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  • MIL-OSI USA: 09.23.2024 Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on Israeli Military Strikes in Lebanon

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Texas Ted Cruz
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement:
    “Hezbollah exerts far-reaching control over Lebanon’s territory, governance, and infrastructure, and they have transformed vast regions of the country into a military terrorist base. They have stockpiled hundreds of thousands of rockets, missiles, precision munitions, and other weapons, which they have placed behind a vast network of human shields, including by placing uncountable ready-to-launch projectiles in civilian homes and buildings across the country. Hezbollah believes that the civilian casualties they generate through their use of human shields will trigger international pressure against and demonization of our Israeli allies, which has happened far too often, including the inexcusable complicity and participation of Biden-Harris officials. Since October, Iran has been using its terrorist groups across the Middle East, including Hamas and Hezbollah, to wage war against Israel. The Israeli government has the right and obligation to respond and protect the Israeli people, and it is imperative for that the Biden-Harris administration to reverse its policy of equivocating between Israel and Hezbollah, and for the United States to unequivocally stand with our Israeli allies as they respond to the attacks Iran has been waging through Hezbollah.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following their Letter, Duckworth, Durbin Applaud Biden Administration for Approving Illinois Disaster Declaration Following Summer Tornadoes, Extreme Weather

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Illinois Tammy Duckworth

    September 23, 2024

    The Senators led the Illinois delegation in calling for federal assistance for seven counties

    [SPRINGFIELD, IL] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) applauded the Biden Administration for approving Governor JB Pritzker’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the State of Illinois, to support seven Illinois counties in recovering from severe storms in which more than 40 tornadoes spun through Central and Northern Illinois and downstate Illinois flooded between July 13 and July 16, 2024.  On August 29, Duckworth and Durbin led the Illinois delegation in sending a letter to President Biden in support of Governor Pritzker’s request for federal assistance.

    “As communities across Illinois continue recovering from this summer’s severe storms, it’s clear we must do everything possible to better prepare for and mitigate additional loss in the future,” said Duckworth.  “I’m thankful President Biden is heeding our request for assistance and providing this federal support to impacted communities.  I’ll continue working to bring home critical resources that help folks in every corner of the state prepare for and recover from future hazardous weather and natural disasters.”

    “Severe summer storms have become increasingly common, placing strain on communities left in its wake.  This summer, Illinois saw tornadoes, flooding, and damaging winds that put Illinoisans in danger and impacted several counties across the state,” said Durbin.  “Thankfully, President Biden has recognized the severity of the situation and responded to our request.  Illinoisans will have access to the federal support they need to rebuild and prepare for the next disaster.”

    The federal assistance includes grants for individuals to recover from the storms, as well as take hazard mitigation measures to prevent or reduce long-term risk to life and property from future natural disasters.  The counties eligible for the assistance are Cook, Fulton, Henry, St. Clair, Washington, Will, and Winnebago Counties.

    Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance today by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362) or by using the FEMA App.

    -30-

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to further promote ties with Maldives: Chinese FM

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

    NEW YORK, Sept. 23 — Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu on Monday met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New York, during which Wang expressed China’s willingness to continuously promote bilateral relations to new levels.

    Conveying Chinese President Xi Jinping’s cordial greetings to Muizzu at the start of the meeting, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, noted the fact that China and the Maldives are friendly neighbors across the Indian Ocean, recalling the successful state visit by Muizzu to China in January.

    During the state visit, the heads of state announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and the two countries will work together to build a community with a shared future, Wang said.

    Thanks to the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and the Maldives have conducted close exchanges at all levels and promoted practical cooperation, bringing tangible benefits to the Maldivian people, Wang said.

    China and the Maldives have always understood, trusted and supported each other despite the many uncertainties in the region and around the world, and the development of bilateral ties have remained steady and healthy, Wang said.

    China, Wang told Muizzu, is willing to work with the Maldivian side to thoroughly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and continuously promote the China-Maldives relations to new levels.

    China’s development will enhance the force for peace in the world and augment the strength of developing countries, and will hence bring new opportunities for developing countries like the Maldives, Wang said.

    China-Maldives relations have become an example of countries large and small treating each other equally, helping and supporting each other, and striving for mutual benefits and win-win results, Wang said, adding that it is the wish of China to carry forward its traditional friendship with the Maldives and march alongside the Maldives at the forefront of the endeavor to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

    China will always support the Maldives’ effort to protect its sovereignty independence, territorial integrity and national dignity, and support the Maldives’ search for a development path that suits the country’s reality, Wang said.

    Wang mentioned in particular the development of small island countries, saying that China is willing to lend a helping hand through the Chinese proposal known as the Global Development Initiative, meanwhile coping with challenges such as climate change together with small island countries.

    Muizzu, for his part, asked Wang to convey his best regards to President Xi, expressing his warm congratulations on the 75th anniversary of the founding the People’s Republic of China.

    Muizzu said his historic state visit to China in January was not only a total success that injected vigor into the development of Maldives-China relations, but also a personal honor for himself, as he was the first foreign head of state invited to China by President Xi this year.

    The Maldives, Muizzu stressed, firmly adheres to the one-China policy and supports a series of prominent international cooperation initiatives proposed by the Chinese president.

    Noting the visits by multiple Maldivian ministers to China since the start of this year and the smooth cooperation between the two countries, Muizzu said the Maldivian government and people wholeheartedly thank China for its selfless assistance in the economic and social development of the Maldives.

    The Maldives looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in the fields of finance, housing, agriculture, infrastructure and tourism, and promoting greater development of bilateral relations.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Pfluger Issues Statement on Israeli Military Strikes in Lebanon

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) issued the following statement on the recent Israeli military strikes in Lebanon:

    “In the last 11 months, Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terrorist organization, has launched thousands of rockets at northern Israel from Lebanon, forcing tens of thousands of Israelis to flee from their homes. Israel has the right to defend itself and its people from adversaries in the Middle East. I worked closely with the Israeli Defense Force during my time in the USAF and witnessed the technology our adversaries utilize against U.S. allies. The Biden-Harris Administration must end its strategy of appeasement toward Iran and its proxies that have prolonged this conflict. We must continue standing with Israel as they fight for their freedom.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Minister Rishworth interview on the Today Show with Karl Stefanovic.

    Source: Ministers for Social Services

    E&OE TRANSCRIPT

    Topics: Cost of living; Supermarket price gouging; Consumer affairs; Nuclear power; Renewable energy; Brownlow Medal.

    KARL STEFANOVIC, HOST: Welcome back. The consumer watchdog is taking legal action against Coles and Woolies, accusing the supermarket giants of misleading customers with dodgy discounts. Joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth and Independent MP Monique Ryan. Morning, ladies. Nice to see you. Monique, what a spectacular and disturbing own goal from the supermarkets. Maybe we do need to break them up with divestiture.

    MONIQUE RYAN, MEMBER FOR KOOYONG: No, I don’t agree, Karl. Look, it is a really disturbing news that we’ve seen that the supermarkets have been effectively price gouging Australians for a long time and that’s probably contributed significantly to inflation and to some of even the increased interest rates that we’ve seen in recent years. But we need more competition, not less. Divestiture would actually decrease competition and allow supermarkets to increase prices even more. We do need the ACCC and similar organisations to keep an eye on industry. This is appalling behaviour by the supermarkets.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay, Amanda, it wasn’t your Government or the parliamentary committee – it was consumers who called all this out.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES: Look, the ACCC does a very important job in this country and I’m really obviously going to be following this case. But it is disappointing if this turns out to be true for customers and very concerning. But we need to continue to reform, make sure we have competition in this country. That’s exactly what the mandatory code of conduct for the food and grocery sector is all about. We also need to make sure that our merger laws are fit for purpose and that we do have the ACCC looking very closely at our supermarkets because consumers and suppliers deserve a fair go. So, look, this is important work and we’ll keep doing it.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: We’ve known for so long, though, that we suspected at least, that it’s been happening. What’s taken you so long to act?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: I think the ACCC has been getting on and doing its job and this latest action is one of a number of actions that the ACCC has taken. But when it comes to making the grocery code of conduct mandatory, that’s been something, we’re out for consultation on now with a draft we’ve been going through methodically with the Craig Emerson report to introduce all those 11 recommendations. It’s important work and we’ll keep doing it.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Monique, that was a fair accusation at the start of this interview that this has contributed to inflation, maybe even interest rates. Do you stand by that?

    MONIQUE RYAN: I do. And I really think that at a time of a cost of living crisis, when Australians are really struggling with the price of so many essentials, the behaviour of Coles and Woolworths has been unconscionable. We do need the ACCC, we need the Government to work on competition in lots of industries. I’ve been calling for a code of conduct for the aviation industry for some time as well. We need the Government to act on that in the same way that it’s acted on supermarkets recently.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Well, have a look at the prices for flying to the grand final this weekend, it’s unbelievable. Let’s roll on, though. Nuclear. Monique long after the price is forgotten, Peter Dutton would argue the power remains. What did you make of his announcement yesterday?

    MONIQUE RYAN: Peter Dutton has been talking about nuclear, but he still won’t give us the detail we need, which is the details regarding costing. The Government, any governments since the 1970s, if we look back to the Gorton government of the early seventies, have looked at nuclear. There have been so many inquiries into the potential for nuclear energy in our electricity market for more than 50 years, and every single one has found that nuclear just doesn’t compare to the other sources of electricity. People need cheaper power. We need to be able to be confident that we have a secure electricity supply in this country. Nuclear power is not the answer. If Peter Dutton really believed in this, he would have evidence of the cost effectiveness of the nuclear option. He doesn’t, and that’s why he hasn’t presented any costings to the Australian public.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: But you’d go for it if he found the Willy Wonka chocolate bar answer to it all?

    MONIQUE RYAN: I think all Australians want cheaper electricity. We’re struggling with the cost of power. We get our energy bills and they’re horrible. But nuclear is not the answer. There’s no evidence. There never has been in the multiple inquiries over 50 years to ever suggest that nuclear electricity is a cost effective option for this country.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Amanda, he reckons Bob Hawke could go for it. Surely that’s enough for you.

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: Well, I have to say that was the art of distraction from Peter Dutton. I mean, he is, you know, verbaling, effectively a former, revered Labor leader. Someone that can’t give a right of reply because he passed away tragically five years ago. I mean, he could have actually turned up and told us what the cost was, told us how long it was going to take to build, rebut every expert that is saying that nuclear is more expensive, more risky and won’t keep the lights on, but instead he chose the art of distraction. He could have channelled Malcolm Turnbull, who is very, very vocal on this issue. Who says it’s an absolute disaster. So, maybe he needs to look at his own leaders first.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Righto. Finally, footy and fashion were on show at the Brownlow last night with Carlton captain Patty Cripps taking home the AFL’s highest honour. Monique, I feel like this was a great moment for you personally. Talk to us about how that made you feel.

    MONIQUE RYAN: So, you can see probably, yeah, you can probably see Karl I’m carrying a picture here, a signed picture. Patty Cripps wishing me all the best for all the good work that I do in Canberra as a Carlton supporter. It was a lovely night. It was lovely to see Patty take home the Charles Brownlow medal. He is an absolute champion. And after a pretty tough year, it was a good thing for Baggers supporters to see.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: I’m getting a little bit emotional. You, Amanda?

    AMANDA RISHWORTH: Oh, look, he was an absolute star on the field. You couldn’t deny that. Broke the record in terms of the number of points and probably an honourable mention to Nick Daicos, who also broke a record. So, look, it was a special night and congratulations to everyone.

    KARL STEFANOVIC: Good on you ladies. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Senator Peters Applauds New Biden Administration Rule Banning Chinese Vehicle Software and Technologies to Protect National Security

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Michigan Gary Peters

    WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following statement on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s new rule banning key Chinese and Russian-controlled software and hardware in vehicles. The proposal would help safeguard American consumers and companies against the national security threat posed by allowing certain vehicles and technologies made by Chinese Community Party-backed (CCP) companies to be imported or sold in the United States:

    “I applaud the Administration for taking this needed step to protect American citizens and critical infrastructure from the serious national security threats posed by Chinese and Russian vehicle components. We simply cannot allow technologies controlled by foreign entities of concern on our roads that are capable of storing and sharing Americans’ personal data, committing espionage, and even manipulating our cars.

    “Vehicle technologies made by Chinese Communist Party-backed companies, assisted by China’s unfair trade practices, also present a real threat to U.S. economic competitiveness, intellectual property, and automotive manufacturing. This rule would help improve the security of the U.S. automotive supply chain and keep Michigan at the forefront of global mobility innovation and the creation more good-paying, union jobs here at home.”

    Peters has consistently worked to combat the national security and economic threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles. Peters recently sent a letter to several Chinese automakers pressing for more transparency into their ties to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The letter highlighted the significant national security concerns associated with importing vehicles made by companies with CCP ties into the U.S, such as allowing the CCP to access Americans’ sensitive personal data and gathering information about our critical infrastructure by leveraging certain connected vehicle technologies. During a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing earlier this year, Peters urged U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to ensure the Commerce Department takes further action to combat threats posed by vehicles and high-risk technologies controlled by Chinese Communist Party-backed companies. In March, Peters also wrote a letter to Secretary Raimondo and the United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai highlighting the need for continued application of Section 301 tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles and supporting the Department of Commerce’s announcement of an investigation into the national security concerns posed by Chinese-made vehicles which led to this proposed rule. Peters then applauded the Commerce Department’s decision to raise tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles and other goods across numerous key sectors, including steel and aluminum imports, lithium batteries, critical minerals, solar cells, semiconductors, and medical equipment. 

    Peters has also consistently worked to boost American development of connected vehicles and other critical roadway safety technologies to support Michigan’s auto industry and create good-paying jobs for Michiganders. Last year, Peters – who Chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight, and Ports – called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to allow the deployment of safe, secure Cellular Vehicle to Everything (C-V2X) technology in order to accelerate the use of this lifesaving mobility safety technology and ensure the U.S. does not fall behind other countries in its development and adoption. Following this bipartisan call from Peters, the FCC approved the deployment of C-V2X technology – which is an intelligent transportation system (ITS) technology that enables data sharing between vehicles, the infrastructure they operate on, and nearby road users – improving roadway safety and efficiency. In 2022, Peters welcomed the U.S. Department of Commerce’s $52.2 million investment in the Global Epicenter of Mobility to drive and advance mobility innovation across Michigan’s automotive sector. Peters secured this funding through the American Rescue Plan he helped enact. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Consumer confidence at its highest since 2023

    Source: ANZ statements

    “Last week, Consumer Confidence increased 0.8 points, taking the series to its highest level since January 2023,” ANZ Economist, Madeline Dunk said.

    “Confidence is sitting just below 85 points, a ceiling it has been unable to break through for 19 months.

    “In the 1990s recession, confidence stayed below 85 points for nine months. This week’s rise in confidence was driven by an improvement in household confidence in the economic outlook.

    “Confidence about the next 12 months rose 2.7 points and confidence about the next five years lifted 3.0 points. Both were at

    their highest levels since Q1 this year. This may be related to last week’s stronger-than-expected labour market data, which showed employment had increased by more than 143,000 in three months, with participation at a record high. This may be easing fear of job losses.

    “We expect the labour market to remain resilient and see only a modest lift in the unemployment rate to 4.4 per cent.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Mike Garcia’s ACERO Act Passes the House as Part of NASA Reauthorization

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Garcia (CA-25)

    Washington, D.C.—Rep. Mike Garcia’s (CA-27) bipartisan ACERO Act passed the House today, included as part of H.R. 8958, the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The ACERO Act, a key component of this legislation, not only strengthens wildfire response capabilities but also supports the Antelope Valley’s aerospace economy, a critical sector for national security and American space leadership.

    “You can’t tell the story of the Antelope Valley without telling the story of NASA. The Aerospace Valley, as we call it, is home to some of the most important advancements in aerospace history—from Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier to the first flights of the Space Shuttle,” said Rep. Garcia. “With the ACERO Act, we’re pushing the boundaries of technology-assisted disaster response by equipping our firefighters with the tools they need to stop fires before they spread—much like how we equip our warfighters with cutting-edge technology to protect our nation.”

    The ACERO Act expands NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project, which focuses on integrating unmanned aerial systems (UAS) into wildfire response. These UAVs will act as a force multiplier for firefighters, enhancing their ability to respond swiftly and effectively to wildfires, especially in remote areas.

    “I’m proud that this bill not only supports our firefighters but continues to fuel the next generation of aerospace innovation that starts right here in the Aerospace Valley,” said Rep. Garcia.

    MIL OSI USA News –

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

    Source: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SBA to Open Business Recovery Centers in Gonzales and Donaldsonville to Help Businesses Impacted by Hurricane Francine

    Source: United States Small Business Administration

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration today announced the opening of its SBA Business Recovery Centers in Gonzales on Tuesday, Sept. 24 and Donaldsonville on Wednesday, Sept. 25, to provide a wide range of services to businesses impacted by Hurricane Francine that occurred Sept. 9 – 12.

    “Due to the severe property damage and economic losses inflicted on Louisiana businesses, we want to provide every available service to help get them back on their feet,” said Francisco Sánchez, Jr., associate administrator for the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the Small Business Administration. “The centers will provide a one-stop location for businesses to access a variety of specialized help. SBA customer service representatives will be available to meet individually with each business owner,” he added. No appointment is necessary. All services are provided free of charge. The centers will open as indicated below.

    ASCENSION PARISH
    Business Recovery Center
    Ascension Credit Union
    Small Business Center
    2430 S. Burnside Ave.
    Gonzales, LA  70737

    Opens at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24

    Mondays – Tuesdays, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

     

    ASCENSION PARISH
    Business Recovery Center
    Ascension Credit Union
    2256 LA-70
    Donaldsonville, LA  70346

    Opens at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25

    Wednesdays – Fridays, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

    According to Louisiana’s Small Business Development Center’s State Director Bryan Greenwood, SBDC business advisors will provide business assistance to clients on a wide variety of matters designed to help small business owners re-establish their operations, overcome the effects of the disaster and plan for their future. Services include assessing business working capital needs, evaluating the business’s strength, cash flow projections, and most importantly, a review of options with the business owner to help them evaluate their alternatives and make decisions that are appropriate for their situation.

    Businesses of any size and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets. These loans cover losses that are not fully covered by insurance or other recoveries.

    For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage.

    Interest rates can be as low as 4 percent for businesses, 3.25 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 2.813 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

    Interest does not begin to accrue until 12 months from the date of the first disaster loan disbursement. SBA disaster loan repayment begins 12 months from the date of the first disbursement.

    SBA representatives will also provide help to business owners and residents at disaster recovery centers when they are opened in the impacted area.

    In addition, applicants may apply online and receive additional disaster assistance information at SBA.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.

    The deadline to apply for property damage is Nov. 18, 2024. The deadline to apply for economic injury is June 16, 2025.

    ###

    About the U.S. Small Business Administration

    The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gallego Calls on Administration to Approve Major Disaster Declaration for Havasupai Tribe

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Ruben Gallego (AZ-07)

    September 23, 2024

    PHOENIX – Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) sent a letter to President Biden calling on his administration to approve the Havasupai Tribe’s request for a major disaster declaration in response to the recent severe flooding on their reservation.  

    On August 22nd, severe flash flooding at Havasu Creek inundated Supai Village on the Havasupai reservation, requiring the rescue and evacuation of over one hundred tribal members and tourists. The flooding resulted in significant damage to bridges, homes, roads, campgrounds, and trails as well as challenges to emergency response due to limited trail access to the reservation, and the Tribe has declared a state of emergency.

    “I appreciate your administration’s quick response, as FEMA staff were on the ground in a matter of days to begin assessing the damage, and the National Park Service immediately assisted with search and rescue efforts,” Rep. Gallego wrote. “Further providing the resources unlocked through a major disaster declaration will be crucial in rebuilding homes, fortifying tribal resources, and ensuring the resilience of Havasupai communities after this devastating flood.”

    Full text of the letter can be found HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Lower recent petrol prices welcome after prices moved higher in the June quarter

    Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

    Average retail petrol prices were higher in the June quarter but have since reduced, according to the ACCC’s latest quarterly petrol monitoring report.

    In the June quarter 2024, average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth) were 196.5 cents per litre (cpl). This was an increase of 3.3 cpl from the March quarter 2024 (193.2 cpl). 

    Click to enlarge

    “The lower prices since the end of the quarter have provided some relief to many motorists around the country,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.

    Average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities decreased in July and August 2024, following lower international refined petrol benchmark prices. On a monthly basis, average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities were 193.6 cpl in June 2024, and decreased by around 10 cpl to 183.7 cpl in August 2024.

    The following chart shows 7-day rolling average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities from July 2022 to August 2024.

    Seven-day rolling average retail petrol prices across the 5 largest cities in nominal terms

    Source: ACCC calculations based on data from FUELtrac and Informed Sources. 
    Notes: The grey shaded area in the chart represents the June quarter 2024. 
    The blue shaded area in the chart represents July and August 2024. 
    A 7-day rolling average price is the average of the current day’s price and prices on the 6 previous day.
     

    Among the five largest cities in the June quarter 2024, average petrol prices increased the most in Sydney (by 5.7 cpl), with average Adelaide prices decreasing by 0.7 cpl, while Brisbane’s average retail petrol prices were the highest of the five largest cities (204.8 cpl).

    Quarterly average retail petrol prices increased in Canberra, Hobart and Darwin. Average prices in Darwin were the third lowest among all eight capital cities, behind Adelaide and Perth. Quarterly average prices in Canberra were 205.1 cpl, the highest among the eight capital cities.

    The ACCC’s latest report also gives results for the financial year 2023-24. Annual average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities were 195.1 cpl in 2023-24. This was the highest on record in nominal terms and the highest in 10 years in real (inflation adjusted) terms. After adjusting for inflation, annual average prices in 2013-14 were 196.6 cpl.

    The ACCC encourages motorists to make the most of fuel price apps and websites

    In August 2024, the ACCC released a report on fuel price apps and websites and petrol price cycles in Australia, illustrating the benefits of using one of the many free fuel price apps and websites to shop around for lower fuel prices. There are more than 40 free to use fuel price apps and websites available.

    “In the current economic climate, making savings is important to many motorists. It can always be worth using a fuel price app or website to quickly check for a lower priced retailer near you before filling up,” Ms Brakey said.

    The following chart shows a range of average petrol prices by major brand in Brisbane during a petrol price cycle in the June quarter 2024. The chart also shows the levels of terminal gate prices (or indicative wholesale prices), represented by the grey shaded area.

    “There is often a range of petrol prices available across retail sites and using a fuel price app or website to find a lower priced site can result in large savings,” Ms Brakey said.

    From April to early June 2024 in Brisbane, the range of retail petrol prices between the highest and lowest priced brands was around 19 cpl on average. The range varied from as high as 42 cpl (when retail prices were increasing in the cycle) to around 9 cpl (when prices were decreasing).

    Daily average retail regular unleaded petrol prices by major brand and daily average terminal gate prices (lagged 7 days) in Brisbane

    Source: ACCC calculations based on data from the Queensland Government open data portal – Fuel price reporting 2024. 
    Notes: The grey shaded area in the chart represents average terminal gate prices in Brisbane (lagged by 7 days). 
    Retail prices are averaged across sites on a brand basis using data from the Queensland Government fuel price transparency scheme. Major retail brand means a retail brand with at least 7 retail sites under one brand that sold regular unleaded petrol. The ‘Independent’ category represents a collection of other branded and unbranded sites. Daily average retail prices are calculated from price observations at 6 hour intervals.
     

    Observing petrol price cycles in the five largest cities can also be a useful way for motorists to save on petrol. The ACCC web page – Petrol price cycles in major cities – includes up to date price charts, buying tips, and information on petrol price cycles in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. 

    “We know that because of longer petrol price cycles, motorists in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane can’t always wait for the price cycle to reach the next low point,” Ms Brakey said.

    “Where possible though, taking advantage of the low points of the cycle, and topping up or filling up before prices increase, can save money.”  

    Retail petrol price components

    The following chart shows changes in the components of average retail petrol prices in the five largest cities between the March quarter 2024 and the June quarter 2024.

    The largest components include the international price of refined petrol (Mogas 95) and excise and wholesale goods and services tax. The Australian/US dollar exchange rate can impact retail prices because international refined petrol is bought and sold in US dollars in global markets – although in the June quarter the exchange rate was relatively stable and had minimal impact on changes in average Mogas 95 prices in Australian dollar terms. 

    Other components include wholesale costs and margins (including international shipping costs and other import costs, and wholesale costs and margins) and retail costs and margins (represented by gross indicative retail differences).

    Changes in the components of average retail petrol prices across the 5 largest cities – cents per litre (cpl)

    Source: ACCC calculations based on data from Informed Sources, Argus Media, Ampol, bp, Mobil, Viva Energy, FuelWatch, the Reserve Bank of Australia and the Australian Taxation Office. 
    Notes: cents per litre change from the previous quarter. 
    The excise and wholesale goods and services tax component in this chart (65.9 cpl) is different to the excise and goods and services tax (wholesale and retail) component in the bowser, shown in the ‘June quarter 2024 – Petrol snapshot’. This is because a small amount of retail goods and services tax (1.6 cpl) is included in the gross indicative retail differences component in the above chart, for consistency in reporting gross indicative retail difference figures throughout this report. 
    Total excise and goods and services tax was 67.5 cpl in the June quarter 2024, an increase of 0.6 cpl from the previous quarter.

    Gross indicative retail differences increased to slightly above pre-pandemic levels 

    Average gross indicative retail differences across the five largest cities (in aggregate) were 17.2 cpl in the June quarter 2024. This was 1.8 cpl higher than the previous quarter (15.4 cpl). Gross indicative retail differences are a broad indicator of gross retail margins (including both retail operating costs and profits).

    In the 2023-24 financial year, annual average gross indicative retail differences across the five largest cities were 16.3 cpl, slightly higher than pre-pandemic levels on a real terms (inflation-adjusted) basis. 

    The level of gross indicative retail differences is not uniform across each of the five largest cities. In the June quarter 2024, quarterly gross indicative retail differences were lowest in Adelaide (9.2 cpl) and highest in Brisbane (25.6 cpl). In 2023–24, annual average gross indicative retail differences were lowest in Perth (10.7 cpl) and highest in Brisbane (22.0 cpl).

    The ACCC will continue to closely monitor the levels of gross indicative retail differences, including the differences between cities.

    Quarterly average regional retail petrol prices were marginally higher than prices across the five largest cities

    The ACCC monitors fuel prices in all capital cities and over 190 regional locations across Australia. In the June quarter 2024, average regional retail petrol prices (regional prices) were 197.4 cpl, an increase of 3.7 cpl from the March quarter 2024. 

    Regional prices were 0.9 cpl higher than average retail petrol prices across the five largest cities (196.5 cpl).

    Diesel prices were lower in many capital cities

    Quarterly average retail diesel prices across the five largest cities were 194.5 cpl in the June quarter 2024, a decrease of 1.2 cpl from the March quarter 2024 (195.7 cpl).

    Quarterly average retail diesel prices decreased in each of the capital cities except Canberra, where prices increased by 0.8 cpl. Retail diesel prices generally followed lower international diesel benchmark prices, which accounted for the largest component of retail diesel prices.

    Petrol sales continue to remain below pre-pandemic levels 

    The volumes of regular unleaded petrol sales reduced by 2.8 per cent in the June quarter (to 2,196 million litres) and continue to remain below pre-pandemic levels.

    “As consumers are increasingly switching from combustion engine vehicles to hybrid and electric vehicles, demand for fuel has reduced. Other factors would also be influencing demand such as working from home arrangements, vehicles becoming more fuel efficient, and changes in driving habits quite possibly due to cost of living pressures,” Ms Brakey said.

    Note to editors

    ‘Petrol’ means regular unleaded petrol unless otherwise specified.

    Singapore Mogas 95 Unleaded (Mogas 95) is the relevant international benchmark for the wholesale price of petrol in Australia. Singapore Gasoil with 10 parts per million sulphur content (Gasoil 10 ppm) is the international benchmark for the wholesale price of diesel.

    Background

    The ACCC has been monitoring retail prices in all capital cities and over 190 regional locations across Australia since 2007.

    On 14 December 2022, the Treasurer issued a new direction to the ACCC to monitor the prices, costs and profits relating to the supply of petroleum products in the petroleum industry in Australia and produce a report every quarter for a further three years.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: ‘Who looks after me?’ More than 40% of disability carers have disability themselves – and they need more support

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Susan Collings, Senior Research Fellow, Transforming early Education and Child Health Research Centre, Western Sydney University

    Yiistocking/Shutterstock

    Caring for someone with disability is a complex and demanding task. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show this role is increasingly being undertaken by people who have disability themselves. There were 1.2 million primary carers in Australia in 2022, and of these, 43.8% have disability (up from 32.1% in 2018).

    Disability support and aged care are critical issues for the federal government right now. The new Aged Care Act will take effect in July next year and amendments to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Act roll out from early October.

    A National Carers Strategy, recognising the demands placed on informal carers and the need for better supports, is also being developed.

    What do this group of carers need? And are they getting the right kind of support?

    Invisible labour

    Three million Australians currently provide informal care for loved ones with disability, medical conditions, mental illness or frailty from ageing.

    In line with our ageing population, one in six carers are over 65 and most older Australians want to age “in place” at home. This means informal care needs are set to rise exponentially.

    Improved diagnosis, more disclosure of disability status and higher prevalence of health conditions leading to disability are increasing the numbers of and demands on informal carers.

    Who is doing the caring and why?

    While both women (12.8% of the population) and men (11.1%) provide informal care, women are more likely to be primary carers (6.1% are women, 3% are men.

    Primary carers are less likely to be in paid employment than non-carers (64.6% to 82%), and fewer than half of those caring for 40 hours or more a week are employed. Informal carers are more likely to have a disability or chronic health condition (38.6%) than the general population (21.4%), with even higher rates among primary carers (43.8%).

    The main reasons for becoming a carer are a sense of family responsibility and emotional obligation. Over a third of those caring for their child say they have no other choice.

    We analysed qualitative data from the 2022 National Carer Survey conducted by Carers NSW.

    Of 6,825 respondents from across Australia, over 80% were women and almost half (47.6%) identified as having disability or long-term health conditions, which the survey combines. Disability and poor health among carers are associated with higher levels of emotional distress and greater difficulty in accessing services.

    Most carers are women and their caring load may prevent them doing paid work.
    Desizned/Shutterstock

    ‘My prospect of earning an income and saving is bleak’

    Statistics tell us only part of the story. The voices of informal carers who report living with disability or chronic health conditions shed light on the layered demands they face. They reported that care is often invisible, undervalued and ceaseless. One woman, aged 73, described informal care as “hard and unappreciated work”.

    A lack of government support and financial uncertainty left many despairing. As one carer, aged 56, said:

    No government recognises us and in the end we are saving them billions/trillions of dollars […] I have been a carer for over 13 years and it will go on for many years, so my prospect of earning an income and saving is bleak.

    Caring can have profound health and wellbeing effects. As another woman, aged 56, said:

    Being close to retirement myself, and having elderly parents, puts so much strain on my own health, mentally and physically. I have had to deal with breast cancer and its treatments and ongoing side effects. This is really stressful. I oversee all the services, and manage ongoing issues. My care role is endless. I only work minimal hours myself due to my care role. Who looks after me?

    Caring for carers

    Carers with disability or chronic health conditions report a lack of appropriate, accessible and timely services. This makes it hard to meet their own health-care needs. Many struggle with arranging support across mainstream and NDIS providers on behalf of the person they care for and themselves.

    Our research about the needs of a specific group of disabled Australians with care-giving responsibilities – parents with intellectual disability – find they can fall between system gaps when mainstream services are not accessible or the NDIS fails to take a family-centred approach.

    A parent with intellectual disability may struggle to understand complex and shifting eligibility rules and might be able to use their NDIS funding to assist with meal preparation for themselves but not for their child. As one mother with intellectual disability said:

    No one explained to me, ‘Oh, the NDIS package can help you with a lot of different things’, like helping with my parenting capacity.

    Changes and opportunity

    A cornerstone of the NDIS reforms is the creation of foundational supports. That’s good news for the 86% of disabled Australians without an NDIS plan and their informal carers, who rely on mainstream services like schools, health services and public transport.

    Likewise, the National Carers Strategy is an opportunity to ease some of the burden shouldered by many informal carers. By consulting with carers directly, services designed to meet their diverse needs and circumstances can be made available. In the immediate term, often carers reach crisis point before receiving support. Early interventions in the form of practical, everyday, orientated supports – including respite together with peer support – can help.

    Proper support for carer wellbeing and economic and social participation, from all levels of government, recognises the complex role carers play and their own support and health-care needs. These are only going to increase in the future.

    The authors wish to acknowledge the contribution of Sarah Judd-Lam and Lukas Hofstaetter from Carers NSW for their data and analysis contributions to this piece.

    Gabrielle Weidemann receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Department of Defence. This funding is not for research on disability and/or care for those with disability.

    Elisabeth Duursma, Michelle O’Shea, and Susan Collings do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. ‘Who looks after me?’ More than 40% of disability carers have disability themselves – and they need more support – https://theconversation.com/who-looks-after-me-more-than-40-of-disability-carers-have-disability-themselves-and-they-need-more-support-236786

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: China to cut mortgage rates for existing home loans

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This aerial photo taken on July 4, 2023 shows the construction site of a residential housing project in the start-up area in Xiong’an New Area, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China will lower mortgage rates on existing home loans to a level similar to those of newly issued housing loans, Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People’s Bank of China, said on Tuesday.

    The average reduction in mortgage rates for existing home loans is expected to be around 0.5 percentage points, he told a press conference.

    The minimum down payment ratio for both first and second homes will be unified, with the nationwide minimum down payment ratio for second homes to be reduced from 25 percent to 15 percent, Pan said.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Shift toward new engines of growth underway

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Robots work on an assembly line of a factory of a private enterprise in Zouping City, east China’s Shandong Province, Sept. 13, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

    A sustained focus on supporting innovation in strategic emerging sectors, future industries and traditional industries will be high on the agenda as China advances its economic structural reforms, which are aimed at fostering new quality productive forces and driving a shift from old growth drivers to new ones, economists and entrepreneurs said.

    Economists said the new quality productive forces will serve as a key driver for boosting the country’s economic growth in the coming years, which will help offset the real estate downturn, accelerate the building of a modern industrial system and promote high-quality development in the long run.

    Huang Hanquan, head of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said that fostering new quality productive forces is of vital importance in promoting high-quality economic growth, boosting total factor productivity and realizing Chinese modernization.

    “Various regions and departments across China have embraced this approach to drive economic progress, which will significantly accelerate technological innovation, enhance industrial application and facilitate the shift of growth drivers from old to new ones,” Huang said.

    A new report says that despite geopolitical headwinds that are having an impact on China’s economic growth trajectory and momentum, the nation is achieving success by boosting investment in science and technology, as well as by refocusing its efforts to enhance capabilities in emerging industries including artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and electric vehicles, and this is key to reinvigorating China’s growth engine.

    According to the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities China Index, cities that were home to a significant number of tech hubs displayed a high level of economic resilience. According to the report, Chinese cities that have strategically invested in emerging technologies will continue to thrive, even as the broader economy faces challenges at home and abroad.

    Highlighting that sci-tech innovation is a key element in the development of new quality productive forces, Huang from the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research called for more efforts to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies by investing more in fundamental research and tackling choke points, and by stepping up reforms in the science and technology, education and talent systems.

    More efforts should also be made to advance reforms in the market-based allocation of production factors, allowing factors such as land, labor, capital and technology to flow freely and efficiently to fields of new quality productive forces, he said.

    Looking ahead, Huang said the country should foster new pillar industries, including next-generation information technology, new energy vehicles, new energy and new materials, to offset the impact of the decline in real estate on China’s economy and create new growth drivers.

    Huang’s remarks came after a resolution adopted in July at the third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China placed great emphasis on improving the institutions and mechanisms for fostering new quality productive forces in line with local conditions.

    Justin Yifu Lin, dean of Peking University’s Institute of New Structural Economics, said that regions with development gaps should measure their progress compared with their own past rather than shifting their focus to the pursuit of success in frontier activities, which could result in haphazard or uneven development.

    There are two types of new quality productive forces — one that invents new technologies and one that applies them, Lin said. Therefore, applying new technologies in traditional sectors should be treated as part of the drive to harness new quality productive forces, he added.

    “Regions with gaps in development should use new technologies to improve productivity. It’s essential to follow the principle of seeking truth from facts and develop according to competitive advantages,” Lin said.

    China must better leverage the role of the market and tap the opportunity of technological innovation to enhance productivity, especially as it stands at the same starting line with other countries for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which is an opportunity that China “cannot afford to miss”, he said.

    The nation, which recently released a guideline to improve its market access system, is taking solid steps to optimize its business environment and foster new quality productive forces. This marks the country’s key push to implement the resolution adopted at the third plenary session.

    The guideline details 10 measures, including improving the negative list management model, strengthening the coordination of policies for domestic and foreign-funded enterprises, and optimizing the market access environment for new forms of business and new sectors.

    Liu Qiao, dean of Peking University’s Guanghua School of Management, said that high-standard opening-up and deeper institutional reforms will create immense room for improvement in resource allocation efficiency, leading to an increase in the growth rate of total factor productivity.

    Liu noted that the path to new quality productive forces involves expanding into industries and fields that can enhance total factor productivity and form new quality productive forces, adding that there are two paths to achieving this objective.

    “The first route involves leveraging revolutionary technological changes to foster strategic emerging industries and future endeavors, including sectors associated with energy transition and digital transformation, as well as future-oriented industries like quantum computing and AI-driven big data. These will create new momentum, aiding in the acceleration of total factor productivity growth.

    “The second path involves opportunities brought about by China’s transformation and upgrade of traditional industries. Currently, the productivity in China’s agricultural and services sectors, for example, is relatively low, offering significant potential for increasing total factor productivity,” he said.

    Global executives hailed China’s reform initiatives aimed at fostering new quality productive forces, saying that they present opportunities for global stakeholders.

    Nancy Wang, country manager at LinkedIn China, said that China’s vigorous pursuit of new quality productive forces aims to foster an innovation-driven economic growth model centered on technological advancement, sending a signal of China’s readiness to face the challenges of globalization and technological revolution with greater openness, inclusivity and innovation.

    Victor Tsao, vice-president of open-source solutions provider Red Hat and general manager of Red Hat Greater China, said, “We believe that through further deepening reform and opening-up, and optimizing the business environment, China will continue to attract more foreign enterprises.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China makes notable progress via equipment, consumer goods renewal program

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    This photo taken on April 24, 2024 shows a new energy vehicle (NEV) assembly line of BYD, China’s leading NEV manufacturer, at the plant of BYD in Zhengzhou, central China’s Henan Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    China has made noteworthy progress in promoting large-scale equipment upgrades and consumer goods trade-ins this year, an official said on Monday.

    China unveiled an action plan to implement the renewal program in March 2024 in an effort to expand domestic demand and shore up the economy, and stepped up policy support in July with an extra funds injection of 300 billion yuan (about 42.53 billion U.S. dollars) via ultra-long special treasury bonds.

    Zhao Chenxin, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, cited a string of positive results achieved by the program, highlighting increased equipment manufacturing investment and robust sales of automobiles and home appliances, when addressing a press conference on Monday.

    In the first eight months of 2024, China’s investment in equipment and tool purchases had increased by 16.8 percent year on year — well above the 3.4 percent increase in total fixed-asset investment.

    Retail sales of passenger vehicles in August rose by 10.8 percent compared with the previous month, while new energy vehicle (NEVs) sales increased by 17 percent month on month in August. The market share of NEVs remained above 50 percent for a second consecutive month. Sales of home appliances and audio and video products returned to growth last month, up 3.4 percent year on year.

    Thanks to the renewal program, many enterprises are optimistic about the prospects of sectors related to equipment and consumer goods, leading to brisk investment, Zhao said.

    The program, riding on the great potential of green and digital transition, will provide more impetus to economic sustainability and transformation efforts, Zhao added.

    China’s drive to promote equipment upgrades covers a wide range of areas including industrial equipment, environmental infrastructure, operating vessels, new energy buses and agricultural machinery, while consumer goods trade-ins involve products ranging from automobiles to home appliances and electric bicycles.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Kashgar transforms into unique tourist destination blending history, modernity

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

    Kashgar transforms into unique tourist destination blending history, modernity

    Updated: September 24, 2024 10:00 Xinhua
    Tourists select leather bags in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. The ancient city of Kashgar, located in southwestern Xinjiang, served as a vital transportation hub connecting China with Central Asia and South Asia in ancient times. The confluence of diverse ethnic cultures in this region has given rise to a wealth of historical and cultural treasures. Today, Kashgar has harnessed its cultural and geographical advantages, transforming into a unique tourist destination that blends history and modernity. In the first eight months of 2024, Kashgar received over 19.5 million domestic tourists, an increase of 29.46 percent year-on-year, and generated tourism revenue of nearly 15.35 billion yuan (about 2.18 billion U.S. dollars), up 38.83 percent. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist poses for a photo in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Local residents enjoy their leisure time in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist tries a headdress in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An ice cream maker gives a tourist her ice cream through magic tricks in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists visit a local residential building with more than 300 years of history in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist buys local snacks in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Tourists visit the ancient city of Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Copper wares are pictured in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist buys pomegranate juice in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A tourist selects wool carpets in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A local cook introduces his food to tourists in the ancient city of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: NHRC Extreme Weather Research Features on NPR Podcast

    Source: United States Navy (Medical)

    SAN DIEGO – Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) was featured in the latest episode of National Public Radio’s (NPR) Marketplace podcast series, “How We Survive,” released on September 11.

    The series, which focuses on climate change, featured interviews with command staff on NHRC’s research efforts with warfighter readiness in extreme weather conditions.

    Podcast host, Kai Ryssdal, a former Navy pilot, visited NHRC’s Warfighter Performance Lab in April, where he worked with Dr. Doug Jones and his thermal physiology team to understand how the lab conducts physiological and cognitive studies on Marines to optimize their performance and increase their resilience in extreme weather conditions.


    “We know that heat stress and cold stress undermine warfighter performance, and therefore their readiness” Jones explained on the podcast episode, “We do research to figure out what can we do about that, how we can prevent it, and if it’s occurring, how can we mitigate it? How can we prepare our warfighters for these types of environments?”

    The episode of “How We Survive” featuring NHRC, titled “The Changing Threat,” is the first episode of the series’ sixth season.

    NHRC’s mission is to optimize military operational readiness through research on warfighter, veteran and family health. NHRC supports military mission readiness with research and development that delivers solutions to the health and readiness challenges our military population faces on the battlefield, at sea, abroad and at home. NHRC’s team of scientists and researchers consists of active-duty service members, federal civil service employees and contractors, whose expertise includes physiology, microbiology, psychology, epidemiology and biomedical engineering.

    Story originally posted on DVIDS: NHRC Extreme Weather Research Features on NPR Podcast 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Parliament Hansard Report – Tuesday, 24 September 2024 – Volume 778 – 001410

    Source: New Zealand Parliament – Hansard

    Question No. 2—Public Service

    2. NANCY LU (National) to the Minister for the Public Service: What recent announcements has she made on Public Service working arrangements?

    Hon NICOLA WILLIS (Minister for the Public Service): Yesterday, the Prime Minister and I announced that the Government wants to see more public servants come into their place of work each day, and we are taking steps to make our expectations clear. Guidance to the Public Service will be updated to make clear that working from home is not an entitlement and must be agreed and monitored. While I acknowledge carefully defined working from home arrangements can benefit workers and employers, there are significant downsides that need to be recognised as well. Many good employers have been taking active steps to ensure their working from home policies are fit for purpose and it’s time the Government did the same.

    Nancy Lu: What are the specific expectations she announced yesterday?

    Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Updated guidelines will reinforce the Government’s expectation that (1) working from home arrangements are not an entitlement and should be by agreement; (2) working from home arrangements should only be agreed to where they will not compromise the performance of employees and agency objectives; and (3) importantly, where arrangements are agreed to, there must be comprehensive oversight arrangements in place so that managers can be clear the arrangements are working as expected and productivity is not being compromised.

    Nancy Lu: Why did she make yesterday’s announcement about working from home?

    Hon NICOLA WILLIS: There are good reasons why employees have traditionally been physically brought together for work, as members in this House know. It allows for face-to-face conversation, the sharing of skills and experiences, and relationship building. I think about the new grad who is starting out in an organisation. They need to observe, learn from, and form connections with their more experienced colleagues. Zoom and Microsoft Teams have significant limitations. Getting people back into the office will support those younger employees and mean managers can monitor team dynamics, including whether people are disengaged, struggling, or at odds with their colleagues.

    Nancy Lu: What does this announcement mean for public servants?

    Hon NICOLA WILLIS: Public servants can still work from home if arrangements are agreed and expectations around productivity and performance are met. Having some flexibility in working arrangements can be beneficial for employees and for employers; however, the Government is making its expectation clear that working from home is not an entitlement and that safeguards need to be in place.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Plateau care center offers homely comfort to orphans, elderly

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Tsechok Dorje (1st L) and Tsering Drolma (2nd R) pose for a photo at a care center in Ngari Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Sept. 14, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Seeing Tsechok Dorje’s scar on the right side of his face, Tsering Drolma couldn’t help but feel heartbroken, with tears welling up in her eyes.
    Several days ago, the eighth grader accidentally fell onto a heater and injured his face at school. When a teacher called Tsering Drolma about the accident, she was so panicked that she immediately asked her husband to drive her to the hospital to check on Tsechok Dorje’s condition.
    “I dared not be present while he was receiving treatment,” said Tsering Drolma, 36. “Luckily, his eyes are fine. Otherwise, I would feel guilty for the rest of my life.”
    Tsering Drolma is not Tsechok Dorje’s biological mother, but a Tibetan worker at a care center in Ngari Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. She serves as a custodian-like “mother” of 12 orphans, including Tsechok Dorje.
    Sheltering 81 children and 54 elderly people without any family members or living with disabilities, the care center combines the functions of an orphanage and a nursing home, with workers serving like family members and creating an atmosphere like a big family.
    Tsering Drolma still remembers when Tsechok Dorje first arrived there two years ago. “Back then, he was still immersed in the sorrow of losing his loved ones. He would often sit alone in the corner without uttering a word,” Tsering Drolma recalled.
    To help him embrace the new environment, the workers in the care center often took him out to play, made his favorite meals for him and helped him study. These acts of affection and care have gradually transformed him, turning his quiet and reserved persona into a sociable and outgoing one.
    In addition to helping his “mother” take care of the younger children, Tsechok Dorje also shares what happened in school as well as his observations during a museum visit with his “siblings.” Over the two years, his academic performance has also significantly improved.
    To better take care of the children, Tsering Drolma often attends various training sessions, including caring for the orphaned and children living with disabilities, performing first aid and preparing nutritious meals. “Our only wish is for these children to grow up healthy and happy,” she said.
    The care center was established in 2015 under the support of central and regional governments and the donation of an insurance company, with a total spending of more than 58 million yuan (about 8.2 million U.S. dollars). The center has facilities including a massage therapy room, a dining hall and a laundry room. It also gives allowance to elderly people and children every month.
    Compared with the traditional charity institutions that separate children and elderly people, the two-in-one care center offers space as well as an atmosphere for social interactions like a big family, said Jampel, the legal representative of the center, adding that they also organize galas during festivals such as the Tibetan New Year.
    After a cup of buttered tea in the morning, Tseten, 83, likes to go to the sunlight hall during the weekends, with children surrounding him to hear his stories about his misery in the past when he was a serf.
    “I used to be whipped hard by the master for losing a yak. I had no time to wait for my wounds to heal and had to stand on my feet the next day to herd cattle,” said Tseten, who has been living in the center since 2016.
    Tseten was in a wheelchair due to his bad knees when he first arrived there. Now, with years of meticulous care and treatment from doctors from a Tibetan medicinal hospital and nurse assistants in the care center, he is able to walk without a cane.
    Lhadro, a nursing assistant, is responsible for caring for Tseten and five other elderly people. In addition to bringing buttered tea, doing the laundry and changing sheets regularly for them, she conducts massage therapies and applies Tibetan medicine for external use on them based on doctors’ prescriptions.
    “Seeing the elderly gradually regain their health, I have a great sense of achievement,” said Lhadro.
    In recent years, a total of 80 nursing homes for elderly people with extreme financial difficulties have been built in Xizang. By the end of 2022, more than 5,800 elderly people in extreme financial difficulty had been cared for at nursing homes with government support, according to government figures.
    A soccer player at school, Tsechok Dorje likes wearing his training vest even at “home” and dreams of becoming a professional soccer player when he grows up. On a wall in his room, where four children live in bunk beds, is a poster of the Brazilian soccer player Neymar.
    “I hope I can play soccer as well as Neymar someday,” Tsechok Dorje said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech to Caring Families Aotearoa National Conference

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Thank you for the introduction and the invitation to speak to you here today.

    I would like to start by saying a big thank you to all the caregivers in the room, and those not able to be here today, for all that you do for our children and young people. 

    Without caregivers providing safe, stable homes for children, Oranga Tamariki would not be able to do the work that it does.  

    I came to Parliament believing changes can be made that will make caregiving more purposeful – and allow caregivers to make more decisions for children in their care.

    Hearing the voices of carers – and ensuring they can access support they need – is critical to ensuring the Ministry is performing at the level New Zealanders expect.

    As Minister for Children, my first and most important priority is always to ensure Oranga Tamariki is relentlessly focused on the safety of the children and young people in its care, and the children that come to its attention.

    All children deserve to wake up in the morning and feel safe and loved.

    To ensure the Ministry remains focused on what is important – and promote greater transparency about its performance – I have asked Oranga Tamariki to report quarterly on five key performance indicators.

    These reflect the areas I know will make the biggest difference to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in the care of the state. 

    One of these areas specifically talks about caregivers, and making sure they feel supported. 

    This key performance indicator will see Oranga Tamariki now regularly report the results of a continuous rolling survey of caregivers. 

    This survey will ask carers directly whether you are feeling supported.

    It will ask if you would recommend becoming a caregiver, or are thinking about stopping being a caregiver – and why.

    This will help to ensure caregivers are getting – and continue to get – the support they need as they open their hearts and homes to children and young people.

    I am confident this new approach – centred around key performance indicators and quarterly reporting – will promote accountability and better performance across the organisation.

    Children deserve the best care they can possibly get regardless of the race, religion, colour, or ethnicity of those people who are charged with the responsibility of nurturing, mentoring, educating, protecting and loving them.

    As I’ve said previously, I intend to improve the rights and responsibilities of caregivers, giving them greater autonomy and making it easier for carers to offer safe, stable and loving homes for children.

    I would once again like to express my sincere gratitude for the support caregivers provide our children and young people when they need it the most.

    I am confident the changes I am implementing at Oranga Tamariki will keep children and young people at the centre of their work – and improve the support received by our children, young people, their families, and caregivers. 

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Speech to the Caring Families Aotearoa National Conference

    Source: New Zealand Government

    Thank you for the introduction and the invitation to speak to you here today.

    I would like to start by saying a big thank you to all the caregivers in the room, and those not able to be here today, for all that you do for our children and young people. 

    Without caregivers providing safe, stable homes for children, Oranga Tamariki would not be able to do the work that it does.  

    I came to Parliament believing changes can be made that will make caregiving more purposeful – and allow caregivers to make more decisions for children in their care.

    Hearing the voices of carers – and ensuring they can access support they need – is critical to ensuring the Ministry is performing at the level New Zealanders expect.

    As Minister for Children, my first and most important priority is always to ensure Oranga Tamariki is relentlessly focused on the safety of the children and young people in its care, and the children that come to its attention.

    All children deserve to wake up in the morning and feel safe and loved.

    To ensure the Ministry remains focused on what is important – and promote greater transparency about its performance – I have asked Oranga Tamariki to report quarterly on five key performance indicators.

    These reflect the areas I know will make the biggest difference to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in the care of the state. 

    One of these areas specifically talks about caregivers, and making sure they feel supported. 

    This key performance indicator will see Oranga Tamariki now regularly report the results of a continuous rolling survey of caregivers. 

    This survey will ask carers directly whether you are feeling supported.

    It will ask if you would recommend becoming a caregiver, or are thinking about stopping being a caregiver – and why.

    This will help to ensure caregivers are getting – and continue to get – the support they need as they open their hearts and homes to children and young people.

    I am confident this new approach – centred around key performance indicators and quarterly reporting – will promote accountability and better performance across the organisation.

    Children deserve the best care they can possibly get regardless of the race, religion, colour, or ethnicity of those people who are charged with the responsibility of nurturing, mentoring, educating, protecting and loving them.

    As I’ve said previously, I intend to improve the rights and responsibilities of caregivers, giving them greater autonomy and making it easier for carers to offer safe, stable and loving homes for children.

    I would once again like to express my sincere gratitude for the support caregivers provide our children and young people when they need it the most.

    I am confident the changes I am implementing at Oranga Tamariki will keep children and young people at the centre of their work – and improve the support received by our children, young people, their families, and caregivers. 

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The second stage of the first phase of construction of the modern campus of NSU is being prepared for launch

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University – Earlier this summer, the complex of buildings of the first stage was successfully put into operation – it includes a new educational building of the NSU SUNC, a leisure center for students and two blocks of dormitories for NSU students and postgraduates. The total area of the first stage was 38 thousand square meters. Construction of a modern campus of NSU is carried out within the framework of the national project “Science and Universities”.

    The new dormitory building is the object of the second stage of the first stage of construction at the expense of the philanthropist with the support of the Foundation for the Development of Social Projects “Perspektiva”. It will become a significant addition to this comfortable infrastructure, connecting with the leisure center by an underground passage. The building project is developed in the uniform architectural style of the NSU campus – facade solutions made of concrete tiles will repeat the appearance of the new student dormitory buildings.

    The total area of the dormitory for students of the NSU SUNC will be about 15 thousand square meters. On 6 floors there will be 2- and 3-bed rooms with a total capacity of 562 people, storage and administrative premises, common leisure rooms and a medical block. Leisure, recreational areas, self-service laundries are provided on each floor.

    — New dormitories for students of the NSU SUNC will allow us to better solve problems related to the accommodation of schoolchildren outside their home, and will ensure the fulfillment of modern requirements for the conditions of stay of children coming to study at the SUNC. The staff of the physics and mathematics school are included in the process of planning and designing new dormitories, and will assist at all stages of the project implementation, — noted the director of the NSU SUNC Lyudmila Nekrasova.

    The construction of the new facility will be carried out on the site of the old building of the NSU SUNC. Its demolition and the start of construction work are scheduled for the end of 2024. The planned date for commissioning of the new dormitory is the second quarter of 2028. The technical customer of the construction will be OOO NDK Group.

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

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

    http://www.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/campus-construction/preparing-for-launch-the-second-stage-of-the-first-stage-construction-of-a-modern-campus-NSU/

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: US visas for Chinese students on rise, official says

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The United States remains the top destination for Chinese students studying abroad despite concerns among students and parents over visas and public security, said an official with the US embassy in Beijing.

    Meanwhile, Chinese students who plan to study in US universities and their parents expressed concerns about unfair treatment that US border authorities imposed on Chinese students in some cases.

    Karen Gustafson, the embassy’s minister counselor for consular affairs, told China Daily on Sunday that the embassy issued 105,000 visas to students from China last year. “We are currently hosting 290,000 Chinese students in the US,” she said.

    A report released by the US Department of State showed that in the first half of 2023, a total of 44,762 students from the Chinese mainland were granted F-1 visas to study in the US, a year-on-year increase of 44 percent.

    As of the end of July, the embassy had issued more than 80,000 student visas to Chinese nationals, Gustafson said, noting the continuing increase in visas issued to Chinese students.

    According to the 2023 Open Doors report released in November, Chinese students accounted for approximately 29 percent of the 1.05 million foreign students in the US during the 2022-23 academic year, down from 33 percent in the previous academic year.

    Gustafson said that despite a decreasing trend, Chinese students remain the largest group of foreign students in the US, and are expected to “stay at the top and grow”.

    “We really wholeheartedly welcome Chinese students to come to the US, and we are always hoping to encourage more students to come,” she said, adding that the embassy is making efforts to maximize student numbers and return to the peak before the COVID-19 pandemic.

    On Sunday, hundreds of Chinese students and parents participated in an education fair in Beijing, seeking information on the prospects of studying abroad. Around 100 US universities attended the fair.

    A fair visitor, surnamed Wang, said she hopes to address her concerns over her daughter’s further education in the US by seeking advice from the universities and the organizer.

    Wang said that her daughter, a student of biological sciences in Wuhan, Hubei province, is preparing to pursue postgraduate studies in the US.

    Given recent cases of Chinese students, particularly those majoring in science and engineering at US universities, having their visas refused on arrival, receiving unfair treatment by border enforcement and even facing deportation, Wang said she is worried and hopes to get more information from the authorities.

    In recent years, dozens of Chinese students have reported that they suffered from unwarranted harassment, interrogation and repatriation because of their political or scientific research background.

    Many have posted on social media platforms their “terrifying” experiences of being taken by border officials to a “small dark room” at US airports, raising public concerns.

    “What I care about most is the safety of my child and whether she can smoothly graduate from a US university,” Wang said, adding that she had heard that Chinese students applying for certain subjects face higher risks of visa rejection.

    Gustafson called such cases isolated incidents, and said the majority of Chinese students are continuing their studies in the US.

    While the US embassy is in charge of issuing visas, entry into the country is handled by the Department of Homeland Security, she said.

    “What I can say is the vast majority of Chinese students going to the USend up studying in the US, and we really welcome them to continue to do so,” she added.

    Significant harm

    Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in April that enforcing deportation orders against Chinese students has caused significant harm to the individuals concerned and disrupted cultural and academic exchanges between China and the US.

    “Recent cases demonstrate that US law enforcement officers are engaging in deportation for the sake of deportation, exhibiting political, discriminatory and selective enforcement,” she said at a news conference.

    Zhu Chenge, an assistant researcher of US diplomacy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said the excessive scrutiny of Chinese students by US authorities may seem to affect only a small group, but it is in reality demolishing one of the pillars of the complex interactions between China and the US.

    “Normal academic exchanges between two technological powerhouses are disrupted. It is certainly not a positive sign if students and scholars are more concerned about their personal safety than academic matters,” Zhu said.

    Wang Jialing, a 10th grader in the international class at RCF Experimental School in Beijing, has started to prepare his US university application.

    Aiming to enroll into the University of Southern California as a finance major, he inquired about application procedures and career prospects at the education fair. He said he wants to choose a college among the top 50 in the US in a relatively safe state, and plans to return to China after obtaining a bachelor’s degree.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Syrian president approves new gov’t formation

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced in a presidential decree the formation of a new government on Monday, the Syrian state news agency SANA reported on Monday.

    The reshuffle included key ministries, namely the ministries of information, foreign affairs, economy, finance, industry, health, and electricity.

    Bassam al-Sabbagh, former deputy foreign minister, replaced Faisal Mekdad to be the foreign minister. In another decree, Mekdad was appointed as vice president, tasked with implementing foreign and media policy under the president’s directives.

    Ziad Ghossoun, former director general of the Al-Wahda Printing and Publishing Organization, one of the largest print media publishers in Syria, was named the new information minister.

    The new government formation follows a decree issued by al-Assad on Saturday, in which he named former Communications Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali as the new prime minister and tasked him with forming the government after July’s parliamentary elections.

    Jalali, 55, has been under the European Union’s sanctions since October 2014.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Griffin Global Asset Management Announces Closing of $400 Million Senior Unsecured Notes Offering

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBLIN, Ireland, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Griffin Global Asset Management (“Griffin”) announces the successful closing by GGAM Finance Ltd. of an offering of an aggregate principal amount of $400 million senior unsecured notes. The notes were priced at par.

    The offering comprises $400 million of 5.875% senior unsecured notes due 2030 (the “Notes”). The Notes will be guaranteed by Griffin Global Asset Management Holdings, Ltd. and certain of its subsidiaries. Proceeds from the issuance will be used for general corporate purposes, which may include financing the acquisition of new aircraft deliveries and the future repayment of outstanding indebtedness.

    John Beekman, Griffin CFO, commented: “We are delighted to announce the closing of our latest unsecured notes offering. This issuance reaffirms our unwavering commitment to the unsecured capital markets and brings our total volume of unsecured notes issued to $2.5 billion in under 18 months. With the issuance of these notes we also disclosed that our secured warehouse was previously reduced to zero, which means inclusive of this issuance we currently have a fully unsecured balance sheet. We are grateful to our expanding investor base for the support they have shown us as we continue along our path to achieving investment grade ratings.”

    The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) or the securities laws of any jurisdiction and may be offered or sold only in a transaction exempt from, or not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act. The Notes were offered and sold only to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any sale of the Notes in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

    Forward Looking Statements

    This press release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “project,” “estimate,” “intend,” “continue” or “believe” or the negatives thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. You should read statements that contain these words carefully because they discuss our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations concerning our business, operating results, financial condition and other similar matters. We believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to our investors. There may be events in the future, however, that we are not able to predict accurately or control. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press release speaks only as of the date on which we make it. Factors or events that could cause our actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of them. We undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

    About Griffin Global Asset Management

    Griffin is a commercial aircraft leasing and alternative asset management business with offices in Dublin, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and Los Angeles, CA. Griffin’s team of professionals works closely with airlines, manufacturers, maintenance providers, and financiers to deliver innovative capital solutions globally.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: THAILAND, VIETNAM FLOODS: More than 900 schools damaged, leaving children unable to return to learning

    Source: Save The Children

    In the north of Thailand, floods tore through homes and schools leaving 140 schools damaged, while in Vietnam at least 805[1] schools have been damaged since early September after Typhoon Yagi battered the country.
    Asia is the world’s most disaster-hit region from weather, climate and water-related hazards.[2] Across the world, a staggering 774 million children – or one third of the world’s child population – are living with the dual impacts of poverty and high climate risk.[3]
    In Thailand, this means learning has been disrupted for more than 30,500 children[4] for an indefinite period.
    The floods have also increased the risk of waterborne diseases. Globally, increases in disease related to climate change are projected to have deadly implications for children, including vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever. [5]
    Classroom floors, chairs, tables and learning materials in schools across Thailand’s northernmost Chiang Rai province remain covered in mud and many schools are in need of new learning equipment.
    Children’s psychosocial well-being has also been acutely affected by the loss of their belongings, damage to their schools, their play areas and environments familiar to them.
    Patchara*, a 15-year-old student from Chiang Rai province, said she was able to save only some belongings when the floods hit and water levels reached her waist level.
    Her family is temporarily staying with relatives. Patchara said she’s worried about waterborne diseases as she travels to school. This is her first severe flood experience.
    Many flood-affected areas in Thailand and Vietnam are also still inaccessible due to flooded roads and the danger of landslides, severely hampering rescue and relief operations.
    Guillaume Rachou, Save the Children Thailand Executive Director, said:
    “Children in Chiang Rai can’t go back to school anytime soon. Others have had to stay at home to help their families rebuild their lives.  The recovery effort will take months so it’s important that these children’s lives are as normal and that they can return to their classrooms as soon as, and as safely, as possible and feel supported during the transition.”
    Save the Children will provide essential support to children in five districts of Chiang Rai province, including booklets on flood recovery hygiene and on infant feeding.
    The children’s charity will also provide 1,500 students with back-to-school kits including learning kits and school uniforms. In collaboration with global apparel retailer UNIQLO, the initiative will also see the distribution of 2,600 items of children’s clothing, which includes 1,600 new pieces of children’s innerwear and T-shirts, along with 1,000 pieces of adult clothing sourced from the brand’s customer take-back program known as “RE.UNIQLO.”
    Save the Children is also working with community volunteers, teachers and Thailand’s Department of Mental Health to provide psychological first aid training and training in how to spot children who are at risk of dropping out of school. The children’s organisation will set up a mobile psychological first aid team to support school staff and students at 20 schools where community outreach activities will include theater and arts.
    In Vietnam, Save the Children has been in discussions with government agencies to release a flood response plan to help affected children return to school safely and continue their learning.
    Save the Children has worked in Thailand since 1979 to support children most impacted by discrimination and inequality running  programmes on education, child protection, livelihood, and child rights governance.
    Save the Children started working in Vietnam in 1990 and now operates in 22 provinces in partnership with government agencies, civil society organisations, the private sector and academic institutions.
    *Name changed to protect identity.
    ********************************************************************** 
    For interview requests please contact:

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Federal electoral divisions in Western Australia formalised [24 September 2024]

    Source: Australian Electoral Commission

    AECMedia

    Updated: 24 September 2024

    The next federal election will be conducted on new electoral division boundaries in Western Australia after a notice was published today in the Commonwealth Government Notices Gazette.

    While final names and boundaries for House of Representatives seats in Western Australia were announced on 5 September, today’s gazettal is the step that formally sets them in place. Today’s gazettal also provides people with further details about the boundaries.

    – Maps and geospatial data for the new electoral divisions now available.

    More detailed division maps and the final redistribution report will be available after the Minister has tabled material in both houses of Parliament.

    Editor’s notes:

    • People on the electoral roll who are affected by the redistribution will now be moved into their new federal electoral division in readiness for the election. No action is necessary.
    • While the new electoral divisions will be in place from Tuesday 24 September 2024, they will only apply from the next full federal election onwards. Any federal by-election conducted before that point must be conducted on existing divisions to avoid overlap in, or missing, representation.
    • Further information about the redistribution process.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Secretary for Health receives vaccinations against seasonal influenza and COVID-19

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Secretary for Health receives vaccinations against seasonal influenza and COVID-19
    Secretary for Health receives vaccinations against seasonal influenza and COVID-19
    **********************************************************************************

         The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, received vaccinations against seasonal influenza and COVID-19 at Sai Wan Ho General Out-patient Clinic today (September 24). The Under Secretary for Health, Dr Libby Lee; the Director of Health, Dr Ronald Lam; the Controller of the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health (DH), Dr Edwin Tsui; the Commissioner for Primary Healthcare of the Health Bureau, Dr Pang Fei-chau; the Chairman of the Hospital Authority (HA), Mr Henry Fan; the Chief Executive of the HA, Dr Tony Ko; and frontline healthcare workers also echoed the move and were vaccinated.     Professor Lo said, “Seasonal influenza vaccination (SIV) is one of the most effective means to prevent seasonal influenza and its complications. I strongly appeal to all members of the public to receive SIV early as it is now the best timing to get vaccinated for effective protection in the coming year against the  influenza strains predicted by the World Health Organization in preparation for the possible winter or summer influenza seasons. Separately, individuals of high-risk priority groups should also receive an additional COVID-19 booster no less than six months after the last dose or COVID-19 infection (whichever is later) to enhance protection and reduce the risks of serious complications and death.”     He continued, “To boost the SIV coverage rate among schoolchildren, special arrangements have been made under the Seasonal Influenza Vaccination School Outreach Programme (SIVSOP) this year to offer a more flexible choice of vaccine options for kindergartens and childcare centres. They can choose both injectable inactivated influenza vaccines (IIV) and live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV) (i.e. nasal vaccines) for the same or different outreach vaccination activities. Moreover, the DH will roll out a pilot scheme in which LAIV will be provided to  primary and secondary schools that had indicated earlier this year their preference for arranging LAIV for their students.”     At present, around 870 kindergartens and childcare centres (80 per cent) have already arranged vaccination activities for their schoolchildren. Among them, 246 schools will offer LAIV, eight schools will offer both IIV and LAIV, and the rest will offer IIV. Separately, around 610 primary schools (93 per cent) and around 390 secondary schools (77 per cent) have arranged vaccination activities for their students. Professor Lo added, “I call on those schools that have yet to join the outreach vaccination programme to enrol as soon as possible to seize the optimum timing for vaccination and do their part to provide the best protection for schoolchildren.”     Hong Kong generally experiences two influenza seasons each year. The winter influenza season usually lies between January and March or April, whereas the summer influenza season typically runs from July to August. The overall influenza activity has remained at a low level since the end of the influenza season in late July this year. However, with reference to previous surveillance data, as the weather is expected to become cooler gradually, the CHP foresaw that the influenza activity level may rise at the end of the year. All citizens should receive SIV which can reduce the risks of serious illnesses and death.      The Government will launch the 2024/25 Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Programmes, including the Vaccination Subsidy Scheme, the Government Vaccination Programme, the SIVSOP and the Residential Care Home Vaccination Programme the day after tomorrow (September 26) to provide free or subsidised SIV for persons aged 50 or above (including the elderly living in residential care homes); adults aged 18 to 49 with underlying comorbidities; persons aged 6 months or above with immunocompromising conditions; pregnant women and healthcare workers etc.       Furthermore, individuals of the abovementioned  groups should receive an additional COVID-19 booster in a timely manner regardless of the number of doses of COVID-19 vaccines received before for dual protection. A COVID-19 vaccine can be co-administered with, or separated from, an SIV under informed consent. The inactivated COVID-19 vaccines currently used in Hong Kong (i.e. Sinovac CoronaVac) will expire on October 3, and the vaccine supplier has confirmed that they will no longer produce inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. Members of the public who would like to receive an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine should make a booking as early as possible. Starting from October 4, only mRNA vaccines will be available under the Government’s COVID-19 Vaccination Programme.     For more details, members of the public may call the CHP at 2125 2125 or visit the Vaccination Schemes page.

     
    Ends/Tuesday, September 24, 2024Issued at HKT 12:52

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Council Tax Support Scheme consultation begins

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool City Council is consulting on future options for its Council Tax Support Scheme affecting working age people. 

    Council Tax Support is a discount which helps households on low incomes with their Council Tax bill.

    Around a third of households in Liverpool are in receipt of Council Tax support and the scheme costs £74 million a year to operate.

    Applying the discount affects the amount of Council Tax the Council receives and also has an impact on the amount of Council Tax that all households in the city pay.

    The scheme has not been reviewed since it started in 2013, despite changes to welfare benefits and Council funding over this period.

    Like all local authorities the Council has a number of financial challenges. The proposals enable the Council to provide a scheme that is financially sustainable in future years.

    The aim is to have a scheme that supports those on the lowest incomes, enables residents to budget, is easy to understand, provides incentives for people moving into work, and is future proofed in terms of its cost.

    The current scheme is means tested and entitlement is calculated by comparing the money coming into a household with the amount the Government says the household needs to live on.

    The Council’s aim, through its proposed changes, is to simplify the rules so that people know how much their Council Tax bill will be reduced by over a year, enabling them to budget. The proposed changes will also align with Universal Credit and provide some certainty for people moving into – or out of work – whilst continuing to provide support to those that need it most.

    The proposals do not affect the Council Tax Support Scheme for pensioner households, the rules for which are controlled by central Government.

    There are four options being consulted on:

    Option 1

    Keep the existing Council Tax Support Scheme with no changes.

    Option 2

    Make limited changes to the Council Tax Support Scheme, including:

    • Changing the maximum discount given
    • Simplifying deductions for the amount deducted from Council Tax Support for another adult living in the property
    • Providing a 12-month award so there is no need to report every change in income
    • Supporting people who move into work by allowing them to stay in the same band for 12 months
    • Capping the maximum award level to Council Tax band B or C, for those in the higher bands C/D, E, F, G or H properties
    • Changing the length of time that an award can be backdated

    Option 3

    Introduce a simple banded scheme based on net earnings only, aligning with Universal Credit, which gives a lower level of discount (support) for those on higher net earnings.

    Option 3 Monthly Net Earnings Bands

    Band    Support           Monthly Earnings

    1          84%                 £0

    2          60%                 £0.01-£400

    3          40%                 £401-£800

    4          20%                 £801-£1,200

    5          10%                 £1,201-£1,500

    –           0%                   More than £1,500

    It also includes:

    • Simplifying non-dependant deductions (the amount deducted from Council Tax support for another adult living in the property)
    • Providing a 12-month award so there is no need to report every change in income
    • Supporting people who move into work by allowing them to stay in the same band for 12 months
    • Capping the maximum award level to Council Tax band B or C, for those in the higher bands C/D, E, F, G or H properties
    • Changing the length of time that an award can be backdated

    Option 4

    Introducing a simple income band scheme based on net earnings and household composition, aligning with Universal Credit.

    This option is designed to reflect the different needs of different types of household.

    The scheme has four bands with the level of award, varying with net earnings and household composition. To reflect the different levels of need, the upper and lower limits of the net earnings bands will be different for different types of household, such as single people, couples, or households with children.

    For couples, the upper and lower limits in the net earning bands will be extended by £50 per week. For households with children, the upper and lower limits to the net earnings bands will be extended by £25 per child per week, with no limit on the number of child additions.

    Option 4 Monthly Net Earnings Bands

    Band    Support          Monthly Earnings

    1          84%                £0

    2          60%                £0.01-£400

    3          40%                £401-£800

    4          20%                £801-£1,200

    5          10%               £1,201-£1,500

    *Households with more than £1,500 in net monthly earnings would receive no support

    It also includes:

    • Simplifying non-dependant deductions (the amount deducted from Council Tax support for another adult living in the property)
    • Providing a 12-month award so there is no need to report every change in income
    • Supporting people who move into work by allowing them to stay in the same band for 12 months
    • Capping the maximum award level to Council Tax band B or C, for those in the higher bands C/D, E, F, G or H properties.
    • Changing the length of time that an award can be backdated.

    Have your say until Monday 21 October at https://liverpool.gov.uk/ctaxsupportconsultation.   

    Following the consultation, a report will be sent to a Full Council meeting to make a final decision in January 2025.

    Deputy Council Leader, Cllr Ruth Bennett, said: “We are hugely proud of the range of welfare support we offer to the most vulnerable residents in Liverpool.

    “We have not reviewed the Council Tax Support Scheme for more than a decade, as a result the current system is complex for residents to understand and does not target support to those who most need it.  We want to build a system which works for our residents. 

    “We want to look at how we can simplify the scheme and make it more easily understandable for those who receive assistance.

    “We are also looking at how to give residents more certainty, for example by giving them a settlement for the whole year, rather than them having to report any changes in their income to us. This is not just time consuming for them, but is also costly to administer for the Council.

    “We also want to support people into work. We will do this by providing some certainty so whe residents go into work they will retain the same award of Council Tax Support for a full 12 months before it is reassessed.

    “We want residents’ feedback on the options before we make a final decision later on this year, with the changes being introduced from April 2025.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –