NewzIntel.com

Category: Transport

  • MIL-OSI USA: Murkowski & Colleagues Urge Biden Administration to Release LIHEAP Home Heating Aid

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
    10.04.24
    WASHINGTON, D.C. – With colder weather around the corner and Congress continuing its work on appropriations bills, U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Jack Reed (D-RI) and are leading a bipartisan call for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) as swiftly and at the highest level possible.
    “As Congress works to finalize the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services, we urge you to immediately release the highest amount of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding available under the Continuing Resolution (PL 118-83),” Murkowski, Collins and Reed wrote.
    The Senators say the federal LIHEAP funding is a crucial lifeline that keeps vulnerable citizens safe and warm during winter by helping low-income households and seniors on fixed incomes pay their energy bills. Murkowski helped provide a total of $4.1 billion for LIHEAP in fiscal year 2024, with $4 billion through appropriations and $100 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.  Nationwide, an estimated 5.1 million households received assistance with heating and cooling costs through LIHEAP in FY 2023. In Fiscal Year 2024, Alaskans got $21.3 million from LIHEAP.
    LIHEAP is administered by states, federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations, and territories.  Eligibility for LIHEAP is based on income, family size, and the availability of resources.
    Senior citizens and those receiving Social Security Disability or SSI benefits are encouraged to apply as early as possible, but applications will be open to everyone through spring of 2025 — or until the funding is exhausted.
    Full text of the letter follows:
    “Dear Secretary Becerra:
    As Congress works to finalize the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services, we urge you to immediately release the highest amount of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding available under the Continuing Resolution (PL 118-83). 
    As the main federal program that helps low-income households and seniors with their energy bills, LIHEAP provides critical assistance during the cold winter and hot summer months.  October marks the start of the heating season for many states, and with temperatures already dropping, low-income families and seniors are feeling additional strains on their household budgets. 
    As state agencies activate their LIHEAP programs for the coming winter, it is crucial that they have the resources on hand to help low-income households and seniors as soon as possible.  As such, we request that you quickly release LIHEAP funds at the highest level possible, so that low-income households do not have to choose between paying for heat and affording other necessities like food or medicine.
    We look forward to working with you on this critical program, and thank you for your attention to our concerns and those of our constituents.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Following Disturbing Reports Of Veteran Mistreatment At Buffalo VA, Gillibrand, Kennedy Pledge To Hold VA’s Feet To The Fire; Demand Comprehensive VA-Wide Review Of Community Care Practices

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, following disturbing allegations of veteran mistreatment at the Buffalo VA, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand held a press conference at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 416 to discuss the failures at the Buffalo VA and to pledge to hold it accountable. She is leading a bipartisan push demanding that the Government Accountability Office conduct a VA-wide review of the Veterans Integrated Services Networks’ (VISN) community care consult practices to ensure that no veteran in New York or anywhere in the country suffers egregious delays in care again. Gillibrand was joined by Congressman Tim Kennedy, Amherst Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa, and veterans of VFW Post 416.
    “Caring for our veterans is our most sacred duty,” said Senator Gillibrand. “But the Buffalo VA failed to honor that duty and caused unimaginable suffering for Western New York veterans and their families as a result. This can never happen again – in Buffalo, in New York, or anywhere in the country. Today, I’m demanding a VA-wide review of veteran community care consultpractices to ensure that no one is slipping through the cracks. I am pledging to hold the VA accountable for its egregious failures last year and ensure that every patient has access to high-quality and timely care moving forward.”
    “This egregious neglect and failure is a betrayal to the women and men who have made incredible sacrifices to safeguard our nation. I join in requesting that the GAO conduct a full review of community care practices, which did not meet the needs of our veterans. I will not rest until the Buffalo VA has the leadership, staff, funding, and infrastructure—including a new state-of-the-art facility—to deliver the care that our heroes have earned and deserve,” said Congressman Tim Kennedy. 
    “I am proud of the work my office has done to shine a spotlight on the unacceptable, and at times inhumane, practices at the Buffalo VA. This report confirms what we long suspected in painful detail: the Buffalo VA has failed in its mission, allowing veterans to suffer unnecessarily and neglecting to treat life-threatening conditions. Such failures are a grave disservice to those who have bravely served our country, and we are committed to ensuring accountability and meaningful change,” said Assemblymember Patrick Burke.
    “Thank you to Senator Gillibrand for addressing this important issue and her commitment to ensuring timely, effective and high-quality care for all veterans. I am honored to stand here today as our federal elected officials work together to address any failures in service, and take the necessary steps to do better going forward for all who served our country,” said Amherst Town Supervisor Brian Kulpa. 
    “As a member of the military community, I know the struggles facing veterans when it comes to their mental and physical recovery and wellbeing. I want to thank Senator Gillibrand for putting a spotlight on this issue. We all need to come together to make improvements and assist veterans as best we can. Every man and woman who served under the American flag deserves the best care and resources possible, and today’s announcement is the right step in that direction,” said Amherst Deputy Town Supervisor Shawn Lavin. 
    The full text of Senator Gillibrand’s letter to the Government Accountability Office is available HERE or below:
    Dear Mr. Dodaro:
                On Friday, September 27th, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) released its findings following its inspection of the VA Western New York Health System in Buffalo, New York. The report – Leaders Failed to Address Community Care Consult Delays Despite Staff’s Advocacy Efforts at VA Western New York Healthcare System in Buffalo – found a shocking pattern of apathy and incompetence on the part of Department facility and community care leaders in addressing the needs of patients with complex and high-risk conditions.
                As the report indicates, these delays caused or led to an increased risk of harm to the patients. One veteran passed away while waiting months to receive palliative care that would have helped manage cancer pain in their final months. Another patient  waited nine weeks to schedule radiation therapy for a new cancer malignancy, despite efforts by the chief of oncology to get the community care team to schedule treatment. Another veteran in their twenties continued to suffer from seizures for another 10 months as they waited for a consult to be scheduled, the delay partially caused by a referral being canceled by the community care medical director. These are only some of the cases highlighted by an OIG report that identified incompetence and bureaucratic red tape that failed the veterans in Buffalo again and again.
                The failure by the leadership at the Buffalo VA Medical Center must never occur again, and veterans across the United States must be reassured that they can receive timely and high-quality health care across the VA health care system.  Therefore, I request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) conduct a review of Veterans Integrated Services Networks’ (VISN) community care consult practices. The review should include, but not be limited to: 
    Oversight of medical centers’ adherence to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) requirements for processing consults for conditions considered high-risk or complex; 
    Whether consults are appropriately prioritized and consistently processed within VHA’s timeliness requirements;
    Reviewing how medical facility, VISN leaders, and the VHA Office of Integrated Veteran Care respond to concerns regarding delays in consult scheduling from providers, staff, patients, and their families and how this is built into VHA’s quality and risk management programs;
    Best practices to prevent and address leadership deficiencies within the community care scheduling process, including the prioritization of patient safety;
    I request a briefing on the preliminary findings with final results to be submitted on a date and in form mutually agreed upon. Please include recommendations, as appropriate, for agency or congressional action in your evaluation.
    Sincerely, 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Gillibrand Visits Rush-Henrietta Senior High School, Discusses Her Legislation To Provide Free Breakfast, Lunch, And Dinner To All Students

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
    Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand visited Rush-Henrietta Senior High School to meet with school leaders and discuss her legislation to provide free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack to all schoolchildren regardless of income. The bill would also expand access to free meals over the summer and eliminate school meal debt. 
    Free school meals are associated with a variety of positive outcomes, including improved attendance rates and school performance, fewer behavioral incidents, lower suspension rates, better health outcomes, and reduced financial stress for students and families.Rush-Henrietta Central School District is one of many districts in New York State that is able to offer free school meals because of the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP reimburses schools in low-income communities for providing free breakfast and lunch to all enrolled students. In 2022, Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, advocated directly to Congressional leadership to expand Community Eligibility for high needs schools.
    “In the richest country on earth, it is unacceptable that millions of kids go hungry each day. I’m proud that so many New York schools – including Rush-Henrietta High – already provide free meals for kids, but we must do more. The Universal School Meals Program Act would provide funding for free breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack for all students nationwide and slash burdensome red tape for school administrators,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This bill would make our families and communities healthier and stronger, keep kids in school, and work to fight the stigma too often associated with meal programs. I look forward to passing this critical legislation so every child in the United States has the food they need to succeed.”
    The Universal School Meals Program Act would: 
    Permanently provide free breakfast, lunch, and dinner to all schoolchildren regardless of income and put an end to burdensome application paperwork that poses a barrier to enrollment in meal programs.
    Increase the reimbursement rates for school authorities participating in the food and nutrition programs to more accurately reflect the true cost of providing meals.
    Reduce stigma associated with meal programs by eliminating meal debt and prohibiting school food authorities from discriminating against or overtly identifying a child participating in the free meal program.
    Expand the summer food service program and Summer EBT program by making all children eligible to participate in the programs. Currently, only communities where 50 percent of children are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch can operate a summer meals program; the Universal School Meals Program Act would make all communities eligible regardless of income.
    Senator Gillibrand is a longstanding champion for childhood nutrition. She leads the bipartisan MODERN WIC Act, which would make WIC benefits more accessible to low-income families by allowing them to certify and recertify for WIC services remotely. She also leads the bipartisan Summer Meals Act, which would provide meals to children and teens in low-income areas during the summer months when school is not in session.
    A summary of the Universal School Meals Program Act is available here.
    Gillibrand was joined by Superintendent of the Rush-Henrietta Central School District Dr. Barbara Mullen and Vice President of the Monroe County School Boards Association Scott Adair.
    “Food insecurity is a real challenge for many in our community,” said Dr. Barbara Mullen, Superintendent of the Rush-Henrietta Central School District in suburban Rochester. “This issue impacts many students, so the idea of expanding universal feeding is a critical area of discussion. With 5,400 students from incredibly diverse backgrounds, Rush-Henrietta would benefit from a national effort to expand access to meals. Research – and our own experience – shows us that students who are adequately fed are able to achieve and dream at higher levels. Our students are capable of so much, we want them to reach their full potential. This type of legislation would help school districts and local communities address the needs of the whole child, allowing them to flourish in ways that some of them simply cannot right now.”
    “The Monroe County School Boards Association is proud to support the Universal School Meals Program Act, as our membership believes that every child in America should have access to nutritious meals, regardless of income. Food insecurity remains a devastating reality for millions of children in the United States and certainly within Monroe County. Having a meal every day shouldn’t be a worry for any child, and this bill takes a significant step toward helping to alleviate that issue,” said Amy J. Thomas, Executive Director of the Monroe County School Boards Association. “By ensuring universal access to healthy meals, the Universal School Meals Program Act will not only combat hunger but also remove the stigma associated with receiving free or reduced-price meals, creating a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. It also offers support to families who are struggling to make ends meet by eliminating the financial burden of school meal costs. In addition, eliminating school meal debt will ease financial strains on both families and schools. We commend Senator Gillibrand for her advocacy of the Universal School Meals Program Act as we believe this legislation will promote the health and well-being of our children, foster educational equity, and build a brighter future for all.”

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China urges EU to get back to right track of resolving trade disputes through consultations: commerce ministry

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

    China urges EU to get back to right track of resolving trade disputes through consultations: commerce ministry

    BEIJING, Oct. 4 — China has urged the European Commission to truly show concrete actions to implement its political will and get back to the right track of resolving trade frictions through consultations, said a spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce on Friday.

    The remarks came after the commission’s proposal to impose definitive countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles from China had obtained the necessary support from Member States of the European Union (EU) for the adoption of tariffs.

    “China firmly opposes the draft final ruling of the EU side, but has also noted its political will to continue to resolve the issue through negotiations,” said the spokesperson, noting that technical teams from both sides will continue with their negotiations on Oct. 7.

    The ministry urged the EU side to be clearly aware of the harm of imposing additional tariffs, as it will not solve any problems but only waver Chinese enterprises’ confidence and resolve in and prevent them from conducting investing cooperation in Europe.

    “China’s position is consistent and clear. China firmly opposes the unfair, illegal and unreasonable protectionist practices of EU in this case, and resolutely opposes the EU additional countervailing duty on Chinese electric vehicles,” said the spokesperson. “China will take all possible measures to firmly defend the interests of Chinese enterprises.”

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Expanding rail transit lines propel Greater Bay Area integration

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

    SHENZHEN, Oct. 4 — The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is being closely-knit by a growingly extensive, interconnected transportation network, poised to become one of China’s largest cross-city rail transit systems.

    Spanning 56,000 square km with a total economic output of over 14 trillion yuan (around 2 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2023, the area encompasses the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, along with nine cities in south China’s Guangdong Province.

    Since May, two new intercity rail lines have joined the existing network. Its integrated infrastructure, ticketing, security and information systems allow passengers to travel seamlessly across Guangzhou, Foshan, Dongguan, Zhaoqing and Huizhou in the GBA with a single ticket.

    The nine cities of Guangdong in the GBA see an average of over 6 million daily intercity trips. The intercity rail network has greatly streamlined business travel, tourism and commuting.

    “Compared to a grueling five-hour drive in the past, my daily commute now takes me just over two hours through the intercity transit network,” said a passenger surnamed Xie who works in Guangzhou and lives about 70 km away in Foshan.

    “The transit is quick and comfortable. It feels like I’m commuting within a single city,” Xie added, noting that the convenience of intercity travel makes it easy to meet and hang out with friends across all five cities.

    Experts believe that a bustling, punctual metro system can reduce travel times and transportation costs. Hence, it is logical to develop an extensive cross-city rail transit system to accommodate the high commuter traffic generated by the GBA’s integration.

    China aims to develop the GBA into a world-class city cluster, a global technology and innovation center, a livable, business-friendly location, an exchange hub for the culture of the East and the West and a world-class tourism destination.

    Experts believe that the GBA’s integration is crucial for harnessing regional industrial strengths, driving collaborative development, optimizing the industrial landscape and aligning with the global value chain.

    According to Hu Gang, a professor at Guangzhou-based Jinan University, the intercity line connecting five cities stimulates vitality and fosters interconnectivity, coordinated development and efficient resource circulation in the area.

    With the launch of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the GBA’s transportation network has fostered new patterns of cross-city consumption, economic exchange and lifestyles.

    “On weekends, I often stay in Shenzhen, enjoy dim sum and go shopping before heading back to Hong Kong on Sunday,” said Lin Lin, who frequently takes the subway to Shenzhen after finishing work in Hong Kong on Fridays.

    Shenzhen and Hong Kong have implemented a mutual authentication system for digital payment in public transport. People can use payment apps including AlipayHK and Alipay for taking buses and subways in both cities, with fares automatically converted at current exchange rates.

    “The transportation network fosters regional economic cohesion and job growth, differentiating industries and boosting competitiveness,” said Li Peilin, an associate researcher at the National Development and Reform Commission’s Institute of Spatial Planning and Regional Economy.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Transformational plans for Liverpool’s Littlewoods Project given green light

    Source: City of Liverpool

    Last updated:

    Plans by Capital&Centric to transform the iconic former Littlewoods building in Liverpool into a new, world-class film and TV campus have been approved by Liverpool City Council’s Planning Committee.

    The plans for the Council-owned site, which include the restoration and repurposing of the 1930s Edge Lane building, were submitted by the social impact developers last year.

    The company has just completed the enabling works and securing planning is the next major milestone for the project.

    Subject to the next tranche of funding being agreed, the go ahead from the council will kick start the main restoration works, including two new 20,000 sq.ft studios for big budget productions, as well as spaces for offices, workshops, studio support facilities and an education facility.

    The site, which holds many memories for locals, will now be opened up and made accessible to surrounding communities. The former canteen which was housed in a barrel-vaulted hangar is to be transformed into a multi-purpose screening and performance zone, which will be for the use of occupiers on site, and then open up to the public out of hours. It’ll feature five small format cinema screens, an outdoor performance space and permanent foodhall.

    John Moffat, Joint Managing Director at Capital&Centric, said: “This is a huge moment for Littlewoods and for the city as we now have the green light to deliver the Hollywood of the North. Liverpool already has a reputation as a world-class filming destination.

    “The Littlewoods Project will take it to the next level, providing much-needed indoor studio space and support facilities. You can’t underestimate what this means for local people – me among them – not only seeing this iconic building brought back to life, but bolstering the city’s creative credentials and creating jobs and careers for generations. It’s the moment everyone’s been waiting for.”

    Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: “The transformation of the Littlewoods building into a world-class, cross-sector film, TV and creative campus is a game-changer for the Liverpool City Region. It’s a testament to our growing reputation as a centre for creativity and innovation.

    “This project not only preserves a cherished part of our heritage but will also drive economic growth, create thousands of jobs, and cement our place on the international stage as a destination for high-end productions.

    “It’s fantastic to see our vision for the ‘Hollywood of the North’ take another step towards becoming a reality, and we’re proud to support this iconic development with a £17m investment.”

    Councillor Nick Small, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet member for Growth and Economy, said: “It’s fantastic news that the Littlewoods Project has been greenlit by the city’s Planning Committee. It means the stage is set for it to play a lead role in transforming Liverpool’s TV and Film offer.

    “There’s still some plot development to take place and we’ll be working closely with Capital & Centric and the Combined Authority to ensure a truly blockbuster scheme is delivered.”

    The planned new sound stages will take around a year to be built and become operational. The programme for repurposing the existing building is longer due to the complexity of dealing with the existing structures.

    Capital&Centric is working with Liverpool City Council as freeholder of the site and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority as project funders. The Combined Authority, led by Mayor Steve Rotheram, has committed up to £17m to the project.

    It is anticipated that the Littlewoods Project will bring around 4,000 full-time equivalent jobs in the region’s creative sector.

    Famed for their restoration of historic buildings such as Crusader in Manchester, Weir Mill in Stockport and Eyewitness Works in Sheffield, Capital&Centric recently announced its biggest project to date – delivering 2,000 homes for the UK’s largest new town, Northstowe in Cambridgeshire.

    The team behind the Littlewoods Project includes architect shedkm and planners Avison Young.

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Uncovering impactful solutions through user research

    Source: US Government research organizations

    The purpose of user research is to understand the needs and behaviors of your users so you can develop a product or service that supports them. Combined with user testing, it helps ensure that your product or service meets the needs of your users.

    Types of user research

    There are two types of user research: generative, and evaluative.

    Generative research helps you discover behaviors and problems in the current environment. This is the type of research you’ll use most when you first start a user research exercise. Examples of generative research include observations (i.e., watching the user do something) and user interviews.

    Evaluative research takes place after you have a potential solution in mind. You use this type of research to pilot your solution with real users to see how it works. Examples of evaluative research include usability testing, where you watch a user try out your solution to see how they interact with it.

    Types of usability testing

    When conducting these two types of user research, be sure to apply some qualitative testing with users. As with the research types, there are two approaches here, each of which has its own unique benefits.

    Unmoderated user testing. In unmoderated testing, your users all receive the same questions (think of it like a script). This approach works best with a large sample size where you can gather quantitative data to identify the challenges users face when navigating through your digital offerings.

    Moderated user testing. In moderated testing, you have a moderator who can facilitate sessions to follow the needs and the questions of your testers in real time. This can help you discover more qualitative data from users, such as: what are your users thinking, feeling, and saying as they work with your digital content? This type of data can reveal themes and help you empathize with the people who will be accessing your content. Using this approach means you can also get a smaller group of people together and generate less paperwork, driving the goals of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

    Remember that the American public is not necessarily your end customer; they might be someone from another agency or even within your own agency.

    When conducting user testing, some important best practices to keep in mind include:

    • Be empathetic to the needs of differently-abled users.
    • Only ask questions that you really need answered. This shows respect for users’ time.
    • Make it clear from the beginning that the tester is driving the session, and check in often to make sure that they are comfortable proceeding.
    • Highlight that what they are sharing is valuable, and that they are in a safe environment, helping to inform trauma-responsive design of your digital content.

    Guidance within policy

    Recent memos from the Office of Management Budget (OMB) provide agencies with compliance and implementation guidance for two laws: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (as amended), and the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (21st Century IDEA).

    Strengthening the federal government’s commitment to digital accessibility (M-24-08): Guidance for agencies to incorporate digital accessibility in their services, specifically building in guidelines and guardrails.

    Delivering a digital-first public experience (M-23-22): Guidance for agencies to test their digital solutions with individuals who have disabilities and people using different forms of assistive technology.

    Both policies are important to consider when conducting user research.

    If you have questions about either memo, contact OMB’s Office of the Federal CIO at ofcio@omb.eop.gov.

    User testing resources

    Utilize existing resources across the government for help with accessibility-focused user research journeys, such as identifying testers. There are online guides and communities to help you get started, like the usability testing card from 18F Methods and the Digital.gov User Experience Community.

    Your own agency may even have its own guide to conducting user research. For example, the Department of Homeland Security published Basics of User Research: What is User Research and worked with Digital.gov on a training session, DHS Usability Testing Kit — So Easy, Anyone Can Do It.

    Remember to use your contracts and associated documents — like a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) — to document accessibility requirements and identify the mandates in applicable laws and memos to ensure that contractor-driven developments meet accessibility needs.

    Learn more in the 18F De-risking Guide: Sample Quality Assessment Surveillance Plan (QASP).

    Case study

    Delivering on 21st Century IDEA: A case study from the GSA SmartPay team (Part 1)

    The GSA SmartPay program, the largest government charge card and commercial payment solutions program in the world, celebrated their 25th anniversary by launching three new websites with a user-centered, agile approach.

    While there are automated tools available to help test systems for accessibility, they can only get you so far. A thoughtful plan of action for user research and testing is the only way to calculate for the human element and to design digital services that meet a variety of accessibility and inclusivity needs.

    Join the UX and Section 508 communities of practice.

    User Experience Community

    The UX Community of Practice is a group of managers, subject matter experts, designers, developers, writers, and others interested in creating efficient, effective, and useful technologies. Join the UX Community.

    Section 508/IT Accessibility Community

    The IT Accessibility and Section 508 Community of Practice is a group of federal employees who manage agency Section 508 programs or create electronic content. They work to create accessible online experiences for federal employees and members of the public.

    Note

    This blog post was inspired by session 2 of the Spring 2024 Digital.gov Community Summit: Delivering a digital-first public experience. Panelists included:

    Beth Martin, Digital Source Expert with the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), session moderator

    Kristen Lohman, Design Strategist with the Service Delivery Team at GSA

    Mark Meyer, Software Developer with the Digital Service Team at GSA

    Martha Wilkes, the Lead Accessibility Strategist at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

    Christopher Patten, a Human Centered Designer at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Governor Murphy Directs the Lowering of U.S. and New Jersey Flags in Honor of the One-Year Anniversary of the October 7 Terrorist Attack on Israel and the Ongoing Humanitarian Crisis in the Middle East

    Source: US State of New Jersey

    TRENTON – Governor Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 368, ordering U.S. and New Jersey flags to fly at half-staff on Monday, October 7, 2024 in recognition and in mourning of the lives lost during the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, those taken hostage, and the ongoing humanitarian suffering in Gaza and throughout the Middle East.

    On October 7, 2023, as the Jewish community observed Shabbat and Simchat Torah, Hamas terrorists carried out a horrific attack on Israel, murdering nearly 1,200 civilians and abducting more than 240 people. One year later, more than 97 individuals, including at least six Americans and New Jersey’s own Edan Alexander, remain hostage in Gaza. Israel continues to face significant threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian missile attacks.

    The escalation of this conflict has also led to the loss of tens of thousands of innocent lives across Gaza, the West Bank, and Lebanon, and the displacement of approximately 90% of the Gazan civilian population. Governor Murphy believes that protecting innocent civilians must remain central in efforts to deescalate the conflict and foster future stability.

    New Jersey is the proud home to some of the largest Jewish, Israeli American, Muslim, Palestinian American, and Lebanese American communities in the United States.

    “One year after the tragedies of October 7, 2023, we continue to mourn the devastating losses and urge all parties to reach an agreement that immediately returns every hostage and puts an end to the continued suffering of civilians in Israel, Gaza, and throughout the region,” said Governor Murphy. “Our hearts go out to the families that have been shattered by the terrorist attacks on October 7th and the humanitarian suffering that followed, and we continue to pray for a swift end to the war and restoration of peace across the region.”

    For a copy of Executive Order No. 368, click here

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Danala opens as the future of higher education in Darwin

    Source: Australian Ministers 1

    It’s an important day for higher education in the Northern Territory with the official opening of Danala, the new Charles Darwin University Education and Community Precinct campus.

    Next semester, the new campus will throw its doors open to students, delivering courses in information technology, software engineering, law, accounting and more. 

    Students studying at Danala will be welcomed by first-class facilities in a modern, spacious environment, centrally located, close to public transport and retail facilities.

    Danala will feature two levels open to the public, including a new library co-locating the Charles Darwin University and Northern Territory Library collections – and will also support entertainment and events in the Darwin CBD.

    The opening of Danala is the culmination of over half a million work hours through the planning and construction phases, and provided over 1,500 jobs including nearly 1,000 for Territorians. First Nations employees comprised 12 per cent of the workforce, exceeding 70,000 work hours.

    The facility is expected to create 54 new direct jobs, as well as ongoing benefits across the broader Darwin CBD and community.  

    The $239.8 million project was supported with $97.3 million from the Australian Government and a $126.5 million loan from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility with Charles Darwin University contributing the remainder of the funding. 

    Quotes attributable to Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King:

    “It’s been a privilege to see the development of this extraordinary campus over the past few years. 

    “Its construction has created over 1000 jobs for Territorians, and Danala’s completion is now revitalising the Darwin CBD and honouring Larrakia culture. 

    “Australia is known globally as a leader in world-class education and campuses like Danala mean that our students can access world-class facilities, no matter where they live.”

    Quotes attributable to Minister for Education Jason Clare: 

    “This modern, state of the art facility will make CDU an even better place to study.

    “It is great news for students, staff and the Top End.”

    Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Northern Australia Madeleine King:

    “This is another example of NAIF investment creating jobs and driving economic growth across northern Australia. 

    “A strong north means a strong Australia.”

    Quotes attributable to Member for Solomon Luke Gosling:

    “We said we’d deliver more community infrastructure in Darwin and Palmerston and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

    “As part of the Darwin City Deal, NAIF generously provided a loan of over $126.5 million towards the ECP.

    “Supporting projects like the new city campus supports Territorians, creating more jobs for locals and opportunities for local businesses. 

    “Danala will be a centre of educational excellence, attracting students from all over the country—and the world—to live, work, and study in the centre of Darwin.”

    Quotes attributable to CDU Vice-Chancellor Scott Bowman: 

    “Danala will stand as a beacon for Darwin, proudly showcasing the city as an education hub. 

    “This precinct will attract students from across Australia, around the world, and most importantly, from across the Northern Territory.

    “Danala will serve as a hub where ideas flourish and connections are made, reinforcing our commitment to being Australia’s most connected university.”

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: Digby — Missing person: Help the RCMP find Greggory Wagner

    Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police

    Digby RCMP is asking for the public’s assistance in locating 30-year-old Greggory Wagner.

    Wagner is 6-foot-2, 200 lbs, and has short brown hair, a thin beard, and brown eyes. He was last seen leaving the Digby Sobeys parking lot on foot. He was wearing a blue and grey “Ecko Unlimited” shirt, blue jeans and grey sneakers, and he was carrying a yellow bag.

    When someone goes missing, it has deep and far-reaching impacts for the person and those who know them. We ask that people spread the word through social media respectfully.

    Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Greggory Wagner is asked to contact the Digby RCMP at 902-245-2579. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at http://www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips App.

    File #: 2024-1465106

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Security: 168th Security Forces FAST Team supports Pacific Angel 24-2 search and rescue exercise in Nepal

    Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND

    NEPAL  –  

    The United States Air Force Security Forces watching over our aircraft as we depart on a mission may not always be at the forefront of our minds, but for the Defenders, security is their top priority. The 168th Wing Security Forces Defenders recently provided a Fly-Away Security Team (FAST) to support Pacific Angel 24-2 in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sept. 16-29, 2024.

    PA 24-2 is a bilateral search and rescue exercise sponsored by the U.S. and hosted by the Nepal Army. It facilitates field training and the exchange of information among subject matter experts on adverse terrain personnel recovery operations, swift water, and flood personnel recovery operations, patient movement in search and rescue operations, and medical response to hazardous materials. The exercise aims to enhance collaboration by building military and civilian trust in search and rescue capabilities.

    The FAST mission is to protect the aircraft in all areas throughout the mission to support humanitarian missions and Department of Defense anti-terrorism operations. These teams are responsible for safeguarding aircraft, crew members, and cargo from potential adversaries and play a key role in enhancing collaboration and trust for successful operations.

    “As part of this mission, in particular, we prepared by having each of our members become subject matter experts and brief the team,” said Tech Sgt. Zachory Dominique, 168th Wing Security Forces. “For example, regarding customs and courtesies, we do not want to go to Nepal and be disrespectful – knowing the customs and courtesies beforehand better prepares us – simple things like that. We prepared for weather, terrain, and conditions as well. We went through our load out, ensured we had proper protective equipment, and ensured everything was operational. Everything we have been doing follows a PACE plan, an acronym for primary, alternate, contingency, and emergency, so if our plan fails, we have plans b, c, and d.”

    The 168 SFS Defenders dedicated themselves to providing an impenetrable security perimeter around the military aircraft to protect aircrew and cargo. These highly trained and skilled defenders undergo rigorous selection and training processes to ensure they are prepared to handle any security threat. Their expertise lies in establishing and maintaining security measures to safeguard aircraft, personnel, and assets in challenging, high-risk environments.

    The role of FAST defenders is critical in enabling the safe and successful execution of operations. Their presence deters potential threats and reassures aircrew, passengers, and support personnel operating in these environments. In addition to their security duties, FAST defenders are trained to respond to medical emergencies, natural disasters, and other crises, highlighting their versatility and readiness to support a wide range of missions.

    The 168th FAST Defenders’ dedication and commitment to their mission make them an indispensable asset in ensuring the safety and security of air operations in austere environments. Their unwavering vigilance and expertise contribute to the overall success of humanitarian missions and DoD anti-terrorism efforts, earning them the reputation of being a formidable and reliable security force.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI China: Death toll rises to 42 after boat accident in central Nigeria

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    The death toll of a boat accident earlier this week in Niger State in central Nigeria has risen to 42, as more bodies were recovered Friday, a local official said.

    Abdullahi Baba-Arah, head of the State Emergency Management Agency, told reporters that at least 17 more bodies had been recovered since Thursday, six of them found early Friday.

    At least 25 bodies were earlier confirmed to have been recovered after the boat carrying more than 300 passengers capsized on Tuesday night, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s spokesman said on Thursday.

    More than 150 others were rescued after the overloaded wooden boat flipped over on the River Niger upstream Jebba Dam in the Mokwa local government area late Tuesday, Bayo Onanuga, a senior presidential spokesman, said in a statement issued on behalf of Tinubu.

    The victims were returning from a religious celebration in another community in Niger when the accident occurred, local authorities said in a separate statement issued earlier, noting mostly women and children were aboard the ill-fated boat. The exact cause of the accident is still under investigation.

    Baba-Arah told the media Friday that the search and rescue operation was continuing to recover the still-missing victims.

    Meanwhile, Tinubu has ordered the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to investigate the spate of boat accidents in Niger and across the country and devise modalities to check the trend.

    The Nigerian leader also directed the NIWA to expand the scope of its surveillance of inland waters to ensure “people’s safety and prosecute boat operators violating the ban on night sailing.”

    Boat accidents are common in Nigeria, often due to overloading, adverse weather conditions, and operational errors. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: SCHUMER ANNOUNCES RPI PRESIDENT MARTIN A. SCHMIDT APPOINTED TO COMMERCE DEPARTMENT’S INDUSTRIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OVERSEEING BUILD OUT OF THE FUTURE OF AMERICA’S CHIPS INDUSTRY

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
    U.S. Department Of Commerce’s Industrial Advisory Committee – Created After Passage Of Schumer’s CHIPS & Science Law Which Boosted Domestic Semiconductor Manufacturing Industry – Provides Guidance To Commerce Secretary About Research & Development Critical To The Future Of America’s CHIPS Industry
    Schumer Says RPI President Schmidt’s Decades Of Leadership In Microelectronics Research Will Support America’s Efforts To Boost Competitiveness For Microelectronics Industry
    Schumer: RPI President Schmidt Is A Leader For Microelectronics Research & Excellent Addition To Committee To Boost The Nation’s And New York’s CHIPS Industry
    U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer announced the appointment of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Martin A. Schmidt to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Industrial Advisory Committee (IAC), which was created by the original authorization of the federal CHIPS programs that Schumer pushed for and led to passage. The IAC provides advice to the Commerce Department on the science, technology, and workforce training needs of the nation’s domestic microelectronics industry, the national strategy on microelectronics research, the research and development programs and other advanced microelectronics activities funded through the CHIPS & Science Law, and opportunities for new public-private partnerships.
    “RPI President Schmidt is a leader in electrical engineering and microelectronics research, and I was proud to push for him to be added to the Industrial Advisory Committee so he can take on this leadership role in shaping the nation’s competitiveness in the semiconductor and broader microelectronics industries,” said Senator Schumer. “I wrote the CHIPS & Science Law with Upstate NY in mind, and I’m thrilled to see an Upstate NY leader recognized on a national level for his expertise and his experience tapped to position the nation and New York to lead the world in the semiconductor industry. RPI President Schmidt is an excellent addition to the IAC, and together we are working to invest in critical R&D programs and assets like Albany NanoTech and strengthen workforce development to boost America’s global competitiveness now and long into the future.”
    “Upstate New York has established itself as a global leader in semiconductor manufacturing, and I am proud to see one of our leaders bringing his expertise to the national Industrial Advisory Committee,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With the guidance of skilled engineers like President Schmidt, we can continue to expand American microelectronics manufacturing initiatives to ensure that the U.S. maintains a competitive edge for years to come. I am proud to have recommended President Schmidt for this role, and I know he will be an excellent representative for the Quantum Valley and all of New York on the Committee.”
    “Congratulations to President Schmidt on his deserved appointment to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Industrial Advisory Committee,” Congressman Paul Tonko (NY-20) said. “I consider myself lucky to represent a region that is such a strong leader in the semiconductor industry, from manufacturing facilities and R&D programs to our cutting-edge educational institutions, including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. That’s why I pushed hard in the House to advance the CHIPS and Science Act and deliver the investments needed to supercharge our chip development, and why I called for the appointment of President Schmidt to the advisory committee. President Schmidt’s appointment further solidifies our region as a trailblazer in this growing industry. I look forward to working with him and Majority Leader Schumer to further drive innovation and job growth in semiconductor manufacturing.”
    “I applaud Senator Schumer and our entire federal delegation for their leadership on CHIPS, and am honored to serve on the CHIPS Industrial Advisory Committee and advise Secretary Raimondo on strengthening the U.S. semiconductor industry through innovative and strategic research and development,” said Martin A. Schmidt, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. “Having been involved in semiconductor research and education for my entire career, it is a privilege to represent the nation’s first science and technological research university in this endeavor, working together with industry, government, and other educational institutions to create new and promising opportunities in semiconductors now and in the years to come.”
    After eight years as the provost at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he oversaw the creation of the university’s Schwartzman College of Computing, Dr. Schmidt became the President at RPI. He is a leader in electrical engineering and microelectronics research, and as an inventor and entrepreneur, he holds over 30 issued U.S. patents and has been associated with starting seven companies.
    The Industrial Advisory Committee comprises leaders from a broad range of disciplines in the microelectronics field, including academia, the semiconductor industry, federal laboratories, and other areas. Currently, representatives from GlobalFoundries, IBM, Micron Technologies, Wolfspeed, and Applied Materials are among other members of the IAC.
    Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Congressman Tonko previously wrote a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo supporting the nomination of RPI President Schmidt to the CHIPS Industrial Advisory Committee. A copy is below:
    Dear Secretary Raimondo,
    Thank you for your ongoing efforts to implement the critical CHIPS and Science Act, including establishing the CHIPS Industrial Advisory Committee (IAC).
    We would like to recommend that Martin Schmidt, the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) be added to the IAC. Marty would be a strong addition to the group advising you on implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act.
    Some projections are that nearly 35,000 jobs requiring engineers, computer scientists and Ph.Ds will go unfilled over the next five years if we don’t change the trajectory of educating students at our academic institutions. As well, another 25,000 technicians with two-year degrees will be needed. Marty has the experience in this area and how to develop the diverse and inclusive workforce needed to fill these jobs in the industry.
    Marty is a rare voice that is fully grounded in science research, including semiconductors, and at the same time has extensive administrative and leadership experience. Marty holds a Ph.D in electrical engineering from MIT and was the provost at MIT and now at RPI, schools famous for making a difference in the world educating the technology workforce of the nation.
    As you move forward to establish new public-private partnerships and stand up the National Semiconductor Technology Center, the role of universities will become even more important to implementation of CHIPS.
    We would like to strongly support the nomination of President Martin Schmidt to the CHIPS Industrial Advisory Committee.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Rubio, Scott, Florida Colleagues to POTUS: Expedite Resources to Floridians

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Florida Marco Rubio
    Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm, causing catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast. It’s crucial for the federal government to expedite state-requested resources and authorize key policy flexibilities in order for Floridians to make a swift recovery.
    U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Florida colleagues sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging the direction of federal agencies to expedite requested resources and implement emergency policy flexibilities to help the people of Florida.
    “Mr. President: In the wake of Hurricane Helene, we write to urge you to direct federal agencies to expedite state-requested resources and actions and to implement precedented emergency policy flexibilities to facilitate a seamless federal response.”
    Joining Senators Rubio and Scott were U.S. Representatives Greg Steube (R-FL), Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), Laurel Lee (R-FL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Byron Donalds (R-FL), and Neal Dunn (R-FL).
    The full text of the letter is below. 
    Dear Mr. President:
    In the wake of Hurricane Helene, we write to urge you to direct federal agencies to expedite state-requested resources and actions and to implement precedented emergency policy flexibilities to facilitate a seamless federal response. Specifically, we urge you to direct federal agencies to act on the following items:

    Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):

    Temporary Housing Assistance
    On September 29, 2024, the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) requested FEMA to authorize Emergency Non-Congregate Sheltering, including in the form of Recreational Vehicles (RVs) and travel trailers in accordance with FEMA Policy 104-009-18, as well as in the form of Direct Housing Assistance in Individual Assistance-designated counties.  On October 1, 2024, FDEM requested FEMA to authorize Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) for survivors of Hurricane Helene, including to modify FEMA Policy 104-21-0008 to add Friends and Family and Damaged Dwelling categories to the list of eligible survivor locations for TSA. We urge you to approve these requests as quickly as possible.
    Further, with respect to the swift delivery and deployment of FEMA temporary housing resources in impacted communities, we urge you to direct FEMA to authorize the use of travel trailers and manufactured homes in Special Flood Hazard Areas to ensure that housing unit recipients are able to stay on their properties while they rebuild permanent structures.  Due to the nature of Florida’s low elevation, FEMA’s regulatory requirements with regard to temporary housing in flood zones significantly restricts federal housing assistance in the state.  Enabling disaster survivors to remain on their properties following a disaster is crucial to the recovery process, as doing so reduces the need for survivors to commute from a remote location for the purposes of rebuilding and looking after their properties and affairs.  There is a precedent for FEMA allowing this policy flexibility.  Following Hurricane Ian, the provision of temporary housing resources was severely delayed due to FEMA regulations that prevented the placement of manufactured housing units and travel trailers in these flood zones.  However, FEMA ultimately authorized this flexibility following months of delays in temporary housing assistance.
    Issue Storm-Specific Guidance for Debris Removal, Demolition, and Disposal 
    In the wake of Major Disasters, FEMA may waive program requirements with respect to prior approval for debris removal, demolition, and waste disposal, and issue disaster-specific guidance to inform local communities on how they can remain in compliance with regulations and law while accounting for policy waivers in order to remain eligible for reimbursement.  We have heard from local governments, in designated counties, that the issuance of storm-specific guidance for Hurricane Helene debris removal, demolition, and waste disposal would enable them to confidently remove hazardous debris in an expedited manner without having to risk failing to comply with regulation or law.  We urge you to direct FEMA to issue storm-specific guidance for Hurricane Helene as quickly as possible. 
    Ensure Sand Removal, Screening, and Placement is Eligible for Category A Debris Removal Public Assistance Reimbursement
    Hurricane Helene washed tons of sand into the streets and rights-of-way of municipalities in designated counties along the Gulf Coast of Florida, impeding public transportation and evacuation routes.  Sand is an irreplaceable material for Florida’s outdoor economy, and composes the dunes and shorelines that protect infrastructure from storm surge, erosion and tidal flooding.  The collection and removal of sand from streets and rights-of-way, screening of sand to remove debris, and placement of screened sand along shorelines is time-intensive and may be too costly for non-federal entities to expense themselves.  We request you ensure the removal of sand debris, screening of sand for debris, and placement of sand on productive shorelines are eligible activities for FEMA reimbursement under Category A Public Assistance, just as it was following Hurricane Ian.

    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE):

    Emergency Permitting Procedures
    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations allow the authorization of emergency permitting procedures to expedite emergency work and repair in emergency situations that may result in hazards to life, loss of property, or economic hardship.[2]  The severe impacts of Hurricane Helene pose such hazards, as navigation channels along the Gulf Coast of Florida have been impeded by debris from damaged and destroyed structures and infrastructure.  These channels must be cleared of hazards to promote safe navigation, and to enable recovery in remote coastal areas that require maritime access.  Further, terrestrial infrastructure, including shoreline infrastructure, may require expedited permitting procedures to prevent economic hardship and hazards to public safety from possible future severe weather. 
    Issue Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies (FCCE) Shoreline Easement Policy Memorandum
    The failed Army Corps of Engineers policy implementation of Section 103 of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) 1986 (33 U.S.C. 2213) has caused many hurricane risk reduction projects in Florida, including several in Hurricane Helene’s disaster areas, to become effectively defunct due to burdensome perpetual easement requirements.  Pinellas County, which suffered more deaths than any other county in Florida due to Hurricane Helene, primarily from storm surge, is ground zero for this federal policy failure that has led to the erosion of shorelines and dunes that are proven to mitigate storm surge impacts.  Section 361 of the Senate-passed Water Resources Development Act of 2024 contains language that would give policy flexibility to local project sponsors receiving supplemental FCCE funds to construct emergency FCCE projects with less-than-permanent easements.[3]  We urge you to direct the USACE to issue a policy memorandum on an expedited basis to implement this policy, which passed the Senate unanimously, so that local project sponsors have certainty they will be able to secure less-than-permanent easements in anticipation of receiving FCCE funds from a possible forthcoming disaster supplemental.  This policy would also enable local project sponsors to begin implementing hundreds of millions of dollars of supplemental FCCE funds appropriated in December 2022 that have been impeded by failed USACE policy implementation.  
    Operation Blue Roof 
    Hurricane Helene made landfall with winds of 140 miles per hour and higher wind gusts.  Due to the large size and fast forward movement of the hurricane, Helene projected strong winds over a large area, damaging roofs in the process.  Operation Blue Roof is an emergency program of the Army Corps of Engineers, in consultation with FEMA, for the deployment of blue plastic tarps to protect damaged homes from future rain damage.  Please consider activating Operation Blue Roof if FEMA, USACE, and partners assess sufficient need. 

    U.S. Department of Agriculture:

    Block Grant Authority for Agricultural Disaster Relief
    The State of Florida has requested Agriculture Secretary Vilsack to designate an Agricultural Disaster for the state, a request we support.  In addition to expediting an Agricultural Disaster designation, we urge you to recognize block grants to states as a valid method of disbursing supplemental disaster assistance to growers.  We would also welcome your support for explicitly including this authority in a forthcoming disaster supplemental.  Supplemental disaster assistance appropriated in December 2022 has been slow to reach growers, in part due to manpower constraints on the USDA’s ability to process and administer disaster loss claims.  Providing agricultural assistance via block grants to states allows state agencies to use their own employees as a force multiplier to process claims in an expedited manner, and disburse aid to agricultural producers more quickly. 
    Thank you for your attention to these important matters. We look forward to working with you on behalf of Floridians.
    Sincerely,

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA News: Letter to Congress on Disaster  Needs

    Source: The White House

    Dear Speaker Johnson and Leaders Schumer, McConnell, and Jeffries,

    I write to you regarding the needs of the Nation.  As communities across the Southeast devastated by Hurricane Helene assess the extent of the damage, they are expecting their Federal Government to stand behind them in their most urgent time of need.  I have seen firsthand the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to communities across the Southeast.  During my travels this week to North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, I met with families, business owners, farmers, local and state officials, and first responders, all of whom shared with me their stories of survival—and resilience.  As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in communities ravaged by natural disasters will have the Federal resources they need and deserve to respond to and recover from deadly storms and other natural disasters.  

    My Administration will be with those affected until the job is done, and we have a solemn obligation to provide confidence that the Federal Government will stand with them as they rebuild their lives and their communities.  Furthermore, this responsibility extends to the many communities around the Nation that are still rebuilding from previous disasters.

    Over the past 10 days, including in the lead up to Hurricane Helene making landfall, my Administration has provided robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Defense, and other Federal partners have quickly mobilized to support impacted citizens and communities in the six States where major disasters have been declared due to Hurricane Helene:  Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  They are performing critical life-saving and life-sustaining missions and will continue to do so within present funding levels.  As with other catastrophic disasters, it will take some time to assess the full requirements for response and recovery efforts, and I fully expect that the Congress will do its part to provide the funding needed.

    While FEMA has the resources needed for the immediate emergency response phase, at least one other agency does not.  Most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene.  I warned the Congress of this potential shortfall even before Hurricane Helene landed on America’s shores.  I requested more funding for SBA multiple times over the past several months, and most recently, my Administration underscored that request as you prepared a continuing resolution to fund the Government.  Now the need is even more urgent.  Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times.  In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds.  Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses.  The Congress must act to restore this funding.

    In addition, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year.  Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs.  The Congress should provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.

    As the Congress heeds the call to assist the communities across the Nation recovering from Hurricane Helene, it must remember that many other communities are also in urgent need of disaster assistance.  As recently as this summer, my Administration requested that the Congress provide additional disaster assistance to many communities across America.  Many of the programs we requested to receive additional funding would also help response and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helene.  This includes funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to respond to devastating fires in Maui and tornados in Mississippi, Iowa, and Oklahoma as well as funding for the Department of Transportation to support rebuilding roads and bridges across the Nation, including the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.

    I urge you to keep faith with those communities and provide the requested additional funding to rebuild housing infrastructure, to support farmers and ranchers with crop losses, to address impacted schools, and to repair damaged Federal highways.  In addition to FEMA’s ongoing support, these are the resources that communities need and deserve to fully respond to and recover from devastating events.

    It is critical that Congress ensures that no critical disaster programs, such as the SBA disaster loan program, run out of funding during the Congressional Recess period.  I also urge that after the Congress comes back into session on November 12th, you will act with all appropriate speed and provide comprehensive disaster relief so that the people, families, businesses, and communities affected by Hurricane Helene—as well as those still recovering from past disasters—are not only made whole, but can proceed in a way to make them more resilient in the face of future extreme weather events and other disasters.

    My Administration will keep the Congress apprised of efforts to assess the full resource requirements associated with Hurricane Helene, including for long-term rebuilding and resilience efforts, as those estimates become available.  I urge you to assist those impacted by this hurricane and every other disaster since the Congress last passed a comprehensive disaster package in 2022.  We must stand with these communities on their long road to recovery.

    Sincerely,

                                   JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Letter to Congress on Disaster  Needs

    US Senate News:

    Source: The White House
    Dear Speaker Johnson and Leaders Schumer, McConnell, and Jeffries,
    I write to you regarding the needs of the Nation.  As communities across the Southeast devastated by Hurricane Helene assess the extent of the damage, they are expecting their Federal Government to stand behind them in their most urgent time of need.  I have seen firsthand the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to communities across the Southeast.  During my travels this week to North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia, I met with families, business owners, farmers, local and state officials, and first responders, all of whom shared with me their stories of survival—and resilience.  As leaders, we have a responsibility to ensure that everyone in communities ravaged by natural disasters will have the Federal resources they need and deserve to respond to and recover from deadly storms and other natural disasters.  
    My Administration will be with those affected until the job is done, and we have a solemn obligation to provide confidence that the Federal Government will stand with them as they rebuild their lives and their communities.  Furthermore, this responsibility extends to the many communities around the Nation that are still rebuilding from previous disasters.
    Over the past 10 days, including in the lead up to Hurricane Helene making landfall, my Administration has provided robust and well-coordinated Federal support for the ongoing response and recovery efforts.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Department of Defense, and other Federal partners have quickly mobilized to support impacted citizens and communities in the six States where major disasters have been declared due to Hurricane Helene:  Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.  They are performing critical life-saving and life-sustaining missions and will continue to do so within present funding levels.  As with other catastrophic disasters, it will take some time to assess the full requirements for response and recovery efforts, and I fully expect that the Congress will do its part to provide the funding needed.
    While FEMA has the resources needed for the immediate emergency response phase, at least one other agency does not.  Most urgently, the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) disaster loan program will run out of funding in a matter of weeks and well before the Congress is planning to reconvene.  I warned the Congress of this potential shortfall even before Hurricane Helene landed on America’s shores.  I requested more funding for SBA multiple times over the past several months, and most recently, my Administration underscored that request as you prepared a continuing resolution to fund the Government.  Now the need is even more urgent.  Small businesses and individuals in affected areas depend on disaster loans as a critical lifeline during difficult times.  In fact, for individual disaster survivors, SBA loans are often the largest source of Federal disaster recovery funds.  Renters and homeowners use these loans to repair and rebuild their homes as well as replace or repair damaged property including their personal vehicles, while businesses use them to cover basic operating expenses.  The Congress must act to restore this funding.
    In addition, while FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has the resources it requires right now to meet immediate needs, the fund does face a shortfall at the end of the year.  Without additional funding, FEMA would be required to forego longer-term recovery activities in favor of meeting urgent needs.  The Congress should provide FEMA additional resources to avoid forcing that kind of unnecessary trade-off and to give the communities we serve the certainty of knowing that help will be ongoing, both for the short- and long-term.
    As the Congress heeds the call to assist the communities across the Nation recovering from Hurricane Helene, it must remember that many other communities are also in urgent need of disaster assistance.  As recently as this summer, my Administration requested that the Congress provide additional disaster assistance to many communities across America.  Many of the programs we requested to receive additional funding would also help response and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Helene.  This includes funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to respond to devastating fires in Maui and tornados in Mississippi, Iowa, and Oklahoma as well as funding for the Department of Transportation to support rebuilding roads and bridges across the Nation, including the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland.
    I urge you to keep faith with those communities and provide the requested additional funding to rebuild housing infrastructure, to support farmers and ranchers with crop losses, to address impacted schools, and to repair damaged Federal highways.  In addition to FEMA’s ongoing support, these are the resources that communities need and deserve to fully respond to and recover from devastating events.
    It is critical that Congress ensures that no critical disaster programs, such as the SBA disaster loan program, run out of funding during the Congressional Recess period.  I also urge that after the Congress comes back into session on November 12th, you will act with all appropriate speed and provide comprehensive disaster relief so that the people, families, businesses, and communities affected by Hurricane Helene—as well as those still recovering from past disasters—are not only made whole, but can proceed in a way to make them more resilient in the face of future extreme weather events and other disasters.
    My Administration will keep the Congress apprised of efforts to assess the full resource requirements associated with Hurricane Helene, including for long-term rebuilding and resilience efforts, as those estimates become available.  I urge you to assist those impacted by this hurricane and every other disaster since the Congress last passed a comprehensive disaster package in 2022.  We must stand with these communities on their long road to recovery.
    Sincerely,
                                   JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Two Cramer Bills Addressing Alzheimer’s Disease Signed into Law

    US Senate News:

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

    BISMARCK, N.D. – Two critical pieces of legislation in the fight to end Alzheimer’s disease were signed into law this week. U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) cosponsored both pieces of legislation, the National Alzheimer’s Project (NAPA) Reauthorization Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act. These bills are meaningful advancements in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.

    The Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act requires the National Institutes of Health to annually submit an estimate of its budget and personnel needs for carrying out initiatives and essential research pursuant to the National Alzheimer’s Project. The NAPA Reauthorization Act extends the National Alzheimer’s Project to 2035. The project was first authorized in 2011 and supports coordination of federal planning, programs, and research to support efforts addressing Alzheimer’s disease and dementia such as healthy aging and cognitive decline.

    “Like many others, Alzheimer’s has a personal connection to me and my family,” said Cramer. “I am committed to doing everything I can to support those that are affected by the disease while at the same time, working toward treatments that work and ultimately, a cure. I believe we can get there. There’s a lot to be done, but I am heartened by the progress of these bills that are being signed into law.” 

    Cramer has worked to support the community of people who experience Alzheimer’s disease including their families, loved ones, and medical care teams. In September, he participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Bismarck and visited the Bismarck Memory Cafe. 

    Cramer joined U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in cosponsoring theComprehensive Care for Alzheimer’s Act to direct the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to test an innovative payment and delivery system tailored for dementia care management. Additionally, Cramer joined U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding the CMS requirement for Coverage with Evidence Development (CED) for monoclonal antibodies drugs designated for the treatment of Alzheimer’s. The letter encouraged CMS to take steps to remove these requirements for FDA-approved treatments to ensure reasonable access for Alzheimer’s patients outside of a clinical trial.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: National Day holiday brings box office surge

    Source: China State Council Information Office 3

    As a testament to its economic vitality, the weeklong National Day holiday has sparked a box office surge, underscoring the potential of China’s resurgent market.

    As of Friday, the vacation starting from Tuesday has raked in 1.47 billion yuan ($209.4 million), a 45 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022 and slightly surpassing the year-on-year figure in 2023, according to Maoyan Pro, a real-time movie information tracker.

    Fueled by the boom, this year’s box office tally has surpassed 36 billion yuan, deemed by many industry insiders as an inspirational sign to uplift morale following the sluggish previous seasons from the May Day holiday to the summer vacation and Mid-Autumn Festival.

    The Volunteers: The Battle of Life and Death, the latest directorial work by Chen Kaige, the first Chinese filmmaker to win a Palme d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival, is currently leading the holiday box office charts with earnings exceeding 500 million yuan.

    As the second installment of Chen’s trilogy The Volunteers, an epic that chronicles the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-53), the 144-minute new movie recounts a pivotal battle in Cheorwon, where 25,000 Chinese People’s Volunteer Army soldiers engaged around 50,000 United States-led “United Nations Command” forces in 1951.

    Yuan Yun’er, a Beijing-based critic, said the movie, which has garnered a rating of 7.2 points out of 10 on the popular review site Douban, is a poignant narrative that revisits the war pivotal to China’s destiny over 70 years ago.

    Compared to the initial installment, The Volunteers: To the War, released last October, the new film presents a more intense plot from a human-interest perspective, with its depiction of war scenes being more grandiose and skillful in portraying details.

    For example, a poignant detail stirring online discussion is a candy gifted by CPV Commander-in-Chief Peng Dehuai to a veteran officer, who passes it to his son, a CPV soldier, and eventually to his sister, an army interpreter, with the son’s touching act of licking the empty wrapper before his sacrifice resonating profoundly with viewers.

    Zhi Feina, a film professor at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, remarked that the movie distinguishes itself, partly because its patriotic theme resonates with the collective emotions of the domestic audience, as China celebrates the National Day.

    Following the war epic, director Lu Chuan’s sci-fi film Bureau 749 has secured the second spot on the holiday box office charts, amassing over 300 million yuan. The film, loosely inspired by Lu’s early work experience in an institute researching supernatural phenomena, narrates a near-future story about battling mysterious creatures that drag a city into an unprecedented crisis.

    Ranked third in box office earnings at the festival, the crime drama Tiger Wolf Rabbit depicts the vengeful quest of three parents whose children are abducted by human traffickers. It has grossed over 230 million yuan.

    Respectively, the fourth and fifth top earners are kungfu giant Jackie Chan’s comedy Panda Plan and Hong Kong iconic star Andy Lau’s action thriller High Forces.

    A total of 10 movies were released on Monday and Tuesday, aiming to vie for audiences during the National Day holiday, one of the most lucrative box office seasons in China, according to the China Film Distribution and Exhibition Association.

    Yu Chao, deputy general manager of Beijing’s Capital Cinema chain, said that the diversity in genres and the remarkable number of new films released showcase the potential of China’s movie market.

    From sci-fi movie The Wandering Earth (2019) to the fantasy epic Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms (2023) and the latest blockbuster Bureau 749, Chinese audiences have demonstrated a strong interest in watching special effects-laden big-budget films, indicating opportunities for advancement in the Chinese film technology sector, Yu said.

    He also highlighted the holiday’s new movie, A Tapestry of a Legendary Land. Adapted from the popular dance poem drama of the same name, the movie represents a new creative direction for domestic filmmakers.

    The film, featuring the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) masterpiece Qianli Jiangshan Tu (A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains) through dance, demonstrates that stage performances translated into feature-length films can attract audiences with their established reputation and enhanced visual details on large cinema screens, added Yu.

    Rao Shuguang, president of the China Film Critics Association, predicted this year’s box office revenue may exceed last year’s, driven by the momentum of the National Day holiday surge.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: At Lake Tahoe, Cortez Masto Celebrates the Passage of her Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for Nevada Cortez Masto

    Reno, Nev. – Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Representative Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.-03) hosted community leaders and local advocates at Lake Tahoe following the passage of her legislation extending the authorization of the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act for 10 years. The measure passed the Senate in July and the House of Representatives on September 24th. It was signed into law on October 1, 2024.
    “Since it was first passed nearly 25 years ago, the LTRA has helped combat invasive species, maintain the environment, and improve water infrastructure in the Tahoe Basin. It’s helped support local jobs and welcome new travelers, making the lake a better space for visitors and residents alike,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “This reauthorization is key to continuing that work. This isn’t just a box to check or a project we can just move on from – this is an ongoing effort, and we need to keep up our work to keep the water clean, prevent wildfires, and protect the environment surrounding the Tahoe Basin.”
    The Lake Tahoe Restoration Reauthorization Act is cosponsored by Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), as well as Representatives Mark Amodei (R-Nev.-02), John Garamendi (D-Calif.-08), Dina Titus (D-Nev.- 01), Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.-04), John Duarte (R-Calif.-13) and Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.-03). It will allow critical funding to support environmental protection and habitat restoration programs across the basin for the next ten years. This law has delivered millions in federal dollars to Lake Tahoe since the original law passed in 2000.
    Senator Cortez Masto has been a champion for Lake Tahoe, leading efforts in the Senate to conserve the region and protect the lake. She recently secured $24 million to extend the popular East Shore Train around Lake Tahoe, and almost $8 million to help the Tahoe Transportation District purchase new electric hybrid busses and improve transit safety. She secured nearly $17 million in funding for the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, in addition to critical resources to address microplastic pollution in the Lake and to improve transportation options to and from Reno. She has led calls for a comprehensive, collaborative, and science-based approach to protect Lake Tahoe from the threat of climate change. Cortez Masto helped pass the Great American Outdoors Act, which was signed into law to repair and maintain public lands nationwide.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Biden stresses need for Israel to minimize civilian casualties

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    U.S. President Joe Biden reiterated Friday that while Israel has the right to fight and defend itself against militant groups like Hezbollah, it should put “much more” effort in minimizing civilian casualties during such operations.

    Making a surprise appearance — his first since taking office — at the White House press briefing, Biden tried to quell growing concerns that what has been happening in the past few days is edging ever closer to a full-blown regional war in the Middle East.

    He argued that the U.S. strategy to deal with the current situation has received support from the United Nations Security Council as well as Washington’s allies around the world.

    “The Israelis have every right to respond to the vicious attacks on them, not just from the Iranians, but from everyone — from Hezbollah to Houthis,” Biden said. “But the fact is that they have to be very much more careful about dealing with civilian casualties.” 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Serbian president hails Chinese-built bypass

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Friday inaugurated a new bypass road around the municipality of Gornji Milanovac, constructed by a Chinese company as part of Serbia’s broader infrastructure development initiatives.

    The inauguration ceremony in Gornji Milanovac — located about an hour and a half south of Belgrade via the Chinese-built E-763 “Milos the Great” highway — was attended by Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Goran Vesic, Chinese Ambassador Li Ming, and Gornji Milanovac Mayor Dejan Kovacevic.

    Vucic emphasized the road’s significance for the local community, noting that it would “bring them closer to Belgrade, Europe, and the world.”

    The 9.4-kilometer bypass, connecting Gornji Milanovac with the E-763 highway, is expected to alleviate traffic in the town center by diverting transit and freight vehicles.

    Construction on the bypass began after a cooperation agreement was signed between Serbia’s Ministry of Construction and Power Construction Corporation of China in late 2021.

    Li praised the fruitful cooperation between Serbia and China in recent years, highlighting the success of numerous infrastructure projects.

    “I hope this road marks a new beginning, paving the way for more opportunities for prosperity and happiness,” Li concluded. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China urges EU to get back to right track of resolving trade disputes through consultations

    Source: China State Council Information Office

    China has urged the European Commission to take concrete actions to implement its political will and get back to the right track of resolving trade frictions through consultations, said a spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce on Friday.

    The remarks came after the commission’s proposal to impose definitive countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles from China had obtained the necessary support from Member States of the European Union (EU) for the adoption of tariffs.

    “China firmly opposes the draft final ruling of the EU side, but has also noted its political will to continue to resolve the issue through negotiations,” said the spokesperson, noting that technical teams from both sides will continue with their negotiations on Oct. 7.

    The ministry urged the EU side to be clearly aware of the harm of imposing additional tariffs, as it will not solve any problems but only waver Chinese enterprises’ confidence and resolve in and prevent them from conducting investing cooperation in Europe.

    “China’s position is consistent and clear. China firmly opposes the unfair, illegal and unreasonable protectionist practices of EU in this case, and resolutely opposes the EU additional countervailing duty on Chinese electric vehicles,” said the spokesperson.

    The EU’s protectionist practices seriously violate WTO rules and disrupt the normal international trade order, hindering not just the China-EU trade and investment cooperation but also the EU’s green transition, with a negative impact on global climate response, the spokesperson noted.

    The spokesperson said China has implemented the consensus reached by leaders of the two sides, always borne in mind the overall interests of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, and always upheld the utmost sincerity in properly handling differences through dialogue and consultation.

    Since the end of June, both sides have held more than 10 technical consultations involving sub-ministry department chiefs and two vice-ministerial consultations on the case.

    On Sept. 19, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and European Commission Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis held comprehensive, in-depth and constructive talks, said the spokesperson, adding that they both clearly expressed the political will to resolve differences through consultation and agreed to launch price commitment talks to avoid escalating the trade frictions.

    In the following 14 days, technical teams from both sides conducted six rounds of consultations. Over the process, again and again, the Chinese side has fully listened to the demands and opinions of the Chinese and European industries, showing its open and cooperative attitude and exercising maximum flexibility, according to the spokesperson.

    “China will take all possible measures to firmly defend the interests of Chinese enterprises,” the spokesperson added. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Leading the way to Chinese modernization through sci-tech innovation

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The launch of the BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System’s (BDS-3) final two satellites in September marked the completion of China’s independently-developed satnav system, for which President Xi Jinping has given continuous support.
    Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has been closely following the development of the BDS-3 program.
    He visited the satellite launch site, cared about and encouraged scientists and technicians in the BDS-3 program, officially announced the commissioning of the program, sent a congratulatory letter to an international summit on the application of BeiDou, and mentioned it as a highlight of China’s achievements in his New Year messages.
    He has called for wider application of the BeiDou system to make new and greater contributions to China’s economic and social development, as well as the building of a human community with a shared future.
    Under the new system of concentrating nationwide efforts and resources on key undertakings, sci-tech workers have surmounted a multitude of technological hurdles — successfully integrating BeiDou into both industrial applications and daily life.
    BeiDou has become a standard configuration for mass consumer products such as smartphones and wearable devices. In the first half of 2024, over 98 percent of China’s 139 million units of smartphone shipments supported the BeiDou positioning system.
    The growth of BeiDou mirrors the modernization drive underpinned by the modernization of science and technology, and shows how the Chinese leader values sci-tech innovation and its fruits for bolstering the economy and facilitating high-quality development.
    At this year’s meeting with the country’s sci-tech workers in June, Xi said that Chinese modernization should be supported by sci-tech modernization, and achieving high-quality development relies on new driving forces cultivated by sci-tech innovation.
    What he calls for is happening. China has moved up to 11th place in the rankings of the world’s most innovative economies, representing one of the fastest rises over the past decade, according to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
    The country is also home to 26 of the world’s top 100 sci-tech innovation clusters, maintaining its position as the global leader for two consecutive years, the WIPO’s Global Innovation Index 2024 confirmed.
    Xi has emphasized the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation by enhancing the principal position of enterprises in technological innovation.
    The development of new energy vehicles is a good example. In 2014, during an inspection tour of SAIC Motor, a major Chinese carmaker, Xi called for the research and development of products that cater to diverse needs and highlighted the importance of new energy vehicles in enhancing China’s automotive industry.
    In the following decade, the president became a big fan of electric cars, visiting automotive companies, touring laboratories, and showing great interest in trying new home-developed models. He encouraged carmakers to focus on product quality and cultivate market competitiveness.
    Now new energy vehicles have become a highlight of China’s tech-intensive industry. Their penetration rate, a gauge of popularity, climbed to 53.9 percent in the domestic market in August, meaning that their sales volume exceeded that of traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines.
    New energy vehicles are also gaining popularity in Southeast Asian, South American and European markets. In the first eight months of 2024, China exported 818,000 new energy vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 12.6 percent.
    In addition to boosting economic growth through new energy industries, Xi also places great emphasis on the role of such industries in green development and promotes the sharing of green technologies — as harmonious coexistence between human and nature is one of the key features of China’s modernization.
    He has repeatedly expressed China’s commitment to re-adjusting industrial structure and energy mix, vigorously developing renewable energy, and making faster progress in planning and developing large wind power and photovoltaic bases.
    Over the past decade, China’s annual installation of renewable energy power generation capacity has accounted for more than 40 percent of the global total, while exceeding 50 percent in 2023.
    China’s fast progress in developing renewable energy technologies and their massive applications have also significantly contributed to an over 60 percent reduction in wind power costs and a more than 80 percent drop in photovoltaic power costs globally. This has played a pivotal role in global efforts to cut carbon emissions and transit toward a greener economy.
    At the same time, its renewable energy technology is still making breakthroughs, providing impetus for the future development of the industry. According to a study published in Nature at the end of September, Chinese chemists Yuan Mingjian from Nankai University cooperated with a scientist in Canada to prepare perovskite solar cell devices with high energy conversion efficiency and high operational stability, marking a major breakthrough in new-generation photovoltaic technology.
    At a recent symposium on ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, Xi mentioned that many African countries have been discussing cooperation with China concerning wind and photovoltaic power.
    “Green and low-carbon cooperation has a promising future,” he said. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NH Delegation Honors Law Enforcement Community at NH Congressional Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony

    US Senate News:

    Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
    (Concord, NH) – On Friday, New Hampshire’s Congressional delegation honored members of the New Hampshire law enforcement community for exemplary service at the New Hampshire Congressional Law Enforcement Awards (NH-CLEA) ceremony in Concord. You can find photos from the event here.
    “Granite State law enforcement officers put their lives on the line day after day, doing essential work that often goes underappreciated,” said Senator Shaheen. “This year’s recipients have been recognized for their unique and outstanding efforts, often in the face of great danger to themselves, to protect and serve the citizens of New Hampshire. I offer my sincere gratitude for all that they do.”
    “New Hampshire’s law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every single day to keep our state safe,” said Senator Hassan. “I was honored to attend the Congressional Law Enforcement Award ceremony tonight and recognize the officers whose extraordinary actions have made an incalculable difference to our communities.”
    “New Hampshire’s law enforcement officers go above and beyond the call of duty every day to protect us and keep our communities safe,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “Tonight’s ceremony is an opportunity for us to express our thanks and gratitude for their selflessness and sacrifices. I want to extend my congratulations to this year’s recipients and their families.”
    “Congratulations to the men and women of law enforcement who were honored this year for going above and beyond to protect and serve our communities,” said Congressman Pappas. “They always stand ready to answer the call, and that’s why it is so critical that we provide our law enforcement with the support, resources, and respect that they have earned.  I’m grateful for the dedication and sacrifice of the New Hampshire law enforcement community which ensures our state has a safe and strong future ahead.”
    The New Hampshire Congressional Law Enforcement Awards were started in 1998. All New Hampshire law enforcement officers – whether they are serving full – or part-time – are eligible to be nominated for recognition from the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation. Awardees are selected by an independent committee of law enforcement officers comprised of current and retired federal, state, county, and local officials.
    At the ceremony, Shaheen, Hassan, and Pappas honored the following law enforcement personnel with certificates of recognition on Friday: 
    2024 Congressional Law Enforcement Award Recipients 
    Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award
    This award recognizes officers who put their lives in harm’s way to help others. The NH-CLEA committee realizes that this is always part of any officer’s duties, but there are times when heroism and sacrifice in extreme circumstances need to be recognized. 
    Conservation Officer Levi Frye (NH Fish & Game) 
    Officer Brian Jenkins (Northumberland PD) 
     Lieutenant Geoffrey Pinard (Goffstown PD)  
    Lieutenant James Mitchell (Goffstown PD) 
    Sergeant Kevin Laroche (Goffstown PD) 
    Sergeant Jonathan Babcock (Goffstown PD) 
    Officer Timothy Chabot (Goffstown PD) 
    Sergeant Forrest Walker (Franklin PD) 
    Officer Christopher Hart (Franklin PD) 
    Officer James DeLuca (Hampton PD) 
    Trooper Philip Sheehy (NH State Police) 
    Trooper First Class Nathan Sleight (NH State Police) 
    Officer Richard W. Bateman Dedication and Professionalism Award
    This award, named in honor of Officer Richard W. Bateman, recognizes law enforcement personnel that go beyond their normal duties in service to others.  
    Officer Jagger Bell (Franklin PD)  
    Dispatch Supervisor Kate Burton (Franklin PD) 
    Dispatcher Ryleigh O’Keefe (Franklin PD) 
    Dispatcher Taylee Wolfe (Franklin PD) 
    Trooper Benjamin Olmstead (NH State Police) 
    Communications Specialist Angelique M. Carter (NH State Police) 
    Marine Patrol Supervisor David Jones (NH Marine Patrol) 
    Marine Patrol Officer Timothy Pinkham (NH Marine Patrol) 
    Detective Wade Brown (Concord PD) 
    Detective Danika Gorham (Concord PD) 
    Sergeant Richard Sprankle (Nashua PD) 
    Officer Adam Anderson (Nashua PD) 
    Border Patrol Agent John Sue (U.S. Border Patrol)
    Associate Service Award
    This award recognizes that fire or rescue personnel as well as civilians have come to the assistance of law enforcement personnel in the course of their duties, at times putting their own lives in harm’s way and deserved recognition by the law enforcement community for their assistance.
    Ms. Christine Lavoie  
    Ms. Suzanne Folsom  
    Career Service Award
    This award recognizes an individual that has, over the course of his or her career, shown an outstanding dedication to law enforcement and their community.
    Mr. Thomas Andross (Grafton County Sheriff’s Office) 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge passengers exceed 20m

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    More than 20 million inbound and outbound passengers have traveled through the Zhuhai port of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge so far in 2024, an increase of 86 percent year on year, and exceeding the total volume of the whole of last year, official data released on Friday shows.
    This also marks the first time since the official opening of the bridge that the annual passenger flow has exceeded the milestone of 20 million people.
    This increasing number of Hong Kong and Macao passengers heading north is becoming the main force driving the rapid growth of passenger traffic at the port. Since the beginning of this year, more than 12 million Hong Kong and Macao travelers have entered or left the Chinese mainland via this port, up 83.3 percent year on year, and accounting for over 60 percent of total port passenger traffic during the period, local border inspection authorities said.
    The 55-km bridge links China’s Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), the city of Zhuhai in the southern Guangdong Province, and Macao SAR. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Nation ramps up public services to meet rising cultural demand

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Shanghai resident Wang Yanqing, 38, said that her recent experience of trying to secure a spot in the upcoming autumn courses at the Shanghai Resident Night School took her back to university days, when students had to scramble to register for classes online.
    In the blink of an eye, nearly 900,000 eager applicants flooded the system as soon as the night school’s registration portal opened. The most sought-after classes for the autumn session of the school spanned a wide range of disciplines, including archery, baking, leather crafting, popping and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
    Priced at a modest 500 yuan for a series of 12 classes, the Shanghai Resident Night School has gained a reputation for its accessibility and top-quality instructors, establishing itself as the hottest public cultural service hub in the city.
    Catering to people aged 18 to 55, the night school offers courses during the spring and autumn terms. In the ongoing autumn semester, the service has been expanded to include 37 branch campuses and 367 teaching venues, spanning across the city.
    For Wang, who has been learning dance skills at the primary campus of Shanghai Mass Art Center since 2021, the night school represents a vital outlet for personal growth and exploration.
    “Elderly people have their senior universities and children have various art training institutions to choose from. We young people also need some public cultural services to develop our interests and add color to our lives,” says Wang.
    “At the night school, you’ll find courses with solid reviews, awesome teachers and prices that are budget-friendly. It’s also easy to locate a class close to home,” Wang adds.
    In recent years, the country has been actively improving the public cultural service system and expanding the coverage of basic public cultural services.
    The Resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization released in July includes plans for enhancing the public cultural service system.
    This includes establishing a mechanism for high-quality cultural resources to reach grassroots levels and enhancing the participation of social entities in the provision of public cultural services.
    Li Guoxin, director of Peking University’s national center for modern public culture research, explained that the resolution highlights the importance of offering higher quality, more efficient, fairer and sustainable public cultural services to grassroots communities. This is aimed at enhancing people’s sense of cultural attainment and happiness.
    In recent years, the Chinese government has actively promoted innovation and reform in public cultural services. Over 35,000 new public cultural spaces have been set up nationwide, including libraries and cultural centers in urban and rural areas, making cultural services more accessible for a wider population, Li added.
    Hefei, capital of Anhui province, has witnessed active expansion of reading spaces since 2017.
    With more than 100 urban reading spaces, urban residents are guaranteed to reach a reading space within a 15-minute walk from their homes.
    Ji Yuanyuan, a resident from Hefei’s economic development zone, said that the reading space has provided a group of full-time mothers like her with a place where “they can temporarily set aside the family’s troubles and worries, and just be themselves”.
    Formerly an entrepreneur who devoted herself to her career, she used to have her parents take care of her children. After her children started primary school, she decided to devote her time to her children and family.
    However, she found that upon returning from the workplace to the family, women easily fell into anxiety. So she initiated a reading club in 2017, where full-time mothers come together to recommend good books to each other and share parenting experiences.
    The club’s gathering place is called Forest Book House, an urban reading space within her community that not only provides residents with reading facilities but also features workshops on calligraphy and handicrafts.
    The book club receives an average of around 400 visitors per day, and last year, it hosted a total of 140,482 readers.
    “We now have over 100 female members and hold events every Thursday afternoon at the Book House,” Ji said.
    “When we meet like-minded people in the space, our anxious feelings fade away, and we feel more uplifted as a whole.”
    In the first half of the year, the urban reading spaces in Hefei received 4.86 million visitors, with 1.115 million books borrowed and 8,983 events hosted, according to Meng Xianlei, an official from the city’s bureau of culture and tourism.
    Meng points out that these reading spaces are constructed by the government, owned by the government and operated by third parties through bidding processes. The separation of ownership and operation rights of public cultural facilities shows the reform measures proposed by the aforementioned resolution on further deepening and advancing Chinese modernization.
    Starting this year, Hefei is transforming these urban reading spaces into public cultural hubs featuring art exhibitions, training seminars, literary salons, film screenings and a range of other services.
    Originally from Guilin in Southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Wang said she has found pleasure and fulfillment in Shanghai’s public cultural amenities, despite the long distance from her hometown.
    The abundance of libraries, art centers and communal spaces has not only enriched Wang’s own life but has also provided a welcoming place for her mother, who recently traveled from Guilin to Shanghai to live with her.
    “She frequents the free movie screenings at the community cultural center near our residence every week. Such public cultural spaces have aided her in swiftly having a social circle in this unfamiliar city,” she added.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Dunedin’s northern access restored, highway to Port Chalmers reopening Monday morning, 4.45pm update Saturday

    Source: New Zealand Transport Agency

    Access to Dunedin from the north, State Highway 1, was restored early this afternoon, with long queues of traffic making their way north and south as the road opened in both directions.

    There are just three highway routes or sections of routes remaining closed after the torrential rain and flooding of recent days, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).

    The key one is SH88 in Dunedin between Forsyth Barr Stadium/Parry St and Port Chalmers.  It will reopen at 6 am Monday, although people can expect a slower than usual trip at 30km/hour to keep vibrations to a minimum, single lane around slip sites  managed by Stop/Go, 24/7.

    The other two are SH87 Kyeburn to Hyde, and SH90 Tapanui to Waikoikoi, which has a detour in place.

    Port Chalmers highway, SH88 – reopening Monday 6 am, with restrictions

    The route between Forsyth Barr Stadium/Parry St and Port Chalmers remains closed this weekend with residential and emergency access only and fully staffed checkpoints.

    Geotechnical advice has now been received for the Parry St and Burkes landslip areas which means the clean-up can continue at these sites ahead of the highway reopening, with single lane traffic around slip sites and at reduced speed, from Monday at 6 am.

    There are likely to be significant delays on SH88 on Monday with the new traffic management in place and short delays around the rock scaling/removal work.

    This route could also close at short notice again, depending on how the rockfall remediation/ scaling and clean-up goes.

    https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions/otago/closures/482713(external link)

    Please note, the informal detour roads above SH88 aren’t suitable for large, heavy or towing vehicles and unless people have an urgent need to travel, they should keep these routes clear also.

    SH87 Kyeburn to Hyde (north of Middlemarch): Remaining closed due to damage to a section of highway from the flood water near the Kyeburn Bridge. Flood water still receding. Delay your travel as this will be an extended closure. https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions/otago/closures/482674(external link)

    SH90 Waikoikoi to Tapanui: Closed due to flooding around the Pomahaka River.  Detour in place and working well. https://www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz/highway-conditions/otago/closures/482705(external link)

    Multiple areas of surface flooding and potholes

    • Speeds will be reduced in many places as the clean-up continues this weekend and into next week. NZTA thanks all drivers for slowing around crews and machinery.
    • Bridge inspections so far show they have held up well, says NZTA.
    • This is likely to be the final flooding-related traffic bulletin for this weekend from NZTA.

    State Highway updates

    Highway conditions for Otago | NZTA Journey Planner(external link)

    Local road closures Dunedin and Portobello peninsula

    https://www.dunedin.govt.nz/news-and-events/public-notices/road-conditions-and-closures(external link)

    Otago Emergency Management

    https://www.otagocdem.govt.nz/(external link)

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: CAD holds youth activity in celebration of National Day (with photos)

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

         To celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and enhance young people’s understanding of the aviation development in Hong Kong, the Civil Aviation Department (CAD) today (October 5) held an aviation-themed youth activity at its headquarters.
          
         The CAD has all along been committed to enhancing young people’s understanding of Hong Kong aviation industry and inspiring young people’s interests in the industry through organising youth activities, with the aim of nurturing young talents for the industry and hence contributing to the development of our country.
          
         More than 140 participants from seven youth groups, namely the Scout Association of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association, the Hong Kong Air Cadet Corps, the Hong Kong Youth Aviation Academy, the Hong Kong Aerospace Leaders Association, the Hong Kong Road Safety Patrol and the Hong Kong Army Cadets Association, participated in the event today. Besides, nearly 30 participants from the Strive and Rise Programme joined the event today. The event offered a variety of activities, including thematic talks on aviation development in Hong Kong, career talks on CAD grades, demonstrations of air traffic control tower simulator and the Aviation Education Path guided tours. 
          
         â€‹ The Director-General of Civil Aviation, Mr Victor Liu, at the opening ceremony, said that he was very pleased to share the joy of the 75th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with the young people at the event. He encouraged members of the youth groups to enhance knowledge on local aviation industry and equip themselves to uphold Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub. Mr Liu added that the CAD Aviation Education Path will set up new exhibition galleries with the themes on the “uprising of the two airlines” and the civil aviation development of China (including the development of home-grown aircraft), which will be open to the public upon completion.         

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The government has allocated 9 billion rubles for the construction and reconstruction of sections that will be part of the M-12 “Vostok” highway

    MILES AXLE Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

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

    Order dated October 4, 2024 No. 2750-r

    Document

    Order dated October 4, 2024 No. 2750-r

    9 billion rubles have been allocated for the advanced construction and reconstruction of four sections of highways needed to extend the M-12 “Vostok” highway from Kazan to Yekaterinburg. The order to this effect was signed by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

    We are talking about the construction of bypasses of the cities of Nizhnekamsk and Naberezhnye Chelny in Tatarstan, a bypass of the settlements of Isametovo, Verkhneyarkeevo, Layashty, Ishkarovo, Asyanovo in Bashkiria, as well as the reconstruction of two more road sections in the Republic of Tatarstan.

    The decision will allow traffic to be launched on new sections of roads by the end of 2024, which, like the entire M-12 “Vostok” highway, will become part of the “Russia” international transport corridor.

    The signed order is necessary to implement the President’s instruction concerning increasing the pace of construction of the Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod-Kazan high-speed highway and extending it to Yekaterinburg. The head of state gave it following his Address to the Federal Assembly in 2021.

    The issue was considered and approved atGovernment meeting on October 3.

    The work is being carried out within the framework of the federal project “Development of the federal highway network” of the national project “Safe high-quality roads”.

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

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

    http://government.ru/nevs/52907/

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

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Security: U.S. Attorney Simonton Alerts Public to Charity Scams in Wake of Hurricane Helene

    Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)

    United States Attorney Leigha Simonton issued a public safety alert today advising the public to be vigilant to hurricane relief fraud in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

    “North Texans are some of the most generous people I know,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton, the Northern District of Texas’ chief federal law enforcement officer. “We’ve all been impacted by the devastating images of Helene’s aftermath and are looking for ways to help. The best way to ensure your donations make a difference is to route them through a legitimate charity. Please, be vigilant for scams. Unfortunately, some fraudsters will stop at nothing to make a quick buck – even if it means exploiting a natural disaster and preventing funds from reaching the actual victims who are in need.”  

    On Sept. 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend Region and quickly caused major devastation there and across states including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and others. 

    As we have seen in the wake of previous national disasters, fraudsters will target victims of the storm along with citizens across the country who want to do what they can to assist individuals affected by the storm. 

    Unfortunately, criminals exploit disasters for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating deceiving websites designed to solicit contributions.

    The public should exercise diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to assist those affected by Hurricane Helene. Solicitations can originate from phone calls, texts, social media, e-mail, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, and other similar methods. Before making a donation to benefit victims of Hurricane Helene, individuals should adhere to certain guidelines, including:

    • Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
    • Do not be pressured into making contributions as reputable charities do not use such tactics.
    • Do not respond to any unsolicited communications (e.g., e-mails and texts), and never click links contained within those messages because they may be targeting your personal information, to include bank and credit card account information, and other identifiers such as dates of birth and social security numbers.
    • Rather than clicking on a purported link to a charity, verify its legitimacy by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming whether the organization is a valid charity.
    • Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.
    • Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
    • Know that legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services, and their website will normally end in .org rather than .com.
    • Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

    The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to deter, investigate, and prosecute fraud in the wake of disasters. More than 50 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Complaints of fraud may be reported online at http://www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm. Complaints may also be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721, a hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

    MIL Security OSI –