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  • MIL-OSI China: Xi urges boosting building of community for Chinese nation

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

    BEIJING, Sept. 29 — The National Conference on Commending Models for Ethnic Unity and Progress was held in Beijing on the morning of Sept. 27. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended the conference and delivered an important speech. He emphasized the need to comprehensively implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially the important thinking on strengthening and improving work on ethnic affairs. He stressed that, with a focus on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, it is imperative to continuously advance the cause of ethnic unity and progress, promote the high-quality development of the Party’s work on ethnic affairs in the new era, boost the building of a community for the Chinese nation, and tirelessly strive for the building of a strong country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization.

    Li Qiang presided over the conference, and Wang Huning read out the commendation decision, with Zhao Leji, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi in attendance.

    At 10 a.m., the conference began, and all attendees stood up and sang the national anthem of the People’s Republic of China.

    Wang Huning read out the Decision of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Commending Model Groups and Individuals for Ethnic Unity and Progress. A total of 352 model groups and 368 model individuals were honored.

    Amid the joyful music, President Xi and others presented awards to representatives of the commended model individuals and exemplary groups.

    Amid a warm applause, Xi delivered an important speech. On behalf of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, Xi first extended congratulations to the commended model groups and individuals, and expressed sincere greetings to comrades on the work front of ethnic affairs and people from all walks of life who care about and support the cause of ethnic unity and progress.

    Xi pointed out that the CPC has always attached great importance to work on ethnic affairs. For over 100 years, we have persisted in combining Marxist ethnic theory with the specific realities of China’s ethnic issues and with the best of traditional Chinese culture, creatively blazing a right path with Chinese characteristics to solve ethnic issues. On this path, the CPC has united and led the people of all ethnic groups in the country to achieve national independence and people’s liberation, creating a new situation of developing equal, united, mutually supportive, and harmonious relations among all ethnic groups. It has promoted unprecedented progress in the economic and social development in ethnic regions and improved their lives. China’s ethnic minorities, regions of ethnic groups, relations between different ethnic groups, and the Chinese nation have undergone profound and historic changes.

    Xi said that since the 18th CPC National Congress, we have continuously promoted the efforts to adapt Marxist ethnic theories to the Chinese context and the needs of the times, and made it clear that fostering a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation should be a focus in the Party’s work on ethnic affairs in the new era and a focus in the work on all fronts in ethnic regions. As a result, the Party’s important thinking on strengthening and improving the work on ethnic affairs has been formed, and we have promoted ethnic regions to join the other parts of the country in securing a victory in the fight against poverty, finished the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, and embarked on a new journey to build China into a modern socialist country in all respects. The Party has achieved new historic progress in its work on ethnic affairs.

    Xi pointed out that on the path with Chinese characteristics to handling ethnic affairs with a focus on the fundamental and overall interests of the Chinese nation, we have maximized the cohesion among all ethnic groups, so that they can strive in unity to achieve shared prosperity and development. On that path, we have adhered to the principle of equality among all ethnic groups and opposed oppression and discrimination among different ethnic groups, which ensure that people of all ethnic groups truly enjoy equal political rights and jointly run the country. On that path, we have handled well the relation between maintaining national unity and implementing regional ethnic autonomy, combining unity with autonomy, and integrating ethnic and regional factors, to see that the Chinese nation becomes a community with a stronger sense of identity and a greater level of cohesion. Practice has proven that this path is a completely correct one.

    Xi emphasized that the Chinese nation, with a civilization spanning over 5,000 years, is a great nation. All ethnic groups have collectively developed the vast territory of the motherland, created a unified multi-ethnic country, written the glorious history of China, developed the brilliant Chinese culture, and cultivated the great national spirit. The intermingling of bloodlines of all ethnic groups has laid the historical foundation for the formation and development of a community for the Chinese nation. The shared convictions of all ethnic groups have served as the endogenous driving force for the founding of a unified multi-ethnic country. The cultural connections among all ethnic groups are the cultural genes that have shaped the pluralistic and integrated civilization of the Chinese nation. The economic interdependence of all ethnic groups is the powerful force for building a unified economy. The emotional bonds among all ethnic groups are the strong ties that bind the Chinese nation as one family. The formation and development of a community for the Chinese nation is the will of the Chinese people of all ethnic groups, the trend of the times, and a historical inevitability.

    Xi stressed the importance of steadfastly adhering to the leadership of the Party, and guiding people of all ethnic groups to continuously strengthen their identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. Efforts should be made to sharpen the awareness that people from all ethnic groups are in the same community, where they share weal and woe, stick together in life and death, and continuously consolidate the common ideological and political foundation for all ethnic groups to strive in unity.

    Xi called for further efforts to build a shared spiritual home for the Chinese nation and deepen inculcation of public awareness of patriotism, collectivism and socialism with core socialist values as guidance. He also stressed that people from all ethnic groups should be helped to develop a correct understanding of state, history, ethnicity, culture and religions, and efforts should be intensified on historical and cultural education for young people. He added that the use of standard spoken and written Chinese should be promoted in an all-round way to provide strong spiritual and cultural support for building a community for the Chinese nation.

    Xi noted that to advance Chinese modernization and achieve common prosperity, not a single ethnic group should be left behind. It is imperative to speed up high-quality development in regions with large ethnic minority populations, promote closer economic connection and integration among all regions, and take solid steps to promote common prosperity among all ethnic groups. It is essential to remain committed to ensuring and improving the people’s wellbeing in the course of pursuing development, and do more practical work to meet people’s needs, deliver real benefits to the people and win their approval, so as to meet the people’s aspirations for a better life.

    Xi stressed that all-round integration among all ethnic groups should be facilitated to promote exchanges and interactions among them. It is a must to coordinate planning of socioeconomic development and allocation of public resources, strengthen infrastructure construction such as transportation and other facilities in border and ethnic regions, proactively promote the people-centered new urbanization, and orderly boost population flow among ethnic groups and make it possible for people from different ethnic groups to dwell as neighbors, so that they would cling together like pomegranate seeds.

    Xi pointed out the necessity to govern ethnic affairs in accordance with the law, and continuously improve the capability for governing ethnic affairs. It is a must to uphold and improve the system of regional ethnic autonomy, gradually improve relevant laws, regulations and differentiated policies to support regional development, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic groups in accordance with the law. It is also a must to strengthen publicity and education on the rule of law, and guide people from all ethnic groups to enhance their awareness of the state, citizenship and the rule of law.

    Xi stressed that CPC committees and governments at all levels should place work on ethnic affairs high on their agenda, study and resolve key issues in this regard in a timely manner, strengthen the efforts to foster high-caliber officials and talents in ethnic regions, and attach importance to fostering officials from ethnic minority groups and put them on posts where they can put to the best use their capabilities. It is necessary to improve the institutional mechanism for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, give full play to the leading role of role models, and create a favorable atmosphere for society-wide attention and support for work on ethnic affairs.

    While presiding over the conference, Li Qiang pointed out that, in his speech, General Secretary Xi comprehensively summarized the great achievements the country has made in promoting ethnic unity and progress over the past 75 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, especially in the new era. The speech profoundly revealed the root and soul of the formation and development of the sense of community for the Chinese nation, and clearly put forward the overall requirements for consolidating the sense of community for the Chinese nation and promoting the building of a community for the Chinese nation on the new journey in the new era. With profound insight and broad vision, it is a programmatic document for promoting the building of a community for the Chinese nation. We must conscientiously study, understand, and thoroughly implement it. We must fully implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important thinking on strengthening and improving work on ethnic affairs, profoundly understand the decisive significance of “Two Affirmations,” resolutely act on “Two Upholds,” closely focus on consolidating the strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, promote the high-quality development of the Party’s work in this regard, and make unremitting efforts for building a modern socialist country in all respects.

    Representatives of the commended model individuals and groups delivered speeches at the meeting.

    Some members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and members of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, leaders of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, the State Council, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and the Central Military Commission attended the conference.

    Representatives of the commended exemplary groups and individuals, leading officials of the relevant departments from various provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities, the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, and leading officials from central authorities attended the conference.

    Notes:

    “Two Affirmations”:

    The Party has established Comrade Xi Jinping’s core position on the Party Central Committee and in the Party as a whole and defined the guiding role of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.

    “Two Upholds”:

    “Two Upholds” refer to upholding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s core position on the CPC Central Committee and in the Party as a whole, and upholding the Central Committee’s authority and its centralized, unified leadership.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina

    President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Approves Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina

    WASHINGTON — FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance is available to the state of North Carolina to supplement recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Helene from Sept. 25, 2024, and continuing. 

    The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. 

    Federal funding is also available to state, tribal and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work in Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. 

    Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. 

    Thomas J. McCool has been named the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas. Additional designations may be made at a later date if warranted by the results of damage assessments. 

    Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621- 3362 or by using the FEMA App. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.

    erika.suzuki

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How Lebanon’s national identity is exploited to justify violence against it

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Rayyan Dabbous, PhD student, Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Toronto

    The Lebanese armed group Hezbollah confirmed on Sept. 28 that its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, had been killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut a day earlier. Nasrallah is the highest-ranking Hezbollah leader to have been killed since Israel began targeting the group’s leadership.

    Several Hezbollah commanders, and hundreds of Lebanese civilians, have been killed in Israeli attacks in recent weeks. On Sept. 20, Israel launched its heaviest aerial bombing on Lebanon since 2006, killing hundreds of civilians. The attack followed the Sept. 17 coordinated explosions of hand-held wireless pagers allegedly carried by members of Hezbollah (but still also carried by many medical professionals). That assault maimed thousands of Lebanese people.

    Israel says the violent strikes were necessary to preemptively thwart Hezbollah from launching rockets into northern Israel. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Lebanese population: “Israel’s war is not with you, it’s with Hezbollah,” which has long “been using you as human shields.”

    The Telegraph in the United Kingdom proclaimed Israel’s war against Hezbollah as a brave move on behalf of the “West” to “uphold civilization.” Other news outlets, both western and Israeli, also framed the conflict as one for civilization. They also mentioned religion.

    Wars have always required these types of false dichotomies: Christian and Muslim, civilization and barbarism, West and East.

    Generations of Orientalists from the “West” constructed the “East” as a place with distinct cultural identities and values, and one over which the West must triumph.

    The way East and West has historically been framed in Lebanon can help us understand the way the conflict there is being discussed in the Global North. To do this, I briefly outline three time periods to attempt to shed some light on how this framing can be used to justify violence against the nation.

    1. Premodern times: Caught between two empires

    Lebanon has frequently been a battleground between West and East. For aristocracies and clergies in France and Italy, Lebanon first became part of the East under Byzantium (the eastern half of the Roman empire). Later, Lebanon became part of the Islamic and Ottoman empires. It was not religion that defined these West/East splits but aspirations for wealth, resources, power and hegemony.

    Following the collapse of the Roman Empire, in which modern-day Lebanon was situated, economic and political power remained in Christian hands but was transferred from Rome to Constantinople (modern day Istanbul). After eight major waves of Crusades, notorious for their pillages and “collateral damage” even in Christian cities, Western observers came to regard the East as a “treasure” that had been regained.

    In his seminal book Europe and Islam, first published in French in 1978, pre-eminent Tunisian historian Hichem Djaït showed how Christianity in Europe was, from its inception, a political project aimed to both unite against and catch up to Islamic cultural, scientific and economic advancement.

    The East, Djaït emphasized, was regarded as a deformed West, a “parvenu” and “a primitive newcomer” whose civilization was an aberration in Medieval Christian eyes. They regarded Islam’s prophet Muhammad as an internal traitor rather than an external threat. For example, in Dante’s Inferno Muhammad is punished for contributing to the West/East schism.

    Western interest in the East was also, for Djaït, rooted in an envy for how diverse groups co-existed for centuries in the east but not the west.

    II. Caught within colonial expansion

    Following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in the First World War, Lebanon came under French rule. By this point, the Ottomans had been regarded as “the Sick Man of Europe” since at least the mid-19th century. Global powers exploited this characterization of Lebanon and were activated to send missionaries, build missionary schools, and revamp ports. The French also intervened with the work of sectarian groups. Therefore, especially in the 1920s, the French led a rapid modernizing of Lebanon, characterized as a trade-off between West and East.

    The Syrian playwright Saadallah Wannous dramatized this trade-off in The Drunken Days in a dialogue between an old Lebanese man in his Eastern headwear, the tarbush, and a young Lebanese woman urging him to wear a Western hat:

    Him: The tarbush is a symbol of religion.

    Her: The hat is a symbol of urbanization.

    Him: The tarbush indicates devotion.

    Her: The hat indicates civilization.

    Lebanese intellectuals at the time were aware of this dangerous equation of West with civilization. Palestinian-Lebanese writer May Ziadeh actively worked in the 1920s and 1930s to dispel the false dichotomy between West and East. She encouraged her students to “learn Western languages without forgetting their own” and she believed that “not a single nation in the world has been able to create itself without the input of others.”

    Ziadeh belonged to a time referred to as the Nahda, or Arab Renaissance, when Arab writers wanted to revive the human flourishing once experienced in the medieval Islamic world. These intellectuals favoured a balanced approach between West and East and recognized the modernity the West ushered as a continuation of Eastern achievements.

    III. 1975-2005: Caught between civil war and 9/11

    Whereas questioning the West/East divide united a previous generation of Lebanese Christians and Muslims, the generations that went through the Lebanese civil war (1975–1990) affirmed that divide.

    Western media capitalized on the newly divided allegiances of Lebanese Christians and framed them as torn in a West/East clash.

    Some Lebanese political leaders also promoted this narrative and appealed to the West for support. Meanwhile, the emergence of Hezbollah after Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon became synonymous with a resistance against the West.

    But this narrative obscures the realities of how and why these divides were created. These divides are created by Lebanese groups, including Hezbollah, as well as the West. They boosted, hindered and created each other. For example, in 2018, western media ignored claims of election fraud in Lebanon and instead sensationalized Hezbollah’s victory.

    In a 1985 piece for the London Review of Books, Edward Said, author of Orientalism, cautioned against seeing Beirut as the Paris of the Middle East and Lebanon as its Switzerland, comparisons popular since the 1960s. Such comparisons have been recently recirculated and mourned by both Israeli and Lebanese media.

    For Said, this representation of Lebanon threatened solidarity movements with Arabs and Palestinians by characterizing it as something fundamentally different from the rest of the Arab world.

    But two years after the end of the Lebanese Civil War, American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington promoted the simplistic logic Said warned against and declared a clash of civilizations. The aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks saw a resurgence of Huntington’s theory. It revived in the West the Medieval Christian view of the East, and a desire to act as crusaders who export human rights and defend the world against terrorists.

    We need to once and for all dispose of the West and the East as a clash of civilizations. Militaries and militias should not have to race to eliminate either side. They should instead realize that their fate is as intertwined as their past, and that only dialogue can solve conflict.

    Rayyan Dabbous 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. How Lebanon’s national identity is exploited to justify violence against it – https://theconversation.com/how-lebanons-national-identity-is-exploited-to-justify-violence-against-it-239697

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Only the United States benefits from renegotiating the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Blayne Haggart, Associate Professor of Political Science, Brock University

    There is a ticking time bomb at the heart of the North American economy. And this is the year that it begins to detonate.

    Over the past several months, Canadian businesses and analysts have been pressuring the federal government to better prepare for the mandated renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) that regulates trade and economic activity among the three North American countries.

    Article 34.7 of the pact effectively commits the three countries to undertake a review of the new agreement every six years, in 2026 (the agreement went into force in 2020).

    This might not seem like a big deal. Canada has negotiated many trade agreements, and a regular review of our most important trade agreement may seem reasonable.

    But CUSMA is no regular trade agreement, in large part because this highly unusual review process undermines the very security and stability that trade agreements are supposed to provide.



    Read more:
    The winners and losers in the new NAFTA

    Eviscerating Canadian policy autonomy

    In 2018, in the depths of the first Donald Trump presidency, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that had governed continental economic relations since 1994.

    The agreement — called the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) in the U.S., the Tratado entre México, Estados Unidos y Canadá (T-MEC) in Mexico and CUSMA in Canada — was largely greeted with relief throughout Canada.

    Negotiated under duress with a Trump administration that was threatening to tear up NAFTA, the three governments seemingly preserved a rules-based approach to managing economic relations with our most important trading partner. Free trade had been saved.

    But there was a twist due to the deal’s requirement that the three countries review the pact every six years.

    Trade agreements are bigger than their specific rules. Their real importance lies in how they provide the smaller partners with certainty and protection from the coercive power of the larger partners.

    The promise of greater market access, and the threat of restricting this access, has always been the American trump card in its international economic relations. American negotiators use this threat/promise to convince partners to adopt, change or eliminate policies in the U.S. interest.

    But once an agreement is signed, the U.S. loses this leverage — which is good for smaller countries’ policy autonomy.

    American interests

    As I detail in my 2014 book Copyfight: The Global Politics of Digital Copyright Reform, Canada demonstrated significant policy autonomy in its 2000s-era copyright reforms. In contrast, Mexico’s 1990s-era digital copyright reforms related to software reflected American interests.



    Read more:
    More means less: Extended copyright benefits the corporate few, not the public

    The difference? Canada’s negotiations took place after NAFTA had been negotiated, while Mexico’s reforms were the result of the NAFTA negotiations, when the U.S. was using market access as a negotiating tactic.

    Having a trade agreement with a renegotiation clause is like having no agreement at all because everyone knows that, once renegotiations start, everything is back on the table.

    As I argued in two 2018 articles for The Conversation Canada, the renegotiation requirement significantly reduces smaller countries’ overall policy autonomy. Knowing that renegotiation is on the horizon will mean that the threat of economic blackmail will hang over all policies as they become pawns to be sacrificed to preserve the Holy Grail: access to the U.S. market.



    Read more:
    Make no mistake: The USMCA is an America-first trade deal

    ‘Regulatory chill’

    Knowing that any policy could be effectively targeted by the U.S. means that Canada and Mexico run the risk of widespread regulatory chill: governments, anticipating retaliation, become excessively cautious in their regulatory efforts.

    These chilling effects can already be seen, two years away from the start of formal renegotiations. In early September, the Business Council of Canada called on the federal government to revoke its new three per cent digital services tax on foreign tech giants for fear it might “imperil” the upcoming talks.

    The implications of the CUSMA time bomb are beginning to be understood in Canada.

    In a recent editorial, The Globe and Mail argued that Canada should make some enormous policy concessions — eliminate the new digital services tax, end the agriculture supply management system and crack down on forced labour in supply chains — in exchange for eliminating regular CUSMA reviews.

    The myth of free trade

    Editorialists are labouring under the belief that free trade is still in play. It’s not.

    Ideologically, the U.S. is no longer the free-trade champion it was.

    More pragmatically, any concessions are highly unlikely to convince the U.S. — regardless of which party is in power — to surrender the most potent weapon it has in its arsenal to pressure its neighbours to adopt its preferred policies. Policy reform, simply put, leads to U.S. market access.

    While the U.S., Canada and Mexico will continue to sign trade and economic agreements, these deals are no longer reliable tools to deliver the certainty and protection enjoyed under NAFTA for three decades prior to 2018. Renegotiated deals will merely restructure Canada’s continental relationship, they won’t preserve Canadian autonomy.

    The 2018 CUSMA didn’t preserve free trade in North America. It signalled its demise and the return of power politics to our most important economic relationship.

    Blayne Haggart has received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

    – ref. Only the United States benefits from renegotiating the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal – https://theconversation.com/only-the-united-states-benefits-from-renegotiating-the-canada-u-s-mexico-trade-deal-239170

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Out of the archive: A collection of stories about Mount Elgin Indian Residential School

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Mary Jane Logan McCallum, Professor of History, University of Winnipeg

    Brown Tom’s Schooldays, is a semi-autobiographical collection of stories about growing up in a residential school in Ontario in the early 1900s.

    The author is the late Enos Montour, a Delaware writer from Six Nations of the Grand River. As the title suggests, it is an ironic play on Tom Brown’s Schooldays (1857), Thomas Hughes’s popular novel about his boyhood in an English school.

    In Brown Tom’s Schooldays, instead of the main character being an English boy at an elite private boarding school, he is Tom Hemlock, a First Nations boy attending Mount Elgin Indian Residential School between 1910 and 1915. Montour’s narrative is the only known substantive writing by a Mount Elgin student. His stories unfold school life, illuminating the physical and social world of Mount Elgin in powerful ways.

    A new edition of Brown Tom’s Schooldays has recently been published by the University of Manitoba Press Series called First Voices, First Texts. This series aims to reconnect contemporary readers with some of the most important Indigenous literature of the past, much of which has been unavailable for decades.

    The series reveals the richness of these works by providing re-edited texts that give readers new insights into the cultural contexts of these unjustly neglected classics. The diversity and complexity of Indigenous writers and their work was not appreciated by publishers when authors like Montour attempted to have his book published in the 1970s and 80s.

    As a historian and Canada Research Chair in Indigenous People, History and Archives at the University of Winnipeg, and band member of the Munsee Delaware Nation who has been engaged in community-based projects chronicling the history of Mount Elgin, I led the project.

    In my introduction, I document Montour’s fascinating life and work and detail Brown Tom’s Schooldays’ publication history, drawing from documents from the United Church of Canada Archives, Trent and McGill University Archives, Library and Archives Canada, private correspondence and other sources. I also show how the book provides insight into the operations of Mount Elgin, as well as social and linguistic histories of the First Nations communities in the area.

    20th century Indigenous print cultures

    Montour, a minister with the United Church of Canada, published several of the early chapters of Brown Tom in United Church magazines.

    After he retired, he gathered these and other Mount Elgin stories together and sought a church or trade publisher for the book. When no publishers moved, Montour felt frustrated that his work might be read as too “mild” for a reading public who expected sensationalized depictions of First Nations life.

    In declining health, Montour ensured a legacy for the book by asking anthropologist Elizabeth Graham to transcribe, edit and photocopy the manuscript. Copies were made for family and friends. One copy of the manuscript was sent by Graham to the National Library in Ottawa. Until this fall, that was the only publicly accessible copy of the work.

    For this new edition of Brown Tom’s Schooldays, with University of Manitoba Press editor Jill McConkey, I consulted with Graham, as well as Montour’s two granddaughters, Mary I. Anderson and Margaret McKenzie, about how we might frame the book. Using archival correspondence between herself and Montour, Graham wrote a new preface. Anderson and McKenzie shared family records, including photos, and wrote an afterword to the book.

    This new edition of Montour’s book is a good reminder that formal published work accounts form a small fraction of the literature by and about Indigenous people and history. A much more representative field is produced in copy shops, and this self-published, limited-run “grey literature” is now held in archives across the country.



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    Industrial School from perspective of young boy

    Brown Tom’s Schooldays is based solidly in a real place and draws from lived experiences. Like the central tension of Tom Brown’s Schooldays, Montour’s book is about moving toward adulthood and the meaning of that for First Nations students at the time. Montour’s layered story shows how, for “Brown Tom,” this journey involved learning and then working through self-doubt and prejudice and confronting the impossible choice of a white or Indian adulthood.

    ‘Brown Tom’s Schooldays,’ by Enos Montour.
    (University of Manitoba Press)

    Montour’s formal education at Mount Elgin was based on set curriculum that endorsed colonial domination, racism and discrimination against people of colour and Indigenous people. Moreover, a federal Indian Residential School, Mount Elgin’s purpose was to facilitate assimilation of First Nations children, and this happened in an underfunded, carceral and abusive setting. Mount Elgin, like other residential schools, emphasized children’s manual labour more than academics.



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    In spite of this early education, Montour loved reading and writing, and he brought this love to his stories of Mount Elgin and the surrounding area, giving the school character and beauty and students humour and agency. The stories are at times strikingly sentimental.

    When I first read this collection, I did not know what to think of it. For me, Montour’s consistent references to the Bible and classic works of English literature did not fit with what I expected in an Indian Residential School memoir. I chaffed when reading Montour’s characters written in terms that seem to accept standard racist stereotypes of First Nations at the time. His representation of the early 20th century seemed too funny, or rosy, too Anglophile and too naive.

    At the same time, I knew that Montour wrote stories true to his experience, as he understood it, and by his ironic play on English literature through the eyes of a First Nations boy. This way of writing is a window into a sense of humour and way of telling what mattered that reminded me of people of my great-grandfather’s generation.



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    There is backlash to Indian Residential School historical research and a hardcore fringe who deny that the research of the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission and trained professional historians is reliable. They deny systemic harms of the Indian Residential School system primarily by likening it to a slightly harsher version of boarding schools.

    But I don’t think Montour would have feared how the book would be received and read. He writes compellingly about youth, school life and friendship, but also about the callous and disorienting experience of arriving at Mount Elgin and the everyday pervasive hunger and homesickness felt there.

    He also describes extraordinary moments, including the death of a fellow student, Noah, who had tuberculosis. Short, moving and profoundly troublesome, this chapter shows the pervasive apathy towards student life at Mount Elgin and the ungreivablity of student death.

    Ultimately, even in retirement and ill health, Montour insisted on completing the book and making it accessible because the stories mattered to him. And they matter to us, too.

    Brown Tom’s Schooldays can be purchased from anywhere you buy books.

    Mary Jane Logan McCallum receives funding from the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada

    – ref. Out of the archive: A collection of stories about Mount Elgin Indian Residential School – https://theconversation.com/out-of-the-archive-a-collection-of-stories-about-mount-elgin-indian-residential-school-237099

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Reflections on the Canadian Medical Association’s apology to Indigenous Peoples

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Marcia Anderson, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba

    On Sept. 18, I was on the traditional territory of the Songhees and Xwsepsum Nations to stand with my Indigenous physician family as the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) delivered its apology to Indigenous Peoples in Victoria, B.C. This wasn’t the first time that we have stood together to witness a collective apology.

    In June 2008, many of us were at a gathering of the Pacific Region Indigenous Doctors Congress in Kauai, Hawaii. Our hosts ensured that we had time and space to watch Prime Minister Stephen Harper issue an apology on behalf of Canada to Indigenous Peoples for Indian Residential Schools.

    As Harper said sorry for the federal government’s attempt to “kill the Indian in the child,” Canadians had a range of reactions from ignorance to collective humility to ongoing residential school denialism.

    That day, we hoped the apology signalled a turning point and that a new day was coming. What we’ve seen since, as evidenced by multiple reports on progress on reconciliation, is that it takes a long time for that new day to come, and progress on reparations and reconciliation is not linear or always forward-moving.

    I carried the lessons from that 2008 experience with me to Victoria to witness the apology from CMA — Canada’s national association of physicians — and knew this would be different for me. My experiences of racism in the health-care system are significantly more direct than my experiences of residential schools.

    Racism in health care

    I navigated medical education as a Cree-Anishinaabe woman, experiencing significant amounts of both non-malicious and malicious racism. This ranged from being asked if there were polar bears where I grew up (the North End of Winnipeg) to being asked by an attending emergency room physician if I had to “jump out of the Indian Posse” to transfer from Winnipeg to Saskatoon.



    Read more:
    As an Indigenous doctor, I see the legacy of residential schools and ongoing racism in today’s health care

    I have experienced racism when seeking health care myself (like when a training physician commented on my reading ability even though I was already a practising physician and national Indigenous health leader) and when my father needed emergency care while having a massive heart attack.

    Collective apology

    What would this collective apology for systemic racism in health care mean to me, an Indigenous physician, who has and continues to experience racism from my physician peers?

    So when the CMA said “we are deeply ashamed” for the deplorable racism that Indigenous patients and health-care providers face I wondered who was included in that “we.”

    Did/does the ER physician whose behaviour escalated to include putting his hand in the back pocket of my jeans when I was on call to both grope me and “check if I had stolen their reflex hammer” feel deep shame? Probably not, and that disconnect impacted how the apology landed.



    Read more:
    We curated a podcast playlist for you: National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

    Within “the national voice of the medical profession” are those of us who have experienced and continue to experience anti-Indigenous racism; those we work with in consensual solidarity or allyship to dismantle white supremacy within the profession; and those who are actively perpetuating the spread of false and harmful anti-Indigenous stereotypes that contribute to the unequal health care we receive. Many of these behaviours are described in British Columbia’s In Plain Sight Report

    A collective apology cannot speak to this range of experiences or contributions to harm. As racism operates at multiple levels, so must accountability.

    This is why on the day of the apology I was apprehensive and feeling somewhat pressured to respond positively to it, to make a show of unity. Since the apology hadn’t really spoken to the breadth and depth of experiences of racism I’ve had or that I know many of my Indigenous physician colleagues have had, I was not ready for that. I suspected some of my colleagues felt the same.

    After the apology was delivered, in a small group that included many of the Indigenous physicians who were there, I shared my feelings. I said, “An apology has been offered. Whatever your reaction is to what was said today is valid. You don’t have to accept this apology today, tomorrow or ever. It’s okay to wait and see what comes next.” I saw people nodding and tears being shed.

    I sat with that feeling, and then a couple days later I was reading Cole Arthur Riley’s This Here Flesh. Riley is a Black American author and founder of the incredibly popular Black Liturgies Instagram account. Her writing of Black liberation and the reparations needed for the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and other injustices strongly parallel the need for Canada’s ongoing truth and reconciliation work — which we will be recognizing on Sept. 30.

    This passage from This Here Flesh resonated with me when reflecting on this latest apology:

    “There are some of us who have grown weary of talk of reconciliation. This is probably because it comes to us on the tongues of men who have paid no time to the process of true repair. It is both ego and shame concealed in shallow unity-speak that regresses any progress that has been made.”

    Racism, reconciliation and repair

    Anti-Indigenous racism is embedded across and within all institutions of the Canadian state, and the medical profession is no different.

    Based on the fallout after the Indian Residential School apology, we can accurately predict the actions following this apology will not be linear with forward progress.

    As Indigenous physicians we know both ourselves and our relatives are vulnerable to ongoing harms while the organizational level actions unfold.

    If we are hesitant to fully accept this most recent apology, it is because we have learned the hard way that our safety, and sometimes our survival, depends on first seeing the integrity of the other party we are in union with.



    Read more:
    Québec’s cultural awareness training makes flawed assumptions that do not prioritize the safety of Indigenous people

    There is a deep social contract between the medical profession and the public we serve. There is an individual contract between each physician and each patient they see. There is also a contract between physicians as colleagues, teachers and learners, embedded in our Modern-Day Physician’s Pledge.

    This apology is meaningful because it addresses a tragic breach between the medical profession and the public. The CMA has committed to followup actions.

    This, however, does not offer “true repair” for the past breaches, and the ones still to come, in all of these contracts. That is a gap that remains to be closed and without it we will not see the end of anti-Indigenous racism in health care.

    Marcia Anderson received funding from Health Canada to develop Indigenous Cultural Safety and Anti-Racism Training.

    – ref. Reflections on the Canadian Medical Association’s apology to Indigenous Peoples – https://theconversation.com/reflections-on-the-canadian-medical-associations-apology-to-indigenous-peoples-239716

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Final budget outcome shows 2023-24 surplus of $15.8 billion

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

    The budget surplus for last financial year has come in at $15.8 billion, well exceeding the $9.3 billion that was forecast in the May budget.

    Treasurer Jim Chalmers, just back from talks in Beijing on China’s economic outlook, will announce the result on Monday.

    The government says the better-than-forecast outcome has been driven entirely by lower spending. Revenue was also lower than the budget anticipated. Areas of savings included the National Disability Insurance Scheme, payments to the states, and various grant programs that don’t exist anymore.

    This is the government’s second consecutive surplus. The May budget has predicted deficits for the coming years.

    Across 2022-23 and 2023-24 the budget position has improved by a cumulative $172.3 billion, compared with what was forecast in the official Pre-election Economic and Fiscal Outlook, released immediately before the 2022 election.

    The government says it has made $77.4 billion in savings, including $12.2 billion in 2023-24.

    Payments were 25.2% of GDP in 2023-24. This compared to the PEFO forecast of 27.1%

    Chalmers said this was the “first government to post back-to-back surpluses in nearly two decades”. The surpluses hadn’t come at the expense of cost-of-living relief, he said in a statement.

    Speaking in Beijing on Friday Chalmers said it remained to be seen whether China’s just-announced stimulus measures would work.

    “But we’ve seen on earlier occasions when the authorities here, the administration here, steps in to support activity in the economy that is typically a good thing for Australia – good for our businesses and workers, our industries, our investors, and good for the global economy as well.

    “Like a lot of people around the world, we have been concerned about the softer conditions here in the Chinese economy. Subject to the details [of measures] that will be made public in good time, any efforts to boost growth and support activity here is a welcome one around the world and especially at home in Australia.”

    Chalmers on Monday is likely to face further questions on the Treasury’s work on negative gearing, news of which leaked out last week.

    Michelle Grattan 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. Final budget outcome shows 2023-24 surplus of $15.8 billion – https://theconversation.com/final-budget-outcome-shows-2023-24-surplus-of-15-8-billion-240093

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: It would be a mistake for Israel to invade Lebanon – here’s why

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Vanessa Newby, Assistant Professor, Leiden University

    The death of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on September 27 has left the militant Lebanese organisation leaderless at a critical time. Two days earlier in a speech broadcast around the world, the head of the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) northern command, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, had told his soldiers to prepare for a possible incursion into Lebanon.

    There is every reason to believe Friday’s airstrike, which targeted Hezbollah’s headquarters building in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, was in preparation for a possible incursion. It came after days of strikes which Israel claims have eliminated much of Hezbollah’s senior leadership.

    Halevi told his troops on September 25 that they would “go in, destroy the enemy there, and decisively destroy” Hezbollah’s infrastructure. As Hezbollah is embedded within the Lebanese population, this strategy promises the deaths of innocent civilians.

    Since 2006, both Hezbollah and the IDF have sought to avoid a direct confrontation. For years, they have played tit-for-tat with the rationale of proportionality to prevent an all-out war.

    Although the horrific October 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas triggered a resumption of hostilities, until last week both sides were calling for restraint. What has changed? Is a ground invasion now inevitable? And if so, what would that mean for Hezbollah and Lebanon?

    Israel has a track record of engaging in military adventures in Lebanon that have only ever served to make its opponents stronger in the long term. The destruction of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) did not prevent the emergence of Hamas – indeed, it helped to create it. Similarly, Israel’s pursuit of the PLO in south Lebanon triggered the creation of Hezbollah. Despite five invasions since 1978, Israel has shown itself incapable of successfully occupying even the smallest sliver of Lebanese land.

    While both sides have been preparing for a new conflict for years, the trigger for the escalation began on September 18, when Israel struck the first blow by detonating thousands of pagers and mobile devices owned by Hezbollah operatives, killing at least 32 and injuring several thousand people.

    This technological attack had been years in the making and could be described as a strategic masterstroke to disable the enemy. The timing appears to have been because Hezbollah was becoming suspicious about the devices, so the IDF had to act or lose the “surprise”. This suggests operational considerations are taking precedence over strategic and political ones, which research suggests is rarely a good idea.

    Nonetheless, these strikes are believed to have crippled Hezbollah’s command in the short term, and emboldened the IDF’s leadership. On September 18, Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, told Israeli troops: “We are at the start of a new phase in the war — it requires courage, determination and perseverance.” While he made no mention of the exploding devices, he praised the work of Israel’s army and security agencies, noting their results were excellent.

    A tactic used in recent days by the IDF is one that has been developed over many years on the “Blue Line” – the de facto border that divides Israel and Lebanon. Emboldened by the failure of the IDF to defeat it in the July war of 2006, Hezbollah’s senior operatives have been active and visible on the Blue Line, which is monitored closely by the IDF.

    This has enabled the IDF to photograph, identify and track senior Hezbollah leadership, which is why since October 7 we have seen a succession of assassinations of its key operatives, including Ibrahim Aqeel, a commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, and more recently, Mohammed Sarour in Beirut, as well as many others.

    The IDF now believes it has Hezbollah on its knees – or at least, on one knee. The escalation we are currently witnessing is because the IDF is driving home its advantage and applying the same strategy as in Gaza: bombing any area it can plausibly claim to be a Hezbollah target.

    This has had devastating consequences for the Lebanese population. The Health Ministry stated on Friday that 1,540 people had been killed since October 8 2023, with thousands of innocent civilians injured. Over 70,000 civilians have reportedly registered in 533 shelters across Lebanon, with an estimated 1 million people having been displaced from their homes.

    Can Hezbollah fight back?

    The death of Nasrallah has left Hezbollah temporarily leaderless, while the killing of several of its senior figures has deprived it of seasoned commanders, many of whom had recent combat experience in Syria. And the bombing of south Lebanon is reducing Hezbollah’s supply of rockets and other weapons.

    However, Israel should not assume that Hezbollah is out of the game or underestimate the group. Hezbollah’s real strength has always lain in its ability to melt into the population – and it will be ready to commence a war of attrition with hit-and-run tactics if the IDF makes the mistake of putting boots on the ground again. The fact that all five previous invasions failed should be an indication that the outcome may be a repeat of what occurred between 1982 and 2006.

    Furthermore, while Iran’s response to the escalation has been muted thus far, it is unlikely to abandon Hezbollah. A long, drawn-out, low-intensity conflict would favour the kind of asymmetric tactics used by the “axis of resistance”, which also includes Lebanon’s neighbour, Syria.

    By bombing and displacing the Lebanese population, the IDF aims to reduce morale. It is now destroying private homes and public buildings on the grounds they are Hezbollah ammunition and weapons depots.

    In Lebanon, the Palestine issue has always been regarded as the primary cause of the civil war that took place from 1975 to 1990. As such, the IDF is banking on Lebanese people turning against Hezbollah for bringing a new war down on them as a result of its rocket barrages into northern Israel, in solidarity with Hamas since the October 7 attack.

    But, while there are many people in Lebanon who do not support Hezbollah and its activities in south Lebanon, the IDF should remember the past. Even if sentiment against Hezbollah is high today, indiscriminate bombing of the kind we are currently witnessing in Lebanon will not be tolerated by the population indefinitely.

    It’s worth noting that in 1982, when the IDF invaded south Lebanon, some Lebanese welcomed them with rice and flowers – viewing them as liberators from the PLO. But that welcome did not last long.

    In 2006, the IDF applied a similar strategy, targeting civilian evacuation convoys and UN compounds. And once again, the tide of public opinion swiftly swung back in favour of “al-muqawimah” (the resistance).

    The stated IDF aim is to drive Hezbollah back north of the Litani river, to force it to comply with UN resolution 1701 and allow displaced people in northern Israel to return to their homes. But it is naive of Israel and the IDF to think that an invasion or a bombing campaign, no matter how successful in the short term, will enable Israeli civilians to live in peace along the Blue Line for the long term.

    Ultimately, the only way forward is for both parties to come to the table and negotiate. The human cost of Israel’s current strategy in Lebanon is appalling to contemplate, and in all likelihood will create more hatred – fostering a new generation of anti-Israel fighters, rather than creating the basis for a durable peace.

    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 has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    This article was written with assistance from John Molloy, lt. col. (rtd.) Irish Defence Forces and former senior Unifil political & civil affairs officer, 2008-2017.

    – ref. It would be a mistake for Israel to invade Lebanon – here’s why – https://theconversation.com/it-would-be-a-mistake-for-israel-to-invade-lebanon-heres-why-240028

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Attorney General James and DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar Announce Completion of $68.6 Million Environmental Investment Program in Greenpoint

    Source: US State of New York

    NEW YORK – In celebration of Climate Week, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar today announced the completion of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund (GCEF), an innovative, community-led grant program that invested more than $68.6 million in environmental initiatives for Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The GCEF was established with funds from New York state’s 2010 settlement with ExxonMobil that addressed the company’s responsibility for allowing millions of gallons of oil to contaminate the land and groundwater in Greenpoint for more than five decades. The Greenpoint oil spill was one of the largest spills recorded in the United States. Throughout its 13 years, GCEF created a wide range of public space enhancements, infrastructure improvements, and environmental education programs, including a new, state-of-the-art public library and environmental education center, a tree planting program, and major park upgrades. In total, GCEF awarded 77 grants, ranging from $5,000 to more than $5 million, to initiatives selected with the input from the Greenpoint community.

    “After we held ExxonMobil accountable for its careless destruction of the Greenpoint environment, the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has invested millions of dollars in restoring the neighborhood and bringing residents together,” said Attorney General James. “From a new public library to vibrant green space improvements, this community-led effort directly supported the initiatives that residents wanted. It has been an honor to work so closely with this community and our partners at DEC to deliver a cleaner, healthier, and greener Greenpoint for generations to come.”

    “The successful implementation of the Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund is an excellent example of state government working with New Yorkers to hold responsible parties accountable for legacy industrial pollution to benefit both community residents and the environment,” said DEC Interim Commissioner Mahar. “In Greenpoint, nearly $68 million is being invested to improve green infrastructure, renew and restore the waterfront, and advance environmental stewardship programs that will leave a lasting impact on this community and the environment.”

    Greenpoint residents played a direct role in the GCEF and its investments. Residents prioritized four specific areas of investment for the program: 1) funding education and environmental stewardship; 2) greening the community; 3) revitalizing neighborhood parks and open spaces; and 4) restoring the waterfront and its infrastructure. An advisory panel, comprised of members of the Greenpoint community, guided every stage of the program’s development and implementation.

    As a result of GCEF’s investments, residents were able to attend environmental lectures and events at the library, participate in a birdwatching tour at the park, spend recess learning to care for the trees and plants on the playground, learn about the neighborhood’s history on a canoe tour, and watch the sunset with friends from a rooftop garden. Projects funded by GCEF include:

    • Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, a $5 million brand new, state-of-the-art, sustainable public library with dedicated community green space, and $100,000 to provide ongoing environmental programming for Greenpoint families. 
    • Greenpoint Eco-Schools, a project that developed and implemented more than 40 environmental education programs at eight schools in Greenpoint, providing hands-on environmental education and enrichment to more than 4,700 students by transforming the way they learn about and care for nature and their community. 
    • Greening Greenpoint, a multi-year initiative that engaged nearly 3,000 community volunteers in planting more than 1,000 new trees and over 27,000 flowers and other plants throughout the neighborhood. 
    • Monsignor McGolrick Park Restoration and Upgrades, an ongoing investment of approximately $840,000 to support planting and beautification efforts and introduce community engagement programming, including nature walks and birdwatching groups, at a beloved park in the heart of Greenpoint. 
    • Various other community-led initiatives that included but were not limited to the creation of 25,000 square feet of community rooftop gardens for gardening, education, and enjoyment; upgrades to 19 parks, community gardens, and other shared greenspaces; and the creation of nearly eight acres of new natural areas.

    The GCEF was established by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and DEC in 2011 after New York state obtained a settlement with ExxonMobil over its massive oil spill in Greenpoint. The spill released at least 17 million gallons of oil, contaminating more than 50 acres of soil and groundwater in Greenpoint. DEC required ExxonMobil to contain and cleanup the massive underground plume of oil for more than a decade, and it will continue to require ExxonMobil to take actions to protect Newtown Creek.

    With matching contributions from grantees, the GCEF program was able to more than triple the funds won in the ExxonMobil settlement into a total investment of more than $68.6 million. The GCEF convened nearly 70 community meetings, attended by more than 2,600 people, to educate Greenpoint residents about the program, identify their funding priorities, and assist them in developing projects for funding. The GCEF’s biggest investments were determined by community vote—more than 1,000 Greenpoint residents cast votes for their preferred projects.

    The short film “Greening Greenpoint” highlights the program’s innovations and years of success in the community. A full report detailing GCEF’s history, design, implementation, and a description of each project funded is available online and in print at the Greenpoint Library. 

    “Our communities are on the frontlines in the fight against climate change, and nowhere is this more apparent than on the banks of Newtown Creek” said Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez. “Over the last decade, this significant investment has gone a long way to provide the Greenpoint community with more resources to fund environmental programs, green infrastructure and great community facilities like the library and environmental center. I’d like to recognize the work of Attorney General Letitia James and Department of Environmental Conservation for securing this restorative funding, as well as the perseverance and advocacy of the Greenpoint community.”

    “The Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has been such a valuable investment in our community,” said Assemblymember Emily Gallagher. “Although no amount of money can make up for the environmental harm ExxonMobil brought to our neighborhood, funding these incredible projects has been a beautiful start. We are so grateful to Attorney General Letitia James and DEC for their efforts to restore our community, and for helming this project to support and sustain North Brooklyn.”

    “The Greenpoint Community Environmental Fund has been a tremendous success. GCEF has been a model for holding a corporate polluter accountable and reinvesting Exxon-Mobil settlement funds into transformative new investments – like a new public library building, environmental education programs, parks improvements and more,” said Council Member Lincoln Restler. “I’m extremely grateful to the leadership of Attorney General Letitia James and her team for creating this framework and smartly selecting the most impactful investments that were determined with substantial community input.”

    “Although GCEF has come to a close, I know the legacy of its achievements will remain for many years to come,” said Christine Holowacz, Greenpoint environmental advocate. “I am very proud of what GCEF accomplished in Greenpoint and I am excited by the foundation it helped lay for an even ‘greener’ future for our community. I thank the Attorney General’s Office and DEC for their commitment to GCEF and the residents of Greenpoint.”

    “GCEF offered transformational grants for so many environmentally focused organizations in Greenpoint; not only giving local, volunteer-run non-profits like North Brooklyn Community Boathouse the ability to expand programs and capacity but creating synergies between grantees, such as our partnership with the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center,” said Dewey Thompson, Greenpoint environmental advocate. “The Office of the Attorney General and DEC deserve tremendous credit for bringing this highly successful program to life in our community. GCEF was a game-changer for local environmental projects, and I think its impact will resonate for years to come.” 

    “We are deeply thankful for the continued GCEF support for McGolrick Park, a key gathering place and an extension of many families’ homes in Greenpoint, Brooklyn,” said Janine Murphy and Jodie Love, Steering Committee, Friends of McGolrick Park.  “Thanks to past investments, the park now features a thriving ecosystem, recognized as a Monarch waystation and part of the New York State bird trail. Recent upgrades such as new benches, repaved paths, and reseeded lawns have made our ‘local backyard’ safer and more inviting. Partnering with our strong community to envision and help implement this next phase of the GCEF grants will help sustain and enhance McGolrick Park for all our neighbors. We look forward to collaborating on the last phase of GCEF grants, with heartfelt appreciation for AG James, Interim DEC Commissioner Mahar, and local officials’ dedication to preserving and enhancing McGolrick Park.”

    “Four years after opening the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center, I am thrilled to report it is one of the busiest branches in the borough. Patrons stop by for story time, to enjoy our outdoor space, learn about the plants on the rooftop, or attend programming about sustainability. Working together with the community, and with the generous support of GCEF, we were able to turn the tragedy of an oil spill into a modern, green library which will serve the community for generations to come,” said Linda E. Johnson, President and CEO, Brooklyn Public Library. “We extend our sincerest thanks to the Attorney General’s Office and DEC, who funded and championed the library early on and who have continued to support environmental programming to this day.”

    The OAG and DEC have received support from GCEF’s general administrators, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the North Brooklyn Development Corporation, Community Outreach Consultants Laura Truettner and Laura Treciokas, Graphics and Design Consultant SooYoung VanDeMark, the GCEF Community Advisory Panel, and former State Assemblymember Joseph Lentol.

    This matter was handled for DEC by attorneys in the Office of General Counsel and Region 2 Public Participation Specialist Adanna Roberts.

    This matter was handled for OAG by Policy Advisor Peter C. Washburn of the Environmental Protection Bureau under the supervision of Bureau Chief Lemuel M. Srolovic. The Environmental Protection Bureau is part of the Division for Social Justice, which is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General Meghan Faux and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Maksim Rudnev, Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo

    We all admire wise people, don’t we? Whether it’s a thoughtful teacher, a compassionate doctor, or an elder in the community, we recognise wisdom when we see it. But have you ever thought about how people in different cultures perceive wisdom? Does someone in Morocco view a wise person in the same way as someone in Ecuador? Our recent study explored how people across cultures think of wisdom.

    This large-scale project required a joint effort of 34 researchers across fields of philosophy, psychology, anthropology, social science and psychometrics – and from all over the world, connected in a research consortium called The Geography of Philosophy.

    What we found was somewhat surprising. Wisdom may appear to be shaped by cultural differences, but the core aspects of what makes someone wise are largely the same across cultures. From urban college students in Japan to villagers in South Africa, participants associated wisdom with two key characteristics: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. We explain what that means below.

    Contrary to widespread stereotypes, people recognise wisdom in a similar way across east and west, south and north. Despite the divisions of the world, we see wisdom in the same individuals and associate it with similar traits. Are we indeed more alike than we are different, when it comes to how we perceive wisdom? And what characterises wise people?

    These are the characteristics of wise people

    There are two key characteristics. Reflective orientation is about people who think before acting, carefully consider different perspectives, and use logic and past experiences to guide their decisions. They’re the type of person who keeps their cool in difficult situations, taking time to weigh all the options before making a move.

    The second is socio-emotional awareness. Wise people are good at understanding and caring about the thoughts and feelings of others. They pay attention to emotions and consider different views on the situation. Such an individual might be skilled at mediating conflicts by understanding each party’s point of view, or be adept at providing emotional support during difficult times.

    Together, these two dimensions combine to form the global image of wisdom. The study suggests that the wisest people are those who balance both, showing strong abilities in reasoning while also being emotionally and socially aware.

    A highly reflective person who is suppressing their own emotions but doesn’t notice the social context of the problem wouldn’t be called wise. Likewise, someone who is entirely driven by emotion and the social environment but fails to make logical connections wouldn’t be called wise either. Real wisdom, according to our study, is about finding a balance between thoughtful reasoning, social understanding, and emotional awareness.

    Cultures do differ, but not as much as you might think

    To uncover these dimensions, we employed a method sometimes called experimental philosophy. Participants across 16 different cultures in 12 countries on five continents compared a set of targets to each other. For example, one of the questions asked participants to compare whether a doctor or a religious person was more likely to think logically when making a hard life decision with no right or wrong answers. Our participants also rated themselves. Then we asked how wise each of these persons were.

    When we started this project, we expected to find big differences between cultures. Previous research suggested that people in “the west” use and value analytical thinking, which tends to dismiss social and emotional parts of the situation. In contrast, individuals in “the east” emphasise holistic thinking, that is, all-encompassing views of complex situations.

    But that’s not what we found. While there were some small differences – people in South Africa, for example, placed more importance on nature and divinity when thinking about socio-emotional awareness – the overall picture was strikingly similar. Across the globe, people rated individuals who were both reflective and socially and emotionally aware as the wisest. For instance, they named a doctor and a 75-year-old person as the wisest, and at the same time the highest on both dimensions.

    What was particularly fascinating was that people tended to rate themselves differently from how they rated others. Most people saw themselves as less reflective but more socially and emotionally aware than the “wise” figures they were asked to rate. In other words, people were ready to admit a moderate level of their own intellectual capabilities, but they were quite confident in their ability to understand and care for others.

    Why this matters

    This research defies stereotypes of a cold analytical ideal of “the west” and a social-minded and emotionally driven image of “the east” and “the south”. The idea that wisdom is purely intellectual, or conversely, purely social or divine, is too simplistic. It also highlights that wisdom manifests in a balance of traits traditionally attributed to different cultures.

    In a time when global cooperation is more important than ever, recognising our shared appreciation for certain qualities can help bridge cultural divides.

    The study opens up new avenues for research. Could these dimensions of wisdom help us understand how to solve global problems? Are people more likely to trust leaders who show both reflective thinking and socio-emotional awareness? And how do these qualities affect the way we handle personal relationships, difficult decisions, or conflicts?

    One thing is clear: wisdom is something we all value, no matter where we come from. By understanding it better, we can not only become wiser ourselves but also learn to appreciate wisdom in others, wherever they may be.

    Veli Mitova receives funding from the John Templeton Foundation and the National Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences.

    Maksim Rudnev 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 makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think – https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-person-seem-wise-global-study-finds-that-cultures-do-differ-but-not-as-much-as-youd-think-238808

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Maksim Rudnev, Research Associate, Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo

    We all admire wise people, don’t we? Whether it’s a thoughtful teacher, a compassionate doctor, or an elder in the community, we recognise wisdom when we see it. But have you ever thought about how people in different cultures perceive wisdom? Does someone in Morocco view a wise person in the same way as someone in Ecuador? Our recent study explored how people across cultures think of wisdom.

    This large-scale project required a joint effort of 34 researchers across fields of philosophy, psychology, anthropology, social science and psychometrics – and from all over the world, connected in a research consortium called The Geography of Philosophy.

    What we found was somewhat surprising. Wisdom may appear to be shaped by cultural differences, but the core aspects of what makes someone wise are largely the same across cultures. From urban college students in Japan to villagers in South Africa, participants associated wisdom with two key characteristics: reflective orientation and socio-emotional awareness. We explain what that means below.

    Contrary to widespread stereotypes, people recognise wisdom in a similar way across east and west, south and north. Despite the divisions of the world, we see wisdom in the same individuals and associate it with similar traits. Are we indeed more alike than we are different, when it comes to how we perceive wisdom? And what characterises wise people?

    These are the characteristics of wise people

    There are two key characteristics. Reflective orientation is about people who think before acting, carefully consider different perspectives, and use logic and past experiences to guide their decisions. They’re the type of person who keeps their cool in difficult situations, taking time to weigh all the options before making a move.

    The second is socio-emotional awareness. Wise people are good at understanding and caring about the thoughts and feelings of others. They pay attention to emotions and consider different views on the situation. Such an individual might be skilled at mediating conflicts by understanding each party’s point of view, or be adept at providing emotional support during difficult times.

    Together, these two dimensions combine to form the global image of wisdom. The study suggests that the wisest people are those who balance both, showing strong abilities in reasoning while also being emotionally and socially aware.

    A highly reflective person who is suppressing their own emotions but doesn’t notice the social context of the problem wouldn’t be called wise. Likewise, someone who is entirely driven by emotion and the social environment but fails to make logical connections wouldn’t be called wise either. Real wisdom, according to our study, is about finding a balance between thoughtful reasoning, social understanding, and emotional awareness.

    Cultures do differ, but not as much as you might think

    To uncover these dimensions, we employed a method sometimes called experimental philosophy. Participants across 16 different cultures in 12 countries on five continents compared a set of targets to each other. For example, one of the questions asked participants to compare whether a doctor or a religious person was more likely to think logically when making a hard life decision with no right or wrong answers. Our participants also rated themselves. Then we asked how wise each of these persons were.

    When we started this project, we expected to find big differences between cultures. Previous research suggested that people in “the west” use and value analytical thinking, which tends to dismiss social and emotional parts of the situation. In contrast, individuals in “the east” emphasise holistic thinking, that is, all-encompassing views of complex situations.

    But that’s not what we found. While there were some small differences – people in South Africa, for example, placed more importance on nature and divinity when thinking about socio-emotional awareness – the overall picture was strikingly similar. Across the globe, people rated individuals who were both reflective and socially and emotionally aware as the wisest. For instance, they named a doctor and a 75-year-old person as the wisest, and at the same time the highest on both dimensions.

    What was particularly fascinating was that people tended to rate themselves differently from how they rated others. Most people saw themselves as less reflective but more socially and emotionally aware than the “wise” figures they were asked to rate. In other words, people were ready to admit a moderate level of their own intellectual capabilities, but they were quite confident in their ability to understand and care for others.

    Why this matters

    This research defies stereotypes of a cold analytical ideal of “the west” and a social-minded and emotionally driven image of “the east” and “the south”. The idea that wisdom is purely intellectual, or conversely, purely social or divine, is too simplistic. It also highlights that wisdom manifests in a balance of traits traditionally attributed to different cultures.

    In a time when global cooperation is more important than ever, recognising our shared appreciation for certain qualities can help bridge cultural divides.

    The study opens up new avenues for research. Could these dimensions of wisdom help us understand how to solve global problems? Are people more likely to trust leaders who show both reflective thinking and socio-emotional awareness? And how do these qualities affect the way we handle personal relationships, difficult decisions, or conflicts?

    One thing is clear: wisdom is something we all value, no matter where we come from. By understanding it better, we can not only become wiser ourselves but also learn to appreciate wisdom in others, wherever they may be.

    – What makes a person seem wise? Global study finds that cultures do differ – but not as much as you’d think
    – https://theconversation.com/what-makes-a-person-seem-wise-global-study-finds-that-cultures-do-differ-but-not-as-much-as-youd-think-238808

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI China: ​Paris exhibition showcases art by women with disabilities

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    A view of the opening ceremony for the “Beautiful Crafts Workshop Blossoming in Paris” exhibition, featuring cultural and creative works by women with disabilities, in Paris, France, Sept. 3, 2024. [Xinhua]

    An exhibition featuring cultural and creative works by women with disabilities opened in Paris on Sept. 3, coinciding with the atmosphere surrounding the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

    The “Beautiful Crafts Workshop Blossoming in Paris” exhibition, displaying nearly 300 handcrafted items, aims to foster cultural exchange and showcase the talents of people with disabilities. Items on display include silk dolls, cloth tigers, fish skin paintings, wooden combs, wood carvings and ceramics.

    Zhang Haidi, president of Rehabilitation International (RI) and former chairperson of China Disabled Persons’ Federation (CDPF), expressed hope that the exhibition would gain global recognition and help improve the lives of women with disabilities.

    During the opening ceremony, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for culture, Ernesto Ottone, noted that the exhibition embodies the concept of an inclusive society and sustainable development. He added that the exhibition’s timing, coinciding with the Paralympics, highlights the common features of accessibility, inclusion, and diversity shared by sports and culture.

    The exhibited works originate from over 30 “Beautiful Crafts Workshops” across Chinese provinces, including Guangdong, Shandong, and Hebei. Launched in 2022 as a joint effort by the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and the All-China Women’s Federation, the initiative supports handicraft businesses and organizations that enable women with disabilities to work from home or nearby locations. To date, the program has provided employment for more than 10,000 women with disabilities nationwide.

    Tang Zhanxin, a representative of the “Beautiful Crafts Workshop,” shared her personal experience with the initiative, highlighting how it has enabled many women with disabilities in China to access stable employment and improve their livelihoods.

    China plans to establish 100 additional “Beautiful Crafts Workshops” over the next three years, aiming to provide employment opportunities for 10,000 more women with disabilities.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP launches emergency food operation to reach one million people affected by the conflict in Lebanon

    Source: World Food Programme

    BEIRUT – The World Food Programme (WFP) has launched an emergency operation to provide food assistance for up to one million people affected by the recent escalation of the conflict in Lebanon. The agency is distributing ready-to-eat food rations, bread, hot meals and food parcels to families in shelters across the country.

    A further acceleration of the conflict this weekend underscored the need for an immediate humanitarian response. This comes after thousands of people had already been displaced, compounding the fragility of a population burdened by accumulated crises. 

    WFP, which has been on the ground providing assistance since the first day of the crisis, has to-date reached more than 66,000 people in shelters across the country. WFP has been working with donors and partners for several months to stockpile food supplies in strategic areas across the country and was able to significantly expand its assistance thanks to comprehensive preparations.

    “In just a few days WFP assistance has reached thousands of newly displaced people,” said Matthew Hollingworth, WFP Country Director in Lebanon. “Today, I listened to stories of families forced to flee their homes, leaving everything behind in search of safety. As the crisis deepens, we are preparing to assist up to one million people through a mix of cash and food support. However, we urgently need additional resources to sustain and scale up our response.”

    To continue these critical operations, WFP urgently requires USD 105 million until the end of the year and calls on the international community to mobilize resources and support the humanitarian response.

    Kitchens and hot meal operations have been set up in north and central Lebanon to prepare light meals for those seeking safety in shelters. These facilities will boost WFP’s ability to provide hot meals in response to the growing number of displaced people.

    Partners from the food security sector have also contributed by providing hot meals to nearly 14,000 displaced people in collective shelters, demonstrating a coordinated effort to address urgent humanitarian needs.

    “Lebanon is at a breaking point and cannot endure another war,” said Corinne Fleischer, WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe. “A further escalation would be highly detrimental to the people of this region, who have gone through so much already. Additionally, it would massively stretch the humanitarian community’s collective operational and financial capacities. WFP is on the ground, but we urgently need funds.  More urgently, the people in the region need peace.”

    WFP is monitoring the situation and, with currently available resources, can scale up to reach up to one million people affected by the recent escalation for one month. 

    #                 #                   #

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

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

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

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Robots perform dance at a booth during the third Global Digital Trade Expo in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Sept. 25, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Warm summer predicted as bush fire season officially commences

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 30 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Emergency Services

    Tomorrow marks the official start of the 2024-25 bush fire season, as high fuel loads present challenges for fire agencies across the state.

    The NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) is prepared for a predicted warm summer, with firefighters having responded to more than 1,600 bush and grass fires across the state since 1 July.

    Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib joined Commissioner of the RFS Rob Rogers for a helicopter flight to survey some of Sydney’s most at-risk suburbs today.

    Taking off from Arcadia Rural Fire Brigade station, the Minister and Commissioner inspected recent hazard reduction work undertaken in the Hornsby area, as fire agencies and land managers continue work to reduce fuel loads for the warm months ahead.

    The NSW Government has funded 100 additional hazard reduction crew members to conduct this important work.

    RFS firefighters train and prepare year-round to respond to fire and other emergency incidents and with most of NSW now in the Bush Fire Danger Period (BFDP), it is important that the community prepares as well.

    Residents are encouraged to take simple steps to lower their fire risk, including:

    1. Trim overhanging trees and shrubs.
    2. Mow grass and remove the cuttings and have a cleared area around your home.
    3. Remove material that can burn around your home, such as door mats, wood piles, mulch and flammable liquids.
    4. Clear and remove all debris and leaves from gutters surrounding your home.
    5. Prepare a sturdy hose or hoses that will reach around your home.

    While some areas have already entered the Bush Fire Danger Period, the statutory bush fire season runs from 1 October 2024 to 31 March 2025.

    Bush Fire Survival Plans and information on preparing your property and family are available on the RFS website at http://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au. Residents can stay up to date on fires in their area using the RFS website, the Hazards Near Me app, listening to your local radio station, or by calling the RFS Bush Fire Information Line on 1800 679 737.

    Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

    “We have already seen dangerous fire conditions in NSW, with recent hot, dry and windy weather rapidly drying out bush and grass land areas, increasing the fire risk.

    “With high temperatures forecast this summer, we cannot be complacent. Everyone needs to take the time now to make sure they understand their risk, discuss their Bush Fire Survival Plan with their family and download the Hazards Near Me app.”

    “I thank all our RFS volunteers and emergency service personnel for their work to protect communities across the state and encourage residents and landowners to do their part to prepare themselves, their families and properties.”

    Commissioner of the RFS Rob Rogers said:

    “Consecutive years of wet weather have fuelled growth of vegetation like grass lands, particularly west of the Great Dividing Range. Grass fires can be especially dangerous because they start quickly and spread rapidly, destroying homes and stock.”

    “Our firefighters are out on the ground doing everything they can to mitigate the risk of fire, but preparation is a shared responsibility, and we need property owners to do their part, too.

    “There can never be a fire truck outside every home, so people need to have a plan in place if threatened by fire. Make sure your whole family knows whether you will stay and defend your home or will leave early – and if so, where you will go.”

    Fire and Rescue NSW Acting Commissioner Paul McGuiggan said:

    “If you’re planning to travel, especially over the holiday period, be aware of the risk of fast-moving grass fires.

    “Before you leave, check the weather forecast and fire danger ratings for that area and have a plan to leave should a grass or bush fire take hold.”

    NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Executive Director Park Operations Coastal Naomi Stephens said:

    “NPWS is working hard to prepare for the upcoming bushfire season. We are slashing and mowing areas of highest risk next to houses and other property and ensuring that our fire trails are cleared and available for firefighters in the event of bushfire.”

    “Our trained firefighters are carrying out hazard reduction burning, where and when conditions allow, to reduce the risk and are ready to respond to bushfires to protect the community and the parks.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: NSW powering up for cleaner cruise ship visits

    Source: New South Wales Premiere

    Published: 30 September 2024

    Released by: Minister for Transport

    In an Australian-first, New South Wales is charging up for a cleaner cruise industry, with a $20 million contract awarded to begin the landmark Shore Power project at White Bay Cruise Terminal.

    Shore Power is wharf-side infrastructure that provides cruise ships with electricity by connecting to a landside charger, which results in fewer emissions as the engine does not have to stay running while docked.

    This marks a huge step towards reducing cruise ship pollution, ensuring the cruise industry can be more sustainable and continue to thrive in NSW.

    It comes as the summer cruise season officially kicks off in NSW, with the arrival of Diamond Princess into our harbour on Thursday morning and the Pacific Adventure at White Bay on Friday morning.

    The latest data shows the cruise industry contributed $2.75 billion to the NSW economy in 2022-23 and created approximately 9,000 jobs.

    This project means cleaner air and less noise for the residents of Balmain and Rozelle, with the precinct and population expected to grow in the coming decade as the Bays Metro West opens and much-needed housing is delivered.

    Shore Power is estimated to reduce emissions associated with the White Bay precinct by over 4,000 tonnes every year.

    The contract for the charger at White Bay berth 5 has been awarded to global leader in shore power technology, Powercon, with initial work to prepare the site set to begin by the end of 2024.

    The move puts Sydney on par with other global cities adopting this technology, such as in Europe, where shoreside electricity will be mandatory at all main ports from 2030.

    With critical equipment in high demand, the White Bay Cruise Terminal Shore Power project is targeted for completion by late 2026.

    Once operational in 2026, it will be mandatory for any ship that docks at White Bay Cruise Terminal that is shore power enabled to use available shore power.  The vast majority of ships that use White Bay are already shore power enabled.

    Port Authority will determine the best mechanism to implement the shore power mandate, likely to be through contract obligations with its cruise industry partners. 

    Both NSW and Federal Labor announced their support for shore power in 2019. The former NSW Liberal Government promised to deliver it in 2022 and said it would be ready by 2024 but failed to allocate funding to the project.

    The Minns Labor Government is leading the rollout of Shore Power at other ports across Australia by supporting the development of Australian Standards that will inform future projects.

    Federal Member for Sydney Tanya Plibersek said:

    “Five years ago, Labor promised we would deliver shore power for White Bay Cruise Terminal, and cleaner air for the community on the Balmain peninsula. Today that promise is being kept.

    “This will be the first project of its kind in Australia, and it will be run on renewables. Awarding the contract for the Shore Power equipment design, fabrication, supply and installation, marks a major milestone in this complex project.

    “The community in Balmain has had to wait far too long for shore power to become a reality. They will remember that the former NSW Liberal Government claimed to support this project, but would not commit a single dollar of government funding.”

    NSW Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

    “Today the contract to deliver shore power at White Bay Cruise Terminal has been signed, sealed, and delivered, ensuring less cruise ship pollution for generations to come.

    “This will be the first major shore power infrastructure in southern hemisphere and the carbon emissions reduction this project at White Bay will achieve is equivalent to taking 1,100 cars off Sydney’s roads or planting 20,000 trees each year.

    “The Minns Labor Government has done what the former government could never do. We’ve put pen to paper and begun the process to deliver cleaner air for the Balmain Peninsula and set White Bay Cruise Terminal up for a sustainable future.”

    Port Authority NSW CEO Philip Holliday said:

    “Port Authority is focused on progressing the Shore Power project to our revised delivery date and creating a world-class, integrated, sustainable port of the future that supports our economy, the community and the NSW Government’s vision for the area.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: It’s time to prepare your property for the Summer

    Source: State of Victoria Local Government 2

    The City of Greater Bendigo is urging residents to get ready for the hot summer months by preparing their properties before the fire danger period is declared by the CFA.

    The City’s fire prevention officers will commence property inspections in early to mid-October to ensure property owners are maintaining their properties in preparation for the fire season.

    City of Greater Bendigo Municipal Fire Prevention Officer Darren Masters said current weather conditions will cause spring grass growth to dry out quickly and become a fire risk.

    “The recent weather has resulted in rapid grass growth and it’s important to start preparing your property now before the grass dries out and the fire danger period commences,” Mr Masters said.

    “Some key actions for residents including keeping grass low around homes and sheds, clearing gutters of leaf litter, removing flammable items from decks and verandas and cutting back overhanging branches.

    “Properties that pose a fire danger risk with vegetation higher than 10 centimetres around dwellings can be issued with a Fire Prevention Notice.

    “Property owners who receive a Fire Prevention Notice must comply by treating the identified hazard within a defined period of time.  This is typically three weeks from the date of inspection to ensure works are completed before the peak of the summer period.

    “If property owners fail to comply with a Fire Prevention Notice the City can engage a contractor to undertake mitigation works.  The cost of these works plus an administration fee will be passed onto the property owner. In some circumstances an infringement of 10 penalty units ($1,976) will apply.”

    “The City encourages property owners to apply for an extension if they are having difficulty completing the works before the specified date.”

    The City’s Fire Prevention Program is undertaken annually from October to February with property inspections commencing in the northern and western parts of the municipality, before progressing towards the southern areas.

    Greater Bendigo residents are reminded that they can dispose of their green waste for free all year round at the City’s Eaglehawk Landfill and the Heathcote and Goornong Transfer Stations.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: What a toot! Scooter found a decade after being stolen

    Source: New Zealand Police (National News)

    Police in Papakura have helped reunite a rider with his beloved scooter, 10 years after it was originally stolen.

    Counties Manukau South Response Manager, Senior Sergeant Clive Wood, says officers recently located a youth riding a scooter, which had been reported stolen from a property in Whangārei a decade earlier.

    “Officers spoke to the person on the scooter who explained they had just recently bought it from Facebook Marketplace.

    “They were quite upset after learning the scooter was stolen so Police assisted in tracking down the seller and negotiating regarding the money.

    “Thankfully, the money was reimbursed to a very thankful family.”

    Senior Sergeant Wood says the scooter’s registered owner had parked the scooter behind his friend’s house in Whangārei at the time and had forgotten about it.

    “He didn’t realise it was stolen and by the time he did it was too late.

    “Our staff contacted the owner after locating the scooter, which came as a huge surprise to him given the length of time.

    “When he picked it up From Papakura Police Station he was extremely grateful, and we were stoked to be able to return it to its rightful owner.”

    ENDS.

    Holly McKay/NZ Police

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: UPDATE: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration’s Continued Response Efforts to Hurricane  Helene

    Source: The White House

    Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, the Administration is continuing to provide robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts to Hurricane Helene’s impacts. The President and Vice President are closely monitoring these efforts and receive regular updates from their teams.
     
    At the President’s direction, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell visited Florida over the weekend to assess damage alongside local and state officials. She continued surveying damage today in parts of Georgia before she moves into North Carolina on Monday.

    Earlier this evening, Administrator Criswell and Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall briefed President Biden on the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene in multiple states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Virginia. Administrator Criswell also updated the President on Federal actions to support response and recovery.  

    The President directed Administrator Criswell to determine what more can be done to accelerate support to those who are having the most difficult time accessing assistance in isolated communities. He also advised the FEMA Administrator that as soon as it will not disrupt emergency response operations, he intends to travel this week to impacted communities.

    Additionally, the Federal government is closely monitoring an additional weather disturbance in the Caribbean Sea that has the potential to form into another storm in the coming week. Residents throughout the Gulf Coast should remain alert, listen to local officials, and make additional preparations as needed.
     
    Additional Federal response actions include:
     
    Approving Major Disaster Declarations
     
    Yesterday, President Biden approved Major Disaster declarations for the states of Florida and North Carolina, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. People in 17 counties in Florida and 25 counties in North Carolina, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.
     
    FEMA assistance in Florida and North Carolina may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula, and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.
     
    Emergency declarations were also approved for Florida, North Carolina Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA provides direct Federal support to states for life saving activities and other emergency protective measures, such as evacuation, sheltering, and search and rescue.
     
    Supporting On-The-Ground Response Efforts
     
    As of today, more than 3,300 personnel from across the Federal workforce are deployed and supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts across the impacted states. This includes the most experienced incident management teams to help identity Federal resources to address unmet needs, as well as Urban Search and Rescue personnel using high water rescue equipment for rescue missions across the region. 
     
    At least 50,000 personnel from 31 states and the District of Columbia and Canada are responding to power outages and working around the clock throughout parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina to restore power to those communities that can receive power. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is moving generators and additional power generation assets into the hardest hit areas of South and North Carolina as flood waters recede and debris removal allows. As of this afternoon, approximately 2.3 million customers are without power, down from the region-wide peak of 4.6 million on September 27.
     
    Additional Interagency Support Efforts
     
    Together with state and local partners, the Federal government is actively supporting Hurricane Helene response efforts and is coordinating requests for Federal assistance.

    • FEMA distribution centers are fully stocked and ready to provide commodities and equipment to any impacted state, as required.
    • FEMA is trucking dozens of trailers containing food and water in North Carolina to support the State as they start to set up care-sites for survivors.
    • FEMA is also working with the Federal Communications Commission and private sector telecommunications partners to deploy emergency mobile communications assets while they work to restore network services, particularly in remote areas.
    • The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency for Florida and Georgia, giving health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. About 200 medical responders are in Florida, Alabama, and North Carolina, along with medical equipment and supplies, to help ensure the delivery of health care services following the landfall of Hurricane Helene.
    • Twenty-four federal Urban Search and Rescue Task Forces are deployed across the affected regions. Roughly 1,302 Urban Search and Rescue personnel are assisting in the impacted areas. Together with local and state responders, teams have rescued and supported over 1,400 of people across the impacted area.
    • The U.S. Coast Guard has thousands of personnel working on response efforts and are conducting post-storm assessments to support the rapid reopening of impacted ports.
    • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers deployed teams for temporary emergency power, debris removal, and infrastructure assessment, including for dams throughout the region.
    • The Environmental Protection Agency has personnel on the ground who are offering technical assistance and guidance on water systems, debris management, and maintaining critical public health and environmental protections in place as storm impacts are assessed.
    • The U.S. Small Business Administration deployed more than 50 personnel to support survivors and small businesses as they recover from the hurricane.
    • The U.S. Department of Energy has responders deployed across the region and are closely monitoring power, fuel, and supply chain interruptions.
    • The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency has deployed personnel to the impacted region to extend much-needed emergency credit to farmers and agriculture producers who lost crops and livestock.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Police investigate deliberately lit fires in Launceston

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Police investigate deliberately lit fires in Launceston

    Monday, 30 September 2024 – 10:35 am.

    Police are investigating a series of deliberately lit vacant house fires, in the Launceston area that occurred between Friday 20 September and Saturday 21 September 2024.About 4.40am on Friday 20 September, police and Tasmania Fire Service were called to a vacant property on Invermay Road, Mowbray, which was fully engulfed by fire and the residence was destroyed.About 10.40pm on Saturday 21 September 2024, police and Tasmania Fire Service were called to a vacant property on Mayfield Street, Mayfield, to reports of the residence being on fire. The fire was extinguished, and the property suffered significant fire damage.A short time later, about 11:55pm, police and TFS were called to another vacant property on Box Street, Mayfield, to reports that the house was fully engulfed by fire, the residence was destroyed.Initial investigations by Tasmania Fire Service and Tasmania Police indicate that all three fires were deliberately lit.Anyone with information regarding the fires (quoting case 1486) is asked to contact police on 131 444, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at crimestopperstas.com.au. Information can be provided anonymously.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minimum Unit Price rises

    Source: Scottish Government

    Cost per unit of alcohol increases to 65p.

    EMBARGOED UNTIL 0001 on 30 September 2024

    The minimum price per unit of alcohol will increase by 15 pence from today.

    MSPs previously voted to continue the public health measure which had been scheduled to end automatically on 30 April as part of a ‘sunset clause’ when Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) legislation was introduced in 2018.

    They also voted to introduce a price increase, with a rise to 65p per unit chosen as the Scottish Government seeks to increase the positive effects of the policy and to take account of inflation.

    Health Secretary Neil Gray said:

    “Research commended by internationally-renowned public health experts estimated that our world-leading policy has saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions and contributed to reducing health inequalities.

    “Experts wrote to The Lancet, describing Public Health Scotland’s evaluation of minimum unit pricing as ‘high-quality’ and ‘comprehensive’, and expressing confidence that there are several hundred people with low income in Scotland who are alive today as a result of this policy.

    “However, the Scottish Government is determined to do all it can to reduce alcohol-related harm and as part of that, I am working to ensure people with problematic alcohol use receive the same quality of care and support as those dealing with problematic drugs use. We have also made a record £112 million available to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships to deliver or commission treatment and support services locally, as well as investing £100 million in residential rehabilitation.

    “I have also asked that Public Health Scotland is commissioned to review evidence and options for reducing exposure to alcohol marketing.”

    Background

    The Scottish Parliament voted to approve Orders increasing the minimum unit price and continue the effect of minimum unit pricing in April 2024. As part of an in-built ‘sunset clause’, agreed by MSPs when MUP legislation was first passed in 2018, the policy had been due to end on 30 April.

    The increase will take effect from midnight on 30 September 2024.

    The Scottish Government has worked closely with retail partners to publish a guide and ensure that retailers have all the information they need.

    Research conducted by Public Health Scotland and the University of Glasgow estimated that MUP had reduced alcohol-attributable deaths by 13.4% – 156 a year – and was likely to have reduced hospital admissions wholly attributable to alcohol by 4.1% up to the end of 2020 compared to what would have happened if MUP had not been in place.

    PHS evaluation found there was no clear evidence of substantial negative impacts on the alcoholic drinks industry.

    Public health experts wrote an open letter to The Lancet last August commending Public Health Scotland’s evaluation of minimum unit pricing commenting that it was “high quality” and “comprehensive” and that “Policymakers can be confident that there are several hundred people with low income in Scotland who would have died as a result of alcohol, who are alive today as a result of minimum unit pricing”.

    The Scottish Government continues to progress work on reducing exposure to alcohol marketing. Once the PHS review of evidence on alcohol marketing is concluded the Scottish Government will consider any areas where evidence supports further consultation.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Ross Solly, Canberra Drive, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    ROSS SOLLY:

    Earlier this week, Andrew Leigh and I stood cheek‑by‑jowl expressing our Oreo outrage when we discussed that Oreos were leading the charge in terms of items that were being bumped up to ridiculous price levels by supermarkets as part of their campaign. Now, today, Andrew Leigh, the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, released an interim report from the ACCC into the supermarkets. And look, it basically confirmed everything that we might have already known. Andrew Leigh joins us on the program. Good to have you on the show, Andrew Leigh.

    ANDREW LEIGH:

    Thanks, Ross, great to be back with you. Now, I was in a supermarket this afternoon and I saw Oreos that were half price. I nearly picked you up a pack.

    SOLLY:

    Isn’t that amazing? Andrew Leigh, who says that the radio has no power anymore.

    LEIGH:

    Exactly. I think the Canberra supermarkets are listening.

    SOLLY:

    That would be judging by the report that you handed down today, a bit of an outrider, because it seems that the ACCC is finding that the big 2, especially the big 2 – Coles and Woolworths – are taking advantage of their market power.

    LEIGH:

    Yes, that’s right. They’ve got 67 per cent of the market and the ACCC has pointed to a range of different ways in which they might be throwing their weight around with their consumers and with their suppliers, which as economists say, exercising monopoly power down and monopsony power up. It talked about the issue of land banking – which might keep out potential competitors, about the way in which discounting practices are sometimes too opaque. Multiple product discounts that make it hard to compare across stores and then also this phenomenon of shrinkflation, where suddenly you discover that there’s not as many Tim Tams in the packet and yet the price has stayed the same.

    SOLLY:

    Yeah, which is a bit of a surprise. On the land banking, Andrew Leigh, what powers do you have? Does the government have or what powers might you need to bring in to force? I mean, one of them, I can’t remember whether it’s Coles or Woolies, owned about more than 100 blocks that weren’t developed on the other one, had dozens of blocks. What powers are there to make them actually either hand those blocks over or actually do something with them?

    LEIGH:

    Well, it’s a pure state and territory issue, Ross which is why we’ve got National Competition Policy going again. We want to work with states and territories on some of these issues that cross across the federation – because whether it’s your federal government, your state government or your territory government – they want to make sure consumers are getting a fair deal. We’ve got to ensure that companies are either building or else handing the land back.

    SOLLY:

    Sorry to jump in. As the Minister for Competition, do you know whether most states and territories have those powers, like, for example, here in the ACT? Are there examples here of land banking going on that you’re aware of?

    LEIGH:

    Yeah, I mean, it’s an ongoing concern, Ross. I’ve certainly had people contacting me saying this development hasn’t gone ahead, why is it sitting there looking like an eyesore? But the extra layer on this is that there’s a competition angle that doesn’t always apply with other forms of development. So, you might have a housing development that languishes for a while. That’s frustrating for the people in the local neighbourhood, but a supermarket site that’s locked up can have an impact on the prices that people are paying every day. So, what we’re doing with the states and territories is making sure they’ve got that competition lens when they’re looking at these planning and zoning approaches. And they’ve been really constructive – Daniel Mookhey, Andrew Barr, the other state and territory Treasurers in engaging on this competition issue.

    SOLLY:

    But have they been going hard enough? I mean, I’m just looking here, it’s Woolworths that has 110 vacant sites nationwide. The Treasurers and the Premiers and the Chief Ministers maybe aren’t going hard enough. They’re not bringing out the big stick yet. Andrew Leigh is it time they did?

    LEIGH

    So, well, we’ll be working through that with them, Ross. They’ve all got different rules about how long an operator can hold on to a particular site. What we need to do through a National Competition Policy is ensure that they’ve got that clear competition lens in what they’re doing. The National Competition Policy has a great lineage. When we got a guy in the 1990s, it produced a permanent lift in GDP of 2.5 per cent. That’s about $5,000 for every Australian household. The issues are different now, but the framework’s the same. We’ve got to get more competition, more dynamism in the economy, not just in supermarkets, but in everything from banking to baby food to beer.

    SOLLY:

    Yeah, I’m just worried, though Andrew Leigh, I mean, we can sit here and we’ve talked about this day‑in day‑out, unless the states and the territories are actually given the tools or bring the tools in to take some action, Coles and Woolies will see this and they’ll go, oh, here’s just another report. We’ll just go on business as usual. Maybe divesting is something that you need to start looking at seriously. I know every time we raise it, you push it to one side, but the Liberal Party is keen on it. The National Party is keen on it. There seems to be a growing momentum, Andrew Leigh, for this to be taken seriously.

    LEIGH:

    Well, Ross, it’s not just me that’s sceptical about this. Every major competition review going back a couple of decades, the Dawson Review, the Harper Review, the Hilmer Review, have all recommended against divestiture. Craig Emerson didn’t recommend it. His review of the food and grocery code, the National Farmers’ Federation don’t support it, the ACTU aren’t calling for it and where it exists in other countries, it’s very rarely used. And that’s why we’re focusing on these measures that we know will make a practical difference.

    SOLLY:

    Maybe it’s not used, though. Andrew Leigh because it’s there. It’s there and it’s available. And the supermarkets know that the government in that country has that power available to them if they want it. I mean, you may never use it. You might never use it, but imagine having that up your sleeve and then you get delivered a report saying 2 big supermarkets are taking the mickey, they’re buying up all this land, they’re not using it, they’re fleecing people at the till. Imagine then if you just roll up your sleeve and say, look what I’ve got here.

    LEIGH:

    Well, Ross, we’re listening to the experts on this and the experts are saying you need merger reform, National Competition Policy, a mandatory Food and Grocery Code of Conduct. They’re some of the things we’re getting on to do. We’ve got the CHOICE price monitoring, which came out yesterday showing slightly different results in the first time round. First time round here in the ACT, it was Woolies that got the silver medal, this time Coles that got the silver medal. Aldi’s come in gold both times. That’s important information for people knowing how much they can save by shopping around.

    SOLLY:

    Do you think Aldi needs to be given, and I know you can’t, governments can’t pick favourites, but I wonder whether Aldi needs to be given a bit of a leg‑up here because obviously, I mean, the surveys are showing they’re the cheapest option.

    LEIGH:

    Yeah, they’ve certainly grown their market share going up to about 9 per cent of the market, but they don’t offer a full range of groceries, which is why the average Aldi is located just 400 metres from a Coles or Woolies. So, they’re encouraging people to do some shopping there and some shopping at Coles and Woolies. I think that’s happening more frequently. The jurisdictions that need most assistance are Tasmania and the Northern Territory, which don’t have an Aldi, and therefore their shoppers are missing out on that 25 per cent cheaper groceries in those jurisdictions.

    SOLLY:

    I don’t. I hate gotcha journalism. I’m not going to do gotcha. But I just want to know, Andrew Leigh, are you saying that divestiture is off the table? It’s never, never. It’ll never happen.

    LEIGH:

    Look, it’s not our focus right now, Ross. You ask the experts on this. We asked Dawson, Harper, Hillmer, Emerson. They don’t point to it. They point to a range of other things and that’s what we’re doing. We’ve got a big, ambitious competition reform agenda focused on things that we know and that the experts say will make a difference.

    SOLLY:

    Alright. I think the shoppers would love that to happen. Quarter to 6, we’re chatting with Andrew Leigh, who’s the Assistant Minister for Competition Charities and Treasury. Just one other thing on this. I noticed Wayne Swan today, former Treasurer, saying that he, he thought that the way the supermarkets have been behaving had actually pushed up inflation. Is he right?

    LEIGH:

    Well, if the claims are found to be true, and obviously they’re before the courts right now, then that would mean that Australians had paid more for their groceries. These so called fake discounts, which were applied when Coles and Woolies allegedly increased the price of certain things like Oreos for a couple of weeks and then dropped them and advertised them with a price drop sticker. Now we’re talking about 500 products on which Australians would have spent millions of dollars. So, yes, that would have had an impact on inflation. I don’t think it’s going to be the major driver of inflation over this period, but it will be there in the statistics.

    SOLLY:

    Andrew Leigh, thanks for your time on a Friday afternoon. Who’s going to win the footy tomorrow, by the way?

    LEIGH:

    Let’s hope the Swanies get over the line.

    SOLLY:

    All right. I think there’s a lot of listeners who would agree with you. Thank you, Andrew Leigh.

    LEIGH:

    Thanks, Ross. Thank you.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: $150 million to make SEQ an innovation powerhouse

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    South East Queensland (SEQ) is set to become an innovation powerhouse thanks to more than $150 million of investment in infrastructure to boost the region’s innovation economy.

    The SEQ Innovation Economy Fund is part of the $1.8 billion SEQ City Deal, a partnership between the Australian Government, Queensland Government and Council of Mayors (SEQ), which aims to improve the accessibility, prosperity and liveability of the region – home to around four million residents.  

    Eligible local governments, industry, public and private entities can now apply for funding for capital projects that will deliver new and improved innovation infrastructure in SEQ and help grow high-value, knowledge-intensive jobs across the region.

    The Australian and Queensland Governments have committed $50 million each to create the fund, with at least $50 million in co-contributions required from industry.

    The fund aims to support capital projects which will:

    • develop infrastructure within existing SEQ innovation precincts to accelerate the delivery of high value, future-focussed employment opportunities
    • grow the SEQ innovation economy through the development and commercialisation of innovative products, services or processes using new and sustainable technologies
    • develop new and leverage existing partnerships that strengthen the SEQ innovation economy to drive greater economic, environmental and social outcomes for the region.

    Funding of up to $25 million is available for major capital projects that include new builds, extensions or refurbishments of innovation infrastructure, the purchase and installation of new equipment, or innovation-specific expansions to current capital projects.

    Funding of up to $5 million is available for minor capital projects including refurbishments and the purchase and installation of new equipment. 

    Applications for the SEQ Innovation Economy Fund close 22 November 2024. More information can be found at https://advance.qld.gov.au/grants-and-programs/innovation-economy-fund.

    Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Cities Jenny McAllister:

    “We want to help grow South East Queensland’s innovation economy.

    “Investing in future technologies and industries will drive innovation, create more high value job opportunities and make South East Queensland an even more exciting place to work and live.”

    “The Albanese Government is working closely with our state and local government partners to deliver initiatives that benefit the community and support the local economy.”

     Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for State Development and Infrastructure Grace Grace:

    “The SEQ City Deal is a partnership between three levels of government with the aim of supporting jobs, improving connectivity and preserving and enhancing the SEQ region’s liveability.

    “SEQ is an emerging economic powerhouse, with thriving industries and businesses offering new opportunities for employment and business growth for liveable and sustainable communities for the future.

    “The SEQ Innovation Economy Fund will help local governments, industry, public and private entities deliver new and improved innovation infrastructure in SEQ and help grow high-value jobs across the region.”

    Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister for Science and Innovation Leanne Linard:

    “The Queensland Government is committed to building a groundbreaking and thriving innovation economy in South East Queensland.

    “Brisbane, in particular, is one of the fastest growing tech hubs in the country, with more than 185,000 residents expected to be employed in tech hub industries by 2030.

    “This investment by the SEQ Innovation Economy Fund will drive further growth in our critical innovation industries and accelerate the creation of new and exciting knowledge-intensive jobs of the future.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Labor delivers biggest ever back-to-back surpluses

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    The Final Budget Outcome for 2023–24 shows the Albanese Government’s responsible economic management has delivered a second consecutive budget surplus.

    The Albanese Government has delivered the first back‑to‑back surpluses in nearly two decades.

    Today’s underlying cash surplus of $15.8 billion (0.6 per cent of GDP) follows the $22.1 billion (0.9 per cent of GDP) surplus delivered in 2022–23.

    In dollar terms, these are the biggest back‑to‑back surpluses on record.

    This means Labor has delivered the largest nominal improvement in the budget position in a Parliamentary term.

    Our back‑to‑back surpluses are helping in the fight against inflation, and that’s been acknowledged by the RBA Governor.

    The government’s budget strategy strikes the right balance between fighting inflation, rolling out responsible cost‑of‑living relief, supporting growth in our economy and strengthening public finances.

    The budget position has improved by $172.3 billion across the past two years compared to what we inherited from our predecessors.

    The stronger budget position means gross debt is $149.1 billion lower in 2023–24 than what was forecast at the election, which means we avoid around $80 billion in interest costs over the decade.

    The surplus is larger than what was forecast at the time of the 2024–25 Budget entirely due to lower payments, not higher taxes.

    In fact, compared to what was forecast at the budget, the tax take went down, not up.

    Payments are $10.2 billion lower than forecast, largely driven by lower demand for some programs and delays in some payments.

    Tax receipts are $5.3 billion lower than forecast, with a challenging outlook ahead as global economic uncertainty has weighed on the prices of our key commodities.

    We’ve been able to turn two big Liberal deficits into two big Labor surpluses because of our responsible approach which includes a combination of banking revenue upgrades and spending restraint.

    We have returned 87 per cent of upwards revisions to tax receipts in 2023–24 since coming to Government. Our predecessors only returned around 40 per cent.

    The level of real payments is now lower than what we inherited. After falling 4.9 per cent in 2022–23, real payments grew in 2023–24 by 2.9 per cent. Real spending growth under our predecessors averaged 4.1 per cent.

    Since coming to Government, we’ve found $77.4 billion in savings and re‑prioritisations, including $12.2 billion in 2023–24, compared to zero expenditure savings in the last budget of our predecessors.

    Payments as a share of GDP were 25.2 per cent of GDP in 2023–24, lower than the 27.1 per cent of GDP forecast at the time of the election.

    If we took the same approach as our predecessors, we wouldn’t have come close to delivering back‑to‑back surpluses.

    We’ve delivered two surpluses at the same time as we’ve rolled out responsible cost‑of‑living relief including tax cuts for every taxpayer, energy bill relief for every household, cheaper medicines, cheaper child care and the first consecutive real increases to the maximum rates of Commonwealth Rent Assistance in three decades.

    While we’ve been able to deliver these surpluses, we know that structural pressures on the budget are intensifying rather than easing.

    We’ve taken decisive action to address some of the biggest structural spending pressures on the budget through our reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and aged care system and our responsible budget management which means we avoid tens of billions of dollars in interest payments on the Liberal debt we inherited.

    Our economic plan is all about easing the cost of living and fighting inflation at the same time as we lay the foundations for a stronger economy for the future, and back‑to‑back budget surpluses help on each of these fronts.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Interview with Steve Cannane, RN Breakfast, ABC Radio

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    STEVE CANNANE:

    With interest rates not budging and the Reserve Bank Governor remaining cautious about the sticky inflation figures, the federal government has been eager to find some good economic news, and today, no doubt, they’ll be talking up the Final Budget Outcome for last financial year, which confirms the government has delivered the first back‑to‑back budget surpluses in almost 2 decades, with a surplus of $15.8 billion, which is higher than expected.

    The latest update comes as the federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has returned from Beijing where he co‑chaired the Australia‑China Strategic Economic Dialogue, and he joins us now. Treasurer, thanks for coming on.

    JIM CHALMERS:

    Thanks for the opportunity, Steve. How are you?

    CANNANE:

    I’m very well, thanks. We’ll come to the economy and your trip to China in a moment. But, first, we have seen an escalation over the weekend in the Middle East with attacks from Israel on targets in Lebanon and now Yemen. How concerned are you and the government about a broader regional conflict breaking out in the Middle East?

    CHALMERS:

    Very concerned. We don’t for one second mourn the death of a leader of a terrorist organisation, but we do mourn the deaths of innocent victims, and too many innocent lives have been lost already. That’s why we need a ceasefire so that the senseless killing of families stops.

    Our primary concern here is the human cost, but obviously a broader regional war, the escalation of this very troubling regional conflict, will have economic consequences as well.

    CANNANE:

    You are just back from China, and China has a series of economic challenges – the housing market is slumping, property developers have been going bust. It seems like the country may not meet its economic growth targets of 5 per cent. Did you see any evidence while you were there that they have got a sensible plan on how to deal with those problems?

    CHALMERS:

    Yes, I did. There couldn’t have been a more important time for us to restart our Strategic Economic Dialogue with China. It’s a really important part of stabilising the relationship, which is full of complexity and full of economic opportunity.

    While I was there the Chinese authorities announced some quite substantial steps when it comes to supporting growth in the Chinese economy. We’ve made it really clear that weakness in the Chinese economy has been a big concern for us. It’s a big part of the global economic uncertainty that we’re dealing with. The government’s efforts to support more economic activity in the Chinese economy, they are good for Australia and they’re very welcome.

    CANNANE:

    Steelmakers have been struggling in China. What impact will that continue to have on iron ore prices and the budget bottom line in Australia?

    CHALMERS:

    Already in the course of last week there were 2 key days – Tuesday and Thursday – and through the course of the week the iron ore price recovered a little bit, not a lot, but it recovered a little bit. That is a sign of the very positive response to the announcements made by the Chinese government, the Chinese authorities.

    They’ve got issues in the property sector which they are trying to address and trying to deal with. There are obviously issues with consumption, and so these efforts that they’re putting in to boost their economy, to support more activity in the economy, it’s a good thing for Australia.

    If you look at our Treasury forecasts in the Budget, we’re anticipating the weakest few years of Chinese growth really since that economy opened up in the late 1970s. That’s been a big concern for us. We’ve been upfront about that. Any efforts to try to turn that around in China is a good thing for us.

    CANNANE:

    We haven’t heard any announcements on the lifting of trade restrictions on Australian lobsters. Why is China being so stubborn around that export market?

    CHALMERS:

    A little bit more work to do, but we shouldn’t forget that of the $21 billion in trade restrictions, about $20 billion of those have been lifted because of the good work of the PM, Trade Minister Farrell and Foreign Minister Wong. Most of those trade restrictions have been lifted. That’s a good thing. We’ve got a bit more work to do on lobster, but I was able to convey directly to Chinese leaders that we want to see the speedy resolution of those issues.

    CANNANE:

    So why are they being stubborn on that particular market?

    CHALMERS:

    I wouldn’t necessarily describe it in that way. They’ve said –

    CANNANE:

    Except that you believe in free trade, so –

    CHALMERS:

    That’s why I welcome the fact that 20 of the $21 billion in restrictions have been lifted already. I want to see these trade restrictions lifted on lobster, no question about it. I conveyed that very directly to the Chinese leaders that I met with. There’s a little bit more work that our agencies are doing, our agriculture and trade authorities on both sides of the equation are working to try to get those last remaining restrictions lifted.

    CANNANE:

    Let’s move on to the Final Budget Outcome. In May you were predicting a budget surplus of $9.3 billion. The Final Budget Outcome for ’23–4 turned out to be a larger surplus of $15.8 billion. Why the difference?

    CHALMERS:

    The difference was explained entirely by less spending, not more revenue. We actually collected less revenue than we were anticipating at budget time, but spending was substantially down, and that’s what explains the bigger surplus that Katy Gallagher and I are releasing today.

    These 2 surpluses are an important demonstration of the responsible economic management which is a defining feature of our Albanese Labor government. These will be the first consecutive surpluses in almost 2 decades. In dollar terms we’re talking about the biggest budget improvement ever in a parliamentary term, and that’s because we’ve turned 2 very big Liberal deficits into 2 big Labor surpluses, and that’s a good thing.

    CANNANE:

    You said less spending. So what decisions have you made since May that have reduced spending?

    CHALMERS:

    There are a whole range of contributors to that lower spending figure. A large amount of it is demand‑driven programs. But what we’ve also shown over the course of our two‑and‑a‑bit years in government is we found almost $80 billion in savings.

    The key to these 2 surpluses is the fact that when we’ve got upward revisions to revenue because the labour market has been a bit stronger or our exports have been performing well, we’ve banked almost all of those upward revisions to revenue. If we hadn’t shown that spending restraint we wouldn’t be anywhere near these 2 consecutive surpluses for the first time in almost 2 decades.

    CANNANE:

    So, is it just underspending by certain government departments, or is it actual decisions that you’ve made since May to reduce spending?

    CHALMERS:

    The $80 billion in savings are decisions. The spending restraint is a decision. A substantial amount of the improvement since May is in demand‑driven programs. There is some underspending, and we detail that when we release all of the figures today.

    CANNANE:

    And to what degree is it as a result of higher than expected commodity prices? Because in that May Budget you did low ball the commodity prices estimates, didn’t you?

    CHALMERS:

    We always take a deliberately conservative approach to commodity prices, and that’s been warranted. In fact, in the last few months our commodity prices have been quite low. Sometimes they’ve actually been below the assumptions that we’ve put in the Budget.

    The improvement from our expectations of a surplus in May to the Final Budget Outcome that we’re reporting today is not about more revenue, it’s not about higher commodity prices, it’s not about more taxes. It’s about less spending. Our revenue has actually gone down from what we expected in May.

    CANNANE:

    So when you talk about these demand‑driven savings, are you talking about, for example, fewer welfare payments because employment is so strong? The unemployment rate is very low at the moment?

    CHALMERS:

    The unemployment rate has ticked up a bit since the middle of last year, but broadly, as we’ve expected, the economy is creating a lot of jobs.

    That’s a good prompt to remember that these 2 surpluses today are really important. They mean that there’s less debt and less interest to repay on that debt. But it’s part of a bigger story of progress that Australia has made in the last couple of years.

    We’ve created in this parliamentary term around a million jobs, inflation has halved, real wages are growing again, we’ve got tax cuts flowing to every taxpayer. These are all good developments, and we know that people are still doing it tough but the fact that we’re making progress, cleaning up the budget, providing cost‑of‑living relief, investing in housing and skills and energy and a Future Made in Australia, all of this together justifies the responsible approach that we are taking to the budget and to the economy.

    CANNANE:

    Okay. Let’s talk about the forecast for next year. There’s a forecast for a deficit of $28.3 billion. Is there any readjustment, and will you be trying to make that closer to a surplus to put more downward pressure on inflation and interest rates?

    CHALMERS:

    The numbers we’re releasing today are for the last year, not for the year that we’re in right now. We’ll update this year’s figure in the mid‑year budget update toward the end of the year in the usual way.

    But already this $28 billion deficit we’ve got currently for this year, that’s about $19 billion better than what it was expected to be when we came to office. It was a $47 billion deficit when we came to office. It’s now a $28 billion deficit, so even where –

    CANNANE:

    But those figures were based on coming out of a pandemic. So is that the kind of baseline you should be measuring yourself against?

    CHALMERS:

    Every government measures itself compared to what it inherited from its predecessors. We’ve made really quite extraordinary progress on the budget when it comes to cleaning up –

    CANNANE:

    But a pandemic is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime event. It’s not necessarily the fault of a previous government.

    CHALMERS:

    No, but for the year that we’re talking about, Steve, they’re talking about the forecasts for the post‑pandemic period. The year that we’re in now was not anticipated by our predecessors or by us to be impacted by the pandemic, which was at its worst a few years ago.

    We are talking here about a $172 billion improvement in just 2 years in the budget. That’s because we’ve shown spending restraint. We’ve banked upward revisions to revenue. We’ve found $80 billion in savings. We’ve taken the right economic decisions for the right economic reasons. Today’s Final Budget Outcome is a demonstration of that.

    CANNANE:

    Treasurer, can you just clear it up who asked for the Treasury advice on changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax and the policy implications of that?

    CHALMERS:

    As I made clear last week in Brisbane and then later in the week in Beijing, it’s not unusual for people in my job as treasurer to get advice on contentious issues. And I think –

    CANNANE:

    So you asked for it?

    CHALMERS:

    I get advice all the time on all the various issues in the economy, including negative gearing. That’s not especially unusual. I’ve said that already. I said that on Wednesday in Brisbane, said it on Friday in Beijing, saying it to you on Radio National Breakfast.

    CANNANE:

    But you’re not answering the question about whether you asked for that advice.

    CHALMERS:

    Sometimes the advice comes unprompted. Sometimes it’s sought by me.

    On this occasion, when there’s a contentious issue in the public domain and we’ve got a severe shortage of housing, of course treasurers get advice from their department on these sorts of issues. That’s what’s happened here. But as we’ve made very clear, Steve –

    CANNANE:

    So should we all assume that you did ask for it, then?

    CHALMERS:

    I get advised on it all the time. Sometimes it’s sought by me. Sometimes it’s provided in the course of things like the Tax Expenditure Statement that we release every year. But what I’m trying to convey to your listeners, Steve, is that this is not an unusual thing. This is a treasurer doing his job.

    We’ve made it really clear that we’ve got a housing policy already, and this isn’t part of it.

    CANNANE:

    So why is it a state secret about whether you asked for that advice or not?

    CHALMERS:

    It’s not. I’ve made it clear on a number of occasions now in the course of the best part of a week that I got this advice because it was a contentious issue, it was in the public domain and it was a big part of the parliamentary debate as well.

    CANNANE:

    Okay. Treasurer, we thank you for your time this morning.

    CHALMERS:

    Thanks for your time, Steve. All the best.

    CANNANE:

    Thanks a lot. Jim Chalmers, the Treasurer, talking to us there on Radio National Breakfast.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Administrator Visits Impacted Areas by Helene, Federal Family Continues Response and Recovery Efforts Multi-State Disaster

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA Administrator Visits Impacted Areas by Helene, Federal Family Continues Response and Recovery Efforts Multi-State Disaster

    FEMA Administrator Visits Impacted Areas by Helene, Federal Family Continues Response and Recovery Efforts Multi-State Disaster

    WASHINGTON — As FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell continues to meet with state and local emergency managers in areas impacted by Hurricane Helene, today, she was in several areas of Georgia assessing damage, talking with survivors and meeting with emergency workers. She will be traveling to North Carolina on Monday, Sept. 30. 

    In five states – Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee – federal agencies, private sector, nonprofit and faith-based organizations are responding to large disasters. Each of these states are at different stages of their response and recovery efforts. However, all states are addressing the impacts including impassable roads, communications and water systems disruptions and power outages.   

    President Biden approved major disaster declarations for the states of Florida and North Carolina, allowing survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery. People in 17 counties in Florida and 25 counties in North Carolina, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, can now apply for assistance with FEMA. People can apply in three ways: online by visiting disasterassistance.gov, calling 1-800-621-3362 or on the FEMA App.

    FEMA assistance in Florida and North Carolina may include upfront funds to help with essential items like food, water, baby formula and other emergency supplies. Funds may also be available to repair storm-related damage to homes and personal property, as well as assistance to find a temporary place to stay.

    Emergency declarations are still in effect for Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Under an emergency declaration, FEMA can provide support for urgent disaster response activities. 

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is assessing the impact of the water systems and what is needed to bring these online in several areas across the southeast.  Several counties in all states have issued boil water notices. Also, several federal agencies are moving in portable equipment to help reestablish communications in some of the hardest hit areas.  

    As water rescues continue in northwest North Carolina for more than a dozen search and rescue teams, Florida is distributing state supplies of food and water at dozens of points of distribution.  In addition, as state supplies are being distributed, FEMA and other federal agencies have moved more commodities into the region to help supplement these efforts, if needed. 

    These snapshots highlight some of the various response and recovery efforts underway. 

    View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”55446″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/973f3e29522b202afa24fedc36ad58d3.jpg?itok=rVG9vUsq” alt=”Caption:

    VALDOSTA, GA – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, FEMA Region 4 Regional Administrator Robert Samaan and Georgia Rep. Austin Scott, visit Helene survivors in front of their home in Valdosta GA. 

    ” class=”image-style-large”>

    VALDOSTA, GA – FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, FEMA Region 4 Regional Administrator Robert Samaan and Georgia Rep. Austin Scott, visit Helene survivors in front of their home in Valdosta GA. 
    View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”55447″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/b197d49c02bd4cf7da30d7a307d1774a.jpeg?itok=-oBqrMXz” alt=”Caption:

    Bradenton, Fla. (Sept. 29, 2024) – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams help survivors of Hurricane Helene. 

    ” class=”image-style-large”>

    Bradenton, Fla. (Sept. 29, 2024) – FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams help survivors of Hurricane Helene. 
    View Original‘ data-align=”center” data-asset-link=”1″ data-entity-type=”emerald” data-image-style=”large” data-asset-type=”imageasset” data-asset-id=”55457″ src=”https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/externals/451f5d0a3929253441bb510857096d82.jpeg?itok=LxXoxfCe” alt=”Caption:

    Raleigh, NC – Gov. Roy Cooper holds press conference to announce the approval of an expedited major disaster declaration by President Joseph R. Biden.

    ” class=”image-style-large”>

    Raleigh, NC – Gov. Roy Cooper holds press conference to announce the approval of an expedited major disaster declaration by President Joseph R. Biden.

    mashana.davis

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Listening out for views on radio prominence

    Source: Australian Ministers for Regional Development

    The Albanese Government is continuing with its program of reform to modernise media regulations, with the release of a proposals paper on a new prominence framework for radio today.
     
    This consultation is seeking views from stakeholders on the need for, and form of, a prominence framework for radio services on internet connected, voice-enabled smart speakers.
     
    The way people listen to audio content is changing, with close to a third of Australian households now owning smart speakers that act as ‘gateway devices’, actively mediating the way content is delivered to listeners.
     
    A radio prominence framework would seek to address issues impacting access to local radio services via smart speakers: internet-enabled devices that can provide access to radio content through voice activation software (or voice assistants).
     
    As technology changes, it is essential that the barriers that may make it difficult for radio broadcasters and audiences to consume connect are addressed.
     
    Radio services that are made available in response to a voice command can be heavily dependent on the platform – in contrast to a traditional radio device, or even a website or an app.
     
    Local radio services are only one of a range of audio services available on these devices and platforms, and the Albanese Government is now seeking to ensure that local radio services are not disadvantaged compared to other services.
     
    This consultation is part of a broader program of media reform to enhance the ability of the Australian media to keep Australians informed, reflect our stories, uphold community standards and ensure access to services.
     
    Written comments and submission can be received by 5:00 pm AEDT on Monday 11 November 2024 at: https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/have-your-say/prominence-framework-radio-smart-speakers
     
    Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
     
    “For over a century, radio has played an integral role in all of our lives as not only a source of entertainment for many Australians, but a resource for news, local content and critical emergency information.
     
    “Following on from our television prominence reforms, the Government is seeking to progress an aligned approach for radio services to help ensure that free local broadcast services remain easily accessible to all audiences. 
     
    “Interested stakeholders are encouraged to have their say to support the Government to design a radio prominence framework that best addresses the needs of both audiences and providers.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Supporting age-friendly communities and improving health access for rainbow people key areas of EIT lecturer’s research | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    2 hours ago

    Jeffery Adams is a Postgraduate Health Science Lecturer at EIT Auckland.

    Supporting age-friendly communities and improving health access for rainbow people are key parts of an EIT Auckland lecturer’s research.

    Jeffery Adams, Postgraduate Health Science Lecturer at EIT Auckland, says that he has undertaken research and programme evaluation across a number of health areas and settings – including physical activity, alcohol, gambling, mental health and wellbeing, workforce issues, volunteering, and community development/community action.

    A recent research project has been an evaluation of the Office for Seniors age-friendly fund. Jeffery is working with Stephen Neville from Te Pūkenga, who is the lead researcher.

    “We are looking at this funding scheme that the Office for Seniors offers and trying to work out how effective it has been in helping councils and communities either develop an age friendly plan or to implement age friendly projects.”

    “It’s a New Zealand-wide sample with more than sixty different projects that have been funded. We are trying to make a determination about the fund as a whole as to whether it’s achieving outcomes and contributing to communities to be more age friendly.”

    Another project that Stephen and Jeffery are involved in is the validation of an age-friendly survey tool. This is a partnership between the researchers, the Office for Seniors, and the Napier City Council and in association with The Hague University of Applied Sciences. The tool has been successfully trialled by Napier City Council with the aim of rolling it out for use in other communities in New Zealand.

    There are eight domains for determining an age-friendly city – community and health care, transportation, housing, social participation, outdoor spaces and buildings, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, and communication and information. For the Napier study,  validation process involved receiving feedback from a consumer panel in Napier.

    Jeffery says that while New Zealand has areas of age-friendliness, there’s a growing interest among some councils and communities to create more age-friendly environments.

    He says that one difficulty for cities is striking a balance between meeting the needs of everybody, while also ensuring older people’s specific needs are met.

    “An example is that many places have short time limits on their parking, but this can make it more difficult for older people to go out and shop and attend appointments.”

    Another focus area for Jeffery is the health and wellbeing of rainbow people (an umbrella term used to describe people of diverse sexualities, genders, and variations of sex characteristics). This research has included studies focused on mental health, alcohol consumption, HIV and sexual health promotion, and Asian gay men. It has been funded by a number of agencies including the NZ AIDS Foundation, Ministry of Health and the Health Promotion Agency and is characterised by engagement with community organisations and employment of community members as research team members.   

    Jeffery’s most recent project is examining data from the New Zealand Health Survey to ascertain the healthcare experiences and health behaviours of lesbian, gay and bisexual people. This work was funded by Massey University and is set to be published soon in New Zealand and Australian publications.

    Last year Jeffery and Stephen Neville wrote an article entitled Rainbow health in Aotearoa New Zealand – finally getting the attention it deserves?  which was published in the Journal of Primary Health Care.

    The authors wrote that the health of rainbow people had until now largely been ignored in government health policy.

    “However this has changed with the release by Te Whatu Ora and Te Aka Whai Ora of Te Pae Tata: Interim New Zealand Health Plan, which details priority areas to improve health outcomes and equity for all New Zealanders.”

    “Te Pae Tata promises a ‘new health system’ and improved health outcomes for rainbow people. Although this plan provides welcome recognition of inequity, it offers a limited, generalised view on how to improve health for rainbow people. More specific and detailed action plans on how equity might be achieved are required.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Beloved panda pair returns to China after 13 years in Tokyo

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Giant panda Ri Ri is loaded into a special container at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Beloved giant pandas Ri Ri and Shin Shin left Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo in the early hours of Sunday to fly back to their home country China due to age-related health concerns.

    Despite the pre-dawn hour, panda enthusiasts gathered outside the zoo to bid them farewell, with many shedding tears.

    The two pandas were scheduled to fly from Narita Airport to China, where they will be housed at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

    In the days leading up to their departure, Ueno Zoo saw an influx of visitors. On Saturday, the final public viewing day for the panda pair, more than 2,000 fans lined up before opening to say their goodbyes.

    Ri Ri and Shin Shin have brought warmth and joy to the Japanese during their stay in Tokyo, like a ray of light in the time of hardships, says Yasumasa Tomita, deputy director of Ueno zoo.

    Some fans, like Sumida from Aichi Prefecture, even camped overnight to catch a final glimpse of the pandas. “I fell in love with them at first sight and discovered how lively pandas really are,” Sumida said, expressing her gratitude for the fond memories.

    Giant panda Shin Shin is loaded into a special container at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 29, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    The two pandas arrived in Japan in February 2011, shortly before the 9.0-magnitude earthquake. Their public appearances provided comfort and joy to the Japanese people during a difficult time.

    “It has been 13 years since the earthquake, and I’m grateful for the healing they’ve brought us,” said Tokyo resident Yoshihara Mutsuko, who missed the chance to see the pandas but planned to visit them in China in the future.

    Giant panda Ri Ri, a male, and female giant panda Shin Shin, both from southwest China’s Sichuan Province, arrived at Ueno Zoo in 2011 under a leasing agreement.

    They gave birth to the celebrity giant panda Xiang Xiang in 2017, which was returned to China last year, as well as twin cubs Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei in 2021. All the three pandas, born and raised at the zoo, attracted crowds of panda lovers from both home and abroad.

    According to Ueno Zoo, both pandas, now 19 years old, have developed health issues such as high blood pressure due to their advanced age.

    Visitors take photos of giant pandas Ri Ri (L) and Shin Shin at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 28, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    Japanese and Chinese experts have maintained close communication and conducted joint consultations to provide appropriate medical treatments. Upon discussions between the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, it was decided they should be sent back to China for better care and treatment.

    Following their departure, Ueno Zoo will be home to two pandas, the twins Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China refines pricing mechanism for interest rates of individuals’ commercial housing mortgages

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

    China refines pricing mechanism for interest rates of individuals’ commercial housing mortgages

    BEIJING, Sept. 29 — China’s central bank on Sunday adjusted the pricing mechanism for interest rates of individuals’ commercial housing mortgages as the country aims to lower financial burdens on property owners.

    MIL OSI China News –