NewzIntel.com

Category: housing

  • MIL-OSI USA: Severe Storms Can Happen at Any Time; Being Prepared is Vital

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Severe Storms Can Happen at Any Time; Being Prepared is Vital

    Severe Storms Can Happen at Any Time; Being Prepared is Vital

    Frankfort, KY

    – The recent severe storms and flooding that occurred across Kentucky last month is a reminder that extreme weather events can happen at any time

    Preparing for this is vital to keeping your family safe

    The National Weather Service is predicting strong to severe storms in Kentucky this weekend

    Kentucky sees a disproportionately high number of severe weather events each year compared to other parts of the United States so it’s important to understand the difference between a watch vs warning

    If the National Weather Service issues a watch, it means be prepared

    Rain, hail and damaging wind threats are expected

    Warnings, usually issued for an hour or less, mean take action

    Click Watch Warning Advisory Explained to learn more

     But that’s no reason to let weather predictions leave you feeling stressed

    It’s also a good reason to be prepared year-round

    Make sure you can receive alerts and warnings quickly through several different technologies no matter where you are–at home, at school, at work, or in the community

    Know your area’s severe weather risk and practice your emergency plan with your family and pets

    In other words, know whether to shelter in place or go to your identified safe place, which could mean leaving town or deciding to stay with friends or family

     Before extreme weather happens, it’s a good idea to invest in a NOAA Weather Radio

    A public service offered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, weather information is broadcast directly and continuously from your nearest National Weather Service office

    Click Emergency Alerts | Ready

    gov to learn more

    Some communities use the Emergency Alert System, a national public warning system, to deliver warnings of imminent threats to specific areas

    A severe weather threat such as a tornado warning can be sent by state and local public safety officials

    If your community has outdoor warning sirens, become familiar with their warning tone(s)

    If you don’t have a safe room you can access in an emergency, the next best protection is a small, interior, windowless room or basement on the lowest level of your home or a sturdy building

     Simply put, preparing for severe weather means knowing what to do

     For the latest information about Kentucky’s recovery, visit fema

    gov/disaster/4860

    Follow FEMA on X at x

    com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook

    com/fema

    martyce

    allenjr
    Sat, 03/15/2025 – 12:57

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Launches to International Space Station

    Source: NASA

    Four crew members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission launched at 7:03 p.m. EDT Friday from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for a science expedition aboard the International Space Station.
    A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket propelled the Dragon spacecraft into orbit carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. The spacecraft will dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. Shortly after docking, the crew will join Expedition 72/73 for a long-duration stay aboard the orbiting laboratory.
    “Congratulations to our NASA and SpaceX teams on the 10th crew rotation mission under our commercial crew partnership. This milestone demonstrates NASA’s continued commitment to advancing American leadership in space and driving growth in our national space economy,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro. “Through these missions, we are laying the foundation for future exploration, from low Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars. Our international crew will contribute to innovative science research and technology development, delivering benefits to all humanity.”
    During Dragon’s flight, SpaceX will monitor a series of automatic spacecraft maneuvers from its mission control center in Hawthorne, California. NASA will monitor space station operations throughout the flight from the Mission Control Center at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
    NASA’s live coverage resumes at 9:45 p.m., March 15, on NASA+ with rendezvous, docking, and hatching opening. After docking, the crew will change out of their spacesuits and prepare cargo for offload before opening the hatch between Dragon and the space station’s Harmony module around 1:05 a.m., Sunday, March 16. Once the new crew is aboard the orbital outpost, NASA will broadcast welcome remarks from Crew-10 and farewell remarks from the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 crew, beginning at about 1:40 a.m.
    Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
    The number of crew aboard the space station will increase to 11 for a short time as Crew-10 joins NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner. Following a brief handover period, Hague, Williams, Wilmore, and Gorbunov will return to Earth no earlier than Wednesday, March 19.Ahead of Crew-9’s departure from station, mission teams will review weather conditions at the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida. 
    During their mission, Crew-10 is scheduled to conduct material flammability tests to contribute to future spacecraft and facility designs. The crew will engage with students worldwide via the ISS Ham Radio program and use the program’s existing hardware to test a backup lunar navigation solution. The astronauts also will serve as test subjects, with one crew member conducting an integrated study to better understand physiological and psychological changes to the human body to provide valuable insights for future deep space missions.
    With this mission, NASA continues to maximize the use of the orbiting laboratory, where people have lived and worked continuously for more than 24 years, testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to operate future commercial destinations in low Earth orbit and explore farther from our home planet. Research conducted at the space station benefits people on Earth and paves the way for future long-duration missions to the Moon under NASA’s Artemis campaign and beyond.
    More about Crew-10McClain is the commander of Crew-10 and is making her second trip to the orbital outpost since her selection as an astronaut in 2013. She will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72/73 aboard the space station. Follow McClain on X.
    Ayers is the pilot of Crew-10 and is flying her first mission. Selected as an astronaut in 2021, Ayers will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72/73. Follow Ayers on X and Instagram.
    Onishi is a mission specialist for Crew-10 and is making his second flight to the space station. He will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72/73. Follow Onishi on X.
    Peskov is a mission specialist for Crew-10 and is making his first flight to the space station. Peskov will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 72/73.
    Learn more about NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission and the agency’s Commercial Crew Program at:
    https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
    -end-
    Josh Finch / Jimi RussellHeadquarters, Washington202-358-1100joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov
    Steven Siceloff / Stephanie PlucinskyKennedy Space Center, Florida321-867-2468steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov
    Kenna Pell / Sandra JonesJohnson Space Center, Houston281-483-5111kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov / sandra.p.jones@nasa.gov

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: State Archives Launches Musical Event “Builder’s Spotlight”

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    State Archives Launches Musical Event “Builder’s Spotlight”

    Posted on Mar 14, 2025 in Main

    HONOLULU — How are ʻukulele built? What are the best materials to use? What would it sound like if the sound hole was in the back of the instrument?

    Those questions and more will be answered at an event the Hawaiʻi State Archives, a division of the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS), is hosting. “Builder’s Spotlight” will feature a local instrument maker who will talk about the instruments they make, then perform live music on those instruments.

    The first in this occasional series will be on Saturday, March 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. It will be livestreamed on the Archives’ Facebook page (Hawaiʻi State Archives) then posted to the Archives’ YouTube page when it’s done. The event is free to watch. The public may submit questions on the Facebook page in real time and a moderator will relay the questions to the host during the two-hour event.

    Well-known local musician Kimo Hussey will be the host. The first guest will be luthier Manny Halican of Pahu Kani. Halican will bring in six ʻukulele he built. Halican is also a musician and singer, so the demonstrations will include both Halican and Hussey performing intermittently while discussing design philosophy.

    “This is an excellent educational series highlighting the local artisans who bring cultural and historical value through Hawaiian music and song. It’s wonderful that we will record and save the lectures so that generations to come can learn from these masters,” said DAGS Director and Comptroller Keith Regan.

    This is a component of the Hawaiian Music Archives Initiative, which centralizes all the State Archives’ musical resources for people to explore Hawaiian music history. “The Hawaiian Music Archives Initiative includes 28,000 phonographic recordings, 15 cubic feet of Hawaiian sheet music and instruction guides, and over 1,000 vintage ʻukulele dating back to the 1890s. In September 2024, it also became the home of the ʻUkulele Hall of Fame.”

    State Archivist Adam Jansen, Ph.D., said, “In 2015, the Legislature designated the ʻukulele the official modern musical instrument of Hawaiʻi. We needed a repository to understand this instrument and to help create a deeper understanding of how Hawaiian music brought Hawaiʻi to the world, and by extension the concept of aloha.”

    “I love the ʻukulele. The rewards I get from playing it are wonderful and infinite,” explained Hussey, 80, who started playing the ʻukulele when he was five years old. The Līhuʻe resident will fly in from Kauaʻi to host the event. “I hope by teaching our viewers more about Hawaiʻi’s favorite instrument, it will increase their appreciation the next time they listen to music played on an ʻukulele.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Super Pressure Balloons Return to New Zealand for Test Flights

    Source: NASA

    NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program has returned to Wānaka, New Zealand, for two scheduled flights to test and qualify the agency’s super pressure balloon technology. These stadium-sized, heavy-lift balloons will travel the Southern Hemisphere’s mid-latitudes for planned missions of 100 days or more. 
    Launch operations are scheduled to begin in late March from Wānaka Airport, NASA’s dedicated launch site for mid-latitude, ultra long-duration balloon missions.  
    “We are very excited to return to New Zealand for this campaign to officially flight qualify the balloon vehicle for future science investigations,” said Gabriel Garde, chief of NASA’s Balloon Program Office at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. “Our dedicated team both in the field and at home has spent years in preparation for this opportunity, and it has been through their hard work, fortitude, and passion that we are back and fully ready for the upcoming campaign.” 
    While the primary flight objective is to test and qualify the super pressure balloon technology, the flights will also host science missions and technology demonstrations. The High-altitude Interferometer Wind Observation (HIWIND), led by High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, will fly as a mission of opportunity on the first flight. The HIWIND payload will measure neutral wind in the part of Earth’s atmosphere called the thermosphere. Understanding these winds will help scientists predict changes in the ionosphere, which can affect communication and navigation systems. The second flight will support several piggyback missions of opportunity, or smaller payloads, including: 

    Compact Multichannel Imaging Camera (CoMIC), led by University of Massachusetts Lowell, will study and measure how Earth’s atmosphere scatters light at high altitudes and will measure airglow, specifically the red and green emissions.  
    High-altitude Infrasound from Geophysical Sources (HIGS), led by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, will measure atmospheric pressure to collect signals of geophysical events on Earth such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. These signals will help NASA as it develops the ability to measure seismic activity on Venus from high-altitude balloons.   
    Measuring Ocean Acoustics North of Antarctica (MOANA), led by Sandia National Laboratories and Swedish Institute of Space Physics, aims to capture sound waves in Earth’s stratosphere with frequencies below the limit of human hearing.
    NASA’s Balloon Program Office at the agency’s Wallops Flight Facility is leading two technology demonstrations on the flight. The INterim Dynamics Instrumentation for Gondolas (INDIGO) is a data recorder meant to measure the shock of the gondola during the launch, termination, and landing phases of flight. The Sensor Package for Attitude, Rotation, and Relative Observable Winds – 7 (SPARROW-7), will demonstrate relative wind measurements using an ultrasonic device designed for the balloon float environment that measures wind speed and direction.

    NASA’s 18.8-million-cubic-foot (532,000-cubic-meter) helium-filled super pressure balloon, when fully inflated, is roughly the size of Forsyth-Barr Stadium in Dunedin, New Zealand, which has a seating capacity of more than 35,000. The balloon will float at an altitude of around 110,000 feet (33.5 kilometers), more than twice the altitude of a commercial airplane. Its flight path is determined by the speed and direction of wind at its float altitude.  
    The balloon is a closed system design to prevent gas release. It offers greater stability at float altitude with minimum altitude fluctuations during the day to night cycle compared to a zero pressure balloon. This capability will enable future missions to affordably access the near-space environment for long-duration science and technology research from the Southern Hemisphere’s mid-latitudes, including nighttime observations. 
    The public is encouraged to follow real-time tracking of the balloons’ paths as they circle the globe on the agency’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility website. Launch and tracking information will be shared across NASA’s social media platforms and the NASA Wallops blog.
    NASA’s return to Wānaka marks the sixth super pressure balloon campaign held in New Zealand since the agency began balloon operations there in 2015. The launches are conducted in collaboration with the Queenstown Airport Corporation, Queenstown Lake District Council, New Zealand Space Agency, and Airways New Zealand.  
    “We are especially grateful to our local hosts, partners, and collaborators who have been with us from the beginning and are critical to the success of these missions and this campaign,” said Garde. 
    NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia manages the agency’s scientific balloon flight program with 10 to 16 flights each year from launch sites worldwide. Peraton, which operates NASA’s Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, provides mission planning, sustaining engineering services, and field operations for NASA’s scientific balloon program. The Columbia team has launched more than 1,700 scientific balloons over some 40 years of operations. NASA’s balloons are fabricated by Aerostar. The NASA Scientific Balloon Program is funded by the NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate Astrophysics Division.  
    For more information on NASA’s Scientific Balloon Program, visit:
    www.nasa.gov/scientificballoons.
    By Olivia Littleton
    NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Va.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA Urges Preparedness Ahead Multi-Day Severe Weather Outbreak; Extremely Critical Fire Weather Conditions

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency 2

    ASHINGTON — A multi-day severe weather outbreak is expected in the Mississippi Valley into the Lower Ohio Valley this afternoon into Saturday and through the Central Gulf Coast states on Saturday. 
    The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center upgraded the threat of widespread damaging winds, large hail and a strong tornado threat across portions of Missouri and Illinois. 
    A tornado outbreak is possible on Saturday across central Gulf Coast states and deep south into the Tennessee Valley. Areas in eastern Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama could experience strong, long-track tornadoes Saturday afternoon and evening.
    Additionally, strong winds, low relative humidity and dry conditions will bring extremely critical fire weather conditions to the Southern Plains today. A wildfire outbreak is possible today across the Southern Plains as extremely critical fire weather conditions spread from the Texas Panhandle, North-Central Texas and into much of Oklahoma, southeast Kansas and western Missouri.
    Tips to Stay Safe Before, During and After Tornadoes and Wildfires
    Stay informed. Follow the instructions of state and local officials. They will provide the latest recommendations based on the threat to your community and appropriate safety measures. Monitor a NOAA weather radio, local radio or television stations for updated emergency information. Download the free FEMA App to receive real-time weather and emergency alerts from the National Weather Service for up to five locations nationwide.
    Have a Plan 
    Tornadoes: Identify a safe shelter immediately, such as a safe room, basement, storm cellar or a small interior room on the lowest level of a sturdy building. If you can’t stay at home, make plans to go to a public shelter or the home of friends, neighbors or family.
    Wildfires: Be prepared to evacuate with little advance notice in case of a wildfire. Make sure everyone in your household knows and understands what to do if you need to quickly evacuate. Keep a kit with enough food, water, medicine and your important documents in a convenient place. Don’t forget to plan for your pets.
    Protect Yourself
    Tornadoes: If you are under a tornado or severe weather warning immediately go to the safe location you identified. Stay away from windows, doors and outside walls. Cover your head or neck with your arms and put materials such as furniture and blankets around or on top of you. Watch out for flying debris that can cause injury or death. 
    There is no safe option when caught in a tornado in a car, just slightly less-dangerous ones. Do not go under an overpass or bridge, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris. You’re safer in a low, flat location.
    Wildfires: Know your Evacuation Zone. You may have to evacuate quickly due to a wildfire. Learn your evacuation routes, practice with household, pets and identify where you will go.
    If trapped, call 9-1-1 and give your location, but be aware that emergency response could be delayed or impossible. 
    Staying Safe After a Tornado or Wildfire
    Save phone calls for emergencies. Use text messaging or social media to communicate with family and friends.
    Pay attention to local authorities for updated information. Wait for further care instructions and continue to shelter in place or stay out of the area as appropriate.
    Stay clear of fallen power lines or broken utility lines. They may be live and can cause serious injury or death.
    Wear appropriate gear during clean-up such as thick-soled shoes, long pants and work gloves; use appropriate face coverings or masks to protect yourself from dust, mold or smoke.
    After a wildfire, avoid hot ash, charred trees, smoldering debris and live embers. The ground may contain heat pockets that can burn you or spark another fire. Use a respirator to limit your exposure to ash, and wet debris to minimize breathing dust particles. People with asthma, COPD and/or other lung conditions should take precautions in areas with poor air quality, as it can worsen symptoms.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DLNR News Release – Heʻeia State Park Banquet Hall Reopens, March 14, 2025

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    DLNR News Release – Heʻeia State Park Banquet Hall Reopens, March 14, 2025

    Posted on Mar 14, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES

    KA ‘OIHANA KUMUWAIWAI ‘ĀINA

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
    GOVERNOR

     

    DAWN CHANG
    CHAIRPERSON

    HE‘EIA STATE PARK BANQUET HALL IS REOPENED

     

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

    March 14, 2025

     

    HONOLULU – A valued location for community gatherings and celebrations in Windward Oʻahu is operating again. Since the reopening of the banquet hall at Heʻeia State Park on Saturday, March 1, there have been over 200 reservations and inquires for baby luaus, birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries and other types of celebrations.

     

    The hall and associated facilities were closed for the last month after the previous lease to the nonprofit Kama‘aina Care, Inc. was canceled. The banquet facility has been managed by cooperating partners with the DLNR Division of State Parks (DSP) for the past 48 years, since He‘eia was acquired as a state park in 1977. Prior to that, Kealohi Point was known as and operated as “Ulumau Village.”  

     

    In January, another nonprofit, Halau Nohona Hawai‘i (HNH), was awarded a revocable permit by the state Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) on a month-to-month basis. DSP is evaluating future management options and partnerships for enhancing the community’s experience, adding educational opportunities, estuary stewardship and to ensure that Heʻeia State Park is also known as Kealohi Point, a venerated cultural feature of Kāne’ohe Bay.

     

    “DSP has learned that HNH, through the culinary and event management skills of its co-founder Kaimana Chee, a kumu hula and a homegrown resident from Hauʻula, will be able to provide an affordable and quality standard for events in the banquet hall,” said Curt Cottrell, DSP Administrator.

     

    “With extensive experience in managing diverse culinary and events and operations across six continents, Kaimana and the HNH is bringing this depth of knowledge back home,” Cottrell added.

     

    To prepare for the reopening of the banquet hall, DSP received 300 new chairs and 40 tables. DSP staff hustled to unwrap and mark them as parks property. A DSP caretaker has been assigned to open the entrance gate each morning and to support service of the comfort station.

     

    For now, the grounds will be maintained through a contracted service, since DSP has not had staff assigned to this park for over 14 years due to Kamaʻaina Care doing all the maintenance. 

     

    The Puakea Foundation, led by Uncle Bobby Puakea, has a longstanding curatorship agreement in its halau waʻa onsite, and will continue its waʻa restoration and education programs that will now include paddling training and workshops.

     

    A new and critically needed additional partner in the park is DLNR’s Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) which is establishing a field station at the park and has installed an office trailer to support law enforcement operations on the windward coast. DOCARE will have the capacity to support park closure and ensure improved public safety. 

     

    Cottrell called DOCARE’s move “timely.” In December, someone broke into the banquet hall, damaged glass and stole expensive tools and materials owned by Kama‘aina Care, and DSP picnic tables and benches have been stolen. A few weeks ago, two arson fires were extinguished in the park.

     

    “Having DOCARE’s presence is enormously beneficial not only for He‘eia, but for the adjacent He‘eia Kea Small Boat Harbor and other facilities and lands in windward O‘ahu under DLNR jurisdiction,” Cottrell said.

     

    # # #

     

    RESOURCES

    (All images/video Courtesy: DLNR)

     

    HD video – He‘eia State Park and chair stenciling (Feb. 25-26, 2025): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/oomyt0i38xd4ixrqeex04/Heeia-State-Park-Banquet-Hall-Reopens-media-clips.mov?rlkey=3ew4jgezg43vamp7spe3cpknx&st=m52v4unm&dl=0

     

     

    Photographs – He‘eia State Park and chair stenciling (Feb. 25-26, 2025): https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/aiwa6j3ynsags7srd1pjr/ACaOdhdwo2frMdb4KHD0XBU?rlkey=ssf4fo6txxg2zgmdekzmzzv6l&st=9lrzex3p&dl=0

     

     

     

    Media Contacts: 

    Dan Dennison

    Communications Director

    Hawaiʻi Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    808-587-0396

    Email: DLNR.comms@hawaii.gov

     

    Patti Jette

    Communications Specialist

    Hawai‘i Dept. of Land and Natural Resources

    808-587-0396 

    Email: [email protected] 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: West Virginians Can Learn More About Rebuilding Their Homes

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: West Virginians Can Learn More About Rebuilding Their Homes

    West Virginians Can Learn More About Rebuilding Their Homes

    CHARLESTON, W

    Va

    — Residents in Logan, McDowell, Mercer, Mingo, Wayne, and Wyoming counties who were impacted by the winter flooding between February 15 – 18, 2025 can visit Jimmy’s Hardware and Supply in McDowell County to speak with a FEMA mitigation specialist about building their home back better

    FEMA can provide education and resources to residents on safe clean-up procedures and mitigation actions to reduce the effects of future events

    Mitigation staff can discuss opportunities on programs that are available to homeowners, explain the building and permitting process, and provide information on flood insurance and risk reduction techniques

     Jimmy’s Hardware and Supply23 County Rd 7 Roderfield, WV 24881 Hours of operation:Monday through Saturday: 8 a

    m

    to 6 p

    m

     Closed on SundaysResidents can also visit an open Disaster Recovery Center and speak with a FEMA mitigation specialist

    Mercer County Disaster Recovery CenterMcDowell County Disaster Recovery CenterLifeline Princeton Church of God250 Oakvale Road Princeton, WV 24740 Hours of operation:Monday to Friday: 9 a

    m

    – 5 p

    m

    Saturdays: 10 a

    m

    – 2 p

    m

    Closed Sundays Closed March 15, March 22, April 19Bradshaw Town Hall10002 Marshall HwyBradshaw, WV 24817 Hours of operation:Monday to Saturday: 8 a

    m

    to 6 p

    m

    Closed SundaysMingo County Disaster Recovery CenterWyoming County Disaster Recovery CenterWilliamson Campus1601 Armory DriveWilliamson, WV 25661 Hours of operation:Monday through Saturday, 8 a

    m

    to 6 p

    m

     Closed on SundaysWyoming Court House24 Main AvePineville, WV 24874 Hours of operation:Monday through Friday: 8 a

    m

    to 6 p

    m

     Saturdays: 9 a

    m

    to 3 p

    m

    Closed on SundaysFor more information on West Virginia’s disaster recovery, visit emd

    wv

    gov, West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, www

    fema

    gov/disaster/4861, and www

    facebook

    com/FEMA

    ###FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during and after disasters

    Follow FEMA online, on X @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol, on FEMA’s Facebook page or Espanol page and at FEMA’s YouTube account

    Also, follow on X FEMA_Cam

    For preparedness information follow the Ready Campaign on X at @Ready

    gov, on Instagram @Ready

    gov or on the Ready Facebook page

     
    kelly

    magarity
    Fri, 03/14/2025 – 16:29

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bahía Blanca Inundated

    Source: NASA

    Intense rainfall triggered deadly flash flooding in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, in late austral summer 2025. The city received approximately 400 millimeters (15.7 inches) of rain in 8 hours on March 7, local authorities told news outlets—about two-thirds the average amount the area sees in one year.
    The false-color images above show the city and its surroundings on January 30 (left) and March 11 (right), before and after the rainstorm. They were acquired with the OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9 and the OLI on Landsat 8, respectively. The band combination (7-5-4) used in the images makes it easier to distinguish between water, land, and vegetation. Flooded areas are visible in developed areas, particularly near the coast, as well as in the surrounding fields.
    The water level in the channels looks similar in the two images, but it fluctuates significantly with tides and weather. The average tidal range, or difference between high and low tides, at the Ingeniero White port is about 3.6 meters (11.8 feet). Prevailing winds that blow parallel to the main channels can accelerate or delay the tidal wave. Increases in suspended sediment after the storm may account for some of the variation in color between the two images. The rest of the estuary also appears more saturated.
    The intense rain on March 7 set a record for daily precipitation in Bahía Blanca, toppling the previous mark of 175 millimeters (6.9 inches) from 1930, officials reported. A cold front moving through the region triggered the severe weather, causing warm, humid air from a recent heatwave to rise, cool, and condense.
    Flash flooding submerged parts of the city in more than 2 meters of water, according to news reports. The deadly storm also forced the evacuation of a hospital and more than 1,000 residents from their homes. Floodwaters damaged roadways, causing multiple sections of National Route 3 to close. Bahía Blanca is home to more than 330,000 people and is a major port in Buenos Aires province.
    NASA Earth Observatory images by Michala Garrison, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Data Supports Everglades Restoration

    Source: NASA

    This story is the second installment of a series on NASA’s mission to measure greenhouse gases in Florida’s mangrove ecosystem. Read the first part here.

    Along the southernmost rim of the Florida Peninsula, the arching prop roots of red mangroves line the coast. Where they dip below the water’s surface, fish lay their eggs, using the protection from predators that the trees provide. Among their branches, wading birds like the great blue heron and the roseate spoonbill find rookeries to rear their young. The tangled matrix of roots collects organic matter and ocean-bound sediments, adding little by little to the coastline and shielding inland biology from the erosive force of the sea.
    In these ways, mangroves are equal parts products and engineers of their environment. But their ecological value extends far beyond the coastline. 
    Tropical wetlands absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere with impressive efficiency. Current estimates suggest they sequester carbon dioxide 10 times faster and store up to five times more carbon than old-growth forests. But as part of the ever-changing line between land and sea, coastal wetlands are vulnerable to disturbances like sea level rise, hurricanes, and changes in ocean salinity. As these threats intensify, Florida’s wetlands — and their role as a critical sink for carbon dioxide — face an uncertain future.
    A new data product developed by NASA-funded researchers will help monitor from space the changing relationship between coastal wetlands and atmospheric carbon. It will deliver daily measurements of gaseous flux — the rate at which gas is exchanged between the planet’s surface and atmosphere. The goal is to improve local and global estimates of carbon dioxide levels and help stakeholders evaluate wetland restoration efforts.

    In the Everglades, flux measurements have historically relied on data from a handful of “flux towers.” The first of these towers was erected in June 2003, not far from the edge of Shark River at a research site known as SRS-6. A short walk from the riverbank, across a snaking path of rain-weathered, wooden planks, sits a small platform where the tower is anchored to the forest floor. Nearly 65 feet above the platform, a suite of instruments continuously measures wind velocity, temperature, humidity, and concentrations of atmospheric gases. These measurements are used to quantify the amount of carbon dioxide that wetland vegetation removes from the atmosphere — and the amount of methane released.
    “Hundreds of research papers have come from this site,” said David Lagomasino, a professor of coastal ecology at East Carolina University. The abundance of research born from SRS-6 underscores its scientific value. But the BlueFlux campaign is committed to detailing flux across a much larger area — to fill in the gaps between the towers.

    Part of NASA’s new greenhouse-gas product is a machine-learning model that estimates gaseous flux using observations made by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites. The MODIS instruments capture images and data of South Florida every one to two days, measuring the wavelength of sunlight reflected by the planet’s surface to produce a dataset called surface spectral reflectance.
    Different surfaces — like water, vegetation, sand, or decaying organic matter — reflect different wavelengths of light. With the help of some advanced statistical algorithms, modelers can use these measurements to generate a grid of real-time flux data.
    To help ensure the satellite-based model is making accurate predictions, researchers compare its outputs to measurements made on the ground. But with only a handful of flux towers in the region, ground-based flux data can be hard to come by.
    To augment existing datasets, NASA researchers use a relatively new airborne technique for measuring flux. Since April 2022, NASA’s airborne science team has conducted 34 flights equipped with a payload known colloquially as “CARAFE,” short for the CARbon Airborne Flux Experiment. The CARAFE instrument measures concentrations of methane, carbon dioxide, and water vapor, generating readings that researchers combine with information about the plane’s speed and orientation to estimate rates of gaseous flux at fixed points along each flight’s path.
    “This is one of the first times an instrument like this has flown over a mangrove forest anywhere in the world,” said Lola Fatoyinbo, a forest ecologist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

    Early findings from space-based flux data confirm that, in addition to acting as a sink of carbon dioxide, tropical wetlands are a significant source of methane — a greenhouse gas that traps heat roughly 80 times more efficiently than carbon dioxide. In fact, researchers estimate that Florida’s entire wetland expanse produces enough methane to offset the benefits of wetland carbon removal by about 5%.
    “There are also significant differences in fluxes between healthy mangroves and degraded ones,” Fatoyinbo said. In areas where mangrove forests are suffering, say after a major hurricane, “you end up with more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.” As wetland ecology responds to intensifying natural and human pressures, the data product will help researchers precisely monitor the impact of ecological changes on global carbon dioxide and methane levels.

    The Everglades today are roughly half their original size — primarily the result of a century’s worth of uninterrupted land development and wetland drainage projects. It’s difficult to quantify the impact of wetland losses at this scale. Florida’s tropical wetlands aren’t just an important reminder of the beauty and richness of the state’s natural history. They’re also a critical reservoir of atmospheric carbon and a source of drinking water for millions of South Florida residents.
    “We know how valuable the wetlands are, but we need this reliable science to help translate their benefits into something that can reach people and policymakers,” said Steve Davis, chief science officer for the Everglades Foundation, a non-profit organization in Miami-Dade County that provides scientific research and advocacy in an effort to protect and restore the Everglades.
    As new policies and infrastructure are designed to support Everglades restoration, researchers hope NASA’s daily flux product will help local officials evaluate their restoration efforts in real time — and adjust the course as needed.

    The prototype of the product, called Daily Flux Predictions for South Florida, is slated for release this year and will be available through NASA’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

    By Nathan Marder
    NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Seabear Company Recalls Smoked Salmon Chowder and Alehouse Clam Chowder Because of Possible Health Risk

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Summary

    Company Announcement Date:
    March 15, 2025
    FDA Publish Date:
    March 15, 2025
    Product Type:
    Food & Beverages
    Reason for Announcement:

    Recall Reason Description
    Potential contamination with Clostridium botulinum

    Company Name:
    Seabear Company
    Brand Name:

    Brand Name(s)
    Seabear

    Product Description:

    Product Description
    Alehouse Clam Chowder and Smoked Salmon Chowder

    Company Announcement
    SeaBear Company of Anacortes, Washington is recalling two variations of seafood chowder (Smoked Salmon Chowder & Alehouse Clam Chowder), because it has the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life- threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled.
    Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention.
    The Smoked Salmon Chowder and Alehouse Clam Chowder were distributed through physical retail stores in Alaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington and direct home delivery via SeaBear’s website (https://seabear.com/) nationwide between 10/1/2024 and 03/14/2025.
    The recalled SeaBear Smokehouse chowder products are shelf stable and packaged in a 12oz dark blue pouch. The impacted lot codes are found on back of pouch.

    Recall Product
    Brand
    UPC
    Impacted Lot Codes

    SeaBear Salmon Chowder Net wt.12oz.
    SeaBear Smokehouse
    0 34507 07001 3

    64242902 SALCH – Enjoy by: 10/2028
    64242912 SALCH – Enjoy by: 10/2028
    64242972 SALCH – Enjoy by: 10/2028
    64242982 SALCH – Enjoy by: 10/2028
    64243042 SALCH – Enjoy by: 10/2028
    64243052 SALCH – Enjoy by: 10/2028
    64243121 SALCH – Enjoy by: 11/2028
    64243131 SALCH – Enjoy by: 11/2028
    64243191 SALCH – Enjoy by: 11/2028
    64243201 SALCH – Enjoy by: 11/2028
    64243651 SALCH – Enjoy by: 12/2028
    64250031 SALCH – Enjoy by: 1/2029
    64250291 SALCH – Enjoy by: 1/2029
    64250301 SALCH – Enjoy by: 1/2029

    Alehouse Clam Chowder Net wt 12oz
    SeaBear Smokehouse
     0 34507 07021 1

    64241641 ALECH – Enjoy by: 6/2028
    64241643 ALECH – Enjoy by: 6/2028
    64241661 ALECH – Enjoy by: 6/2028
    64243251 ALECH – Enjoy by: 11/2028
    64243261 ALECH – Enjoy by: 11/2028
    64250222 ALECH – Enjoy by: 1/2029
    64250241 ALECH – Enjoy by: 1/2029

    No illnesses have been reported to date.
    SeaBear initiated a voluntary recall after they became aware of a pouch seal issue from a customer complaint. Upon further investigation, they identified a mechanical issue with equipment, which caused seals to not fully bond and made some pouches leak.
    Consumers who have purchased SeaBear’s Smoked Salmon Chowder or Alehouse Chowder are urged not to consume products and should contact SeaBear’s customer service team at 1-800- 645-3474 or smokehouse@seabear.com for a full refund. SeaBear’s customer service hours are Monday-Friday 7am-5:30pm PST.
    This recall is being made with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    Company Contact Information

    Media:
    Brad Pitalo
    800-645-3474

    Product Photos

    Content current as of:
    03/15/2025

    Regulated Product(s)

    Follow FDA

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Office of the Governor — News Release — Gov. Green Announces First One ‘Ohana Fund Disbursement

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    Office of the Governor — News Release — Gov. Green Announces First One ‘Ohana Fund Disbursement

    Posted on Mar 14, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom, Office of the Governor Press Releases

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI 
    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI 
     
    JOSH GREEN, M.D. 
    GOVERNOR
    KE KIAʻĀINA 
     

    GOVERNOR GREEN ANNOUNCES FIRST ONE ‘OHANA FUND DISBURSEMENT TO SURVIVORS

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    March 14, 2025

    HONOLULU — Governor Josh Green, M.D., today announced the initial disbursements from the $175 million One ‘Ohana Fund, a key initiative of the Maui Wildfires Compensation Program (MWCP). This fund was created to provide direct financial relief to the families of those who lost loved ones and to individuals who suffered serious physical injuries in the August 8, 2023, Maui wildfires.

    “While no amount of money can replace the lives lost or the suffering endured, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing timely and fair compensation,” said Governor Green. “Today marks a significant step forward in the long journey of recovery for the people of Maui.”

    Initial Disbursements and Program Progress:
    • The first $1.5 million payment has been issued to the estate of a wildfire victim.
    • A total of 26 wrongful death claims have been qualified:
    • One claim has been paid.
    • 22 additional payments will be made upon approval of good-faith settlement petitions.
    • Two claimants withdrew, and one claim was voided under program protocols.
    • Nine serious physical injury claims are in the final review process.
    • Phase One of the MWCP is expected to be fully completed by June 30, 2025.

    Larger Global Settlement and Future Payments:
    • The One ‘Ohana Fund will provide 23 wrongful death payments and nine injury case payments.
    • Families receiving disbursements may seek additional compensation from the $4 billion global settlement fund.
    • After these disbursements, the One ‘Ohana Fund will begin accepting up to 79 additional wrongful death claims, each receiving $1.5 million, with the ability to pursue further compensation.

    Ensuring Fairness and Transparency:
    • The state of Hawaiʻi has pledged $800 million to the global settlement, pending legislative approval.
    • A new oversight entity will be established to ensure efficient and equitable distribution of funds.
    • Maui Circuit Court Judge Peter Cahill will oversee the resolution of claims from subrogation insurers.

    “This process was designed to be accessible and fair,” Governor Green emphasized. “Nearly 65% of wrongful death claimants have represented themselves—an encouraging sign that our approach is working as intended.”

    The state remains committed to:
    • Ensuring that all displaced residents—regardless of ethnicity or citizenship—receive assistance.
    • Engaging the community in long-term planning for transitional and permanent housing.
    • Returning historically recognized lands to the Lahaina community.
    • Securing $500 million for Infrastructure Master Planning to support long-term rebuilding efforts.

    “I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Judge Ronald Ibarra (Ret.), our legal teams, pro bono attorneys, financial partners and community organizations for making today possible,” said Governor Green. “We will continue to stand with our families, our community and all those who need support. Together, we will rebuild Lahaina stronger.”

    To view the livestream, double-click here. 
    Photos from today’s news conference can be found here.
    Slides from today’s news conference can be found here.

    # # #

    Media Contacts:   
    Erika Engle
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Governor, State of Hawai‘i
    Office: 808-586-0120
    Email: [email protected] 

    Makana McClellan
    Director of Communications
    Office of the Governor, State of Hawaiʻi
    Cell: 808-265-0083
    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: LA’s rebuilding and recovery efforts continue with support from Governor Newsom and LA Rises

    Source: US State of California 2

    Mar 14, 2025

    What you need to know: Aided by $10 million from the State of California, LA Rises, Maersk and APM Terminals, LA-area grant program awards $2.7 million to fire-impacted small businesses, nonprofits and workers to navigate recovery and rebuilding. 

    LOS ANGELES – Yesterday, the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and City of Los Angeles announced the first round of grants for the LA Region Small Business and Worker Relief Funds that will provide direct cash assistance to impacted workers, small businesses, and non-profits. A total of $2.7 million was disbursed to 82 businesses and 324 workers in this initial phase, including those businesses and nonprofits that had physical brick-and-mortar locations destroyed in the fires.

    “We know that small businesses are not only key to a thriving economy but also make up the heart of healthy communities, and we’re committed to doing everything in our power to help them rise and rebuild. We applaud the City and County of Los Angeles for getting these critical funds out the door as quickly as possible to protect and support the businesses and workers that have been most impacted.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom

    Supported by a $10 million investment from the State of California, Maersk and APM Terminals, and LA Rises, led by Dodgers Chairman Mark Walter, business leader and basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and Casey Wasserman, these relief funds are expected to award an additional $15.9 million later this month. This was the first investment by LA Rises, the unified recovery effort launched by the Governor in January.

    Donations to close the gap on the unmet needs of these funds are welcomed and can be made at lacounty.gov/relief.  

    Continuing to support recovery and rebuilding in LA 

    Late last month, the Governor was in Los Angeles to launch the California Jobs First Economic Blueprint as part of his continued tour of the state’s thirteen economic regions. The Blueprint was paired with $125 million in funding to support new, ready-to-go projects and $15 million for economic development projects for California Native American tribes.

    In addition, the Governor received the Los Angeles Jobs First Collaborative’s regional plan and announced $3 million to support their recovery efforts for the region, including for the launch of public-facing campaigns to promote small business support and the addition of capacity for near-term business and economic recovery. 

    Federal business and worker assistance resources still available 

    Last week, at Governor Gavin Newsom’s request, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) extended the deadline for survivors of the Los Angeles fires to register for federal aid. The deadline to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance was also extended. 

    Homeowners and renters who have incurred damage or losses from the Los Angeles County wildfires now have until Monday, March 31, 2025, to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance and Small Business Administration assistance. These programs provide financial and other assistance to eligible individuals and households to help meet their basic needs and supplement their wildfire recovery efforts.

    Recent news

    Mar 14, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Janessa Goldbeck, of San Diego, has been appointed to the California Veterans Board. Goldbeck has been the Chief Executive Officer of Vet Voice Foundation since 2022 and the Principal…

    Mar 13, 2025

    News SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom today announced the following appointments:Andrew King, of Sacramento, has been appointed Deputy Director of Data Operations Strategy at the Office of Data and Innovation. King has been Manager of the Data Operations Section at…

    Mar 13, 2025

    News What you need to know: California is expanding its collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to leverage cutting-edge technologies to protect public health and help Los Angeles rebuild.  LOS ANGELES – As part of the state’s ongoing actions to support…

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: HAWAI‘I JANUARY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 3.0 PERCENT

    Source: US State of Hawaii

    HAWAI‘I JANUARY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 3.0 PERCENT

    Posted on Mar 14, 2025 in Latest Department News, Newsroom

     

     

     

    STATE OF HAWAIʻI

    KA MOKU ʻĀINA O HAWAIʻI

     

    DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM

    KA ʻOIHANA HOʻOMOHALA PĀʻOIHANA, ʻIMI WAIWAI A HOʻOMĀKAʻIKAʻI

     

    RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS DIVISION

     

    JOSH GREEN, M.D.
     GOVERNOR

    KE KIAʻĀINA

     

    JAMES KUNANE TOKIOKA

    DIRECTOR

    KA LUNA HOʻOKELE

     

    1. EUGENE TIAN

    CHIEF STATE ECONOMIST

     

    HAWAI‘I JANUARY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 3.0 PERCENT 

    Jobs Increased by 9,900 Year-Over-Year

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    March 14, 2025

    HONOLULU — The Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism (DBEDT) today announced that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for January was 3.0 percent, the same as the previous six consecutive months after benchmark revision. In January, 662,850 persons were employed and 20,400 were unemployed, for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 683,250 statewide. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.0 percent in January, down from 4.1 percent in December.

    The unemployment rate figures for the state of Hawai‘i and the U.S. in this release are seasonally adjusted in accordance with U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) methodology. The not-seasonally adjusted rate for the state was 2.7 percent in January, compared to 2.8 percent in December.

    Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey)

    In a separate measure of employment, total nonagricultural jobs decreased by 500 month-over-month, from December 2024 to January 2025. Job gains were experienced in Manufacturing (+100); Private Education & Health Services (+100); and Other Services (+100). Employment in Construction remained unchanged. Job losses occurred in Information (-100); Trade, Transportation & Utilities (-200); Financial Activities (-200); Professional & Business Services (-500); and Leisure & Hospitality (-1,100). Within Leisure & Hospitality, the bulk of the job contraction was in Food Services & Drinking Places. Government employment went up by 1,300 jobs, primarily due to a smaller-than-typical seasonal release of workers in both the Department of Education and the University of Hawai‘i system. Year-over-year, nonfarm jobs have gone up by 9,900, or 1.6 percent.

     

    Technical Notes:

    Labor Force Components

    The concepts and definitions used by the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program are the same as those used in the Current Population Survey for the national labor force data:

    • Civilian labor force. Included are all persons in the civilian noninstitutional population ages 16 and older classified as either employed or unemployed. (See the definitions below.)
    • Employed persons. These are all persons who, during the reference week (the week including the twelfth day of the month), (a) did any work as paid employees, worked in their own business or profession or on their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid workers in an enterprise operated by a member of their family, or (b) were not working but who had jobs from which they were temporarily absent because of vacation, illness, bad weather, childcare problems, maternity or paternity leave, labor-management dispute, job training, or other family or personal reasons, whether or not they were paid for the time off or were seeking other jobs. Each employed person is counted only once, even if he or she holds more than one job.
    • Unemployed persons. Included are all persons who had no employment during the reference week, were available for work, except for temporary illness and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the four-week period ending with the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled to a job from which they had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be classified as unemployed.
    • Unemployment rate. The unemployed percent of the civilian labor force [i.e., 100 times (unemployed/civilian labor force)].

    Seasonal Adjustment

    The seasonal fluctuations in the number of employed and unemployed persons reflect hiring and layoff patterns that accompany regular events such as the winter holiday season and the summer vacation season. These variations make it difficult to tell whether month-to-month changes in employment and unemployment are due to normal seasonal patterns or to changing economic conditions. Therefore, the BLS uses a statistical technique called seasonal adjustment to address these issues. This technique uses the history of the labor force data and the job count data to identify the seasonal movements and to calculate the size and direction of these movements. A seasonal adjustment factor is then developed and applied to the estimates to eliminate the effects of regular seasonal fluctuations on the data. Seasonally adjusted statistical series enable more meaningful data comparisons between months or with an annual average.

    Current Population (Household) Survey (CPS)

    A survey conducted for employment status in the week that includes the twelfth day of each month generates the unemployment rate statistics, which is a separate survey from the Establishment Survey that yields the industry job counts. The CPS survey contacts approximately 1,000 households in Hawai‘i to determine an individual’s current employment status. Employed persons consist of 1) all persons who did any work for pay or profit during the survey reference week, 2) all persons who did at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a family-owned enterprise operated by someone in their household and 3) all persons who were temporarily absent from their regular jobs, whether they were paid or not. Persons considered unemployed are those that do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks and are available for work. Temporarily laid-off workers are counted as unemployed, whether or not they have engaged in a specific job-seeking activity. Persons not in the labor force are those who are not classified as employed or unemployed during the survey reference week.

    Benchmark Changes to Local Area Unemployment Statistics Data

    Statewide and sub-state data for 2019 to 2024 have revised inputs and data for 1990 to 2024 have been re-estimated to reflect revised population controls and model re-estimation.

    Change to Monthly Employment Estimates

    This release incorporates revised job count figures for the seasonally adjusted series. The revised data reflects historical corrections applied to unadjusted super sector or sector-level series dating back from 2018 through 2024. For years, analysts with the state of Hawai‘i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Research and Statistics Office have developed monthly employment estimates for Hawai‘i and its metropolitan areas. These estimates were based on a monthly survey of Hawai‘i businesses and analysts’ knowledge about our local economies. Beginning with the production of preliminary estimates for March 2011, responsibility for the production of state and metropolitan area (MSA) estimates were transitioned from individual state agencies to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

    For Hawai‘i, this means the transition of statewide, Honolulu and Kahului-Wailuku MSA estimates for both the seasonally adjusted and not-seasonally adjusted areas are produced by BLS. State agencies will continue to provide the BLS with information on local events that may affect the estimates, such as strikes or large layoffs/hiring at businesses not covered by the survey and to disseminate and analyze the Current Employment Statistics (CES) estimates for local data users. BLS feels this change is designed to improve the cost efficiency of the CES program and to reduce the potential bias in state and area estimates. A portion of the cost savings generated by this change is slated to be directed toward raising survey response rates in future years, which will decrease the level of statistical error in the CES estimates. Until then, state analysts feel this change could result in increased month-to-month variability for the industry employment numbers, particularly for Hawai‘i’s counties and islands. BLS can be reached at 202-691-6555 for any questions about these estimates.

    The not-seasonally adjusted job estimates for Hawai‘i County, Kaua‘i County, Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i are produced by the state of Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

    Labor Force Estimates for Small Areas

    Labor Force estimates for the islands within Maui County (Maui, Moloka‘i and Lānai) are produced by the state of Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

    Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force and Unemployment Estimates for Honolulu and Maui County

    BLS publishes smoothed seasonally adjusted civilian labor force and unemployment estimates for all metropolitan areas, which includes the City and County of Honolulu and Maui County.

    BLS releases this data each month in the Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment news release. The schedule is available at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.toc.htm.

    Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization

     

    Alternative Measures of Labor Underutilization for States, 2024 annual averages (percent)  
    Area Measure  
    U-1 U-2 U-3 U-4 U-5 U-6
                 
    United States 1.5 1.9 4.0 4.3 4.9 7.5
                 
    Hawai‘i 0.8 1.1 3.1 3.2 4.0 6.4

     

    The six alternative labor underutilization state measures based on the Current Population Survey (CPS) and compiled on a four-quarter moving-average basis defined as:

    U-1, persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer, as a percent of the civilian labor force;

    U-2, job losers and persons who completed temporary jobs, as a percent of the civilian labor force;

    U-3, total unemployed, as a percent of the civilian labor force (this is the definition used for the official unemployment rate);

    U-4, total unemployed plus discouraged workers, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers;

    U-5, total unemployed, plus discouraged workers, plus all other marginally attached workers*, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers; and

    U-6, total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers, plus total employed part-time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers.

    *Individuals who want and are available for work, and who have looked for a job sometime in the prior 12 months (or since the end of their last job if they had one within the past 12 months) but were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the four weeks preceding the survey, for such reasons as childcare or transportation problems, for example. Discouraged workers are a subset of the marginally attached.

    Please note that the state unemployment rates (U-3) that are shown are derived directly from the CPS. As a result, these U-3 measures may differ from the official state unemployment rates for the latest four-quarter period. The latter are estimates developed from statistical models that incorporate CPS estimates, as well as input data from other sources, such as state unemployment claims data.

    ###

    Media Contacts:

     

    Dr. Eugene Tian

    Chief State Economist

    Research and Economic Analysis Division

    Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

    Phone: 808-586-2470

    Email: [email protected]

    Laci Goshi

    Communications Officer

    Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism

    Cell: 808-518-5480

    Email: [email protected]

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bureau of Indian Standards cracks down on E-Commerce platforms selling unsafe Non-Certified products

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 15 MAR 2025 5:49PM by PIB Delhi

    To curb the distribution of non-compliant products through e-commerce platforms, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has carried out search and seizure operations at multiple warehouse locations of leading e-commerce platforms, including Amazon and Flipkart, in cities like Lucknow, Gurugram and Delhi. 

    In a recent raid conducted on 07 March 2025 at an Amazon warehouse in Lucknow, BIS seized 215 toys and 24 hand blenders, all lacking mandatory BIS certification. Earlier, in February 2025, a similar operation at an Amazon warehouse in Gurugram resulted in the seizure of 58 aluminium foils, 34 metallic water bottles, 25 toys, 20 hand blenders, 7 PVC cables, 2 food mixers and 1 speaker – all found to be non-certified.

    Similarly, in a raid at a Flipkart warehouse in Gurugram, operated by Instakart Services Pvt Ltd, BIS seized 534 stainless steel bottles (vacuum insulated), 134 toys and 41 speakers, that were not certified.  BIS’s investigations into multiple violations on both Amazon and Flipkart traced non-certified products back to Techvision International Pvt Ltd. Acting on this lead, BIS conducted raids at two different facilities of Techvision International in Delhi, uncovering approximately 7,000 electric water heaters, 4,000 electric food mixers, 95 electric room heaters, and 40 gas stoves, without BIS certification. Non-certified products seized include brands like Digismart, Activa, Inalsa, Cello Swift, Butterfly among others.

    Following the seizure of material, BIS initiates legal action under BIS Act, 2016 to hold the responsible entities accountable. BIS has already filed two court cases against M/s Techvision International Pvt Ltd for violations of Sections 17(1) and 17(3) of the BIS Act, 2016. Additional cases are in the process of being filed for other seizure operations. Under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, defaulters face a penalty not less than two lakh rupees, which may extend up to ten times the value of the goods sold or offered for sale. Furthermore, depending on the severity of the violation, offenders may also face imprisonment of up to two years.

    BIS is actively conducting market surveillance to ensure that consumer products available in the market, including on e-commerce platforms, comply with applicable safety and quality standards. As part of surveillance, BIS purchases various consumer products and subjects them to rigorous testing to verify compliance with the prescribed standards.

    The products under market surveillance include commonly used consumer goods such as domestic pressure cookers, hand-held blenders, food mixers, electric irons, room heaters, PVC cables, gas stoves, toys, two-wheeler helmets, switches, sockets, and aluminium foils for food packaging. Considering the potential hazards posed by substandard quality products, the Central Government has made BIS certification mandatory for these products in the public interest.

    However, during its surveillance activities, BIS has identified that several non-certified products are being sold on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Myntra, BigBasket even though BIS certification has been made mandatory for these products. Non-certified products include those that do not bear ISI Mark or bear an ISI Mark with an invalid license number (CM/L number). These non-certified products pose significant safety risks to consumers as they have not undergone independent third-party testing to ensure they meet minimum safety and performance standards.

    These large-scale seizures highlight the widespread issue of unsafe non-certified products being sold online, underscoring the urgent need for e-commerce platforms to exercise greater due diligence in ensuring that only BIS-certified products are listed for sale, wherever mandated by Central Government. In this regard, BIS has issued notices to all these e-commerce platforms, directing them to ensure that products requiring BIS certification are duly certified before being made available to consumers.

    BIS urges consumers to make informed purchasing decisions by utilizing the BIS Care app. This app provides consumers with crucial information on products that require mandatory BIS certification and allows them to verify the authenticity of a product’s BIS certification by checking the ISI Mark and the manufacturer’s license number (CM/L). Additionally, consumers can use the BIS Care app to lodge complaints about products that do not bear the ISI Mark or report quality concerns regarding BIS-certified products.

    BIS remains committed to safeguarding consumer interests and encourages the public to connect with BIS through the BIS Care app to ensure safer markets and improved product quality.

    For further information, consumers may visit BIS website www.bis.gov.in.

     

    ***

    Abhishek Dayal/Nihi Sharma

    (Release ID: 2111506) Visitor Counter : 105

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurates Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon, Assam

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah inaugurates Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon, Assam

    Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Assam is now progressing on the path of development

    The seed planted today in the form of Lachit Barphukan Police Academy will one day grow into a banyan tree, and will serve the cause of policing in the entire country

    The saga of great warrior Lachit Barphukan was once limited to Assam, but under the Modi government, his biography is now available in 23 languages in libraries across the country

    In Assam, once known for movements, insurgency, and gunfights, efforts are underway to establish a semiconductor industry worth ₹27,000 crore

    The double-engine government has increased the conviction rate in Assam from 5 per cent to 25 per cent
    In Assam, the police, which were once limited to fighting terrorism, are now working to protect the rights of citizens

    Earlier, Assam was plunged into the flames of riots, keeping the region in a state of unrest, however, under the Modi government, peace has been established here, and with world-class infrastructure, large industries are now being set up

    Posted On: 15 MAR 2025 5:15PM by PIB Delhi

    Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, today inaugurated the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon, Assam. On this occasion, Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, and many other dignitaries were present.

    In his address, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that in the next 5 years, the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy will be ranked first among all police academies across the country. He mentioned that Assam’s brave warrior and legendary, Lachit Barphukan, had led Assam to victory against the Mughals. He further stated that saga of bravery of Lachit Barphukan was once kept limited to Assam, but due to the efforts of the Modi Government, today his biography has been translated into 23 languages and is available in libraries across the country for children. Shri Shah praised the Assam government for ensuring that the entire nation learns about and draws inspiration from this great son of Assam. He added that the seed planted today in the form of the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy would one day grow into a banyan tree, and will serve the cause of policing in the entire country. It will be an apex police academy not only for Assam but for entire Northeast, similar to Kashi among pilgrimage sites; the site will be a new beginning for peace in the region

    Shri Amit Shah said that the first phase of the Lachit Barphukan Academy has been completed at a cost of ₹167 crore, and a total of ₹1050 crore will be spent on all three phases. He mentioned that the academy is equipped with several state-of-the-art facilities and will become the best police academy in the entire country. He further highlighted that earlier, Assam’s police had to go to other states for training, but in the last 8 years, under the state’s governance, such a transformation has taken place that now, 2,000 police personnel from Goa and Manipur have received training at this police academy.

    Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Assam is now progressing on the path of development. He mentioned that in the last 10 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, several peace agreements have been signed: the Assam-Bodoland Agreement in 2020, the Karbi Anglong Agreement in 2021, the Tribal Peace Agreement in 2022, and the ULFA, Assam-Meghalaya, and Assam-Arunachal Agreements in the year 2023. Shri Shah stated that as a result of these peace agreements made by the Modi government, more than 10,000 youths have laid down their weapons and joined the mainstream. He added that in Assam, once known for movements, insurgency, and gunfights, efforts are underway to establish a semiconductor industry worth ₹27,000 crore.

    Shri Amit Shah said that a recent investment and infrastructure conference named Advantage Assam 2.0 was held in Assam, where MoUs worth ₹5.18 lakh crore were signed, and most of these MoUs will be implemented on the ground. He further mentioned that the Modi government is bringing infrastructure projects worth ₹3 lakh crore for the development of Assam. He emphasized that these projects, totaling ₹8 lakh crore, will create a large number of employment opportunities for the youth of Assam.

    Union Home and Cooperation Minister said that during the 10 years of the previous government’s rule, Assam received a devolution grant and grant-in-aid of ₹1.27 lakh crore, which has been increased fourfold to₹4.95 lakh crore in Prime Minister Modi’s 10 years. He further stated that the previous governments had pushed Assam into the fire of riots for many years, did not provide grants, failed to set up proper education systems, did not build infrastructure, and did not allow peace to prevail.Shri Shah said that during Prime Minister Modi’s 10-year tenure, infrastructure has been developed, peace has prevailed, and various industries have been established. He mentioned several projects undertaken by the Modi government, including the Bharat Mala project, which is more than 200 kilometers long and worth ₹10,000 crore, the Dhubri-Phulwari bridge worth ₹3,000 crore, rural roads spanning 3,700 kilometers at a cost of ₹3,400 crore, and the four-laning of the Silchar-Churaibari corridor. Additionally, he highlighted the work being done on a new embankment and road on Majuli Island worth ₹1,000 crore. He further stated that a six-lane bridge over the Brahmaputra River is under construction, and at a cost of ₹382 crore, National Highway 715-K is connecting Majuli and Jorhat. He also mentioned the expansion of an airport named after Gopinath Ji at a cost of ₹1,100 crore, the inauguration of ₹9,000 crore worth of railway projects, a ₹1,000 crore AIIMS project, and the establishment of medical colleges in Tamulpur, Kokrajhar, Nalbari, and Dhubri, along with many other infrastructure projects under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership.

    Shri Amit Shah said that the Modi government and the Assam government have carried out several welfare programs for the poor. He mentioned that for the first time, tap water was provided to 58 lakh homes, free treatment up to ₹5 lakh was provided to 1.8 crore people, toilets were built in 43 lakh homes, 2.32 crore poor people were given 5 kilograms of free rice per person every month, and the Modi government and Assam government also provided 51 lakh gas cylinders and 21 lakh houses.

    Union Home Minister said that the Modi government has not only made efforts to bring peace to Assam but has successfully established it. He mentioned that the Modi government has built infrastructure, and now, under the leadership of Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, an investment of ₹5 lakh crore is coming into the state, which will lay the foundation for a golden future for the youth of Assam. He further stated that the conviction ratio in Assam has increased from 5 per cent to 25 per cent. He highlighted that earlier, people did not want to file FIRs because the police were only seen as fighting against terrorists, but today, the police are focused on protecting the rights of citizens and effectively implementing the three new criminal laws introduced by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.

     

    ****

    RK/VV/ASH/PS

    (Release ID: 2111498) Visitor Counter : 65

    Read this release in: Hindi

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: “I will not stop asking until I know the whereabouts of my husband”

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Itai Dzamara is a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was forcibly disappeared ten years ago on 9 March 2015 after he criticized the Zimbabwean government about the deteriorating economic conditions in the country. He has not been seen or heard from since and his fate and whereabouts remain unknown. Ten years on, Itai’s wife, Sheffra, has shared her story with Amnesty International

    Everyone knew Itai Dzamara as a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was forcibly disappeared on 9 March 2015 after he criticised the Zimbabwean government.

    Itai was my husband and best friend. He was a great father to our two children Nokutenda and Nenyasha. He was always there for us making sure that we are happy.

    Itai was amazing. He loved to eat sadza (staple food made from white corn) and fish, and would cook it for us on Sundays after church. He used to play soccer on weekends, and he was a big fan of Manchester United. Itai would always wear his Man U jersey whenever they played matches.

    My husband was a kind man. He had people at heart, and that is what led him to write a petition to Zimbabwe’s then-president Robert Mugabe on 17 October 2014, demanding he step down. Following this petition, police arrested Itai and fellow activists and interrogated them for eight hours at Harare Central police station. Itai was fighting for every Zimbabwean regardless of political parties.

    The man who stood against former President Mugabe

    The Constitution of Zimbabwe and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which the country is a state party guarantee the right to peaceful assembly. When Itai started these peaceful protests, the Zimbabwe Republic Police would beat and arrest him and his colleagues.

    Their group, Occupy Africa Unity Square, would hold peaceful protests at a public park opposite Zimbabwe’s parliament building. At one protest in November 2014, police beat Itai until he collapsed. Then they kept on beating him while he was unconscious. He was admitted for treatment for his injuries for two weeks.

    9 March 2015, the day Itai was abducted, was a normal day.

    He went to the barbershop at 9am wearing black shorts and his Manchester United jersey. Looking back at that morning, there are so many things I wish I had said to him. As I was preparing his breakfast for when he returned, my brother came running in, and told me that my husband was taken from the barbershop, by men driving a white Isuzu with no registration number.  

    When I heard this, fear engulfed me. I knew that it was an abduction. It was bad, I started shaking and crying. I did not know what to do or who to call, but I wanted to hear the facts directly from the people who witnessed the abduction. I took my daughter and put her on my back – she was two years old then – and went straight to the barbershop. When I arrived, I was still shaking. Even the barber and his colleague were shaking too as they told me what happened.

    “They told me the whole thing was like a movie.”

    It was very fast. Five men walked in and said they were looking for a cattle thief. While Itai was perplexed, the men grabbed him and said they were taking him to the police to be questioned. Itai has not  been seen since then.

    I walked back from the barber like a zombie. I felt the whole world falling down on me. My head was spinning. I was not myself; I was confused and did not know what to do. I was shattered. I wanted to scream and cry but when I looked at my daughter and son, I knew I had to control myself.

    I got home and changed my clothes, not realizing that I was wearing my skirt inside out. That’s how confused I was. I left my kids with my sister, and went with Itai’s brother Patson, and our lawyer to report the case to the police, who promised to investigate.

    When I returned home around 6pm, I was afraid to go through the gate thinking maybe the abductors would come back and abduct  us as well.  I had to be strong for my kids. I did not sleep that night. My heart was pounding so hard. At 4am, I left the house and went to the barbershop hoping, praying that maybe, they would have brought him back, but he was not there.

    The next day, my kids and I were taken to an organization where we stayed for a month for our safety. I lost weight from fasting and praying for my husband to be released from his abductors. I could not eat or sleep. My heart was always beating fast. I would cry at night so that my kids didn’t t see me.

    10 years later and everyone is still asking ‘where is Itai?’

    Life has not been the same since Itai was abducted. The last 10 years have been hard. I am reminded of him every time I look at my kids because both look like their dad. It hurts not to have Itai in my life and to see my kids missing him and growing up without a father who loved them so dearly. I don’t have any answers, but I feel blessed to have my two kids. When I look at them l feel God’s grace.

    The police never came back to give any update. As far as I know, they never even investigated the case. They were not interested in finding Itai. Even the Zimbabwe High Court order could not get the police find my husband or tell us what happened to him.

    As a family we did everything to get answers. For the past 10 years the government of Zimbabwe has ignored my requests and turned a blind eye to the demand for answers by everyone including friends, activists, civil society organizations, media and the international community.

    I will not stop asking until I know the fate and whereabouts of my husband.

    I wish for Itai to one day walk through the front door and hug me and the kids or to wake up to find that this was all a bad dream. If I must live without him, then I need answers, I need to know where he is.

    Amnesty International has made multiple recommendations to the government of Zimbabwe to uphold human rights and enable a safe environment for human rights defenders, activists and civil society to do their work without fear of reprisals. In the past decade, Amnesty International has campaigned and called for an independent  commission of inquiry to thoroughly, impartially, transparently and effectively  investigate the alleged enforced disappearance of Itai Dzamara, establish his fate or whereabouts and bring to justice those suspected of criminal responsibility in fair trials.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: UN report on Israel’s gender-based violence and genocidal acts against women’s health facilities must spur action to protect Palestinians

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Responding to a report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel published today concluding that Israel has systematically used sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence against Palestinians since October 2023 and carried out “genocidal acts” against Palestinians in Gaza by destroying women’s healthcare and reproductive health facilities and blocking access to reproductive healthcare, Amnesty International’s Senior Adviser on gender, conflict and international justice, Lauren Aarons, said:

    “These damning findings are another clear illustration of the devastating impact of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its use of gender-based violence to oppress Palestinian women and girls across the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to use sexual violence to perpetuate oppression on Palestinians of all genders, especially in Israeli detention centers.

    “The report exposes yet again the horrors of Israeli atrocity crimes in Gaza, and how they specifically impact women. They follow the findings of Amnesty International’s own December 2024 report which concluded that Israeli authorities committed and are committing genocide in Gaza. Acts that formed part of Israel’s genocide documented by Amnesty International included the ​killing and seriously injuring tens of thousands of women and girls and deliberately subjecting them to conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza, in whole or in part.  

    These damning findings are another clear illustration of the devastating impact of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its use of gender-based violence to oppress Palestinian women and girls across the Occupied Palestinian Territory

    Lauren Aarons, Senior Adviser on gender, conflict and international justice

    “Palestinian women in Gaza have been subjected to a range of gendered forms of bodily and mental harm, including reproductive and other gender-based violence.

    ​​“Even after the first phase of the ceasefire came into force horrific conditions of life inflicted by Israel during the offensive have continued to disproportionately affect women and girls. This includes damage and destruction of homes, medical facilities including maternity wards, maternal care clinics and other life-sustaining infrastructure as well as shelters protecting women and girls from gender-based violence. Israel’s decision to completely block entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza for the past 12 days has already exacerbated the catastrophic conditions facing women and girls. Even prior to the imposition of these measures as a clear form of collective punishment, Israel had banned the entry of mobile homes and heavy machinery to remove the rubble. This means that hundreds of thousands of women and girls continue to live in dire conditions in tents or crowded schools, exposed to violence and with scarce access to clean water contributing to a hygiene crisis.

    ​​“Palestinians released from Israeli detention centers have also told Amnesty International that they were subjected to torture and sexual violence while in detention.

    “The publication of the COI report must prompt the international community to take urgent action to protect the rights of​ Palestinian​ women and address gendered crimes being committed against women and men. In addition to a long-lasting ceasefire, urgent measures are needed to repair hospitals, clinics and sanitation facilities, Israel must lift its genocidal siege on the occupied Gaza Strip and restore the electricity supply. It must also repeal its ban on UNRWA, whose work is vital to addressing the humanitarian catastrophe including the needs of women and girls.

    “No discussion of human rights is possible without tackling Israel’s decades long impunity for its violations against Palestinians.  The world must act to ensure justice is a reality for all Palestinians and to restore some faith in international law for all.”

    Background:

    In a December 2024 report Amnesty International documented how Israel during its military offensive has carried out acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza. These acts include killings, causing serious bodily or mental harm and deliberately inflicting on Palestinians in Gaza conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction

    The organization has also documented evidence of war crimes by Israeli forces in Gaza including indiscriminate attacks resulting in mass civilian casualties wiping out entire families and destroying residential neighbourhoods.

    The organization has also documented violations of international law by Hamas and other armed groups including launching indiscriminate rocket attacks into Israel as well as deliberate killings of civilians and hostage-taking since 7 October 2023.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Israel/OPT: UN report clearly exposes ‘devastating impact’ of Israel’s gender-based violence against Palestinian women and girls

    Source: Amnesty International –

    ‘The report exposes yet again the horrors of Israeli atrocity crimes in Gaza, and how they specifically impact women’ – Lauren Aarons

    Responding to a report by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel published today, which concluded Israel has systematically used sexual, reproductive and other gender-based violence against Palestinians since October 2023 and carried out “genocidal acts” against Palestinians in Gaza by destroying women’s healthcare and reproductive health facilities and blocking access to reproductive healthcare, Lauren Aarons, Amnesty International’s Senior Adviser on Gender, Conflict and International Justice, said:

    “These damning findings are another clear illustration of the devastating impact of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and its use of gender-based violence to oppress Palestinian women and girls across the Occupied Palestinian Territory and to use sexual violence to perpetuate oppression on Palestinians of all genders, especially in Israeli detention centres.

    “The report exposes yet again the horrors of Israeli atrocity crimes in Gaza, and how they specifically impact women.

     “Palestinian women in Gaza have been subjected to a range of gendered forms of bodily and mental harm, including reproductive and other gender-based violence.

     “Even after the first phase of the ceasefire came into force, horrific conditions of life inflicted by Israel during the offensive have continued to disproportionately affect women and girls. This includes damage and destruction of homes, medical facilities including maternity wards, maternal care clinics and other life-sustaining infrastructure as well as to shelters protecting women and girls from gender-based violence.

     “Israel’s decision to completely block entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza for the past 12 days has already exacerbated the catastrophic conditions facing women and girls.

    “Even prior to the imposition of these measures as a clear form of collective punishment, Israel had banned the entry of mobile homes and heavy machinery to remove the rubble. This means that hundreds of thousands of women and girls continue to live in dire conditions in tents or crowded schools, exposed to violence and with scarce access to clean water contributing to a hygiene crisis.

    “Palestinians released from Israeli detention centres have also told Amnesty that they were subjected to torture and sexual violence while in detention.

    “The publication of the report must prompt the international community to take urgent action to protect the rights of Palestinian women and address gendered crimes being committed against women and men.

     “In addition to a long-lasting ceasefire, urgent measures are needed to repair hospitals, clinics and sanitation facilities. Israel must lift its genocidal siege on the occupied Gaza Strip and restore the electricity supply. It must also repeal its ban on UNRWA, whose work is vital to addressing the humanitarian catastrophe including the needs of women and girls.”

    In a December 2024 report, Amnesty concluded that Israeli authorities committed and are committing genocide in Gaza. Acts included the killing and seriously injuring tens of thousands of women and girls and deliberately subjecting them to conditions calculated to bring about the physical destruction of Palestinians in Gaza, in whole or in part. The organisation has also documented violations of international law by Hamas and other armed groups including launching indiscriminate rocket attacks into Israel as well as deliberate killings of civilians and hostage-taking since 7 October 2023.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Text adopted – Social and employment aspects of restructuring processes: the need to protect jobs and workers’ rights – P10_TA(2025)0039 – Thursday, 13 March 2025 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament

    The European Parliament,

    –  having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, in particular Articles 151 and 153 thereof,

    –  having regard to the European Pillar of Social Rights,

    –  having regard to its resolution of 5 October 2016 on the need for a European reindustrialisation policy in light of the recent Caterpillar and Alstom cases(1),

    –  having regard to its resolution of 15 January 2013 with recommendations to the Commission on information and consultation of workers, anticipation and management of restructuring(2),

    –  having regard to its resolution of 16 December 2021 on democracy at work: a European framework for employees’ participation rights and the revision of the European Works Council Directive(3),

    –  having regard to its resolution of 23 November 2023 on job creation – the just transition and impact investments(4),

    –  having regard to its resolution of 2 February 2023 with recommendations to the Commission on Revision of European Works Councils Directive(5),

    –  having regard to the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) 2015 guidelines for a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all,

    –  having regard to the La Hulpe Declaration on the future of the European Pillar of Social Rights of 16 April 2024,

    –  having regard to the Tripartite Declaration for a Thriving European Social Dialogue of January 2024(6),

    –  having regard to the Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on ensuring a fair transition towards climate neutrality(7),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 11 December 2019 entitled ‘The European Green Deal’ (COM(2019)0640),

    –  having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/1056 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 June 2021 establishing the Just Transition Fund(8),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 1 July 2020 entitled ‘European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience’ (COM(2020)0274),

    –  having regard to the opinion of the European Committee of the Regions of 25 May 2023 on zero long-term unemployment: the local and regional perspective(9),

    –  having regard to the Commission communication of 1 February 2023 entitled ‘A Green Deal Industrial Plan for the Net-Zero Age’ (COM(2023)0062),

    –  having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

    –  having regard to the motion for a resolution of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs,

    A.  whereas the transition to a green, digital and competitive European economy is necessary to maintain the European social model, but can itself only be achieved if people are sufficiently protected from the potential adverse social consequences of major economic changes; whereas protecting the environment and climate is imperative for long-term prosperity and well-being;

    B.  whereas social dialogue, collective bargaining and strong trade union involvement are essential for ensuring workers’ information and consultation rights during restructuring processes; whereas workers’ involvement through information-sharing, consultation and participation in company decision-making processes is more important than ever to ensure a fair and just transition, competitiveness, and the economic growth of companies and to protect jobs and workers’ collective interests, such as decent working conditions, fair wages and equal treatment; whereas the just transition is about supporting social justice and upward social convergence and ensuring fair burden-sharing, while safeguarding a sustainable, resource-efficient and competitive economy, reaching climate neutrality and fighting climate change;

    C.  whereas restructuring processes can lead to both job losses and job gains and can include and take different forms, such as internal restructuring, business expansion, closure, bankruptcy, merger/acquisition, offshoring/delocalisation, outsourcing, relocation and reshoring; whereas Council Directives 98/59/EC(10), 2001/23/EC(11) and 2002/14/EC(12) lay down the information and consultation rights of workers in the event of the restructuring of enterprises;

    D.  whereas only 40 % of European trade unions report having sufficient resources to represent workers effectively during restructuring processes(13); whereas trade union representatives trained in restructuring negotiations are 50 % more effective in preserving jobs(14); whereas, according to Eurofound, a lack of resources and skills, as well as time, have been identified as a key obstacle for social partner engagement in shaping the just transition, particularly at the local and regional levels; whereas the capacity of European Works Councils to influence restructuring processes is found to be limited and needs to be further strengthened;

    E.  whereas it is essential to ensure job creation and decent working conditions, supporting the transition to a sustainable and profitable economy, long-term economic viability and environmental sustainability; whereas the transformation of our industrial base provides an opportunity to strengthen European autonomy, reverse deindustrialisation, create secure and stable jobs and help us meet climate and environmental targets, while protecting workers’ rights and people at the heart of a social Europe; whereas retraining funding for workers made redundant as a result of large-scale restructuring has been provided through the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund, benefitting thousands of European workers;

    F.  whereas companies that are restructuring should prioritise long-term objectives, such as economic sustainability and long-term employment stability, in combination with other objectives such as economic profits, while strengthening trade union involvement and corporate social responsibility in their restructuring plans; whereas small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular should be supported in this;

    G.  whereas shortages of skilled workers, including vocationally trained experts, in key sectors are a significant obstacle to the competitiveness of the EU economy and its ability to accomplish the green and digital transitions;

    H.  whereas the manufacturing industry, including the automotive, steel and microchips and semiconductors sectors, is one of the vital economic pillars in Europe; whereas these sectors provide millions of direct and indirect jobs;

    I.  whereas it is important to move towards the decarbonisation of road transport, which must be achieved in such a way as to limit job losses in the car industry, and to include all stakeholders and social partners in the transformation process; whereas affected workers should be supported by providing upskilling, reskilling and training opportunities and relevant safety nets in the event of temporary unemployment;

    1.  Underlines the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights and, in particular, principle 5 on secure and adaptable employment, including the right to fair and equal treatment regarding working conditions, principle 7 on information about employment conditions and protection in case of dismissals and principle 8 on social dialogue and involvement of workers; stresses the urgent need for an ambitious competitive European industrial policy with significant investment that will support the services of general interest(15) and innovation, while reducing the administrative burden in Member States, and deliver quality jobs in every region and sector, strengthen social progress and meet climate targets; underlines that this policy should be combined with resilient and strong national public services, such as access to social protection, decent and affordable housing, affordable, efficient and climate neutral transport, affordable and available childcare, elderly care, and support for people with disabilities;

    2.  Recognises that the EU needs to reform its economy in order to maintain its competitiveness and achieve the green and digital transitions, including through a European industrial policy; welcomes the establishment of a European Competitiveness Fund, as envisaged by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen; reiterates its call for the economic governance framework to be strengthened by a common investment instrument(16) at EU level in order to achieve the EU’s current and future priorities, including the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights; believes that such an instrument should ensure that the necessary resources are available in all relevant sectors for developing an industrial policy and for policies that support the protection and creation of quality jobs and that contribute to upward social convergence; reiterates its previous call on the Commission and the Council to reinforce the European instrument for temporary support to mitigate unemployment risks in an emergency instrument (SURE) to support short-time work schemes, workers’ income and workers who would be temporarily laid off in the context of the green transition, while taking into account the outcome of the final evaluation report and considering that SURE saved 40 million jobs(17);

    3.  Highlights that the delivery of a European industrial policy for quality jobs requires the full involvement of social partners and needs to be implemented through social dialogue and collective bargaining; calls on the Commission to present an ambitious quality jobs roadmap and to implement the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights; calls on the Commission to ensure the full involvement and consultation of social partners in the design and implementation of the upcoming European clean industrial deal and to include the overall objective of ensuring job quality and stability at EU level;

    4.  Calls for the EU to adopt trade policies that promote and protect quality jobs; stresses that future trade agreements must include labour clauses in line with ILO standards to ensure that global trade protects workers and SMEs;

    5.  Urges the Commission in the context of the forthcoming revision of the European Public Procurement Directive(18) to further promote collective bargaining and the use of the social clause, and preferential treatment for companies whose workers are covered by collective agreements; underlines that contracting authorities must exclude from public tenders economic operators that have engaged in criminal activities; maintains that public procurement should strategically strengthen corporate social responsibility; highlights the importance of ensuring that European and national funds are used to facilitate the transition to a climate-neutral economy, including by promoting social dialogue and collective bargaining; considers, furthermore, that no EU financial support should go to undertakings that do not comply with the applicable working and employment conditions and/or employer obligations resulting from EU or national labour law or the relevant collective agreements; believes that this support should also be used to promote European industrial competiveness and the creation of quality jobs in the EU and promote collective bargaining and compliance with EU and national labour rights and laws, including decent working conditions; calls for EU funding and State aid by Member States to be aligned with a European industrial policy, in order to offer high-quality jobs, promote collective bargaining, respect of EU labour rights and standards, improve the competitiveness of European businesses and ensure improved working conditions;

    6.  Calls for European investments in vital sectors and essential products to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy, as well as the digital and green transitions, such as zero-emission transport, renewable energy, clean tech and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence; insists that these investments must fully respect existing legislation on workers’ rights and strengthen community development;

    7.  Invites the Commission to monitor the trends in restructuring and their impact on employment, using data from tools such as the European Restructuring Monitor and the EU Fair Transition Observatory, which should be launched in 2025, to track the number of jobs created or lost and the companies concerned;

    8.  Acknowledges that achieving digital and green objectives will create opportunities and might at the same time require transformations or restructuring processes in many sectors; stresses that social dialogue in the anticipation and management of these processes is essential to safeguard and create quality jobs and manage unavoidable job losses with enough support and can contribute to achieving a climate-neutral economy that sustains its social, economic and environmental standards; highlights that restructuring processes must respect fundamental workers’ rights, such as the right of information and consultation; calls on the Commission and the Member States to take action to reinforce and promote collective bargaining, in full respect of the autonomy of the social partners and of the right of collective bargaining; emphasises that workers should be beneficiaries of restructuring, including when they transfer to a new equivalent job within their current firm or sector, or as they reskill to transfer to a job in a future-proof sector, all while being adequately assisted and compensated;

    9.  Emphasises that developments leading to restructuring processes should be anticipated by management, and plans for changes should start as early as possible to prevent insolvency and job losses, while involving workers’ representatives and trade unions at an early stage to ensure meaningful social dialogue, including in the case of preventive restructuring frameworks as provided for in Directive (EU) 2019/1023(19); calls on the Commission and the Member States to work in close cooperation with social partners to identify risks early and develop comprehensive plans to address employment and economic stability needs; supports, in that regard, investment in the training and capacity building of trade unions and workers’ representatives engaged in restructuring processes;

    10.  Stresses that restructuring processes also have an impact on the supply chain and can pose a considerable risk to indirect employment across the EU; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support companies, including SMEs, undergoing restructuring processes in order to integrate into their plans the impacts on other European companies in their supply chain; further calls on the Commission and the Member States to support companies indirectly impacted by these restructuring processes to mitigate the consequences on employment;

    11.   Stresses that the EU must address shortages of skilled workers in strategic sectors in order to enhance its competitiveness; points out that addressing skills shortages and supporting workers who need to transition to a new job following a restructuring process are complementary objectives; emphasises the fact that sufficient access to reskilling and upskilling is a precondition for a successful transition to a new job in another sector; urges the Commission to take account of this in its proposals for a clean industrial deal and the Union of skills, including by expanding the role of Centres of Vocational Excellence; calls on the Commission to improve the recognition of skills across Member States and to ensure that its programmes better address the needs of vocationally trained experts;

    12.  Underlines that restructuring processes must not be used as a pretext to violate workers’ information and consultation rights, as well as the right of collective bargaining and trade union rights(20); deplores the violation of the fundamental rights of collective bargaining and of information and consultation before a decision is made; believes trade unions should be equipped with sufficient resources and capacity to assess a company’s decision to restructure and to engage the support of an independent expert; calls on the Commission, the Member States and the social partners to put in place further safeguards to ensure collective bargaining and to prevent the misuse of restructuring processes as a means to forego employers’ obligations; underlines that penalties should be imposed in instances of infringements and non-compliance;

    13.  Is alarmed that European company law provisions, as well as their interpretation in some legal cases, are creating loopholes and are enabling the circumvention of mandatory national board-level participation rules(21);

    14.  Emphasises that one of the most effective ways to prevent the need for restructuring is through the proactive anticipation and management of change through collective bargaining and information and consultation; urges the Member States to ensure quality upskilling or reskilling, life-long learning, employee training and career development support; points out that upskilling and reskilling should be prioritised as far as possible before job cuts are considered;

    15.  Underlines that gender equality should be an integral part of transition strategies and should be mainstreamed across related policy and legislative measures to strengthen the fairness of our societies; believes it is essential to ensure equal treatment and equal access to economic opportunities for women, paying attention to the most vulnerable, such as women with disabilities, single mothers, women belonging to minorities and migrant women;

    16.  Considers that an industrial plan agreed with the social partners is essential to promote the economic viability of European industrial companies and, in the worst case, prevent closures and forced redundancies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to support companies, in particular SMEs, to prevent forced redundancies; calls on the Commission and the Member States to put in place mechanisms that help to avoid forced redundancies, such as temporary support programmes to protect employment during transitions, avoiding the loss of strategic industrial capacity and skilled workforces; calls on European enterprises and employers in the process of restructuring to devise and implement plans at an early stage in order to avoid job losses and maintain decent working conditions and high social standards, to the extent that this is possible; demands stronger protections against unfair dismissals and demands the necessary support for workers affected by restructuring to give them access to retraining opportunities and support, such as income support, including while searching for new employment; reaffirms that the dignity and rights of workers as well as the economic and financial sustainability of the company are important objectives to consider in the context of restructuring processes;

    17.  Welcomes the Commission’s announcement that it will propose a clean industrial deal that, in addition to speeding up decarbonisation, maintains and creates quality jobs in the green and digital sectors in the EU; emphasises that the clean industrial deal should focus on strategic industries, avoiding the delocalisation of production and loss of jobs, while strengthening the European social model and social justice;

    18.  Calls on the Commission, in close collaboration with the social partners, to consider the establishment of a framework directive to address the challenges and complexities associated with employers’ obligations in subcontracting chains and labour intermediaries in Europe to ensure decent working conditions and the respect of worker’s rights; calls for the framework directive to include measures regulating the role of labour intermediaries, other than temporary work agencies, and to introduce an EU general legal framework limiting subcontracting and ensuring joint and several liability through the subcontracting chain, in order to end abusive subcontracting and protect workers’ rights and their claims over issues such as wage arrears, the non-payment of social contributions, bankruptcy, disappearances and ‘letterbox subcontractors’ who do not pay as agreed; calls for this directive to include provisions ensuring the respect of information and consultation rights and the right to collective bargaining, including for subcontracted workers;

    19.  Calls on the Commission and the Member States to support the social partners in their efforts to include issues related to the green transition in collective bargaining at the appropriate levels; highlights that collective agreements can cover the impact of an undertaking’s activities on the environment, the protection of workers from the effects of climate change and the impact of the green transition on working conditions; calls on the EU and the Member States to further support actions and initiatives that will incentivise employers and workers to adapt to the green transition and to make collective bargaining a key tool for ensuring balanced production models that protect the environment and create quality jobs;

    20.  Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council and the Commission.

    (1) OJ C 215, 19.6.2018, p. 21.
    (2) OJ C 440, 30.12.2015, p. 23.
    (3) OJ C 251, 30.6.2022, p. 104.
    (4) OJ C, C/2024/4224, 24.7.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/4224/oj.
    (5) OJ C 267, 28.7.2023, p. 2.
    (6) European Commission, Val Duchesse Social Partner Summit, https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1632&langId=en.
    (7) OJ C 243, 27.6.2022, p. 35.
    (8) OJ L 231, 30.6.2021, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2021/1056/oj.
    (9) OJ C 257, 21.7.2023, p. 18.
    (10) Council Directive 98/59/EC of 20 July 1998 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to collective redundancies, OJ L 225, 12.8.1998, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/1998/59/oj.
    (11) Council Directive 2001/23/EC of 12 March 2001 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the safeguarding of employees’ rights in the event of transfers of undertakings, businesses or parts of undertakings or businesses, OJ L 82, 22.3.2001, p. 16, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2001/23/oj.
    (12) Directive 2002/14/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2002 establishing a general framework for informing and consulting employees in the European Community, OJ L 80, 23.3.2002, p. 29, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2002/14/oj.
    (13) European Trade Union Institute for Research, 2021.
    (14) International Labour Organization, 2022.
    (15) Services of general interest comprise three different categories: economic (basic services that are carried out in return for payment, such as postal services), non-economic (such as the police, justice systems and statutory social security schemes) and social (responding to the needs of vulnerable citizens, based on the principles of solidarity and equal access, such as social security schemes, education, healthcare, employment services and social housing. Commission communication of 20 December 2011 entitled ‘A Quality Framework for Services of General Interest in Europe’ (COM(2011)0900).
    (16) European Parliament position of 23 April 2024 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the effective coordination of economic policies and multilateral budgetary surveillance and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1466/97, (Texts adopted, P9_TA(2024)0311).
    (17) Commission report of 2 June 2023 on the European instrument for Temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE) following the COVID-19 outbreak pursuant to Article 14 of Council Regulation (EU) 2020/672 – SURE after its sunset: final bi-annual report (COM(2023)0291).
    (18) Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on public procurement and repealing Directive 2004/18/EC, OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p. 65, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/24/oj.
    (19) Directive (EU) 2019/1023 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on preventive restructuring frameworks, on discharge of debt and disqualifications, and on measures to increase the efficiency of procedures concerning restructuring, insolvency and discharge of debt, and amending Directive (EU) 2017/1132, OJ L 172, 26.6.2019, p. 18, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2019/1023/oj.
    (20) Study – ‘Study on monitoring the application of the EU Quality Framework for anticipation of change and restructuring’, European Commission, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, Publications Office of the European Union, 2018, https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/1c22896d-4e10-11ea-aece-01aa75ed71a1/language-en.
    (21) ‘European Court of Justice jurisprudence on the transfer of de facto company head offices’, https://worker-participation.eu/european-court-justice-jurisprudence-transfer-de-facto-company-head-offices.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Climate Change Performance Index

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), published annually since 2005, is an independent monitoring tool for tracking countries’ climate mitigation performance. It increases transparency in national and international climate policy and enables comparison of individual countries’ climate action efforts and progress.

    The CCPI indicates the climate mitigation efforts of 63 countries and the EU, which collectively account for over 90% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Results are compiled with the aid of 450 national experts evaluating their countries’ most recent national and international climate policies.

    The CCPI is distributed to key media worldwide (e.g. The Guardian, China Daily, The Times of India) and frequently triggers debates in national parliaments and governments.
    The Paris Agreement is now entering a crucial phase of national and regional implementation. The CCPI provides long-standing and reliable analysis conducted on the leaders and laggards in climate protection. This makes it usable as a powerful instrument to hold governments accountable for their responsibility to act on the climate crisis, to inform the process of raising climate ambition, and to stimulate a race to the top in climate action.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Experts of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Commend Palau on Project for Accessible Homes, Raise Questions on Accessible Public Transport and Persons with Disabilities in Emergency Situations

    Source: United Nations – Geneva

    The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities today concluded its review of the initial report of Palau, with Committee Experts commending the State on a project focused on making homes for the elderly more accessible, while raising questions on the accessibility of public transport, and how persons with disabilities were included in the response to emergency situations.

    A Committee Expert welcomed the financial measures and information provided on the project which aimed to make homes for the elderly accessible in Palau. 

    Another Committee Expert congratulated Palau for its commitment to the area of accessibility and desire to create a more inclusive society.  However, concerns persisted, including the lack of accessible public transport. What measures had been taken to ensure free access to information for different types of disability?  An Expert asked what steps were being taken to facilitate the transportation and movement of persons with disabilities?  Another Expert asked if accessibility requirements were included throughout the purchase of public infrastructure? 

    Gerel Dondovdorj, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Taskforce for Palau, asked if the State party had reviewed national legislation related to the situation of risk and humanitarian emergency, including the national disaster risk framework, to include the safety and protection of persons with disabilities?  Could information on mechanisms of early warning for persons with disabilities be provided?  Did the State party have existing mechanisms to ensure the participation of persons with disabilities in the planning, designing and implementation of activities relating to emergency situations? 

    The delegation said unfortunately, public transport in general was underdeveloped in Palau, and had only begun around two years ago, with a small number of buses with a limited route. Unfortunately, the buses being used were currently not accessible to persons with disabilities, and it was up to the families to take care of the transport of their family members and children with special needs.  The State had purchased vehicles, including a van that was disability equipped, which currently was only available by request.  The question was whether all public transport needed to be accessible, or due to numbers should it just be a specific programme with enough equipment catered to the needs of the population? 

    The delegation said at this time, the Government had not currently conducted a review of the national disaster risk framework legislation.  However, there were regular reviews, post-disaster, to determine gaps in emergency preparedness and disaster reduction.  Palau had the National Emergency Management Office, governed by the National Emergency Committee, comprised of all government agencies and civil society, including the Palau Red Cross.  All emergency preparedness and disaster response were coordinated through the Committee. 

    Being a small community, Palau could identify people individually and had a database on people’s specific needs. This knowledge was incorporated into exercises and drills.  Community health workers assisted during disasters to ensure everyone had equal access to shelters. 

    Introducing the report, Jeffrey Antol, Director, Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of State of Palau and head of the delegation, said while Palau faced unique challenges, from geographical and resource limitations to the increasing impact of climate change, these only reinforced the determination to advance the rights of persons with disabilities and build a more inclusive society.  One of Palau’s most significant milestones was the enactment of RPPL 11-36 in September 2024, a landmark piece of legislation that established a Coordinating Committee on Persons with Disabilities and an Office of Persons with Disabilities. 

    In closing remarks, Mr. Antol extended appreciation to the Committee and all those who had contributed to the dialogue. Palau firmly believed that inclusion was not merely a policy goal, but a fundamental human right.  The enactment of the persons with disabilities act and the development of the national disability inclusive policy marked significant milestones in the journey towards full alignment with the Convention. 

    Gertrude Oforiwa Fefoame, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member for Palau, thanked the members of the delegation of Palau for their presence and the open dialogue with the Committee. The State was commended for its commitment in working towards the implementation of the Convention.  From the goodwill expressed by the delegation, it was expected that the State would proactively ensure the implementation of the Committee’s recommendations.   

    The delegation of Palau was comprised of representatives from the Ministry of State; the Ministry of Health and Human Services; the Office of the President; and the Permanent Mission of Palau to the United Nations Office at Geneva. 

    Summaries of the public meetings of the Committee can be found here, while webcasts of the public meetings can be found here. The programme of work of the Committee’s thirty-second session and other documents related to the session can be found here.

    The Committee will next meet in public at 10. a.m. on Thursday, 20 March, to hold a day of general discussion on article 29 of the Convention on participation in political and public life. 

    Report

    The Committee has before it the initial report of Palau (CRPD/C/PLW/1).

    Presentation of Report

    GAAFAR J. UHERBELAU, Special Advisor to the President of Palau, introduced the delegation of Palau. 

     

    JEFFREY ANTOL, Director, Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of State of Palau and head of the delegation, said while Palau faced unique challenges, from geographical and resource limitations to the increasing impact of climate change, these only reinforced the determination to advance the rights of persons with disabilities and build a more inclusive society. 

    One of Palau’s most significant milestones was the enactment of RPPL 11-36 in September 2024, a landmark piece of legislation that established a Coordinating Committee on Persons with Disabilities and an Office of Persons with Disabilities.  This legislation addressed critical gaps in disability governance, with key provisions that included the development of a new national policy on persons with disabilities; the establishment of sustainable funding mechanisms through the allocation of annual tax revenues from alcohol, cigarettes, and tobacco products to support disability programmes and services; and a multi-stakeholder governance structure, ensuring the active participation of government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, and persons with disabilities. 

    Palau had taken major steps towards accessibility in recent years, including conducting access audits for schools, public buildings, and parks, leading to infrastructure improvements, including accessible ramps and parking.  The Ngermalk Accessibility Ramp and Airai Accessibility Ramp project set new standards for inclusive design, enabling inclusive access to the sea waters and leisure. RPPL No. 11-11, enacted in September 2021, established the Palau severely disabled assistance fund and child raising subsidy, now supporting 186 children and elderly persons with disabilities. The child raising subsidy provided financial assistance to parents and legal guardians for the costs of raising a Palauan citizen child under the age of 18 who resided full-time with the applicant in Palau.  The meal programme provided nutritious meals to support Palauan citizens aged 55 and older, homebound individuals, and adults with special healthcare needs residing in Palau. 

    To enhance inclusive education, 22 teachers had been trained in assistive technologies to support students with disabilities.  Access to individualised education programmes was expanded to provide tailored learning support. 

    However, the State needed to do more to bridge the gap in specialised learning resources, inclusive curricula, and teacher training.  Palau’s workforce innovation and opportunity act trained persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities, and empowered them to access the job market. Entrepreneurship programmes were being expanded to provide persons with disabilities with opportunities to create and manage their businesses.

    Women and girls with disabilities experienced two to three times the level of gender-based violence compared to those without disabilities.  To address this, the revised national gender mainstreaming policy would integrate disability-specific protections, including targeted legal amendments, training law enforcement and service providers, and expanding access to shelters and psychosocial support services.  Palau’s national gender mainstreaming policy was undergoing revision to fully integrate disability perspectives. 

    As a climate-vulnerable nation, Palau understood the critical importance of disability-inclusive disaster risk reduction.  In September 2024, the guidelines on disability inclusive disaster risk reduction were launched, ensuring accessible emergency shelters with ramps, assistive devices, and trained staff; early warning systems adapted for persons with sensory disabilities; and community engagement programmes to ensure that persons with disabilities were active participants in disaster preparedness planning.

    While Palau had made significant progress, challenges remained.  Data collection efforts were being expanded to disaggregate statistics by gender and disability, ensuring targeted interventions that addressed the unique vulnerabilities of women, girls, and children with disabilities.  Palau was also working towards accessible voting procedures, ensuring that persons with disabilities could exercise their right to vote independently.  It was also promoting representation in Government advisory bodies.  Mr. Antol reaffirmed Palau’s commitment to working closely with development partners, United Nations agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, and persons with disabilities and their representative organizations, to address these challenges head-on.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    GEREL DONDOVDORJ, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Taskforce for Palau, thanked the State party for the comprehensive initial report.  Ms. Dondovdorj appreciated the quality of alternative reports of organizations of persons with disabilities provided to the Committee.  Palau had made some progress in implementing the Convention, which would be addressed later in the dialogue.  Although some legislative measures had been taken by the State party, some of these were not fully compliant with the Convention, including the disabled persons anti-discrimination act, which could not fully respond to the challenges faced by women with disabilities. 

    Concerns persisted about the lack of progress made to abolish the guardianship regime and implement the supported decision-making system in Palau.  It was essential to ensure the meaningful participation of women with disabilities in decision-making.  The Government of Palau was encouraged to pay attention to this issue. 

    GERTRUDE OFORIWA FEFOAME, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member for Palau, said the enactment of RPPL 11-36 outlined the State’s commitment to advancing the rights of persons with disabilities.  What steps were being taken for the State to appeal and amend legislation which was not in line with the Convention?  What would be the process and timeline for harmonising definitions?  What steps were in place to address the lack of timelines of the implementation of the decisions of the Coordinating Committee of the Office of Persons with Disabilities?  How were organizations of persons with disabilities being involved in the formulation of programmes and policies? 

    Currently Palau did not have a law on reasonable accommodation.  What specific steps were being taken to amend relevant legislation to include disability as a prohibited ground of discrimination?  What were the timelines to ensure the disabled person anti-discrimination act encompassed all forms of disability-based discrimination, including the denial of reasonable accommodation?  What mechanism would be put in place to track the progress of the anti-discrimination policies under discussion?  How would it be ensured they were well implemented and monitored? What was in place to eliminate multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination? 

    How did Palau plan to strengthen gender mainstreaming to ensure women and girls with disabilities were included in all relevant policies and programmes?  Did it include amending the family protection act?  What steps were being taken to ensure the voices of women and girls with disabilities were heard?  What steps were being taken to ensure their participation?   How was the participation of children being monitored? What measures was the State taking to prevent negative stereotypes of persons with disabilities, particularly in rural communities?  What plans were in place to ensure training and awareness raising about persons with disabilities at all levels?

    What steps was the Government taking to identify existing barriers to accessibility in the public and private sector, and provide the necessary resources to remove these barriers?  What measures would be taken to bridge the digital divide? 

    It was commendable that the Washington Group’s short questions on disability had been used and integrated into the census.  What steps was the State adopting to promote inclusivity and improve disability data collection?  What processes were in place to collect the issues around access to justice? 

    Could more information be provided about the newly established Coordinating Committee on Persons with Disabilities, including its members, mandate and budget?  How were representatives of persons with disabilities represented on this Committee?  What steps were taken to involve persons with disabilities into international cooperation?

    There was no national human rights institution established in line with the Paris Principles in Palau.  Had there been any progress on this?  Was there a mechanism to oversee the implementation and monitoring of the Convention? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said harmonising legislation had been a challenge in Palau.  Through the new legislative process, one of the first tasks would be to have a full assessment and legislative review of relevant laws which needed to be revised, to ensure no discrimination was implied by language used in legislation moving forward.  It was expected that Palau could work with lawmakers and the National Congress to undertake a comprehensive legal review and carry out the changes.  It was hoped this could be achieved within 12 to 24 months. 

    The Coordinating Committee on Persons with Disabilities was working on a disability policy with representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities.  There were practices at the national level to provide reasonable accommodation in employment, as well as access to voting.  Palau understood there was a need to improve measures in this regard.

    The State was excited about the new legislation, which would create a new body with the task to mainstream any data, enabling the State to look at specific needs.  The Government would ensure the new body was sufficiently resourced to undertake its tasks.  It would examine Convention articles and look at how Palau could do better in this regard.

    There were currently gaps in the implementation of the family act, including a lack of training of law enforcement officials on the act itself.  The State would examine the gaps in the next six to 12 months. 

    Palau had a gender office within the Ministry of State.  Many programmes required the representation of women and the parents of children with disabilities.  Aside from the Ministries and civil society organizations for women and children with disabilities, a lot of data was non-existent outside of those agencies. Palau had made efforts to reorganise ministries to ensure the family protection act was housed in the department of health and public services.  Data collection methods and tools would be streamlined to ensure a more comprehensive data set, used to assist women and girls with disabilities. 

    There was currently no strategy for awareness raising.  The State had an upcoming project which would train Government stakeholders on disabilities and persons with disabilities.  There was a need for a legislative review in this regard. 

    Persons with disabilities in Palau accounted for between three to four per cent of the population, meaning it was easy for the general public to ignore, such as in the case of disability parking spots.  The Government needed to change the culture and attitude, including towards the overall concept of disability.  The newly established Coordinating Committee on Persons with Disabilities would ensure that every programme planned would welcome the input of women and children with disabilities. 

    There were many gaps in data collection in Palau with regards to persons with disabilities, and this varied between sectors.  The State was in the process of consolidating data sets, streamlining collection and ensuring information was credible, relevant and secure for sharing.  The work of the new established committee would supplement and enhance this work. 

    Regarding the newly established Coordinating Committee on Persons with Disabilities, the members included several Ministers, including the Minister of Justice, Finance and Health.  There would also be representatives from an organization representing persons with disabilities, governors, and a religious and state-based organization.  The Committee was the first time that Palau was forced by law to have representation. The work of the Committee would also reach policy makers directly, which often did not happen.  It held the State accountable to ensure specific resources would be directly available to the Committee.  Currently, only one organization of persons with disabilities was represented on the Committee, as well as a civil society organization. The Committee and the policy were under a strict timeline to be developed by the end of June. 

    Persons with disabilities had been represented in different committees, subcommittees and bodies.  Palau worked collaboratively with the Government of Australia and representatives of organizations of persons with disabilities were consulted in the process across certain projects. 

    Funding constraints were the number one barrier to establishing a national human rights institution in Palau. The State understood the value and purpose, but funding was the constraining factor.  Palau recognised the need for a robust data system, which could be used as a tool to guide policy development.  Palau would rely on the newly established Coordinating Committee on Persons with Disabilities to monitor all aspects of the implementation of the Convention. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert congratulated Palau for its commitment to the area of accessibility and desire to create a more inclusive society.  However, concerns persisted, including the lack of accessible public transport. What measures had been taken to ensure free access to information for different types of disability?

    Another Expert asked how many girls and women with disabilities had been provided with training on small and medium sized enterprises.  The Committee was delighted to hear that the State was analysing the many limitations faced by women with disabilities, particularly those facing violence.  The Committee would like to ensure that the State was addressing the correct data in this regard.

    An Expert asked what steps were being taken to facilitate the access of persons with disabilities to technologies? What steps were being taken to facilitate the transportation and movement of persons with disabilities? How could organizations representing children with disabilities be supported? 

    Another Committee Expert asked if accessibility requirements were included throughout the purchase of public infrastructure?  It was very good that there was good access to the internet for persons with disabilities. Were accessibility standards being taken into account when web content was created?

    An Expert asked about the political environment when discussing issues related to persons with disabilities? Was the Congress willing to make important changes in legislation and approve specific legislation to incorporate Convention principles?  How could the international community support Palau to bring about these changes sooner rather than later?

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said unfortunately, public transport in general was underdeveloped in Palau, and had only begun around two years ago, with a small number of buses with a limited route. Unfortunately, the buses being used were currently not accessible to persons with disabilities, and it was up to the families to take care of the transport of their family members and children with special needs.  The State had purchased vehicles, including a van that was disability equipped, which currently was only available by request.  Being an island, it was also important for the State to purchase boats which were disability accessible.  Palau’s citizens had access to relatively cheap internet, but the issue was devices.  The State had not taken further steps to identify specific technologies that persons with disabilities might need.  Therefore, those with visual impairments would have to source their digital devices out of Palau.  The State would look at the data and determine if this was something which required additional investment. 

    A majority of those who had received training were women, and some percentage would be women with disabilities. Data specific to violence against women and girls with disabilities needed to be disaggregated in the State’s data set. 

    The question was whether all public transport needed to be accessible, or due to numbers should it just be a specific programme with enough equipment catered to the needs of the population? There were one or two vans which could respond to requests currently.  Would this be enough, or would there be a growing need for accessibility vehicles?  Currently, more equipment was required.  It would make sense that all equipment should be accessible, but that had more costs. The State was looking at this with a phased approach.  For small countries like Palau, things were only addressed when there was a visible need, as opposed to putting in place standards to address things beforehand, and this applied to access to information. However, it did not take away from the need for the State to think holistically. 

    The political will to ratify the treaties was there, but there were challenges when it came to prioritising budget allocation.  The onus was on the delegation to return to Palau and continue raising awareness. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    GEREL DONDOVDORJ, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Taskforce for Palau, asked if the State party had reviewed national legislation related to the situation of risk and humanitarian emergency, including the national disaster risk framework, to include the safety and protection of persons with disabilities?  If not, what were the plans to review and amend the legislation?  Could information on mechanisms of early warning for persons with disabilities be provided?  How accessible were these systems to persons with diverse disabilities, including those who were blind and deaf?  Did the State party have existing mechanisms to ensure the participation of persons with disabilities in the planning, designing and implementation of activities relating to emergency situations?  What measures had the State party taken to ensure adequate budget allocation for this purpose? 

    Palau still promoted the guardianship regime, which meant a person’s legal capacity could be restricted, based on a court declaration.  Were there specific plans to end the guardianship regime, and implement supported decision-making for persons with disabilities?  Could data on the number of persons with disabilities under guardianship be provided?  How many people had repealed these decisions?

    GERTRUDE OFORIWA FEFOAME, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member for Palau, said information had been received about barriers in accessing justice for persons with disabilities, due to a lack of reasonable accommodation, particularly those with psychosocial disabilities.  What measures would be taken to review all legislation, including criminal laws, to ensure compliance with the Convention?  What measures were being taken to ensure age appropriate and gender sensitive accommodation in judicial and administrative proceedings for all persons with disabilities?  Was information provided in an accessible format, and how was the accessibility of court buildings ensured?  How was information communicated, for example through sign language? 

    Had regular monitoring been conducted to ensure persons with psychosocial or intellectual disabilities were not subjected to arbitrary or forced treatment, including confinement? What was the most recent monitoring result, and efforts taken to improve the situation?  Was there disaggregated data on persons with disabilities deprived of their liberty in Palau? 

    GEREL DONDOVDORJ, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Taskforce for Palau, asked about services provided by the Victims of Crime Office, reopened in 2022, including access to shelters? Was sign-language interpretation provided and reasonable accommodation ensured?  Was information about existing services disseminated to persons with disabilities through accessible formats?  Did the State party have any targeted measures to ensure all persons with disabilities, including women with disabilities, were free from all types of violation and exploitation?  Were there any specific targeted policies and strategies targeting women with disabilities? 

    Information had been received on the tragic case of a blind woman who was sterilised without consent, but with the consent of her family members.  What legislation was in place to protect persons with disabilities from being subjected to treatment without their free and informed consent, including forced sterilisation and abortion?  Did a monitoring mechanism exist in this regard?

    How many persons with disabilities had been placed in institutions, including mental health hospitals?  Were there any plans or strategies to promote the independence of persons with disabilities at the community level? What were the plans to implement the deinstitutionalisation plan, to ensure everyone was given the opportunity to live in the community?

    What measures were in place to ensure that persons with disabilities in Palau could access high-quality and affordable assistive devices?  Were these exempt from import taxes?  What measures were being taken to eliminate physical restraints in all settings, including prisons and institutions?  Did Palau have any plans to ratify the Convention against Torture?  Had any monitoring of cases of torture being undertaken?  Could information be provided about the State’s existing complaints mechanism? 

    Responses by the Delegation 

    The delegation said at this time, the Government had not currently conducted a review of the national disaster risk framework legislation.  However, there were regular reviews, post-disaster, to determine gaps in emergency preparedness and disaster reduction.  Based on existing legislation, there was no need to change too much.  Palau had the National Emergency Management Office, governed by the National Emergency Committee, comprised of all government agencies and civil society, including the Palau Red Cross.  All emergency preparedness and disaster response were coordinated through the Committee.  Once the President declared a national emergency, this gave the Government access to all resources and the authority to commandeer accommodation such as shelters for the response.  The Government would conduct a legislative review to see if there was anything missing in the law which should be amended in relation to persons with disabilities. 

    The State had working relationships with civil society, including the Red Cross, which was actively involved in drills and exercises in response to disasters.  Being a small community, Palau could identify people individually and had a database on people’s specific needs.  This knowledge was incorporated into exercises and drills. Community health workers assisted during disasters to ensure everyone had equal access to shelters. 

    A health care coalition, enacted through an executive order of the President, represented persons with disabilities and parents’ organizations, bringing them together to plan activities. A month was dedicated to preparedness awareness each year, during which simulation exercises were held, as they were last year.  At this point, Palau did not see the need to have too many members, including from the Government, in the National Emergency Committee during an emergency.  It was more important to capture feedback, participation and input from non-governmental organizations during the planning, training and exercises phases, to execute the best response. The delegation would investigate if there was a need to expand the Committee to include persons with disabilities.  At this point, the State prioritised local revenue for the response; there were no external funding sources. 

    The State party understood the guardianship act was not in line with the Convention.  However, efforts were being made to consult persons with disabilities before they were held in institutions.  The various ministries coordinated together to ensure the Convention was not being violated.  The guardianship act would be considered for the upcoming legislative review.  The delegation would also debrief on this upon their return.  At present, data on those under the guardianship law was not available.  This was noted as a priority task and this data would be collected in the future. 

    The full and systematic review of legislation to ensure compliance with the Convention was long overdue.  This would be conducted once the delegation returned to Palau.  It was expected the review would take 12 to 24 months; draft amendments would then be proposed for enactment. 

    The family protection act was a landmark milestone for Palau, allowing for a more uniform and standardised procedure for all people who experienced gender-based or domestic violence, while also allowing the State to assess the gaps in the process.  There were currently no courtrooms in Palau which were accessible.  This needed to be changed immediately and would be enacted when the delegation returned to Palau.  The recommendation would also focus on better equipping the courtrooms with audio visual aids.     

    In Palau, if persons with psychosocial conditions in prison were required to be confined, this would take place after an assessment with a psychiatrist, and they would be held outside of the general prison.  This would also be reviewed to ensure the protocols were being adhered to.  Every case received was monitored; however, monitoring ceased once the individual left the facility.  This was something that should be tracked and that was something the State planned to accomplish. 

    Palau maintained a strong belief in cultural values, which was a source of solutions and issues.  Often families were still expected to care for the elderly and family members with disabilities.  The line was often blurred on where the Government should step in. A transition centre had been built for those who did not have accommodation to return to.  It had taken years to build as many community members felt that under Palau culture, family members had the obligation to care for their family members. 

    The Victims of Crime Office provided services, including counselling and temporary housing for victims, in partnership with non-governmental organizations.  The State aimed to introduce training programmes with neighbouring jurisdictions, but this was dependent on costs.  In the few cases received where victims required sign-language communication, this had been done virtually with ad-hoc partners.  But there was a need to formalise a mechanism for whenever that was needed. 

    A member of the delegation said she had been a victim of exploitation, and this had been a call for the ministries to come together and strengthen the family protection act, and to take account for specific provisions for protecting women and girls with disabilities. This act would also be reviewed during the legislative review. 

    The number of cases of forced sterilisation was extremely low, but these situations did happen. There was no legislation which specifically addressed this.  The State was cautious to enact legislation which contradicted and caused tension between culture, and the more Western doctrine of rights and laws. Abortion was mostly illegal in Palau, unless the physician determined there was a threat to the life of the mother or the child.  Forced treatment and sterilisation was something consulted with the patient, their family and the healthcare provider.  It needed to be determined if legislation was really the avenue to address this, or if was more important to have more clarity on those blurred lines between cultural expectation and family consent and the healthcare needs of the patient.  This would be added to the list for the legislative review. 

    A project had been launched during the COVID-19 pandemic to assess certain households for accessibility, to be redesigned for independent living.  The findings of the project would be utilised this year to promote more independent living.  There was only one mental health facility in Palau, and confinement was only for mental health issues.  There had been no cases where persons with other types of disabilities had been confined or admitted without any mental health issues.  The plan would be rolled out nationwide and expanded in the future to ensure persons with disabilities could independently live in their own homes, rather than be confined to an institution. 

    At present, due to cost, Palau dealt with needs for assistive technologies on a case-by-case basis.  At present, there was no tax exemption for such equipment unless it was donated.  Maintenance and a lack of parts were an ongoing issue.  The newly created Office on Persons with Disabilities would undertake a review in this regard. 

    Palau did not have the need to develop specific measures for the protection of persons with disabilities from ill-treatment.  Palau’s culture did not require laws in this regard.  Tomorrow, the delegation of Palau would meet with relevant United Nations representatives to further discuss the process of the ratification of the Convention against Torture.  There was no active monitoring of case reviews, but the State party undertook case reviews to determine if there were instances of torture.  The State had a school health screening programme, where the provider looked for indications of ill-treatment, as well as the victims of crimes assistance programme.  Part of the awareness strategy included promoting reporting within the community, which was currently a challenge.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert asked if there were any plans to strengthen the mechanisms and legal safeguards for persons with disabilities, including those with psychosocial disabilities and migrants with disabilities, to ensure they were provided with reasonable accommodation under the 72-hour detention act?  What measures were taken to ensure stateless children, including those with disabilities, were granted citizenship?  Was there a plan to amend legislation to allow stateless individuals, including those raised in Palau, to apply for citizenship? 

    Another Expert welcomed the financial measures and information provided on the project which aimed to make homes for the elderly accessible.  What measures were being undertaken to improve the disability inclusiveness of mainstream services, such as retail, health, education and housing?   

    One Expert asked who had trained prison officers in appropriate care?  What evaluation had there been for this training?  Had the State party implemented the guidelines on deinstitutionalisation?

    A Committee Expert asked if there was any follow-up strategy in relation to article 19, enabling persons with disabilities to manage themselves? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said the 72 hours was not always adhered to exactly, despite legislation, and was typically handled on a case-by-case basis.  This would be included in the legislative review to see if this timeline was still applicable. 

    A bill had been introduced in the National Congress to examine the possibility of issuing stateless persons with a national identification.  While this did not guarantee citizenship, it would enable them to have an identity and hopefully be expanded to include means to travel.  Migrants were afforded access to public services like citizens; it was a matter of different costs.  The population of Palau was 18,000, and therefore transport could be provided by the Government for those who requested it.  This allowed persons with disabilities to access mainstream services.  There were ongoing efforts to work with the national health insurance to see if beneficiary coverage could be expanded to include the cost of assistive technologies. 

    At present, there was no training for law enforcement in mental health first aid.  The Government was working to ensure the relevant training was provided. Currently, the Government would call in specialised professionals, including psychiatrists, but it was important to train first responders as they were typically the first to arrive on the scene.  Palau was so small they could assign a specific health care professional to assist persons with disabilities when they came in for medical services.  The transition centre was intended only to be a temporary situation, while the State looked at longer term solutions for independent living.

    Questions by Committee Experts

    CHRISTOPHER NWANORO, Committee Vice-Chairperson and Taskforce Member for Palau, said persons with disabilities in Palau faced major barriers in accessing information.  How was the Government ensuring that freedom of speech and access to information, including the mass media, was available to persons with disabilities in Palau?  What efforts was the Government making to enable deaf persons to access information in the State party?

    Persons with disabilities in Palau did not have equal access to education; what was the Government doing to provide an enabling environment for education for persons with disabilities, including for deaf and blind persons?  The Government should provide an enabling environment for everyone to enjoy education equally. 

    How accessible was the medical environment for persons with disabilities?  Could blind people communicate with medical staff via braille? How was it ensured that all persons with disabilities could enjoy medical facilities in the hospitals?

    What efforts was the Government of Palau making to ensure equal opportunities were provided when it came to employment for persons with disabilities?  For those working, what was being done to provide them with an enabling environment?  Were ramps and elevators available to allow them to navigate their workplaces?  What training was given to employers in this regard? 

    Palau’s law said persons with mental and intellectual disabilities were not allowed to participate in elections, including voting.  Was there any percentage within the law mandating persons with disabilities to be elected to government positions?  If persons with disabilities wanted to vote, how accessible was the environment?  Were there ramps and sign language?  What was the Government doing to ensure that persons with disabilities were given a fair chance to participate in politics? 

    What was Palau doing to ensure people with disabilities could access cultural life and leisure, including sports? Were people with disabilities in Palau participating in sports?  What efforts was the Government making to encourage their participation?

    GERTRUDE OFORIWA FEFOAME, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member for Palau, asked how information on medical records, such as from institutions and mental health systems, was protected? How would data protection for persons with disabilities be strengthened, particularly for those with psychosocial or intellectual disabilities?

    What specific initiatives were in place to strengthen awareness raising regarding persons with disabilities, particularly regarding the rights to family and parenthood?  How would it be ensured that persons with disabilities could start their own families or adopt children if they chose?

    GEREL DONDOVDORJ, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Taskforce for Palau, asked if there were plans to undertake an analysis of rehabilitation services, and ensure they were in line with the Convention?  Were there plans to develop a comprehensive strategy and policy around assistive devices and technologies? 

    GERTRUDE OFORIWA FEFOAME, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member for Palau, said the majority of social protection actions in Palau happened at home.  What mechanisms were in place to support social protection and families and the disability-related expenses of individuals?  How would the Government address the lower level of disability pensions? What was being done to raise the disability pension?  Did persons with disabilities who worked in Palau still receive the disability allowance? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said sign language and audio-visual equipment in schools and classrooms were among the State’s weak points.  Palau did provide equal opportunities for persons with disabilities to express themselves through the media, but the lack of sign language was an issue.  Work was being done with the Ministry of Education to equip teachers and schools, and then this would be branched out to the media. There had been two cases in Palau where youth with disabilities had graduated from high school and college through vocational studies.  Palau’s Ministry of Education received some funding from the United States Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which was a starting point to train teachers. 

    At present, Palau did not have training for doctors and teachers, but this was something the State was working on. Most clinics in the hospitals were designed to be accessible, but the main challenge was sign language.  Women and children with disabilities had free access to information, and a healthcare provider was assigned to every person with disability who came in.  The State recognised there was more to be done and was working to enhance this area. 

    Legislation obligated the Government to ensure persons with disabilities had ramps in the places where they were hired and working.  This legislation just covered the public sector currently and was yet to cover the private sector, which was a shortfall.  There were around 33 persons with disabilities working in Palau’s Government, which was an impressive number considering the country’s population. Due to cultural beliefs in Palau, families of persons with disabilities sometimes did not encourage them to work due to fear of stigma and bullying, which was a challenge. 

    Palau election personnel were not equipped to provide braille. Currently, if a person with a disability wished to vote, an election official had to vote for them which meant the voting was no longer private; the State was working to address this.  Palau would work to change the law on voting for persons with intellectual disabilities, as this was an outdated law.  Nothing barred persons with disabilities for running for public office.  There were no quotas in place for persons with disabilities to run for office in Palau. There were no political parties in Palau, everyone ran individually.  No one was barred from running for Government.

    Discussions had been underway to join the Paralympics.  Palau would be hosting Pacific mini games, and there would be considerations for persons with disabilities to join such events.  Family members presented a challenge; they sometimes felt their family members with disabilities would be a source of shame to the family and prohibited them from participating publicly, particularly when it came to sports. The Government was working to help families feel confident in allowing their family members with disabilities to participate in the public view. 

    Patient records and confidential information was closely safeguarded in the Ministry of Health and in clinics. This applied to all patient records, including for persons with disabilities.  It was expected the medical privacy act would be enacted in one to two years. 

    Palau had an inclusive culture; there were no cultural barriers preventing persons with disabilities from getting married or raising children.  There were persons with disabilities in Palau who had birthed and raised children and enjoyed the fruits of a full family life, with community support. 

    There were efforts to create an appropriate list of assistive products from the World Health Organization list, to ensure they were appropriate for the Pacific region.  Rehabilitation was still regarded as a medical or clinical service, which was a challenge.  A rehabilitation department was now going out to the community to train caregivers and family members to assist those with specific needs. 

    Palau had the Severely Disabled Assistance Fund which had been increased in the past year, to ensure persons with disabilities could afford the cost of living.  There was a newly established child raising subsidy, provided to all Palau children under the age of 18.  The pension and social security amounts were always a hotly debated issue in Palau’s Congress.  The State would continue to push for an increase in funds for beneficiaries.  The Assistance Fund did not include deaf people, which was something which needed to be amended.  Palau was looking to increase the minimum wage this year, which would benefit persons with disabilities who were employed. 

    Questions by Committee Experts

    A Committee Expert asked how many persons with disabilities participated in tertiary education in Palau?  What kind of reasonable accommodations were provided to these students?  The Committee frowned upon the continued use of sheltered workshops to stimulate employment of persons with disabilities.  What was the extent of sheltered workshops in Palau and what was being done to remove them from the labour market?

    Another Expert asked about the Government actions to ensure access to education for persons with disabilities. How were these being implemented? Were there any incentives for persons with disabilities to run for public office?  The Expert congratulated Palau’s involvement in the Paralympics. It was hoped this would be the first of many. 

    An Expert asked if persons with disabilities were given the same wages as the rest of the population? 

    One Committee Expert asked what Palau was doing to raise awareness in the population, so no one was left behind or neglected?  What was being done to put an end to discrimination against persons with disabilities? 

    A Committee Expert asked if Palau had any experiences with accessible tourism, and if it was using this as a tool for economic growth?  Had Palau requested technical cooperation to increase the flow of tourists with disabilities?  Was Palau considering job creation and entrepreneurship for persons with disabilities? Had the State thought about establishing a national centre for arts and crafts which could showcase the products made by persons with disabilities? 

    GERTRUDE OFORIWA FEFOAME, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member for Palau, asked if people working in Palau still received the disability allowance? 

    GEREL DONDOVDORJ, Committee Expert and Coordinator of the Taskforce for Palau, asked if there were any plans to address policy areas regarding the right to vote for persons with intellectual disabilities? 

    Responses by the Delegation

    The delegation said Palau only had one community college which provided a two-year associate degree.  However, persons with disabilities did attend college, including one individual who graduated from a mechanics course.  The college was not entirely equipped, but did make accommodation for the specific needs of students. 

    There were no agencies, companies or businesses which only employed persons with disabilities in Palau. Palau had a law which required all students to attend kindergarten to grade 12, including children with disabilities. Minimum wage laws in Palau applied to everyone, including persons with disabilities who received the same wage and tax refund benefits which applied to a certain band of salary earners. Overall, Palauan culture was very accepting.  Non-governmental organizations in Palau helped the Government to raise awareness in the community, ensuring inclusiveness in all events and policies. There was no specific budget for sports activities for persons with disabilities, but this was something the Government would look into.

    Palau was regarded as a good tourism destination.  However, it was expensive to get there, and there were rarely tourists who were persons with disabilities.  The Government aimed to ensure their own citizens with disabilities were taken care of before tourists.  There were workshops with local crafts and a giftshop, where persons with disabilities could sell their artwork.  There was also a national museum and it could be a good idea to hold a special exhibition there for persons with disabilities. 

    The Palau Severely Disabled Fund was for those who had no employment, and if they were gainfully employed, they lost this eligibility.  There were only two main non-governmental organizations in Palau working to represent persons with disabilities, but the population was small.  They were given the right to decide who they employed and who they allowed to represent them.  The Government did not want to overstep and dictate in this regard. 

    Closing Remarks

    JEFFREY ANTOL, Director, Bureau of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of State of Palau and head of the delegation, extended appreciation to the Committee and all those who had contributed to the dialogue.  Palau firmly believed that inclusion was not merely a policy goal, but a fundamental human right.  The enactment of the persons with disabilities act and the development of the national disability inclusive policy marked significant milestones in the journey towards full alignment with the Convention.  Palau was more convinced than ever of the urgent need to undertake legislative review and the importance of data and reporting, and would take steps to facilitate these actions.  The country remained steadfast in ensuring that no one was left behind.

    GERTRUDE OFORIWA FEFOAME, Committee Expert and Taskforce Member for Palau, thanked the members of the delegation of Palau for their presence and the open dialogue with the Committee.  The State was commended for its commitment in working towards the implementation of the Convention.  The Committee acknowledged with interest the establishment of the Committee of Persons with Disabilities and looked forward to its action as planned.  There was a need for the State to strengthen systems and ensure effective and meaningful participation of persons with disabilities. The absence of a national human rights institution was a concern; the Committee urged Palau to consider its establishment in line with the Paris Principles.  From the goodwill expressed by the delegation, it was expected that the State would proactively ensure the implementation of the Committee’s recommendations.

     

     

     

    Produced by the United Nations Information Service in Geneva for use of the media; 
    not an official record. English and French versions of our releases are different as they are the product of two separate coverage teams that work independently.

     

    CRPD25.007E

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Afghanistan: Rebuilding from the Earthquakes | United Nations

    Source: United Nations (Video News)

    In early March 2025, Indrika Ratwatte, the UN Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, visited Herat province to assess recovery efforts following the devastating earthquakes of October 2023. As Resident Coordinator in Afghanistan, Ratwatte’s visit aimed to observe the United Nations’ initiatives in rebuilding communities and to evaluate ongoing services for Afghan deportees and returnees.

    The October 2023 earthquakes caused extensive damage in Herat, resulting in over 1,500 fatalities and injuring more than 2,600 individuals. Approximately 50,000 houses were destroyed or damaged, leaving many residents without shelter.

    Ratwatte’s visit underscores the UN’s commitment to supporting Afghanistan’s recovery and highlights the ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian needs of those affected by the earthquakes.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m40bJl6mbNU

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Prime Minister Carney to strengthen ties with France and the United Kingdom and reaffirm Canada’s sovereignty

    Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister

    The Prime Minister and Canada’s new government are focused on what matters most right now: creating more higher-paying jobs, building new trade relationships with reliable partners, and making Canada more secure. 

    To that end, the Prime Minister announced today that he will travel to Paris, France, London, United Kingdom, and Iqaluit, Nunavut, from March 16 to 18, 2025, to strengthen two of our closest and longest-standing economic and security partnerships, and to reaffirm Canada’s Arctic security and sovereignty.

    In Paris, Prime Minister Carney will meet with the President of France, Emmanuel Macron. With the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement as the foundation, the leaders will focus on their shared commitment to build stronger economic, commercial, and defence ties. Prime Minister Carney will also emphasize Canada’s work to unleash the innovative and economic potential of artificial intelligence (AI) safely and responsibly. 

    In London, Prime Minister Carney will meet with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer. Their discussions will focus on strengthening transatlantic security, growing the AI sector, and the strong commercial relationship between Canada and the United Kingdom. The prime ministers will explore ways to deepen bilateral trade through the Canada-United Kingdom Trade Continuity Agreement and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Prime Minister Carney will also have an audience with His Majesty King Charles III.

    The Prime Minister will then travel to Iqaluit, Nunavut, on March 18 to reassert Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic. He will meet with members of the Iqaluit Patrol of 1 Canadian Rangers Patrol Group – a group critical to Arctic stability and security. 

    Prime Minister Carney will also meet with the Premier of Nunavut, P.J. Akeeagok, to learn more about the evolving needs and priorities of Arctic and Northern communities. He will reaffirm the new government’s support for growing a stronger economy across the North, reinforcing its sovereignty and security, and emphasizing our continued commitment to advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis throughout the country.

    Quote

    “Canada was built upon a union of peoples – Indigenous, French, and British. My visit to France and the United Kingdom will strengthen trade, commercial, and defence ties with two of our strongest and most reliable partners, and my visit to Nunavut will be an opportunity to bolster Canada’s Arctic sovereignty and security, and our plan to unlock the North’s full economic potential.”

    Quick Facts

    • This is Prime Minister Carney’s first trip abroad since becoming Prime Minister of Canada.
    • France and the United Kingdom are key allies for Canada on the international stage. They are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the G7, and the G20, as well as permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council. France is a founding member of the European Union (EU) and a leading partner in La Francophonie. The United Kingdom is a key partner to Canada in the Commonwealth.
    • In 2024, France was Canada’s third-largest merchandise trading partner in the EU and its 11th-largest trading partner globally, with two-way merchandise trade totalling $14.2 billion.
    • The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was signed in 2016 and has been provisionally applied since 2017. Since then, bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and the EU has grown by more than 60 per cent.
    • Canada and the UK share a sovereign, His Majesty King Charles III, and are among the oldest parliamentary democracies in the world.
    • The United Kingdom was Canada’s third-largest single-country trading partner for goods and services in 2024, with trade valued at $61 billion. Around 3,500 Canadian companies, 93 per cent of which are small and medium-sized enterprises, export goods to the United Kingdom.
    • In July 2023, Canada and 10 other members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) signed the United Kingdom Accession Protocol, welcoming the United Kingdom as the 12th member of the Agreement and the first successful accession candidate.
    • The Arctic region is central to Canada’s national identity, prosperity, and security. The Canadian Arctic covers 40 per cent of Canada’s territory and more than 70 per cent of its coastline. It is home to many Canadians, including Indigenous Peoples who have inhabited this land since time immemorial.

    Associated Links

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: “Another Win this Week for Common Sense” – President Trump Signs CRA Resolution Nullifying Methane Tax Regulations on Energy Producers

    Source: Independent Petroleum Association of America

    Headline: “Another Win this Week for Common Sense” – President Trump Signs CRA Resolution Nullifying Methane Tax Regulations on Energy Producers

    Mar 15, 2025 “Another Win this Week for Common Sense” – President Trump Signs CRA Resolution Nullifying Methane Tax Regulations on Energy Producers

    IPAA Appreciates Quick Action by President on Hoeven and Pfluger Legislation 

    WASHINGTON – Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) President & CEO Jeff Eshelman issued the following statement today on President Donald Trump signing H.J.Res.35 which through the Congressional Review Act process disapproves of the Biden Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) methane tax regulations:

    “In another win this week for common sense, President Trump and his Administration have taken action to nullify the regulations the Biden Administration established to implement the misguided methane tax on oil and natural gas producers. On Wednesday, EPA announced that the agency is reconsidering its Subpart OOOOb and Subpart OOOOc regulations and its Subpart W greenhouse gas reporting program rules – reconsideration provides a pathway for making these regulations more cost-effective and well-structured. IPAA appreciates President Trump moving quickly to sign this Congressional Review Act resolution and the initiative of Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) and Congressman August Pfluger (R-TX) in guiding the resolution through Congress.

    “IPAA and our members remain committed to working with the EPA to find a regulatory pathway designed for the sources it regulates, while encouraging continued progress toward reducing emissions. Big new oil and natural gas wells and low producing older wells have differing emissions profiles. Our members are making constant improvements to the technology being used to reduce, measure and report on emissions.”

    ###

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Winchester to consider next step for Local Government Reorganisation

    Source: City of Winchester

    The interim proposal which has been developed by the 15 councils in Hampshire and the Solent region outlines guiding principles that should be followed when developing plans for local government reorganisation across the Hampshire and Solent area of councils. It outlines how the councils are working together and seeks clarity and assurance from government on five specific challenges.

    The interim proposal does not contain proposals for what the new unitary councils will look like or what geography they will cover at this stage. However, it does state that analysis will consider existing economic geographies, principally those around Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth. Further detailed work is needed before this can happen and importantly, the opportunity for the public to have their say before final plans are submitted. 

    As well as the interim report to government, the report also sets out the council’s commitment to its council plan and ensuring staff, policies, services and assets that would be transferred are in the best possible position for integration to a new authority. Alongside the priorities in the Council Plan, key highlights include delivering Central Winchester Regeneration, adopting the Local Plan, ensuring council homes are well managed and securing Winchester City status alongside protecting the historic position of the Mayor of Winchester. 

    Leader of the Council, Cllr Martin Tod says: 

    ‘It’s a real strength that we have got all 15 councils working together across Hampshire and the Solent and have come to a common set of principles to work against. 

    Agreeing these principles early puts the focus on the needs of our local communities and recognises the importance of using a sense of place and identity to set boundaries. Importantly for us, they recognise the importance of Winchester and its economic geography.

    But this is going to be a hugely challenging project.  We have highlighted five barriers that we need absolute clarity and assurance from government on if reorganisation across Hampshire and the Solent is to succeed.’   

    From my perspective, the first thing we need clarity on is the Isle of Wight.  Can they be a council on their own?  Local council leaders all agree on this. It’s an island.  It makes no sense for them to be in a council with someone else.  If the Government can’t reassure us on that, the next stage of the process becomes almost impossible.

    The second problem is the money.  Hampshire is broke.  Reorganising councils won’t stop them being broke.  And there’s no point in creating new unitary councils if they immediately go bust.  

    The third problem is pressure on services.  The rapid increase in adults needing care, children needing special educational support and the travel to get to it, and people becoming homeless and needing somewhere to live means councils’ costs are going up much faster than the money coming in. We need an answer from the Government on that too.   

    The fourth problem is the size of councils and whether we have to use boundaries of the districts created in 1974.  Some of these are out of date and don’t reflect where and how people live now – and the communities they identify with. We need to know whether and how we can change them.

    And finally, there’s timing.  We did this initial work in a month.  We need the time to properly design new services and consult those local communities that will be most affected.  Not loads of time! But even moving from September to November will help.

    The City Council will be deciding next week whether this direction of travel makes sense. And whether the work we’re doing as a council makes sense. If we have assurances from the Government on the five challenges, and we can keep working together productively as 15 councils, I believe we can find a way to better, stronger plans that will better service people in Hampshire and the Solent – and here in the Winchester District.’

    The paper will be debated at full council on 19 March, before being referred to Cabinet for a decision on 20 March 

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Missouri Continues to Respond to Fatal Tornadoes and Severe Storms After Widespread Damage Crosses the State

    Source: US State of Missouri

    MARCH 15, 2025

    Jefferson City — The Missouri State Emergency Operations Center remains activated as state team members continue to respond to the devastating severe storms that caused significant damage to homes and buildings, led to widespread power outages, and caused multiple fatalities across the state.

    At this time, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has confirmed 10 fatalities. The state is working with local response agencies to gather additional information about serious injuries and will share more information as it becomes available.

    “Friday and through the night, Missouri first responders, volunteers and our faith-based partners worked tirelessly in response to a series of devastating tornadoes and severe storms, and before that, dangerous and damaging fires,” said Governor Mike Kehoe. “Our state team members and responders are working to support communities, have begun to assess the damage with local partners, and will be gathering more information in the coming days. I appreciate the heroic work of all those who are assisting their fellow Missourians. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families grieving loved ones, and we stand with all those impacted by these devastating storms.”

    Governor Kehoe declared a State of Emergency Friday, activating the State Emergency Operations Plan to support response and recovery efforts. The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and Missouri State Highway Patrol continue to coordinate with local officials to assess damage and provide assistance.

    Initial reports indicate there were up to 19 tornadoes of varying strengths that impacted 25 counties in the state.

    Residents are urged to avoid impacted areas and allow first responders to assist those in need. Neighbors are encouraged to check on the elderly and those who may need additional assistance. Residents who experienced damage should report it to their local emergency management agency.

    Governor Kehoe will visit impacted communities beginning today, with stops in Poplar Bluff, Piedmont, and Arnold. Additional details will provided as further information develops.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Time for bold moves’: UN urges inclusive transition as Syria marks 14 years of conflict

    Source: United Nations 2

    Peace and Security

    Marking 14 years since the start of the Syrian conflict, top UN officials raised alarm over renewed violence and growing instability, warning that without urgent action, Syria’s fragile transition could be at risk.

    UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen called for an immediate end to hostilities and urged all parties to protect civilians in accordance with international law.

    “What began as a plea for reform was met with staggering brutality, leading to one of the most harrowing conflicts of our time,” he said in a statement on Friday, recalling the peaceful pro-democracy protests that started on 15 March 2011 and were met with brutal repression.

    “Families continue to mourn the loss of loved ones, communities remain fractured, millions remain uprooted from their homes, and far too many persist in their search for the missing. The pain and sacrifices of the Syrian people must never be forgotten.”

    Brutal conflict

    In the initial months of the crisis, as many as 2,000 civilians were killed, with thousands more suffering enforced disappearances, torture, deprivation of liberty and persecution. Navi Pillay, the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, described the pattern of violations as “widespread and systematic” against the civilian population, “which may amount to crimes against humanity.”

    Since 2011, Syria spiraled into a brutal conflict, with civilians subjected to medieval sieges,  chemical weapon attacks and barrel bombs.

    Over the years, hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed and more than 12 million forced to flee their homes, including over six million who fled as refugees to neighbouring countries.

    Syria at crossroads

    The Assad regime fell in December 2024, but Syria remains at a crossroads, with fighting erupting between Syrian Caretaker Authority forces and soldiers loyal to the former regime, and a pressing humanitarian crisis.

    “More than three months since the fall of the Assad regime, Syria now stands at a pivotal moment,” Mr. Pedersen said.

    “Syrians have experienced emotions of great hopes in these times – but also of deep fears,” he added, expressing deep concern over violence against civilians.

    The Special Envoy emphasised that building trust is essential to a successful transition, warning that “a climate of distrust and fear could endanger the entire process.”

    Time for bold moves

    Mr. Pedersen called for inclusive governance, citing the National Dialogue as a foundation and urging concrete follow-up actions. He also took note of the caretaker authorities’ newly issued Constitutional Declaration, expressing hope that it would lay the groundwork for restoring the rule of law and ensuring a stable transition.

    “Now is the time for bold moves to create a genuinely credible and inclusive transitional government and legislative body, a constitutional framework and process to draft a new constitution for the long term that is credible and inclusive, and genuine transitional justice,” he said.

    He reiterated the need for full political inclusion of Syrian women in shaping the country’s future.

    “The United Nations stands ready to support this process in line with Security Council resolution 2254,” Mr. Pedersen said.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres. (file)

    Standing with the people: UN chief

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres also underscored the urgent need for “bold and decisive measures” to ensure safety, dignity and inclusion for all Syrians.

    “Since 8 December [2024], there is renewed hope that Syrians can chart a different course and the chance to rebuild, reconcile, and create a nation where all can live peacefully and in dignity,” he said in a statement on Thursday.

    “Now is the time for action. Bold and decisive measures are urgently needed to ensure that every Syrian – regardless of ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or gender – can live in safety, dignity, and without fear.”

    He reiterated UN’s commitment to supporting an inclusive political transition that ensures accountability, fosters national healing, and lays the foundation for Syria’s long-term recovery and reintegration into the international community.

    “We stand with the Syrian people towards the promise of a better Syria – for all Syrians. Together, we must ensure that Syria emerges from the shadows of war into a future defined by dignity and the rule of law – where all voices are heard, and no community is left behind,” Mr. Guterres said.

    Protect all civilians: Security Council

    Also on Friday, the UN Security Council called for the implementation of an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, facilitated by the United Nations and based on the key principles listed in resolution 2254 (2015).

    “This includes safeguarding the rights of all Syrians, regardless of ethnicity and religion. This political process should meet the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians, protect all of them and enable them to peacefully, independently and democratically determine their futures,” read a statement by the President of the Security Council.

    The Council also condemned the widespread violence in Latakia and Tartus provinces since 6 March, including mass killings of civilians among the Alawite community, underlining the urgency of inclusive, transparent justice and reconciliation in Syria.

    Presidential statements are issued by the President of the Security Council on behalf of its members. The statements are adopted at a formal meeting and issued as an official document of the UN’s primary body on international peace and security.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: PM statement at press conference on the Coalition of the Willing: 15 March 2025

    Source: United Kingdom – Government Statements

    Press release

    PM statement at press conference on the Coalition of the Willing: 15 March 2025

    The Prime Minister’s statement at a press conference on the Coalition of the Willing.

    Good afternoon.

    This morning I convened the largest, strongest group of countries yet behind a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. 

    Now a huge amount has happened since I brought leaders together at Lancaster House here in London, just two weeks ago. 

    President Zelenskyy has shown once again, and beyond any doubt, that Ukraine is the party of peace.

    Volodymyr has committed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.

    But Putin is trying to delay – saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place. 

    Well, the world needs action. Not a study, not empty words and conditions.

    So my message is very clear.

    Sooner or later, Putin will have to come to the table. 

    So, this is the moment, let the guns fall silent, let the barbaric attacks on Ukraine, once and for all, stop and agree to a ceasefire now.

    And let’s be clear why this is so important – Russia’s appetite for conflict and chaos undermines our security back here at home.

    It drives up the cost of living. It drives up energy costs.

    So this matters deeply to the United Kingdom. 

    That is why now is the time to engage in discussions on a mechanism to manage and monitor a full ceasefire and agree to serious negotiations towards not just a pause but a lasting peace, backed by strong security arrangements through our Coalition of the Willing.  

    And we won’t sit back and wait for Putin to act. 

    Instead we will keep pushing forward. 

    So the group I convened today is more important than ever.

    It brings together partners from across Europe as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with backing from others too – including Japan. 

    We agreed we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine and keep tightening the restrictions on Russia’s economy to weaken Putin’s war machine and bring him to the table. 

    And we agreed to accelerate our practical work to support a potential deal. 

    So we will now move into an operational phase.

    Our militaries will meet on Thursday this week here in the UK to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine’s future security.

    President Trump has offered Putin the way forward to a lasting peace.

    Now we must make this a reality.

    So this is the moment to keep driving towards the outcome we want to see, to end the killing. 

    A just and lasting peace in Ukraine and lasting security for all of us. 

    Thank you.

    Updates to this page

    Published 15 March 2025

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Protection for energy customers ahead of RTS switch-off

    Source: Scottish Government

    Acting Climate Action Minister writes to Ofgem.

    Acting Minister for Climate Action Dr Alasdair Allan has asked for urgent actions to increase the pace of progress on replacing Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters ahead of the service switching off in June.

    RTS meters are out of date and energy suppliers are being encouraged by Ofgem to replace old meters with smart meters. If meters are not replaced before the service is switched off, it could mean disruption to heating and hot water supplies, and possibly higher bills for households and businesses still using the technology.

    In response to Ofgem’s consultation on an introduction of new licence conditions to the RTS, Dr Allan reiterated the Scottish Government’s repeated calls for further action to be taken to protect energy consumers as the industry works to replace thousands of meters across the country.

    Ofgem’s data from suppliers shows that between October 2024 and January 2025 around 18,700 RTS meters were replaced in Scotland. As of January 2025, there were still 146,302 RTS consumers in Scotland who need to have their meters replaced. Support for RTS energy meters ends on June 30 2025.

    Acting Climate Action Minister Alasdair Allan said:

    “Protecting consumers is the Scottish Government’s highest priority. The approach taken so far has been insufficient, and consumers cannot be blamed for the failure of the energy industry to properly plan for and respond to the RTS switch-off.

    “People who rely on the RTS will experience considerable detriment unless meters are replaced by the switch-off date – particularly in rural and island communities.

    “There is a real and pressing need for suppliers to be made to explain what their workforce plan is to get engineers to premises. Consideration should also be given to additional enforcement action to reduce no-show instances and to ensure that every household is fitted with a fully functioning meter before the deadline.

    “Due to the cost of living crisis, it is also unacceptable to expect consumers to pay for expensive re-wiring as a consequence of the RTS switch-off – they should not be confronted with any additional anxieties. The creation of a fund to support consumers in this position is critical.

    “While devolved governments do not hold the levers, the Scottish Government will work with Ofgem, the UK Government and industry to raise awareness of the RTS switch-off.”

    Background 

    Energy infrastructure and regulation is the responsibility of the UK Government. 

    Full letter from Dr Alasdair Allan to Ofgem

    Consumers may use an RTS meter if their property: 

    • has a meter that switches between peak and off-peak tariff rates, such as Economy 7 or Economy 10, or a Total Heating Total Control tariff
    • has a meter that automatically turns on heating or hot water
    • uses electric or storage heaters
    • is located in a no-gas supply area (off-grid), especially in rural areas. 
    • Advice Direct Scotland 0800 028 1456 and Citizens Advice Scotland 0800 028 1456. 

    Ofgem guidance: Replacing your Radio Teleswitch electricity meter | Ofgem

    Letter from Dr Alasdair Allan to UK Government (8 January 2025)

    Letter from Minister for Climate Action to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy Consumers reiterating calls for more support for consumers struggling with energy bills (September 2024)

    Open letter from then-Minister for Climate Action Gillian Martin urging energy suppliers to prioritise Radio Teleswitch Service customers when progressing the roll-out of smart meters (June 2024)

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: $125MM Construction Loan in DUMBO Financed by Bravo Property Trust and Integritas Capital

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, March 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bravo Property Trust, in partnership with Integritas Capital, closed a $125M million senior construction loan in Dumbo for an office-to-residential conversion. Bravo Property Trust, a construction and bridge lending affiliate of Bravo Capital, originated and led the senior loan alongside Man Group.

    “We are proud to finance best-in-class locations like Dumbo, and sponsors who have a decades long track record of consistent success,” Aaron Krawitz, CEO of Bravo Capital and Bravo Property Trust, said in a statement.

    The property is an existing 8-story gut renovated office building that will be converted into multifamily rentals under the new 467m tax abatement program, with a new 11-story vertical condo development on top. The multifamily and condo portions will each have their own class-A amenity space including tenant lounges, outdoor space, and a fitness center. All units overlook the Brooklyn Bridge. Located on the border of Dumbo and Downtown Brooklyn, the subject is proximate to the F, A, and C subway lines offering direct access to Manhattan.

    “Our platform is designed to deliver smart, strategic financing that drives transformative projects like this one. The Dumbo conversion is a prime example of revitalizing a top-tier location while creating high-quality housing in a market with strong demand,” Gabi Moshayev, Founder & Chairman of Bravo Property Trust, said.

    New York City’s new 467m tax abatement program will provide the multifamily portion of the property with a tax abatement for 35 years in exchange for reserving 25% of units for low-income tenants. The abatement provides a 65% exemption for the first 30 years and drops 10% per year starting in year 31.

    “At Integritas, we are among the few nationally to have converted office and other commercial buildings to residential in multiple cities under our equity strategy. This expertise supported our ability to close this large and complex loan quickly,” Stephen Palmese, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Integritas Capital, said.

    The completed project will be a landmark 19-story residential tower.

    About Bravo Property Trust: Bravo Property Trust is a leading bridge and construction financing platform, which, along with its affiliates, has closed over $1.5 billion in financing. For more information about Bravo Property Trust and Bravo Capital and its services, please visit https://bravocapital.com/ and https://bravopropertytrust.com/ or contact (212-729-4962).

    About Integritas Capital: IC is a vertically integrated private equity firm with a broad range of investments with a focus on commercial real estate private equity and private credit. Since 2004, Integritas Capital has been the direct developer or lead investor in $2.5 billion in real estate projects across ground up development, direct investment and preferred equity investment, the acquiring of non-performing loans and the origination of whole loans and mezzanine financing.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/85f88b33-5117-4f56-ba47-eec258b132b6

    The MIL Network –