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  • MIL-Evening Report: Kamala Harris maintains narrow lead in key states in US presidential race

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne

    The United States presidential election will be held on November 5. In analyst Nate Silver’s aggregate of national polls, Democrat Kamala Harris leads Republican Donald Trump by 49.3–46.2, a slight gain for Trump since last Monday, when Harris led Trump by 49.3–46.0.

    Joe Biden’s final position before his withdrawal as Democratic candidate on July 21 was a national poll deficit against Trump of 45.2–41.2.

    In economic data, the US added 254,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate slid 0.1% to 4.1%. The unemployment rate had peaked at 4.3% in July.

    The US president isn’t elected by the national popular vote, but by the Electoral College, in which each state receives electoral votes equal to its federal House seats (population based) and senators (always two). Almost all states award their electoral votes as winner-takes-all, and it takes 270 electoral votes to win (out of 538 total).

    Relative to the national popular vote, the Electoral College is biased to Trump, with Harris needing at least a two-point popular vote win to be the Electoral College favourite in Silver’s model.

    In the key states, Harris remains ahead in Silver’s poll aggregates by one to two points in Pennsylvania (19 electoral votes), Michigan (15), Wisconsin (ten) and Nevada (six). If Harris wins these four states, she probably wins the Electoral College by at least 276–262. Trump leads by 0.5 points in North Carolina (16 electoral votes), one point in Georgia (16) and 1.2 points in Arizona (11).



    Read more:
    Kamala Harris the slight favourite to win US election as she narrowly leads in key states

    In Silver’s model, Harris has a 56% chance to win the Electoral College, unchanged since last Monday’s article. The FiveThirtyEight model was more favourable to Harris in September, but now gives her a 55% chance to win. It’s close to a 50–50 probability for either candidate, but Harris remains a slight favourite.

    There are still more than four weeks to go until the election, so there’s time for the polls to change and for one candidate to have a decisive Electoral College advantage on election day. Or the polls could be understating either Harris or Trump, in which case the candidate that benefits from the poll error could have a decisive win.

    Thumping lead for LNP in Queensland

    The Queensland state election is on October 26. A Freshwater poll for The Financial Review, conducted September 26–29 from a sample of 1,067, gave the Liberal National Party (LNP) a 56–44 lead, a five-point gain for the LNP since the previous Freshwater poll in July 2023.

    Primary votes were 43% LNP (up three), 30% Labor (down four), 12% Greens (up one), 8% One Nation (up one) and 7% for all Others (down one).

    Labor Premier Steven Miles had a net approval of -5, while LNP leader David Crisafulli had a +15 net approval. Crisafulli led Miles by 46–38 as preferred premier.

    The poll asked about the federal leaders’ Queensland ratings, with Anthony Albanese at net -17, while Peter Dutton was at net zero. Queensland is a Coalition-friendly state at federal elections relative to the national results.

    Federal Newspoll quarterly data

    On September 30, The Australian released aggregate data for the four Newspolls taken from July to September, which had a combined sample size of 5,035. The Poll Bludger said the Coalition led in New South Wales by 51–49, unchanged on the June quarter.

    In Victoria, Labor led by 52–48, a two-point gain for the Coalition. In Queensland, the Coalition led by an unchanged 54–46. In Western Australia, Labor led by an unchanged 52–48. In South Australia, Labor led by 54–46, a one-point gain for Labor.

    The Poll Bludger’s BludgerTrack data shows the results by educational attainment. In the September quarter, Labor led by 53–47 among university-educated people, a one-point gain for Labor. With TAFE-educated people, there was a 50–50 tie, a one-point gain for the Coalition. Those with no tertiary education favoured the Coalition by 51–49, a one-point gain for the Coalition.

    Coalition gains lead in Morgan poll

    A national Morgan poll, conducted September 23–29 from a sample of 1,668, gave the Coalition a 51–49 lead, a 1.5-point gain for the Coalition since the September 16–22 Morgan poll.

    Primary votes were 38% Coalition (up 0.5), 30% Labor (down two), 13.5% Greens (up one), 4.5% One Nation (down 0.5), 9.5% independents (steady) and 4.5% others (up one).

    The headline figure uses respondent preferences. But if preferences were assigned using the 2022 election flows, Labor led by 51.5–48.5, a 0.5-point gain for the Coalition. There was an unusually large gap last week between the two measures.

    Resolve poll on Middle East conflict

    Voting intentions have not yet been released from a national Resolve poll for Nine newspapers that was conducted October 1–5 from a sample of 1,606. Regarding the political response in Australia to the Middle East conflict, 22% thought Dutton and the Liberals had responded best, 18% Albanese and Labor and 6% Adam Bandt and the Greens, while 55% said none had responded best or were unsure.

    On Australia’s actions, 23% thought we should voice in-principle support for Israel, 12% Gaza and 65% both or none. On accepting refugees, 52% don’t want any refugees accepted, 24% would accept refugees from either Israel or Gaza, 13% Gaza only and 11% Israel only.

    Adrian Beaumont 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. Kamala Harris maintains narrow lead in key states in US presidential race – https://theconversation.com/kamala-harris-maintains-narrow-lead-in-key-states-in-us-presidential-race-240117

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Why a portrait of a former NRL great could spark greater concussion awareness in Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Townsend, Research Fellow, UQ School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences, The University of Queensland

    A new portrait of NRL legend Wally Lewis conveys a striking message about the consequences of brain trauma in sport.

    The portrait, created by visual artist Jamie van Leeuwen in cooperation with Lewis, is currently entered in the 2024 Brisbane Portrait Prize.

    It uses artificial intelligence (AI) and traditional photography to depict Lewis contemplating his own brain, prompting viewers to consider the consequences of athletes subjecting their bodies (and brains) to a lifetime of physical trauma in contact sports.

    It further suggests that art has an important role to play in science communication.

    Heavy lies the crown

    Lewis is one of Queensland’s most beloved figures and one of Australia’s greatest rugby league players.

    His intelligence was matched by a rugged playing style. He thrilled crowds by appearing to relish hard tackles and seeking confrontation.

    Lewis’ State of Origin performances for Queensland, the Australian representative team, and multiple clubs earned him the nickname “The King” and the “Emperor of Lang Park,” where he is celebrated with a life-size statue.

    In short, it is difficult to overstate the affection many Queenslanders have for Lewis and the magnitude of his reputation in the Australian rugby league community.

    The King speaks

    Although rugby league gave a lot to Lewis, it also took a heavy toll.

    After retiring he moved into broadcasting, becoming the long-term sports anchor for Channel Nine in Queensland.

    In late 2006, he had two successive epileptic episodes on live television.

    Following the second episode, Lewis announced publicly that he had been diagnosed with epilepsy during his playing career but hid the condition for decades. He further revealed his epilepsy was caused by repeated concussions.

    Wally Lewis has spoken out about his epilepsy struggles.

    More recently, Lewis has become one of the most prominent figures in the broader conversation around brain trauma in sport, particularly following his 2023 diagnosis of traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES), the symptomatic precursor of the brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

    This diagnosis is likely linked to his lifetime accumulation of brain trauma in rugby league.

    Who is listening?

    Many Australian sports and athletes are being impacted by concussion, with a cacophony of experts and advocates attempting to make themselves heard.

    Scientists, researchers, doctors, athletes, parents, families, and politicians are all straining to communicate the potentially serious consequences of brain trauma to the sporting public.

    This portrait of Lewis cuts through the noise and conveys a complex and sometimes controversial narrative: the neurological consequences of contact sport can outweigh its benefits.

    This is a particularly fraught conversation in light of a recent study that argued the opposite.

    The King’s Battle

    The portrait conveys the duality of contact sport in an instant.

    As the artist states, the meaning of the piece is “about legacy […] both sides of legacy.”

    Lewis’ successes are evidenced by the 1987 Maroons jersey he wears and the crown atop his head.

    The costs are equally visible.

    His wearied expression, the blood and grime on his collar and the disembodied brain resting in his palms prompt the viewer to imagine Lewis’s thoughts.

    Is he re-imagining past victories? Planning an uncertain future? Harbouring fears for his fellow athletes?

    After viewing the image for the first time, Lewis said:

    It pretty much tells the story straight away […] there is great hope in the future that I’m going to be able to deal with some of the difficulties.

    The image is emotionally freighted in a way that researchers and medical practitioners usually try to avoid, particularly in discussions about sports concussion where advocates for player safety have been accused of being overly emotional or scare-mongering.

    The King’s Battle reminds us brain trauma is an emotional issue as much as a scientific one.

    As ANU science media researcher Matt Ventresca says, some of the most effective advocates for player welfare are former and current athletes who “in the absence of scientific certainty, express fear about the health of their brains.”

    Art and the future of science

    Arts and science are often viewed as contradictory, but creative expressions like The King’s Battle should play a role in science communication.

    Think Susan Sontag’s brilliant essay Illness as Metaphor or the haunting lyrical description of cancer in Blood by Australian band The Middle East.

    “Blood”, by Australian indie band The Middle East, became the band’s signature song.

    The concussion crisis is a potent space for artistic representation – the 2015 film Concussion starring Will Smith is a landmark in public perceptions of brain trauma in sport.

    The upcoming ABC television program Plum also tells the story of a brain damaged former sports star.

    A 2024 portrait of former Australian NFL player Colin Scotts shows the consequences of a life in contact sport.

    Artistic representations such as The King’s Battle are important because they bring home the consequences of brain trauma in ways that traditional science communication struggles to achieve.

    It reminds us that understanding the emotion of health is just as important as understanding its scientific and medical aspects.

    For CTE researchers, van Leeuwen’s portrait also carries abstract echoes of another hope for the future.

    His use of AI technology to disembody Lewis’ brain in the artwork is reminiscent of current methods of CTE diagnosis: post-mortem removal and dissection of the brain.

    The difference in The King’s Battle is that Lewis can look on the damage done to his brain while still very much alive.

    In much the same way, we hope in the near future that technological advances will allow us to see CTE in the brains of living athletes and help them to live better lives with the disease.

    Alan Pearce is currently unfunded. Alan is a non-executive director for the Concussion Legacy Foundation (unpaid position) and Adjunct research manager for the Australian Sports Brain Bank (unpaid position). He has previously received funding from Erasmus+ strategic partnerships program (2019-1-IE01-KA202-051555), Sports Health Check Charity (Australia), Australian Football League, Impact Technologies Inc., and Samsung Corporation, and is remunerated for expert advice to medico-legal practices.

    Stephen Townsend 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 a portrait of a former NRL great could spark greater concussion awareness in Australia – https://theconversation.com/why-a-portrait-of-a-former-nrl-great-could-spark-greater-concussion-awareness-in-australia-238882

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: NASA is launching a major mission to look for habitable spots on Jupiter’s moon Europa

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Lloyd, Research Fellow, ARC CoE Plants for Space, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia

    Illustration of the spacecraft above Europa’s icy surface. NASA/JPL-Caltech

    On October 10, NASA is launching a hotly anticipated new mission to Jupiter’s fourth-largest moon, Europa.

    Called Europa Clipper, the spacecraft will conduct a detailed study of the moon, looking for potential places where Europa might host alien life.

    It’s the largest planetary exploration spacecraft NASA has ever made: as wide as a basketball court when its solar sails are unfolded. It has a mass of about 6,000 kilograms – the weight of a large African elephant.

    But why are we sending a hulking spacecraft all the way to Europa?

    Looking for life away from Earth

    The search for life in places other than Earth usually focuses on our neighbour Mars, a planet that’s technically in the “habitable zone” of our Solar System. But Mars is not an attractive place to live, due to its lack of atmosphere and high levels of radiation. However, it’s close to Earth, making it relatively easy to send missions to explore it.

    But there are other places in the Solar System that could support life – some of the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Why? They have liquid water.

    Here on Earth, water is the solvent of life: water dissolves salts and sugars, and facilitates the chemical reactions needed for life on Earth to proceed. It’s possible life forms exist elsewhere that rely on liquid methane or carbon dioxide or something else, but life as we know it uses water.

    The reason there’s liquid water so far out in the Solar System is because Jupiter and Saturn, the gas giants, wield immense gravitational power over their moons.

    Saturn’s moons, Titan and Enceladus, are stretched and compressed by gravity as they go around their host planet. This movement results in vast underground oceans with a surface of solid ice, with plumes of water vapour exploding 9,600 kilometres from the surface.

    It is strongly suspected that Europa is the same. While we know a lot about Europa from more than four centuries of observation, we have not confirmed it has an under-ice liquid ocean like Titan and Enceladus.

    But all clues point to yes. Europa has a smooth surface despite being hit by many meteors, suggesting the surface is young, recently replaced. Ice volcanoes raining down water over the surface would make sense.

    It also has a magnetic field, suggesting that like Earth, Europa has a liquid layer inside (on Earth, this liquid is molten rock).

    This artist’s concept (not to scale) shows what Europa’s insides might look like: an outer shell of ice, perhaps with plumes venting out; a deep layer of liquid water; and a rocky interior, potentially with hydrothermal vents on the seafloor.
    NASA/JPL-Caltech

    What will Europa Clipper do?

    At the surface, Europa is bombarded by high levels of space radiation, concentrated by Jupiter. But deeper down, the thick ice sheet could be protecting life in the liquid subsurface ocean.

    This means it would be difficult for us to find concrete evidence for life without drilling down deep. But where to look? Through flybys of the icy moon, Europa Clipper will be looking at areas where life could be dwelling under the icy shell.

    To achieve this, Europa Clipper has nine scientific instruments. These include a wide-angle camera to study geologic activity and a thermal imaging system to measure surface texture and detect warmer regions on the surface.

    There’s also a spectrometer for looking at the chemical composition of the gases and surface of Europa, and for any explosive plumes of water from the surface. The mission also has tools for mapping the moon’s surface.

    Other instruments will measure the depth and salt levels of the moon’s ocean and the thickness of its ice shell, and also how Europa flexes within the strong gravitational pull of Jupiter.

    Excitingly, a mass spectrometer will analyse the gases of the moon’s faint atmosphere and potential plumes of water. By examining the material ejected from the plumes, we can understand what is hidden within the under-ice oceans of Europa.

    A dust analyser will also look at matter that has been ejected from Europa’s surface by tiny meteorites or released from the plumes.

    Unfortunately, we will have to wait a while for any discoveries. Europa Clipper will take more than five years to reach Jupiter. And the mission is only equipped to look for the potential of life, not life itself. If we see evidence that might point towards life, we will need future missions to return and explore Europa in depth.

    So we must be patient. But this is an exciting opportunity for humanity to get one step closer to find life beyond our own home planet.

    James Lloyd 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. NASA is launching a major mission to look for habitable spots on Jupiter’s moon Europa – https://theconversation.com/nasa-is-launching-a-major-mission-to-look-for-habitable-spots-on-jupiters-moon-europa-239928

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trojan Horse approach to fast-track projects threatens environment

    Source: Green Party

    The Government’s fast-track list is another example of its reckless approach to the environment and disregard for due process. 

    “The government is set to unleash environmental destruction across Aotearoa, while using some potentially worthy projects as a diversion,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for the Environment, Lan Pham.

    “Our environment forms the foundation for life as we know it. By looking after nature, we look after ourselves. We need to move on from the archaic, exploitative and extractive approach that has already seen us lose so much.

    “However, the Government is selling out to big business by effectively putting our environment up for auction. 

    “From the outset, this shadowy legislation has been shrouded in smoke and mirrors while public scrutiny and due democratic process have been completely shut out. 

    “What we see in this list is a number of projects that will have long-lasting and potentially irreversible impacts on the environment. Talk of renewable energy and housing – which could be consented under current processes –  are nothing more than a smokescreen to the environmental vandalism this is set to unleash. 

    “The fast track still has the power to bulldoze through environmental protections and set aside previous court rulings that declined projects due to their serious environmental harm. The Government is trying to gaslight us all into thinking we need this legislation to build nice things – we don’t. This isn’t about building a better future, it’s all about handouts to big business. 

    “We are deeply concerned that projects with massive, irreversible environmental effects – like seabed mining by Trans-Tasman Resources in a marine mammal sanctuary, or gold mine expansion that threatens the future of an entire forest in the Coromandel, are included in the list of projects. Extending the Bathurst coal mine in Buller and digging an open-cast mine in Central Otago during a climate crisis is beyond irresponsible.  

    “To make things abundantly clear to companies and potential investors out there looking to profit from this legislation in a way that destroys our precious environment: You need to know that a Green Government will review consents, and revoke those with significant harm,” says Lan Pham. 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Is owning a dog good for your health?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tania Signal, Professor of Psychology, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia

    Pogodina Natalia/Shutterstock

    Australia loves dogs. We have one of the highest rates of pet ownership in the world, and one in two households has at least one dog.

    But are they good for our health?

    Mental health is the second-most common reason cited for getting a dog, after companionship. And many of us say we “feel healthier” for having a dog – and let them sleep in our bedroom.

    Here’s what it means for our physical and mental health to share our homes (and doonas) with our canine companions.

    Are there physical health benefits to having a dog?

    Having a dog is linked to lower risk of death over the long term. In 2019, a systematic review gathered evidence published over 70 years, involving nearly four million individual medical cases. It found people who owned a dog had a 24% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to those who did not own a dog.

    Having a dog may help lower your blood pressure through more physical activity.
    Barnabas Davoti/Pexels

    Dog ownership was linked to increased physical activity. This lowered blood pressure and helped reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease.

    The review found for those with previous heart-related medical issues (such as heart attack), living with a dog reduced their subsequent risk of dying by 35%, compared to people with the same history but no dog.

    Another recent UK study found adult dog owners were almost four times as likely to meet daily physical activity targets as non-owners. Children in households with a dog were also more active and engaged in more unstructured play, compared to children whose family didn’t have a dog.

    Exposure to dirt and microbes carried in from outdoors may also strengthen immune systems and lead to less use of antibiotics in young children who grow up with dogs.

    Children in households with a dog were often more active.
    Maryshot/Shutterstock

    Health risks

    However, dogs can also pose risks to our physical health. One of the most common health issues for pet owners is allergies.

    Dogs’ saliva, urine and dander (the skin cells they shed) can trigger allergic reactions resulting in a range of symptoms, from itchy eyes and runny nose to breathing difficulties.

    A recent meta-analysis pooled data from nearly two million children. Findings suggested early exposure to dogs may increase the risk of developing asthma (although not quite as much as having a cat does). The child’s age, how much contact they have with the dog and their individual risk all play a part.

    Slips, trips and falls are another risk – more people fall over due to dogs than cats.

    Having a dog can also expose you to bites and scratches which may become infected and pose a risk for those with compromised immune systems. And they can introduce zoonotic diseases into your home, including ring worm and Campylobacter, a disease that causes diarrhoea.

    For those sharing the bed there is an elevated the risk of allergies and picking up ringworm. It may result in lost sleep, as dogs move around at night.

    On the other hand some owners report feeling more secure while co-sleeping with their dogs, with the emotional benefit outweighing the possibility of sleep disturbance or waking up with flea bites.

    Proper veterinary care and hygiene practices are essential to minimise these risks.

    Many of us don’t just share a home with a dog – we let them sleep in our beds.
    Claudia Mañas/Unsplash

    What about mental health?

    Many people know the benefits of having a dog are not only physical.

    As companions, dogs can provide significant emotional support helping to alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress. Their presence may offer comfort and a sense of purpose to individuals facing mental health challenges.

    Loneliness is a significant and growing public health issue in Australia.

    In the dog park and your neighbourhood, dogs can make it easier to strike up conversations with strangers and make new friends. These social interactions can help build a sense of community belonging and reduce feelings of social isolation.

    For older adults, dog walking can be a valuable loneliness intervention that encourages social interaction with neighbours, while also combating declining physical activity.

    However, if you’re experiencing chronic loneliness, it may be hard to engage with other people during walks. An Australian study found simply getting a dog was linked to decreased loneliness. People reported an improved mood – possibly due to the benefits of strengthening bonds with their dog.

    Walking a dog can make it easier to talk to people in your neighbourhood.
    KPegg/Shutterstock

    What are the drawbacks?

    While dogs can bring immense joy and numerous health benefits, there are also downsides and challenges. The responsibility of caring for a dog, especially one with behavioural issues or health problems, can be overwhelming and create financial stress.

    Dogs have shorter lifespans than humans, and the loss of a beloved companion can lead to depression or exacerbate existing mental health conditions.

    Lifestyle compatibility and housing conditions also play a significant role in whether having a dog is a good fit.

    The so-called pet effect suggests that pets, often dogs, improve human physical and mental health in all situations and for all people. The reality is more nuanced. For some, having a pet may be more stressful than beneficial.

    Importantly, the animals that share our homes are not just “tools” for human health. Owners and dogs can mutually benefit when the welfare and wellbeing of both are maintained.

    Tania Signal 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. Is owning a dog good for your health? – https://theconversation.com/is-owning-a-dog-good-for-your-health-238888

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Exit polls show Tunisian President Kais Saied winning presidential election

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Tunisian President Kais Saied (R, front) registers at a polling center in Tunis, Tunisia on Oct. 6, 2024. (Tunisian Presidency/Handout via Xinhua)

    Exit polls showed that Tunisian President Kais Saied is expected to win the presidential election on Sunday, Tunisian State TV reported.

    According to the estimated results of a poll by Sigma Conseil, a Tunisian survey company, Saied won 89.2 percent of the vote, followed by Ayachi Zammel with 6.9 percent and Zouhair Maghzaoui with 3.9 percent.

    In a press briefing following the election, Farouk Bouaskar, president of the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE), said the preliminary turnout in the presidential election reached 27.7 percent.

    According to statistics from the ISIE, a total of 2,599,252 Tunisians voted in Tunisia and 104,903 Tunisians went to the polls abroad.

    The official TAP news agency said the Chahed Observatory reported a turnout of 28.8 percent when the polling stations closed.

    The total number of voters registered on the electoral register is around 9,753,217 people.

    The preliminary results of the election will be announced Monday evening, according to the ISIE.  

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 11 killed, 17 injured in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo taken on Oct. 6, 2024 shows destroyed buildings after Israeli airstrikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon. (Xinhua/Bilal Jawich)

    Eleven people were killed and 17 others injured Sunday evening in Israeli airstrikes targeting different areas in Lebanon, according to Lebanese official and military sources.

    According to the Ministry of Health, six people were killed and 13 others injured in an Israeli airstrike on a residential building in the village of Kayfoun in Aley district, Mount Lebanon Governorate.

    Another Israeli airstrike killed five people and injured four others when an Israeli drone launched an air-to-ground missile on a motorcycle traveling at the northern entrance to the town of Marjeyoun, east of southern Lebanon.

    “An Israeli air strike destroyed a mosque in the village of Yaroun in the central sector of the border area this afternoon,” according to the military sources, who required anonymity.

    The Israeli army has been carrying out extensive operations in Lebanese territory intending to diminish Hezbollah’s military capabilities and facilitate the return of Israelis to the northern region of the country along the border with Lebanon.

    Since Oct. 8, 2023, Hezbollah and the Israeli army have been exchanging fire across the Lebanese-Israeli border. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Tourism festival ignites consumption boom in Shanghai

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China’s Shanghai, an economic powerhouse and also a popular tourist destination, is seeing a boom in cultural and tourism consumption following the launch of a tourism festival ahead of this year’s week-long National Day holiday, also known as “golden week,” which started on Oct. 1.

    From dazzling parades to exciting cultural exhibitions, the 35th Shanghai Tourism Festival dropped its curtain on Sunday, having created an unforgettable experience for both residents and travelers from around the world.

    This year’s festival, which opened on Sept. 14, generated total tourism consumption of 92.4 billion yuan (about 13 billion U.S. dollars), a 4.2-percent increase compared to the previous festival. The occupancy rate of hotel rooms in Shanghai during this period was 61 percent — 2 percentage points higher than during the previous edition, data from the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism shows.

    Notably, the “Great Art of Dunhuang” exhibition, which started during the festival and will run through December, features 168 sets of the most representative and rare artworks from the Dunhuang Academy collection. Since its launch on Sept. 20, this exhibition has attracted more than 40,000 domestic and international visitors, with over 200,000 tickets sold. Many young tourists came to the exhibition in traditional Chinese Hanfu clothing.

    Overseas performance teams also returned after a five-year hiatus at this year’s festival, appearing in the opening parade and various celebration activities. Philipp Betschart, a performer from Switzerland, was fully immersed in the charm of the “China Travel” fiesta. Lauding China’s expanding visa-free policy, he said it has allowed foreign performers more time for both rehearsals and sightseeing.

    Betschart and his team were deeply impressed by the historical buildings of the Bund in Shanghai and the Zhujiajiao ancient town, while they fell in love with delicacies such as Xiaolongbao (or steamed soup dumplings).

    During the festival, authorities in the city’s 16 districts have taken advantage of their unique resources and organized a variety of festive events, turning Shanghai into a vast “urban theme park.”

    “We will foster more innovative scenarios, business models and formats that synergize culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions, aiming to enhance the quality of urban tourism in Shanghai and draw more visitors from home and abroad,” noted an official with the municipal administration of culture and tourism. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: People don’t like a ‘white saviour’, but does it affect how they donate to charity?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert Hoffmann, Professor of Economics, Tasmanian Behavioural Lab, University of Tasmania

    Shutterstock

    Efforts to redress global inequality are facing an unexpected adversary: the white saviour. It’s the idea that people of colour, whether in the Global South or North, need “saving” by a white Western person or aid worker.

    An eclectic mix of white activists have been publicly accused of being white saviours for trying to help different causes in the Global South. They include celebrities who adopted orphaned children, organised benefit concerts such as Live Aid, or called out rights abuses.

    Others include professional and volunteer charity workers and journalists reporting on poverty in Africa. Even activism at home can earn the white saviour label, like efforts to refine the proposal for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament in Australia.

    We conducted a series of studies with 1,991 representative Australians to find out what people thought made a white saviour, how charity appeal photographs create this impression, and how it affected donations.

    White saviourism and charities

    The concern is that white people’s overseas charity, even when well-meaning, can inadvertently hurt rather than help the cause. It could perpetuate harmful stereotypes of white superiority, disempower local people, or misdirect resources to make helpers feel good rather than alleviating genuine need.

    The fear of being labelled a white saviour could make people think twice about giving time or money to worthy causes. It might stop aid organisations using proven appeals to raise donations they need.

    Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), for instance, released a video apologising for using photos depicting white people in aid settings and which aren’t representative of the majority local staff they employ.

    Therein lies the dilemma: white donors can relate to photos of white helpers, but this is easily interpreted as white savourism.

    What makes someone a white saviour?

    Very little research exists into exactly what white saviourism means. Broadly, it seems to describe people in the Global North who support international causes for selfish reasons, to satisfy their own sentimentality and need for a positive image. We wanted to go deeper.

    In the first of our studies, we showed our participants 26 photographs depicting different Global South aid settings with a white helper.

    The helpers that participants thought of as highly “white saviour” typically had these characteristics:

    • they appeared to be privileged and superior

    • they gave help sentimentally and tokenistically

    • they conformed to the colonial stereotype of the helpless local and powerful foreigner.

    Further analysis showed these characteristics boil down to two essential features: ineffectiveness of the help and entitlement of the helpers.

    These two perceptions of the white saviour explain the problem for charity. Behavioural economics research has identified two main reasons for donating, and these perceptions undermine both.

    Why do people donate at all?

    So to see how much white saviourism affects charities, we need to know why people donate in the first place.

    One reason for giving is pure altruism, the desire to help others with no direct benefit to oneself. The effective altruism movement encourages people to make every donated dollar count – getting the maximum bang for the buck in terms of measurable outcomes for those in need.

    The difficulty for effective altruists is in assessing the impact of different charities vying for their donations. There are now websites that list charities by lives saved per dollar donated.



    Read more:
    How white saviourism harms international development

    Alternatively, donors might look at a charity’s appeal images for clues of how effectively it will use their dollars.

    Depicting white people as saviours can create the impression of tokenistic aid that only serves the helper’s sentimental needs. Evidence shows people resent impure motives in others (including organisations) and might try to penalise them.

    Behavioural economics research also shows, as you might expect, that some people are more concerned about themselves than others when giving. This is known as “warm glow” giving.

    Warm glow givers have several self-serving motivations. They include giving to gain self-respect or social status.

    People also have a desire to meet their social obligations. For richer folks this could include charitable giving. And giving can reduce guilt they might feel about their privilege.

    Just like the effective altruist, the warm glow giver could be put off by any sign of white saviourism. They don’t want to be seen to be endorsing it.

    Do people still donate?

    All this suggests that seeing a white saviour depiction in a charitable appeal will make people donate less.

    We examined this in another study, in which participants were shown each of the previous photos. This time they were asked, for every photo, if they were willing to donate to a charity that uses it.

    And as we thought, the photos previously rated as high in white saviourism had low intentions to donate.

    Participants were shown photos of white aid workers in the Global South.
    Shutterstock

    But intentions do not always equal actions, as psychologist have demonstrated for many years.

    To overcome this, we measured real donations in another study. Again participants saw the same photos, but this time they had the chance to donate part of their participation fee to a real charity when seeing them.

    What we found surprised us: the white saviour effect disappeared. How high a photo was on the white saviour scale had no impact on how much participants donated when seeing it.

    Does the end justify the motivation?

    Our results summarise the dilemma. Donors might object to white saviourism by charities, but in the end feel that it’s the help that counts, not the motivation behind it.

    We found some evidence for this when we asked participants about their general views of white saviourism.

    Almost 70% agreed that white saviour motives are common in Western help and that this was problematic for recipients. But interestingly, only 42% thought helpers with these motives deserved criticism.

    Together, this might suggest that people feel white saviour help is better than no help. There are voices in the charity community who echo this sentiment: imposing conditions on charitable giving will serve to reduce it.

    In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Elise Westhoff, president of the Philanthropy Roundtable in the United States, said “by imposing those ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’, you really limit human generosity”.

    But this doesn’t mean there are no legitimate concerns. There are, but it’s not hard for charities to address them.

    Our results show that white saviour perceptions do not affect actual donations, so read another way, suggests charities can safely replace highly white saviour images without losing donations for their causes.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. People don’t like a ‘white saviour’, but does it affect how they donate to charity? – https://theconversation.com/people-dont-like-a-white-saviour-but-does-it-affect-how-they-donate-to-charity-239307

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: World’s largest lego enlivens iconic ancient Chinese painting

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    The National Day Golden Week has seen a highlight, with tourists flocking to New Town Plaza in Sha Tin, the eastern New Territories, to see for themselves another new Guinness World Record.

    Here a long scroll of the “Along the River During the Qingming Festival,” an iconic painting of Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126), unfolded and has been on display, ingeniously constructed straight from lego bricks.

    Covering 47 square meters, the world’s largest lego exhibit, shown from Sept. 25 through Oct. 31, has been the latest weekend and holiday hotspot, delicately piecing together a marvellous world where the old and the new converge.

    For viewers, the exhibit is impressive in a way that it blends two vastly different cultural representatives from the East and the West: a masterpiece of ancient Chinese painting and a classic toy igniting childhood memories of westerners.

    “We rolled out this exhibit mainly to promote traditional Chinese culture through creative events, in a way that is more relaxed, entertaining and appealing to young people,” said Tania Wan, deputy general manager of Personal Banking and Wealth Management with Bank of China (Hong Kong), which initiated the program.

    As people walk along the 26-meter-long and three-dimensional diorama made from up to 3 million lego bricks, they can picture themselves in bustling streets centuries ago, where vendors were selling melons and kids were playing hide and seek.

    “There were myriad depictions of people in all walks of life going about their daily activities and no two objects are identical,” Hong Kong local surnamed Chung told Xinhua. “Everything seemed to be brought to life within seconds.”

    Pointing at a two-storey building with a front door decorated with colorful ribbons, Li Chun-tung, an art lecturer at the University of Hong Kong, said, “This was one of the busiest restaurant then, with decorations typical of taverns and bars in Nothern Song Dynasty. It was among many buildings and structures that were vividly restored in this model.”

    The lego diorama recaptures many details of life over centuries ago, much the same as those depicted in the painting. There were various trades including a joss stick shop, barber, fortune teller and medical clinic, and larger businesses such as teahouses, restaurants, taverns, butchers, and hawkers, as well as different means of transportation like sedan chairs, wagons, donkeys, horses and camels.

    However, program executive and lego certified professional Andy Hung was far from being satisfied. With over 10 years of coordinator and creator of lego exhibitions, the veteran admitted there were still details unrestored due to the limitation of lego in displaying human figures.

    For Hung, it was by no means an easy job, with five months spent on sorting out blueprint. Hung has polished lego solutions, consulted historians and architects, in addition to inspirations from archives.

    “Every project is new to me, because every time I face a different scene, a different architecture, and a different culture. And recreating those through lego is a challenge,” Hung said.

    In his studio in Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon, among items on display were fun lego recreations stemming from traditional Chinese culture, including the Forbidden City, Peking Opera facial masks, Suzhou double-sided embroidered fans, the Terracotta Warriors and the Yellow Crane Tower.

    “Young people in Hong Kong are very interested in recreating traditional Chinese cultural works with lego. This time, we invited many young people and students from Hong Kong for the item, and they were very passionate,” Hung said.

    “I am simply demonstrating traditional culture with my works, and let ingenious toys tell traditional culture,” Hung said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Price scale for emission allowances as a tool for European competitiveness on the global market – E-001860/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001860/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE)

    The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) requires polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions. The price of emission allowances is a key parameter of the entire system. If it is too low, the polluter can buy the necessary allowances cheaply, and the principle of paying an appropriate price for pollution caused remains unfulfilled[1]. The issue nowadays is, firstly, that European industries and power plants pay twice as much per tonne of emissions as businesses in California and ten times as much as emitters in China, which makes them uncompetitive[2]. Secondly, the price of the permit cannot be estimated in advance.[3]

    • 1.How will the Commission help to set a reasonable scale of minimum and maximum prices for these allowances to help support the European economy’s competitiveness on the global market?
    • 2.In what other ways will the Commission help European businesses so that efforts to reduce emissions will not lead to them being forced to shut down?
    • 3.Is the Commission devoted to delivering a transparent and predictable overview of future price developments for emission allowances?

    Submitted: 27.9.2024

    • [1] https://faktaoklimatu.cz/explainery/emisni-povolenky-ets
    • [2] https://ekonomickydenik.cz/knotek-ceny-emisnich-povolenek-by-se-mely-zastropovat/
    • [3] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1322214/carbon-prices-european-union-emission-trading-scheme/
    Last updated: 3 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Unequal treatment of non-resident and resident workers as regards the possibility to telework – E-001836/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001836/2024
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Pascal Arimont (PPE)

    In accordance with its service agreement, a German health insurance fund with an office near the German-Belgian border allows all its employees, upon request, to telework part-time on a regular basis – provided that they meet certain criteria, which include residing in Germany.

    As the health insurance fund only allows regular part-time teleworking from homes in Germany, one employee, a cross-border worker who is a Belgian national and resident, has had her teleworking request denied.

    Although, as the employer, the health insurance fund acknowledges this unequal treatment of its employees, it justifies its decision by saying that the burden of the red tape and checks involved in connection with the possibly applicable legal provisions in force abroad – as well as the associated costs – would be disproportionate to the potentially small number of teleworking employees residing abroad.

    • 1.Is this form of discrimination between resident and non-resident workers compatible with the principle of equal treatment in the workplace?
    • 2.In the Commission’s view, does such discrimination against the cross-border workers of a health insurance fund constitute indirect discrimination on the grounds of nationality by that fund as the employer, given that cross-border workers are usually not from the local area?

    Submitted: 26.9.2024

    Last updated: 3 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Merkley, Wyden: $1 Million Federal Investment Will Build Resiliency to Wildfires, Smoke in Lane County

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore)
    October 03, 2024
    Washington, D.C. – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced today that 
    $997,622 is coming to Lane County to build resiliency in the face of climate chaos-fueled wildfires and smoke. This funding under the historic Inflation Reduction Act—the largest investment in climate action in history—will help improve air quality and mitigate the harms of wildfire smoke for Lane County residents, protecting public health and frontline communities disproportionately at risk of these fires.
    “When hazardous wildfire smoke blankets our communities, it threatens our health, lives, and livelihoods,” Merkley said. “A record amount of acreage in Oregon has burned by wildfires this year, and we must make sure Oregonians have access to the necessary resources to help respond to the dangerous smoke these fires produced. This money will help protect our communities, and I’ll keep fighting for smart investments like this to tackle wildfires and smoke throughout our state.”
    “Wildfires increasingly threaten lives and communities in our beautiful state each year as the climate crisis continues to worsen,” Wyden said. “This federal funding is a perfect example of what I fought for in the Inflation Reduction Act. I applaud this federal investment to Lane County, and will continue to push for more resources to help reduce the risk of wildfires throughout Oregon.”
    This grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will go toward the following specific strategies and activities:
    Home hardening and smoke-proofing homes with wildfire and smoke vulnerabilities;
    Implementing a community-developed Smoke Community Response Plan; 
    Hiring a wood waste program coordinator to extend the life of a firewood program that delivers seasoned firewood to underserved community members; 
    Identifying economically viable uses for local forest stock that can help with reducing forest fuel load; 
    Conducting a research assessment on wildfire smoke in rural Eastern Lane County focused on health and morbidity in relation to the limitation of prescribed fire in the Willamette National Forest; and 
    Publishing a lessons learned/best practices toolkit that encourages the implementation of similar programs in other regions.
    “We’re grateful for the EPA’s Environmental Justice grant award. This funding will support community-led efforts to protect vulnerable residents from smoke and wildfire hazards in Lane County and LRAPA developing a model for wildfire preparedness strategies to be utilized across the Pacific Northwest. We thank Senators Merkley and Wyden for their continued support and advocacy for environmental justice in our region,” said Travis Knudsen, Executive Director of the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján, Vasquez Welcome Infrastructure Law Investment in Southline Transmission Project in Southern New Mexico

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the co-founder and co-chair of the Electrification Caucus, U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.)  welcomed the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) announcement that its Grid Deployment Office (GDO) is investing $1.5 billion for five electric transmission projects— including the Southline Transmission Project in southern New Mexico.  
    The funding will come from the Grid Deployment Office’s (GDO) Transmission Facilitation Program (TFP), a revolving fund program established by the Infrastructure Law that Heinrich, Luján, and Democrats in the New Mexico Congressional Delegation championed into law. The TFP helps overcome the financial hurdles facing transmission development through a number of innovative financing mechanisms. 
    “The investments that we unlocked through our Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act are solidifying New Mexico’s leadership in building a cleaner, healthier, and more affordable energy future,” said Heinrich. “High-voltage transmission projects like Southline will be the backbone of our clean energy transition, delivering carbon-free power generated in New Mexico to market. They will also create high-quality careers that New Mexicans can build their families around, in their home communities. To get more transmission projects like Southline and SunZia built faster so we can connect more large-scale clean energy and storage projects onto the grid, it’s critical that Congress pass transmission permitting reform. I will continue pressing leaders from both parties to pass legislation to get that done.” 
    “Investing in transmission projects is critical to deliver reliable, affordable, clean energy to communities across New Mexico,” said Luján. “This investment in the second phase of the transformative Southline project will help boost our power grid, bring good-paying clean energy jobs to our state, and lower energy costs for New Mexicans and residents in the Southwest. I’m proud to have helped secure this federal investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and I will continue to unlock federal resources to advance clean energy projects across our state.” 
    “From my first day in office, I have worked to support generational projects like Southline that realize New Mexico’s potential to help power our clean energy future. This investment from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will connect high voltage transmission from Las Cruces through Hidalgo County, opening up incredible potential for renewable energy development in our district,” said Vasquez. “I will always work to bring transformational investments to our district that help provide good, high paying jobs for our rural communities.” 
    With this funding, Southline will construct the second phase of its project: a new 108-mile, 345 kV high-voltage alternating current line that will deliver 1,000 MW of new, bidirectional capacity between Hidalgo County, New Mexico and Las Cruces, New Mexico.  
    Heinrich previously welcomed DOE funding for the first phase of the Southline Project, which included a 175-mile, 748 MW transmission line from Hidalgo County, New Mexico, to Pima County, Arizona, that will help unlock renewable energy development in southern New Mexico and deliver diverse sources of clean energy to growing markets in Arizona. Southline Phase 2 will add much-needed transmission capacity across the American Southwest, which is grappling with extensive power demands driven by residential, commercial, and industrial activity. 
    In August, Heinrich, Luján, and Vasquez also welcomed $1.8 million from DOE for the City of Lordsburg. As a community hosting the Southline Transmission Project, the City will launch the Lordsburg Revitalization Project, a comprehensive investment to renovate downtown Lordsburg and bolster economic development; create opportunities for small businesses; and catalyze job growth. This grant was made possible through the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed by Democrats in the N.M. Delegation, and is funded through DOE’s Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grant Program, a new initiative designed to overcome state and local challenges to expanding transmission capacity while also supporting communities along major new and upgraded lines. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hagerty, Biggs, Colleagues Call Out DOJ for Refusing to Provide Answers on Prosecutions of Illegal Aliens Registering to Vote

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Tennessee Bill Hagerty
    Garland’s DOJ did not respond to initial letter demanding answers on prosecutions, as evidence of thousands of cases of illegal aliens registering to vote have emerged
    NASHVILLE, TN—United States Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), a member of the Senate Rules Committee, and Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) today led their colleagues in calling out U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) failure to prevent illegal aliens from registering to vote in American elections or prosecute those who evidently have done so.
    “We are deeply concerned by reports of non-citizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections,” the Members of Congress wrote. “As of today, there has been no response from you or your Department regarding the inquiry on July 12, 2024, seeking information on efforts undertaken by your Department to enforce laws prohibiting non-citizen voting.  Given that the 2024 Presidential Election is in less than 34 days, your Department’s inaction and refusal to provide any information regarding its efforts to promote public trust and confidence in our elections is especially alarming.”
    State officials across the country have recently taken steps to prevent, deter, and investigate cases of illegal voter registration by non-citizens, including in South Carolina, Georgia, Ohio, and Tennessee. Since the Members of Congress sent their initial letter, cases have emerged in the states of Virginia and Texas.
    “Clearly, there is a non-negligible amount of voter participation by non-citizens in federal elections, which is not only a serious threat to the integrity of our elections and the democratic process they represent, but also has the potential to reduce Americans’ trust and confidence in election results,” the Members of Congress continued.
    The members of Congress, once again, requested the following information by October 16, 2024:
    1.     Please provide the number of aliens who have been charged, tried, or convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 611 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
    2.     Please provide the number of aliens who been charged, tried, or convicted under 52 U.S.C. § 20511 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
    3.     Please provide the number of aliens who have been prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 911 since 2021, including the status of each case.
    4.     Please provide the number of referrals received from other government officials or the public in reference to the statutes cited in questions 1 through 3.
    5.     How does the Department of Justice investigate allegations received of non-citizen voting or voter registration?
    6.     What affirmative steps have the Department of Justice taken to detect, prevent, and deter illegal aliens and other non-citizens from registering and voting in federal elections?
    7.     What affirmative steps have the Department taken to obtain relevant information from the Department of Homeland Security on aliens who have registered or voted in elections?
    8.     What steps have been taken by U.S. Attorneys and the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division, which is responsible forprosecuting election crimes and assisting U.S. Attorneys in prosecuting election crimes, to obtain jury-related information that indicates aliens have unlawfully registered to vote?
    9.     As the 2024 election nears, what steps will the Department take to detect, investigate, and prosecute non-citizens who violate 18 U.S.C.§ 911, 52 U.S.C. § 20511, or 18 U.S.C. § 611 by voting or registering to vote in the 2024 election?
    10.  What steps have the Department taken to contact Virginia and Texas election officials to obtain information and the voter registration and voter history files on each of the aliens removed from the voter rolls who were unlawfully registered and voting in those states?
    Co-signers of the letter include Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Jim Risch (R-ID), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Steve Daines (R-MT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Tim Scott (R-SC), Marco Rubio (R-FL), John Thune (R-SD), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), John Barrasso (R-WY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Katie Britt (R-AL), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Mike Braun (R-IN), Ted Budd (R-NC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), along with Representatives Andy Harris (R-MD-01), Clay Higgins (R-LA-03), Gary Palmer (R-AL-06), Matt Rosendale (R-MT-02), Ralph Norman (R-SC-05), Eli Crane (R-AZ-02), Andy Ogles (R-TN-05), Aaron Bean (R-FL-04), Josh Brecheen (R-OK-02), Nancy Mace (R-SC-01), Bob Good (R-VA-05), Eric Burlison (R-MO-07), Mike Ezell (R-MS-04), Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03), Tom Tiffany (R-WI-07), Lauren Boebert (R-CO-03), Claudia Tenney (R-NY-24), Michael Guest (R-MS-03), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-01), Ben Cline (R-VA-06), Chip Roy (R-TX-21), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA-11), Mary Miller (R-IL-15), Paul Gosar (R-AZ-09), Lance Gooden (R-TX-05), Jeff Duncan (R-SC-03), Harriet Hageman (R-WY-01), Barry Moore (R-AL-02), Mike Collins (R-GA-10), Tim Burchett (R-TN-02), Greg Lopez (R-CO-04), Keith Self (R-TX-03), Brian Babin (R-TX-36), August Pfluger (R-TX-11), Alex Mooney (R-WV-02), Dusty Johnson (R-SD-01), Randy Weber (R-TX-14), Rich McCormick (R-GA-06), and Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01).
    A copy of the letter can be found here and below.
    Dear Attorney General Garland:
    We are deeply concerned by reports of non-citizens registering to vote and voting in federal elections. As of today, there has been no response from you or your Department regarding the inquiry on July 12, 2024, seeking information on efforts undertaken by your Department to enforce laws prohibiting non-citizen voting.  Given that the 2024 Presidential Election is in less than 34 days, your Department’s inaction and refusal to provide any information regarding its efforts to promote public trust and confidence in our elections is especially alarming.
    Since the initial letter, several more concerning reports have been released by state officials indicating that a large number of non-citizens appear on their voter rolls. For example, the Virginia Attorney General recently announced that 6,303 non-citizens were identified on and removed from Virginia’s voter rolls in 2022 and 2023. In another troubling report released in August, over 6,500 non-citizens registered to vote in Texas were identified and removed from voter rolls. Of the 6,500 non-citizens identified, 1,930 had a voter history.
    Clearly, there is a non-negligible amount of voter participation by non-citizens in federal elections, which is not only a serious threat to the integrity of our elections and the democratic process they represent, but also has the potential to reduce Americans’ trust and confidence in election results.
    Accordingly, we respectfully reiterate the July 12 request for information on your Department’s enforcement efforts.  The initial deadline for providing this information was July 26, 2024, so the response is now 9 weeks overdue.
    Please provide responses to the following no later than October 16, 2024:
    1.     Please provide the number of aliens who have been charged, tried, or convicted under 18 U.S.C. § 611 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
    2.     Please provide the number of aliens who been charged, tried, or convicted under 52 U.S.C. § 20511 since January 20, 2021, including the status of each case.
    3.     Please provide the number of aliens who have been prosecuted under 18 U.S.C. § 911 since 2021, including the status of each case.
    4.     Please provide the number of referrals received from other government officials or the public in reference to the statutes cited in questions 1 through 3.
    5.     How does the Department of Justice investigate allegations received of non-citizen voting or voter registration?
    6.     What affirmative steps have the Department of Justice taken to detect, prevent, and deter illegal aliens and other non-citizens from registering and voting in federal elections?
    7.     What affirmative steps have the Department taken to obtain relevant information from the Department of Homeland Security on aliens who have registered or voted in elections?
    8.     What steps have been taken by U.S. Attorneys and the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division, which is responsible forprosecuting election crimes and assisting U.S. Attorneys in prosecuting election crimes, to obtain jury-related information that indicates aliens have unlawfully registered to vote?
    9.     As the 2024 election nears, what steps will the Department take to detect, investigate, and prosecute non-citizens who violate 18 U.S.C.§ 911, 52 U.S.C. § 20511, or 18 U.S.C. § 611 by voting or registering to vote in the 2024 election?
    10.  What steps have the Department taken to contact Virginia and Texas election officials to obtain information and the voter registration and voter history files on each of the aliens removed from the voter rolls who were unlawfully registered and voting in those states?
    Thank you for your attention to this matter and we look forward to your prompt reply.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Heinrich, Luján Introduce Resolution Recognizing Latina Equal Pay Day

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-New Mexico)
    ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — To celebrate Latina Equal Pay Day today, U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced a Senate resolution recognizing October 3, 2024, as Latina Equal Pay Day.  
    More than 50 years after the passage of the Equal Pay Act of 1963, Latinas make up the second largest group of women workers in the U.S—yet they are paid 57 cents for every dollar paid to white men, losing over $1,200,000 in potential earnings over a 40 year career. This resolution recognizes the disparity in wages paid to Latina women and reaffirms support to ensure equal pay for equal work and close the gender pay gap.
    “From driving small business growth to leading labor movements, Latinas have grown and transformed our economy and workplaces for the better. On Latina Equal Pay Day, we honor their remarkable accomplishments and contributions, while recognizing the ongoing work needed to achieve equal pay for equal work,” said Heinrich. “This day and every day, I remain committed to fighting for a fair economy for all New Mexicans, raising the minimum wage, and expanding opportunities for a brighter future.”
    “Throughout history, Latinas have helped propel our economy and have long contributed to the fabric of America,” said Luján. “Despite their contributions to building our country, their pay has not been reflective of their work. Today, on Latina Equal Pay Day, I’m proud to partner with Senator Heinrich to introduce this resolution to recognize the contributions of Latinas and highlight the ongoing fight for equal pay for equal work. I will continue to fight for workers across New Mexico and the country to secure equal pay for equal work and close the gender pay gap once and for all.”
    The resolution is led by U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.). Alongside Heinrich and Luján, the resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)., Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Illi.), Amy Klobuchar (D-M.N.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), George Helmy (D-N.J.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.). The companion resolution is led in the House by U.S. Representative Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.).

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: CRTC moves to deploy fibre optic internet in 16 rural Manitoba communities

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC has committed more than $8 million to Westman Communications Group to build approximately 310 kilometres of fibre transport infrastructure. The projects will improve access to reliable, high-quality Internet services.

    October 3, 2024 — Ottawa-Gatineau – Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

    The CRTC is taking steps to provide 16 rural Manitoba communities with access to high-speed fibre optic Internet.

    In 2019, the CRTC implemented the Broadband Fund to help connect rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada. To date, the Fund has helped improve high-speed Internet and cell phone services in 270 communities, connecting essential facilities such as schools, health centres and community centres.

    Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC has committed more than $8 million to Westman Communications Group to build approximately 310 kilometres of fibre transport infrastructure. The projects will improve access to reliable, high-quality Internet services.

    These projects received support from affected communities. Letters of support highlighted the positive impacts the projects had on daily life in these areas, such as improving public safety and promoting commercial and industrial development.

    The CRTC continues to assess applications received under the Broadband Fund and will make further funding announcements in the coming months.

    Quote

    “We are taking action to ensure that all Canadians have access to high-speed Internet services. The projects announced today will bring fibre optic Internet services to 16 rural communities in Manitoba. They will improve access to health care and other government services, support small businesses and create new economic opportunities.”

    – Vicky Eatrides, CRTC Chair and CEO

    Quick Facts

    The CRTC is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates Canada’s communications sector in the public interest. It holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record. To date, the CRTC Broadband Fund has supported projects that will connect more than 47,000 households, improve cellphone service along more than 630 kilometres of major highways, and build more than 4,900 kilometres of fibre optics in communities. In March 2023, the CRTC launched a public consultation to enhance the Broadband Fund. It will initiate a process to create an Indigenous component of the Fund.

    Related links

    Media RelationsEmail Address: media@crtc.gc.caPhone: 819-997-9403

    General InquiriesTelephone: 819-997-0313Toll-free: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782)Teletypewriter: 819-994-0423

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-Evening Report: What are the greatest upsets in NRL grand final history?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Wayne Peake, Adjunct research fellow, School of Humanities and Communication Arts, Western Sydney University

    The Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm will contest the National Rugby League (NRL) grand final on Sunday.

    Betting markets have them pretty much equal favourites. However, history shows grand finals don’t always go to plan.

    But what are the biggest upsets in NRL grand final history?

    Using a combination of formlines during the season and in finals, betting odds, media coverage and past performances, here are some of the most outlandish upsets in rugby league’s history.

    1944: Balmain 12, Newtown 8

    In 1944, Newtown was the minor premier while Balmain was second.

    Newtown entered the finals series as hot favourite and looked even hotter after destroying third-placed St George 55–7 in the first semi-final.

    However, in the final, Balmain won 19–6. That wasn’t the end of the story, though.

    Under the rules of the day, Newtown, as minor premier, could seek a rematch in a grand final “challenge”.

    Newton fielded a much stronger side and most expected it to reverse the final result. However, Balmain won again, 12–8.

    1952: Western Suburbs 22, South Sydney 12

    In 1952, Wests were minor premiers, while Souths finished third.

    Souths won the first semi-final 18–10 but Wests, as minor premiers, went straight to the grand final challenge three weeks later anyway. Meanwhile, Souths beat North Sydney to advance.

    According to the Sydney Truth, Wests were “regarded in some quarters as rank outsiders”.

    Then, rumours spread that Wests had “thrown” the first game and the referee assigned to the decider, George Bishop, had placed £400 on them, causing their price to shorten.

    Bishop sent off a player from each team ten minutes into the second half. Souths scored a try with 20 minutes to go to take the lead before Wests scored four tries in the last ten minutes to win.

    Bishop retired after the grand final.

    1963: St George 8, Western Suburbs 3

    In 1963, St George was minor premiers, while Wests were second. However, Wests, which had lost the previous two grand finals to St George, had beaten them twice in the regular rounds and again in the major semi-final, and went into the game favourite.

    On grand final day, the field deteriorated into a quagmire and led to the famous post-match “gladiators” photograph of captains Arthur Summons and Norm Provan shaking hands while coated in mud.

    The foul conditions contributed to a low-scoring game, which St George won 8–3.

    Once more it was suspected the referee, this time Darcy Lawler, had a financial interest in the outcome. He, too, retired immediately.

    Today we view St George’s victory in the context of a huge winning streak of premierships from 1955 to 1966.

    1989: Canberra 19, Balmain 14

    South Sydney had been minor premiers while Balmain finished third, one point clear of Canberra.

    Balmain were generally considered to have been more impressive than Canberra and were favourites for the grand final.

    One media expert, Harry Craven, was so confident Balmain would win he had his “weatherboard” (house) on the Tigers.

    In the grand final, Balmain led 14-8 with 15 minutes to play before Canberra levelled at 14–14 with 90 seconds remaining.

    After 20 minutes of extra time, Canberra won 19–14 and became the first team to win from further back than third in the regular season.

    1995: Canterbury 17, Manly 4

    Possibly the hottest grand final favourites of the past half-century, Manly lost just two games in the regular season and shared the minor premiership with Canberra.

    Canterbury (officially, the “Sydney Bulldogs” in 1995) were sixth and needed to win four straight games to be premier.

    The two sides met once in the regular season, with Manly winning 26-0.

    In the grand final, the Bulldogs led 6–4 at half-time and disaster loomed when Terry Lamb was sin-binned early in the second term.

    Somehow, the Dogs held Manly out until his return, then gained the ascendancy and won comfortably.

    1997: Newcastle 22, Manly 16

    In 1997 we had the first season of the News Limited-funded “Super League”.

    The glamourous Manly side was once more expected to be easy winners over Newcastle, which was contesting its first grand final.

    Only two teams in 70 years had won at their first attempt, while Manly had won its past 11 matches against the Knights.

    The grand final followed its anticipated plot until Newcastle’s Robbie O’Davis evened the score at 16–16. Newcastle missed with two field goal attempts, but after the second, Darren Albert regathered the ball and pierced the Manly defence to score under the posts with six seconds remaining.

    In 1997, the Newcastle Knights secured a maiden title against the Manly Sea Eagles.

    1999: Melbourne 20, St George Illawarra 18

    Odds for the 1999 grand final are unknown but the press anointed St George “hot favourites” while Canterbury champion Ricky Stuart rated them “unbeatable”.

    Melbourne was in just its second year of NRL competition and had never beaten St George.

    Melbourne had pulled off “escapes” against Canterbury and Parramatta to make the decider but the Saints were winning with ease and even crushed Melbourne 34–10 in the qualifying final.

    In the decider, St George led 14–0 and was looking good. Then, in the 51st minute, Anthony Mundine kicked the ball to a vacant try line but fumbled it touching down.

    The Melbourne Storm shocked the NRL world when they won the 1999 grand final.

    Nevertheless, St George maintained an 18–6 advantage midway through the second half, before a Storm fightback.

    With minutes remaining, Melbourne received a penalty try which it converted to win the game.

    The biggest upset: 1969, Balmain 11, South Sydney 2

    Most agree the biggest grand final upset is Balmain’s 11-2 defeat of South Sydney in 1969.

    Bookies had Souths as heavy favourites – they had won the previous two grand finals, while Balmain was a young team lacking grand final experience.

    However, the form lines of the two teams were not dissimilar.

    At the end of the regular season, South Sydney was the minor premier with Balmain just one win behind them.

    Souths defeated Balmain by one point in the semi-final, and a week later, Balmain beat Manly by a point to scrape into the grand final.

    Despite South’s heavy favouritism, Balmain were not friendless. Of six “experts” whose opinion was sought by one newspaper on the morning of the game, two picked Balmain outright and another conceded them an even-money chance.

    It was perhaps the circumstances of the game, as much as the result, that has lent the 1969 grand final its legend status.

    Souths, noted for their attacking potency, were unable to score a try. Balmain scored a single try early in the second half but then several Balmain players set about disrupting the Souths attack by, allegedly, feigning injuries to give their teammates a breather.

    The game has since become known as the “sit-down grand final”.

    Wayne Peake 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. What are the greatest upsets in NRL grand final history? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-greatest-upsets-in-nrl-grand-final-history-239380

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: How we created a beautiful native wildflower meadow in the heart of the city using threatened grassland species

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katherine Horsfall, PhD Candidate, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne

    Matthew Stanton, CC BY-NC

    A city street may seem an unusual place to save species found in critically endangered grasslands. My new research, though, shows we can use plants from these ecosystems to create beautiful and biodiverse urban wildflower meadows. This means cities, too, can support nature repair.

    Species-rich grassy ecosystems are some of the most threatened plant communities on the planet. Occupying easily developed flat land, grassy ecosystems are routinely sacrificed as our cities expand.

    In south-east Australia, the volcanic plains that support Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs were once grasslands strewn with wildflowers, “resembling a nobleman’s park on a gigantic scale”, according to early explorer Thomas Mitchell. But these exceptionally diverse, critically endangered ecosystems have been reduced to less than 1% of their original area. The few remnants continue to be lost to urban development and weed invasion.

    A mix of the seeds used to create the meadow.
    Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC

    Unfortunately, efforts to restore the grasslands around Melbourne have had mixed results. In 2020 the City of Melbourne took matters into its own hands. Recognising it is possible to enrich the diversity of birds, bats and insects by providing low-growing native plants, the council set a goal to increase understorey plants by 20% on the land it manages.

    Creating a large native grassland in inner-city Royal Park would help achieve this goal. Adopting a technique used by wildflower meadow designers, we sowed a million seeds of more than two dozen species from endangered grasslands around Melbourne. All but one of these species established in the resulting native wildflower meadow.

    The recreated native wildflower meadow is close to an inner-city road.
    Matthew Stanton, CC BY-NC

    What were the challenges at this site?

    Existing restoration techniques remove nutrient-enriched topsoils full of weed seeds before sowing native seeds. The target plant community can then establish with less competition from nutrient-hungry weeds.

    However, this approach could not be used at the Royal Park site. Topsoil removal cannot be used on many urban sites where soils are contaminated or there are underground services. Alternative approaches are needed to reduce weed competition while minimising soil disturbance.

    I saw a possible answer in the horticultural approaches used to create designed wildflower meadows.

    Preparing the selected site in Royal Park by raking away mulch.
    Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC

    While still rare in Australia, designed wildflower meadows can increase the amenity and biodiversity of urban environments. They also reduce the costs of managing and mowing turf grass. These meadows are designed to be infrequently mown or burnt.

    Wildflower meadow designers typically use an international suite of species that can be established from seed and persist without fertiliser or regular irrigation. An abundance of flowers makes people more accepting of “messy” vegetation. Recognising this, designers select a mix of species that will flower for as much of the year as possible.

    Seed being spread by hand across the prepared area in April 2020.
    Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC

    To reduce competition from weeds, these meadows are often created on a layer of sand that covers the original site soils. The low-nutrient sand buries weed seeds and creates a sowing surface that resists weed invasion from the surrounding landscape.

    However, the grasslands around Melbourne grow on clay soils, not sand. Would these techniques work for plants from these ecosystems?

    A deep sand layer controls weeds and slugs

    To find out we sowed more than a million seeds on sites with two depths of sand (10mm and 80mm) and one without a sand layer in Royal Park. Within one year, 26 of the 27 species sown had established to form a dense, flowering meadow across all sand depths. These plants included three threatened species.

    The hoary sunray, Leucochrysum albicans subsp. tricolor, is one of the endangered species in the native wildflower meadow.
    Marc Freestone/Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, CC BY-NC-SA

    Crucially, the deepest sand layer reduced weed numbers and therefore time spent weeding.

    Interestingly, slugs played a role in determining the diversity of the native meadow. South-east Australia’s grasslands have largely evolved without slugs. As a result, seedlings lack chemical or physical defences against grazing by slugs, which can greatly reduce species diversity in native meadows.

    Again, sand provided a real benefit. Fewer slugs occurred on the deepest sand layer compared to bare soil. The suggestion that sand can deter slugs is consistent with meadow research in Europe.

    By September 2020, seedlings are growing on the prepared plots. The roof tile in the foreground is for monitoring slug numbers.
    Hui-Anne Tan, CC BY-NC

    Now to repair nature in all our cities

    Our research gives us another technique to reinstate critically endangered plant communities. We can use it to bring nature back to city parks and streets.

    Working in urban contexts also unlocks other advantages. There’s ready access to irrigation while the meadow gets established and to communities keen to care for natural landscapes. Creating native wildflower meadows in cities also helps native animals survive, including threatened species that call our cities home.

    People will be able to engage with beautiful native plants that are now rare in cities. Enriching our experience of nature can enhance our health and wellbeing.

    The meadow’s plant community was established by November 2020, six months after sowing.
    David Hannah, CC BY-NC

    My colleagues and I trialled these approaches with the support of the City of Melbourne. We are continuing our research to improve the scale and sustainability of native wildflower meadows in other municipalities.

    Native wildflower meadows and grassland restoration projects could genuinely help Australia meet its commitment to restore 30% of degraded landscapes. But first we need to invest much more in seed production. Reinstating native species on degraded land requires a lot of seed.

    Once seed supply is more certain, we will be able to bring back native biodiversity and beauty to streets, parks and reserves across the country.

    I would like to acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the project took place, the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people of the Kulin Nations, and we pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. I also acknowledge my colleagues listed as co-authors on the research paper that formed the basis of this article: urban ecologists Nicholas S.G. Williams and Stephen Livesley, and seed ecologists Megan Hirst and John Delpratt.

    Katherine Horsfall received funding from the City of Melbourne to undertake this research and receives funding from the Australian Research Training Program.

    – ref. How we created a beautiful native wildflower meadow in the heart of the city using threatened grassland species – https://theconversation.com/how-we-created-a-beautiful-native-wildflower-meadow-in-the-heart-of-the-city-using-threatened-grassland-species-240332

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: From cheeky thrill to grande dame – the Moulin Rouge celebrates 135 years of scandal and success

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Will Visconti, Teacher and researcher, Art History, University of Sydney

    Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec At the Moulin Rouge – The Dance, 1890 Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec/Wikimedia Commons

    When the Moulin Rouge first opened on October 6 1889, it drew audiences from across classes and countries.

    The Moulin offered an array of fin-de-siècle (end-of-the-century) entertainments to Paris locals and visitors. Located in Montmartre, its name, the “red windmill”, alluded to Montmartre’s history as a rural idyll. The neighbourhood was also associated with artistic bohemia, crime, and revolutionary spirit. This setting added a certain thrill for bourgeois audiences.

    From irreverent newcomer to a French institution, the Moulin Rouge has survived scandal, an inferno and found new ways to connect with audiences.



    Read more:
    How the Eiffel Tower became silent cinema’s icon

    Red and electric

    In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was not the only red landmark to open in Paris. The Eiffel Tower, built as part of the Universal Exhibition and originally painted red, had opened earlier that same year. What set them apart, however, was their popularity.

    The Moulin Rouge was an instant hit, capitalising on the global popularity of a dance called the cancan. Dancers like Moulin Rouge headliner La Goulue (“The Glutton”, real name Louise Weber) were seen as more appropriate emblems for the city than the Tower, which many considered an eyesore.

    In an illustration from Le Courrier Français newspaper, a dancer modelled on a photograph of La Goulue holds her leg aloft, flashing her underwear with the caption “Greetings to the provinces and abroad!”.

    Every aspect of the Moulin spoke to the zeitgeist, from its design to the performances, the use of electric lights that adorned its façade, and its advertising.

    Its managers, the impresario team of Joseph Oller and Charles Harold Zidler, had a string of successful venues and businesses to their names. They recognised the importance of modern marketing, using print media, publicity photographs, and posters to spark public interest.

    Among the most iconic images of the Moulin is Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1891 poster. At its centre is La Goulue, kicking her legs amid swirling petticoats.

    Henri Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1891 poster.
    Shutterstock

    She certainly can cancan

    Found primarily in working-class dance halls from as early as the 1820s, the cancan became a staple of popular entertainment the world over.

    Part of the dance’s thrill lay in the dancers’ freedom of movement and titillation of spectators, as well as its anti-establishment energy. Women used the cancan to thumb their nose at authority via steps like the coup de cul (“arse flash”) or coup du chapeau (removing men’s hats with a high kick).

    The cancan was not the only attraction at the Moulin. There were themed spaces, sideshows, and variety performances ranging from belly dancers and conjoined twins to Le Pétomane (“The Fartomaniac”) who was a flatulist and the highest-paid performer. People watching was equally popular.

    Famous farter, Le Pétomane (Joseph Pujol).
    Wikimedia Commons

    Scandals, riots, and royalty

    Over the years, the Moulin has been no stranger to controversy.

    In its early years, it cultivated an air of misbehaviour and featured in pleasure guides for visiting sex tourists.

    In 1893 it hosted the Bal des Quat’z’Arts (Four-Arts Ball) held by students from local studios. Accusations of public indecency were made against the models and dancers in attendance, and violent protests followed after the women were arrested.

    In 1907 the writer Colette appeared onstage at the Moulin in an Egyptian-inspired pantomime with her then-lover, Missy, the Marquise de Belbeuf. When the act culminated in a passionate kiss, a riot broke out.

    Historical footage shows the Moulin Rouge as it was.

    Kicking on and on

    Over time, the Moulin Rouge shows changed their format to keep pace with public taste, though the cancan remained. The venue hosted revues and operettas, and various stars including Edith Piaf, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and Liza Minnelli.

    Famous guests have included British royalty: from Edward VII (while Prince of Wales) to his great-granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, and her son, Prince Edward.

    Since its opening, the Moulin’s fortunes have waxed and waned.

    In 1915 the Moulin Rouge burned down but was rebuilt in 1921. Its famous windmill sails fell off overnight earlier this year but were swiftly repaired.

    In the 1930s, it survived the Depression and rise of cinema (also capturing the attention of several filmakers). It also survived the Nazi occupation of Paris in the 1940s.

    By the early 1960s, Jacki Clerico was managing the Moulin’s show after his father had revamped the venue as a dinner theatre destination. The younger Clérico oversaw additions like a giant aquarium where dancers swam with snakes, and its now-famous “nude line” – a chorus of topless dancers – in its shows.

    In 1963, the Moulin Rouge struck upon a winning formula: revues, all named by Clérico with titles beginning with the letter “F” – from Frou Frou to Fantastique and Formidable. Since 1999, the revue Féerie (“Fairy”, also a French genre of stage extravaganza) has been performed almost without interruption.

    The Moulin Rouge or ‘red mill’ today, with its famous windmill.
    Rafa Barcelos/Shutterstock

    Ticket sales were boosted thanks to Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film Moulin Rouge! and more recently Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

    Since COVID, the Moulin Rouge management have diversified. The windmill’s interior has been rented out via AirBnB and the Moulin’s dance troupe has performed on France’s televised New Year’s Eve celebrations. This year, the Moulin Rouge and its dancers were part of the Paris Olympics celebrations, dancing in heavy rain.

    Though people have come to appreciate the Eiffel Tower too, the Moulin Rouge can still argue its status as the pinnacle of live entertainment in the French capital: immediately recognisable, internationally visible, and quintessentially Parisian.

    Will Visconti is the author of Beyond the Moulin Rouge: The Life & Legacy of La Goulue (2022), published by the University of Virginia Press.

    – ref. From cheeky thrill to grande dame – the Moulin Rouge celebrates 135 years of scandal and success – https://theconversation.com/from-cheeky-thrill-to-grande-dame-the-moulin-rouge-celebrates-135-years-of-scandal-and-success-239849

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $7.4 MILLION FOR ROCKLAND COUNTY TO REMOVE LEAD PAINT HAZARDS FROM AGING HOMES, SAYS INVESTMENT WILL PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF HUDSON VALLEY CHILDREN FROM TOXIC…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    U.S. Department Of Housing And Urban Development’s Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program Provides Federal Funding To Rid Homes And Communities Of Lead Hazards
    Schumer Has Long Fought To Get The Lead Out Of NYS – Securing Millions In Fed $$ To Remove Lead Hazards From Homes – And Latest Investment Will Boost Efforts Even Further To Rid Homes Of Toxic Lead Paint
    Schumer: Federal Funding To Remove Lead Hazards Is A Shot In The Arm To Protect Rockland’s Children And Public Health
    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer today announced $7,400,000 in federal funding for Rockland County from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. Schumer explained that the funding will be used to address lead-based paint hazards, improving the health of children and families across New York State.
    “No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for children in Rockland County. I am proud to secure $7.4 million to help Rockland County & the Village of Pomona remove lead paint from homes to protect our children and public health,” said Senator Schumer. “Lead poisoning is an irreversible, preventable tragedy that robs many families and children of their future. This major federal funding is the shot in the arm the Hudson Valley needs accelerate lead paint removal and prevention and protect the health and safety of families in Rockland County.”
    This funding builds on years of efforts by Schumer to help address toxic lead exposure across Upstate NY. Schumer has long been a driving force in securing federal funding to reduce lead exposure in New York. In addition to fighting lead exposure in paint, Schumer has also led the charge to increase federal funding to eliminate lead service pipes for drinking water in New York. The senator secured one of the largest federal investments ever into eliminating lead service pipes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, which includes a $15 billion carve-out within the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) over 5 years ($3 billion every year) for lead service pipe replacement.
    According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect children’s developing nerves and brains. Lead-based paint, still encasing the walls of many homes, often erodes and settles on children’s toys on the floor, eventually falling into the hands and mouths of children. For children under the age of 6, lead exposure can result in developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues, which may lead to lifelong health and financial consequences. Schumer has long advocated for protecting New York’s children and families in the past by securing millions of dollars in federal funding to eradicate these toxic elements from homes in order to reduce lead poisoning cases. Lead poisoning can cause developmental difficulties, physical pain, and neurological damage.
    The purpose of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program is to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned housing for rental or owner-occupants. These grants are used to assist municipalities in carrying out lead hazard control activities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES $22+ MILLION FOR FOUR UPSTATE NY COMMUNITIES TO REMOVE LEAD PAINT HAZARDS FROM AGING HOMES; SENATOR SAYS INVESTMENT WILL PROTECT THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF NY’S CHILDREN FROM TOXIC…

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    Fed Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program Will Boost Albany, Schenectady, Onondaga, and Chautauqua County To Help Rid Homes And Communities Of Lead Hazards
    Schumer Has Long Fought To Get The Lead Out Of Upstate NY – Securing Millions In Fed $$ To Remove Lead Hazards From Homes – And Latest Investment Will Boost Efforts Even Further To Rid Homes Across Upstate NY Of Toxic Lead Paint
    Schumer: Fed $$$ Is A Shot In The Arm To Protect Upstate NY’s Children And Public Health
    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced $22,467,061 in federal funding for four cities from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program. Schumer explained that the funding will be used to address lead-based paint hazards, improving the health of children and families across Upstate NY in Onondaga, Albany, Schenectady, and Chautauqua Counties.
    “No amount of toxic lead exposure is safe for children in Upstate NY. Today I am proud to deliver $22+ million for communities from the Capital Region to Central NY to Western NY to remove lead paint from homes to protect our children and public health,” said Senator Schumer. “Lead poisoning is an irreversible, preventable tragedy that robs many families and children of their future. This major federal funding is the shot in the arm that these regions need to boost lead paint removal and prevention and protect the health and safety of families across Upstate NY.”
    A full list of awards can be found below:

    Organization Name

    Community

    County

    Federal Funding

    Albany Community Development Agency

    Albany

    Albany

    $5,000,000.00

    City of Schenectady

    Schenectady

    Schenectady

    $3,967,061.00

    Onondaga County Community Development

    Syracuse

    Onondaga

    $7,750,000.00

    Chautauqua County

    Mayville

    Chautauqua

    $5,750,000.00

    This funding builds on years of efforts by Schumer to help address toxic lead exposure across Upstate NY. Most recently in 2023, Schumer helped secure $6.3 million in federal funding for Broome County, nearly $4 million for Utica, and $3.3 million for Niagara County through the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program to bolster ongoing efforts.
    Schumer has long been a driving force in securing federal funding to reduce lead exposure in New York. In addition to fighting lead exposure in paint, Schumer has also led the charge to increase federal funding to eliminate lead service pipes for drinking water in New York. The senator secured one of the largest federal investments ever into eliminating lead service pipes in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, which includes a $15 billion carve-out within the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) over 5 years ($3 billion every year) for lead service pipe replacement.
    According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), lead is much more harmful to children than adults because it can affect children’s developing nerves and brains. Lead-based paint, still encasing the walls of many homes, often erodes and settles on children’s toys on the floor, eventually falling into the hands and mouths of children. For children under the age of 6, lead exposure can result in developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral issues, which may lead to lifelong health and financial consequences. Schumer has long advocated for protecting New York’s children and families in the past by securing millions of dollars in federal funding to eradicate these toxic elements from homes in order to reduce lead poisoning cases. Lead poisoning can cause developmental difficulties, physical pain, and neurological damage.
    The purpose of the Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Program is to identify and control lead-based paint hazards in eligible privately-owned housing for rental or owner-occupants. These grants are used to assist municipalities in carrying out lead hazard control activities.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cotton to Werfel: Partisan Voter Registration Drives Violate Federal Law

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353 October 3, 2024 
    Cotton to Werfel: Partisan Voter Registration Drives Violate Federal Law
    Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today wrote a letter to the Internal Revenue Service Commissioner, Danny Werfel urging an investigation into the Voter Participation Center’s alleged partisan activities. This charity is targeting likely Democrat voters while excluding likely Republican voters through its voter-registration ads on social media. The IRS prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from conducting partisan voter-education or voter-registration activities.
    In part, Senator Cotton wrote:
    “According to the Washington Free Beacon, the Voter Participation Center is targeting likely Democrat voters and excluding likely Republican voters through its voter-registration ads on social media. The Voter Participation Center has instructed Facebook to exclude users from seeing ads if they expressed interest in ‘John Wayne,’ ‘Redneck Mud Club,’ ‘Daytona 500,’ ‘Duck Dynasty,’ and other topics associated with conservatives. On the other hand, the group instructed Facebook to target users interested in ‘hot yoga,’ ‘Charli XCX’ (who is closely associated with Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign), ‘Pitchfork Media,’ and other topics that tend to interest progressives.”
    Full text of the letter may be found here and below.
    October 3, 2024
    The Honorable Danny Werfel
    Commissioner
    Internal Revenue Service
    1111 Constitution Avenue, Northwest
    Washington, DC 20224
    Dear Commissioner Werfel,
    I write regarding a tax-exempt charity that may be violating federal law. The Voter Participation Center is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that reportedly engages in partisan voter-registration drives.
    The IRS prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from conducting partisan voter-education or voter -registration activities. The IRS states that a 501(c)(3) organization may only conduct voter-registration drives “if they are conducted in a neutral, non-partisan manner.” It further warns that a private foundation is subject to a tax if it uses funds for partisan voter-registration drives.
    According to the Washington Free Beacon, the Voter Participation Center is targeting likely Democrat voters and excluding likely Republican voters through its voter-registration ads on social media. The Voter Participation Center has instructed Facebook to exclude users from seeing ads if they expressed interest in “John Wayne,” “Redneck Mud Club,” “Daytona 500,” “Duck Dynasty,” and other topics associated with conservatives. On the other hand, the group instructed Facebook to target users interested in “hot yoga,” “Charli XCX” (who is closely associated with Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign), “Pitchfork Media,” and other topics that tend to interest progressives.
    The Voter Participation Center has spent over a million dollars on this ad drive. It has also paid over $50 million to Democrat micro-targeting firms. According to 26 U.S. Code § 4945(d)(2), these partisan expenditures must be taxed.
    The IRS should immediately open an investigation into this organization.
    Sincerely,
    Tom Cotton
    U.S. Senator 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: BNZ offers support for Otago customers affected by severe rainfall  

    Source: BNZ statements

    BNZ is offering an assistance package to customers affected by severe rainfall in the Otago region.  

    Available immediately, the assistance package includes:  

    • Ability to review home lending facilities on a case-by-case basis. 
    • Access to temporary personal overdrafts to support customers who require access to funds urgently while they await insurance pay-outs. Standard interest rates and credit criteria applies. 
    • Access to temporary overdrafts of up to $10,000 with no application fee for Small Business customers. Standard interest rates and credit criteria applies. 
    • Access to temporary overdrafts for Agri, Business, and Commercial customers up to $100,000, with no application fee. Standard interest rates and credit criteria applies. 

    “We understand the challenges that can be posed to households, businesses and communities as a result of severe weather events,” says Anna Flower, BNZ Executive Personal and Business Banking. 

    “We’ve put together a range of practical support options to help ease some of the immediate financial pressure our customers might be facing. 

    “We also have a range of other options available, especially for customers who are facing hardship, so I encourage people to get in touch so we can see how we can help,” says Flower. 

    To discuss support options, business and agribusiness customers should reach out to their BNZ Partner. Small business owners can call 0800 BNZSME, while personal banking customers can access support through BNZ’s digital platforms or by calling 0800 ASKBNZ. 

    BNZ PremierCare Insurance customers who need assistance can call IAG NZ on 0800 248 888 or submit an online claim https://iagnz.custhelp.com/app/bnz  

    With local authorities in Otago, including Civil Defence, advising locals to avoid any unnecessary travel, BNZ is temporarily closing its Dunedin branches and Partner Centre. 

    “It’s important that our customers and our BNZers stay safe. Our teams in Dunedin can work from home and our people who would normally be working in our branches will instead be available to support customers via telephone banking and they continue to do their banking online or through our BNZ app,” says Flower.  

    BNZ’s ATM network in the affected areas remains operational, ensuring customers have continued access to cash and basic banking services. 

    Customers can check whether their local BNZ branch is open here: http://www.bnz.co.nz/locations 

    The post BNZ offers support for Otago customers affected by severe rainfall   appeared first on BNZ Debrief.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Temporary Flexibilities in Place for Medicaid Beneficiaries Due to Hurricane Helene Devastation

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Temporary Flexibilities in Place for Medicaid Beneficiaries Due to Hurricane Helene Devastation

    Temporary Flexibilities in Place for Medicaid Beneficiaries Due to Hurricane Helene Devastation
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    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is working with state, federal and local partners to help North Carolinians impacted by Hurricane Helene access needed health care. Temporary changes to NC Medicaid will allow people to more easily refill prescriptions early, get medically necessary services, be admitted to a nursing home and more.

    “This storm has been catastrophic for so many people in our state. We are committed to using every tool we have to help people and communities survive and recover,” said NC Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley.

    Flexibilities are active from Sept. 26, 2024, through Oct. 15, 2024, and are intended to:

    • Ensure people can get their medicine. People covered by NC Medicaid will be able to fill their prescriptions early, including people who have temporarily relocated out of state due to the emergency. 
    • Ensure children with complex medical needs and adults with disabilities or serious health conditions are safe. Case managers are implementing required disaster plans for Community Alternatives Program for Children and Community Alternatives Program for Disabled Adults. 
    • Make it easier for health care providers to participate in Medicaid as part of disaster relief. To ensure there are medical professionals on the ground, health care providers can apply to be a NC Medicaid provider through a temporary, expedited process.
    • Ensure people get medically necessary services. NC Medicaid providers will not need to get prior authorization for medically necessary drugs, equipment and supplies provided during the Hurricane Helene emergency. People covered by NC Medicaid who have temporarily relocated out of state due to the emergency will be reimbursed for medically necessary services.
    • Maintain support for people with traumatic brain injury or intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. When direct support is not available due to the emergency, relatives may provide Community Living and Supports, Supported Employment and Supported Living. People who have temporarily relocated out of state due to the emergency may receive Innovations Waiver services without prior authorization, including respite. And NC Medicaid will cover the replacement or repair of homes or vehicle modifications damaged by Hurricane Helene.
    • Help hospitalized patients have continuity of care. Hospitals in affected counties that participate in Medicare and are approved to provide post-hospital skilled nursing facility care can do so for patients who no longer need acute care. They can provide this care for patients that are unable to find placement in skilled nursing facility.
    • Expedite the process for someone to be admitted to a nursing home. People covered by NC Medicaid who have been displaced due to the emergency will not need to have a Preadmission Screening and Resident Review.
    • Access private duty nursing. People covered by NC Medicaid will not need prior authorization for private duty nursing that is medically necessary. 

    Additional detail, including documentation requirements, is available in the NC Medicaid Bulletin issued on Oct. 1, 2024.

    There is no right or wrong way to feel in response to the trauma of a hurricane. If you have been impacted by the storm and need someone to talk to, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. Help is also available to anyone, anytime in English or Spanish through a call, text or chat to 988. Learn more at 988Lifeline.org.

    If you would like general information, access to resources, or answers to frequently asked questions, please visit ncdps.gov/helene and ncdhhs.gov/helene.

    If you are seeking information on resources for recovery help for a resident impacted from the storm, please email IArecovery@ncdps.gov.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte está trabajando con socios estatales, federales y locales para ayudar a los habitantes de Carolina del Norte afectados por el huracán Helene a acceder a la atención médica necesaria. Los cambios temporales en NC Medicaid permitirán que las personas vuelvan a surtir las recetas con mayor facilidad, obtengan los servicios médicos necesarios, sean ingresados en un hogar de ancianos y más.

    “Esta tormenta ha sido catastrófica para muchas personas en nuestro estado. Estamos comprometidos a utilizar todas las herramientas que tenemos para ayudar a las personas y las comunidades a sobrevivir y recuperarse”, dijo el Secretario de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte, Kody H. Kinsley.

    Las medidas de flexibilidad están activas a partir del 26 de septiembre de 2024, hasta el 15 de octubre de 2024, y están destinados a:

    • Garantizar que las personas puedan obtener sus medicamentos. Las personas cubiertas por NC Medicaid podrán surtir sus recetas antes de tiempo, incluidas las personas que se han reubicado temporalmente fuera del estado debido a la emergencia. 
    • Garantizar que los niños con necesidades médicas complejas y los adultos con discapacidades o problemas de salud graves estén seguros. Los administradores de casos están implementando los planes de desastres requeridos para el Programa de Alternativas Comunitarias para Niños y el Programa de Alternativas Comunitarias para Adultos Discapacitados.
    • Facilitar la participación de los proveedores de atención médica en Medicaid como parte del alivio de desastres. Para garantizar que haya profesionales médicos en el sitio, los proveedores de atención médica pueden solicitar ser proveedores de NC Medicaid a través de un proceso temporal y acelerado.
    • Garantizar que las personas reciban los servicios médicos necesarios. Los proveedores de Medicaid de Carolina del Norte no necesitarán obtener autorización previa para los medicamentos, equipos y suministros médicamente necesarios proporcionados durante la emergencia del huracán Helene.Las personas cubiertas por NC Medicaid que se hayan reubicado temporalmente fuera del estado debido a la emergencia recibirán un reembolso por los servicios médicamente necesarios.
    • Mantener el apoyo a las personas con lesión cerebral traumática o discapacidades intelectuales y/o del desarrollo. Cuando el apoyo directo no está disponible debido a la emergencia, los familiares pueden proporcionar Community Living and Supports, Supported Employment and Supported Living (apoyos comunitarios, apoyo en empleo y vivencia). Las personas que se han reubicado temporalmente fuera del estado debido a la emergencia pueden recibir servicios de Exención de Innovaciones (Innovations Waiver) sin autorización previa, incluso relevo. Y NC Medicaid cubrirá el reemplazo o la reparación de viviendas o modificaciones de vehículos dañados por el huracán Helene.
    • Ayudar a los pacientes ingresados en hospitales a tener continuidad de atención médica. Los hospitales en los condados afectados que participan en Medicare y están aprobados para brindar atención poshospitalaria en un centro de enfermería especializada pueden hacerlo para pacientes que ya no necesitan cuidados intensivos/agudos. Pueden proporcionar esta atención a pacientes que no pueden ser colocados en un centro de enfermería especializada.
    • Acelerar el proceso para que alguien sea ingresado en un asilo de ancianos. Las personas cubiertas por NC Medicaid que hayan sido desplazadas debido a la emergencia no necesitarán someterse a una evaluación previa a la admisión ni a una revisión de residentes.
    • Acceder a enfermería de servicio privado. Las personas cubiertas por NC Medicaid no necesitarán autorización previa para la enfermería de servicio privado que sea médicamente necesaria. 

    Los detalles adicionales, incluso los requisitos de documentación, están disponibles en el Boletín de NC Medicaid emitido el 1 de octubre de 2024.

    No hay una manera correcta o incorrecta de sentirse en respuesta al trauma de un huracán. Si la tormenta le ha afectado y necesita a alguien con quien hablar, llame o envíe un mensaje de texto a la Línea de Ayuda en Caso de Catástrofe al 1-800-985-5990. La ayuda también está disponible para cualquier persona, en cualquier momento en inglés o español a través de una llamada, mensaje de texto o chat al 988. Más información en linea988.org

    Si desea información general, acceso a recursos o respuestas a preguntas frecuentes, visite el sitio web: ncdps.gov/helene y ncdhhs.gov/helene.

    Si necesita información sobre recursos de ayuda para la recuperación para un residente afectado por la tormenta, envíe un correo electrónico a IArecovery@ncdps.gov.

    Oct 3, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Establishment of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People

    Source: Australian Ministers for Social Services

    Joint with:

    The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP
    Minister for Social Services
    Member for Kingston

    Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy
    Minister for Indigenous Australians
    Senator for the Northern Territory

    The Albanese Labor Government is committed to achieving better outcomes for First Nations children, young people and their families.

    An independent National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People will be officially operational from 13 January next year to progress this aim.

    The Commission has now been established as an Executive Agency under the Public Service Act 1999 with applications for the role of the National Commissioner to open this month.

    The National Commissioner will be dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights, interests and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people across a range of issues, including the over representation of Indigenous children in out-of-home care.

    The Commissioner, a First Nations person, will champion First Nations children’s strengths, sense of hope and ideas for change.

    They will work directly with First Nations children and young people and listen to and amplify their voices, needs and aspirations, along with the broader community.

    The Commissioner will also work with groups such as the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group, other First Nations leaders, state and territory Children’s Commissioners, Guardians and Advocates, as well as the National Children’s Commissioner and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner.

    Policy advice will then be provided from the Commissioner to governments to assist in the implementation of key policy frameworks and coordination.

    Indigenous children are almost eleven times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Indigenous children and 29 times more likely to be in youth detention.

    Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth emphasised that the Commission and Commissioner will highlight how systemic change should be inspired and led by First Nations people.

    “This is a historic milestone, and one which demonstrates our commitment to shared decision-making through the establishment of a legislated, independent and empowered National Commissioner,” Minister Rishworth said.

    “The National Commissioner will work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities, commissioners, guardians, advocates, and other stakeholders to provide expert advice on the development and delivery of policies, programs and services to ensure they meet the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.”

    Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator Malarndirri McCarthy said the Commission and Commissioner will be an important part of the Commonwealth’s strategy to Closing the Gap on outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

    “The over-representation of young people in out-of-home care and youth detention is unacceptable. The National Commissioner will focus on working with First Nations people and organisations on evidence-based programs and policies to turn those figures around,” Minister McCarthy said.

    “The National Commissioner will be informed by the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people, whose voices deserve to be heard. Their strengths, sense of hope and new ideas will drive systemic change.”

    Chair of the Safe and Supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group Catherine Liddle said the Leadership Group has been working with the Albanese Government to frame the National Commissioner’s roles and responsibilities. 

    “It has taken time to get to this point, but we have to get this role right. Our children deserve it,” Ms Liddle said.

    “Through shared decision-making processes we have been able to establish strong functions that reflect the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sector’s long-held ambition to have a National Commissioner with real authority.

    “This position will be a game-changer in tackling the over-representation of our young people in out-of-home care and youth detention.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: White  House Appoints 2024-2025 Class of White  House  Fellows

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    The President’s Commission on White House Fellows is pleased to announce the appointment of the 2024-2025 class of White House Fellows. Founded in 1964, the White House Fellows program offers exceptional young leaders first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the Federal government. Fellows spend a year working with senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking Administration officials, and leave the Administration equipped to serve as better leaders in their communities. Fellowships are awarded on a non-partisan basis.
    This year’s Fellows advanced through a highly competitive selection process, and they are a remarkably gifted, passionate, and accomplished group. These Fellows bring experience from across the country and from a broad cross-section of professions, including from the private sector, state government, academia, non-profits, medicine, and the armed forces.
    Applications for the 2025-2026 Fellowship year will be accepted starting November 1, 2024. The application link and additional information is available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/get-involved/fellows/.
    Class of 2024-2025 White House Fellows
    Patrick Branco is from Kailua, Hawai‘i, and is placed at the Department of the Navy. He has been the Director of External Affairs with Hawai‘i Green Growth, a United Nations (UN) hub catalyzing action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals for the Asia-Pacific region. Branco is the first from Hawai‘i to receive the Congressman Rangel International Affairs Fellowship, funding his master’s degree at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. He served at the State Department in Colombia, Pakistan, Venezuela and the Secretary of State’s Operations Center. In 2020, he was elected to the Hawai‘i State House of Representatives. Branco currently serves as a U.S. Navy officer reservist and is proficient in Spanish, Korean, and Hawaiian.
    Nicholas Dockery is from Indianapolis, Indiana, and is placed at the Office of the First Lady: Joining Forces Initiative. With a distinguished career in the Infantry and Special Operations Community, Nick has deployed to numerous combat zones and operational areas worldwide. For bravery and wounds in combat, Nick was awarded two Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts. His military experience is complemented by his academic and advisory roles; he served as a research fellow at the Modern War Institute and as an advisor to the Military Times Charitable Foundation. Nick has received the West Point Nininger Award for Valor at Arms, the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, and the title of 2022 Soldier of the Year. An advocate for equine therapy, Nick passionately supports its use in helping veterans cope with PTSD. Nick holds a Master of Public Policy from Yale University and a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
    Tawny Holmes Hlibok, Esq. is from West Palm Beach, Florida, and is placed at the Domestic Policy Council. As a third-generation Deaf person and attorney, she is a dedicated advocate for deaf children’s education rights and language equity including access to sign languages. Tawny is a tenured associate professor in Deaf Studies at the world’s only university for the Deaf, Gallaudet University, where she recently won $3.75 million funding to lead a national implementation and change center for early intervention with deaf babies and their families in partnership with HRSA and NICHQ. She also serves as the executive director of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf.
    DeAnna Hoskins is from Cincinnati, Ohio, and is placed at the Department of the Army. She has served as President/CEO of JustLeadershipUSA (JLUSA), a national nonprofit that empowers people directly impacted by the criminal justice system. DeAnna is a nationally- recognized advocate and policy expert who has shifted the national narrative on the disparities and limitations of having a criminal background. She has served as Senior Policy Advisor and as Deputy Director of the Federal Interagency Reentry Council at the U.S. Department of Justice. DeAnna was also the founding Director of Reentry for Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners in Ohio.
    Michael Kennedy is from Morehead City, North Carolina, and is placed at the United States Coast Guard. As a nurse practitioner, her career involves direct patient care while leading process improvement in rural and underserved settings. Michael attended Lenoir Community College to become a Registered Nurse and later earned a B.S. Nursing from Barton College. Witnessing disparities in practice led Michael to East Carolina University for an M.S. Adult Nurse Practitioner, Post-M.S. Nursing Leadership, Doctorate of Nursing Practice, and Post-DNP Nursing Education. To better serve her community, Michael completed a Post-M.S. Adult-Gerontological Acute Care NP and Post-DNP Psychiatric-Mental Health NP at Duke University. Michael is a Great 100 Nurse and Bonnie Jones Friedman Humanitarian Award recipient.
    Hoa Nguyen is from Silver Spring, Maryland, and is placed at the National Economic Council and the United States Coast Guard. At Montgomery College, she is an associate professor and chair of the business department, where she helped implement a zero-textbook-cost Business degree, saving students thousands of dollars in education costs. Under her leadership, faculty and students have won multiple local, state and national awards and recognitions. Hoa also co-led numerous initiatives that led to the launch of the Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Taskforce at the college. Hoa received a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Arizona.
    Amnahir Peña-Alcántara is from Bronx, New York, and is placed at the Department of Commerce: National Institute of Standards and Technology. She is pursuing a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at Stanford University funded by the NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program and the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship. Her research focuses on polymer blends for stretchable electronics. She graduated from MIT with a bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering, and was a researcher at Northwestern University, Oxford University, and MIT. She has interned in wearable technology and textile fabrication companies in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and India.
    Padmini Pillai is from Newton, Massachusetts, and is placed at the Social Security Administration. Padmini is an immunoengineer bridging the gap between discoveries in immunology and advances in biomaterial design to treat human disease. She has led a team at MIT developing a tumor-selective nanotherapy to eliminate hard-to-treat cancers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Padmini was featured in several media outlets including CNBC, The Atlantic, and The New York Times to discuss vaccination, immunity, and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on vulnerable communities. Padmini received her Ph.D. in immunobiology from Yale University and a B.A. in biochemistry from Regis College.
    Maddy Sharp is from San Diego, California, and is placed at the Office of the Second Gentleman. She is a physician leader committed to securing a healthier and more equitable future for all Americans. She has served as a health policy fellow for Senator Amy Klobuchar and a policy research fellow for Secretary John Kerry. Madison has performed clinical work and research in Nicaragua, Jordan, and the Navajo Nation to reduce health disparities and championed policies to enhance healthcare delivery. She completed her obstetrics and gynecology residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Madison holds an M.D. from the Yale School of Medicine and B.A. from Yale University, where she captained the NCAA Division I field hockey team.
    Jason Spencer is from Medford, New York, and is placed at the Department of Commerce. Jason is a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy serving as an Information Warfare and Intelligence Officer. At sea, he was assigned to aircraft carriers and destroyers deployed to the Middle East and Europe. Ashore, Jason served as Targeting Officer and Aide-de-Camp to the Commander of U.S. Fifth Fleet in Bahrain and later as Aide-de-Camp to the Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet in Hawaii. At the Pentagon, he served as Senior Intelligence Briefer for the Chief of Naval Operations – Intelligence Plot and as an Executive Officer to the Joint Staff’s Director for Intelligence. Jason earned a B.A. in international studies and political science from Virginia Military Institute, an M.A. from the Department of War Studies at King’s College London, and an M.P.A. from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
    Nalini Tata is from New York City, New York, and is placed at the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs. She is a neurosurgery resident at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center/Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where she helps treat the spectrum of emergency and elective neurosurgical conditions between a level I trauma center and a world-renowned cancer institute. Her published work spans clinical and non-scientific journals with a focus on advancing equity in access to care. Her career in neurosurgery and long-standing interest in public policy are closely bound by a deep-rooted dedication to public service. She received her BSc in neurobiology from Brown University, MPhil from the University of Cambridge, M.D. from Northwestern Feinberg School of Medicine, and MPP in Democracy, Politics, and Institutions from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.
    Alexander Tenorio is from Los Angeles, California, and is placed at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a neurological surgery resident at the University of California, San Diego. He is the proud son of Mexican immigrants and dedicated to improving health disparities. He has led a research team investigating neurological traumatic injuries at the U.S.-Mexico border with his published work featured in the Los Angeles Times and New York Times. In his commitment for health equity, he partnered with Hospital General de Tijuana in Mexico to improve their neurosurgical care. He earned an M.D. from the University of California, San Francisco and B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley.
    Zachary White II is from Birmingham, Alabama, and is placed at the Department of Veterans Affairs. He is a Radiation Oncology resident physician and cancer researcher at Stanford University. Passionate about health equity, Zach co-chairs Stanford Medicine’s GME Diversity Committee, promoting diverse medical trainees’ recruitment and development, and provides health education to communities to improve health literacy. Zach graduated summa cum laude from Tuskegee University with a B.S. in biology and earned an M.S. in biomedical and health sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He received his M.D. from the University of South Alabama, where he served as class president.
    Ryan Wisz is from Aiken, South Carolina, and is placed at the Central Intelligence Agency. He is a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy serving as a Submarine Warfare officer. At sea, he has served aboard Attack and Ballistic Missile submarines and has deployed seven times, including missions vital to national security. Ashore, he has served as aide-de-camp to the Commander Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and as the Submarine Squadron Engineer in San Diego, California. Prior to military service, he was a Page in the South Carolina House of Representatives and Senate. He received his B.S. in economics from the University of South Carolina and is a Distinguished Graduate from the Naval Postgraduate School with his MBA and published master’s thesis. He has received numerous personal and unit awards during his Navy service, is active in local tutoring, and passionate about financial education and physical fitness.
    Mark York is a seventh-generation farmer from Lake Wilson, Minnesota, and is placed at the Department of Defense Office of Strategic Capital. He is a Ph.D. candidate in computer science at Harvard, where he researches crowdsourcing and reinforcement learning algorithms in collaboration with MIT. He is the co-founder and President of Farm Yield Africa, a non-profit providing tractor services and microcredit to 1,500 farmers in Ghana since 2016. Mark has worked as a consultant, and before that he led a data science team at a startup building agricultural risk models. He began his career at Cargill as a commodity trader and data scientist. Mark studied agronomy and mathematics at South Dakota State University, where as Student Body President he introduced legislation at the state and local level.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Union County Disaster Recovery Center To Close

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Union County Disaster Recovery Center To Close

    Union County Disaster Recovery Center To Close

    HARRISBURG, Pa. – The joint Disaster Recovery Center located in Union County will permanently close Saturday, October 5 at 6 p.m. 

    Residents who continue to need the services available at a DRC can visit one of the other centers: 

    • Hepburn Volunteer Fire Company, 615 East Route 973 Highway, Cogan Station, Lycoming County 
    • Penn-York Retreat Center, 266 Northern Potter Rd., Ulysses, Potter County, 
    • Knoxville Community Center, 301 Main St., Knoxville Tioga County.

    These centers are open Monday to Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Individuals and households impacted by Tropical Storm Debby from August 9-10 in Lycoming, Potter, Tioga and Union counties can visit any DRC to receive help and information. 

    Disaster survivors who have not yet applied for FEMA assistance can apply at a Disaster Recovery Center, apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov, use the FEMA App on your phone, or call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service such as video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service when you apply.

    The deadline for applying to FEMA for disaster assistance is November 12.

    You can visit a DRC for help with other parts of the disaster recovery process. If you received a letter from FEMA about your application status, visit a DRC to learn more about next steps. DRC staff can help you submit additional information or supporting documentation for FEMA to continue to process your application. At a DRC you can also meet with representatives from Commonwealth of Pennsylvania agencies and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). 

    For more information on Pennsylvania’s disaster recovery, visit the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Facebook page, fema.gov/disaster/4815 and facebook.com/FEMA.  

     ###                                                                                             

    FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters. FEMA Region 3’s jurisdiction includes Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia. Follow us on X at x.com/FEMAregion3 and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/femaregion3.

    Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency, or economic status. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 833-285-7448. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. Multilingual operators are available (press 2 for Spanish and 3 for other languages).

    erika.osullivan

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: G7 Leaders’ Statement on Recent Developments in the Middle  East

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    We, the Leaders of the G7, express deep concern over the deteriorating situation in the Middle East and condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct military attack against Israel, which constitutes a serious threat to regional stability.
    We unequivocally reiterate our commitment to the security of Israel. Iran’s seriously destabilizing actions throughout the Middle East through terrorist proxies and armed groups—including the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas— as well as Iran-aligned militia groups in Iraq, must stop. Yesterday we discussed coordinated efforts and actions to avoid escalation in the area.
    A dangerous cycle of attacks and retaliation risks fueling uncontrollable escalation in the Middle East, which is in no one’s interest. Therefore, we call on all regional players to act responsibly and with restraint. We encourage all parties to engage constructively to de-escalate the current tensions. International humanitarian law must be respected.
    On the eve of the tragic anniversary of Hamas’ attacks on October 7, 2023, we condemn once again in the strongest possible terms such unjustified acts of deliberate violence and stand with the families of the victims and the hostages taken by Hamas.
    We also reiterate our call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the unconditional release of all hostages, a significant and sustained increase in the flow of humanitarian assistance, and an end to the conflict. We fully endorse the efforts by the US, Qatar and Egypt to reach such a comprehensive deal, in line with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2735. The situation in Gaza is catastrophic, and tens of  thousands of innocent lives have been lost. We reiterate the absolute need for the civilian population to be protected and that there must be full, rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access, as a matter of absolute priority. We will continue working to set the conditions for a durable peace, leading to a two State solution, where Israel and Palestine coexist side-by-side in peace, with security for both.
    We are also deeply concerned about the situation in Lebanon. We recall the need for a cessation of hostilities as soon as possible to create space for a diplomatic solution along the Blue Line, consistent with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. This is the only path to durably de-escalate tensions, stabilize the Israel-Lebanon border, fully restore the sovereignty, territorial integrity and stability of Lebanon, and return displaced citizens to their homes with safety and security on both sides. We urge all actors to protect civilian populations. We are committed to providing humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of civilians in Lebanon.
    We also express our deep condolences to the families of the civilian victims in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon.  
    We underscore the importance of the United Nations in resolving armed conflict and mitigating the humanitarian impact in the Middle East. In this regard, we acknowledge the role of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to restore peace and security. We are committed to reinforce our support to the mission, pursuant to applicable UN resolutions.
    We will continue to be in close contact with all actors to this end.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Readout of the U.S. Presidential Delegation’s Travel to Mexico for the Inauguration of Claudia  Sheinbaum

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    From September 30 – October 2, First Lady Jill Biden traveled to Mexico City, Mexico as the Head of the U.S. Presidential Delegation to the inauguration of President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo. The First Lady was joined by United States Ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar; U.S. Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra; U.S. Administrator of the Small Business Administration, Isabel Casillas Guzman; U.S. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware; U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut; U.S. Representative of the 44th District of California and Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Nanette Barragán; Deputy Assistant to the President and White House Social Secretary, Carlos Elizondo; and Mayor of Tucson, Arizona, Regina Romero.
    During the visit, the First Lady delivered remarks at a reception hosted by Ambassador Salazar, where she highlighted the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to strengthening the partnership between the United States and Mexico. The First Lady and Ambassador Salazar also attended a dinner hosted by President Sheinbaum the evening before the inauguration, where she met with and congratulated President Sheinbaum. In addition to attending the President’s inauguration, the First Lady and the Delegation attended a luncheon in honor of President Sheinbaum. Concluding their travel, the First Lady and members of the Delegation visited the Museo Frida Kahlo to celebrate the shared cultural connections between the United States and Mexico. 

    MIL OSI USA News –