NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Search and Rescue Success

    Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services

    On Monday this week, Northern Territory Police Search and Rescue Section conducted a search operation north of Adelaide River following reports of a missing 73-year-old man.

    John had not been seen since 10pm Sunday night with the alarm being raised with police early Monday morning prompting a search by Adelaide River Police members with the assistance of John’s carer.

    It was quickly escalated to the Search and Rescue Section (SRS) as temperatures reached 34°c and John was known to suffer from late-stage dementia as well as type 2 diabetes.

    A large-scale response was deployed including one Longranger helicopters with TRG air observers, 3 members from the mounted unit, 4 motorcycles and one ATV, 3 Australian Search and Rescue K9’s, 7 SRS members and one drone.

    Just before 5pm that evening, a police search team located John approximately 800 meters from his residence on a vacant property.

    He was found in a disoriented state and was transported to the local medical clinic for assessment and treatment before being safely returned to his carer.

    Acting Sergeant Chris Grotherr said, “The report of a missing person who suffers from dementia is always concerning, particularly considering the high temperatures in the area.

    “We would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone involved in this rescue.

    “Without the support of each responder, this successful outcome wouldn’t have been possible.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NDDOT Receives $20 Million to Improve Safety with Freight Reliability, Preservation on US 52 Route

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

    ***Click here for audio.***

    BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) received a $20,000,000 award through the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) grant program. This funding will help NDDOT enhance the US 52 route by adding railroad bypass lanes, improving safety, and increasing the efficiency of passenger and freight transportation across the state.

    Specifically, this project will rehabilitate approximately 45 miles of existing asphalt pavement from west of Drake to Fessenden, consolidate access points at the intersection of US 52 and North Dakota Highway 3 in Harvey, and add acceleration and deceleration lanes at existing at-grade railroad crossings. It will also add turn lanes at intersections from seven miles south of Portal to Carrington.

    “As we say, North Dakota feeds and fuels the world, and Highway 52 is an essential artery for the flow of many of our goods getting to markets,” said U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “This grant will help expand this really important transportation corridor and then at the same time, improves the safety for producers and the traveling public.”

    In May, the North Dakota delegation sent a letter in support of NDDOT’s Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant application. Cramer led an amendment to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act which passed the Senate EPW Committee in 2021, requiring the Secretary of Transportation to prioritize states which have never received an INFRA grant. After Cramer’s efforts, North Dakota received its first INFRA grant the same year. This is North Dakota’s second INFRA award since the passage of Cramer’s amendment to the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Ensuring First Nations children in New South Wales are school ready

    Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

    The Australian Government is expanding the Connected Beginnings program, helping more First Nations children thrive in the crucial early years. 

    Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly today announced $1.8 million for Dalaigur Pre-School and Children’s Services Aboriginal Corporation to deliver Connected Beginnings program in Kempsey.

    The program connects First Nations children aged zero to five with a range of early childhood education, health and family support services – helping children meet the learning and development milestones necessary to achieve a positive transition to school.

    The new site will support around 700 local First Nations children. The Kempsey site joins 47 other locations across the country supporting more than 23,700 First Nations children.

    The community-led program is a key contributor to the early childhood Closing the Gap targets, driving an increase in preschool enrolments and improvements to developmental outcomes.

    The Government partners with SNAICC – National Voice for our Children and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation to deliver the program.

    The new Kempsey site is part of an investment of $81.8 million from the Australian Government to expand the program to 50 sites nationally. Once all 50 sites are established, the program has the potential to support up to 20 per cent of all First Nations children aged zero to five.

    Other Connected Beginnings sites in New South Wales include Bourke, Broken Hill, Doonside, Dubbo, Gosford, Mount Druitt, Taree, Wagga Wagga and Wyong.

    Once all New South Wales sites are up and running, the program will support around 6,900 First Nations children across the state.

    Learn more about the Connected Beginnings program at: https://www.education.gov.au/early-childhood/community-child-care-fund/connected-beginnings.

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Early Childhood Education Dr Anne Aly:

    “All children, no matter their background or where they live, should be able to access the transformational benefits of quality early childhood education and care.

    “Connected Beginnings is delivering significant positive results for First Nations children right across the country, helping to Close the Gap by improving developmental outcomes.

    “The Connected Beginnings program is empowering communities to design and deliver the program in a way which supports their individual needs and aspirations.”

    Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health Ged Kearney:

    “Labor is committed to closing the health gap that leads to a significantly lower life expectancy for First Nations people.

    “Connected Beginnings is all about centring the voices of First Nations Australian and a community-led approach.

    “From child care, to pre-school, to primary school, Connected Beginnings is setting First Nations kids up for best start in life.”

    Quotes attributable to SNAICC Chief Executive Catherine Liddle:

    “SNAICC is very proud to be the Community Partner in the Connected Beginnings program, that is expanding access to culturally-centred early education and care to many more children and families around the country.

    “This is helping to drive positive outcomes in early childhood for Aboriginal and Torres Strait children by increasing participation in early education activities and increasing school readiness.

    “The benefits of Connected Beginnings extend to the entire community, as we know closing the gap starts with our children.”

    Quotes attributable to Dalaigur Pre-School and Children’s Services Aboriginal Corporation Chairperson Fred Kelly:

    “It is essential that all our Aboriginal children have a sense of their culture and in particular a strong cultural identity. Dalaigur Pre-School and Children’s Services Aboriginal Corporation provide this through language and culture educators working with both preschools.

    “Connected Beginnings is an exciting new program that will provide the resources and services for this solid foundation to be further expanded upon by providing the opportunity to draw upon the experience of existing and new connections and accessing the extensive knowledge from our local community to increase the support for the varied needs of our children.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chinese modernization fuels shared prosperity of developing nations

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

    BEIJING, Oct. 16 — China is forging its own path to modernization, offering not only inspiration to other developing countries but also tangible opportunities for growth amid a sluggish global economy.

    Amid rising trade protectionism, China, the world’s largest developing nation, remains committed to advancing high-level opening up and serving as a reliable partner for developing countries on the path to modernization.

    On the domestic front, China is prioritizing institutional openness, unlocking vast market potential and creating abundant opportunities for foreign businesses. Measures like lifting foreign investment restrictions in manufacturing and enhancing intellectual property protection are making China an increasingly attractive destination for global enterprises.

    On the global stage, the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which now encompasses over three quarters of the world’s countries, exemplifies China’s commitment to collaborative progress. Projects once deemed unattainable have become realities, significantly improving the lives of millions.

    As Belt and Road cooperation has entered its second decade, new opportunities are emerging, with plans to break new ground through enhanced collaboration with partner countries. In July, a resolution was adopted during the third plenum of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee. It calls for efforts to improve the integrated framework for land, sea, air and cyberspace connectivity and build a multidimensional network to connect countries along the Belt and Road.

    Cooperation within the BRI framework will be strengthened in key areas such as green development, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, finance, and disaster mitigation. As China rapidly advances in digital communications, it is well-positioned to assist partner countries in developing their digital economies and bridging the digital divide.

    In the realm of technological innovation, China has consistently embraced a spirit of collaboration. Its belief that science should benefit all humanity is not mere rhetoric; it is reflected in concrete actions.

    China has established scientific and technological cooperation ties with over 160 countries and regions, and signed 118 intergovernmental agreements on such cooperation. China also issued the International Science and Technology Cooperation Initiative, featuring open, fair, equitable and non-discriminatory international science and technology cooperation.

    A prime example of such cooperation is the establishment of 10 overseas science and education centers by the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Africa, Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, South America and beyond. More than 100 scientific and technological projects have been launched, training nearly 5,000 high-level professionals from these regions.

    China has provided the international community with abundant public goods, including the annual China International Import Expo and regional initiatives like the China-ASEAN Expo. These influential platforms are set to evolve into concrete cooperation projects that deliver tangible benefits to the people of participating countries. Committed to offering even more global public goods to support peace and prosperity, China aims to achieve more win-win outcomes through its reform and opening up while collaborating with other nations on modernization.

    The effectiveness of these efforts is evident. Following its pledge in July to further open its doors to the world’s least developed countries, China announced in early September that it would grant zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines to all the least developed countries that have established diplomatic relations with China. This makes China the first major developing nation and the first significant economy to take such a step.

    Cooperation between China and other developing nations is expected to accelerate in the future, especially in green transition efforts aimed at tackling climate change. China’s strengths in clean energy equipment and electric vehicles have already been translated into successful cooperation programs in relevant sectors across developing countries.

    Modernization is a shared aspiration for humanity. Chinese modernization dispels the misconception that modernization equates to Westernization. Rather than pursuing isolated success or creating a model that hinders others, China is dedicated to partnering with other nations to jointly advance modernization.

    As the world’s second-largest economy, China has contributed more than 30 percent of global economic growth over the past years. The widening door of opportunity being opened by Chinese modernization welcomes all, particularly Global South countries.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Salt harvested at Nanpu salt field in Tangshan, Hebei

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

    Salt harvested at Nanpu salt field in Tangshan, Hebei

    Updated: October 17, 2024 08:57 Xinhua
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows a worker operating a machinery harvesting salt at Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows workers transporting harvested salt at Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows a worker operating a machinery harvesting salt at Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial panoramic photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows a view of the Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows workers transporting harvested salt at Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows a view of the Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows a worker operating a machinery harvesting salt at Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows a worker operating a machinery harvesting salt at Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
    An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 16, 2024 shows workers transporting harvested salt at Nanpu salt field in Caofeidian District of Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Green transition key for agri-food sector

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The venue of the 2024 World Agri-food Innovation Conference (WAFI 2024) is seen in Beijing, capital of China, Oct 11, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A global panel of agrarians has called for the innovation-driven green transition of the world’s agri-food system, as part of efforts to curb carbon emissions and mitigate the impact of climate change on food production.
    While some food-producing regions have initially benefited from warmer weather, the substantial uncertainties caused by global warming are disrupting agriculture across Asia, Africa and South America, the experts said.
    They made the remarks on the sidelines of the 2024 World Agri-Food Innovation Conference, held in Beijing earlier this month. The event was organized by China Agricultural University.
    Sun Qixin, president of China Agricultural University and an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, told China Daily that mainstream models indicate a 6 to 8 percent decrease in food production for every 1 C increase in global temperatures, unless technological innovations are introduced to alleviate these effects.
    “However, the impact of a warmer climate is not uniform across the globe,” he said.
    Despite instances of warmer and wetter climate boosting food production in some areas that were previously cold and prone to drought, the sudden and extreme shifts in weather patterns are causing widespread disruptions in food production globally, Sun noted.
    Given that the green transition necessitates a substantial reduction in agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, it is crucial to invest in research and technological innovations to ensure that these reforms do not result in decreased output, Sun said.
    “We must proceed in this direction despite the challenges,” he added.
    An estimate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations body for evaluating climate science, showed that the agri-food sector, covering the entire cycle from food cultivation to consumption, contributes one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.
    Fu Wenge, a professor at China Agricultural University, said that innovations facilitating green transition do not always require groundbreaking scientific discoveries, adding that sometimes, minor and cost-effective reforms in management models and other fields can bring significant changes.
    Fu cited the university’s Science and Technology Backyard project, which encourages students to live and work alongside smallholding farmers in rural areas as part of their education programs. The arrangement aims to help promote high-yield crop varieties and environmentally friendly farming practices among rural farming communities. “This model has been implemented in Africa and other regions,” he said.
    Ismahane Elouafi, executive managing director of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, or CGIAR, a global partnership that unites research groups for a food-secure future, said that the green transition could be achieved through innovations that span technological, policy and institutional levels and include models for countries to work together.
    “The impact of climate change is multiplying every day, and the only way forward for us is to adopt innovation in its broad sense to really transform the agriculture system,” she said.
    The experts also called for greater awareness of increasing food production with reduced carbon footprint and more care for the environment.
    Patrick Caron, vice-chair of the CGIAR system board, said that humans have managed to increase food production throughout history, as living conditions improved and consumption patterns changed.
    “However, at the moment, we are looking at the increase of production with a different angle,” he said, referring to greater care to avoid climate change and degradations of land, water and biodiversity.
    Makers of food policy point to China as a source of hope amid the gloomy outlook of increasing food insecurity worldwide, citing the country’s ambitious goal to boost its annual food production capacity to approximately 700 million metric tons by 2030, up from the 695 million tons in 2023.
    Elouafi, the CGIAR executive managing director, said, “I think China really is a bright spot in the global picture, and not only in increasing productivity in a very smart way, but also in reducing poverty and hunger.”
    Despite a recent reversal in global progress, the world made significant strides in alleviating hunger and poverty between 2000 and 2017, largely because of China’s efforts, she said.
    Elouafi noted that China’s adoption of technologies and innovations in the agri-food sector, along with its initiatives to enhance rural incomes, played a pivotal role in the success.
    Wednesday marked World Food Day, which has been celebrated annually on Oct 16 since 1981 to raise awareness and promote action for fighting hunger and ensuring food security for all.
    At a news conference on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said that as the world’s largest food producer, China attaches great importance to global food security.
    “China has provided more funding and experts and undertaken more projects than any other developing country under the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s South-South Cooperation Programme,” she said.
    Mao added that China is willing to continue strengthening cooperation on food security with all parties to strive for a world free of hunger.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: World’s Largest Debt Conversion for Conservation of a River and its Watershed Completed in El Salvador

    Source: CAF Development Bank of Latin America

    All savings generated by the transaction will be applied over time to support conservation, water security, and ecosystem restoration in the Lempa River (Rio Lempa) watershed. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. acted as sole arranger and lender for the loan and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as dealer manager in the tender offer for El Salvador’s bonds.

    DFC, the U.S. Government’s international development bank, is providing $1 billion in political risk insurance (PRI) while CAF is providing a $200 million standby letter of credit (SBLC). The combination of the DFC PRI and the CAF SBLC will provide integral credit enhancements that support the transaction, which in turn catalyzes the additional investment in El Salvador’s conservation and ecosystem restoration efforts in the Rio Lempa watershed. ArtCap Strategies acted as financial advisor and global coordinator for the transaction.

    The Rio Lempa watershed is one of the longest rivers in Central America and plays an important role in the well-being of cities, communities and the economy in El Salvador by providing drinking water, as well as supporting industry and hydropower generation, and irrigation. It also supports diverse ecosystems that represent a large portion of the country’s environmental heritage. Projects funded by the savings from the transaction are expected to enhance water quality, quantity, and reliability; strengthen climate resilience; protect the watershed’s natural ecosystem; and mitigate water security risk in the region.

    Through this transaction, the Government of El Salvador will realize more than $352 million in lifetime savings through a combination of immediate notional debt savings and material reductions in debt service costs. $350 million of these savings will be applied to the Rio Lempa Conservation and Restoration Program (the “Program”) over the next 20 years in support of the country’s commitment to watershed conservation in the Rio Lempa basin. Specifically, $200 million, or an average of $9.75 million annually over 20 years, will fund the Program directly, while $150 million, or approximately $7 million per year, will fund an endowment. The funds in the endowment will be invested and are intended to become a source of ongoing funding for the Program beyond 2044. This $350 million allocation represents the largest funding commitment a country has ever made for conservation in a debt conversion transaction.

    CRS and FIAES will jointly manage the Program and will collaborate with key government water and environmental agencies to enhance water security and watershed health, promote biodiversity, stimulate economic development through regenerative agriculture, and strengthen planning and management capacities in the Rio Lempa watershed. The Program will make grants to non-governmental organizations operating in El Salvador in support of these goals, with initial grants set to disburse in 2025.The Program will be governed by a seven-member Board of Directors that includes one representative from the Government of El Salvador, one representative from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and five non-governmental representatives.

    In addition, the Government of El Salvador has committed to: (i) establish a zonal organization to oversee conservation and restoration of the Rio Lempa watershed; (ii) approve a National Integrated Water Resources Plan; (iii) establish a water resources data monitoring system for the Rio Lempa watershed; (iv) develop protocols for issuing water use permits; (v) establish a public feedback and complaint mechanism for violations of the National Water Resources Law and Environmental Law; (vi) contribute to the decision-making process by developing standards for calculating costs related to drinking water and sanitation services; and (vii) declare 75,000 hectares of protected aquifer recharge zones throughout the watershed by 2044.

    White & Case LLP acted as legal adviser to the Republic.

    “This debt conversion represents the most ambitious and impactful environmental action in El Salvador’s history. It not only reaffirms this government’s commitment to economic growth, it also enables us to achieve this growth while preserving one of our most precious natural resources: the Lempa River watershed. With support from international parties, we are executing the largest debt conversion transaction of its kind to date. This debt conversion project promotes sustainable development for our communities, strengthens our water security, and protects our ecosystems to secure the well-being of this generation and those to come. With this debt conversion, we aim to transform the environmental and economic future of El Salvador,” said Nayib Bukele, President of El Salvador.

    “Since its inception, DFC has been a pioneer in the field of debt conversions. Today’s announcement presents the world’s first-ever debt conversion for watershed conservation and water security. This transaction will protect critical resources while helping unburden the Salvadoran economy and promoting the growth of a vibrant private sector that will create more opportunities for Salvadoreans to find employment in their communities. DFC is committed to continuing to leverage our unique financial tools in innovative ways in pursuit of our developmental priorities around the world,” said DFC CEO Scott Nathan. 

    “At CAF, we are committed to becoming the green bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. Therefore, we are investing $25 billion by 2026 to finance environmental, climate change, and biodiversity initiatives, such as the one we are announcing today in partnership with the Government of El Salvador, DFC, CRS, and FIAES. This historic financing demonstrates that, through joint efforts, we can advance innovative financial mechanisms that accelerate sustainable development,” said Sergio Díaz-Granados, Executive President of CAF. 

    “CRS is excited to be part of this transformative program in El Salvador, which sets a new standard for the scale and long-term funding needed to restore and protect critical water resources for current and future generations. This program came together because of bold leadership and collective action by a dynamic and diverse team,” said Carla Fajardo, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Catholic Relief Services.

    “FIAES is pleased to participate in the Rio Lempa Conservation and Restoration Program, acting as a strategic partner of the Government of El Salvador and the Government of the United States of America, as a fund administrator and program co-manager. The Río Lempa watershed is a valuable natural resource for our country since it covers 49 percent of the territory and supplies 68 percent of the national water needs; therefore, its preservation is essential to guarantee the sustainability of its ecosystem services”, said Jorge Oviedo, Executive Director of FIAES. 

    “ArtCap is proud to have spearheaded the coordination of this landmark transaction, uniting public and private stakeholders to help develop a comprehensive financial and conservation strategy. This program will deliver an important source of long-term funding for projects focused on the Rio Lempa watershed.  By acting as a private sector catalyst, ArtCap was able to set a new precedent for collaboration among public and private stakeholders that helped to achieve a program with an impressive scale. We hope the success of this transaction will encourage further innovation in conservation finance,” said Antonio Navarro, Managing Partner, ArtCap Strategies. 

    About DFC:

    The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) partners with the private sector to finance solutions to the most critical challenges facing the developing world today. We invest across sectors including energy, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, and small business and financial services. DFC investments adhere to high standards and respect the environment, human rights, and worker rights.

    About CAF:

    CAF – Development Bank of Latin American and Caribbean – has the mission to promote sustainable development and regional integration by financing public and private sector projects, providing technical cooperation, and offering other specialized services. Established in 1970 and currently composed of 21 countries – 19 from Latin America and the Caribbean, along with Spain and Portugal – and 13 private banks, it is one of the main sources of multilateral financing and a significant knowledge generator for the region. 

     

    About Catholic Relief Services:

     Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. The agency alleviates suffering and provides assistance to people in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS works at the nexus of sustainable agriculture, watershed management, and water supply to support governments, partners, communities, and all stakeholders to provide truly sustainable solutions that increase crop production, improve water for human health, and mitigate climate change. CRS has worked in El Salvador for over 50 years, supporting a network of local partners.

     

    About FIAES:

     FIAES was launched in 1993 as a Conservation Trust Fund as a result of a debt-for-nature swap between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of El Salvador to support the restoration and conservation of natural resources in El Salvador. FIAES manages multiple funds including several debt-for-nature swaps, environmental compensation funds from the Government of El Salvador, and several conservation grants from international organizations. Over the past 31 years, FIAES has invested more than $90 million in conservation and restoration of coastal marine and terrestrial ecosystems.

     

    About ArtCap Strategies:

    ArtCap Strategies is a private credit fund and a leading financial advisory firm specializing in innovative, sustainable financing solutions for public and private sector clients (among other strategies). With a focus on structuring and investing in deals that address global challenges such as climate resilience, water security, and sustainable development, ArtCap works closely with governments, multilateral institutions, and private investors to create impactful financial strategies. ArtCap’s expertise lies in coordinating complex transactions that not only generate economic value, but also drive environmental and social progress, setting new standards in responsible finance.  

    This announcement may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on El Salvador’s current plans, estimates, assumptions, and projections. Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on them. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and El Salvador undertakes no obligation to update them in light of new information or future events. This announcement is not an offer to purchase or the solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. This announcement is not for release, publication or distribution in or into, or to any person located or resident in, any jurisdiction where it is unlawful to release, publish or distribute such announcement.

    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Following in father’s footsteps at EIT sets student up for career in mechanical engineering | EIT Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti

    Source: Eastern Institute of Technology – Tairāwhiti

    35 seconds ago

    Braydon Gregory is enrolled in the NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3).

    Following in his father’s footsteps by studying at EIT, is setting a student up for a career in mechanical engineering.

    Braydon Gregory, 17, is currently doing his apprenticeship and is enrolled in the NZ Certificate in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3) at EIT – the same programme his father Aaron completed in the early 2000s.

    Braydon left Napier Boys’ High halfway through Year 13 this year with a very clear plan of enrolling in Mechanical Engineering (Level 3) and doing his apprenticeship at his father’s company, Gregory Innovations Limited.

    He says that he is a third generation product of Napier Boys’, but that mechanical engineering has also been a part of his life since he was young.

    “I’ve pretty much been doing it since I was ten, and then I got top of engineering two years in a row at school.”

    “It was then that I decided that I would get a head start by leaving school early and starting the EIT programme. Dad then offered me an apprenticeship opportunity.”

    As part of this apprenticeship, Braydon is working with his father on contract work for Dennis Glenn Logging.

    “The work we are doing is working on big diggers, big loaders and trucks. It is a wide variety of work.”

    It is a busy time for Braydon, whose family has a farm in Puketapu. Not only does he work as a part-time shepherd (he has his own dog) for a neighbour, but he also works at Pan Pac Forest Products outside Napier on a Sunday.

    Braydon says that his career path has been planned from the beginning, including studying at EIT.

    “My father said that it’s a really good place to learn all the basic skills that you’ll carry on for the rest of your life, like sharpening a drill bit.”

    “He said that if you went into industry straight away, they would just overlook it and not teach you. At EIT, you weld for as long as you want to get it right before going out into the industry.”

    The aim after he has studied is to eventually take over the family business. However, before then, he plans to go on an OE.

    “With my engineering qualifications I will probably travel with engineering, so either go to Australia for the big shutdowns or over to America where they do big pipelines. But the aim is definitely to take over the family business and carry that on.”

    Asked what he enjoyed about EIT, Braydon said that the tutors made all the difference.

    “It is more than a job for them, they really enjoy engineering and passing that knowledge on to us.”

    He has no hesitation in recommending EIT as a place to study.

    EIT’s Head of the School of Trades and Technology said: “The engineering industry are a big supporter of EIT’s Mechanical Engineering programme and provide excellent graduate pathways, it is fantastic to see one of our graduates pathway into the industry.”

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: With reports Kamala might join Joe Rogan for a chat, the US election is showing the power of podcasting

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lea Redfern, Lecturer, Discipline of Media and Communications, University of Sydney

    Call Her Daddy/YouTube

    It was big news in the podcasting world when US Vice-President Kamala Harris recently sat down with Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy for an extended interview. This was not just because it was one of the few times Harris has opened herself up to direct media scrutiny, but also because it signalled podcasting’s coming of age.

    Now there are fresh reports she could sit down with Joe Rogan for his top-rated show. Former president Donald Trump has also said he’ll record with Rogan before election day.

    High-stakes interviews are no longer solely the domain of legacy media. Politicians, like celebrities with a story to tell or a film to sell, can pop onto a podcast with a hopefully sympathetic host to reach vast and potentially new audiences. (That said, Harris also did interviews with CBS News, 60 Minutes, The View and CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert the same week.)

    So for the VP and Democratic presidential candidate, is this about finding new audiences or answering to a different, perhaps softer style of interview?

    Call her who?

    If you haven’t heard of Call Her Daddy, note the show’s emphasis is on sex and female empowerment. Cooper’s listeners are 70% women and 76% of them are aged under 35. It is often compared to the Joe Rogan Experience, a comparison Cooper hates. Cooper has also been called the Oprah Winfrey of her generation, which may say something about her interviewing skills or her market value.

    The comparisons to Rogan are hard to avoid. Call Her Daddy has been running since 2018. In 2020, Cooper split with her co-host and took the program to Spotify, also home to the Joe Rogan Experience. There, Call Her Daddy rose to be the second most-listened-to podcast globally, behind Rogan, with an average of 5 million weekly listeners. Spotify gave Cooper US$60 million to Rogan’s rumoured $250 million. This particular gender pay gap was recently reduced when Cooper took the podcast to SiriusXM for $125 million.

    A Harris appearance on Rogan’s podcast could give her a larger audience than Cooper’s and parallel access to young male listeners.

    ‘Here’s the thing …’

    Soft or smart?

    Harris’ decision to be interviewed on a podcast aimed at young women brought criticism from those who saw it as the “soft option”, as well as those who don’t rate young women or approve of talk of sex.

    The same commentators seem to have overlooked that for the last year, Trump has been wooing the “manosphere” and has called in to friendly bro-casts such as This Past Weekend with Theo Von. In other podcasts like Full Send, Trump has had scope for friendly freewheeling banter on topics from Ice Spice to golf.

    Cooper says she also invited the former president onto her show to discuss women’s rights.

    In the journalistic tradition of podcasts since Serial, Cooper revealed her process and opened her interview with Harris by sharing the reasoning behind her line of questioning. “Let’s be real, I’m probably not the one to be having the fracking conversation,” she deadpanned.

    Harris said she went on the podcast “to be real, you know, and to talk about the things that people really care about”. There were moments of genuine emotion, such as anger and compassion at the death of a young woman, Amber Thurman, in Georgia in the wake of the US’s newly restrictive abortion laws. Yet at times Harris still sounded rehearsed, in the manner of people in the public eye required to repeatedly answer similar questions and give similar speeches.

    The risk to a politician is that the authenticity and intimacy for which podcasting is known could just as well work against them – a lack of “realness” becomes amplified through headphones, straight into the listeners’ ears.

    While Harris’ cadence sounded like familiar speechifying near the end, perhaps her anecdotes were new to sections of Cooper’s audience. For all the claims that a focus on the concerns of women made for a “soft interview”, it was also a timely reminder of the centrality of reproductive freedom to women’s lives and the election.

    The risks of the interview were more Cooper’s, who hinted at the prospect of losing listeners by interviewing a politician while wanting Call Her Daddy to be “a place where everyone feels comfortable tuning in”. This is a pertinent concern for her as much of the program’s initial popularity was built on Barstool, a media company known for its conservative leanings.

    A different listener

    The question remains: is appearing on extremely popular podcasts with young audiences a good political strategy for Harris? The positives of appearing on Call Her Daddy were clear, given Cooper’s main audience of young women is generally more politically engaged and motivated to vote than young men.

    Rogan’s audience is 81% male with 34% aged 18–35. Making a connection with young men could prove trickier for Harris within the “bro-ey”, jokey framework of the Joe Rogan Experience than it was with Cooper.

    A lot will depend on Harris’ interaction with the host, but Rogan is not known for hostile interviewing and Harris is experienced in connecting with people from a range of backgrounds. And her recent spot on shock jock Howard Stern’s radio show gave her a chance to share her love of car racing.

    In a tight election, which could come down to swing voters in six or seven states, such skills, showcased in the podcasting space, could impact the election. The potential gains seem worth any risks.

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

    – ref. With reports Kamala might join Joe Rogan for a chat, the US election is showing the power of podcasting – https://theconversation.com/with-reports-kamala-might-join-joe-rogan-for-a-chat-the-us-election-is-showing-the-power-of-podcasting-241462

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-Evening Report: Thou Shalt Not Steal: new Stan series is a perversely funny road trip through Central Australia

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kelly McWilliam, Associate Professor of Communication and Media, University of Southern Queensland

    Stan/Ian Routledge

    Stan Original’s newest series is coming to smaller screens, having premiered its first three episodes in September at the Toronto International Film Festival.

    Thou Shalt Not Steal follows Aboriginal teen Robyn (played by the immensely talented Sherry-Lee Watson). She escapes juvenile detention and embarks on a defiant road trip from Alice Springs to Adelaide to uncover a long-held family secret.

    Fellow outsider Gidge (Will McDonald) comes along for the ride. He has run away from his dodgy preacher dad Robert (Noah Taylor, clearly enjoying his character’s exaggerated grossness, from a perpetually stained singlet to overflowing ashtrays).

    In hot pursuit are two incongruous duos. First come detectives Burke and Wills (Shari Sebbens and Darren Gilshenan). Then Robert teams up with the decidely crooked Maxine (played menacingly by Miranda Otto). Where Robert’s deceits are lazily self-serving, Maxine is an outback madam who poses very real dangers to the young people.

    ‘Some bastards have it coming …’

    Thou shalt never go to Coober Pedy

    Each episode begins with a tongue-in-cheek lesson from Robyn’s past. These range from the eponymous “thou shalt not steal” to “thou shalt never go to Coober Pedy”.

    This deadpan humour cleverly introduces significant issues. There are the inordinate rates of incarceration of Indigenous youth, alcoholism, assault, toxic masculinity, bullying and weaponised religion, among others.

    These themes are particularly pertinent in the Northern Territory, where Thou Shalt Not Steal was both set and shot. Earlier this year the NT city of Alice Springs initiated a youth curfew and the territory has now reportedly lifted its ban on using “spit hoods” on young people.

    This context means some of the laughs in the series are uncomfortable. But comedy is a well-established vehicle for social justice and the show remains focused on the heroes’ journey, albeit within an important socio-political context.

    Over the first six of its eight short episodes, Thou Shalt Not Steal maintains a balance between acerbic comedy and perilous road trip. Its final episodes revel in a series of over-the-top scenarios that nevertheless tie up narrative loose ends in an enjoyable way.

    Indeed the shift to outright absurdity reveals the show’s gentler message: about finding a chosen family.

    Miranda Otto and Noah Taylor’s characters are dangerous for different reasons.
    Stan

    Alice Springs (Mparntwe)

    If the tone and topic of the show – described elsewhere as “End of the F…ing World meets Fargo” – sound familiar, it’s because it draws from director, co-writer and co-creator Dylan Rivers’ earlier multi-award-winning Robbie Hood (2019).

    In that show, the Robin Hood mythology falls to 13-year-old Alice Springs’ local, Robbie (Pedrea Jackson). The same desert-dry humour articulates the charming teen’s well-intentioned misadventures through a variety of legal and familial landscapes.

    Alice Springs (Mparntwe) is not just a recurrent muse for Rivers; it is also where he grew up, as the son of award-winning filmmakers Penelope McDonald and Warwick Thornton. Rivers has noted that, while his family actively supports each other, they are also “competitive”, pushing each other to produce their best work.

    The series is set in Central and Southern Australia in the winter of 1980.
    Stan/Ian Routledge

    Slick and self-aware

    Having worked previously with his parents on multiple productions, Thou Shalt Not Steal is also something of a family affair. Co-created and co-written with cousin Tanith Glynn-Maloney, who also serves as executive producer, Thou Shalt Not Steal was developed during COVID lockdowns. The duo slowly developed the premise and the first two episodes over two years, before securing investment and support.

    The result is a slick, well-made series with terrific attention to detail. The gorgeous landscapes contrast with the dank, grimy spaces occupied by the antagonists. The soundtrack is its own treasure trove, ranging from Slim Dusty to the Yamma Family and the Warumpi Band, and always in perfect alignment to the scenes. The chorus of “almost the end, almost the end!” is a highlight in the last episode.

    Rivers says he tried not to

    […] shy away from being a bit cheesy, being a bit self-aware, and being over the top at times. Hopefully there’s twists and turns that people don’t expect. But it was very consciously, like, let’s have fun.

    Thou Shalt Not Steal is most definitely a fun ride.

    Thou Shalt Not Steal is streaming on Stan from today.

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

    – ref. Thou Shalt Not Steal: new Stan series is a perversely funny road trip through Central Australia – https://theconversation.com/thou-shalt-not-steal-new-stan-series-is-a-perversely-funny-road-trip-through-central-australia-241353

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Brighton Man Sentenced To 90 Months In Connection With Gun Incident That Injured Bystander At Gaylord Hotel

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

    DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Sonny Perez, age 33, of Brighton, was sentenced to 90 months in prison, and four years of supervised release after pleading guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl and one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

    According to the plea agreement, on May 29, 2023, Perez was at the Gaylord Hotel in Aurora to sell methamphetamine. According to security footage, when Perez exited the hotel, he had his right hand in his pants pocket. Individuals outside the hotel reported hearing a loud sound and seeing a bystander with blood dripping down his leg. That person received medical treatment for a gunshot wound to the leg. Investigators traced Perez to his home, where they found narcotics, evidence of drug distribution, and ammunition. Perez has a prior felony conviction and is prohibited from possessing ammunition.

    “Felons should be on notice—they will face long sentences if they continue to arm themselves,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Matt Kirsch. “I thank our partners for joining us in the fight to keep guns and ammunition out of the hands of felons and drugs off our streets.”

    “Violent, illegally-armed, drug-trafficking felons present a persistent and serious danger to innocent citizens everywhere,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “ATF, in close partnership with the Aurora Police Department and the RAVEN Task Force, relentlessly pursue these violent criminals every day with the full force of local, state, and federal law enforcement resources.”

    “I am grateful for the swift actions of our officers and detectives that led to the arrest of the suspect just two days after the initial shooting,” said Aurora Police Investigations Divisions Chief Mark Hildebrand. “This outcome reflects our agency’s commitment to public safety and our determination to hold those who endanger our community accountable.”

    “This case exemplifies the commitment of the RAVEN Task Force, it’s member agencies, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold those who commit gun violence accountable. RAVEN is at work every day to protect our communities,” said Lieutenant DJ Tisdale, RAVEN Task Force Commander.

    Judge Regina M. Rodriguez presided over the sentencing. The ATF, the RAVEN Task Force, and the Aurora Police Department handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Celeste Rangel and Brian Dunn handled the prosecution.

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

    Case Number: 1:23-cr-00334-RMR-1

     

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Changes to Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government is continuing to stabilise the immigration system by tightening the Migrant Exploitation Protection Work Visa (MEPV).

    “Despite New Zealand being internationally regarded as a safe, fair and highly attractive place to work, we are not immune to migrant exploitation. This is unacceptable,” Immigration Minister Erica Stanford says.

    “The MEPV supports migrants to leave exploitative situations quickly while remaining lawfully in New Zealand. It also provides them the chance to find new work. However, the current criteria is too broad and risks prolonging the time migrants remain in a vulnerable position.

    “These settings need to be balanced to ensure they provide the ability for migrants to leave exploitative employment.”

    From 31 October, the visa will:

    • Continue to provide open work rights provided for a six-month duration
    • Update the definition of migrant exploitation to specify exploitation must be linked to a genuine employment relationship
    • Exclude lawful employment terminations, redundancies, and non-payment of final wages due to liquidation, except in cases where this has occurred alongside other exploitative behaviour or has not followed legal process

    The ability to apply for a second MEPV for a further six months will also be removed. A two-week transitional period will allow those currently holding an MEPV expiring on or before 30 November to be granted a second MEPV if they wish to do so.

    “This ensures migrants have adequate time to find further work or arrange their affairs and depart New Zealand. They also reduce the prospect of migrants being in financially precarious and vulnerable situations, and the risk of future exploitation.

    “This alongside introducing an English language requirement and a minimum skills or experience threshold to the Accredited Employer Work Visa (AEWV), signals this Government’s commitment to reducing the opportunity for migrant exploitation,” Ms Stanford says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: The Wall Street Journal Sounds the Alarm on Harris-Biden Administration For $5 Billion Election Year Prescription Drug Bribe

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall

    “Democrats failed to appreciate that there’s no such thing as a free entitlement expansion.”
    Washington, D.C. – The Wall Street Journal’s Editorial Board recently published a piece titled, “A Medicare Election Bribe for Seniors.” In the piece, the Editorial Board exposes a new Harris-Biden Administration subsidy for large insurance companies as a deficit-busting, cynical attempt at influencing American seniors ahead of the November election. 

    You may click HERE or on the image above to read the Editorial Board’s take on this Harris-Biden Administration policy.
    Topline takeaways from the article: 

    The Biden-Harris Administration “announced lower Medicare prescription drug premiums, which will naturally be paid for by taxpayers.”
    “The political irony is that Biden officials are increasing subsidies to insurers they otherwise vilify to mitigate pre-election harm from the Inflation Reduction Act.”
    “CMS uses a complicated formula to subsidize premiums, but healthcare analysts projected that premiums would rise by hundreds of dollars.”
    “Insurers projected that Part D premiums would balloon next year, when the $2,000 cap and other freebies kick in. Providing basic Part D benefits next year is estimated to cost $179.45 a month on average, up from $64.28 this year and $34.71 in 2023, according to CMS.”
    “Some insurers warned they might exit the market to avoid losing money. Seniors are notified of the premium spikes before open enrollment begins in mid-October. Talk about a surprise bill.”

    The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates this plan would cost taxpayers an extra $5 billion next year alone. You may click HERE to read CBO’s analysis of this policy.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Bienville Parish Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Crack Cocaine and a Firearm and Ammunition

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

    SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Martino Antwion Hill, 42, of Ringgold, Louisiana, was sentenced today for illegal possession of narcotics and a firearm and ammunition.  United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Hill to 156 months (13 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. 

    On February 25, 2022, deputies with the Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office observed Hill and another individual standing outside of a vehicle which they believed had been driven by Hill. Deputies were aware that Hill had several active felony warrants and approached the vehicle. As law enforcement officers approached, Hill began to walk away from the vehicle and refused to follow the commands of officers to stop as they approached. Hill resisted arrest and the officers took him into custody. They searched his person and discovered over $5,000 in cash and approximately 11.32 grams of crack cocaine. A search of his vehicle was conducted, and officers discovered a Ruger model 5.7, caliber 5.728 firearm and ammunition on the rear seat of the vehicle.

    Hill has previous felony convictions for possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance on two occasions and possession of a firearm by a felon. He admitted that he was a convicted felon at the time of this offense and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. 

    The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Bienville Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody.

    # # #

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Ex-Mexican Secretary of Public Security Genaro Garcia Luna Sentenced to Over 38 Years’ Imprisonment

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

    Former Highest Ranking Law Enforcement Official in Mexico Took Millions of Dollars in Bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel and Enabled Transportation of More Than One Million Kilograms of Cocaine to the United States

    Genaro Garcia Luna, the former Secretary of Public Security in Mexico from 2006 to 2012, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 460 months’ imprisonment and a $2 million fine for his decade-long assistance to the Sinaloa Cartel in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes.  Following a four-week trial in February 2023, Garcia Luna was convicted by a jury of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, international cocaine distribution conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine and making false statements.

    Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Anne Milgram, Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Katrina W. Berger, Executive Associate Director, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), announced the verdict.

    “Today’s sentencing of Genaro Garcia Luna is a critical step in upholding justice and the rule of law.  His betrayal of the public trust and the people he was sworn to protect resulted in more than one million kilograms of lethal narcotics imported into our communities and unleashed untold violence here and in Mexico. This sentence sends a strong message that no one, regardless of their position or influence, is above the law.” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “After years of destructive narcotrafficking and deceit, Garcia Luna will spend nearly 40 years where he belongs: federal prison.”

    “Today’s sentencing of Mexico’s former Secretary of Public Security, Genaro Garcia Luna, sends a clear message to corrupt leaders around the world who use their positions of power to help the cartels: no amount of power will shield you from justice,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Garcia Luna accepted millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel to allow millions of kilograms of cocaine to flood the streets of the United States.  Instead of protecting the citizens of Mexico, Garcia Luna was protecting drug cartels.  The DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue drug trafficking organizations and those who protect them.”

    “Today’s sentencing sends a powerful message that no one is above the law,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger. “HSI continues its partnered commitment to disrupting and dismantling the criminal networks responsible for bringing deadly narcotics into the U.S.”

    As proven at trial, from 2006 to 2012, Garcia Luna was Mexico’s top law enforcement official, serving as Secretary of Public Security and, in that capacity, controlled Mexico’s Federal Police Force.  Previously, from 2001 to 2005, the defendant was the head of Mexico’s Federal Investigative Agency (AFI).  The defendant used his official positions to assist the violent Sinaloa Cartel (the Cartel) in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes.  Garcia Luna’s conduct included facilitating safe passage of the Cartel’s drug shipments, providing sensitive law enforcement information about investigations into the Cartel and helping the Cartel attack rival drug cartels, thereby facilitating the importation of multi‑ton quantities of cocaine and other drugs into the United States.

    In exchange for bribes, the defendant’s Federal Police Force acted as bodyguards and escorts for the Cartel, allowing Cartel members to wear police uniforms and badges and helping to unload shipments of cocaine from planes at Mexico City’s airport, then delivering the cocaine to the Cartel. The defendant was paid in U.S. currency, stuffed variously in suitcases, briefcases and duffel bags.  The bribe amounts increased over the years as the Sinaloa Cartel grew in size and power through the assistance of the defendant.   Former members of the Cartel testified that bribe money was handed off to the defendant in a variety of locations, including at a “safe house” located in Mexico City where large amounts of cash were hidden in a false wall, at a car wash in Guadalajara and at a French restaurant in Mexico City across the street from the U.S. Embassy.  Further, in exchange for the millions of dollars in bribes, the defendant’s Federal Police Force leaked sensitive information that enabled the Cartel to evade detection by law enforcement or use the information in attacks on rival traffickers.  Finally, after moving to the United States in 2012, Garcia Luna submitted an application for naturalization in 2018, in which he lied about his past criminal conduct on behalf of the Cartel in an attempt to become a U.S. citizen.

    In connection with post-trial proceedings, the Court also found that, while he was awaiting sentencing, Garcia Luna obstructed justice when he sought to bribe fellow inmates to provide false testimony in an attempt to overturn the jury’s verdict.

    The investigation was led by the New York Strike Force, a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state and local law enforcement agencies supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.  The Strike Force is based at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA, New York City Police Department, New York State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, United States Marshals Service, New York National Guard, Clarkstown Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Washington Police Department and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

    HSI New York’s El Dorado Task Force (EDTF) played an important role in this investigation. The EDTF is comprised of more than 200 law enforcement personnel representing approximately thirty-five (35) federal, state, and local law enforcement and regulatory agencies, including the DEA.

    The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Saritha Komatireddy, Erin Reid, Ryan C. Harris, Philip Pilmar and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Huda Abouchaer and Melissa Bennett.

    The Defendant:

    GENARO GARCIA LUNA
    Age:  56
    Miami, Florida

    E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-576 (S-1) (BMC)

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Full Text: Remarks by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

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

    Full Text: Remarks by Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

    ISLAMABAD, Oct. 17 — Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Wednesday delivered a speech at the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

    The following is the full text of the speech:

    Remarks by H.E. Li Qiang

    Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China

    At the 23rd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of

    Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization

    Islamabad, October 16, 2024

    Your Excellency Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif,

    Colleagues,

    It is a great pleasure to meet you in Islamabad, the beautiful “city of gardens.” At the outset, I wish to express my appreciation to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the government of Pakistan for your meticulous preparations and thoughtful arrangements for this meeting. I welcome Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko of Belarus, a new member state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

    Over the past year, governments of the member states of the SCO have actively responded to and implemented the common understandings of the Council of Heads of State, carried out solid cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, security and people-to-people exchanges, reached dozens of cooperation documents, and formulated more than 10 reform measures. Fruitful outcomes have been achieved. The member states have forged ahead steadily and side by side on a collective journey to promote security and development. Unlike most international organizations, the SCO has both a Council of Heads of State and a Council of Heads of Government. As it happens, the specific institutional design, with the Council of Heads of State drawing up the blueprint and the Council of Heads of Government focusing on implementation, has been effective, practical and efficient, and has made the SCO an important platform for maintaining peace and stability in the region and promoting development and prosperity of nations.

    At the Astana Summit held last July, President Xi Jinping and fellow leaders of member states reached important understandings on jointly building a common home of the SCO featuring solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice. This endeavor to build a common home is driven by the values we all share; it focuses on the tough issues we all face, and will help create a future we all desire. In my view, this common vision entails efforts in the following five aspects:

    First, efforts to build an even more solid political foundation. The fundamental reason why the SCO has stayed vibrant since its inception is that we have upheld the Shanghai Spirit, a vital political consensus, and endeavored to be trustworthy and reliable partners for each other. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, SCO cooperation in various fields will move forward steadily as long as the Shanghai Spirit remains entrenched.

    Second, efforts to provide more reliable security safeguards. As we speak, geopolitical conflicts, power politics and acts of bullying continue to undermine regional peace and stability, while on such fronts as cyber security and biosecurity, new threats and new challenges continue to emerge. No country is immune, and the only true security is security for all. Only by further improving the mechanisms and tools to tackle threats and challenges can we provide better safeguards for common development.

    Third, efforts to foster closer economic bonds. The SCO’s continuous expansion of membership in recent years has created more notable economic complementarity among member states. By deepening our economic ties, resisting external attempts of pulling us apart, and tapping into and pooling our respective strengths in resources, market and industries, we will be able to foster even stronger synergy for development.

    Fourth, efforts to cultivate stronger emotional bonds. Our region is home to diverse and splendid civilizations, where different nations and cultures have interacted and converged with each other throughout the course of history and coexisted in harmony. This has been the source of popular support for cooperation among SCO member states. We need to further promote mutual learning among civilizations and cultural exchanges so as to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people of SCO member states.

    Fifth, efforts to boost coordination in multilateral fora. Embracing 26 countries from three continents, the SCO family is a constructive force that carries important global influence. With our commitment to the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter, and our enhanced communication and coordinated actions, SCO member states will better rally the developing world in promoting a more just and equitable global order.

    As president of the SCO for 2024-2025, China has introduced “Upholding the Shanghai Spirit: SCO on the Move” as our slogan. The goal is to engender effective actions among ourselves to deliver on the agreement of our heads of state and realize the vision of building a common home featuring solidarity and mutual trust, peace and tranquility, prosperity and development, good-neighborliness and friendship, and fairness and justice. In this connection, China proposes the following four points.

    First, enhancing strategic synergy for our shared purpose. Pursuing peaceful development is the abiding purpose of the SCO. We should stay grounded in the fundamental and long-term interests of the region, bear in mind the big picture and keep external disruptions at bay. Our best efforts must be directed toward mapping out the SCO’s development strategy for the next decade and drawing up roadmaps for cooperation in various areas. Member states should step up strategic communication, bridge differences and boost mutual trust through dialogue, and pool strengths for unity.

    Second, expanding practical cooperation in line with development needs. The year 2025 will be the SCO Year of Sustainable Development. China stands ready to deepen cooperation with all sides in poverty reduction, digital economy and green development, to generate sustained momentum for development. We should continue to draw impetus from openness and cooperation, boost the region’s trade and investment facilitation and connectivity, and maintain stable and smooth industrial and supply chains. Active efforts should be made to establish an SCO development bank in order to provide financing support for countries in their pursuit of development.

    Third, proactively addressing major risks. Our region continues to face grave security issues. The fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism remains a long-term, arduous task, and various challenges lie ahead in such areas as safeguarding information security and combating transnational organized crime. China stands ready to work with all sides to strengthen intelligence sharing and joint operations, move faster to build a universal center to address the challenges and threats to the security of SCO member states and the Anti-Drug Center, and strive for major outcomes at next year’s summit, so that we can put in place new platforms and a new architecture for regional security cooperation.

    Fourth, expanding people-to-people exchange to meet popular expectations. We should fully leverage the role of the SCO Committee on Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, develop an effective SCO digital education alliance, organize excellent events under our flagship programs such as the Forum on People-to-People Friendship and the Forum on Friendship Cities, the Forum on Women, and the Art Exhibition of Young Artists, and increase our peoples’ participation and sense of fulfillment, to keep people-to-people friendship strong for generations to come.

    Colleagues,

    As an ancient Chinese saying goes, “Those who take real actions are more likely to succeed, and those who hit the road are more likely to reach the destination.” Let’s continue to carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, pull together, and take practical and determined steps. Let’s get on the move to deliver on our responsibility, build prosperity and usher in a better future for our common home.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rosen Secures Additional Direct Flight to Las Vegas, Boosting Local Tourism Economy

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV)
    LAS VEGAS, NV – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) announced that she has secured a new direct flight to Las Vegas, helping bring more visitors and boost the local tourism economy. Following a Rosen-led letter of support, the Department of Transportation has awarded Southwest Airlines a direct flight between Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and Harry Reid International Airport (LAS).
    “Travel and tourism are critical for the Las Vegas economy, which is why I’ve been working to increase transportation options and bring more visitors to our city. I’m proud to announce that I helped secure a new direct flight route to Las Vegas from Ronald Reagan National Airport,” said Senator Rosen. “The addition of this flight will bolster Nevada’s travel and tourism economy that sustains thousands of good-paying jobs.”
    Senator Rosen has been a leader in working across party lines to support Nevada’s travel and tourism industry. Last year, she officially announced $3 billion in funding she secured for the historic Brightline West high-speed rail project that will serve Las Vegas and Southern California. As a lead author of the airports section of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senator Rosen helped create the Airport Terminal Program to provide funding to help airports expand and rebuild their terminals. Earlier this year, Senator Rosen and Senator Cortez Masto announced nearly $28 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for improvements at Harry Reid International Airport. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2024 China Toy Expo kicks off in Shanghai

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

    2024 China Toy Expo kicks off in Shanghai

    Updated: October 17, 2024 10:15 Xinhua
    Staff of an exhibitor promote their products through live-streaming during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. The three-day 2024 China Toy Expo kicked off at Shanghai New International Expo Centre Wednesday, attracting more than 2,500 companies of the toy industry from home and abroad. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor walks past a car model display cabinet during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors are seen at the exhibition booth of a jigsaw enterprise during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A staff member (2nd R) of an exhibitor introduces their products to customers during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors are seen at the exhibition booth of a wood toy enterprise during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    A visitor touches a stuffed squirrel toy during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors play an educational board game during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]
    Visitors look at miniatures displayed during the 2024 China Toy Expo in east China’s Shanghai, Oct. 16, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Raumati rebuild coming for State Highway 1

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    The state highway summer maintenance season will be making its mark on the Kāpiti Coast next month.

    The Raumati Straights on State Highway 1, north of Mackays crossing, will undergo significant improvements from Sunday, 3 November, until early December.

    The work is funded from a $278 million investment in Wellington’s state highways in the 2024-27 National Land Transport Programme. $162 million will be invested in maintaining state highway assets, and another $116 million is ringfenced for state highway pothole prevention.

    Roxanne Hilliard, Wellington Transport Alliance Manager, says the Raumati Straights rebuild is critical, given this section of the highway carries over 20,000 vehicles daily.

    “The road is in poor condition and needs attention. We will rebuild two kilometres of the left northbound lane. This will make people’s journeys smoother and safer.”

    Ms Hilliard says a rebuild of this size and duration means some traffic delays are likely.

    “However, the investment we are making now will mean less maintenance and fewer repairs in the future.”

    Ms Hilliard says road crews will do their best to minimise disruption as much as possible.

    “This is why we are doing the work at night when traffic volumes are lower and will keep a single northbound lane open. Southbound lanes will be open as normal.”

    “During the day, both northbound lanes will be open but under a temporary speed limit. This protects the road work site, keeps drivers safe, and prevents vehicle damage. So, drivers must obey the speed limits and traffic management in place,” Ms Hilliard says.

    Works schedule and location:

    • Sunday, 3 November to Thursday, 6 December. Sunday to Thursday nights, 9 pm to 4:30 am (these works are weather-dependent, and schedules may change)
    • SH1 Raumati Straights between the Paekākāriki interchange and Raumati South
    • Northbound will be down to one lane at night under a temporary speed limit
    • During the day, both northbound lanes will be open under a temporary speed limit.
    • The southbound lanes will be open at all times
    • Traffic management will be set up from 8pm, so drivers may experience delays from then. Two lanes will be open again by 5.30am

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Nearly 400 Palestinians killed, 1,500 injured in Gaza in one week

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Palestinians mourn over victims killed by the Israeli army in the refugee camp of Jabalia, at a hospital in Gaza City, on Oct. 11, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

    In just one week, nearly 400 Palestinians have reportedly been killed and almost 1,500 injured in Gaza, said Joyce Msuya, the UN acting under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, on Wednesday.

    Briefing the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Msuya said the people of Gaza have suffered multiple mass casualty incidents due to Israeli airstrikes since her last briefing on Oct. 9.

    “The world has seen the images of patients and displaced persons, sheltering near Al Aqsa hospital, burning alive,” she said, adding that scores of others, including women and children, are suffering the excruciating pain of severe lifechanging burns.

    “If such horror does not awaken our sense of humanity and propel us to action, what will?” Msuya asked.

    She said Israel’s military offensive is intensifying in the north, and since the beginning of October, it’s estimated that over 55,000 people have been displaced from the Jabaliya area, while others remain stranded in their homes with water and food running out.

    “For the 155,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women in Gaza, it is an exhausting and traumatizing experience, not knowing where and how to give birth, or whether their child will survive,” said Msuya.

    She noted that from Oct. 2 to 15, no food aid entered northern Gaza with “a trickle” allowed in, and all essential supplies for survival are running out.

    “Given the abject conditions and intolerable suffering in north Gaza, the fact that humanitarian access is nearly non-existent is unconscionable,” she said.

    Msuya said that during the first two weeks of October, just one out of 54 coordinated movements to the north via the Al Rashid checkpoint was facilitated by Israeli authorities, while another four were impeded but eventually accomplished. Eighty-five percent of the movements were denied, and the rest were impeded or canceled, due to security or logistical issues.

    “Every time a mission is impeded, the lives of people in need and humanitarians on the ground are put at even greater risk,” she said.

    “The level of suffering in Gaza defies our ability to capture it in words, or even to comprehend its scale,” said the senior UN official, adding that “international humanitarian law must be respected and this council, and all member states, must exert all their influence to ensure it.”

    The representative of Algeria, who requested the meeting, expressed alarm about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza.

    He noted that a few trucks of aid were distributed in northern Gaza on Tuesday, but failed to reach Jabalia, which remains under siege. “Let me be crystal clear: a military siege that deprives civilians of essential means of survival is not just unacceptable. It is a war crime,” he stated.

    Riyad Mansour, the permanent observer for the State of Palestine to the United Nations, said that in the face of the “monstrosity” unfolding in northern Gaza, “silence and inaction are not an option.”

    Noting that the Palestinian and Lebanese people are paying the price for Israel’s impunity, he said that in northern Gaza, 400,000 besieged, starved, and bombed Palestinians are being subjected to the so-called General Plan, according to which any Palestinian remaining in the north is considered a legitimate military target. “That is not war. These are crimes. They must be stopped. And they must be stopped now.”

    Mansour called on the Security Council to “fight back with the tools provided by the (UN) Charter and by the law to combat those who are obliterating the Charter and the law,” stressing, “It is time to act. Anything else is complicity and surrender.”

    In his remarks, Israel’s representative detailed recent attacks against his country. He said that although “101 human beings have been tormented by Hamas terrorists in their terror dungeons,” Security Council members barely mentioned the hostages or did so as an afterthought.

    He asserted that Israel and its humanitarian partners have “flooded” Gaza with humanitarian aid, and Hamas has “hijacked” aid and “weaponized” the humanitarian situation.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Multiple entry visa allowed for expats from two SARs

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Starting Wednesday, foreign residents living in Hong Kong and Macao can apply for multiple-entry visas to the Chinese mainland with a validity period of up to five years by following a simplified procedure, according to the central government.
    The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region announced on Wednesday that non-Chinese Hong Kong permanent residents and non-Chinese Hong Kong residents who are traveling to the mainland for tourism, business, family visits or cultural and academic exchanges can apply for a visa valid for up to five years, which will allow them to stay on the mainland for up to 180 days.
    Under the new arrangement, applicants are not required to provide proof of round-trip tickets or hotel reservations when applying for visas, the office said.
    Those who successfully applied for visas from overseas Chinese visa-issuing authorities and had their fingerprints collected during the process will be exempted from fingerprint collection when applying from Hong Kong, the office added.
    The office stressed that the validity of the visa and duration of stay will be decided case by case, and applicants may also be asked to submit additional documents or attend interviews.
    The visa policy does not apply to foreign domestic helpers, the office noted.
    Also on Wednesday, the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR announced a similar optimization for permanent and temporary foreign residents of the city.
    People who apply from Macao for short-term activities such as tourism, trade and family visits can get visas with a validity period of five years and a stay for no more than 180 days, the office said, adding that proof of outbound transportation and hotel bookings are no longer required under the new arrangement.
    Starting July 10, non-Chinese permanent residents of both Hong Kong and Macao can apply for a new mainland travel permit, which allows multiple entries into the mainland within a five-year validity period, with each stay capped at 90 days.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI: Shining at the Paris Motor Show丨SEVB’s Core products open a new chapter of globalization

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PARIS, Oct. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — From October 14 to October 21, Sunwoda Mobility Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “SEVB”), a leading Chinese power battery provider, made a significant appearance at the Paris Motor Show, showcasing its core products. Concurrently, the company held a groundbreaking ceremony at its manufacturing base in Nyíregyháza, Hungary, marking a significant milestone in its global expansion.

    SEVB Chairman Mingwang Wang stated, “Our participation in the Paris Motor Show showcases the company’s five core strengths: leading technology, superb intelligent manufacturing, ultra-high quality, reliable delivery, and extensive service experience for major customers. SEVB will leverage nearly 30 years of lithium battery expertise and the local service advantages of our Hungarian base to continue providing first-class solutions for our European customers.”

    SEVB presented a range of products at this year’s Paris Motor Show, including its HEV batteries, PHEV batteries, the globally launched 6C Super-fast Charging Battery 3.0, as well as cutting-edge solid-state and sodium-ion batteries.

    Among these, the Dacia Spring model, powered by SEVB’s HEV battery, was previously awarded the title of “Best-Selling Electric Vehicle in Italy” and ranked second in electric vehicle sales in France. The 6C Super-fast Charging Battery 3.0, making its global debut, can charge to 80% SoC in just 10 minutes, significantly easing charging anxiety. The PHEV batteries, known for its practicality and environmental benefits, holds strong value in Europe, where usage of electric vehicles has slowed, and environmental standards are high.

    To align our global strategy with “REGULATION (EU) 2023/1542”, SEVB is, firstly, strengthening its supply chain management system and enhancing carbon emission controls. Secondly, promoting the implementation of a “China Battery Passport,” aligning domestic battery systems with international standards. Thirdly, expanding into battery recycling.

    To date, SEVB has established 12 manufacturing bases worldwide. The company has reached Benchmark’s top tier EV battery cell manufacturer status and was recognized as a “Greater Bay Area New Energy Innovation Enterprise” by KPMG. According to SNE Research, from 2021 to 2023, SEVB ranked first in China for HEV battery installations, and in H1 2024, it entered the global top ten for power battery installations.

    In the future, SEVB will continue to base itself in China and look to the world, promoting the globalization of its power battery and energy storage battery solutions to empower customers with world-class products and services.

    Photo: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bc4cb4bb-af82-4156-be23-22ccbd72bd46

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: CEO Update: Why Meaningful Connections Matter this World Mental Health Day

    Source: Mental Health Australia

    World Mental Health Day on 10 October is a time to put mental health in the spotlight, raise awareness and break down stigma.

    This year for Mental Health Australia’s World Mental Health Day campaign we have focussed on why meaningful connections matter, and why they are so important for good mental health.

    At the heart of our campaign are the voices of those with lived and living experience of mental ill-health.

    12 advocates from across the country have shared their experiences of how meaningful connections have shaped their mental health journey and supported them on the road to good mental health.

    From Outback Queensland to Australia’s capital, these stories show us that regardless of income or postcode, mental health is an issue that touches each and every one of us in different ways.

    World Mental Health Day reminds us that we should be connecting with loved ones, connecting with our community, our colleagues, connecting to Country, connecting with services and supports if needed – and most importantly – connecting back with ourselves for good mental health.

    This is the message we shared with our policymakers at Mental Health Australia’s Mental Health Sector Expo at Parliament House yesterday.

    Co-hosted in partnership with the Parliamentary Friends of Youth Mental Health and the Parliamentary Friends of Mental Health, we were delighted to welcome the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care, to speak with over 120 mental health professionals and attendees from 45 of our member organisations.

    Mr Butler said, “The consumer voice, the carer voice, are incredibly important in making sure we get the design and the implementation of mental health programs – perhaps more than any other area of health – right.”

    “I want to thank all of you for the work that you do. These are really tough times. We’ve gone through an incredibly traumatic period with the pandemic that really impacted people’s mental health, impacted young people’s and children’s mental health, in some ways in a way that we hadn’t seen before, with the impact particularly of lockdowns, and that’s been followed by other crises… You have the best ideas of how we can do better to support people in mental distress, whether that’s relatively temporary mental distress or whether it’s lifelong relatively severe mental illness. I just want to thank you again for coming out this morning. I want to thank you for putting together this terrific expo.”

    In one of the last federal parliamentary sitting weeks of 2024, our members were able to showcase the incredibly important work of their organisations to parliamentarians, feature sector achievements, and promote the availability of mental health supports and services in local electorates.

    By building these meaningful connections in a bipartisan way, mental health sector professionals, policymakers and people with lived and living experience of mental ill-health, along with their family, carers and supporters, can all work together to continue building a mental health system that supports the needs of all people in Australia.

    Carolyn Nikoloski 

    CEO, Mental Health Australia 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Powerful performances by artists with disabilities to celebrate diversity at 2024 OzAsia Festival

    Source: University of South Australia

    17 October 2024

    Photo by Matt Byrne.

    Two films celebrating the dedication and tenacity of Korean and South Australian performers with and without disability will hit the big screen as part of the Asia-focused arts festival OzAsia.

    Counterpoise, which features nine artists from Adelaide-based Restless Dance Theatre and the Korean 29Dong Dance Theatre, is a contemporary black and white dance film created at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Directed by Larissa McGowan and Matt Byrne, the 20-minute dance film highlights the noise of life, as well as quiet loneliness within ourselves. Counterpoise’s detailed choreography melded with electrifying music by KOREAN MUSIC PROJECT using a combination of traditional and western instruments embedded with digital technology.

    Dancing Against the Odds, a documentary directed by Adelaide filmmaker Matt Byrne, follows the innovative and inclusive journey of making Counterpoise over three years. Produced by University of South Australia arts management experts Dr Boram Lee and Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM, the 60-minute film embraces diversity, inclusion and self-expression.

    Both films will screen on 29 October as part of the Adelaide Film Festival and OzAsia.

    The project began in 2020, when dancers could only collaborate virtually due to COVID-19. It wasn’t until 2022, when members from the three companies – Restless, 29Dong Dance Theatre, and KOREAN MUSIC PROJECT – could meet face-to-face in Adelaide for the first time and continue the bonds formed online.

    In 2023, Restless Dance Theatre had the opportunity to travel to Seoul, reuniting the team for a public preview of Counterpoise and workshops with Korean artists with and without disabilities. This journey not only expanded the project’s reach but also nurtured community connections, inspiring a deeper appreciation for inclusive arts.

    Dr Boram Lee says the project connected people across Australian and Korean borders to help foster a network of inclusivity and diversity through the arts.

    “After a three-year saga of overcoming international borders, language barriers, and perceptions of disability, we’ve transformed the impossible into a breathtaking reality,” she says.

    “This collaboration showcases the incredible power of public initiatives, made possible by the steadfast support of the Korean and Australian governments and our diverse partners.

    “With multiple layers of collaboration among dancers, musicians, academics and filmmakers, we’ve fostered deep people-to-people connections, and we’re excited to share our learning with communities around the world.”

    Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM says the project embraced diversity, inclusion and self-expression to help shift stereotypes around the capabilities of artists with disability.

    “These films present disability in a new light. They showcase what the dancers can do rather than focusing on what they can’t do,” she says.

    Counterpoise and Dancing Against the Odds is supported by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and KOFICE as part of Kore·A·Round Culture 2023, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program, Australia-Korea Foundation, and Arts South Australia.

    Screening of the two films Counterpoise and Dancing Against the Odds

    When: Tuesday 29 October, 5:45pm

    Where: Palace Nova East End, Adelaide

    The screening will be followed by an artists’ talk moderated by Prof Ruth Rentschler and including selected dancers in the film, and Dr Boram Lee.

    More information available on the Adelaide Film Festival and OzAsia websites.

    Images

    Trailer

    …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

    Contacts for interview:

    Dr Boram Lee, Senior Lecturer in Arts and Cultural Management, UniSA E: boram.lee@unisa.edu.au

    Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM, Professor in Arts and Cultural Leadership, UniSA

    E: Ruth.Rentschler@unisa.edu.au

    Media contact: Melissa Keogh, UniSA Media M: +61 403 659 154 E: Melissa.Keogh@unisa.edu.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-Evening Report: For Deaf people, train travel can be a gamble. But an AI-powered Auslan avatar can help

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jessica Korte, Senior Lecturer, School of Computer Science, Queensland University of Technology

    Denis Belitsky/Shutterstock

    For Deaf people, train travel can be a gamble. On an average day, nothing goes wrong: they catch their train to their destination and carry on with their business.

    But when something out of the ordinary happens, the situation can quickly get scary, because most updates are only delivered by audio announcements. A Deaf traveller may miss their train because it was moved to a different platform, or watch as their station whizzes by because the train isn’t stopping there today. They may also remain on a train carriage in an emergency after everyone else has evacuated, and have to be rescued by station staff.

    Every single one of these examples has been drawn from the real life experiences of Deaf people in Sydney. But my colleagues and I are working with Sydney Trains and members of the Australian Deaf community to develop an advanced, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered signing avatar which can automatically translate audio announcements into Auslan.

    Our work on the avatar also builds towards the next step: developing AI systems which can “understand” Auslan.

    Journeys don’t always go to plan

    Earlier this year, my colleagues and I ran a pilot study with three Deaf train travellers in Sydney. As well as the stories they shared about what can go wrong during train travel, we learned they use tried and tested strategies for making their journeys go smoothly.

    Their strategies might be familiar to regular commuters. For example, they would plan their journeys with an app, arrive early and look for signage to let them know if anything had changed.

    But they also said they felt they needed to stand near information screens to watch for updates, and ask station staff or other passengers for information when the situation had changed. They also reported being hypervigilant while on the train, watching to make sure they don’t miss their stop.

    But these strategies didn’t always ensure Deaf travellers received important information, including about emergencies. For example, while usually helpful, station staff were sometimes too busy to assist.

    The greatest frustration came in situations where other passengers weren’t willing or able to provide information, leaving our Deaf travellers to just “follow the crowd”. This often meant ending up in the wrong place.

    Developing a signing avatar

    Speech-to-text software might seem like an easy solution to some of these problems. But for many Deaf people, English is not their native language and Auslan can be processed far more easily and quickly.

    Our Deaf travellers told us that, in a perfect world, they would want live interpreters. However, automatic, AI-powered translation using a signing avatar displayed on a platform or train screen which could identify key words in an audio announcement, generate a sentence with correct Auslan grammar, and stitch together the corresponding signs from our vocabulary library was appealing for a number of reasons.

    Avatar by Maria Zelenskaya, QUT. Auslan by Julie Lyons, QUT.

    First, it allows for real-time translation of announcements that use known vocabulary – which is relevant in the trains-and-stations context, where many announcements cover similar topics.

    Second, an avatar and its signing can be customised to the needs of a given situation, such as using information about screen location to ensure the avatar signs in the right direction while pointing out exits or other platforms.

    Third, multiple signers can contribute signs to an avatar’s vocabulary, which can then be smoothly stitched together to make a sentence.

    And importantly, an avatar means no real person has to be the “face” of an organisation’s automatically generated announcements. This is particularly important because the Australian Deaf community is small and close knit, and if something goes wrong with the translation, nobody suffers any reputational damage.

    From a technical point of view, an avatar also allows us to ensure a minimum quality threshold for signing. We’re using motion capture to make sure each sign in our vocabulary library is accurate, and movements are clear.

    It also helps us avoid the “uncanny valley” – an effect where something human-like but subtly wrong is unsettling. We don’t want any of the many-fingered monstrosities you may have seen recently generated by AI.

    AI for everyone

    This work is one step in our broader aim of creating an AI system which can understand Auslan. This AI could be used to help Deaf and hearing station staff converse, or to create “chatbot booths” or app-based assistants that would allow Deaf people to get information on demand in Auslan about their train journeys or other daily tasks.

    Sign languages and Deaf cultures around the world have nuances and complexities that hearing researchers and developers of AI may not be aware of. These nuances and complexities must be embedded in new technologies, and researchers and developers must take a language-first approach to AI data collection and design with – not just for – Deaf people.

    Only then will AI meet Deaf people’s real needs: to ensure their safety and independence in every aspect of daily life.

    Jessica Korte has received funding from Qvest Australia, a technology solutions partner to Sydney Trains.

    – ref. For Deaf people, train travel can be a gamble. But an AI-powered Auslan avatar can help – https://theconversation.com/for-deaf-people-train-travel-can-be-a-gamble-but-an-ai-powered-auslan-avatar-can-help-241016

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI China: Emerging market buyers embrace Canton Fair

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

    Buyers from emerging markets are steadily taking the lead at the 136th session of the China Import and Export Fair, or the Canton Fair, replacing those from Europe and North America as the primary participants, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

    The global trade event, held twice a year in Spring and Autumn, is being held from Tuesday through Nov 4, in Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong province.

    A total of 125,000 overseas buyers had registered for the 136th session of the fair by Oct 9. Among them, about 76 percent are from countries and regions involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, while 12.5 percent are from North America and Europe, said the Ministry of Commerce.

    The driving forces behind this trend include the diversification of China’s export markets, rising business and consumer demand in emerging markets and shifting global trade dynamics, as economies in Southeast Asia, North Africa and South America become increasingly integral to global supply chains.

    “These economies often show strong demand for the industrial products and consumer goods available at the Canton Fair,” said Chu Shijia, director of the Guangzhou-based China Foreign Trade Center under the Ministry of Commerce, one of the Canton Fair organizers.

    As China is in the midst of a green transformation, its traditional exports — like household appliances and industrial equipment — are also making room for a fresh wave of technologically advanced and eco-friendly products, further meeting the needs of buyers from both developed and developing markets, said Han Yonghui, a professor specializing in foreign trade at Guangzhoubased Guangdong University of Foreign Studies.

    Emerging markets represented by Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, with their vast market potential and promising development prospects, are attracting a growing number of Chinese enterprises seeking business opportunities, according to a report jointly released by Deloitte and WorldFirst, an international payment services provider.

    As the internationalization of Chinese manufacturers and traders reaches a more mature stage, an increasing number of enterprises are embarking on a deeper level of internationalization — transitioning from product exports to establishing operations overseas — according to the report released on Monday in Guangzhou.

    This involves contract fulfillment supported by the integration of “local entities, local operations and local supply chains”. For instance, according to data from WorldFirst, the number of Chinese merchants using the payment platform to expand their overseas operations in the first quarter surged 56 percent year-on-year.

    Between 2018 and 2023, China maintained high growth rates of exports to its major trading partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Middle East and Latin America, with compound annual growth rates generally exceeding 10 percent, according to the report.

    “Over years of development, we have seen an increased number of trade partners from emerging markets,” said Li Zhaoying, CEO of ChillSun Technology Co.

    The company, based in Huizhou, Guangdong, is attending the Canton Fair. “In addition to maintaining sustainable growth in developed markets, we are making efforts to reach more trade deals with buyers from emerging markets, especially those from member countries of ASEAN,” said Li.

    Xiao Lu, deputy director of the department of foreign trade at the Ministry of Commerce, said China’s new trade growth drivers are gaining momentum. Armed with accumulated capital and technology, Chinese companies are eager to demonstrate their innovation and technological strengths, leveraging digital and green concepts to shape the future direction of the market.

    “For instance, China-made new energy vehicles are now reaching over 170 countries and regions worldwide,” Xiao said.

    Over a million new products and items with proprietary intellectual property rights will be showcased at the Canton Fair this time, including a range of humanoid robots, smart devices and autonomous driving products making their debut, said the Ministry of Commerce.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Forestry firefighters brief Minister on bushfire preparations

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Forestry firefighters brief Minister on bushfire preparations

    Published: 17 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Regional NSW

    Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Regional New South Wales Tara Moriarty has met with Forestry Corporation fire specialists to discuss bushfire preparations on the Mid North Coast.

    Minister Moriarty attended Forestry Corporation’s Wauchope depot to speak with fire crews, who are geared up and ready to put their training into action protecting forests and communities during the NSW bushfire season.

    Forestry Corporation is one of the state’s four fire authorities joining the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW and National Parks and Wildlife.

    The organisation oversees land management, bushfire preparation and response across more than 2-million hectares of state forests.

    Forestry Corporation has more than 500 trained firefighters rostered on to respond to state forest fires across NSW.

    Firefighters are trained in national firefighting competencies and its highly experienced managers undertake Incident Management Team roles on major firegrounds.

    Forestry Corporation has a statewide fleet of more than 450 fire appliances, 35 pieces of heavy plant, four contracted aircraft and over 130 drones and trained pilots.

    Heavy plant machinery, which the broader forestry industry uses to harvest sustainable timber is also available to fight fires.

    This machinery including bulldozers, excavators and specialist harvesting machines are used to create control lines for firefighting, set up back burns and remove dangerous trees for firefighting safety.

    In 2023/24 Forestry Corporation firefighters and fire managers were engaged in a total of 184 fires, this impacted 98,250 hectares of land.

    During the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires, this heavy plant machinery played an instrumental role in stopping the spread of fast burning bushfires saving life, property and assets across NSW.

    Outside of the bushfire season, Forestry Corporation also conducts forest hazard reduction burns and undertakes cultural burns in partnership with local Aboriginal communities.

    Forestry Corporation also sends its expert fire specialists abroad in the winter months to assist international firefighting agencies in the Northern hemisphere.

    Six staff members deployed to the United States and Canada this year and last year Port Macquarie local Matt Model was one of Forestry’s fire specialists, who deployed to Canada bringing back firefighting skills and expertise to the region.

    Minister for Regional New South Wales Tara Moriarty:

    “The NSW Forestry Corporation has managed fire in state forests for more than 100 years.

    “Forestry Corporation’s trained firefighters work in State forests every day of the year, protecting lives, the environment, forestry resources and local communities.

    “They have decades of experience in managing forest fires, working with the RFS, managing heavy equipment across major firegrounds and maintaining thousands of kilometres of fire trails,

    “When bushfires are reported in our NSW state forests, our forest firefighters rapidly respond using their large fleet of appliances and bringing in heavy plant machinery from the broader forest and timber industry.”

    Forestry Corporation Senior Manager Fire and Natural Hazards Rebel Talbert:

    “As one of the four statutory firefighting authorities in NSW, Forestry Corporation works collaboratively with the other agencies to protect communities, the environment and the State’s essential timber assets from the risk of fire.

    “We are well prepared heading into the fire season with a workforce of skilled firefighters, a fleet of equipment, drones and heavy plant ready to deploy and networks of fire trails and fire towers maintained to aid rapid detection and early suppression of fires.

    Forestry Corporation Fire and Operations Team Leader, Wauchope, Matt Model:

    “In managing more than 200,000 hectares of state forests here on the Mid North Coast, we keep the Mid Coast Bush Fire Management Committee briefed on fuel loads and fire conditions in state forests.

    “Since the Black Summer Bushfires here on the Mid North Coast firefighting technology has been rapidly expanded across NSW to include drones and satellite technology, which this summer will  help our crews with early detection, mapping, response and containment of forest fires.” 

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Workshops to help new councillors Hit the Ground Running

    Source: New South Wales Government 2

    Headline: Workshops to help new councillors Hit the Ground Running

    Published: 17 October 2024

    Released by: Minister for Local Government

    A series of training sessions for almost 1,300 newly elected councillors will kick off today to provide essential information for councillors to effectively serve their communities over the next four years.

    The Office of Local Government will be hosting ‘Hit the Ground Running’ webinars for several weeks to help new and returning councillors understand their duties and responsibilities.

    The webinars will cover a wide range of important topics including financial management, appropriate conduct and ethical decision making, roles and responsibilities, corruption risks and prevention, meeting practices and strategic planning.

    The state’s 128 councils employ more than 50,000 people, invest more than $15 billion each year in the delivery of services and around $7 billion on new and existing infrastructure.

    Overseeing this work is a critical responsibility and these training sessions will ensure councillors can commence the new term of council with a strong understanding of the job ahead of them.

    The webinars will also assist councils with satisfying the requirement to deliver training for new and returning councillors within six months of their election. Councillors will receive a certificate of attendance for each webinar they participate in to help councils comply with their reporting obligations regarding councillor training.

    Session dates and details including how to register, can be accessed by councils via the ‘Hit the Ground Running’ webpage on the Office of Local Government’s Council Portal here: https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/council-portal/hit-the-ground-running/

    Further resources for councillors including a Councillor Handbook are available here: https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/councils/councillors/

    Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:

    “I congratulate all the mayors and councillors elected across the state last month for stepping up to serve their community.

    “Being a councillor carries significant responsibility and it’s imperative those who have been elected know what’s expected of them so they can carry out their duties to the best of their ability.

    “I strongly encourage all councillors to participate in these webinars to learn more about local government and how they can make the most of their time on council.

    “Councillors have four years ahead of them to make a difference for the people they have been elected to represent.

    “I urge them to grasp this opportunity with both hands and use the time productively to shape a better future for their community.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Government investing in Auckland and Wellington rail reliability

    Source: New Zealand Government

    The Government has announced how $101.7 million in Budget 2024 funding for metro rail networks will be split between Auckland and Wellington to address the maintenance backlog and deliver more reliable services for commuters in our main cities, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says.

    “The Auckland metro rail network will receive $48.8 million, while Wellington’s network will see investment of $52.9 million. This funding will support network upgrades across Auckland’s metro rail lines and upgrades to the Johnsonville, Kāpiti, and Hutt Valley lines in Wellington.   

    “Delivering reliable, effective, and efficient public transport is a top priority for our Government. We know that improving service reliability is key for commuters choosing public transport as a travel option in our main cities, reducing congestion on our roads.  

    “The investment we are making in Auckland and Wellington will enable KiwiRail to carry out critical work on rail assets across the network. This includes upgrades to level crossings, retaining walls, points equipment, sleepers, and tunnels. Culverts will also be replaced, and improvements made to bridges and critical drainage infrastructure.   

    “Delivering these upgrades in Auckland and Wellington will improve overall reliability and efficiency for commuters. This investment package, coupled with the ongoing investment our Government is making in rail, will enable commuters in Auckland and Wellington to get where they need to go quickly and safely.

    “Alongside this investment, the Government is continuing to review the Metropolitan Rail Operating Model (MROM) to develop a more sustainable funding model for metropolitan rail, including who pays for what, and ensure the services and infrastructure is focused on prioritising passenger movements in an efficient and reliable way,” Mr Brown says.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Consumer sustainability demands drive Thailand’s food and beverage companies to shift to circular packaging, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Consumer sustainability demands drive Thailand’s food and beverage companies to shift to circular packaging, says GlobalData

    Posted in Consumer

    Thailand’s food and beverage (F&B) industry is undergoing a significant shift towards sustainability as regulatory pressures and consumer demands for eco-friendly packaging continue to rise. With sustainability increasingly at the forefront of business strategies, industry leaders like Tetra Pak Thailand are taking significant steps to drive the adoption of circular packaging solutions. Underlining the trend, 90% of respondents in a recent survey stated that they choose sustainable feature as essential/nice to have when deciding to make a purchase*, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    In response to growing environmental concerns, the Thai government has implemented stronger regulations targeting waste reduction and promoting circularity. The Second National Action Plan on Plastic Waste (2022-2027) and the Sustainable Packaging Act are part of the government’s broader effort to tackle plastic waste and improve recycling rates. These regulations compel F&B manufacturers to adopt Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks, ensuring that packaging is responsibly managed from production through disposal.

    Kakarlapudi Karthik Varma, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “With sustainability becoming a priority for consumers, brands are adapting to meet these expectations. F&B manufacturers are increasingly turning to renewable and recyclable materials as they seek to meet both regulatory requirements and consumer expectations.

    “Tetra Pak Thailand has been at the forefront of circular packaging innovations, offering solutions that not only meet regulatory requirements but also align with consumer preferences for eco-friendly packaging. Other manufacturers have also taken initiatives, such as Kao Industrial Thailand’s partnership with SCG Chemicals Co., Ltd (SCGC) and Dow Thailand Group to create recyclable, low-carbon packaging.”

    Francis Gabriel Godad, Consumer Business Development Manager, GlobalData India, adds: “Tetra Pak’s four-step approach—focused on resource conservation, energy recovery, operational efficiency, and environmentally neutral production processes—highlights the company’s commitment to advancing sustainability in the F&B industry. Their packaging materials, including FSC-certified paperboard, contribute to the shift towards a circular economy by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and minimizing environmental impact.”

    Varma concludes: “With the introduction of the Sustainable Packaging Act and the continuous pressure from consumers, Thailand’s packaging industry is at a turning point. Collaboration among businesses, government entities, and industry leaders like Tetra Pak is crucial in creating a future where packaging is no longer considered waste but a valuable resource within the circular economy.

    “The shift towards 100% recyclable and renewable packaging is on the horizon, and stakeholders in the F&B sector must proactively stay ahead of regulatory trends and consumer demands.”

    *GlobalData 2024 Q2 Consumer Survey – Thailand was conducted with 502 participants

    MIL OSI Economics –