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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s message to the Ministerial Meeting: “Building on Progress to Restore Security in Haiti”

    Source: United Nations – English

    am pleased to send my greetings to this high-level event to spur progress on security in Haiti.

    The crisis in Haiti is a protracted human tragedy with a long and well-known history.  It is one of the most disastrous humanitarian situations in the world.  The international community has a responsibility to step up to support the Haitian people in their efforts to restore stability.

    Recently, we have seen some progress in putting transitional governance structures in place – a vital step on the way to inclusive democracy and the rule of law.  But the Haitian people are still subjected to egregious human rights abuses by gangs. Young women and girls continue to suffer appalling levels of sexual violence and abuse.

    During the first half of this year, the United Nations documented 3,638 homicides — an increase of nearly 74 percent over 2023. 

    Despite the imposition of the arms embargo in October 2023, gangs and other non-State actors continue to procure arms and ammunition illicitly.

    The first deployments of the Multinational Security Support mission – the MSS – are a positive step.

    I commend Kenya for its leadership as well as those countries that have pledged to contribute with personnel, equipment, and necessary logistical resources.

    I also commend countries that have contributed to the Trust Fund for the mission, set up by the Secretary-General in accordance with the request of the Security Council. The fund now stands at $85.3 million.

    However, funding for the mission, and for the Haitian National Police, remains totally inadequate.  I urge all those who have made financial commitments to deliver on them urgently.

     We must keep working to mobilize sufficient resources for the mission, and for the humanitarian response in Haiti.

    Close to 703,000 people have been displaced and more than 5 million Haitians are food insecure – almost half of the population.

    There is an urgent need for resources to support humanitarian efforts. The Humanitarian Needs Response Plan for Haiti, totaling $674 million, is currently only 39 per cent funded.  

    Excellencies,

    A durable solution to the current crisis can only come from a political process that restores democratic institutions through elections.

    Improving security is crucial to creating the conditions necessary for these elections.

    The UN will not waver in its commitment to Haiti. We continue to support the transition process, in line with the mandate of our current mission, BINUH – the UN Integrated Office in Haiti.

    I also welcome CARICOM’s support to the Haitian-led efforts and its cooperation with BINUH.

    Like people everywhere, Haitians demand and deserve to live in dignity, free from the threat of violence.

    Thank you.
     

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How better community engagement can improve emergency management in Canada

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Sayra Cristancho, Associate Professor, Department of Surgery and Faculty of Education Scientist, Centre for Education Research & Innovation, Western University

    Environmental, social and public health emergencies are becoming more frequent and severe around the world. The rapid pace at which emergencies are occurring, compounded by social crises like homelessness, addictions and mental health, are over-stressing our emergency management systems. However, as a society we cannot let this reality become an excuse.

    In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) has called for community engagement. And yet, despite a thriving legacy of volunteerism, Canada is lagging behind. Canada is the only G7 country without a national health security and emergency agency. And without such coordinating agency, communities are left to scramble when emergencies strike.

    When emergencies arise, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) are often called up to provide much needed support. However, the military is supposed to be called upon only when demand exceeds provincial capacity. Yet provinces have come to view the CAF as their first, rather than their last resort. Every time the CAF is called for assistance, it diverts time and resources away from attending to Canada’s national security tasks.

    If not the CAF, then what should be the source of this labour? There are four basic models Canada could follow. One of them pertains to mobilizing volunteer and skilled labour at the community level. The reality is that ordinary citizens always find their way to get involved, making emergency management a community concern. This is what the WHO refers to as a “whole-of-society approach.”

    Those in charge of devising the national emergency management strategy are confronted with two major uncertainties: the evolution of grass-roots initiatives to tackle community emergencies, and the lack of integration of those initiatives into emergency management systems.

    Community volunteers still feel that they work as “add-ons” rather than from within emergency management plans. The massive participation of citizens during forest fires and flood emergencies, and the increasing involvement of ordinary citizens in volunteer emergency response groups confirm that Canada enjoys a vibrant civil society. With its access to local networks, and its ability to mobilize others, community volunteers represent a unique and cost-effective resource.

    The Cobourg Community Centre Clinic

    Volunteers in communities across Canada are emotionally invested to help and engage during emergencies, particularly when they perceive poor coordination or lapses in authority by official response organizations.

    This was the case, as colleagues and I recently documented, of the Cobourg Community Centre (CCC) COVID-19 vaccination response in Ontario.

    This community initiative involved 600 volunteers who stepped up to help their community build and run a vaccination clinic when the community sensed that vaccination plans were not moving quickly enough. The Cobourg Rotary Club in partnership with the Northumberland Hills Hospital devised this initiative which involved retrofitting the community centre to serve as a clinic, organizing, and managing volunteer tasks, and assisting health-care providers in distributing vaccines.

    We interviewed volunteers, health-care providers, Rotary club members, public health unit staff, hospital staff, local businesses and city employees to capture the stories behind the clinic. These stories became the catalyst for positioning the CCC as a model of community engagement for crisis response.

    Several lessons were identified but likely the most insightful one for formal emergency agencies and government was the realization that emergency response is not always a complex and difficult task. In the case of the CCC, it was not difficult to drive seniors to the vaccination clinic. It was not difficult for volunteers to assist with documentation at the mobile clinics. It was not difficult for retired teachers to use stuffed toys so children wouldn’t be scared by the vaccine. And it was not difficult for local businesses to donate materials and labour so that the clinic was built according to protocol.

    Therefore, instead of making emergency response seem unduly complex for volunteers, emergency agencies ought to welcome their involvement. In fact, it might even be wise for emergency agencies to learn about the way community volunteers respond – since it seems they can be effective – to welcome their input, and thus enhance a community’s emergency response capacity.

    Three strategies communities can implement to get started

    If you and others would like to help prepare your community to become an effective partner to official emergency responders, here are some strategies to help organize your efforts:

    1. Foster ongoing relationships with community partners, not just during crisis.

    Remember that everyone brings expertise to the table and that partnerships may involve groups you don’t always think of. Therefore, welcome community partners as part of task forces. It helps the community see a different side of government organizations despite their reputation for being slow to pivot, or too bureaucratic.

    2. Maintain a repository of community members’ skills, don’t leave it to chance.

    During crisis, this repository or database will facilitate decision-making regarding distribution of tasks among volunteers and discover unique skills that otherwise would go unnoticed in a large community.

    3. Communicate through diverse channels, even if it feels redundant.

    Emergencies are emotionally draining for everyone. Frequent feedback and debriefing help strengthening engagement and morale. Therefore, use multiple and existing channels, such as huddles, newsletters, appreciation events, etc., and encourage community leaders to spread information to the larger community.

    Communities have shown that they play a vital role to large and small emergency responses: from COVID-19 tracing and vaccination, to organizing post-flood volunteer recovery efforts via digital platforms. However, community initiatives are often not recognized by emergency response organizations, and as a result community volunteers are often under-utilized.

    This tension over how to engage community volunteers to effectively respond to crisis and work with formal emergency response teams requires we all change how we think.

    Contemporary emergency management demands all hands-on deck. As the Cobourg Community Centre clinic initiative demonstrated, instead of warding off community volunteers, the focus should be on ensuring they are ready to respond and educated on the scope of their involvement.

    Throughout her academic career, Sayra Cristancho has received tri-council research funding from the Canadian government as we all research funding from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and internal research funding from Western University.

    – ref. How better community engagement can improve emergency management in Canada – https://theconversation.com/how-better-community-engagement-can-improve-emergency-management-in-canada-239042

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Oilsands workers are resistant to sustainable jobs, new research finds

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Parker Muzzerall, PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology, University of British Columbia

    Like it or not, the energy transition is happening.

    The International Energy Agency predicts global fossil fuel production will reach its peak by 2030. Governments around the world — including Canada’s — are racing to implement policies aimed at achieving a net-zero energy economy by 2050.

    To reach that target, Canada has a lot of work to do.

    In 2022 alone, Canada emitted 708 megatonnes of CO2-eq (carbon dioxide equivalent, which measures the global warming potential of different greenhouse gases). On the production side, oil and gas extraction accounted for 3.5 per cent of Canada’s GDP and the oil and gas industry directly employed around 150,000 Canadians.

    While oil and gas production isn’t going to stop tomorrow, or even by the end of this decade, Canada must put policies in place today to ensure that those most dependant on the oil and gas industry are supported as the country — and the world — moves away from fossil fuels.

    Sustainable jobs

    In June 2024, the Canadian government took an important first step at doing so by giving royal assent to the Sustainable Jobs Act. Over the next few years, the act is intended to create a suite of policy programs aimed at ensuring all Canadians have equal opportunity and access to decent, well-paying jobs in a net-zero future.

    While the Sustainable Jobs Act is primarily intended to support oil and gas workers, my recent study published in the journal Environmental Sociology identifies one important problem: oil and gas workers like the jobs they already have.

    Since the 2015 Paris Agreement, the phrase “just transition” has become common shorthand in policymaker, academic and activist circles to describe policies like the Sustainable Jobs Act that explicitly seek to support vulnerable citizens through the renewable energy transition.

    In fact, the Sustainable Jobs Act was originally referred to as the Canadian Just Transition plan before the name was changed after the idea of a “just transition” became the target of fierce opposition from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

    Talking to oilsands workers

    Smith’s opposition to the term “just transition,” and also to the eventual Sustainable Jobs Act, is rooted in a fundamental belief that the Canadian oil and gas industry is not going anywhere and that the federal government should not interfere in the lives of hard-working Albertans.

    These beliefs, and the emotions underlying them, made appearances in my interviews with oilsands workers, too.

    Through 18 interviews with a diverse cross-section of oilsands employees — ranging from accounts managers to process operators — it was obvious that these hard-working people also remain optimistic about the long-term economic viability and need for the oilsands industry.

    More importantly, they are also strongly opposed to the idea of a just transition because, as one participant put it, “it’s almost like an incentive to leave oil and gas behind.”

    Beneath this concern, the participants also expressed a belief and a sense of frustration that the federal government and Canadians in other parts of the country do not care about them and their feelings of being excluded from Canada’s vision for the future. These feelings were underscored by a strong sense of regional pride in the Fort McMurray community and its oilsands industry.

    While climate advocates may shake their heads — or fists — at these findings, the feelings of my participants make perfect sense when you consider that, for these workers, the energy transition represents not just a threat to their livelihood but a threat to their community and way of life.

    As multiple participants made clear, without the oilsands, Fort McMurray would become a “ghost town.”

    Localizing transition policies

    So, what should policymakers and climate advocates committed to an equitable energy transition do with the knowledge that the workers for whom sustainable jobs are intended are not, in fact, all that interested in sustainable jobs?

    The answer lies, at least in part, in reframing how we think about transition policies.

    Large, national-level efforts like the Sustainable Jobs Act are effective at setting high-level policy priorities. But without specific plans to account for the vast geographic diversity in the Canadian energy economy, policy packages like this can also drive regional animosity by making some communities feel like decarbonization “sacrifice zones.”

    Instead, we need to embed transition planning within a place-based approach to regional and community development. This means creating pathways for all communities to thrive in a low-carbon future. This is particularly true for single-resource and rural communities with economies that are often highly reliant on fossil fuels and tend to be located farther away from green jobs.

    It’s easy for these regions to feel excluded from Canada’s vision for a net-zero future. And that’s not fair. No community should be decarbonized into a ghost town.

    Passing the Sustainable Jobs Act was an important first step. Creating sustainable jobs that are regionally accessible, locally meaningful and economically desirable is the next big hurdle.

    Parker Muzzerall receives funding from The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

    – ref. Oilsands workers are resistant to sustainable jobs, new research finds – https://theconversation.com/oilsands-workers-are-resistant-to-sustainable-jobs-new-research-finds-239057

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressmen Mfume and Grothman Send President Biden Bill to Streamline CBO Fiscal Transparency to be Signed into Law

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (MD-07)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kweisi Mfume (D-MD-07) and Congressman Glenn Grothman (R-WI-06) introduced H.R. 7184, the CBO Data Access Act, on February 1, 2024. Yesterday, the United States House of Representatives passed the Senate companion version of the identical bill, with broad bipartisan support. This legislation would benefit taxpayers by enhancing the efficiency of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) process behind projecting the fiscal impact of proposed legislation. A transparent and efficient federal government is crucial to best serve the American people, and this bill streamlines CBO to provide taxpayers with more timely information on the cost of legislative proposals.

    Specifically, the legislation exempts CBO from the Privacy Act, eliminating procedural delays that hinder the CBO’s ability to access vital data for baseline budget projections, economic assessments, cost estimates, and reports. 

    “The bipartisan legislation Congressman Grothman and I co-led in the U.S. House will remove a barrier that too often hinders the Congressional Budget Office from carrying out its mission of providing timely cost estimates, and ensures our federal government is fiscally responsible. Simultaneously, privacy protections will remain in place when the CBO receives necessary agency information pertinent to their work, safeguarding personal information utilized by CBO to improve transparency in government operation,” said Congressman Mfume. “As the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce, I will always fight for clear-cut communication of how taxpayer funds are being utilized to best serve the American people. I am pleased that this compelling legislation will now be sent to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law,” he concluded. 

    “I am proud to have introduced the House companion to the CBO Data Access Act, H.R. 7184, alongside my democrat colleague, Representative Mfume. I would also like to thank Senators Peters and Collins for their work on this legislation,” said Congressman Grothman. “This bicameral and bipartisan effort demonstrates the shared recognition across party lines of the importance of ensuring that CBO has the tools it needs to provide Congress with the best possible data and analysis.”

    On May 10, 2023, Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced S. 1549, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Data Access Act in the United States Senate. Then, on February 1, 2024, Congressmen Mfume and Grothman introduced identical, companion legislation to this bill in the United States House of Representatives to advance support for the measure. After successfully passing out of the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House unanimously passed the bill yesterday and will now send S. 1549 to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. 

    Background Information – CBO Data Access Act

    • The CBO Data Access Act would accelerate the speed and improve the confidence with which CBO can assess the budgetary impact of proposed legislation.

    • Access to agencies’ data is critical for CBO to fulfill its mission and provide baseline budget projections, economic projections, cost estimates, and reports.

    • This bill authorizes agencies to disclose records in their systems to the Director of CBO (or any authorized CBO representative) without requiring prior written consent of the individual to whom the record pertains under the Privacy Act.

    • When CBO is required to enter into agency data sharing agreements, negotiations can be lengthy and delay CBO’s ability to include that data in its analyses.

      • Agencies’ large data sets, which may contain personal information, can improve the quality and accuracy of CBO models to estimate budget impacts of legislative proposals.

    • In 2022, agency data helped CBO produce 760 cost estimates, thousands of requests for technical assistance, and 83 reports, working papers, testimonies, and interactive tools.

    • More efficient access to data can improve the quality of CBO’s baseline projections and reports. More evidence can enable more sophisticated CBO analyses, creating more robust data baselines and increasing confidence in CBO’s generation of cost estimates.

    • The bill will provide clarity for agency information managers that CBO is authorized to receive personal information otherwise protected by the Privacy Act and confidence that CBO maintains the same confidentiality protections as applied to the data-sharing agency itself.

    Read the bill text HERE.

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    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Manitoba Government Renews Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Strategy

    Source: Government of Canada regional news

    Manitoba Government Renews Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Strategy

    – – –
    New Plan Centres Around Lived and Living Experience, Promotes Dignity: Fontaine

    The Manitoba government is releasing its renewed five-year Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Strategy, which includes immediate investments and ongoing funds for timely and effective supports for Manitobans affected by FASD and alcohol use in pregnancy, Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced today.

    “FASD is the most common developmental disability in Canada,” said Fontaine. “But with the right supports, people with FASD can thrive. By centring this strategy around the voices of people with lived and living experience and prioritizing investments in prevention, early intervention and diagnosis, Manitoba’s renewed FASD Strategy will reduce stigma, promote dignity and improve long-term outcomes for Manitobans impacted by FASD.”

    The minister noted Manitoba’s renewed FASD Strategy includes investments in community awareness, wraparound supports for pregnant people and families, and increased specialized supports across the life of people impacted by FASD.

    This includes a $172,000 budget increase for the InSight Mentoring Program, which provides three years of mentorship to help pregnant people stop or reduce alcohol use during pregnancy. The additional funding will support expanded programming at sites in Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie, Dauphin, The Pas, Flin Flon and Thompson including three Indigenous-led service providers offering culturally grounded services. This investment will enable the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre in Winnipeg to support an additional 15 families and offer Indigenous cultural and spiritual support services for participants, aligning with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s call to governments to develop culturally appropriate FASD prevention programs, the minister noted.

    FASD is a lifelong disability that impacts people exposed to alcohol prenatally. People with FASD often experience challenges with cognitive and executive functioning that, without appropriate supports, can leave people more likely to experience mental health issues, substance use disorders, contact with law enforcement and a lack of stable housing supports.

    The Manitoba government currently invests $15.5 million annually in the FASD Strategy, which ensures government and community programs and initiatives are working together toward the common goal of supporting Manitobans affected by FASD and alcohol use in pregnancy. An interdepartmental FASD committee supports a whole-of-government approach to FASD awareness, prevention and support.

    September is FASD Awareness Month in Canada, which raises awareness about the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, highlights prevention and support efforts, and encourages individuals to learn more about FASD and its impacts.

    To read Manitoba’s Renewed FASD Strategy for 2024 to 2029, visit: www.gov.mb.ca/fs/fasd/mbstrategy.html.

    To learn more about the InSight Mentoring Program, visit www.gov.mb.ca/fs/fasd/insight.html.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Meet Hector Chavez: Leading Johnson’s Giant Leap into Low Earth Orbit

    Source: NASA

    As systems integration team lead for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program (CLDP), Hector Chavez helps build a future where NASA and private industry work together to push the boundaries of space exploration.
    With the rise of commercial providers in the space sector, Chavez’s team works to ensure that these companies can develop end-to-end systems to support NASA’s low Earth orbit operations—from transporting crew and cargo to operating mission centers. His team’s role is to assess how commercial providers are using their systems engineering processes to achieve program goals and objectives.

    With a background that spans both the National Nuclear Security Administration and NASA, Chavez brings knowledge and insight into working with interdisciplinary teams to create complex, reliable systems. He has collaborated across organizations, contracts, and government to ensure design and operational improvements were carried out safely and reliably.
    “Systems integration brings different systems together to deliver capabilities that can’t be achieved alone,” said Chavez.
    His previous role in NASA’s Safety and Mission Assurance office deepened his expertise in mitigating technical risks in human spaceflight by integrating engineering, health, and safety considerations into the development of space exploration vehicles.

    Now with CLDP, Chavez helps these companies navigate NASA’s design processes without stifling innovation. “Our challenge is to communicate what we’ve identified during technical reviews without prohibiting commercial partners from developing innovative solutions,” he said.
    One recent success was the team’s development of two technical standards for docking systems and payload interfaces that will help ensure these systems’ compatibility with existing technologies. This work is essential in allowing commercial low Earth orbit systems to seamlessly integrate with NASA’s heritage designs, a key step toward realizing the agency’s vision for sustained commercial operations in space.
    When asked about the biggest opportunities and challenges in his role, Chavez emphasizes the importance of early collaboration. By engaging with commercial partners at the early stages of the system development life cycle, NASA can provide feedback that shapes the future of commercial low Earth orbit architecture.
    “We identify technical issues and lessons learned without dictating design solutions, allowing for innovation while ensuring safety and reliability,” explained Chavez.

    Chavez’s approach to leadership and teamwork is rooted in his values of perseverance, integrity, and encouragement. These principles have helped guide the development of CLDP’s mission and vision statements, creating an environment that promotes collaboration and creativity. 
    He is passionate about building a team culture where people feel empowered to take responsible risks and explore solutions.

    As NASA prepares for Artemis missions and the next generation of space explorers, Chavez offers advice to the Artemis Generation: “Never do it alone. Build a community and find common ground to share a vision.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: DHS Statement on Safety and Enforcement During Tropical Storm Helene

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: DHS Statement on Safety and Enforcement During Tropical Storm Helene

    uring emergency events, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) works with its federal, state, local, and non-governmental partners to support the needs of the people in the areas that may be impacted.

    In such circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) remind the public that sites that provide emergency response and relief are considered protected areas. To the fullest extent possible, ICE and CBP do not conduct immigration enforcement activities at protected areas such as along evacuation routes, sites used for sheltering or the distribution of emergency supplies, food or water, or registration sites for disaster-related assistance or the reunification of families and loved ones.

    At the request of FEMA or local and state authorities, ICE and CBP may help conduct search and rescue, air traffic de-confliction and public safety missions. ICE and CBP provide emergency assistance to individuals regardless of their immigration status. DHS officials do not and will not pose as individuals providing emergency-related information as part of any enforcement activities.

    DHS is committed to ensuring that every individual who seeks shelter, aid, or other assistance as a result of a natural disaster or emergency event is able to do so regardless of their immigration status.

    DHS carries out its mission without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, ethnicity, disability or political associations, and in compliance with law and policy.

    For information about filing a complaint with the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties about these matters, please visit our Make a Civil Rights Complaint page.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Lumen Field to Become a Mission Ready Venue

    Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency

    Headline: Lumen Field to Become a Mission Ready Venue

    Lumen Field to Become a Mission Ready Venue

    BOTHELL, Wash – Stadiums and venues provide a central and accessible location to help communities respond to extreme weather crises, providing safe storage and shelter in times of need. With these events becoming more frequent, severe, and expensive, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier today announced that Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, home of the Seahawks, will be among the first NFL venues to be designated as a Mission Ready Venue that can be used during response and recovery missions. Through Mission Ready Venues, a public-private partnership, Lumen Field will increase its capabilities to better sustain public safety and be a source of support for the community they serve. The designation identifies the ways Lumen Field could be used for response and recovery activities during declared emergencies or disasters.

    “The Seahawks and Lumen Field are proud to be one of the first NFL stadiums to be designated a Mission Ready Venue,” said Zach Hensley, Seattle Seahawks Vice President of Operations and General Manager of Lumen Field. “A commitment to community is fundamental to our organization, and the unique attributes that allow us to host more than two million guests each year can be an invaluable resource to the larger Pacific Northwest region in times of need.”

    “During large-scale emergencies, like the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricanes, or tornados, we’ve seen how large music, sports and entertainment venues can serve as a safe space for communities,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “This new strategy we’re launching with the NFL is a groundbreaking opportunity to help our partners use these venues for emergency response and recovery needs, while keeping communities safe and making them more resilient. While we are starting with the NFL, all venues across sports organizations and leagues can become assets to their communities, and I encourage them to join in this collaborative effort as we grapple with the impacts of the climate crisis.”

    “I’m pleased to have Lumen Field designated as a Mission Ready Venue,” said FEMA Region 10 Administrator Willie G. Nunn. “In a time of crisis, it’s important that we all work together and look at all options to support disaster survivors. Lumen Field is well-known in our community as a place to congregate for Seahawks games and other community events. When a large disaster strikes, it’s great to know that Lumen Field can play a pivotal role in helping our community.” 

    “Stadiums are valuable community assets that are often used in times of disasters,” said NFL Chief Security Officer Cathy Lanier. “This designation reflects the role that many stadiums play, not only on Sundays, but especially in times of need. We are proud to work with FEMA and first responders at the local and state level to ensure disaster response agencies have the information and tools they need to help a community recover when disaster strikes.” 

    According to the NYU School of Professional Studies and the U.S. Conference of Mayors, stadiums and arenas can improve the public health and well-being of their communities —including pandemic response during COVID-19. 

    “Seattle is proud that Lumen Field is designated as a disaster response and recovery venue,” said Curry Mayer, Director, Seattle Office of Emergency Management. “Lumen Field was successfully used as a mass vaccination site during the COVID pandemic. Lumen has all the amenities needed to serve the public and is easily accessible for Seattle’s communities.”

    Given the size, capabilities, and locations of large sports venues, these existing community assets can serve the public in a variety of ways including emergency shelters, staging areas, commodity distribution sites, evacuation pick up points, disaster recovery centers, mass vaccination and testing, temporary hospitals and more. FEMA and the NFL recognized this unique opportunity for collaboration and are enlisting the support of venue owners, operators, and the tenants of these facilities to work with government officials in the planning and preparation for emergency or disaster response and recovery efforts.  To receive an official Mission Ready Venue designation, venues must undergo a comprehensive assessment to determine what capabilities the venue may be able to support in emergency and disaster response and recovery efforts. The designation highlights the following attributes of selected venues: 

    • Provide Safety and Security: Stadiums are usually centrally located, close to major roadways and transportation hubs, and critical services like hospitals. If used to respond to a disaster, the designation will save valuable time and resources and will further enhance coordination between the public and private sectors during disaster response and recovery. 
    • Provide Accessibility: Stadiums are also compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act and can support persons with disabilities and others with access or functional needs. Additionally, 73% of NFL venues are accessible by mass transportation. This provides an avenue to promote equitable service to underserved populations to access potentially critical lifesaving/life sustaining services after an event. 
    • Strengthen Community Resilience: Stadiums and arenas are a focal point of communities and help strengthen social networks by enhancing connections between residents with home team pride. These Mission Ready Venues can boost morale amidst disaster. By providing a more robust and resilient environment, these venues can enhance social networks amongst survivors while providing ample opportunities to establish connections with the venue’s main tenants.
    • Ensure Unity of Effort: Coordination of stadium resources and services can support survivors and responders and help stabilize an incident quickly. Since stadiums are fixed locations, resources and services can be deployed quickly. This promotes the community’s physical and economic recovery.

    Mission Ready Venue designations are for five-year increments with a yearly check-in to ensure continued readiness of the venue. Redesignation will be necessary every five years and designation does not supersede any agreements with state, local or private sector entities. 

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    Follow FEMA Region 10 on X and LinkedIn for the latest updates and visit FEMA.gov for more information.

    FEMA’s mission is helping people before, during, and after disasters.

    natalie.shaver

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: A celebration of connections marks the final stage of SR 509 construction in South King County

    Source: Washington State News 2

    SR 509 Completion Project will connect the 50-year-old highway to I-5

    SEATAC – Community, industry and elected leaders joined together in SeaTac on Wednesday, Sept. 25, to celebrate the beginning of construction on the final stage of the State Route 509 Completion Project in south King County. 

    The project builds 3 miles of new tolled expressway that connects SR 509 to Interstate 5. The expressway is being built in two major stages. The first stage is already under construction and is building 1 mile of highway between I-5 and 24th Avenue South in SeaTac. It will open in 2025. The final stage builds the remaining 2 miles between 24th Avenue South and South 188th Street, where it will connect to the existing portion of SR 509. It will be complete in 2028. 

    “Providing a safe, sustainable, integrated and resilient transportation network is key to our future,” said Washington State Department of Transportation Secretary Roger Millar. “The SR 509 Completion Project is another step in that direction. We’re building more than a highway; we’re also creating multimodal options including trails and shared-use paths that will allow people to connect more easily to local jobs, businesses and neighbors in support of vibrant and thriving communities.”

    The SR 509 Completion Project is being built in close coordination with local cities and transit agencies with an eye toward complementing local land use plans that encourage employment opportunities and housing near multimodal transportation options.  

    “This project completes critical connections to our regional trail system and public transportation, including Sound Transit’s light rail extension to Federal Way,” said Sen. Marko Liias. “This will support mobility on I-5 and enhance the movement of freight for our entire Puget Sound region.”  

    “The city of SeaTac is a designated regional growth center and Sea-Tac Airport is a growth driver,” said Mayor Mohamed Egal. “Connecting SR 509 to I-5 allows us to continue to support existing businesses and attract new ones.”

    During the celebration event, area leaders from government, transit, freight and development stood shoulder-to-shoulder holding signs with project features such as “ADA-accessible paths,” “direct connection to the port,” and “less congestion on local roads” to create a visual ribbon of benefits that the SR 509 expressway will bring to the region.

    “This project, along with the completion of SR 167 in Pierce County, supports both local and regional economies and creates living wage jobs,” said Rep. Jake Fey. “The collaboration with our local partners, the ports, and the community means we can move cargo more efficiently through the airport and our seaports in Tacoma and Seattle.”

    SR 509 expressway highlights

    When complete, the 3-mile tolled expressway will have two lanes in each direction between I-5 and South 188th Street, with a southbound on-ramp and northbound off-ramp at 24th Avenue South. A new interchange at South 188th Street will connect the new expressway to the existing portion of SR 509. The older section of SR 509 will not be tolled. The project also builds new roundabouts to maintain traffic flow at the SR 509 interchange with South 160th Street in Burien and new noise walls in select locations.

    Improvements are also occurring on I-5, and even under it, as part of the project. Crews are reconfiguring the interchange at SR 516 and building the new Veterans Drive tunnel under I-5, just north of the SR 516 interchange. Veterans Drive will be extended from Military Road South to the new tunnel, providing freight with more direct routes between the Kent Valley industrial center and I-5. Other improvements include a northbound I-5 flyover ramp to SR 509, a wider South 216th Street bridge over the interstate, a southbound I-5 auxiliary lane between SR 516 and South 272nd Street and new noise walls in several locations on I-5 and SR 509. 

    The project adds more than 5 miles of sidewalks and shared-use paths, including a 1.8- mile-long section of the Lake to Sound Trail.

    Puget Sound Gateway Program overview

    The SR 509 Completion Project is part of WSDOT’s $2.69 billion Puget Sound Gateway Program, which also includes the SR 167 Completion Project in Pierce County. The two projects finish critical missing links in Washington’s highway and freight network. Photos of SR 509 construction work are available in the project’s Flickr albums. An interactive video that allows people to view project features is also available online.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Children Need to Hear a Different Story: A Retrospective of Alanis Obomsawin’s Work at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal.

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) are proud to unveil Alanis Obomsawin: Children Must Hear Another Story, the MAC’s newest exhibition that will be open to the public from September 26, 2024 to January 26, 2025 in the MAC’s temporary space at Place Ville Marie.

    Montreal, September 18, 2024 – The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) are proud to unveil Alanis Obomsawin: Children Must Hear Another Story, the MAC’s newest exhibition that will be open to the public from September 26, 2024 to January 26, 2025, in the MAC’s temporary space at Place Ville Marie. The exhibition, dedicated to the work of Abenaki documentarian, activist and singer Alanis Obomsawin, one of the world’s most acclaimed Indigenous filmmakers, will be accompanied by Wàbigon, an exclusive mural by artist Caroline Monnet.

    After enjoying great success in Berlin, Vancouver and Toronto, Children Must Hear Another Story will highlight the work of Alanis Obomsawin in the heart of the Montreal metropolis. Divided by decades, this retrospective provides an exhaustive panorama of her cinematographic, visual and musical work. The exhibition focuses in particular on the motivations of the artist, who distinguished herself by her strength and courage from a very young age; followed by the 1960s, a period during which she became known to the public as an artist and activist for indigenous rights, then the subsequent periods, just as significant, which allow us to follow the evolution of her trajectory and her thinking.

    “My whole life I have been primarily interested in education, because it is through education that we develop, that we learn to hate or love.” – Alanis Obomsawin

    The exhibition presents 13 of the 64 films Alanis Obomsawin made at the NFB, including her first, Christmas at Moose Factory (1971), which depicts the Cree community through the drawings and voices of its children; Kanehsatake: 270 Years of Resistance (1993), filmed behind the barricades during the Oka Crisis; and You Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice (2016), which follows the lawsuit brought against the federal government by First Nations representatives. These films are accompanied by archival documents that shed new light on the process of their creation; drawings by children from Moose Factory; and masks, prints and monotypes by the artist.

    Quotes

    “Supporting museums and exhibitions that provide Canadians with access to heritage is essential to learning from the past and shaping the future. I am very proud that, thanks to our government’s investment, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal is showcasing the work of Indigenous artist and filmmaker Alanis Obomsawin and offering visitors a unique opportunity to discover the impact of her film work over the decades.” − The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage

    “It is an honour and a privilege for me to present this retrospective exhibition of Alanis Obomsawin in the city where she has lived and worked for 70 years. A leading figure in our cultural, political and social landscape, Alanis is a role model and inspiration for so many Indigenous and non-Indigenous filmmakers, artists and activists. We know her for her films; the exhibition allows us to discover the singer, the storyteller, and the depth and richness of her commitment to Indigenous peoples across Canada.” – Lesley Johnstone, exhibition curator at the MAC

    “The NFB has been Alanis Obomsawin’s creative home for nearly 60 years. This exceptional artist paved the way for true recognition of Indigenous peoples, so that their realities and aspirations could be seen, heard and better known. Her documentary films bear witness to the social and cultural changes experienced by First Peoples and have contributed in their own way to these major transformations. Ms. Obomsawin’s essential and accessible work continues to inspire new generations of filmmakers in Canada and around the world.” – Suzanne Guèvremont, Government Film Commissioner and Chair of the NFB

    Organized by Richard Hill and Hila Peleg, the exhibition Alanis Obomsawin: Children Must Hear Another Story is made possible through a partnership between the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin), the Art Museum at the University of Toronto and the Vancouver Art Gallery, in collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada and with the generous support of CBC/Radio-Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts. This project was made possible in part by the Government of Canada. The exhibition at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal is organized by Lesley Johnstone, with Marjolaine Labelle, and made possible by the Government of Quebec.

    A mural by Caroline Monnet

    In conjunction with the exhibition, the MAC will unveil an exclusive mural by Caroline Monnet that pays tribute to Alanis Obomsawin’s major influence: Wàbigon, which means “a flower blooms” in Anishinaabemowin. Caroline Monnet, an artist of Anishinaabe and French descent, has created a monumental photographic portrait of eight Indigenous women and a child in an enchanted forest. It features Acho Dene Koe First Nation chief and artist Swaneige Bertrand with her daughter Aja-Eyal Ferron; the artist’s sister, Émilie Monnet, an interdisciplinary performer; Caroline Monnet herself; Guinean-Wendat dancer and choreographer Aïcha Bastien N’Diay; Eeyou (Cree) writer and artist Virginia Pésémapéo Bordeleau; Atikamekw visual artist Catherine Boivin; Inuk singer-songwriter Elisapie Isaac; and Innu soprano Elisabeth St-Gelais.

    “This work highlights the buds that Alanis has managed to deploy during her impressive career. It is also a reaction against the excesses of industrialization. It is characterized by inventiveness, the presence of rhythms, colors and ornamentations inspired by fauna and flora.” – Caroline Monnet, artist

    The press kit and visuals can be downloaded here.

    About the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art (MAC)

    For 60 years, the MAC has brought together local and international artists, their works and diverse audiences, celebrating art as an essential component of life in Montreal and Quebec. With the Museum’s headquarters in the heart of the Quartier des spectacles undergoing a major architectural transformation, the MAC has temporarily relocated its activities to Place Ville Marie, another iconic location in the city. Throughout the renovations, the Museum is reaching out to the public through temporary exhibitions highlighting exceptional artists and presenting a variety of practices. The MAC at Place Ville Marie also offers a wide range of educational services, creative workshops and community outreach activities. www.macm.org

    About the National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    Founded in 1939, the NFB produces, co-produces and distributes distinctive, engaging, relevant and innovative documentaries and animated films. It is an incubator of talent and one of the world’s largest creative laboratories. For more than eight decades, the NFB has provided Canadians with the opportunity to share their stories and connect with one another. Its films are also a trusted and accessible educational resource. The NFB also has world-renowned expertise in preservation and conservation, and a rich living collection of works that constitute an important pillar of Canada’s cultural heritage. To date, the NFB has produced more than 14,000 works, 7,000 of which are available online for free at nfb.caThe NFB and its productions and co-productions have won over 7,000 awards, including 11 Oscars and an honorary Oscar recognizing the organization’s excellence in all areas of cinematography.

    Credit: Richard Cardinal: The Cry of a Métis Child, 1986 (production still). Courtesy of the National Film Board of Canada and Alanis Obomsawin.

    -30-

    For all interview requests or questions regarding the exhibition, please contact: Thara Communications | relations.presse@macm.orgThara Tremblay-Nantel | 514-208-6897Solneige Diaz | 514-449-7219

    For all questions concerning the NFB: Marie-Claude Lamoureux, press officerm.lamoureux@nfb.ca| 438-304-6358Children need to hear another story. A retrospective of Alanis Obomsawin’s work at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal.

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI: E Ink Wins Manufacturer of the Year at the 9th Annual Massachusetts Manufacturing Awards Ceremony

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    BILLERICA, Mass., Sept. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — E Ink (8069.TW) the originator, pioneer, and global commercial leader in ePaper technology, today announced that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts recognized E Ink as a leading manufacturer in the state at the 9th Annual Manufacturing Awards. Companies across the Commonwealth, including E Ink, were honored by the Legislative Manufacturing Caucus and accepted their awards on September 25 at Gillette Stadium. 

    The award recognizes E Ink in part because of its ongoing manufacturing and production of ePaper displays in Massachusetts. E Ink’s Billerica and South Hadley facility has been actively producing the Company’s proprietary ink and film products since 2009. E Ink has since acquired both sites and plans further expansion in the future. The Company is also looking to invest in automation within the factories to stay competitive in a challenging manufacturing environment.

    The most notable product manufactured in Massachusetts is E Ink’s black and white ink and film, which is used in millions of eReaders and electronic shelf labels, in transportation signs throughout the world, including at the MBTA, and in the world’s first color-changing car, produced with BMW. E Ink’s innovative and rugged ePaper enables a variety of applications that value a low power display that is easy on the eyes.

    “Massachusetts stands at the forefront of advanced manufacturing in the United States, thanks to the collaborative efforts of government and industry,” said Paul Apen, E Ink’s US Chief Operating Officer. “Under the leadership of Speaker Mariano, Senate President Spilka, and Governor Healey, the Legislature has made strategic investments in this critical sector. At E Ink, we are committed to driving innovation, enhancing production, and creating jobs for residents in the Commonwealth.”

    Formed in August 2014, the Manufacturing Caucus includes more than 70 legislators from around the Commonwealth. Lawmakers focus on training for manufacturing employees, encouraging innovation by helping start-ups access resources, and expanding apprenticeship opportunities in key manufacturing sectors.  To celebrate October’s Manufacturing Month, the Commonwealth’s Legislative Manufacturing Caucus teamed up with The Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM), along with MassMEP, MassRobotics, Forge, WPI, and the MassHire boards, who hosted the “Massachusetts Manufacturing Mash-Up” at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

    As a global leader in ePaper technology, E Ink is not only committed to delivering innovative technology via advanced manufacturing processes but is also prioritizing sustainability. The company is actively focused on reducing carbon emissions throughout the product design and manufacturing processes by conducting carbon footprint verification and providing customers with a sustainable framework for the design and integration of ePaper products.

    E Ink has also set the ambitious goal of achieving Net Zero by 2040 and RE100 by 2030, which means sourcing the company’s entire energy utilization from renewable sources. As of December 2023, E Ink’s global operations and sales sites have already achieved RE35 with factories and offices in Billerica, Fremont, and South Hadley (United States), and sales offices in Tokyo (Japan) and Seoul (South Korea), successfully reaching RE100 by using 100 percent renewable energy. In September 2023, E Ink’s science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets were validated and approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). For years, E Ink was identified as having 99.9 percent of Green Revenue according to the FTSE Russell Green Revenue 2.0 Data Model, underscoring the positive environmental impact of ePaper products.

    About E Ink

    E Ink Holdings Inc. (8069.TWO), based on technology from MIT’s Media Lab, provides an ideal display medium for applications spanning eReaders and eNotes, retail, home, hospital, transportation, logistics, and more, enabling customers to put displays in locations previously impossible. E Ink’s electrophoretic display products make it the worldwide leader for ePaper. Its low power displays enable customers to reach their sustainability goals, and E Ink has pledged using 100% renewable energy in 2030 and reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2040. E Ink has been recognized for their efforts by receiving, validation from Science-Based Targets (SBTi) and is listed in both the DJSI World and DJSI Emerging Indexes. Listed in Taiwan’s Taipei Exchange (TPEx) and the Luxembourg market, E Ink Holdings is now the world’s largest supplier of ePaper displays. For more information please visit www.eink.com. E Ink. We Make Surfaces Smart and Green.

    Contact:
    V2 Communications on behalf of E Ink
    eink@v2comms.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Bennet, Hickenlooper Introduce Legislation to Compensate Communities Affected by Gold King Mine Disaster

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Colorado Michael Bennet

    Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper introduced the Gold King Mine Spill Compensation Act to help communities in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Arizona that were affected by the Gold King Mine disaster of 2015. 

    “The effects of the Gold King Mine disaster were felt far beyond the banks of the Animas River. The blowout hurt families, farmers, and outdoor recreation companies in Durango and throughout southwest Colorado who depend on the river for their livelihoods,” said Bennet. “Almost a decade later, too many Coloradans still feel its effects. Our legislation is a necessary step to help Coloradans finally recover certain remaining costs and damages incurred from the spill and make Southwest Colorado communities whole again.”

    “Local farmers, homeowners, and outdoor rec outfitters were left high and dry after the Gold King Mine spill in 2015,” said Hickenlooper. “Our bill will make sure they get the compensation they need to finally recover and move forward.”

    On August 5, 2015, the Gold King Mine spill released 3 million gallons of polluted mining wastewater into the Animas and San Juan rivers, affecting waterways in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, the Southern Ute reservation, and the Navajo Nation. Though the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was able to partially compensate some claims, its ability to meet the needs of affected businesses, farmers, and homeowners is constrained by existing laws. This legislation would provide EPA with the necessary authority and funding to compensate certain outstanding claims from the spill.

    “The Gold King Mine Compensation Act clears the procedural hurdles that kept businesses that suffered economic losses due to the spill nearly 10 years ago from being made whole,” said Matt Salka, Chair, La Plata County Board of County Commissioners. “We are grateful that the impact felt by those businesses has not been forgotten and that a remedy is possible through this much-appreciated legislation.”

    “The work that Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and their teams have done on the Gold King Mine Bill is restoring my faith in government. After all these years to see the promise of our government concerning the Gold King Mine incident and its ensuing economic damage was not forgotten, is refreshing. The wheels of government turn slowly. We at Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours are thankful that Senators Bennet and Hickenlooper and their teams are keeping them turning,” said Alex Mickel, President, Mild to Wild Rafting and Jeep Tours.

    The La Plata County Board of County Commissioners also shared a letter in support of this legislation.

    Immediately after the Gold King Mine disaster, then-Governor Hickenlooper declared the affected area a disaster zone. The following month, Bennet requested and testified at a Senate hearing regarding the cause, response, and effects of the Gold King Mine disaster. He also introduced the Gold King Mine Spill Recovery Act to ensure the EPA continued to work with states, local communities, and Tribes to compensate those who were affected and implement long-term water quality monitoring. The following year, Bennet worked to pass legislation to support recovery efforts from the spill.

    On its second anniversary, Bennet and New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, alongside then-Representative Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), introduced legislation to reform the nation’s antiquated mining laws and prevent future hardrock mine disasters.

    The text of the bill is available HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Major international business summit coming to London for first time in 2025

    Source: Mayor of London

    • A major international business summit will be heading to London for the first time ever next year.

     

    Today, it was confirmed that the Concordia Europe Summit will be held in the capital in late spring 2025, which will bring together hundreds of global, regional and national policymakers to showcase investment and partnership opportunities across the capital.

     

    The announcement was made at the Concordia Annual Summit in New York, attended by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. The Concordia Summit brings together leaders from the public and private sectors to foster collaboration and create market-led solutions. This year’s theme Navigating a New Era, for the 14th Annual Summit, will cover pivotal topics from the transformative impact of AI on industries to the landscape of international business, geopolitics, migration, healthcare, education, and more. Notable speakers at this years event including Barbara Humpton, CEO Siemens Corporation and Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber – speakers at previous Summits include current American President Joe Biden, former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, former Prime Minister Tony Blair, as well as business leaders Walmart CEO, Doug McMillon and LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky.

     

    Sadiq was at the annual summit as part of his four-day trip to America to bang the drum for London as the best place in the world to invest and grow a business and discuss the capital as an emerging hub for tech innovation, particularly in AI, fintech, and life sciences.

     

    During his trip the Mayor met with business leaders from Accordion, the world’s leading advisory and tech platform for the private equity market who have announced they will be opening an office in London. Sadiq also met with leaders from CliftonLarsenAllen (CLA) the eight largest accountancy firm in the US who have acquired the London-based AI and analytics platform Engine and will launch their international brand CLA Global in London to run all of their activities outside of North America.

     

    In a further boost to the capital, Constant Contact, an adtech company supporting small and medium businesses will open an office in Marylebone in October 2024 – and Thoropass, a compliance and audit platform from NYC is also opening an office in London. This follows the Salesforce announcement in June of a $4billion investment into the UK including a new office in Southwark.  

     

    Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I am delighted that the 2025 Concordia Europe Summit will be held in London – it really is a perfect match. London is a city teeming with innovations and ideas, and the Concordia summit provides the best forum for them to be shared.

     

    “I look forward to working with the team to make it the best Summit it can be – as we continue to build a fairer and better London for everyone.”

     

    Today’s announcement was made by Concordia Co-founder & Chairman of the Board Nicholas Logothetis.

     

    Matthew Swift, Co-founder, President & CEO, Concordia, said: “Our Europe Initiative is a powerful element of our programming and convening, representative of a significant portion of our global membership community. I could not imagine a better city than London to bring together leaders from across sectors and geographies to address critical issues through our Concilium format. I am grateful for the collaboration and trust placed upon us by the Mayor of London on this exciting development for our 2025 agenda.”

      

    The Mayor is in New York this week during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly to encourage US businesses to expand and invest in London and promote the capital as an unrivalled destination for tourists. He will also remind global leaders that now is the time to take firm action to tackle climate change.

     

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: A sustainable enhancement of shoreline in Hiawatha First Nation

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Hiawatha First Nation, Ontario, September 25, 2024 —Hiawatha First Nation has received over $430,000 through the Natural Infrastructure Fund to restore more than 3 kilometers of shoreline along Rice Lake to protect wildlife and reduce shoreline erosion.

    By working with nature, the Hiawatha First Nation is supporting and protecting biodiversity and human well-being. This restoration project incorporates native plants to reduce further shoreline erosion, while creating a protected habitat for various frog and fish species, as well as wild rice, a cultural keystone species. A medicine garden, walkway, pier, and benches will also increase access to nature, boost community use of shoreline for conducting cultural practices, and create a welcoming and relaxing space for the community.

    Hiawatha First Nation is working to restore the land to not only ensure a more sustainable future, but also create a peaceful place for community members to enjoy nature and ensure the land and wildlife is protected for many generations. 

    Quotes

    “I am honoured to support this investment with the Hiawatha First Nation to restore the shoreline of Rice Lake. Investing in infrastructure, like this shoreline restoration project, is vital for the sustainability of our environment. It will support biodiversity through the restoration of the natural habitats of plants and animals and with the addition of the medicine garden, create a healthy, sustainable and welcoming environment for all community members.”

    The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Restoring the shoreline with native species is vital for many reasons. Firstly, it is our responsibility, as given to us by the Creator, to take care of the waters, and when we restore lakeshores with native plants, we improve the health of our lakes. Shoreline restoration helps to improve water quality by removing pollutants and nutrients from run-off.  Also, by restoring our shoreline with native species, we in turn will have healthy and stable ecosystems that leads to strong habitats and food chains. Shoreline restoration is about taking care of water, lands and all living creatures.”

    Laurie Carr, Chief, Hiawatha First Nation 

    Quick facts

    • The federal government is committed to making our communities more livable, sustainable, and resilient by investing in the protection and restoration of natural environments.

    • The federal government is investing $437,500 in this project through the Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF).

    • NIF supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to increase resilience to climate change, mitigate carbon emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and wildlife habitats, and promote Canadians’ access to nature.

    • Examples of natural infrastructure include urban forests, street trees, wetlands, living dikes, bioswales, and naturalized coastal restoration.

    • Hybrid infrastructure incorporates elements of engineered grey infrastructure to enhance or support natural infrastructure and/or the use of ecosystem processes. Examples of hybrid infrastructure include green roofs and walls, and naturalized stormwater ponds.

    • A minimum of 10% of the overall program envelope will be allocated to Indigenous-led projects.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information (media only), please contact:

    Sofia Ouslis
    Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
    Sofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada
    613-960-9251
    Toll free: 1-877-250-7154
    Email: media-medias@infc.gc.ca
    Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn
    Web: Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Hayley Vogler
    Capital Projects Manager
    Hiawatha First Nation
    705-295-4421
    capitalmanager@hiawathafn.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Browning Man Admits Assaulting Woman with Belt on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    GREAT FALLS — A Browning man accused of beating and then using a belt to assault a woman on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Briar Joseph Crawford, 29, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Crawford faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

    Chief U.S District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Jan. 29, 2025. Crawford was detained pending further proceedings.

    The government alleged in court documents that on Aug. 6, 2023, Crawford went to Twin Lakes go fishing with the victim, identified as Jane Doe. They got into an argument, and Crawford began to severely beat Doe over several hours as they traveled from Twin Lakes to the East Glacier Cut Across Road. At one point, Crawford removed his belt, wrapped it around Doe’s neck, grabbed it and lifted her weight off the ground until she blacked out. Doe suffered numerous injuries from the prolonged assault.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Billings Man Admits Arranging for Commercial Sex with Minor Girl in Undercover Investigation

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

    BILLINGS — A Billings man accused of texting with undercover law enforcement to arrange for sex with a minor girl and showing up at an agreed-upon location admitted to a racketeering crime today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

    The defendant, Christopher Lynn Cliburn, 60, pleaded guilty to use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering as charged in a superseding information. Cliburn faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

    U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Cliburn was detained pending further proceedings.

    In court documents, the government alleged that on Nov. 16, 2023, law enforcement placed an ad on a website depicting a fictious 14-year-old girl. The ad suggested that the “girl” was willing to engage in sexual conduct for money. On Nov. 19, 2023, a phone number, later connected to Cliburn, responded to the ad. Cliburn and an undercover officer then engaged in a series of text communications in which the parties discussed meeting for commercial sex, potential sexual acts that the “girl” would perform and how much money Cliburn had. On Nov. 20, 2023, Cliburn indicated he was at the agreed-upon location in Billings and confirmed his presence by sending law enforcement a photograph.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

    XXX

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casten, Blumenauer Introduce Bill to Help Communities Facing Flood Damage

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Sean Casten (IL-06)

    September 25, 2024

    Washington DC — Today, Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) and Congressman Earl Blumenauer (OR-03) introduced the Protecting Families and the Solvency of the National Flood Insurance Program Act of 2024, which would authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide additional mitigation assistance to families affected by flooding and address the problems of delays in buyouts for communities facing repetitive losses.

    “Having spent my entire adult life fighting climate change, I am alarmed by the increased frequency and severity of flooding—devastating not only the coasts, but communities right here in the Midwest,” said Rep. Sean Casten. “In Illinois alone, there are over 400,000 homes and over 30,000 business properties with operational flooding risk. The science is crystal clear that this climate-driven devastation will only get worse and more costly, yet the National Flood Insurance Program remains woefully unprepared to meet the needs of communities hit hardest. After meeting with dozens of local mayors, municipal leaders, and first responders, I’m proud to introduce legislation to improve the buy-out program to help families facing climate-driven flood damage get the financial relief and help with voluntary relocation they need faster.”

    “Nowhere is the cost of failure more pronounced than the National Flood Insurance Program. We cannot afford to keep risking lives and taxpayer dollars by rebuilding structures in the same flood-prone areas as the climate crisis makes disasters more frequent and intense. With simple, preventative steps like my legislation with Congressman Casten, we can help disaster victims break the cycle of repetitive flood loss,” said Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

    FEMA provides funding for communities to purchase flood-prone properties and convert the land to open space. This property acquisition can be a beneficial strategy for flood mitigation. However, the buyout process poses challenges that can discourage homeowner and community participation. Currently, buyouts through the National Flood Insurance Program can take more than five years to complete through FEMA, far too long for families living in damaged and potentially hazardous houses. The bill would cut through the red tape to deliver buy-outs quicker to victims of flooding, especially in underserved communities. This bill will make buyouts more accessible, equitable, and efficient. In 2022, the Government Accountability Office conducted a study of FEMA’s buyout program and issued recommendations. One of the recommendations was to preapprove certain properties for acquisition, which is exactly what this bill does.

    Annual flooding in the U.S. costs up to $496 billion and will increase as a result of climate change, the cost of which will be borne disproportionately by disadvantaged communities. This increased frequency and severity of flooding will come not only from the coast, but from increased rainfall and riverine flooding across the country. 

    In Illinois, there are 413,129 residential properties, 50,977 miles of roads, 36,816 commercial properties, 996 infrastructure facilities, and 2,476 social facilities with operational flood risk* today.

    The Protecting Families and the Solvency of the National Flood Insurance Program Act of 2024:

    • Addresses the problem of delays in buyouts by authorizing buyouts-in-lieu-of-claim-payments in high-priority cases.
      • If the property has been identified as a repetitive loss or severe repetitive loss property
      • Has been designated by the participating community as substantially damaged.
      • Would otherwise be filing a claim for the maximum level of coverage.
      • Right now, a buyout looks at an effective floodplain.
    • Allows for additional assistance to residents who may wish to move but are unable to afford relocation by requiring FEMA to apply the special assistance provisions of the Uniform Relocation Act to buyouts.
    • Provides FEMA with authorities to provide an additional measure of mitigation assistance to currently underserved communities, in line with provisions in the Infrastructure and Jobs Act that make this allowance for the next 5 years and expands the current narrow definition of “small and impoverished” communities.
    • Incentivizes community action to address repeat flooding by offering access to and potentially a larger share of mitigation assistance funding for implementation of locally developed flood plans. 
    • Assures that FEMA assistance to address recurrent flooding, including buyout offers, is not limited to neighborhoods that have previously been mapped into FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas.

    Text of the legislation can be found here.

    The legislation has been endorsed by the Natural Resources Defense Council.

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Sustainable Riverbank Improvements in Hiawatha First Nation

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French

    Press release

    Hiawatha First Nation, Ontario, September 25, 2024 — Hiawatha First Nation has been allocated more than $430,000 through the Natural Infrastructure Fund to restore more than 3 kilometres of shoreline along Rice Lake to protect wildlife and reduce shoreline erosion.

    By working with nature, Hiawatha First Nation supports and protects biodiversity and human well-being. This restoration project involves integrating native plants to reduce shoreline erosion while creating protected habitat for various frog and fish species, as well as the culturally significant wild rice. A medicinal plant garden, boardwalk, pier and benches will also provide easier access to nature, promote use of the shoreline for community cultural practices, and create a welcoming and relaxing space for the community.

    Hiawatha First Nation is working to restore the land not only to ensure a more sustainable future, but also to create a peaceful place where community members can enjoy nature and ensure the land and wildlife are protected for many generations to come.

    Quotes

    “I am honoured to support this investment in the shoreline restoration of Rice Lake in partnership with Hiawatha First Nation. Investing in infrastructure, such as this shoreline restoration project, is essential to ensuring the sustainability of our environment. This project will support biodiversity through the restoration of natural habitats for plants and animals and, through the development of a medicinal plant garden, will create a healthy, sustainable and welcoming environment for all members of the community.”

    The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Restoring shorelines with native species is essential for many reasons. First, it is our Creator’s responsibility to care for our waters, and when we restore lakeshores with native plants, we improve the health of our lakes. Shoreline restoration helps improve water quality by removing pollutants and nutrients from runoff. Additionally, restoring shorelines with native species creates healthy, stable ecosystems, which strengthen habitats and food chains. Shoreline restoration is about caring for the water, the land, and all living creatures.”

    Laurie Carr, Chief, Hiawatha First Nation

    Quick Facts

    The federal government is committed to making our communities more liveable, sustainable and resilient by investing in the protection and restoration of natural environments.

    The federal government is investing $437,500 in this project through the Natural Infrastructure Fund (NIF).

    The Natural Infrastructure Fund supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to increase resilience to climate change, reduce carbon emissions, protect and preserve biodiversity and wildlife habitat, and promote Canadians’ access to nature.

    Examples of natural infrastructure include urban forests, street trees, wetlands, living seawalls, biological seawalls, and naturalized coastal restoration.

    Hybrid infrastructure incorporates elements of artificial grey infrastructure to enhance or support natural infrastructure and/or the use of ecosystem processes. Examples of hybrid infrastructure include green roofs and walls, and naturalized storm basins.

    A minimum of 10% of the overall program envelope will be allocated to projects led by Indigenous people.

    Related links

    Contact persons

    For further information (media only), please contact:

    Sofia OuslisCommunications AdvisorOffice of the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and CommunitiesSofia.ouslis@infc.gc.ca

    Media Relations Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada613-960-9251Toll free: 1-877-250-7154Email:media-medias@infc.gc.caFollow us onTwitter,Facebook,InstagramAndLinkedInWebsite:Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada

    Hayley Vogler Manager, Capital ProjectsHiawatha First Nation705-295-4421capitalmanager@hiawathafn.ca

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Security: Champaign, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to 324 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    URBANA, Ill. – A Champaign, Illinois, woman, Malaia A. Turner, 36, was sentenced on September 23, 2024, to 324 months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.

    At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Turner was a leader in a conspiracy responsible for obtaining large quantities of ice methamphetamine and other drugs from suppliers in California, Texas, and Illinois and transporting those drugs to the Central District of Illinois. After hearing that evidence, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce concluded Turner was a leader of the conspiracy and faced heightened penalties due to her leadership role.

    Turner was convicted following a four-day jury trial in May 2024. She has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since her arrest in August 2022.

    At sentencing, Turner faced statutory penalties of ten years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $10 million, and not less than a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from custody.

    The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Illinois State Police East Central Illinois Task Force; and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel E. Ritzer and Timothy J. Sullivan represented the government in the prosecution.

    This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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  • MIL-OSI Security: Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Receipt of Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor

    Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

    PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of the Western District of Pennsylvania has been sentenced to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by ten years of supervised release on his federal felony conviction pertaining to his receipt of material involving the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today.

    United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Shawn Michael Hoffman, age 41, following his guilty plea to this violation of federal law. In imposing the sentence, Judge Hardy emphasized the extremely serious nature of this federal offense and the harm the defendant caused to the minor victim.

    The one-count Information named Shawn Michael Hoffman, age 41, formerly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.

    According to the information presented to the court, in September 2019, Hoffman initiated online communications and solicited sexually explicit visual depictions of the minor. Hoffman also received visual depictions of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct using the internet and cellular phone.

    Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

    This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Manchin, Romney, Warner, Braun Introduce Bipartisan Resilience Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
    September 25, 2024
    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Mark Warner (D-VA) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced the Reassuring Economic Stability In Light of International, Economic, and Natural Conflicts and Emergencies (RESILIENCE) Act. The bipartisan legislation would require the U.S. Treasury Secretary and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct annual examinations on the federal government’s ability to respond to hypothetical domestic and international fiscal shocks.
    “This past July, our national debt exceeded $35 trillion for the first time in history. Make no mistake – this is the greatest threat America is facing,” Senator Manchin said. “I’m proud to introduce the RESILIENCE Act with my bipartisan colleagues to establish these critical, comprehensive annual examinations of our nation’s finances, which will better inform Congress and the American public on the most effective solutions for getting our fiscal house back in order. Every West Virginian and American is personally responsible for managing the debts they incur and the federal government must be held to the same standard for the sake of our children, grandchildren and the American Dream.”
    “With the national debt at a staggering $35 trillion, our country is on the fast track to fiscal calamity,” said Senator Romney. “It’s not outside of the realm of possibility that a national or global event—such as a recession, armed conflict, or domestic energy crisis—would expedite that process and leave American families, businesses, and our country in economic peril. Better understanding the federal government’s abilities to respond to major, unanticipated economic events will equip us with needed insight to help proactively strengthen the United States’ resilience to potential fiscal shocks.”
    “This common-sense legislation requires the federal government to conduct annual tests to ensure that our finances can withstand potentially catastrophic global events,” Senator Warner said. “It is our responsibility to ensure that we are not caught on our heels when responding to the next crisis, and this legislation would do just that.”
    “Our nation’s fiscal health is in dire straits and the enormous national debt is the number one threat to our national security. The RESILIENCE Act would establish a thorough examination of our federal government’s finances, so we can reestablish fiscal discipline and make sure we are prepared for any domestic or international crisis,” said Senator Braun.
    Specifically, this annual examination would assess the ability of the federal government to respond to the following events:
    An economic recession or depression;
    A domestic energy crisis;
    A catastrophic natural disaster;
    A health crisis, such as a pandemic;
    A significant armed conflict or event;
    A significant cyberattack; and
    A financial crisis.
    As it does already with the annual Financial Report of the United States Government, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) would conduct an independent review of the examination and relay its findings to Congress and the American public.
    The full text of the RESILIENCE Act is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Kaine & McConnell Applaud Final Rule to Raise Minimum Age for Tobacco Sales Set by Their Bill

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Virginia Tim Kaine
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) applauded a final rule issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding ID requirements for the purchase of tobacco products at retail establishments. The rule will go into effect on September 30. This rule was required by Kaine and McConnell’s bipartisan Tobacco-Free Youth Act, which became law in December 2019 and raised the minimum age to buy all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21. Additionally, a recent survey by the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) concluded the number of young people in America smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in the last decade.
    “I’m glad the FDA issued final guidance to implement our bipartisan legislation to raise the tobacco age to 21,” said Kaine. “I was proud to work with Senator McConnell to get this legislation signed into law. Our bipartisan bill has already made a huge difference in keeping tobacco products away from young people, and this final rule will only further these efforts.”
    “Youth e-cigarette use was at its peak just five years ago. That’s when I introduced legislation along with Senator Kaine to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Today, the number of young people smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in a decade,” said McConnell. “I’m glad to see the FDA finally produce this rule that will help keep even more children from getting their hands on addictive vaping devices. While more work remains, I’m grateful to see our bipartisan legislation making a big impact.”
    In 2022 and again in 2023, Kaine and McConnell pushed the FDA to issue this final rule. The final FDA rule requires retailers to ask for photo identification for anyone under the age of 30 and prohibits retailers from selling tobacco products via vending machines in facilities where individuals under 21 are present or permitted to enter at any time.
    Kaine has long championed policies to limit tobacco use and promote public health. In March 2022, Kaine successfully secured a provision in the Fiscal Year 2022 government funding bill to close a loophole that allowed e-cigarette companies that use synthetic nicotine in their products to avoid government oversight. In September 2021, Kaine and Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) pressed the FDA on its delay of a decision on whether companies with the largest shares of the e-cigarette market can keep selling their products. As Governor of Virginia, Kaine signed a bill into law to ban smoking in bars and restaurants in the Commonwealth and issued an executive order to ban smoking in state buildings and vehicles.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Deeply personal NFB docs and animation showcased at the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Newfoundland filmmaker Tamara Segura’s National Film Board of Canada (NFB) feature documentary Seguridad headlines an impressive selection of women’s cinema from the NFB at the 2024 St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF), taking place October 22–26.

    Powerful NFB lineup includes Newfoundland director Tamara Segura’s feature Seguridad and Halifax animator Andrea Dorfman’s short Hairy Legs

    September 24, 2024 – Halifax – National Film Board of Canada (NFB)

    Newfoundland filmmaker Tamara Segura’s National Film Board of Canada (NFB) feature documentary Seguridad headlines an impressive selection of women’s cinema from the NFB at the 2024 St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival (SJIWFF), taking place October 22–26.

    Seguridad was just named Best Atlantic Documentary at the Atlantic International Film Festival in Halifax.

    From elsewhere in Atlantic Canada, Halifax filmmaker Andrea Dorfman’s new animated short Hairy Legs will screen at the festival.

    SJIWFF will also be presenting the Atlantic premieres of two feature docs from Toronto directors: Laurie Townshend’s A Mother Apart (Oya Media Group/NFB) and Anishinaabe filmmaker Lisa Jackson’s Wilfred Buck (Door Number 3 Productions/NFB).

    About the films

    Seguridad by Tamara Segura (76 min) | Friday, October 25, at 7 p.m., Majestic Theatre
    Producers: Annette Clarke and Rohan Fernando
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/seguridad

    • Once named “Cuba’s youngest soldier” in a publicity stunt, Newfoundland-based filmmakerTamara Segura explores her father’s troubled past and its connection to the Cuban Revolution. She returns to Cuba after four years away, camera in hand, hoping to make amends. But her father’s sudden death forces Segura to confront the past and the role Cuba’s highly militarized system played in his downfall.
    • Tamara Seguragraduated from the prestigious International Film School of San Antonio de los Baños (EICTV). Her films have received awards in Spain, Cuba, Canada and Mexico. Based in Newfoundland since 2012, Segura previously worked with the NFB on such films as Song for Cuba (2014) and Becoming Labrador (2018), and is an instructor at the College of the North Atlantic.

    Hairy Legs by Andrea Dorfman (17 min) | Friday, October 25, at 7 p.m., LSPU Hall
    Producers: Liz Cowie and Rohan Fernando
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/hairy-legs

    • Andrea Dorfman’s animated short film documents a 13-year-old girl’s small yet life-changing act of rebellion on the road to womanhood and feminism. Deciding not to shave her legs led the filmmaker to question and ultimately defy society’s expectations. With charm, warmth and humour, Hairy Legscaptures the universality of girls exploring gender, curiosity and freedom as they evolve from spending exuberant, carefree days on their bicycles to facing and defying stereotypes.
    • Andrea Dorfman has written and directed many award-winning documentaries, features and animated films, including the NFB-produced Flawed(2010), Big Mouth (2012) and feature doc The Girls of Meru (2018). Dorfman’s video collaborations with poet-musician Tanya Davis, How to Be Alone (2010) and How to Be at Home (2020), became YouTube sensations.

    A Mother Apart by Laurie Townshend (89 min) | Wednesday, October 23, at 7 p.m., LSPU Hall
    Producers: Alison Duke and Ngardy Conteh George (Oya Media Group); Justine Pimlott (NFB)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/a-mother-apart

    • How do you raise a child when your own mother abandoned you? In a remarkable story of healing and forgiveness, Jamaican-American poet and LGBTQ+ activist Staceyann Chin, renowned for performances in Def Poetry Slamand hit solo shows like MotherStruck!, radically re-imagines the essential art of mothering. In seeking her elusive mother—a trail that leads to Brooklyn, Montreal, Cologne and, finally, Jamaica—Staceyann and her daughter forge a new sense of home.
    • Laurie Townshendis a Toronto-based filmmaker, writer and educator. Her films centre on the human capacity to transform small acts of courage into quiet revolutions, as seen in the dramatic short The Railpath Hero (2013, TIFF Black Star Series), the unscripted series Human Frequency Streetdocs (2014) and the award-winning short doc Charley (2016).

    Wilfred Buck by Lisa Jackson (92 min) | Saturday, October 26, at 2:30 p.m., Majestic Theatre
    Producers: Lisa Jackson (Door Number 3 Productions), Lauren Grant (Clique Pictures); Alicia Smith (NFB)
    Press kit: mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/wilfred-buck

    • This hybrid, time-travelling road triptakes us into the stellar life of charismatic Cree Elder, star expert and ceremonial leader Wilfred Buck, adapted from Buck’s rollicking memoir I Have Lived Four Lives. Jackson’s portrait of Buck moves between earth and sky, past and present, bringing to life ancient teachings of Indigenous astronomy and cosmology to tell a story that spans generations. 
    • Lisa Jacksonis an Anishinaabe (Aamjiwnaang) filmmaker whose work has garnered two Canadian Screen Awards, been nominated for a Webby and screened at top festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, SXSW, London BFI and Hot Docs. Her 2018 NFB VR experience Biidaaban: First Light was viewed by more than 25,000 people, while her film Indictment won Best Doc at imagineNATIVE. Jackson has been honoured with the 2022 Chicken & Egg Award as well as the 2021 DOC Vanguard Award.

    – 30 –

    Stay Connected

    Online Screening Room: nfb.ca
    NFB Facebook | NFB Twitter | NFB Instagram | NFB Blog | NFB YouTube | NFB Vimeo
    Curator’s perspective | Director’s notes

    About the NFB

    Lily Robert
    Director, Communications and Public Affairs, NFB
    C.: 514-296-8261
    l.robert@nfb.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Polis and Division of Criminal Justice Announce $3 Million in Crime Prevention and Crisis Intervention Grants Awarded to 15 Colorado Organizations

    Source: US State of Colorado

    LAKEWOOD — Governor Polis and the Division of Criminal Justice announced the 15 Colorado organizations across ten counties who are the recipients of the State Multidisciplinary Crime Prevention and Crisis Intervention funding (CPCI), a total of $3 million. 

    From Boulder to La Plata County, these grants will support agencies over a 21-month funding period and contribute to implementing community-based programs focused on crime prevention and crisis intervention strategies. 

    “We are committed to making Colorado communities safer for everyone, and that includes investing in the organizations on the ground who are doing effective work to prevent crime. Congratulations to all the recipients and keep up the great work,” said Governor Jared Polis. 

    The CPCI Grant Program aims at improving public safety and creating one of the safest states in the country by investing in crime prevention and crisis intervention programs. Recipients of the grant are based in rural counties and urban areas. 

    “Grants play a crucial role in enhancing the safety of our communities by providing essential resources for crime prevention and intervention programs,” said Matthew M. Lunn, Colorado Division of Criminal Justice director. “They empower local communities to address public safety challenges through innovative solutions and collaborative efforts. By investing in these initiatives, we strengthen the foundation of a safer, more resilient Colorado for everyone.” 

    Here are a few examples of how grant recipients are working to prevent crime. 

    Axis Health System received a CPCI grant in collaboration with the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office to expand its co-responder program. The program dispatches a deputy and a clinician to address mental health and behavioral health crises, and connects individuals to wrap-around services to meet their needs for food, clothing, shelter, and other resources. 

    Similarly, the Public Health Department in Rio Grande County received funding to implement two programs, Botvin’s Life Skills Training and Strengthening Families, in the San Luis Valley. These evidence-based programs are proven to prevent or reduce youth delinquency by targeting known risk and protective factors. This rural, multidisciplinary project involves public health, behavioral health, public schools, Colorado State University (CSU) Extension, CSU prevention researchers, youth and family service providers, and local families, among other stakeholders. 

    The Latino Coalition for Community Leadership (LCCL), a CPCI grant recipient, is known for building collaborative partnerships among some of Metro Denver’s Black and Latino-led grassroots groups that serve communities hardest hit by violence. Through their Violence Interruption and Healing Collaborative project, targeting Denver, Adams, and Arapahoe Counties in areas with high rates of violent crime, LCCL will provide training and technical assistance, as well as subgrants, to violence interruption organizations to build their capacity to implement Community Violence Intervention Strategies, an approach that uses evidence-informed strategies to reduce violence through tailored community-centered initiatives. LCCL will also facilitate working relationships between the organizations and local government agencies, with a focus on public health organizations and local law enforcement. 

    The full list of 2024 grant recipients are listed below. 

    The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice’s 2024 CPCI awards are based on the State’s FY 2025 appropriation for HB24-1421, Modifying Public Safety Program Funding. The Multidisciplinary Crime Prevention and Crisis Intervention (CPCI) Advisory Committee, whose membership is representative of the communities where crime is disproportionately high, reviews applications and makes recommendations based on communities with greatest need, the applicant’s level of cultural and population specific competency, and level of collaboration. 

    The CPCI Advisory Committee approved the awards announced below: 

    Arapahoe County 
    Agency: Second Chance Center, Inc. 
    Project Title: Safe Homes, Safe Communities 
    Grant Amount: $81,468 

    Agency: Collaborative Healing Initiative Within Communities 
    Project Title: Re-Enter, Re-Build, Re-Start (R3) 
    Grant Amount: $200,000 

    Boulder County 
    Agency: Bridge House 
    Project Title: Work and Housing First in Mitigating Recidivism 
    Grant Amount: $148,694 

    Denver County 
    Agency: Apprentice of Peace Youth Organization 
    Project Title: AOPYO Youth Center for Behavioral Health 
    Grant Amount: $81,468 

    Agency: Denver Healing Generations 
    Project Title: Denver Healing Generations Calmecac Program 
    Grant Amount: $81,468 

    Metro Denver (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Jefferson, Gilpin) 
    Agency: Fully Liberated Youth 
    Project Title: Violence Interruption Through School-Based Prevention Services for High-Risk Young People 
    Grant Amount: $200,000 

    Agency: Latino Coalition for Community Leadership
     Project Title: Violence Interruption and Healing Collaborative 
    Grant Amount: $700,000 

    Agency: Tribe Recovery Homes 
    Project Title: Crime Prevention and Crisis Intervention through Peer Support Services 
    Grant Amount: $240,498 El Paso County 

    Agency: Educating Children of Color, Inc. 
    Project Title: A year-round program to reduce juvenile delinquency, achieve educational equity, empower youth, and dismantle the cradle-to-prison pipeline 
    Grant Amount: $120,000 

    Agency: Inside Out Youth Services 
    Project Title: ALLY Up for LGBTQIA2+ Violence Prevention 
    Grant Amount: $150,000 

    Agency: Relevant Word Ministries 
    Project Title: Pursuing Academic & Cultural Excellence (PACE) Mentoring Program for Crime Prevention and Community Resilience 
    Grant Amount: $110,000 

    La Plata County 
    Agency: Axis Health Partners 
    Project Title: Axis + La Plata County Sheriff’s Office Co-responder Program 
    Grant Amount: $300,000 

    Pueblo County 
    Agency: Southern Colorado Harm Reduction Association
    Project Title: SoCo Harm Reduction: Pathways to Multidisciplinary Services 
    Grant Amount: $200,000 

    Agency: Servicios de La Raza, Inc. 
    Project Title: Just and Equitable Approaches to Crime Prevention and Intervention Services for Latinos and other Indigenous Communities 
    Grant Amount: $300,000 

    Rio Grande County 
    Agency: Rio Grande County Public Health Department 
    Project Title: Rio Grande County San Luis Valley: Partnership Strengthening Juvenile Delinquency Prevention 
    Grant Amount: $88,500 

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Casey Introduces Suite of Bills to Expand Access to Community College

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Pennsylvania Bob Casey
    Casey’s bills would make community college programs more accessible and valuable for students
    Bills would spur investment in new and existing community college infrastructure in underserved areas, make it easier for college students to receive degrees when they have completed requirements
    Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) introduced a suite of bills to strengthen American community colleges and make their programs more accessible and valuable for students. Two of the bills would spur investment in new and existing community college infrastructure in underserved areas. The package also includes the Correctly Recognizing Educational Achievements to Empower (CREATE) Graduates Act, which would resolve an issue preventing some community college students from receiving degrees for which they have completed the requirements.
    “Community college programs help young Americans compete for jobs, earn higher wages, and build brighter futures,” said Senator Casey. “I introduced these bills to expand access to community college and ensure students can fully take advantage of the benefits these programs have to offer. I will always fight to make sure every young American has access to the education they need to reach their full potential.”
    More than two-thirds of jobs in the modern economy require some education and training beyond high school, but many Americans lack access to affordable, quality postsecondary education. Approximately 35 million people, or 10 percent of the country’s population, live in education deserts: areas with zero or only one public broad-access college nearby. The legislative package Casey introduced today would invest in new community college infrastructure in these areas, while also bolstering existing programs around the country.
    The Funding Community College Infrastructure Act would create a $10 billion grant program within the Department of Education to invest in expanding community college access. Existing community colleges, states, local governments, and municipalities would be eligible for grant funding to establish or expand community colleges and programs to underserved areas, as well as address infrastructure needs at existing community colleges to help them serve students.
    The Community College Infrastructure Financing Act would create a bond program to provide interest-free financing for community colleges, which will allow existing community colleges, States, local governments, and municipalities, to issue “Qualified Community College Bonds” to establish or expand community colleges and programs to underserved areas, as well as address existing infrastructure needs to help them serve students. The bond’s interest would be covered through a federal tax credit to the bondholder in lieu of an interest payment by the municipality.
    Each year, thousands of community college students transfer to four-year institutions before receiving a degree. These students complete additional courses at those institutions, which if taken at a community college, would have earned them an associate degree. However, if these students leave the four-year university before graduation, they are left with nothing to show for their hard work, even though they have fulfilled the requirements for a shorter degree. The CREATE Graduates Act will help students receive the degrees that they have already earned by creating incentives for institutions of higher education to establish “reverse transfer” programs, or initiatives to transfer back credits from a four-year institution to the community college where a student without a degree was initially enrolled. As a result, this bill will allow eligible students to obtain the associate degree that they have earned and, consequently, be more competitive when they enter the job market and ready to succeed.
    Read more about the Funding Community College Infrastructure Act and the Community College Infrastructure Financing Act here. Read more about the CREATE Graduates Act here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski, Hirono Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Hold Judiciary Accountable for Workplace Misconduct

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
    09.25.24
    Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee introduced the bicameral, bipartisan Judiciary Accountability Act of 2024 (JAA). The legislation would ensure the more than 30,000 employees of the federal judiciary have strong statutory rights and protections against discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and other forms of workplace misconduct and will guide further conversations with stakeholders and experts about a legislative solution to protect the rights of judiciary employees. U.S. Representatives Hank Johnson (D-GA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Norma Torres (D-CA) introduced a House companion bill.
    “The Judiciary Accountability Act expands federal laws that prohibit workplace harassment and discrimination to employees of the judiciary, putting them on par with executive branch, congressional, and private sector employees who have long-had these protections,” said Senator Murkowski. “This legislation not only helps safeguard employees from mistreatment at work, but also establishes a review system to foster accountability when those rights are violated. I appreciate the opportunity to lead this bipartisan legislation with Senator Hirono to cultivate transparency and a positive working environment within the judicial branch.”
    “No one is above the law, but most federal judiciary employees lack essential workplace protections, preventing them from obtaining justice when they face discrimination and harassment,” said Senator Hirono. “Employees of the federal judiciary dedicate their careers to providing justice, and they deserve justice when they face misconduct in the workplace. Yet these employees are among the only ones in the United States who lack the right to sue when they face discrimination or harassment. The Judiciary Accountability Act will help to protect the 30,000 federal judiciary employees by extending basic anti-discrimination protections to cover them, giving them access to federal court to vindicate those rights, and helping to ensure more accountability in the federal courts.”
    The foundational federal statutes—such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—generally do not apply to the federal judiciary, making it one of the only employers in the entire country–public or private–whose employees are not protected by federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination and retaliation. The federal judiciary has faced sustained criticism for its approach to preventing, investigating, and remedying sexual harassment and discrimination by judges and others in the judicial branch.
    This year, back-to-back reports were released—one from the from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the other from the Federal Judicial Center and National Academy of Public Administration—underscoring that although the Judiciary has taken steps to implement an internal dispute resolution process, that process can be disjoined and confusing. Moreover, no part of that process provides judiciary employees a path to vindicate their rights in court.
    The Judiciary Accountability Act will:
    • Give judicial branch employees the same anti-discrimination rights and remedies private sector and government employees have had for decades. Today, most judicial branch employees are not protected by the federal civil rights statutes that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, and disability. The Judiciary Accountability Act would correct that injustice.
    • Protect judicial branch employees from retaliation against them by providing them with the right to sue for relief if they are retaliated against. Unlike other federal employees, most judicial branch employees currently have no statutory protection against retaliation. At a House Judiciary Committee hearing in 2020, multiple witnesses testified that they and others were afraid to come forward about the sexual harassment they suffered or witnessed.
    • Establish a comprehensive workplace misconduct prevention program overseen by an improved and expanded Office of Judicial Integrity. The Office’s Board of Directors would include members experienced in investigating and enforcing civil rights laws against workplace discrimination, as well as experience assisting victims of discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment and sexual assault. The Office would administer a nationwide, confidential reporting system and a comprehensive training program addressing workplace behavior and bystander intervention, among other duties.
    • Require regular assessments of workplace culture to determine the effectiveness of judicial branch policies designed to prevent and remedy harassment and discrimination.
    • Make clear that discrimination and retaliation constitute judicial misconduct and ensure that the judicial misconduct laws apply to all federal judges, regardless of whether they subsequently resign, retire, or pass away.
    The full text of the legislation is available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Cortez Masto Receives NALEO’s 2024 Edward R. Roybal Award for Outstanding Public Service

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    In Case You Missed It, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) was awarded the 2024 Edward R. Roybal Award for Outstanding Public Service by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO). She accepted the award at the Edward R. Roybal Legacy Celebration this week. U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and President and CEO of the Vegas Chamber of Commerce Mary Beth Sewald spoke at the celebration to honor Senator Cortez Masto for her bipartisan work for working families and small businesses in Nevada and across the country.
    “I’m honored to receive such a meaningful award, and I want to thank NALEO for its tireless advocacy on behalf of Latinos throughout our country. I also want to thank Mary Beth and Senator Luján for your kind words and your partnership,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “From local school boards to state government to federal delegations, Latinos are making policy that reflects our nation’s diversity and that ensures nobody gets left behind. I may be the first Latina in the Senate, but I know I won’t be the last, and I’m working every day to make sure of it.”
    “As the first and only Latina Senator, Catherine is inspiring the next generation of leaders to continue a legacy of fighting for our communities and making things better for everyone. Senator Cortez Masto is one of the most effective leaders in the Senate – always willing to reach across the aisle and work with anyone who will deliver for her constituents and the American people,” said Senator Luján. “I was honored to join our friends and colleagues in recognizing Senator Cortez Masto’s leadership. I am lucky to count her as a mentor and a friend.”
    “It is my profound honor to be here this evening to pay tribute to U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto,” said Mary Beth Sewald, President & CEO of Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. “From her own upbringing in Las Vegas, she understands that families and small businesses are the economic generator and the fabric of our national economy, and she has a record of working to pass legislation to make it easier to get a good-paying job, own a business, and build a better life. On behalf of the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees, your fellow Nevadans, and all of us who are blessed to know you, a heartfelt congratulations on earning the Edward R. Roybal, Legacy Award for Outstanding Public Service.”
    Established in 1996, the Edward R. Roybal Award for Outstanding Public Service is presented to individuals who have distinguished themselves as devoted public servants to the nation and the Latino community. The award pays tribute to the organization’s founder and President Emeritus, the late Congressman Edward R. Roybal. For more information about the NALEO and the Edward R. Roybal Legacy Celebration, click HERE.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Marat Khusnullin visited the Lugansk People’s Republic

    MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Marat Khusnullin inspected a number of objects as part of a working visit to the Luhansk People’s Republic. Inspection of a kindergarten in Severodonetsk

    September 25, 2024

    Marat Khusnullin inspected a number of facilities during his working visit to the Luhansk People’s Republic. Inspection of a dormitory in Luhansk

    September 25, 2024

    Marat Khusnullin inspected a number of objects during his working visit to the Luhansk People’s Republic. Dormitory in Luhansk

    September 25, 2024

    Marat Khusnullin inspected a number of sites during a working visit to the Luhansk People’s Republic. Construction College in Severodonetsk

    September 25, 2024

    Marat Khusnullin held a meeting on issues of socio-economic development of the Lugansk People’s Republic

    September 25, 2024

    Marat Khusnullin held a meeting on issues of socio-economic development of the Lugansk People’s Republic

    September 25, 2024

    Previous news Next news

    Marat Khusnullin inspected a number of objects as part of a working visit to the Luhansk People’s Republic. Inspection of a kindergarten in Severodonetsk

    During his working visit, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin inspected a number of sites in Severodonetsk and Lugansk, and also held a meeting on issues of socio-economic development of the LPR.

    “In general, I would like to note that I am satisfied with the pace of work that is underway in Severodonetsk. It is clear that the city is being transformed. I stopped by the boiler house of the 83rd microdistrict. Its modernization is ongoing under the supervision of the Territorial Development Fund. In the last heating season, the facility heated residents of 111 houses and 8 social facilities with one boiler. The task for specialists this year is to launch the second boiler in order to triple the number of consumers with centralized heat this winter,” said Marat Khusnullin.

    In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister inspected the building of nursery-kindergarten No. 42 for 280 children, which was built in 1983 and required repairs. The major repairs were carried out under the supervision of the Unified Customer PPC. Marat Khusnullin instructed the local administration to quickly close all organizational issues so that children would be able to attend the institution.

    The Deputy Prime Minister also spoke with students at the restored College of Industrial, Construction and Household Technologies.

    In Lugansk, the Deputy Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of the restoration of the Volodymyr Dahl Lugansk State University. There, the builders have already commissioned two dormitory buildings. According to Marat Khusnullin, students will live in comfortable conditions. In general, the total area of the restoration facilities exceeds 71 thousand square meters.

    The Deputy Prime Minister also visited a building materials store in Lugansk. He noted that the cost of goods is at the average Russian level, and set the task of expanding the range of local manufacturers.

    At the end of his working visit, the Deputy Prime Minister held a meeting on the socio-economic development of the LPR.

    “We discussed the budget for the next three years, outlined a range of priority tasks that we will continue to work on. In addition, we touched upon the issues of implementing the new national project “Infrastructure for Life” in new regions. We must understand how we will implement it here,” Marat Khusnullin emphasized.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    http://government.ru/nevs/52798/

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gov. Kemp Declares State of Emergency, Activates State Operations Center Ahead of Helene

    Source: US State of Georgia

    Atlanta, GA – Governor Brian P. Kemp directed the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) to activate the State Operations Center (SOC) in preparation for Hurricane Helene, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane before making landfall in Florida on Thursday. He declared a State of Emergency yesterday for all 159 counties, enabling emergency management teams to make necessary arrangements and position needed resources ahead of the storm’s impact. Governor Kemp has also asked FEMA to grant Georgia an emergency declaration to further marshal resources and deploy them where most needed before, during, and after the major weather event.

    “The current forecast for Hurricane Helene suggests this storm will impact every part of our state,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “We are not taking anything for granted, which is why I have directed appropriate state agencies to work around the clock to ensure we’re prepared for whatever is heading our way. I want to thank them for their diligence and ask that all Georgians make preparations now to keep their families and property safe.”

    Forecasters expect Helene to move into Georgia Thursday evening and early Friday morning, with tropical storm force winds and heavy rain possible throughout the state, potentially leading to spin-off tornadoes, downed trees and power lines, flooding, and other major impacts. The State Operations Center (SOC) elevated to a full-scale activation level at 7 a.m. this morning, and GEMA/HS will continue to monitor and aid local emergency management agencies for the duration of the event.

    “As we closely monitor the development of Hurricane Helene, the safety of Georgians remains our top priority. GEMA/HS is working around the clock in coordination with local, state, and federal partners to ensure that we are fully prepared for any potential impacts,” said GEMA/HS Director Chris Stallings. “We’ve pre-positioned resources, enhanced communication channels and are advising residents to stay informed and take the necessary precautions. Our team is ready to respond to emergencies and assist communities as needed, and we encourage everyone to follow official guidance to stay safe.”

    In case of flooding, do not drive or walk through standing water or drive around barricades. Stay away from downed power lines to avoid the risk of electric shock or electrocution. If a tornado warning is issued, storm cellars or basements provide the best protection. If an underground shelter is not available, go to a small, windowless interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible.

    For more information on how to prepare, visit https://gema.georgia.gov/hurricanes and https://gema.georgia.gov/plan-prepare/ready-georgia.

    As part of the Office of the Governor, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency collaborates with local, state and federal governments in partnership with private sector and non-governmental organizations to protect life and property against man-made and natural emergencies. GEMA/HS’s Ready Georgia website and preparedness campaign provides Georgians with the knowledge needed to effectively prepare for disasters. Go to gema.georgia.gov/plan-prepare/ready-georgia for information on developing a custom emergency plan and Ready kit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Looking back and moving forward: Marking 20 Years of NATO – Istanbul Cooperation Initiative partnership

    Source: NATO

    NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called for stronger, more strategic and results-orientated partnerships with countries in the Gulf region during an event in the margins of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday (25 September 2024). Hosted by the Crown Prince of Kuwait, his Highness Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Sabah, the event celebrated 20 years of NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI). It brought together NATO’s four ICI partners (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates) as well as Saudi Arabia, Oman and the Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

    Mr. Stoltenberg thanked the Crown Prince for hosting the anniversary event and reaffirmed the importance of the NATO-ICI partnership as a platform for cooperation, highlighting its evolution and achievements. The Secretary General underlined areas of close cooperation between NATO and the ICI partners – including cyber defence, security sector reform, climate change, energy security, maritime security, and the protection of critical infrastructure. “During these two decades, our cooperation has grown from strength to strength”, he said, praising the Gulf partners’ contributions and participation.

    Mr. Stoltenberg emphasized that, when faced with “a deeply deteriorated security environment, we see more than ever that our security is not regional, but global”, closer cooperation with partners in the Gulf and wider Middle East region is a necessary step. He outlined the decisions taken by Allies at the Washington Summit in July 2024 to increase NATO’s engagement in the Middle East, North Africa and the Sahel. Referring to Javier Colomina’s appointment as the new Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood, the Secretary General stated that it is “the first time the Alliance has a dedicated focal point for this work”. He also referred to the upcoming​opening of the NATO Liaison Office in Jordan, the broadened scope of the training mission in Iraq, the NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre in Kuwait and the Hub for the South in Naples, which provide “an even stronger basis on which to take our partnerships forward”, said the Secretary General.

    The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI) was launched in 2004 and provides a partnership forum to practical cooperation and political dialogue between NATO and partner countries in the Gulf region. Four countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, have joined the initiative, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

    The NATO-Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Regional Centre in Kuwait (NIRC) opened in 2017 and helps strengthen political dialogue, education and training, and public diplomacy. The centre was inaugurated in 2017 by Secretary General Stoltenberg, marking NATO’s first such presence in the Gulf region.

    MIL Security OSI –