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  • MIL-OSI: Ascent Global Logistics Joins the TriumphPay Network to Enhance Carrier Payments

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DALLAS, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — TriumphPay announced today the addition of Ascent Global Logistics (“Ascent”), a leading global provider of expedited, time-critical logistics solutions, to the TriumphPay Network, as a full audit and payments participant. By joining the TriumphPay Network, Ascent is taking a significant step toward providing a more streamlined payment experience.

    “At Ascent, our carriers are at the heart of everything we do, and their success directly impacts the level of service we provide to our customers,” said Jack Korslin, chief financial officer of Ascent Global Logistics. “We’re excited to begin our partnership with TriumphPay by rolling out enhanced payment solutions to our carriers in our brokerage business segment, with plans to expand to the rest of our carrier network in the near future.”

    Adding Ascent to the TriumphPay Network represents another significant milestone for the ongoing growth and expansion of the network. In the second quarter, network engagement was $51.3 billion in unique brokered freight transactions, nearing 50% of the freight market.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Ascent Global Logistics to our network,” said Aaron P. Graft, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Triumph Financial. “As we continue to build the density of our network, adding new brokers is critical to achieving our long-term goals. Creating density is the foundation for delivering even greater efficiency and value to our customers. With each new participant, we’re enhancing the ecosystem and network effect, making it more beneficial for all participants.”

    TriumphPay provides innovative payment processing solutions tailored for the transportation industry. These solutions empower freight brokers to achieve heightened operational efficiency, improved financial transparency, and enhanced fraud mitigation.

    Ascent joins leading, notable U.S. freight brokers on the TriumphPay Network. For more information, visit www.ascentlogistics.com and www.triumphpay.com.

    About TriumphPay
    TriumphPay is the premier network for freight brokers, factors, shippers and carriers in the North American trucking industry, offering a structured, secure data exchange. The TriumphPay Network and integrated technology solutions remove friction and reduce fraud in the presentment, audit and payment of approximately $51.3 billion in unique brokered freight transactions. TriumphPay is a division of TBK Bank, SSB, Member FDIC, and a member of the Triumph Financial, Inc. (Nasdaq: TFIN) portfolio of brands. For more information, visit us at www.triumphpay.com.

    About Ascent Global Logistics
    Ascent Global Logistics, headquartered in Belleville, Michigan, is a leading global provider of expedited, time-critical logistics solutions and other direct transportation services. The company connects customers to its extensive carrier network, internal ground fleet and airline via its proprietary, digital PEAK freight marketplace, which provides robust carrier capacity and transparent pricing, backed by 24/7/365 logistics experts. Ascent’s offerings include air charter and ground expedited solutions as well as truckload, less-than-truckload, global forwarding, brokerage, and managed transportation services. The experienced Ascent team solves customers’ most challenging logistics needs by providing industry-leading service and top-tier satisfaction. To learn more, visit www.ascentlogistics.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements
    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Investors are cautioned that such statements are predictions and that actual events or results may differ materially. Triumph Financial’s expected financial results or other plans are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” and the forward-looking statement disclosure contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 13, 2024. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and Triumph Financial undertakes no duty to update the information.

    Source: Triumph Financial, Inc.

    Investor Relations Contact:
    Luke Wyse
    Triumph Financial, Inc.
    Senior Vice President, Head of Investor Relations
    lwyse@tfin.com

    Media Contacts:
    Amanda Tavackoli
    Triumph Financial, Inc.
    Senior Vice President, Director of Corporate Communication
    atavackoli@tfin.com

    Kelli Finn
    Ascent Global Logistics
    Director of Marketing
    media@ascentlogistics.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Banzai Announces $24.8 Million Debt Payoff and Restructuring Agreements with Participation from Company Insiders

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Agreements to Significantly Improve Balance Sheet by Reducing Total Debt, Deferring Principal and Interest Payments, and Substantially Lowering Near-Term Cash Needs

    SEATTLE, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Banzai International, Inc. (NASDAQ: BNZI) (“Banzai” or the “Company”), a leading marketing technology company that provides essential marketing and sales solutions, today announced that it entered into agreements with lenders and service providers to write off up to $5.6 million of outstanding liabilities and restructure a further $19.2 million of its existing debt obligations, improving the Company’s overall financial position by amending certain credit obligations and extending the maturity of certain debt facilities. Including the previously executed Cantor Fitzgerald fee restructuring, this represents a total of $28.8 million in anticipated reduced and restructured liabilities.

    Banzai has reached an agreement with creditors to eliminate approximately $15.3 million of debt via a combination of private placement and debt restructuring, with participation from insiders including Alco Investment Company (“Alco”).

    As part of the debt restructuring, a term loan with CB BF Lending is being converted to a fixed-price convertible with a maturity date extended to February 19, 2027, a two-year extension. This substantially increases the cash runway and improves working capital; we believe it will also enable the Company to achieve its near-term growth initiatives.

    “These agreements are delivering on our commitments and taking meaningful steps to significantly reduce our debt burden and strengthen Banzai’s financial position,” said Joe Davy, CEO of Banzai. “I am confident that this restructure will provide the financial flexibility needed to significantly improve the company’s balance sheet, allowing us to continue executing our strategy to build a data-driven platform with essential marketing technology solutions that integrate seamlessly.

    “We are committed to making progress in improving liquidity and strengthening our capital structure to position us for long-term success. We appreciate the support of our lenders and stakeholders who have demonstrated their belief in the Company’s strategy and future,” concluded Davy.

    About Banzai

    Banzai is a marketing technology company that provides essential marketing and sales solutions for businesses of all sizes. On a mission to help their customers achieve their mission, Banzai enables companies of all sizes to target, engage, and measure both new and existing customers more effectively. Banzai customers include Square, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Thinkific, Doodle and ActiveCampaign, among thousands of others. Learn more at www.banzai.io. For investors, please visit https://ir.banzai.io.

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements often use words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “target,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “propose,” “plan,” “project,” “forecast,” “predict,” “potential,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar variations and expressions. Forward-looking statements are those that do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Examples of forward-looking statements may include, among others, statements regarding Banzai International, Inc.’s (the “Company’s”): future financial, business and operating performance and goals; annualized recurring revenue and customer retention; ongoing, future or ability to maintain or improve its financial position, cash flows, and liquidity and its expected financial needs; potential financing and ability to obtain financing; acquisition strategy and proposed acquisitions and, if completed, their potential success and financial contributions; strategy and strategic goals, including being able to capitalize on opportunities; expectations relating to the Company’s industry, outlook and market trends; total addressable market and serviceable addressable market and related projections; plans, strategies and expectations for retaining existing or acquiring new customers, increasing revenue and executing growth initiatives; and product areas of focus and additional products that may be sold in the future. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and our actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity and development of the industry in which the Company operates may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Therefore, investors should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include changes in the markets in which the Company operates, customer demand, the financial markets, economic, business and regulatory and other factors, such as the Company’s ability to execute on its strategy. More detailed information about risk factors can be found in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and the Company’s Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q under the heading “Risk Factors,” and in other reports filed by the Company, including reports on Form 8-K. The Company does not undertake any duty to update forward-looking statements after the date of this press release.

    Investor Relations:
    Chris Tyson
    Executive Vice President
    MZ Group – MZ North America
    949-491-8235
    BNZI@mzgroup.us
    www.mzgroup.us

    Media
    Rachel Meyrowitz
    Director, Demand Generation, Banzai
    rachel.meyrowitz@banzai.io

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Lofty’s Enhanced Enterprise Platform Proven to Accelerate Business Growth

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHOENIX, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Award-winning real estate technology innovator Lofty today unveiled an enhanced Enterprise platform, purpose built to support the unique and complex needs of all brokerages – both traditional and virtual. Top brokerages including Epique Realty, Lucido Global, and REAL rely on the AI powered platform, proven to help boost agent productivity and accelerate profitable growth. Featuring enhanced reporting capabilities, extensive custom branding options, and an innovative new pricing scheme, Lofty’s Enterprise platform provides the foundation brokerage owners need to recruit and retain a powerhouse team and effectively compete in today’s market while also helping them to reduce their technology costs. To learn more about Lofty, visit HERE.

    All-in-One Platform Expressly Built for Modern Brokerages
    Lofty’s Enterprise platform features a new flexible org structure designed to fit brokerages of all types – including both traditional and virtual models – and effectively scale as the business grows. With enhanced reporting capabilities to help increase agent and team productivity, capture campaign ROI and critical performance metrics, the updated platform delivers the operational intelligence needed to drive the business forward. New pricing models include a unique revenue-sharing option that empowers brokerages to significantly reduce their cost of ownership, and with a robust library of custom white label options, Lofty Enterprise helps customers amplify brand loyalty efforts.

    The award-winning platform is also a lynchpin to recruiting and retaining a powerhouse team. Lauded for its easy to use and intuitive interface, Lofty ensures agents are up and running quickly and immediately benefit from access to an all-in-one platform, designed to support the entire real estate process, from search to settlement. By automating time consuming, mundane tasks through intuitive AI capabilities, Lofty empowers agents to focus on building essential customer relationships to close more deals faster. And with an unwavering commitment to innovation, Lofty delivers new features regularly– from marketing automations and social media content development to sleek IDX templates and effective smart plans – to support evolving agent needs.

    Top Brokerages Rely on Lofty Enterprise Platform
    Large brokerage customers who rely on Lofty’s Enterprise platform report increased agent adoption, significant time and cost savings and accelerated business growth. In just one year since implementing Lofty Enterprise, fast growing virtual brokerage Epique Realty has increased their agent base by 342%, more than 2,000 agents. Today, 90% of Epique agents rely on Lofty, an adoption rate three times higher than with the company’s previous CRM. According to CEO and Co-Founder, Josh Miller, “If you’re a large, growing brokerage, I encourage you to consider Lofty as your platform of choice. We currently manage more than 500k leads through Lofty with no plans to slow down. Lofty has the massive scale we need to grow our business, the features our agents require to be successful, and the powerful technology backbone to support our commitment to innovation.”

    As Chief Strategy Officer for Lucido Global, Robert Lucido Jr. understands the power of innovative technology to drive efficiencies, support scalability and boost the bottom line. In fact, since relying on Lofty, Lucido Global has increased business growth by more than 40%. “Everything we do is about optimizing the value of time and Lofty is instrumental in helping us achieve this goal. Almost immediately, Lofty helped us eliminate more than 41% of labor intensive, manual data entry, recouping value time and ensuring our agents stay focused on revenue generating activities,” reports Lucido.

    • Learn more about our customer success HERE.

    “With so much pressure to demonstrate bottom line results amid continued market uncertainty, we understand why brokerage owners may be hesitant to invest in technology right now,” said Stuart Sim, Vice President, Industry Development Lofty. “Yet with interest rates trending down, now is exactly the right time to implement an end-to-end tech platform, designed to help agents work smarter not harder, and maximize the opportunity for new revenue. Rest assured, our Enterprise platform was purpose-built and thoughtfully priced to support the complex and unique needs of brokerages, proven to deliver the results needed to effectively grow the business. Brokerage owners should feel confident that an investment in Lofty is an investment in their future.”

    To learn more about how Lofty can help you meet your business growth goals, visit www.lofty.com.

    About Lofty Inc.
    Lofty Inc. (formerly Chime Technologies) provides an AI-powered platform that helps real estate professionals increase their productivity and accelerate business growth. Featuring award-winning technology, the Lofty platform is designed to optimize every step of the real estate journey, from search to settlement. By leveraging one unified hub, customers can automate marketing programs, streamline the sales process, and maximize collaboration between agents empowering them to spend more time building relationships and their business. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Lofty operates as a US subsidiary of Moatable, Inc. (OTCPK: MTBLY). For more information, visit lofty.com.

    For More Information:
    Sarah Murray
    Attune Communications
    sarah@attunecommunications.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mortgage bond auction – Totalkredit A/S

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    To Nasdaq Copenhagen

    24 September 2024 

    Mortgage bond auction

    Nykredit will conduct an auction on Friday 27 September 2024 through Bloomberg’s auction system AUPD.

    The auction will be held with 1 October 2024 as value date, and bids correct to two decimals will be accepted at the auction. Bids must be made in terms of amount and price. Bids above the cut-off price will be settled in full and bids at the cut-off price may be accepted on a pro rata basis.

    The following covered bond will be offered:

    ISIN: Name: Currency: Offering:
    DK000954527-9 Cita 3M NYK 32H SDO April 2027 RF DKK 1,000m
    • 09:00 – Auction opens for bidding
    • 10:30 – Auction closes
    • 10:35 – Allotment of accepted bids at latest

    Questions regarding the auction may be addressed to Nykredit Realkredit A/S, Group Treasury, Christian Mauritzen, tel. +45 44 55 10 14 or Lars Mossing Madsen, tel. +45 44 55 11 66.

    Other questions may be addressed to Corporate Communications, tel. +45 44 55 14 50.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Mortgage bond auction – Nykredit Realkredit A/S

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    To Nasdaq Copenhagen

    24 September 2024  

    Mortgage bond auction

    Nykredit will conduct an auction on Friday 27 September 2024 through Bloomberg’s auction system AUPD.

    The auction will be held with 1 October 2024 as value date, and bids correct to two decimals will be accepted at the auction. Bids must be made in terms of amount and price. Bids above the cut-off price will be settled in full and bids at the cut-off price may be accepted on a pro rata basis.

    The following covered bond will be offered:

    ISIN: Name: Currency: Offering:
    DK000954527-9 Cita 3M NYK 32H SDO April 2027 RF DKK 1,000m
    • 09:00 – Auction opens for bidding
    • 10:30 – Auction closes
    • 10:35 – Allotment of accepted bids at latest

    Questions regarding the auction may be addressed to Nykredit Realkredit A/S, Group Treasury, Christian Mauritzen, tel. +45 44 55 10 14 or Lars Mossing Madsen, tel. +45 44 55 11 66.

    Other questions may be addressed to Corporate Communications, tel. +45 44 55 14 50.

    Attachment

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Tanzania: African Development Bank grants $129 million loan to agricultural project generating decent jobs for young people

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, September 24, 2024/APO Group/ —

    The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) on 20 September 2024 approved a $129.71 million loan to Tanzania for the implementation of a youth-focused agribusiness program.

    The loan will fund the first phase of the “Building a Better Tomorrow: Youth Initiatives for Agribusiness” program, which aims to create business opportunities and jobs for young people in key agricultural sectors.

    The total cost of the project is estimated at $241.27 million. In addition to the Bank’s loan, which covers 53,76 percent of the cost, the funding package includes grants of $1.15 million from the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC) Trust Fund and $210,000 from tropical vegetable seed firm East-West Seed. The Tanzanian government will provide $110.41 million, representing 45.76 percent of the total.

    Patricia Laverley, the Bank’s Country Manager for Tanzania, said: “This project is expected to incubate and empower approximately 11,000 ‘agripreneurs,’ including at least 6,000 young agribusiness owners.” She added that the program will facilitate access to finance for an additional 2,500 young people already involved in agribusiness but lacking access to commercial loans. We expect each agribusiness run by a young person will employ an average of five workers.”

    The project will implement strategies to raise awareness and manage knowledge using youth-oriented information and communication technologies. It will also provide training and support for agrifood business incubation and acceleration, with a particular focus on the recruitment of female applicants.

    Digital technologies, including satellite technology and artificial intelligence, will be utilized to improve agricultural productivity and decision-making processes for young farmer cooperatives.

    As of 30 June 2024, the African Development Bank approved 25 projects in Tanzania, with a total commitment of $3.48 billion.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Investment-Group: BaFin warns consumers about the website trade-mgrp.pro

    Source: Bundesanstalt für Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht – In English

    The Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) warns consumers about the company Investment-Group and the services it is offering. BaFin suspects the operators of the website trade-mgrp.pro of offering consumers financial and investment services without the required authorisation. The operators claim to be supervised by the European Financial Supervisory Authority. There is no such authority; BaFin has already issued a warning to this effect. On 1 July 2024, BaFin also published a warning regarding an identical offer on the website investmgrp.com.

    Anyone wishing to conduct banking business or provide financial or investment services in Germany may do so only with authorisation from BaFin. However, some companies offer these services without the necessary authorisation. Information on whether a particular company has been granted authorisation by BaFin can be found in BaFin’s database of companies.

    The information provided by BaFin is based on section 37 (4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz – KWG).

    Please be aware:

    BaFin, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt – BKA) and the German state criminal police offices (Landeskriminalämter) recommend that consumers seeking to invest money online should exercise the utmost caution and do the necessary research beforehand in order to identify fraud attempts at an early stage.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/CHINA – The memory of the Jesuit Martino Martini still opens up paths of encounter and dialogue

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    by Marta Zhao and Laura Gomez RuizHangzhou (Agenzia Fides) – China, the city of Hangzhou and the Chinese Catholic community have never forgotten Father Martino Martini.The great Jesuit missionary, appreciated by the emperors and welcomed at the court of the Qing Dynasty, was born in Trento, Italy, 410 years ago, on September 20, 1614. Even today, his story and his testimony arouse unexpected sympathy.As part of the celebrations organized by the Italian Embassy in Beijing for the 700th anniversary of the death of the traveler and merchant Marco Polo, the theme “In the footsteps of Marco Polo: Martino Martini” presented for the first time a series of important Italian personalities who, at different times and in different capacities, contributed to the dissemination of knowledge about China in the West.The Chinese President Xi Jinping has publicly expressed his appreciation for Martino Martini. In an article published in the daily newspaper Corriere della Sera on March 20, 2019, on the eve of his official visit to Italy, Xi Jinping described the Jesuit as a pioneer of the group of Italian sinologists who “have played a bridging role in relations between China and Europe, starting with Martino Martini’s first grammar of the Chinese language written for the West.”In Italy, the Martino Martini Study Center, based in Trento, now publishes, among other things, the biannual magazine “Sulla Via del Catai” on cultural relations between Europe and China.In the city of Hangzhou, a park bearing his name has been created around his mausoleum. Protected by the Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Authority, the site has become a kind of sanctuary for Chinese Catholics. The mausoleum, which is currently being restored, houses the remains of 15 famous Jesuit missionaries who ended their earthly lives near the beautiful Xizi Lake. Among them are Father Prospero Intorcetta (1626-1696), Father Nicolas Trigault (1577-1629), Father Lazaro Cattaneo (1560-1640) and Father Emmanuel Diaz (1574-1659).In 2018, an exhibition on the cartographic work of Martino Martini was inaugurated at the headquarters of the China-Italy Center in Hangzhou to celebrate the 375th anniversary of the arrival of the great missionary in that city (see Fides, 13/6/2018).The Catholic community of Hangzhou had organized an academic conference in 2010 to mark the 350th anniversary of the construction of the cathedral. Six well-known academics from Chinese universities and researchers working with Catholic institutions such as the Faith Institute for Cultural Studies (FICS) and the Guang Qi Press of the Diocese of Shanghai presented joint studies on the life and mission of the Jesuit in the presence of the Italian Consul in Shanghai. The legacy of Martino Martini was presented as “a strong impulse for today’s mission, so that it fulfills its mission with his sense of missionary responsibility, his courage and his dedication” (see Fides, 22/1/2010).The affection and veneration shown to the figure of Martino Martini are proportional to the intensity with which he lived his time and dedicated his life to proclaiming the Gospel in China.Martino Martini was born in Trento on 20 September 1614. In 1631 he entered the Society of Jesus as a novice. After studying at the Roman College under the influence of his mentor, the German Jesuit Athanasius Kircher, he entered the Eastern mission in 1640, traveling by ship from Lisbon in Portugal via Goa in India (November 1640) to Macao in China, where he arrived in August 1642. The following year he was sent to mainland China, thus beginning his legendary journey of cultural exchange between China and Europe. He wrote the first Western Chinese grammar and related works that contributed to cultural exchange, bridged the gap between China and Europe, and had a lasting influence on the emergence and development of Sinology in Italy.The period of his stay in China, during the Ming and Qing dynasties, was a time of great social unrest. The Jesuits, who had built good relations with influential sections of Chinese society and the political hierarchy, were worried about the development of the situation. The Chinese name they chose, Wei Kuangguo, encompassed all his good wishes: it indicated the will to defend and support the country and the desire for peace and prosperity in the world.But the unrest and conflict in China also divided the Jesuits and the Spanish mendicant orders and even infiltrated the Society of Jesus itself. The controversy over the Chinese translation of the divine name and the possibility that the new Christians should continue to practice the cult of the dead according to Chinese culture did not subside, but reached an intensity that even Martini could not contain, both inside and outside the order. An issue that was to shape the rest of his life.His travels and his writing formed the common thread in the second half of his life. During the first eight years of his stay in China (1643-1650), Martini traveled between the two capitals and to Hangzhou and Jinhua in Zhejiang. In the fourth year of Shunzhi’s reign (1647), Martino Martini, with the help of Zhu Shi, a parishioner of Lanxi in Zhejiang, wrote the “Qiu You Zhuan” (Treatise on Friendship, Hangzhou, 1661), which was based on the humanist thought already developed by the other Jesuit Matteo Ricci in his work of the same name, the first written in Chinese by the Italian Jesuit from Macerata.The southern part of Zhejiang, where Martino Martini was, was a region where Spanish monks also worked. He agreed with the information given by his confrere Matteo Ricci and was well aware of the differences with the Spanish Cistercians on the question of Chinese rites. In addition, the Spanish Dominican Juan Bautista Morales (1597-1664) had already traveled to Rome to express his objections to the Jesuits’ attitude in this dispute. When the Jesuit mission in China decided to send a representative to Europe to explain the situation from their point of view, the choice fell on Martino Martini.In 1651, the Jesuit traveled to Europe to defend the position of the Society of Jesus on the issue of Chinese rites. Thanks also to his good offices, in 1656 the Holy See issued an edict in favor of the Jesuits.During his travels in Europe, Martino Martini published three works in Latin: “De Bello Tartarico Historia”, “Novus Atlas Sinensis” and “Sinice Historia Decas Prima” (of which he also announced the publication of the sequel). These works were the most systematic, thorough and effective representations of China circulating in Europe at the time.In 1657 he returned to China and continued his mission in Hangzhou, where he completed the construction of the Church of the Redeemer in 1661 and died on June 6 of the same year at the age of 47. (Agenzia Fides, 24/9/2024)
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    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Egypt’s fears about Ethiopia’s mega-dam haven’t come to pass: moving on from historical concerns would benefit the whole region

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mike Muller, Visiting Adjunct Professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand

    A new round of angry exchanges has broken out between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

    On September 1, Cairo wrote to the UN security council to protest against Ethiopia’s continued filling of Africa’s second largest reservoir and bringing two more power generating turbines into operation. Egypt sees any new infrastructure development on the Nile as a potential threat, since the river is the source of over 98% of the country’s water.

    Egypt calls this a violation of international law and Ethiopia’s obligations to “prevent significant harm”. Ethiopia’s policies, it says,

    could result in an existential threat to Egypt … and would consequently jeopardise regional and international peace and security.

    Ethiopia has told Egypt to “abandon its aggressive approach” towards the dam. Ethiopia says that it must allow the Blue Nile’s water to flow through the dam’s turbines and on to Egypt to generate the hydropower for which it has been built, thus guaranteeing the overall flow to Egypt.

    I have tracked the Nile disputes since the 1970s, first as a development journalist, then as a civil engineer and senior public servant. More recently, my research on water and regional integration for regional development agencies has provided further insights. My 2021 study considered the lessons to be learnt for today’s water challenges from centuries of the use and management of Nile waters.

    Read more: Innovations on the Nile over millennia offer lessons in engineering sustainable futures

    Ongoing tension between Egypt and Ethiopia over control of the Nile River has a long history. Therefore, in one sense, the row between Egypt and Ethiopia is nothing new.

    The countries went to war as far back as 1874, even as they both were also battling European colonialism. Ethiopia won the war of 1874 and, 20 years later, beat back Italy’s attempt to colonise it, at the battle of Adwa.

    However, Egypt gained long term advantage from treaties negotiated by the British, which gave Cairo almost total control over the Nile. Egypt is still asserting the rights and privileges conferred by those colonial era treaties even though they are being challenged by other Nile countries. In my view, this is because Egyptians are still trapped by their past fears. As Norwegian professor Torje Tvedt has explained, these fears were deliberately entrenched by past colonial authorities.

    With these perspectives, my view is that the current controversy over the Ethiopian dam still reflects historical conflicts rather than a careful analysis of present challenges.

    Now 90% complete, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has begun to generate electricity. A series of good rainy seasons have allowed the reservoir to start filling rapidly without affecting Egypt’s water availability.

    The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam offers not just cheap green electricity for Ethiopia and the sub-region as well as reliable irrigation supplies and flood control for Sudan. Once filled, its storage could offer supply security and increase the amount of water available for Egypt as well.

    The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

    What, then, are the issues that have prompted Egypt’s recent protests and what are the possible solutions to the problems raised?

    The immediate technical challenge is to continue filling the dam without disrupting flows to Sudan and Egypt. The filling process might have to be interrupted if there is a regional drought. So recent developments, notably the greater focus on the rate at which the dam will be filled rather than the legality of its construction, suggest that there is a shift in positions which neither side is yet willing to acknowledge publicly.

    This shift will be supported when other future-focused issues are raised. For instance, there must be negotiations about the supply of electricity to support Sudan’s irrigation expansion, although this is on hold due to the war in Sudan. In the longer term, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia could cooperate to use the GERD’s storage to help Egypt to manage its Aswan High Dam more efficiently. Aswan currently suffers very high evaporation losses, which could be reduced if its reservoir levels were better controlled. The GERD could help to do this.

    Unfortunately, the history of colonial Britain repeatedly threatening to cut Egypt’s Nile water supplies has been deeply imprinted in Egyptian public consciousness. It is understandable that Egyptians still fear a similar threat from Ethiopia. The responsibility now falls on Ethiopia to show good faith in its operation of the dam and to work with Egypt to change the combative discourse.

    Potential for cooperation

    Egypt’s repeated complaints have alerted Ethiopia and international organisations of the need to act carefully. If there is another regional drought, Ethiopia will need to slow the rate at which it completes filling its dam. Informal liaison structures are monitoring the situation and such a response would help to build a more constructive engagement with Egypt.

    Water is a patient teacher. Every season provides an opportunity for those who live with its natural cycles to understand it better. The hope is that, if the three countries experience the benefits of some seasons of the dam’s operation, the natural cycle will reveal the potential for cooperation and mitigate the conflict.

    Read more: Sudan’s catastrophe: farmers could offer quick post-war recovery, if peace is found

    When peace returns to Sudan, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will enable a vast expansion of irrigation to develop its role as a regional breadbasket. The dam will also help to manage Nile floods which regularly cause death and destruction, even to Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.

    Efforts to promote cooperation between the East African countries that share the White Nile have been relatively successful. However, such cooperation on the Blue Nile will need much greater trust between the parties. To achieve this trust, the countries and their people will have to overcome centuries of cultural and political preconceptions. This will require much patient work and interaction, which is not easy in the current climate.

    – Egypt’s fears about Ethiopia’s mega-dam haven’t come to pass: moving on from historical concerns would benefit the whole region
    – https://theconversation.com/egypts-fears-about-ethiopias-mega-dam-havent-come-to-pass-moving-on-from-historical-concerns-would-benefit-the-whole-region-239418

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: ASIA/BANGLADESH – Bishop Subroto Gomes: “Student protests” must respect the rights of others

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) – “The situation we find ourselves in after the political and social crisis of last August is delicate. There are still tensions in society, there are protests, especially among young people. The massive student protests have led the Prime Minister to leave the country and flee abroad. The new interim government led by Mohamed Yunus now has the difficult task of healing the political, social and economic wounds, restoring trust, but also maintaining the rule of law, because there are also some worrying signs,” said the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dhaka, Subroto Boniface Gomes, in an interview with Fides.The Bishop points to possible “dangers” arising from the student protests. “For example, in some Catholic schools in the diocese of Dhaka, students tried to force the dismissal of some teachers, duly selected and paid by the school administration, just because they did not agree with the new course or because they dared to criticize the student protest. This led to a crisis in our schools, which are attended by 95% Muslim or non-Christian students,” he explains. “Faced with the attempt to impose this or other measures by force, such as admitting girls wearing burqas in school, the Archbishop first decided, in a resounding decision, to close two schools. One was a girls’ school, the other is run by the Brothers of the Holy Cross. The joint intervention of the parents’ committee, religious representatives and school staff enabled dialogue, a peaceful solution to the crisis and the reopening of the schools. We could not give up on our values and principles. But it is an example that the legitimate rights of students must not interfere with and undermine democracy, the rule of law or the rights of others,” said Bishop Gomes.Another aspect to keep under control “is the return or creation of radical Islamic groups and parties that could affect the lives of religious minorities or promote an Islamization agenda.” “We must be vigilant in this regard because the temptation of extremism is just around the corner. It is important not to polarize society. We trust that the new Yunus government will turn the tide in the spirit of upholding democratic principles, respect for the constitution and fundamental freedoms for all citizens, regardless of their religious affiliation,” said the bishop.In July this year, thousands of students took to the streets to protest the Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate a controversial quota system for access to coveted government jobs. The government of Prime Minister Shehik Hasina responded to the demonstrations by deploying police and paramilitary forces, who shot at the crowd. The protests thus became a movement against Hasina and his party, the Awami League, which has ruled the country for 15 years, often delegitimizing or arresting political opponents and dissidents. The official number of victims of the repression is around 1,000 dead and hundreds injured. On August 5, the head of government finally fled abroad, seeking refuge in India. The army then dissolved parliament and appointed 84-year-old economist Muhammad Yunus, known as the “banker of the poor”, as head of a transitional government. He is known for the “Grameen Bank”, which specializes in the microcredit system and for which he received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. His executive is now leading a delicate transition period until new elections.(PA) (Agenzia Fides, 24/9/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI Europe: AMERICA/PERU – Bilingual education for indigenous peoples: lack of teachers and adequate infrastructure

    Source: Agenzia Fides – MIL OSI

    Tuesday, 24 September 2024

    Iquitos (Agenzia Fides) – “We need authorities to defend the rights of girls, boys and young people of indigenous peoples, because they cannot continue to be excluded,” says Mariluz Canaquiri, a member of the indigenous people of the “Kukama Kukamiria” in the Peruvian Amazon, who complains about the decline in education among indigenous peoples.”The authorities do not care about the education of indigenous children, there is no adequate infrastructure and not enough bilingual teachers to teach them in our language,” says Canaquiri, who is also president of the women’s rights organization “Federation of Kukama-Kukamiria Women”.Intercultural bilingual education (IBE) is one of the educational policies in the South American country of 33 million inhabitants and 55 recognized indigenous peoples, four from the Andes and 51 from the Amazon.According to the results of the latest National Evaluation of Learning Outcomes (ENLA) published by the Ministry of Education, only 5.6 percent of fourth-grade elementary school students (10 and 11 years old) in IBE institutions in the Amazon region achieved the expected results. “There is no bilingual intercultural education here,” Canaquiri said. “How are they supposed to learn when our identity, our culture, our way of seeing the world are not taken into account in any way in the curriculum, and in logistical conditions where the school building is an area covered by branches and tree trunks in unbearable heat,” she noted in a statement to an international non-governmental organization.Although the first policy in favor of indigenous students was launched in 1972, more than half a century ago, it has always received little interest from the State, even though IBE is one of their individual and collective human rights. “They hire teachers because they speak Quechua, Shipibo, Asháninka or the equivalent, but when they go to school they do not apply the IBE. Sometimes they teach only in Spanish, sometimes they speak the children’s mother tongue, but everything else they read and write in Spanish,” reported one analyst.There are 24,000 schools affiliated to the IBE throughout the country, where most reinforce the students’ native language and teach them Spanish. Education policies try to ensure that the school population of indigenous peoples is bilingual and has oral and written skills, but studies by local researchers show that success is becoming increasingly limited.Despite this precarious situation, a small school in the rural community of Accollya, in the municipality of Soccos, almost 3,400 meters above sea level, in the province of Huamanga, one of the 11 provinces of Ayacucho, stands out positively. In the Andean department, affected by an internal armed conflict that Peru experienced between 1980 and 2000, the school is supported by an NGO and has a single teacher with 33 years of experience, but who has always been actively committed to bilingual intercultural education through training and in-depth courses. “I work in Spanish from Monday to Thursday and in Quechua on Fridays, using the notebooks that the ministry provides us for each subject,” says the teacher, who teaches ten students in first, second and third grade, aged six to eleven. “The response from the children is very good, from the first grade they learn to read and write, now it is September and the youngest can already read. That is the advantage of teaching different classes, because they motivate each other,” stressed the teacher.Also significant is the important contribution of the Catholic Church in the Amazon region in the field of education and health, where it has often taken the place of the State. Hundreds of missionaries have been true promoters of respect for human dignity throughout history. Religious and lay people from dozens of countries have sacrificed their lives in the most remote places to make the Amazon a place of coexistence and respect for the dignity and rights of all, especially the most vulnerable, largely indigenous peoples.Other initiatives to promote learning and the establishment of school libraries in these areas include the commitment of the “yachacs”, the wise men of the community, who hold intergenerational meetings and encourage reading among students and their families.The indigenous school population is estimated at 1.2 million nationwide, with the vast majority coming from the Quechua (700,000) and Aymara (300,000) peoples from the Andean areas of the country and the rest from Amazonian language groups such as Asháninka, Shipibo Konibo, Awajún and others.The Kukama Kukamiria people live mainly in the department of Loreto, the largest in the Peruvian Amazon. According to the Ministry of Culture, the population of the communities of the Kukama Kukamiria people is estimated at 37,053. Of these, 1,185 have declared that they speak the Kukama Kukamiria language, which represents 0.02% of the total number of indigenous languages in the country. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 24/9/2024)
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  • MIL-OSI USA News: FACT SHEET: Biden-⁠ Harris Administration Accomplishments at the United  Nations

    Source: The White House

    Since his first day in office, President Biden has been committed to restoring American leadership at the United Nations. Our world today faces many challenges that no one country can or should confront alone. But when the United States shows up and leads at the UN, we can rally global action to tackle problems that affect us all. That is why the Biden-Harris Administration has worked tirelessly at the UN to advance American values, safeguard human rights for all, and address conflict and instability. Alongside our allies and partners from around the world, we have worked with UN agencies to tackle the climate crisis, shape our digital future, and fight poverty and disease.

    At a time of increasing geopolitical challenges and growing global needs, strong and effective American leadership at the UN is more critical than ever. The Biden-Harris Administration has worked to strengthen American leverage at the United Nations, uphold the UN Charter, and keep human rights at the core of the organization. Without robust American engagement, our competitor nations would gain leverage to advance their interests and values at our expense.

    The Biden-Harris Administration has also been committed to reforming and adapting the UN to the needs of the 21st century. For example, President Biden announced a new U.S. openness to expanding the membership of the UN Security Council, including permanent seats for Africa and Latin America. The UN is not a perfect organization, but given the scale of today’s challenges, the world needs global institutions that are more inclusive and effective.

    Over nearly four years, the Biden-Harris Administration’s leadership at the UN has delivered results for the American people. At the UN, we have:

    Responded to Threats to International Peace and Security

    • After Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we worked at the UN to build support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and hold Russia to account. We rallied 141 countries in the UN General Assembly to condemn Russia’s violations of international law. We used UN Security Council debates to shine a spotlight on Russia’s illegal war and atrocities. We pressed the UN General Assembly to kick Russia off the UN Human Rights Council. We isolated Russia by denying it senior UN appointments and preventing its election to UN bodies.
    • Responding to the security situation in Haiti, we partnered with Ecuador to obtain UN Security Council authorization of a new Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission.
    • Working with African partners, we secured a UN Security Council decision to create in December 2023 a new mechanism to largely fund future African Union-led Peace Support Operations from the UN-assessed budget.
    • Following the horrific October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, we defended at the UN Security Council Israel’s right to defend itself and demanded the release of hostages. Also in the Security Council, we called for increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza and established a new UN mechanism to improve aid coordination. In July 2024, we secured Security Council endorsement of President Biden’s plan for a ceasefire and hostage release deal.
    • As the Sudan conflict worsened, we mobilized action in the UN Security Council, including the adoption of a resolution in June 2024 demanding an end to the siege of El Fasher.
    • Responding to concerns that Russia intended to deploy nuclear weapons in space, we and Japan proposed a UN Security Council resolution calling on countries not to develop such weapons.
    • In 2022, we partnered with Ireland at the UN Security Council to reform, expand and strengthen humanitarian exemptions for UN sanctions.
    • Working with the United Kingdom, we secured adoption of the first-ever UN Security Council resolution condemning the February 2021 military coup in Burma.

    Protected and Upheld Universal Human Rights

    • We rejoined the UN Human Rights Council in 2021, enabling the United States to once again lead multilateral efforts to hold accountable human rights violators worldwide.
    • We issued a standing invitation to all UN thematic human rights monitors to visit the United States and assess our human rights record at home. In contrast to authoritarian governments, this invitation showed that a confident democracy is willing to have its record scrutinized and receive advice on strengthening rights protections for its citizens.
    • We pressed for the release of a landmark report from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on human rights violations against Uighurs in China.
    • We worked in the UN Human Rights Council to establish a new Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Russia to examine Moscow’s crackdown on dissent at home and a Commission of Inquiry on violations and abuses in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
    • We restored American leadership at the UN in defending the human rights of LGBTQI+ individuals around the world. This included participating in high-level meetings of the Core Group of countries advocating for LGBTQI+ rights, including a September 23 meeting where the First Lady represented the United States. We also secured the renewal of the mandate of the UN’s Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and urged the UN to release its first-ever organization-wide strategy on LGBTQI+ rights, co-sponsoring the first-ever Human Rights Council resolution on the rights of intersex persons, and convening the second-ever informal UN Security Council meeting on the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals.
    • We spotlighted egregious human rights violations by North Korea, including by organizing the first briefing of the UN Security Council on North Korea human rights since 2017.
    • We helped establish mechanisms through the UN Human Rights Council to investigate human rights violations and abuses in Ethiopia, Sudan, and Nicaragua.
    • We worked at the UN to advance the global fight against antisemitism, including to ensure 36 countries and four multilateral organizations joined the U.S.-led Global Guidelines for Countering Antisemitism. In 2023, we convened a UN meeting on antisemitism with Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and, in 2022, a roundtable at UNESCO.  
    • We advanced the UN’s work to promote racial equality, including by championing the inaugural session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent. We co-sponsored a UN General Assembly resolution designating July 25 as International Day of Women and Girls of African Descent.
    • We engaged seriously with the human rights treaty body process, including through periodic reports about our domestic human rights record to the Human Rights Committee and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
    • Reaffirming support for the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, we pressed for enhanced participation of Indigenous Peoples throughout the UN system. In 2022, Ambassador (ret.) Keith Harper, the first-ever Senate confirmed U.S. ambassador from a federally-recognized tribe, was elected to the UN’s Permanent Forum on Indigenous issues.  
    • We supported efforts in the UN General Assembly to advance discussion of a proposed convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity.  
    • After assuming the presidency of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), we hosted the UNCAC conference in Atlanta, Georgia in 2023, with approximately 2,600 delegates, including an unprecedented 1,000 from civil society.

    Advanced Gender Equity and Equality

    • We restored American leadership in pressing at the UN for the rights of women and girls, advancing their inclusion in societies, and supporting strong language in UN resolutions and at the Commission on the Status of Women on sexual and reproductive rights.
    • The January 2021 Presidential Memorandum on Protecting Women’s Health at Home and Abroad restored life-saving funding to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA).
    • We announced that the United States will contribute for the first time to the UNICEF–UNFPA Global Program to End Child Marriage.
    • Following the Iranian regime’s killing of Mahsa Amini and crackdown on protestors, we helped establish a new UN Fact-Finding Mission to investigate human rights abuses. We spearheaded efforts to remove Iran from the Commission on the Status of Women.
    • In 2024, we reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development Program of Action.
    • We launched the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, which included actions at the UN to address online safety for women and girls.

    Shaped Our Digital Future, Promoted Labor Rights, and Tackled Synthetic Drugs

    • We sponsored the first-ever UN General Assembly resolution outlining principles for the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI). This landmark resolution helped define a global consensus on safe, secure and trustworthy AI systems for advancing sustainable development.
    • We hosted events at the UN on misuses of new technologies, such as countries using commercial spyware to surveil dissidents and journalists.
    • We worked at the International Labor Organization (ILO) to empower workers worldwide and joined the ILO’s Equal Pay International Coalition to share best practices to close the gender wage gap.
    • At the first Summit for Democracy in 2021, we announced the Multilateral Partnership for Organizing, Worker Empowerment and Rights (M-POWER), an initiative working with governments, trade unions, labor support, civil society organizations, and philanthropy to uphold and promote workers’ trade union rights around the world.
    • In coordination with the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), we launched and hosted at the UN high-level meetings of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats and secured adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution to enhance international action to fight such drugs.

    Strengthened Global Health Cooperation, Advanced Sustainable Development, and Bolstered Climate Action

    • We redoubled efforts to support implementation of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, launching a U.S. Strategy on Global Development to accelerate progress and mobilizing $150 billion of U.S. funding and billions more from the private sector, philanthropic, and other donor resources.
    • In 2021, we reversed the previous administration’s decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), enabling the United States to shape the WHO’s work on global health and reform. With the WHO, we led the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic by launching the COVID-19 Global Action Plan and donating nearly 700 million vaccine doses to 117 countries.
    • We hosted the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria’s 7th Replenishment in 2022, resulting in more than 75 governments, foundations, and corporations delivering pledges totaling a record $15.67 billion.
    • We worked at the UN to advance universal health coverage, continue the fight against tuberculosis and mpox, and combat global antimicrobial resistance (AMR), including to push countries for commitments on AMR that are bold, aspirational, and implementable.
    • We focused attention at the UN on addressing global food insecurity, repeatedly using the U.S. presidency of the UN Security Council to focus on the nexus between food security and conflict. We hosted at the UN ministerial-level meetings to generate new commitments to expand agricultural capacity and respond to famine with over 100 partner countries.
    • U.S. Representative to the UN Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland co-led the U.S. delegation to the 2023 UN Water Conference, where they announced more than $49 billion towards water security both at home and abroad.
    • In 2024, Secretary Haaland co-led the U.S. delegation to the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4), where we announced new efforts to enhance our partnerships with SIDS.
    • After rejoining the Paris Agreement, we galvanized efforts at the UN to combat climate change, raising global climate ambition through countries’ enhanced national contributions, accelerated action to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, forward-leaning decisions at annual UN Climate Change Conferences, and major initiatives for ocean-climate action catalyzed by the annual Our Ocean Conference.
    • Former Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and Senior Advisor for International Climate Policy John Podesta have helped lead an all-out effort, including critical agreements at the UN Climate Change Conference COPs 26 and 28 to partner with countries to accelerate climate efforts worldwide and reduce global emissions sufficiently to limit warming to 1.5° Celsius. 
    • We advanced efforts within the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Maritime Organization, and other multilateral organizations to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from the aviation, shipping, and other sectors.

    Strengthened American Presence at the United Nations

    • After a five-year absence, we rejoined the UN Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This allowed us to partner with UNESCO to combat the scourge of antisemitism, support global Holocaust education, promote journalist safety, safeguard Ukrainian cultural heritage, bolster ethical uses of AI, and advance science education for girls in Africa.
    • We led robust campaigns resulting in the election of U.S. citizens to key UN positions, including Doreen Bogdan-Martin as Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Amy Pope as Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and Sarah Cleveland as Judge on the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
    • We supported the appointments of highly qualified Americans to lead UN agencies, such as Ambassador Cathy Russell as Executive Director of UNICEF, Ambassador Cindy McCain as Executive Director of the World Food Program, and Ian Saunders as Secretary-General of the World Customs Organization.
    • Co-chairing the UN Accessibility Steering Committee, we worked to make UN headquarters in New York more accessible for all delegates, including construction of a 24/7 entrance for wheelchair users and the installation of a lift so everyone can address the General Assembly from behind the official rostrum.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Murphy Administration Releases Innovative 2024 Statewide Water Supply Plan to Modernize Water Policy and Enhance Climate Resilience

    Source: US State of New Jersey

    TRENTON – Kicking off Climate Week, Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette today announced the release of the final 2024 New Jersey Statewide Water Supply Plan, which for the first time assesses water supply challenges resulting from climate change and offers climate resilience solutions. Climate Week provides an opportunity for the public to learn about the many ways climate change is threatening the planet and the steps that can be taken to become more resilient and mitigate its impacts.

     

    The water supply plan concludes that, under normal conditions and in most regions, New Jersey has adequate volumes of source water supply and is well-positioned to address water supply challenges as long as the state continues to take actions to mitigate the threats of climate change, aging infrastructure and emerging contaminants.

    “The Statewide Water Supply Plan plays a critical role to inform local water supply management decisions by presenting the newest science to better prepare us for the challenges brought on by our changing climate,” said Commissioner LaTourette. “In addition to upgrading our aging infrastructure, a healthy water supply is dependent on constant reevaluation of how we can use water more efficiently to protect it for future generations.”

    Consistent with the state’s comprehensive approach to making New Jersey resilient to the worsening impacts of climate change, the 2024 plan seeks to assess the threats of climate change to the state’s water supply. Of particular concern are temperature, precipitation, and sea-level changes, which will significantly impact water quantity, where and when it is available, and its quality. The plan also examines how emerging contaminants may impact water supply.

    “New Jersey’s climate is changing. From increased temperatures to sea-level rise, these climate impacts can pose a threat to our water supplies if not properly addressed by proactive planning, management, and permitting,” said State Geologist Steven Domber. “By conducting comprehensive monitoring that factors in climate impacts such as increased temperatures, we can develop models and identify trends that will help local water users make informed decisions to ensure New Jerseyans have access to reliable and safe supplies of water now and in the future.”

    A 60-day public comment period followed the release of the draft plan on February 26, 2024. The DEP then held two public meetings (one in-person and one virtual) and reviewed and incorporated comments from those meetings before finalizing the plan. Both the plan and a summary response to comment report are available at dep.nj.gov/water-supply-plan.

    The DEP has also developed a new interactive website that outlines key information from the plan for specific audiences, including residential users, water professionals and others to summarize key plan topics, such as climate change and environmental justice. The website can be found at dep.nj.gov/water-supply-plan/storymap. The site will be updated as additional data and plan updates become available.

    Water Supply Planning

    The Water Supply Management Act (N.J.S.A. 58:1A-13) directs the DEP to prepare the New Jersey Statewide Water Supply Plan, analyze water supply data, examine associated risks, study projections, and make recommendations for effective management of the state’s water supplies.

    The initial version of the plan was adopted in 1982 and updated in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1991, and 1993. Major revisions occurred in 1996 and 2017. The 2024 plan will be updated again in five years, but some aspects may be revised sooner.

    The plan must carry out its assessments and recommendations from both statewide and regional perspectives to pursue comprehensive management addressing the diversity of water supply issues faced in different areas of New Jersey.

    Drafted to align with the DEP’s related water regulations and policies, the plan provides guidance for state and regional groups making decisions concerning water supply. One of the primary goals of the plan is to put forward defined, actionable steps that the DEP can take to ensure water supplies are sufficient, in quality and quantity, to meet existing and future needs.

    Water Supply Challenges Assessed

    New Jersey has repeatedly faced a confluence of water resource challenges that have tested both infrastructure and responsiveness. Extremely low precipitation and streamflow in summer 2022 led the DEP to declare a Drought Watch, the first in more than six years. During the same period, aging infrastructure failed, resulting in massive water main breaks; water systems were required to address sources contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and harmful algal blooms were worsened by extremely warm temperatures. Additional challenges occurred in 2023, with four months experiencing near record temperatures and the state having its wettest December on record.

    The combination of these challenges in 2022 and 2023 severely tested the resilience of New Jersey’s management of water resources. Such conditions are expected to persist or worsen in the future, requiring the DEP and its partner institutions to delicately balance the management of water resources by carefully administering planning, regulatory, investment and incident response initiatives.

    Recommended Action Areas

    The availability of surface water, unconfined groundwater, and confined aquifers, the use of which varies geographically, was modeled to investigate potential shortages. Although not evenly distributed throughout the state, total natural water resource availability (including reservoirs) remains about the same as the 2017 New Jersey Statewide Water Supply Plan determined. However, current and forecasted use did change, and a few regions showed potential shortages. The plan provides details and recommendations to address these areas.


    To meet requirements and ensure that New Jerseyans continue to have ample, reliable, and safe supplies of water now and in the future, the following action areas are covered in the plan, with greater detail on each found in Chapter 8, and elsewhere throughout the plan:

    • Hydrologic Data, Monitoring, Models, and Assessments: The availability of long-term and real-time hydrologic datasets are critical pieces of information the DEP uses to quantify trends, characterize current conditions, and to build and calibrate models. This information is used to ultimately make informed decisions and to update future water supply plans.
    • Climate Change – Water Availability Research and Modeling: This plan and its recommendations benefit from the availability of sound and reliable climate change science. This science continues to evolve, and the DEP will remain committed to monitoring new developments, with a particularized focus on the regional and local impacts of climate change upon New Jersey and its natural resources. As new and additional climate change data becomes available, it will be utilized to improve DEP water supply models and monitoring methods to more effectively mitigate and manage climate change impacts to water resources.
    • Climate Change – Infrastructure Resilience Recommendations: The DEP develops recommendations and establishes criteria to improve the resilience of water infrastructure and mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change upon the state’s water supply, including through actions to reform relevant DEP policies, protocols, statutes, or regulations pertaining to water infrastructure assessments and modifications.
    • Regional and Statewide Water Supply Planning and Protection: Water supply planning is a critical element to ensure that the state continues to have adequate supplies of acceptable quality to meet all current and future needs, and to balance human uses with ecological needs. Regional and statewide planning is adaptive and evolves as new information becomes available or issues emerge. The plan prioritizes regions of New Jersey where future planning efforts should be focused.
    • Water Policy Modernization: The DEP is obligated and empowered to improve and protect water supply resources and water system infrastructure to ensure water availability and the delivery of safe drinking water to homes and businesses. In some cases, the federal and state laws and regulations that give rise to these obligations are fit for modernization to better position the state and its water providers to confront new and evolving water supply challenges.
    • Asset Management and Resilience: Maintenance and improvement of infrastructure is key to effective and successful water supply management, and critical to ensure the state has access to clean and plentiful drinking water. Proper asset management can reduce water incidents and emergencies, limit disruptions to customers, and reduce long-term costs.
    • Policies and Priorities for Efficient Water Use: The plan identifies key policy priorities for the DEP as it continues to regularly re-evaluate new technologies and research to ensure the responsible and efficient use of the state’s water resources.
    • Public Outreach: DEP is committed to continuing public education and engaging with people and communities it serves on key water supply issues and initiatives.
    The DEP’s Our Water’s Worth It campaign works to draw attention to the importance of clean water in our lives, from drinking water to supporting vibrant ecosystems and health places for recreation. An important focus of the campaign is educating the public on reducing potential lead exposure in drinking water.

    NEW YORK, NY — The U.S. Climate Alliance, a bipartisan coalition of 24 governors representing approximately 60 percent of the U.S. economy and 55 percent of the U.S. population, today launched the Governors’ Climate-Ready Workforce Initiative to grow career pathways in climate and clean energy fields, strengthen workforce diversity, and jointly train 1 million new registered apprentices by 2035 across the Alliance’s states and territories.

    Today’s announcement was made at a Climate Week NYC event featuring Alliance co-chairs New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, founding member Washington Governor Jay Inslee, and White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi.

    “In New York, we’re showing how climate action and economic growth go hand-in-hand,” said New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. “As a co-chair of the U.S. Climate Alliance, I’m proud to be collaborating with states, industry leaders, labor unions, higher education and community organizations to create the jobs of the future required to build a clean, equitable, and resilient economy. A skilled and well-prepared workforce will drive innovation, create new businesses, and ensure a sustainable, resilient future for our country.”

    “We need a climate-ready workforce — from EV technicians and heat pump installers to solar panel manufacturers — to meet our carbon reduction goals,” said New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “The Executive Order I’m issuing today in conjunction with the Alliance’s new Workforce Initiative will help ensure that workers from all backgrounds have access to the skills and training needed for high-quality, climate-ready jobs across New Mexico.”

    “We’re aligning our ambitious climate policies with workforce development to have 1 million more workers poised to take these good-paying, union jobs that serve our communities and strengthen our economies,” said Washington Gov. Jay Gov. Inslee. “These are economy-wide jobs, not just in clean energy but building trades, land management, clean technology and more. Climate Alliance states have a track record of meeting our ambitious goals and that momentum continues today.”

    “Under President Biden and Vice President Harris’s leadership, we are bringing down the barriers to economic opportunity, lowering costs for American families, and catalyzing a renaissance of American-made manufacturing that is creating jobs across America. In fact, just last year, we added over 250,000 new American energy jobs — with clean energy jobs growing twice as fast as the rest of the sector,” said White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi. “Governors across America are at the forefront of our efforts to spur growth in union jobs, expand American energy production, and invest in the economic success of our communities. Today’s announcement will help capitalize on our momentum to create a climate-ready workforce that is rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, communities, and industrial strength.” 

    The Initiative’s launch comes as historic federal investments, combined with ambitious state climate action, have unleashed a significant expansion of good-paying and union jobs in climate-ready fields — with millions more anticipated in the coming years under the Biden-Harris administration’s Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This includes high-quality jobs not only in clean energy and clean technology sectors — such as wind, solar, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, and batteries — but also in fields associated with climate resilience and natural climate solutions.

    Under this Initiative, Alliance states and territories will collaborate to collectively support 1 million new workers in completing Registered Apprenticeship programs across the coalition by 2035. These programs, registered with the U.S. Department of Labor or federally approved State Apprenticeship Agencies, provide an especially valuable and proven career pathway, empowering workers to earn while they learn in key climate-ready occupations and industries.

    Alliance members will also advance a series of collective goals aimed at strengthening and expanding pathways into a wide variety of climate-ready professions critical to building a clean, equitable, and resilient net-zero future. The Initiative’s goals include boosting job quality and ensuring climate-ready employment pathways lead to good-paying, high-quality jobs; expanding opportunities for workers from underrepresented and underserved communities; and promoting the use of stackable and portable credentials in climate-ready fields to build transferable skills, support reskilling and upskilling, and strengthen workers’ economic mobility. A full list of the Initiative’s goals can be found here.

    Finally, to advance sector-specific strategies, Alliance members will work together through new multi-state cohorts focused on in-demand, climate-ready fields. These cohorts will provide a platform for states and territories to increase collaboration, share evidence-based practices, engage experts and stakeholders, and develop sectoral workforce solutions that can be scaled across the country. Cohorts to be launched in the Initiative’s first year will focus on careers in the following areas:

    • Clean Energy, Fuels, and Technologies: Led by Michigan and New Jersey, this cohort will focus on careers in the design, construction, and maintenance of a clean, affordable, and resilient power system; the manufacturing and deployment of zero-emission vehicles and technologies; and the development and distribution of alternative, low-carbon fuels.
    • Clean Buildings and Industry: Led by Maine and Massachusetts, this cohort will focus on careers in the engineering, design, construction, retrofitting, maintenance, and operation of buildings and industrial processes that are clean, energy-efficient, healthy, and resilient.
    • Resilient Communities and Lands: Led by Arizona and Vermont, this cohort will focus on careers in the development and maintenance of safe, livable, and resilient communities; preparedness for and response to climate impacts such as extreme heat, wildfires, severe storms, flooding, and drought; and the deployment of natural climate solutions and climate-smart stewardship of our lands and waters. 

    The Initiative will be led by Alliance states and territories with support from the Alliance’s Secretariat. In implementing the Initiative, Alliance members will customize efforts to meet their individual needs and challenges, while working together to achieve the collective goals. States and territories will also collaborate directly with their workforce development system partners, labor unions, higher education institutions, industry, and other key partners that bring substantial expertise and experience in this work.

    This Initiative builds on a number of federal-state collaborations between the Alliance’s members and the Biden-Harris Administration, including a White House convening with Alliance governors’ offices in May focused on creating good-paying jobs and mobilizing a diverse workforce in climate and clean energy.

    Additional information on the Governors’ Climate-Ready Workforce Initiative can be found here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Germany: Invitation to bid – Reopening of two Green Federal bonds

    Source: Deutsche Bundesbank in English

    A digital euro would be a digital form of central bank money, specifically the euro. It could be used by the general public in much the same way as cash, only in virtual form. Alongside cash, the Eurosystem would thus supply households with an additional form of central bank money that can be used quickly, easily and securely.

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI German News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Draft agenda – Monday, 7 October 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament 2

    Draft agenda
    Strasbourg
    Monday, 7 October 2024 – Thursday, 10 October 2024  
    Monday, 7 October 2024   Version: Tuesday, 24 September 2024, 14:40

    17:00 – 22:00   Debates     
    Commission (including replies) 10′
    “Catch the eye” 5′
    Members 164′

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bowman, Recent Views on Monetary Policy and the Economic Outlook

    Source: US State of New York Federal Reserve

    Good morning. I would like to thank the Kentucky Bankers Association for the invitation to join you today for your annual convention.1 I appreciate the opportunity to share my views on the U.S. economy and monetary policy before we engage on community banking issues and other matters affecting the banking industry.
    In light of last week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, I will begin my remarks by providing some perspective on my vote and will then share my current views on the economy and monetary policy.
    Update on the Most Recent FOMC MeetingIn order to address high inflation, for more than two years, the FOMC increased and held the federal funds rate at a restrictive level. At our September meeting, the FOMC voted to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/2 percentage point to 4-3/4 to 5 percent and to continue reducing the Federal Reserve’s securities holdings.
    As the post-meeting statement noted, I dissented from the FOMC’s decision, preferring instead to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/4 percentage point to 5 to 5‑1/4 percent. Last Friday, once our FOMC participant communications blackout period concluded, the Board of Governors released my statement explaining the decision to depart from the majority of the voting members. I agreed with the Committee’s assessment that, given the progress we have seen since the middle of 2023 on both lowering inflation and cooling the labor market, it was appropriate to reflect this progress by recalibrating the level of the federal funds rate and begin the process of moving toward a more neutral stance of policy. As my statement notes, I preferred a smaller initial cut in the policy rate while the U.S. economy remains strong and inflation remains a concern, despite recent progress.
    Economic Conditions and OutlookIn recent months, we have seen some further progress on slowing the pace of inflation, with monthly readings lower than the elevated pace seen in the first three months of the year. The 12-month measure of core personal consumption expenditures (PCE) inflation, which provides a broader perspective than the more volatile higher-frequency readings, has moved down since April, although it came in at 2.6 percent in July, again remaining well above our 2 percent goal. In addition, the latest consumer and producer price index reports suggest that 12‑month core PCE inflation in August was likely a touch above the July reading. The persistently high core inflation largely reflects pressures on housing prices, perhaps due in part to low inventories of affordable housing. The progress in lowering inflation since April is a welcome development, but core inflation is still uncomfortably above the Committee’s 2 percent goal.
    Prices remain much higher than before the pandemic, which continues to weigh on consumer sentiment. Higher prices have an outsized effect on lower- and moderate-income households, as these households devote a significantly larger share of income to food, energy, and housing. Prices for these spending categories have far outpaced overall inflation over the past few years.
    Economic growth moderated earlier this year after coming in stronger last year. Private domestic final purchases (PDFP) growth has been solid and slowed much less than gross domestic product (GDP), as the slowdown in GDP growth was partly driven by volatile categories including net exports, suggesting that underlying economic growth was stronger than GDP indicated. PDFP has continued to increase at a solid pace so far in the third quarter, despite some further weakening in housing activity, as retail sales have shown further robust gains in July and August.
    Although personal consumption has remained resilient, consumers appear to be pulling back on discretionary items and expenses, as evidenced in part by a decline in restaurant spending since late last year. Low- and moderate-income consumers no longer have extra savings to support this type of spending, and we have seen loan delinquency rates normalize from historically low levels during the pandemic.
    The most recent labor market report shows that payroll employment gains have slowed appreciably to a pace moderately above 100,000 per month over the three months ending in August. The unemployment rate edged down to 4.2 percent in August from 4.3 percent in July. While unemployment is notably higher than a year ago, it is still at a historically low level and below my and the Congressional Budget Office’s estimates of full employment.
    The labor market has loosened from the extremely tight conditions of the past few years. The ratio of job vacancies to unemployed workers has declined further to a touch below the historically elevated pre-pandemic level—a sign that the number of available workers and the number of available jobs have come into better balance. But there are still more available jobs than available workers, a condition that before 2018 has only occurred twice for a prolonged period since World War II, further signaling ongoing labor market strength despite the reported data.
    Although wage growth has slowed further in recent months, it remains indicative of a tight labor market. At just under 4 percent, as measured by both the employment cost index and average hourly earnings, wage gains are still above the pace consistent with our inflation goal given trend productivity growth.
    The rise in the unemployment rate this year largely reflects weaker hiring, as job seekers entering or re-entering the labor force are taking longer to find work, while layoffs remain low. In addition to some cooling in labor demand, there are other factors likely contributing the increased unemployment. A mismatch between the skills of the new workers and available jobs could further raise unemployment, suggesting that higher unemployment has been partly driven by the stronger supply of workers. It is also likely that some temporary factors contributed to the recent rise in the unemployment rate, as unemployment among working age teenagers sharply increased in August.
    Preference for a More Measured Recalibration of PolicyThe U.S. economy remains strong and core inflation remains uncomfortably above our 2 percent target. In light of these economic conditions, a few further considerations supported the case for a more measured approach in beginning the process to recalibrate our policy stance to remove restriction and move toward a more neutral setting.
    First, I was concerned that reducing the target range for the federal funds rate by 1/2 percentage point could be interpreted as a signal that the Committee sees some fragility or greater downside risks to the economy. In the current economic environment, with no clear signs of material weakening or fragility, in my view, beginning the rate-cutting cycle with a 1/4 percentage point move would have better reinforced the strength in economic conditions, while also confidently recognizing progress toward our goals. In my mind, a more measured approach would have avoided the risk of unintentionally signaling concerns about underlying economic conditions.
    Second, I was also concerned that reducing the policy rate by 1/2 percentage point could have led market participants to expect that the Committee would lower the target range by that same pace at future meetings until the policy rate approaches a neutral level. If this expectation had materialized, we could have seen an unwarranted decline in longer-term interest rates and broader financial conditions could become overly accommodative. This outcome could work against the Committee’s goal of returning inflation to our 2 percent target.
    I am pleased that Chair Powell directly addressed both of these concerns during the press conference following last week’s FOMC meeting.
    Third, there continues to be a considerable amount of pent-up demand and cash on the sidelines ready to be deployed as the path of interest rates moves down. Bringing the policy rate down too quickly carries the risk of unleashing that pent-up demand. A more measured approach wo
    uld also avoid unnecessarily stoking demand and potentially reigniting inflationary pressures.
    Finally, in dialing back our restrictive stance of policy, we also need to be mindful of what the end point is likely to be. My estimate of the neutral rate is much higher than it was before the pandemic. Therefore, I think we are much closer to neutral than would have been the case under pre-pandemic conditions, and I did not see the peak stance of policy as restrictive to the same extent that my colleagues may have. With a higher estimate of neutral, for any given pace of rate reductions, we would arrive at our destination sooner.
    Ongoing Risks to the OutlookTurning to the risks to achieving our dual mandate, I continue to see greater risks to price stability, especially while the labor market continues to be near estimates of full employment. Although the labor market data have been showing signs of cooling in recent months, still-elevated wage growth, solid consumer spending, and resilient GDP growth are not consistent with a material economic weakening or fragility. My contacts also continue to mention that they are not planning layoffs and continue to have difficulty hiring. Therefore, I am taking less signal from the recent labor market data until there are clear trends indicating that both spending growth and the labor market have materially weakened. I suspect the recent immigration flows have and will continue to affect labor markets in ways that we do not yet fully understand and cannot yet accurately measure. In light of the dissonance created by conflicting economic signals, measurement challenges, and data revisions, I remain cautious about taking signal from only a limited set of real-time data releases.
    In my view, the upside risks to inflation remain prominent. Global supply chains continue to be susceptible to labor strikes and increased geopolitical tensions, which could result in inflationary effects on food, energy, and other commodity markets. Expansionary fiscal spending could also lead to inflationary risks, as could an increased demand for housing given the long-standing limited supply, especially of affordable housing. While it has not been my baseline outlook, I cannot rule out the risk that progress on inflation could continue to stall.
    Although it is important to recognize that there has been meaningful progress on lowering inflation, while core inflation remains around or above 2.5 percent, I see the risk that the Committee’s larger policy action could be interpreted as a premature declaration of victory on our price-stability mandate. Accomplishing our mission of returning to low and stable inflation at our 2 percent goal is necessary to foster a strong labor market and an economy that works for everyone in the longer term.
    In light of these considerations, I believe that, by moving at a measured pace toward a more neutral policy stance, we will be better positioned to achieve further progress in bringing inflation down to our 2 percent target, while closely watching the evolution of labor market conditions.
    The Path ForwardDespite my dissent at the recent FOMC meeting, I respect and appreciate that my FOMC colleagues preferred to begin the reduction in the federal funds rate with a larger initial cut in the target range for the policy rate. I remain committed to working together with my colleagues to ensure that monetary policy is appropriately positioned to achieve our goals of attaining maximum employment and returning inflation to our 2 percent target.
    I will continue to monitor the incoming data and information as I assess the appropriate path of monetary policy, and I will remain cautious in my approach to adjusting the stance of policy going forward. It is important to note that monetary policy is not on a preset course. My colleagues and I will make our decisions at each FOMC meeting based on the incoming data and the implications for and risks to the outlook guided by the Fed’s dual-mandate goals of maximum employment and stable prices. We need to ensure that the public understands clearly how current and expected deviations of inflation and employment from our mandated goals inform our policy decisions.
    By the time of our next meeting in November, we will have received updated reports on inflation, employment, and economic activity. We may also have a better understanding of how developments in longer-term interest rates and broader financial conditions might influence the economic outlook.
    During the intermeeting period, I will continue to visit with a broad range of contacts to discuss economic conditions as I assess the appropriateness of our monetary policy stance. As I noted earlier, I continue to view inflation as a concern. In light of the upside risks that I just described, it remains necessary to pay close attention to the price-stability side of our mandate while being attentive to the risks of a material weakening in the labor market. My view continues to be that restoring price stability is essential for achieving maximum employment over the longer run. However, should the data evolve in a way that points to a material weakening in the labor market, I would support taking action and adjust monetary policy as needed while taking into account our inflation mandate.
    Closing ThoughtsIn closing, thank you again for welcoming me here today. It is a pleasure to join you and to have the opportunity to discuss my views on the economy and monetary policy. And given the recent FOMC meeting decision and my dissent, I appreciate being able to provide a more detailed explanation of the reasoning that led me to dissent in favor of a smaller reduction in the policy rate at last week’s FOMC meeting.
    I look forward to answering your questions and to engaging with your members on bank regulatory and supervisory matters.

    1. The views expressed here are my own and not necessarily those of my colleagues on the Federal Open Market Committee or the Board of Governors. Return to text

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Draft agenda – Tuesday, 8 October 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament 2

    18 Mobilisation of the European Union Solidarity Fund: assistance to Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Greece and France further to natural disasters occurred in 2023
    Georgios Aftias     – (if requested) Amendments Wednesday, 2 October 2024, 13:00 25 Strengthening Moldova’s resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections     – Motion for a resolution Wednesday, 2 October 2024, 13:00     – Amendments to motions for resolutions; joint motions for resolutions Monday, 7 October 2024, 19:00     – Amendments to joint motions for resolutions Monday, 7 October 2024, 20:00     – Requests for “separate”, “split” and “roll-call” votes Tuesday, 8 October 2024, 19:00 24 The democratic backsliding and threats to political pluralism in Georgia     – Motion for a resolution Wednesday, 2 October 2024, 13:00     – Amendments to motions for resolutions; joint motions for resolutions Monday, 7 October 2024, 19:00     – Amendments to joint motions for resolutions Monday, 7 October 2024, 20:00     – Requests for “separate”, “split” and “roll-call” votes Tuesday, 8 October 2024, 19:00 Separate votes – Split votes – Roll-call votes Texts put to the vote on Tuesday Friday, 4 October 2024, 12:00 Texts put to the vote on Wednesday Monday, 7 October 2024, 19:00 Texts put to the vote on Thursday Tuesday, 8 October 2024, 19:00 Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 October 2024, 19:00

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Draft agenda – Wednesday, 9 October 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament 2

    11 Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150)
        – Motions for resolutions (Rule 150) Monday, 7 October 2024, 20:00
        – Amendments to motions for resolutions; joint motions for resolutions (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 October 2024, 13:00
        – Amendments to joint motions for resolutions (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 October 2024, 14:00
    Texts put to the vote on Tuesday Friday, 4 October 2024, 12:00
    Texts put to the vote on Wednesday Monday, 7 October 2024, 19:00
    Texts put to the vote on Thursday Tuesday, 8 October 2024, 19:00
    Motions for resolutions concerning debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 150) Wednesday, 9 October 2024, 19:00

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Draft agenda – Thursday, 10 October 2024 – Strasbourg

    Source: European Parliament 2

    Draft agenda
    Strasbourg
    Monday, 7 October 2024 – Thursday, 10 October 2024  
    Thursday, 10 October 2024   Version: Tuesday, 24 September 2024, 14:40
      Items on the agenda

    09:00 – 11:50   Debates
    12:00 – 14:00   VOTES
    15:00 – 16:00   Debates
      Speaking time

    09:00 – 11:50   Debates      
    21   The rise of religious intolerance in Europe
    Commission statement
    [2024/2825(RSP)]

    12:00 – 14:00   VOTES      
    13   Texts on which debate is closed

    15:00 – 16:00   Debates      
    14   Major interpellations (Rule 145)
    15   Explanations of votes

    09:00 – 11:50   Debates     
    Commission (including replies) 10′
    “Catch the eye” 5′
    Members 105′
    PPE 25’30 S&D 19′ PfE 12’30 ECR 12′ Renew 11’30 Verts/ALE 8’30 The Left 8′ ESN 5′ NI 3′
    15:00 – 16:00   Debates     
    …..  
    Last updated: 24 September 2024 Legal notice – Privacy policy

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: «The Nutrition Initiative» has succeeded

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Italy –

    Source: Switzerland – Federal Chancellery

    Federal ChancelleryBern, 24.09.2024 – –The federal popular initiative “For a secure diet – by strengthening sustainable domestic production, more plant-based foods and clean drinking water (Nutrition Initiative)”, submitted on 16 August 2024, has been formally successful. Of the 113,060 signatures submitted, 112,736 are valid.Address for enquiriesBeat FurrerInformation Officer058 465 02 45beat.furrer@bk.admin.chPublished byFederal Chancelleryhttps://www.bk.admin.ch/bk/en/home.html

    Social shares

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI: YPrime Recognized as Trailblazer in Patient Engagement by Everest Group

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MALVERN, Pa., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — YPrime, the leading pioneer in clinical trial technology, today announced its recognition as a Trailblazer in the Everest Group‘s Clinical Trial Patient Engagement Products Assessment. This prestigious acknowledgment underscores YPrime’s commitment to improving patient participation and engagement in clinical trials through innovative, experience-centric, and quality-driven technology.

    “We are thrilled to be named a Trailblazer by the Everest Group,” said Jim Corrigan, CEO of YPrime. “This recognition shows that our hard work in transforming clinical trials is paying off. At YPrime, we have always considered ourselves trailblazers, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible in patient engagement and clinical trial technologies for all stakeholders in the ecosystem.”

    “Patient engagement has become a critical component of clinical trials, increasingly recognized as a key factor to trial success by sponsors. As digital technology adoption in clinical trial gains momentum, patient-centric approaches are becoming the cornerstone for trial retention, data accuracy, and regulatory compliance. The future of clinical trials involves using technology to empower participation, improve adherence, and ultimately drive better trial outcomes,” says Nisarg Shah, Practice Director at Everest Group.” YPrime’s clinical trial technology platform offers patient engagement features across eConsent and eCOA, leveraging user-friendly design, personalization, and behavioral science to drive patient retention and adherence. Their focus on creating patient-centric and user-intuitive solutions for clinical trials has led to YPrime being recognized as a Trailblazer in the Clinical Trial Patient Engagement Trailblazer Assessment 2024.”

    YPrime’s forward-thinking approach is rooted in its comprehensive strategy for advancing science and health through innovative eCOA, IRT, patient engagement, and eConsent solutions. The company improves patient retention by delivering personalized and intuitive experiences while consistently developing solutions that address the evolving needs of clinical trial participants, site personnel, and sponsors.

    “Our technology isn’t just built on user-centric design principles – it’s driven by them,” said Mike Hughes, Chief Product Officer at YPrime, commenting on the company’s approach. “We’ve got a dedicated team that is focused on patient needs, including researchers who work directly with trial participants. This approach does not just enhance the patient experience; it revolutionizes trial efficiency and site productivity.”

    YPrime demonstrates its commitment to patient-centric technology through recent innovations. The launch of eCOA 7.0, a no-code, configurable platform, accelerates study launches by 30% while supporting both complex and simple trials. The platform benefits patients, sites, and sponsors alike, with faster startup, high-quality data, and operational efficiencies. YPrime has also recently introduced patient-focused functionalities including the glucometer integration and the Tender Swollen Joint Count (TSJC) assessment. Developed with input from diabetes patients, the glucometer integration improves data quality and compliance; while the joint assessment supports sites with an intuitive body map for quick and accurate evaluations.

    As a recognized Trailblazer, YPrime continues to solidify its position as a leader in clinical trial technology with its unique ability to improve patient participation and engagement. For more information on YPrime’s eCOA, IRT, eConsent, or Patient Engagement solutions, visit www.yprime.com.

    About YPrime
    At YPrime, we streamline the clinical trial journey with a configurable platform designed for speed, quality, and certainty. With 50% faster IRT startup times, 30% faster eCOA launch times, and quality standards 50% above the industry average, YPrime can help you solve for certainty. Discover how by visiting www.yprime.com or emailing marketing@yprime.com.

    Media Contact        
    Terry Rehm
    Head of Thought Leadership and Public Relations, YPrime
    trehm@yprime.com
    862-288-0329

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Bybit Launches Islamic Account, Expanding Access to Crypto Trading for Muslim Communities Worldwide

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, has announced the launch of its Islamic Account, making it the first global cryptocurrency exchange to offer such a service to Muslim traders worldwide. This initiative represents a major step towards providing crypto trading that is both accessible and compliant with Islamic law.

    Bybit’s Islamic Account offers a comprehensive suite of Shariah-compliant trading products, providing Muslim traders with an inclusive platform to engage in the digital asset market. Developed in consultation with ZICO Shariah Advisory Services Sdn. Bhd. (ZICO Shariah) and CryptoHalal to ensure compliance with the Shariah principles, the account ensures that all products strictly adhere to Islamic finance principles.

    Key Features of Bybit’s Islamic Account:

    • Global Accessibility: Available to all users, regardless of region, except in countries with legal restrictions.
    • Shariah-Compliant Product Offerings: Initial offerings include spot trading (limited to 75 Shariah-compliant tokens), DCA trading bot, and Spot Grid Bot.
    • Double Shariah Certification: Crypto Halal Certification, along with official Shariah certification from ZICO Holdings, guarantees that all products meet the highest standards of Islamic law.

    The Islamic economy serves approximately 1.9 billion people worldwide, with the Islamic finance sector currently estimated to be worth $2.3 trillion. The Middle East, Africa, and South Asia (MEASA) region is expected to contribute to the sector’s further expansion. By offering a Shariah-compliant trading platform, Bybit is entering the sector in hopes of providing Muslim traders with a trusted and reliable solution.

    “We are thrilled to introduce our Islamic Account, which represents a major milestone in our commitment to providing inclusive and accessible trading solutions,” said Joan Han, Sales & Marketing Director at Bybit. “By partnering with Crypto Halal and ZICO Holdings, we have ensured that our offerings align with the principles of Islamic finance, empowering Muslim traders to participate in the growing cryptocurrency market.”

    Bybit’s Islamic Account is a testament to the exchange’s dedication to diversity and inclusivity. By offering a Shariah-compliant trading environment, Bybit is breaking down barriers and aiming to create new opportunities for Muslim traders around the globe.

    #Bybit / #TheCryptoArk

    About Bybit

    Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving over 40 million users. Established in 2018, Bybit provides a professional platform where crypto investors and traders can find a fast matching engine, 24/7 customer service, and multilingual community support. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One’s reigning Constructors’ and Drivers’ champions: the Oracle Red Bull Racing team.

    For more details about Bybit, readers can please visit Bybit Press. 

    For media inquiries, readers can please contact: media@bybit.com

    For more information, readers can please visit: https://www.bybit.com

    For updates, readers can please follow: Bybit’s Communities and Social Media

    Contact

    Head of PR
    Tony Au
    Bybit
    tony.au@bybit.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: As Fentanyl Crisis Escalates, Abuse-Deterrent Formulations to Zero in on the Rising Epidemic of Opiate Abuse

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PALM BEACH, Fla., Sept. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — FN Media Group News Commentary – Abuse-deterrent transdermal technology can be used to prevent the misuse of drugs with abuse potential, such as fentanyl, by incorporating aversive agents into transdermal patches. Abuse-deterrent opioid formulations (ADFs) are designed to make it more difficult to abuse opioids by making them less attractive or rewarding, or by increasing the difficulty of manipulating them. ADFs can help reduce the risk of adverse effects associated with snorting or injecting opioids, and may also help prevent medication errors. Active companies in the industry include: Nutriband Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRB), Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA), Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY), Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS), Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRX).

    Some benefits of ADFs include: 

    • Reduced risk of abuse: ADFs can help reduce the risk of abuse, addiction, and substance use disorder. 
    • Reduced risk of overdose: ADFs can help reduce the risk of opioid overdose and poisoning. 
    • Reduced risk of medication errors: ADFs can help prevent medication errors, such as when a caregiver crushes an extended-release opioid to mix into applesauce.

    According to OXFORD Academic: “The misuse and abuse of prescription opioids constitute a growing public health problem, which is described in detail in The Burden of the Nonmedical Use of Prescription Opioid Analgesics. Recent efforts to decrease abuse of opioids through formulation engineering have focused on creating broader impediments to abuse, such as incorporating physical barriers, combining agonists with antagonists, including components that cause aversion, and formulating opioid prodrugs, with the goal of reducing abuse by oral and intranasal, as well as, routes. Several of these newer formulations are in late-stage clinical testing and, if approved, may reach the US market later this year. The true “abuse-resistance” or “abuse-deterrence” of these products will be established only when epidemiologic data on their impact confirming such effects are available.” As reported by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration: “The FDA is encouraging the development of prescription opioids with abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) to help combat the opioid crisis. The agency recognizes that abuse-deterrent opioids are not abuse- or addiction-proof but are a step toward products that may help reduce abuse.”

    Nutriband Inc. (NASDAQ: NTRB) RECEIVES CHINA PATENT NOTICE OF ALLOWANCE FOR ITS AVERSA™ ABUSE DETERRENT TRANSDERMAL TECHNOLOGY

    • Notice of Allowance received from Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) for a patent application covering its Nutriband AVERSA™ abuse deterrent transdermal technology
    • Nutriband abuse-deterrent transdermal technology consists of a proprietary aversive agent coating that employs taste aversion to deter the oral abuse of and accidental exposure to transdermal opioid and stimulant patch products

    Nutriband Inc. (NASDAQ:NTRB) (NASDAQ:NTRBW), a company engaged in the development of prescription transdermal pharmaceutical products, today announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the Chinese National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) for patent application entitled, “Abuse and Misuse Deterrent Transdermal Systems,” which protects its AVERSA™ abuse deterrent transdermal technology.

    The Aversa™ abuse deterrent technology is now covered by a broad international intellectual property portfolio with patents issued in 46 countries including the United States, Europe, Japan, Korea, Russia, Mexico, Canada, Australia, and China.

    Nutriband’s AVERSA™ abuse-deterrent technology incorporates aversive agents into transdermal patches to prevent the abuse, diversion, misuse, and accidental exposure of drugs with abuse potential including opioids and stimulants. The AVERSA™ abuse-deterrent technology has the potential to improve the safety profile of transdermal drugs susceptible to abuse while making sure that these drugs remain accessible to those patients who really need them.

    Nutriband abuse-deterrent transdermal technology consists of a proprietary aversive agent coating that employs taste aversion to deter the oral abuse of and accidental exposure to transdermal opioid and stimulant patch products. Preliminary studies have shown that the coating is very difficult to scrape off and the technology has a patented immediate and extended-release profile which presents an additional layer of deterrence to prevent the aversive layer from easily being washed off in an attempt to separate the drug from the aversive agents.

    Nutriband is currently working with its partner Kindeva Drug Delivery, a leading global contract development and manufacturing organization focused on drug-device combination products, to develop its lead product, AVERSA™ Fentanyl, which incorporates Nutriband’s AVERSA™ abuse-deterrent transdermal technology into Kindeva’s FDA-approved transdermal fentanyl patch system.

    AVERSA Fentanyl has the potential to be the world’s first abuse-deterrent opioid patch designed to deter the abuse and misuse and reduce the risk of accidental exposure of transdermal fentanyl patches. AVERSA Fentanyl has the potential to reach peak annual US sales of $80 million to $200 million. (Health Advances Aversa Fentanyl market analysis report 2022). CONTINUED… Read this full press release and more news for NTRB at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-ntrb

    Other recent developments in the industry of note include:

    Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE: TEVA) announced recently that a new analysis from the European cohort of the RIM-TD open-label extension (OLE) study revealed that deutetrabenazine treatment of patients with Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) was associated with long term improvement of TD symptoms. The improvement in symptoms was sustained throughout the three-year study, and deutetrabenazine was well tolerated. The data were presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) annual congress in Milan.

    TD is a stigmatising and debilitating involuntary movement disorder characterised by repetitive movements of the tongue, lower face, jaw, and limbs, which develops in around 15%-25% of patients receiving antipsychotic medications for conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder. 

    As part of the Lilly 30×30 pipeline efforts, Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is collaborating with NIDA through a Screening Agreement to explore the potential of some early-phase therapies that might be repurposed for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD).

    OUD is the chronic use of opioids that causes clinically significant distress or impairment. More than 9.5 million people over age 12 in the U.S. alone misused opioids in the past year. Opioid and other addictive disorders disproportionately affect people with limited resources. Nearly half of non-elderly adults with OUD in the United States have low incomes and almost a quarter live in poverty. Although there are three drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of opioid dependence, misuse of opioids remains a significant public health concern, and there is a high unmet need to develop new and effective treatments for opioid and other addictive disorders.

    Sandoz Inc., a Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS) division, and Pear Therapeutics, Inc., in 2019 announced the US commercial launch of reSET-O(TM) for patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). reSET-O, cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December, is immediately available.

    The reSET-O prescription digital therapeutic (PDT) is a 12-week cognitive behavioral therapy intended to be used in addition to outpatient treatment. It includes transmucosal buprenorphine, a commonly used medication to treat opioid addiction, and contingency management designed to provide incentives to reinforce positive behaviors. reSET-O is available by prescription only for patients 18 years or older under the care of a clinician.

    “The launch of reSET-O provides an important technology-based treatment option for patients with Opioid Use Disorder and may fundamentally change how they interact with their therapies,” said Richard Francis, CEO, Sandoz. “At Sandoz, we are proud and excited to push the frontiers of medical innovation.”

    Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRX) earlier this year announced the availability of Over the Counter (“OTC”) Naloxone Hydrochloride (Naloxone HCI) Nasal Spray, USP, 4mg, following Abbreviated New Drug Application (“ANDA”) approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”). Amneal’s Naloxone HCI Nasal Spray, manufactured in the U.S., is a generic equivalent to OTC NARCAN® HCI Nasal Spray, a medication that is widely used to help treat drug overdose from opioids, including heroin, fentanyl and prescription opioid medications.

    “With today’s launch, Amneal is proud to help address this public health emergency by providing naloxone nasal spray at an affordable price and without a prescription. Our business is deeply rooted in a commitment to helping others. By enhancing access to naloxone nasal spray, we hope to get this affordable emergency treatment into the hands of even more people who could potentially save countless families and communities from further heartache and loss,” said Chirag and Chintu Patel, Co-Chief Executive Officers.

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    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How to archive your photos in the digital age

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Wasim Ahmad, Assistant Teaching Professor of Journalism, Quinnipiac University

    What’s the right choice for storing your photos? Wasim Ahmad, CC BY

    Taking photographs used to be a careful, conscious act. Photos were selective, frozen moments in time carefully archived in albums and frames. Now, taking a photograph is almost as effortless and common as breathing – it’s something that people do all the time in the age of smartphone cameras with seemingly endless digital film.

    But the downside to capturing every moment is that it creates a mountain of those moments to save for the future. Those photos can be easily lost if they’re not archived properly. All it can take is one accidental dip in the toilet for your phone, and all that data is lost forever.

    So what’s a practical backup strategy for the average person? Here are a few ways to make sure memories are never lost:

    Cloud storage

    The simplest way to archive your photos is cloud storage. For Apple users, there’s iCloud, which starts at US$0.99 per month for 50 gigabytes all the way to $59.99 per month for 12 terabytes with various tiers in between. With an average iPhone photo clocking in at 3 megabytes, that’s a little over 16,000 photos for the cheap plan and 4 million or so for the largest plan. Google’s Google One cloud storage is most cost effective for yearly plans, with 2TB going for $99.99 per year and 5TB going for $249.99 per year.

    The actual amount you can store in that space does vary greatly with how a file is shot. Video has larger file sizes than photos. HEIF files, a newer format on Apple phones, compresses files into smaller packages, but long-term compatibility is unknown since the format hasn’t been in use for as long as the standard JPG file, which has been around since 1992.

    Storing your photos in a cloud service like iCloud is probably the easiest method.
    Chris Messina/Flickr, CC BY-NC

    While cloud services from big providers generally provide the easiest way for most average folks to back up their photos, and operate with little to no intervention via apps that are already on the phone constantly uploading every photo taken, there are risks involved.

    Big companies often change their policies about how photos are saved. For instance, depending on what phone and when it was bought, Google’s cloud storage may have saved photos in a “storage saver” format that lowers the quality of images by sizing them down or compressing them differently. This affects your ability to make high-quality prints or view the photos on high-resolution screens down the road. Unless someone is astute enough to notice small text here and there that mentions it, most users won’t even realize it’s happening.

    And what happens to cloud services when things go badly wrong? Users of photo backup service Digital Railroad found out the hard way. In 2008, the company abruptly shut down and gave its users 24 hours to download everything before the servers were shut down. Photographers rushed for the exits, trying to grab their photos on the way out, only to strain the servers to the point where few were able to recover anything at all. If this was the only way photos were backed up, it’s a lost cause.

    So while the cloud is easy, costs can add up and terms of service can change at a moment’s notice. What are some ways for photographers to control their own fate?

    Hard drives and network-attached storage

    Manually taking photos off a phone may take some extra time, but the approach offers peace of mind that cloud services can’t necessarily match.

    Almost all phones can plug into a computer’s USB port and use the built-in photos app on both Windows or MacOS to download photos to a computer. Apple users can use a method called AirDrop to send photos wirelessly to other Apple devices as well, including laptop and desktop computers.

    Now loading photos onto a local hard drive built into the machine can fill it up quickly, but there is a cost-effective way to get around that – namely, external hard drives. Theses are storage devices that you can plug into your computer as needed. They can be of the older and less expensive type with spinning platters or more modern solid-state drives that can survive a drop and greater temperature changes than the older drives can.

    These are different than flash drives, more commonly known as thumb drives because of their small size, that are designed as temporary storage to shuffle photos from one place to another.

    It’s easy to buy more than one hard drive to have duplicate backups in case of failure or catastrophe, but the downside is that there’s no easy access from the internet to your photos, and backup is generally a process that users must remember to do.

    Network-attached storage is one way to solve the cloud storage problem while retaining the ability to access photos from the internet. These are essentially hard drives – sometimes multiple hard drives linked together for even greater or faster storage – that are connected to a router that allows for access to the internet through specialized software.

    While not as easy as most third-party cloud storage services, once it’s set up, a network-attached storage unit is a flexible way to store your photos safely and accessibly. There are even companies that specialize in fireproof and waterproof units for extra insurance in case of disaster.

    Printing photos

    If cloud storage and hard drives seem too complicated, there’s always the old-fashioned approach of printing. There’s still something magical about seeing a photo on a wall or in an album, and thankfully there are ways to print professional-quality archival prints without having to go to a drugstore.

    Desktop photo printers are a way to bring those digital photos into the physical world, ready for organizing in photo albums.
    Leksey/Wikimedia

    The easiest and most cost-efficient types of printers are dedicated 4×6 printers using a technology similar to professional labs called dye-sublimation. These yield high-quality, waterproof prints that cost about the same as what one would pay for drugstore developing. HP makes its popular Sprocket line of printers, though those require a phone and an app to print from, which makes plugging in a memory card from a professional camera out of the question. However, Canon’s Selphy lineup includes many models with screens and a card slot to make that possible.

    The rabbit hole goes very deep, and there are many professional printers that can print even larger sizes. Canon and Epson dominate this space, marketing a range of pigment- and dye-based printers that can emphasize archival needs or color saturation, respectively.

    Another option is ordering a photo book, which, as the name suggests, is a physical bound book of your photos. However, photo books are probably more appropriate for memorializing an event – trip, wedding, project – than general archiving, given the typical costs and number of photos involved.

    There’s little reason to not make some sort of backups of photos in 2024, whether that’s on printed media, hard drives or in the cloud. The important thing is not which method to use, but to do it at all.

    Wasim Ahmad does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. How to archive your photos in the digital age – https://theconversation.com/how-to-archive-your-photos-in-the-digital-age-239175

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Parents with disabilities have faced discrimination for years in the US, but new rules will help ensure that child welfare systems treat them more fairly

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elizabeth Lightfoot, Distinguished Professor of Social Policy, School of Social Work, Arizona State University

    Parents with disabilities have new legal protections. Westend61/Getty Images

    Parents with any kind of disability are much more likely to have some type of interaction with the child welfare system than other parents. This means they are more likely than other parents to be reported for child abuse and neglect and more likely to have abuse or neglect substantiated by child welfare workers. They are also more likely to have their children placed in foster care and more likely to permanently lose their parental rights.

    More than one-third of mothers with intellectual and developmental disabilities have an interaction with the child welfare system within four years of their child’s birth, and about one-fifth of all children in foster care have a parent with some type of disability.

    However, there is little evidence that parents with disabilities abuse or neglect their children at higher rates than anyone else. Instead, there’s evidence that many young adults raised by a parent with a disability have very positive childhood experiences.

    New rules that went into effect in July 2024 provide the first federal protections specifically for parents with disabilities. These new rules ban discrimination against parents and caregivers with disabilities throughout the child welfare system.

    Government is changing these rules

    I’m a social work policy researcher who has studied policies affecting parents with disabilities since 2007.

    In 2010, I found that three-quarters of states had laws which said that a parent’s disability could be used as the grounds for terminating their parental rights. Most of these state laws focused on parents with intellectual and developmental disabilities or mental health disabilities, though some listed physical disabilities and other types as well.

    Many of these laws were vague and used outdated language such as “mental deficiency.”

    Parental disability is the only grounds for termination of parental rights that focuses on a condition of the parent. The rest focus on behaviors. For example, parental poverty is not listed as grounds for termination of parental rights in any state, but neglect – a behavior – is.

    State laws were only one of the issues parents with disabilities encountered related to child protection. For years, there had been confusion as to how the Americans with Disabilities Act, the federal law banning disability discrimination, applied to parents in the child welfare system. Until 2015, most state courts denied ADA claims by parents with disabilities who believed they were discriminated against.

    In addition, most child welfare workers do not receive formal training on working with parents with disabilities. They are not trained in how to assess parenting skills or how to make accommodations to services that they typically provide, such as providing in-home parent training or conveying information in plain language. They might not know about the overwhelming evidence that parents with intellectual disabilities can learn parenting skills.

    This has historically led many child welfare workers to make decisions based on stereotypes or speculation.

    One of the main biases that parents with disabilities face is the “presumption of unfitness bias.” This is a widespread bias that parents are unable to parent solely because of their disability.

    This bias can lead child welfare workers to not consider that parents with disabilities can rely on “parental supports” to assist them in parenting, ranging from adaptive cribs and baby monitors to in-home helpers. It also can result in parents with disabilities being held to a higher standard than others.

    State laws specifically naming parental disability as a for termination of parental rights, the lack of federal protection, and widespread biases left parents with disabilities vulnerable in encounters with the child welfare system.

    Gaining national attention

    Two federal actions in the early 2010s brought national attention to parents with disabilities.

    First, the National Council on Disability, the independent federal agency that advises the federal government on disability issues, released a report in 2012 called Rocking the Cradle. That report focused on the widespread discrimination faced by parents with disabilities; highlighted and called for changing the state child protection laws; and called for the application of ADA protections in child welfare cases involving parents with disabilities.

    This report received a lot of media attention and led to more awareness of the plight of these parents.

    Then, in 2015, Justice Department and the Department of Health and Human Services released guidance directing child welfare agencies to protect parents with disabilities from discrimination. This was the first federal action indicating that the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act applied to child protection services.

    This guidance followed the departments’ investigation of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families’ removal of a newborn baby from Sara Gordon, a new mother with a developmental disability, in 2012. The Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services found that the state agency had made assumptions that Gordon was unable to take care of her child and unable to learn parenting skills. The state agency had also failed to take into account that Gordon had support systems in place. She lived with her parents, and her mother had quit her job to assist with parenting.

    Making progress for parents with disabilities

    The momentum for protecting parental rights has led to some positive changes.

    A few states changed their own child protection laws to address some of these problems before the federal government took action by providing new protections for parents with disabilities. In addition, the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services have reached agreements with state agencies in Oregon, Georgia and Massachusetts related to discrimination against parents with disabilities.

    Despite this progress, parents with disabilities are still discriminated against by the child welfare system in many parts of the country.

    At the same time, I have no doubt that the federal government’s revision of the rules of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is a major step forward for parents with disabilities.

    In particular, it is promising that Section  84.60 of the rule clarifies that disability discrimination is not allowed in any part of the child welfare process. Child welfare agencies throughout the United States now must ensure that they are not making decisions based on speculation, stereotypes or generalizations.

    Thanks to changes in the federal rule, when a child welfare agency evaluates how a child is being parented, the tools it uses must be backed by research. The evaluations must be conducted by a qualified professional and tailored to the needs of the individual parent. Agencies must ensure that parents with disabilities can participate in any services they provide. These services include parent-child visitation, parenting skills programs, family reunification services and child placements in foster care settings or in the care of another relative.

    Disability advocacy groups applauded this new rule when it went into effect in the summer of 2024.

    I believe these new rules will protect parents with disabilities when interacting with child protection authorities. They will also make it easier for child welfare agencies and state courts to recognize disability discrimination when it appears in their caseloads or on their dockets.

    Elizabeth Lightfoot receives funding from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research and the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.

    – ref. Parents with disabilities have faced discrimination for years in the US, but new rules will help ensure that child welfare systems treat them more fairly – https://theconversation.com/parents-with-disabilities-have-faced-discrimination-for-years-in-the-us-but-new-rules-will-help-ensure-that-child-welfare-systems-treat-them-more-fairly-238185

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Egypt’s fears about Ethiopia’s mega-dam haven’t come to pass: moving on from historical concerns would benefit the whole region

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Mike Muller, Visiting Adjunct Professor, School of Governance, University of the Witwatersrand

    A new round of angry exchanges has broken out between Egypt and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

    On September 1, Cairo wrote to the UN security council to protest against Ethiopia’s continued filling of Africa’s second largest reservoir and bringing two more power generating turbines into operation. Egypt sees any new infrastructure development on the Nile as a potential threat, since the river is the source of over 98% of the country’s water.

    Egypt calls this a violation of international law and Ethiopia’s obligations to “prevent significant harm”. Ethiopia’s policies, it says,

    could result in an existential threat to Egypt … and would consequently jeopardise regional and international peace and security.

    Ethiopia has told Egypt to “abandon its aggressive approach” towards the dam. Ethiopia says that it must allow the Blue Nile’s water to flow through the dam’s turbines and on to Egypt to generate the hydropower for which it has been built, thus guaranteeing the overall flow to Egypt.

    I have tracked the Nile disputes since the 1970s, first as a development journalist, then as a civil engineer and senior public servant. More recently, my research on water and regional integration for regional development agencies has provided further insights. My 2021 study considered the lessons to be learnt for today’s water challenges from centuries of the use and management of Nile waters.



    Read more:
    Innovations on the Nile over millennia offer lessons in engineering sustainable futures

    Ongoing tension between Egypt and Ethiopia over control of the Nile River has a long history. Therefore, in one sense, the row between Egypt and Ethiopia is nothing new.

    The countries went to war as far back as 1874, even as they both were also battling European colonialism. Ethiopia won the war of 1874 and, 20 years later, beat back Italy’s attempt to colonise it, at the battle of Adwa.

    However, Egypt gained long term advantage from treaties negotiated by the British, which gave Cairo almost total control over the Nile. Egypt is still asserting the rights and privileges conferred by those colonial era treaties even though they are being challenged by other Nile countries. In my view, this is because Egyptians are still trapped by their past fears. As Norwegian professor Torje Tvedt has explained, these fears were deliberately entrenched by past colonial authorities.

    With these perspectives, my view is that the current controversy over the Ethiopian dam still reflects historical conflicts rather than a careful analysis of present challenges.

    Now 90% complete, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam has begun to generate electricity. A series of good rainy seasons have allowed the reservoir to start filling rapidly without affecting Egypt’s water availability.

    The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam offers not just cheap green electricity for Ethiopia and the sub-region as well as reliable irrigation supplies and flood control for Sudan. Once filled, its storage could offer supply security and increase the amount of water available for Egypt as well.

    The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam

    What, then, are the issues that have prompted Egypt’s recent protests and what are the possible solutions to the problems raised?

    The immediate technical challenge is to continue filling the dam without disrupting flows to Sudan and Egypt. The filling process might have to be interrupted if there is a regional drought. So recent developments, notably the greater focus on the rate at which the dam will be filled rather than the legality of its construction, suggest that there is a shift in positions which neither side is yet willing to acknowledge publicly.

    This shift will be supported when other future-focused issues are raised. For instance, there must be negotiations about the supply of electricity to support Sudan’s irrigation expansion, although this is on hold due to the war in Sudan. In the longer term, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia could cooperate to use the GERD’s storage to help Egypt to manage its Aswan High Dam more efficiently. Aswan currently suffers very high evaporation losses, which could be reduced if its reservoir levels were better controlled. The GERD could help to do this.

    Unfortunately, the history of colonial Britain repeatedly threatening to cut Egypt’s Nile water supplies has been deeply imprinted in Egyptian public consciousness. It is understandable that Egyptians still fear a similar threat from Ethiopia. The responsibility now falls on Ethiopia to show good faith in its operation of the dam and to work with Egypt to change the combative discourse.

    Potential for cooperation

    Egypt’s repeated complaints have alerted Ethiopia and international organisations of the need to act carefully. If there is another regional drought, Ethiopia will need to slow the rate at which it completes filling its dam. Informal liaison structures are monitoring the situation and such a response would help to build a more constructive engagement with Egypt.

    Water is a patient teacher. Every season provides an opportunity for those who live with its natural cycles to understand it better. The hope is that, if the three countries experience the benefits of some seasons of the dam’s operation, the natural cycle will reveal the potential for cooperation and mitigate the conflict.



    Read more:
    Sudan’s catastrophe: farmers could offer quick post-war recovery, if peace is found

    When peace returns to Sudan, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will enable a vast expansion of irrigation to develop its role as a regional breadbasket. The dam will also help to manage Nile floods which regularly cause death and destruction, even to Sudan’s capital, Khartoum.

    Efforts to promote cooperation between the East African countries that share the White Nile have been relatively successful. However, such cooperation on the Blue Nile will need much greater trust between the parties. To achieve this trust, the countries and their people will have to overcome centuries of cultural and political preconceptions. This will require much patient work and interaction, which is not easy in the current climate.

    Mike Muller has received funding from the African Development Bank and South Africa’s Water Research Comission for work on regional cooperation in water resource management. He has been a member of the Global Water Partnership’s Technical Committee, chaired the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Water and been funded by the World Bank’s Cooperation in International Waters (CIWA) programme for contributions to the Nile Basin Initiative. He was also funded by UNESCO to attend a conference in Khartoum, organised with Sudan’s Ministry of Water Resources Irrigation and Electricity, on integrated and sustainable water management.

    – ref. Egypt’s fears about Ethiopia’s mega-dam haven’t come to pass: moving on from historical concerns would benefit the whole region – https://theconversation.com/egypts-fears-about-ethiopias-mega-dam-havent-come-to-pass-moving-on-from-historical-concerns-would-benefit-the-whole-region-239418

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI China: Digitalization streamlines Chinese mainland’s exports to Macao

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

    GUANGZHOU, Sept. 24 — The first batch of plant products exported from the Chinese mainland to Macao was declared with digital customs clearance on Monday by the Gongbei Customs in Zhuhai, a city in south China’s Guangdong Province, which borders Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR).

    From Monday, all exports of plant products via Gongbei Customs started to undergo paperless customs clearance of inspection and quarantine certificates after the customs inked a cooperation agreement with the Macao SAR government on animal and plant quarantine and food safety.

    “In the past, we had to spend hours in the customs office for the declaration of the paper certificates of the goods. With digital management, the time was greatly shortened,” said Lin Genrui, the exporter of the plant products.

    He said his company is a long-term supplier of flower and seedling products to Macao.

    In the first eight months of this year, customs handled 952 batches of flower and seedling exports to Macao worth 14.88 million yuan (about 2.1 million U.S. dollars).

    Chen Weiqi, an official of the Gongbei Customs, said that customs had strengthened communication and cooperation with the Macao SAR government for mutual authentication of customs declaration certificates to jointly ensure safety, promote cross-border trade facilitation, and enhance the market integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

    All plant products declared for export through customs are recognized through information sharing between the Chinese mainland and Macao, said Chen, adding that customs would continue to expand the types of export goods to be covered by the paperless customs clearance.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xinjiang’s Khunjerab Pass offers full-year service

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

    Xinjiang’s Khunjerab Pass offers full-year service

    Updated: September 24, 2024 20:37 Xinhua
    A police officer of Khunjerab border inspection station is pictured on duty at the Khunjerab Pass in Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2024. Khunjerab Pass is a land port on the China-Pakistan border and an important gateway to South Asia and Europe. The pass used to offer seasonal access service that started on April 1 and ended on Nov. 30, but it has shifted to full-year service as of Sept. 20 this year. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Police officers of Khunjerab border inspection station check a vehicle at the Khunjerab Pass in Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A truck passes through the Khunjerab Pass in Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    This photo shows the Khunjerab Pass in Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Customs staff check electronic products at the Khunjerab Pass in Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A police officer of Khunjerab border inspection station (R, front) helps a Swiss tourist at the Khunjerab Pass in Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) bolster partnership for enhanced public health emergency response

    Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:

    Download logo

    World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have endorsed a regional collaboration framework to strengthen public health emergency response, especially at the community level, and bolster health security.

    With the WHO in the African Region’s presence in 47 countries and the IFRC’s Africa Regional Office’s support of 49 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in sub-Saharan Africa as well as over 1.4 million volunteers and 12 000 branches, the two organizations are leveraging their vast networks and presence on the continent to support governments in scaling up response at the community level.

    To address the ongoing mpox outbreak, WHO in the African Region and IFRC are reinforcing their long-standing collaboration to support Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to ramp up measures for an effective response to halt the outbreak. The collaboration can be expanded to include other countries facing active mpox cases, as well as other public health emergencies.

    “As the continent and the world face new and emerging threats, our enduring partnership remains crucial in safeguarding health, enhancing emergency preparedness, and building a healthier, more resilient Africa,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

    WHO and IFRC have collaborated for decades on the continent, driven by a deep-rooted commitment to save lives. The new collaboration framework will facilitate closer coordination and alignment in the response to health emergencies in Africa. It aims to enhance capacity-building in national health workforces, strengthen disaster preparedness and risk reduction, increase vaccine access and expand evidence-based action. The partnership will also streamline and integrate preparedness approaches within ministries of health and address the health impacts of climate change, among other priority areas for collaborative action across the continent.

    Approximately 500 000 IFRC volunteers are in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that accounts for 90% of all mpox cases in Africa. They have been trained in community-based surveillance, community engagement, risk communication and case management. 

    “Our volunteers are members of the community who have built social trust over many years. They generate large reservoirs of applied research and data on the health status of communities,” said Mohammed Omer Mukhier-Abuzein, IFRC Regional Director for Africa. 

    With an estimated ratio of one volunteer for every 200 people living in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the IFRC workforce will play a crucial role in passing real-time information about suspected outbreaks to WHO’s national mpox response team. This team includes polio experts who have demonstrated considerable effectiveness in previous disease eradication initiatives. 

    “By combining WHO’s technical expertise and national coordination with IFRC’s grassroots community mobilization, we can create a powerful and complementary response mechanism. This partnership ensures interventions are scientifically sound and locally relevant, setting a new standard for integrated and effective outbreak responses,” said Dr Abdou Salam Gueye, WHO’s Regional Emergency Director for Africa. 

    Epidemiological surveillance conducted in collaboration with IFRC will support the mpox vaccine rollout in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is set to begin in the coming weeks. WHO will be able to use data to guide vaccines to where they are needed most. 

    WHO is supporting countries experiencing mpox outbreaks through multiple response strategies, including enhancing disease surveillance, vaccine introduction readiness, contact tracing, training and combating misinformation. 

    Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Eleven Firms to Pay More Than $88 Million Combined to Settle SEC’s Charges for Widespread Recordkeeping Failures

    Source: Securities and Exchange Commission

    One additional firm will not pay a penalty because it self-reported, self-policed, and demonstrated substantial efforts at compliance

    The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against 12 firms, comprising broker-dealers, investment advisers, and one dually-registered broker-dealer and investment adviser, for widespread and longstanding failures by the firms and their personnel to maintain and preserve electronic communications in violation of recordkeeping provisions of the federal securities laws.

    The firms admitted the facts set forth in their respective SEC orders, acknowledged their conduct violated recordkeeping provisions of the federal securities laws, agreed to pay combined civil penalties of $88,225,000 as outlined below, and have begun implementing improvements to their compliance policies and procedures to address these violations. The firms are as follows:

    • Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. agreed to pay a $35 million penalty;
    • Invesco Distributors, Inc., together with Invesco Advisers, Inc., agreed to pay a $35 million penalty;
    • CIBC World Markets Corp., together with CIBC Private Wealth Advisors, Inc., agreed to pay a $12 million penalty;
    • Glazer Capital, LLC agreed to pay a $2 million penalty;
    • Intesa Sanpaolo IMI Securities Corp., agreed to pay a $1.5 million penalty;
    • Canaccord Genuity LLC agreed to pay a $1.25 million penalty;
    • Regions Securities LLC agreed to pay a $750,000 penalty;
    • Alpaca Securities LLC agreed to pay a $400,000 penalty;
    • Focused Wealth Management, Inc. agreed to pay a $325,000 penalty; and
    • Qatalyst Partners LP will not pay a penalty.

    “Today’s enforcement actions reflect the range of remedies that parties may face for violating the recordkeeping requirements of the federal securities laws. Widespread and longstanding failures, including where those failures potentially hinder the Commission’s investor protection function by compromising a firm’s response to SEC subpoenas, may result in robust civil penalties,” said Gurbir S. Grewal, Director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “On the other hand, firms that self-report and otherwise cooperate with the SEC’s investigations may receive significantly reduced penalties. Here, despite recordkeeping failures that involved communications by senior leadership and persisted after our first recordkeeping matters were announced in 2021, Qatalyst took substantial steps to comply, self-reported, and remediated and, therefore, received a no-penalty resolution.”

    The SEC’s investigations into all the firms except for Qatalyst uncovered pervasive and longstanding use of unapproved communication methods, known as off-channel communications, at these firms. As described in the SEC’s orders, the firms admitted that during the periods relevant to each order, their personnel sent and received off-channel communications that were records required to be maintained under securities laws. The failure to maintain and preserve required records deprives the SEC of these communications in our investigations. The failures involved personnel at multiple levels of authority, including supervisors and senior managers.

    In contrast, in response to the Commission’s recent off-channel enforcement actions, Qatalyst conducted an internal investigation and uncovered that Qatalyst personnel at various levels of authority sent and received off-channel communications, which Qatalyst did not maintain or preserve, that related to its broker-dealer business. Qatalyst will not pay a penalty because it self-reported its recordkeeping violations, cooperated with the staff’s investigation, and demonstrated substantial efforts at compliance with the recordkeeping requirements. Two additional firms, Canaccord and Regions, also self-reported their violations and, as a result, will pay significantly lower civil penalties than they would have otherwise.

    The firms were each charged with violating certain recordkeeping provisions of the Securities Exchange Act or the Investment Advisers Act or both. In addition, all but one of the firms failed to reasonably supervise their personnel with a view to preventing and detecting those violations. The SEC’s order against Focused Wealth also found that the firm failed to adopt and implement policies and procedures reasonably designed to prevent the firm and its supervised persons from violating recordkeeping requirements.

    Each of the firms was ordered to cease and desist from future violations of the relevant recordkeeping provisions and was censured. Ten of the firms also agreed to retain compliance consultants to, among other things, conduct comprehensive reviews of their policies and procedures relating to the retention of electronic communications found on personal devices and their respective frameworks for addressing non-compliance by their personnel with those policies and procedures.

    Separately, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced a settlement with Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce for related conduct.

    The SEC’s investigations into Stifel, CIBC, Intesa, Canaccord, Alpaca, and Qatalyst were conducted by Laurel S. Fensterstock, Karolina Klyuchnikova, Austin Thompson, and Alison R. Levine. The SEC’s investigation into Focused Wealth was conducted by Bennett Ellenbogen and Michael Paley. Each of these matters was supervised by Thomas P. Smith, Jr. of the New York Regional Office. The SEC’s investigation into Invesco was conducted by Melanie Good, Craig Welter, and Nikolay Vydashenko, and supervised by Corey Schuster of the Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit.  The SEC’s investigation into Glazer was conducted by Anne Hancock, Samantha Martin, and Christopher Rogers, and supervised by B. David Fraser of the Fort Worth Regional Office. The investigation into Regions was conducted by Katie D. Krysan and Amy S. Cotter, and supervised by Paul A. Montoya of the Chicago Regional Office.

    MIL OSI USA News –