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Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: Miller Tours Meeks Mountain Trails and Hosts Flag Ceremony Honoring Late Senator Bob Ashley

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV)

    Washington D.C. – Yesterday, Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) stopped by Meeks Mountain Trails to hear about economic updates and concerns regarding a proposal from American Electric Power (AEP). The Congresswoman later hosted a flag presentation for the family of late West Virginia Senator Bob Ashley. 

    Congresswoman Miller met with Meeks Mountain Trails board members to tour the trails, discuss how the trail system project has been impacting the state’s economy, and discuss AEP’s plans to cut through the trails to install power lines.   
     
    “The Meeks Mountain Trails system has done a wonderful job at providing economic growth and promoting healthy lifestyles by building and sustaining more than 30 miles of trails for the Hurricane community. Volunteers, sustainers, and donors continue to help make this project possible and I was glad to observe some of the trails for a first-hand experience. I know there are concerns with AEP’s plans to install power lines which would disrupt the trails, but my staff and I are in communication with the electric energy company and committed to finding the best solution possible for the community,” said Congresswoman Miller.

    Congresswoman Miller visited the West Virginia State Capitol to share remarks about late Senator Bob Ashley’s life and presented a flag to his family in honor of his public service to the state of West Virginia.
     
    “It was an honor to host a flag ceremony in memory of Senator Bob Ashley. His many years of service in the West Virginia legislature have left a positive impact on us all. As a token of appreciation, I wanted to meet with his family and present them with a flag that was flown over the United States Capitol this past Fourth of July, which would have been his 71st birthday. His family remains in my prayers as they continue to mourn his loss,” said Congresswoman Miller.

    Congresswoman Miller touring Meeks Mountain Trails

     Congresswoman Miller observing the trails

    Congresswoman Miller speaking at the flag ceremony for Bob Ashley’s family

     Congresswoman Miller and Bob Ashley’s family

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Evansville Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for 3D Printing Ghost Gun and Dozens of “Glock Switches”

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    EVANSVILLE- Marquel D. Payne, 39, of Evansville, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and possession of a machinegun.

    According to court documents, on January 31, 2024, Evansville Police Department officers observed Payne in possession of a 3D printer while conducting surveillance near his residence. Investigators had received information that Payne was manufacturing machine gun parts using a 3D printer before the surveillance began.

    Investigators obtained search warrants for Payne’s residence and other locations he controlled. During the searches, investigators found approximately 60 plastic machine gun conversion devices, a 9mm personally made handgun, also known as a “ghost gun” due to its lack of any traceable serial numbering, an AR-15 rifle, a 3D printer, plastic printing filament, a 3D printed firearm silencer, and 9mm caliber ammunition.

    Machinegun conversion devices sometimes called “Glock switches” or “auto-sears” are devices that convert ordinary semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic machineguns. Machinegun conversion devices are themselves considered machineguns under federal law, even when not installed, and are illegal for individuals to produce, possess, or sell. The hand grip of the 9mm ghost gun was produced by Payne using a 3D printer. Other parts of the ghost gun were produced in Pennsylvania.

    At the time of his arrest, Payne had been previously convicted of numerous felonies, including escape, carrying a handgun without a license, and criminal recklessness while armed with a deadly weapon. These prior felony convictions prohibit Payne from ever again legally possessing a firearm.

    “Getting illegal machinegun conversion devices off our streets is a critical public safety priority. Fully automatic weapons and untraceable ‘ghost guns’ pose a serious danger to our communities, especially when they are in the hands of people who have no lawful business possessing any firearm,” said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This prosecution is the result of quick and impactful investigative work by our outstanding partners at the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center. Together we are committed to saving lives and reducing gun violence by combining intelligence and resources to investigate and prosecute dangerous offenders.”

    “Unfortunately, these deadly conversion devices continue to show up in our communities,” stated Daryl S. McCormick, Special Agent in Charge of ATF’s Columbus Field Division. “U.S. law has long recognized that automatic weapons pose a special risk to public safety, both through the sheer volume of bullets fired and the likelihood that innocent bystanders will be injured or killed. Combine that with an untraceable firearm and an unregistered silencer in the hands of a convicted felon, and it is clear that this individual is solely interested in feeding violence in southern Indiana. ATF will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use and distribute machine gun conversion devices.”

    “My office applied for and was awarded a $700,000 federal grant to form the crime gun intelligence center where our mission is clear: to work with our state and federal partners to combat the rising crime in Vanderburgh County. We are now seeing the fruits of our labor,” said Prosecutor Diana Moers. “My office and our state and federal partners will stop at nothing to identify and prosecute any who seek to commit violent crimes in our community – this case is a result of teamwork and, with our agencies working together, we expect more cases like this: we are ahead of criminal activity and not simply reacting. Anyone planning to break the law in Vanderburgh County should swiftly reconsider.”

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Evansville Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC), the Evansville Police Department, and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.

    U.S. Attorney Myers thanked Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.

    In October 2023, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office, Sheriff’s Office, and Evansville Police Department secured a nearly $700,000 federal grant to establish a Crime Gun Intelligence Center. The goal of the Evansville-Vanderburgh Crime Gun Intelligence Center is to quickly identify and reduce the amount of gun crime in the Evansville-Vanderburgh County area by providing intelligence, analysis, and resources between agencies for the swift identification and apprehension of suspected armed criminals.

    The Department of Justice’s National Ghost Gun Initiative was launched in February 2022 in response to the proliferation of ghost guns in our communities, and the growing number of criminals who unlawfully use or possess these untraceable weapons. The Attorney General directed U.S. Attorney’s Offices to train a national cadre of prosecutors as experts to lead investigations and prosecutions of crimes involving ghost guns. These ghost gun coordinators will also share investigation and prosecution tools with other prosecutors and law enforcement officers. As part of the initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana will focus its investigation and prosecution resources on combatting the illegal possession and use of ghost guns.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Providence Man Charged in Alleged Scheme to Obtain Veterans’ Health Care Benefits

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    PROVIDENCE, RI – A U.S. Army veteran, who allegedly made false claims of combat injuries in order to obtain veterans’ health care benefits that he was not entitled to receive, has been charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with making false statements relating to health care matters and making false statements to agents, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

    It is alleged in court documents that Nicholas Ash, 38, of Providence, fraudulently claimed to a Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center doctor that he was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as the result of a combat deployment to Iraq/Middle East where, he claimed, he experienced a blast from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Ash claimed that the IED blast caused him to suffer from seizures.

    As alleged in court documents, Defense Department records reflect that Ash served in the U.S. Army from July 2005 to September 2007. Following completion of basic training in Oklahoma, Ash was assigned to Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, where he served as a motor transport operator. While stationed in Hawaii, for an unrelated medical matter Ash was hospitalized and placed on non-deployable status, having been deemed not medically fit to deploy on any military operation. Defense Department records show no indication that Ash was ever deployed anywhere outside of the United States.

    When initially confronted with these facts by the VA doctor, and when interviewed later by a federal agent, Ash is alleged to have claimed to have been injured after he was discharged from the Army, as the result of an IED blast he experienced while employed overseas as a private military contractor.

    Court records reflect that investigators could find no record Ash ever worked for the private contractor.

    In support of his claim that he was injured in the Middle East and that he experienced an IED blast, Ash allegedly presented the physician with a letter written by a veteran who served in the Middle East, and claimed to know of Ash’s tour of duty in Iraq. The individual, an Army veteran, later told an investigator that he did not meet Ash until 2015 or 2017, and that he wrote the letter at Ash’s request.

    Ash made an initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate on Thursday and was released on unsecured bond. A federal criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

    The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.

    The matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General.

    United States Attorney Cunha thanks the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Services and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.

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    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Mafia Gang Leader Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a Gun

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    The founder of the Mafia criminal street gang who has a lengthy criminal history in the Middle Georgia community was sentenced to the maximum prison term allowed by law for illegally possessing a firearm.

    Alphonzo Clyde, 45, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on Oct. 17. Clyde pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on April 10. There is no parole in the federal system.

    “Alphonzo Clyde and the Mafia wreaked havoc in Macon and beyond for years,” said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. “This significant sentence should directly result in reduced violence, and it would not have been possible without our strong federal and local law enforcement connection.”

    “Despite a lengthy criminal history, Clyde continued to break the law,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to work thoroughly with our local and federal partners to investigate and remove the leaders of drug trafficking organizations from our streets by whatever means necessary.”

    “Alfonso Clyde is a notorious criminal whose career of mayhem has spanned nearly thirty years,” said Bibb County Sheriff David J. Davis. “This investigative and prosecution result is a testament to the importance of local agencies working together with our federal partners. Macon and the entire Middle Georgia community is better off having this gangster off our streets for many years to come.”

    According to court documents and statements made in court, Clyde is the founder of the Macon Mafia, a criminal street gang operating in Middle Georgia and West Virginia. Clyde was wanted on an outstanding probation violation warrant when officers from the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office took him into custody on Oct. 8, 2023. At the time of his arrest, officers spotted a digital scale with a white powdery substance located on the front passenger seat of the SUV that Clyde was driving. Officers also detected a marijuana odor emanating from his vehicle. Officers found a Taurus G2S 9-millimeter handgun inside the glovebox. Clyde has multiple prior felony convictions; it is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.

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

    The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.

    Assistant U.S. Attorney Joy Odom prosecuted the case for the Government.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Free SUNY and CUNY Applications Starting October 21

    Source: US State of New York

    Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the State University of New York, the City University of New York and over 50 private colleges and universities throughout New York State have again come together to offer free application opportunities for high school seniors during New York State College Application Month.

    “Ensuring that every student has the opportunity to pursue higher education is a top priority for New York State,” Governor Hochul said. “College Application Month isn’t only about waiving fees — it’s about breaking down financial barriers and opening doors to future opportunities. We’re empowering students across the state to take the first step toward achieving their educational and career goals while removing the financial obstacles that may deter students from pursuing higher education.”

    The State University of New York (SUNY) will waive up to five application fees per student across its 64 colleges and universities from Oct. 21 through Nov. 3. The City University of New York (CUNY) is waiving application fees across all 25 campuses for high school seniors attending New York City public schools from Oct. 21 to Nov. 15 and from Nov. 4 to Nov. 15 for all New York State residents applying as a college freshman. CUNY further guarantees admission to all seven of its community colleges for all NYC Public Schools graduates, while private institutions across the state are offering fee waivers that vary by campus. Visit the New York State Application Month waiver webpage here for more information and a complete list of participating NYS colleges and universities.

    Last week, Governor Hochul announced that following the increase in income thresholds secured in the FY25 Enacted Budget, more than 40,000 newly eligible New York State students have already submitted Tuition Assistance Program applications for the 2024-25 academic year. B-roll of Governor Hochul meeting with students at the University at Albany’s Financial Aid Office is available on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here.

    To assist students with their academic goals, the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) and academic partners will offer over 65 virtual and in-person events. These events aim to support students through their college applications, encourage students to learn more about New York State financial aid, and inform them about their college options. Additional assistance with college applications and information on related events can be found on the Apply to SUNY webpage and CUNY Month webpage.

    New York State Higher Education Services Corporation President Dr. Guillermo Linares said, “Education is a pathway to opportunity, and New York State College Application Month helps ensure that this pathway is open to all, regardless of background or financial circumstances. By waiving application fees, we’re helping more New Yorkers take that important first step toward achieving a brighter future and reinforcing our commitment to making higher education accessible and attainable for every student across the state. Thank you, Governor Hochul, for proclaiming October as New York State College Application Month and for enhancing access to higher education opportunities for even more New Yorkers.”

    SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. said, “There is a place at SUNY for everyone, and we are committed to ensuring the pursuit of higher education is available to all New Yorkers. We are pleased to join Governor Hochul in promoting College Application Month and in providing application fee waivers to ease this step toward college for prospective students who are ready to claim their place on the SUNY campus that’s right for them.”

    CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said, “CUNY is deeply committed to removing barriers to higher education, and we are pleased to join educational institutions across the state and country for College Application Month. We will be waiving CUNY’s application fee from October 21 to November 15 as well as offering guaranteed community college admission to all NYC Public Schools seniors. These strategies help communicate directly to students that attending college is a viable option for them and a life-changing opportunity. Thanks to Governor Hochul for her strong and sustained support for higher education across New York State.”

    New York State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa said, “No student should ever be discouraged from pursuing a path to higher education because of the cost of applying. Waiving application fees sends a clear message to all high school seniors who aspire to higher education: ‘We want you to attend one of New York’s world-class colleges or universities; we want you to succeed; we will support you as you follow your dream.’ The Board of Regents and I commend Governor Hochul for once again prioritizing the needs of all students across New York State.”

    New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos said, “College education should be accessible to all young people, and New York City Public Schools is honored to stand beside institutions that are working to remove financial barriers for our most underserved students. As a school system that is deeply committed to giving students the tools to graduate with a strong post-secondary plan and a clear path towards a rewarding career, we commend New York State for making space for equity in applying to college.”

    State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said, “SUNY and CUNY pride themselves on providing a quality and affordable education for all New Yorkers. By waiving application fees we are opening doors for students to continue their educational journey. This helps in reversing declining enrollment. I thank Governor Hochul for making the application process more affordable. I strongly encourage all students to take advantage of this initiative.”

    Assemblymember Patricia Fahy said, “I encourage all students and families to take advantage of this window to apply for free at SUNY and CUNY institutions. With expanded tuition assistance, there has never been a more affordable time to attend college or university in New York State, and we will continue working to remove financial barriers for all students seeking to achieve their dream of a higher education.”

    President of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities Lola W. Brabham said, “New York’s independent colleges and universities are committed to providing access and opportunity to ensure that all students can benefit from the transformative impact of higher education. We must do everything we can to assist students applying to college, especially first-generation students and students from traditionally underrepresented groups. CICU, on behalf of New York’s Independent Sector, is proud to participate in College Application Month, which aims to increase awareness that higher education is accessible to all who wish to pursue it.”

    President of New York’s Association of Private Colleges Donna Stelling-Gurnett said, “College Application Month provides an invaluable opportunity to first-generation or financially limited New Yorkers who may not have pursued their higher education because of application fees. Several of APC’s member schools are proud to participate in this year’s initiative to remove financial barriers for students by waiving their application fees throughout the month of October. We thank Governor Hochul for continuing to champion efforts that encourage high schoolers and prospective students to explore opportunities available to them throughout all four higher education sectors in New York State.”

    New York State’s College Application Month (CAM) is part of the national American College Application Campaign, which began as a pilot at a single high school in North Carolina in 2005 and has since expanded to all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Coordinated by HESC in partnership with the NYS Education Department, SUNY, CUNY, the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, the Association of Proprietary Colleges, the NYC Department of Education and community organizations. CAM encourages high school seniors — especially those from low-income families, first-generation students, and those who may not otherwise apply — to submit college applications early. To date, the national campaign, sponsored by ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning, has helped nearly 4.7 million students submit over 8.7 million applications.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: IMF Staff Completes 2024 Article IV Mission to Madagascar

    Source: IMF – News in Russian

    October 18, 2024

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

    • Madagascar’s growth is expected to remain stable at 4.2 percent in 2024, before accelerating to 4.6 percent in 2025.
    • Ambitious policy reforms are needed to raise more fiscal revenue and make space for higher public investment and social expenditures, while preserving macroeconomic stability and limiting fiscal risks.
    • Strengthening governance and accelerating reforms to bolster resilience to climate shocks and attract climate finance are key to deliver higher and more inclusive growth in the medium term.

    Washington, DC: An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Frederic Lambert conducted discussions for the 2024 Article IV consultation and first reviews of the arrangements supported by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) and the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) during September 30-October 11 in Antananarivo.

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

    “Madagascar’s economy is stabilizing but facing persistent inflation. After 4.2 percent growth in 2023, economic activity remained steady in early 2024 despite a good rice harvest and a rebound in graphite mining. Inflation rose to 7.8 percent in August 2024, driven by energy and food prices. Poor road infrastructure and unreliable electricity continue to increase transport and production costs.

    “Growth is projected to remain at 4.2 percent in 2024, and to accelerate to 4.6 percent in 2025. Average annual inflation is expected to decline to 7.2 percent in 2025, before gradually converging to 6 percent over the medium term. The current account deficit would stabilize under 5 percent of GDP.

    “The primary fiscal deficit is expected to reach 2.7 percent of GDP in 2024, assuming no oil customs tax arrears. Despite the conclusion of two agreements in 2022 and 2023, some fuel distributors are withholding the payment of oil customs duties to force a settlement of their claims vis-à-vis the government, part of which are related to JIRAMA’s fuel purchases. The absence of settlement with fuel distributors would require expenditure cuts to prevent an increase in the fiscal deficit.

    “The outlook faces downside risks from regional conflicts, such as those in Gaza and Israel, and the ongoing war in Ukraine, which could disrupt trade, finance, and commodity prices. Domestically, Madagascar’s water and electricity shortages, deteriorating infrastructure, and governance issues could fuel popular discontent. Climate shocks also threaten food price stability and security. In contrast, implementing the General State Policy (PGE) reforms could enhance productivity and growth.

    “Increasing tax revenues to finance investment and social spending would help boost private sector-led and inclusive growth. The 2025 budget should include a combination of tax policy and administrative measures, including a reduction in tax expenditures by MGA 280 billion, to support the government’s revenue objectives. Over the medium-term, a gradual removal of costly import tax and VAT exemptions should be considered as well as other reforms to expand the tax base. A comprehensive excise tax reform and a revision of personal income taxation towards more progressivity should be accompanied by reforms of the tax and customs administrations, including to improve tax audit transparency and the appeal process and expedite VAT credit refunds.

    “Structural reforms are key to limiting fiscal risks. Transfers to JIRAMA should be budgeted and gradually reduced. The company’s recovery plan, developed with World Bank’s technical assistance, needs to be swiftly implemented with strong backing from the executive branch. Implementing an automatic fuel price adjustment mechanism is crucial to manage fiscal risks by adjusting pump prices monthly to reflect changes in market prices within a band of +/-200 ariary per liter. Negotiations with fuel distributors should resume to settle cross-liabilities within the 2024 budget, ensuring compliance with fiscal and para-fiscal obligations and settling government liabilities.

    “While improving the selection, prioritization, and management of public investment projects is critical to enhance spending efficiency, reinforcing public financial management processes should improve budget execution and traceability. The approval of the budget law by Parliament should be sufficient to start the execution of spending or investment projects, without further authorization by the Council of Ministers or the Commitment Monitoring Bureau (BSE).

    “Improving governance is key to delivering higher and more inclusive growth. The lack of transparency and predictability, and the suspicion of state capture by private interests are undermining private sector confidence and public trust in institutions, discouraging investment and development initiatives. Priorities include notably ensuring legal stability, avoiding retroactive regulations, enforcing existing laws, providing effective protection of property rights and enforcement of contracts, ensuring a level-playing field, and creating effective grievance redress mechanisms. The preparation of a new anticorruption strategy that will cover 2025-2030 is an opportunity to accelerate momentum in this field and the IMF will support the authorities’ efforts with a Governance Diagnostic Assessment to be finalized in 2025.

    “The central bank should stand ready to raise its policy rates to keep inflation on a downward path. It should continue to manage liquidity through open market operations and communicate more predictably and transparently about monetary policy and liquidity management to enhance credibility and accountability. Foreign exchange interventions should be limited to smoothing excess volatility and building external buffers, without resisting underlying market forces. Further development of the interbank market and strengthening of the interest rate channel of monetary policy will support the functioning of the new monetary policy operational framework. Safeguarding financial stability is crucial for the development of private credit markets.

    “To support resilience, stronger social safety nets are essential. Establishing food banks can reduce food insecurity and support local food production. Expanding the single social registry with clear eligibility criteria will improve social assistance targeting. More resources are needed for education and health, with transparent and merit-based recruitment. Digitalization can boost financial inclusion and cash transfer programs.

    “Building climate resilience should be a government priority. With support from the Resilience and Sustainability Facility and the World Bank Group-IMF Enhanced Cooperation Framework for Climate Action, Madagascar should develop a national climate finance strategy to attract climate related investments.

    “The IMF team thanks the Malagasy authorities and other counterparts for candid and productive discussions. The discussions on the first reviews of the ECF and RSF arrangements will continue virtually in the coming weeks.”

    IMF Communications Department
    MEDIA RELATIONS

    PRESS OFFICER: Tatiana Mossot

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

    @IMFSpokesperson

    https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2024/10/18/pr-24380-madagascar-imf-staff-completes-2024-article-iv-mission

    MIL OSI

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Sarbanes Statement on Biden-Harris Administration Reaching Milestone of Providing Student Debt Relief for Over One Million Public Service Workers

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman John Sarbanes (3rd District of Maryland)

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Sarbanes (MD-03) released the following statement today on the Biden-Harris Administration’s approval of approximately $4.5 billion in additional student loan relief for over 60,000 public service workers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program:

    “When I authored the law creating the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program in 2007, it was designed to make it easier for individuals to pursue public service by forgiving the remaining student loan balance of those who dedicate their careers to giving back to others and make 120 qualifying monthly loan payments.

    “However, many eligible individuals faced technical challenges, servicer errors, bureaucratic hurdles and confusion, which prevented them from benefiting from the program. I have long advocated for improving PSLF implementation to ensure the program fulfills its promise to our nation’s teachers, nurses, first responders and all public servants who play a vital role in supporting our communities.

    “Yesterday’s announcement that over one million public servants have received loan forgiveness is a significant milestone in this effort and a testament to the Biden-Harris Administration’s tireless efforts to prioritize access to affordable education for all. I applaud President Biden and Vice President Harris for these efforts and their continued investment in our nation’s public servants. And, most of all, I am pleased that more than one million public service workers have now been granted the long-overdue recognition and financial relief they deserve.”

    # # #

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Nine imprisoned for operating illegal Lincolnshire waste site

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

    Nine people have been sentenced for the operation of an illegal waste site in rural Lincolnshire, following an investigation by the Environment Agency.

    Aerial view of the site during the raid, showing burning waste and a lorry depositing waste.

    The defendants were sentenced today (Friday 18 October) at Nottingham Crown Court to a collective 11 years of imprisonment, including three family members who controlled the illegal waste site at Long Bennington near Newark.

    The investigation, named Operation Lord, saw Environment Agency officers spend months building a picture of evidence of the illegal waste site on Fen Lane, Long Bennington.

    The findings of the investigation led to 12 people and one company being charged, of which 10 pleaded guilty. Following an eight-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court which concluded on 28 June 2024, the remaining three defendants were found guilty.

    Environment Agency officers conducted a raid on the site in April 2020 with Lincolnshire Police. Intelligence revealed lorry-loads of shredded waste were regularly being accepted onto the site the size of a football pitch.

    Waste was burned daily and buried. This activity intensified during the first Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, and so action was taken to bring it to a halt.

    Environment Agency officers also seized an excavator and a lorry which were actively depositing more waste at the site when officers arrived. Two arrests were made.

    Smoke over the illegal waste site after the burning of waste. Residential properties are in view nearby.

    Prosecution brought against those involved

    The prosecution was brought against individuals that ran the illegal waste site; burned the waste; drove waste to the site and the landowners. Two waste brokers were also prosecuted.

    The Canner family trio of father Paul (53), mother Judith (55) of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, and son Joshua (29) of Laburnum Avenue, Newbold Verdon, ran the illegal waste site.

    Paul Canner was sentenced today to 26 months in prison, while Judith and Joshua were each sentenced to 16 months. Seven of the nine defendants were sentenced to immediate imprisonment.

    Sentencing the defendants, His Honour Judge Coupland found that the:

    • offending was deliberate for all nine defendants and the harm caused was of the highest level.
    • the illegal activity was deliberately concealed physically and with falsified paperwork.
    • the illegal waste site was close to nearby residents, putting them at harm from toxic fumes.
    • the repeated nature of the offences over a long period of time, and the financial gain obtained by the operation aggravated the offences for all defendants.

    His Honour Judge Coupland said that ‘the custody threshold had been crossed in all cases’.

    Site inflicted ‘misery on the local community’

    Leigh Edlin, Area Director for Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, said:

    This was a serious illegal waste site which was highly organised and involved multiple offenders.

    Those involved sought to profit from Covid restrictions at the cost of the environment and by inflicting misery on the local community. The site and its operators had a major impact on legitimate businesses and our regulatory work.

    Our enforcement teams will continue to tackle serious illegal waste crime by working with partners such as Lincolnshire Police, fire services and councils, as we did in this case to hold those responsible to account.

    Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity is reminded to report it to our 24-hour hotline. Call 0800 80 70 60, or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

    Background

    Sentences issued to defendants on 18 October 2024:

    • Paul Canner, aged 53 of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to 1) knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, and 2) knowingly causing the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 26 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Judith Canner, aged 55 of Main Road, Bilstone, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. She was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Joshua Canner, aged 29 of Laburnum Avenue, Newbold Verdon, pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Sonial Surpal, aged 52 of Round House Road, Coventry, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 13 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Luke Woodward, aged 37 of Willow Road, Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 11 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Marcus Chapman, aged 39 of Egmanton Drive, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to disposing of the waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.
    • Peter Wainwright, aged 32 of Dexter Lane, Hurley, Atherstone, Warwickshire pleaded guilty to disposing of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Nathan Jones, aged 43 of Carnation Road, Shirebrook, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to disposing of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 16 months’ immediate imprisonment.
    • Daniel Lippitt, aged 55 of Lubbersthorpe Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020. He was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to 9 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. He has been ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid work.

    The following defendants, who were the landowners, will be sentenced on 16 December 2024 at Nottingham Crown Court:

    • James Baggaley, aged 38 of Back Lane, Foston, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of 1) knowingly permitting the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, and 2) knowingly permitting the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October and 14 April 2022.
    • Marc Greenfield, aged 46 of Fosse Road, Brough, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October 2019 and 14 April 2022.

    Proceeds of crime proceedings have commenced against all 13 defendants and the following two defendants will be sentenced at the outcome of those proceedings:

    • Robert Malone, aged 41 of Ribble Prospect, Clitheroe, the sole director of NWR 2004 Limited, pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of failing to comply with the waste duty of care between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
    • Fletcher Plant Limited pleaded not guilty but was found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of failing to comply with the waste duty of care between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.

    Updates to this page

    Published 18 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Rivals: the highs and lows of adapting a 1980s ‘bonkbuster’ for a 21st-century TV audience

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Amy Burge, Associate Professor in Popular Fiction, University of Birmingham

    To much media fanfare and growing public anticipation, the Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s Rivals (1988) begins on October 18. Cooper’s novel, first published in 1988, is a key “bonkbuster” text – a largely forgotten genre of women’s writing from the 1980s.

    Bonkbusters have three key components: they’re full of sex (the bonking) and wildly over the top in terms of storylines and characters, and they were extraordinarily popular (the buster part).

    However, like its televisual sister genre, the soap opera, the bonkbuster receded into the background of popular culture in the 21st century. So why is the bonkbuster having a cultural moment in 2024? What is the appeal of adapting a text like Rivals?

    We have been researching the bonkbuster genre for a couple of years, looking at its authors, themes and publishing history and talking to readers about their experiences with the genre, both at the time and now.

    Also known as the “sex-and-shopping” novel, the bonkbuster was a phenomenally popular genre of women’s writing in the 1980s and 1990s. Besides Cooper, authors like Jackie Collins, Shirley Conran, and Judith Krantz wrote about sex, marriage, friendship and scandal, against a luxurious backdrop of 1980s commercial excess.

    ‘A Milky Way when you’ve got a fridge full of posh chocolate’

    Cooper’s Rivals is fairly typical of the genre – one of the readers in our study, Samantha, aptly described it as: “a full-fat, fun, frothy novel set around class, privilege and horses”. It’s the second in Cooper’s Rutshire Chronicles, following Riders (1985).

    Rivals follows two competing television consortiums: Corinium, run by the villainous Tony Baddingham (played by David Tennant); and Venturer, set up by handsome Irish TV star Declan O’Hara (Aidan Turner), plucky Cockney businessman Freddie Jones (Danny Dyer), and notorious lothario Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell), as they bid for the local TV franchise.

    They are helped (and hindered) along the way by American TV executive Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams), Declan’s actress-wife Maud (Victoria Smurfitt) and unhappily married author Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson).

    This might sound like fairly dry fare, but amid all the clandestine meetings and boardroom bust-ups, the characters fall in and out of love, have gleeful, adulterous affairs, and host lavish dinner parties, balls and naked tennis matches. Tory Rupert even finds time to be minister for sport – until Labour win the election.

    Great fun and very funny, Cooper’s books are famously tongue-in-cheek. However, the bonkbuster is also a product of its time – its references and values are, as study participant Samantha observed, “so 1980s”. What, then, is the appeal of books (and now TV shows) like Rivals?

    For some readers, the attraction is familiarity. Another reader, Hazel, said: “I don’t have that sense of ‘I cannot put this book down’ because I know exactly what’s coming. They’re so well thumbed, and all wrinkled at the edges because they’ve all fallen in the bath a few times.”

    Readers love the fantasy and escapism offered by the genre. As Hazel remarked, “It’s like still wanting a Milky Way when you’ve got a fridge full of Godiva chocolate … Sometimes you just want the sugary fluff.”

    There are much-loved characters: Declan O’Hara remains a firm reader favourite, and there is still a lot of affection for Freddie, the rough-diamond industrialist who has lots of money and a terrible wife. Readers also remember the romance between Rupert and Declan’s daughter Taggie (Bella Maclean) fondly, even as they raise an eyebrow at their age gap (Rupert is 37, Taggie 19).

    There’s also pleasure to be found in the setting. Cooper sets her novels in the cheekily named county of Rutshire, a fictionalised version of the Cotswolds, with vivid descriptions of stately homes and lush rural landscapes.

    The problematic 1980s

    But there are some aspects of the text that readers feel differently about, reading now, decades later. Some are simple: fashions have definitely changed, for instance, and the golden era of regional TV franchises has long passed.

    More complex, though, are some of the attitudes. While many readers still dearly love these books, they also note some elements that have not aged well: “The class issues … the sexism, racism, homophobia”, says Samantha. Cooper herself once noted that serial womaniser Rupert would probably be “locked up in prison”, post #MeToo.

    Readers in our study have particularly commented on the role of Cameron Cook in Rivals, a ruthlessly ambitious and occasionally unlikeable female American TV executive who is “caricatured as this ball-breaking go-getter,” according to Hazel. They wondered if the book were to be published today, whether Cameron would be written as a softer, more relatable character – and, perhaps, treated better by the men around her.

    Our readers were also acutely aware of the domestic violence in the book, which they found uncomfortable on rereading. Rivals has several instances of male violence against women, including one so severe the victim requires stitches afterwards – but still defends her attacker.

    While readers still find great pleasure in Rivals and other bonkbusters, they simultaneously negotiate some of these more problematic elements as they read the book again, trying to hold the 1980s and the 2020s in their minds at the same time.

    It seems likely that the Rivals adaptation will be a commercial success: not only does it build on an audience of loyal readers, but it is also receiving lots of positive early reviews as a hilarious escapist romp.

    Directed by Ted Lasso director Elliot Hegarty, and produced by soap director Dominic Treadwell-Collins, the series seems to be aiming for a blend of high-drama soap and quality production values. This is bolstered by the ensemble cast, including many well-known British actors.

    Yet, the novel remains inescapably a product of the 1980s, from its second-wave feminist values to characters’ concerns about Aids. As can be seen from the trailer – joyfully belting out Robert Palmer’s 1986 hit Addicted to Love – the adaptation is proudly retaining the 1980s setting. It will be interesting to see just how much of its 1980s values and attitudes remain.


    Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. Sign up here.

    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. Rivals: the highs and lows of adapting a 1980s ‘bonkbuster’ for a 21st-century TV audience – https://theconversation.com/rivals-the-highs-and-lows-of-adapting-a-1980s-bonkbuster-for-a-21st-century-tv-audience-241536

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NASA Selects Crew for 45-Day Simulated Mars Mission in Houston

    Source: NASA

    NASA selected a crew of four research volunteers to participate in its last simulated mission to Mars in 2024 within a habitat at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
    Obaid Alsuwaidi, Kristen Magas, Tiffany Snyder, and Anderson Wilder will step into the 650-square-foot HERA (Human Exploration Research Analog) facility on Friday, Nov. 1. Once inside, the team will live and work like astronauts for 45 days. The crew will exit the facility on Monday, Dec. 16, after simulating their return to Earth. Jordan Hundley and Robert Wilson also were named as alternate crew members.
    Scientists use HERA studies to examine how crew members adapt to isolation, confinement, and remote conditions before NASA sends astronauts on deep space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The studies provide data about human health and performance in an enclosed environment over time with crews facing different challenges and tasks.
    The four volunteers will carry out scientific research and operational tasks throughout their simulated mission, including raising shrimp, growing vegetables, and “walking” on the surface of Mars using virtual reality. They will also experience communication delays lasting up to five minutes as they “near” Mars, allowing researchers to see how crews may respond to the type of delays astronauts will encounter in deep space. Astronauts traveling to the Red Planet may encounter one-way communication delays lasting as long as 20 minutes.
    As with the previous HERA missions, crew members will conduct 18 human health studies during the mission through NASA’s Human Research Program. Collectively, the work helps scientists understand how a spaceflight-like environment contributes to the physiological, behavioral, and psychological health of crew members. Insights gleaned from the studies will allow researchers to develop and test strategies aimed at helping astronauts overcome obstacles on deep space missions.

    Primary Crew

    Obaid Alsuwaidi
    Obaid Alsuwaidi serves as captain engineer for the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Ministry of Defense. In this role, he provides guidance in civil and marine engineering and addresses challenges facing the organization. Previously, Alsuwaidi worked as a project manager for the defense ministry, helping to streamline productivity, establish high standards of professionalism, and build a team of experts to serve the UAE’s needs.
    Alsuwaidi earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Western Sydney University in Australia, followed by a master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from George Washington University in Washington.
    In his free time, Alsuwaidi enjoys horseback riding, swimming, and running.
    Kristen Magas
    Kristen Magas is an educator and engineer, currently teaching at Tri-County Regional Vocational Technical High School in Franklin, Massachusetts. She also mentors students involved in a NASA design and prototyping program, helping them develop and fabricate products to improve life in space on both International Space Station and Artemis missions. Magas was a finalist for the 2025 Massachusetts State Teacher of the Year.
    Magas received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. She also holds a master’s degree in Vocational Education from Westfield State University in Massachusetts. She has worked as a community college professor as well as a design engineer in municipal water and wastewater treatment.
    In her spare time, Magas enjoys coaching robotics and track and field, hiking, biking, and staying connected with her community. She has two children and resides in North Attleboro, Massachusetts with her husband of 25 years.
    Tiffany Snyder 
    Tiffany Snyder is a supervisor for the Cybersecurity Mission Integration Office at NASA, helping to ensure agency missions are shielded against cybersecurity threats. She has more than 20 years of information technology and cybersecurity experience, working with the Air National Guard and as a special agent with the Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency. She joined NASA in 2018 as an IT specialist, and later served as the deputy chief information security officer at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, providing cybersecurity oversight.
    Snyder holds a bachelor’s degree in Earth Science from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a master’s degree in Digital Forensics from the University of Central Florida in Orlando.
    In her spare time, she enjoys playing with her dogs — Artemis and Apollo, gardening, running, and visiting the beach with her family.
    Anderson Wilder
    Anderson Wilder is a Florida Institute of Technology graduate student working on his doctorate in Psychology. His research focuses on team resiliency and human-machine interactions. He also works in the campus’s neuroscience lab, investigating how spaceflight contributes to neurobehavioral changes in astronauts.
    Wilder previously served as an executive officer and engineer for an analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. There, he performed studies related to crew social dynamics, plant growth, and geology.
    Wilder received his bachelor’s degrees in Linguistics and in Psychology from Ohio State University in Columbus. He also holds master’s degrees in Space Studies from International Space University in Strasbourg, France, and in Aviation Human Factors from the Florida Institute of Technology. He is completing another master’s degree in Cognitive Experimental Psychology at Cleveland State University in Ohio.
    Outside of school, Wilder works as a parabolic flight coach, teaching people how to fly in reduced gravity environments. He also enjoys chess, reading, video games, skydiving, and scuba diving. On a recent dive, he explored a submerged section of the Great Wall of China.

    Alternate Crew

    Jordan Hundley
    Jordan Hundley is a senior consultant at a professional services firm, offering federal agencies technical and programmatic support. Prior to his current position, he focused on U.S. Department of Defense clients, performing model-based system engineering and serving as a subject matter expert for related operations.
    Hundley was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force through the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. While on active duty, he served as an intercontinental ballistic missile operations officer. He later joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve. Currently, he is a space operations officer with experience in space battle management and electromagnetic warfare.
    Hundley earned a master’s degree in Engineering Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. He is currently pursuing a second master’s degree in Systems Engineering at the university.
    Hundley holds a private pilot license and is a certified rescue diver. In his spare time, he enjoys hiking and camping, researching theology, and learning musical instruments.
    Robert Wilson
    Robert Wilson is a senior researcher and project manager at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland. He leads work enhancing human-machine collaborations, developing human prediction models, and integrating that technology into virtual reality and robotic systems designed to operate in isolated, constrained, and extreme environments. His human-machine teaming expertise also extends into responsible artificial intelligence development. He recently participated in a United Nations Roundtable discussion about artificial intelligence in security and defense.
    Wilson received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Purdue University in 2013 and 2015, respectively. He earned his doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2020.
    Outside of work, Wilson is an avid outdoors enthusiast. He enjoys scuba diving, winter camping, backcountry skiing, and hiking through the woods or mountains throughout the year. At home, he also likes to tinker in computer networking and self-hosted systems.
    ____
    NASA’s Human Research Program pursues the best methods and technologies to support safe, productive human space travel. Through science conducted in laboratories, ground-based analogs, commercial missions, and the International Space Station, the program scrutinizes how spaceflight affects human bodies and behaviors. Such research continues to drive NASA’s mission to innovate ways that keep astronauts healthy and mission-ready as human space exploration expands to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
    For more information about human research at NASA, visit:
    https://www.nasa.gov/hrp

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Indonesia: New Government must protect human rights and end impunity

    Source: Amnesty International –

    Human rights violations include repression of freedom of expression and marginalised Indigenous communities

    1,262 human rights defenders attacked

    ‘The new administration must recognise that protest is not a threat to the state, but a fundamental aspect of the rights to freedom of expression’ – Usman Hamid

    Ahead of Prabowo Subianto’s inauguration on Sunday 20 October, Amnesty International Indonesia is calling on the new Government to take immediate and effective measures to uphold the human rights of everyone in the country and ensure accountability for human rights violations. 

    Under the previous administration, human rights defenders, journalists, and environmental activists faced repression, land was seized from Indigenous communities with little or no compensation or consultation, despite Indonesia’s claims of progress in human rights and the rule of law and stated commitment to address past human rights violations and end impunity, which it failed to do.

    The authorities cracked down on peaceful protests, including on development policies threatening Indigenous communities, with numerous reports of security forces using intimidation, harassment, excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests, and beatings.

    Usman Hamid, Amnesty International Indonesia’s executive director, said:

    “The new administration must recognise that protest is not a threat to the state, but a fundamental aspect of the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly as guaranteed by the constitution and international human rights treaties.

    “We call on the new president and Government to evaluate the existing heavy security approach in the region. For the past decade, the intensified military deployment has only resulted in more human rights violations. The new Government must uphold the human rights of everyone in the country and ensure justice and accountability for human rights violations.

    “If Indonesia is to move forward, the new president and his administration must immediately prioritise respect for human rights, accountability and the rule of law. This includes reopening or conducting thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigations into past human rights violations, ensuring access to justice and effective remedies for victims, and strengthening existing legal rules and institutional mechanisms to prevent and redress future violations.

    “The new president and Government should prioritise sustainable development that respects Indigenous land rights, access to justice and effective remedies and ensures that affected communities have a meaningful say in decisions that impact their livelihoods. The rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities must be effectively respected and safeguarded in all national development projects.

    “A Government that fails to confront its past is doomed to repeat it, and Prabowo’s administration has the obligations to ensure that Indonesia’s history of impunity is not carried into the future.”

    From January 2019 to October this year, Amnesty Indonesia recorded attacks against at least 1,262 human rights defenders, including Indigenous people.

    Stifling critical voices

    Repressive laws include the Electronic Information and Transaction Law, which criminalises human rights defenders and stifles critical voices. Over the years, it transformed into a tool used to suppress criticism of the Government stifling the right to freedom of expression and intimidating those who sought to hold the authorities to account for human rights violations. Human rights defenders were frequently targeted, facing legal charges simply for speaking out against allegations of corruption, environmental destruction, or abuses of power.

    From January 2019 to September this year, Amnesty Indonesia recorded at least 521 cases with 554 people charged under this law for defamation and hate speech.

    Catalogue of land seizures from Indigenous peoples

    Poco Leok residents in Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara Province have been opposing the Government’s seizure of their land for the construction of a Geothermal Power Plant, part of the Government’s national strategic projects. On 2 October, police arrested and allegedly beat four residents, several protesters, including women, fell after being pushed and one resident fainted after being kicked by an officer.

    Similar treatment of protesters occurred in the Mandalika Circuit in Nusa Tenggara Barat ahead of the MotoGP races last September. The authorities banned banners and demonstrations during the event, reflecting the ongoing silencing of critical voices, particularly from local Indigenous communities whose lands were seized for the construction of the Mandalika Circuit and establishment of a Special Economic Zone without fair compensation.

    The national strategic projects threaten to displace Indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands, with little to no consultation or compensation.

    In Papua, the new Trans-Papua Highway cuts through Indigenous territories without proper consultation. Similarly, in the district of Merauke in South Papua, Indigenous people reject the national strategic food estate project, citing its aggressive implementation without prior agreement or consultation.

    In North Sumatra, the Batang Toru Hydroelectric Dam project threatens Indigenous communities living near the Batang Toru forest and its ecosystem, including Tapanuli orangutan habitat.

    In Central Java, the Kendeng cement factory was built following minimal consultation and a lack of adequate compensation despite the Indigenous Sedulur Sikep community’s opposition.

    In East Kalimantan, the ongoing development of a new capital threatens the rights of Dayak Paser Indigenous communities, whose lands are located within and around the planned construction zone.

    In many cases, such projects have also led to environmental degradation, as forests were cleared, ecosystems disrupted, and local communities were left to bear the brunt of the ecological destruction.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Security: United States Attorney Chris Kavanaugh Appoints Dedicated Officials to Answer Western District of Virginia Election Complaints

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh announced today that Assistant United States Attorneys Lena Busscher and Ronald Huber will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.  AUSAs Busscher and Huber have been appointed to serve as the District Election Officers (DEO) for the Western District of Virginia, and in that capacity are responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.

    “The right to vote is the cornerstone of our Republic,” United States Attorney Kavanaugh said today. “The Department of Justice will always work to protect the integrity of the election process and to ensure that every citizen has the ability to vote without interference or discrimination. In addition, election officials, staff, and others working to ensure a free and fair election is carried out will be protected from unlawful threats of violence this and every election season.”

    The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud.  The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

    Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying, and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.  It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice.  The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

    In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEOs Busscher and Huber will be on duty in the Western District while the polls are open.  AUSA Busscher can be reached at 276-739-2954. AUSA Huber can be reached at 434-296-3912.

    In addition, the FBI will have special agents available throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at tips.fbi.gov.

    Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

    “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate,” United States Attorney Kavanagh added. “It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”

    Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Transformation and expansion of an industrial building in Ahuntsic-Cartierville into a new art center and community space, the CAB – Battat Art Center

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    News release

    Montreal (Quebec), October 18th, 2024 — The renovation and expansion of an old industrial building to create the Battat Art Center, the CAB, will reduce the ecological footprint of the building and support art and culture. The project is made possible by a $10.2 million investment from the federal government.

    Announced by the Honorable Mélanie Joly, this project, located on Port-Royal Street in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough, will offer a variety of spaces for creation and performance, supporting artists and promoting public appreciation of the arts.

    A thriving economy needs strategic investments in green infrastructure to build a sustainable future for Canadians, with access to good jobs, while limiting impacts on the local environment.

    The funding for this artistic building will be used to preserve the exterior envelope, as well as its existing architectural and structural components made of wood, masonry, and steel. The Center has prioritized the enhancement of the built heritage rather than starting from scratch. A new structure, primarily made of large timber from Quebec, will be erected to promote this craftsmanship and structural system. Additionally, the expansion will be built following zero-carbon building design standards and will increase the existing space from two to four floors, allowing for the installation of artist studios and exhibition rooms. This initiative supports the values of sustainable development by integrating ecological and economic strategies while providing quality spaces for the artistic community.

    The GICB program aims to improve the places Canadians work, learn, play, live and come together by cutting pollution, reducing costs, and supporting thousands of good jobs.

    Through green and other upgrades to existing public community buildings and new builds in underserved communities, the GICB program helps ensure community facilities are inclusive, accessible, and have a long service life, while also helping Canada move towards its net-zero objectives by 2050.

    Furthermore, the Battat Art Center will also receive a maximum financial support of one million dollars from the Government of Quebec, through the Programme d’innovation en construction bois (PICB).

    About the Battat Art Center (CAB)

    The CAB is a nonprofit multidisciplinary creation and dissemination space that gives artists the freedom to experiment without external constraints or expectations. The center stands out from the expected contemporary art trajectory by prioritizing the artist and their process over the final product.

    Housed in a former stone masonry building located in the heart of Ahuntsic-Cartierville in Montreal, the CAB is one of the first significant artistic pillars in the community. The project aims to symbolize cultural renewal by offering artist studios, exhibition and performance spaces, places for exchange, green areas, and a café. It also provides a unique artistic and community program for this neighborhood, which is undergoing an identity transformation. By valuing collaboration among creators and supporting access to art, the CAB aims to establish an ideal environment for creation—an inclusive and participatory space for both artists and the community.

    The CAB intentionally embraces the imprint of accumulated layers from past industrial activity and ongoing and future artistic endeavors. With a vision of sustainable, carbon-neutral architecture, the center is an open space where heritage, the public, and new creation come together to give rise to a refreshing artistic momentum in Montreal with international reach.

    Quotes

    “By investing in our green infrastructure, we are investing in the future of our communities. I am pleased to announce this federal funding, here in my riding of Ahuntsic-Cartierville, for the renovation and transformation of the building that will house the Centre d’art Battat. In addition to supporting arts and culture, this initiative will play a crucial role in reducing our environmental footprint through the use of eco-responsible materials.”

    The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Ahuntsic-Cartierville, on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

    “Another example of the immense potential of Quebec lumber! More wood in construction means more beauty for our cities and, above all, more eco-friendly and sustainable buildings. We are proud to support developers who promote the use of wood in construction. In doing so, we recognize the essential role that the forestry sector plays in the decarbonization of our economy. Congratulations to the Battat Art Center for their vision!”

    Maïté Blanchette Vézina, Minister of Natural Resources and Forests and Minister responsible for the Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine regions.

    “The Battat Art Center (CAB) is an example of the transformation of the Central District, a vibrant neighborhood in Ahuntsic-Cartierville that offers redevelopment opportunities for new industries in technology, culture, design, and urban manufacturing. The CAB is a pioneer of urban redevelopment that aligns with our vision for the future of Montreal. The CAB‘s program of artistic creation and public presentation is poised to undoubtedly become a model of renewal for our borough.”

    Émilie Thuillier, Borough Mayor Ahuntsic-Cartierville

    “We wish to create a space for creation and dissemination that supports contemporary artists. We also want to provide a living environment with open, welcoming, and warm public spaces where the entire neighborhood can come together and connect. It is important for us to respect the heritage of our building by preserving its structure and reclaiming its materials, while also transforming it to incorporate green spaces and a café. We envision welcoming school and community groups, giving them close access to the arts and artists.”

    Anne-Marie Barnard, Executive Director, Battat Art Centre

    Quick facts

    • The federal government is investing $10,227,308 in this project through the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings (GICB) program.

    • The GICB program was created in support of Canada’s Strengthened Climate Plan: A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy. It is supporting the Plan’s first pillar by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency, and helping develop higher resilience to climate change. 

    • The program is providing $1.5 billion over five years towards green and accessible retrofits, repairs or upgrades. 

    • At least 10% of funding is allocated to projects serving First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities, including Indigenous populations in urban centres.

    • The application period for the Green and Inclusive Community Buildings program is now closed.

    • Launched in 2021, le Programme d’innovation en construction bois (PICB) of the Government of Quebec has already funded 31 innovative projects as of March 31, 2024.

    • The PICB is part of Objective 10 of the Policy for the Integration of Wood in Construction, and its funding comes from the Quebec Government’s 2030 Green Economy Plan.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    For more information (media only), please contact:

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

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

    Patricia Larivière
    Press Relations
    Citoyen Relations for CAB- Centre d’art Battat
    514-244-9033
    patricia.lariviere@citizenrelations.com

    Media Relations
    Ministère des Ressources naturelles
    et des Forêts du Québec
    medias@mrnf.gouv.qc.ca
    Tél. : 418 521-3875

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: New Stratford event space to welcome visitors and residents

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Government support for waterfront development project opens opportunities for celebrations, promotion of culture and history  

    October 18, 2024 · Stratford, Prince Edward Island · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

    As one of the fastest growing communities in PEI, the Town of Stratford is committed to meeting the needs of its residents by increasing access to health and wellness services, cultural activities, and new business opportunities. The Government of Canada understands that investments in community infrastructure bring long-term economic benefits with improved quality of life for all.

    A place to celebrate

    Today, the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Member of Parliament for Cardigan, attended the grand opening of the new Stratford Waterfront Gathering and Event Space, and announced a total investment of $500,000 to the Town of Stratford to support the extensive boardwalk and event ground upgrades. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA.

    Minister MacAulay was joined by Stratford Deputy Mayor Steve Gallant and the Honourable Gilles Arsenault, PEI Minister of Environment, Energy, and Climate Action.

    The new gathering space, part of a larger waterfront core area development plan, features prominently the existing Michael Thomas Statue and Diversity Fountain, erected in 2014. Additions include an extended timber boardwalk and large plaza with seating, lookout platforms, electrical for outdoor performances, as well as lighting upgrades along the boardwalk. The investment will promote active transportation, elevate tourism, and support business growth within the community.

    Today’s announcement further demonstrates the Government of Canada’s dedication to a more inclusive, greener, and sustainable future for communities in Atlantic Canada.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Tourism offers a taste of Newfoundland and Labrador

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Federal, provincial governments invest to help Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador expand tourism offerings

    October 18, 2024 · St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)

    From fresh seafood caught from the Atlantic Ocean to foraged ingredients found along coastal trails to incredible protein and produce from local farms, Newfoundland and Labrador offers visitors a unique and immersive culinary experience. The Government of Canada, together with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, is investing to help expand and promote the region’s culinary tourism offerings.

    Investments helping to expand culinary tourism

    Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA, announced a non-repayable federal investment of $981,000 to help Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador promote and develop culinary experiences in the province.

    The Honourable Sarah Stoodley, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills

    and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs, also announced a contribution of $246,000 on behalf of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Industry, Energy and Technology.

    This project will help promote Newfoundland and Labrador as a one-of-a-kind culinary destination, encouraging visitors to stay longer and explore more – and boosting year-round tourism revenue everywhere in the province.

    Elevating Tourism in Atlantic Canada

    Minister Hutchings also launched Elevate Tourism – a new, time-limited initiative to help private sector (commercial) tourism businesses attract more high-impact, value-driven visitors from outside Atlantic Canada. Nearly half these visitors are looking for trips that give them an elevated experience. The repayable initiative will help businesses develop high-quality products and experiences that reflect Atlantic Canada’s unique character and offerings.

    For more information about Elevate Tourism and eligibility criteria, please see the associated links below.

    The Government of Canada is committed to supporting the long-term sustainability of local agriculture and food systems and to helping Atlantic Canadian tourism operators develop fresh approaches and innovative ways to grow their businesses, all while creating meaningful jobs and world-class experiences that bring visitors to its shores.

    Quotes

    “A food experience brings us together – across our cultures, across communities and across countries. Culinary tourism gives visitors another experience in Newfoundland and Labrador.  We have unique flavours, talented chefs and cooks and our famous hospitality. So from festivals to fishing, foraging, farming and breweries and more, we have something for everyone.”

    –        The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA


    “Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador is working to foster a culinary tourism ecosystem that supports local communities, preserves cultural heritage and creates economic opportunities to advance the tourism sector. Through this project, the province will build on its reputation as a culinary destination and encourage community building and sustainable economic development while also encouraging regional partnerships.”

          –    The Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology 

     

    “The kitchen tables of Newfoundland and Labrador have been welcoming folks from far and wide for centuries.  Sharing the bountiful wit, charm and humour of the people of the province around these tables has become legendary across Canada and the World. Today’s announcement recognizes the importance of not only who is around those tables – but what is on those tables. This investment in the Food & Beverage industry of Newfoundland and Labrador will enhance the edible experiences that are offered across the province and be a catalyst to elevate the level and diversity of the human hospitality that we are so known for.”

    –        Chef Todd Perrin, Food and Beverage Representative, Board of Directors, Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador

    Quick facts

    • Food tourism focuses on exploring a destination through its local food and drink offerings, while providing visitors with experiences centered around culture, culinary traditions and local ingredients.

    • The federal funding announced today is delivered through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program.

    • The Province of Newfoundland and Labrador’s investments are delivered through the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology’s Regional Development Fund.

    • Since the pandemic, investment in tourism in Canada has recovered to 98% of its level in 2019, compared to just 88% in Atlantic Canada.

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Connor Burton

    Press Secretary

    Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development and of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

    Connor.Burton@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

    Paul McGrath

    Director of Communications

    Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

    709-689-5731

    Paul.Mcgrath@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

    Brodie Thomas

    Media Relations Manager

    Industry, Energy and Technology

    709-729-5248, 709-725-3759

    brodiethomas@gov.nl.ca

    Craig Foley

    Chief Executive Officer

    Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador

    709-722-2000

    cfoley@hnl.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Construction of an 88-place French-language daycare centre in Val Therese: A major investment in early childhood

    Source: Government of Canada News

    The Government of Canada announces a significant investment to promote the vitality of official-language minority communities.

    VAL THERESE, Ontario, October 18, 2024

    Investing in Francophone daycare centres and French education promotes the vitality of official language minority communities and strengthens their sense of belonging.

    Today, Marc G. Serré, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages, and Member of Parliament (Nickel Belt), accompanied by Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament (Sudbury), announced an investment of more than $4.2 million in a daycare centre in Val Therese and the EarlyON Centre in Ontario. They made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages.

    The investment will allow for the construction of a new 88-place daycare centre in Val Therese, a project that will meet the growing needs of families in the community. This daycare centre will have five rooms: one for 10 infants, two for 30 toddlers, and two for 48 preschool-aged children. The official opening is scheduled for September 2025.

    This initiative is in addition to another project, the construction of the new French Catholic elementary school in Val Therese. The integration of a daycare centre into this school will allow children to start learning in a French-speaking institution from early childhood, strengthening their education in the French language from an early age.

    This project reflects the Government of Canada’s ongoing commitment to supporting French-language education and early childhood services, while promoting the development of local community educational infrastructure.

    The investment was made through the Action Plan for Official Languages 2023–2028: Protection–Promotion–Collaboration, unveiled on April 26, 2023.

    The Ontario government’s investment in the daycare centre and the EarlyON Centre amounts to nearly $1.4 million.

    John Fragos
    Communications Advisor
    Office of the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages
    john.fragos@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Five Years Ago: First All Woman Spacewalk

    Source: NASA

    The fifth anniversary of the first all-female spacewalk by NASA astronauts Christina H. Koch and Jessica U. Meir seems like a good time to tell the story of women spacewalkers. Since the first woman stepped outside a spacecraft in 1984, 23 women from four nationalities have participated in 61 spacewalks. These women made significant contributions to their national and international programs, conducting pioneering work during their spacewalks. Their accomplishments include servicing of satellites, assembly and maintenance of space stations, conducting research, and testing new spacesuits. Since the first spacewalk performed by a woman in 1984, women have displayed their contributions in performing extravehicular activities and there has even been four all women spacewalks since then.
    Table listing women with spacewalk experience.
    As of Oct. 18, 2024, 79 women have flown in space, and 23 of them have donned spacesuits of different designs and stepped outside the relative comfort of their spacecraft to work in the harsh environment of open space. The various spacesuits, Russian Orlan, American Extravehicular Mobility Unit, Chinese Feitian-2, and SpaceX’s new design, all provide protection from the harsh environment, essentially turning the astronauts into individual spaceships. They all provide the crew members with the ability to carry out complicated tasks in open space.
    Left: Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Y. Savitskaya during her historic spacewalk outside the Salyut 7 space station. Middle: NASA astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan during her historic spacewalk during STS-41G. Right: NASA astronaut Kathryn C. Thornton on her second spacewalk on STS-61.
    Soviet cosmonaut Svetlana Y. Savitskaya made history on July 17, 1984, as the first woman to make a second trip into space, on her second visit to the Salyut 7 space station. Savitskaya made history again on July 25 as the first woman to participate in a spacewalk. During the 3-hour 35-minute excursion, Savitskaya tested a multipurpose tool for electron beam cutting, welding, soldering, and brazing.
    Less than three months later, on Oct. 11, NASA astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan completed the first spacewalk by an American woman from space shuttle Challenger during the STS-41G mission. Sullivan helped test the in-orbit transfer of hydrazine using the Orbital Refueling System. With Sally K. Ride as one of Sullivan’s crewmates, the flight marked the first time a space crew included two women.
    NASA astronaut Kathryn C. Thornton completed her first spacewalk in 1992 during STS-49, the second American woman to walk in space. During this excursion, Thornton tested assembly techniques for the future space station. Thornton earned the recognition as the first woman to make more than one spacewalk when she completed two spacewalks on STS-61, the first mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope.
    Left: NASA astronaut Linda M. Godwin, the first woman to conduct a spacewalk at Mir during STS-76. Middle left: NASA astronaut Tamara E. Jernigan, the first woman to perform a spacewalk at the International Space Station during STS-96. Middle right: Expedition 2 NASA astronaut Susan J. Helms, the first female long-duration crew member to conduct a spacewalk during the STS-102 docked phase. Right: Godwin during STS-108, the first woman to complete spacewalks at Mir and the space station.
    NASA astronaut Linda M. Godwin has the distinction as the first woman of any nationality to conduct a spacewalk at Mir. As a member of the STS-76 crew, on March 27, 1996, she took part in a 6-hour 2-minute spacewalk to install handrails and four space exposure experiments onto Mir’s Docking Module. Godwin returned to space on STS-108, and on Dec. 10, 2001, took part in a spacewalk lasting 4 hours 12 minutes to install insulation blankets on the space station, earning the title as the first woman to conduct spacewalks at both Mir and the space station.
    NASA astronaut Tamara E. Jernigan conducted the first spacewalk by a woman at the embryonic International Space Station. On May 29, 1999, during STS-96, the second space station assembly flight, Jernigan participated in a 7-hour 55-minute spacewalk to install U.S. and Russian cargo cranes, foot restraints, and tool bags.
    Expedition 2 NASA astronaut Susan J. Helms performed a spacewalk on March 11, 2001, during the STS-102 docked phase to relocate the Pressurized Mating Adaptor-3 (PMA-3) from Node 1’s nadir port to a berth on its port side, to enable the berthing of the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. This marked the first time a woman long-duration crew member performed a spacewalk. Its 8-hour 56-minute duration makes it the longest spacewalk in history.
    A collage of NASA astronaut Peggy A. Whitson’s 10 spacewalks during space station Expeditions 5, 16, and 50/51.
    As an Expedition 5 flight engineer, NASA astronaut Peggy A. Whitson participated in her first spacewalk on Aug. 16, 2002. Clad in an Orlan spacesuit and using the Pirs module airlock, she assisted in the installation of six debris shield panels on the Zvezda Service Module. Whitson completed her next five spacewalks, wearing Extravehicular Mobility Units and using the Quest airlock, as commander of Expedition 16, one of the busiest assembly and reconfiguration periods at the space station. The primary objectives for the first three of these spacewalks, conducted on Nov. 9, Nov. 20, and Nov. 24, involved relocating the Harmony Node 2 module and PMA-2 to the front of Destiny and preparing Harmony for the arrival of the Columbus module. Work during the fourth and fifth excursions on Dec. 18 and Jan. 30, 2008, had Whitson conduct inspections and maintenance on the station’s solar array joints. During her next mission to the space station, a 289-day stay that set a new record as the longest single flight by a woman, she completed a further four spacewalks. During Expedition 50, on Jan. 6, 2017, she upgraded the station’s power system by installing three new lithium-ion batteries, and on March 30 installed electrical connections to the PMA-3 recently relocated to Harmony’s top-facing port.
    During Expedition 51, as station commander once again, Whitson stepped outside on May 12 to replace an avionics package on an external logistics carrier and installed a protective shield on PMA-3. Her 10th and final excursion involved a contingency spacewalk to replace a backup data converter unit that failed three days earlier. With her 10 excursions, Whitson shares a seven-way second place tie for most spacewalks; only one person has conducted more. And with regard to total spacewalk time, she places sixth overall, having spent a total of 60 hours, 21 minutes outside the station.
    Left: During STS-115, NASA astronaut Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper conducts the first of her five career spacewalks. Middle: During STS-116, NASA astronaut Sunita L. Williams after the conclusion of the  first of her seven career spacewalks. Right: Expedition 20 NASA astronaut Nicole P. Stott during her STS-128 spacewalk.
    During STS-115, NASA astronaut Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper participated in two of the mission’s three spacewalks. The primary tasks of the excursions on Sept. 12 and 15, 2006, involved the addition of the P3/P4 truss segment including a pair of solar arrays to the station. During her second visit to the space station on STS-126, Stefanyshyn-Piper completed three more spacewalks on Nov. 18, 20, and 22, 2008. Tasks accomplished during these excursions included performing maintenance on one of the solar array joints, replacing a nitrogen tank, and relocating two equipment carts.
    During Expedition 14, NASA astronaut Sunita L. Williams completed four spacewalks. During the first excursion during the STS-116 docked phase on Dec. 16, 2006, the primary task involved the reconfiguration of the station’s power system. The primary tasks for Williams’ three Expedition 14 spacewalks on Jan. 31, Feb. 4, and Feb. 8, 2007, involved completing the reconfiguration of the station’s cooling system. As a flight engineer during Expedition 32, Williams conducted spacewalks on Aug. 30, 2012, to replace a faulty power routing unit and prepare the station for the arrival of the Nauka module, and on Sept. 5, 2012, to install a spare power unit. During Expedition 33, Williams assumed command of the station, only the second woman to do so, and during a spacewalk on Nov. 1, 2012, repaired an ammonia leak. Across her seven spacewalks, Williams spent 50 hours 40 minutes outside the station.
    Expedition 20 NASA astronaut Nicole P. Stott completed her one and only spacewalk on Sept. 1, 2009, during the STS-128 docked phase. The objectives of the 6-hour 35-minute excursion involved preparing for the replacement of an empty ammonia tank and retrieving American and European experiments from the Columbus module.
    Left: NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson during Expedition 24, at the conclusion of the first of her four career spacewalks. Middle: During Expedition 48, NASA astronaut Kathleen H. Rubins takes the first of her four career spacewalks. Right: Expedition 59 NASA astronaut Anne C. McClain on the first of her two spacewalks.
    On July 24, 2010, during Expedition 24, one of the station’s ammonia pump modules failed. The loss of coolant forced controllers to shut down several critical station systems although neither the vehicle nor the crew were ever in danger. The failure resulted in two of the Expedition crew members including NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson performing three contingency spacewalks on Aug. 7, 11, and 16, 2010, to replace the pump module. The repairs took nearly 23 hours of spacewalking time. During her next mission, Expedition 71, Dyson began a spacewalk on June 24, 2024, but a leak in her suit forced the cancellation of the excursion after 31 minutes.
    NASA astronaut Kathleen H. Rubins completed two spacewalks during Expedition 48. During the first, on Aug. 19, 2016, she helped to install the first of two international docking adapters (IDA) to PMA-2 located at the forward end of Harmony. The IDA allows commercial spacecraft to dock autonomously to the space station. During the second excursion on Sept. 1, she retracted a thermal radiator, tightened struts on a solar array joint, and installed high-definition cameras on the outside of the station. Rubins conducted two more spacewalks during her second mission, Expedition 64. On Feb. 28, 2021, she began to assemble and install modification kits for upcoming solar array upgrades, completing the tasks during the next spacewalk on March 5.
    During her first spacewalk on March 22, 2019, Expedition 59 NASA astronaut Anne C. McClain replaced older nickel hydrogen batteries with newer and more efficient lithium-ion batteries. McClain ventured out for her second spacewalk on April 8 to install a redundant power circuit for the station’s Canadarm robotic arm and cables for more expansive wireless coverage outside the station.
    Left: Expedition 59 NASA astronaut Christina H. Koch during the first of her six career spacewalks. Right: NASA astronauts Jessica U. Meir, left, and Koch, assisted by their Expedition 61 crewmates, prepare for the first all-woman spacewalk.
    During Expedition 59, Koch conducted her first spacewalk on March 29. She helped to install three newer lithium-ion batteries to replace six older nickel hydrogen batteries. The Expedition 61 crew conducted a record nine spacewalks between October 2019 and January 2020, and women participated in five of them. Koch’s second and third spacewalks on Oct 6 and 11 continued the work of replacing the station’s batteries.
    Koch and fellow NASA astronaut Jessica U. Meir made history on Oct. 18 when they floated outside the space station to carry out the first all-woman spacewalk, one of several excursions to replace the station’s batteries. The capsule communicator (capcom), the person in the Mission Control Center at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston who communicates with the astronauts in space, for this historic spacewalk was three-time space shuttle veteran Stephanie D. Wilson.
    “As much as it’s worth celebrating the first spacewalk with an all-female team, I think many of us are looking forward to it just being normal,” astronaut Dyson said during live coverage of the spacewalk.
    Koch and Meir conducted two more all-woman spacewalks on Jan. 15 and 20, 2020, continuing the battery replacement tasks. During her six spacewalks, Koch spent 44 hours 15 minutes outside. In addition to her spacewalk accomplishments, Koch set a new record of 328 days for a single spaceflight by a woman.
    Left: Wang Yaping during the first spacewalk by a Chinese woman astronaut from the Tiangong space station. Image credit: courtesy of CNSA. Middle: NASA astronaut Kayla S. Barron during the first of two spacewalks during Expedition 66. Right: During Expedition 67, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti conducts the first spacewalk by a woman from the European Space Agency.
    During her second trip into space, People’s Republic of China astronaut Wang Yaping launched aboard the Shenzhou 13 spacecraft as part of the second resident crew to live aboard China’s Tiangong space station. On Nov. 7, 2021, she stepped outside the space station, the first Chinese woman to do so, wearing a Feitian-2 spacesuit. She spent 6 hours 25 minutes installing a grapple fixture for the facility’s robotic arm.
    During Expedition 66, NASA astronaut Kayla S. Barron completed two spacewalks. During the first one, on Dec. 2, 2021, Barron replaced a faulty communications antenna. On March 15, 2022, during the second spacewalk, she assembled and installed modification kits required for future solar array upgrades.
    Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti conducted the first spacewalk by a female European Space Agency astronaut. For the excursion on July 21, 2022, she wore an Orlan spacesuit and used the Poisk module airlock. Objectives of the spacewalk included deploying 10 nanosatellites, working to install the European robotic arm on the Nauka module, and reconfiguring cargo booms.
    Left: Chinese astronaut Liu Yang, left, during her spacewalk from the Tiangong space station. Image credit: courtesy of CNSA. Right. NASA astronaut Nicole A. Mann at the conclusion of her first spacewalk during Expedition 68.
    As a member of the third expedition aboard the Tiangong space station, Chinese astronaut Liu Yang participated in a spacewalk on Sept. 1, 2022. This marked the first use of the airlock in the Wentian module. Activities during the excursion included installing work stations and an additional cooling pump for the Wentian module.
    Expedition 68 NASA astronaut Nicole A. Mann participated in two spacewalks, on Jan. 20, and Feb. 2, 2023. Objectives of the excursions included assembling and installing brackets for upcoming solar array upgrades.
    Left: Laurel A. O’Hara, left, and Jasmin Moghbeli, right, prepare for their spacewalk during Expedition 70. Right: SpaceX astronaut Sarah L. Gillis performs the first commercial spacewalk by a woman during the Polaris Dawn mission.
    During Expedition 70, NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral A. O’Hara performed the fourth all-woman spacewalk. The primary activity during the excursion involved replacement of bearings in a solar array joint.
    SpaceX employee Sarah L. Gillis performed the first female commercial spacewalk during the Polaris Dawn mission on Sept. 12, 2024. During the 1 hour 46 minute excursion, Gillis tested the flexibility of the SpaceX designed spacesuit.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Remarks by SCST and AD of AFCD (Inspection and Quarantine) on incident of animal death at HKZBG at media session

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         Following is the remarks by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Kevin Yeung; and the Assistant Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation (Inspection and Quarantine), Dr Thomas Sit, on the incident of animal death at the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (HKZBG) this afternoon (October 18):Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism: Eight monkeys were found dead in the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens on October 13, while two others feeling unwell were being isolated, and one of which passed away on October 14.     With concerted efforts from relevant departments, expedited autopsies, pathologic diagnosis and tests, and after discussions among the relevant departments, it is confirmed that the monkeys’ death is due to infection of melioidosis. We are saddened by the passing of the nine monkeys.     Under normal circumstances, melioidosis infection is through contact with contaminated soil and surface waters but not person-to-person or animal-to-person.     The park had soil digging works in early October. Together with the following possibilities, the monkeys might have had contact with the bacteria.• Staff working at the Mammals Section carried the contaminated soil with the shoes they wore to the cages, or• Infected monkeys with high counts of bacteria in close contact with other monkeys etc.     In addition, the incubation period for melioidosis in primates is about a week, and this matched with the period after the soil digging works. The nine monkeys died of melioidosis may be related to the soil digging works in proximity.     The LCSD has already taken several precautionary measures after animals were found dead:1) The Mammals Section of the Gardens (HKZBG) has been closed since October 14.2) Thorough disinfection and cleaning have been carried out in the animal cages involved.3) Appropriate protective gear have been provided to staff who work there and staff’s health condition is being closely monitored. At present, their health is normal.4) Staff concerned are all tested negative for the bacteria.     We will continue monitoring the mammals in the gardens and remind staff to pay attention to their own condition, and to report immediately if any of them feels unwell.Reporter: Did the monkeys show any symptoms of the disease? Why operators did not realise that prior to their death? Because this is also a disease which can also affect human, is there a need to close the whole facility to prevent visitors from being affected?Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism: Let me tackle the second question first, whether there is a need to close down the whole garden. As I said, we have taken all the cleansing and disinfection measures on the cages. So, with all these measures, we believe that it is now clean and free of the bacteria. We have also cordoned off the whole Mammal Section for the time being, so there will be no sort of contact between normal citizens and the animals. At this stage, I think these measures are sufficient to protect both the citizens as well as the animals in the zoo.Assistant Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation (Inspection and Quarantine): As far as I know, according to the vet in charge of the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, he said before that the animals have already lost their appetite. They were a bit of inappetence and a bit quieter than normal. The onset of all the clinical signs only took two days, and then there was a sudden death of animals. The vet has already taken all the measures to treat the monkeys. However, these affected monkeys could not make it. And he had to perform post-mortem and isolate other animals to prevent further spread of the disease.(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the remarks.)

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Defense Ministry Spokesperson’s Remarks on Recent Media Queries Concerning the Military 2024-10-18 On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense 2

    On the afternoon of October 15th, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense Senior Colonel Wu Qian answered recent media queries concerning the military.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    (The following English text is for reference. In case of any divergence of interpretation, the Chinese text shall prevail.)

    I have four pieces of information at the top.

    The first one.

    At the invitation of China’s Ministry of National Defense, defense attachés from more than 60 countries including Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Kazakhstan, Canada and Argentina went to the PLA Eastern Theater Command area on October 14th for a five-day visit. This visit will help them better understand the Chinese path to modernization, especially the great achievements made by the people’s military in the new era, and will advance the friendly cooperation between the PLA and their militaries.

    The second one.

    According to the annual plan and the consensus reached between China and Thailand, the Commando 2024 joint army training will be held in Yunnan Province from mid- to- late October. The training focuses on joint counter-terrorism operations, including manned/unmanned coordination, special blasting, helicopter fast-roping, and joint search and clearing. It aims to improve interoperability between the Chinese and Thai armies and bolster regional stability.

    The third one.

    The PLA Army Engineering University will host the 11th International Army Cadets Week (IACW) in Nanjing from October 28th to November 3rd. Officer cadets from military academies of countries including Argentina, Egypt, Italy, Pakistan, and Singapore will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Enhancing the Capability of Junior Officers for Future Warfare”, this year’s IACW will have themed discussions, leadership challenges, live-fire shooting training, cultural exchange and other activities. The IACW is a platform for officer cadets to communicate and learn from each other.

    The fourth one.

    The PLA Army Command College will host the Zhongshan International Forum in Nanjing from October 21st to 25th. Army representatives from over ten countries including Laos, Cambodia, Iran, Tanzania and Kazakhstan will participate in the event. Under the theme of “Future-oriented and New Type Modern Army”, the forum will have themed discussions on such topics as “objectives and trends in army development”, “theoretical innovation for army combat and training”, “army deployment in MOOTW”, and “cultivation of army commanders and staff officers”. The forum will facilitate exchanges and mutual learning among the participants, and promote theoretical innovation for army development.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    Question: It is reported that the recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 has started. Please tell us more about it.

    Wu Qian: The PLA Navy recently launched the naval pilot cadet recruitment for 2025. As usual, eligible high school graduates and fresh graduates from universities either with a bachelor’s or master’s degree could apply. In reference to the recruitment standards in major naval powers, the PLA Navy has loosened the criteria on eye sight, widening the scope of applicants to include those who have received vision correction surgery. To meet takeoff/landing requirements for carrier-borne aircraft in complex sea conditions, the Navy has added such testing items as stereoscopic vision, visual contrast sensitivity, magnetic resonance imaging and chest CT scanning, as well as a 15-hour airborne ability screening, to make the recruitment more science-based and precise.

    Pursue your dream to fly in the Navy, and serve the country with dedication and loyalty. The recruitment of naval pilot cadets for 2025 started on October 15th. We welcome young people to join this cause for the brave and become dancers on the blade. For more details, please log on to http://www.hjzf.mil.cn.

    Question: Naval forces from the United States, Japan, India and Australia conducted Exercise Malabar in the Indian Ocean on October 8th. Some reports say this exercise is directed at China and can enhance the Quad mechanism among the four countries in security areas. What’s your comment?

    Wu Qian: China believes that security cooperation among relevant countries should not harm the interests of any third party or undermine regional peace and stability. The so-called Quad mechanism has become a sheer political tool for the United States to contain China and maintain its hegemony. We firmly oppose relevant parties to use China as an excuse to stir up confrontation and escalate regional tensions. A small circle bloc will not make any big difference. The Asia-Pacific should be a grand stage where countries join hands to cooperate, rather than an arena for geopolitical competition. We require relevant countries to give up their obsession with zero-sum mindset and put more efforts on protecting regional security, instead of doing the opposite.

    Question: It is reported that the Japanese Defense Ministry recently released reports and photos about the movements of the PLA Navy’s Liaoning aircraft carrier task group, which sailed around the Philippines, and was then joined by the aircraft carrier Shandong in Hainan. Please comment on that.

    Wu Qian: We have noticed the media hype by the Japanese side. The Japanese photographer is trying to catch headlines, and is showing off his or her techniques again. Recently, the PLA Navy sent the Liaoning aircraft carrier task group to conduct training in waters of the South China Sea. This is a routine arrangement within the annual plan that is aimed to enhance the task group’s combat capability. The PLA will routinely organize similar training activities in the future.

    Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense (MND) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), answers recent media queries concerning the military on the afternoon of October 15, 2024. (mod.gov.cn/Photo by He Youwen)

    Question: According to media reports, the US Government Accountability Office recently accused Raytheon of fraud in selling expensive weapons to Taiwan, which procured the Patriot missile system in 2013 and radar systems in 2017 from that company. A public opinion representative from the Kuomintang criticized US arms dealers as fraud dens. Do you have any comment?

    Wu Qian: We firmly oppose US provision of weapons to China’s Taiwan region. I believe what the reports revealed is only a tip of the iceberg. The Democratic Progressive Party Authorities have been doing everything to court their masters in the US to buy weapons, which only wasted the hard-earned money of people in Taiwan. It is evident that what they bought are pieces of junk that only benefited corrupted officials and arms dealers. There are growing opposition and dissatisfaction from the local people.

    Sky-high price and obsolete functions are two hallmarks of US arms sales to Taiwan. From mouldy bulletproof vest to expired ammunition to expensive missiles and radars, we can see that the Americans only care about American interests. “Taiwan Independence” is a dead end and outsiders are never reliable. Those who try to rely on US support for independence will only court their own destruction.

    Question: Japan’s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba once suggested establishing an “Asian version of NATO” and working with Western countries in containing China. Officials from the Japanese Defense Ministry said China and Russia’s infringement upon Japan’s airspace is a regional and international concern. Please comment on that.

    Wu Qian: In disregard of fact on the ground, the Japanese side often hypes-up the non-existent “China threat” to divert the international community’s attention from its military expansion. China is strongly opposed to this approach. It is known to all that Japan has broken away from its pacifist constitution and “exclusively defense-oriented” policy in recent years, and largely enhanced its military preparedness, such behavior has put its Asian neighbors and the international community on high alert.

    We urge the Japanese side to stop forming exclusive military alliances and “cliques”, be very cautious with its words and deeds regarding military security, and do more for regional peace and stability.

    Question: The Israel Defense Force recently attacked the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL). What’s your comment? Are Chinese peacekeepers safe?

    Wu Qian: China is seriously concerned about and strongly condemns the Israeli military’s attack on the UNIFIL. China firmly opposes any attack on UN peacekeepers. We require a thorough investigation on the incident and hold those responsible accountable. We urge relevant parties to take real actions to prevent such an incident from happening again. The parties involved in the conflict must ensure the safety of the personnel and assets of the UNIFIL.

    The Chinese peacekeeping units in Lebanon are safe now. China is closely monitoring the security situation in Lebanon, and will take additional measures to strengthen security protection of our troops.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Threats to Shoot Auto Shop Workers Gets Man Prison Sentence

    Source: Office of United States Attorneys

                WASHINGTON – Rashaud Williams, 30, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 80 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and other related firearm charges, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Pamela A. Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

                Superior Court Judge Errol Arthur sentenced Williams on October 17, 2024, to 60 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon and 60 months for possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, to run concurrently. Judge Arthur also sentenced him to 20 months in prison for threatening to injure or kidnap a person, to run consecutively.

                Williams was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on May 3, 2024.

                According to the government’s evidence, on August 1, 2023, Williams brought his car into a Petworth area auto shop for repairs. Later in the day, the shop owner called the defendant’s mother to tell her that the car would not be ready until the next day, after they obtained a needed part. Shortly after that call, Williams went to the auto shop and made threats to “shoot up” the entire establishment. The repairman’s girlfriend was there and tried to calm Williams down. Williams then turned the gun on her and threatened to shoot her, then pointed the gun at the owner before leaving.

                In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emmanuel Hampton, Erica Rudolf, and Kathryn Bartz, who prosecuted the case.  

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: mRNA licensing agreements surge 800% in value as confidence grows beyond vaccines, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    mRNA licensing agreements surge 800% in value as confidence grows beyond vaccines, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based innovator pharmaceuticals saw a staggering 800% increase in licensing agreement deal values from 2019 to 2024YTD, driven by the remarkable success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. With growing confidence in this transformative technology, key companies are investing heavily in its potential to address unmet medical needs, indicating that mRNA will remain a critical focus for pharmaceutical innovation and development, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Ophelia Chan, Business Fundamentals Senior Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the key advantages of mRNA technology in vaccine development, including rapid production, precise immune targeting, and streamlined manufacturing- factors that drove the success of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines.”

    Since the FDA approved Pfizer’s Comirnaty in August 2021, the first mRNA vaccine to achieve global market entry, rising licensing agreement values have reflected growing confidence in mRNA technology’s broader potential beyond vaccines, marking a pivotal shift in its applications across the pharmaceutical landscape.

    According to GlobalData’s Drugs Database, the global sales of innovator mRNA-based drugs are expected to grow from $22 billion in 2023 to $26.2 billion in 2030.

    Chan adds: “Licensing agreement deal values for mRNA-based pharmaceuticals have doubled since 2023, reaching $3.8 billion, as major players like GSK and Bristol Myers Squibb invest in mRNA therapeutics to address unmet medical needs.”

    GSK and CureVac restructured their 2020 collaboration into a new licensing agreement worth up to $1.57 billion in July 2024. This deal focuses on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of mRNA vaccine candidates for influenza and COVID-19, spanning from preclinical to Phase II trials.

    Bristol Myers Squibb formed a multi-year, $1.87 billion strategic collaboration with Repertoire Immune Medicines in April 2024 to develop mRNA-based tolerizing vaccines for up to three autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, along with other vaccine candidates.

    The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently allocated $176 million to Moderna for the development of mRNA-based vaccines targeting multiple strains of pandemic influenza. This investment highlights HHS’s focus on pandemic preparedness, reinforcing the versatility and potential of mRNA platforms.

    Chan concludes: “The increase in licensing agreement values for mRNA pharmaceuticals indicates that this will continue to be a key area for innovation and investment. With advancements in mRNA technology and delivery systems, drugmakers have significant opportunities to expand their portfolios, paving the way for breakthroughs in treating various diseases.”

    Note: Includes all announced and completed deals for companies headquartered globally from 2020–2024YTD as a percentage growth from the baseline year 2019. Includes deals where at least one drug involved is an innovator mRNA-based drug where Marketed, Pre-Registration, Phase III, Phase II, Phase I, Preclinical, and Discovery stages are considered. Includes deal values disclosed in the public domain. YTD= Year to date.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: mRNA licensing agreements surge 800% in value as confidence grows beyond vaccines, reveals GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    mRNA licensing agreements surge 800% in value as confidence grows beyond vaccines, reveals GlobalData

    Posted in Business Fundamentals

    Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based innovator pharmaceuticals saw a staggering 800% increase in licensing agreement deal values from 2019 to 2024YTD, driven by the remarkable success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. With growing confidence in this transformative technology, key companies are investing heavily in its potential to address unmet medical needs, indicating that mRNA will remain a critical focus for pharmaceutical innovation and development, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    Ophelia Chan, Business Fundamentals Senior Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the key advantages of mRNA technology in vaccine development, including rapid production, precise immune targeting, and streamlined manufacturing- factors that drove the success of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines.”

    Since the FDA approved Pfizer’s Comirnaty in August 2021, the first mRNA vaccine to achieve global market entry, rising licensing agreement values have reflected growing confidence in mRNA technology’s broader potential beyond vaccines, marking a pivotal shift in its applications across the pharmaceutical landscape.

    According to GlobalData’s Drugs Database, the global sales of innovator mRNA-based drugs are expected to grow from $22 billion in 2023 to $26.2 billion in 2030.

    Chan adds: “Licensing agreement deal values for mRNA-based pharmaceuticals have doubled since 2023, reaching $3.8 billion, as major players like GSK and Bristol Myers Squibb invest in mRNA therapeutics to address unmet medical needs.”

    GSK and CureVac restructured their 2020 collaboration into a new licensing agreement worth up to $1.57 billion in July 2024. This deal focuses on the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of mRNA vaccine candidates for influenza and COVID-19, spanning from preclinical to Phase II trials.

    Bristol Myers Squibb formed a multi-year, $1.87 billion strategic collaboration with Repertoire Immune Medicines in April 2024 to develop mRNA-based tolerizing vaccines for up to three autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, along with other vaccine candidates.

    The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently allocated $176 million to Moderna for the development of mRNA-based vaccines targeting multiple strains of pandemic influenza. This investment highlights HHS’s focus on pandemic preparedness, reinforcing the versatility and potential of mRNA platforms.

    Chan concludes: “The increase in licensing agreement values for mRNA pharmaceuticals indicates that this will continue to be a key area for innovation and investment. With advancements in mRNA technology and delivery systems, drugmakers have significant opportunities to expand their portfolios, paving the way for breakthroughs in treating various diseases.”

    Note: Includes all announced and completed deals for companies headquartered globally from 2020–2024YTD as a percentage growth from the baseline year 2019. Includes deals where at least one drug involved is an innovator mRNA-based drug where Marketed, Pre-Registration, Phase III, Phase II, Phase I, Preclinical, and Discovery stages are considered. Includes deal values disclosed in the public domain. YTD= Year to date.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft enterprises became laureates of the National Award “Corporate Museum”

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    Five Rosneft subsidiaries have won the VI National Award “Corporate Museum”. The award ceremony took place in Nizhny Novgorod. It was attended by 250 delegates from all over the country and neighboring countries.

    Rosneft actively participates in significant events in Russian cultural life and supports projects aimed at reviving the country’s spiritual and national values.

    The Corporate Museum competition consisted of two stages – expert evaluation and project defense. Participants from 51 cities of Russia, the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Azerbaijan presented 107 projects in various nominations.

    RN-Uvatneftegaz won a second-degree diploma in the New Exposition category. The company’s corporate museum was opened eight years ago. It regularly hosts excursions for schoolchildren, including those from Rosneft Classes and the First Movement, students of specialized specialties from universities and industry veterans. At the exposition, visitors can see unique historical exhibits, as well as a model of an oil field, which presents key production and social facilities. In addition, the exhibition hall has a virtual hologram guide. This year, the museum has already been visited by more than 350 guests.

    Bashneft was awarded a 3rd degree diploma in the Discovery of the Year category. The creation of the corporate exposition is timed to coincide with an important anniversary date: in 2022, the oil industry of Bashkortostan celebrated its 90th anniversary. The exhibition introduces its guests to the history of Bashkir oil and demonstrates the achievements of oil workers. The museum has become a single platform for holding corporate, educational and career guidance events.

    Angarsk Petrochemical Company received a 3rd degree diploma in the nomination “Best Corporate Museum”. The museum was founded in 1988. Its exposition presents the entire history of the enterprise: from a fragment of the layout of the construction sites of Combine-16 (the future ANHK) to the products of modern production. The collection has over 34 thousand exhibits. The most interesting of them are equipped with QR codes, with the help of which you can get additional information in the mobile application. In the display cases of the halls there are numerous awards, diplomas, cups that ANHK teams were awarded. On the stands are the names of the pioneers, on TV screens are films about the historical past and about modern realities.

    The Saratov Oil Refinery was awarded a 3rd degree diploma in the nomination “Corporate Social Responsibility”. The museum, founded in 1985, is a modern, multifunctional exhibition complex. It hosts excursions, career guidance events, thematic meetings and classes, round tables, screenings of historical films and award ceremonies for the company’s employees.

    Syzran Oil Refinery received a 3rd degree diploma in the nomination “Best educational projects of a corporate museum”. The museum and presentation complex, opened on May 9, 2019, consists of two halls: a historical hall and a presentation hall. The historical hall displays exhibits and art objects, as well as multimedia kiosks that show video materials from different years and interactive notes about the plant. The presentation hall can easily be transformed into a cinema hall or a place for holding meetings, gatherings, and training seminars.

    Reference:

    The National Award “Corporate Museum” is held with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Russian Committee of the International Council of Museums.

    The competition is aimed at developing project practices in the field of corporate social responsibility of enterprises, updating industrial heritage and popularizing historical and cultural values of Russian companies. Over 6 seasons, 675 projects from 345 participants were presented.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft October 16, 2024

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

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

    http://vvv.rosneft.ru/press/nevs/item/220920/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Rosneft Completes Reconstruction of Ob River Embankment in Nizhnevartovsk, 1.2 km Long

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Rosneft – Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

    A large-scale project to create a new look for the Ob River embankment, the calling card of Nizhnevartovsk and a favorite place for city residents to relax, was implemented within the framework of an agreement between Rosneft Oil Company and the government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug of Yugra.

    The construction of the embankment was preceded by engineering arrangement of the coastline. Strengthening with metal structures and reinforced concrete retaining walls with waterproofing and artificial stone cladding was carried out. The drainage system is arranged taking into account the features of the relief, the level of underground waters and the depth of soil freezing.

    The embankment is landscaped while preserving the natural relief of the area. Coverings for walking, running and cycling paths have been created. Viewing platforms, recreation areas with sun loungers and swings have been built in the walking areas. Lawns for family recreation have been profiled on the slopes. Modern play complexes made of environmentally friendly materials have been installed for children, which support the visual concept of the embankment.

    Several locations are intended for holding cultural events – an open amphitheater, an exhibition complex and an area for holding folk craft fairs have been built on the boulevard. The entire embankment area is accessible to people with limited mobility.

    Volunteers of Samotlorneftegaz and activists of the Movement of the First, who planted greenery, took part in the grand opening of the embankment. The organizers held a sports and musical warm-up for them.

    Rosneft implements social projects aimed at creating favorable living conditions in the regions of its presence. In particular, it supports initiatives in the field of creating a comfortable urban environment.

    Reference:

    Samotlorneftegaz is one of Rosneft’s key production enterprises, developing the Samotlor field, the largest in Russia. Under the agreement between Rosneft and the government of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, the company actively participates in the social development of the region. Thanks to the support of Samotlorneftegaz, over the past three years, more than 20 significant social infrastructure facilities have been opened in the region.

    Among the largest are the buildings of the largest school in Nizhnevartovsk for 1,725 children and two kindergartens, a rollerdrome, the youth club “EcoQuant”, the technopark “EngineerUm”. An ice rink was built in the Nizhnevartovsk region, and a universal sports complex in Khanty-Mansiysk.

    Samotlorneftegaz also supported the program to ensure Internet accessibility for the indigenous peoples of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Yugra. About 2 thousand residents of ancestral lands received a connection to the World Wide Web.

    Department of Information and Advertising of PJSC NK Rosneft October 16, 2024

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

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

    http://vvv.rosneft.ru/press/nevs/item/220921/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Modern schools and kindergartens: three educational facilities are being built in the north-east of the capital under participation agreements

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    In the north-east of Moscow, construction of three educational facilities continues. The buildings are being erected within the framework of contracts for the participation of developers in the development of social, transport, and engineering infrastructure in the capital’s developing area. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Urban Development Policy and Construction Vladimir Efimov.

    “Thanks to participation agreements with investors, 1,475 school places and 200 preschool places will appear in the north-east of the capital. Thus, in Maryina Roshcha, an educational facility for 650 places is being built. In the Ostankino district, a kindergarten for 200 places is being built, as well as a school designed for 825 students. This will reduce the load on existing institutions and provide comfortable conditions for residents of these areas. The new educational facilities are planned to be completed in 2025,” Vladimir Efimov noted.

    Attracting private investors allows developing educational infrastructure. After completion of construction, the institutions will be transferred to the city’s ownership.

    All facilities are built within walking distance of residential buildings. This will allow children to quickly get to school. The institutions are becoming an important part of the social infrastructure in areas where new residential development is actively developing, including within the framework of the renovation program.

    “Modern schools and kindergartens are built with an emphasis on multifunctionality. In addition to universal and specialized classrooms, they include sports halls and spaces for children’s creative development. For example, the school in Ostankino will be equipped with engineering and medical laboratory research complexes and a workshop for watercolor painting and drawing. Conditions will also be created for the education of children with disabilities,” added the Minister of the Moscow Government, head of the capital’s Department of Urban Development Policy

    Vladislav Ovchinsky.

    Educational facilities built under the participation agreement are designed according to the Moscow School standard. It represents uniform requirements for zoning, exterior and interior decoration of schools in the capital.

    Earlier Sergei Sobyanin told on the development of social infrastructure in the north-east of the capital.

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

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

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145271073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Government to launch independent review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments 

    Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments 2

    Review signals Government’s recognition of the challenges carers face and commitment to provide them with the support they need. 

    • Former Disability Rights UK Chief Executive Liz Sayce OBE confirmed to lead review. 
    • Work and Pensions Secretary recognises the concerns of carers, some of whom only breached earnings limit by a “small amount”.

    Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall MP has announced today (16 October) that the Government will launch an independent review into Carer’s Allowance overpayments.  

    Led by Liz Sayce OBE, the former Disability Rights UK Chief Executive, now visiting professor in practice at LSE, the review will investigate the reasons why overpayments have occurred for some carers.

    The review will focus on how and why overpayments were accrued, operational changes to minimise future overpayment risk and how the DWP can best support those with overpayments. A full term of reference will be published in due course.

    It follows concerns over increasing reports of carers unknowingly accruing large amounts of overpayments of Carer’s Allowance, signalling the Government’s commitment to learn lessons and get to grips with the issues.

    This review has been commissioned by the Secretary of State to get an independent view of the situation and its causes, and to recommend potential solutions for ministers to consider.

    Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP, said:

    I have been a lifelong champion of family carers and know many have been pushed to breaking point looking after the people they love.

    This is not okay. We’re determined to learn lessons and put this right.

    It’s brilliant that Liz Sayce has agreed to lead this with all the experience she brings.

    Former Chief Executive of Disability Rights UK, Liz Sayce, said:

    I’m delighted to be leading this important review which will make a difference to carers who offer such tremendous support to their loved ones every day.

    My work aims to get to the bottom of how overpayments have occurred and how to prevent people who devote such time and care to others facing these difficulties in future.

    Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms MP, said:  

    Carers, whom we owe so much for the hard work they do, deserve to be supported, not punished.  

    In the last Parliament, the Work and Pensions Select Committee found that people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance were accruing large overpayments – often inadvertently.

    We need to get to the bottom of what has been going wrong, and to put it right. This review will shed some light on why overpayments have occurred and is evidence of this government’s commitment to make positive change and support all those who care.

    The government is also working on long-term reform of the social care system to improve support for both carers and those being cared for.  

    This includes the longer-term goal of creating a sustainable National Care Service and working collaboratively with unpaid carers themselves, sector partners, and carer organisations as part of that process.  

    Further Information

    • Further details, including the timeline, of the review will be announced in due course.  

    • More information on Carer’s Allowance including full eligibility criteria can be found here: Carer’s Allowance: How it works – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)  
    • To be eligible for Carer’s Allowance, a carer must earn £151 a week or less after allowable deductions. If they exceed this earnings limit, they have a duty to inform DWP so that their entitlement can be reviewed.

    Updates to this page

    Published 16 October 2024

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The pond on Veshnikh Vody Street will be put in order

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

    Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

    Specialists from the city economy complex have begun rehabilitating the Yaroslavl pond in the north-east of the capital. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement Petr Biryukov.

    “Currently, the reservoir, located inside the existing residential development on Veshnikh Vod Street, is in an unsatisfactory condition: a layer of silt deposits has accumulated at the bottom, the water area is abundantly overgrown with aquatic vegetation, and the destruction of the coastal strip is observed. In connection with this, a decision was made to carry out a comprehensive rehabilitation of the pond, we plan to complete the work by the end of this year,” said Petr Biryukov.

    The specialists will extract more than 900 cubic meters of silt deposits, which will allow achieving an optimal temperature balance and preventing the reservoir from overgrowing in the warm season. In addition, the structure of the coastal strip with a total length of more than 180 meters will be repaired; it will remain the same type (slope) and will be reinforced with stone.

    At the final stage, two bioplateau zones with a total area of over 432 square meters will be organized, in which aquatic plants of different species will be planted.

    Specialists regularly conduct surveys of the capital’s water bodies, and if problems are identified, a decision is made on rehabilitation. The list of water bodies is compiled annually taking into account the wishes of Muscovites. In total, over 20 ponds are planned to be renovated in Moscow this year.

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

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

    http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/145299073/

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Huawei Globally Unveils Intelligent Campus 2030 White Paper

    Source: Huawei

    Headline: Huawei Globally Unveils Intelligent Campus 2030 White Paper

    [Dubai, UAE, October 16, 2024] During GITEX Global 2024, Huawei released the Intelligent Campus 2030 white paper for markets outside China at the forum Redefining Intelligent Campus with ICTs, Maximizing Enterprises’ Intelligent Productivity with Xinghe Intelligent Campus. This white paper envisions the future of the intelligent campus.
    David Shi, Vice President of Huawei’s ICT Marketing & Solution Sales Dept, delivered an opening speech at the forum. He highlighted that as digital technology advances, the intelligent connectivity of everything will become a reality, which will allow campuses to be fully digital and intelligent. He added that future campuses will become fully perceptible, collaborative, and constantly online smart buildings that are capable of self-learning, self-troubleshooting, and making decisions and executing them independently. “Huawei is committed to bringing digital to every campus for pervasive intelligence and has been deeply involved with intelligent campuses for many years. We have proposed to redefine campuses with ICTs and have leveraged the advantages of our product portfolios to reshape campus connectivity, platform, and business. Up to now, we have helped over 1000 customers worldwide build secure, green, digital, and intelligent campuses,” said David Shi.
    David Shi, Vice President of ICT Marketing & Solution Sales Dept, Huawei

    Eric He, CEO of Huawei Campus Team, said in his speech that revolutions in energy and information take us closer to the intelligent world, where campuses will play a crucial role. As Eric He explains, we have entered the stage of intelligent campus 2.0, which is 10 Gbps, digital, intelligent, and green. During this stage, campus networks will evolve from simply transmitting data to providing quality connections, campus platforms will move beyond integrating IoT to providing data intelligence, and extensive business management will be upgraded to low-carbon operations. “Relying on ICTs to redefine campuses, Huawei looks forward to working with customers and industry peers to innovate as well as envision and build intelligent campus 2030,” he said.
    Eric He, CEO of Huawei Campus Team

    Hawn Zhao, President of the Campus Network Domain, Data Communication Product Line, Huawei, introduced Huawei’s Xinghe Intelligent Campus Solution at the forum. As enterprises are witnessing a surge in the number of devices and video conferences, their digital and intelligent office requires improved network performance, security, experiences, and O&M. Huawei’s all-scenario Wi-Fi 7 products can strengthen signals by 100% and improve concurrency by 50%. In addition, Huawei’s application experience assurance solution ensures smooth video conferences and protects VIP services from being compromised, while the Wi-Fi Shield prevents data eavesdropping to ensure 100% network security.
    Helping Customers Advance Digital and Intelligent Transformation
    Ibrahim Al Kindi, IT Director of the Arab Authority for Agricultural Investment and Development (AAAID), shared AAAID’s experience in intelligent campus construction. AAAID and Huawei have collaborated to enhance its office experiences in five areas: seamless access, intelligent office conferences, full wireless network coverage, AI-based building control, and centralized IoT device access. Ibrahim Al Kindi stated that this is just the beginning of a new era of intelligent office, and AAAID will continue to explore the digital and intelligent transformation of the office field.
    Fahad Daghriri, Chief Information Officer of Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) in Saudi Arabia, shared how TVTC built an intelligent campus network with the help of Huawei. This network allows for wide coverage, high performance, and efficient O&M, improving mobile office for teachers and studying for students. “Our collaboration aims to achieve a win-win situation, promote digital transformation, build a one-stop campus network, create a smart education platform, and lay a solid foundation for long-term development,” said Fahad Daghriri.
    Releasing the Intelligent Campus 2030 White Paper
    Huawei globally unveils the Intelligent Campus 2030 white paper

    The campus is a basic unit in the making of a city. It is the main place where people live and work. It acts as an important carrier to boost the digital economy, and a key point to realize green and low-carbon transformation. In recent years, the industry has conducted in-depth exploration and cultivated practices surrounding the intelligent campus. Huawei, along with industry experts and scholars, provides insights into its future in the Intelligent Campus 2030 white paper.
    Based on the insights into and practices of global intelligent campuses, this white paper proposes a far-sighted definition of future intelligent campus along with visions for its advancement. It outlines five trends that affect intelligent campus development, systematically depicts 10 typical future scenarios, and defines six key technical features of future intelligent campuses for the first time. Innovatively, the white paper proposes a unique reference architecture for the intelligent campus and 22 quantitative indicators to predict the prospects of intelligent campuses, guiding their implementation and construction.
    Click the link to read more about the white paper: https://www.huawei.com/en/giv/intelligent-campus-2030

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: BLOG | “Our markets stand as a testament to the power of community”

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Liverpool has been a home to numerous markets since the Middle Ages and 2024 has shown us they are more popular than ever. Here Michael Bracken, Liverpool City Council’s Head of Markets, reflects on why markets are special places for scousers…

    In Liverpool, markets are more than just places to shop. They have always been at the heart of our communities, bringing people together and helping to forge bonds between shoppers and traders.

    And this year has proved this again and again. The successes of the new Stanley Park Market – where the bakers have been selling out almost before they can put their stock on their stall! – and the seasonal St George’s Hall markets show that there is a real appetite for this experience in Liverpool and that if you get the offer right, they work.

    But why are markets so special? Why do they still flourish in so many different guises?

    For us, it’s quite simple: connection. There is a social aspect to visiting a market that you don’t always get in the same way from some big high-street stores. Shoppers get to know the traders, the traders get to know the shoppers. It builds trust and strengthens the fabric of our communities, enriching our neighbourhoods.

    To say markets have a long history in Liverpool is a understatement. It is believed that there have been meat and fish markets in what is now the city centre since the 13th century. Since 1773, the local authority has been the sole market authority in the city and we do not take this responsibility lightly, understanding that if we are to help traders to succeed then our approach cannot be one-size-fits-all.

    From the well-established weekly bustle of Greatie to the farmers’ markets in Lark Lane, Woolton Village and Allerton Road via the annual Christmas Market, whose contract is managed by Culture Liverpool, we’ve worked hard to make sure that our communities have the markets that they want and deserve. They reflect the diversity of our neighbourhoods, from the people that shop there to the goods that are sold. They provide local connection for older people and plenty of eye-widening fun for youngsters.

    Not only that, markets are increasingly becoming a vital foundational part of the local economy, making sure that money stays in Liverpool and that small businesses grow and become more secure, offering traders a low-cost, low-risk way to trial products and concepts. Spend money in a Liverpool market and you’re effectively investing in your community.

    And they’re sustainable – goods do not have to be transported as far and shoppers can walk to the market rather than getting in their car.

    In a world that often feels fragmented, our markets stand as a testament to the power of community. They are not just places for commerce but spaces where relationships develop, cultures are shared and local pride grows. Sitting alongside all the other fantastic shopping opportunities that Liverpool has to offer.

    So the next time you visit a market, as well as possibly opening your purse or wallet remember that you are also opening your heart to a tradition that stretches back centuries.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: BLOG: Kinship Carers Week Goes Global – A Liverpool Success Story!

    Source: City of Liverpool

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    At Liverpool City Council, we truly value the incredible work of kinship carers and are proud of our ongoing partnership with Liverpool Kinship Carers.

    Based in Norris Green, this dedicated charity provides vital resources, support and advocacy for kinship families. Kinship carers are relatives or friends who step in to care for children when their parents are unable to do so. Their unwavering commitment has made a lasting impact on countless lives, and this week, we’ve been celebrating with our kinship families. As part of Kinship Carers Week, they’ve enjoyed a variety of parties and events, culminating in a special afternoon tea.

    Please read this amazing update from Pauline Thornley, the Project Co-ordinator of the Kinship Care Project:

    I’m beyond excited to share some incredible news! Kinship Carers Week, which began right here in Liverpool, has now gone global!

    What started as a local initiative to raise awareness and celebrate the often-overlooked role of kinship carers has been adopted by 15 other countries this year. Yes, 15 countries!

    I was fortunate enough to attend a recent webinar featuring keynote speakers from Zimbabwe and Nepal, and hearing their stories was truly inspiring. It’s amazing to see how the challenges and triumphs of kinship carers are so similar, no matter where they are based in the world.

    When we first launched Kinship Carers Week in 2016, there was nothing like it. Our aim was to raise both local and national awareness of the vital work kinship carers do, looking after children who might otherwise enter the care system.

    We wanted to spark conversations, particularly with local authorities, about how to better support these families. We never imagined the movement would grow into what it is today!

    In those early days we ran some brilliant campaigns. Our promotional T-shirt made its way around the world, from Westminster to New Zealand, spreading the word about kinship care. We even launched a cake smash challenge, which went viral, with families, organisations and even MPs getting involved and sharing the fun on social media. It wasn’t just a bit of fun, it got people talking and raising awareness of kinship carers.

    The benefit of raising awareness is profound. This year, as we celebrate Kinship Carers Week globally, hundreds more kinship carers across the UK are being recognised and receiving the support they deserve. The increased visibility of their challenges and contributions helps ensure that these families are not only acknowledged, but are also provided with the resources and assistance they need to thrive.

    Now, seeing other countries adopt what started here in Liverpool feels truly special. It’s a testament to the power of community and collective voices. It’s also a clear sign that kinship carers everywhere need and deserve recognition and support.

    So, let’s take a moment to celebrate this incredible achievement. What began in Liverpool has sparked a global movement. This is a tribute to the strength and determination of our kinship families, and it’s something we should all be immensely proud of. Let’s keep this momentum going and continue to raise our voices for kinship carers everywhere!

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –