Category: Natural Disasters

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: How we protected the UK and space in September 2024

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    This report was issued in October 2024 and covers the time period 1 September 2024 to 30 September 2024 inclusive.

    Summary

    September saw a higher number of general collision risks than the usual monthly average, the vast majority of which were very low probability. We saw a reduced number of re-entry and space weather events and we expect these re-entry numbers to continue to reduce from the high we saw in August. All NSpOC warning and protection services functioned as expected throughout the period.

    Uncontrolled Re-Entry Early Warning

    This month saw 50 re-entering objects; a reduction in the number of objects re-entering Earth’s atmosphere compared to August, when the numbers were particularly high due to planned re-entry campaigns. Re-entered objects of note included the Polaris Dawn trunk re-entry on 29 September which re-entered over the Atlantic Ocean. This trunk was from the crewed Polaris Dawn mission launched earlier in the month taking 4 astronauts to complete the first private spacewalk.

    Chart showing number of re-entries monitored by month. January: 13, February: 24, March: 25, April: 22, May: 56, June: 48, July: 44, August: 89, September: 50

    In-Space Collision Avoidance

    We warned UK-licensed satellite operators of 3,041 potential collision risks in September representing a 42% increase on August. Heightened solar activity and multiple operators in similar orbits might have contributed to the increase in risks. Our warnings allow operators to take critical collision avoidance decisions.

    Chart showing number of collision risks to UK-licensed satellites monitored by month. January: 1,690, February: 1,943, March: 1,903, April: 1,899, May: 2,560, June: 1,881, July: 1,795, August: 2,137, September: 3,041

    Fragmentation incidents

    NSpOC has been monitoring the Atlas 5 Centaur rocket body break-up. Objects are still being analysed but we expect the debris count to be over 20 objects.

    Space weather

    Below is a summary of the key space weather events during this reporting period.

    September – A moderate radiation storm occurred on 9 September where satellites may  have experienced a modest increase in single event upsets to electronic systems.

    12 September – Two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) arrived on 12 September, leading to a moderate geomagnetic storm with possible impacts to satellites.

    14-16 September – A Strong wide-area blackout affected the sunlit side of Earth on 14 September, with the subsequent CME arriving at Earth late on 16 September producing a strong geomagnetic storm and an associated moderate radiation storm. Satellites may have again experienced a modest increase in single event upsets to electronic systems.

    30 September – A moderate solar flare occurred which may have slightly impacted satellite communications on the sunlit side.

    You can find more information on space weather and NSpOC here.

    Number of Objects in Space

    There was a total increase of 571 registered space objects during September which was slightly lower than in August. Just over 300 of these objects were additional debris pieces catalogued from the LM-6A (CZ-6A) fragmentation which occurred at the beginning of August.

    Additionally, SpaceX deployed a further 82 Starlink satellites during September.

    Note that numbers in the registered space objects catalogue can fluctuate over time as data is continually verified.

    Chart showing number registered space objects by month. January: 28,014, February: 28,172, March: 28,478, April: 28,752, May: 28,850, June: 28,931, July: 28,917, August: 29,297, September: 29,678

    Comments

    The National Space Operations Centre combines and coordinates UK civil and military space domain awareness capabilities to enable operations, promote prosperity and protect UK interests in space and on Earth from space-related threats, risks and hazards.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Global: MicroRNA − a new Nobel laureate describes the scientific process of discovering these tiny molecules that turn genes on and off

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Victor Ambros, Professor of Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School

    A microRNA molecule is a tiny regulator of other genetic material. Artur Plawgo/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    The 2024 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine goes to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA, tiny biological molecules that tell the cells in your body what kind of cell to be by turning on and off certain genes.

    The Conversation Weekly podcast caught up with Victor Ambros from his lab at the UMass Chan Medical School to learn more about the Nobel-winning research and what comes next. Below are edited excerpts from the podcast.

    How did you start thinking about this fundamental question at the heart of the discovery of microRNA, about how cells get the instructions to do what they do?

    The paper that described this discovery was published in 1993. In the late 1980s, we were working in the field of developmental biology, studying C. elegans as a model organism for animal development. We were using genetic approaches, where mutations that caused developmental abnormalities were then followed up to try to understand what the gene was that was mutated and what the gene product was.

    It was well understood that proteins could mediate changes in gene expression as cells differentiate, divide.

    We were not looking for the involvement of any sort of unexpected kind of molecular mechanisms. The fact that the microRNA was the product of this gene that was regulating this other gene in this context was a complete surprise.

    There was no reason to postulate that there should be such regulators of gene expression. This is one of those examples where the expectations are that you’re going to find out about more complexity and nuance about mechanisms that we already know about.

    But sometimes surprises emerge, and in fact, surprises emerge perhaps surprisingly often.

    Colorized scanning electron microscope image of a C. elegans nematode worm – one of the most studied animals in biological research.
    Steve Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

    These C. elegans worms, nematodes, is there something about them that allows you to work with their genetic material more easily? Why are they so key to this type of science?

    C. elegans was developed as an experimental organism that people could use easily to, first, identify mutants and then study the development.

    It only has about a thousand cells, and all those cells can be seen easily through a microscope in the living animal. But still it has all the various parts that are important to all animals: intestine, skin, muscles, a brain, sensory systems and complex behavior. So it’s quite an amazing system to study developmental processes and mechanisms really on the level of individual cells and what those cells do as they divide and differentiate during development.


    Listen to Victor Ambros on The Conversation Weekly podcast.


    You were looking at this lin-4 gene. What was your surprising discovery that led to this Nobel Prize?

    In our lab, Rosalind Lee and Rhonda Feinbaum were working on this project for several years. This is a very labor intensive process, trying to track down a gene.

    And all we had to go by was a mutation to guide us as we gradually homed in on the DNA sequence that contained the gene. The surprises started to emerge when we found that the pieces of DNA that were sufficient to confer the function of this gene and rescue a mutant were really small, only 800 base pairs.

    And so that suggested, well, the gene is small, so the product of this gene is going to be pretty small. And then Rosalind worked to pare down the sequence more and to mutate potential protein coding sequences in that little piece of DNA. By a process of elimination, she finally showed that there was no protein that could be expressed from this gene.

    And at the same time, we identified this very, very small transcript of only 22 nucleotides. So I would say there was probably a period of a week or two there where these realizations came to the fore and we knew we had something new.

    You mentioned Rosalind, she’s your wife.

    Yeah, we’ve been together since 1976. And we started to work together in the mid-’80s. And so we’re still working together today.

    And she was the first author on that paper.

    That’s right. It’s hard to express how wonderful it is to receive such validation of this work that we did together. That is just priceless.

    Victor Ambros and Rosalind Lee toast the Nobel news on the day of the announcement.
    UMass Chan Medical School

    Like it’s a Nobel Prize for her too?

    Yes, every Nobel Prize has this obvious limitation of the number of people that they give it to. But, of course, behind that are the folks who worked in the lab – the teams that are actually behind the discoveries are surprisingly large sometimes. In this case, two people in my lab and several people in Gary Ruvkun’s lab.

    In a way they’re really the heroes behind this. Our job – mine and Gary’s – is to stand in as representatives of this whole enterprise of science, which is so, so dependent upon teams, collaborations, brainstorming amongst multiple people, communications of ideas and crucial data, you know, all this is part of the process that underlies successful science.

    That first week of the discoveries, did you anticipate at that point that this could be such a huge step for our understanding of genes?

    Until other examples are found of something new, it’s very hard to know how peculiar that particular phenomenon might be.

    We’re always mindful that evolution is amazingly innovative. And so it could have been that this particular small RNA base-pairing to this mRNA of lin-14 gene and turning off production of the protein from lin-14 messenger RNA, that could be a peculiar evolutionary innovation.

    The second microRNA was identified in Gary Ruvkun’s lab in 1999, so it was a good six years before the second one was found, also in C. elegans. Really, the watershed discovery was when Ruvkun showed that let-7, the other microRNA, was actually conserved perfectly in sequence amongst all the bilaterian animals. So that meant that let-7 microRNA had been around for, what, 500 million years?

    And so it was immediately obvious to the field that there had to be other microRNAs – this was not just a C. elegans thing. There must be others, and that quickly emerged to be the case.

    Ambros discovered that the lin-4 gene encoded a microRNA that did not code for a protein. Ruvkun cloned the lin-14 gene, and the two scientists realized that the lin-4 microRNA sequence matched a complementary sequence in the lin-14 mRNA.
    © The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine. Ill. Mattias Karlén

    You and Gary Ruvkun had been postdoctoral fellows at the same time at MIT, but by the time you made your respective discoveries, you’d both set up your own labs. Would you call them rival labs, in the same town?

    No, I would certainly not call it rival labs. We were working together as postdocs basically on this problem of developmental timing in Bob Horvitz’s lab.

    We just basically informally divided up the work. The understanding was, OK, Ambros lab will focus on lin-4 gene, and Ruvkun lab will focus on lin-14, and we anticipated that there would be a point that we would get together and share information about what we’ve learned and see if we could come to a synthesis.

    That was the informal plan. It was not really a collaboration. It was certainly not a rivalry. The expectation was that we would divide up the work and then communicate when the time came. There was an expectation in this community of C. elegans researchers that you should share data freely.

    Your lab still works on microRNA. What are you investigating? What questions do you still have?

    One I find very interesting is a project where we collaborated with a clinician, a geneticist who studies intellectual disability. She had discovered that her patients, children with intellectual disabilities, in certain families carried a mutation that neither of their parents had – a spontaneous mutation – in the protein that is associated with microRNAs in humans called the Argonaute protein.

    Each of our genomes contains four genes for Argonautes that are the partners of microRNAs. In fact, this is the effector protein that is guided by the microRNA to its target messenger RNAs. This Argonaute is what carries out the regulatory processes that happen once it finds its target.

    These so-called Argonaute syndromes were discovered, where there are mutations in Argonautes, point mutations where only one amino acid changes to another amino acid. They have this very profound and extensive effect on the development of the individual.

    And so working with these geneticists, our lab and other labs took those mutations, that were essentially gifted to us by the patient. And then we put those mutations into our system, in our case into C. elegans‘ Argonaute.

    I’m excited by the very organized, active partnership between the Argonaute Alliance of families with Argonaute syndromes and the basic scientists studying Argonaute.

    How does this collaboration potentially help those patients?

    What we’ve learned is that the mutant protein is sort of a rogue Argonaute. It’s basically screwing up the normal process that these four Argonautes usually do in the body. And so this rogue Argonaute, in principle, could be removed from the system by trying to employ some of the technology that folks are developing for gene knockout or RNA interference of genes.

    This is promising, and I’m hopeful that the payoff for the patients will come in the years ahead.

    Victor Ambros receives funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Heath.

    ref. MicroRNA − a new Nobel laureate describes the scientific process of discovering these tiny molecules that turn genes on and off – https://theconversation.com/microrna-a-new-nobel-laureate-describes-the-scientific-process-of-discovering-these-tiny-molecules-that-turn-genes-on-and-off-241095

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI: Beam Global Launches BeamWell™ Water Desalination and Delivery System to Provide Clean Water and Electricity in Crisis Zones

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    SAN DIEGO, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Beam Global, (Nasdaq: BEEM), a leading provider of innovative and sustainable infrastructure solutions for the electrification of transportation and energy security, today announced the official launch of the BeamWell™ water desalination and e-mobility delivery system. This solution is designed to address critical needs for clean drinking water, mobility and electricity in regions facing humanitarian crises.

    The BeamWell™ product is based on the patented EV ARC™ system and is a self-sufficient, self-contained operational system for use in war zones and remote or disaster areas where only salt, brackish or dirty water is available because a reliable clean water supply is not available or has been interrupted. The BeamWell™ system provides three essential services to regions in crisis: it turns seawater into fresh water, which is then stored in an integrated 3000-liter tank that is replenished daily; it provides a source of electricity which can be used for medical or communications devices as well as cooking and lighting; and it charges four integrated and bundled Benzina Zero electric mopeds for the rapid distribution of food, water, medications or other vital resources, to those in need.

    “We are living in unprecedented times when wars and natural disasters such as the recent hurricanes in the U.S. are becoming commonplace,” said Desmond Wheatley, CEO of Beam Global. “At the same time 40% of the world’s population lives by the sea and in areas which are most prone to natural disasters. By providing a container-transportable, rapidly deployed, off-grid power source paired with desalination and e-mobility, we are addressing three of the most essential needs in crisis situations: clean water, reliable power and the means to distribute aid. Beam Global is on a mission to make a real difference in the lives of those who are suffering.”

    Enabled by Beam Global’s patented EV ARC™ platform, the BeamWell™ system is completely self-contained, shipping-container-transportable, and deploys in minutes with no construction, no electrical work and no requirement for any supporting infrastructure. It can be relocated as water supply challenges fluctuate. Beam Global EV ARC™ technology, which has already been successfully deployed thousands of times worldwide, uses patented tracking solar technology to generate and store clean energy for e-mobility. The BeamWell™ solution will also use this renewable energy to desalinate water and provide power and a means of delivering aid.

    Recent estimates suggest around 60 million people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) lack access to clean and safe drinking water. As of October 2024, the water crisis in Gaza is severe, with nearly 2.3 million residents facing restricted access to clean water due to the ongoing conflict and damage to water infrastructure. This lack of access to clean water is contributing to a public health crisis, as waterborne diseases are spreading rapidly. Aid deliveries have included water, but the quantities are grossly insufficient to meet the needs of the entire population​, and many organizations are having trouble providing continued support throughout the region during the prolonged conflict.

    Beam Global is finalizing deployment plans, with the first BeamWell™ systems expected to be delivered to the Middle East through global aid organizations as soon as possible. This U.S.-based company’s collaboration with governments, NGOs and other international partners represents a significant step toward addressing urgent needs in regions affected by conflict and humanitarian crises.

    For more information on the BeamWell™ water treatment system contact the Beam Team at BeamTeam@BeamForAll.com.  

    About Beam Global

    Beam Global is a clean technology innovator which develops and manufactures sustainable infrastructure products and technologies. We operate at the nexus of clean energy and transportation with a focus on sustainable energy infrastructure, rapidly deployed and scalable EV charging solutions, safe energy storage and vital energy security. With operations in the U.S. and Europe, Beam Global develops, patents, designs, engineers and manufactures unique and advanced clean technology solutions that power transportation, provide secure sources of electricity, save time and money and protect the environment. Headquartered in San Diego with facilities in Chicago, Belgrade and Kraljevo, Beam Global has a deep patent portfolio and is listed on Nasdaq under the symbol BEEM. For more information visit BeamForAll.com, LinkedIn, YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).

    Forward-Looking Statements

    This Beam Global Press Release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements in this Press Release other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally accompanied by terms or phrases such as “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “plan,” “intend,” “seek,” “goal,” “will,” “should,” “may,” or other words and similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or results. These statements relate to future events or future results of operations. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause Beam Global’s actual results to be materially different from these forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by law, Beam Global expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

    Media Contact:
    Skyya PR
    +1 651-335-0585
    Press@BeamForAll.com

    Investor Relations:
    Core IR
    +1 516-222-2560
    IR@BeamForAll.com

    Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ecc68fa3-dd8d-430e-a9c6-41ed4143d62d

    https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9d93d87a-8cd6-488e-adec-1ec911d01850

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Carbon Streaming Initiates Claims in Connection With the Rimba Raya Project

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Carbon Streaming Corporation (Cboe CA: NETZ) (OTCQB: OFSTF) (FSE: M2Q) (“Carbon Streaming” or the “Company”) today announces that on October 16, 2024 it initiated arbitration proceedings and an Ontario court action to enforce its legal and contractual rights under the Rimba Raya PSA (as defined below). The Company had previously indicated that it would be evaluating all legal avenues to enforce its legal and contractual rights under the Rimba Raya PSA, the SAA (as defined below) and related agreements. Initiating the arbitration proceedings and the Ontario court action are an important step in preserving the Company’s legal and contractual rights.

    The Company delivered a Notice of Arbitration to Infinite-Earth Limited and PT Infinite Earth Nusantara, the operators of the Rimba Raya project (“Infinite-Earth”) in accordance with the purchase and sale agreement between the Company and Infinite-Earth dated July 30, 2021, as amended on February 28, 2023 (the “Rimba Raya PSA“); a Notice of Arbitration to the shareholders of Infinite-Earth Limited in accordance with the strategic alliance agreement between the Company and the shareholders of Infinite-Earth Limited dated July 30, 2021, as amended on November 17, 2021 (the “SAA”); and issued a Notice of Action in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice seeking declaratory relief against the principals of Infinite-Earth Limited and their related entities.

    The dispute between the Company, Infinite-Earth, and the principals of Infinite-Earth Limited arises out of acts and omissions that the Company alleges are improper and in breach of the Rimba Raya PSA, the SAA, and related agreements.

    On April 26, 2024, the Company announced that it was informed that PT Rimba Raya Conservation (“PT Rimba”), the local concession holder for the Rimba Raya project, had its Forest Utilization Business License (the “Concession License”) revoked by the Indonesian Government’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry (the “MOEF”). On May 15, 2024, the Company announced its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2024, and determined the fair value of the Rimba Raya PSA to be nil. On July 11, 2024, the Court reached a decision on the claim filed by PT Rimba against the MOEF before the State Administrative Court of Jakarta (the “Court of Jakarta”) challenging the MOEF’s revocation of the Concession License and declared the MOEF’s revocation of the Concession License to be void. The MOEF subsequently appealed the Court of Jakarta’s decision, and on September 30, 2024, the Court of Jakarta upheld its decision. The MOEF has until Friday, October 18, 2024, to initiate an appeal to overturn the decision to the Supreme Court of Jakarta.

    For a comprehensive discussion regarding the risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could further impact the Rimba Raya project and the Rimba Raya PSA, including without limitation, concerning the legal status of the Concession License and the Rimba Raya PSA, investors are urged to review the section of the Company’s management’s discussion and analysis for the three months ended June 30, 2024 dated as of August 12, 2024 entitled “Strategy and Outlook – Indonesia Update”, the section of the Company’s Annual Information Form dated as of March 27, 2024 entitled “Risk Factors” and the press releases dated April 26, 2024, May 15, 2024 and May 21, 2024, copies of which are available on SEDAR+ at http://www.sedarplus.ca.

    About Carbon Streaming

    Carbon Streaming aims to accelerate a net-zero future. We pioneered the use of streaming transactions, a proven and flexible funding model, to scale high-integrity carbon credit projects to advance global climate action and additional United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This approach aligns our strategic interests with those of project partners to create long-term relationships built on a shared commitment to sustainability and accountability and positions us as a trusted source for buyers seeking high-quality carbon credits.

    The Company’s focus is on projects that have a positive impact on the environment, local communities, and biodiversity, in addition to their carbon reduction or removal potential. The Company has carbon credit streams and royalties related to over 20 projects around the world, including high-integrity removal, reduction and avoidance projects from nature-based, agricultural, engineered and community-based methodologies.

    To receive corporate updates via e-mail, please subscribe here

    ON BEHALF OF THE COMPANY:
    Christian Milau, Interim Chief Executive Officer
    Tel: 647.846.7765
    info@carbonstreaming.com
    http://www.carbonstreaming.com

    Investor Relations
    investors@carbonstreaming.com

    Media
    media@carbonstreaming.com

    Advisories

    The references to third party websites and sources contained in this news release are provided for informational purposes and are not to be considered statements of the Company.

    Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking information”) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking information, including, without limitation: statements regarding acts and omissions of Infinite-Earth and the shareholders and principals of Infinite-Earth Limited; and statements with respect to the status of the Concession License held by PT Rimba with the MOEF.

    When used in this news release, words such as “estimates”, “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “will”, “believes”, “intends” “should”, “could”, “may” and other similar terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. This forward-looking information is based on the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. They should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether or not such results will be achieved. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: the outcome of the final ruling with respect to the revocation of the Concession License held by PT Rimba; general economic, market and business conditions and global financial conditions, including fluctuations in interest rates, foreign exchange rates and stock market volatility; volatility in prices of carbon credits and demand for carbon credits; change in social or political views towards climate change, carbon credits and ESG initiatives and subsequent changes in corporate or government policies or regulations and associated changes in demand for carbon credits; limited operating history for the Company’s current strategy; risks arising from competition and future acquisition activities; concentration risk; inaccurate estimates of growth strategy; dependence upon key management; impact of corporate restructurings; reputational risk; failure or timing delays for projects to be registered, validated and ultimately developed and for emission reductions or removals to be verified and carbon credits issued (and other risks associated with carbon credits standards and registries); foreign operations and political risks including actions by governmental authorities, including changes in or to government regulation, taxation and carbon pricing initiatives; uncertainties and ongoing market developments surrounding the validation and verification requirements of the voluntary and/or compliance markets; due diligence risks, including failure of third parties’ reviews, reports and projections to be accurate; dependence on project partners, operators and owners, including failure by such counterparties to make payments or perform their operational or other obligations to the Company in compliance with the terms of contractual arrangements between the Company and such counterparties; failure of projects to generate carbon credits, or natural disasters such as flood or fire which could have a material adverse effect on the ability of any project to generate carbon credits; volatility in the market price of the Company’s common shares or warrants; the effect that the issuance of additional securities by the Company could have on the market price of the Company’s common shares or warrants; global health crises, such as pandemics and epidemics; and the other risks disclosed under the heading “Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Company’s Annual Information Form dated as of March 27, 2024 filed on SEDAR+ at http://www.sedarplus.ca.

    Any forward-looking information speaks only as of the date of this news release. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Press release – European Parliament Press Kit for the European Council of 17 and 18 October 2024

    Source: European Parliament

    European Parliament President Roberta Metsola will represent the European Parliament at the summit, where she will address the heads of state or government at 10.00 and hold a press conference after her speech.

    When: Press conference at around 11.00 on 17 October

    Where: European Council press room and via Parliament’s webstreaming or EbS.

    At their meeting in Brussels, heads of state or government will discuss how the EU can continue supporting Kyiv against Russian aggression, and the EU’s response to the latest events in the Middle East, where Israeli forces continue their attacks on Gaza and in Lebanon, while Iran has launched missiles against Israel. EU leaders will also focus on making the European economy more competitive, following the publication of Mario Draghi’s report, which calls for a boost in public investment and wide-ranging economic reforms. They will also discuss ways to manage migration flows and ensure border protection, climate change and biodiversity, and the situation in Georgia, Moldova, Venezuela and Sudan.

    Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel / Escalating violence in the Middle East

    President Metsola marked the one-year anniversary of terrorist attacks in Israel at the opening of the 7-10 October plenary session in Strasbourg. Recalling the horror of that day “that will live in infamy”, President Metsola said nothing could ever justify the indiscriminate mass murder, rape, kidnapping and torture that occurred one year ago. Since then, too few have been able to make it back to their loved ones – “this house will continue to do what we can to help bring them all home”, she said.

    The 7 October attacks triggered a cycle of war, death and devastation that has seen thousands killed in Gaza, and instability across the region, President Metsola stated. In remembering all those lost and taken, the President added that “Parliament’s calls for the immediate release of the remaining hostages will remain steadfast, our calls for ceasefire will remain resolute, and our efforts towards de-escalation will remain strong.” The work for real, dignified, long-term and sustainable peace will remain unwavering, she concluded. MEPs held a minute of silence in memory of all the innocent lives lost.

    In a resolution adopted on 25 April, MEPs strongly condemn the Iranian drone and missile attack on Israel and call for further sanctions against Iran. Parliament voices serious concern over the escalation and threat to regional security. MEPs reiterate their full support for the security of the State of Israel and its citizens and condemn the simultaneous rocket launches carried out by Iran’s proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi rebels in Yemen against the Golan Heights and Israeli territory before and during the Iranian attack.

    At the same time, they deplore the attack on the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus on 1 April, which is widely attributed to Israel. The resolution recalls the importance of the principle of the inviolability of diplomatic and consular premises, which must be respected in all cases under international law.

    Further reading

    Parliament marks one year from the October 7th attacks in Israel

    Parliament condemns Iran’s attack on Israel and calls for de-escalation

    Parliament calls on Israel to open all crossings to Gaza for humanitarian aid

    Israel-Hamas war: MEPs call for a permanent ceasefire under two conditions


    MEPs condemn Hamas attack on Israel and call for a humanitarian pause

    Resolution: The despicable terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, Israel’s right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law and the humanitarian situation in Gaza

    President Metsola at the European Council: EU must remain coherent and united

    Leading MEPs condemn attack by Hamas terrorists against Israel

    MEPs to contact

    David McALLISTER, (EPP, DE), Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Marie-Agnes STRACK-ZIMMERMANN (Renew, DE), Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence

    Russia’s war against Ukraine

    On 14 October, MEPs on the Trade Committee endorsed the Commission’s proposal to support Ukraine with an exceptional Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) loan of up to €35 billion. This is the EU’s contribution under the G7’s initiative to support Ukraine with up to $50 billion (approximately €45 billion) to address Ukraine’s urgent financing needs in the face of Russia’s brutal war of aggression. The repayment of this exceptional MFA loan and of the loans from other G7 countries will come from the extraordinary revenues made from immobilised Russian Central Bank assets, and enabled by the Ukraine Loan Cooperation Mechanism, newly established under the Commission’s proposal. The plenary vote is scheduled during next week’s session in Strasbourg.

    In a resolution adopted on 19 September, MEPs want EU countries to lift current restrictions hindering Ukraine from using Western weapons systems against legitimate military targets in Russia. The text states that if current restrictions are not lifted, Ukraine cannot fully exercise its right to self-defence and remains exposed to attacks on its population and infrastructure. Parliament underlines that insufficient deliveries of ammunition and restrictions on their use risks offsetting the impact of efforts made to date, and deplores that EU countries are offering less bilateral military aid to Ukraine. MEPs reiterate their call for member states to fulfil their March 2023 commitment to deliver one million rounds of ammunition to Ukraine, and to accelerate the delivery of weapons, air defence systems and ammunition, including TAURUS missiles. They also restate their position that all EU countries and NATO allies should collectively and individually commit to annual military support for Ukraine of no less than 0.25% of their GDP.

    While calling on the EU and its member states to actively work towards achieving the broadest possible international support for Ukraine and identifying a peaceful solution to the war, MEPs say that any resolution must be based on full respect for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. They also view holding Russia accountable for war crimes and reparations, and other payments by Moscow, as essential aspects of any solution. To this end, MEPs want the EU and like-minded partners to establish a sound legal regime to confiscate Russian state-owned assets frozen by the EU as part of efforts to compensate Ukraine for the massive damage it has suffered.

    With Russia’s war against Ukraine raging on, Parliament reconfirmed on 17 July its view that the EU must continue to support Kyiv for as long as it takes until victory. The resolution, which sets out the newly-elected European Parliament’s first official position on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, restates MEPs’ continued support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders. It calls on the EU to maintain and extend its sanctions policy against Russia and Belarus, monitor and review its effectiveness and impact, and systematically tackle the issue of EU-based companies, third parties, and third countries that circumvent sanctions.

    Further reading

    Ukraine: Trade Committee endorses financial support backed by Russian assets

    MEPs: Ukraine must be able to strike legitimate military targets in Russia

    Newly elected Parliament reaffirms its strong support for Ukraine

    MEPs approve trade support measures for Ukraine with protection for EU farmers

    Joint Statement by the Presidents of the European Union Institutions on the occasion of the 2 year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine

    Parliament calls on the EU to give Ukraine whatever it needs to defeat Russia

    EU sanctions: new rules to crack down on violations

    MEPs: EU must actively support Russia’s democratic opposition

    Yulia Navalnaya: “If you want to defeat Putin, fight his criminal gang”

    Debate 12 March 2024: Preparation of the European Council meeting of 21 and 22 March 2024

    Debate 13 March 2024: Need to address the urgent concerns surrounding Ukrainian children forcibly deported to Russia

    Parliament wants tougher enforcement of EU sanctions against Russia

    A long-term solution for Ukraine’s funding needs

    How the EU is supporting Ukraine

    EU stands with Ukraine

    MEPs to contact

    David McALLISTER, (EPP, DE) Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Marie-Agnes STRACK-ZIMMERMANN (Renew, DE), Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defence

    Karin KARLSBRO (Renew, SE), rapporteur on macro-financial assistance to Ukraine

    Competitiveness

    On 17 September, Mario Draghi outlined his blueprint for making Europe more competitive through closer cooperation in core areas and massive investment in shared objectives.

    Mr Draghi said that the EU needed to focus on three crucial issues: closing the innovation gap with the US and China; developing a joint plan to link the goal of decarbonisation with increased competitiveness; and boosting Europe’s security and reducing its dependence on foreign economic powers. A fit-for-purpose competitiveness agenda would require annual funding of between EUR 750 – EUR 800 billion for projects whose objectives were already agreed upon by the EU. Some of this money could come from private sources, but some would also need to be secured through public investment, including by new common debt issued specifically to fund key joint projects, Mr Draghi said.

    In a debate following Mr Draghi’s address, many MEPs agreed with his analysis that the EU economy must urgently change course. The EU should focus, they argued, on competition and innovation in key industries, along with more public and private investments in social, green and digital transformations. Some MEPs called for greater sovereignty and freer markets, and stressed that fighting climate change sabotages the EU economy. Others observed that growth is compatible with clean innovative technologies and social investment, to help citizens to learn new skills.

    Further reading

    Draghi to MEPs: “Europe faces a choice between exit, paralysis, or integration”

    MEPs adopt plans to boost Europe’s Net-Zero technology production

    New EU fiscal rules approved by MEPs

    MEPs to contact

    Borys Budka (EPP, PL), Chair Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

    Migration

    During a press point with the Estonian Prime Minister on 16 October, EP President Roberta Metsola stressed that it is “important that we implement the migration pact. We need to be fair with those eligible for protection, firm with those who are not, and harsh with smugglers and malign states like Belarus or Russia who seek to exploit those most vulnerable. Only a coordinated European approach can ensure the integrity of our borderless Schengen area.”

    On 9 October, Parliament debated how to strengthen the security of Europe’s external borders and the need for a comprehensive approach and enhanced Frontex support. You can watch the debate here. On 7 October, MEPs discussed the reintroduction of internal border controls in a number of member states and its impact on the Schengen Area. Watch the debate here.

    On 10 April, MEPs approved the new Migration and Asylum Pact. The package consists of ten legislative texts to reform the European migration and asylum policy and was agreed with EU member states. You can find the adopted texts here and watch the plenary debate here.

    Further reading

    MEPs approve the new Migration and Asylum Pact

    MEP to contact

    Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES), Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

    Foreign affairs: Georgia, Moldova, Venezuela, Sudan

    In a resolution adopted on 9 October, MEPs say current democratic backsliding in Georgia effectively puts the country’s integration with the EU on hold. The text highlights how the ruling Georgian Dream party has pushed an increasingly authoritarian agenda, including on media freedom and LGBTQ+ rights. Coupled with changes to the country’s electoral legislation and growing anti-EU rhetoric, MEPs say these laws violate the freedom of expression, censor media, impose restrictions on critical voices in civil society and the NGO sector and discriminate against vulnerable people. They also make clear that unless the legislation is rescinded, progress cannot be made in Georgia’s relations with the EU.

    Against the backdrop of the continuing decline of Georgia’s democracy, Parliament demands that all EU funding provided to the Georgian government be frozen until the undemocratic laws are repealed. Any future funding of the Georgian government can only be disbursed under strict conditions, MEPs argue.

    On 9 October, MEPs adopted a resolution issuing a strong warning against continued Russian attempts to derail Moldova’s pro-European trajectory. The text vehemently condemns Russia’s escalating malicious activities, interference and hybrid operations ahead of Moldovans going to the polls to vote in the country’s presidential election and constitutional referendum on EU integration on 20 October. MEPs highlight the role played by a plethora of malicious actors, including pro-Russian Moldovan oligarchs and Russia’s state-funded RT network, in carrying out voter fraud schemes as well as cyber operations and information warfare. They also call on the EU and its member states to ensure that all necessary assistance is provided to Moldova to strengthen its institutional mechanisms and ability to respond to hybrid threats.

    The European Parliament reaffirms its support for Moldova’s path towards EU accession, calling on the European Commission to include the country in the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) and to prioritise funding for EU candidate countries in the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for 2028-2034. With EU accession talks with Moldova already having begun, MEPs call for a faster screening process and the timely organisation of the subsequent intergovernmental conferences.

    In a resolution adopted on 19 September, Parliament says the EU should do its utmost to ensure that Edmundo González Urrutia, the legitimate and democratically elected President of Venezuela, can take office on 10 January 2025. MEPs “strongly condemn and fully reject the electoral fraud orchestrated by the regime-controlled National Electoral Council, which refused to make public the official result.” They recognise Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s legitimate and democratically elected president, and María Corina Machado as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela. They also strongly condemn the Venezuelan Government’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Mr González.

    On 8 October, MEPs held a plenary debate on the situation in Sudan. You can watch the debate here.

    Further reading

    Parliament says Georgia’s democracy is at risk

    Resolution: The democratic backsliding and threats to political pluralism in Georgia

    Parliament condemns Russia’s interference in Moldova

    Resolution: Strengthening Moldova’s resilience against Russian interference ahead of the upcoming presidential elections and a constitutional referendum on EU integration

    Venezuela: MEPs recognise Edmundo González as President

    Resolution: Situation in Venezuela

    MEPs to contact

    David McALLISTER, (EPP, DE) Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

    Nils UŠAKOVS (S&D, LV), Chair of the Delegation to the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee

    Climate change and biodiversity

    A Parliament delegation will attend the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan between 18 and 22 November 2024. MEPs will also adopt a resolution during the 13-14 November plenary session, which will constitute the delegation’s mandate for talks with international partners.

    Parliament will also send a delegation to the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, between 28 and 31 October 2024.

    MEPs to contact

    Lídia PEREIRA (EPP, PT), Chair of the delegation to the COP29 UN Climate Change Conference, Baku, Azerbaijan

    Antonio DECARO (S&D, IT), Chair of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI USA: Disaster Recovery Center Open in Dixie County

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Disaster Recovery Center Open in Dixie County

    Disaster Recovery Center Open in Dixie County

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – FEMA has opened a Disaster Recovery Center in Dixie County to provide one-on-one help to Floridians affected by Hurricane Debby and Hurricane Helene. Survivors of any of the storms can visit any center. 

    Survivors do not need to visit a center to apply for assistance. Survivors are encouraged to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by downloading the FEMA App. FEMA does not distribute cash at Disaster Recovery Centers. 

    Center location:

    Dixie County
    Old Town Education Center
    841 SE Hwy 349
    Old Town, FL 32680
    Hours: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Monday-Sunday

    To find other center locations go to fema.gov/drc or text “DRC” and a Zip Code to 43362. All centers are accessible to people with disabilities or access and functional needs and are equipped with assistive technology. 

    Homeowners and renters are encouraged to apply online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by using the FEMA App. You may also apply by phone at 800-621-3362. If you choose to apply by phone, please understand wait times may be longer because of increased volume for multiple recent disasters. Lines are open every day and help is available in most languages. If you use a relay service, captioned telephone or other service, give FEMA your number for that service. For an accessible video on how to apply for assistance go to FEMA Accessible: Applying for Individual Assistance – YouTube.

    If you applied to FEMA after Hurricane Debby and have additional damage from Hurricane Helene, you will need to apply separately for Helene and provide the dates of your most recent damage.

    For the latest information about Hurricane Helene recovery, visit fema.gov/disaster/4828. For Hurricane Debby recovery information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4806 . Follow FEMA on X at x.com/femaregion4 or on Facebook at facebook.com/fema.

    kirsten.chambers

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI: Unlimited Hedge Fund Barometer: Emerging Markets Funds Dominated in Q3 as China Stocks Rally

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NEW YORK, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Unlimited, an investment firm and ETF sponsor that uses proprietary technology to provide low-cost alternative strategies to a variety of investors, published its Q3 2024 Hedge Fund Barometer today, showing emerging markets hedge funds leading their peers with an average 5% gross return in the quarter. Global macro and managed futures funds saw the weakest performance in the quarter at -1.2%.

    According to Unlimited’s latest Barometer, aggregate hedge fund performance was moderately positive across most strategies in Q3 2024. To read the full report, click here.

    Unlimited’s Barometer uses machine learning and multiple data sources to track performance for the major hedge fund strategies. It also provides a near real-time view into how hedge funds are positioned across major asset classes, industry sectors and geographies.

    Unlike Q2 where equity long/short funds outperformed other hedge fund strategies, emerging markets managers had the strongest performance in Q3 and long/short equity and event driven managers rode through the summer turmoil to deliver positive returns. Hedge funds generally have also reduced their exposure to Japanese equities, which performed strongly in Q1.

    “One of the more acute market moves in the quarter came in onshore and offshore Chinese equities,” said Bob Elliott, CEO and CIO of Unlimited. “While managers appear to have trimmed underweights from earlier in the year, as those stocks sold off, their position remained more neutral despite the recent market action.”

    Unlimited Hedge Fund Barometer Q3 2024 Findings

    Despite a turbulent August, long/short equity managers continue to hold roughly normal levels of overall equity exposure while continuing their rotation toward large cap growth stocks and away from small and mid-caps. Fixed income managers have started to trim their near peak exposure to corporate spreads after their approach of levering up into secularly low spreads backfired in August as spreads rose. Other highlights include:

    • Average gross returns across strategies were just below +3.5%
    • The best performing fund style was Emerging Markets equity at +5%
    • The worst performing fund style was Managed Futures at -1.2%

    As we enter the last quarter of 2024, Unlimited’s Barometer also shows hedge funds:

    • Were modestly overweight equities – specifically growth stocks – following a period of being underweight stocks in ‘22-’23. They also remained underweight small and mid-cap stocks.
    • Were roughly neutral on the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies, as Fed policy has shifted to a more dovish stance over the last several months. On the British pound, short positions were closed in recent months. They were modestly long the yen.
    • Remained relatively neutral bonds, weighing the risks between reacceleration and recession. Earlier in the quarter Fixed Income managers held near historical peak levels while spread levels approached all-time lows, a strategy that backfired in August. Subsequently, managers appear to have reduced risks in credit spreads.
    • Have reduced positions in energy commodities as prices have fallen. Positions in other growth-oriented commodities like metals have remained roughly neutral in recent months.

    Click here to view a video on how Unlimited’s technology works.

    About Unlimited
    Founded in 2022 by Bob Elliott, Bruce McNevin and Matt Salzberg, Unlimited is an investment firm using proprietary technology to create strategies that offer lower-cost access to 2 & 20 style alternative investment strategies, such as hedge funds, to a wide variety of investors. Mr. Elliott has built innovative hedge fund strategies for more than two decades, including at Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund. Mr. McNevin is a Professor of Economics at New York University and has held various data science positions at hedge funds Clinton Group and Midway Group, along with positions at Bank of America and BlackRock. Mr. Salzberg serves as a Managing Partner at Material and Board Director of Unlimited. Learn more at unlimitedfunds.com.

    Media Contacts:

    Sarah Lazarus Zach Kouwe
    Dukas Linden Public Relations Dukas Linden Public Relations
    +1 617-335-7823 +1 551-655-4032
    sarah@dlpr.com zkouwe@dlpr.com
       

    For informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment advice. The data shown herein represents past performance and should not be construed as providing any assurance or guarantee as to returns that may be realized in the future. No representation is being made that any investment will or is likely to achieve profits or losses similar to those shown herein. No investment strategy or risk management technique can guarantee return or eliminate risk in any market environment.

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI: Sphera’s Newly Integrated Supply Chain Transparency Solution Enables Proactive Risk Management and Mitigation, Streamlined Supplier Engagement and Regulatory Compliance

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    Through real-time risk monitoring and integrated sustainability and due diligence data, Sphera Supply Chain Transparency helps strengthen every link in the supply chain

    CHICAGO, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In today’s world where risk exposure in global supply chains is dynamic and regulations related to sustainability and supply chain due diligence are ever-evolving, businesses need tools and actionable insights that enable them to withstand the uncertainties, get ahead of disruption and be compliant.

    Supply chains are under closer scrutiny now in many parts of the world as regulations — such as the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG), Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) — have emerged to hold companies accountable for human rights and environmental impacts within their supply networks. By integrating Supply Chain Sustainability (SCS) and Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) into one platform, Sphera’s Supply Chain Transparency (SCT) product line provides organizations with end-to-end visibility across the entire supply chain to effectively manage supply chain risk, sustainability and regulatory compliance.

    “Supply chains have been facing unprecedented volatility with network disruptions resulting from extreme weather events, economic trends, cyber incidents and ESG-related risks,” said Paul Marushka, Sphera’s CEO and president. “Companies are also facing growing pressure to meet global ESG regulations and consumer demands for greater transparency and ethical sourcing practices. A holistic approach to managing risk and sustainability in the supply chain not only enables businesses to address risk before it disrupts operations but also enables enterprises to build resilient supply chains that can adapt faster to evolving situations, withstand impacts and recover quickly.”

    The Supply Chain Transparency (SCT) product line from Sphera, the leading provider of Enterprise Sustainability Management (ESM) performance and risk management software, data and consulting services, provides procurement, supply chain and sustainability professionals with an innovative solution for mitigating risk and strengthening their supply chain. Having the ability to proactively monitor risk, collect and assess direct supplier data and comply with evolving standards, helps businesses reduce potential costs associated with risk, gain competitive advantage and build transparent, agile supply chains.

    Sphera SCRM (formerly riskmethods) leverages AI along with a team of risk research experts to validate and manage information from internal and external data sources to provide real-time risk monitoring. Having an improved risk profile helps companies gain competitive advantage with a well-managed approach to ensure business continuity, protect their reputation and reduce the costs related to supply chain risk. Sphera SCRM issues alerts to users, which provide actionable insights that enable companies to implement countermeasures at the earliest opportunity, proactively monitor the situation to address additional developments and mitigate consequences. Some examples include:

    • In the lead-up to the traffic jam in the Panama Canal — which sees 6% of global maritime trade and 40% of all U.S. container traffic relying on the passageway — the first alert went out in April 2023 when the Panama Canal Authorities imposed restrictions for the first time. Starting August 8, 2023, Sphera SCRM began informing customers about delays on the Panama Canal due to low water levels and continued during the crisis.
    • During a period of historic flooding in Europe, alerts indicated heavy rainfall in the southern parts of Europe as early as September 5, 2024, and a total of 115 alerts were issued to users as the flooding progressed and included impacts such as power outages and product delays. The impacts caused some factories to stop production lines, some stores to close and challenges in moving materials by rail.
    • When a potential for a strike by dockworkers at 36 major ports along the East Coast and Gulf Coast of the United States loomed, early warnings were sent to users on August 13, 2024, via the Countrywide Industrial Disputes indicator and sent 10 alerts between then and the second day of the strike.

    Sphera SCS (formerly SupplyShift) provides unparalleled tracking of ESG-related and regulatory risks with direct visibility into every tier of a company’s supply chain. The solution empowers streamlined supplier engagement and direct performance visibility with standardized assessments, multi-tier data collection and audit-ready, quantifiable supplier data to ensure regulatory compliance and help companies build more responsible supply chains. Sphera SCS helps businesses:

    • Connect every tier of supply chain data with broader sustainability initiatives.
    • Identify, analyze and measure supplier performance to drive improvement.
    • Operationalize compliance and sustainability goals by integrating industry-specific supplier data with enterprise systems, including the collection of direct Scope 3 data.
    • Ensure legislative compliance through robust tracking, auditing and validation processes.

    Naved Siddique, Sphera’s chief product officer, said, “With increased regulatory pressure coupled with a host of hidden risks in the supply chain, companies need to be empowered to proactively mitigate risk and build resilient, sustainable supply chains. This is what we deliver with our Supply Chain Transparency solution. Supply Chain Sustainability provides deeper visibility into multiple tiers of the supply chain and enables seamless collection of supplier environmental, human rights and other sustainability data, while Supply Chain Risk Management provides AI-powered insights for early risk detection and real-time monitoring throughout a supply network. This provides businesses with unparalleled risk visibility, proactive risk management, sustainability integration and regulatory compliance.”

    About Sphera
    Sphera is the leading provider of Enterprise Sustainability Management (ESM) performance and risk management software, data and consulting services focusing on Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability (EHS&S), Operational Risk Management (ORM), Product Stewardship and Supply Chain Transparency. For more than 30 years, we have served over 8,400 customers and a million-plus users in 95 countries to help companies keep their people safe, their products sustainable and their operations productive. Learn more about Sphera at http://www.sphera.com. Follow Sphera on LinkedIn.

    For media inquiries, please contact:
    Amanda Meador / Alaina Caruso, pro-sphera@prosek.com

    The MIL Network

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Government of Canada and Atlantic Coastal Action Program Launch Major Reforestation Project in Cape Breton

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    October 17, 2024                                Sydney, Nova Scotia                         Natural Resources Canada

    Today, Jaime Battiste, Member of Parliament for Sydney–Victoria, Nova Scotia, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, along with the Atlantic Coastal Action Program (ACAP) Cape Breton announced a joint investment of more than $1.2 million to plant over 208,000 trees in eastern Cape Breton through the 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program.

    The trees will be planted over four years. Outcomes of this will include:

    • Restoration of ecosystems in areas of eastern Cape Breton that had been deforested.
    • The planting of 208,000 trees, along with native plants and shrubs.
    • Habitat restoration for diverse flora and fauna in Nova Scotia.
    • Increased local capacity to plant and maintain trees thanks to workforce training, mentorship opportunities and student partnerships.
    • Increased community knowledge of forest restoration practices that help mitigate floods and other extreme weather events.

    The 2BT program helps to clean the air, create jobs and fight climate change while protecting nature. By working together with provinces, territories, local communities, non- and for-profit organizations and Indigenous Peoples, Canada continues to build a strong, healthy and green future for generations to come.

    Quotes

    “Forests clean the air we breathe, make our urban spaces more enjoyable, provide new habitats for wildlife and help us adapt to our changing climate while also mitigating its impacts by sequestering carbon emissions. The funding announced today will play an important role in bringing these benefits to Nova Scotians and will help achieve our federal government’s ambitious goal of planting two billion trees over a decade. Through this project, we are showing how collaborative work can ensure that the right tree is planted at the right place at the right time for the benefit of all Canadians.” 

    The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
    Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources 

    “Partnership and collaboration play a critical role in the sustainable management of our forests and tackling the dual crisis of climate change and biodiversity loss. The Government of Canada is pleased to be partnering with the Atlantic Coastal Action Program-Cape Breton to continue making progress toward planting trees that will clean the air we breathe, improve water quality and mitigate climate change across Canada, creating a healthier environment for generations to come.”

    Jaime Battiste
    Member of Parliament, Sydney–Victoria, Nova Scotia

    “Trees planted as part of the 2 Billion Trees program create greener, healthier and more resilient communities in the face of a changing climate. Canada is supporting the Atlantic Coastal Action Program-Cape Breton to support the restoration of Canada’s forests and important habitats, all while ensuring there is cleaner air and sustainable jobs in communities across Canada.”

    Mike Kelloway
    Member of Parliament, Cape Breton–Canso, Nova Scotia

    “We are honoured to be part of Canada’s 2 Billion Trees commitment here in Unama’ki-Cape Breton. The trees we plant will help restore forest ecosystems and create a more-resilient climate legacy for our communities as well as the creatures we share this land with. These lands will not only sequester carbon but also provide habitat, food and shade for our warming lands and waters and help filter water in the watersheds that furnish our drinking water.”

    Dr. Kathleen Aikens
    Executive Director, ACAP Cape Breton

    Quick facts

    • Since 2021, the Government of Canada has been supporting governments and organizations across the country to plant trees to help meet the Government of Canada’s commitment to planting two billion trees. 

    • The 2 Billion Trees program collaborates with partners to understand their plans for preparing sites, how they are selecting species and how they plan to monitor after planting. Partners report every year, and the program conducts site visits and will be using remote sensing to monitor the progress and the health of the trees. By ensuring the initial job is done well, nature can then thrive, maintaining the long-term health of forested sites.

    • To date, the Government of Canada has secured or is negotiating agreements to plant over 553 million trees.  

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Natural Resources Canada
    Media Relations
    343-292-6100
    media@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Cindy Caturao
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
    Cindy.caturao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

    Follow us on LinkedIn

    MIL OSI Canada News

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Needs Soar for Flood-Displaced Communities in Chad, IOM Scales Up Aid

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    N’Djamena, 16 October – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is stepping up its efforts to support communities severely affected by widespread flooding in Chad, which has displaced over 13,000 people and left nearly two million people in need of urgent assistance.  N’Djamena alone hosts 5,137 individuals displaced, accounting for nearly a half of the total displacement from the floods.

    As of 1 October, the floods, concentrated in the capital N’Djamena and southern regions along the Chari River, have severely limited access to clean water and sanitation, posing a risk of waterborne diseases, and exacerbating the challenges faced by displaced families. As part of a larger regional crisis affecting 6.6 million people across West and Central Africa, the situation in Chad remains critical.

    “In the wake of devastating floods that have affected nearly two million people in Chad, the needs continue to grow.” said Pascal Reyntjens, Chief of Mission at IOM Chad. “Our teams are on the ground, coordinating with local authorities and partners to ensure that the assistance provided directly addresses the critical needs of those hardest hit.”

    IOM’s response has so far reached approximately 14,000 people across the Lake Chad region and N’Djamena. The Organization has been providing shelter and bedding, lighting, cooking and household kits. IOM has also been delivering essential water, sanitation, and hygiene support, including the installation of latrines to improve sanitary conditions in displacement sites. In collaboration with Chad’s National Commission for Refugee Reintegration (CNARR) and key humanitarian actors, IOM has mobilized rapid response teams to conduct needs assessments and register displaced individuals. Using its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), IOM is actively tracking the needs of displaced communities to inform humanitarian response and provide essential assistance.

    Ongoing efforts are underway to gather comprehensive data across affected regions, ensuring that no one is left behind in the response.  

    “The floods have taken everything from us,” said Anassa, a resident of N’Djamena who was displaced by the flooding. “With a roof over our head and clean water, we can start to rebuild our lives.”

    IOM, along with its partners, is calling for increased support to meet the immediate and long-term needs of flood-affected populations in Chad. The scale of the disaster requires a coordinated and sustained response to help families like Anassa’s rebuild their lives.

    Note to Editor

    The impact of climate change, disasters and environmental degradation are increasingly influencing migration patterns, especially among vulnerable populations. At COP29, people must be at the heart of the discussions.  IOM urges leaders to take concrete actions that protect and support those who want to stay, those on the move, and those needing or wanting to move.  

    For more information, please contact:  

    In Chad: Christina Van Hooreweghe, cvanhooreweg@iom.int  

    In Dakar: Joëlle Furrer, jfurrer@iom.int  

    In Geneva: Kennedy Okoth, kokoth@iom.int  

    MIL OSI United Nations News

  • MIL-OSI Security: Osceola Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison

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

    SOUTH BEND – Randolph Ramey, 33 years old, of Osceola, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Clifford D. Johnson.

    Ramey was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.

    According to documents in the case, in August 2023, Ramey broke into a business in Mishawaka and was detained while inside. When police arrived and arrested Ramey, they recovered a loaded 9mm firearm from his pocket along with several knives, a rope, bolt cutters, a lock pick kit, and a second loaded magazine for the firearm. Ramey had previously been convicted of a felony offense, and as such, was prohibited from possessing the firearm or ammunition in this case.

    This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Mishawaka Police Department, the South Bend Police Department, and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.

    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 Security: ATF Arrests Armed Robbery Crew After Attempting to Rob Temecula Pharmacy and Fleeing from Law Enforcement

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

    TEMECULA, Ca. – ATF arrested several multi-times convicted felons and a Menifee woman earlier this week while attempting an armed robbery following a six-week southern California armed robbery spree.

    Aaron Carter, 39, of Fontana, Calif., Diamond Lucious, 25, of Victorville, Calif., Isaac Penaldoza, 35, of San Bernardino, Calif., and Kamaria Kendrick, 25, of Menifee, Calif., are charged federally with attempted interference with commerce by robbery. The defendants are expected to make their initial court appearances this afternoon in Santa Ana.

    Carter is a multi-convicted felon who was on post release community supervision and was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of arrest – having been recently released from a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) facility. Lucious, a multi- convicted felon, was on federal probation after being released from federal prison for assault with a deadly weapon, while also on CDCR parole for assault with a deadly weapon. Penaldoza, a multi-convicted felon, was also on post release community supervision for firearm violations.

    Since August, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Orange County Violent Crime Task Force (OCVCTF) has been investigating a series of armed robberies of pharmacies across Southern California.

    The pharmacy robberies included Delight Pharmacy Robbery, 21230 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, Calif. on Aug. after 28, 2024; Apollo Pharmacy Robbery, 29645 Rancho California Road, Temecula, on Sept. 13, 2024; Mariners Pharmacy Robbery, 320 Superior Ave., #120, Newport Beach, Calif., on Sept. 25, 2024; and Fullerton Express Pharmacy, 105 W. Bastanchury Road, Unit #D, Fullerton, Calif. on Sept. 30, 2024.

    The task force reviewed local police reports related to the pharmacy robberies, surveillance footage, conducted follow up surveillance, and collaborated with other involved law enforcement investigators to identify suspects believed to be responsible for the robberies. The similarities of the robberies included three male suspects entering the businesses wearing hooded sweatshirts and face masks. Two of the suspects were always armed with handguns and would force employees to the ground. The third suspect would grab a trash can from inside the business and put the stolen medications inside. The two suspects, armed with handguns, would steal cash from the registers and violently drag employees around the store, according to the federal affidavit.

    On Monday at about 4 p.m., OCVCTF was conducting surveillance when they observed an attempted armed robbery occurring at Apollo Pharmacy, 29645 Rancho California Road, Temecula.

    Kendrick was observed wearing a medical mask and hat scouting the Apollo Pharmacy by walking around the pharmacy building while on her phone and then driving around the building several times.

    Carter, Lucious, and Penaldoza entered the pharmacy wearing hooded clothing, gloves, and masks while Kendrick waited in the vehicle. All three were observed by ATF running back to the vehicle to flee. The task force attempted to arrest the suspects when Kendrick tried to evade them and struck one of the unmarked law enforcement vehicles. While OCVCTF personnel immobilized the getaway vehicle, a 9 mm pistol was thrown from the car. All four were arrested at the scene without further incident.

    According to the federal affidavit, three of the four arrested had lengthy criminal histories. Carter was first arrested in 2003 for weapons violations. Since then, he has had multiple felony convictions for robbery, burglary and felon in possession of a firearm. Carter was also arrested in Los Angeles County in September, for felony evasion from police while armed with a pistol. At the end of the pursuit, Carter barricaded himself in the vehicle for more than an hour before surrendering to law enforcement. Carter was booked into the Los Angeles County jail where he was released on bail after nine days. The following day, the Newport Beach pharmacy robbery occurred.

    Lucious was released from federal prison a year ago. Lucious was first arrested in 2014, and since has been convicted of carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, and various firearms offenses.

    Penaldoza was first arrested in 1999. Since then, he has been convicted of sales of narcotics, felon in possession of a firearm, and participating in a criminal street gang.

    The ATF OCVCTF was formed to investigate violent crime, with a focus on serial robberies throughout Southern California. The ATF-led task force is comprised of personnel from the Brea Police Department, the Fullerton Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

    Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe, of the Central District of California, the Violent and Organized Crime Section, are prosecuting this case.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Minister for Development speech at Chatham House

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    UK Minister for Development outlines a new “modern approach to development” in first major speech at Chatham House today

    It is an immense honour and privilege to be here today for the first time as Minister for Development and for Women and Equalities.

    Chatham House of course has a long history of being at the cutting edge of foreign policy and development thinking. It is the perfect place to share my vision for a modern approach to international development. I am delighted to see so many of you here, including so many of our partners – from Gates, to Gavi, to the Global Fund.

    I am proud to be able to say to you all – Britain is back on the world stage, with a minister at the top table, advocating for projects and assistance to advance that goal just mentioned of a world free from poverty on a liveable planet.

    [political content redacted]

    Today is the ‘International Day for the Eradication of Poverty’. Between the late 1990s and the early2020s, the world did make headway in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Lives saved and lives changed.

    Many of these gains can never be undone. But as was mentioned the geopolitical challenges now are stark – and progress against the Sustainable Development Goals is stalling.

    We do live in a multipolar world with intense competition. We need to adapt and respond to to that world. The world is different – first – because over the last four years, the number of people in humanitarian need has doubled. A vicious cycle of an unprecedented profusion of conflicts and the climate crisis, which is now compounding the suffering of some of the most vulnerable people in the world. And many women, girls, and marginalised people are experiencing a devastating roll-back of hard-won rights, services, and democratic freedoms.

    I saw this first-hand during my recent trip to South Sudan. In the horrendous conditions of the camp in Bentiu for internally displaced people, I heard heart-breaking accounts from those who were forced to flee the brutal civil war in Sudan, as well as meeting people suffering from South Sudan’s own humanitarian emergency, caused by the legacy of civil war and the climate crisis.

    The conflict in Sudan has now forced more people from their homes than any other conflict – some ten million people. It has pushed nearly nine million people into emergency or famine levels of food insecurity, and as I raised at the UN last month – there is a real risk that without global action to prevent it, the worst famine in several generations could happen on the world’s watch.

    Around the globe, millions of people, who long to return home are beginning to despair that they ever will – including the Syrian refugees I met in Jordan, still there over a decade after they fled the conflict, and so many communities enduring such suffering – from the DRC, to Yemen, Ukraine, and Myanmar, to Gaza and the wider Middle East.

    In all this, political efforts have been vital to get aid in – including our reinstatement of £21m of UK funding to UNRWA, as the only Agency able to deliver at scale in Gaza, and the further £10-million of wider humanitarian support for Lebanon we announced earlier this month.

    By the end of this decade, unless more action is taken, some two-thirds of those living in extreme poverty will be living in fragile and conflict-affected states. At the same time courageous humanitarian aid workers on the front lines of getting help to them around the globe are under attack.

    We have a moral imperative to help turn things around. People everywhere – including the British people – understand instinctively that this is the right thing to do, Compassion, fairness, and refusing to look the other way when someone is in need are all British values. And action is in all our interests as well.

    The new government’s commitment to tackle irregular migration at source is important for those who would otherwise be forced to leave their homes, and important for people in the UK too. That is why, during the European Political Community meeting, the Prime Minister announced up to £84 million for projects across Africa and the Middle East – to address the factors that end up pushing people into small boats.

    The world is also changing because we see new leadership from the likes of President Lula of Brazil, and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, on everything from reforming the global financial system, to tackling hunger and poverty around the world – through the emerging G20 Global Alliance for which I was so proud to announce UK support in Brazil.

    I have seen leadership among the women forest rangers who I met in Sulawesi in September. Visiting them gave me an inspiring reminder of the difference we can make to our planet and to peoples’ lives, when we work together as genuine partners – where action to preserve forests also promotes sustainable livelihoods, and where economic development goes hand in hand with combatting climate disaster.

    Today’s world is very different. But as our Foreign Secretary set out, our progressive, realistic approach draws on the same spirit that Ernest Bevin and Robin Cook animated and energised. For our country to once again lead on development, we will need a new, modern approach, based on genuine partnership, trust, and respect.

    It will mean recognising that for our partners, tackling the climate and nature crises is not separate from promoting economic growth and meeting humanitarian need, but intrinsic to both. And it will mean making good on our word, not leaving our partners high and dry and making the most of British talent and expertise to improve peoples’ lives, now and in the future.

    [political content redacted]

    We have to turn the page, if we are genuinely to work in partnership again. Consider that asylum costs, which have spiralled in recent years, at present account for almost 30% of our development spending while the backlog has soared, with people waiting years to receive a decision – which the Home Secretary is now taking action to rectify.

    Consider too that so much of our country’s current international climate finance commitment was backloaded into these final two years – but we are now committed to make good on the promise that the UK will get help to those who need it.

    [political content redacted]

    While we do not underestimate the significance or the complexity of these challenges in the shorter term. Neither should we underestimate our ability to respond under pressure in the long term. The UK has been ambitious on international development before. I am determined it will be again. Of course, that starts with boosting the effectiveness of our efforts.

    I want to thank everyone from the sector who fed into the White Paper, and the civil servants who worked so hard – and I want to reassure you that I value it, as a diagnosis of the problems we face and how UK development can help meet them.

    But I must be clear that we must now prioritise, and provide the strategy and the plan that has been lacking – and that is what I am now building. A core element of this is increasing our capability and capacity.

    The Development Review, led by Baroness Minouche Shafik, is about building on the breadth and depth of development experience, expertise, and innovation represented here today. In addition, we will work closely with the Independent Commission for Aid Impact – making sure our official development assistance reaches those who need it most, and where and when it is most effective.

    [political content redacted]

    Yet we must go further still if we are to shift our approach, quite determinedly – so it is truly modern. First and foremost – that means genuine partnership. Britain is back. Back in business. Back on the world stage.

    And back pursuing our mission of a world free from poverty, on a liveable planet. And my message is that we will work with others, in good faith, to build genuine partnership, underpinned by our respect for other governments, organisations, communities, and individuals.

    That means building shared plans for the future – not imposing our own, and – to quote the Prime Minister – listening a lot more, speaking a bit less.

    This is exactly the approach the Foreign Secretary is taking – as he recently set out so movingly in his speech at Kew Gardens, to friends from across the Commonwealth, and at the United Nations in New York.

    Currently, we are seeing those nations which were unable to industrialise bearing the brunt of the climate crisis – with a terrible cycle of floods, droughts, and hurricanes. Because climate and development are interlinked and interdependent, we will put tackling the climate and nature crisis at the heart of everything we do. Domestically, this government has an ambitious climate policy.

    The drive for cheaper, cleaner power, being led by Ed Miliband, will not only bring down bills here, help us achieve energy security, and meet our goals to decarbonise – it also gives us credibility and expertise abroad, as we lead the response to the climate and nature crisis both bilaterally and through multilateral organisations.

    Secondly – we will champion reform for a global, multilateral system that includes everyone, works for everyone, and is fit for the future.

    [political content redacted]

    That means not just listening to our partners, as a priority – but making sure we take action together. When it comes to the humanitarian and development system that is so stretched, we look forward to seeing Tom Fletcher making the most of his new role as UN Relief Chief, and to working with our partners to take a less siloed, more joined up approach – across everything from climate, to the needs of women and girls, to humanitarian relief.

    And when it comes to finance, time and again, we have heard from small islands and other vulnerable states, how difficult it is to access what they need to pursue their ambitions and priorities, escape the trap of unsustainable debt, and get on a sustainable footing.

    That is why, in his speech to the UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister set out the case for accelerating reform of the multilateral development banks, including shouldering more risk so they can unlock hundreds of billions of dollars so they can do more to unlock hundreds of billions of dollars and do more to build a more sustainable economy and help the poorest.

    Next week I will go to the World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington so they to press them to shoulder more risk so they can unlock the money that is so desperately needed. We will work with our partners – including fragile and climate vulnerable states to help them access more, better-quality, well-targeted, multiannual finance, including for adaptation, through a global financial system that is reformed and ready for the future, and through wider global forums where they have greater representation in the bodies that help shape our shared future – including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

    We will champion financial innovation – from the insurance and guarantees our partners are seeking, to the Climate Resilient Debt Clauses promoted by the UK, that we are calling on all creditors to offer in their current and future lending.

    Both within government and working with the financial services industry, we will make sure there is more to come – including helping countries tackle the barriers to investment that choke off the flow of private finance.

    On so many fronts, from trade to taxation – globally, momentum is now building for the sort of change we need to see, and we are committed to making the most of every opportunity to urge it ahead.

    That is why at the UN, the Prime Minister called on all donors to make the most of the International Development Association replenishment, as a critical milestone in the fight against poverty.

    It can be bigger, better, and help more people, especially those in fragile states and conflict zones. So, on that basis, under this new government, the UK will be ambitious too – increasing our pledge, and encouraging others to play their part. And as the Prime Minister highlighted at the UN in recent weeks, there are measures that we can crack on with right now, to unlock further resources for sustainability, resilience, and renewal – like a new levy on global shipping that takes account of the true cost of emissions, and puts the proceeds cutting them even further, and helping communities cope with their impacts.

    Third – we will make sure the UK’s expertise and ideas are at the heart of reliable development partnerships. When we work together across development and diplomacy, we maximise our impact – in everything from helping countries harness the opportunities of renewable energy, to reversing the vicious cycle of conflict, to empowering women and girls. This government will be proactive about all that the UK has to offer the world. Our country is brimming with talent and brilliance.

    We are home to research and innovation on everything from nutritious and resilient crops, to new medicines and vaccines, cleaner mining, and emerging technologies. We have world-class universities, finance institutions, and expertise in leveraging private capital into low-income emerging countries – including through BII.

    Both within government and in the City of London, we will make sure there is more to come, Including helping countries tackle the barriers that choke off the flow of private finance.

    We also of course harbour top-tier businesses ready to share their insights and innovation with peers around the world. And we harbour dedicated volunteers in everything from health to education, to search and rescue, to the protection of nature – and so much more.

    We are determined to put this talent and commitment to work, making sure we can connect British expertise and British solutions with international partners, in the spirit of collaboration and partnership.

    And as the Member of Parliament representing a large part of Oxford, a city full of people who have dedicated their entire working lives to serving others in need, this is personal priority for me.

    Fourthly – in doing all of this, the new government will be confident in publicly championing the power of international development – so we all feel the benefits of working together to make headway.

    At a time when the Prime Minister and Chancellor have set us all a challenge to grow our economy and bring opportunity to people across our country, we know our partners around the world share these goals for their countries and their people as well – from clean energy, to protecting and restoring nature – land and sea – and from trade, to tackling illicit finance.

    So that means no more apologising for making progress where we can, and more recognition that putting our best foot forward, in all we do at home and around the world, is in everyone’s best interests.

    Finally – I want to emphasise how much I look forward to working with all of you in the months and years ahead. In the last fourteen weeks, I have seen what development can achieve. From promoting green growth in Indonesia to helping keeping Syrian girls in school in Jordan, to promoting a literal life-line in South Sudan.

    I have seen how the UK can promote modern partnerships – at big global meetings from Rio to New York to Hamburg. And time and again, I have been reminded that as Mandela said, our human compassion binds us to one another, not in pity or paternalism, but in pursuit of our common purpose – of relieving suffering, and reinvigorating hope for our shared future by working towards it together.

    Mandela also said that together, as you all know, we could make poverty history. Well, much has changed since that time, twenty years ago, under a Labour government – for good and for bad.

    But it remains the case that the only way we can tackle shared challenges – from getting help to those in need, to preventing global health crises –i s by working towards it together.

    That is the only way we can make the most of shared opportunities – from reforming the global financial system, to healing the natural world. And that is the only way we can make good on the promises we have made at home as well – from the first duty of government to keep our nation safe, to our mission to grow our economy, so we bring opportunity to all.

    Sadly, there are forces hell-bent on setting the Global North in opposition to the Global South. Yet partnership is part and parcel of how we overcome them, and make sure that those of us who care about our shared future are able to work towards it together – ministers and civil servants, everyone here today, medics, firefighters, teachers volunteering their services, brave journalists, and people up and down our country – including our proud diasporas doing so much for our communities here and their families overseas.

    The British people understand this deeply, and it is extraordinary that even in such challenging times, people find a way to help – I have no doubt that the compassion of the British people will shine through once again now.

    Today, I am delighted to announce that the government will match public donations to a new Disaster Emergency Committee appeal, to help charities do more to get life-saving help to civilians caught up in the conflict in the Middle East, across Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank, people who find themselves in desperate need of humanitarian relief. This support builds on the humanitarian aid this government has announced for Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria, since July. We will match public donations to the new appeal up to £10 million – and together, we will make a difference.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: CNO Press Briefing: Atlantic Council

    Source: United States Navy

    GENERAL JAMES L. JONES: Good morning, everybody. And welcome to today’s event with Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti—chief of naval operations of the world’s finest Navy, I might add—to discuss her 2024 Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting [Navy].

    My name is Jim Jones, and I serve as executive chairman emeritus here at the Atlantic Council and as chairman of the Scowcroft Center. So, on behalf of the Scowcroft Center and the Atlantic Council, as well as its Forward Defense Program, I would like to welcome you to this exciting fourth installment of our 2024 Commander Series.

    As we all know, since its origin the United States has relied on her Navy to maintain global maritime dominance, ensuring freedom of navigation, the ability to project US power across the globe and played a critical role in the nation’s strategic deterrent capabilities. As we continue into this era of strategic competition with peer or near-peer adversaries, potential adversaries, namely China and Russia, and the threat landscape evolves, the Navy faces many challenges, and its capabilities are stretched across the world.

    The Navy, and I might add the Marine Corps—you’re not going to get away with a commandant introducing you without mentioning the Marine Corps—but the Navy and her Marines must be ready for the possibility of war in the near future. But beyond that, it will need to continue to enhance its long-term advantage to deter future aggression and ensure a major contribution to global stability. A critical component in the effectiveness of this strategy will be leveraging technological innovation to maintain a ready and modern force. The Navy will need to invest in newer platforms, newer weapon systems, and embrace robotic and autonomous systems as well.

    The key advantage that the United States holds over its adversaries is the strong alliance network the US maintains. The Navy must continue to strengthen these relationships, to enhance collective security, deter adversarial aggression by improving interoperability with joint and allied forces. With so many threats looming on the not-so-distant horizon, it is also imperative that the Navy has a forward-thinking strategic vision that leverages all the advantages the United States holds, and enables the readiness to respond in competition, crisis, and conflict if necessary.

    And so today, we’re extremely fortunate to be joined by the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who will discuss her recently published Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy. This is her strategic guidance for the US fleet during her tenure. A native of Pittsford, New York, Admiral Franchetti is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism and was commissioned through Northwestern University NROTC program in 1985. She earned her Surface Warfare qualification on the USS Shenandoah, went on to command at all levels, including Naval Reserve, Central Point, Oregon, USS Ross, Destroyer Squadron 21, US Naval Forces Korea, Carrier Strike Group 9 and 15, the US Sixth Fleet in Italy, and Striking and Support Forces NATO in Portugal.

    In addition to command, she has worked across the Navy and the joint force with emphasis on strategy, international engagement, and interagency collaboration, serving as the director Strategy, Plans, and Policy, J-5, and most recently as the vice chief of naval operations. As chief of naval operations, Admiral Franchetti is responsible for the command, use of resources, and operational efficiency of the naval operating forces and the Navy’s shore activities assigned by the secretary of the navy.

    Admiral Franchetti, we look forward to hearing from you today, and we’re very grateful for your presence here. After the admiral’s keynote remarks, she will be joined by Dan Lamothe for a moderated discussion. Dan has held a long career as a journalist and has written extensively about the armed forces for more than fifteen years. Since 2014, he has been covering the United States military and the Pentagon for The Washington Post. Dan, thank you very much for joining us today.

    I would also like to thank everyone attending this conversation with the admiral, whether in person or virtually. [Convenings] such [as] these are integral to the Atlantic Council’s [Scowcroft] Center for Strategy and Security, which works to develop sustainable, nonpartisan strategies to address the most important security challenges facing the United States and her allies and partners. Consistent with that mission, Forward Defense generates ideas and connects stakeholders in the defense ecosystem to promote an enduring military advantage for the United States, her allies, and partners. Its work identifies the defense strategies, capabilities, and resources of the United States needed to deter and, if necessary, prevail in any future conflict.

    I would like to extend a special thanks to Saab Corporation and Michael Anderson, who, unfortunately, couldn’t be here today but is usually in attendance. Saab and the Atlantic Council launched the Commander Series back in 2009. The vision was to establish a flagship speakers forum for senior military and defense leaders to discuss the most important security challenges, both now and in the future. Over the years, the program has become one of the Council’s main institutions. And we’re thankful to Saab for their continued support and collaborations. Before I turn it over to Admiral Franchetti for her keynote remarks, I’d like to remind everybody that this event is public and on the record. Thank you all for joining the Atlantic Council for what I know will be a captivating conversation.

    Admiral Franchetti, without any further ado, the floor is yours. Welcome.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Well, thank you, General Jones, for your kind introduction and warm welcome. And I also want to thank the Atlantic Council for letting me be part of the Commander Series. It’s an incredible opportunity. And I’m very excited to have the opportunity to speak with all of you today.

    So, as General Jones just mentioned, I recently released my Navigation Plan for America’s Warfighting Navy, which is my overarching strategic guidance to the Navy to make our nation’s fleet more ready for potential conflict with the PRC by 2027, while also enhancing our Navy’s long-term warfighting advantage. But before I talk a little bit more about that, I want to talk about the why—the why behind the NAVPLAN, and what your navy is doing all around the world to protect our nation’s security and prosperity, to deter any would-be adversary, and to always be ready to fight and win decisively, if called to do so.

    As you all know, our Navy—our nation is and always has been a maritime nation. Seventy percent of our planet is made up of water. Eighty percent of the world’s population lives within two hundred kilometers of the coastline. Ninety percent of the global economy moves by sea. And 95 percent of international communications and about ten trillion dollars of financial transactions transit via undersea fiber optic cables every single day. In the United States alone, seaborn trade carries more tonnage in value than any other mode of transportation each year, generating about $5.4 trillion annually and supporting thirty-one million American jobs. And when our access to the sea is impacted, so too is our economy, our national security, and really our way of life.

    And I could think about a lot of different examples over the past years that demonstrate that intimate connection. Just think back to the impacts of COVID-19, the grounding of the Ever Given in the Suez Canal, and now Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and even the port strikes on the east and west coast—gulf coast just a few weeks ago. It’s really clear that the seas are the lifeblood of our nation. And since the days of the Revolutionary War, as General Jones pointed out, our Navy and our Marine Corps team has protected and guaranteed our access to that sea. And on Sunday, we just celebrated our 249th birthday.

    I think the events of this year and the actions taken by your Navy-Marine Corps team in the Indo-Pacific, in the Mediterranean, in the Red Sea, and beyond really underscore the enduring importance of American naval power throughout our nation’s history. With an average of about 110 ships and seventy thousand sailors and Marines deployed on any given day, the Navy-Marine Corps team is operating forward, defending our homeland, and keeping open the sea lines of communication that fuel our economy. In the Indo-Pacific right now, the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group and the America Amphibious Readiness Group, with the 31st MEU embarked, are working alongside allies and partners to sustain a free and open regional order and enhance our collective interoperability.

    In the Baltic, the Atlantic, the high north, and the Mediterranean, our navies continue to work alongside NATO and other partner navies to defend NATO and to support Ukraine as they defend their country and their democracy, to further deter Russian aggression, and to ensure that Russia’s continued unjustified and horrific invasion of the sovereign nation of Ukraine is a strategic failure. And in the eastern Mediterranean, the Red Sea, the western Indian Ocean, our naval forces—including aircraft carrier strike groups, amphibious readiness groups, submarines and multiple destroyers—working alongside allies and partners, are containing the Israel-Hamas conflict, deterring others, especially Iran and its proxies, from escalating hostilities into regional war, and continuing to support Israel’s defense.

    Over the last few weeks, more American destroyers—the Bulkeley, the Frank E. PetersenMichael Murphy, and the Cole—have joined about a dozen other naval assets over the last year in knocking down Iranian and Houthi-launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones in defense of the rules-based international order, in defense of innocent civilian mariners, and in defense of Israel. The ability of our forces to seamlessly operate in any theater speaks to the value our Navy has provided to our nation for the last 249 years.

    We operate in a unique domain. It’s a domain that knows no boundaries. It’s a domain that transcends lines that are drawn on a map, and one in which the Navy provides agile, flexible options and decision space to our nation’s leaders every single day. I could not be more proud of that Navy team. It’s the active and reserve sailors. It’s our civilians. And it’s our families. There’s no other Navy in the world that can operate at this scale. No other Navy in the world can train, deploy, and sustain such a lethal, globally deployed, combat credible force at the pace, the scale, and the tempo that we do.

    And while all that we have achieved these past 249 years has filled me with confidence, I know that we cannot take our foot off the gas, because there’s no doubt that our nation is at an inflection point in history. We are facing a changing and challenging security environment, a changing character of war, and real challenges in ship, submarine, aircraft, construction and maintenance, munitions production, recruiting, and infrastructure maintenance. All while acknowledging the industrial and budgetary constraints complicating our efforts to address these challenges.

    I’ve already talked a little bit about the security environment, but I want to expand on how that’s changed a little bit more. As we are seeing, the rules-based international order that we have upheld, protected, and defended for over three-quarters of a century is under threat, in every ocean. The People’s Republic of China is our pacing challenge and presents a complex, multi-domain and multi-axis threat. I am eyes wide open that the challenge posed by the PRC to our Navy goes well beyond just the size of the PLAN fleet.

    It includes gray zone and economic campaigns, expansion of dual-use infrastructure like airfields and ports, and dual-use forces like the Chinese maritime militia, and a growing nuclear arsenal. It’s backed by a massive defense industrial base, which is on a wartime footing and includes the world’s largest shipbuilding capacity. The growing capabilities, capacity, and reach of the PRC military, along with its increasingly aggressive behavior in the East and South China Seas, underscore what Chairman Xi has told his forces, that they should be ready for war by 2027.

    The PRC is not our only competitor. Russia continues to be an acute threat. Iran, a stabling actor in the Middle East. And we are seeing increasing alignment of these competitors, the PRC, Russia, Iran, North Korea, violent extremist organizations, and globally sponsored terrorist organizations like Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, ISIS-K, and more. In addition to this dynamic security environment, we’re also facing a changing character of war, with advancements in battlefield innovation and cheaper, more accessible technology available to state and nonstate actors alike. We’re all learning a great deal from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the continued Houthi ballistic missile, cruise missile, and drone attacks in the Red Sea.

    To get after all these challenges, I would love to have the resources and the industrial base capacity to just expand the size of our force overnight. And I acknowledge the need for a larger, more lethal force. But it’s no secret to any of you that we are facing financial and industrial headwinds at getting, what I like to call, more players on the field. Our budget falls short of the 3 to 5 percent increase above inflation needed to support the Navy’s growth. And we’ve had continuing resolutions for fourteen of the past fifteen years, which stifle our momentum and slow any progress in delivering the warfighting capability and capacity needed to meet the needs of today and tomorrow.

    And while we’re investing significant resources to address our industrial base challenges, change will not happen overnight. We cannot manifest a bigger Navy—a bigger traditional Navy in just a few short years. So as I came into this position, I took all of this in—the changing security environment, the changing character of war, and our own challenges—and that is what provided the context that framed my Navigation Plan. It’s a plan that lays out where we need to go to make our Navy more ready for potential conflict anytime and anywhere. As the CNO who will be at the helm into 2027, I am compelled to do more, and do more faster, to ensure that our Navy is more ready. I can’t stand still as we work to secure long-term investments for our force.

    And so my Navigation Plan essentially parks these known challenges in a box. I’m still going to work on them, but they’re not the only thing I’m going to think about. And it helps me set a course to make strategic gains in the fastest time possible with the resources I can influence. It builds on America’s Warfighting Navy, a document that I released in January that lays out my priorities of warfighting, warfighters, and the foundation that supports them. And the NAVPLAN continues where my predecessor’s 2022 NAVPLAN left off. It lays out my plan to raise our fleet’s baseline level of readiness and put more players on the field—platforms that are ready with the requisite capabilities, weapons, and sustainment, and people that are ready with the right mindset, skills, tools, and training.

    And it does that really in two ways. First, by implementing what I call Project 33, seven key areas in which we need to accelerate, areas where I will invest my personal time and resources and put my thumb on the scale to urgently move the needle, with 2027 as our North Star. And second, by expanding the Navy’s contribution to the joint warfighting ecosystem. This is all about building enduring warfighting advantage by investing in key capabilities and creating the layered effects that the Navy can contribute across all domains, to those of the joint force and those of our allies and partners. This is fundamental to my vision of how we will deter and, if necessary, fight and win our future wars.

    So, going back to the first I’d like to briefly just touch on these seven equally important Project 33 targets, as they align to my priorities of warfighting, warfighters, and the foundation that supports them.

    Under warfighting, my first target is readying our platforms.

    The second target is operationalizing robotic and autonomous systems.

    My third target is fighting from the Maritime Operations Center. That’s our command and control nerve center and it will help synchronize how we deliver effects as a Navy and as a broader joint and combined force.

    Under the warfighters’ bucket, my fourth target is recruiting and retaining talented people.

    My fifth target is delivering the quality of service that our sailors and their families deserve.

    My sixth target is investing in warfighter competency, making our live virtual constructive training as reliable, realistic, and as relevant as possible.

    And finally in the foundation bucket, my seventh target is restoring the critical infrastructure that generates, sustains, and postures our force to fight, prioritizing the Pacific theater.

    Together, these seven targets—really, stretch goals—they represent my plan to make strategic gains in the fastest time possible with the resources I can influence. I know that moving out with purpose and urgency on these targets will deter the PRC and any other potential adversary, and make us even more ready to fight and win decisively should that deterrence fail.

    I’d like to end with just a few comments about the joint warfighting ecosystem I mentioned before because my Navigation Plan is critical to expanding our Navy’s contribution to it. I know that our Navy will never fight alone, so we are laser-focused on developing and integrating key Navy capabilities with those of our joint teammates and of our allies and partners, because it’s the aggregate effects that we deliver collectively that will matter.

    The joint warfighting ecosystem is all about pooling and creating those aggregate effects. It’s a system in which a capability enables and then is enabled by each of its participants. It’s on display in the Middle East right now, and I know it’s one that Admiral Paparo will leverage in the Indo-Pacific.

    Achieving these objectives in my Navigation Plan is an all-hands-on-deck effort where everyone has a role to play—industry, Congress, academia, our joint teammates, our allies and partners, and of course our sailors and our civilians. So I would like to thank all of you here for your interest in our Navy, and I would like to thank you for all that you have done to support our Navy team and will continue to do in the future to support America’s warfighting Navy.

    I have a clock in my office that tells me that there are 807 days left until 1 January 2027. There is no time to waste, and your Navy is ready to get after it. Thank you very much, and I look forward to discussion today. Thank you.

    Dan.

    DAN LAMOTHE: All right. Good morning, everyone.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Good morning.

    DAN LAMOTHE: Thank you for your time today, ma’am.

    You just spent several minutes articulating your plan. I know you must have spent a lot of time planning that. This town often sees plans that run into headwinds, run into real-life events. Can you walk us through a bit what you think you can do to make this plan durable, make this happen, kind of clear-eyed, noting the headwinds, the budgetary constraints, and other things like that?

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Yeah. Well, thank you. And again, thanks for the chance to talk a little bit about the plan today.

    You know, I think this plan is a little bit different from some of the plans that we have had in the past, and I worked to make sure that it would be durable and it would stick. And I really spent about the last year working on this plan alongside all of our four-star commanders, our fleet commanders, our type commanders to really get after what are the things that we need to do and what we do we need to do to think, act, and operate differently to stay ahead of the challenges that we have with the resources that we can influence right now.

    And so when you look at the plan, it’s very focused—I would say it’s different in a few ways from previous plans.

    First, it’s focused on 2027. It’s focused on the PRC. So I’ve set my priorities, my sight. It’s narrowly focused on getting after those challenges.

    The other thing is that it really builds on Navigation Plan 2022, in which we had about eighteen different areas which we were really focused on and a lot of structure was put in place with single accountable individuals to drive progress in each one of those areas. I took a look, I took a fix, and I said, all right, here’s where we are based on NAVPLAN 2022, and here are seven areas where I think we can really put our foot on the gas and accelerate our progress in those to be real gamechangers in what we need to be able to do in the future.

    I think the last thing I would say what’s different about it is that it does have this single accountable individual responsible for each one of the targets that we’re trying to get after. And what we’ve found through our perform-to-plan and naval sustainment systems, processes have been put in place, if you have a stretch goal, a single accountable individual, and a cadence of accountability, that drives success.

    And the Navigation Plan will change my focus. It changes where I go, what I visit, what reports I get, what meetings I go to. And so my personal attention will be on these Project 33 goals as well as building the capabilities I talk about as the key capabilities for warfighting advantage that will get us where we need to be in the future.

    DAN LAMOTHE: OK. One of your stated goals is boosting surge readiness to 80 percent. I know talking to a lot of analysts in this town, they raise concerns whether real-life events, physics, other things would really challenge this. And I know you’ve raised previously the aircraft as a kind of parallel. Do you see 80 percent as aspirational, achievable, both? And I guess, how do you put your foot on the gas with that?

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Thanks. This is one of the most important—all seven are equally important, but you know, I’ve long said that we need to get more players on the field. There’s a lot of ways to do that. You know, one is to buy new ones. One is to get them in and out of maintenance on time, which is—that’s why I put this goal in here. One is to use what you have differently.

    I am focused on this, because the aviation example is really illustrative of what we know we can achieve. So in 2018, Secretary Mattis challenged our aviation community to get F/A-18 readiness up from 50 percent readiness/availability to 80 percent. And over the process of these—the last couple of years, and now six years on, we’ve been able to sustain 80 percent readiness in the F/A-18s because of the processes that we put in place, data-driven, daily drumbeats of accountability to make sure that we understood what the readiness was, what the barriers were to achieving that readiness, and moving forward.

    They’ve been able to scale that now through other type model series, and we’ve expanded it to the submarine force and also the surface force. So it’s a stretch goal, but I am committed and the team is committed to going after that stretch goal. So we are putting all those—we have, actually, all those processes in place now, and I’m really looking forward to that.

    I will just give another example, a metric in surface that might be useful. So, you know, on-time completion of maintenance availabilities is really important. So if you think back in 2022 we had about 27 percent completion on time, 2023 we moved it up into the 30 percents, and this year we’ll be up to 67 percent. So we put in a lot of procedures to be able to plan maintenance availabilities early in a surface, a submarine, and aviation, making sure we understand what parts we need, having available pool of parts, investing in those parts so they can be there on time; planning our stuff—maintenance availabilities at least six months ahead of time and locking them in to let industry know what’s coming and also get those parts on order. Those are some of the things we’re doing.

    So these are stretch goals, but I am confident that we’re going to work hard to get after them. And if we don’t make exactly 80 percent, we’re going to be farther along the road than we would be if I hadn’t set such an ambitious goal.

    DAN LAMOTHE: OK.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: And I will say all the communities are locked hands on these goals, so we are all committed to working together to get after them.

    DAN LAMOTHE: A lot of discussions about the future of the Navy tend to focus on ship numbers. I heard in your comments there you kind of addressed that head on. To what do you—what degree do you consider that construct limiting, and to what degree do you consider that construct necessary? You know, I—there’s a pragmatic aspect to this, but numbers are numbers, and I’m sure that’s something that you get an earful on a lot as well.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Certainly. Well, I fully acknowledge that we need a larger, more lethal Navy. You know, we have multiple assessments that say that we need to have a larger Navy, and I really want to work closely, you know, with Congress, with industry to be able to deliver that Navy that we need. And that’s a really important thing.

    But the size of the Navy is not the only thing that matters. I think if you look at that future warfighting ecosystem, it’s really about the effects you can deliver with that Navy from a widely dispersed, disaggregated force integrated with all of the other forces of our joint force, whether it’s cyber, space, Air Force, Army, Marines. You can definitely envision a different type of warfighting environment where all of those effects are layered together, and that is really how we’re going to beat any adversary.

    So, to me, it’s both. We need to focus on getting the fleet that we need with the capabilities we need, but we also need to understand how we’re going to better integrate them with the joint force and alongside our allies and partners. And really, how do we build that interoperability from the ground up with allies and partners through both weapons systems but also exercises, and make sure that we can really plug and play, plug and fight any time that we need to be able to do that?

    DAN LAMOTHE: OK. Thank you.

    Let’s talk some current ops and maybe tie it back to the plan a bit. The Navy’s been extremely busy in the Red Sea and other parts of the Middle East over the last year. You know, I think a lot of us are tracking ship movements and things like that on a level that, you know, is not always common. What is the service learning as a result as seemingly almost daily sailors are knocking, you know, munitions out of the sky? And how long do you think the service can keep this up? It seems to me that there would be concern as this stretches on on magazine depth and also on just, you know, as you’re trying to pivot elsewhere this seemingly doesn’t go away.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Well, first, I couldn’t be more proud of our Navy and Marine Corps team that’s out there. As I said earlier, you know, from day one we’ve been there to deter further escalation. And you know, I’m very proud of all of our ships—working alongside allies and partners, I would add—there in the Red Sea and in the—in the Indian Ocean to really uphold that rules-based international order.

    I think we’re learning a lot by being in the Red Sea. First, the value of allies and partners. And again, all of these exercises and training that we do all around the world, that’s enabled us to work together to get after this challenge.

    I would say a few other things. First, that our sailors are confident in their weapons system. And that’s really a testament to the development of these weapons systems over the last many years, but also to the training, the certification, all of the work we do to get our sailors, our ships, our aircraft, everything ready to go before they head into harm’s way. And our systems have performed as designed. So, again, it’s a real testament to the designers, the engineers, and now our people who are able to employ them effectively.

    I think the other thing that we’re learning is that we’ve been able to observe all of the different engagements, everything that the Houthis have used, all of their Iranian-supplied weapons systems, and we’ve been able to look at their tactics that they’re using. We’ve been able to use data and extract that information from our weapons systems, bring that back here to the US in a matter of hours. And getting that to our engineers; to our warfighting development centers where they develop tactics, techniques, and procedures; this has been really a gamechangers because then all the experts can work together, understand what’s going on. As tactics evolve, then we can introduce different tactics, adjustments to radars, whatever it is we need to do to be able to get after that.

    I’ll just give a small example. When I was out visiting one of our ships, I got to promote a fire controlman second class to first class. And he was a technician who worked with a gun weapons system, and he had an idea about how he could make the gun more effective against Houthi threats. And he wrote up his idea, he sent it back to the technical authorities, they validated it, and they put it out the rest of the fleet because it was a better way to use the gun and more effective. And so we got to put technology into the hands of a warfighter; we got him to think about how to think, act, and operate differently; and he was really a pioneer in innovating there on the battlefield.

    I always like to say in Ukraine they innovate on the battlefield every single day. They take what they have and they use it differently. We need to be able to do the same. So I think that’s another lesson that we’ve learned there.

    DAN LAMOTHE: OK.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: And to your last point about, you know, are we concerned about our sustainability to be there, of course, our job is to be there, and that is what we train our people to do. So I’m very proud to be able to do that mission. And we’re continuing to work, again, to invest in the munitions as I talk about the foundation—munitions, bases, infrastructure—all those things we need to generate and sustain the force, committed to getting after that.

    DAN LAMOTHE: All right.

    And I think we have just time for one more question. We’ve seen the Abraham Lincoln Strike Group extended. We’ve seen the Marine Expeditionary Unit extended along with the ARG. As we see this extend, you know, it occurs to me we don’t necessarily have a follow-on ARG new behind it. To what degree are you concerned about being able to sustain the tempo out there?

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Well, as you know, we train, deploy, and certify all of our forces to be able to meet the requirements that are set forth, you know, by the secretary. We’re a globally deployed force, and I think that’s one of the greatest things about the flexibility of our Navy. We can generate the forces, we can send them where they need to go, and allow the secretary to be able to move them between the different theaters to get after the missions that we have. So I’m confident in our ability to do that.

    I am very focused on readiness for all of our ships. You know, when you think about in the big picture what are my priorities, first, Columbia, our number-one acquisition priority. But after that, readiness, capability, and then capacity. I’m really focused on readiness and getting after all of these maintenance challenges that have caused some of the delays in the past, whether it’s in our amphibious force or in any one of our platforms. So, again, that’s how we’re going to get after this. And that’s why that’s a key part of our Navigation Plan.

    DAN LAMOTHE: OK. Thank you all for your time today. I’d ask you to remain seated so that the admiral can depart for another meeting.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Thank you very much.

    DAN LAMOTHE: All right.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Thank you.

    DAN LAMOTHE: Thank you.

    LISA FRANCHETTI: Oh, thanks. That was fun.

    DAN LAMOTHE: Thank you.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Global: Madagascar’s mysterious Teniky rock architecture: study suggests a link to ancient Persia

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Guido Schreurs, Professor in Geology, University of Bern

    In the heart of Isalo National Park in central-southern Madagascar, at least 200km from the sea in any direction, is a remote valley with a mysterious past. This place, Teniky, can only be reached on foot, by hiking through a mountainous region dissected by steep canyons.

    Part of the Teniky site has been known for well over 100 years, as we know from names and dates scratched on the rocks there. Various visitors in the 1950s and 1960s with an interest in archaeology described an amphitheatre-shaped location with man-made terraces, a rock shelter with neatly constructed sandstone walls, a chamber cut into the rock with pillars and benches, and a large number of niches cut in the steep cliffs. Recesses are still visible around some of the niches, suggesting that they could be closed off by a wooden or stone slab.

    Among the suggested interpretations were that these structures had been made by shipwrecked Portuguese sailors, or Arabs, or even Phoenicians.

    No similar rock-cut architecture is known anywhere else in Madagascar or on the east African coast, 400km away.

    And until recently, no detailed archaeological studies had ever been carried out at Teniky.

    Madagascar’s past is still the subject of considerable debate. Situated in the south-western Indian Ocean, it is one of the last big islands to have been settled by humans. Genetic studies have identified the people of Madagascar as having come mainly from Africa and from Southeast Asia. Archaeology suggests that the first settlers arrived about 1,500 to 1,000 years ago. The earliest settlements studied have been located along the coast, close to river estuaries.

    Our archaeological study of Teniky, however, points to a new possibility: a former Persian presence in southern Madagascar about 1,000 years ago.

    What we found at Teniky

    Our study of high-resolution satellite images revealed the Teniky site was much larger than previously known. It showed there were more terraces and stone walls on a hill 2km to the west. This led us to take a closer look, hoping to get a better sense of who had lived there and when.

    During field prospecting on this hill we discovered niches, cut in the walls of a rock shelter, that had not been described before.

    Excavations at this rock shelter revealed more archaeological structures, including carved sandstone walls and a large stone basin.

    Radiocarbon dating of charcoal samples from the site dated to the late 10th to mid-12th centuries AD. Pieces of ceramic items of southeast Asian and Chinese origin found there have been dated by a specialist to the 11th to 14th centuries AD.

    We also found sandstone quarries from which the stones used to build the walls at the rock shelters were extracted. And we found more stone basins on terraces.

    The terraces cover a total area of about 30 hectares, indicating that Teniky must have been a fair-sized settlement. Water is available all year round in the valley below, where people might have been able to plant crops, fish for eels or even keep cattle.

    Considering the dimensions, location and character of the rock-cut structures at Teniky, we think the niches and chambers served a ritual purpose.

    Who were the people who lived at Teniky?

    There is no other archaeological site like Teniky in Madagascar. So, the question arises as to what group of people settled there, far inland, and carved the niches and chambers in the cliff walls about 1,000 years ago. The presence of imported ceramics indicates that they took part in the Indian Ocean trade networks at the time but doesn’t tell us where they came from.

    We think the answer may lie in the style of the rock-cut niches.

    Rock architecture at Teniky, Madagascar. Courtesy Guido Schreurs.

    They are similar to rock niches of the first millennium or earlier in Iran (formerly Persia). Archaeologists have interpreted those as belonging to Zoroastrian communities, which used them as part of their funeral rites.

    Zoroastrianism was the dominant state religion of the Persian Sasanian Empire (224-656 AD). After the conquest of the Sasanian Empire by the Arabs in the mid-seventh century AD, Islam was imposed.

    Zoroastrian funeral rites do not allow direct burial in the ground, so as not to pollute the earth. Instead, dead bodies are left in places of exposure not touching the ground. Once the flesh has decomposed or been removed by animals, the bone remains are dried and placed in bone receptacles (ossuaries).

    We tentatively interpret the rock-cut architecture at Teniky as having been made by a community with Zoroastrian origins.

    The larger rock-cut niches might have been the places where the bodies of the dead were exposed, and the smaller niches with recesses might have served as ossuaries, closed off by a slab to protect the bones from the rain and thus to prevent them from polluting the earth.

    The stone basins at Teniky show stylistic similarities with those used in Zoroastrian ritual ceremonies to hold water or fire, both agents of ritual purity.

    Zoroastrians abroad

    There are few accounts of Madagascar written at the turn of the first and second millennia AD. Buzurg Ibn Shahriyar, a tenth-century Persian sailor and writer, collected stories from sailors in port towns on the Persian Gulf which suggest that Persian contacts with Madagascar may have existed then. The name Madagascar did not exist at that time but names like “Wak-wak” or “Qumr”/“Komr” may have referred to the island.




    Read more:
    Madagascar cave art hints at ancient connections between Africa and Asia


    Historical documents, archaeological excavations and genetic studies indicate that Zoroastrians left Iran and settled in western India in the late eighth century AD.

    Did they settle on the island of Madagascar too? If the rock-cut architecture and associated stone basins at Teniky are the work of a community with Zoroastrian origins, this would strongly point to a former Persian presence in southern Madagascar about 1,000 years ago.

    Many questions remain. We hope future studies will answer some of them.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    ref. Madagascar’s mysterious Teniky rock architecture: study suggests a link to ancient Persia – https://theconversation.com/madagascars-mysterious-teniky-rock-architecture-study-suggests-a-link-to-ancient-persia-240725

    MIL OSI – Global Reports

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Future of Great British Railways

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Secretary of State for Transport outlines next steps for rail reform in Britain during the Derby rail skills event.

    Good morning everyone and let me start by thanking Derby City Council for organising this event.

    It’s wonderful to be back in Derby – the future home of Great British Railways (GBR).

    But in many ways, this has always been the industry’s home.

    A city of train building – 180 years and counting – from the Derby Works to Alstom today.

    A city of innovation – from the first steel rails to the iconic railway roundhouse.

    And a city of heritage – from railway cottages to the Brunswick Inn pub, which I’m glad to see is still going strong.

    But Derby has never rested on historic laurels.

    Instead, it has renewed and reformed. 

    That roundhouse is now Derby College, producing the engineers of tomorrow.

    The once rail technical centre is now part of Europe’s biggest rail cluster, with 11,000 jobs.

    And the works at Litchurch Lane, that once produced Victorian train carriages, now making trains for London’s Elizabeth Line.

    That’s why this event matters.

    Because today isn’t just about this city’s proud rail history, but about reinforcing Derby’s central role in shaping rail’s future.

    And about celebrating the brilliant businesses of all shapes and sizes that make up the rail industry.

    State of rail

    Derby’s zeal for renewal and reform is shared by this government.

    Because after years of dysfunction and decline – how our economy is managed, how public services are run, how government works, all must return to the service of working people, wherever they live.

    That is the work of national renewal the Prime Minister has promised.

    And it starts with our railways.

    On entering office, we were under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge.

    A railway mired in industrial action – costing the economy the equivalent of nearly £3 million pounds a day.

    And performance levels that were simply not good enough, with cancellations at a 10-year high.

    All visible problems, but with deep roots.

    Fragmentation, lack of accountability and conflicting interests.

    The very industry weaknesses Keith Williams identified years ago, still remain.

    The lack of political leadership on rail has left an industry more comfortable looking inwards, that fails to pull together when things go wrong, that has lost focus on improving each part of people’s experience with the railways – so passengers don’t get the journeys they deserve.

    We’ve seen this with delays to long promised upgrades to the East Coast Mainline, or the confusing array of fares and tickets passengers have to navigate. 

    And the great irony of privatisation is that the part of the industry that works best, that innovates and pushes boundaries – the dynamic supply chain – has been stifled. But these issues are systemic – not individual.

    Because when I speak to the supply chain and station staff, to engineers and signalers, they all want what’s best for the passenger.

    All are committed, enthusiastic and ready to work across organisational boundaries to deliver a better railway.

    But currently, they have neither the tools, incentives nor backing to do so.

    It’s why, as Passenger in Chief, when I said I would oversee the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation, a big part of that will be a cultural reset.

    Where every part of the workforce feels empowered to challenge the orthodoxy of years past, supported by an entirely new and reformed organisation – Great British Railways.

    Where we value diverse skills, build new capabilities and forge high-quality careers that attract the next generation.

    And where everyone understands how they contribute to a railway unashamedly focused on delivering for passengers and taxpayers.

    It will not be British Rail Rebooted or Network Rail 2.0 – but we’ll usher in a new era for the railways where every part of the industry is motivated and incentivised to deliver for the passenger.

    That’s my personal mission.

    To join you in a determined effort to get our railways working again – for passengers, for its workforce and for communities across Britain.

    Because our railways are essential to getting Britain growing and moving again.

    Industrial action

    Within months, we’ve begun the essential work of change.

    We’ve ended the longest ever national strike on our railways.

    Gone are the political gimmicks of years past, which not only prolonged industrial action but caused misery for passengers and cost the railways £850 million pounds.

    Within days of taking office, I spoke to all rail unions and hit reset.

    I was clear that if talks were needed, we would sit round in good faith.

    If compromises could be made, we would all make them.

    And if a deal could be struck, we would fight for a fair agreement for workers, passengers and taxpayers.

    A new, grown-up, approach – which put passengers first and politics second. And clears the way for vital workforce reform, to modernise our railways and do away with outdated working practices.

    Public Ownership Bill

    I’ve also fired the starting gun on rail reform.

    The Public Ownership Bill has passed the Commons and now awaits committee stage scrutiny in the Lords.

    It calls time on a broken model, one that repeatedly failed passengers and one that cost tens of millions of pounds in fees each year.

    It allows us to bring passenger services into public hands as contracts expire over the next 3 years.

    But I know passengers won’t wait that long for things to improve.

    They rightly deserve better than the status quo.

    So we will continue building capacity and expertise in the public sector, as it takes on additional services.

    And in the meantime, I won’t hesitate to take decisive action if operators don’t meet their obligations.

    It’s a message I’ve already delivered loud and clear to the Managing Directors of Avanti West Coast and Cross Country. And indeed, we have set new and clear expectations to those train operating companies already in public ownership.

    Reform

    Now, public ownership and resolving national strikes are just stops on the journey to reform, not the terminus.

    The Railways Bill, which we will introduce later this parliamentary session, will get the industry back on track.

    We’ll establish Great British Railways – a directing mind running the railways as one system, with a relentless focus on passengers.

    We’ll stop the blame game, by unifying track and train.

    We’ll grip the finances, led by passenger need and taxpayer value.

    And we’ll grow freight, unlocking new green growth.

    Delivering GBR in full will be the work of years, not months. It is the biggest reform agenda of this government.

    But again, we cannot afford to wait.

    Shadow GBR

    So I’ve taken decisive action to bring the industry together under Shadow Great British Railways and its new Chair Laura Shoaf.

    Laura brings a wealth of experience.

    And I’ve asked her specifically to lay the foundations of culture change the industry needs.

    That, of course, means getting the basics right with performance, but it also means encouraging innovation at every opportunity.

    So, under her leadership, the heads of Network Rail, DOHL, and DfT’s rail services group – the people in charge of track and train – will work closer than ever before to set the tone of reform and deliver immediate improvements. 

    On performance: nowhere near good enough across the board, but not helped by the labyrinth of different contracts, measures and incentives at play.

    Different targets lead to competing priorities.

    And operational decisions that make sense in one part of the industry, can lead to worse outcomes overall – with passengers inevitably bearing the brunt.

    So, I will soon set out new performance measures, ensuring a more consistent and transparent approach.

    We’ll end the boom-and-bust approach to investment projects.

    Replacing it with a long term strategy for rolling stock – essential for the industry here in Derby.

    After years of government uncertainty and mixed messages, this will give the supply chain the certainty it needs to plan and invest.

    And finally, we’re reviewing fares and ticketing. Not just to unblock barriers to reform, but to urgently get passengers back on board with new exciting campaigns.

    That starts early next year, with a new ‘rail sale’ to coincide with the 200-year anniversary of the first passenger service.

    It will offer up to half price Advance and Off-peak fares – to get Britain moving, to connect our communities and to give back to passengers, who for too long have paid more and more for less and less.

    These first steps are important, as we start restoring some national pride to this industry and building the railway of tomorrow.

    Conclusion

    I began by talking about Derby, and it’s also a good place to end.

    We are standing in the biggest concentration of rail innovation and expertise in Europe.

    Around 600 rail companies, employing 45,000 people, have chosen to co-locate in the East Midlands.

    And it’s easy to see why.

    We have Derby University’s Rail Research Innovation Centre, Network Rail’s testing facility at Tuxford, Alstom’s world leading manufacturing facility and maintenance hubs for Sperry Rail and Railcare.

    All will soon be joined by GBR, providing the leadership this industry has sorely needed.

    Working in partnership – government and industry – to build a renewed and reformed railway, fit for the future, fit for Britain.

    A new era for our railways and a new era for Derby.

    Updates to this page

    Published 17 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA’s SpaceX 31st Resupply Mission to Launch Experiments to Station

    Source: NASA

    [embedded content]

    NASA and its international partners are launching scientific investigations on SpaceX’s 31st commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station including studies of solar wind, a radiation-tolerant moss, spacecraft materials, and cold welding in space. The company’s Dragon cargo spacecraft is scheduled to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
    Read more about some of the research making the journey to the orbiting laboratory:

    The CODEX (COronal Diagnostic EXperiment) examines the solar wind, creating a globally comprehensive data set to help scientists validate theories for what heats the solar wind – which is a million degrees hotter than the Sun’s surface – and sends it streaming out at almost a million miles per hour.
    The investigation uses a coronagraph, an instrument that blocks out direct sunlight to reveal details in the outer atmosphere or corona. The instrument takes multiple daily measurements that determine the temperature and speed of electrons in the solar wind, along with the density information gathered by traditional coronagraphs. A diverse international team has been designing, building, and testing the instrument since 2019 at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
    Multiple missions have studied the solar wind, and CODEX could add important pieces to this complex puzzle. When the solar wind reaches Earth, it triggers auroras at the poles and can generate space weather storms that sometimes disrupt satellite and land-based communications and power grids on the ground. Understanding the source of the solar wind could help improve space-weather forecasts and response.

    A radiation tolerance experiment, ARTEMOSS, uses a live Antarctic moss, Ceratodon purpureus, to study how some plants better tolerate exposure to radiation and to examine the physical and genetic response of biological systems to the combination of cosmic radiation and microgravity. Little research has been done on how these two factors together affect plant physiology and performance, and results could help identify biological systems suitable for use in bioregenerative life support systems on future missions.
    Mosses grow on every continent on Earth and have the highest radiation tolerance of any plant. Their small size, low maintenance, ability to absorb water from the air, and tolerance of harsh conditions make them suitable for spaceflight. NASA chose the Antarctic moss because that continent receives high levels of radiation from the Sun.
    The investigation also could identify genes involved in plant adaptation to spaceflight, which might be engineered to create strains tolerant of deep-space conditions. Plants and other biological systems able to withstand the extreme conditions of space also could provide food and other necessities in harsh environments on Earth.

    The Euro Material Ageing investigation from ESA (European Space Agency) includes two experiments studying how certain materials age while exposed to space. The first experiment, developed by CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales), includes materials selected from 15 European entities through a competitive evaluation process that considered novelty, scientific merit, and value for the material science and technology communities. The second experiment looks at organic samples and their stability or degradation when exposed to ultraviolet radiation not filtered by Earth’s atmosphere. The exposed samples are recovered and returned to Earth.
    Predicting the behavior and lifespan of materials used in space can be difficult because facilities on the ground cannot simultaneously test for all aspects of the space environment. These limitations also apply to testing organic compounds and minerals that are relevant for studying comets, asteroids, the surface of Mars, and the atmospheres of planets and moons. Results could support better design for spacecraft and satellites, including improved thermal control, and the development of sensors for research and industrial applications.

    Nanolab Astrobeat investigates using cold welding to repair perforations in the outer shell or hull of a spacecraft from the inside. Less force is needed to fuse metallic materials in space than on Earth, and cold welding could be an effective way to repair spacecraft.
    Some micrometeoroids and space debris traveling at high velocities could perforate the outer surfaces of spacecraft, possibly jeopardizing mission success or crew safety. The ability to repair impact damage from inside a spacecraft may be more efficient and safer for crew members. Results also could improve applications of cold welding on Earth as well.
    The investigation also involves a collaboration with cellist Tina Guo with support from New York University Abu Dhabi to store musical compositions on the Astrobeat computer. Investigators planned to stream this “Music from Space” from the space station to the International Astronautical Congress in Milan and to Abu Dhabi after the launch.

    Download high-resolution photos and videos of the research mentioned in this article. 
    Melissa GaskillInternational Space Station Research Communications TeamJohnson Space Center

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Madagascar’s mysterious Teniky rock architecture: study suggests a link to ancient Persia

    Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Guido Schreurs, Professor in Geology, University of Bern

    In the heart of Isalo National Park in central-southern Madagascar, at least 200km from the sea in any direction, is a remote valley with a mysterious past. This place, Teniky, can only be reached on foot, by hiking through a mountainous region dissected by steep canyons.

    Isalo area. Guido Schreurs, Author provided (no reuse)

    Part of the Teniky site has been known for well over 100 years, as we know from names and dates scratched on the rocks there. Various visitors in the 1950s and 1960s with an interest in archaeology described an amphitheatre-shaped location with man-made terraces, a rock shelter with neatly constructed sandstone walls, a chamber cut into the rock with pillars and benches, and a large number of niches cut in the steep cliffs. Recesses are still visible around some of the niches, suggesting that they could be closed off by a wooden or stone slab.

    Among the suggested interpretations were that these structures had been made by shipwrecked Portuguese sailors, or Arabs, or even Phoenicians.

    Teniky. Guido Schreurs, Author provided (no reuse)

    No similar rock-cut architecture is known anywhere else in Madagascar or on the east African coast, 400km away.

    And until recently, no detailed archaeological studies had ever been carried out at Teniky.

    Madagascar’s past is still the subject of considerable debate. Situated in the south-western Indian Ocean, it is one of the last big islands to have been settled by humans. Genetic studies have identified the people of Madagascar as having come mainly from Africa and from Southeast Asia. Archaeology suggests that the first settlers arrived about 1,500 to 1,000 years ago. The earliest settlements studied have been located along the coast, close to river estuaries.

    Our archaeological study of Teniky, however, points to a new possibility: a former Persian presence in southern Madagascar about 1,000 years ago.

    What we found at Teniky

    Our study of high-resolution satellite images revealed the Teniky site was much larger than previously known. It showed there were more terraces and stone walls on a hill 2km to the west. This led us to take a closer look, hoping to get a better sense of who had lived there and when.

    During field prospecting on this hill we discovered niches, cut in the walls of a rock shelter, that had not been described before.

    Excavations at this rock shelter revealed more archaeological structures, including carved sandstone walls and a large stone basin.

    Radiocarbon dating of charcoal samples from the site dated to the late 10th to mid-12th centuries AD. Pieces of ceramic items of southeast Asian and Chinese origin found there have been dated by a specialist to the 11th to 14th centuries AD.

    We also found sandstone quarries from which the stones used to build the walls at the rock shelters were extracted. And we found more stone basins on terraces.

    The terraces cover a total area of about 30 hectares, indicating that Teniky must have been a fair-sized settlement. Water is available all year round in the valley below, where people might have been able to plant crops, fish for eels or even keep cattle.

    Considering the dimensions, location and character of the rock-cut structures at Teniky, we think the niches and chambers served a ritual purpose.

    Teniky. Raphael Kunz, Author provided (no reuse)

    Who were the people who lived at Teniky?

    There is no other archaeological site like Teniky in Madagascar. So, the question arises as to what group of people settled there, far inland, and carved the niches and chambers in the cliff walls about 1,000 years ago. The presence of imported ceramics indicates that they took part in the Indian Ocean trade networks at the time but doesn’t tell us where they came from.

    We think the answer may lie in the style of the rock-cut niches.

    Rock architecture at Teniky, Madagascar. Courtesy Guido Schreurs.

    They are similar to rock niches of the first millennium or earlier in Iran (formerly Persia). Archaeologists have interpreted those as belonging to Zoroastrian communities, which used them as part of their funeral rites.

    Zoroastrianism was the dominant state religion of the Persian Sasanian Empire (224-656 AD). After the conquest of the Sasanian Empire by the Arabs in the mid-seventh century AD, Islam was imposed.

    Zoroastrian funeral rites do not allow direct burial in the ground, so as not to pollute the earth. Instead, dead bodies are left in places of exposure not touching the ground. Once the flesh has decomposed or been removed by animals, the bone remains are dried and placed in bone receptacles (ossuaries).

    We tentatively interpret the rock-cut architecture at Teniky as having been made by a community with Zoroastrian origins.

    Circular niches with a recess around the opening. Guido Schreurs, Author provided (no reuse)

    The larger rock-cut niches might have been the places where the bodies of the dead were exposed, and the smaller niches with recesses might have served as ossuaries, closed off by a slab to protect the bones from the rain and thus to prevent them from polluting the earth.

    Basin in front of niches. Guido Schreurs, Author provided (no reuse)

    The stone basins at Teniky show stylistic similarities with those used in Zoroastrian ritual ceremonies to hold water or fire, both agents of ritual purity.

    Zoroastrians abroad

    There are few accounts of Madagascar written at the turn of the first and second millennia AD. Buzurg Ibn Shahriyar, a tenth-century Persian sailor and writer, collected stories from sailors in port towns on the Persian Gulf which suggest that Persian contacts with Madagascar may have existed then. The name Madagascar did not exist at that time but names like “Wak-wak” or “Qumr”/“Komr” may have referred to the island.


    Read more: Madagascar cave art hints at ancient connections between Africa and Asia


    Historical documents, archaeological excavations and genetic studies indicate that Zoroastrians left Iran and settled in western India in the late eighth century AD.

    Did they settle on the island of Madagascar too? If the rock-cut architecture and associated stone basins at Teniky are the work of a community with Zoroastrian origins, this would strongly point to a former Persian presence in southern Madagascar about 1,000 years ago.

    Many questions remain. We hope future studies will answer some of them.

    – Madagascar’s mysterious Teniky rock architecture: study suggests a link to ancient Persia
    https://theconversation.com/madagascars-mysterious-teniky-rock-architecture-study-suggests-a-link-to-ancient-persia-240725

    MIL OSI Africa

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney’s Office Observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Providence, RI — The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October, reflecting our steadfast commitment to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and promoting justice for all those affected by domestic violence, announced U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

    Domestic Violence Awareness Month serves as an important opportunity to shed light on the profound impacts that domestic violence has on victims, families, and communities, and to emphasize the importance of collective action. Each year, millions of individuals are impacted by intimate partner violence, and far too many families endure the tragic consequences of domestic abuse. This Office is committed to ensuring that survivors are heard and perpetrators are held accountable and to strengthening partnerships with communities to prevent domestic violence.

    This year marks a particularly significant commemoration of efforts to combat domestic violence because it is also the 30th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act. In 1994, the passage of this landmark, bipartisan legislation transformed the way our nation addresses domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by increasing protections for survivors, providing critical federal resources to support a coordinated community response to these crimes, and awarding grants at the local, state, territory, Tribal, and national levels.

    “Domestic and intimate partner violence is insidious, and it takes a devastating toll on our communities, transforming homes that should be places of refuge into scenes of abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary Cunha.  “I am determined to expand our efforts to use federal law enforcement tools to seek justice for the victims of these crimes, and hold the perpetrators accountable – the survivors of domestic violence deserve no less.”

    This year, on September 18th, 2024, the office announced the launch of a DOJ initiative with local law enforcement partners to reduce domestic incidents in Rhode Island cities of Woonsocket, Pawtucket, and Central Falls. The initiative was a provision for each district to develop a plan to reduce intimate partner firearm violence and to prioritize prosecution of domestic violence offenders prohibited from owning firearms.

    Domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking can have long-lasting impacts and consequences, and survivors in underserved communities are disproportionately impacted due to the lack of resources or barriers to accessing services. DVAM provides an opportunity to spread awareness about domestic violence and encourage everyone to play a role in ending gender-based violence.

    We also encourage everyone to learn more about domestic violence and take steps to support friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors who may be affected. By understanding the signs of abuse, providing a safe space for survivors, and connecting them to available resources, we can all play a role in creating safer communities.

    Victims of domestic violence deserve safety, dignity, and justice. We are committed to prosecuting those who violate federal laws, collaborating with local law enforcement and prosecutors to identify domestic violence offenders who violate federal firearms prohibitions, and ensuring survivors have access to the resources they need for safety and healing. Together, we can bring hope to those in need and build a future free from domestic violence. For more information on Domestic Violence Awareness Month or to access resources, please visit https://ricadv.org/

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: USS Constitution to Get Underway in Commemoration of 227th Birthday

    Source: United States Navy

    Following the underway, the ship will remain closed to the public.

    USS Constitution will sail through Boston Harbor, commemorating her launch on October 21, 1797.

    As part of the celebration, a 21-gun salute will be fired near Fort Independence on Castle Island at approximately 11:30 a.m. The ship will also fire a 17-gun salute as she passes U.S. Coast Guard Sector Boston, the historic site of Edmund Hartt’s Shipyard, where Constitution was originally built.

    The event can be viewed from the Boston Harborwalk, Castle Island, and the Charlestown Navy Yard.

    USS Constitution is open to visitors Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    USS Constitution, the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat and America’s Ship of State, played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, defending American sea lanes from 1797 to 1855.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Army Garrison Okinawa Firefighters Host Joint Water Rescue Training Event

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    U.S. Army Garrison Okinawa Torii Station firefighters stationed at Naha Military Port conducted a joint water rescue training exercise alongside the Naha City Fire Department and the Japanese Coast Guard on Oct. 10, at Naha Military Port, Okinawa, Japan.

    This marked the first time the three agencies collaborated in such a capacity. The primary goal of the training was to strengthen coordination between the agencies, familiarize the teams with each other’s capabilities, and enhance preparedness for potential large-scale rescue operations.

    “Torii is a small fire department with limited capabilities,” said Matthew B. Spreitzer, Chief of Fire and Emergency Services for USAG Okinawa. “In the case of a medium or large fire/rescue emergency, we would need to rely heavily upon our host national partners for additional resources and equipment during emergencies that reach beyond our capabilities.”

    While Torii Station provides essential emergency services, Spreitzer emphasized that collaboration with Japanese counterparts is critical to ensuring comprehensive protection for the local community.

    Spreitzer noted the importance of working closely with the Naha City Fire Department and the Japanese Coast Guard not only builds trust but also enhances the overall effectiveness of rescue operations.

    “We greatly appreciate the local Japanese emergency responders’ willingness and dedication,” said Spreitzer. “Their support helps our department provide lifesaving emergency capabilities for our Soldiers, civilians, and MLC employees.”

    He also thanked the local partners for their contribution to the success of the USAG Okinawa’s mission.

    “Without our partners, our community would not have the level of protection they all deserve,” he said. “Torii’s mission capability would not be able to be met. We wholeheartedly thank all our local emergency responders for their unwavering support.”

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Red Pheasant First Nation — Update: Saskatchewan RCMP responding to robbery with a firearm

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    October 10, 2024
    Red Pheasant First Nation, Saskatchewan

    News release

    Investigation has determined the 2019 Dodge Ram truck is black in colour.

    Saskatchewan RCMP continue to investigate. We will continue to provide updates when we have more information available. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, we will notify the public.

    Report all information about this incident to your local police by calling 310-RCMP.

    –30–

    Saskatchewan RCMP responding to robbery with a firearm

    Saskatchewan RCMP are currently responding to a report of a robbery with a firearm on Red Pheasant First Nation. An adult female has been taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life threatening. No other injuries were reported to police.

    Police advise that there are two suspects, a male and a female. They may be armed and are dangerous. The suspects were last seen driving a 2019 Dodge Ram truck, Warlock edition. The truck has the word “O’Brien” or “O’Brian” on the back window and Saskatchewan license plate 716 LWG. We do not have any further description of the suspects at this time.

    Investigators have reason to believe the suspects may be travelling to Saskatoon, but their current whereabouts are unknown. Saskatchewan RCMP continues to investigate.

    We are asking the public to report any suspicious activity or people in the Red Pheasant First Nation and Saskatoon areas to police. If anyone sees the vehicle matching the above description they are asked to contact their local police or police of jurisdiction immediately. Call 9-1-1 in emergencies or 310-RCMP in non-emergencies.

    We will provide an update when we have more information available. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, we will notify the public.

    Report all information about this incident to your local police by calling 310-RCMP.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Whitewood — Update: Saskatchewan RCMP increased police presence in the area of Whitewood, SK

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    October 10, 2024
    Whitewood, Saskatchewan

    News release

    As a result of continued investigation, officers located and seized a firearm in a vehicle that the suspects abandoned on old Highway #1 east of Whitewood, SK.

    Saskatchewan RCMP continue to investigate.

    Saskatchewan RCMP Police Dog Services, Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), and Forensic Identification Section are assisting in this investigation.

    Investigators continue to ask the public to report suspicious activity or people in the Whitewood area to police. Call 9-1-1 in emergencies or 310-RCMP in non-emergencies.

    We will continue to provide updates when we have more information available. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, we will notify the public.

    –30–

    Saskatchewan RCMP: Increased police presence in the area of Whitewood, SK

    Saskatchewan RCMP are currently responding to a report of a robbery with a firearm in the area of Whitewood, SK. No injuries have been reported in relation to the robbery.

    Police officers advise that there are two suspects. They may be armed and are considered dangerous. The suspects were last seen driving on the old Highway #1 east of Whitewood, SK. The suspects are now believed to be on foot. One suspect is described as male and may have been wearing a green shirt. We do not have a description of the other suspect at this time. Both suspects are described as having a slim build.

    We are asking the public to report any suspicious activity or people in the Whitewood area to police. Please ensure your vehicle and house doors are locked. Report any suspicious activity to police immediately – call 9-1-1 in emergencies or 310-RCMP in non-emergencies.

    There will continue to be an increased police presence in relation to the ongoing investigation. We will provide an update when we have more information available. If an imminent risk to public safety is identified, we will notify the public.

    Report all information about this incident to your local police by calling 310-RCMP.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: Readout of Navy Leadership’s Meeting with the Governor of Guam (Oct. 16, 2024)

    Source: United States Navy

    Mancinelli and the Governor talked about the importance of the Indo-Pacific region and reaffirmed their commitment to working together on shared goals.

    The Navy Under Secretary thanked the Governor for her strong and consistent support of the U.S. military presence on Guam.

    Governor Guerrero spoke about the need for increased federal investment on Guam, and her desire for additional support on infrastructure, healthcare, and Typhoon Mawar recovery efforts.

    Mancinelli emphasized the importance of continued dialogue with Guam’s local stakeholders and other government agencies. He also discussed the ways in which the Department of Defense will continue to work together with the Governor’s office to understand how the military build-up on Guam can be done in partnership with the on-island community.

    This was the first in-person meeting with the Governor since Mancinelli assumed the position of Acting Under Secretary of the Navy, August 20.

    As the Department of Defense’s Senior Defense Official for Guam, Acting Under Secretary Mancinelli looks forward to working with the Governor of Guam to secure the U.S. homeland, improve the resiliency of Guam, and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Honeydale  — RCMP seeking public’s help following arson

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    The St. Stephen RCMP is seeking the public’s help in connection with three structure fires in the Honeydale area, N.B.

    On October 13, 2024, at approximately 4:25 a.m., members of the St. Stephen RCMP, and the Lawrence Station Fire Department, responded to a report of structure fire on Richardson Road, in Honeydale. The same night, at approximately 5:30 a.m., members of the St. Stephen detachment, and the Lawrence Station Fire Department, responded to a report of structure fire on Highway 127, near Tryon Road. While on scene, members were notified of a third structure fire on Richardson Road, in Honeydale.

    Through the investigation, it was determined that the fires had been intentionally set using the same method. All three structures were abandoned, and no one was injured.

    Anyone with information that could help further the investigation is asked to contact the St. Stephen RCMP at 506-466-7030. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips at http://www.crimenb.ca.

    The Office of the New Brunswick Fire Marshal is assisting with the ongoing investigation.

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI USA: Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Highlight Solutions and Strategies at Roundtable on Gun Violence Prevention

    Source: US State of Pennsylvania

    October 15, 2024Philadelphia, PA

    Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Highlight Solutions and Strategies at Roundtable on Gun Violence Prevention

    Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson was joined by Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Austin Davis for one of Johnson’s “Peace Not Guns” roundtable discussions, speaking with victims of gun violence and local leaders about the reinvigorated state Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The discussion featured more than a dozen victims and co-victims of gun violence in Philadelphia.

    “The voices of those who have been impacted by gun violence should be at the center of every conversation we have about gun violence,” said Lt. Gov. Davis, who chairs the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). “We want to hear from those who have been injured and those who have lost loved ones, as our Office of Gun Violence Prevention works to develop a plan to address this epidemic and continues our initiative to improve services and support for gun violence victims. I look forward to partnering with the Council President and the City of Philadelphia in our effort to make our neighborhoods and communities safer.”

    “I want to thank Lt. Gov. Austin Davis for coming to Philadelphia to hear from individuals and families impacted by gun violence and children who live with this issue,” Council President Johnson (Second District) said. “I have held Peace Not Guns discussions for years so elected officials can have open conversations with the leaders and advocates to hear from them what are some of the root causes of the shootings happening in Philadelphia and throughout the Commonwealth and what are some short-term and long-term solutions to solving the problem.”

    Speakers Include:
    Kenyatta Johnson, Philadelphia City Council President
    Lt. Gov Austin Davis
    Joseph Douglas, Impact Services
    Tyrique Glasgow, Young Chances Foundation
    Adam Garber, Ceasefire PA
    Chantay Love, EMIR Healing Center
    Taj Murdoch, Men of Courage
    Zarinah Loamax, The Apologues
    Ant Brown, Always Be Real Original
    Rickey Duncan, NOMO Foundation
    Joshu Harris, Philadelphia Office of Public Safety
    Adam Geer, Chief Public Safety Director
    Adam Combs, Esq., Philadelphia Victim Advocate
    Shania Bennett, Office of Youth Engagement
    Michelle Kerr-Spry, Mothers In Charge
    Anton Moore, Unity in the Community
    Zachary Frazier, Trust Factor
    Pastor Carl Day, Culture Changing Christians Inc.

    MIL OSI USA News

  • MIL-OSI Security: World Food Day 2024: DG Highlights Joint IAEA and FAO Atoms4Food Initiative to Reduce Global Hunger

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency – IAEA

    “There was a need to gather our efforts, to work in an efficient and very concrete way hence the launch of the Atoms4Food initiative. With the Atoms4Food initiative, we are able to assist Member States in their efforts in areas from soil and water management to pest control,” said Mr Grossi. “Our responsibility goes beyond policy—it’s to deal with the problem. Addressing the problems that science reveals is paramount. For over 60 years, the IAEA and FAO have been at the forefront of turning knowledge into action.”

    This year, the IAEA and FAO celebrates the 60th anniversary of its Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. The Joint Centre supports countries in building capacity to apply nuclear and related techniques that help to cultivate stronger, healthier and more nutritious crops as well as build sustainable food systems that are resilient to climate change.

    Addressing participants at the same event, Mr Dongyu, Director General of the FAO emphasized the collaboration and partnership between the two agencies.

    “Only these two organizations in the UN system, FAO and IAEA have enjoyed more than 60 years of physical collaboration. We have done this through the Seibersdorf laboratories.”

    The IAEA, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), works with scientists around the world to increase crop yields, boost biodiversity with new varieties and enhance climate smart agriculture, helping farmers use soil, water and nutrient resources more efficiently and sustainably.  They also help ensure that food is safe to eat, boosting exports and helping reduce food loss.

    For example, through climate-smart agriculture, scientists in Kenya are using nuclear science to help farmers improve their planting practices and use water resources more sustainably amid changing climate patterns, bolstering food security in the country.

    New crop varieties such as mung beans and chickpeas  that can withstand periods of drought, saline soils or invasive pests are being developed by the IAEA through a process called mutation breeding . This is when irradiation is used to accelerate the natural evolution of plants to create adapted varieties with improved traits. Since its first use in 1964 it helped create more than 3400 crop varieties around the world.

    The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre sent seeds to the International Space Station in 2022 to explore the effects of cosmic radiation and microgravity on plant genetics. Scientists are now analysing the space-induced mutations to identify the specific traits it generated and compare it with these induced in laboratories. Techniques such as food irradiation, a gentle and non-invasive technology that preserves the nutritional content, flavour and overall quality of food products, exemplify nuclear science’s role in food safety.

    Another way to reduce food loss is the environmentally friendly sterile insect technique (SIT). Each year, up to 40 per cent of global crop production is lost to plant pests and diseases. In Senegal, SIT has been employed to successfully control tsetse flies in the Niayes Region.

    The IAEA also provides countries with the equipment and training necessary to use nuclear techniques to tackle malnutrition.

    The Joint Centre cooperates with more than 400 research institutions and laboratories to support countries by providing the necessary expertise, training, and equipment .

    The work of the IAEA also extends to enhancing food safety, by applying nuclear techniques to detect possible contaminants.

    Growing Food Security through the Atoms4Food Initiative

    The IAEA and FAO launched a flagship Atoms4Food Initiative last year to expand the use of innovative nuclear techniques through the 7 services to enhance agricultural productivity, reduce food losses, ensure food safety, improve nutrition, and adapt to the challenges of climate change. 

    MIL Security OSI

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Answer to a written question – Cancellation of tender for the construction of Regional Civil Protection Operations Centres and risk of loss of funding from the Recovery Fund – E-001463/2024(ASW)

    Source: European Parliament

    In 2020, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection of the Ministry of Citizen Protection of Greece requested financial assistance under the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM) and received EUR 750 000 to develop a National Disaster Risk Management Plan for Greece, which was successfully completed in 2021.

    This has helped Greece accessing funds for risk prevention and resilience under the European Cohesion Policy Funds (2021-2027). Following the 2023 wildfires, the General Secretariat for Civil Protection of Greece requested a UCPM Peer Review focused on the Greek wildfire risk management system, which was released on 20 June 2024[1].

    The Commission is monitoring the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RRF) investment which co-funds the construction of the Regional Civil Protection Operations Centres, and is in regular contact with the Greek authorities to ensure that the investment is fully implemented within the RRF timeline. This process is ongoing.

    • [1] https://civil-protection-knowledge-network.europa.eu/news/ucpm-wildfire-peer-review-report-handed-over-greek-authorities
    Last updated: 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the likely increase in massive refugee flows to host countries such as Greece – E-001897/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-001897/2024/rev.1
    to the Commission
    Rule 144
    Vangelis Meimarakis (PPE)

    We have recently been witnessing an intense military escalation in the Middle East, with Lebanon at the epicentre.

    At a time when a ceasefire is looking increasingly uncertain, with a widespread and drawn-out war threatening the region, neighbouring countries such as Greece and Cyprus should be prepared for the likelihood of massive refugee flows.

    In view of this, can the Commission answer the following:

    • 1.How does the Commission plan to help countries such as Greece and Cyprus deal with an imminent mass influx of refugees resulting from events in the Middle East?
    • 2.Will there be renegotiations concerning the Joint EU-Turkey Statement on refugees?
    • 3.Does the Commission have a mechanism in place for sending humanitarian aid to host countries such as Greece, especially in cases where there are mass waves of injured people?

    Submitted: 1.10.2024

    Last updated: 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News

  • MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – EEAS and EU measures to investigate the incident at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant – E-002002/2024

    Source: European Parliament

    Question for written answer  E-002002/2024
    to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
    Rule 144
    Stanislav Stoyanov (ESN)

    On 4 September 2024, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi visited the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to assess the damage caused by the fire that had impacted on one of the power plant’s cooling towers on 11 August 2024. The images published on the IAEA website show the serious impact of the incident on the infrastructure of the nuclear power plant, which is less than 500 km from the EU’s external border.

    Can the Commission answer the following questions in this regard:

    • 1.Has the European External Action Service (EEAS) taken steps to ensure that a detailed investigation is conducted into the causes of the incident?
    • 2.What measures have been taken by the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to ensure that weapons financed through the European Peace Facility (EPF) will not be used in attacks on nuclear power plants or other critical infrastructure, potentially leading to a humanitarian and/or environmental catastrophe in south-east Europe?
    • 3.In connection with the repeated warnings by the IAEA Director-General that military action near Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant heightens the risk of a nuclear accident, what measures is the EU taking to observe the five principles for the protection of that nuclear power plant, established by the UN Security Council in May 2023?

    Submitted: 9.10.2024

    Last updated: 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI Europe News