffirm our commitment to reduce intimate partner violence by working directly with our community and law enforcement partners.”

    “This partnership strengthens the commitment of the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office to reduce violent crime in our homes, which should be places of peace and joy, not fear and harm. Effective prosecution of abusers can mean the difference between life and death for victims, as well as for the law enforcement officers who respond to incidents of violence,” said Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine. “With this partnership, we will continue to deploy prosecution resources to ensure that victims of domestic violence are protected and their abusers brought to justice.”

    To select designees, the Justice Department used data to identify communities that could benefit from an increased focus on intimate partner violence. The partnership will connect stakeholders with resources and increase the use of federal tools to prosecute offenders under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). partnership and coordination between the department and the local jurisdiction to ensure federal resources are being leveraged effectively to address intimate partner firearm violence.

    “In April, ATF hosted the first Inaugural Gun Violence Survivors’ Summit to honor those who have fallen to domestic violence and today’s announcement is an example of how ATF will continue to work tirelessly to protect our communities every day,” stated Bernard G. Hansen, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Kansas City Field Division.  “ATF’s mission is as critical as it has ever been, we will not stop working to prevent gun violence and will do everything we can to stop the cycle of domestic abuse.”

    The Justice Department anticipates additional jurisdictions to be designated. All USAOs, with or without specific community designations under Section 1103, will continue to combat intimate partner firearm violence and prioritize prosecutions of domestic violence offenders as part of their Project Safe Neighborhoods strategy and in support of the Department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Two Men Sentenced Following Federal Gun and Drug Convictions Stemming from Conduct in Tallapoosa County

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

                Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced that a federal judge sentenced two Opelika, Alabama residents after a jury found them guilty of committing federal crimes in Tallapoosa County. On October 29, 2024, 45-year-old Jeffrey Monkentee Hill received a sentence of 250 months in prison. Previously, on September 19, 2024, a judge ordered 34-year-old Carstavious Shadon Stovall receive a 92-month sentence. Federal prisoners are not eligible for parole. 

               According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in February 2022, the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force began an investigation into suspected drug trafficking. The investigation eventually revealed that Hill was involved with the sale of illegal drugs at a residence in Camp Hill, Alabama. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the residence. During the search, law enforcement found Hill and Stovall present at the house, along with cocaine, methamphetamine, and multiple firearms. Both Hill and Stovall have previous felony convictions and are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.   

               On June 5, 2024, a federal jury found both Hill and Stovall guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The jury also convicted Hill on the additional charges of possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the illegal drugs and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

               Based on Hill’s criminal history, the sentencing judge determined that he qualified as a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines. This ruling increased the guidelines range for Hill and resulted in a significant sentence.

               Acting U.S. Attorney Davidson would like to thank the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for investigating this case. In addition, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force provided valuable assistance in the investigation and apprehension of the defendants. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon W. Bates and Ashley J. Avera prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI: Anthem Successfully Closes on First Real Estate Development Trust IPO on a Canadian Asset

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Anthem Properties Group, through the Anthem Citizen Real Estate Development Trust (REDT), has successfully closed on the first Canadian initial public offering of its kind on its 66-storey, mixed-use development, Citizen, based in Burnaby, BC (by way of an offering of units of Anthem Citizen Real Estate Development Trust) (the “IPO”)).

    The IPO reached its $82M CDN target raise. Anthem worked on this offering with CIBC Capital Markets, who acted as sole agent and has a successful track record of completed real estate development IPOs for US assets.

    “The completion of this financing is a win for the Anthem team on many fronts,” said Anthem Core-Founder & CEO, Eric Carlson. “It enables access to housing units for our community, including much-needed market and affordable rentals, in an architecturally significant, multi-use 66 storey tower, which represents innovation by the City of Burnaby when it comes to land use. Financially, the IPO of a single asset Mutual Fund Trust is a creative and unique solution to raise the capital required to make this project happen.”

    With a mix of market, rental and affordable homes, anchored by a hotel and supported by retail space, Citizen is anticipated to be a premier destination in Metrotown, Burnaby. Anthem has a productive and positive working relationship with the City of Burnaby, which is eager to create great spaces that encourage residents and businesses to choose their city to call home. The project has rezoning approvals and entitlements completed, and construction is underway.

    Background on the IPO including investor materials and past REDT press releases can be found at www.citizenbyanthemdevtrust.com

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities of the REDT in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities of the REDT in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), and may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws.

    About Anthem Properties

    Anthem is a real estate development, investment and management company that strives, solves and evolves to create better spaces and stronger communities, with more than 385 residential, commercial, and retail projects. Founded in 1991, Anthem is a team of 800 people, with a diverse portfolio consisting of 41,700 homes, 11.5 million square feet of retail, industrial and office space and has developed more than 60 communities across 9,800 acres of land across in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and California. We are Growing Places.

    Contact:
    Elisha McCallum
    Vice President, Communications  
    Phone: 604.488.3612 Mobile: 778.668.0185
    Email: emccallum@anthemproperties.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Dmitry Chernyshenko awarded employers participating in the Abilympics championship

    Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko awarded employers participating in the Abilympics championship

    October 29, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko awarded employers participating in the Abilympics championship

    October 29, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko awarded employers participating in the Abilympics championship

    October 29, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko awarded employers participating in the Abilympics championship

    October 29, 2024

    Dmitry Chernyshenko awarded employers participating in the Abilympics championship

    October 29, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Dmitry Chernyshenko awarded employers participating in the Abilympics championship

    The National Championship of Professional Skills among the Disabled and People with Limited Health Abilities “Abilympics” has ended in Moscow. 450 winners were awarded certificates for additional professional education and the purchase of technical rehabilitation equipment. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated the winners of the championship.

    “It was a truly great success. Over the past 10 years, we have come a long way and have become convinced that the order of President Vladimir Putin to realize the capabilities and talents of each person in our country does not encounter any barriers. Every year, the championship is becoming more and more popular – it has already covered 120 thousand participants from all regions of Russia. And this is, of course, the merit of our regions,” the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko also noted that Abilympics faces important challenges.

    “The kids need support, it is important for them to see role models in front of them who give them hope and confirm that every person in our country is in demand and can be useful to the Motherland, themselves and their families,” said the Deputy Prime Minister.

    The Deputy Prime Minister recalled that more than 2.5 thousand enterprises joined the Abilympics championship, creating jobs and conditions for young specialists. He emphasized that 93% of participants are already employed, which is a very good indicator.

    Dmitry Chernyshenko presented letters of gratitude from the Russian Government Office to employers who employ the largest number of participants in the Abilympics championships and provide internships in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Thus, the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant, the United Engine Corporation, the Bank of Russia, Mobile TeleSystems and Ozon Holding were noted.

    The Deputy Prime Minister also presented awards to the regions that demonstrated the best results in employing participants in the Abilympics championships and involving people with disabilities and people with limited health capabilities in the movement’s events. Among them are Moscow, the Republic of Tatarstan, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Ulyanovsk and Rostov Regions. The Republic of North Ossetia-Alania received an award for high indicators of the Abilympics movement development based on the results of 2023 and 2024.

    On behalf of the regions, the awards were accepted by the Governor of Krasnoyarsk Krai Mikhail Kotyukov, the Minister of the Moscow Government, the Head of the Department of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the City of Moscow Evgeny Struzhak, the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Tatarstan Ilsur Khadiullin and others.

    Head of the Russian Presidential Administration for Public Projects Sergei Novikov emphasized that over ten seasons, the participants of the Abilympics championship have become a big family, they are constantly in touch and support each other. He added that thanks to the movement, people with disabilities motivate each other to develop in their chosen specialty, compete successfully and show excellent results.

    Sergey Novikov presented awards to representatives of the countries that won the overall team standings of the competitions with friendly countries. The first place was taken by the national team of the Russian Federation. The award for second place was received by the national team of the Republic of Belarus. Third place went to the Republic of Abkhazia.

    First Deputy Minister of Education of Russia Alexander Bugaev expressed gratitude to everyone who created the Abilympics movement in all regions of Russia over the course of ten years.

    “I would like to thank the huge army of participants in the movement over all these years – 120 thousand people. You can come to any region of our country and find your comrade, like-minded person. I am sure that each of those who participate in the tenth season of the Abilympics championship is already a winner. We must name the winners, but the best is everyone who is present in this hall today. Thank you for this, and always remain as wonderful,” said Alexander Bugayev.

    In the overall team standings of the Abilympics championship, the Moscow team took first place. The Republic of Tatarstan team took second place. The St. Petersburg team came in third.

    The 2024 National Abilympics Championship was held from October 26 to 29, 2024, at the Gostiny Dvor Exhibition Center, as well as at six additional venues of professional educational organizations in Moscow and the Diana Gurtskaya Social Integration Center. The contestants were 869 people from 73 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, including 290 schoolchildren, 276 students, and 303 specialists. The judging was carried out by 276 experts from 52 constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

    The championship’s competition program included 50 competencies in the fields of education, IT technologies, decorative and applied arts, creative industries, industry, public catering, services, economics and management, construction, and medical professions.

    Representatives of foreign countries competed in 12 main and 1 presentation competencies. Participants from Azerbaijan, Abkhazia, Belarus, Zimbabwe and Qatar demonstrated their skills in person. Contestants from Armenia, Nicaragua and China took part in the competition remotely.

    For participants with severe and multiple developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, a Festival of Opportunities was held. It included competitions in 11 competencies. The Festival of Introduction to the Profession brought together 50 preschool and primary school children with disabilities aged 6 years and older. They competed in 10 competencies.

    The project operator is the National Center “Abilympics” of the Institute for the Development of Professional Education of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation.

    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.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Thompson Okanagan communities receive over $725,000 to create memorable outdoor experiences and support sustainable tourism

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    The Government of Canada is making investments in tourism across British Columbia to attract visitors and drive local economic growth

    October 29, 2024 – Kelowna, British Columbia – PacifiCan

    British Columbia is home to breathtaking natural attractions and outdoor recreation experiences that bring the world to our doorstep. Tourism is important to Canada’s economy and creates good jobs in communities, from major city centres to rural and remote areas, to Indigenous communities. In the Thompson Okanagan, tourism business owners, operators and entrepreneurs have ambitious plans and PacifiCan is here to support those ambitions. 

    Today the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), announced $727,500 in funding through PacifiCan’s Tourism Growth Program for four organizations based in the Thompson Okanagan. This funding will help enhance outdoor recreation, increase visitors to smaller communities and promote sustainable tourism in B.C.’s southern interior.

    As part of today’s announcement, the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Foundation is receiving $250,000 in funding to restore the historic Adra Tunnel on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Naramata. Revitalizing the tunnel will preserve a vital piece of B.C.’s rail heritage, connect communities across the Okanagan, and attract more visitors to the region. Originally built for trains, the tunnel will soon be a pathway for hikers and cyclists, allowing outdoor enthusiasts to access and explore this early 20th-century landmark. 

    Silver Star Freestyle Club is receiving $250,000 to create a state-of-the-art freestyle ski and snowboard training park at SilverStar Mountain Resort in Vernon. This new facility will feature specialized equipment, including a landing airbag and a variety of terrain features to accommodate athletes of all skill levels. The project is expected to elevate the resort’s global reputation as a top destination for year-round activities, provide provincial, national and international snow sport training opportunities, and draw more visitors to the region.

    Other investments included in today’s announcements are:

    • $65,000 for Hunters Range Snowmobile Association to upgrade its grooming equipment and trail infrastructure in Enderby for an improved rider experience
    • $162,500 for Wine Growers British Columbia Society to create a user-friendly trip planning resource on its website

    More details about the organizations receiving funding can be found in the backgrounder here.

    Projects like the ones announced today deliver memorable experiences for Canadian and international visitors alike. They create jobs, grow the local economy, enrich communities, and put B.C. on the map as a destination of choice.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Backgrounder: Thompson Okanagan communities receive over $725,000 to create memorable outdoor experiences and support sustainable tourism

    Source: Government of Canada News

    British Columbia is home to breathtaking natural attractions and outdoor recreation experiences that bring the world to our doorstep. Tourism is important to Canada’s economy and creates good jobs in communities, from major city centres to rural and remote areas, to Indigenous communities.

    Today the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan), announced $727,500 in funding through PacifiCan’s Tourism Growth Program for four organizations based in the Thompson Okanagan. This funding will help enhance outdoor recreation, increase visitors to smaller communities and promote sustainable tourism in B.C.’s southern interior.

    The projects announced today are:

    Hunters Range Snowmobile Association
    $65,000

    Funding will allow Hunters Range Snowmobile Association, a non-profit that manages and operates the snowmobile trails on Hunters Range in Enderby, to upgrade its grooming equipment and trail infrastructure. This project will improve the organization’s snowmobile experiences, attract more visitors, and promote outdoor recreation in rural communities.

    Thompson Okanagan Tourism Foundation
    $250,000

    Funding will be used to restore the historic Adra Tunnel on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Naramata. Revitalizing the tunnel will preserve a vital piece of B.C.’s rail heritage, connect communities across the Okanagan, and attract more visitors to the region. Originally built for trains, the tunnel will soon be a pathway for hikers and cyclists, allowing outdoor enthusiasts to access and explore this early 20th-century landmark.

    Silver Star Freestyle Club
    $250,000

    Funding will help create a state-of-the-art freestyle ski and snowboard training park at SilverStar Mountain Resort in Vernon. This new facility will feature specialized equipment, including a landing airbag and a variety of terrain features to accommodate athletes of all skill levels. The project is expected to elevate the resort’s global reputation as a top destination for year-round activities, provide provincial, national and international snow sport training opportunities, and draw more visitors to the region.

    Wine Growers British Columbia Society
    $162,500

    PacifiCan funding will be used to create a user-friendly trip planning resource on the WineBC website. This online platform will help visitors to discover wineries and other small businesses across all nine wine regions. The project will boost local tourism, draw visitors to the region during the off-season, and enhance B.C.’s reputation as a top wine destination.

    Related products

    Haley Hodgson
    Senior Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada
    haley.hodgson@kpc-cpr.gc.ca

    Follow PacifiCan on X and LinkedIn

    Toll-Free Number:     1-888-338-9378
    TTY (telecommunications device for the hearing impaired):     1-877-303-3388

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by Minister Virani on the Final Report from the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools

    Source: Government of Canada News

    GATINEAU, Quebec, Unceded Algonquin Traditional Territory, October 29, 2024

    Content warning: this statement contains information regarding Indian Residential Schools.

    A National Residential School Crisis Line is available to provide support for former Residential School students. Emotional and crisis referral services are available by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

    The Hope for Wellness Line is available to all Indigenous peoples and provides immediate, toll-free telephone and on-line support and crisis intervention 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is available in English, French and, upon request, Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut. Trained counsellors are available by phone at 1-855-242-3310 or by online chat on their website.

    Today, the Honourable Arif Virani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, issued the following statement after receiving the Final Report of the Independent Special Interlocutor for Missing Children and Unmarked Graves and Burial Sites associated with Indian Residential Schools:

    “We cannot ignore the lasting impact of the Indian residential school system and the pain it has caused to Indigenous peoples. The harmful legacy of residential schools, which is one of lost children, languages and cultures, lost opportunities to thrive, grow and live full healthy lives and silenced truths, continues to be deeply felt today and cannot be denied.

    “In June 2022, Kimberly Murray was appointed as Special Interlocutor to work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Survivors, families and communities to identify needed measures and recommend a new federal legal framework to ensure the respectful and culturally appropriate treatment of unmarked graves and burial sites associated with former residential schools.

    “I thank First Nations, Inuit and Métis Survivors, families and community members from coast to coast to coast who courageously shared their stories, knowledge and experiences with the Special Interlocutor in order to produce the Final Report.

    “Today, on behalf of the Government of Canada, I have the honour of receiving the Special Interlocutor’s Final Report, an Indigenous-led Reparations Framework, which is being delivered concurrently to myself and First Nations, Inuit and Métis Survivors, communities and families. It is my sincere hope that the Special Interlocutor’s Final Report and the recommendations in it will honour the memory of the children who never returned home from residential schools and will lead to healing for families and Survivors.

    “I thank Kimberly Murray for her crucial work listening to Survivors and families and identifying needed measures and recommendations for a new federal legal framework, to ensure that unmarked graves and burial sites at former residential schools are treated with the respect and protection they deserve. Kim Murray’s work has contributed significantly to telling and acknowledging the truth. There is still more to be learned, accepted and understood.

    “In line with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and to continue the government’s efforts towards reconciliation, we will work with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities to address the ongoing legacy of Indian Residential Schools in a way that respects their wishes and traditions.”

    Associated links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Statement by the Prime Minister on the results of the provincial election in Saskatchewan

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on the results of the provincial election in Saskatchewan:

    “On behalf of the Government of Canada, I congratulate Scott Moe and the Saskatchewan Party on their re-election.

    “I look forward to continue working with Premier Moe to deliver on priorities for the people of Saskatchewan and all Canadians. Our shared work will include growing the economy, building more homes, improving health care, expanding affordable child care, cutting emissions, and creating good middle-class jobs.”

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ACP Statement on Gulf of Maine Lease Sale

    Source: American Clean Power Association (ACP)

    Headline: ACP Statement on Gulf of Maine Lease Sale

    Lease sale generated $21.9 million for the U.S. Treasury 
    ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, October 29, 2024 – The American Clean Power Association (ACP) released the following statement from Anne Reynolds, ACP Vice President for Offshore Wind after the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) concluded a successful lease sale for the development of floating offshore wind farms in the Gulf of Maine. Four lease areas offshore Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, were sold in today’s auction facilitated by BOEM, generating $21.9 million in revenue for the U.S. Treasury. The provisional winners were Avangrid with two leases and Invenergy NE Offshore Wind LLC, a subsidiary of Invenergy, with two leases. Once fully developed, these projects are expected to generate enough energy to power over 2.3 million homes:
    “American Clean Power commends the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for conducting this wind energy lease sale in the Gulf of Maine, marking the first opportunity for deploying floating wind technology on the East Coast.
    “Governor Janet Mills and Maine’s proactive approach to floating offshore wind technology deserves recognition. Today’s lease sale, along with Maine’s procurement planning, is a significant step toward achieving the state’s three-gigawatt offshore wind goal.
    “As New England continues to use more and more electricity, this growing power demand can be met with clean, pollution-free offshore wind generation. Development in the Gulf of Maine will not only generate needed electricity but create jobs and investment for New England.
    “With today’s lease sale building on earlier deepwater auctions on the West Coast, the United States is truly on track to become a global leader in floating offshore wind technology.”
    Additional Background:    
    Offshore wind will play an important role in achieving Maine’s target of generating 100 percent of the state’s electricity from renewable sources by 2040, and Massachusetts plans to procure 5.6 GW of offshore wind energy by 2027. 
    BOEM’s lease sale follows extensive environmental analysis and thorough public engagement resulting in incorporation of feedback from a variety of stakeholders. The commercial lease gives the awardee the exclusive right to propose a project in the area and obtain federal review of its proposal. BOEM plans to continue growing the offshore wind sector by facilitating up to 12 offshore wind energy lease sales through 2028, including a second sale in the Gulf of Maine. 
    Most of the world’s usable offshore wind resources exist at depths greater than 60 meters, which according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the limit where fixed-bottom support structures can be placed – instead, floating substructures are needed.  
    There are strong economic incentives to develop floating wind technology that can make capturing these resources cost competitive.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Delegation Aims to Protect RI’s Nonprofits and Places of Worship from Violence & Hate Crimes

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02)

    After delivering over $2.2 million in federal NSGP funds for RI earlier this year, Congressional delegation announces additional funding available for physical security enhancements to better protect faith-based institutions and nonprofits

    PROVIDENCE, RI – In an effort to improve public safety and help better protect vulnerable faith-based institutions and nonprofits, Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation delivered a significant boost in homeland security funding and is urging local nonprofits andfaith-based institutions to apply for federal funds under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP).

    Earlier this year, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo delivered $2,248,436 in NSGP funds for Rhode Island to protect religious institutions against potential public safety threats.

    The federal funds, which were awarded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and administered by the Rhode IslandEmergency Management Agency (RIEMA), are targeted to helping synagogues, churches, mosques, and other houses of worship or faith-based organizations enhance their security infrastructure, training, and systems.  The federal NSGP funds can be used for things such as purchasing and installing appropriate locks, video cameras, and bulletproof glass. 

    Overall, the delegation helped include a total of $664 million in NSGP funds in fiscal year 2024, including over $300 million in the National Security Supplemental Appropriations bill, which was approved by Congress after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 terrorist attack on Israel. 

    During the first round of NSGP funding, DHS received 7,584 applications nationwide requesting $973 million.  Of those applicants, 3,288 were approved and allocated $454.5 million. 

    Now, members of the delegation are encouraging Rhode Island faith based entities in need of security assistance to apply for the remaining $210 million in funds available that will be distribute in a second cycle. The federal funding is now available through a Notice of Funding Opportunity published by DHS.

    “Whether attending a religious service or dropping your child off at camp, everybody should feel safe when they walk into a church, synagogue, or house of worship.  Unfortunately, we’ve seen a rise in antisemitism and attacks on faith based institutions.  This is a smart investment in helping vulnerable communities effectively protect themselves.  It will help counter the heightened risks we’re seeing, prevent attacks by making security enhancements, and ultimately save lives,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee.

    “In America, no one should have to live in fear because of who they are or how they worship,” said Senator Whitehouse, a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a former Rhode Island Attorney General and U.S. Attorney.  “We continue to secure federal funding to help religious nonprofits and places of worship improve security at their facilities so that Rhode Islanders can have peace of mind while they practice their faith.”

    “There has been an alarming rise in threats of violence against nonprofit organizations and places of worship. At a time when antisemitism and Islamophobia is on the rise, we need to work closely with law enforcement so that every Rhode Islander feels safe no matter where they worship,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement and Intelligence. “This federal funding will provide at-risk faith-based institutions and non-profits with the resources they need to ensure the safety of their members.“

    “With antisemitic, Islamophobic, and hate fueled incidents on the rise, we have an obligation to ensure every community feels safe andsecure in their places of worship,” said Congressman Gabe Amo. “Hate has no home in Rhode Island. I am proud to work with my colleagues to help deliver federal resources that will protect nonprofit organizations and ensure that every Rhode Islander can freely and safely practice their faith.”  

    Organizations interested in applying can get more information on the NSGP application process here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: RI Delegation Delivers Major Funding for Freight Rail Infrastructure Improvements

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Seth Magaziner (RI-02)

    PAWTUCKET, RI – Highlighting the importance of well-maintained rail networks, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation will award $19,524,497 to upgrade key segments of freight rail tracks owned by Providence & Worcester Railroad (P&W) and New England Central Railroad (NECR).  The overall project is expected to cost about $26 million, with $19.5 million in federal funding and a $6.5 million local match.  Approximately 55.5 percent of the work will be done along P&W tracks in the Ocean State at a total cost of roughly $14.46 million.

    The improvements will replace up to 48,000 feet of older, lighter rail, install 7,900 ties, and rebuild fourteen public grade crossings on the Providence & Worcester Railroad main line in Rhode Island, and reconfigure the tracks and replace nine track turnouts in the Valley Falls, Rhode Island P&W freight yard.  The improved track turnouts will increase spacing and allow for more clearance for hazardous material shipments.

    When it is completed the new track should result in enhanced operational efficiency with fewer delays and faster travel times.

    The federal funding is administered by the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) and made possible through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program, which funds projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of both passenger and freight rail.

    These CRISI program funds are made possible through a combination of annual appropriations and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–58), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

    “I’m pleased to deliver federal funds for these freight rail fixes.  This is a smart investment in helping Rhode Island companies and business sectors get products and materials where they need to go safely, quickly, and efficiently.  Making freight rail safer, more reliable, and more resilient for shippers will help strengthen our supply chains.  It will also benefit local drivers on the road by addressing deficiencies at railroad crossings that contributed to vehicle damage,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee who helped secure a total of $2.97 billion for the FRA in the fiscal year 2024 appropriations bill and helped set aside $100 million specifically for the competitive CRISI grants. 

    “This federal investment in Rhode Island’s freight rail infrastructure is a win-win for Rhode Island businesses and the public,” said Senator Whitehouse.  “Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is at work supporting economic growth and keeping supply chains running smoothly and safely.”

    “The infrastructure bill passed by Congressional Democrats and the Biden-Harris administration is once again delivering for Rhode Island by replacing aging infrastructure and putting people to work,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner. “This federal funding will upgrade our state’s rail system to transport goods quickly and efficiently, and help local businesses compete in the national economy.” 

    “Freight rail is an essential part of Rhode Island’s economy and supports good paying jobs for workers in our state and across the region,” said Congressman Gabe Amo.  “Thanks to this $19.5 million federal investment Senator Jack Reed helped secure, our rail systems will be safer and more efficient for the businesses and shippers who need strong supply chains for goods to be transported.”

    MIL OSI USA News –