Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
E China’s Shandong supports Xinjiang through ‘pairing assistance’ programs
Category: MIL-OSI
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MIL-OSI China: E China’s Shandong supports Xinjiang through ‘pairing assistance’ programs
A worker works at a watermelon cultivation base, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Shule County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 21, 2024. In recent years, Shandong province has fully leveraged its industrial advantages in its “pairing assistance” programs on supporting Xinjiang, with the priority of promoting employment through development and actively cultivating distinctive and high-quality industries. In Kashgar region, efforts have been made to support the development of specialty agricultural industries. With the support of research institutes such as Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, more than 20 agricultural task forces have been established in Kashgar to conduct research projects, provide technical guidance and services. Over 110 agricultural technologies related to planting, breeding, and cultivation management have been promoted, contributing to the continuous expansion, optimization, and strengthening of the local agricultural industry. [Photo/Xinhua] A worker shows roses planted at an agricultural industrial park, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Yengisar County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] A worker smells roses planted at an agricultural industrial park, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Yengisar County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] A worker shows newly harvested gingers at an agricultural industrial park, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Yengisar County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 22, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] A worker works at a watermelon cultivation base, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Shule County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] A worker picks a watermelon at a watermelon cultivation base, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Shule County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Sept. 21, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] This photo taken on Sept. 21, 2024 shows the greenhouses of a watermelon cultivation base, one of the “pairing assistance” programs of east China’s Shandong province, in Shule County of Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. [Photo/Xinhua] -
MIL-OSI China: China’s tourism facilitation measures win applause from industry insiders
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China has seen a “China travel” boom this year thanks to a series of measures aimed at facilitating inbound tourism. At the 8th Conference of Hebei Tourism Industry Development held in two cities of north China’s Hebei, international participants applauded China’s tourism facilitation measures and showed more interest in exploring China.
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MIL-OSI China: Guan Gong Cultural Festival celebrates Chinese heroism
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
The 35th Guan Gong Cultural Tourism Festival kicked off on Monday in Guan Gong’s hometown of Yuncheng city, Shanxi province, attracting over 1,000 domestic and international devotees.
The three-day event aims to pass on the culture of Guan Gong and promote national spirit.
In Chinese folklore, Guan Yu, a general from the late Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), also known as Guan Gong or Guan Di, stands as a revered figure and a superhero in the eyes of the Chinese people.
Around 30,000 Guan Gong temples are spread across approximately 168 countries and regions worldwide.
“Yuncheng will take the festival as a new starting point to promote the integrated development of culture and tourism,” Wang Ligang, the city’s deputy Party secretary, said at the opening ceremony. “We will continue to optimize cultural services and the supply mechanism of cultural products, aiming to develop the cultural tourism industry into a strategic pillar industry and a source of happiness for residents.”
After the opening ceremony, devotees paid tribute at the Guan Gong Temple in Haizhou township, which has a history of over 1,400 years.
“I have been influenced by the culture of Guan Gong since I was young, and I come to worship the ancestral temple at least twice a year,” said Wu Dongdong, a devotee from Quanzhou city, Fujian province. “The qualities of loyalty and integrity displayed by Guan Gong have had a major impact on my life.”
A Guan Gong culture-themed symposium was held on Monday afternoon.
“Guan Gong embodies various excellent moral qualities,” said Wang Juan, a professor from the Chinese Department of Peking University. “The devotees, domestic and abroad, who advocate Guan Gong’s beliefs provide possibilities for dialogue, exchange and integration among various social strata.”
Fu Wenyuan, director of the Haizhou Guandi Temple Cultural Relics Protection Institute said: “We will collaborate with relevant departments to accelerate the application for the declaration of Guan Sheng Cultural Sites as World Intangible Cultural Heritage.”
“Furthermore, we are striving to develop Yuncheng into a research center for Guan Gong culture, a pilgrimage site for the spirit of Guan Gong and a cultural tourism destination for the loyalty and righteousness of Guan Gong,” said Fu.
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MIL-OSI China: Shanghai’s Rockbund Art Museum to launch exhibition exploring Pacific Ocean
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
The Rockbund Art Museum in Shanghai opened “Rindon Johnson: Best Synthetic Answer,” an exhibition exploring geographies of the Pacific Ocean using artificial intelligence, on Friday and running through April 2025.
At the exhibition’s heart is a video installation depicting the artist Johnson’s digital avatar “swimming” from his birthplace of San Francisco to Shanghai over the exhibition’s seven-month duration.
Each day, viewers can watch the virtual swimmer cut through AI-generated seascapes that shift in real-time based on actual oceanic and weather data from the Pacific.
“How does a Black American, raised on the edge of the Pacific, move through the ocean to reach Shanghai?” Johnson pondered. His answer is to “swim” there using artificial intelligence.
The “best synthetic answer” in this exhibition refers to the simulated outputs created by large language models such as ChatGPT. Johnson’s works blend text, video, animation, and other media to meditate on themes of time, space, ownership, freedom, autonomy, and humanity’s environmental impact.
“During the seven months, we’ll explore flows, folds, waves, and depth — all relating to the ocean,” said X Zhu-Nowell, the Rockbund’s artistic director. “We need a new narrative of time to contemplate where we are situated.”
Alongside the video installation, the exhibition will present works made of ephemeral materials such as stained glass, luminous plants, and cowhide scraps, in a bid to discuss concepts of ownership, freedom, autonomy, exploitation, value, and waste.
In parallel, the museum will launch a complementary public program inspired by Fijian-Tongan scholar Epeli Hau’ofa. It encourages re-evaluating Shanghai through an oceanic worldview with performances, lectures, workshops, and more by scholars, artists, and cultural figures from the Pacific region.
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MIL-OSI China: 75 years of design celebrated at Hangzhou museum
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
A new exhibition opened on Monday at China Design Museum, China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, ahead of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, which falls on Oct 1.
The exhibition, titled “Design for New China: The History of Design in the Early Years of the People’s Republic of China”, presents the diversity and experimental nature of early design and aims to convey the vitality and experience of China’s modernization process, according to the organizers.
The exhibition will run until Nov 15.
“In an era of both hope and challenges, the design industry in China started steadily amid continuous exploration and gradually gave birth to a unique design concept with Chinese characteristics,” said Han Xu, vice-president of the China Academy of Art, at the opening ceremony.
Gathering precious collections from some 40 institutions across China, the exhibition features more than 500 artifacts and historical documents, ranging from architecture, industrial design and handicraft to fashion and visual design, among other fields.
“This exhibition is a great review of the early design history, and it is also a high tribute to the source of its design, which has provided invaluable inspiration for today’s innovative design,” said Han.
It showcases plenty of “firsts” in design in the early years of the People’s Republic of China, including the first national gift, the first generation of national porcelain known as “Jianguo Porcelain” and the first foreign trade exhibition.
History plays an essential role in the healthy and vigorous development of a nation, said Hang Jian, deputy director of the Academic Committee of the China Academy of Art, in his speech.
“Therefore, the history of design is not only a record of designers’ creations but also the most fundamental embodiment of a nation’s value-creation as well as its profound wisdom of life,” Hang said.
“Visitors will get a glimpse of how, through extensive social participation, the designers of that era jointly shaped the nation’s image, including the symbols and the spaces of the national image,” added Han.
“Therefore, the history of design is not only a record of designers’ creations but also the most fundamental embodiment of a nation’s value-creation as well as its profound wisdom of life,” Hang said.
“Visitors will get a glimpse of how, through extensive social participation, the designers of that era jointly shaped the nation’s image, including the symbols and the spaces of the national image,” added Han.
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MIL-OSI USA: Tillis Applauds $290 Million Commitment for Charlotte Douglas International Airport
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Thom Tillis applauded a $290 millioncommitment from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fund the Fourth Parallel Runway project at the Charlotte Douglas International (CLT) Airport.
“This investment will not only enhance Charlotte Douglas International Airport’s capacity to meet future air traffic demand but also will provide a better experience for both pilots and passengers,” said Senator Tillis. “I am proud to have worked with airport officials and local leaders to secure this critical funding to expand the airport, allowing them to meet growing passenger needs.”
The 10,000-foot-long by 150-foot-wide runway, is positioned west of Runway 18C/36C. The construction also includes north and south end-around taxiways, which will allow aircraft arriving on the existing western runway to bypass the new runway and the center runway. This enhancement will notably reduce aircraft operating time, fuel consumption, and emissions, while also decreasing long wait times for passengers. CLT has the highest share of connecting passengers at any airport in the U.S. -
MIL-OSI China: Experts hope cultural exhibit inspires youth
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
The Hong Kong Palace Museum has opened an exhibition featuring over 100 precious artifacts that span 5,800 years of history, marking one of the most comprehensive displays of the origins and early development of Chinese civilization.
The exhibition is one of several events being held in the city to celebrate the upcoming National Day on Oct 1.
Cultural experts in Hong Kong expressed their hope that the exhibition will encourage young residents to delve into the roots and evolution of Chinese culture and help them foster a deeper appreciation for traditional values.
Considered one of the most comprehensive overviews of the formation and early development of Chinese civilization in recent years, the exhibition will run from Wednesday to Feb 7.
It will showcase nearly 110 precious objects from 14 major cultural institutions on the Chinese mainland and in Hong Kong. The artifacts span from the Neolithic period to the Xia Dynasty (c. 21st century-16th century BC), reflecting the lives of ancestors from over 5,800 years ago. Nearly all the treasures are to be displayed in Hong Kong for the first time.
Sixteen of the exhibits are grade-one national treasures, including a jade dragon from the Hongshan culture between 5,000 and 6,000 years ago, which is considered the original representation of the image of a dragon in China.
Other notable objects include a jade tortoise and a seated human figure, both unearthed from the Niuheliang site during the same Hongshan period, reflecting the unique customs of burying the deceased with jade.
Describing the traditional culture as the “root” and soul of the Chinese nation, Louis Ng Chi-wa, the director of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, said he hopes that the exhibition will provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about Chinese culture and history.
He said he hopes residents will enhance their cultural confidence through understanding the origins and development of Chinese civilization and witnessing its continuity, innovation and inclusiveness.
Henry Tang Ying-yen, chairman of the board of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, said the exhibition will offer a compelling glimpse into the lives of Chinese ancestors, who laid the foundation for the enduring Chinese lineage that continues to this day.
Tan Ping, director of Art Exhibition China and co-organizer of the exhibition, said it also showcases precious cultural relics unearthed in Hong Kong.
To better display the precious cultural relics, the exhibition uses a wealth of multimedia technology. For instance, the exhibition brings the ancient Shimao site to life through a 270-degree panoramic multimedia project, with acclaimed Hong Kong singer and actor Julian Cheung Chi-lam narrating the audio guide and leading visitors through the ancient site with his voice.
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MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Langworthy Announces FEMA Major Disaster Declaration for the Southern Tier Following Hurricane Debby Flooding
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Nick Langworthy (NY-23)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Langworthy announced that New York State’s Major Disaster Declaration was approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the extreme weather during August 8-10 in Allegany, Steuben, Broome, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Ontario, St. Lawrence, and Yates Counties.
“Seeing the damage up close in some of the hardest hit areas, it became clear how essential federal assistance was for these communities to recover, and I was proud to be a vocal advocate for the Southern Tier throughout this process,” said Congressman Langworthy. “With homes, businesses, and key infrastructure severely impacted, this Major Disaster Declaration will allow people to rebuild their lives. Now that this assistance is in place, we can focus on helping our neighbors get back on their feet after such a devastating storm.”
Immediately following the flooding, Congressman Langworthy toured the Steuben County areas that were hardest hit, including Canisteo, Jasper-Troupsburg High School, Greenwood, Woodhull, and the Jasper sewage plant.
Congressman Langworthy also penned a letter to President Joe Biden urging the swift approval of New York State’s Major Disaster Declaration request following the catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Debby in August 2024. Congressman Langworthy’s letter comes after New York State completed damage assessments and submitted its request.
In his letter, Congressman Langworthy highlighted the severe damage to major roadways, including state Route 417 and county Route 36, that have left residents cut off and businesses unable to operate. The Congressman also emphasized the need for additional Individual Assistance to ensure that residents can rebuild their homes.
Read the full letter here.
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MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Address by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio at the High-Level Launch Meeting of the Friends of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) [Speeches and Statements]
Source: Government of Japan – Prime Minister
[Provisional translation]
[Opening Remarks]
Distinguished high-level representatives,
Let me start with thanking all of you for gathering here today. As a native of Hiroshima, the city that was devastated by atomic bombing, I am delighted to launch today the Friends of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT) with the representatives of the participating countries. This launch is literally to wrap up my efforts to advance nuclear disarmament diplomacy that I have been working on since my time as Minister for Foreign Affairs and since becoming Prime Minister.
Next year, we will mark 80 years since we witnessed the first nuclear test in human history and the subsequent devastation caused by the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In my hometown of Hiroshima, the “Flame of Peace,” which symbolizes the resolve and hope of the Hibakusha–atomic bombing survivors–for a world without nuclear weapons, continues to burn without being extinguished for a moment until the day when all such weapons have disappeared from the earth.
About 60 years ago, at the United Nations General Assembly, U.S. President Kennedy stated that humanity lived under a nuclear sword of Damocles, hanging by the slenderest of threads, and appealed for the abolition of those weapons. Later, in 1993, at the same UN General Assembly, President Clinton stated that his country was working with Russia and others to take that sword down, to lock it away in a secure vault where we hope and pray it will remain forever.
And now, the era we call “the post-Cold War” has already passed, and we are facing the most severe and complex international security environment since the end of the World War II, where the international community is becoming increasingly divided and confrontational. This nuclear sword, hanging by the slenderest of threads over the heads of every human being, is swinging wildly again.
We are on the brink of a possible reversal of the downward trend in the number of nuclear weapons since the Cold War. The rapid buildup of nuclear capabilities by some countries in an untransparent manner could ignite an arms race that would draw other countries in.
UN Secretary-General Guterres, pointed out the deadlock of some existing disarmament institutions and the need to revitalize them in his “New Agenda for Peace.” I too am concerned that if this stalemate continues, the world will become even more divided.
The NPT regime, the cornerstone of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, is a common asset of humanity that is too precious to lose. We, the political leaders, must now take the lead to maintain confidence in this regime.
With this in mind, I myself as the Prime Minister of Japan, attended the NPT Review Conference in 2022 and announced the “Hiroshima Action Plan.” Following that, I worked on the G7 Leaders’ Hiroshima Vision for Nuclear Disarmament issued last May that called on all countries to refocus political attention on the FMCT.
The FMCT is a framework for maintaining the trend of a global decline in the number of nuclear weapons by limiting the quantitative increase in nuclear weapons. Thirty years have passed since President Clinton proposed the concept, and experts have continued discussion over technical aspects of the FMCT.
Now is the time for strong political will to begin negotiations that materialize those experts’ discussions. I am convinced that creating momentum for an early start of FMCT negotiations will lead to the maintenance and strengthening of the NPT regime in the run -up to the 2026 NPT Review Conference.
About 80 years ago, the Hibakusha of Hiroshima and Nagasaki experienced firsthand the horror of nuclear weapons, which robbed people of their “human dignity.” These people are already advanced in years. Along with their wish for a world without nuclear weapons, we need to promote the understanding of the realities of the atomic bombings to the world and to future generations.
Next year, which will mark 80th year since the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan will work on conveying the realities of the atomic bombings, focusing on three areas: sending Hibakushas and the youth overseas, promoting visits to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and strengthening communication with the world. On that basis, we, the political leaders of the world, must recognize that we have the responsibility to one day lock the nuclear sword of Damocles away in a secure vault where we hope and pray it will remain forever.
As a native of Hiroshima, the city that was devasted by atomic bombing, and as a responsible politician of Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings during war, I pledge to continue to support realistic steps toward a world without nuclear weapons. And above all, I would like to advance efforts toward nuclear disarmament so that the day will finally come when the “Flame of Peace” be extinguished after the resolve and hope of the Hibakusha fulfilled.
Japan will promote this FMCT Friends initiative in cooperation with the founding members of the group, who are gathered here. Let’s work harder together.
Thank you for your attention.
[Closing Remarks]
I thank all the high-level representatives of the FMCT Friends founding members for attending the launch meeting today. I am very encouraged to hear directly from you all about your country’s enthusiasm to expand support for the start of FMCT negotiations.
My staff always warns me to keep my remarks short, but when it comes to nuclear disarmament, I can’t help but be greedy to say more.
Looking ahead to next year, the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and toward the 2026 NPT Review Conference, we need to demonstrate through our actions that the NPT regime is the cornerstone of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Now that the international security environment is becoming increasingly severe, we must advance nuclear disarmament under this NPT regime.
The FMCT Friends are, let’s say, three C’s in this regard—a “core” of the dialogues between the relevant countries, a “communicator” between countries with different interests, and a “catalyst” to accelerate dialogues—toward the start of the stalled FMCT negotiations.
As a citizen of Hiroshima, the city that was devasted by atomic bombing, I have a strong desire for nuclear abolition. At the same time, as a responsible politician from Japan, the only country to have suffered atomic bombings in war, I am fully aware that Japan has a mission to advance realistic and practical efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons.
The NPT regime is the only universal framework for a world without nuclear weapons, with broad participation from both nuclear and non-nuclear weapon states. Under this regime, it is now more than ever that we must advance realistic efforts, step by step. Among these, I am convinced that a FMCT is truly indispensable.
To all founding members of the FMCT Friends, let us continue to work together toward our common goal so that we can absolutely commence the FMCT negotiations.
Thank you very much.
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MIL-OSI New Zealand: TWO-THIRDS OF CHILDREN INTERACT DAILY ONLINE WITH PEOPLE THEY DON’T KNOW DESPITE GROOMING FEARS – REPORT
Source: Save The Children
SYDNEY, 25 Sept 2024 – Over six in 10 children with access to the internet interact with “unknown others” daily despite concerns about online grooming, according to new research released by Save the Children and Western Sydney University that highlighted children’s demands for better online protection.
The research team held in-depth consultations with about 600 children and young people aged 8 to 18 from Australia, Finland, the Philippines, Cambodia, Colombia, Kenya, and South Africa, who shared their views and experiences of facing inappropriate requests online for personal information or images.
The report, ‘Protecting Children from Online Grooming’, was written by the Young & Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University, and funded by the global child online safety investment vehicle Safe Online as part of the Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, incidents of online grooming and child sexual and financial exploitation have reached an all-time high [1], with an 82% rise in online grooming crimes against children reported in that period [2]. Online grooming practices have also transformed, with the fastest growing form of online grooming targeting young men for financial extortion [3].
The report revealed children were more inclined to connect with strangers – or “unknown others” – online as they matured and became more social, motivated by a desire for friendship, fun and play, followed by a wish to stay informed about trends and events, and to connect over shared interests.
The findings also showed that while children across all cultures and age groups were more suspicious of people they didn’t know online than people they knew in person, most (66%) of the study participants still interacted with “unknown others” daily online.
Children in high-income settings were twice as likely to use privacy settings to protect themselves from unwanted contacts, compared to children from some low-income settings, but the potential to derive financial benefits was an incentive for children in middle-income countries to connect with strangers online, potentially compromising their safety.
While children have come up with numerous ways to protect themselves, they are calling for widespread, accessible and targeted online safety education for themselves and their caregivers. In the discussions the children also made concrete suggestions about how technology platforms and governments can implement changes that will keep them safer online.
Sonisay*, a girl aged 11-12 from rural Cambodia, said:
“Adults should know that children interact with strangers, monitor them, and read their chats.”
Angel* aged 15-17 from a city in the Philippines said:
“Adults need to know about the children of today who are highly computer-savvy… To be able to support and protect the children, adults need to understand that children are comfortable with using the internet which pushes to interact with strangers.”
Charlie* aged 14 from Australia emphasised the need to start online safety education earlier:
“Having young children educated about the safety of technology and the dangers … adults only start this education for older kids on social media when the problem can be on video games played by young kids.”
Children reported that it was very difficult to ascertain the intentions of strangers online. Children were also particularly worried about being asked for personal information or nude pictures, being drawn into inappropriate sexually-oriented exchanges, or exposure to criminal activities.
The report found that children want and need better online protection, with children primarily using intuition and background checks rather than seeking help from trusted adults to manage their online interactions with people they don’t know.
The data also showed that children distinguish people they know well both online and in person from those they only know online, with 86% approaching the latter with caution. Yet despite this wariness, children were still three times more likely to ignore or decline an inappropriate or unwanted request than they are to report or block it.
Steve Miller, Save the Children’s Global Director of Child Protection, said:
“Children deserve to thrive in a safe and nurturing environment – both online and offline. As the digital landscape evolves, so do the challenges and threats, including the threat of online grooming and exploitation. We need to foster a digital environment that is not only safe but also enriching, allowing children to explore, learn, and grow without fear. Policymakers need to listen to the voices and experiences of children when developing policies that protect them.”
Professor Amanda Third, Co-Director of the Young and Resilient Research Centre, Western Sydney University, said:
“Keeping children safe from online grooming requires a whole-of-community approach. Governments, NGOs, technology platforms, teachers, parents, caregivers, and children themselves all have an important role to play. However, to most effectively address this issue it is crucial that we listen to the views and experiences of children and young people and engage them as active partners in the research and policy design process. Children and young people are finding their own ways to tackle this issue and devise solutions but they are also calling on us to help equip them and their caregivers with the skills and knowledge needed to be able to safely navigate these rapidly evolving digital environments.”
Save the Children has launched a major global effort to support digital inclusion and empower the next generation of resilient digital citizens. Save the Children’s Safe Digital Childhood initiative is includes partnering with schools, communities and tech leaders to break down barriers to digital inclusion by making sure the children with the fewest resources can access devices and connectivity; offering targeted digital literacy and citizenship programs; helping technology industry partners embed child-centric safeguards into their platforms; and empowering children to advocate for their rights in the digital world.
The Young & Resilient Research Centre at Western Sydney University is an Australian-based, international research centre that unites young people with researchers, practitioners, innovators, and policymakers to explore the role of technology in children’s and young people’s lives and how it can be used to improve individual and community resilience across generations.
Safe Online is the only global investment vehicle dedicated to keeping children safe in the digital world. Through investing in innovation and bringing key actors together, Safe Online helps shape a digital world that is safe and empowering for all children and young people, everywhere. The Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund, which funded the research, is a groundbreaking collaboration fuelling actionable research and bringing together the tech industry with academia and civil society in a bold alliance to end online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
*Names have been changed to protect identities
[1] WeProtect Global Threat Assessment Data 2023
[2] NSPCC. (2023, August 15). 82% rise in online grooming crimes against children in the last 5 years.
[3] WeProtect’s Global Threat Assessment Data 2023
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MIL-OSI USA: Declaration Secured for Tropical Storm Debby Impacts
Source: US State of New York
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that President Biden has approved her request for a Major Disaster Declaration to provide federal assistance to communities impacted by Tropical Storm Debby on August 8-10. This declaration allows for federal financial assistance to support public infrastructure reconstruction efforts in Allegany, Broome, Delaware, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Ontario, Steuben, St. Lawrence and Yates counties.
“The effects of Tropical Storm Debby caused extreme damage across parts of New York last month, and I’m thankful President Biden has approved my request for a Major Disaster Declaration,” Governor Hochul said. “My administration will continue to work with FEMA to ensure those affected receive the critical funding they need to begin the recovery and rebuilding process.”
A Major Disaster Declaration secures financial assistance from the federal government, primarily through FEMA’s Public Assistance Program, and provides funding to local governments and eligible non-profits for debris removal, protective measures, and repairs to buildings and infrastructure, including roads, bridges, water and wastewater treatment facilities, critical infrastructure sites, schools, parks and other facilities.
As part of the declaration, New York was also granted access to FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs. Following a Presidential disaster declaration, FEMA provides funding for states to administer grant programs supporting local hazard mitigation planning and long-term hazard mitigation measures to reduce the loss of life and to improve property damaged by natural disasters. Local governments and certain non-profits that perform government-like functions are eligible to apply for these grants. All counties in the State will have the ability to apply for this funding. More information will become available in the coming months.
In advance of the storm, Governor Hochul directed State agencies to ready emergency response assets and stay in real-time communication with local governments to monitor weather impacts and respond to requests for assistance. After the storms, Governor Kathy Hochul announced grants of up to $50,000 to be available to eligible homeowners in Allegany, Delaware, Franklin, Steuben and St. Lawrence Counties to address health and safety-related repairs not covered by insurance or other disaster relief programs.
Representative Nick Langworthy said, “Seeing the damage up close in some of the hardest hit areas, it became clear how essential federal assistance was for these communities to recover, and I was proud to be a vocal advocate for the Southern Tier throughout this process. With homes, businesses, and key infrastructure severely impacted, this Major Disaster Declaration will allow people to rebuild their lives. Now that this assistance is in place, we can focus on helping our neighbors get back on their feet after such a devastating storm.”
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MIL-Evening Report: With The Puzzle, David Williamson shows his continual capacity to satirise the middle-class
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Russell Fewster, Lecturer in Performing Arts, University of South Australia
Matt Byrne/State Theatre Company South Australia Fun, sex, Renoir and a reckoning might be a succinct way to introduce the new play by David Williamson, The Puzzle. As Williamson noted to me in the foyer, “life would be pretty boring without sex”. However, he writes, in the production program that this comes with a proviso that licentiousness without any moral grounding can lead to human beings inadvertently “upending their lives”.
In other words: be grateful for what you’re got.
Just last month New Wave Australian playwright Jack Hibberd passed away. Hibberd, in writing one of his best-known works, Dimboola (that Williamson directed for the Pram Factory in 1973), spoke of needing to find a human ritual by putting two competing families together in his rural comedy.
Williamson, of the same generation of playwrights, similarly has pointed out “the essence of drama – [is] you put people in a room that should never be in a room together and things happen”.
While Hibberd found this in a country wedding, Williamson has found it, in this instance, in a holiday cruise that appeals as a “lifestyle” change.
Post-COVID has seen an increase in holiday cruises. Though there are comparatively small offerings of adult only cruises euphemistically titled “lifestyle cruises” (or, to be blunter, swingers cruises), they are subject to increasing demand from both young and old.
A lively production
The play’s title is taken from the large Renoir jigsaw puzzle found in the games room of a cruise ship that brings together those wanting to shake up their monotonous lives.
Of course, this becomes a metaphor for how the middle-aged negotiate themes of sexual boredom, polygamy and parenthood. With shades of Williamson’s earlier satirical get-together Don’s Party (1971), the ensemble expertly navigate the promises that “swinging” might do to enliven their character’s sex lives, trapped as they are in close proximity to each other.
This is a lively production with uniformly good performances.
Matt Byrne/STCSAThis is a lively production with uniformly good performances. Erik Thomson plays Drew, the father trying to improve his relationship with his daughter and provides a solid anchor for the promiscuousness that occurs around him. Ahunim Abebe brings rhythmic physicality to his daughter Cassie as she shocks the father with her own sexual adventures.
The two would-be swinging couples bring verve and vivacity to their performances. Chris Asimos delights as Brian who flips from depression to reinforced post coital vitality. Anna Lindner brings a refreshing groove as she sashays around the cruise ship as Brian’s wife, Michele.
Williamson has found the drama in a holiday cruise that appeals as a ‘lifestyle’ change.
Matt Byrne/STCSAAnsuya Nathan’s Mandy provides a moral counterpoint as her character struggles with the concept of swinging, while her onstage partner Craig, played by Nathan O’Keefe, provides both earnestness and excellent comic timing. At one point during the night O’Keefe toasts his glass too hard and loses his slice of lemon on the floor – which he promptly sucks on to the great amusement of the audience. Clearly an accident, but perhaps worth keeping.
Steady chuckles
Shannon Rush directs with panache, providing some excellent moments of physical vignettes interlaced with the increasing sexual frisson, accompanied by brisk and sharp lighting from Mark Shelton. This in turn is ably supported by the 70s-style guitar soundtrack from composer Andrew Howard and sound designer Patrick Pages-Oliver.
Williamson alludes to the garish décor found aboard cruise ships and Ailsa Paterson’s design doesn’t disappoint. She makes spectacular use of colour and proportion that beckons with promises of a new adventure.
The multi-layered set features tables and chairs with retro 70s/80s feel. The backdrop is a stylised view of the horizon changing with time passing – this is in the form of the Renoir style of brush stroke, neatly linking it to the jigsaw we see being slowly completed.
Williamson alludes to the garish décor of cruise ships, and Paterson’s design doesn’t disappoint.
Matt Byrne/STCSAThe play draws steady chuckles and the occasional guffaw as Williamson builds the expectations of the passengers. In the second half, naturalism gives way to farce as the characters experience both comic and life changing reversals. This comes with the moral reckoning of the unintended consequences intercouple sex may bring.
Williamson’s capacity to introduce ideas and return to them in new ways in the dialogue demonstrates his expert craft in constructing witty and challenging dialogue.
This grand old man of Australian theatre shows his continual insight and capacity to satirise the middle-class.
Kudos should also go to outgoing artistic director Mitchell Butel who had the foresight to see the potential in the finished script submitted by Williamson, followed by further development between playwright and company to bring the play to the stage.
The playwright, actors and director gain much from being able to work together over a period of time.
Like the new wave of the 1970s, artists don’t grow in isolation but blossom within a supportive community. In this instance a community Butel has fostered, evident in another fine offering.
The Puzzle is at the State Theatre Company South Australia, Adelaide, until October 12.
Russell Fewster co-ordinates the 2nd year course: State Theatre Masterclass in the Performing Arts Major at the University of South Australia. This is a collaboration between the State Theatre of SA and the University of South Australia.
– ref. With The Puzzle, David Williamson shows his continual capacity to satirise the middle-class – https://theconversation.com/with-the-puzzle-david-williamson-shows-his-continual-capacity-to-satirise-the-middle-class-239195
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MIL-OSI Translation: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau meets with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –
Source: Prime Minister of Canada – in French
Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the margins of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The leaders highlighted the close relationship between Canada and the European Union (EU) and the importance of continuing their collaboration on shared priorities, such as economic security, sustainable development and global stability.
The Prime Minister and the President discussed the need for action on climate change, carbon pricing and industrial decarbonization. They emphasized the critical role the private sector can play in driving innovation and accelerating investment to support the clean energy transition.
The leaders exchanged views on pressing geopolitical issues. They reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unjustifiable war of aggression and stressed the importance of promoting lasting peace and security in the Middle East.
They also reaffirmed their support for Haiti, and highlighted the decisive steps taken to restore peace and stability there. Prime Minister Trudeau stressed the need for additional support to the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support Mission to ensure its success.
Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen looked forward to continuing to strengthen the strong partnership between Canada and the EU, including through Canada’s G7 Presidency next year. The two leaders agreed to remain in close contact.
Related links
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.
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MIL-OSI Australia: Underlying inflation lowest in more than 30 months
Source: Australian Treasurer
New figures today show that underlying inflation has moderated substantially to its lowest level in more than thirty months and headline monthly inflation moderated substantially by 0.8 percentage points in August, returning to the RBA’s target band for first time since October 2021.
These are very welcome and encouraging numbers.
They show our policies are helping in the fight against inflation, but we’re not complacent because we know people are still under pressure.
Monthly inflation was 2.7 per cent in the year to August 2024, down from 3.5 per cent in July 2024. It’s now less than half the 6.1 per cent we inherited and less than a third of its peak.
Underlying inflation moderated to its lowest rate in more than 30 months. Annual trimmed mean inflation moderated to 3.4 per cent in the 12 months to August 2024, down from 3.8 per cent in July 2024 and 4.3 per cent at the election.
Excluding volatile items and holiday travel, monthly inflation moderated to 3.0 per cent in August, down from 3.7 per cent in July.
Non‑tradable inflation was 3.8 per cent in the 12 months to August 2024, down from 4.5 per cent in July 2024 and much lower than the 5.3 per cent we inherited.
This shows we’ve made welcome and encouraging progress on inflation but we want it to moderate further and faster in quarterly terms as well.
Our policies are making a positive difference, but they aren’t the only factor that led to this result with underlying price measures also moderating in today’s figures.
This is a good result that shows we’re getting inflation under control but we’re not getting ahead of ourselves because we know it doesn’t moderate in a straight line.
The monthly figures can jump around which is why the quarterly data is the official measure of inflation, but the moderation in today’s figures is very heartening.
The quarterly data also confirms we’ve made welcome progress, with inflation half its peak and annual trimmed mean inflation having moderated for six consecutive quarters.
It’s encouraging to see the progress in today’s figures, particularly as we saw core inflation rise in multiple G7 countries just last week.
We recognise people are under pressure and we’re doing something about it.
We’ve delivered the first back‑to‑back surpluses in almost two decades which the RBA Governor has said are helping in the fight against inflation.
ABS data today again shows that inflation would be higher without our responsible cost‑of‑living relief.
Rents increased 6.8 per cent in the year to August but without our largest increase to Rent Assistance in 30 years, they would have increased 8.6 per cent.
Electricity prices fell 17.9 per cent in the year to August but without the energy rebates we are rolling out with the states, they would have decreased 2.7 per cent.
Our economic plan is all about easing the cost of living and fighting inflation without crunching the economy and today’s data confirms our policies are making a meaningful difference.
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MIL-OSI Australia: Last chance to have your say on 2024 Regional Telecommunications Review
Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers
The 2024 Regional Telecommunications Review has seen a record number of Australians from across the country share their views and experiences on telecommunications services in regional, rural and remote Australia.
Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP, on Tuesday met with the Regional Telecommunications Independent Review Committee to hear detailed feedback on stakeholder consultations ahead of the Review’s online sessions next week.
The Review plays a key role in reducing the digital divide between cities and regional Australia, including in First Nations communities, by taking on community feedback and delivering an independent report and recommendations to the Government.
Undertaken every three years, the Review is a chance for regional, remote and rural Australians to share their experiences and expectations when using telecommunications services. The Review is also working with the telecommunications industry to address issues raised during consultations.
The online consultations are the last opportunity for people who live and work in remote, rural and regional Australia to contribute to the 2024 Review, which received more than 300 written submissions and 3,000 survey responses.
They follow 17 face to face consultation sessions undertaken across each state and the Northern Territory at locations from Thursday Island to Geraldton, and from Katherine to Benalla – attended by more than 600 people.
In total, more than 3,900 stakeholders have participated in the 2024 Review to date representing a four-fold increase in participation compared to 2021 and underlining the importance of conducting regular reviews to capture the experience across the nation.
Feedback from the public in previous reviews has informed important Australian Government initiatives to improve regional connectivity such as the Mobile Black Spot Program, the National Audit of Mobile Coverage and the First Nations Digital Inclusion Plan.
Regional, remote and rural Australians who were unable to attend face to face session are encouraged to attend an online session on 1 October 2024.To register go to: https://www.rtirc.gov.au/consultation#upcoming
The Committee is due to deliver its report to Government by 31 December 2024.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
“We have seen an enormous level of engagement right across the country for the 2024 review so far – highlighting the importance of this issue to regional Australians.
“I’m particularly pleased by the representation across First Nations communities, and proud that the independent review committee made special focus on travelling to some of Australia’s more remote and isolated communities like Mornington Island and Thursday Island to hear what the locals have to say.
“Every Australian needs reliable and affordable connectivity. It’s no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity to keep our communities safe, businesses running and Australia moving.
“I’m encouraged by the progress the independent review committee is making, and I look forward to receiving the final report later this year.” -
MIL-OSI USA: Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman hosts fall Defense Senior Enlisted Leader Council
Source: US Defense Joint Chiefs of Staff
Headline: Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman hosts fall Defense Senior Enlisted Leader Council
Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black hosted the Service Senior Enlisted Advisors, Combatant Command Command Senior Enlisted Leaders, fourth estate Senior Enlisted Leaders, and their spouses at the first day of the fall Defense Senior Enlisted Leader Council (DSELC) at the General Jacob E. Smart Conference Center, Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sept. 23, 2024. The primary objective of the DSELC is to solve problems and provide recommendations related to the development and management of the enlisted members of the Joint Force and advancing the Secretary of Defense’s Taking Care of Our People initiative.
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MIL-OSI USA News: Remarks by Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall at the President’s Summit of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats | New York, NY
Source: The White House
Good afternoon. I am Liz Sherwood-Randall, President Biden’s Homeland Security Advisor.
In closing, on behalf of the Biden-Harris Administration, I want to thank each of you for joining us here today. In particular, I want to express our gratitude to each of the Heads of State and Government and your cabinet members who accepted President Biden’s invitation to participate and make an enduring commitment to this vital endeavor.
This is the first ever gathering on this scale of leaders from every continent across the planet who are dedicated to the fight against fentanyl and synthetic drugs. And that reflects how seriously we take the threat that it is creating in our respective homelands.
As you may know, I have devoted much of my life to countering the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. I view fentanyl as a weapon of mass destruction. The lessons from that enduring challenge are directly relevant to the fight against illicit fentanyl and synthetic drugs today.
This is a global problem that requires a global solution. None of us can meet it effectively alone. We need to weave a strong and resilient web of committed countries, and we need to work in close collaboration with partners in international organizations and the private sector. That is the only way we can meet the moment. And the moment is now. We are in a fight to save lives.
So I especially want to thank each of the Coalition Members whose leaders have agreed to mobilize new initiatives to:
Disrupt the supply chain for fentanyl and other illicit goodsDetect emerging drug trends; and
Prevent and treat those affected by this crisis, through increased public health interventions and distribution of life-saving medications.
Because of the new initiatives, we will be doing even more than we have already done to map and disrupt transit routes, establish early warning systems to detect new drug trends before they reach crisis levels, and prevent deaths by expanding treatment, training more health care workers, and distributing life-saving medications.I urge each of you to participate in these accelerated efforts. And I also encourage each of you to sign on to the Member Pledge that we shared with you. This pledge to take additional steps in each of our countries reinforces our collective commitment to turn words into concrete actions. Together we can make a real difference in our communities by disrupting drug traffickers and protecting our people from harm.
On behalf of President Biden, thank you again for joining us here in New York today, and I look forward to our ongoing work together.
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MIL-OSI Security: 15th MEU concludes month of training in S. Korea, first ACV amphibious assault during Ex Ssang Yong
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
SOUTH KOREA –
Elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary concluded more than a month of training in South Korea Aug. 6 to Sept. 7, including participation in Exercise Ssang Yong 24, which featured the first amphibious assault using Amphibious Combat Vehicles during their inaugural deployment.
The Marines and Sailors of the 15th MEU arrived in South Korea aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) during the first week of August. Partnered with the ROK Marine Corps 7th Brigade, the combined force of Marines conducted two weeks of live-fire training ranges and unit-level training at ROKMC bases near Pohang.
Battalion Landing Team 1/5, the ground combat element of the 15th MEU, employed ACVs at ROKMC training areas surrounding Pohang, South Korea, exercising the vehicles’ off-road mobility and automated crew-served weapons. Alpha Company, BLT 1/5’s designated mechanized company, and its ACV Platoon also provided ROK Marines opportunities to tour and familiarize themselves with the U.S. Marine Corps’ newest ship-to-shore connector Aug. 20 and 22.
Units from across the 15th MEU also conducted partnered non-live fire events, including: tactical planning, mountain warfare training, fast rope inserts from an MV-22B Osprey, unmanned aerial and waterborne systems familiarization, small boat operations and reconnaissance, operations in urban terrain, communications integration, chemical attack response, and other training. This training strengthened and improved the interoperability between ROK and U.S forces in defense of the Korean Peninsula.
The culminating event in South Korea for 15th MEU and its ACVs was the amphibious assault Sept. 2 as part of Ssang Yong. Alpha Company Marines and Sailors, under the cover of the combined force’s air and surface fire support, landed at Hwajin-ri Beach near Pohang alongside nearly 40 Korean amphibious assault vehicles. Using their ACVs’ stabilized weapon systems, the company identified and reduced simulated enemy positions as they approached the shoreline, then dismounted to secure the beach prior to continuing the attack inland.
This marked the first time Marine Corps ACVs with embarked infantry demonstrated their beach assault capabilities with a host nation’s forces during a major exercise.
“Seventy-four years after our landing at Inchon, I can’t think of a better place and partner with whom to showcase the Marine Corps’ latest, most lethal amphibious assault capability,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Nicholas Freeman, commanding officer of BLT 1/5. “Any amphibious assault is a complex operation, and that’s especially true with a combined force featuring new equipment. Today, we benefitted from decades of steadfast commitment between our countries, years of development and testing by our service, many months of hard work by this first-of-its-kind mechanized company, and several weeks of excellent training and integration with our allies. It’s gratifying and inspiring to be here to see the impressive result of all these efforts.”
The Marine Corps expects this first deployment of ACVs to continue to provide insights for platform embarkation and maintenance requirements, logistics, and integration with our allies and partners. These insights are vital for the service to ensure we continue to provide our Marines with the most operationally ready and capable platforms.
“As the U.S. Marine Corps’ new generation of amphibious assault vehicle, it was special and meaningful to have ACVs deployed to the Korea Theater of Operations for the first time. Especially, during the decisive action, the most complex and sophisticated phase of the amphibious operation, the ACVs not only revealed its strength and capabilities but also the firm commitment to ROK-U.S. Alliance,” said ROKMC Lt. Col. Chol-Uk Kang, lead SY24 exercise planner, 1st ROK Marine Division. “Going forward, I sincerely hope that the ROK and the U.S. can further develop on combined amphibious operational method and concept with its new capability.”
After the completion of Ssang Yong, the 15th MEU’s forces reembarked Boxer and Harpers Ferry at ROK Naval Base Busan, South Korea, to resume their deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet Area of operations.
The ACV Platoon, Alpha Company, and other elements of the 15th MEU began their deployment in late March 2024, departing San Diego aboard Harpers Ferry.
Since then, ACVs were first employed overseas May 4 during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Oyster Bay in the Philippines. During the exercise, the ACV Platoon launched from Harpers Ferry, made movement in the water toward an objective, and attacked targets from offshore using the vehicles’ stabilized heavy machine guns before reembarking.
The ACV Platoon’s first time ashore in a foreign country was June 24 after a ship-to-shore movement from Harpers Ferry to White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, Japan. During that event, the mechanized company rehearsed troop egress procedures and shared best practices with leaders from III Marine Expeditionary Force, which received its first ACVs in July.
Elements of the 15th MEU are under the command and control of Commander, Task Force 76, which the U.S. 7th Fleet employs to cooperate with allies and partners to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific.
As the U.S. 7th Fleet’s primary Navy advisor on amphibious matters in the 7th Fleet area of operations, CTF 76 is responsible for conducting expeditionary warfare operations to support a full range of theater contingencies, ranging from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations to full combat operations.
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MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Intelligence Leaders Travel to Japan for Engagements with Allies and Partners
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
TOKYO, Japan –
Vice Adm. Karl Thomas visited Japan September 9–14 during his first official international trip as Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare, N2N6/Director of Naval Intelligence. Thomas was accompanied on the trip by Rear Adm. Rebecca Ore, Assistant Commandant for Intelligence, United States Coast Guard, and Mr. Steve Parode, Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence, U.S. Navy.
The international trip began in Tokyo where Thomas and the U.S. delegation met with Admiral Akira Saito, Chief of Staff, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen the long-standing partnership between the two navies and agreed that information sharing among allies and partners is essential to maintaining maritime security in the region.
While in Tokyo, Thomas, Ore, and Parode met with Ambassador Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Ambassador to Japan to discuss the strength of the U.S.- Japan alliance and the importance of the Navy-to-Navy relationship in facing the challenges to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Thomas and Parode then traveled to Yokosuka for various engagements with elements of the U.S. SEVENTH Fleet. This was Thomas’ first return trip to Yokosuka since serving as SEVENTH Fleet’s 54th commander. While on base, Thomas and Parode spoke at the SEVENTH Fleet Information Warfare Waterfront Conference and received a briefing at the U.S. Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station, Far East.
The trip concluded with a visit to U.S. Army Japan, Camp Zama, where Thomas, Ore, and Parode received a briefing from the Asian Studies Detachment team on Open-Source Intelligence capabilities.
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MIL-OSI USA: News 09/23/2024 Blackburn, Sullivan, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Hold VA Accountable for Financial Shortfall
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) joined Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and 12 of their Senate colleagues in introducing the Protecting Regular Order (PRO) for Veterans Act to hold the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) accountable for the Veterans Benefits Administration’s (VBA) nearly $3 billion budget shortfall and the $12 billion projected shortfall in Fiscal Year 2025 for VA medical care.
Last week during a Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing, Senator Blackburn questioned the VA’s Under Secretary for Benefits Joshua Jacobs and Under Secretary for Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal on the VA’s gross mismanagement of federal funds.
“The VA’s budget shortfall that put millions of veterans’ benefits at risk is only the agency’s latest failure to responsibly manage federal funds under the Biden-Harris administration’s leadership, and it proves the VA needs to be subject to greater accountability and oversight,” said Senator Blackburn. “This legislation would require the VA to provide regular, in-person budget reports to Congress to ensure they are properly managing taxpayer dollars.”
PROTECTING REGULAR ORDER FOR VETERANS ACT:
- This legislation would institute a three-year requirement for the VA to submit quarterly in-person budget reports to Congress to give federal legislators the opportunity to ask questions and strengthen oversight and accountability of the VA.
- Earlier this year, a watchdog report found that the VA improperly awarded $10.8 million in bonuses to senior executives at its central office.
- If there are VA budget shortfalls outside of regular order, this legislation would restrict bonuses for Senior Executive Service (SES) employees in the VA’s central office as well as employees at the Office of Management and Budget.
CO-SPONSORS:
- This legislation is also co-sponsored by Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).
Click here for bill text.
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MIL-OSI USA: Republicans Block Senate Democrats’ Resolution Affirming Right to Lifesaving Emergency Care for Women
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Washington State Patty Murray
ICYMI: Murray Leads Congressional Democrats in Amicus Brief Urging SCOTUS to Affirm that EMTALA Requires Hospitals to Provide Emergency Stabilizing Care Including Abortion Care, Preempts Idaho’s Draconian Abortion Ban
ICYMI: Senator Murray Challenges Republicans to Join Democrats in Affirming the Right to Lifesaving Emergency Care for Women
ICYMI – FROM PROPUBLICA: Abortion Bans Have Delayed Emergency Medical Care. In Georgia, Experts Say This Mother’s Death Was Preventable.
***WATCH: SENATOR MURRAY’S FLOOR SPEECH HERE***
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP), took to the Senate floor in an effort to pass her resolution, which simply expresses the sense of the Senate that every patient has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care, regardless of where they live. Murray’s resolution was blocked by Republican Senator James Lankford (R-OK), who falsely claimed that no doctors are prevented from providing lifesaving care because of Republican abortion bans and tried to misleadingly place the blame for Amber Thurman’s death on the rare side effects she encountered rather than Thurman’s doctors not providing immediate treatment as a result of Georgia’s abortion ban. ProPublica’s reporting made plain that—according to the state’s own medical review board—Amber Thurman’s death was preventable and doctors and researchers continue to make clear that medication abortion is safe.
Lankford also incorrectly claimed no women have been investigated or criminalized following a miscarriage—a new report found that from June 2022 to June 2023 there was a record 200 cases where pregnant women faced criminal charges for conduct associated with pregnancy, pregnancy loss or birth.
“Let me be perfectly clear about what is happening,” said Senator Murray after Republicans blocked her resolution. “Here in America, in the 21st century, pregnant women are suffering and dying—not because doctors don’t know how to save them, but because doctors don’t know if Republicans will let them. There are skyrocketing maternal death rates in states like Texas. And as I spoke out on the floor last week—there are, at least, two women dead in Georgia today because of Republican abortion bans. Those kids are now growing up without a mother. That is the harsh reality. Republicans can’t ignore that. Donald Trump can’t shout over it. And the American people will not—ever—forget it.”
Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade over two years ago, nearly two dozen US states led by Republicans have passed, banned, or severely restricted access to abortion. These strict laws have created confusion around the treatment doctors can provide even when a pregnant patient’s life is in danger, as physicians fear that they may lose their medical license, be sued, or even charged with a felony if they perform life-saving emergency care. Despite the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act’s (EMTALA) requirements that Medicare-participating hospitals treat and stabilize pregnant patients in need of emergency medical care, women are being turned away from emergency rooms following the Dobbs decision.
In Moyle v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court had the opportunity to reaffirm that federal law requires pregnant patients to have access to life-saving emergency care in every state, but instead, the Court dismissed the case and sent it back to the lower courts, effectively punting on making a decision on the case itself. While the litigation continues in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the health and lives of women remain at risk as uncertainty around emergency abortion care persists. 121 Congressional Republicans, including 26 Senators, filed an amicus brief arguing that EMTALA does not require hospitals to provide abortion care as emergency stabilizing care in order to save a patient’s life.
Senator Murray is a longtime leader in the fight to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights, and she has led Congressional efforts to fight back after the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Murray has introduced more than a dozen pieces of legislation to protect reproductive rights from further attacks, protect providers, and help ensure women get the care they need; Murray has led efforts to push for passage of these bills on the floor multiple times. Senator Murray also co-leads the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would restore the right to abortion nationwide. This January, Murray led her colleagues in hosting a “State of Abortion Rights” briefing with women who have suffered firsthand from Republican abortion bans. On June 4th of this year, Senator Murray chaired a HELP Committee hearing titled “The Assault on Women’s Freedoms: How Abortion Bans Have Created a Health Care Nightmare Across America.” Recently, Murray also helped lead efforts to force Republicans on the record on votes to protect access to contraception and access to IVF (twice). Murray has also led her colleagues in raising the alarm about how a second Trump administration intends to wage an all-out assault on reproductive rights and abortion access in every state, as outlined in Project 2025.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered, before seeking unanimous consent are below:
“I come to the floor to offer a simple resolution, one that reaffirms the basic principle that when you go to the ER, the emergency room, they should be allowed to treat you. When your life is in danger, doctors should be able to do their job. When you need emergency care—including an abortion—no politician should stop you from getting it.
“Now this seems incredibly simple to me. It should not be controversial. Especially if everyone who talks about protecting the life of the mother seriously means it.
“After all—that is what emergency care is for—saving the life of the mother.
“And yet, when the Biden-Harris Administration tried to make clear that these women should get care, many Republicans actually opposed them. I really want to emphasize—we are talking about women whose water breaks dangerously early, or who are experiencing uncontrollable hemorrhaging, sepsis, or pre-eclampsia.
“And still, Republicans actually filed a brief in court saying essentially, ‘No, we DON’T think doctors should be required to provide abortion care when a patient’s life is at stake.’
“Their brief rejected the idea—that basic medical reality—of abortion as stabilizing care. That is really shocking to me. It should be shocking to everyone.
“After a brief like that—I am not going to let any of my Republican colleagues off the hook just for saying they care about the life of the mother…
“Not if they won’t lift a finger to actually protect women, and to actually make clear that emergency care can include abortion.
“We need to send a clear message on that. The Senate needs to speak with one voice and tell the American people, ‘Yes, we want to make sure your doctor can save your life. Your doctor can save your life.’
“And before my Republican colleagues get up to object, let me be clear: You will not get by pretending a resolution like this isn’t necessary—not when we are hearing firsthand from doctors wracked with guilt for decisions that Republican politicians made for them, not when we are hearing firsthand from women who have bled, suffered, and nearly died because their care was delayed, and certainly not when Texas saw maternal deaths skyrocket following its strict abortion ban.
“The data in Texas paints a clear, brutal picture of the reality: these abortion bans are killing women. Republicans are also not going to get by trying to shift blame and argue ‘emergency care is already protected.’ Because, the whole point of this resolution is to say emergency care is protected!
“So if you oppose the Senate actually SAYING that don’t you see how that could be part of the problem? Don’t you see how that could be very dangerous for women?
“And again, and I can’t emphasize this enough—if you don’t see, if you don’t understand—all you have to do is listen.
“Women are speaking out. Doctors are speaking out. They are terrified. They are heartbroken. They are angry. And they are watching right now, to see if we can pass this resolution and do the very bare minimum of saying, with one voice: ‘women have a right to get abortion care when their life is at stake.”
Senator Murray’s full remarks as delivered following Senator Lankford’s objection are below:
“I disagree with the Senator from Oklahoma. Let me be perfectly clear about what is happening.
“Here in America, in the 21st century, pregnant women are suffering and dying—not because doctors don’t know how to save them, but because doctors don’t know if Republicans will let them.
“There are skyrocketing maternal death rates in states like Texas. And as I spoke out on the floor last week—there are, at least, two women dead in Georgia today because of Republican abortion bans.
“Those kids are now growing up without a mother. That is the harsh reality. Republicans can’t ignore that. Donald Trump can’t shout over it. And the American people will not—ever—forget it.
“Every day we are going to continue to hold the people opposed to this accountable for the cruelty of these abortion bans. The fact is that the resolution that I offered simply says that doctors can provide emergency care for the life of the mother. I don’t understand where the disagreement is, M. President. And I hope that we can pass this and give doctors and women the confidence that when you are pregnant and having a severe emergency medical situation you’ll be treated. Thank you. I yield the floor.” -
MIL-OSI USA: Senators Marshall, Durbin Statement on DOJ Lawsuit Alleging Visa Debit Card Practices Violate Federal Antitrust Law
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), lead sponsors of the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act, released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Visa alleging that the company illegally maintains a monopoly over debit network markets through anticompetitive practices that violate federal antitrust law:
“According to the DOJ’s lawsuit, Visa made exclusive agreements to hinder the expansion of competing networks and blocked efforts by technology companies to enter the market. At a time when hard-working Americans and small business owners are struggling with higher costs of everyday essentials, Visa should not be gaming the system to pad their own pockets.
“Visa and its duopoly partner Mastercard similarly dominate the credit card market. One way to bring competition to the market is to pass our bipartisan, bicameral legislation—the Credit Card Competition Act—which would enhance competition between credit card networks and ultimately lower costs for small businesses and consumers. Our bill ensures that the Visa-Mastercard duopoly ends their price gouging tactics that disproportionately hurt American families and small businesses.”
It is estimated that businesses paid more than $100 billion in swipe fees on Visa and Mastercard branded cards in 2023 alone. In fact, swipe fees can be small businesses’ second highest cost behind only the cost of labor.
The Credit Card Competition Act of 2023 would enhance competition and choice in the credit card network market which is currently dominated by the Visa-Mastercard duopoly. Building off of debit card competition reforms enacted by Congress in 2010, the bill would direct the Federal Reserve to ensure that largest credit card-issuing banks offer a choice of at least two networks over which an electronic credit transaction may be processed. The bill is estimated to save merchants and consumers $15 billion each year.
Visa and Mastercard wield enormous market power in credit cards; according to the Federal Reserve, they account for nearly 576 million cards, or about 83 percent of general-purpose credit cards. Visa’s and Mastercard’s market power and network structure have enabled them to impose fees on U.S. merchants that are among the world’s highest. These fees include interchange fees which Visa and Mastercard require merchants to pay to issuing banks, as well as network fees that Visa and Mastercard require merchants to pay directly to them. Consumers ultimately pay for these fees in the price of the goods and services they buy. -
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Marshall Slams PBM Price Gouging Tactics in Ozempic and Wegovy Drug Pricing Hearing
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Senator Marshall Slams PBM Price Gouging Tactics in Ozempic and Wegovy Drug Pricing Hearing
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. questioned the CEO of Novo Nordisk, the company that created the blockbuster drugs Ozempic (semaglutide) and Wegovy (semaglutide). As part of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing on drug pricing, Senator Marshall questioned the CEO about the role that Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) play in inflating the prices of essential drugs. His series of questions exposed how these middlemen are reaping enormous profits at the expense of patients and pharmaceutical companies.
Senator Marshall has been a leading voice against abusive pricing practices by PBMs, who control which medications are covered by insurance, driving up costs for consumers. During the hearing, Marshall emphasized that Novo Nordisk receives only 26% of the revenue from drugs like Ozempic, while PBMs take 74%, highlighting the need for urgent reform of PBMs to lower prescription drug prices for patients.You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full remarks and questioning.
Highlights from Marshall’s questioning include:
On PBMs:
“Novo Nordisk is not the villain in this story – they’re a hero. We should be here celebrating this miracle innovation that’s responding to this diabetic epidemic we have in this country. It’s a miracle drug. 38 million Americans with diabetes that we’re helping out. This nation is spending $250, maybe $350, billion a year treating diabetes, not to mention the loss of work, and here’s a drug that’s going to help us treat the problem.”
“We all agree on this committee across the Senate that the cost of health care is too much, and that prescription drugs are too high, especially the out-of-pocket expenses, but we need to figure out who the villain is…Whatever the cost is, whichever number we want to use, Novo Nordisk keeps 24% of it, and the PBMs extract 74% – 26% and 74% – so really, the PBMs are making the bank here.”
“Let’s talk about PBMs for a second here, the real culprit in this room, in this story. So, these three big parent companies, the three big PBMs, control 80%-85% of the industry. Their gross revenue last year was $800 billion.”
“This committee has worked so hard on PBM reform. We’ve not passed our delinking bill, and I would ask the chairman to consider bringing the delinking bill back to the committee and let us mark it up as well. In that delinking bill, PBMs would receive a flat fee for their efforts, as opposed to a percentage of the sale, so we go to a flat fee model.”
“The other thing we can still work on is bringing competition. Promoting competition will bring this price down. We passed legislation, the President signed legislation that helps drive biosimilars and generics to market more efficiently.”
“I’ll just close one more time, just emphasizing that this committee needs to demand that the leader bring our PBM reform to the floor, but we need to include that delinking bill. There’s other opportunities to drive this price down. Again, Novo Nordisk is not the villain in the story.” -
MIL-OSI USA: News 09/24/2024 Blackburn Probes Big Tech Platforms After Cox Media Group Admits It Listens to Users’ Phone Conversations
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) sent three letters to the leadership of Cox Media Group and its clients, Google and Meta, following reporting that Cox Media Group admitted to investors that it listens to users’ smartphone microphones using “Active Listening” software.
According to this reporting, Cox Media Group claimed the company targets advertisements based on phone conversations of potential customers and identified specific clients during a slide deck presentation to investors, including Google and Meta. Both Google and Meta have a troublesome history of ignoring consumer privacy.
Cox Media Group Admitted It Uses Artificial Intelligence to Listen to Phone Conversations
“I write today with concerns following recent reporting by the New York Post that Cox Media Group has admitted to investors that it deploys ‘active listening’ software, which uses artificial intelligence to ‘capture real-time intent data by listening to [users] phone conversations.’”
Reporting Confirms Longstanding Concerns Held by Consumers about Online Privacy
“Consumers have long expressed concerns about their privacy in the virtual space and how their data is misused. If this reporting is true, it confirms longstanding suspicions by many consumers that technology and media companies are violating their privacy for profit by marketing products that closely reflect key words or phrases from private conversations. It is imperative that consumers have the ability to clearly opt in and out of features that track their behavior and that they are alerted when these features are deployed. I request a copy of the slide deck presented to investors.”
Blackburn Demands Google and Meta Reveal Extent “Active Listening” Tools Were Deployed on Users
“I am seeking answers regarding Google’s [and Meta’s] relationship with Cox Media Group, the extent to which, if at all, ‘active listening’ tools were deployed on users, the steps Google [and Meta] [are] taking to investigate the products and services from Cox Media Group used by Google [and on Facebook] and the extent to which those products may have violated any applicable privacy policies or user agreements [and users’ privacy].”
BACKGROUND:
- Last year, Google settled a $5 billion lawsuit claiming it “secretly tracked the internet use of millions of people who thought they were doing their browsing privately.” This is not the first time Google has seen legal action for violating consumers’ privacy rights. A search engine with the reach of Google must prioritize the privacy of its users and use diligence when handling their data.
- In 2019, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) imposed a $5 billion penalty on Facebook for violating consumers’ privacy. Then-FTC Chairman Joe Simons said of Facebook, “despite repeated promises to its billions of users worldwide that they could control how their personal information is shared, Facebook undermined consumers’ choices.” This long-demonstrated pattern of public reassurances by Meta directly contradicts the company’s record of flagrant disregard for user privacy.
Click here to view the letter to Meta Platforms Chairman and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
Click here to view the letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
Click here to view the letter to Cox Media Group President and CEO Daniel York.
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MIL-OSI China: China invests heavily in large-scale equipment renewals amid green drive
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The technological transformation driven by China’s large-scale equipment renewals will enable businesses to make significant strides in areas such as smart manufacturing, new energy and green technologies, further bolstering the country’s economic momentum, said government officials on Tuesday.
China aims to increase its investment in equipment for manufacturing, agriculture, construction, transportation, education, culture, tourism and medical care by at least 25 percent by 2027, compared with 2023, according to an action plan released by the State Council, China’s Cabinet, in March.
Complementing these efforts, the government allocated approximately 150 billion yuan ($21.31 billion) in ultra-long special treasury bonds in July to support large-scale equipment renewals, including updating old elevators.
Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Liu Dechun, director of the department of resource conservation and environmental protection at the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic regulator, said as new industrialization and urbanization continue to advance, the demand for upgrading various types of equipment is surging.
Liu said that accelerating the implementation of equipment renewal initiatives will effectively promote China’s industrial upgrading and foster the growth of new quality productive forces.
To drive the upgrading and renewal of energy-consuming equipment, the government will prioritize key sectors such as manufacturing, construction, transportation and energy. It will provide strong support for the modernization of high energy-consuming equipment, including boilers, motors, turbines, transformers, heat exchangers, pumps, compressors and lighting systems.
Projects that result in annual electricity savings of over 500,000 kilowatt-hours or energy savings of more than 150 metric tons of coal will qualify for support, extending benefits to more small and medium-sized enterprises, he added.
Large-scale equipment upgrade policies have notably supported investment growth. Investment in the purchase of industrial equipment and tools soared by 16.8 percent year-on-year in the first eight months of 2024, data from the NDRC showed.
This is 13.4 percentage points higher than the growth of total investment in China, accounting for 64.2 percent of the contribution to the nation’s overall investment growth, according to the commission.
Zhang Jianhua, deputy director of the department of planning at the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said that equipment renewal and technological transformation in the industrial sector are beneficial for expanding effective investment and increasing the proportion of advanced production capacity, offering both short- and long-term advantages.
The MIIT will encourage industrial companies to seize the opportunity provided by national policies supporting large-scale equipment renewals to carry out initiatives including upgrading advanced equipment, promoting digital transformation and advancing green equipment.
This will accelerate the renewal and transformation of production equipment and speed up industrial upgrading, said Zhang.
China’s centrally administered State-owned enterprises will also invest over 3 trillion yuan for large-scale equipment upgrades over the next five years, aiming to stay at the forefront of the latest technological and industrial advancements, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council announced in late July.
Chen Jianwei, a researcher at the Beijing-based University of International Business and Economics’ Academy of China Open Economy Studies, said these moves will help attract both multinational corporations and domestic companies from the private sector to increase their investments in these fields in China.
“They are likely to increase spending on promoting technological innovation, green and sustainable development, digital transformation and the circular economy within the country,” said Chen.
“We are confident of our development in China, which is the world’s largest elevator equipment market. We remain committed to supporting urbanization, smart cities, large-scale equipment renewals and sustainable development in the country,” said Sally Loh, president for China at Otis Worldwide Corp, a United States-based elevator manufacturer.
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MIL-OSI USA: Sinema to Arizona Chamber: As We Look to the Future, Arizona Needs Strong Leaders Who Can Do the Hard Work & Get Things Done
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona)
The senator highlighted her ongoing work expanding opportunities to build a bright, prosperous, and thriving future for Arizona businesses and families.
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema spoke to the Arizona Chamber of Commerce as part of the Chamber’s semi-annual fly-in to Washington, D.C. about her work to deliver real, lasting solutions strengthening economic opportunities for the state.
“My values are Arizona’s values, and I’ll continue working with anyone to get things done – no matter the challenge or the politics of the day – to build a bright, prosperous, and thriving future for our great state,” said Sinema.
In her speech, Sinema discussed her continued work bringing her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fund Arizona priorities and ensure this year’s NDAA includes strong investments for Arizona’s military installations and aerospace defense community.
Through the senator’s leadership on multiple key bipartisan accomplishments – like her landmark bipartisan infrastructure law, and the CHIPS and Science law – Sinema secured and delivered historic investments fueling a healthy, resilient Arizona economy for families and businesses alike.
Earlier this year, at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Update from Capitol Hill, Sinema called on business leaders to put Arizona first. She encouraged the business community to be active participants in the legislative process, speak out and act against extreme policies and rhetoric, and follow her example of delivering durable results for Arizona.
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MIL-OSI New Zealand: Truck into tree crash: truck retrieval midday to 4 pm SH6 into Westport
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
A truck crash in the Buller Gorge, between Inangahua Junction and the entrance to Westport (SH67) briefly closed SH6 this morning between 9 and 10 am.
The truck will be removed from the site this afternoon from midday, so SH6 will be closed potentially up till 4 pm, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
People travelling to Westport via the Buller Gorge need to delay their journeys this afternoon or take the long way via Greymouth and up the Coast Road via Punakaiki.
Journey Planner – West coast closures(external link)
SH6 will be closed potentially up till 4 pm
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MIL-OSI China: China launches commercial Lijian-1 Y4 carrier rocket
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JIUQUAN, Sept. 25 — China on Wednesday launched a Lijian-1 Y4 commercial carrier rocket with five satellites onboard.
The rocket blasted off at 7:33 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China and sent a group of satellites, including the Jilin-1 SAR01A satellite and Yunyao-1 21-22 satellites, into their planned orbits.
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MIL-OSI China: High-quality employment a priority for socioeconomic development
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China is ramping up efforts to boost high-quality employment growth by developing more new professions, encouraging entrepreneurship and skills education, and tightening supervision of the human resources market to secure a fairer, healthier working environment for people.
Li Zhong, vice-minister of human resources and social security, said at a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday that high-quality employment is a priority of the nation’s socioeconomic development, and authorities must give more support to industries and companies that are better suited to create job opportunities.
He said authorities need to establish a forecast mechanism for human resources demands based on technological and industrial advancement and regularly publish information about professions or occupations in urgent demand to relieve the current structural imbalance between labor force supply and employers’ needs.
Li said the employment of young people, which requires systematic policy and financial support and the provision of smoother career promotion channels, remains a top priority for the ministry.
Senior officials have also attached importance to skills education and training, another important incubator of job opportunities.
Ministry spokesman Lu Aihong cited the outstanding performance of young Chinese at the recent WorldSkills competition while explaining the positive role of skills in realizing self-worth and boosting employment. The competition was held in Lyon, France, from Sept 10 to 15.
“It’s the seventh time China sent a delegation to compete in the WorldSkills, which is recognized as the Olympics of skills,” he said. “The 68 young people from China won 36 golds, nine silvers and four bronzes, showing the world their superior skills and upbeat spirits.”
Lu said 283 young Chinese have competed at WorldSkills since 2010, and the honors they have won have given them more space for self-growth and more job opportunities.
“Many of these candidates and medal winners have devoted themselves to passing down skills, becoming good examples for the young generation,” he added.
Li, the vice-minister, said the ministry will further optimize job services to ensure that people looking for work get fairer, easier access to more professional job-seeking guidance and services. He added that the ministry will also offer more support to entrepreneurs to help them start businesses.
“Also, we will continue to perfect the labor or working regulations and expand social security coverage to protect people’s working rights,” he said. “Improper or illegal behavior, including job discrimination, salary arrears or unreasonable layoffs, will be cracked down upon to ensure the stability and health of the job market.”
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MIL-OSI New Zealand: NZ must urgently help whanau in Lebanon
Source: Green Party
The Government must immediately help evacuate New Zealanders and Lebanese whanau caught up in the current conflict unfolding across south Lebanon.
“The crisis in Lebanon is deepening by the day. We must act and evacuate our Lebanese whanau out of harm’s way,” says the Green Party Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Teanau Tuiono.
“Aotearoa is home to a strong Lebanese community. We owe it to them to offer their families caught up in the unfolding crisis a lifeline with evacuation and a humanitarian visa pathway.
“Yesterday, almost 500 people were killed in south Lebanon where last week civilians were killed and maimed by indiscriminate terror attacks through tech devices. Hundreds of thousands of people in this region have been harmed by bombing that is destroying homes and targeting civilian populations.
“The Government has told New Zealanders to leave Lebanon, the least it could do is help before things escalate to a point where we are unable to assist.
“Israel’s actions in Lebanon and Gaza must be met with consequences. Israel is actively fanning the flames of war. Our Government must issue Israel with sanctions.
“This Government has been incredibly slow to respond to the crisis in Gaza, it cannot afford to make the same mistake twice and allow the window for evacuations to close.
“It’s unacceptable to simply look on while innocent civilians lose their lives in this escalating conflict. Aotearoa must play its part in the international community in promoting peace and protecting human rights,” says Teanau Tuiono.
