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  • MIL-OSI Global: View politics critically but charitably and with good old common sense: cowboy commentator Will Rogers’ wisdom for 2024

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Steven Watts, Professor of History, University of Missouri-Columbia

    Will Rogers made a career out of making fun of politics and politicians − with a generous spirit. George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images

    For those trying to come to terms with a particularly tumultuous election year full of deep divisions, ideological invective and personal insults, guidance can come from a historical figure whose insights into American politics still prove useful.

    As I chronicle in my new book, “Citizen Cowboy: Will Rogers And The American People,” Will Rogers stood as perhaps the most influential commentator on public affairs in the United States a century ago. Born in Oklahoma, he had risen to fame as a cowboy humorist in vaudeville, the Ziegfeld Follies, Broadway shows and silent movies, and he earned public acclaim with his shrewd, folksy and witty observations on American life and values.

    By the 1920s, this led to a syndicated column Rogers wrote for over 300 newspapers, a stream of magazine articles and essays, and steady appearances on the national lecture circuit. He hosted a national radio program and had starring roles in several Hollywood “talkie” movies.

    Rogers became the most beloved figure in America until his death in 1935. As I discovered in my research, a flood of eulogies appeared in newspapers and magazines following his passing. Typical was this one appearing in the Minneapolis Journal: “We all loved Will Rogers … . Poets we have had, and philosophers, and humorists of note; but not one among them all so endeared to the heart of the whole people. None was ever mourned with such genuine grief, none will be so missed from our common life.”

    Especially fascinated by the nation’s politics, Rogers often trained his humor on its foibles and achievements alike. Three touchstones guided his commentary: a genial skepticism about politics as usual, a belief that politics must be subsumed within a broader perspective on life and, above all, an insistence that political discussants honor a code of civility.

    Will Rogers sends up politics and politicians in this radio broadcast from 1924.

    ‘I just … report the facts’

    Rogers got most of his laughs from skeptical jabs at the system. He gleefully skewered the “bunk” of American politics, his favorite word for politicians’ shameless hypocrisy, bombastic rhetoric, inflated egos and shady deal-making. Both Democrats and Republicans stood guilty of peddling bunk.

    “You know, the more you read and observe about this politics thing, you’ve got to admit that each party is worse than the other,” Rogers said. “It is getting so that a Republican promise is not much more to be depended on than a Democratic one. And that has always been considered the lowest form of collateral in the world.”

    The Oklahoman poked fun at the political system’s grandiose rituals and fumbling institutions. He wrote of a benumbing presidential convention in 1924 that took three weeks and 103 ballots to nominate a nonentity: “In number of population the convention is holding its own. The deaths from old age among the delegates is about offset by the birthrate.”

    Rogers pilloried governmental ineptness in Washington, D.C. One year, when Congress reconvened after a round of egregious bickering and inaction, he joked, “Let us all pray: Oh Lord, give us strength to bear that which is about to be inflicted upon us. Be merciful with them, Oh Lord, for they know not what they do.”

    He claimed a simple approach: “I don’t make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.”

    ‘Critical yet charitable’

    Yet Rogers insisted that political disputation should be kept in perspective. He urged his fellow citizens to avoid politicizing every public issue and instead concentrate on more meaningful endeavors – family, friends, community and work.

    Despite the dire warnings of political zealots, he said, “There is no less sickness, no less Earthquakes, no less Progress, no less inventions, no less morality, no less Christianity under one (president) than the other.”

    But for Rogers, the ultimate guarantee of stability came from the mass of workaday American citizens seeking commonsense solutions to public problems. What Rogers called the “Big Honest Majority” lived simply and worked hard, wanted a good life for their families and pursued their own version of happiness.

    The average citizen, Rogers believed, had solid judgment and “was not simple minded enough to believe that EVERYTHING is right and doesn’t appear to be cuckoo enough to believe that EVERYTHING is wrong.”

    Finally, Rogers urged an approach to politics that was critical yet charitable, principled yet magnanimous. A connoisseur of civility, he insisted that political disputants were opponents, not enemies, and that contrary viewpoints deserved respect.

    The humorist set the example: “I haven’t got it in for anybody or anything.”

    Will Rogers dining with Oklahoma Gov. Bill Murray on Feb. 3, 1931, in Oklahoma City. Murray had his usual meal of hard-boiled eggs and milk; Rogers chose fried chicken.
    Associated Press

    Surviving overwrought partisanship

    Even as he pilloried politicians’ shortcomings, he never made it personal. Despite their faults, Rogers wrote, “the Rascals, when you meet ’em face to face and know ’em, they are mighty nice fellows.” He declared famously, “I’ve joked about every prominent man in my time but I never met a man I didn’t like.”

    Determinedly nonpartisan throughout most of his career, he leaned toward the party of Franklin Roosevelt during the Great Depression while jesting, “I don’t belong to any organized political faith; I’m a Democrat.” The cowboy humorist saw politics as an endeavor for genial discussion, not a blood sport.

    Rogers’ political axioms of healthy skepticism, perspicacity and civility remain useful guides for surviving even the most sordid electioneering.

    So when you hear overwrought partisans lamenting “the end of democracy” or “we won’t have a country left anymore,” take a deep breath and consider Will Rogers’ calmer, wiser approach to presidential elections a century ago. Remember his conclusion that America won’t be ruined “no matter who is elected, so the Politicians will have to wait four more years to tell us who will ruin us then.”

    Then you can adopt his sage advice that when dealing with a political adversary, “don’t disagree with him looking at him; walk around behind him and see the way he’s looking.”

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

    – ref. View politics critically but charitably and with good old common sense: cowboy commentator Will Rogers’ wisdom for 2024 – https://theconversation.com/view-politics-critically-but-charitably-and-with-good-old-common-sense-cowboy-commentator-will-rogers-wisdom-for-2024-239372

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Gun violence in Philadelphia plummeted in 2024 − researchers aren’t sure why, but here are 3 factors at play

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Carla Lewandowski, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice, Rowan University

    Philadelphia had 563 homicides in 2021 — the deadliest year on record. Alex Potemkin/E+ Collection via Getty Images

    Philadelphia experienced a surge in shootings and homicides during the COVID-19 years that disproportionately affected young Black and Latino men in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods with drug markets.

    In 2020, Philadelphia had 499 homicides – nearly 150 more than the previous year. Gun violence worsened in 2021 – with 562 homicides that year – and then dropped slightly in 2022.

    Fortunately, recent data shows a notable decline in these crimes over the past two years. As of late September 2024, homicides are down 40% for the year to date compared with 2023. And the number of shooting victims has decreased similarly – from 1,236 in the first eight months of 2023 to 758 for the same period in 2024.

    As professors of criminal justice who live in Greater Philadelphia, we know that there is no single explanation for the drop in gun violence. Rather, many factors at both the local and national levels could be playing a role.

    Police and justice system return to (sort of) normalcy

    A shortage of police – driven by pandemic-era resignations, retirements and injuries – significantly affected cities like Philadelphia.

    Additionally, the Philadelphia Police Department’s number of traffic and pedestrian stops dropped drastically. This was due to both the need to adhere to social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic and a widespread reluctance among officers to engage with citizens after massive protests in response to the murder of George Floyd. In fact, the number of documented stops plummeted by 83% from 2019 to 2020 alone.

    Philadelphia police staffing remains nearly 20% lower than before the pandemic.
    Spencer Platt/Getty Images News via Getty Images

    As the year progressed, the department struggled with officers’ abuse of the Pennsylvania Heart and Lung Act. This statewide disability program allows police and firefighters injured on the job to collect their full salaries.

    By September 2021, 14% of Philadelphia patrol officers were out of work on “no duty” disability leave, according to investigations by both The Philadelphia Inquirer and the city controller.

    Though up-to-date data is unavailable, there was a 31% drop in injury claims by December 2022, 10 months after the Inquirer investigation was published.

    More recently, the Philadelphia Police Department has attempted to increase its ranks through intensified recruitment efforts. It also lowered physical requirements and eliminated certain residency restrictions.

    Despite these efforts, staffing remains nearly 20% lower than in 2019. This places considerable strain on the existing workforce.

    Of course, the COVID-19 years considerably affected the entire criminal justice system and beyond in Philadelphia. Courts operated in a limited capacity, cases backlogged, probation and parole officers were less able to supervise individuals in the community, and the jail population was reduced. The city’s array of community- and hospital-based violence intervention programs were also disrupted.

    The post-pandemic resumption of court operations, improved violence intervention programs, police recruitment efforts and reduced disability claims may help explain the recent drop in shootings.

    New leadership and crime-fighting strategies

    Reducing gun violence was a top campaign issue during Philadelphia’s 2023 mayoral race.

    Mayor Cherelle Parker, elected on a law-and-order platform, declared a public safety emergency on her first day in office.

    She also appointed Kevin Bethel as police commissioner in charge of the more than 6,000-member force. Bethel, second in command under former Commissioner Charles Ramsey, quickly released a 100-day plan that focused on crime reduction in high-crime districts, shutting down open-air drug markets in Kensington and reinforcing federal partnerships to tackle violent crime.

    Philadelphia has also adopted new policing strategies and technologies.

    In early 2022, before Parker and Bethel’s tenure, the Philadelphia Police Department under former Commissioner Danielle Outlaw designated a new unit to investigate nonfatal shootings. In 2021, only 17% of nonfatal shootings led to arrests, a failure that can fuel retaliatory violence, legal cynicism – which refers to a drop in trust of the legal system – and communities resorting to self-policing.

    While it’s not yet clear what effect the new unit has had in Philadelphia, research shows such units that prioritize resources to solving nonfatal shootings in places such as Boston and Denver have reduced gun violence.

    More recently, the city began deploying mobile surge teams on weekends to flood high-crime areas with officers to deter potential criminal activity.

    Meanwhile, Temple University attributes the reduction in crime within its patrol areas to the implementation of safety measures, including new equipment for officers such as firearms and radios, upgraded security cameras and advanced technology such as license plate readers, which help identify stolen vehicles or those linked to criminal behavior.

    Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel has prioritized reducing gun violence in high-crime neighborhoods.
    Ryan Collerd/AFP via Getty Images

    National crime trends

    While local initiatives have likely contributed to Philadelphia’s drop in violent crime, these improvements also fit into national crime trends as cities across the U.S. experienced similar declines.

    Economics and public safety expert John Roman, for example, attributes both the rise and fall of violence to pandemic-related losses in government staffing and functionality, which he argues returned to prepandemic levels in late 2023.

    Roman shows how 1.3 million government jobs were lost nationally at the outset of COVID-19, with 75% of the losses coming at the local level. These local government employees, such as social and outreach workers, often connect people in marginalized communities that bear the brunt of gun violence to crucial services such as trauma counseling, victim advocacy and legal assistance.

    In Philadelphia, approximately 3,000 local government jobs were lost between 2019 and 2022. The reopening of social services and increase in those jobs and community-based interventions post-pandemic may have helped stabilize Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.

    Crime trends tend to ebb and flow. This current drop appears to align with a national de-escalation in violent crime. These factors, alongside the statistical phenomenon of regression to the mean – where crime rates normalize after extreme spikes – apply to both national and local crime rates.

    Some researchers, including Roman, have also considered the possibility that the recent 2020-2022 homicide peak killed a portion of the most violent offenders who drive shootings in their neighborhood. It’s based on the concept of the victim-offender overlap that those at the highest risk of violence are often offenders themselves.

    But crediting Philadelphia’s decline in homicides and violent crime to any single cause oversimplifies a much more intricate picture. While the exact causes of these shifts are complex, understanding the interplay of local and national forces is essential to sustaining this positive trajectory.

    John A. Shjarback receives funding from: the South Jersey Institute for Population Health; the NJ Gun Violence Research Center; and a few local/county governments including Cumberland County, NJ, Atlantic City, NJ, and Suffolk County, NY.

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

    – ref. Gun violence in Philadelphia plummeted in 2024 − researchers aren’t sure why, but here are 3 factors at play – https://theconversation.com/gun-violence-in-philadelphia-plummeted-in-2024-researchers-arent-sure-why-but-here-are-3-factors-at-play-235485

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI: Canon U.S.A., Inc. Supports Cross-University Project

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    MELVILLE, N.Y., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aligned with its commitment to supporting higher education and fostering collaboration, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to announce its support of a collaborative project between Syracuse University and Universidad del Sagrado Corazón in San Juan, Puerto Rico through which their students created a documentary film. The project was made possible through the help of powerful technology provided by Canon1, enabling students from both universities to work together to bring their ideas to life from ideation to execution. The resulting documentary, A Tale of Two Cities, will make its debut at the upcoming Syracuse Film Festival in Syracuse, New York, showcasing the students’ unique perspectives and collaborative efforts.2

    Under the guidance of faculty members Milton Santiago at Syracuse University and Professor Harold Leonard Navarro at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, students explored a topic of mutual regional significance. Despite the geographic distance between the two groups, they were able to seamlessly collaborate using Canon’s AMLOS (Activate My Line of Sight) solution and captured the documentary on Canon’s EOS R5C hybrid camera. Canon’s AMLOS solution facilitated real-time interaction, allowing the students to communicate in an engaging way to merge their unique perspectives and skills into a cohesive documentary project.

    “This project truly enabled our students to understand the power of collaboration,” said Santiago, an assistant professor of visual communications at Syracuse University’s renowned Newhouse School of Public Communications.

    “Despite being geographically distant, the students at Syracuse and at Sagrado were able to rally around a common goal: telling an important story while raising awareness about a timely issue,” Santiago added. “In joining forces through storytelling, the work they have created will have impact beyond our academic walls.”

    In exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, captured on Canon’s EOS R5 C camera, students reflect on how they used the AMLOS solution to collaborate seamlessly across geographic boundaries.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

    Additional footage shows the students working with the EOS R5 C camera to bring their documentary vision to life, highlighting the impact of Canon’s technology on their creative process.

    A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

    The benefits of Canon’s technology extended beyond merely facilitating interaction. It empowered students to work together to merge their perspectives seamlessly to help them create a polished final product.

    “The success of this project demonstrates that technology is an extremely powerful tool for collaboration across academic disciplines,” said Professor Navarro. “This experience has opened the door for future projects, bringing together students and faculty from diverse backgrounds in innovative ways.”

    Students echoed this sentiment, emphasizing how the project made a profound impact on their learning experience.

    “The experience that everyone got from this project is something that will leave a lasting impact on us,” said Jennifer Wybieracki, master’s graduate student at Syracuse University. “The collaboration between multidisciplinary fields is super important as we’re able to see how different industries operate and how we all contribute to the end product.”

    “We thank Canon for providing us with the equipment that allowed us to present the reality of the community by enabling us to obtain high-quality content,” said Victor Jiménez, journalism undergraduate student at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón.

    Supporting this collaborative project underscores Canon’s ongoing commitment to fostering creativity and innovation across academic institutions.

    “At Canon, we believe that technology has the power to transcend boundaries, whether geographic, cultural, or academic,” said Shinya Fukuda, senior vice president, Corporate Planning and Communications, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “By supporting this cross-university collaboration, we’re proud to help equip the next generation of filmmakers and storytellers with the tools they need to not only share their unique perspectives but also to foster meaningful connections through creativity and innovation.”

    About Newhouse School at Syracuse University

    The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University trains the next generation of communications leaders, preparing students to not only enter a rapidly changing media industry, but to shape its future. Called one of the “very best schools” in its field by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) in a 2023 report, Newhouse has been lauded for providing an excellent educational experience due to its outstanding students, faculty, staff, leadership and facilities, as well as financial stability and a deep curriculum. Newhouse is committed to expanding academic excellence through research and creative activity, as well as community engagement and professional opportunities to help students develop their skill set outside the classroom.

    About Universidad del Sagrado Corazón

    The Universidad del Sagrado Corazón is the oldest educational project in Puerto Rico, founded in 1880. It is located in the heart of Santurce, in the capital city of San Juan. The university offers academic programs that foster innovative thinking and creativity, helping students develop into leaders across various industries. The Ferré Rangel School of Communication is the premier institution for media and communication studies in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. Its graduates hold leadership roles in media and communication organizations both domestically and internationally. Learn more about the Ferré Rangel School of Communication at https://www.sagrado.edu/en/communications/

    About Canon U.S.A. Inc.

    Canon U.S.A. Inc. is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $29.4 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. as of 2023 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 38 consecutive years†. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To learn more about Canon, visit us at www.usa.canon.com and connect with us on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/canonusa.

    † Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

    1 Canon U.S.A., Inc. also provided limited financial support to the schools for the project.

    2 The views and opinions expressed in the documentary are the views and opinions of the makers thereof and do not reflect the views and opinions of Canon U.S.A.

    To learn more about the AMLOS solution, including requirements, technical specifications and compatibility information please contact your Canon Authorized Representative. Subscription to, purchase, and use of other Canon and third-party services and solutions required for set-up, sound, to see remote users, and other features. Subject to applicable Canon or third-party provider’s terms and conditions. Neither Canon Inc. nor Canon U.S.A., Inc. represents or warrants any third-party product, service, or feature referenced hereunder.

    Not responsible for typographical errors.

    Canon is a registered trademark of Canon Inc. in the United States and may also be a registered trademark or trademark in other countries. AMLOS, the AMLOS logo and Activate My Line of Sight are trademarks of Canon U.S.A., Inc. All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.

    Contact info: Nicole Esan Niesan@cusa.canon.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Partners Value Split Corp. Announces $125,000,000 Public Offering of Class AA Preferred Shares, Series 14

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. WIRE SERVICES

    TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Partners Value Split Corp. (the “Company”) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to sell 5,000,000 Class AA Preferred Shares, Series 14 (the “Series 14 Preferred Shares”) to a syndicate of underwriters led by Scotiabank, BMO Capital Markets, CIBC Capital Markets, RBC Capital Markets and TD Securities Inc. on a bought deal basis.

    The Series 14 Preferred Shares will be issued at a price of $25.00 per share, for gross proceeds of $125,000,000. The Series 14 Preferred Shares will carry a fixed coupon of 5.50% and will have a final maturity of June 30, 2030. The Series 14 Preferred Shares have a provisional rating of Pfd-2 from DBRS Limited. The net proceeds of the offering will be used by the Company in connection with the Company’s redemption of its outstanding Class AA Preferred Shares, Series 8 and to pay a special dividend on the Company’s capital shares.

    The Company has granted the underwriters an option, exercisable in whole or part prior to closing, to purchase up to an additional 1,000,000 Series 14 Preferred Shares at the same offering price, which, if exercised in full, would increase the gross offering size to $150,000,000. Closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about September 27, 2024.

    The Company owns a portfolio consisting of approximately 119 million Class A Limited Voting Shares of Brookfield Corporation and approximately 30 million Class A Limited Voting Shares of Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (collectively, the “Brookfield Securities”),which are expected to yield quarterly dividends that are sufficient to fund quarterly fixed cumulative preferential dividends for the holders of the Company’s preferred shares and to enable the holders of the Company’s capital shares to participate in any capital appreciation of the Brookfield Securities.

    Brookfield Corporation is a leading global investment firm focused on building long-term wealth for institutions and individuals around the world. Brookfield Corporation has three core businesses: alternative asset management, wealth solutions, and its operating businesses which are in renewable power, infrastructure, business and industrial services, and real estate. Brookfield Corporation is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BN.

    Brookfield Asset Management Ltd. (“BAM”) is a leading global alternative asset manager with approximately US$1 trillion of assets under management across renewable power & transition, infrastructure, private equity, real estate, and credit. BAM’s objective is to generate attractive, long-term risk-adjusted returns for the benefit of its clients and shareholders. BAM is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BAM.

    Jason Weckwerth, Chief Financial Officer, will be available at (416) 363-9491 to answer any questions regarding the offering.

    This news release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of Canadian provincial securities laws and regulations. The words “expected”, “will”, “agreed” and “enable” and other expressions which are predictions of or indicate future events, trends or prospects and which do not relate to historical matters or identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information in this news release includes statements with regard to the provisional rating on the Series 14 Preferred Shares, which is not a final rating, the use of proceeds of the offering and quarterly dividends from the Company’s portfolio of Brookfield Securities which are expected to fund quarterly fixed cumulative preferential dividends for holders of the Company’s preferred shares and to enable holders of its capital shares to participate in any capital appreciation of the Brookfield Securities. Although the Company believes that the anticipated future results or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information and statements are based upon reasonable assumptions and expectations, the reader should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information and statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking information and statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated or implied by the forward-looking information and statements include: the behaviour of financial markets, including fluctuations in interest and exchange rates, availability of equity and debt financing and other risks and factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s other documents filed with the Canadian securities regulators. We caution that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on our forward-looking information to make decisions with respect to the Company, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Except as may be required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information or statements, whether written or oral, that may be as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Reference should be made to the Company’s short form base shelf prospectus dated September 19, 2024 for a description of the major risk factors.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How sheriffs define law and order for their counties depends a lot on their views − and most are white Republican men

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Mirya Holman, Associate Professor of Public Policy, University of Houston

    A sheriff gestures. Ed Jones/AFP via Getty Images

    Many Americans will find on their November 2024 ballot a space to vote for an important office: local sheriff. While there are exceptions, sheriffs have a long history of using their power to maintain a particular, unequal balance of power in society, often along racial and class lines.

    A recent example of this arose on Sept. 13, 2024, when Bruce Zuchowski, sheriff of Portage County, Ohio, posted a message on a Facebook page headed by a graphic that included his official portrait and which was labeled with his official title. Zuchowski called for the public to write down the addresses of people who have campaign signs supporting Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris in their yards.

    That way, he said, when immigrants arrive and need housing, “We’ll already have the addresses of the … families … who supported their arrival.”

    The post, which Zuchowski later claimed appeared on his “personal Facebook page,” used derogatory terms for immigrants and for Harris. It also included screenshots of two Fox News stories about migrants in Aurora, Colorado, and Springfield, Ohio, which are both places that former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, and his running mate JD Vance have falsely claimed to be sites of dangerous activity by immigrants.

    The header of a page Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski claimed is a ‘personal’ Facebook page shows him in uniform and carries his full title.
    Screenshot of a Facebook page
    An Ohio sheriff posted an anti-immigrant message on Facebook.
    Screenshot of a Facebook post

    Sheriffs in the U.S. don’t often get national news attention, but Zuchowski’s request was covered in The Washington Post, NBC News and The Guardian, among others.

    There are more than 3,000 sheriffs elected at the county level in the United States, each of whom has authority and autonomy to both set and enforce law enforcement policy. For example, sheriffs in many states can decide whether their deputies will wear body cameras and what happens to the footage recorded during routine stops.

    In our book, “The Power of the Badge: Sheriffs and Inequality in the United States,” we provide a comprehensive look at this office and detail the history of sheriffs enforcing inequality both by using formal powers of their office, such as cooperating with federal immigration officers, and with informal powers, such as communicating about who belongs in their community.

    Zuchowski’s post, which vilifies immigrants and targets people who support immigrant rights, is just part of that long history of sheriffs using their power as a tool of social control, as we document in our book.

    Various sheriffs have participated in social control throughout American history. For instance, in the 18th century, an Alabama sheriff ran slave auctions and Georgia sheriffs played a central role in enforcing slave codes. In the 19th century, a Pennsylvania sheriff quashed union efforts to protect workers’ rights against exploitative businesses. In the 20th century, Southern sheriffs’ roles in voter suppression during the Civil Rights Movement are well documented. In the 21st century, racial profiling has been a problem in the enforcement of traffic laws by sheriffs in Arizona and California, among other states. Zuchowski is just one 21st-century sheriff entering the debate over immigration policy and immigrants’ rights.

    Personal views affect public service

    In the wake of Zuchowski’s post, The Portager, a news website in his community, reported residents saying the sheriff’s post constituted voter intimidation. Some residents have called for investigations of the sheriff’s office by local, state and national agencies, including the Department of Justice’s civil rights division.

    So far, the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office says the sheriff has broken no laws.

    In both our book and previous work, we document through two national surveys how variations in sheriffs’ views on race and ethnicity may shape their office’s policies and practices.

    Zuchowski’s comments about immigrants, including calling them “Illegal human ‘Locust,’” denies their humanity by comparing immigrants to animals.

    In our research, we have found that sheriffs’ negative attitudes toward immigrants are statistically correlated to their offices’ anti-immigrant policies. For instance, sheriffs with more negative attitudes are more likely to have an official policy to check the immigration status of crime victims and witnesses. That relationship held even after we controlled potential influence of other factors such as political partisanship and the share of the native-born population in a sheriff’s county.

    Similarly, as we show in our book, sheriffs with racist views were less likely to report to us their deputies have been trained to reduce racial and ethnic bias in traffic enforcement. That issue is a problem in Portage County, according to the local NAACP, which in 2023 released a report claiming the sheriff’s office unfairly targets Black drivers.

    Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski posted a defense of his earlier post.
    Screenshot of a Facebook post

    Politics plays a role

    Since his initial post, Zuchowski has defended himself on social media, writing:

    “If the citizens of Portage County want to elect an individual who has supported open borders (which I’ve personally visited Twice!) and neglected to enforce the laws of our Country … then that is their prerogative. With elections, there are consequences. That being said … I believe that those who vote for individuals with liberal policies have to accept responsibility for their actions! I am a Law Man … Not a Politician!”

    Despite Zuchowski’s claims, he is indeed a politician. Like other sheriffs in the United States, he was elected by voters. He was the Republican nominee in 2020 and is running for reelection in 2024.

    Like sheriffs across the country, Zuchowski had extensive law enforcement experience, including working in the Portage County Sheriff’s Office prior to running to head the office. We found that more than 85% of sheriffs worked for the previous sheriff before seeking election. And like most other sheriffs, Zuchowski is a white Republican man. We and others find that more than 90% of sheriffs are white and over 98% are men.

    Across the United States, sheriffs will ask voters for their support this fall to remain in office. In most counties, these elections are uncompetitive: Sheriffs usually run either unopposed or against weak candidates.

    In this way, Portage County is an exception. Zuchowski’s first election was a competitive race for an open seat, and he faces a challenger to his reelection bid in the 2024 election. His Democratic opponent, Jon Barber, is similarly a white man with a law enforcement background.

    But Barber’s campaign website highlights another common challenge for voters: how to pick a good sheriff. His site focuses on transparency, accountability and community policing, with no discussion of immigration. Voters don’t get a clear message about any substantive differences that might exist between the two candidates.

    Will Zuchowski’s comments matter for voters? Elsewhere around the country, voters have reelected sheriffs who have made anti-immigrant and racist comments.

    Mirya Holman receives funding from Arnold Ventures

    Emily Farris received funding from Arnold Ventures.

    – ref. How sheriffs define law and order for their counties depends a lot on their views − and most are white Republican men – https://theconversation.com/how-sheriffs-define-law-and-order-for-their-counties-depends-a-lot-on-their-views-and-most-are-white-republican-men-239282

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI USA: GAO Makes Appointments to PCORI Governing Board

    Source: US Government Accountability Office

    WASHINGTON, DC (September 23, 2024) — Gene L. Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), today announced the reappointment of seven members and one new member to the Governing Board of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI).  

    “The professional credentials and extensive knowledge of today’s appointees will bring strong leadership to the PCORI Governing Board,” Dodaro said. “Their invaluable experiences and diverse backgrounds will help drive the PCORI mission forward in maintaining clinical research that continues to be patient centered.”

    Dodaro reappointed the following members to a second term through September 2030: Kara Ayers, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Cincinnati and Associate Director of the University of Cincinnati Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities; Kate Berry, Senior Vice President of Clinical Innovation with America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP); Jennifer (Jen) DeVoe (Vice Chairperson), M.D., MPhil, MCR, DPhil, FAAFP, John & Sherrie Saultz Professor and Chair of the Oregon Health & Science University Department of Family Medicine; Christopher Friese, Ph.D., RN, AOCN, FAAN, Director of the Center for Improving Patient and Population Health and Professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing; Michael Herndon, D.O., Chief Medical Officer at Health Alliance for the Uninsured and former Chief Medical Officer for the Oklahoma Healthcare Authority (retired); James Schuster, M.D., MBA, Chief Medical Officer at the UPMC Insurance Services Division; and Christopher L. White, Esq., General Counsel and Chief Policy Officer of AdvaMed.

    The newly appointed member will fulfill the statutory requirement to appoint at least one individual representing a federal health program or agency. Hilary Marston, M.D., MPH, Chief Medical Officer of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is appointed for a six-year term through September 2030 and may be reappointed for one subsequent six-year term. A brief biography follows:

    As FDA’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Marston serves as the primary clinical advisor to the Commissioner and oversees a range of issues important to the patient community. Dr. Marston leads programs and cross-cutting initiatives that support making effective, safe, and innovative medical products available to the American people, including combination products, pediatric therapeutics and orphan products for rare diseases. Her portfolio also includes planning for and responding to public health emergencies, including medical product supply chain coordination, and cross-cutting clinical trial oversight-related issues, including evidence generation and informed consent. In close collaboration with FDA’s medical product centers, she supports patient engagement activities to foster awareness and collaboration with patients, their advocates, stakeholders, and the FDA. Dr. Marston previously served on the White House COVID-19 Response Team and the National Security Council. Prior to these roles, she was Policy Advisor for Pandemic Preparedness at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Dr. Marston trained in Internal Medicine and Global Health Equity at Brigham & Women’s Hospital. She completed her M.P.H. at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

    For more information, contact Ray Sendejas on GAO’s Health Care team at (202) 512-7113, or Sarah Kaczmarek in GAO’s Office of Public Affairs at (202) 512-4800, or visit the GAO Health Care Advisory Committees web page at www.gao.gov/about/hcac.

    #####

    The Government Accountability Office, known as the investigative arm of Congress, is an independent, nonpartisan agency that exists to support Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities. GAO also works to improve the performance of the federal government and ensure its accountability to the American people. The agency examines the use of public funds; evaluates federal programs and policies; and provides analyses, recommendations, and other assistance to help Congress make informed oversight, policy, and funding decisions. GAO provides Congress with timely information that is objective, fact-based, nonideological, fair, and balanced. GAO’s commitment to good government is reflected in its core values of accountability, integrity, and reliability.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: NIST Awards $3 Million for Community-Based Cybersecurity Workforce Development

    Source: US Government research organizations

    GAITHERSBURG, Md. — The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has awarded cooperative agreements totaling nearly $3 million aimed at developing the workforce needed to defend the nation’s organizations and infrastructure from cybersecurity risks. The grants of roughly $200,000 each will go to 15 education and community organizations in 11 states that are working to address the nation’s shortage of skilled cybersecurity employees.

    The cooperative agreements will be overseen by NICE, a NIST-led partnership between government, academia and the private sector focused on cybersecurity education, training and development of a diverse workforce. 

    “To strengthen our national and economic security, we need a highly skilled and talented cybersecurity workforce,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio. “This investment in cybersecurity education and training will help fill a critical workforce need while giving people the skills they need to succeed in good-paying, high-quality jobs.”

    The NICE-funded CyberSeek tool, which analyzes data about the cybersecurity job market, found that there were nearly 470,000 cybersecurity job openings in the U.S. between May 2023 and April 2024. Roughly 85 workers were available to fill every 100 cybersecurity job openings in the U.S. during this time.

    The organizations receiving the awards will build Regional Alliances and Multistakeholder Partnerships to Stimulate (RAMPS) cybersecurity education and workforce development. These RAMPS projects will align the workforce needs of local business and nonprofit organizations with the NICE Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity.

    “The RAMPS program provides individuals from diverse backgrounds, experiences and life circumstances access to cybersecurity careers,” said NICE Director Rodney Petersen. “It also helps communities collaborate on creating career pathways to good jobs for all Americans and contributes to economic development by addressing workforce needs at the local and regional scales.”

    Many of the RAMPS projects promote curriculum development or education and training at the high school, collegiate or professional levels. Others support work-based learning experiences in the form of internships, apprenticeships or projects. Still others support workshops, bootcamps, competitions and hackathons.

    With these latest awards, there will now be 33 RAMPS communities in 20 states. The award recipients, areas served, and amounts awarded are:

    Adventurous Minds Produce Extraordinary Dreams Inc.          
    Louisville, Kentucky   
    $199,670

    The Coding School   
    New York City & Westchester County Region
    $200,000

    Del Mar College District       
    Corpus Christi, Texas               
    $200,000

    The Escal Institute of Advanced Technologies Inc.          
    North Bethesda, Maryland   
    $199,700 

    Howard Community College            
    Columbia, Maryland 
    $200,000

    Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments       
    Washington, D.C.        
    $195,726

    Miami University
    Oxford, Ohio                   
    $199,850

    Moraine Valley Community College            
    Palos Hills, Illinois      
    $199,982                

    New York University
    New York, New York   
    $200,000

    Old Dominion University Research Foundation
    Norfolk, Virginia 
    $200,000

    Purdue University     
    West Lafayette, Indiana          
    $199,717

    Research Foundation of CUNY on behalf of Lehman College  
    Bronx, New York           
    $200,000

    The Sierra College Foundation        
    Rocklin, California 
    $198,000

    University of Florida                
    Gainesville, Florida    
    $199,999

    Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University          
    Blacksburg, Virginia  
    $194,270

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: ICYMI: Rural Counties Emphasize the Dangers of Republican Scheme to Funnel Millions of Taxpayer Dollars to Private School Vouchers

    Source: US State of North Carolina

    Headline: ICYMI: Rural Counties Emphasize the Dangers of Republican Scheme to Funnel Millions of Taxpayer Dollars to Private School Vouchers

    ICYMI: Rural Counties Emphasize the Dangers of Republican Scheme to Funnel Millions of Taxpayer Dollars to Private School Vouchers
    mseets

    Legislative Republicans’ plan to spend $625 million this year on taxpayer funded private school vouchers instead of public schools will hurt rural communities the most. And school boards and leaders in rural North Carolina are speaking out. Voucher expansion would disproportionately impact rural North Carolina counties, where access to private education is limited and public schools serve as the backbone of communities. Recently, local papers have highlighted this attack on public education in North Carolina.

    Read how communities will be affected below:

    N&O: Private school voucher expansion is looming in NC. Why Wake schools say that’s bad

    T. Keung Hui, September 18, 2024

    Wake County school leaders charge that North Carolina’s historic expansion of private school voucher funding will leave public schools underfunded.

    State lawmakers have passed a bill that provides an additional $463 million for private school vouchers but less than half of the $200 million requested for public school enrollment growth. During Tuesday’s review of House Bill 10, most Wake school board members said the legislation should be rejected.

    Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to veto the bill. But Republicans have a large enough legislative majority to override Cooper to pass the bill into law.

    “Not only is it bad for us here in Wake County, It’s bad statewide,” said school board chair Chris Heagarty. “It’s bad because so many of our small school districts don’t even have private school options yet the public schools which are there to serve in those communities are underfunded.”

    Read the article here.

    Martin County Enterprise: Governor: Voucher program hurts MCS

    John Foley, September 18, 2024

    Martin County public schools, already suffering from tight budget restraints, could lose substantial funding if the N.C. General Assembly’s move to direct substantial tax dollars towards private school vouchers is successful.

    That’s the message from N.C. Governor Roy Cooper.

    The action would extend the program to 55,000 students.

    “If the General Assembly’s private school voucher plan moves forward, Martin County could lose more than $65,000 in public education funding in just the first year of the expanded program,” Gov. Cooper told The Enterprise last week. “Statewide, the General Assembly could spend nearly $625 million in new funding of taxpayer money for private school vouchers just this year.”

    Gov. Cooper was referring to the GOP-controlled Legislature’s vote to approve the increased voucher funding.

    “They’re coming back to take hundreds of millions of taxpayer money out of the public schools to give it to private school vouchers for the wealthiest North Carolinians,” the Governor said. “This is devastating for education across the board and we have evidence from other states to prove it.”

    Public schools are funded based on how many students are enrolled. For each enrolled student, public schools receive an average of $7,500 in state funding to cover various expenses, such as teacher salaries, instructional materials or transportation, explained Cooper.

    Under the voucher program, if a public-school student uses a voucher to attend a private school, the public schools lose that funding. If the General Assembly fully expands the taxpayer-funded private school voucher program, private schools could siphon nearly $100 million in state funding from public schools.

    The program will cost the state more than $270 million just in the first year, according to statistics provided by Gov. Cooper.

    “Despite the lack of funding, our public schools continue to shine. More than 84 percent of North Carolina’s school-aged children still attend public schools and parents are overwhelmingly satisfied with that choice,” noted Gov. Cooper. “And for good reason. Our public schools are doing amazing things.

    “Last year, public school students earned 325,000 workforce credentials, and our public schools have more nationally board certified teachers than any other state in the country,” he continued. “The success of our families and our workforce relies on strong public schools. Private school vouchers will destroy that goal.”

    Studies show private school vouchers do not improve student performance. North Carolina private schools also operate under a less regulated educational umbrella. Private schools are not required to hire licensed teachers, they are not required to report on how students are performing, nor are they required to teach a curriculum based on the state’s academic standards or provide services for students with disabilities.

    “Vouchers directly undermine strong public education. They take scarce funding from public schools, which serve 90 percent of students nationwide — and give it to private schools. These private schools have no accountability to tax payers for their service and are held to no standards for curriculum, student learning, nor ethical practice,” Martin County Schools Superintendent Dr. Michelle White said. “In addition, private schools choose what students they will accept to educate. Public tax dollars should not be used for chosen students, it should be used for all students.

    “Martin County Schools, like all public schools, proudly serve all children. In addition, public school teachers are severely underpaid and often work multiple jobs to make ends meet,” Dr. White continued. “If our legislators would have taken the $463 million dollars they put in vouchers, and invested it in teacher pay, North Carolina teachers would have seen a 2.6 percent pay increase.”

    Read the article here.

    The Yadkin Ripple: Expanded private school vouchers could hurt local school funding

    Kitsey Burns Harrison, September 18, 2024

    There are no private schools located in Yadkin County, yet an expanded private school voucher program recently passed in the state legislature could lead to lost funding for public education.

    Part of House Bill 10, passed by Republican legislators in the N.C. General Assembly last week, aimed at providing “school choice” for students includes an increase in funds for the next 15 years to the Opportunity Scholarship Grant Fund Reserve. A total of $625 million in new funding would be directed to taxpayer-funded private school vouchers in the first year of this expanded program.

    According to information from Governor Roy Cooper’s office, “Yadkin County could lose more than $106,000 in public education funding in just the first year of the expanded voucher program, despite having zero private schools participating in the Opportunity Scholarship Program.”

    Cooper spoke directly with The Yadkin Ripple to express his concern over how this program could particularly affect public education funding for rural counties such as Yadkin.

    “The Legislature wants to take money out of the public schools and give it to private school vouchers, even to the wealthiest of North Carolinians,” Cooper said. “We’re talking about a total amount of $625 million dollars this year. That will be devastating for education across the board. We have strong evidence from other states to prove it. Studies show that private school vouchers do not improve student performance, it’ll only rob public schools of badly needed funding.”

    Funding locally for public schools continues to be an issue and something that educators are concerned about. Yadkin County Schools Superintendent Anthony Davis said he was concerned about how this expanded voucher program could negatively affect Yadkin County Schools.

    “I understand that the General Assembly has a monumental responsibility to ensure that they are good stewards of taxpayer dollars and that the needs are met across several state-funded agencies and programs. However, I do not agree with utilizing public money to fund private schools,” Davis said. “There are so many needs we have in the public school system that go unrealized due to lack of funding. It has become increasingly difficult to hire quality staff with salary being a major mitigating factor. Chronic absenteeism, mental health support, and behavior concerns continue to be a post-pandemic issue that requires the attention of additional specialized staff like school social workers, school counselors, nurses, and behavior support staff.”

    “Our Exceptional Children’s program is only funded at 13% of our population when our actual service numbers well exceed that,” Davis continued. “If the General Assembly would use a fraction of the proposed $825 million they plan to use for vouchers by 2032-2033, all of these programs and staffing needs could be fully funded which would allow us to offer families and staff the support they deserve.”

    Read the article here.

    Rocky Mount Telegram: Cooper intends to veto voucher bill upon arrival

    Eugene L. Tinklepaugh, September 14, 2024

    Gov. Roy Cooper stands ready to veto legislation fully funding a Republican-backed voucher program that currently has a waitlist of about 55,000 students.

    The Opportunity Scholarships are state-funded vouchers available to families with children attending private schools.

    Cooper said Friday in a phone interview with the Telegram that the legislature’s recently approved spending plan will take about $625 million away from the state’s public schools to pay for the program.

    “I’m going to veto this legislation, and it’s important for that veto to be sustained, so that we don’t put these private school vouchers permanently in our system with the very wealthiest getting the money,” Cooper said.

    “This would be devastating to public schools.,” he said.

    The N.C. House voted 67-43 following debate Wednesday to accept the legislation worked out by Republican legislative leaders. The N.C. Senate approved the measure separately Monday during a scheduled session this week.

    In the House, three Democrats joined Republicans in approving the measure. N.C. Rep. Shelly Willingham, D-23rd District, was one of the three Democrats siding with the GOP majority on the bill. Attempts to reach Willingham on Friday were unsuccessful. Willingham represents Bertie, Martin and Edgecombe counties.

    Cooper noted that rural areas would be hurt the most by this bill, which Republicans have touted as clearing the way for a true universal school choice program.

    “Edgecombe County would lose more than $171,000 in public education funding,” Cooper said. He noted that there are no private schools in the county that accept these Opportunity Scholarships.

    Nash County stands to lose even more public education funding if the bill becomes law.

    “Nash County could lose $811,000,” Cooper said. The two-term governor is a Nash County native whose daughters attended Nash County public schools.

    Read the article here.

    The Daily Advance: School voucher expansion ‘devastating’ for public education in NC

    Chris Day, September 13, 2024

    Rural North Carolina’s public schools will suffer because of the state Legislature’s decision this week to spend more tax dollars extending private school vouchers to an additional 55,000 students, Gov. Roy Cooper said this week.

    “The Legislature wants to take hundreds of millions of dollars out of the public schools and give it to private school vouchers, even for the wealthiest North Carolinians,” Cooper said Wednesday during a phone interview with The Daily Advance. “That’s going to be devastating for education across the board.”

    Cooper was referring to the Republican-led General Assembly’s approval this week to add up to $625 million in new funding this year to support Opportunity Scholarships, otherwise known as school vouchers.

    Cooper, who is reaching out to media outlets in rural areas of the state, said he wants residents, particularly those in rural North Carolina, to understand the potential downsides of the state spending even more money for families to send their children to private schools that accept vouchers. That’s because 28 rural North Carolina counties have one or no private school participating in the voucher program.

    “We’ve got evidence from other states that have done this (expand private school vouchers) to prove that studies show that private school vouchers do not improve student performance,” Cooper said. “We also know and we’ve seen it in other states that rural counties will be hurt the most. Most of the private schools getting this taxpayer money are in the urban areas” of the state.

    Read the article here.

    The Taylorsville Times: An interview with Gov. Cooper about School Voucher Expansion legislation

    Angela Farr King, September 18, 2024

    North Carolina House Bill 10, also known as the Private School Voucher Expansion Bill, recently passed in the NC Senate on September 9 and the NC House of Representatives on September 11.

    According to The Opportunity Scholarship Impact Analysis sent to The Taylorsville Times by the Governor’s office and created by the Office of State Budget Management (OSBM), “the Opportunity Scholarship Program (also known as the Private School Voucher Program) was created by the NC General Assembly in 2013. Scholarships are awarded based on a family’s household income and can be used to pay the required tuition and fees to attend an eligible K-12 private school.”

    The OSBM also states that “The 2023 Appropriations Act SL 2023-134 expanded program eligibility and funding leading to nearly 70,000 new applications for the 2024-25 academic year, a more than 100% increase over 2023-24. 15,805 of new eligible applicants were funded, leaving 54,000 on the waitlist. Additional appropriations proposed in the Fiscal Year 2024-25 NC House and Senate budget bills would fund all remaining 2024-25 eligible applicants.”

    According to the Impact Analysis, if the proposed House 10 Bill passes, the current number of new students receiving scholarships to attend private schools of 15,805 will possibly increase by a number of 53,706 for a total of 69,511.

    Read the article here.

    Jacksonville Daily News: Gov. Cooper urging residents in ENC, to speak up against private school voucher funding

    Morgan Starling, September 18, 2024

    North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is urging residents, specifically those in rural counties like Onslow, Craven, and Lenoir, to contact their legislators in opposition to a program that Cooper says could take around $625 million away from public schools in just the first year.

    The General Assembly returned to session last week, passing a supplemental spending bill that approves hundreds of millions more taxpayer dollars for private school vouchers through the Opportunity Scholarship Program.

    The House voted 67-43, according to reporting by the Associated Press, adopting the plan that Cooper says will see the legislature spend more than $4 billion in taxpayer funding over the next decade.

    “This is devastating for education across the board, and we have evidence from other states to prove it,” Cooper told The Daily News. “Studies show that private school vouchers do not improve student performance. Instead, they rob public schools of badly needed funding. Of course, in North Carolina, we wouldn’t know, because they have provided no accountability for these hundreds of millions of dollars that they’re sending to the private schools.”

    Expanding private school vouchers would especially impact rural North Carolina counties, where access to private education is limited, and public schools serve as the backbone of communities, according to Cooper’s office.

    In fact, 28 of North Carolina’s 100 counties have no, or just one, private school participating in the voucher program.

    Onslow County itself could lose around $1.7 million in public education funding in just the first year of the expanded voucher program, with 12 private schools eligible to participate.

    Craven County could lose around $1.5 million with only nine schools participating, Lenoir could lose more than $553,000 with just five schools participating, and Jones could lose more than $102,000 despite having zero schools participating.

    Read the article here.

    ###

    Sep 19, 2024

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Innovations at int’l manufacturing convention pave way for future industries

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

    HEFEI, Sept. 23 — The 2024 World Manufacturing Convention concluded Monday with a showcase of cutting-edge technologies and pivotal agreements that are set to drive the evolution of future industries.

    The convention, which brought together industry leaders, innovators, and policymakers from across the globe, highlighted the critical role of innovation in shaping the next generation of manufacturing.

    Throughout the four-day convention held in Hefei, capital of east China’s Anhui Province, a total of 718 investment projects worth 369.2 billion yuan (about 52 billion U.S. dollars) have been signed, underscoring strong collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence, green technology and advanced manufacturing.

    Among the most notable was a partnership agreement between Hefei and Chinese drone maker EHang, which focused on the operations and sales of the company’s passenger-carrying autonomous aerial vehicles in east China.

    In addition, a cooperation agreement on the production of high efficiency cadmium telluride thin film solar cells was also inked at the convention.

    This type of cell has a much lower production cost compared to crystalline silicon and other solar cells. Additionally, their spectrum is the most consistent with sunlight, allowing them to absorb some 95 percent of sunlight.

    A highlight of the event was the display of several groundbreaking products and technologies that are poised to reshape the manufacturing landscape. Humanoid robots that can mimic human movements with remarkable precision were prominently featured.

    One of the standout presentations came from the Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Humanoid Robots, which introduced the Qijiang-2 humanoid robot capable of performing delicate tasks such as folding clothes, opening bottles, wiping dishes and navigating uneven terrain.

    “In the future, these humanoid robots will be able to adapt to both industrial production and elderly care scenarios, serving as robot workers and caregivers,” said Liu Houde, director of the laboratory.

    The convention not only served as a platform for technological advancements but also offered an immersive experience.

    At the convention’s outdoor exhibition area, visitors were enthralled by an unmanned sightseeing bus equipped with Shine Auto’s self-developed autonomous driving technology.

    They can either scan a QR code to board or reserve a ride through a WeChat mini program, with the option to disembark at multiple sightseeing stops.

    “The future of automobiles will undoubtedly enter the era of autonomous driving. Cars are no longer just a means of transportation, they have also become intelligent mobile terminals, transforming into mobile spaces that make life better,” said Zhou Ji, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China vows to strengthen elderly care services

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

    BEIJING, Sept. 23 — China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs has pledged to further strengthen the country’s elderly care services to cope with the aging population.

    Minister Lu Zhiyuan told a press conference on Monday that the ministry will work to put in place a three-tiered facility network for elderly care services that connects counties (districts), townships (subdistricts), and villages (communities).

    Lu said that in order to optimize the service supply structure, community-based elderly care institutions will be strengthened and nurtured. These institutions will provide meal assistance, medical assistance and emergency assistance, as part of their home-based aged care programs, thus solidifying the foundational role of home-based elderly care.

    Community-based elderly care services such as senior dining halls and rehabilitation care will also be improved, said Lu. He also added that the ministry will strengthen the professional support role of institutional elderly care by promoting innovation in elderly care institutions, and providing training in service skills.

    To strengthen the elderly care industry, Lu said efforts will be made to support and cultivate professional, branded and chain-operated elderly care market entities, expand elderly care service consumption, and further develop the silver economy.

    The ministry will also step up the oversight of elderly care services, Lu added, highlighting efforts to improve rules and regulations and formulate standards.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Travelling by bus just got easier with launch of SolentGo ‘travel anywhere’ ticket

    Source: City of Portsmouth

    Bus passengers in Portsmouth have reason to celebrate as bus operators and local authorities join forces to launch a new bus ticket that promises to make bus travel more convenient, affordable and accessible to all.

    The new SolentGo ticket, the Greater Portsmouth Travelcard, is now available to purchase online, or direct from the driver. This ticket allows interchangeable and unlimited travel on both First and Stagecoach buses in Portsmouth and beyond. These tickets have been developed in partnership with local bus companies, First Solent and Stagecoach South, and local authorities Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council as well as the Solent Transport Partnership.

    Passengers can now travel for work or leisure to Emsworth, Horndean, Bishops Waltham, Botley, Fareham, Gosport, Hayling Island and Portsmouth. Daily and weekly tickets are available, which cost £7.50 and £30 respectively and are designed to take people where they need to go, with convenience in mind. These travelcards allow unlimited travel within the extended area, and you can tap on, tap off with your ticket, or use your mobile phone app.

    Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport at Portsmouth City Council said:

    “The new SolentGo Greater Portsmouth Travelcard is a great step towards making bus travel easier, more affordable and more convenient. Passengers can now travel seamlessly across different bus operators, both within the city and to nearby areas. This launch is the result of strong collaboration between local councils and bus companies, and this initiative comes from consultation with the public, all with the aim of improving public transport for everyone.”

    Cllr Lulu Bowerman, Cabinet Member for Highways at Hampshire County Council said:

    “This is a good example of how, by working collectively to bring about bus service improvements, through the Bus Service Improvement Plan, we can make travel easier and, in this case, the cost of travel more affordable. We know many bus users who live in the areas outside the City, travel in regularly for work, shopping and leisure. If they use the services of more than one bus operator, they can now buy one ticket for the whole of their daily travel needs.”

    Marc Reddy, Managing Director of Stagecoach South said:

    “We are delighted to announce the arrival of this newest addition to the SolentGo range of travelcards which give customers the chance to travel between the services of different operators on a single ticket. They are easy to buy on your phone, or – if you just want a day travelcard – from the driver.”

    Simon Goff, Managing Director of First Solent said:

    “We are very keen to make travel by bus as easy as possible, and SolentGo is one of the ways we do this. Over 200,000 journeys are made each year in south Hampshire on SolentGo travelcards by customers who use the services of more than one operator, and we are sure this new Greater Portsmouth ticket will be a popular addition to the range”

    Find out more about public transport in Portsmouth and the improvements to bus services and tickets: travel.portsmouth.gov.uk/public-transport/

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: 5 Google TV Streamer features to try

    Source: Google

    Google TV Streamer: 5 helpful features to try

    [{“model”: “blogsurvey.survey”, “pk”: 3, “fields”: {“name”: “General Article Sentiment”, “survey_id”: “general-article-sentiment_240906”, “scroll_depth_trigger”: 50, “previous_survey”: null, “display_rate”: 50, “thank_message”: “Thank you!”, “thank_emoji”: “ ”, “questions”: “[{“id”: “32a784f8-0a4d-44e9-962b-b9db9422d98b”, “type”: “simple_question”, “value”: {“question”: “Overall, how did you feel about this article?”, “responses”: [{“id”: “d1c06504-53a7-4704-a79b-8deb17a6e072”, “type”: “item”, “value”: “Liked it very much”}, {“id”: “35c540e2-a10e-491f-b4eb-bebfcf90784b”, “type”: “item”, “value”: “Liked it somewhat”}, {“id”: “76b8658c-7cc9-43ac-8243-9a6153fb4504”, “type”: “item”, “value”: “Neutral”}, {“id”: “9ddaa8dd-8101-4e89-bbf6-05636991cc6e”, “type”: “item”, “value”: “Disliked it somewhat”}, {“id”: “050af230-a83f-40e5-9065-fce8f7472051”, “type”: “item”, “value”: “Disliked it very much”}]}}]”, “target_article_pages”: true}}]

    Sep 23, 2024

    [[read-time]] min read

    Google TV Streamer is on shelves tomorrow. Try out new features that help you do everything from finding shows to watch to finding your lost remote.

    Mia East

    Keyword Contributor

    The Google TV Streamer is officially on shelves tomorrow for $99.99. Our all-new, 4K media streaming device is designed for you to enjoy your favorite movies and TV shows and control your compatible smart home devices. Here’s a look at five of its helpful features that let you easily find the content you want to watch, set the scene for your ideal at-home viewing experience and personalize your TV streamer to do more — like helping you find your missing TV remote yet again.

    Find what to watch next, without the stress

    Gone are the days of spending more time searching for a show than actually watching one, especially when you’re trying to get the whole family to agree! Thanks to Gemini technology, the latest Google TV features bring you full summaries, reviews and season-by-season breakdowns of some of the top movies and TV shows — which makes finding your next marathon watch that much easier.

    Google TV Streamer also uses Google AI and your personal preferences to curate content suggestions across all of your subscriptions, so you’ll always have something to watch that interests you.

    Manage your smart home with home panel

    Google TV Streamer doubles as a smart home hub, so controlling your Matter- and Thread-compatible devices from one place is effortless. You can check in on your smart home devices with the new home panel on the TV, so you can see what’s happening at the front door, dim the lights and adjust the thermostat — all from the comfort of the couch.

    You can also cast content from your phone, add it to speaker groups, control music and more directly from your TV.

    Program your remote with the new customizable button

    Know exactly what you’re looking for? The new customizable button on Google TV Streamer’s remote lets you jump in right where you left off. You can program it to switch to the home panel to control your smart home device, favorite app or another input. You’ll be able to access your preferred streaming service, gaming console or smart lighting with just one click.

    Lost your remote again? Try Find My Remote!

    If the couch cushions tend to swallow your remote, we’ve got you covered. With Google TV Streamer, we’ve added “Find my remote” for a quick and easy way to locate your remote when it seems to be hiding.

    • Simply press the button on the back of the Google TV Streamer for less than five seconds and the remote will make a beeping sound.
    • You can also ask any connected Google Assistant device, like a speaker or Pixel phone, “Hey Google, find my remote,” and the remote will then chime so you can find it.
    • Too comfortable to get off the couch? Easily access the Find My Remote feature on the Google Home app. Your remote will sound and you can get back to streaming.

    Turn your screen into art with Ambient Screensaver

    With the new Ambient Screensaver, Google TV Streamer turns your TV into bespoke art. Display family memories and favorite photos from Google Photos albums. Or to create a one-of-a-kind image, use your voice to describe what you want to generate with the help of Google AI or pick from a selection of prompts.

    Try all of these features and more with your new Google TV Streamer — available for purchase tomorrow for $99.99 from the Google Store and other third-party retailers.

    POSTED IN:

    Let’s stay in touch. Get the latest news from Google in your inbox.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Google at the 79th United Nations General Assembly

    Source: Google

    This week, global leaders are gathering in New York City for the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the first “Summit of the Future.” Front and center is how to dramatically accelerate progress on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    To help, the UN took a significant step forward yesterday in adopting the Global Digital Compact, a UN initiative to design a global framework to overcome digital, data and innovation divides. It outlines principles, objectives and actions for advancing an open, free, secure and human-centered digital future that enables the realization of the SDGs.

    We believe that linking the SDGs with digital progress is a great step, as we’ve seen first-hand how digital tools and access to technology can benefit education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and economic growth. We’ve long been inspired by the alignment between Google’s mission — to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful — and the SDGs. They’re similarly audacious goals that seek to benefit humanity.

    Most excitingly, AI may now bring them all into reach.

    As our CEO Sundar Pichai said in his keynote address at the UN’s Summit of the Future this weekend, “Just as the internet and mobile devices expanded opportunities for people around the world, now AI is poised to accelerate progress at unprecedented scale.”

    He also shared some of the ways Google develops technology in an effort to improve the lives of as many people as possible. From investments in infrastructure to digital skills training to innovating new products, we’re focused on making sure the digital divide does not become an AI divide.

    Our partnerships to address the SDGs

    We know from experience that expanding access to opportunity through technology requires strong public-private partnerships — with bold investments supported by the right policy frameworks. That’s why to address the SDGs and prevent an AI divide we are working across sectors, in concert with the UN and others. Today I’m excited to share a few updates on that work, including ongoing partnerships with UN agencies and a broad array of global stakeholders.

    Supporting AI skilling and education through a Global AI Opportunity Fund

    As Sundar shared in his keynote address, we’re proudly committing $120 million to make AI education and training available throughout the world. We’re partnering with nonprofit and civil society organizations to provide training in local languages based on foundational AI courses designed by Google and others. This is in addition to $275 million in Google.org funding already committed to support the responsible use of AI in society, funding both NGOs using AI to accelerate their social impact as well as organizations helping to build an ethical, safe and robust AI ecosystem. This also covers support for the development of AI solutions to achieve the SDGs such as flood forecasting in more than 80 countries, wildfire detection, and AlphaFold which is being used by over 2 million scientists in more than 190 countries doing protein-folding research.

    Enhancing the “Data Commons” to measure SDG progress

    After a successful year since the launch of UN Data Commons for the SDGs, Google has worked with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) Statistics Division to expand Data Commons integration into major organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labor Organization (ILO). Data Commons acts as a central hub, providing an AI interface to access insights and visualizations on SDG progress, ultimately facilitating data-driven strategies and decisions in support of the SDGs. This helps with data equity — eliminating data as a primary barrier to implementing the SDGs — and ensures more communities have the resources they need to benefit from AI advances.

    Using AI to map the world’s buildings

    With the global population growing by more than 80 million a year, mapping the ever-changing built environment is difficult. But comprehensive urban data is critical to help global decision-makers and partners like UN Habitat support effective urban planning and address SDG 11. Just last week, we launched the Open Buildings 2.5D Temporal dataset, which uses AI to extract building footprints and heights from satellite imagery that is too blurry for the human eye, and provides critical information about how the world’s cities are changing over time with unprecedented detail.

    Using AI to enhance humanitarian disaster response

    In collaboration with Google.org, UN Global Pulse’s DISHA initiative, and the United Nations Satellite Center (UNOSAT), Google Research delivered an AI-powered solution to assist UNOSAT experts in assessing building damage, significantly enhancing the United Nations’ capacity to respond to global natural disasters. The tool allows UNOSAT analysts to expand their coverage by a factor of seven, allowing them to assess much larger regions in disaster zones, and it speeds up the production of initial damage reports by a factor of six, facilitating faster support to humanitarian agencies.

    Leveraging Google Cloud

    Google Cloud collaborated with the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the UN International Computing Centre (UNICC), and the Italian and Ethiopian governments to co-host an event to address the mounting challenges associated with the upcoming EU Deforestation Regulations. Google Cloud offers modern technology solutions to empower coffee farmers with what we call “first mile data ownership,” providing control of the data to the farmers on the ground and allowing for greater transparency and supply chain efficiency. We also signed a Joint Declaration with UNIDO to leverage innovation to advance inclusive and sustainable industrial development.

    Working to enhance education for all

    As part of our commitment to learning for all, we’re working with UNICEF to support SDG4 (Quality Education), including deploying Chromebooks and using Google Classroom and Read Along to support literacy development. We are also proud to be a member of UNESCO’s Global Education Coalition, which yesterday launched the Six Pillars for Digital Transformation of Education, a common framework to shape sustainable and human-centered digital transformation of education systems. We know that by safely connecting young people to high-quality learning experiences, we can support skilling, economic development and societal contribution. Our aim is to use the power of technology, including advances in AI, and apply it to help close the equity gap and solve for the global learning crisis.

    Looking ahead

    We’re proud of our ongoing work with the UN. This year, in particular, we were deeply inspired by the first-ever “Summit of the Future,” which reflected an understanding of the urgent issues facing our world, as well as the role technology can play if we work together.

    We already know that future generations are watching, and focused on the urgent need for progress. In fact, this year a group of YouTube Creators from around the world joined UNGA and the summit to amplify these vital conversations with their more than 52 million subscribers. This, in addition to livestreaming UNGA sessions on YouTube, is one more way that people are signaling support for progress on the SDGs.

    As Sundar put it, “The opportunities are too great…the challenges too urgent…. and this technology too transformational, to do anything less.”

    So let’s do this!

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Research Networks of Excellence in Women’s Heart and Brain Health

    Source: Government of Canada News

    Backgrounder

    The Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Gender and Health and partners, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (Heart & Stroke) and Brain Canada, are supporting two new Research Networks of Excellence in Women’s Heart and Brain Health with a total investment of $10M divided equally between the two. These networks will enable cutting-edge, intersectional and interdisciplinary research that addresses the most urgent research questions and significant gaps in practice for women’s heart and brain health.

    Principal Investigator Project Summary
    Dr. Amy Yu
    Sunnybrook Research Institute

    Forming the first formal research network in Canada dedicated to studying stroke in women, the team has designed a research program to understand why there are more women living with the consequences of stroke than men, and why stroke affects women and men differently. Answering these questions is critical for identifying treatments and therapies to help women recover their health and function after stroke. The studies will involve five hospitals in four provinces and will focus on:

    • Determining whether women and men with suspected mild strokes receive different tests and treatments, and whether there are differences in the long-term risk of eventually having a bigger stroke.
    • Evaluating whether women and men hospitalized with stroke experience differences in recovery in all aspects of health, including quality of life, mental health, sleep, memory, and loneliness.
    • Studying whether care and outcomes in First Nations patients hospitalized with stroke differ between women and men.
    • Examining whether women and men access and use rehabilitation services differently, whether they are paying out-of-pocket for treatments, and whether there are differences in their ability to return to work.
    • Testing strategies to improve the representation of women in stroke research.
    Dr. Rohan D’Souza
    McMaster University

    Heart-related conditions are among the leading causes of death and serious illness among pregnant individuals in most countries. At least 50% of these deaths and serious illnesses are preventable. Dr. D’Souza’s team will build a large network of clinicians, researchers, social scientists, economists and persons with lived experience from across Canada to work together towards reducing heart-related deaths and serious illness during and after pregnancy. They will:

    • Review all serious pregnancy-related cardiovascular events in Canada by gathering and sharing information in a sensitive and respectful way to learn how to prevent more deaths in the future.
    • Assess pregnant people with heart conditions after their pregnancies to ensure that they recover fully, so that they have fewer complications later in life.
    • Find ways for pregnant people with heart valve disease to receive specialized care when needed, to improve outcomes for them and their babies.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Bridging the gaps: Two national networks get $10 million for women’s heart and brain health research

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 1

    Press release

    Research will help reduce and prevent deaths and serious illnesses from heart disease and stroke in women

    September 23, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    Heart disease and stroke are associated with unique symptoms and risk factors in women that are understudied and poorly understood. This is a significant gap, which is why the government is investing new funding in women’s heart and brain health to ensure women have access to the quality care they need.

    Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced a $10 million investment from the Government of Canada and its partners, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and Brain Canada, to establish two national research networks in women’s heart and brain health.

    One network will be led by Dr. Rohan D’Souza of McMaster University, whose team will foster collaboration across Canada to reduce death and serious illness associated with heart conditions during and between pregnancies, and the other by Dr. Amy Yu of Sunnybrook Research Institute, whose team will work to improve stroke assessment, diagnosis and outcomes for women across the country.

    Each network will receive $5 million over five years to elucidate risk factors for heart and brain disorders in women and improve the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect women more than men or that are understudied.

    Quotes

    “We know that women are affected differently or disproportionately by certain health conditions like heart disease and stroke, but these conditions remain understudied and poorly understood. By investing in these research networks, we can address persistent gaps in knowledge, practice and policy related to women’s cardiovascular health, ensuring that women from coast to coast to coast have access to the care they need.”

    The Honourable Mark HollandMinister of Health

    “The intersectional approach taken by these Networks of Research Excellence is a real asset, as it will help to identify how women’s heart and brain health differs based on social factors, including Indigenous identity, race and sexual orientation, and how social processes, such as racism, sexism and homophobia, impact health risks and outcomes. This type of research is essential to informing precision medicine in a way that can actually improve women’s care and save lives.”

    Dr. Angela KaidaScientific Director, CIHR Institute of Gender and Health

    “Our Foundation is proud to encourage innovation and discovery in women’s heart and brain health by contributing to the work of these national networks. It is well known that some heart and brain conditions are more common in women than men, and heart disease and stroke can manifest differently in women and men. We are excited that this new research will look at the different stages of women’s lives and consider additional factors such as gender, racial identity, disability and social economy. These new research networks will add to the evidence base in this area, which we can then use to save lives.”

    Doug RothChief Executive Officer, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada

    “Brain Canada is Canada’s only research funding organization dedicated entirely to the brain, making its commitment to advancing the science of sex and gender a significant one. We are pleased to match the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada’s $2.4 million investment in Canada’s first research network dedicated to the study of women and cardiovascular health. This research aims to determine why stroke affects women differently than men, and to identify differences in treatment, access to rehabilitation care and risk of recurrence. The results will help inform the development of new therapies and improve women’s recovery after stroke.”

    Dr. Viviane PouponPresident and CEO, Brain Canada Foundation

    Quick Facts

    This type of research is essential because some risk factors associated with brain and heart disorders in women are poorly understood, not only by women themselves, but also by health professionals and the general population. Risk factors that deserve further study include those related to the use of oral contraceptives, gestational diabetes, pregnancy-related disorders, preterm birth, premature menopause, hormone replacement therapy and polycystic ovary syndrome.

    There is a persistent lack of knowledge and understanding regarding the heart and brain health of women, transgender, non-binary, intersex, two-spirited and gender-marginalized people, as most research has traditionally focused on the heart and brain of men.

    “Women’s health” is an evolving concept that broadly considers the multidimensional aspects of sex and gender. It refers to physical, biological, reproductive, psychological, emotional, cultural, and spiritual health and well-being across the life course, in the context of the unique concerns that affect our bodies, roles, social situations, and identities. Far from being limited to the binary conception of sex and gender, it considers the experiences and needs of all people who identify as women, girls, intersex, and/or underrepresented gender identities, including but not limited to Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary, gender fluid, and agender people.

    Related products

    Related links

    Contact persons

    Matthew KronbergPress SecretaryOffice of the Honourable Mark HollandMinister of Health343-552-5654

    Media RelationsCanadian Institutes of Health Researchmediarelations-relationsaveclesmedias@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

    Alicia D’AguiarHeart and Stroke Foundation of Canadaalicia.daguiar@heartandstroke.ca647-426-8410

    Kate ShinglerBrain Foundation Canadakate.shingler@braincanada.ca514-550-8308

    THECanadian Institutes of Health Research(CIHR) know that research has the power to change lives. As the federal agency responsible for investing in health research, they work with partners and researchers to support discoveries and innovations that improve the health of Canadians and Canada’s health care system.

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Translation: Networks of Excellence in Research on Women’s Heart and Brain Health

    MIL OSI Translation. Canadian French to English –

    Source: Government of Canada – in French 2

    Information document

    The Canadian Institutes of Health Research’s Institute of Gender and Health and its partners, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and Brain Canada, are supporting two new Networks of Research Excellence with a total investment of $10 million, split equally between the two networks. These will foster cutting-edge intersectional and interdisciplinary research that addresses the most pressing questions and gaps in practice in women’s heart and brain health.

    Principal Investigator Project Summary
    Dr. Amy YuSunnybrook Research Institute

    For this first research network in Canada officially dedicated to the study of stroke in women, the team has designed a research program aimed at understanding why women are more likely than men to live with the consequences of stroke and why they are affected differently. Answering these questions is critical to determining the most effective treatments and therapies to help women recover and regain function after stroke. Five hospitals in four provinces will participate in the studies, which will focus on the following objectives:

    To determine whether women and men with suspected mild stroke receive the same tests and treatments, and whether they have the same long-term risk of having a more severe stroke. To assess whether women and men hospitalized for stroke recover differently across all aspects of health, including quality of life, mental health, sleep quality, memory, and isolation. To examine whether care and outcomes for First Nations patients hospitalized for stroke differ between women and men. To analyze whether men and women have different access to and use of rehabilitation services, whether they are required to pay for treatment themselves, and whether they have the same ability to return to work. To test strategies to improve the representation of women in stroke research.
    Dr. Rohan D’SouzaMcMaster University

    Heart disease is a leading cause of death and serious illness among pregnant women in most countries. At least 50% of these deaths and illnesses are preventable. Dr. D’Souza’s team will build a broad network of clinicians, researchers, social scientists, economists and people with lived experience from across Canada to focus on reducing death and serious illness from heart disease during and after pregnancy. Their goals are to:

    Review all serious cardiovascular events related to pregnancy in Canada by collecting and sharing data, with care and respect, to determine how to better prevent deaths in the future. Assess women with heart problems after pregnancy to ensure they recover fully and avoid future complications as much as possible. Enable pregnant women with valvular heart disease to receive the specialized care they need to improve their health and that of their babies.

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

    MIL Translation OSI

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Closing the gap: Two national networks secure $10M in funding for women’s heart and brain health research

    Source: Government of Canada News

    News release

    Research will shed light on how to reduce and prevent death and serious illness from heart conditions and stroke in women

    September 23, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    Women experience distinct heart disease and stroke symptoms and risk factors that remain under-researched and misunderstood. With these new investments, we’re closing the gap and moving toward a future where all women receive the high-quality heart and brain health care they need.

    Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced that the Government of Canada and partners, Heart & Stroke and Brain Canada, are investing $10M to establish two new national research networks for women’s heart and brain health.

    The networks will be led by Dr. Rohan D’Souza at McMaster University, whose team will create a Canada-wide collaboration aimed at reducing deaths and serious illness from heart conditions during and between pregnancies, and Dr. Amy Yu at the Sunnybrook Research Institute whose team will work on improving evaluation, diagnosis, and outcomes of stroke in women across Canada.

    Each network will receive $5M in funding over five years to better understand women’s risk factors for heart and brain conditions and to improve the diagnosis and treatment of conditions more common among women or that are less well studied.

    Quotes

    “We know that women can have conditions that affect them disproportionately or differently, like heart disease and stroke, but these conditions remain under-researched and misunderstood. By investing in these research networks, we can fill persistent knowledge, practice and policy gaps in women’s heart and stroke health – so women across Canada can get the care they need.”

    The Honourable Mark Holland
    Minister of Health

    “A strength of the Research Networks of Excellence is the intersectional approach being used to examine how women’s heart and brain health differ by social factors including Indigeneity, race and sexual orientation, as well as how social processes like racism, sexism and homophobia may further shape risk and health outcomes. This type of research is necessary to inform precision medicine approaches to greatly improve women’s care and save lives.”

    Dr. Angela Kaida
    Scientific Director, CIHR Institute of Gender and Health

    “Heart & Stroke is proud to accelerate advances through these national networks to drive new knowledge and innovation in women’s heart and brain health. Certain types of heart and brain conditions are more common in women, and women can be impacted differently by heart disease and stroke. We are excited that this new research will reflect the various life stages women go through and will include additional considerations for gender and racial identity, disability and social economics. These new research networks will allow us to further develop and use research evidence in women’s heart and brain health, and ultimately help save more lives.”

    Doug Roth
    CEO, Heart & Stroke

    “As Canada’s only research funder focused exclusively on the brain, we are committed to advancing sex and gender science. Brain Canada is pleased to match the $2.4-million investment by Heart & Stroke in the first Canadian research network dedicated to the study of women and stroke. This research examines why stroke affects women differently than men, and identifies variations in treatment, access to rehabilitation, and risk of recurrent stroke. Findings will lead to new therapies and improved stroke recovery for women.”

    Dr. Viviane Poupon
    President and CEO, Brain Canada

    Quick facts

    • This type of research is crucial, as some risk factors for brain and heart conditions in women are under-recognized, not only by women themselves, but by health care professionals and the general public, including risk factors related to the use of oral contraceptives, gestational diabetes, disorders related to pregnancy, pre-term delivery, premature menopause, hormone replacement therapy and polycystic ovary syndrome, among others.

    • There is a persistent lack of awareness and understanding around the heart and brain health of women, transgender, non-binary, intersex, Two-Spirit and people marginalized on the basis of their gender, as historically most research has focused on men’s hearts and brains.

    • The use of the term “women’s health” reflects an evolving concept, broadly including the multidimensional concepts of sex and gender. It refers to physical, biological, reproductive, psychological, emotional, cultural, and spiritual health and wellness across the lifespan in the context of the unique intersecting concerns related to bodies, roles, social locations, and identities. This goes beyond sex and gender binaries and welcomes the experiences and needs of all people who identify as a woman, girl, intersex and/or under-represented gender identity, including but not limited to Two-Spirit, trans, non-binary, gender fluid and agender people.

    Related products

    Associated links

    Contacts

    Matthew Kronberg
    Press Secretary
    Office of the Honourable Mark Holland
    Minister of Health
    343-552-5654

    Media Relations
    Canadian Institutes of Health Research
    mediarelations@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

    Alicia D’Aguiar
    Heart & Stroke
    alicia.daguiar@heartandstroke.ca
    647-426-8410

    Kate Shingler
    Brain Canada
    kate.shingler@braincanada.ca
    514-550-8308

    At the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) we know that research has the power to change lives. As Canada’s health research investment agency, we collaborate with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health care system.

    MIL OSI Canada News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Beyer To Honor Jennifer Wexton At Annual Women’s Conference

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Don Beyer (D-VA)

    Rep. Don Beyer today announced that Rep. Jennifer Wexton will receive the Clara Mortenson Beyer Women and Children First Award at his Eighth Annual Women’s Conference: The Time Is Now on September 26.

    Rep. Jennifer Wexton serves Virginia’s 10th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. Prior to serving in the U.S. House, Wexton served the people of Northern Virginia for over two decades as a prosecutor, attorney, advocate for abused children, and state Senator. Throughout her legislative career, Wexton has been renowned for her success in working across the aisle to deliver results to better the lives of Virginians.

    In September 2023, Wexton announced that her previous Parkinson’s Disease diagnosis had been updated to Progressive Supranuclear Palsy – a kind of ‘Parkinson’s on steroids’ – and would not seek reelection. Following this diagnosis, Wexton used her platform and time in office to raise awareness for and champion passage of the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis and Honorable Jennifer Wexton National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act which was ultimately signed into law by President Biden. In July 2024, Wexton became the first member of the U.S. House to have a model of her voice generated by artificial intelligence speak for her on the House floor.

    “A neurodegenerative disease diagnosis is extremely difficult news for anyone to receive, but Jennifer has faced her diagnosis with extraordinary grace, strength, and courage,” said Rep. Don Beyer. “She has never wavered in her service to the American people and was instrumental in the enactment of the National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, the most significant action Congress has taken in decades to combat Parkinson’s and related neurodegenerative diseases. I am so proud to know and serve with Jennifer and call her a friend.”

    Rep. Beyer created the Clara Mortenson Beyer Women and Children First Award while Ambassador to Switzerland in 2011.  It is named after his grandmother, who is credited with convincing the Roosevelt Administration to appoint Frances Perkins, the first female Cabinet Secretary in the United States. Clara Beyer served as Secretary Perkins’ right hand, working on child labor issues. She was the first woman appointed as US Representative to the International Labor Organization in Geneva. 

    The award is given annually to recognize exceptional work to empower women. Previous awardees include Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tanya J. Bradsher, Dr. Tahera Ahmadi, journalist Marie Ridder, gun violence prevention advocate Naomi Wadler, rock climber Sasha DiGiulian, diplomat Betty King, PeaceWomen founder Ruth Gaby Vermot, journalist Lisa Feldmann, Arlington community activist Portia Clark, and immigration advocate Ofelia Calderón.

    This year’s conference will be held at George Mason University’s Arlington Campus on the evening of Thursday, September 26. Registration and additional information are available here.

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI USA: Speaker Johnson: SAVE Act is “One of the Most Important Votes Members of this Chamber Will Ever Take”

    Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Johnson (LA-04)

    WASHINGTON — Utilizing his “magic minute,” Speaker Johnson argued today on the House floor for swift passage of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, legislation introduced by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) that would increase protections against noncitizens and illegal aliens voting in U.S. elections.
     
    “This will be one of the most important votes that members of this chamber will ever take in their entire careers. And it’s an issue we never thought we would have to actually address, but that moment has come to us now,” Speaker Johnson said. “Should Americans and Americans alone determine the outcome of American elections? Or should we allow foreigners and illegal aliens to decide who sits in the White House and in the People’s House and in the Senate?”

    Click here to watch Speaker Johnson’s remarks from the House floor

    Below are excerpts from Speaker Johnson’s remarks.
     
    On the risks posed by noncitizen voting and illegal immigration:
     
    Americans all over the country understand what’s at stake here. They refuse to hand over our country to illegal aliens, cartels, traffickers and violent criminals and murderers. That’s what’s at stake. Now, look, I hate to say it, but we have so many noncitizens in the country right now. That if only one out of 100 of those illegal aliens voted, you’re talking about hundreds of 1000s of votes being cast.
     
    And remember, these aren’t huddled masses of frightened families yearning to be free. In January of this year, we took the largest delegation of members of Congress to the border. In January, we went to Eagle Pass, Texas, it was the epicenter of the open border crisis at the time, and we met with the Border Patrol agents and high of high officers in US Customs and Border Patrol and they told us the truth. 
     
    They said down there at Eagle Pass of all the many, many countless people who have come across that border illegally because Joe Biden and Secretary Mayorkas opened the border wide, they said you should know this members of Congress, they said 70%, 70% of the people who crossed illegally in Eagle Pass in the Del Rio sector are single adult males between the ages of 18 and 49. These are not huddled masses of people seeking refuge from persecution, you know seeking asylum here for just causes. These are people who do not have our best designs in mind. 
     
    Because of Joe Biden’s open border policies, we’ve got ISIS smuggling rings operating in our country. We have cartels. We have operational control of the border. We’ve got Chinese and Russian spies here in our midst roaming freely in our country. We’ve got murderers and rapists offending again and again across the country and they are never deported. These are people that Joe Biden and his administration are releasing into the country every day. The director of the FBI has testified multiple times now before this before Congress before our committees and said all the red lights are flashing. What is he referring to? The unprecedented dangerous situation. The enemy is here the enemy is in our country now… 
     
    We’re facing a dangerously high number of dangerous individuals who could actually change the outcome of our elections and thus determine the future of this great Republic.
     
    On addressing counter-arguments:  
      
    Now, some of our colleagues are arguing, some of the outside interest groups who want those open borders, the open borders crowd, they’re pointing out that it’s already illegal to vote and you don’t really need to do this. That’s true. It is illegal to vote under federal law.  Only US citizens are supposed to vote in a US election. But here’s the problem. The law is not being followed.
     
    Even though it’s already illegal, this is happening. Let me give a couple examples: in Georgia State election officials are catching 1000s of noncitizens who are trying to register to vote but they are one of only a few states that is making that effort right now to check the voter rolls on the front end before the disaster occurs. 
     
    In May, the state of Ohio, they had to remove 137 noncitizen voters from the rolls when they did a quick check. In May of last year, Virginia removed almost 1500 noncitizens from their voter rolls. But here’s the catch, only after more than 800 of those noncitizen ballots had been cast in 2019. They already participated in an election illegally.
     
    It shouldn’t surprise us that criminals who break our border laws my friends are also going to break our election laws. These are not paragons of virtue in all these cases, as the 70% of people who came across the border who are military aged males coming into our country without any deterrence at all. They’re not law abiding citizens my friends, they’re illegal aliens and they should not be participating in the election. Remember, if just a small percentage, a fraction of a fraction of all those illegals that Joe Biden is brought in here vote, if they do vote, it wouldn’t just change one race and it might it might potentially change all of our races.
     
    On the necessity of the SAVE Act:
     
    The Save Act is the bill before us. It’s not complicated. It’s written in very plain language so that everyone can read it and understand it.
     
    Everybody understands the SAVE Act. We’ll do several important things and all of them are obvious common-sense measures. Here’s the list: 1) It requires state election officials to ask about citizenship before providing voter registration forms. What a concept. 2) It requires an individual to provide proof of citizenship, if indeed he or she wants to register to vote in our federal elections. 3) Provide states with access to our federal agency databases. Why is that so important? Well, so they can remove noncitizens from voter rolls and confirm citizenship for individuals who lack that all important proof of citizenship. 4) It directs the Department of Homeland Security to determine whether to conduct removal proceedings if an illegal alien or noncitizen has been identified as having been registered to vote in federal elections.
     
    American citizens will be protected and in no way harmed by this bill. There is not a conceivable argument that the Democrats can make to oppose the commonsense measures that we’re putting before them today. Nothing changes the voter registration process in the states. The only people who will face hurdles here are those who are trying to break our federal laws.
     
    And that’s why it’s patently absurd that the White House issued a veto threat. They issued a veto threat. President Biden’s is going to veto the bill. And Democrat leadership right now is engaging in a very robust whipping operation to stop this bill from being passed. It is absolutely outrageous. And the American people need to know what’s happening here. It’s dangerous. It’s dangerous for the future of our country. It’s dangerous for the future of your family if you’re watching at home. 
     
    Joseph Story was the great American legal scholar and Supreme Court Justice and the author of the seminal commentaries on the constitution that we used to have to read in law school. And he said it this way on this subject this is very important. Listen to what he said. He said, “If aliens might be admitted indiscriminately to enjoy all the rights of citizens at the will of a single state, the Union might itself be endangered by an influx of foreigners, hostile to its institutions, ignorant of its powers and incapable of due estimate of its privileges.” 
     
    He said that so well, I wholeheartedly agree. I know everyone on our side of the aisle does. If we’re going to maintain this great American experiment, this grand experiment in self governance that we’ve now kept for 248 years, if we’re going to keep it for more than we have to ensure that the outcomes of our election remain in the hands of Americans alone. 

    MIL OSI USA News –

  • MIL-OSI: Infrastructure Dividend Split Corp. Class A Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Infrastructure Dividend Split Corp. (TSX:IS) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that a distribution for September 2024 will be payable to Class A shareholders as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per
    Preferred Share
    September 30, 2024 October 15, 2024 $0.125
         

    The equity shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol IS.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains.  The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Tackling workforce challenges across the health and social care system

    Source: City of Plymouth

    Key representatives from Plymouth’s health and social care sector have met for the first time to share system-wide, collective workforce strategies across University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Livewell Southwest and adult social care.

    The event hosted by Caring Plymouth, the city’s sector skills partnership for health and social care, brought together a range of stakeholders including adult social care providers, Plymouth City Council’s Commissioners, senior representatives from the NHS and Livewell Southwest, training providers including further and higher education, and representatives from Department for Work and Pensions.

    Councillor Mary Aspinall, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “We now have shared understanding about the demands for this critical workforce so that we can better prioritise the coordinated actions that we need to take to deliver a sustainable, system-wide skilled workforce for the future. We know that this sector has the highest overall demand for recruitment in Plymouth, with approximately 350 unique job vacancies a month with highest demands for care workers and home carers as well as nurses, and there is also significant need for managerial and administrative roles.”

    Speaking at the event, Darryn Allcorn, Chief Nurse & Director of Integrated Professions at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, said: “It is exceptionally positive that we can work collaboratively across the city in order to understand our collective workforce demands and challenges. There is so much more to our workforce than the traditional caring roles associated with health and social care. Through working together, we can ensure our local communities not only have employment opportunities but supported to develop lifelong careers.”

    Sharing their workforce strategy priorities, Nicky Varker, Assistant Director of Workforce at Livewell Southwest, said: “We share in the ambition to deliver the highest-quality health and care services to our population and to do this, we want to make sure Plymouth is the destination of choice for roles in the sector. This means creating attractive packages that bring the best people into the city and support them to unlock their potential. We’ve worked hard to open doors in recent years with new pathways into nursing that are helping people to achieve aspirations they had started to close a door on. The challenge is to spread this into our wider workforce to create clear development pathways to help people enter and grow within Livewell.”

    The event also marked the launch of the city’s first dedicated Skills and Training Directory for the Health and Social Care sector which provides access and improved information, advice and guidance for people new to the sector as well as helping the existing workforce with career progression.

    For further information email caringplymouth@plymouth.gov.uk

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Invesco Ltd: Form 8.3 – Anglogold Ashanti PLC; Public dealing disclosure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1. KEY INFORMATION  
       
    (a) Full name of discloser: Invesco Ltd.  
    (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
    The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		    
    (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
    Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 AngloGold Ashanti PLC  
    (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:    
    (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:
    For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 20.09.2024  
    (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
    If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 Yes, Centamin PLC  
       
    2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE  
       
    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.  
    (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)  
       
    Class of relevant security: USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664  
      Interests Short Positions  
      Number % Number %  
    (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 1,665,180* 0.39      
    (2) Cash-settled derivatives:          
    (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell: 205,500 0.04 410,000 0.09  
      Total 1,870,680* 0.44 410,000 0.09  
    *The change in the holding of 2,154 shares since the last disclosure on 13.09.2024 is due to the transfer out of a discretionary holding.  
       
    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    		  
       
       
    (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)  
       
    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:    
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:    
       
    3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE  
       
    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    		  
    (a) Purchases and sales  
       
    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit  
    USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664 Sale 1,311 28.03 USD  
    USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664 Sale 05 28.06 USD  
       
    (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions  
       
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit  
               
       
    (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)
     
    (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying
     
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
                   
       
    (ii) Exercise  
       
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit  
               
       
    (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)  
                 
    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)  
             
             
       
    4. OTHER INFORMATION  
       
    (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements  
       
    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”    		  
    None  
       
    (b) Agreements, arrangements, or understandings relating to options or derivatives  
       
    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”    		  
    None  
       
    (c) Attachments  
       
    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? YES  
       
    Date of disclosure 23.09.2024  
    Contact name Philippa Holmes  
    Telephone number +441491417447  
       

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

                                              SUPPLEMENTAL FORM 8 (OPEN POSITIONS)

    DETAILS OF OPEN STOCK-SETTLED DERIVATIVE (INCLUDING OPTION) POSITIONS, AGREEMENTS TO PURCHASE OR SELL ETC.

    Note 5(i) on Rule 8 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1.        KEY INFORMATION

    Full name of person making disclosure: Invesco Ltd.
    Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities the disclosure relates: AngloGold Ashanti PLC

    2.        STOCK-SETTLED DERIVATIVES (INCLUDING OPTIONS)

    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Written or purchased Number of securities to which option or derivative relates Exercise price per unit Type

    e.g. American, European etc.

    		 Expiry date
    USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664 Put Option Written 102,500 1.17 USD American 18/10/2024
    USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664 Put Option Written 103,000 1.31 USD American 18/10/2024
    USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664 Call Option Short Position Written -102,500 1.62 USD American 18/10/2024
    USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664 Call Option Short Position Written -102,500 2.63 USD American 18/10/2024
    USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664 Call Option Short Position Written -102,500 2.61 USD American 18/10/2024
    USD 1 ordinary GB00BRXH2664 Call Option Short Position Written -102,500 2.77 USD American 18/10/2024

    3.        AGREEMENTS TO PURCHASE OR SELL ETC.

    Full details should be given so that the nature of the interest or position can be fully understood:
     

    It is not necessary to provide details on a Supplemental Form (Open Positions) with regard to cash-settled derivatives.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Stoke-on-Trent families supported through school uniform campaign

    Source: City of Stoke-on-Trent

    Published: Monday, 23rd September 2024

    Parents in Stoke-on-Trent have been receiving extra support with finding free or affordable school uniforms with the help of a QR code

    VAST have collated a resource of school uniform banks, exchanges, swap shops and donation points.

    They are using this information to develop a toolkit to help communities find their nearest school uniform bank or find support with the huge cost of school uniform with the help of a QR code.

    The cost of living crisis has hit many families in Stoke-on-Trent hard and finding money for school uniform can feel impossible, which is why this work by VAST has been so helpful to many across the city.

    Faye Angus, Communications and Content Manager at VAST said: “As a parent, I am all too aware of the cost of school uniforms and how long they realistically last on growing children. It’s not as simple as popping to the local supermarket for the cheaper jumpers and cardigans, not when a lot of schools are insisting on branded blazers, ties, and sometimes even PE socks!”

    “We worked closely with the sector to develop a cost-of-living comms toolkit; a range of content for voluntary sector organisations to share information on free and/or affordable food within their local communities. But we wanted that content to reach as many people as possible with the information and support they need, and what they needed support with was accessible school wear.”

    “The survey responses we gathered meant we were able to connect communities with free or affordable second-hand school uniform. Whether it was a uniform exchange to take old and outgrown items and swap them for bigger ones, or it was a free bank for specific branded items – we were able to share where to access it.”

    “We’re very grateful to the groups who responded to our survey and were able to help local parents and carers to access the uniform they need for their children, either for free, by exchanging outgrown items, or at a fraction of the retail price.”

    Councillor Sarah Jane Colclough, cabinet member for Education and Anti-Poverty, said: “This has been a brilliant campaign that VAST have put together to help families across Stoke-on-Trent with the high cost of school uniforms.

    “With the cost of living crisis affecting so many and children growing out of school uniforms that then need replacing, it is a recurring cost that many find hard to afford.

    “I am so pleased that so many families have been helped by this across the city and urge anyone still struggling with school uniform costs to check out the resources VAST have put together for extra support.”

    Local organisations that are hosting a school uniform bank are urged to complete the simple online form. For more information visit: https://vast.org.uk/school-uniform-support-in-stoke-on-trent/

    VAST will be sharing the toolkit, so for further updates follow them on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/VASTstaffordshire or sign up to their mailing list at https://mailchi.mp/8bd9c0db2e7f/vast-subscribe

    MIL OSI United Kingdom –

  • MIL-OSI: Real Estate Split Corp. Class A and Preferred Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Real Estate Split Corp. (TSX: RS and RS.PR.A) is pleased to announce that a distribution for September 2024 will be payable to Class A shareholders as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per Equity Share
    September 30, 2024 October 15, 2024 $0.13

    The Fund also announces that the third quarter distribution of 2024 will be payable to preferred shareholders as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per Preferred Share
    September 30, 2024 October 15, 2024 $0.13125


    The equity and preferred shares both trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the respective symbols RS and RS.PR.A.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains.  The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Invesco Ltd: Form 8.3 – REA Group Ltd ; Public dealing disclosure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1. KEY INFORMATION  
       
    (a) Full name of discloser: Invesco Ltd.  
    (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
    The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		    
    (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
    Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 REA Group Ltd  
    (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:    
    (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:
    For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 20.09.2024  
    (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
    If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 Yes, Rightmove PLC  
       
    2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE  
       
    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.  
    (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)  
       
    Class of relevant security: Ordinary NPV AU000000REA9  
      Interests Short Positions  
      Number % Number %  
    (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 275,113 0.20      
    (2) Cash-settled derivatives:          
    (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:          
      Total 275,113 0.20      
    *The change in the holding of 22 shares since the last disclosure on 20.09.2024 is due to the transfer in of a discretionary holding at 198.99 AUD.  
       
    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    		  
       
       
    (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)  
       
    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:    
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:    
       
    3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE  
       
    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    		  
    (a) Purchases and sales  
       
    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit  
    Ordinary NPV AU000000REA9 Purchase 51 198.99 AUD  
    Ordinary NPV AU000000REA9 Sale 5,431 198.99 AUD  
       
    (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions  
       
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit  
               
       
    (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)
     
    (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying
     
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
                   
       
    (ii) Exercise  
       
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit  
               
       
    (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)  
                 
    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)  
             
             
       
    4. OTHER INFORMATION  
       
    (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements  
       
    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”    		  
    None  
       
    (b) Agreements, arrangements, or understandings relating to options or derivatives  
       
    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”    		  
    None  
       
    (c) Attachments  
       
    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO  
       
    Date of disclosure 23.09.2024  
    Contact name Philippa Holmes  
    Telephone number +441491417447  
       

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Invesco Ltd: Form 8.3 – DS Smith PLC ;Public dealing disclosure

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    FORM 8.3

    PUBLIC DEALING DISCLOSURE BY
    A PERSON WITH INTERESTS IN RELEVANT SECURITIES REPRESENTING 1% OR MORE
    Rule 8.3 of the Takeover Code (the “Code”)

    1. KEY INFORMATION  
       
    (a) Full name of discloser: Invesco Ltd.  
    (b) Owner or controller of interests and short positions disclosed, if different from 1(a):
    The naming of nominee or vehicle companies is insufficient. For a trust, the trustee(s), settlor and beneficiaries must be named.    		    
    (c) Name of offeror/offeree in relation to whose relevant securities this form relates:
    Use a separate form for each offeror/offeree    		 Smith (DS) plc  
    (d) If an exempt fund manager connected with an offeror/offeree, state this and specify identity of offeror/offeree:    
    (e) Date position held/dealing undertaken:
    For an opening position disclosure, state the latest practicable date prior to the disclosure    		 20.09.2024  
    (f) In addition to the company in 1(c) above, is the discloser making disclosures in respect of any other party to the offer?
    If it is a cash offer or possible cash offer, state “N/A”    		 Yes, International Paper Company  
       
    2. POSITIONS OF THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE  
       
    If there are positions or rights to subscribe to disclose in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 2(a) or (b) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security.  
    (a) Interests and short positions in the relevant securities of the offeror or offeree to which the disclosure relates following the dealing (if any)  
       
    Class of relevant security: 10p Ordinary GB0008220112  
      Interests Short Positions  
      Number % Number %  
    (1) Relevant securities owned and/or controlled: 5,955,810* 0.43      
    (2) Cash-settled derivatives:          
    (3) Stock-settled derivatives (including options) and agreements to purchase/sell:          
      Total 5,955,810* 0.43      
    *The change in the holding of 1,232 shares since the last disclosure on 12.09.2024 is due to the transfer in of a discretionary holding.

    All interests and all short positions should be disclosed.

    Details of any open stock-settled derivative positions (including traded options), or agreements to purchase or sell relevant securities, should be given on a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions).

    		  
       
       
    (b) Rights to subscribe for new securities (including directors’ and other employee options)  
       
    Class of relevant security in relation to which subscription right exists:    
    Details, including nature of the rights concerned and relevant percentages:    
       
    3. DEALINGS (IF ANY) BY THE PERSON MAKING THE DISCLOSURE  
       
    Where there have been dealings in more than one class of relevant securities of the offeror or offeree named in 1(c), copy table 3(a), (b), (c) or (d) (as appropriate) for each additional class of relevant security dealt in.

    The currency of all prices and other monetary amounts should be stated.

    		  
    (a) Purchases and sales  
       
    Class of relevant security Purchase/sale Number of securities Price per unit  
    10p Ordinary GB0008220112 Sale 43,783 4.68 GBP  
    10p Ordinary GB0008220112 Purchase 332 4.68 GBP  
       
    (b) Cash-settled derivative transactions  
       
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. CFD Nature of dealing e.g. opening/closing a long/short position, increasing/reducing a long/short position Number of reference securities Price per unit  
               
       
    (c) Stock-settled derivative transactions (including options)
            
    (i) Writing, selling, purchasing or varying
     
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Writing, purchasing, selling, varying etc. Number of securities to which option relates Exercise price per unit Type e.g. American, European etc. Expiry date Option money paid/ received per unit
                   
       
    (ii) Exercise  
       
    Class of relevant security Product description e.g. call option Exercising/ exercised against Number of securities Exercise price per unit  
               
       
    (d) Other dealings (including subscribing for new securities)  
                 
    Class of relevant security Nature of dealing e.g. subscription, conversion Details Price per unit (if applicable)  
             
       
    4. OTHER INFORMATION  
       
    (a) Indemnity and other dealing arrangements  
       
    Details of any indemnity or option arrangement, or any agreement or understanding, formal or informal, relating to relevant securities which may be an inducement to deal or refrain from dealing entered into by the person making the disclosure and any party to the offer or any person acting in concert with a party to the offer:
    Irrevocable commitments and letters of intent should not be included. If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”    		  
    None  
       
    (b) Agreements, arrangements, or understandings relating to options or derivatives  
       
    Details of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, formal or informal, between the person making the disclosure and any other person relating to:
    (i) the voting rights of any relevant securities under any option; or
    (ii) the voting rights or future acquisition or disposal of any relevant securities to which any derivative is referenced:
    If there are no such agreements, arrangements or understandings, state “none”    		  
    None  
       
    (c) Attachments  
       
    Is a Supplemental Form 8 (Open Positions) attached? NO  
       
    Date of disclosure 23.09.2024  
    Contact name Philippa Holmes  
    Telephone number +441491417447  
       

    Public disclosures under Rule 8 of the Code must be made to a Regulatory Information Service.

    The Panel’s Market Surveillance Unit is available for consultation in relation to the Code’s disclosure requirements on +44 (0)20 7638 0129.

    The Code can be viewed on the Panel’s website at www.thetakeoverpanel.org.uk.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Fijoya Selects the Tendo Marketplace to Offer Modular, Cost-Effective Employee Health Benefits

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Tendo announced today a new partnership with Fijoya, a leading employee benefits platform. This collaboration combines Tendo’s Marketplace with Fijoya’s end-to-end modular solution, streamlining healthcare for providers and employees seeking care. The integration simplifies administration and delivers a value-focused solution for employers by combining quality, convenience, and affordability.

    Fijoya’s platform consolidates thousands of health and wellness benefits into a single, user-friendly solution. By incorporating Tendo’s Care Connect Marketplace, Fijoya will enhance employee experiences with transparent, predictable pricing for healthcare services. Employees can now purchase and schedule care with all-in pricing, reducing the complexity of navigating healthcare.

    “Joining forces with Tendo allows us to further streamline healthcare for employers,” said Sagi Polani, co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Fijoya. “Together, we’re delivering transparent, cost-effective solutions that benefit employers and their workforces.”

    The Tendo Care Connect Marketplace offers guaranteed, fully bundled rates, streamlining direct contracting for episodes of care. These pre-negotiated contracts provide employers with 20-40% savings on healthcare services, helping them reduce overall healthcare expenses while offering robust benefits options. Care Connect offers a broad range of services across hospitals, surgery centers, imaging, PT, and labs spanning 30+ specialties as a one stop shop.

    “This partnership helps employers enhance their benefits by providing easy access to high-quality, convenient, and affordable healthcare in a simplified shoppable experience,” said Ben Maisano, SVP, Head of Strategy at Tendo.

    About Tendo

    Tendo, a software company recognized as one of Forbes America’s Best Startup Employers for 2024, is reimagining what is possible in healthcare.

    Founded by siblings Dan Goldsmith and Jennifer Goldsmith, the company works with leading health systems to deliver exceptional patient experiences, better clinical outcomes, and greater efficiency for patients, clinicians, and caregivers. Tendo’s solutions bring continuity to healthcare’s complex and disconnected landscape and insights to improve quality, health, and financial outcomes. With the recent acquisition of MDsave, Tendo is now able to offer patients a comprehensive platform to easily search, schedule, pay for, and manage healthcare services with transparent pricing. Learn more at www.tendo.com and www.mdsave.com.

    About Fijoya

    Fijoya is an employee health benefits platform designed to free employers from vendor fatigue with a modular, end-to-end solution for cost-effective and attractive benefits. The platform consolidates thousands of health and wellness benefits into a single, easily-customizable platform, reducing the need for multiple vendor contracts. Fijoya provides flexibility and zero administration, offering both existing and new benefits through a plug-and-play solution. Employees can use their funds as they see fit, guided by an AI-based recommendation engine to browse and pay for personalized health and wellness benefits.

    Media Inquiries
    Carly Ray
    Senior Director, Marketing
    Tendo
    Email: carly@tendo.com

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: E Split Corp. Class A and Preferred Distributions

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    TORONTO, Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — E Split Corp. (TSX: ENS and ENS.PR.A) (the “Fund”) is pleased to announce that a distribution for September 2024 will be payable to Class A shareholders as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per
    Equity Share
    September 30, 2024 October 15, 2024 $0.13
         

    The Fund also announces that the third quarter distribution of 2024 will be payable to preferred shareholders as follows:

    Record Date Payable Date Distribution Per
    Preferred Share
    September 30, 2024 October 15, 2024 $0.175
         

    The equity and preferred shares both trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the respective symbols ENS and ENS.PR.A.

    Middlefield

    Founded in 1979, Middlefield is a specialist equity income asset manager with offices in Toronto, Canada and London, England. Our investment team utilizes active management to select high-quality, global companies across a variety of sectors and themes. Our product offerings include proven dividend-focused strategies that span real estate, healthcare, innovation, infrastructure, energy, diversified income and more. We offer these solutions in a variety of product types including ETFs, Mutual Funds, Closed-End Funds, Split-Share Funds and Flow-through LPs.

    For further information, please visit our website at www.middlefield.com or contact Nancy Tham in our Sales and Marketing Department at 1.888.890.1868.

    This press release contains forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is based on historical information concerning distributions and dividends paid on the securities of issuers historically included in the portfolio of the Fund. Actual future results, including the amount of distributions paid by the Fund, may differ from the monthly distribution amount. Specifically, the income from which distributions are paid may vary significantly due to: changes in portfolio composition; changes in distributions and dividends paid by issuers of securities included in the Fund’s portfolio from time to time; there being no assurance that those issuers will pay distributions or dividends on their securities; the declaration of distributions and dividends by issuers of securities included in the portfolio will generally depend upon various factors, including the financial condition of each issuer and general economic and stock market conditions; the level of borrowing by the Fund; and the uncertainty of realizing capital gains.  The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under “Risk Factors” in the Fund’s prospectus and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund’s current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund’s estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI: Thnks Announces Winners of the 2024 Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Thnks, the first on-demand gratitude expression platform for enterprises, SMBs, and individual contributors, today announced Troy Stevenson, Account Manager at Pegasus Logistics Group as the individual winner and Pegasus Logistics Group as the company winner for the 2024 Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards sponsored by First Horizon.

    As the gratitude in business pioneer, Thnks has transformed small gestures of appreciation into enduring business connections, fostering loyalty, and driving revenue growth. Through the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards, Thnks celebrates individuals and organizations who are growing their businesses with gratitude.

    “Troy and the entire team at Pegasus Logistics Group inspire a ripple effect of gratitude that transforms how we do business and strengthens our communities,” said Brendan Kamm, Thnks Co-Founder and CEO. “The response to this year’s Thnks Gratitude in Business Award has been truly remarkable. We’ve seen an inspiring array of stories demonstrating how gratitude is being leveraged as a powerful tool for business growth and relationship building.”

    Pegasus Logistics Group, the first company honored by the Gratitude in Business Awards, is being recognized for their exceptional dedication to fostering a culture of appreciation and recognition to drive growth. The company’s innovative initiatives, including their Culture Team’s CREW program and “People on Point” rewards system, demonstrate a strong commitment to fostering a culture of gratitude and empowerment. As the individual winner, Stevenson’s commitment to building trust-based relationships and consistently showing appreciation embodies the transformative power of gratitude in the workplace.

    “We are truly honored to receive this recognition from Thnks and First Horizon,” said Ken Beam, Founder and CEO of Pegasus Logistics Group. “Gratitude is at the heart of our culture, and this win is a testament to the dedication and commitment of individuals like Troy Stevenson and all our team members. We believe that gratitude is the foundation for building strong relationships with our team members, clients, partners, and the community. It’s wonderful to see both Troy’s efforts and the collective spirit of Pegasus Logistics recognized. We’re excited to continue fostering an environment where appreciation drives success and strengthens our connections.”

    Stevenson will be awarded $10,000 in Thnks credits to enhance further the gratitude program at Pegasus Logistics, a $500 credit from a selection of Thnks retailers, and a $2,500 donation will be made in his name to The Grace Foundation, which assists individuals and families in crisis and guidance toward self-sufficiency. The team at Pegasus Logistics will receive $10,000 in Thnks credits for their gratitude program.

    “At First Horizon we’re proud to support the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards,” said Lucas Doppler, SVP at First Horizon. “We share Thnks’ vision of celebrating those who elevate their workplace, enhance customer experiences, and enrich their communities – by leading with gratitude. “

    To learn more about the Thnks Gratitude in Business Awards sponsored by First Horizon, visit thnks.com.

    ABOUT THNKS
    Established in 2016, Thnks believes making people feel appreciated – not just part of a transaction – is a business-building strategy. Utilized by over 10,000 teams and 120 Fortune 500 companies, Thnks is an on-demand gratitude expression platform for enterprises, SMBs, and individual contributors that converts small acts of gratitude into lasting business relationships that drive loyalty and revenue. The Thnks platform incorporates technology, program analytics and compliance/budget adherence to empower customers with a more economical, intentional, and authentic way to make people feel appreciated. To date, millions of Thnks have been sent – proving small acts of gratitude generate outsized business impact.

    ABOUT FIRST HORIZON
    First Horizon Corp. (NYSE: FHN), with $82.2 billion in assets as of June 30, 2024, is a leading regional financial services company, dedicated to helping our clients, communities, and associates unlock their full potential with capital and counsel. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the banking subsidiary First Horizon Bank operates in 12 states across the southern U.S. The Company and its subsidiaries offer commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, and mortgage banking services. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation’s best employers by Fortune and Forbes magazines and a Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Bank. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com.

    ABOUT PEGASUS LOGISTICS GROUP
    Pegasus Logistics Group is a global leader in transportation and logistics, specializing in both international and domestic shipments of consequence. With a client-centric approach and a flexible global network of partners, we deliver a highly managed transportation model that adapts to the unique challenges of each business. Our stakeholder-focused approach ensures that our solutions benefit not just our clients but also our team members, partners, and communities. At Pegasus Logistics Group, we believe that true partnership is defined by flexibility, collaboration, and a commitment to improving business processes as we grow together.

    FOR MORE INFORMATION, PRESS ONLY:
    Kaileigh Higgins
    thnks@inkhouse.com

    A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2d0bcf29-0a44-40ba-92d5-2b6dadd89c15

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-OSI Canada: Canadian Coast Guard Inshore Rescue Boat Crews winding down 2024 Great Lakes operations

    Source: Government of Canada News (2)

    The Canadian Coast Guard’s Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) stations in Ontario are winding down their seasonal maritime search and rescue service.

    September 23, 2024

    Sarnia, Ontario – The Canadian Coast Guard’s Inshore Rescue Boat (IRB) stations in Ontario are winding down their seasonal maritime search and rescue service.

    IRB stations located at Britt on Gereaux Island, Hill Island (St. Lawrence River), Corunna (St. Clair River), Brebeuf Island (Georgian Bay), and Long Point (Lake Erie) closed on September 4, 2024.

    The Mitchell’s Bay (Lake St. Clair) IRB station will remain open on weekends, from 2:00 p.m. on Fridays until 6:00 p.m. on Sundays, until October 14, 2024.

    The IRB program employs and trains post-secondary students to provide additional maritime search and rescue services during the busy summer season. The Canadian Coast Guard’s search and rescue lifeboat stations across the Great Lakes and Georgian Bay are staffed by Canadian Coast Guard personnel and will remain in service until November/December.

    Marine emergencies can be called in to the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Trenton 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, at 1-800-267-7270; or to a Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre by VHF radio (channel 16). For additional information on the Canadian Coast Guard’s search and rescue services, please visit: Search and rescue.

    For more information on the IRB program, please visit: Inshore Rescue Boat service.

    Media Relations
    Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard
    Central Region
    204-984-4715
    XCA.Media@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

    MIL OSI Canada News –