NewzIntel.com

Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Insurance Sector – Commonwealth insurance peaks collaborate on global insurance protection gap

    Source: Insurance Council of NZ

    The peak bodies representing personal and business insurers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have called on Commonwealth leaders at this week’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa to discuss worsening extreme weather and its impact on national economic and community resilience across the Commonwealth.
    The Association of British Insurers (ABI), the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), and the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ), have jointly written to the Prime Ministers of their respective nations calling for the issue to be put on the agenda as part of the Commonwealth Business Forum on 23 and 24 October.
    This followed a Global Insurance Protection Gap Forum held in Sydney, Australia on Friday 18 October involving the four leaders of the ABI, IBC, ICA, and ICNZ, along with insurers, Australian government representatives, and regulators.
    The four associations collectively represent insurers writing approximately US$200B in gross annual premium, with their members playing an essential role in enabling individuals, communities and businesses to recover from the unexpected and reduce risk across the economies in which they operate.
    Operating in Commonwealth nations, the four organisations and their members face similar regulatory, political, and financial environments, with their governments and regulators having similar tools at their disposal to implement solutions.
    The Global Insurance Protection Gap forum agreed that:
    – As extreme weather intensifies, populations expand and more homes are put in harm’s way, the insurance protection gap will widen.
    – Flood risk is often concentrated in particular areas, but the widespread nature of flood risk is going to increase.
    – Governments and insurers have a critical opportunity to collaborate across global markets to build a shared view of current and future hazard risk.
    – We must stop locking further risk into our economies by building homes in the wrong places.
    – Applying excessive taxes and levies to insurance premiums can directly affect the affordability of insurance coverage.
    Comment attributable to Hannah Gurga, Director General, Association of British Insurers
    Our changing climate represents a real and growing threat to our resilience as a nation and globally. The UK led the way with the creation of Flood Re, which has helped keep insurance accessible for hundreds of thousands of homes. We are now at a crossroads, with a new government in post and a review of the planning system underway. It’s vital that decisions are taken for the long-term and made for the benefit of all. That’s not just investing in flood defences but also changing where and how we build. Action is needed now, not in the future when the challenge will be ever greater.
    Comment attributable to Celyeste Power, President and CEO, Insurance Bureau Canada
    In the span of just five weeks this past summer, Canada saw five natural catastrophes: three major floods, a devastating wildfire, and a destructive hailstorm resulting in $7 billion of insured losses.
    This isn’t an anomaly. It isn’t bad luck. It’s part of an escalating trend of severe weather events that is making Canada a riskier place to live, work and insure.
    I know Canada is not facing these challenges alone and I join with my colleagues in Australia, New Zealand and Britain in our call for meaningful action to reduce the growing physical and financial risks our citizens are facing.
    Comment attributable to Andrew Hall, CEO, Insurance Council of Australia
    More frequent and intense disasters, coupled with ongoing development of areas at high risk of extreme weather and growing asset values, are widening the gap globally between those who can afford insurance in high-risk areas and those who can’t – often leaving society’s least wealthy unable to rebuild and recover when disaster strikes.
    As the bodies representing personal and business insurance providers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, we have a unique perspective on this issue.
    Insurers remain steadfastly committed to the policies of derisking as the only sustainable way to reduce the pressure on premiums and close the protection gap: better planning so no more homes are built in harm’s way, stronger buildings that are better able to withstand extreme weather, greater investment in public infrastructure to better protect communities, and an ongoing program of home buybacks where no other mitigation is possible.
    Comment attributable to Kris Faafoi, CEO, Insurance Council of New Zealand
    Our nations share a common history and a future challenge with climate change. By working closely together our insurance representative bodies are committed to doing their bit to help reduce risk from natural hazards and protect our families and communities.
    By reducing the protection gap we keep communities safe, reduce the costs to taxpayers and ratepayers and maintain insurance capacity and affordability.
    Just last year New Zealand experienced just how devastating severe weather events can be on lives, livelihoods and communities. There is much to be gained by working together on these issues across the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand through policy work, relationships and our responses to natural disasters.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Oxfam condemns killing of water engineers in Gaza

    Source: Oxfam –

    Oxfam condemns in the strongest terms the killing in Gaza today of four water engineers and workers from the Khuzaa municipality who were working with our strategic partner the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU).  

    The four men were killed on their way to conduct repairs to water infrastructure in Khuzaa, east of Khan Younis. Despite prior coordination with Israeli authorities their clearly-marked vehicle was bombed. Oxfam stands in solidarity with the CMWU, their partners and the families of the victims.  

    Their deaths deepen the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Gaza where access to clean water is already severely compromised.  

    Dozens of engineers, civil servants and humanitarian workers have been killed in Israeli airstrikes throughout this war. They were all working on essential services to keep Gaza’s fragile infrastructure running. Despite their movements being coordinated with the Israeli authorities by the CMWU and the Palestinian Water Authority, to ensure their safety, they were still targeted.  

    Attacks on civilian infrastructure and those who maintain it are clear violations of international humanitarian law. Those responsible must be held to account. Such attacks are part of the crime of using starvation as a weapon of war.   

    Oxfam demands an independent investigation into this and other attacks on essential workers. We reiterate our calls for a ceasefire, an immediate halt to arms transfers to Israel, and the international community to ensure Israel is held accountable for its continued assault on civilians and those working to deliver life-saving services. 

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI China: 3 killed in trail ride shooting in US state of Mississippi

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    Three people were killed and eight others injured on Saturday during a trail ride shooting in Holmes County, the southern U.S. state of Mississippi, authorities said.

    The incident occurred when at least two people opened fire into a crowd of 200 to 300 people celebrating Holmes County Consolidated School’s homecoming football win at an outdoor event several hours after the game ended.

    Holmes County Sheriff Willie March said the shooting followed an argument among several young men.

    The sheriff said police officers are searching for the suspects in connection to the shooting and an investigation is underway. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lexington Man Sentenced for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted Felon

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, David Allen Baxter, 40, was sentenced to 100 months, on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

    According to his plea agreement, on February 9, 2024, law enforcement observed Baxter, who had an outstanding warrant for a parole violation, entering and exiting a building.  Officers attempted to make contact, but Baxter fled on foot.  While Baxter was fleeing, officers observed him reaching into his jacket pocket and attempting to grab something.  Officers eventually caught Baxter, who was in possession of a loaded and chambered firearm.  Baxter admitted that he knew he was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.

    Baxter had previously been convicted of the following:  convicted felon in possession of a handgun, receiving stolen property, and possession of a controlled substance, in Scott Circuit Court in December 2019; convicted felon in possession of a firearm and wanton endangerment, in Fayette Circuit Court in September 2016; trafficking in a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance, in Fayette Circuit Court in December 2003; and robbery, in Fayette Circuit Court in May 2001.

    Under federal law, Baxter must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for three years.

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

    The case was investigated by the ATF and Lexington Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities.  It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts.  In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl Trafficking

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Jago Clay, 24, was sentenced to 108 months, on Friday, by U.S. District Judge Karen Caldwell, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. 

    According to his plea agreement, on June 17, 2022, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Clay’s vehicle, due to an upside-down license plate affixed to the wrong vehicle.  During the stop, officers found a large bag containing approximately 256 pressed fentanyl pills, a digital scale, and two loaded handguns. Clay admitted to knowingly possessing the fentanyl pills, with the intent distribute them, and to possessing the firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking.

    Under federal law, Clay must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.  Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.

    Carlton S. Shier, IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Shawn Morrow, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division; Col. Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.

    The case was investigated by the ATF, KSP, and Lexington Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Paco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

    This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities.  It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts.  In the Eastern District of Kentucky, U.S. Attorney Shier coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

    — END —

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Progress towards Auckland’s climate goals puts resilience at the forefront

    Source: Auckland Council

    From increasing public transport options, to decarbonising the council’s operations, to community food initiatives and building resilience to flood events, Auckland Council is delivering tangible, positive climate outcomes for Aucklanders. That’s according to Auckland Council’s Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan 2024 progress snapshot.

    Councillor Richard Hills, Chair of the council’s Policy and Planning Committee applauds the progress already made but reminds us that to maintain momentum and achieve our climate goals requires continued commitment from all of us.

    “As a region, the scale and speed of climate action needed to make an impact on resilience continues to grow and will require increasing levels of cohesion and investment across both government and our council.”

    Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan is Auckland Council’s long-term approach to climate action. It sets out eight priority action areas to deliver our goals to reduce carbon pollution and plan in ways that prevent further climate disruption.

    Kataraina Maki, Auckland Council’s Chief Sustainability Officer, believes the council plays a crucial role in forward-thinking to make caring for everyone in a climate-disrupted future a reality.

    “Imagine the lives we can all live when, across our communities, we are empowered to take the bold climate actions we need, and know are feasible. Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan provides long term solutions to make wise decisions now that will prevent further disruption to the climate later for future generations.

    “Kia kotahi, Auckland Council supports our communities to unite, work together, and adapt to low-carbon, climate-prepared lifestyles to meet peoples’ needs and make our city better for everyone, especially those most vulnerable to climate disruption.”

    The annual progress report highlights the council’s contribution towards the implementation of Te Tāruke-a-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan based on the levels of actions that are completed, in progress, and still required in reducing emissions and improving resilience to climate change. It also provides highlights of progress and key challenges for each priority in the plan along with a summary of key initiatives planned for the year ahead.

    Key highlights of 2023/2024 report include:

    • Collecting and diverting 20,000 tonnes of food scraps from landfill, exceeding the target of 18,000 tonnes for year one
    • Investment in public transport to increase patronage up to 100 million boardings by March 2025
    • Issuing three new green bonds increasing total green bond holdings to NZ $3.7 billion
    • The Auckland Council climate grant funded 32 community-led projects, with approximately a third going to underserved communities
    • Approximately 750,000 trees were planted across the region as part of the Urban Ngahere programme
    • Several projects including Auckland Art Gallery and Auckland Domain Wintergardens have switched from gas to electricity and alternative energy sources, saving money and reducing emissions.

    A planted area and stormwater stream beside the motorway in South Auckland.

    Building resilience to future extreme weather events top priority for the council

    In response to the 2023 extreme weather events, Auckland Council has partnered with the government to implement a $2 billion flood recovery and resilience package. As severe weather events happen more frequently, the council is preparing for the additional water we know to expect and preventing further flood risks through financial support for affected homeowners, supporting community-led responses and accelerating crucial repairs to affected infrastructure.

    The Making Space for Water programme has been integral to this work where $820 million has been given to help build resilience, repair affected stormwater assets and reduce the impacts of future intense rainfall.

    Councillor Hills says that rebuilding our infrastructure after big flooding and climate events can prevent worsening climate disruption.

    “Rampant carbon pollution has trapped heat like a blanket in our atmosphere and warmed the oceans, leading to a disrupted climate and more extreme weather events. A lot more water is one of the effects,” he says.

    “Auckland Council prioritises working alongside mana whenua, communities, and infrastructure experts to redesign our city to be more spongy to soak up this extra water and reduce heat in our neighbourhoods.

    “By uncovering our natural waterways and enhancing and maintaining our stormwater systems through programmes like Making Space for Water, we’re giving water space to flow and rise to build resilience and reduce the impacts of future flooding.”

    An electric bus on Waiheke Island.

    Zero emission transport

    Auckland’s public transport network is becoming fully electric. A total of 180 buses are now zero emissions in the fleet, making it the largest fleet of zero-emission buses of any city in Australasia. Investment in the transition from fossil fuels to lower emissions has also seen the construction of the first low emission ferries. The Climate Action Transport Targeted Rate has also increased our frequent bus network to forty routes in total, the most recent addition is the 94, which is seeing almost 400 new users each day.

    Te Herenga Waka O Orewa Marae has received funding to repair flooring in the wharekai, an engineering design to improve stormwater management.

    Mana whenua partnerships

    Auckland Council supports leadership of mana whenua who have expertise in living in harmony with natural systems to care for their rohe and tāngata, using mātauranga Māori to guide how te taiao is valued and protected. The council supports climate resilience programmes across seven Auckland marae as part of the Resilient Marae Programme, and rangatahi Māori-led responses to the environment such as Mātātahi Taio to deliver climate action outcomes using traditional Māori knowledge systems and practices.

    About the progress snapshot

    The council group this year reports that based on the current allocation of funding for greenhouse gas emissions reduction, meeting the 2050 net zero target set in Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri is becoming more challenging within timeframe and financial constraints. Regional emissions are also starting to rise, after they temporarily decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The report identifies that we all face big challenges in a climate-disrupted future. Better, resilient lives for everyone are possible through bold community climate planning, and a sustained collective commitment and effort from government, the council, businesses, communities and individuals to climate action.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: First Responders – Waikato fire burning through swampland

    Source: Fire and Emergency New Zealand

    A 20 hectare scrub fire is burning in swampland off Island Block Road, Waikato this afternoon.
    Fire and Emergency New Zealand was alerted to the fire around 1.15pm.
    Incident Commander Shane Bromley says four fire trucks, five tankers and two helicopters are responding to the fire, with another helicopter on its way.
    “The fire is semi-contained but not controlled and we’ve put fire trucks in place to protect three houses as a precaution,” Shane Bromley says.
    “We are also working to protect the nearby Whangamarino Wetland and expect to have a crew at the fire ground overnight.”
    There will be another update at 7pm tonight.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Three arrested at Kilburn

    Source: South Australia Police

    Police recovered a stolen car and seized firearms during an investigation at Kilburn last night.

    About 7.30pm on Sunday 20 October, police located a stolen Holden Commodore station wagon in the car park of a Kilburn licensed premises.

    The alleged occupants of the stolen car were identified by police nearby.

    A 31-year-old Manningham man and a 25-year-old Paralowie woman were arrested and charged with illegal use of a motor vehicle.

    The stolen car was towed away for forensic examination.

    Following these arrests, Western District Police and Serious and Organised Crime Branch detectives searched addresses linked to the arrested people.

    At a Kilburn property, three firearms, firearm parts and ammunition were found.  Some of the firearms are suspected to have been stolen and inquiries are continuing.

    A 39-year-old Kilburn man was arrested and charged with serious firearm offences.

    The arrested men will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court today, Monday 21 October.

    The woman was bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on 3 December.

    Anyone with information about illegal or stolen firearms in our community is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at http://www.crimestopperssa.com.au

    CO2400042199
    CO2400042169, CO2400042345

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Call for information – Traffic offences and vehicle fire – Alice Springs

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    Northern Territory Police Fire and Emergency Services are calling for information after a traffic incident involving a vehicle fire occurred in Alice Springs early Saturday morning.

    Around 2:25am, Joint Emergency Services Communications Centre received reports of a vehicle fire at the Stuart Highway and Wills Terrace intersection.

    CCTV footage reviewed by police showed a silver Holden Commodore travelling outbound on Willis Terrace when it approached the Stuart Highway intersection and a red Holden Commodore contacted the rear of the vehicle, causing the silver Holden to lose control and crash.

    A group of people exited the crashed vehicle and fled the scene on foot.

    The occupants in the red holden commodore then approached the crashed vehicle and began causing further damage before they also fled the scene on foot.

    A short time later, the silver Holden Commodore became engulfed in flames.

    Police and Fire and Rescue Services attended the scene, and the vehicle fire was extinguished.

    A 21-year-old male later approached the officers in attendance and informed them he was the owner and driver of the red commodore.

    He has since been transported to Alice Springs Hospital for treatment and blood testing.

    Police urge anyone with information about the incident to make contact on 131 444 and quote reference NTP2400105383.

    Anonymous reports can be made via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through https://crimestoppersnt.com.au/.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: The CFA volunteers who love marrying people

    Source: Victoria Country Fire Authority

    The COVID-19 lockdowns led to an exciting and fulfilling change of direction for CFA volunteers and married couple Greg Thorpe and Anne Tammesild.

    Instead of sitting idle, they both completed a Certificate IV in celebrancy, and now get a lot of joy from marrying people – especially fellow CFA volunteers.

    “I retired during the COVID-19 pandemic after being an air traffic controller for 43 years,” Greg said. “Anne saw me getting bored and suggested I find something new to do. I said I wouldn’t mind being a marriage celebrant, and Anne replied that she’d like to do that too.”

    Greg and Anne both completed their certificate IV in about nine months, but because of COVID-19 they weren’t able to get their new business off the ground the way they had hoped.

    Greg and Anne, who live in Hampton, are members of District 8 Headquarters Brigade where they are learning new skills to work in an Incident Control Centre. Before moving to Hampton, Greg had been a firefighter with St Andrews Fire Brigade since 2008, and the impact of the 2009 fires on Greg and those around him prompted him to become a peer in CFA’s Peer Support Program.

    “At St Andrews I got really interested in firefighting and learned a range of skills. Then after 2009 I also wanted to help fellow volunteers, so I trained to be a peer supporter,” Greg said. 

    Greg and Anne love marrying people, and are happy to conduct weddings in addition to having daytime jobs.

    “We aim to do 15 weddings a year in between my part-time job as the manager of emergency management and business continuity across 51 magistrates’ courts, and Anne’s full-time teaching role.”

    Anne became a CFA member about a year ago after many years as a Life Saving Victoria volunteer where she was a district assessor and trainer. She now wants to contribute to the operation of CFA Incident Control Centres.

    Greg and Anne approach a wedding as a team. Although only one celebrant can legally marry a couple, they both attend the wedding.

    “We do it together because we enjoy it so much,” Greg said. “If Anne conducts the ceremony, I’ll be the roadie and set everything up. It brings us a lot of joy. After the wedding, we walk away with a big smile. We’re not in it to make much money but to marry people and make them happy.

    “I see how much work CFA members devote to supporting their communities and we like to give back by marrying them for a reasonable fee. We’re not worried about travelling a long distance to marry CFA people – we just turn the occasion into a weekend away.”

    One happy occasion was when Greg married CFA employee Jacinta McMahon and her partner Tim late last year in their backyard with about 30 guests. Their beloved dog Bundy was the ring bearer.

    Greg and Anne discuss each wedding together and writing the couple’s love story is a joint effort.

    “Having two celebrants who know all the documents and the members of the bridal party means that either of us can conduct the ceremony. If I was sick, Anne could take the ceremony and vice versa. Fortunately, that hasn’t been a problem,” Greg said.

    Submitted by News and Media

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Oct 21, 2024 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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    Oct 21, 2024 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook

    Updated: Mon Oct 21 05:44:22 UTC 2024 (Print Version |   |  )

    Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table

     Forecast Discussion

    SPC AC 210544

    Day 2 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1244 AM CDT Mon Oct 21 2024

    Valid 221200Z – 231200Z

    …NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST…

    …SUMMARY…
    No severe thunderstorms are forecast on Tuesday.

    …Synopsis…
    A mid-level trough will be absorbed into the broader westerlies on
    Tuesday as it traverses from the Midwest to the Upper Great Lakes.
    Some remnant convection is expected to be ongoing Tuesday morning in
    the vicinity of this trough across Missouri, but this convection
    should weaken by mid-day as it moves into drier air.

    Ridging will start to build in the western CONUS with an extended
    moderately strong jet-stream from the Oregon/California border to
    the Upper Midwest. At the surface, a strong cold front will traverse
    the northern Plains during the day. Some showers and thunderstorms
    are expected along this frontal boundary, as temperatures cool aloft
    and forcing increases ahead of an amplifying mid-level trough
    approaching the area from the southern Canadian Prairie Provinces.
    Instability will be limited, but may be sufficient for some
    lightning flashes.

    ..Bentley.. 10/21/2024

    CLICK TO GET WUUS02 PTSDY2 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1730Z

    Top/Latest Day 1 Outlook/Today’s Outlooks/Forecast Products/Home

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SPC Oct 21, 2024 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

    Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

    SPC AC 210524

    Day 1 Convective Outlook
    NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
    1224 AM CDT Mon Oct 21 2024

    Valid 211200Z – 221200Z

    …THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
    CENTRAL PLAINS…

    …SUMMARY…
    Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible across the central
    Plains, mainly during the afternoon to early evening.

    …Central Plains…

    Four Corners upper low is finally ejecting northeast and should
    advance into the central High Plains by 18z before moving into the
    middle MS Valley by the end of the period. In response to this
    feature, notable LLJ will shift from the High Plains at sunrise into
    central KS/eastern NE by late afternoon. At the surface, a sharp lee
    trough will be dislodged early, and a weak wave is expected to
    develop along the KS/NE border. This will ensure southeasterly
    low-level flow across northern KS into central NE through peak
    heating. Large-scale pattern favors focused low-level convergence
    over southern NE/northern KS but the magnitude of instability is not
    expected to be that strong, with perhaps MLCAPE exceeding 1000 J/kg
    across the MRGL risk where surface dew points are able to rise into
    the mid 50s. While buoyancy is not forecast to be that significant,
    modestly steep lapse rates and 90m 12hr height falls do warrant
    attention, as high-level diffluent flow will prove favorable for
    robust updrafts.

    Scattered convection will likely be ongoing at the beginning of the
    period, along the leading edge of stronger forcing, within the
    low-level warm advection corridor. This activity should propagate
    east during the day with the potential for strong/severe storms
    developing in its wake where boundary layer warms. Current thinking
    is isolated severe storms, including supercells, will evolve by mid
    afternoon within the left exit region of the mid-level jet. At this
    time will maintain MRGL risk, but there was some consideration for
    introducing a SLGT, and this may be need in later outlooks.

    ..Darrow.. 10/21/2024

    CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT

    NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 1 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1300Z

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Draft guidelines for ‘forever chemicals’ have been released. Here’s what it means for drinking water safety in Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ian Musgrave, Senior lecturer in Pharmacology, University of Adelaide

    Alexander_Safonov/Shutterstock

    The Australian National Health and Medical research Council (NHMRC) has today released draft guidelines for acceptable levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in drinking water.

    PFAS chemicals are also known as “forever chemicals”, because they don’t break down easily and can persist in the environment, including drinking water supplies.

    The new guidelines – which are not mandatory but will inform state and territory policy – are expected to be finalised in April 2025. They propose a reduction in the maximum levels previously considered safe for four key PFAS chemicals: PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS and PFBS.

    Continually scrutinising and updating our PFAS regulations is important to ensure Australians’ safety. However, these updated guidelines are unlikely to have a significant impact on Australia’s drinking water. The majority of potable water supplies in Australia either have no detectable PFAS, or have levels already below the new limits.

    What are PFAS chemicals?

    PFAS are highly fat-soluble compounds that are very slow to break down. They are basically long chains of carbon atoms studded with fluorine molecules.

    PFAS chemicals are inert, water-repellent and heat-resistant. These properties make them ideal for industrial usage and they have been used in firefighting foams and fire-retardant material. They have also been used in common household items such as nonstick pans and stain-resistant fabrics.

    PFAS chemicals are very slow to break down.
    Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

    Unfortunately, their useful industrial stability means they persist in the environment and can accumulate in the human body. It can take five years for half an ingested dose of PFAS to be removed.

    Given PFAS chemicals have the potential to mimic the body’s own fats, there has been concern they could harm our health if sufficient amounts accumulated in the body.

    What sorts of health effects are they linked to?

    The buildup of a chemical that’s hard to remove from our bodies is always of concern. Despite this, the potential health risks appear to be low. In 2018 the Australian Expert Health Panel for PFAS looked in detail at the evidence.

    One of the largest concerns was PFAS chemicals’ ability to increase levels of cholesterol in the blood, potentially increasing heart disease risk. However, studies of people who have been chronically exposed to significant levels of PFOA have not shown statistically significant increases in heart disease.

    In 2018, the report from Australia’s expert health panel stated:

    Evidence to date does not establish whether PFAS at exposure levels seen in Australia might increase risks of cardiovascular disease… Established risk factors … are likely to be of a much greater magnitude than those potentially caused by PFAS.

    Cancer has also been a concern. However the expert panel found no consistent evidence that PFAS chemicals are associated with cancer. One study even found exposure to PFOA decreased the incidence of bowel cancer.

    However, the impact of PFAS on human health is continuously reviewed as new evidence comes to light.

    Why has Australia revised its drinking water guidelines?

    Australia began to phase out PFAS chemicals in the early 2000s. Since then, the levels of PFAS detected in the Australian population have steadily dropped.

    Now that industrial use is being phased out, the main way we are exposed to PFAS is through things like persistent environmental contamination. While drinking water is not a major source of PFAS, water can be contaminated from environmental sources, for example, if contaminated dust or ground water makes its way into reservoirs.

    Most drinking water levels in Australia either have no detectable PFAS or are already below the new levels.
    Juergen_Wallstabe/Shutterstock

    The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines provide limits for how much PFAS is allowed to be in our drinking water.

    The NHMRC periodically reviews the health evidence around PFAS used to develop these guidelines, which were last updated in 2018. The latest review looks at additional evidence available since then.

    A few developments were of particular interest in this review: studies about the influence of PFAS on thyroid function. Altering thyroid function can be problematic because thyroid hormones regulate our metabolism, growth and development.

    The International Agency for Cancer Research’s (IARC) recent ruling on PFAS and cancer also needed to be investigated. The IARC has classified PFOS – one of the four key chemicals Australia is regulating – as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. However the IARC noted there was “inadequate” evidence PFOS directly causes any type of cancer in people.

    This agency can rule on the probability that a chemical can cause cancer under any possible exposure, no matter how extreme. But it doesn’t evaluate the risk of cancer from ordinary exposure.

    This means the NHMRC needed to reevaluate the evidence that the levels present in drinking water would constitute a risk.

    What are the new PFAS limits?

    The NHRMC considered evidence about PFAS exposure in animal studies, and by looking at human epidemiology.

    In studies involving animals, the NHMRC review paid particular attention to what concentration of PFAS exposure had no effect on their health. This threshold is used to determine limits for humans, by adding a safety buffer usually a hundred times lower than the level that was safe for animals.

    The limits are set are carefully considering the evidence about impact on human health, as well as evaluating how much PFAS exposure is likely from sources beyond drinking water, such as food and inhaled dust.

    The proposed limits are:

    Note: PFOS and PFHxS are now regulated separately.
    NHMRC

    These guidelines are unlikely to have a significant impact on health. As the NHMRC report shows, majority of potable water supplies in Australia have no detectable PFAS, or levels are already below these new limits.

    For example, drinking water sampling for WaterNSW found PFOS levels were between 1.2ng/L and undectable. Similar results were found for PFHxS (between 1.4 and 0.1ng/L) and PFOA (basically undetectable).

    While the concentration of PFAS in bores near contamination sites are higher, these are typically not used as sources of drinking water.

    The Australian guidelines differ from some international guidelines. The draft guidelines note that different jurisdictions place different weighting on animal and human evidence, and this will affect these regulatory levels.

    The draft guidelines are now open to public consultation, with submissions closing on November 22 2024. Final guidelines are expected to be released in April 2025.

    Ian Musgrave has received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council to study adverse reactions to herbal medicines and has previously been funded by the Australian Research Council to study potential natural product treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. He has collaborated with SA Water on studies of cyanobacterial toxins and their implication for drinking water quality.

    – ref. Draft guidelines for ‘forever chemicals’ have been released. Here’s what it means for drinking water safety in Australia – https://theconversation.com/draft-guidelines-for-forever-chemicals-have-been-released-heres-what-it-means-for-drinking-water-safety-in-australia-241773

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Horrifying black sows and ghostly apparitions: how the magic and mystery of Wales come alive in winter

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Mari Ellis Dunning, Associate Lecturer at the School of Languages and Literature and PhD Candidate, Aberystwyth University

    Would you dare let the Mari Lwyd in to your home? Bob Pool/Shutterstock

    For centuries, midway between the autumn equinox and winter solstice, the Welsh people have celebrated Calan Gaeaf on November 1. Nos Galan Gaeaf or “the evening before the first day of winter”, falls a day before, which the western world now recognises as Halloween.

    A time of year filled with monsters and ghouls, here are five spooky winter customs and beliefs unique to Wales and its people.

    1. Hwch Ddu Gwta

    On Nos Galan Gaeaf, the horrifying hwch ddu gwta, or “tailess black sow”, would make its annual appearance. Usually a man draped in cloth or animal hide rising from dwindling fire embers, the hwch ddu would chase the village children home.

    As the fire died and the children anticipated the materialisation of the black sow, they would often chant a spooky verse, like: “Adref, adref am y cynta’, Hwch Ddu Gwta a gipio’r ola,” (“Home, home, at once, the tailess black sow shall snatch the last one.”)

    Juliette Wood, scholar of Celtic folklore, says the macabre ritual has its roots in beliefs about the souls of the dead, people and animals. But on a practical level, it was probably just an effective way of getting children to bed and teaching them about the dangers of straying from the group.

    2. Fortune telling

    Fortune telling would have been rife at this time of year. Questions over who was next to be married, and who may meet an untimely death, were particularly popular. Women looking for love may have wandered around the bounds of a church, chanting “here is the sheath, where is the knife”, hoping to hear the name of the person they would marry as a response.

    In some parts of the country, stwmp naw rhyw, a mash made of nine different root vegetables with milk, butter, salt and pepper, would have a wedding ring placed at the centre. Whoever found the ring in their serving would be the next to be married.



    Read more:
    Why so few witches were executed in Wales in the middle ages

    Though these particular practices were performed at Calan Gaeaf, the widespread belief in fortune telling certainly wasn’t unique to this time of year, nor Wales, of course.

    But Wales does have a long history of reliance on wise-women and soothsayers. Many Welsh people even regularly turned to the church for charms and curses.

    3. Y Ladi Wen and other apparitions

    Regarded as a seasonal boundary, Nos Galan Gaeaf was considered the most ominous of the three spirit nights. The others were Nos Galan Mai, which heralds the beginning of summer, and Noswyl Ifan, known also as the summer solstice.

    As Nos Galan Gaeaf was a time to say goodbye to the recently deceased, the spirits were said to roam freely. Ghosts of the dead were believed to be seen at midnight on every stile, for example. And it makes sense that ghosts were to be found atop stiles. The fact that unbaptised children used to be buried at boundary fences suggests that these lines were liminal places and therefore the favourite perches of ghosts and apparitions.

    Perhaps the most well known of these ghosts was Y Ladi Wen (the White Lady). Y Ladi Wen was an apparition who could be found haunting locations where violent deaths had occurred. She was also said to warn children about their bad behaviour.

    4. Mari Lwyd

    The Mari Lwyd is traditionally a Christmas and New Year wassailing folk custom popular in south Wales. It dates back to the 18th century and involves a horse’s skull placed on a pole, draped in ribbons.

    A person hiding beneath a white sheet would carry the pole and snap the horse’s jaw open and shut. A procession led by Mari would go from house to house, where the group would sing verses asking to be let inside, prompting the hosts to improvise a rebuttal in verse.

    The Mari Lwyd’s weird and somewhat terrifying appearance has led to her appearing earlier in the season, and adopted in different parts of Wales and as far afield as the US and Australia.

    5. Gwrachod Powys

    Perhaps the most sinister and spooky custom is one that could be found in Powys, mid-Wales.

    Men would wander around in gangs wearing sheep skin, old ragged clothes and masks, drinking heavily and demanding gifts. They were called “gwrachod” (meaning hags or witches), probably in allusion to the Celtic belief that fiends, witches and faeries carried out their harmful and destructive tasks at night.



    Read more:
    Nos Galan Gaeaf: the traditional Welsh celebration being eclipsed by modern Halloween

    In the north, the name “gwrachod” was also used to describe men and women who went about their neighbours’ houses dressed in each other’s clothes and wearing masks.

    During this Christmas tradition, which could be seen as a combination of the Mari Lwyd and the gwrachod, members of the party would dance, cheer and perform “antic diversions” in exchange for good cheer, ale, apples and nuts.

    As October draws to a close and we creep towards the darkest days of midwinter, keep your wits about you. You might just end up face to face with a horrifying sow covered in fire ash, or confronted by a ghostly lady draped in white.

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

    – ref. Horrifying black sows and ghostly apparitions: how the magic and mystery of Wales come alive in winter – https://theconversation.com/horrifying-black-sows-and-ghostly-apparitions-how-the-magic-and-mystery-of-wales-come-alive-in-winter-238725

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: The gas crisis is not over yet

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Michael Bradshaw, Professor of Global Energy, Warwick Business School, University of Warwick

    Oleksandr Filatov/Shutterstock

    Policy and luck have bought Europe a reprieve from the heights gas prices reached between the winters of 2022 and 2023, but prices are climbing again and the global gas market remains precariously balanced.

    Rising tensions in the Middle East could upend it. If conflict spills into the Persian Gulf, it could disrupt shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar that equal 20% of global exports.

    We believe this winter will be the final act of the gas crisis. Here’s what we should expect.

    Dangerously underprepared

    The case for Britain to rapidly phase out natural gas in heating and power generation is overwhelming. It would unburden household bills of expensive gas imports and leave the country less vulnerable to energy supply crunches, while also cutting carbon emissions. Doing so will take time: as of today, the UK relies on gas for 37% of all energy consumption.

    British households in particular are perilously exposed to gas prices. Directly, because four-fifths of households use gas for space heating. Indirectly, because in the UK, electricity prices are set by the price of gas-fired generation. After a decade of failed home insulation and energy-efficiency policies, the UK still has some of the draughtiest homes in Europe. It simply takes more energy to heat British homes, which lose heat three times faster than European neighbours.

    Since the beginning of the recent crisis, the UK government has done little to change these facts. The end of the winter fuel payment to pensioners adds fresh concern. The Energy Crisis Commission recently found that the UK remains “dangerously underprepared” for a repeat of the gas price explosion of 2022-23.

    All told, the UK cannot be oblivious to developments in the global gas market.

    A crisis in the making

    Resurgent gas demand after the lifting of COVID restrictions led to a quadrupling of UK gas prices in 2021. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Vladimir Putin throttled pipeline gas exports to Europe.

    Europe turned to its greatest source of flexible gas supply: seaborne LNG. A price war for cargoes followed. The spending power of European economies pulled shipments away from low-income countries in Asia, such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, which caused crippling blackouts and a pivot to coal-fired generation.

    Energy bills for an average household in the UK hit £4,279 in January 2023. The government protected consumers from the very worst at a cost of £51 billion in 2022-23, but the average household lost 8% of its budget to energy costs in 2022, rising to 18% for the poorest tenth of households. Roughly 2 million households on pre-payment meters were being cut off from their energy supply at least once a month at the height of the crisis.

    Clement winters, moderate gas demand in Asia and successful measures to curb European gas demand saw UK gas prices fall from mid-2023. But they are still relatively high – at 48% above the average in the three years before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    One more winter

    Could things get worse? Back in 2022, experts spoke of a “three-winter crisis” because significant new LNG export capacity (primarily in the US and Qatar) wasn’t expected until 2025. That has held true, and supply and demand in the global LNG market remains taut.

    Several disturbances could destabilise this balance. The International Energy Agency expects that over 2024, global growth in gas demand will exceed the rate of growth in new LNG supply. Attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea by the Houthi militia in Yemen, in response to Israel’s invasion of Gaza, have rerouted LNG shipping routes. Cargoes that would have passed through the Suez Canal must now take the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope.

    At the end of 2024, a major five-year agreement governing the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine will expire, and there is no prospect of renewal. Russian gas supplies to Europe will fall by around 5% of the EU’s total gas imports, or 65% of all gas imports into Austria, Hungary and Slovakia.

    While Europe has been saved by mild winters over the last two years, this luck could break in 2024-25 according to some forecasts. Temperature – and the demand it creates for heating – will probably decide winter gas prices in Europe.

    Geopolitical blowback

    How might the worst-case scenario of conflict in the Persian Gulf happen?

    LNG is shipped by sea on large tankers.
    Wojciech Wrzesien/Shutterstock

    Israel’s escalating military assaults on Hezbollah since September 17 have coincided with a 17% rise in UK gas prices. After Iran’s missile and drone strikes against Israel on October 1, European gas prices hit a new high for the year. This saw three LNG tankers destined for Asia change course mid-journey and head for Europe.

    Israel has vowed retribution for the Iranian strike. Having obliterated Gaza and decapitated Hezbollah’s leadership, and with resolute material support from the US, Israel may now see Iran as vulnerable.

    A severe response by Israel, targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities or oil infrastructure, would further up the ante. Wishing to avoid direct conflict, Iran could decide to target not Israel, but the flow of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz on which its western backers depend. Qatari LNG shipments through the strait account for 20% of global supply on their own.

    Any interruption would also block Iran’s oil exports, afflict Iran’s friends as much as its foes, and kill Iran’s current reconciliation with the Gulf states. It is unlikely, but one would hope that the warning signs in the global gas market would remind western decision-makers that the conflict in the Middle East can continue to blow back on them.


    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get our award-winning weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Michael Bradshaw receives funding from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) that is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). He also advises the government, thinktanks and companies on energy matters.

    Louis Fletcher receives funding from the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC), which is funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

    – ref. The gas crisis is not over yet – https://theconversation.com/the-gas-crisis-is-not-over-yet-241538

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Security: North Battleford — North Battleford CRT-GTF seize methamphetamine, arrest female

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    On October 16, 2024, North Battleford RCMP Crime Reduction Team-Gang Task Force (CRT-GTF) executed a search warrant at a residence on 34th Street West in Battleford, SK, after receiving information about an individual trafficking methamphetamine.

    While executing the search warrant, officers located and seized a replica firearm, 234 grams of methamphetamine and drug trafficking paraphernalia. An adult female was arrested at the scene.

    As a result of investigation, 68-year-old Martha Mitchell, from Battleford, is charged with:

    • one count, possession for the purpose of trafficking – methamphetamine, Section 5(2), Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

    Martha Mitchell is scheduled to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on November 18, 2024.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Joint Statement of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Yahya Sinwar

    Source: United States Department of State (3)

    Office of the Spokesperson

    Joint Statement of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Yahya Sinwar

    Media Note

    October 18, 2024

    The following is the Joint Statement of German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken after their meeting in Berlin, October 18, 2024:

    Yahya Sinwar was a brutal murderer and terrorist who was bent on eradicating Israel and its people. As vicious mastermind of the October 7 terror attacks, he brought death to thousands of people and immeasurable suffering across an entire region. Sinwar stood in the way of a ceasefire in Gaza. His death can create a momentum to end the conflict. All hostages must be released. At the same time, humanitarian aid must be surged to the civilians in Gaza in need. Germany and the United States, together with partners, won‘t spare any effort on this path.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Provides Free Well Disinfection, Well Water Collection Kits to Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Provides Free Well Disinfection, Well Water Collection Kits to Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene

    NCDHHS Provides Free Well Disinfection, Well Water Collection Kits to Communities Impacted by Hurricane Helene
    hejones1

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today announced free well disinfection and well water collection kits are available for communities impacted by Hurricane Helene. Local health departments in western North Carolina will distribute kits for households with private wells that were flooded or damaged by the storm.

    Excessive rain and flooding can cause water in private wells to become contaminated, meaning the water can make people sick if it is consumed. After a flood, private wells must be assessed for damage, repaired, disinfected and tested before use to ensure the water is safe. It is critical people do not drink or use water from a private well that has been damaged or flooded until it has been properly disinfected and tested after the storm.

    The NCDHHS Division of Public Health has assembled well disinfection and well water collection kits for distribution through select local health departments. Private well owners living in the communities served by the following local health departments who have flooded or damaged wells can pick up free kits beginning Tuesday, Oct. 22. Participating local health departments include:

    • AppHealthCare – Alleghany location: 157 Health Services Road, Sparta, NC 28675
    • AppHealthCare – Ashe Environmental Health Building: 626 Ashe Central School Road, Jefferson, NC 28640
    • AppHealthCare – Watauga location: 126 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone, NC 28607
    • Burke County Health Department: 700 E. Parker Road, Morganton, NC 28655
    • Buncombe County Health Department – Environmental Health Building: 30 Valley St., Asheville, NC 28801
    • Caldwell County Health Department: 2345 Morganton Blvd., Lenoir, NC, 28645
    • Cherokee County Health Department: 228 Hilton St., Murphy, NC 28906
    • Haywood County Environmental Health: 157 Paragon Parkway, Suite 200, Clyde, NC 28721
    • Henderson County Health Department: 1200 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 100, Hendersonville NC 28792
    • Madison – Environmental Health Building: 5707 US-25, Marshall, NC 28753
    • Toe River Health District – Mitchell location: 130 Forest Service Drive, Bakersville, NC 28705
    • Toe River Health District – Avery location: 545 Schultz Circle, Newland, NC 28657
    • Yancey County Health Department: 202 Medical Campus Drive, Burnsville, NC 28714

    Each well kit includes the necessary supplies to disinfect and collect a well water sample for testing, including step-by-step instructions. Flooded or damaged wells must be disinfected first before collecting a sample for testing. Private well owners should return the sample back to their local health department for testing. The local health department or testing lab will provide results back as quickly as possible. Private well owners who live in an impacted area not listed above should contact their local health department for well disinfection and testing assistance.

    For help understanding test results, use the online Be Well Informed tool (select North Carolina) or contact the NCDHHS-DPH Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Branch at 919-707-5900 or oeeb@dhhs.nc.gov.

    Well disinfection and well water collection kits can be picked up at the following dates and times:

    • Oct. 22-24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    • Oct. 28-31, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

    Additional dates and times will be provided by the local health departments.

    For information regarding Hurricane Helene including additional resources and flexibilities in place, please go to www.ncdps.gov/Helene and www.ncdhhs.gov/helene.

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS, por sus siglas en inglés) anunció hoy que hay kits gratuitos de desinfección y recolección de agua de pozo disponibles para las comunidades afectadas por el huracán Helene. Los departamentos de salud locales en el oeste de Carolina del Norte distribuirán kits para hogares con pozos privados que fueron inundados o dañados por la tormenta.

    El exceso de lluvia y las inundaciones pueden contaminar el agua de los pozos privados, lo que significa que el agua puede enfermar a las personas si se consume. Después de una inundación, los pozos privados deben ser evaluados para detectar daños, reparados, desinfectados y analizados antes de su uso para garantizar que el agua sea segura. Es fundamental que las personas no beban ni usen agua de un pozo privado que haya sido dañado o inundado hasta que haya sido desinfectado y analizado adecuadamente después de la tormenta.

    La División de Salud Pública del NCDHHS ha reunido kits de desinfección y recolección de agua de pozo para su distribución a través de departamentos de salud locales seleccionados. Los propietarios de pozos privados que viven en las comunidades atendidas por los siguientes departamentos de salud locales con pozos dañados o inundados pueden recoger kits gratuitos a partir del martes 22 de octubre. Los departamentos de salud locales participantes incluyen:

    • AppHealthCare – Ubicación en Alleghany: 157 Health Services Road, Sparta, NC 28675
    • AppHealthCare – Edificio de Salud Ambiental de Ashe: 626 Ashe Central School Road, Jefferson, NC 28640
    • AppHealthCare – Ubicación en Watauga: 126 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone, NC 28607
    • Departamento de Salud del condado de Burke: 700 E. Parker Road, Morganton, NC 28655
    • Departamento de Salud del condado de Buncombe – Edificio de Salud Ambiental: 30 Valley St., Asheville, NC 28801
    • Departamento de Salud del condado de Caldwell: 2345 Morganton Blvd., Lenoir, NC, 28645
    • Departamento de Salud del condado de Cherokee: 228 Hilton St., Murphy, NC 28906
    • Salud Ambiental del condado de Haywood: 157 Paragon Parkway, Suite 200, Clyde, NC 28721
    • Departamento de Salud del condado de Henderson: 1200 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 100, Hendersonville NC 28792
    • Madison – Edificio de Salud Ambiental: 5707 US-25, Marshall, NC 28753
    • Distrito de Salud Toe River – Ubicación en Mitchell: 130 Forest Service Drive, Bakersville, NC 28705
    • Distrito de Salud Toe River– Ubicación en Avery: 545 Schultz Circle, Newland, NC 28657
    • Departamento de Salud del condado de Yancey: 202 Medical Campus Drive, Burnsville, NC 28714

    Cada kit de pozo incluye los suministros necesarios para desinfectar y recolectar una muestra de agua de pozo para su análisis, incluidas las instrucciones paso a paso. Los pozos inundados o dañados deben desinfectarse primero antes de recoger una muestra para su análisis. Los propietarios de pozos privados deben devolver la muestra a su departamento de salud local para su análisis. El departamento de salud local o el laboratorio de pruebas proporcionarán los resultados lo más rápido posible. Los propietarios de pozos privados que viven en una zona afectada no mencionada anteriormente deben ponerse en contacto con su departamento de salud local para obtener asistencia con la desinfección y las pruebas de los pozos.

    Para obtener ayuda para comprender los resultados de las pruebas, use la herramienta en línea Be Well Informed (seleccione Carolina del Norte) o comuníquese con la Sección de Epidemiología Ocupacional y Ambiental del NCDHHS-DPH al 919-707-5900 o oeeb@dhhs.nc.gov.

    Los kits de desinfección y recolección de agua de pozo se pueden recoger en las siguientes fechas y horas:

    • Octubre 22-24, 9 a.m. a 3 p.m.
    • Octubre 28-31, 9 a.m. a 3 p.m.

    Los departamentos de salud locales proporcionarán fechas y horas adicionales.

    Para obtener información sobre el huracán Helene, incluidos los recursos adicionales y las flexibilidades vigentes, visite http://www.ncdps.gov/Helene  y http://www.ncdhhs.gov/helene.

    Oct 22, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: REP. LIEU, SEN. PADILLA, SEN. BUTLER AND REP. SCHIFF URGE FEMA TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY PALOS VERDES PENINSULA LAND MOVEMENT

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Ted Lieu (33 District of California)

    LOS ANGELES – Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D-Los Angeles County) led a letter with Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA), Senator Laphonza Butler (D-CA) and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to identify any assistance and funding that can be made available to residents impacted by land movement on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. In the letter, the Members called on Administrator Deanne Criswell to consider ways in which FEMA can help impacted communities in conjunction with other local, state and federal efforts to mitigate the dangerous ground movements and provide relief for impacted homeowners. 

    In the letter, the Members write:

    Dear Administrator Criswell,  

    Thank you for your commitment to protecting all communities before, during, and after disaster strikes. We write to you regarding the urgent landslide on the Palos Verdes Peninsula and its devastating consequences for the residents of the communities of Rancho Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills, and Rolling Hills Estates. 

    The Greater Portuguese Bend Landslide complex is located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in western Los Angeles County. As a result of the 2022 and 2023 winter storms, all three cities have experienced land movement at an unprecedented pace. In the City of Rancho Palos Verdes, the amount of land movement that the city was previously experiencing over the course of an entire year is now occurring on a weekly basis. 

    With this accelerated movement, utility infrastructure has been significantly impacted, and many residents are now without access to basic utilities. The de-energization of the region also poses a significant threat to critical public infrastructure such as sewage service and the dewatering wells that are needed to mitigate the landslide.  

    Your leadership has been key in addressing this land movement. Through FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant, the City of Rancho Palos Verdes will be able to mitigate this crisis by eliminating excess moisture and reducing future ground movement. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes has also been working closely with FEMA and the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) in updating their scope of work for this project. This close partnership has allowed the City to maintain eligibility for the BRIC grant while conducting immediate work that is critical in addressing the ongoing movement. 

    We are thankful that federal resources are being utilized in the area. After a recent visit from Regional Administrator Bob Fenton, FEMA has requested the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Geological Survey to provide technical assistance to the City of Rancho Palos Verdes as they work to stabilize the land. We urge any assistance be extended to the City of Rolling Hills and City of Rolling Hills Estates, so they too can work to mitigate the land movement and restore a sense of safety for their residents.

    It is our understanding that the region faces challenges in accessing both state and federal aid because the land movement has persisted over time. We ask that FEMA work to identify any assistance and funding, that can be made available, to the residents impacted by land movement on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.   

    We know you share our deep concern about the impact that this land movement is having on the residents and businesses in these communities. Like you, several of us have visited the landslide area and witnessed firsthand the devastating impact this issue has had on the community. Following the increased land movement, we have held several meetings with experts from FEMA and our state and county representatives to better understand the impacts of this movement and what resources could be deployed in response. Additionally, we are continuing to advocate for projects submitted by the Geologic Hazard Abatement Districts through the federal appropriations process. 

    We urge you to consider all pathways to provide support to residents impacted by land movement on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. We will continue to work with federal, state, and local officials to support these communities and their residents to ensure that any resources that can be offered to support them are available. We ask that you continue to keep our offices apprised of your work in the region and maintain communication as we work together to support impacted residents.

    Thank you again for your attention to this emergency. We look forward to your response and cooperation in tackling this challenge.

    Sincerely, 

    FIND A PDF OF THE LETTER HERE

    ###

     

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Debary Man Sentenced To Fifteen Months In Federal Prison For Dealing In Firearms Without A License

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Brandon Eugene Brooke (30, Debary) to 15 months in federal prison for dealing in firearms without a license. Brooke entered a guilty plea on May 22, 2024.

    According to court documents, between April 14 and October 10, 2022, Brooke purchased 69 firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs). Many of the firearms were identical and were purchased together or close in time to one another. On October 13, 2022, ATF agents questioned Brooke regarding his repeated purchases of identical firearms from FFLs. A search of Brooke’s phone revealed evidence of firearms dealing.

    Following the interview, ATF agents served Brooke with a “Warning Notice of Unlicensed Firearms Dealing in Violation of Federal Law.” In the Notice, Brooke was advised that his firearm transfers constituted dealing in firearms without a license. Brooke signed the Notice, acknowledging receipt, and was given a copy to retain. Following his acknowledgment of the Notice, Brooke continued to deal in firearms without a license, in violation of federal law.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Dorman.

    This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Launches Voter Assistance Resources for People Impacted by Recent Hurricanes and Severe Weather Damage

    Source: US State of Vermont

    The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division launched a webpage today compiling information to help voters in states impacted by recent hurricanes Helene and Milton to have access to the ballot. The hurricanes have displaced several thousands of people from their residences; disrupted vital services; closed schools, businesses and other places; slowed postal delivery; and destroyed important personal possessions, including photos and identification documents.

    In these online resources, the department focuses on the six states that were directly affected by recent hurricanes: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The site identifies and provides links to various state changes made to accommodate voters who have been displaced, lost their identification documents, have had polling sites moved or who are unsure where or how they can vote. It also provides contact information so that voters can reach local voting officials who can provide the most specific and up-to-date guidance.

    The Justice Department is also committed to ensuring every eligible voter can cast their ballot free from discrimination and intimidation. Federal laws protect against voter intimidation, coercion and interference at every stage of the voting process. For additional information about voting and elections, including filing federal voting rights violations or threats against election workers, visit http://www.justice.gov/voting. Contact the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section through the internet reporting portal at http://www.civilrights.justice.gov or by calling 1-800-253-3931.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kamlager-Dove Joins Democratic Efforts to Put a Spotlight on Project 2025 with New Documentary Style Video Series

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager California (37th District)

    New Documentary Video Series Details Project 2025’s Threat to Reproductive Freedom, Workers’ Rights, Environmental Protections, Public Education, and American Democracy

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) joined Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) for a five-part video documentary series detailing Project 2025’s threat to democracy, reproductive freedom, workers’ rights, environmental regulation, and public education. The series will feature interviews with Representatives Kamlager-Dove, Goldman, and 11 of their House Democratic colleagues from across the country, as well as American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Planned Parenthood Vice President Karen Stone, NY League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe, and Accountable.US President Caroline Ciccone. As Vice Ranking Member of the House Natural Resources Committee, Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove will highlight the devastating impacts Project 2025 would have on the environment.

    Watch the Trailer for the Series Here

    “Project 2025 poses a grave threat, not just to our democracy but to our planet, too,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “This hostile takeover of the federal government would depose dedicated public servants and install Trump loyalists and climate denialists at the EPA, enabling Republicans to slash environmental protections at the behest of Big Oil. But Project 2025 doesn’t stop at encouraging the world’s worst polluters—this agenda also seeks to discontinue air quality, clean energy, and decarbonization programs by overturning the Inflation Reduction Act, harming the health of our communities and the environment, eliminating clean energy jobs, and exacerbating the climate crisis. With Project 2025, Republicans have shown that they will continue to put polluters over people—this plan must be stopped.”

    As an increasing share of Americans consume their news from non-traditional sources on Instagram, YouTube, and other social media sites, Congressman Goldman’s series marks an effort by Democrats to reach audiences where they are in a diversified media landscape. Across various social media platforms, the first two videos of the series have received over 400,000 views, signaling the potential of this new format to reach large numbers of Americans.

    “Project 2025’s shocking plan to gut checks and balances, restrict abortion access, decimate public education, pollute our air and water, and endanger American workers for the sole benefit of Republican authoritarian extremists is utterly reprehensible and incredibly dangerous,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “This document is a detailed guide for how a second Trump administration will dismantle our democracy, and it is critical that the American people understand exactly how Trump intends to do it. I am proud to be joined by so many of my colleagues and policy leaders to expose this radical plan to reshape American society as we know it.”

    Congressional Equality Caucus Co-Chair Becca Balint said, “Project 2025 is a far-right plan by Trump allies to impose Christian nationalist values onto every American. It goes completely against our American values to promote a strong, resilient democracy; in fact this plan aims to erode our democratic institutions by gutting checks and balances and seizing power for the presidency. Project 2025 is nothing short of an anti-freedom and anti-equality agenda: it further attacks reproductive rights and disproportionately harms communities of color and our LGBTQI+ community. Project 2025 would increase gun violence rather than protect our communities. And its plan to abolish the Department of Education would hurt millions of families whose kids go to public schools, teachers who are already underpaid, and students. It’s dangerous and we must take it extremely seriously. I’m proud to be a part of this series to help Americans understand the threat it poses to our values and democratic norms.”

    Pre-K and Child Care Caucus Co-Chair Suzanne Bonamici said, “Project 2025 is a blueprint for MAGA extremists to undermine government and destroy programs and policies that support working families. It’s the product of people who held top positions in the previous administration and special interest groups that hold significant influence over the GOP’s agenda. I’m working with my colleagues to counter this extremist plan and to educate Americans about its potentially devastating effects.”

    Pro-Choice Caucus Task Force Chair Judy Chu said, “Trump and his allies’ Project 2025 is a 900 page comprehensive plan for MAGA Republicans to grab power for themselves, enrich their allies, and shatter our already fragile democracy. Project 2025 touches on every agency in the federal government and is January 6th extremism crafted into a governing ideology: fire tens of thousands of civil servants to replace them with partisan loyalists, abolish checks and balances, chip away at church-state separation, and impose a far-right agenda that rips away our freedoms and takes money out of pockets. It’s so critical for House Democrats to work together to shine a light on as many details of this plan as possible so we can equip ourselves and the American people with the information we need to fight back and make certain we put systems into place to protect us from these extreme policies.”

    Freshman Leadership Representative Jasmine Crockett said, “Let me make it plain: Project 2025 is the GOP’s attack plan against the American constitution. It doesn’t just undermine the progress made in this country for women, people of color, and LGBTQIA folks over the past century; it undermines the very principles of self-government that our country was founded on. If our Founding Fathers were to read Project 2025, they would have thought it was sent over by King George himself. It’s a blueprint for authoritarianism, a blueprint for monarchy, and a blueprint for a right-wing dictatorship in America that will end our democratic experiment for good. If the majority of Americans were to read and understand this plan – a plan authored by hundreds of members of former President Trump’s administration – they would reject it as un-American and dangerous. Thank you to Congressman Goldman for bringing us together to break down Project 2025 from every angle – no matter how engaged you are, you can still learn something from this series.”

    Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Intelligence and Law Enforcement Ranking Member Seth Magaziner said, “Donald Trump’s Project 2025 will hand a future Trump administration nearly unlimited power to ban abortion, take away healthcare for people with preexisting conditions, and rip away the freedoms that Americans have fought hard for. Trump’s Project 2025 is dangerous, cruel, and out-of-touch with the needs of the American people. We will not let Trump and Congressional Republicans take us back.”

    House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism Co-Chair Kathy Manning said, “Project 2025 is simply a more detailed blueprint of Donald Trump’s extreme MAGA agenda that promises to roll back Americans’ basic rights and freedoms. Because of Donald Trump and the three extreme MAGA Justices he appointed to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe. v. Wade, one in three women of reproductive age lives in a state with a Trump abortion ban. Now, his extreme Project 2025 plans will attack reproductive freedoms even further by targeting abortion pills and contraception coverage, and threatening IVF treatments. Project 2025 would also ban the mailing of abortion medications, equipment, or materials, effectively creating a nationwide, backdoor abortion ban — without the approval of Congress.”

    Labor Caucus Co-Founder Donald Norcross said, “Project 2025 is a 920-page manifesto designed to tell every American how to live their life. If enacted into law, Project 2025 would destroy the 250-year-old system of checks and balances that make up our democracy and completely dismantle almost every labor standard that protects workers. As a union electrician and co-chair of the Labor Caucus, it pains me to see a document that would strip away worker protections and fair labor practices that working families have been fighting for decades. I’m proud to join Rep. Goldman in this video series to help explain the threat Project 2025 poses to American values, ideals, and freedoms.”

    Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government Ranking Member Stacey Plaskett said, “Project 2025 is the playbook for Donald Trump’s second term, which will ensure that the few have power over the many and that the rule of law as we know it, is gone. It is a plan to ensure that the federal government no longer acts as a check on the greed and desire for absolute power that Trump and his cohort of friends share. In every way, Project 2025 will make Americans less safe and less free. Republicans know that these ideas are not popular with the people of America and that’s why they hide from the facts, obfuscate the truth and distract the public’s attention with wild claims to vilify minorities and keep us divided. It is imperative that we all do our part to ensure that Donald Trump is not allowed to enforce the clear and present danger that the Project 2025 master plan represents to American democracy.”

    American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said, Project 2025 is about institutionalizing Trumpism. It’s about going after educational opportunity, economic opportunity and equal opportunity. It’s about going after the legitimacy of elections. This is the stuff of demagogues and dictators, not democracies. This is not the promise of America. We can and must do better than this—for the sake of our families and the future of our republic.”

    Accountable.US President Caroline Ciccone said, “Project 2025 isn’t about serving the people; it’s about ensuring that political loyalty becomes the guiding rule. They want to replace our government’s independent watchdogs with partisan loyalists, dismantling checks and balances to consolidate power in the executive branch. With a captured Supreme Court and a weaponized Department of Justice, the next conservative administration would have all the tools they needed to drive America closer and closer to their idealized far-right dystopia, at the cost of our personal freedoms.”

    A third of all U.S adults say they regularly get their news from Facebook or YouTube, and nearly 20% report preferring to receive their news from social media. As more Americans turn to non-traditional platforms such as social media, YouTube, and online searches to stay informed Congressman Goldman is focused on ensuring that important information reaches all Americans in this rapidly transforming media landscape.

    In addition to Representatives Kamlager-Dove and Goldman, the following members of Congress are featured in the series: Congressional Equality Caucus Co-Chair Becca Balint (VT-AL), Pre-K and Child Care Caucus Co-Chair Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Pro-Choice Caucus Task Force Chair Judy Chu (CA-28), Freshman Leadership Representative Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Lois Frankel (FL-22), Dads Caucus Founder and Chair Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Intelligence and Law Enforcement Ranking Member Seth Magaziner (RI-02), House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism Co-Chair Kathy Manning (NC-06), Labor Caucus Co-Founder Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government Ranking Member Stacey Plaskett (VI-AL), and Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Co-Chair Paul Tonko (NY-20).

    Project 2025 is a comprehensive plan for the next conservative president to swiftly enact the most anti-democratic and archconservative agenda in the history of this country. It lays the groundwork for Donald Trump to seize power, gut checks and balances, and enact a radical agenda. It touches on every department and agency within the federal government.

    The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank funded by shady dark money interests, has been plotting Project 2025, an unprecedented scheme to help the next conservative president quickly enact the most radical agenda in the history of the country. The plan is laying the groundwork for a new president to seize power and enact broad changes that are deeply unpopular with the American people. This includes vastly expanding the ability of the president to purge civil servants who are not sufficiently loyal to this extreme right-wing agenda.

    • Within the first 180 days of taking office, the plan calls for attacks on reproductive rights, the rule of law, and the expansion of the cruel and inhumane immigration policies from the Trump administration. Project 2025 is a comprehensive plan that would touch every department of the federal government and fundamentally reshape the lives of the American people. The Project’s four-pronged strategy that includes:
      • A laundry list of extreme policies to be enacted across the federal government;
      • A blueprint for how to use existing authority—or expand the power of the presidency—to implement right-wing policy proposals;
      • A database of right-wing ideologues who wholeheartedly endorse this power grab and far-right policies;
      • Training for staff so they can more efficiently enact this extreme agenda.

    While Project 2025 is being run out of the Heritage Foundation, its advisors include former Trump White House aides like Stephen Miller, and more than half the groups supporting the effort have received $21.5 million in funding from Leonard Leo’s dark money network.

    Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove is a member of the Stop Project 2025 Task Force.

     

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: IMF Staff Reached Staff-level Agreement on the Reviews of the Rwanda’s Policy Coordination Instrument and Arrangement under Resilience and Sustainability Facility, and the Stand-by Credit Facility Arrangement

    Source: International Monetary Fund

    October 22, 2024

    End-of-Mission press releases include statements of IMF staff teams that convey preliminary findings after a visit to a country. The views expressed in this statement are those of the IMF staff and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF’s Executive Board. Based on the preliminary findings of this mission, staff will prepare a report that, subject to management approval, will be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for discussion and decision.

    • IMF staff and the Rwandan authorities reached staff-level agreement on policies needed to complete the fourth reviews of Rwanda’s Policy Coordination Instrument and program under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility, and the second review of the Stand-by Credit Facility arrangement.
    • Rwanda’s economic growth continues to be among the strongest in the Sub-Saharan African region, but fiscal and external vulnerabilities remain high. Recurrent shocks in recent years exacerbated internal and external imbalances, making it more challenging for the authorities to rebuild policy buffers.
    • To reduce vulnerabilities, contain inflation, and ensure debt sustainability, Rwanda needs strong fiscal consolidation, better domestic revenue mobilization, continued data-driven monetary policy, and exchange rate adjustments. Additionally, maintaining climate resilience and intensifying efforts to develop bankable climate projects are crucial.

    Washington, DC: From October 7 to October 20, 2024, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team, led by Ruben Atoyan, discussed with the authorities’ policy priorities and progress on reforms within the context of the fourth reviews of Rwanda’s Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) and Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), and the second review of the Stand-by Credit Facility (SCF) arrangement. Consideration by the Board is tentatively scheduled for December 2024. Upon completion of the review by the Executive Board, Rwanda would have access to SDR 71.8 million (equivalent to about US$ 95.9 million) under the RSF and SDR 66.75 million (equivalent to about US$ 89.0 million) under the SCF.

    At the conclusion of the mission, Mr. Atoyan issued the following statement:

    “Rwanda’s growth momentum remained strong, notwithstanding the challenging external environment. Real GDP is projected to grow by 8.3 percent in 2024, driven by strong performance of the services, and construction sectors, and recovery in food crop production. Inflation stabilized within the central bank’s target range, owing to appropriately tight monetary policy and favorable developments in food prices. The current account deficit widened due to high capital goods imports and low coffee exports. The Rwandan franc depreciated by 6.6 percent against the US dollar in January-October, a necessary step towards facilitating the much-needed external adjustment. International reserves stood at 4.5 months of prospective imports at mid-2024, providing a buffer against external shocks.

    “Despite the challenging environment, macroeconomic policy performance through end-June 2024 remained in line with program objectives under the PCI/SCF arrangement. All quantitative targets were met, and reforms to enhance the transparency of public investments and strengthen FX market functioning are progressing well. The authorities’ commitment to implement climate-related reforms under the RSF arrangement remained strong, with measures to implement climate budget tagging, improve the climate resilience of public investment, adopt sustainability disclosure standards, and develop a green taxonomy being on track to be completed in the coming weeks.   

    “While Rwanda’s economic outlook continues to be positive, risks remain tilted to the downside. Deepening of geopolitical fragmentation, another spike in global energy and food prices, or slowdown in trading partners’ growth would weigh on the outlook and adversely affect the availability of external financing. As demonstrated by the poor harvests and floods last year, Rwanda’s dominantly rain-fed agriculture is highly exposed to climate shocks. The recent Marburg virus disease outbreak showed Rwanda’s vulnerability to infectious disease risks, but also the country’s strong capacity to respond to such events.

    “Recurrent shocks in recent years complicated the authorities’ objective to rebuild policy buffers. Fiscal consolidation has been slower than envisaged under the program, failing to halt the continued increase in the public debt-to-GDP ratio, which is expected to reach 80 percent of GDP in 2025. Increased access to concessional financing is welcomed as it creates an opportunity to implement critical reforms but does not substitute for domestic revenue mobilization. Accelerating domestic revenue mobilization, expenditure rationalization, and mitigating fiscal risks from state-owned enterprises will be critical to preserve Rwanda’s policy space to react to shocks and achieve its development objectives.

    “Monetary policy should anchor inflation around the center of the target band, while continued exchange rate flexibility will help absorb external shocks and support current account adjustment. Strengthening the FX intervention framework is needed to help develop the FX market and improve the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission. Monetary policy needs to remain forward looking and data-driven with a clear communication to anchor expectations.

    “The authorities have made significant progress in integrating climate considerations into macroeconomic policies. Rwanda is set to complete all RSF commitments six months ahead of schedule. However, the development of green projects and lending operations needs to be accelerated. With institutional reforms and a strong project pipeline, additional climate financing can be catalyzed, enhancing the RSF’s impact.

    “The mission is grateful for the authorities’ excellent cooperation, and candid and constructive discussions, and reaffirms the IMF’s support for the government’s efforts to implement its economic reform program.”

    Links:

    The Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF)

    The Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI)

    The Stand-by Credit Facility (SCF)

    Rwanda and IMF

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Tatiana Mossot

    Phone: +1 202 623-7100Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

    @IMFSpokesperson

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Federal Complaint Charges Chicago Man With Illegally Possessing Machine Gun Conversion Device

    Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)

    CHICAGO — A man has been charged in federal court with illegally possessing a machine gun conversion device in his Chicago residence last week.

    Federal law enforcement on Thursday executed a court-authorized search of LATAVION JOHNSON’s residence on the South Side of Chicago and discovered the conversion device in a tool bag in Johnson’s bedroom, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. When equipped to a firearm, the conversion device, also known as a “Glock switch” or “auto sear,” allows the gun to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.

    The complaint alleges that Johnson posted videos on social media showing himself possessing a firearm equipped with a conversion device.  Johnson also allegedly posted a photograph of a conversion device next to a stack of $20 bills.

    The complaint charges Johnson, 22, with one count of possession of a machine gun, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison.  Johnson was arrested on Friday and remains in federal custody.  A detention hearing is set for Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila M. Finnegan.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek Johnson’s continued pre-trial detention.

    The complaint and arrest were announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Saqib M. Hussain.

    The ongoing investigation is being conducted in coordination with ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center of Chicago.  The CGIC is a centralized law enforcement hub that focuses exclusively on investigating and preventing gun violence in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois.  The CGIC is an interagency collaboration that brings together – under one roof – federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and intelligence analysts to move quickly to investigate and prosecute violent crimes.

    Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is also a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy.  In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.

    The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt.  The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Meloë Kacenelenbogen Eyes the Future of Air Quality, Climate Research

    Source: NASA

    A mentor of research scientist Meloë Kacenelenbogen once shared a sentiment from French author André Gide: “You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Kacenelenbogen pushes beyond her comfort zone to explore the unknown.
    Name: Meloë S. KacenelenbogenFormal Job Classification: Research scientistOrganization: Climate and Radiation Laboratory, Science Directorate (Code 613)

    What do you do and what is most interesting about your role here at Goddard?
    I study the impact of aerosols — suspended particles from, for example, wildfire smoke, desert dust, urban pollution, and volcanic eruptions — on air quality and the Earth’s climate. I use space, air, and ground-based observations, as well as models.
    Why did you become a scientist? What is your educational background?
    I never made a deliberate choice to become a scientist. I started with very little confidence as a child and then built up my confidence by achieving things I thought I could not do. I chose the hardest fields to work on along the way. Science looked hard and so did fluid mechanics, remote sensing, and atmospheric physics. I have failed many times, but I always learn something and move on. I do get scared and maybe even paralyzed for a day or two, but I never let fear or failure immobilize me for long.
    I was born in Maryland, but my family moved to France when I was young, so I am fluent in French. I have a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering, and physical methods in remote sensing from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI, Jussieu). In 2008, I got a Ph.D. in atmospheric physics for applying satellite remote sensing to air quality at the Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille (USTL), France.
    What are some of your career highlights?
    After my Ph.D., I worked for the Atmospheric Lidar Group at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), on spaceborne and ground-based lidars. In 2009, I got a NASA Post-doctoral Program (NPP) fellowship at the agency’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, where I worked for 13 years on space-based, aircraft-based, and ground-based atmospheric aerosol vertical distribution and aerosol typing.
    In 2022, I came to work at the Climate and Radiation Lab at Goddard.
    What is most interesting about aerosols?
    Aerosols are very topical because they have a huge impact on the air we breathe and our Earth’s climate. The smaller the aerosol, the deeper it can get into our lungs. Among other sources, aerosols can come from cars, factories, or wildfires. We all know that wildfires are becoming bigger and more frequent. They are expected to happen even more frequently in the future due to climate change. Both when I was living in California and here in Maryland, I have experienced first-hand choking from the wildfire smoke. I will always remember how apocalyptic it felt back in the summer of 2020 in California when wildfire smoke was paired with COVID confinement, and the sky turned Mars-like orange.
    Please tell us about your involvement with the Atmosphere Observing System (AOS)?
    I am incredibly lucky to be able to contribute to the next generation of NASA’s satellites. I am working on AOS, which will observe aerosols, clouds, convention, and precipitation in the Earth’s atmosphere. I am part of the team that is helping design several instruments and algorithms.
    My role is to connect this spaceborne observing system to all our other space, ground, and air-based measurements at the time of launch. We are making a mesh of observations to address the science questions, run the algorithms, and validate the spaceborne measurements. I am constantly pushed to expand my horizon and my own knowledge.
    Why do you enjoy always challenging yourself intellectually?
    I started that way. I had no confidence, so I felt that the only way I could build my confidence was to try doing things that scared me. I may sometimes be a little scared, but I am never bored.
    What did you learn from your mentors?
    A few years ago, a mentor shared a quote from André Gide with me that encapsulates what we are talking about: “You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” In other words, it is OK, maybe preferable, to be out of my comfort zone to explore the unknown as scary as it may be.
    Along the way, it has been extremely important for me to deliberately choose mentors. To me, a good mentor has earned the respect of all who have worked with them, is uplifting, reassuring, and gives me the invaluable guidance and support that I need. I deliberately try to surround myself with the right people. I have been very, very fortunate to find incredible people to encourage me.
    As a mentor, what do you advise?
    I tell them to deliberately choose their mentors. I also tell them that it is OK to be uncomfortable. Being uncomfortable is the nature of our field. To do great things, we often need to be uncomfortable.
    Why do you enjoy working on a team?
    I love working on teams, I love to feed off the positive energy of a team whether I lead it or am part of it. In my field, teamwork with a positive energy is incredibly satisfying. Everybody feeds off everybody’s energy, we go further, are stronger, and achieve more. This may not happen often, but when it does it makes it all worth it.
    What are the happiest moments in your career?
    I am always happiest when the team publishes a paper and all our efforts, are encapsulated in that one well-wrapped and satisfying peer-reviewed paper that is then accessible to everyone online. Every paper we publish feels, to me, the same as a Ph.D. in terms of the work, pain, energy, and then, finally, satisfaction involved.
    What do you hope to achieve in your career?
    I want to have been a major contributor to the mission by the time the AOS satellites launch.
    What do you do for fun?
    I do mixed martial arts. I love the ocean, diving, and sailing. I also love going to art galleries, especially to see impressionist paintings to reconnect with my Parisian past.

    Who is your favorite author?
    I love Zweig, Kafka, Dostoyevsky, Saint-Exupéry, and Kessel. The latter two wrote a lot about aviators in the early 1900s back in the days when it was new and very dangerous. Those pilots, like Mermoz, were my heroes growing up.
    Who would you like to thank?
    I would like to thank my family for being my rock.
    What are your guiding principles?
    To paraphrase Dostoevsky, everyone is responsible to all men for all men and for everything. I have a strong sense of purpose, pride, justice, and honor. This is how I try to live my life for better or for worse.
    By Elizabeth M. JarrellNASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

    Conversations With Goddard is a collection of Q&A profiles highlighting the breadth and depth of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s talented and diverse workforce. The Conversations have been published twice a month on average since May 2011. Read past editions on Goddard’s “Our People” webpage.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hoeven: DOE Awards $48.6 Million in Support of Project Tundra

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for North Dakota John Hoeven

    10.22.24

    WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded more than $48.6 million in support of Project Tundra, a carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) effort led by Minnkota Power Cooperative. The funding is being awarded to the DCC East Project in Grand Forks.

    “North Dakota has always been a leader in energy innovation and now with Project Tundra, we’re leading the technology development of carbon capture and storage on a traditional coal-fired power plant,” said Hoeven. “Project Tundra is vital to the future of our lignite industry, and will help ensure we have the reliability and affordability of coal-fired electric power today and for future generations.”

    Hoeven has worked to advance Project Tundra to provide a way forward for the state’s coal-fired electric industry. Last year, Minnkota and Hoeven announced that Project Tundra had entered its final stage of development as new affiliates, including TC Energy, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kiewit, were added to build the project.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: President Meloni’s telephone conversation with President Erdoğan

    Source: Government of Italy (English)

    22 Ottobre 2024

    The President of the Council of Ministers, Giorgia Meloni, had a telephone conversation today with the President of the Republic of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 

    The two leaders focused on the strength of bilateral relations, underlining the importance of continuing to work to further consolidate the steadily growing trend in trade. In this regard, President Meloni invited President Erdoğan to visit Italy in the first half of 2025 for a new session of the Italy- Türkiye intergovernmental summit.

    Their discussion also centred around the dramatic situation in the Middle East. Reaffirming Israel’s right to defend itself, the President of the Council of Ministers stressed the need to increase humanitarian aid to the civilian populations affected. The telephone conversation also highlighted the common commitment to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and in Lebanon. With regard to the latter, President Meloni underscored the crucial role played by UNIFIL and the need for the safety of this mission to be guaranteed at all times.

    At the end of their conversation, the two leaders also discussed the situation of Syrian refugees in the region and how to keep supporting Ukraine’s efforts for a just and lasting peace.

    MIL OSI Europe News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis Celebrates Colorado’s Leadership in Education With Visits to Poudre Valley High School and National Blue Ribbon School in Fort Collins

    Source: US State of Colorado

    NORTHERN COLORADO – Today, Governor Polis made visits across Northern Colorado to celebrate Colorado’s leadership in education. This morning, the Governor visited Poudre High School for their Ninth Grade Success Showcase. Poudre received a Colorado Ninth Grade Success Grant to help increase the number of 9th grade students with the skills needed to successfully reach 10th grade on-track and on-time. To date , the school has seen a 13% increase in students who are on track. Poudre School District also received a $457,999 Response, Innovation, and Student Equity Education (RISE) Youth Apprenticeship grant in December 2023. This grant has helped high schools in the region expand youth-based apprenticeship opportunities and create more pathways for students to build skills and experiences needed to get good-paying jobs. 

    “Colorado is committed to helping every student succeed no matter their zip code and it’s exciting to see the work Poudre High School is doing to help more students get the needed skills to thrive in the classroom and beyond, whether that’s through the Ninth Grade Success grant or in partnership with the school district through our RISE Youth Apprenticeship grant,” said Governor Jared Polis. 

    The Governor also visited Zach Elementary School, one of Colorado’s 2024 National Blue Ribbon Award-Winning Schools. Zach Elementary received their second Blue Ribbon Award in September, for continuing to promote collaboration and personalized learning approaches to ensure student success. 

    “Schools across Colorado are creating more pathways for students to succeed. I am excited to visit this nationally-recognized school. Zach Elementary is an important reflection of our shared efforts to make Colorado a leader in education and I want to thank the educators and staff who work so hard to support students,” said Governor Polis. 

    Governor Polis then joined Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, to announce $3 million in funding for Climate Resilience Projects through the National Science Foundation-funded Colorado-Wyoming Climate Resilience Engine, which is driving climate resilience projects across the region. This plan will help support water security, wildfire prediction and response, extreme weather modeling, soil carbon sequestration, and methane emissions mitigation.

    “Colorado is leading the way in addressing climate change and using innovative solutions to become more resilient in the face of its impact. I’m thankful for Wyoming and Governor Gordon’s partnership and openness to work together to drive innovation, strengthen public-private partnerships, and make the region more climate resilient. These projects will help secure our water future, protect Coloradans from wildfire dangers, and protect our air and I am excited to see them in action,” said Governor Polis. 

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: USGS discusses water security challenges with Namibia and Botswana agencies

    Source: US Geological Survey

    The USGS Office of International Programs’ Science Advisor for International Water John Lane and USGS Water Mission Area Hydrologic Networks Branch Chief Molly Wood visited Namibia and Botswana on an assignment of the U.S. Ambassador’s Water Experts Program (AWEP). AWEP is administered by the Department of Interior International Technical Assistance Program (DOI ITAP) with funding from the U.S. State Department, Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. 

    USGS scientists met with representatives of the water sector in both countries, including government ministries, bulk water suppliers, municipal utilities operators, multinational water commissions, private consultants, and U.S. Embassy staff. 

    Namibia and Botswana have semi-arid to arid climates and are undergoing severe drought. Water resources for drinking water supply, livestock watering, mining, and industry are stretched thin. The Namibia and Botswana governments are seeking technical support for improved understanding and use of available water resources.

    Discussions centered on potential USGS support to Namibia and Botswana agencies to

    • Leverage remote sensing datasets to improve understanding of water availability,
    • Improve hydrologic monitoring networks to increase access to hydrologic data to inform water resource management decisions, and
    • Collaboratively develop scientific solutions to better manage groundwater and surface water resources to address the ongoing drought.

    DOI ITAP posted on Facebook about the visit.

    USGS employees Molly Wood (3rd from left) and John Lane (3rd from right) with staff from the Namibia Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Land Reform, after a workshop on geophysics data collection.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Hickenlooper, Bennet, Polis Call on Reclamation to Ensure Colorado Tribes Have Access to Drought, Water Management Funding

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado John Hickenlooper
    Leaders push for opportunities for Tribal Nations to apply for drought mitigation dollars following recent Bureau of Reclamation determination on Inflation Reduction Act funds
    WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet and Governor Jared Polis called on the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) to explore new opportunities for the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and Southern Ute Indian Tribe to access federal funding for drought and water supply management. USBR recently announced that forbearance proposals – paying water users to forgo water use, like the projects the Tribal Nations had planned to submit – will not be considered in the upcoming Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding round aimed to increase water conservation and efficiency in the Upper Colorado River Basin.    
    “We write to urge you to ensure that the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (“the Colorado Tribal Nations”) have the opportunity to apply for funding programs that address drought and water supply management in the Colorado River Basin, including through upcoming drought mitigation funding under the Inflation Reduction Act,” wrote the lawmakers.
    “We strongly encourage you to explore other avenues for Colorado’s Tribal Nations to pursue funding related to drought response, recognizing that they are currently forgoing their water use not by choice, but resulting from a history of inequity reflected in their long-term lack of infrastructure.”
    The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe and Southern Ute Indian Tribe hold combined water rights to over 33,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Nighthorse southwest of Durango but lack adequate infrastructure to deliver that water to their reservations. As a result, the Tribal Nations currently cannot use or benefit from their water, and it flows downstream to other users.
    The Tribal Nations planned to apply for IRA funding to receive compensation for forgoing development of their water rights, but recently learned that their planned project would not qualify under the upcoming IRA drought funding announcement. In the letter, the lawmakers urge USBR to explore alternative funding opportunities that could better suit the needs of the Colorado Tribal Nations.
    Hickenlooper and Bennet fought for $8 billion for western water infrastructure, $10 billion for forests, $19 billion for agricultural conservation, and $4 billion for drought in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
    The text of the letter is available HERE or below.
    Dear Commissioner Touton:
    We write to urge you to ensure that the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and Ute Mountain Ute Tribe (“the Colorado Tribal Nations”) have the opportunity to apply for funding programs that address drought and water supply management in the Colorado River Basin, including through upcoming drought mitigation funding under the Inflation Reduction Act.
    As you know, Colorado’s two federally-recognized Tribal Nations had intended to apply for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR) Upper Colorado River Basin Inflation Reduction Act funding for water supply purposes, known as “Bucket 2 Water Supply,” or “B2W” funding. The Colorado Tribal Nations had planned to apply in a bid to receive compensation for forgoing use of certain water rights as recognized under the Colorado Ute Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 1988 (as amended in 2000). For decades since that Act’s passage, the Colorado Tribal Nations have lacked the infrastructure needed to fully develop their allocated water supply. The Colorado Tribal Nations’ intent to develop uses for their legally recognized settlement water reflects their demand for full utilization of their water rights, despite challenges relating to infrastructure and other issues.
    The Colorado Tribal Nations were disheartened to learn that USBR’s forthcoming B2W funding announcement would not be open to projects such as those they originally planned, which would seek compensation for a forbearance of future development of their settlement water. We understand that USBR believes this activity will not qualify as a verifiable reduction in water use that can be compensated under B2W. Still, we must stress that a Tribe’s lack of opportunity to develop those supplies does not equate to a lack of demand – nor should it foreclose other opportunities for that Tribe, including those under the Inflation Reduction Act. 
    We strongly encourage you to explore other avenues for Colorado’s Tribal Nations to pursue funding related to drought response, recognizing that they are currently forgoing their water use not by choice, but resulting from a history of inequity reflected in their long-term lack of infrastructure. We ask that you work with the Colorado Tribal Nations and provide them sufficient time to apply if your agency determines another funding opportunity or source may be better suited to their needs – whether this be USBR’s environmentally-focused funding for the Upper Basin known as “Bucket 2 Environmental” or “B2E”, or another source yet to be identified. 
    We value your leadership and continued willingness to work with us on efforts to promote the health of the Colorado River Basin. We also appreciate your attention to addressing the longstanding inequities that Colorado’s Tribal Nations have faced, and we look forward to working with you to ensure that paths toward a more equitable future remain open for them.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –