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  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy, Risch, Colleague Introduces Bill to Ban Handgun Rosters

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Jim Risch (R-ID), and several colleagues today introduced the Modern Firearms Safety Act, which would prohibit states from enforcing handgun rosters. These lists of pre-approved handguns require manufacturers to include costly features like microstamping, loaded chamber indicators, and magazine disconnect mechanisms on firearms, preventing law-abiding citizens from purchasing the firearm of their choice.
    “Blue states look for every avenue to ban guns for law-abiding citizens,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Requiring unnecessary and imaginary modifications that don’t improve safety is just another tactic out of this playbook. The Second Amendment is a Constitutional right that shouldn’t be infringed upon just because of the state in which you reside.” 
    “Unconstitutional handgun rosters create unnecessary, burdensome requirements for firearm manufacturers while undermining the Second Amendment,” said Senator Risch. “The Modern Firearms Safety Act stops Democrats arbitrary handgun catalogs and protects law-abiding gun owners’ right to bear arms.”
    Several states, including California, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, and D.C., have recently enacted unconstitutional handgun rosters. A 2024 federal district court ruling found California’s handgun roster requirements unconstitutional.
    Cassidy and Risch were joined by U.S. Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID), Mike Braun (R-IN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) in introducing the legislation.
    “Those on the Left continue to use every creative avenue possible to stifle Second Amendment rights and restrict gun ownership for law-abiding citizens,” said Senator Crapo. “These practices must stop.”
    “Trying to impose unnecessary and overly stringent requirements on what features handguns must have is a blatant attempt to strip away core constitutional rights,” said Senator Cornyn. “This legislation ensures law-abiding gun owners in Texas can continue to exercise their Second Amendment right in a safe and responsible way without being subject to impractical restrictions.”
    “Our Founding Fathers were clear—the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed,” said Senator Daines. “Forcing Americans to outfit their firearms with onerous and costly features is a clear attempt to undermine the Second Amendment and law-abiding citizens’ constitutional rights, and it must stop.”
    “I am proud to join Senator Risch in our fight against the Democrats’ never-ending attack on our Second Amendment rights and our constitutional freedoms,” said Senator Marshall. “The Modern Firearm Safety Act will end the unconstitutional gun grab currently underway in far-Left states like California, New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Our legislation rightfully blocks Democrats from enforcing illegal handgun roster requirements designed to target law-abiding Americans.”
    “This commonsense legislation safeguards the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens by eliminating unnecessary barriers to purchase firearms,” said Senator Tillis. “I am proud to support responsible gun owners by introducing this legislation, which aims to prevent government overreach and uphold our constitutional freedoms.”
    The Modern Firearms Safety Act has received support from the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and National Rifle Association.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Votes to Keep Government Open, Extend Flood Insurance Program, Fund Disaster Relief

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) today voted to pass a bill to keep the government open until December 20th, 2024. Cassidy has urged Congress to extend the authorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and secure additional funding for disaster relief following Hurricane Francine.
    “Nobody wants a shutdown. We must keep the National Flood Insurance Program going, put more money into FEMA’s disaster relief fund, continue to pay our troops, and give the Secret Service additional resources to protect President Trump. While I’m disappointed the SAVE Act was not included, this bill gives us the time to find a lasting solution without harming Americans,” said Dr. Cassidy.
    Background
    Cassidy spoke on the Senate floor last week about the need to reauthorize and reform NFIP. That speech was the sixth installment of a series of Senate floor speeches Cassidy is using to focus attention on unsustainable flood insurance premiums.
    In January, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee held a hearing on NFIP at the request of Cassidy. The hearing highlighted the urgent need for Congress to act and featured a Louisiana witness. Cassidy also participated in a roundtable hosted by GNO, Inc. and the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance before introducing the bill to hear from community leaders and advocates on the issue. Last year, Cassidy traveled St. Bernard Parish to talk with residents about their flood insurance premiums, resulting in the second episode of his series Bill on the Hill.
    Earlier this month, President Biden approved a disaster declaration in the wake of Hurricane Francine. Ascension, Assumption, Lafourche, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Mary, and Terrebonne Parishes were all covered by the declaration.
    Following the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, Cassidy and seven Senate Republican colleagues called for President Trump to receive the same level of Secret Service protection as a sitting president.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rep. Cammack Requests POTUS Grant Category B Disaster Assistance To 3 FL-03 Counties

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03)

    GAINESVILLE, FL — Today, Congresswoman Kat Cammack sent a letter to President Biden requesting the full scope of Public Assistance Category B for Alachua, Columbia, and Marion Counties prior to Hurricane Helene’s landfall on Thursday, September 26. 

    View the letter below.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Warner and Kaine on Congressional Passage of Legislation to Keep Government Funded Temporarily

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner

    Today, U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) released the following statement after the Senate approved a temporary funding bill to prevent a government shutdown on October 1. This bill – passed earlier today by the U.S. House of Representatives – will keep the government open through December 20 by extending Fiscal Year 2024 spending levels.

    “Nobody hurts more than Virginia when Congress fails to do its job of keeping the government open. With just a few days until the government funding deadline, we are glad Congress did the right thing and passed a stopgap bill that will renew funding until December 20. While we should not rely on continuing resolutions to govern, we are glad to know that this bill will help avoid a painful government shutdown. We look forward to working with our colleagues these next three months on long-term funding legislation, and we remain committed to ensuring that any final package includes dedicated dollars for specific projects in communities all throughout Virginia.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Stolen property returned following spate of burglaries, Feilding

    Source: New Zealand Police (District News)

    Attributable to Sergeant Luke Shannon, Feilding Police.

    Residents of a Feilding retirement village can sleep easier now Feilding Police have returned their previously stolen items, and identified a person of interest for the burglaries.

    We have been working closely with the residents of the Ranfurly Manor Villas since the spate of overnight burglaries between 22-26 August 2024.

    Outdoor property was being targeted and taken from patios as the residents slept and they were understandably feeling shaken and uneasy.

    A meeting was held on Thursday 5 September at Ranfurly Manor, Police alongside our partners Community Patrol and Neighbourhood support provided crime prevention advice and reassurance for these individuals.

    Today with some public support Police were able to locate the property stolen and return it to the residents.

    Senior Constable Tracey Colville alongside Constable Char Lucas hand delivered the property back and the residents were ecstatic to be reunited with their property.

    A person of interest has been identified with charges expected in the near future.

    This is a great result for our community and shows the results we can achieve working together.

    ENDS

    Issued by Police Media Centre 

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Meeting with Chinese counterparts in Beijing

    Source: Australian Treasurer

    Over the next two days, I will meet with key Chinese counterparts in Beijing.

    This is another important step towards stabilising our economic relationship with China.

    It will be the first visit by an Australian Treasurer to China in seven years.

    These meetings are part of the Albanese Labor Government’s methodical and coordinated efforts to re‑establish dialogue with China, Australia’s largest trading partner.

    The main purpose is to co‑chair the 2024 Australia‑China Strategic Economic Dialogue with Zheng Shanjie, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, on Thursday 26 September.

    Our relationship with China is full of complexity and opportunity.

    We recognise a more stable economic relationship between Australia and China is a good thing for Australian workers, businesses, investors and our country more broadly.

    That’s why in the last week I have consulted directly with the chairs, CEOs and senior executives of major China‑facing Australian employers, including Rio Tinto, Wesfarmers, BHP, Woodside, Fortescue, Macquarie, BlueScope, HSBC, King & Wood Mallesons, the Port of Newcastle, Sydney Airport, Cochlear, the University of New South Wales, GrainCorp and the Business Council of Australia.

    Dialogue and engagement gives us the best chance to properly manage and maximise these important links.

    Our approach to China has been to cooperate where we can, disagree where we must, and engage in Australia’s national interest.

    The Strategic Economic Dialogue has not been convened since 2017 but our Government has agreed with Chinese counterparts to restart it.

    I’ll also be meeting with other counterparts from the Chinese Government during my two days of engagements.

    My meetings in China build on Prime Minister Albanese’s engagements in November 2023 and Premier Li Qiang’s meetings in Australia in June 2024.

    We recognise that there’s a lot at stake and a lot to gain from the relationship with China.

    We’ve got an opportunity to make sure both countries benefit from the continued complementarity of our economies, while protecting Australia’s interests.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trade – UAE Trade agreement: High-quality and comprehensive dairy outcome

    Source: Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ)

    The Dairy Companies Association of New Zealand (DCANZ) welcomes the announcement of a trade agreement between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and New Zealand. The deal will deliver the complete elimination of all dairy tariffs from day one.
    “New Zealand exported approximately NZ$ 700 million worth of dairy products to the UAE in the last year, making it our 10th largest dairy market. Eliminating all dairy products provides important certainty to continue growing this trade,” says DCANZ Executive Director Kimberly Crewther.
    “DCANZ congratulates Trade Minister Todd McClay and New Zealand trade negotiators on this outstanding achievement. They have demonstrated that high-quality agreements that eliminate all dairy tariffs are still possible even in an increasingly complex international environment.”
    A 2023 report from Sense Partners estimated that New Zealand dairy tariffs were subject to over NZ$ 1 billion of tariffs across all markets and that 86% of global dairy consumption occurred behind tariff barriers of 10% or more. This included ongoing tariffs in some markets where New Zealand has trade agreements, such as the European Union and Japan.
    “The UAE agreement is a positive step towards a less protectionist international environment for New Zealand dairy products. We strongly encourage the Government to continue pursuing such high-quality outcomes with other negotiating partners, including upgrading existing trade agreements that have not yet secured dairy tariff elimination.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China issues guidelines to promote high-quality, sufficient employment

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council have unveiled a set of guidelines to promote high-quality and sufficient employment by implementing the employment-first strategy.
    According to the guidelines, efforts should be made to create more high-quality jobs, including transforming and upgrading traditional industries, fostering and strengthening emerging industries, developing future industries and accelerating the development of advanced manufacturing clusters.
    Measures should be taken to expand new employment spaces in the digital economy, create more new jobs related to green industries and cultivate new growth points of employment by developing the silver economy, the guidelines state.
    They urge efforts to tackle structural unemployment, such as improving the system of lifelong vocational training.
    They call for refining the targeted and effective public services system for employment and the system of providing employment support for key groups, as well as optimizing the system for supporting self-employment and flexible employment.
    The guidelines also stress the promotion of reasonable increases in people’s remuneration for labor and expanding the coverage of social insurance.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Federation opens Warulung ‘Place of Being’ to connect to Gunaikurnai country

    Source: Federation University

    A new outdoor space at Federation University Australia’s Gippsland Campus will provide a safe and welcoming environment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, and community members to connect to country and celebrate culture.

    ‘Warulung’, meaning ‘Our place’ in the Gunaikurnai language, was officially launched this week as part of the Place of Being project by the Aboriginal Education Centre at Federation and the University’s Property and Infrastructure team, in partnership with an advisory committee made up of Traditional Owners and community leaders.

    It will support spiritual and cultural practices, dances, smoking ceremonies, and events throughout the year, enabling students, staff, and the wider community to learn, reflect and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ connection to country. 

    The site features a semi-circle of five steel shields, signifying the five clans of the Gunaikurnai: Brataualung, Brayakaulung, Brabralung, Tatungalung and Krauatungalung.

    Warulung’s spherical fire pit was designed by Gunaikurnai artist Ronald Ewards-Pepper and complements the site’s original stone fire pit designed by Gunaikurnai elder, Uncle Wayne Thorpe.

    The shields and garden were installed by the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, with design input from Gunaikurnai and Indigenous artists.

    ‘Places of Being’ have also been established at Federation campuses in the Wimmera and Ballarat, with another to be launched in 2025 in Berwick.
     

    Quotes attributable to Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Duncan Bentley   

    “The Place of Being projects provide a safe space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students and the wider community to connect to country.”  

    “We hope this amazing space at the Gippsland campus can be a central place for community to come together to celebrate the rich culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”  

     Quotes attributable to Federation University Aboriginal Education Centre Senior Manager, Katrina Beer

    “We have students and staff who come from many different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities who need a culturally safe place to connect spiritually.”

    “We hope Warulung can create that sense of belonging, like a home away from home.”

     Quotes attributable to Warulung advisory committee member, Aunty Christine Johnson

    “Country is everything. It’s family, it is life, the connection of belonging, a space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, communities and families, whereby we listen to yarn, share stories, reflect and celebrate with the wider community.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Igniting new skills in fire investigation

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    Cara Disint from Mooroopna Fire Brigade

    Cara Disint’s commitment to her local community is undeniable. A firefighter for 23 years, first with Stanhope Fire Brigade and now with Mooroopna, she is also Mooroopna Fire Brigade’s 2nd Lieutenant and Training Coordinator.

    Not one to rest on her laurels, this year she has also embarked on the Fire Investigation training pathway.

    CFA has a legislative responsibility to investigate the cause and origin of all fires that occur within the country area of Victoria, therefore Fire Investigation is one of the critical components of CFA’s responsibilities.

    In the last financial year alone, CFA investigated close to 500 fires, so the need to have investigators available to attend a scene is vital.

    “[Fire investigation] is an extension of what we do on the big red truck. Now, knowing more about it, fire investigation leads into community safety messaging, product safety recalls; It’s not all just criminal charges and things like that. It improves our training and our fire suppression activities as well.” Cara explained.

    Cara is currently half-way through the process, having completed the structural component of the training, which includes studying simulated burns at the purpose-built facility at VEMTC Huntly.

    From there, Cara is now paired up with a mentor for more hands-on training.

    “Everyone’s buddied up with a mentor, and we’re to head out now and do five scenes with a mentor and start writing reports. The instructors and the mentors are phenomenal people. They’re all subject matter experts and fire investigators themselves. Coupled with our District Fire Investigation Coordinators, there’s really extensive back-up there,” Cara said.

    Speaking at the August Volunteer Forum from Beaconsfield, Fire Investigator Brian Neal outlined the time commitment required to become a qualified Fire Investigator.

    “To get the training courses done is probably about six to eight months, and then from there it probably takes another 12 months to get your five scenes done and become competent,” Brian said.

    Cara acknowledged the time and commitment from others to ensure that trainee Fire Investigators are given all they need to succeed in the role. She has this advice for those thinking about undertaking the training:

    “You need to be committed. Do your research and know what’s involved before you sign up for the process because it is a lot of time and effort from others to bring you along for the journey.”

    Once qualified, Fire Investigators have multiple opportunities for ongoing training and professional development.

    For Cara, Fire Investigation training is a way to broaden her knowledge and ensure she’s contributing to CFA for many years to come.

    “I hope to be on the truck for a few years yet, but it’s a great way to stay involved and upskill. Technology is changing so quickly, so I just want to make sure I keep learning.”

    For more information about the Fire Investigation training pathway, enquire here.

    Submitted by Alison Smirnoff

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trade – NZ-UAE Trade Agreement welcomed by export sector

    Source: BusinessNZ

    New Zealand exporters will welcome the news of a new free trade agreement between New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates signed today, says ExportNZ.
    “The deal between the UAE and NZ looks to be a comprehensive agreement between our two countries, and the immediate tariff reductions will be warmly welcomed by NZ businesses exporting goods and services into the Gulf State,” ExportNZ Executive Director, Josh Tan said.
    “Once enforced, the FTA will eliminate 98 per cent of tariffs on NZ goods entering the UAE, streamline customs entry for goods, and will help to reduce other barriers to trade.”
    NZ’s current main exports to the UAE include dairy, meat, industrial products, horticultural products and tourism.
    “The deal will also open up new opportunities in both in the UAE and further into the Middle East, as the UAE acts as an important hub in the region for travel, imports and exports, and business,” Josh Tan said.
    “We congratulate the negotiators on both sides for taking this agreement from launch to signature in four months – a record time.”
    The BusinessNZ Network including BusinessNZ, EMA, Business Central, Business Canterbury and Business South, represents and provides services to thousands of businesses, small and large, throughout New Zealand.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Restoring safe, efficient access remains the focus for SH2 north of Napier

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    A raft of recovery work is coming up along State Highway 2 between Napier and Wairoa over the coming month, as crews continue repairing the cyclone-damaged road.

    Nightworks starting at Devil’s Elbow

    Overnight work begins from Sunday (29 September) at Devil’s Elbow on a variety of work including shoulder widening, culvert installation, culvert inlet and outlet works, pavement works, asphalt surfacing and guardrail works.

    The nightwork is expected to last until late October, with crews aiming to finish the work in the lead up to Labour weekend.

    These overnight works will take place under the existing traffic management, so people travelling will experience similar travel times as during the day – the only change will be people driving through at night will now see more crew members at various sites throughout the Devil’s Elbow area.

    Crews are expecting to complete repair work at 5 sites throughout Devil’s Elbow this spring. Four more sites will begin later this year, with most likely completed by Easter next year.

    Learn more about the recovery work at Devil’s Elbow:

    State Highway 2 Devil’s Elbow recovery work(external link)

    Waikare Gorge Bailey bridge work

    A reminder that the Waikare Gorge Bailey bridge will be closing for two nights next week while new bridge deck panels are installed:

    The bridge, on SH2 at Pūtōrino between Wairoa and Napier, will be closed to all traffic on Monday 30 September and Tuesday 1 October – between 9pm and 5am each night. There is no viable detour, so please plan ahead.

    The work will be finished by 5am on Wednesday 2 October. The contingency date is the same time the following night 9pm to 5am, Wednesday 2 October.

    Waikoau Hill rock scaling nightworks

    From next Tuesday, crews will be onsite at Waikoau Hill, just south of Tūtira, working overnight on rock scaling the upper and lower sections of the hillside above the road.

    The work will be carried out 5 nights a week (not on Friday or Saturday nights) between 8pm and 5am, Sundays to Thursdays. Because of the Waikare Bailey bridge closure starting at 9pm, the crew will start rock scaling at 9pm Tuesday 1 October. From Wednesday 2 October, the team will begin 8pm for the duration of the works.

    • Tuesday 1 October, 9pm to 5am (1 night)
    • Wednesday 2 to Friday 4 October, 8pm – 5am (3 nights)
    • Sunday 6 to Thursday 10 October, 8pm – 5am (5 nights)
    • Sunday 13 to Thursday 17 October, 8pm – 5am (5 nights)

    The work is expected to be completed by 5am Friday 18 October.

    During this work, stop/stop traffic management will be place (where both directions are held) for up to 15 minutes.

    This work is a continuation of the rock scaling which began in May and had to be postponed because of the wet weather.

    Rock scaling is crucial to ensure all loose material is removed from the hillside.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Trade Deal is no deal for Workers

    Source: Council of Trade Unions – CTU

    “Today’s announcement of a possible trade deal with the United Arab Emirates is not a cause for celebration”, says NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi President Richard Wagstaff. “There is no evidence of a deal with no enforceable rights for workers, protections against forced labour or modern slavery. Nothing has been noted abut enhancing the rights of women in the UAE.”

    “We don’t currently know the real value of the deal. No National Impact Analysis or economic analysis has been made public. The International Trade Union Confederation states the UAE has one of the worst records for absolute denial of fundamental workers’ rights. No Independent Trade Unions are allowed under UAE law, nor is there any right to strike. One thing we do know is that this deal does nothing to help tackle climate change.”

    “We will be working with the Government, parliament, and allies to highlight the problems that this trade deal will create. Migrant workers in the UAE make up 88 percent of the overall workforce, yet they have little or no protections at work. This agreement does nothing to protect them. We should send this agreement back so that a properly enforceable trade deal can be signed,” said Wagstaff.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Arts – Inaugural NZSA Shaw Writer’s Award goes to Steph Matuku!

    Source: The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc)

    The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa (PEN NZ Inc) congratulates Steph Matuku on winning the inaugural NZSA Shaw Writer’s Award 2024.

    Steph Matuku, who has written several books for young people, will use the award to help complete the writing of The Blue Dawn, a novel set in early 19th century New Zealand, when the whaling industry was at its peak. Māori mythology and tradition collide with capitalism and brutal progress, as a grieving fugitive hunts the giant octopus that will lead her to her ancestors’ homeland.

    The judging panel of Dr Paula Morris and Catherine Roberston said, “This is Steph Matuku’s first adult novel, and we thought the concept shows great promise. Steph is a hard-working writer and will make good use of this grant.”

    Tina Shaw said, “I’ve just read and enjoyed Steph’s YA novel Migration, and was really impressed. She is obviously a very talented and dedicated writer. I’m pleased to see that Steph is now moving towards an adult readership with a novel that sounds exciting and imaginative and draws on a strong mythical element from te ao Māori.”

    Of this year’s applicants, the judges said, “The number of applications shows how much need there is for an award like this. Authors often struggle at the mid-career point, and if they cannot find the right acknowledgment and support, may decide to give up. In creating the shortlist, we favoured applicants who were obviously committed to their writing career and really needed that boost to get over the midway hump. Our thanks to Tina for providing this opportunity for New Zealand writers, and congratulations to the first recipient.”

    The $5,000 award was established by award-winning novelist Tina Shaw to encourage the development of new novels by mid-career fiction writers.

    Tina Shaw is a novelist, short story writer and editor who has received many awards for her work, including the CNZ Berlin Writers Residency, the University of Waikato Writer-In-Residence and the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellowship. She won the 2018 Storylines Tessa Duder Award with Ursa which was published in 2019 by Walker Books Australia and received a Storylines Notable Book Award. As editor, her 7th edition of the Bateman NZ Writer’s Handbook was published in 2023. Her novel manuscript A House Built on Sand won the 2023 Michael Gifkins Prize and was published in 2024 by Text Publishing.

    Shaw works as a book reviewer, mentor, manuscript assessor, publisher, and is editor of the NZSA quarterly publication NZ Author.

    Find out more about the NZSA Shaw Writer’s Award: https://authors.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=905a5275ec5c023659502ec21&id=3369825759&e=466373ae7c

    The NZSA would like to thank the 2024 Judging Panel – Dr Paula Morris and Catherine Robertson and Tina Shaw for generously establishing this award.  

    Notes:
    The New Zealand Society of Authors Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa PEN NZ Inc is the principal organisation representing writers in Aotearoa. Founded in 1934, it advocates for the right to fair reward and creative rights, administers prizes and awards, works across the literary sector to make Aotearoa New Zealand writers and books more visible, and runs professional development programmes for writers. authors.org.nz

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Readout of the Secretary-General’s meeting with the Ministerial Committee mandated by the Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit

    Source: United Nations secretary general

    The Secretary-General met with the Ministerial Committee mandated by the Arab-Islamic Extraordinary Summit, chaired by H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    The Secretary-General and the Ministerial Committee discussed in particular the war in Gaza and efforts to advance the two-State solution.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Spring weather brings wind warnings for drivers in the lower North Island and upper South Island

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Drivers travelling on highways in the lower North and Upper South Islands must be ready for windy driving conditions later today and overnight.

    The Metservice has issued a Strong Wind Watch for Wellington, Wairarapa and Marlborough from 5 pm tonight to 4 am tomorrow (Friday, 27 September).

    Northwest winds may approach severe gales in exposed places and will affect all regional state highways.

    People should drive to the conditions and be prepared for the hazards strong winds can bring, such as wind gusts, wind-blown debris, downed power lines, and potential tree falls.

    Truck and van drivers, light and towing vehicles, and motorcyclists should exercise caution when travelling on exposed routes like State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill and Wainui Saddle on State Highway 1 Transmission Gully.

     Road users are also encouraged to check road and weather conditions before they travel.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lankford Statement on Continuing Resolution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Oklahoma James Lankford

    WASHINGTON, DC – Senator James Lankford (R-OK), issued the following statement after voting to support a Continuing Resolution to fund the federal government, averting a government shutdown on October 1:

    “Today I voted to support a Continuing Resolution to keep the government operating. This provides certainty for our military, veterans, law enforcement, border personnel, and others who rely on the continuity of essential services. However, we cannot continue down this path. This marks yet another year in which we are voting on stopgap measures rather than doing the serious work of passing appropriations bills.

    Majority Leader Schumer has not brought a single appropriations bill to the Senate floor. This failure is deeply concerning. Our national debt continues to grow, and runaway spending remains unchecked because we aren’t taking the time to engage in real debate over how to responsibly manage taxpayer dollars.

    While avoiding a government shutdown is critical, it is equally important that we do the hard work of governing. Congress must get back to passing individual appropriations bills to address both the immediate needs of the nation and plan for the future. Kicking the can down the road is not a plan—it’s just hoping nobody notices the mess. Oklahomans deserve better than the uncertainty of last-minute CRs, and I will continue to push for regular order in the Senate.”

    Sen. Lankford has introduced the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2023, which would take government shutdowns off the table and force Congress to stay in town until their work is done.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst, Grassley Demand Accountability on ATF’s Unlawful Misclassification Scandal

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) are pushing for accountability after the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) decided to reinstate the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) position classification authority, even after claims that ATF repeatedly and unlawfully labeled administrative positions as “law enforcement,”costing taxpayers at least $20 million. 
    “Appropriate corrective action must be taken in regards to all employees that allowed taxpayer dollars to be wasted after notification of the aforementioned misconduct,” the senators wrote. “The American public must know ATF will not revert to its previous impropriety after the restoration of its classification authority.”
    The senators are revealing the far-reaching failures among the agencies and demanding OPM release the full, unredacted Human Capital Management Evaluation (HCME) audit, and questioning why ATF’s five-year position classification review has been put on hold and for the Justice Management Division (JDM) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide all documents related to the classification of law enforcement positions.
    View the letters to the ATF, DOJ’s JDM, and OPM.
    Background:
    Last year, Ernst called out the ATF for posing as law enforcement to scam taxpayers and followed up earlier this year by demanding corrective action.
    Ernst previously blasted ATF’s unwarranted “knock and talk” tactics in which ATF agents in full gear visit private residences without a warrant to request that residents show a recently purchased firearm as proof they did not conduct a straw purchase.
    Ernst and Grassley previously grilled the agency for inappropriately targeting federal firearms license (FFL) holders and stifling Second Amendment rights by abusing its federal regulatory powers.
    To protect gun dealers, Ernst introduced her Fighting Irrational Regulatory Enforcement to Avert Retailers’ Misfortune (FIREARM) Act which would create a safe harbor for lawful gun dealers at risk of having their federal firearm license stripped for a single, minor, clerical error.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Ernst Slams White House for Underfunding Veterans After Giving Millions to Taliban and China

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA)

    WASHINGTON – After a report revealed the Biden-Harris administration underbudgeted promises to veterans by $15 billion, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a combat veteran, blasted the White House for handing over $293 million to the Taliban and having no clue how many millions it gave to Chinese labs for risky research.
    After the Biden-Harris administration lost track of tax dollars being sent to mad scientists in China, Ernst is introducing the Chinese Laboratory Accountability and Watchful Spending (CLAWS) Act, which would require the Office of Management and Budget to annually disclose all taxpayer-funded research conducted in China.
    “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are undervaluing our heroes and underwriting our adversaries,” said Ernst. “When you ask why there are millions for the Taliban and China but not enough for veterans, it appears the cat has this administration’s tongue. We can claw back taxpayer dollars by ending support for terrorist groups, exposing all funding for batty experiments in China, and giving our veterans the highest quality of care.”
    “Taxpayers have a right to know how much of their money is being recklessly shipped to Chinese animal labs that butcher beagles, poison puppies, and supercharge viruses in cruel and dangerous experiments. As the organization that first exposed Fauci’s funding for the Wuhan animal lab and ongoing U.S. government funding for dog tests and dozens of other animal labs in China, we applaud Senator Ernst and Representative Langworthy for introducing the common-sense CLAWS Act to crack down on Uncle Sam’s wasteful spending in China’s unaccountable animal labs,” said Justin Goodman, White Coat Waste Project Senior Vice President.
    Background:
    Over the past four years, Ernst has led the charge in conducting oversight investigations exposing the millions of taxpayer dollars being paid to laboratories and institutions in China and led the successful effort to defund and debar China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology.
    She is the sponsor of the Accountability in Foreign Animal Research (AFAR) Act banning taxpayer funding of animal research in Chinese, Russian, and Iranian labs.
    Last month, Senator Ernst blasted the White House for sending $293 million to the Taliban and amended her TRACKS Act to track and publicly disclose any tax dollars the Pentagon sends to the Taliban or any other foreign adversary.
    Last week, she championed the Protecting Regular Order (PRO) for Veterans Act to hold the Department of Veterans Affairs accountable for a Veterans Benefits Administration budget shortfall of $15 billion.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sinema Introduces Sharad Desai, Nominee for U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona to the Senate Judiciary Committee

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)
    Sinema worked directly with the White House to nominate Sharad Desai to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge 

    For a broadcast-quality HD clip, click HERE.
    For an MP3 soundbite, click HERE.WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema introduced Sharad Desai, nominee to the U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Arizona to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sinema recommended Mr. Desai and worked directly with the White House on his nomination to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.  “Sharad Desai represents the best of the Arizona legal community. He possesses the experience, integrity, and intellect to serve honorably as a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona,” said Sinema.  Earlier this year, Sinema applauded Sharad Desai’s nomination to serve as a U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Arizona. Mr. Desai is a native Arizonan and, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he would be Arizona’s first South Asian federal district judge. Mr. Desai currently serves as Vice President and General Counsel for Honeywell’s Integrated Supply Chain and Information Technology groups, where he manages legal risk, ensures compliance with laws and regulations across the globe, resolves disputes prior to litigation, and more. At Honeywell, Mr. Desai has served in numerous roles, including as Litigation Counsel for Honeywell’s Aerospace division and Chief Litigation Counsel for the Safety and Productivity Solutions division. In these roles, Mr. Desai managed a docket of federal and state court matters and arbitrations – including commercial, qui tam, product liability, and toxic tort matters. Mr. Desai also selected outside counsel, developed the litigation strategy, and coordinated discovery efforts. He was also responsible for handling government subpoenas and civil investigatory demands, as well as subpoenas received in connection with civil and criminal matters. Mr. Desai also worked almost for a decade at the Arizona law firm Osborn Maledon, becoming a partner in the litigation group where he represented clients – including individuals, small business, and Fortune 100 companies – in commercial litigation and appellate matters. In this role, Mr. Desai regularly appeared in both federal and state courts, mental health court proceedings, and lawyer ethics matters. After graduating from New York University Law School in 2006, Mr. Desai clerked for Arizona Supreme Court then-Vice Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch. Mr. Desai earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Magna Cum Laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Arizona in 2003, where he was a Flinn Scholar. Sinema has a track record of earning broad bipartisan support for judicial nominees. Earlier this year, Sinema celebrated the Senate confirmation of Arizona’s Angela Martinez and Krissa Lanham as federal judges for the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona – which Sinema personally ensured both nominees earned a broad bipartisan vote. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Risch Statement on Continuing Resolution

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Idaho James E Risch
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) released the following statement after voting against the Continuing Resolution:
    “Passing a continuing resolution merely kicks the can down the road, and by doing so Congress has shirked its constitutional duty to fund the government and ensure the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. It is not fair to Idahoans to delay another funding fight until after a pivotal election and before the holidays. Congress must do better.”
    The Continuing Resolution funds the government through December 20, 2024. The measure passed the Senate 78-18.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Quality Jobs and the Future of Work in Asia and the Pacific: Impacts of a Triple Transition—Demographic, Digital, and Green

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. It assists its members and partners by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development.

    Headquarters

    6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City 1550, Metro Manila, Philippines

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Before Trump, there was a long history of race-baiting, fear-mongering and building walls on the US-Mexico border

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Marie-Eve Loiselle, Lecturer in Law, Macquarie University

    Last month, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivered a one-hour address on the danger of illegal immigration to the United States. His stage was the US-Mexico border in Arizona and the set piece of his performance was the border wall.

    The message was simple: with their border policy, Democrats have “unleashed a deadly plague of migrant crime”. Trump has ratcheted up the tensions on immigration further since then, repeating wild conspiracy theories about Haitian immigrants eating pets and, more recently, claiming migrants are “attacking villages and cities all throughout the Midwest”.

    What the US needs, Trump has repeatedly stressed, is a closed border, a walled border.

    A long history of wall-building advocacy

    The US-Mexico border wall, which is currently around 700 miles in length in various stretches, has loomed large in American politics in recent decades, especially since the 2016 US presidential campaign. Yet, current stories about the wall mostly overlook its history.

    Most importantly, the media ignore the long-standing appeal of the wall as a tool of spatial and cultural division in the making of the US-Mexico border.

    In my forthcoming book, I trace the origin of the border wall to the early 1900s, when the US Immigration Service and other federal agencies called for the construction of barriers at the border.

    Congress answered their appeal by adopting an act in 1935 that authorised the secretary of state to construct and maintain fences between the US and Mexico. For decades following its adoption, US officials stood before Congress almost yearly, asking for funding for the construction of border fences.

    This trend culminated in the 1940s with two parallel projects: the Western Land Boundary Fence Project (576 miles or 926 kilometres of fencing from El Paso, Texas, to the west) and the Rio Grande Border Fence Project (415 miles or 668 kilometres of fencing along the Mexico-Texas border).

    Neither one of these projects was ever fully realised. But if they had been built, they would have surpassed the length of the current border wall.

    Immigration, disease and crime

    What is telling when looking at the history is how similar the arguments supporting such fences in the early 1900s were to those deployed today. Immigration, disease and crime have been recurring justifications for the wall, both then and now.

    Indeed, there is an uncanny likeness to Trump’s rhetoric surrounding the US-Mexico border — including during his August speech in Arizona — and the narratives justifying a border wall in the mid-20th century.

    High on the list of justifications was the need to deter “juvenile delinquents”, “thieves”, “beggars”, undocumented workers, narcotic smugglers, “wetbacks” (a derogatory term for Mexicans), and Mexican nationals seeking medical care in the US at public expense.

    These arguments appeared regularly in government reports and during congressional hearings from the 1930s to the late 1950s.

    A 1934 report by the Immigration Services on the feasibility of a short border fence between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, for example, said it would stifle illegal immigration that took employment opportunities from American workers, while lowering wages in the borderland area.

    Reminiscent of recent analogies between the borderland and a “war zone”, the report noted that sending agents to patrol the border without proper equipment was pointless. It was akin to:

    put[ting] a body of troops in the field in an enemy’s theatre of operation without artillery, observation planes, trucks, ammunition and other weapons.

    The fence was “the correct solution to the problem.”

    At times, the fear of the undocumented merged with the fear of contagion. A foot and mouth disease outbreak in Mexico in 1946, for example, provided additional rhetorical support for the wall. As Texas Senator Tom Connally said when the Committee on Foreign Relations considered the issue:

    It has been a dream of the Department of State for many years to have this fence, not because of the hoof and mouth disease, but for immigration and customs and smuggling and all of that sort of thing.

    Senator Tom Connally in 1938.
    Harris & Ewing photographs, via Wikimedia Commons

    Persistent racial faultlines

    The 1935 act has long been forgotten. In fact, by the end of the 1950s, only a few hundred miles of fencing had actually been built.

    These earlier walling plans failed for a range of reasons, including opposition by Texan landowners and industries relying on illegal Mexican labour. Perhaps most importantly, there were serious reservations back then about the efficiency of fences in curbing immigration.

    Yet, these doubts have not weighed in to the same extent in contemporary debates about the border wall. This underscores the performative role of the wall in today’s politics.

    In fact, close to 700 hundred miles (1,126 kilometres) of fencing has been built under the Secure Fence Act of 2006. This includes large portions of the wall built under the presidency of Barack Obama and, to a lesser extent, Trump’s.

    What has filtered through, however, is the racialised narrative that paints Mexicans nationals in a disparaging way.

    This rhetoric relied on generalisations and stereotypes on themes such as criminality, licentiousness and disease. It transformed Mexico into a threat to be curtailed and became a frame of reference that has permeated politics for decades – and is now a defining issue in the upcoming presidential election.

    Marie-Eve Loiselle does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Before Trump, there was a long history of race-baiting, fear-mongering and building walls on the US-Mexico border – https://theconversation.com/before-trump-there-was-a-long-history-of-race-baiting-fear-mongering-and-building-walls-on-the-us-mexico-border-238425

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI: Westhaven Announces Brokered Private Placement for Gross Proceeds of Up to C$5.0 Million

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES.

    VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Westhaven Gold Corp. (TSX-V:WHN) (“Westhaven” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into an agreement with Red Cloud Securities Inc. (the “Agent”) to act as sole agent and bookrunner in connection with a best efforts, private placement (the “Marketed Offering“) for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$5,000,000 from the sale of the following:

    • 10,000,000 units of the Company (each, a “Unit”) at a price of C$0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to C$1,500,000 from the sale of Units; and
    • gross proceeds of up to C$3,500,000 from the sale of any combination of (i) common shares of the Company that will quality as “flow-through shares” within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (each, a “Traditional FT Share”) at a price of C$0.175 per Traditional FT Share and (ii) flow-through units of the Company to be sold to charitable purchasers (each, a “Charity FT Unit”, and collectively with the Units and Traditional FT Shares, the “Offered Securities”) at a price of C$0.22 per Charity FT Unit.

    Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a “Unit Share”) and one half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a “Warrant”). Each Charity FT Unit will consist of one Traditional FT Share and one half of one Warrant. Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company (each, a “Warrant Share”) at a price of C$0.22 at any time on or before that date which is 24 months after the closing date of the Offering (as defined below).

    The Agent will have an option, exercisable in full or in part, up to 48 hours prior to the closing of the Offering, to sell up to an additional C$1,000,000 in any combination of Units, Traditional FT Shares and Charity FT Units at their respective offering prices (the “Agents’ Option” and together with the Marketed Offering, the “Offering”).

    Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (“NI 45-106”), those Units, Traditional FT Shares and Charity FT Units representing gross proceeds of up to C$5,000,000 (the “LIFE Securities”) will be offered for sale to purchasers in the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan (the “Canadian Selling Jurisdictions”) pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the “Listed Issuer Financing Exemption”). The Unit Shares, Traditional FT Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares issuable pursuant to the sale of the LIFE Securities are expected to be immediately freely tradeable under applicable Canadian securities legislation if sold to purchasers resident in Canada. The Units may also be sold in offshore jurisdictions and in the United States on a private placement basis pursuant to one or more exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the “U.S. Securities Act“), as amended.

    Any Units and Charity FT Units sold in excess of gross proceeds of C$5,000,000 as well as the Traditional FT Shares (collectively, the “Non-LIFE Securities”) will be offered by way of the “accredited investor” and “minimum amount investment” exemptions under NI 45-106 in the Canadian Selling Jurisdictions, or in the case of the Units, also in offshore jurisdictions and the United States on a private placement basis pursuant to one or more exemptions from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act. The Unit Shares, Traditional FT Shares, Warrants and Warrant Shares issuable from the sale of Non-LIFE Securities will be subject to a hold period ending on the date that is four months plus one day following the closing date of the Offering under applicable Canadian securities laws.

    The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of Units for working capital and general corporate purposes. The gross proceeds from the issuance of the Traditional FT Shares and the Charity FT Units will be used for Canadian exploration expenses on the Company’s mineral projects in British Columbia and will qualify as “flow-through mining expenditures”, as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the “Qualifying Expenditures”), which will be incurred on or before December 31, 2025 and renounced to the subscribers with an effective date no later than December 31, 2024 in an aggregate amount not less than the gross proceeds raised from the issue of the Traditional FT Shares and Charity FT Units.

    The Offering is scheduled to close on or around October 15, 2024, or such other date as the Company and the Agent may agree, and is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, receipt of all necessary approvals including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

    The Company will pay to the Agent a cash commission of 6% of the gross proceeds raised in respect of the Offering (the “Agents’ Commission”). In addition, the Company will issue to the Agent warrants of the Company (each warrant, a “Broker Warrant”), exercisable for a period of 24 months following the Closing Date, to acquire in aggregate that number of common shares of the Company which is equal to 6% of the number of Offered Securities sold under the Offering at an exercise price equal to C$0.15 per Common Share.

    There is an offering document related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company’s profile at http://www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at http://www.westhavengold.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision.

    To the extent that any directors and/or officers the Company participate in the Offering, such participation will constitute a “related party transaction” within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101“). The Company expects any participation by directors and officers in the Offering will be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 based on the fact that neither the fair market value of the Units, Traditional FT Shares or Charity FT Units subscribed for by directors and officers, nor the consideration for such securities to be paid by them, will exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization.

    The securities offered have not been, nor will they be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, as amended, or any state securities law, and may not be offered, sold or delivered, directly or indirectly, within the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of U.S. persons, absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

    On behalf of the Board of Directors

    WESTHAVEN GOLD CORP.

    “Gareth Thomas”

    Gareth Thomas, President, CEO & Director

    Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

    About Westhaven Gold Corp.

    Westhaven is a gold-focused exploration company advancing the high-grade discovery on the Shovelnose project in Canada’s newest gold district, the Spences Bridge Gold Belt. Westhaven controls 60,950 hectares (609.5 square kilometres) with four gold properties spread along this underexplored belt. The Shovelnose property is situated off a major highway, near power, rail, large producing mines, and within commuting distance from the city of Merritt, which translates into low-cost exploration. Westhaven trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol WHN. For further information, please call 604-681-5558 or visit Westhaven’s website at http://www.westhavengold.com

    Forward Looking Statements:

    This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws, which is based upon the Company’s current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs. The forward-looking information included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the Company’s expectations with respect to the Offering; the use of proceeds of the Offering; completion of the Offering and the date of such completion. Forward-looking statements or forward-looking information relate to future events and future performance and include statements regarding the expectations and beliefs of management based on information currently available to the Company. Such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information often, but not always, can be identified by the use of words such as “plans”, “expects”, “potential”, “is expected”, “anticipated”, “is targeted”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or the negatives thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved.

    Forward-looking information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, and without limitation: that the Offering may not close within the timeframe anticipated or at all or may not close on the terms and conditions currently anticipated by the Company for a number of reasons including, without limitation, as a result of the occurrence of a material adverse change, disaster, change of law or other failure to satisfy the conditions to closing of the Offering; the Company will not be able to raise sufficient funds to complete its planned exploration program; that the Company will not derive the expected benefits from its current program; the Company may not use the proceeds of the Offering as currently contemplated; the Company may fail to find a commercially viable deposit at any of its mineral properties; the Company’s plans may be adversely affected by the Company’s reliance on historical data compiled by previous parties involved with its mineral properties; mineral exploration and development are inherently risky industries; the mineral exploration industry is intensely competitive; additional financing may not be available to the Company when required or, if available, the terms of such financing may not be favourable to the Company; fluctuations in the demand for gold or gold prices generally; the Company may not be able to identify, negotiate or finance any future acquisitions successfully, or to integrate such acquisitions with its current business; the Company’s exploration activities are dependent upon the grant of appropriate licenses, concessions, leases, permits and regulatory consents, which may be withdrawn or not granted; the Company’s operations could be adversely affected by possible future government legislation, policies and controls or by changes in applicable laws and regulations; there is no guarantee that title to the properties in which the Company has a material interest will not be challenged or impugned; the Company faces various risks associated with mining exploration that are not insurable or may be the subject of insurance which is not commercially feasible for the Company; the volatility of global capital markets over the past several years has generally made the raising of capital more difficult; inflationary cost pressures may escalate the Company’s operating costs; compliance with environmental regulations can be costly; social and environmental activism can negatively impact exploration, development and mining activities; the success of the Company is largely dependent on the performance of its directors and officers; the Company’s operations may be adversely affected by First Nations land claims; the Company and/or its directors and officers may be subject to a variety of legal proceedings, the results of which may have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business; the Company may be adversely affected if potential conflicts of interests involving its directors and officers are not resolved in favour of the Company; the Company’s future profitability may depend upon the world market prices of gold; dilution from future equity financing could negatively impact holders of the Company’s securities; failure to adequately meet infrastructure requirements could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business; the Company’s projects now or in the future may be adversely affected by risks outside the control of the Company; the Company is subject to various risks associated with climate change, the Company is subject to general global risks arising from epidemic diseases, the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, rising inflation and interest rates and the impact they will have on the Company’s operations, supply chains, ability to access mining projects or procure equipment, supplies, contractors and other personnel on a timely basis or at all is uncertain; as well as other risk factors in the Company’s other public filings available at http://www.sedarplus.ca. Readers are cautioned that this list of risk factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. The Company cannot guarantee future results, performance, or achievements. Consequently, there is no representation that the actual results achieved will be the same, in whole or in part, as those set out in the forward-looking information. The Company undertakes no duty to update any of the forward-looking information to conform such information to actual results or to changes in the Company’s expectations, except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this offering document is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Funding Developing Asia’s Old-Age Needs: Challenges and Opportunities

    Source: Asia Development Bank

    The paper also finds that labor income will play a smaller role in funding the region’s old-age needs, while public and private transfers will play a larger role. While expanding public transfers will contribute toward old-age economic security, the region must carefully plan such expansion and avoid unsustainable generosity to safeguard the macroeconomic stability that underpinned its rapid economic growth and development.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Health: how to sort out truth from falsehood?

    MIL OSI Translation. Government of the Republic of France statements from French to English –

    Source: Republic of France in FrenchThe French Republic has issued the following statement:

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    Fake news

    Published on September 26, 2024 – Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

    Does fasting really help fight cancer? Is collagen really effective in fighting pain? The French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) helps you decipher fake news, this false or deliberately biased information, contributing to misinformation, which circulates on the internet and social networks in terms of health.

    Image 1Credits: Krakenimages.com – stock.adobe.com

    Detox Channel

    When spread en masse, false information can affect the power of discernment and influence public opinion in a negative way.

    To combat disinformation, Inserm is setting up a series to promote scientific discourse: Detox Channel. You will find short videos and tips to help you decode the news and verify the information circulating in the field of science and health.

    This new campaign aims to encourage citizens to turn to scientific sources for information.

    What topics are covered on Canal Détox?

    Here are some examples of fake news covered in the Inserm series:

    Namely

    Do you want to report illegal content on the Internet? Go to Pharos, the Ministry of the Interior’s portal dedicated to reporting illegal content on the Internet. Do you have questions about your child’s use of digital tools? You can consult the platform I protect my child.

    See also

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Stockland and Supalai’s acquisition of Lendlease MPC projects not opposed, subject to divestiture

    Source: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

    The ACCC will not oppose Stockland and Supalai’s proposed acquisition of 12 Lendlease (ASX: LLC) residential masterplanned community projects after accepting a court-enforceable undertaking.

    The undertaking requires Stockland to divest the Forest Reach masterplanned community project in the Illawarra region of New South Wales.

    Lendlease, Stockland, and Supalai are developers of masterplanned community (MPC) projects. Lendlease has 16 masterplanned community projects in NSW, Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, 12 of which Stockland and Supalai are proposing to acquire.

    “Without the divestment, the proposed acquisition would bring together the two largest masterplanned community projects in the already concentrated Illawarra market,” ACCC Commissioner Dr Philip Williams said.

    “This could have resulted in increased prices, delayed supply, or reduced quality of housing lots in the Illawarra region, to the detriment of prospective homeowners.”

    The ACCC’s investigation found that there were few alternative masterplanned community projects to constrain Stockland in the Illawarra and that prospective entrants faced challenges, including delays in the availability of essential infrastructure such as sewer and water services.

    To address the ACCC’s concerns, Stockland offered an undertaking to the ACCC to divest its Forest Reach masterplanned community project near Dapto in the Illawarra.

    “The ACCC considers that the divestiture undertaking given by Stockland addresses the competition issues that would arise from Stockland owning both Forest Reach and having an interest in Lendlease’s nearby Calderwood Valley project as a result of the proposed acquisition,” Dr Williams said.

    The ACCC is also satisfied that the proposed acquisition is unlikely to cause serious competition concerns in other areas.

    Accordingly, with the undertaking, the ACCC considers the proposed acquisition is not likely to have the effect of substantially lessening competition in any market. This includes markets for the supply of residential masterplanned community housing in North West Perth, Ipswich, and Moreton Bay, where the ACCC considers there are sufficient alternative developments available to constrain Stockland and/or the joint venture.

    Further information, including the undertaking accepted by the ACCC, can be found on the ACCC’s public register: Stockland Supalai Residential Communities Partnership Pty Ltd – Lendlease Group.

    Notes to editors

    Masterplanned community projects are residential property developments on greenfield land which are typically delivered in phases over multiple years. They are characterised by access to amenities with a focus on ‘community living’, such as open spaces, recreational facilities, education and community hubs, as well as commercial or retail centres.

    “Greenfield” is a term that refers undeveloped land.

    Background

    Stockland Supalai Residential Communities Partnership Pty Ltd (SSRCP) (a wholly-owned subsidiary of a special purpose acquisition vehicle owned by Stockland Communities Partnership HoldCo Pty Ltd (Stockland) and Supalai Australia Holdings Pty Limited (Supalai)) proposes to acquire 12 masterplanned communities from Lendlease Group (Lendlease).

    The masterplanned communities are located in greenfield growth areas across Greater Sydney, South East Queensland, Greater Melbourne and Greater Perth.

    The ACCC Statement of Issues, published on 4 July 2024, raised preliminary concerns with the proposed acquisition in relation to the supply of residential masterplanned community housing in four regions – the Illawarra, North West Perth, Ipswich and Moreton Bay.

    In the Illawarra region, SSRCP proposes to acquire Lendlease’s Calderwood Valley project.

    Stockland is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stockland Corporation Limited (Stockland Group) (ASX: SGP), an ASX-listed diversified Australian property group that owns, funds, develops and manages portfolios of investment properties. Stockland Group has interests in 30 masterplanned communities developments across NSW, ACT, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.

    Supalai is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Supalai Public Company Limited, which is listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. Supalai Public Company Limited principally operates as a property developer. Supalai has investments in various masterplanned communities in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia through joint ventures with other developers, including Mirvac, Stockland, Satterley, Peet and ICD Property.

    Lendlease is an ASX-listed global real estate business.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Tsunami test warning on BOM Weather app – no tsunami threat to Australia

    Source: Weather Warnings – Australia

    25/09/2024

    UPDATED: 4.30PM 25 September 2024

    There is NO tsunami threat to Australia.

    The Bureau of Meteorology today (Wednesday 25 September 2024) issued test posts on the BOM Weather app between 11AM-12PM AEST.

    The test warnings were issued to the public in error as part of tests to tsunami early warning system software.

    The Bureau acknowledges and apologises for any confusion that this test has caused.

    The test warnings were sent to the BOM Weather app for various locations. The test warnings were cancelled immediately after they were issued.

    Testing ensures the Bureau and partners are prepared for real tsunami threats.

    The Bureau is part of the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre (JATWC) and this is operated 24 hours a day to detect, monitor, verify and warn of any tsunami threats to the coastline of Australia and its offshore territories.

    The Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre is the national authority and provides the most accurate tsunami warning information for Australia.

    The Bureau will continue to issue forecasts and warnings via the website and BOM Weather app.

    [ENDS]

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Langworthy Honors the Life of Chautauqua County Undersheriff Richard Telford on the House Floor

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Langworthy (NY-23) honored the life of Chautauqua County Undersheriff Richard Telford during a speech on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Undersheriff Telford, a respected public servant, passed away following a battle with cancer after more than 30 years of service in law enforcement.

     

    Watch the full speech here.

     

    Transcript:

    “Mr. Speaker,

    I rise today to honor the life and service of Chautauqua County Undersheriff Richard Telford, a dedicated public servant who spent over three decades protecting and serving the people of our county.

    Rich’s passing is a profound loss for Chautauqua County. Those who had the honor of knowing him, say they knew they could always count on Rich. In remembering him Sheriff Quattrone said, “Rich was a man of integrity, he could always be counted on to do the right thing.”

    Throughout his service, his sense of duty and commitment to the community he grew up in ran very deep.

    After graduating from Jamestown High School and studying criminal justice at Jamestown Community College, Rich began his law enforcement career in 1991 with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office. He quickly rose through the ranks, serving as a deputy, a sergeant overseeing the county’s 911 center, a lieutenant, and later a supervisor for court security. His hard work and leadership were undeniable, and in 2021, he was appointed undersheriff of Chautauqua County—a role in which he continued to lead by example.

    Rich’s dedication to the community wasn’t limited to his badge. He is remembered as a family man, a loving family man, devoted to his wife Amanda and their three children, Katelynn, Andrew, and Alex.

    Throughout his career, Rich embodied the qualities we look for in our public servants—integrity, courage, and respect. His actions over 33 years spoke louder than any words. Whether it was investigating fires with the department’s fire investigation team or attending the prestigious FBI National Academy, Rich never stopped pushing himself to be better for his community.

    Mr. Speaker, our hearts are heavy today, but we are filled with gratitude for the life and legacy of Rich Telford. His dedication and service to Chautauqua County will not be forgotten.

    Your family is in our prayers, Rich. You will be missed, but your contributions will live on through the many lives you’ve touched.

    Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I yield back.”

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Moran Votes No on Continuing Resolution

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Nathaniel Moran (TX-01)

    Congressman Moran Votes No on Continuing Resolution

    Washington, D.C., September 25, 2024

    Washington, D.C. ­– Congressman Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-01) released the following statement after voting against the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2025:

    “I voted no on today’s ‘clean’ continuing resolution (CR) because it neither reduced spending, nor resulted in substantial policy wins that we would not have otherwise gotten through regular order. And, it only provided funding through December 20th. Congress must take fiscal responsibility seriously and return to a full-year appropriations process that results in 12 bills that are crafted, evaluated, and debated with thoughtful input from Members both in committee and on the House floor.

    “Last week, Speaker Johnson proposed a compromise plan I supported that would have funded our government while also providing leverage to pass critical election integrity reform through the Democrat-run Senate. Unfortunately, that measure fell short, leading to today’s ‘clean’ CR. I commend Speaker Johnson’s work crafting legislation narrow enough to prevent Senate Democrats from packing it full of wasteful spending and pet projects, but I do not believe a vote for today’s spending bill would have accurately represented the values of East Texas. As such, I could not support it.”

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    MIL OSI USA News –