NewzIntel.com

Category: KB

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Health risk category for Air Quality Health Index has reached “Serious” level

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

        The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) has recorded higher than normal pollution levels today (October 19). At 3pm, the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) at the Tung Chung general monitoring station reached 10+, corresponding to the “Serious” health risk category.

        Winds are weak over Hong Kong today, which is unfavourable for pollutant dispersion. The intense sunshine enhances photochemical smog activity leading to rapid formation of ozone and fine particulates in the Pearl River Delta region. The high ozone level also promotes the formation of nitrogen dioxide.
     
        According to the Hong Kong Observatory, a fresh to strong easterly airstream is expected to affect the coast of Guangdong gradually tonight. It is expected that pollution levels will remain higher than normal until then.
     
        With a health risk category in the “Very High” or “Serious” levels, children, the elderly and persons with existing heart or respiratory illnesses are advised to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities to a minimum or avoid such activities. The general public is advised to reduce, or reduce to a minimum, outdoor physical exertion, and to reduce time staying outdoors, especially in areas with heavy traffic. As health effects of air pollutants may vary for individuals, persons who are in doubt or experience discomfort should seek advice from health-care professionals. The public may visit the Centre for Health Protection’s website (www.chp.gov.hk/en/content/9/460/3557.html) for more information on health effects of air pollution and relevant health advice.
     
         The Education Bureau (EDB) urges all schools to visit the EDB’s website for appropriate measures to safeguard students’ health and take note of changes in the index. The relevant hyperlink is as follows: www.edb.gov.hk/en/sch-admin/admin/about-activities/sch-activities-guidelines/index.html.
     
         When the AQHI is at the “Very High” level, employers of outdoor workers performing heavy manual work are advised to assess the risk of outdoor work and take appropriate preventive measures to protect the health of their employees, such as reducing outdoor physical exertion and the time of their stay outdoors, especially in areas with heavy traffic. At the “Serious” level, employers of all outdoor workers are advised to assess the risk of outdoor work and take appropriate preventive measures to protect the health of their employees.
     
         Members of the public can check the current AQHI readings at the EPD’s website (www.aqhi.gov.hk/en.html) or by calling the hotline 2827 8541.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Kenya’s female freedom fighters were the silent heroes of the anti-colonial movement – here are some of their stories

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Bethany Rebisz, Lecturer in the History of Modern Africa, University of Bristol

    Each year in Kenya, familiar faces are feted at the national remembrance of the country’s heroes and heroines. Dedan Kimathi is arguably the most commemorated of figures. As one of the most prominent leaders of the anti-colonial Land and Freedom Army, Mau Mau, he has become a symbol of the bloodshed for independence.

    Field Marshal Muthoni Kirima also features. She avoided British capture for 11 years, hiding in the forests of central Kenya, and was the only woman to reach the status of field marshal in the Mau Mau. So it is unsurprising that the then deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, and other top government leaders attended her funeral in September 2023. Kirima died at the age of 92. The surviving Mau Mau generation is now declining, but many of those who fought or grew up during the 1950s rebellion live on.

    While the leaders of the Mau Mau and the political elite now hold a prominent place in Kenya’s national history of independence, this cannot be said of the thousands of civilians who contributed to the anti-colonial cause. These include the unarmed women who sustained the freedom fighters during this fraught period of Kenya’s history.

    Historians estimate that between 1952 and 1960, British colonial forces detained 80,000 Kenyans, hanged over 1,000 suspected rebels, and forcibly resettled approximately 1.2 million civilians in colonial “villages”. As its control of the colony dwindled, Britain used brutal measures including torture, forced labour and collective punishment to suppress anti-colonial dissent. It wasn’t until 2013 that Britain finally acknowledged these human rights abuses, having been exposed in the landmark High Court hearings (2011-2012).

    These discoveries have instigated a flurry of historical examination from historians and activists to assess British brutality in Kenya. This work has largely focused on the detention camps incarcerating freedom fighters and Britain’s military campaign. But what of the civilians, mainly women and children, whose lives were disrupted and threatened by their forced resettlement into guarded villages? In 2018, I set out to conduct research in Kenya to capture these important stories.

    The oral histories of women Britain forcibly resettled in the 1950s offer important insights into life in these villages. They challenge the evidence in the colonial archive. Archival records lack rich or diverse information about the day-to-day experiences of those who lived in the villages.

    Brutal history

    Between 1954 and 1960, an estimated 1.2 million Kenyans were forcibly removed from their homes and forced into colonial “villages”. This form of collective punishment was to work in tandem with the mass detention of suspected freedom fighters. Torture and forced labour were practised widely.

    The High Court hearings forced Britain to release its “migrated archive”, which consisted of over 20,000 files pertaining to 37 of its former colonies. These records had been secretly removed during the process of decolonisation. The archive corroborated survivors’ testimonies of torture, sexual violence and mistreatment in the camps. These new histories of colonial violence expose the limits of international human rights laws in the wars of decolonisation.

    For its audience back home and across the world, Britian’s Colonial Office circulated images of the colonial villages, images depicting community, safety and even joy. Photographs of children playing on a make-shift slide, women laughing in a sewing class, a village headman smiling in the local shop. But how well did these depictions represent lived experiences?

    Women’s stories

    Over the Spring of 2019, I interviewed several women who had at some stage of the 1950s been forcibly resettled. Their ages at the time of interview ranged from 69 to 105 years old.

    Most women were put in contact with me during my time spent in the central region of Kenya, building up relationships with community leaders, cultural heritage practitioners, and through friends. The interviews conducted for the project mainly took place in the participant’s homes. Stories and memories shared over a warm mug of chai (tea).

    Several themes emerged from the interviews with women who experienced forced resettlement.

    Firstly, surveillance. When the British colonial government declared a state of emergency in October 1952, it was concerned by the growing anti-colonial sentiment and initial attacks made by Mau Mau fighters. By 1953 it became apparent to colonial officials that women in the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru regions were playing a significant role in sustaining the forest fight. Much of the Mau Mau strategising took place deep in the forests of Mount Kenya, with women supplying food, ammunition, and intelligence to the armed combatants.

    Women were characterised as the eyes and ears of the movement and concentrating them in colonial “villages” ensured the colonial state’s eyes and ears were fixed upon them. As one interviewee explained to me:

    everything had changed … you do not play, you do not make a noise … We see the Home Guards up there.

    Women and children in the villages knew they were under constant watch from the colonial state and its guards, and they regulated their own behaviour accordingly.

    The villages, while depicted in propaganda as lush green spaces with happy villagers, instead followed similar patterns to the detention scheme. Most villages were surrounded by barbed-wire fences, or trenches filled with sharpened sticks.

    These were well fortified spaces to keep out the Mau Mau and keep in those who might support them. Security posts were often situated at the top of hillsides facing down on the huts of inhabitants. Security officials monitored all movement.

    As one interviewee expressed it:

    We looked like caged people. Like people in prison.

    The punishments inflicted if rules were broken raise a second theme in these interviews: brutality. Violence and coercion came in several forms. If a family was suspected of continuing to aid forest fighters, guards set the roof of their hut ablaze.

    Village-wide curfews were put in place and people were locked inside their homes for extended periods of time. They were denied food. Public beatings were inflicted. People were executed. Many women sustained severe bodily harm when being interrogated at the security post. These punishments often extended to sexual violence.

    But the British colonial state could not break the women’s spirit. Women spoke of the food they shared with one another. They recalled caring for children who had been orphaned. Women set up trading networks that sustained the community and prepared them for life post-conflict. Many persisted in their support of the Mau Mau, sneaking food out of the village, breaking the fences so forest fighters could get into the village site, and strategising under nightfall.

    With military operations subduing from 1956, Britain slowly began releasing families from the colonial villages. Some women were allocated land elsewhere, others were assigned land that had once been part of that village. For many then, the memories of forced resettlement remain ever present.

    Silent heroes

    During this research I often received a similar response from women: “you want to speak to my husband, he was in the forest, he was detained, he was one of those heroes”.

    Collectively, women who faced forced resettlement for their participation and connection to the liberation movement have tended to marginalise their own significance.

    Yet, in many ways, women across the central region of Kenya embodied the conflict. Their day-to-day lives became part of the battlefield. It raises a challenge for scholars to recognise all the experiences of colonialism in Kenya. To extend our anti-colonial histories beyond Mau Mau, also.

    – Kenya’s female freedom fighters were the silent heroes of the anti-colonial movement – here are some of their stories
    – https://theconversation.com/kenyas-female-freedom-fighters-were-the-silent-heroes-of-the-anti-colonial-movement-here-are-some-of-their-stories-241374

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Kenya’s female freedom fighters were the silent heroes of the anti-colonial movement – here are some of their stories

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Bethany Rebisz, Lecturer in the History of Modern Africa, University of Bristol

    Each year in Kenya, familiar faces are feted at the national remembrance of the country’s heroes and heroines. Dedan Kimathi is arguably the most commemorated of figures. As one of the most prominent leaders of the anti-colonial Land and Freedom Army, Mau Mau, he has become a symbol of the bloodshed for independence.

    Field Marshal Muthoni Kirima also features. She avoided British capture for 11 years, hiding in the forests of central Kenya, and was the only woman to reach the status of field marshal in the Mau Mau. So it is unsurprising that the then deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, and other top government leaders attended her funeral in September 2023. Kirima died at the age of 92. The surviving Mau Mau generation is now declining, but many of those who fought or grew up during the 1950s rebellion live on.

    While the leaders of the Mau Mau and the political elite now hold a prominent place in Kenya’s national history of independence, this cannot be said of the thousands of civilians who contributed to the anti-colonial cause. These include the unarmed women who sustained the freedom fighters during this fraught period of Kenya’s history.

    Historians estimate that between 1952 and 1960, British colonial forces detained 80,000 Kenyans, hanged over 1,000 suspected rebels, and forcibly resettled approximately 1.2 million civilians in colonial “villages”. As its control of the colony dwindled, Britain used brutal measures including torture, forced labour and collective punishment to suppress anti-colonial dissent. It wasn’t until 2013 that Britain finally acknowledged these human rights abuses, having been exposed in the landmark High Court hearings (2011-2012).

    These discoveries have instigated a flurry of historical examination from historians and activists to assess British brutality in Kenya. This work has largely focused on the detention camps incarcerating freedom fighters and Britain’s military campaign. But what of the civilians, mainly women and children, whose lives were disrupted and threatened by their forced resettlement into guarded villages? In 2018, I set out to conduct research in Kenya to capture these important stories.

    The oral histories of women Britain forcibly resettled in the 1950s offer important insights into life in these villages. They challenge the evidence in the colonial archive. Archival records lack rich or diverse information about the day-to-day experiences of those who lived in the villages.

    Brutal history

    Between 1954 and 1960, an estimated 1.2 million Kenyans were forcibly removed from their homes and forced into colonial “villages”. This form of collective punishment was to work in tandem with the mass detention of suspected freedom fighters. Torture and forced labour were practised widely.

    The High Court hearings forced Britain to release its “migrated archive”, which consisted of over 20,000 files pertaining to 37 of its former colonies. These records had been secretly removed during the process of decolonisation. The archive corroborated survivors’ testimonies of torture, sexual violence and mistreatment in the camps. These new histories of colonial violence expose the limits of international human rights laws in the wars of decolonisation.

    For its audience back home and across the world, Britian’s Colonial Office circulated images of the colonial villages, images depicting community, safety and even joy. Photographs of children playing on a make-shift slide, women laughing in a sewing class, a village headman smiling in the local shop. But how well did these depictions represent lived experiences?

    Women’s stories

    Over the Spring of 2019, I interviewed several women who had at some stage of the 1950s been forcibly resettled. Their ages at the time of interview ranged from 69 to 105 years old.

    Most women were put in contact with me during my time spent in the central region of Kenya, building up relationships with community leaders, cultural heritage practitioners, and through friends. The interviews conducted for the project mainly took place in the participant’s homes. Stories and memories shared over a warm mug of chai (tea).

    Several themes emerged from the interviews with women who experienced forced resettlement.

    Firstly, surveillance. When the British colonial government declared a state of emergency in October 1952, it was concerned by the growing anti-colonial sentiment and initial attacks made by Mau Mau fighters. By 1953 it became apparent to colonial officials that women in the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru regions were playing a significant role in sustaining the forest fight. Much of the Mau Mau strategising took place deep in the forests of Mount Kenya, with women supplying food, ammunition, and intelligence to the armed combatants.

    Women were characterised as the eyes and ears of the movement and concentrating them in colonial “villages” ensured the colonial state’s eyes and ears were fixed upon them. As one interviewee explained to me:

    everything had changed … you do not play, you do not make a noise … We see the Home Guards up there.

    Women and children in the villages knew they were under constant watch from the colonial state and its guards, and they regulated their own behaviour accordingly.

    The villages, while depicted in propaganda as lush green spaces with happy villagers, instead followed similar patterns to the detention scheme. Most villages were surrounded by barbed-wire fences, or trenches filled with sharpened sticks.

    These were well fortified spaces to keep out the Mau Mau and keep in those who might support them. Security posts were often situated at the top of hillsides facing down on the huts of inhabitants. Security officials monitored all movement.

    As one interviewee expressed it:

    We looked like caged people. Like people in prison.

    The punishments inflicted if rules were broken raise a second theme in these interviews: brutality. Violence and coercion came in several forms. If a family was suspected of continuing to aid forest fighters, guards set the roof of their hut ablaze.

    Village-wide curfews were put in place and people were locked inside their homes for extended periods of time. They were denied food. Public beatings were inflicted. People were executed. Many women sustained severe bodily harm when being interrogated at the security post. These punishments often extended to sexual violence.

    But the British colonial state could not break the women’s spirit. Women spoke of the food they shared with one another. They recalled caring for children who had been orphaned. Women set up trading networks that sustained the community and prepared them for life post-conflict. Many persisted in their support of the Mau Mau, sneaking food out of the village, breaking the fences so forest fighters could get into the village site, and strategising under nightfall.

    With military operations subduing from 1956, Britain slowly began releasing families from the colonial villages. Some women were allocated land elsewhere, others were assigned land that had once been part of that village. For many then, the memories of forced resettlement remain ever present.

    Silent heroes

    During this research I often received a similar response from women: “you want to speak to my husband, he was in the forest, he was detained, he was one of those heroes”.

    Collectively, women who faced forced resettlement for their participation and connection to the liberation movement have tended to marginalise their own significance.

    Yet, in many ways, women across the central region of Kenya embodied the conflict. Their day-to-day lives became part of the battlefield. It raises a challenge for scholars to recognise all the experiences of colonialism in Kenya. To extend our anti-colonial histories beyond Mau Mau, also.

    Bethany Rebisz consults for the Museum of British Colonialism, a non-profit platform which facilitates global conversations about British colonialism and its legacies. The research conducted and explored in this article received funding from the UKRI AHRC, Royal Historical Society, and the British Institute of Eastern Africa.

    – ref. Kenya’s female freedom fighters were the silent heroes of the anti-colonial movement – here are some of their stories – https://theconversation.com/kenyas-female-freedom-fighters-were-the-silent-heroes-of-the-anti-colonial-movement-here-are-some-of-their-stories-241374

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni delivers Keynote address at the Social Justice Summit at Cape Town.

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)

    Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni delivers Keynote address at the Social Justice Summit at Cape Town.

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

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Bus parade, exhibition launched

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Transport Department today launched a bus parade and exhibition in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

    The event features buses from the past and present and is one of the highlights of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government’s National Day celebrations this year.

    Speaking at the kick-off ceremony this morning, Secretary for Transport & Logistics Lam Sai-hung noted that bus services have long been an indispensable and important part of Hong Kong’s economy and people’s livelihoods.

    “Buses have not only met the travel needs of Hong Kong people every day, but have also witnessed the city’s developments.”

    The event marks the evolution of franchised buses in the city from the past to the present, engaging with the public to experience the crucial role of bus services in the public transport system, he added.

    The transport chief also highlighted that China’s rapid development of new energy technologies in recent years has enriched Hong Kong’s choices of new energy public transport.

    “Numerous electric double-decker buses and hydrogen fuel cell buses introduced into Hong Kong in the past few years were China-made models. Our country has been forging ahead steadfastly in the last 75 years and continuous innovations in such areas as energy and transport technology not only reflect our country’s leading role in this field, but also bring the convenience of technology into the lives of the general public.”

    After the ceremony, the officiating guests boarded an open-top bus to lead a parade of eight retired and in-service buses from Victoria Park to Man Kwong Street via Gordon Road, King’s Road, Causeway Road, Hennessy Road, Fleming Road and Lung Wo Road.

    The general public enjoyed the parade along the 6km-long route across various districts and took photos.

    The convoy also engaged with citizens and tourists at locations such as Hennessy Road near Jardine’s Bazaar in Causeway Bay, Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and the destination at Central Pier.

    In addition, the four-day bus exhibition at the Victoria Park football pitches is open to registered members of the public free of charge from this afternoon.

    The department reminded those who have registered to queue up and enter the exhibition via its entrance at Soccer Pitch No. 4 (near the jogging track) with a QR code at the selected time slot.

    The exhibition features a total of 10 retired and in-service buses, including the first-generation double-decker bus introduced 75 years ago and the newly introduced China-made new energy double-decker buses.

    Bus model exhibits, photo-taking spots simulating a bus driver and passengers, a neon light installation as well as bus service-related memorabilia including bus captain uniforms of different generations and vintage bus tickets are also on display, the department said.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Red flags hoisted at Stanley Main Beach

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Red flags hoisted at Stanley Main Beach
    Red flags hoisted at Stanley Main Beach
    ***************************************

    Attention TV/radio announcers:Please broadcast the following as soon as possible:     Here is an item of interest to swimmers.     The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (October 19) that due to big waves, red flag have been hoisted at Stanley Main Beach in Southern District, Hong Kong Island. Beachgoers are advised not to swim at the beach.

     
    Ends/Saturday, October 19, 2024Issued at HKT 16:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: India hosts Australia, Japan and U.S. forces in Exercise Malabar 2024

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    VISAKHAPATNAM, India  –  

    Australia, Japan, and U.S. forces joined the host India Navy for an opening ceremony to celebrate the launch of field-training exercise Malabar 2024 in Vishakhapatnam, India, on Oct. 9.

    The ceremony and associated shore-phase activities will be followed by scheduled at-sea exercises in the Bay of Bengal, India.

    “I’m fired up to be here today with my counterparts as our navies train together in the Indian Ocean to strengthen our combat readiness, maritime integration, and interoperability,” said Adm. Steve Koehler, commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet. “Malabar is a great example of a combined team operating together in order to deter conflict and reinforce our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

    This year marks the 28th iteration of the Malabar exercise, which began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between the United States and India. The exercise has since evolved in scope and complexity and now includes Japan and Australia. This marks the fifth time that all four nations have participated in Malabar to advance the collective planning, integration and employment of advanced warfare tactics across participating nations.

    “Malabar 2024 reaffirms Indian Navy’s commitment to maritime security and cooperation among like-minded nations in the Indo-Pacific,” said Vice Adm. Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command (ENC). “Our joint efforts aim to enhance operational synergy and foster stronger bonds of friendship. Together, we look towards safeguarding our shared values and achieve peace and stability in the region.”

    At-sea exercises are scheduled to include combined training in the surface, sub-surface, air and information domains.

    Eight ships and nearly a dozen aircraft are scheduled to take part in the exercise.

    “It has been 17 years since the JMSDF participated in Malabar for the first time in 2007,” said JMSDF Vice Adm. Katsushi Omachi, commander in chief, Self Defense Fleet. “I believe Malabar will contribute to the peace and stability, as well as the rules-based maritime order, which lead to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Japan-U.S.-India-Australia collaboration is now getting closer than before and I am expecting the multilateral bonds among the navies will deepen.”

    Representing the U.S. in the exercise are a P-8 Poseidon aircraft assigned to Commander, Task Force 72 and the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Dewey (DDG 105), which operates under Commander, Task Force 70 and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, the Navy’s largest DESRON and the U.S. 7th Fleet’s principal surface force.

    The Murasame-class destroyer JS Ariake (DD 109) is representing the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Australia is represented by the Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate HMAS Stuart (FFH 153) and a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The host contingent from India includes the first-in-class guided-missile destroyer INS Delhi (D 61), as well as at least four other surface combatants and aircraft.

    Australian, Indian, Japanese, and U.S. maritime forces routinely operate together across the Indo-Pacific in support of regional security and stability.

    “Exercise Malabar is a significant Indo-Pacific maritime activity that deepens interoperability and collaboration among key regional partners,” Australia’s Joint Force Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Jonathan Ley, said. “Australia has participated in previous iterations of Exercise Malabar, was honoured to host the exercise in 2023 and is pleased to participate again in 2024 as part of the Australian Defence Force’s ongoing program of regional presence and engagement.”

    The lead of this year’s exercise is India. The Malabar planning and exercise lead rotates each year among participating nations, along with the exercise location to demonstrate the combined ability to exercise across the entire Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

    U.S. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy’s largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: To the staff of the All-Russian Museum of A.S. Pushkin

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    On October 19, 2024, the museum will celebrate its 145th anniversary.

    Dear friends!

    I sincerely congratulate you on the 145th anniversary of the founding of the All-Russian Museum of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.

    Its opening became an important event in the public life of St. Petersburg, and today it is one of the largest literary and memorial complexes in our country, a national cultural heritage.

    The richest funds, collected over decades, contain unique collections that are associated not only with the fate and creative legacy of the great Russian poet, but also with the development of Russian literature. Thanks to the dedicated work, competence and enthusiasm of the museum staff, talented and infinitely devoted to their work, visitors have the opportunity to see genuine masterpieces.

    It is important that the highly professional team, while maintaining traditions, is constantly searching for new forms and principles of museum work, introducing methods and technologies that correspond to the most modern trends. That is why your large-scale exhibition, scientific and educational projects, conferences, lectures and seminars invariably arouse great interest among both specialists and numerous spectators. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists, coming to the city on the Neva, strive to visit this historically significant place, to immerse themselves in its unique atmosphere.

    I wish you successful implementation of your creative plans, well-being and prosperity.

    M. Mishustin

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

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

    http://government.ru/gov/persons/151/telegrams/53038/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi launches Human Settlements Research Strategy & Urban October Month.

    Source: Republic of South Africa (video statements-2)

    Minister of Human Settlements Mmamoloko Kubayi, delivering her keynote address on the occasion of launch the department’s Strategy in Kempton Park, City of Ekurhuleni.

    This landmark initiative aims to bolster the Human Settlements policy-making process by providing critical research support and direction, outlining long-term, medium-term, and short-term timelines for research activities. The strategy’s primary objective is to foster meaningful partnerships with esteemed research institutions specializing in the built environment and human settlements sector. Human Settlements Department/Thulani Hlophe, 07/10/2024

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjPdZ8m1Zuw

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Washington Man Sentenced for Hate Crimes and Firearm Offense for Four Attacks on Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    A Washington man was sentenced today to 11 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for federal civil rights and firearms offenses in connection with four attacks that damaged or destroyed several Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls in western Washington.

    Mikey Diamond Starrett, also known as Michael Jason Layes, 52, of Olympia, was also ordered to pay restitution in a total amount of $714,608.70, including: $4,921.73 to the Kingdom Hall of Tumwater; $1,749.20 to the Kingdom Hall of Yelm; and $707,937.73 to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

    Specifically, Starett was sentenced on four counts of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act — one count for each attack — as well as one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    “The defendant in this case committed four attacks on Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls, causing fear and anguish to its members,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The freedom to practice the religion we choose, without discrimination or violence, is a fundamental civil right in our nation and a hallmark of our democracy from its very inception. Violence based on religious prejudice has no place in our society. The Justice Department will continue to prosecute those who target and harm houses of worship.”

    “Starrett’s attacks irrevocably destroyed the sense of safety and peace that a house of worship is supposed to provide, and caused severe, permanent harm to the Jehovah’s Witness community in Washington,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “These were not crimes against buildings, but a series of attacks against a community and a faith.”

    “ATF and our law enforcement partners spent many thousands, if not tens of thousands, of hours investigating these attacks and ensuring that the right person was identified,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais of the ATF Seattle Field Division. “His guilty plea is a validation of the hard work put in by all the law enforcement involved in the investigation, and this sentence is appropriate for his egregious actions. We are all committed to defending the right of people to practice their religion, and investigating when someone acts to deprive them of that right, in this case through acts of arson and use of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence.”

    According to court documents and statements made during the plea and sentencing hearings, Starrett intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Tumwater, Washington, on March 19, 2018; intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Olympia on March 19, 2018; intentionally used a firearm to shoot into the Kingdom Hall of Yelm, Washington, on May 15, 2018; and intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Olympia on July 3, 2018. The defendant admitted he committed these attacks because of the religious character of the Kingdom Halls. The attacks resulted in significant damage to each of the Kingdom Halls, including the destruction of the Olympia Kingdom Hall on July 3, 2018.

    The ATF Seattle Field Division, FBI Seattle Field Office, Tumwater Police Department and Olympia Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Lerman for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi urges strategic missile troops to enhance deterrence, combat capabilities

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

    HEFEI, Oct. 19 — Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the country’s strategic missile troops to strengthen their deterrence and combat capabilities and resolutely fulfill the tasks entrusted by the Party and the people.

    Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while inspecting a brigade of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force on Thursday.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sullivan Highlights Work to Advance Priorities of Alaska Native People at Annual AFN Convention

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
    10.18.24
    ANCHORAGE, ALASKA—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), addressing the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) annual convention today, spoke about the progress that has been made to advance the interests of Alaska Native people at the federal level in the past year, and highlighted work he is doing with Alaska Native communities to address challenges facing rural Alaska, like the devastating crash of salmon runs in parts of the state, limited access to affordable housing, the youth mental health crisis, and the disturbingly high rates of drug overdose deaths driven by fentanyl.
    [embedded content]
    Senator Sullivan discussed his work with the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC) to secure the renewal of Alaska whaling captains’ quota at the recent International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Peru; a new Alaska Salmon Research Task Force report created by his 2022 legislation; his team’s relentless efforts that led to a comprehensive ban on Russian seafood imports; and his efforts to address the Department of the Interior’s dismal implementation of his 2019 legislation to deliver Alaska Native Vietnam-era veterans the land allotments they are due.
    Finally, Sen. Sullivan also emphasized the legacy of patriotism of Alaska Native people and the critical ongoing military build-up taking place across Alaska.
    Below is a full transcript of Sen. Sullivan’s remarks.
    It’s an honor for me to be here today. AFN is certainly one of the highlights of the year for me, and for my wife, Julie, who is here in the audience today. I always look to her for my strength. She’s having a great time with her cousins and buying Christmas gifts for our family and friends.
    By the way, we are always amazed by the incredible crafts and artwork on display throughout the convention hall. To all of our skilled artisans, I want you to know I’ve just introduced two new pieces of legislation that I worked with many of you on to protect your rights as Alaska Native artists—and the next generation—to continue the centuries-old practice of using natural materials, like walrus ivory and bird feathers, in your artwork.
    That should be a no-brainer and we’re going to try and get a law passed to make sure that happens.
    I want to thank AFN leadership: Ana, Joe, and a big congratulations to Ben Mallott. We are excited about Ben’s strong leadership and his great experience with AFN. Ben, we are 100% behind you and think you’re going to do a great job here.
    And, of course, I know Julie Kitka has gotten a lot of accolades, and she deserves every single one of them. On the Senate floor back in D.C., I regularly give a speech about a special Alaskan, who we call the “Alaskan of the Week.” I try to get this every week. By the way—[there are] a lot of folks from our Alaska Native community who have been our “Alaskan of the Week.”
    So recently I gave a speech about Julie as our “Alaskan of the Week,” about her great service, and in that speech, I usually love to brag about that person, that Alaskan. But Julie Kitka, always humble, stressed that the great successes of AFN throughout her tenure were accomplished because of partnerships with all of you. She actually said when we were writing the speech, “Nothing I did was ever done alone.”
    Partnership is such a great leadership model. So, Julie Kitka, one more time—thank you for your great leadership. You’ve done such a great job.
    Alaska Travels
    As I always do, my Julie and I spent this past summer traveling to many rural Alaska communities including Saint Paul, Kotzebue, we were up on the Yukon, we were in the Ahtna region, to Nuiqsut and Utqia?vik. As always, we learned so much in our roundtable discussions, especially from our elders.
    We saw beautiful dancing. I tried to dance a little bit myself. That’s always embarrassing. We ate delicious food, met new friends and reconnected with old ones. So, again, to everybody that we were with—and it was with a lot of folks that summer—thank you for the warm, wonderful hospitality that we experienced literally everywhere we went. It is such a blessing of our Native communities.
    And as part of these travels, we were honored to attend Nalukataq in Utqia?vik.
    It’s magic when the whole community comes out to celebrate a cultural practice—subsistence whaling in this case—that Inupiat whalers have sustainably conducted for thousands of years.
    International Whaling Commission Meeting
    And this year, like six years ago, these same whaling captains were able to successfully renew—through very hard work—their quota at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Peru.
    That is a big deal and deserves a round of applause. A really big deal. This has been a top priority of mine as your senator. As we know, success is never guaranteed at these International Whaling Commission meetings. The IWC has not always been a friend of our Alaska whaling captains. So before the big IWC meeting that was in Brazil in 2018 and in Peru this year, we all came together and put together a strategy with our whaling captains.
    We met with the U.S. State Department and NOAA to ensure the United States, as a country, had a coordinated strategy to make sure our Alaska Native whaling captains were able to get their IWC quota. That was part of the strategy. Both in 2018 and this past year in 2024, I hosted a reception in the U.S. Capitol. Here’s some photos from that.
    The goal of this reception was to invite the ambassadors, particularly from the countries that have not been friends of Alaska Native whaling, because we need their votes at this international convention. So if you see here at this convention, at one point, both in 2018 and in 2024, I looked across the reception area and literally every whaling captain had a Latin American ambassador with their arm around him.
    This is great lobbying on behalf of the IWC. And it worked! It worked because in Peru, just last month, our Alaska Whaling Eskimo Commission leaders were able to secure the first automatic quota renewal in IWC history. That is a giant triumph for Alaska Natives.
    In that regard, I want to do a big shout-out to AEWC Chair John Hopson Jr., the dynamic father-son duo of Crawford Patkotak, vice chair of the AEWC, and Josiah Patkotak, his son, the mayor of the North Slope Borough, and so many others. They all made it happen again. The children of the North Slope will look back at what the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission has achieved in the last 6 years and they will be grateful for decades to come.
    Salmon
    These whaling quotas are the kind of successes we can achieve when we unite behind a common mission.
    It’s more challenging, but this is also the approach I’m taking—working with so many of you—to address our salmon crisis.
    As you all know, we’ve had another banner year in terms of the strength certain salmon runs, like the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run. But in the Yukon and Kuskokwim and other Interior rivers throughout our state, the runs have once again crashed. Representative Peltola talked very passionately about this yesterday, and our congressional delegation has always worked together to focus on these very important issues.
    I mentioned this to all of you before, but I’ll do it again. Over three decades ago, I was introduced to what salmon means to Native culture and people through my amazing wife Julie and her family’s fish camp near Hess Creek on the Yukon River. As a family, we have so many amazing memories and experiences at Julie’s family’s fish camp, particularly with our three daughters.
    And I know so many people have the same memories, learning how to head and gut and strip and smoke salmon on the banks of the Yukon, learning about their culture, about sharing, about family, about working together, about their heritage. When the Kings are running on the Yukon, it’s the most spiritual place in the world. When the fish aren’t running, and when the smoke houses are empty, it feels like something is very wrong with the universe.
    We experienced that feeling at Julie’s family’s fish camp this summer. We’re all worried—desperately worried—that a whole generation of children will miss out on this vital experience. It is soul wrenching.
    So here’s what I’m working on with all of you and, of course, with our congressional delegation.
    Alaskans can agree—we need to identify and address research prioritization gaps with comprehensive data and the best scientific minds, including Indigenous communities, to figure out the causes of these devastating salmon declines.
    That’s what my bill—the Alaska Salmon Research Task Force Act—does. This bill was passed into law. And here’s what it does. It brings the best minds in the world—state, federal, university, Indigenous, tribal—to figure out what is happening. It includes a specific working group focused on the Yukon and Kuskokwim.
    By the way, it probably doesn’t surprise you, but this bill was my wife Julie’s idea. And the Task Force report was just recently completed. This was required by the law. It’s at my booth and if you want a copy, we would love for you guys to take a look at my booth here at AFN. I want to thank so many in our Alaska Native community who took part in this Task Force and the research and the hard work of this report.
    This is what the Task Force recommends as we move forward. They call it “Gravel to Gravel,” “G to G,” which is a strategic approach that coordinates research where individual projects, regardless of whether they are led by state and federal, university, tribal or NGOs, will share information with other projects on what is happening to our salmon.
    With this critically important report now completed, my team and I will be working with all of you to build a comprehensive, well-funded salmon research program at the federal level on the goal that we all share: Achieving greater abundance and stability in our salmon stocks all across Alaska.
    Now, this won’t happen overnight, but you have my commitment that we will continue to work our hearts out on getting our salmon back in our rivers for our children, and our children’s children.
    We have to get to the bottom of this and address it. I certainly am committed to working with all of you on this.
    Another thing I know we can unite on in terms of a goal with regard to fisheries—which we’re able to achieve recently—is making sure that Russia can no longer flood America’s domestic markets with their cheap, unsustainable fish.
    After a long battle with the Biden administration, I was able to finally get them to ban Russian fish from coming into our country. When the Russians tried to circumvent this ban by sending their fish through Communist China, we shut down that loophole too. This will help all of our coastal communities, many of which are Native communities, and our Alaska fishermen.
    The Russian oligarchs say they’re in a war with Alaska’s fishermen. Well, we’re finally fighting back.
    This includes banning unsafe and often illegal Russian and Chinese trawlers who are likely contributing to depleting our own salmon runs here at home. I’m now pressing leaders from around the world—from Japan, to Canada, to Europe—to ban these fish.
    The world should want Freedom Fish from Alaska, not Communist Fish from China or Russia!
    Report on Children
    Now I want to turn to an incredibly important theme this year: Our Children, Our Future Ancestors. I really want to thank the commissioners, like Gloria O’Neil and Don Gray, and all of those who worked on “The Way Forward: Report of the Alyce Spotted Bear & Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children.”
    To Gloria’s point during that last session, we certainly want to follow up with the work Gloria and others did in that important report. We don’t want to let that report go onto a shelf and collect dust. That report was spearheaded by legislation that Senator Murkowski wrote, that I co-sponsored. And, as Gloria and Don said, we know that the statistics are not great. As a matter of fact, they’re horrible.
    Too many Alaska Native children are experiencing poverty and abuse. Too many are in the juvenile justice system. Too many are experiencing mental health challenges.
    There have been many reports throughout the decades on the well-being of Alaska Native people. Gloria mentioned that in her comments just a few minutes ago. 30 years ago, if you look at this report my mother-in-law, Mary Jane Fate, worked on—the 1994 report that was also mandated by federal legislation. When she testified before Congress, she stated:
    “Today we find ourselves in a crisis situation. The outrageous school dropouts, high unemployment, hopelessness, and other tragic and sad endings such as the highest rates of suicides and accidents amongst our youth.”
    That was 30 years ago. The situation then was dire and still is if you look at the report that Gloria and Don just authored. But here’s the thing. We cannot lose hope. This is our youth, and we must recognize that there has been progress in the last 30 years since that last report, particularly significant improvement in education, in life expectancy, and in rates of poverty.
    So we must do more working together, and again, I want to thank Gloria and Don for their leadership.
    Mental Health
    One of the key issues in their report is resiliency. We need that, among all Alaskan kids, among all American kids. In that regard, mental health is key.
    As outlined in “The Way Forward” report, 31 percent of Alaska Natives told researchers: “My mental health is poor most of the time or always.” 21 percent of youth in the report said they had been bullied on social media or through texts.
    I know social media can be a great positive for many, particularly for those who live in Rural Alaska. But as we’re building out our historic broadband infrastructure in Rural Alaska, we need to understand that there is a very strong correlation between declining mental health and increasing social media use for all young Alaskans and for all young Americans.
    I have been very focused on this issue and can report important progress back in D.C. A few months ago, the Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act—of which I am an original cosponsor—passed the Senate with over 91 votes. “KOSA,” as we call it, gives parents significantly more control over what their kids are allowed to see online and limits harmful and addictive content that kids are bombarded with online.
    This is a good start, but we must do more to protect our children. We can have the strongest economy in the world, the best quality of life in the world, but none of that means anything if so many of our kids are depressed or considering ending their lives because of what they’re consuming online. We have to get started on this important issue.
    One Pill Can Kill
    Another issue that I’m very focused on that relates to our youth—this is a huge one—is the deadly fentanyl crisis that’s hit our state very hard, especially among our youth.
    The new numbers for 2023 just recently came out. Take a look at these slides. These numbers are shocking! The number one cause of overdose deaths in Alaska—particularly among our young people—are fentanyl overdoses, up roughly 45% from just last year. By the way, in other areas across the country these numbers are dropping dramatically. But in our state, they are continuing to surge. To surge!
    Alaska Natives account for 33% of drug overdose deaths from fentanyl last year. Our kids need to be educated about this lethal drug. That’s why my team and I, working with schools and organizations across the state, have launched the “One Pill Can Kill” campaign.
    What is it? It’s educating our youth that even a tiny, tiny bit—look at how small that is on a pencil tip—a tiny bit of fentanyl can be lethal. They need to know the drugs they buy on the streets or from friends, including marijuana, can be laced with fentanyl and can kill you. They need to know that one pill can kill.
    I would very much like to partner with AFN and other Native organizations across Alaska on this campaign. You can find information about it on my website and at my booth downstairs. But here’s the bottom line: If we can save even one young Alaskan’s life with this campaign, then it will be worth it.
    Housing
    Now, as you all know, raising healthy families with healthy children requires safe, affordable housing. Let’s face it, in pretty much every part of Alaska, especially Rural Alaska, we don’t have that.
    Last August, I hosted the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in Alaska. A number of you were there at our roundtable that was focused on the outrageously high cost of housing in rural Alaska.
    The Secretary of HUD, she runs a big bureaucracy back in D.C. Unfortunately, we are still waiting for HUD’s recommendations on how to reduce the federal red tape that is a part of the problem of the high cost of housing in Rural Alaska. But here’s the deal. We shouldn’t have to wait. We can do so much of this ourselves.
    I’ve seen incredible innovation in housing during all of my travels throughout Rural Alaska. Last summer, Julie and I saw how Native leaders in Huslia and Hughes were building affordable, beautiful housing—just like in this photo—at much more competitive costs.
    These great leaders in our state weren’t waiting for the D.C. bureaucrats to give them permission to build. I’ll never forget in 2018, when I was in Holy Cross, talking about housing with World War II veteran Luke Demientieff and his son Leonard, a Vietnam veteran. Both are master carpenters. Leonard shared with me some wise words from an elder who had been looking out at the vast expanse of an Alaskan forest. This elder said, “There’s a house in the woods. You just have to go get it. You have to build it.”
    In other words, this community wasn’t waiting for the federal government to act. They got a sawmill and they started building. That is the kind of can-do spirit we need as Alaskans to address this housing shortage.
    Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans Allotments
    I think a number of you know that in my AFN remarks, I like to always talk about—and I certainly don’t have to remind all of you—about Alaska Native Veterans incredible patriotic history of military service to our country. Already this morning, I’ve seen several Alaska Native veterans. If you’re a veteran or a family member of a veteran, could you please stand or raise your hand to be recognized by this audience?
    You all know this, but it bears repeating: Generation after generation, Alaska Native people have served our country in the military at higher rates than any other ethnic group in America. That is what I call special patriotism, particularly when they were still facing shameful discrimination back home.
    Alaska Vietnam veterans really got hit hard. They were serving their country when, let’s face it, a lot of Americans were avoiding service. They came home, and because they were Vietnam Vets, many were treated disgracefully.
    This happened to my good friend Bill Thomas who said one day he was fishing in Haines, the next day he was in bootcamp at Fort Lewis, and then sent to the jungles of Vietnam.
    Nearly two years later, after his combat tour, Bill was flown to California, dazed, the smell of jungle still on his skin, fear still in his gut. On the way to being discharged, he had to drive past a group of protestors, yelling despicable things at him.
    On top of that, Bill, like so many other Alaska Native Vietnam veterans missed the deadline to apply for their Native allotment—the one that they were legally entitled to but missed because they were serving their country in a war overseas. His story was not unique.
    So working with many of you here—I see Benno Cleveland and others—I was able to pass my Vietnam Veterans Allotment Act in 2019 that righted this injustice. That is now the law. It gave our Alaska Native Vietnam veterans the ability to apply for a Native allotment.
    Unfortunately, the implementation of this bill has been dismal, despite Secretary Haaland’s commitment to me on making this a priority of hers.
    In the past four years, the Department of Interior has only certified 38 Alaska Native Vietnam-era [Veteran] allotments out of the over 2,000 Alaska Native Vietnam veterans who were eligible for this. That’s a disgrace and time is running out.
    That’s why I’ve introduced a new bill to extend the Alaska Native Vietnam Veterans Allotment Program for five more years, and importantly, to expand the lands available, particularly in Southeast, where we have such a high number of Vietnam veterans and where it’s been very challenging for our Vietnam veterans to get land close to their home.
    Here’s the challenge on my bill, and I’m going to need AFN’s help on this one: Every radical Lower 48 environmental group is going to come out and try to kill my bill. They don’t want Alaska Natives to have their own land and they certainly don’t want to honor our Vietnam veterans’ heroic service. We all need to fight back against them. Our cause is just. Our cause is so very just on this bill.
    I’m hoping that AFN and others—I’ve asked the Alaska Native Brotherhood, the Alaska Native Sisterhood—we can all work together and support my bill and continue to bring justice to our Alaska Native Vietnam veterans.
    Vietnam Veterans Resolution
    Finally, as it relates to our Vietnam veterans, like Bill Thomas and Benno and so many others, I was recently able to pass a Senate resolution—which, by the way, passed in the Senate unanimously—commending our Vietnam veterans for their courage and sacrifice. The resolution urges the President, on behalf of the Congress, to formally acknowledge the widespread mistreatment of our Vietnam veterans when they came back home.
    It offers a long overdue apology, and it calls for increased education in our schools, for our children, to learn about and understand and respect the courage and sacrifice of these heroes during the Vietnam War.
    Kake and Angoon
    There is another apology that I want to mention. This one also relates to our military. I think many know that I deeply respect our military. Last February, I retired from the Marines Corps after 30 years of service.
    But that doesn’t mean our military is perfect. No organization is perfect.
    I believe that in instances where our country has fallen short of our ideals and has harmed our own citizens, then an apology can be the right thing to do and it’s an important gesture for reconciliation.
    The egregious and unwarranted U.S. military assaults on the Alaska Native people of Kake and Angoon in the late 1800s is such a case.
    When Dr. Rosita Worl brought these historic wrongs to my attention, and mentioned the Tlingit people’s decades-long pursuit of recognition and an apology, I told my team in the Senate that we would work tirelessly with Alaska Native leaders to press this issue at the highest levels of the United States Navy and the Pentagon until these communities received an appropriate apology. That’s what we were able to do.
    Last month, some of you may have seen it, hopefully some of you were there, the U.S. Navy held a ceremony to present the apology in Kake—an official ceremony. There will be another ceremony in Angoon in a few days. Julie and I will be looking forward to attending.
    I am hopeful that these recognition ceremonies will help provide healing and importantly, show our youth that our country is so strong that it can admit its mistakes to become even stronger.
    Arctic and National Security
    Finally, let me turn to an issue that I have heard about from so many of you in your communities and where I want to compliment our brave Alaska-based military.
    We all know it’s becoming an increasingly dangerous world. We are in a new era of authoritarian aggression with dictators in Beijing, Moscow, Iran and North Korea on the march and working together. As Alaskans, we are on the front lines of this new Cold War. We’ve seen this with dramatically increased joint Chinese and Russian patrols in the air and on the seas, near our shores and our skies. You’ve seen these photos—Chinese bombers, Russian subs, Russian fighters near our aircraft. Very aggressive. Our military here has done a great job of protecting our country, just like Alaska Natives have done over the decades.
    Throughout history, our Alaska Native people have courageously served and defended our country. Think about it: the Alaska Territorial Guard, the Eskimo Scouts, the Tlingit code talkers. And of course, as I mentioned earlier, the super high number of Alaska Natives who serve their country in uniform. I’m absolutely confident that with this strong legacy of patriotism and service and a continued build-up of our own military here in Alaska, which I am very focused on, we as a country and as a state will once again prevail over these authoritarian dictatorships.
    Internships
    So let me end with one final plea. It’s related back to the theme of our youth and the theme of this conference. It’s just a pitch from my office. We have a very robust internship program. Representative Peltola yesterday mentioned one young Alaska Native leader, Sam Hiratsuka, who started in my office as an intern. He rose in my office, then went to Mary’s office, and just two days ago, was the youth speaker at the AFN Elders and Youth Conference. Sam is doing a great job and is showing the next generation of leaders how to lead.
    So here’s my pitch: We need more interns, Alaska Native interns. I have information at my booth, and I urge all of you to spread the word.
    We need our Alaska Native people working on Native issues in all branches of our federal government. It’s a great experience for them. They are the future, and we want to encourage that kind of service. With that, to the leadership of AFN, to Julie, and others, thank you again. My Julie and I are very honored to be here.
    We always love coming to AFN. Thank you, everybody.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: SEE to attend International Energy Week in Singapore

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    SEE to attend International Energy Week in Singapore
    SEE to attend International Energy Week in Singapore
    ****************************************************

     ​     The Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Mr Tse Chin-wan, will depart for Singapore tomorrow (October 20) afternoon to attend the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW).      Mr Tse will attend the SIEW Summit on October 21 to speak on the topic “Asia’s Collaborative Journey to a Sustainable Energy Future” and engage in in-depth discussions and exchanges with other participants. During his stay in Singapore, Mr Tse will meet with officials from the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore to exchange views on hydrogen development and green maritime fuel respectively. He will also visit a local enterprise to understand better the application of sustainable aviation fuel.      The Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying, and officers from the Environment and Ecology Bureau and the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department will also join the visit.          Mr Tse will arrive in Hong Kong on October 22. During his absence, the Under Secretary for Environment and Ecology, Miss Diane Wong, will be the Acting Secretary for Environment and Ecology.

     
    Ends/Saturday, October 19, 2024Issued at HKT 18:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Washington Man Sentenced for Hate Crimes and Firearm Offense for Four Attacks on Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls

    Source: United States Attorneys General

    A Washington man was sentenced today to 11 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for federal civil rights and firearms offenses in connection with four attacks that damaged or destroyed several Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls in western Washington.

    Mikey Diamond Starrett, also known as Michael Jason Layes, 52, of Olympia, was also ordered to pay restitution in a total amount of $714,608.70, including: $4,921.73 to the Kingdom Hall of Tumwater; $1,749.20 to the Kingdom Hall of Yelm; and $707,937.73 to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

    Specifically, Starett was sentenced on four counts of violating the Church Arson Prevention Act — one count for each attack — as well as one count of using a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

    “The defendant in this case committed four attacks on Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Halls, causing fear and anguish to its members,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The freedom to practice the religion we choose, without discrimination or violence, is a fundamental civil right in our nation and a hallmark of our democracy from its very inception. Violence based on religious prejudice has no place in our society. The Justice Department will continue to prosecute those who target and harm houses of worship.”

    “Starrett’s attacks irrevocably destroyed the sense of safety and peace that a house of worship is supposed to provide, and caused severe, permanent harm to the Jehovah’s Witness community in Washington,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman for the Western District of Washington. “These were not crimes against buildings, but a series of attacks against a community and a faith.”

    “ATF and our law enforcement partners spent many thousands, if not tens of thousands, of hours investigating these attacks and ensuring that the right person was identified,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais of the ATF Seattle Field Division. “His guilty plea is a validation of the hard work put in by all the law enforcement involved in the investigation, and this sentence is appropriate for his egregious actions. We are all committed to defending the right of people to practice their religion, and investigating when someone acts to deprive them of that right, in this case through acts of arson and use of a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence.”

    According to court documents and statements made during the plea and sentencing hearings, Starrett intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Tumwater, Washington, on March 19, 2018; intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Olympia on March 19, 2018; intentionally used a firearm to shoot into the Kingdom Hall of Yelm, Washington, on May 15, 2018; and intentionally set fire to the Kingdom Hall of Olympia on July 3, 2018. The defendant admitted he committed these attacks because of the religious character of the Kingdom Halls. The attacks resulted in significant damage to each of the Kingdom Halls, including the destruction of the Olympia Kingdom Hall on July 3, 2018.

    The ATF Seattle Field Division, FBI Seattle Field Office, Tumwater Police Department and Olympia Police Department investigated the case.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Lerman for the Western District of Washington and Trial Attorney Matthew Tannenbaum of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hong Kong Customs seizes suspected methamphetamine worth about $1.5 million at airport (with photo)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         â€‹Hong Kong Customs today (October 19) detected a drug trafficking case involving baggage concealment at Hong Kong International Airport and seized about 3 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine with an estimated market value of about $1.5 million.
          
         A 45-year-old male passenger arrived in Hong Kong from Vientiane, Laos, via Bangkok, Thailand, around the midnight of yesterday (October 18). During Customs clearance, the batch of suspected methamphetamine was found concealed in the false compartments of his check-in suitcase and a rucksack inside the suitcase. The man was subsequently arrested.
          
         An investigation is ongoing.
          
         Following the resumption of normal travel and exchanges with the Mainland and other parts of the world, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has also been increasing steadily. Customs will continue to apply a risk assessment approach and focus on selecting passengers from high-risk regions for clearance to combat transnational drug trafficking activities.
          
         Under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, trafficking in a dangerous drug is a serious offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $5 million and life imprisonment.
          
         Members of the public may report any suspected drug trafficking activities to Customs’ 24-hour hotline 182 8080 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk) or online form (eform.cefs.gov.hk/form/ced002).   

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Deer Lake — RCMP assisting fire services at a structure fire in Deer Lake

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The Deer Lake RCMP is assisting fire services at a large structure fire in Deer Lake.

    This morning, at approximately 7 a.m., RCMP officers responded to a structure fire at hospitality establishment on Nicholsville Rd. near Main St. At this time, out of an abundance of caution due to a large propane tank on site, officers have evacuated nearby residences and continue to conduct traffic control.

    We are asking the public to avoid the area to allow first responders to do their work.

    Further information will be provided as it becomes available.

    File # 2024-1544681

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Video: Attack of the Killer Egg!

    Source: US Army (video statements)

    About the U.S. Army:

    The Army Mission – our purpose – remains constant: To deploy, fight and win our nation’s wars by providing ready, prompt & sustained land dominance by Army forces across the full spectrum of conflict as part of the joint force.

    Interested in joining the U.S. Army?
    Visit: spr.ly/6001igl5L

    Connect with the U.S. Army online:
    Web: https://www.army.mil Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USarmy/ X: https://www.twitter.com/USArmy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/us-army
    #USArmy #Soldiers #Military #Helicopter

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbQaRks-e_U

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congresswoman Wilson Presents $850,000 Check to Carrie Meek Foundation to Fund New Aviation Workforce Innovation Center in North Dade

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Frederica S Wilson (24th District of Florida)

    On Friday, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24) visited Flying Classroom at Miami-Opa-Locka Executive Airport to present a check of $850,000 to the Carrie Meek Foundation. The appropriation will fund the Carrie Meek Aviation Workforce Innovation Center, a state-of-the-art upskilling location that will serve residents in Opa-Locka, Liberty City, Miami Gardens, and Hialeah. The project is in collaboration with Experience Aviation, led by renowned pilot Barrington Irving, whose technical training school prepares students across the nation for careers in aviation and STEM-related fields. This funding is part of Fiscal Year 2024 Congressional Appropriations.

    “I’m thrilled to support the Carrie Meek Aviation Workforce Innovation Center. There is no better way to support our communities than by providing ladders of economic opportunity. People want the opportunity to work hard and be rewarded for a job well done,” Congresswoman Frederica Wilson said. “Miami is a major transportation hub with high-paying jobs. Too many workers don’t know how to get into the Aviation workforce or lack the skills. That’s why I’m proud to support this innovative job center, which will empower workers with the skills and resources to land high-paying jobs in the aviation industry.”

    The Center aims to host technicians from STEM fields to provide aviation industry-specific workforce skills training, and job placement opportunities for residents in North Dade and the surrounding area who are unemployed or underemployed. The facility will include labs for 3D printing, advanced manufacturing, electrical systems, green technologies and other technical skills.

    “The Carrie Meek Aviation Workforce Innovation Center will be a groundbreaking collaboration between The Carrie Meek Foundation and Experience Aviation,” said Lucia Davis-Raiford, president and CEO of the Foundation. “It will open doors by increasing awareness of opportunities, then building the talent base to match those opportunities through expert training, career development and economic impact to our community. We are grateful to Congresswoman Wilson for understanding how well-paying jobs in growing industries can lift the livelihood of families in Miami-Dade.”

    “It meant a lot to me as a young Black man in today’s society because not a lot of Black men get offered a lot of opportunities in this field of work, so it was an amazing event,” said Natory Dixon, a student at the Barrington Irving Technical Training School.

    “Never in my life did I ever think that I was going to get introduced to the aviation field. It was crazy because I was in Miami-Dade Boot camp program, so I got introduced by there and it was like something good that happened out of something bad because I was incarcerated and I got introduced to BITTS through there, so it means a lot to me because I have something on right now,” said Dabil Chavaria, a 21 year old student at Barrington Irving Technical Training School. “The event I feel it helped everybody out because they’re going to be able to do a lot more stud with the funding—more projects, more hand-on tools and I feel good about the whole experience.”

    For more photos, click here.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Video: What Is the Informal Economy? & Sustainable Space Exploration | WEF | Top Stories of the Week

    Source: World Economic Forum (video statements)

    This week’s top stories of the week include:

    0:15 What is the informal economy? – Erika Kraemer-Mbula is an expert on alternative development paths. She says the informal economy is more prevalent than many think, two-thirds of overall employment. It touches many areas, from retail to transport, domestic care, and even creative and intellectual labour.

    4:49 Sustainable space exploration – Alice Bunn is the former head of the UK’s space agency and now leads UKspace, its space trade association. Billionaire space missions may steal the headlines, Bunn says, but the majority of space programmes benefit everyday lives all over the world.

    9:32 AI can help preserve languages – 7,168 languages are spoken in the world today. But one dies out every 40 days. 90% could fall silent forever in the next 100 years. One key problem is that generative AI is trained on just a few of the world’s languages.

    14:06 How tech can bridge access to justice – Gerald Abila was raised in Uganda in the 1980s during a period of bloody civil conflict. Abila planned on becoming an engineer. But his studies prompted the question: What’s the most powerful tool we can use to engineer a peaceful society? His answer: the law.

    _____________________________________________

    The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

    World Economic Forum Website ► http://www.weforum.org/
    Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/
    YouTube ► https://www.youtube.com/wef
    Instagram ► https://www.instagram.com/worldeconomicforum/ 
    Twitter ► https://twitter.com/wef
    LinkedIn ► https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-economic-forum
    TikTok ► https://www.tiktok.com/@worldeconomicforum
    Flipboard ► https://flipboard.com/@WEF

    #WorldEconomicForum

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnESC0M2xa8

    MIL OSI Video –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tse Chin-wan to join energy summit

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan will depart for Singapore on October 20 to attend Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW).

    Mr Tse will attend the SIEW Summit on October 21 to speak on “Asia’s Collaborative Journey to a Sustainable Energy Future” and engage in in-depth discussions and exchanges with other participants.

    During his stay in Singapore, Mr Tse will meet officials from the Ministry of Trade & Industry and the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore to exchange views on hydrogen development and green maritime fuel respectively.

    He will also visit a local enterprise to understand better the application of sustainable aviation fuel.

    Director of Electrical & Mechanical Services Poon Kwok-ying and officers from the Environment & Ecology Bureau and the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department will join the visit.

    Mr Tse will arrive back in Hong Kong on October 22. During his absence, Under Secretary for Environment & Ecology Diane Wong will be Acting Secretary.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: ICHO to launch auspicious intangible cultural heritage of Greater Bay Area exhibition (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         To celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and to tie in with the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival as well as the “Cultured Bay Area, Brilliant ICH-2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Intangible Cultural Heritage Show”, the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Office under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is staging the “Celebrating National Day – Auspicious Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Greater Bay Area” Exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum from today (October 19) to March 31 next year. Admission to the exhibition is free.     It is the first roving exhibition with the theme of ICH items in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Hong Kong is the first stop and the exhibition will be staged in Shenzhen and Macao later. Featuring auspicious animals that symbolise good fortune as the main theme, the exhibition showcases performing arts, traditional craftsmanship, festive events and other ICH items of the 11 GBA cities to visitors through interactive exhibits, graphic panels, video screenings and experiential activities.     Addressing the opening ceremony of the exhibition today, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung, said that President Xi Jinping has emphasised the importance of promoting cultural confidence and strength by enhancing the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage on the report to the 20th National Congress to promote the fine traditional Chinese culture. The GBA cities, which are mainly of Lingnan culture, have rich regional characteristics and form their own unique culture. They own ICH items such as Cantonese opera and Canton music, which are important representatives of Chinese culture, giving a significant meaning in demonstrating and preserving the diversity and uniqueness of the fine traditional culture of the nation. Hong Kong, with its attributes of diversity, openness and a mix of Eastern and Western cultures, will develop into an East-meets-West platform for international cultural exchange as advocated in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao GBA for promoting traditional Chinese culture. Hong Kong will also collaborate with other GBA cities to jointly shape and enrich the sense of humanity and enhance the cultural identity and cohesion of the region.     Other officiating guests at the opening ceremony included the Secretary for Party Leadership Group and Director General of the Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, Ms Liu Lei; the Head of Department for Promoting Cultural and Creative Industries of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr Ho Hong-pan; the Deputy Director General of the Department of Publicity, Cultural and Sports Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Mr Li Shuguang; the Chairperson of the ICH Advisory Committee, Professor Ricardo Mak; the Acting Director of Leisure and Cultural Services, Miss Eve Tam; the Director of the Division of ICH from the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, Ms Wu Chen; the Functional Head of the Macao Museum, Ms Sio Kit-meng; and the Head of the ICH Office, Ms Joyce Ho.     The exhibition is divided into three parts. The “Bringing Fortune and Auspiciousness” exhibition area showcases paper crafting exhibits and interactive art installations with images of auspicious animals. It will also introduce the Representative Items of the National ICH such as the Hakka Unicorn Dance in Hang Hau, Sai Kung (Hong Kong), Lion Head Crafting (Foshan), Festival of the Drunken Dragon (Macao), Shatoujiao Fish Lantern Dance (Shenzhen) and Sanzao Crane Dance (Zhuhai) and other ICH items including the Conghua Cat-headed Lion Dance (Guangzhou), Rooster Dance (Zhaoqing), Huidong Lid-headed Lion Dance (Huizhou), Shengshi Phoenix Dance (Zhongshan), Qingxi Unicorn Dance (Dongguan) and Waihai Shenggong Carp (Jiangmen).     The “Assemble of Craftsmanship” area showcases ICH items of traditional craftsmanship in the GBA which are closely related to everyday life. They include the Cantonese Embroidery, Guangcai Making Technique and Paper Crafting Technique of Lanterns. These ICH items not only embody the craftsmanship of the bearers but also incorporate auspicious meanings and good wishes, manifesting the mutual promotion and transmission of craftsmanship and Chinese culture. The “Congregation of Art” area offers creative installations with ICH elements and a variety of demonstrations introducing the public to the diversity of ICH.??????     The exhibition is presented by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the HKSAR, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administration Region; organised by the LCSD, the Division of Intangible Cultural Heritage from the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province and the Macao Museum; curated by the ICH Office and the Culture, Media, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality. It is also supported by the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR. During the exhibition period, the ICH Office will organise an array of education and public programmes, including a variety of demonstrations and experiential activities, to introduce the diversity of ICH to members of public. Programmes are free of charge with on-site enrolment. For details of the exhibition and activities, please visit http://www.icho.hk/en/web/icho/auspicious_ich_of_the_greater_bay_area.html or call 2851 6134 for enquiries.     Hong Kong is the host city of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival for the first time this year. It is organising and co-ordinating over 260 performances and exchange activities to be held across the “9+2” cities of the GBA. The festival aims to showcase the vibrant and diverse cultural richness of the region, and foster cultural exchanges and co-operation among the cities. For detailed information about the rich programme line up of the festival, please visit http://www.gbacxlo.gov.hk.     The exhibition is also one of the activities in the Chinese Culture Promotion Series. The LCSD has long been promoting Chinese history and culture through organising an array of programmes and activities to enable the public to learn more about the broad and profound Chinese culture. For more information, please visit http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/en/ccpo/index.html.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: FEMA is Still Here for New Mexicans even as Ruidoso DRC Permanently Closes Today

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: FEMA is Still Here for New Mexicans even as Ruidoso DRC Permanently Closes Today

    FEMA is Still Here for New Mexicans even as Ruidoso DRC Permanently Closes Today

    The State of New Mexico and FEMA will permanently cease operation of the Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at the Horton Complex in Ruidoso today. But FEMA is not leaving New Mexico, as the agency continues working with the New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) to help residents and communities in their recovery from the South Fork and Salt Fires and/or flooding. 

    The Horton Complex DRC at 237 Service Road in Ruidoso will close at 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 19.

    Today is also the last day for homeowners and renters impacted by the fires or flooding (from June 17 to Aug. 20, 2024) to apply to FEMA for federal disaster assistance.

    The deadline to apply for a long-term, low-interest disaster loan from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is also today.

    After the DRC is closed, you can still contact FEMA by: 

    1. Go online to disasterassistance.gov/ 
    2. Download the FEMA App for mobile devices at fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/mobile-products
    3. Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m., MT. Help is available in most languages.

    For an American Sign Language video on how to apply for assistance visit, youtube.com/watch?v= WZGpWI2RCNw. 

    FEMA encourages you to keep in touch with the agency: 

    • It is important to provide FEMA with your final insurance settlement information as assistance may be available for some expenses not covered by insurance.  
    • If you are receiving temporary rental assistance from FEMA, you will need to update your permanent housing plan and may need to document your need for continued rental assistance. FEMA expects all families who receive temporary rental assistance to return to their damaged home when it is repaired or to locate and occupy affordable housing without FEMA rental assistance when you can do so.    

    In addition, you can call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 to: 

    • Check on the status of your application and ask questions about the process. 
    • Appeal a decision or determination by FEMA.  
    • Update your contact information. 
    • Provide updated documentation. 
    • Report additional damage discovered since your home inspection.  

    For information about FEMA’s Individual Assistance program, visit  www.fema.gov/assistance/individual.  

    angela.ambroise

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: EMSD and Wan Chai District Office co-organise GBA innovation and technology study tour (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    EMSD and Wan Chai District Office co-organise GBA innovation and technology study tour (with photos)
    EMSD and Wan Chai District Office co-organise GBA innovation and technology study tour (with photos)
    ******************************************************************************************

         Participants of an innovation and technology (I&T) study tour to the Greater Bay Area (GBA), organised under the Engineering Opportunities for Wan Chai – Youth Community Facilities Enhancement Programme, visited I&T facilities in Dongguan, Guangdong Province today (October 19) to explore the latest I&T development of the country.           Led by the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, Mr Poon Kwok-ying, and the District Officer (Wan Chai), Ms Fanny Cheung, the tour group comprising around 40 students and teachers first visited the XbotPark to understand the latest technologies and applications of robotics and 3D printing, as well as the country’s initiatives to nurture innovative talents.           The tour group then proceeded to the China Spallation Neutron Source to learn about the operation of the first pulsed neutron source facility in the country. The facility, which is for exploring the microscopic structures of physical materials, is widely used in research fields such as physics, materials science and resource environment. The visit to popular science projects at the base enabled the students to gain insights into the country’s development in new energy and life sciences.           The tour was concluded with a visit to the Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory where members learnt about the development and daily applications of materials sciences as well as the process of transforming basic research into applied technology, so as to gain a better understanding of how to foster community development with innovative ideas.           Mr Poon said that the diversified visit programme enabled students to see for themselves the I&T developments in GBA, not only helping them to further understand the latest developments of the country, as well as Hong Kong’s opportunities and contribution, but also motivating students to explore the feasibility of applying relevant technologies to enhance the quality of life of local communities.           With a total of 170 participating students from 12 schools, the Engineering Opportunities for Wan Chai – Youth Community Facilities Enhancement Programme is jointly organised by the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the Wan Chai District Office. It aims to enhance students’ understanding of electrical and mechanical safety, energy saving, decarbonisation and I&T through interesting and diversified learning activities, and to encourage their participation in community building and enhancing people’s daily lives with technology. In addition to the study tour, programme activities include STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) design thinking workshops, community visits, makerspace activities and practicums, inter-school learning outcomes sharing exhibitions, and community facilities enhancement design competitions.

     
    Ends/Saturday, October 19, 2024Issued at HKT 21:20

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: First box girder used for Wanzhou section of Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway concreted

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

    First box girder used for Wanzhou section of Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway concreted

    Updated: October 19, 2024 21:19 Xinhua
    Workers concrete box girders for the construction of bridges along the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway in Xiangshui Town of Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China, on Oct. 18, 2024. The first box girder used for the construction of bridges along the Wanzhou section of Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway was successfully concreted Friday, marking the official start of box girders production for the construction of Wanzhou section of the railway. After the completion of the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway with a designed speed of 350 km per hour, the travel time from Chongqing to Wanzhou will be shortened to less than one hour. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 18, 2024 shows workers concreting box girders for the construction of bridges along the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway in Xiangshui Town of Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 18, 2024 shows a construction site along the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway in Xiangshui Town of Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Workers concrete box girders for the construction of bridges along the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway in Xiangshui Town of Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China, on Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member works at a box girder concreting site for the construction of bridges along the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway in Xiangshui Town of Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China, on Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Workers concrete box girders for the construction of bridges along the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway in Xiangshui Town of Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China, on Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Staff work at the intelligent control center of a box girder concreting site for the construction of bridges along the Chongqing-Wanzhou high-speed railway in Xiangshui Town of Wanzhou District of Chongqing, southwest China, Oct. 18, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Joint donor statement on Humanitarian Access in Sudan

    Source: Government of Sweden

    Joint donor statement on Humanitarian Access in Sudan by the UK, USAID, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland, Canada and the European Commissioner for Crisis Management.

    The people of Sudan are experiencing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. 25 million people, half of Sudan’s population, are in urgent need of assistance. Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has forced approximately 11 million from their homes, fleeing horrific violence and severe hunger since the outbreak of conflict 18 months ago. Women and girls are facing severe protection risks, including widespread sexual violence and other grave human rights violations. 

    In August, famine conditions were confirmed in Zamzam camp for internally displaced people – home to over 500,000 people. This marks the third official famine determination in the 21st century. On 9 October, in addition to the ongoing risk of famine in areas of greater Darfur, we were alerted that urban and rural areas of South Kordofan are now at elevated risk of famine due to continuing conflict and siege-like conditions. 

    The conflict between SAF and RSF and the two sides’ systematic obstruction of local and international humanitarian efforts is at the root of this famine. The war has driven civilians from their homes – uprooting them from their livelihoods. People have been increasingly forced into harmful coping strategies, and are more at risk for being trafficked. It has damaged agricultural production and disrupted trade flows and market functionality, resulting in a severe deterioration in the production of and access to food. 

    In Darfur, only a fraction of the aid needed to feed 7 million acutely food insecure people has been allowed in since August. Untold numbers of people have already died, and many more will die as a result. An immediate and coordinated scale-up of assistance, together with full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to populations in need, is urgently required to mitigate the large-scale loss of life. We condemn that, despite the overwhelming urgency, both SAF and RSF persist in obstructing the humanitarian response. 

    In addition, bureaucratic impediments by both the Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commission and the Sudan Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations continue to impede the delivery of assistance at the necessary scale. The Sudanese authorities must recognize that it is essential to work in partnership with humanitarian actors in Sudan, allowing them to address the most urgent needs independently and unhindered. Bureaucratic obstacles that are primarily designed to obstruct the delivery of aid, such as delays in issuing visas and travel permits, will continue to prevent life-saving support to the most vulnerable communities – including those seeking safety from the RSF’s assault on El Fasher in Northern Darfur. The recent treatment of the inter-agency Mission in Darfur is unacceptable and underlines this pattern of obstructive behaviour. The UN and partners must be able to engage with all parties to the conflict to ensure that lifesaving aid reaches people in urgent need wherever they are. 

    The parties have a duty to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and humanitarian personnel. In practice, this means the removal of all arbitrary restrictions on the Adre border crossing from Chad, including the 3-month time limit, opening of all possible cross-border routes without impediment, and agreeing on routes for humanitarian aid across conflict lines. In this regard, we recall the clear commitment of Chairman of the Sovereign Council, General Al-Burhan, to alleviate and remove all obstacles facing humanitarian actions. 

    We welcome the fulfilment of the humanitarian pledges made during the Paris Conference for Sudan and neighbouring countries on 15 April and recent progress of the Advancing Lifesaving and Peace in Sudan (ALPS) group in improving cross-border and crossline access. We call on the SAF and the RSF to engage and to deliver on their existing commitments and obligations for the sake of the Sudanese people. 

    Last month, world leaders gathered at the UN General Assembly called for the immediate cessation of hostilities and urgent action in support of Sudan. This is needed now more than ever, with the escalation of the hostilities causing displacement, destruction and death. 

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chilies enter peak season of harvesting and sales in N China

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

    Chilies enter peak season of harvesting and sales in N China

    Updated: October 19, 2024 21:23 Xinhua
    An aerial photo taken on Oct. 19, 2024 shows chilies aired in a yard in Dongfeng Town, Kailu County, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Kailu County has a history of growing chilies spanning more than 30 years. Chilies has now entered the peak season of harvesting and sales in Kailu County. Currently, Kailu has around 600,000 mu (about 40,000 hectares) of chili cultivation area. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Growers sort chilies in Dongfeng Town, Kailu County, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo taken on Oct. 19, 2024 shows chilies aired in a yard in Dongfeng Town, Kailu County, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial photo taken on Oct. 19, 2024 shows chilies aired in a villager’s yard in Dongfeng Town, Kailu County, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial photo taken on Oct. 19, 2024 shows growers harvesting chilies in Dongfeng Town, Kailu County, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A grower sorts chilies in Dongfeng Town, Kailu County, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Growers sort chilies in Dongfeng Town, Kailu County, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Oct. 19, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Versity and INEUF.com Make a Giant Deal in the Real Estate Sector: Digital Real Estate Transformation Begins!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NICE, France, Oct. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Versity is an innovative project established to revolutionize the real estate world with metaverse technology. Now it has taken a big step that will further consolidate its claim in the real estate sector! By acquiring INEUF.com, France’s largest real estate platform, Versity aims to bring its digital solutions to a wider audience.

    Thanks to this strategic partnership, Versity will have access to INEUF.com’s database of more than 4,000 projects and over 120,000 apartments. Moreover, INEUF.com’s extensive customer network and expert team of 320 sales consultants will meet Versity’s 3D modeling and Web 3 technologies, taking the customer experience to the next level!

    Versity’s Innovative Vision in Real Estate

    Versity’s goal is to bring transparency to the real estate industry on the metaverse, enabling users to make fast and informed decisions based on certified data. With the existing portfolio on INEUF.com’s platform and AI-powered customer relationship management systems, Versity aims to make real estate transactions much more efficient.

    Frédéric Ibanez, President of Versity, comments on this important partnership: “Nicolas Viale, founder of INEUF.com, has achieved great success in the new real estate market, creating a platform covering 80% of France. By combining this strong sales network with Versity’s 3D modeling tools, we are bringing a brand new and innovative solution to the market.”

    Building the Future Together

    This partnership will enable Versity to gain a strong position in the real estate sector. Joining forces with INEUF.com’s experienced team, Versity is taking firm steps towards becoming a platform that shapes the future by accelerating digital transformation in the real estate world. Versity aims to usher in a new era in the sector by offering innovative solutions to its users in both the virtual and physical worlds.

    This strategic move of Versity draws attention as one of the concrete steps taken to realize its vision for the real estate sector in the metaverse.

    X: https://x.com/HelloVersity
    Website : https://versity.io/en
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXiqMB0tgBg
    Telegram : https://t.me/HelloVersity

    Contact:
    Frederic Ibanez
    presse@versity.io

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Versity. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/30633a57-d1d2-41dc-8cbd-39afab466a61

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: One Common Squirrel Monkey of Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens passed away

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         The Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) announced today (October 19) that one Common Squirrel Monkey of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) that was put under isolated surveillance was found dead today. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department will conduct necropsy on the animal body, to ascertain if the cause of death was the same as the other cases earlier.

         The monkey is one of two Common Squirrel Monkeys put under isolation and medication since October 16 when their movement response were found unusual. At present, the remaining Common Squirrel Monkey and one De Brazza’s Monkey that has been isolated since October 13 are under isolated surveillance and given medication. A total of ten animals of the HKZBG have passed away since October 13.

         The LCSD will continue to close the Mammals Section of the HKZBG, to closely monitor the health conditions of the animals, and continue to provide protective gear and health monitoring for staff who take care of animals. At present, the health conditions of staff concerned are normal.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Metaverse Rising Again: Versity Adds Kuwaiti Royal Advisor to its Team and Prepares to Grow in the Middle East!

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NICE, France, Oct. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Offering revolutionary digital solutions in the real estate industry, Versity has added a new one to its strategic cooperation and innovative steps. After acquiring France’s largest new real estate platform INEUF.com, Versity has now announced the addition of Hassan F. Beidas, Advisor to the Kuwaiti Royal Family, to its team to lead its expansion and investment strategies in the Middle East.

    Versity’s Growing Portfolio with Strong Investments in the Middle East

    Hassan F. Beidas has been an advisor to the Kuwaiti Royal Family for over 12 years and has been instrumental in managing large financial investments in the region. Beidas, who is also the Managing Director of the Arab Trade and Real Estate Office, will be an important guide in Versity’s global growth journey. This cooperation paves the way for Versity to expand its portfolio and create a wider space in the international market with significant investments coming from Kuwait.

    Strong Positioning in the Middle East and Europe Market with INEUF.com and Versity Cooperation

    Versity recently acquired INEUF.com, which has a database of more than 4,000 real estate projects and over 120,000 apartments for sale across France. INEUF.com’s extensive customer network and team of expert consultants will strengthen Versity’s digital real estate solutions and provide a solid foundation for growth in the Middle East. Versity aims to provide innovative services from Europe to the Gulf region by increasing efficiency through AI-powered customer relationship management tools.

    Comment on the Collaboration by Frédéric Ibanez, President of Versity

    “We are honored to have Mr. Hassan F. Beidas join our team. His knowledge of international markets and strong investment network will contribute greatly to achieving our global growth targets. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to His Highness Sheikh Duaij Jaber Ali Al Sabah of the Kuwaiti Royal Family for his sincere support. This collaboration opens the door to a new era for Versity,” said Frédéric Ibanez.

    About Versity SA:
    Versity SA is a technology company listed on Euronext Access, developing innovative digital solutions for the real estate industry. Integrating 3D and Web3 technologies, Versity aims to revolutionize the real estate industry by bringing real-world interactions to the digital world.

    About INEUF.com:
    INEUF.com, France’s largest new real estate marketplace, offers more than 4,000 programs and a portfolio of more than 120,000 apartments for sale. With a network of 320 consultants, the company is the market leader in new real estate programs and investment property sales in France and French overseas territories.

    X: https://x.com/HelloVersity
    Website : https://versity.io/en
    Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXiqMB0tgBg
    Telegram : https://t.me/HelloVersity

    Contact:
    Frederic Ibanez
    presse@versity.io

    Disclaimer: This content is provided by Versity. The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the content provider. The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Please conduct your own research and invest at your own risk.

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5e1b3107-6aae-4151-8cdb-56ecdecf2782

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/972742cf-7c0b-4134-ae4c-51628cb71c3e

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Intangible heritage expo opens

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    The Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Office under the Leisure & Cultural Services Department (LCSD) is staging the “Celebrating National Day – Auspicious Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Greater Bay Area” Exhibition at the Heritage Museum from today to March 31 next year. Admission is free.

    The exhibition is being hosted to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and to tie in with the 4th Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Culture & Arts Festival as well as the “Cultured Bay Area, Brilliant ICH-2024 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Intangible Cultural Heritage Show”, the department said.

    This is the first roving exhibition with the theme of ICH items in the bay area, with Hong Kong as the first stop, followed by Shenzhen and Macau.

    Featuring auspicious animals that symbolise good fortune as the main theme, the exhibition showcases performing arts, traditional craftsmanship, festive events and other ICH items of the 11 bay area cities to visitors through interactive exhibits, graphic panels, video screenings and experiential activities.

    Addressing the exhibition’s opening ceremony today, Secretary for Culture, Sports & Tourism Kevin Yeung said that President Xi Jinping has emphasised the importance of promoting cultural confidence and strength by enhancing the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage on the report to the 20th National Congress to promote the fine traditional Chinese culture.

    He also noted that the bay area cities, which are mainly of Lingnan culture, have rich regional characteristics and form their own unique culture.

    They own ICH items such as Cantonese opera and Canton music, which are important representatives of Chinese culture, giving a significant meaning in demonstrating and preserving the diversity and uniqueness of the fine traditional culture of the nation.

    Mr Yeung pointed out that Hong Kong, with its attributes of diversity, openness and a mix of Eastern and Western cultures, will develop into an East-meets-West platform for international cultural exchange as advocated in the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area for promoting traditional Chinese culture.

    Hong Kong will also collaborate with other bay area cities to jointly shape and enrich the sense of humanity and enhance the cultural identity and cohesion of the region, he said.

    The exhibition is presented by the Culture, Sports & Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Department of Culture & Tourism of Guangdong Province and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Government of the Macao Special Administration Region; organised by the LCSD, the Division of Intangible Cultural Heritage from the Department of Culture & Tourism of Guangdong Province and the Macao Museum; curated by the ICH Office and the Culture, Media, Tourism & Sports Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, with the support of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –