NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Statement from the Mayor of London

    Source: Mayor of London

    The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I respect the decision made by the jury today following a full examination of a large amount of evidence – including video from the incident. 

    “In London, we police by consent. When anyone loses their life following contact with the police, it’s important that it is properly and thoroughly investigated, which is what’s happened in this case.

    “Firearms officers work under the most extraordinary pressure, carrying with them unique responsibilities and often putting themselves in harm’s way to protect others. 

    “I understand the impact Chris Kaba’s death has had on London’s communities and the anger, pain and fear it has caused. I send my heartfelt sympathies to Chris Kaba’s family, friends and the wider community once again.  

    “There’s clearly still a wider lack of trust in the police, particularly within the Black community, that needs to be addressed. As Mayor, I will continue to work with the Government to support and hold the Metropolitan Police to account to ensure any lessons are learnt and the Met commands the trust of all Londoners as we build a safer London for everyone.”

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Security News: Justice Department Issues Comprehensive Proposed Rule Addressing National Security Risks Posed to U.S. Sensitive Data

    Source: United States Department of Justice 2

    Note: Read the Department’s fact sheet on this matter here.

    The Justice Department today issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to implement President Biden’s Executive Order 14117 (the E.O.) of Feb. 28, “Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern.” The E.O. addresses the national security threat posed by the continued effort of certain countries of concern to access and exploit certain kinds of Americans’ sensitive personal data. The President charged the Justice Department with the responsibility of establishing and implementing this new national security regulatory program to address these risks. On March 5, the Department’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) was published in the Federal Register. Informed by extensive stakeholder outreach and careful consideration of comments the NPRM addresses public comments received on the ANPRM and proposes a rule to establish this new program and implement the E.O.

    This comprehensive proposed rule would implement the E.O. by establishing categorical rules for certain data transactions that pose an unacceptable risk of giving countries of concern or covered persons access to government-related data or bulk U.S. sensitive personal data. Among other things, the proposed rule identifies classes of prohibited and restricted transactions, identifies countries of concern and classes of covered persons to whom the proposed rule applies, identifies classes of exempt transactions, explains the Department’s methodology for establishing bulk thresholds, provides the Department’s initial assessment of economic and other regulatory impacts, establishes processes to issue licenses authorizing certain prohibited or restricted transactions, issue advisory opinions, and designate covered persons, and addresses recordkeeping, reporting, and other due-diligence obligations for covered transactions.

    The Justice Department’s National Security Division requests public comment on the proposed rule within 30 days of its publication in the Federal Register. The Department seeks comments on the proposed rule from industry, trade association groups, civil society, subject-matter experts, organizations and entities potentially affected by the proposed rule, and others with interest in the rule or expertise on data security and cybersecurity. The public may submit written comments on the NPRM at http://www.regulations.gov.

    The proposed rule is tailored to address the specific national security risks stemming from access by countries of concern and covered persons to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and certain sensitive U.S. government-related data. These measures complement the United States’ commitment to promoting an open, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet; protecting human rights online and offline; supporting a vibrant, global economy by promoting cross-border data flows that are required to enable international commerce and trade; and facilitating open investment.

    As previewed in the ANPRM, the proposed rule does not authorize the imposition of generalized data localization requirements to store Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data or U.S. Government-related data or to locate computing facilities used to process such data in the United States. As also previewed in the ANPRM, the proposed rule also does not broadly prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in commercial transactions, including exchanging financial and other data as part of the sale of commercial goods and services with countries of concern or covered persons, or impose measures aimed at a broader decoupling of the substantial consumer, economic, scientific, and trade relationships that the United States has with other countries. To reflect this, the NPRM proposes a new exemption for telecommunications services, provides further clarity on exemptions regarding financial services and intra-corporate-group transfers that were previewed in the ANPRM, and seeks public comment on a new proposed exemption for clinical-trial data.

    The proposed rule’s prohibitions and restrictions are consistent with other access restrictions on sensitive personal data that have been imposed in other contexts, including for transactions reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector (Team Telecom). As the ANPRM previewed, the proposed rule exempts several classes of data transactions from the scope of its prohibitions and restrictions, including certain personal communications, financial services, corporate group transactions, transactions authorized by Federal law and international agreements, investment agreements subject to a CFIUS action, telecommunication services, biological product and medical device authorizations, clinical investigations, and others.

    As explained in the NPRM, countries of concern can use their access to these types of data to engage in malicious cyber-enabled activities and malign foreign influence activities, bolster their military capabilities, and track and build profiles on U.S. individuals (including members of the military and other Federal employees and contractors) for illicit purposes such as blackmail and espionage. Countries of concern can also exploit this data to collect information on activists, academics, journalists, dissidents, political opponents, or members of nongovernmental organizations or marginalized communities to intimidate them, curb political opposition, limit freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, or association, or enable other forms of suppression of civil liberties.

    The proposed rule would require vendor agreements, employment agreements, and investment agreements that qualify as restricted transactions to comply with the separately proposed security requirements that have been developed by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) in coordination with the Justice Department. These proposed security requirements require U.S. persons engaging in a restricted transaction to comply with organizational and system-level requirements, such as ensuring that basic organizational cybersecurity policies, practices, and controls are in place, and data-level requirements, such as data minimization and masking, encryption, and privacy-enhancing techniques. CISA is concurrently making these proposed security requirements available for public comment at http://www.regulations.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: 35 Years Ago: STS-34 Sends Galileo on its Way to Jupiter

    Source: NASA

    On Oct. 18, 1989, space shuttle Atlantis took off on its fifth flight, STS-34, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. Its five-person crew of Commander Donald E. Williams, Pilot Michael J. McCulley, and Mission Specialists Shannon W. Lucid, Franklin R. Chang-Díaz, and Ellen S. Baker flew a five-day mission that deployed the Galileo spacecraft, managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, to study Jupiter. The astronauts deployed Galileo and its upper stage on their first day in space, sending the spacecraft on its six-year journey to the giant outer planet. Following its arrival at Jupiter in December 1995, Galileo deployed its atmospheric probe while the main spacecraft entered orbit around the planet, studying it in great detail for eight years.
    Left: The STS-34 crew of Mission Specialists Shannon W. Lucid, sitting left, Franklin R. Chang-Díaz, and Ellen S. Baker; Commander Donald E. Williams, standing left, and Pilot Michael J. McCulley. Middle: The STS-34 crew patch. Right: The Galileo spacecraft in Atlantis’ payload bay in preparation for STS-34.
    In November 1988, NASA announced Williams, McCulley, Lucid, Chang-Díaz, and Baker as the STS-34 crew for the flight planned for October 1989. Williams and Lucid, both from the Class of 1978, had each flown once before, on STS-51D in April 1985 and STS-51G in June 1985, respectively. Chang-Díaz, selected in 1980, had flown once before on STS-61C in January 1986, while for McCulley and Baker, both selected in 1984, STS-34 represented their first spaceflight. During their five-day mission, the astronauts planned to deploy Galileo and its Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) on the first flight day. Following the Galileo deployment, the astronauts planned to conduct experiments in the middeck and the payload bay.
    Left: Voyager 2 image of Jupiter. Middle: Galileo as it appeared in 1983. Right: Illustration of Galileo’s trajectory from Earth to Jupiter.
    Following the successful Pioneer and Voyager flyby missions, NASA’s next step to study Jupiter in depth involved an ambitious orbiter and atmospheric entry probe. NASA first proposed the Jupiter Orbiter Probe mission in 1975, and Congress approved it in 1977 for a planned 1982 launch on the space shuttle. In 1978, NASA renamed the spacecraft Galileo after the 17th century Italian astronomer who turned his new telescope toward Jupiter and discovered its four largest moons. Delays in the shuttle program and changes in the upper stage to send Galileo from low Earth orbit on to Jupiter resulted in the slip of its launch to May 1986, when on Atlantis’ STS-61G mission, a Centaur upper stage would send the spacecraft toward Jupiter.
    The January 1986 Challenger accident not only halted shuttle flights for 31 months but also canceled the Centaur as an upper stage for the orbiter. Remanifested onto the less powerful IUS, Galileo would require gravity assist maneuvers at Venus and twice at Earth to reach its destination, extending the transit time to six years. Galileo’s launch window extended from Oct. 12 to Nov. 21, 1989, dictated by planetary alignments required for the gravity assists. During the transit, Galileo had the opportunity to pass by two main belt asteroids, providing the first closeup study of this class of objects. Upon arrival at Jupiter, Galileo would release its probe to return data as it descended through Jupiter’s atmosphere while the main spacecraft would enter an elliptical orbit around the planet, from which it would conduct in depth studies for a minimum of 22 months.
    Left: The Galileo atmospheric probe during preflight processing. Middle: The Galileo orbiter during preflight processing. Right: Space shuttle Atlantis arrives at Launch Pad 39B.
    The Galileo atmospheric probe arrived at KSC on April 17 and the main spacecraft on May 16, following which workers joined the two together for preflight testing. Meanwhile, Atlantis returned to KSC on May 15, following the STS-30 mission that deployed the Magellan spacecraft to Venus. The next day workers towed it into the Orbiter Processing Facility to prepare it for STS-34. In KSC’s Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB), workers began stacking the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) on June 15, completing the activity on July 22, and then adding the External Tank (ET) on July 30. Atlantis rolled over to the VAB on Aug. 22 for mating with the ET and SRBs. Galileo, now mated to its IUS, transferred to Launch Pad 39B on Aug. 25, awaiting Atlantis’ arrival four days later.
    The next day, workers placed Galileo into Atlantis’ payload bay and began preparations for the Oct. 12 launch. The Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test took place on Sept. 14-15, with the astronauts participating in the final few hours as on launch day. A faulty computer aboard the IUS threatened to delay the mission, but workers replaced it without impacting the planned launch date. The five-member astronaut crew arrived at KSC Oct. 9 for final preparations for the flight and teams began the countdown for launch. A main engine controller problem halted the countdown at T minus 19 hours. The work required to replace it pushed the launch date back to Oct. 17. On that day, the weather at the pad supported a launch, but clouds and rain at the Shuttle Landing Facility several miles away, and later rain at a Transatlantic (TAL) abort site, violated launch constraints, so managers called a 24-hour scrub. The next day, the weather cooperated at all sites, and other than a brief hold to reconfigure Atlantis’ computers from one TAL site to another, the countdown proceeded smoothly.
    Left: STS-34 astronauts pose following their Sept. 6 preflight press conference. Middle: Liftoff of Atlantis on the STS-34 mission. Right: Controllers in the Firing Room watch Atlantis take to the skies.
    Atlantis lifted off Launch Pad 39B at 12:53 p.m. EDT on Oct. 18. As soon as the shuttle cleared the launch tower, control shifted to the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where Ascent Flight Director Ronald D. Dittemore and his team of controllers, including astronaut Frank L. Culbertson serving as the capsule communicator, or capcom, monitored all aspects of the launch. Following main engine cutoff, Atlantis and its crew had achieved orbit. Forty minutes later, a firing of the two Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engines circularized the orbit at 185 miles. The astronauts removed their bulky Launch and Entry Suits (LES) and prepared Atlantis for orbital operations, including opening the payload bay doors.
    Left: Galileo and its Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) in Atlantis’ payload bay, just before deployment. Middle: Galileo and its IUS moments after deployment. Right: Galileo departs from the shuttle.
    Preparations for Galileo’s deployment began shortly thereafter. In Mission Control, Flight Director J. Milton Heflin and his team, including capcom Michael A. Baker, took over to assist the crew with deployment operations. The astronauts activated Galileo and the IUS, and ground teams began checking out their systems, with the first TV from the mission showing the spacecraft and its upper stage in the payload bay. Lucid raised Galileo’s tilt table first to 29 degrees, McCulley oriented Atlantis to the deployment attitude, then Lucid raised the tilt table to the deploy position of 58 degrees. With all systems operating normally, Mission Control gave the go for deploy.
    Six hours and 20 minutes into the mission, Lucid deployed the Jupiter-bound spacecraft and its upper stage, weighing a combined 38,483 pounds. “Galileo is on its way to another world,” Williams called down. The combination glided over the shuttle’s crew compartment. Williams and McCulley fired the two OMS engines to move Atlantis a safe distance away from the IUS burn that took place one hour after deployment, sending Galileo on its circuitous journey through the inner solar system before finally heading to Jupiter. The primary task of the mission accomplished, the astronauts prepared for their first night’s sleep in space.
    STS-34 crew Earth observation photographs. Left: The Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. Middle left: Jamaica. Middle right: Greece. Right: The greater Tokyo area with Mt. Fuji at upper left.
    For the next three days, the STS-34 astronauts focused their attention on the middeck and payload bay experiments, as well as taking photographs of the Earth. Located in the payload bay, the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet experiment, managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, measured ozone in the Earth’s atmosphere and compared the results with data obtained by weather satellites at the same locations. The comparisons served to calibrate the weather satellite instruments. Baker conducted the Growth Hormone Concentrations and Distributions in Plants experiment, that investigated the effect of the hormone Auxin in corn shoot tissue. Three days into the mission, she placed plant canisters into a freezer to arrest plant growth and for postflight analysis. Chang-Díaz and Lucid had prime responsibility for the Polymer Morphology experiment, developed by the 3M Company. They used a laptop to control experiment parameters as the hardware melted different samples to see the effects of weightlessness. Baker conducted several medical investigations, including studying blood vessels in the retina, changes in leg volume due to fluid shifts, and carotid blood flow.
    Left: The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet experiment in Atlantis’ payload bay. Middle: Ellen S. Baker, right, performs a carotid blood flow experiment on Franklin R. Chang-Díaz. Right: Chang-Díaz describes the Polymer Mixing experiment.
    Left: The STS-34 crew poses on Atlantis’ fight deck. Middle: Atlantis touches down at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Right: The STS-34 astronauts pose in front of Atlantis.
    On Oct. 23, the astronauts awakened for their final day in space. Because of high winds expected at the primary landing site at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), managers moved the landing up by two revolutions. In preparation for reentry, the astronauts donned their orange LESs and closed the payload bay doors. Williams and McCulley oriented Atlantis into the deorbit attitude, with the OMS engines facing in the direction of travel. Over the Indian Ocean, they fired the two engines for 2 minutes 48 seconds to bring the spacecraft out of orbit. They reoriented the orbiter to fly with its heat shield exposed to the direction of flight as it encountered Earth’s atmosphere at 419,000 feet. The buildup of ionized gases caused by the heat of reentry prevented communications for about 15 minutes but provided the astronauts a great light show. The entry profile differed slightly from the planned one because Atlantis needed to make up 500 miles of cross range since it returned two orbits early. After completing the Heading Alignment Circle turn, Williams aligned Atlantis with the runway, and McCulley lowered the landing gear. Atlantis touched down and rolled to a stop, ending a 4-day 23-hour 39-minute flight, having completed 79 orbits of the Earth. Following postlanding inspections, workers placed Atlantis atop a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing-747, and the combination left Edwards on Oct. 28. Following refueling stops at Biggs Army Airfield in Texas and Columbus AFB in Mississippi, Atlantis and the SCA arrived back at KSC on Oct. 29. Workers began to prepare it for its next flight, STS-36 in February 1990.
    Left: An illustration of Galileo in orbit around Jupiter. Right: Galileo’s major mission events, including encounters with Jupiter’s moons during its eight-year orbital study.
    One hour after deployment from Atlantis, the IUS ignited to send Galileo on its six-year journey to Jupiter, with the spacecraft flying free of the rocket stage 47 minutes later. The spacecraft’s circuitous path took it first to Venus on Feb. 10, 1990, back to Earth on Dec. 8, 1990, and again on Dec. 8, 1992, each time picking up velocity from the gravity assist to send it on to the giant planet. Along the way, Galileo also passed by and imaged the main belt asteroids Gaspra and Ida and observed the crash of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 onto Jupiter. On Dec. 7, 1995, the probe plummeted through Jupiter’s dense atmosphere, returning data along the way, until it succumbed to extreme pressures and temperatures. Meanwhile, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter and far exceeded its 22-month primary mission, finally plunging into the giant planet on Sept. 21, 2003, 14 years after leaving Earth. During its 35 orbits around Jupiter, it studied not only the planet but made close observations of many of its moons, especially its four largest ones, Ganymede, Callisto, Europa, and Io.
    Left: Galileo image of could formations on Jupiter. Right: Closeup image of terrain on Europa.
    Of particular interest to many scientists, Galileo made 11 close encounters with icy Europa, coming as close as 125 miles, revealing incredible details about its surface. Based on Galileo data, scientists now believe a vast ocean lies beneath Europa’s icy crust, and heating from inside the moon may produce conditions favorable for supporting life. NASA’s Europa Clipper, launched on Oct. 14, 2024, hopes to expand on Galileo’s observations when it reaches Jupiter in April 2030.
    Enjoy the crew narrated video of the STS-34 mission. Read Williams‘ recollections of the STS-34 mission in his oral history with the JSC History Office.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Welch Joins Warren, Schakowsky in Pushing to Require Law-Breaking Drug Companies to Reinvest Profits in NIH & FDA for Medical Research

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
    Medical Innovation Act applies to pharmaceutical companies who are found guilty or are accused of breaking the law and settle with the federal government.
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) joined U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL-09) in introducing the Medical Innovation Act of 2024, which would require large pharmaceutical companies that are accused of breaking the law and settle with the federal government to reinvest a small percentage of their profits into the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 
    “The Medical Innovation Act is a commonsense way to advance more medical research by holding shady pharmaceutical companies accountable when they break the law,” said Senator Welch. “I led this bill as a member of the House and am fighting today with my colleagues Senator Warren and Representative Schakowsky to maintain America’s leadership in biomedical science.” 
    “Big Pharma shouldn’t be able to defraud the federal government and get away with just a slap on the wrist,” said Senator Warren. “This bill will help us save lives by ensuring giant drug companies that enter into settlement agreements with the federal government chip in to fund the next generation of medical research.” 
    “For too long, drug companies that rely on federally-funded research to develop their blockbuster drugs have gotten away with defrauding consumers and taxpayers,” said Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. “The Medical Innovation Act would make it more difficult for these drug companies to game the system by requiring them to provide a share of their profits to increase investments in biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. We can continue to be a leading force in medical innovation and this legislation will help ensure that we have the means to cure diseases and save lives.” 
    In 2023, the NIH only had funds for 23% of the applications it received, contributing to a huge medical innovation gap. At the same time, pharmaceutical companies have been accused of defrauding Medicare and Medicaid, marketing drugs for unapproved uses, illegally incentivizing doctors to prescribe drugs, lying about the safety of their drugs, and violating other criminal and civil laws. The companies have settled many of these claims with the federal government, treating the fines as a cost of doing business. Most recently, Teva Pharmaceuticals agreed to pay the Justice Department $450 million to settle a set of lawsuits alleging that the company defrauded Medicare and conspired with other drug-makers to illegally inflate the prices of two generic drugs. Between 2019 and October 2024, the Department of Justice pursued new actions against or settled cases with at least 40 pharmaceutical companies.  
    The Medical Innovation Act would:  
    Require pharmaceutical companies accused of breaking the law to reinvest a small percentage of their profits in NIH and FDA. These payments would increase with the severity of the settlement penalty, and would only be required of companies that rely on federally-funded research to develop billion-dollar, “blockbuster” drugs.   
    Invest in life-saving medical innovation through the NIH and FDA. Payments collected through this bill would be used to develop treatments and diagnostics to address unmet medical needs; support research grants for early career scientists; research diseases that disproportionately contribute to federal health care spending; and advance basic biomedical research, among other uses. 
    Promote sustained investments in biomedical research. To ensure that the Act results in a net increase in funding for medical research, money from the supplemental settlement fees would only be available in years that annual appropriations for NIH and FDA are equal to or greater than appropriations for the agencies in the prior fiscal year.     
    Senator Welch introduced the Medical Innovation Act as a Member of the House of Representatives in the 114th Congress alongside Senator Warren and they have pushed for the legislation since 2015. The Medical Innovation Act is cosponsored this Congress by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).  
    This bill is endorsed by the National Women’s Health Network, AIDS United, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Society of Behavioral Medicine, Families USA, Public Citizen, and the Massachusetts Medical Society.  
    View the bill text of the Medical Innovation Act.   
    Read more about the Medical Innovation Act.  

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt: Federal Infrastructure Investment Completion and 75th Anniversary of Kootenay National Park

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Federal Infrastructure Investment Completion and 75th Anniversary Kootenay National Park.

    Renovations and improvements

     

    From 2016 to early 2024, Parks Canada completed $29 million in federally funded infrastructure updates at the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt to improve safety while modernizing and enhancing the visitor experience. Special attention was taken to hire local contractors wherever possible to ensure that the local community, for whom the hot springs are a primary economic driver, continued to benefit while construction was underway.

    This work was part of a strategic effort to preserve the historical significance of the site while improving its facilities to meet contemporary standards of comfort and to improve accessibility. This included updates to the bathing pools and amenities. Upgrades to technology were also achieved.

    ·  Infrastructure Improvements: The Aquacourt infrastructure was upgraded to ensure safety and efficiency. This included updates to plumbing, electrical systems, mechanical systems and some structural enhancements to prolong the lifespan of the facility. These improvements also support conservation with the incorporation of green technologies.

    ·  Accessibility Enhancements: Efforts were made to improve accessibility for all those who visit. This involved installing and upgrading handrails and lifts and improving entry and exit to the site. The facility can now better accommodate individuals with mobility challenges.

    ·  Aesthetic and Comfort Upgrades: The interior and exterior of the Aquacourt underwent renovations to enhance the aesthetic appeal and comfort of the facility. This included renovating the restaurant, gift shop, and change rooms.

    ·  Environmental Sustainability: Measures were taken to promote environmental sustainability during the renovation process by installing energy-efficient geothermal energy systems to reduce the Aquacourt’s carbon footprint. Structural upgrades to culverts under the building have also safeguarded nearby fish habitats.

                                                                                                                  -30-

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Significant federal infrastructure improvements completed at Radium Hot Springs in Kootenay National Park

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Upgrades and repairs to beloved Aquacourt ensures the future of this heritage building.

    Upgrades and repairs to beloved Aquacourt ensures the future of this heritage building.

    October 21, 2024            Radium Hot Springs, British Columbia             Parks Canada

    The Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt, located in Kootenay National Park, hosts more than 200,000 visitors each year. The hot mineral waters that flow from the ground have drawn people to this place since time immemorial. These hot springs were known and used, both recently and historically, by the Ktunaxa and Secwépemc people for their therapeutic properties. They are sacred places of healing and rejuvenation.

    Today, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced the completion of a federal infrastructure project to update and renew the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt building of approximately $29 million. Members of the community marked the completion of the renovations at an event that also recognized the 75th anniversary of the start of construction of the Aquacourt. Building the Aquacourt was the first major construction project undertaken in the western national parks following the Second World War. The upgrades means that the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt now offers a modern, safe, accessible and inclusive experience for visitors and community members alike.

    Investments in the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt modernized the mechanical and electrical systems, including the installation of energy-efficient technology to leverage geothermal energy from the hot springs. The building was made more resilient to climate change through upgrades to the cold pool that help protect it from flooding and improve visitor safety. The installation of culverts under the building direct water flow to protect the foundation from erosion while safeguarding nearby fish habitats. The renovated restaurant, gift shop, and change rooms will support improved visitor experiences, along with a new rooftop sundeck and upgraded accessibility features including handrails, lifts, and improvements to the site entry and exit.

    Through infrastructure investments, the Government of Canada protects and conserves national treasures, while supporting local economies and contributing to growth in the tourism sector. By investing in the Radium Hot Springs Aquacourt, a Classified Federal Heritage Building, the Government of Canada is ensuring that future generations can continue to connect with nature in Kootenay National Park for years to come. These repairs and improvements ensure public safety and positive visitor experiences, support Parks Canada conservation efforts by incorporating green technologies and safeguarding natural habitats, strengthen climate resilience and protect built heritage in Canada. 

                                                                                                             -30-

    Hermine Landry
    Press Secretary     
    Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
    873-455-3714
    hermine.landry@ec.gc.ca

    Lindsay McPherson
    External Relations Manager
    Lake Louise, Yoho, Kootenay Field Unit
    Parks Canada
    867-678-5667
    Lindsay.McPherson@pc.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Justice Department Issues Comprehensive Proposed Rule Addressing National Security Risks Posed to U.S. Sensitive Data

    Source: US State of North Dakota

    Proposed Rule Would Establish New Program to Implement Executive Order to Prevent Access to Americans’ Sensitive Personal Data by Russia, Iran, China, and Other Countries of Concern

    Note: Read the Department’s fact sheet on this matter here.

    The Justice Department today issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to implement President Biden’s Executive Order 14117 (the E.O.) of Feb. 28, “Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern.” The E.O. addresses the national security threat posed by the continued effort of certain countries of concern to access and exploit certain kinds of Americans’ sensitive personal data. The President charged the Justice Department with the responsibility of establishing and implementing this new national security regulatory program to address these risks. On March 5, the Department’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) was published in the Federal Register. Informed by extensive stakeholder outreach and careful consideration of comments the NPRM addresses public comments received on the ANPRM and proposes a rule to establish this new program and implement the E.O.

    This comprehensive proposed rule would implement the E.O. by establishing categorical rules for certain data transactions that pose an unacceptable risk of giving countries of concern or covered persons access to government-related data or bulk U.S. sensitive personal data. Among other things, the proposed rule identifies classes of prohibited and restricted transactions, identifies countries of concern and classes of covered persons to whom the proposed rule applies, identifies classes of exempt transactions, explains the Department’s methodology for establishing bulk thresholds, provides the Department’s initial assessment of economic and other regulatory impacts, establishes processes to issue licenses authorizing certain prohibited or restricted transactions, issue advisory opinions, and designate covered persons, and addresses recordkeeping, reporting, and other due-diligence obligations for covered transactions.

    The Justice Department’s National Security Division requests public comment on the proposed rule within 30 days of its publication in the Federal Register. The Department seeks comments on the proposed rule from industry, trade association groups, civil society, subject-matter experts, organizations and entities potentially affected by the proposed rule, and others with interest in the rule or expertise on data security and cybersecurity. The public may submit written comments on the NPRM at http://www.regulations.gov.

    The proposed rule is tailored to address the specific national security risks stemming from access by countries of concern and covered persons to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and certain sensitive U.S. government-related data. These measures complement the United States’ commitment to promoting an open, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet; protecting human rights online and offline; supporting a vibrant, global economy by promoting cross-border data flows that are required to enable international commerce and trade; and facilitating open investment.

    As previewed in the ANPRM, the proposed rule does not authorize the imposition of generalized data localization requirements to store Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data or U.S. Government-related data or to locate computing facilities used to process such data in the United States. As also previewed in the ANPRM, the proposed rule also does not broadly prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in commercial transactions, including exchanging financial and other data as part of the sale of commercial goods and services with countries of concern or covered persons, or impose measures aimed at a broader decoupling of the substantial consumer, economic, scientific, and trade relationships that the United States has with other countries. To reflect this, the NPRM proposes a new exemption for telecommunications services, provides further clarity on exemptions regarding financial services and intra-corporate-group transfers that were previewed in the ANPRM, and seeks public comment on a new proposed exemption for clinical-trial data.

    The proposed rule’s prohibitions and restrictions are consistent with other access restrictions on sensitive personal data that have been imposed in other contexts, including for transactions reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector (Team Telecom). As the ANPRM previewed, the proposed rule exempts several classes of data transactions from the scope of its prohibitions and restrictions, including certain personal communications, financial services, corporate group transactions, transactions authorized by Federal law and international agreements, investment agreements subject to a CFIUS action, telecommunication services, biological product and medical device authorizations, clinical investigations, and others.

    As explained in the NPRM, countries of concern can use their access to these types of data to engage in malicious cyber-enabled activities and malign foreign influence activities, bolster their military capabilities, and track and build profiles on U.S. individuals (including members of the military and other Federal employees and contractors) for illicit purposes such as blackmail and espionage. Countries of concern can also exploit this data to collect information on activists, academics, journalists, dissidents, political opponents, or members of nongovernmental organizations or marginalized communities to intimidate them, curb political opposition, limit freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, or association, or enable other forms of suppression of civil liberties.

    The proposed rule would require vendor agreements, employment agreements, and investment agreements that qualify as restricted transactions to comply with the separately proposed security requirements that have been developed by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) in coordination with the Justice Department. These proposed security requirements require U.S. persons engaging in a restricted transaction to comply with organizational and system-level requirements, such as ensuring that basic organizational cybersecurity policies, practices, and controls are in place, and data-level requirements, such as data minimization and masking, encryption, and privacy-enhancing techniques. CISA is concurrently making these proposed security requirements available for public comment at http://www.regulations.gov.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Bybit Card Expands Cashback Options to Include BTC and ETH

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Oct. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, is thrilled to announce the expanded cashback program for its signature Bybit Card. In addition to the current option to receive cashback in USDT, Bybit Card users may opt to receive BTC or ETH cashback for the first time, enabling holders to increase BTC or ETH holdings and potentially capture market upside when prices go up.

    The limited-time offer is an innovative Bybit Card feature to introduce more rewards options into the mix, rotating different tokens with each campaign. From now until the rewards pool is fully unlocked, users who are bullish on BTC or ETH can potentially boost their holdings through everyday spendings with their Bybit Card. 

    Receiving cashback in these two dominant cryptocurrencies takes just three steps: 

    1. Signing up for the Bybit Card (if available in the user’s region)
    2. Loging in and selecting BTC or ETH as the preferred cashback option via the Cash Rewards page
    3. Spending with the Bybit Card for daily purchases and reveiving up to 10% cashback

    Tailored to the diverse needs of the crypto community, the Bybit Card is positioned to provide flexibility with both crypto cashback or stablecoin (USDT) cashback. This allows users to align their rewards strategy with their financial goals:

    • BTC or ETH cashback goes to the user’s crypto portfolios with every swipe, capturing potential market gains for crypto optimists and fans of the classic pair. 
    • USDT cashback offers more predictable rewards, providing a potential option for users who prioritize stability over market exposure

    “Bybit’s vision for an integrated financial future centers on delivering convenience, meeting real-world consumer needs, and providing seamless access to crypto assets,” said Joan Han, Sales and Marketing Director at Bybit. “With our expanded cashback options, users can now grow their BTC and ETH holdings through everyday spending. We believe the new feature is a value-add for our users, transforming the Bybit Card from a simple payment tool into a gateway for users to participate in the market’s potential upside.”

    The Bybit Card empowers users to offramp their crypto in daily spendings. Featuring instant access to over 90 million Mastercard merchants worldwide and Bybit’s support for a wide array of tokens, the card also offers a generous tiered cashback program, with rewards ranging from 2% to 10%.

    The feature is available for eligible Bybit Card users in applicable regions only. Terms and conditions apply: Bybit Card – BTC/ETH Crypto CashBack

    #Bybit / #TheCryptoArk

    About Bybit

    Bybit is the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, serving over 50 million users. Established in 2018, Bybit provides a professional platform where crypto investors and traders can find an ultra-fast matching engine, 24/7 customer service, and multilingual community support. Bybit is a proud partner of Formula One’s reigning Constructors’ and Drivers’ champions: the Oracle Red Bull Racing team.

    For more details about Bybit, please visit Bybit Press. 

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

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

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

    Discord | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Reddit | Telegram | TikTok | X | Youtube

    Contact

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

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Jasper’s wildfire recovery is challenged by its unique land classification and the approaching winter

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Jack L. Rozdilsky, Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management, York University, Canada

    On July 24, 2024, one-third of the structures in Jasper, Alta. were destroyed when the Jasper Complex Wildfire burnt an estimated 32,722 hectares.

    As a researcher of disaster and emergency management, I visited Jasper in October to observe disaster recovery efforts there.

    The Municipality of Jasper and its federal partners are actively managing the recovery. The municipality has submitted an application for $73.14 million in expenditures for reimbursement from Alberta’s provincial Disaster Recovery Program.

    For those outside of the disaster zone, the message is that Jasper still exists and it is open for business. In the meantime, visitors need to be aware that residents are facing daunting tasks in a recovery effort that will take not months but years.

    Visiting Jasper

    As I approached Jasper from the south, through the fire-scarred Jasper National Park, I was first struck by what visually appears as a wasteland of burnt sticks in a black, brown and grey landscape.

    Burned trees in Jasper National Park landscape.
    (J. Rozdilsky), CC BY

    Proceeding into Jasper, the landscape transforms into the disfigured skeletal remains of noncombustible portions of structures — the buildings have been reduced to piles of charred, rusting and decomposing objects in vast debris fields.

    However, portions of Jasper’s built environment did survive the fire, and it is entirely possible to spend time in some parts of the town that remained intact rather than looking like a burnt-out war zone.

    Clean-up challenges

    A very visible and immediate challenge to Jasper’s practical recovery is the removal of debris.

    A streetlamp lies on the ground in Jasper, outside what remains of the Wicked Cup Café.
    (J. Rozdilsky), CC BY

    Work is underway to expedite bulk debris removal action. The action would work by removing debris across multiple properties at the same time by using one contractor.

    One of the challenges of removing the debris is the rapid approach of winter. November sees the most snowfall in Jasper, with an average snowfall of 135 millimetres.

    Despite best efforts being made, if large tracts of disaster debris become frozen in place over winter, such a situation will impede recovery progress in 2025.

    In addition to health hazards and special worker safety related to fire debris, improper management of disaster debris can impede the timely recovery of the affected area.

    Land classification

    Less visible, but nonetheless important, challenges facing disaster recovery in Jasper are unfolding policy dilemmas related to a very nuanced land tenure situation. Rules of land tenure define how access is granted to rights to use, control and transfer land, as well as associated responsibilities and restraints.

    From the public administrative perspective, Jasper is not your typical Canadian town. It is formally a provincially classified specialized municipality that exists within the boundaries of federally administered national park lands governed under the National Parks Act.

    The situation means disaster recovery will take place under a unique set of rules governing everything from land use decisions to one’s right to reside in Jasper. In Jasper, residents own their homes, but not the property they sit on; the Crown is the only landowner in the park.

    Until an amendment to the Canada Parks Act known as Bill C-76 received royal assent on Oct. 3, 2024, Jasper’s local government did not have the ability to exercise control over its own land use and planning. Under Bill C-76, the Municipality of Jasper will formally take authority over specific elements of land-use planning and development that were previously held by Parks Canada.

    However, this nuanced land tenure situation in Jasper will complicate recovery. Unanticipated consequences of overlapping interests will occur as several parties in Jasper are allocated different rights to the same parcel of land.

    Collective recovery

    A sign that Jasper was moving in the right direction was evidenced by a municipally based public information campaign consisting of posters in the town centre. The headline on the poster was “We’re in this together.”

    A poster for a public information campaign addressing residents and visitors to Jasper.
    (J. Rozdilsky), CC BY

    The left column of the poster addresses Jasper residents, while the righthand side speaks directly to visitors. Visitors were advised to “ask us about our town, the park and our community. Try not to ask us what we lost in the fire.”

    The “We’re in this together” theme related to recovery applies beyond local affairs. For those far outside of Jasper, now is the time to support the town’s unique role as a national asset, facilitating access of 2.5 million visitors yearly to Canadian natural areas.

    For Jasper’s disaster recovery, we are indeed all in this together.

    Jack L. Rozdilsky receives support for research communication and public scholarship from York University. He also has received research support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

    – ref. Jasper’s wildfire recovery is challenged by its unique land classification and the approaching winter – https://theconversation.com/jaspers-wildfire-recovery-is-challenged-by-its-unique-land-classification-and-the-approaching-winter-241135

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Van Orden, Maloy Introduce Bill Cutting Red Tape for Remote Veterans to Access Eyeglass Fittings

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Derrick Van Orden (Wisconsin 3rd)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representatives Derrick Van Orden (WI-03) and Celeste Maloy (UT-02) introduced the Servicemember’s Eyeglasses Efficiency Act (SEE Act). This bill would add eyeglass lens fittings to the list of medical treatments covered by the Veterans Community Care Program, increasing access to care for millions of veterans in remote areas.

    “Veterans in rural Wisconsin should not have to drive hours to Tomah, Madison, or Milwaukee for a simple eyeglass fitting,” said Rep. Van Orden. “I have made a commitment to our veterans to improve their healthcare and quality of life, and that is why I am proud to join Rep. Maloy in introducing the SEE Act. This legislation is a practical step toward ensuring veterans can access the care they deserve, without unnecessary barriers.”

    “Veterans in rural Utah have expressed frustration about having to travel hundreds of miles just to be fitted for eyeglasses. Making this basic service more accessible is a good step towards improving healthcare for our veterans,” said Rep. Maloy. “The SEE Act is a great example of how representative government should work: finding a solution to a federal problem raised by the people we represent.” 

    Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), and John Curtis (UT-03) are original cosponsors. 

    “I’ve heard from many Central Oregon veterans concerned with a lack of accessible health care. Supporting community care fixes this problem by allowing them to find care in their communities without traveling to a VA facility. I’m proud to cosponsor the SEE Act, which would improve eye care options for our nation’s veterans by expanding community care coverage,” said Rep. Chavez-DeRemer. 

    “Current VA guidelines do not cover veterans’ eyeglass fittings outside of a VA facility,” said Rep. Miller-Meeks. “With a quarter of veterans living in rural areas, that is a burden for millions who served our nation. The SEE Act would give veterans more flexibility and save the VA money in travel and lodging reimbursement costs.  As an Ophthalmologist and a veteran from Iowa, I am proud to join Rep. Maloy in supporting the SEE Act to give veterans enhanced access to eyecare.” 

    “Requiring veterans in Utah to travel hundreds of miles for eyeglass fittings is nonsense. I’m pleased to support legislation making healthcare just a little more accessible for our veterans, who deserve convenient and quality care after their service to our country,” said Rep. Curtis.  

    Background: 

    A quarter of U.S. vets (6.4 million) live in rural parts of the country and one third wear glasses. VA Community Care Networks (CCNs), created by the Mission Act in 2018, allow some veterans to access basic care in their communities without traveling to VA facilities. However, the Mission Act only lists “optometric services” and “vision testing” as eyecare services covered by CCNs. The VA does not consider eyeglass fittings to be covered. As a result, veterans in rural parts of Utah are forced to drive upwards of 500 miles roundtrip for eyeglass fittings at VA facilities.  

    Adding eyeglass fittings to the list of treatments covered by Community Care Networks would help veterans and save the VA money in travel and lodging reimbursement costs. 

    Read the full text of the bill here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dan Goldman Calls for CDC Study on Gun Violence as Adverse Childhood Experience

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Estimated 3 Million American Children Exposed to Gun Violence Per Year, Potentially Traumatic Impact Following Throughout Their Lives

    Read the Letter Here

    New York, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) joined Congresswoman Summer Lee (PA-12) and 20 Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Mandy K. Cohen, MD, MPH, calling on the CDC to include gun violence as part of its Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) screening tools and prioritize research on the trauma caused by gun violence in children. An ACE is a traumatic event or set of events that occurs for a person during childhood (0-17 years) and can continue to have effects on an individual throughout their life.

    “Many clinicians and professionals across the country will screen children for ACEs as it provides them with information on the likelihood of whether that child may be experiencing toxic stress,” the Members wrote. “Experiencing toxic stress, particularly for children, can impact many things, including their physical and mental health, their brain development, and their ability to succeed and thrive later on in life. Once an ACE clinical assessment has been completed, clinicians can create individualized plans to address and mitigate the harm a child is experiencing due to the ACEs. Gun violence needs to be explicitly part of these ACE screening tools.”

    As the leading cause of death for children in the United States, gun violence will have an impact on an estimated 3 million children every year. On average, 23 children and teens are shot a day. Of those children and teens shot, 74 percent will survive but carry emotional and sometimes physical scars for the rest of their lives, while the other 26 percent, will die – often a result of gun homicide. Additionally, the firearm suicide rate among children in the U.S. increased by 57 percent over the past decade.

    “Such high rates of daily gun violence mean that American children are threatened, afraid or traumatized where they live, play, and, infamously, where they learn. This compounding trauma is something that needs to be explicitly captured and more broadly defined when it comes to screening for ACEs. The CDC needs to provide additional guidance for clinicians and professionals to be able to capture the trauma from gun violence in their respective screening mechanisms,” the Members continued.

    Read the letter here or below:

    Dear Director Cohen,

    We are writing today to urge the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide guidance on how to include gun violence in future Adverse Childhood Experience (ACEs) screening tools, prioritize studying gun violence as an Adverse Childhood Experience and prioritize funding, including policy evaluation research, focused on assessing the trauma caused by gun violence in our country.

    An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) is a traumatic event or set of events that occurs for a person during childhood (0-17 years). Many clinicians and professionals across the country will screen children for ACEs as it provides them with information on the likelihood of whether that child may be experiencing toxic stress. Experiencing toxic stress, particularly for children, can impact many things, including their physical and mental health, their brain development, and their ability to succeed and thrive later on in life. Once an ACE clinical assessment has been completed, clinicians can create individualized plans to address and mitigate the harm a child is experiencing due to the ACEs. Gun violence needs to be explicitly part of these ACE screening tools.

    Far too many American children — an estimated 3 million each year — are exposed to gun violence. Gun violence is the leading cause of death among children and teens in our country. On average, 23 children and teens are shot a day. Seventeen of those youth will survive but carry emotional and sometimes physical scars for the rest of their lives; six of those youth will die. The majority of those deaths are due to gun homicide, which encompasses everything from stray bullets to domestic violence and disproportionately impacts Black and Brown youth.

    Though gun homicide accounts for the most youth deaths, firearm suicide rates are rising at an alarming rate. Over the past decade, the firearm suicide rate among children in the U.S. increased by a staggering 57%. Today, although the majority of youth suicide victims are white, the firearm suicide rate for children of color is rapidly increasing. Such high rates of daily gun violence mean that American children are threatened, afraid or traumatized where they live, play, and, infamously, where they learn. This compounding trauma is something that needs to be explicitly captured and more broadly defined when it comes to screening for ACEs. The CDC needs to provide additional guidance for clinicians and professionals to be able to capture the trauma from gun violence in their respective screening mechanisms.

    Additionally, the CDC’s ongoing research regarding ACEs serves as a robust framework for comprehensively understanding childhood trauma. ACEs wield significant influence on future experiences of violence and long-term health outcomes and opportunities throughout one’s life. Scientific and medical research on a variety of public health issues has led to policy changes that have saved lives for decades, which is why Congress has, on a bipartisan basis, appropriated funds for the CDC to study firearm injury and mortality prevention research since Fiscal Year 2020. To that end, we request that you provide an overview of the CDC’s plans to study firearm violence, specifically as it relates to studying gun violence as it relates to an ACE and assessing the overall trauma that people are experiencing today living under the constant threat of gun violence.

    We thank you for your engagement on this issue and stand ready to use this critical research to shape public policy to ensure that gun violence is neither the leading cause of death for children nor a primary cause of trauma for children.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dan Goldman Leads Democratic Efforts to Put a Spotlight on Project 2025 With New Documentary Style Video Series

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

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

    Video Series Comes as Democrats Seek to Employ New Strategies to Meet the American People Where They Are, Capitalize on Strength of Social and Non-Traditional Media

    Series Features 13 Members of Congress, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Planned Parenthood Vice President Karen Stone, NY League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe, and Accountable.US President Caroline Ciccone

    View Video on Project 2025’s Threat to Democracy Here

    View the Trailer for the Series Here

    Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) released the first full-length video in his five-part video documentary series detailing Project 2025’s threat to democracy, reproductive freedom, workers’ rights, environmental regulation, and public education. The series will feature interviews with Congressman Goldman and 12 of his House Democratic colleagues from across the country, as well as American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Planned Parenthood Vice President Karen Stone, NY League of Conservation Voters President Julie Tighe, and Accountable.US President Caroline Ciccone. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Featured in the videos are Representatives: Congressional Equality Caucus Co-Chair Becca Balint (VT-AL), Pre-K and Child Care Caucus Co-Chair Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Pro-Choice Caucus Task Force Chair Judy Chu (CA-28), Freshman Leadership Representative Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Lois Frankel (FL-22), Dads Caucus Founder and Chair Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Committee on Natural Resources Vice Ranking Member Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37), Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Intelligence and Law Enforcement Ranking Member Seth Magaziner (RI-02), House Bipartisan Task Force forCombating Antisemitism Co-Chair Kathy Manning (NC-06), Labor Caucus Co-Founder Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government Ranking Member Stacey Plaskett (VI-AL), and Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Co-Chair Paul Tonko (NY-20). 

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

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

    • Within the first 180 days of taking office, the plan calls for attacks on reproductive rights, the rule of law, and the expansion of the cruel and inhumane immigration policies from the Trump administration. Project 2025 is a comprehensive plan that would touch every department of the federal government and fundamentally reshape the lives of the American people. The Project’s four-pronged strategy that includes:

      • A laundry list of extreme policies to be enacted across the federal government;

      • A blueprint for how to use existing authority – or expand the power of the presidency – to implement right-wing policy proposals;

      • A database of right-wing ideologues who wholeheartedly endorse this power grab and far-right policies;

      • Training for staff so they can more efficiently enact this extreme agenda.

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

    Congressman Dan Goldman is a member of the Stop Project 2025 Task Force.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Congressman Dan Goldman Convenes Small Business Workshop with Pace Small Business Development Program

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10)

    Goldman Joined by Andrew Flamm, Director of the Pace University Small Business Development Center

    Goldman, Flamm Highlighted Resources Provides to Help Boost Small Business Owners Boost Their Businesses

    Photos from the Event Can Be Found Here

    Brooklyn, NY – Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) yesterday convened a townhall workshop with Councilmember Alexa Avilés, Pace University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Director Andrew Flamm, and partnering organizations to inform small business owners of the resources available to support them in New York City. The small business workshop connected the primarily minority-owned small businesses in Sunset Park to resources available to help boost their businesses.

    The small business workshop follows Congressman Goldman’s discussions in April with small business owners, where they relayed the difficulty they experience while trying to scale and market their business in New York City.

    “With 200,000 small businesses in New York City alone, ensuring small business owners have the resources they need to grow and expand is paramount for the health of our economy and our communities,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “I was thrilled to join Pace University’s Small Business Development Center in Sunset Park today to discuss the invaluable resources they offer to small business owners. From financial modeling to access to financial markets and business strategy discussions, Pace’s Small Business Development Center is a crucial resource for our city. Small businesses are the foundation of Sunset Park and I will continue to provide as many tools as possibly to small business owners to expand their businesses and achieve the American dream.”

    Following a presentation from Pace University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Director Andrew Flamm on resources provided by the Pace SBDC, Flamm and other local organizations held a resource fair to provide additional information and targeted resources to business owners.

    Also in attendance were the Sunset Park Business Improvement District, the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Development Corporation, the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, and the Sunset Park Lions Club.

    Congressman Dan Goldman is committed to supporting small businesses across NY-10.

    Earlier this year, Goldman toured small businesses in New York City’s East Village to discuss the issues that they face and presented New York’s Small Businessperson of the Year, Chef Aneesa Waheed, with a Congressional Proclamation in recognition of her selection as the 2024 New York Small Businessperson of the Year by the United States Small Business Administration.

    In May, Goldman cosponsored the bipartisan ‘Employee Equity Investment Act’ (EEIA), which would incentivize employee business ownership by reducing the cost barriers that small business owners currently face when transferring ownership to their employees and empower owners to preserve family legacies and community jobs.

    Additionally, the Congressman cosponsored the ‘Child Care Small Business Insight and Improvement Act’ to increase U.S. Small Business Administration support for childcare small businesses. This bill would expand the U.S. Small Business Administration’s role in supporting for-profit childcare small businesses across the country.

    ###

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Justice Department Issues Comprehensive Proposed Rule Addressing National Security Risks Posed to U.S. Sensitive Data

    Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

    Note: Read the Department’s fact sheet on this matter here.

    The Justice Department today issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to implement President Biden’s Executive Order 14117 (the E.O.) of Feb. 28, “Preventing Access to Americans’ Bulk Sensitive Personal Data and United States Government-Related Data by Countries of Concern.” The E.O. addresses the national security threat posed by the continued effort of certain countries of concern to access and exploit certain kinds of Americans’ sensitive personal data. The President charged the Justice Department with the responsibility of establishing and implementing this new national security regulatory program to address these risks. On March 5, the Department’s Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) was published in the Federal Register. Informed by extensive stakeholder outreach and careful consideration of comments the NPRM addresses public comments received on the ANPRM and proposes a rule to establish this new program and implement the E.O.

    This comprehensive proposed rule would implement the E.O. by establishing categorical rules for certain data transactions that pose an unacceptable risk of giving countries of concern or covered persons access to government-related data or bulk U.S. sensitive personal data. Among other things, the proposed rule identifies classes of prohibited and restricted transactions, identifies countries of concern and classes of covered persons to whom the proposed rule applies, identifies classes of exempt transactions, explains the Department’s methodology for establishing bulk thresholds, provides the Department’s initial assessment of economic and other regulatory impacts, establishes processes to issue licenses authorizing certain prohibited or restricted transactions, issue advisory opinions, and designate covered persons, and addresses recordkeeping, reporting, and other due-diligence obligations for covered transactions.

    The Justice Department’s National Security Division requests public comment on the proposed rule within 30 days of its publication in the Federal Register. The Department seeks comments on the proposed rule from industry, trade association groups, civil society, subject-matter experts, organizations and entities potentially affected by the proposed rule, and others with interest in the rule or expertise on data security and cybersecurity. The public may submit written comments on the NPRM at http://www.regulations.gov.

    The proposed rule is tailored to address the specific national security risks stemming from access by countries of concern and covered persons to Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data and certain sensitive U.S. government-related data. These measures complement the United States’ commitment to promoting an open, global, interoperable, reliable, and secure internet; protecting human rights online and offline; supporting a vibrant, global economy by promoting cross-border data flows that are required to enable international commerce and trade; and facilitating open investment.

    As previewed in the ANPRM, the proposed rule does not authorize the imposition of generalized data localization requirements to store Americans’ bulk sensitive personal data or U.S. Government-related data or to locate computing facilities used to process such data in the United States. As also previewed in the ANPRM, the proposed rule also does not broadly prohibit U.S. persons from engaging in commercial transactions, including exchanging financial and other data as part of the sale of commercial goods and services with countries of concern or covered persons, or impose measures aimed at a broader decoupling of the substantial consumer, economic, scientific, and trade relationships that the United States has with other countries. To reflect this, the NPRM proposes a new exemption for telecommunications services, provides further clarity on exemptions regarding financial services and intra-corporate-group transfers that were previewed in the ANPRM, and seeks public comment on a new proposed exemption for clinical-trial data.

    The proposed rule’s prohibitions and restrictions are consistent with other access restrictions on sensitive personal data that have been imposed in other contexts, including for transactions reviewed by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the U.S. Telecommunications Services Sector (Team Telecom). As the ANPRM previewed, the proposed rule exempts several classes of data transactions from the scope of its prohibitions and restrictions, including certain personal communications, financial services, corporate group transactions, transactions authorized by Federal law and international agreements, investment agreements subject to a CFIUS action, telecommunication services, biological product and medical device authorizations, clinical investigations, and others.

    As explained in the NPRM, countries of concern can use their access to these types of data to engage in malicious cyber-enabled activities and malign foreign influence activities, bolster their military capabilities, and track and build profiles on U.S. individuals (including members of the military and other Federal employees and contractors) for illicit purposes such as blackmail and espionage. Countries of concern can also exploit this data to collect information on activists, academics, journalists, dissidents, political opponents, or members of nongovernmental organizations or marginalized communities to intimidate them, curb political opposition, limit freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly, or association, or enable other forms of suppression of civil liberties.

    The proposed rule would require vendor agreements, employment agreements, and investment agreements that qualify as restricted transactions to comply with the separately proposed security requirements that have been developed by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) in coordination with the Justice Department. These proposed security requirements require U.S. persons engaging in a restricted transaction to comply with organizational and system-level requirements, such as ensuring that basic organizational cybersecurity policies, practices, and controls are in place, and data-level requirements, such as data minimization and masking, encryption, and privacy-enhancing techniques. CISA is concurrently making these proposed security requirements available for public comment at http://www.regulations.gov.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Defense News: U.S. Navy Releases Names of VAQ-130 Aviators

    Source: United States Navy

    Names of the deceased are:

    Lt. Cmdr. Lyndsay P. Evans, 31, a Naval Flight Officer from California

    Lt. Serena N. Wileman, 31, a Naval Aviator from California

    The cause of the crash is under investigation.

    For consideration, the below story is shared on behalf of Carrier Strike Group Two & Carrier Air Wing 3:

    https://www.dvidshub.net/news/483570/remembering-two-trailblazing-aviators-lt-cmdr-lyndsay-miley-evans-and-lt-serena-dug-wileman

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Secretary-General’s Joint Press Conference with Moussa Faki, Chairperson of the African Union Commission

    Source: United Nations MIL-OSI 2

    erci, Mesdames et Messieurs,

    Vous allez me permettre avant de faire aussi quelques commentaires sur nos travaux aujourd’hui, que je puisse lire un petit texte que j’ai écrit moi-même, avec mon cœur. Je voudrais dire quelques mots à l’encontre de mon cher collègue et ami, Moussa Faki.

    Cher Moussa, depuis le début de nos mandats respectifs en 2017, nous avons parcouru un long chemin ensemble.

    Votre vision d’une Afrique intégrée, prospère et pacifique a toujours été en harmonie avec nos objectifs pour un monde plus juste, durable et digne.

    Votre leadership éclairé, votre capacité à rassembler et votre engagement infatigable pour le multilatéralisme représentent une source d’inspiration pour tous.

    Et votre sens du dialogue et grande expertise des enjeux globaux ont permis de faire entendre la voix de l’Afrique sur la scène internationale avec force et clarté.

    Vous avez toujours été un fervent défenseur de la coopération entre l’Union africaine et les Nations Unies. Grâce à nos efforts conjoints, nous avons renforcé nos liens institutionnels, aligné nos stratégies et multiplié nos actions communes sur le terrain.

    Que ce soit dans la prévention et la résolution des conflits, la lutte contre le changement climatique ou la promotion du développement durable – et dans des contextes toujours difficiles – votre contribution a été inestimable.

    Cher ami, je tiens à vous exprimer ma profonde gratitude pour votre dévouement et votre humanité. Votre héritage perdurera bien au-delà de votre mandat, car vous avez posé les fondations d’un partenariat Union africaine-Nations Unies plus fort et plus efficace.

    Vous incarnez l’esprit même de coopération et de solidarité internationale, et c’est avec une grande amitié que je vous adresse mes remerciements les plus chaleureux.

    I am particularly happy about our session today. We have, as Chairperson Faki expressed, we have looked into our cooperation developed during these years, and how it became more than the signature of common positions, ad hoc common actions. This cooperation became an institutionalized cooperation in which all key areas of our common intervention, peace and security, sustainable development and human rights. We have common programmes, common strategies, and we work together very effectively in the perspective that unites us, and the perspective that unites us is of an African continent that is able to provide with citizens all the rights that they should enjoy.  And in the context of a world able to overcome the terrible divisions that we are facing today.

    And I have to say that I came from the Summit of the Future with the conscience that there are now conditions for the international community to start providing justice to the African people.

    First of all, in relation to the questions of peace and security, there is now a consensus from Member States that the Security Council must be reformed, and there is now a consensus of all Member States that the key aspect of that reform is to have two African members as permanent members of the Security Council.

    On the other hand, many decisions were taken in relation to the capacity to deepen our cooperation with the African Union in areas like prevention, mediation, peace building, and the capacity to act together to address the multiple conflicts that today the African continent, as the whole world, unfortunately, are dealing with.

    Then for the first time, there was the recognition that we live in an economic system and a financial system that is outdated, that is ineffective, and that is unfair.

    And it is especially ineffective and unfair because of the African continent.

    Africa faces enormous obstacles to its development.

    First of all, they are deeply rooted in the past, deeply rooted in the colonial legacy. And I can speak totally at ease, because I come from a colonial structure.

    African countries gained independence with their economies and to a certain extent, their society is distorted by the interests of the colonial powers that organize their economies to the benefits of the colonists.  

    And then the African continent has had to face an enormous number of challenges. Just recently, COVID-19, the dramatic impacts in prices and the interest rates that were enhanced by the war in Ukraine, and the extremely difficult present situation in which many countries are drowning in debt and many countries do not have access to the resources, namely, to concessional finance in order to not only be able to reduce their debts, but to be able to provide to their citizens those essential actions that are necessary for their lives to be engaged.

    And we managed finally to have, in the Summit of the Future, the affirmation that the international financial architecture must be corrected and must be corrected to give more voice and more power to Developing Countries in general, of course, African countries in particular, and to mobilize much more resources for the SDGs, to reduce, adapt and to create conditions for sustainable development and for climate action in mitigation and adaptation to the benefit of developing countries. And I hope that now it will be possible to implement those measures, because they are essential for justice in relation to the African continent.

    And then we just decided to create the common working group with the Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union Commission to do serious research, to allow to contribute to the creation of an African strategy to bridge the digital divide and the Artificial Intelligence divide, and to overcome all the enormous structural difficulties and impediments that exist today, and to be able to claim the resources that will be necessary for it to be possible, and for the digital world and the Artificial Intelligence not to be another factor of inequality, but to be a factor to allow to catch up and for the African continent to move, as it has done in the past, more fast in development, to be able to provide the best conditions for their citizens.

    And we are totally committed to have a strong African presence in the political dialogue that will now meet annually at United Nations on artificial intelligence, and on the international scientific panel that will follow in [developing] the state of the art of artificial intelligence.

    We want the African continent – that is a young continent – and in relation to scientists that are young scientists – to be able to be in the first line and not to be left behind because of the construct of injustices that still today exists. 

    In these circumstances, I’m sure that cooperation between the [African Union] and the United Nations, these cooperations were led by Moussa Faki – that that cooperation will remain in the future, as strong, as dynamic and as committed to our being of those that justify our action, the people of Africa and the people of the world.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Team Maryland Announces More Than $38 Million for Critical Transportation & Port Infrastructure Projects in Baltimore

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Maryland Ben Cardin
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, Congressmen Kweisi Mfume, Governor Wes Moore (all D-Md.), and Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld today announced $38,406,076 in U.S. Department of Transportation awards to rehabilitate the Dundalk Marine Terminal and the Curtis Creek Drawbridge. This investment will improve vital infrastructure at and around the Port of Baltimore, which is critical to Maryland’s economy.
    “With these grants, the federal government is recognizing that Baltimore is home to nationally significant supply chain infrastructure that is overdue for investment and improvement. We are seeing once again how the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is delivering for Maryland, and we will continue to push for federal commitments to our infrastructure, including the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge,” said Senator Cardin. 
    “Through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, we continue to deliver historic resources to upgrade everything from our transportation network to the Port of Baltimore. With these major federal investments, we are priming the Port for future growth – while sustaining the thousands of jobs it already supports – and modernizing an essential bridge for commuting and commerce. These efforts will help drive Baltimore’s economic success and create more good paying jobs for Marylanders,” said Senator Van Hollen.
    “This monumental federal investment is a transformative display of the continued unity among us in Team Maryland to deliver for all of those who have been personally affected by the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge and continue to navigate the recovery alongside us. After speaking with so many of those impacted, I was and remain inspired by their grit, fierceness, and commitment to getting through this disaster together,” said Congressman Kweisi Mfume.
    “These two projects reinforce the Moore-Miller Administration’s commitment to making Maryland more competitive by investing in our critical infrastructure, including our world-class Port of Baltimore,” said Governor Moore. “We are grateful for the partnership from the Biden-Harris Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation and our Congressional delegation in supporting projects that will serve all Marylanders and help expand our growing economy.”
    “Together, these federal grants will support increased economic growth at the Port of Baltimore and the greater Baltimore region,” said Secretary Wiedefeld. “The funding will support critical rehabilitation efforts at the Dundalk Martine Terminal, the largest publicly owned terminal in the Port, and the Curtis Creek Drawbridge on I-695.  Thank you to our federal delegation and partners for their continued commitment in rebuilding Baltimore’s infrastructure better than before.”
    “Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden-Harris administration is carrying out ambitious, complex transportation projects that will shape our country’s infrastructure for generations to come,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With this latest round of awards, dozens of major and much-needed projects – projects that are often difficult to fund through other means – are getting the long-awaited investment they need to move forward.”
    The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant Program (INFRA), which has administered historic levels of federal investments through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
    $30,906,076, Dundalk Marine Terminal: Awarded to the Maryland Port Administrationto reconstruct Berth 11, consisting of the rehabilitation and replacement of 597 linear feet of wharf deck including pilings, substructure, storm water drainage, utilities, and installation of new mooring bollards, cleats, pneumatic fenders, flood barriers, and tidal gates.
    $7,500,000, Curtis Creek Drawbridge Rehabilitation: Awarded to the Maryland Transportation Authority to rehabilitate parallel drawbridges over Curtis Creek on I-695. The project will replace portions of the reinforced concrete deck, perform repairs to the exposed steel superstructure and existing catwalks, remove and replace bridge parapets, traffic lights, and low-level lights, and install new electrical service systems, drainage systems, and pavement markings.
    The Infrastructure for Rebuilding America Grant Program provides funding for multimodal freight and highway projects of national or regional significance to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the movement of freight and people in and across rural and urban areas. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Cassidy Announces $4 Million for 11 Louisiana Infrastructure, Transportation, Economic Development Projects from His Infrastructure Law

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Louisiana Bill Cassidy
    WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) announced Louisiana will receive $4,084,100.00 from the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) to boost economic development and improve the quality of life for Louisiana communities and residents thanks to his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).
    “This is great news for Louisiana and an investment in our economy and workforce,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Thanks to the Infrastructure Law, which I helped negotiate, we can expect to see even more dollars coming our way.” 
    The 11 new investment projects will improve water and sewer systems, update transportation infrastructure, and bolster electrical reliability for 18,000 residents in communities across Louisiana. 
    Funding for these projects is provided by the States’ Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP), which provides direct investment into community-based and regional projects to support basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, workforce training and education, and small businesses development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, and the Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF), which targets physical infrastructure projects that help build safer, more resilient communities in the Delta region. DRA coordinates directly with the Office of the Governor for the State of Louisiana and its local development districts for program funding implementation.
    Grant Awarded
    Recipient
    Project Description
    $509,000.00
    City of West Monroe
    This grant will provide federal funding to update and improve 770 feet of sewer infrastructure in Downtown West Monroe to help bolster the city’s growth, development and economic sustainability. 
    $509,000.00
    Town of Maurice
    This grant will provide federal funding to make water system improvements to service the town’s rapidly increasing population, remedy existing public health concerns and violations, and improve residents’ quality of life.
    $509,000.00
    North Desoto Water System
    This grant will provide federal funding to construct a new drinking water booster station to serve the Town of Stonewall, and other surrounding areas, to improve water storage and pumping capacity for the purposes of alleviating pressure on existing undersized stations, ensuring reliable water supply, and supporting new residential and economic developments.
    $509,000.00
    City of Minden
    This grant will provide federal funding for a water main replacement project to guarantee that the city’s distribution system continues to receive sufficient water and to improve the overall reliability, sustainability and fire protection of the system.
    $454,000.00
    Town of Marion
    This grant will provide federal funding to repair, rehabilitate and improve a 64-year-old sewer lift station to address poor conditions and health-code violations linked to the existing station and to provide and maintain adequate sewer service for residents.
    $418,100.00
    City of Kaplan
    This grant will provide federal funding to support a sewer system improvement project, which involves a comprehensive rehabilitation of the system to improve the resiliency and functionality of the city’s sewer collection system.
    $375,000.00
    Ouachita Parish
    This grant will provide federal funding for an emergency operations center renovation project, a critical infrastructure project that will play a vital role in ensuring effective emergency management and response capabilities in the region. 
    $304,000.00
    Ochsner LSU Health – Monroe Medical Center
    This grant will provide federal funding to install a new electrical distribution system to improve the center’s electrical infrastructure, resulting in increased electrical reliability and capacity and expansion of community services. 
    $218,000.00
    Village of Plaucheville
    This grant will provide federal funding to construct a new water main, which will reduce service disruptions and improve the water system for the entire village.
    $199,000.00
    Town of Lockport
    This grant will provide federal funding to make critical improvements to the sewer and wastewater treatment systems that are foundational to the town’s ability to sustain its rich Cajun cultural heritage, a livable community, and the increasingly important tourism economy.
    $80,000.00
    Town of Waterproof
    This grant will provide federal funding for a sewer improvement project that will replace the backup pumps inside of five sewer lift stations, providing additional capacity to meet usage demands from the town’s residents, businesses and detention center while also addressing regulations set by the Department of Environmental Quality.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: California Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Unapproved Drugs with Intent to Defraud over the Internet

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Department of Justice
    U.S. Attorney’s Office
    District of Vermont

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Thursday, October 17, 2024

    Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on October 17, 2024, Jeremy Brown, 55, of Simi Valley, California, pleaded guilty to introducing into interstate commerce new drugs not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) with the intent to defraud or mislead.

    According to court records, between March 2019 and December 2023, Brown operated a company, Warrior Labz SARMs, and accompanying websites through which he sold unapproved versions of prescription drugs and other substances. Specifically, Brown sold Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators (“SARMs”), which are substances similar to anabolic steroids; unapproved versions of erectile-dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis; and unapproved versions of weight-loss drugs Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus.

    Brown falsely claimed on his websites that the drugs offered for sale were for “research purposes only” and “not for human consumption.” Alongside those claims, however, were claims that the drugs would provide various benefits affecting the structure and function of the human body.

    Brown obtained the bulk of the drugs he sold from China. Brown did not verify shipping or storage conditions, nor did he use a lab to verify the contents of the drugs he received from China. But he falsely claimed on his websites that his company used only the highest quality pharmaceutical grade ingredients and U.S. manufacturing practices.

    After receiving a warning letter from the FDA in June 2023, Brown continued to sell unapproved drugs over the internet. Between August and December 2023, Brown made three sales of unapproved drugs to an undercover law enforcement account in Vermont.

    Brown faces up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

    “Drugs that are produced and distributed outside the FDA’s oversight present the risk of harm to the public health,” said Special Agent in Charge Fernando McMillan, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office.  “We remain committed to pursuing and bringing to justice those who attempt to subvert the regulatory functions of the FDA by distributing unapproved, and potentially dangerous, products.”

    United States Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest commended the investigatory efforts of the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service.

    The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Corinne Smith. Brown is represented by Rick Collins, Esq. and Lisa Shelkrot, Esq.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Orlando Doctor Indicted For Offering To Inject Silicone For Gluteal Augmentation Procedure

    Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3

    Department of Justice
    U.S. Attorney’s Office
    Middle District of Florida

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Thursday, October 17, 2024

    Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Nhan Pham (54, Orlando) with three counts of violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for receiving in interstate commerce and proffering delivery of an adulterated device, misbranding a device after its shipment in interstate commerce, and failing to register as a device manufacturer. If convicted, Pham faces up to three years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also notifies Pham that the United States intends to forfeit any adulterated or misbranded device, any property used to commit the violations, and any proceeds traceable to the offense.

    According to the indictment, in October 2019, Pham received liquid silicone in interstate commerce and offered to inject the silicone into a person’s body for a gluteal augmentation procedure. Such use of injectable silicone has not been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

    “Injectable silicone for body contouring is not FDA-approved and can cause serious injury and even death,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin C. Fielder, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who place American consumers at risk.”

    This case was investigated by the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations and the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Pasco Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane Hu.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: $26.3M to Improve Resiliency Along U.S. Route 9W

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that work has begun on a $26.3 million project to enhance safety and improve resiliency along a 4.9-mile stretch of U.S. Route 9W atop Storm King Mountain in the Towns of Cornwall and Highlands, Orange County. The project will upgrade drainage systems, fortify stone walls, replace concrete barriers and resurface the road to improve travel conditions and help this vital roadway better withstand the impacts of severe weather. This stretch of the scenic highway, located between Newburgh and Bear Mountain on the western side of the Hudson River, serves as an important access road for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and many other popular attractions in the Hudson Valley region.

    “New Yorkers need only look at the significant damage done to our roads and bridges by severe storms in recent years to know that climate change is already having an impact and we need to be ready,” Governor Hochul said. “This resiliency project along U.S. Route 9W in Orange County exemplifies our Build-it-Back-Better mantra and will mitigate persistent drainage issues on this important Orange County roadway, ensuring its long-term ability to withstand the growing challenges posed by mother nature.”

    A key focus of the project will be the installation of 6,700 linear feet of perforated pipe, known as an underdrain, that is designed to collect and redirect subsurface water before it saturates the road surface. Additionally, 12,300 feet of asphalt gutter will be constructed, and existing drainage structures will be repaired to better channel surface water runoff and prevent ponding.

    Deteriorating sections of the 88-year-old stone wall located along the eastern, or cliff side, of the roadway will be rebuilt and strengthened using a concrete barrier placed on a structurally integrated concrete slab. Where possible, salvaged stones from the existing wall will be repurposed as stone veneer, seamlessly blending the aesthetics and keeping a similar appearance. Additional portions of the existing wall will also be repaired and repointed, where necessary.

    The roadway will be resurfaced using warm-mix asphalt – which utilizes less energy to produce than traditional asphalt – and high-visibility pavement markings and reflectors on barriers will be installed to enhance safety, especially during nighttime driving conditions. Additionally, about 10,000 linear feet of concrete median barrier will be replaced and equipped with new impact attenuators, substantially mitigating crash risks.

    During construction, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction to allow for construction activities, which will be complete in Spring 2026.

    State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Under the leadership of Governor Hochul, New York State remains committed to rebuilding our infrastructure to create a transportation network that is ready for the challenges of the 21st century. This project along U.S. Route 9W will utilize state-of-the-art engineering practices to create a more sustainable and resilient roadway that will help keep residents and visitors to this beautiful part of the Hudson Valley safely on the move regardless of the weather.”

    Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “I’m proud to deliver $12.5 million in federal funding to pave the way for a stronger and more resilient Route 9W. Route 9W is one of the most vital corridors that thousands travel on for their daily commute. However, its deteriorating infrastructure and the significant damage we saw from historic flooding have shown how we need to make this road more resilient to protect the safety of Orange County and the Hudson Valley. This investment is a critical one for all of the Hudson Valley. I am thankful for Governor Hochul’s work in putting these federal dollars to good use so that Route 9W – which connects Orange County, the Hudson Valley, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and more – is safe for years to come.”

    Representative Pat Ryan said, “This is welcome news and important relief after last’s year’s historic flooding that devastated parts of our Orange County community. The fortification of this roadway will resolve longstanding drainage issues and enable this stretch of road to better withstand severe weather impacts, which have become all too common in the Hudson Valley. As a member of the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, I’ll always fight to bring these federal funds to our community to fortify our critical infrastructure against volatile weather driven by climate change.

    State Senator James Skoufis said, “Having advocated for years for improvements to 9W, I am gratified to see that work has begun on a stretch of this well-traveled highway. This section – high on Storm King Mountain – gets pummeled by weather year after year, and the upgrade to drainage systems and resurfacing of the road will have a measurable improvement for Orange County drivers. My thanks to the DOT and Governor for working to advance this much-needed project.”

    Assemblymember Christopher Eachus said, “In the aftermath of last year’s historic flooding in the Hudson Valley, parts of our transit infrastructure were critically damaged. While we have since repaired our roads and bridges, I have long called for greater structural fortifications to make sure we’re ready for the future. The Governor’s forward-thinking announcement to repair, replace, and strengthen the stretch of Route 9W between Cornwall and Highlands will go a long way to protect us in case of a crisis. I’m proud to be part of a government that’s laser-focused on keeping New Yorkers safe and connected no matter what happens.”

    Town of Cornwall Supervisor Joshua Wojehowski said, “Recent severe weather events have demonstrated the need for resiliency and safety improvements along U.S. Route 9W. It’s great to see the Governor and State Legislature investing $26.3 million into vital road infrastructure in Orange County to better serve area residents, visitors to local attractions and the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.”

    About the Department of Transportation

    It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to provide a safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient transportation system that connects communities, enhances quality of life, protects the environment, and supports the economic well-being of New York State.

    Lives are on the line; slow down and move over for highway workers!

    For more information, find us on Facebook, follow us on X or Instagram, or visit our website. For up-to-date travel information, call 511, visit http://www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NCDHHS Livestream Spanish-language Cafecito and Tele-Town Hall: Understanding Seasonal Vaccines and Respiratory Health In North Carolina

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: NCDHHS Livestream Spanish-language Cafecito and Tele-Town Hall: Understanding Seasonal Vaccines and Respiratory Health In North Carolina

    NCDHHS Livestream Spanish-language Cafecito and Tele-Town Hall: Understanding Seasonal Vaccines and Respiratory Health In North Carolina
    hejones1

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will host a live Spanish-language Cafecito and tele-town hall on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 6 to 7 p.m., to discuss how seasonal vaccines, including flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, help protect communities against severe illness, hospitalization and long-term health complications. Following the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene, NCDHHS and participants will also share health-related information and resources available to support Hispanic and Latino communities during disaster recovery.

    Event participants include:   

    • Carolina Siliceo Perez, MLAS, Acting Director for Latinx/Hispanic Policy and Strategy, NCDHHS  
    • Gabriela Plasencia, MD, MAS, Family Medicine Physician & Health Equity Researcher, Duke Family Medicine 
    • Sharon Muñoz, Health Literacy Consultant, LATIN-19 

    Everyone ages 6 months and older is due for their updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines. The updated shots were developed to protect communities against the newest strains of the viruses expected to circulate this fall and winter. Seasonal vaccines are the best way to prevent people from experiencing severe cases of flu and COVID-19, especially for those who are at a higher risk of complications from the viruses. This includes people who are under 5, those 65 and older, pregnant and/or living with chronic medical conditions.   

    Cafecito and tele-town hall panelists will discuss the following:   

    • How to get your seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines   
    • What to know about RSV protection, including RSV vaccines  
    • Ways to find health information, services and care in Spanish  
    • Steps to protect yourself and your household against seasonal illness  
    • How to access free vaccines for children 

    In addition to flu and COVID-19 vaccines, RSV vaccines are also now available for older adults and pregnant women. Some babies and children under 2 may also need to receive an immunization to help build protection against RSV. It’s important for individuals of all ages to be up to date on all recommended vaccines before enjoying seasonal activities or sporting events with loved ones. 

    Everyone should test for COVID-19 right away if they feel sick or have symptoms to help prevent the virus from spreading to others around them. Free, at-home COVID-19 tests are available at more than 300 local organizations statewide and by mail through CovidTests.gov. To find free tests near you, visit MySpot.nc.gov/Tests. 

    The Cafecito will stream live from the NCDHHS Facebook and YouTube accounts, where viewers can submit questions. The event also includes a tele-town hall, which invites people by phone to listen in and submit questions. People can also dial into the event by calling 855-756-7520 Ext. 112992#. 

    Visit MySpot.nc.gov for information, guidance and resources on seasonal vaccines and how they support respiratory health.  

    El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Carolina del Norte (NCDHHS) presentará un Cafecito, una conversación virtual y telefónica en vivo el miércoles 23 de octubre, de 6 a 7 p.m., para hablar sobre cómo las vacunas estacionales, incluidas las del COVID-19, la gripe (influenza) y el virus respiratorio sincitial (VRS), ayudan a proteger a las comunidades contra enfermedades graves, hospitalizaciones y complicaciones de salud a largo plazo. Después de los devastadores impactos del huracán Helene, las panelistas también compartirán información y recursos de salud disponibles para apoyar a las comunidades hispanas y latinas durante la recuperación ante desastres. 

    Panelistas del evento incluyen:  

    • Carolina Siliceo Perez, MLAS, directora interina de Política y Estrategia Latina e Hispana, NCDHHS   
    • Gabriela Plasencia, MD, MAS, médica de medicina familiar e investigadora de equidad en salud, Centro Médico de la Universidad de Duke   
    • Sharon Muñoz, consultora en educación en la salud, LATIN-19   

    Todas las personas de 6 meses de edad en adelante deben recibir las vacunas actualizadas contra la gripe y el COVID-19. Las dosis actualizadas se desarrollaron para proteger a las comunidades contra las nuevas cepas de los virus que se espera que circulen este otoño e invierno. Las vacunas estacionales son la mejor manera de prevenir que las personas padezcan casos graves de gripe y COVID-19, especialmente aquellas con mayor riesgo de complicaciones. Esto incluye a las personas menores de 5 años, mayores de 65 años, embarazadas y/o con condiciones médicas crónicas. 

    Las panelistas del Cafecito hablarán sobre los siguientes temas:  

    • Cómo recibir las vacunas estacionales contra la gripe (influenza) y el COVID-19   
    • Información sobre la protección contra el VRS, incluyendo las vacunas  
    • Maneras de encontrar información, servicios y atención médica en español   
    • Pasos para protegerse y proteger a su hogar contra las enfermedades estacionales   
    • Cómo acceder a vacunas gratuitas para los niños   

    Además de las vacunas contra la gripe y el COVID-19, las vacunas contra el VRS también están disponibles para adultos mayores y personas embarazadas. Algunos bebés y niños menores de 2 años también pueden necesitar recibir una inmunización para ayudar a desarrollar protección contra el VRS. Es importante que personas de todas las edades estén al día con todas las vacunas recomendadas antes de disfrutar de actividades estacionales o eventos deportivos con seres queridos. 

    Todos deben hacerse la prueba de COVID-19 de inmediato si se sienten enfermos o tienen síntomas, ya que esto ayudara a prevenir la propagación del virus a quienes los rodean. Pruebas caseras gratuitas de COVID-19 están disponibles en más de 300 organizaciones locales en todo el estado y por correo a través de CovidTests.gov. Para encontrar pruebas gratuitas cerca de usted, visite Vacunate.nc.gov/Pruebas. 

    El Cafecito se transmitirá en vivo y en español desde las cuentas de Facebook y YouTube del NCDHHS, donde los espectadores podrán enviar sus preguntas. El evento incluirá una opción de telecomunicación, que invita a las personas a escuchar y enviar preguntas por teléfono. Los participantes también pueden llamar al evento al 855-756-7520 Ext. 112992#. 

    Visite Vacunate.nc.gov para obtener información, orientación y recursos sobre las vacunas estacionales y cómo apoyan la salud respiratoria. 

    Oct 21, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Cooper Visits Community Care Station in Buncombe County with FEMA Administrator Criswell

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: Governor Cooper Visits Community Care Station in Buncombe County with FEMA Administrator Criswell

    Governor Cooper Visits Community Care Station in Buncombe County with FEMA Administrator Criswell
    mseets

    Today, Governor Roy Cooper traveled to Buncombe County with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and visited a Community Care Station to speak with volunteers and give an update on relief efforts in Western North Carolina. The Community Care Station offers food and water distribution, basic hygiene services and medical care to the community.

    “Today, I visited a Community Care Station in Asheville where I saw the massive effort by local, state and federal responders and volunteers to bring relief to Western North Carolina,” said Governor Cooper. “I urge everyone to confirm reports and information from trusted news sources and officials and be wary of bad actors on social media and the internet.”

    Those impacted by Hurricane Helene can apply for assistance for buying food through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP) which was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on October 18. NCDHHS estimates more than 150,000 people will apply for up to $120 million in D-SNAP benefits. Eligible households may apply for D-SNAP through Thursday, October 24 by phone or in person. More information including a list of application sites by county is available at ncdhhs.gov/dsnap.

    North Carolina National Guard and Military Response

    Over 3,150 Soldiers and Airmen are working in Western North Carolina. Joint Task Force- North Carolina, the task force led by the North Carolina National Guard is made up of Soldiers and Airmen from 12 different states, two different XVIII Airborne Corps units from Ft. Liberty, a unit from Ft. Campbell’s 101st Airborne Division, and numerous civilian entities are working side-by-side to get the much-needed help to people in Western North Carolina.

    The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is helping to assess water and wastewater plants and dams. Residents can track the status of the public water supply in their area through this website.

    FEMA Assistance

    Approximately $129 million in FEMA Individual Assistance funds have been paid so far to Western North Carolina disaster survivors and approximately 207,000 people have registered for Individual Assistance. Over 6,200 people have been helped through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance. More than 5,100 registrations for Small Business Administration Loans have been filed.

    Approximately 1,500 FEMA staff are in the state to help with the Western North Carolina relief effort. In addition to search and rescue and providing commodities, they are meeting with disaster survivors in shelters and neighborhoods to provide rapid access to relief resources. They can be identified by their FEMA logo apparel and federal government identification.

    North Carolinians can apply for Individual Assistance by calling 1-800-621-3362 from 7am to 11pm daily or by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov, or by downloading the FEMA app. FEMA may be able to help with serious needs, displacement, temporary lodging, basic home repair costs, personal property loss or other disaster-caused needs.

    Help from Other States

    More than 1,600 responders from 39 state and local agencies have performed 146 missions supporting the response and recovery efforts through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). This includes public health nurses, emergency management teams supporting local governments, veterinarians, teams with search dogs and more.

    Beware of Misinformation

    North Carolina Emergency Management and local officials are cautioning the public about false Helene reports and misinformation being shared on social media. NCEM has launched a fact versus rumor response webpage to provide factual information in the wake of this storm. FEMA also has a rumor response webpage.

    Efforts continue to provide food, water and basic necessities to residents in affected communities, using both ground resources and air drops from the NC National Guard. Food, water and commodity points of distribution are open throughout Western North Carolina. For information on these sites in your community, visit your local emergency management and local government social media and websites or visit ncdps.gov/Helene.

    Storm Damage Cleanup

    If your home has damages and you need assistance with clean up, please call Crisis Cleanup for access to volunteer organizations that can assist you at 844-965-1386.

    Power Outages

    Across Western North Carolina, approximately 5,000 customers remain without power, down from a peak of more than 1 million. Overall power outage numbers will fluctuate up and down as power crews temporarily take circuits or substations offline to make repairs and restore additional customers.

    Road Closures

    Some roads are closed because they are too damaged and dangerous to travel. Other roads still need to be reserved for essential traffic like utility vehicles, construction equipment and supply trucks. However, some parts of the area are open and ready to welcome visitors which is critical for the revival of Western North Carolina’s economy. If you are considering a visit to the area, consult DriveNC.gov for open roads and reach out to the community and businesses you want to visit to see if they are welcoming visitors back yet.

    NCDOT currently has approximately 2,000 employees and 900 pieces of equipment working on over 7,200 damaged road sites.

    Fatalities

    Ninety-five storm-related deaths have been confirmed in North Carolina by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. This number is expected to rise over the coming days. The North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will continue to confirm numbers twice daily. If you have an emergency or believe that someone is in danger, please call 911.

    Volunteers and Donations

    If you would like to donate to the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund, visit nc.gov/donate. Donations will help to support local nonprofits working on the ground.

    For information on volunteer opportunities, please visit nc.gov/volunteernc.

    Additional Assistance

    There is no right or wrong way to feel in response to the trauma of a hurricane. If you have been impacted by the storm and need someone to talk to, call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. Help is also available to anyone, anytime in English or Spanish through a call, text or chat to 988. Learn more at 988Lifeline.org.

    If you are seeking a representative from the North Carolina Joint Information Center, please email ncempio@ncdps.gov or call 919-825-2599.

    For general information, access to resources, or answers to frequently asked questions, please visit ncdps.gov/helene.

    If you are seeking information on resources for recovery help for a resident impacted from the storm, please email IArecovery@ncdps.gov.

    ###

    Oct 21, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Eau Claire Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Wire Fraud

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    Robert E. Carter Forged Financial Statements to Fraudulently Obtain Semi-Trucks

    MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Robert E. Carter, 45, Eau Claire, Wisconsin was sentenced October 17, 2024 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to three years in prison for wire fraud and attempted wire fraud.  Carter was convicted of these charges on July 16, 2024, following a jury trial.

    Carter’s fraud scheme started in 2018 when he feigned interest in purchasing a trucking company headquartered in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. After telling elaborate lies about owning private jets and a personal yacht, Carter convinced the owners that he wanted to buy their trucking and brokerage companies for $10 million.  Carter then sent the owners a letter of intent that required them to provide Carter, under the guise of due diligence, with the companies’ sensitive business information, including financial statements. Carter eventually informed the companies’ owners that Carter needed to back out of the deal; however, he held on to the financial statements for two years.

    In 2020, Carter intentionally changed the financial statements that he fraudulently obtained from the Fond du Lac-based companies and made it appear as if the documents belonged to Carter’s businesses. Carter then submitted the phony financial statements to an equipment leasing company so Carter could fraudulently obtain three semi-trucks and two trailers.

    While defrauding the first leasing company, Carter simultaneously downloaded financial statements from the Internet that belonged to a charitable trust in Iowa.

    Again, Carter intentionally changed these financial statements so the documents appeared to belong to Carter’s trust.  Carter then submitted the fake trust financial statements to a second equipment leasing company in an attempt to fraudulently lease ten more semi-trucks.

    In sentencing Carter, Judge Conley highlighted Carter’s criminal history, which included prior convictions for fraud.

    The charges against Carter were the result of an investigation conducted by IRS Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance provided by the Office of the U.S. Trustee for the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chadwick M. Elgersma and Megan R. Stelljes prosecuted this case. 

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Bringing the river into the gallery and the future: reimagining Birrarung 50 years from now

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alexandra Crosby, Associate Professor, School of Design, University of Technology Sydney

    Postcards from the future: the river-cleaning Birrabot REALMstudios/NGV Australia

    The Ian Potter Centre at Melbourne’s Federation Square is located on the banks of the lower stretches of Birrarung, the Yarra River. For Reimagining Birrarung Design Concepts for 2070, on until 2 February 2025, the river flows into the gallery through ideas, images, objects and stories.

    In this bold and unusual exhibition, we listen to traditional owners and get inside the imaginations of eight of Australia’s most innovative landscape architecture studios. By looking at “possible” and “preferred” futures, this exhibition frames the river as a complex, diverse, interconnected ecosystem that nurtures our health and is essential to human and non-human communities.

    Urban rivers are being rethought internationally. In Australian cities, where big city rivers are often estuaries, the problems of waterways and wetlands are inseparable from colonisation and urbanisation. The fate of these cities as the climate heats up is tied to their rivers.

    Melbourne was established in 1835 at the lower stretches of Birrarung where salt water from Port Phillip Bay travels about 10 kilometres upstream. Now metropolitan Melbourne dominates and influences the landscape of its lower reaches.

    Rivers are Country

    Entering the gallery, we are invited to listen to Birrarung. The river’s voice is spoken by Uncle Dave Wandin, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Elder and Birrarung Council member. Originally commissioned by the 23rd Biennale of Sydney,
    the video portrait provides an important transition from the bustle of Melbourne, into the contemplative space of the exhibition.

    Many will know the river as the Yarra, or Yarra Yarra – but this was a mistranslation by a surveyor in the 1830s of another Aboriginal word Yarro Yarro, “it flows”.

    The misnamed river has suffered from disconnection from its traditional owners and severe environmental degradation.

    In 2017, the Yarra River Protection (Wilip-gin Birrarung murron) Act was passed by the Parliament of Victoria, to protect the river for future generations and to recognise the river and its lands as a single living and integrated entity. Uncle Dave Wandin is a member of the Birrarung Council, appointed to work with Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Elders and communities, to provide independent advice to the government on the implementation of the Act.

    Barracco and Wright’s contribution to the exhibition builds on the impact of this legislation. Speculative Policies displayed as an historic document from the future in a 2035 cabinet.

    Installation view of McGregor Coxall’s design for reimagining Birrarung.
    NGV Australia/Photo: Sean Fennessy

    Colonial histories

    Thinking about legislation in future worlds helps remind us the challenges of urban rivers – pollution, storm water management, and flooding – have colonial histories.

    Waterways have long been treated as dumping grounds for Australia’s industrial progress.

    In their work Aqua Nullius, not-for-profit multidisciplinary design and research practice OFFICE points to viticulture (winegrowing) and golf courses as culprits of water extraction in the Birrarung catchment.

    The problems arise not only where water is redirected as a resource for elites, but also where the connections between waterways and wetlands are disrupted by roads, estates and colonial land use. Billabongs are cut off from their sources and creeks are converted to drains. Wildlife such as turtles, platypus and birds lose their habitat corridors.

    Terra Nullius is well known as the concept that shaped colonists approach to Australia. Aqua Nullius, OFFICE argue, is just as significant. Rivers are country – and need to be respected, cared for and healed.

    Designers from OFFICE assert the Terra Nullius concept applies to water too.
    NGV Australia/OFFICE

    Seeing like a landscape architect

    By combining ecological knowledge with architectural forms, landscape architects are often leading these goals alongside Aboriginal people. While many of Melbourne’s residents and visitors enjoy the outcomes of their designs in city parks and green infrastructure, landscape architects are rarely the focus of exhibitions in major art galleries. This exhibition shows how design projects can invite us to imagine urban rivers differently using a range of tools that bring life to possible futures.

    In this exhibition we see images, maps, models, flags, plans, animations, timelines, and even a uniform design for a future “bio-zone guide”.

    The Birrarung Catchment by McGregor Coxall projects an animated map at waist height. It shows us the past, present and potential future of the catchment, highlighting the evolution of Birrarung’s lands, health, waterways, and its relationship to people.

    Presented as a map that shifts over time, the table top animation shares a rhythm with two screens on the wall, one with a population counter and one with the changes of flow within the catchment. These three elements link the growth of urban population to the disruption of the rivers flow. Dealing with Melbourne’s anticipated population growth, the projection looks forward in time proposing ways to care for the river by establishing the Great Birrarung Parkland.

    What’s good for Birrarung …

    Not all rivers are created equal. Melbourne is a river city, planned, designed, built and managed around Birrarung.

    A short walk from the gallery, rowers launch into the river and lovers hold hands on its banks. Melbourne is Birrarung and we can see it as we move around the city. But all cities have waterways and wetlands, many less visible.

    Place-based approaches to caring for urban water is needed everywhere. And this can have flow-on effects. If we start to care for minor creeks and estuaries that are built over and forgotten, we understand connections between people, nature, water and Country. This exhibition shows those visions for the future require research, vision and political will.

    Reimagining Birrarung: Design Concepts for 2070 is on until 2 February 2025 at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia. Free admission.

    Alexandra Crosby receives funding from the Australian Research Council

    – ref. Bringing the river into the gallery and the future: reimagining Birrarung 50 years from now – https://theconversation.com/bringing-the-river-into-the-gallery-and-the-future-reimagining-birrarung-50-years-from-now-239499

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Are academics more likely to answer emails from ‘Melissa’ or ‘Rahul’? The answer may not surprise you

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Megan MacKenzie, Professor and Simons Chair in International Law and Human Security, Simon Fraser University

    Onehundredseventyfive/Unsplash, CC BY

    Universities are supposed to be places where all students can learn, free from discrimination.

    A key part of this ideal is academics welcoming all students to study and research, regardless of their racial background.

    But as our new research shows, Australian academics responded differently to potential PhD students, depending on whether they were called “Melissa” or “Rahul”.

    Racism on campus

    Many overseas and Australian studies have shown racism is both a historical and ongoing problem for universities.

    A 2020 Australian study showed universities tend to be run by older, white men. A 2021 UK study showed academics from different cultural backgrounds face racism at work.

    But there has been less specific attention paid to those trying to become academics.

    The main way people start an academic career is via a doctoral degree. In the Australian system, before a student is accepted they usually require an established academic to agree to supervise them. So a student’s initial communication with a potential supervisor is very important.

    To start a PhD, students usually need to have a supervisor lined up.
    Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

    How we set up our research

    To investigate whether racism is playing a role at the entrance point to PhD study, in 2017 we sent about 7,000 emails from fictitious students to academics based at the main campuses of Australia’s Group of Eight universities (billed as Australia’s top research universities).

    These are the Australian National University, Monash University, University of Adelaide, University of New South Wales, University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of Western Australia and University of Queensland.

    We emailed staff ranked senior lecturer or above, as these are the levels most likely to be supervising PhD students. Academics were identified by university websites, and we sent emails to everyone who fit our rank criteria across all disciplines.

    In this process, we found 70% of relevant academics were male and 84% were white. This did not improve in the more senior ranks – more than 68% of professors were white men.

    What did the email say?

    The emails asked for an meeting to talk about potential PhD supervision.

    They were identical apart from the senders’ names. These names were tested to be associated with male and female and with white-European, Indigenous, South Asian, Chinese and Arab identities. Recipients were randomly allocated to different name groups.

    The emails indicated the sender was an Australia-based student with fluent English. It conveyed an interest in the recipient’s research and urgency in meeting because the sender was only on campus for several days. It also noted “I have recently finished my honours degree” (a common path into a PhD in Australia) and was sent from a University of Sydney email address.

    We emailed about 7,000 senior academics as part of our study.
    Tipa Patt/Shutterstock

    What did we find?

    Responses agreeing to a meeting or requesting further information were categorised as “positive”. Those who declined a meeting were “non-positive”. Automated replies and those who did not reply were “non-responses”.

    Of 6,928 emails sent, 2,986 (43.1%) received a reply within 24 hours and 2,469 (35.6%) received a positive reply. There were 3,942 (56.9%) non-responses and 517 (7.5%) non-positive responses (declining a meeting).

    We initially planned to give academics a week to respond, but after IT at one university noticed several staff had received emails with identical text, we ended the experiment after 24 hours.

    From here, the results were stark: emails from names associated with non-white racial groups received significantly fewer responses and positive replies than those from names typically associated with white individuals.

    An email from “Melissa Smith” was far more likely to get a positive response than an identical email from “Grace Chen Jinyan” (six percentage points lower) or “Omar al-Haddad” (nine percentage points lower).

    The most dramatic gap was in the positive response rates to Melissa Smith, compared with “Rahul Kumar”. The rate of positive responses to Melissa was 12 percentage points higher than for Rahul.

    Overall, our statistical analysis showed the white-sounding names averaged a 7% higher reply rate and a 9% higher positive response rate than the non-white sounding names. Both these findings were highly statistically significant, meaning we can be very confident the results were not due to chance.

    Of course, some faculty members may simply have been unable to meet with the student, or may have missed the email. However, given the randomisation used, it is reasonable to assume bias explains the gap in responses to students with different names.

    This is alarming because it suggests racial bias is quietly influencing who gets a foot in the door of academia even before formal admissions processes begin.

    Silver linings

    One seemingly positive finding was academics at the more junior end of our study group appeared to show less bias towards students of different backgrounds.

    For academics at senior lecturer or associate professor levels, Melissa was 10.5% more likely to receive a positive response than Rahul, while the corresponding figure for full professors was 14.7%.

    However, junior academics often have little institutional power or much of a say on hiring. More research is needed to explore whether generational change is achievable (albeit painfully slow).

    We also found that, unlike similar US studies, there was no significant bias against female students. In fact, there was some evidence of positive bias, or preference, for female students.

    Our study found academics did not discriminate against potential candidates based on gender.
    Matej Kastelic/ Shutterstock

    Backlash to our study

    We based our study on a peer-reviewed study carried out in the United States, and followed a research ethics protocol approved by our university.

    However, minutes after academics received our follow-up email telling them they had been part of a research study (part of our ethics protocol), the backlash began.

    The University of Sydney, our home institution at the time, received more than 500 inquiries about the study. While some were curious or supportive, the majority were complaints. These were primarily about our use of deception (a well-researched and supported method of studying bias). Megan MacKenzie, the more junior author (at the time a senior lecturer), received calls threatening her with consequences for her career.

    Although unpleasant, the reaction was revealing. It reinforces other research on how defensive racial majorities can be when they believe they are suspected of bias. It also complements work showing internal resistance to diversity efforts in higher education.

    What can we do?

    Universities pride themselves on being meritocracies, where the best ideas and brightest minds rise to the top. But our study suggests racial bias is undermining this principle by influencing who is even considered for an academic career.

    There is growing acknowledgement racism is a significant problem on Australian university campuses (as well as in broader society). In May, the federal government asked the Australian Human Rights Commission to study the prevalence and impact of racism at Australian universities.

    But this study is not due to deliver its final report until June 2025, and any ensuing action will be further away still.

    What can be done now to tackle this issue?

    First, universities need to acknowledge academia remains overwhelmingly white and male, in spite of efforts to increase diversity.

    Second, universities also need to acknowledge the existence of racial bias, the need for ongoing research into how it operates in higher education and the most effective strategies to tackle it.

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

    – ref. Are academics more likely to answer emails from ‘Melissa’ or ‘Rahul’? The answer may not surprise you – https://theconversation.com/are-academics-more-likely-to-answer-emails-from-melissa-or-rahul-the-answer-may-not-surprise-you-241352

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Where there’s smoke: the rising death toll from climate-charged fire in the landscape

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fay Johnston, Professor, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania

    Daria Nipot, Shutterstock

    Inhaling smoke is bad for you. Smoke from any kind of fire, from bonfire to burn-off to uncontrolled wildfire, can have serious consequences.

    Even low levels of smoke can make many heart and lung diseases worse, sometimes triggering a rapid deterioration in health. When we are repeatedly exposed over months and years, air pollution, including smoke, makes us more likely to develop heart, lung and other chronic diseases.

    Now, new international research has linked the warming climate to some of the deaths from exposure to fire smoke in large parts of the world, including Australia.

    In 2012, I led the first team to estimate the number of landscape fire smoke-related deaths globally each year. Our estimate of 339,000 deaths did not attempt to pull out the influence of climate change. But we noticed much higher impacts during hotter and drier El Niño periods.

    The researchers behind the new study took this a step further, estimating how much of the historical burden of fire smoke-related deaths might be attributable to climate change. They found a considerably increasing proportion, from 1.2% in the 1960s to 12.8% in the 2010s.

    Where there’s fire, there’s smoke

    A wall of flames is way more deadly than a bit of smoke in the air – isn’t it? It’s not so simple. When you look back at a fire disaster, the smoke-related death toll in the aftermath can be surprisingly high.

    During the extreme Australian bushfire season of 2019–20, there were 33 deaths directly related to fire. But my team found the number of smoke-related deaths was 429, more than ten times higher.

    Smoke travels vast distances and can affect very large populations. Millions of people in Australia and New Zealand breathed smoke from the 2019-20 Australian fires. The sheer scale of the air quality impacts means the associated public health burden can be very large.

    Smoke harms our health in two ways. In the short term, it makes existing diseases worse. As soon as the body detects smoke, it initiates immune and stress responses that affect, among other things, blood pressure, blood glucose and the risk of forming blood clots.

    For some people with serious chronic illness such as heart and blood vessel disease, these subtle changes can trigger deadly complications including heart attacks or strokes.

    When smoke reaches our eyes, throats and lungs, it acts as an irritant. This can be enough to make people living with asthma or other lung conditions seriously unwell.

    Over the longer term, air pollution is a known risk factor for developing heart disease, lung disease, asthma, diabetes and stroke, and landscape fire smoke is increasingly contributing to the load.

    How did the researchers find this out?

    Most research on the health impact from air pollution focuses on the damage done by fine particles called PM2.5. These particles are defined as those less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, meaning they are small enough to get into the lungs and bloodstream.

    In the new paper, the authors used computer models to estimate how global changes in fire-related PM2.5 emissions between 1960 and 2019 had been influenced by the warming climate. To do this, they evaluated climate factors known to promote fire activity, such as higher air temperatures and lower humidity. Then, they used modelling to estimate how these changes would have influenced fire activity, smoke exposure and smoke related deaths globally.

    Using this approach, the authors attributed 669 (1.2%) of the wildfire-induced smoke-related deaths in the 1960s to climate change. But that rose to 12,566 (12.8%) in the 2010s. They found the influence of climate change was higher in some regions, including Australia.

    Climate change is making fires worse

    These reported numbers seem to be surprisingly low when put in context with previous global and regional estimates of deaths due to air pollution from landscape fires.

    But estimating how many deaths can be attributed to landscape fire smoke is a challenging task, requiring assumptions about the size and strength of the links between meteorology, fire activity, smoke production and dispersal, population vulnerability and health outcomes in the huge diversity of landscapes, climates and cultures across the world.

    Importantly, the estimates in this recent study were driven by changes in climate. But the modelling approach can less easily account for fluctuations and trends in another incredibly important driver of fire activity on Earth, human activity.

    For example, huge volumes of smoke globally are created by setting fires to burn and clear tropical forests for agriculture. Corporate activity and government policies drive these fires more than climate change, and are harder to capture in a modelling study.

    Nevertheless, these new results clearly support empirical studies showing increases in extreme fire activity attributable to climate change, and illustrates the relative impacts when other influences are held constant. Importantly, it points to parts of the world – including the north and southeast of Australia – where we can expect harmful population smoke impacts to get worse.

    The likely geographic impacts can be put together with information about the location of more vulnerable population groups, or higher population densities, to focus on responses where they are most needed. But in Australia that means pretty much everywhere, including the tropical north.

    What we can do about it?

    To adapt to a smokier world, we will need comprehensive education about escalating air quality hazards and ways to reduce the harm for both the general public and health professionals.

    These include keeping on top of long-term health conditions that could be made worse by air pollution, knowing how to keep track of air quality, and when to use strategies such as face masks, air filtration and managing the ventilation of homes and buildings to reduce individual smoke exposure.

    Adaptive responses alone do not get around the urgent need to act on climate change. Watching fire seasons around the world get steadily worse year on year really frightens me. We are getting into a vicious cycle where the hotter climate is driving more and more fire. These fires are increasingly venting long-stored carbon and contributing to further climate change.

    As well as ending the massive combustion of fossil fuels, we must halt the burning of tropical rainforests and agricultural crop residues globally. These actions will also dramatically improve air quality and health globally and support ongoing capture and storage of atmospheric carbon.

    Fay Johnston receives research funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Environmental Science Program, Asthma Australia and the health departments of the Tasmanian and ACT governments. She led the development of the air quality app AirRater, and is a founding director of AirHealth Pty Ltd, which provides air quality information services.

    – ref. Where there’s smoke: the rising death toll from climate-charged fire in the landscape – https://theconversation.com/where-theres-smoke-the-rising-death-toll-from-climate-charged-fire-in-the-landscape-241590

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Donald Trump and Peter Dutton have both embraced populism. Are working-class voters buying it?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By David Smith, Associate Professor in American Politics and Foreign Policy, US Studies Centre, University of Sydney

    Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has often been accused of copying former US President Donald Trump’s tactics. Some analysts even refer to Dutton, like Trump, as a “populist” who seeks political gain by pitting ordinary citizens against corrupt “elites”.

    There is evidence of this populism in the willingness of Trump, Dutton and other figures in their parties to attack “big business”.

    This is unusual for the conservative parties, and it has alarmed business-aligned outlets like the Wall Street Journal and the Australian Financial Review.

    Republicans and Liberals have always preferred to identify with small business rather than big business. Their relationship with corporate interests has not always been smooth.

    But they do not believe there is a natural conflict between business and workers, or between different sections of the economy. And they usually align with big business on the critical issues of taxation and government regulation.

    So Dutton’s declaration earlier this year that the Liberal Party is “not the party of big business” but “the friend of the worker” marks a notable rhetorical shift, even if there is reason to doubt the substance behind it.

    It mirrors a similar shift to pro-worker rhetoric among leading Republicans. Florida Senator Marco Rubio said in 2020, for instance, the future of the Republican Party is based on “a multiethnic, multiracial, working-class coalition”.

    Expanding their share of the working-class vote may be necessary for both parties, given their losses of tertiary-educated, middle-class voters and seats in recent elections. Economic populism may be one path to do it.

    But how economically populist can conservative parties get in either country?

    Why attack big business?

    A lot of Republican and Liberal attacks on big business are fundamentally cultural rather than economic.

    Publicly-owned corporations have embraced diversity, equity and inclusion policies. They declare commitments to “sustainability”. And plenty of them have backed causes like marriage equality, Black Lives Matter and the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

    However cosmetic these gestures are, many conservatives see major corporations as culturally hostile to them. More importantly, they no longer see big business and finance as reliable political backers.

    And they don’t need them like they once did. Dynastic wealth in both countries has seen the ascendancy of private companies owned by super-rich individuals and families. These, not corporate donors, are now the most consistent sources of financial and political support for conservative parties.

    These changing conditions have given Republicans and Liberals a free hand to make big business – never a popular entity – into a target of populist campaigns.

    Many of their attacks are about “wokeness”. But not all. Consumer protection has also become an opportune theme, given the cost of living crisis in both the United States and Australia.

    Trump, for instance, has floated capping credit card interest rates at 10%. Dutton has proposed using the government’s divestiture powers to break up supermarket and hardware chains that are accused of using their monopoly power to exploit consumers and suppliers.

    They can propose these ideas because voters usually trust the Republican and Liberal parties more than their opponents on economic issues. Most Democratic and Labor politicians would be unwilling to take populist measures that far because of their perennial fears of being seen as economically irresponsible.

    But when it comes to actually siding with workers over business, a different picture emerges.

    The Republican romance with ‘union workers’

    As president, Trump had a notably anti-union record. His appointees to the National Labor Relations Board, which enforces labour law, consistently ruled against unions.

    In Trump’s current campaign to re-enter the White House, unions have criticised him for holding a rally appealing to “union workers” at a non-union shop, and for praising tech billionaire Elon Musk because he sacked workers who threatened to strike.

    Trump also said recently that as a business owner he hated paying overtime. He has also previously said he preferred to use non-union workforces.

    Despite all this, the Trump campaign is making a serious play for the votes of unionised workers, who could be critical in Midwestern battleground states.

    Although unions as organisations usually support Democrats, the number of voters in union households who support Republicans is sometimes more than 40%.

    This year, Trump sought the endorsement of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the North American truck drivers’ union with 1.3 million members. The Teamsters have supported Democratic candidates in every presidential election since 2000, but prior to that, the organisation had also backed Republican candidates like Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George HW Bush.

    This year, the Teamsters did not join most other unions in quickly endorsing Democratic incumbent Joe Biden before he stepped aside for Vice President Kamala Harris.

    The Teamsters’ president, Sean O’Brien, almost got into a fight with a Republican senator in a committee hearing in 2023 after calling him a “greedy CEO who acts like he’s self-made”. Nonetheless, he got an invitation to speak at this year’s Republican National Convention. He praised Trump as a “tough SOB”, but then blasted various businesses and business organisations for being anti-union, to the discomfort of the audience.

    Teamsters President Sean O’Brien addressing the Republican National Convention.

    The Teamsters ultimately endorsed neither candidate. However, they released polling showing nearly 60% of their members supported Trump compared to a third for Harris.

    Trump-era Republicans frequently praise “union workers” rather than actual unions. When Senators JD Vance (now Trump’s running mate) and Josh Hawley supported the striking United Auto Workers last year, they criticised the union’s leadership. But they are happy to be seen as being on the side of unionised workers against big businesses who send manufacturing jobs overseas, a trend Trump promises to reverse.

    The term “union workers” prompts conservative nostalgia, especially for a group like the Teamsters with their mostly male membership and reputation for toughness. It evokes the anti-communist, blue-collar workers of the 1960s and ‘70s who supported Nixon and brawled in the streets with college-educated anti-Vietnam War protesters.

    That is not the only nostalgic element. Through heavily protectionist measures, Trump is promising to restore millions of manufacturing jobs to the United States – the kinds of jobs that used to be largely unionised. He also promises to roll back environmental regulations to expand mining, drilling and fracking on federal land. Again, these are the kinds of jobs often associated with “union workers”.

    When Trump and others praise “union workers”, they are not really talking about unions, but a certain type of blue-collar job they are promising to create and protect. “Union” in this context has the positive connotation of well-paid, stable work.

    But Trump claims it is his policies that will guarantee these jobs, making unions themselves virtually irrelevant.

    Where Liberals won’t follow

    Dutton may praise workers, but he is unlikely to add the prefix “union” anytime soon. It is hard to imagine any Liberal leader courting the support of a union because Australia’s party system effectively enshrines the country’s adversarial industrial relations system in its politics.

    The Australian Labor Party began as the parliamentary wing of the union movement, and to this day affiliated unions are entitled to 50% of delegates at party conferences. American unions are not linked to the Democratic Party in the same way.

    This does not mean the votes of union members are off-limits to other parties. In 2006, then-economist (now Labor MP) Andrew Leigh estimated about a third of union members voted for the Coalition on a two party-preferred basis from 1966 to 2004. But Liberals will not appeal to these voters as “union workers” in the same way Republicans do.

    Trump’s dream of restoring American manufacturing dominance would involve a resurgence of long-term employment in large and medium-sized firms. He is promising the stability once associated with unions, not the “flexibility” that Australia’s Liberals want in workplaces.

    For the most part, Liberals still prefer to talk about blue-collar workers as independent tradespeople or aspiring business owners rather than employees.

    Dutton says the modern Liberal Party is the friend of “small business owners and employees in that business”. This conjures images of family-like operations where staff loyally put in unpaid overtime – instead of larger, impersonal workplaces (where unpaid overtime is also the norm).

    And unlike Trump Republicans, the Liberal and National parties still believe in free trade. After a long bipartisan opposition to protectionism, Labor has recently embraced a major new industrial policy. The Coalition is not on board.

    Some doubt whether Trump is a genuine populist. But he has a wider scope for genuinely populist rhetoric than Dutton, at least for now.

    Even though he’s a symbol of capitalist excess, part of Trump’s message is that capitalism has taken a wrong turn. Not just into excessive wokeness, but into globalisation and financialisation, where investment and speculation are more profitable than production.

    There are limits to how much any Liberal leader, even Dutton, can tap into anger with capitalism itself.

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

    – ref. Donald Trump and Peter Dutton have both embraced populism. Are working-class voters buying it? – https://theconversation.com/donald-trump-and-peter-dutton-have-both-embraced-populism-are-working-class-voters-buying-it-240309

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Parliamentary Secretary Jones represents Canada at 2024 Arctic Circle Assembly in Iceland

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    October 21, 2024 — Reykjavik, Iceland — Crown–Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

    Engaging with Arctic leaders and international partners is essential to building a strong, secure, and prosperous future for the North and Arctic. That is why we are working together with partners to address climate change, advance reconciliation, and support sustainable economic development across the Arctic.

    This week, Yvonne Jones, Parliamentary Secretary (PS) to the Minister of Northern Affairs and to the Minister of National Defence (Northern Defence) and Member of Parliament for Labrador, participated in the Arctic Circle Assembly, held in Reykjavík, Iceland. Over three days from October 17 to 19, around 2,000 participants from over 70 countries gathered to discuss the future of the Arctic on the international stage.

    PS Jones met with international and Arctic leaders including United States Senator for Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, EU Special Envoy for Arctic Matters Representative, Mme Claude Véron-Réville, and Arctic Economic Council Director, Mads Qvist Frederiksen in support of circumpolar cooperation. During these meetings, PS Jones discussed the challenges and resilience of the North, and reiterated the importance of collaboration amongst Arctic nations.

    PS Jones took part in a panel discussion on wildland fires in the Arctic, where she highlighted the devastating impact of recent wildfire seasons on Arctic communities, and praised the strength and determination of the affected communities.

    Canada’s collaboration with partners at the Arctic Assembly is key to the implementation of the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, as we work across the circumpolar region to build strong, self-reliant communities across the Arctic.

    Quotes

    “I am honoured to participate in this important international event and engage with Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders on solutions to the challenges the Arctic faces. Sharing Canada’s perspective on these challenges helps us work towards realizing our shared vision for secure, prosperous, and vibrant Arctic and Northern communities.”

    Yvonne Jones
    Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern Affairs and to the Minister of National Defence (Northern Defence) and Member of Parliament for Labrador

    Quick facts

    • Supporting Indigenous leadership and co-developing solutions to climate change, housing and food security in northern communities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis is central to advancing the reconciliation journey and self-determination.

    • Launched in 2019 and developed with Indigenous representatives and six territorial and provincial governments, Canada’s Arctic and Northern Policy Framework is a long-term vision for the Arctic and the North to reflect the priorities and perspectives of Arctic and northern people.

    • As lead federal department for the North, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) has direct responsibility for its political and economic development, and improving knowledge of the North through scientific cooperation. Advancing Canada’s northern interests internationally falls directly within this mandate.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information, media may contact:

    Carson Debert
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Dan Vandal
    Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
    carson.debert@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca

    Media Relations
    Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
    819-934-2302
    RCAANC.media.CIRNAC@sac-isc.gc.ca

    Stay connected

    Join the conversation about the North:

    X: @GovCanNorth
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    You can subscribe to receive our news releases and speeches via RSS feeds. For more information or to subscribe, visit http://www.cirnac.gc.ca/RSS.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Singles Day shopping off to a good start

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

    The extended Singles Day shopping festival this year saw booming sales during its grand opening on Monday evening, with high-quality and intelligent electronic products and livestreaming sessions gaining popularity among Chinese consumers.

    As China’s biggest online shopping event, the 11-11 or Double Eleven promotional campaign is expected to play a vital role in further stimulating the purchasing appetite of consumers, bolstering the recovery of consumption and shoring up economic growth, experts said.

    Data from Tmall, Chinese tech heavyweight Alibaba Group’s business-to-customer platform, showed that in the first four hours after the shopping carnival kicked off at 8 pm, 174 brands saw their sales surpass 100 million yuan ($14 million).In addition, the turnover of more than 12,000 brands surged over 100 percent year-on-year and the sales of nearly 6,000 brands skyrocketed more than 500 percent compared with the same period last year.

    The transaction volume of Apple’s products on Tmall exceeded 1 billion yuan within five minutes, while sales of domestic smartphone brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Vivo all surpassed 100 million yuan in the first four hours of the promotional event, according to Tmall.

    Consumers preferred snapping up bargains via livestreaming on e-commerce platforms, with sales from some top-tier livestreamers on Taobao Live, Alibaba’s livestreaming arm, surpassing 100 million yuan within a short period of time.

    JD, another major Chinese e-commerce player, has intensified efforts to offer big discounts and lower-priced products, giving subsidies for commodities included in the consumer goods trade-in program, such as home appliances and computers. It has also stepped up efforts to upgrade supply chain systems and logistics services.

    Furthermore, a series of products that represent scientific and technological innovations achieved by Chinese enterprises have been made available on the e-commerce platform Taobao. These products cover fields such as information technology, artificial intelligence, aerospace, new energy and quantum technology.

    For example, consumers can directly purchase the country’s independently developed AS700 civil manned airship and enjoy discounts. The airship can be used for sightseeing, emergency rescue and aviation geophysical exploration, among other things.

    Wang Yun, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, said, “Consumption has become the main driving force behind China’s economic growth, and the Singles Day shopping carnival plays a pivotal role in unleashing consumers’ purchasing potential, bolstering domestic demand and promoting consumption recovery.”

    MIL OSI China News –