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  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Supports Child Care Facilities Impacted by Hurricane Helene to Reopen Safely, Return to Serving Families

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Supports Child Care Facilities Impacted by Hurricane Helene to Reopen Safely, Return to Serving Families

    NCDHHS Supports Child Care Facilities Impacted by Hurricane Helene to Reopen Safely, Return to Serving Families
    rmbeck

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is supporting child care facilities to reopen as safely and quickly as possible after Hurricane Helene to ensure families in storm-impacted communities have access to child care services. More than 200 facilities in the 25 major disaster counties in western North Carolina were impacted by the storm, with 55 centers having damage that will prevent them reopening for the foreseeable future.

    “Even before Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, our child care facilities were in financial crisis,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “Quality child care is a critical resource not only for children in storm-impacted counties, but for parents working to rebuild their homes and lives. Work is underway to get programs reopened quickly, but we will need additional funding from the General Assembly to address both the immediate Hurricane impacts and also ensure the long-term viability of North Carolina’s child care system.”

    State and local efforts to safely reopen child care facilities align with Governor Cooper’s recently announced Executive Order, which allows regulatory flexibilities in storm-impacted counties so that critical services can resume supporting families, even as facilities recover and rebuild. These flexibilities are especially important as the North Carolina child care system faces a drastic cut in state funding. Without additional funding to assist child care programs, facilities across the state, and particularly in Western North Carolina, will struggle to remain open and serve families and their communities. 

    “As our friends, neighbors and communities in Western North Carolina begin to recover, we are committed to helping child care facilities reopen safely,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “We want children to have access to quality early care and learning, and parents to return to work confident their children are safe and cared for.”

    NCDHHS is helping child care facilities reopen so they can support the children and families in their communities. Regulated child care facilities who lack their usual sources of power, drinking water, wastewater treatment, etc., or have lost records, documents or other paperwork may be able to reopen under an Emergency Operations Plan developed with their child care licensing consultant from the NCDHHS Division of Child Development and Early Education (DCDEE). DCDEE is collaborating with the Division of Public Health (DPH) to develop environmental health guidance for child care facilities to reopen quickly and operate safely. 

    Additionally, the department is collaborating with the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to align North Carolina’s child care facility rules and regulations with disaster flexibilities allowed under the federal program. The CACFP is administered by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to ensure eligible children receive nutritious meals through qualifying child care facilities. Disaster flexibilities in the program after Hurricane Helene will help to simplify the delivery of nutrition assistance, make these benefits more accessible to families impacted by the storm, and prevent a lapse in food security for children currently served by the program.

    For families impacted by Hurricane Helene seeking child care options, NCDHHS has partnered with Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies to activate the Find Child Care NC hotline. Families can call 1-888-600-1685 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for help finding an open child care facility near you.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte está apoyando a las instalaciones de cuidado infantil para que vuelvan a abrir de la manera más segura y rápida posible después del huracán Helene para garantizar que las familias en las comunidades afectadas por la tormenta tengan acceso a los servicios de cuidado infantil. Más de 200 instalaciones en los 25 condados con desastres mayores en el oeste de Carolina del Norte se vieron afectadas por la tormenta, y 55 centros sufrieron daños que evitarán su reapertura en el futuro previsible.

    “Incluso antes de que el huracán Helene devastara el oeste de Carolina del Norte, nuestros centros de cuidado infantil estaban en crisis financiera”, dijo el gobernador Roy Cooper. “El cuidado infantil de calidad es un recurso fundamental no solo para los niños en los condados afectados por la tormenta, sino también para los padres que trabajan para reconstruir sus hogares y sus vidas. Se está trabajando para que los programas se reabran rápidamente, pero necesitaremos fondos adicionales de la Asamblea General para abordar los impactos inmediatos del huracán y también garantizar la viabilidad a largo plazo del sistema de cuidado infantil de Carolina del Norte”.

    Los esfuerzos estatales y locales para reabrir de manera segura las instalaciones de cuidado infantil se alinean con la Orden Ejecutiva recientemente anunciada por el gobernador Cooper, que permite flexibilidades regulatorias en los condados afectados por la tormenta para que los servicios críticos puedan reanudar el apoyo a las familias, incluso mientras las instalaciones se recuperan y reconstruyen. Estas flexibilidades son especialmente importantes ya que el sistema de cuidado infantil de Carolina del Norte se enfrenta a un recorte drástico en la financiación estatal. Sin fondos adicionales para ayudar a los programas de cuidado infantil, las instalaciones en todo el estado, y particularmente en el oeste de Carolina del Norte, tendrán dificultades para permanecer abiertas y servir a las familias y sus comunidades.

    “A medida que nuestros amigos, vecinos y comunidades en el oeste de Carolina del Norte comienzan a recuperarse, nos comprometemos a ayudar a que las instalaciones de cuidado infantil vuelvan a abrir de manera segura”, dijo el secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Kody H. Kinsley. “Queremos que los niños tengan acceso a atención y aprendizaje tempranos de calidad, y que los padres regresen al trabajo confiados de que sus hijos están seguros y cuidados”.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés) está ayudando a los centros de cuidado infantil a reabrir para que puedan apoyar a los niños y las familias en sus comunidades. Las instalaciones de cuidado infantil reguladas que carecen de sus fuentes habituales de energía, agua potable, tratamiento de aguas residuales, etc., o que han perdido registros, documentos u otros documentos pueden reabrir bajo un Plan Operativo de Emergencia desarrollado con su consultor de licencias de cuidado infantil de la División de Desarrollo Infantil y Educación Temprana (DCDEE, por sus siglas en inglés) del Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte. DCDEE está colaborando con la División de Salud Pública (DPH, por sus siglas en inglés) para desarrollar una guía de salud ambiental para que las instalaciones de cuidado infantil vuelvan a abrir rápidamente y operen de manera segura.

    Además, el departamento está colaborando con el Programa de Alimentos para el Cuidado de Niños y Adultos (CACFP, por sus siglas en inglés) para alinear las reglas y regulaciones de las guarderías de Carolina del Norte con las flexibilidades por desastre permitidas por el programa federal. El CACFP es administrado por el Servicios de Alimentos y Nutrición (FNS, por sus siglas en ingles), del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos para garantizar que los niños elegibles reciban comidas nutritivas a través de instalaciones de cuidado infantil calificadas. Las flexibilidades para desastres en el programa, después del huracán Helene, ayudarán a simplificar la prestación de asistencia nutricional, hacer que estos beneficios sean más accesibles para las familias afectadas por la tormenta y evitar un lapso en la seguridad alimentaria de los niños actualmente atendidos por el programa.

    Para las familias afectadas por el huracán Helene que buscan opciones de cuidado infantil, el NCDHHS se ha asociado con las Agencias de Recursos y Referencias de Cuidado Infantil para activar la línea directa de Búsqueda de Cuidado Infantil en Carolina del Norte (Find Child Care NC). Las familias pueden llamar al 1-888-600-1685 de lunes a viernes de 8:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m. y pedir ayuda para encontrar un centro de cuidado infantil abierto cercano.

    Oct 17, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Samsung and the New York Mets Hit a Multi-Year Grand Slam at Citi Field

    Source: Samsung

    In 2021, Samsung and the New York Mets embarked on a journey to transform Citi Field into the most technologically advanced professional ballpark in Major League Baseball. Today, that vision is a reality, with the ballpark sporting over 1,300 LCD displays and over 29,800 square feet of new LED displays, totaling 40 million pixels. The result is an unforgettable, immersive experience that hits a grand slam with all bases loaded – from elevating fan engagement to enhancing team practice and Digital Out-Of-Home (DOOH) advertising for brand partners.

    “As a landmark for baseball and of New York City, Citi Field represents the very best in live sports experiences,” said David Phelps, Head of the Display Division at Samsung. “The New York Mets have set new standards for in-stadium technology and what ticketholders can expect at the ballpark. With cutting-edge displays that boost fan engagement, amplify the energy in the stands and unlock unique advertising possibilities, every visit to Citi Field leaves a lasting impression.”
    A whole new ballgame for fan experience
    The Mets set out to replace its previous static signage at Citi Field with state-of-the-art digital displays that would align the stadium experience with the team’s high-caliber performance on the field. The Mets selected Samsung as its technology partner due to its proven record of transforming large-scale stadiums into cutting-edge experiences. Moreover, Samsung could provide an end-to-end solution, encompassing design, manufacturing, installation and service.

    Samsung and the Mets collaborated and pushed the boundaries of possibility to design a stadium-wide system that immerses fans in digital content throughout the park. For instance, ribbon boards wrapped around multiple levels of the seating bowl deliver real-time statistics, player data and messages during games. Direct View LED Displays in high-traffic spaces, such as the Jackie Robinson Rotunda and concourses, keep fans captivated from the moment they enter the stadium to the final inning.

    Citi Field’s crown jewel remains its centerfield main scoreboard, a first-of-its-kind, dual-sided LED display that proudly stands as the largest scoreboard in professional baseball. Equivalent to the size of about 450 65-inch Samsung TVs combined, the high-resolution scoreboard features a 17,400 square-foot video display on the front and 6,900 square feet on the back. The display’s sheer size delivers maximum visibility and impact when showcasing live game action, 4K instant replays, player statistics and other engaging content.

    From a Samsung-powered 4K control room, the Mets manage and ensure the centerfield scoreboard works harmoniously with the other displays on the field. Control room staff can synchronize content to “fly” across the entire network of displays to amazing effect to hype the crowd up at exciting points in a game, such as strikeouts and home runs. This thrilling use of digital content is nothing short of spectacular and creates wow-worthy moments like no other ballpark.
    Batting practice gets the big-screen treatment
    In addition to enhancing the fan experience, the Mets use the scoreboards as an effective coaching tool during batting practices before night games. When a player is in the batting cage, the coaches put a live feed on the right-field scoreboard and a delayed feed on the centerfield scoreboard. The displays will showcase key metrics for the batters, such as pitch speed, exit velocity and launch angle. After a session at bat, players can look up at the centerfield scoreboard and review their performance with the coaches to make adjustments to prepare for that night’s game.

    “Samsung has been a true partner in our digital transformation journey not only from a hardware perspective but also through a shared vision for reinventing the stadium experience,” said Oscar Fernandez, Senior Vice President of Technology at the New York Mets. “Today, we can create remarkable experiences using the latest, best-in-class technologies to benefit our fans, the coaching staff, players and brand partners. There is now no better show than coming to Citi Field.”

    Revenue and growth opportunities in a league of their own
    The high-definition Samsung displays installed throughout Citi Field also offer dynamic canvases for DOOH advertising. For example, the Mets’ brand partners can take advantage of the unique double-sided design of the main scoreboard and showcase content on the rear side that faces the ballpark’s exterior, further extending the reach of their advertising as fans can see the display from the highway before they even arrive at the park.

    The revolutionary stadium technology also opens new revenue potential by empowering the Mets to offer more flexible and attractive advertising opportunities for partners like brand takeovers. Companies can amplify their name and logo by owning specific moments in the game, such as an entire inning. Since the Mets can easily control and change the content through the stadium, every display becomes a valuable marketing asset and creates limitless options for creative advertising.

    Beyond gamedays, Samsung displays allow the Mets to further diversify their revenue by supporting various other events, from New York City Football Club games and concerts to fundraisers and corporate events. Citi Field’s technologically advanced experience makes it a sought-after venue for event organizers and entice attendees who look forward to the same excitement they enjoy at New York Mets games.
    Learn more about the one-of-a-kind stadium experience at Citi Field powered by Samsung display technology in the full case study: https://insights.samsung.com/2024/10/17/the-ny-mets-and-samsung-reinvent-the-fan-experience-at-Citi-Field.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Chavez-DeRemer, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Bill Paving the Way for Affordable Homeownership in Rural Areas

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), Jim Costa (CA-21), and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) have introduced the Rural Homeownership Continuity Act (H.R. 9814), a bipartisan proposal that would help families attain federal loans at lower interest rates. The goal is to make homeownership more affordable in rural America.

    “Oregon is ranked the fifth-most unaffordable state for local homebuyers, and all of our communities – urban, suburban, and rural – have felt the effects of this affordability crisis. Too many Oregonians are forced to work multiple jobs just to afford their mortgages,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “That’s why I’ve been working to find bipartisan solutions that will make a direct, lasting impact. I’m honored to help introduce the Rural Homeownership Continuity Act, which will improve housing affordability and access in our rural communities.”

    “The Rural Homeownership Continuity Act represents a vital step forward towards strengthening communities in the San Joaquin Valley and rural America,” said Costa. “By helping families take advantage of lower interest rates, we’re not just making homeownership more attainable, but fostering stability and economic growth. Every family deserves the chance to build a future in a home they can afford.”

    “As we face a growing rural housing crisis in California and across the country, I’m happy to support this bill that removes bureaucratic barriers to low-income residents’ ability to achieve homeownership. By streamlining the process of loan transfer, this legislation makes it easier for rural families to get the financing they need to own a home,” said LaMalfa. 

    The Section 502 Single Family Housing Loan Guarantee Program is a mortgage assistance program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that helps with lending for low- and moderate-income households buying homes located in eligible rural areas. 

    In rural communities, where access to affordable housing is often limited, the Rural Homeownership Continuity Act would amend the Housing Act of 1949 to permit loan assumption under Section 502 to release departing borrowers from liability when their loans are assumed by new borrowers. 

    Right now, when someone sells a home that has a USDA Section 502 Guaranteed Loan, the buyer can’t transfer the seller’s low interest rate. Instead, they often must settle for higher rates from private lenders. In contrast, existing USDA loans can offer rates as low as 3-4.5 percent, and even down to 1 percent for very low-income buyers. This difference can save families a lot of money over time.

    Full text of the bill is available HERE.

    Last month, Chavez-DeRemer introduced a bipartisan bill to ensure more people experiencing homelessness can access the resources they need to get back on their feet. She recently helped secure a $5 million federal grant to help Bend build more affordable homes. Chavez-DeRemer is also leading the bipartisan Choice in Affordable Housing Act to help more low-income families access affordable housing. Additionally, she has backed bipartisan legislation like the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act and the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act that would help build more affordable homes.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada recognizes Peter Henderson Bryce as a person of national historic significance

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Peter Henderson Bryce played a leading role in the development of standards and codes for public health practices across Canada.

    Peter Henderson Bryce played a leading role in the development of standards and codes for public health practices across Canada.

    October 17, 2024                                  Gatineau, QC                              Parks Canada

    Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the designation of Peter Henderson Bryce (1853–1932) as a person of national historic significance under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration. 

    Born in 1853 in what is now Prince Edward County, Ontario, Bryce obtained four university degrees between 1876 and 1886 at the University of Toronto, studying groundbreaking innovations in bacteriology and becoming a medical doctor. Dr. Bryce entered the public service in 1882 as Secretary for the Board of Public Health of Ontario, where he led vital work to advance public health practices, such as implementing protocols for inspecting sanitary conditions and coordinating efforts to control the spread of infectious diseases. 

    Appointed Chief Medical Officer for the departments of the Interior and of Indian Affairs in 1904, Dr. Bryce helped guide immigration policy by using medical surveys to assess the health of recent immigrants. He also co-wrote legislation that transformed the relationship and responsibility that the Canadian government had with its residents regarding health.  At Indian Affairs, Bryce persistently called attention to the fatal consequences of tuberculosis in Indian Residential Schools, advocacy that was largely ignored by his superiors.

    The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada and Parks Canada, recognizes significant persons, places, and events that have shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada’s past and present . 

                                                                                                        -30-

    “Dr. Bryce’s legacy awakens Canadians to the many Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples who raised the alarm throughout the history of residential schools. As Saturday Night Magazine (November 23, 1907) wrote of Bryce’s report:

    [t]he protests of medical officers buried in blue books and the complaints of missionaries lost in pigeonholes – unless public opinion takes the question up and forces it to the front. Then Parliament will show a quick interest, pigeonholes will give forth their dusty contents, medical officers will have a wealth of suggestions, and the scandalous procession of Indian children to the school and on to the cemetery may possibly be stopped.

    Our best outcome in honouring Dr. Bryce is to force to the front the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action and the Missing and Murdered Women and Girls Calls to Justice. Those involved in residential schools knew better, and too great of a number did not do better. We can change that today – if we learn from the past.”

    Dr. Cindy Blackstock
    Executive Director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society

    • Peter Henderson Bryce played a leading role in the advancement and application of medical knowledge on germ theory and preventing the spread of communicable diseases as Secretary of the Board of Public Health for Ontario (1882–1904) and as Chief Medical Officer in both the departments of the Interior (1904–1921) and of Indian Affairs (1904–1914). 

    • While in his role as Secretary for the Board of Public Health of Ontario, Dr. Bryce co-wrote the 1884 Ontario Public Health Act, innovative legislation that influenced regulatory health codes in the country.

    • Dr. Bryce’s appointment as Chief Medical Officer for the departments of the Interior and of Indian Affairs coincided with a national policy to increase immigration to the country’s northwestern territories and new-forming provinces. Bryce was responsible for ensuring that new immigrants met early 20th-century Canadian standards for good health.

    • The designation process under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To date, more than 2,260 designations have been made nationwide. To nominate a person, place or historic event in your community, please visit the Parks Canada website for more information: https://parks.canada.ca/culture/designation/proposer-nominate.

    • Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national significance of persons, places, and events that have marked Canada’s history. Together with Parks Canada, the Board ensures that subjects of national historic significance are recognized under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration and that these important stories are shared with Canadians.

    • Parks Canada is committed to working with Canadians in our efforts to tell broader, more inclusive stories in the places that it manages. In support of this goal, the Framework for History and Commemoration outlines a new, comprehensive, and engaging approach to sharing Canada’s history through diverse perspectives, including shedding light on tragic and difficult periods of Canada’s past.

    Hermine Landry
    Press Secretary      
    Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
    873-455-3714
    hermine.landry@ec.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Making home ownership a reality for more Albertans

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Minister Nixon with two of the families benefiting from the project and Gerrad Oishi, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity for Southern Alberta

    Every community has unique housing needs, and what works for one community may not work for another. That is why we are finding innovative solutions to ensure Albertans have access to safe, secure and affordable homes.

    As part of the Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta’s Livingston project, 24 new, affordable homes will be available for families and Albertans in need. This project has received $900,000 in bilateral funding from the governments of Alberta and Canada. To date, 12 homes have been completed with the remainder scheduled for completion in spring 2025. Alberta’s government continues to work to deliver affordable housing solutions to meet local needs and ensure Albertans have a place to call home.

    “I want to extend my congratulations to Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta on the Livingston home dedication. These new, affordable town homes will make home ownership a reality for 24 families in Calgary. Affordable housing remains a priority for our government and this project is a great example of how partnerships like this can make a real difference in the lives of Albertans.”

    Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services

    Habitat for Humanity’s Southern Alberta Livingston project began construction in October 2023 and is located in a family-friendly community with access to major roadways, public transportation, schools and services. The townhomes feature open-concept kitchens and living spaces with energy-efficient appliances. They are designated for eligible Habitat families in the Calgary community.

    “Habitat for Humanity offers a sustainable path for building more affordable housing in Alberta. With the Government of Alberta’s support, along with the private sector and local communities, we are rising to meet the need so the cost of home is something every family can afford.”

    Gerrad Oishi, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta

    Quick facts

    • Since 2019, the Government of Alberta has committed $11 million for 110 Habitat for Humanity units across the province.
    • Alberta’s government continues to implement the Stronger Foundations affordable housing strategy, which will help us support a total of 82,000 low-income households by 2031 – an increase of more than 40 per cent from the strategy’s launch in 2021.
    • Since 2019, Alberta’s government has invested almost $850 million to build more than 5,100 affordable units and close to 900 shelter spaces. This includes projects government has committed to, that are in progress and that are complete.

    Related information

    • Affordable housing and rent assistance
    • Supports for providers, developers and municipalities

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Chris Hann, Emeritus Director, Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology

    Consumers of western media could be forgiven for supposing that Ukraine, the state whose sovereignty was violated so brutally with the Russian invasion of February 2022, enjoys unstinting support from its western neighbour Poland. The support of the Polish government has been unambiguous. Donations of military equipment and humanitarian support for refugees have been second to none in Europe.

    The election of a new government at the end of 2023 made no discernible difference to the Polish commitment. Antipathy towards Russia in Poland has strong roots, dating back even before the days when much of the country (including Warsaw) was formally incorporated into the Romanovs’ Russian empire.

    Observers in the west take it for granted that the pro-Ukrainian policies of successive Polish governments – endorsed by the Catholic churches – reflect views shared by citizens throughout the country.

    But after more than two years of war, as I found during a recent research trip, doubts are being voiced in some segments of society.

    Farmers have been angry for years. Ukraine has rich soils and its agribusiness is free from EU regulations. In the exceptional conditions created by the invasion, with the government desperately in need of revenue, Ukraine has been allowed to export its cheap grain to the EU. This has undermined the market for Polish farmers. Some Poles event believe that, since much Ukrainian farmland is owned by foreign capital, the prolongation of the war has been orchestrated by the west for economic reasons.

    Similar arguments can be heard concerning energy. The end of cheap gas from the Russian Federation promises a bonanza for the producers of alternative supplies, notably in the United States at the expense of higher prices for Polish households. I also heard in plenty of conversations that Poland is the only ally of Ukraine to provide military hardware free of charge – whereas other Nato states insist on full payment or offer credits that will theoretically have to be repaid one day.

    The resentments run deep and they affect large sections of the population. Why do I have to wait months for my hospital appointment, people ask – is it because of increased demand for health services from the millions of Ukrainian refugees? Why should my taxes pay for generous financial grants to Ukrainians who turn up at the border, claim the cash, and promptly return home?

    A tangled history

    Most educated citizens dismiss such allegations with scorn. Those who complain and exaggerate isolated abuses are often written off as gullible victims of Russian propaganda. But Poles are unlikely dupes. Monuments to communist crimes are everywhere – above all the Katyń massacres of 1940, when the Soviet security forces murdered thousands of Polish officers. More recently, many Poles still suspect the Kremlin’s complicity in the plane crash that killed their then president, Lech Kaczyński in Smolensk in 2010.

    Yet hatred of Russia does not translate into unconditional support for Ukraine.

    The enduring reason for friction between the two states has to do with diverging interpretations of violence which took place during and after the second world war. Ukrainian ministers have the undiplomatic habit of pointing out that large areas of present-day Poland were formerly occupied by Ukrainians. According to the historical ethno-linguistic and religious criteria generally considered central in the formation of peoples, Ukraine might indeed have a stronger claim to sections of the Polish Carpathians than it has to Crimea or Donbas.

    Does this help explain why the Polish government upholds the sanctity of Ukraine’s border with Russia? They want Ukraine’s border with their country to be equally sacrosanct.

    The typical Polish response to Ukrainian nationalist goading is to point out that Poles used to form the majority in most towns of western Ukraine – and that Lviv itself was a Polish city until Stalin redrew the borders in 1944 and the Polish population was deported westwards. These eastern borderlands are known to Poles as the Kresy. They are the focus of strong emotions and mythology. The Kresy is imagined as a harmonious realm in which, for many centuries, cultivated Poles ruled benignly over all other nationalities.

    This multiculturalism came to an abrupt end in the 1940s. These days, Poles with family roots in Volhynia and Galicia, much of which is now in western Ukraine, are incensed by Kyiv’s refusal to admit that Ukrainian nationalists were responsible for the ethnic cleansing of the Polish population. Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, recently made it clear that Poland’s continued support for admitting Ukraine to the EU will depend on coming to terms with this dark past.

    Western complicity

    During my recent visit, I was sometimes asked why the BBC and other influential western media never probed behind the slick public face of Volodymyr Zelensky’s team to report on the real conditions and opinions of ordinary Ukrainians. Instead, Russians are demonised and Ukrainians hailed for their “European values” and their sacrifices on behalf of the west.

    Coverage in Polish state media conveys a similar message – but I found many citizens have become sceptical. There is pity for conscripts, sorrow for the loss of young lives on both sides and fear for where all this dehumanising violence is leading. But few of the people I spoke with believed that Russians are the only party violating the Geneva Conventions.

    Often, the conversation turned to Boris Johnson. I was asked to explain why the then prime minister advised Zelensky in April 2022 that Ukraine should continue the fighting. Did Johnson, as has often been rumoured, sabotage proposals for a negotiated peace carefully drawn up in Istanbul shortly before his visit? Was it the spontaneous whim of a western politician who knew nothing about regional history, a clown playing macho games with Zelensky for the sake of his own image? Did he not care at all about the hundreds of thousands who would suffer and die if this war continued? Was he pursuing a devious strategy agreed with EU leaders and Nato partners, above all Washington?

    I did not have answers to any of these questions.

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

    – ref. Why many Poles are not as supportive of Ukraine’s war effort as their leaders in Warsaw – https://theconversation.com/why-many-poles-are-not-as-supportive-of-ukraines-war-effort-as-their-leaders-in-warsaw-240562

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Béla Bartók: pioneering Hungarian composer who fused folk melodies with classical music

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Robert Taub, Director of Music, The Arts Institute, University of Plymouth

    Considered one of the great composers of the 20th century, the deeply expressive Béla Bartók synthesised elements of folk music of Hungarian and related cultures into classical forms, producing a style that was both individual and influential.

    Through Bartók’s music, powerful elements of local folk melodies are performed and heard in concert halls worldwide. For the 80th anniversary of the composer’s death coming up in 2025, the University of Plymouth’s Musica Viva – of which I am founder and director – is planning a series of concerts celebrating the notion of the “music of home” as brought to life by Bartók, by including one of his pivotal works in every concert. His Piano Sonata, String Quartet No. 3, String Quartet No. 5 and Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta will all be performed by leading artists.

    From the start, the young Bartók, born in 1881, displayed a fascination with music, and his widowed mother encouraged his musical gifts. When the family moved to Pozsony, a former region of Hungary that now lies mostly within Slovakia, he began a formal musical education and attended concerts for the first time.

    As an 18-year-old student of piano and composition at the Budapest Conservatory, Bartók immersed himself in the musical dramas of Wagner and the orchestral works of Liszt. But his primary focus was the piano, and he became known as a pianist of extraordinary abilities, playing the music of Chopin, Liszt and Robert Schumann.

    During his last years as a student, nationalist currents in Hungary – which had been suppressed since the uprising in 1848-1849 – became resurgent. Caught up in this movement, Bartók devoted considerable thought to issues of a national music.

    It is not surprising that under this influence and that of the music of Richard Strauss, his first major composition in 1903 was a vast symphonic poem called Kossuth, a Hungarian “Hero’s Life” – whose ten tableaux depict events of the 1948-49 war of independence. This work was followed by the Liszt-inspired Rhapsody for Piano and Orchestra in 1904.

    Bartók’s interest in folk music grew to the point at which he and his friend and fellow composer Zoltán Kodály travelled throughout central Europe, Turkey, and north Africa to collect folk melodies. Bartók wrote five books and many articles on folk music.

    He considered his most interesting finds to be from isolated Hungarian communities living among the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, where he encountered and recorded authentic, untainted Magyar folk music. His fascination with the unbridled spirit of this music helped him gradually develop a compositional style in which he fused folk elements with highly developed techniques of classical music more intimately than had ever been done before.

    Between the two world wars Bartók performed as a concert pianist, touring Britain, the US and the former USSR, and was prolific as a composer. Elements of his style include melodic lines derived from eastern European folk music; powerful forward-leaning rhythms in irregular meters with off-beat accents; strong control of form; and harmonies which, although primarily focused on one key, often include elements of multiple keys thereby creating a sense of musical tension.

    Paramount among his piano works is his only Piano Sonata, written in 1926, which is also his largest composition for solo piano. It was composed during a particularly prolific year during which he also composed his First Piano Concerto, Out of Doors Suite and Nine Little Piano Pieces – all works which he included in his own public performances.

    The Sonata is in three movements and follows a classic sonata form – a lively first movement, a slower second movement and an energetic finale in which the lively main theme recurs in different guises. The full resources of the piano are used in creating a wide spectrum of expression, from incisive detached clusters of notes to smoothly flowing lyrical melodic lines.

    Throughout, the music is inspired by Bartók’s ethnomusicological (social and cultural) research. Although the themes are not folk melodies per se, they imitate their style in terms of melodic shaping, searing dynamics, driving rhythmic features and harmonic content. The piano is used in new percussive ways that often seem a vivid portrayal of folk passions. At the time this was groundbreaking.

    Bartók’s contribution to the musical repertoire is immense. He composed six String Quartets, Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, a large canon of solo piano music as well as chamber music, and an opera, Bluebeard’s Castle. The Concerto for Orchestra, three Piano Concerti, and the Violin Concerto are all masterpieces in large-scale musical forms.

    Bartók emigrated to the US in 1940 and found temporary employment at Columbia University. His health deteriorated along with his financial situation, although his friends Joseph Szigeti and Fritz Reiner arranged for the Koussevitzky Foundation to commission him to write the Concerto for Orchestra in 1943 and the Sonata for Solo Violin in 1944, which provided temporary relief from a dismal situation.

    Bartok died on September 26, 1945, with the score of his Viola Concerto unfinished, but he left behind an unparalleled canon of music that is deeply expressive and vital to our musical understanding today.

    Robert Taub 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. Béla Bartók: pioneering Hungarian composer who fused folk melodies with classical music – https://theconversation.com/bela-bartok-pioneering-hungarian-composer-who-fused-folk-melodies-with-classical-music-238820

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Wabash Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Prison

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    SOUTH BEND – Roy Skeens, 40 years old, of Wabash, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after being found guilty of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm following a 2-day jury trial in July of 2024, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

    Skeens was sentenced to 100 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, in November 2020, Skeens possessed a handgun while at a home in Wabash County. Specifically, police were called after multiple rounds were heard having been shot outside the basement of the home. When police arrived, Skeens refused to leave the home and a standoff ensued. He was later taken into custody and the firearm was recovered. Skeens has 13 prior felony convictions, any one of which prohibit him from possessing the firearm in this case.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Wabash Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Katelan McKenzie Doyle and Joseph P. Falvey.

    This case is 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: New York Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Assault Charge for Assaulting Officers During Jan. 6 Capitol Breach

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Defendant Pled Guilty to Assaulting Officers with Insecticide and Members of the News Media

                WASHINGTON – A New York man pleaded guilty today to two assault charges – one felony and one misdemeanor – related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

                Peter G. Moloney, 60, of Bayport, New York, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of assaulting, resisting, and impeding certain officers and a misdemeanor charge of assault by striking before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Nichols. Judge Nichols will sentence Moloney on Feb. 11, 2025.

                According to court documents, Moloney attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington, D.C., on the Ellipse. Moloney traveled from his home in Bayport, New York, and brought with him certain items, including a bicycle helmet, protective eyewear, hard-knuckled gloves, a face mask, and a can of “Black Flag Wasp, Hornet, & Yellow Jacket Killer” aerosol spray.

                After the rally, Moloney walked toward the U.S. Capitol building via the Maryland Walkway, put on his gear, and was part of the first group to enter the restricted permitter. Moloney was one of the first to line up against a line of U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Officers on the West Plaza. Court documents say that as tensions rose, Moloney pulled the can of wasp spray from his backpack and kept it in close proximity.

                According to the court records, on multiple occasions, Moloney held the can of wasp spray in his hands, aimed it at police, and sprayed the officers—causing the spray to make contact with the officer’s hands, arms, bodies, and heads.

                In addition to the assault on police officers, on two separate occasions, Moloney admitted to assaulting two individuals that he believed were members of the news media. On one occasion, Moloney walked up behind the victim while the victim’s back was turned and holding a camera. Moloney then swung his arm down onto the victim’s hand, grabbed the camera, and yanked it back in an attempt to pull the camera out of the victim’s hands. This act caused the victim to stumble on a flight of stairs.

                The FBI arrested Moloney on June 7, 2023, in New York.

                As a result of the plea, Moloney has agreed to pay restitution both to the victim for the repairs to his camera and to the Architect of the Capitol for the damage to the U.S. Capitol that day. 

                This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

                The case is being investigated by the FBI’s New York Field Office (Long Island Resident Agency) and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which identified Moloney as #199 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division.

              In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

                Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Manchin Statement On 15.44% Decrease In Drug Overdose Deaths In West Virginia

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
    October 17, 2024
    Charleston, WV – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV) released the following statement on the latest data highlighting a 15.44% decrease in drug overdose deaths between May 2023 and May 2024 in West Virginia. This finding continues the trend from data last month showing a 11.56% decrease in drug overdose deaths between April 2023 and April 2024.
    “The proof is in the numbers and we are seeing in real time a decline in overdose deaths across the Mountain State,” said Senator Manchin. “I am so proud of the bipartisan work we have done to combat the drug epidemic in my home state and across the nation. Together we’ve passed the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act, continued to implement the Protecting Jessica Grubb’s Legacy Act (Legacy Act) and designated National Fentanyl Awareness Day in May and National Naloxone Awareness Day in June. We have also pushed the Food and Drug Administration for proper education and access to naloxone nationally.”
    “This great news breeds hope and is truly possible because of our bipartisan work and tireless dedication. I look forward to seeing next month’s data and I remain focused on doing everything in my power to fight this drug epidemic and protect all West Virginias and Americans.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Norcross Presents $696,000 in Community Project Funding to Upgrade Stormwater Infrastructure in Washington Township

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)

    CHERRY HILL, NJ – Today, Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) presented $696,000 in Community Project Funding (CPF) to Washington Township for stormwater infrastructure upgrades to Ward Lake and Spring Lake. 

    The funding was secured through the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding package and will be used to prevent flooding and improve safety for residents in the region. The existing stormwater outlets and natural runoff from these lakes have caused erosion and siltation build-up over the past decades. Improvements will include stormwater infrastructure repairs and removal of sediment. 

    “Community Project Funding grants invest in our communities and support economic development, job creation, and critical projects that improve the quality of life,” Rep. Norcross said. “I’m proud to have secured this funding and present this Community Project Funding award to Washington Township for necessary stormwater infrastructure upgrades. Improving our nation’s infrastructure also means improving public safety, and with this new funding we will be able to mitigate flooding in South Jersey.”  

    “We are incredibly grateful to Congressman Donald Norcross for his strong support and for securing $696,000 in funding for vital stormwater improvements at Ward Lake and Spring Lake,” said Laurie Burns, Mayor of Washington Township. “This investment will enhance the safety and functionality of our infrastructure, positively impacting many residents of Washington Township. Together, we are committed to creating a better future for our community, and we look forward to working collaboratively on future projects that address the needs of our residents.” 

    “We are proud to support Washington Township in securing the $696,000 in funding for essential stormwater improvements at Ward Lake and Spring Lake,” said Frank J. DiMarco, Director of Gloucester County Board of Commissioners. ” This project reflects our ongoing commitment to infrastructure improvements that enhance public safety and environmental sustainability. We look forward to continuing our partnership with local and federal officials to ensure that important projects like this are completed for the benefit of our communities.”  

    Rep. Norcross recently secured 14 CPF awards totaling $13,565,031 for projects throughout New Jersey’s First Congressional District to support economic development, create jobs, and respond to the most pressing needs of the community. More information on the 14 projects can be found here. 

    Since the creation of CPFs in 2021, Rep. Norcross has secured $28.8 million in awards for local projects throughout South Jersey. CPF awards secured by Rep. Norcross range from road and transportation projects and affordable housing upgrades to improving health care and education accessibility.   

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Former Monmouth County Resident Admits Fraudulently Obtaining over $3.7 Million in Cares Act Loans

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    NEWARK, N.J. – A former resident of Monmouth County admitted his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

    Kevin Aguilar, 54, previously of Farmingdale, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court on Oct. 15, 2024, to a superseding indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud; seven counts of bank fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; three counts of wire fraud; one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; one count of money laundering; and one count of aggravated identity theft.

    According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

    From April 2020 to April 2021, Aguilar conspired with others to submit seven fraudulent PPP loan applications and three fraudulent EIDL applications on behalf of four businesses. Based on the fraudulent applications, Aguilar received approximately $3.3 million in PPP loan funds and approximately $450,000 in EIDL funds. After receiving the PPP and EIDL funds, Aguilar caused those funds to be transferred to other businesses that he created to give the false appearance that the PPP and EIDL funds were being used for legitimate purposes. Aguilar then used the PPP and EIDL funds to purchase residential properties in Sherman, Texas, a new truck for approximately $100,000, and to pay for other personal expenses.

    The bank fraud conspiracy count and each count of bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The wire fraud conspiracy count and each count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The money laundering conspiracy count and money laundering count each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain to the defendant or loss to the victim, whichever is greatest. The aggravated identity theft counts carry an additional consecutive mandatory minimum term of two years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Aguilar’s sentencing is scheduled for March 25, 2025.

    Charges remain pending against Aguilar’s co-defendant, Jean E. Rabbitt, formerly of Farmingdale, New Jersey. The charges and allegations against Rabbitt are merely accusations and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patricia Tarasca in New York; IRS – Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Corwin Rattler; postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge is Christopher A. Nielsen; special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak; and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.

    The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney David V. Simunovich of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer S. Kozar, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Economic Crimes United in Newark.

    The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of the five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.

    Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Imagining the Future

    Source: NASA

    A space shuttle lifts off high above the surrounding land in this Aug. 1, 1973, illustration. With 135 missions flown over 30 years, NASA’s shuttle fleet achieved numerous firsts and opened space up to more people than ever before.
    Each space shuttle consisted of three major components: the orbiter, which housed the crew, a large external tank that held fuel for the main engines, and two solid rocket boosters that provided most of the shuttle’s lift during the first two minutes of flight. All the components were reused except for the external fuel tank, which burned up in the atmosphere after each launch. The space shuttle was the world’s first reusable spacecraft.
    Check out the NASA+ playlist, “The Shuttle Era.”
    Image credit: NASA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: September’s Sunny Skies Make Perfect Day for Solar Calibrations

    Source: US National Renewable Energy Laboratory

    NREL Hosts 24th Pyrheliometer Comparisons for North American Region

    Participants from the Physical Meteorological Observatory in Davos (PMOD) attended the 24th NREL Pyrheliometer Comparisons (NPC). PMOD maintains the World Radiometric Reference. NREL visits PMOD in Switzerland every five years, and PMOD comes to Golden, Colorado, four out of every five years to participate in NPC. All photos by Gregory Cooper, NREL

    Say you are in the market for solar panels for the roof of your home. You are researching the different types, especially noticing the efficiency that they claim. How do you know that you can trust that number?

    Or let’s say you want to build an entire solar array. You need a loan from the bank, but they want to know how much energy you think you are going to get from your array to make sure they make a wise investment. How do you know how much energy you are going to get?

    The same answer applies to both of these scenarios because what we are talking about is traceability: the ability to trace your measurement back to a standard source that is common to everyone. The person who sold you the solar panels and the bank that agreed to invest in your solar farm both rely on a traceable measurement, and NREL plays a major role in providing just that.

    From Sept. 21 to 27, groups of scientists and engineers from around the globe gathered at NREL’s Solar Radiation Research Laboratory (SRRL) on the top of South Table Mountain in Golden, Colorado, for the 24th NREL Pyrheliometer Comparisons (NPC). While Colorado is a destination for many people, NPC’s participants do not just come for the stunning views and the clear skies. As the regional leader, NREL keeps its reference instruments calibrated directly to the World Radiometric Reference and World Infrared Standard Group. Since 1996, NPC has been a gathering place for people from across the globe to calibrate their reference instruments to the world standard.

    On the first day of the NPC, participants from Saudi Arabia set up their active cavity radiometers (ACRs) in the morning to begin measurements.

    Studying Solar Energy Is Part of What Unites Us

    One expert in the field, Tom Stoffel, is a former NREL employee. Tom began working at NREL when it was just beginning as the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) in the late1970s, and he played a major role in establishing NREL as the region’s leader in pyrheliometer comparisons. Tom still comes back to the comparisons every year to share his insights and to join the participants with whom he shares a passion for solar measurement.

    “Solar radiation measurements are the basis for understanding Earth’s primary energy source,” Stoffel said. Knowing how much of the sun’s power is available on Earth is crucial for solar and climate research and for the solar industry in general. Since the beginning of time, people have studied the sun and harvested its power for everything from basic needs like heating something to eat and telling time to today’s advanced uses for powering our homes and cars and, moreover, to understand and detect the changes in the Earth’s radiation budget for climate studies.

    Measuring the sun’s power remains one of the most difficult-to-define physical measurements. As researchers strive to get more and more precise measurements, they also need to ensure that the measurements used are compliant with international standards. This area of research lies at the origins of NREL’s work when it was once the Solar Energy Research Institute, and it still guides the laboratory’s mission today seeking to transform energy.

    A clock runs one hour behind Mountain Daylight Time to align with solar noon, when the sun is at maximum elevation, keeping participants aware of progression throughout the day. The number below the time indicates the current stable irradiance reading.

    What Is It Like Attending NPC?

    Affectionately referred to as the “sun nerds convention,” NPC serves as a World Meteorological Organization regional comparison for maintaining traceability, hosting participants who seek compliance with the International Organization for Standardization requirements for interlaboratory calibrations. Participants set up their instruments on the top of South Table Mountain and, beginning at sunrise, they start taking solar irradiance measurements in groups of 49 observations at 30-second intervals.

    Researchers at the SRRL analyze the data to provide participants with a ratio of their instrument’s measurement to the NREL reference group that allows them to calibrate their instruments to the World Radiometric Reference. Maintaining this traceability to the world standard allows participants to take their instruments back to their organizations and continue doing the important work of solar resource assessment, climate change studies, and atmospheric research with the assurance that their measurements are aligned with the world standard.

    As an example, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program personnel James Martin, Jim Stow, and retired Craig Webb participated in this year’s NPC to maintain its traceability of radiometric measurement. This supports the ARM program in closing the gap between the radiative transfer models and solar irradiance measurement.

    NPC participants set up and validate data collection to verify that solar alignment is not lost during the measurements. They need precise solar alignment to ensure they are measuring the full solar irradiance (i.e., the full power of the sun).

    Collaboration at the Event

    After attending this event, participants leave with more than just calibrated instruments. Collaboration and networking are an equally important part for this tight-knit industry to share valuable information about their work across all different industries and in different parts of the world.

    Logan Soldo, one participant at this year’s event from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colorado, commented on the value of the opportunity to collaborate.

    “Even just sitting here and learning from all of these people who have been around a lot longer than me is valuable,” Soldo said. “I feel like I’m learning so much.”

    Charles Robinson from Sandia National Laboratory remarked on how he is grateful for the mentorship he has received in this field. His mentor was mentored by one of the men who was at the very first international comparisons back in the 1960s, and Robinson was still using one of those original instruments at NREL’s comparisons.

    Participants from EKO Instruments attended this year’s NPC. EKO manufactures many of the trackers that NREL uses, which orient the ACR to point directly at the sun.

    Tom Kirk of Eppley Laboratories said that he enjoyed the opportunity to be in person with his clients who bought Eppley’s instruments and help them with their instruments in a more hands-on way.

    Erik Naranen of ISO-CAL North America, “a proud member of the sun nerds convention,” remarked on the value of being together with others in the industry. Many of the participants remarked similarly on the value of hearing from some of the experts in the field and being grateful for the chance to spend so much time with them to share their passion for accurate solar resource measurement.

    Future Directions

    The future of metrology is bright because of the work being done by NREL and many others in the field. Their goal is to have the most precise measurements possible to ensure that the research is as sound as possible. Measuring the sun’s power is still a difficult task. But when people know their instruments are sound, they can lay a strong foundation to push the envelope of climate and atmospheric research.

    More than a dozen ARCs are lined up on the top of South Table Mountain, making simultaneous solar irradiance measurements with one another. 

    The logistics associated with NPC require support from NREL’s Environment, Safety, Health, and Quality Office; Site Operations; Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness; Power Systems Engineering Center; Shipping and Receiving; DOE’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program; DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies program; and more. Thank you to all the NRELians who pitched in to help advance NREL’s leadership in this area and provide support to an event that improves research outcomes across renewable energy and atmospheric research.

    Learn more about NREL’s work in the Solar Radiation Research Laboratory, which includes the Metrology Laboratory. To find out more about attending NREL’s comparisons in 2026 or to learn more about past events, visit NPC’s website.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: The Government of Canada Announces Funding for Emissions Reduction Alberta Through the Green Industrial Facilities and Manufacturing Program

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    October 17, 2024                    Calgary, Alberta                   Natural Resources Canada

    The Government of Canada is committed to maximizing energy performance and reducing greenhouse gas emissions while helping industry gain a competitive edge.  

    Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson announced a federal investment of $40 million from the Green Industrial Facilities and Manufacturing Program (GIFMP) to Emissions Reduction Alberta. This funding will help to develop and manage a province-wide program for industry to become more cost- and energy-efficient.

    Funding will support Emissions Reduction Alberta’s $50-Million Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program, which will provide industrial and manufacturing facilities with expertise and training in energy management.  Industrial participants will be given the opportunity to increase profitability by reducing energy costs and to take advantage of funding to help cover the cost of capital retrofits for industrial process equipment. An additional $10 million was invested by the Government of Alberta for Emissions Reduction Alberta’s Strategic Energy Management for Industry program.   

    As Canada advances toward a net-zero future, investments like these are key to minimizing emissions while maximizing industry competitiveness. Today’s investment supports workers and industry in Alberta on the road toward a prosperous and clean future.

    Quotes

    “Energy efficiency means cost savings for Canadian business. Supporting Canadian industrial facilities with their efficiency targets is a necessary step toward improving competitiveness in the global economy. We are pleased to play a part in launching Emissions Reduction Alberta’s innovative Strategic Energy Management for Industry (SEMI) program, which helps strengthen the knowledge and expertise that Alberta industries need to keep energy-efficient and competitive. Through investments like the $40 million we are providing for SEMI, the federal government is helping provinces, territories and industry in their goal to seize the financial opportunities of a clean economy.”

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

    Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

    “Improving the efficiency of industrial and manufacturing processes and facilities is the quickest, most cost-effective way to lower energy bills and stay competitive. But it takes knowledge, expertise, training and capital. With SEMI, Alberta companies now have even more opportunity to invest in energy- and cost-saving technologies, right here in the province.” 

    Justin Riemer

    CEO, Emissions Reduction Alberta

    “ERA’s SEMI program represents a pivotal opportunity for industry to further our collective mission of enhancing environmental performance and operational efficiency. By providing the necessary financial support, this program will enable companies to invest in advanced technologies and practices that significantly reduce emissions and improve efficiency and energy management solutions to contribute to a more sustainable future.” 

    Grant Wilde

    Board Chair, Spartan Controls and BlueMarvelValidator 

    “Reducing greenhouse emissions through energy efficiency is a powerful way industries can make a mark on reducing their carbon footprint while reducing energy costs. The SEMI program is an ideal opportunity for industries seeking to decarbonize through energy management and retrofits. At Lafarge, we have benefited from long standing support from ERA, and we are excited to see new opportunities put forward in energy management and conservation.”

     

    Stephanie Voysey

    Head of Sustainability and Environment, Lafarge, Western Canada

    Quick facts

    • Canada’s industrial sectors represented about 3,650 petajoules (PJ), or more than 40 percent, of Canada’s total energy use in 2021. 

    Related products

    Contacts

    Natural Resources Canada
    Media Relations
    343-292-6100
    media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Cindy Caturao
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
    613-795-5638
    cindy.caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

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    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investment to Address Lead Hazards Across the State

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $5.7 million investment to the state of Ohio to address lead and other health hazards in Ohio homes to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investment as a part of their Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investments to Address Lead Hazards in Montgomery County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $5.5 million investment to help address lead-based paint hazards in Dayton and Montgomery County. This investment will address lead and other health hazards in homes throughout Montgomery County to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure, and support partnerships and coalitions in the Dayton area to assess and address lead-based paint hazards threaten families’ health.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investments as a part of their lead-based paint and lead hazard reduction demonstration grant programs.

    Investments from HUD include:

    • $3 million to Montgomery County to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.
    • $2.5 million to the City of Dayton to build local capacity to address lead hazards safely and effectively in homes throughout the city.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investment to Address Lead Hazards in Hamilton County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $3.5 million investment to Hamilton County to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investment as a part of their Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investment to Address Lead Hazards in Columbus

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $7.6 million investment to the City of Columbus to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investment as a part of their Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Brown Announces New Investment to Address Lead Hazards in Summit County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Ohio Sherrod Brown

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, welcomed a $13.8 million investment to Summit County to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from the life-long health effects of lead exposure.

    “Families shouldn’t have to worry that their home is hurting or poisoning their children, but sadly, that’s still a reality for too many in Ohio,” said Brown. “These new resources will help protect children from hazards in their homes like lead paint, make a smart investment in the health and future of our kids and communities, and give parents the peace of mind that their children can grow up in a safe environment.”

    The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued the investment as a part of their Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to address lead and other health hazards in local homes to protect children and families from lead poisoning.

    Investments from HUD include:

    • $6.1 million to Summit County from HUD’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHRD) grant program.
    • $7.7 million to the City of Akron from HUD’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction (LHRD) grant program.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bennet, Hickenlooper, Colleagues Urge Defense Secretary to Fix Rule Hurting Colorado Springs Children’s Hospitals

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet

    Denver — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and U.S. Representatives Doug Lamborn and Jason Crow, along with 16 of their Senate and House colleagues, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. The letter urges the Defense Health Agency (DHA) to address the financial burden caused by a change in the way children’s hospitals are reimbursed for the care provided to military families covered by TRICARE, the government health care program for active duty service members and their families. 

    “We write to express our deep concerns about a 2023 Defense Health Agency (DHA) rule that catalyzed a major shift in the TRICARE reimbursement methodology for children’s hospitals,” wrote Bennet and the lawmakers. “Children’s hospitals situated in defense communities in our home states are now grappling with the impacts of this change.” 

    Each year over 2.4 million children obtain care from children’s hospitals through TRICARE, and the change has placed an outsized burden on children’s hospitals in major defense communities, like Colorado Springs. Specifically, Children’s Hospital Colorado said one in five patients in their Colorado Springs facility pay with TRICARE. The DHA previously exempted children’s hospitals from the adult Medicare reimbursement process because the program’s policies weren’t applicable to the care children typically need. The rule change is expected to cost the hospital over $25 million annually. 

    The Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) sent letters to DoD in 2020 and 2023 expressing their concerns about the proposed rule. However, they did not receive a response before the DHA implemented the change in October 2023.

    The lawmakers specifically asked the following questions:

    • What dialogue has DHA had with the affected children’s hospitals to understand how this new reimbursement methodology impacts operations and access to care? 
    • What data and sources informed the agency’s analysis of the impact on children’s hospitals that care for TRICARE patients? 
    • How did the agency account for the financial impacts of military families traveling for care in circumstances where local services are no longer available? 
    • How did the agency develop the contingency payment and why did the DHA set a lower contingency payment for pediatrics?
    • Can the agency verify the number of children’s hospitals that are expected to qualify for the contingency payment that is outlined in the rule?  

    In addition to Bennet, Hickenlooper, Lamborn and Crow, U.S. Senators … and X members of the U.S. House of Representatives also signed the letter.

    The text of the letter is available HERE and below. 

    Dear Secretary Austin: 

    As members of Congress representing military-connected children, we write to express our deep concerns about a 2023 Defense Health Agency (DHA) rule that catalyzed a major shift in the TRICARE reimbursement methodology for children’s hospitals. Specifically, we urge the Department of Defense (DOD) and DHA to expeditiously meet with the affected hospitals to discuss administrative policy options to preserve access to pediatric care for military dependents. 

    Collectively, we represent a significant number of the 2.4 million children who obtain care in children’s hospitals through TRICARE each year. These hospitals provide specialized treatment for a spectrum of concerns, including minor health issues and complex, long-term health conditions. They play an essential role in the wellbeing of our nation’s military families. 

    Until recently, since 2008, TRICARE exempted children’s hospitals from the adult Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS). This exemption made logical sense, as very few children who seek care in children’s hospitals are covered by Medicare and the program policies do not adequately reflect children’s health needs.  

    In 2019, however, DHA proposed a rule to eliminate this exemption. In response, children’s hospitals with larger TRICARE volumes collectively submitted comments through the Children’s Hospital Association (CHA), outlining a number of concerns and asking DHA to extend the comment and implementation timelines pending the provision of more information. Instead, DHA’s final rule, TRICARE; Reimbursement of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Outpatient Services Provided in Cancer and Children’s Hospitals, was finalized without any response and took effect on October 1, 2023. 

    Children’s hospitals situated in defense communities in our home states are now grappling with the impacts of this change, as well as the ripple effects that the ensuing financial challenges may have on the provision of care for military families. For states with large military populations and no specialty children’s hospital, any reduction in access to care would further complicate military family’s choices by increasing burdens placed on families who already have to travel outside of their own state for medical services. Given the significant concerns expressed by children’s hospitals about how the rule may impact military families’ access to timely health care, we request that you provide us with responses to the following questions: 

    1. Dialogue: What dialogue has DHA had with the affected children’s hospitals to understand how this new reimbursement methodology impacts operations and access to care? 
    2. Financial Data: What data and sources informed the agency’s analysis of the rule’s impact on children’s hospitals that care for TRICARE patients? How did the agency account for the financial impacts of military families traveling for care in circumstances where local services are no longer available? 
    3. Contingency Payment: How did the agency develop the contingency payment and why did the DHA set a lower contingency payment for pediatrics? Can the agency verify the number of children’s hospitals that are expected to qualify for the contingency payment that is outlined in the rule? 

    Additionally, we request DoD and DHA officials schedule a meeting as soon as possible with the children’s hospitals that support military families. We believe a dialogue between the department and the hospitals will help identify impactful policy adjustments that can protect access to care. As you know, a robust TRICARE network for pediatric care is critical to the sustainment of our armed forces—working together, we can achieve this.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: SmartThings Partners with Sapphire Connected Communities to Revolutionize Smart Apartment Living

    Source: Samsung

    SmartThings, Samsung’s global connected living platform, announces today a partnership with Sapphire Connected Communities, an enterprise software company which has built the first multifamily smart apartment solution on the SmartThings Pro B2B development platform. By leveraging the power of SmartThings Pro, Sapphire is able to offer apartment residents a familiar and feature-rich experience through the SmartThings app, while delivering an integrated management solution for property managers that improves operating efficiency across an entire portfolio of properties.
    “Together, SmartThings and Sapphire will redefine the apartment living experience,” said Mark Benson, Head of SmartThings US. “We’re not just offering a product; we’re delivering a lifestyle upgrade that enhances convenience, efficiency, and peace of mind for both residents and property managers.”

    With SmartThings Pro, SmartThings introduces a new platform for enterprises that builds on the strengths of the SmartThings ecosystem, offering new tools and capabilities for developing integrated, business-critical applications. The platform accelerates the development of applications in B2B sectors like multifamily housing, vacation rentals, hospitality, and healthcare, while also catering to consumer demand for a seamless, efficient, and scalable smart home experience.
    Sapphire is the first Multifamily Residential solution to leverage this platform, enabling them to offer their multifamily customers a standards-based, integrated solution that leverages the reliability, security, and global brand power of Samsung, with the innovative new capabilities available with SmartThings Pro, like smart appliance diagnostics and asset management.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Calvert Statement on the Elimination of Yahya Sinwar

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42)

    Today, Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-41) issued the following statement regarding the elimination of the leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, by the Israeli Defense Force:

    “I welcome the news that Israel Defense Forces served justice to Yahya Sinwar, who was responsible for the death, murder, rape, torture and kidnapping of Israelis and Americans. His elimination is another reminder that there is no bunker deep enough, tunnel long enough, or safehouse remote enough to protect the enemies of a free and civilized world. The U.S. will continue to stand with Israel to hold those accountable who perpetuate violence.”

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: The AI opportunity: Updates to our Gemini and Knowledge & Information teams

    Source: Google

    Editor’s note: Today, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai shared the following note to employees.

    Hi Googlers, 

    It’s been an exciting few days for AI across our products. We saw NotebookLM with Audio Overviews go viral, added more ways to find information in Search and Lens, and launched a revamped Google Shopping for the AI era. We also just shared a big milestone in our work to help doctors use AI to detect diabetic retinopathy: 600,000 screenings and counting, and we’re expanding access to more people across India and Thailand. There’s a lot more to come.

    AI moves faster than any technology before it. To keep increasing the pace of progress, we’ve been making shifts to simplify our structures along the way, including the creation of Google DeepMind and the joining of the Platforms & Devices teams. As a next step, Prabhakar and I have been thinking through how to structure our Knowledge & Information team for the Gemini era, and today we shared the following changes:

    • The Gemini app team led by Sissie will join Google DeepMind under Demis. As the name suggests, the Gemini app is the direct consumer interface to the latest and greatest Gemini models. Bringing the teams closer together will improve feedback loops, enable fast deployment of our new models in the Gemini app, make our post-training work proceed more efficiently and build on our great product momentum. 
    • The Assistant teams focused on devices and home experiences will move to Platforms & Devices so they can sit closer to the product surfaces they’re building for and bring our AI-powered home initiatives into one team and focus on improving user experience.

    In parallel to this, Prabhakar has decided it’s time to make a big leap in his own career. After 12 years leading teams across Google, he’ll return to his computer science roots and take on the role of Chief Technologist, Google. In this role, he’ll partner closely with me and Google leads to provide technical direction and leadership and grow our culture of tech excellence. Nick Fox, a longtime Googler and member of Prabhakar’s leadership team, will be stepping up to lead K&I, which includes our Search, Ads, Geo, and Commerce products.

    Prabhakar’s leadership journey at Google has been remarkable, spanning Research, Workspace, Ads, and K&I. He led the Gmail team in launching Smart Reply and Smart Compose as early examples of using AI to improve products, and took Gmail and Drive past 1 billion users. Across K&I, Prabhakar and team have achieved significant growth and innovation: from launching AI Overviews, a groundbreaking advancement in Search that benefits hundreds of millions of users worldwide to introducing new search modalities like Circle to Search, video understanding, and “shop what you see” in Lens — all while improving core Search functionality. Maps and Shopping have transformed with AI-driven features like immersive view and virtual try-on. And in Ads, we’ve made real progress with AI-powered ad formats and streamlined campaign management, while continuing to innovate with Performance Max to empower millions of businesses. 

    I’m so grateful to Prabhakar for the strong foundation and leadership bench he’s built across K&I. That includes his incredible senior leaders and Nick who is ready to hit the ground running in his new role as SVP of K&I!

    Over the past few years, Nick has been instrumental in shaping Google’s AI product roadmap and collaborating closely with Prabhakar and his leadership team on K&I’s strategy. And throughout his career, Nick has demonstrated leadership across nearly every facet of K&I, from Product and Design in Search and Assistant, to our Shopping, Travel, and Payments products. He was also a pioneering leader in Ads, where he helped establish a rigorous quality and user-focused approach that remains key to our success. Nick has launched innovative consumer products like Google Fi and spearheaded complex initiatives such as RCS messaging. I frequently turn to Nick to tackle our most challenging product questions and he consistently delivers progress with tenacity, speed, and optimism.

    Congratulations to Nick, and a heartfelt thank you to Prabhakar for his leadership through numerous technology shifts and for building a strong foundation for the future.

    – Sundar

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Forest fires are shifting north and intensifying – here’s what that means for the planet

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Matthew William Jones, NERC Independent Research Fellow in Climate Science, University of East Anglia

    Fires have long been a natural part of forest ecosystems, but something is changing. Our new study shows that forest fires have become more widespread and severe amid global heating, particularly in the high northern latitudes such as Canada and Siberia where fires are most sensitive to hotter, drier conditions.

    The implications of this are alarming, not just for the ecosystems affected or the cities engulfed by smoke downwind, but for the planet’s ability to store carbon and regulate the climate. The trend we discovered contrasts with declining fire extent in savannah grasslands, which may reflect the expansion of farming and changing rainfall patterns.

    We established the leading causes of forest fires in different parts of the world using an AI algorithm. It grouped forest regions into distinct zones with similar fire patterns and underlying causes, uncovering the worrying extent to which climate change is fuelling the expansion of forest fires in Earth’s high northern latitudes.

    More fires in ‘extratropical’ forests

    Since 2001, emissions from fires in forests outside of the tropics, like parts of the boreal forest in the far north of North America and Eurasia, have nearly tripled. This rise is largely the result of hotter, drier weather occurring more frequently, combined with forests growing more efficiently in places where the cold once stunted their growth.

    Climate change is creating ideal conditions for larger, more intense fires, which accelerate climate change in turn by releasing more carbon to the atmosphere. In fact, we found that global carbon emissions from forest fires have increased by 60% over the past two decades. The largest contributions come from fires in Siberia and western North America.

    A conifer forest in north-western Canada after the 2023 fire season in which more than 6,000 fires burned through 15 million hectares.
    Stefan Doerr

    This trend shifts the focus of forest fire emissions from tropical forests, where fires set to make room for farmland have long contributed carbon to the atmosphere. Conservation policies have reduced deforestation rates since the early 2000s in some regions, particularly Amazonia. By contrast, increasing fires in northern forests, such as the taiga – the forest of the cold sub-arctic region – are driven by changing climate conditions and generally started by lightning, which makes them harder to prevent.

    Not only is the area affected by fires expanding but the fires themselves are growing more severe and releasing more carbon, according to our new findings. This corresponds with an earlier study that found fires are doing more damage to ecosystems globally than in the past. Fires are burning through drier and more flammable vegetation as global temperatures rise and droughts become more frequent.

    In northern forests, more severe fires can burn deep into the soil and release carbon that has accumulated over centuries. Forests can remain net carbon emitters for decades after burning and the more severe fires become, the longer it takes forests to rebound and recapture carbon lost during the fire.

    What does this mean for the planet?

    The steep rise in fire emissions from forests outside the tropics is a clear signal that the capacity of Earth’s forest to store carbon is at increasing risk.

    Forests, particularly in northern regions, absorb and store CO₂ from the atmosphere. But as fires expand and become more severe, these vital carbon sinks are weakened. This undermines the global effort to tackle climate change as forests offset emissions from human activities that burn fossil fuels.

    Forest fires, long considered part of the natural carbon cycle, are increasingly driven by human-caused climate change. Yet, international reporting standards don’t differentiate between “natural” levels of forest fire emissions and the higher emissions we’re seeing due to climate change.

    This allows excess fire emissions caused by humans to fall outside the scope of national carbon budgets tracked by organisations like the United Nations. Gaps emerge between the carbon emissions we think we’re managing and the actual amount that’s passing between the land and the atmosphere.

    What drives fires in different regions varies, so addressing this growing threat requires tailored approaches. Outside of the tropics, proactive forest management is essential. Carefully managed fires and thinning out vegetation can mean fires ultimately cause less damage when they do ignite. Monitoring vegetation growth, alongside fire-favourable weather conditions, can help identify and prioritise areas for intervention.

    In tropical forests, reducing ignitions (especially during droughts) and preventing forest fragmentation is key to protecting these ecosystems and their carbon stocks. This may help prevent the more extreme fires that turn tropical forests from carbon sinks into sources.

    Increasing fires are a symptom of climate change

    Limiting the burning of fossil fuels is central to minimising future fire risk. Without drastic cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, more severe and widespread forest fires are likely, with increasing damage to ecosystems, biodiversity and the climate.

    Our study also highlighted the importance of updating international reporting standards on carbon emissions. As forest fires become more closely linked to human-driven climate change, it’s crucial that fire emissions be included in national carbon budgets to provide a more accurate picture of the planet’s carbon fluxes.

    There is also a risk of overestimating how much carbon is stored by reforesting areas, especially outside the tropics. Many carbon offset schemes rely on planting new trees or delaying the harvest of existing ones to absorb CO₂, but if the growing threat of forest fires isn’t properly accounted for, these projects could fail to deliver the carbon savings they promise.

    Forest fires are no longer just a natural occurrence. As they shift north and intensify, these fires are a clear symptom of human-caused climate change.

    It’s essential to recognise the growing role that fires play in the carbon cycle. By doing so, we can better manage fire risks, safeguard forests and ensure a more resilient future for the planet.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 35,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Matthew William Jones receives funding from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

    Stefan H Doerr receives funding from the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the FirEUrisk project funded via the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement no. 101003890.

    Crystal A. Kolden 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. Forest fires are shifting north and intensifying – here’s what that means for the planet – https://theconversation.com/forest-fires-are-shifting-north-and-intensifying-heres-what-that-means-for-the-planet-241337

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Reps. Díaz-Balart and Wasserman Schultz in the Miami Herald: Latino-Jewish Communities Working Toward a Better Future

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (25th District of FLORIDA)

    Miami Herald

    Op-ed: Mario Díaz-Balart, Debbie Wasserman Schultz

    October 17, 2024

    Read the full op-ed here:

    As co-chairs of the Congressional Latino-Jewish Caucus, we write to highlight the vital role that the Jewish and Latino communities both play in our nation and South Florida, which we have the honor of representing, but also to the American identity as a whole. Within the framework of Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the close partnership that exists between both of our communities and urge cooperation to address the common challenges that make this partnership so crucial.

    Immigration has played a pivotal role in America’s social fabric. Our families and many of our constituents escaped repressive regimes, whether in Cuba, Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, or Venezuela, to pursue life in a land with freedom and opportunity. Latinos and Jews have contributed greatly to American business, culture, science, sports, public service enhancing every aspect of our diverse society.

    And while we’re proud of the success we’ve achieved as Americans, we haven’t forgotten our roots, including those still struggling for freedom and opportunity. We are proud diaspora communities with strong ties to our ancestral lands. Shared values of family, faith, and respect for human rights have united our communities and animated Jewish and Latino leadership from the civil rights movement to the fight for a fair and lawful immigration system. These close bonds to our nations of origin position our communities to play a crucial role in driving the United States’ pursuit of justice at home and abroad.

    We still have work to do.

    Here in the U.S., we are committed to working to ensure that our communities are safe from anti-Jewish and anti-Latino hate. As members of Congress, we’ve worked on bipartisan legislation to combat such hate, including the Khalid Jabara and Heather Heyer NO HATE Act, which became law in 2021. This important legislation provides grants to state and local governments to enforce hate laws, and to keep more accurate records on hate crimes.

    According to surveys, 87% of American Jews have observed increased antisemitism in the U.S. since the Oct. 7 attacks. Both antisemitic and anti-Latino/Hispanic hate crimes reached record highs in 2023. The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) 2023 Hate Crimes Statistics Report found that hate crimes against Jews increased a staggering 63% year over year, while those targeting Latinos surged by 10.7% last year as well. We’ve seen the horrific damage that can be inflicted by individuals radicalized by hateful conspiracy theories, from the murderous rampage that killed eleven Jews at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh to the vicious attack against Latinos at an El Paso Walmart that killed 23 people.

    Additionally, we must work together to bring home the hostages held by the foreign terrorist organization Hamas, a proxy of the terrorist state of Iran. It is unconscionable that a year later, nearly 100 hostages remain in brutal Hamas captivity. Some of these hostages are both Israeli and Latino— holding dual citizenship from countries like Argentina and Colombia. We call on Hamas to release them now.

    In Latin America, the democratic opposition movements in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua continue to be persecuted by brutal, authoritarian regimes.

    In Cuba, courageous activists demand human rights and democratic change, but many of the July 11, 2021 protesters remain imprisoned.

    In Venezuela, despite all available evidence pointing to the election victory by the opposition, Maduro refuses to face the truth. We strongly condemn the Maduro regime’s actions to subvert Venezuela’s once-democratic institutions, which has resulted in nearly eight million Venezuelans being forced into exile—many of whom have resettled in our communities.

    In Nicaragua, religious freedom has been quashed, with clergy forced into exile in unprecedented numbers, including the forced exit of the entirety of Mother Theresa’s order in Nicaragua.

    We also roundly denounce these regimes’ shameful persecution, antisemitism, and delegitimization of their small Jewish communities, sentiments that are unfortunately reflected by other leftist governments in the region like Colombia.

    Additionally, Russia and Iran, which support transnational repression and amplify racist and antisemitic extremism to sew divisions, have made our world a more dangerous place.

    That’s why our communities must continue working in partnership and solidarity to combat hate, promote freedom and oppose dictators and violent organizations that defy our values. We’ll keep building bridges between Jewish and Latino Americans because we believe they can help guide our nation toward a just future.

    Within the framework of Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s celebrate our common bonds while continuing to look out for one another.

    Mario Díaz-Balart is a U.S. representative for Florida’s 26th Congressional District, a senior member of the House Committee on Appropriations and chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee. Debbie Wasserman Schultz represents Florida’s 25th Congressional District and is ranking member on the House Appropriations Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: World Update: how the Middle East conflict could escalate

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor

    Hamara/Shutterstock

    This article was first published in our World Update newsletter. To receive a weekly briefing on global affairs and international relations direct to your inbox, please subscribe to the newsletter.

    Vladimir Putin’s regular threats about his nuclear arsenal have focused minds on the existential threat his nuclear weapons still represent. But it’s the volatility of the situation in the Middle East that has added a worrying degree of uncertainty to the international situation.

    A year after the brutal Hamas attack on Israel – and after months of tit-for-tat missile attacks between Israel and Iran – Israel has commenced a ground invasion of Lebanon which pits the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) directly against Iranian proxy Hezbollah.

    At the same time, the government of Benjamin Netanyahu is pursuing an ever more drastic campaign against Hamas in Gaza. It is now reportedly planning to expel all residents from the north of the enclave in order to establish a military zone there. Meanwhile it has ramped up its attacks on the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and against Iranian proxies in Syria.

    All-out war between Israel and Iran remains unthinkable, even as questions are raised about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. And yet, as any historian will tell you, the wrong combination of miscalculation, errors of strategic judgement and failures of diplomacy to cause things to escalate with alarming rapidity.

    In 1997, Austrian economist Friedrich Glasl published a model of conflict escalation which is generally accepted as the best study of how disagreements can develop into disastrous warfare. It maps, in nine stages, how a conflict can develop from tension between antagonists to a situation into which the warring parties plunge “together into the abyss”.

    Nine stages of confict escalation.
    Graphic by Swinnall, original from Sampi. Derived from: Konflikteskalation nach Glasl.svg, CC BY-NC-SA

    Matthew Powell, a historian of warfare, compares Glasl’s model to the situation between Israel and Iran. He assesses the two antagonists have have reached stage seven, “where they are launching limited blows against each other while avoiding direct confrontation. Both want to make their adversary consider whether the cost of continuing is worth the potential rewards that can be gained”.

    Powell believes that both sides presently seem keen to remain at arms length for fear that a direct conflict could plunge them – and their allies – into the aforementioned abyss.



    Read more:
    Israel-Iran and the nine stages of how conflicts can escalate and get out of control

    Now, more than ever, it’s vital to be informed about the important issues affecting global stability. Sign up to receive our weekly World Update newsletter. Every Thursday we’ll you expert analysis of the big stories making international headlines.

    For longtime Middle East analyst Paul Rogers, one of the key issues governing the likely future of the conflict is likely to be the domestic politics of Israel. He has watched the country move steadily to the right over more than 50 years, to the extent that the Netanyahu government is now heavily influenced by religious nationalists. Netanyahu has depended for two years on the support of some of the more extreme elements on Israel’s political fringe in order to stay in power.

    These hardliners, Rogers writes, are willing to subvert Israeli democracy itself in order to realise their dream of “Messianic Judaism”. A byproduct of this dream would be to push the Palestinian population out of Gaza, which would be a disaster for regional stability. The irony is that by making war on Lebanon, Netanyahu has managed to improve his standing with the Israeli people and is no longer as dependent on political hawks.



    Read more:
    Israel: what hardliners in Netanyahu’s government want from the war

    Campaign in Lebanon

    Of course, what may be good for Netanyahu is a disaster for Lebanon, where the death toll is rising daily and more than one-quarter of the population has been displaced.

    While Israel’s air force has launched 140 airstrikes across the country, most of the activity has focused on the border areas in the south of the country, where the IDF is reported to be clearing villages, perhaps in anticipation for setting up a buffer zone there.

    Israeli ground operation in southern Lebanon as at October 16 2024.
    Institute for the Study of War

    Over the past fortnight there have been repeated incidents where the IDF have – apparently deliberately – targeted units of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil). This peacekeeping force was set up in 1978 and has the mandate to enforce the UN’s resolution to prevent clashes between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu has demanded that Unifil move its peacekeepers out of the conflict zone, but so far the UN troops, led by France and Spain, have refused to leave their posts.

    Vanessa Newby and Chiara Ruffa, with input and advice from former senior Unifil political and civil affairs officer John Molloy, (formerly of the Irish Defence Forces) have been tracking the incidents. Most recently they involved an IDF tank firing on a Unifil watchtower and has resulted in a growing number of casualties among the peacekeepers.

    Newby and Ruffa believe that Israel wants to remove Unifil from southern Lebanon because it wants to carry out its operations without the scrutiny of an international observer. They also speculate that the sheer number of forces being moved by the IDF into south Lebanon indicates that Israel may be planning to occupy a swath of territory beyond what its military has described as a “limited, localised, and targeted” operation.



    Read more:
    IDF actions against UN peacekeepers suggest Israel may be considering occupying part of southern Lebanon

    Meanwhile tensions are rising between Hezbollah and other sections of Lebanese society. We’ve seen this before, and it has never gone well, writes Mohamad El Kari, who has witnessed the challenges to security in Lebanon firsthand as a translator.

    He fears that Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah will kick off a bout of factional infighting that could seriously destabilise a country that is already showing signs of serious social and political instability. In some areas, Kari writes, people were dancing in the streets at the news of Nasrallah’s death. Not a good sign for Lebanon’s fragile stability.



    Read more:
    Lebanon: assassinating sectarian leaders has always led to instability – this time will be no different

    90 seconds to midnight

    All this talk of escalation had me reflecting on history. I grew up during the cold war under the shadow of the nuclear threat. As a schoolboy in the 1970s, I was taken to a nuclear bunker where, in the event of a nuclear attack on the UK, key personnel would have sheltered as they ran secure communications.

    As a student in the 1980s, I shared a house with several women who would spend weekends at Greenham Common airbase where they protested against the presence of nuclear weapons there. I remember the gallows humour with which we greeted the government’s Protect and Survive campaign, which encouraged building makeshift nuclear shelters under the stairs.

    The peace movement of the day adapted the campaign into the slogan “protest and survive” and the Raymond Briggs graphic novel When the Wind Blows darkly lampooned the government’s advice with its portrayal of an elderly couple following the government’s instructions with predictably tragic results.

    In 1984, Britain was horrified by the BBC film, Threads, a docudrama based on the idea of a nuclear attack on Sheffield. The premise called for a confrontation between Nato and the Warsaw Pact after a US-sponsored coup in Iran. It showed how quickly an international crisis could degenerate into global nuclear conflict and, in turn, how quickly societal collapse was likely to follow.

    Then in the 1990s the nuclear threat seemed to diminish. The collapse of the Soviet Union and treaties to limit the spread of nuclear weapons and decommission existing stockpiles meant that, for most of us anyway, the idea of a nuclear holocaust receded to almost nothing.

    The BBC recently screened the film again, to mark its 40th anniversary, and has made it available for streaming on iPlayer. The Independent’s preview of the screening noted that the Doomsday Clock, which atomic scientists use to indicate how close the world is to nuclear disaster, is set at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been. The scientists said that conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, with the prospect the latter might spread across the Middle East had made the world a much more dangerous place in 2024. And so it has come to pass.

    Philosopher Mark Lacy was shown the film as a schoolboy and doesn’t intend to watch it again. But he’s an expert in the changing nature of warfare and he has seen how conflicts can explode out of “accidents, miscalculations and errors of strategic judgement”.

    He is concerned that, unlike in the cold war where events were largely controlled by “rational actors” who were all too aware of the potential for “mutually assured destruction” and made their calculations accordingly, today’s leaders may not act with the same circumspection. And this is what makes the world a much more dangerous place.



    Read more:
    Threads: the harrowing 1984 BBC docudrama is back on our screens – scary but appropriate viewing for our uncertain times

    The latest edition of our podcast, The Conversation Weekly, focuses on the the Middle East question. Podcast host Gemma Ware speaks with two academic experts in Middle East politics, Amnon Aran and Mireille Rebeiz, to get a sense of what’s at stake for the region.



    Read more:
    What Israel and its neighbours want now as all-out war looms in the Middle East – podcast

    World Update is available as a weekly email newsletter. Click here to get our updates directly in your inbox.

    – ref. World Update: how the Middle East conflict could escalate – https://theconversation.com/world-update-how-the-middle-east-conflict-could-escalate-241603

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Minister Boissonnault hosts Twenty first Century Workforce Summit in Montreal

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    This week, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, convened businesses, non-profits, industry, labour and communities organizations from across the country, to build the 21st century Canadian workforce.

    October 17, 2024              Montréal, Quebec              Employment and Social Development Canada

    Canadian workers are talented, driven and among the most highly educated in the world. As Canada’s economy continues to grow and change, the Government of Canada is focused on creating meaningful and rewarding jobs that provide a good quality of life.

    This week, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault, convened businesses, non-profits, industry, labour and communities organizations from across the country, to build the 21st century Canadian workforce.

    Nearly 200 leaders from various sectors of the labour market came together to discuss fresh ideas and innovative approaches to tackle pressing labour market issues and put forward a vision to support the needs of a modern Canadian economy and Canadian workers.   

    At the Summit, Minister Boissonnault delivered a keynote address identifying some of the challenges facing the Canadian economy including critical labour shortages in key sectors, an aging population set to retire, and more frequent economic disruptions felt around the world.

    The Minister highlighted the need to offer the right supports to help the untapped pool of Canadians from under-represented groups including Indigenous people, women, and persons with disabilities, find good jobs.  He stressed the importance of attracting more young people to rewarding careers in the skilled trades as well as finding new ways to provide training, retraining and upskilling to meet the needs of workers no matter what point they are at in their working lives.

    The Minister noted the important role that provinces and territories play in education and skills training and was disappointed that they chose not to participate in this year’s Workforce Summit.

    The Minister also announced the launch of a new call for proposals for $30 million over two years for the Canada Retraining and Opportunities Initiative that will fund community-based workforce retraining projects in situations of mass layoffs.

    To support the Summit, an online engagement to collect Canadians’ views on the most pressing issues impacting Canada’s labour market is open until October 31, 2024. An update on findings will be accessible and will inform priorities and future directions for workforce development in Canada and further engagement with employers, unions as well as provinces, territories and Indigenous partners.

    Canada is home to the smartest minds, the most talented workers, and a strong education, training, and employment system. By working together, we can better equip the workforce of today and tomorrow, and build a more innovative, productive, and competitive labour force for generations to come.”

    –Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, Randy Boissonnault

    Alice Hansen
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages
    alice.hansen@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Statement from President Joe  Biden on the Death of Yahya  Sinwar

    Source: The White House

    Early this morning, Israeli authorities informed my national security team that a mission they conducted in Gaza likely killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.  DNA tests have now confirmed that Sinwar is dead.  This is a good day for Israel, for the United States, and for the world. 

    As the leader of the terrorist group Hamas, Sinwar was responsible for the deaths of thousands of Israelis, Palestinians, Americans, and citizens from over 30 countries.  He was the mastermind of the October 7th massacres, rapes, and kidnappings.  It was on his orders that Hamas terrorists invaded Israel to intentionally – and with unspeakable savagery – kill and massacre civilians, a Holocaust survivor, children in front of their parents, and parents in front of their children. 

    Over 1,200 people were killed on that day, the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, including 46 Americans.  More than 250 were taken hostage, with 101 still missing. That number includes seven Americans, four of whom are believed to still be alive and held by Hamas terrorists.  Sinwar is the man most responsible for this, and for so much of what followed.  

    Shortly after the October 7 massacres, I directed Special Operations personnel and our intelligence professionals to work side-by-side with their Israeli counterparts to help locate and track Sinwar and other Hamas leaders hiding in Gaza. 

    With our intelligence help, the IDF relentlessly pursued Hamas’s leaders, flushing them out of their hiding places and forcing them onto the run.  There has rarely been a military campaign like this, with Hamas leaders living and moving through hundreds of miles of tunnels, organized in multiple stories underground, determined to protect themselves with no care for the civilians suffering above ground.  Today, however, proves once again that no terrorists anywhere in the world can escape justice, no matter how long it takes.

    To my Israeli friends, this is no doubt a day of relief and reminiscence, similar to the scenes witnessed throughout the United States after President Obama ordered the raid to kill Osama Bin Laden in 2011.

    Israel has had every right to eliminate the leadership and military structure of Hamas. Hamas is no longer capable of carrying out another October 7.

    I will be speaking soon with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders to congratulate them, to discuss the pathway for bringing the hostages home to their families, and for ending this war once and for all, which has caused so much devastation to innocent people.  

    There is now the opportunity for a “day after” in Gaza without Hamas in power, and for a political settlement that provides a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike.  Yahya Sinwar was an insurmountable obstacle to achieving all of those goals. That obstacle no longer exists. But much work remains before us.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Delivers Keynote Address at Colorado Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting

    Source: US State of Colorado

    DENVER – Today, Governor Polis delivered the keynote address at the Colorado Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting to highlight Colorado’s economic success.

    “Colorado has one of the best economies in the country and we continue working to ensure it remains the best place to launch and grow a business. Since taking office, we have brought thousands of new jobs to Colorado. From cutting taxes, to addressing housing costs, expanding access to quality education and more, ours is a great place for individuals, families, and businesses to plant their roots,” said Governor Jared Polis.

    At the meeting, the Chamber announced the “Coolest Thing Made in Colorado” award, which was voted on by members of the Chamber. Freedom Trax was announced as the winner. Freedom Trax is a motorized off-road attachment designed for manual wheelchairs that helps navigate difficult terrain, breaking down barriers to access for Coloradans using wheelchairs in Colorado’s great outdoors.

    “Small, innovative businesses and products like Freedom Trax are driving our economy forward and helping Coloradans of all abilities access our great outdoors. Congratulations on being named the coolest thing made in Colorado! I am proud to celebrate this innovation and your impact on our great state,” said Governor Polis.

    In the last year, Governor Polis has signed laws cutting property, sales, and income taxes, breaking down barriers to housing Coloradans can afford, investing in Colorado workforce and connecting Coloradans to needed skills to fill available jobs, expanding access to low-cost education and more. All critical to a strong economy and a strong workforce.  

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    MIL OSI USA News –